Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Former top Obama administration official Susan Rice is joining Netflix to serve on its board of directors.



We are delighted to welcome Ambassador Rice to the Netflix board, Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement. For decades, she has tackled difficult, complex global issues with intelligence, integrity and insight and we look forward to benefiting from her experience and wisdom.



Rice, 53, will be adding the Netflix position to her already extensive resume.



She was a former U.S. diplomat and served as national security adviser under President Barack Obama until 2017.



Rice was U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations when she became especially controversial in the days after the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya that took the lives of four Americans, including ambassador Chris Stevens.



Rice was strongly criticized for comments she made on several Sunday talk shows, when using intelligence agency "talking points," said the attacks were spontaneous" referring to protests against a controversial anti-Islam movie and appearing to downplay how the attack came about.



I am thrilled to be joining the board of directors of Netflix, a cutting-edge company whose leadership, high-quality productions, and unique culture I deeply admire, Rice said in a statement.



Some conservative online users, however, were not so thrilled, threatening to cancel their Netflix subscriptions in response to Rice's appointment.



Netflix, a powerhouse media streaming company, has seen continual growth in subscriptions and success with their original shows like Stranger Things and House of Cards.



In the next ten years, Netflix will hit 262 million subscriptions, according to Citi Research.





Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
ABC News(PARKLAND, Fla.) -- The accused mass shooter in the Parkland, Florida, massacre has been sent over 200 love letters and other pieces of fan mail in jail, according to Broward County public defender Howard Finkelstein.



But since 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz is on suicide watch, he can't have access to these letters on his own, Finkelstein told ABC News.



Attorneys are starting to bring him only the letters that are religious-related, Finkelstein said.



Cruz is not allowed to see the love letters, especially since some are from underage girls, Finkelstein said.



These letters are from regular teenage girls from across the nation," Finkelstein said. Ive been here for 40 years and weve never received letters like this.



"And my fear from the beginning is that this trial will make him famous and spread more hate," Finkelstein said.



Cruz is accused of gunning down 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. He had been expelled from the school over disciplinary problems.



Earlier this month, Broward County Judge Elizabeth Scherer entered a not guilty plea on Cruz's behalf, after his lawyers indicated he would stand mute, or refuse to plead either innocent or guilty. Defense attorney Melisa McNeill emphasized to the judge that Cruz remains willing "at any time" to plead guilty "in exchange for a waiver of the death sentence" and instead spend the rest of his life behind bars.



Finkelstein said today he is hoping to end this case as soon as possible so the community can heal.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
SONOMA -- A 75-year-old Napa man died after the car he was driving crashed into a wall at the Sonoma Raceway on Wednesday night, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

The man was identified as drag racer James Kenneth Rambo.

Rambo's car was going 100 mph or faster it slammed into a wall, the Sheriff's Office said.

Rambo was driving his 1976 customized Ford Pinto on the quarter-mile drag strip as part of Wednesday Night Drags, a community program held from March to November.

The Sheriff's Office said that, after crossing the finish line, it appears that Rambo braked but, instead of stopping, his vehicle pulled to the left, hitting a k-rail at more than 100 mph.

The program opens the track to 300 vehicles a night that must pass a technical inspection. It aims to provide what the facility calls a "safe, legal and controlled" racing environment.

The raceway says it's the first on-track death in the program's 30-year history.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox.

Dana Carvey as John Bolton

Dana Carvey impersonated John R. Bolton, President Trumps incoming national security adviser, in an interview with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show Wednesday night. It was a bit reminiscent of Carveys famous impression of the first President George Bush  but a few notches more ludicrous.

Colbert asked Bolton, who is known for his far-right views and is said to act abusively toward co-workers, for reassurance that he was not gunning for pre-emptive war with North Korea or Iran. The interview began with Carveys character pleading innocence, but it didnt take long to fly off the rails.
Almost a year after Kathy Griffin appeared in a widely condemned photograph that depicted her holding the severed head of President Trump, this comedian and actress is making a TV comeback of sorts.

Ms. Griffin will appear on Tuesday in a special episode of the Comedy Central series The President Show, in which she will play Kellyanne Conway, the presidents counselor, the network announced on Thursday.

I am kicking the hornets nest, as much as I can, Ms. Griffin said in a phone interview.

I think its important to lean into the controversy, because I know so much more about it now, she added. I think now enough time has passed where people are starting to see the ridiculousness of what happened to me, and theyre seeing other people that Trump has done it to.

The President Show stars Anthony Atamanuik as a satirical version of Mr. Trump hosting a late-night program from the Oval Office. It has also featured other comedians playing members of the Trump family and administration, including Peter Grosz as Vice President Pence, Adam Pally as Donald Trump Jr. and Mario Cantone as Anthony Scaramucci.
A dangerous mermaid washes ashore in Siren. And Bill Gates shows up on The Big Bang Theory.

Whats on TV

SIREN 8 p.m. on Freeform. When ABC Family changed its name to Freeform in 2015, it hoped to distance itself from its innocent-sounding moniker. And so while Siren, the channels newest addition, is about a mermaid, shes nothing like Ariel. The show takes on the darker hues and themes of teenage dramas like Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries to tell the story of Ryn (Eline Powell), a sea creature who wreaks havoc on a town while befriending its inhabitants. The show has small-town mystery elements, frenetic action sequences, and of course, homages to Jaws.

THE BIG BANG THEORY 8 p.m. on CBS. This sitcom has had cameos from myriad brainy superstars, like Stephen Hawking, Steve Wozniak and Bill Nye. In this episode, the illustrious guest geek is Bill Gates, who s partners with Pennys (Kaley Cuoco) pharmaceutical company. And an actor who played one of televisions most celebrated jerks appears on YOUNG SHELDON at 8:30: Jason Alexander (George Costanza on Seinfeld) will play the protagonists hammy drama teacher.
 Boeing was hit by a cyberattack that some executives say used the same ransomware that struck thousands of computer systems in more than 70 countries last year.

 President Trump wants to remake global trade in a matter of months. Heres how hes trying to do it.

 A top Morgan Stanley broker was repeatedly accused of violence against his ex-wives and girlfriends. Bank managers were told. But he kept his job.

 Facebook will introduce a centralized system for its users to control their privacy and security settings in response to an outcry over the way it has handled personal data.

 An advertising group that gave Cambridge Analytica a gold prize for its work for the Trump campaign is now urging marketers to reconsider the ethics of how consumer information is collected. (It has yet to rescind the award.)

 Saudi Arabia may be changing, but the sudden postponement of its first fashion week suggests bumps in the road.

 U.S. stocks were mixed. Heres a snapshot of global markets.
BEIJING  Less than a month after it was seized by the Chinese government, Anbang Insurance Group, the giant conglomerate, is once again offering small investors you snooze, you lose investment opportunities  your money back, guaranteed.

Sold like stocks or bonds in bank branches around China, the products carry names like Anbang Abundant Stability No. 10, suggesting the investments are conservative. They are anything but.

In the past, Anbang has used the money it raised from those products to help pay for risky deals like the purchase of the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York and other flashy properties around the world. The approach saddled the company with big debts at a time when the authorities were trying to stamp out financial troubles.

Still, Anbang and other companies keep selling them  and Chinese investors keep buying them. When China took over Anbang, it only underlined the widely held  and potentially dangerous  belief that the Chinese government will always be there to bail them out.
RIO DE JANEIRO  Exxon Mobil and other oil companies opened their wallets at an offshore oil auction in Brazil on Thursday in a sign that the industry was stepping back into the deepwater drilling business.

It was the third encouraging Brazilian offshore auction since September, and a vote of confidence for the countrys energy reform program at a time when oil companies have been reluctant to make ambitious offshore investments.

As oil prices plunged in recent years, global investment in offshore oil and gas operations collapsed to roughly $160 billion in 2017, from a high of $335 billion in 2014. Rystad Energy, a Norwegian energy consulting firm, projects that offshore investments will level off at $155 billion this year, and gradually pick up over the next five years.

But BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Germanys Wintershall defied the global trend and were among the big winners at the Brazilian auction on Thursday. Chevron had kept a low profile in Brazil since an oil spill in 2011 off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, but it successfully bid for four exploration units.
Amazon hasnt responded to President Trumps latest tweet about the company, and most likely wont.

Mr. Trumps criticisms, though, are largely mistaken. For a long time, Amazon did not pay state sales tax, but it does so now when it sells its own goods in states that collect it. It is the case, however, that in most states Amazon does not collect sales taxes on goods sold by third parties through its platform. As for the United States Postal Service, Amazons business appears to be giving a welcome lift to its package shipping revenue.

Still, Amazon cannot quietly hope that such criticism just fades away. Amazons rapid growth, immense bargaining power, eye-catching initiatives and estimated 44 percent share of U.S. e-commerce sales make the company vulnerable to accusations that it is too powerful.

But if the Trump administration pursues ways to curtail the company, it would meet sizable obstacles.

Amazon accounts for only 4 percent of all retail sales in the United States, a recent survey estimated. Its revenue is a third of Walmarts and, even after its acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazons footing in the grocery business is still small.

All in all, it would be hard to show that Amazon is pushing prices higher for consumers.

Amazon also has a loyal customer base  it has an estimated 90 million Prime members  and the public views it relatively favorably. When the Department of Justices antitrust lawyers went after the proposed merger of Time Warner and AT&T, it was not targeting companies that were particularly popular with the public.
Critics said the garment might have been flagged if H&Ms team was more diverse.

Its so easy to avoid this kind of controversy, said Angel Sinclair, the founder of the advocacy group Models of Diversity. If you care about being culturally sensitive, just be more culturally inclusive of talent and managers in the business.

H&M has more than 100,000 workers worldwide. But the fashion giants board is entirely white. And retail experts said that much of the creative process takes place in and around its European home office, far from many of its markets.

Ms. Wu, who reports directly to H&Ms chief executive, Karl-Johan Persson, said she did not know the ethnic or racial backgrounds of the employees and contractors involved with the monkey hoodie. But an internal investigation of the incident  which she declined to discuss in detail  showed how important awareness-raising is generally, she said.

There are hundreds of steps of getting a product to market  its never one point in time where we can say, Its your fault, because there are teams at work on things, there are approval processes throughout, she said. Its really hard to pinpoint when.

A Need for Speed

H&M and Zara used to stun the industry with their ability to move garments from design to store floor within weeks, when other retailers required more than half a year. But some brands can now perform the same feat much faster, while others, like Amazon and Adidas, are experimenting with on-demand manufacturing.
We also believe Americans can disagree while still being agreeable, and that the free exchange of ideas within a community, in a peaceful manner, is the cornerstone of our democracy, the company said through a spokesman. In our view, these statements focused on a high school student cross the line of decency.

Nutrish, a pet food brand owned by Rachael Ray, said it was in the process of removing our ads from Laura Ingrahams program.

The comments she has made are not consistent with how we feel people should be treated, the company said.

Wayfair, an e-commerce company, said in a statement that it supports open dialogue and debate on issues, but that it would stop advertising on Ms. Ingrahams show.

The decision of an adult to personally criticize a high school student who has lost his classmates in an unspeakable tragedy is not consistent with our values, the company said.

Nestle said it had no plans to buy ads on the show in the future, while Stitch Fix, a clothing box subscription service, said it had pulled its advertisements. Johnson & Johnson said it had done so as well, while Hulu said on Twitter, We are no longer advertising on Laura Ingrahams show and are monitoring all of our ad placements carefully.

Expedia said it had recently pulled the advertising from Ms. Ingrahams show, but it did not elaborate on timing or whether the decision was related to her comments.
That may be overly optimistic. Sixteen American states and Puerto Rico have pledged to stick to the commitment that the United States made in the Paris agreement to reduce emissions by at least 26 percent by 2025. Those states are on track to keep their promise.

But they represent less than a half of the countrys population, and the United States as a country will most likely fall short of its Paris pledge as Mr. Trump dismantles environmental regulations, according to a 2017 study by the Rhodium Group, a private economic research company. And a group led by Michael R. Bloomberg, the United Nations special envoy on climate change, and Gov. Jerry Brown of California, came to the same conclusion in a report that relied on the same data.

The Paris accord is written in such a way that the United States, in fact, remains in the pact even though it announced its intent to pull out. The actual withdrawal does not happen until 2020.

Mr. Guterres is planning a summit meeting next year to goad world leaders to raise their emissions reductions targets. But few countries are even close to meeting the targets they set under the Paris agreement, which was drafted in November and December in 2015, according to independent analyses.

His warnings came a week after the World Meteorological Organization, a United Nations agency, reported that a barrage of extreme weather events had made 2017 the costliest year on record for such disasters, with an estimated $320 billion in losses.
For the past two years, virtually every entering Purdue freshman (there is an opt-out option that few exercise) has been given a mobile application through which the university sends them personalized information about ways to improve their chances of academic success.

So far, the information employed and the ways we're using it have not seemed at all problematic. "Is that combination of courses you chose a historically tough one? Here's where you can find a tutor."

"Did you know that students who wait as long as you did to sign up for courses are more likely to struggle? The registrar's office opens at 8 a.m. tomorrow."

But that's today. With the best of motives, schools like ours will feel the urge to use more and more personal data, through more and more insistent tactics, all in the "best interest of the students."

Much has been written in recent years about the possibilities for "nudging" people to do things they otherwise might not choose to do. In particular, would-be social engineers who have run into trouble, and often political backlash, when trying to order people to change their behavior, have looked longingly on more subtle means of influence.
To hear the wine marketers tell it, every estate picks its grapes at the point of perfect ripeness. But does such a moment really exist?

As with so much in wine, what is in fact subjective is often presented as objective. Just as no perfect moment exists to open a bottle, and no optimum length exists for aging a wine, no particular set of conditions defines perfect ripeness. It all depends on the intent and taste of the grower and producer, along with vintage conditions, the site and perhaps a bit of luck.

The motives of the marketer and the desires of the consumer inevitably clash. Here at Wine School, we love wine, but are inherently skeptical about anybody in the trade who claims to have done anything at the one right moment. Just as in journalism, in which generations of reporters have been taught never to assume a thing  not even that their mothers love them  such claims should invite doubt.

I was thinking about ripeness over the last few weeks as we tasted several examples of Rosso di Montalcino, the younger sibling of the renowned Brunello di Montalcino. Each of the three bottles I suggested, from the 2015 vintage, seemed to exhibit a different degree of ripeness. Each, depending on the taste of the consumer, could be considered to have been made with properly ripened grapes.
SYDNEY, Australia  As a teenager in St. James Parish, Barbados, Paul Carmichael spent his free time writing letters to New York City restaurants. He had been dreaming of a cooking career in America ever since a home economics teacher, sensing talent, suggested he consider attending the Culinary Institute of America. At 15, Mr. Carmichael sent away for a Zagat Guide and began writing to the top-rated restaurants, asking for work. (Lespinasse was the only one to reply.)

Mr. Carmichaels father had spent hard years working as a butler and bartender, and did not see it as a desirable path. He sought to break his sons romantic notions by getting him an unpaid job at a local restaurant. The plan backfired  Mr. Carmichael became hooked.

When he made it to the Culinary Institute, his final thesis focused on Caribbean food. Then in his early 20s, he drew connections between slavery and colonialism and sustenance.

He studied the ways in which food was often one of the only aspects of African culture that maintained an unbroken thread through generations, as language and religion and family were purposefully and systematically stripped from enslaved people. He dug into the history of certain dishes, tracing the heritage of flavors and the people who brought them to the Caribbean, and focused on how those flavors were melded and reshaped by new ingredients and new generations of cooks.
Before reading the article:

Every 10 years the Census Bureau counts each person who lives in the United States, as required by the Constitution. As The Times recently reported:

The United States census is so much more than just a head count. It is a snapshot of America that determines how congressional seats are apportioned, how state and federal dollars are distributed, where businesses choose to ship products and where they build new stores. To do that properly, the counts needs to be accurate.

Watch this short Reuters video about the Trump administrations decision to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census.

Do you think asking residents if they are citizens is a good idea? Why or why not?



Now, read the article, At Least Twelve States to Sue Trump Administration Over Census Citizenship Question, and answer the following questions:

1. Why are 12 states suing to block the Trump administration from adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 census?

2. What did Attorney General Maura Healey of Massachusetts say about the new census question?

3. Why are some people opposed to the new question, according to the article?

4. What is the Trump administrations rationale for adding the question?

5. What details does the article give about the history of asking residents if they are citizens? What does the article say about the timing of the added question?
There are millions of stories in the naked city, and a lot of them have been filmed in Los Angeles. A city partly made by the movies and defined by them, too, Los Angeles rarely comes off like a lived reality onscreen. Its a hazy dream, a gaudy fantasy, a noirish nightmare, an Instagramble cliche. Its no wonder moviegoers and other virtual tourists can map it in their heads without visiting it, even if the Los Angeles they probably know is little more than an aerial view of the Hollywood sign, a cutaway to a clogged freeway and a slavering look at a bountiful blonde.

Every so often, a filmmaker plays with these banalities, which I imagine is why Aaron Katz opens Gemini, a pleasurably drifty, low-wattage mystery set in Los Angeles, with an upside-down shot of a palm tree. Perfectly framed and photographed, its feathery fronds spreading in silhouette against a dark-indigo night sky, the tree hangs in the shot like a chandelier. Mr. Katz gives Gemini the expected smoggy freeways and a blonde on a billboard, as well as the kind of mystery that certain Hollywood dreams are made of, complete with a femme fatale, a detective and a lonely horn on the soundtrack. But as that upside-down palm tree suggests, he is coming at Los Angeles from his own angle.

Like a lot of intrigues, this one opens at night. Jill (an appealing Lola Kirke), a personal assistant, is sitting behind the wheel of a parked car, her face lighted by a cellphone. Its a decidedly ordinary scene, even if cinephiles might flash on a different woman staring into a glowing box in the explosive 1955 noir Kiss Me Deadly. As she often is, Jill is waiting for Heather (Zoe Kravitz), a young star going through some kind of undefined rough patch. Heather has a meeting with a filmmaker, Greg (an amusingly acid Nelson Franklin), one of those jaundiced, permanently disappointed industry types who doubtless read Nathanael Wests The Day of the Locust at too tender an age.
Personal Problems contains not a single shot that can be called beautiful, but theres also not a genuinely wrong-footed view in the whole work. Its as if the camera is negotiating with reality, trying to find a place at the characters tables. The viewer gets a wide window into African-American life in New York at this time; its intimate to the point of awkwardness. The title derives from what Ms. Brown, who works as a nurse (and is brought to spectacular, unaffected life by Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, the groundbreaking culinary anthropologist and writer) says in an onscreen interview at the opening of the work. Reflecting on her place in the city relative to South Carolina, from where she came, and how she related to a patient who came in with a bullet wound who was also from that state, she goes on: Of course everybodys got their own personal problems so you go home, you got the problems of home  Im tense, a lot of the time. The tensions are such that anyone can understand them, but this work is also about how the added dimension of being black in America increases stress.
During the opening titles of Wilde Salome, it announces itself as a story about an obsession. Early on in the documentary chronicling both a film and a theater production of the Oscar Wilde play, Estelle Parsons, the great actor, asks Al Pacino, the great actor whos instigating the productions: Why Salome? Youve done it! You not only did it once, youve done it twice. How many productions have you done?

Perhaps one reason Mr. Pacino is so dogged in his explorations of the play is because its one that few others would think to cast him in. The lead male role, that of Herod, a king who promises the title character anything if she will dance for him, is a meaty one, to be sure. But even more than that of the title character, a royal daughter who is determined to kiss the mouth of John the Baptist even if that requires his decapitation, Herod as a character is a figure balanced on the knife edge of Camp. And if theres one mode of art that contemporary directors do not associate with Mr. Pacino, its Camp. (At least with intentional Camp.)
Yet others believe that Mr. Ganim, 58, will do well at the partys nominating convention this spring. They cite the breadth of his delegate support in Bridgeport, a gritty coastal city of 150,000 where he has earned praise for attracting development, stabilizing finances and bolstering the police.

Even if Mr. Ganim does not win the partys nomination, which requires more than 50 percent of the delegate vote, he could garner the 15 percent needed for a spot on the primary ballot. Failing that, he would have to obtain thousands of petition signatures, something he pledges to do.

Democrats are saying, Holy cow, this cant happen,  said Peter Spain, a Democratic member of Bridgeports City Council and a longtime critic of Mr. Ganim. Its wrong for someone who totally betrayed the public trust to come back and shrug it off and act like the people of Bridgeport forgave him.

Many in Bridgeport did forgive him, however. In 2015, Mr. Ganim managed to defeat the incumbent mayor, Bill Finch, in the Democratic primary and went on to beat his closest opponent in the general election by two-to-one.

That same year, Bridgeport conducted a citywide tax reassessment that revealed a sobering trend. The value of Bridgeports taxable property had fallen by a staggering $1 billion, to $6 billion. That  coupled with a $20 million budget deficit left by the previous administration  prompted the city to raise the effective tax rate on properties by nearly 29 percent.

As he has traveled the state in recent months, Mr. Ganim said he found that residents do not necessarily share his critics view that his message only plays in the states urban centers. They have a viewpoint that my candidacy may sell in Bridgeport, but it wont in Mayberry, he said, referring to the 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show.
After seven years as governor of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo has rewritten the disclaimer language on his campaign website that describes which of his appointees are banned from donating to his campaign, potentially opening the door for more appointees to contribute.

The new language follows a report by The New York Times last month that showed Mr. Cuomo had raised about $890,000 from his appointees to more than a dozen state boards and commissions. These contributions came despite an executive order Mr. Cuomo signed on his first day in office that was designed to block donations by most appointees.

In response to the story, Mr. Cuomos office offered two interpretations of the directive that significantly narrowed the number of appointees who would be barred from donating. The governors office first said that it applied only to board members who could be fired by the governor. The administration later added that, in order to come under the ban, individuals also had to hold positions that required them to file financial disclosure reports.

Neither of those caveats appeared on Mr. Cuomos own website  until recently.

The campaign clarified the language on its contribution page to avoid any confusion, said Gita Tiku, Mr. Cuomos campaign finance director.
Citing President Trumps racially charged language, a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled on Thursday that a lawsuit seeking to preserve a program that protects hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation could continue.

The order, by Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis of Federal District Court in Brooklyn, was the strongest sign so far of judicial support for the program known as DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which has for months been the subject of a heated debate in Congress.

In October, lawyers for the Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the Brooklyn lawsuit, claiming that the plaintiffs in the case  a coalition of immigration lawyers and a group of Democratic state attorneys general  had failed to make a persuasive case that DACA was rolled back in September because of a racial animus toward Latinos.

But in his order rejecting the motion to dismiss, Judge Garaufis pointed directly at Mr. Trump, noting that his numerous racial slurs and epithets  both as a candidate and from the White House  had created a plausible inference that the decision to end DACA violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
Lee Schilling and his 24-year-old daughter Alison did not bother to look at menus. In a restaurant they have frequented since she was barely a teenager, they knew exactly what they wanted. They also knew how to beat the two-hour wait for a table.

The restaurant was El Quijote, in the once-elegantly shabby Chelsea Hotel on West 23rd Street near Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. For the last few days, ever since signs went up saying El Quijote would close after dinner on Friday for several months of renovations, it has been crowded. From time to time on Wednesday night, depending on how quickly the tables were cleared, a line sprawled through the plate-glass doors and out onto the sidewalk.

Like the Schillings, many of the people who lined up described El Quijote as a gem from long-ago New York, untouched, unreconstituted and ungentrified. It was the kind of place where the leather booths and the walls above them were the same deep red as always  some would say as red as the shrimp diablo.

El Quijotes fans saw the place as a diamond, but others saw cubic zirconia. New York magazine said that going to El Quijote was like taking a vacation  one where youve wandered into an utter tourist trap.
The internet activist and author Eli Pariser told me that he thinks these students have "shifted some norms regarding what's appropriate in the aftermath of that kind of violence." After future school shootings, he expects, "We'll see the next group of students move very quickly to make their views known, and we'll see the media looking for those students."

That's important, because kids tend to articulate their views especially forcefully.

"To the leaders, skeptics and cynics who told us to sit down, stay silent and wait your turn, welcome to the revolution," Cameron Kasky, a student at the Parkland high school, said on Saturday. "Either represent the people or get out. Stand for us or beware."

"It is very natural to high school students to say what they believe, and they tend to say it in a pretty clear and no-holds-barred kind of way," Pariser said. The message that young people are now sending -- that adults have failed in their duty to protect kids -- is especially powerful.
A campaign to unseat eight state Democratic senators  members of a renegade group that has helped empower Republicans to rule the Senate in Albany  will receive a significant boost from the city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer.

Mr. Stringer on Thursday will endorse two Democratic challengers trying to topple members of the group, the Independent Democratic Conference, in the September primary.

When you run for office as a Democrat and caucus with the Republicans, you are not acting like a Democrat. Mr. Stringer, a Democrat, said in an interview. This has gone on for too long. I want to break the dam.

The cooperation of the eight-member body has helped allow Senate Republicans to control the chamber even though they are outnumbered by Democrats.
Barbara Lewalski, a renowned Renaissance scholar and expert on the poet John Milton who became the first woman to be granted tenured and endowed professorships in the English departments of Brown and Harvard Universities, died on March 2 in Providence, R.I. She was 87.

Her son, David Lewalski, her only immediate survivor, said she had a heart attack at her home in Providence and died in a hospital. She had recently learned that she had congestive heart failure, he said.

Professor Lewalski was an accomplished author, teacher, mentor to doctoral students and an enterprising researcher who was named an honored scholar by the Milton Society of America when she was 46. In 2016 she received a lifetime achievement award from the Renaissance Society of America.

Professor Lewalski was without a doubt the foremost scholar of English Renaissance Studies in America and England, setting the standard for several generations of scholars, Diana Trevino Benet, a past president of both the John Milton Society of American and the John Donne Society of America, wrote in an email.
Deborah Carrington, who broke into Hollywood by answering an ad for dwarf actors, and later performed stunt work and costume-specific roles in Hollywood blockbusters and campy horror movies, died on March 23 at her parents home in Pleasanton, Calif. She was 58.

Her sister, Kathy Ellis, said that the cause had not been determined but that Ms. Carrington had dealt with health problems over the past year.

Audiences might best remember Ms. Carrington, whose stage name was Debbie Lee Carrington, for her violent performance as Thumbelina, the 3-foot, 10-inch pink-clad prostitute in the 1990 sci-fi action film Total Recall. The movie told the story of a construction worker in the future who visits a colonized Mars.

During a mob scene, Thumbelina stabs one of the movies villains with a bowie knife before jumping on a table and mowing down the police with a machine gun.
After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1951 with an English degree and doing counterintelligence work in the Army during the Korean War, Mr. Freedman worked as a journalist and publicist. But then a chance bit of browsing changed his direction.

One day I read an article about a 16-year-old blind boy who invented a Braille typewriter, he recounted in a 1988 interview with The Chicago Tribune. I thought that was remarkable. Then, as I kept reading, I learned that the Braille system itself, as used around the world, was invented by another 16-year-old blind boy, Louis Braille.

He decided to write a book, Teenagers Who Made History.

By the time the book was completed, he realized it had to be a book for young readers, said the critic and filmmaker Evans Chan, Mr. Freedmans partner of many years, whom he married in 2013. The book was published in 1961, with a little help from Mr. Freedmans father.

The many works that followed included a string of nature books like Animal Architects (1971). But a trip to a photographic exhibition changed his focus and approach.

His interest in biographical and history writings was rekindled by a visit to a New-York Historical Society exhibition of Street Kids: 1864-1977 in 1978, Mr. Chan said. The show inspired Russ to begin combining text with vintage photos (and eventually archival illustrations) in his own books.

He quickly put the approach to the test in Immigrant Kids (1980), using photographs and text to tell the stories of young immigrants in the early 1900s. A particularly effective example was Lincoln: A Photobiography, which won the Newbery Medal in 1988. It was one of only a handful of nonfiction books to win that prestigious childrens-literature award at that point, something Mr. Freedman attributed partly to poor writing practices.

Condescension used to be the rule in childrens nonfiction, he said at the time, the belief that we needed to dramatize history to make it palatable and keep kids reading. So we lied. We created unbelievable characters  bland stereotypes  and fictionalized their lives. Biographies, almost without exception, were adulatory and reverential.
Cohn argued that the exit polls overestimated Trumps support among well-educated white voters and that

there is no question that the exit polls underestimate the number of white working-class voters, especially older ones, by a considerable amount.

Cohn observed that errors result from an odd methodological quirk in exit polling that winds up biasing the rest of the survey because the exit polls are weighted to match the actual result of a far less educated country. The net effect:

The exit poll overestimates Republican support among most demographic groups, including well-educated white voters, and it overestimates the number of voters from Democratic-leaning voting blocs, like young, nonwhite and well-educated voters.

Assuming this critique of the exit polls is correct, what are the implications for Democrats and Republicans?

For Democrats, the Pew and CAP calculations suggest that because the noncollege white vote remains highly significant, the party and its candidates need to prevent any further erosion in this constituency that went so strongly for Trump.

The corollary for Republicans is that the party, already behind in the popular vote, cannot afford to suffer continued losses among college-educated white voters, especially college-educated women. Pew found by 2017, a year into the Trump presidency:

Voters who have completed college make up a third of all registered voters. And a majority  58 percent  of all voters with at least a four-year college degree now identifies as Democrats or leans Democratic, the highest share dating back to 1992. Just 36 percent affiliate with the Republican Party or lean toward the G.O.P.

This danger has become more acute, according to the Pew study:

The share of women identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic is up 4 percentage points since 2015 and is at one of its highest points since 1992.

At the same time, though, Trump appears to be strengthening Republican support among noncollege whites:

Voters with no college experience have been moving toward the GOP: 47 percent identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, up from 42 percent in 2014.

The Pew and CAP studies received relatively little publicity compared to the massive coverage of the exit polls, raising the question of how much the political community will adjust to the conflicting data.

Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida who studies the intricacies of polling, is not optimistic:

In real time on election night, the exit polls set a narrative, and for a long time there is no other data that changes that narrative, and that narrative solidifies into place and its really hard to get past it.

Polling that provides an inaccurate picture of the electorate does more than undermine partisan strategy and media analysis. Trevor Tompson, vice president of NORC (formerly the National Opinion Research Center) at the University of Chicago, emailed me:

The overrepresentation of college-educated voters, and especially those with postgraduate degrees, has long been a known issue with the in-person exit poll.

He then added:

The bottom line is we need to have much better data for the health of our democracy.

For Democrats, these questions are a matter of competitive survival.

Teixeira of the Center for American Politics and William Galston of The Brookings Institution, two longtime Democratic strategists, suggest different but complementary directions in which to take the Democratic Party going forward.

Galston, writing in the March 16 Wall Street Journal, argues that Democrats need to moderate their stand on immigration in order to win over white noncollege voters.

No issue has done more than immigration to feed populism, and finding a sustainable compromise would drain much of the bile from todays politics, Galston writes. He continues:

Defenders of liberal democracy should acknowledge that controlling borders is a legitimate exercise of sovereignty, and that the appropriate number and type of immigrants is a legitimate subject for debate. Denouncing citizens concerned about immigration as bigots ameliorates neither the substance nor the politics of the problem. Theres nothing illiberal about the view that too many immigrants stress a countrys capacity to absorb them, so that a reduction or even a pause may be in order.

Teixeira points out that if Clinton had done as well with white working-class voters as Obama

she would have carried, with robust margins, the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Iowa, as well as Florida and Ohio. In fact, if Clinton could simply have reduced the shift toward Donald Trump among these voters by one-quarter, she would have won.

In Alabamas special Senate election, Doug Jones, the winning Democrat, would have lost if he had not made substantial inroads with the white working class, Teixeira argued:

Without the hefty swing among the white non-college population, particularly women, there is no way Jones would have won the state, or even come close.

Teixeira concluded:

There is no way around it  if Democrats hope to be competitive in Ohio and similar states in 2020, they must do the hard thing: find a way to reach hearts and minds among white non-college voters.

Lets go back to Galston, writing on the Brookings website, presciently, in June 2016. I will quote him at some length, because in my opinion no one captures the situation better than he does:

Most working-class whites have incomes below $50,000; most whites with BAs or more have incomes above $50,000. Most working-class whites rate their financial circumstances as only fair or poor; most college educated whites rate their financial circumstances as good or excellent. Fifty-four percent of working-class whites think of themselves as working class or lower class, compared to only 18 percent of better-educated whites .



In many respects, these two groups of white voters see the world very differently. For example, 54 percent of college-educated whites think that Americas culture and way of life have improved since the 1950s; 62 percent of white working-class Americans think that it has changed for the worse. Sixty-eight percent of working-class whites, but only 47 percent of college-educated whites, believe that the American way of life needs to be protected against foreign influences. Sixty-six percent of working-class whites, but only 43 percent of college-educated whites, say that discrimination against whites has become as big a problem as discrimination against blacks and other minorities. In a similar vein, 62 percent of working-class whites believe that discrimination against Christians has become as big a problem as discrimination against other groups, a proposition only 38 percent of college educated whites endorse.

This brings us to the issue of immigration. By a margin of 52 to 35 percent, college-educated whites affirm that todays immigrants strengthen our country through their talent and hard work. Conversely, 61 percent of white working-class voters say that immigrants weaken us by taking jobs, housing, and health care. Seventy-one percent of working-class whites think that immigrants mostly hurt the economy by driving down wages, a belief endorsed by only 44 percent of college-educated whites. Fifty-nine percent of working-class whites believe that we should make a serious effort to deport all illegal immigrants back to their home countries; only 33 percent of college-educated whites agree. Fifty-five percent of working-class whites think we should build a wall along our border with Mexico, while 61 percent of whites with BAs or more think we should not. Majorities of working-class whites believe that we should make the entry of Syrian refugees into the United States illegal and temporarily ban the entrance of non-American Muslims into our country; about two-thirds of college-educated whites oppose each of these proposals.

Opinions on trade follow a similar pattern. By a narrow margin of 48 to 46 percent, college-educated whites endorse the view that trade agreements are mostly helpful to the United States because they open up overseas markets while 62 percent of working-class whites believe that they are harmful because they send jobs overseas and drive down wages.

It is understandable that working-class whites are more worried that they or their families will become victims of violent crime than are whites with more education. After all, they are more likely to live in neighborhoods with higher levels of social disorder and criminal behavior. It is harder to explain why they are also much more likely to believe that their families will fall victim to terrorism. To be sure, homegrown terrorist massacres of recent years have driven home the message that it can happen to anyone, anywhere. We still need to explain why working-class whites have interpreted this message in more personal terms.

The most plausible interpretation is that working-class whites are experiencing a pervasive sense of vulnerability. On every front  economic, cultural, personal security  they feel threatened and beleaguered. They seek protection against all the forces they perceive as hostile to their cherished way of life  foreign people, foreign goods, foreign ideas, aided and abetted by a government they no longer believe cares about them. Perhaps this is why fully 60 percent of them are willing to endorse a proposition that in previous periods would be viewed as extreme: the country has gotten so far off track that we need a leader who is prepared to break some rules if that is what it takes to set things right.

The bottom line, as the 2016 election amply demonstrated, is that if the Democratic Party does not take the bull by the horns, someone else will.
In the throes of the campaign in September 2016, Mike Pence told a crowd at the Living Word Bible Church in Mesa, Ariz.:

Im old enough to remember back in the last Clinton administration where America really had a debate over whether character mattered to the presidency. We dont need to have that debate again. We dont need to have that debate again. Character matters to the presidency and Donald Trump will bring the highest level of integrity to the highest office in the land. You can count on it.

Ha.

This after a lifetime of Trump boasting about his sexual conquests, after years of him going on the Howard Stern show and saying the most debauched things, and just two weeks before the release of the Access Hollywood tape on which Trump boasted about kissing and groping women without their permission  in other words, sexual assault.

Pences proclamation was a lie when he said it, and is even more of a lie now. Trump is involved in litigation over sexual encounters on three fronts, including with the porn star Stephanie Clifford, known as Stormy Daniels.

But the Daniels scandal is hardly making a dent.

As Politico reported Wednesday, The data suggest Trumps past behavior with women is already known among voters  and many are willing to overlook it.
To the Editor:

Re Cynthia Nixon and the Age of Inexperience (column, March 25):

Frank Brunis argument that our current romance with inexperienced political candidates degrades the importance of experience more generally reflects an erroneous view of politics in the United States.

His essay is a response to Cynthia Nixons decision to run in the Democratic primary against Andrew Cuomo for governor of New York, but his point reflects a division between those who believe that political experience is required to govern well and those who do not.

There is a long tradition in the United States of governance by people with nonpolitical experience. The reason is simple: In a representative democracy we, in some sense, govern ourselves. Politics is not a technical discipline for which esoteric knowledge is indispensable.

My problem with Donald Trump, for example, has nothing to do with his political inexperience and everything to do with his moral and intellectual incompetence. Governing requires wisdom, not technical expertise. It truly is not brain science.
Some of the dark Facebook ads, bought by suspected Russian fronts, have been released as part of congressional investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, and these include an ad meant to depress black support for Hillary Clinton by referring to conspiracy theories involving her husband. What other dark Facebook ads might have been placed on behalf of the Trump campaign to suppress black turnout? Were there classic examples of voter suppression, like publishing the wrong Election Day date or falsely warning that you can be arrested at your polling place if you owe payment on a traffic ticket? We dont know  the dark ads have disappeared and Facebook wont release them, citing the privacy of its advertisers.

Facebooks vast and well-designed platform offered the Trump campaign and its supporters cheap, direct access to African-American voters  and along with this the chance to mislead and intimidate. In the past, candidates intent on suppressing the black vote ran up against technological barriers. They had to work with fliers and obscure radio ads, since reputable media outlets, unlike Facebook, tended to push back against racially inflammatory, untrue political advertising. Fliers and radio ads leave a public residue, too.

The election of 2016, the first after Barack Obamas presidency, was notable for a seven-percentage-point decrease in African-American turnout, from 66.6 percent in 2012 to 59.6 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. This was the first decline in 20 years in a presidential election and the largest ever recorded. The 2016 turnout rate was also below even the rate for the 2004 election, when John Kerry was the Democratic candidate.

At a hearing with the top lawyers from Facebook, Google and Twitter about Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota began by emphasizing the stakes involved. I come at this with the simple idea that our democracy was formed to be self-governing, she said, adding that American citizens have a right of freedom to make their own decisions  and I think that was interfered with by Russians and also others.

This simple idea of the United States as a self-governing community wasnt the focus of the many mea culpa interviews Mr. Zuckerberg gave after reports of the data breach. He was focused on the individual. A lot of the most sensitive issues that we faced today are conflicts between our real values, right? he said in an interview with Recode. Freedom of speech and hate speech and offensive content. Where is the line, right?

Todd A. Cox, the director of policy of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, sees the question of our real values a bit differently. There has been a lot of agonizing and struggling over the place of First Amendment, he told me. I would like the discussion to turn on what role does the 14th Amendment, the Voting Rights Act, 15th Amendment play  the guarantees of equal protection under the law and of the right of African-Americans to vote. That is, in addition to Facebooks libertarian, Silicon Valley perspective that sees only the personal questions  my right to say what I want, my privacy  we must consider the collective questions: How do we protect historically discriminated groups? How do first we make sure everyone is able to speak through free, fair elections before we argue about what they can say?

This week, Facebook delayed the release of its home assistant devices and unveiled yet another attempt to make its privacy settings clear and easy to use. Weve heard loud and clear that privacy settings and other important tools are too hard to find, and that we must do more to keep people informed, Facebooks chief privacy officer, Erin Egan, and deputy general counsel, Ashlie Beringer, said in a statement announcing the new privacy system.

Facebook is insistent on seeing its failures as harming individuals, never society as a whole. The legal scholar Alexander Bickel was fond of saying, No answer is what the wrong question begets. Facebook has been asking the wrong question consistently for more than a decade, which is why its privacy scandals can seem like the longest running show in Silicon Valley. Recent events have offered us a chance to reframe the question about how to fix Facebook. It is one that all Americans should have a voice in answering.
On the surface, of course, theres an obvious tension between the largely secular, liberal traditions of German culture and those forms of Islam that, for example, place religious law over secular law. But thats also a moot point: Muslims have been living here in large numbers since the 1960s, and now Germanys six million Muslims make up roughly 6 percent of the population. The problem is that the way Germany has dealt with them is a history of mistakes.

The first mistake, the one conservatives made, was to believe that the early guest workers brought from Turkey in the 1960s, to make up for a labor shortage, would eventually go home again. The second mistake, the one the left made, was to embrace all foreigners, whatever their values. After Sept. 11, more or less all sides have made a third mistake, the failure to ask painful questions about how to reconcile Islam with an pluralist, secular democracy.

Apathy, illusions and false tolerance have left important issues unaddressed for half a century. That has now turned to hostility: Many Germans just dont believe that Islam is compatible with Western values.

And yet the fact that there are many liberal observant Muslims living in Germany suggests the opposite. These are the people who speak out against false dogma, the overly literal reading of the Quran, and anti-Western teachings. The problem is their small number and the hostility they encounter from fellow Muslims here in Germany.

In a representative survey conducted by the University of Munster in 2016, 47 percent of Turkish immigrants and their descendants said that it was more important for them to abide by religious commands than by the laws of the country I live in. Some 32 percent said that Muslims should try to re-erect a social order like the one during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad. And 50 percent said there was only one true religion.

These are troubling figures. While giving divine laws priority over worldly laws does not necessarily mean rejecting democracy (many Christians and Jews would subscribe to the same statement), the apparent longing of so many Muslims for an authoritarian rather than an open society is shocking. Their intolerance for those of other beliefs matches a political attitude that surprised this country one year ago: Of the roughly 700,000 Turkish Muslims in Germany who participated in the constitutional referendum in Turkey last April, 63 percent voted in favor of granting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unilateral powers.
If you take Jeremy Corbyn at his word, then the leader of Britains Labour Party is no anti-Semite. Its just that, like the Wild West preacher who keeps accidentally wandering into Fannie Porters house of ill repute, Corbyn has an odd knack for stumbling into the arms of the Hebraically disinclined.

Corbyn is facing public protests and scathing criticism again this week after it emerged that in 2012 he had questioned the removal of a London mural by the artist Kalen Ockerman that looks like a scene drawn from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. He now claims, unconvincingly, that he regrets not looking more closely at the image.

It also turns out that he was a member of several Facebook groups, one of which displayed postings about the Rothschild banking family, Jews harvesting organs and theories connecting Israel with Islamic State, according to Londons Jewish Chronicle. Had I seen anti-Semitism, Corbyn says, I would have challenged it straight away.

This was barely a month after Corbyn issued a Facebook post for Holocaust Memorial Day that included no mention of Jews or anti-Semitism. Following an outcry, Corbyn made public another message, this one mentioning our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Recently, thousands of students and community members flocked to the Napa Valley Unified School District Offices to protest with The March for Our Lives. The March for Our Lives events around the nation stem from the Valentines Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Fourteen students and three faculty members were fatally wounded by Nikolas Cruz, whom had been expelled from the school in 2017 due to disciplinary problems. The students who knew him tried to warn authorities of his behaviors, the local sheriff stating that his office had received a whopping number of 23 calls, indicating that Cruz was a school shooter in the making. School officials said they would run a series of tests to see how threatening Cruz really was, but as we know, he was able to conduct one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history.

The people of Napa County can be especially empathetic to the cause, because something like this happened quite recently that shook our city to its core: The Veterans' Home shooting in Yountville on March 9. This was no school shooting. The perpetrator was no teenage rebel with various disciplinary issues. He was Albert Wong, 36 years-old, a former Army rifleman.
Every Shabbat morning at my synagogue in Los Angeles, some 700 people come together to celebrate and sing. In their voices are echoes of the emptiness of the synagogues of their past, in Iran, in Russia, in Poland and in other places where communities still exist but wont for much longer. My congregants grandparents were a worldwide chorus.

Years ago, an American rabbi told me once he met an old man in Pruzhany, Belarus, who said he was the childhood teacher of the prominent scholar and philosopher Joseph Soloveitchik. I am surprised to meet someone in a place so far away, the rabbi told him. The man answered sadly: It didnt used to be so far away. This place used to be very close.

In places that were once close, they now have caretakers instead of congregants. There are no pilgrims, only tourists. No prayers, only pictures. In Hebrew, a synagogue is called not a house of God, but a house of gathering. But there are none left to gather.

The flourishing of Jews in Israel and America is a proud story, often told. The destruction of Jews in the Holocaust is a tragic one, even more often told and commemorated and mourned. But there is also the slow slipping away in once great communities all over the world, with each child who leaves for the big city or another country or simply no longer cares, the loss of a thousand cultural legacies once borne by an ancient, scattered people.

And yet. The Jewish philosopher Simon Rawidowicz once titled an essay Jews, the Ever-Dying People. He wrote that each generation believes it is the last. In my travels Ive come to understand that sadness is essential, but despair is a sin. Spain may be a land of ghosts, but it was not hard for me to find Jews with whom to celebrate the Passover Seder.

In Spain there will be Seders for those who seek one, and in the former Soviet Union there are new Jewish summer camps and schools. In Budapest, traveling with the Joint Distribution Committee, I met with young Jews who learned of their heritage in their teens and 20s from dying grandparents who had survived the Nazis and the Communists. They were eager to learn who they really were. In Sweden I taught young Jews. And across Europe, even amid a resurgent anti-Semitism, there are proud Jews eager to reclaim what has been lost.

Throughout Jewish history the ner tamid, the eternal light, has gone out. But it has also been relit. All those empty synagogues wait; all those unopened books and unsung words retain their meaning. We are rekindling people.

On Friday night, the ritual of the Seder will be enacted in once forgotten corners all over the world. Doors will be opened for Elijah that had long been closed. And newcomers will sit beside the ghosts to tell the story once more.
As a new generation inspires America with a wave of activism, lets not forget those who came before. Despite its reputation for political apathy, being Gen X  post-boomer, pre-millennial  was about so much more than just watching John Hughes movies and figuring out how to eat sushi. Patrick Bateman wasnt available, but others who lived through it shared their remarkable stories of Gen X activism:





Voter Turnout

TROY: What you have to remember is that voting back then took time out of your day. And we were all very busy going to law school and trying to get through Infinite Jest.

MEGAN: I remember sitting in my Imperialism and Globalization Theory class and my professor explaining how Republicans and Democrats were more or less the same. Those words resonated with me every November.

AMY: I voted once. That counts, right? It was for Ross Perot.

HEATHER: Oh, totally. Its not like we were completely disengaged. I even stood in line for an hour to vote for Ralph Nader that one time. In Florida.

COREY: The word midterm always reminded me of an Earth Science exam I almost failed. So 

BRANDON: Oh my God, Ralph Nader! Loved that guy.
To the Editor:

Re V.A. Chief Is Shown the Door, and In Comes Trumps Doctor (front page, March 29):

As a retired police officer and a Vietnam veteran, I have been fortunate not to have had to rely on the V.A. for medical issues because of the medical coverage I received from my job and now through Medicare.

It should be criminal how our veterans have been treated over the years, by both political parties. Thank you for your service, and dont let the door hit you on the way out.

Dr. David Shulkin, the outgoing V.A. chief, betrayed his position when he spent over $120,000 of taxpayer money on a trip to Europe with his wife. Hardly the actions of a dedicated public servant.

Unfortunately, I think the choice to replace him, Dr. Ronny Jackson, is a poor one for many reasons, but at the top of the list is his lack of experience running, well, anything. That, and the glowing physical report he gave Donald Trump  a poster boy for hardening of the arteries  make him suspect in this veterans eyes.
The Vietnam War has ended up putting an unusual burden on young reporters, their newspapers and TV outlets. Too much stress is placed on reporting the latest incremental turn in a story, especially regarding Americas current and brewing conflicts abroad. The news medias business model depends on it. But to serve the public well, the industry needs the time and space to permit reporters to include a larger context in their reporting from abroad. Otherwise, news becomes Here they come, there they go linear reporting about military action that doesnt have the meaning it needs to permit Americans to understand where these new conflicts are taking us.

For me, in my old age, the war comes back, out of order, my subconscious offering up memories without my asking. Heres one: that time climbing through a hillside bamboo thicket during a military operation when the heat felt so intense it got inside me, and yet I couldnt seem to drink enough water and was vomiting. I thought I was going to die. Heres another: The troop-carrying choppers settle onto the rice paddy, mud a foot deep, the men move out, tense because this is a Vietcong area, and they burn the village down, even though the enemy isnt shooting at them, ignoring the screaming women and children who are trying to keep the fire from taking everything as they run to haul water from their wells in buckets, throwing it up on their burning thatch.

In 1995, 20 years after the end of the war, I was asked to do an anniversary report. I chose to go to Beallsville, Ohio, a small town that had too many casualties. One of the veterans I went to see, a Marine, came to the door but didnt invite me in or shake my hand. I explained what I was doing, a film for PBS about his experience and the towns loss. He listened, but his expression was hostile. I said I had been in Vietnam myself as a TV reporter for five years over a decade. I tried to think how I could get beyond this awkward moment because sometimes by sharing experience, you can help people realize that youre with them, not against them. But I couldnt overcome his hostility so many years after the war was supposed to be over. I thanked him and left.

I was probably a reminder of all the bad news that had come out of Vietnam, especially on TV. The news was always too brief and too blunt  the ambush, the mine, the wounded, the medevac helicopter trying to come in to get the men out. Then cut to a commercial. His family might have written to him about what they were seeing and asked, is it like that? It was clear that he resented me, maybe hated what he thought was journalistic misrepresentation of the war as he knew it. Or maybe he knew the bad news was correct but didnt want to deal with that either.

There was often resentment among ground troops about hit and run reporting  getting news and pictures of the latest firefight by riding helicopters in and out of the battlefield the same day. That style of reporting was a response to pressure from editors back home to get the story out as quickly as possible, to beat the competition, the other wire services, the other networks. Better reporters stuck around for a while, spent the night, shared the combat food rations, the heat and rain, made friends before leaving. So the grunts felt you werent just using them, like a stage set to entertain the viewers back home with a little bang-bang, as we used to call it.

When the Vietnam War was over, the Pentagon decided that there had been too much negative reporting from the war zone and that it would limit journalists access to battlefields. Handouts about what had happened would be prepared by public affairs staff, and officers, called minders, would go along with correspondents to supervise their movements and the information they got. A colleague told me that in Iraq, he wasnt permitted to speak with local people. Its still possible to find out whats actually going on under these restrictive conditions, but its harder and takes more time. Its also a lot more dangerous now, because wars have become more violent.

Good journalism is always hard to do, but theres a new generation of reporters who take nothing for granted because of what they know about Vietnam. Their work is everywhere in the best daily newspapers, on cable news and in online newsletters, blogs and websites. Of course journalism is populated by an assortment of people. Theres no entrance exam, so a lot of reporting is done by people who are ignorant and inexperienced about the subjects they pretend to know. Journalism is no better or worse than any other American institution. But the best young reporters have learned from the Vietnam War to question authority and find out for themselves whats really going on. And thats how its supposed to work in a democracy.
On todays episode:

 Michael S. Schmidt, who has been covering the Russia investigation for The New York Times.

Background reading:

 The talks about possible pardons for two former Trump advisers suggest that the White House was concerned about what Mr. Flynn and Mr. Manafort might reveal to the special counsel in the Russia investigation.

Tune in, and tell us what you think. Email us at thedaily@nytimes.com. Tweet me at @mikiebarb. And if youre interested in advertising with The Daily, write to us at thedaily-ads@nytimes.com.

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The Reader Center is one way we in the newsroom are trying to connect with you, by highlighting your perspectives and experiences and offering insight into how we work.

Theres an app for that, but Im not sure anyone cares anymore. That thought was stuck in my head when I pitched the idea for Tech Were Using, a column about how New York Times journalists use tech in their jobs and personal lives.

Over the last decade, smartphones have become the center of how we consume and create media. Apps used to be a novelty; there was a period of time when smartphones were young and we were excited about finding new apps to download.

But by now, there are millions of apps for smartphones, and people have found and settled on the tools that are the most useful to them. So what are people doing with tech now that its become such a personalized commodity tailored to their lives?
The apartment, which offers striking park and river vistas from its many floor-to-ceiling windows, is roughly 5,250 square feet, with five bedrooms and six and a half baths.

The unit has a private elevator landing that opens to a stately gallery with a black-and-white checkered floor and a powder room. The gallery leads to the three main public spaces: a library with built-in bookcases and a fireplace, a formal wallpapered dining room and a 30-by-20-foot living room with built-in display cabinets and the second fireplace. Off the dining room are a breakfast room and a large eat-in windowed kitchen, with a service elevator, laundry and two staff rooms sharing a bath nearby.

At the back of the apartment, off a long hallway, is a private wing that contains the five en-suite bedrooms and a family room/playroom fashioned from two maids rooms. The large master suite has two walk-in closets and a tiled bathroom.

Its all so properly laid out, Ms. Boardman said. Its a real family apartment.

Ms. Spring, who is a managing director of J. P. Morgan Private Bank, said she and her siblings have fond memories of their childhood home.
Welcome to the Smarter Living newsletter. The editor, Tim Herrera, emails readers with tips and advice for living a better, more fulfilling life. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Hello! Im Michael Gold, a friend of Smarter Living  if friend of Smarter Living means I supply your usual advice-giver, Tim Herrera, with occasional home-baked goods.

Back in January, spurred into action by another binge-watch of The Great British Bake Off and a guide to setting more attainable resolutions, I set a goal to cook for other people once a month. The idea was to develop a screen-free hobby while also connecting more with family and friends.

Im no baking novice, but I wanted to start with recipes that were simple and straightforward (Cooking helped with that). Recipes in hand, I needed to find the right kitchen gear.
On a chilly March afternoon in Williamsburg, Julia Cumming, the platinum-haired bassist of the New York rock band Sunflower Bean, is sorting through worn-in T-shirts and denim at the vintage store 10 Ft. Single when her own voice comes on the overhead speakers. A grin spreads across her face  this is certainly not the first time this has happened. Youre getting old, so act your age, the real-life Cumming croons along.

Nor will it be the last: On the heels of sold out-shows in L.A. and San Francisco, and 11 performances at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., Sunflower Bean will in a few days release a sophomore album, Twentytwo in Blue, named for the age its members all recently turned. Since forming in 2013, the band has been heralded as a successor to New York rock acts including Blondie and The Velvet Underground; last year, they opened for the Pixies.

Today, theyre visiting their hometown vintage spots around Brooklyn, scoping out outfits for the upcoming tour. Their sound (and look) is one part psychedelia, one part glam rock, and all parts teen  or rather, early-20s  spirit. You look like Kurt, the drummer, Jacob Faber, referring to Kurt Cobain, says to guitarist Nick Kivlen, whos trying on a red flannel shirt at Bushwicks Urban Jungle. Maybe in a too literal way? Kivlen replies. He settles on a shrunken Ralph Lauren button-down; Faber, on a 1970s three-piece suit. Is aesthetic consistency overrated? Totally, they both say.

Cumming is one dressing room over, sorting through folds of sparkly white lace. Its like a slutty wedding! she exclaims gleefully, of the early-Betsey Johnson-esque dress shes trying on. Cumming is also a model: for Anna Sui, Max Mara, Rochas and, most prominently, Saint Laurent, where her inky gaze  today accented by midnight eyeliner and untamed brows  caught the eye of the brands then-creative and image director Hedi Slimane; between 2014 and 2016, she walked in six shows and starred in three campaigns for the brand.
Our guide to plays and musicals coming to New York stages  and a few last-chance picks of shows that are about to close. Our reviews of open shows are at nytimes.com/reviews/theater.

Previews and Openings

BOBBIE CLEARLY at the Black Box Theater in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theater (in previews; opens on April 3). Eleven actors crowd into Roundabout Undergrounds cramped basement space for Alex Lubischers comedy-drama of truth, reconciliation and snacks. Bobbie committed murder. Bobbie is out of prison. A town of Nebraskans are asked to apportion guilt and innocence. Will Davis directs.

212-719-1300, roundabouttheatre.org

THE EDGE OF OUR BODIES at 59E59 Theaters (previews start on April 4; opens on April 10). Mostly a monologue, this metatheatrical coming-of-age tale from Adam Rapp (Red Light Winter) starts with a girl and a train and a secret. In Jacqueline Stones production, Carolyn Molloy stars as a high schooler who has ducked out of class and gone to visit her boyfriend.

212-279-4200, 59e59.org

FEEDING THE DRAGON at the Cherry Lane Theater (in previews; opens on April 3). The actress Sharon Washingtons childhood was not exactly a fairy tale, but through the words of fairy tales, she understood life with her parents and grandmother in an apartment above a New York Public Library branch. Primary Stages presents Ms. Washington in this autobiographical solo show about books and burning.

866-811-4111, primarystages.org
Resting along the Danube, with the Hungarian Parliament Building on one bank and the Fishermans Bastion standing watch over the other, Budapest is a city of art, architecture, history, and of course, luxurious thermal baths. If you want to visit, youll need to prepare. Heres what to bring.

Weve shared packing essentials for any 36-hour trip in previous lists, so I asked Evan Rail, our travel columnist whos been to Budapest several times, to name a few items he thinks any tourist would be glad they packed.

Then we turned to Ria Misra, an editor at Wirecutter, for the best products to fill those needs  and her expert suggestions for other things to pack to make the most of your trip. Here are their picks.

Dont Forget Your:

Comfortable, Quality Sleep Mask. For the already jet-lagged traveler, Budapests late-night scene can be as much a challenge as a charm  especially since, as Mr. Rail notes, hotel curtains rarely seem to be designed with the citys night life in mind. I can vouch for this, having once slept in a hotel room looking out at the Budapest Eye, which was always beautiful and quite colorful, but bright even at night. Bring a good sleep mask, like the Nidra Deep Rest. Ms. Misra offered a helpful reminder: Pack it in your carry-on for the flight so that you get some rest on the way. (For best results, combine it with a good pair of ear plugs and the Travelrest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow.)

Swimsuit and Towel. For the thermal pools at the Rudas Baths, youll want your swimsuit and a quick-drying towel. The Packtowl Personal, collapses down into its own little pouch, has a loop for hanging between soaks, and is made of a fast-drying microfiber, so you wont need to worry about pulling a sopping towel from the bottom of your pack at the end of the day.

Lightweight Daypack. Budapest is the kind of place where you can find wonderful souvenirs: storied antiques, Communist-era tchotchkes, and stuff from the citys surprisingly cool contemporary design scene, Mr. Rail said. A lightweight, durable daypack, like L.L.Beans Stowaway Day Pack  which you can stuff into its own pocket until you need it  will be incredibly useful.

Sun Protection. Even in the winter, the sunlight there can be startlingly bright, especially compared to grayer destinations in Central Europe, Mr. Rail said. Bring sunscreen (and use it correctly!) and a pair of sunglasses, like these Kent Wangs.
An appeals panel on Thursday vacated the conviction of Adnan Syed, whose case was chronicled in the first season of the hit podcast Serial, and ruled that he should be granted a new trial on all charges.

Mr. Syed was convicted in 2000 of the first-degree murder and kidnapping of his former girlfriend, Hae Min Lee.

In the ruling, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals said he had received ineffective legal counsel at his trial because his original lawyer had failed to call a witness whose testimony, if believed, would have made it impossible for Syed to have murdered Hae.

Accordingly, Syeds murder conviction must be vacated, and because Syeds convictions for kidnapping, robbery, and false imprisonment are predicated on his commission of Haes murder, these convictions must be vacated as well, the panel wrote. The instant case will be remanded for a new trial on all charges against Syed.
Good morning.

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Amid unrest in Sacramento over the death of Stephon Clark, 22, who was fatally shot by officers responding to a vandalism call, the citys mayor, Darrell Steinberg, has been both criticized and praised for his response to the grief felt by his black constituents.

Questions about excessive force hover over the case. Officers fired 20 times at Mr. Clark, and although the shooting was recorded from a police helicopter and officers body cameras, the officers muted their body cameras after they opened fire.

In an interview, Mr. Steinberg said he was committed to hearing the communitys concerns, even as tensions persist in Sacramento. Mr. Steinbergs comments have been edited and condensed.

Q. What do you think is your role in managing the tensions resulting from this issue?

A. Im trying to be both a voice of calm and a voice that insists on change. Ive said very clearly, and its a fine distinction, but maybe the most important distinction: While we cannot prejudge the outcome of the investigation, because that wouldnt be fair to anybody, we must immediately begin questioning the protocol, the training and the policies that arise from watching the video. Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, which will be based on the current laws and the current policies and the current training, what happened here, the outcome, was plain wrong. A 22-year-old man should not have died in this way.
In the meantime, troubling reports about the family have emerged.

Washington State Child Protective Services learned on Friday of allegations of abuse against the Harts and tried to make contact with them that day, but no one answered when its employees visited their home, Norah West, a spokeswoman for the states Department of Social and Health Services, said on Wednesday.

Ms. West said that Child Protective Services had opened the inquiry because of allegations of abuse or neglect in the home.

She said the childrens agency made two subsequent attempts to establish contact with the family, visiting the home again on Monday and Tuesday, but was unsuccessful. A spokesman for the Clark County Sheriffs Department in Washington State said he was not aware of any previous interactions with the family.

A neighbor of the Harts in Woodland, Wash., Dana DeKalb, told the NBC affiliate KGW that Devonte, the child from the 2014 photograph, had recently begun venturing over to her home to ask for food, sometimes several times a day.

According to Ms. DeKalb, Devonte said his mothers sometimes withheld food from the children as punishment and disallowed them from going outside.

Ms. DeKalb said she was the one who brought the family to the attention of Child Protective Services. She told KGW that when the childrens agency visited on Friday, the Harts refused to answer the door, and that the family left only hours later. Ms. DeKalb did not immediately respond to a telephone message on Wednesday night.

Publicly available records show that Sarah Hart had lived in Minnesota for years before eventually moving to West Linn, Ore., and finally Woodland, Wash. Court records show that she was convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault in Minnesota in 2011. A copy of the complaint obtained by The New York Times shows Sarah Hart had also initially been charged with one count of malicious punishment of child.
The lawsuit contends that Judge Ewing took away some of Mr. Willeys poor clients and refused to appoint him new ones because he sought to provide a vigorous legal and factual defense for his clients.

Mr. Willey said he has been appointed to only one case before Judge Ewing since May 2016, and that appointment was effectively made by another judge. The lawsuit asks for him to be reinstated and for Judge Ewing to be barred from retaliating against him.

In an interview, Judge Ewing denied the allegations, saying he assigned some cases to another lawyer because many of Mr. Willeys cases were unresolved and Mr. Willey seemed overwhelmed. He also said that, as far as he knows, Mr. Willeys eligibility to represent indigent defendants has never changed.

But according to the lawsuit, Judge Ewing told Mr. Willey that he spent too much time defending individual clients.

You are the only attorney to routinely ask for a paid investigator, the judge said. He also complained that cases resulting in guilty pleas generally should not take more than three hours of work, but Mr. Willey sometimes took longer.

Relatively few criminal cases ever go to trial; most end instead in guilty pleas. But that does not mean that time and money is spent on them in vain. The length of the sentence offered in a plea bargain can hinge on the strength of the prosecutions case, and a thorough evaluation of the evidence can put defense lawyers in a stronger negotiating position.

Mr. Willeys lawsuit offered the example of a client charged with breaking into a car. The client faced up to a year in jail, but Mr. Willey found blatant inconsistencies in police statements. When prosecutors declined to reduce the charge, he hired an investigator, the lawsuit says.
The truth is, us kids, we just want to be the voice for the people we lost, or for people who dont think they have a voice, said Ms. Fuentes, who would like to eventually become an elementary schoolteacher. I am prioritizing this over college right now, I am prioritizing peoples lives over my education.

University admissions offices declined to discuss individual applications, but many noted that civic engagement is a plus in considering whether to admit an applicant. In fact, some colleges publicly assured high school applicants in advance of last weekends March for Our Lives rallies that their participation in peaceful protests would not harm admission chances.

Harvard, for example, issued a statement: The mission of Harvard College is to provide a deeply transformative liberal arts and sciences education that will prepare our students for a life of citizenship and leadership. Fundamental to our mission is our belief that students have the right to protest peacefully about issues of concern to them. Students who are disciplined for engaging responsibly in exercising their rights and freedoms would not have their chances of admission compromised or their admissions revoked.

While on spring break this week, Mr. Hogg said he was leaning toward taking a gap year to focus on the midterm elections, hoping to rally young voters and target politicians supported by the National Rifle Association.

We are trying to get these laws changed to drive down the number of people who die by gun violence, he said. I can figure out everything else later.

Mr. Hogg said he does not believe his outspokenness had anything to do with the college denials, but admits it has been frustrating. In a late-night, March 16 message on Twitter  liked by at least 64,000 and retweeted nearly 6,600 times  Mr. Hogg told his followers, Just got rejected from another college but thats ok were already changing the world. Goodnight everyone.

He added that he was comforting himself by eating chocolate muffins. The response was mixed, with some mocking his rejection, some encouraging him to take a gap year and others touting him as precisely the type of student colleges should recruit.
I wonder how troubled you are by the revelations about this data breach at Facebook, the use of peoples private  our what they believe to be private  information by folks who were not supposed to have it in the election? Its disturbing to think that there was the disclosure of private information. And then also disturbing to see how that information  or how the platform  was used. When I was out in Wisconsin campaigning for a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice candidate, there were indications that the Russians were using the shooting of a black man there to try to foment discord and to try to use it in an electoral way for candidates who they wanted to support. If the Russians had access to American social media platforms, ability to get data on individual Americans, and to advertise to them or direct bots at them with messages of division basically unregulated, does that say to you that the government needs to step in on these platforms? There needs to be a real, a substantive interaction between people who run these platforms and people who pass the laws so that we can come up with a scheme that will protect people from the kind of breaches that have occurred. The conversations that we have about the conduct of this president, they are mind-blowing. People are giving evangelicals, giving Trump a pass on this one, and that one, and that one. I really just dont understand how this has not had the reaction that wouldve been generated by, I think, any other president  not just President Obama. If President Bush had done these kinds of things that would have been the end of his presidency. So in 2012 you announced there were not going to be any prosecutions related to the Bush era interrogation and torture programs. And you now have  the president has nominated Gina Haspel for CIA director. Shes somebody who was involved in those programs. Although we couldnt make criminal cases, there are lessons that should be learned from that America should never do. America should never do what was done during the time period that we examined. So declassifying that to the extent that thats possible, try to deal with the grand jury secrecy issues, try to declassify, and put this stuff out there so that  not just in connection with this nomination. American people need to know what exactly happened during that time period. John Paul Stevens said this week that we ought to talk about repealing the Second Amendment and should that be on the table as part of the gentlemans question? I think, with all due respect to Justice Stevens, Im not sure that we should be focusing our efforts on repealing the Second Amendment because I think thats not a realistic goal. So Im not sure I would agree with Justice Stevens, but there is clearly a need for us to address what is a gun violence epidemic in the United States.
WASHINGTON  The last time  perhaps the only time  John R. Bolton inspired bipartisan agreement, it was over the shared conclusion that he was perhaps the least diplomatic personality a president could have ever picked to be an American diplomat.

That was in 2005, when Mr. Bolton was last considered for a government job. Accounts of his red-faced tirades against intelligence analysts whose findings he disagreed with so concerned members of the Senate that they refused to approve his nomination as President George W. Bushs ambassador to the United Nations.

He wound up getting the job anyway through a recess appointment by Mr. Bush, who later regretted spending the political capital on such a divisive figure, telling conservatives, I dont consider Bolton credible.

Thirteen years later, another president has given Mr. Bolton the far more consequential job of national security adviser. But because that post does not require Senate confirmation, the five months in 2005 that the Senate took to decide whether Mr. Bolton should go to the United Nations remain the only extensive examination of his record and his temperament.
The remarks, made in a Twitter post, followed reports that Mr. Trump had expressed an interest in reining in the company. But it was not the first time Mr. Trump has criticized Amazon or its chief executive, Jeff Bezos.

Amazons stock price dropped in early trading Thursday after the presidents comments. But his Twitter post lacked important context about the Postal Service and relied on outdated and incorrect facts regarding Amazons taxes. Here is an assessment of the presidents claims.

Amazon Does Pay Taxes

Mr. Trump has made similar claims before about Amazons tax payments, both as president and a private citizen. After he mentioned it in August 2017, The New York Times reported:

If Mr. Trumps point was that Amazon did not collect sales taxes  which are owed by the purchaser and collected by the retailer  it is true that the company once avoided doing so. If this was five years ago, the tweet would be making a very compelling point, said Carl Davis, the research director of the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Historically, there is no doubt that Amazon used its ability to not collect sales tax to gain a competitive advantage. But that criticism is outdated.

How outdated? In 2012, Amazon began collecting and paying state taxes in California. Since April 2017, Amazon has collected sales taxes in all states that levy one.
Instead, Mr. Trump disparaged a previous version of a South Korea trade agreement as a horror show and a Hillary Clinton special. He mused to the crowd that he might hold up finalizing the deal while he pursues planned talks with North Korea.

Certainly, the rhetoric has calmed down just a little bit, would you say? Mr. Trump asked the crowd. Well see how it all turns out.

Mr. Trump seemed to veer off script in other areas as well. At one point, he suggested that he planned to pull American troops out of Syria, where they have aided a military campaign that has recaptured the vast majority of the territory once controlled by the Islamic State, or ISIS. Were knocking the hell out of ISIS, he said. Well be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now.

As the crowd applauded, he added: Very soon, very soon were coming out. Were going to have 100 percent of the caliphate, as they call it  sometimes referred to as land  taking it all back quickly, quickly.

The comment seemed in conflict with plans by his national security team to keep a small force in place. As recently as Tuesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that while American forces were no longer in an offensive effort on the ground and had drawn off slightly to avoid accidental conflict with Russian troops, they continued to play a role. We continue the operations in Syria, he said.

Some foreign policy specialists said a complete withdrawal of American troops from Syria would leave a dangerous void. If were pulling those troops out, were ceding the remnants of Syria to the Russians and the Iranians and the other actors, which actually I would argue would be a big victory for Russia, said Jamie M. Fly, a Republican scholar at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Mr. Trump eventually focused on infrastructure on Thursday, zeroing in on his plan to speed up permitting. But the subject and timing of the presidents focus on his plan, announced in February, are curious. Congressional Republicans have not shown much appetite for taking up the infrastructure package, and neither have Democrats, who prefer proposals with much more federal spending.
McLEOD GANJ, India  An original song of thanks to India had been rehearsed, and a stadium in New Delhi had been reserved for a celebratory rally  all a gesture of gratitude from the Dalai Lama and his followers for Indias role in sheltering them after a Chinese crackdown on rebellious Tibetans 60 years ago.

Instead, the planned Thank You India celebrations, set for this coming weekend, set off apprehension in New Delhi and embarrassment among Tibetans.

A directive from Indias foreign secretary urged officials to discard their invitations, and it was blunt in saying the timing of the events coincided with a sensitive time for New Delhis relations with Beijing. A series of high-level meetings between Indian and Chinese officials are being billed in India as an attempt to smooth over an increasingly tense relationship.

Invitations to top officials were withdrawn, and the event was moved from a stadium in the capital to the secluded northern town of McLeod Ganj, home to the Dalai Lamas temple and the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. A scheduled interfaith prayer in New Delhi was flatly canceled rather than moved, given the lack of other religious representatives in McLeod Ganj.
OPEN Nat: UN: Taliban shot me. TIME MAG, CLINTON nobel Malala YOUSAFZAI has beomce the face of Girls education. INSERT NAT FROM NEWS ANCHROS SAYING SOMETHING. THIS SEGEMENT STILL TO ABRUPT. Im Adam Ellick, a reporter for the New York Times- And I knew MALALA before she was a star. Insert beat of nat I made two documentaries about Malala in 2009 - This is the backstory. Its the story OF A YOUNG GIRL, her AMBITIOUS father, and the media- - and the role we all played in her rise- and in the tragedy that almost took her life. Credit: The Making of Malala By Adam B. Ellick and Gabe Johnson Oct 2013 Nat: mountain shots of swat valley, sequence leading into her home Mat: I love her. I really love. When she was born, I looked into her eyes. When we met, malala LIVED IN THE SWAT Valley- in NW Pakistan. WHICH WAS BEING OVERRUN BY THE TALIBAN. Malala was shy and quiet, she only spoke when spoken to, But when she answered, she was articulate and poised. NAT: CHANGE NAME OF YOUR FILM. She told me she wanted to be a doctor In the time I spent with Malala and her family, It was clear that her father, ziaudin, was the most influential person in her life. NAT: zia: // I have the greatest ever born in the world. I have the greatest daughter ever born in the world. (malala blushes) Zia was a self-made man a poet, an idealist. He was also a man of contradictions: He owned a girls school in a region where only one out of five girls are educated. yet his wife was illiterate, and because of their conservative culture, she would not take part in my documentary. Zia nat: All of the look after is done by the wife. Outside of the home for example: earning money, or doing job. That is done by the man. When I met him, Zia was scrambling to save the family business ... When I first met him, he was scrambling to save his business The weeks before, the Taliban made an announcement banning girls from going to school in swat valley. TALIBAN RADIO ADDRESS: Otherwise, the guardians and the school will be responsible. I had many discussions with my editors in NY, with a pak journalist colleague, and with Zia himself about whether this story might put the family in danger? Zia: if I die for it, there would be no better chance for me to die, better then this. Nat: fiery presser of zia Zia [however] was ALREADY A KNOWN as an activist in the region. ZIA: In the fight against terrorism, I can say for sure that the people in SWAT and Malakan have sacrificed more than any other place in the world. ZIAS GAOL WAS TO GET THE PAK army to take on the Taliban IN SWAT. HE WAS QUICKLY AWARE OF how HIS TELEGENIC DAUGHTER could bolster his cause in the media. Malalal yousefiay...your name!!! zia: she is there to speak for the students especially, to speak for education and, uh, her role is very much powerful and effective in this regard. I admired Zias revolutionary zeal ZIA TO MALALA (pointing to the paper in her hand). YOU IGORE THAT. YOU SHOULD SAY THIS. But THE WAY HE pushed MALALA TO JOIN THE FIGHT sometimes reminded me of a parent Pushing their child to be the next tennis star or beauty pageant winner- Nat: malala at press, voice trails off, forgets her line. My first DOCUMENTARY, Class Dismissed, was released in Feb 2009- AND IT ENDED WITH MALALAS APPEAL TO THE WORLD. Nat break - MALALA :This is our request to our world, save our school, save our world, save our Pakistan. Save our Swat. Nat: war A few months later, war broke out between the Pakistani army and the Taliban. MALALA PT2 Suddenly, there was huge firing and missiles, so we quickly get our clothes and I was weeping why we have to leave swat, what is our, we are innocent, what is our sin? A MILLION PEOPLE, Malalas family INCLUDED  WERE forced into exile. It was pure chaos . Malala WENT WITH HER MOTHER AND BROTHER TO STAY WITH RELATIVES NEAR abbotbod. Nat: this is your new home? Yes Zias WENT SIX HOURS AWAY- TO THE regional cap
SEOUL, South Korea  North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea will meet for the first time on April 27, officials said on Thursday, setting a date for talks meant to extend the recent detente on the Korean Peninsula and pave the way for discussions between Mr. Kim and President Trump.

Early this month Mr. Kim agreed to a meeting with Mr. Moon, part of a flurry of diplomacy around North Koreas nuclear program that began with the Norths participation last month in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Senior negotiators from both Koreas met Thursday at Panmunjom, the so-called truce village on the countries border, to agree on a date and discuss other aspects of the summit meeting.

The two Korean leaders will meet at Peace House, a South Korean building inside Panmunjom, according to a joint statement the negotiators issued at the end of their talks on Thursday. Peace House lies south of the demarcation line that bisects Panmunjom, which means that Mr. Kim would become the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, the Souths chief delegate to the Panmunjom talks, hinted at progress toward including denuclearization in the agenda for the Kim-Moon meeting. But he said the two Koreas might need another round of high-level talks in coming weeks to settle the matter.
COPENHAGEN  As one of the most wired countries in the world, Denmark offers hospital records, death certificates, tax returns and other important documents with little more than a couple of clicks.

Even a divorce can be obtained in less than a week with only a short online form and a $60 fee. But Denmark has long had one of the highest divorce rates in Europe, and the government has decided that breaking up should be a little a harder to do.

Under rules set to go into effect next year, couples who have children and who decide to dissolve their marriage will be required to observe a three-month reflection period before the divorce takes effect, during which they will be offered free counseling. The idea is to provide protection for children, who will also receive counseling during the waiting period. (The quick divorce is still available for childless couples and in cases of abuse.)

The current rules give divorcing parents only a few days to decide on arrangements for their children, increasing the potential for conflict, said Mai Mercado, the minister for children and social affairs, who negotiated the changes with lawmakers.
MOSCOW  Russia on Thursday escalated a confrontation with Europe and the United States over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain, saying it would expel 60 American diplomats and an unspecified number of envoys from other countries to retaliate for a mass expulsion of Russian diplomats working in the West and beyond that was ordered this week.

Furious at what it described as an anti-Russian campaign orchestrated by Washington and London, the Kremlin exceeded an equivalent response to the United States and ordered the closing of the American Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russias second-largest city. The consulate is bigger and far more important to relations than the Russian Consulate in Seattle, which the Trump administration ordered closed on Monday as part of its expulsion decree.

The crisis over the March 4 poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter has driven tensions between the Kremlin and the West to their highest pitch in decades and forced European countries like Germany that are usually wary of clashing with Moscow to choose sides. Britain contends that the poison used was a signature Russian nerve agent created by Soviet-era scientists.

Voicing alarm that the East-West confrontation was spinning out of control, the secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said that the crisis recalled the Cold War, only without the controls and channels of communication established before the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union to make sure things would not get out of control when tensions rise.
LONDON  For years, anticorruption campaigners have railed against Britains openness to ill-gotten riches from overseas and the foreigners who invest them. After a nerve agent attack on British soil, and the resulting diplomatic showdown between Russia and the West, that may be starting to change.

The British government said this week that it would review the cases of 700 Russians who were granted visas to live in Britain largely because they could invest millions of dollars in the country. And it signaled an openness to cutting off access to British financial markets for President Vladimir V. Putins government in Russia.

The governments expressed determination to crack down on dirty money came on a day of rare good news in the poisoning attack. Yulia S. Skripal, who with her father, Sergei V. Skripal, was assaulted with a nerve agent, is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition, Salisbury District Hospital said on Thursday.

Her father, a former Russian spy, remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Downing Street has promised before to punish Russia, particularly after the 2006 assassination of the Kremlin critic Aleksandr V. Litvinenko with a deadly radioactive isotope. But it dropped the matter once the headlines disappeared.
The crisis deepened with news on Thursday of the resignation of Christine Shawcroft, the chair of Labours internal disputes panel, after the leak of an email suggesting that she had lent support to a council candidate suspended after accusations of anti-Semitism.

Coming after criticism of Mr. Corbyns reluctance to blame Moscow for the poisoning attack on a Russian former spy and his daughter in Salisbury, England, the issue has recharged a bitter argument about his leadership. That, in turn, has led Mr. Corbyns supporters to complain of a politically motivated plot to destabilize his position because of his left-wing politics.

But there is little doubt that the atmosphere in the Labour Party has changed. A veteran of left-wing struggles, Mr. Corbyn learned his politics fighting apartheid in South Africa and campaigning against what he saw as Western militarism and neo-imperialism. While many of those battles have been won, the plight of the Palestinians remains a sore point on the left, one deepened by the hard-line policies of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

At the same time, the Labour Partys membership has grown bigger and more diverse, while Momentum, a campaign that promotes Mr. Corbyns radical brand of politics, has emerged as a powerful force, tilting the political balance further to the left.

This is not the first time that Mr. Corbyns party has faced allegations of anti-Semitism. In 2016, one lawmaker, Naz Shah, was temporarily suspended for sharing a graphic showing an outline of Israel superimposed on a map of the United States, suggesting the relocation of Israel to North America.

When the former mayor of London, Ken Livingstone  a longstanding ally of Mr. Corbyn  tried to defend Ms. Shah, he instead poured gasoline on the flames by arguing that, in 1932, Adolf Hitler was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews.
CAIRO  Early results from Egypts election showed President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi headed for a landslide victory with 92 percent of the vote, state media reported Thursday, an unsurprising margin in a race where he eliminated all serious opposition months ago.

Mr. Sisis token opponent, Moussa Moustapha Moussa, received just 3 percent of the vote, less than the number of spoiled ballots, state media said.

With his main rivals in jail or forced from the contest, Mr. Sisi relied on voter turnout to demonstrate his popularity. State media said that about 40 percent of voters cast ballots during the three days of voting that ended Wednesday, down from 47 percent in the 2014 election that formalized Mr. Sisis power.

State television said the preliminary results were based on counts in 24 of 27 governorates. It did not say what proportion of the vote had been tallied. Official results are expected on Monday.
Ben Dobkin, then a junior at Princeton University, leading a prospective class on a tour of the Princeton campus. Laura Pedrick for The New York Times

Princetonians like to marry one another.

Although the university is coy about the exact number of Tiger-Tiger marriages, Princeton tour guides are often asked about matrimonial prospects, and sometimes include apocryphal statistics  50 percent! Maybe 75!  in their patter. With an insular campus social scene, annual reunions and a network of alumni organizations in most major cities, opportunities to find a special someone wearing orange and black are many.

People care about matrimony for good reason. Society has been profoundly shaped by what academics call assortative mating: the tendency of people to marry others resembling themselves. Educationally assortative mating rose for decades after World War II, as more people went to college and more good jobs were reserved for college graduates. Income inequality is now significantly driven by well-paid college graduates marrying one another, and by poorly paid high school dropouts doing the same.

But a recent analysis of education and economic mobility complicates this story. At Princeton, and in the American higher education system as a whole, there remains a strong correlation between marriage and economic class. Even for college graduates, where youre going depends a lot on where you came from.

Marriage rates at selected colleges for people born from 1980 to 1984

Schools added:

The data come from the Equality of Opportunity Project, which followed the economic and educational progress of Americans born between 1980 and 1991. For each year, researchers tracked who went to which college, how much money their parents made, and whether they were married in 2014.

Marriage rates for young adults just out of college are low across the board. But as people get into their 30s, trends diverge. For example, more than half of Princeton students born into upper-income households in the early 1980s  roughly, the classes of 2002 through 2006  were married by 2014. They didnt all marry other Princetonians, of course, but its common.

But for Princeton alumni from the lowest-income households  the bottom one-fifth compared with the top one-fifth  the trends are different. Only a third were married by 2014. This pattern holds for other elite colleges and universities. For people born over the five years from 1980 to 1984, the marriage rate for upper-income students who attended Ivy League institutions was 14 percentage points higher than the rate for lower-income students.

Alana Tornello, Princeton class of 2012, grew up in a working-class community on Staten Island. Her mother ran a small hair salon where Ms. Tornello spent her afternoons after school. Her father was a social worker. She tested into a specialized high school and applied to Princeton on a whim. When the acceptance letter arrived on April 1, she thought someone was pulling her leg.

Those doubts followed her onto campus, where she struggled academically her freshman year. The Princeton social scene revolves around eating clubs, to which people apply for membership, much like rushing a fraternity or sorority. The clubs, mostly housed in a row of imposing old mansions next to campus, are implicitly part of extensive social networks connected to exclusive private boarding schools and families with multiple generations of Princeton alumni. Eating clubs are where many upper-income marriages begin.

Ms. Tornello didnt feel at home there. And while Princeton gave her a generous scholarship, the eating clubs were still expensive. She decided to be an independent  the telling label for students who didnt eat at a club. If you were independent, she said, you were kind of seen as a lone dog.

The Ivies arent the only universities where students from different economic classes have very different experiences. In their 2013 book Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality, the sociologists Elizabeth Armstrong and Laura Hamilton studied a group of women who started college in the same dormitory at Indiana University in 2004.

Five years later, none of the working-class students had graduated. By contrast, all of the affluent ones  even those who mostly neglected studying in favor of partying  graduated and found jobs. Armstrong noted, Since none of them had loans, they could afford to live on their own, and were positioned to meet and interact with men who were marriageable. The Indiana University system has a double-digit gap in the marriage rate between low-income and high-income students.

Class does not explain everything. As Robert Kelchen of Seton Hall University has found, geography, student demographics and other factors also influence marriage rates. Brigham Young University has one of the highest marriage rates in the nation, presumably because nearly all undergraduates are Mormons, who are encouraged to marry early.

There are also big differences even among colleges in similar strata of wealth and prestige. Princetons marriage gap for the classes of 2002 to 2006 was 22 percentage points. At the University of Chicago, it was only two percentage points.

Tiger-Tiger marriages are not uncommon. But for Princeton alumni of different economic classes, marriage trends diverge. Mark Makela for The New York Times

Ms. Tornello thought shed study something practical at Princeton, like engineering or pre-med. Instead, she fell in love with her humanities courses and majored in comparative literature. In her spare time, she became interested in faith-based organizing. After graduation and a short stint in Washington, D.C., she moved back to Staten Island to help with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Today, she lives with six housemates in Brooklyn and recently started work in emergency planning and operations for a city agency. There are a lot of other Princeton graduates nearby, many commuting to Wall Street. She leads a different kind of life.

Ms. Tornello has mixed feelings about the path she chose. You dont quite belong anymore to where youre from, she said. But I also didnt belong at Princeton. Theres a meaning in my life that I cant deny was created by my time there. I traveled the world from Princeton. Im not in a better place than my family financially, but I have something I wish they had, too.

Theres more to life than marrying and making money, as her example makes clear. But from a broad social and financial perspective, marriage matters: Growing income inequality is a central fault line in American society. Assortative mating might seem like a strange thing to blame, though. After all, in theory, everyone has a chance to go to college. By those lights, if people who work hard and become educated want to marry each other, thats just how things are.

In reality, access to higher education remains highly unequal. Elite colleges that recruit students with large amounts of social and financial capital get much more public funding than open-access schools that enroll a greater number of academically and economically diverse students. Rising tuition prices make it difficult for low-income students to enroll and graduate, and leave many with large debts. Inequality then becomes intergenerational.

Princeton has improved its economic inclusiveness in recent years. But historically, for every student enrolled at Princeton from households in the bottom 20 percent of income, the university has enrolled seven from the top 1 percent.
A school building project in Offaly has received a Silver Award at the Irish Construction Excellence Awards.

Carroll OKeeffe & Killeen Civil Engineering picked up the award for the new school building at Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore.

A post on the Scoil Mhuire School Blog congratulated Carroll OKeeffe & Killeen Civil Engineering on the award.

"Congratulations to our builders Carroll O Keeffe & Killeen Civil Engineering on winning the Silver award in the ICE Awards in the Mansion House in Dublin! What a wonderful achievement! Thank you to everyone for your support and for voting for our fabulous building."

The school project involved the upgrade of the existing Scoil Mhuire which was built in 1957.

A large new extension was added and the existing school was refurbished. Site works included the construction of a vehicular access and drop-off within the school grounds to alleviate the traffic chaos that existed on the main road fronting the existing school. The client requirements were for a school that met the needs of the increasing school population without the need for prefabricated structures.

The design by McOH Architects was novel and sympathetic to the retention of the 1957 building while providing a modern school extension.

The school also needed to continue to operate during the construction phase. Carroll OKeeffe say that their previous experience in constructing in live school situations was of great benefit. The civil engineering expertise, provided by their joint venture partners Killeen Civil Engineering was used in dealing with large rock excavations with large volumes of water ingress. The rock and demolition waste were crushed on site to provide approved fill on site.

The completed scheme has been universally well received from a planning, educational and community perspective.
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Ahead of Karnataka elections, 18 lakh Muslim names missing in voters list

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

An NGO has claimed that just before the crucial Karnataka assembly elections 2018, the names of 18 Muslims have gone missing from the voters' list. The New Delhi based NGO, Centre for Research and Debates in Development Policy says that either the names are missing from the recently updated list of they do not have voter ID cards issued in their names.

The NGO headed byDr Abusaleh Shariff, renowned economist and member of the Justice Sachar Committee has now begun a campaign to rectify this.

Karnataka elections: Will voter turnout be hit due to a weekend polling day?

Deccan Herald while quoting Khalid Saifullah, Research Associate and COO of CRDDP, said that they have identified 16 Karnataka constituencies from which the names of 1.28 lakh voters are missing from the list. Based on the number, they are estimating that around 15 lakh would be missing from the 224 Karnataka constituencies.

They arrived at the findings when comparing the 2011 census data with the voters' list that was published on February 28, 2018.

Who will win Karnataka assembly elections? Here is a blast from the past

"As per the 2011 census data, the Shivajinagar constituency has 4.3% of single households among the total 18,453 Muslim households. But we found that more than 8,900 households have only one registered voter in their house, which is around 40 percent of the total Muslim households," he also said.

Now the NGO has developed a website, missingmuslimvoters.com and an Android app, Muslim Voters -- to organise and educate people. Saifullah further said that people think that they cannot enrol once the election dates are announced. This is wrong and it can be done until the last date of nominations.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
'We agree to move a resolution on Mekedatu dam', says MK Stalin

AIADMK MP Navaneethakrishnan threatens 'mass suicide' over Cauvery board

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MP Navaneethakrishnan on Wednesday threatened the Centre saying all the AIADMK MPs would commit suicide if it fails to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) by March 29, a deadline set by the Supreme Court.

"All we AIADMK MPs will commit suicide if the CMB is not set up by the Central government as instructed by the Supreme Court," he said.

"The SC judgment was independent of the fact that Karnataka Assembly elections are going to be held. The Union government cannot delay the decision just to please their constituency in Karnataka," he added.

However, other AIADMK MPs sought to distance themselves from Navaneethakrishnan's 'mass suicide' claims, saying those were his own words and not reflective of the party's stance.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu chief minister Palanisamy held a meeting with ministers and officials at the Secretariat in Chennai on Thursday to discuss the future course of action.

Opposition parties have all voiced their angst and alleged that the AIADMK government was not doing enough to further the cause.

In its February 16 Cauvery verdict, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to formulate a 'scheme' as per the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956.

Under Section 6(2) of the Act, the Union government must frame a scheme for establishing an "authority" for the implementation of the tribunal award.

OneIndia News
Anna Hazare breaks fast after meeting Devendra Fadnavis

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Social activist Anna Hazare ended his 7-day fast on Thursday after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh visited Anna after reports of his health deteriorating. Anna's doctor said on Wednesday that his blood pressure was high and sugar levels low, which made him feel exhausted. Anna had also lost some weight due the hunger strike.

Earlier in the day, Mahajan, who is minister for Water Resources and Medical Education in the state, had said that out of the 11 main demands put forth by Hazare, nearly 7-8 have been agreed upon. He had also said that a written proposal will be given to Hazare.

Anna Hazare began his indefinite hundger strike from March 23 to press for his demand to appoint a Lokpal at the Centre, nearly seven years after his anti-corruption movement caught the imagination of millions of Indians and shook the then UPA government.

The venue of his protest is the same iconic Ramlila Maidan, where he had sat on a hunger strike in 2011 demanding that the then government set up a Lokpal to investigate cases of corruption.

Ahead of his indefinite hunger strike on March 23, Anna took a dig at the Government and claimed that they are trying to create a Hindrance to his protest.

He said, "You canceled trains carrying protesters to Delhi, you want to push them to violence. Police Force deployed for me as well. I wrote in many letters that I don't need police protection. Your protection won't save me. This sly attitude of the government is not done."

OneIndia News
Asansol violence: FIR filed against Union Minister Babul Supriyo

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

An FIR has been filed against Union Minister Babul Supriyo for allegedly violating section 144 imposed in violence-hit North Asansol, West Bengal, and assaulting a police officer. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed in Asansol, following clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over a Ram Navami rally at Raniganj.

Supriyo, who is an MP from Asansol, was today stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area. Supriyo got into an argument the police for stopping and a video of him shouting at the cops had gone viral.

The Union minister and other party leaders were first stopped at Kalyanpur and then at Chandmari before they returned to Kolkata. Tension prevailed in Chandmari after Supriyo and other party leaders clashed with the police, said reports.

At least three persons have died and several others have been injured over the past few days in clashes in West Bengal. According to reports, 19 people have been arrested so far. Seven of them were remanded to police custody by a local court for seven days and 12 were sent to jail for 14 days on Tuesday.

OneIndia News
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CBSE paper leak: 'Guilty won't be spared', says HRD minister

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday assured that culprits involved in paper leak will not be spared and police will soon arrest the culprits.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Javadekar said that "this is a very unfortunate development, I understand the pain the parents and students have to go through. Whoever is involved in the paper leak will not be spared, police will soon arrest the culprits."

"If someone can breach something as fool-proof as CBSE, it is worrying," he said. "Even I could not sleep, I am also a parent," the minister empathised.

"Prime Minister is also very serious about this issue. We assure you all of the appropriate action," the minister assured.

Regarding the new dates, CBSE will soon release the dates for the re-conduction of the exams," he said.

Javadekar further insisted that the authorities will not let anyone go scot-free. The police are on the case and he has faith in them. He has instituted an internal inquiry into the matter as well.

"We will make all efforts to ensure that exams continue without any breach and will work to make the system foolproof," he said.

On Wednesday the board had announced it will re-conduct exams for Maths paper of Class X and Economics paper of Class XII after leak of both papers on social media message application. Exam in both papers was held on Wednesday.

OneIndia News
CBSE Class 10th Results 2021: Board likely to declare results soon; here's how to check your roll number

CBSE Paper Leak: 'No arrests have been made yet', says Delhi Police

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

No arrests have been made so far in connection with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exam paper leak case, Delhi police said on Thursday. The police are trying to trace the trail of the paper leak.

RP Upadhyay, Special CP, said, "Two cases registered and special investigation team (SIT) has been formed for investigation. Total 25 people have been questioned so far. Both the papers were leaked on WhatsApp a day before the exam. No person has been arrested so far."

"We are trying to trace the trail of cbse paper leak. One private tutor was named by CBSE in their complaint, he has been interrogated," Upadhyay said.

"Won't be correct to name anyone at this stage. Cannot name one particular school... People questioned are from different schools. The college students questioned are mostly in first year," he added.

Maths paper of Class 10 and Economics paper of Class 12 was leaked on social media before the CBSE conducted the examinations on Wednesday. The CBSE in a complaint to Delhi Police said it received a fax on March 23 naming a person from Delhi's Rajinder Nagar as the mastermind behind the paper leak.

OneIndia News
CBSE Class 10th Results 2021: Board likely to declare results soon; here's how to check your roll number

CBSE Paper Leak: Who sets the question papers, how the board ensures confidentiality

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The CBSE faced a hailstorm of rebukes and criticism after it decided to the re-conduct exam of Class 10 maths and Class 12 economics in the wake of the alleged leak of question papers.

Students across the country are terribly upset with the re-examination and are demanding re-examination for all papers, instead of just the two announced on Wednesday. They say besides math and economics, many other papers were leaked before the exams.

With the CBSE paper leak controversy gathering storm, the opposition has launched a scathing attack on the Centre, and the education board for its mismanagement and lack of vigilance. Questions are also being raised over confidentiality while framing the question papers.

Meanwhile, the Union HRD minister assured that a new "leak-proof" system would be put in place from coming Monday onwards for conducting CBSE exams.

Here's is how the board frames question papers to maintain confidentiality

How does the board frame papers?

The CBSE employs 4-5 experts for each subject, which mostly include college and school teachers, to set three versions each of a question paper.

Their identity is kept a secret.

These experts prepare questions and send the papers in a sealed envelope to the board. A high-powered committee, including university and school teachers, and principals, check if the question papers follow board's standards. After their approval, final papers are sent to CBSE and printed.

When does the process start?

Usually, the process starts in the month of July and August every year.

How many versions of a question paper are made?

Every year 4 sets of question papers are made. One for Delhi, another for rest of India, another for schools outside India and a reserve paper.

Why does the CBSE set different papers?

Delhi teachers make paper for all India (except Delhi ).Teachers from all over India make paper for Delhi region. This is done to prevent leakage of pape.

How are the three sets different?

Each examination zone gets 3 sets of question paper with minor changes in the sequence of questions. This year all zones were given a COMMON question paper which is against the usual norm.

How do they reach the exam hall?

After printing, sealed question papers are sent for storage to the regional CBSE office, which then sends them to a custodian bank.

The papers stay in the bank till the exam. In the morning on exam day, the sealed packets are sent to examination centers, where the seal is finally broken.

How is confidentiality ensured in setting papers?

The teachers who set the question paper are not aware if their questions will make it to the final stage.

OneIndia News
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Congress wants Javadekar, CBSE chief sacked over exam paper leak

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Thursday demanded the resignation of HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE chief over exam paper leak.

Addressing a press conference, Surjewala said that "It's is a tragedy today that Modi government is blinded by arrogance of power. They need to realise and see how 2 crore students are affected by SSC scam, and 24 lakh students were affected by the leak."

"Future of lakhs are at stake, CBSE Boss mocks students, Education board on leave, students on the streets, Centre offers lip-service," he said.

"Post Vyapam and SSC now 3 papers of CBSE have also been leaked as per students, some more papers have also been leaked. There was an error in evaluation of Class 12 exams in 2017. Why was the post of CBSE chairman left vacant for 2 years?" he questioned.

"Without removing Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal from their current positions, a fair and impartial investigation into this paper leak issue is impossible," he further said.

Earlier, Javadekar assured the media that he would get to the bottom of the issue. He said, "We will not spare the culprits and will be nabbed soon," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have spoken to Javadekar and conveyed his unhappiness at the CBSE paper leaks.

OneIndia News
CBSE Class 10th Results 2021: Board likely to declare results soon; here's how to check your roll number

Delhi School Association condemns CBSE chairman's silence

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Delhi School Association has demanded stringent action against the culprits who leaked CNSE exam papers and it condemned the silence of CBSE chairman even after the fiasco.

Ramesh Chand Jain, President, Delhi School Association, told ANI, "Govt should put culprits behind the bars. First step they should take is set the system right." Jain said, "CBSE chairman should at least give a statement, why hasn't he spoken to students and parents? This is condemnable."

Meanwhile, students protested at Jantar Mantar against the paper leak. "Either there should re-examinations of all subjects or else of neither."

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said that "this is a very unfortunate development, I understand the pain the parents and students have to go through. Whoever is involved in the paper leak will not be spared, police will soon arrest the culprits."

OneIndia News
Who will be new Punjab Chief Minister? Congress' decision likely by afternoon after CLP meet

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Did Maharashtra CMO spend Rs 3.34 crore on tea and snacks? Congress says yes

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

There appears to be a storm brewing in a teacup in Maharashtra with the Congress accusing the Chief Minister's Office of inflating bills on tea and snacks.

Citing papers obtained through the Right To Information (RTI) Act, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Sanjay Nirupam said there was a 577 per cent rise in the bills of tea and snacks served in the chief minister's office.

"What tea is the chief minister drinking?" he asked.

"Information obtained under the RTI has revealed that the expenditure on tea and snacks in the chief minister's office (CMO) rose from around Rs 58 lakh in 2015-16 to Rs 3.34 crore in 2017-18, a dramatic increase of 577 per cent," the Congress leader said.

"The RTI document shows a steady increase in the amount of money spent on tea consumption in the chief minister's office," he said.

The allegation by the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president follows charges of large-scale irregularities in a contract awarded to kill rodents inside the Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai.

Nirupam said 18,591 cups of tea were served daily in the office of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"What kind of tea is Devendra Fadnavis drinking? We have heard of green tea, yellow tea and so on. But Fadnavis seems to be drinking some kind of 'golden' tea. I cannot imagine this huge expenditure on tea when farmers are dying in Maharashtra on a daily basis," he said.

"On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes great pride in saying that he was a 'chaiwala' (tea seller). Fadnavis seems to have taken this a bit too far since the 'chai' he is drinking cannot be sold at a regular tea stall," he said.

The former parliamentarian added that both Modi and Fadnavis were taking the country for a ride in the name of 'chai'.

There has been no response so far from the chief minister's office to the Congress leader's claims.

OneIndia News
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Fake Aadhaar card in name of Bollywood actor used to book hotel room

India

pti-PTI

Mumbai, March 29: The Mumbai police has registered an offence against an unidentified person for allegedly using a fake Aadhaar card in the name of a Bollywood actor to book a room at a five-star hotel in the city.

The incident came to light on Tuesday night when the actor, Urvashi Rautela, visited the plush hotel in suburban Bandra to attend an event, he said.

During the event, a staff member of the hotel approached Rautela and informed her that a room was booked there in her name, the official said. Rautela asked her secretary who denied having made any booking at the hotel, the police official said.

Rautela, who has acted in films like "Singh Saab The Great", "Sanam Re" and "Kaabil", then immediately looked at the booking detail records of the hotel.

She found that a fake Aadhaar card in her name was used to book a room, he said. During investigation, the police found that the room was booked online by an unidentified person using fake Aadhaar card - carrying the wrong unique identification number, he said.

Based on the actor's complaint, the Bandra police registered an offence under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) against the unidentified person, the official said, adding that a probe was underway into the incident.

Notably, hotels generally ask for a guest's identity proof while booking the room. The Aadhaar card, issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), carries a 12-digit unique identification number. It acts as a proof of a person's identity and address.

PTI
Good Friday: Why day of Jesuss crucifixion is called good

India

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

Tomorrow, March 30, is Good Friday. It is on this day that the Christian community commemorates Jesus Christ's crucifixion. As per the Bible, the God's son was flogged, asked to carry the cross on which he would be crucified and killed. So if the Lord had met such a tragedy, why is it called 'good'?

While some say that the day is defined "good" because it is holy, others say it is a corrupt form of "God's Friday". The Oxford English Dictionary says that the "good" refers to a day or occasion of religious observance.

There is also a Good Wednesday, which albeit is less known than Good Friday, is the Wednesday that comes before Easter.

The earliest use of the day as "Guode Friday" is seen in The South English Legendary - a text whose date goes back to 1290, as per the Oxford dictionary. The standard US Catholic school text between 1885 till the 1960s - Baltimore Catechism - Good Friday is seen as good because Jesus Christ had shown his love for mankind.

Christians observe Good Friday as a day of mourning. Processions are organised by churches across the world while awareness about the day is raised among the commoners. The priests at the churches wear back and decorations are removed from statues.

In the Latin church, a fast day includes only one full meal and two small repasts. The Methodist Church remembers Good Friday also with fasting and the Protestant communities organise special services on the day.

Meat is avoided on Good Friday although fish is consumed for it is perceived to be a different kind of flesh that comes from water and that fish is also closely associated with the Christian community. Food preparation for Good Friday begins nearly a week in advance.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are also celebrated in India, especially in the Christian dominated regions in Mumbai, Goa and Northeast. The followers throng the churches for special prayers and rituals; buy Easter eggs to present to their children. People also exchange gifts with each other on this occasion. Preparing tasty dishes and exchanging colourful lanterns are among the popular traditions of Easter celebration in India.

OneIndia News
New roster notified in Supreme Court: Here is what the judges would handle

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Govt interfering in appointment of judges: Justice Chelameswar writes to CJI Misra

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Justice Jasti Chelameswar has written a five-page letter to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra seeking a full court on the judicial side to discuss the issue of government interference in the appointment of high court judges.

According to The Indian Express, the letter which has also been copied to 22 other judges of the Supreme Court stated that the government has been selective in accepting recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium for the appointment of judges to high courts. It chooses to ignore or defer the names it finds uncomfortable, the letter states, thereby affecting the independence of the judiciary.

"The letter goes on to demand a full court on the judicial side to discuss the current situation. A full court meeting of the Supreme Court is usually convened by the CJI when a matter of public importance relating to the administration of the judiciary comes up," The Indian Express report said.

"Let us also not forget that bonhomie between Judiciary and Government in any State sounds the death knell to Democracy. We both are mutual watchdogs, so to say, not mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts," Chelameswar wrote to CJI.

The letter comes at a time when Opposition parties have called for the impeachment of CJI Misra.

OneIndia News
Explained: Who decides to provide Y-plus security, who pays for it?

How much is being spent on the security for Kashmiri separatists?

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

How much money is being spent on the security of the separatists of Kashmiri separatists? The Centre went on to make it clear that the Union Government had nothing to do with the security and it was the state government which was responsible for it.

"As reported by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, it provides security cover (to separatists) based on security categorization as decided by the State Security Review Coordination Committee (SSRCC)," Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told the Lok Sabha in a written reply in response to a question of Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajendra Agrawal.

The data available suggested that Rs 10.88 crore was spent on the security of separatist leaders, including moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and former chairpersons Abdul Gani Bhat, Moulana Abbas Ansari and others.

A sum of Rs 10.36 crore was spent on the salary of the policemen guarding and protecting the Hurriyat and other separatist leaders, while Rs 49.7 lakh has been spent on the fuel for the vehicles used for escorting the separatist leaders.

Rs 19.51 lakh was provided on the salary of the guards/escort of Mirwaiz in 2017-18. Besides, Rs 77.37 lakh was spent on the guard's salary in the current fiscal.

Since 2008-09, Rs 1.27 crore has been spent on the salary of the guards and escort personnel of Mirwaiz. Similarly, Rs 5.06 crore was spent on the guards' salary of Mirwaiz since last 10 years.

Security of former Hurriyat chairman Bhat has cost the state exchequer Rs 2.3 crore in the last 10 years. Similarly, Moulana Abbas's security has cost state Rs 3 crore since 2008-09.

The state government was also providing security to Mirwaiz's media secretary Shahid ul Islam till he was arrested by National Investigation Agency in the funding case. His security has now been withdrawn.

Now the state is providing the security to only 10 separatist leaders, mostly from the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference. Hardline Hurriyat leaders do not enjoy any security cover.

OneIndia News
Who will be new Punjab Chief Minister? Congress' decision likely by afternoon after CLP meet

Ktaka poll turns communal? Cong asks EC to take action against Amit Shah for anti-Hindu remark

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

Bengaluru, March 29: Months before the Election Commission (EC) announced the poll date for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2018, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress made sure that the state gets divided into "communal lines". From cow to separate religious status to Lingayats, the Congress and the BJP are using the age-old tactic of "divide and rule" to win votes.

Interestingly, both the parties are accusing each other of spreading communal hatred to win elections. On Wednesday, the Congress approached the EC to take action against BJP president Amit Shah for calling incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah "anti-Hindu".

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has requested the EC to initiate criminal action against Shah.

"Complaint filed with the Election Commission against BJP President Amit Shah for his statements against CM @siddaramaiah in violation of Representation of People's Act. KPCC has requested EC to take appropriate action & initiate criminal action against Mr. Shah.," tweeted the Congress.

Complaint filed with the Election Commission against BJP President Amit Shah for his statements against CM @siddaramaiah in violation of Representation of People's Act.



KPCC has requested EC to take appropriate action & initiate criminal action against Mr. Shah. pic.twitter.com/mYNAI2uFio  Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) March 28, 2018

In its tweet, the Congress has posted the letter which the KPCC has submitted to the EC. On Tuesday, BJP president Shah accused the Siddaramaiah government of trying to divide Hindus and being the "most corrupt" one in the country. "I have made five to six visits to Karnataka and after meeting people I have been able to understand the feeling of Karnataka," said Shah during a press meet at Davanagere.

"The feeling of people of Karnataka is that he (Siddaramaiah) is not AHINDA leader, an AHINDU (anti-Hindu) leader," he added. AHINDA is a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits.

"Just ahead of the (assembly) elections in Karnataka, they have tried to divide Lingayats and Veerashaivas, also Lingayats and other communities, by announcing minority status for them," Shah told reporters.

Questioning the timing of the move, he asked the Siddaramaiah government, "What were you doing for five years?" "In 2013 when your own (UPA) government was in power at the Centre, they had rejected it. Why was Siddaramaiah silent then? This is an attempt to divide the Hindus..," he said.

On Tuesday, the EC announced the polling and counting dates for the Karnataka Assembly elections. While polling will take place on May 12, the counting of votes will take place on May 15.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
Karnataka elections: Counting on Amavasya leaves superstitious' politicians worried

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Some Karnataka politicians are more worried about the date of counting of assembly elections than campaigning and defeating the opponent. Voting for the Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 12, Saturday, and counting will be held on May 15. Some consider Saturday inauspicious as the deity of the weekday is 'Shani', a planet god who supposedly gets angry easily. The main cause of concern for most is the date of counting - May 15 - which is on Amavasya.

For those who believe in astrology, this voting on Saturday and counting on Amavasya is a worrying combination. According to reports, the dates have already spooked many sitting MLAs and others in the fray.

But logically speaking, if Amavasya is indeed inauspicious, then it is inauspicious for all those contesting elections. It is highly unlikely that Amavasya would be prejudiced and be inauspicious to some but not so much for others. This is something only experts in astrology would be able to answer.

JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda is said to be a staunch believer in astrology and reports state that he has already held a detailed discussion with his trusted astrologers. The former prime minister's son, HD Revanna, has reportedly contacted a big fortune teller in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Revanna would be performing Havans on both voting and counting days, reported CNN News 18.

Vedic scholar Daivagna KN Somayaji claims that Amavasya is a "bad day" for all good things and can have a negative impact on counting. Speaking to News18, he said, "Saturday is not exactly bad for everything. But we do no important things on Tuesday. It is not a good day. This time Amavasya also falls on Tuesday. It is a worrying thing."

Amavasya means New moon lunar phase in Sanskrit. Except for the Karttika Amavasya (Amavasya of Diwali), the Amavasya is considered inauspicious as per Hindu beliefs.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
Karnataka: Will Congress not allow Kumaraswamy to be CM for full 5-year term?

Is it chief minister Kumaraswamy or chief manager of Congress Ktaka ATM? BJP has an answer

All is well between Congress, JD(S)? Kumaraswamy meets Rahul as Karnataka waits for full cabinet

Karnataka elections: Full list of Congress candidates by April 15

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Ahead of the highly anticipated, Karnataka assembly elections 2018 to be conducted on May 12, the ruling Congress in the state has said that it would announce the list of its candidates by April 15.

"We will announce candidates for all 224 assembly constituencies in a single phase. As the date of the election has already been announced, we need to do it as soon as possible," Pradesh Congress president G Parameshwara told reporters.

Stating that the party's central election committee will meet after the screening committee meeting on April 9 and April 10, he noted that the list of party candidates for the state polls will be out by April 15.

The Election Commission had yesterday announced that a single phase election would be conducted in the southern state on May 12 and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 15.

Prominent Lingayat seer lauds Siddaramaiah on religious minority tag

As part of the poll preparations, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara are holding back to back meetings with ministers in-charge of various districts and the election manifesto committee.

Explaining the process of selection of candidates, the KPCC president said the Pradesh Election Committee has already held its meeting and taken certain decisions, which has been conveyed to the leadership in Delhi.

"As part of the same process, the chief minister and myself are holding discussions with district in-charge ministers today, to gather their opinion that will help in the selection of candidates," he said.

"In continuation of this process, there will be a screening committee meeting in Delhi on April 9 and 10 where we will put forward all the information we have gathered, following which the decisions will be taken," Parameshwara added.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi had earlier this month constituted the screening committee for the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls. The committee is headed by senior party leader Madhusudan Mistry, which will also comprise party MPs Tamradhwaj Sahu and Gaurav Gogoi.

AICC General Secretary In-charge of the state K C Venugopal, G Parameshwara and Siddaramaiah are ex-officio members of the committee.

Parameshwara also said that the party was in the process of finalising the list of 40-star campaigners for the polls.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
Karnataka Polls: Why Mysuru, the home turf of Siddaramaiah, is so important for BJP, Congress

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

Mysuru, March 29: While the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is heavily relying on national leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and president Amit Shah to push forward its campaign chariot in poll-bound Karnataka, for the Congress, "local leaders" seem to be the flavour of the election season.

In fact, it is incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah who is in total control of the affairs of the Congress in Karnataka. Political analysts say that Siddaramaiah is the "last man" standing between the BJP and Karnataka in the upcoming polls. Although Congress president Rahul Gandhi too is touring the southern state, it is the CM who is doing all the groundwork to prepare for the polls.

On Tuesday, the Election Commission (EC) announced the polling and counting dates for the Karnataka Assembly elections. While polling will take place on May 12, the counting of votes will take place on May 15.

In an attempt to shake up the confidence of the Congress, BJP president Shah is all set to challenge Siddaramaiah in his home turf Mysuru, which is around 150 kms away from the state capital, Bengaluru.

As a part of the Karnataka polls, Mysuru is going to keep political heavyweights busy. The Karnataka CM will start his five-day tour of Mysuru from Thursday. Just a day later, the BJP president will visit the district on Friday. Shah will be in Mysuru district for two days. Already Shah and PM Modi has visited the district three times. If rumours are to be believed BS Yeddyurappa's son Vijayendra will contest against Siddaramaiah's son Yatheendra from Varuna constituency in Mysuru.

Mysuru district has 11 Assembly constituencies and winning the district holds great importance for both the parties. Otherwise, Karnataka is divided into 224 Assembly constituencies.

Siddaramaiah is the man from Mysuru, although he runs the Congress government sitting in Bengaluru. He has spent his entire childhood and part of adulthood in Mysuru.

The 69-year-old politician was born in a remote village called Siddaramanahundi in Mysore district. He did his graduation in science and degree in law from the Mysore University. His constituency too is Chamundeshwari in Mysuru.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
Lost your wallet, got it back? This Delhi mans ordeal ended on a happy note, thanks to an angel

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

New Delhi, March 29: The fear of losing your wallet, mobile and other valuables must have given you nightmares on many occasions. Imagine, the plight of a person who has lost his/her wallet. The worst part is that when you lose all your hope of ever getting back your valuables.

This Delhi man also went through the same harrowing experience after he lost his wallet having money and other important cards during his ride on a Delhi metro recently. However, to his utter surprise, Gurpreet Singh, the 24-year-old man, got back his wallet with all other things intact in a mail 11 days after he lost his "prized possession".

Thanks to Siddharth Mehta, who found the wallet and decided to post it back to Gurpreet with a letter asking him to be "careful next time". A happy Gurpreet decided to thank the "Good Samaritan" by writing in detail about the incident on Facebook. The Facebook post has gone viral, reaffirming our belief in humanity.

"Guys i wanna share something. I lost my Wallet in delhi metro on 15 March. Nd today i recieved a Parcel nd it was my Wallet with all of my documents nd some Money . I m very very thankfull to that person who send my wallet back ......His Name is Siddharth Mehta, live in Noida. Thank U soo Much Bro. ," wrote Gurpreet.

See, the world is not so bad after all; just keep doing small mercies on others, even to strangers (like Siddharth did), and spread happiness. You can read Gurpreet's entire Facebook post below:

OneIndia News
Karnataka: Will Congress not allow Kumaraswamy to be CM for full 5-year term?

Is it chief minister Kumaraswamy or chief manager of Congress Ktaka ATM? BJP has an answer

All is well between Congress, JD(S)? Kumaraswamy meets Rahul as Karnataka waits for full cabinet

Now, Siddaramaiah's app goes missing from Play Store

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's app has conspicuously gone missing from the Google Play Store. This comes days after Congress deleted its official app 'With INC' from the Google Play Store, making it unavailable for Android users.

The Congress app's deletion came soon after a French cybersecurity researcher who goes by the pseudonym Elliot Alderson found security issues with a web page associated with the Congress.

The Congress had trained gun at PM Modi's NaMo app after Alderson claimed that the app is taking info without consent and sends the IP address of users to US-based website api.narendramodi.

BJP and Congress have targeted each other with allegations of data harvesting. The now-deleted Congress Android app asked for photos, media, files, storage, camera, WiFi connection information, and network information.

[NaMo app row: 'Rahul Gandhi is technologically illiterate', says BJP]

In a bid to corner the Prime Minister over the NaMo app, Rahul accused Modi of misusing his position "to build a personal database with data on millions of Indians", hours after the BJP alleged that the main opposition party shared users' information to a Singapore-based firm.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned Congress' technical know-how about the working of smartphone apps and said that most of the applications these days ask for permission to access 'contacts', 'SD Card', 'pictures' and 'location' in the phone.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
PM Modi to address 20,000 Swachhagrahis in Bihar's Motihari district

India

pti-PTI

Motihari (Bihar), March 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Motihari on April 10 to take part in the concluding ceremony of Champaran Satyagraha centenary celebrations, a district official has said.

Modi will address around 20,000 Swachhagrahis (ambassadors of cleanliness movement) - 10,000 from Bihar and the rest from other states - at Gandhi Maidan here on the occasion, East Champaran District Magistrate Raman Kumar told reporters yesterday.

The Bihar government had in April 2017 launched year-long celebrations to mark the centenary of Champaran Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi had launched his first agitation against the British rule here by protesting against the indigo cultivation order on farmers in 1917.

"The Prime Minister's message to Swachhagrahis will be a trie tribute to Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) from the land of Champaran, especially on the occasion of the concluding ceremony of Satyagraha centenary celebrations," Kumar said.

All chief ministers and senior officials have been invited to the function. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union minister Radha Mohan Singh and other dignitaries are also set to attend the ceremony, he asserted.

"A tent city is being erected to accommodate the Swachhagrahis from other states. It will have boarding and toilet facilities. This is the first time a programme of such a huge magnitude is being organised in a small town (like Motihari)," he explained. The DM also said that efforts are on to make the district open-defecation free (ODF) by April 10.

"More than 55 per cent households in East Champaran have been declared ODF till date. The district officials are making efforts to achieve cent per cent ODF status by April 10," Kumar added.

PTI
A Look back at CMs who completed full 5-year term in history of Karnataka

Prominent Lingayat seer lauds Siddaramaiah on religious minority tag

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

While commending the decision made by the Siddaramaiah government, a prominent Lingayat seer urged the Centre to approve the religious minority status for Lingayats.

The Seer of Murugha mutt, Dr Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru handed over a memorandum to BJP President, Amit Shah who had earlier termed this move as an attempt to divide Hindus.

On a mission to connect with the pontiffs of the community, Shah had met several Lingayat/Veerashaiva seers during his two-day visit to Karnataka, in an apparent move towards keeping the BJP's traditional Lingayat voter base intact, ahead of the May 12 assembly polls.

The pontiff said he had submitted a memorandum to Shah seeking the Centre's approval for the religious minority tag for Lingayats as recommended by the Karnataka government. He said Shah heard them patiently. The memorandum pointed out that a strong movement is going on in Karnataka by Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayats, pressing for minority status to the community.

"At the outset, it appears that there is a controversy between Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat followers," but it is a "temporary outbreak of emotions" of small groups in the followers of both faiths and "it will not last long," it said.

The seer further said that the government of Karnataka has "rightly" recommended to the Centre in this regard.

"Minority status to this religion will definitely deliver some benefits to the youth of this community- individually and collectively. It is not a step to divide the community, but a measure to unite the already subdivided sub caste followers in Lingayats," he said.

During his two-day visit, Shah had yesterday said the move to accord religious minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Linagayats was an attempt to "divide" Hindus and questioned the timing of such recommendation, ahead of assembly elections.

The Karnataka cabinet on March 19 had decided to recommend to the Centre to grant religious minority tag to the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.

Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15

OneIndia News
Rapists should be brought out in public and lynched says Jaya Bachchan

Rapists must be shot dead in public: BJP MP

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Assam has said that rapists should be shot in public to create a sense of "fear" among the perpetrators.

Ram Prasad Sarmah, who represents Tezpur constituency, said that "those who commit heinous crimes like rape must be shot in public, this is the only way to stop these incidents. People who can't respect women should be dealt with like this."

Sarmah was responding to the rape and murder of a class V student in Assam. She was gang-raped by three men, two of whom were juveniles in Nagaon district in Assam. She was later set on fire.

While proposing stricter laws for rape convicts, he also said that shooting squads must be set up to deal with rapists. He added that a punishment of a minimum of 10 years in prison should be awarded to those held guilty of assaulting, molesting or touching a woman appropriately.

"A crime of this nature cannot go unpunished. He reportedly questioned that if a minor can commit rape, why should he be considered a juvenile. "He should be given the maximum punishment as well. A rapist should be hanged or shot in public," he was quoted as saying.

The BJP MP said this form of punishment would "create a sense of fear" among the perpetrators.

OneIndia News
RBI data shows decline in job growth

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

With five days still remaining for the online registration to end, the railways has received more than two crore applications for about one lakh vacancies, according to reports. The number of applications for the Railway jobs shows that so many people chasing so few low-level government jobs. This also demonstrates that there is a dearth of jobs in the private sector and people compete for government jobs due to uncertainty in the jobs market.

The finding from the latest KLEMS India database, a research project supported by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), explains the decline in job opportunities during high growth period. The data is available on RBI's website.

LiveMint which accessed the data reported that the employment in the total Indian economy shrank by 0.1 per cent in financial year 2015-16 and by 0.2 per cent in 2014-15. Far from more jobs being created, employment has actually contracted. The data, recently updated till 2015-16, shows that employment fell in several sectors. 'Agriculture, forestry, fishing', mining, manufacture of food products, textiles, leather products, paper, transport equipment and trade are some sectors in which employment contracted in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.

The strange thing is that these were years of high growth, with real gross domestic product (GDP) growing by 7.4% in 2014-15 and 8.2% in 2015-16.

The report further asked if employment actually shrank when GDP growth was relatively high, what would happen during lower growth period in 2016-17 and 2017-18, and disruption in the informal sector as a result of demonetisation and the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST)?

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Thursday, March 29, 2018, 18:11 [IST]
Dont want terrorists to know what software is being used: Centre to SC on Pegasus row

Re-opening probe into Mahatma Gandhis assassination an exercise of futility: SC

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

The Supreme Court has rejected a plea that sought a further probe into the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. A Bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao observed that the petitioners attempt to re-open the controversy was an exercise in futility.

After a petition was filed by Dr. Pankaj K Phadnis, the court had appointed a senior advocate, Amarendra Saran to assist in the case. In his report, he had categorically stated that there was no need for such a probe.

The petitioner argued that the pistol used by Nathuram Godse had a seven-bullet chamber. Three shots were fired and the police recovered the four unspent bullets. There was no way that the fourth shot could have come from this pistol, the petitioner also argued.

The petitioner also contended that the fourth shot had to be from a gun of a second assassin and there is no trace of this in any record. The petitioner cited a research conducted by him and said that he was convinced about a second assassin.

We are, however, not satisfied that new research into a long concluded matter justifies a re-initiation of a criminal investigation or that anything that might be stated should be allowed to reopen a case such as this. Criminal cases which result in the conviction and even execution of death sentences and the demise of those who have served life sentences ought not to be reviewed, neither is there a provision in law for review, the Bench said while rejecting the petition.

"While undoubtedly the nation has right to know the truth, such a right cannot be invoked where the truth is already well known merely because some academic research raises a different perspective in law. This would amount to reopening issues based on hearsay."

"We are, therefore, not prepared to accept the fourth bullet theory propounded by the petitioner. We consider the petitioner's attempt to reopen this controversy as an exercise in futility" the Bench added.

OneIndia News
Shatrughan Sinha to quit BJP?

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Oneindia Staff

New Delhi, March 29: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who has been at the forefront speaking against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, is likely to quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, say reports. The BJP member of Parliament (MP) from Bihar is likely to join another party or contest the upcoming 2019 elections as an independent candidate, the actor-politician himself stated.

However, the "rebel" BJP leader added that he would contest elections from the same Patna Sahib constituency seat in Bihar from where he has been elected to the Lok Sabha. Speaking to television news channel, Times Now, Sinha said, "I have offers from other parties. Whether I serve through my party or some other parties or even contest independently, it hardly matters."

"There were rumours in the last elections too that I will not get ticket from the BJP. But I got the ticket. (In 2014) My name was announced at the last moment from the same seat. Now, I am again hearing these rumours," Sinha added.

Sinha alleged that he has been unfairly treated by the current BJP regime. "As they are my own people, I can't speak about their behaviour to outsiders in detail... My party knows it hurt me. Not just now but from day one when this government came to power," he said.

When asked why he is not leaving the BJP, the actor-politician said: "Why doesn't the party quit me? I did not join the party to leave it. Several people were unfairly treated in the party." "Look at our friend, philosopher and ultimate guru Lal Krishna Advani. From two seats to almost 200 seats, the party grew mainly under his leadership. Where is he today? He could have been anything. He has been like a guardian of the party," Sinha added.

Sinha and his party colleague Yashwant Sinha (both of them share the same surname) have been at the forefront criticising the Modi government over various issues, including the demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Reports say the BJP will not expel them as it might backfire, so the party is waiting for both the Sinhas to leave the BJP on their own.

Now, as political activities in the country have already heated up ahead of the next General elections, it needs to be seen who takes the initiative first. Whether the BJP expels them or they leave the party is only a matter of time, said a political expert.

OneIndia News
Masarat Alam will remain a non-starter in J&K thanks to Centres zero tolerance towards separatism

Terrorists kill a police officer in Bijbehara, J&K

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

A policeman was killed after terrorists attacked his house in Jammu and Kashmir's Bijbehara area on Thursday (March 29). The police officer, Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh, was injured when terrorists fired at his residence. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries the way.

In a separate incident, terrorists fired upon a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam area. The terrorists fled the spot after the attack and the victim, who works as a teacher, sustained injuries in one of his legs. He has been admitted to a hospital.

Yesterday (March 28), Four terrorists were gunned down by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri area.

On March 25, one terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Arizal village of Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir.

OneIndia News
After Xi-Kim talks, South Korea sets up date with North Korea in April

International

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

Soon after China embraced North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, it is time for South Korea to play its role. On Thursday, March 29, leaders of the two neighbours who are technically still at war set a date for a summit in April at the border truce village of Panjmunjom.

The development came just a few days after Kim made his first international trip to China, Pyongyang's regional ally that left many surprised. For experts, it was a move made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kim to score a diplomatic brownie point over the United States ahead of the proposed talks between President Donald Trump and Kim in May.

A joint press statement read out by leaders of both North and South Korea on Thursday said the 2018 South-North summit would be held on April 27.

The meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be only the third of its kind and the venue would make Kim the first North Korean leader to visit the South since the Korean War of the early 1950s. North Korea though has claimed that Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung had gone to Seoul several times during the conflict in the volatile peninsula. The first and second Korean summits were held in 2000 and 20007, respectively.

The two sides are expected to meet next Wednesday to discuss issues like security and protocol related to the summit.

Thursday's meeting was held in the northern side of the same truce village of Panmunjom.

North Korea has earned the brickbats for its rapid nuclear programmes that brought it in conflict with the West and differences with old ally China. However, a period of rapprochement started during the Winter Olympics held in South Korea and things changed for the better with officials from both Koreas visiting each other.

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Story first published: Thursday, March 29, 2018, 17:27 [IST]
France: Less than week after Trebes attack, man tries to run car through soldiers group

International

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

In the wake of the heart-breaking Trebes incident where a policeman was killed after he volunteered his life in exchange for a hostage, France witnessed almost another tragedy early on Thursday morning. This happened as a man tried to run his car into a group of 10 soldiers who were out for the morning jog near their barracks in south-eastern France.

The soldiers, who belong to the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment, avoided the vehicle in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset near the city of Grenoble.

Police were frantically searching for the driver who accelerated to flee the spot after the failed attempt. It was reported that the car was a stolen Peugeot 208. The motive of the action was yet to be ascertained. The local civic authorities said the people were advised to keep their children indoors as the man who attacked the soldiers was still to be apprehended.

Others reports said the man had earlier threatened a group of soldiers near the same place verbally and then attempted to run over another group which was returning from a jog. Security was beefed up around the barracks.

The incident happened less than a week after the taking of hostages at a supermarket in the town of Trebes near Carcassonne in southern France.

Last week, one Radouane Lakdim killed a passenger in a car and then fired at the local policemen out for the jog, injuring one. He later killed two more persons at a supermarket and sought the release of a suspect of the 2015 Paris terror attack in lieu of a hostage. It was then when Lt Col Arnaud Beltrame swapped himself for the hostage and was killed. The 25-year-old gunman, who claimed to be representing the Islamic State, was later shot dead by the police.

OneIndia News
Russia to expel 60 US diplomats, close American consulate: reports

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Russia is set to expel 60 US diplomats and close an American consulate in the country, days after Washington did the same to Russian diplomats over Moscow's alleged role in poisoning an ex-spy in the United Kingdom (UK), said reports. Moscow's retaliatory move was reported by AFP while quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

After 21 countries expelled over 100 Russian diplomats to protest its likely act of poisoning an ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, Moscow had said it would take "appropriate" retaliatory measures against each country that took the extreme steps.

On March 26, the Donald Trump administration gave marching orders to 60 Russian diplomats stationed in the US, including 12 members of Russia's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. The Russian consulate in Seattle was also closed.

[Expulsion of Russian diplomats: Be ready for consequences, thunders Moscow]

The US's steps came in the wake of a number of European countries expelling Russian diplomats from their territory on the pretext that Russia has poisoned the Skripals in Salisbury in England which was seen as a violation of border and also international law.

The father-daughter duo was exposed to a nerve agent, which according to the UK, was made in Russia and hence the Kremlin was accused of attempting an assassination on foreign soil. Russia rubbished the allegations saying neither the former Soviet Union earlier nor it today had any plans to develop such a dangerous substance.

[West's expelling scores of Russian diplomats marks an interesting episode in world politics]

The UK then expelled 23 Russian diplomats and threatened to take more measures against Russia. The latter then retaliated by expelling an equal number of British diplomats besides ordering closing down of the British consulate in St Petersburg and British Council's offices located in Russia.

OneIndia News
Mystery UFOs sighting? US intel report says no evidence of aliens, but can't deny a link either

UFO sighting: How to calculate the odds that an alien spaceship has been spotted

World UFO Day 2021: What is a UFO? Who started it and when is it celebrated?

Two US aircraft pilots spot shining UFO in Arizona sky within minutes

International

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

It has been cited again. Two pilots flying two different planes reportedly spotted a mysterious object flying high above Arizona in the afternoon of February 24, the USA's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

According to an FAA release, a few minutes differentiated the two pilots' spotting the objects in the altitudes of southern Arizona near the state's border with New Mexico in southern US. The audio recording of the pilots' conversation with the Albuquerque air traffic control was also released by the FAA.

The latest incidents happened amid a series of encounters that pilots operating military aircraft reportedly had with what is commonly described as the unidentified flying object of UFO.

Pilot of the second plane too spots the object

It was the pilot of a Phoenix Air flight who initially reported about the sighting. He asked the control whether anything passed his plane to which the former responded 'no'. The air traffic control than asked the pilot of an American Airlines flight which was flying next to the first plane to confirm if he spotted anything flying over him.

Within a few moments, the second pilot informed the control that he too saw something bizarre flying about two to three thousand feet above his flight. Both the pilots said the object was flying in the direction opposite to their aircraft and that it was either beaming light or was reflecting light.

The air traffic controller couldn't verify whether a third aircraft was present in the zone when the pilots sighted the bizarre object. Weather balloons or airships aren't uncommon at those heights but the pilots said the shining light of the object made its actual identity unclear.

OneIndia News
$3.2 Million grant funds development of new malaria vaccine

The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund has awarded the University of Florida and partners in the United States and Japan $3.2 million to advance a promising vaccine to prevent transmission of malaria.

Rhoel Dinglasan  an associate professor of infectious diseases in UFs College of Veterinary Medicine and the universitys Emerging Pathogens Institute  has spent years developing a malaria transmission blocking vaccine, or TBV. The blood mosquitoes get from immunized humans would prevent the insects from becoming infected by the Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria, thus breaking the cycle of disease transmission.

Female Anopheles mosquitoes pick up the Plasmodium parasite when they bite an infected human, then spread the parasite when they bite other people.

After Dinglasan and his colleagues identified a protein in the mosquito gut that Plasmodium needs to infect the Anopheles mosquito, called alanyl aminopeptidase N, or AnAPN1, they saw a path to preventing transmission of the disease by creating a vaccine to generate antibodies to AnAPN1 in humans.

Initial vaccine testing in mice stalled because the animals primarily generated antibodies to a less-crucial fragment of AnAPN1, so Dinglasan and his team refocused their efforts on solving the structure of the protein, which allowed them to more precisely map the relevant transmission-blocking regions of the protein to target. When they tested the antibodies to the redesigned vaccine target using infected blood samples from children in Cameroon, a country hard hit by malaria, they found that minute amounts of the antibody completely prevented transmission of the parasite to the mosquito.

The new grant from the Global Health Innovative Technology, or GHIT, Fund will further development of processes to move the vaccine from the experimental stage to human trials and, ultimately, a clinical treatment. The GHIT Fund is an international public-private partnership spearheaded by the Government of Japan, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and a group of pharmaceutical companies.

AnAPN1 is a great pan-malaria transmission-blocking vaccine and we have made it even better, said Dinglasan, who was recruited to Gainesville under the UF Preeminence initiative. "This funding support puts the vaccine back in the process development and vaccine production pipeline with an eye on getting to first-in-human trials in a few more years."

Historically, malaria prevention has focused on killing the mosquitoes that transmit the disease using pesticides like DDT or shielding humans from mosquitoes with nets, but these approaches alone are not enough to prevent nearly a half-million people around the world from dying from malaria annually, many of them children under 5.

The next phase of the project involves numerous partners contributing unique capabilities.

CellFree Sciences of Japan is developing the important control antigens and Hamamatsu Pharma Research of Japan will assess the long-term potency of the vaccine in non-human primates.

The Infectious Disease Research Institute, or IDRI, of Seattle, has been a long-time longtime partner on this project and continues to assist by providing the adjuvant to boost the immune response to the antigen.

Ology Bioservices, a UF spinoff in Alachua, will develop the large-scale, process development and manufacturing plan and supply the AnAPN1 vaccine candidate for use in ongoing pre-clinical studies and to prepare for subsequent clinical testing.

Centre Pasteur du Cameroun will test the efficacy of antibodies generated in response to AnAPN1 in mice and non-human primates against naturally circulating strains of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, in direct membrane feeding assays in Cameroon.

Dinglasan said the TBV would work in concert with a traditional vaccine being developed by GlaxoSmithKline called Mosquirix, which is scheduled for pilot implementation in three African countries this year.

Our vaccine should work against all five Plasmodium parasite species that affect human health, he said. Mosquirix does not achieve full protection and many people, mostly kids, will still be infectious to the mosquito. Our vaccine puts a stop to that.

Ultimately, Dinglasan hopes the TBV will be the final nail in the malaria coffin, eliminating pockets of residual malaria transmission that prevention efforts and traditional vaccines cannot reach.

This vaccine can help stamp out malaria globally, he said.

About CellFree Sciences

CellFree Sciences (CFS) provides comprehensive solutions for protein production and analysis using the ENDEXT Technology Platform originally developed in the laboratory of Prof. Yaeta Endo at Ehime University in Japan. With our different WEPRO wheat germ protein expression extracts, CFS is serving the research community with protein synthesis services, reagents, and the fully automated Protemist robotic protein production systems.

http://www.cfsciences.com/eg/

About Hamamatsu Pharma Research

Hamamatsu Pharma Research (HPR) is a preclinical CRO specializing in efficacy testing of novel therapeutics in nonhuman primate disease models. Our services provide preclinical proof of concept data that facilitates go/no-go decision making for new drug development.

https://www.hpharmausa.com/

About Ology Bioservices, Inc.

Ology Bioservices, Inc. (formerly Nanotherapeutics, Inc.) is a biologics-focused contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving both government and commercial clients. The companys capabilities include a pilot facility for performing optimization of upstream, downstream and formulation functions, bulk cGMP manufacturing including biosafety level-3 (BSL-3), and analytical development for proteins, antibodies, viral vaccines and gene therapy drug products. The company provides expertise from preclinical through FDA licensure in a variety of production platforms, including microbial and mammalian cell culture and its proprietary serum protein-free Vero cell platform, a highly versatile platform that has been developed and utilized to deliver a wide range of candidate and licensed vaccines against emerging viral diseases. Ology Bioservices is headquartered in Alachua, Florida.

http://www.ologybio.com/

About IDRI

As a nonprofit global health organization, IDRI (Infectious Disease Research Institute) takes a comprehensive approach to combat infectious diseases, combining the high-quality science of a research organization with the product development capabilities of a biotech company to create new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines. Founded in 1993, IDRI has 125 employees headquartered in Seattle with nearly 100 partners/collaborators around the world.

http://www.idri.org/

About CPC

The Centre Pasteur du Cameroun (CPC) founded in 1959, is a state-owned public health and biomedical research institute located in Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon. CPC is a WHO regional reference center for several infectious diseases, and member of the Institut Pasteur International Network with headquarters in Paris, France. The main activities of the CPC include service, public health, training and research. Research is centered on bacterial, viral and parasitic agents, and their respective major pathologies such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases as well as neglected tropical diseases.

http://www.pasteur-yaounde.org/index.php/en/
Venezuela prison fire kills 68; victims kin clash with police

International

oi-Shubham

By Shubham

The South American nation of Venezuela, which is passing through gruelling hardships politically and economically, was in for yet another shock on Wednesday, March 28, when a fire at a police station in the city of Valencia in the state of Carabobo left 68 people dead.

The blaze reportedly spread after the prisoners in the station reportedly set fire to mattresses in a bid to escape but it terribly backfired. The incident was followed by turmoil as the police used tear gas to disperse the kin of those who were killed. The law-keepers swung into action after the victims' worried relatives surrounded the police station to know whether their dear ones were safe.

Authorities said a probe into the incident would begin at the earliest. Carabobo went into mourning after the tragedy.

Though the reason behind the fire was not officially confirmed, officials said soon after a police officer was shot in the leg by a detainee that the prisoners set fire to mattresses in the jail and it spread fast to kill several. Two among the dead were visitors to the jail, it was told. While some were charred, others died of asphyxiation.

As soon as the news of the fire broke, the relatives of the prisoners rushed to the police station and clashed with the police to know how their kin was inside.

Venezuela is notorious for its overcrowded prisons as more and more people are put behind bars because of regular violence and riots. The country is one of the most unstable in the world with a strong economic crisis. The prison in Valencia where the fire tragedy occurred was a temporary one.

OneIndia News
Holi Festival of Colors takes over Flavet Field

The UF Indian Student Association and Student Government brought together more than 1,000 students and families on Sunday, March 25, for the annual Holi Festival, an Indian celebration emphasizing the importance of community. When the clock struck noon, the explosion of color kicked off as different colored powder hit the air and massive bursts of water from the Alachua County Fire Rescue truck made it rain for the crowd, where members of the crowd began splashing each other with different colors of powder.

Holi is a traditional Indian holiday that also celebrates the commencement of spring. It represents bringing together people from all walks of life to dance, sing and playfully smear others with colorful powders and water.

The celebration of diversity is meant to renew your friendships, relax your mind, and liven your spirit. Everyone and anyone, regardless of background or identity, is welcome and encouraged to participate in this exciting and colorful event, the event page said.



(Nelsa Vazquez, a junior majoring in economics, participated for the first time in the colorful event.)



Im so glad I was able to take part in this event that is bringing together people of all backgrounds. Its a refreshing thing to see when the news is often so focused on the negative aspects of life. My only regret is just discovering this now, said Nelsa Vazquez, third year economics major at UF.

Free T-shirts, color powders and Krishna lunches were given to the first 1,000 attendees. Sponsors for the event also included: SG Cabinet Diversity Division, Volunteers for International Student Affairs (VISA), UF Office of Graduate Diversity Initiatives, The Mayor's Council, Women's Student Association (WSA), Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA), Asian American Student Union (AASU), Indian Graduate Students Association (IGSA), The Standard at Gainesville, The Pavilion on 62nd, Canopy Apartments, India Bazaar, Lollicup and Chuy's.
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Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has won re-election as Egypt's president, according to preliminary results reported by a number of state media outlets, showing el-Sisi winning 92 percent of the vote.

The official MENA news agency and the state-owned newspapers al-Ahram and Akhbar el-Youm said on Thursday that 23 million out of the 60 million registered voters - 40 percent - turned out to cast the ballots during the three days of polling that ended on Wednesday.

Sisi ran virtually unchallenged after the other serious candidates were arrested and discredited. Sisi's only opponent, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, a Sisi supporter, gained 721,000 votes, al-Youm and al-Ahram reported.

The electoral commission issued a last-minute call for people to vote, hoping to boost the turnout figure that Sisi regards as vital to legitimizing his victory. But a turnout rate of less than 50 percent will be seen as disappointing.

In a push by authorities for a higher turnout, voters were given 50 to 100 Egyptian pounds ($3 to $5), or even a box of food or amusement-park tickets.

According to Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, trucks were seen distributing bags of sugar, cooking oil and rice to people in poor areas.

Official results are due on April 2.

US-client General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who later assumed the title of Field Marshall, toppled Mohammad Mursi in July 2013. Mursi was the first democratically elected President of Egypt.

According to CNN, observers have widely called the vote a farce, seeing it more as a referendum on el-Sisi than a free and fair election.

Egyptian authorities arrested former army Gen. Sami Anan in January after he announced his candidacy. Authorities accused Anan of breaking military rules. Several other high-profile candidates said they came under pressure to withdraw from the race.

In February, Human Rights Watch accused Egyptian authorities of carrying out "a series of arbitrary arrests" ahead of the elections.

State of Emergency

The presidential election was held under the state of emergency that was extended on January 2 by another three months a nationwide state of emergency, citing security reasons.

The measure grants the president, and those acting on his behalf, the power to refer civilians to State Security Emergency Courts for the duration of the three-month period.

There is no appeal process for State Security Emergency Court verdicts.

It also allows the president to intercept and monitor all forms of communications, imposing censorship prior to publication and confiscating extant publications, impose a curfew for or order the closure of commercial establishments, sequestration of private properties, as well as designating areas for evacuation.

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From Common Dreams

John Bolton's career of pushing for bombing countries like Iran and North Korea, and his having played an active role in the Bush/Cheney regime's criminal war of aggression that destroyed Iraq, makes him a clear and present danger to our country and world peace. He is about to become Donald Trump's personal national security adviser with a staff of 400 right next to the White House. He must be stopped!

For Bolton, the Constitution, federal law, the Geneva Conventions, and other international laws are pieces of paper to be thrown away with unctuous contempt. This outlaw -- the shame of Yale Law School -- should have been cast away as a pariah if not prosecuted and imprisoned. A bully to his subordinates in the government and known as "kiss-ass" to his superiors, Bolton is aggressive, relentless, and consistently wrong, when not prevaricatory.

Under Secretary of State Colin Powell, during the imperial Bush/Cheney presidency, Bolton told the media that Fidel Castro was developing chemical and biological weapons. False. Secretary Powell, who believes Bolton is impetuous and dangerous, overrode his in-house liar and corrected the record. While in Cuba with a group, I heard Fidel Castro say he feared Bolton's words were a precursor to a U.S. attack until Bolton's remarks were dismissed by his superiors.

There is a remarkable liberal/conservative dislike and fright about Bolton having Trump's ear daily. Especially since Trump is susceptible to adopting the positions of the last person who reaches him. The added danger is that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has privately told people that he, like many who have experienced Bolton in government, cannot work with him. So does that mean that Trump will have to choose between the restraining hand of General Mattis and the recklessness of the draft-avoiding torture advocate John Bolton?

Will Republicans, who refused to confirm Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 2005, assume some responsibility for opposing this sociopath? They could easily pass a joint resolution of Congress demanding withdrawal of the appointment by Trump.

There are many vigorous critics of Bolton's career and subsequent belligerent stances; Just last month Bolton wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal demanding the bombing of North Korea. His juvenile, lethal positions avoid considering the consequences, responses, backlash and danger to our country's own safety. He likes to bet on the world -- a Dr. Strangelove on steroids.

A lengthy New York Times editorial (March 23, 2018) declares, "Yes, John Bolton Really is that Dangerous." It begins: "there are few people more likely than Mr. Bolton to lead the country into war." Especially since Trump -- mired in domestic scandals, investigations, and personal lawsuits -- may wish to wag the dog and start wider, distracting, armed hostilities abroad.

The American Conservative magazine is stirring that segment of the political spectrum with Gareth Porter's article, "The Untold Story of John Bolton's Campaign for War with Iran." Trump didn't like General McMaster's (Trump's outgoing National Security Adviser) counsel that the U.S. remain in the Iran nuclear accord and not isolate itself from other major country signatories who say Iran is complying with its terms.

Then there is Bolton's bigotry against Arabs and Muslims and his alliance with Pamela Geller -- the notorious Islamophobe. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has elaborated on Bolton's outrageous falsehoods against Arabs and Muslims (the "other anti-semitism" in the words of James Zogby in 1994 at a conference in Israel).

How does such a deep hatred in the White House connect to Trump's repeated declaration that he allegedly seeks a peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians?

Republican constitutional law analyst, Bruce Fein, presents a strong case that the powerful position of national security adviser to the President must be confirmed by the Senate. In which case, Bolton would be gone.

Fein argues:

"The Appointments Clause of the Constitution militates against the National Security Adviser aberration. It makes Senate confirmation of 'officers of the United States' the rule. But Congress may by statute create exceptions for 'inferior officers.' But it has not done so for the Adviser -- even assuming the office qualifies as 'inferior.'"

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See original here

By Jen Hayden

In October, Jared Kushner took an unexpected and unannounced trip abroad to meet with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Needless to say, that trip raised eyebrows. The Intercept reported that the pair stayed up until 4 a.m. talking:

"In late October, Jared Kushner made an unannounced trip to Riyadh, catching some intelligence officials off guard. "The two princes are said to have stayed up until nearly 4 a.m. several nights, swapping stories and planning strategy," the Washington Post's David Ignatius reported at the time. What exactly Kushner and the Saudi royal talked about in Riyadh may be known only to them, but after the meeting, Crown Prince Mohammed told confidants that Kushner had discussed the names of Saudis disloyal to the crown prince, according to three sources who have been in contact with members of the Saudi and Emirati royal families since the crackdown. Kushner, through his attorney's spokesperson, denies having done so. (Emphasis added)

It wasn't long after that unannounced trip to Saudi Arabia that the crown prince ordered dozens of his family members arrested:

"On November 4, a week after Kushner returned to the U.S., the crown prince, known in official Washington by his initials MBS, launched what he called an anti-corruption crackdown. The Saudi government arrested dozens of members of the Saudi royal family and imprisoned them in the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh, which was first reported in English by The Intercept. The Saudi figures named in the President's Daily Brief were among those rounded up; at least one was reportedly tortured."

Now Congressional Democrats are asking FBI Director Christopher Wray to investigate whether Jared Kushner leaked classified information from the Presidential Daily Brief to the crown prince. From CNN:

"'We request the FBI open an immediate investigation to determine if these reports are accurate and to explore the extent to which information and sources may have been comprised,' reads the letter from Democratic Reps. Ted Lieu, Gerald Connolly, Donald Beyer, Pramila Jaypal, Peter Welch and Ruben Gallego. "The letter notes that the 'integrity of classified information' falls within the purview of the FBI but that 'while the President has the authority to declassify and share information, the President's advisers do not.'"

According to The Intercept, after the meeting, the crown prince bragged of having Kushner "in his pocket."

"One of the people MBS told about the discussion with Kushner was UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, according to a source who talks frequently to confidants of the Saudi and Emirati rulers. MBS bragged to the Emirati crown prince and others that Kushner was 'in his pocket,' the source told The Intercept. "Access to the President's Daily Brief is tightly guarded, but Trump has the legal authority to allow Kushner to disclose information contained in it. If Kushner discussed names with MBS as an approved tactic of U.S. foreign policy, the move would be a striking intervention by the U.S. into an unfolding power struggle at the top levels of an allied nation. If Kushner discussed the names with the Saudi prince without presidential authorization, however, he may have violated federal laws around the sharing of classified intelligence."

Only months before that meeting, Jared Kushner sought a $500 million loan from officials in Qatar for a troubled New York City real estate project. So what happened in that mystery meeting with the Saudi crown prince? Was Jared Kushner trading classified information for his own financial benefit? After all, Bloomberg reported that Kushner has been seeking financing from around the world:

"Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and top adviser, wakes up each morning to a growing problem that will not go away. His family's real estate business, Kushner Cos., owes hundreds of millions of dollars on a 41-story office building on Fifth Avenue. It has failed to secure foreign investors, despite an extensive search, and its resources are more limited than generally understood. As a result, the company faces significant challenges. "Over the past two years, executives and family members have sought substantial overseas investment from previously undisclosed places: South Korea's sovereign-wealth fund, France's richest man, Israeli banks and insurance companies, and exploratory talks with a Saudi developer, according to former and current executives. These were in addition to previously reported attempts to raise money in China and Qatar."

It is clear the FBI needs to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.
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(This is a reprint from NewsBred).



Opposity unity a myth in India

(Image by Newsbred) Details DMCA



Indian Express ran a front-page story on Tuesday with the screaming headline: "Maya to Party: Back SP again in coming bypolls..." Times of India, the same day, ran the headline "Maya won't support SP in bypolls." One of them for sure is lying.

It doesn't take long to detect who's lying. The Times of India story is based on a press statement by the BSP. Its exact words are: "BSP will not activiate its cadres in any bypolls in future, the way it did it in Gorakhpur and Phulpur." The backdrop of these developments is the upcoming bypolls in Kairana and Noorpur assembly seats in UP.

Yet Indian Express has completely ignored the press statement. It's telling its readers--in line with its primary function of propaganda abroad--of a communion between the two "warring kingdoms" even though a schism has occurred. (Meanwhile, it's gleefully jumping up and down in concocting a schism between Reserve Bank of India and the government as its second front-page lead.)

So create schism where none exist and bury a schism where it does exist!!! Who bells the cat? Surely not your sanctimonious Editors' Guild or Press Council of India!

Mayawati may change her mind and support SP in UP bypolls in coming days. But that's a different matter altogether. The issue for the moment is that Indian Express willfully spikes a story that shows not all is well between "babua and bua." It also ignores Mayawati chiding an "immature Akhilesh Yadav" for SP's devious role in the recent Rajya Sabha poll.

Meanwhile Indian Express, which catches even a sneeze of the "piddi", completely ignores the words of Ranjan Chowdhury. The West Bengal Congress chief has plainly said that "Mamata Benerjee is an opportunist leader." Chowdhary has claimed that Mamata can't be trusted as anti-BJP voice. He has cited the instance of Mamata siding with Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) which in turn supports BJP inside the Parliament. He has accused Ms Banerjee of inviting BJP in West Bengal in the first place, "who espoused the policy that BJP was not untouchable"; and during her regime "hundreds of RSS shakahas were opened." Chowdhury further says: "In future, if she thinks she will gain more benefit by allying with BJP, she will do it."

Tellingly, Chowdhury says: "Mamata is aspirational and wants to become the PM. She does not express her desire in words but her actions make her ambition amply clear."

So there you are: BSP doesn't trust SP; Congress doesn't trust Mamata; one part of the left says join Congress, the other says don't. And we have Congress declaring in plain words--in the words of Chowdhury--that all "the regional parties want is to ensure that they are able to extract their pounds of flesh whoever comes to power. Or, if they are lucky somebody can become a Chandrashekhar or Deve Gowda (as PM)." Chowdhury's words betray the Congress anxiety in case Rahul Gandhi misses out on prime ministership.

So this is the bunch of opportunist opposition who don't care a hoot about what happens to you or me or to this country. All they want is to extract their "pounds of flesh," as Chowdhury says. Yet our English mainstream media is swooning over the Grand Alliance in offing.

I mean how shameless could they really get!
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From Alternet

No Republican Party member filed to be on the June 19 Republican primary ballot.



Lord Commander Trump Decapitates the Establishment Republicans

(Image by flickr.com) Details DMCA



Republicans may currently rule Washington's federal government, but inside the District of Columbia the party is somewhere between an endangered species and space alien.

According to Ballot Access News, edited by Richard Winger, the GOP is poised to lose its status as a "qualified political party" in Washington, D.C., because it has not recruited any candidates for citywide office in this spring's June 19 primary elections.

If there are no Republican write-in candidates gaining at least 7,500 votes, then the GOP will cease to exist as a political party in the capital. That official demise would follow the more rhetorical assessments that the president has already destroyed the party.

Winger explains:

"The District of Columbia defines a qualified party as a group that polled at least 7,500 votes for one of the partisan districtwide offices, which are Mayor, Attorney General, Delegate to the U.S. House, Chair of the City Council, and Council-at-Large. "No Republican Party member filed to be on the June 19 Republican primary ballot. There were originally two Republicans who filed for Council-at-Large, but one withdrew and the other didn't complete the filing process. However, write-ins are permitted in D.C. primaries, so it is possible a Republican candidate will win one of the nominations by write-in votes. But if no one does that, the Republican Party will lose its status as a qualified party in the District."

Like many things under the current administration, this prospective development somewhat favors President Trump. If he seeks re-election, Trump would face no opposition in the District's 2020 primary. But it also means that local Republicans would have a harder time getting back into city office.

"There is no procedure for an unqualified party to regain its status, except by placing a nominee on the general election by petition and hoping that nominee polls 7,500 votes," Winger explained. "So if the party does lose its status in November 2018, it won't have its own primary in 2020, nor its own presidential primary."

For once in the Trump era, maybe Washington Republicans are setting an example that the rest of the country could follow.
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This piece was reprinted by OpEdNews with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.

The West's intentions in Syria are not noble or humanitarian, despite what government spokespeople might suggest.

All of the militarized groups in Syria are supported by the West, and they all exist because of the West.

"Moderate terrorists" never existed. ISIS, al Qaeda et al. are ALL Western proxy forces (even when they are fighting each other).

The West has a very LONG HISTORY of using mercenary terrorists (ie ISIS/al Qaeda) to destroy prey nations. None of it is accidental.[1]

The purpose of these terror groups has always been to destroy and erase Syria. Syria is a secular, pluralist, democratic, socially-uplifting country, and this is the identity that the terrorists have been destroying.

Contrasts between terrorist-controlled areas and government secured areas have consistently demonstrated this.

Whereas the Syrian government provides free, accessible, secular education for all, terrorists in occupied areas actively deny these rights to Syrians.

Tom Duggan, reporting on-the-ground in Syria, asked children, recently liberated from East Ghouta-occupied areas, three questions:

Are you happy to be back on the government side? Did you go to school? Are you going to go to school on the government side?

To the first and final questions they responded Yes. To the middle question, asking whether they attended school in occupied areas, they responded No. Translator/teacher Mahmoud Altaweel adds that the kids exclaimed,

"They used to feed us barley as animals food and kept us locked in captivity. No way out for fresh air."

Most Syrians do now, and always have supported their legitimate government. Election results[2] and photos from liberated areas demonstrate this reality.

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3rd Grid Modernization Forum to Examine Latest Progress and Strategies for Achieving the Utility of the Future

Key experts to gather in Chicago to discuss Grid Modernization progress and advances

www.smartgridobserver.com),

http://www.grid-modernization-forum.com

March 29, 2018 CHICAGO -- The drive to modernize the current electric utility grid is on. A top priority for the U.S. Department of Energy is to enhance the grids resiliency, reliability, security, affordability, flexibility and sustainability as we enter the 21st Century and beyond. A range of technology strategies are being evaluated by utilities, with an eye toward deployment and integration into current systems.The 3rd Annual Grid Modernization Forum, May 23-24, 2018 in Chicago, closely examines lessons learned to date by industry leaders pushing the frontiers of grid modernization and reliability. As in previous editions, key technology innovators and executives will come together to share perspectives on how best to leverage smart grid investment, effectively engage customers, and meet the challenges of the changing energy ecosystem.Organized by the Smart Grid Observer, (the event will discuss case studies of improved network performance, resiliency, outage restoration, and distributed energy resource (DER) integration, with the intent of determining best practices and evaluating technology advances for possible implementation. As in prior years, this is a unique opportunity to network with top industry professionals who are leading the way toward effective grid modernization and the integrated, interoperable, resilient energy network of tomorrow.Organizations confirmed to speak include ComEd, National Grid, AES, DTE Energy, ConEdison, Ameren, NextEnergy, Argonne National Lab, DNV GL, Midwest ISO, the University of Illinois at Chicago, EPRI, NEMA and many others.This will be a great opportunity to network with key executives leading grid modernization in the U.S., says Daniel Coran, program manager for the forum. The focus will be on lessons learned to date and best practices for improving grid performance, integrating renewables, and enhancing grid reliability.Topics to be Addressed Include:- Evaluating and deploying emerging technologies- Managing and integrating distributed energy resources- Energy storage advances for improved grid performance and flexibility- Achieving the end-to-end Digital Utility vision- Best practices and strategies for enhancing grid responsiveness and reliability- Blockchain applications for the energy industry- Advanced communications networks for next-gen services and apps- Network architectures for the evolving energy ecosystem- Advanced grid sensing, measurement and control technologies- Enabling consumer choice while controlling costs and enhancing efficiency- Microgrids as a strategy for utilities and C&I customers going forward- Cybersecurity challenges and real-time response to disruptions- And moreThe Forum is intended for network strategists at at investor-owned, municipal, and rural utilities, as well as grid operations engineers and directors, service and network planners, system integrators, policy-makers, and technology innovators. Sponsors of the forum include S&C Electric, Hendrix Aerial Cable Systems, PowerRunner, and National Grid.The conference will be preceded by a tour of the Smart Grid Solutions Demonstration Center at S&C Electric Company's global headquarters in Chicago. The demonstration center allows attendees to see, in real time, how smart grid technologies respond to grid issues and optimize power delivery systems. The demonstration center includes interactive exhibits that display S&C's solutions such as microgrids, self-healing technology, energy storage integration solutions and communications systems.20% off early bird registration rates are available through April 20, 2018.For full information and to register, visitSmart Grid Observer is an online information resource and e-newsletter serving the global smart energy and green-tech market sectors. SGO delivers the latest industry news concerning key technology developments, deployment updates, standards work, business issues, and market trends driving the smart energy and key green-tech areas.332 South Michigan Ave, Ste 1032PMB S304, Chicago, Illinois60604-4434 USA
Output Factory Server for Adobe InDesign Improves File Queue Management

http://www.zevrix.com/OutputFactoryServer.php

http://www.zevrix.com

http://www.zevrix.com

Zevrix Solutions announces Output Factory Server 2.0.14, a maintenance update to company's output workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. Output Factory automates printing and exporting from InDesign by processing files from hot folders. The app can serve unlimited users and offers layer versioning, preflighting, FTP delivery and more. The new version introduces background processing, improves file queue management, and fixes an issue related to exporting InDesign spreads as TIFF files.Toronto (ON), Canada -- Zevrix Solutions today announces the release of Output Factory Server 2.0.14, a maintenance update to company's output automation tool for Adobe InDesign (). Developed originally for a major magazine publisher in the United States to free up their operator computers from outputting InDesign files, the software automates InDesign workflow by processing files from watched hot folders.The new version introduces the following new abilities and improvements:-Output Factory Server now performs most of its operations in the background, which fixes the issue of unresponsive UI during processing on macOS High Sierra.-Users can now click the Stop button to abort hot folder watching and remove any pending files from the queue without interrupting the current InDesign file processing.-Users can now insert specific text from InDesign layout in the variable names of output files in combination with layer versioning.-Fixed an issue in which some advanced file naming options could not be used in combination with layer versioning.-Fixed an issue in which blank files could be created when exporting InDesign spreads as TIFF on a network volume.After Output Factory Server is intended to run on a dedicated machine and serve unlimited users on a network via watched hot folders. Users can create hot folders for different output targets such as hi-res PDF, large format printing, Flash files and so on. Output Factory Server offers the following key features:-Output InDesign files automatically from hot folders-Supports print, PDF, PostScript, TIFF, EPUB and other formats-Export as single pages-Automatic email notifications-Layer versioning-Run custom scripts-Variable output file names-Automatic preflightingPricing and Availability:Output Factory Server can be purchased from Zevrix web site for US$699.95, as well as from authorized resellers. Trial is also available for download. The upgrade to version 2 is $350 for the licensed users of Output Factory Server 1.x and BatchOutput Server. Output Factory Server requires macOS 10.7-10.13 and Adobe InDesign CS5-CC 2018.About Zevrix SolutionsLocated in Toronto, Canada, Zevrix Solutions provides productivity solutions for Adobe Creative Suite software, PDF workflows, graphic file diagnostics, file delivery and Microsoft Office on Mac OS. Zevrix is dedicated to help professionals increase their profits through automating everyday tasks, producing error-free documents, saving disk space and cutting production costs. For more information, visitContact:Leo RevzinOwnerZevrix Solutions105 McCAUL St, Suite 301Toronto Ontario M5T 2X4 Canada858-206-0607media@zevrix.com
Fungal Infections Market is Likely to Intensify the Competition by 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=497

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https://www.tmrresearch.com/fungal-infections-market

Global Fungal Infections Market: SnapshotUntil recently, the occurrence of serious fungal infections had been fairly uncommon. However, with a rapid increase in systemic infections, the global market for fungal infections is slated for tremendous progress over the next few years. One of the primary reasons for the increased incidence of fungal infections is the high acceptance of broad-spectrum antibiotic drugs that decrease or eliminate the nonpathogenic bacteria which compete with fungi. The reduced immune responses of an increasing number of individuals who are affected by cancer chemotherapy agents or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome have also been responsible for the growth of the market for fungal infections.Elderly people, pregnant women, burn wound victims, and diabetics are more vulnerable to fungal infections. As the worldwide geriatric population has been expanding, the demand for fungal infection treatments is likely to augment. Treatments for fungal infections can either be systemic or topical. Over the next decade, the rising number of product launches will open up new windows of opportunities for the further advancement of the global fungal infection market. The growing number of approvals received by new antifungal products and treatments by regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is fueling the market as well.Request Sample Copy of the Report @By region, the global fungal infection market can be segmented into Latin America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and North America. North America is expected to hold the largest share in the global fungal infection market in the forthcoming period. The growing infrastructural facilities and expanding spending capacities of people in the emerging markets of Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Africa will propel the demand for fungal infection products and treatments in these regions.Global Fungal Infections Market: OverviewFungi, which includes yeasts, molds, and mildews are some of the common parasites that infect different parts of the human body. Lungs, genitals, skin, digestive tract, liver, and other tissues are commonly affected by fungal infections.There are some rare types of fungal infections such as fungal keratitis, mucormycosis, and hisptoplasmosis for which treatment is not available. This has led many market players to conduct research activities for the development of drugs for the treatment of these fungal infections. For instance, IASO Pharma Inc. has developed a drug PB-200a for the treatment of aspergillos infection.Request TOC of the Report @Global Fungal Infections Market: Market SegmentationThe global fungal infections market is segmented based on the basis of fungal infections, namely Aspergillos, Candidiasis, C.neoformans cryptoccosis, Dermatophytes, Histoplasmosis, Sporotrichosis, Blastomycosis, Coccidiomycosis, C.gatti cryptococcosis, Fungal Keratitis, Mucormycosis, and Sporotrichosis.Global Fungal Infection Market: Condition OverviewPneumocystis pneumonia is the most severe and commonly occurring fungal infection caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii. It is mostly prevalent in individuals with weakened immune systems such as those suffering from AIDS. Dermatophytes and Candidiasis are other two types of commonly occurring fungal infections. Candidiasis mostly affects soft moist area or skin around the nails in the human body. For instance, vaginal yeast infection in women and diaper rash in babies occur due to candidiasis.Dermatophytes cause hair, skin, and hair infections. These infections are also known as ringworm or tinea. Some other fungal infections are not common all over the world but are prevalent in specific regions such as blastomycosis in U.S. and Canada and coccidomycosis in Mexico, southwest U.S., and Central and South America.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Fungal Infection Market: Market SegmentationThe fungal infections market is divided on the basis of diagnosis into laboratory test, biopsy, and medical imaging. Laboratory testing comprises microscopic examination and blood tests of fungal culture. Fungal culture is the most is one of the most common diagnostic techniques used for detecting fungal infections, while blood test is commonly used to diagnose blastomycosis and coccidomycosis infections.Medical imaging, which includes CT scans and X-rays is usually performed to detect pnueumocystis pneumonia. Biopsy involves extracting a small part of the infected tissue and is examined under the microscope for the presence of specific fungus. Biopsy is usually performed for the diagnosis of aspergillos, pneumocytosis pneumonia, and sporotrichosis.On the basis of treatment, the global fungal infections market is divided into antifungal creams and shampoos, antifungal injections, and antifungal oral medicines. Antifungal creams are mainly used for the treatment of fungal infection of the skin and vagina. Some of the commonly used antifungal creams are econazole, ketoconazole, terbinafine, nystatin, amorolfine, clotrimazole, miconazole, tioconazole, and griseofulvin. In case of few fungal infections, which leads to secondary condition such as rashes, antifungal creams are mixed with steroid hydrocortisone for treatment. Antifungal shampoos containing ketoconazole are utilized for treating scalp fungal infection such as dermatophytes.Some of the oral medications used for fungal infections are micanazole, terbinafine, Itraconazole, posaconazole, nystatin, fluconazole, griseofulvin, and voriconazole. Antifungal injections are mostly used for treating severe cases of fungal infection.Major Companies Mentioned in the ReportThe report outlines the vendor landscape of the global fungal infections market, which includes a detailed competitive profile of leading companies in this market. Some of the leading companies are Eli Lily and Company, Samyang Corporation, Eisai Co. Ltd., AstraZeneca PLC, and Helix Biomedic Inc.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Gas Sensors Market Outlook, Size, Opportunities, Challenges, Trends and Growth by 2023

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The gas sensing market is driven mainly due to the advancements in embedded electronics, and sensor technology. With the increasing incidence of industrial accidents, more importance is being given to the continuous monitoring of the concentration of the harmful substances, in industrial environments to avoid any disaster. The demand for gas sensing devices in industries, such as process and manufacturing is increasing, and expected to grow further, during the forecast period, along with the ongoing industrialization, in the developing countries.Request for a free sample of this research report:The use of wireless gas sensor is one of the remarkable trends in the market, since wireless gas sensors offer installation, performance, and cost benefits over its conventional counterparts. On the basis of various end users, the global gas sensor market can be broadly classified, as medical, environmental, building automation & domestic appliances, automotive, petrochemical, industrial and others.Industrial segment accounted for the largest usage of gas sensors.The segment is also expected to retain its dominance, during the forecast period. Government regulations towards occupational health hazards, along with the safety and security of workers, are likely to be the major driving factors of this segment.Explore report at:Asia Pacific accounted for the largest gas sensors market in 2014, whose dominance is attributed to the industry automation and technological advancement. The increasing demand from integrated handheld products has also encouraged the growth of the gas sensor market. Moreover, numerous government legislations, such as the industrial Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, are expected to expand the market, during the forecast period. Stringent emission control standards in Europe are one of the major drivers of the gas sensor market in the region. Japan, China, India, U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Brazil, are the major gas sensor markets globally.Make enquiry before buying the report:Some of the competitors in the gas sensors market are Aeroqual Ltd., ABB Ltd., Alphanese Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, City Technology Ltd., Figaro Engineering Inc., Dynament Ltd., Membrapor AG, GfG Europe Ltd., Robert Bosch LLC, NGK Insulators Ltd., Nemoto & Co. Ltd., Yokogawa Electric Corporation., Trolex Ltd., Siemens AG, and Trolex Ltd.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports, industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:P&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:
Ampoules Market Highly Favorable to the Growth Rate by 2025

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Global Ampoules Market: SnapshotAmpoules are small glass or plastic containers that are used typically used for storing liquid chemicals and pharmaceuticals. They enable protection from air or contamination and are usually filled with non-reactive or inert gasses to avoid spill while opening. Glass is the commonly used material for the manufacturing of ampoules, owing to its high transparency and ability to withstand elevated temperatures. Moreover, plastic consists of electrostatic charges that may attract or react with the contained liquid, thereby declining its preference.The introduction of stringent government regulations and industry standards for pharmaceutical packaging is working in favor of the global ampoules market. Strict regulations and standards are compelling manufacturers to upgrade their packaging practices so that there is no compromise in terms of quality and efficacy of drugs. The swelling demand for safer transportation of reactive liquids is also providing a fillip to the global market. Moreover, the rising usage of ampoules in the food and beverage sector is stoking the growth of the market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @However, the growing concerns regarding the dumping of ampoules are hampering the growth of the global market. Plastics and glasses do not decompose easily and thus, have adverse effects on the environment. Nevertheless, the increasing adoption of sustainable materials such as green plastics or biodegradable plastics for manufacturing of ampoules is likely to augur well for the growth of the market. Furthermore, the rising focus of market players towards technological innovations and product extensions is estimated to provide a significant boost to the growth of the global ampoules market.Ampoules Market: OverviewAmpoules are the most widely used common packaging solutions globally. They are small sealed vials used to preserve samples in both liquid and solid forms. Ampoules are generally made of glass, but with the help of advanced technologies, ampoules are also manufactured using plastics. Ampoules are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, owing to their beneficial characteristics. The packaging of the vial is 100% tamper-proof. Recently manufactured ampoules are most commonly used to store pharmaceutical products or samples and chemicals that are supposed to be protected from contaminants and air. The hermetically potted glass ampoule that was initially used to preserve sterilized solutions was introduced by a French pharmacist in the late 1890s.Request TOC of the Report @Ampoules Market: Inclusive InsightAmpoules are produced by an industrial process, which includes short lengths of glass tubing, and are given shape by heating with the help of gas torches along with gravity in automated production lines. In order to check for quality control, computer vision techniques are being used. The filling followed by sealing of vials is done on an industrial scale by automated machinery. In a small scale industry such as laboratory settings, filling, and sealing of ampoules is done by hand. Empty ampoules can be purchased from the scientific glass supply houses, and then can be sealed with the help of a small gas torch.Modern ampoules have ampoule codes. These codes are in the form of colored rings of enamel around the neck of the vial. Color coding is done during the process of manufacturing ampoules. Colored rings are being painted on the neck of the ampoules by a machine after the ampoules are filled and sealed. These colored rings help to identify content inside the ampoules, and hence does not require further testing. The ampoule codes allow accurate handling of the substance for labeling, storage and secondary packaging.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Ampoules Market: Key RegionsThe growing pharmaceutical packaging industry is subsequently leading to an increase in demand for ampoules, and is the major driving factor for the ampoules market worldwide. Introduction of new injectable therapies due to the development in the field of biotechnology, are leading the growth. Developed countries such as North America and Europe are expected to boost the demand for ampoules owing to advances in biotechnology and its applications in the region. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) are the key segments for the global ampoule market. Asia Pacific is expected to be the major consumer of ampoules, owing to the growing pharmaceutical and packaging industry in the region. North America and Europe are also expected to boost the demand for ampoules in the near future due to increasing demand for ampoules for advanced technologies such as the RFID tags.Ampoules Market: Key Market PlayersThe major companies of ampoules market are: Truking Technology Limited, Shanghai Far-East Pharmaceutical Machinery CO., Ltd., Bausch-Stroebel, Hunan China Sun Pharmaceutical Machinery Co., Ltd., SCHOTT, Nipro Glass, Essco Glass, Gujarat Fabricators, Kishore Group, James Alexander Corporation, Ciron Group of Companies, GLAND PHARMA LIMITED, A. H. Industries, Claris Lifesciences Limted (Company), Kapoor Glass (India) Pvt Ltd, Global Pharmatech, and Lifespan Biotech Private Limited among others.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Leading Trainers for Corporate Governance Course

Corporate Governance Training is no mean feat, and LBTC has taken up the challenge with an impressively designed course curriculum and training module. But prior to getting into further details about the course itself, it is important to comprehend the suitability of this Corporate Governance Course. For whom has this course been specially designed by Londons top training and business consulting firm LBTC? Well, the target audience for this course spans across several categories. The most obvious category of trainees would be the top management of any organization who call the shots as far as any strategic planning or implementation is concerned. These include chairpersons, managing directors, chief executive officers and all other officials at such level. Even those who own their own small to mid-sized businesses or run NGOs, would benefit greatly from undertaking this premium training module on Corporate Governance from LBTC.What is Corporate Governance?Basically, the large field of corporate governance Course can be simply summed as the study of control and direction of corporations, which covers the various mechanisms, crucial aspects of decision-making, inter and intra-organizational relations and going through the different processes, shaped by internal and external factors. It is in the interest of the various stakeholders of the organization that the top management as well as shareholders and boards of directors be well-attuned with the latest tenets and best practices of corporate governance. After all, the outbreak of any corporate scandal will not just tarnish the reputation of the organization, but also lead to massive unrest in the corporate atmosphere, stock market and the economy as a whole.How is Internal and External Control Achieved in Corporate Governance?Of all the chapters of corporate governance, the most important one to imbibe is the study of various models of internal corporate governance. It is always recommended that there be a balanced power game, by means of a check and balance, referring to the monitoring by board of directors on one hand and the control procedures by internal auditors on the other hand. The various external controls as far as corporate governance is concerned include first and foremost the various governmental legislations and regulations. This is followed by the debt covenants, the accountability from media, the various competitors of the specified organization and the managerial labour market. In order to gain such vital insights, getting the right Corporate Governance Training is extremely important.An overview of the courseLBTC has a very transparent operational policy, and makes the course curriculum, training methodology as well as learning outcomes absolutely clear prior to your enrolment into the course. This holds good for this Corporate Governance Course, as well as all other courses offered by London Business Training and Consulting. When you are investing a great deal on the training of your top management, the results should be more than fruitful. This is exactly why LBTCs training programme has been charted out by leading industry professionals and retired CEOs. Attending this prestigious training will certainly give you an upper hand on the crucial aspects of corporate governance.London Business Training and Consulting is pleased to offer a highly comprehensive and meticulously formulated course on Corporate Governance Training, delivered by highly experienced trainers. This Corporate Governance Course empowers you with the necessary knowledge, practical insights, acumen and confidence to steer your business or organization in the right direction.Seven Pancras Square, 7 Kings Boulevard, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AG, United Kingdom
Child Resistant Re-Closable Edible Bags Market Estimated to Discern 2X Expansion by 2026

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Safety in packaging of edible products today is considered to be of paramount importance. Designs in packaging today have to take into consideration the safety of not just the product itself, but also the safety of the user. Packaging in this day and age demands the packaging to be child resistant. Innovations in packaging have led to the developments in design that makes the product within the package inaccessible to children. These are termed as child resistant packaging. These are available in two forms, namely re-closable, and non-re-closable.Dr. Henri Breault was the first to develop child resistant packaging back in the 70s. The wide application in the pharmaceutical industry has led to the imposition of regulations by international and national authorities which require testing of the packaging before approval. Through the years, child resistant re-closable edible bags has helped decrease the incidents of unintentional child poisoning due to ingestion of drugs all over the world. With the legalization of marijuana in a few sates of USA, and the commercialization of marijuana, producers have accepted child resistant packaging with open arms. With ease of production of flexible packaging and its wide adoption among the consumers has led to innovations in design that incorporate child resistant features. One of the upcoming child resistant packaging types is the child resistant re-closable edible bags.Request to Sample Report -Child resistant re-closable edible bags Market- Market Segmentation:Based on the end use, the child resistant re-closable edible bags market is segmented into:PharmaceuticalConsumer goodsChemicalNutraceuticalsOther( pet food, granules, powders and other mixes)Based on the function type, the child resistant re-closable edible bags market is segmented into:SlidersZipperCombinations of sliders and zipperChild resistant re-closable edible bags Market- Market Dynamics:With the increasing demand for functionality in the packaging of products, safety is an unsaid factor to be taken into consideration for packaging of edible products. The pharmaceutical industry specifically has taken steps through the years to develop packaging solutions that capture this essential factor. This has led to the increased safety of children and a major decline in unintentional child poisoning. With the pharmaceutical industry booming worldwide, child resistant re-closable edible bags market is expected to witness a positive impact. The trend has caught up with the consumer goods segment and the cosmetics, food & beverages, and pet food industries have widely adopted child resistant re-closable edible bags as well. With the rising demand of packaged goods due to the on the go lifestyle of consumers, we can expects the child resistant re-closable edible bags market to witness an exponential growth through the forecasted period. Testing of the re-closable edible bags by international and national authorities requires the packaging of the product to fulfil certain guidelines that have been laid down. This will act as a restrain for the child resistant re-closable edible bags market.Request Report TOC @Child resistant re-closable edible bags Market- Regional Outlook:In terms of geography, the child resistant re-closable edible bagsmarket has been divided in to five key regions; North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. The child resistant re-closable edible bags market is expected to exhibit an above average CAGR during the forecast period. Eastern Europe is expected to continue being the dominant market for Child resistant re-closable edible bags followed by Western Europe. Increase in demand for child resistant re-closable edible bags in the consumer goods, pharmaceutical and healthcare sector will stimulate the demand for the child resistant re-closable edible bags market globally.Child resistant re-closable edible bags Market- Major Players:Some of the key players in the child resistant re-closable edible bags market are BSI Group, Sun Grown Packaging, Healthcare Logistics, Inc., Loksak Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Capsule Hotels 2018 Global Industry Key Players - Tokyo Ginza Bay Hotel , Oak Hostel Fuji , Nadeshiko Hotel Shibuya , Capsule Value Kanda , Nine Hours Shinjuku-North Market Analysis And Forecast To 2025

Global Capsule Hotels Market

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Global Capsule Hotels MarketThis report studies the global Capsule Hotels market, analyzes and researches the Capsule Hotels development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeThe Prime Pod Ginza TokyoShinjuku Kuyakusho-mae Capsule HotelENAKA Asakusa Central HostelNihonbashi Muormachi Bay HotelTokyo Ginza Bay HotelOak Hostel FujiNadeshiko Hotel ShibuyaCapsule Value KandaNine Hours Shinjuku-NorthTokyo Ariake Bay HotelCapsule Inn KamataVintage InnWink HotelRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoVerticalHorizontalMarket segment by Application, Capsule Hotels can be split intoOffice WorkersTouristsOthersTable of Contents-Key Points CoveredGlobal Capsule Hotels Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Capsule Hotels1.1 Capsule Hotels Market Overview1.1.1 Capsule Hotels Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Capsule Hotels Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Capsule Hotels Market by Type1.3.1 Vertical1.3.2 Horizontal1.4 Capsule Hotels Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Office Workers1.4.2 Tourists1.4.3 Others2 Global Capsule Hotels Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Capsule Hotels Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)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 The Prime Pod Ginza Tokyo3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Shinjuku Kuyakusho-mae Capsule Hotel3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 ENAKA Asakusa Central Hostel3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Nihonbashi Muormachi Bay Hotel3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Tokyo Ginza Bay Hotel3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Oak Hostel Fuji3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Nadeshiko Hotel Shibuya3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Capsule Value Kanda3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Nine Hours Shinjuku-North3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Tokyo Ariake Bay Hotel3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Capsule Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Capsule Inn Kamata3.12 Vintage Inn3.13 Wink HotelContinued.Complete Report Details @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
Virology Market Expansion Projected to Gain an Uptick During 2015-2025

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Virology, the study of viruses, is an unparalleled branch of life sciences. With immensely high prevalence of diseases such as flu, hepatitis, AIDS, and STDs, the importance of virology is repeatedly highlighted. The global virology market is expected to grow over 2015-2025.FMIs research identifies growing infectious diseases as a key force driving the market throughout the forecast period.Key Drivers: Virology MarketEarly in 2016, the WHO officially issued a warning about the possible spread of zika virus to each Western Hemispheric region, as the disease vector Aedes aegypti was found to thrive strong in tropical and sub-tropical climatic conditions. This has been a key driver of market growth throughout 2016.The virology market is constantly catering to the prevention and cure needs put forth by the healthcare sector; however, several diseases continue to demand R&D of novel applications, driving the growth of virology market. Various treatments and diagnostic processes also employ virology applications, further fuelling the market growth.Burgeoning applications of virology research in gene therapy, phage therapy, formulation of vaccines, and synthetic biology is another factor fostering the overall growth of the virology market.Moreover, the field of virology is extending in various forms, including molecular virology, paediatric virology, computational virology, and many more, prompting at increasing research findings throughout the forecast period. Research prospects are high and FMI indicates a continuing need for trained virologists in the near future.Public awareness programmes conducted worldwide on flu, zika virus, STDs, AIDS, and Ebola virus are also a key factor increasing public awareness and eventually influencing the market.Request to Sample Report -Key Restraints to Market GrowthMaintaining the quality and safety standards of viral a controlling therapy has been a longstanding challenge, which is anticipated to hamper the market in the forecast period as well. Moreover, stringent approval processes for antiviral drugs is also foreseen to be a restraint to market growth. Another factor identified for affecting the market growth includes resistance toward and side effects of antiviral drugs for new treatment options.Current Trends in the Virology FieldIn 2015, the virology industry was predominantly influenced by ebola, MERS, and hepatitis C viruses. In 2016, zika virus is dominating the research, with better prospects in the near future.Virologists are persistently investigating novel applications for viruses. Currently, an ongoing research is experimenting on the exploitation of viruses for plant production, aiming at the efficient production of high quality, eco-friendly food.Global Virology Market: Competitive LandscapeBy 2017 end, a few important patents are approaching expiry, including Tamiflu, Sustiva, Tenofovir, Combivir, Relenza, and Telbivudine. Following expiry of these blockbuster drugs, the market is estimated to discover a dynamic competitive landscape. The generic competition in the virology market will be at a high pace 2017 onward.Apart from expiring drugs, the market also has some late stage pipeline drugs, including Inavir, Elvitegravir, Vicriviroc, Rilpivirine, and Rapiacta. These drugs are set to enter the global market, fostering the competition globally.Virology Market: SegmentationFMI's research on the global virology market provides a 10-year forecast, segmenting the market on the basis of product type, application, end-use, and region.Based on product type, the global virology market is segmented intoDiagnosing TestDNA VirusesRNA VirusesPrions Diagnostic TestOther Viral TestsViral Infection Controlling MethodsImmunoprophylaxisActive Prophylaxis (Vaccines)Passive ProphylaxisAntiviral ChemotherapyVirucidal AgentsAntiviral AgentsImmunomodulatorsInterferonsCytokinesBased on application, the global virology market is segmented intoSkin and Soft Tissue InfectionsRespiratory Tract InfectionsGI Tract InfectionsUrinary Tract InfectionsEye InfectionsCNS InfectionsSexually Transmitted DiseasesPerinatal InfectionsAccording to the end-user, the market is segmented intoHospitalsClinicsLaboratoriesDiagnostic CentresBlood BanksPharmaciesRegional Outlook: Global Virology MarketNorth America is the largest virology market led by the U.S., owing to technological advancements such as rapid, portable diagnostics. N. America is expected to retain the top market position over the forecast period as well.Europe is projected to maintain the position as the second largest market globally. During the forecast period, Europe is anticipated to record the highest CAGR, attributed by enhanced healthcare infrastructure, facilitated access to diagnostics, and growing affordability of diagnostic tests for viral diseases.Japan is currently a growing virology market, which is estimated to grow at a remarkable CAGR through to 2025. However, APEJ and Africa are expected to witness the most promising growth opportunities during the forecast period. While China will be a leading APEJ market, India will contribute a considerable revenue share to the APEJ virology market.Request Report TOC @Segment-wise Market ForecastImmunoprophylaxis therapy and antiviral drugs are the fastest-growing market segments in the estimated forecast period.STDs, urinary tract infections, and respiratory tract infections are currently dominating compared to other application types in the global virology market.On the basis of diagnosis tests, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), and other tests (influenza, ebola, and dengue) are estimated to attract the largest market shares globally.Hospitals and laboratories projected to continue the most dominating end-use segments, accounting for almost 50% market share globally.Key Players in the Global Virology MarketThe notable players identified in the global virology market include GlaxoSmithKline plc, Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation, Merck and Co. Inc., Novartis International AG, Siemens, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca AB, and Roche.Merck and Co. Inc. has several drug candidates in phase 2, including cancer, diabetes, cardiac arrest, and hepatitis C, and some candidates in phase 3, including breast cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzeimer's, ebola, and HIV. The company also has many other candidates, which are currently under review.Abivax, a high profile biotech company in Paris, France, has already successfully produced candidates against dengue and chikungunya viruses. The company has a few more candidates against HIV and ebola, currently under development.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 :
Parking Sensors Market Size, Growth Opportunities, Challenges, Trends and Demand by 2023

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The global parking sensors market is growing, due to several enhanced features provided by parking sensors, such as cost savings related to fuel efficiency, effectiveness in terms of time and easy identification of vacant parking spaces. The technological advancements in artificial intelligence which makes the system operator independent, is one of the major factors providing ample growth opportunities for the market.Request for a free sample of this research report:Among all the regions, North America led the global parking sensors market and is also expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. This is particularly due to growing automotive industry in the region. The increasing need for improving potential damage to the vehicle and ensuring the safety of pedestrians in the region is also supporting the dominance of North America in the global market. The Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow with the highest rate among all the regions. Europe also holds a significant share in the market, due to increasing sales of high-end cars, equipped with superior quality sensors in the region.Among all the installation types, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) segment led the market; whereas, the aftermarket category is growing with the highest rate. The aftermarket parking sensors are cost effective, in comparison to original equipment manufacturer. This is because sensors installed by OEM are made precise to the model of the vehicle.The sensors installed by OEM ensure superior fitment and construction, which is further driving the growth of the category. Parking sensors coordinate between the cars for monitoring them to find free space for parking and collects the information about the availability of space in the parking lots. Changeable message signs are used by the sensors for providing real-time information to the drivers.Explore report at:Some of the competitors in the global parking sensors market are NXP Semiconductors NV, Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Ford Motor Company, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Robert Bosch GmbH, Denso Corporation, Volkswagen AG, and Parking Dynamics.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports, industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:P&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:
Sildenafil Drug Market value projected to expand by 2026

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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is also termed as impotence, and it is characterized by the inability to build up or achieve the satisfactory erection of penis during sexual intercourse. Sexual arousals are liable for initiation of this process which is signalized by impulse mechanism generated in a brain to the penile nerve. The condition is age-related but emotional and psychological factors can also trigger it. The causes of erectile dysfunction also comprise side effects of drugs, neurogenic disorders, Cavernosal disorders, Multiple Sclerosis and Diabetes, lifestyle changes such as smoking, sedentary lifestyle, Multiple sclerosis and consumption of some drugs such as antihypertensive, anti-psychotics, antidepressants, etc. Sildenafil is most common type of drug which is prescribed for erectile dysfunction come under phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE 5).The drug was previously used for some cardiovascular disease and know widely used for erectile dysfunction. The growing elderly population and increasing incidences of chronic disease such as hypertension increase and hormonal insufficiencies will drive the market of sildenafil.Sildenafil Drug Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe Sildenafil drug market is expected to grow exponentially during the estimated period due to increasing prevalence as well as incidence of erectile dysfunction and rising aging population globally. The demand for the treatment of erectile dysfunction is increasing due to more incidences of severe disease, rising awareness, and patient education. The availability of the drug in various dosage form and choice of dose for treatment avail more options for people with erectile dysfunction for treatment and this will help to grow the market in future. The changing lifestyle habits such as smoking will also contribute to market growth in forecast period. The drug has some severe side effects such as sudden loss of vision, hearing loss, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, etc. may slow down the market in the forecast period. Upcoming patent e brand i.e. Viagra will pull down the market in forecast period.Request to Sample Report -Sildenafil Drug Market: SegmentationThe global Sildenafil drug market is segmented on the basis of Dosage forms, Distribution Channel, and regional presence.Segmentation based on Dosage form:SolidLiquidInjectableSegmentation based on Distribution Channel:Retail PharmacyDrug StoreE-commerceMail order PharmacyHospital PharmacySegmentation based on Distribution Channel:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanThe Middle East and AfricaSildenafil Drug Market: OverviewThe increasing demand for treatment of erectile dysfunction and choice of selection of dosage form will fuel the market of sildenafil in forecast period. Previously the drug was only available in solid dosage form but know it is available in liquid as well as intravenous. The availability of drug in different dosage form will grow the market in forecast period. The high prevalence of sexually transmitted disease may affect the growth of market in forecast period.Sildenafil Drug Market: Regional OverviewGeographically, the global Sildenafil drug market is classified into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.Request Report TOC @North America is expected to be the most lucrative market for sildenafil drug owing to the presence of blockbuster drugs Viagra. Followed by North America, the Europe region is expected to hold second largest share in sildenafil drug market. Patent expiration of the brand outside the U.S. market would increase the generic competition. The factors such as availability of drug in lower cost will fuel the growth of market in emerging countries. The increasing product awareness in growing countries of Asia Pacific further enhances the growth of APEJ market.Sildenafil Drug Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players operating in the market for Sildenafil drug market are Pfizer, Lupin Laboratories, Unichem Laboratories, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Alembic Chemical, Sandoz, Sildenafil Drug Market, Osho Pharma, and Atlas Laboratories Pvt Ltd. The key players of the market are focusing on novel molecule combination and pioneering drug delivery methods will drive the market of sildenafil in future. The main brand of sildenafil is Viagra and the patent of the drug is expired in 2013 outside the United States. The expiration of patent increase the generic competition of market. The generic medicines are less in cost thats why patient prefer the generic one and it will affect the market of sildenafil in forecast period. While the innovative product developments and availability of drug in different dosage forms such as suspension, injectable, tablet etc. drive the market in forecast period.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 :
Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator Market Poised to Garner Maximum Revenues During 2016-2026

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Similar in functionality of the traditional Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD), and the Transvenous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (T-ICD), Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (S-ICDs), are used to treat patients with a history of life threatening Arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation). Unlike the conventional Implantable Defibrillators which are implanted intravascular, the Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillators are inserted subcutaneously under the skin, and uses a subcutaneous electrode placed near the heart, rather than into the heart as in case of conventional Implantable Defibrillators. A Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator consists of a small titanium case which contains battery, a subcutaneous electrode, and accessories such as insertion tool etc. If there is any abnormality in the patients heartbeat, the subcutaneous implantable defibrillator sends and electrical impulse to restore normalcy in the heart rhythm, followed by pacing therapy in form of post shock bradycardia, if needed. Implantable defibrillators are useful in saving patients lives with known history of ventricular tachycardia and arrhythmias. The US-FDA recently approved the use of subcutaneous implantable defibrillators in 2012, following proven efficiency after clinical studies. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2010), demonstrated a concept of the subcutaneous implantable defibrillators. Any person with a history of a congenital heart disease, heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest, or ventricular arrhythmia, may need a subcutaneous implantable defibrillator.Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global market for Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator is expected to be driven by the key advantages of the subcutaneous implantable defibrillators over the conventional Implantable defibrillators, such as the placement of electrode near the heart, rather than on the heart in case of conventional defibrillators which reduces risks, and longer shelf life, and ease of insertion and removal of the subcutaneous defibrillators. Also Increasing incidences of cardiovascular diseases, increasing geriatric population around the world, changing lifestyle, increased smoking, rising prevalence of strokes, and increasing technological advancements in the medical devices industry are some of the factors responsible for the growth of the subcutaneous implantable defibrillators market during the forecast period of 2016-2024. However patients with a history of symptomatic ventricular bradycardia, or patients with a heart failure for whom resynchronization is advised, cannot use subcutaneous implantable defibrillators as the device provides a post-shock pacing therapy whenever needed, and this can lead to complications in patients with bradycardia. Another restraint for the growth of the subcutaneous implantable defibrillators market is that the clinical efficiency of the subcutaneous implantable defibrillators in general population is still not proved.Request to Sample Report -Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator Market: SegmentationThe global Implantable Defibrillator market is classified on the basis of product type, procedure type, end user, and geography.Based on indications, the global Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator market is segmented into the following:Ventricular TachycardiaHypertrophic CardiomyopathyVentricular DysplasiaOthersBased on end user, the global Implantable Defibrillator market is segmented into the following:HospitalsSpecialty ClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersHome care settingsSubcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator Market: OverviewVentricular Tachycardia in the indications segment is expected to dominate the global subcutaneous implantable defibrillators market during the forecast period, due to changing lifestyles leading to increasing cases of cardiac disorders, and increased smoking prevalence. In the end users segment, hospitals is expected to dominate the global subcutaneous implantable defibrillators market, due to increasing cardiac surgeries, improving hospitals infrastructure and increased adoption of sophisticated and advanced technologies by hospitals.Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator Market: Regional OverviewRegion wise, the global subcutaneous implantable defibrillator market is classified into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America dominated the global market for implantable defibrillators, due to good reimbursement policies for surgical procedures, US-FDA approval and increased demand for subcutaneous implantable defibrillators. Increasing incidences of cardiovascular diseases owing to changing lifestyle and increasing geriatric population in the Asia Pacific region is expected to boost the market growth in APEJ region.Request Report TOC @Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in global Implantable Defibrillator market include Boston Scientific Corporation, LivaNova PLC Company, Imricor Medical Systems, Inc., MicroPort Scientific Corporation, Mayo Clinic US, Medtronic plc, MRI Interventions, Inc., and St. Jude Medical, Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Global IoT Market Research and Forecast, 2018-2023

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Internet of Things Market, IOT Market, Size, Share, Market Intelligence, Company Profiles, Market Trends, Strategy, Analysis, Forecast 2018-2023The global IoT market is segmented on the basis of vertical, pricing component, service model and geography. Major players contributing to the growth of Global IoT Market includes Akamai Technologies, Inc., IBM Corp., Amazon Web Service, Inc., Google, Inc., AT&T, Inc., Oracle Corp., DELL EMC, Hewlett Packard Company, Cisco Systems and Microsoft Corp.The report includes detailed & insightful chapters on market overview, key findings, strategic recommendations, methodology, market determinants, key strategies, key company analysis, market insights, company profiling, market segmentation, geographical analysis, analyst insights and predictive analysis of the market.The full report of global IoT market is available atIoT is driving digital transformation that is highly valuable and inevitable for businesses to remain competitive. IoT is playing a major role by creating unique value as companies shift how they do business. With the integration of IoT in the business models, organizations gain greater operational efficiencies, significant cost savings, greater customer engagement, competitive advantage.All IoT Agenda network contributors are responsible for the content and accuracy of their posts. Opinions are of the writers and do not necessarily convey the thoughts of IoT Agenda.The network of IoT and its supporting technologies are driving digital transformation, enabling growth through the establishment of current business models and the creation of new offerings, services and products. IoT is being used within enterprises in areas supporting digital transformation, including the discovery of new business opportunities, improved customer satisfaction and cost reduction. The collection and analysis of massive data sets generated by IoT devices enables corporations to gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of their customers use cases and preferences. Previously unseen insights into their offerings can turn into new products, services and ways to create value for their customers.These insights will also be used to proactively augment current products and services based on access to real-time data. IoT-enabled big data analysis is enabling businesses to build a better platform, tools and strategy that will improve consumer experiences through multiple touch points. With a comprehensive understanding of customers, businesses will be able to personalize their marketing efforts, positioning relevant products and services to each customer. One of IoTs greatest utilities lies in its ability to reduce costs and increase productivity through the automation and integration of processes. The combination of data-driven insights and sensor-integrated systems presents the opportunity for businesses to improve operations in multiple areas, including inventory and human resource management, security, energy and safety compliance. As organizations get free from slow legacy IT systems, they can become more agile and responsive to current market trends and demands with greater speed. This liberates technology and personnel resources to focus on strategy and innovation.For related reports pleaseTHE REPORTS COVERS: Comprehensive research methodology of Global IoT market. In-depth analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations. Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the global IoT market. Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the IoT market. Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues. Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.MARKET SEGMENTATION:Global Internet of Things Market Research and Analysis, by Infrastructure, 2018-2023Global Internet of Things Market Research and Analysis, by Vertical, 2018-2023Global Internet of Things Market Research and Analysis, by Application, 2018-2023Orion Market Research (OMR) is an Indian research company known for its crisp and concise reports.The company is equipped with an experienced team and young brigade of analysts. The company provides quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, company profiling, consulting and other research-based services. OMR provide global and regional market reports of various domains such as healthcare, energy, IT, chemicals, and automobiles. The company provides a 360-degree view of the market with parametric analysis, key market insights, key findings, statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, extensive segmentation, key trends, strategic recommendations and detailed company profiles.CORPORATE OFFICE:Orion Market Research Pvt Ltd116, Shagun ArcadeVijay Nagar SquareIndore, Madhya Pradesh  India- 452010Email: info@omrglobal.com, support@omrglobal.comIndia: +91-780-304-0404Global: +1-646-755-7667
Hemp Juice Market Poised for Steady Growth in the Future

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Hemp Juice Market: IntroductionHemp is a type of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for industrial purposes. It is grown for its various healing and nutritional properties. Majority of the hemp juice manufacturers are using specialized low-speed juicers to extract the juice. This low speed juicing preserves the cellular structure of the plant, eliminates oxidation preserving the precious enzymes and nutrients. Through this modern juicing techniques, they preserve all nutrients which hemp can offer. Hemp juice is extracted from the leaves and upper part of the hemp plant. Hemp juice is a functional food as its consumption have a positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition. It contains the full spectrum of essential nutrients and the additional benefit of high quantities of Cannabidiol acid. This acid is an essential amino acid that contains strong anti-oxidants which help to improve and restore the healthy balance in our body. Hemp juice is primarily used as a healthy and refreshing beverage and can make unique and delicious dishes by adding it as an ingredient in different foods. It is frozen immediately to maintain the living enzymes, organics, and nutrients. Hemp juice consumption doesn't lead to any side effects. It acts as a strong nutritional agent that will helps the body to regenerate, recover and perform at an increased level which has gathered an increasing attention to the hemp juice among the health-conscious consumers and is anticipated to drive the market over the forecast period.Request to view Sample Report:Hemp Juice Market: DynamicsWith the increasing stress and speed of modern life, our body strives for energy and revitalization. On consumption, hemp juice leads to improve the well-being and restores or regenerate the healthy lifestyle among individuals. This can act as a major factor towards the growth of hemp juice market. Another factor towards the growth of hemp juice market is that it can boost the immune system due to the presence of anti-oxidants, rises the energy levels, improves overall health and provides the strong blend of omega acids, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Moreover, it helps in reduction of tiredness and fatigue, helps in easy digestion, normalizing sleep patterns, and also contributes to the maintenance of bone, teeth, hair, nails, skin, and vision. This is expected to act as a major driving factor which is fueling the growth of hemp juice market. However, strict rules and regulations imposed by government regulatory bodies had translated into increased production cost and resulted in an increased retail end price of the hemp juice which is anticipated to hamper the growth of hemp juice market over the forecast period.Hemp Juice Market: SegmentationHemp juice market can be segmented on the basis of nature, form, end use, and distribution channel. On the basis of nature, the hemp juice market, can be segmented into organic and conventional. By form, hemp juice market can be segmented into powder, and liquid. On the basis of end use, hemp juice market can be segmented into household and commercial. The commercial segment is further sub-segmented into pharmaceutical, cosmetics and personal care, and others. On the basis of a distribution channel, the hemp juice market can be segmented into direct sales and indirect sales. The indirect sales market can be further sub-segmented into the hypermarket/supermarket, specialty stores, online retailers, and others.Buy this Report at:Hemp Juice Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of the regional outlook, hemp juice market is segmented into five different regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa and the Asia Pacific. On analyzing the hemp juice market at the global level, Europe is expected to have the significant growth followed by North America due to high traction of hemp juice and increased health consciousness among the consumers. While, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa are expected to have the considerable growth in the near future owing to various health benefits.Hemp Juice Market: Key Player:Some of the major players operating in chardonnay market include Sana Hemp Juice, Cloud 9 Hemp, Blue Moon Hemp Co., Portland juice co., Hemp CBD Ltd., HANOJU Deutschland GmbH, Palmetto Harmony ltd., and other regional players.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:
Polyfilm Market Comprehensive Study by Key Players over a Period of 2025

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Global Polyfilm Market: OverviewPolyfilms have become an integral part of our daily lives. They are eco-friendly and can be safely used for food packaging. Due to their flexible nature, these films find application in many end-use industries.On the basis of Resin type, the market can be segmented into low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), High-density polyethylene (HDPE), biaxially oriented polypropylene film (BoPP), biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET), and biaxially oriented nylon film (BoPA)The report presents a comprehensive overview of the various factors contributing to the expansion of the global polyfilm market. It also presents insights into challenges that the market could face over the forecast period. The prevailing trends in overall market operations are also studied in the report in detail.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Polyfilm Market: Key TrendsThere are a few factors that are giving impetus to the market growth. They include technological developments in agriculture, rising demand for BoPET films, and increased usage of bio-based polymers. On the other hand, several European countries have stringent government and environmental regulations, limiting the growth of the polyfilm market.In terms of end-use industry, the packaging and agriculture segment is anticipated to witness substantial growth. The increase in population has given a boost to the food packaging industry, thereby raising the demand for polyfilms. Due to their environment-friendly characteristics and long shelf life, polyfilms have an edge over other films in the market. Plus, the improving retail sector is pushing the demand for polyfilms. Besides this, the increasing usage of greenhouse films for increased crop yield is leading to a rise in the demand for polyfilms in the agriculture segment of the market. Polyfilms are also being widely used across beauty and personal care, food and beverages, tobacco, and hygiene industries.Request TOC of the Report @Based on resin type, LLDPE is a key market segment. High mechanical strength, transparency, improved sealing property, glossy appearance, and low production cost are a few of the properties augmenting the demand for LLDPE. LLDPE also performs well when blended with other resins.Global Polyfilm Market: Regional OverviewFrom a geographical standpoint, the global market for polyfilms can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific accounts for a large share in the polyfilm market in terms of volume, owing to the fact that a majority of the polyfilm manufacturers are based in India.China is another promising market for polyfilms in the Asia Pacific region. Companies are spending significant amounts in setting up manufacturing units in this country. Few factors such as increased health awareness, changing lifestyle, and long shelf life of the film is driving the growth of the market. Environment-friendly bio-based polyfilms are also quite popular in China; however due to their high cost, they are losing out to other cheaper alternatives available in the market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Polyfilm Market: Key MarketsThe report profiles some of the prominent competitors operating in the market. It also provides insights into the threats and opportunities that the companies are expected to witness in the coming years. The players in the global polyfilm market include Max Speciality Films, Formosa Plastics Corporation, Chiripal Polyfilm, Cosmo Films, Polyplex Corporation, Uflex Limited, Taghleef Industries, Vacmet India Pvt Limited, Garware Polyester, Jindal Polyfilm, and SRF Limited.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Electronic Components 2018 Global Market Key Players - ABB, AEC, API Technologies, AVX Corporation, Forecast to 2023

Electronic Components Markets

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Description:Electronic Components-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Electronic Components industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Electronic Components 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Electronic Components worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Electronic Components marketMarket status and development trend of Electronic Components by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Electronic Components, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Electronic Components market as:Global Electronic Components Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Electronic Components Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):Active ComponentsPassive ComponentsElectromechanicalGlobal Electronic Components Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)AutomotiveCommunicationsComputing applicationsIndustrialOthersGlobal Electronic Components Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Electronic Components Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):ABBAECAPI TechnologiesAVX CorporationEaton CorpDatronix HoldingsHamlinFujitsu ComponentFCI ElectronicsMicrosemiJyotiKyoceraJST MfgHitachi AICHascoOmronNippon MektronNippon Chemi-ConMurataPanasonicComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Electronic Components1.1 Definition of Electronic Components in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Electronic Components1.2.1 Active Components1.2.2 Passive Components1.2.3 Electromechanical1.3 Downstream Application of Electronic Components1.3.1 Automotive1.3.2 Communications1.3.3 Computing applications1.3.4 Industrial1.3.5 Others1.4 Development History of Electronic Components1.5 Market Status and Trend of Electronic Components 2013-20231.5.1 Global Electronic Components Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Electronic Components Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Electronic Components 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Electronic Components by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Electronic Components by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Electronic Components by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Electronic Components by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Electronic Components by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Electronic Components by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Electronic Components by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Electronic Components by Types3.2 Production Value of Electronic Components by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Electronic Components by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Electronic Components by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Electronic Components by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Electronic Components5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Electronic Components Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Electronic Components Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Electronic Components by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Electronic Components by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Electronic Components by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Electronic Components Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Electronic Components Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Electronic Components Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 ABB7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Electronic Components Product7.1.3 Electronic Components Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of ABB7.2 AEC7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Electronic Components Product7.2.3 Electronic Components Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of AEC7.3 API Technologies7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Electronic Components Product7.3.3 Electronic Components Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of API Technologies7.4 AVX Corporation7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Electronic Components Product7.4.3 Electronic Components Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of AVX Corporation7.5 Eaton Corp7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Electronic Components Product7.5.3 Electronic Components Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Eaton CorpContinuedWise 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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Buchu Oil Market Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2017-2025

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Buchu essential oil is derived from the Agothosma betulina it is from the Rutaceae family. Buchu oil has a very strong scent of black current. Buchu is an aromatic shrub with modest wrinkled leaves. The different types of chemical components of Buchu oil are -pulegone, iso-pulegone, diosphenol, 4-diosphenol, iso-menthone and menthone. The oil from Buchu leaves is derived by distillation process from the dried leaves. Buchu is grown in the mountains of the cape province of Africa. The oil extracted from the buchu shrub is has a very strong smell due to which it is often used as an insect repellent. The essential oil derived from Buchu is poisonous in nature and are not used in aromatherapy.Request to view Sample Report:Buchu Oil Market: SegmentationThe Buchu oil market can be segmented on the basis of Type and Application.On the basis of type Buchu oil market is segmented as Round leaf Buchu (Agothosma Betulina or Barosma Betulina) and Oval Leaf Buchu or True Buchu (Agothosma Crenulata or Barosma Crenulata)It is used for a variety of applications such as Antiseptic, Anti-Rheumatic & Anti-Arthritic, Carminative, Digestive, Diuretic, Insecticide, Massage oil, Sunscreen and others. The others segment consists of (ingredient for weight loss and Anti-inflammatory)Buchu Oil Market: Drivers, Restraints, and TrendsThe Buchu oil market is currently experiencing a growth in demand due to factors such as its use as an ingredient in the off the shelf herbal preparations (diuretic preparations). The major factors driving the growth of the market are its ability to cure urinary tract ailments and other health issues such as prostatitis and urethritis prophylaxis. The European and African markets are the largest contributors to the growth of the Buchu oil market. Growth in increased use of Buchu oil in regions like North America and Asia pacific is also expected to boost the growth of the overall Buchu oil market.Buy this Report at:Buchu oil Market: Regional OutlookIn North America, the trend in the essential oil industry and the usage of Buchu oil as a massage oil or as a medicinal ingredient acts as a major factor in fuelling the growth Buchu oil market, as the North America and Latin America is a very potential market for Buchu. In Asia Pacific, China is the biggest market for Buchu as the imports and exports of Buchu were greatly affected by Chinas macroeconomic conditions. Apart from China, India and Japan are also expected to contribute to the growth of the Buchu oil market. In Middle East and Africa, Buchu oil is mostly used as an herbal medicinal product and the Buchu oil market is expected to have a very slow growth in the forecast period. In Europe, the Buchu oil market is expected to grow steadily despite declining economies.Buchu oil Market: Key PlayersSigmaAldrichPiquet BuchuGrassRoots GroupSkimmelberg (Pty) Ltd.Phoenix Aromas.OthersAbout 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:
Collapsible Metal Tubes Market - Product Type ( Squeeze Tube, Twist Tube, and Others) Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017-2025

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According to the latest market report published by Transparency Market Research titled Collapsible Metal Tubes Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2017-2025, squeeze type collapsible metal tubes segment is expected to be the largest contributor to the global collapsible metal tubes market revenues over the forecast period, 2017-2025.Get an exclusive sample of this report @Globally, the revenue generated from sales of collapsible metal tubes was registered to be around US$ 1,069.4 Mn in 2016, which is projected to increase at a CAGR of 4.3% by the end of 2025.Exploding global urban population and increasing concern among consumers regarding the ill effects of plastic packaging on environment has propelled the market for collapsible metal tubes.Obtain Report Details @Manufacturers of collapsible metal tube are focusing on expanding their production capacity in order to meet soaring demand, either by adding machinery to the manufacturing facility or by acquiring emerging small and regional collapsible metal tubes companies. Besides increasing global production of collapsible metal tubes, the requirement of establishing high brand value in the market has driven the sales of collapsible metal tubes.Purchase the report @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.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Gelatin Free Confectionery Market Growth in Demand due to Change in Consumers Choices and preferences

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Gelatin Free Confectionery are the products that belong to the vegan confectionery product line. Gelatin Free Confectionery do not contain any ingredients derived from animals. Gelatin is a used as a gelling agent in confectionery and it is derived from various body parts of animals such as pigs, cattle and fish to certain extent. Conventional chewy confectionery consists of a protein made from collagen which is derived from tendons, ligaments and skins of animals. The different types of confectionery products containing gelatin are chewy sweets such as gums, jellies, cola and different types of mint too. The emergence for gelatin free confectionery is due to the emergence of elimination of animal derived ingredients in the food products.Download PDF Brochure @Gelatin Free Confectionery market can be segmented on the basis of Type and Distribution channel.On the basis of type it can be segmented as Jellies, Marshmallows, Wine gums, Fruit chews and others. On the basis of distribution channel the market is segmented such as Modern Grocery, Hypermarket, Convenience stores, Discount stores, Traditional grocery and Online retail.Gelatin Free Confectionery Market: Drivers, Restraints, and TrendsGelatin Free Confectionery market is currently experiencing a growth in demand due to change in consumers choices and preferences. Consumers are increasingly desiring for better health and wellness and also expects the product to be environment friendly. Animal welfare initiatives drives the need for substitutes to the animal derived ingredients such as gelatin. One of the major factor driving the growth of the gelatin free confectionery market is the increasing number of the vegan population and their demand for vegan food products. Cost reduction due to the replacement of gelatin with starch and pectin, that helps in reducing the overall production cost of the confectionery. The European and North American markets are the largest contributors to the growth of the Gelatin Free Confectionery. Growth in increased consumption of Gelatin free confectionery in regions like Africa and Asia pacific is also expected to boost the growth of the overall Gelatin Free Confectionery market.Obtain Report Details @Gelatin Free Confectionery Market: Regional OutlookIn North America, the trend in the Gelatin Free confectionery market is growing in terms of usage and also the similar trends is followed in Europe as these market are experiencing growth for vegan confectionery products. Asia is one of the biggest potential market for Gelatin Free, confectionery products. In Asia Pacific from China, India and Japan are expected to contribute to the growth of the Gelatin Free confectionery market. In Middle East and Africa, Gelatin Free Confectionery market is mostly expected to have a very slow growth in the forecast period. In Western Europe, the Gelatin Free Confectionery market is expected to grow steadily despite declining economies.Gelatin Free Confectionery Market: Key PlayersAvebeNorevoMarks & Spencers.Freedom ConfectioneryChicago Vegan FoodsAnandasCavalier Candies Ltd.OthersAbout 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:
Compressor Rental Market Higher Mortality Rates by 2025

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Global Compressor Rental Market: SnapshotOn the back of urbanization and industrialization, the market for compressor rentals has been advancing steadily. In the years ahead too, it is slated to hold on to the pace of growth owing to improvement in their designs and technologies that is making them more efficient. Depending upon their design and function, compressors can be broadly segmented into two  centrifugal compressors and positive displacement compressors.Compressors can also be portable and hence can be used in domestic and industrial activities. This unique perceived benefit is also helping their rental market to grow.Air compressors rental market, on the flipside, is hobbled by the steep cost of maintenance and contamination they cause of the surrounding air on account of the oil lubrication. They also cause noise pollution and this has been further crimping their uptake. Helping to overcome the challenge, however, is the emergence of oil-free compressors which are seeing swift uptake due to their positive impact on the environment.Currently, the construction sector accounts for maximum demand in the market for compressor rentals on account of their requirement in piling, blasting, spraying, and operating pneumatic tools require. Portable air compressors, particularly, are seeing quick adoption for carrying out the tasks.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Caterpillar Inc., United Rentals, Inc., Atlas Copco, Ingersoll Rand, and Aggreko plc. are to name a few prominent players in the global market for compressor rentals. Currently these companies are expending money on research and development to come up with cutting-edge products that would consume less energy and be more effective.Global Compressor Rental Market: OverviewCompressors are devices that convert mechanical energy into pneumatic energy by using compressed air and gas. As this compressed air or gas is released, a considerable amount of energy is trapped, so as to utilize it for a variety of purposes, such as air transfer, cleaning, and pneumatic device activation. As the rate of urbanization and industrial activities increases, the market for compressor rentals will advance rapidly.The report provides key information about the market trends, opportunities, growth drivers and challenges, along with aspects such as market size, supply and demand ratio, and detailed market segmentation. The leading market players are analyzed in terms of their market shares, product portfolios, and business strategies.Request TOC of the Report @Global Compressor Rental Market: Drivers and RestraintsWith the development of designs of compressors, more efficiency has been attained so as to meet the demands of various end-users. Some of the compressors being portable, are extensively used in industrial and domestic activities, benefitting the growth of the global compressor rentals market. Technological advancement in the field of compressors is expected to boost the adoption rate of compressors. One example is that of air compressors. Traditional air compressors are run at full speed, and have to be stopped when they reach the right pressure. Then, the compressed air is stored to allow pressure hysteresis. As this is a wasteful practice, technological upgrades in air compressors have been carried out to control speed, thereby saving energy, and contributing toward market growth. Air compressors facilitate transfer of air in several industries such as chemical plants, oil extraction, food and beverage, automobiles, and transport. This is expected to expand the global market for compressor rentals.On the other hand, factors such as high maintenance costs and the contamination of air caused by oil lubrication are expected to limit growth. Also, oil-free compressors can be noisy, and thus can restrict demand for them.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Compressor Rental Market: Key SegmentsThe market can be segmented based on end user, technology, types, and geography. On the basis of their design and function, compressors can be divided into centrifugal compressors and positive displacement compressors. In terms of end user, the market for compressor rentals was dominated by the construction segment. The construction segment gained prominence because the execution of construction and building activities such as blasting, piling, spraying, and operating pneumatic tools require portable air compressors.Oil-free air compressors have been growing popular recently as they supply non-contaminated air. The portable air compressors, on account of the convenience they offer, are high in demand in off-site operations. The key end-user segments for air compressors can be industrial, commercial, and residential. Industrial air compressors are similar to commercial air compressors; only they are more powerful and bigger in size and volume. Commercial level air compressors are not very portable when compared to residential ones, but they are certainly more powerful. They can run for a long time without a refill. On the residential level, air compressors are used to spray paint, fill air in balloons, balls, and tires. These functions are generally conducted with electric air compressors, which are ideal for domestic purposes. As the demand for air compressors in all these sectors increases, the compressor rental market is slated to present significant opportunities.Global Compressor Rental Market: Regional OutlookAccording to geography, the key segments can be Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America, Europe, and EMEA. The region of Asia Pacific has been exhibiting substantial growth, thanks to the presence of a number of capital-intensive companies that are inclined towards renting compressors instead of buying them. Large- scale construction projects in the countries of Asia Pacific, such as China, Thailand, and India, will further fuel market growth.Global Compressor Rental Market: Vendor LandscapeSome of the key players operating in the global compressor rental market include Caterpillar Inc., Ingersoll Rand, Atlas Copco, Aggreko plc, and United Rentals, Inc. One key development in the competitive landscape is the launch of new GA VSD+ oil-injected, compact, rotary screw compressors by Atlas Copco in 2013. These air compressors are designed to cut energy consumption to half the amount required by traditional compressors of similar type. The leading companies in the global compressor rental market have been emphasizing on better product offerings through increased investments in R&D activities.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Survey: Military Virtual Training Market Forecast 2018-2025 Rheinmetall Defence, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Elbit Systems

Military Virtual Training Market

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Military Virtual Training Market Research 2018Globe Info Research Recently added detailed market study on the "Global Military Virtual Training Market" Research Report 2018-2025 which provides an outlook of current market value of Military Virtual Training Market as well as the expected forecast of Rate on Investment (ROI) with growing CAGR of XX% in Military Virtual Training Market by the end of 2025. The report on the global Military Virtual Training market uses the top-down and bottom-up approaches to define, analyze, and describe the Military Virtual Training market 2018 trends for the next five years up to 2025.Globe Info Research added latest industry research report Military Virtual Training Market Outlook" focuses on Industry News, Size, Share, Growth Rate, Strategies, Market Position, Trends Across The World. This report on the Global Military Virtual Training Market 2018 provides extremely useful and in-depth perception of the worldwide industry and it covers all the aspects which are highly important in deciding the future of Military Virtual Training industry. This report is an accurate research of the Global Military Virtual Training industry which features the latest technological enhancements, new opening, modern industrial issues and advancements, future policy alterations and all basic and important information about the market.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Military Virtual Training Market 2018 : L-3 Link Simulation and Training, Boeing, CAE Inc, FlightSafety International, Thales, Lockheed Martin, Cubic Corporation, Rheinmetall Defence, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Elbit Systems, Virtual Reality MediaMilitary Virtual Training Market : By Type Traditional Military Virtual Training, Virtual Reality Based Military TrainingMilitary Virtual Training Market : By Application Flight simulation, Battlefield simulation, Medic training (battlefield), Vehicle simulation, Virtual boot campThe Global Military Virtual Training Market Provides comprehensive understanding of the market with the help of Military Virtual Training market outlook, opportunities, challenges, trends, Military Virtual Training Market size, share and growth, competitive analysis, major competitors and Porter analysis. Military Virtual Training market report further provides production, capacity, Military Virtual Training market price per region, gross margin for all major regions and countries listed in Military Virtual Training report.The report is very much made with charts, graphs, and practical figures which show the status of the particular Military Virtual Training industry on the global and regional stage. The execution and features of the Military Virtual Training market are assessed in view of the quantitative and qualitative techniques to give a clear picture of the present and future forecast trend.Browse Full Report:Finally, Military Virtual Training market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:"GlobeInfoResearch.com" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USAWeb:Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com
Propylene Capacity and Capital Expenditure - China and the US to Lead Market Growth 2017-2022

Propylene Capacity and Capital Expenditure

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Propylene Capacity and Capital ExpenditureOverviewGlobal propylene capacity is expected to experience considerable growth over the next nine years from around 120 mtpa in 2017 to more than 140 mtpa by 2026. More than 80 planned and announced propylene plants are expected to come online, primarily in Asia and the Middle East over the next nine years. Petroliam Nasional Berhad, Zhejiang Petrochemical Co Ltd, and Formosa Plastics Group are the top three companies in terms of planned capacity additions during the outlook period.Click here for sample report @Major Key PlayersPetroliam Nasional BerhadZhejiang Petrochemical Co LtdFormosa Plastics GroupPropylene Capacity and Capital Expenditure Industry Major Outlook- Global propylene capacity outlook by region- Propylene planned and announced plants details- Global propylene capacity by feedstock- Capacity share of the major propylene producers globally- Global propylene capital expenditure outlook by region.Propylene Capacity and Capital Expenditure - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in Propylene Capacity and Capital Expenditure industry. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sectorScopeUnderstand key trends in the global propylene industry- Understand regional propylene supply scenario- Identify opportunities in the global propylene industry with the help of upcoming plants and capital expenditure outlook- Understand the current and future competitive scenario..ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Chemistry 2019

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After successful completion of Chemistry 2018, the worlds leading Chemistry Conferences 2019 Conference which emphasized on the theme Dynamic Approach and Future Generation Evolutions in Chemistry and going to take place in Prague, Czech Republic from February 19-20, 2019 Organized by EuroSciCon. These International Chemistry Conferences are one of the most important events of the year. It brings all the chemists and delegates together for great success. The Chemistry field assembles a broad range of scientific disciplines to discover, design, delivery, disposition of new drugs and therapies. The scope of these gatherings is extended by remarking key regulatory areas like Medicinal & Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biochemical Chemistry, Green Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Material Science and related branches in Chemistry. Providing a chance, EuroSciCon Chemistry conference host scientists, researchers, chemical organizations and all representatives of pharmaceutical and chemistry company sectors can showcase their cogent findings and at the same time get exposed to a useful array of research and latest developments.Alice Stephen | Meetings ProducerEuroSciCon Ltd, 40 Bloomsbury WayLower Ground FloorLondon, United Kingdom,WC1A 2SEchemistry@eurosciconconferences.comchemistry@eurosciconmeetings.comAlice Stephen | Meetings ProducerEuroSciCon Ltd, 40 Bloomsbury WayLower Ground FloorLondon, United Kingdom,WC1A 2SEchemistry@eurosciconconferences.comchemistry@eurosciconmeetings.com
Iraq Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market - Key Statistics, Country Overview And Infrastructure

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"The Latest Research Report Iraq - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"The political unrest in Iraq has battered the telecommunications sector and created a very challenging environment for the telecoms operators. The three mobile network operators which hold national licences are Zain Iraq, Asiacell and Korek Telecom. The unstable economy combined with a decrease in consumer spending - along with the destruction of telecoms infrastructure; resulted in a stagnating market. However, in 2018 there are signs of stability and in turn, the operators are beginning to see some small turn arounds in terms of revenue growth.There is high international interest in the Iraqi market with its potential to recover economically pinned on its large oil and natural gas reserves. Iraq offers much potential for telecoms infrastructure development with many under-served areas requiring better coverage and/or reconstruction. There will also be opportunities in developing both 3G and 4G deployment, with early signs that mobile data revenues are already increasing on the back of existing 3G networks.Get Sample Copy of this report @Prior to the recent civil tension; 4G LTE had been deployed in some areas of Iraq and there was also a progressive fibre optic network underway across parts of the country. While it is unknown how widespread the damage to this infrastructure has been, there are various areas regaining network access.The country continues to move forward with the Ministry of Communications (MoC) launching a Fibre-to-The-Home project. This will see an initial 90,000 lines deployed across selected governates.Overall the current security situation has been an impediment to telecommunications development in Iraq. However, there are positive signs for the future with signs of improved stability and some reconstruction efforts beginning to emerge.Key developments:The parts of Iraq seized by rebel forces reportedly have very little mobile infrastructure left intact, with residents relying on satellite technology for communications.The most popular mobile plans are pre-paid.The recently introduced 20% tax on mobile services has impacted upon mobile operator revenues.Operators have faced serious security concerns for both personnel, equipment and infrastructure due to the civil unrest.Mobile broadband services took a recent step forward with a recent growth in mobile broadband subscriptions.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Companies mentioned in this report:Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company (ITPC), Newroz Telecom, Asiacell, Zain Iraq, Korek Telecom, Regional Telecom, Communication and Media Commission (CMC), Ericsson, ScopeSky Communications.Table of Contents1. Executive summary2. Key statistics2.1 Country overview3. Telecommunications market3.1 Historical overview3.2 Market overview4. Regulatory environment4.1 Historic overview4.2 Regulatory authority4.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Iraq4.3.1 Wireless Local Loop licences5. Fixed network operator in Iraq5.1 Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company (ITPC)6. Telecommunications infrastructure6.1 Overview of the national telecom network6.2 International infrastructure6.2.1 Submarine cable networks6.2.2 Satellite networks7. Smart infrastructure7.1 Smart grids8. Broadband access market8.1 Overview8.1.1 Internet statistics8.2 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) and Fibre-To-The-Home (FttH)8.3 Satellite broadband9. Other fixed broadband services9.1 Fixed wireless (WiFi and WiMAX)9.1.1 CDMA9.1.2 WiMAXView Sample PDF @10. Digital economy10.1 Introduction10.2 e-Commerce10.3 e-Banking10.4 e-Government10.5 e-Health10.6 e-Education11. Digital media11.1 Videostreaming11.2 Social media11.2.1 Introduction11.2.2 Statistical information11.3 Communications: VoIP, messaging, conferencing12. Mobile communications12.1 Market analysis12.1.1 Mobile statistics12.2 Mobile broadband statistics12.3 Regulatory issues12.3.1 Temporary mobile licences awarded in 200312.3.2 Permanent licences awarded in 200712.3.3 Fourth mobile licence12.4 Mobile infrastructure12.4.1 3G12.4.2 LTE12.4.3 Satellite mobile12.5 Major mobile operators12.5.1 Asiacell Communications (Oooredoo)12.5.2 Zain Iraq (formerly MTC Atheer)12.5.3 Korek Telecom12.5.4 Kurdistan operators12.6 Mobile data12.7 Mobile content and applications12.8 m-banking and m-paymentsAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Public Safety In-Building Wireless DAS System Market Projected to Garner Significant Revenues by 2027

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In order to improve public safety, governments are making it mandatory to install public safety in-building wireless DAS systems in buildings. The implementation of minimum legislative standards by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and new public safety building codes by International Code Council (ICC) is driving the demand of public safety in-building wireless DAS systems.Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growth of 4G LTE network is one of the important drivers for public safety in-building wireless DAS systems. Further, a high amount of investment is being done for 5G development focusing on higher frequency bands, new air interface transmission schemes and new antenna technologies like massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications.One of the major challenges in public safety in-building wireless DAS system market is high initial cost. Labour costs are high due to complicated installation process. Highly skilled installation personnel are required to ensure proper installation and system performance. This increases the labour cost of the project.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System Market: Market SegmentationGlobal Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System Market can be divided into three segments, based on size, end-users and components.Segmentation on basis of size in Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System market:The segments in Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System market by size include:Tier one (more than 500,000 sq.feet)Mid-tier/ Middleprise (100,000 sq.feet to 500,000 sq.feet)Segmentation on basis of end-users for Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System Market:The major segments of Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System market on basis of end-users include:Stadiums & AirportsRetailHospitalityHealthcareCorporate BuildingsOthersSegmentation on basis of components in Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System market:The segments in Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System market by components include:AntennasCablesRemote UnitMaster UnitRepeaterGlobal Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System Funding ModelsThe public safety in-building wireless DAS system market has three funding models which include self-funding, neutral host and carrier funding. Self-funding means the enterprise uses internal funding from the company itself. Neutral host includes contracting with a third party and carrier funding means getting funds from the cellular carrier companies.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System Competitive LandscapeSome of the prominent players in the Public Safety in-Building Wireless DAS System market include Alcatel-Lucent, Anixter Inc., AT&T Inc., Corning Inc., Cobham PLC, Commscope Inc., TE Connectivity Ltd. and Verizon Communications, Inc., among others.About UsFuture 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 centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Glass Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast till 2025

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Increasing adoption of this PV glass, helps block heat, in turn reducing air-conditioning costs. Variance in photovoltaic efficiency and light penetration among these products enables multiple options for architectural design. Thus the demand for PV glass is rapidly increasing in the architectural sector. Major challenge faced by this market includes high capital expenditure for installation of solar energy equipment. Also, availability of high quality solar photovoltaic glass is a detrimental factor to market growth.Solar Photovoltaic (PV) glass is a technology that converts solar energy into electric energy, also providing protection against environmental elements such as dust, moisture, and snow. Solar photovoltaic glass is increasingly being used for building integrated photovoltaics. PV glass is being integrated into buildings in the form of windows, roof panels, and building panels. Potential applications of solar PV glass include smartphones, vehicles, and greenhouses. This glass helps reduce the carbon footprint, which helps maintain environmentally-friendly standards of clean energy. Increasing demand for clean energy, due to growing awareness regarding global warming in turn, is increasing the demand for PV glass, thus boosting growth of the market.Ask for detailed Sample of this Research Report @Anti-reflective coating reduces reflection, which in turn, increases the amount of light absorbed by the solar cells. This results in increased energy production. TCO coated glass optimizes light transmission into the solar modules. Tempered glass is strongest glass, which is made by heating glass to 600OC and then cooling it with airflow. Use of such tough glass, makes PV glass strong enough to sustain environmental factors such as stormy and rainy weather.Solar PV glasses are used in both residential and non-residential applications. However, high installation cost involved with solar photovoltaic glass is further hindering growth of the solar photovoltaic glass market. Furthermore, R&D and innovation is expected to result in the development of low-cost production of solar PV glass, in turn, reducing costs of such glass, thus is expected to gain more traction. This in turn, is expected to boost market growth. Increasing number of government initiatives such as Paris Climate Agreement to provide solar energy, is influencing growth of this market.Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing market for solar photovoltaic glass. The growing population and insufficient energy supply in the region is expected to boost demand for PV glass, in turn, creating a lucrative environment for market growth. China is the growth engine in the region, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China installed over 34 GW of solar capacity in 2016 to mark itself as the leading user of solar panel in the world. Also, Japan witnessed a 4.3% growth in solar energy production in 2016, according to Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The European Union aims to meet 12% of its energy requirements using photovoltaic glass by 2020. This is expected to provide significant growth to the market in Europe.Key Players in the Solar Photovoltaic Glass MarketKey players operating in the solar photovoltaic glass market include AGC Solar, Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., Taiwan Glass Ind. Corp., Xinyi Solar Holdings Ltd., Sisecam Flat Glass, Guardian Glass, Saint-Gobain Solar, Borosil Glass Works Ltd., Flat Glass Co., Ltd., Interfloat Corporation, Guangdong Golden Glass Technologies, Hecker Glastechnik GmbH & Co. KG, F solar GmbH, Emmvee Toughened Glass Private Limited, and Euroglas.Request for Customization As per your Need :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website :
Current Trends and Future Growth of Whey Protein Powder Market

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Whey Protein Powder Market Professional Survey Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.The global market for Whey Protein Powder has been thoroughly studied with every detail in the market intelligence study with increased emphasis on various important factors such as restraints, market opportunities, and growth drivers. Each of the elements that pertain to the shaping of the market dynamics that has been analyzed and studied in detail by the research analysts, so as to offer the best and most evaluative and exhaustive study to the buyers of the report. The overview or the executive summary that has been provided in the market intelligence study has been designed in such a way so as to give a quick overview of the market for receiving information on the go. This could help readers with hands-on data needed to make quick decisions anytime during their growth journey in the market.Get Report Free Sample and Customization:This report studies Whey Protein Powder 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 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringFonterraSaputoMurrayDMKLeprino Foods Co.The study of market segmentations that has been offered with the publication that explores some of the most significant categories of the world Whey Protein Powder market is deemed significant for the growth of industry participants. All of the segments that have been studied elaborately in the said publication have been deeply evaluated with assistance from best of the research techniques. The analysts have dissected each of the segments and have shed light on vital factors that influence the growth of the various segments. Using this crucial information, market players could rightly shape their business plans in favor of the betterment of their growth in the global market. Segments that have been analyzed in the publication could be related to product, end use, application, and geography.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoGeneralSpecially FormulatedTo Browse a Complete Report with TOC Visit @By Application, the market can be split intoAthletesSurgery SurvivorsPoor NutritionPregnant WomanOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Whey Protein Powder Market Professional Survey Report 20181 Industry Overview of Whey Protein Powder1.1 Definition and Specifications of Whey Protein Powder1.1.1 Definition of Whey Protein Powder1.1.2 Specifications of Whey Protein Powder1.2 Classification of Whey Protein Powder1.2.1 General1.2.2 Specially Formulated1.3 Applications of Whey Protein Powder1.3.1 Athletes1.3.2 Surgery Survivors1.3.3 Poor Nutrition1.3.4 Pregnant Woman1.3.5 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 IndiaGet discount copy @2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Whey Protein Powder2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Whey Protein Powder2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Whey Protein Powder2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Whey Protein Powder3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Whey Protein Powder3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Whey Protein Powder Major Manufacturers in 20173.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Whey Protein Powder Major Manufacturers in 20173.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Whey Protein Powder Major Manufacturers in 20173.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Whey Protein Powder Major Manufacturers in 20174 Global Whey Protein Powder Overall Market Overview4.1 2013-2018E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2013-2018E Global Whey Protein Powder Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2017 Whey Protein Powder Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)About USQYResearchReports.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.We provide a variety of syndicated studies and hold the potential of assisting our clients with their specific market research needs by offering insights based on extensive primary interviews, market surveys, company profiles, and competitive landscaping. Our far-sighted ideas have been successful in igniting a number of startups, investment programs, technology breakthroughs, and new product development projects.Contact US1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.comBlog:
Personalized Cancer Therapy Market 2017 Segmentation with Key Players, Growth Rate and Forecast 2025

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The report analyzes and presents an overview of "Personalized Cancer Therapy Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" worldwide.The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Personalized Cancer Therapy market on the basis of types of applications, major sectors, deployment models, organization size, and regions. The report contains an analysis of the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges). It aims to strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the market. The report attempts to forecast the market size for 5 major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. It contains key vendor profiles and comprehensively analyzes their core competencies. The report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, new product developments, and R&D activities in the market.Get Sample Copy of this report @Personalized therapy is related to the genetic makeup of a person. It helps doctors to understand how a tumor grows in a particular patient to identify effective screening, control, and treatment methods. : Doctors are engaged in developing novel treatments with fewer side effects as compared to the traditional treatments. Doctors perform various genetic tests on cancer cells and on normal cells, to develop new customized treatment according to the patients needs.Before personalized therapy, most patients with a specific stage and type of cancer received similar treatment. However, it is evident that certain treatments work specifically on some patients and give better results, as compare to other patients. Development in the field of genetics has led scientists to identify genetic differences in certain patients and their cancer, this described several other responses to treatment. A cancer patient can obtain a standard treatment strategy, such as tumor removal. The doctors can prescribed a personalized cancer treatment. Personalized therapy is an important part of cancer treatment or a part of the clinical trial. A clinical trial is an investigation study including people.Targeted cancer treatment targets specific genes and proteins that allow cancer cells to survive and grow. Research scientists are continuously identifying new targets each year. They develop and test new medicines for these new targets. Targeted therapy is used for lung cancer, kidney cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer, among others. For the treatment of cancer by targeted therapy, it is very important to find out whether the tumor has specific target or not, and this can be identify by the testing of the tumor sample.Therapy that targets definite mutant genes, have been existing for few type of cancers since 2001, and by the several studies researchers determined that which tumors will respond best with which drug. For example, changes in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene that affects the response of patient, suffering with lung cancer when the medicine target the EGFR protein. However, recent studies have indicated the shortcomings of targeted therapy by highlighting that the genetic origins of several cancers are both complex and unclear. An extensive diversity of rare mutations can give rise to any type of cancer and mutations in the similar genetic pathways arise in several types of tumors. Rise in the prevalence of cancer, across the world, growing awareness about existing treatments available in the market, and an increasing directness toward the acceptance of promising innovative treatment procedures are key factor driving the global personalized cancer therapy market. The market is also driven by substantial developments in gene sequencing methods and high accuracy in its results.View Full Report @The global personalized cancer therapy market has been segmented into application, technique, technology, and geography. In terms of technique, the global personalized cancer therapy market has been classified into genomics, proteomics, epigenetics, and metabolomics. Based on technology, the market has been segmented into immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization (ISH), quantitative PCR, next-generation sequencing, and microarray. In terms of application the global personalized cancer therapy market has been categorized into personalized medicines, biomarker discoveries, diagnostics, prognostics, and research applications. Based on geography, the global personalized cancer therapy market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.Key players operating in the global personalized cancer therapy market include Illumina Inc., QIAGEN N.V., NeoGenomics Laboratories, HTG Molecular Diagnostic, and Genomic Health Inc.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.Request For Enquiry @The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Automotive Sheet Metal Components Market Growth Trends by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast by 2025

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Asia Pacific is the largest region for the automotive metal sheet components market. China is a leading market for aluminum and steel sheet components followed by Japan and India. According to World Steel Association, China is accounted as a number one in steel production. In 2016, China produces approximately 808 million tons of steel, which is nearly a half of total steel production of the world. Also, in August 2017, high demand for trucks and passenger cars in China led to the rise in it sales to around 5.3%. Automotive Steel metal sheets are more widely used as compare to aluminum sheets owing to its strength and durability. Therefore demand for steel sheets will remain dominant in the forecast period. However, increase in demand of light weight and hybrid vehicles will rise the demand for aluminum metal sheet components in the forecast period.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report @*The Sample consists of Table of Content, Research framework of the actual report & research methodology adopted for it.According to World Steel Association, in 2015, European Union was estimated as the second largest region for steel production, with a projected 166 million metric tonnes of global steel production. Countries of European Union such as Germany, Italy, France, and Belgium are the top importer and exporter of steel products. Germany is projected to have exported around 24.7 million metric tonnes of steel and imported around 25 million metric tonnes. Also, in UK, support from government for the automotive research and development and the funding of around US$ 1.63 billion in R&D in car industry for the manufacturing of lightweight material, low-carbon propulsion, and autonomous vehicles has augmented the growth of automotive sheet metal components market in this region.North Americas automotive industry is the largest automotive manufacturing sector in the world. U.S., Canada, and Mexico are the top manufacturers of automotive parts. According to International Trade Administration, Canada is the top exporter of automotive parts followed by Mexico. Exports of automotive parts of U.S to European Union shows steady growths since 2012 to 2015, which increases approximately from US$ 5 billion to US$ 7.2 billion. The demand for automobiles and rise in technology in automobile manufacturing increases the demand for automotive sheet metal components in the market over the forecast period,In March 2017, Motherson Sumi Systems Limited (MSSL) successfully acquired 93% shares of Finlands PKC Group Plc. PKC group is global commercial vehicle industry and MSSL is the leading manufacturer of many automotive parts which provides significant presence in the Europe and American commercial vehicle segment.Key players in the Global Automotive Sheet Metal Components MarketSome of the key players operating in automotive sheet metal component market include Larsen Manufacturing, LLC, General Stamping and Metal Works, Aleris International, Inc., Mayville Engineering Company, Inc., Paul Craemer GmbH, O'Neal Manufacturing Services, Omax Autos Ltd., Novelis, Inc., and Frank Dudley Ltd.Request For Customization as per Your Need :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Our New Website:
POS Software 2018 Global Market Key Players - POS Solutions, Hyper Drive Information Technologies, Realtime POS, Heartland Payment Systems And Forecast To 2021

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Global POS Software Market Size and Forecast to 2021Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Wireless Microphone Market -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2021 To Its Research Database.Description:POS Software Report by Material, Application, and Geography  Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and comprehensive 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).In this report, the global POS Software market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is projected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2021, growing at a CAGR of XX% during the period 2017 to 2021.The report firstly introduced the POS Software 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.Request for Sample Report@The major players profiled in this report include:POS SolutionsHyper Drive Information TechnologiesRealtime POSHeartland Payment SystemsCompany FCompany GThe end users/applications and product categories analysis:On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue (Million USD), product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into-AndroidiOSOtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of POS Software for each application, including-RetailingRestaurantOtherComplete Detail @Table of ContentsPart I POS Software Industry OverviewChapter One POS Software Industry Overview1.1 POS Software Definition1.2 POS Software Classification and Prodcut Type AnalysisAndroidiOSOther1.3 POS Software Application and Down Stream Market AnalysisRetailingRestaurantOther1.4 POS Software Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 POS Software Industry Development Overview1.6 POS Software Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 POS Software Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 POS Software Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 POS Software Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 POS Software Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 POS Software Global Market Development Trend AnalysisPart II Asia POS Software Industry (The Report Company Including the Below Listed But Not All)Chapter Three Asia POS Software Key Manufacturers Analysis3.1 POS Solutions3.1.1 Product Picture and Specification3.1.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis3.1.3 Contact Information3.2 Hyper Drive Information Technologies3.2.1 Product Picture and Specification3.2.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis3.2.3 Contact Information3.3 Company C3.3.1 Product Picture and Specification3.3.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis3.3.3 Contact InformationChapter Four Asia POS Software Industry Development Trend4.1 2017-2021 POS Software Capacity Production Trend4.2 2017-2021 POS Software Production Market Share Analysis4.3 2017-2021 POS Software Demand Trend4.4 2017-2021 POS Software Supply Demand and Shortage Analysis4.5 2017-2021 POS Software Import Export Consumption Analysis4.6 2017-2021 POS Software Cost Price Production Value Profit AnalysisPart III North American POS Software Industry (The Report Company Including the Below Listed But Not All)Chapter Six North American POS Software Key Manufacturers Analysis6.1 Realtime POS6.1.1 Product Picture and Specification6.1.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis6.1.3 Contact Information6.2 Heartland Payment Systems6.2.1 Product Picture and Specification6.2.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis6.2.3 Contact InformationChapter Nine Europe POS Software Key Manufacturers Analysis9.1 Company F9.1.1 Product Picture and Specification9.1.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis9.1.3 Contact Information9.2 Company G9.2.1 Product Picture and Specification9.2.2 Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis9.2.3 Contact InformationContinued..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.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra, Global: Ph: +91 841 198 5042
Global Mineral Supplements Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2020

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The global mineral supplements market was valued at $9.9 million in 2014 and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% during the period 2015 - 2020. The global mineral supplements market is increasing due to growing geriatric population, increasing demand from pregnant women, and rising urban population.Explore Full Report Description At:Mineral supplements products are regulated differently from drug. The responsibility for ensuring the validity of mineral supplement products claims remains solely with manufacturers and no regulatory body intervenes for quality control of any sort.The rising urban population paired with rising number of health conscious people, especially in the developing Asian countries such as India and China, are more willing to shift towards intake of supplement products including mineral supplements to compensate their nutritional requirement.Download Free Report Sample:The key companies operating in the global mineral supplements market include Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc., Glanbia Plc., NBTY, Inc., Koninklijke DSM N.V., BASF SE, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Atrium Innovations, Inc., Bayer AG, Amway, and Herbalife, Ltd.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports, industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:P&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY  10016Toll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:
GGJ emphasize on buying authentic gemstones only from the certified jewelry shops

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Durgapur, Paschim Bardhaman, 29th March, 2018: Wearing jewelry has always been an integral part of fashion and the trend of wearing gemstone jewelry is in vogue due to its irresistible spark and charm.Gemstones jewelry has been noticed to be the new rage among the jewelry lovers. Measuring the rapid popularity of jewelry studded with precious and semi-precious gemstones like diamond, sapphire, ruby, emerald, peridots, it is advisable to the customers to buy gemstones from the shops that sell only certified products to the customers.Gorgeous gemstones studded jewelry though looks attractive but one must be quite aware of the authenticity of the stones or else the investment would go in vain. Hence it is important to verify the originality of the gemstones which are now sold in almost all jewelry outlets and the buyers are ready to pay any amount to buy the gems. Based on the prediction or suggestion of some Astro expert or due to sheer preference customers are buying these gemstones without even going for an authenticity test or certification from GSI (Geological Survey of India).It is advisable to buy gemstones and stones studded jewelry only from a trusted retailer which is a reliable name among the customers in the city. Some well-known jewelry shops in Durgapur claim to sell original gemstones but a verbal claim should not be considered as the final stamp. Customers are advised to ask for a proper verification certificate from the retailer. Certification of gemstones jewelry will not only ensure your investment as a worthy one but will also guarantee its future prospect.Matching footsteps with the national and international fashion trends, the inhabitants of Durgapur is also updating their fashion choices and their obsession with gemstone jewelry is quite noticeable. Beside its authenticity factor, it is also important to check the suitability of the stone to the wearer. As these stones hold some healing properties hence it is vital to consult a versed astrologer before buying the gem.Being one of the leading jewelry brands in Durgapur, GGJ cites possible reasons and the importance of buying gemstones only from certified gemstones jewelry shops in Durgapur.Guinea Gold Jewellers Pvt Ltd.Nachan Road, Trinayani Mansion, Benachity Durgapur  713213contact@guineagoldjewellerspvtltd.com+91-7797735000
Chilled Water Storage System Market to Witness Huge Growth by 2025

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North America is the largest market for chilled water storage systems. The U.S is the major contributor to the chilled water storage system market in North America, owing to the development of abundant unconventional natural gas resources and shale oil boom, which has resulted in rapid industrialization, in turn fueling the demand for chilled water storage systems, on account of its efficiency and energy saving capabilities.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report @*The Sample consists of Table of Content, Research framework of the actual report & research methodology adopted for it.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in chilled water storage systems market. China, India, and Japan are the major contributors to the growth of the chilled water storage systems market. Asia pacific is the largest region in food & beverages market. The food & beverage industry has a huge requirement for chilled water storage systems for a variety of applications. Further, economic stabilities in the region, rapid urbanization, and rising disposable income are the other factors responsible for the growth of chilled water storage system market in Asia Pacific.Latin America is the leading economy in renewable resources with 52% of energy being produced from renewable sources, which has resulted in a high demand for chilled water storage systems.The Middle East is a major region for oil & gas and petroleum industries. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are the important economies for the oil and gas production. Oil and gas industries have a high requirement for chilled water storage systems, which is fuelling the growth of chilled water systems market in the Middle EastChilled water storage system is a type of thermal energy storage technique, which is used to store water at temperatures ranging from 4C to 6C. The system is made of concrete and steel. Their sizes of storage range from 1 ton to several 100 tons and are generally used for commercial and industrial or residential purpose.Less annual energy consumption and operational cost along with low initial investment cost have resulted in a high demand for chilled water storage system from many end-use industries, such as petrochemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, and food & beverages, thereby driving the growth of chilled water storage system market. Further, growing necessity from the end-use industries for maintaining the heat density of various chemicals is another major factor fueling the growth of chilled water storage systems market currently. However, high electricity consumption by cooling systems, resulting in high electricity costs is one of the major factor restraining the growth of the chilled water storage system market.Key players in the Chilled Water Storage System Market:Some of the major player operating in the in the chilled water storage system market include Cool Water Technologies, Cooling Tower Systems, Inc., Delta Cooling Towers, Inc., Johnson Controls, Berg Chilling Systems Inc., King Sun Industry Co. Ltd., and Wessels Company among others.Request For Customization as per Your Need :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Our New Website:
SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Outlook with Ongoing Trends, Top Players Profile Analysis and Forecast 2017-2026

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FACT.MR has been actively involved in offering comprehensive research data concerning various topics which are associated to industrial reference and investor utility. This particular research report titled SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking  Global Review 2017 to 2026 has been added to the wide online database of FACT.MR which discusses the present as well as future market scenario. Readers can access knowledge related to market volume, regional expanse as well as competitive landscape prevailing in the global SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market. In order to study development patterns, this smart assessment also focuses on market dynamics, which talks about drivers, restraints and opportunities estimated to influence the concerned market during the period until 2022.Request for Sample Report-SiC & GaN power semiconductor to Find Largest Application in Power SuppliesSiC & GaN power semiconductor is likely to find the largest application in Power supplies between 2017 and 2026. Power supplies are estimated to create an incremental opportunity above US$ 700 million between the forecast period from 2017 to 2026. Increasing demand renewable energy is resulting in the development of power semiconductor devices. Moreover, Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride are considered suitable for power semiconductor devices as it helps in reducing on-state resistance and miniaturizing the size of power devices.4 Forecast Highlights on Global SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market1. Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) to emerge as the dominating region in the global SiC & GaN power semiconductor market. By the end of 2026, APEJ is projected to bring in more than US$ 2,200 million revenue. Increasing demand for mobile devices, the presence of the key companies are some of the factors driving the demand for SiC & GaN to power semiconductor in the region.2. Meanwhile, Japan followed by Europe are also likely to see the significant growth in the coming years. Technological advancements in the regions are driving the market growth.3. SiC is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. By the end of 2026, SiC as a material to power semiconductor is projected to exceed US$ 2,400 million revenue.4. Compared to the various components, discrete SiC power devices are anticipated to witness growth. Discrete SiC power devices are projected to reach the value of nearly US$ 2,000 million revenue towards the end of 2026.Browse Full Report with TOC-Table of Content:1. Global Economic Outlook2. Global SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market - Executive Summary3. Global SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Overview4. Global SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Analysis and Forecast 2012-20265. North America SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20266. Latin America SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20267. Europe SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20268. Japan SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Size and Forecast, 2012-20269. APEJ SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Size and Forecast, 2012-202610. MEA SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Size and Forecast, 2012-202611. Global SiC & GaN Power Semiconductor Market Company Share, Competition Landscape and Company Profiles12. Research Methodology13. DisclaimerContinued.Check Discount on This Report-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized ICT market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web:
Analysis of Terahertz Components and Systems Market, By Components, Application, and Geography - Insights, Size, Share and Industry Forecast till 2025

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The terahertz regime is compressed between infrared and microwaves, bridging the gap between optics and electronics. Electromagnetic waves with frequencies range between 100 GHz and 10 THz is primarily refers to as terahertz technology. Growing application of terahertz technology for material and equipment inspection, medical imaging, industrial process control management and research laboratories is anticipated to accelerate the growth of the terahertz components and systems market across different regions globally. X ray scanners, security systems, luggage scanners and complex medical imaging systems are some of the key application area of terahertz technologies. With the increasing research activities, the application of terahertz systems are expanding to space aircrafts and aerospace systems. Rising penetration for terahertz technology in nondestructive testing for different materials is also fueling the market for terahertz components and systems market globally. Terahertz imaging is one of the major nondestructive evaluation method which is primarily used for the dielectric materials inspection as well as quality control in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, security, aerospace and materials characterization industries. Moreover, active imaging methods are used for medical imaging as it is biologically safe and it is used for detecting skin cancer which is also one of the major driving factor for the market.The global terahertz components and systems market was valued at US$ 96.3 million in 2017 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 27.9% during the forecast period (2017  2025).Ask for detailed Sample of this Research Report @Increasing application of terahertz technology in nondestructive testing for biomedical and pharmaceutical materials drives the growth of terahertz components and systems marketIncreasing application of terahertz technology for characterization and thickness mapping of ceramic, dielectric and composite materials is one of the major driving factor for the market. Terahertz technology primarily characterizes micro-structure variation in dielectric materials without causing any damage. Growing prevalence of chronic dieses like cancer and other skin related problems demand advanced technology based devices for better and quick detection for fast recovery. This in turn is boosting the application of terahertz radiations in different high end medical devices globally. The growing government initiatives towards security in high alert zones like airports, railway stations and metro stations along with growing concern towards homeland security is also anticipated to drive the global market over the forecast period. The available terahertz devices are expensive and bulky which may hinder the growth of the market in near future. However, with the increasing research activities in this field is working on innovating flexible and cost effective terahertz devices. Moreover, developments in terms of system robustness, cost efficiency and measuring speed have to be implemented to make terahertz systems more competitive.Advanced terahertz technology for quality control and process management is a prominent factor to fuel the terahertz components and systems marketT-rays or terahertz radiations shows potential application in the food industry for quality control process. Owing to its sensitivity towards water, so terahertz radiations are suitable for moisture detection. Increasing technological advancement in the food industry along with growing concern towards food quality is boosting the market for terahertz components and systems globally. Moreover, solar industry and homeland security are some of the prime application areas of terahertz technology which is anticipated to have positive impact on the market over the forecast period. Terahertz technology also have potential applications in archeological and historical studies as it can primarily characterizes the metal, stone, paints and any material without causing any damage. Terahertz systems have potential applications for chemical recognition. Furthermore, terahertz technology also have applications in advanced telecommunications which is having a positive impact on the market for terahertz components and systems over the forecast period.Request for Customization As per your Need :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website :
Market Overview Of The Cards and Payments Industry Trials Review, H2, 2020

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SummaryThe report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, and transaction values and volumes during the review period and over the forecast period (2017-2020). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.Click here for sample report @Scope of the Report- This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Israeli cards and payments industry.- It provides current values for the Israeli cards and payments industry for 2016, and forecast figures to 2020.- It details the different demographic, economic, infrastructural and business drivers affecting the Israeli cards and payments industry.- It outlines the current regulatory framework in the industry.- It details marketing strategies used by various banks and other institutions.Table of ContentsEXECUTIVE SUMMARY 21.1. Market overview 21.2. Key facts 31.3. Top five industry events 42. PAYMENT INSTRUMENTS 102.1. Current payment environment 103. E-COMMERCE AND ALTERNATIVE PAYMENTS 123.1. E-Commerce market analysis 123.2. Alternative payment solutions 133.2.1. PayPal 133.2.2. MasterPass 133.2.3. Cal4U Wallet 133.2.4. Colu 133.2.5. Pelephone Digital Wallet 134. REGULATIONS IN THE CARDS AND PAYMENTS INDUSTRY 144.1. Regulatory framework 144.1.1. Regulation pertaining to cards 144.2. Anti-money laundering 154.3. Foreign direct investment regulations 16.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Upcoming Forecast Report on Directional Drilling Services Market

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North America region is witnessed to be the largest market in the directional drilling services, owing to the shale gas revolution and increase in E&P in the Gulf of Mexico. Shale gas exploration and production activities have taken major hike in the economies such as the U.S. and Canada, which is immensely boosting the directional drilling services market in this region. Advancement in technology namely long horizontal wellbores and other completion techniques are fueling the growth of directional drilling market in this region. E&P activities from oil sands and tight reservoirs in Canada have further boosted the directional drilling services market in this region. Moreover, according to the U.S Energy Information Administration, 77 percent of the wells in America were horizontal in 2015.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report @*The Sample consists of Table of Content, Research framework of the actual report & research methodology adopted for it.Directional drilling refers to a process of drilling a well with a preferred deviation to reach the target location. This type of drilling is done for placing the wellbore precisely to get maximum recovery both on land and offshore regions. The main aim of this type of drilling is to cover large areas by the use of the single rig. Maturing and aging onshore oilfields has paved paths to increasing directional drilling in the onshore regions supported by offshore exploration and production activities in deep and ultra-deep regions over the past few decades. This is further backed by augmenting horizontal drilling services to maximize the productivity of the oil and gas well.The increase in energy demand, urbanization, industrialization, increase in exploration, production activities, and various other factors have led to the increase in demand and growth for directional drilling services market. Declining prices of crude oil stand are the major restraint in the directional drilling services market globally. Stringent government regulations further hinder the growth of directional drilling services market.The Middle East region is anticipated to have a significant market in the directional drilling services market, owing to the new discoveries in oilfield and augment in energy demand in this region. Almansoori is one of the largest company that provides directional drilling services providing 800 wells in this region.Asia Pacific is witnessed to have a high growth rate in the directional drilling services market. The growth of this region is driven by the increase in E&P activities in the emerging economies such as China and India. Therefore, major players such as Africa and the Middle East are looking for investment opportunities in this region.The major companies in the global directional drilling services include Halliburton Company, Weatherford International Plc., Schlumberger Limited, Nabors Industries Ltd., National Oilwell Varco, Cathedral Energy Services Ltd., Baker Hughes Incorporated, General Electric Oil & Gas, and Jindal Drilling & Industries Limited.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Our New Website:
Analysis of Third-party Logistics Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast till 2024

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Third party logistics (TPL or 3PL), is a service provider outsourced by a company in a supply chain management or logistic. Increasing globalization for trade offers manufacturing companies with a worldwide networking platform. Companies majorly focus on keeping up with their productivity, and thus rely on third party logistics to suffice their transportation and packaging. This in turn, has driven growth of the market for third part logistics. Growing e-commerce industry is one of the major drivers for growth of the global third party logistics market. For instance, in 2016, the global B2C ecommerce industry generated revenue of US$ 2.1 trillion, from US$ 1.8 trillion in 2015, and is expected to reach up to US$ 2.4 trillion by 2017. Several e-commerce companies that have adopted the online platform to sell their products do not have their own logistics services. This also contributes to the increased demand for TPL. Increasing number of startups, generally are unable to afford their own logistics services, thus increasing the demand for third party logistics. Moreover, the convenience of shopping online, is increasing adoption of online shopping by several customers worldwide, which in turn, is expected to fuel growth of the third party logistic services in e-commerce industry.Ask for detailed Sample of this Research Report @Third Party Logistics Market Outlook  Asia Pacific holds the largest market share of the global third party logistics marketOn the basis of geography, global third party logistics market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. The market in Asia Pacific held a dominant position in the global third party logistics market in 2016 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Increasing disposable income and rising investment by e-commerce leaders and increasing internet penetration are leading to the rapid growth of the e-commerce industry in emerging economies such as India and China. This, in turn, is expected to boost growth of the market for third party logistics in the Asia Pacific. North America also holds a largest share of the third party logistics market, owing to increasing demand for TPL in the automotive and ecommerce sectors. The U.S. and Canada are the major growth engines for the market in the region. Rising demand for low cost services and rapid delivery services is also responsible for fueling the third party logistics market, in the U.S.Key companies of global third party logistics marketKey players operating in the third party logistics market include AmeriCold Logistics LLC, BDP International, Burris Logistics, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, CEVA Logistics, DB Schenker Logistics, DHL Supply Chain, FedEx, GEODIS, J. B. Hunt, Kintetsu World Express, Inc., Landstar System, Inc., Nippon Express Co., Ltd, Panalpina World Transport Ltd., Ryder Supply Chain Solutions, Schneider National, Inc., SinoTrans (HK) Logistics Limited, Total Quality Logistics, Inc., Transplace Texas LP, Unyson Logistics, Inc., UPS Supply Chain Solutions, and XPO Logistics, Inc.Request for Customization As per your Need :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website :
Auto-Immune Diseases Diagnostic Tests Market 2018 - Opportunity, Driving Trends and deep study.

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SummaryThe 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 Auto-Immune Diseases Diagnostic Tests pipeline products.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Scope- Extensive coverage of the Auto-Immune Diseases Diagnostic Tests 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 Auto-Immune Diseases Diagnostic Tests 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 / industry.Reasons 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 Auto-Immune Diseases Diagnostic Tests 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 dateTable of Content: Key Points1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 71.2 List of Figures 152 Introduction 162.1 Auto-Immune Diseases Overview 163 Products under Development 173.1 Auto-Immune Diseases - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 173.2 Auto-Immune Diseases - Pipeline Products by Territory 183.3 Auto-Immune Diseases - Pipeline Products by Regulatory Path 193.4 Auto-Immune Diseases - Pipeline Products by Estimated Approval Date 203.5 Auto-Immune Diseases - Ongoing Clinical Trials 214 Auto-Immune Diseases - Pipeline Products under Development by Companies 224.1 Auto-Immune Diseases Companies - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 224.2 Auto-Immune Diseases - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 265 Auto-Immune Diseases Companies and Product Overview 325.1 Immunarray Pvt Ltd Company Overview 325.2 Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp Company Overview 355.3 Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg Company Overview 3ContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook: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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Offshore Wind Energy Market Growth Graph is Incline Towards the Sky

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Offshore wind energy is the technology used to generate electricity from the wind using wind turbines constructed near the coastline of oceans and lakes. Offshore wind energy is the technology used to generate electricity from the wind using wind turbines constructed near the coastline of oceans and lakes. Offshore wind energy offers various advantages such as, installations of offshore wind energy allows in reduction of the overall capital expenditure. The energy generation are at higher speeds on offshore than on onshore which positively impact on triggering the market growth.Request Sample Copy of this Research Report @Increasing demand for the renewable sources in power generation is the major factor driving growth of the offshore wind energy marketIncreasing demand for renewable sources in power generation is major driver for the growth of offshore wind energy market. Increase in the energy consumption and rise in environmental concerns regarding the depletion of natural resources is major factor for increasing the demand for renewable sources in power generation. For instance, according to the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) organization, the total world energy consumption rises from 575 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2015 to 736 quadrillion Btu in 2040, an increase of 28%. Therefore, increasing energy consumptions leading to rise the demand of renewable sources in power generation positively influenced growth of offshore wind energy market.The turbine segment is projected to hold the largest segment in the marketThe turbine segment held largest market share in 2016 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increasing energy production become one of the growth of this segment in the market. For instance, according to the World Energy Organisation (WEO) the power generation particularly from wind and solar energy increased up to 200GW from 2013 to 2015, globally. In addition to this, the rising demand of technically advanced turbines have also accelerated the segment in this market. For instance, the turbine manufacturers such as C&F Green Energy, Bergey Wind Power, and Kelso Energy LTD are updating the turbines with advanced technologies such as onboard sensors, advanced rotor with the features of injection and compression moulding.Global Offshore Wind Energy Market: Regional InsightsOn the basis of region, the offshore wind energy market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The Europe held the dominant position in the market in 2017 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increasing numbers of approved and pipeline projects and rising investment for private sector in offshore wind energy have accelerated the market of offshore wind energy market in this region. For instance: According to GTAI, Germany held the largest position in Europes wind energy market, with more new capacity of 5.4 GW installed in 2016.Global Offshore Wind Energy Market: Competitive backgroundKey players operating in the offshore wind market include Siemens AG (Germany), ABB, Ltd. (Switzerland), A2Sea (Denmark), Nexans (France), EEW Group (Germany), General Electric (U.S.), Northland Power, Enercon GmbH, Gamesa Corporacion Technologica S.A., and Guodian United Power Technology Company Ltd.Request For Customization @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Global Wave and Tidal Energy Market Applications & Challenges 2018

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Wave and Tidal Energy Market Research Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.The global market for Wave and Tidal Energy has been seen on a few perspectives that are for all intents and purposes there, and have fixed up the market circumstance to the epic degree. The report additionally displays unmistakable experience and information related to global Wave and Tidal Energy market. The key purpose behind the report is to detail out certain positive and obstructive concentrations about the market conditions with the target that potential examiners have a right considered the market they will place assets into. Exact truthful data has been given a specific true objective to give a cemented view and current status of the market, to the customers of the creation. The market consider report furthermore collects the features for instance, drivers, impediments, segments, publicize figures, adjust of endeavours, future advancement, and alternate points of view. The examination in like manner consolidate the basic market motivations behind premium, which contains specific highlights of the basic points of view that are most likely going to trigger change in the market or reasons that may have a negative impacts as well.Global Wave and Tidal Energy market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingAtlantis Resources CorpAW-EnergyAWS Ocean EnergyAndritz Hydro HammerfestBioPower SystemsKepler Energy LimitedMinestoOcean Power TechnologiesPelamis Wave Power LimitedSeabased ABTidal Power LimitedTrident EnergyTo Download Sample Report With TOC:This report goes into additional all around investigation of the global market for Wave and Tidal Energy by effectively inspecting current happenings and business methods of concerned market. This is required to go about as a supplementary guide in giving right bits of learning and data on a couple of plots for the market, for instance identifying with pattern of the organization bodies in the zone when in doubt level, progress and course structure, streams drawbacks, volume exchange, and salaries made among others.Table of ContentsGlobal Wave and Tidal Energy Market Research Report 20181 Wave and Tidal Energy Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Wave and Tidal Energy1.2 Wave and Tidal Energy Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017Complete table of content is available at:2 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Wave and Tidal Energy Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Wave and Tidal Energy Market Competitive Situation and Trends3 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Wave and Tidal Energy Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)Enquiry For Discount Visit @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Wave and Tidal EnergyFigure Global Wave and Tidal Energy Production (MW) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2013-2025)Figure Global Wave and Tidal Energy Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2017Figure Product Picture of Wave EnergyTable Major Manufacturers of Wave EnergyFigure Global Wave and Tidal Energy Market Size (Million USD), Comparison (MW) and CAGR (%) by Regions (2013-2025)Figure North America Wave and Tidal Energy Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Europe Wave and Tidal Energy Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure China Wave and Tidal Energy Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Figure Japan Wave and Tidal Energy Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2025)About Us: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. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Reservoir Analysis Market Major Manufacturers, Trends, Demand, Share Analysis to 2025

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Global Reservoir Analysis IndustryLatest Report on Reservoir Analysis Market Global Analysis & 2025 Forecast Research StudyThis report studies the global Reservoir Analysis market, analyzes and researches the Reservoir Analysis development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeSchlumberger Limited (U.S.)Halliburton Company (U.S.)Baker Hughes Incorporated (U.S.)Weatherford InternationalPLC (Switzerland)CGG SA (France)Core Laboratories (U.S.)Tracerco (U.K.)Try Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoReservoir Simulation and Geo ModelingData Acquisition and MonitoringReservoir Sampling ServicesMarket segment by Application, Reservoir Analysis can be split intoOnshoreOffshoreSome points from table of content:Global Reservoir Analysis Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Reservoir Analysis1.1 Reservoir Analysis Market Overview1.1.1 Reservoir Analysis Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Reservoir Analysis Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Reservoir Analysis Market by Type1.3.1 Reservoir Simulation and Geo Modeling1.3.2 Data Acquisition and Monitoring1.3.3 Reservoir Sampling Services1.4 Reservoir Analysis Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Onshore1.4.2 Offshore2 Global Reservoir Analysis Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Reservoir Analysis Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)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 FutureFor Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Schlumberger Limited (U.S.)3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Halliburton Company (U.S.)3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Baker Hughes Incorporated (U.S.)3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Weatherford International3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 PLC (Switzerland)3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 CGG SA (France)3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Core Laboratories (U.S.)3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Tracerco (U.K.)3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Reservoir Analysis Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.8.5 Recent Developments4 Global Reservoir Analysis Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)4.1 Global Reservoir Analysis Market Size by Type (2013-2018)4.2 Global Reservoir Analysis Market Size by Application (2013-2018)4.3 Potential Application of Reservoir Analysis in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Reservoir Analysis5 United States Reservoir Analysis Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Reservoir Analysis Market Size (2013-2018)5.2 United States Reservoir Analysis Market Size and Market Share by Players (2013-2018)5.3 United States Reservoir Analysis Market Size by Application (2013-2018)Continued.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comWise 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 LtdPune  411028Maharashtra,Ph: +91 841 198 5042
FMCG Industry Global Key Players - Gfresh, Ardbeg Distillery, Nestle, Cargill, and Mars Food Market Analysis & Forecast 2018 to 2021

FMCG Industry

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FMCG IndustryOverviewThe existing economic environment is stable for the FMCG industry during H1 2018 (February 2018-July 2018). Globally, 40% of respondents indicate a stable economic state in H1 2018; while 46% highlight that the prevailing economic conditions are favorable for the FMCG industry. Increasing implementation of digitalization techniques along the procurement and distribution cycle, a growing e-commerce market, and changing lifestyles in developing markets drive the FMCG market.In H1 2018, 53% of executives expect an optimistic change in consumer confidence. On the other hand, industry executives foresee a 3.7% rise in the price of raw materials. Additionally, new competition and threat of substitute products are important concerns for respondents with business operations in North America.Click here for sample report @Companies mentionedGfreshGlenmorangieArdbeg DistilleryNestleCargillMars FoodPreferred Brands International GroupPetSmartSun BasketFMCG Industry Major Outlook- In total, 40% of survey respondents state that the current economic environment is stable, whereas 46% of respondents indicate a favorable economic climate- Overall, 30% of respondents who operate in South America have favorable or very favorable opinions about the region during H1 2018- The positive outlook towards company growth over the next six months is highest among executives with business operations in Asia-Pacific and North America- Of respondents with business operations in Asia-Pacific, 67% anticipate a significant increase in consumer confidence during the next six months compared to the previous six months- Capital expenditure on green initiatives, and new product development are projected to increase during the next monthsFMCG Industry - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in FMCG Industry. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sectorScopeSave time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the size, growth, major segments, and leading players in the global FMCG Industry market- Use the Five Forces analysis to determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of the global FMCG Industry market- Leading company profiles reveal details of key FMCG Industry market players global operations and financial performance- Add weight to presentations and pitches by understanding the future growth prospects of the global FMCG Industry market with five year forecasts.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Audio Interfaces Market 2018 - Behringer (Music Group), MOTU, IK Multimedia, RME

Global Audio Interfaces Market

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Apex Market Reports, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the Audio Interfaces Market across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of Audio Interfaces Market from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global PP Pipe industry, and estimates the future trend of Audio Interfaces on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares Audio Interfaces performance both in terms of volume and revenue.The market research report explores the Audio Interfaces Market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of Audio Interfaces Market. The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Audio Interfaces Market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Audio Interfaces. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Audio Interfaces Market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportFocusrite Audio Engineering Ltd.PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc.Universal AudioZoom CorporationSteinberg Media Technologies GmbH (Yamaha)RolandMackie (LOUD Technologies Inc.)M-AudioBehringer (Music Group)MOTUIK MultimediaRMETascam (TEAC Corporation)ESI Audiotechnik GmbHLexicon (HARMAN)AudientThe competitive landscape of the global market for Audio Interfaces is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Audio Interfaces Markets production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Audio Interfaces Market globally.Inquire Before Buying @The Global Audio Interfaces Market 2018 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Audio Interfaces production volume, data pertaining to demand and Audio Interfaces supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Audio Interfaces along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Audio Interfaces across the world.About UsApex Market Reports offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Apex Market Reports provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezCorporate Sales Specialist155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketreports.comWebsite -
Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market Accruals Reach Up To USD 2471.5 Million by 2027s; Declares MRFR

Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market

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The Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market Application Segment (Revenue) Outlook (2014-2027) statistical report, published by market research future contains succinct information on global industrial hand protection gloves market and its size, in terms of either revenue or volume, segmented by applications (Healthcare, chemical, automotive, construction, food & beverages and others) and forecast from 2014-2017. Factors such as increase in the number of accidents and the high growth rate of contagious diseases have pushed everyone to take hand protection seriously. However, the high cost of material and productivity are the major restraints that could impact the growth of market.To Know More Enquire @Healthcare segment in Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market accounted for the largest share with a market value of USD 2471.5 Million in 2014.Key Questions Answered In This Report What will the market size 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?Table of Contents1. Infographics Information1.1Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market Size, By Application, 2016 (USD Million)1.2Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market Share, By Application, 2016 (%)2. Introduction3. Global Market DataList of TablesTable 1 Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market, by Application, 2014-2027 (USD Million)List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market, by Application, 2014 VS 2027 (USD Million)Figure 2 Global Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market Share, by Application, 2016 (%)Purchase Exclusive Statistical Reports Just Only $299 @Browse similar research report of Europe Hand Protection Gloves Market Material Segment (Unit Sales) Outlook (2014-2027)The Europe Hand Protection Gloves Market Material Segment (Unit Sales) Outlook (2014-2027) statistical report, published by Market Research Future contains succinct information on Europe industrial hand protection gloves market and its size, in terms of either revenue or volume, segmented by material (Natural rubber, leather, polyethylene, nitrile, neoprene, metal mesh, others) and forecast from 2014-2027. The booming automotive industry has been one of the prime factors contributing to the growth of the industrial hand protection gloves market in this region. However, factors such as high prices of raw materials and the use of robotics in industries for manufacturing processes are the major growth restraints of the market.The report for Europe Hand Protection Gloves Market by 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 a deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives a clear picture of the current market scenario which includes past and estimated future market size with respect to value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides detail information about and strategies used by top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Browse Full Report @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.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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune  411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com
Feeding System Market 2018 by Global Leaders: Cormall AS, GEA Group AG, Agrologic, DairyMaster, Rovibec Agrisolutions, DeLaval Holding, Trioliet, Cormall AS

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Market Research Future published a research report on Global Feeding System Market Research Report- Forecast 2023  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Market ScenarioGlobal Feeding System Market has tracked the major market events including product launches, technological developments, mergers & acquisitions, and the innovative business strategies opted by key market players. The increasing focus of major companies on technological advancements in the feeding management along with new product has launched that has marked the peak of market size of dairy farms across the globe. Furthermore, the cost savings associated with the adoption of feeding systems are the factors expected to favor the growth of the feeding systems market during the forecast period.The study indicates that the increasing use of automated and control devices, and sensing and monitoring devices, such as radio frequency identification, sensors, and global system positioning technologies in the livestock farming has turned up to be the progressive path in the hardware segment in the coming years. The increasing demand of the livestock farm owners towards automated feeding systems has led to the growth in the feeding management by the introduction of innovative products by the key players and rising demand for dairy products across the globe. Along with strategically analyzing the key micro markets, the report also focuses on industry-specific drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges in the Copper Strips market.Get Sample of Report @The global Feeding System market is expected to grow at USD ~$1,411.21 Million by 2023, at ~8.6 % of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Key Players:The prominent players in the Feeding System Market are  Cormall AS (Denmark), GEA Group AG (Germany), Lely Holding S.A.R.L (Netherlands), Agrologic Ltd (Israel), DairyMaster (Ireland), Rovibec Agrisolutions Inc. (Canada), DeLaval Holding AB (Sweden), Trioliet B.V. (Netherlands), and Cormall AS (Denmark) among others.Segments:The global Feeding System market has been segmented on the basis of offering, product, analysis, end users and region.Feeding System Market by Offering:Hardware Automation and Control System Sensing and Monitoring DevicesSoftware Local/Web-based Cloud-basedServices Connectivity Services Assisted Professional Services Maintenance and Support Services System Integration and Consulting Managed Services OthersFeeding System Market by Product: Self-Propelled System Rail Guided System Conveyor Belt System OthersFeeding System Market by Analysis: Supply and Consumption Analysis Production Analysis Sales and Revenue Analysis OthersFeeding System Market by End-User: Swine Farm Equine Farm Dairy Farm Poultry Farm OthersFeeding System Market by Region: North America Europe Asia Pacific (APAC) Rest of the World (ROW)Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of Feeding System market is being studied for region such as Asia pacific, North Americas, Europe and Rest of the World. The feeding systems have been used in Europe for many years, but the usage in the US has increased in recent years. These systems allow for increased social facilitation among calves, redirection of labor from feeding to management of calves, consistency of milk delivery, and consumption of additional milk in smaller meals. Asia-Pacific region is contributing high with the growing demand of feeding system due to perceived benefits of the systems by dairy farmers considering adopting them need to be evaluated based on research and experiences by those using such systems.Get Complete Report @Intended Audience Feeding System device manufacturers Technology Providers of Feeding Systems Technical Universities Research Institutes and Organizations Component Suppliers Feeding Equipment Manufacturers Suppliers and Distributors of Feeding System Standardization and Testing Firms Livestock Research and Consulting Firms Manufacturers of Dairy Farm Equipment Safety equipment manufacturers Distributers InvestorsAbout Us: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.Media Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Omega 3 Products Market 2018 Global Analysis By key Players  Epax, Aker BioMarine, Innovix Pharma, Crode, DSM

Omega 3 Products Market

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Omega 3 Products Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com adds Omega 3 Products Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2025 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report provides in depth study of Omega 3 Products Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Omega 3 Products Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.Global Omega 3 Products market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer;The Top key players including ;EpaxAker BioMarineInnovix PharmaCrodeDSMNordic NaturalsLuhua BiomarineMarine IngredientsCargillPharmaviteAscenta HealthKD PharmaPharbioDow ChemicalGSKNatrolCarlson LaboratoriesGowell PharmaBy-HealthOmegaBriteAmwayNOW FoodsOptimum NutritionRequest a Sample Report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Omega 3 Products in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoOmega 3Omega-D3Omega 3-6-9On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingAthletes and LiftersOrdinary PeopleOtherThis report provides valuable information for companies like manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, traders, customers, investors and individuals who have interests in this industry.If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Complete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:Global Omega 3 Products Market Research Report 20181 Omega 3 Products Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Omega 3 Products1.2 Omega 3 Products Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Omega 3 Products Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Omega 3 Products Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Omega 31.2.4 Omega-D31.2.5 Omega 3-6-91.3 Global Omega 3 Products Segment by Application1.3.1 Omega 3 Products Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Athletes and Lifters1.3.3 Ordinary People1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Omega 3 Products Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Omega 3 Products Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Omega 3 Products (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Omega 3 Products Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025).7 Global Omega 3 Products Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Epax7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Epax Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Aker BioMarine7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Aker BioMarine Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Innovix Pharma7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Innovix Pharma Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Crode7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Crode Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 DSM7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 DSM Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Nordic Naturals7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Luhua Biomarine7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Luhua Biomarine Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Marine Ingredients7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 Marine Ingredients Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Cargill7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Cargill Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 Pharmavite7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Omega 3 Products Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Pharmavite Omega 3 Products Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.10.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued.Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Sales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems Sales Market Report 2018

Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems Sales Market Report 2018

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The Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems Sales Market Report 2018 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Water Quality Monitoring Systems industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Water Quality Monitoring Systems Industry analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Water Quality Monitoring Systems industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.In this report, the global Water Quality Monitoring Systems market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Water Quality Monitoring Systems for these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), covering United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and India (we can add the regions/countries as you want).Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Water Quality Monitoring Systems sales volume, Price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingHACHSERESWTWYSIThermoSCANLovibondKUNTZEShimadzuGE WaterHoribaEmerson ProcessRS HydroSwan EnvironmentalOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBased on PCIBased on GPRSOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingWater MonitoringEnvironmental MonitorMunicipal Water MonitoringGet a complete report sample:Table of contents:Charpter 1 - Water Quality Monitoring Systems Market OverviewCharpter 2 - Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and ApplicationCharpter 3 - United States Water Quality Monitoring Systems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 4 - China Water Quality Monitoring Systems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 5- Europe Water Quality Monitoring Systems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 6 - Japan Water Quality Monitoring Systems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 7 - Southeast Asia Water Quality Monitoring Systems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 8 - India Water Quality Monitoring Systems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 9 - Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataCharpter 10 - Water Quality Monitoring Systems Maufacturing Cost AnalysisCharpter 11 - Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersCharpter 12 - Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersCharpter 13 - Market Effect Factors AnalysisCharpter 14 - Global Water Quality Monitoring Systems Market Forecast (2018-2022)Charpter 15 - Research Findings and ConclusionCharpter 16 - AppendixIf you are interested in our report or have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersTel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Email: sales@qyresearcheurope.com or tinaning@qyresearch.comWeb:QYResearch, established in 2007, focuses on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, and data base &seminar services. The company owns large basic databases (such as National Bureau of Statistics Database, Customs Import and Export Database, Industry Association Database, etc.), expert resources (including industry experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D in industries of energy, automotive, chemicals, medical ICT consumer goods, etc.), professional survey team (the team members obtained more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years deep expert interview experience), and excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).Room 2901 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road
Automatic Gate and Door Opening System Market 2018 Global Leaders: CAME, Aleko Products, King Gates, Katres Automation, Proteco, Newturn Automation, Life Home Integration, ABA Automatic Gates & Doors, Beninca Group

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Market Research Future published a research report on Automatic Gate and Door Opening System Market Research Report - Global Forecast 2023  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Market Scenario:Major factor driving the growth of automatic gate and door opening system market is the increasing need for automation in the residential and industrial sectors. Majorly, these systems are implemented where the frequency of closing and opening of a door is higher. Growing urbanization and increasing developments in the infrastructure are other factors driving the growth of automatic gate and door opening system market.North America region holds the largest market share of global automatic gate and door opening system market followed by Europe and Asia Pacific regions. The growth is North America region is mainly dominated by U.S. and is attributed to the increasing demand for industrial and residential automation in the region. The region also has a well-established infrastructure which allows implementation of advanced technologies. Improved style of living in the region is another factor driving the growth of automatic gate and door opening system. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period owing to increasing need for automation.Get Sample of Report @Automatic gate and door opening system market has been segmented on the basis of access control system, gate type, power source and end user. The access control segment is further bifurcated into keypad system, remote control system, face identification and camera system, fingerprint identification system, iris scan system, telephone access system, proximity sensor system and card tag system. Out of which, the proximity sensor system has the maximum number of applications in the commercial sector like in shopping malls and corporate offices where the opening and closing of door frequency is high.Automatic gate and door opening system is basically implemented to reduce human effort. These systems comprises of proximity sensors which can sense the nearby objects and open the gate or door so that no human is required to do that job.The global automatic gate and door opening system market is expected to grow at approx. USD 18 Billion by 2023, at 7% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Key Players:The prominent players in Automatic Gate And Door Opening System Market are  CAME UK (U.K.), RIB S.R.L. (Italy), Aleko Products (U.S.), King Gates S.R.L. (Italy), Katres Automation (India), Proteco S.R.L. (Italy), Newturn Automation Pvt. Ltd. (India), Life Home Integration (Italy), ABA Automatic Gates & Doors (Australia), Beninca Group (U.K.) among others.Segments:Automatic gate and door opening system market can be segmented on the basis of following:By Access Control System Keypad System Remote Control System Face Identification Camera System Fingerprint Identification System Iris Scan System Telephone Access System Proximity Sensor System Card Tag SystemBy Gate Type Swinging Gates Sliding Gates Shutter System Boom Barriers BollardsBy Power Source Primary Power Source Secondary Power SourceBy End Users Residential Transportation Hubs Military Industrial CommercialRegional Analysis:The regional analysis of automatic gate and door opening system market is being studied for regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. It has been observed that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market, whereas Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The major growth in automatic gate and door opening system market in North America is attributed to technical advancements and increasing use demand for automation in that region.Get Complete Report @Intended Audience Technology Investors Research/Consultancy Firms Infrastructure Providers Raw Material Suppliers Components Providers System Integrators Middleware and Firmware Providers Suppliers and Distributors Smart Home/City Service Providers Government and Other Regulatory BodiesAbout Us: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.Media Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Automotive Starter And Alternator Market Opportunities and Forecast Assessment, 2017-2027

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Modern day automobiles widely use starters and alternators. These are generally used in diesel and gasoline engines. The rising investments on R&D by key players in the market coupled with acquisitions and mergers is expected to make the global automotive starter and alternator market flourish in near future. The manufacturers of automotive starters and alternators are expanding their businesses to emerging economies like China, India, Russia, etc. as these countries are focused on development of automotive sectors in order to serve the rising demand across the globe.Electric starters are expected to dominate the segment during the forecast period. The different types of electric starters used in automotive sector are gear reduction, inertia starter, folo-thru drive and moveable pole shoe. Based on alternator type, the claw pole alternators are projected to witness significant growth in near future.Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: DriversOne of the major factors driving the growth of the global automotive starter and alternator market is increase in production of vehicles across the globe. According to OICA, the total vehicle production increased by around 1% in 2015. Moreover, increasing adoption of electric vehicles due to environment concerns such as rising air pollution, is further expected to escalate the demand for automotive starter and alternator market during the forecast period. Additionally, increasing preference for light weight and fuel efficient vehicles is further projected to escalate the demand for automotive starters and alternators in near future.Request Report Sample@Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: RestraintsThe increasing production of hybrid vehicles is anticipated to hamper the growth of the global automotive starter and alternator market. The hybrid vehicles use one or more motors which ignite with the help of internal combustion engine. Due to this reason, these vehicles have eliminated the use of automotive starters and alternators which, in turn, is expected to restrict their demand in near future.Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: SegmentationThe global automotive starter and alternator market can be segmented on the basis of starter type, alternator type and vehicle type. On the basis of starter type, the market can be segmented into electric, hydraulic and pneumatic. On the basis of alternators, the market can be further segmented into claw pole alternator and cylindrical alternator. On the basis of vehicles, the global starter and alternator market can be further segmented into light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles and passenger cars.Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: Region wise OutlookBased on regions, Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the automotive starter and alternator market over the forecast period. Asia Pacific, led by emerging economies like China and India, is projected to be the dominant region during the forecast period due to the presence of continuously increasing automobile manufacturing companies in this region. North America, led by U.S. is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The increasing demand for starters and alternators in North America, owing to rising production of vehicles, coupled with continuous investment in this market is expected to fuel the demand for automotive starters and alternators in near future. The automotive starter and alternator market in Middle East & Africa and Latin America is anticipated to witness steady growth due to sluggish demand in this region. However, increasing demand for vehicles is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for automotive starters and alternators in near future.Visit For TOC@Automotive Starter and Alternator Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the market participants identified in the global automotive starter and alternator market are mentioned below:Valeo SADenso CorporationRobert Bosch GmbHNingbo zhongwang auto fittings Co.,LTDHitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Mitsubishi Electric CorporationASIMCO Technologies LtdHella KGaA Hueck & Co.BBB IndustriesUnipoint Electric MFG Co., Ltd.Remy International, Inc.Lucas Electrical LimitedMitsuba CorporationAbout Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Rapid Advancements will boost Invisible Tapes Market Size Further 2017-2027

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The invisible tapes are the most important adhesive solution for the variety of applications such as adhering papers together when faxing or photocopying, wrapping gifts, packaging, etc. The invisible tape disappears and blends into the applied surface. This invisible feature helps to maintain the visibility and proper presentation of the items which are fixed together using the invisible tape. The tape is ideal for workspace or home use for general purpose bonding and sealing tasks. However, the tap also comes for industrial applications with added strength. Some invisible tapes also have a writable surface to add any notes as well.Some other features of the invisible tapes include easy tear, no-noise unwinding, UV resistance, etc. The invisible tapes are commonly made up of the permanent acrylic water-based adhesive and a clear polyurethane film. This combination is ideal for providing the long-term protection against any damage. The invisible tapes are typically used for domestic applications including stationary and office works. The tapes come in the variety of shape and sizes to cater to the demands of different end-use industries.Invisible Tapes: Market Dynamics: The main driving factor for the invisible tapes market is the use of cheap and efficient adhesive solution for the general purpose applications in the domestic and industrial applications. The demand for invisible tapes is increasing but at a slow rate due to well-established market base in the developed countries. The companies are focusing on to add some attractive features in their products to increase the demand and interest for their products. The consumer perception is also changing as they want high quality product with attractive features at lower costs.This factor is driving the competition in the market and compel manufacturers to continuously invest in research and development activities and sell their products at competitive prices. The main restraint for the invisible tapes market is the preference of another type of products for adhesion applications by some customers. There are lot of opportunities for the new entrants in the developing market. However, in the developed regions such as Europe and North America, few vendors are dictating as they have gained consumers attention since a couple of years.Request Report Sample@Invisible Tapes: Market Segmentation: Invisible Tapes Market Segmentation By film material  BOPP,PP,PE,Others; By finish type  Clear Finish,Matte Finish;By tape length  Less than 20 meters,20-30 meters,30-40 meters,More than 40 meters;By application type  Stationary,Industrial Packaging,OthersInvisible Tapes Market: Regional outlook: Geographically, the global invisible tapes market is segmented into seven regions, namely Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the Middle-East and Africa (MEA). The European region and the Asia Pacific region dominates the invisible tapes market. The majority of the manufacturers are based in China due to easy availability of the raw materials used for the production of invisible tapes. There are lot of opportunities for the new entrants in the Indian and Brazilian market as these types of tapes are imported in large number to meet the demand of the local market. The North America region followed by Latin America also offer untapped growth potential in the Invisible tapes market. The invisible tapes market in the MEA region is also increasing due to the large number of imports from European and Chinese manufacturers to cater the growing demand of domestic market.Request For Table Of Content @Invisible Tapes Market: Key players: Some of the key players in the global invisible tapes market are 3M Company, Sicad Group, ADH Tape, S-Chem International (S) Pte Ltd., UHU GmbH & Co KG, New Zealand Tape Specialists Ltd., ShurTech Brands, LLC, Tesa SE, Lyreco, Inc., Bolex(Shenzhen) Adhesive Products Co. Ltd., Mexim Adhesive Tapes Pvt. Ltd., Zhejiang Hengyang Adhesive Products Co., Ltd., Staples, Inc., Guangzhou Wang Cheong Adhesive Product Factory, Dongguan Thripak Co., Ltd., Bostik Limited.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.Future Market InsightsValley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Food & Grocery Retailing in Hungary Key Players - Real Elelmiszer, Auchan, Penny, and Aldi Market Analysis & Forecast 2018 to 2021

Food & Grocery Retailing in Hungary

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Food & Grocery Retailing in HungaryOverview"Food & Grocery Retailing in Hungary, Market Shares, Summary & Forecasts to 2021", provides data for historic and forecast retail sales, and also includes information on the business environment and country risk related to Hungary retail environment. In addition, it analyzes the key consumer trends influencing Hungary food and grocery retail industry.The recovery of economic growth, increase in wages, and increasing awareness of healthy eating habits will drive sector sales over the forecast period. However, economic uncertainty over the past few years has made Hungarians shift their preference to private label brands that offer better value, and this trend will continue during the 2016 -2021 period.Click here for sample report @Companies mentionedReal ElelmiszerAuchanPennyAldiReal PONTFood & Grocery Retailing in Hungary Major Outlook- A host of favourable factors drive retail sales growth- Sector sales to register steady growth over the forecast period- International players have a dominant presence- Hypermarkets, supermarkets and hard discounters lose share- Top 3 retailers accounted for a share of 39.6% in 2016- Tesco is leading the market with a market in 2016Food & Grocery Retailing in Hungary - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in Food & Grocery Retailing in Hungary. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sectorScope- Investigate current and forecast behavior trends in food and grocery category to identify the best opportunities to exploit- Analysis of key international and domestic players operating in the food and grocery market- Explore novel opportunities that will allow you to align your product offerings and strategies to meet demand by analyzing the vital economic and population trends, key consumer and technology trends influencing the food and grocery market- Analyze the recommended actions to align your marketing strategies with the crucial trends influencing consumer behavior- Understand the fastest-growing categories in the market with insights on the performance of individual product categories, across key channels from 2011, with forecasts until 2021- Analysis of key international and domestic players operating in Slovak Republic retail market - including store counts and revenues that give you a competitive edge and identify opportunities to improve your market share..ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Flat Rack Containers Market Intelligence Report Offers Growth Prospects

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Flat rack containers are used for transportation of heavy goods. These flat rack containers are especially designed for the carriage of heavy and large products such as boats, machinery, lumber and other such heavy products. These containers are suitable for heavy loads and cargo which needs loading from side or top. These containers can be transported through roadways, railways and waterways. These are specialized containers which are collapsible as well as non-collapsible containers. They either come with or without walls. Generally, steel is used in the formation of flat rack containers. These flat rack containers are used for goods which require easy loading and unloading. They are available in sizes such as 20 feet and 40 feet.The flat rack containers are useful for manufacturers and exporters who need to ship heavy goods. The goods which are generally used for transit are heavy items such as machinery, lumber, boats, automobiles and other such products. These factors are expected to drive the market over the forecast period. Growing inter-oceanic trade among countries is expected to fuel the growth of the global flat rack containers market over the next decade. These flat rack containers are largely used in industries such as machine manufacturers, automobile industries and others. These flat rack containers have payload capacity of about 30,000-31,000 kg and cubic capacity of 32.7 m3. It is easy to stack flat rack containers on trucks, trains and cargo ships. These factor is expected to drive global flat rack containers market by the end of forecast period. General material used for the manufacturing of flat rack containers is steel.Request For Report Sample:Global flat rack containers market is segmented as follows:, On the basis of container type, the global flat rack containers market has been segmented as:, Collapsible containers, Non-collapsible containers, On the basis of support, the global flat rack containers market has been segmented as:, With walls, Without walls, On the basis of size, the global flat rack containers market has been segmented as:, 20 feet containers, 40 feet containers, On the basis of end use industry, the global flat rack containers market has been segmented as:, Machinery industry, Heavy goods Industry, Others, Based on regions, the global flat rack containers market is divided into seven regions namely:, North America, Western Europe, Asia-pacific except Japan, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle-east and AfricaJapanThe global outlook in the flat rack containers market is positive towards growth prospects. The APEJ region is expected to drive the global flat rack containers market over the forecast period due to growing industrial and manufacturing activities. China is a prime exporter in the world and is likely to boost the overall growth in the global flat rack containers market over the next decade. The North America and Western Europe regions are expected to witness high growth due to well established market and growing intercontinental trade. It gives rise to the growth of global flat rack containers market over the forecast period. Growing cargo and shipping industries in the Latin America region is expected to witness positive growth in the global flat rack containers market. The Eastern Europe region is expected to witness average growth over the next decade due to confined market in the region.Request For Table Of Content @Few of the key players in the global flat rack containers market are Seaco (A division of HNA Group Co. Ltd.), Container Ltd., Hoover Ferguson Group, Inc., Qingdao Pacific Container Co., Ltd., Bootle Containers Ltd., Cleveland Containers, BSL Containers Ltd. and TLS Offshore Containers International among others.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.Future Market InsightsValley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Mobile & Tablet Retailing Industry Market Expected To Boost During 2017 To 2022

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SummaryExpenditure via the mobile channel is set to grow by 112.0%, overtaking the tablet market over the next five years, and accounting for 23.8% of all online expenditure by 2022. The growing investment in mobile developments along with the increasing use of social media and familiarity with mobile payments will aid mobile expenditure growth.Tablet spend is increasing at a slower rate as consumers are choosing to spend more time browsing and buying on their mobiles. Electricals is the only sector where tablet sales are forecast to outperform mobile sales by 2022.Retailers must have a mobile first strategy and focus on the personalisation of content and products, offering an easy and simple checkout process as well as a variety of delivery and collection options to appeal shoppers' need for convenience.Click here for sample report @Scope of the Report- Food & grocery will see the highest growth on mobile over the next five years, with greater usage, improved websites and apps as well as consumer confidence driving purchases through this channel.- Clothing & footwear, the biggest part of the mobile market, will continue to be the largest driver of mobile spend to 2022. Pureplays such as boohoo.com and ASOS, which target the younger consumer who is more willing to purchase on a mobile device, will boost spend on mobile.- There is an opportunity for home sectors, where retailers have been slower to react to mobile developments, to capitalise on the growth coming from mobile by targeting shoppers who have abandoned purchases or advertising must-have products via social media channels.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe hot issuesWhat people buyWhere people shopHow people shopMethodology.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Portable Medical Equipments Sales Market Report 2018

Global Portable Medical Equipments Sales Market Report 2018

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The Global Portable Medical Equipments Sales Market Report 2018 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Portable Medical Equipments industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Portable Medical Equipments Industry analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Portable Medical Equipments industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.In this report, the global Portable Medical Equipments market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Portable Medical Equipments for these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), covering United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia and India (we can add the regions/countries as you want).Global Portable Medical Equipments market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Portable Medical Equipments sales volume, Price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingAbbott laboratoriesGE HealthcareSonovaAnimasPhilips HealthcareMedronicMinXrayBriggs HealthcareSiemens HealthcareTandem Diabetes CareGuangdong Biolight MeditechGN Store NordContec Medical SystemsCarestream HealthStarkey Hearing TechnologiesOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPortable Medical Imaging DevicesPortable Patient Monitoring DevicesHearing AidsInsulin PumpsOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingHospitalsClinicsHouseholdOtherGet a complete report sample:Table of contents:Charpter 1 - Portable Medical Equipments Market OverviewCharpter 2 - Global Portable Medical Equipments Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and ApplicationCharpter 3 - United States Portable Medical Equipments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 4 - China Portable Medical Equipments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 5- Europe Portable Medical Equipments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 6 - Japan Portable Medical Equipments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 7 - Southeast Asia Portable Medical Equipments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 8 - India Portable Medical Equipments (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Charpter 9 - Global Portable Medical Equipments Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataCharpter 10 - Portable Medical Equipments Maufacturing Cost AnalysisCharpter 11 - Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersCharpter 12 - Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersCharpter 13 - Market Effect Factors AnalysisCharpter 14 - Global Portable Medical Equipments Market Forecast (2018-2022)Charpter 15 - Research Findings and ConclusionCharpter 16 - AppendixIf you are interested in our report or have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersTel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Email: sales@qyresearcheurope.com or tinaning@qyresearch.comWeb:QYResearch, established in 2007, focuses on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, and data base &seminar services. The company owns large basic databases (such as National Bureau of Statistics Database, Customs Import and Export Database, Industry Association Database, etc.), expert resources (including industry experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D in industries of energy, automotive, chemicals, medical ICT consumer goods, etc.), professional survey team (the team members obtained more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years deep expert interview experience), and excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).Room 2901 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road
Analysis of Life Sciences BPO Market in Global Industry : Market Development and Overview 2018-2023

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Albany, NY, 29th March : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Life Sciences BPO Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023" globally.The life sciences BPO market comprises services offered by CMOs (Contract Manufacturing Organizations) and CROs (Contract Research Organizations) to the biotech pharmaceutical companies.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @A rise in demand for low cost drugs, patent expirations and uncertain economic conditions have compelled the pharmaceutical players to take support of various outsourcing services. This support has facilitated pharma players to streamline their value chain and focus more on its core strategies.Each of the segments has been analyzed in detail for market trends, recent developments, outlook, and opportunities. The market overview section of the report explores market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have strong impact on the global life sciences BPO market and could influence the market in the future as well. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in the market overview section in order to explain the intensity of competition between leading market players operating across the globe. Porters five forces analysis is also explained in this section to understand the market considering different parameters that have an impact on the sustainability of the companies operating in the market. Additionally, a detailed value chain analysis for different components of the CRO and CMO have been covered to provide a comprehensive view of the industry. The report also mentioned about leading players for each of the sub-segments such as clinical trial, API manufacturing, vaccines, injectable among others.All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their respective market shares. The recommendations section included in the report would assist existing market players in targeting all major stake holders of this industry such as companies, payers, providers, patients, government agencies and also to those aiming to seek an entry. The report also profiles major players in the global life sciences BPO market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments.View Complete TOC with tables & Figures @Key players in the life sciences BPO market include: Accenture plc, Anthelio Healthcare Solutions, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Catalent, Inc., Cognizant Technology Solutions, Covance, Inc. Genpact Limited, ICON plc, Infosys Limited, International Business Machines Corporation, Lonza Group, PAREXEL International Corporation, Quintiles Transnational Corporation, and Wipro Limited.The Global Life Sciences BPO market has been segmented as follows:Global Life Sciences BPO Market, by ServicesPharmaceutical outsourcingContract Research OrganizationsDrug DiscoveryPreclinical StudiesClinical TrialsMedical WritingPharmacovigilanceClinical Data ManagementRegulatory ServicesClinical MonitoringBiostatisticsProtocol DevelopmentSite ManagementContract Manufacturing OrganizationsActive Pharmaceutical IngredientsFinished Dose Form ManufacturingPackagingContract Sales and Marketing OrganizationsOthers (Payers and Providers)Browse Report @Global Life Sciences BPO Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaEuropeUnited KingdomGermanyRest of the EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaRest of the WorldLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaResearchMoz 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.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on :
Aptiv, Continental, Hella, Valeo, and ZF TRW To Dominate Automotive Keyless Entry System Market by 2023 | Arizton

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Exponential demand for advanced features in connected vehicles such as telematics, keyless entry systems, digital clusters, and high-end infotainment systems will transform the automotive keyless entry system market. The adoption advanced automotive electronics solutions will create lucrative opportunities for leading vendors in the industry. The focus on automotive safety systems such as anti-theft alarms, GPS tracking devices, keyless entry system, and central-locking systems will propel the adoption of automotive keyless entry system in the global market. The automotive keyless entry system market is projected to grow at CAGR of more than 7% by 2018-2023.View Report: Automotive Keyless Entry System Market  Global Outlook and Forecast 2018-2023The leading five vendors to occupy the largest automotive keyless entry system market share are:1. AptivAPtiv is the leading provider of on-glass products including keyless entry, tire pressure monitoring, power terminals, antenna assemblies, and other custom connector assemblies for automotive electronics. The company is focusing on optimizing the manufacturing output and capitalizing on the growth opportunities in the fast-growing automotive markets, especially in China and India. The development of electric and hybrid automobiles by Aptiv will propel the growth of the automotive keyless entry system market.Key news: Aptiv is developing innovative products through collaboration with customers in its 14 major technical centers worldwide. The company believes in collaborative development, hence, works closely with OEMs in developing new products in the automotive keyless entry system market.Read: Top Segments in the Automotive Keyless Entry System Market2. ContinentalContinental offers a varied range of vehicle access control components such as start/stop systems, immobilizers, remote and passive keyless entry systems, and bi-directional keys. The company is focusing on exploring means to integrate other vehicle functions such as tire pressure monitoring systems, and infotainment systems with vehicle access control components in the automotive keyless entry system market. Continental is developing technology to help the cars communicate with each other and steer its way through the traffic with the help of new generation of intelligent networked systems.Key news: Continental recently, partnered with IBM to develop autonomous driving systems for cars. The company aims to make use of IBMs experience in cloud-based platforms and embedded systems development along with its system expertise in automotive electronics in the automotive keyless entry system market.Read: Emerging Trends in the Automotive Keyless Entry System Market3. HellaHella operates majorly via three business units, among which automotive business unit is divided into automotive lighting and automotive electronics divisions. The automotive division offers keyless entry system under its body control product line. Apart from the OEM market, the company offers aftermarket services in the global automotive keyless entry system market. The company also offers work lights, front lights, headlights, taillights, beacons, and interior lights with halogen, xenon, and LED technology for the lighting system in the global automotive keyless entry system market.Key news: In FY2016-2017, Hella generated revenue worth around $8 billion. The business activities of the Hella are divided into four segments such as automotive lighting, automotive electronics, aftermarket, and special applications.4. ValeoValeo is active in automotive electronics and one of the key products in this segment include its range of keyless entry systems which is a part of its interior electronics business division. The company offers both remote and advanced passive keyless entry systems with emphasis on connectivity and IoT. The company introduced InBlue brand which offers latest products in the automotive keyless entry system market and is expecting to be ahead of the curve in combining connectivity, IoT, and keyless entry systems into a single solution.Key news: Valeo entered into a joint venture with Siemens in 2016 to form a new venture named Valeo Siemens eAutomotive, dedicated to high voltage powertrains. The company will focus on strong growing automotive electrification in the automotive keyless entry system market.5. ZF TRW AutomotiveZF TRW has a strong product portfolio in the automotive keyless entry system market for OEMs and the aftermarket. The companys RKE system consists of a key fob, an ECU, and an in-key transmitter. The company integrated its traditional RKE system with a tire pressure monitoring function. It claims this system to have reduced the space required and reduced system weight and wiring complexity which in return has reduced the material and assembly cost, making it one of the most competitively priced in the market.Key news: ZF TRW has a strong presence in the North American market supplying its keyless entry solutions to the major US-based OEMs such as GM, RAM Trucks, and Kenworth, among others. Its future strategy is to increase its presence in growing automotive keyless entry system market such as Asia.Other prominent players in the market are Advanced Keys, Alps Electric, Bosch, Calsonic Kansei, Denso, Directed Electronics, Hyundai Mobis, Lear Corporation, Marquardt, Microchip Corporation (Atmel), Mitsubishi Electric, OMRON Automotive Electronics, Panasonic, Tokai Rika, and Voxx International.Order a report now:About Arizton Advisory & IntelligenceArizton  Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.Arizton has gained a paramount standpoint in the market research arena as it offers top of the line solutions to clients to assess market landscape and to finalize foolproof business strategies. We are committed to provide inclusive market research reports and consulting services to clients from diversified industries including Consumer Goods & Retail Technology, Automotive and Mobility, Smart Tech, Healthcare and Lifesciences, Industrial Machinery, Chemicals and Materials, IT and Media, Logistics and PackagingArizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.Arizton Advisory & IntelligenceChicago, Illinois, 60605Mail: enquiry@arizton.comCall: +1-312-465-7864
Hybrid SUVs Market is Becoming More Wide Spread: Know the Drivers- BMW, Porsche, Volvo, Audi, Toyota

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Hybrid SUVs Market Research Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.The global market for Hybrid SUVs has been witnessing a transitional phase. With a highlight on these changes, this research study presents an in-depth analysis of the worldwide Hybrid SUVs market during the period from 2018 to 2025.The market report provides a comprehensive picture of the latest and upcoming trends in the global Hybrid SUVs market, underlining the major market practices and the key rules and regulations associated with various types of market products available across the world.In this research study, the global market for Hybrid SUVs has been analyzed by taking significant market factors into consideration. It further makes future predictions for this market, using significant statistical information. The availability of products, production volume, pricing structure, and the revenue generated in the market are the key factors, based on which the report determines the performance of the worldwide Hybrid SUVs market. The production chain and the sales dynamics have also been evaluated in this research report.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report:With the help of a number of tables and figures, the report makes a valuable source of guidance for market participants. It also includes the general overview of the global market for Hybrid SUVs, such as the definition, products, application, end users, and the market chain structure.The competitive landscape prevalent in the global Hybrid SUVs market has also been evaluated by performing SWOT analysis on the key market participants. It further discusses the industry chain and the government norms and policies, boosting the demand for Hybrid SUVs across the world at length.The main objective of this study is to deliver a clear picture of the global market for Hybrid SUVs to market participants, stakeholders, and consultants, assisting them in creating appropriate strategies to gain a competitive edge over their peers.Table of ContentsGlobal Hybrid SUVs Market Research Report 20181 Hybrid SUVs Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hybrid SUVs1.2 Hybrid SUVs Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Hybrid SUVs Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Hybrid SUVs Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 All Hybrid SUVs1.2.4 Plug-in Hybrid SUVs1.3 Global Hybrid SUVs Segment by Application1.3.1 Hybrid SUVs Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 OEM Market1.3.3 Automobile After Market2 Global Hybrid SUVs Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Hybrid SUVs Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Hybrid SUVs Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Hybrid SUVs Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Hybrid SUVs Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Hybrid SUVs Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)3 Global Hybrid SUVs Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)4 Global Hybrid SUVs Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)5 Global Hybrid SUVs Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Hybrid SUVs Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global Hybrid SUVs Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.3 Global Hybrid SUVs Price by Type (2013-2018)5.4 Global Hybrid SUVs Production Growth by Type (2013-2018)6 Global Hybrid SUVs Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Hybrid SUVs Consumption and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)6.2 Global Hybrid SUVs Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2013-2018)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesRead Complete Table of Content @List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Hybrid SUVsFigure Global Hybrid SUVs Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2013-2025)Figure Global Hybrid SUVs Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2017Figure Product Picture of All Hybrid SUVsTable Major Manufacturers of All Hybrid SUVsFigure Product Picture of Plug-in Hybrid SUVsTable Major Manufacturers of Plug-in Hybrid SUVsFigure Global Hybrid SUVs Consumption (K Units) by Applications (2013-2025)Get discount copy @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. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Wheel Loaders Market to be at Forefront by 2024

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Loader is a type of wheeled tractor mounted with square bucket on the front, rear or sometimes at both the ends. The buckets attached are used to scoop up lose material from the ground which may include dirt, sand or gravel. Wheel loaders are primarily used to transfer stockpiled materials from one place to another. They are also used to load materials into truck, clearing rubble, placing pipes, digging and other such activities. The front load bucket capacity is much greater than the backhoe loader bucket, as the backhoe loader bucket is majorly used as a digging equipment.The backhoe digging equipment can dig deeper than the machines wheel level. Front loaders are also used to remove snow from parking areas, sidewalks and other areas in snow-prone regions. Unlike bulldozers, wheeled loaders are flexible enough to travel across any part of the roads or construction sites. Wheel loaders steering mechanism is maneuvered by articulate steering system which is hydraulically actuated. This system allows better control over the machine even under greater weight holding operations.Major areas deploying wheel loaders comprise of construction zones, mining vicinities, defense lands and others. Rising urbanization and industrialization has greatly supported the construction activities to grow in the last couple of decades. This has raised the adoption of wheel loaders largely in the construction sector. Deployment of armored wheel loaders in military and defense areas has proved greatly proficient as a part of combat engineering missions under hostile territories.Request for Table of Contents @The armored wheel loaders are also used for building bridges and bases, removing road blocks, and other allied activities. This has posed a positive impact on wheel loaders market. Moreover, there are certain activities which cant be carried out by large bulldozers due to their size, such tasks are easily carried out by wheel loaders owing to their flexibility. The Asia pacific and European regions have proven to be the major contributors of heavy duty machineries market. Thus, the market size for wheel loaders in this regions is significantly large.Wheel Loaders Market can be segmented on the basis of type as follows:Armored Wheel LoadersTractor Front LoadersCompact Front End LoadersSkid Loaders & Track LoadersThe global wheel loaders market can be segmented on the basis of types of wheel loader, net operating power, types of bucket, end-use application, and geography. The segmentation on the basis of types include front loader, backhoe loader, compact loader and armored wheel loader. On the basis of net operating power, the wheel loader market is segmented into 20  40 hp, 40  80 hp, 80  120 hp, 120  160 hp, and 160 hp and above.The segmentation on the basis of types of bucket equipped in the wheel loaders comprise of wedge bottom bucket, flat bottom bucket, backhoe bucket, demolition bucket, excavating buckets and others. The end-use areas deploying wheel loaders include stone quarries, mining zones, construction sites, military & defense, and public sectors. The global wheel loaders market on the basis of geography includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Some of the key players in the global wheel loader market includes Caterpillar Inc., Hitachi Ltd., Deere & Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Limited, Komatsu Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Limited, and New Holland Construction.ABOUT US: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 Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Cloud Security Market 2018 by Global Leaders: Cisco Systems, IBM, Symantec, Trend Micro, CA Technologies, Microsoft, Okta, Cloud Passage Company, Fortinet

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Market Research Future published a research report on Global Cloud Security Market Research Report- Forecast to 2022  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Market Scenario:Cloud security is the security of organizational data which is saved on cloud from cyber threats. The cloud security helps in maintaining the confidential data and also facilitates prevention of unauthorized access to employees and other external stakeholders. The companies are having their millions and trillions of data which needs to be saved for the analysis of their customers and the market. The protection of this data which is saved on the cloud can be effectively done by using the cloud security.The major driver for the growth of this market is growing cyber-attacks on the cloud. The growth in usage of cloud services for data storage of the confidential and private data of an organization and the rise in employee mobility are also expected to drive the Global Cloud Security Market. The other factor contributing to the growth of this market are the emerging trend of bring your own device to the office premises. The growth of online market will also drive the growth of the Global Cloud Security Market. The IT & telecom sector is contributing the highest to the growth of cloud security market. The IT businesses are adopting the cloud services for transferring huge amount of data. There is rapid adoption of internet on smartphones which access data on cloud. To secure this data which is transferred by the IT and telecom sector, there is increased need of cloud security. This contributes to the growth of cloud security market.Get Sample of Report @The Global Cloud Security Market is expected to grow from USD ~5 Billion in 2016 to USD ~ 13 billion by 2022, at an estimated CAGR of ~17%. The lack of awareness about cloud security among the small and medium organizations and fear in the organizations of losing their data confidentiality are among some factors restraining the market growth.Key PlayersThe prominent players in the market of Cloud security market are  Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Symantec Corporation (U.S.), Trend Micro Inc. (Japan), CA Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Okta, Inc. (U.S.), Cloud Passage Company (U.S.), Intel Corporation(U.S.) and Fortinet, Inc. (U.S.) among others.Segments:The Global Cloud Security Market has been segmented on the basis of deployment, types, end users and application. The deployment can be segmented as public, private and hybrid among others. Types include virtualization security, network security, cloud database security, e-mail & web security and data loss prevention among others. Industry includes small and medium enterprises and large enterprises among others. End users comprises of retail, healthcare, IT & telecom, BFSI and government utility among others.Regional AnalysisRegionally, North America is expected to dominate the cloud security market with the existence of large organizations that possess very huge database. The need of safety & security solutions to secure the huge existing database of the organizations is contributing to the growth of cloud security market in the region. The European region has highly developed network infrastructure. The growing healthcare industry in the region is demanding for security over cloud technology thereby driving the cloud security market. The Asia pacific region is promoting the concept of bring your own device to the company premises which is increasing the threat of cyber-attacks for data on-cloud., To save the corporate data from unauthorized access and treats of cyber-attacks more and more companies are establishing the cloud security systems.Study Objectives of Global Cloud Security Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Cloud Security Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Global Cloud Security Market based 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 deployment, types, end users and application To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Smartphone screen protector market.Get complete Report @Intended Audience Government agencies Cloud service providers Third party vendors System integrators Cloud facilitators End usersAbout Us: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.Media Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Increasing geriatric population and rise in surgical procedures offers a promising market opportunity for rehabilitation products market

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Scientific advancements have led to the increase in life expectancy among the global population, thereby increasing the geriatric population base. This will propel the overall rehabilitation products market size. Geriatric patients usually develop such chronic medical conditions that need rehabilitation products for maintaining the health and well-being of their lives. Moreover, growing number of surgeries around the world along with rise in healthcare spends are likely to encourage the overall rehabilitation products. As stated by the National Center for Health Statistics, around 48 million surgical inpatient procedures were conducted in the U.S. alone, in 2009. Rehabilitation products are very essential for faster recovery as well as maintaining a proper health post-surgical procedure. This will give a positive push towards the overall growth of the market.To understand Research Methodology, please click:Some of the other drivers of the global rehabilitation products market are increasing disposable income leading to access to better healthcare and growing infrastructure in the healthcare industry, especially in highly populous emerging economies such as India and China. The general development pattern of the rehabilitation products industry is likely to be highly optimistic. This is applicable primarily to the developed economies, where the availability of modern medicines and advanced healthcare facilities are better when compared to developing countries. However, growth in healthcare facilities has been able to create a much wider patient base in the developing economies that can access and afford medical rehabilitation services. Therefore, the rehabilitation products market in the developing regions is expected to grow at a significant pace over the forecast period.The rehabilitation products market is highly fragmented in nature. Many companies are investing heavily in their research and development activities to come up with different forms of rehabilitation products. Companies operating in the rehabilitation products industry in the current scenario are St Joseph's Care Group, Niva Medical Co., Physiotherapy Associates, La Nostra Famiglia, MHL Clinics, AliMed, US Physical Therapy, Select Medical, and RehabCare.Arthritis and drug abuse are some of the major area where rehabilitation products are used extensively. According to the projections by the CDC, an estimated 78 million people in the U.S. are going to be affected by some form of arthritis by the year 2040. According to the survey conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSAs) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, around 23.5 million people aged 12 or older needed management of abuse problems in 2009. Among these 23.5 million, only 2.6 million received treatment at a rehabilitation facility. Government initiatives for increasing the treatment facilities would trigger a positive growth momentum to the rehabilitation products market in this region. Moreover, increasing awareness about treatment and success of using rehabilitation products will fuel growth of the market.Rehabilitation Products Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product type, the global market is classified into:Wheel ChairsWrist supportTraction kits cervicalWalkers, rotators and sticksAdhesive bandage/skin tractionCervical supportKnee/ankle supportAbdominal supportTraction kits pelvic, skin and ankleArm/shoulder supportOthersOn the basis of end user, the global market is classified into:PhysiotherapistOrthopedistsRehab centersOccupational therapistsSpeech therapistsOthersRehabilitation involves personalized healthcare used for to maintaining, improving, or restoring health conditions. In the conventional sense, rehabilitation assists a person achieve greater control of their own health after injury, surgery, or illness. It can also be described as the method of assisting an individual to realize the highest quality of life achievable. Rehabilitation essentially does not overturn or reverse the injury or changes brought about by trauma or disease, thought helps in restoring the individuals optimal health and well-being.Have a doubt? Speak to our analyst now!The growth of rehabilitation products market is likely to increase in the near future due to the rising occurrences of chronic ailments, as the individuals suffering from these types of diseases require protracted care to regain their physical health and well-being of the body. Rehabilitation products are also extensively used for individuals suffering from disabilities such as drug abuse, amputation, and other similar health issues, which will further encourage the growth of the overall market. As per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2012, around 117 million people were suffering from one or multiple chronic diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. In 2010, seven of the top ten causes of death were chronic diseases. Since the maintenance of health in chronic diseases requires rehabilitation products, hence, the global market for rehabilitation products is poised to rise at a considerable rate over the forecast period.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Gelatin and Gelatin Derivatives Market to Record Sturdy Growth by 2020

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Gelatin and gelatin derivatives are a type of collagen obtained from skin, hides and bones of animals. The key sources of gelatin and its derivatives are bovine hide and porcine skin. Gelatin and its derivatives find its application across several industries including food and beverages, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, photography and ballstics.In food industry, gelatin is used in confectionaries including marshmallows and gummi-candies whereas in meat processing it is used as a binding and glazing agent. In the pharmaceutical industry, gelatin is used in making capsule shells, granulation, suppositories, plasma substitute for medicines, health supplements and syrups. In nutraceuticals, gelatin is used in nutritional bars and protein drinks. Cosmeceutical industry uses gelatin in shampoos, conditioners, lipsticks and fingernail formulas.Request for Table of Contents @Rising living standards is key reason for the growth of gelatin and its derivatives market globally. The growing end-user markets including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals are increasing demand for gelatin and its derivatives. Food and beverages are the largest end-user segments in the gelatin and gelatin derivatives market. Growing demand for functional food is escalating the gelatin and gelatin derivatives market. Ageing population in some countries such as Japan is another factor driving the gelatin and gelatin derivatives market due to increase in demand for gelatin coated drugs. The manufacturing of gelatin and its derivatives have to meet certain regulatory norms in each global region.However, certain factors are restraining the gelatin and its dervatives market including consumer concerns related to the safety and social aspects of dead animal body products. The outbreak of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) poses threat for the companies on account of reducing profit margins due to rising raw material prices. Europe has been the most BSE-affected region in the recent past. The increasing trend of gelatin-free encapsulation wherein the substitutes are replacing gelatin and its derivatives, are emerging as a serious concern for this market. For instance, soluble fibers are used widely in confectionaries in place of gelatin and gelatin derivatives.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Europe dominates the global gelatin and gelatin derivatives market, followed by North America. Some of the key companies in the gelatin and gelatin derivatives market include Capsugel, Catalent Pharma Solutions, Gelita AG, Gelnex and Nitta Gelatin.ABOUT US: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 Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Deployable Military Shelter Systems 2018 Global Market Key Players  Alaska Structures,Roder HTS Hocker, Reeves  Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Deployable Military Shelter Systems 2018 Global Market Key Players  Alaska Structures,Roder HTS Hocker, Reeves  Analysis and F

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Description:Deployable Military Shelter Systems-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Deployable Military Shelter Systems industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Deployable Military Shelter Systems 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Deployable Military Shelter Systems worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Deployable Military Shelter Systems marketMarket status and development trend of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Deployable Military Shelter Systems, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Deployable Military Shelter Systems market as:Global Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):Small Size Deployable Military Shelter SystemsMedium Size Deployable Military Shelter SystemsLarge Size Deployable Military Shelter SystemsGlobal Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Field Military PracticeOtherGlobal Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Deployable Military Shelter Systems Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):Alaska StructuresRoder HTS HockerReevesZeppelinHDTComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.1 Definition of Deployable Military Shelter Systems in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.2.1 Small Size Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.2.2 Medium Size Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.2.3 Large Size Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.3 Downstream Application of Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.3.1 Field Military Practice1.3.2 Other1.4 Development History of Deployable Military Shelter Systems1.5 Market Status and Trend of Deployable Military Shelter Systems 2013-20231.5.1 Global Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Deployable Military Shelter Systems 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Types3.2 Production Value of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Deployable Military Shelter Systems5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Deployable Military Shelter Systems by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Deployable Military Shelter Systems Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Deployable Military Shelter Systems Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 Alaska Structures7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Deployable Military Shelter Systems Product7.1.3 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Alaska Structures7.2 Roder HTS Hocker7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Deployable Military Shelter Systems Product7.2.3 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Roder HTS Hocker7.3 Reeves7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Deployable Military Shelter Systems Product7.3.3 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Reeves7.4 Zeppelin7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Deployable Military Shelter Systems Product7.4.3 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Zeppelin7.5 HDT7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Deployable Military Shelter Systems Product7.5.3 Deployable Military Shelter Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of HDTContinued.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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Pet Food Market to Witness Exponential Growth by 2020

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North America has largest pet food market and an impressive pet population. According to The US National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, in 2013, around 83.3 million dogs and 95.6 million cats owned by US households and this figure will increase over the forecasted period. Pet foods are mainly sold in pet stores and supermarkets. Pet foods are mainly packaged in boxes or cartons, cans, pouches, bags and others. Bags are the most commonly packaging type used for pet food in the U.S.In the U.S. quality of pet food is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Pet food market can be segmented into pet type: cat food, dog food and others. On the basis of food type pet food market can be segmented into: Nutritious food, dry food, wet or canned food and snacks or treats and others. Cat food and dog food represent the largest category of the U.S. pet food market. Dry food is the largest segment of pet food market followed by snacks or treats.Request for Table of Contents @North America continued its dominant position in the global pet food market. U.S. represents the largest market for pet food in the North America region. Increasing pet humanization, increase in pet ownership, emergence of private label store brands and growing urbanization are some of the major driving force that are propelling the growth of North America pet food market. Due to the increase in pet humanization, pet owners become more concerned about the food their pet eats.Due to the pet humanization major changes can be seen in the pet food production and packaging. Development of functional food to address specific health needs of pets. The introduction of functional pet food has also affected the packaging of the pet food. By new packaging material and shapes, pet food manufacturers tries to convey the premium nature of the product through new package design. With the result of this plastic containers and laminates are becoming more popular. Now the moist food is packaged in retort pouches or plastic trays with peelable lids instead of metal cans. The factor like this will boost the pet food market.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Some of the major companies operating in the North American pet food market include Nestle, Proctor & Gamble Co., Del Monte Foods Co and Mars Inc.ABOUT US: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 Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Sodium Reduction Ingredients Market Progresses for Huge Profits by 2020

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Sodium reduction is reduction of salt content from the food products. Sodium reduction ingredients are used for reducing salt content from the food products either by replacing the salt from the food or partially reducing the excess salt from the food products. Sodium reducing ingredients plays vital role in food additives industry. Sodium is an essential nutrient that our body requires for proper functioning. However, excess amount of sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure can lead to stokes, heart and kidney diseases. According to Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) governments people in Canada eat more than required amount of sodium, almost double than what our body requires. Average sodium requirement of the body for proper functioning is 2300 mg of sodium per day.On the bases of sodium reducing capacity global sodium reduction ingredients market can be bifurcated into amino acids, mineral salts, yeast and other. Mineral salts have the largest market share for sodium reduction ingredients, and are expected to dominate the market in the forecasted period. Sodium reduction ingredients are majorly applied in the food and beverage industry. Other major applications include dairy, frozen food, bakery and confectionary, meat products, sauces, seasonings and snacks.Request for Table of Contents @North America has the largest market share for sodium reduction ingredients, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Global sodium reduction ingredients market is expected to witness double digit growth in the forecasted period. North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecasted period owing to increased domestic consumption of processed food in the U.S. However, European region is expected to witness highest growth in the coming future followed by Asia Pacific.Increasing demand for health nutrition food products paired with rising consumer awareness about harmful effects of excess sodium intake is driving the global sodium reduction ingredients market. Additionally, government and private company intervention to increase public awareness about the harmful effect of excess sodium intake is also expected to drive the global sodium reduction ingredients market. Also, rising demand for processed food (contain salt more than any other food products) by the customer in the developed and developing region is further expected to increase the demand for sodium reduction ingredients to some extent.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Changing consumer consumption trends towards healthy nutritious food products showing increased product penetration and purchasing power of individual. This is providing opportunity to the market players to invest in this market. Some of the major companies operating in the sodium reduction ingredients market are Cargill Inc., Kerry Group Plc., Cambrian Solutions Inc., Advanced Food Systems Inc., Dupont, Angel Yeast, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Carbery, Innophos Holdings Inc., and Givaudan SAABOUT US: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 Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Specialty Food Ingredients Market to Expand with Significant CAGR by 2020

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Food ingredients provide unique color, textures, nutrients, functionalities and flavors to the cooked or processed food products. Food ingredients are added to enhance taste and flavor to the processed food items. Specialty food ingredients are used by food and beverage industry to enhance taste and flavor to the processed food. Specialty food ingredients are able to meet customers demands owing to their unique features including processing aids, coloring, preservation, emulsification and nutritional enhancement. Also, help in enhancing shelf-life, stability and texture of the food products. Specialty food ingredients are majorly sold to food processing industry including large food manufacturing companies as well as medium-sized companies.On the bases of function of different food ingredients global specialty food ingredients market can be bifurcated into color, acidulants, food enzymes, flavor, food preservatives, food emulsifiers, starches and nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals has the largest market share for specialty food ingredients, and is expected to dominate the global market in forecasted period. Specialty food ingredients are majorly used by food processing industry. Other major application of specialty food ingredients includes bakery and confectionery, diary, convenience food, meat and seafood products and functional food items.Request for Table of Contents @North America has the largest market share for specialty food ingredients, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. North America is expected to dominate the global market in forecasted period owing to increasing consumption of processed food in the U.S. and Canada. Healthy eating habit is expected to boost the European specialty food ingredients market. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth in the coming future. Emerging markets of China, India and Brazil is further expected to boost the global specialty food ingredients market.Increasing urban population coupled with rising disposable income level is increasing the penetration for packaged and convenience food items, in turn increasing the demand for specialty food ingredients. Additionally, rising rate of diabetes and obesity in both developed and developing countries, prompts the consumer to focus more on healthier lifestyles, in turn demand for health and wellness food ingredients from food and beverage manufacturing companies. This is also driving the global specialty food ingredients market to some extent.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Changing consumer consumption trends towards health and wellness food products shows increased purchasing power of individual; this is providing ample growth opportunity for the food manufacturing companies to expand their market in healthy food products. Some of the major companies operating in the sodium reduction ingredients market are Cargill Inc., Kerry Group Plc., Cambrian Solutions Inc., Advanced Food Systems Inc., E. I. Dupont De Nemours and Company, Specialty Commodities, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Ingredion Incorporated and Tate & Lyle.ABOUT US: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 Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Lithium-ion Battery Pack Market Overview  Key Futuristic Trends & Competitive Landscape 2023

Lithium-ion Battery Pack Market

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The qualitative research study conducted by HTF MI titled Global Lithium-ion Battery Pack Market Research Report 2018 provides primary Data, surveys, Scope of the Product and vendor briefings. The market dynamic forces have been determined after conducting a detailed study of the Global Lithium-ion Battery Pack market. The study provides forecasts for Lithium-ion Battery Pack investments till 2022.If you are involved in the Lithium-ion Battery Pack industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It offers a consequential analysis of the Lithium-ion Battery Pack company, key tactics followed by leading manufactures and trending segments.Get the inside scoop of the Sample report @:The research study is segmented by Types [Series Battery Pack & Parallel Battery Pack] as well as Key Applications [Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Medical & Grid Energy and Industrial] with historical and projected market share along with the growth rate, revenue figures and gross profit margin in tabular format which makes easy to understand product/service differences, market concentration rate and product distribution for past 5 years.Major geographical regions like North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India and leading players such as Panasonic Corporation, Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., LG Chem Power, Inc., Toshiba Corporation, Hitachi Chemical Co. Ltd, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation, GS Yuasa International Ltd, Johnson Controls, Inc., Shenzhen BAK Battery Co., Ltd., Future Hi-Tech Batteries Limited, BYD Co. Ltd., Tianjin Lishen Battery Co. Ltd., Amperex Technology Ltd., Hunan Shanshan Toda Advanced Materials Co. Ltd. & Pulead Technology Industry Co., Ltd. involved in this report. The report gives a clear idea about the growth factors, reasons for deterioration of Global Lithium-ion Battery Pack in recent years and different opportunities and strategies to expand market.Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports. Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.Each player highlighted in the research study contains companies Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors, in-depth business overview, geographic footprint and contact information. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to SWOT Analysis.Buy this research @Reasons to Buy:- What will be the market size in 2022 and at what rate will it grow?- What growth potential do Lithium-ion Battery Pack market have?- Procure strategically important competitor information, analysis, and insights to formulate effective R&D strategies.- Recognize emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage.- Classify potential new clients or partners in the target demographic.- Plan mergers and acquisitions meritoriously by identifying key players and its most promising contributions.- New Development and identify prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope.- Influential factors that are thriving demand and constraints in the market.To add, value to product and services research report comprises of valuable insights with distinguishable traits that influence consumers behavior and demand. The report offers a measurable and verifiable method made towards analysis of market concentration, new entrants and the technological trends in future.Some of the key questions answered in this report:- Detailed Overview of Global Lithium-ion Battery Pack market helps deliver clients and businesses making strategies.- Influential factors that are thriving demand and constraints in the market.- What is the market concentration? Is it fragmented or highly concentrated?- What trends, challenges and barriers will impact the development and sizing of Lithium-ion Battery Pack market?- SWOT Analysis of each key player mentioned along with its company profile.- What growth momentum or acceleration market carries during the forecast period?- Which region is going to tap highest market share in future?- What Application/end-user category or Product Type may see incremental growth prospects?- What focused approach and constraints are holding the market tight?Any Query or Specific Requirement? Ask to our Expert @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Lithium-ion Battery Pack marketChapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Lithium-ion Battery Pack, Applications of Lithium-ion Battery Pack, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of , Capacity and Commercial Production Rate, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, Export & Import, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, Lithium-ion Battery Pack Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Lithium-ion Battery Pack Segment Market Analysis (by Application [Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Medical & Grid Energy and Industrial]) & Type [Series Battery Pack & Parallel Battery Pack] Major Manufacturers Analysis of Lithium-ion Battery Pack;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Series Battery Pack & Parallel Battery Pack], Market Trend by Application Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Medical & Grid Energy and Industrial;Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global Lithium-ion Battery Pack;Chapter 12, to describe Lithium-ion Battery Pack Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Lithium-ion Battery Pack sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.com
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2024

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Plethora of research work to introduce effective treatment therapies in the global rheumatoid arthritis treatment marketIntroduction of newer therapies are expected to fuel growth of rheumatoid arthritis treatment market in developed nations. Emerging economies are late adapters to new technologies and therapies, thus are potential markets for brands not yet marketed in these countries. The Chinese FDA recently approved Xeljanz for RZ treatment (2017). The product is awaiting approval from the EU. Among the Asian countries, India, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh had major prevailing rheumatoid arthritis patients as per WHOILAR COPCORD (International League of Associations for Rheumatology) (Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases) studies (2015). Some of the products in pipeline include:--Antibodies that target collagen II, an important protein in joint cartilage (Researchers at the --Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Sweden)--Stem cell I.V. therapy developed by Mesoblast Ltd. to treat RA patients unresponsive to TNF drugs (phase 2 trials)To understand Research Methodology, please click:More of such developments by the market players will be a significant contributor towards the growth of global rheumatoid arthritis treatment industry.NSAIDs and corticosteroid are also the first-line fast acting therapeutic drugs. Acetylsalicylate, naproxen, ibuprofen, etodolac, and diclofenac are the NSAIDs usually prescribed as first-line drugs for RA. These drugs reduce inflammation, and pain. Corticosteroid medications are given either orally or parenterally to reduce inflammation and restore joint mobility and function. These class of drugs are more potent than NSAIDs and therefore usually preferred a first line therapy by prescribers. The global rheumatoid arthritis treatment industry is expected to be driven considerably in near future by DMARDs that form second line slow-acting therapeutic drugs. Longer therapeutic regimen with these drugs increases cost of therapy and also promote remission of joint destruction and deformity. Methotrexate is the most commonly prescribed second line drug for RA and hence, occupies major share in the respective segment of global rheumatoid arthritis treatment market. Tofacitinib (Xeljanz) is the most potential FDA approved Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor available in the global market of rheumatoid arthritis treatment.FDA approved biologic drugs include rituximab (Rituxan, MabThera), abatacept (Orencia), adalimumab (Humira), etanercept (Enbrel), certolizumab (Cimzia), anakinra (Kineret), infliximab (Remicade), golimumab (Simponi), and tocilizumab (Actemra). Besides these approved drugs, biosimilars in pipeline would fuel the rheumatoid arthritis treatment market growth in near future.Key statistics pertaining to the global rheumatoid arthritis treatment market:Over time, there is damage to cartilage and mobility function of the affected joint in rheumatoid arthritis patient.--Affects nearly 1.3 million U.S. population (RheumatoidArthritis.org)--Most common in the age group of 30-60 years--Global prevalence varies in the range of 0.3% to 1% (World Health Organization)--Average annual cost of treatment may go up to US $20,000 (RheumatoidArthritis.org)--According to the Arthritis Foundation, people with RA loose more workdays compared to those affected by any other medical condition--According to a Harvard University study published in the Journal of Global Health (2017), prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Southeast Asian countries was 0.4%, 0.42 in western Pacific region, and 0.37% in eastern Mediterranean countriesHave a doubt? Speak to our analyst now!Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common autoimmune arthritis affecting more than 1.3 million U.S. citizens (American College of Rheumatology). More surprising is to know that around 75% of this affected population is women. Affecting the joints at any age, rheumatoid arthritis needs to be addressed early to avoid expensive joint replacement surgery. While it can affect any joint, small joints in hand and feet tend to be affected the most. Treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis aids to relive symptoms and improve the joint function. A comprehensive treatment for RA usually involves integration of patient education, exercise, medications, and surgery (occasionally). The rheumatoid arthritis treatment market can be analyzed based on the drug type, as follows:--Biological drugs--Monoclonal antibodies--Non-Biologicals--Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)--Corticosteroids--Analgesics--Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)--IL-6 inhibitors--TNF inhibitorsSome of the major players in the global rheumatoid arthritis treatment market are Pfizer, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Abbvie, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Merck & Co., Inc., and Amgen, Inc.,About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Global Pharmacy Automation Market Analysis 2018 Forecasts To 2021

Global Pharmacy Automation Market Segmentation

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Global Pharmacy Automation MarketDescription:-Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Global Pharmacy Automation Market 2018: Global Analysis, Industry Size, Share, Trends, Application Analysis and Growth Opportunities Forecast to 2021 To Its Research DatabaseMarket InsightsThe Global Pharmacy Automation Market is growing significantly with a CAGR of 8% during 2016-2021. The modest growth of Pharmacy Automation market is due to various driving forces such as introduction of robotic automation in pharmacy for optimum production and less error and wide application of pharmacy automation products to serve extensively in pharmacy and other healthcare domain. Rising number of patents and frequent launch of pharmacy automation products are also driving the market. Pharmacy automation market players such as Accu Chart Healthcare, Aesynt Inc., Amerisourcebergen Corporation, Baxter International Inc., Carefusion Corporation, Cerner Corporation, Forhealth Technologies, Fulcrum Inc offers wide variety of products and application. R&D is expected to contribute and set new standards for Pharmacy Automation market. Major players such as IBM, AT&T, Cisco, Dell and Microsoft are expected to contribute significantly in the growth of global Pharmacy Automation market.Robotic automation in Global Pharmacy automation market enable to ease the operation and provide effective results in less time and effort. Pharmacy automation products such as pill counters, pharmacy scales and other automated accessories enable to provide accuracy and efficiency in production. Global Pharmacy automation provides automated pharmacy storage system, inventory management, medication packaging and various other dispensing, outpatient drug dispensing products across the globe. There are also wide variety of robots which are used for accurately and efficiently fill a variety of medication dispensing systems.Request a sample copy @Geography InsightsNorth America is dominating the Pharmacy Automation market due to rising demand of Pharmacy automated application and products across the region. It is expected to grow further due to availability of wide application and regular product launches. US has significant contribution in the growth of Pharmacy Automation market in North America followed by Canada due solid improvement in the revenues each year. Moving further, according to our estimates the APAC region will contribute significantly in the next few years due to favorable government regulations and rising demand for pharmacy automation in healthcare domain. The report includes detailed market overview, market determinants, company profiling, sector analysis, market segmentation, geographical analysis, pipeline analysis, patent analysis, strategic recommendations, key company analysis, gap analysis, key findings, market estimations, market insights, analyst insights and predictive analysis of the market.Competitive Insights:Major players in the limelight include Accu Chart Healthcare, Aesynt Inc., Amerisourcebergen Corporation, Baxter International Inc., Carefusion Corporation, Cerner Corporation, Forhealth Technologies, Fulcrum Inc, Health Robotics SRL, Innovation Pharmaassist Robotics, Kirby Lester, Mckesson Corporation. Product launch, M&A, partnerships, collaboration, R&D are the key strategies adopted by most of the Pharmacy Automation Market players across the globe.Market Segmentation:The global Pharmacy Automation market is segmented on the basis of application, component, deployment model, service model, end user, and region. By application, the market is segmented on the basis of clinical information systems and nonclinical information systems. Major Segments of Global Pharmacy Automation Market includes: Global Pharmacy Automation Market Research and Analysis, By Application, 2015-2021 ($ Million) Global Pharmacy Automation Market Research and Analysis, By Component, 2015-2021 ($ Million) Global Pharmacy Automation Market Research and Analysis, By Service Model, 2015-2021 ($ Million) Global Pharmacy Automation Market Research and Analysis, By deployment 2015-2021 ($ Million) Global Pharmacy Automation Market Research and Analysis, By End User, 2015-2021 ($ Million)OMR Report covers: Comprehensive research methodology of Global Pharmacy Automation Market. This report also includes detailed and extensive market overview with gap analysis, historical analysis & key analysts insights. Exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations. Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the Global Pharmacy Automation Market. Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the Global Pharmacy Automation Market. Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues Extensive profiles and recent developments of market playersTable of Content1.REPORT SUMMARY2.MARKET OVERVIEW AND INSIGHTS3.MARKET DETERMINANT4.MARKET SEGMENTATION5. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE6.REGIONAL ANALYSISBrowse full Report @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.Contact Us:Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (Us)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (Uk)Maharashtra, Pune  411028
Conference Camera 2018 Global Market Key Players  Microsoft, Hp, D-Link, Lenovo  Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Conference Camera Market

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Description:Conference Camera-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Conference Camera industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Conference Camera 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Conference Camera worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Conference Camera marketMarket status and development trend of Conference Camera by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Conference Camera, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Conference Camera market as:Global Conference Camera Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Conference Camera Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):USB portsWirelessGlobal Conference Camera Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Common Network ChattingVideo ConferenceRemote MedicalAutomobileOthersGlobal Conference Camera Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Conference Camera Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):SonyPanasonicCanonLogitechCiscoAVerRicohMicrosoftHpD-LinkLenovoPhilipsAusdomKYE Systems Corp(Genius)MotorolaChiefClary IconHuddleCamHDLumensInFocusVaddioVDO360NECIVCOOComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Conference Camera1.1 Definition of Conference Camera in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Conference Camera1.2.1 USB ports1.2.2 Wireless1.3 Downstream Application of Conference Camera1.3.1 Common Network Chatting1.3.2 Video Conference1.3.3 Remote Medical1.3.4 Automobile1.3.5 Others1.4 Development History of Conference Camera1.5 Market Status and Trend of Conference Camera 2013-20231.5.1 Global Conference Camera Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Conference Camera Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Conference Camera 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Conference Camera by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Conference Camera by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Conference Camera by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Conference Camera by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Conference Camera by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Conference Camera by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Conference Camera by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Conference Camera by Types3.2 Production Value of Conference Camera by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Conference Camera by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Conference Camera by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Conference Camera by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Conference Camera5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Conference Camera Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Conference Camera Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Conference Camera by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Conference Camera by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Conference Camera by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Conference Camera Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Conference Camera Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Conference Camera Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 Sony7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Conference Camera Product7.1.3 Conference Camera Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Sony7.2 Panasonic7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Conference Camera Product7.2.3 Conference Camera Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Panasonic7.3 Canon7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Conference Camera Product7.3.3 Conference Camera Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Canon7.4 Logitech7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Conference Camera Product7.4.3 Conference Camera Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Logitech7.5 Cisco7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Conference Camera Product7.5.3 Conference Camera Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of CiscoContinuedWise 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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Baby Food and Care Industry Market Trends and Drivers Analysis 2017 To 2022

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Summary"Top Trends in Baby Food and Care 2017" focuses on outlining the key consumer and innovation trends currently impacting the baby food and baby care categories. Specifically, this report explores how new trends influencing modern consumers' lives, such as smart technology and fear of germs, influence the baby food, baby beverages, baby toiletries, and diapers categories.Categories in the baby food sector continue to evolve, driven by the parental desire to provide their children with the best products available, as well as to increase the efficacy of the processes involved in caring for their babies. Specifically, products that address concerns regarding germs and the spread of disease are popular, as are those with healthful credentials. Increasingly sophisticated innovation is also evident in this sector, as influenced by a wealth of trends impacting the adult food, drink, and personal care sectors. People are also incorporating increasingly smart solutions into their lives to make parental responsibilities less burdensome.Click here for sample report @Scope of the Report- Over a third of parents agree that working out what food and drinks are healthy for their children is confusing.- Over two thirds of parents pay high or very high attention to the ingredients used in products they buy for their children.- More parents are aware of what the term "clean label" is when asked, compared with non-parents.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsIntroductionInnovation Trends in Baby Food and Baby CareSmart ParentingHyper-ProtectionHealth HavenAdultificationThe FutureAppendix.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Cold Chain 2018 Global Market Growth, Opportunities and Analysis, Forecast To 2023

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The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Cold Chain industry market by types, applications, players and regions. This report also displays the 2013-2023 production, Consumption, revenue, Gross margin, Cost, Gross, market share, CAGR, and Market influencing factors of the Cold Chain industry in USA, EU, China, India, Japan and other regionsMarket Analysis by Players: This report includes following top vendors in terms of company basic information, product category, sales (volume), revenue (Million USD), price and gross margin (%).Americold LogisticsSSI SCHAEFERPreferred Freezer ServicesBurris LogisticsKloosterboerLineage Logistics Holding LLCAGRO Merchants Group, LLCNewCold Cooperatief U.A.DHLGruppo Marconi Logistica IntegrataBioStorage Technologies, IncNichirei Logistics Group, Inc.OOCL LogisticsJWD GroupCWT LimitedSCG LogisticsX2 GroupBest Cold Chain Co.AITCrystal Logistic Cool Chain LtdColdEXRequest a Sample Report @Market Analysis by Regions: Each geographical region is analyzed as Sales, Market Share (%) by Types & Applications, Production, Consumption, Imports & Exports Analysis, and Consumption Forecast.USAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaSouth AmericaSouth AfricaOthersMarket Analysis by Types: Each type is studied as Sales, Market Share (%), Revenue (Million USD), Price, Gross Margin and more similar information.AirwaysRoadwaysSeawaysMarket Analysis by Applications: Each application is studied as Sales and Market Share (%), Revenue (Million USD), Price, Gross Margin and more similar information.Food and BeveragesHealthcareOthersTable of Content1 Cold Chain Market Overview1.1 Product Overview of Cold Chain1.2 Classification of Cold Chain1.2.1 Type 11.2.2 Type 21.2.3 Type 31.2.4 Type 41.3 Applications of Cold Chain1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.3.4 Application 41.4 Global Cold Chain Market Regional Analysis1.4.1 USA Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.2 Europe Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.3 Japan Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.4 China Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.5 India Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.6 Southeast Asia Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.7 South America Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.8 South Africa Market Present Situation Analysis1.5 Cold Chain Industry Development Factors Analysis1.5.1 Cold Chain Industry Development Opportunities Analysis1.5.2 Cold Chain Industry Development Challenges Analysis1.6 Cold Chain Consumer Behavior Analysis2 Global Cold Chain Competitions by Players2.1 Global Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Players2.2 Global Cold Chain Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2017-2018)2.3 Global Cold Chain Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2017-2018)2.4 Global Cold Chain Gross Margin by Players (2017-2018)3 Global Cold Chain Competitions by Types3.1 Global Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Types3.2 Global Cold Chain Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Type (2013-2018)3.3 Global Cold Chain Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2013-2018)3.4 Global Cold Chain Gross Margin by Type (2013-2018)3.5 USA Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.6 China Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.7 Europe Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.8 Japan Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.9 India Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.10 Southeast Asia Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.11 South America Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.12 South Africa Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type4 Global Cold Chain Competitions by Applications4.1 Global Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.2 Global Cold Chain Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Applications (2013-2018)4.3 Global Cold Chain Price (USD/Unit) by Applications (2013-2018)4.4 Global Cold Chain Gross Margin by Applications (2013-2018)4.5 USA Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.6 China Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.7 Europe Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.8 Japan Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.9 India Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.10 Southeast Asia Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.11 South America Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.12 South Africa Cold Chain Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications5 Global Cold Chain Production Market Analysis by Regions5.1 Global Cold Chain Production (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Regions5.1.1 USA Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.2 Europe Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.3 China Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.4 Japan Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.5 India Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.6 Southeast Asia Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.7 South America Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.8 South Africa Cold Chain Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.2 Global Cold Chain Production Value (Million USD) and Share by Region (2013-2018)5.3 Global Cold Chain Price (USD/Unit) by Region (2013-2018)5.4 Global Cold Chain Gross Margin by Region (2013-2018)ContinuedAccess Complete Report @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
Charcoal Global Market Top Key Players  Plantar Group , Carv?o S?o Manoel , Gryfskand , Blackwood Charcoal , Matsuri International , Paraguay Charcoal and Forecast to 2022

Charcoal Market

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Global Charcoal MarketWiseGuyRerports.com Presents Global Charcoal Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 New Document to its Studies Database. The Report Contain 121 Pages With Detailed Analysis.DescriptionCharcoal is a woodfuel consumed in cities and towns. Some of the factors influencing the choice of using charcoal instead of firewood in urban areas include: Charcoal has a higher calorific value per unit weight that firewood, it is therefore more economical to transport charcoal over longer distances as compared to firewood; Storage of charcoal takes less room as compared to firewood; Charcoal is not liable to deterioration by insects and fungi which attack firewood; Charcoal is almost smokeless and sulphur  free, as such it is ideal fuel for towns and cities.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Charcoal 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 coversPlantar GroupCarv?o S?o ManoelGryfskandBlackwood CharcoalMatsuri InternationalParaguay CharcoalJumbo CharcoalVIET GLOBAL IMEXSagar Charcoal DepotNamco CCIgnite ProductsCarbon Roots InternationalSichuan Shuangli Yonghui TanyeBRICAPAR SAECloroxOxford Charcoal CompanyMarket 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, coversCharcoal BriquetteHardwood CharcoalOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoMetallurgical IndustryIndustrial FieldCooking FuelOthersComplete Report Details @Table of Contents -Major Key Points1 Market Overview1.1 Charcoal Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Charcoal Briquette1.2.2 Hardwood Charcoal1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Metallurgical Industry1.3.2 Industrial Field1.3.3 Cooking Fuel1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Plantar Group2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Plantar Group Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Carv?o S?o Manoel2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Carv?o S?o Manoel Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Gryfskand2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Gryfskand Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Blackwood Charcoal2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Blackwood Charcoal Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Matsuri International2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Matsuri International Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Paraguay Charcoal2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Paraguay Charcoal Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Jumbo Charcoal2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Jumbo Charcoal Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 VIET GLOBAL IMEX2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Charcoal Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 VIET GLOBAL IMEX Charcoal Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)..CONTINUEDAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, Industry 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.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)
Advanced syringe and methods to collect the blood sample to overtake the conventional way of blood collection emphasizing the growth in venipuncture needle and syringes market

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Excessive blood withdrawn may lead to hematocrit in older patientsAccording to Van Roekel, CEO Nuno Valentine, said that there are about half of doctors do not have sufficient funds to support a phlebotomist, and some are located in an area where there are no staff sufficient members. Mr. Kapadia, a chief medical officer of Iggbo, explains that bloodwork justifies about 75% if the medical decision. According to Van Roekel, there are 1 billion blood sample are drawn in the United States every year and out of which 50,000 blood draws in Houston daily. There are many literature stating that the excessive blood drawing from an individual causes a big setback in elderly person. A cohort study report states that public hospitals and university hospitals drew more blood for each test than that is followed in children's hospitals. For the basic metabolic tests, the volume of blood drawn by an university or public hospital laboratory was 2.5 to 10 times more required by any children's hospital, though there are similar tests and instruments used. Excess withdrawn of blood may lead to change in hematocrit which may lead to a down fall in elderly patient health. This is a major concern in the increasing number of older persons.To understand Research Methodology, please click:Median Cubital Vein to dominate the venipuncture needle and syringes market globallyThe global venipuncture needle and syringes market is segmented on the basis of vein type, end user, and geography. On the basis of vein type, the market is divided into Cephalic Vein, Median Cubital Vein, and Basilic Vein. On the basis of end user, the market is divided into Hospitals, Diagnostic Labs and Physicians Offices.Regional segmentation of the market by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America accounts for the largest share in venipuncture needle and syringes market, mainly due to presence of key players and their application of advanced medical technologies to develop in countries such as the North America and Africa. Increase in the diagnostic test for any disease needs blood sample which therefore is useful to obtain results. Therefore, the use of venipuncture needles and syringes are proportionally increasing. In Africa according to World Health Organization, it is almost 85% of all the chronic disease needs blood test.Key players in the global venipuncture needle and syringes market are developing new devices, which collect the required amount of bloodKey players operating the venipuncture needle and venipuncture syringes market include Smiths Medical, Becton, Dickinson and Company, and B. Braun Medical. Key players in the market globally are constantly working towards introducing innovative products which firstly identify veins and collect blood sample. With companies actively focused on research and development, a new product which is virtually painless way to draw blood. This company is expected to launch its product in mid 2017 as the company has responded to its pending queries from FDA.Ask for customization:Venipuncture is a perforation on a vein as part of a medical practice, basically to draw a blood sample and or to inject a drug into the body. This is done by intravenous cannulation. The venipuncture blood collection is carried out with the help of needle and syringes. Venipuncture is the oldest invasive procedures, which is carried out for five basic reasons and they are to collect blood for investigative purposes, identify the levels of blood components, and administer medications, nutrition, or chemotherapy, to eliminate blood due high presence of iron or erythrocytes and to collect blood which might be useful later in transfusion purpose. This can be possibly done with the use of venipuncture needle and with the immense increase in the blood test and blood collection, there is a proportional increase in the venipuncture needle and syringe market.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Medical Connectors Market - Real Time Analysis & Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Global Medical Connectors Market: OverviewThe global medical connectors market is expected to witness a stable growth in the forecast period. The growing incidences of chronic disorder will be one of the key reasons behind the growth of this market. The growing healthcare expenditure will also encourage the growth of the global medical connectors market during the period from 2017 to 2025. The growth in the healthcare industry and home healthcare market will also propel the market towards progress. One of the other important reasons behind the development of this market is the advancements in technology. Extensive research and development in the healthcare sector has increased the efficiency of products and encouraged invention of many new medical connector products.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Medical Connectors Market: Key TrendsDuring the forecast period one of the trends that is expected to prevail is the high demand for flat silicone surgical cables. The growing adoption of connectors in medical devices will be the driving factor for this. Another trend that shall be in vogue is the use of medical connectors by monitoring devices. High prevalence of chronic diseases and rising demand from home healthcare will create a lucrative market for medical connectors from monitoring devices segment. On the basis of end used, the market is segmented into ambulatory surgical centers, clinics and hospitals, diagnostic labs and imaging centers, and others. Of these, it is anticipated that the hospitals and clinics segment will hold dominant shares in the market during the forecast period. The growing demand for electrosurgical therapy and once again, the high incidence of chronic diseases will push the growth of the hospitals and clinics segment in the years to come.Global Medical Connectors Market: Market PotentialCompanies in the global medical connectors market are inventing reliable connections for data gathering. Esterline Corporation supplies medical connectors that have high reliability I/O (Input/Output) connectors with a very wide range. This helps in securing the link between different medical equipment. One of the leading players called Lemo S.A. offers connectors that are flexible and reliable. Newer developments by leading players in the coming years is expected to push the markets potential further and drive their demand.Request TOC of the Report @Global Medical Connectors Market: Geographical SegmentationOn the basis of geography, the market is segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World (RoW). Of these, the North American market for medical connectors will emerge most lucrative. The region is not only leading currently, but shall continue to do so during the forecast period on account of the high incidences of chronic diseases. The growing demand for enhanced healthcare infrastructure will also push the market towards growth in North America.Global Medical Connectors Market: Key PlayersSome of the leading vendors operating across the global medical connectors market are profiled in the report for the purpose of study. They are: Delphi Automotive LLP. (U.K.), Amphenol Corporation (U.S.), Esterline Corporation (U.S.), Samtec (U.S.), Smiths Interconnect (U.K.), ITT Corporation (U.S.), TE Connectivity Ltd. (Switzerland), Lemo S.A. (Switzerland), Fisher Connectors (Switzerland), and Molex (U.S.). Leading players are taking advantage of the increased healthcare spending and thus, investing extensively on research and development. This has helped them to develop innovative connectors which are being utilized across the medical sector. Players are also striving to expand their reach worldwide. For this, one of the key strategies adopted by players is participating in mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Online Travel Market 2018  2023 Global Leaders: Expedia, Inc, The Priceline Group, TripAdvisor Inc, Alibaba Group Holding Limited

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Market Highlights:The online travel industry is basically made up of e-commerce websites trying to provide a hassle-free booking and buying experience to the customers. Increasing internet penetration and rising adoption of social media are among the primary factors influencing the growth of the online travel market. Most of the online travel market is being driven by the flight and hotel bookings. Additionally, the online travel market is highly affected by the reviews on the websites. These reviews help the consumers to decide on which websites should they buy from.The direct travel suppliers segment is expected to hold the largest market share of the market. Whereas, online travel agencies segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period owing to the increasing adoption of social media and rising demand for hassle-free travel booking options. Also, the growing trend of e-commerce and m-commerce is one major factors driving the growth of the online travel market.The global Online Travel Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 12% during the forecast period 2017-2023.The North American region holds the largest share of the global market followed by Europe and Asia Pacific region. The U.S. and Canada are dominating the North American market due to rising technological enhancements and proliferation of intelligent connected devices in the region. Moreover, the region has a well-established infrastructure, which allows faster implementation of advanced technologies. Additionally, the growing adoption of social media is another major factor driving the growth of the online travel market in this region.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Expedia, Inc. (U.S.) The Priceline Group (U.S.) TripAdvisor Inc. (U.S.) Ctrip (China) Hostelworld Group (Republic of Ireland) Hotel Urbano (Brazil) CheapOair (U.S.) Trivago (Germany) Thomas Cook Group plc (U.k) MakeMytrip Inc. (India) Alibaba Group Holding Limited (China) eLong (China) TUI Group (Germany) Tuniu (China) AirGorilla, LLC (U.S.) Hays Travel limited (U.k) Airbnb (U.S.) Yatra.com (India)Online Travel Market Segmentation:The global online travel market is segmented by platform, mode of booking, and service type. Based on the platform, the market is segmented into mobile and desktop. Based on the mode of booking, the market is segmented into online travel agencies and direct travel supplies. Whereas, based on the service type, the market is segmented into transportation, accommodation, vacation packages, and others.Market Research Analysis:North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the global market, whereas European market is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.The North American market is witnessing a rapid growth due to technological advancements and increasing demand for CRM solutions across different industry verticals in this region. The U.S. holds the majority of market share both in terms of revenue as well as the growing adoption of smartphones.Regional Analysis:The global online travel market is studied in Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. It has been observed that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market, whereas Asia Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.The growth of market in North America is attributed to the technological advancements and increased adoption of e-commerce applications across various industry verticals.Access Report Details @Intended Audience: Technology Investors Research/Consultancy firms Technology Solution Providers Government Bodies Regulatory agencies Consumers Corporate sectorTable of Contents1 Executive Summary2 Scope of the Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast ModelContinuedList of TablesTable 1 Global Online Travel Market: By Region, 2017-2023Table 2 North America Online Travel Market: By Country, 2017-2023Table 3 Europe Online Travel Market: By Country, 2017-2023ContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Global Online Travel Market SegmentationFigure 2 Forecast MethodologyFigure 3 Five Forces Analysis of Global Online Travel MarketContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our clients 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 Solutions, Application, Logistics 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Contrast Media Market 2023 Future Forecasts by Major Vendors, Solid Segmentation, Top Regional Analysis and Current Pet Industry Trend

Contrast Media Market

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Worldwide Contrast Media Market  Competitive Landscape:The Contrast Media Market appears to be fiercely competitive & fragmented owing to the presence of numerous matured & small key players accounting for a substantial market share. These market players try to gain competitive advantage through strategic partnership, acquisition, expansion, collaboration, product & technology launch. They invest heavily in the R&D to develop a technology that is completely on a different level compared to their competition.Contrast media are substances which are utilized to improve the contrast of fluids in the body during medical imaging. It is basically used to enhance the visibility of blood vessels and GI tract. The global contrast media market is growing with the steady pace; mainly due to the increasing prevalence of different diseases such as GIT diseases and cardiac diseases.The International Contrast Media Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3 % during forecast period of 2017-2023. The Worldwide Contrast Media Market is going to continue with the same trends of growth during the forecast period. The major factors influencing the growth of the market include increasing technology advancement in contrast medium, increasing prevalence of cancer and cardiac diseases, growth in emerging markets for imaging technology, increasing demand for diagnostics, and image guide procedures and various others.Get Exclusive Sample Copy @GE Healthcare an American multinational company headquartered in the U.S., is one of the leading players in the contrast medium market with manufacturing and distribution of diagnostic imaging agents with more than 100 countries. OMNISCAN and VISIPAQUE are the major products of the company. Recently in March 2017, the company showcased its MRI contrast media product range at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2017 meeting by launching Clariscan, which is a macrocyclic agent and is a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA). Clariscan is intended to support effective visualisation of abnormalities in the brain, spine, and associated tissues. The launch of this product will be provided alongside GE Healthcares comprehensive support services and solutions to healthcare physicians across the globe. The demand for contrast media has altogether expanded over the previous decade because of increasing advancement in procedures in MR imaging, raising the significance of uninterrupted and sustainable product supply, and in addition meeting the individual needs of patients undergoing diagnostic techniques. Knowing the demand for contrast medium, GE healthcare invested over USD 65 million in its overall supply across the globe from 2013 and 2016, to increase its manufacturing capacity. GE contrast media products are utilized as a part of more than 70 million systems for every year, identical to infusion in two patients for each second. In 2015, 62 million patients diagnosed using GE contrast media and acquired major share for the global contrast media market.Global Contrast Media Market Segmentation:Global contrast media market is segmented on the basis of type into intravenous contrast materials, iodine-based and other. On the basis of procedures they are segmented into X-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound and other. On the basis of application they are cardiovascular disorders, oncology, nephrological disorders and by route of administration they are rectal, oral, injectable and other.Contrast Media Market Regional Analysis:On regional basis, contrast media market is dominated by North America which is followed by Europe. Presence of major players in North America and Europe and increasing prevalence of GI disease are the major factor for the growth of the market in this region. Asia Pacific is the third largest market and the fastest growing contrast media market. Rising awareness regarding product benefits among consumers and a huge population base in this region is the major factor for the growth of the market.Glad to Know If there are Any Queries Related to Contrast Media Market Premium Report @About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Security Advisory Services Market -Segmentation Detailed Study with Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Security Advisory Services Market: OverviewNumerous firms join their human and machine knowledge in cybersecurity to assist their customer associations with exhaustive assurance from smart security dangers. In the period of quick developments of organizations and expanded complexities in the IT foundation, the security of computerized resources has turned into the prime target of the associations. Consequently, the appropriation of security advisory services is said to be high among private and open associations crosswise over various verticals. The security merchants give different security advisory services, for example, incident response, vulnerability management, penetration testing, risk management strategy, compliance management, security program development, and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) advisory and support. As the recurrence of modern digital assaults on ventures is developing, the market is relied upon to pick up footing in the following 5 years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Security Advisory Services Market: Trends and ProspectsThe significant forces driving the security advisory services market are the expanded complexity levels of cyber threats and ascent in security breaches, and solid control consistence necessities. The security advisory services market merchants are consistently adding developments to their services to ensure the associations, and saving money and financial organizations, against cutting edge digital dangers. Internationally, the selection of security advisory services is expanding because of the ascent in security breaks focusing on endeavors. Moreover, security advisory services are being received in different verticals, for example, government and public sector, financial services and insurance (BFSI), banking, transportation and manufacturing, IT and telecommunication, energy and power, healthcare, and others (retail, travel and transportation, and education) which have prompted the development of the market over the globe.Security Advisory Services Market: Market PotentialAccording to a report by Cisco Systems Inc., a superior than-anticipated quarterly benefit on Wednesday, driven by profits from its more up to date organizations, for example, security, which more than balanced declines in its conventional switches and routers business. This demonstrates the innovation pioneer has started to turn a corner as it shifts center from software to hardware and repeating memberships.Request TOC of the Report @Security Advisory Services Market: Regional OverviewNorth America is relied upon to have the biggest market share and rule the security advisory services market from 2017 to 2022, because of the high number of early innovation adopters in this district. Particular spending distributions and commanded security advisory administration approaches are relied upon to make North America the most lucrative locale for the development of different classifications of sellers. The real power driving the reception of security advisory services in APAC is the expanding occurrences of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assaults, which is exceedingly influencing the execution of basic business applications.Security Advisory Services Market: Vendor LandscapeThe major players additionally embraced the methodology of business development to increment and extend their administration portfolios. In March 2016, a firm named EY extended the business in Asia Pacific by opening 4 Centers of Excellence (CoE), to be specific, the Asia Pacific CoE in cybersecurity, the Asia Pacific CoE with respect to analytics, and Asia-Pacific CoE in terms of manufacturing. In August 2017, Kudelski Security expanded its business by growing its preparation and security training project to North America. With this extension, the organization upgraded its abilities in cybersecurity, investigation, assembling, and change methodology.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Ozone Generators Market Value to Increase to US$ 120 Mn by 2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/ozone-generators-market/toc

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/22006

Ozone generator is applied for removal of organic & inorganic matter, reducing micro pollutants from pesticides (deactivation of pathogenic micro-organisms), odor & taste elimination, and in industrial laundries to reduce cloth damage. Ozone can be generated using number of ways. But commercially two popular methods are being used, namely, UV method and corona method of ozone production.Request for Table of Contents @A new research report by Persistence Market Research presents an overview of the global ozone generators market, highlighting key dynamics that are impacting the market scenario during the forecast period of 2017-2025. This comprehensive research report is titled Ozone Generators Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) and Forecast (2017-2025) that depicts a crystal clear insight into the market along with new trends prevailing in the industry.According to the market forecast by Persistence Market Research, being an effective alternative for disinfectants, ozone generators market is expected to witness a robust value CAGR of around 5.6% during the forecast period. The ozone generators market is anticipated to reach a market value of over US$ 120 Mn by the end of 2025.Among all the major application areas of ozone generators, water treatment remains the leading sector with a significant demand for ozone generators. The market is also expected to witness increasing demand for ozone generators in non-conventional applications, for example, in pulp bleaching, extrusion coating and semiconductor cleaning.Based on application, water treatment segment is expected to lead the global ozone generators market with a high market share. Among different types of water treatments industrial water treatment sub segment lags behind municipal water treatment sub segment in terms of growth rate during the forecast period.In terms of capacity, 1kg/hr-5kg/hr segment holds the highest market value of over US$ 70 Mn by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. However, 50mg/hr- 5gm/hr segment is expected to witness a higher CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period.On the basis of production method, corona discharge segment is poised to dominate the market with respect to market share as well as it is projected to grow at a relatively high pace. It is expected to reach a market value a little under US$ 120 Mn by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period.Based on region, the global ozone generator market in North America is expected to hold the highest market share to reach a significant valuation by the end of 2025. However, Latin America is expected to register a higher growth rate to register a value CAGR of 6.9% throughout the forecast period.Request to View Sample of Research Report @The research report consists of a brief profile on all the major players leading in the industry. It also includes an individual SWOT analysis of all these key players along with their key strategies, product synopsis, developments and other financials. Few of the players mentioned in the report include BES Group, Chemtronics Technologies, Degremont Technolgies (Suez Environment), DEL Ozone, EBARA Technologies, Inc., Ecozone Technologies Ltd., Enaly Ozone Generator and Faraday ozone.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks 2018 Global Market Key Players  Ericsson ,Huawei, Technologies, Nokia, ZTE, Alcatel-Lucent  Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks 2018 Global Market Key Players ? Ericsson ,Huawei, Technologies, Nokia, ZTE, Alcatel-Luce

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2672297-next-generation-mobile-backhaul-networks-global-market-status-and-trend-report

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Description:Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks marketMarket status and development trend of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks market as:Global Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):Wired BackhaulWireless BackhaulGlobal Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)TelecomAerospace and DefenseHealthcareOil & GasChemicalOthersGlobal Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):Cisco SystemsEricssonHuawei TechnologiesNokiaZTEAlcatel-LucentActelis NetworksADTRANBridgeWave CommunicationsCambridge Broadband Networks,FujitsuJuniperMRV CommunicationsOneAccess NetworksSkyFiberSONUS NETWORKSComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks1.1 Definition of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks1.2.1 Wired Backhaul1.2.2 Wireless Backhaul1.3 Downstream Application of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks1.3.1 Telecom1.3.2 Aerospace and Defense1.3.3 Healthcare1.3.4 Oil & Gas1.3.5 Chemical1.3.6 Others1.4 Development History of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks1.5 Market Status and Trend of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks 2013-20231.5.1 Global Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Types3.2 Production Value of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 Cisco Systems7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Product7.1.3 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Cisco Systems7.2 Ericsson7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Product7.2.3 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Ericsson7.3 Huawei Technologies7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Product7.3.3 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Huawei Technologies7.4 Nokia7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Product7.4.3 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Nokia7.5 ZTE7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Product7.5.3 Next-generation Mobile Backhaul Networks Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of ZTEContinued.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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Beverage Refrigeration Equipment Market is Anticipated to Exhibit a Healthy Growth of CAGR 3.9% by 2025

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/beverage-refrigeration-equipment-market/toc

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17740

Beverage refrigeration equipment are commercial refrigeration equipment used at food & beverage retail outlets, such as dairy stores, wine shops, convenience stores, supermarkets and food service providers, such as hotels, restaurants and cafes. A new research report by Persistence Market Research highlights the scenario of global beverage refrigeration equipment market during the forecast period, 2017-2025.Request for Table of Contents @This comprehensive research report is titled Beverage Refrigeration Equipment Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) and Forecast (2017-2025) and covers key insights on the market drivers, restraints, opportunities prevailing in the industry.According to this market analysis and forecasts, global demand for beverage refrigeration equipment is expected to grow with increase in the number of retail stores and also growing preference of people towards quick service restaurants.The global beverage refrigeration equipment market is expected to reach a market value of over US$ 5,500 Mn by the end of 2025, growing at a value CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period. The growth of the market is largely fuelled by the increase in demand, especially from emerging countries in Asia Pacific region.With growing advancements in beverage refrigeration equipment, the preferences of consumers are changing. Moreover, along with rising environmental awareness across the globe, people are also looking for eco-friendly refrigerants. In addition, targeting developing countries with high per-capita consumption of pre packed beverages will continue to be the core focus for providers. Other than that, the companies are also going to focus on product innovations to compete with other players in the market efficiently and increase their market reach and strengthen their hold.Based on product type, soda fountain segment holds the maximum market share as compared to other product type segments. However, beer dispensing equipment is expected to grow at a relatively high value CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period.Based on end-use, food service is expected to lead with a market value of over US$ 3,300 Mn by the end of 2025. However, food and beverage retail segment is expected to register a higher CAGR throughout the period of forecast.With respect to region, North America has the highest market share of over US$ 1,800 Mn by the end of 2025. Moreover, the beverage refrigeration equipment is expected to witness high demand from Asia Pacific. The beverage refrigeration equipment market in Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at a higher pace throughout the forecast period.Request to View Sample of Research Report @This comprehensive research report includes a brief profile of all the key players in the industry. Some of these key players, mentioned in the report are Wolseley Plc, Qingdao Haier Co., Ltd., Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai, Daikin Industries, Ltd, Watsco, Inc., Hisense Kelon Electrical Holdings Co., Ltd., Lennox International, Inc., Rinnai Corp., Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd., NIBE Industrier AB etc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Asset Tracking Software Market Global Key Leaders: Zebra Technologies Corporation, Stanley Black And Decker, Inc, Honeywell International, Inc, Trimble Inc

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4439

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/asset-tracking-software-market-4439

Market Highlights:On the basis of regional analysis the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America region is generating highest market share in the asset tracking software market owing to better network infrastructure, digitization and higher technology implementation. Digitization in North America is mainly due to the invention of advanced technology and economies benefitting from it. North America region is leading due to presence of major players from the region in the asset tracking software market and presence of big retail chains.The implementation of Asset Tracking Software Market solution by both small and medium enterprises is increasing rapidly, especially one into IT & retail sector. The asset tracking software is gaining demand as organization seek to improve their business growth by shifting from on-premise to cloud based. The initial low cost, saving amount spent on infrastructure, automatic Streaming upgrading and seamless integration is driving the market of cloud based Asset Tracking Software market.The asset tracking software market is expected to grow at approximately USD 11 Billion by 2023, at 15% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Zebra Technologies Corporation (U.S.) Stanley Black And Decker, Inc. (U.S.) Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.) Datalogic S.P.A (Italy) Trimble Inc. (U.S.) Ubisense Group Plc. (U.K.) Mojix, Inc. (U.S.) Impinj, Inc. (U.S.)Asset Tracking Software Market Segmentation:In IT & telecommunication sector, asset tracking software is used by organization owing to its excellent software tracking solutions and enrich cloud solutions. The software can be used for IT asset tracking, equipment tracking, facility management, tool tracking, funding management and instruction compliance.Market Research Analysis:The asset tracking software market in North America region is growing due to high adoption of cloud solutions by enterprise and need to improve information governance in organizations. According to the study, the asset tracking software market will show rapid growth in Europe region. Asia-Pacific market is estimated to be one of the fastest growing market as it is continuously investing into research and development of asset tracking software market and growing complexity associated with managing asset is driving asset tracking software market in the region.Increasing population, and growing IT landscape is boosting the market in the region. The region is witnessing high adoption of asset tracking software tools by enterprises. Developing countries such as India and China are adopting asset tracking software tools at large scale owing to growing e-commerce and manufacturing sector from numerous industries and the need to designed efficient software for asset management of business is one of the prime factor that is boosting the market in the region. By vertical segment, retail and IT & telecommunication sector is driving the asset tracking software market. The region is witnessing high growth in asset tracking software market due to growing technological advancement in plant, machinery and software management.Segments:Asset Tracking Software Market for segment on the basis of component, deployment, organization size and vertical.Asset Tracking Software Market by Component:By SoftwareBy Service Professional services Managed servicesAsset Tracking Software Market by Deployment: Cloud On-PremiseAsset Tracking Software Market by Organization Size: Small And Medium Organization Large OrganizationAsset Tracking Software Market by Vertical: Government and Defense BFSI IT and Telecommunication Healthcare Retail Education OthersAccess Report Details @Intended Audience Investors and consultants System Integrators Government Organizations Research/Consultancy firms Technology solution providers IT Solution Providers Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)Table of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure2 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 EstimationContinuedList of TablesTable 1 Asset Tracking Software Market, By ComponentTable 2 Asset Tracking Software Market, By DeploymentTable 3 Asset Tracking Software Market, By Oraganization SizeContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Research ComponentFigure 2 Asset Tracking Software Market: By Component (%)Figure 3 Asset Tracking Software Market: By Deployment (%)ContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our clients 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 Solutions, Application, Logistics 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.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Building Automation Market - Current Trends,Future Growth ,Opportunities & Future Demands

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Request-Sample/105623

https://www.xpodenceresearch.com/Reports/Building-Automation-Market

Building automation is the automatic centralized control of a building's ventilation, heating, lighting, air conditioning, and other systems via a building automation system. The objectives of building automation are efficient operation of building systems, enhanced occupant comfort, improved life cycle of utilities and reduction in energy consumption and operating costs. Building automation is an sample of a distributed control system  the computer networking of electronic devices integrated to monitor and control the security, fire, mechanical, and flood safety, lighting, HVAC & humidity control and ventilation systems in a building. BAS core functionality is to keep building weather within a definite range, providing light to rooms based on an occupancy schedule. A basic functionality of BAS is to reduce building energy and maintenance costs compared to a non-controlled building.The global building automation market has be categorized into communication technology, offerings and regions. Based on the communication technology the market has been segmented into wired technologies, and wireless technologies Based on offering the market has been bifurcated into facility control systems, building energy management software, security and access control systems, BAS services among others.The major factors driving the building automation market are the rise in the demand for the energy-efficient systems, advancements in the building automation centric wireless sensor network technology and wireless protocols, technological advancements in the building automation system with the help of IoT systems, and rapid growth of infrastructure in the developing countries. Lack of skilled labors, technical difficulties and the high implementation cost are the major factors that may hinder the progress of the building automation market in the near future. Additionally the technological advancements in the printed Communication Technology one of the major growth opportunities for the Building Automation market players. The major challenges faced in this market are the high research & development cost and the sustainable e-packaging products.Request For Free Sample Of The Report @Geographically, the Building Automation market has been bifurcated into five regions North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. The Building Automation market size and forecast period for each region has been estimated from 2017 to 2023. Additionally the CAGR (%) for the forecasted period 2017 to 2023. The study also includes market estimates for major countries/regions such as the U.S, the U.K., Germany, France, Japan, China, India, GCC, North Africa, South Africa and Brazil. The detailed analysis by Communication technology, offerings, applications and regions supports in evaluating the present scenario, growth prospects and the future scenario for the building automation market over the forecast period. Thus, the report delivers in-depth segment analysis of the market and classifies it into various industries, thereby providing valuable perceptions.Obtain Report Details @The growing necessity for the automation of security systems in various buildings is anticipated to drive the APAC market for building automation in the future years. The major companies that providing building automation Siemens AG, Honeywell International Inc., Schneider Electric Corp., Johnson Controls International PLC, United Technologies Corp., Schneider Electric Corp., Hubbell Inc., Legrand SA., Building, ABB Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Ingresoll -Rand PLC., Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., and Crestron Electronics, Inc.About Us-Xpodence Research is a U.S. based Market Research Company and offers the most extensive collection of progressive surveying syndicated and customized research reports of various categories for private and public industries across the globe.We offer the comprehensive market research solution for all the industries by performing the in-depth study of industry trends, verticals globally. We believe in building an eternal bond with our customers through providing them inclusive research study both customized and syndicated based on their specific requirements.The organizations in every industry such as Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Consumable Goods, Food & Beverage and others demands a market-based solutions for various significant decisions based on productivity and output globally. Our services are tailored specifically to our clients by proposing them the potential outcome, based on our in-depth analysis and insights for exploring the growth strategies through providing the best possible decision for quality production.Contact Us-Xpodence ResearchUSA Office244 , Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesToll Free +1- 844-445-2861Email-sales@xpodenceresearch.com
Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Small arms and Light Weapons (SALW) refers to two different classes of weapons. Small arms refer to the kind of weapons designed solely for individual use whereas, light weapons includes arms designed to be used by a crew of two or three persons. The global Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market has been categorized on the basis of types, application and geography. The market on the basis of type has been segmented into small arms and light weapons. The small arms segment has been further divided into six types; pistols, rifles, handguns, shotguns, man-portable machine guns and others. Similarly, the light weapons market has been divided into eight categories: landmines, mortars, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), anti tank weapons, anti aircraft weapons and others. In terms of application the market for Small arms and Light Weapons (SALW) has been segmented into: military, law enforcement and others. The Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market has been bifurcated geographically into four regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). The Rest of the World has been further segmented into Middle East and Africa and South America.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) is primarily driven by factors such as implementation of Soldier Modernization Programs and Police Modernization Programs across various countries. For example in 2013, the national government of Philippines in an attempt to modernize its local police has announced the procurement of a total of 74,879 modern side arms and 30,253 basic rifles which will be issued to rural frontline units nationwide. Moreover, factors such as increasing instances of urban warfare coupled with increasing instances of terrorists attacks are also impacting the demand for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) positively. The initiatives taken by various countries such as the U.S., France and Russia among others to curb terrorist organizations have further resulted in an increased demand for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). In the recent past, terrorist outfits such as ISIS and Boko Haram have constantly carried out terrorist attacks across various countries. In addition, in order to counter these terrorist outfits a large number of military and law enforcement personnels are being deployed by the respective governments. These factors in combination are further expected to propel demand for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) throughout the forecast period. Measures to restrict drug trafficking is another factor which is contributing to the growth of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market.However, the presence of stringent firearm legislations across various countries is one of the major restraints hindering the growth of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market. For example, in the U.K., the use of handguns is prohibited and requires special permission in the form of certificate from the police.The company profiles of the major players in the global Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market across four major geographic regions namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW) has been extensively covered under the purview of the study. Moreover, the business strategies being adopted by the major players in the market have also been included in the report. The market attractive analysis has also been provided in the report for providing a detailed insight into the global Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market.The market dynamics, which includes the market drivers, restraints and opportunities, has also been included under the scope of the report. Market dynamics help to understand the current trends in the global market by providing insights of the distinctive factors that influence the growth of the specific market. Thus, this report provides an inclusive study of the global Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) market and also provides forecast of the market for the period from 2015-2023.Some of the major players in the market are: Heckler & Koch GmBH, General Dynamics Corporation, FN Herstal, S.A., Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., SIG SAUER GmbH & Co., Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC, Carl Walther GmbH, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Glock Ges. m.b.H., Browning Arms Company and Beretta S.p.A. among others.Table of ContentChapter 1 Preface1.1 Report description1.2 Research scope1.3 Research methodologyChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Market Overview3.1 Introduction3.2 Key Trend Analysis3.3 Market Dynamics3.3.1 Market Drivers3.3.1.1 Modernization of Police Force3.3.1.2 Increase in Urban Warfare3.3.1.3 Measures to Restrict Drug Trafficking3.3.2 Market Restraints3.3.2.1 Defense Budget Cost3.3.2.2 Impact of Firearm Legislations3.3.3 Market Opportunities3.3.3.1 Research and Development Activities3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis3.5 Patent Analysis3.6 Competitive Strategy Adopted by Major Players3.7 Global Small Arms and Light Weapons Market: Market Attractiveness AnalysisGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Chapter 4 Global Small Arms and Light Weapons Market Revenue, by Type, 2015  2023 (USD Billion)4.1 Global Small Arms and Light Weapons Market: By Type, Market Overview4.2 Small Arms4.2.1 Small Arms Market Revenue and Forecast, 2014  2023 (USD Billion)4.2.1.1 Pistol4.2.1.2 Rifle4.2.1.3 Revolver4.2.1.4 Shotgun4.2.1.5 Man- Portable MAchine Gun4.2.1.6 Others4.3 Light Weapons4.3.1 Light Weapons Market Revenue and Forecast, 2014  2023 (USD Billion)4.3.1.1 Landmines4.3.1.2 Mortars4.3.1.3 Grenades Launchers4.3.1.4 Rocket Launchers4.3.1.5 Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs)4.3.1.6 Anti Tank Weapons4.3.1.7 Anti Aircrafts4.3.1.8 OthersChapter 5 Global Small arms and Light Weapons Market Revenue, by Application, 2015  2023 (USD Billion)5.1 Global Small Arms and Light Weapons Market: ByApplication, Market Overview5.2 Military5.2.1 Military Market Revenue and Forecast, 2014  2023 (USD billion)5.3 Law-Enforcement5.3.1 Law  Enforcement Market Revenue and Forecast, 2014  2023 (USD billion)5.4 Others5.4.1 Others Market Revenue and Forecast, 2014  2023 (USD billion)Continue...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.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @
Global Flow Battery Market 2018 Global: Detailed Analysis Covering Major Industry Factors

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Market Overview"A flow battery, or Flow Battery (after reductionoxidation), is a type of rechargeable battery where recharge ability is provided by two chemical components dissolved in liquids contained within the system and separated by a membrane. Ion exchange (providing flow of electric current) occurs through the membrane while both liquids circulate in their own respective space. Cell voltage is chemically determined by the Nernst equation and ranges, in practical applications, from 1.0 to 2.2 volts. The performance of these devices is governed by the considerations of electrochemical engineering.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Flow Battery in global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Request Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversSumitomo Electric, Dalian Rongke Power, Gildemeister, UniEnergy Technologies, Primus Power, redTENERGY Storage, EnSyncMarket SegmentsMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversVanadium Flow Battery, Hybrid Flow BatteryMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoUtility Facilities, Renewable Energy Integration, OthersFor More Information @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Flow Battery market. Chapter 1, to describe Flow Battery Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Flow Battery, with sales, revenue, and price of Flow Battery, 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 Flow Battery, for each region, from 2013 to 2018; 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 2013 to 2018; Chapter 12, Flow Battery market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023; Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Flow Battery sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source"About UsFuture Generic Reports is a market research and consulting organization, offering premium collection of market research reports, custom research and consulting services to corporations, no-profit organizations and government institutions across the globe.The wide range of information is presented by a team of well-trained researchers of specific sectors through exhaustive research. We deliver premier market research services that cover all industry verticals, including chemicals and material, automotive, healthcare, electronics & semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and technology and media.We believe in building an eternal bond with our clients through offering them inclusive research study meeting their specific requirements. Our services are tailored specifically to our clients by proposing them the potential outcome, based on our in-depth analysis and insights for exploring the growth strategies through providing the best possible decision for quality production.Contact UsFuture Genic ReportsUSA Office244, Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesToll Free +1- 844-445-2861Email: sales@futuregenicreports.com
Micro Turbines Market by Power Rating - Dynamic Business Environment during 2017 - 2025

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Global Micro Turbines Market: OverviewMicro turbines are small ignition turbines similar to the size of a fridge with yields of 25 kW to 500 kW. They advanced from car and truck turbochargers, helper control units for planes, and little fly motors and are involved a combustor, compressor, alternator, turbine, generator, and recuperator. Micro turbines offer various potential points of interest contrasted with different inn compressor, combustor, turbine, alternator, recuperator, and generator ovations for little scale power generation. These preferences incorporate compact size, greater efficiency, moving parts, light-weight, lower electricity costs, opportunities to utilize waste fuels, and lower emissions. They can possibly be situated on destinations with space constraints for the creation of energy. Waste heat recovery can be utilized with these frameworks to accomplish efficiencies more than 80%.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Micro Turbines Market: Trends and ProspectsAs the demand and uses of energy is rising, the requirement for more number of sources supporting low outflow power generation is ascending too. This assumes a key part in fuelling the interest for micro turbines. In addition, control age plants and shoppers are progressively searching for savvy operation keeping in mind the end goal to accomplish beneficial power age and supply. A standout amongst the most significant drivers of the market incorporates the capacity of micro turbine frameworks to work on numerous powers. Utilization of materials, including thermal barrier coatings and earthenware production enhances the effectiveness of micro turbine frameworks, in the long run expanding the resultant motor operating temperature. Such innovative headways in micro turbines are evaluated to additionally reinforce the market. Cross breed electric vehicles raise the most extreme interest for low power rating micro turbines. As major OEMs are progressively putting resources into R&D exercises for upgraded micro turbines effectiveness, the market is anticipated to pick up footing sooner rather than later.Global Micro Turbines Market: Market PotentialAccording to a recent news, the SIX clean-vitality speculations secured as of late in Singapore will make 400 expert level occupations and result in S$500 million in combined business spending throughout the following five years. These speculations - in the fields of sun based, small scale matrices, vitality stockpiling and computerized advances - point to Singapore remaining a decision area for organizations to advance and popularize advances, said Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon on Tuesday.Request TOC of the Report @Global Micro Turbines Market: Regional OverviewNorth America is right now the biggest market for micro turbines. Contributing around half to the aggregate worldwide market incomes, the North American market is driven by the U.S. Awareness about expanding carbon impression is probably going to help the market development in the U.S. all through the conjecture time frame. Also, strict administrative intercession by different natural associations, including CAA is evaluated to drive the market in North America. While N. America is relied upon to hold the best market position, the U.S. will remain the unmistakable pioneer through to 2020. Apart this, the second biggest market for micro turbines is Europe.Global Micro Turbines Market: Vendor LandscapeFlexEnergy (US), MTT (Netherlands), Capstone Turbine (US), Ansaldo Energia (Italy), and Toyota Turbine and Systems (Japan) are some of the major players in the global micro turbines market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Car Brake Pads Market Growth Forecast by 2023: BOSCH, Nisshinbo Group Company, Federal Mogul, Akebono, ZF TRW Automotive Holdings Corp, MAT Holdings

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Car Brake Pads Market report 2023 focuses on the major Types and Applications for the key players. Car Brake Pads market research report also provides analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market. The Car Brake Pads market research report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of Car Brake Pads Industry.Brake Pads are components of brake systems used in automotive and other applications. Brake pads are friction materials which bound to the surface that faces the brake rotor and take the brunt of the frictional force necessary to stop the car. In a disc brake system, the brake pedal activates a hydraulic line which squeezes the calipers against the rotors of the car's tires. Pads are positioned between the calipers and the rotors to absorb the energy and heat, and then provide enough grips to stop the car.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Car Brake Pads Market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Request for a Sample Copy of Car Brake Pads Market Report @Car Brake Pads Market Segment by Top Manufacturers Including:Federal Mogul, Akebono, ZF TRW Automotive Holdings Corp, MAT Holdings, BOSCH, Nisshinbo Group Company, Delphi Automotive, ATE, ITT Corporation, BREMBO, Brake Parts Inc, Sumitomo, Acdelco, Fras-le, Knorr-Bremse AG, ADVICS, Meritor, Sangsin Brake, Hitachi Chemical, Double Link, Hawk Performance, EBC Brakes, ABS Friction, MK Kashiyama, Hunan Boyun Automobile Brake Materials and FBK SYSTEMS SDN BHD.An inherent sub-vertical of the Automotive Industry space, Car Brake Pads market stands to gain remarkable proceeds over 2018-2023, as per a recently compiled report Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Table of Contents:Global Car Brake Pads Market OverviewGlobal Car Brake Pads Market Manufacturers ProfilesGlobal Car Brake Pads Market Competition, by ManufacturerGlobal Car Brake Pads Market Analysis by RegionsGlobal Car Brake Pads by CountriesGlobal Car Brake Pads Market Segment by TypeGlobal Car Brake Pads Market Segment by ApplicationCar Brake Pads Market Forecast (2018-2023)Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and DealersResearch Findings and ConclusionMarket Segment by Type, coversNon-asbestos Organic Brake Pads, Low Metallic NAO Brake Pads, Semi Metallic Brake Pads and Ceramic Brake PadsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into:Car OEM Industry and Car Aftermarket IndustryThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Car Brake Pads market.Chapter 1, to describe Car Brake Pads Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Car Brake Pads, with sales, revenue, and price of Car Brake Pads, 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 Car Brake Pads, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;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 2013 to 2018;Chapter 12, Car Brake Pads market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Car Brake Pads sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceFor more information on this report, Please visit at:Related Reports: -United States Car Brake Pads Market Report 2018United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of 3102.2 million USD in 2018 and will be 3447.1 million USD in 2025, with a CAGR of 1.52%.More Report @Marketstudyreport.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 Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:More Report at:
Surface Tension Meter 2018 Global Industry Key Players - Terra Universal. Inc , Esco Group , ACMAS Technologies (P) Ltd ,Air Science USA , Hughes Safety Showers Market Analysis And Forecast To 2025

Global Surface Tension Meter Market

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Global Surface Tension Meter MarketIn this report, the global Desiccators market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Global Desiccators market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingTerra Universal. IncEsco GroupACMAS Technologies (P) LtdBIONICS SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES (P) LTD.Air Science USAHughes Safety ShowersKimberly-Clark CorporationDu PontIllinois Tool WorksRoyal Imtech N.VM+W GroupAzbil CorporationClean Air ProductsAlpiq GroupRequest a Sample Report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Desiccators in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAtmospheric PressureVacuumOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingAnimal facilitiesPharmaceuticalChemical research labElectronics and semi-conductorOptical and aerospaceTable of Contents-Key Points CoveredGlobal Desiccators Market Research Report 20181 Desiccators Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Desiccators1.2 Desiccators Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Desiccators Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Desiccators Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Atmospheric Pressure1.2.4 Vacuum1.3 Global Desiccators Segment by Application1.3.1 Desiccators Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Animal facilities1.3.3 Pharmaceutical1.3.4 Chemical research lab1.3.5 Electronics and semi-conductor1.3.6 Optical and aerospace1.4 Global Desiccators Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Desiccators Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Desiccators (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Desiccators Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Desiccators Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)..7 Global Desiccators Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Terra Universal. Inc7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Terra Universal. Inc Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Esco Group7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Esco Group Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 ACMAS Technologies (P) Ltd7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 ACMAS Technologies (P) Ltd Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 BIONICS SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES (P) LTD.7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 BIONICS SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES (P) LTD. Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Air Science USA7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Air Science USA Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Hughes Safety Showers7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Hughes Safety Showers Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Kimberly-Clark Corporation7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Du Pont7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 Du Pont Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Illinois Tool Works7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Illinois Tool Works Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 Royal Imtech N.V7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Desiccators Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Royal Imtech N.V Desiccators Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.11 M+W Group7.12 Azbil Corporation7.13 Clean Air Products7.14 Alpiq GroupContinued.Complete Report Details @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
Floating Hotels Market 2018 Global Analysis By key Players  Armstrong World Industries, ROCKFON, Saint-Gobain, SAS International

Floating Hotels Market

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Floating Hotels Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com adds Floating Hotels Market Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2025 To Its Research Database.Report Details:This report provides in depth study of Floating Hotels Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Floating Hotels Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.This report studies the global Floating Hotels market, analyzes and researches the Floating Hotels development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeDragon Inn floating resortFour Seasons Bora BoraRiver Kwai Jungle Rafts (Thailand)Floating and rotating hotel towerConrad MaldivesPunta Caracol Acqua Lodge (Panama)Queen Mary Long Beach (California)C-bedRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoSingle OccupancyDouble OccupancyOtherMarket segment by Application, Floating Hotels can be split intoBusiness TripResortsTourismThis report provides valuable information for companies like manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, traders, customers, investors and individuals who have interests in this industry.If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Complete Report Details@Major Key Points in Table of Content:Global Floating Hotels Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Floating Hotels1.1 Floating Hotels Market Overview1.1.1 Floating Hotels Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Floating Hotels Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Floating Hotels Market by Type1.3.1 Single Occupancy1.3.2 Double Occupancy1.3.3 Other1.4 Floating Hotels Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Business Trip1.4.2 Resorts1.4.3 Tourism2 Global Floating Hotels Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Floating Hotels Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)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 Dragon Inn floating resort3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Four Seasons Bora Bora3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 River Kwai Jungle Rafts (Thailand)3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Floating and rotating hotel tower3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Conrad Maldives3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge (Panama)3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Queen Mary Long Beach (California)3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 C-bed3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Floating Hotels Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.8.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinued.ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Professional Survey Report 2018 - ABB, Siemens, GE Grid Solutions, TGOOD,

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Professional Survey Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies Infrastructure Mobile Substation 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, coveringABBSiemensGE Grid SolutionsTGOODElgin Power SolutionsMeidensha CorporationMatelec GroupEnerset Power SolutionsSupreme & Co.EKOSinerjiWEGAtlas ElectricTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Delta StarAZZMobile Energy IncPME Power SolutionsCondumex IncAktif GroupOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHV Mobile SubstationMV Mobile SubstationBy Application, the market can be split intoMilitaryCivilBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaTable of ContentsGlobal Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Infrastructure Mobile Substation1.1 Definition and Specifications of Infrastructure Mobile Substation1.1.1 Definition of Infrastructure Mobile Substation1.1.2 Specifications of Infrastructure Mobile Substation1.2 Classification of Infrastructure Mobile Substation1.2.1 HV Mobile Substation1.2.2 MV Mobile Substation1.3 Applications of Infrastructure Mobile Substation1.3.1 Military1.3.2 Civil1.3.3 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 Infrastructure Mobile Substation2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Infrastructure Mobile Substation2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Infrastructure Mobile Substation2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Infrastructure Mobile Substation3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Infrastructure Mobile Substation3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @5 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Infrastructure Mobile Substation Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Share Analysis5.2 China Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Analysis5.2.1 China Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Infrastructure Mobile Substation Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Infrastructure Mobile Substation Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2012-2017E Infrastructure Mobile Substation Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2016 Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Infrastructure Mobile Substation Market OverviewContinue...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.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @
Glazing for Automotive Market 2018-2022 Global Key Players: Pilkington Group Limited, Research Frontiers, American Glass Products, Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd, Asahi Glass Co Ltd

Glazing for Automotive Market 2018

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Glazing for Automotive Market 2018Glazing for Automotive Market Share, Size, Trends, And Business Opportunity Analysis Report 2018 include historic data, with forecast data to 2022. Glazing for Automotive Market report is helpful for future strategy development, and to know about Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, And Global market size, share, Growth, Trends, key players forecast to 2022Global Glazing for Automotive Market Information Report by Application (Sidelite, Sunroof, Backlite, Lighting and others), by Advanced Application (Large Windscreen, SunControl, Hydrophobic Glazing, HUD), by Vehicle Type (On-Highway Vehicles, Off-Highway Vehicles) and Region - Forecast to 2022Get Sample Report of Glazing for Automotive Market @Market ScenarioGlazing for automotive is the process of strengthening the glass used in automotive by very fast blast cooling. The speed of cooling can range from 600 to 300 C in a few seconds. Glazing is the process of manufacturing laminated glass for use in automotive.The growth of the glazing for automotive market is expected to be driven by the increase in demand for fulfilling consumer needs of safety, comfort and security while driving the automotive. The booming automotive sector is expected to directly impact the market of glazing for automotive. Glazing for automotive offers high performance and superior appearance to automotive consumers. It also ensures security of customers along with stylish looks. The ability of glazing for automotive to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and the weight of the automotive also contributes to the growth of the market. New trends in the manufacturing of automobiles have also contributed to the growth of the market.Key PlayersThe key players of Glazing for automotive market are Pilkington Group Limited, Research Frontiers, American Glass Products, Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd, Asahi Glass Co Ltd., Central Glass Co. Ltd., Guardian Industries Corporation, NordGlass, Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC, Nippon Sheet Glass Company Ltd. and others.Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:September 2017- H.B. Fuller Company has signed an agreement to purchase Royal Adhesives & Sealants, a leading manufacturer of high-value specialty adhesives and sealants.May 2017- The Dow Chemical Company was awarded the contract for supply of silicones sealants for the structural glazing facade in KSA. The silicones investment will include constructing a fully integrated, world-scale siloxanes and high performance silicones complex geared towards automotive industry.April 2016- Henkel has developed adhesive, sealant and functional coatings technologies for the automotive industry. It also includes direct glazing adhesive used to fix the windows to the vehicle structure.June 2014- Momentive Performance Materials (MPM) announced the opening of its new automotive glazing coating facility in Leverkusen, Germany. The facility will enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to test Momentive's coating materials in an industrial scale setting. Customers will also be able to coat production-sized automobile parts in realistic climatic conditions, providing a preview of mass production.Glazing for Automotive Market SegmentationThe Glazing for Automotive Market can be segmented in to 3 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Application - Sidelite, Sunroof, Backlite, Lighting and othersSegmentation by Advanced Application - Large Windscreen, SunControl, Hydrophobic Glazing, HUDSegmentation by Vehicle Type- On-Highway Vehicles, Off-Highway VehiclesSegmentation by Regions: North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.Regional Analysis of Glazing for Automotive MarketAsia-Pacific region is projected to be the largest market for glazing for automotive market, owing to its high vehicle production and increasing demand for sunroofs. Asia pacific is also the fastest growing region for glazing for automotive market. North America is expected to be the second largest market of the glazing for automotive market, due to the increased adoption of new technologies in the region.The report for Glazing for automotive market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, 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.Get Complete Report Details of Glazing for Automotive Market @Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Research Methodology3 Market Dynamics4 Global Glazing For Automotive Market, By Application5 Global Glazing For Automotive Market, By Advanced Application6 Global Glazing For Automotive Market, By Vehicle Type7 Regional Market Analysis8 Competitive AnalysisContinued.About Us: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 the prime objective to provide optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies depending on products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments enables our clients to know more consequently do more, which gives them answer for their each and every important question. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industryCONTACT US:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Off-Road High-Performance Vehicle Market 2023 Key Players by Wildcat, AEV Conversions Zone, Offroad, Icon Vehicle Dynamics, 4 Wheel Parts, Stylin Trucks

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Market Scenario:Although the off-road vehicle industry hasnt fully recovered ever since the recession, the recently stabilizing industry is witnessing a change in fortune with growing demand for motorcycles and four-wheelers alike and specifically Off-road high-performance vehicles.Yamaha led the volume race in the Off-Road High-Performance Vehicle Market with a market share of almost 30%, closely followed by Honda with approximately 23% market share. Yamahas WR450F is one of the biggest selling Off-road high-performance vehicles, along with YZ250F topping the sales charts for motocross. The motorcycle industry was going through a stabilizing period in the past few years. The industry as a whole is expected to return to rapid surge in demand specifically with the industries Off-road high-performance vehicle segment growing in popularity among individuals. With every major motorcycle manufacturer pushing for product development and innovation in their Off-road segments, the market has flooded with high-quality products across various prices ranges.The shrinking global scooter market is another indication towards growing adoption of entry-level motorcycles by new customers in the market. Major automotive manufacturer Honda derives a significant chunk of its revenue for their motorcycles division (USD 410 million), of which Off-road high-performance vehicles is a major segment.Request a Sample Report @The global Off-road high-performance vehicle market has been segmented by channel as original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket. By application, the market has been segmented as recreation and defense. By geography the market has been segmented as Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world.Key Players: Wildcat (U.S.), AEV Conversions (U.S.), Zone Offroad (U.S.), Icon Vehicle Dynamics (U.S.), 4 Wheel Parts (U.S.), Extreme Offroad & Performance (U.S.), Stylin Trucks (U.S.), Summit Racing Equipment (U.S.).Product Analysis:Product matrix which gives a detailed comparison of the market for different recycled product typesAdditional Information: Regulatory Landscape Pricing Analysis Macroeconomic IndicatorsGeographic Analysis:Geographical analysis across 15 countriesCompany Information:Profiling of 10 key market playersIn-depth analysis including SWOT analysis, and strategy information related to report titleCompetitive landscape, including emerging trends adopted by major companiesThe report for Global Off-Road High-Performance Vehicle Market of Market Research Future comprises 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, 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.Regional Analysis:The recent shift in the preference for mileage to vehicle looks and features is also expected to result in the high demand for Off-road motorcycles. The global Off-road High-performance vehicle is also expected to grow during the forecast period owing to increasing population, rapid industrialization and aggressive expansion of manufacturing sector. With major manufacturers investing in the booming automotive industry the Asia-pacific region, the Off-road High-performance vehicle is expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period.Growing awareness among individuals regarding Off-road motorcycle events is expected to push the demand in this region. The market has been witnessing rapid growth in the last two years, owing to the rising sales of motorcycles, the shift of global players focusing on this region and technological advancements are giving much-needed thrust to the automotive Off-road High-performance vehicle. The Asia-Pacific region is still a budding region for the Off-road High-performance vehicle and is expected to boom during the forecast period.Rest of the World comprises of the Middle East and Africa. The Middle East & Africa region has an emerging market owing to the increase in adoption of off-road vehicles in this region. The countries like Brazil are significantly contributing in the growth of the market, owing to the government initiatives, which are pushing for rapid development of the automotive components industry. Additionally, with the Middle Eastern governments looking to reduce their dependency on the oil and gas industry, there exist lucrative opportunities for various industries to thrive in this region.Intended Audience: Distributor & Supplier companies End Users Consultants and Investment bankersGovernment as well as Independent Regulatory AuthoritiesAccess 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 Components, Application, Logistics 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 Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune  411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +91 841 198 5042Mail: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Protective Packaging Machines Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2023

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Protective Packaging Machines Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.Protective packaging machines are those machines which are used across diverse set of industries to enable the manufacturers in ensuring the safety of consumer products, industrial equipment, and electronic gadgets among others. Protective packaging, as against conventional packaging, protects and preserves the product during its transit and storage. Protective packaging technology facilitates the safe delivery of goods to the customers. With a steady growth of e-commerce industry, the demand for protective packaging has in turn witnessed a steady increase, leading to the rise in the adoption of the protective packaging machines in the market. Protective packaging machines have a high demand across various industries in order to protect their products from abrasion, and other damages that may result due to improper handling and storage. The demand for protective packaging in the US is expected to expand at a moderate pace during the forecast period. As such, demand for protective packaging machines is in turn slated to witness a steady growth over the forecast period. Increasing demand, especially from Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America is expected to emerge as a major growth driving factor for global protective packaging machines market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Protective Packaging Machines Market Dynamics: Drivers & ChallengesWith steady increase in disposable income across key economies across the globe, penetration of internet and internet shopping or e-shopping has witnessed a steady rise over the recent past. The growing prominence of e-commerce, especially in such developing economies, is expected to result in increasing demand for protective packaging. This in turn is expected to result in a steady growth of protective packaging machines market over the forecast period. Continuous growth in the manufacturing and retail sectors is likely to propel the demand for protective packaging machines during the forecast period. Industry efforts to do away with conventional packaging methods which are not necessarily effective in terms of functionality, are expected to result in development of novel packaging solutions. Moreover, increasing efforts towards development of bespoke packaging solutions intended to effect savings in terms of weight and bulk are likely to result in steady growth of global protective packaging machines market over the forecast period. The relatively higher cost associated with adoption and use of some of the protective packaging machines vis-a-vis conventional packaging methods may act as a deterrent to the growth of global packaging machines market during the forecast period.Protective Packaging Machines Market: SegmentationDepending on the types of machines that are used for protective packaging, global protective packaging machines market has been segmented in to following key types.air cushion machinesbubble sheet manufacturing machinesprotective foam machinesPaper Fill MachinesOthersGlobal protective packaging machines market can be segmented on the basis of application into following key market segments.Industrial EquipmentElectronic GadgetsConsumer goodsMedical equipmentOthersProtective Packaging Machines Market: Regional OutlookDepending on geographical regions, global packaging machines market can be divided into seven major regions including North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific protective packaging machines market is expected to witness a relatively faster growth as compared to that of the other regions of the globe.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Protective Packaging Machines Market: Key PlayersSome of the players operating in global protective packaging machines market include:3G Packaging Corp.Atlantic PackagingAutomated Packaging Systems Inc.KOCH Pac-Systeme GmbHORVED S.p.A.Storopack Hans Reichenecker GmbHRanpak Corp.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.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @
Mirrorless Cameras Market - Robust pace of Industry during 2017  2025

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Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: OverviewMirrorless cameras, commonly used term for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILC), are digital cameras with interchangeable lens that are fitted with image sensors to provide image to the EVF (electronic viewfinder). Termed as mirrorless as these cameras do not have a mirror in the optical path and is characterized as lightweight to handle, smaller for easy portability, and simple to use. Though smartphones have eaten out a significant chunk out of the digital cameras market in the recent past, the market for mirrorless cameras is expected to expand at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025, gaining traction from a number of factors such as increasing disposable income among the urban population and social media trend that is quickly engulfing the younger and older generation alike.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Key TrendsImage sharing social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Twitter may have helped camera-fitted smartphones to be the cause of most of photos captured across the world, mirrorless cameras have been slow but steadily luring the financially-equipped population for its sheer quality of pictures. Consistently new product launches that attract the enthusiasts, research and development to device that new technologically advanced camera that can stand out of the competition, and declining overall cost are some of the other factors augmenting the demand in the global mirrorless cameras market. Another boon for the mirrorless cameras market has been the increasing penetration of ecommerce, wherein the prospect customers can not only purchase the products of their choice, they can also made decisions via reviews as well as educate potential customers. On the other hand, though significant cost continues to prove as a barrier, the mirrorless cameras market is also hindered by the lack of proper after sales customer care.Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Market PotentialNevertheless, rapidly increasing buying ability of urban population in the emerging economies is expected to open new opportunities for the vendors operating in the global mirrorless cameras market. Developing nations such as India, China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia house nearly the half of the worlds population and disposable income is incrementing. The vendors operating in the global mirrorless cameras market are expected to enter these new markets, if they already havent, and gain new consumer base.Request TOC of the Report @Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Regional OutlookSome of the most important regions for the vendors operating in the global mirrorless cameras are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. North America gains maximum demand from the developed countries of the U.S., worlds fourth most populous country, and Canada, whereas Europe closely follows with profitable countries such as the U.K., Germany, France, and Italy serving most of the demand. In the near future, Asia Pacific is projected to increment the demand in the mirrorless cameras market at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025 with increasing disposable income and deep social media penetration.Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Competitive LandscapeCanon, Sony, and Nikon are some of the key companies currently operating in the global mirrorless cameras market. Each of these companies consistently enhance their products as well as depend on aggressive market strategies to spread the word in order to gain new consumers. In the near future, favorable customer service is also expected to gain importance as a strategy to maintain consumer base. Panasonic and Samsung Electronics are couple of other prominent players operational in the global mirrorless cameras market with significant shares.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Food & Grocery Retailing in Indonesia Key Players - Indomaret, Alfa, Carrefour, and Hypermart Market Analysis & Forecast 2018 to 2021

Food & Grocery Retailing in Indonesia

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Food & Grocery Retailing in IndonesiaOverview"Food & Grocery Retailing in Indonesia, Market Shares, Summary and Forecasts to 2021", provides data for historic and forecast retail sales, and also includes information on the business environment and country risk related to Indonesia retail environment. In addition, it analyzes the key consumer trends influencing Indonesia food and grocery retail industry.Food & grocery is the largest sector in the Indonesian retail industry, accounting for 64.9% of total retail sales. In 2016, food & grocery sales stood at Rp2,513.8 trillion and are projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% during 2016-2021 to reach Rp3,783.8 trillion by 2021.Click here for sample report @Companies mentionedIndomaretAlfaCarrefourHypermartSuper IndoHeroFood & Grocery Retailing in Indonesia Major OutlookThe overall retail industry will improve between 2016 and 2021- Food & grocery sales will be driven by a stable economy and improved purchasing power- Specialists channel loses share to convenience stores and hypermarkets/supermarkets- Local retailers dominate the sector- All the top 10 players compete in the mass market segmentFood & Grocery Retailing in Indonesia - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in Food & Grocery Retailing in Indonesia. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sectorScope- Investigate current and forecast behavior trends in food and grocery category to identify the best opportunities to exploit- Analysis of key international and domestic players operating in the food and grocery market- Explore novel opportunities that will allow you to align your product offerings and strategies to meet demand by analyzing the vital economic and population trends, key consumer and technology trends influencing the food and grocery market- Analyze the recommended actions to align your marketing strategies with the crucial trends influencing consumer behavior- Understand the fastest-growing categories in the market with insights on the performance of individual product categories, across key channels from 2011, with forecasts until 2021.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Double Winding Transformers 2018 Global Market Key Players  Siemens, ABB, Eaton, GE and Forecast to 2023

Double Winding Transformers Market

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Description:Double Winding Transformers-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Double Winding Transformers industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Double Winding Transformers 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Double Winding Transformers worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Double Winding Transformers marketMarket status and development trend of Double Winding Transformers by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Double Winding Transformers, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Double Winding Transformers market as:Global Double Winding Transformers Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Double Winding Transformers Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):Single-Phase TransformerThree-Phase TransformerGlobal Double Winding Transformers Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Power IndustryTransportation IndustryOtherGlobal Double Winding Transformers Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Double Winding Transformers Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):SiemensABBEatonGEHitachiSchneider ElectricMitsubishi ElectricToshibaAlstomFuji ElectricChina XD GroupTBEABHELMajestic TransformerShanghai ElectricSPX Transformer SolutionsComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Double Winding Transformers1.1 Definition of Double Winding Transformers in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Double Winding Transformers1.2.1 Single-Phase Transformer1.2.2 Three-Phase Transformer1.3 Downstream Application of Double Winding Transformers1.3.1 Power Industry1.3.2 Transportation Industry1.3.3 Other1.4 Development History of Double Winding Transformers1.5 Market Status and Trend of Double Winding Transformers 2013-20231.5.1 Global Double Winding Transformers Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Double Winding Transformers Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Double Winding Transformers 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Double Winding Transformers by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Double Winding Transformers by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Double Winding Transformers by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Double Winding Transformers by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Double Winding Transformers by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Double Winding Transformers by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Double Winding Transformers by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Double Winding Transformers by Types3.2 Production Value of Double Winding Transformers by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Double Winding Transformers by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Double Winding Transformers by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Double Winding Transformers by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Double Winding Transformers5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Double Winding Transformers Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Double Winding Transformers Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Double Winding Transformers by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Double Winding Transformers by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Double Winding Transformers by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Double Winding Transformers Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Double Winding Transformers Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Double Winding Transformers Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 Siemens7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Double Winding Transformers Product7.1.3 Double Winding Transformers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Siemens7.2 ABB7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Double Winding Transformers Product7.2.3 Double Winding Transformers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of ABB7.3 Eaton7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Double Winding Transformers Product7.3.3 Double Winding Transformers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Eaton7.4 GE7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Double Winding Transformers Product7.4.3 Double Winding Transformers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of GE7.5 Hitachi7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Double Winding Transformers Product7.5.3 Double Winding Transformers Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of HitachiContinued.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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
3D Printed Drug Market - Higher Growth Rate & Forecast 2017 - 2025

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3D Printed Drug Market: SnapshotThe global demand for 3D printed drugs is increasing and gaining immense popularity on account of the FDA passing a priority review voucher system for these drugs. Other factors boosting the growth of the global 3D printed drugs include technological innovations in 3D printing procedures. 3D printing was expensive before but today it has become cost-effective and more accessible and this has led to an increased adoption of 3D printed drugs.One of the key factors resulting in the high demand for 3D printed drugs is their instantaneous solubility. 3D printed drugs are extremely easy to swallow. In the near future 3D printing can be used for customizing drugs for each patient. It is extremely likely that 3D printed drugs will appeal extensively to children as they can choose the colour, shape, design, and taste the tablet making them far less resistant to taking their required medications. All these factors are anticipated to propel the growth of the global 3D printed drugs market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the other hand, there are many scandals and phishing or hacking of data which are stored online or on cloud and this could result in patients being increasingly reluctant regarding disclosing their medical information which is required for 3D printed drugs. For a 3D printed drug, a 3D blueprint is required to be made of the patient, their dosage, and medical history are also required. Another factor which is anticipated to pose a challenge for the 3D printed drugs market is the issue regarding mislabelling of blueprints and inputting wrong description. Also an extremely important factor which is challenging the growth of the global 3D printed drugs market, is the lack of regulations. There is no clear law regarding 3D printing and this is expected to be an issue.Global 3D Printed Drug Market: OverviewCurrently, the global market for 3D printed drug is in its budding stage; however, it is poised to undergo a phase of positive growth over the next few years. The advancements 3D printing technology and the increasing investments to increase the research activities for the development of highly efficient 3D printed drugs are likely to boost this market substantially in the near future.Request TOC of the Report @Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Key TrendsWith the decline in the price of 3D printers, the market for 3D printed drugs is witnessing a significant rise across the world. The increasing usage of 3D printing as an additive in the medical and healthcare industry will act as a catalyst to this market in the coming years. The rising trend of using 3D printing technology in the printing of artificial bones is also projected to aid this market over the next few years.Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Market PotentialThe global 3D printed drugs market is gaining significantly from the rising awareness pertaining to the advantages of these drugs, such as their instantaneous solubility. Apart from this, the augmented arrival of individual drugs and production of combination medicines, stimulated by 3D printing, is also expected to propel this market in the near future. Since 3D drugs can be customized as per the requirement of every patient, assisting way better than batch-produced drugs, their demand is predicted to increase substantially in the years to come.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Overall, the future of the worldwide market for 3D printed drugs looks bright. However, the reports of adverse effect of these drugs may create hindrances for this market over the forthcoming years.Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Regional OutlookThe global market for 3D printed drugs reports its presence across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Rest of the World (RoW). Europe and North America have surfaced as the key contributors to this market, thanks to the presence of an advanced domestic healthcare infrastructure. With the high investment on research and development and the advent of the U.S. as the leading domestic market for 3D printed drugs, North America is anticipated to acquire the topmost position in the global market over the forthcoming years. Among other regional markets, Asia Pacific is likely to report a significant rise in the near future, thanks to the increasing investments in research and development activities in India and China.Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Competitive AnalysisAs of now, only one company is involved in the production of 3D printed drugs: Aprecia Pharmaceuticals. The pharma company has successfully developed the first 3D printed drug in the world and has named it Spritam. The U.S. FDA has approved the drug and it is currently being sold in the U.S market. Other drug makers are expected to follow the suit in the near future on account of the swift advancements in technology and the declining price of 3D printers.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Fleet Management Market 2018-2023 Global Key Players: Fleetmatics Group PLC, Verizon Telematics Inc, Trimble Inc, WorkWave LLC, Zonar Systems, Inc

Fleet Management Market 2018

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Fleet Management Market 2018Fleet Management Market Share, Size, Trends, And Business Opportunity Analysis Report 2018 include historic data, with forecast data to 2023. Fleet Management Market report is helpful for future strategy development, and to know about Market Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, And Global market size, share, Growth, Trends, key players forecast to 2023Global Fleet Management Market Information Report by Deployment Type (Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid), by Management type (Driver Management, Asset Management, Operation Management), by Connectivity Type (Satellite Navigation, Cellular System), by Services (Managed Services, Integration and Deployment services, Professional services) and by Regions - Global Forecast To 2023Get Sample Report of Fleet Management @Market Scenario:Fleet management is the process of managing vehicle fleet in an organization. Mismanaging a vehicle fleet can have significant effect on an organized operation. Fleet management typically includes vehicles such as trucks, cars and corporate fleets, commercial and freight aircrafts, buses and trams and also container ships. Fleet management includes operations such as vehicle tracking, mechanical diagnostics and also driver behavior. Furthermore, vehicle tracking and diagnostics include risk management, fuel management, telematics and accident management. Fleet management is predominantly used in sectors such as oil and gas, chemicals, mining, construction, retail and logistics, utilities, public and private transport, waste management and service sectors.The market is driven by the continuous increase in the demand for logistics and transport. The determiners of the growth of the market are the fluctuating fuel costs, connectivity issues, demand to meet pollution targets and operational efficiency. With fleet management, organizations can have better access to plan maintenance of vehicles, enhanced driver safety, proper routing of fleets that can all ultimately lead to effective operations of the fleet. Adding to that, vehicle connectivity and smart transportation are increasingly helping organizations to ensure safety operations of the fleets. Fleet management also helps in higher efficiency, consistent performances and ultimately reduced costs.Fleet Management Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22% during the forecast period.Key Players:The key players of global fleet management markets are Fleetmatics Group PLC (U.S.), Verizon Telematics Inc.(U.S.), Trimble Inc. (U.S), WorkWave LLC(U.S.), Zonar Systems, Inc. (U.S.), I.D. Systems, Inc. (U.S), and Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.).Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:The key strategies followed by most companies within the global Fleet Management market are that of new product development.On January 2017, Bridgepoint had acquired Zenith, who is vehicle fleet management company. The acquisition will allow the company to focus on both the corporate car and consumer markets from funding company cars or commercial vehicles. This will provide fully outsourced fleet management services.On August 2016, Verizon had entered in the agreement to acquire Fleetmatics. The acquisition will enable them to become leading provider of fleet and mobile workforce management solutions across the globe.On December 2017, Cisco announced the intent to acquire Cmpute.io in order to enhance existing CloudCenter features and accelerate the product features to boost the product line.In 2016, ARI began offering the fleet health card, which helps fleet managers identify problematic vehicles that have the biggest impact on cost and reliability. ARI has received the 2015 International Fleet Industry Award for its unique unbundled fleet management solutions, which deliver complete cost transparency.Fleet Management Market  SegmentationThe Global Fleet Management Market is segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Deployment Type : Comprises Cloud, On-Premises, and HybridSegmentation by Management Type : Comprises driver management, asset management, and operation managementSegmentation by Connectivity Type : Comprises satellite navigation and cellular systemSegmentation by Services : Comprises managed services, integration and deployment services, and professional servicesSegmentation by Regions : Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.The report for Global Fleet Management Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, 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.Get Complete Report Details of Fleet Management @Continued.About Us: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 the prime objective to provide optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies depending on products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments enables our clients to know more consequently do more, which gives them answer for their each and every important question. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industryCONTACT US:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Food & Grocery Retailing in Colombia Key Players - Exito, Olimpica, Cencosud, and Surtimax Market Analysis & Forecast 2018 to 2021

Food & Grocery Retailing in Colombia

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Food & Grocery Retailing in ColombiaOverview"Food & Grocery retailing in Colombia, Market Shares, Summary & Forecasts to 2021", provides data for historic and forecast retail sales, and also includes information on the business environment and country risk related to Colombia retail environment. In addition, it analyzes the key consumer trends influencing Colombia food and grocery retail industry.Government infrastructure and technology investments, the growing middle class, and emergence of e-commerce will help to maintain the growth rate for the retail industry. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% during 2016-2021, to reach sales of COP266,215 bn in 2021.Click here for sample report @Companies mentionedExitoOlimpicaCencosudSurtimaxCarulla supermarketsLa 14Food & Grocery Retailing in Colombia Major Outlook- Food & grocery is the largest sector in the Colombian retail industry, accounting for 55.4% of total retail sales in 2016- The sector registered sales of COP120,451 billion, with a CAGR of 4.2% in 2016- All the top 10 retailers in terms of value sales are domestic retailers buttressing the fact that international players have limited presence in the market.- Specialist retailers, hypermarkets & supermarkets, and convenience stores are the leading channels in this sector, accounting for 96.4% of total sales in 2016.Food & Grocery Retailing in Colombia - Competitive AnalysisKey players are making innovative developments in Food & Grocery Retailing in Colombia. The same will help in improving the market performance. Heavy investments are made by major players in the R&D sectorScope- Investigate current and forecast behavior trends in food and grocery category to identify the best opportunities to exploit- Analysis of key international and domestic players operating in the food and grocery market- Explore novel opportunities that will allow you to align your product offerings and strategies to meet demand by analyzing the vital economic and population trends, key consumer and technology trends influencing the food and grocery market- Analyze the recommended actions to align your marketing strategies with the crucial trends influencing consumer behavior- Understand the fastest-growing categories in the market with insights on the performance of individual product categories, across key channels from 2011, with forecasts until 2021.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market Analysis 2018 Forecasts To 2021

Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market Forecast Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Industry Analysis

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Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers MarketDescription:-Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market 2018: Global Analysis, Industry Size, Share, Trends, Application Analysis and Growth Opportunities Forecast to 2021 To Its Research DatabaseMarket InsightsThe Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 18% during 2016-2021 due to rising cancer patients and technological advancement across the globe. The Global CNS Biomarkers Market is growing at a significant rate due to other factors which includes development in imaging system, proteomics& genomics and rise in demand for CNS biomarker. Huge demand is created by growing life style oriented diseases such as CVD, CHD, Stroke, Cancer and other heart diseases across the globe. Favorable government regulations and policies are driving the market. Successful clinical trials and investment in R&D is creating huge scope in Global CNS Biomarkers Market. Global rise in adoption of CNS biomarkers in developed and emerging economies has also boosted the market. Global CNS Biomarkers Market by applications such as personalized medicine, disease risk assessment, diagnostic development, drug discovery and development are widely adopted across the globe. Personalized medicines and drug discovery & development has significant contribution in the growth of CNS Biomarker Market.Global CNS Biomarkers Market by type such as safety biomarker, efficacy biomarker, predictive biomarker and prognostic biomarker are generating considerable revenues across the globe. Success of clinical trials and personalized medicines are boosting the market. It enables the Global As a result CNS Biomarkers key players are focusing more into R&D and clinical trials of Biomarkers. Untapped APAC region is considered to be full of opportunity due to rising demand of CNS Biomarker in emerging economies such as India, China, Japan and Korea.Request a sample copy @Geography InsightsNorth America contributes highest in Global CNS Biomarker Market followed by Europe. The key drivers of the significant contribution of North America is the rising adoption of CNS biomarkers due to rise in life style oriented diseases such as Cancer, CVD, CHD, Stroke and other heart diseases. Emerging economies such as China, India, Japan and Korea has huge customer base and improved healthcare spending which are expected to create huge opportunity for Global CNS Biomarker Market. Improved standard of living, infrastructural development and favorable government policies are other factors that are driving the APAC market. The report includes detailed Market Overview, Market Determinants, Company Profiling, Sector Analysis, Market Segmentation, Geographical Analysis, Pipeline Analysis, Patent Analysis, Strategic Recommendations, Key Company Analysis, Key Findings, Market Insights, Analyst Insights and predictive analysis of the market.Competitive Insights:The Global CNS Biomarkers Market companies includes: Thermo fisher scientific, Abiant Inc, Enzo biocheminc, EKFdiagnostics holdings Inc, Acumen pharmaceuticals Inc, Abastar MDX Inc, Adlyfe Inc, Alseres pharmaceuticals Inc, Apitope international, Aposense, Avid radiopharmaceuticals Inc, Banyan biomarkers, Diagenic ASA, Applied neurosolutions Inc, Avacta group plc, Merc& co. Incand Exonhit therapeutics. CNS Biomarker companies are constantly focusing on R&D, partnerships, M&A, innovation and technological advancement.Market Segmentation:Global CNS Biomarkers Market is segmented on the basis of application, type, end user and geography. Global CNS Biomarkers Market by application which includes diagnostic development, drug discovery and development, personalized medicine, disease risk assessment are in huge demand and contributing highest in the growth of CNS biomarkers market.1. Global CNS Biomarker Market Research And Analysis, By Type1.1. Efficacy Biomarker1.1.1. pharmacodynamic1.1.2. predictive biomarker1.1.3. surrogate biomarker1.1.4. prognostic biomarker1.2. Safety Biomarker1.3. Validation BiomarkerCNS Biomarker Market Research And Analysis, By Application2.1. Drug Discovery & Development2.2. Diagnostic Development2.3. Disease Risk Assessment2.4. Personalized Medicine2.5. Disease Risk Assessment2.6. OthersCNS Biomarker Market Research And Analysis, By End User3.1. Diagnostic centers3.2. Hospitals3.3. Eye Clinics3.4. otherCNS Biomarker Market Research And Analysis, By Region4.1. North America4.2. Europe4.3. APAC4.4. RoWOMR Report covers:Comprehensive research methodology of Global CNS Biomarker Market. This report also includes detailed and extensive market overview with historical analysis & key analysts insights. Exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations. Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the Global CNS Biomarker Market. Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the Global CNS Biomarker Market. Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues. Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.Table of Content1.REPORT SUMMARY2.MARKET OVERVIEW AND INSIGHTS3.MARKET DETERMINANT4.MARKET SEGMENTATION5. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE6.REGIONAL ANALYSIS7.COMPANY PROFILESBrowse full Report @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.Contact Us:Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (Us)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (Uk)Maharashtra, Pune  411028
Medical Packaging Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023

https://www.futuregenicreports.com/Request-Sample/100668

https://www.futuregenicreports.com/Reports/Medical-Packaging-Market

"Medical Packaging is supplied in sterile conditions by the manufacture companies after the sterilization. With the development of the pharmaceutical industry, the medical instruments and the medicine has higher and higher quality demand in the sterile, because the medical instruments and the medicine can infect the patients.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Medical Packaging in global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAmcorDoW3MBerry PlasticsWihuri GroupDupontCatalentKlockner PentaplastBemisWest PharmaceuticalConstantia FlexiblesGerresheimerWestRockAvery DennisonOliver-TolasRequest For Free Sample Of The Report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPlasticsGlassMetalNonwovenOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPharmaceuticalMedical InstrumentsMedical ImplantsOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Medical Packaging market.Chapter 1, to describe Medical Packaging Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Medical Packaging, with sales, revenue, and price of Medical Packaging, 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;Obtain Report Details @Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Medical Packaging, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;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 2013 to 2018;Chapter 12, Medical Packaging market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Medical Packaging sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source"About Future Genic ReportsFuture Generic Reports is a market research and consulting organization, offering premium collection of market research reports, custom research and consulting services to corporations, no-profit organizations and government institutions across the globe.The wide range of information is presented by a team of well-trained researchers of specific sectors through exhaustive research. We deliver premier market research services that cover all industry verticals, including chemicals and material, automotive, healthcare, electronics & semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and technology and media.We believe in building an eternal bond with our clients through offering them inclusive research study meeting their specific requirements. Our services are tailored specifically to our clients by proposing them the potential outcome, based on our in-depth analysis and insights for exploring the growth strategies through providing the best possible decision for quality production.USA Office244 , Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesUK Office109 ,Straford Street,LeedsWest Yorkshrie LS11 6JGUnited KingdomSend Us An EmailE-mail: sales@futuregenicreports.comCall UsToll Free: +1- 844-445-2861Phone: +1- 347-983-9688
Intra-operative 3D Navigation System Market to Partake Significant Development by 2024

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http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Intraoperative care is a time period during operation in which patient is monitored, prepped, anesthetized and surgery is performed. Navigation system is the integral part of the surgery which enable surgeons with anatomical localization by means of imaging and computer technology along with accurate execution of surgical intervention with patients safety & comfort. Surgical navigation system helps in performing minimally invasive procedure by tracking the position of surgical device. It also considered as most reliable technology that render complications and risks during surgery and optimize the functioning of operation rooms.Request Report for Table of Contents @With increase in number of surgical procedures the demand for intraoperative navigation technology will also rise, which transform surgical procedures more precise and enhance economic value. 3D application simplifies the processing, image viewing and altering for navigation of surgical instrument and helps in improving favorable outcomes. Patients suffering from asymmetric deformities need 3D approach surgical navigation system. 3D navigation system helps in guiding neurosurgery procedures such as tumor resection, CSF management, biopsy and deep brain stimulation. The benefits of 3D navigation system are assimilate CT scans directly in the operation room & minimizing interruption, less chances of errors, actual placement can be compared directly with pre-operative target plan.Intra-operative 3D navigation system market are witnessing robust growth owing to technology improvement, better alignment, favorable patient outcome in surgery, accurate result, better visualization helps surgeons in real-time information of patients condition during surgery and aid in taking surgical decisions. Moreover, it also helps surgeons to perform more accurate procedure, less cumbersome, reduce complications and risk. However, deformities with device, decline in durability of systems over time, deformation of soft tissue with device, high cost of system, lack of reimbursement facility and chances of error with critical components of 3D navigation system impede the growth of intra-operative 3D navigation system market.Intra-operative 3D navigation system market is classified on the basis of product and end user.Based on product type, the intra-operative 3D navigation system market is segmented into the following:Neurosurgery Navigation SystemSpinal/ Trauma Surgery Navigation SystemOrthopedic Surgery Navigation SystemENT Navigation SystemBased on end user, the intra-operative 3D navigation system market is segmented into following:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersClinicsThe 3D navigation system has to perform the seamless fusion of medical imaging anatomy with real time tracking to improve patient outcomes. The demand for 3D navigation system in intra-operative care is rising due to increase in the complicated surgeries that need to be performed by surgeons even though ensuring the time duration, for that the navigation system helps them to perform more precise procedure. It also, help surgeons to make data which drive them to take decisions during surgery by integrating most advanced technologies and if the system is used at a broader scale it will be cost effect for hospitals. The intra-operative 3D navigation system has an advanced visualization technology enable for 2D, 3D viewing.Depending on geographic region, intra-operative 3D navigation system market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America held the largest revenue share in intra-operative 3D navigation system market followed by Europe and Asia Pacific owing to established healthcare infrastructure, technological advancements and majority of surgeries performed in these regions. The developing nations in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa hold huge potential for growth in the Intra-operative 3D navigation system market due to increase in the demand for less invasive procedures, accessibility and medical tourism in these regions.Request a Sample Brochure of the Report @Some of the key participating global players in intra-operative 3D navigation system market are Medtronic, DOTmed.com Inc., Brainlab AG, FIAGON GMBH, Zimmer Inc., Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Stryker, XION GmbH and B. Braun Melsungen AGAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
India Outbound Tourism Market Analysis 2012 - 2017 and Forecast 2018 - 2025

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India outbound tourism market is expected to exceed US$ 45 Billion by 2025.India Outbound Tourism Market Analysis 2012 - 2017 and Forecast 2018 - 2025 offers the most up-to-date industry data on the actual market situation and future outlook for India outbound tourism market. The report uses data and analysis to discuss potential lucrative opportunities and future trends related to India international travelers visitation, spending, purpose of visits and main destination markets. The report provides clear insight into current and future tourism developments of the India outbound tourism market. Furthermore, this report uses country focused analysis to explore India outbound tourism market.A detailed country-wise analysis of the market is provided, covering a total of 16 nations. The research study limelight growth drivers and investigates market inhibitors of India outbound tourism market.The countries included in this report are:Singapore, Thailand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Nepal, Cambodia, Mauritius, United Kingdom and CanadaKey Findings: India has become one of the fastest growing outbound travel markets in the world In 2017, there were more than 23 Million outbound tourist departures from India India ranks top in terms of number of visitor arrivals to Singapore and Thailand Indian travelers likely to become major spenders in the United StatesThe Latest Industry Data Included in this Report: India Outbound Tourism Market (2012 - 2025) India Outbound Travelers Visitation & Forecast (2012 - 2025) India Outbound Travelers Spending & Forecast (2012 - 2025) India Outbound Travelers Visitation Share & Forecast (2012  2025) India Outbound Travelers Spending Share & Forecast (2012  2025) 16 Countries Indian Travelers Visitation & Forecast (2012 - 2025) 16 Countries Indian Travelers Purpose of Visit & Forecast (2012 - 2025) 16 Countries IndianTravelers Spending & Forecast (2012 - 2025) Identification of Key Drivers and Inhibitors of the India Outbound Tourism MarketTable of Content:1. Executive Summary2. India Outbound Tourism Market (2012 - 2025)2.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation2.2 India Outbound Travelers Spending3. India Outbound Tourism Market Share (2012 - 2025)3.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation Share3.2 India Outbound Travelers Spending Share4. Key Market Drivers and Inhibitors of the India Outbound Tourism Market4.1 Market Drivers4.2 Market Inhibitors5. India Outbound Tourism Market - Country Analysis (2012 - 2025)5.1 Singapore - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.1.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Singapore5.1.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Singapore5.1.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Singapore5.2 Thailand - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.2.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Thailand5.2.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Thailand5.2.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Thailand5.3 United States - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.3.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to United States5.3.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to United States5.3.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in United States5.4 Hong Kong - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.4.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Hong Kong5.4.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Hong Kong5.4.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Hong Kong5.5 Australia - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.5.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Australia5.5.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Australia5.5.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Australia5.6 China - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.6.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to China5.6.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to China5.6.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in China5.7 Japan - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.7.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Japan5.7.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Japan5.7.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Japan5.8 Korea- India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.8.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to South Korea5.8.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to South Korea5.8.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Korea5.9 New Zealand - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.9.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to New Zealand5.9.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to New Zealand5.9.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in New Zealand5.10 Sri Lanka - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.10.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Sri Lanka5.10.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Sri Lanka5.10.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Sri Lanka5.11 Taiwan - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.11.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Taiwan5.11.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Taiwan5.11.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Taiwan5.12 Nepal - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.12.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Nepal5.12.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Nepal5.12.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Nepal5.13 Cambodia - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.13.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Cambodia5.13.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Cambodia5.13.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Cambodia5.14 Mauritius - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.14.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Mauritius5.14.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Mauritius5.14.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Mauritius5.15 United Kingdom - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.15.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to United Kingdom5.15.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to United Kingdom5.15.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in United Kingdom5.16 Canada - India Outbound Travelers Visitation, Purpose of Visit, Spending & Forecast5.16.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Canada5.16.2 India Outbound Travelers Purpose of Visit to Canada5.16.3 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Canada5.17 Other Countries - China Outbound Travelers Visitation, Spending & Forecast5.17.1 India Outbound Travelers Visitation to Other Countries5.17.2 India Outbound Travelers Spending in Other CountriesMore Details @DPI Research is a business solutions firm which offer bespoke market research reports, custom research solutions and consulting across multi geographies and industry verticals. We deliver wide range of cutting-edge research solutions that helps organizations in making better decisions of the business to business needs.DPI Research provides high standard of business research reports to the clients across industry verticals comprising Life Sciences, Information Technology, Telecom & Internet, Food Beverages & Agriculture, Travel & Tourism, Consumer Goods & Retail, Education and Social Sciences. We are committed to use advanced analytical tools and methodologies to help clients with crucial industry information for decision making.DPI Research approaches for the business research led by a team of dynamic industry experts. DPI Research provides a real insight for effective decisions to help business with the help of current source and accurate data available in the market. DPI Research reach across the globe with global standards from established markets in the North America and Europe to emerging markets in South America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa to provide the best business solutions.Maria Raisales@dpiresearch.comPhone: 91-7289949987Web:
Research Report and Overview on Hyper-Connectiion-TrendSights Analysis Industry Market, 2020

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Hyper-Connectiion-TrendSights AnalysisSummaryThe Hyper-Connection trend refers to the interconnected digital interactions between brands and consumers. The platforms GlobalData recommends to generate positive connections with consumers are organized into three types of brand-related interactions that occur with consumers: namely, from brands to consumers, between consumers, and from consumers to brands. Innovation and strategy implications are suggested for each of these categories and brands should look to incorporate these into its operations in order to optimize digital marketing strategy.Click here for sample report @Scope of the Report- 33% of 18-34 year-olds say they find being active on social media important, which is 11 percentage points higher than over-35s.- Three in five global consumers find the concept of products they have helped to create appealing.- Three in five global consumers say they find trying new experiences more exciting than trying new products.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTrend snapshotBrand-to-consumerConsumer-to-consumerConsumer-to-brandKey take-outsWhat next?Appendix.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Expansion of Cloud Data Integration Market Projected to be Supported by Significant Investment

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The adoption of cloud-based solutions and services are considerably high, owing to various advantages such as easy accessibility to information, less infrastructure cost, and others. Cloud-based solutions are adopted by several industries, such as telecommunication, IT, and BFSI. In recent years, cloud integration has gained favor among organizations, corporations, and government agencies that implement SaaS (Software as a Service).Request to View TOC @Cloud computing is a vision that is increasingly turning to reality for many enterprises. Enterprises, both large and small and medium enterprises, are evaluating cloud computing and, in increasing numbers, are moving their IT Infrastructure to the cloud. Higher adoption in small and medium enterprises and increasing demand of cloud-based applications are a few of the major parameters that are resulting in the quantitative increase in demand of Global Cloud Data Integration market. Cloud Data Integration market is one of the significantly increasing market because of rise in demand from various industry verticals.Cloud data integration solutions allow enterprises to unify data from disparate cloud sources in various formats. Cloud data integration solutions provide standard connectors to other cloud software systems, and also include functionality to cleanse, monitor, and transform data.Cloud Data Integration market: Drivers and ChallengesThe major growth drivers of the Cloud Data Integration market include increasing demand cloud-based enterprise applications and increasing demand of cloud computing services. In addition, Use of Cloud Data Integration in various industry verticals shall drive the growth of Cloud Data Integration market. Advancements in industrial IT infrastructure across the globe has led to growth of the Cloud Data Integration across the globe.Major challenges of Cloud Data Integration market are data security, integration of various data sources, threat of data breach, worldwide financial uncertainty and macroeconomic situations such as currency exchange rates and economic difficulties are some of the major factors which are hindering the growth of Cloud Data Integration Market.Request Sample Report@Some of the major players in Global Cloud Data Integration Market are Snaplogic, Microsoft Corporation, Talend, Software AG, SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, Informatica, IBM, Dell and G2 Crowd.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Mouse & Keyboards 2018 Global Market Key Players  Logitech, Microsoft, Samsung, HP and Forecast to 2023

Mouse & Keyboards Market

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Description:Mouse & Keyboards-Global Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Mouse & Keyboards industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Mouse & Keyboards 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Mouse & Keyboards worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Mouse & Keyboards marketMarket status and development trend of Mouse & Keyboards by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Mouse & Keyboards, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Mouse & Keyboards market as:Global Mouse & Keyboards Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanRest APACLatin AmericaGlobal Mouse & Keyboards Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):MouseKeyboardsGlobal Mouse & Keyboards Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Retail ChannelCorporate ChannelGlobal Mouse & Keyboards Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Mouse & Keyboards Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):LogitechMicrosoftSamsungHPLenovoAppleDELLRazerKensingtonAdessoMad CatzGear HeadPenclicEvoluentComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Mouse & Keyboards1.1 Definition of Mouse & Keyboards in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Mouse & Keyboards1.2.1 Mouse1.2.2 Keyboards1.3 Downstream Application of Mouse & Keyboards1.3.1 Retail Channel1.3.2 Corporate Channel1.4 Development History of Mouse & Keyboards1.5 Market Status and Trend of Mouse & Keyboards 2013-20231.5.1 Global Mouse & Keyboards Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Mouse & Keyboards Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Mouse & Keyboards 2013-20172.2 Production Market of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions2.2.1 Production Volume of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions2.2.2 Production Value of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions2.3 Demand Market of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions2.4 Production and Demand Status of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions2.4.1 Production and Demand Status of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions 2013-20172.4.2 Import and Export Status of Mouse & Keyboards by Regions 2013-2017Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Production Volume of Mouse & Keyboards by Types3.2 Production Value of Mouse & Keyboards by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Mouse & Keyboards by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Demand Volume of Mouse & Keyboards by Downstream Industry4.2 Market Forecast of Mouse & Keyboards by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Mouse & Keyboards5.1 Global Economy Situation and Trend Overview5.2 Mouse & Keyboards Downstream Industry Situation and Trend OverviewChapter 6 Mouse & Keyboards Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers6.1 Production Volume of Mouse & Keyboards by Major Manufacturers6.2 Production Value of Mouse & Keyboards by Major Manufacturers6.3 Basic Information of Mouse & Keyboards by Major Manufacturers6.3.1 Headquarters Location and Established Time of Mouse & Keyboards Major Manufacturer6.3.2 Employees and Revenue Level of Mouse & Keyboards Major Manufacturer6.4 Market Competition News and Trend6.4.1 Merger, Consolidation or Acquisition News6.4.2 Investment or Disinvestment News6.4.3 New Product Development and LaunchChapter 7 Mouse & Keyboards Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data7.1 Logitech7.1.1 Company profile7.1.2 Representative Mouse & Keyboards Product7.1.3 Mouse & Keyboards Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Logitech7.2 Microsoft7.2.1 Company profile7.2.2 Representative Mouse & Keyboards Product7.2.3 Mouse & Keyboards Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Microsoft7.3 Samsung7.3.1 Company profile7.3.2 Representative Mouse & Keyboards Product7.3.3 Mouse & Keyboards Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of Samsung7.4 HP7.4.1 Company profile7.4.2 Representative Mouse & Keyboards Product7.4.3 Mouse & Keyboards Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of HP7.5 Lenovo7.5.1 Company profile7.5.2 Representative Mouse & Keyboards Product7.5.3 Mouse & Keyboards Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin of LenovoContinued.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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Antifungal Drugs Market Share and Growth Factors Impact Analysis 2016  2024

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Antifungal drugs medication is done for treating fungal infections with minimal side effects on the body. Basically this fungal infections are organism that feed by breaking down the living tissue these fungi are commonly known as dermatophytes. Dermatophytes can cause infection of the skin, hair and nail as they have a unique ability to utilize the keratin. There are some common fungal infections such as ringworm, athletes foot, fungal n ail infection and vaginal thrush these can be treated by antifungal drugs. Antifungal drugs works by either killing the fungal cell by causing the contents of the cell to break and leak out and the cell to die and also by preventing the cell from growing.There are different types of antifungal medicines such as topical antifungals which are mostly applied on the skin, nails or hair, secondly there are oral antifungals which are consumed or swallowed in capsule, liquid form or pill and last is intravenous antifungal which are directly injected in the blood stream so as to prevent the fungal infection. The antifungal drugs are segmented as over-the-counter drug products particularly for dermal infections. Advancement in technology and drug delivery is expected to boost the global antifungal market.Request Report for Table of Contents @According to Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximately 46,000 new cases of Invasive candidiasis occur every year in U.S. which is a common bloodstream infection in U.S. The incidence rate of fungal infections such as Candida species causing infection vary substantially by geographic location and patient population and it is therefore causing challenge to healthcare professionals. The antifungal drugs market is mainly driven by the incidence and prevalence rate of the antifungal infections.Moreover due to benefits such as cost effective products, growing population of immunocompromised individuals and minimal side-effects physician are prescribing these products. Healthcare professionals are conducting patient education program for creating the awareness among the general population. However antifungal drugs market has some restraints such as presence of alternative therapies may hinder the growth of the antifungal drugs market.The Global Antifungal drugs market is segmented on the basis of product form, distribution channel and regional presence:Segmentation based on product formGelsCreamShampooInjectionsLiquids or SprayTablets (Pill)Segmentation based on distribution channelSpecialty ClinicsHospital PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesE-commerceWith the fungal disease leading to increase in the incidence of fungal infections Antifungal drugs market is increasing very rapidly. Moreover significant rising awareness among general population and rise in disposable income will boost the Antifungal drugs market during the forecast period.Geographically the Antifungal drugs market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and MEA region.In the United States, Candidemia is the common form of invasive candidiasis and a common bloodstream infections. North America followed by Europe is dominating the Antifungal drugs market as high incidence of fungal infections and development of novel antifungal biopharmaceuticals. In Asia Pacific region the antifungal drugs market is expected to deliver significant growth due to the rise in per capita income in this region which is expected to further fuel market demand. This growth is also due to the increasing awareness towards personal safety and health care. China is expected to register significant market growth in antifungal drugs owing to the growing access of public with healthcare professional and growing economy. Also the antifungal drugs market is expected to become highly competitive due to entry of potential entrants in the market by the end of forecast period.Request a Sample Brochure of the Report @Some major companies in the Antifungal drugs market are Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Kramer Laboratories, Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories, Novartis, Merck & Co., Bayer Healthcare and Glaxosmithkline GileadAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Optical Instruments and Lens Manufacturing Market to be Profited with Rise in preferences towards Wildlife Photography

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Optical instruments and lens manufacturing market is witnessing many positive effects on the market. This is also reflected in a new research report titled 'Optical Instruments and Lens Manufacturing: Global Markets to 2022'. The report is added to the repository of Market Research Hub (MRH) and is based on the facts that have been boosting the growth of lens market globally.Request For Sample Report:Optical Instruments and Lens Manufacturing: OverviewThere is a sudden development in the optical instruments and lens market. Most of it is driven by the growing inclination of people towards owning a high resolution camera. The trends have also influenced the pricing structure of market. Companies are forced to limit the costs of optical instruments as a result of growing competition. The market's growth is also influenced by people's inclination towards wildlife photography. The growth in its demand is also a result of growing disposable income available with people, improved standards of living, technological advancements and growing population in different regions across the globe.The companies are taking innovative steps in order to stay ahead of one another. They are implementing advanced and recent technologies to their products so that they can lure maximum number of people and improve their customer base. However the market is also expected to witness a few limitations which may have a negative impact on its growth due to high investment costs levied on manufacturing companies and also strict government's norms.Optical Instruments and Lens Manufacturing: Report ComponentsThis comprehensive research report incorporates all the essential aspects of the market. The report firstly includes a market definition and executive summary which forms a strong for the readers to understand what this report is all about. This is followed by a systematic segmentation of the market into various segments based on different parameters. The segmentation is also done on the basis of regions, which includes Asia Pacific as the most important market for optical instruments and lens manufacturing. Other than Asia Pacific, North America is also considered one highly lucrative regional segment in the global market. However United States is the largest market in terms of market value, which also includes India as a fast growing region.Browse Full Report with TOC-This is followed by a separate section which highlights the competitive landscape of market. It briefs about various leading companies including their market growth till date and their strategies. This section adds a great value to the market's analysis by helping the readers who are looking for opportunities to flourish their businesses. By knowing their competition in the market, a company gets the power to make efficient counter strategies. Some of the major companies included in the research report are Nikon, Canon, Olympus Corporation, Carl Zeiss and others.Enquire about this Report-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.90 State Street,Contact Details:90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free : 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email : press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite :Read Industry News at -
Revenue Growth Predicted for Device Connection Platform Market by 2025

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The device connection platforms are primarily used for automating the M2M (Machine to Machine) connectivity as the industries are focusing on implementing the automation in the platforms. The deployment of the device connection platforms is rising due to its ability to enhance the IoT enabled architectures. The enterprises are increasingly preferring the deployment of the device connection platform as they can be provided with the various technologies such as Big Data, IT cloud platforms, number of intelligent devices and other analytics.Request to View TOC @From the past few years, the importance of the device connection platform is increasing rapidly as this platform is acting as a connecting bridge between connected devices and higher layers of architecture. With the rapid globalization of the businesses, the network connections among the different software, machines, and other tools are growing along with the emerging complexities among them and for maintaining such complexities such platforms are used by businesses. Also, businesses are focusing on deploying the device connection platform as a competitive advantage over the others.Global Device Connection Platform Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing demand for the device connection platforms by the businesses is primarily driven by the increasing technology-based deployment such as Big data, IoT, business analytics, cloud-based technology, and others in the execution of the business operations. The key functionalities of the device connection platforms such as the platform can convert the raw data information into the usable information for the businesses using the applications developed in the device connection platforms.Also, the platform acts as an insulation between internal architecture and direct devices connected to it due to this the businesses are becoming dependent on the device connection platforms globally. These benefits are becoming one of the prime factor responsible for the increasing demand of the device connection platforms globally. On the other hand, issues in the compatibility in networks, complexity in an ecosystem and adequate advancement in technology are one of the key challenges faced by the device connection platforms.The global market for the Device Connection Platforms is segmented on the basis of the industries using the Device Connection Platforms.Segmentation on the basis of industryThe Device Connection Platforms are offered as the different type of deployment options for the end users. These deployments are offered based on the end user requirement as per the available resources with the organizations. The segmentation on the basis of the industry verticals includes the retail, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing industry (industrial Machines), Automotive, Healthcare, Energy, Automotive, and others.Global Device Connection Platform Market: Region-wise outlookThe global market for Device Connection Platform is divided on the basis of regions into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among these regions, the North America region dominates the market in terms of revenue generation due to the large presence of the vendors as well as users of the Device Connection Platforms. Also, increasing technological advancements in communication and network infrastructure.The Western Europe follows the North America market due to the presence of developed countries and rising focus on the increasing business automation in this region followed by Eastern Europe. The APEJ region is expected to grow at highest CAGR in forecast period due to increasing focus of the SMEs in this region to improve the workplace productivity by deploying the M2M communication platforms in developing countries such as India this trend is also followed by Japan region. The MEA and Latin America region are expected to grow at the moderate CAGR.Request Sample Report@The global vendors for Device Connection Platform include:The key players considered in the study of the Device Connection Platform market are Erricson, ILS Technologies LLC, ThingWorx Inc., Sierra Wireless, KORE Wireless Group, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Tridium Inc., and others. The key players are constantly focusing on developing a new functionality and adding new features to the existing products. Also, these players are focusing on forming partnerships and geographical expansions.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Position Sensor Market - Detailed Analysis and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Global Position Sensor Market: OverviewNeedless to explain its primary function, a position sensor helps to detect the position of an object from or to a fixed point. Position sensor provides the much important positional feedback for automobiles and robots. One of the easiest to use and most inexpensive types of position sensor is potentiometer. Linear variable differential transformer (LVDT), on the other hand, is an inductive position sensor that is less likely to undergo mechanical wear problems. The movement of an object can be detected in both angles and a straight line with the help of rotational and linear sensors respectively.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Position Sensor Market: Key TrendsThe analysts foresee the growth of the world position sensor market to gain a strong momentum on the back of an enlarging adoption in the aerospace sector, incorporation into modern automobiles, and mounting investment in manufacturing infrastructure. This growth in the world position market is expected to be propelled by the rising trend in robotics application and industrial automation.Vendors looking to earn grander business opportunities in the world position sensor market could be benefited by vital applications in robotic construction. The wheels as well as the moving arms of a robot can be assessed with position feedback received from position sensors. This can significantly reduce errors and better the efficiency of the robot during its operations. The demand in the world position sensor market is anticipated to be bolstered further with a telling increase in the adoption of robotics in different sectors.However, vendors could be challenged by the lack in the capability of procedures used to evaluate the performance of position sensors. Nevertheless, advancement in technology and the advent of innovative and improved procedures are predicted to address the challenge in the world position sensor market.Global Position Sensor Market: Market PotentialThe functions of a position sensor in automobiles are crucial. Any malfunction in its position sensor can cause the automobile to come to a complete stop or break down. A similar situation has been identified with the position sensor of Toyotas 2017 pickup truck Tacoma. The company is set to recall approximately 32,000 Tacoma pickup trucks in the U.S. on account of their possibility to stall without a warning. The recall concerns Tacomas from the model years 20162017 with V-6 engines.Request TOC of the Report @Toyota believes that the malfunction of crank position sensor in the Tacomas could have occurred because of immoderate anti-corrosion coating applied during the production of engine crankshaft timing rotor. Company dealers are expected to replace the faulty crank position sensors for free.Global Position Sensor Market: Regional OutlookFor the forecast period 20172025, the Asia Pacific position sensor market could record a larger share owing to a snowballing demand in automotive applications. Besides this, Asia Pacific is considered as the heart of most established markets such as automotive and consumer electronics in the world. The rise in investment in these sectors in key countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and India is envisaged to set the tone for an impressive growth in the international position sensor market. As a worldwide manufacturing hub, China is foreseen to showcase a substantial potential for growth in the manufacturing sector. The growth of the China position sensor market could be fueled with the surge in industrial automation.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Position Sensor Market: Competitive LandscapeSome of the popular players operating in the worldwide position sensor market could be TE Connectivity Ltd., ams AG, Renishaw plc, MTS Systems Corporation, and Honeywell International, Inc. Mergers and acquisitions and new product development are envisioned to be critical business strategies fleshing out in the worldwide position sensor market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services 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:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Blood Virus Testing Market Projected to Hamper the Growth by 2024

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Viral testing is carried out to detect infections caused by viruses by destroying cells of immune system. Viruses breed only in living cells and cause diseases by destructing or injuring the cells they infect, damaging the body's whole immune system, altering the genetic material (DNA) of the cells they infect, or cause inflammation that can damage the complete organ. A viral infection can occur in different parts of the body such as intestine, respiratory tract and lungs. Common viral infections include common cold which is caused due to infection in the upper respiratory tract and influenza. Diagnostic virology is formulating diagnosis of viral disease and is moving rapidly mainstream in clinical medicine. Blood tests play a crucial role in diagnosing viral infections through various tests such as antibody testing, viral DNA or RNA detection tests. These test can show the exact virus causing an infection in the body.Request Report for Table of Contents @Recently a test has been created which can determine patient history for viral infections through one drop of blood where the antibodies remain active even after the infection is moved out. The test compares viral infection in large population with great accuracy and is proved to be an alternative for viral testing methods which detects specific types of viruses.According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 59 outbreaks of viral hepatitis during 2008 to 2015 from which hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections accounted for greatest burden of disease. As viral hepatitis infections are asymptomatic and were not completely identified or reported. A report by WHO (World Health Organization) revealed that, there are more 357 million new infections detected annually and along with 500 million people with genital infections. Due to growing epidemiology of viral infections the blood virus testing market is estimated to drive growth over the years. Diagnostic virology has evolved from the traditional viral diagnostics and has achieved diagnosis by scanning a single drop of blood.The global market for Blood virus testing segment on basis of test type and end use:Segmentation by treatment for Blood virus testingFull Blood Count TestTest for InflammationImmunology TestLiver Function TestVirScan TestSegmentation by end use for Blood virus testingHospitalsDiagnostic CentersClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersGlobally, there is rapid increase in number viral infections which are difficult to diagnose due to the nature of viruses which has surged the demand for viral testing. Blood virus testing has been proved to be successful in diagnosis of such viruses and thus blood virus testing market is estimated to represent colossal growth during the forecast period (2016-2024). Various research organizations such as Howard Hughes Medical Institute are working to develop one-stop-shop testing for viruses and have been successful recently. Improving research and medical facilities powered by technology is expected to develop new market opportunities for blood virus testing over the forecast years.On the basis of region presence, Blood virus testing market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.North America market is estimated to lead the global market for blood virus testing due to high prevalence rate of viral infectious diseases such as hepatitis, followed by Europe due to the rising cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Zika virus. According to the epidemiology of viral infections such as Ebola and Zika virus worldwide, the need for blood virus testing is raised. However, factors such as lack of accessibility to healthcare facilities and limited awareness about viral infections are likely to hamper the market especially in the developing economies.Request a Sample Brochure of the Report @Some of the key market players in the manufacturing of the treatment products (drugs) for Blood Virus Testing includes F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, bioMerieux SA, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Omega Diagnostics Group PLC, Randox Laboratories Ltd., OraSure Technologies, Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Garnet Necklace Market Segmentation, Application, Trends, Opportunity & Forecast 2018 to 2023

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The global Garnet Necklace market will reach xxx Million USD in 2017 and CAGR xx% 2011-2017. The report begins from overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Garnet Necklace by product, region and application, in addition, this report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.Product Type Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Major Company of Product Type etc.):Garnet & Diamond NecklaceGarnet & Gold NecklaceGarnet & Silver NecklaceOthersRequest For Free Sample Of The Report @Company Coverage (Sales Revenue, Price, Gross Margin, Main Products etc.):TJCErnest JonesTraxNYCWanderlust LifeStauerGLAMIRAJamesVianaGlamourESQWest & Co. JewelersApplication Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Different Demand Market by Region, Main Consumer Profile etc.):Potable water treatmentIndustrial wastewater treatmentMunicipal wastewater treatmentGas disinfectionOthersObtain Report Details @Region Coverage (Regional Output, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):North AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East & Africa"About Future Genic ReportsFuture Generic Reports is a market research and consulting organization, offering premium collection of market research reports, custom research and consulting services to corporations, no-profit organizations and government institutions across the globe.The wide range of information is presented by a team of well-trained researchers of specific sectors through exhaustive research. We deliver premier market research services that cover all industry verticals, including chemicals and material, automotive, healthcare, electronics & semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and technology and media.We believe in building an eternal bond with our clients through offering them inclusive research study meeting their specific requirements. Our services are tailored specifically to our clients by proposing them the potential outcome, based on our in-depth analysis and insights for exploring the growth strategies through providing the best possible decision for quality production.Contact us-USA Office244 , Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesUK Office109 ,Straford Street,LeedsWest Yorkshrie LS11 6JGUnited KingdomSend Us An EmailE-mail: sales@futuregenicreports.comCall UsToll Free: +1- 844-445-2861Phone: +1- 347-983-9688
Virtualization Security Market 2018 by Global Leaders: Altor Networks, Trend Micro, Symantec, VMware, Fortinet, Ericsson Networks, Intel Security Group, CA Technologies, Red Hat

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Market Research Future published a research report on Virtualization Security Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2027  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2027.Market ScenarioCompanies such as Trend Micro Inc. (Japan), Symantec Corp. (U.S.), VMware Inc. (U.S.), Fortinet Inc. (U.S.), Hewlett-Packard (U.S.), Dell Inc. (U.S.), Ericsson Networks (Sweden), Intel Security Group (U.S.), are the leading providers of virtualization security solution in the global market. On June 2016, Cisco System Inc. announced their new platform Cisco tetration analytics, which is been designed to help customers for gaining visibility over data centers in real time. The device collects telemetry information from hardware and software sensors and conducts analysis with the help of advanced machine learning techniques. Prominent companies are investing in Virtualization Security Market due to growing demand for managed security services among organization which is propelling the virtualization security market growth.The growing demand for cloud computing is one of the main driving factors of the virtualization security market growth. On December 16, 2015, Trend Micro Incorporated innovated and reinforces cloud security for better performance in the cloud sector. This is an innovative approach to security technology and service towards cloud security in the organization. The emergence of the internet of things is boosting the virtualization security market growth to the large extent. In June 2016, Oracle has announced its new development SPARC platform, which is designed to bring security, efficiency, and simplicity on a cloud platform. With the help of this platform, it improves on cloud computing delivery in business applications. This platform includes new cloud services, engineered systems, and servers.Get Sample of Report @Virtualization Security Global Market - Segmentation Segmentation by Type: Hardware (Networking), Software (System & networking management, security management, operating system, virtual client computing software). Segmentation by Services: Integration & design, consulting, and support & maintenance among others. Segmentation by End-users: Cloud service provider, IT, telecommunication, healthcare & retail, government (BFSI), and large enterprises among others. Segmentation by Infrastructure: Virtual switch, Hypervisor, web server, and virtual machine.Key Players:Some of the prominent players in the global virtualization security market are Altor Networks (U.S.), Trend Micro Inc. (Japan), Symantec Corp. (U.S.), VMware Inc. (U.S.), Fortinet Inc. (U.S.), Hewlett-Packard (U.S.), Dell Inc. (U.S.), Ericsson Networks (Sweden), Intel Security Group (U.S.), CA Technologies (U.S.), Juniper Networks, Inc. (U.S.), Sophos Ltd (U.K), Red Hat, Inc. (U.S.), Citrix Systems, Inc. (U.S.) and Oracle corporation (U.S.) among others.Virtualization Security Global Market - Regional AnalysisVirtualization Security Market is growing with the positive growth in all the regions. Increasing application areas on and advancement in technology and integration with current IT infrastructure. North America is dominating the market of Virtualization security due to the increasing demand for security solutions by American companies and growing cloud computing market. The region also witnesses highest cyber-attacks among all the countries thus, requires high end security solution. In the last several years, U.S. has experienced rapid changes in the technology which is playing a vital role in the market growth. Europe stands as second largest market for virtualization security. From the last few years, European countries have also witnessed rapid growth which is the primary reason for the cyber-attacks. Rich automotive and IT industry in this region is one of the biggest driver which is supporting the market of virtualization security. Asia Pacific region has emerged as fastest growing market for virtualization security due tot eh growth of Asian countries such as China, India and Japan.Get Complete Report @Intended Audience Virtualization security companies Virtualization security providers Technical universities System integrators Managed Security Service Providers Professional service providers Research and development companies Market research and consulting firms Solution providers Technology standards organizations Technology investors System IntegratorsAbout Us: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.Media Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Crude Oil Carriers Market Outlook, Growth Trends, Demands and Future Prospects till 2024

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An extensive forecast study, titled Crude Oil Carriers Market, by Vessel Type (VLCC/ULCC, Suezmax, Aframax, and Panamax) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 has been broadcasted to the online repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). This 112-page precise study encapsulates valuable details about the market current scenario as well as its future projections on a global and regional level. It further intensely aims to provide major insights into the markets growth throughout the above-mentioned forecast period in terms of volume and revenue (in US$ Mn). Moreover, the research also investigates market expansion in some of the prime regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA).Request Free Sample Report @Crude oil can be transferred from production spots to refineries by using crude oil carriers. Other means of transporting them are rail tank cars, pipelines, barges, and tank trucks. Crude oil carriers, better known as oil tankers in common parlance, deliver crude oil in bulk from one location to another. Perfect competition prevails at present in the global crude oil carriers market on account of numerous providers of similar shipping services, absence of strict rules, and most importantly information on freight rates on the Baltic Index.In order to further their positions in the global crude oil carriers market, savvy players are coming up with improved transportation technologies and carrier models. This has served to catalyze growth in the market. Further, ship owners have proper procedures in place to ensure secure and environmentally responsible operations and this is also upping demand in market.A factor posing a roadblock to the global crude oil carriers market, on the other hand, is the massive initial investment needed to acquire brand new and even second hand carrier ships. This has particularly hampered many aspiring players from foraying into the market.A report by Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) predicts the global market for crude oil carriers to expand at a tepid CAGR of 3.5% during the period between 2016 and 2024 to become worth US$217 bn by 2023 from US$160 bn in 2015.VLCC and ULCC Together Account for Dominant ShareThe two main kinds of oil carriers are crude oil carriers and product carriers. Crude oil carriers, typically, transfer unrefined crude oil from exploration and production facilities to crude oil refineries. Product carriers, on the other hand, ship refined products to points close to consuming markets. Coastal tank vessel trades are carried out using crude carriers, tank barges, and product tankers. Crude oil carriers serve the West/Alaska coast crude oil trades.Browse Full Report with TOC @Depending upon the type of vessels, the global crude oil carriers market can be segmented into Suezmax, VLCC/ULCC, Aframax, and Panamax. Of them, the combined share of VLCC and ULCC was about 63.0% in 2015 mainly on account of a significant number of VLCCs operating. In 2015, these two large carriers are said to have transported worth over US$90,000 a day to Asia Pacific. Crude oil carriers are also treated as a medium of floating storage by some energy traders and companies stored wanting to hedge against higher future price.Aframax held about 21.0% share in the global crude oil carriers market in 2015. Suezmax accounted for nearly 14.0% and Panamax accounted for the rest 2% of the market.Powered by China and Japan, Asia Pacific Dominates MarketDepending upon geography again, the global crude oil carriers market can be segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World. Of them, Asia Pacific accounted for share of 41.0% in 2015. This is because, many countries in Asia Pacific, namely South Korea, China, Malaysia, and Japan, own and operate most of the crude oil carriers. Crude oil from West Africa and South America is mainly transported to Asia Pacific, owing to lesser demand from the U.S. which has been witnessing a boom in shale oil and gas and hence requires lesser crude oil.Europe is another key market for crude oil carriers, in which Greece is said to have owned and operated almost 17.0% of the worldwide crude oil carriers in 2015.Enquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search EngineMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Recent Study Explores Urban Populations Pipeline Review, 2020

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Urban PopulationsSummary"Urban Populations" is a detailed and forecast-driven analytical report that provides insight into the current trends affecting urban populations and their future implications. Notably, the report examines three core topics; aging populations, declining populations, and rapidly-growing populations. For each of these trends, the report analyses the challenges and opportunities which have arisen as a result.Click here for sample report @Scope of the Report- Technological integration into everyday life could prove hugely beneficial for aging demographics and society as a whole. Advancements which improve the health and mobility of an aging society will decrease dependence on public health services. Meanwhile, incentivizing companies to hire older workers can also keep this age cohort more active and maintain consumption expenditure levels within the local economy.- A declining workforce implies an economic contraction as output falls. However, innovations mean that such cities could experience a fast recovery: in one particular city, low property rents and labor costs have created a thriving technology-focused start-up scene.- Big data and the smart city movement will prove crucial if the worlds metropolises are to achieve maximum efficiency and sustainability. Demand for green buildings that promote sustainability and well-being is set to rise significantly as the awareness of pollution levels grows.Table of ContentsTable of contents 3List of exhibits 4Executive summary 5Section 1: Aging populations 6Section 1, Public finances and the economy 7Section 1, Age friendly communities 8Section 1, Case study: Tokyo, Japan 9Section 2: Declining populations 10Section 2, Economic and social factors 11Section 2, Declining populations opportunities 12Section 2, Case study: Athens, Greece 13Section 3: Overpopulation 14Section 3, Megacities 15Section 3, Urbanization and population growth 16Section 3, Sustainability of cities 18Section 3, Case study: London, United Kingdom 19Section 4: Key findings and recommendations 20Section 4, Decode the future 21Appendix 23Reference list 24Acronyms and definitions 28About the author 29Contact information 30.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @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. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Global Skin Replacement Therapy Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024

Skin Replacement Therapy Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Skin Replacement Therapy Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.Ever since its advent by John F. Burke, synthetic skin or artificial skin has proved to be a boon for victims of burns and other skin diseases. Synthetic skin protects a patient from infection and dehydration and is readily accepted by the immune system, and thus, the global skin replacement market is witnessing a growth. Synthetic skin can be easily sterilized at room temperature and is excellent for combating chronic or acute skin wounds and infections. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and serves the body in various was, but protection is its main function.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The skin protects the various organs and tissues inside the human body form disease carrying bacteria, toxins, cold, heat, and similar other external threats. Thus, it is important to ensure the good health of the skin and any loss of the skin due to severe burns or trauma of any kind can pose a threat and expose the inside organs and tissues to potential dangers. This can also lead to impairment or inability of an organ to perform its functions. All these factors are slated to drive the demand for skin replacement. The large scale production of artificial skin can lead to instant availability for grafting and this will make it economical for burn patients to opt for artificial skin. Extensive research and development, growing importance for aesthetically appealing skin, and increasing disposable income are some of the factors boosting the global skin replacement market.Skin replacement therapy helps treat severe skin burns or chronic skin wounds. Skin cancer, eczema, and psoriasis are some of the skin diseases that can be painful and can compromise the quality of life led by a person. Thus arises a need for skin replacement therapy. The skin is the largest external organ of the human body and is one of the organs most vulnerable to injuries and damages. Since the skin protects the musculoskeletal system, the organs, and also helps maintain the temperature of the body, it becomes very essential for the skin to function properly. Moreover, the skin also regulates the level of fluids in the body. Thus, any skin disease or injury needs to be treated immediately as the lack of it can impact the persons ability to lead a normal life.The global skin replacement therapy market is segmented on the basis of material used, end user, and geography. On the basis of material used, the market is segmented into spider silk and collagen. By geography, the global skin replacement therapy market is segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World.Browse Detail Report @The report is a professional and detailed study on the current state of the market, taking into consideration historical figures. The future projections of the global skin replacement therapy market is forecast for the period from 2016 to 2024. The report offers accurate data and compiles fruitful information with the help of primary and secondary research methods, enabling enterprises and interested individuals to have a competitive edge above the rest.Overview of the Skin Replacement Therapy MarketAn increasing prevalence of skin diseases and injuries among people and subsequently the rising consciousness among them to have healthy and beautiful skin are driving the global skin replacement therapy market. The continual expansion of product range available in the market enables consumers to access specific skin replacement therapies in line with the skin condition they are suffering from. The ability of consumers to spend on these therapies or products has motivated manufacturers to develop and introduce newer products, thus helping the global skin replacement therapy market to grow.The global skin replacement therapy market is challenged by the availability of low-cost substitutes. The lack of clinical support is another probable factor that may threaten the growth of the global skin replacement therapy market. However, bio-engineered skin replacements will open new opportunities for growth in the market. These replacements are capable of closely mimicking almost all functions of the natural skin and are thus expected to be in huge demand.By geography, North America contributes a significant portion to the skin replacement therapy market revenue. The demand for skin replacement therapies in Asia Pacific is expected to rise in the coming years as many countries in the region are offering attractive medical tourism packages.Companies Mentioned in the ReportThe report studies key players operating in the global skin replacement therapy market. The challenges faced by companies and the strategies adopted by them have been thoroughly studied. The report includes the business and financial overviews of the companies. It also includes the recent developments regarding mergers and acquisitions of the companies, new product developments, and the product picture, price, and specifications. Such in-depth analysis of each of the companies enables readers to make smart and informed decisions regarding investments in the skin replacement therapy market. The companies profiled in the report include: Cellular Dynamics International, Tengion, Cynata Therapeutics Limited, Platelet BioGenesis, and TissueGene, Inc.The study is a source of reliable data on:- Market segments and sub-segments- Market trends and dynamics- Supply and demand- Market size- Current trends/opportunities/challenges- Competitive landscape- Technological breakthroughs- Value chain and stakeholder analysisMake an Enquiry of this report @Highlights of the report:- A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market- Important changes in market dynamics- Market segmentation up to the second or third level- Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume- Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments- Market shares and strategies of key players- Emerging niche segments and regional markets- An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market- Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout 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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Physician & Nurse Scheduling System Market Foraying into Emerging Economies 2017 - 2025

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Physician & Nurse Scheduling System market is growing at a progressive growth rate due to increasing digitalization of technologies within the healthcare industry. Moreover, due to increasing usage of advance technologies to integrate communication system so as to properly manage staff and scheduling work accordingly. The Physician & Nurse Scheduling System helps in integration of staff directory, web-based on-call schedules, secure texting apps, and physician-specific information such as availability and device preferences. Moreover, with the increasing usage of smartphones for communicating with physicians and doctors has increased the difficulty of which physician is available at what time? This has also increased the confusion and difficulty to track the physician and staff schedule.Request Sample Report@With the development of technologies, Physician & Nurse Scheduling System solutions have been increasingly used and are available for the hospitals without the need to print and distribute revisions to all departments. Physician & Nurse Scheduling System are used for information, eliminating version control confusion and translation errors from copying information onto paper or white boards. Clinical departments can take ownership of updates and make revisions themselves as assignments change, helping keep schedules more current. Physician & Nurse Scheduling System also saves time for contact center staff by removing them from the update process, including printing and distributing amendments.The major factor driving the adoption of Physician & Nurse Scheduling System is increasingly being used avoid the chaos and difficulty to track physician schedule. This Physician & Nurse Scheduling System also helps in improving accessibility to authorized staff, pull contact information from a well-maintained directory, and integrate with additional tools such as encrypted smartphone texting and escalation procedures.The key challenge for Physician & Nurse Scheduling System processes is the limited usage and knowledge about these Physician & Nurse Scheduling System solutions. In developing countries very less physician or hospitals implement these kind of systems due to lack of supporting technology and limited knowledge about this Physician & Nurse Scheduling System.In November 2016, Bon Secours Medical Group has launched its new online scheduling system for setting medical appointments with health care providers can now be done with just a few clicks on a computer, tablet or smart phone. In addition to the scheduling feature, patients will receive office visit reminders by email and text. Appointment availability includes new patient visits, sick visits, follow-up appointments and annual physicals.Request to View TOC @Key PlayersIn Physician & Nurse Scheduling System market there are many players some of them are Bon Secours Richmond Health System, McKesson, SNAP Schedule, Spok, Intrigma and othersAbout 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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Overview Of Self-service Technology Global Market Analysis 2016 - 2023

Self-service Technology Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Self-service Technology Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.Self-service technologies (SSTs) help customers in producing services without requiring any assistance from direct service employees. Various service interactions are being replaced by self-service technologies in order to improve the efficiency and accuracy. It helps employees to work remotely and provide services from any location worldwide. Also, companies are able to incorporate technology into a single product to provide an integrated remote and personal solutions with the help of self-service technologies.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Customers have the best understanding related to the requirements and functions, using self-service technologies customer can perform all the required tasks in a short period of time. Organizations are reducing costs, increasing the customer satisfaction and deliver a standardized service with the help of self-service technology.Self-service Technology Market: DriversInnovative technologies such as wireless communications and remote service management are expected to drive the self-service technologies. Wireless communication has enabled remote service delivery, improving the service network of companies. Also, identification technologies such as biometric security services have facilitated financial transactions by validating identity of any person. Further, fingerprint recognition technologies are used in self-service technologies to identify the customer and provide services according to the stored information. The need to provide satisfactory and convenient services with reduced costs in industries such as banking and retail is anticipated to generate demand for self-service technology.Manual tasks are reduced significantly, resulting in reduced human errors and faster performance. Customization of services according to customer requirements is possible due to the technologies such as remote monitoring and cashless transactions. Demand for self-service kiosks is expected to increase significantly during the forecast period providing growth opportunities to self-service technology market.Browse Detail Report @Different types of kiosks are used in the market such as the photo kiosk, ticketing kiosk and banking and financial kiosk. Customers are preferring self-service options, as it helps in reducing the check in time and increasing the customer satisfaction. Proper implementation of self-service technology is important in order to achieve customer satisfaction. Employee interaction with customers is vital in the initial stage of implementation. Customers are hesitant when a new technology is implemented, as they are not sure about the success of this new self-service technology. However, government regulations related to the tracking of customers and health and safety are restraining growth of the market. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has restricted the usage of unhealthy snack choices to comply with the school nutrition standards.Self-service Technology Market: SegmentationThe self-service technology market is divided into three segments, automated teller machines (ATM), kiosks and vending machines. ATM segment is further divided into cash dispenser, smart, brown label, white label and conventional ATM. Different types of kiosks available in the market include banking and financial, informational, ticketing, digital video disc (DVD), photo, human resource and employment, patient self-service and others (telecom and restaurants). Vending machines segment is divided into beverage, candy, snack, specialized, cigarette and gumball vending machine.Self-service Technology Market: Key PlayersMajor players in the self-service technology market include NCR Corporation, Crane Merchandising Systems, Azkoyen S.A, Glory Ltd., Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co. Ltd, Kiosk Information Systems, Inc., International Business Machine (IBM) Corporation, Vend-Rite, Maas International Europe B.V. and HESS Cash Systems GmbH & Co.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:- Market segments and sub-segments- Market trends and dynamics- Supply and demand- Market size- Current trends/opportunities/challenges- Competitive landscape- Technological breakthroughs- Value chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:- North America (U.S. and Canada)- Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)- Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)- Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)- Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand)- Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.Make an Enquiry of this report @A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report:- A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market- Important changes in market dynamics- Market segmentation up to the second or third level- Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume- Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments- Market shares and strategies of key players- Emerging niche segments and regional markets- An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market- Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout 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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Contextual Marketing Solution Market to Reap Excessive Revenues by 2025

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To get personalized marketing there are some fundamental challenges to overcome these days. To get this personalized marketing on point one needs some information like the right context and a real time understanding of each customer. Getting to these information is a difficult task but contextual marketing solutions in the market has made this as easy as going for one to one marketing. People in the traditional approach used to bombard the customers with messages based on the scattered data which they receive, but due to the advent of contextual marketing solutions with every search, browse, e-mail open, or site visit, individual customers tells about its need or intent at that moment.Request to View TOC @The contextual marketing solutions works for both identified customer and prospective customer by updating a continuous 360 degree profile of them. These contextual marketing solutions have power to identify some of the things like what the customer did in the past, what they can go for in the future, and what they can be interested in in coming time. This contextual marketing solution help marketers target the customers interested in their products just like one to one marketing digitally. A marketer has many ways by which it reaches to the customer like by a Web site, e-mail, digital display advertising, push messaging etc.Contextual marketing solution market: Drivers and ChallengesOne of the driver for the contextual marketing solution market comes to be the increased use of mobile phones. The increased use of mobile phones and technology like keeping the cookies has helped the contextual marketing solution market on a growing path as the cookies stored in the mobile phones helps in keeping the historical data of an individual and this has increased due to use of mobile phone. Another driver for the contextual marketing solution market is the increasing number of vendors adapting to digital marketing for their products these days which has led to increased adaption of contextual marketing solution for better customer engagement.The major challenge faced by the Contextual marketing solution market is that in spite of seeing that most of the visitors on the websites are anonymous the marketers still focus on engaging to the minority customers which are identified through there emails. Other challenge faced by Contextual marketing solution market is that the dry run of retargeting ads or the onsite personalizations for the anonymous visitors which are deployed as per limited data which in turn lead to loss of the marketer as it targets only a minor percentage of the visitor.Contextual marketing solution Market: SegmentationSegmentation of Contextual marketing solution market on the basis of Industry shows the industries in which the contextual marketing solution is used. On the basis of Industry the Contextual marketing solution market can be segmented into Automotive, Banking, Professional Services, Manufacturing, Telecommunications, Consumer Products and Media.Request Sample Report@Competition LandscapeContextual marketing solution Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players of Contextual marketing solution Market are: Google, vjginteractive.com, Kontera, Microsoft, Clicksor Inc., BidVertiser.com, Chitika, Inc., eClickZ.com, Hsoub Co., Infolinks, Adobe, Marketo Inc., IBM, Oracle, Teradata, SDL, Act-On Software, Inc., Infor, SAP, and Infosys.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Wireless Local Area Network Market 2018 Key Players: Cisco, Aruba Networks, HP, Ruckus Wireless, Ubiquiti Networks, Aerohive Networks, Zebra Technologies

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Market Highlights:WLAN or wireless local area network is a type of network which allows one or more devices to connect using a wireless distribution method. In the 21st century, WLAN has wide application and is currently used in every possible industry which runs or uses products or services pertaining to information technology. WLAN allows devices to connect on WAN and explore.The WLAN market is driven by the factors such as growing demand for high data transfer rate, increasing adoption of cloud technologies and increasing popularity of internet of things applications. With the increasing number of mobile devices, there has been a constant rise in the demand for connected devices. This is one of the major factors influencing the growth of WLAN market. The constant increase in number of transactions done by consumers using digital tools such as net banking, mobile banking, or digital wallets is building high growth opportunity for WLAN service providers. Uninterrupted and speedy internet connection is the need of the generation.Characterized by the presence of several major well-established players, the global market of WLAN appears to be highly competitive. Well established players incorporate acquisition, collaboration, partnership, expansion, and technology launch in order to gain competitive advantage in this market and to maintain their market position. These Players invest heavily in the R&D to develop WLAN technologies that will meet the increasing demand on a completely different level compared to their competition. These vendors are constantly bringing innovations in the WLAN market. Demand for digital transformation is constantly growing and is not predicted to slow down at any time soon. Aruba Networks is considered to be the second biggest vendor in the WLAN market whereas; Cisco Systems leads the global WLAN market.Request a Sample Report @Major Key PlayersThe key players in the market of WLAN are- Cisco (U.S.), Aruba Networks, Inc. (U.S.), HP (U.S.), Ruckus Wireless (U.S.), Ubiquiti Networks (U.S.), Aerohive Networks (U.S.), Zebra Technologies (U.S.), Netgear (U.S.), Huawei (China), D-Link (Taiwan), TP-Link (China) among others.Know Latest Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:December, 2017  Cisco Systems shines in the WLAN market as the Aruba Networks slips in the third quarter by 0.5% which includes both consumer and enterprise WLAN. Cisco has achieved a 5.3% increase in the enterprise WLAN market. Cisco continues to invest aggressively in the WLAN market.December, 2017  Ubiquiti Networks has witnessed a considerable increase in its revenue of about 28% in this year in WLAN marketOctober, 2017  Huawei Technologies has collaborated with a Russian telecommunications company Rostelecom for deploying high quality wireless network in Moscow. Huawei has become the exclusive supplier to Rostelecom for its central location. Rostelecom plans to complete its Wi-Fi construction for central branch by 2018 including both indoor and outdoor scenarios.December, 2017  Huawei Technologies has witnessed a rise in its revenue of over 20% in the WLAN market.March, 2016  Hewlett Packard Enterprise acquired California based Aruba NetworksMay, 2016  Brocade Communications acquired California based Ruckus WirelessBrowse Full Report @Competitive AnalysisThe market of WLAN appears to be highly competitive. To maintain their market position and to drive the market growth, various dynamic and diversified international organizations, domestic organizations and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. Market leaders are innovating continuously and increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. Major players are investing on internal R&D and, most of all, in acquiring other firms.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:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Specialty Papers Market 2018 is predicted to grow with High CAGR at approximately 5.7% by 2023

Speciaity Papers, Speciaity Papers market, Speciaity Papers Industry, Global Speciaity Papers industry, Global Speciaity Papers ma

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Speciaity Papers market 2018 Industry report incorporates Speciaity Papers market Size, Share, classifications, applications and Cost Structure, Growth angles, an extensive variety of user, Utilization proportion, supply and request investigation, fabricating limit and forecast time frame 2018 to 2023Market HighlightsSpecialty papers are one of the special grades of paper. They have special characteristics and properties and they are designed for certain end use. Sometimes, normal papers are converted into specialty paper by the use of chemicals. Increasing urban population with improving life style is driving the demand of the market. However, growing trend of plastic packaging may hamper the growth of the market. Global specialty papers market is projected to reach USD 28.73 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2017 to 2023.Key PlayersThe key players of global specialty papers market are Nippon Paper Group, Inc. (Japan), Domtar Corporation (Canada), Mondi Plc (Austria), Sappi Limited. (South Africa), Stora Enso Oyj (Finland), Munksjo Corporation (Sweden), Kanzaki Specialty Papers Inc. (U.S.), International Paper Company (U.S.), Robert Wilson Paper Corporation (U.S.), and Griff Paper and Film (U.S.).Get Sample Copy of this Report @Regional Analysis of Global Specialty papers MarketEuropean region dominates the global specialty papers market, mainly due to growth in food & beverages sector. Europe is expected to contribute significantly during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest pace during the forecast period. Growth in industrialization and urbanization in this region, is the primary factor that increases the demand of specialty papers market.On the basis of regions, the global specialty papers market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and RoW. European region dominates the global specialty papers market mainly due to growth in food & beverages sector as well as increasing end use sector of specialty paper. Europe is expected to contribute significantly during the forecast period.Market Research AnalysisOn the basis of regions, the global specialty papers market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and RoW. European region dominates the global specialty papers market mainly due to growth in food & beverages sector as well as increasing end use sector of specialty paper. Europe is expected to contribute significantly during the forecast period.Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest pace during the forecast period. Growth in industrialization and urbanization, and increasing disposable income among individuals, are some factors that drive the demand of specialty papers in this region.Complete report on Speciaity Papers Market report spread across 140 pages, profiling 20 companies and supported with tables and figures available @By TypeDecor PaperFlexible Packaging PapersRelease Liner PaperPrinting PaperMasking TapeOthersBy Raw MaterialPulpFillers & BindersAdditivesotherBy ApplicationBuilding & ConstructionPackaging & LabelingIndustrialPrinting & WritingOthersAbout 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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Overview Of Global Luxury Sunglass Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020)

Luxury Sunglass Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Luxury Sunglass Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report titled Global Luxury Sunglass Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global luxury sunglass market with detailed analysis of market size on the basis of value and volume along with the growth in the global average selling price if the luxury sunglasses.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report provides detailed regional analysis of the developed and emerging markets. The analysis of developed markets includes Europe and the U.S., while emerging markets include, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Australasia. The regional analysis of the developed markets includes market size by value and volume along with the average selling price of the product and the analysis of emerging markets include the market size on the basis of the value.The report also 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 luxury sunglass market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in the global luxury sunglass market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Luxottica. Further, key players of the market Safilo and Fielmann are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Regional CoverageEuropeUnited StatesChinaMexicoIndiaBrazilAustralasiaCompany CoverageLuxottica Group SpASafilo Group SpAFielmann AGExecutive SummaryLuxury Sunglasses also known as premium sunglasses have been characterized as sunglasses that are fitted with non-solution lenses, and subsequently are not utilized for vision correction. They are fundamentally utilized for stylish purposes and for securing the eyes against hurtful bright (UV) beams.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @The global luxury sunglass market increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 5 years, i.e., 2010-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The market is highly concentrated in Europe and the U.S., accounting a significant proportion of the market as European countries are popular as tax free shopping destinations among tourists and growing number of consumers who can afford branded sunglasses in the United States. In fact, the market is emerging in the developing nations such as China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Australasia at an increasing annual growth rate.The major growth drivers for the global luxury sunglass market are: premiumization, airport retail channel, rising consumer holidays and health benefits of using sunglasses. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: availability of counterfeit products and bad economic conditions.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.ResearchMozState 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 @
New advancement and Developments are Propelling the Growth of Global Advanced Metering Infrastructure Market

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Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is one of the Smart Grid tools that allows two-way communication between services provider and customers. This system obtains data with help of smart meter installed in various sectors such as residential, commercial business, and industries. These system help with cost controlling and minimizing the wastage of energy. This factor is expected to positively impact the growth advanced infrastructure metering market.Increasing demand for energy is one of the major factor driving growth of the marketIncreasing trend of digitalization is responsible for increasing the demand of energy consumption. According to the Energy Information Administration's (EIA), world energy consumption is estimated to grow by 28% between 2015 and 2040. Growing population and economic development are factors responsible for increasing demand of the energy. Moreover, increasing adoption of smart home technology in turn increases the utilization of smart devices, which are based on IOT. Hence, consumption of energy, which positively increase with digitization is expected to propel growth of the market.Request Sample Copy of this Research Report @Advanced Metering Infrastructure: Regional InsightsOn the basis of region, the advance metering infrastructure market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. The North America held the dominant position in the market in 2017 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The U.S. is anticipated to hold highest market share, followed by Canada throughout the forecast period. Growth in number of the IoT-based devices in various verticals such as electricity, water, gas, and others is major factor driving growth of the market. A major trend observed in these countries of the region is installing smart water meters, which helps consumers to improve management of water consumption through access of real-time usage data. For instance, In August 2016, Pleasanton City (U.S) had deployed around 22,000 smart water meters. Thus, the city will able to reduce the daily average water ration per user by 50 litres a day and city-wide consumption by 450 million litres a day. Therefore, IoT-based devices are fuelling growth of the market.Advanced Metering Infrastructure: Competitive BackgroundAMI market is characterized by the consolidated presence of some of the key players in the industry that include IBM Corporation, General Electric, Itron, Inc. The major vendors covered in the AMI market include Cisco Systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, General Electric, Schneider Electric SE, Itron, Inc., Clara Technologies, Elster Group GmbH, Sensus, Tieto Corporation, and Trilliant, Inc. Mergers & acquisition is major strategy adopted by the key industry players to maintain their strong industry foothold. For instance, Itron acquired Actaris Metering Systems which is producing water, gas, heat and electricity meters and associated systems.Request For Customization of this Report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Global Paper Pulp Market Survey 2018 | Northwood, Kamloops, Celgar, Harmac, Catalyst Paper and Others

Paper Pulp Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Paper Pulp Market Professional Survey Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies Paper Pulp 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, coveringNorthwoodKamloopsCelgarHarmacCatalyst PaperHowe SoundGold RiverBowaterSmurfit KappaPotlatchCascadeInternational PaperAraucoIlim GroupHu'nan Tiger Forest & Paper GroupYunNan YunJingYunnan FengHuangAracruzSuzanoAl-PacPeace RiverWinstoneTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBSKPBHKPBCTMPBy Application, the market can be split intoPaper IndustryOtherBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaTable of ContentsGlobal Paper Pulp Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Paper Pulp1.1 Definition and Specifications of Paper Pulp1.1.1 Definition of Paper Pulp1.1.2 Specifications of Paper Pulp1.2 Classification of Paper Pulp1.2.1 BSKP1.2.2 BHKP1.2.3 BCTMP1.3 Applications of Paper Pulp1.3.1 Paper Industry1.3.2 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 Paper Pulp2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Paper Pulp2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Paper Pulp2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Paper PulpGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Paper Pulp3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Paper Pulp Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Paper Pulp Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Paper Pulp Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Paper Pulp Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Paper Pulp Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Paper Pulp Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Paper Pulp Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Paper Pulp Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Paper Pulp Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Paper Pulp Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Paper Pulp Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Paper Pulp Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Paper Pulp Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Paper Pulp Market Share Analysis5.2 China Paper Pulp Market Analysis5.2.1 China Paper Pulp Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Paper Pulp Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Paper Pulp Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Paper Pulp Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2016 Paper Pulp Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Paper Pulp Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Paper Pulp Market Overview5.4.2 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.4.3 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis5.4.4 Southeast Asia 2016 Paper Pulp Market Share Analysis5.5 Japan Paper Pulp Market Analysis5.5.1 Japan Paper Pulp Market Overview5.5.2 Japan 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.5.3 Japan 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis5.5.4 Japan 2016 Paper Pulp Market Share Analysis5.6 India Paper Pulp Market Analysis5.6.1 India Paper Pulp Market Overview5.6.2 India 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.6.3 India 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales Price Analysis5.6.4 India 2016 Paper Pulp Market Share Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Segment Market Analysis (by Type)6.1 Global 2012-2017E Paper Pulp Sales by Type6.2 Different Types of Paper Pulp Product Interview Price Analysis6.3 Different Types of Paper Pulp Product Driving Factors Analysis6.3.1 BSKP of Paper Pulp Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.2 BHKP of Paper Pulp Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.3 BCTMP of Paper Pulp Growth Driving Factor AnalysisContinue...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.ResearchMozState 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 @
Automotive Labels Market 2018-2022 Global Key Players: 3M, Avery Dennison Corporation, UPM-Kymmene Corporation, H.B. Fuller, Sika AG, CCL Industries Inc

Automotive Labels Market 2018

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Automotive Labels Market 2018This report provides in depth study of Automotive Labels Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Licorice Candy Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.This report has a complete understanding of market value and quantity, technological progress, macro-economic and governmental policy based on past and present data along with the current and upcoming trends in the market.This report provides valuable information for companies like manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, traders, customers, investors and individuals who have interests in this industry.Get Sample Report of Automotive Labels Market @Global Automotive Labels Market Information Report by Purpose (Asset labels, dome labels), by Mechanism (In-mold, Heat transfer), by Identification (Hologram, Barcode), by Application (Chassis labels, Interior labels) and by Region - Global Forecast to 2022Market ScenarioA Label is used to identify information written or printed on a piece of paper, cloth, polymer or other materials and attached to an article. Labels used in automotive industry are tough to stand up against harsh environments and provides identification, dating, usage information and security to assure customers that they are getting original manufacturers quality products. The market for automotive labels market is growing due to increasing demand for smart labels such as Barcode and RFID in automotive industry for automotive parts safety, identification and information. Increasing demand for eco-friendly label production techniques is also a major driving factor for the growth of automotive labels market. However, rising raw material cost of labels act as a restraint in the growth of automotive labels market.Global Automotive Labels market is expected to register a CAGR of about 5% during the forecast period, to reach USD 8.05 Billion by 2022.Key PlayersThe leading players in the Automotive Labels market are 3M (U.S.), Avery Dennison Corporation (U.S), UPM-Kymmene Corporation (Finland), H.B. Fuller (U.S.), Sika AG (Switzerland), CCL Industries Inc. (Canada), Barry-Wehmiller Companies Inc. (U.S), Dunmore (U.S.), Lewis Labels Products Corp. (U.S), Precision Contract Manufacturing (U.S) and others.Industry/ Innovation/ Related News:January, 2015 - Rafsec Ltd., a part of UPM-Kymmene Corporation, is increasing its investment in the development of smart label technologies. Rafsec's goal is to strengthen its position as a global technological leader in the smart label business and contribute to the growth of the industry by investing heavily in technologies that will help lower the price of smart labels. With this purpose in mind, Rafsec has formed a strategic alliance with the California-based Alien Technology Corp. UPM-Kymmene Corporation has simultaneously made an investment in Alien Technology. Alien Technology has developed technology that paves the way for a significant reduction in the size of smart label microchips as well as a cost-effective method of attaching them to the antenna.January, 2016 CCL Industries Inc., a world leader in specialty label and packaging solutions for global corporations, small businesses and consumers, announced that it has acquired Mabels Labels, Inc. and Mabels Labels Retail, Inc., privately owned companies with common shareholders, based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Mabels Labels is a well-known North American brand for durable, personalized identification labels for children and families. Fiscal year end March 31, 2016 sales are forecasted to be $9.5 million, with an adjusted EBITDA of approximately $2.8 million for the combined entities..Automotive Labels Market  SegmentationThe Global Automotive Labels Market is segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Purpose : Comprises Asset labels, dome labels.Segmentation by Mechanism : Comprises In-mold and Heat transferSegmentation by Application : Comprises Chassis labels, Interior labelsSegmentation by Regions : Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World.The report for Global Automotive Labels Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value, 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.Send an Enquiry Before Buying @Table of ContentsREPORT PROLOGUEINTRODUCTIONRESEARCH METHODOLOGYMARKET DYNAMICSAUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY PURPOSEAUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY MECHANISMAUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY IDENTIFICATIONAUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY APPLICATIONAUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY REGIONCOMPANY LANDSCAPECOMPANY PROFILEMRFR CONCLUSIONAPPENDIXLIST OF TABLESTABLE 1 GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET SNAPSHOTTABLE 2 DRIVERS FOR THE MARKETTABLE 3 RESTRAINTS FOR THE MARKETTABLE 4 AUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY PURPOSE, 2016-2022 (USD MILLION)TABLE 5 ASSET LABELS: AUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY REGION, 2016-2022 (USD MILLION)..LIST OF FIGURESFIGURE 1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGYFIGURE 2 IMPACT ANALYSIS: DRIVERS AND RESTRAINTSFIGURE 3 AUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY PURPOSE, 2016-2022 (USD MILLION)FIGURE 4 AUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY MECHANISM, 2016-2022 (USD MILLION)FIGURE 5 AUTOMOTIVE LABELS MARKET, BY IDENTIFICATION, 2016-2022 (USD MILLION)Continued.About Us: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 the prime objective to provide optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies depending on products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments enables our clients to know more consequently do more, which gives them answer for their each and every important question. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industryCONTACT US:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312salse@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Advanced Glass Market Research Report Market, Market Segment, Key Player and Region Forecast to 2020

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Market research future published a half cooked research report on Global advanced glass market. The Advanced glass market is expected to grow over the CAGR of around 9% during the period 2016 to 2020.Market HighlightsThe demand for advanced glass is driven by the increase in use of advanced glass across various industry verticals such as industrial, railways, infrastructure, automobiles, electronics and commercial and residential sector. The advantages provided by advanced glass such as security, sound reduction, UV control, durability, installation ease, safety, design versatility and others further make it suitable for use, thereby driving the growth of the market. The extensive range of advanced glass which is being provided by the advanced glass is expected to boost the growth of the market over the forecasted period.Request for Sample@Market Research AnalysisAmong all end-uses, the advanced glass is gaining importance in the automotive industry. The advanced glass is used in automotive photovoltaic roof systems for actively supplying power to the vehicle and substantially reducing the reliance on conventional sources of energy. The advanced glass helps automobile manufacturers to meet sustainability requirements by producing and using high performance infra-red reflecting and advanced infra-red absorbing glazing.APAC region is expected to be the fastest growing region during the forecast period due to huge investments from existing key players in the region. The adoption of various growth strategies by the companies and huge investments in research and development for development of technically advanced unique products is also expected to drive the growth of the market. North America region is also expected to grow at a relatively slow pace during the forecasted period due to the existence of good infrastructure in the region.Access for More Detail@Scope of the ReportThis study provides an overview of the global advanced glass 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 advanced glass market by its type, end- user and region. By Type Laminated Glass Tempered Glass Others By End- user Construction Infrastructure Automobiles Electronics Others By Region North America Asia Pacific Europe Rest of the WorldKey Players Murata Manufacturing Co Ltd (Japan) American Precision Glass Corp (U.S.) Atheer, Inc. (U.S.) Vurix Corporation (U.S.) Thermoseal Industries LLC (U.S.) Packerland Glass Products Inc. (U.S.) Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd (Japan) CoorsTek, Inc. (U.S.) Saint-Gobain Glass (India) SCHOTT AG (Germany)Ask for Discount@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 Components, Application, Logistics 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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comThank You.
Global ePharmacy Market Will Exhibit An Impressive CAGR Of 17.5% Over The Period Between 2015 And 2023, Taking A Massive Leap Of US$128.02 Bn

ePharmacy Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "ePharmacy Market (By Geography - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Latin America) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.With the rise of Internet penetration, there has been a dramatic shift in the buying behavior of customers toward increased online purchasing. From essentials such as groceries and apparel to luxury products, everything is available for purchase on online retail platforms. The healthcare sector is no exception to this online retail trend, with pharmacies going online. With advantages such as round-the-clock availability and delivery of drugs, complete information on the prescribed drug, and knowledge of cost-effective substitutes, the market for ePharmacies is expected to experience a surge of growth in the coming years.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Operating within all the guidelines and standards set by their respective national governments, ePharmacies have emerged as ethical business entities and have become an effective source of prescription medicines. The trend of ePharmacies was initially witnessed in the developed economies of North America and Europe; however, with the rising penetration of the Internet and growing awareness among customers about prescription medicines, the market for ePharmacies is gaining momentum in the emerging countries in Asia Pacific.This research study focuses on providing a comprehensive market assessment on current trends in the global ePharmacies market, along with a focus on various factors affecting the markets growth. The influential factors that affect the growth of the ePharmacy market have been analyzed under the market dynamics section, which comprises market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. The report also provides comprehensive assessment of vendor strategies for excellence in the business. The report segregates the market into five different geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. Some of the major countries/regions analyzed in the report include the U.S., the EU7, the CIS, China, Japan, the Indian Subcontinent, Australasia, the GCC countries, North Africa, and South Africa. The report provides market size estimates and forecasts for all the regional and country segments for the ePharmacies market.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @The research study estimates the global ePharmacies market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) for the period 2013 to 2023, which comprises:- 2013: the base year- 2014: estimated value- 20152023: forecast periodThe market estimates have been evaluated considering different technological, economic, political, environmental, social, and legal factors. The market positioning analysis of major players in the market is provided in the research study, which would help the buyers of this report understand the key strategies adopted by these players.The company profiles section in the report provides competitive profiles of the leading players (however not all the market players) in the market. This section elucidates on the below details:- Company address- Geographical presence- Product/service portfolio- Recent developments- Historical roadmap- Financial performance- Business strategiesSome of the leading players profiled in the report include Banner Health, Dr. Fox Pharmacy, Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd., eDrugstore.MD, Walgreen Co., DocMorris NV, Rowlands Pharmacy, MediSave, CVS Caremark, and PlanetRx.com.Make an Enquiry of this report @ePharmacy Market Segmentation:ePharmacy Market, by Geography:- North America- U.S.- Rest of North America- Europe- EU7 (UK, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands)- CIS- Rest of Europe- Asia Pacific- Japan- China- Indian Subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka)- Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, and Guinea)- Rest of Asia Pacific- Middle East and Africa- GCC Countries- North Africa- South Africa- Rest of MEA- Latin America- Brazil- Rest of Latin AmericaAbout 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.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Industrial Emission Control Systems Market Is Projected To Reach US$ 22.09 Bn By 2023 At A CAGR Of 7.3%

Industrial Emission Control Systems Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Industrial Emission Control Systems Market, by Emission Source (Power Plants, Chemical Process Industry, Marine Industry, Waste to Energy Industry, and Other Industries), Device Type (Electrostatic Precipitators, Catalytic Reactors, Incinerators, Filters, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.This research study analyzes the market for industrial emission control systems in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The industrial emission control systems market has been segmented on the basis of emission source, type of emission control device, and geography. The geographical segmentation includes regions which are further divided into eight countries (major players in the global industrial emission control systems market). For the research, 2014 has been taken as the base year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2015 to 2023. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional as well as country-specific level from 2015 to 2023.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the industrial emission control systems business. The report also includes the key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the global industrial emission control systems market. These market dynamics were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the global industrial emission control systems market with the help of Porters Five Forces model. This analysis helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the structure and profitability of the global industrial emission control systems market. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition.The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the industrial emission control systems business globally. There are currently numerous drivers of the market. The most prominent drivers include stringent government regulations and emission standards, and growing demand for power in the wake of industrialization in the emerging markets. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the industrial emission control systems market on the basis of end-use. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market in different regions.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @The industrial emission control systems market was segmented on the basis of emission source (power plants, chemical process industry, marine industry, waste to energy industry, and other industries), device type (electrostatic precipitators, catalytic reactors, incinerators, filters, and others), and geography. The industrial emission control systems market was analyzed across four geographies: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (the Middle East, South America, and Africa). Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the industrial emission control systems market. Key players in the industrial emission control systems market include Alstom Group, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc., GEA Group AG, Johnson Matthey PLC, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Limited (MHPS), CECO Environmental Corp., and BASF Catalysts LLC. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, and recent developments.Industrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Emission Source- Power Plants- Chemical Process Industry- Marine Industry- Waste to Energy Industry- Other IndustriesIndustrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Device Type- Electrostatic Precipitators- Catalytic Reactors- Incinerators- Filters- OthersMake an Enquiry of this report @Industrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Region- North America- U.S.- Canada- Mexico- Europe- Germany- U.K.- Rest of Europe- Asia Pacific- China- Japan- India- Rest of Asia Pacific- Rest of the WorldAbout 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.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Power Transmission Components Market Will Be Worth US$102.57 Bn By 2023, Expected To Surge At A CAGR Of 6.0%

Power Transmission Components Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Power Transmission Components Market, by Components (Switchgears and Circuit Breakers, Transformers, Insulators and Capacitors, and Others (Power Converter, Relays, etc.)) and by Current (HVAC and HVDC) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2015 - 2023" to its huge collection of research reports.This research study analyzes the market for power transmission components in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The power transmission components market has been segmented on the basis of type of component, type of current, and geography. The regional segment has been further divided into five sub-segments that comprise twelve countries, which are major players in the global power transmission components market. For the research, 2014 has been taken as the base year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2015 to 2023. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional as well as country-specific level from 2015 to 2023. The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the power transmission components business. The report also includes the key market dynamics, such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities, affecting the global power transmission components market. These market dynamics were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the global power transmission components market with the help of Porters Five Forces model. This analysis helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the market structure and market profitability. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the power transmission components business globally. There are currently numerous drivers of the market. One of the most prominent drivers is the increase in demand for energy across the globe and modernization of transmission infrastructure for reliable electric supply. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the power transmission components market on the basis of geography. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market in different regions.The power transmission components market was segmented on the basis of type of components (switchgears & circuit breakers, transformers, capacitors & insulators, and others (power convertors, relays, etc.)) and by current (HVAC and HVDC). Power transmission components vary according to the voltage requirement and quality of components used in manufacturing. The power transmission components market was analyzed across five geographies: Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America. Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the power transmission components market. Key players in the power transmission components market include ABB Group, Eaton Corporation Plc, Emerson Electric Company, General Electric Company, Hitachi, Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Co., Ltd., and Toshiba Corporation. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, and recent developments.Get Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Power Transmission Components Market: By Components Type- Switchgears & Circuit Breakers- Transformers- Capacitors & Insulators- Others (Power Convertors, & Relays etc.)Power Transmission Components Market: By Current Type- HVAC (High Voltage Alternating Current)- HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current)Power Transmission Components Market: By Region- Asia Pacific- China- India- Rest of Asia Pacific- North America- U.S.- Canada- Mexico- Europe- CIS- Germany- U.K.- Rest of Europe- Middle East and Africa- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia- South Africa- Rest of Middle East and Africa- South and Central America- Brazil- Argentina- Rest of South and Central AmericaMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Smart Bathroom Market Analysis, Market Segment, Key Player and Region Forecast 2017 to 2023

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Market Research Future published a raw research report Global Smart Bathroom Market that contains the information from 2017 to 2023. The Global Smart Bathroom Market is expected to grow at~ 7% CAGR from 2017 to 2023.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 Smart Bathroom Market Information from 2017 to 2023"Global smart bathroom market has witnessed gradual growth in recent years, and is expected to witness steady growth in the forecast period. The market is primarily driven due to rapid growth in the construction industry with high demand for luxurious features, as one of the primary growth factors. Smart bathrooms are widely used in both, residential sector, and commercial sector.The smart bathroom market is driven by the wide adoption of smart bathroom products in urban areas. As per the UN, approximately 54% of the global population resides in urban areas. This percentage is expected to increase up to 66% by 2050. To combat the increasing stress on infrastructure and utilities, construction companies are investing on the development of smart buildings with features such as smart bathrooms to promote sustainable development and efficient energy management. Smart bathrooms optimally enclose various integrated solutions such as smart toilets, automatic flush systems, and automatic faucets. These systems help conserve water and energy.Download Sample@Increasing concern regarding energy conservation, hygiene maintenance, and sustainable development has given rise to the demand for smart bathrooms. For instance, in the U.S., smart bathrooms are gaining importance as they are equipped with advanced technologies that help conserve energy and maintain hygiene. Similarly, in most of the European nations, the government has introduced the concept of smart bathrooms in the construction market to control and reduce high energy costs. In Asia-Pacific, countries such as China, and India are witnessing massive population growth & urbanization. These have led to an increase in demand for energy, water, and housing. To combat this challenges, the government is encouraging the construction of smart buildings.Global smart bathroom market has been segmented based on product types, end-use and regions. On the basis of product types, the market has been segmented as smart windows, hand dryers, touchless cisterns, touchless soap dispensers, smart toilets, touchless faucets, and others. Touchless faucets is expected to dominate the market due to its growing application in both, commercial and residential sector. Based on the end-use the market has been segmented as residential and commercial. The residential sector is expected to hold a major market share during the forecast period, due to the increasing population and growth in disposable income.Access Report Details @Asia Pacific Smart Bathroom market, expected to grow at the highest CAGRAsia Pacific region holds the largest share of the market, in 2016, and is expected to grow at a high rate. The continuous growth in residential and commercial sector in Asia Pacific, requires a smart bathroom for decorative and modern interiors with luxurious features. Also, the growing attention towards the development of modern infrastructure with beautiful interior are majorly contributing in the growth of smart bathroom in this Asia Pacific for forecast period.Ask for your specific company profile and country level customization on reports. Bradley Corporation (U.S) Grohe AG (Germany) Little Giant (U.S) Kohler Co. (U.S) Moen, Inc. (U.S) Delta Faucet Company (U.S) Toto Ltd. (Japan) Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC (U.S) Roca Sanitario, S.A. (Spain) American Standard Brands (U.S) Sterling Faucet Co. (U.S).This research report provides insights, on various levels of analysis such as industry analysis, and market share analysis for the leading players along with their profiles. It also helps in studying the target segments by providing views on emerging & high-growth segments. The market data comprises the basic assessment of the competitive scenarios & strategies in the global smart bathroom market, including high-growth regions and/or countries, and political, & economic environments. The project report, further, provides views on both the historical market values and pricing & cost analysis.If Interested Please Ask for Discount@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 Components, Application, Logistics 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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Current Trends and Future Growth of Emergency Lighting Market | Key Players: Hubbell Lighting, Cooper Industries, Schneider Electric SE, Emerson, Legrand, Acuity Brands

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Market Highlight:The global emergency lighting market is growing with the rapid pace is mainly due to the declining average selling price of light emitting diode, which is propelling the emergency lighting market growth to the large extent. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, The global market of Emergency Lighting is booming and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period. The market is projected to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2023, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a striking CAGR during the anticipated period (2016  2023).The global Emergency Lighting market is significantly competitive. Various established international brands, domestic brands and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. The revolution in various lighting technologies with the introduction of various virtual machines is helping the market to grow. The key players are nonstop increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. For instance, the market of incandescent light source is declining due to less energy efficient characteristics and is most widely used in residential building. By battery segment, liFePO4 is expected to account for highest market share owing to dynamic characteristics it possess that includes light weight, small volume, high temperature resistant and long life span is the prime factors driving market growth. The emergency lighting market is highly competitive due to the presence of several large vendors.Request a Sample Report @Philips Lighting Holding B.V. (Netherlands), Hubbell Lighting Inc. (U.S.), Cooper Industries (Ireland), Schneider Electric SE (France), Emerson (US), Legrand S.A. (France), Acuity Brands (U.S.), Beghelli S.p.A. (Italy), Daisalux (Spain), Zumtobel Group (Austria), are some of the prominent players profiled in MRFR Analysis and are at the forefront of competition in the Global Emergency Lighting Market.Industry News:October 14, 2016- Philips Lighting has been chosen as a key partner to provide the urban lighting infrastructure. The company is a global leader in Lighting products and services.June.30, 2015 - Hubbell Lighting, a global leader of lighting innovation, has launched its Dual-Lite product which NEMA 4X Dynamo Emergency Light. It also includes LED emergency egress luminaire. It is designed for complex industrial applications.NOV 09, 2015- Eaton has introduced full range of emergency LED lighting for commercial buildings. These lighting are used for the safety purposes in the occupant places. The company has introduced its LED technology which is efficient in case of low energy usage and low maintenance requirements.The Emergency Lighting Market is expected to grow at approximately USD 7 Billion by 2023, at 6% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Competitive AnalysisThe market of emergency lighting appears to be highly competitive. To maintain their market position and to drive the market growth, various dynamic and diversified international organizations, domestic organizations and as well as new entrants form a competitive landscape. Market leaders are innovating continuously and increasingly seeking market expansion through various strategic mergers and acquisitions, innovation, increasing investments in research and development and cost-effective product portfolio. Major players are investing on latest technology and, most of all, in acquiring other firms. Prominent vendors of emergency lighting targeting to invest more in technology and research and development activities to innovate their already existing products. The rising government funding is also expected to motivate key companies to invent new emergency lighting modules that match the changing trends and needs across the globe. These players possess a strong sales and distribution network which have helped them to gain leadership position in the market. An ever-increasing emphasis has been observed among emergency lighting industry marketers on inbound lead generation over branding-oriented efforts.Get a Complete Report @Regional AnalysisNorth America is dominating the global emergency lighting market with the largest market share due to increasing demand for emergency lighting in commercial, residential and industrial sector, is gaining demand in Emergency Lighting market in these region, and is expected to gain growth by 2023. Global emergency lighting market in European market is expected to grow at a substantial high CAGR during 2016 to 2023. The Asia Pacific market for emergency lighting market is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR (2016-2023) due to high adoption of emergency lighting in developing countries and increasing focus on real estate project is driving the market in the region.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
AR & VR Smart glasses 2018 Global Market Key Players  Belly Armor, JoynCleon, JoiueVarry, and Forecast to 2023

AR & VR Smart glasses Market

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Description:AR & VR Smart glasses-Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013-2023 Top 20 Countries Data offers a comprehensive analysis on AR & VR Smart glasses industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data in Global major 20 countries and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Top 20 Countries Market Size of AR & VR Smart glasses 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of AR & VR Smart glasses worldwide and market share by regions, with company and product introduction, position in the AR & VR Smart glasses marketMarket status and development trend of AR & VR Smart glasses by types and applicationsCost and profit status of AR & VR Smart glasses, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global AR & VR Smart glasses market as:Global AR & VR Smart glasses Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain and Benelux)Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Australia)Latin America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia)Middle East and AfricaGlobal AR & VR Smart glasses Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):Silver FiberNon Silver FiberGlobal AR & VR Smart glasses Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Upper BodyWhole BodyGlobal AR & VR Smart glasses Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, AR & VR Smart glasses Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):Belly ArmorJoynCleonJoiueVarryNew CleonCarisTinaO.C.T. MamiHappy HouseHuboEmbryAimerComplete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of AR & VR Smart glasses1.1 Definition of AR & VR Smart glasses in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of AR & VR Smart glasses1.2.1 Silver Fiber1.2.2 Non Silver Fiber1.3 Downstream Application of AR & VR Smart glasses1.3.1 Upper Body1.3.2 Whole Body1.4 Development History of AR & VR Smart glasses1.5 Market Status and Trend of AR & VR Smart glasses 2013-20231.5.1 Global AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of AR & VR Smart glasses 2013-20172.2 Sales Market of AR & VR Smart glasses by Regions2.2.1 Sales Volume of AR & VR Smart glasses by Regions2.2.2 Sales Value of AR & VR Smart glasses by Regions2.3 Production Market of AR & VR Smart glasses by Regions2.4 Global Market Forecast of AR & VR Smart glasses 2018-20232.4.1 Global Market Forecast of AR & VR Smart glasses 2018-20232.4.2 Market Forecast of AR & VR Smart glasses by Regions 2018-2023Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Sales Volume of AR & VR Smart glasses by Types3.2 Sales Value of AR & VR Smart glasses by Types3.3 Market Forecast of AR & VR Smart glasses by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Global Sales Volume of AR & VR Smart glasses by Downstream Industry4.2 Global Market Forecast of AR & VR Smart glasses by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 North America Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry5.1 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Countries5.1.1 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Sales by Countries (2013-2017)5.1.2 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Revenue by Countries (2013-2017)5.1.3 United States AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)5.1.4 Canada AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)5.1.5 Mexico AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)5.2 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Manufacturers5.3 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Type (2013-2017)5.3.1 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Sales by Type (2013-2017)5.3.2 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Revenue by Type (2013-2017)5.4 North America AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Downstream Industry (2013-2017)Chapter 6 Europe Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry6.1 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Countries6.1.1 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Sales by Countries (2013-2017)6.1.2 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Revenue by Countries (2013-2017)6.1.3 Germany AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.4 UK AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.5 France AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.6 Italy AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.7 Russia AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.8 Spain AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.9 Benelux AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)6.2 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Manufacturers6.3 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Type (2013-2017)6.3.1 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Sales by Type (2013-2017)6.3.2 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Revenue by Type (2013-2017)6.4 Europe AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Downstream Industry (2013-2017)Chapter 7 Asia Pacific Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry7.1 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Countries7.1.1 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Sales by Countries (2013-2017)7.1.2 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Revenue by Countries (2013-2017)7.1.3 China AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.4 Japan AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.5 India AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.6 Southeast Asia AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.7 Australia AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status (2013-2017)7.2 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Manufacturers7.3 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Type (2013-2017)7.3.1 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Sales by Type (2013-2017)7.3.2 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Revenue by Type (2013-2017)7.4 Asia Pacific AR & VR Smart glasses Market Status by Downstream Industry (2013-2017)Continued.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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Land Restoration Market Outlook, Insights and Revenue Opportunities

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Land restoration is a process of restoring the natural landscape design, construction, and maintenance. This process is usually used for damage caused by natural disasters. Land restoration helps to enhance the ecosystem services, repair a damaged land, and create a safe habitat for humans, plants, and wildlife. The advantages of this process includes improving the tree cover, reducing long-term maintenance costs, and protecting and restoring natural area & native biodiversity. These factors are expected to drive growth of the market over the forecast period.Increasing demand for repairing the eco-system by preventing and controlling pollution is one of the major factors driving the market growth:Increasing demand to monitor and manage land use in urban areas is the major factor expected to boost global land restoration market growth. Land restoration is necessary for preventing and controlling pollution. Hence, it is a key factor for effective controlling the performance of different socioeconomic activities. Furthermore, various government mandates also help in preventing and controlling pollution. For instance, according to the Pakistan Environment Protection Act of 1997, regulatory framework for climate change related mandates from responsible agencies such as the Ministry of Environment.Request Sample Copy this Research Report @Increasing requirement to reduce CO2 storage in soil is the major trend of the market:The requirement to protect remaining lands in a cost-effective way by reducing carbon dioxide storage in soil is one of the key trends for the global land restoration market growth. The major factors responsible for degradation of agricultural lands are population pressure, erosion, drainage or other processes that curtail productivity. However, land restoration helps to reduce carbon storage within the soil by enabling revegetation and improving fertility of soil, owing to these reasons, land restoration can help in supporting the economic growth by protecting use of natural and agricultural land.However, mining activities are expected to restrain the growth opportunity of global land restoration market due to extensive environmental changes such as extreme strong acidity resulting from oxidation of pyrite and high metal concentrations.Land Restoration Regional Insights:On the basis of geography, the global market for land restoration is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. Land restoration market in Asia Pacific region is projected to witness faster growth over the forecast period due to forest restoration that includes protecting land and tree plantation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the government introduced restoration programs for planting 12 billion trees in an area of 4.25 million hectare. Forest restoration in this region increased from 35.6% in 2000 to 47.6% in 2015. China forest cover restoration increased from 8.6% in 1949 to 22.1% in 2015, which further increased its forest area by over 120 million hectare. Moreover, the presence of vast agricultural land in Asia Pacific region is increasing the demand for land restoration. This factors will significantly contribute in growth of land restoration market over the forecast period.Land Restoration Competitive Background:Major Key players operating in the land restoration market include Natural Texas, Land Restoration, Adaptive Restoration LLC, Land Life Company Sanderson Environmental, Neiman Environments, Inc., Agrecol LLC, Applied Ecological Services (AES), Angie's List, and WinterCreek Restoration & Nursery.Request For Customization of this Research Report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
WiFi Modules Market 2018 Global Analysis,Research,Review,Applications and Forecast to 2023

WiFi Modules 2018

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  WiFi Modules Market 2018 Global Analysis,Research,Review,Applications and Forecast to 2023.Description:This report studies the WiFi modules market. WiFi modules covered universal Wi-Fi module, router scheme Wi-Fi module and embedded Wi-Fi module.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the WiFi Modules 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 a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comMarket Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversMurata ElectronicsUSITaiyo YudenAzureWaveTISilicon LabsLSRRF-LINKBroadlinkAdvantech B+B SmartWorxMiMXCHIPSilex TechnologyMicrochip TechnologyLongsysParticleHFAdafruitMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversUniversal Wi-Fi ModuleRouter Scheme Wi-Fi ModuleEmbedded Wi-Fi ModuleMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSmart AppliancesHandheld Mobile DevicesMedical and Industrial Testing InstrumentsSmart GridRouterThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global WiFi Modules market.Chapter 1, to describe WiFi Modules Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of WiFi Modules, with sales, revenue, and price of WiFi Modules, 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 WiFi Modules, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;Continue..Complete Report Details @Table Of Contents  Major Key Points1 Market Overview1.1 WiFi Modules Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Universal Wi-Fi Module1.2.2 Router Scheme Wi-Fi Module1.2.3 Embedded Wi-Fi Module1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Smart Appliances1.3.2 Handheld Mobile Devices1.3.3 Medical and Industrial Testing Instruments1.3.4 Smart Grid1.3.5 Router1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 United States Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Murata Electronics2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Murata Electronics WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 USI2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 USI WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Taiyo Yuden2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Taiyo Yuden WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 AzureWave2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 AzureWave WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 TI2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 TI WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Silicon Labs2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Silicon Labs WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 LSR2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 LSR WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 RF-LINK2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 WiFi Modules Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 RF-LINK WiFi Modules Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)ContinueFor more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT 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.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Global Industry Analysis To 2023: 2018 Size, Share, Trends, Sales, Competitive Landscape, Key Country Review

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Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Research Report 2018 of 111 pages expands comprehensive information on Automotive Alloy Wheel Market by finishing type (Polished alloy wheel, Two-toned allay wheel and others), By Wheel type (Compact-size, Mid-size, Full-size), By application (Passenger cars, Commercial vehicles and Two wheelers) and Region with Global Forecast To 2023. Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Research Report analyzes the market size, share, trends, revenues, sales, share of the various capacity segments for the key countries.Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Overview:Report studies Automotive Alloy Wheel Market key players, providing a six-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume, sales, growth, and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The global market of automotive alloy wheel is growing rapidly. Focus towards improved efficiency, and improved driving experience makes automotive alloy wheel popular among manufacturers as well as consumers. Such automotive alloy wheel has features such as recyclability, less cost and manufacture as per the weight of the vehicle, which push the market towards growth. Automotive alloy wheel production is consequently high in Asia-Pacific, with China and India expected to be the most promising markets. Rising production levels, growing automotive industry and an increasing demand for the lightweight automotive alloy wheel supplied by manufacturers, are driving the automotive alloy wheel market.Inquire For Sample PDF Brochure Of Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Research Report - Forecast to 2023 at:Automotive Alloy Wheel Key Companies Analyzed In Report are Euromax Wheel (U.S.), MHT Luxury Wheels (U.S.), Status Wheels, Inc. (U.S.), Wheel Pros, LLC (U.S.), Fuel Off-Road Wheels (U.S.), SOTA Offroad (U.S.), Enkei Wheels India Ltd.(India), Ronal AG (Switzerland), Uniwheels (Switzerland) and BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik AG (Germany).Global automotive Alloy Wheel market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.9% during the forecast period. The new trends being witnessed are Research and development being carried by automotive alloy wheel manufacturers with focus on advantageous locations for production and short-distance supply to reduce costs.Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Segmentation:The global Automotive Alloy Wheel market has been segmented on the basis of function as Parking and ADAS. On the basis of vehicle type the market has been segmented as passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle. On the basis of display the market has been segmented as 2D and 3D. On the basis of regions, the market for Automotive Alloy Wheel has been segmented as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.Automotive Alloy Wheel Market Regional Analysis:Asia-Pacific market is dominating the market of automotive alloy wheel market due to growth in automotive sector. Large demand and production of automobiles, development of automotive manufacturing industries in developing economies such as China and India are driving the market for automotive alloy wheel market. Features such as weight reduction, and better handling of vehicles help in the market growth. The increased preference for external styling and customization are pushing the market towards growth. The market in developing countries is largely driven by economic growth and ongoing industrialization, which helps in production of motor vehicles and other manufacturing output.Target Audience:OrganizationsManufacturerResearch Institute / Education InstitutePotential InvestorsProduct Analysis:Product matrix which gives a detailed comparison of the market for different recycled product typesAdditional Information:Regulatory LandscapePricing AnalysisMacroeconomic IndicatorsGeographic Analysis:Geographical analysis across 15 countriesCompany Information:Profiling of 10 key market playersIn-depth analysis including SWOT analysis, and strategy information of related to report titleCompetitive landscape including emerging trends adopted by major companiesFor More Details Inquire @The report for Global Automotive Alloy Wheel Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.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:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Machine Tools Market Growth Forecast by 2023: Yamazaki Mazak, Makino, Schuler, Trumpf, Komatsu, JTEKT, AMADA, Doosan Machine Tools, DMG MORI, Okuma

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Machine Tools Market report 2023 focuses on the major Types and Applications for the key players. Machine Tools market research report also provides analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market. The Machine Tools market research report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of Machine Tools Industry.Machine Tool is able to complete the turning, milling, planing, shearing, bending, boring, grinding, stamping, machining and drilling and other machining function. There are varieties of Machine Tools are used which include Metal Cutting Machine Tool, Metal Forming Machine Tool and other Machine Tools. The Metal Cutting Machine including: Lathe, Drilling Machine, Milling Machine, Boring Machine, Grinding Machine, Machining Center etc. The Metal Forming Machine Tool including: Pressure machine, bending machine, shearing device, Casting Machine, Punching Machine etc.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Machine Tools Market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, types and applications.Request for a Sample Copy of Machine Tools Market Report @Machine Tools Market Segment by Top Manufacturers Including:Yamazaki Mazak, Trumpf, Komatsu, JTEKT, AMADA, Doosan Machine Tools, DMG MORI, Okuma, HYUNDAI WIA, Makino, Schuler, FFG/MAG, GF, Grob, Haas Automation, INDEX Group, Gleason, Brother Industries, CHIRON Group, Shenyang Group and DMTG.An inherent sub-vertical of the Manufacturing and Construction Industry space, Machine Tools market stands to gain remarkable proceeds over 2018-2023, as per a recently compiled report Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Table of Contents:Global Machine Tools Market OverviewGlobal Machine Tools Market Manufacturers ProfilesGlobal Machine Tools Market Competition, by ManufacturerGlobal Machine Tools Market Analysis by RegionsGlobal Machine Tools by CountriesGlobal Machine Tools Market Segment by TypeGlobal Machine Tools Market Segment by ApplicationMachine Tools Market Forecast (2018-2023)Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and DealersResearch Findings and ConclusionMarket Segment by Type, coversMachining Centers, Turning Machines, Grinding Machines, Electrical Discharge Machines and OthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into:Machinery Manufacturing, Automobile, Aerospace & Defense and OthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Machine Tools market.Chapter 1, to describe Machine Tools Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Machine Tools, with sales, revenue, and price of Machine Tools, 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 Machine Tools, for each region, from 2013 to 2018;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 2013 to 2018;Chapter 12, Machine Tools market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2023;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Machine Tools sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceKey questions answered in Machine Tools market report:What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key Machine Tools market trends?What is Key Top Manufactures this market?What are the challenges to Machine Tools market growth?What are the Machine Tools market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Machine Tools market?What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by types and applications of Machine Tools market?What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by regions of Machine Tools market?For more information on this report, Please visit at:Related Reports: -Global Machine Tools Market Professional Survey Report 2018This report studies Machine 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 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.More Report @Marketstudyreport.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 Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:More Report at:
Precast Concrete Market Overview by Key Finding, Scope, Top Impacting Factors, Investment Pockets, Drivers and Restraints

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Market Overview:Global precast concrete market has witnessed gradual growth in recent years, and is expected to witness steady growth in the forecast period. The market is primarily driven due to rapid growth in the construction industry with high demand for high strength concrete, as one of the primary growth factors. Precast concrete is produced by casting concrete for the construction of buildings, infrastructure and more. Precast concrete are produced in reusable molds, either in the plant or at the construction sites. This production process is performed on ground level, which provides safety throughout the project. Precast concrete from reusable molds allow the costs to be lower than those in site-cast production. Precast concrete are resilient enough to tolerate extreme weather conditions and will perform the same for many years of constant usages. Precast concrete provides a wide range of engineered earth retaining systems to manufacturers.Rapid growth in the construction sector is one of the major factors driving the precast concrete market. High demand for residential and non-residential buildings, has significant impact on the demand for precast concrete, as they are used in the flooring and walls of the buildings. Pre-Stressed concrete are the most used structures in the construction industry. It comprises concrete beams, columns, spandrels, single and double tees, wall panels, segmental bridge units, bulb-tee girders, I-beam girders, and many others. It has been forecast that residential and non-residential construction will support industry demand with continuous recovery and growth. This will expand the construction for bridges, highways, and other transportation infrastructure.The rising adoption of the smart city concept will be one of the latest trends that will contribute growth for the precast concrete market. The growing preference of the people to live in urban locations, induces the governments of the countries around the world to focus on initiatives such as smart cities to improve the life of urban people. These initiatives will aim at developing plans for intelligent networking of energy, water supplies, lighting, and mobility systems.Sample Page Precast Concrete Link@Market Study Influence:Data integration and capabilities are analyzed to support the findings and study the predicted geographical segmentations. Various key variables and regression models were considered to calculate the trajectory of precast concrete market. Detailed analysis is explained and given importance to with best working models.Geographically, the segmentation is done into several key regions like North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The production, consumption, revenue, shares in mill UDS, growth rate of precast concrete market during the forecast period of 2023 is well explained.The ongoing market trends of precast concrete market and the key factors impacting the growth prospects are elucidated. With increase in the trend, the factors affecting the trend are mentioned with perfect reasons. Top manufactures, price, revenue, market share are explained to give a depth of idea on the competitive side.Scope of the Report:This study provides an overview of the global precast concrete 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 precast concrete market by its structures, by end-use and by region. By Structures Pre-Stressed Concrete Sandwich Wall (Insulated Double-Wall) Panels Others By End-Use Nonresidential Building Non-Building Residential Agricultural By Regions North America Asia Pacific Europe Rest of the WorldKey Players:Oldcastle Precast, Inc. (U.S),Coreslab Structures (Canada),Metromont Corporation (U.S),CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. (Mexico),CRH plc (Ireland)Coltman Precast Concrete Limited (U.K),Bechtel Corporation (U.S)China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China),Larsen & Toubro (India)Vinci S.A. (France).Browser Page Precast Concrete Link@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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Current Trends and Future Growth of Mobile App Development Market | Key Players: Facebook, Google, Microsoft Corporation, IBM corporation, Apple, Amazon, Kony

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Market Highlights:The Global Mobile Application Development Market is growing with the rapid pace mainly due to the increasing market of smartphones or tablets. The dependency over the smartphones has been increased tremendously which in result has led to the growth of mobile application development market. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, the global market of Mobile Application Development is booming and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period. The market is projected to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2022, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a striking CAGR during the anticipated period (2016  2022).Request a Sample report @The Global Mobile Application Development Market is driven by the adoption of new technologies, changing lifestyle and growing adoption by corporates to simplify their daily tasks. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of machine learning and the addition of machine learning into the mobile applications is also responsible for the growth of mobile application development market. The Mobile Application Development market is highly competitive due to the increase in web based applications and Government funding towards secured centrally connected systems.The increasing competition and the demand for high quality application testing are boosting the market growth of Mobile Application Development. Moreover, the companies are investing into research and development to come up with new solutions for the consumers. Emerging innovations in mobile the mobile industry are prompting the advancements in mobile applications.Some of the major players in Global Mobile App Development Market include Facebook, Inc. (U.S.), Google, Inc. (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), IBM corporation (U.S.), Apple, Inc. (U.S.), Amazon, Inc. (U.S.), Kony, Inc. (U.S.), Verivo software, Inc. (U.S.), Infosys, Ltd. (India), and Wipro Corporation (India) among others.Regional AnalysisNorth-America is dominating the Global Mobile Application Development Market with the largest market share and is expected to grow over its previous growth records by 2022. This is due to the increasing adoption of new solutions, changing lifestyle and increasing consumer preference for smartphones. Mobile Application Development Market in Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow at a substantial CAGR during 2016 to 2022 due to rapid technological advancements and China being the manufacturing hub. The European market for Mobile Application Development Market is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR (2016-2022). This is due to rise in IT technology and growing population which is increasing the demand for smartphones and tablets in the region.Industry NewsSept 20, 2017 - Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infosys, has announced its partnership with Niki.ai, a FinTech start-up that offers chat based commerce solutions. With this partnership, Finacle solution suite will be available with Niki.ais chat-based virtual assistant  Niki. This offering will enable banks to offer its customers a virtual banking assistant for shopping products and services using mobile applications.April 19, 2016  Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, has announced that it has fortified its partnership with Udacity, a global online education company, for the second consecutive year. The joint endeavor, aimed at accelerating the pace of skill adoption in new technologies and industry skills and help in the mobile application development.Get a Complete Report @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:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Electronics Adhesives Market Anticipate to Grow at CAGR of 8.2% from 2017 to 2027

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Future Market Insights (FMI), in its report, projects the global electronic adhesives market to register an impressive 7% CAGR during the forecast period 2017 to 2027, in terms of volume. In 2017, the global sales of electronic adhesives will account for 1,423 thousand tons; by 2027 this number is further estimated to reach nearly 2,800 thousand tons. Increasing adoption of electronic components among various end-use sectors such as automobile, medical devices, telecommunications and aerospace are expected to drive adoption of electronic adhesives.Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) will remain the largest market for electronic adhesives, expanding at 8.7% CAGR in terms of volume. Sales of electronic adhesives in APEJ will surpass 700 thousand units in 2017. Market growth in APEJ is primarily attributed to increasing presence of electronic component manufacturers in this region. North America is expected to be the second largest market for electronic adhesives, with sales pegged to surpass 300 thousand units by 2027-end. In addition, market growth in Europe is expected to exhibit 6% CAGR through 2027, in terms of volume.Electrically conductive electronic adhesives are anticipated to be the most lucrative product in the market, followed by thermally conductive electronic adhesives. FMIs report projects global sales of these electronic adhesives to surpass 1000 thousand tons by 2027-end, and expand at 9.5% CAGR in terms of volume. In contrast, sluggish volume expansion is estimated for ultraviolet curing electronic adhesives.Make an Enquiry @Acrylics are expected to be the preferred material for electronic adhesives in the market, registering robust expansion at 13.2% CAGR in terms of volume. Robust adoption of acrylics is attributed to their provision of improved productivity and performance as well as reduction in environmental concerns and costs. In addition, silicones are expected to be the second-most lucrative material for electronic adhesives, followed by polyurethanes.In terms of volume, demand for electronic adhesives in surface mounting application is estimated to witness fastest expansion at 8.6% CAGR. Global sales of electronic adhesives for surface mounting is projected to increase from 385 thousand units in 2017 to reach nearly 950 thousand units by 2027-end. In addition, conformal coating is estimated to be the second largest application segment of electronic adhesives in terms of volume.Distributors form a vital part of supply chain, as prominent players in electronic adhesives market distribute products through major distributors across the globe. With expanding distribution channel, coupled with increasing partnership between leading market players and local distributors in North America are expected to propel market growth in this region.China plays and indispensable role in APEJ electronic industry, not as a competitor but as a growing market. China forms the product assembly base, importing various electronic components and parts from various Asian economies and exporting them across the globe. In addition, APEJ has contributed majorly to electronics industry by integrating production networks, fostering an enhanced trade. These factors are expected to propel market growth in APEJ.Request Report Methodology@Key market players identified in FMIs report include Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, H.B. Fuller Company, 3M Company, Dow Corning Corporation (The Dow Chemical Company), Evonik Industries AG, Dymax Corporation, Bostik SA (Arkema Inc.), Sika AG, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Wacker Chemie AG, Avery Dennison Corporation, Royal Adhesives & Sealants LLC, DELO Industrial Adhesives LLC, Huntsman International LLC, LORD Corporation, Permabond LLC, Panacol-Elosol GmbH, Lohmann GmbH & Co.KG, Bondline Electronic Adhesives, Inc., Jowat AG.About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Market Research on Bubble Wrap Packaging Market 2018 and Analysis to 2022 | 7.8% CAGR For Next 5 years

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Global Bubble Wrap Packaging Market Information by Material (Polyethylene, Kraft Paper, Aluminum Foil, and others), By Product (Bubble rolls, Bubble Bag, Bubble Mailers, and others), By Application (Automotive, Pharmaceutical, E-Commerce, Electronics, and others) and By Region  Forecast To 2022Market Synopsis of Bubble Wrap Packaging MarketBubble wrap packaging is majorly a form of protective packaging which is composed of a two-layer polyethylene film, entrapped with air inside to form a bubble.The major driver for the growth of the bubble wrap packaging market is the continuous growth of the online shopping market. Rapid growth in the electronic sector and the increase in adoption of online payment systems is ultimately driving the demand of the bubble wrap packaging. Most of the consumers as well as manufacturers today are concerned about the impact of packaging on the environment due to the rising awareness of environment protection. This raising awareness for use of biodegradable bubble wrap is also driving the growth of the market.The bubble wrap packaging market is expected to reach a market size of USD 10.73 Billion by the end of 2023. The market is expected to grow with 7.04% CAGR.Get Sample of Report @Regional Analysis of Global Bubble Wrap Packaging MarketThe Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing region for the bubble wrap packaging market owing to rising disposable incomes and the booming ecommerce industry. The protective packaging market in developing countries such as China and India are estimated to grow at a high rate in the forecast period. The region is expected to grow with 7.45% CAGR.Key PlayersThe key players of global bubble wrap packaging market report include Sealed Air Corporation (North Carolina), Veritiv Corporation (Georgia), Pregis Corporation (U.S.), Tarheel Paper & Supply Company (U.S.), Jiffy Packaging Co. (U.K.), iVEX Protective Packaging Inc.(U.S.), Barton Jones Packaging Ltd (U.S.), Automated Packaging System (U.S.), Abco Kovex Ltd (Ireland), Future Packaging and Machinery (PTY) Ltd (Johannesburg) and others.Enquiry before Buying @Target AudienceManufacturesRaw Materials SuppliersAftermarket suppliersResearch Institute / Education InstitutePotential InvestorsKey executive (CEO and COO) and strategy growth managerThe report for Global Bubble Wrap Packaging Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Access Full Report @Brief Toc:1. Executive Summary2. Research Methodology3. Market Dynamics4. Global Market, By Packaging Type5. Global Market, By Technology6. Global Market, By Application7. Global Market, By End-user8. Regional Market Analysis9. Competitive Analysis10. Conclusion11. List Of Tables12. List Of FiguresAsk for your specific company profile and country level customization on reports.About Us: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 , 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.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Global RFID Tags Market Strategic Profiling of the Key Players With Competitive Landscape for the Market

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Market Research Future published a research report on Global RFID Tags Market Research Report- Forecast 2022  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2022.Global RFID Tags Market Information by Types (Passive, Active and Semi-passive), by End-User (Manufacturing Sector, Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Retail, and Others) and by Region - Forecast to 2022Market ScenarioRadio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic field to identify & track tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically stored information. This tag can be attached to or implanted in products, animals or even human beings. The major driving factors for the growth of RFID Tags market are the increasing concerns for efficient tracking of enterprise assets and the need for efficient management of logistics & supply chain. Additionally, the increasing adoption of RFID tags in healthcare sector is also contributing to the growth of the market. However, high cost of manufacturing & implementation of RFID system may hamper the growth of this market. RFID tags market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 7% by 2022.Get Sample of Report @Segmentation of Global RFID Tags MarketBy Type  Active Passive Semi PassiveBy End User  Manufacturing Pharmaceutical Retail Healthcare OthersBy Region  North America Europe APAC Rest of the WorldRegional Analysis of Global RFID Tags MarketNorth America dominates the RFID tags market. The key factors such as advancement in technologies and government supported initiatives for the adoption of RFID tags are driving the growth of this market in North America. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for RFID tags market due to rising awareness among the consumers about drug counterfeit & safety, the rapid growth in industrialization as well as the retail industry are the factors driving this market in the APAC region. This region is expected to grow at the fastest pace during the forecast period.Key PlayersThe key players of Global RFID tags Market report include Alien Technology (U.S.), Confidex Ltd (Finland), HID Global Corporation (U.S.), Honeywell international Inc. (U.S.), Omni-ID Ltd (U.S.), Impinj, Inc. (U.S.), Invengo Information Technology Co. Ltd (China), Smartrac N.V. (Netherlands), The Tag Factory (India), and Tageos (France).Early Buyers Can Get this Report on Discount @Brief Toc:1. Executive Summary2. Research Methodology3. Market Dynamics4. Global Market, By Packaging Type5. Global Market, By Technology6. Global Market, By Application7. Global Market, By End-user8. Regional Market Analysis9. Competitive Analysis10. Conclusion11. List Of Tables12. List Of FiguresAsk for your specific company profile and country level customization on reports.About Us: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.Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Fluoropolymers Market Global Revenue, Trends, Growth, Share, Size and Forecast to 2023

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Fluoropolymers Market:Fluoropolymers are extensively used in aircrafts, semiconductors, automotive, household applications because of their exceptional non-adhesive and low friction properties, superior electrical properties, heat resistance chemical and weather resistance and superior electrical properties compared with the other polymers. They are also used for various semiconductor and chemical applications because they are maintenance-free even under severer conditions, and contribute to improving the productivity and purity of products. Presently, fluoropolymers can be found in nearly every major industry market such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, pharmaceutical, household, construction, and others. The Global Fluoropolymers Market is expected to witness a significant growth of USD 10,901.25 million by 2023 with CAGR of 5.4 % between 2016 and 2023.Growth of automotive, electronics, and construction industry are the major drivers of fluoropolymers market especially in APAC region. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing markets for fluoropolymers where growth is driven by the countries such as China, Japan, and India. Whereas, faster growth will mainly be restrained by competition from other resins, such as growing biopolymers industry, in addition, awareness, of safety and environment effects of fluoropolymers can hamper the market in near future.Sample Page Report Fluoropolymers Link@Market Influence / Features:Data integration and capabilities are analyzed to support the findings and study the predicted geographical segmentations. Various key variables and regression models were considered to calculate the trajectory of fluoropolymers market. Detailed analysis is explained and given importance to with best working models.Geographically, the segmentation is done into several key regions like North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The production, consumption, revenue, shares in mill UDS, growth rate of fluoropolymers market during the forecast period of 2023 is well explained.The ongoing market trends of fluoropolymers market and the key factors impacting the growth prospects are elucidated. With increase in the trend, the factors affecting the trend are mentioned with perfect reasons. Top manufactures, price, revenue, market share are explained to give a depth of idea on the competitive side.Regional Analysis:In terms of geography, Asia Pacific is the largest market of fluoropolymers due to demand in various industry such as automotive, aerospace, and electronics in China region followed by Japan. Increasing demand for automotive industry in the China, Japan, India, Taiwan, and South Korea has made Asia Pacific largest consumer of the global fluoropolymers market followed by increasing in the consumption of fluoropolymers market in North America region. In North America region, fluoropolymers market is mainly drive by automotive, electrical, construction and aerospace industry. In addition, the third largest market of fluoropolymers is Europe region due to large consumption in pharmaceutical, household, and automotive industry.Segmentation:The global fluoropolymers market is majorly segmented on the basis of types, application, end users and region. Based on types of fluoropolymers the market is segmented into PTFE, PVDF, FEP, PFA, THV, PEEK, and others (CTFE, HFP, PDD, etc.). Furthermore, based on application of Fluoropolymers the market is segmented into as coatings, paint, tubing, additive, film solutions, and others (resin, etc.). On the other hand, based on end user the market segmented into automotive, aerospace, electronics, pharmaceutical, household, construction, and other industries, and based on region market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, Middle East & Africa.Browser Page Report Fluoropolymers Link@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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Wood Pellet Market to Expand at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2017 to 2027

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Future Market Insights latest report on the global market for wood pellets reveals that by the end of 2027, close to 35% of global wood pellet sales will be accounted by their end-use in industrial pellet co-firing. In the report, titled Wood Pellet Market: Global Market Analysis 20122016 and Forecast 20122027, the market is expected to reach US$ 9,204.9 Mn by the end of 2017.The report further projects that global sales of wood pellets will soar at a CAGR of 8.7% to bring in over US$ 21,100 Mn by the end of 2027.The report also reveals that in 2016, approximately 37.5 million tons of wood pellets were sold across the globe. Increasing investments in new technologies & pelleting machines, coupled with higher demand for wood pellets in electricity generation, are some of the prominent trends influencing the growth ofglobal wood pellets market during the forecast period. Apart from industrial co-firing, the market is also expected to witness higher traction in end-use offerings such as use of pellets in residential & commercial heating and industrial pellet end-use in CHP/district heating.According to the report, increasing consumption of wood pellets is triggered by promotion of reusing agricultural produce or forest wood in industrial processes.Make an Enquiry @North Americas climate change concerns is compelling the regions wood pellet manufacturers towards resource & feedstock optimisation. Meanwhile, wood pellets are successfully replacing fossil fuels such as charcoal in specific heating applications. The report reveals that 1 ton of wood pellets have the potential to provide raw thermal energy equivalent to that of 2.8 barrels of crude oil.In future, wood pellets are also expected to be in great demand for their low carbon emission properties, compared to fossil fuels. However, the markets robust growth is likely to be restrained by inability of pellet manufacturers in fulfilling certification criteria, and the gradual reduction in sawmill residue caused by technological intervention in sawing industries. Electricity generation, however, is observed as a lucrative opportunity for boosting the use of wood pellets.The report also reveals that in 2017 and beyond, around 70% of the global market sales will be concentrated in Western Europe. Although, towards the end of 2027, Western Europes market share is poised to witness a dip, while Eastern Europe, Japan and Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) regions will witness a significant rise in their market share. Some of the key excerpts of the report include:Throughout the forecast period, over half of the markets value will be accounted by forest & wood waste feedstock. In 2016, an estimated 8.6 million tons of wood pellets were consumed by free standing pellet stove application. The global market for wood pellets is also expected to witness sizeable growth in terms of volume, registering a CAGR of 8.5% through 2027Request Report Methodology@The report also enlists & profiles leading players in the global wood pellets market, and they include Drax Biomass Inc, Rentech, Inc, Enviva Partners, LP, German Pellets GmbH, Viridis Energy Inc, AS Graanul Invest, Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc, Lignetics Of Idaho, Inc, Zilkha Biomass Energy, LLC, Land Energy Girvan Limited, Colombo Energy Inc, Premium Pellet Ltd, ECARE, Fram Renewable Fuels, Agon Biomass, Pellet power, Blue Sky Biomass, Bio Eneco Sdn Bhd, Schellinger & Co Muhlenwerke, Snow Timber Pellets LLC.About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Immunosuppressant Drug Monitoring Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 2017 to 2023

Immunosuppressant Drug Monitoring Market

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Market Outline: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering MarketImmunosuppressant drug monitoring is most vital for monitoring of immunosuppressant drug levels in patients in order to prevent the organ rejection. It is one of the applications of therapeutic drug monitoring, aims to maintain the adequate concentration of drugs in body fluids in order to refine patient care by adjusting individual drug dosage for the better outcomes. Immunosuppressant drugs are known as anti-rejection drugs, which inhibits the activity of immune system that are most commonly used in organ transplantations, auto immune disorders like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and chrons disease.Market Dynamics: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering MarketGrowing demand for organ transplantations, advancements in procedures of organ transplantation, growing prevalence of auto immune diseases are expected to witness tremendous growth of the immunosuppressant drug monitoring market. Furthermore, favorable reimbursement policies, growing awareness among the people regarding healthcare and organ transplantations are expected to fuel immunosuppressant drug monitoring market. However, strict regulatory frameworks, availability of alternative therapies like stem cell therapy for immunosuppression are expected to hamper the growth of immunosuppressant drug monitoring market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Scope: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering MarketImmunosuppressant drug monitoring market is segmented on the basis of design, magnetic field strength, application, end user and regionsBased on Product, market is segmented into the following Equipment ConsumablesBased on Technology, market is segmented into the following Proteomics Technologies Immunoassays Electrophoresis SpectrometryBased on Drugs, market is segmented into the following Antibodies Corticosteroids Calcineurin inhibitors Anti-proliferative agents mTOR inhibitors OthersBased on Disease, market is segmented into the following Autoimmune disorders Organ transplantation Non-auto immune inflammatory diseasesBased on the end user, market is segmented into the following: Hospitals Diagnostic laboratories Research Institutes Academic InstitutesBased on the region, market is segmented into the following North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East and AfricaTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Market Summary: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering MarketImmunosuppressant drug monitoring market is growing at a significant rate due to rise in prevalence of autoimmune disorders and organ transplantations. As per WHO statistics, about 119,873 organ transplantation cases were reported in 2014, raised about 1.8% from 2013. Growing prevalence of autoimmune disorders and rise in investments in R&D activities for innovation of new procedures are expected to propel the immunosuppressant drug monitoring market over the forecast timeframe. Moreover, acquisitions and mergers, new product approvals, and product launches are major strategies followed by market players for increasing the revenue in immunosuppressant drug monitoring market.Regional Analysis: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering MarketGeographically, global immunosuppressant drug monitoring market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to hold largest share in immunosuppressant drug monitoring market due to rise in prevalence of autoimmune disorders, increase in R&D investments. As per American Autoimmune Related Disease Association, about 50 Mn people suffered from autoimmune diseases in U.S. in 2016. Europe holds second largest position in immunosuppressant drug monitoring market owing to rise in demand for organ transplantation, development of innovative products and favorable regulatory conditions. As per European Commission in 2013, about 31,165 organ transplantation cases were reported in EU-28. Asia Pacific is an emerging region for immunosuppressant drug monitoring market due to increase in medical tourism due to low cost associated with the procedures, geographical expansions by the market players, launch of innovative products, growing prevalence of autoimmune diseases and presence of large patient pool.Need more information about this report @Competition Assessment: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering MarketSome of the players in the global immunosuppressant drug monitoring market include: Thermo Fisher Scientific (U.S.) Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Switzerland) Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (U.S.) Abbott Laboratories (U.S.) Siemens Healthcare (Germany) Danaher Corporation (U.S.).Notable Market Developments: Immunosuppresant Drug Monitering Market In July 2013, Roche launched Elecsys Tcrolimus and Cyclosporine test, a high TDM tests for immunosuppressant drugs tacrolimus and cyclosporine.Key Features of the Report: The report provides granular level information about the market size, regional market share, historic market (2012 to 2016) and forecast (2017 to 2023) The report covers in-detail insights about the competitors overview, company share analysis, key market developments, and their key strategies The report outlines drivers, restraints, unmet needs, and trends that are currently affecting the market The report tracks recent innovations, key developments and startups details that are actively working in the market The report provides plethora of information about market entry strategies, regulatory framework and reimbursement scenario The report analyses the impact of socio-political environment through PESTLE Analysis and competition through Porters Five Force Analysis in addition to recent technology advancements and innovations in the marketGet access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152  160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553Website @
Petrochemical Market Overview of Global Skin Lightening Products Market Size, Demand, Trends, Share and Growth Forecast till 2023

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Petrochemical Market Overview:The global petrochemicals market is expected to witness significant growth with a CAGR of 6.7% over the forecast period of 2017-2023 and reach USD 1075.19 billion by 2023.Petrochemicals are basically petroleum products derived from hydrocarbons. Some other chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal, or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane. Petrochemical is mainly classified into two types olefins (including ethylene and propylene) and aromatics (including benzene, toluene and xylene isomers). Both of these are produced in oil refineries by fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum fraction. Olefins produced by steam cracking of natural gas liquid such as ethane and propane, whereas aromatics are produced by catalytic reforming of naphtha.Petrochemicals are used in various end user industries ranging from manufacturing to consumer goods. However, they are most commonly used in adhesives, polymers, paints and coatings, dyes, surfactants. The global petrochemical market is expected to be driven by rising demand for petrochemicals in major end-user industries linked with favorable operating conditions, especially in the Middle East and Asia Pacific over the forecast period. Moreover, Demand for bio-based chemicals is increasing due to growing consumer awareness as we all benefits associated with their usage. Consequently, investment in bio based chemicals in public and private sector likely to increase in near future and will hamper the growth of petrochemical market globally.Sample Page Report Petrochemicals Link@Market Influence / Trend:Data integration and capabilities are analyzed to support the findings and study the predicted geographical segmentations. Various key variables and regression models were considered to calculate the trajectory of Petrochemicals market. Detailed analysis is explained and given importance to with best working models.Geographically, the segmentation is done into several key regions like North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The production, consumption, revenue, shares in mill UDS, growth rate of Petrochemicals market during the forecast period of 2017 to 2023 is well explained.The ongoing market trends of Petrochemicals market and the key factors impacting the growth prospects are elucidated. With increase in the trend, the factors affecting the trend are mentioned with perfect reasons. Top manufactures, price, revenue, market share are explained to give a depth of idea on the competitive side.Each and every segment type and their sub types are well elaborated to give a better idea about this market during the forecast period of 2017 to 2023 respectively.Regional Analysis:Asia Pacific emerged as leading market for petrochemicals, and accounted for around 50% for shares in volume consumption as of 2014. China majorly contributed in the growth of Asia Pacific market, owing to flourishing automotive industry. Growing demand for polymer and solvent, dyes, adhesives, paints and coatings in APAC anticipated to boost growth of petrochemicals across the region. North America is the second largest market for petrochemicals after APAC petrochemical market. U.S. and Canada led the North American petrochemical market owing to rising shale gas exploration. Furthermore, growth in this region anticipated to encourage by vast number of product performance such as plastic resins, synthetic fibers, rubber products, paints & coatings, adhesives & sealants, lubricants, water treatment products, and industrial chemicals.Segmentation:The global petrochemicals market is majorly segmented on the basis of product, application and by region. Market segmentation on the basis of products includes Methanol, benzene, xylene, toluene, ethylene, propylene, butadiene, vinyl styrene. Moreover Ethylene is the leading product segment and accounted for 30% overall market volume in 2015. Abundance and low cost ethane availability has made this segment most dominant. Furthermore, propylene is the prominent segment in terms of value and accounted to bench mark in USD billion in 2015. Owing to major utilizations in production of variety of chemicals including propylene oxide, acrylonitrile, cumene, butyraldehyde and acrylic acid have made propylene dominant segment in terms of revenue. Methanol product segment projected to be the fastest growing segment over the forecast period of 2017 to 2023. As growth of methanol is directly related to its increasing usage in gasoline blending and methanol to olefins processesOn the basis of application market segmented into adhesives, polymers, paints and coatings, dyes, surfactants, rubber, plastics, and solvents. Based on the regions market is segmented into North America, APAC, Europe, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.Browser Page Report Petrochemicals Link@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:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Open Source Intelligence Market Key Players to 2023: Palantir Technologies, Expert System, Exalead Dassault Systemes, Thales Group, CybelAngel, Data Analytics, Text analytics

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Market Scenario:Open Source Intelligence Market relies heavily on the open source data for the processing which is a raw, noisy and unstructured data which is easily accessible and can be retrieved and modified legally. Also the data is heavy in number. The biggest advantage of the Open source intelligence is the number of sources of data and its easy accessibility which gives rise to the analytics to play its part and filter out the useful, crucial and important data from the raw and noisy data. The market for the OSINT is increasing due to the advancements in analytics, like big data analytics, data analytics, text analytics, web analytics, and social media analytics. The data is available from a number of sources like Social media, Print media, digital media, articles, blog publications, online forums, videos, government reports, telephone directories, press conferences, journals, academic research papers, financial databases, patents, dissertation and newsletters. This data is openly available and legal to use. Other analytics such as behavioral analytics for customer experience for increasing the advertising, marketing, retention strategies. As huge amount of open data is available through the sources like social media and online surveys, it gets easy for the organizations to predict the behavior of the customers.Request a Sample Reports: @OSINT segmented on the basis of security type, technology, application and by region. On the basis of security type, the segmentation is further divided into Human Intelligence, content intelligence, dark web analysis, link/network analysis, data analytics, text analytics, artificial intelligence and big data. Out of these, big data, text analytics and link/network analytics lead the market. This is majorly due to increased technological advancements and analytics in cyber space leading to increased threat of cyber-attacks, piracy, and other illegal practices. The cyber threats complexity has increased the targets on national infrastructure and many different organizations. It has become easy for the organizations to collect and utilize data from different sources.On the basis of technology, the market for open source intelligence is divided into Big Data analytics, video analytics, text analytics, cyber security, web analysis, and social media analysis. Big data software lets OSINT provide useful and necessary support for an organizations business strategies and intelligence.The open source intelligence market is divided under North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa of region. The market is led by North America followed by Asia pacific. This majorly due to the increased cyber-attacks in U.S. Also due to the progressive innovation and growth in research and development the organizations in the U.S and Canada have adopted to the technology earlier than others. However the market growth in Asia pacific is expected to grow significantly.Major Key Players: Palantir Technologies (U.S.) Expert System (Italy) Exalead Dassault Systemes (France) Thales Group (France) CybelAngel (France) Intrinsic Technologies (U.S.) SAIL LABS Technology GmbH (Austria) Digimind (U.S.), KB Crawl SAS (France) Verint (U.S.), Recorded Future (U.S.), Datalkz (UAE)Browse Full Report Details:Segments:For the purpose of this study, Market Research Future has segmented the market of open source intelligence market into security type, technology, application, and region.Security Type: Human Intelligence Content Intelligence Dark Web Analysis Data Analytics Text analytics Artificial intelligence Big Data OthersTechnology: Big Data Software Video Analytics Text Analytics Cyber Security Web Analysis Social Media Analysis OthersApplication:Military & DefenseHomeland SecurityPrivate sectorPublic sectorNational securityOthersRegion:North AmericaEuropeAsia pacificLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaIntended Audience:Software providersNetwork Solutions providersNetwork security providersConsumer goods and retail unitsLogistics solutions providersResearch firmsSoftware investorsSoftware DevelopersIT enablersDatabase providersCloud service providersWireless service providersTABLE OF CONTENTS:1 MARKET INTRODUCTION1.1 INTRODUCTION1.2 SCOPE OF STUDY1.2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE1.2.2 ASSUMPTIONS1.2.3 LIMITATIONS1.3 MARKET STRUCTURE2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2.1 RESEARCH OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE2.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH2.3 SECONDARY RESEARCH2.4 FORECAST MODEL2.4.1 MARKET DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS & FORECAST2.4.2 MARKET SIZE ESTIMATION3 MARKET DYNAMICS3.1 INTRODUCTION3.2 MARKET DRIVERS3.3 MARKET CHALLENGES3.4 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES3.5 MARKET RESTRAINTSContinue...LIST OF TABLES:TABLE 1 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY SECURITY TYPETABLE 2 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY TECHNOLOGYTABLE 3 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY APPLICATIONSTABLE 4 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY REGIONTABLE 5 NORTH AMERICA OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY SECURITY TYPEContinue...FIGURE 1 RESEARCH SECURITY TYPE:FIGURE 2 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY SECURITY TYPE (%)FIGURE 3 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY TECHNOLOGY (%)FIGURE 4 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY APPLICATIONS (%)FIGURE 5 OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE MARKET, BY REGION (%)Continue...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 Components, Application, Logistics 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 Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune  411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +91 841 198 5042Mail: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Meningococcal Vaccines Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 2017 to 2023

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Market Outline: Meningococcal Vaccines MarketMeningococcal disease is a fatal disease caused by a bacteria called as Neisseria Meningitides which cause potential infection in the meninges, the thin layers of connective tissues which surrounds spinal cord and brain. Common symptoms are bacteraemia, pneumonia and meningitis associated with neck stiffness, nausea, high fever, vomiting, confusion, rashes and lethargy.Market Dynamics: Meningococcal Vaccines MarketSurge in incidence of meningococcal disease is expected to play vital role in growth of the global meningococcal vaccines market. Furthermore, growing awareness among the people regarding the seriousness of disease, government initiatives, increase R&D investments by various players, introduction of advanced vaccines are expected to boost growth of meningococcal vaccines market. However, lack of awareness, high cost of vaccines, unfavourable regulatory conditions are restrains of global meningococcal vaccines market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Scope: Meningococcal Vaccines MarketThe global meningococcal vaccines market is classified on the basis of type, end user, and geographical regions.Based on the type, global meningococcal vaccines market is segmented as Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccines Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Serogroup B Meningococcal VaccineBased on the End-user, global meningococcal vaccines market is segmented as Hospitals Clinic OthersMarket Summary: Meningococcal Vaccines MarketRise in incidence and mortality rate of meningococcal disease is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the global meningococcal vaccines market. Favourable government initiatives are expected create awareness among people. For example, by 2018 MenA conjugate vaccines programmes in Africa is anticipated to prevent around 1, 23, 000 deaths. Meningococcal vaccine market is high consolidated market with very few market players. It is experiencing at rapid growth due to new products and it is expected to experience tremendous growth due to new entrants into the market during the forecast period.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Regional Analysis: Meningococcal Vaccines MarketGlobal meningococcal vaccines market is segmented as Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, The Middle East and Africa and Europe. North America meningococcal vaccines market is expected to dominate revenue share followed by Europe, owing to increase in population and rise in prevalence of meningococcal diseases among population. U.S. meningococcal vaccines market is accounted for major regional revenue share. In Europe, Germany, UK and France hold the largest share owing to rise in several initiatives taken by the government, well established healthcare infrastructure. Asia Pacific is expected to show a significant growth owing to growing awareness among consumers, rise in disposable income and various government immunization initiatives to eradicate meningococcal disease in Asia Pacific.Need more information about this report @Competition Assessment: Meningococcal Vaccines MarketSome of the players in global meningococcal vaccines market GlaxoSmithKline plc. (UK) JN-International Medical Corporation (U.S.) Novartis International AG (Switzerland) Sanofi (France) Pfizer, Inc. (U.S.) Baxter International, Inc. (U.S.)Notable Market Developments: Meningococcal Vaccines Market In October 2014, Pfizer received U.S. FDA approval for its TRUMENBA (meningococcal group B vaccine) to prevent meningococcal disease.Key Features of the Report: The report provides granular level information about the market size, regional market share, historic market (2012 to 2016) and forecast (2017 to 2023) The report covers in-detail insights about the competitors overview, company share analysis, key market developments, and their key strategies The report outlines drivers, restraints, unmet needs, and trends that are currently affecting the market The report tracks recent innovations, key developments and startups details that are actively working in the market The report provides plethora of information about market entry strategies, regulatory framework and reimbursement scenario The report analyses the impact of socio-political environment through PESTLE Analysis and competition through Porters Five Force Analysis in addition to recent technology advancements and innovations in the marketGet access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152  160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553Website @
Precise Study on Global Testing, Inspection and Certification Market Covering Trends, Market Share and Forecast to 2025

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been acting as an impressive data source when it comes to evaluating various industrial verticals. The research report titled Testing, Inspection and Certification Market offers a clear insight about the "Technology" assessed over the global platform. This analysis proves beneficial for readers & new investors who are aiming to enter the market for Technology in the near future.To Request a Free Sample Report or View Summary of Report @The global market for testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) could face a high level of fragmentation in its vendor landscape owing to the presence of a large number of players sustaining amid intense competition but promising growth avenues, observes in a recent report. So as to strengthen their positions and earn lucrative growth opportunities, companies are targeting strategic collaborations, mergers, acquisitions, and expansion across lucrative emerging economies.The report estimates that the global testing, inspection and certification market will clock in a CAGR of 5.8% from 2017 to 2025 and rise from an opportunity of US$184,545.5 mn in 2016 to US$299,628.6 mn by 2025.Europe to Retain Dominant Spot throughout ForecastIn terms of services, the testing and inspection segment held approximately 95% of the global market in 2016. This is primarily due to the increased focus on monitoring and maintaining hygienic, healthy, and conducive production environments along the supply chain in order to safeguard the safety and quality of products. While the scenario is expected to remain largely unchanged over the near future as well, the certification segment could also a steady rise in demand over the reports forecast period.Geographically, the market in Europe is presently the chief contributor of revenue to the global market. The regional market accounted for over 33% of the overall market in 2016, chiefly owing to the stringent regulations concerning safety of products from industries such as food and beverages, transportation and logistics, chemical, and water and wastewater. The region is also expected to maintain its lead over the reports forecast period.Need to Adhere to Stringent Safety Regulations to Increase Demand for TIC ServicesTesting, inspection and certification services are becoming increasingly important for companies spanning a vast number of industries as these services ensure the maintenance of health, safety, and quality requirements of the concerned products. Increasing focus of the enterprise sector on safety legislations and standards, diversified requirement of products, and standard regulations are some of the factors responsible for the growth of the market.In the European Union, for instance, the General Safety Regulation (EC) No 661/2009 in 2014 mandated advanced safety features in every new van, car, bus and truck sold in the European Union. The new features included ISOFIX child seat anchorages, tire pressure monitoring systems and driver seatbelt reminders. Moreover new buses and trucks must also be armed with lane departure warning systems as well as advanced emergency braking systems. Food safety particularly earns high prominence in countries across North America, calling for advanced technology for testing, inspection and certification services. So as to adhere to all these regulations, the demand for TIC services has ramped up in the recent years and continues to be fueled.Increased Trend of Outsourcing TIC Services to Benefit VendorsIncreased outsourcing of TIC services is expected to emerge as a key opportunities for companies in the global testing, inspection and certification market over the forecast period. The testing, inspection and certification are unceasingly adopted by the emerging economies such as Asia Pacific and South America, which is further anticipated to drive the growth of testing, inspection and certification over the forecast period.The report also includes competitive profiling of the key players associated with the Testing, Inspection and Certification around the globe. The important business strategies adopted by them, their market positioning, financials, SWOT analysis and recent developments have also been identified in the research report. The competitive landscape section of the report also gives an overview about the major contributing regions/countries by these key players in order to strengthen their market position in the future.Some of the major players in global Testing, Inspection and Certification market are Intertek Group PLC, Bureau Veritas SA, SGS Group, ASTM International, ALS Ltd., TUV SUD AG, DNV GL Group AS, AsureQuality Ltd., Underwriters Laboratories Inc, Dekra SE, Lloyd's Register Group Limited, and TUV Rheinland Group. Details such as financials, business strategies, SWOT analysis, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players has been duly provided as part of company profiling.For More Info about This Report Visit @Market Segmentation:Testing, Inspection and Certification Market, by Service TypeTesting and InspectionCertificationTesting, Inspection and Certification Market, by Sourcing TypeIn-house SourcingOutsourcingTesting, Inspection and Certification Market, by IndustryInfrastructure & ConstructionTransformational & Contract ManufacturingFood & BeveragesAgriculture & ForestInformation TechnologiesChemicalHealthcare & PharmaceuticalTransportation &LogisticsTravel & TourismEnergy & UtilitiesWater & Wastewater ManagementGovernmentEducationTextileCosmeticsOthersAbout MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 2017 to 2023

Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market

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Market Outline: Nitrogenous Fertilizers MarketNitrogen enables the crops to grow fast, provides better colour, texture, and increases the agricultural productivity. Nitrogenous fertilizers are most commonly produced by Haber Bosch process. Nitrogen fertilizers can also be obtained from animal manure and compost.Market Dynamics: Nitrogenous Fertilizers MarketGrowing demand for high efficiency fertilizers, shrinking farmland and productivity of agriculture, inclination towards eco-friendly agricultural practices are key factors driving the market demand for nitrogenous fertilizers. Growing population pool is a factor for growth of nitrogenous fertilizers in order to keep up health concerns of population globally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global ratio of arable land dropped down to 0.197 hectares per person in 2013. However, regulatory and environmental constraints for coated products and high manufacturing costs restrain the nitrogenous fertilizers market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Scope: Nitrogenous Fertilizers MarketThe nitrogenous fertilizers market is classified on the basis of product type, crop type, mode of application, regionBased on Product, market is segmented as Ammonium Nitrate Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) Urea Ammonium SulphateBased on Crop Type, market is segmented as Cereals and grains Oilseeds and pulses Fruits and vegetablesBased on Mode of Application, market is segmented as Fertigation Soil FoliarBased on Region, market is segmented as North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific The Middle East and AfricaTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Market Summary: Nitrogenous Fertilizers MarketNitrogenous fertilizers market is expected to gain traction over the forecast period due to high productivity and wide range of benefits. Many of the market players are attracted towards Latin America and Asia Pacific, largest producers of corn and rice. The key players of nitrogenous fertilizers market are concentrated on acquisitions, new product developments, expansions, and investments to maintain the position in the market.Regional Analysis: Nitrogenous Fertilizers MarketGeographically nitrogenous fertilizers market is segmented as Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and The Middle East and Africa. North America nitrogenous fertilizers market has a significant revenue share owing to increase in adoption of eco-friendly farming practices. Growing demanding for healthy food products, increase in the production of fruits and vegetables in U.S. are anticipated to fuel the nitrogenous fertilizers market over the forecast period. Europe nitrogenous fertilizers market is growing at unprecedented CAGR over the forecast period due to rise in R&D activities, inclination towards nitrogenous fertilizers, and adoption of agricultural technologies. However, Asia Pacific is an emerging region attributed to increase in population demanding on farming, rise in adoption of eco-friendly farming, and better availability of the products are expected to propel nitrogenous fertilizers market.Need more information about this report @Competition Assessment: Nitrogenous Fertilizers MarketSome of the players in nitrogenous fertilizers market are Agrium Inc. (Canada) The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.) Yara International ASA (Norway) Bayer CropScience AG (Germany) Coromandel International Limited (India) DuPont (U.S.) Koch Industries Inc. (U.S.A.) Syngenta AG (Switzerland) Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. (Canada) Monsanto Company (U.S.) INCOTEC Group BV (Netherlands)Key Developments: Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market In August 2014, Tata Chemicals launched Tata Paras ammonium phosphate sulfur fertilizer.Key Features of the Report: The report provides granular level information about the market size, regional market share, historic market (2012 to 2016) and forecast (2017 to 2023) The report covers in-detail insights about the competitors overview, company share analysis, key market developments, and their key strategies The report outlines drivers, restraints, unmet needs, and trends that are currently affecting the market The report tracks recent innovations, key developments and startups details that are actively working in the market The report provides plethora of information about market entry strategies, regulatory framework and reimbursement scenario The report analyses the impact of socio-political environment through PESTLE Analysis and competition through Porters Five Force Analysis in addition to recent technology advancements and innovations in the marketGet access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152  160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553Website @
Industrial Robotics Industry Analysis, Market Size, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020

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The rising demand for industrial robots across different industry verticals, regions and applications is propelling the industrial robotics market during the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Globally, Asia Pacific is analyzed to be fastest growing market largely due to the research and development infrastructure growth in countries such as Japan, Australia, China and India. The adoption of robotics in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is further expected to bolster the industrial robotics market in the Asia Pacific region. Additionally, the demand for industrial robots across major application segments such as electrical, consumer electronics, and automotives is further expected to fuel growth over the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Countries such as Italy, Germany, France, and the U.K are expected to be key contributors to the growth of industrial robotics market in the European region. In North America, Mexico is expected to offer tremendous potential across varied application sectors in the coming years. Thus, the market for industrial robotics is expected to witness healthy growth across varied industry verticals and regions.This market research studies the industrial robotics market on a global level and estimates the market in terms of revenue (USD billion) from 2014 to 2020. It identifies the drivers and restraints affecting the market and studies their impact over the forecast period 2014 to 2020. In addition, the report also analyzes the opportunities for growth in the industrial robotics market over the forecast period.Request for sample copy of report:The report segments the industrial robotics market based on types of robots such as cylindrical robots, articulated robots, Cartesian robots, SCARA robots, and other types of robots. The market has further been segmented on the basis of industries served which comprises electrical & electronics industry, automotive industry, machinery industry, chemical, rubber & plastics industry, metals industry, precision & optics industry, food & beverages industry, and other types of industries. Besides, the report segments the market based on functions, which includes materials handling function, soldering and welding function, assembling & disassembling function, milling, cutting and processing function, painting and dispensing function, and other types of functions. Finally, the report segments the market on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Rest of the World (RoW). All these segments have been further estimated in terms of revenue (USD billion).A comprehensive analysis of the value chain offers an enhanced understanding of the market. A detailed Porters five forces analysis has been provided for a better perceptive of the intensity of competition in the industrial robotics market. The study further includes a market attractiveness analysis, wherein industrial robotics applications have been benchmarked based on their growth rate, market size, and overall attractiveness.The industrial robotics market report provides company market share analysis of key players. These players have been profiled on aspects such as company overview, financial overview, business strategy, SWOT analysis, and recent developments in the market. Some of the key players profiled include Denso Corporation, KUKA Robotics Corporation, FANUC Ltd., and Yaskawa Motoman Robotics among others.Request for TOC of this report:Industrial Robotics Market: By geographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificRest of the WorldIndustrial Robotics Market: By typesCartesianArticulatedCylindricalSCARAOthersIndustrial Robotics Market: By industryElectrical & ElectronicsAutomotiveMachineryChemical, Rubber & PlasticsFood & BeveragesMetalsPrecision & OpticsOthersIndustrial Robotics Market: By functionMaterials HandlingMilling, Cutting and ProcessingSoldering and WeldingPainting and DispensingAssembling & DisassemblingOthersMRRbiz supports your business intelligence needs with over 700,000 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 High Resolution Dispensing Systems and Equipment Market Reviewed till 2024 in a New Report

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An extensive forecast study, titled High Resolution Dispensing Systems and Equipment Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024 has been broadcasted to the online repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). This 121-page precise study encapsulates valuable details about the market current scenario as well as its future projections on a global and regional level. It further intensely aims to provide major insights into the markets growth throughout the above-mentioned forecast period in terms of volume and revenue (in US$ Mn). Moreover, the research also investigates market expansion in some of the prime regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA).Request Free Sample Report @High resolution dispensing systems and equipment are designed to provide high-capacity performance while at the same time offering safe consumer operation and longer service life. These systems are being currently deployed mostly in electronic applications such as gasketing, encapsulating, electronic assembly, shielding, hot melt molding, and plastic bonding.The integration of automation in various industries such as automotive, oil and gas, aerospace and defense, and fluids is set to contribute to the growth of the global high resolution dispensing systems and equipment in the coming years. The need for control, accuracy, and customization across these end-user industries is expected to be a major factor boosting the market during the forecast period.The global high resolution dispensing systems and equipment market is slated to grow from a value of US$1.8 bn in 2015 to US$3.0 bn by 2024, registering a steady CAGR of 6.3% therein. Volume-wise, the market is expected to expand at a modest 3.2% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.High Resolution Dispensing Systems and Equipment Most Widely Used in ElectronicsBased on type, the global market has been bifurcated into automatic and semi-automatic dispensing systems. Automatic dispensing systems acquired a larger share in the market in 2015 in terms of revenue. Manufacturers of high-resolution dispensing systems have embraced the automatic variants owing to the many advantages associated with them. Automatic dispensers also help prevent dispensing in the wrong location, thereby increasing the overall productivity, reducing costs, and lowering the chances of part failure. These dispensing systems are also easier to implement and have proven to be cost-effective in the long run.By application, the global market has been classified into electronics and others. The application of high resolution dispensing systems and equipment in electronics dominated the market in 2015. The electronics application segment comprises adhesive and sealant dispensers, glue dispensers, liquid material dispensers, and powder dispensers.Browse Full Report with TOC @The usage of adhesive and sealant dispensers in the electronics industry is currently widespread and they directly contribute to not just the production of electronics products but also to their longevity and long-term operation. Adhesives are mainly used for wire tacking, bonding of surface-mount components, and encapsulating or potting components in the electronics industry. During the forecast period, rising demand in application areas such as medical, aerospace and defense, and solar is expected to bolster the growth of the high resolution dispensing systems and equipment market.APAC Countries Offering Maximum Scope for Future GrowthEurope acquired the dominant share in the global high resolution dispensing systems and equipment market in 2015, accounting for more than 35% in terms of revenue. The market in Europe has evolved over the past decade and is expected to record strong growth in the coming years owing to considerable investments and technological advancements in the electronics industry in the region. The market is primarily influenced by growth in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Sweden.Asia Pacific is a lucrative market for high resolution dispensing systems and equipment by value as well as volume. Countries such as China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong are home to an increasing number of consumer electronics manufacturing companies.China is the main hub as far as the manufacturing and assembly of electronics components is concerned. The export and import value of the electronics produced is China is also on a surge. Taiwans integrated circuit industry is well established with a vertically integrated chain. Electronics is the one of the prime industries fueling the economic growth of Singapore. These countries are anticipated to continue boosting the high resolution dispensing systems and equipment market in Asia Pacific.Some of the major players operating in the high resolution dispensing systems and equipment market are Nordson Corporation (U.S.), AptarGroup, Inc. (U.S.), Dover Corporation (U.S.), Franklin Fueling Systems Inc. (U.S.), Jensen Global Inc. (U.S.), Graco, Inc. (U.S.), Musashi Engineering Inc. (Tokyo), Mycronic AB (Sweden), Illinois Tools Works, Inc. (U.S.), and Besi (Netherlands).Enquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search EngineMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Automotive Trailers 2018 Global Market Key Players  BigTex Trailers(U.S.), Aluma(U.S.), Brian James Trailers Limited(U.K.) and Forecast to 2023

Automotive Trailers 2018 Global Market Key Players  BigTex Trailers(U.S.), Aluma(U.S.), Brian James Trailers Limited(U.K.) and F

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Description:Automotive Trailers-Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013-2023 Top 20 Countries Data offers a comprehensive analysis on Automotive Trailers industry, standing on the readers perspective, delivering detailed market data in Global major 20 countries and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, potential entrant or investor, the report will provides useful data and information. Key questions answered by this report include:Worldwide and Top 20 Countries Market Size of Automotive Trailers 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023Main manufacturers/suppliers of Automotive Trailers worldwide and market share by regions, with company and product introduction, position in the Automotive Trailers marketMarket status and development trend of Automotive Trailers by types and applicationsCost and profit status of Automotive Trailers, and marketing statusMarket growth drivers and challengesRequest For Sample Report @The report segments the global Automotive Trailers market as:Global Automotive Trailers Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain and Benelux)Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Australia)Latin America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia)Middle East and AfricaGlobal Automotive Trailers Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023):SingleAxleTandemAxleBoxtrailersTippersGlobal Automotive Trailers Market: Application Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume and Market Share 2013-2023; Downstream Customers and Market Analysis)Passenger CarsCommercial VehiclesGlobal Automotive Trailers Market: Manufacturers Segment Analysis (Company and Product introduction, Automotive Trailers Sales Volume, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin):Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company(U.S.)BigTex Trailers(U.S.)Aluma(U.S.)Brian James Trailers Limited(U.K.)Miller IndustriesInc.(U.S.)Kgel Trailer GmbH&Co.(Germany)Bckmann FahrzeugwerkeGmbH,(Germany)Dennison Trailers Ltd(U.K.)Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd(U.K.)Great Dane(U.S.)HYUNDAI Translead(U.S.)Wabash National Corporation(U.S.)ANGIndustries Limited (India)PaceAmerican(U.S.)DutchLanka Trailer Manufacturers Ltd.(SriLanka)MAXXD Trailers(U.S.)York Transport Equipment (Asia)PteLtd.(Singapore)Humbaur GmbH(Germany)Complete Report Details @Table of ContentsChapter 1 Overview of Automotive Trailers1.1 Definition of Automotive Trailers in This Report1.2 Commercial Types of Automotive Trailers1.2.1 SingleAxle1.2.2 TandemAxle1.2.3 Boxtrailers1.2.4 Tippers1.3 Downstream Application of Automotive Trailers1.3.1 Passenger Cars1.3.2 Commercial Vehicles1.4 Development History of Automotive Trailers1.5 Market Status and Trend of Automotive Trailers 2013-20231.5.1 Global Automotive Trailers Market Status and Trend 2013-20231.5.2 Regional Automotive Trailers Market Status and Trend 2013-2023Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions2.1 Market Development of Automotive Trailers 2013-20172.2 Sales Market of Automotive Trailers by Regions2.2.1 Sales Volume of Automotive Trailers by Regions2.2.2 Sales Value of Automotive Trailers by Regions2.3 Production Market of Automotive Trailers by Regions2.4 Global Market Forecast of Automotive Trailers 2018-20232.4.1 Global Market Forecast of Automotive Trailers 2018-20232.4.2 Market Forecast of Automotive Trailers by Regions 2018-2023Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types3.1 Sales Volume of Automotive Trailers by Types3.2 Sales Value of Automotive Trailers by Types3.3 Market Forecast of Automotive Trailers by TypesChapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry4.1 Global Sales Volume of Automotive Trailers by Downstream Industry4.2 Global Market Forecast of Automotive Trailers by Downstream IndustryChapter 5 North America Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry5.1 North America Automotive Trailers Market Status by Countries5.1.1 North America Automotive Trailers Sales by Countries (2013-2017)5.1.2 North America Automotive Trailers Revenue by Countries (2013-2017)5.1.3 United States Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)5.1.4 Canada Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)5.1.5 Mexico Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)5.2 North America Automotive Trailers Market Status by Manufacturers5.3 North America Automotive Trailers Market Status by Type (2013-2017)5.3.1 North America Automotive Trailers Sales by Type (2013-2017)5.3.2 North America Automotive Trailers Revenue by Type (2013-2017)5.4 North America Automotive Trailers Market Status by Downstream Industry (2013-2017)Chapter 6 Europe Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry6.1 Europe Automotive Trailers Market Status by Countries6.1.1 Europe Automotive Trailers Sales by Countries (2013-2017)6.1.2 Europe Automotive Trailers Revenue by Countries (2013-2017)6.1.3 Germany Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.4 UK Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.5 France Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.6 Italy Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.7 Russia Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.8 Spain Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.1.9 Benelux Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)6.2 Europe Automotive Trailers Market Status by Manufacturers6.3 Europe Automotive Trailers Market Status by Type (2013-2017)6.3.1 Europe Automotive Trailers Sales by Type (2013-2017)6.3.2 Europe Automotive Trailers Revenue by Type (2013-2017)6.4 Europe Automotive Trailers Market Status by Downstream Industry (2013-2017)Chapter 7 Asia Pacific Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry7.1 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Market Status by Countries7.1.1 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Sales by Countries (2013-2017)7.1.2 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Revenue by Countries (2013-2017)7.1.3 China Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.4 Japan Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.5 India Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.6 Southeast Asia Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)7.1.7 Australia Automotive Trailers Market Status (2013-2017)7.2 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Market Status by Manufacturers7.3 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Market Status by Type (2013-2017)7.3.1 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Sales by Type (2013-2017)7.3.2 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Revenue by Type (2013-2017)7.4 Asia Pacific Automotive Trailers Market Status by Downstream Industry (2013-2017)Continued.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.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028
Global Hybrid Power Systems Market Analysis, Revenue Trends, and Future Forecast till 2024

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An extensive forecast study, titled Hybrid Power Systems Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024 has been broadcasted to the online repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). This 120-page precise study encapsulates valuable details about the market current scenario as well as its future projections on a global and regional level. It further intensely aims to provide major insights into the markets growth throughout the above-mentioned forecast period in terms of volume and revenue (in US$ Mn). Moreover, the research also investigates market expansion in some of the prime regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA).Request Free Sample Report @The technology-driven hybrid power systems market is characterized by high initial investments and low switching costs. The abundant availability of component manufacturers as well as numerous government incentives have fueled the demand for and adoption of hybrid power systems across developing economies. The lack of grid connectivity in remote and rural areas and its sheer unreliability has boosted the installation of these power systems in recent years.The global hybrid power systems is composed of a handful of major players who have already established a strong foothold in the market thanks to their increased focus on innovation and technology. Fueled by the combined efforts of these companies, the hybrid power systems market is expected to develop at a CAGR of 6.1% between 2016 and 2024, with its valuation increasing from US$411.79 mn in 2015 to US$703.55 mn by 2024.Wind-solar-diesel Hybrid Power Systems to Maintain Lead through 2024Hybrid power systems combine renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and energy produced by conventional means such as diesel generators. By type, hybrid power systems include wind-solar-diesel hybrid, PV-diesel hybrid, and others such as wind-hydro-diesel hybrid, solar thermal, and hybrid-solar biomass. In 2015, wind-solar-diesel hybrid power systems dominated the overall market and although this segment is predicted to lose a slight share in the market by the end of the forecast period, it will retain its dominance over other segments. Over the past few years, wind-solar-diesel hybrid systems for rural electrification have been enormously developed by various stakeholders across developing countries such as Indonesia, India, China, and South Africa.PV-diesel hybrid systems have also been attracting significant funding from various agencies of late.Browse Full Report with TOC @Government Mandates on Rural Electrification Gives Africa Market a BoostThe global market for hybrid power systems has been geographically segmented into North America, South and Central America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Europe. Asia Pacific held the largest share in the global in 2015 and is projected to continue its dominance throughout the forecast period. Players in Asia Pacific can avoid transmission costs by setting up hybrid power systems as standalone mini-grids. The integration of renewable energy production with the electricity mix also reduces the cost of transporting fuel to remote areas in the region. Japan is the leading contributor in the APAC hybrid power systems market, with the surge in utility-scale and commercial projects expected to drive demand in the coming years. Over the past few years, the country has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of companies registering to sell retail power. This has further driven the hybrid power systems market in Japan.The Middle East and Africa region is the second largest market for hybrid power systems, fueled mainly by the rapid progress in South Africa. The mandatory implementation of the national policy on rural electrification across national electricity companies, regulatory agencies and commissions, rural electrification funds, and rural electrification agencies across Africa has served as a major driving force. In addition to this, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Africa fund various hybrid power projects for the implementation of PV arrays in existing diesel power plants.Enquire about this Report @About Market Research Reports Search EngineMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Current Trends and Future Growth of Synthetic aperture Radar In Space Sector Market

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The global synthetic aperture radar in space sector market was valued at US$ 600.6 Mn in 2016 and is expected to be pegged at US$ 1,714.0 Mn by 2025, registering a CAGR of 12.50% over the forecast period. Increasing requirement of environment monitoring, public safety, and natural resource exploration is major factor fueling growth of the industry.Increasing Demand for Technology in enhancing Situational Awareness is key factor driving growth of the marketAdoption for advanced technologies in space sector is fueling situational awareness, owing to factors such as government initiatives toward disaster management, increasing need for cyber security, public safety, and smart infrastructure management. For instance, in December 2005, Indian government took initiative towards disaster management by enacting the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which envisioned the creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The objective of this act is to build a safe and disaster resilient country by developing a holistic, proactive, multi-disaster oriented and technology driven strategy through a culture of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response.Request Sample Copy of this Research Report @Situation awareness is a model of decision making by observing, understanding, and forecasting scenarios. The arena of situation awareness consist of various products, components, and technologies to improve the perception of environmental factors within a specific space and time. Also, it aims in providing information associated with the location of critical assets, along with the state, location, and status of potential threats facing such assets. The key solutions available in the situation awareness systems include human-machine interface (HMI), physical security information management, fire and flood alarm systems, and access control. These solutions have potential application in disaster response, bio-surveillance, smart infrastructure management, and environmental impact tracing.High Development Cost of SAR due to Frequent Customization is the key factor expected to restrain growth of the marketSynthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems are very important for the Earth Observation (EO) business. Synthetic aperture radar satellites system are typically more expensive to develop, and despite distinct advantages, the images are more complex, raising processing costs. Conventional synthetic aperture radars can balance tens of thousands of pounds and as large as a school bus. This are additionally responsible for providing significant capabilities for remote sensing, communication and science, but this costs hundreds of millions of dollars per satellite and may require years to build and launch. Owing to this huge investment required to construct, promotion and operation is expected to restraint the growth of the global synthetic aperture radar market during forecast period.Single-frequency band segment dominated the market in 2016 and expected to retain its dominance during the forecast periodAmong the frequency band segment, single-frequency band accounted for the largest share of 84.73% in the global SAR in space sector market in 2016. This growth is attributed to the growing requirement of the data generated by SARs for various defense, research, and commercial applications, including natural resource exploration and tracking ship movements in areas with bad weather conditions. According to Coherent Market Insights analysis, ongoing marine trade relations between Canada and North of Russia are highly prone to extreme weather conditions and icebergs, which in turn propels demand for technologies ensuring safety of the ships and commodities necessitating the requirement of SARs.Defense application accounted for largest share in global SAR in space sector market in 2016Among application segment defense application is expected to witness a CAGR of 11.43% over the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the growing requirement of the data generated by SARs for various defense applications that include surveillance, reconnaissance, and environmental monitoring in areas with bad weather conditions.North America accounted for the largest market share in 2016On the basis of geography, global SAR in space sector market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. The market in North America accounted largest share in global SAR market for space sector application. The North America SAR market in Space Sector was valued at about US$ 246.3 million in 2016. The U.S. and Canada are the major economies driving the market of SAR in space sector in North America region, prominently owing to the growing number of SAR constellation deployments in space. Chief instances of ongoing developments in this industry include the Capella (U.S.), OptiSAR (Canada), Radarsat (Canada), and SMAP (U.S.) projects. Furthermore, requirement of SAR imagery in commercial application for environmental monitoring specifically to monitor the ships and sea trade in North Atlantic Ocean and parts of Arctic Ocean are expected to provide key growth opportunities to the SAR in space sector market.Key companiesMajor players operating in the global synthetic aperture radar in space sector market include Airbus SE, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Israel Aerospace Industries, Thales Group, Northrop Grumman Corporation, MDA Information Systems, Raytheon Company, Harris Corporation, and BAE Systems.Request For Customization as per your need @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Global Dermatology Diagnostic Devices and Therapeutics Market Report Examines Latest Trends and Key Drivers Supporting Growth through 2024

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been acting as an impressive data source when it comes to evaluating various industrial verticals. The research report titled Dermatology Diagnostic Devices and Therapeutics Market offers a clear insight about the "Medical Device" assessed over the global platform. This analysis proves beneficial for readers & new investors who are aiming to enter the market for Medical Device in the near future.To Request a Free Sample Report or View Summary of Report @The global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market is marked by intense competition, which is likely to remain an unchanging feature of the market in the coming years. Leading players in the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market include Michelson Diagnostic Ltd., Strata Skin Sciences, GSK, Galderma, Agfa-Gevaert, AbbVie, and Janssen Biotech. These seven companies collectively accounted for more than 96% of the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in 2015 and are likely to retain dominant shares in the market in the coming years. Expansion of geographical outreach and establishment of widespread distribution networks is likely to be a key competitive tactic for players in the dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market.The global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market was valued at more than US$18.5 bn in 2015 and is likely to rise to around US$21 bn by 2024. The dermatology therapeutics market is by far the dominant component of the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market and is likely to rise to a valuation of more than US$20 bn by 2024. On the other hand, the dermatology diagnostic devices market is likely to exhibit a robust CAGR of 7.1% between 2016 and 2024 and is expected to rise in valuation from US$595.6 mn to US$1,095.1 mn.North America to Remain Leading Contributor to Dermatology Diagnostic Devices and Therapeutics MarketRegionally, North America is likely to dominate the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in the coming years due to the steady presence of a number of major healthcare sector players in the region. North America is expected to account for 46.4% of the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market by 2024. The steady support to innovation in the medical sector in North America is also likely to remain a key driver for the North America dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in the coming years.Within the dermatology diagnostic devices market, imaging equipment is likely to remain the leading contributor to the global market, with the segment expected to exhibit a strong 7.4% CAGR between 2016 and 2024. On the other hand, the dermatology therapeutics market is dominated by antibacterial therapeutics, as bacterial dermal infections are becoming a common concern around the world and are likely to lead to consistent demand from the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market. Antibacterial therapeutics accounted for 28.4% of the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in 2015 and are likely to retain a dominant share through the forecast period.Rising Air Pollution Likely to Contribute to Rising Prevalence of Dermatological ProblemsOne of the key drivers for the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market is the rising concerns regarding air pollution in developed regions. Rising air pollution has led to a steady increase in the prevalence of dermatological conditions and is likely to play a key role in the development of the dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in the coming years due to the rapid pace of urbanization and industrialization across the world.The rising geriatric population is also likely to aid growth of the global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in the coming years. Anti-aging products already constitute a key part of the global cosmetics sector and are likely to contribute significantly to the dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market in the coming years.Dermatology Diagnostic Devices and Therapeutics Market: Geographical and Competitive DynamicsThe report also profiles major players in the dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, SWOT analysis, key business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Key companies profiled in the report include Agfa-Gevaert N.V., Astellas Pharma, Inc., Cutera, Inc., Dino-Lite Europe/IDCP B.V., Galderma S.A., Genentech, a Roche Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc., LEO Pharma A/S, Michelson Diagnostics Ltd., Novartis International AG, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Canfield Scientific, Inc.For More Information about This Report Visit @Global dermatology diagnostic devices and therapeutics market has been segmented as follows:Global Dermatology Diagnostic Devices Market, by Product TypeDermatoscopesContact Oil Immersion DermatoscopeCross-Polarized DermatoscopesHybrid DermatoscopeMicroscopes and TrichoscopesMultispectral Photoacaustic Microscopy (PAM)Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCM)Raman SpectroscopyOthersImaging EquipmentX-rayMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)UltrasoundOptical Coherence Tomography (OCT)OthersGlobal Dermatology Therapeutics Market, by Drug ClassAntibacterial AgentsAntifungal AgentsAntiviral AgentsCorticosteroidsRetinoidsImmunosuppressantsBiologicsAbout MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Industry West Opens New Jacksonville Studio and Corporate Headquarters

Industry West, a leader in furnishing restaurants, hotels, high-tech startups and residences throughout North America unveiled its new Jacksonville studio and headquarters during an invite-only event on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.In addition to providing room for Industry Wests sales team, design consultants, customer service representatives and senior leadership, the 4,300-square-foot facility offers customers the ability to view and purchase a rotating selection of items from the companys extensive collection while providing trade professionals with a location to work with the Industry West team on new projects.Industry West is a forward-thinking e-commerce furniture company with a passion for quality, beautifully modern furniture. Founded in 2011, Industry West has evolved into a leader in providing a progressive, tastefully curated collection of modern furniture.Part of what defines Industry West is not just our ability to go out and find new and exciting items from around the world but to connect our trade partners and residential customers with those items as they work to create unique, beautiful spaces of their own, said Industry West co-founder and CEO Jordan England.Over the past year Industry West has announced partnerships with Sol&Luna, Karpenter, Serax, We Do Wood and Fundamental Berlin, all of which are on display in the new studio.The space located at 1407 Atlantic Blvd. is holding a soft opening for the public on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Media can download images of the new space and other Industry West assets at industrywest.com/presskitFounded in 2011, Industry West has emerged as a leader in the North American furniture market. To date, Industry West has furnished some of the countrys most popular restaurants and most successful companies and has seen exponential growth in both its B2B and B2C customer base. Industry West was founded by Jordan England and his wife, Anne England.Industry West1407 Atlantic Blvd.Jacksonville, FL, 32207
Internet Fax Service Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, & Forecast 2017  2022

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Market Research Report on Internet Fax Service Market is a professional and in-depth research report. The Report include basic information like definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview, industry policies and plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures and so on.The global Internet Fax Service Market is valued at USD xx Million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD xx Million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2017 and 2022.Internet Fax Service Market research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability. The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market. The report includes the forecasts, Analysis and discussion of important industry trends, market size, market share estimates and profiles of the leading industry Players.Request Sample Copy of Internet Fax Service Market Research Report to Evaluate More @An intrinsic sub-space of the global Financial Services industry, Internet Fax Service market has been forecast to garner appreciable proceeds over 2017-2022, as per a latest research report. Essentially comprising the pivotal geographies of USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia; this report enumerates extensive details about the regional frame of reference for Internet Fax Service market, regarding the product sales, product application across myriad end-use verticals, growth rate  individualized as per products and applications, and the overall performance of this business space in every region.One of the high points of Internet Fax Service market report is its meticulous summary of the competitive spectrum of different applications like Subscription-Based Services, Pay-Per-Use and Free Services. Which encompasses biggies such as eFax, Fax.com, HelloFax, Inc., MetroFax, MyFax, RingCentral, SRFax, SmartFax, FaxAge, Nextiva Fax, RapidFAX, MaxEmail, TrustFax, BestFreeFax, eXtremeFax, UTBox, GotFreeFax, FaxBetter, Faxx.us, Foiply, GreenFax , FaxZero, Voxox , Fax99, 35Max. The report entails, in minute detail, the individual contribution of each one of these companies, in terms of their production value, accumulated revenue, product sales, and marketing channels. The high concentration of Internet Fax Service market and the list of key players nearly monopolizing this business space have also been outlined in this study.The product spectrum of Internet Fax Service market such as Single Users Market, Small Business Market, Enterprise Market  crucial products that find extensive applications across industry. A massive assortment of information regarding these niche markets is made available through this report, such as their individual contribution to the overall market valuation, changing product price trends, sales, gross value, and much more.Data Sources for Reports include: Authorized organizations: Customs statistics, Industrial Associations, relevant international societies, and academic publications etc. Research analysts long-term tracking and gathering of data from this industry. We have a database that contains historical data regarding this specific product. Interviews. Normally our interviewees are sales persons, experts and professionals in this field. The interviewing methods include phone interview, mail interview and face-to-face interviews. A list of our interviewees along with the interview content follows shortly afterwards Data exchange. We have been consulting in this industry for 3 years and have collaborations with the players in this field. Thus, we get access to (part) of their unpublished data, by exchanging with them the data we have. From Research Analysts We have information agencies as partners and they are located Company 29, thus we get (or purchase) the latest data from them. Trusted Internet Sources. Industry news, publications on this industry, and annual reports of public companies are acquired from the Internet.Get More Info of this report @Related Reports: -World X-Band Radar Market Research Report 2022 (covering USA, Europe, China, Japan, India, South East Asia and etc)Summary ICRWorld?s X-Band Radar market research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability. The industry report lists the leading ...More Reports @About Us:Centralize market research purchases across your entire organization in one place. Marketstudyreport.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 Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:More Report at:Connect with us:Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter
Global Food and Beverage Robotic System Integration Market for Pick and Place Application - Insights

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Robot system integration is a method of programming and supplying industrial robots for performing manufacturing tasks autonomously. The global food and beverage robotic system integration market for pick and place application is estimated to generate revenue of US$ 17.5 million in 2017 from US$ 15.8 million in 2016. The market is expected to generate revenue of US$ 40.1 million by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.91% over the forecast period.The adoption for robotic system integrator in manufacturing and processing of food and beverages is increasing, owing to increased efficiency, reduced errors, no requirement for clean and contamination free production area, efficient process management, appropriate usage of raw materials, reduced waste, and depletion in production time offered by robotic integration. This in turn, results in enhanced levels of production. For instance, in 2003, a grading system was developed using robots, which segregates deciduous fruits such as peaches, pears, and apples. This system automatically segregates the fruits by inspecting all sides of the fruit and placing them in their respective crates for further process. In this grading system, robots maximum speed is 1 m/s and its stroke is around 1.2 m. Within 2.7 seconds, the robot can transfer 12 fruits to their respective trays and takes 0.4 seconds to move the product down to the conveyor line. The robotic arm returns back to its original place after releasing the fruit, within 1 second. The pick and place robots complete the entire operation in 4.25 seconds. As per this calculation, one set of pick and place robot can process around 10, 000 fruits per hour.Request Sample Copy of thisNorth America held a dominant position in the food and beverage robotic system integration market for pick and place application market in 2016.On the basis of geography, the food and beverage robotic system integration market for pick and place application market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. The Europe region held a dominant position in the market in 2016 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The market in the region is estimated to generate revenue of US$ 4.82 million in 2017, and is expected to reach US$ 11.12 million by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of 11.02% over the forecast period. Increasing industrial robots in European region plays a major role for the growth of the pick and place integrator market. Germany is one of the key countries generating revenue in the market in the region and holds the fifth position in the global robotic market. According to International Federation of Robotics, 20,105 units of industrial robots were sold in 2015. Similarly, Italy, France, Spain, the U.K. are some of the key countries, which recorded industrial robotic sales of 6,700 units, 3,045 units, 3,800 units, and 1,645 units, respectively. Increasing sales of robots is in turn, increasing the adoption of these robots in the food and beverage industry. Thus, the market for food and beverage robotic system integration market for pick and place application is growing rapidly.Key Players in the MarketMajor players operating in the global food and beverage robotic system integration market for pick and place application market include Blueprint Automation, Bradman Lake Group, EPIC Systems, Inc., Fallas Automation, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Simplimatic Automation, JLS Automation, KLEENLine, Shuttleworth, LLC., Multivac, Stelram Engineering Ltd, RobotWorx, RightHand Robotics, Inc., PWR Pack Ltd., Bastian Solutions, Inc., iNova Microsystems Pte. Ltd., AMF Bakery Systems, and Gerhard Schubert GmbH.Request For Customization of this Report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:
Global Wood Adhesives Market Industry Analysis: Geographical Segmentation, Drivers, Challenges, Trends Forecasts Report 2017-2024

Global Wood Adhesives Market Report and Trend 2024

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Global Wood Adhesives Market added by Data Bridge Market Research. Market accounted for USD 982.3 million in 2016 and projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2014, 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Global Wood Adhesives Market segmented by Resin Type (Natural Resin Adhesives, Synthetic Resin Adhesives); By Technology (Solvent-Based, Water-Based, Solventless); Application (Furniture, Cabinet, Plywood, Flooring & Decks, Particle Board, Windows & Doors); Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Get Free Sample Report Visit @Global Wood Adhesives Market:Wood adhesives are the adhesive used to joining woods together tightly. Wood adhesives are designed to set thin so there are no gaps between wooden parts. They are available in interior, water resistant or waterproof varieties. It has its wide application in furniture, cabinet, plywood, flooring & decks, particle board, windows & doors. Increasing urban population, and rise in new construction activities may act as the major driver in the growth of wood adhesives market. Increase in use of substitute materials may hamper the market.Global Wood Adhesives Market - Market Segmentation:The global wood adhesives market is segmented on the basis of resin type into natural resin adhesives, and synthetic resin adhesives. The natural resin adhesives segment is sub segmented into animal-based, and plant-based. The animal based segment is sub segmented into casein, and blood-albumin glue. The plant-based segment is sub segmented into starch-based, and protein-based.The synthetic resin adhesives segment is sub segmented into thermosetting resin adhesives, thermoplastic resin adhesives, and others. The thermosetting resin adhesives segment is sub segmented into urea-formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, and resorcinol and phenol-resorcinol formaldehyde. The thermoplastic resin adhesives segment is sub segmented into polyvinyl acetates, and hot-melt adhesives.Request for Detail Table of Content Visit @On the basis of technology: solvent-based, water-based, solventless, and others.On the basis of application: furniture, cabinet, plywood, flooring & decks, particle board, windows & doors, and others. The flooring & decks segment is sub segmented into flooring, and decks.On the basis of geography, the global wood adhesives market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others.Key Points and Drivers: Increasing urban population Rise in new construction activities Renovations and remodeling Growth due to emerging economies such as Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and South America Volatility in raw material prices Increase in use of substitute materialsRead more about the Global Wood Adhesives Market Visit@Related ReportGlobal Flexible Pipe Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Flexible Pipe Market By Type (Risers, Jumpers, Flow Lines, Fluid Transfer Lines), Raw Material (High-Density Polyethylene, Polyvinylidene Fluoride, Polyamides), Application {Offshore (Deepwater, Ultra-Deep Water, Subsea), Onshore}, Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com
SARI ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF NMS ACQUISITION

Nerviano (Milano - IT), March 28, 2018  SARI, a Chinese market-leader biotech investment company, is pleased to announce that it has closed the previously announced agreement to acquire the 90% interests in NMS Group S.p.A., effective from today.SARI is an affiliate of Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, focused on investment in cutting-edge bio-technology and life-science opportunities, especially targeted cancer therapy. The oncology innovation is the mission of NMS Group S.p.A.. Headquartered in Nerviano, near Milano, in Italy it is an organization covering the whole R&D process: from drug discovery, to preclinical research and clinical development up to manufacturing.After tremendous efforts from all parties in the last full year, we eventually made a successful closing on the transaction today. Today is the beginning of a new era of innovation and collaboration in pharmaceutical area between Italy and China  said Mr.Yi Baxian representative of SARI. We believe that with the integration of Chinese capital and resources, NMS will certainly rejuvenate and generate prosper achievements, which will contribute to the well being of millions of patients.The total value of the deal, a mix of equity injection and debt restructuring, is around 300 mln Euro. For this transaction, SARI, as the leading investor, has established a specific fund together with Nanjing Hicin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, V-capital Co. Ltd, and Hefei Dongcheng Industry Investment Co. Ltd..In addition, the Company announces the appointment of the new Board of Directors of NMS Group S.p.A.:Mr. Andrea Agazzi (Chairman);Dr. YI Baxian;Mr. ZHAO Jianghua;Mr. XU Jun;Mr. CAO Xichen;Ms. Cristina Cagnazzi.Im very happy and proud of the path we have done together with Sari until today - said NMS Group Chairman Andrea Agazzi and Im very excited about the development projects we are going to start from tomorrow. The deal preserves the Group's business continuity; enhances present resources and the great tradition of excellence that the world has recognized to NMS, even in the most difficult financial times such as it opens the door to new opportunities of growth and industrial and scientific integration within top-class research environment. The trust that investors have placed in NMS people, concretely represented by their great financial effort, must be repaid by excellent results. This is the commitment that the management assumes with today closing.For this closing Sari has been assisted by Bank of China International (China) Limited and Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co.,LTD (PDSTI) as financial advisors and by Studio Legale Pedersoli as legal advisor. Bank of China Ltd Milan Branch offered help in the transaction. NMS Group has been assisted by Leonardo-Houlihan Lokey as financial advisor and by Avv. Battistella, Partner of CMS as legal advisor.SARI is an affiliate of Shanghai Advanced Research Institute. SARI focuses on investment in cutting-edge bio-technology and life-science opportunities, especially targeted cancer therapy.For this transaction, SARI, as the leading investor, has established a specific fund together with Hicin Pharma, V-capital and FeiDong Investment.NMS Group is the largest company in Italy committed in innovation and research and development in oncology. With more than 420 total employees, NMS Group employs over 200 qualified researchers involved in research and development, to production. The discovery and applied research of Nerviano Medical Sciences define the innovative heart of the Group and make it an important and international reference in the field of personalized therapy. In these recent years the Centre has capitalized its discoveries in international agreements with most representative pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide, such as Ignyta for Entrectinib. NMS also provides pre clinical, clinical and production services addressed to local and international markets, through three different companies: Accelera, one of the few companies engaged in preclinical research in Italy; Clioss engaged in clinical development starting from First-Time-In-Man and Nerpharma, dealing with activities from formulation to production of the active principle.NMS Group  Nerviano Medical SciencesChiara Lattuada+39 333 84.25.690mail to: chiara.lattuada@nmsgroup.it
Global Automated Sortation System Market report forecast to 2025 - analysis, technologies and forecasts

Automated Sortation System Market

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Overview of the Global Automated Sortation System MarketGlobal Automated Sortation System Market provides an in-depth assessment of the future trends based on the historical data and current market basis. The analysis of the market criteria, geographical regions, market key players, Automated Sortation System end-user applications, and products types is done in this research report.This report studies Automated Sortation System 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 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.Automated Sortation System Market report covers the precisely studied and evaluated data of the Global market players and their scope in the market using a number of analytical tools. The analytical tools such as investment return analysis, SWOT analysis and feasibility study are used to analyze the key Global market players growth in this Market.Get Free Sample Copy Of Automated Sortation System Market Report:The research report includes diverse topics like total market size, key market drivers, challenges, growth opportunities, key players etc. We have also covered key market updates, the effect of regulations and technological updates. New start-ups entering the space of Global Automated Sortation System Sales need to carefully pick their niches and genres so that they can compete on an equal position with global companies who have an end to end development studios, production capabilities and global skills and experience backing them.Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers: North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, IndiaTop manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including: DAIFUKU, SSI SCHAEFER, KION Group (Dematic), Vanderlande, BEUMER, Siemens, Intelligrated, Fives Intralogistics, Murata Machinery, Equinox, TGW Group, Interroll, Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Shanxi Oriental Material Handling, Potevio, Equinox, OkuraProduct Type Coverage: Linear Sortation Systems, Looped Sortation SystemsSegmentation by distribution channel and analysis of this market: Retail and E-commerce, Post and Parcel, Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply, Large AirportsMoving forward with TOC areas covered in this market research report are:Global Automated Sortation System Market Research Report 2018Industry Overview of Automated Sortation System MarketManufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Automated Sortation SystemTechnical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Automated Sortation SystemGlobal Automated Sortation System Market OverviewAutomated Sortation System Regional Market AnalysisGlobal 2012-2017E Automated Sortation System Market Analysis (by Type)Global 2012-2017E Automated Sortation System Market Analysis (by Application)Major Manufacturers Analysis of Automated Sortation SystemDevelopment Trend of Analysis of Automated Sortation System MarketAutomated Sortation System Marketing Type AnalysisConsumers Analysis of Automated Sortation SystemTo Check a Discount on Automated Sortation System Market Report:Overall the report gives an entire study of the parent Automated Sortation System market, key techniques followed by leading Market Key Players and upcoming segments. Former, current and forecast Automated Sortation System market synthesis in terms of volume and value along with research conclusions is a decisive part of Automated Sortation System study. So that the report helps the fresh aspirants to inspect the upcoming opportunities in the Automated Sortation System market.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide.Address: Office C and D - 4th Floor, Siddhi Towers, Above Rupee Bank, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411048, Maharashtra, India+1 513 549-5911
CoreValue To Host Antwerp Forum on Cloud and Mobile Trends for Business

Business Forum in Antwerp

CoreValue will host a session on technology trends in Cloud and Mobile with the support of our partner Coordinates BVBA at the Crowne Plaza in Antwerp, Belgium on April 13, 2018, from 12:00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. CET.Registration is openThe event is designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas on a range of topics relating to innovation in cloud and mobile technologies. The session will also cover proven best practices of nearshore software development outsourcing, as well as its advantages and drawbacks, and how to apply nearshore outsourcing solutions in order to integrate business partners, the enterprise, suppliers, applications and mobile devices.In addition, CoreValue will showcase speakers and case studies dedicated to improving IT, insights and expertise gained from their software development initiatives. Attendees will have an opportunity for hands-on experience with cloud solutions as a business enhancement in a segment led by our Belgian Partners. The agenda also includes a presentation of successful Salesforce utilization, the worlds leading cloud CRM system, for sales, service and marketing by our French Partner .The session will provide an opportunity for attendees to network with featured presenters.Register hereCoordinates BVBA is an IT Business Consultancy in Belgium which specialises in Life Sciences and Healthcare.CoreValue Services is a US-based software and technology company with development offices in Eastern Europe. CoreValue delivers cloud and mobile solutions for the Pharmatech, Healthcare, and Financial industries to help businesses achieve greater agility.18 Overlook Ave, Suite 9
Cyber Security Software Global Market Key Players  Happiest Minds, Mimecast, Sophos, Symantec, Sera-BrynnAnalysis and Forecast to 2023

Cyber Security Software Market

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SummaryWiseGuyReports.com adds Cyber Security Software Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2023 reports to its database.This report provides in depth study of Cyber Security Software Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Cyber Security Software Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market which is based on the various objectives of an organization such as profiling, the product outline, the quantity of production, required raw material, and the financial health of the organization.This report studies the global Cyber Security Software market, analyzes and researches the Cyber Security Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeDXC Technology CompanyControl Risks Group HoldingsHappiest MindsEYMimecastDXC Technology CompanyLockheed MartinSophosSymantecSera-BrynnClearwater ComplianceIBM SecurityCiscoRaytheon CyberBAE SystemsDigital DefenseRapid7Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoBasic VersionAdvanced VersionProfessional VersionMarket segment by Application, Cyber Security Software can be split intoHouseholdSchoolCommercial UseRequest a Sample Report @Major Key Points in Table of ContentGlobal Cyber Security Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20251 Industry Overview of Cyber Security Software1.1 Cyber Security Software Market Overview1.1.1 Cyber Security Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Cyber Security Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Cyber Security Software Market by Type1.3.1 Basic Version1.3.2 Advanced Version1.3.3 Professional Version1.4 Cyber Security Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Household1.4.2 School1.4.3 Commercial Use2 Global Cyber Security Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Cyber Security Software Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)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 DXC Technology Company3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Control Risks Group Holdings3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Happiest Minds3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 EY3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Mimecast3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 DXC Technology Company3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Lockheed Martin3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Sophos3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Symantec3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Sera-Brynn3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Cyber Security Software Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Clearwater Compliance3.12 IBM Security3.13 Cisco3.14 Raytheon Cyber3.15 BAE Systems3.16 Digital Defense3.17 Rapid74 Global Cyber Security Software Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)4.1 Global Cyber Security Software Market Size by Type (2013-2018)4.2 Global Cyber Security Software Market Size by Application (2013-2018)4.3 Potential Application of Cyber Security Software in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Cyber Security SoftwareAt any Query @Continued....Contact Us: sales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US) ; Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRESS:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
GPS Tracking Device Market by 2018 - Types, Applications, Drivers, Risks, Opportunities, Shares, Countries, Revenue, & Forecast 2024

GPS Tracking Device Market  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024

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Global GPS Tracking Device Market By Type (Standalone Tracker, PBD Device, Advance Tracker) By Deployment type (Commercial Vehicle, Cargo and Container, Others), By Application (Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government, Others) By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa)  Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global GPS Tracking Device Market accounted to USD 1.5 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 13.0% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.FREE | Sample Copy is Available@Market Definition:A GPS tracking unit is a device, normally carried by a moving vehicle or person, that uses the Global Positioning System to determine and track its precise location, and hence that of its carrier, at intervals. The latest trend in this market is growth in commercial vehicle leading to the growth of GPS system, they are in small in size, easy to carry, which may further develop the market in future. There is need of GPS tracking devices for several applications like Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government; others will create a huge market for the GPS tracking devices.Competitive Analysis:GPS Tracking Device Market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of flow cytometry market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Key Questions Answered Global GPS Tracking Device Market Report:-Our Report offers:-What will the market growth rate, Overview and Analysis by Type of Global GPS Tracking Device Market 2024?What are the key factors driving, Analysis by Applications and Global GPS Tracking Device Market?What are Dynamics, This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, and price analysis of top Vendors Profiles of Global GPS Tracking Device Market?Who are Opportunities, Risk and Driving Force of Global GPS Tracking Device Market t?Who are the opportunities and threats faced by the vendors Global GPS Tracking Device Market? Business Overview by Type, Applications, Gross Margin and Market ShareWhat are the Global GPS Tracking Device Market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Market?Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Commercial Vehicles increment leading to large supply of GPS system Smaller Size, Longer Life, and High ROI Low Prices Several Environmental Factors Leads to Poor User Experience Advancement in the SoftwareAny Questions? Speak to our Expert @Market Segmentation:On the basis of type Standalone Tracker, PBD Device, Advance Tracker.On the basis of deployment type:- Commercial Vehicle, Cargo Container, Others.On the basis of application:- Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government, Others.On the basis of geography:- North America South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa.Some Major Countries Covered in This Report:- U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil among others.In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Major Market Competitors: Calamp Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Orbocomm Inc., Queclink Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd, Shenzhen Concox Information Technology Co., Ltd, Laird PLC., Tomtom International Bv, MeitrackGroup, Teltonika UAB, Atrack Technology Inc., Trackimo LLC,Geotab Inc., Shenzhen Coban Electronics Co., Ltd, Xirgo Technologies, Inc., Maestro Wireless Solutions Ltd., Ruptela UAB, Spy tech, Inc., Verizon Wireless among others.In 2017, Volkswagen sign a deal with Sierra wireless Inc. to use the GPS tracking devices in their cars.About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com
COOL SIGNS Helga Thurherr, Josette and Brynn Lucarelli check out signs at Tuscan Keepsakes during the Orchard Park Festival of the Arts. For more pictures of the festival, see page 14. Oops!...

Piasecki leaving highway superintendent post early following bout with cancer The Sept. 15 town board meeting was a somber and emotional one as Fred Piasecki, the towns highway superintendent for the past 16 years, announced hed be leaving his post...

Nans Garden to honor Nan Ackermans community service Next year, Orchard Park residents will be able to use a new dedicated piece of green space that honors one of the communitys most dedicated public servants. The Orchard Park...
Chippewa Nature Center has hired Cathy Fitzpatrick as its historical interpreter, beginning this week.

In this role, Fitzpatrick will develop and implement historical programs that connect visitors to the regions natural resources and the people who have lived and worked here in the past. She will interpret the cultural and natural history of the Saginaw Valley through field trips, workshops, festivals and programs.

Fitzpatrick holds B.A. degrees in history and Spanish from Ohio University, and an M.A. in public history and museum studies from North Carolina State University. Her professional experience includes roles as an exhibit research and design associate at Khayrallah Program of Lebanese-American Studies, museum educator/interpreter at Mordecai Historic Park, program manager and events coordinator at Borden Building at Fred Fletcher Park, program manager and interpreter at Historic Oak View County Park, and exhibit research and design consultant at Historic Oak View County Park. She most recently held the position of interpreter and naturalist for Huron-Clinton Metroparks in Brighton.

Fitzpatrick joins a staff of creative, energetic professionals who work together to connect all people with nature through educational, recreational and cultural experiences. She has a passion for sharing the past in a relevant, engaging way with children and adults.

Back in 2004, my family took a trip out west to a bunch of the National Parks," Fitzpatrick said. "It was at Mesa Verde National Park where I was participating in the junior naturalist program when a ranger bent down, whispered a fact into my ear, and I got to tell the whole tour group. It was then that I fell in love with sharing history and nature with people, making it accessible. I have since spent my life fulfilling that goal.

CNCs historical assets include an 1870s homestead farm complete with a log cabin, root cellar, timber frame barn, one-room schoolhouse, maple sugarhouse, wigwam and a wide variety of historical and reproduction items highlighting Native American natural resource use, the Great Lakes fur trade, Michigan lumbering and early farming. These assets are shared through public programs, school programs, outreach presentations, self-guided experiences and festivals.
Jean Goodnow, president of Delta College, was the recipient of the 29th annual ATHENA Award presented by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce last week at its annual meeting.

The award honors those who meet the highest levels of professional accomplishment in their chosen field, contribute time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community and mentor other women to achieve their full leadership potential.

I am deeply humbled to have been selected to receive this award. Im honored to join the many others who received this award before me, including my good friends Peggy Rowley, Mitzi Dimitroff and Dee Dee Wacksman, Goodnow said. Im very fortunate and blessed to work with wonderful people as I serve both Delta College and our community.

Goodnow has been president of Delta College since 2005. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology, a Master of Arts Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Iowa. In addition, she has completed post-graduate study at Harvard University. Before joining Delta College, Goodnow was president of Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, Illinois (1996-2005).

Goodnow has served on the board of directors for several local organizations, including Midland Tomorrow, Legacy Center for Student Success, Field Neurosciences Institute, Saginaw Future and the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, she spends a significant amount of time representing Delta College and the area across the nation.

After the ceremony several community leaders, including two Delta College Trustees, expressed their respect for Goodnow.

I am proud of President Goodnow and her recognition by the Bay Area Chamber by her receiving the Athena Award, said Rev. Robert Emrich, chair of the Delta College Board of Trustees. It is given to a person who exemplifies female leadership and also encourages and enables it in other women. Jean has done that at Delta, where the number of excellent female leaders has increased in recent years.

Jean is truly one of the great leaders in our midst, and we of the Delta family thank her and congratulate her on the occasion of this well-deserved prestigious honor, Emrich added.

Diane Middleton, a Delta College trustee, said, Very well-deserved! Im so proud that Dr. Goodnow is leading Delta College  one of America's finest community colleges.
Three Midland students are among the new class of medical students who have graduated from the Central Michigan University College of Medicine. Christopher Currie, Travis Dice and Michael Maxwell are the new grads.

They join three Midland students who graduated the previous year from the CMU College of Medicine, in its initial graduating class -- Sean Carter, Marina Maraskine and Paige Tomes.
Tyler Smith of Western Middle School was named champion of the You Be The Chemist challenge, hosted at Saginaw Valley State University. The challenge is an interactive academic contest that encourages students in grades 5-8 to explore chemistry concepts and their real-world applications.

Tyler Smith of Calvary Baptist Academy was awarded second place, while Avian Aumock and Alyssa Burger, both of Western Middle School, placed third and fourth respectively.
The second Midland teen who was at the scene of a break-in leading to a shooting with police has been released from juvenile detention with a tether to attend school.

The teen, a 16-year-old from Midland, is not being named because he is a juvenile. He faces three misdemeanor counts in connection with the March 12 incident  breaking and entering a vehicle to steal items valued at less than $200, conspiracy to break into a vehicle to steal, and receiving and concealing stolen property.

The teen was placed in the Midland County Juvenile Care Center on the day of the thefts and shooting, and was released after a March 21 hearing before Midland County Probate Judge Dorene S. Allen.

When the police arrived, the teen was immediately cooperative, Midland County Assistant Prosecutor Patrick A. Czerwinski said during the hearing, adding the teen gave good statements and was helpful. His statements were very important to unraveling what happened, Czerwinski added.

The teen had no direct involvement in the shooting nor the taking of the weapon, Czerwinski said.

He also noted the teen, who was charged with truancy in 2015 and 2016, was previously released unsuccessfully from probation.

The prosecutors office recommended the teen be released to attend school and monitored by a tether for an open period.

Allen granted the recommendations and the case is set for another hearing next month.

The shooting occurred after Midland Police were called to the 2000 block of East Ashman Street for a report of two people breaking into a vehicle. Officers arrived in the area and saw two suspects running.

The suspects split up, and an officer chased each one. One of the suspects, identified as Jaden Marsh, 16, Midland, produced a gun and fired at an officer, who returned fire, striking Marsh.

Marsh fired at least two rounds, according to autopsy results and Michigan State Police forensic analysis, officials reported Wednesday. One round was recovered from the ground at the scene and another round was determined to be a self-inflicted fatal shot to the head.

The gun Marsh used was reported as stolen to the Midland Police the day before.

The officer involved in the shooting was not hurt. He has 19 years of law enforcement experience and has been placed on paid administrative leave as standard procedure.

The investigation is ongoing, and the Midland County Prosecutors Office is reviewing reports from the Michigan State Police.
Microdistilling aint easy, and the truth of the matter is that it will never be easy. Even as spirits continue to enjoy dynamic growth and more drinkers develop palates nuanced in American bourbon and rye, it doesnt really make the job of a small distillery much easier. Theyre never going to be able to compete with the larger producers in terms of the premiumization they can give their products. Simply put, youre not going to make a better 20-year bourbon than someone at Beam or Heaven Hill, because youll never have 20 years to catch up with their development. Nor will you be able to compete with those same distilleries on a price point for a two or four-year whiskey.

The obvious alternative is to innovate and produce spirits with specific flavor profiles that arent serviced by the titans of this industrybut in doing so, you run the risk of making products that are too out there to find a niche among drinkers who want more of the same. I can only imagine that this is maddening to people who dump new spirits into barrels, hoping a market will exist for them a few years later.

The reality is that this tends to make for some middling whiskeys while microdistilleries slowly figure things out. Oregons Rogue Spirits, better known for the craft brewery side of the equation, might be considered a poster child for that kind of slow evolution. Theyve been in the spirits game for much longer than most at 14 years, not always to the excitement of drinkers. In particular, their early whiskey releases had a degree of notoriety around them for the lack of age on the liquidsome bottles were sold after aging for only a few months. It was unclear if time and practice could simply be a cure-all for all of Rogues spirits, but it was something that certainly needed refinement.

Now, that patience is beginning to bear fruit. Rogues newest whiskey releases range from two years to five years in age, and were pleased to report that all of them have benefited. In particular, were focusing today on the 3-year-old Oregon Rye Whiskey and the 5-year-old Oregon Single Malt Whiskey.

The American consumer has more or less been trained at this point to expect a specific profile out of bottles with rye whiskey on the label, likely due to the prevalence of MGP of Indiana juice in so many different, seemingly separate rye brands. Rogues three-year Oregon Rye Whiskey diverges greatly from this profile, but much of that has to do with the rye grain itselfthis is a malted rye whiskey, which are not commercially common. Rather than the spicy rye bread profile that is typically contributed by unmalted rye, the malted variation has more in common with malted barleywhich is also found in this whiskey in abundance. The results are a bit unusual, and make me wonder why they wouldnt call it something like malted rye whiskey on the bottle.

On the nose, Oregon Rye Whiskey is floral, malty and honey-sweet, with a fresh grassy note and overall profile that makes me think of many approachable Irish whiskys. Theres a doughiness to the grain/malt profile, without specifically evoking the more expected spice of rye. Apple fruitiness combines with mild caramelization for a pleasant caramel apple quality, chased by a sweetness that is almost butterscotch-like. Light notes of clovey spice round everything out.

All in all, Oregon Rye Whiskey is an interesting change of pace, although not exactly what many consumers will be expecting when they pick up a bottle. Thats not necessarily a bad thingits not like theres any lack of MGP ryes out there to buy. Theres not a great degree of complexity to its profile of florals, apple fruitiness and moderate sweetness, but its certainly approachable and agreeable. As for mixology potential, its hard to sayat 80 proof, its a bit on the light side for classic cocktails, but you might be able to substitute it into drinks that would usually call for a similar strength Irish whisky.

Rating: 7.2

As far as Im concerned, this is where things get interesting. American single malts are increasing in popularity these days, especially among the microdistillery crowd, which has the advantage of being less behind-the-times in terms of their investment into the style. The result in Rogues case is something interestinga 100% malted barley single malt that combines some of the best aspects of American bourbon with the grain bill of Irish or Scottish whisky.

Of course, thats my assumption. Im assuming that this five-year product spent its time aging in newly charred American oak barrels (as a bourbon would), because it certainly tastes that way. Its a fun novelty, because American drinkers dont often get to drink malt whiskeys aged in this wayIrish and Scotch whiskys being aged in used American whiskey barrels, which doesnt draw as much char and caramelized qualities. So although this bottle says single malt on the cover, dont expect this to taste like scotchand thats not a bad thing at all.

On the nose, the five-year Oregon Single Malt Whiskey is slightly neutral but inviting, with moderate notes of caramel, oak and herbaceousness. On the palate it becomes more dynamic, with a strong caramel backboneyou can see above how much darker it is than the ryeand splashes of oak, mint, stone fruitiness and warming spices. Like the rye whiskey, this one is 80 proof, and features appropriately low alcohol heat while still retaining a respectable volume of flavor intensity. The wood certainly comes through with much more clarity after another two years in the barrel, and the spice notes are also much more pronounced, with very nice flourishes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and cardamom. Its still somewhat on the thin side in terms of mouthfeel and body, but that (along with the easygoing alcohol presence) makes Oregon Single Malt Whiskey an easy neat drinker. I sincerely believe that you could probably pass a glass of this off as bourbon to most drinkers, and they wouldnt question it, and I mean that as a compliment.

All in all, Im fascinated by the profile that Rogue has cultivated here. The end result is very promising, and Id love to sample it at a higher proof at some point, but as it stands right now, the five-year version of Oregon Single Malt is drinking very nicely all on its own. Drink it neat; no need for ice or cocktail accouterments. I hope theyll continue aging more of this juice, and that in 2023 I might be drinking 10-year-old Oregon Single Malt. That might really be something special.

Rating: 8.3

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident brown liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.
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Sarah Huckabee Sanders didnt do Trump any favors when she couldnt deny that Trump tried to use promises of pardons to silence Russia investigation witnesses. In fact, her weak answers may help Mueller make the case against Trump.

Video of Sanders:

This is the opposite of a denial that Trump considered pardons for Flynn and Manafort. pic.twitter.com/48cNAUTNhp  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 28, 2018

The White House Press Secretary was asked numerous times about the report that Trumps lawyer John Dowd floated pardons for Flynn and Manafort to keep them from talking to Mueller.

She answered, I can say that Ty Cobb is the person that would be most directly involved in this. Hes got a statement on the record saying theres no discussion and no consideration of those at this time in the White House.

That was not a denial of The New York Times story which states that Trump lawyer John Dowd tried to float the idea of presidential pardons for Flynn and Manafort to keep them from cooperating with the Special Counsel. Of course, Trump isnt considering the pardons now. Flynn already flipped and Manafort is facing spending the rest of his life in prison.

Sanders stuck to Ty Cobbs statement which was also a denial with a loophole in it that was big enough to drive a truck through. Sanders never denied that Trump had considered pardons in the past because she cant deny it.

Innocent people issue strong blanket denials. Sarah Huckabee Sanders hurt Trump with the evasive non-answers that she gave. None of this helps Trump, but it is like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for investigators to follow. The denial from Sarah Huckabee Sanders only helps Mueller make a case for obstruction of justice against Donald Trump.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
After the White House claimed that the string of bombings in Austin, TX was not terrorism, Interm Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said that the bombings were an act of domestic terrorism.

On March 20, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the Austin bombings had no apparent links to terrorism:

.@POTUS mourns for victims of the recent bombings in Austin. We are monitoring the situation, federal authorities are coordinating w/ local officials. We are committed to bringing perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice. There is no apparent nexus to terrorism at this time.  Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 20, 2018

At a panel discussion, Interm Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said that the fatal bombings were domestic terrorism. Manley said that when he looked back on what the bomber did to our community, he was a domestic terrorist for what he did to us.

According to section 802 of the Patriot Act:

A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act dangerous to human life that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.

Trump only views terrorism as a Muslim crime

Trump only sees terrorism as attacks committed by Muslims. For years, Trump has never hesitated to call any attack that could involve a Muslim terrorism. [epq-quote align=align-left]When it comes to domestic incidents, Trump has gone out of his way to not call white people terrorists.[/epq-quote] Trump refused to call the neo-Nazi attack in Charlottesville, VA terrorism. This White House is endangering innocent lives by refusing to call acts of mass violence by white people terrorism. I would argue that mass shootings are acts of terror, but to Donald Trump, mass shooters and bombers are just sick people.

The Austin police are saying what the White House wont. The string of deadly bombings was domestic terrorism, as the Trump White House looks the other way and emboldens more domestic terrorists.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
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In the 1970s, a female rap group named The Sequence emerged in Columbia and broke into the big leagues. Now, they're being recognized as "the first ladies of hip-hop" by Love, Peace and Hip-Hop, a local festival that celebrates the genre.

The ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. April 13 at Tapp's Art Center, 1644 Main St., Columbia, where Mayor Steve Benjamin will be recognizing the girl group for their contributions to the culture. There will be DJs present and a group doing a live tribute version of a song by The Sequence as well.

Angela Angie B Stone, Cheryl The Pearl Cook and Gwendolyn Blondy Chisolm were pioneers of the genre in a sleepy Southern city before rap was on the map. They have since been recognized by Rolling Stone magazine as the first female hip-hop group to release a record.

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Their claim to fame doesn't just come from being first but from their talent, which has been sampled or invoked by artists including Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Flavor Flav, En Vogue, De La Soul and more over the years.

The story begins backstage at a Sugarhill Gang concert. The group was signed to Sugar Hill Records after being whisked on a plane to New York City and thrown into the studio. From there, they were immersed in the culture, dropping hit track "Funk You Up" in 1979.

The annual Love, Peace and Hip-Hop festival features performances by national artists, local emcees and elements of hip-hop culture such as graffiti, b-boys and DJs, drawing around 15,000 fans to Columbias downtown.

Organizer Fat Rat Da Czar wanted to celebrate The Sequence's legacy and focus on women empowerment within the hip-hop genre through this event.

Without a doubt, The Sequence pioneered women in hip-hop music, and the fact that they are natives of Columbia cements our citys place in hip-hop history, says Czar. Artists such as myself have built careers on the foundation they laid, and if we expect The Sequence to get the worldwide recognition they deserve, it has to begin with us.

Tickets for the Love, Peace and Hip-Hop honors for The Sequence are $20 and available at squareup.com/store/friends-of-the-tapps-arts-center/cart/summary. For more information, visit tappsartscenter.com.
Deanna Pan is an enterprise reporter for The Post and Courier, where she writes about education and other issues. She grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati and graduated with a degree in English from Ohio State University in 2012.
Charleston gets a visit from the real flood control experts, but can the Dutch really help here?
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Joseph Cranney is an investigative reporter in Columbia, with a focus on government corruption and injustices in the criminal legal system. He can be reached securely by Proton mail at jcranney@prontonmail.com or on Signal at 215-285-9083.
A police body camera rolled as a volunteer lawman described why he shot a motorist in Florence.

"That (expletive) about ran me over," the state constable said.

The video captured an account in which Christopher Bachochin portrayed the motorist's car as a threat, though he and other officers stood to the side as the sedan jerked backward, then sped forward.

After the constable spoke, a supervisor approached the officer wearing the camera. The officer had witnessed the shooting but didn't fire his own gun.

"Don't forget," the supervisor said, "just tell them the truth."

"There's nothing to lie about," the officer responded. "I know what I did."

The motorist, Brandon Fludd, 28, is recovering after being hit by three of the eight bullets fired at him Saturday night. He had wounds to an arm and a knee. A bullet in his chest is still there.

What the officer and another certified policeman at the scene later wrote in a report was still not clear Thursday because Florence officials have refused to release the document. State investigators also said they wouldnt disclose Bachochins training history and certification records because the probe isn't done.

How officers document shootings has been a crucial aspect of recent scrutiny of police uses of force. Officers nationwide have been accused of lying in reports or to investigators. Three Chicago officers were charged with conspiracy in the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald, and North Charleston patrolman Michael Slager was alleged to have misled investigators after the 2015 shooting of Walter Scott.

Fludd's attorney, Democratic state Rep. Justin Bamberg, lauded Florence officials for already releasing video footage of the shooting. But that amounts to only partial transparency, he said.

"There were reports written before the body camera was reviewed," he said. "We want to see what they wrote."

Open-records advocates said state law demands the documents' release.

"How would releasing historical information interfere with law enforcement action?" said Jay Bender, a longtime press attorney who has represented The Post and Courier. "(The constable) knows his history. The police know his history. Who's being kept in the dark here? The public."

Mayor Stephen Wukela said earlier this week the city's "policy of being exceedingly open" is a "way you build the trust of the community."

But the Florence Police Department denied The Post and Courier's request for the reports "due to an active investigation" by the agency and the State Law Enforcement Division. SLED's probe is examining whether the shooting was justified.

SLED said its agents have already interviewed Bachochin and others. The constable, who is sidelined during the probe, has declined to answer the newspaper's questions.

Constables go through training at technical schools and are certified by SLED. Many are unpaid. Some are retired after long police careers.

Bachochin served for five years as a police officer before becoming a pharmacist. He had been volunteering in Florence for about four years, officials have said.

Documentation of his history as a constable was added to SLED's investigative file after the shooting, and its release could "interfere with a prospective law enforcement proceeding," spokesman Thom Berry said, citing a portion of the S.C. Freedom of Information Act. Berry refused to say exactly how it might jeopardize the inquiry.

He acknowledged a public interest in the documents.

"But the case is a matter of interest to us, as well," he said. "We have an investigation that we must conduct."

Bachochin was tagging along with Florence patrolman Edward Sieban after 11 p.m., Saturday when they stopped Fludd's car. Sieban said in the video from his body camera that the car had crossed the center line.

The constable was the first to walk up to the car and shine a flashlight inside, but Sieban cut in front of him.

Fludd denied having any guns or drugs. But Sieban said he smelled marijuana.

Perturbed, Fludd threw his Cadillac into gear, backing into the patrol car behind him.

Bachochin backed away as he opened fire at the driver's side.

The car took off. On another street, Sieban and Bachochin would soon find it abandoned and bloodied.

"That scared the (expletive) out of me," Bachochin said. "He about run us ... over."

To another officer who showed up, Sieban repeated what Bachochin used as a reason for opening fire: "He said he came right at Chris."

Bachochin gave a more detailed account.

"He cut the wheel a bit, so the front end come out," he said. "I see that front end coming around. I was just like, 'Oh, (expletive)."

Bachochin soon took a seat in a cruiser. The supervisor at the scene asked another officer where the constable had gone.

"He's sitting in my car," the officer said.

"That's the best place for him," the supervisor said.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor

Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.
The Vietnam War era was described Thursday as a complex and confusing time, when soldiers defended democracy and did the best they could.

Now, a half-century past the beginning of that conflict, America's controversial war is finally getting more of the recognition it deserves, just as its surviving veterans move into the twilight of their lives.

At the Vietnam Veterans of America Guam Chapter 668 memorial Thursday morning in Mangilao, nearly 100 Vietnam vets and their families, along with special dignitaries and guests, gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of the National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Celebrated annually now on March 29, to honor the day in 1973 when the last armed troops left South Vietnam, the day is meant to honor and thank U.S. Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

According to a Department of Defense news release, the day is authorized by Congress and was officially signed into law by President Donald Trump as The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017.

During the Vietnam War era, which according to the DOD officially took place from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, 9 million Americans  with approximately 7 million still living today  served in the armed forces in Vietnam, at home and abroad. More than 6,000 came from Guam. Seventy-seven young men from the island paid the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam from as early as September 1965 until June 1972.

'A long time coming'

As Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio said during his remarks, "This day was a long time coming. You're finally being recognized in your own special way."

Gov. Eddie Calvo during his speech remembered his days as a boy living on Guam in the 1960s. He said he could remember when Marine Corps Drive was only three lanes and in the morning he'd see the trucks going from the south to the north filled with bombs, and also the more haunting reminders of war in the afternoon as young men went in the opposite direction headed toward Naval Hospital Guam.

"Some of them suffering terrific, terrible injuries," Calvo said. "One way the bombs going, the other way our men coming back from a war thousands of miles away."

Traumatic memories

Guam's veterans present for the ceremony shared their recollections of that time, both here on Guam and in Vietnam.

Chapter Vice President Frank Mendiola teared up during the ceremony. He volunteered and served in the Army in Vietnam from 1967 until 1971 and was happy the vets were finally being honored. But when asked to recall his time abroad at war, the Purple Heart award attached to his shirt, Mendiola said, "I don't know where to begin. I don't want to even go back to that because I have very bad, severe post-traumatic stress disorder."

He wasn't alone among those still suffering from PTSD, either.

Joe Taitano, who also served in the Army during all of 1968, said he remembered "a lot of firepower and that I lost a lot of friends." He said Guam during that era was a noisy place from all the B-52 and fighter jet traffic. He, too, was happy that some of his buddies who didn't come back were finally getting the recognition they deserved.

Taitano also served in Operation Desert Storm and said coming back from that war was completely different in that soldiers were welcomed and not shunned.

Harry Preuc lived on Andersen Air Force Base from 1961 to 1965, and served in Vietnam during parts of 1970 and 1971. Of life on Guam, he said, "Day and night those B-52s were taking off. Every day, every night. And those bomb trucks, they were up and down the road, 24/7."

Of his experience, he said, "I have no regrets. It was my duty to go."

'We can never forget'

Chapter chaplain Anthony D. Quenga was on the tarmac at an Air Force base in Texas in 1975 when the last remaining Americans left Saigon.

His memories of that time perhaps sum up why this day really was a long time coming, and why future generations should never forget, because like the chapter's banner says, "All Gave Some, Some Gave All."

"What I remember now is those ... men gave their lives so you and I could be sitting here right now," Quenga said. "We're blessed with that, and we can never forget that."

As many people in attendance said Thursday, let them and those who served never be forgotten.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 10:43:01

Paris, March 29, 2018 - Atos, a global leader in digital transformation, today presents its advanced technologies for the soldiers of today and of tomorrow, who are becoming increasingly agile and connected. This is part of the Auxylium Battlefield Tactical Assessment Feedback Session which takes place at the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. The purpose of this tactical assessment was to test the performance and relevance of the functional benefits, brought about by 4G mobile when used by soldiers. For this, Atos integrated its Auxylium communication system into an ecosystem of mobile technologies and connected military objects.

Auxylium innovations tested in a full-scale operation

For Auxylium Battlefield, project leader Atos adapted Auxylium, the 4G communication, information, and command solution used by the French armed forces in internal operations and co-developed with the General Directorate for Armament (DGA), to enable interconnection with various partner solutions including those from Airbus DS, FN Herstal, RED Technologies, TCS, and Thales.

The Auxylium Battlefield tactical assessment was conducted at Frejus military base in South-East France, at the end of February 2018 under conditions close to those experienced in overseas operations. Soldiers put a range of innovations to the test in various combat sequences.

4G and connected objects for soldiers

Atos has developed a software suite that ensures a consistent flow of information between the various elements of the Auxylium ecosystem, the heart of which is the Auxylium Kit : a smartphone, PTT (Push To Talk) headphones and a Helium case, which enables seamless connection to civil and military 4G mobile networks provided by several types of mobile bubbles.

A new mobile command post model and civil or military connected objects have been integrated into the Auxylium services. Soldiers were able to test assault rifles with connected shot counters, drones which are capable of flying a pre-recorded path, tactile watches that can send an emergency call, and laser sight binoculars. Military operations can be orchestrated from a rugged tablet where the command can follow events and the location of the troops in real-time and give orders within moments.

Among the most innovative services is the wireless communication system, which allows soldiers to continue communication via Auxylium in and out of infantry combat armored vehicles ("on-board and off-board"). A true communications hub on a dedicated military frequency, this solution provides a significant level of protection and is capable of penetrating any type of terrain.

The tactical assessment demonstrated the relevance and effectiveness of all the equipment in the Auxylium ecosystem, which enables high mobility in the combat zone while reaping the benefits of military or civilian 4G networks.

The Tactical Assessment Feedback Session, which takes place on March 29 at Hexagone Balard (French Ministry of the Armed Forces), is decisive for the future of technological developments in the military telecommunications field, in which Atos is fully involved.

To find out more about Auxylium Battlefield, go to http://pages.atos.net/evta/

***

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with approximately 100,000 employees in 73 countries and annual revenue of around  13 billion. European number one in Big Data, Cybersecurity, High Performance Computing and Digital Workplace, the Group provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry. With its cutting-edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, Atos supports the digital transformation of its clients across various business sectors: Defense, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Energy & Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline. Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index.

Press contact:

Sylvie Raybaud - sylvie.raybaud@atos.net - +33 6 95 91 96 71 - @Sylvie_Raybaud





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: ATOS via Globenewswire


3D medical devices market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 13:33:57

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Prosthetics and implants the mainstay of 3D-printed medical devicesThe global 3D printed medical devices market is segmented on the basis of product type, raw material, technology, end user, and geography. On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into implants, surgical instruments, prosthetics, tissue engineering devices, and others. Implants is sub-segmented into cranial implants, orthopedic implants, and dental implants; surgical instruments is sub-segmented into scalpels, retractors, and others; tissue engineering devices is sub-segmented into bone and cartilage scaffolds and ligament and tendon scaffolds.On the basis of raw material, the market is divided into plastics, biomaterial inks, and metal and alloys. Plastics are further divided into thermoplastics and photopolymers. Biomaterial inks include polymers, ceramics and hydrogels.To get holistic SAMPLE of the report including table of contents, please click: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/29 On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Digital Light Processing (DLP), Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), and others.On the basis of end user, the market is classified into hospitals, diagnostic centers, academic institutions, and others.Burgeoning geriatric population in Europe a highly lucrative marketRegional segmentation by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America accounts for the largest market share, mainly due to presence of major players and early adoption of advanced medical technologies in countries such as U.S. and Canada. Europe is the second-largest market, owing to the large target population, especially comprising of elderly people, with high approval for use of 3D-printed medical devices. Growing disposable income and increasing awareness levels among the populace in Asia Pacific, along with a large population base is expected to position Asia Pacific as a high growth market in the near future.Stratasys Ltd. is one of the major companies for 3D printed medical devices marketKey players operating the 3D medical devices market include 3D Systems, Inc., Stratasys Ltd., EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems, Arcam AB, FabRx Ltd., Bio3D Technologies, EnvisionTEC, Cyfuse Biomedical K.K., Concept Laser GmbH, 3T RPD, Ltd., and Prodways. Major companies in the market are constantly working towards introducing innovative products and lower production costs in order to enhance profitability. For instance, in November 2016, 3D Systems extended its anatomical modeling service aimed at including pliable MultiJet Printing (MJP) material for patient-specific 3D modelling and printing services.Technological advancements making 3D-printed devices more affordableFactors driving growth of the 3D printed medical devices market include rising technological advancements through development of innovative 3D printed medical equipment and increasing healthcare spending worldwide. For instance, Stratasys Ltd. is focusing on development of extensive detailed prototypes or molds made of flexible and transparent materials for detailed study of chronic diseases. Moreover, aging population also contributes towards the demand for these devices. This is primarily due to the fact that this particular demographic group is more susceptible to osteoarthritis, gangrene, as a risk of diabetes and chronic heart disorders. Rising incidence of road and other accidents is also expected to influence market growth. However, stringent regulatory framework, high cost of 3D printed devices, and low reimbursement policies are some of the factors restraining market growth for 3D printed medical devices.Ask for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/29 3D Printing: Ushering in the New Era of Customized Medical Devices3D printed medical devices are three-dimensional objects, created by attaching successive layers of objects through a 3D digital file. Such devices are highly customized to suit the patients unique needs, which in turn helps provide better patient outcomes. Moreover, it can also be used to develop anatomical models for medical related education and for training purposes. This is a rapidly emerging technology facilitating production of different kinds of medical products such as implants, surgical instruments, and external prosthetics. The process of 3D printed medical device manufacturing involves multiple steps. These steps depend upon the type of printing and the complexity of the equipment.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Visit our news Website: http://www.coherentchronicle.com/
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 14:27:17

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Anglo Pacific Group PLC--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---London, England (FSCWire) - Anglo Pacific Group PLC (LSE:APF). has issued a press release with the following headline:Director DealingTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Anglo Pacific Group PLC, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Anglo Pacific Group PLCSource: Anglo Pacific Group PLC (LSE: APF, TSX: APY, OTC Bulletin Board: AGPIF, FWB: HGR, WKN: 871733)Date: March 29, 2018Time: 8:27 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Anglo Pacific Group PLC and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
Snail Beauty Products Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 11:53:20

Press Information

Coherent Market Insights

Mr. Shah





Coherent Market Insights



1001 4th Ave,





#3200





Seattle, WA 98154



Mr. Shah

CEO

+1-206-701-6702

email

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/snail-beauty-products-market-1393





# 685 Words

Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702

Snails naturally secretes slimy mucus/snail extract (Helix aspersa muller glycoconjugates) to protect themselves from cuts, bacteria, and UV ray. This protective slimy mucus is enriched with beauty enhancers such as hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, elastin, glycoprotein enzymes, anti-microbial, copper peptides, and various others. In ancient Greece, snail mucus was applied on wounded or burned skin to enhance skin healing. Currently, snail mucus is used to prepare serums, facial masks, moisturizers, and fading creams, which are mainly used to treat dry skin, wrinkles, stretch marks, acne & rosacea, age spots, burns, scars, razor bumps, and flat warts. Factors such as increasing inclination of mid age population towards grooming, shifting preference towards natural skin enhancing ingredients, and favorable growth of snail farming are major factors driving growth of global snail beauty products market.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report@ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1393 Among product type, anti-ageing cream segment generated highest revenue in global snail beauty products market in 2016. The segment is expected to lead the market over the forecast period. Snail mucus stimulates the formation of collagen and elastin, which repairs damaged skin and restore skin hydration. Increasing demand for snail creams especially from mid-age population is the prime driver for the growth of this segment. According to United Nation survey, about 65% of world population is under age group of 15 to 64 years. Such huge population base is creating positive environment for growth of anti-ageing cream segment.Asia Pacific held highest revenue share in the global snail beauty products market in 2016 and it is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. In Asia Pacific, South Korea contributed highest revenue share in the regional market. Shifting consumer preferences towards natural skincare ingredients fuelled by favorable growth of cosmetic industry in the region is bolstering growth of snail extract based beauty products. According to South Korean government, South Korea is the eighth largest cosmetic market in terms of sales in the world. Moreover, increasing popularity of snail spas in Thailand, Korea, and Japan is boosting demand for snail beauty products in the region.North America region is expected to be the fastest growing region, witnessing CAGR of 11.23% over the forecast period. In North America, the U.S. is projected to witness significant growth in the regional snail beauty products market over the forecast period. Increasing focus of leading players to tap potential market in association with local retailers in North America is expected to have positive impact on growth of regional snail beauty products market. CVC Pharmacy, a subsidiary of American Retail and Healthcare Company CVC Health began to promote K-Beauty HQ, which contain more than 100 South Korea beauty brands including snail creams & gels at 2100 stores in April 2017.Request For Customization@ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/1393 According to a study by Coherent Market Insights, the global snail beauty products market was valued at US$ 338.3 million in 2016 and is expected to reach to US$ 769.5 million, by witnessing a CAGR of 10.82%, in terms of revenue, over the forecast period (2017  2025).Anti-ageing creams segment held highest revenue share of 33.25% in the product type and the segment is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Cell renewal cream is projected to be the fastest growing segment in the market during the forecast period.Major Players in the Global Snail Beauty Products Market -The major players operating in the snail beauty products market include Mizon, COSRX, KENRA Professional, DRAN Co. Ltd., Owlcare Co. Ltd., and Laboratories Portugal S.R.L. Key players are strategically investing in the snail beauty products market to enhance their product portfolio. For instance, KENRA Professional has developed snail extract based hair care products such as anti-aging shampoo, anti-aging conditioner and cream, which are formulated without sulphates, parabens, and sodium.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 10:16:12

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Jackpotjoy PLC--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---London, England (FSCWire) - Jackpotjoy PLC (LSE:JPJ). has issued a press release with the following headline:Issue of Awards under Long Term Incentive PlanTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Jackpotjoy PLC, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Jackpotjoy PLCSource: Jackpotjoy PLC (LSE: JPJ, ISIN: GB00BZ14BX56, OTC Bulletin Board: JKPTF)Date: March 29, 2018Time: 4:15 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Jackpotjoy PLC and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 11:31:15

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Jadestone Energy Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Singapore (FSCWire) - Jadestone Energy Inc. (TSX Venture:JSE). has issued a press release with the following headline:Jadestone Energy Announces Issuance of Stock OptionsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Jadestone Energy Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Jadestone Energy Inc.Source: Jadestone Energy Inc. (TSX Venture: JSE, ISIN: CA46989Q1000, WKN: A2DHZ1)Date: March 29, 2018Time: 5:31 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Jadestone Energy Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 15:00:14

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Minfocus Exploration Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, ON (FSCWire) - Minfocus Exploration Corp. (TSX Venture:MFX). has issued a press release with the following headline:Minfocus Announces Advisory Board Appointment of Wayde Guinchard, Former Senior Banker, Distinguished Prospector and a Founder of NPLATo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Minfocus Exploration Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Minfocus Exploration Corp.Source: Minfocus Exploration Corp. (TSX Venture: MFX)Date: March 29, 2018Time: 9:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Minfocus Exploration Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
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PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 09:47:01

Press Release

Brussels, 29.03.2018

Orange Belgium confirms its interest in an industrial partnership with Nethys and Brutele

Orange Belgium confirms having officially informed Nethys and Brutele about its interest in an industrial partnership, with the support of the Orange Group.

At this stage, it is only a declaration of interest, fully respecting the governance of Nethys and Brutele.

Orange Belgium believes that an industrial partnership between Orange Belgium and Nethys and Brutele would represent the best opportunity for them, their customers (residential and enterprise), employees and shareholders.

Such a partnership would lead to the creation of a convergent national telecom operator with strong roots in Wallonia and the Brussels region, and to the launch of a major multi-year investment plan for very high-speed fixed and mobile networks in the Walloon and Brussels region. Furthermore, it would create a healthy, structural competition between 3 convergent players on the Belgian market, to the benefit of consumers.

About Orange Belgium

Orange Belgium is one of the leading telecommunication operators on the Belgian market, with over 3 million customers, and in Luxembourg through its subsidiary Orange Communications Luxembourg.

As a convergent actor, we provide mobile telecommunication services, internet and TV to private clients, as well as innovative mobile and fixed line services to businesses. Our high-performance mobile network supports 2G, 3G, 4G and 4G+ technology and is the subject of ongoing investments.

Orange Belgium is a subsidiary of the Orange Group, one of the leading European and African operators for mobile telephony and internet access, as well as one of the world leaders for telecommunication services to enterprises.

Orange Belgium is listed on the Brussels Stock Exchange (OBEL).

More information on: corporate.orange.be, www.orange.be or follow us on Twitter : @pressOrangeBe.

Press contact

Annelore Marynissen - annelore.marynissen@orange.com - +32 (0) 479 01 60 58

Jean-Pascal Bouillon - jean-pascal.bouillon@orange.com - +32 (0) 473 94 87 31

press@orange.be

Contact investors

Siddy Jobe - ir@orange.be - +32(0)2 745 80 92





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: Orange Belgium via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 08:44:02

Rotterdam, the Netherlands - 29 March 2018. Refresco (Euronext Amsterdam: RFRG), an independent bottler of beverages for retailers and A-brands in Europe and North America, today announces that the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given the green light for the integration of Cott's bottling activities in the UK. The CMA's approval follows the sale of the Aseptic PET facility at Cott's Nelson site to Sunmagic Juice Limited.

Refresco completed the acquisition of Cott's bottling activities on 30 January 2018 and integration of the two businesses began immediately in North America. Today's announcement enables the start of the integration into one organization in the UK as well. As a result, Refresco can now truly operate as one integrated company and moves forward as the world's largest independent bottler for retailers and A-brands.

For more information, please contact

Minna Lyijynen

+31 10 440 5165

minna.lyijynen@refresco.com

About Refresco

Refresco (Euronext: RFRG) is the world's largest independent bottler of beverages for retailers and A-brands with production in Europe, North America and Mexico. The company has pro forma volumes and revenue of circa 11.6 billion liters and circa 3.6 billion, respectively. Refresco offers an extensive range of product and packaging combinations from 100% fruit juices to carbonated soft drinks and mineral waters in carton, PET, Aseptic PET, cans and glass. Focused on innovation, Refresco continuously searches for new and alternative ways to improve the quality of its products and packaging combinations in line with consumer and customer demand, environmental responsibilities and market demand. Refresco is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and has more than 9,500 employees. www.refresco.com

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Refresco via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-29 09:09:01

- Symposium on SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs hosted at Light + Building exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany

- Professor Russell Foster from the University of Oxford, the worlds leading authority in light, sleep and circadian research, along with Dr. Manuel Spitschan from the University of Oxford and Dr. Octavio L. Perez from New Yorks Mount Sinai Hospital delivered lectures on light, circadian rhythm, and health

- Initiatives at the L+B exhibition contemplated the future direction of lighting and the superior light quality of SunLike Series LEDs

- SunLike Series LEDs were awarded Product of the Year 2018 for optoelectronics from Germanys Elektronik magazine

Seoul Semiconductor Hosts European Symposium on Human-Centric Lighting & Health

Europe

Seoul Semiconductor Europe GmbH

Ariane Heim

Tel: +49 (0)89 450 3690-0

Email: press.eu@seoulsemicon.com

or

North America

Seoul Semiconductor Inc.

Andrew Smith

Tel: +1 (901) 831-6614

Email: andrew.smith@seoulsemicon.com

or

Asia

Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd

Jake Jung

Tel: +82 070.4391.8270

Email: pr@seoulsemicon.com

Seoul Semiconductor, a global innovator of LED products and technology, hosted a symposium featuring academics and industry insiders that focused on scientifically and objectively demonstrating the effects of light on health and circadian rhythm. Held on March 21 in conjunction with Light + Building 2018, the largest lighting exhibition in the world, Seoul Semiconductors symposium was entitled Human-Centric Lighting & Health.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005

Scene from the SunLike Series LED Symposium held at the 2018 Light + Building Exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany. (Photo: Business Wire)

The half-day symposium program consisted of several invited experts, including Professor Russell Foster from the University of Oxford, widely accepted as the leading authority in light, sleep, and circadian rhythm research; along with Dr. Manuel Spitschan from the University of Oxford, and Dr. Octavio L. Perez from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. All three experts gave presentations on the effects of light on human health, and discussed the future direction of lighting.

According to Professor Foster, Light not only allows us to perceive space, but also plays a critical role in enabling us to perceive time by controlling our circadian rhythm and sleep. To sustain a healthy and happy life, we must get the best sleep and keep our circadian rhythm at an optimum level. We also need to replace todays artificial lighting systems that hinder our circadian rhythm with more human-centric lighting.

In another presentation, Dr. Manuel Spitschan from the University of Oxford emphasized the impact of light on the bodys circadian rhythm, stating, Light has an extremely significant impact on human eyes and brain, due to the photoreceptors in the retina. These receptors perceive red, green, and blue light, and accept the color spectrum in varying degrees. Dr. Spitschan added, In particular, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC), deliver signals from light via a direct connection to the brain, and react more sensitively to blue light within a certain wavelength. When these cells are activated, it causes the body to inhibit the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, therefore affecting the 24-hour circadian rhythm.

Addressing the importance of sunlight in next-generation architecture standards, Dr. Octavio Perez from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York explained, Typically, people who live in buildings with great lighting  in other words, buildings that get a lot of sunlight  are healthier and happier, compared to people living in artificially-lit indoor spaces. This is because artificial light features a spectrum that vastly differs from natural sunlight."

Artificial light, such as fluorescent light and LEDs that emit a spectrum with irregular light waves, hinder the users circadian rhythm and eyesight, Dr. Perez continued. In the long term, this exposure to artificial light is known to have a negative impact on the human body. However, the SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs create light with a spectrum that is close to sunlight, offering significant benefits for eye protection and accurate color reproduction, making it an ideal lighting source for architecture, thus we expect it to become more popular in the field moving forward.

Dr. Perez also stated, Development in light fixtures which use natural light sources such as SunLike Series LEDs, will revolutionize future standards and design, as the construction industry applies even stricter standards to provide people with good quality light. As such, companies must focus on developing light fixtures that produce natural light.

SunLike natural spectrum LED technology, developed by Seoul Semiconductor and Toshiba Materials, was awarded the Gold Award by Elektronik, a prestigious German magazine specializing in electronic components that has the largest number of subscribers in Germany.

Seoul Semiconductor global marketing group executive vice president Caleb Won said, The researchers who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 2017 identified the genes that govern the circadian rhythm, which controls the main functions of human behavior, including the level of hormones, sleeping, body temperature, and metabolism. Their research clearly shows the importance of maintaining the 24-hour cycle circadian rhythm formed by natural sunlight.

Won continued, This Symposium presented scientific, objective evidence on the impact of light on our circadian rhythm, sleep, and health. It was a meaningful opportunity to increase attention and awareness on the need for light fixtures that offer natural light, and to contemplate future directions for lighting. The SunLike Series LEDs, which recreate light that closely matches the natural spectrum of sunlight, promises to be the next-generation light source to lead the era of human-centric lighting.

About TRI-R technology

TRI-R is a registered trademark of Toshiba Material Co., Ltd. It is a natural light LED light source technology that reproduces the spectrum of natural sunlight, developed by the concept and spectrum technology of natural light.

About Seoul Semiconductor:

Seoul Semiconductor develops and commercializes light emitting diodes (LEDs) for automotive, general illumination, specialty lighting, and backlighting markets. As the fourth-largest LED manufacturer globally, Seoul Semiconductor holds more than 12,000 patents, offers a wide range of technologies, and mass produces innovative LED products such as SunLike  delivering the worlds best light quality in a next-generation LED enabling human-centric lighting optimized for circadian rhythms; WICOP  a simpler structured package-free LED which provides market leading color uniformity, cost savings at the fixture level with high lumen density and allows design flexibility; NanoDriver Series  the worlds smallest 24W DC LED Drivers; Acrich, the world's first high-voltage AC-driven LED technology developed in 2005, includes all AC LED-related technologies from chip to module and circuit fabrication, as well as multi-junction technology (MJT); and nPola, a new LED product based on GaN-substrate technology that achieves more than ten times the output of conventional LEDs. UCD constitutes a high color gamut display which delivers more than 90% NTSC.

For more information about Seoul Semiconductor, please visit http://www.seoulsemicon.com

# Trademarks

WICOP and Acrich are trademarks of Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005
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In 2012, the African Heads of State and Governments resolved to establish AfCFTA treaty to create a single continental market for goods and services in member nations of the African Union, with free movement of business persons and investments using a single currency.

Consultations and negotiations for establishing the treaty commenced in June 2015 during the 26th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly Heads of State and Government in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The year 2017 was adopted as the deadline the treaty would become operational. But, consensus was not reached among many member nations who requested for more time to continue consultations on the potential impacts on their economies.

The scope of the treaty covered agreements on trade in goods, services, investment, and rules and procedures on dispute settlement, including a range of provisions to facilitate trade, reduce transaction costs, provide exceptions, flexibilities and safeguards for vulnerable groups and countries in challenging circumstances.

But, after several years, the draft agreement was finally signed on March 21, 2018 during the 18th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Governments in Kigali, Rwanda.

About 44 of the 55 African countries signed the treaty. The signatories included host Rwanda, Niger, Angola, Central African Republic., Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, The Gambia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Cote DIvoire, Seychelles, Algeria and Equatorial Guinea.

Others include Morocco, Swaziland, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, South Sudan, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sao Tome and Principle, Togo and Tunisia and others.

Nine others that did not sign the agreement included Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Eritrea, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.

Nigeria said it was delaying its signature to the agreement to widen and deepen domestic consultations, to ensure all concerns were addressed, as it would not sign any agreement that would not fairly and equitably represent the interest of Nigeria and indeed, her African brothers and sisters.

The treaty aims at taking advantage of 1.2 billion population of the continent with a combined Gross Domestic Product of more than $2 trillion to create a single continental market for goods and services.

Some argue the treaty would impact on government revenue and social welfare, as elimination of all tariffs among African countries would erode the trading states treasury by up to $4.1billion annually and deepen poverty, with millions of Africans potentially exposed to starvation and death.

Others, particularly among the poorer economies, are afraid the benefits in the free trade area may not be equitably distributed among economies.

The International Monetary Fund says Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa with GDP of $405 billion, followed by Egypt ($332 billion) and South Africa ($295 billion). Nigeria, with a population of about 180 million is also Africas largest market.

The Nigeria Labour Congress kicked against signing the treaty, warning that doing so was extremely dangerous as it would open the countrys seaports, airports and other businesses to unbridled foreign interference and domination.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria also rejected governments move to sign the treaty until proper consultations and inputs of all interest groups have been received on issues concerning market access and enforcement of rules of origin were addressed.

But, a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo ,has taken an opposing position as he expressed disappointment that Nigeria was not among the 44 signatories to the treaty in view of its pivotal role in promoting the vision.
Unity Bank Plc on Thursday said that the bank has not signed a 60 per cent holding structure or a one billion dollars investment with Milost Global Incorporated, a New York-based private equity firm.

The bank, in a statement on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) website, assured shareholders and stakeholders that it had no agreement whatsoever with Milost Global alluding to 60 per cent of Unity Banks shareholding.

The statement said that the bank did not at any time suggest or agree to move its listing from the NSE to the U.S.

Milost Global Inc. is one of the prospective investors introduced to the bank by a local entity called Mayo BV.

It is not unusual that this introduction and expression of interests would involve some level of preliminary discussions and exchange of non-binding documentary communication between the intending parties towards establishing mutual foundation on which the transaction contemplated would be initiated.

The Term Sheet dated Sept. 4, 2017 said to have been executed was a proposal submitted by Milost Global Inc. for discussion purposes only and NOT a commitment by the parties.

No definitive documentation governing the proposed financing was executed, it said.

The statement said that there was no iota of truth in the allegation that the bank had executed a binding commitment agreement.

The banks position is on the premise that a document prepared by Milost, which the bank acknowledged, merely contained the suggested terms and conditions on which Milost was planning to consider its possible participation in the capital funding of the bank, it added.

The statement explained that the bank, through the mandate of its board and shareholders, had been involved in a series of preliminary engagements with several prospective investors, including Milost, and did not execute a binding definitive agreement with Milost Global Inc.

It is, therefore, a misnomer for anyone to claim that the bank issued a false statement relative to the nature of the communication between Milost and the bank.

The nomenclature Commitment Letter was apparently adopted by Milost in its communication to buttress its seriousness to proceed with the transactions, subject to relevant compliance requirements.

As regards threat mails allegedly received by Milost Global, the bank reaffirms its position that such mails did not emanate from it. The Bank, therefore, is unable to verify such allegation, the statement said.

The bank said that the issue of termination of the transaction does not, therefore, arise, considering that Milost and the bank were only still engaged in preliminary discussions, which must necessarily be subjected to relevant regulatory, statutory and corporate governance compliance parameters.

NAN reports that Milost Global Incorporated, a New York-based private equity firm, on March 26 said it would no longer go on with its proposed investment in Unity Bank.

The company stated this in a statement released by Kim Freeman, Milost Chief Executive Officer.

In the statement, Freeman said his company was approached in 2017 by the banks chief executive officer and chief financial officer.

Following the call, a desk top due diligence was conducted by Milost to its satisfaction. On September 4, 2017 a $1billion financing term sheet was fully executed by both Milost and Unity Bank, the statement read.

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The facility, a combo of equity and debt, was provided on the exciting understanding that Unity Bank would delist on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and move its listing to the US.

The signed term sheet was approved by the board of Unity Bank, it added. (NAN)
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Award-winning Nigerian Author, Chimamanda Adichie, has received the 2018 Barnes & Nobel Writers for Writers award.

The award was presented at Poets & Writers annual dinner, In Celebration of Writers, on Wednesday evening, in New York City.

The Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award celebrates authors who have given generously to other writers or to the broader literary community.

The award, which is presented each year at Poets & Writers annual dinner, is named for Barnes & Noble in appreciation of its long-standing support.

Adichie was honoured for her work with the Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop in Nigeria.

The Nigerian author was honoured alongside other writers, Steve Cannon, and Richard Russo.

Susan Isaacs is the chairman of Poets & Writers Board of Directors and also the chair of the committee charged with selecting the honorees.

She said, We receive nominations from writers, publishing professionals, and others in the literary community. From the information about the nominees and their accomplishments, we select three writers and an editor who exemplify Poets & Writers core values: service, integrity, inclusivity, and excellence.

This years honorees are models of those qualities. The Board is delighted to be able to honour them. Their work makes me proud to be part of this community.

Poets & Writers adds, The three writers we honor this year have not only expanded our horizons through their own writing, they are dedicated to supporting other writers and to bringing diverse voices into the literary conversation.

Adichie, who has been championing a Wear Nigerian campaign, was clad in a black and yellow outfit from Nigerian brand Muse Factory.
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A committee of British lawmakers on Thursday published written evidence provided by a whistleblower who said information about 50 million Facebook users ended up in the hands of political consultancy  Cambridge Analytica.

Christopher Wylie, who worked for Cambridge Analytica, alleged that the data was used to build profiles on American voters and generate support for Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election.

He also claimed that Canadian firm  AggregateIQ (AIQ)  was involved in the development of the software used to target voters.

Wylie appeared before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the British parliament on Tuesday.

The committee said Wylie provided it with documents, including services agreement between AIQ and SCL Elections, Cambridge Analyticas parent company, dated September 2014.

AIQ did not respond to Reuters request for comment after Tuesdays committee hearing, but in an earlier statement said it had never entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica and had never been part of the firm.

Cambridge Analytica said it did not share any Facebook profile data with AggregateIQ and did not use it in the campaign to elect Donald Trump.

It added that it had no data as it had deleted it. (dpa/NAN)
Libyas conflict cannot be resolved unless the black economy and predation of public money ends, the UN envoy to the country said, calling on international actors to target big traffickers with sanctions.

The UN Special Representative, Ghassan Salame, is leading the latest push to reunify and stabilise Libya, seven years after the NATO-backed uprising in which Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed.

During years of turmoil punctuated by armed conflict, a lucrative shadow economy has emerged in the oil-rich nation, based on foreign currency exchange scams, smuggling and extortion.

I think this is the most important issue today in Libya. It is, at least in my modest view, the heart of the matter in Libya, Mr Salame said.

Mr Salame, a Lebanese former government minister and professor, who took up his post in August 2017, said tackling the shadow economy required a determined effort by the UN, international financial institutions and foreign powers.

He said that he had been working to convince the international community that any political deal to unify rival factions based in Tripoli and eastern Libya would only be cosmetic if the shadow economy was not tackled.

I tried my best to persuade them that if they want a political process they have to put an end to all kinds of traffic in this country.

Not only traffic of human beings, but also traffic of fuel, traffic of subsidised (goods) as well as traffic of drugs.

They need to address the black market. They also need to address the predation of public money, Salame said.

Its a big challenge  I think we need to start blaming and shaming people. I think we need to look into money transfers.

Action was also needed through specific sanctions against big traffickers taken by the most important economic partners of Libya, he said.

Control of Libyas informal economy is often enforced through armed groups and military factions, some with official status, which have held real power on the ground since 2011.

Mr Salame has launched a dialogue with armed groups, and has said that he hopes to unveil a strategy for dealing with them by May.

I think this is necessarily going to be a multi-year problem, because there are a lot of them, and also because the government is not necessarily optimally equipped to integrate them into an army or into police.

The dialogue is part of a UN-led national conference process that also includes town hall meetings, support for local peace deals and the empowerment of mayors, and reconciliation with exiled supporters of the Gaddafi regime.

One day, probably in a few weeks or months, we will bring leaders, who appeared in all these sub-processes together to meet, but that would be more like the cherry on the cake than the cake itself, Mr Salame said.

Mr Salame has called for new elections by the end of the year, though he said he was very, very aware that polls could add to problems rather than solve them.

Parliamentary elections in 2014 were disputed and led to rival governments being set up in Tripoli and the east.

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Mr Salame said presidential elections were very, very hard to think of without a constitution being adopted first, and that he would seek a commitment by major stakeholders to accept results.

I hope I have a written statement, at least to have a public one.

(Reuters/NAN)
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A Kenyan high court judge on Thursday fined Interior Minister Fred Matiangi and Inspector-General of police Joseph Boinnet 200,000 Kenyan shillings (1,985 dollars) for contempt of court.

Judge George Odunga had on Wednesday ordered the senior government officials to appear in court for sentencing, after ruling they were in contempt for failing to obey a court order to release a detained opposition politician.

Mr Odunga ordered the money be deducted from their salaries.

NAN reports that on Wednesday, the judge ruled that Matiangi, Boinnet and Kihalangwa were guilty for contempt of several court orders related to the detention of besieged lawyer Miguna Miguna.

He therefore ruled that the three senior government officials appear in court on Thursday..

If the respondents will not appear in person before me tomorrow, I will proceed to sentence them in their absence, Justice Odunga ruled.

The three failed to appear in court as ordered and the judgement was delivered without them.

Judge Odunga had previously directed that Mr Miguna, who had been detained at the Komo Kenyatts International Airport be released unconditionally.

However, the state disregarded the order and had Mr Miguna deported to Dubai on Wednesday night.

(Reuters/NAN)
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An Airbus A380, the worlds largest passenger airliner, arrived at Beiruts Rafik Hariri International Airport on Thursday after an inaugural flight from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Operated by UAEs Emirates Airline, the flight EK957 landed in Beirut at 10:24 a.m. (0824 GMT).

UAE Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamad Bin Saeed al-Shamsi, the Saudi head of mission in Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, and some Lebanese senior officials awaited the planes arrival at the airport.

This is a message of love and peace, al-Shamsi said.

The double-decker passenger plane typically requires airports to be specially equipped to allow over 500 passengers to disembark from both decks.

Such upgrades have not yet been carried out at the Beirut airport.

Public Works and Transport Minister Youssef Fenianos noted that expansion plans for Beirut airport would ensure that A380 planes are properly accommodated.

Fenianos added that the planes arrival was a symbol of cooperation between the UAE and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Bukhari told reporters that Saudi Arabia was reviewing advice to citizens against travelling to Lebanon based on security indications.

(Xinhua/NAN)
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The two Koreas agreed Thursday to hold what will be only their third summit since the 1950 to 1953 Korean War on April 27, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, following talks in the border village of Panmunjom.

The summit is to be attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae In.

The pair will meet in the Peace House on the southern side of Panmunjon, Yonhap reported.

The two sides are also to hold working-level contacts on Wednesday to discuss protocol and security arrangements.

The summit comes after a diplomatic charm offensive launched by Pyongyang and which began with its attendance of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Following a year of high tension, the North made an abrupt about-turn and has said it is willing to discuss its nuclear and missile programmes, most recently during a surprise visit by Kim to Beijing this week.

Over the past 80 days, there have been many dramatic events that have not been seen earlier, Ri Son Gwon, the Norths chief delegate told Thursdays meeting, according to Yonhap.

The issue of [North Koreas] denuclearisation [is] the issue that we will focus on for discussion, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, the Souths chief delegate, told reporters before leaving for the talks.

The two previous inter-Korean summits, one in 2000 and another in 2007, were both held in Pyongyang.

China confirmed on Wednesday that Kim had made a secretive four-day unofficial visit to Beijing, during which he told President Xi Jinping that North Korea was committed to denuclearisation.

It was Kims first known trip outside North Korea since he became leader in 2011.

Kim is also expected to hold an unprecedented meeting with US President Donald Trump before the end of May, while Japan has also indicated its wish to hold a summit with Pyongyang in North Korea.

Trump on Wednesday expressed optimism about efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and said he was looking forward to meeting Kim, though he also said that maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained on the reclusive nation.

(dpa/NAN)
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Major routes leading to Muritala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, were blocked on Thursday morning for President Muhammadu Buharis visit.

The action caused pain to travellers, with some walking about two kilometres to get to the airport so as not to miss their flight.

When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter got to the General Hospital Ikeja at 5 a.m., dozens of armed police officers laid siege at Olowu bus stop to stop cars from moving.

Some passengers who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES described the action an act of infringement on peoples right.

Is this the change we voted for? said Kabir who kept walking fast while talking saying he did not want to miss his flight.

This is not funny again, how can they shut the whole place down when the presidents flight is 11:30 a.m., this is wrong, said Beauty, another passenger.

Samj Ehigiamusoe, a passenger flying from Lagos to Abuja, also condemned the situation.

How can Lagos State Government decide to lose money because a president is coming and how can a president allow his people suffer like this, Mr ehigiamusoe

Meanwhile Roseline Oguh who is traveling from Lagos to Uyo said the hardship is unbearable.

This is not palatable at all, she said after arriving the airport.  I left my house 4 a.m., but trust Nigerians, they will always find a way around it, she said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Lagos State Government declared Thursday a work free day in the state ahead of the presidents two-day visit to the state.

As at the time of the report, our reporter who was also travelling had trekked for about 2.6 kilometres.

Meanwhile, officials of the Nigerian Army seized the reporters phone demanding she delete the pictures taken of the situation at various points.

At the airport, Charles, a staff of Dana airline told PREMIUM TIMES that all the airlines flights will be delayed till 12 noon, after the presidents arrival.
The Senate on Thursday rejected a request for a $350 million loan from the World Bank by the Kaduna State Government.

The rejection followed a presentation of the committees report by the Chairman, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central).

Last year, the Kaduna State Government requested the loan for Development Policy Operation from the World Bank.

The State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had said the state needed a $350 million loan from the World Bank to achieve its governance objectives in the short to medium term.

He also said the Bank agreed to provide the facility after checking the laws, accounts and performance of the state.

The Sani-led committee, however, suspended the states request for foreign loans, adding that no loan request will get approval until the lawmakers were convinced about it.

Mr. Sani, who has been having a running political battle with the governor of his state however explained that due process must be followed before any loan is approved, and that he has the duty to ensure the state does not inherit a debt it could not repay.

Reading out the findings, observations as well as recommendations of the committee, Mr. Sani explained that one of the reasons for the rejection is because Kaduna State is the second most indebted state in Nigeria.

Mr. Sani also said the panel met with relevant officials before arriving at the decision.

Based on the submissions and interactions with the invited Government officials, the Committee observed as follows:

1. That the Development Policy Operation, DPO (Budget Support) of USD 350 million for Kaduna State was approved by World Bank in 2016 and captured in 2016  2018 borrowing plan as approved by the National Assembly.

2. That the credit facility has an attractive low financing data of 1.25% interest; moratorium of 5 years and a 25 year maturity tenor.

3. That the facility is already captured in the 2016-2018 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

4. That according to the latest Debt Management Office figures, Kaduna State has a total debt stock of USD232.1 million.

5. That approving the current loan request of USD350 million for Kaduna State will bring its total debt stock to USD582.1 million.

6. That if this loan request is approved, the new total debt stock of USD582.1 million for Kaduna State will be unsustainable and necessarily attract huge financial burden on the meagre federal allocation to the State.

7. With the new borrowing, the Debt Service to Revenue Ratio of Kaduna State will further be increased and thus impact negatively on the ability of the State to meet other basic needs of its people.

He further explained that the new debt stock will likely, further erode the economic viability of the State and recommended that the Senate do reject the request of USD350 million for Kaduna State as contained in the 2015 2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan of Mr President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

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With the high total debt stock of Kaduna State at the moment, the new borrowing sought, will make the debt service to revenue ratio high, thereby worsening the State Governments ability to meet its other basic obligations to the people and further erode the economic viability of the State, he added.

Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna North), while supporting the recommendation, said he is amazed, perplexed and in shock to find that what the governor has gone ahead to indicate to the general public is completely different from what was found on the application of the facilities as indicated in the detailed drawdown table.

As a representative of my people, Ill like to say that the application of that loan is a misplaced priority. I strongly stand behind the prayers of the chairman of the committee that this very important chamber do reject that request for the loan, he said.

Also supporting the recommendation, Danjuma Laar (PDP, Kaduna South), explained that the loan is not important and as a messenger of the people, he was not given the authority for a loan to be approved.

I met with the representatives of Kaduna state and asked what the loan was all about? What projects is this loan meant for? I should know from zone one, two and three who are the contractors responsible for the project? Where will the projects be sited? But these questions were not answered.

I realised that the money received in Kaduna state is much and there is nothing happening in Kaduna state lately. They are busy retiring and sacking people and you are asking for a loan. To do what with the loan? I dont understand. If you are collecting a loan without giving a reason, I am not in support of such loan, my people are also not in support of it. Please, this loan should not be granted, he said.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, while stating that loan application is an acceptable means of infrastructure financing in governance, however said the law in its wisdom has made provision for the parliament to interrogate such requests to be sure that there is no need for that loan and ensure that due process is followed.

Also, to ensure that existing loan portfolio for the state or federal government would be able to accommodate such further request so as not to put so much pressure on that state or the federal government.

Mr Ekweremadu, thereafter, put the question and the senators unanimously rejected the loan request.
A National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, on Thursday advised Nigerians not to accept the apologies tendered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its mistakes while in power.

Mr Tinubu made the statement while speaking at a colloquium organised to mark his 66th birthday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the colloquium, the 10th edition, was Investing in People .

The PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, had on Monday in Abuja, apologised to Nigerians for the mistakes the party made while in power.

Mr Tinubu described the apologies as deceitful, saying they sought to hoodwink Nigerians to get a political advantage.

The APC chieftain added that the PDP brought the country to its knees with massive corruption, saying they should not be allowed to return to power again.

Nigerians should not accept PDPs apologies, they are corrupt, they lied, they falsified, they changed figures.

For 16years, they made fake promises, gave us fake figures, and they tell us Dont talk about it.

It is like, after catching a thief and he tells you Dont look at me, go and steal your own, he said.

Mr Tinubu said the PDP had the opportunity to transform the country and set it on the path of progress with high oil price and high oil production level.

The APC chieftain said that the PDP, with massive corruption and ineptitude, could not make any meaningful impact in governance.

He said the promised change by the APC would be delivered by the party.

According to him, the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari is taking steps to deliver the goods in spite of their odds.

The voyage is on, the voyage of hope, the voyage that will change Nigeria for the better, he said.

Mr Tinubu described the social investment programmes of the Federal Government as impactful, saying it had helped to empower many Nigerians.

He said he trusted in the administration of Mr Buhari to deliver more democratic dividends to Nigerians.

In his remarks, Mr Buhari described Mr Tinubu as a political strategist and a man who cared for the people.

He said the giant strides of Mr Tinubu in governance are a reference point in development.

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The president congratulated him on his 66th birthday and wished him all the best in his endeavours.

He restated the commitment of his administration to the advancement of the welfare of Nigerians.

In his speech, Vice President Yemi Osibajo said the government s social investment programmes had been largely successful as it had impacted on lives.

He attributed some of the successes to the free hand given to him by Mr Buhari as coordinator of the programme.

I want to thank President Buhari for giving me the opportunity to coordinate the programme and the free hand to run the programme, Mr Osinbajo said.

He said the programmes had done a lot to improve the welfare of Nigerians.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed said no fewer than 7.9 milllion Nigerians had benefitted from the government social investment programmes.

She said the beneficiaries were covered in such programmes as The Free School Feeding Programme and the N-Power .

The Minister cited others as the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme(GEEP)

She reiterated the commitment of government to investing in people to improve their well being.

NAN reports that state governors, ministers, serving and former members of the National Assembly attended the programme.

Captains of industry including Aliko Dangote, Jim Ovia and members of the diplomatic corps also attended the programme.

The highpoint of the programme was when Mr Tinubus wife, Oluremi joined her husband on stage to cut the birthday cake, creating a delightful spectacle.

(NAN)
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Despite calls from some segments of the country for members of President Muhammadu Buharis government and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to stop harping about corruption in the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday in Lagos said he and members of his administration will not desist from talking about how their predecessors mismanaged the countrys resource.

Mr Osinbajo was speaking at the 10th annual Bola Tinubu Colloquium, organised to commemorate the birthday of the former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu.

The vice president restated his stance that the corruption during Mr Jonathans administration was to blame for the countrys economic downturn.

As for our fight against corruption, as our president said, if we dont kill corruption, corruption will kill us. Let me reiterate that from all I have seen in government in the past three years, the corruption of the previous five years is what destroyed the Nigerian economy, he said.

Every time we talk about corruption, our opponents say dont talk about it just do your own. Dont talk about it. The Yoruba have an adage: when the matter become that of tails, the frog will say let us keep it and dont talk about it. We would talk about it. And the reason why we would talk about it is because we must let our people know that we cannot afford to go this way again. Never again should we allow a system where people take the resources and steal the resources of this country, use the resources against the people and at the same time they want to continue in rulership, he added.

Mr Osinbajo said the ruling APC got into government with the determination to change the prevailing narrative of Nigeria as a corrupt country and the government is bent on seeing that those who stole from the public treasury will be made to face the music.

When we began this journey in 2014, our party the APC was determined to change the dominant narrative of the country. We were determined to ensure that the notion of a country rich in natural resources and even richer in human capital but being destroyed daily by corruption and impunity in the looting public resources will have to change that narrative.

We saw a nation where a few impostors have so privatised the commonwealth that while oil prices were at their highest and we were getting growth figures as high as 70 per cent, the majority of the people remained extremely poor.

He said the government and the ruling party must show that it was different from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was in power for 16 years, by investing more in people and infrastructure instead of enriching a few people.

He said even when the government was earning less than its predecessor, it released more money toward infrastructural development while the previous government either looted or mismanaged most of its earnings.

And we as a party and your government must show the difference between us and the party and government that impoverished our nation. Let me give you an example: in 2014 when oil was between $100 and $114 a barrel, the actual releases for capital for three ministries, Works, Power and Housing  then they were separate ministries  was in total N99 billion while transportation got N14 billion and agriculture got $15 billion. I am talking about actual releases not budgeted. Lets compare that to capital releases to the same ministries in 2017, when oil prices were between $50 and $60 a barrel, N415 billion for Power, Work and Housing. N80 billion for transportation, N65 billion for agriculture totaling N560 billion at a time when we were earning at least 50 per cent less than we were earning in 2014. This is possible because if you do not steal the resources of the people you can spend it on the project that concerns the people. It is as simple as that.

When we insisted that the TSA must be done, we suddenly could see for ourselves how much money was available in the system and so much money was available. This same government that spent 139 billion only on agric, power works, housing and transportation between January 2015 and the elections; they stole N100 billion in cash and $289 million all together were released in cash. This form of money was in excess of the amount of money that was spent on power works and housing.

We must know this, there is no country in the world that would allow its resources to be plundered the way our own resources are plundered and expect to be economically viable, it is not possible. Nigeria is unlike any other country because of the level of corruption that was perpetrated. We must stop that corruption. When you fight corruption the way we have fought corruption, corruption is going to fight back. The fight back is taking place everywhere. It is taking place on social media. But we are determined.

I will give you one more example, N3 billion was lost to what is called the strategic alliance contract of the NNPC, the people simply took the oil and never paid back the same $3 billion. The ministry of finance and the economic management team are now proposing the following roads: Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road, Second Niger Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, East-West Road, Shagamu-Ore-Benin road, Kano-Maiduguri Road, Abuja-Lafia-Akwanga-Keffi Road and Lagos-Abeokuta Old Road. That is why the criminal looting of this country cannot be allowed to continue and those who did it must be held to account.

He said the governments social investment programme was aimed at alleviating the economic problems of Nigerians who have become despondent. He said the successes that the programme has recorded was a testimony to the people-oriented policies of the government.

On one of our campaign trips to Zamfara State, the president said look at the eyes of these people, they expect us to fix the problem of the economy as soon as we got into office. The content of the campaign trip emphasised a few things: security, the economy and by the economy here, in particular the welfare of the people, and corruption. On just the question of the welfare of the people, we realised that if we waited for the economy to pick up and then provide jobs for the people, especially young people, many would have given up hope and many would have ended up in all manner of illegal activities. So, we decided on two things: one to invest heavily in agriculture; to create jobs in the hinterland and provide enough food in all of the urban areas.

In our agriculture programme many will readily agree that this has been a tremendous success. Several millions of Nigerians have been employed in agriculture. We also decided to put in place an audacious social investment programme to the tune of N500 billion- the largest pro-poor programme in our nations history and the largest social safety net at least in sub-Saharan Africa. This was despite the fact that in 2015 oil prices fell over 50 per cent and our production fell from over two million barrels a day to less than 700,000 barrels a day. Sometimes even 500,000 barrels in 2016. We have seen today the empirical evidence of the successes of the programme and for us to listen to the testimonies and the stories. Two hundred thousand jobs for our graduates employed in the N-Power programmes, 200,000 more waiting to be employed, they have been pre-selected, 10 million children being fed daily in 22 states so far. Almost 700,000 household benefitting from conditional stipends.
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The Martin Luther King, Jr Centre has distanced itself from a leadership and anti-corruption award to President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari recently received an award of leadership and anti- corruption from a group said to be associated with Martin Luther King.

The award was said to be part of the Kings family activities marking the Black History Month.

State House officials, including Bashir Ahmed, a media aide to the president, have touted the award as being given by the late civil rights activists nephew.

The nephew, identified as Isaac Newton-Farris also reportedly urged Nigerians to allow Mr. Buhari continue as Nigerian president because of his tremendous achievement.

But following a deluge of requests from Nigerians on Wednesday, the King Centre, which is a memorial of the late preacher, distanced itself from the award.

The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing. @MrFixNigeria  The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@TheKingCenter) March 28, 2018

The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing. @MrFixNigeria
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Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, says the world body has reset its action plan to address the root causes of the complex crisis in Africas Sahel.

The UN deputy chief regretted that the Sahel region is now home to one out of five people worldwide requiring humanitarian assistance.

The Sahel is a priority for the Secretary-General and the entire United Nations system, the Deputy Secretary-General said at a conference being held in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The conference is to discuss strategies to tackle the Sahel crisis, which leaves 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance this year.

A largely semi-arid region, the Sahel stretches from Senegal on Africas Atlantic coast, through parts of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Sudan to Eritrea on the Red Sea coast.

It is plagued by the increasing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism and its spread in surrounding countries and regions.

This is compounded  or caused  by weak development progress in the Sahel and the impacts of climate change on food supplies, migration flows and conflict over land and resources.

The complexity and multi-dimensional nature of these challenges attest to the necessity to respond collectively to the Sahel crisis, and in a more coherent, comprehensive and integrated manner, Ms Mohammed explained.

These challenges, she said, promoted changes to the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel to better meet the needs of the 10 countries in the region.

She listed five key priorities on addressing the root causes of the crisis: inclusive and equitable growth; and public good services, including access to basic service, governance and rule of law;

Others are climate and energy; gender equality and womens empowerment; and security, including preventing violent extremism, transnational crime and human trafficking.

According to her, empowering youth is an overall priority.

(NAN)
The leadership award received by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday did not emanate from the Martin Luther King Centre, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has clarified.

The presidents special assistant on diaspora affairs said the Buhari administration did not claim the honour was bestowed by the King Centre, accusing anti-Buhari elements of propagating fake news.

Mr. Buhari received the award at the State House on Monday. His media aides and supporters started circulating messages to emphasise the significance of the award and the connection that those who gave it to the president had with Martin Luther King, Jr, a foremost American civil rights campaigner who was assassinated in 1968.

Isaac Newton-Farris, one of the organisers of the award, was later quoted in the media as saying Mr. Buhari is a foremost African leader who should be reelected in 2019.

Some critics of the president demanded a retraction from Mr. Newton-Farris, saying he should not be making partisan political statement.

They also directed requests to The King Centre in the United States to confirm whether the memorial was involved in organising the award.

Some also argued that the award did not exist prior to its conferment on Mr. Buhari this week.

The centre replied late Wednesday, saying it had no connection whatsoever with the award.

The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing. @MrFixNigeria, it said on Twitter.

On Thursday morning, Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa responded to the centres disclaimer and other allegations of sharp practices directed at the Buhari administration over the controversy.

Her media aide, Abdurrahman Balogun, explained the issues as follows:

Our attention has been drawn to obviously fake on line news reports on the visit of some members of the MLK family to Nigeria.

The members, led by the Matriarch of MLK, Naomi Barbara King, were in Nigeria as part of the activities initiated to celebrate a low- key Black History Month in Nigeria as part of deepening partnership between Africa and its Diaspora.

 As part of the activities, they visited President Muhammadu Buhari and gave him a commemorative plaque for his fight against corruption and what they termed from the  Africania Diaspora a term for Africans in Diaspora for which the oldest of them all Naomi Barbara King was selected to present on behalf of the family (NOT MLK CENTER) as a sign of appreciation to the Nigerian President.

It must be categorically stated here that the trip was totally privately funded and not one kobo was spent by the Nigerian government as it was all a private initiative.

However, after two days in Nigeria, one of the members apparently granted an interview which was seen as being political , asking Nigerians to give President Muhammadu Buhari a chance to continue his good works especially of fighting corruption in Nigeria.

As a non political group , he was asked to refute the statement , which he refused to , insisting that was how he felt , and it was his personal opinion, not that of the family nor the centre, of which he is a board member and was the Chief Operating Officer for over five years.

This may have led to some arguements among them , which they have said they will resolve when they get back to the US., which apparently led to the tweet being circulated

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The visit to Nigeria was quite successful that they extended their stay for two major days, surprised at the negative reports on Nigeria.

Members of the public are hereby urged to please discountenance any fake news about the visit and avoid the temptation of destroying all the good things for the sake of Politics. as the administration marches on in the fight against against corruption.

Signed.

Abdurrahman Balogun

S.A. Media to Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa

SSA to the President on Foreign And Diaspora.
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has called on his supporters and Nigerians to register and collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The first quarter of voters registration for 2018 has been ongoing since January and will end march 31st.

This registration, which has been a continuous process since April 2017, will be done quarterly till 60 days before the general elections.

Mr. Abubakar made this call during the launch of a website for one of his support groups, Concerned Citizens For Atiku (CC4ATIKU).

The website launched is www.cc4atiku.org

The former Vice President, represented by the Chairman of All-Atiku Support Groups, Oladimeji Fabiyi, noted that technology will play a huge role in mobilisation for the next general election.

He made it clear that elections are not conducted on social media so electorates must register to be able to vote and make their choice.

He also urged young Nigerians to participate more in politics and organise themselves to take over from the older generation of politicians as he is committee to that.

It is pertinent that you go out there and tell your family and friends to register and collect their PVC.

I have said it before and I will reiterate it here that I am fully committed to the agenda of generational transfer of power to the youths of this country.

I think it is important that your generation participates more in politics and organise yourselves.

The convener of the group, concerned citizens for Atiku, Adebowale Jante, thanked the former Vice President for honouring their invitation and assured him that the group will join other Nigerians to urge him to run for president in 2019.

CC4ATIKU noted it has members across the states in support of the former vice president.

His Excellency, the next President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, deserves to be supported to contest and secure the office of the number one citizen, come 2019.

We are fully mobilised for this urgent national task. Our members cut across all class of people in the society, and we are very active in the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and in the Diaspora, and each chapter is headed by capable Co-ordinators.

Permit me to inform Your Excellency that members of CC4ATIKU have already started working in their various operational bases by spreading out into the local governments to recruit members/volunteers.

As we launch the www.cc4atiku.org today, we hereby, for the third time in the build up to the 2019 general election, call on the Waziri Adamawa, His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (GCON), to declare his intention to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Although Mr. Abubakar has not officially come out to say he is running for president, most people think he intends to and that is why he decamped form the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Joined the peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Nigerian lawmakers to voluntarily return payments made to them outside the law guiding the salaries and allowances of public officers in the country.

In a statement on Thursday signed by its deputy director, Timothy Adewale, the group urged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to persuade their members to voluntarily return running costs and other allowances so far collected, and now declared as illegal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), and to use any returned funds to establish a trust fund to improve investment in education and health.

RMAFC on Monday disclosed it did not provide for the payment of running cost to the lawmakers, which has been revealed as N13.5 million monthly for each senator and N10million for each member of the House of Representatives.

According to the commission, the payment is not covered by the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendments) Act 2008 governing emoluments of political office holders in the country.

Reacting to the commissions statement, SERAP said: Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the National Assembly cannot use its appropriation power for personal gain of lawmakers.

The revelation that the National Assembly unilaterally increased their own allowances and running costs without any regard to due process of law constitutes a flagrant abuse of governmental powers for personal gain.

According to the group, the lawmakers would never be able to check abuses of power by the executive or perform important oversight functions if they are looking after themselves rather than standing up for the citizens.

SERAP said returning the payments into a trust fund would avail government with more funds to address challenges in the health and education sector, as recently canvassed by American billionaire and major donor to Nigeria, Bill Gates.

A trust fund can supply health aid, educational support, economic empowerment, dignity and overall improved social welfare of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors of the population.

This proposed trust fund can serve as one of the strategies for addressing the escalating crisis in our educational and health sectors, something which Bill Gates has discussed with the Nigerian authorities.

Legislative powers are a means; the end is the liberty and prosperity of the citizens. The leadership of the National Assembly should therefore ensure that our lawmakers are more sensitive to the needs of Nigerians in the exercise of their legislative powers and that the powers are used to improve opportunities for the citizens, and access to quality education and adequate health for all Nigerians regardless of socio-economic status.

To check against corruption, the leadership of the National Assembly should also urgently put in place a system of publishing an account of receipts and expenditures of members including on constituency projects, running costs and other allowances. Nigerians who pay the lawmakers ought to know in what manner the funds for the operation of the National Assembly are expended.

Saraki and Dogara should take immediate steps to ensure the recovery and voluntary return of the dirty money, if they are to ensure that the Constitutions integrity is not undermined by the evasion of political and legal accountability by the National Assembly. The trust funds would contribute to the efforts to improve investment in education and health for the greatest happiness of the greatest number.

Without accountability of our lawmakers, the countrys democratic project cannot function according to its constitutional design. By limiting the potential for the abuse of governmental power, the Nigerian Constitution protects individual liberty and requires all branches of government including the National Assembly to strive to improve their welfare and economic and social development and opportunities.

The Framers of the Constitution deemed this information essential if Nigerians are to exercise any control over their representatives and meet their growing responsibilities as citizens. Publication of statement of accounts of public expenditures would enhance the responsibility of the National Assembly by informing the public about the purposes and authority for certain expenditures.

RMAFC, in the statement by its spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, had said only the National Assembly Service Commission could explain how the lawmakers arrived at paying themselves such an unapproved allowance.
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The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Ibrahim Idris, has ordered massive deployment of personnel throughout the country for crime prevention and control during the Easter celebration.

A statement by the Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood in Abuja on Thursday, said Mr Idris had directed Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in charge of zonal commands and commissioners of police nationwide to be on ground throughout the celebration to supervise and implement the security arrangements.

Mr Moshood said the deployment would cover places of worship, recreation centres, venues of celebration, other public places and private facilities.

He noted that consistent surveillance, intelligence gathering and continuous raid of criminal hideouts, black spots, flash and vulnerable points are already ongoing and will be sustained throughout the period.

Vehicular and foot patrols and adequate visibility policing will also be embarked upon to guarantee safety of lives and property throughout the period.

The spokesman implored the public to cooperate with the police highway patrol teams, the Special Anti Robbery Squads and other police units deployed to prevent crime on highways and major roads across the country.

He said the personnel were under instructions to be civil, polite but firm in ensuring the security and safety of travellers and other road users throughout the country.

He reiterated the assurance of the Nigeria Police Force`s renewed commitment to ensure adequate safety of lives and property during the Easter period and beyond.

The I-G, while wishing Christians across the country a happy Easter celebration, enjoins them to extol the virtues of Jesus Christ by propagating peace and love, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political inclination, the spokesman added.

(NAN)
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The Take Back Nigeria Movement has condemned the Nigerian government for failing to participate at the signing of Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement in Rwanda last week.

The political group, led by Sahara Reporters publisher Yele Sowore, said Nigeria missed out on a major opportunity to champion the cause of progress in Africa because of President Muhammadu Buharis shambolic approach to governance.

On March 21, African leaders gathered in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to create a unified market for about 1.2 billion people across the continent.

Forty-four countries signed the deal, which has been described as the largest free trade agreement since the creation of the World Trade Organisation in 1995. It was aimed at boosting trade amongst African countries with a combined gross domestic product of $3.4 trillion by eliminating borders and tariffs on goods and services within the continent.

The deal was conceived in 2012 and negotiations formally opened in 2015. Mr. Buhari abruptly canceled a trip to Kigali, citing labour and legal issues. The countries signed the deal with the intention of continuing with negotiations on other critical details throughout the year.

Mr. Buhari had since raised an economic committee to iron out all objections that Nigeria may have against the deal with the hope of signing up later.

But Mr. Sowore, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES Thursday morning, said this was not enough, saying Nigeria should have taken the leadership.

Nigeria is Africas most populous nation and its largest economy and should have taken a key role in shaping the negotiations and the eventual agreement so that it would be beneficial to Nigerias economic and security interests.

Instead of providing leadership, the Muhammadu Buhari government has exported its shambolic approach to governance at home to the continental stage. Just days after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved Nigerias participation in the agreement, the Buhari government announced it would no longer be participating because some key stakeholders were not consulted.

It is unconscionable that it is at this late stage in the process that the Buhari government is realising that it ought to have engaged with Stakeholders, Mr. Sowore said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo last week joined other critics to lampoon Mr Buhari and about a dozen other African heads of state for failing to sign the deal, describing their action as criminal.

Mr. Sowore said Take Back Nigeria Movement believes that the economy of a nation as large as Nigeria, and decisions that impact the lives of almost 200 million people should not be taken lightly or on the whims of one man.

The group promised to champion economic growth, protection of Nigerian economy, strong national security, amongst other developmental measures.

Their voices will not be considered at the last minute, as has become the practice of the Buhari government, it said.
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The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Thursday described a former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, as an exceptionally visionary politician who has invested in many people.

The minister spoke at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium and his 66th birthday celebration held at the Eko Hotel, Lagos with the theme Investing in People.

The annual event was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, and no fewer than 10 state governors.

Speaking on how Mr. Tinubu had invested in people, the minister recalled how he made him Chief of Staff about 20 years back as Lagos governor.

Not being from Lagos state, many people found it strange for him to have made me his Chief of staff.

Today, I can say boldly that at least in the federal cabinet, we have those occupying positions who had served in his cabinet at one time or the other.

We have the Vice President, myself, the Minister of Power Works and Housing, Raji Fashola and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

If you also look at governors in many states today, whether it is Osun or elsewhere, they had worked with him in one capacity or the other, he said.

The minister, who said he felt elated about the day, wished the celebrant a long life in the service of the nation and mankind.

NAN reports that former and serving legislators, ministers, business moguls, members of Diplomatic corps, traditional rulers and clergy men attended the event. (NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari was among the dignitaries that attended the colloquium held in Lagos on Thursday to celebrate the 66th birthday of Bola Tinubu.

Mr Buhari read a speech, reeling out the qualities of the ex-Lagos governor.

Read the presidents speech as sent to PREMIUM TIMES by the presidency below.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

I am happy to be here with you to celebrate the birthday of my friend and political partner, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I call on all Nigerians to join me in celebrating this man. Asiwaju Tinubu is widely known as a political strategist. But strategy is barren unless wedded to a higher purpose than just itself.

2. Here, Asiwaju also sets himself apart. I have come to see him as a man who cares about people and who is a fountain of ideas for economic development and improving the situation of the common man and woman. He is a true humanitarian and we appreciate his contributions to Nigerias and Africas progress.

3. I salute the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and other members, for initiating this colloquium a full decade ago. Over the course of that ten years, we have traveled far in one sense, yet have moved but a few steps in another.

4. We as a people and a nation are in the midst of a grand endeavor. We seek to change the ways and means of our collective existence, we seek to construct a nation where leaders no longer rule by whim but govern according to law and for the betterment of the people.

5. We seek to replace corruption with correctness, insecurity with safety and poverty with prosperity.

6. The road we tread is rough and hard in spots. The search for progress and reform has its rough patches. Many will fight you and connive to deter the march toward a better land.

7. But that march is inevitable. There is no mortal hand that can keep us from our best destiny unless that hand be our own.

8. Thus, we invest in people, we invest in ourselves because we are enlivened by God given faith that tomorrow can be better than today and that good will triumph over evil.

9. Forums such as this present ideas and spark important discussions that enliven our national discourse and enrich our policy options.

10. We seek to rebuild what has been wrongfully constructed and to plant a firm foundation for progress where nothing now exists.

11. Our goal is to bring together every section of the nation and every Nigerian of every creed, every region and ethnic group in mutually beneficial, productive, social, economic and political relationships.

12. To accomplish our historic mission we must invest in people.

13. Here, I can say that the expenditures made by this government constitute investment in and for the people. We depend on the people to govern. This government recognizes this, hence our investment in critical areas that touch the lives of people directly.

14. Social investment program. The school feeding program. Massive investments in agriculture, a sector that employs over 65 per cent of our people. We strive to set Nigeria on an irreversible path of growth and development. This is the objective that guides our investments and expenditures as a government.

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15. We join hands to build a better country. We are resolute in our commitment to uplift our people and to make Nigeria a better place.

16. I think my friend Asiwaju would be happy with such a birthday gift.

17. Happy birthday Asiwaju. May God grant you many more years of good health and service to Nigeria.
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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday said a total of 611 Nigerians had voluntarily returned from Libya in March.

The South West Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Yakubu Suleiman, made the disclosure while receiving a new set of 166 returnees who arrived from the volatile North African country.

Mr Suleiman noted that the Nigerians were assisted back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

He said the federal government, some state governments and the IOM had set up various schemes to rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees back into the society.

Mr Suleiman urged the returnees to focus on the task of getting back on their feet and contributing their quota to national development.

You have seen it all and you are in the best position to sensitise and create awareness against the evils of human trafficking, as you have seen the dangers of seeking greener pastures in foreign lands, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the returnees arrived aboard a chartered Nouvelair Airbus aircraft with registration number TS-INA.

The aircraft landed at 8.08 p.m. at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The returnees comprised 101 male adults, two male children, 56 female adults, three female children and four female infants.

Officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Police were also on hand to receive them.

(NAN)
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The Nigerian Army on Thursday asked Boko Haram insurgents to lay down their arms and embrace the Federal governments amnesty offer.

In a statement signed by Texas Chukwu, a Brig. Gen. and director, Army Public Relations, said: we wish to remind repentant Boko Haram fighters that the window of opportunity to embrace the Federal Government Amnesty programme is still open for them to surrender and lay down their weapons.

It is also gratifying to report that the troops morale remains high as they dominate the general area with a robust fighting patrol in continuation with the clearance operations, he said.

Mr. Chukwu disclosed that the troops of 23 Brigade under the Operation LAFIYA DOLE had arrested three suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Ngurore on March 28.

The army spokesman explained that one of the suspects, who was wounded as a result of gunshots, confessed to have participated in various attacks coordinated by the insurgents.

According to him, the army is conducting preliminary investigations with the 23 Brigade Provost Company.

The army commended members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) for patriotism, resilience and cooperation with troops.

Mr. Chukwu also called on members of the public to emulate the vigilance of the CJTF, and report any suspicious persons or objects to the nearest military location.

President Muhammadu Buhari on March 23, said the Federal Government is ready to offer amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect that are willing to drop their arms.

President Buhari said this at a meeting with the schoolgirls who recently regained freedom after they were abducted from their school in Dapchi, Yobe State by Boko Haram terrorists.

Federal Government is ready to rehabilitate Boko Haram militants who are ready to lay down their arms.

While further efforts are being made to secure the release of every abducted citizen in Nigeria, Government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the Boko Haram group, who show strong commitment in that regard.

We are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society, he said. (NAN)
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The Peoples Democratic Party, Kola Ologbodiyan, has accused Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo of not being bold enough to mention names of those he claimed stole public funds.

Mr. Ologbondiyan said the vice president was only fond of bandying figures he cannot trace to a personality in the PDP.

His reaction followed Mr. Osinbajos speech at the colloquium organised to mark the 66th birthday of a leader of the All ProgressivesCongress (APC) in Lagos on Thursday.

Citing differences in cash releases to three ministries as example, Mr. Osinbajo said the looting that took place in the last five years of PDP administration cost the nation dear hence, he would continue to talk about corruption in PDPs administration.

The corruption of the previous five years destroyed the economy, he said.

While featuring on a programme on Channels Television, Thursday evening, Mr. Ologbondiyan cautioned the vice president to either keep quiet or present a list of PDP members who amassed wealth through illegal means.

We want to caution the Vice-President that he should stop bandying figures. Anytime the Vice-President has the opportunity to face the camera, he begins to announce figures that he cannot support, he said.

Our advice to him is that as a professor of law, he knows the pathway to follow when you accuse somebody of corruption. We challenge him to stop bandying figures but he should mention names of those who he claimed corrupted themselves. And if he cannot mention their names and he cannot charge them to court and he cannot cause their arrest and he cannot even list these people, he should keep quiet.

Why cant they come out and say in the last three years, we have done these, we have done that? All they do is to come back and say the last 10 years of the PDP, last five years of PDP. Is that what Nigerians are asking?

As far as we are concerned in PDP, until the Vice-President comes out clean and says that your party members by so names corrupted themselves to the tune of so amount, you dont expect us as a party to begin to respond.

Mr. Ologbondiyan said the APC government has not been able to convict any PDP member as the party is only engaging in media trial.

He said the APCs ascent to power was financed with stolen public funds.

Dont forget, the PDP established all the anti-corruption agencies in the cpuntry. Name it; EFCC, ICPC and whatever agency you think about. They were established by the PDP. PDP remains the only party in our modern democracy that have tried its members for corruption charges.

Our people challenged the government of which Prof. Osinbajo is Vice-President that the corrupt money they are looking for is what they spent to bring them into government that is the position of PDP.

If they are searching for corruption money, if they are searching for people who stole money, they should look inwards, that the position of PDP.

If they are current members of the rebranded and repositioned PDP, declare them so, but if they are hiding under villa protection and you are busy going around villages and towns announcing that PDP stole money, you are being unfair and you are not acting like a man of God. That is the position of PDP, he said.
A senator, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari, the World Bank country director and ministers of justice and finance to abide by a Senate decision on a loan request by Kaduna State.

He made this call while speaking with journalists at the National Assembly on Thursday where he also warned against contrary actions by anyone.

Earlier, the Senate rejected the request for $350 million from the World Bank by the Kaduna State Government.

The rejection followed a presentation of the report of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt led by Mr Sani, who has been having a running political battle with the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai. Other senators from the state also kicked against the loan at plenary

The Kaduna State Government, last year, requested for the loan for Development Policy Operation from the World Bank.

Mr El-Rufai said the state needed the loan to achieve its governance objectives in the short to medium term.

Reading out the committees recommendations, Mr Sani explained that one of the reasons for the rejection is because Kaduna State is the second most indebted state in Nigeria.

While calling for a full cooperation from the federal government, he warned that any attempt to act contrary to the Senates resolution is against the law.

The Debt Management Act stated clearly that any application for loan by a state must be submitted by the Presidency to the National Assembly.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives must approve. Any other approval is void. So let me use this opportunity to call on the president as a strict man to the law as he has demonstrated with what happened in the APC by evacuating the so-called extension.

So he must stand very firm. Any attempt by anybody to circumvent the National Assembly and collect money from the World Bank will be contrary to the law.

Im using this opportunity to call on the president and the World Bank country director in Nigeria, the minister of justice and the minister of finance to know that the Senate has rejected the $350 million loan request. Any attempt by anybody to circumvent this process, has simply done something else, he said.

Present at the briefing was Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna North) who wondered why a state like Kaduna that already owes a debt of $230 million, still requests for a loan of $350 million.

He explained that the senate has considered the report and fairly done justice to it and the request did not pass the minimum litmus test required of a demand for a people, by a state.

The request did not meet the development of critical infrastructural requirement in the state to help boost economic activities, the IGR potential of the state and the employment generation fund, he said.

Mr Hunkuyi accused the Kaduna government of dismissing over 40,000 workers.

He expressed dissatisfaction that all the agencies that are expected to benfit from the said loan are under the office of the governor as well as on how the state government pledged to remit $170 million in 2018.

Also, the loan is to be drawn over a period of four to five years. Interestingly, when we got the documents of draw-down and application for the loan, $170 million of the $350 million is to be drawn within one year; that is 2018. Why the rush? Why the hurry?

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Of all the 11 sections spread for draw-down of the $350 million, not a single section indicated practical application for funding of critical infrastructure. Lots of insinuations have been made but we stand firm, clear in our conscience with the interest of the people, he said.
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No fewer than three persons have been killed following a clash at a mining site in Bakin Kogi village of Kaninkon Chiefdom in Jemaa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The administrator of the council, Yusuf Usman, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kafanchan.

Mr. Usman said the three persons lost their lives during a shootout between illegal miners.

He said during the scuffle, four other persons sustained injuries and were being treated at the Kafanchan General hospital.

He said security personnel had been deployed to the area to contain the situation, urging people to go about their normal businesses and report any suspicious persons to the appropriate authority.

NAN reports that two persons were killed, while others sustained varying degrees of injury during an attack at Bakin Kogi village on Dec. 24, 2017 by gunmen. (NAN)
There was excitement in Ahiara Catholic Diocese of Imo on Thursday as the Church celebrated its first Chrism Mass in six years.

The Church had been in crisis over the appointment of a bishop to replace the late Victor Chikwe, the pioneer bishop, who died in 2012.

Peter Okpaleke was appointed for the post by the church hierarchy but the indigenous priests and the laity rejected him on the ground that he was not from the area.

They believed that it was unjust to ignore about 700 priests of Ahiara descent and go outside Owerri Ecclesiastical Province to appoint a priest from Awka in Onitsha Province as their bishop.

As the crisis lingered, the Church could not carry out some major activities, such as ordination of priests and others in the religious vocations and confirmation of church members.

Also the blessing of oil for the administration sacraments in the church did not take place, neither did the priests and others in religious vocations renew their vows as Chrism Mass could not hold without a bishop.

Mr Okpaleke resigned his appointment in February and Pope Francis appointed the Lucius Ugorji, the Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese.

At the Mass, held at Mater Ecclesiae Cathedral, Mr Ugorji advised the faithful to leave themselves open to the will of God and warned against lawlessness in the Church.

He commended the priests for their many sacrifices and urged them to follow proper procedures in all their actions.

He added that the posting of priests would soon take place and urged those that would be affected to go to their posts cheerfully to win souls for God.

Reacting to the development, the President, Ahiara Diocesan Priests Association, Augustine Ekechukwu, described the resumption of activities at the diocesan headquarters as an answered prayer.

Mr Ekechukwu said the people of Mbaise had been sanctioned unjustly and deserved to have their privileges reinstated.

He commended Pope Francis for appointing Mr Ugorji to oversee the affairs of the diocese and expressed the hope that a native of Mbaise would eventually take over as the bishop of Ahiara Diocese.

God has answered the prayers of devoted and spiritual minded people of Mbaise; we did nothing wrong, we only fought the war with good intentions knowing that justice will be done.

Mbaise is happy, Rome listened to the voice of God among Mbaise people when we appealed to the goodness of the Holy Father and he rescued us.

Well keep praying until an Mbaise son takes over, he said.

Valentine Anyanwu expressed happiness over the celebration of the mass.

It is wonderful coming back to our diocese to renew our vows for the first time in years; it is a thing of joy and we thank God.

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We also welcome Bishop Ugorji and we are ready to work with him, he said.

A deacon, Pius Onyekwere, expressed joy that ordinations would soon be done in the diocese.

Mary-Theresa Maduchukwu of Vocationist Sisters Congregation, Aboh, described the day as a special day in the diocese.

Were very happy to experience Chrism Mass celebrations here again, she said. (NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commended Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, for the development he had brought to the state in the space of three years.

Mr Buhari gave the commendation while inaugurating the Ikeja Bus Terminal, shortly after arriving in the state for a two-day official visit.

The president, in his brief remarks during the ceremony, lauded Mr Ambode for his reform in the area of public transportation.

Mr Buhari said the federal government, on its part, would adhere to its plan for the ports and other transport infrastructure in the country.

He also reiterated his administrations commitment to tackling security challenges, stabilising the economy, creating an enabling environment for jobs and returning Nigeria to its pride of place in the comity of nations.

In his remarks, Mr Ambode specially thanked President Buhari for waiving the import duty on the five thousand air-conditioned buses which would be operated from the terminal.

He said the state looked forward to having an assembly plant for the buses in the next 20 months.

Mr Ambode said his administration was committed to improving public transport infrastructure and management.

He said with the states bus reform project, 5,000 new buses would be introduced in the next three years.

According to him, 820 environmentally-friendly high-capacity buses, in the first phase, are expected by September.

In an address of welcome, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, said the terminal was part of the bus reform initiative, based on recommendations of the 2015 Lagos Transport Summit.

The terminal has a concourse for arrival, ticketing, waiting and departure areas, loading bay, ATM gallery as well as food court and parking facilities.

It is designed to change the face of public transportation and will convey more than 200,000 passengers daily to over 22 destinations across the state.

The facility, which is sitting on 10,000 square metre-land space, is equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), free Wi-Fi and electronically controlled shades, among others.

Through the ITS, intending passengers can be informed of the departure time and arrival of the next bus, which allows them to plan their movement.

The facility was designed and constructed by Planet Projects, an indigenous construction firm.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president had earlier arrived at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, to begin the visit to the state, amidst tight security.

The presidents plane landed at about 9.30a.m. at the Presidential Wing of the airport.

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Mr Buhari was welcomed by Mr Ambode and top officers of the various security outfits at the airport, including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

He inspected a ceremonial guard of honour at the Presidential Wing before proceeding to the Ikeja Bus Terminus for the inauguration.

The president returned to the airport later and proceeded to Lagos Island via a chopper to attend a colloquium in honour of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

NAN reports that security operatives immediately re-opened access to the general aviation terminal of the airport which was earlier barricaded, shortly after the departure of the president for the colloquium.

Mr Buhari received a rousing welcome from some Nigerians who lined up on the airport road to catch a glimpse of him.

The crowd chanted Sai Baba, as the presidents motorcade made its way back to the airport after the inauguration of the bus terminal.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday flagged off the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Lagos, pledging that the federal government would give the needed support to the project.

Mr Buhari who was represented by his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, said the project would become one of the largest sea ports in the region, and serve as a hub for port operations in the whole of West Africa.

According to him, the project, once completed, is designed to influence the generation of up to 170,000 direct and indirect jobs in the economy.

It is a landmark project for several reasons  the promoters of this project are targeting, we are told, about 1.5 million TEUs (Twenty Equivalent Units) container capacity annually, which they expect to grow to about 2.7 million and 4.7 million TEUs when the project commences.

With this feat, this sea port will become one of the largest in our region and serve as a hub for ports operations in the whole of West Africa.

There is no question at all that the project will be the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa and possibly, the largest in Africa.

Im also told that the promoters also plan to dredge the port channel to about 16metres draft, which is not currently obtainable in any sea port or any port for that matter in the country.

This, in itself, is an indication that ships of larger sizes will now be able to visit the port, and greater efficiency and economies of scale will generate significant revenues for the Nigerian economy, with government earning a significant portion of it, he said.

According to him, a second reason why it is a landmark event is with respect to the governments Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and its emphasis on supporting game changing infrastructure projects directed at making major impact on trade and commerce.

We are developing the Lekki Special Economic Zone as a model special economic zone, specifically targeting exports. The development of this deep sea port is mission-critical to the achievement of the important objective of creating this special economic zone.

So, the third reason is the commitment of our economic philosophy to private sector leadership of our economic development.

This project is essentially private sector driven  the Toleram Group and China Harbour are of course the lead private sector participants in this project.

And like we have heard, their commitment to this project is total. I commend them for driving this project this far.

The Nigerian Ports Authority and the Lagos State Government are the public sector partners. The business of government is, in our view, to contribute by way of equity when necessary to project of this size, but more importantly, to create the enabling environment for the private sector.

Let me say that we must move ahead to ensure the speedy completion of this project. There would be problems as Im sure you must have experienced some. But be assured that the Federal Government and the Lagos State government will be with you every step of the way to ensure that we give all the support that is required,  he said.

Also speaking, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos Sate, represented by his deputy, Idiat Adebule said that the Lekki port was a golden egg waiting to positively impact in the economy

Mr Ambode said the project was a testimony of governments commitment to growing the economy and aligning the country with the industrialised countries in the world.

Data shows that the maritime industry has the potential of becoming a major revenue to the GDP of Nigeria.

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This port when delivered in 2020 will have modern features that will ease pressure on Apapa and Tincan port as it has capacity to berth larger vessels. This port will impact greatly on the development of the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

This journey started in 2007 and has been pursued with doggedness. The Lagos State government has equity stake of 20 per cent in the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

This is a show of our faith in the viability and our trust in the capability of the Toloram group to deliver the project. This project will have great impact on our local, national and international economies.

It has been estimated that this project will facilitate an injection of 2.23 billion U.S dollars for construction and fixed assets into the country. This projected to over a 45-year concessioning period have an aggregate impact of about 3.61 billion U.S dollars on the Nigerian economy, he said.

Mr Ambode called for more private investment to complement the provision of infrastructure, saying the government could not bear the cost alone.

He also solicited for the support of the federal government in all ramification to partner in the project.

In his remarks, Navin Nahata, CEO Lekki Sea Port, one of the promoters of the project, said the project had demonstrated that Nigeria is an investment destination.

He promised to put in all efforts to deliver the project by 2020.

(NAN)
By: Conservancy of Southwest Florida

End

--(https://prioritymarketing.sharefile.com/d-s962ac8656d14ca7b)The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is inviting community members and area visitors to its 2018 Earth Day Festival, an eco-friendly event featuring fun for the whole family.The Earth Day Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 21 at the Conservancy Nature Center, 1495 Smith Preserve Way in Naples. Attractions include live animal programs, including an alligator feeding encounter, electric boat tours, live music, face painting, exhibitions and culinary treats served right out of food trucks."Earth Day offers a great opportunity to celebrate nature and commit, or recommit, to protecting our natural environment and wildlife habitat," said Rob Moher, president and CEO of the Conservancy. "It's so important for the community to remain united in protecting our resources and animals, and the Earth Day Festival provides a great opportunity to engage guests of all ages."Reduced admission to the Earth Day Festival is just $10 for adults and $5 for youth; children under 2 years old are free. Admission is also free for Conservancy members.Presenting sponsors for the festival are Arthrex and Bank of America. Supporting sponsors include Florida Weekly, D'Latinos, Univision and Naples Daily News.For more information, please visit www.Conservancy.org/ EarthDay or call 239-262-0304.The Conservancy of Southwest Florida ( http://www.conservancy.org/ ) is a not-for-profit environmental protection organization with a 50-year history focused on the issues impacting the water, land wildlife and future of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Conservancy accomplishes this mission through the combined efforts of its experts in the areas of environmental science, policy, education and wildlife rehabilitation. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, world-class Nature Center (http://www.conservancy.org/nature-center)and von Arx Wildlife Hospital (http://www.conservancy.org/von-Arx-Wildlife-Hospital) are headquartered in Naples, Florida, 1495 Smith Preserve Way (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Smith+Preserve+Way/@26.166139,-81.7899354,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x88dae1edf6906625:0xaff332d727c8252d), south of the Naples Zoo off Goodlette-Frank Road. Learn more about the Conservancy's work and how to support (http://www.conservancy.org/support-us) the quality of life in Southwest Florida www.conservancy.org.
End

--Devart, a Czech software vendor of database tools and data connectivity solutions, has released a significantly improved version of its universal MySQL and MariaDB GUI tool, dbForge Studio for MySQL v.7.4. The most outstanding and notable updates implemented in dbForge Studio for MySQL are:1) Support for Google Sheets for easy migration of table data between MySQL tables and Google Spreadsheets. The feature is incorporated into handy Data Export / Import Wizard, and the only thing users should do now is to specify the URL/ID of a Google Spreadsheets table.2) Improved SQL document management with Execution notifications and Transaction Reminder as well as highlighting of the current code line.3) Enhanced Code Completion with dozens of new variables and functions supported (Percona Server variables, MySQL Server variables, variables for MariaDB Server, etc.)4) Both, schema/data comparison and synchronization wizards feature a new progress window with the list of processes taking place and specification of time elapsed. A brand new schema comparison and synchronization engine is implemented as well.5) Now, dbForge Studio for MySQL allows copying databases seamlessly through the command-line interface and alerts users about the result of database copying.dbForge Studio for MySQL is a universal GUI tool for MySQL and MariaDB database administration, development, and management. The IDE allows you to create and execute queries, develop and debug stored routines, automate database object management, analyze table data via an intuitive interface, and much more.To see the full list of updates implemented in dbForge Studio for MySQL v.7.4, please visit: https://www.devart.com/ dbforge/mysql/ studio/ About DevartDevart is one of the leading developers of database tools and administration software, ALM solutions, data providers for various database servers, data integration and backup solutions. The company also implements Web and Mobile development projects.For additional information about Devart, visit https://www.devart.com/
By: King Addies Music

Contact

Christine M. Coley

Impulse Nation

***@impulsenation.com Christine M. ColeyImpulse Nation

End

-- Internationally acclaimed music influencer, King Addies, came out with a win in their first performance in the 2018 All Star Sound Clash series versus St. Martin's Entourage Sound on Thursday, March 22. Although it was indeed a tough night for the King Addies team, selectors [DJs] KingPin, Sir Maphead and Wynterfresh will continue on in the series to clash Hemp Zion at BOOM HQ on April 19It's exciting to note that the BOOM Energy brand is toying cunningly with the heartstrings of nostalgic King Addies and Ricky Trooper fans around the world. Both are billed for this year's series and they both clashed one-on-one in arguably one of the most defining moments in the history of Jamaican sound clash culture, in Portmore 23 years ago. Although at that time Ricky Trooper was the lead selector for Kilimanjaro and he's now moved on to launch his own sound system, that historic clash is still a passionate debatealmost dailyamong worldwide clash fans on social media forums today. So, all eyes are on BOOM in ripe and anxious anticipation that the two heavyweights will meet again on the battlefield during the series.Internationally regarded as North America's #1 defender, just 48 hours after their appearance in BOOM in Jamaica, they went head to head with Italy's Northern Lights and Japan's Yard Beat in Amazura, in New York City. Sources on the ground say the King Addies team, which featured KingPin and Killaboo in this particular soundclash, brought a fire not seen from them in a very long time to the stage. As a result of those vibes, good music and solid selection they dominated all three rounds, and the patrons decided that a dub for dub round wasn't necessary. King Addies triumphed by way of a double lock off, by unanimous crowd decisionmaking it a total of four international sounds killed by lock off by King Addies in the last 9 months.Having clashed and killed many of the best in the business, such as Bodyguard, Bass Odyssey, Black Kat and Black Scorpio over the years, King Addies has been at the global vanguard of premier sound systems with heavy clashing and touring in America, Europe, Japan and the Caribbean for over 3 decades.Originally from the McGregor Gully section of Jamaica's bustling capitol, the king sound currently has four selectors based in Westmorland, Trelawny and Kingston, Jamaica. However, their management and four of their selectors are based in New York City, where the sound has had a major impact on the North American reggae dancehall scene dating back to the early 80's.Revered for being at the center of many of the most historical moments in what New Yorker's refer to as the "Golden Era" of sound clashessentially the 90's and early 2000'sKing Addies has been an ambassador of sound system culture since 1983.In 2018, when most iconic sound systems around the world are either no longer operating, or holding on extremely tight to their established legacies, the sound is currently deliberately playing alongside and/or competing with younger sound system DJs on and off the battlefield across the industry, to push the culture forward by showcasing authentic Jamaican vibes to younger audiences.However in bringing the culture forward, King Addies also makes it a point to draw on the strength of a 35-year-old legacy in many ways. On Sunday March 25th, their pioneering selector, the iconic Danny Dread, made his first ever guest appearance alongside Selector Gabre Selassie at the ever hot Kingston Dub Club in Jacks Hill in Jamaica. King Addies' elder statesman featured their special foundation catalogue in front of an enamored crowd that didn't want to leave at 2:30am, even though the venue was slated to close at 2am. Also the owner of Kingston Dub Club, Gabre Selassie said, "Pure musical niceness inna Kingston Dub Club first [Sunday] night with the great Danny Dread!" Affectionately known as "Danny Dread the Teacha", the eldest selecta on the sound both in age and tenure, is deeply respected by his peers, artists, producers and fans for his countless contributions to reggae, dancehall, soundclash and sound system culture, such as being the first selector to ever record a dubplate special [customized recording] of the late crowned prince of Reggae, Dennis Brown.With quite a lot accomplished in the lifespan of the sound, the official kick off of their "year-long celebration"took place in February at their sold out Welcome to Newlots event in Brooklyn, which featured the legendary Stonelove and Guyana's top sound, Stereosonic. Several additional projects, releases and events are in the works to commemorate this colossal milestone, to include the industry buzzing bi-annual show featuring top artists and sounds, which is slated for December 15in New York City. More info on King Addies at http://facebook.com/ kingaddiesmusic
SAN DIEGO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Whistling Rabbit Press announced today that What's a Guy to Do? Ground Rules for Working with Women will be published this summer. The book is intended for men who would like to improve their working relationships with their female colleagues.

"The last year has produced a lot of vitriol," said Jennifer K. Crittenden, author of the new book, "but well-intentioned men have asked me how to show their support for the women they work with. A new entrepreneur asked me how he can ensure his company is welcoming to women. This book provides those answers."

Jennifer K. Crittenden, author

The book addresses topics such as communication, innuendo, humor, discrimination, sexual harassment, social occasions, and romance. Specific advice is given about greeting and conversing with a woman, interactions during meetings, commenting on her appearance, power dynamics, when a woman acts like a jerk, and times when a guy is better off saying nothing at all.

"These are serious topics," said Crittenden, "but I emphasize their funny side. After all, we're all trying to get along, produce some good work, and help our companies be successful. I don't think it helps us to be overly serious or judgmental. The dialog breaks down if we start pointing fingers or leaning on political correctness."

"I have devoted considerable effort to improving relations between the sexes over the past six years," Crittenden added. "I am dismayed at seeing all men painted with the same black brush. Many men are looking for guidance, and we haven't given them much in the way of specifics or nuance."

The book grew out of an article Crittenden posted on LinkedIn, titled "What's a Guy to Do? Seven Ground Rules for Working with Women." [goo.gl/bBkPM8] "It triggered a lot of feedback. It made me realize there's a real hole in the literature," said Crittenden. We've given women so much endless advice about how they are supposed to behave, and really haven't said anything to the men. I am convinced we won't make much more progress until men get involved. We should be asking for their help to create workplaces where women flourish."

The book also includes ways that men can check themselves for sexism, and ways to test their companies for systemic bias and the appearance of favoritism toward men in compensation, hiring practices, assignment of duties, and the selection of vendors.

"It will be a quick read," said Crittenden. "We've focused on takeaways, not on regurgitating facts and figures. The goal is for men to have more comfortable interactions with their female colleagues. Despite the large amount of ink that has been spilled, men and women can work productively together, really enjoy each other's company, and develop collegial relationships that last a lifetime."

What's a Guy to Do? will be published in paperback, Kindle, and ebook formats. Review copies can be requested by writing to [email protected].

About the author: Jennifer K. Crittenden earned a BA in Linguistics and French from Indiana University, a Baccalaureate certificate in Film Studies, and an MBA in Finance and MIS from the Kelley School of Business. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received a CELTA diploma from the University of Cambridge to teach English as a second language.

For more than twenty years, she worked in corporate finance for big pharma and biotech companies in the U.S., U.K. and Europe, rising from financial analyst to CFO.

She is the author of The Discreet Guide for Executive Women: How to Work Well with Men (and Other Difficulties), an Amazon bestseller and winner of the 2012 National Independent Excellence Award in the Business-Motivational Category. In 2014, she published her second book: You Not I: Exceptional Presence through the Eyes of Others.

Jennifer offers professional development training programs through her company The Discreet GuideTM on interpersonal, communication, performance, presentation and language skills. She writes and speaks frequently on topics related to gender, communication, and work.

About Whistling Rabbit Press: Whistling Rabbit Press is a boutique publishing house located in San Diego, California.

Contact:

Jennifer K. Crittenden

858-205-9530

[email protected]

SOURCE Whistling Rabbit Press
PHILADELPHIA, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") (NYSE American: IAF) held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") on March 29, 2018. At the Meeting, shareholders of the Fund voted to re-elect two Class III Directors to the Board of Directors.

As of the record date, February 5, 2018, the Fund had outstanding 22,742,326 shares of common stock. 87.3% of outstanding common stock were voted representing a quorum.

The description of the proposal and number of shares voted at the Meeting are as follows:

To elect two Class III Directors to the Board of Directors:



Votes For Votes Against Votes Withheld William J. Potter 18,781,298 678,813 403,791 Hugh Young 17,138,859 2,311,801 413,242

Directors whose term of office continued beyond the Meeting are as follows: P. Gerald Malone, Neville J. Miles, Peter D. Sacks and Moritz Sell.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected].

aberdeeniaf.com

SOURCE Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.aberdeeniaf.com


PHILADELPHIA, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") (NYSE American: FCO) held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") on March 29, 2018. At the Meeting, shareholders of the Fund voted to re-elect two Class II Directors to the Board of Directors.

As of the record date, February 5, 2018, the Fund had outstanding 8,724,789 shares of common stock. 86.5% of outstanding common stock were voted representing a quorum.

The description of the proposal and number of shares voted at the Meeting are as follows:

To elect two Class II Directors to the Board of Directors:



Votes For Votes Against Votes Withheld William J. Potter 7,213,222 290,593 43,503 Peter D Sacks 7,203,552 292,459 51,306

Directors whose term of office continued beyond the meeting are as follows: Martin J. Gilbert, P. Gerald Malone and Neville J. Miles.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected]

aberdeenfco.com

SOURCE Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc.
"We designed Marketo's 2018 Summit experience to celebrate the fearless, not just in marketing but every profession. Marketers crave authentic, inspired dialogue more than ever before, which is why we're bringing bold stories from everyone, from artists to athletes, to center stage this year," said Sarah Kennedy, chief marketing officer, Marketo . "This is also why Jamie Foxx, one of the most talented entertainers of the decade, will join us to share his story of fearless, bold choices that have made him an icon in comedy, music, film, and business."

Foxx rose to fame as a comedian, eventually transitioning to television and film. One of his most memorable roles was his portrayal of Ray Charles in the movie "Ray," for which he took home an Oscar, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award, among others. Other notable film credits include his starring as the title role in 2012's "Django Unchained." Foxx is also a Grammy Award-winning musician who has released five chart-topping R&B albums.

To register for Marketing Nation Summit, or see more on the talented line-up of speakers click here.

Beyond this year's Marketing Nation Summit keynotes, Marketo is looking for stories of fearlessness in marketing and seeking nominations for the 2018 class of the Marketo Fearless 50. This yearlong program will recognize the top 50 current or emerging marketing leaders in the world, who are driving bold, fearless digital transformation. Any marketer  regardless of what stage they are in their career, the tools they use, or the types of customers they serve  can nominate themselves or a fellow marketer via social media for a chance to be featured at Summit in San Francisco.

To learn more about how to nominate someone for the Fearless 50, click here.

About Marketo

Marketo, Inc., offers the leading Engagement Platform that empowers marketers to create lasting relationships and grow revenue. Consistently recognized as the industry's innovation pioneer, Marketo is the trusted platform for thousands of CMOs thanks to its scalability, reliability, and openness. Marketo is headquartered in San Mateo, CA, with offices around the world, and serves as a strategic partner to large enterprise and fast-growing organizations across a wide variety of industries. To learn more about the Marketo Engagement Platform, LaunchPoint partner ecosystem, and the vast community that is the Marketing Nation, visit www.marketo.com.

SOURCE Marketo, Inc.
WALTHAM, Mass., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Actifio, the Data-as-a-Service company, today announced the appointment of three new customer-facing leaders with strong sales track records to help accelerate global growth, as cloud-fueled demand for the company's versatile platform continues to rise.

Frank Dorrien joins Actifio as Vice President of Customer Success after two years at cloud-based technology services company Aason LLC, where he served as SVP and General Manager, responsible for overseeing the success of delivering cloud-based solutions to customers throughout North America and EMEA. Dorrien spent more than a decade at SAP SuccessFactors as Global Head of Human Capital Management Services, providing leadership for the delivery of professional services in over 150 countries.

Tom Leire joins Actifio as Vice President and General Manager of Cloud Business Unit Sales, after a series of senior roles at cloud-focused companies such as Birst, Box and SAP SuccessFactors. Leire led Eastern Sales at Birst, a cloud BI analytics provider, signing some of its largest customers. He also spent eight years in sales at SuccessFactors with high-growth achievement.

Michael Lohmann joins Actifio as Vice President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific, based in Melbourne, Australia. Lohmann has spent the past 15 years developing and leading high-performance teams at Delphix, Serena and Embarcadero. Lohmann has worked with some of the region's most high-profile customers, playing an integral role in growing and supporting the regional channel ecosystem.

Dave Dyer, Actifio's Chief Revenue Officer, said, "To keep our momentum building, we are excited to bring these talented sales leaders to the Actifio team. Frank, Tom and Michael have all proven the ability to reach and win new customers with cloud-focused solutions. The Actifio Data-as-a-Service platform is transformative for the thousands of organizations that have deployed it around the world. These three leaders will help our ongoing global expansion as more companies adopt Actifio solutions for their digital transformation initiatives."

For more information on Actifio and our potential career opportunities, please visit Actifio.com.

About Actifio

Actifio is the world's leading Data-as-a-Service platform. It enables thousands of users around the world to deliver their data just as they deliver their applications and infrastructure... as a service available instantly, anywhere. An enterprise-class software platform powered by patented Virtual Data Pipeline technology, Actifio frees data from traditional infrastructure to accelerate adoption of hybrid cloud, build higher quality applications faster, and improve business resiliency and availability. For more, visit Actifio.com or follow us on Twitter @Actifio.

Media Contact:

P.J. Lee, CTP for Actifio

[email protected]

SOURCE Actifio

Related Links

http://www.actifio.com


Congressman Jeff Fortenberry on trade between the U.S. and China
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With China driving for industrial transformation and upgrading for more sustainable growth under its 13th Five-Year Plan, the petroleum and chemical industry is calling for new thoughts to steer its future direction, which is focused on higher value-added products, innovation and environmental protection.

Air Products' Industrial Gases Executive Vice President Corning Painter, along with 15 executives from other leading multinational and domestic chemical companies, attended the high-level, invitation-only and closed-door 2018 CEO Dialogue recently held in Beijing. Organized by government-backed China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF), the Dialogue is an annual forum for leaders to discuss industry challenges and exchange ideas to guide the next phase of development.

Addressing the topic "Prospect of the Transformation and Upgrading of Petroleum and Chemical Industry in New Era," Painter offered his insights on how the coal gasification industry can play a key role in China's Energy Strategy.

Gasification converts coal into syngas, carbon monoxide and hydrogen for further processing into higher value chemicals and transportation fuels.

"Gasification is the cleanest way to use coal. The major gasification players are investing in new facilities to produce these higher-value derivatives and creating growth opportunities for coal companies. The key ingredients for success are innovation, advanced technology, world-scale operational expertise, and industry cooperation to bring this all together. Large-scale gasifiers equipped with proven technology and plant operational expertise can help maximize output and minimize production cost. Air Products is committed to contributing our expertise and working as a partner in this endeavor to advance China's success," Painter said at the forum.

Air Products has been actively supporting China's coal gasification market and collaborating with leading domestic companies to produce cleaner fuels and higher value-added downstream chemicals. More than a dozen of its advanced world-scale air separation unit plants are involved in four gigantic industry-leading coal chemical projects in Pucheng and Yulin of Shaanxi Province, Changzhi of Shanxi Province and Ordos in Inner Mongolia.

Last year, the company signed a significant investment agreement with Yankuang in the presence of U.S. President Trump and China President Xi during the U.S. Department of Commerce's Trade Mission to China on a $3.5 billion coal-to-syngas production facility in Yulin. Prior to that, Air Products signed an agreement to form a $1.3 billion joint venture with Lu'an on another major coal gasification project in Changzhi. Most recently, in January 2018, the company announced an agreement to acquire Royal Dutch Shell plc's Coal Gasification Technology business and Shell's patent portfolio for Liquids (Residue) Gasification in support of gasification projects.

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 2017 sales of $8.2 billion from continuing operations in 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of about $35 billion. Approximately 15,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from a diversity of backgrounds are driven by Air Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. 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, 2017.

SOURCE Air Products

Related Links

http://www.airproducts.com


NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Diplomats, Jewish leaders, representatives of New York ethnic and faith groups, and members of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) gathered at the global Jewish advocacy group's headquarters this morning to memorialize Mireille Knoll, the 85-year-old Jewish grandmother and Holocaust survivor, who was savagely murdered in her Paris apartment.

Knoll is the 11th French Jew murdered as a Jew since 2006, all at the hands of jihadists. The brutality of Knoll's killing  she died as her apartment burned in a fire set by her attackers after she was stabbed 11 times  horrified the Jewish community, political leaders, and civil society. Law enforcement has declared anti-Semitism as the presumed motive. A neighbor, who had frequented Knoll's apartment since he was a child, is one of the two suspects in the brutal attack.

"Mireille Knoll's murder haunts me. It is a painful reminder of the face of anti-Semitism in France today," said Paris-based AJC Europe Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, who addressed the event by video.

Thousands honored Knoll in Paris last night, marching from the Place de la Nation, on the eastern side of the capital, to her apartment building. Earlier in the day President Macron attended her funeral.

The somber program at AJC headquarters this morning was a collective expression of solidarity with the Knoll family  and with France's Jewish community, the largest in Europe. In addition to the 11 murders, the community has experienced a number of other threats and attacks on individuals and institutions.

"The world's oldest hatred, anti-Semitism, is metastasizing in ways that threaten not only France's Jews, but French society," said AJC CEO David Harris. "The viciousness of her murder is especially sickening. Insufficient response to date to the pattern of attacks on Jews continues to be most worrisome. Will the Mireille Knoll tragedy be the last one?"

For decades, AJC has been in the forefront of the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe, working with governments, civil society, and Jewish communities to help develop and implement strategies aimed at systematically confronting and combating anti-Semitism.

"In 2001, we first alerted French officials to the growing threat against France's Jews, but, tragically, our warnings largely fell on deaf ears for several years," Harris said. "Some progress has certainly been made in recent years by the French government, but clearly more concrete action is urgently needed to prevent anti-Semitic violence and instill in all French Jews the confidence that they are safe."

France's Interior Ministry and the Jewish Community Protection Service (SPCJ) reported last year that although the number of anti-Semitic threats had decreased in 2017, the number of violent anti-Semitic acts had increased to 97, up from 77 in 2016.

French Consul General Anne-Claire Legendre declared that anti-Semitism is "a scourge." There can be "no accommodation, no blindness." She pledged the "absolute determination of the French government to fight anti-Semitism."

Knoll survived the Holocaust as a child when she and her mother managed to escape the 1942 roundup of 13,000 Jews at Vel d'Hiv in Paris and deportation to Nazi camps. She found refuge in Portugal and returned to Paris after the war, where she married an Auschwitz survivor.

Israeli Consul General Dani Dayan said that in recent years "France has suffered hundreds of victims to hatred and terrorism, but that does not diminish, even for one iota, the responsibility to confront the anti-Semitism wave that cost the lives of 11 Jews on French territory." He expressed "hope that Knoll's murder will be a call to action for freedom-loving people" to confront anti-Semitism in France.

During the commemorative ceremony, the standing-room-audience of more than 150 people joined in reciting the Jewish mourner's prayer, led by Rabbi Noam Marans, AJC Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations. "The Knoll family will be in our hearts at our Passover Seder table," said Marans, noting the Jewish holiday that begins tomorrow evening.

"History has taught that if Jewish people are under threat anywhere, then the world is under threat," said Marans, but "we will not be paralyzed by fear. We have the power to act."

Rene-Pierre Azria, Chair of AJC Paris and a member AJC's Executive Council, in introductory remarks for the memorial, reflected on the pattern of heinous anti-Semitic crimes in France. "None of these murderers has any decency whatsoever left in them," he said.

In addition to the French and Israeli consuls general, diplomats from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland attended. And representatives of Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Representatives Yvette Clarke and Joe Crowley, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and New York State Senator Brad Holman also were in the audience.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


PLANO, Texas, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, will host a conference call on April 19, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the Company's first-quarter 2018 results. Hosting the call will be Ed Heffernan, president and chief executive officer; and Charles Horn, chief financial officer.

The conference call will be available via the Internet at www.alliancedata.com. Additionally, there will be several slides accompanying the webcast. Please go to the website at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary software. Please contact FTI Consulting by e-mail: [email protected] with any questions.

About Alliance Data

Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500, FORTUNE 500 and FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ approximately 20,000 associates at more than 100 locations worldwide.

Alliance Data's card services business is a provider of market-leading private label, co-brand, and business credit card programs. Epsilon is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant, a leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne owns and operates the AIR MILES Reward Program, Canada's most recognized loyalty program, and Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.

Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

Contacts: Investors/Analysts

Tiffany Louder

Alliance Data

214-494-3048

[email protected]





Media

Shelley Whiddon

Alliance Data

214-494-3811

[email protected]

SOURCE Alliance Data Systems Corporation

Related Links

http://www.alliancedata.com


ROHNERT PARK, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameritech Financial is a document preparation company headquartered in Sonoma County, California. The company provides assistance to federal student loan borrowers in the form of an analysis of their loan situation and document preparation for applications and recertifications for income-driven repayment plans. Why is this significant? Borrowers who may be struggling with their student loan payments may be interested in income-driven repayment plans (IDRs) because the plans might offer a more affordable payment than the borrower has through the Standard plan, which is the plan federal student loan borrowers enter into automatically once repayment begins.

"Many student loan borrowers don't even know they have options other than the repayment plan that they're in or they don't know that they have to apply to get into a new plan," said Tom Knickerbocker, Executive Vice President of Ameritech Financial. "Ameritech Financial guides borrowers through the whole process of applying to get into a new repayment plan and provides concrete support to help them successfully do it."

Why choose Ameritech Financial? Student loan borrowers may run into difficulty either understanding what their options are regarding income-driven repayment plans or applying for the plansor both. Given how many federal student loan borrowers are in default, Ameritech Financial believes that not enough borrowers are taking advantage of the programs available to them. This includes lower-balance borrowers whose seemingly manageable loan balance is actually quite burdensome.

One of Ameritech Financial's core services is document preparation, which entails professionals at the company preparing the necessary paperwork for IDR applications and recertifications for the client's review and approval. Ameritech Financial will walk through all the paperwork with the client and notify the client of any supplemental materials they need to submit along with forms. The whole process is to ensure that the borrower's IDR application is done correctly.

Ameritech Financial prides itself on excellent service. The company, which is a private entity, protects clients' interests by employing a dedicated account provider to house all fees that clients pay to the company. The account provider only releases the funds to Ameritech Financial after Ameritech demonstrates that service was successfully rendered to the client.

"We've helped thousands of student loan borrowers improve their repayment situation, and we're excited to help thousands more," said Knickerbocker. "We're a growing company that is focused on assisting the millions of student loan borrowers who need guidance and support."

About Ameritech Financial

Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education.

Ameritech Financial is a member of the Association for Student Loan Relief (AFSLR), and each representative on the phone has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional Customer Service.

Contact

To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact:

Ameritech Financial

5789 State Farm Drive #265

Rohnert Park, CA 94928

1-800-792-8621

[email protected]

Related Links

Ameritech Financial homepage

SOURCE Ameritech Financial

Related Links

https://ameritechfinancial.com


WASHINGTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- API called on FirstEnergy to stop misleading the public surrounding the future of its power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"FirstEnergy needs to stop misleading the public and government officials about the status of its power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania," said API Market Development Group Director Todd Snitchler. "FirstEnergy's latest attempt to spread a false narrative surrounding the reliability of the electric grid is nothing more than a ruse that will force Main Street consumers to pay higher prices.

"As FirstEnergy has said repeatedly, it plans to exit the merchant generation business and retire or deactivate some of its power plants. In fact, these announced retirements are not slated to occur for another 2-3 years. Further, its Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ohio was just refueled.

"FirstEnergy's claim that the electric grid would be in immediate danger with these power plant retirements is simply untrue. According to PJM, we have more than enough electricity in the grid to handle these retirements thanks to additional natural gas plants in the region.

"For FirstEnergy to cry wolf on the issue of grid reliability is irresponsible and is the company's latest attempt to force consumers to pay for a bailout. PJM is responsible for the reliability of the grid and if there is an emergency, PJM already has the tools to respond."

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 10.3 million U.S. jobs and nearly 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API's more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation's energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 40 million Americans.

SOURCE American Petroleum Institute

Related Links

http://www.api.org/


PHILADELPHIA, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AppBus, a digital business platform company, is pleased to announce the addition of Michael Cristinziano to the AppBus Advisory Board. Cristinziano is an independent Board Member, consultant and advisor to growth stage software companies. His technical foundation, combined with solid business and financial acumen, will bring unique insights to AppBus.

"Every well-positioned company would welcome having someone with Mike's track record on their advisory board," said AppBus CEO William (Bill) J. Conners, Jr. "His expertise in technology, strategy and investment banking aligns well with AppBus and our commitment to accelerate enterprise digital transformation."

Most recently, as Corporate VP, Strategic Development at Citrix Systems, he was responsible for M&A, technology licensing, corporate venture capital and investor relations. Michael's strategic leadership facilitated Citrix's transformation from a single-product company to a strategic provider of secure application and data delivery solutions. During his tenure, Citrix allocated over $3 billion in capital to complete over 50 acquisitions and grew revenue from approximately $500 million to $3.4 billion resulting in $12 billion of shareholder value creation.

"I am committed to working with companies that have unique technology, large market opportunities, and a demonstrated ability to solve the most difficult IT problems," said Cristinziano. "AppBus, with its Digital Business Platform, has a deep-rooted understanding of the required capabilities that the modern enterprise demands. Their solution is well positioned to deliver secure role-based workspaces with context-aware application assembly. Their ability to preserve and extend existing technology assets while acting as the foundation for app modernization is well documented."

About AppBus

AppBus provides a digital business platform that integrates, automates and secures enterprise application delivery to any device on any network. With AppBus, acclimating to change is simple, we leverage the capabilities of the enterprise, enable transparency for automation and accelerate the delivery of optimal experiences. Our platform ensures innovation and time to value throughout the enterprise ecosystem with employees, customers, and partners.

Visit us at AppBus.com

SOURCE AppBus
LUGANO, Switzerland, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

ORS GROUP is on a Mission to Empower Entrepreneurs with the New Digital Alphabet: ABC - Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency

Blockchain technology continues to be one of the most exciting emerging technologies in the world today. Individuals, corporations, and even governments are developing means to use this revolutionary tool in advancing their processes. Many experts have come out to say that Blockchain holds the key to the actualization of a number of important technological breakthroughs. Within the haze of excitement and optimism, the core of the discourse surrounding Blockchain tends to center on strengths and weaknesses of the technology.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660225/ORS_GROUP_Logo.jpg )



A key figure in the Blockchain and cryptocurrency community is Fabio Zoffi, the President and Executive Chairman of ORS GROUP. Here is how his journey to the Blockchain shores began.

Early this year, Zoffi wrote: "My journey towards the blockchain shores is revealing itself like a musical composition of what I have been reasoning and partially acting upon in the last few years - the true nature of capitalism and money, how to turn technologies into successful businesses, the advancement of scientific breakthroughs in robotics and A.I., and the consequences for society."

Being a serial entrepreneur, he embarked on this journey five years ago, when he met his friend and business partner, Pierluigi Riva. Riva is the founder and products mastermind of ORS GROUP, a global provider of algorithms and software solutions for optimizing value chains. The Piedmont-raised and London-educated scientist had been running the company for 15 years at that point.

Fast track to March this year: the fast-growing company with a presence in Italy, Germany and the US, to name a few, has announced its expansion into the Blockchain space. By combining the power of A.I. with blockchain technology, thanks to the newly created 'Hypersmart Contracts' and the group aims to empower 1 billion small entrepreneurs by 2040.

Observing the impact of automation over the course of its 20-year history, the group has become acutely aware of a future in which a few giant corporations and wealthy individuals might control robotic plants and global assets. Its mission is to avoid this scenario by releasing their algorithms and technology to the masses. Any talented individual can consequently become an entrepreneur with a lasting competitive advantage in their field.

The international high tech firm boasts a strong team of scientists and IT developers including mathematicians, econometricians, and economists. Clients include Fortune 2000 enterprises and span industries including retail, energy, finance, and manufacturing. ORS GROUP software solutions save their clients over $1 billion yearly.

ORS GROUP have recognised that the blockchain can be utilised for collecting and sharing information with ease among decentralised, independent organisations and that Ethereum smart contracts are extremely useful for executing instant payments without financial intermediaries. As a result, they formulated the new "Digital Alphabet" which connects together A.I., Blockchain and Cryptocurrency, thanks to their newly created 'Hypersmart Contracts'.

Hypersmart Contracts act as intelligent connectors, which activate A.I. algorithms to solve complex efficiency and optimization problems utilizing data stored on-chain. They are also able to release instant cryptocurrency payments. Together these technologies can lead to significant improvements in global value chains, which even small farmers can benefit from.

For example, algorithms can be used to predict crop yields and for dynamic price optimization while blockchain can be used for providing transparency about the whole food chain, and cryptocurrency is used for receiving immediate payments. As an end result, small farmers can regain bargaining powers against distributors and compete globally. Watch Dr. Zoffi explain how hypersmart contracts can empower entrepreneurs globally: Video.

The Group and Eidoo, an app that helps cryptocurrency go mainstream with a multi-currency wallet, have closed a sales agreement for integrating the ORS Crypto Robo Advisor "Hypersmart Contract" with the Eidoo wallet. Eidoo users are able to automatically use A.I. algorithms in trading and investing crypto assets on the basis of their own preferences and risk profiles.

With over 200,000 downloads worldwide, Eidoo is set to become a leader in offering advanced blockchain-related functionalities.

ORS GROUP is making these algorithms and solutions available to the community at large - providing the ABC technology building blocks: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Cryptocurrency to entrepreneurs.

Dr. Zoffi has previously mentioned that it is no secret that automation and AI are going to change the world very quickly. Fabio wants ORS GROUP to help ensure a bright future for our children, not a dystopian one. The group aims to build a future that is more creative, entrepreneurial and more equal. He raised concerns that not everyone has the skills or knowledge to run and grow a business that can compete globally; but thanks to ORS' new Digital Alphabet now they will be equipped.

"When I learned about blockchain technology everything came together in my mind and we decided to enter the crypto world to help empower a community of developers and entrepreneurs worldwide." - Fabio Zoffi.

What differentiates ORS and makes their story unique? Let us give you one example: For a global manufacturing and retail company with over $10B in sales, our A.I.-based software is deciding in real time the yearly distribution of 20M items to almost 300k customers from a network of 200 distribution centers and warehouses. And in taking such decisions ("whom should receive what, when and how?"), the algorithms optimize the whole supply chain and even send commands to Systems, Applications, and Products for execution. The significant results are a 50% reduction in inventories and $200M in savings every year. Watch how here: Video.

About ORS Group

Founded in Italy, now with global operations, the ORS GROUP is a software company with over 20 years of experience in delivering sophisticated A.I. based optimization software solutions to a large international client base (http://www.ors.ai ).

Their new product, the Hypersmart Contracts ("HSC"), aims to provide access to more than 1,000 proprietary algorithms and hundreds of software solutions to the Crypto Community and to established businesses (http://www.orsgroup.io ).

ORS Department of Communications at [email protected], +39-0173-620-211

SOURCE ORS GROUP
DRESHER, Pa., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascensus, a technology-enabled service provider that helps more than 7 million Americans save for the future, has entered into an agreement to acquire ASPERIA Retirement Plan Solutions ("ASPERIA"), formerly Group Health & Benefit Administrators, Inc. (GHBA). The third-party administration (TPA) firm, which designs, administers, and consults on defined contribution and defined benefits plans, will immediately become part of Ascensus' TPA Solutions division.

Based in Worcester, Massachusetts, ASPERIA has established a strong presence in the defined contribution and defined benefit markets. With a core competency in creative plan design, its team of experts has the professional expertise to offer flexible plan designs and services as well as the knowledge to keep retirement programs compliant with changing government regulations.

"ASPERIA's dedication to providing affordable, quality administration tailored to the unique needs of clients and their employees is in line with Ascensus' mission of helping Americans save for retirement, education, and health needs," states David Musto, Ascensus' president. "We welcome their associates and the expertise they bring in terms of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, plan design, and plan document services."

"At ASPERIA, we strive to create successful retirement plan solutions that can maximize tax benefits and minimize administration time," says Brian K. Carroll, ASPERIA's president and chief executive officer. "We look forward to continuing to deliver well-managed, compliant retirement plans as part of the Ascensus family."

"Adding ASPERIA to Ascensus allows us to extend the reach of our TPA Solutions division to the northeastern U.S.," says Raghav Nandagopal, Ascensus' executive vice president of corporate development and M&A. "We were impressed by their strong business model and solid company culture, and will look to acquire companies that possess similar traits as we continue to execute our growth plans."

About Ascensus

Ascensus helps more than 7 million Americans save for the futureretirement, education, and healthcarethrough technology-enabled solutions. With more than 35 years of experience, the firm offers tailored solutions that meet the needs of asset managers, banks, credit unions, state governments, financial professionals, employers, and individuals. Ascensus supports over 54,000 retirement plans, more than 4 million 529 education savings accounts, and a growing number of ABLE savings accounts. It also administers more than 1.5 million IRAs and health savings accounts. As of December 31, 2017, Ascensus had over $163 billion in total assets under administration. For more information about Ascensus, visit ascensus.com.

View career opportunities at careers.ascensus.com/page/show/tpa and careers.ascensus.com or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ascensus. For the latest company news, follow @AscensusInc on Twitter.

SOURCE Ascensus

Related Links

https://www.ascensus.com


"Our vision for Auburn is to become a world-class academic, research and service university in the true spirit of our land-grant heritage," said Leath. "The strategy and initiatives launched today are designed to position Auburn as an undisputed go-to destination for that special caliber of student, faculty, staff and development partner driven to make a meaningful impact on the state of Alabama, the nation and the world."

Auburn Provost Bill Hardgrave noted that the expansion of Auburn's faculty will have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the university's land-grant mission of education, research and outreach. "By strategically increasing our faculty, we are strengthening our commitment to providing the highest quality programs while building a unique community of scholars. Our students will benefit from heightened engagement with a broader cadre of faculty working across disciplines to expand and drive our educational, research and outreach initiatives."

Auburn has current enrollment of 29,776 full-time students. There are no current plans to measurably increase undergraduate student enrollment. New graduate student enrollment initiatives are being planned to grow doctoral student admissions in support of the announced faculty expansion. The total number of tenured and tenure-track faculty is expected to grow from 1,144 in 2018 to an estimated 1,250 by 2022 after accounting for typical faculty retirement and attrition patterns.

Government and economic development leaders expressed their support for the new hiring initiatives and Auburn's commitment to outreach and engagement.

"I look forward to continuing to work closely with Dr. Steven Leath as he serves as the 19th president of Auburn University," said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. "Dr. Leath genuinely cares for others and seeks to make a positive difference in our world. As a visionary and innovative leader, he will honor Auburn's past and move our fine institution into a new era of prosperity and excellence."

"Dr. Leath has a deep appreciation for the pivotal role strong research universities play in development," noted Steve R. Spencer, president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. "They create environments that leading industries need to thrive and attract a talented workforce, and they are crucial to attracting top students, graduates and businesses and keeping them in the State. Through Dr. Leath's vision and leadership, we look forward to even more productive collaboration with Auburn that will help drive Alabama's future prosperity and growth."

According to the 2017 Auburn University Economic Impact Study, the Auburn University system and its alumni contributed $5.4 billion to the economy of the State of Alabama in 2016-2017. The study estimates that Auburn's impact is responsible for creating some 25,826 jobs in Alabama during that timeframe in addition to the university's own direct employment.

Learn more online about engaging with Auburn.

About Auburn

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 29,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn's commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact. Auburn's mission to educate, discover and collaborate drives its expanding impact on the world. www.auburn.edu

Video of Dr. Leath's speech will be posted later today at www.auburn.edu/AuburnInspires.

SOURCE Auburn University

Related Links

http://www.auburn.edu


SAO PAULO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Azul announces today that it will bring Paris - one of the most visited destinations in the world - closer to Brazilians. In partnership with the French carrier Aigle Azur, Azul will market nonstop flights from Sao Paulo - Viracopos (Brazil) to Paris (France) starting in July this year. With unparalleled connectivity at Viracopos airport, the largest domestic hub in Latin America by number of direct destinations, Azul customers from all over Brazil will benefit from a seamless travel experience to Paris and beyond.

"This flight represents another milestone in the growth of Viracopos as a major hub of Azul. We are very excited about adding Paris to our ever growing domestic and international network. We will offer fast and convenient connections from all over Brazil to Paris. In addition, including Paris to our portfolio of destinations will be extremely positive and will strengthen our loyalty program TudoAzul and our vacations business Azul Viagens, giving many more options to our valued customers", says Abhi Shah, Chief Revenue Officer of Azul.

"We are very proud and more than happy to start serving Campinas from Paris - Orly, recognized as downtown Paris' closest airport, and to extend Azul's recognized quality of service, with our own French touch, while offering our passengers an unparalleled connectivity opportunity both in Brazil and in Europe", says Frantz Yvelin, CEO of Aigle Azur.

Azul and Aigle Azur are waiting for regulatory approvals to sign a codeshare agreement, which will allow both airlines to sell tickets jointly. The agreement will provide several benefits to customers, including the ability to issue a single boarding pass and to check baggage to the final destination. Aigle Azur flights are based at Orly Airport in Paris, the closest to city center, and will be operated with Airbus A330 aircraft with lay flat business class seats. With this agreement, Azul's customers from all over the country that already fly from Viracopos to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Lisbon, will be able to fly to Paris.

About Azul

Azul S.A. (B3: AZUL4,NYSE: AZUL), the largest airline in Brazil by number of cities served, offers 766 daily flights to 104 destinations. With an operating fleet of 122 aircraft and more than 10,000 crewmembers, the company has a network of 223 non-stop routes as of December 31, 2017. Among other awards received in 2017, Azul was elected third best airline in the world by TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice and best low cost carrier in South America for the seventh consecutive time by Skytrax. Azul also ranked as most on-time airline in Brazil and most on-time low-cost carrier in the Americas in 2017 according to OAG's Punctuality League, the industry's most comprehensive annual ranking of on-time performance. For more information visit www.voeazul.com.br/ir.

About Aigle Azur

Created in 1946, Aigle Azur is the 2nd French airline. The company carries around 2 million passengers each year because of its nearly 300 weekly scheduled flights operated from Lyon, Marseille and Paris. The company owns an exclusive fleet of Airbus aircraft. For seven decades, Aigle Azur has never stopped connecting people, continents and cultures, being faithful to its values of welcome, sharing and conviviality. With flights departing from five French cities, Aigle Azur flies to Algeria, Portugal, Mali (Bamako), Senegal (Dakar), Lebanon (Beirut), Russia (Moscow) and Germany (Berlin).

Contact

Investor Relations

Tel: +55 11 4831 2880

[email protected]

Media Relations

Tel: +55 11 4831 1245

[email protected]

SOURCE Azul S.A.

Related Links

http://www.voeazul.com.br/ir


TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Bank of Montreal (TSX:BMO)(NYSE:BMO) today announced that it has entered into an automatic securities purchase plan ("ASPP") with its broker, BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., in order to facilitate repurchases of BMO common shares ("Common Shares") under its previously announced normal course issuer bid ("NCIB").

The Bank previously announced that it had received approvals from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI) to repurchase for cancellation up to 22 million common shares under its NCIB, which commenced on May 1, 2017, and expires on April 30, 2018. Under the NCIB, the Bank may repurchase shares through the facilities of the TSX and alternative Canadian trading systems or by such other means as may be permitted by a securities regulatory authority, including private agreements or share repurchase programs under exemption orders issued by securities regulatory authorities. All repurchased shares will be cancelled. The timing and amount of purchases under the NCIB are subject to regulatory approvals and to management discretion based on factors such as market conditions.

Under the Bank's ASPP, the Bank's broker may purchase Common Shares at times when the Bank ordinarily would not be active in the market due to insider trading rules and its own internal trading blackout periods. Purchases will be made by the Bank's broker based upon parameters set by the Bank prior to the commencement of any such blackout period and in accordance with the terms of the automatic purchase plan. The ASPP has been approved by the TSX.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group
PHOENIX, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As a classic car enthusiast, Tyler Copenhaver spent his spare time between bartending and school purchasing rundown classic cars and restoring them to make a little extra cash to pay his way through a degree in Bio-Chemistry at Arizona State University. When the neighbors started complaining about the eyesores in the driveway, he scoured the classifieds for a space to work on his side projects away from the judgmental eyes of the neighborhood.

Apex Customs - Our Story The Founder Apex Customs Work

While Tyler Copenhaver didn't set out to build one of the most respected automotive customization shops in the west coast, his interactions with restoration shops and hard to find parts dealers quickly revealed an opportunity in the market.

With a lack of continuity between service offerings at shops around the city and customer service a shockingly low priority for the shops he could find, Tyler sought to open a shop that would offer all the customization services you need under one roof. No more towing your vehicle all over the city to the tire shop, the body shop, and engine builder just to complete a project. His number one priority was to make customer service and ethical practices the foundation of every project he took on.

Founded in 2014 on a shoestring budget, a commitment to honesty, and a drive to do whatever it took to make customers happy with their service, Tyler created Apex Customs, a full-service automotive shop dedicated to providing automotive enthusiasts with all of their customization needs under one roof.

What Tyler lacked in capital to start the capital-intensive business, he made up for in tenacity, thriftiness, 100-hour work weeks, negotiation skills, living on rice and beans, and an unmatched ability to go above and beyond for his customers.

Apex Customs is a bootstrapped business, founded with Tyler's tips from the bar, a handful of credit cards, and consistently rolling the revenues of the business right back into growing the service offerings. To date, Apex has never brought in a large investor or taken a bank loan to build the impressive operation he operates today.

While growing the business, Tyler conducted expensive research on every service and vendor by studying every detail down to the chemistry of the product and tested every product and supplier on his own project cars before offering the service to customers.

By day Tyler worked on customer cars in between classes at ASU and worked late into the night tending bar and sneaking in homework to generate the cash to keep the business growing. The business started with vinyl wrapping cars in a shabby metal shack and has grown to a four-building shop with multiple bays, lifts and an impressive team of technicians offering every customization service an enthusiast would need to build his dream ride.

"Tyler's ability to sell services, keep customers happy, coordinate multiple projects, manage staff, and come up with money out of thin air to keep the lights on in a pinch is nothing short of a miracle. He's the most tenacious entrepreneur I have ever met," said Elliot Hutchens, Vice President of Apex Customs.

Tyler brought in his childhood friend Elliot early in the operations to help with the technical, business, and accounting side of the business. With his background in Business Operations, Information Technology, and Accounting, Elliot has been instrumental in assisting Tyler to navigate the nuances of operating the business side of Apex Customs.

Tyler and Elliot grew up together and formed a bond through their similarities in dreaming big and working hard to make those dreams come true. Both came from meager means and started working full-time jobs at age 14 to support themselves. They have an unmatched work ethic and believe you can achieve anything you set your mind to despite everyone around them telling they would never amount to anything.

"Our vision is to build the largest and most successful shop in the country. We want to remake an industry that tends to put customers last by becoming advisers to their customization projects, helping them throughout the entire process without selling them on unnecessary services just to boost our profit. What gets us up in the morning is helping our customers turn their visions and dreams into reality," said Tyler Copenhaver, President of Apex Customs.

"What keeps us going through the challenges is the belief that the success of Apex will provide us the means to give back to the community and help other children that grew up in challenging environments. We want to help children who are less fortunate achieve their own dreams."

To showcase their shop and share a little of their story, Apex Customs has compiled a short video which they want to share with the world to help other entrepreneurs.

The video is available at: https://youtu.be/A9bffFwNyhk

About Apex Customs

The team at Apex Customs delivers Phoenix's most eye-catching automotive customizations through an array of forward-thinking products and services backed by master craftsmanship.

Media contact:

Tyler Copenhaver

[email protected]

480-331-3924

SOURCE Apex Customs, LLC
Dr. Shmerling is a seasoned executive who has worked in leadership roles at several pediatric hospitals around the United States during his career. For over three decades, he has served in management roles at children's hospitals across the country and is nationally recognized as a leader in issues concerning children's health and wellness. Prior to joining Connecticut Children's, Jim spent eight years as the Chief Executive Officer of Children's Hospital Colorado. Before that, he was the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt from 2002 to 2007. Jim is a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). He is an adjunct faculty member in the Hospital Administration programs, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Dr. Shmerling commented, "I am honored and excited to join the Board of Directors for Biostage. The company is working to bring a valuable medical technology to patients in need of better solutions and outcomes. I hope my deep experience in delivering medical solutions to pediatric patients will help guide the company in moving its technology from the lab to the clinic."

Biostage CEO Jim McGorry commented, "I and the other members of the company's Board are pleased to welcome Jim as a Biostage Board member. His breadth of experience in leading pediatric hospitals will be invaluable as Biostage develops our plans to provide solutions to the pediatric atresia market. Biostage is collaborating with Connecticut Children's Medical Center to translate our Cellframe technology from pre-clinical studies to clinical trials to address pediatric esophageal atresia, and the addition of Jim to our Board supports the vision of this collaboration."

About Biostage, Inc.

Biostage is a biotechnology company developing bioengineered organ implants based on the Company's Cellframe technology which combines a proprietary biocompatible scaffold with a patient's own stem cells to create Cellspan organ implants. Cellspan implants are being developed to treat life-threatening conditions of the esophagus, bronchus or trachea with the hope of dramatically improving the treatment paradigm for patients. Based on its preclinical data, Biostage has selected life-threatening conditions of the esophagus as the initial clinical application of its technology.

For more information, please visit www.biostage.com and connect with the Company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Some of the statements in this press release are "forward-looking" and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking" statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to development expectations and regulatory approval of any of Biostage's products, including those utilizing its Cellframe technology, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency or otherwise, which expectations or approvals may not be achieved or obtained on a timely basis or at all; or success with respect to any collaborations, clinical trials and other development and commercialization efforts of Biostage's products, including those utilizing its Cellframe technology, which such success may not be achieved or obtained on a timely basis or at all. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from the statements set forth in this press release, including, among other things, Biostage's ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for its products; Biostage's ability to expand into foreign markets, including China; plus other factors described under the heading "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Biostage's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 or described in its other public filings. Biostage's results may also be affected by factors of which Biostage is not currently aware. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Biostage expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Investor Relations Contact:

Tom McNaughton

Chief Financial Officer

774-233-7300

[email protected]

SOURCE Biostage, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.biostage.com


Rates starting from $130 per night for a standard Fairmont room with an automatic upgrade to deluxe accommodations

per night for a standard Fairmont room with an automatic upgrade to deluxe accommodations Bookable now through April 30, 2018 for stay dates from May 28 - September 11, 2018

for stay dates from Rate is per room, per night, based on double occupancy and subject to availability/applicable taxes

Daily resort service charge of $30 per room, per night (plus taxes) applies. Resort service charge includes half-day access to Trailblazers Kids Club for up to three children ages 5-12, internet access and more

per room, per night (plus taxes) applies. Resort service charge includes half-day access to Trailblazers Kids Club for up to three children ages 5-12, internet access and more Regular summer room rates start from $179 per room, per night

per room, per night A deposit of one night room and tax is due at the time of booking and is non-refundable

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is a play-cation paradise and the perfect backdrop for families to make memories to last a lifetime. Sure to be the best summer ever, weekends include cool rides down waterslides, sugar white sand at Sunset Beach, Techno Glo pool parties, Dive In movies, virtual reality roller coasters in the Trailblazers Family Adventure Center, Mermaid University and fishing derbies at the lagoon with Ranger Rick, with most activities being complimentary for overnight guests.

For the grown-ups, Well & Being Spa is a luxurious 44,000 sq. ft. sanctuary offering pampering treatments, innovative exercise classes such as aerial yoga, float fit and wall yoga, and a scenic rooftop pool.

Dining is a "wow" for the entire family at the resort's top-rated restaurants: Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak, La Hacienda by Richard Sandoval, Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar and Ironwood American Kitchen.

Then, fireworks light up the sky every Saturday night. Holiday weekends (Memorial Day, 4th of July Freedom Fest and Labor Day Dreamcation) offer even more themed festivities.

For details, call (480) 585-4848, toll-free at (866) 540-4495 or visit scottsdaleprincess.com.

SOURCE Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Related Links

https://www.scottsdaleprincess.com


SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An unprecedented lawsuit has attracted attention from Internet businesses and the legal community worldwide. On February 28, 2018, a Brazilian appeals court upheld Baidu Internet Ltd., LLC, Inc. Brazilian subsidiary of Chinese Internet giant Baidu, for violating unfair competition laws against tech start-up PSafe Technology. The District Court of the State of Sao Paulo ("Tribunal de Justica de Sao Paulo (TJ/SP"), in a unanimous vote, confirmed that Baidu practiced unfair competition in violation of Brazil's commercial law by programming its own Android app (DU Speed Booster) to state that that PSafe's flagship Android app (dfndr security) was a virus and should be immediately uninstalled. The decision marks the first time a Brazilian court has upheld an application of the country's unfair competition laws against an Internet and/or software company.

In its written decision, the Brazilian court cited, "Baidu's deliberate behavior focused on influencing users and denigrating PSafe's image, often causing users to uninstall [PSafe's] apps."

In one of its key lines of defense, Baidu tried to disqualify the technical report of the court-appointed forensic expert from the University of Sao Paulo, who had examined both PSafe's and Baidu's apps. After analyzing several versions of Baidu's applications, the expert concluded that Baidu's threat warning about PSafe's app was blatantly false and purposefully misleading. The court rejected Baidu's challenge of the expert's report, declaring that [there are] "few times one sees a forensic analysis conducted so carefully and attentively."

David and Goliath

The lawsuit is being referred to as the "David vs Goliath" case, a metaphor from the Biblical story of a small man winning a fight against a giant. "Our victory not only vindicates PSafe, but also creates a legal precedent for fair competition in the technology ecosystem," said Marco DeMello, CEO at PSafe.

According to the Brazilian court's decision, Baidu must publish a public retraction in its communication channels and social networks, pay PSafe for material and moral damages, and compensate PSafe's loss of profits. In support of the court's decision, the judge explained that "there is no conduct more harmful to a company that offers security software than to have its products identified as a virus that is [causing] vulnerabilities and risks to consumers' safety."

The full text of the court's decision, in Portuguese, is available here: Brazil Court Decision.

About PSafe

PSafe Technology is a leading provider of mobile security, privacy, and performance optimization apps. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative products that protect consumers' freedom to safely connect, share, play, express, and explore online. The flagship antivirus and anti-hacking app, dfndr security, with 130+ million installs globally, has consistently been named as a top-rated antivirus software by AV-TEST Institute  the world leader in security and antivirus research. To safeguard and enhance users' online experiences, the company's app portfolio continues to grow and now includes a cleaning and boosting appdfndr performance, a virtual private network app, dfndr vpn, a private storage appdfndr vault, and a battery performance appdfndr battery. PSafe is funded by Redpoint Ventures, e.ventures, RPeV, Pinnacle Ventures, and Index Ventures. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in Brazil and numerous satellite employees around the globe.

Press Contacts

David Templeton

DBT Communications

203.530.0458

[email protected]

Eduardo Gaggini

Zeno Group

+55 11 3146 0972

[email protected]

SOURCE PSafe
SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Future of Work is here, as organizations are increasingly prioritizing a flexible workforce as a critical element of their strategy. By 2027, MBO Partners predicts 58% of Americans will either be freelance workers, or will have previously worked as a freelancer. Insurance has been a primary barrier to this movement, which is why we're excited to announce our partnership with Chubb.

"We're thrilled to be working with Chubb, adding them as one of our key insurance partners, continuing our mission of eliminating insurance as a barrier to the Future of Work." said Chad Nitschke, co-founder & CEO of Bunker. "We launched the first usage-based business insurance product with Chubb last year, and for the first time an independent professional can purchase project specific general and professional liability and secure proof in two minutes on our platform. The product is live in 43 states, we've experienced triple digit policy growth, and over ten Future of Work platforms have signed on as new Bunker Members. We're ambitiously carrying this innovation forward and accelerating our product roadmap by building additional technology features and unique insurance products tailored to this rapidly growing part of our economy."

"As the leading platform for on-demand work by elite business consultants, Catalant couldn't be more excited to partner with Bunker." said Andrea Black, VP of Network Strategy. "Many companies have strict procurement requirements that can make it difficult for their teams to access independent expertise. Fortunately, Bunker makes it easy for consultants in Catalant's network to quickly obtain coverage and provide proof of insurance to our clients. Bunker's on-demand insurance products and technology platform have been critical in enabling a seamless engagement model on the Catalant platform."

As part of the partnership Chubb made a minority investment in Bunker. Bunker previously raised $8M from Comcast Ventures, Route 66 Ventures, and Spero Ventures along with insurers American Family Ventures and Hiscox.

About Bunker: Bunker Technologies, Inc., headquartered in San Francisco, CA with a second office in Madison, WI, is a venture-backed company founded in 2015 to embed insurance directly into the contracting process. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Bunker Protect, Inc., they are a licensed insurance broker in all 50 states, in addition to working with leading insurance carriers in building new and unique small business insurance products. By embedding insurance into the contracting process, Bunker delivers the exact insurance policies at the moment they're needed.

SOURCE Bunker

Related Links

http://www.buildbunker.com


"Relaxing with a Canada Dry has always been part of its heritage," said Doris Chung, SVP, Creative Director at Deutsch. "With the launch of its new product, Ginger Ale & Lemonade, we were able to bring this concept to life through 'Ginger Man.' We're excited to debut this modern guru and share the secrets of relaxation with the world."

The new digital and television ads  created by Deutsch  will feature a new character, 'Ginger Man.' The likeable guru played by Cullen Moss is on a mission to give consumers guidance on how to taste nirvana. The Ginger Man character will accompany an integrated campaign consisting of national television commercials, audio streaming program advertisements, and an extension across social, digital and media channels.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade can be enjoyed on its own or used in drink recipes for a refreshing punch or cocktail. To learn more about Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade and for delicious drink recipes, visit www.canadadry.com.

Pick up a Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade at your local retailer today to unwind and experience the real ginger and lemonade taste.

About Canada Dry

Canada Dry, a brand of Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS), is a leader in great-tasting carbonated beverages. Founded in 1904 in Toronto, Ontario, by John McLaughlin, Canada Dry Ginger Ale is enjoyed by fans for its real ginger flavor. The Canada Dry portfolio also includes club soda, tonic water, sparkling water and other flavored beverages. DPS is a leading producer of flavored beverages, marketing Canada Dry and 50-plus other brands across North America and the Caribbean. For more information, visit CanadaDry.com or DrPepperSnapple.com. For the brand's latest news and updates, follow Canada Dry at Facebook.com/CanadaDry.

SOURCE Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Within the airline industry, CAPA's Americas Aviation Summit is widely regarded to be the highest-level aviation event of the North Americas region. The summit will feature panel discussions on issues in the US domestic and international aviation markets, the regulatory toolbox in higher growth markets, aggressive pricing, foreign ownership rules for domestic airlines, embracing digital disruption in airline distribution, plus much more. "This is an extremely high-level event," explains CAPA Executive Chairman Peter Harbison, "drawing Airline CEOs, senior industry executives and senior travel industry representatives from around the world. Now is a perfect time to book your attendance."

CAPA  Centre for Aviation, Established in 1990, is the leading provider of independent aviation market intelligence, analysis, reports and data services, offering daily coverage of worldwide developments. CAPA offers its members an extensive range of information services developed by a global team of writers and analysts covering the entire spectrum of commercial aviation.

CAPA Members receive unrivalled industry analysis and a customized selection of over 400 daily news briefs, as well as online access to comprehensive industry data and company profiles. CAPA also produces Airline Leader - the bi-monthly strategy journal distributed to 25,000 industry leaders globally and a range of CAPA Reports and presentations on key industry issues and trends. The largest collection of current CEO interviews and aviation executive commentary is available via CAPA TV.

CAPA also runs C-level aviation and corporate travel summits in key markets around the world, bringing together the key stakeholders of the global commercial aviation industry. For further information call: +61 29241 3200 or visit www.CentreForAviation.com today.

Contact Information for:

Contact: Daniella Baxter, +61 29241 3200

Event Website: amas18.capaevents.com

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE CAPA - Centre for Aviation

Related Links

http://www.centreforaviation.com


The US conducted an airstrike that killed a senior leader of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in war-ravaged Libya, the Pentagon said.

The Al Qaeda leader was identified in the Pentagon statement as Musa Abu Dawud who had trained recruits in Libya to carry out attacks in the region.

He provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack US and Western interests in the region, US Africa Command said.

The statement added that the airstrike was conducted in coordination with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA).

The chaos and infighting that ensued the collapse of Gaddafi regime in 2011 offered propitious conditions for the surge of terrorist groups such as AQIM and ISIS in the country.

Left unaddressed, these organizations could continue to inflict casualties on the civilian populations and security forces, and plot attacks against US citizens and allied interests in the region, said the statement.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today the signing of two new franchise development agreements to propel the brand's growth in Texas. Captain D's has experienced a surge in franchise development fueled by its ongoing success over the past several years, with 2017 marking another year of substantial growth for the brand. To further drive this momentum, Captain D's will be exhibiting at booth #314 at the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference from April 3-6 in Las Vegas and is seeking experienced multi-unit operators interested in diversifying with the nation's leading fast casual seafood brand.

"As the first fast casual seafood concept to integrate a fire-grilled platform and better-for-you grilled items into our core menu, Captain D's commitment to innovation has solidified its position as the industry leader. Our continued success has allowed us to accelerate development efforts in several prime expansion markets, and we're thrilled to be growing the brand's footprint in Texas alongside our experienced franchise operators," said Brad Reed, chief development officer of Captain D's. "In the midst of this continued growth, we're constantly looking for the right candidates to join Captain D's, and look forward to meeting with operators at the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference who are interested in diversifying their portfolio with a nationally-recognized brand."

Captain D's has continued to target Texas as a key market for development, and these agreements come on the heels of new restaurant openings in Houston, Dallas, and Garland last year. The new and existing Captain D's franchisees driving the brand's footprint in Texas include:

Mohammad "Jimmy" K. Jamshed of Alaskan Ventures LLC has signed a franchise development agreement with Captain D's to open a new restaurant in Gatesville, Texas . This location marks the third Captain D's Jamshed is slated to open in the state, with two additional restaurants currently in development in Stephenville and Hillsboro . He has more than 20 years experience in multi-unit executive management, and will be opening his first Captain D's location in the next couple of years.

. This location marks the third Captain D's Jamshed is slated to open in the state, with two additional restaurants currently in development in and . He has more than 20 years experience in multi-unit executive management, and will be opening his first Captain D's location in the next couple of years. New franchisee Sajib Singha of Bonham Foods LLC signed his first agreement with Captain D's to open a new restaurant in North Texas , targeting the Bonham area. Singha is a franchising industry veteran with 17 years of experience owning and operating leading restaurant concepts including Dairy Queen, Golden Chick and Schlotzsky's.

Those interested in developing Captain D's restaurants are encouraged to visit booth #314 during the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference from April 3-6 at Caesars Palace, located at 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd. in Las Vegas, where representatives from the company will be available to further discuss franchising opportunities.

Coupled with its ongoing menu innovation, Captain D's credits its new restaurant beach design with contributing to the brand's ongoing strong performance. To date, nearly 75 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand's new vibrant, coastal design. With these efforts, Captain D's has remained true to what it does best  serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere.

With 535 restaurants in 22 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-550-4877.

ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has 535 restaurants in 22 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for more than 48 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature hand-battered fish, which is cooked to order. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, and surf and turf, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com.

Contact:

Caitlin Willard

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Captain D's

Related Links

http://www.captainds.com


CHICAGO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Eau Claire Distillery, Canada's premier craft distillery, today announced its official launch into Chicago markets. Previously available exclusively in New York, Florida and Canada, Eau Claire's distinguished Parlour Gin and Prickly Pear EquineOx spirits can now be purchased in bars, restaurants, liquor stores and organic markets within the Greater Chicago Area.

Eau Claire recently conducted a survey of Chicagoland imbibers and found that 76 percent of respondents would drink more craft spirits if available to them. Additionally, if craft spirits were available in bars and restaurants, 67 percent of respondents said they would prefer them over other brands, placing craft spirits ahead in competition with major liquor brands. Eau Claire's grain-to-glass approach combines regionally-sourced ingredients and artisanal distilling methods to produce rustic yet refined spirits that are sure to satisfy Chicago's craving for craft liquor and creative cocktails.

"Despite being an urban mecca, Chicago has demonstrated a strong demand for farm-to-glass products and artisanal methods," said founder of Eau Claire Distillery, David Farran. "We're delighted to share our award-winning craft spirits with Chicagoland's distinguished imbibers looking for storied spirits from seed to sip."

Eau Claire's award-winning craft spirits are made with pure Rocky Mountain water and the highest quality barley in the world, just outside of Calgary, Alberta. The distillery's traditional agricultural methods have garnered the interest of key organic markets in Chicago. Eau Claire's Parlour Gin and Prickly Pear EquineOx can now be found in Whole Foods and Pete's Fresh Markets across Chicago, Provisions Uptown as well as Sugar Beet Co-Op.

In Illinois, Eau Claire's spirits are distributed by H2Vino. The distillery also has a partnership with BigFish, a mobile-based eCommerce platform that sells spirits online throughout the state. BigFish is free to download from Apple's App Store and Google Play. Eau Claire spirits are also available for purchase and cocktail enjoyment in these local establishments.

"We are really excited to be working with Eau Claire Distillery," said David Thomas, Managing Partner of H2Vino. "Their products are a great fit for consumers who want a quality product with an exciting story made from top ingredients. We look forward to introducing our customers to this exciting brand."

"As a craft cocktail bar and boutique retail business, being able to provide our clientele high quality and 'off the beaten path' spirits allows us to provide our customer base with an experience that they may not find elsewhere," said Erik Archambeault, Owner of Chicago establishments Rogers Park Social, Provisions and Provisions Uptown. "The quality of these spirits speaks volumes to the passion which goes into their production and is passed along to the consumer in a unique form."

More on the Eau Claire Spirits now available in Chicago:

Parlour Gin is a London-style dry gin that augments more traditional gin botanicals, creating a juniper berry-induced dryness, but with unique hints of rosehip, Saskatoon berry, coriander, lemon, orange, mint and spice. It's dry with a harmonious texture and smooth finish. Parlour Gin is distilled with a selection of special botanicals that gives it delicious, unique flavor notes.

Prickly Pear EquineOx is a distillation of the essence of Alberta  blue skies, mountain-fresh water, prairie grain and distinctive ingredients like the prickly pear cactus. This smooth and flavorful spirit defies comparison, though it could be described as a sweet, barley-based alternative to gin or vodka.

Eau Claire's Parlour Gin and Prickly Pear EquineOx have received numerous accolades both in North America and globally.

New York World Wine & Spirits Competition 2017 - Silver

SIP 2017 Consumers Choice Award

SIP Awards 2017 Best of Class  Platinum

SIP Awards 2017  Silver

San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017  Gold

San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017  Bronze

The Fifty Best 2017 Best Gin  Gold

American Distilling Institute Award 2017  Bronze

Distilled Competition 2017  Silver

The Fifty Best 2016  Double Gold

San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2016  Silver

New York World Wine and Spirits Competition 2016  Silver

SIP Awards 2016  Platinum

About Eau Claire Distillery

Devoted to hand-crafted, artisanal and fine sipping spirits, Eau Claire Distillery is Canada's premier craft distillery located in Turner Valley on the touristic Cowboy Trail, not far from Calgary, Canada. Made using ingredients harvested from farms in Southern Alberta, Eau Claire Distillery's offerings have set the bar for Canada's most exceptional spirits. Find out more at eauclairedistillery.com and follow Eau Claire on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.

Media Contacts:

Madeline Mains

FortyThree, Inc.

831.401.3175

[email protected]

Chelsea Barclay

Eau Claire Distillery

[email protected]

SOURCE Eau Claire Distillery

Related Links

http://eauclairedistillery.com


The designation was awarded in the 11th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), released on March 27, 2018. A record 626 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2018 survey, with HRC Foundation proactively researching key policies at more than 900 additional non-participating hospitals. Of those included in the HEI, 418 earned a "LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader" designation.

"This is an incredible honor that reflects our ongoing commitment to providing culturally competent healthcare to our LGBTQ patients and families," said president and CEO of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Madeline Bell. "While we have made significant progress in implementing policies that safeguard the rights of our LGBTQ patients, families and employees, we look forward to making even greater strides in this area for years to come."

In a continued effort to create the best LGBTQ patient, family and employee experience, CHOP continued to implement a comprehensive plan to fully engage and educate employees. Over the past year, [email protected]'s Hospital of Philadelphia, the Hospital's employee resource group, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), expanded their training offerings to Care Network sites throughout the region. Also last year, LGBTQ patient and employee scenarios were utilized in human resources training for new leaders, as well as in specific training sessions provided by CHOP's Leadership Institute and ODI.

Other notable activities and events over the last year include:

Providing national leadership and recommendations on LGBTQ pediatric care policies and practice

Training on LGBTQ-related topics for over 600 staff throughout the main hospital and specialty/primary care network

Participation in the Philadelphia Pride Parade and the Trans Health Conference to celebrate as well as recruit future employees

Addition of LGBTQ families and staff photos in hospital publications, materials and artwork

Preparing for the roll-out of a new policy and procedure plan for Supporting Transgender & Gender Non-binary Patients, Families and Guests at CHOP

"With some of our biggest battles still ahead of us, it is crucial that institutions continue to demonstrate that the march toward full equality is not slowing down," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "The 626 participants in this year's HEI continue this march in partnership with the LGBTQ community and we commend them for their leadership. For over a decade, the HEI has been the roadmap to closing the gap in ensuring equal care to LGBTQ patients and their families, and we urge every healthcare facility to join us in this continuing effort to provide inclusive care to all."

In our commitment to provide the best care for all children and their families including everyone in our LGBTQ communities, the Hospital offers the following care practices:

CHOP Primary and Specialty Care Practices throughout the region

1-800-TRY-CHOP

Gender & Sexuality Development Clinic, serving Transgender and Gender Non-Binary children and youth

267-426-5980

Center for Young Men's Health, serving physical and sexual health care of young men, including gay, bisexual and transgender young men

215-590-3537, option 1

The Adolescent Initiative, providing prevention services and care for adolescents living with or at risk of contracting HIV

215-590-3626

For more information about the Healthcare Equality Index, please visit http://www.hrc.org/hei.

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 546-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.

Media Contact

Natalie Solimeo

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

267-426-6246

[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Related Links

http://www.chop.edu


HONG KONG, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company") (SEHK: 00883) (NYSE: CEO) (TSX: CNU) today announced its 2017 annual results for the year ended December 31, 2017.

The Company significantly advanced work in exploration, development and production throughout 2017, which have further strengthened the resource foundation of sustainable development. In offshore China, the Company delivered substantial exploration results and breakthroughs. Overseas exploration recorded significant success allowing the Company to further optimize its strategic overseas portfolio. During the year, the Company made 19 commercial discoveries and successfully appraised 16 oil and gas structures. In addition, reserve life improved significantly to 10.3 years, with the reserve replacement ratio reaching 305% for the year. At the end of 2017, the Company's net proved reserves were approximately 4.84 billion barrels of oil equivalent ("BOE"), reaching a historic high. New projects progressed smoothly and all five projects planned at the beginning of the year successfully commenced production. The Company outperformed its oil and gas production target for the year with net oil and gas production reaching 470.2 million BOE.

In 2017, the Company's average realized oil price was US$52.65 per barrel, representing an increase of 27.2% year-over-year (YoY). The average realized natural gas price was US$5.84 per thousand cubic feet, representing an increase of 7.0% YoY. In addition, the Company's oil and gas sales revenue was RMB151.9 billion, representing an increase of 25.2% YoY. The Company focused on innovation to fuel quality and efficiency enhancements, and achieved cost reductions for the fourth consecutive year. In 2017, the Company's all-in cost was US$32.54 per BOE, a decrease of 6.2% YoY. Net profit increased significantly to RMB24.7 billion; due primarily to higher international oil prices and improvements in cost control.

During the year, the Company maintained a healthy financial position and had abundant free cash flow. The capital expenditures were RMB50.1 billion.

In 2017, the Company's basic earnings per share was RMB0.55. The Board of Directors has proposed a year-end dividend of HK$0.30 per share (tax inclusive).

Mr. Yang Hua, Chairman of CNOOC Limited, said: "The Company continued efforts to enhance quality and efficiency through innovation, and maintained strong cost competitiveness. The Company increased the reserve life significantly and improved profit greatly. In the future, the Company will follow the established development strategy and continue to pursue value creation to bring greater returns to shareholders."

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com.

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected future events, business prospectus or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors the Company believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the expectations and predictions of the Company depends on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition to differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to those associated with fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, the exploration or development activities, the capital expenditure requirements, the business strategy, whether the transactions entered into by the Group can complete on schedule pursuant to their terms and timetable or at all, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industries, the foreign operations, environmental liabilities and compliance requirements, and economic and political conditions in the People's Republic of China. For a description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please see the documents the Company files from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed in April of the latest fiscal year.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Jing Liu

Manager, Media & Public Relations

CNOOC Limited

Tel: +86-10-8452-3404

Fax: +86-10-8452-1441

E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Iris Wong

Hill+Knowlton Strategies Asia

Tel: +852-2894-6263

Fax: +852-2576-1990

E-mail: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150819/8521505396LOGO

SOURCE CNOOC Limited

Related Links

http://www.cnoocltd.com


HAZLET, N.J., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Comrise Inc., an international staffing and consulting company serving clients in the US and Greater China, announced that they have expanded their global reach into the Philippines. Comrise is seeing an increased demand from Chinese companies expanding into and looking for talent within the United States and vice versa. Their new office in the Philippines will provide offshore support to enhance delivery of this Cross Border Staffing service line and will also help Comrise to pursue local business in the country. Comrise has successfully served the U.S. market for 30 years and has been a major player in China and Hong Kong for the last 10 years. Their recent expansion in 2017 into the Philippines represents a new phase in Comrise's further penetration of the wider Asian market.

Of the company's recent success, Ling Sheng Chen, President of Comrise APAC said, "Expansion into the Philippines represents an important strategic investment Comrise made in the region. We leverage the local talent pool in Recruitment Process Outsourcing and Business Process Outsourcing to support our Cross Border Services initiatives. We are working tirelessly to position Comrise to be a major global talent solution provider in the region and are continuing our effort to grow our services and footprint globally."

Global President Sincia Liu added, "As intense as the global talent war is today, Comrise is in a unique position to help promote our client's brands and differentiators across the Pacific as well as to introduce them to local top talent who bring expertise and innovative ideas that can further fuel their growth overseas. On the candidate side we can offer a path for career growth that puts them on the international stage throughout the staffing bridge. This is made possible due to our depth of experience and understanding of business practices, culture, and the talent universe on both shores."

The success of this expansion into the Philippines was made possible through the growth of Comrise's existing clients, who themselves are pursuing business opportunities there. These clients look towards Comrise to help guide them in this market and others thanks to Comrise's strong local ties and cultural understanding. Comrise's executives and cross-border team are equipped with multicultural, multilingual and international business backgrounds.

About Comrise

Headquartered in the greater New York City area since 1984, Comrise is a staffing, consulting and enhanced search technology company. Comrise's clients consider us the bridge to first-rate talent for organizations that recognize the value of their workforce. With locations in the U.S., China, Hong Kong and the Philippines we help our clients with the goal of expanding business into other regions reach far and wide for both local and international resources.

Media contact:

Brittany Collazo

Comrise, Inc.

732 739 2330

http://www.comrise.com/en

SOURCE Comrise Inc.

Related Links

http://www.comrise.com


TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent artist - Elyse Saunders releases her new single "ME TOO", a captivating song with a lyrically potent message and a gritty but elegant delivery. As more stories from the media surface daily and awareness from the #metoo movement continues to grow, "ME TOO" is non-biased to gender, race or age and is ultimately for anyone with a personal struggle and a fear to share their story. Saunders believes in the healing power of music and knew it was a topic she wanted to help shed a light on. Her hope is that as more people hear this message of unity and strength, they will continue to share her song to boost awareness and plant the seed where emotional healing is needed.

Elyse Saunders

"When my co-writers and I sat down in a little BMI writing room in Nashville, we didn't know we were going to create this song. We planned to write a totally different song that day but after talking about some of the shocking #metoo stories coming from the news and our own stories, 'ME TOO' seemed to write itself. As soon as we finished, we knew this was a special one and I'm really proud of it. My main purpose for this release is to get the video out to as many people as we can. It covers a topic of conversation that needs to be continued to be talked about and I hope that 'ME TOO' can bring more awareness and make a difference for at least one person who hears it. I want them to know that they're not alone"  ELYSE SAUNDERS

"ME TOO" was written in December and within a short period of time Saunders was able to find a supportive & creative team that believed in her vision; she personally financed the recording, mastering of the track, the music video as well as a digital release. Fans waited with anticipation for the music video release that happened on Feb. 13 and within two weeks, "ME TOO" respectively climbed to over 15,000 views between Facebook & Youtube. The song continues to expand organically and now has over 24,000 views.

ME TOO  ELYSE SAUNDERS  FACEBOOK VIDEO LINK https://www.facebook.com/ElyseSaundersOnline/videos/10155961042055871

ME TOO - ELYSE SAUNDERS - YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK https://youtu.be/ILW0ujkVON8

Additional notes worth mention:

The single "ME TOO" comes just two months before the anniversary of Saunders last radio single, "Rise", a collaborative project that celebrates the incredible story of Equestrian Olympian medalist Jessica Phoenix. Although the song is inspired by Phoenix, it speaks directly to the listener as a reminder to be brave and unstoppable when fighting for your dreams. "Rise" had Elyse crossing borders to perform during Los Angeles' Pre ESPY AWARDS and has placement during televised 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The song's not only crossing borders but crossing genres with a remix that made hit top 20 in Canada and has over 28,000 Shazams and over 48,000 Spotify streams.

SOCIALS:

www.elysesaunders.com

www.instagram.com/elyse_saunders_music

www.facebook.com/elysesaundersonline

Media & Press Inquiries: Mary Haynes

Call or text: 416 804 4271

[email protected]

Related Images

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image2.jpg

image3.jpg

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILW0ujkVON8

SOURCE Elyse Saunders
IRVINE, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CRACKIN' KITCHEN is best known for its hands-on style of eating with bags of saucy, Hawaiian-Cajun seafood spread across the tabletop. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

SOUTH MEETS SOUTH PACIFIC

Infused with the spirit of Aloha, the full-service restaurant pays homage to its roots through light, beachy interiors and authentic island flavors. Crackin' Kitchen's menu was developed by Michelin-starred chef Takeshi Omae (Morimoto XEX, Japanese Cuisine by Omae). The menu of Crackin' Kitchen blends traditional Cajun seafood with Hawaiian tradition. Highlights include Lomi Lomi Salmon (traditional Hawaiian salmon salad with diced tomatoes, green onions, and red chili water); Guava Soy Chicken Wings (crispy wings tossed in Crackin' Kitchen's housemade tangy sauce and topped with Hawaiian macadamia nuts); and Ahi Poke (cubed ahi, cucumbers, and sweet onions tossed in a soy sauce based sauce).

The signature Cajun menu items are available in varying spice levels (mild, hot or XXX) and with three sauce optionsRed (Hawaiian chili), Black (Hawaiian cacao and cracked black pepper) and White (Maui onion, lemon, and butter)guests may order seafood by the pound or choose among signature items such as the Ultimate Combo (serves two to three with snow crab, shrimp, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes, andouille sausage, and all three sauces); Shrimp Combo (serves two with 1.5 pounds of shrimp, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes, andouille sausage, and choice of two sauces); Lobster Combo (serves two with whole lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes, andouille sausage, and choice of two sauces); and the Dungeness Combo (serves two with whole Dungeness crab, shrimp, clams, mussels, corn, potatoes, andouille sausage, and choice of two sauces). A la carte sides include Veggie Sticks, Creamy Noodles, Garlic Butter Rice, as well as traditional Hawaiian classics such as Grilled Spam Slices and Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.

Exclusive to the new Pasadena location, Mussel Pots are presented in a shiny pot, filled with a heaping amount of nutrient-rich Prince Edward Mussels, a varietal Chef Omae specifically selected due to the low environmental impact during harvesting. The flavor-packed pots come with a choice of 15 sauces, including Portobello, Kentucky, Amatriciana and Pacific Rim. Guests wishing to amplify their crustacean dish can add shrimp and clams for an additional charge.

On the sweet side, Crackin' Kitchen's interactive, tableside "Sweet Art" dessert features locally sourced fruits and malasadasHawaiian style donuts dusted in cinnamon and sugar. Once the main courses are cleared, the server uses fruit purees, chocolate and fresh-cut fruits to paint an edible art across the tabletop, complete with a rainbow and Aloha greeting. For added fun, specialty chocolate messaging can be included to mark celebratory events and provide a photo-ready social media moment capturing the occasion.

CRACKIN' INTO COCKTAILS, BEER and WINE

Complementing the Hawaiian-Cajun flavors and lively interactive atmosphere are playful cocktails infused with exotic fruits, salts and spices. Served in mason jars, signature libations include Mainland Mai Tai (Captain Morgan, Grand Marnier, almond syrup and juices); Pele (chipotle-infused tequila, lilikoi, lime); and Blue Hawaii (lychee liquor, blue curacao, pineapple juice, tonic). Rounding out the beverage program is a large selection of canned craft beers and wines, alongside creative non-alcoholic offerings, too.

DOCKSIDE DESIGN

Conceived by Delicious Design, a Hawaii-based design company, the nautical interiors are bathed in a washed color palette of blue, black and white with vibrant pops of red. Further transporting guests to seaside shores, wood-paneled walls present an array of hand-drawn paintings of lobsters, crabs and other ocean emblems. The restaurant offers a full bar, patio and main dining room seating that can accommodate up to 112 guests.

About TORIDOLL DINING CALIFORNIA, LLC / CRACKIN' KITCHEN USA, LLC:

TORIDOLL DINING CALIFORNIA, LLC was founded in 2006 (formerly Dream Dining California LLC) and it is a 100% subsidiary company of TORIDOLL Holdings Corporation, headquartered in Japan. We offer an exciting fast-paced launch/expansion of new branded restaurants in the states to be a leadership company of the restaurant and hospitatlity industry. In the three decades of TORIDOLL's establishment, the corporation has grown into a variety of high-level brands that operates a total of 1,396 restaurants (Japan 994, Overseas 402) around the world as of January 2018.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE CRACKIN' KITCHEN USA, LLC

Related Links

http://crackinkitchen.com


HIAWATHA, Iowa, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Group Inc., a leading designer/manufacturer of rugged computer and electronic equipment, has been recognized as a Gold-tier supplier by BAE Systems' Electronic Systems sector, a leading aerospace and defense manufacturer located in Nashua, New Hampshire, for its performance and operational excellence.

BAE Systems honored Crystal Group with a Gold Supplier Award for achieving 100 percent success rate for on-time delivery and fault-free quality standards throughout all of 2017. Crystal Group is one of 37 companies in BAE Systems' global supply chain to earn this impressive distinction.

"It is a privilege to collaborate with BAE Systems and other valued members of the global supply chain, and an honor to receive this Gold Supplier Award," said Robert Haag, vice president of sales and marketing at Crystal Group Inc. in Hiawatha, Iowa. "This recognition underpins our core values and dedication to providing the highest-quality products and services to all our valued customers on-time and on-budget. We are proud of our staff and our 36-year history of engineering, manufacturing, delivering, and supporting rugged, reliable, and failsafe systems when and where they are needed to help customers and end users worldwide achieve excellence."

Crystal Group Program Manager Brent Clough accepted the Gold Award at BAE Systems' inaugural Partner 2 Win Supplier Symposium in Manchester, New Hampshire, on March 6, 2018. BAE Systems' Partner 2 Win program, launched in 2017, is designed to achieve operational excellence and eliminate defects in its supply chain by raising the bar of performance expectations to meet the demand of current and future customers.

"BAE Systems is streamlining its supply chain as part of the Partner 2 Win program to drive more business to our best-performing suppliers," said Jeremy Tondreault, vice president of operations for BAE Systems' Electronic Systems sector. "We are proud of the achievements our suppliers made last year  including Crystal Group  and are confident that together, we can meet customer requirements to deliver quality products that ensure the safety of our warfighters and commercial transportation passengers worldwide."

About BAE Systems

BAE Systems provides some of the world's most advanced, technology-led defense, aerospace, and security solutions. The company employs a skilled workforce of 83,100 people in more than 30 countries. Working with customers and local partners, BAE Systems develops, engineers, manufactures, and supports products and systems to deliver military capability, protect national security and people, and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.

About Crystal Group Inc.

Crystal Group Inc., a technology leader in rugged computer hardware, specializes in the design and manufacture of custom and off-the-shelf rugged servers, embedded computing, networking devices, displays, power supplies, and data storage for high reliability in harsh environments. An employee-owned small business founded in 1987, Crystal Group provides the defense, government and industrial markets with in-house customization, engineering, integration, configuration management, product lifecycle planning, warranty, and support services.

Crystal Group products meet or exceed IEEE, IEC, and military standards (MIL-STD-810, 167-1, 461, MIL-S-901); are backed by warranty (5+ year) with in-house support; and are manufactured in the company's Hiawatha, Iowa, USA, facility certified to AS9100C:2009 and ISO 9001:2008 quality management standards. crystalrugged.com

 2018 Crystal Group Inc. All rights reserved. All marks are property of their respective owners. Design and specifications are subject to change.

SOURCE Crystal Group Inc.

Related Links

https://www.crystalrugged.com


SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cubigo, a technology company on a mission to modernize senior living communities, today announced its expansion into the United States resulting from $4.5 million in venture capital funding. The Series A was led by Urbain Vandeurzen, a Belgian investor focused on tech startups, with participation from Transvision.

After creating a Cubigo account and logging in, seniors simply tap the desired Cube and within seconds they can order meals, request help from maintenance, or view their building's activity calendar and sign-up for events. Geert Houben, CEO, founded Cubigo with the desire to extend seniors' independence for as long as possible, after watching his beloved grandmother spend her final years in a nursing home.

With this infusion of capital, Cubigo is introducing its cloud-based platform to the senior living industry, which is historically reliant on paper and struggling to find a technology solution that meets the needs of residents and staff members alike.

Cubigo also became an Apple mobility partner, a group of app developers who create solutions that change the way businesses work. Cubigo's iOS native app has been completely redesigned to capitalize on the simplicity of the iOS user experience. Coupled with Cubigo's new, unique accessibility features on iPad and iPhone, the result is a software solution that seniors can easily learn and repeatedly use.

"Senior care is a $400 billion industry that remains untouched by technology we carry in our pockets every day," said Geert Houben, CEO of Cubigo. "With our new apps built for iPad and iPhone, we see an opportunity to radically streamline processes at independent- and assisted-living residences, which is a huge relief for staff members. Most importantly, however, Cubigo is easy-to-use technology that gives seniors independence over their daily activities."

After creating a Cubigo account and logging in, seniors simply tap the desired CubeTM and within seconds they can order meals, request help from maintenance, or view their building's activity calendar and sign-up for events. Residents can also send messages to the staff and read real-time community news, all of which is designed to engage residents in a more meaningful way, which leads to higher customer satisfaction scores and occupancy rates.

Additionally, Cubigo is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Lyft, whose API will be integrated into the Cubigo platform. As a result, seniors will be able to quickly and easily schedule transportation, such as a trip to a doctor's appointment or grocery store.

"By partnering with Cubigo to enable a seamless transportation experience for seniors, we're getting one step closer to our mission of improving people's lives with the world's best transportation," said Gyre Renwick, vice president of Lyft Business. "The ability to request rides independently can be life-changing, with the added benefit of freeing up time for senior living staff to address other priorities."

Houben says the Cubigo-Lyft partnership also empowers family members, who can create their own Cubigo accounts: "So for example, an adult daughter  who may be thousands of miles away from her parents  can login to Cubigo and order a Lyft ride. She is no longer dependent upon finding a staff member to help her. This is a huge relief for adult children and so much more efficient."

On the back end, Cubigo can integrate with software that is already being used by staff, making it a one-stop shop that increases staff efficiency. "As we piloted Cubigo at a senior community in Ohio, the administration decided to focus on the meal delivery system," said Houben. "We started with their nine-step, paper-based process and reduced it to just two digital steps. By introducing technology into these facilities, we simplified a time-consuming task, which will have a positive impact on employee satisfaction and retention."

Cubigo is being introduced to the U.S. at a time when seniors are increasingly embracing technology, according to survey results released by Pew Research Center. They found that 67% of adults age 65 and older say they use the Internet, compared to just 12% back in 2000. Meanwhile, smartphone ownership jumped 24% in just three years, from 2013 to 2016.

About Cubigo

Founded in 2011, Cubigo is partnering with some of the world's most influential organizations to improve their operational efficiency, while improving the autonomy of seniors and enhancing their health, safety and mobility. Cubigo  a proud member of the Aging2.0 Alliance  is headquartered in Belgium with offices in San Francisco, Rotterdam, Brussels and Barcelona. To learn more, visit www.cubigo.com.

About Lyft

Lyft was founded in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to improve people's lives with the world's best transportation. Lyft is the fastest growing rideshare company in the U.S and is available to 95 percent of the US population. Lyft is preferred by drivers and passengers for its safe and friendly experience, and its commitment to effecting positive change for the future of our cities.

About Lyft Business

Lyft Business offers travel, commute, event, and courtesy ride programs that provide customers with the tools they need to reduce cost, save time, and streamline their transportation programs. We partner with thousands of organizations to create unique solutions to move their people, from employees and customers to patients and students.

Contact

Nora Murray

SoundBite Communications

[email protected]

419.250.0016

[email protected]

SOURCE Cubigo

Related Links

http://www.cubigo.com


The UN announced that it has revamped its Sahel strategy to better tackle the root causes of the crisis in a region beset by insecurity, climate change, poverty and extremism.

The Sahel is a priority for the Secretary-General and the entire United Nations system, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told a conference being held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, to discuss strategies to tackle the Sahel crisis, which leaves 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance this year.

Africas Sahel is now home to one out of five people worldwide requiring humanitarian assistance, the UN official said.

Due to its vast lawless desert swathes, the Sahel has in the last two decades fell prey to the surge of terrorism and violent extremism.

The complexity and multi-dimensional nature of these challenges attest to the necessity to respond collectively to the Sahel crisis, and in a more coherent, comprehensive and integrated manner, Amina Mohammed explained.
WOONSOCKET, R.I., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced more than $260,000 in charitable commitments to local and national hemophilia and bleeding disorder programs across the country. The announcement of new commitments coincides with Bleeding Disorder Awareness Month, which is nationally recognized each year in March.

In the United States, more than 20,000 people are living with hemophilia, a condition in which blood does not clot properly in one's body, causing pain and potential long-term consequences, and often requires whole blood or platelet transfusions.

"CVS Health recognizes the challenges that come with having a bleeding disorder, and the need for increased research and education," said Joel Helle, Vice President, Specialty Sales, CVS Health. "By providing these leading organizations and programs with support, we're able to help impact the care and quality of life for all people with a bleeding disorder, which advances our company's purpose of helping people on their path to better health."

To address this patient population, CVS Health is providing the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) with $50,000 to deliver increased education and support to bleeding disorder patients and their families, including HFA Families, which supports parents and children by providing educational tools and peer networks to better address the disorder, manage stress and equip families for success. The grant will also support Blood Brotherhood, which provides adult men who are living with blood disorders with support and education.

"HFA is pleased to have the support of CVS Health to help raise awareness and to continue the very important advocacy work we do to improve the lives of people in the bleeding disorders community," said Kimberly Haugstad, President and CEO, Hemophilia Federation of America.

Additionally, CVS Health is supporting the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) with $60,000 to sustain and increase advocacy, education and research efforts, including support of the NHF's annual Red Tie Campaign, designed to raise awareness of hemophilia, and UNITE for Bleeding Disorders, the national hemophilia walk which will take place in 45 cities across the country in 2018.

"This collaborative effort is the type of partnership that is necessary to help increase awareness and deliver the programming and support our families desperately need," said Brett Spitale, Vice President of Advancement for NHF. "We look forward to growing our partnership with CVS Health in the future allowing us to do more for our community."

In an effort to increase awareness at the community level, CVS Health is providing more than $150,000 in grants to 38 local programs across the country, with grants ranging from $1,000 - $7,000, in support of local walks, summer camps, and patient retreats. These programs include:

Alaska Hemophilia Association ( Anchorage, AK )

) Bleeding Disorders Alliance Illinois ( Chicago, IL )

) Blood Bond Bleeding Disorder Network ( Matteson, IL )

) Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation ( Springfield, PA )

) Florida Hemophilia Association ( Fort Lauderdale, FL )

) Gateway Hemophilia Association ( St. Louis, MO )

) Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation Inc. ( Milwaukee, WI )

) Hawaii Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation ( Kailua, HI )

) Hemophilia and Bleeding Disorders of Alabama , Inc. ( Wetumpka, AL )

, Inc. ( ) Hemophilia Association of San Diego County ( San Diego, CA )

( ) Hemophilia Association of the Capital Area ( Springfield, VA )

) Hemophilia Foundation of Arkansas , Inc. ( Little Rock, AR )

, Inc. ( ) Hemophilia Foundation of Maryland ( Parkville, MD )

( ) Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan ( Ypsilanti, MI )

( ) Hemophilia Foundation of Minnesota /Dakotas ( Mendota Heights, MN )

/Dakotas ( ) Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California ( Emeryville, CA )

( ) Hemophilia Foundation of Oregon ( Corvallis, OR )

( ) Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California ( Pasadena, CA )

( ) Hemophilia of Indiana , Inc. ( Indianapolis, IN )

, Inc. ( ) Hemophilia of Iowa ( Cedar Rapids, IA )

( ) Hemophilia of North Carolina ( Morrisville, NC )

( ) Hemophilia of South Carolina ( Greenville, SC )

( ) Hope for Hemophilia ( Baton Rouge, LA )

) Idaho Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation ( Boise, ID )

) Kentucky Hemophilia Foundation ( Louisville, KY )

) Lone Star Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation ( Houston, TX )

) Midwest Hemophilia Association ( Leawood, KS )

) Nebraska Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation ( Omaha, NE )

) Nevada Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation ( Las Vegas, NV )

) New England Hemophilia Association ( Dedham, MA )

) New York City Hemophilia Association ( New York, NY )

) Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation ( Independence, OH )

) Rocky Mountain Hemophilia & Bleeding Disorders Association ( Bozeman, MT )

) Sangre De Oro ( Albuquerque, NM )

) Tennessee Hemophilia & Bleeding Disorders Foundation ( Murfreesboro, TN )

) Texas Central Hemophilia Association, Inc. ( Dallas, TX )

) Utah Hemophilia Foundation ( Salt Lake City, UT )

) Virginia Hemophilia Foundation ( Richmond, VA )

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contact

Mary Gattuso

[email protected]

401-770-9811

SOURCE CVS Health

Related Links

http://www.cvshealth.com


MAUMEE, Ohio, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) acknowledges the decision by a majority of the shareholders of GKN plc to accept the proposal by Melrose Industries plc to acquire GKN. As a consequence, it appears unlikely that our proposed combination with GKN Driveline will proceed.

"We are, of course, disappointed by today's outcome and continue to believe Dana would be the best owner and operator of GKN Driveline," said James Kamsickas, Dana president and chief executive officer. "This has always been an opportunity, not a required or critical asset. Dana is a strong, thriving company, and we will continue our focus on the execution of our enterprise strategy, delivering for customers and remaining responsible stewards of our shareholders' capital."

About Dana Incorporated

Dana is a world leader in highly engineered solutions for improving the efficiency, performance, and sustainability of powered vehicles and machinery. Dana supports the passenger vehicle, commercial truck, and off-highway markets, as well as industrial and stationary equipment applications. Founded in 1904, Dana employs more than 30,000 people in 33 countries on six continents who are committed to delivering long-term value to customers. Based in Maumee, Ohio, USA, the company reported sales of $7.2 billion in 2017. Dana is ranked among the Drucker Institute's listing of the 250 most effectively managed companies. For more information, please visit dana.com.

SOURCE Dana Incorporated

Related Links

http://www.dana.com


NORTH CANTON, Ohio, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Diebold Nixdorf (NYSE: DBD), a world leader in driving connected commerce, today announced that it, along with the company's charitable foundation, are donating $20,000 to Operation HOPE as a result of the tremendous response to the recent social media campaign announcing Diebold Nixdorf's AllConnect ServicesSM portfolio launch.

For each "like" and "share" of the #BuiltToPower campaign across the company's social media channels, Diebold Nixdorf pledged to donate one U.S. dollar to Operation HOPE, in a joint effort to drive the two organizations' mission to improve financial literacy and inclusion. Given the positive response to this campaign, The Diebold Foundation has decided to match the company's commitment by giving $10,000 of its own funds, bringing the total donation to $20,000.

The charitable funds will be used to launch the first HOPE Inside South Africa pilot and research initiative focused on Entrepreneurial Training in the Gauteng province, the largest urban population in South Africa. According to World Bank's most recent report, 66 percent of sub-Saharan Africans have no relationship with a financial institution.1 The support of Diebold Nixdorf will enable Operation HOPE to continue empowering the world's underbanked and unbanked populations through financial education, including credit and money management, home ownership preparedness and small business entrepreneurship programs.

"We are grateful for our partnership with Diebold Nixdorf to jointly address financial inclusion in underserved communities," said John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. "This generous support of the work of HOPE will help expand our HOPE Inside programming across the nation and around the world."

Patty Lang, vice president, chief people officer, Diebold Nixdorf, said, "We are committed to supporting Operation HOPE in empowering underserved communities and driving sustainable development all over the globe. We were thrilled to be a part of this initiative and are thankful to our followers for their support in making this campaign a success."

Connect with Diebold Nixdorf:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diebold

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dieboldnixdorf

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DieboldNixdorf

YouTube: https://youtube.com/DieboldNixdorf

About Operation HOPE

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been empowering financial inclusion and "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserveddisrupting poverty for millions of low- and moderate-income families across the nation and around the world. Through the community uplift model, HOPE Inside, the organization has served more than 2.8 million individuals and directed more than $2.7 billion in economic activity into disenfranchised communitiesturning check cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners, minimum wage workers into living wage consumers, and uncertain disaster victims into financially empowered disaster survivors.

About Diebold Nixdorf

Diebold Nixdorf is a world leader in enabling connected commerce for millions of consumers each day across the financial and retail industries. Its software-defined solutions bridge the physical and digital worlds of cash and consumer transactions conveniently, securely and efficiently. As an innovation partner for nearly all of the world's top 100 financial institutions and a majority of the top 25 global retailers, Diebold Nixdorf delivers unparalleled services and technology that are essential to evolve in an 'always on' and changing consumer landscape.

Diebold Nixdorf has a presence in more than 130 countries with approximately 23,000 employees worldwide. The organization maintains corporate offices in North Canton, Ohio, USA and Paderborn, Germany. Shares are traded on the New York and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol 'DBD'. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information.

1 The World Bank. 2014 Global Financial Development Report. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTGLOBALFINREPORT/Resources/8816096-1361888425203/9062080-1364927957721/GFDR-2014_Complete_Report.pdf

SOURCE Diebold Nixdorf

Related Links

http://www.dieboldnixdorf.com


SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today it will release financial results for the first quarter 2018 after the market closes on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The company will host a conference call to discuss these results at 5:30 p.m. EDT / 2:30 p.m. PDT on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

To participate in the live call, investors are invited to dial +1 (888) 317-6003 (for domestic callers) or +1 (412) 317-6061 (for international callers) and reference the conference ID #4448213 at least five minutes prior to start time. A live webcast of the call will be available on the Investors section of Digital Realty's website at http://investor.digitalrealty.com.

Telephone and webcast replays will be available one hour after the call until May 26, 2018. The telephone replay can be accessed by dialing +1 (877) 344-7529 (for domestic callers) or +1 (412) 317-0088 (for international callers) and using the conference ID #10117784. The webcast replay can be accessed on Digital Realty's website.

For Additional Information:

Andrew P. Power

Chief Financial Officer

Digital Realty

(415) 738-6500

Investor Relations

John J. Stewart / Maria S. Lukens

Digital Realty

(415) 738-6500

[email protected]

About Digital Realty

Digital Realty supports the data center, colocation and interconnection strategies of more than 2,300 firms across its secure, network-rich portfolio of data centers located throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Digital Realty's clients include domestic and international companies of all sizes, ranging from cloud and information technology services, communications and social networking to financial services, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and consumer products. https://www.digitalrealty.com/

SOURCE Digital Realty

Related Links

http://www.digitalrealtytrust.com


HOUSTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2018 DUG Rockies conference agenda is set to reflect regions on the rise. Leading oil and gas executives will take the stage to discuss successes across the Bakken and Niobrara Shale - in addition to the D-J, Powder River and Williston Basins. Hundreds of industry professionals will gather in Denver April 24-25 to hear emerging operational strategies.

Whiting Petroleum, the Rockies' largest producer, projects its production to grow more than 20% in 2018. Whiting has implemented their new design in several wells in the Bakken and Three Forks. Brad Holly, President & CEO of Whiting Petroleum, provides candid analysis on completion drilling design and a look at what's next in the opening keynote presentation.

With higher oil prices and the commissioning of the Dakota Access Pipeline, the D-J Basin has seen more than $1.8 billion in pipeline deals and extensions in the past 7 months. PDC Energy and HighPoint Resources announced more than $800 million in drilling deals and will share their D-J Basin plans in the mid-morning and afternoon keynote presentations.

"DUG Rockies keynote presentations will spotlight awakened activity across the regions' 'sleeping shale giants,'" said Leslie Haines, conference host and Executive Editor-at-Large for Oil and Gas Investor. "This year's conference agenda will feature new well designs, AI advancements, 'play-o-nomics' and emerging plays."

Hess Corporation Onshore Vice President Barry Biggs will deliver an operator spotlight examining the company's improved well results. Building on its experience from Permian Basin EOR operations, Hess achieved greater efficiencies through AI deployment and lean manufacturing. The company has begun finding new ways to recover some of the 7.6 Bbbl of untapped, recoverable oil in the Bakken.

From keynote presentations and operator spotlights to roundtable discussions, DUG Rockies conference will host 15+ speakers, including:

Scott Reasoner , Chief Operating Officer , PDC Energy Inc.

Chief Operating Officer Scot Woodall , CEO & President , HighPoint Resources Corp.

CEO & President Jay Knaebel , Vice President, Reservoir Engineering , Oasis Petroleum Inc.

Vice President, Reservoir Engineering Matthew Phillips , Vice President, Engineering & Operations , Samson Resources

Vice President, Engineering & Operations Jack Vaughn , Chairman and CEO , Peak Exploration & Production

Chairman and CEO Tyler Crabtree , Chief Financial Officer , Bruin E&P Operating

Chief Financial Officer Mark Pearson , President & CEO , Liberty Resources

President & CEO Blu Hulsey , Senior Vice President  Government & Regulatory Affairs , Continental Resources Inc.

Senior Vice President  Government & Regulatory Affairs Eric Jacobsen , Senior Vice President  Operations , Extraction Oil and Gas

Senior Vice President  Operations Paul Favret , CEO , Resource Energy Partners

CEO David Gadzhimirzaev, Senior Digital Solutions Leader , Baker Hughes, a GE Company

Senior Digital Solutions Leader David Gonzales , President & COO , Bison Oil & Gas

President & COO Samuel Rogers , Consulting Business Manager  North America , Schlumberger

Consulting Business Manager  Tom Petrie , Chairman , Petrie Partners

Chairman Trisha Curtis , President and Co-Founder, PetroNerds LLC

, President and Co-Founder, Stephen Beck , Senior Director, North American Shale, Stratas Advisors

For more on DUG Rockies, visit DUGRockies.com.

About Hart Energy

For more than 40 years, Hart Energy editors and experts have delivered market-leading insights to investors and energy industry professionals. The Houston-based company produces award-winning magazines (such as Oil and Gas Investor, E&P and Midstream Business); online news and data services; in-depth industry conferences (like the DUG series); GIS data sets and mapping solutions; and a range of research and consulting services. For information, visit hartenergy.com.

Contact: Kate Clark 713.260.4657

SOURCE Hart Energy

Related Links

http://www.hartenergy.com


Jollibee favorites to spread joy across the Greater Toronto Area beginning in Scarborough

TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Very soon, fried chicken aficionados on Canada's east coast will have their fill of Jolly Crispy Chicken as Jollibee opens its first store in Toronto, in Scarborough, Ontario, on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018.

Scarborough citizens can look forward to the brand's fan favorites: crispylicious and juicylicious Jolly Crispy Chicken, Jolly Spaghetti with its signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham, ground meat, and hotdog; Palabok Fiesta, a traditional Filipino noodle dish covered in garlic sauce, crushed pork rind, shrimp, and egg; and Peach Mango Pie baked into a sweet and flaky golden-brown crust.

"We can't wait to open our doors to the amazing people of Toronto," said Jose Minana, Jollibee Foods Corporation's (JFC) Group President for North America. "For us, nothing brings greater joy than to bring people together over great tasting food and happy moments. We are excited to bring to Scarborough the popular dishes that many now enjoy in different parts of the world."

"At the same time, we look forward to bringing a familiar 'taste of home' to our countrymen in the Greater Toronto Area. Many may not know that this area is home to the largest Filipino community in Canada! And we won't stop here  another location in Mississauga is in the pipeline for the year," Minana added.

The Canadian market plays a key role in the company's North America expansion plans. Jollibee Scarborough is the company's third store in Canada and the 40th store in North America  proof of the brand's commitment to this region as a key growth market.

"As the most populous metropolitan area in Canada, we knew that we had to be in Toronto," explains Maribeth dela Cruz, Vice President and General Manager for JFC North America. "Scarborough may be the 40th store we are opening in North America, but we can assure you that we look forward to each store opening like it is our first!"

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) is currently the largest Asian food service company, operating in 16 markets, with over 3,800 stores globally, of which 1,272 are Jollibee brand stores. The company's aggressive expansion plan in North America is part of its overarching goal to be among the top five restaurant brands globally.

About Jollibee

Jollibee is the largest fast food chain brand in the Philippines, operating a Philippine network of more than 1000 stores. A dominant market leader in the Philippines, Jollibee has embarked on an aggressive international expansion plan.

About Jollibee Foods Corporation

Jollibee Foods Corporation is the largest Asian food service company and the largest restaurant company in the Philippines. It operates over 3,800 stores globally with store branches in the United States, Canada, China (including Hong Kong), Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Korea and Italy. JFC owns the following brands: Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan. It also has 2 franchised brands  Burger King in the Philippines and Dunkin' Donuts in certain territories in China and has joint ventures with the SuperFoods Group (owner of Highlands Coffee and Pho 24 brands, mostly in Vietnam) and the US-based Smashburger.

Jollibee Foods Corporation has grown brands that bring delightful dining experiences to its customers worldwide, in line with its mission of serving great tasting food and spreading the joy of eating to everyone.

Jollibee Foods Corporation has been named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for eight years in a row, and was honored as one of the '200 Best Under a Billion Companies in Asia' and one of 'Asia's Fab 50 Companies' by Forbes Asia Magazine.

SOURCE Jollibee
"EECU has a deep commitment to education," said Lonnie Nicholson, EECU President and CEO. "Higher education can be an essential springboard to building productive lives, but unfortunately, college costs also can be a significant burden. EECU is proud to be able to recognize and financially assist these deserving students, and we wish them tremendous success in their academic pursuits."

At the annual EECU meeting on March 27, EECU recognized the following eight students, who are 2018 scholarship recipients. Each student will receive a $5,000 scholarship from EECU:

Kara Derrick , Joshua High School , Joshua, TX plans to study business

, , plans to study business Sonia Diaz , Young Women's Leadership Academy, Fort Worth, TX plans to study Civil Engineering

, Leadership Academy, plans to study Civil Engineering Mana Galvan , Trinity Christian Academy, Hudson Oaks , plans to study Education

, Trinity Christian Academy, , plans to study Education Trevor Hall , Oakridge School, Arlington, TX plans to study Biology

, Oakridge School, plans to study Biology Hannah Lei , Arlington High School, Arlington, TX plans to study Computer Engineering

, Arlington High School, plans to study Computer Engineering Colton Morrow , Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Worth, TX plans to study Education

, Fossil Ridge High School, plans to study Education Bryan Shortt , Richland High School , North Richland Hills, TX plans to study Biology/Pre-Medicine

, , plans to study Biology/Pre-Medicine Alena Williams , Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Worth, TX plans to study Education

The students were selected via a review process that included academics, attendance, service to community, extracurricular leadership activities, references and an essay.

About EECU: EECU Credit Union was started in 1934, and is now one of the largest credit unions in Texas with over $2 billion in assets. EECU has a robust branch network, full on-line and mobile capabilities, and 85,000 free ATMs. EECU is committed to making their members financial lives better along with strengthening the communities they serve. Federally insured by NCUA. Learn more at www.eecu.org.

Inquiries: Barbara Walker

EECU Director, Social Responsibility &

Community Involvement

Office: 817-882-0472

[email protected]

SOURCE EECU Credit Union

Related Links

http://www.eecu.org


Elevate Easter with Help from the Eggsperts at The Incredible Egg

From decorating to recipes, The Incredible Egg offers eggciting new ideas for an unforgettable Easter
DENVER, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU; TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), a leading uranium producer in the U.S., is pleased to announce that it has achieved a major environmental milestone at its Alta Mesa Uranium Project ("Alta Mesa") in Texas. On March 16, 2018, the Company received a notice from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ("TCEQ") confirming that the Company accomplished final groundwater restoration at Production Area 1 ("PAA1"). Now that TCEQ has deemed wellfield restoration complete, the Company can proceed to well plugging and final closure of PAA1, including a reduction of the reclamation bond on the project and the return of restricted cash. Groundwater restoration following uranium recovery is one of the most important environmental compliance milestones that every U.S. in situ recovery ("ISR") facility must complete following production.

Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO of Energy Fuels stated: "We are extremely proud to receive government confirmation of final restoration of the wellfield at Alta Mesa. Energy Fuels and the rest of the U.S. uranium industry operate under the highest health, safety, and environmental standards in the world, including state-of-the-art protection of groundwater and drinking water. This is a major milestone for Energy Fuels and further proof of our commitment to environmental stewardship. I congratulate our team on the ground in Texas and the support staff here in Denver for their hard work and professionalism on this important achievement."

Alta Mesa is a fully-permitted and constructed ISR uranium project located in South Texas. The project (including PAA1) was in production from 2005 until 2012, during which time it produced approximately 4.6 million pounds of U 3 O 8 , or enough uranium to provide clean, carbon-free electricity from an average sized nuclear reactor for a little over eight years. At the current time, Alta Mesa is being maintained by the Company on standby status, ready to resume operations within approximately 12 months of a production decision. In order to resume production, the Company would need to complete minor facility improvements and install new wellfields. Alta Mesa has a total project area of approximately 200,000 acres, including a licensed and constructed ISR processing plant with a total annual production capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year.

According to a technical report ("Technical Report") prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101  Standards of disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), Alta Mesa holds a total of 1.6 million tons of Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources with an average grade of 0.111% U 3 O 8 containing 3.6 million pounds of uranium, along with 7.0 million tons of Inferred Mineral Resources with an average grade of 0.121% U 3 O 8 containing 16.8 million pounds of uranium. The Technical Report also identifies certain exploration targets that include 2.6 million tons of mineralized material with an average grade that could range from 0.077% - 0.123% U 3 O 8 . In improved market conditions, the Company expects to resume exploration drilling on the property to expand the uranium resources and upgrade existing mineral resources into higher categories.

About Energy Fuels: Energy Fuels is a leading integrated U.S. uranium mining company, supplying U 3 O 8 to major nuclear utilities. Its corporate offices are in Denver, Colorado, and all of its assets and employees are in the western United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America's key uranium production centers, the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch Processing Facility in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today and has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Nichols Ranch Processing Facility is an in-situ recovery production center with a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. Alta Mesa is an in-situ recovery production center with a licensed capacity of 1.5 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year, which is currently on care and maintenance due to low uranium prices. Energy Fuels also has the largest uranium resource portfolio in the U.S. among producers, and uranium mining projects located in a number of Western U.S. states, including one producing in-situ recovery project, mines on standby, and mineral properties in various stages of permitting and development. Energy Fuels also produces vanadium as a by-product of its uranium production from certain of its mines on the Colorado Plateau, as market conditions warrant. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU", and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR". Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com.

John White, P.E., is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to: the Company being a leading uranium producer in the U.S.; the Company's expectations regarding well plugging and final closure of PAA1, including any reduction of the reclamation bond on the project and any return of restricted cash; any expectation that the project is ready to resume operations and the timing thereof; the improvements required in order to resume operations; resource and exploration target estimates; any expectation to resume exploration drilling and upgrade existing mineral resources into higher categories; and any other statements regarding Energy Fuels' future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects; constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions) should be considered forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Energy Fuels' ability to control or predict. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation factors relating to: the Company being a leading uranium producer in the U.S.; the Company's expectations regarding well plugging and final closure of PAA1, including any reduction of the reclamation bond on the project and any return of restricted cash; any expectation that the project is ready to resume operations and the timing thereof; the improvements required in order to resume operations; resource and exploration target estimates; any expectation to resume exploration drilling and upgrade existing mineral resources into higher categories; and other risk factors as described in Energy Fuels' most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly financial reports. Energy Fuels assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Energy Fuels' filings with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of the management of Energy Fuels relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof.

Cautionary note to United States investors concerning estimates of measured, indicated and inferred resources. This news release contains certain disclosure that has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Canadian securities laws, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all reserve and resource estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") classification system. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of U.S. securities laws, and reserve and resource information contained in this news release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by companies reporting only under U.S. standards. In particular, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserve" under SEC Industry Guide 7. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "Inferred Mineral Resource" exists or is economically or legally minable. Energy Fuels does not hold any Reserves as that term is defined by SEC Industry Guide 7. Please refer to the section entitled "Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Disclosure of Mineral Resources" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K dated March 9, 2018 for further details.

SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.

Related Links

http://www.energyfuels.com


With the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games approaching, JNTO's main mission is to introduce under-the-radar attractions and points-of-interest to Americans and international travelers. In this sense, culture is a good motivator for travelers visiting Japan and helps break barriers. Mr. Chick Corea who is passionate and knowledgeable about Japan, especially the country's music and culture, are among some of the advocates that JNTO is featuring as storytellers to highlight the destination's key unique selling points.

At the event, Mr. Corea emphasized Japan's warm hospitality, saying that "the service quality, especially the human quality is the first thing that you notice about Japan. Sometimes I've heard it spoken about Japanese politeness and manners in a negative waybut that's not true, it's a kind of humanity and politeness that was built into the culture from a long time ago."

With regards to Japan's hospitality, Mr. Corea shared an anecdote about a local elderly man. The man spoke little to no English, but upon seeing a lost looking foreigner and hearing him say "Ginza?" he deftly showed Mr. Corea on a map how to get from point A to B.

Mr. Corea said that from start to finish, experiencing Japan is like entering another world. "No matter whether you're going to go for a vacation or you go for business reasons you're in this unique environment. It's something to experience if you haven't experienced it yet. That's the most salient thing about Japan, the beauty of Japan." While he wouldn't give any advice on what to do in Japan (when asked for any tips on what to do his exact words were, "My philosophy is people should do whatever they want to do!"), he stated to the audience, "You can do anything in Japan!"

JNTO president Ryoichi Matsuyama added, "By starting this new Global Campaign, JNTO will accelerate promotional activities and improve on a travel-friendly environment in Japan leading-up to the year 2020."

Media Contact

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) New York Office

[email protected]

SOURCE Japan National Tourism Organization

Related Links

http://www.us.jnto.go.jp/top/index.php


NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Eternity Healthcare Inc. ("Eternity" or the "Company") (OTC: ETAH) today announced the completion of the registration with the Tongren Administration Bureau for Industry and Commerce of Guizhou Province of its acquisition of Guizhou Tongren Healthy China Biotechnology Co., Ltd. ("Tongren Healthy"). This represents the completion of the establishment of organizational structure necessary for Eternity to launch its stem cell harvesting, storage, transformation and treatment service in Tongren City, Guizhou Province, China. Guizhou Province is located in southwest China with a population of 35.5 million. Tongren Healthy is the leading stem cell therapy service company covering Guizhou Province and Western China. A 50,000 square-feet facility for stem cell harvesting, storage and transformation, and patient treatment is currently under construction by Tongren Healthy and expected to be operational in May 2018. The facility will consist of a fully equipped stem cell laboratory, immune cell research room, a genetics and gene research laboratory, and patient treatment rooms. Upon completion, the facility will be capable of servicing about 45,000 patients annually, and storing about 200,000 cells. Eternity expects the capital required for to construct and equip the facility, and initial working capital will be about $25 million.

To secure the required capital for Tongren Healthy's facility, the Company announced today that it has entered into a credit loan agreement (the "Credit Loan Agreement") with a regional lender. The agreement was signed on March 26, 2018. Pursuant to the Agreement, regional lender will provide the company up to $25 million.

ETERNITY HEALTHCARE INC.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are 'forward-looking statements' intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, the Company's statements regarding its intent to develop a stem cell facility and the benefits of such a facility to the public and the Company are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the timing of the completion of the project, the terms under which the project will be completed, the consumer acceptance of stem cell technologies and whether alternate technologies will displace stem cell technologies. The factors discussed herein and expressed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Contact:

Allen Yuan

[email protected]

Company Website:

http://www.phealthcare.net/

SOURCE Eternity Healthcare Inc.

Related Links

http://www.phealthcare.net/


Despite the brand significantly increasing production with their Italian factory, demand has continued to outstep supply and it's only now - 180 days after Meghan first wore the frames - that the sunglasses are back in stock. During this period, the brand sold thousands of pairs of the Percy Light Tortoise frames ($180) on pre-order with orders coming from 50 countries around the world.

Creative Director and Co-Founder, Dane Butler commented "Over the last year or so, Meghan has become a global style icon with every detail of her outfits being scrutinized. We're honored that Meghan has been photographed wearing her FINLAY Percy frames on numerous occasions in the last few months. Meghan has her initials 'MM' engraved on the arm of her FINLAY sunglasses which can be seen in some of the photos, as a result we've seen many customers personalizing their own frames with bespoke engraving ($60) through our website www.finlayandco.com"

Co-Founder David Lochhead commented "Around 75% of all pairs sold online in the last six months were our Percy style, so we're delighted to have this product back in stock online and also available at our recently opened flagship store located in Soho, London. We've had lots of customers coming in store and asking to try the Percy style on. We have seen a sales uplift in the past from celebrities such as Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne wearing FINLAY, however, the impact from Meghan wearing has been on a different scale."

FINLAY Percy Light Tortoise Sunglasses retail for $180.00 and are now available at www.finlayandco.com (free worldwide shipping and free returns) and also available at select Barney's New York locations.

About FINLAY London:

FINLAY is a British eyewear brand born with a rebellious spirit when it comes to designing frames. The collection is inspired by a desire to create frames which celebrate the individuality of our wearers.

Adopting the long-established techniques of eyewear artisans located in the foothills of the Italian Alps, we work with expert craftsmen and women to lovingly create each frame.



In our newly opened concept store in Soho London you will find the full FINLAY collection of frames, alongside a curated edit of our favorite other independent eyewear brands from around the world. Come and discover the collection, book an eye test and find a new pair of spectacles or sunglasses. For more information on the brand, please visit: www.finlayandco.com



For more information, please contact Daniela Maron at [email protected] or Lorig Stepanian at [email protected]

SOURCE FINLAY London

Related Links

http://www.finlayandco.com


ROSWELL, N.M., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Appointments are now available at the first Aspen Dental-branded practice scheduled to open in New Mexico at 3900 N. Main St. in Roswell on Thursday, April 5.

Office hours will be Monday through Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. as well as select Saturdays. Walk-in and emergency patients are welcome.

The new dental office is led by Dr. Phillip Born who received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Creighton University. Dr. Born and his team will provide dental services ranging from dentures and preventive care, to general dentistry and restoration.

As dental health advocates work to lower the barriers to dental care among underserved populations in New Mexico, five more Aspen Dental practices are schedule to open in 2018  making access to dental care even easier for residents in the Land of Enchantment. The six new offices are located in counties which have been designated as dental health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The new Aspen Dental office offers patient-friendly programs and services, including:

Personalized treatment and friendly service. Each patient receives a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plan designed by the dentist with long-term oral and overall health in mind.

On-site denture lab and Denture Money Back Guarantee. The practice's on-site denture lab facilitates quick turnaround of custom-crafted dentures, repairs (on all dentures  not just those purchases at Aspen Dental), relines or adjustments. If patients are dissatisfied with their dentures  the practice will refund the cost of the dentures when patients return them within 90 days.

Affordable dental care. The practice works with insurance providers and handles the paperwork to save patients time and hassle, and offers free new-patient exams and X-rays to those without insurance. Patients will have peace of mind with detailed treatment cost estimates and a variety of financing options.

To make an appointment, patients can go to www.aspendental.com and click on Schedule a New Patient Appointment; or call (575) 208-3160 or 800-ASPEN DENTAL (800-277-3633).

About Aspen Dental Offices

Aspen Dental-branded practices are committed to breaking down the barriers to better dental care, better smiles and better lives by making dentistry easier for patients. With more than 660 offices in 37 states, Aspen Dental practices provide a wide range of general dentistry and denture-related services and offer patient-friendly programs and services, including convenient locations, onsite labs and extended hours. Together, Aspen Dental practices cared for more than 1.7 million patients in 2017.

About Aspen Dental Management, Inc.

With an innovative model that takes care of non-clinical business and administrative services so that providers are free to focus on patient care, the team at ADMI is driven by one overarching purpose: To care for the people who care for the patients. ADMI makes it easier for clinicians to have the careers they've always dreamed of, delivering care to their patients with the support of a team of experienced business professionals who are committed to making their practices a success. Support provided by ADMI includes services and recommendations related to finding the right locations, leasing, acquiring equipment, accounting and marketing.

SOURCE Aspen Dental

Related Links

http://www.aspendental.com


HOUSTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Five Point Energy ("Five Point"), formerly Five Point Capital Partners LLC, a private equity firm focused exclusively on investments within the midstream and energy infrastructure sector, today announced the final closing of Five Point Energy Fund II L.P. (the "Fund"). The Fund was oversubscribed and closed at its hard cap of $750 million, exceeding its original target of $650 million.

In deploying the Fund, Five Point will continue to leverage its direct operating approach to actively support management teams, midstream companies and E&Ps in building world-class midstream businesses. Five Point is uniquely equipped to add value as a strategic partner given the deep industry experience of its team. Led by David Capobianco, CEO and Managing Partner, and Matthew Morrow, COO and Managing Partner, Five Point's senior leadership team includes former CEOs and industry executives who have successfully built midstream businesses themselves, offering invaluable on-the-ground experience and an expansive network of relationships.

David Capobianco said, "We are pleased with the reception of our latest fund and are grateful for the support of our returning and new limited partners. Five Point has a demonstrated track record of building industry-leading midstream franchises, in partnership with E&Ps and exceptional management teams. We will continue to execute on attractive opportunities in the midstream energy market, particularly around in-basin infrastructure and water management assets. It is our belief that the combination of near-to-intermediate term dislocation and long term growth will create a superior climate for our focused investment strategies."

Matthew Morrow added, "Five Point offers differentiated expertise to our partners. Since our inception, we have worked collaboratively with upstream companies and outstanding management teams to build nascent businesses into established industry leaders. We are excited to continue working with our existing partners as well as new managers in the years ahead as we maximize risk-adjusted returns for our investors."

The Fund received strong support from a diversified base of investors, including leading public pension funds, pre-eminent university endowments and foundations, multi-national corporations, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, fund-of-funds, and family offices. Notably, nearly all institutional LPs from the prior fund will be part of the new Fund.

Hogan Lovells served as legal counsel to Five Point Energy. Eaton Partners served as exclusive placement agent.

About Five Point Energy

Five Point Energy is a private investment firm focused on midstream energy infrastructure and energy sector investments across North America. Five Point Energy partners with leading E&P companies to build and develop midstream infrastructure to support drilling programs, as well to develop and support proven management teams through buyouts and growth capital within the midstream energy sector. Based in Houston, Texas, Five Point Energy is currently investing from Five Point Energy Fund II L.P. and manages more than $1.5 billion of capital. For further information, please visit www.fivepointcp.com.

Media Contacts

Daniel Yunger

KEKST

212-521-4800

[email protected]

SOURCE Five Point Energy
SAN DIEGO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Forbes School of Business and Technology at Ashford University will host the first event of its 2018 Distinguished Lecturer Series on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. This free event, open to all Ashford students, alumni, faculty, and staff, will be held at 11:00 a.m. PDT at Ashford University, located at 8620 Spectrum Center Boulevard in San Diego.

Forbes contributor and author John Tamny will speak at the April 10 event. Tamny, who contributes to a variety of financial publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, Financial Times, National Review, and London's Daily Telegraph, frequently writes on the topics of securities markets, along with tax, trade, and monetary policy issues that impact those markets. Tamny is a member of the Forbes School of Business and Technology Board of Advisors.

The Distinguished Lecturer Series is a benefit for the students of the Forbes School of Business and Technology at Ashford University. Launched in 2014, the series provides a forum for business experts to share their extensive business knowledge with the Ashford academic community.

To register for the event, visit http://bit.ly/2GlVS8f. To learn more about the Forbes School of Business and Technology at Ashford University, visit https://www.ashford.edu/online-degrees/forbes-school-of-business-and-technology.

About Ashford University

Where heritage meets innovation  that's Ashford University. At Ashford, students discover relevant degree programs, innovative technology, and cherished tradition. Ashford offers associates, bachelor's, and master's degree programs online, allowing students to balance life by providing the flexibility to do school work anywhere, anytime. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu, www.facebook.com/ashforduniversity, or www.twitter.com/AshfordU.

About Forbes Media

Forbes Media is a global media, branding and technology company, with a focus on news and information about business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and affluent lifestyles. The company publishes Forbes and Forbes Asia magazines, as well as Forbes.com. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 94 million people worldwide with its business message each month through its magazines and 38 licensed local editions around the globe, websites, TV, conferences, research, social and mobile platforms. Forbes Media's brand extensions include conferences, real estate, education, financial services and technology license agreements.

Contact: Kathleen Park

858.513.9240 x11636  [email protected]

SOURCE Ashford University

Related Links

http://www.ashford.edu


EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NC4, a leader in revolutionizing safety and security and an innovator in law enforcement technology, announced today that the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD), with a strength of 206 sworn officers, has chosen NC4 Street Smart to help in their fight against crime. With the installation of Street Smart, the officers of the FMPD will be equipped with the sophisticated technology and critical resources they need to reduce crime and contribute to the safety of the community.

The FMPD protects a population of over 77,000 residents and is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida. Street Smart will help the department provide safety and security to its residents by providing a daily-use crime-fighting solution that arms police officers with critical real-time data, while patrolling their community.

This solution will allow the department to stay apprised of activities and to collaborate using situation-based bulletins, secure blogs, and case management tools that optimize the sharing of crime-related information in order to pinpoint crimes, patterns, and incidents.

"Community partnership is vital to our efforts to reduce and solve crime. We continue to engage community stakeholders and our law enforcement partners in our efforts to reduce crime and to bring justice to victims and their family members," said Derrick Diggs, Chief of the Fort Myers Police Department. "Our community will benefit from our partnership with NC4 and this technology, when deployed, will give our officers real-time data that is crucial to preventing and solving crime."

NC4 Street Smart will help the FMPD streamline their efforts across the department by providing officers with continuously updated crime maps, bulletins, and the ability to share relevant information quickly, maximizing policing effectiveness. This will help lead to more accurate and timely arrests and increased safety for officers and citizens. The cities that have been using Street Smart report double-digit reductions in crime and decreases from the time of an incident to the time of arrest.

"We are excited that another agency in Florida will be using Street Smart to fight crime," said Rob Wolf, Vice President, NC4 Public Safety. "This solution will help officers in Fort Myers provide more effective and efficient law enforcement services to its residents."

About NC4

NC4 delivers safety and security solutions for both business and government organizations. We revolutionize how organizations and communities collect, manage, share and disseminate information to reduce cyber threats, fight crime, mitigate risks, and manage incidents. NC4 also provides cyber threat sharing solutions both through secure collaboration services and recently (via Soltra Edge), through automated, structured, and standardized (STIX/TAXII) mechanisms.

NC4 solutions are used by private sector companies involved in financial services, high-tech, insurance, manufacturing, aerospace and defense, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, as well as other industries. In the public sector, NC4 solutions are used by federal, state and local agencies in homeland security, emergency management, and law enforcement disciplines.

NC4 takes a comprehensive and integrated approach to safety and security by providing: cyber threat exchanges that drive the development of a sharing culture and circles of trust; global security and travel intelligence, analysis, traveler tracking, and relevant real time threat alerting to mitigate enterprise risks and a common operating picture for fighting crime and managing emergencies.

For information about NC4, visit www.NC4.com or call toll-free, 1-877-624-4999.

SOURCE NC4

Related Links

http://www.NC4.com


VANCOUVER, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Friday Night Inc. (the Company or Friday Night) (CSE: TGIF) (FWB: 1QF) (OTCQB: TGIFF) is pleased to announce financial results for the second quarter ending January 31, 2018.

The Company announced a strong quarterly report with sales increases from both subsidiaries in Las Vegas, Nevada. Alternative Medicine Association ("AMA") has increased its focus on producing higher quality plants that command a higher price in the marketplace. Infused Mfg. has increased its product offering and both its top line sales and profits significantly contributed to the Company's bottom line. Canna Hemp products have been successfully received in Nevada and are now selling in retail locations in California and additional sales representatives have been added to expand the distribution network. With the recent acquisition of Spire Secure Logistics, management feels it has acquired a business with significant cash flow potential that will benefit from the growing cannabis sector.

Q2 Financial Highlights (Amounts in CND dollars)

Total sales increase from $2,464,487 in Q1 to $2,962,699 in Q2, which represents a 20.2% increase

in Q1 to in Q2, which represents a 20.2% increase US operations 6-month total sales of $5.4 million

Gross profit in Q2 of $1,579,127

Cash at end of period of $15,753 ,139

,139 Infused MFG increased sales by 45%

AMA increased sales by 11%

Selected Quarterly Information

The following table shows results for the quarter ended January 31, 2018 in Canadian dollars.



3 months ended January 31, 2018

(unaudited) Revenue CDN$ 2,962,699 Gross Profit CDN$ 1,579,127 Non-Current Assets CDN$ 17,397,003 Cash at end of period CDN$ 15,753,139 Total Liabilities CDN$ 3,735,685

Developments in Q2

On November 3, 2017 , the Company announced an agreement with MariMed Advisors for an exclusive licensing deal to produce MariMed THC products including their unique sublingual "Melts" product line, a THC and CBD "Mints" line, "Kalm Corn" products and the "Betty Eddies" and "Berry Bombs" line of products. Under the terms of the agreement, AMA is, on an exclusive basis, producing these and other MariMed products using their proprietary processes and distributing these products to all dispensaries in Nevada .

, the Company announced an agreement with MariMed Advisors for an exclusive licensing deal to produce MariMed THC products including their unique sublingual "Melts" product line, a THC and CBD "Mints" line, "Kalm Corn" products and the "Betty Eddies" and "Berry Bombs" line of products. Under the terms of the agreement, AMA is, on an exclusive basis, producing these and other MariMed products using their proprietary processes and distributing these products to all dispensaries in . On November 10, 2017 , Friday Night announced that AMA had executed an agreement to provide cultivation services to another Nevada licensed facility owned by Harvest Foundation.

, Friday Night announced that AMA had executed an agreement to provide cultivation services to another licensed facility owned by Harvest Foundation. On December 6, 2017 , the Company announced that AMA had signed a production contract to produce high-grade concentrates for a major dispensary chain in Nevada.

Subsequent Developments

The following transactions were entered subsequent to January 31, 2018:

The Company acquired as a wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Secure Logistics Inc., a Canadian private company specializing in security, intelligence, and compliance with international clients and expertise in both the regulated cannabis industry and other sectors.

The Company closed on the purchase of an additional 2.78 acres of land contiguous to its current location that will host its new cultivation facility. It now owns over 4.17 acres following the transaction on a major thoroughfare in Las Vegas . The Company plans to build a new state-of-the-art 67,000 sq. ft. cultivation facility on this land that will help further scale both revenue and product lines.

. The Company plans to build a new state-of-the-art 67,000 sq. ft. cultivation facility on this land that will help further scale both revenue and product lines. Friday Night announced on February 21st that it had terminated its letter of intent dated December 20, 2017 to acquire Body & Mind Inc. in an all-stock transaction.

Management focused and executed on several milestones surrounding its Nevada business expansion plans.

Detailed information on the financials and the management's discussion and analysis can be found at http://sedar.com/.

About Friday Night Inc.

Friday Night Inc. is a Canadian public company, which owns and controls cannabis and hemp-based assets in Las Vegas Nevada as well as an international cannabis and mining security logistics consulting firm. The Company owns 91% of Alternative Medicine Association, LC (AMA), a licensed medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation and production facility that produces its own line of unique cannabis-based products and manufactures other third-party brands. Infused MFG, also a 91% owned subsidiary, produces hemp-based, CBD products, thoughtfully crafted of high quality organic botanical ingredients. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Spire Secure Logistics is a leading provider of customized security programs, compliance, information technology, buildout design, and due diligence services for the legal cannabis, mining and investment sectors. Friday Night Inc. is focused on strengthening and expanding its current operations.

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.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents, which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. Friday Night undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Friday Night Inc.
ATLANTA, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Twenty future doctors from Morehouse School of Medicine will graduate with a smaller student debt load, thanks to a $400,000 gift from the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority.

MSM President and Dean Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., announced the gift during her annual "State of the School" address, flanked by MSM alumnus and FDHA board member Dr. Sultan Simms, vice president and market medical director of behavioral health at WellCare Health Plans.

"Our partnership with the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority allows us to serve the most vulnerable populations in our community. The FDHA also oversees Grady Health System, one of our primary clinical partners," Montgomery Rice said. "These funds will help us increase diversity among doctors and help develop primary care physicians committed to working in underserved urban and rural areas."

The Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority Scholars Fund will provide each of the 20 M.D. students with $5,000 in annual scholarships from 2018 to 2021. Applicants must have graduated from a Fulton or DeKalb County high school and agree to perform community service at the MSM student-run HEAL (Health Equity for All Lives) Clinic. Recipients will be selected based on financial need.

"At the FDHA, our mission is to decrease health disparities, and one way to do that is by educating more physicians. We know that Georgia only has 60 percent of the primary care physicians that we need, between retirements and the increasing cost to become a doctor," explained CEO Lisa Flagg. "The FDHA felt that a scholarship to assist medical students was one small way to increase the number of physicians serving our community."

MSM will name five of the scholarships in honor of the late Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner, a longtime community activist and organizer, who passed away April 18, 2017.

SOURCE Morehouse School of Medicine

Related Links

http://msm.edu


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (CSE: FFT.CN) (OTCQX: FFRMF) is pleased to announce that it has begun preparations for the propagation of industrial hemp at its Belfast, Maine facility.

As previously announced, the Company entered into a lease agreement for an initial 12,960 sq. ft. of space in a 60,000 sq. ft. building in Belfast, Maine. The Company has engaged GGS Structures of Vineland Station, Ontario to outfit planting trays, which will house over 200,000 hemp seedlings for the 2018-growing season. In addition to ordering the seeding tables, Future Farm has also engaged a local electrician and contractor to begin the build-out of its propagation room, which Future Farm anticipates will be completed by May 1st. This schedule should allow sufficient time to grow the seedlings to a point where they are hardy enough to be planted outside at the Company's Amity 120-acre and Hersey 100-acre farms before Maine's June 1st deadline.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that he will introduce legislation to legalize hemp as an agricultural commodity. The Republican made the announcement in his home state of Kentucky, which has been at the forefront of hemp's comeback. McConnell says the legislation would also remove the federal barriers in place, which will help expand the domestic production of hemp. It will also give hemp researchers the chance to apply for competitive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, allowing them to continue their work with the support of federal research dollars.

Looking forward to 2019, the Company expects to exercise its option to expand within the Belfast facility and to double production in 2019 at this location. With over 100 organic certified acres ready to plant in 2018 and an additional 1,000 acres available for expansion, Future Farm is poised to become the largest hemp farm in the North East.

"We have been working day and night to capitalize on this year's growing season," Derek Ross, President of Cannatech and Future Farm's joint venture partner in Maine comments. "It's great to see a plan come together and I'm very excited to have the opportunity to work with the local community to develop this project."

On behalf of the Board,

Future Farm Technologies Inc.

William Gildea, Chairman & CEO

About Future Farm

Future Farm Technologies Inc. is a Canadian company with projects throughout North America including California, Florida and Maryland. The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants, with a focus on cannabis. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generates yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including 90% less water, fertilizer and land used, less travel costs, seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability.

The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com, which caters to B2B customers, is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com, which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. 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 or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

For further information, contact:

William Gildea

Director

+1-888-387-3761



SOURCE Future Farm Technologies Inc.
SAN JOSE, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Anoushka, Inc. DBA Gefira Business Solutions, provider of a wide range of business critical applications, announced today that it has become a Solutions Partner for Canon Information and Imaging Solutions, Inc. (CIIS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc. In business since 2005, Gefira Business Solutions is an Oracle Gold Partner focused on offering solutions for clients of Oracle PeopleSoft. The company's expertise includes solutions in the areas of Human Capital Management and Financial Management, across various industries.

The collaboration with CIIS will enable Gefira Business Solutions to offer Accounts Payable Automation Solutions based on the Enterprise Imaging Platform by Canon, and to leverage Canon's document imaging technologies and business processes experience in automating other document-intensive business processes. The solutions use Canon's technologies in image capture, data extraction, application integration, and content management, to standardize processing of documents, improve accuracy and compliance, and provide visibility into projects and expenses.

"We are excited to be partnered with Canon Information and Imaging Solutions to bring Canon's Accounts Payable Automation Solution to our customers. Canon's Enterprise Imaging Platform is a game-changing piece of the puzzle that enables complete automation of several paper-based business processes," says Amit Khatri, President & CEO of Gefira Business Solutions.

"CIIS is pleased to collaborate with Gefira Business Solutions and leverage the company's expertise in PeopleSoft, to help our mutual clients digitize their business processes, gain control over their operations, and bring significant efficiency gains," says Dennis Amorosano, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Canon Information & Imaging Solutions.

About Gefira Business Solutions

As an Oracle Gold Partner, Gefira Business Solutions prides itself on delivering the highest level of service leveraging years of experience and focusing on industry best practices. With their core competency in Oracle's PeopleSoft applications, their collective knowledge is not only broad but also deep in a wide range of business critical applications including Human Capital Management and Financial Management. The company name is derived from "gefyra" the Greek word for "bridge". As such, they are constantly looking towards Bridging the Gap between Business and Technology. To learn more about Anoushka Inc. DBA Gefira Business Solutions visit www.gefira.co

About Canon Information and Imaging Solutions, Inc.

Canon Information and Imaging Solutions, Inc. (CIIS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., delivers accounts payable and procure-to-pay solutions that are shaping the future of financial operations. Extending Canon's long history of innovation with imaging and digital document technologies, CIIS solutions leverage world-class intelligent data capture, business process automation, integration with legacy systems, and analytics, to provide benefits beyond invoice automation. CIIS deploys its solutions in partnership with leading technology providers and delivers comprehensive consulting and professional services that are trusted by organizations of all sizes. To learn how CIIS can enhance your organization's financial operations today and in the future, visit www.ciis.canon.com

SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Related Links

http://www.usa.canon.com


DUBLIN, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Antibiotic Resistance Markets - Pharmaceutical Therapeutics - By Pathogen and Therapy Type Strategies & Trends 2018 to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Antimicrobial Resistance is creating new kinds of infections and superbugs that are resistant to current antibiotic medicines. New drugs and technologies are under development to stop these superbugs. These pharmaceutical technologies have the potential to displace existing antibiotics. We have identified the 6 Key Large Opportunities in this space and developed market forecasts.

The report has looked at the technology picture too, giving you, plain language understanding of the different ways pathogens, and infections, can be treated. This is a market with a lot of players, there are over 100 biotechnology companies profiled in the report. Understand this unfolding market opportunity and the players in it.



All report data is available in Excel format on request.



Make investment decisions and valuations with confidence using the latest data.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction and Market Definition

1.1 The Growing Threat and Opportunity of Antimicrobial Resistance

1.2 Defining the Opportunity

1.2.1 Revenue Market Size

1.3 Methods and Sources

1.4 U.S. Antibiotic Markets - Perspective

1.4.1 U.S. Outpatient Use of Antibiotics

1.4.2 U.S. Pharmaceutical Spending



2. Overview of a Dynamic Market

2.1 Market Players - Roles & Impacts

2.1.1 Drug manufacturers - Larger/pharmaceutical

2.1.2 Drug manufacturers - Generic

2.1.3 Contract Research and Manufacturing

2.1.4 In Vitro Diagnostics Industry

2.1.5 Drug Marketing Companies

2.1.6 Biotechnology Companies

2.1.7 Regulatory Bodies

2.2 Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance

2.2.1 What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

2.2.2 Bacteria and Other Microbes

2.2.3 The History of Antibiotics

2.2.4 The Role of Animal Husbandry

2.2.5 The Implications of Horizontal Transfer

2.2.6 The Threat of AMR

2.3 The Changing Road to New Antibiotics & Technologies

2.4 The Key Role of Diagnostics in AMR



3. The Market Opportunity of AMR

3.1 The Key Large Market Opportunities in AMR

3.1.1 Streptococcus Pneumoniae (DRSP)

3.1.2 Campylobacter (DRC)

3.1.3 Clostridium Difficile (CD)

3.1.4 Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

3.1.5 Neisseria gonorrhoeae (DRNG)

3.1.6 Salmonella (DRNTS)

3.2 Therapeutic Technology Development Opportunities

3.2.1 Using Viruses Against Bacteria

3.2.2 Hydrolytic Enzymes Join the Fight.

3.2.3 Antibodies.

3.2.4 Vaccines

3.2.5 Probiotic Technology

3.2.6 Peptides vs. Pathogens

3.2.7 Mining Obsolete Science

3.2.8 CRISPR Antibiotics

3.3. Antibiotic Resistance Recent Developments

3.3.1 Recent Developments - Importance and How to Use This Section

3.3.2 Importance of These Developments

3.3.3 How to Use This Section

3.3.4 Superbug Arises in China

3.3.5 Bruker Announces Acquisition of MERLIN

3.3.6 Antibiotics Firms Cempra, Melinta Therapeutics Agree to Merger

3.3.7 Antibiotic Alternative Micreos wins Most Impactful Innovation

3.3.8 Roche kicks antibiotic development into Warp Drive

3.3.9 Iterum Gains Support for Sulopenem Development

3.3.10 VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals Raises $42 Million Series B

3.3.11 Wockhardt Receives Approval for Phase III Trial

3.3.12 Phagelux, Inc. Announces Collaboration with Johnson & Johnson

3.3.13 bioMrieux, Inc. and McKesson Medical-Surgical Announce Distribution Alliance

3.3.14 AstraZeneca to sell antibiotics branch to Pfizer

3.3.15 Microbiotix and AMR Centre Announce Co-Development Agreement

3.3.16 Hennepin Life Sciences Presents Pre-Clinical Data

3.3.17 bioMrieux receives FDA clearance for expanded pathogen identification capability

3.3.18 Sequoia Sciences Receives FDA Fast Track Designation

3.3.19 Forge Therapeutics Presents New Efficacy Data

3.3.20 Acquisition Strategy Fills Out Roche's Pipeline

3.3.21 Alopexx completes trial of broad-spectrum anti-microbial vaccine

3.3.22 Integrated Biotherapeutics Partners with CARB-X for MRSA Vaccine

3.3.23 BD Molecular Test for Infectious Diarrhea Cleared

3.3.24 Fusion Genomics Developing All Pathogens Diagnostic.



4. Key Biotechnology Companies and Their Technology

4.2 Therapeutics

4.2.1 The Medicines Company

4.2.2 Melinta Therapeutics

4.2.3 Arsanis

4.2.4 Phage Technologies S.A

4.2.5 Westway Health

4.2.6 Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals

4.2.7 BioVersys GmbH

4.2.8 Nabriva Therapeutics.

4.2.9 Macrolide Pharmaceuticals

4.2.10 Nemesis Bioscience

4.2.11 C3J Therapeutics, Inc.

4.2.12 EpiBiome

4.2.13 discuva

4.2.14 SmartPhage

4.2.15 AmpliPhi Biosciences

4.2.16 Pherecydes Pharma

4.2.17 Micreos

4.2.18 Procarta Biosystems

4.2.19 Lumavita

4.2.20 Madam Therapeutics

4.2.21 Priaxon

4.2.22 Biolytx Pharmaceuticals

4.2.23 AntibioTx

4.2.24 Xellia Pharmaceuticals

4.2.25 Paratek Pharmaceuticals

4.2.26 Synereca Pharmaceuticals

4.2.27 Allecra Therapeutics

4.2.28 Fixed Phage

4.2.29 Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

4.2.30 Demuris

4.2.31 Prommune

4.2.32 Biosergen

4.2.33 Innovation Pharmaceuticals

4.2.34 Aviragen Therapeutics

4.2.35 Achillion Pharmaceuticals

4.2.36 ImmunNovative Developments, S.L.

4.2.37 Achaogen, Inc.

4.2.38 SelectX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

4.2.39 TaiGen Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

4.2.40 Theravance Biopharma

4.2.41 Abbvie

4.2.42 KYORIN Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.

4.2.43 Iterum Therapeutics Limited

4.2.44 Forge Therapeutics

4.2.45 Alopexx Vaccine LLC

4.2.46 Integrated Biotherapeutics

4.2.47 Hennepin Life Sciences

4.2.48 Fedora Pharmaceuticals Inc.

4.2.49 Contrafect Corporation

4.2.50 Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd.

4.2.51 AiCuris

4.2.52 RedHill Biopharma

4.2.53 Redx Pharma Plc/ Redx Anti Infectives Ltd.

4.2.54 ABAC Therapeutics

4.2.55 Alaxia SAS

4.2.56 Antabio S.A.S

4.2.57 Auspherix Ltd

4.2.58 BioFilm Pharma

4.2.59 Centauri Therapeutics Ltd

4.2.60 Combioxin SA

4.2.61 Da Volterra

4.2.62 Debiopharm International SA

4.2.63 Deinobiotics/Deinove

4.2.64 Destiny Pharma plc

4.2.65 Eligo Bioscience

4.2.66 Helperby Therapeutics Ltd

4.2.67 Karveel Pharmaceuticals

4.2.68 MaaT Pharma

4.2.69 Motif BioSciences, Inc / Motif Bio PLC

4.2.70 Mutabilis SAS

4.2.71 Neem Biotech Ltd

4.2.72 Northern Antibiotics Oy (Ltd)

4.2.73 Nosopharm

4.2.74 NovaBiotics Ltd

4.2.75 Phico Therapeutics Ltd

4.2.76 Polyphor Ltd

4.2.77 QureTech Bio AB

4.2.78 SetLance srl

4.2.79 Ultupharma AB

4.2.80 Vaxdyn

4.2.81 Vibiosphen

4.2.82 Bioaster

4.2.83 Vivexia

4.2.85 KBP Biosciences

4.2.86 Absynth Biologics

4.2.87 Spero Therapeutics

4.2.88 Merck

4.2.89 Symphogen

4.2.90 Warp Drive Bio

4.2.91 Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)

4.2.92 Pfizer

4.2.93 Allergan

4.2.95 Novartis

4.2.97 AstraZeneca

4.2.100 Cipla

4.2.101 DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals

4.2.102 Wockhardt Ltd.

4.2.103 VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals

4.2.104 MicuRx

4.2.105 Entasis Therapeutics

4.2.106 Merlion Pharmaceuticals

4.3 The Therapeutics Race - Summary of Companies Research Areas



5. Country Market Sizes - North America 2017 to 2023



6. Country Markets - Europe 2017 to 2023



7. Country Markets - Asia Pacific 2017 to 2023



8. Country Markets - Latin America, Africa & The Middle East 2017 to 2023



9. Global Market Summary 2017 to 2023



10. The Future of AMR



Appendices

I. United States Medicare System: Top Selling Drugs 2011-2015



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8nbhht/global_antibiotic?w=5



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05368785







According to "Global SUV Market By Length, By Engine Capacity, By Fuel Type, By Region, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2013  2023", around 26.68 million units of SUVs were sold in the global automobile market in 2017, and this volume is projected to reach 50.95 million units by 2023, in the global SUV market is anticipated to be driven by increasing consumer inclination towards compact SUVs, rising consumer demand for a car that is comfortable and can perform the occasional off-roading, and growing adoption of hybrid and electric SUVs. Moreover, increasing investments by leading auto manufacturers such as Jeep, Toyota, Honda, etc., in their SUV product lines is expected to positively influence the global SUV market in the coming years. Some of the major players operating in the global SUV market are Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V., Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Company, Hyundai Motor Company, Daimler AG, Renault SA, and Volkswagen AG, among others.



"Global SUV Market By Length, By Engine Capacity, By Fuel Type, By Region, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2013  2023", discusses the following aspects of SUV market globally:

SUV Market Size, Share & Forecast

Segmental Analysis  By Length (SUV-C, SUV-D, SUV-E & SUV-F), By Engine Capacity, By Fuel Type (Diesel, Petrol & Others), By Region (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America & Others)

Competitive Analysis

Changing Market Trends & Emerging Opportunities



Why You Should Buy This Report?

To gain an in-depth understanding of SUV market globally

To identify the on-going trends and anticipated growth in the next five years

To help industry consultants, SUV manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders align their market-centric strategies

To obtain research-based business decisions and add weight to presentations and marketing material

To gain competitive knowledge of leading market players

To avail 10% customization in the report without any extra charges and get the research data or trends added in the report as per the buyer's specific needs



Report Methodology

The information contained in this report is based upon both primary and secondary research.Primary research included interaction with SUV manufacturers, distributors and industry experts.



Secondary research included an exhaustive search of relevant publications like company annual reports, financial reports and proprietary databases.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05368785



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

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SOURCE Reportlinker

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JOHANNESBURG, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields) (JSE,NYSE: GFI) is pleased to announce it has, through a wholly owned subsidiary, entered into a definitive agreement subject to certain customary conditions to form a 50:50 incorporated joint venture with Canada's Asanko Gold, Inc (TSX/NYSE AMERICAN: AKG) (Asanko). The Gold Fields subsidiary has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Asanko Gold Ghana Limited's (AGG) 90% interest in the Asanko Gold Mine, associated properties and exploration rights in Ghana (AGM). The AGM is a multi-deposit complex, with two main deposits, Nkran and Esaase, and nine known satellite deposits. The purchase consideration comprises an upfront payment of US$165m on closing of the transaction and a deferred payment of US$20m.

In addition, Gold Fields' subsidiary agrees to subscribe to a 9.9% share placement in Asanko by way of a private placement of 22,354,657 Asanko shares at a price of approximately US$0.79, equal to the five-day VWAP on the day prior to date of this announcement, for a total consideration of US$17.6m. The subscription will close shortly after the date of this announcement, and is not conditional on completion of the joint venture transaction.

The acquisition will be funded from cash and/or by drawing down on Gold Fields existing debt facilities. Importantly, the AGM is an in-production asset that generates EBITDA and cash flow and does not require any additional investment by the JV partners.

Rationale for the Acquisition

Portfolio management is one of Gold Fields' strategic objectives, as we continually seek to improve the quality of our portfolio (by lowering our all-in costs (AIC) and extending mine lives) to enhance Gold Field's cash generation. The Asanko joint venture will give immediate access to low-cost production ounces, increasing the quality of the Gold Fields portfolio - Asanko's guidance for 2019-2023 is average annual production of 253koz (100% basis) at all-in sustaining costs (AISC) of US$860 /oz, with a life-of-mine of at least 15 years. Further, the sizeable resource base of the asset is immediately accretive to Gold Fields in terms of life, with the potential for further discoveries on the large, relatively unexplored, tenement package (c.540km[2]) held by Asanko. The transaction is also in line with our current growth strategy of focusing on jurisdictions in which we already have an established footprint. As the AGM is located in Ghana , we are adding an asset in a country where Gold Fields has extensive experience, having operated in Ghana for over 20 years.

The transaction exceeds our requirement of a return of 15% at a gold price of US$1,300/oz, with a payback period of five years out of an anticipated life-of-mine of at least 15 years. The transaction is demonstrably accretive to Gold Fields. We are comfortable that despite our current investment programme (Damang and Gruyere) this acquisition is well within our balance sheet capacity, particularly as it is a producing asset.

About Asanko

Asanko is a Canadian-based gold producer (listed on the TSX and NYSE AMERICAN) with operations in Ghana. Asanko's principal assets are the Obotan operation (which includes the Nkran deposit) and the Esaase deposit (collectively the AGM), which are situated 100km north of Gold Fields' Tarkwa and Damang operations along the prospective and under explored Asankrangwa greenstone belt in Ghana.

Following Asanko's acquisition of PMI Gold Inc. (PMI) in 2014, Asanko combined its Esaase gold project with PMI's Obotan gold project to form the AGM and pursued a phased development and expansion strategy. The construction of the first phase, essentially the Obotan gold project, including a 3 Mtpa carbon-in-leach processing facility and associated infrastructure, was completed in early 2016. Commercial production was declared on 1 April 2016, and the operation reached steady-state production levels by the end of the second quarter of 2016.

Asanko provided guidance to the market with the release of its full year results on 15 March 2018. For 2018, AGM is targeting production of 200-220koz (100% basis) at AISC of US$1,050-1,150/oz, due to investment in the Nkran Cut 2 pushback and the associated increased waste stripping. Beyond 2018, over the five-year period from 2019 to 2023, average annual production is expected to be 253koz (100% basis) at AISC of US$860/oz.

Particulars of the proposed transaction

Upon completion, Gold Fields will hold a 45% interest in AGG - the Ghanaian company that holds the mining assets. The remaining AGG shareholders will be Asanko (45% through its existing offshore holding structure) and the Ghana Government (10% free carried). In addition, Gold Fields will hold a 9.9% listed stake in Asanko.

The aggregate consideration comprises:

Upfront consideration: US$165m payable on closing of the transactions, which will be used to immediately retire the AGG's existing external debt, being a loan from the Red Kite group of US$164m, leaving Asanko debt free.

Deferred consideration: US$20m payable on the earlier of an agreed Esaase development milestone or 31 December 2019.

Share placement: Gold Fields will subscribe for 9.9% share placement in Asanko by way of a private placement of 22,354,657 Asanko shares at a price of approximately US$0.79, equal to the five-day VWAP on the day prior to date of this announcement, for a total consideration of US$17.6m.

Gold Fields and Asanko will establish a 50:50 incorporated joint venture. Asanko will continue to manage the operations and will remain the operator. A joint venture management committee, comprising representatives from Asanko and Gold Fields, will be formed for purposes of overseeing the operation of the mine, with material decisions (including budgets, capital expenditure) requiring unanimous approval. A technical sub-committee will also be formed to provide technical advisory services to the management committee.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent including, among others, no Asanko material adverse event, and Ghanaian Ministerial approval for the indirect (by way of change of control) transfer of the various mining properties. Completion is anticipated to occur in Q3 2018.

Notes to editors

About Gold Fields

Gold Fields Limited is a globally diversified gold producer with seven operating mines in Australia, Ghana, Peru and South Africa, and a total attributable annual gold-equivalent production of approximately 2.2 million ounces. It has attributable gold Mineral Reserves of around 49 million ounces and gold Mineral Resources of around 104 million ounces. Attributable copper Mineral Reserves total 764 million pounds and Mineral Resources 4,881 million pounds. Gold Fields has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Limited, with secondary listings on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Swiss Exchange (SIX).

Sponsor: J.P. Morgan Equities South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Forward-looking statements

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements which reflect Gold Fields's intent, beliefs or current expectations about the future and can be recognised by the use of words such as "expects," "will," "anticipate, "or words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on assumptions about Gold Fields's operations and other factors, many of which are beyond Gold Fields's control, and accordingly, actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. Gold Fields expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement (except to the extent legally required).

Enquiries

Investors

Avishkar Nagaser

Tel: +27-11-562-9775

Mobile: +27-82-312-8692

Email: [email protected]

Thomas Mengel

Tel: +27-11-562-9849

Mobile: +27-72-493-5170

Email: [email protected]

Media

Sven Lunsche

Tel: +27-11-562-9763

Mobile: +27-83-260-9279

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Gold Fields Limited
VANCOUVER, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - GoldMining Inc. (the "Company" or "GoldMining") (TSX-V: GOLD;OTCQX: GLDLF) announces the retirement of Mario Garnero from its board of directors and his concurrent appointment to GoldMining's advisory board. The Company also announces the appointment of Mario Bernardo Garnero to its board of directors, filling the resulting vacancy.

Amir Adnani, Chairman of GoldMining, commented: "On behalf of everyone at GoldMining, I would like to thank Mr. Garnero for his outstanding contributions as a director and ongoing support of the Company.

"Our longstanding strategic relationship with Brasilinvest also continues through the appointment of Mario Bernardo Garnero to our board of our directors. We are confident that he will provide significant contributions as a board member based on his strong business and international experience."

Mario Garnero stated: "I have truly enjoyed participating in GoldMining's growth and achievements. While I am retiring as a director, I plan to continue to be involved with the Company in my capacity as an advisory board member."

Mario Bernardo Garnero has significant merchant and investment banking experience and has held senior positions with Brasilinvest and the Garnero Group for the past 30 years. Brasilinvest is a strategic partner of GoldMining and is a leading merchant bank in Brazil having structured and manages a portfolio of projects and investments worth more than US$4 billion. The Garnero Group has attracted direct investments of approximately US$16 billion from different geographies through its various business interests, including energy, alternative energy, real estate, transportation, agriculture, information technology and telecommunications.

Mr. Garnero holds a degree in Business Administration from the Fundacao Armando Alvares Penteado and a degree in foreign trade and business enterprise management from the American University of Paris.

In connection with his appointment to the board, subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company has granted Mario Bernardo Garnero incentive stock options, exercisable for a period of five years for up to 100,000 common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $1.21 per share, being the closing price of the Company's common shares on the date prior to the issuance of this news release.

About GoldMining Inc.

GoldMining Inc. is a public mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of gold assets in the Americas. Through its disciplined acquisition strategy, GoldMining now controls a diversified portfolio of resource-stage gold and gold-copper projects in Canada, U.S.A., Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Additionally, GoldMining owns a 75% interest in the Rea Uranium Project, located in the Western Athabasca Basin of Alberta, Canada.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Providers (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE GoldMining Inc.

Related Links

www.brazilresources.com


Driven by the growth in e-commerce and high demand for quality properties close to large urban centers, Goodman has secured long term leases with Fashion Nova, a top online fashion store for 408,635 s.f., RIM Logistics, a global provider of logistics solutions for 312,447 s.f. and Funai Corporation, a leading edge consumer electronics company for 194,016 s.f. These leases mean that Goodman's development is now 100% leased, having pre-leased 295,267 s.f. to McMaster Carr, an online supplier of automotive parts in 2017.

Anthony Rozic, CEO of Goodman North America said: "Strong leasing enquiry for our logistics centers is being driven by a high level of demand from rising global consumerism and the rapidly expanding e-commerce sector which grew total sales by 17% in 2017. The Goodman Logistics Center in Santa Fe Springs is a high quality, Class A property, ideally suited to e-commerce providers and general logistics companies due to its location in the gateway city of Los Angeles  home to a growing population of 18 million people.

Spanning 53 acres, the three-building logistics campus is strategically positioned within Los Angeles' infill logistics market, located less than two miles from the I-5 and I-605. It is also 22 miles from the Port of Los Angeles Long Beach and 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles. All customers will take occupancy at Goodman Logistics Center Santa Fe Springs in spring of 2018.

This logistics center is a clear demonstration of Goodman's gateway city strategy, focused on investing in and developing high quality industrial properties in strategic locations, in and around major urban centers globally."

Laird Perkins and Dan Berkenfield of CBRE represented Goodman on the lease transactions.

The Goodman Logistics Center Santa Fe Springs is one of a number of projects in Goodman's current US$2.3 billion development pipeline, which will provide 17.7 million s.f. of Class A logistics space in the key logistics and industrial markets of Inland Empire, Greater Los Angeles, Northern New Jersey and Central Pennsylvania.

Over the last twelve months, Goodman has completed 3.3 million s.f. of Class A development product in these key logistics markets, with a further 5.9 million s.f. currently under construction. This is consistent with Goodman's ongoing commitment to servicing the needs of its national and global customer base through the development of modern, well-located properties for long-term ownership.

About Goodman

Goodman Group is an integrated property group with operations throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, North America and Brazil. Goodman Group, comprised of the stapled entities Goodman Limited and Goodman Industrial Trust, is the largest industrial property group listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and one of the largest listed specialist investment managers of industrial property and business space globally.

Goodman's global property expertise, integrated own+develop+manage customer service offering and significant investment management platform ensures it creates innovative property solutions that meet the individual requirements of its customers, while seeking to deliver sustainable long-term returns for its Partners.

www.goodman.com

https://twitter.com/Goodman_Group



https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodman

SOURCE Goodman Group
ROCKVILLE, Md., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill is celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the adoption of its iconic logo. Known as the "Smiling G," the award-winning logo represents the many smiling faces and positive impacts achieved through Goodwill programs and services, every day.

In 1968, Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries in Boston began to search for an updated visual to reflect the brand. The team selected legendary graphic designer Joseph Selame to create a logo that would symbolize the many faces of self-sustaining people within Goodwill. He used a lowercase "g" twice in his logo, which served as the letter itself and a smile. When the letter "g" is enlarged above the font, it forms a face that depicts the smile of self-respect and independence, qualities that are outcomes of Goodwill's mission to inspire hope and self-confidence in people from all backgrounds and walks of life as they learn how to earn a living and improve their lives. Selame is also well-known for creating logos for such brands as CVS and Kodak.

The Smiling G logo stands as an emblem of Goodwill's mission  helping people reach their full potential through the power of work. One out of every 200 hires in the U.S. economy are made with the help of Goodwill, and this has been consistent for the past three years. Last year, Goodwill placed more than 313,000 people into employment, and provided more than 34,000 people with digital skills training. In addition, more than 2 million people collectively engaged in face-to-face Goodwill services to build their career and financial assets, and advance in their careers; and more than 34 million people used computers and mobile devices to access education, training, mentoring, online learning services, virtual career fairs and employment opportunities.

"Our logo is more than a brand asset, something you see in a newspaper article or online. The Smiling G is our core at Goodwill," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "That smile represents the millions around the globe for whom our organization exists to serve. It is a constant reminder in everything that we do, and why we do it."

Today, the Smiling G is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. In addition to Goodwill retail stores, the logo can be seen on billboards and television shows, even making an appearance twice on the hit gameshow Jeopardy!

To commemorate the anniversary, Goodwill Industries International created a video about Goodwill's history and the creation of the logo: https://youtu.be/vLIx-MurwlM

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL

Goodwill Industries International (GII) is a network of 162 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 13 other countries. GII is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is recognized by GuideStar with its Platinum Seal of Approval, the organization's highest rating for charities. GII was also ranked by Enso as the #1 brand doing the most good in the world for two consecutive years, and was the only nonprofit brand rated in Forbes' 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years. Local Goodwill organizations are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that create job training programs, employment placement and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,300 stores collectively and online at shopgoodwill.com. Local Goodwill organizations build revenues and create jobs by contracting with commercial, state, government and non-government organizations to provide a wide range of business services, including manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, packaging, assembly, food preparation, document management, groundskeeping and administrative. Last year, local Goodwill organizations collectively placed more than 313,000 people in employment in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than 35 million people used computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills, and more than 2 million people received in person services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.

For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at http://www.goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl or Instagram: GoodwillIntl.

SOURCE Goodwill Industries International

Related Links

www.goodwill.org


LONDON and NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Gresham's market potential and completeness of offering contribute to its position

Gresham Tech, the leading software and services company that specialises in providing enterprise data integrity solutions, is pleased to announce that Chartis Research, has again named Gresham as a category leader in its FinTech Quadrant for Data Integrity and Control. The rating reflects Gresham's completeness of offering and market potential, and recognises its position in the field and its focus on enterprise data integrity solutions for financial services.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/654184/Gresham_Tech_Logo.jpg )



Chartis Research, a leading provider of analysis on the global market for risk and compliance technology, scored Gresham's Clareti platform highly for audit and data lineage, data reconciliation tools techniques and support and insight for varied data types.

Rob Stubbs, Head of Research at Chartis commented, "Data integrity runs across the business: not only operations and risk, but also vital business decisions that rely on the same data. The quality of the data is therefore of crucial importance to an institution's success."

Chartis' FinTech Quadrant uses an in-depth independent research-based methodology with a clear scoring system to explain which technology solutions meet an organization's needs. For its 2018 evaluation, Chartis considered companies' approach to the growth of data, more regulatory requirements and the need to integrate data across the risk management, operational, commercial and client-service areas of the business in increasingly complex system environments.

Ian Manocha, CEO of Gresham: "Data integrity is now a boardroom-level issue. It is the foundation of trust between businesses, shareholders, regulators and customers and with financial services transforming at a this staggering pace, firms must adopt a strategic approach to the discipline.

We are proud to be recognised by Chartis as a category leader, again. This is a direct result of our customers' success as well as our commitment to innovation."

Gresham's position as a 2018 category leader for data integrity and control follows Chartis' recent industry recognition for Gresham in its RiskTech100 rankings. Previously Gresham was placed as a category leader in the inaugural 2016 Data Integrity and Control in Financial Services report, and was a winner in the same category in the Chartis RiskTech100 Awards in 2016.

Further information can be found on the Gresham blog, or on Twitter @GreshamTech

About Gresham Technologies

Gresham Technologies plc is a leading software and services company that specializes in providing real-time transaction control and enterprise data integrity solutions. Gresham's award-winning Clareti software platform has been designed to provide financial institutions with complete certainty in their data processing. Clareti is a highly flexible and fully scalable platform for assuring enterprise data integrity and is designed to address today's most challenging financial control, internal risk management, data governance and regulatory compliance problems. Listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange (GHT.L) and headquartered in the City of London, its customers include some of the world's largest financial institutions, all of whom are served locally from offices located in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Learn more at www.greshamtech.com.

About Chartis Research

Chartis Research is the leading provider of research and analysis into the global market for risk technology. It is part of Infopro Digital, which owns market-leading brands such as Risk and Waters Technology. Chartis's goal is to support enterprises as they drive business performance through improved risk management, corporate governance and compliance, and to help clients make informed technology and business decisions by providing in-depth analysis and actionable advice on virtually all aspects of risk technology.

RiskTech Quadrant, RiskTech100 and FinTech QuadrantTM are registered trademarks of Chartis Research (http://www.chartis-research.com)

SOURCE Gresham Tech
LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Petrina K.M. Gooch, SPHR, is a principal and corporate leader at Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED), where she has led human resources for 10 years. As of March 22, she is also a voting member of the company's Board of Director as well, making her one of a few female, African American members of AEC boards of directors in the country.

Petrina Gooch, SPHR, Principal and corporate leader at HED

This month is Women's History Month, which included a Women in Construction week; these are markers of awareness in the culture and the AEC industry of the gender imbalance seen across many firms and disciplines. Ethnic diversity is also an issue. Gooch has been active on both fronts within the AEC industry, She is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Large Firm Roundtable (LFRT) Diversity Task Force and an Executive Committee member of the AIA LFRT Human Resources group. Her elevation within HED is a strong indication of focus on these pressing industry issues within the company.

HED sees diversity and inclusion as tremendous opportunities for the firm and the industry. "We see diversity of perspective as a direct and positive influence on our work and on our clients and the communities we serve," Gooch says. "At the same time, we want to be part of the change that is needed -- and beginning to happen -- in the industry overall."

The industry is lacking in diversity, notes Peter Devereaux, FAIA, HED's chairman and CEO. "We believe that collaboration among people with a diversity of experiences and views naturally leads to more innovative and creative thinking, which is why we value it so highly. The elevation of Petrina Gooch to the HED Board of Directors signals our commitment to building a leadership team that reflects that diversity, too."

This new role at HED gives Gooch greater influence within the firm. "HED has always been interested in and valued different perspectives," she says. "I appreciate the recognition of the value I've brought to the organization and the confidence in my ability to continue to manifest a positive impact through this new role on the Board of Directors."

As far as diversifying leadership around gender and ethnicity, an evolution is under way. The first step toward diversity is transparency around the topic, to which HED is committed. The HED Board of Directors now includes 18% female representation and 18% representation from diverse racial groups.

ABOUT Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED)

Founded in 1908, HED seeks creative solutions that have a positive impact for its clients, the community, and the world. HED has earned a reputation for excellence in all facets of architecture, including design, consulting, engineering and planning services. The firm serves clients in a broad range of market sectors including Workplace, Housing, Mixed Use, Science + Technology, Healthcare, Higher Education and Pre K-12 + Community Education from offices in six U.S. locations. See how HED advances your world at www.hed.design.

Contact:

Nicole Marshall, [email protected] , 504 644 7335

Kira Gould, [email protected], 415 690 0182

SOURCE Harley Ellis Devereaux

Related Links

http://www.hed.design


WASHINGTON, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Monday, March 26, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the closing dinner held at the conclusion of the 2018 Saudi-U.S. CEO Forum, which was attended by over 200 Chief Executive Officers from Saudi Arabian and American companies. The dinner celebrated a successful forum, which brought together leadership from both countries; created a platform for dialogue; and resulted in the signing of 36 MOUs totaling more than $20 billion. Such gatherings are a testament to the long-standing Saudi-U.S. partnership, in addition to exemplifying its breadth and depth.

SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office
Wakulla County, FL -- In March 2017, a complainant reported to the Wakulla County Sheriffs Office that James Bennett, owner/operator of Bennett Better Built Homes, 3105 Coastal Highway, Crawfordville, Florida, had exploited an elderly, disabled adult by depriving him of $20,000. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) were assigned the investigation.

The allegation was that on March 10, 2017, a 68 year old man who is legally blind, who walks with the assistance of a red-tipped white cane and requires assistance in daily activities, applied for financing to purchase a $59,000 manufactured home from James Bennett of Bennett Better Built Homes. The elderly man made a $20,000 down payment with a cashiers check and intended to finance the remainder. According to the complainant, Mr. Bennett led the applicant to believe that he would receive documents on March 11, 2017, and that they would be explained to him since he was legally blind. The applicant never received the documents/contracts he signed or an explanation about them. On March 13, 2017, the applicant received documents detailing the purchase price of the home, which included $11,221 in closing costs in addition to sales tax, title fees, etc. In total, the purchase price had increased from $59,000 to $75,042. The applicant contacted Mr. Bennett by telephone, informed him that he did not agree to the increased price, asked to cancel the sale of the home, and asked to be issued a refund. Mr. Bennett reportedly informed the man that he would return the down payment on March 17, 2017. The refund was never submitted.

On May 11, 2017, CID contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and requested the assistance of an FDLE investigative squad which specializes in financial investigations. The FDLE concurred with the request and the investigation was thereafter worked jointly by CID and FDLE. During the course of the investigation, CID Detectives and FDLE Special Agents conducted multiple interviews, subpoenaed multiple documents, and analyzed financial documents.

The investigation determined that on March 10, 2017, Mr. Bennett established a business relationship with the elderly man when he accepted $20,000 as a down payment for a mobile home and Mr. Bennett observed that the elderly man required assistance at the time the loan application was signed. Mr. Bennett was also aware, or should have been aware, that the man was elderly since he provided numerous documents containing personal information (including his date of birth) to Mr. Bennett during the application process. Mr. Bennett received these documents on March 10, 2017, and also retrieved them on June 29, 2017, when returning a subpoena to the investigative team. After the sale was canceled, the elderly man made several attempts (by phone and email) to receive a refund of his down payment, but the elderly man has been unable to receive a refund from Mr. Bennett. By refusing to return the elderly mans down payment, Mr. Bennett has knowingly and intentionally deprived him of $20,000 since March 10, 2017.

On March 16, 2018, the investigative findings were provided to the State Attorneys Office in Crawfordville and a Capias for Mr. Bennetts arrest was issued on March 19, 2018, charging him with violating Florida Statute 825.103(3)(b), Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult; and Florida Statute 812.014.2B1, Grand Theft. On March 27, 2018, Mr. Bennett was arrested by authority of the Capias and booked into the Wakulla County Jail.
(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660837/Hult_EQUIS_Accredited.jpg )



What is "triple crown" accreditation?

A triple-accredited business school is one that has been awarded accreditation from AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS (EFMD Quality Improvement System), and AMBA (The Association of MBAs) - the three most prestigious and influential business school accreditation organizations.

These accreditations recognize the academic excellence, rigorous research, and global orientation of the school and are awarded following a demanding audit by each body. Less than 100 schools, out of 16,536 institutions offering business degree programs worldwide have achieved triple accreditation.

"We are extremely proud to have received this hallmark of academic quality while staying true to our mission of delivering a new kind of business education. It is a testament to the quality of Hult's forward-thinking, practical and global approach to education-and a valuable reassurance for students that they are gaining an education that will equip them not only for the realities of business today but well into the future," said Dr. Stephen Hodges President of Hult International Business School.

About Hult International Business School

Hult is an independent, non-profit business school offering undergraduate, graduate and executive education programs. The school has six campus locations worldwide in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, Shanghai and New York, and a student body representing over 160 nationalities.

http://www.hult.edu

SOURCE Hult International Business School
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Hyundai Hope On Wheels (HHOW), a 501c3 nonprofit organization, celebrates its 20th year in the fight against pediatric cancer and announces plans to exceed $145 million toward pediatric cancer research. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, HHOW will host its annual launch event at the New York International Auto Show to recognize the grant award-winning institutions, doctors, and children affected by pediatric cancer. The campaign theme for this year is: 20 years of saving lives and creating hope, in the fight to end childhood cancer. HHOW also introduces two new 2018 National Youth Ambassadors: Elizabeth Blair (11) and Carter Gates (12). The launch event is hosted by awarding winning journalist and multimedia personality Soledad O'Brien, and special musical performances by Broadway's Betsy Wolfe, Alton Fitzgerald White and the Broadway Youth Ensemble. This annual event takes place in conjunction with the preview night of the New York International Auto Show in the Jacob Javits Center at the Hyundai booth on Thursday, March 29th at 6:30 PM.

Begun in 1998 by Hyundai and its U.S. dealers, HHOW is one of the longest continuously running CSR initiatives in the auto industry and is dedicated to helping kids fight cancer. The program was begun in the Boston, MA area and quickly traveled to support children's hospital throughout the U.S. with research grants to help find cures and to improve care for children fighting cancer.

"The fight to end childhood cancer remains a top priority for HHOW. Because of research, 80% of those kids can be cured. However, even one child who loses his/her battle is far too many," says Brian Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor America. "For 20 years, Hyundai and its dealers have dedicated their mission to saving lives and creating hope. We want children to know that Hyundai is on their side."

Funding Research to Find A Cure

In 2018, fifty-three (53) new institutions will receive a combined $15 million in pediatric cancer research grants. HHOW offers pediatric cancer research grants for Children's Oncology of America member institutions in the U.S. The grant winners are chosen by a peer-reviewed and competitive selection process. There are five HHOW grant categories: Impact Grant ($100,000), Young Investigator Grant ($200,000), Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant ($300,000), Hyundai Quantum Grant ($1 million) and the new Quantum Collaboration Grant ($2.5 million). Applications are graded by a panel of scientific reviewers, for their innovation and potential to increase discovery.

Hope Is Always Worth Fighting For

HHOW is committed to increasing awareness and celebrating the lives of child cancer survivors. Kids who fight cancer are brave, courageous and represent hope. They often go devastating treatments on their road to cure. Many continue with life-long health related issues as a consequence of cure. Our goal is to help kids not only survive, but to ensure these kids thrive in their lives after the disease.

This year, we are pleased to welcome two new National Youth Ambassadors. Elizabeth Blair, 11 years old, is from Phoenix, AZ. Carter Gates is 12 years old, from Colorado Springs, CO. These two incredible pediatric cancer survivors will travel the country for the next two years sharing their message of hope. They not only fought pediatric cancer, but they continue to win in life. Click this video to learn more about Elizabeth and Carter.

Celebrities Give A Hand to Hope

Each year, HHOW names one or more celebrities joins us as a part of our annual New York launch event. This year, we are proud to welcome back for a second year renowned multimedia personality and award winning journalist Ms. Soledad O'Brien, to host the event. Additionally, Broadway superstars Betsy Wolfe and Alton Fitzgerald White will provide special musical performance. The Broadway Youth Ensemble will join the festivities, with a number of Broadway inspired show tunes to entertain the audience.

Communication Plan

HHOW launches with an engaging multimedia communications plan to increase awareness to the cause, includes:

Times Square Takeover, pop-up awareness event along Broadway & W 44th Street to engage the public in spreading awareness for pediatric cancer.

Announcement of 2 new HHOW National Youth Ambassadors who will travel the country sharing their cancer survivor story.

Annual kick-off event celebrating 20th anniversary during the New York International Auto Show

National Satellite Media Tour

Child cancer-survivor and grant winning institutions videos featured on website and YouTube.

A re-designed website, HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org, where visitors can view stories of child cancer-survivors, read about funded research, or post a message of hope for a family.

"A key priority for Hyundai dealers is to give back to society and to make sure children have the best possible future for success. We believe that future should be in a world that is free from pediatric cancer," says Scott Fink, Board Chair and Hyundai dealer owner, Hyundai of New Port Richey. "We know that progress has been made in finding cures for pediatric cancer. With HHOW grants over the past 20 years, innovative therapies and new treatments have been developed. The Hyundai dealers' across the nation are proud to support this important cause. But our work is not over, and you can count on the Hyundai dealers to remain committed to this fight for as long as it takes."

HHOW Grants Tour & Youth Ambassadors

The HHOW Grants Tour is a nationwide effort from April to October to travel the country presenting grant checks ranging from $100,000 to $2.5 million to selected children's hospitals and institution. At each event, we conduct our signature handprint ceremony, at which kids get to put their hands in paint and place it on the HHOW hero vehicle, 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. These color handprints represent the dreams, journey and hopes of kids fighting cancer. They allow kids from across the nation to join hands in with a common purpose to fight this dreaded disease. Each doctor-grant recipient receives HHOW lab coat and is named a Hyundai Scholar.

Our goal is to #Endchildhoodcancer

Approximately 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year in the U.S. This year HHOW travels the nation in a Hyundai Santa Fe  the official hope vehicle, to the children's hospital grant winners. The vehicle serves as a canvas for hope, covered with handprints collected from children across the country battling this disease. In September, National Pediatric Cancer Awareness month, HHOW will announce a series of events across the nation to bring greater awareness about the issue. Supporters and followers of HHOW are invited to post photos or messages on social media using hashtag #EndChildhoodCancer.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a list of our 2018 Hope On Wheels grant winners, please visit www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org/research. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels , twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or Instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels.

ABOUT HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

Attachment  2018 Hyundai Hope On Wheels Grant Winners

Hope Scholar Winners - $300,000 each

Children's Hospital, Los Angeles- Los Angeles, CA

Children's Hospital Colorado  Denver, Co

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Incorporated  Atlanta, GA

Children's Health - UT Southwestern Medical Center/Children's Medical Center  Dallas, TX

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute  Boston, MA

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center  Seattle, WA

Johns Hopkins University-School of Medicine  Baltimore, MD

Montefiore Medical Center  Bronx, NY

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center  New York, NY

New York University School of Medicine  New York, NY

Regents of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities  Minneapolis, MN

Stanford University - Stanford, CA

Texas Children's Hospital  Houston, TX

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia  Philadelphia, PA

The University of Chicago  Chicago, IL

The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital  Columbus, OH

Young Investigator Winners - $200,000 each

Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children  Wilmington, DE

Children's Hospital, Los Angeles  Los Angeles, CA

Children's Hospital Colorado  Aurora, CO

Children's Research Institute (CNMC)  Washington, D.C.

Children's Health - UT Southwestern Medical Center/Children's Medical Center  Dallas, TX

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute  Boston, MA

Emory University  Atlanta, GA

Johns Hopkins University-School of Medicine  Baltimore, MD

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)  New York, NY

Rady Children's Hospital Foundation - San Diego  San Diego, CA

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia  Philadelphia, PA

The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital  Columbus, OH

University of Florida  Gainesville, FL

University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center  Houston, TX

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (DBA University Hospitals Case Medical Center)  Cleveland, OH

Quantum Collaboration Winner - $2,500,000 each

Columbia University Medical Center  New York, NY

Quantum Award Winners - $1,000,000 each

Intermountain Healthcare Foundation  Salt Lake City, UT

Mayo Clinic.  Rochester, MN

St. Louis Children's Hospital Washington University  St. Louis, MO

SOURCE Hyundai Hope on Wheels

Related Links

https://hyundaihopeonwheels.org


RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) has been awarded the Advisory Board 2018 Workplace of the Year Award. The annual award recognizes hospitals and health systems nationwide that have outstanding levels of employee engagement. IEHP is one of only 20 organizations nationwide to receive the award.

"Our Team Members deserve all the credit and congratulations for this award," said IEHP Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bradley P. Gilbert. "Their dedication to our mission, core values and culture is what makes IEHP unique and leads to our positive engagement survey results. My job is to support the Team with a positive workplace environment and unwavering commitment to our culture."

Engaged employees, as defined by the Advisory Board, are those who exhibit both loyalty and commitment to the organization. These employees are willing to go above and beyond to help the organization succeed. The award recognizes IEHP's commitment to creating a best-in-class work environment for its employees.

"In today's changing and often uncertain healthcare industry, engaging the workforce is arguably more important than ever before," said Sarah Rothenberger, Managing Director, Advisory Board Survey Solutions. "Engaged staff don't just enjoy their jobs and their workplace  they're willing to go above and beyond to help their organization succeed."

Rothenberger added, "Health care organizations with higher levels of staff engagement also have higher patient satisfaction scores, better staff retention, and a stronger culture of safety. Our award winners have demonstrated an impressive ability to inspire the highest levels of engagement across the country while maintaining remarkably low levels of disengagement."

About IEHP

IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, is a not-for-profit Medi-Cal and Medicare health plan located in Rancho Cucamonga, California. With a network of more than 6,000 Providers and more than 2,000 employees, IEHP serves more than 1.2 million residents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medi-Cal or Cal MediConnect Plan (Medicare). Through a dynamic partnership with Providers, award-winning service and innovative products, IEHP is fully committed to providing members with quality, accessible and wellness based healthcare services: www.iehp.org.

SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)

Related Links

https://ww3.iehp.org/


TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Global auto sales advanced 3% y/y in the first two months of 2018, accelerating from a 2.3% gain during all of 2017. The improvement is being led by double-digit gains in many emerging markets and reflects the strongest global economic growth since early 2014. North America is the only region to post a decline in sales in the opening months of 2018, but sales are expected improve later in the year as the US market strengthens.

"While the US is one of the few countries to report lower sales so far this year, we remain confident that purchases will pick up as 2018 progresses," said Carlos Gomes, Senior Economist and Auto Industry Specialist, Scotiabank. "Sales gains should be buoyed by strengthening economic activity, improving incomes, consumer confidence at a 14-year high, and replacement of an aging vehicle fleet."

The health of new auto loans continues to improve in the US, with prime and super-prime auto loans gaining market share alongside strengthening household finances. These two segments accounted for a record 74% of all new vehicle sales in late-2017, up from an average of 72.6% during the past three years. The average credit score for auto loans and leases has also increased, climbing to a four-year high in late-2017. The number of delinquent US auto loans has begun to decrease, with both 30- and 60-day delinquencies down roughly 3% from a year earlier in the final months of 2017the largest year-on-year improvement in more than two years.

The rental-car industry was the main source of weakness in the US auto market last year, with purchases dropping 12% to 1.59 million units. Volumes have declined an additional 3% y/y in the first months of 2018, but the impact on industry volumes is starting to be offset by businesses renewing their aging vehicle fleets.

In Canada, passenger vehicle sales have advanced 4% y/y through February, approaching a record pace of an annualized 2.1 million units. The gains have been broadly-based, with volumes in Ontario powering ahead a further 5% y/y. This advance is in sharp contrast to declining existing home sales, which have plunged 27% below a year earlier in Ontario, reducing overall volumes in Canada 11% y/y.

Emerging markets have taken the lead in global sales growth. Purchases in Eastern Europe have surged 19% y/y so far in 2018, while volumes in South America have jumped 16% y/y alongside strengthening economic activity.

Other highlights:

US monthly auto loans absorbed a near-record low of only 5.35% of household income in late-2017, in-line with the level prevailing in late-2015

Purchases in Western Europe advanced by 4.5% y/y in the opening months of 2018, nearly double the 2.5% increase reported during all of 2017, bolstered by the strongest economic growth of the past decade

Read the full Scotiabank Global Auto Report online at:

http://www.gbm.scotiabank.com/scpt/gbm/scotiaeconomics63/GAR_2018-03-29.pdf

About Scotiabank Economics

Scotiabank Economics provides clients with in-depth research into the factors shaping the outlook for Canada and the global economy, including macroeconomic developments, currency and capital market trends, commodity and industry performance, as well as monetary, fiscal and public policy issues. Our reports are available at www.scotiabank.com/economics.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 24 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 89,000 employees and assets of over $923 billion (as at January 31, 2018), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @Scotiabank.

SOURCE Scotiabank

Related Links

http://www.scotiabank.com


Coming from the region's most popular bottled water brand, with a heritage of more than 170 years in Maine, the new Poland Spring Sparkling flavors are free of calories with no sugars, sweeteners or colors. With ten new exciting flavors including Lively Lemon, Lemon Lime, Zesty Lime, Orange, Triple Berry, Summer Strawberry, Raspberry Lime, Black Cherry, Pomegranate Lemonade, and Simply Bubbles, there's a flavor for every taste.

While the flavor line-up is all new, the main ingredient is not. "Poland Spring Sparkling is unique because it is made with 100% natural spring water, just like the water the Poland Spring brand has offered since 1845," said Antonio Sciuto, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Nestle Waters North America. "While other sparkling waters create brand hype, we believe in keeping it real. For Poland Spring Sparkling, that means only water from natural springs, along with great-tasting natural fruit flavors and the addition of uplifting bubbles."

The refreshingly real Poland Spring Sparkling is for purchase through delivery with ReadyRefresh(SM) by Nestle where delivery service is available or at Amazon. It comes in three bottle sizes  20 oz., 1 liter, and .5 liter  as well as 12 ounce cans and can also be found at retailers in the Northeast region including supermarkets, club stores, convenience stores and chain drug stores.

To purchase the new Poland Spring Sparkling or find more information visit https://www.polandspring.com/sparkling-water.

For those not in the Northeast, the same great sparkling flavors will also be available in other areas across the country through other regional brands in the Nestle Waters North America family: Deer Park, Zephyrhills, Ozarka, Ice Mountain and Arrowhead.

About Poland Spring Brand Natural Spring Water

Established in 1845, Poland Spring Brand 100% Natural Spring Water has been served throughout the northeast for more than 170 years. With deep roots in the community, Poland Spring Brand is committed to helping make its home state of Maine a great place to live and work. Offering a refreshing taste inspired by nature, Sparkling Poland Spring Brand Natural Spring Water is made with real spring water, real fruit flavors, and the addition of refreshing bubbles. Poland Spring Sparkling is free of calories, sugars, sweeteners and colors. To learn more visit: https://www.polandspring.com/sparkling-water.

About Nestle Waters North America

Nestle Waters North America provides people with an unrivaled portfolio of bottled waters for healthy hydration. With popular bottled water brands such as Poland Spring, Nestle Pure Life, Perrier and S.Pellegrino Nestle Waters North America also owns and operates ReadyRefreshSM by Nestle, the largest home and office water delivery service by volume in the U.S. Based in Stamford, Connecticut with some 8,500 associates nationwide, Nestle Waters is committed to reducing its environmental footprint across its operations. As a natural resource company, Nestle Waters sustainably manages 47 spring sources and conserves nearly 21,000 acres of natural watershed area. The company is also committed to creating shared value and being a good neighbor in the 140 communities where it operates in the U.S.

SOURCE Poland Spring

Related Links

https://www.polandspring.com


LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Miracle Mile Advisors, one of California's fastest growing independent investment advisory firms, has been recognized by InvestmentNews this week as a 2018 Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors.

Miracle Mile Advisors was selected as one of this year's top 50 best places to work. Winning firms varied in size from 15 to 270 employees throughout the country, and factors based on company culture, employee benefits and career development were all taken into consideration in the selection process.

"I wanted to build a firm where everyone looks forward to Mondays, and advisors could provide meaningful, incomparable advice," said Brock Moseley, founder of Miracle Mile Advisors. "Our culture is second to none because we all treat each other like family and truly care about our work."

InvestmentNews partnered with Best Companies Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying great places to work, to compile the inaugural survey and recognition program. The list is a first of its kind for the financial advisory industry.

"InvestmentNews is pleased to introduce our readers to firms with supportive cultures where advisors can thrive and are empowered to provide their clients with the best possible investment and financial planning advice," said Suzanne Siracuse, vice president and publisher of InvestmentNews.

Miracle Mile Advisors will be honored on May 15 at the first annual Best Places to Work for Financial Advisers Awards Luncheon in Chicago at the University Club.

This recognition solidifies the firm's position as an industry leader in providing an alternative culture to traditional Wall Street firms. This is the second "Best Places to Work" recognition the firm has received, following last year's award from The Los Angeles Business Journal.

For media inquiries, please contact Brian Hart at 866-225-0920 ext. 101 or [email protected].

About Miracle Mile Advisors: Miracle Mile Advisors is a leader in providing independent investment advice through active indexing to high net worth families and businesses nationwide. As one of the fastest growing independent registered investment advisors in Los Angeles, the firm is committed to providing sophisticated financial plans using portfolios with low cost and tax efficient strategies. To learn more about Miracle Mile Advisors, please visit www.miraclemileadvisors.com.

* The above listed recognition does not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation of any kind by the third parties of MMA's personnel, products or services

SOURCE Miracle Mile Advisors
MEDFORD, Mass., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- INVO Bioscience, Inc. (OTC: IVOB), a medical device company who was granted FDA clearance for the first Intravaginal Culture System, INVOcell, today announced its year end 2017 financial results and recent highlights.

Financial Results and Recent Highlights:

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $282,000 , an increase of 453% compared to $51,000 for the same period a year ago;

was , an increase of 453% compared to for the same period a year ago; Gross margins continued to improve during 2017 to 82% compared to 70% in 2016;

Net loss improved to $(702,000) during 2017 compared to $(2,124,00) in 2016 as the Company increased revenues and decreased expenses;

during 2017 compared to in 2016 as the Company increased revenues and decreased expenses; The Company has now signed up clinics in 17 states and 1 province offering or referring the INVOcell device and procedure;

11 new clinics signed up offering or referring the INVOcell device and procedure since the last earnings report;

In February 2018 , announced a distribution agreement for developing the markets in Hong Kong and Macao for INVOcell; and

, announced a distribution agreement for developing the markets in and for INVOcell; and In March 2018 , expanded the Company's certified training locations for Reproductive Endocrinologists and Embryologists to learn about the unique techniques of the simplified INVOcell Procedure, with the addition of new centers in San Antonio, Texas and South Carolina .

Management Discussion

"2017 was an incredibly successful year for INVO Bioscience," commented Katie Karloff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of INVO Bioscience. "On a limited operating budget, we significantly increased the awareness and acceptance of the INVOcell device and procedure. INVOcell is now available in 17 states and 1 province across the United States and Canada, and we have recently signed a distribution agreement to expand into Hong Kong and Macao. We have enhanced our infrastructure to include two additional training centers, and have strengthened our board of directors with experienced financial and industry executives. I am proud of the accomplishments in 2017 and am focused on the continued growth of this exciting new technology."

2017 Financial Results

Net sales and revenues for year ended December 31, 2017 were approximately $282,000 compared to approximately $51,000 for the same twelve-month period ended December 31, 2016.

Cost of goods sold for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 were $52,000 or approximately 18% of revenues compared to $15,000 or approximately 30% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company believes the 2017 costs of goods sold are more representative of the expectations for what our costs will be as we move forward as the company continually is taking steps to lower their costs and improve gross margin while delivering high quality products.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $870,000 in fiscal 2017, a decrease of $1,275,000 for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016 of $2,146,000. Cash utilized during the year for operating activities was $180,000, as the company's executive management team continued to defer salaries and other expenses were kept to a minimum.

Net loss for the year was $(702,000), or $(0.00) per share, compared with $(2,124,000), or $(0.02) per share a year ago.

Additional details pertaining to the quarterly financials can be found in our 10-K filed today with the SEC.

About INVO Bioscience

We are a medical device company focused on creating simplified, lower cost treatments for patients diagnosed with infertility. Our solution, the INVO Procedure, is a disruptive new technology. The INVO Procedure is a revolutionary in vivo method of vaginal incubation that offers patients a more natural and intimate experience. Our lead product, the INVOcell, is a patented medical device used in infertility treatment and is considered an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). The INVOcell is the first Intravaginal Culture (IVC) system in the world used for the natural in vivo incubation of eggs and sperm during fertilization and early embryo development, as an alternative to traditional In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Our mission is to increase access to care and expand fertility treatment across the globe with a goal to lower the cost of care and increase availability of care. For more information, please visit http://invobioscience.com/

Safe Harbor Statement

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our filings at www.sec.gov. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Kathleen Karloff, CEOINVO Bioscience, Inc.978-878-9505 ext. 504

[email protected]

SOURCE INVO Bioscience, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.invobioscience.com


COPENHAGEN, Denmark and NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Danish artist Jeannette Ehlers and Virgin Islands artist La Vaughn Belle have teamed up to create a monumental public sculpture entitled I AM QUEEN MARY to be revealed on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at the Danish West Indian Warehouse in Copenhagen. Both leading artists of their respective countries have together created the first collaborative sculpture to memorialize Denmark's colonial impact in the Caribbean and those who fought against it. Issa PR will spearhead international PR, sponsorship efforts and fundraising for the seminal launch.

On the end of the centennial year commemorating the 100th anniversary of Denmark's sale of the Virgin Islands to the United States in March 1917 this public sculpture project challenges Denmark's role in slavery and commemoration of its colonial past. "It takes a statue like this to make forgetting less easy. It takes a monument like this to fight against the silence, neglect, repression, and hatred," says Henrik Holm, Senior Research Curator at the National Gallery of Art, "Never before has a sculpture like this been erected on Danish soil. Now, Denmark is offered a sculpture that addresses the past. But it is also an artwork for the future." "I Am Queen Mary" tells a hidden and incredibly important story about how the enslaved and colonial subjects resisted Danish colonialism. Even today, human rights activists like Queen Mary are the ones who take tremendous risks to bring change that benefits people living under oppression and poverty throughout the globe. We know that from our work to support them." Tim Whyte, Secretary General, ActionAid Denmark

Ehlers says, "What's unique about this sculpture is not only its size and thematics but that it was not commissioned. It is we, two artists, who are pushing into the public space". The project represents a "bridge between the two countries", Belle explains, "It's a hybrid of our bodies, nations and narratives. It extends the conversation beyond the centennial year and gets people to really question what is their relationship to this history."

The figure representing the rebel queen Mary Thomas is a hybrid of the two artists' bodies created using 3D scanning technology. She emerged as the most popular leader or "Queen" of the 'Fireburn', the largest labour revolt in Danish colonial history. The torch and cane bill in each hand reference the resistance strategies used by the colonized in their struggles for freedom. The seated pose recalls the iconic 1967 photograph of Huey P. Newton, founder of the Black Panther Party. The plinth incorporates coral cut from the ocean by enslaved Africans gathered from ruins of the foundations of historic buildings on St. Croix.

A site-specific intervention, I Am Queen Mary occupies the waterfront by Copenhagen's West Indian Warehouse that stored sugar, rum and other goods produced in Denmark's former Caribbean colonies. It currently houses the Royal Cast Collection of over 2,000 white plaster casts of sculptures.

The project creates a dialogue around the impact of colonialism and demonstrates how artists can be leaders in this conversation. This temporary sculpture is the first part of an endeavour to raise a permanent bronze monument in the same location.

The opening reception for I Am Queen Mary takes place Saturday, March 31, 2018 at 1-2 pm in the Royal Cast Collection with invited speakers from Denmark and the Virgin Islands. I Am Queen Mary is realized with the generous support from Beckett-Fonden, the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces, the Municipality of Copenhagen, the Wow Factory, Statens Museum for Kunst and 3D Printhuset.

"We are honored to represent artists Jeannette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle to raise awareness of this sculpture, which is the first of its kind in Denmark. This powerful narrative and public monument will create history in shining a light on what transpired. We have tremendous admiration for these fearless female artists, who are pushing boundaries in art. Already recognized by numerous institutions and foundations, we hope to raise awareness and funds for this important launch."

Artist Bios:

La Vaughn Belle is a multidisciplinary artist from the Virgin Islands. Her work borrows from elements of architecture, literature, history, archeology and social protest to create narratives that challenge the colonial process. She is best known for her work reinterpreting the material artifacts of colonialism and uses her work to create a form of alternative archive that challenges the colonial narrative. She has exhibited her work throughout the US, Europe and the Caribbean in such institutions as the Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco, El Museo del Barrio, NY, Arts of the Americas Museum, Washington, DC and the Royal Library of Denmark and the Centro de Wilfredo Lam, Cuba.

www.lavaughnbelle.com

Jeannette Ehlers is a video, photo and performance artist based in Copenhagen, Denmark. For years she has created artworks that delve into ethnicity and identity inspired by her own Danish and Caribbean background. Her pieces revolve around big questions and difficult issues, such as Denmark's role as a slave nationa part of the Danish cultural heritage, which often gets overlooked in the general historiography. She has exhibited and performed in such institutions as AROS, Aarhus, Denmark, the Museum of Latin American Art, Los Angeles, the International Slavery Museum, Liverpool, the McKenna Museum of African American Art, New Orleans, Nikolaj Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center, Denmark and the Perez Art Museum, Miami.

www.jeannetteehlers.dk

For more information please contact: [email protected]

Social Media and website:

#iamqueenmary | www.iamqueenmary.com

SOURCE Issa PR

Related Links

http://www.issa-pr.com


Could a disastrous performance by his party cause Trump big problems in getting renominated in 2020? Its unlikely, but possible. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

A Democratic-wave election this November would create a narrow chance for political ramifications beyond the confiscation of Paul Ryans gavel. Former GOP strategic wizard and #NeverTrump ultra Mike Murphy suggested it at Politico in a piece entitled How to Primary Trump in 2020. Conceding that Trumps GOP support is mighty strong at the moment, he argued theres one thing that could change the equation:

Any Trump primary isnt about polling data today, its about polling data in late 2019. What could make those 2019 numbers far different than todays? A Republican wipeout in the 2018 midterms. Such a disaster, which is certainly now possible, would destroy Trumps brand as a winner and smash the GOPs D.C. apparat. We conservatives would lose control over the House appropriations process and watch the Democrats gleefully torment both the White House and our political allies with endless investigations and subpoenas. Even if we hold the Senate in November, a very nervous group of Republican senators would eye their own loss of majority when they face 2020s dire Senate map, chock-full as it is of Democratic leaning states. None of this is a recipe for Republicans to stagger home from what could be a very long election night this November and immediately snuggle up to the president. Instead, Trump will slide across on GOP balance sheets from very imperfect asset to huge scary liability.

Viewing ones president as an electoral anchor does not always guarantee a primary challenge. The last two presidents who had really bad first midterm elections  Bill Clinton (his party lost 53 House seats in 1994) and Barack Obama (63 lost House seats in 2010) went on to win renomination without opposition  and for that matter, reelection as well.

Conversely, the last president to face a serious primary challenge, George H. W. Bush, had a reasonably sunny midterm in 1990 (his party lost just nine House seats and a single Senate seat). And the president before that who had an even more serious primary challenger, Jimmy Carter, also had mild midterm losses in 1978 (15 House seats and three Senate seats), considering the huge majorities Democrats had going into that election. (And yes, Gerald Ford technically presided over a calamitous midterm for Republicans in 1974 before nearly being defenestrated by Ronald Reagan in 1976, but having taken over from the disgraced Richard Nixon less than three months before the midterm, nobody blamed Ford for the outcome).

So if not bad midterms, what could lead to a primary challenge for Trump?

The most obvious is intraparty ideological conflict, which was central to the primary challenges to Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Poppy Bush. When Trump first won the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, to the shock of most Republican elites and to the horror of many conventional conservatives, you might have predicted he would have struggled to master his party even in the unlikely event he won the White House, particularly considering the power congressional leaders Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell appeared to hold. But as is now clear, the GOP has been consolidating its support of Trump ever since then, despite the massive overrepresentation of #NeverTrump holdouts (like Murphy) in the national political news media. And Trumps support is strongest in the intensely conservative precincts that would be the most likely source of an intra-GOP primary challenge. (Think about it: when was the last time a Republican president drew an intra-party challenge from the center? It was Pete McCloskeys puny race against Richard Nixon in 1972).

If an ideology-based GOP Civil War isnt likely between now and 2020, and its not, then is there anything that could spar a revolt? Presumably disclosures of really terrible high crimes and misdemeanors could do the job, and its possible, though unlikely, that personal scandals involving Trump could finally matter to Republicans. But the really plausible nightmare for Republicans is Murphys scenario of a 2018 outcome so bad that it exposes Trump to congressional investigations that create a strong impression that hes guilty of impeachable or at least quasi-impeachable offenses, and drive down his 2020 numbers to a dangerous level.

And thats the magic formula for Trump becoming vulnerable to a primary challenge in 2020: overpowering evidence that, having led his party to a midterm disaster, hes in the process of leading them to an even bigger disaster in 2020.

Terrible electability indicators had as much to do with Ted Kennedys challenge to Jimmy Carter as liberal disgruntlement with the peanut farmers centrism and conspicuously evangelical religiosity. And four years earlier, Gerald Ford looked like a sure loser to Carter (though he eventually made it a close race), which encouraged Reagan to try to push the appointed Veep and accidental president aside.

You could see the same thing happening to Trump, in theory at least. All the things that have made conservatives cleave to him would be imperiled by a bad midterm followed by a doomed-looking presidential race: his conservative appointments, his ability to sign conservative tax legislation, his power to kill regulations, his hostility to international organizations and treaty obligations. If Republicans lose enough control of the Senate in 2018 to forfeit the ability to rubber-stamp conservative Supreme Court Justices, or worse yet, if it looks like Trumps a sure loser to some Democrat who will pack SCOTUS with baby-killing homophiles for decades, will conservative white evangelicals stay in his corner? Why would they?

The possibility of a full-on GOP panic after a bad midterm would be significantly enhanced by the fact that the performance of the party in 2018 and 2020 will determine its ability (or inability) to dominate redistricting after the decennial census.

Having said all that, GOP antipathy to Trump would not guarantee a serious challenge to his renomination. The conditions Murphy places on a viable challenge to Trump  a single strong challenger (he drops a hint that Mitt Romney might be up to the job) who has high name ID and a compelling anti-Trump message  would still hold true. And its important to remember that any challenge to Trump based on electability will have to deal with the extremely high odds the man beat to become president the first time around.

In any event, Democrats dreaming big about 2018 should perhaps dream even bigger. A wave, if its high enough, may be sufficient not only to conquer the House and even the Senate, but to threaten the real object of their disdain in the White House. That would be quite the dessert to a midterm electoral banquet, wouldnt it?
SALT LAKE CITY, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ivanti, the company that unifies IT to better manage and secure the digital workplace, today announced a new cloud-delivered artificial intelligence (AI) application for service management. Redefining the traditional concept of user self-service, the new Ivanti cloud-based Hub and Bot capabilities deliver a new intelligent virtual support agent (VSA) that is contextual, conversational and intuitive for the end user, fully integrated with the overall service management workflow, and automated to minimize help and service desk resource engagement. The Ivanti Hub and Bot app is available for Ivanti Service Manager Cloud customers, starting with the newly released Ivanti Service Manager: Help Desk Essentials, which provides a pre-built and simplified help desk option from the cloud.

"With AI-powered consumer solutions such as Siri and Alexa permeating our lives, users in today's digital business have high expectations when it comes to computing self-service," said Ian Aitchison, Senior Product Director, Ivanti. "With the release of our innovative Hub and Bot app, we're delivering a game-changing self-service experience for the modern business-user, with conversational and interactive self-service options that put action and answers right into the hands of users, in the way they want them."

The Ivanti Hub offers an intelligent, local support presence for employees to get help, find information, and manage their assets, all powered by AI and automation. Users can simply interact with the local app to perform common actions such as creating a support ticket, requesting from a catalog, searching for knowledge or installing a new application. There is no longer a need to find a self-service portal or complete complex forms.

With the Ivanti Bot, users interact with conversational AI inside the Hub, typing or speaking, to drive automated self-service fulfillment activities. The Ivanti Hub and Bot app is available for Windows and Mac systems, iPhone and Android mobile devices.

"Gartner has predicted that by 2020, 25% of customer service and support operations will integrate VSA technology across engagement channels, up from less than 2% in 2015. We are already seeing very good progress with developments in virtual support agents (VSAs). VSAs typically are virtual assistants that provide support to the IT service management process alongside the IT service desk. They provide information to common questions and also have chatbotlike features."1

Ivanti Service Manager: Help Desk Essentials, released today, provides pre-built and instantly available help desk capabilities from the cloud. It is a pre-packaged offering, based on Ivanti's proven service management solution. It is also well-suited for those needing to get up and running quickly, for example, to replace an existing ITSM tool before the cloud service is cut, or where a rapid time to live operation is critical for business success. This cloud-based service management solution delivers incident management, request, self-service, catalog and knowledge management combined with workflow and automation capabilities for the efficient response that makes users happier and more productive, whilst reducing cost of ownership and time to value.

Ivanti Hub and Bot app is available now for users of Ivanti Service Manager: Help Desk Essentials, and will extend to all Ivanti Service Manager Cloud customers across 2018. For more information visit: https://www.ivanti.com/solutions/it-service-management.

Ivanti: The Power of Unified IT.

Ivanti unifies IT and Security Operations to better manage and secure the digital workplace. From PCs to mobile devices, VDI and the data center, Ivanti discovers IT assets on-premises and in the cloud, improves IT service delivery, and reduces risk with insights and automation. The company also helps organizations leverage modern technology in the warehouse and across the supply chain to improve delivery without modifying backend systems. Ivanti is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has offices all over the world. For more information, visit www.ivanti.com and follow @GoIvanti.

1 Gartner, "Predicts 2018: Artificial Intelligence," Whit Andrews, Moutusi Sau, Chirag Dekate, Anthony Mullen, Kenneth F. Brant, Magnus Revang, Daryl C. Plummer, November 13, 2017.

Copyright  2018, Ivanti. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Ivanti

Related Links

https://www.ivanti.com


This year's honoree is Joanne Maguire, retired Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. Each year this event honors a woman or women who have made outstanding contributions in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Ms. Maguire, a resident of Manhattan Beach, currently serves as independent director on the boards of CommScope Holding Company, Inc., Visteon Corporation and TetraTech. Active in her support of non-profit organizations, she is a board member for Draper Laboratory, an independent non-profit research and development organization, and for the Dean's Executive Board of UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Ms. Maguire retired as the leader of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in May 2013. She joined Lockheed Martin in 2003, to lead its national security space system efforts. The company provides government and commercial customers with products that include human space flight systems; satellites for remote sensing, navigation and communications; strategic and missile defense systems; and interplanetary spacecraft.

To RSVP and obtain tickets, or for further information please contact Patricia Torres at 310-529-7540 or [email protected]

About THE MUSES

Like the mythological figures they are named after, THE MUSES strive to be patrons of learning to stimulate innovation in science education. Five decades after the group was established in 1962, their membership and spirit of commitment continues to grow. Today, THE MUSES encourage and provide public goodwill as well as financial assistance to the Science Center's education programs, contributing to the Science Center's role as a world-class learning institution for children, families, and educators.

More information about THE MUSES and the luncheon is available at:

http://californiasciencecenter.org/support/volunteer/the-muses/muses-woman-of-the-year

About the California Science Center

The California Science Center is a dynamic destination where families, adults and children can explore the wonders of science through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations, innovative programs and awe-inspiring films. The California Science Center and IMAX Theater are located in historic Exposition Park just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway at 700 Exposition Park Drive. The Science Center is open daily from 10:00 a.m.  5:00 pm. Parking is $12, cash only.

Media Contact: Shell Amega

(213) 744-7496 | [email protected]

SOURCE California Science Center Foundation
BOSTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC (the "Adviser") and subadvised by Wellington Management Company LLP (the "Subadviser"), announced today sources of its quarterly distribution of $0.3760 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of March 12, 2018, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Notification of Sources of Distribution

This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ) with important information concerning the distribution declared on March 1, 2018, and payable on March 29, 2018. No action is required on your part.

Distribution Period: March 2018 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.3760

The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable March 29, 2018, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount.

Source

Current

Distribution ($)

% Breakdown

of the Current

Distribution

Total Cumulative

Distributions for

the Fiscal Year to

Date ($)1

% Breakdown

of the Total

Cumulative Distributions

for the Fiscal

Year to Date1 Net Investment Income

0.2792

74%

0.2792

74% Net Realized Short-

Term Capital Gains

0.0000

0%

0.0000

0% Net Realized Long-

Term Capital Gains

0.0968

26%

0.0968

26% Return of Capital or

Other Capital Source

0.0000

0%

0.0000

0% Total per common share

0.3760

100%

0.3760

100%

















Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on February 28, 2018

8.26%





Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of February 28,

2018

8.61%





Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through February 28, 2018

-1.02%





Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of

February 28, 2018

2.15%

You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan.

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has declared the March 2018 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed quarterly distributions in the amount of $0.3760 per share, which will continue to be paid quarterly until further notice.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investments Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

Wellington Management Company LLP is an independent and unaffiliated investment subadviser to John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund.

About John Hancock Investments

John Hancock Investments provides asset management services to individuals and institutions through a unique manager-of-managers approach. A wealth management business of John Hancock Financial, we managed more than $155 billion in assets as of December 31, 2018 across mutual funds, college savings plans, and retirement plans.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$1 trillion (US$806 billion) as of September 30, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on January 1, 2018, and will end on December 31, 2018.

SOURCE John Hancock Investments
BOSTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC and subadvised by both John Hancock Asset Management a division of Manulife Asset Management (US) LLC, and Analytic Investors, LLC, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.1380 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of March 12, 2018, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Notification of Sources of Distribution

This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) with important information concerning the distribution declared on March 1, 2018, and payable on March 29, 2018. No action is required on your part.

Distribution Period: March 2018 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.1380

The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable March 29, 2018, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount.

Source

Current

Distribution ($)

% Breakdown

of the Current

Distribution

Total Cumulative

Distributions for

the Fiscal Year to

Date ($)1

% Breakdown

of the Total

Cumulative

Distributions

for the Fiscal

Year to Date1 Net Investment

Income

0.0869

63%

0.6900

100% Net Realized Short-

Term Capital

Gains

0.0000

0%

0.0000

0% Net Realized Long-

Term Capital

Gains

0.0511

37%

0.0000

0% Return of Capital or

Other Capital

Source

0.0000

0%

0.0000

0% Total per common

share

0.1380

100%

0.6900

100%

















Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on February 28, 2018

9.85%





Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of February 28, 2018

7.10%





Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through February 28, 2018

-7.82%





Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of February 28, 2018

2.96%

You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan.

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has declared the March 2018 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.1380 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investments Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

About John Hancock Investments

John Hancock Investments provides asset management services to individuals and institutions through a unique manager-of-managers approach. A wealth management business of John Hancock Financial, we managed more than $155 billion in assets as of December 31, 2017 across mutual funds, college savings plans, and retirement plans.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$1 trillion (US$806 billion) as of September 30, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2017, and will end on October 31, 2018.

SOURCE John Hancock Investments
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Riding the success of this week's annual KNOW Identity Conference, One World Identity is announcing plans to bring the event to Las Vegas Spring of 2019 next year in addition to Washington D.C. in the Fall of 2019. The conference wrapped yesterday, March 28th, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Center with over 1,200 business leaders and experts in attendance. Kicking off with keynote speaker Scott Galloway, Founder of L2, author and entrepreneur, the three-day event boasted a lineup of 200+ notable speakers including Nick Shapiro of Airbnb, Margaret Weichert of the White House's Office of Management and Budget, Anousheh Ansari of Prodea Systems and many more. Leading sponsors included Trulioo, IBM, CLEAR, LexisNexis, NuData Security, RSA, and ThreatMetrix, among many others.

The KNOW Identity Conference provided a forum for identity experts across all industries to be at the nexus of ideas and policies that will fundamentally change identity around the world. Attendees dove into critical topics such as government policy, blockchain, cybersecurity, identity access management, trust and safety, fraud prevention and identity verification.

"This year we brought together some of the industry's top thought leaders to create a dialog that we didn't see happening to solve today's identity challenges," said Travis Jarae, Founder and CEO of One World Identity. "We could not be more thrilled with the result of this year's event, and look forward to topping it next year in Las Vegas."

The fully immersive event, featured the KNOW Identity Startup Pitch Competition, giving dozens of the world's leading early-stage startups in cybersecurity, trust and safety, and IoT an opportunity to compete on a live on-stage battle. The winning start-up, Juru, a decentralized identity platform that verifies an individual's identity and provides them with a cryptographic key, received the cash prize of $10,000. Blindhash, Guppy, Uqudo, Datavest, Crayonic, Status Identity, Keyo, Hideez, and Seon, were among those who competed.

"We are very grateful to have competed alongside nine other startups in the space," added Jo Vercammen, CEO of Juru. "Our team draws attention to the dynamic nature of identity and solves the challenges in verification."

This year's winner of the KNOW Identity hackathon was Digiport. Competitors were given 24 hours to develop solutions that solve a critical identity and personal data challenge competing for the grand prize of $25,000. Developers, hackers, and creatives, built innovative apps, insights and personalized experiences on the digi.me consent access private sharing platform, available on iOS (Swift) and Android (Java).

On Tuesday, the KNOW Awards recognized and celebrated the most compelling startups, individuals, and identity organizations of the year.

This year's winners included:

Individual Categories:

Industry Leader Stephen Ufford - Trulioo

- Trulioo Government Leader of the Year  Beverly Dicks  ServiceBC ( Canada )

 ServiceBC ( ) Trust Leader of the Year  Rimma Perelmuter  Mobile Ecosystem Forum

 Mobile Ecosystem Forum CEO of the Year  Reed Taussig ThreatMetrix

Investor of the Year  David Fields  PTB Ventures

 PTB Ventures Rising Innovator  Tommy Nicholas  Alloy

Organizational Categories:

Greatest Social Impact Through Identity - airTM

Greatest Social Impact Through Identity Non-Profit  ID2020

Greatest Impact on Trust - Airbnb

Best New Startup  Nova Credit

Trailblazer - Danal

About the KNOW Identity Conference

The premier global event for the identity industry, the KNOW Identity Conference is the nexus for identity innovation, offering a uniquely differentiated, powerful, and immersive event that convenes the world's most influential organizations and smartest minds across industries to shape the future of identity. With 1,000+ attendees, 300+ organizations, 100+ speakers, and 30+ countries represented, the conference is designed to spark innovation by facilitating conversations between people from different backgrounds and organizations of all size. The KNOW Identity Conference will be held March 26-28, 2018 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

About OWI

OWI is an independent identity research and strategy company focused on cybersecurity, digital commerce, and risk management. We help businesses, investors, and governments stay ahead of market trends so they can build sustainable, forward-looking identity-enabled products and strategies. We accomplish this by building community and facilitating dialogue through our events, the KNOW Identity Conference, as well as servicing the community with our educational content, news, media, independent research, and consulting.

Visit OWI at www.oneworldidentity.com for the latest in identity news, events, opinion and research.

Contact: Gabriella Velez, 1-212-3349753x137, [email protected]

SOURCE OWI

Related Links

http://www.oneworldidentity.com


ATHENS, Greece, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pioneering work around Gfast, Open Broadband, in-premises broadband technologies and Fixed Access Network Sharing (FANS) has been recognized by the Broadband Forum, with three top accolades presented during its quarterly meeting.

Lincoln Lavoie, senior engineer and industry lead for the executive steering body at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) received a Distinguished Fellow Award for his substantial contributions to a wide range of successful Broadband Forum projects. These include the G-PON Certification Test Plan, the TR-069 Certification Testing Program, the Gfast Certification Testing Program, the formation of the Open Broadband Labs projects, and countless plugfest testing activities.

"As we develop broadband networks for future generations, these awards highlight some of the true innovation happening within the Forum and the personal achievements that go alongside," said Kevin Foster, Chairman of the Broadband Forum. "Since we launched our Broadband 20/20 vision, the rate of progress has been incredible with the Gfast certification program and FANS specification among the significant developments. The dedication and commitment of our members is vital to our success. These latest achievements reinforce the importance of standardization in a rapidly evolving broadband ecosystem."

Two Circle of Excellence awards were also presented. One went to Bruno Cornaglia, of Vodafone, who edited the groundbreaking TR-370 Fixed Access Network Sharing specification, which was completed last November, providing a revolutionary business model for the broadband industry. Cornaglia is currently editing the follow up WT-370 to add Software Defined Networking capabilities.

The second Circle of Excellence accolade was presented to Marcos Martinez, of Maxlinear, in recognition of his work on the first industry test plan for comparative tests between powerline in-premises broadband technologies (TR-208  Performance Test Plan for In-premises Powerline Communications Systems). Martinez has also been integral to all projects around broadband in-premises heterogeneous connectivity, including technologies like G.hn, MoCA and Wi-Fi.

There were also numerous recipients of the Outstanding Contributor award which is made to individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make valuable contributions within the Forum's Work Areas. The full list of recipients was:

Marco Spini , of Huawei, for work on a number of complex topics and providing an important liaison between the Forum and 3GPP.

, of Huawei, for work on a number of complex topics and providing an important liaison between the Forum and 3GPP. Ludwig Pauwels , of Nokia, and Nick Hancock , of ADTRAN, for their contributions to the Common YANG project.

, of Nokia, and , of ADTRAN, for their contributions to the Common YANG project. Yuanlong Jiang , of Huawei, for key contributions to Mobile Transport and Routing work.

, of Huawei, for key contributions to Mobile Transport and Routing work. Georgios Karagiannis , of Huawei, for work on the Cloud-based Central Office Reference Architecture Framework, now known as TR-384 CloudCO.

The Athens meeting also saw the annual elections take place, with Bernd Hesse, of Calix, and John Blackford, of Arris, voted on to the board. David Sinicrope, of Ericsson, Frank Van der Putten, of Nokia, Kevin Foster, of BT, and Mauro Tilocca, of Telecom Italia, will also continue to hold their positions on the board after they were re-elected.

"The expertise and experience of our members is vital as we continue to evolve broadband networks and deliver next-generation broadband," said Robin Mersh, CEO of the Broadband Forum. "Without our work, mass deployment of new technologies such as Gfast would happen at a much slower rate, impacting those that depend on such methods for access to high-speed broadband."

For more information about the Broadband Forum, visit: https://www.broadband-forum.org/.

About the Broadband Forum

Broadband Forum, a non-profit industry organization, is focused on engineering smarter and faster broadband networks. The Forum's flagship TR-069 CPE WAN Management Protocol has now exceeded 350 million installations worldwide.

Our work defines best practices for global networks, enables new revenue-generating service and content delivery, establishes technology migration strategies, engineers critical device, service & development management tools, in the home and business IP networking infrastructure. We develop multi-service broadband packet networking specifications addressing architecture, device and service management, software data models interoperability and certification in the Broadband market.

Our free technical reports and white papers can be found at www.broadband-forum.org . Twitter @Broadband_Forum.

For more information about the Broadband Forum, please go to http://www.broadband-forum.org or follow @Broadband_Forum on Twitter. For further information please contact Brian Dolby on +44 (0) 7899 914168 or [email protected] or Jayne Brooks on +44 (0) 1636 704 888 or [email protected].

SOURCE Broadband Forum

Related Links

https://www.broadband-forum.org


"New LG technologies spotlight the 'business' in B2B as corporate customers seek new tools to improve efficiency and collaborations across various platforms," said Dan Smith, vice president, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions. "Bolstered by alliances with leading partners like Cisco, Crestron Connected and Hoylu, LG touch-screen and 4K Ultra HD display technologies are raising the bar for today's high-performing workplaces."

LG Touch Solutions

New to LG's portfolio in 2018 are advanced IPS Interactive Digital Boards (IDB)  the 86-inch 86TR3D and 75-inch 75TC3D 4K UHD models and 55-inch 55TA3E Full HD model  all delivering vivid images, text and video to provide a great user experience in meeting rooms, classrooms and other collaborative spaces with easy and reliable touch performance. IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology from LG delivers unparalleled viewing angles critically important in corporate environments.

Model 86TR3D features advanced and intuitive touch-enabled interfaces with precise writing performance that can recognize up to 20 points* of simultaneous touch without the need for a separate pen or stylus, enabling multiple users to write simultaneously to freely share ideas for maximum productivity and convenience.

The 75TC3D UHD display comes equipped with System-on-Chip (SoC) and LG webOS making it possible to collaborate without the need for a PC. The TC3D series recognizes up to 40 points of touch* so that multiple participants can simultaneously use touch features.

The 55TA3E Interactive Digital Board with built-in IR overlay, available soon, has built-in Wifi, built-in speakers and 10-point multi-touch* making it one of the most versatile IDB products on the market.

For seamless collaboration, the new IDB solutions are all compatible with the LG IDB app. The LG IDB app, for Android and iOS devices, helps facilitate successful meetings by encouraging participants to freely submit their ideas on the screen using the intuitive touch and writing tools, as well as enabling engagement thanks to easy connectivity and crisp graphics for high readability.

Corporate Signage Solutions

LG delivers high-performing, reliable digital signage solutions that are suitable for corporate environments including conference rooms, hallways, cafeterias and common areas. Featured at DSE 2018, the LG SM5KD series enhances the overall portfolio, providing the webOS smart signage platform and a built-in speaker designed to elevate corporate meetings rooms, lobby's and conference rooms. The high-performance Quad Core System-on-Chip can execute multiple tasks at the same time and provides smooth content playback without an external media player. The SM5KD with SoftAP software can also operate as a wireless access point for mobile devices.

Small-Format Solutions

Small-format solutions allow corporations to manage their brand and control messaging in innovative ways, and can create a level of differentiation that engages customers on a personal level by weaving together platforms and providing real-time communication through smart apps. LG's small-format lineup includes IPS, 4K UHD and LED monitors that provide superior graphics as well as simple editing capabilities. Led by LG's new 43-inch 4K UHD monitor, the new lineup is the latest to join LG's new cloud computing solutions that provide optimal methods for converting to a cloud system that both satisfies customers' needs and enables a more productive corporate environment.

Flexible Video Solutions

Underscoring LG's commitment to the corporate video market, key products in LG's 2018 lineup of advanced display and videoconference solutions combine LG's premium picture quality with industry-leading technologies from Cisco, Crestron Connected, and Hoylu:

CISCO: LG and Cisco assure a simple, straightforward and engaging video conferencing experience thanks to the combination of LG's expertise in premium UHD displays and Cisco's industry-leading collaboration technologies. LG displays blended with the Cisco Room Kit series, demonstrated at DSE 2018, offer outstanding solutions for video conferencing and presentations due to their extensive inter-product communication capabilities.

LG and Cisco assure a simple, straightforward and engaging video conferencing experience thanks to the combination of LG's expertise in premium UHD displays and Cisco's industry-leading collaboration technologies. LG displays blended with the Cisco Room Kit series, demonstrated at DSE 2018, offer outstanding solutions for video conferencing and presentations due to their extensive inter-product communication capabilities. CRESTRON: LG and Crestron Connected have expanded their collaboration on a broad portfolio of digital signage monitors  ranging from 4K Ultra HD and In-Glass LG OLED models to video walls and multiple-screen signage displays. Crestron Connected solutions are designed to provide corporate customers a higher level of integration convenience and reliability by delivering simple-to-use products, seamless integration and network connectivity.

LG and Crestron Connected have expanded their collaboration on a broad portfolio of digital signage monitors  ranging from Ultra HD and In-Glass LG OLED models to video walls and multiple-screen signage displays. Crestron Connected solutions are designed to provide corporate customers a higher level of integration convenience and reliability by delivering simple-to-use products, seamless integration and network connectivity. HOYLU: The LG and Hoylu hardware-software bundle offers single-screen and live collaboration across multiple devices using Hoylu's Anytime Collaboration technology. As touch-screen technology drives interest in giant-sized 4K UHD displays, the Hoylu Suite solution offers flexibility and creativity for enterprise customers seeking an engaging interactive experience on LG's advanced displays.

Also of interest to corporate customers  on display in the United States for the first time at DSE 2018  is LG's new 0.6 mm even bezel video wall display, ideal for corporate lobbies and training centers. The ultra-narrow-bezel 55-inch LG 55SVH7E displays can be combined to create one powerful and impactful video wall with an incredible of 1.2 mm bezel-to-bezel width.

Visitors to LG's booth at DSE 2018 (March 28-29, Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC booth #1911) will be able to experience LG commercial displays first hand. For more information, please visit www.LGSolutions.com.

*Touch points can vary depending on the connection environment and operating system.

About LG Electronics USA Business Solutions

LG Electronics USA Business Solutions serves commercial display customers in the U.S. lodging and hospitality, digital signage, systems integration, healthcare, education, government and industrial markets. Based in Lincolnshire, Ill., with its dedicated engineering and customer support team, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions delivers business-to-business technology solutions tailored to the particular needs of business environments. LG Electronics USA Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a $55 billion global force in consumer electronics, mobile communications, home appliances and air solutions. For more information, please visit www.LGSolutions.com.

SOURCE LG Electronics USA Business Solutions

Related Links

http://www.LGSolutions.com


BAYONNE, N.J., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Equities Group (LEG) is proud to announce its acquisition of a 90-acre site in Bayonne, NJ, from Highstar Capital. The land, which sits on the former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY), will be redeveloped into 1.6 million square feet of industrial warehouse space. The new facility will help bolster trade at the Port of New York and New Jersey and create more than 2,700 new jobs, generated by construction and future tenants.

"As the e-commerce industry and same day-delivery services expand, the demand for industrial warehousing near ports and major metropolitan areas will rise," says Joel Bergstein, President, LEG. "We see tremendous potential in this underutilized waterfront site and look forward to transforming it into a location that can attract a large company."

LEG plans to construct 1.6 million square feet of modern industrial build-to-suit space on the property, located along the Hudson County waterfront and New York Harbor, facing lower Manhattan. The redevelopment is expected to take three years and will provide new waterfront facilities to support trade through the Port of New York and New Jersey.

"This property is going to be developed into 'next generation' industrial warehouse space, meaning it will have 36 to 50-foot ceiling heights and a 50-foot column grid to accommodate larger amounts of goods coming off ships at the Port," says Robert Schenkel, Senior Director of Development, LEG. "Everything currently on the site will be demolished to make room for construction of a state-of-the-art facility for tenants importing goods through the Port of New York and New Jersey."

Previously, the 90-acre waterfront parcel was part of the MOTBY, which was originally a naval base and later repurposed as an U.S. Army base that closed in 1999. The site has remained dormant for more than a decade.

"We look forward to working with Lincoln Equities Group as the firm transforms this area of Bayonne, creating jobs and fueling the City, County and State economies," says Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis. "Redeveloping this area has long been part of our plan to restore jobs to Bayonne."

In negotiating the agreement with Lincoln Equities Group, Highstar Capital worked with Ports America Group, Inc., the current Manager of the site. The closing of the sale is anticipated for May 2018.

About Lincoln Equities Group

Lincoln Equities Group LLC (LEG), established in 1980, is one of the Northeast's leading fullservice real estate companies. The company owns, operates, develops and manages commercial, industrial and residential properties throughout the tristate area and Europe, for its own account and for thirdparty owners. www.lincolnequities.com

About Highstar Capital

Highstar Capital is an operationally focused, value-added investment fund manager. www.highstarcapital.com

About Ports America Group, Inc.

Ports America, headquartered in New Jersey, is the largest independent marine terminal operator and stevedore company in the United States. PortsAmerica.com.

SOURCE Lincoln Equities Group LLC

Related Links

http://www.lincolnequities.com


LEESBURG, Fla., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Local franchisees Jonathan and Stephanie Frederick plan to bring their first Dickey's Barbecue Pit location to Leesburg, FL. The new location is slated to open by the new franchisees in late 2018.

"Dickey's Barbecue Pit has and always will be a family-run, family-oriented business and that is something we pride ourselves on," says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "The partnership we have with each of our franchisees is very important to us and we look forward to supporting the Fredericks in their first restaurant venture."

Originally from Florida, Stephanie looks forward to opening her first business with her husband, Jonathan, in the state they now both call home. Stephanie and Jonathan collectively bring years of restaurant experience to the Dickey's brand along with a passion for smoking delicious barbecue.

"After making the decision to open our own restaurant for our family to run, we knew that it had to be Dickey's Barbecue Pit," says Jonathan. "Our passion for slow-smoked barbecue paired with Dickey's experience and strong support for their franchisees made it an easy decision for us."

Find your nearest Dickey's location here.

About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest barbecue chain was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant. The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow-smoked meats and home style sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. The fast-casual concept has expanded to more than 550 locations in 45 states. In 2016, Dickey's won first place on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" list and in 2017 again won a top 10 on the list. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine, Franchise Times, and Nation's Restaurant News. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

Media Contacts:

Callie Head

[email protected]

Ashley Richardson

[email protected]

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue

Related Links

http://www.dickeys.com


Tony Sayegh and Mercedes Mercy Schlapp. Photo: Getty Images

Hope Hicks plans to depart Washington by Good Friday, over a month after she resigned as the White House communications director on February 28. She will leave behind a press operation that is inherently broken, rife with scandal and petty divisions that have only worsened amid the cyclical staff sheddings that have defined the first 14 months of Donald Trumps administration.

The race to fill the Hicks void is a clandestine parade of all the worst human impulses. Among the potential hires mentioned by Trump in conversations with aides in recent weeks are former Fox News executive Bill Shine, who reportedly isnt interested, and Kellyanne Conway, who reportedly is. But administration sources told New York that, whoever the job goes to, the real story is the bloodletting between two early front-runners: director of strategic communications Mercedes Mercy Schlapp and Treasury Department spokesperson Tony Sayegh, both former Fox News contributors.

White House officials told New York the view from the inside is that Mercy wants it most, and is campaigning for the job with the assistance of her husband, Matt Schlapp, a lobbyist and frequent presence on cable news who chairs the American Conservative Union, while Sayegh is a competitor because he was well-liked by Hicks, whose recommendation the president is expected to weigh heavily. When anonymous sources began sprouting weedlike in the conservative press to go after Sayegh, the Schlapps were blamed. And their perceived ruthlessness had a perceived profit motive: the year that Mercy joined the administration, Matts lobbying firm saw its income nearly double.

Hows that for fucking hubris? a former senior White House official told New York. The Schlapps have literally turned off so many people. Access to power has turned them both into fucking monsters.

Hicks was the third communications director, after Michael Dubke (MarchMay) and Anthony Scaramucci (Julyalso July). If you count Sean Spicer, who held dual roles as the press secretary and the communications director during bursts of communications directorlessness, Hicks was the fourth communications director. And if you count Jason Miller, who was supposed to be the first communications director but ended up not entering the White House, Hicks was the fifth communications director. The job was hers for a Trumpian record of five months.

Seeking the job now, knowing its recent history, is something of a self-destructive act; its unlikely anyone will replicate Hickss singular importance, and the higher you climb in the Trump White House, the quicker youre killed off. Yet the appeal of the senior title and promise of access to the president is strong, even if who the president is means that the substance of the job is irrelevant: how do you devise messaging for Trump, who will blow up the strategy without warning with a single early-morning tweet? One hour youll be talking about immigration reform. The next youll be talking about the NFL. The next youll be talking about gun policy. The next youll be talking about tax cuts. And then, you know, circle back around to who lied on Morning Joe that day, a second former White House official told New York, comparing the experience in the press shop to being, on speed.

And then theres the fact that everyones always trying to kill everyone else.

In some aspects, its worse than people even realize, a current White House official told New York. It started early on, when it was very factionalized with the RNC individuals versus Bannons versus Jareds. All of that infighting just carried over. Its a never-ending cycle.

The official added, with a laugh: It wouldnt be this White House if everyone inside wasnt fighting all the time.

The Schlapp-Sayegh drama has its origins in tax reform, the only successful policy rollout of the Trump presidency so far. From the introduction of the plan in early November to the bill signing in late December, it took just seven weeks, scoring Trump a big-league legislative victory just as his first year in office came to a close.

Led broadly by the since-departed economic adviser Gary Cohn, it included select staffers from the national economic council, legislative affairs, political affairs, communications, and other White House departments. Sayegh was brought in to work alongside Hicks in her office, which shares a wall with the Oval. The time and attention the project absorbed, and the presidents awareness of it, bred what several sources in the administration referred to as resentment from those not involved, in particular from Schlapp. It was the biggest thing the White House was doing, the official said. When it was successful, that only created more resentment.

She probably came in thinking shed have a lot of access to the president, an administration official told New York. And then you get there, and find you dont interact with the guy at all and youre not working on the biggest issue. Instead, Schlapp cultivated the impression that she was to Chief of Staff John Kelly what Hicks was to the president, but sources described uncertainty or even skepticism about the true state of their relationship even as they cautiously interpreted her directives as coming, in one way or another, from the Chief.

But worse than isolation from Trump for Schlapps prospects as the presidents new right-hand woman was isolation from the original right-hand woman. Hicks liked Sayegh, and by extension, those who liked Hicks liked him, too: Josh Raffel, another senior communications official who acted as a spokesperson for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and Javanka themselves. (Both Hicks and Raffel had previous relationships with the couple, having worked for a New York PR firm that repped the Trump Organization and Kushner Companies; Hicks eventually departed the firm to join the Trump Organization itself.) When Hicks resigned from the White House (shortly after Raffel resigned), she and her allies encouraged Sayegh to consider taking her place.

Usually a communications director focuses on long-term planning and policy rollout, another administration official said, and if you think about it, tax reform was the only rollout that we achieved in a significant way. Sayegh had the benefit of being associated primarily with a rare high-profile case of something going well for Trump from a messaging perspective during year one.

But on paper, Schlapp was a more obvious choice: shed already replaced Hicks once before; her title, director of strategic communications, was one invented specifically for Hicks at the beginning of the administration, before she stepped in to replace the Mooch last summer. Not that it really mattered what Hicks was called. She was the presidents closest and longest-serving political aide, and she occupied an office within earshot of his own. She acted not just as the barrier between Trump and the press corps, but between Trump and other members of the White House staff. This was particularly true of press officials, who relied on Hicks for coherent predictions or expressions of his views, and who, with her there, often had no reason to speak to him themselves.

When Hicks finally became vulnerable  amid her involvement in the various Russia investigations and Degrassi: The Next Generationmeets-Homeland drama in her personal life  Schlapp saw opportunity, sources said. Speaking to New York last month, Schlapp denied this characterization from her colleagues; she said she was hurt by the rumors. I called Hope right away and was like, This is ridiculous. You know where my heart is and where we work together. I mean, she is someone who I incredibly value, Schlapp said. I feel like Mother Hen here a lot of times, and Im very protective of my little  you know, the team. But a former White House official said that was laughable: She went after Hope with a fucking full knife right away. Beloved baby chick or Kentucky Fried, the maneuvering to fill Hickss position was cannibalistic from the start.

Things escalated earlier this month, when the fighting spilled into public view with a story in the Washington Examiner that painted a grim portrait of Sayegh. The Examiner reported that Sayegh has a tendency to delegate too much, to boss people around, and to manipulate others for his own benefit, according to sources close to and within the administration. The Examiner added that one administration official said these negative characteristics came into sharp relief, in Sayeghs interactions with female staff. According to a source the Examiner described as a person familiar with conversations about the communications director search, Sayegh is known in the White House as a terrible bully. The Examiner offered no examples of behavior to support the allegations.

Internally, the article was viewed as a hit job  and not a graceful one. Four sources in the administration told New York they believed it was obviously Schlapps handiwork.

The American Conservative Union, where Mercys husband is chair, is an influential group that organizes the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. Like many publications of its ideological ilk, the Examiner has ties to CPAC; its editors and contributors have spoken at the confab over the years, and as Trump has subsumed the right-wing movement, the publication has documented CPACs evolution with vested interest. The foundation belonging to the Examiners owner, Philip Anschutz, helps fund the ACU. The day after Hicks resigned, the Examiner ran a column titled, Mercedes Schlapp should replace Hope Hicks as White House communications director. It concluded, Hope Hicks was rarely seen by the media and that damaged her effectiveness and the publics interest in media access. Mercedes Schlapp can do better for her boss and the American people.

Its contaminating her candidacy, one administration official told New York. A source close to the White House added, I think she blew herself up before getting the job.

The Examiner, incidentally, reported that, when he was asked about the possibility that Mercy could be the communications director during a TV appearance, Matt Schlapp responded by saying she would be very open to whatever Trump wanted her to do. Its almost like shes running her own surrogate operation internally and externally, the official said. Shes running a shadow comms shop.

According to administration sources, Schlapp has assembled internal support in large numbers, but not among people who are decision-makers. Shes got a conglomerate of junior and mid-level staffers shes trying to take under her wing, one White House official said, explaining that her kindness is seen as a cynical ploy, like a grassroots operation that works only on staffers too green to see through this shit. A second official said that Sayegh has been a little more strategic, and he has some pretty big names behind him.

The allegations against Sayegh  that hes a bully who treats women in the workplace worse than men  were seen as a leap beyond standard self-promotion, and particularly brutal even for Washington, considering the current political and cultural environment as it relates to women sharing professional space with men. Thats coded language for something more, the official said, adding, that Tony piece is upsetting. I havent really thought about why, Ive just been sitting here shaking my head that its happening at all.

The official added, It sounds to me like she took offense to something he was doing and shes trying to get back at him. Ive never seen him treat a woman differently than he treats a man and it shows how recklessly theyre playing with peoples lives.

Sources inside and outside the administration said that the Schlapps suffer from a lack of subtlety that reveals not only the methods used to reach an end, but their motives for wanting the end in the first place. When Mercy entered the White House, she left Cove Strategies, the lobbying group where her husband remains a principal. From 2009 to 2016, according to data from OpenSecrets, Cove Strategies earned between $390,000 and $640,000 annually, lobbying on behalf of companies like Comcast, Walmart, Verizon, the Motion Picture Association of America, Dow Chemical, Koch Industries, and so on. In 2016, Cove Strategies earned $640,000 lobbying for five companies. But in 2017, the year Mercy Schlapp became a Trump official, those numbers almost doubled: Cove Strategies earned $1,030,000 from nine clients.

There is an impression internally, according to a White House official, that shes using this experience to enrich her family. Another White House official had a more direct accusation: Cove Strategies should change its address to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The president doesnt know it, but theyve set up their headquarters in the West Wing of his house, rent free.

Angela Flood, a principal at Cove Strategies, said that the impression described by the officials was mistaken, adding, Im wondering if maybe they have an agenda. I dont know why somebody would make those accusations. Flood dismissed Matt Schlapps visits to the White House as standard, and unrelated to his business. I can tell you that we have gone to great lengths to draw very bright lines between anything that happens at Cove and Mercy, Flood said.

After telling New York that Schlapp and Sayegh wanted to be interviewed for this story, the White House instead provided New York with a statement from deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley: This palace intrigue nonsense is all ridiculous. Like at any workplace, Tony and Mercy interact in an entirely professional manner. They work closely together and make great things happen for the Presidents agenda  and will continue to do so. The White House also told New York that Schlapp and Sayegh have plans for some kind of social interaction this week, but couldnt say what those plans were or when exactly they would take place. First, they said it was a dinner. Then, it was a lunch.

But ridiculous nonsense matters a lot in the Trump era, and this episode of fighting has staffers in a state of existential crisis. One component is always trying to do their jobs, and one component is trying to keep some semblance of peace, and one component is where all the chaos goes, a White House official said. At some point were all going to need therapists or psychiatrists.

In this White House, the comms shop is 100 times more important than the policy shop. The comms shop is what Trump lives for  thats why hes on Twitter all the time. Policy is not relevant to him, he doesnt care. What he cares about are stories, a second former White House official told New York. The president of the United States walked into lower press and put his head in there, the former official added, referring to a recent incident when Trump walked into the briefing room to tell reporters hed have an announcement soon. The president of the fucking United States  hes like an assistant press secretary!

But as the issue drains time and energy from the staffers fighting and from the staffers tasked with convincing the press that no staffers are fighting, its faded from Trumps mind. For the next few hours, at least, Hicks is still in Washington.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New Dickey's Barbecue Pit franchisee plans to bring his first Dickey's Barbecue Pit location to Rancho Cucamonga in Spring 2018. The new location will be owned by franchisee Caleb Cabrea.

Though new to the Dickey's family, Caleb has over ten years of franchising experience that he brings to the Dickey's brand.

"Dickey's congratulates Caleb on bringing his first Dickey's Barbecue Pit location to California," says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "We are always proud when experienced franchisees choose to invest in the Dickey's brand and bring Texas-style barbecue to their community."

Originally from California, Caleb has spent years both owning franchise concepts and working on developing concepts for other restaurants in his area. "I first learned about Dickey's when I was building a different location and loved concept, the food and the support from the corporate office so much I decided to open one of my own," says Caleb.

Find your nearest Dickey's Barbecue Pit location here.

About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest barbecue chain was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant. The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow-smoked meats and home style sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. The fast-casual concept has expanded to more than 550 locations in 44 states. In 2016, Dickey's won first place on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" list and in 2017 again won a top 10 on the list. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine, Franchise Times, and Nation's Restaurant News. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

Media Contacts:

Callie Head

[email protected]

Ashley Richardson

[email protected]

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue

Related Links

http://www.dickeys.com


BROOKVILLE, N.Y., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 69th George Polk Awards will be celebrated during two distinct eventsthe David J. Steinberg Seminar, "Getting Sources to Talk" April 5 at the Kumble Theater at LIU Brooklyn and the 69th Annual George Polk Awards Ceremony Luncheon April 6 at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan.

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The seminar will highlight the works of some of the Polk Award winners, including Jodi Kantor of The New York Times, winner of the Polk Award for National Reporting for exposing the decades-long sexual predation of the movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the campaign to cover it up; Stephanie McCrummen of The Washington Post, winner of the Polk Award for Political Reporting for digging into the past of Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama to disclose on-the-record accounts of sexual assault upon a fourteen-year-old girl and the pursuit of other teenagers; and Elle Reeve of VICE News, winner of the Polk Award for National Television Reporting for on-the-scene coverage of the Charlottesville demonstrations that probed the motivations and tactics of white nationalist leaders.

The George Polk Awards honor exceptional and important investigative journalism. They focus on the reporters themselves, placing a premium on work that is intrepid, original, resourceful and thought-provoking. Among the many journalism greats who are Polk laureates are Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Christiane Amanpour, Peter Jennings, Norman Mailer, Diane Sawyer, Seymour Hersh, Glenn Greenwald, and more.

David J. Steinberg Seminar, "Getting Sources to Talk"

Featuring panelists and George Polk Award Winners Jodi Kantor of The New York Times, Stephanie McCrummen of The Washington Post, and Elle Reeve of VICE News. Moderated by Charlayne Hunter Gault of PBS

Thursday, April 5, 2018, 6:30 p.m.

The Kumble Theatre at LIU Brooklyn

One University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Free and Open to the Public. Space is Limited. Light refreshments served in the lobby starting at 5 p.m. Reserve a seat by emailing [email protected]

69th Annual George Polk Awards Ceremony Luncheon

Awards citations read by Charlayne Hunter-Gault of PBS

Friday, April 6, 2018, 11am

The Roosevelt Hotel, 45 E 45th St, New York, NY

Tickets: Must be purchased in advance at https://community.liu.edu/68thPolk

History of the Polk Awards

In 1949, Long Island University established a new journalism prize to memorialize George Polk, a CBS correspondent who was killed while covering the civil war in Greece. The mission of the George Polk Awards, as distinguished from other journalism honors, focused on recognizing not the news organizations or publishers, but investigative reporters themselves.

Much about journalism has changed in the six decades since the inaugural Polk Awards, including the rise of the Internet and the technological disruption it has caused. But one constant has endured and even thrived: intrepid, courageous reporters committed to doing whatever it takeseven at risk of their own life and libertyto uncover matters of critical importance to an informed public and the very foundation of democratic society.

As the only major American journalism prize that has always honored work across all media platforms, the Polk Awards has consistently been at the fore of the changing ways we access news and information. The list of Polk winners includes some of the biggest names in journalism. Seymour Hersh, Christiane Amanpour, Jimmy Breslin, Walter Cronkite, Thomas Friedman, Edward R. Murrow, Bill Moyers, A.M. Rosenthal, Jane Mayer, Sidney Schanberg, Pete Hamill, I. F. Stone, Studs Terkel, and the teams of Woodward and Bernstein and Barlett and Steele are all Polk laureates.

About Long Island University (LIU)

LIU is one of the nation's largest private universities. Since 1926, LIU has provided high quality academic programs taught by world-class faculty. LIU offers hundreds of accredited programs to approximately 20,000 students, with a network of over 200,000 alumni, including leaders in industries across the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.

Generous support for the 69th Annual George Polk Awards at LIU has been provided by: CNN, The New York Times Company, and CBS News.

SOURCE Long Island University

Related Links

http://www.liu.edu


PARK CITY, Utah, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LuMee LLC, the maker of the original and patented illuminated LuMee smart phone cases, announced today the latest victory in the fight to protect the company's innovation and market leadership by concluding litigation with Snap Light, LLC who was infringing LuMee's U.S. Patent No. 6,464,796. In a judgment entered earlier this month, Judge Gregory M. Sleet found that Snaplight infringes LuMee's patent and permanently enjoined Snaplight from making, using, selling, offering to sell and importing its infringing products into the U.S. Judge Sleet also dismissed Snaplight's attempt to invalidate LuMee's patent. A copy of the Judgment and Permanent Injunction is available at www.lumee.com/pages/brand-protection.

In the course of the litigation, Snaplight made false claims against LuMee, which were dismissed with prejudice. In a separate litigation in California, Snaplight asserted that LuMee's products infringed a different patent. Judge James V. Selna dismissed Snaplight's infringement claim with prejudice as well. A copy of the order of dismissal is available at www.lumee.com/pages/brand-protection.

"Since coming first to market with the highest-quality illuminated, LED-lit smart phone cases, we continue to fiercely protect and defend our intellectual property rights," said Robert G. Pedersen II, LuMee's Chairman and CEO. "These judgments validate our leadership and clear the path for continued innovation and new product development opportunities as we work to keep our commitment to our customers."

Today's announcement is a continuation of LuMee's ongoing and vigorous efforts to globally enforce the full breadth of its intellectual property rights. Due to the ongoing success of the LuMee case and its partnerships, low quality "knockoffs" have occasionally garnered attention in the market. However, many of the "knockoffs" contain cheaply made components. LuMee is committed to identifying these companies and manufacturers and preventing them from violating LuMee's intellectual property and branding.

To protect and ensure customers receive authentic LuMee products, LuMee is continuously expanding its extensive intellectual property portfolio and has a trademark enforcement team that works closely with law enforcement, which has made a number of arrests, including felony charges of trademark counterfeiting. In addition, LuMee works with Customs and Border Protection, identifying and seizing counterfeit cases coming into the country. To ensure the purchase of a genuine LuMee product, LuMee encourages customers to only purchase genuine LuMee products from LuMee.com and authorized LuMee retailers, such as Apple, Amazon, and Target.

LuMee encourages customers and partners to report fakes or copycats to LuMee LLC via email to [email protected].

About LuMee LLC:

LuMee is one of the fastest-growing consumer electronics accessories and lighting companies in the world, with a line of smartphone cases that enable users to capture professional quality images and create optimal conditions for video chatting. Since the 2014 launch of the LuMee Case, the brand's flagship and patented front-facing LED lit smartphone case, the company has caught the eye of celebrities and trendsetters like Kim Kardashian West, who rave about the product's ability to achieve the perfect smartphone photo. Co-founder & partner Allan Shoemake, a professional photographer who has taken pictures of many U.S. presidents and celebrities, devised the concept to improve mobile phone lighting in his own life; now, the company, based in Park City, Utah, is revolutionizing the way mobile photographers of all skill levels shoot images on their smartphones. LuMee Cases range from $49.95 to $69.95 and are available in many colors. To order LuMee cases or other accessories, or for more information, visit LuMee.com.

Media Contact:

Chelsea Giacobbe

Coburn Communication

[email protected]

SOURCE LuMee LLC

Related Links

http://www.lumee.com


Ecobuild SEA, held in conjunction with International Construction Week (ICW), has grown to become a prestigious platform in Southeast Asia and is currently the largest construction trade event in Malaysia, bringing together 167 exhibitors and an expected 15,000 attendees this year.

Ecobuild SEA encompasses Greenbuild Asia, Ecolight Asean, Construction Showcase, Malaysia IBS International Exhibition (MIIE) and Construction Career Fair, making it a true platform for the construction industry in ASEAN.

General Tan Sri Dato Seri Panglima Mohd Azumi (RTD), Co-Chairman of UBM Malaysia said, "Ecobuild Southeast Asia, the exhibition part of the International Construction Week has witnessed a steady growth in trade professionals, exhibiting companies and national participation. This year's exhibition has increased its size since 2017."

"Apart from that, a new segment has been added into the show this year. The Heavy Machinery & Equipment segment at CIDB IBS Centre. This initiative is attributed and encouraged by the high impact projects, initiated by the government of Malaysia such as the West Coast Highway, KTMB Klang Valley, Double Tracking, Mass Rapid Transit, Rapid, Affordable Homes. To allow easy access to both exhibitions, there will be free shuttle service provided from KLCC to CIDB IBS Centre and return during the three days exhibition", he added.

Ecobuild SEA 2018 will be accompanied by over 50 free-to-attend seminars, presenting a number of topics including quality, safety and professionalism, as well as environmental sustainability, productivity and internationalisation, all reflecting the categories emphasised under CITP.

Moving forward and staying ahead, effective 2019, UBM Malaysia has decided to reorganise and co-locate eight of its current shows into a single show under one roof, making it the most comprehensive event for the construction industry in ASEAN. These show which are currently independent of each other, including ASEAN Premier Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Show (ASEAN M&E), REVAC, LIFT, TENAGA and ASEAN Solar, IFSEC SEA (Fire & Security), Heavy Machinery and Ecobuild Southeast Asia will be rebranded as the ASEAN Super 8. This we believe is consistent with the infrastructure development of the ASEAN integration strategic frameworks towards an ASEAN community. The super eight will be held from 19 - 21 of March 2019 at the new Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre or MITEC, KL.

For more information, please visit www.ecobuildsea.com

About UBM Asia  the show organiser (www.ubm.com)

We Create Business For You

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is Asia's leading exhibition organiser and with a track record spanning over 30 years. UBM Asia operates in 21 market sectors with 160 dynamic face-to-face exhibitions, 75 high-level professional conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 round-the-clock vertical portals and virtual event services for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world. We provide a non-stop diversified global service for high-value business matching, quality market news and online trading networks. In ASEAN, UBM Asia operates from its offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines with over 50 events in this region.

SOURCE UBM Asia (Malaysia)
BOSTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seniorlink, Inc., a tech-enabled health services company, found in a recent study that medically complex patients age 65 and older had dramatically lower rates of hospitalizations, emergency room visits and falls when family caregivers and clinicians engaged with each other through a technology-enabled care plan. The analysis also revealed that this approach resulted in a significant reduction in healthcare costs.

The results further illustrated the benefits of technology-enabled caregiving that were released in a joint study last year by Seniorlink and health and aging services expert Anne Tumlinson. That study, which examined data from almost 2,000 Seniorlink patients in Massachusetts and Indiana and compared it to the national benchmark Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey (MCBS), found that the U.S. healthcare system could save $2.8 million annually for every 1,000 highly complex patients by engaging family caregivers with clinical care teams.

Elderly patients suffering from five or more chronic health conditions, and needing assistance with three or more activities of daily living, experienced a 40 percent reduction in hospitalizations, a 32 percent drop in ER visits and 75 percent fewer falls when supported by Seniorlink's connected program, the analysis found.

"As the U.S. population ages and medical needs increase, it becomes imperative for us to find ways to engage family caregivers in care delivery and connect them with professional care teams through technology," said Thomas Riley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Seniorlink.

Jay V. Patel, Clinical Transformation Officer at Seniorlink, presented the study's results in a poster entitled, "Seniorlink Improves Outcomes, Reduces Costs, and Facilitates Aging in Place for Complex Populations" at the American Society on Aging's Aging in America conference, which took place on March 26-29 in San Francisco. Patel discussed the poster in the conference's Exhibit Hall on March 28th.

"Our study demonstrates that as a patient requires more complex medical and psychosocial needs, Seniorlink's care collaboration solutions have a dramatic effect on outcomes and cost savings," Patel said.

Seniorlink offers a unique set of care collaboration solutions that balance human touch and technology. The company supplements its intensive in-home care management model with its HIPAA-secure care collaboration platform, Vela, which connects care providers, including nurse case managers, patient advocates and pharmacists, directly with patients and family caregivers.

As a result, the company is well-positioned to help improve patient outcomes for populations that face a wide variety of medical needs, or are impacted by numerous socioeconomic factors or behavioral issues. Analysis of the data compiled in last year's study also found that Seniorlink patients under the age of 65 with behavioral health issues such as dementia or psychiatric conditions also had a 24 percent decline in hospitalizations, a 33 percent reduction and an 88 percent drop in falls when compared with the general Medicare population.

More information about Seniorlink can be found at www.seniorlink.com.

About Seniorlink

Seniorlink is a tech-enabled health services company that builds care collaboration solutions. The company serves patients and caregivers by partnering with risk-bearing provider and payer organizations to augment existing care management capabilities through solutions that leverage human touch and technology. Seniorlink's team of compassionate, experienced professionals uses a proprietary platform, Vela, to encourage real-time collaboration among the extended care team that results in better outcomes at a lower cost. Backed by nearly two decades of care expertise, Seniorlink leads the way on delivering high quality care. Seniorlink's Caregiver Homes Network is the first Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) provider in the U.S. to receive NCQA Case Management Accreditation with Long Term Services and Support (LTSS) Distinction. More information about Seniorlink can be found at www.seniorlink.com.

SOURCE Seniorlink

Related Links

http://www.seniorlink.com


DES MOINES, Iowa, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP; meredith.com) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to sell Meredith Xcelerated Marketing (MXM) to Accenture.

"MXM has been an important contributor to Meredith's business over the years, and we are very proud of the groundbreaking work our employees have accomplished," said Tom Harty, President and CEO of Meredith Corporation. "However, given our recent acquisition of Time Inc. and our enhanced commitment to delivering consumer content across multiple media platforms, we believe MXM will be better positioned for growth with Accenture Interactive. They are excited about the business and the talented employees who will now become part of the Accenture team."

Financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. Meredith said the transaction will not have a material effect on its fiscal 2018 financial results. The acquisition is expected to close within 60 days, subject to customary closing conditions.

"We are thrilled to be joining the Accenture Interactive family," said Georgine Anton, President of MXM. "The combination of Accenture Interactive and MXM will be powerful in the market. The depth of the Accenture offerings will deepen our capabilities, enabling us to better serve both existing and new clients. Accenture Interactive will provide MXM with a home where it can offer clients best-in-class, single sourced, integrated solutions, a clear competitive advantage for Accenture Interactive and MXM alike."

Meredith has been committed to service journalism for more than 115 years. Today, Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms  including broadcast television, print, digital, mobile and video  to provide consumers with content they desire and to deliver the messages of its advertising and marketing partners. Meredith's National Media Group reaches 175 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including 80 percent of U.S. Millennial women. Meredith's Local Media Group includes 17 television stations reaching more than 11 percent of U.S. households.

SOURCE Meredith Corporation

Related Links

http://www.meredith.com


LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cohort 2 of The Michelson Runway EdTech Accelerator enters the second half of its accelerator program with participating entrepreneurs gearing up to attend the ASU + GSV Summit on April 16-18, 2018. Hosted at San Diego's Manchester Grand Hyatt, the annual convention serves as an opportunity for visionaries in higher education and Silicon Valley to join forces in raising learning and career outcomes through scaled innovation. During the course of the three-day event, Michelson Runway Cohort 2 entrepreneurs and mentors from Bisk Ventures and Entangled Velocity will come together under one roof to participate in skills training and community building, and to explore opportunities for growing and scaling their businesses.

The ASU + GSV Summit will see all nine Cohort 2 companies assemble for the second time since the successful Launch Event that occurred at Runway Incubator in San Francisco on February 15-17, 2018. During the kick-off, the entrepreneurs were invited to share their company's vision, discover the wealth of resources the accelerator offers, and take part in Michelson Runway's first-ever Hackathon. The Hackathon was hosted in partnership with General Assembly and sponsored by Cooley LLP. The goal of the event was to provide each company with an outsider's perspective on which parts of its solution clicked with users, and which needed improving.

Company representatives pitched their technologies to over 30 current and former General Assembly students in UX Design, Web Development, and Data Science classes who demonstrated interest in working in the edtech and social impact space. The students then teamed up with the startup that best aligned with their own passions, and explored ways in which the company could refine its solution.

"The Hackathon showcased the ingenuity of the accelerator's talented entrepreneurs," said Raymond Hsia, Instructor Manager at General Assembly. "We believe that the students from General Assembly who participated in the event walked away richer from the experience and excited at the amazing opportunities a career in technology has to offer."

Michelson Runway is supported by The Michelson 20MM Foundation, which invests in educational innovations and technologies that improve access and equity in higher education, workforce development, and/or lifelong learning. "I am encouraged by the success of our inaugural Hackathon and look forward to seeing Cohort 2 companies further their development while attending the ASU + GSV Summit," said Dr. Gary K. Michelson, founder of the Michelson 20MM Foundation. "We've selected a roster of talented pioneers who are truly motivated to bring positive change to higher learning and career training experiences in a collaborative manner."

About Michelson Runway

The Michelson Runway Accelerator is dedicated to supporting innovations in higher education and career training. Our guiding star is simple: All students around the world should have access to an affordable, equitable, and high-quality education that leads to a meaningful career.

www.michelsonrunway.com

Follow us on twitter @MichelsonRunway

About Michelson 20MM Foundation

The Michelson 20MM Foundation supports and invests in leading edge entrepreneurs, technologies, and initiatives with the potential to transform learning and improve access to educational opportunities that lead to meaningful careers. Michelson 20MM was founded thanks to the generous support of renowned inventor and spinal surgeon Dr. Gary K. Michelson, and his wife, Alya Michelson.

www.20mm.org

Follow us on twitter @Michelson20MM



About Runway Incubator

Runway Incubator is a technology innovation hub bringing together entrepreneurs, startups, VCs, mentors, Fortune 500 Corporations, and industry experts. Runway provides coworking space to entrepreneurs, accelerator programs for high-growth startups, corporate innovation services to global companies, and event programming.

www.runway.is



About Bisk

Bisk Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm focused on accelerating growth for EdTech companies in the higher education and corporate learning space. Driven by a mission to enhance online education delivery and the student experience, Bisk helps startups grow and scale by connecting them with a wide network of institutional decision makers.

www.biskventures.com

About Cooley

Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law. Cooley works with EdTech companies throughout their full corporate lifecycle, from startups to IPO and beyond, and provides comprehensive counsel that includes forming EdTech-focused investment funds and advising on strategic transactions. Cooley has 900 lawyers across 13 offices in the United States, China and Europe.

www.cooley.com

About Entangled Velocity

Entangled Velocity helps early-stage education and learning technology companies catalyze growth and reach escape velocity. We're "hands-on" builders, who understand how to scale sales and marketing, and accelerate revenue growth.

https://entangledvelocity.com/



About General Assembly

General Assembly is a pioneer in education and career transformation, specializing in today's most in-demand skills. The leading source for training, staffing, and career transitions, General Assembly fosters a flourishing community of professionals pursuing careers they love.

https://generalassemb.ly

For more information, contact: Mayra Lombera, [email protected]

SOURCE The Michelson 20MM Foundation

Related Links

http://www.20mm.org


The ongoing collaboration between SCA and MUFG is making a positive impact in the communities MUFG and Union Bank serve.

SCA and MUFG joined forces last November to coincide with "MUFG Gives Back" volunteer month. Since then, SCA youth and alumni, MUFG employees, and local residents  nearly 500 volunteers in all  have improved beloved parks, strengthened wildlife habitats, and forged more resilient communities in eight cities nationwide.

"In just two hours, volunteers transformed the park," said Ben Shupp, an official with New York City Parks. "What they accomplished in one morning would have taken our staff weeks to complete."

Los Angeles volunteer organizer Chris Fabbro added, "This level of support  the tools, the food, everything we need  is something you don't get very often. It motivates people to come back when they see that companies care and provides a platform for community groups to work together."

SCA/MUFG stewardship projects spanned the country:

Atlanta : partnered with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to refurbish a key bridge and drainage channel, mitigating storm water impacts along the Chattahoochee and local trails

: partnered with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to refurbish a key bridge and drainage channel, mitigating storm water impacts along the and local trails Chicago : teamed with the Morton Arboretum and Chicago Bird Collision Monitors to build nesting boxes and rescue kits to aid migratory bird species

: teamed with the Morton Arboretum and Chicago Bird Collision Monitors to build nesting boxes and rescue kits to aid migratory bird species Los Angeles : constructed a new trail winding through woodland, grassland, and sage scrub at the Audubon Center at Debs Park

: constructed a new trail winding through woodland, grassland, and sage scrub at the Audubon Center at Debs Park New York City : renewed Morningside Park gardens in Harlem with hundreds of new plantings

: renewed Morningside Park gardens in with hundreds of new plantings Oakland : restored historic City Stables, home of therapeutic riding programs for area youth

: restored historic City Stables, home of therapeutic riding programs for area youth Phoenix : preserved native habitat for iconic saguaro cacti and created wildower seed balls to support pollinator species

: preserved native habitat for iconic saguaro cacti and created wildower seed balls to support pollinator species Seattle : planted 400 trees and native shrubs at Maple Wood Playfield as part of citywide Green Seattle Day

: planted 400 trees and native shrubs at Maple Wood Playfield as part of citywide Green Seattle Day Tampa : aided multiple city parks and beachfront habitats with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful

The MUFG Union Bank Foundation also donated $150,000 to support SCA green job training programs for America's youth.

"Our employees are excited to partner with SCA to mentor young people on leadership skills and volunteer with them in many of the cities we call home. We are also proud to be part of the efforts to advance SCA's mission of developing conservation leaders and mobilizing more than 10,000 community volunteers annually," said Julius Robinson, the bank's Head of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Additional joint volunteer projects will be scheduled throughout the year.

The MUFG Union Bank Foundation ("The Foundation") is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that serves as an agent for charitable contributions made by MUFG Union Bank, N.A. Since its creation in 1953, The Foundation has supported the bank's commitment to help meet the needs of the communities that it serves. Its mission is to make philanthropic investments that expand access to economic opportunity in low- and moderate-income communities especially in the areas of affordable housing, community economic development, education, human services, and the environment.

About MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

As of December 31, 2017, MUFG Union Bank, N.A. operated 361 branches, comprised primarily of retail banking branches in the West Coast states, along with commercial branches in Texas, Illinois, New York and Georgia, as well as 19 PurePoint Financial Centers and one international office. We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial and retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers. We also offer an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal and corporate trust, global custody, transaction banking, capital markets, and other services. With assets of $118.5 billion, as of December 31, 2017, MUFG Union Bank has strong capital reserves, credit ratings and capital ratios relative to peer banks. MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE: MTU), one of the world's largest financial organizations with total assets of approximately 312.5 trillion (JPY) or $2.8 trillion (USD), as of December 31, 2017. The corporate headquarters (principal executive office) for MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, which is the financial holding company, and MUFG Union Bank, is in New York City. The main banking office of MUFG Union Bank is in San Francisco, California.

1 Exchange rate of 1 USD=113.0 (JPY) as of December 29, 2017

About the Student Conservation Association

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America's largest and most effective youth conservation service organization. SCA conserves lands and transforms lives by empowering young people of all backgrounds to plan, act, and lead, while they protect and restore our natural and cultural resources. Founded in 1957, SCA's mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders, and 70% of its 85,000 alumni are employed or studying in conservation-related fields. For more, visit www.thesca.org.

2018 Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The MUFG logo and name is a service mark of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., and is used by MUFG Union Bank, N.A., with permission. Member FDIC.

SOURCE MUFG Union Bank, N.A.
LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MWest Holdings, a Los Angeles-based real estate and investment firm with over 2 million square feet of residential and commercial property across the U.S., today announced the acquisition and planned rehabilitation of the 132-unit Santa Fe Lofts, in partnership with GreenOak Real Estate. Santa Fe Lofts is a historic Beaux Arts-style building located at 121 East 6th Street in the vibrant, culturally abundant Gallery Row District of Downtown Los Angeles. MWest specializes in restoring classic properties that showcase historic architecture to build a sense of neighborhood, and revitalize community aesthetics and culture.

"The Santa Fe Lofts are a strong addition to our growing portfolio of properties with historical architectural details and community significance," said Karl Slovin, President of MWest Holdings. "We look forward to providing the modern amenities and welcoming feel that renters value while restoring and showcasing the unique qualities that make the Santa Fe Lofts a standout property."

MWest plans to invest over $6 million to rehabilitate and upgrade the 132-unit building into a boutique residential community, constructing a state-of-the-art fitness center, refreshing the roof deck, upgrading elevator access, and exterior renovations. MWest will integrate the building's ornate, classical design with modern amenities and hip communal spaces.

Commissioned by notable industrialist William G. Kerckhoff and designed by prominent L.A. architecture firm Morgan and Walls, the Santa Fe Lofts feature neoclassical details including authentic hexagonal plaster columns, mosaic tile, oversized windows, and light wells as well as 1910s-era lobbies, staircases, and corridors. Constructed in 1908, with an annex added in 1916, the building was purchased in 1933 by the Santa Fe Railroad which occupied seven floors for over 50 years. In 2005, the interior of the annex was renovated and converted to housing.

Located in the Gallery Row District of Downtown Los Angeles, the Santa Fe Lofts are situated in a walkable, Metro-accessible neighborhood that is brimming with art galleries, yoga studios, coffeehouses, restaurants, bars, and the monthly Downtown Art Walk. The building itself includes nine commercial spaces occupied by prominent retail tenants including Las Perlas, the nation's first Mezcal bar, Pussy and Pooch, a modern pet boutique and groomer, and Redline Food and Bar, as well as two beauty salons. With their close proximity to the Financial District and Civic Center, the Santa Fe Lofts are ideally located for residents who want to work, live, and recreate in Downtown Los Angeles. City officials are planning major upgrades to intersections and bike lanes in the area and recently approved the development of 1.2 million square feet of new office, increased housing, retail and public open space in the Civic Center which borders the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles.

Santa Fe Lofts is one of the largest multifamily adaptive reuse deals to sell since 2012, and is the fifth largest adaptive reuse multifamily project in all of Downtown Los Angeles. With the addition of Santa Fe Lofts, MWest Holdings totals three adaptive reuse projects in Downton Los Angeles. Over the past eight years, MWest has acquired and invested in rehabilitating nine historic buildings across Los Angeles including the San Fernando Building, Wilshire Royale, Hollywood Tower, and Park Wilshire.

About MWest Holdings. MWest Holdings is a vertically integrated real estate investment and property management company with over 2 million square feet of residential and commercial property across the United States. Founded in 1991, MWest is known for creating innovative development solutions that instill a sense of neighborhood and integrity and create a lasting, tangible value. The company specializes in enhancing classic, core-plus and value-add properties, as well identifying opportunistic strategies that showcase fine or historic architecture and invigorate the culture and aesthetics of communities they serve. As a highly successful and stable owner and operator of real estate, MWest has continually employed sound business practices, low leverage and stringent underwriting guidelines for each investment opportunity. The company's success is anchored in a philosophy that imagination is the only limiting factor to growth.

MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE M West Holdings
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA is about to go on a journey to study the interior of Mars. The space agency held a news conference today at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, detailing the next mission to the Red Planet.

Scheduled to launch as early as May 5, NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight), a stationary lander, will be the first-ever mission dedicated to exploring Mars' deep interior. It also will be the first NASA mission since the Apollo moon landings to place a seismometer, a device that measures quakes, on the soil of another planet.

For JPL's Bruce Banerdt, principal investigator for InSight, it's also a labor of love. Banerdt has worked more than 25 years to make the mission a reality.

"In some ways, InSight is like a scientific time machine that will bring back information about the earliest stages of Mars' formation 4.5 billion years ago," Banerdt said. "It will help us learn how rocky bodies form, including Earth, its moon, and even planets in other solar systems."

InSight carries a suite of sensitive instruments to gather data and, unlike a rover mission, these instruments require a stationary lander from which they can carefully be placed on and below the Martian surface.

In a sense, Mars is the exoplanet next door  a nearby example of how gas, dust and heat combine and arrange themselves into a planet. Looking deep into Mars will let scientists understand how different its crust, mantle and core are from Earth.

NASA isn't the only agency excited about the mission. Several European partners contributed instruments or instrument components to the InSight mission. France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales led a multinational team that built an ultra-sensitive seismometer for detecting marsquakes. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) developed a thermal probe that can bury itself up to 16 feet (5 meters) underground and measure heat flowing from inside the planet.

"InSight is a truly international space mission," said Tom Hoffman, project manager at JPL. "Our partners have delivered incredibly capable instruments that will make it possible to gather unique science after we land."

InSight currently is at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California undergoing final preparation before launch. On Wednesday, it completed what's known as a spin test: the entire spacecraft is rotated at high speeds to confirm its center of gravity.

That's critical for its entry, descent and landing on Mars in November, Hoffman said. In the next month, the spacecraft will be mounted to its rocket, connections between them will be checked, and the launch team will go through a final training.

"This next month will be exciting," Banerdt said. "We've got some final work to do, but we're almost ready to go to Mars."

JPL manages the InSight Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and tested the spacecraft. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, which is managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

For more information about InSight, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/insight

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


I have the worst attorneys. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

From his assertion that marital rape is legal to his insistence that a $130,000 preelection payment to Stormy Daniels doesnt violate campaign finance laws because he paid it himself (which might actually be a bigger campaign finance violation), President Trumps attorney Michael Cohen has offered up ample evidence that hes not the sharpest legal mind. That makes sense, as Cohen was hired years ago to be Trumps ultraloyal fixer, not an expert in litigation involving the president.

However, that doesnt explain why Cohens attorney and spokesperson, David Schwartz, is doing such a poor job defending his client in the media  unless he was hired to be Trumps fixers fixer, not someone with a good grasp on the law.

Fresh off a TV appearance on Monday that devolved into Schwartz and Danielss lawyer Michael Avenatti shouting thug at each other, Schwartz sat down with CNNs Erin Burnett on Wednesday night to clear up some confusing statements Cohen has made about the payment to the porn star, who claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. In her civil suit against the president, Daniels asserts that she should be freed from the nondisclosure agreement because, among other things, Trump never signed the contract, making it invalid. Cohen has claimed that he was acting independently when he created an LLC and paid Daniels, though he used several Trump Organization addresses.

Cohen has been vague about Trumps knowledge of the negotiations, which took place in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign. But Schwartz stated very clearly Cohen drew up the agreement without informing Trump, and thats why his signature isnt on the document.

The president was not aware of the agreement. At least, Michael Cohen never told him about the agreement, Schwartz said. Michael Cohen left the option open. Thats why he left that signature line, the option open to go to him. He chose not to. He chose to bind the LLC, EC LLC and Stormy Daniels into the contract.

Here is Michael Cohen's lawyer and spokesman saying categorically that Cohen negotiated agreement w/o ever telling his client DJT anything abt it and made him a party to the agreement w/o any intention of telling him abt it or having him sign it. @MichaelAvenatti @renato_mariotti pic.twitter.com/xqNLvcx1uX  Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) March 29, 2018

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti said this admission supports Danielss claim that the agreement is void, as it says in the document that only Trump, not Cohens LLC, can enter into an agreement with her.

Michael Cohen's attorney just claimed on @OutFrontCNN that Trump was not aware of the Stormy Daniels agreement or the payment, which means that there was no contract between Trump and Daniels, and Daniels can release the materials. Why would he admit this on national television?  Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 28, 2018

The contract only lists remedies available to DD (Trump), not to the LLC. https://t.co/ERspigoVcn  Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 29, 2018

Under the terms of the agreement itself, only "DD" can enforce it. If Cohen's position is that Trump is not DD, then unless someone else comes forward as "DD," it is unenforceable and Stormy Daniels can release the materials. https://t.co/pIquaTzwX1  Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 29, 2018

Other attorneys were similarly appalled.

Cohen's stupid plan could never work. But it's even stupider because Cohen wrote the stupid contract in a way that makes it crystal clear WHY it couldn't work, specifying that Trump waives his claims against Stormy "as material inducements to [her] to enter into this Agreement." pic.twitter.com/qdeihf3c2P  Susan Simpson (@TheViewFromLL2) March 29, 2018

"Each Party acknowledges that [Stormy] is executing this Agreement in reliance" on *Trump* releasing certain claims he has against Stormy.



Michael Cohen can't offer that. EC LLC can't offer that either. Only Trump can.



So if Trump ain't in the agreement, THERE IS NO AGREEMENT.  Susan Simpson (@TheViewFromLL2) March 29, 2018

There are just so many problems with this that it feels a bit silly to single any one of them out. Like arguing that someone's imaginary friend can't be elected president because he's not 35 years old yet, and also a Canadian.  Susan Simpson (@TheViewFromLL2) March 29, 2018

If Cohens attorney speaking accurately, Cohens behavior will be taught in professional responsibility as fraud, suitable for bar sanction. 1/2  Heidi Li Feldman (@HeidiLiFeldman) March 29, 2018

In addition to undermining the underlying breach of contract claim, he just admitted his client violated the ethical canons by entering into a settlement agreement without his clients consent. Cohen is going to be disbarred if this is true.  Spin Doctor (@SpinDr) March 29, 2018

But thats not all. Later in the interview Schwartz suggested Cohen regularly set up these sorts of agreements without telling his client  which seems to back up reports that Trumps attorneys took care of dozens of women during the campaign.

Michael was the fixer. It could be anything. There were a ton of matters that took place that Michael fixed and Donald Trump wasnt involved in every single matter, Schwartz said. He then walked that back, saying he meant business problems in general, and suggesting that business leaders commonly have a fixer authorized to pay people off without their knowledge.

"Look, Michael was the fixer...there were a ton of matters that took place that Michael fixed...Donald Trump wasn't involved in every single matter" - David Schwartz, Michael Cohen's attorney and spokesman https://t.co/f42oa9GqzK pic.twitter.com/oZ0Kz9CHTs  OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) March 28, 2018

Cohens lawyers lawyer has a lot of explaining to do.
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA will host a news conference at 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, April 3, to announce the agency's plans for its next experimental aircraft, or X-plane, called the Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator (LBFD).

In February 2016, NASA signed a contract for the preliminary design of its LBFD concept. The agency now is ready to move forward with development and building of the aircraft, which will test new technology for quiet supersonic flight and possibly enable changes that will allow for supersonic flights over land.

The news conference will be held in the James E. Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters at 300 E St. SW in Washington, and also will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

The briefing participants are:

Jaiwon Shin , associate administrator of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.

, associate administrator of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Ed Waggoner , program director for NASA's Integrated Aviation Systems Program

, program director for NASA's Integrated Aviation Systems Program Peter Coen , project manager for NASA's Commercial Supersonics Technology Project

Media planning to attend or call in to the news conference should email their name, media affiliation and telephone number to J.D. Harrington at [email protected] no later than 9 a.m. April 3. Media and the public can send questions on Twitter during the news conference using #AskNASA.

For more information about NASA's aeronautics research, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/aero

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announced the recipients of 2018 awards for service to patients and contributions to the alliance, during the NCCN 23rd Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. The awards were presented by NCCN Chief Executive Officer Robert W. Carlson, MD, and honored those who served NCCN's mission with distinction over the past years.

2018 honorees:

Warren Smedley and Dr. Ron Walters were both honored with Board of Producers awards, presented to individuals who have made major contributions to NCCN over the years. They are unsung heroes who have provided exemplary service in helping NCCN achieve its mission through their passion to improve the care of people with cancer.

"Warren brings important insights and thoughtful perspectives to the Board and to Committee discussions. His innovative ideas for structuring meetings and projects helps to maximize their value," said Dr. Carlson. "Ron goes above and beyond when sharing his expertise on quality measurements. His insights on policy are invaluable, and he's never hesitant to pose challenging questions."

Dr. Jazieh received the Partners in Cancer Care award for his work unifying oncologists across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and helping to create the MENA adaptations of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines). Dr. Jazieh recognized the economic diversity in the region and spearheaded efforts to provide appropriate guidelines for both high- and low-resource communities. He worked with the Ministries of Health in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia to secure funding for ongoing work and opened an office in Riyadh to support those efforts.

Dr. Denlinger was this year's recipient of the Rodger Winn Award, named in memory of the first leader of the NCCN Guidelines Program who was instrumental in its creation. Dr. Denlinger is the first and only NCCN Panel chair who began her relationship with NCCN as a participant in the NCCN Fellows Program. The one-time NCCN Foundation Young Investigator Award recipient now sits on two NCCN Panels, including serving as Chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Survivorship.

"Crystal is an excellent consensus-builder," said Dr. Carlson. "She shares Rodger's curiosity, dedication to medicine, ability to juggle multiple tasks, and talent for melding a variety of personalities into a highly productive panel."

Hasson was named this year's Pat Daulerio Employee of the Year by her peers at NCCN. The award name comes from a longtime employee who helped build the NCCN Meetings department, before losing her own battle with cancer. Hasson had worked with Daulerio and was moved to receive an honor in her name. Addressing the NCCN Board of Directors, Hasson said, "Thank you all for the large role you play helping people who mean the world to others, in the way that Pat meant the world to me."

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 27 leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers.

The NCCN Member Institutions are: Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center/University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland, OH; City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA; Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center | Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA; Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, and Rochester, MN; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY; Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital/The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL; UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA; UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN; and Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital, New Haven, CT.

Clinicians, visit NCCN.org. Patients and caregivers, visit NCCN.org/patients. Media, visit NCCN.org/news. Follow NCCN on Twitter @NCCNnews and Facebook @National.Comprehensive.Cancer.Network.

Media Contact:

Rachel Darwin, NCCN

267-622-6624

[email protected]

SOURCE National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Related Links

http://www.nccn.org


WASHINGTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the nation's leading nonprofit promoting cybersecurity and privacy awareness and education, is proud to join RSA Conference 2018 again as an association sponsor. RSA Conference in San Francisco is the world's largest global security conference, providing an unmatched platform for the industry to connect with colleagues about the latest technology and trends that influence and protect our interconnected world.

This year, NCSA has a variety of timely and intriguing initiatives planned. On April 16, NCSA's executive director, Russ Schrader, will shed light on the complex digital lives of teens and parents during the RSAC CyberSmart Parents Education Seminar. The next day, the NCSA team will host a #ChatSTC Twitter chat live from RSA Conference, which will address the role everyone plays in securing the internet. Later that evening, the much-anticipated eighth annual Nonprofits on the Loose cocktail reception will take place at the American Bookbinders Museum, which is just a stone's throw from the Moscone Center where the conference takes place. Then on April 19, a panel of industry experts will shine a spotlight on the massive cybersecurity workforce talent gap and share actionable steps and solutions toward resolving this critical issue.

"NCSA believes strongly that protecting the internet is 'Our Shared Responsibility'  which recognizes that we all need to do our part to be safer online, which ultimately makes the internet safer and more secure for everyone. We are particularly enthusiastic in supporting RSA Conference's 'Now Matters' theme, as it underscores the need to inspire not only the business world but everyone online to take action and protect the future of the internet," said Russ Schrader, NCSA's executive director. "The conference offers an exceptional opportunity for NCSA to communicate our online safety messages and learn about and share perspectives on the latest trends in cybersecurity."

"It is our responsibility as security professionals to ensure this digital world we live in is a safe one," said Linda Gray Martin, Director & General Manager, RSA Conference. "Our Conference agenda coupled with NCSA's initiatives are sure to inspire attendees to create digitally safe zones in both their professional and personal lives."

Please join NCSA and our trusted STOP. THINK. CONNECT. partners at the following events (all times PDT):

April 16: RSAC CyberSmart Parents Education Seminar: "Keeping Your Family Safe Online"

The digital landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. How does this affect our children? How are they adapting? As parents, caregivers and educators, are you prepared to evolve as well? In this seminar  offered from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., NCSA Executive Director Russ Schrader will share recent research on the complex online lives and habits of teens and parents. Teens' perspectives on privacy, social media and online communities will also be addressed. The workshop will close with advice on keeping your families safe, and a discussion on the psychological effects of social media on kids.

April 17: #ChatSTC Twitter Chat: Now Matters  How Are You Fighting Cyber Threats?

Mark your calendar for Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to join an inspiring conversation addressing the ever-growing issue of cybersecurity breaches. There's no time to waste in guarding your organization against online threats, and every person and organization plays a role in securing the internet. This Twitter chat  live from RSA Conference  will gather security experts from around the world to discuss what industry and government are doing to prevent, respond to and recover from cyber threats and how we can all foster a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Use #ChatSTC to join!

April 17: Nonprofits on the Loose @ RSA Conference 2018

The Anti-Phishing Working Group, the FIDO Alliance, the Online Trust Alliance, the Cyber Threat Alliance and NCSA invite you to join us for the eighth annual Nonprofits on the Loose from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Meet and mingle with industry and government leaders while enjoying food and drink at the historic American Bookbinders Museum, conveniently located one block from the Moscone Center. Please bring your RSA Conference badge or an invitation to gain admission.





April 19: Track Session: Strategies to Finding and Building Your Robust Workforce

Recruiting, developing and retaining your cybersecurity workforce is critical to the resilience and competitiveness of your organization. It's no secret there is a massive talent gap threatening organizations of all sizes. On Thursday morning from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m., government, nonprofit and industry experts will highlight key actions you can take to fill your human capital pipeline and help alleviate the looming workforce crisis.

About NCSA

NCSA is the nation's leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness. NCSA works with a broad array of stakeholders in government, industry and civil society. NCSA's primary partners are DHS and NCSA's Board of Directors, which includes representatives from ADP; Aetna; AT&T Services Inc.; Bank of America; Barclays; CDK Global, LLC; Cisco; Comcast Corporation; ESET North America; Facebook; Google; Intel Corporation; Logical Operations; Marriott International; Mastercard; Microsoft Corporation; NXP Semiconductors; Raytheon; RSA, the Security Division of EMC; Salesforce; SANS Security Awareness; Symantec Corporation; TeleSign; Visa and Wells Fargo. NCSA's core efforts include National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Day (Jan. 28); STOP. THINK. CONNECT., the global online safety awareness and education campaign co-founded by NCSA and the Anti-Phishing Working Group with federal government leadership from DHS; and CyberSecure My Business, which offers webinars, web resources and workshops to help businesses be resistant to and resilient from cyberattacks. For more information on NCSA, please visit staysafeonline.org/about-us/overview/.

About RSA Conference

RSA Conference is the premier series of global events where the world talks security and leadership gathers, advances and emerges. Whether attending in the U.S., the EMEA region or the Asia-Pacific region, RSA Conference events are where the security industry converges to discuss current and future concerns and get access to the people, content and ideas that help enable individuals and companies to win, grow and do their best. It is the ultimate marketplace for the latest technologies and hands-on educational opportunities that help industry professionals discover how to make their companies more secure while showcasing the most enterprising, influential and thought-provoking thinkers and leaders in security today. For information on events, online programming and the most up-to-date news pertaining to the information security industry, visit rsaconference.com.

SOURCE National Cyber Security Alliance

Related Links

http://www.staysafeonline.org


BOSTON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New England Law | Boston is pleased to announce plans for its 2018 Law Day Banquet taking place on Friday, April 6 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. This year, the law school welcomes Judge Thomas M. Hardiman who will address students, faculty, staff, alumni, and distinguished members of the Massachusetts legal and civic community, in his keynote address.

Judge Hardiman has served as United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2007. Prior to becoming a federal appellate judge, he served as a trial judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, he was a leading candidate to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the United States Supreme Court, which resulted in national recognition and news coverage.

In 2008, Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Judge Hardiman to the Information Technology Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. Judge Hardiman was appointed Chairman of the IT Committee in 2013, and he continues to serve in that capacity.

"We are fortunate to have such a distinguished individual celebrate our signature annual event with us," said Dean John F. O'Brien. "Judge Hardiman's successes and contributions to the legal community are exceptional and should be celebrated. The insight he'll share at our Law Day celebration will be valuable not only to our rising law students, but to the entire New England Law community."

Before taking the bench, Judge Hardiman was in private practice in Washington, D.C. from 1990-1992 and in Pittsburgh from 1992-2003. A member of the American Law Institute, he teaches a seminar on Advanced Constitutional Law at Duquesne University School of Law. He is a 1987 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a 1990 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center.

The 2018 Law Day Banquet will kick off at 6:00 p.m. with a welcome reception, followed by dinner and Judge Hardiman's keynote address. For more information, please visit here.

About New England Law | Boston

New England Law | Boston was founded in 1908 as Portia Law School, the first and only law school established exclusively for the education of women. Today, New England Law offers its co-ed student body flexible, convenient programs that combine rigorous academics, dynamic community, and early access to practical experience, as well as a diverse, global network spanning 28 countries, 50 states, and 55 practice areas. For more information, please visit www.nesl.edu.

SOURCE New England Law | Boston

Related Links

http://www.nesl.edu


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CNM Ingenuity, the enterprise arm of Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), is launching a program to provide paid internships for CNM students to build "ecoMOD" homes  energy efficient, high-performing and cost-effective modular homes that will be placed in Albuquerque as affordable housing options.

CNM Ingenuity is partnering on the effort with the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Architecture, including professor John Quale, the founder and director of the award-winning ecoMOD Project.

The first prefabricated ecoMOD home as part of the CNM-UNM partnership is currently being built and will be provided to Habitat for Humanity for placement in a low-income neighborhood near downtown Albuquerque. Then, one home per year over the next two years will be built by paid interns. These homes will be placed in the vicinity of CNM's Main Campus as affordable housing options for community members, with plans to scale up the model across the state.

The UNM School of Architecture will provide construction drawings and documents for the ecoMOD homes and CNM's trades programs will oversee the construction of the homes and the paid student internships. Quale's ecoMOD Project won the Research and Development Award in 2013 from Architect Magazine, published by the American Institute of Architects, and was a finalist for the World Habitat Award.

"Our focus is on creating sustainable, affordable and prefabricated homes," Quale said. "This generation of students is enthusiastic about this mission, and in particular its relevance in New Mexico. I'm looking forward to a long-term partnership."

The long-term goal for this collaborative effort is to make it sustainable for the future by establishing a network of partners across the state, including homebuilders, contractors, state organizations and non-profit housing organizations, that can work with CNM Ingenuity and ecoMOD to build and distribute units while incorporating paid student internships. In addition to providing affordable housing options in New Mexico, the internships would bolster the pipeline for a highly skilled construction workforce with experience using cutting edge, sustainable construction materials and technologies.

"This model has tremendous potential to grow and have positive impacts in so many ways," said Kyle Lee, executive director of CNM Ingenuity. "It would provide more opportunities for students and boost the quality of our construction workforce while helping more New Mexicans live in high-quality, affordable homes."

CNM students majoring in carpentry, construction management, electrical, plumbing and HVAC are eligible for the internships.

PNM, New Mexico's largest energy provider, awarded a $200,000 grant to support this effort. The two-year grant will fund 15 CNM internships and five internships for community members seeking work in the construction industry.

SOURCE Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)

Related Links

http://www.cnm.edu


NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayor De Blasio launched NYC Secure, a cyber security initiative to protect New Yorkers from malicious cyber activity including when they access the NYC public WiFi. Part of the NYC Secure effort is the adoption of the Quad9 cyber security platform across all New York City guest and public WiFi access locations. Quad9 provides an automated security solution by leveraging the domain name system, known as the DNS, to block known malicious and bad websites through the use of more than 18 threat intelligence feeds. Not only does Quad9 provide a robust layer of security, it is highly privacy-preserving as no personally identifiable information is collected or stored. Quad9 is a free, easy to use service available to any organization, corporation, or individual.

By using Quad9 the city is also leveraging an investment made by NYC. Quad9 was created, in part, by the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), a non-profit that was founded by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr., the City of London Police, and the Center for Internet Security, with a seed investment of asset forfeiture funds provided by the Manhattan District Attorney.

"This is a tremendous step in protecting citizens against all manner of cyber risk," said Mary Kavaney, Chief Operating Officer of the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA). "The city in delivering free WiFi as a public service is taking a significant step to ensure that the service is provided with security built in while at the same time protecting New Yorkers' privacy. While it's impossible to protect against every threat, using Quad9 to protect against known malicious sites is a huge benefit to users of the service. On behalf of GCA, we commend New York City for taking this step."

"Quad9 was built with the public in mind. It is a free service that provides security and protects the privacy of its users," said John Todd, Executive Director of Quad9. "We're very encouraged to see New York City embracing Quad9 and using it for public good, and we hope New York's leadership in implementing this free service is a model for other cities to use to protect their citizens and networks."

"NYC Secure delivers a world-class cyber security upgrade to New Yorkers and all who use our City's expanding public WiFi network," said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. "In 2015, I joined with the City of London Police and Center for Internet Security to found the non-profit Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), which co-developed the Quad9 technology being adopted today. We are delighted to see the work of GCA and its partners integrated into groundbreaking programs like NYC Secure, which will expand the reach of safe-browsing technology and protect millions of residents and visitors alike. I commend Mayor de Blasio and his administration for its proactive and collaborative approach to combat the rising tide of cybercrime."

"I applaud Mayor De Blasio for including Quad9 in his NYC Secure initiative which establishes New York City as a leader in helping to protect its citizens from malicious websites," said John Gilligan, Executive Chairman, Center for Internet Security.

"The strength of the Global Cyber Alliance and the tools it has developed, such as Quad9, lie in the global partnerships that support it. By harnessing talent and commitment from the within industry and the public sector, we take a step closer to tackling cyber crime," said Ian Dyson, Commissioner, City of London Police.

Quad9 was conceived of by GCA and built in collaboration with IBM and Packet Clearing House (PCH). Since its launch in November of 2017, Quad9 usage has increased more than 27-fold and is used in more than 150 countries around the world, resolving billions of queries every day. Each day, approximately 2 million domain lookups are blocked, protecting the end user from connecting to a malicious destination. These blocked lookups represent attempts to reach phishing, ransomware, botnet command and control servers, and other forms of harmful or fraudulent systems.

To start using Quad9 today, simply change your DNS settings in your device or router to point to 9.9.9.9. Learn more about Quad9, including how to set it up on either a Mac OS or Windows system at www.Quad9.net.

Press Contact:

Dan Palumbo

301.875.2356

About Quad9

Quad9 is a free, recursive, anycast DNS platform that provides end users robust security protections, high-performance, and privacy. Quad9 is an independent non-profit formed from a collaboration of IBM, PCH and GCA. Learn more at www.Quad9.net.

About Global Cyber Alliance

The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international, cross-sector effort dedicated to eradicating cyber risk and improving our connected world. We achieve our mission by to uniting global communities, implementing concrete solutions, and measuring the effect. Learn more at www.globalcyberalliance.org.

SOURCE Global Cyber Alliance

Related Links

http://www.globalcyberalliance.org/


"When we first met Bobby, it quickly became clear we had found what we were looking for; a tremendous leader that could lead the next generation of talent at Ocean Spray," said Peter Dhillon, chairman of the Ocean Spray board of directors. "This announcement is the culmination of more than a year of work by our CEO succession committee. We spent a lot of time evaluating the needs of the business, speaking to stakeholders, and ultimately looked at several candidates both internal and external. Bobby was the clear choice."

Chacko has also been elected to join Ocean Spray's board of directors.

"I'm truly honored for the chance to lead this iconic business," said Chacko. "Since joining Ocean Spray last year, I've been so impressed with the people behind the cooperative; 700 family farms and more than 2,000 colleagues all working together to connect farms and families. Ocean Spray's story is close to nine decades old but we are just getting started. I want to thank the board, growers, and my colleagues for giving me the opportunity to write the next chapter with them."

Prior to joining Ocean Spray, Chacko served as regional president of Mars Drinks where he had complete responsibility for the North American business. Before joining Mars Inc., Chacko had 20 years of diverse corporate leadership and entrepreneurship experiences, encompassing strategy, innovation, marketing, and commercialization with iconic brands in category leading companies like The Coca-Cola Company, AB Inbev, and GE Capital. Chacko brings in-market general management experiences and regional perspectives on developed and emerging markets across Asia, Latin America, North America and Europe.

Chacko will replace outgoing CEO Randy Papadellis who announced he was stepping down last month.

About Ocean Spray

Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry growers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. Formed in 1930, Ocean Spray is now the world's leading producer of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries and is the best-selling brand in the North American bottled juice category. The cooperative's cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 100 countries worldwide. With more than 2,000 employees and nearly 20 cranberry receiving and processing facilities, Ocean Spray is committed to managing our business in a way that respects our communities, employees and the environment. Ocean Spray has more than 2,000 employees worldwide, operates nearly 20 cranberry receiving and processing facilities, and earns approximately $2 billion in revenue annually. For more information visit: www.oceanspray.com or www.oceanspray.coop.

SOURCE Ocean Spray

Related Links

http://www.oceanspray.com


Fortunately, live streaming, the trendiest social activity among Chinese youth, is transforming the classes in Lumacha. With only an internet cable, an overhead projector and a webcam, the three students are now able to take part in online courses. A music teacher appears on the screen, instructing the children on how to read musical notation while correcting their singing. There is also a teaching assistant present in the classroom to manage the students.

In Gansu, there are nearly 1,000 schools like Lumacha with less than five students. In order to provide a better education to these children, provincial authorities launched a pilot online education project in 2017. Now, all of the schools in Lumacha's district have adopted the same class schedule and recruited excellent teachers to give online courses. By switching video feeds, online teachers can monitor and interact with students in different schools. Live streaming has connected children in rural areas together. Some outgoing and versatile students have even become "online celebrities."

The rapid development of China's internet has brought changes to education in poor areas with underdeveloped infrastructure and few teachers. Broadband construction in rural areas has been accelerating, and new online education companies keep springing up, bringing better public services and technologies to rural schools. The government and its national strategies have both played major roles in pushing it all forward.

Promoting educational equity is one of the issues that the Communist Party of China and the government pay the most attention to, because it is an important basis for social equity. Nine-year compulsory education was implemented across the entire country by 2014, and now, through live broadcasts online, poor students in Lumacha Primary School can get access to arts curricula that were inaccessible in the past, reflecting an even deeper pursuit of educational equity.

China's significant progress in internet technology and artificial intelligence in recent years has attracted global attention. At the same time, a spotlight has been shone into the poorest corners of China. It is evident that the Chinese government is working to develop its economy, while still paying attention to social equality, so that economic growth can be shared by everyone. Some changes may take time, but they are on the way.

China Mosaic

http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Online courses benefit children in poor areas

http://www.china.org.cn/video/2018-03/29/content_50767910.htm

About China.org.cn

Founded in 2000, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn/China.com.cn) is a key state news website under the auspices of the State Council Information Office, and is managed by China International Publishing Group. We provide round-the-clock news service in ten languages. With users from more than 200 countries and regions, we have become China's leading multi-lingual news outlet introducing the country to the outside world.



We are one of the country's authoritative outlets for government press releases and are authorized to cover various major events. "Live Webcast" is our online webcasting service to present State Council Information Office press conferences in both Chinese and English languages. We are reputed for timely and accurate delivery of news and information, and wide interactions with audiences. In addition, we are authorized to publish and live broadcast major events and press conferences of ministries, local government agencies and institutions as well as enterprises.



In the era of mobile internet, we endeavor to create an array of products for mobile devices headed by the multilingual WAP platform and the mobile APP. We also use Chinese and international social media to publish information for different user groups.



In the future, CIIC will continue to offer authoritative information about China, tell China's stories, voice China's opinions, and introduce a vivid, panoramic and multicultural China to the world through multi-language, multi-media and multi-platforms.



SOURCE China.org.cn
TAMPA, Fla., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Join us for this exciting FREE COMMUNITY event the Cuban Sandwich Festival and contest, hosted by Latin Times Media, to find THE BEST CUBAN SANDWICHES IN THE WORLD!

Join us as we find the BEST Cuban Sandwiches in the World!

20+ Cuban Sandwich Vendors sell samples of their delicious Cuban Sandwiches! Enjoy beautiful Art Exhibits and LIVE cultural music on Stage featuring Grammy Award Winner Lannie Battistini, NY Joe and MORE. Dance Performances featuring over 80 Exhibitors! PLUS the Cubanito Easter Egg HUNT from Noon to 3 PM, kids can enjoy finding hidden Easter Eggs!

Details: Sunday, April 1st, 2018

@ HCC  Ybor City: 1320 E. Palm, Tampa, FL (Across the street from the Cuban Club on Palm)

11 AM to 6 PM. Free to general public.

VIP Tickets: http://www.thecubansandwichfestival.com/vip-tickets.html

Event Flyer

Cubanito Easter Egg Hunt  Sunday, April 1st, 2018

Some of the Competing Contestants Include:

Returning Winner; South Korea : Tampa Sandwich Bar

: Tampa Sandwich Bar New Contestant from London, England : La Iguanas

: La Iguanas New Contestant from Los Angeles, California : El Chochinito

: El Chochinito New Contestant from Knoxville, TN : Cubanish

: Cubanish Returning Winner: Bentinez Bistro

Hall of Famer: Pipos

Hall of Famer: Papa Joe's

Returning Winner: Empamama's

New Contestant: Tampa Sammich

New Contestant: Hemingway's

Returning Contestant: Smokin Cubans

Manolitos Food Truck, La Yuma, My Grill AND MORE!

Theme Song: https://youtu.be/mIgWijaB2m0?list=PLRcDndSqkD0VL5qlYQdOzOGpCu_SbTQVl

The 7th Annual National Cuban Sandwich Festival is a weekend filled event!

Day 1 is: Saturday, March 31 st , 2018: HCC Ybor Campus  The Biggest Cuban Sandwich in the World!

, 2018: HCC Ybor Campus  The Biggest Cuban Sandwich in the World! Day 2 is: Sunday, April 1 st, 2018: "The BIG DAY" City2City Smackdown Ybor City + Cubanito Easter Egg Hunt

Event Sponsored by: Latin Times Media, Inc., HCC, FMCRC, City of Tampa, YCDC, Telemundo Tampa. See our website for more.

Want to Participate? Email [email protected] or call (813) 407-6866 / (813) 407-7191 or register online at: www.TheCubanSandwichFestival.com

This event also serves as a fund raiser: Each year, Latin Times Media, Inc., through its Cuban Sandwich Festival series of events feeds 400-800 homeless people throughout Florida by donating its Biggest Cuban Sandwiches in the world to homeless shelters.

Causes: Emberlynn Padilla: a 7 year old miracle born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

New Beginnings of Tampa: Emergency Shelters and transitional living for homeless and vets.

SOURCE Latin Times Media

Related Links

http://www.latin-times.com


SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As California's powerful economic engine continues to ignite global markets, San Francisco-based Pacific Union International's similarly aggressive growth today earned a new national ranking for the brokerage of fifth-largest in the U.S. for sales volume from real estate industry media organizations REAL Trends and RIS Media. Pacific Union, California's leading independent real estate brokerage reported 2017 sales volume of $14.1 billion, a 39.3 percent increase over its 2016 results.

Pacific Union International was ranked fifth-largest real estate brokerage in the U.S. today by REAL Trends and RISMedia. The San Francisco-based brokerage projects sales volume of $18 billion in 2018. Mark A. McLaughlin is CEO.

The 2017 results demonstrate Pacific Union's continued steady climb in the national rankings since the firm first appeared in the top 10 in 2015, when it ranked ninth for sales volume. Led by CEO Mark A. McLaughlin, the brokerage set out on a path of rapid expansion into Southern California, merging multiple firms into one high-performance brokerage.

"Nearly nine years ago we had a vision of returning Pacific Union to its home -- back to the roots of its founders," McLaughlin says. "We are entrepreneurs and risk-takers with a people-first, results-based culture. The talented people we have attracted to our organization are reflective of that same vision and spirit. Each one of us feels a passion for our cause, and we are proud of our accomplishments. We do not seek these acknowledgments, we simply strive to outperform the expectations of our clients."

With 1,700 real estate professionals in more than 50 offices across Northern and Southern California's most active real estate markets, Pacific Union continues to deliver on its promise to be the ultimate California real estate company.

About Pacific Union International

Founded in San Francisco in 1975, Pacific Union International, Inc. is the West Coast's premier luxury real estate brand, with 2017 sales volume of $14.1 billion. In 2018, real estate industry leaders RISMedia and REAL Trends ranked Pacific Union as the fifth-largest brokerage in the U.S.

Through its 2015 acquisition of The Mark Company, the nation's leading sales and marketing firm for new urban luxury developments, Pacific Union expanded its brand to development projects from San Diego to Seattle.

In 2016, Pacific Union merged with Los Angeles-based brokerage John Aaroe Group, followed in 2017 with mergers with Partners Trust and Gibson International also based in Los Angeles, and Empire Realty Associates, extending the Pacific Union brand to become the preeminent leader and ultimate California real estate company. The strategic alliance of these five powerhouses supports 1,700 elite real estate professionals in more than 50 offices throughout the West Coast. Northern California markets include San Francisco, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Napa, and Sonoma counties; Silicon Valley; and the Lake Tahoe region. Greater Los Angeles markets include Beverly Hills, Malibu, Downtown, Northeast L.A., the Westside, as well as the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys.

To extend Pacific Union's international reach, the brokerage established an award-winning, Beijing-based China Concierge program in 2013 that fully supports its Chinese investors on the mainland. Additionally, Pacific Union offers a full range of personal and commercial real estate services, including buying, selling and relocation, in addition to operating joint-venture businesses that provide rental and commercial property management and insurance services. Locally owned, Pacific Union executes with a vision for the future, an entrepreneurial mindset and an unwavering commitment to deliver exceptional service and expertise. For more information, visit: www.pacificunion.com.

SOURCE Pacific Union International

Related Links

http://www.pacificunion.com


Scott Walker tried mightily to evade, and then change, a law that might force him to call a special election his party could lose. Photo: Scott Bauer/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has had quite the duel with his states judicial system in recent days. First he dragged his feet in calling general elections to fill two legislative vacancies that he created by appointments. When a state judge told him to do his job and call the elections, Walker then threatened to call a special session of the legislature to get the underlying law changed. But after failing to get an extension of state circuit court judge Josann Reynolds order for long enough to get the legislature back to Madison, Walker chose not to risk a contempt charge. Hes scheduling special elections in the two districts (one for the Senate, one for the Assembly) for June 12, with primaries on May 15.

The not-so-hidden motive for all this chicanery was the fear that Democrats might pull an upset, or at least over-perform expectations, in one or both of the districts. And for a hammer-headed pol like Walker in a hyper-polarized state like Wisconsin, leaving a couple of hundred thousand people without representation for a year was small potatoes compared to the terrible possibility of his enemies being emboldened in the run-up to the governors own reelection bid in November.

For now, though, Scott Walker has chosen the path of strategic retreat. But its just a matter of time before his next act of partisan provocation. Thats how he rolls.
Past recipients of the award include ComEd President and CEO, Anne Pramaggiore, 2017; former CPS Energy President & CEO, Doyle Beneby, 2016; and University of Minnesota Professor and IEEE Chairman, Dr. Massoud Amin, 2015, the award's inaugural year.

"I am beyond honored," said Gold-Williams. "To be part of this group of ETS winners and to be voted by industry peers, humbles and excites me for the future of CPS Energy, the dynamic energy industry we operate in, and the great San Antonio metropolitan community we serve. Our team works 24/7/365 to ensure reliability and enhanced customer experiences for all. This award is a testament to the "People First" philosophy that's embraced by all the 3,100 women and men who work every day to enable our customers to achieve their dreams."

Gold-Williams leads CPS Energy, which is in the top tier of all energy utilities in the nation, serving 804,000 electric and 343,000 natural gas customers in Greater San Antonio. She joined the company in 2004 after holding various positions in several San Antonio businesses, including Regional Controller for Time Warner Cable and Vice President of Finance for Luby's, Inc. Prior to her current appointment in 2016, she served as CPS Energy's Group Executive Vice President  Financial & Administrative Services, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & Treasurer since 2008. She also served in other capacities such as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Controller.

Under Gold-Williams' leadership, CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation. It has maintained its AA+ credit rating, one of the best in the industry. The company was also named "Residential Customer Champion" (electric and gas utilities) for all combined utilities in the Southern U.S., as well as ranked 1st as the Most Trusted Brand for a combined utility in the U.S. Southern Region in 2017 by Market Strategies International (MSI).

CPS Energy has significantly invested in a wide-range of conservation and energy efficiency programs for its customers, believing that constant innovation and expansion of value-added products enables customers to control and manage their energy usage. Its Save Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP) looks to reduce its community's demand for electricity by 771 megawatts (MW)  the output of a large power plant  by 2020. Additionally, as part of San Antonio's New Energy Economy (NEE), it's investing in innovative technologies that will help customers use energy more wisely and lower their bills, create jobs and educational investments, leverage valuable economic development opportunities for its community's future and protect the environment. CPS Energy is further evolving its business model and strategies to prepare for more complexities such as a deeper penetration of distributed generation, electric vehicles, energy storage and customized smart city solutions.

"The impact Paula and CPS Energy have on San Antonio is changing the national conversation about how utilities, cities and communities must collaborate to achieve long-term and shared prosperity," said Zpryme's Co-Founder and CEO Jason Rodriguez. "Zpryme and the broader ETS community could not have chosen a better champion and thought leader for bold energy transformation."

For more information, visit www.ets18.co.

About CPS Energy

Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation's largest public power, natural gas and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to 804,000 electric and 343,000 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers' combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation's 20 largest cities  while generating $7 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for more than seven decades. As a trusted and strong Community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development and educational investment. True to our People First philosophy, we are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees' volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation. For more information, visit cpsenergy.com.

About Zpryme

Based in Austin, Texas, Zpryme is a research-based firm with agency-geared services focused on energy. Based on the creative direction of our associates, Zpryme produces influential research and events that challenge the status quo and marketing solutions for fully-immersive brand experiences. For more information, visit www.zpryme.com.

SOURCE CPS Energy

Related Links

https://www.cpsenergy.com


RIO DE JANEIRO, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras (" Petrobras ") (NYSE: PBR) announces that holders of US$7,639,381,000 and 365,771,000 principal amount of the outstanding notes of the series set forth in the table below (all such notes, collectively, the " Notes " and each a " series " of Notes), issued by its wholly-owned subsidiary Petrobras Global Finance B.V. (" PGF "), tendered their Notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 28, 2018 (the " Early Tender Date "), pursuant to PGF's previously announced cash tender offers (the " Tender Offers ").

The following table summarizes the early tender results as of the Early Tender Date and the principal amount of Notes that PGF has accepted for purchase:

Title of Security CUSIP / ISIN Principal Amount

Outstanding(1) Acceptance Priority Level Total

Consideration(2) Principal Amount

Tendered Principal Amount

Accepted for Purchase Proration

Factor Floating Rate Global

Notes due March 2020 71647N AL3 /

US71647NAL38 US$181,695,000 1 US$1,050.00 US$96,314,000 US$96,314,000 100.00%















3.750% Global Notes

due January 2021 N/A / XS0982711987 750,000,000 2 1,077.50 365,771,000 365,771,000 100.00%















5.375% Global Notes

due January 2021 71645W AR2 / US71645WAR25 US$2,712,805,000 3 US$1,052.50 US$1,495,955,000 US$1,495,955,000 100.00%















8.375% Global Notes

due May 2021 71647N AP4 /

US71647NAP42 US$2,844,529,000 4 US$1,143.75 US$2,175,327,000 US$1,604,548,000 73.80%















6.125% Global Notes

due January 2022 71647N AR0 /

US71647NAR08 US$3,000,000,000 5 US$1,076.25 US$2,328,891,000 US$0 -















4.375% Global Notes

due May 2023 71647N AF6 / US71647NAF69 US$3,500,000,000 6 US$996.25 US$1,542,894,000 US$0 -















(1) As of the date hereof, including Notes held by Petrobras or its affiliates. (2) Per US$1,000 or 1,000, as applicable. The Total Consideration includes an early tender premium equal to US$30.00 per US$1,000 principal amount for each series of US dollar denominated Notes accepted for purchase, and 30.00 per 1,000 principal amount for each series of Euro denominated Notes accepted for purchase.

Because the purchase of Notes validly tendered in the Tender Offers would cause PGF to purchase an aggregate principal amount of Notes that would result in an aggregate amount to be received by holders in excess of US$4.0 billion (the " Tender Cap "), based on the US dollar exchange rate described herein, PGF has accepted for purchase all tendered Floating Rate Global Notes due March 2020, 3.750% Global Notes due January 2021 and 5.375% Global Notes due January 2021, only US$1,604,548,000 principal amount of 8.375% Global Notes due May 2021 (the " 8.375% Notes "), and none of the 6.125% Global Notes due January 2022 or the 4.375% Global Notes due May 2023. PGF will pay holders of 8.375% Notes tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date on a pro rata basis according to the pro ration procedures described in the offer to purchase dated March 15, 2018 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the " Offer to Purchase "). The early settlement date on which PGF will make payment for Notes accepted in the Tender Offers is expected to be March 29, 2018 (the " Early Settlement Date ").

The total cash payment to purchase the accepted Notes on the Early Settlement Date will be approximately US$3,999.9 million, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, based on the US dollar exchange rate described herein. Notes that have been validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date cannot be withdrawn, except as may be required by applicable law.

Holders of Notes who tender after the Early Tender Date will not have any of their Notes accepted for purchase. Any tendered Notes that are not accepted for purchase will be returned or credited without expense to the holder's account.

The Tender Offers will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on April 11, 2018.

The exchange rate used to translate Euro to US dollars was US$1.2409 per Euro, the applicable exchange rate as of 2:00 p.m., New York City time on March 27, 2018, as reported on Bloomberg screen page "FXIP" under the heading "FX Rate vs. USD."

The Tender Offers are being made pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, and the related letter of transmittal dated March 15, 2018 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the " Letter of Transmittal "), which set forth in more detail the terms and conditions of the Tender Offers.

PGF has engaged BB Securities Limited, BTG Pactual US Capital, LLC, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, MUFG Securities Americas Inc., and Santander Investment Securities Inc. to act as dealer managers (the " Dealer Managers ") in connection with the Tender Offers. Global Bondholder Services Corporation is acting as the depositary and information agent for the Tender Offers.

* * * * *

This press release is not an offer to sell or purchase, nor a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, nor the solicitation of tenders with respect to, the securities described herein. The Tender Offers are not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which PGF is aware that the making of the Tender Offers would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the securities laws or blue sky laws require the Tender Offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the respective Tender Offers will be deemed to be made on PGF's behalf by the Dealer Managers or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction. Any questions or requests for assistance regarding the Tender Offers may be directed to BB Securities Limited at +44 (20) 7367-5803, BTG Pactual US Capital, LLC at +1 (212) 293-4600, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. at +1 (888) HSBC-4LM, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at +1 (866) 846-2874, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at +1 (888) 292-0070, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. at +1 (877) 744-4532 and Santander Investment Securities Inc. at +1 (855) 404-3636. Requests for additional copies of the Offer to Purchase, the Letter of Transmittal and related documents may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at +1 (866)-470-3900 (toll-free).

Neither the Offer to Purchase nor any documents related to the Tender Offers have been filed with, and have not been approved or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase or any documents related to the Tender Offers, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

This communication and any other documents or materials relating to the Tender Offers have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the "FSMA"). Accordingly, this communication and such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, persons in the United Kingdom save in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. This communication is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom (i) falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) Financial Promotion Order, (ii) falling within Article 43 of the Financial Promotion Order (non-real time communication by or on behalf of a body corporate to creditors of that body corporate), or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated by virtue of an exemption to section 21(1) of the FSMA or otherwise in circumstances where it does not apply (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). This communication is directed only at Relevant Persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. The distribution of this communication may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this communication comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the laws of any such jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain 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 that are not based on historical facts and are not assurances of future results. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and you should not place reliance on any forward-looking statement contained in this press release. Petrobras undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason.

SOURCE Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras
KELLER, Texas, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyle McCaw, real estate broker and property manager in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, joins the Property Management Inc. (PMI) network, changing the name of his company McCaw Property Management to PMI McCaw Properties. Additionally, McCaw will serve as a Regional Mentor for PMI property managers operating in the state of Texas.

PMI McCaw Properties Joins the Property Management Inc. Network, Expanding And Improving Service in Dallas-Fort Worth Area Property Management Inc.

Founded by McCaw in 2005, McCaw Property Management quickly set itself apart by working directly with investors through every step of the real estate investment process. An experienced real estate investor himself, McCaw's experience brings incomparable value to his clients. As a real estate broker and property manager, he assists local and out of state investors with locating and purchasing properties, renovating and converting properties to increase value, and then providing full-service professional property management. "Our property management stands out because we live it," said McCaw, "Because I have owned my own rental properties for many years, I understand well how and where to minimize costs and maximize returns. Being an investor myself has made me a better property manager, and as a property manager I have become a better investor."

As a way of sharing his knowledge and educating others about the real estate investing, McCaw has become recognized as an industry expert through the PMI McCaw Properties Blog. The video blog is a series of educational and instructional videos that answer questions and provide solutions for many of the problems property owners face. "The video blogs have been our most successful form of marketing because they're free, informative and once you make them, they're out there forever," McCaw said. "When people have questions about property management and look them up online they can find our videos on YouTube or our website. When you educate people, you build a relationship." These popular videos have contributed a large part of the growth of PMI McCaw Properties.

With PMI's state-of-the-art technology, training and support network at their disposal, PMI McCaw Properties will be able to meet Dallas-Fort Worth area property owner's needs with comprehensive residential, commercial, HOA and vacation rental services. "Being successful in property management takes hard work, hustle, and a commitment to doing something to grow your business every day," said McCaw, "And PMI's knowledge and resources have already helped us make our business even better."

About Property Management Inc.

Property Management Inc. is a property management and real estate services company providing leading-edge technology, training, systems, and support to more than 200 franchises. The PMI network manages more than $5 billion in assets globally and is recognized as a leading property management franchise. Its innovative franchise program provides the only platform that unifies the four pillars of property management: residential, commercial, association, and vacation rental. PMI is currently named on the Inc. 5000, Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list as "Best in Category" winner for 2017 and 2018. Additionally, PMI is ranked as one of the Top 100 Global Franchises in 2017 by Franchise Direct. For more information, please visit www.propertymanagementinc.com

Media Contact: Cassie James, Property Management Inc.

[email protected]

385.455.4151

SOURCE Property Management Inc.
NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholics will turn out in large numbers for religious observances this Easter weekend, according to a new Marist poll. An overwhelming majority will attend Easter services, with many also planning to attend on Good Friday.

The Knights of Columbus-sponsored poll found that over half of all Americans plan to attend church services on Easter Sunday (53 percent). Among those who identify as Catholic, the number rises to 73 percent, and for practicing Catholics, the number reaches 95 percent.

As for Good Friday services, 54 percent of Catholics say they will attend, with 78 percent of practicing Catholics planning to do so. Catholics and other Christians traditionally spend a portion of the day in a spirit of silence, recollection and prayer.

"There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Those who take the time to attend the solemn afternoon liturgy will benefit from a rich source of meditation and reflection," said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson, "and it will better prepare them for Easter and make it an even more joyous day."

The survey also found that younger Catholics (under 45 years old) are just as likely to attend Easter Sunday Mass as those 45 years of age or older (74 percent to 72 percent).

Consistent with the organization's emphasis on experiencing the powerful liturgy of Holy Week, the Knights of Columbus is continuing its longstanding sponsorship of live telecasts from Rome, including The Way of the Cross on Good Friday and the Easter Sunday Mass. The ceremonies will be led by Pope Francis.

The survey of 1,271 adults was conducted March 19 through March 21, 2018, by the Marist Poll. Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the continental United States were interviewed in English by telephone using live interviewers. The results are statistically significant at 3.1 percentage points.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus
WYOMING, Minn., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Minnesota-based Premier Pontoons  Premier Marine Inc.  has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Premier will continue to focus on building luxury pontoons and supplying top of the line products to its nationwide dealer network.

Premier Marine Inc.

The reorganized Premier will remain a Wyoming, Minnesota based company with its current workforce in place. The company has a high level of commitment to current dealers, vendors, and customers. Premier's exit from Chapter 11, approved by the court on March 27, authorizes a change in ownership to a Minnesota-owned company, Premier Pontoon Holdings, LLC.

"The Premier team has worked tirelessly over the nine months to assure we continue to build high-quality pontoon boats as an industry leader," said Rick Gallagher, Premier's new CEO. "The reorganization has Premier poised to increase production levels across each of our lines. We've been working with our vendors to plan for our increased capacity. Premier has always built fantastic boats and set the standard in the industry. Our customers can be confident that will continue. Several innovative projects paused over the past year are resuming. We're excited to show the marketplace what the Premier team and our dealers will accomplish next."

Founders Bob and Betty Menne and Lori Melbostad will continue with the company under the new ownership as Premier starts to build its new story.

About Premier Marine:

Premier Marine Inc. is a manufacturer of luxury pontoon boats under the Premier brand. Premier Maine is headquartered in Wyoming, Minnesota.

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SOURCE Premier Marine Inc.
Sterling's control and subsequent acquisition of the property resulted from a highly structured, off-market transaction, which was first made public through the recording of a long-term ground lease with rights to purchase on October 26, 2017. Negotiations began in July, 2017 between Jonathan Mendis, Sterling's Senior Vice President of Investments for the Western United States, Brian D. Kosoy, Sterling's President and Chief Executive Officer, and the trustee for Schurz Trust. The months of negotiations culminated in the October, 2017 ground lease execution.

LVMH was approached by an intermediary to lease space at the property, but the company alternatively expressed an immediate interest in acquiring it on an off-market basis. Today's sale transferred the 456 N. Rodeo Drive property to the luxury goods behemoth for approximately $17,750 per sq. ft. The series of transactions over the last two days resulted in a net gain of approximately $55 million for Sterling Organization and its institutional investor partners in its Sterling Value Add Partners II fund.

Rodeo Drive rents per sq. ft. rank among the highest in the nation, ranging today from $500 to $800 per sq. ft. The street features luxury retailers including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Celine, Hermes, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Vera Wang, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Cartier, Fendi, Givenchy, Loro Piana, Rimowa, Prada and Burberry.

"In New York, luxury retailers have plenty of viable options where they can locate," said Kosoy. "On the west coast, it's all about those three, high-value blocks of Rodeo Drive where the world's premier luxury brands must have a presence by planting their flag. As a result, when a circumstance presents itself to acquire a Rodeo Drive property, you aggressively pursue it, regardless of the complications involved in getting a deal done. This was a win-win-win for all three parties involved with each securing what they desired. The deal round-tripped a lot faster than we projected, and we are extremely pleased with the exceptional financial results we were able to provide to our investor partners."

Sterling Organization is a vertically integrated private equity real estate firm that provides exceptional risk-adjusted returns to its partners, in both relative and absolute terms. The company's national platform is focused on investing in value-add retail real estate assets and stabilized/core grocery-anchored shopping centers in major markets across the United States in partnership with the highest quality institutional investors. The firm is headquartered Palm Beach, FL with offices in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

SOURCE Sterling Organization
The clinical study, which has enrolled 12 patients, reported that clinical activity and tolerability of PBI-4050 are sustained with prolonged treatment. The average treatment duration of PBI-4050 for the 12 patients has reached 52 weeks and further clinical activity in the heart and liver was observed with longer treatment exposure.

"Progressive cardiac fibrosis is the most serious feature of Alstrom syndrome, and the resultant heart failure is the most common cause of death," said Dr. John Moran, Chief Medical Officer of Prometic. "Therefore, the results observed with the cardiac MRI are very promising and exceeded our expectations. Going into the study, we had been hoping to see a slowing of the rate of progression, but in fact, we have observed a regression in cardiac fibrosis. Additionally, the liver MRI further supports the FibroScan scores and the reduction of fibrosis observed in these patients. Importantly, PBI-4050's clinical activity and tolerability have been confirmed over this extended period, with no drug-related serious adverse events. The clinical activity observed in these patients gives us further confidence in the forthcoming pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis."

Pierre Laurin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Prometic, stated, "We are scheduled to meet this summer with the European and the U.S. regulatory authorities to determine the clinical-regulatory pathway for this investigational treatment for patients with Alstrom, who are in serious need of an anti-fibrotic treatment. This is a critical step to determine whether this ultra-rare pediatric disorder could be an indication granted priority review."

Summary of Cardiac Data

Analysis of the interim cardiac MRI data indicates a reduction of cardiac fibrosis in each patient after initiation of treatment with PBI-4050 (p<0.001). Figure 1 below illustrates the progression of cardiac fibrosis expressed as a percent increase of the MRI score for each patient for whom three years or more of fibrosis data were available, and the reversal of said progression when patients were treated with PBI-4050. The length of the red dashed lines corresponds to the durationof fibrosis data and the length of the green dashed lines to the duration of PBI-4050 treatment for each patient.

Summary of Liver Data

Fibroscan results from the 10 subjects who received at least 36 weeks of treatment showed a statistically significant improvement in the measure of liver stiffness, from a mean of 10.2 kPa at baseline to a mean of 8.1 kPa at last measurement, an absolute decrease of 2 kPa (p = 0.0219, 95% CI -3.52, -0.46) (Figures 2 & 3). Fibroscan is a non-invasive technique for clinical assessment of liver fibrosis with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility, especially in patients with established fibrosis ( F2) (Cassinotto 2016).

Liver MRI data also indicated a mean reduction of -11% in the T1-corrected score between baseline and last available measurement (p=0.0195, 95% CI: -92.3, -9.8), which supports an improvement of liver fibrosis.

Positive effects on other parameters of the liver have also been observed and will be disclosed at The International Liver Congress 2018, the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), to be held in Paris, April 11-15, 2018.

More about Alstrom syndrome:

Alstrom syndrome is a rare inherited autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by the onset of obesity in childhood or adolescence, Type 2 diabetes, often with severe insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension and severe multi-organ fibrosis involving the liver, kidney and heart. Alstrom syndrome is also characterized by a progressive loss of vision and hearing, a form of heart disease that weakens the heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy), and short stature. This disorder can also cause serious or life-threatening medical problems involving the liver, kidneys, bladder, and lungs. The clinical manifestations of Alstrom syndrome vary in severity, and not all affected individuals have all of the features associated with the disorder.

More about PBI-4050

PBI-4050 is an orally active lead drug candidate with excellent safety and efficacy profiles demonstrated in a large number of animal models of fibrosis affecting different organs, including the lung, liver, heart, kidney, and pancreas. The effects of PBI-4050 demonstrated in animal models have been replicated in Phase 2 studies in IPF, in metabolic syndrome with type 2 diabetes and in Alstrom syndrome. PBI-4050 is entering pivotal placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of IPF and has already started placebo-controlled phase 2 trials in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes patients.

More about Prometic

Prometic Life Sciences Inc. (www.prometic.com) is a biopharmaceutical corporation with two drug discovery platforms focusing on unmet medical needs in the field of fibrosis and orphan diseases. The first platform, small molecule therapeutics, stems from the discovery of two receptors GPR40/GPR84 acting as "dual master switches" which are at the core of the healing process as opposed to fibrosis. The second platform, plasma-derived therapeutics, leverages Prometic's vast experience in bioseparation technologies to address unmet medical needs with therapeutic proteins not currently commercially available, such as Ryplazim (plasminogen human). Prometic is also leveraging the second platform higher recovery yield advantage to develop some more established plasma-derived therapeutics with significant growth in demand such as Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) and provides access to its proprietary bioseparation technologies to enable pharmaceutical companies in their production of non-competing biopharmaceuticals. Globally recognized as a bioseparations expert, the Corporation derives revenue from this activity through sales of affinity chromatography media which contributes to offset the costs of its own R&D investments. Headquartered in Laval (Canada), Prometic has R&D facilities in the UK, the U.S. and Canada, manufacturing facilities in the UK and commercial activities in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about Prometic's objectives, strategies and businesses that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are "forward-looking" because they are based on our current expectations about the markets we operate in and on various estimates and assumptions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate. Such risks and assumptions include, but are not limited to, Prometic's ability to develop, manufacture, and successfully commercialize value-added pharmaceutical products, the availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the ability of Prometic to take advantage of business opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the regulatory process and general changes in economic conditions. You will find a more detailed assessment of the risks that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from our current expectations in Prometic's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016, under the heading "Risk and Uncertainties related to Prometic's business". As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available, as a result of future events or for any other reason, unless required by applicable securities laws and regulations. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless indicated otherwise.

SOURCE ProMetic Life Sciences Inc.

Related Links

http://www.prometic.com


Purina Invites Pet Lovers to Celebrate The Positive Impact Dogs Make In Our Lives During the Second Annual Beverly Hills Dog Show

Maria Menounos, pet lover and TV host encourages pet owners to join Purina's "Every Dog is a Star" movement celebrating how pets make our lives richer, healthier and happier.
The report reveals cyberattack detections and trends from a sample of 246 opt-in enterprise customers using the Vectra Cognito platform, across 14 different industries. From August 2017 through January 2018, Cognito monitored traffic and collected metadata from more than 4.5 million devices and workloads from customer cloud, data center and enterprise environments. By analyzing this metadata, the Vectra Cognito platform detected hidden attacker behaviors and identified business risks that enabled its customers to avoid catastrophic data breaches.

As sophisticated cyberattackers automate and increase the efficiencies of their own technology, there is an urgent need to augment information security with AI-based detection and response tools to stop threats faster. The Vectra Attacker Behavior Industry Report takes a multidisciplinary approach that spans all strategic phases of the attack lifecycle, presenting data by specific industries that highlight relevant differences between them.

Key findings from the report include:

Cryptocurrency mining is a mounting problem: Considered opportunistic, mining surged with the rising price of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Monero and Ethereum. Of all the cryptocurrency mining detections, 60 percent occurred in higher education, followed by entertainment and leisure (6 percent), financial services (3 percent), technology (3 percent), and healthcare (2 percent). Cryptocurrency mining involves converting electricity to monetary value through computational resources. Free electrical power and internet access for students might account for the spike in higher education.

The highest volume of attacker behaviors per industry were in higher education (3,715 detections per 10,000 devices) followed by engineering (2,918 detections per 10,000 devices). This is primarily due to command-and-control (C&C) activity in higher education and internal reconnaissance activity in engineering.

C&C activity in higher education, with 2,205 detections per 10,000 devices, is four-times above the industry average of 460 detections per 10,000 devices. These early threat indicators usually precede other stages of an attack and are often associated with opportunistic botnet behaviors in higher education.

Government and technology sectors have the lowest detection rates, with 496 and 349 detections per 10,000 devices, respectively. This could indicate the presence of stronger policies, mature response capabilities and better control of the attack surface.

When normalizing detections per 10,000 devices compared to the previous year, there is a sharp increase across every industry  C&C (37 percent), internal reconnaissance (31 percent), lateral movement (24 percent), and a nominal increase in data exfiltration detections (6 percent).

"Security operations and analytics platform architecture (SOAPA) is helping to accelerate technology innovation, ease integration and enhance the value of existing security technologies," said Jon Oltsik, senior principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. "According to recent ESG research, 12 percent of enterprise organizations have already deployed Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based security analytics extensively, and 27 percent have deployed AI-based security analytics on a limited basis. This latest report from Vectra provides important visibility into attacker behaviors within organizations, that have bypassed perimeter security controls and observations of attack progression after an initial compromise."

The Cognito platform automates the hunt for hidden cyberthreats by continuously analyzing network traffic logs and cloud events to detect attacker behaviors inside the network. In addition to automatically correlating detected threats with host devices that are under attack, Cognito provides unique context about what attackers are doing and prioritizes threats that pose the highest risk. Using AI, Cognito combines data science, machine learning and behavioral analytics to reveal attacker behaviors without signatures or reputation lists.

"Combining security analytics with human understanding gives us compelling new insights into attacker behaviors on a global scale across cloud, data center and enterprise environments," said Chris Morales, head of security analytics at Vectra. "Ultimately, this insight enables Vectra customers to make better-informed decisions that strengthen security posture and reduce business risk."

The data in this report is based on anonymized metadata from Vectra customers who have opted to share detection metrics. The Cognito platform identifies behaviors that indicate in-progress attacks by directly monitoring all traffic and relevant logs, including traffic to and from the internet, internal traffic between network devices, and virtualized workloads in private data centers and public clouds. This analysis provides important visibility into advanced phases of attacks.

The 2018 RSA Conference Edition of the Attacker Behavior Industry Report is available for download at https://info.vectra.ai/2018-abir. For more information about Vectra and Cognito, visit vectra.ai.

About Vectra

Vectra is transforming cybersecurity with AI. Its Cognito platform automates cyberattack detection and response from data center and cloud workloads to user and IoT devices. Cognito correlates threats, prioritizes hosts based on risk and provides rich context to empower response with existing security systems, reducing security operations workload by 32X. Vectra was named a "Visionary" by Gartner in the 2018 Magic Quadrant for Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems and the "Most Innovative Emerging Company" in the Dark Reading Best of Black Hat Awards. InformationWeek also named Vectra one of the Top 125 companies to watch in 2016. Vectra has been issued five U.S. patents with 14 additional patents pending for cybersecurity applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Vectra is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. and has European regional headquarters in Zurich. For more information, visit vectra.ai.



Media Contact:

John Kreuzer

Lumina Communications for Vectra

[email protected]

(408) 896-3307

SOURCE Vectra

Related Links

http://vectra.ai


TAMPA, Fla., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RNR Tire Express (RNR), the nation's fastest-growing tire and custom wheel franchise, has signed a franchise deal to bring 16 new locations to parts of Georgia and Alabama over the next six years. The business partners behind the deal, Mike Hultquist and Grant Wetherill of OzarkGa, LLC, are looking to develop locations in Warner Robins and Columbus, Ga., as well as Auburn-Opelika and Phenix City, Ala., with plans to open their first location in the next 12 months.

Hulquist and Wetherill join RNR with more than 16 years' experience growing and developing businesses, including 65 Game X Change franchise locations across eight states. Looking to further fuel their entrepreneurial passion, the duo began seeking additional opportunities to utilize their skills toward growing an innovative and unmatched concept, and found the perfect fit with RNR due to its proven business model and dedicated support team.

"RNR continues to fill a void in the marketplace as consumers seek convenient payment options when it comes to quality tires and wheels. As we introduce new RNR locations, Grant and I look forward to bringing the brand's affordable pay-as-you-go model to communities across Georgia and Alabama," said Mike Hultquist, Partner of OzarkGa LLC. "This agreement is a representation of the commitment our team has to the business and providing a premium product and service to a growing market."

Founded in 2000 by rent-to-own veteran Larry Sutton, RNR has carved out a unique niche in the tire and wheel industry with its convenient, no hassle payment plans that fit each customer's budget. RNR offers and professionally installs high quality tires and custom wheels to a growing underserved market and has established a business model that allows clients to pay off name brand tires and wheels on a weekly or monthly plan that is affordable to them.

"Mike and Grant are a great fit for our brand and we are extremely grateful to have them as part of the RNR family," said Larry Sutton, founder and president of RNR Tire Express. "The ongoing trust and determination our franchise owners have dedicated to our brand has truly been the cornerstone to our brand's mission of being the best tire and wheel concept in America."

For more information regarding the RNR franchise opportunity, please visit www.RNRfranchise.com.

About RNR Tire Express:

RNR Tire Express & Custom Wheels is a national franchise retailer of quality tires and custom wheels offered with convenient, no credit hassle payment plans designed to fit each client's unique budgets. Established in 2000 by rent-to-own veteran, Larry Sutton, RNR has grown to over 100 locations in 21 states. For the third year in a row, the brand was listed as the No. 1 in category for wheels and tires in Entrepreneur Magazine's 2018 Franchise 500 list and also took home the No. 202 spot on the annual ranking. For the third time, RNR ranked on the Inc. 5000 list, a prestigious ranking of America's fastest-growing private companies. The brand owns two spots on Tire Business' 2017 Annual Report coming in at No. 15 for total revenue and No. 18 for total locations. RNR Tire Express & Custom Wheels is seeking qualified multi-unit franchisees to expand even further nationally with prime markets available throughout the country. For more information about RNR, or to inquire about franchise opportunities, visit www.RNRfranchise.com.

Media Contact: Danielle Naccarato, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected] or (847) 945-1300

SOURCE RNR Tire Express
Deal or no deal? Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

Earlier this month, Donald Trump threatened to put a 25 percent tariff on all of South Koreas steel exports to the United States (along with those of every other country). His trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, then used that threat to extract concessions from Seoul on other trade issues: This week, South Korea agreed to put voluntary limits on its steel exports to the U.S.  and open its auto market to American manufacturers  in exchange for an exemption from our nations new steel duties.

Yesterday, the president hailed the agreement as a great deal for American and Korean workers. But, a little more than 24 hours later, Trump apparently decided that threatening to violate Americas existing trade agreements with South Korea had worked out so great, he might as well try it again.

I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, Trump said of his newly minted trade agreement with South Korea, during a speech in Richfield, Ohio. You know why? Because its a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly and were moving along very nicely with North Korea.

Here, the president appears to be saying that he may violate the terms of a trade deal he struck with South Korea yesterday  unless Seoul convinces North Korea that it can trust him not to violate the terms of a denuclearization deal.

This took some White House officials by surprise, according to Bloomberg.

But, moments later, Trump reiterated his belief that the trade agreement he just made with South Korea was wonderful. And, as of this writing, neither the U.S. Trade Representatives office nor the South Korean embassy has issued a statement on Trumps threat. So, it appears that there is no diplomatic crisis here  parties involved understand that when the president says hes going to do something, theres little reason to assume that he will actually do it.

Surely, this state of affairs will in no way undermine the administrations efforts to reach an unprecedented nuclear deal with Kim Jong-uns regime.
PHOENIX, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SagePoint Financial (SagePoint), a financial services firm with more than 1,900 advisors nationwide, today announced that High Point Capital Group, Legacy Financial Advisors, Inc., and Buckley Group Anthoine Financial (BGA) have chosen to partner with its rapidly growing network of financial advisors. These three firms represent over $2 billion in total assets under administration (AUA).

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, High Point Capital Group brings to SagePoint more than 130 years of collective industry expertise and excellence in client relationships. Scott Downs, president of High Point Capital Group, leads the firm, which boasts more than $900M in AUA. High Point Capital Group works with individuals, families, and businesses to provide asset management, financial planning, insurance, estate planning, and corporate benefits services.

Legacy Financial Advisors, Inc., based in Westborough, Massachusetts, is a firm dedicated to, and passionate about, helping individuals and families navigate the complex financial world. The firm, with over $776M in AUA, offers comprehensive financial education, planning, and investing services  including an extensive 401(k) management program. Legacy Financial Advisors' office head, Paul Mauro, is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience as a financial planner.

Another firm to partner with SagePoint is Buckley Group Anthoine Financial (BGA Financial). With $315M AUA, BGA is managed by industry leaders, Mark Anthoine and Stephen Carew. With offices in Lewiston and Portland, Maine, BGA provides clients with premier financial services, including employee benefits, employer-sponsored retirement plans, individual insurance planning and investment strategies. The firm has a deep commitment to promoting a personalized approach throughout its client-first practices.

Supported by Advisor Group, one of the nation's largest networks of advisory firms, SagePoint provides independent advisors with a flexible, open-architecture system that offers them full access to state-of-the-art technology, marketing and management systems  which can be fully adopted or integrated into an advisor's existing platform for an easy transition. Through SagePoint, advisors also have access to dedicated field support and extensive investment solutions.

"We are excited to welcome each of these firms to the SagePoint family," said Jeffrey Auld, CEO of SagePoint Financial. "High Point Capital Group, Legacy Financial Advisors, and BGA Financial Services are firms that exemplify SagePoint's mission of providing best-in-class service and investment advice to the end client. Through SagePoint, these firms will experience unparalleled support and access to invaluable products and services, all while upholding the independence, brand integrity and values that have attracted their clients throughout the years."

About SagePoint Financial

SagePoint Financial, Inc. is part of one of the nation's largest independent broker-dealer organizations and a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA and SIPC. SagePoint is supported by Advisor Group, one of the largest truly independent broker-dealer networks in the industry. The firm has approximately 1,900 advisors across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.sagepointfinancial.com.

About Advisor Group



Advisor Group, Inc. is one of the nation's largest networks of independent financial advisors serving over 5,000 advisors and overseeing approximately $190 billion in client assets. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, the firm is mission-driven to support the heroic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients, offering securities and investment advisory services through its subsidiaries FSC Securities Corp., Royal Alliance Associates Inc., SagePoint Financial Inc. and Woodbury Financial Services Inc., as broker/dealers, registered investment advisors and members of FINRA and SIPC. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial advisors and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way.

SOURCE Advisor Group, Inc.
ATHENS, Ga., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seller Labs, the premier provider of software and resources to businesses who sell on Amazon, announces that Hank Harris has assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer. Harris previously served as the company's Chief Operating Officer. Seller Labs Founder Brandon Checketts, will move into the Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer role.

Harris, who has worked with Seller Labs since 2015, will take over the leadership role as the company focuses on sustaining growth and retaining and acquiring new talent. Checketts, who founded the company after developing a successful software tool to improve his Amazon business, will continue to focus on new ideas and product innovation. Since its inception in 2013, Seller Labs has grown exponentially year over year and this leadership change is reflective of the business preparing for the future.

"Hank has a rich history working with enterprises and helping businesses scale to meet demand. I can't think of anyone better to lead Seller Labs' business into the future," said Checketts. "I look forward to focusing my efforts on innovation so we can evolve our suite of products. Together in our new roles, the business will be better poised for growth."

"Seller Labs is such a dynamic organization and in a few short years we have seen tremendous business expansion. My new role is to keep up with the demand by continuing to grow our product offerings and increase and retain our talent pool," said Hank Harris. "I'm thrilled to be a part of this journey and look forward to continuing to work with Brandon to ensure our future success."

A technology industry veteran, Harris joined Seller Labs after 10 years at Gorilla Logic where he served as the company's CFO and partner. Gorilla Logic is a global custom enterprise application development, IT staffing services and project outsourcing company that serves a variety of Fortune 100 & 500 companies. Prior to Gorilla Logic, Harris was with Sun Microsystems' professional services team. He holds two degrees in computer science  a Master's from Southern Polytechnic State University and a Bachelor's from Georgia Institute of Technology.

About Seller Labs

Seller Labs journey is unique. Veteran Entrepreneur Brandon Checketts founded the company in 2013 after he developed a software tool to resolve seller feedback problems for his thriving Amazon used book business. After successfully creating a solution that automated buyer-seller messaging, Seller Labs was born. The business has grown to include several tools that help Amazon businesses improve sales  from inventory management to keyword search, advertising and product discovery. Its suite of offerings is branded as Ignite, Pro Suite and Feedback Genius. Seller Labs is headquartered in Athens, Georgia and has been named one of the most innovative start-ups in the Atlanta region. For more information, please visit www.sellerlabs.com.

SOURCE Seller Labs

Related Links

http://www.sellerlabs.com


RIO DE JANEIRO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shell Brasil Petroleo, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc ("Shell"), today won four additional deep-water, exploration blocks in the Campos and Potiguar basins, bringing its total operated presence offshore Brazil to 18 blocks. In the 15th deep-water bid round organized by the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP), Shell secured one exploration block on its own and three in joint-bids with Chevron Brazil, Petrobras, and Petrogal Brasil. Of the newly acquired blocks today, Shell will operate two.

Shell will pay its share of the total signing bonuses, equating for all bids to approximately USD $70-million (R$ 235-million).

"We continue to demonstrate our commitment to growing our production in Brazil and our strong belief in the value deep-water resources brings to our global portfolio," said Andy Brown, Upstream Director, Shell. "This bid round offers significant potential for additional deep-water discoveries. These lease commitments fall within our agreed capital ceiling and are consistent with our value-based approach."

Globally, Shell plans to invest $5-6 billion each year through 2020 into its deep water business to strategically grow production and returns for the company. The business is on track to deliver annual, free cash flow of $6-7-billion by 2020 (at $60/barrel Brent RT 2016).

NEW ACREAGE ADDED TO SHELL BRASIL'S PORTFOLIO

Campos Basin:

C-M-791  Shell Brasil (40% - operator), Petrogal Brasil (20%), Chevron Brazil (40%)

Potiguar Basin:

POT-M-948  Shell Brasil (100%)

POT-M-859  Petrobras (60%), Shell Brasil (40%)

POT-M-952  Petrobras (60%), Shell Brasil (40%)

EDITORS NOTE

Today's win further reinforces our commitment to Brazil , from which approximately 10% of our global oil and gas production originates.

, from which approximately 10% of our global oil and gas production originates. Shell has operated Upstream and Downstream businesses in Brazil for 105-years and was the first international oil company to commercially produce oil after the state monopoly eased in the late 1990s.

Cautionary Note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release "Shell", "Shell group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this release refer to companies over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to "joint ventures" and "joint operations" respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov ). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this release, March 29, 2018. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this release that United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Shell

Related Links

http://www.shell.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart Cannabis Corp. (OTC: SCNA) announced update 1.1 to its SMARTAPP today. In response to feedback from users, the app makes it easier for a site manager to manage the most intricate parts of a grow remotely. Additionally, a few minor bugs were successfully addressed.

The SMARTAPP, featured exclusively in the Apple App Store, was originally released in January 2018. New features to the app include management of equipment, labeling equipment specifically, complete support for irrigation scheduling, and more. The revised app is immediately available in the Apple App Store.

This app update is both in response to suggestions by our users as well as the company's vision to bring sensible automation to the rapidly growing cannabis market. To date, the SMARTAPP is installed and being used daily for SCNA customers in active production greenhouses. The app offers unprecedented monitoring and control of the client's investment as well as the opportunity to fine tune the entire ecosystem of the automated greenhouse systems built and installed by SCNA primary subsidiary Next Generation Farming.

Smart Cannabis (OTC PINK: SCNA) is a public equity corporation advancing the agriculture and cannabis industries and growing through acquisition, strategic alliances, and proprietary intellectual property. The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Next Generation Farming Inc., provides turnkey, automated, commercial greenhouses systems that efficiently improve yields and decrease water consumption for cultivators of organic food and cannabis crops. The company websites are http://smartcannabis.com and http://nextgen.farm.

Disclaimer: The Company relies upon the Safe Harbor Laws of 1933, 1934 and 1995 for all public news releases. The company may make forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are estimates that reflect the company's best judgment based upon current information. All investments involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. It is impossible to identify all such factors. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the company include, but are not limited to, government regulation; managing and maintaining growth; the effect of adverse publicity; litigation; competition; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the company's public announcements.

Contact:

Smart Cannabis Corp.

Don Smith, Vice President

[email protected]

(424) 732-7646

SOURCE Smart Cannabis Corp.

Related Links

http://smartcannabis.com


LONDON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Snyk, the leading solution for addressing vulnerabilities in open source libraries, announced today it is powering the vulnerable JavaScript libraries audit in Google Chrome's Lighthouse, in general availability. The integration offers developers critical information about potential libraries that developers might be using that contain security vulnerabilities, increasing awareness and making it easier to take action.

Lighthouse is Chrome's open-source automated tool for improving the performance, quality and correctness of web apps and pages. It can be used as a browser extension or Node module, and also powers the auditing functionality in the developer tools built directly into Chrome. As of Chrome 63, Lighthouse has a "Best Practices" audit that detects front-end JavaScript libraries in use with a known security vulnerability by testing against Snyk's vulnerability database. If any known security issues are discovered, the site in question's audit score is docked, and developers receive a detailed report of each vulnerability with a link to Snyk to resolve the issues.

"In early 2017, researchers found that 37 percent of sites had at least one client-side JavaScript library containing a known security vulnerability," said Guy Podjarny, CEO, Snyk Ltd. "Recently, we completed a report noting that the reality was worse: 77 percent of the top 433,000 URL's used a JavaScript library with a known security issue. Recognizing the importance of the issue, Snyk collaborated with the Lighthouse team to audit vulnerable JavaScript libraries. This integration applies an extra layer of visibility for developers as we work toward making the web more secure by default."

Snyk helps companies securely use open source code. Snyk's solution continuously fixes vulnerabilities in open source libraries, relying on a unique proprietary vulnerability database. The open source security solution allows developers to secure their dependencies quickly and independently, minimizing the necessary attention to addressing issues.

About Snyk

Snyk is a developer-first security solution that helps you use open source code and stay secure. Building on its unique vulnerability database, Snyk continuously finds and fixes known vulnerabilities and license violations in open source dependencies. Snyk integrates seamlessly into the developer workflow, tightly integrating with source control (e.g. GitHub, BitBucket, GitLab), hooking into your CI/CD pipelines and continuously monitoring PaaS and Serverless apps in production. To learn more, visit https://snyk.io/

SOURCE Snyk

Related Links

https://snyk.io


NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sotheby's (NYSE: BID) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Abernethy as Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications. A veteran of Sotheby's global Communications team, Mr. Abernethy will begin his new role this spring reporting to Mike Goss, Sotheby's Chief Financial Officer.

"I am delighted to welcome Dan to our investor relations team where the combination of his communications experience and his deep knowledge of Sotheby's will play an important role in furthering our commitment to expand our engagement with shareholders," commented Mike Goss, Sotheby's Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Abernethy joined Sotheby's London in 2008 before moving to New York to join the Company's Press Office for the Americas. In 2015, he was promoted to Senior International Press Officer, Corporate Communications, focusing on key categories for the Company, including Contemporary art and Wine, as well Sotheby's operations in Asia and corporate initiatives including e-commerce and acquisitions. Mr. Abernethy began his career in politics, working for Edward Vaizey, Member of Parliament, during his tenure as Shadow Minister for Culture, overseeing Arts and Broadcasting policy.



Investor Relations Contacts:

Dan Abernethy, +1 212 606 7176

Jennifer Park, +1 212 894 1023

About Sotheby's

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sothebys

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sothebys

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sothebys

Snapchat ID: sothebys

YouTube: www.youtube.com/SothebysTV

Weibo: www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkong

WeChat ID: sothebyshongkong

Sotheby's has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby's became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby's presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby's BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sotheby's offers collectors the resources of Sotheby's Financial Services, the world's only full-service art financing company, as well as the collection advisory services of its subsidiary, Art Agency, Partners. Sotheby's presents private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Global Fine Art Division, and two retail businesses, Sotheby's Diamonds and Sotheby's Wine. Sotheby's has a global network of 80 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).

Browse sale catalogues, view original content, stream live auctions and more at www.sothebys.com, and through Sotheby's apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV and Amazon Fire

New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Lauren Gioia | [email protected]

SOURCE Sotheby's

Related Links

http://www.sothebys.com


NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sotheby's (NYSE:BID) is pleased to share that S&P Global Ratings raised the Company's unsecured debt rating in a press release issued yesterday. The recovery rating on Sotheby's $400 million senior unsecured notes was revised to '3' from '5', and the issue-level rating on the senior notes was raised from to 'BB-' from 'B+'.

"We are pleased that S&P has recognized our strong cash flow and highly liquid balance sheet," said Mike Goss, Sotheby's Chief Financial Officer. "We are off to a good start in 2018 and recent results bode well for our major Hong Kong auctions, which get underway tomorrow, as well as our important May auctions in New York."

In December 2017, the Company refinanced $300 million of senior notes due in 2022 bearing interest at 5.25% with $400 million in new notes due in 2025 bearing a rate of 4.875%. As of December 31, 2017, Sotheby's had as much as $325 million in excess capital available and an updated share repurchase authorization of $196 million as of March 1, 2018.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" (as such term is defined in Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) relating to future events and the financial performance of Sotheby's. Such statements are only predictions and involve risks and uncertainties, resulting in the possibility that the actual events or performances will differ materially from such predictions. Major factors, which Sotheby's believes could cause the actual results to differ materially from the predicted results in the "forward-looking statements" include, but are not limited to, the overall strength of the global economy and financial markets, political conditions in various countries, competition with other auction houses and art dealers, the amount and quality of property available for consignment and the marketability at auction of such property. Please refer to our most recently filed Form 10-K for a complete list of Risk Factors.

About Sotheby's

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sothebys

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sothebys

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sothebys

Snapchat ID: sothebys

YouTube: www.youtube.com/SothebysTV

Weibo: www.weibo.com/sothebyshongkong

WeChat ID: sothebyshongkong

Sotheby's has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby's became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby's presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby's BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sotheby's offers collectors the resources of Sotheby's Financial Services, the world's only full-service art financing company, as well as the collection advisory services of its subsidiary, Art Agency, Partners. Sotheby's presents private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Global Fine Art Division, and two retail businesses, Sotheby's Diamonds and Sotheby's Wine. Sotheby's has a global network of 80 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).

Browse sale catalogues, view original content, stream live auctions and more at www.sothebys.com, and through Sotheby's apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV and Amazon Fire

New York | +1 212 606 7176 | Lauren Gioia | [email protected]

SOURCE Sotheby's

Related Links

http://www.sothebys.com


AUSTIN, Texas, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SpareFoot, the world's largest online self-storage marketplace, has agreed to acquire SiteLink, a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for the self-storage industry. The deal will bring together two dynamic companies and allow the combined business to accelerate investment, drive innovation and generate value for both consumers and facility operators in the $38 billion self-storage industry.

Cove Hill Partners, a private equity firm based in Boston, will acquire a majority stake in both businesses. SpareFoot CEO Chuck Gordon will become CEO of the combined company, and Ross Lampe will remain President of SiteLink with his team continuing to serve self-storage customers. The transactions are expected to close in the next 30 days, subject to customary closing conditions.

The combined company will draw upon a strong team of experienced and talented employees, existing product integration and established personal relationships between the two businesses, and a shared mission to serve self-storage operators and consumers with a best-in-class experience.

"We're excited to combine two of the most respected and successful technology companies in self-storage," said Chuck Gordon, CEO of SpareFoot. "This deal and partnership with Cove Hill allows us to increase investment in our products to help self-storage operators run their businesses cost-effectively and help consumers find the perfect storage solution."

"We have a unique opportunity to deepen our existing product integration and accelerate innovation," said Markus Hecker, COO of SiteLink. "We remain committed to delivering value and will use our combined resources to help our customers grow their businesses."

The strategic partnership will enable SpareFoot to find and deliver more tenants to facilities on its network and will accelerate technology investments at SiteLink; this includes myHub development, SiteLink Merchant Services and SiteLink Web Edition, its flagship product.

William Blair served as exclusive financial advisor to SpareFoot.

About SiteLink

SiteLink is a global leader in self-storage management software and in-house payment processing. Profit tools, integrations, quality service and regular updates make SiteLink the favorite of single and multi-store businesses, including most top 100 self-storage operators. In 2014, SiteLink Merchant Services was introduced to integrate payment processing into SiteLink's self-storage management software. In addition, dozens of SiteLink Marketplace partners like web designers, call centers, kiosks, insurance providers and more are tightly integrated into SiteLink's robust technology. The company was founded in 1996 and will remain headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

About SpareFoot

SpareFoot was founded by Chuck Gordon and Mario Feghali from their dorm room at UCLA and has grown to become a leading online marketplace for consumers to find and book self-storage. SpareFoot offers consumers the ability to find storage facilities, compare deals, and book seamlessly across more than 12,000 facilities in the U.S. on SpareFoot.com and SelfStorage.com. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

About Cove Hill Partners

Cove Hill Partners is a long-term oriented private equity firm focused on partnering with outstanding management teams to build market-leading consumer and technology companies. The firm was founded in 2017 by seasoned private equity investors to invest their personal capital alongside a small group of likeminded investors. The team currently manages an inaugural fund of over $1 billion with an innovative structure that provides the flexibility to enable a patient, concentrated and value-add approach in a small portfolio of long-term investments.

SOURCE SpareFoot

Related Links

http://www.sitelink.com


Local economic developers and C Spire executives have invited over 1,000 local business owners to a meeting on Friday, April 6 at The Mill Conference Center to learn more about the opportunity to get fiber-fast internet access for their enterprises for as low as $200 a month.

The luncheon meeting is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. at The Mill Conference Center, 600 Russell Street, in downtown Starkville. Registration closes on Tuesday, April 3. To secure a seat at the meeting, business owners need to register online at http://events.cspire.com/fiberfaststarkville.

"Fiber-based broadband infrastructure is the electricity of the 21st century," said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. "We're excited to continue our partnership with C Spire to help the local business sector grow, prosper and flourish as this infrastructure will create new expansion opportunities and improve the quality of life for everyone."

Local business leaders echoed Spruill's emphasis on the importance of broadband infrastructure for business growth and expansion. "We live, work and play in a digital world that relies on fast connections to power purchasing, commerce and our local economy," said Scott Maynard, president and CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership.

"Broadband internet infrastructure is as important as roads, highways, bridges, railroads and ports," said Joe Max Higgins Jr., CEO of Golden Triangle Development LINK, a regional economic development organization. "Developments like this help position the Golden Triangle region for continued success."

Starkville is one of at least two dozen cities chosen by C Spire to begin the first U.S. effort aimed at making up to 1 Gbps internet widely available to businesses ranging from coffee houses and restaurants to law offices, accounting and tax services. The company aims to make fiber-based service available at a range of speeds to one out of every five of the state's 250,000 businesses.

Fiber fast access for businesses is the second phase of a major private sector technology deployment by C Spire that features a massive expansion of ultra-fast broadband internet and wireless fiber-based fixed internet to more than 250,000 consumers and small businesses in cities and towns across the state.

The broadband expansion is an outgrowth of the company's 2013 groundbreaking Fiber-to-the-Home program, one of the first of its type in the U.S. and the fastest to connect thousands of Mississippi consumers in nine communities across the state, including Starkville, to Gigabit internet, digital television and home phone services.

"We're excited about partnering with the city of Starkville to make the benefits of fiber-based Internet access available to local businesses," said Allen McIntosh, vice president and general manager for C Spire Business Solutions, noting that businesses who received an invitation to the meeting have been pre-qualified for the Gigabit service.

C Spire has installed over 8,000 route miles of fiber optics across the state and owns and has deployed more wireless spectrum in Mississippi than any other communications carrier. "With this model, we can make these cutting-edge 21st century services available anywhere as long as there is enough interest to justify our capital investment," McIntosh added.

McIntosh said the goal of the meeting is to gauge interest among businesses and discuss next steps for the project. Similar meetings are planned in other cities throughout the year. "Our goal is to meet with local leaders and develop a plan that will make these services available to as many businesses as quickly as possible," he said.

The high-tech firm has been on a mission to expand broadband availability and boost average mobile and fixed broadband speeds in Mississippi. Overall, C Spire plans to deliver broadband Internet to over 250,000 residents and businesses with speeds ranging from 25 Mbps in underserved areas, 100 Mbps in other communities to 1 Gbps for businesses using the latest fiber optic and fixed wireless technologies, which enable faster and more widespread availability of critical services. The company also is continuing its FTTH Gigabit deployment in several communities across the state.

The broadband expansion plan is part of a broader C Spire Tech Movement initiative designed to leverage the company's technology leadership and investments to help transform its service areas. Other elements of the program include leading the development of a tech workforce in Mississippi through education initiatives, expanding tech innovation and development of a state-of-the-art digital customer care platform for customers and team members.

In recent years, C Spire's continuing technology investment has played a central role in recent state gains for average mobile and fixed broadband speeds in Mississippi. The company became the state's fastest Internet service provider in 2014 and more than quadrupled speeds in the state following its successful FTTH initiative.

About C Spire

C Spire is a leading technology company committed to transforming Mississippi through the C Spire Tech Movement, which includes the massive deployment of broadband internet to homes and small businesses, a state-of-the-art digital experience for its customers and team members, technology innovation leadership and the creation and retention of a 21st century technology workforce in its region. The company provides world-class, customer-inspired wireless communications, 1 Gigabit consumer Internet access as well as a full suite of dedicated Internet, wireless, IP Voice, data and cloud services for businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.

SOURCE C Spire

Related Links

http://www.cspire.com


Chinas President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: -/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump hasnt fired anyone on his foreign-policy team this week  yet  but there were still plenty of head-spinning developments on the international stage. With the White House now cautiously optimistic that its planned summit with North Korea will take place some time in May, interested parties set about shoring up their diplomatic alliances. For North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, that meant sneaking off to visit Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing. Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea announced changes to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which Trump had been denouncing since he took office.

The most important takeaway from these diplomatic moves is that Xi has no intention of letting Kim and Trump walk off into the sunset with an agreement that disadvantages China  and Kim seems unlikely to cut a deal that meets the Trump administrations conditions.

Kim Jong-uns arrival in Beijing on Monday night started out as a secret, but its hard to hide a train thats dark green with tinted windows, and so heavy with armor that it doesnt travel faster than 37 miles per hour. A Russian who rode on a similar transport with Kims father in 2001 reported that it was well-stocked with fine French wines and the best of Korean, French, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian cuisines  in addition to lady conductors who sing in Korean and Russian when the leader gets bored. In the old days, the trains movements were fairly easy to conceal. When Kim Jong-il used it to visit Russia in 2009, entire Siberian villages were ordered to stay inside as the North Korean leader rolled through.

But even autocracy isnt what it used to be, and Xi had a very public point to make. North Koreas relationship with its neighbor and closest ally has been strained in recent years. Beijing would prefer that Pyongyang maintain the status quo, rather than goading South Korea and Japan into considering acquiring nuclear weapons of their own. The North also shopped around to try to avoid the effects of Chinas modest sanctions pressure, and responded in ways that Xi and his colleagues were said to find disrespectful. Plus, Xis support for Kim is wildly unpopular among the Chinese. While censors couldnt conceal the trains presence in Beijing, they did block several phrases on Chinas version of Twitter, including North Korea, Kim Jong-un, and Fatty Fatty, his nickname in the region (some internet users circumvented this with the new nickname fatty on the train).

Beijing broadcast its official version of events through carefully curated photos and statements showing the leaders smiling and recalling their countries decades-long relationship. But Kims reported statements echoed long-held North Korean positions that have signaled the ultimate failure of previous negotiations with the United States. He talked about phased, synchronized measures  a term that to analysts means long delays during which the North could continue to make progress on its bombs and missiles. While Chinas news agency said Kim had pledged his commitment to denuclearization, the Norths own statement about the meeting failed to mention the topic.

Something else wasnt discussed publicly by either side: the upcoming U.S.North Korea summit. In a conspicuous parallel to Trumps decision not to notify China of North Koreas summit offer until after hed accepted it, China informed the White House that Kim had paid a visit only after his train had begun its slow journey home.

These developments topped what otherwise would have been the days top Korea news story: Washington and Seoul reaching agreement to modify their free-trade agreement. Trade experts suggested the effects would be modest at best; it provides for more favorable treatment for U.S. automobiles, which are not currently selling well in South Korea, and lets our ally avoid some of Trumps new tariffs. The prime impact seems likely to come in two other areas: removing an obstacle from the U.S.South Korea alliance, and giving Trump an achievement to show off to his base (though its unclear if the revisions will result in a single new American job).

So it appears the day ended with strength restored to two longtime alliances that have recently been under strain. Seoul hopes it can look north confident in Washingtons steady backing, with no more trade hiccups. Beijing has reminded both Pyongyang and Washington of the extent of its influence over the choices available to the North.

And where does this leave Washington? Its South Korean ally expects a new peace process. Kim Jong-un has shown that he can stage surprises, upset diplomatic calculations, and be every bit as much of a disrupter as Trump. Washington is going to need new ideas, patience, and a steady hand. The U.S. is also going to have to get ready for the idea that the best it can get is not full, unconditional denuclearization, but something much more like the safeguards and inspections in the nuclear deal inked with Iran in 2015. Getting even that much from a country that has already gone nuclear  and where the U.S. doesnt have a coalition of negotiating partners  would require extraordinary skill from the U.S. team.

Back home, though, allies of incoming National Security Adviser John Bolton were talking about cleaning house at the National Security Counsel starting with Obama administration holdovers  a designation that would capture a number of knowledgeable Asia hands. And some Republican hawks are openly musing about the possibility of Secretary of Statedesignate Mike Pompeo withdrawing the nomination of Susan Thornton as the assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, though shes the only senior Asia expert even close to being confirmed. Better hope that train moves as slowly as Kim Jong-uns.
Integrated mobility management platforms and data monetisation key to future success, finds Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Telematics, e-commerce and 3D printing will form key foundations in the evolution of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) aftersales channel, with OEMs attempting to integrate all aftersales services into a single, digital platform. Frost & Sullivan expects global automotive aftermarket demand to increase by 4.4% during 2018, with a slowdown anticipated in some developed markets. Participants in the OEM aftermarket who embrace potential data monetisation opportunities that can be optimised by enhanced customer accessibility, widening B2B networks, and expanding product and service portfolios, will capitalise on current value-add opportunities and ensure future success.

"The development of applications to leverage data collection from on-road vehicles will open up opportunities for data monetisation with service providers aiming to deliver innovative predictive maintenance solutions around this trend," said Vasudevan Rajesh, Mobility Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018, identifies the size of the global automotive parts and services aftermarket and its growth opportunities in 2018. Analysis of vehicles in operation and replacement rates, industry trends, challenges, market size potential, the impact of Mega Trends, and major benchmarks are assessed across America, Europe, China, Latin America, and India.

For further information on this analysis, please click here.

Five ways to leverage growth opportunities in the global automotive aftermarket sector:

Develop localised offerings for repair and maintenance solutions in emerging high-growth markets; Adopt original equipment service channel engagement by developing e-retailing to boost online sales; Build innovative business models and solutions to leverage the potential of data monetisation; Invest in manufacturing newer replacement parts to tap into the popularity of alternate powertrain vehicles; and Manage global supply chains to maximise the incentives of globalisation.

"A slowdown in replacement demand in some developed markets, including the United States and Western Europe, will impact overall aftermarket growth," noted Rajesh. "This trend has forced the automotive aftermarket to look toward expanding in emerging markets like China, India and Eastern Europe."

Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018 is part of Frost & Sullivan's Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018

K248_18

Contact

Kristina Menzefricke

Corporate Communications  Frost & Sullivan, Europe

P: +44 (0)208 996 8589

E: [email protected]

http://www.frost.com

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

http://ww2.frost.com


BANGKOK, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan today honored more than 40 companies in Thailand at its annual Excellence Awards banquet, held at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel.

Top companies recognized at the awards banquet include Advanced Info Service PLC, BMW Group (Thailand) Ltd, JITTA, Philips Electronics (Thailand) Ltd and True Move H Universal Communication Co Ltd.

Mr. Koh Eng Lok, Country Head, Frost & Sullivan Thailand said that the Awards seek to recognize best practices and outstanding performance by Thai companies in the Automotive, Healthcare, Energy & Environment, Automation & Electronics and ICT sectors.

He added that the award recipients were identified based on in-depth research conducted by Frost & Sullivan analysts. The award categories offered each year are carefully reviewed and evaluated to reflect the current market landscape and include new emerging trends.

"We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of these truly innovative and well-deserving companies in Thailand whom have continually demonstrated outstanding leadership in their respective market segments," he said.

The shortlisted companies for the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Thailand Excellence Awards were evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy.

The short-listed companies for the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Thailand Excellence Awards were evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy.

Visit our awards website at http://frost-apac.com/thailandawards/ or connect with us via social media  Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin for the latest news and updates. We also invite you to join the conversation using #FrostAwards.

Frost & Sullivan congratulates all the recipients of the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Thailand Excellence Awards

Company Title aCommerce Co., Ltd. 2018 Thailand E-commerce Logistics Provider of the Year Advanced Info Service PLC 2018 Thailand Cloud Services Innovative Company of the Year Advanced Info Service PLC 2018 Thailand IoT Solutions Provider of the Year AP (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd 2018 Thailand Property Development Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award Asia Biogas (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 2018 Thailand Biogas Power Company of the Year Azbil (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 2018 Thailand Building Management System Company of the Year BCPG Public Company Limited 2018 Thailand Energy Sector Visionary Innovation Leadership Award Betagro Group 2018 Thailand Livestock and Food Technology Innovation Award BMW group (Thailand) Ltd. 2018 Thailand Luxury Car Brand of The Year Boon Rawd Brewery Co. Ltd 2018 Thailand Bottled Water Company of the Year CAT Telecom 2018 Thailand Smart City Service Provider of the Year CBRE (Thailand) Co. Ltd 2018 Thailand Facilities Management Competitive Strategy Innovation & Leadership Award Cellennium (Thailand) Company Limited 2018 Thailand Secondary Battery Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Chevalier Networks Solutions Thai Limited 2018 Thailand Contact Center System Integrator of the Year Cryoviva (Thailand) Co., Ltd 2018 Thailand Stem Cell Banking Growth Excellence Leadership Award Dimension Data (Thailand) Limited 2018 Thailand Enterprise Systems Integrator of the Year DP Cleantech (Thailand) Co. Ltd 2018 Thailand Biomass Power Competitive Strategy Innovation & Leadership Award Ford Thailand for Ford Ranger 2018 Thailand Pick-Up Model of The Year Fortinet 2018 Thailand Network Security Vendor of the Year Genesys 2018 Thailand Contact Center Applications Vendor of the Year Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for Honda CRV 2018 Thailand Car of The Year I-Secure 2018 Thailand Managed Security Services Provider of the Year Jitta 2018 Thailand Companies to Action (Wealth Management) JLL 2018 Thailand Facilities Management Growth Excellence Leadership Award JWD InfoLogistics Public Company Limited 2018 Thailand Logistics Service Provider of the Year Kiattana Transport Public Company Limited 2018 Thailand Chemicals and Dangerous Goods Logistics Service Provider of the Year MEDEZE 2018 Thailand Stem Cell Banking Company of the Year Mitsubishi Elevator (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 2018 Thailand Elevator Company of The Year Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Company Ltd. For Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2018 Thailand Value-for-Money Car of the Year MON Logistics Group Co., Ltd. 2018 Thailand Road Transportation Service Provider of the Year NEC Corporation (Thailand) Ltd 2018 Thailand Enterprise Voice Solution Provider of the Year One to One Contacts 2018 Thailand Outsourced Contact Center Service Provider of the Year PCS Security and Facilities Services Limited 2018 Thailand Facilities Management Company of the Year Peer Power Company Limited 2018 Thailand Companies to Action (Peer to Peer Financing) Philips Electronics (Thailand) Ltd. 2018 Thailand Lighting Company of the Year Polycom 2018 Thailand Enterprise Video Collaboration Solution Provider of the Year SCG Nichirei Logistics Co., Ltd. 2018 Thailand Emerging Cold Chain Logistics Service Provider of the Year Block MD by SmartContract (Thailand) Co., Ltd 2018 Thailand Health Information Exchange Technology Innovation Award Thai Summit Automotive Company 2018 Thailand Automotive Component of The Year Toyota Motor (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for Toyota Ativ 2018 Thailand Debut Car of The Year True Corporation PCL 2018 Thailand Telecom Service provider of the Year True IDC 2018 Thailand Data Centre Service Provider of the Year True IDC 2018 Thailand Cloud Service Provider of the Year True Move H Universal Communication Co Ltd 2018 Thailand Mobile Data Service Provider of the Year True Move H Universal Communication Co Ltd 2018 Thailand Mobile Service Provider of the Year WOG Technologies 2018 Thailand Water Infrastructure Growth Excellence Leadership Award

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact us: Start the discussion

Media Contact

Melissa Tan

Corporate Communications - Asia-Pacific

Phone: +65 6890 0926

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

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WORCESTER, Mass., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) will host its annual meeting of shareholders on Tuesday, May 15, at its headquarters, located at 440 Lincoln Street in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. local time, and also will be available via a live webcast through the company's website at www.hanover.com. Shareholders are encouraged to vote by submitting valid proxies in advance of the meeting or by attending the annual meeting and voting in person. For additional information about the voting process, the proposals under consideration and the annual meeting generally, please see the company's 2018 Proxy Statement.

Those who would like to listen should go to the website 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

The company's 2017 Annual Report and its 2018 Proxy Statement have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. They are available on the company's website at www.hanover.com/investors.

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. The company provides exceptional insurance solutions in a dynamic world. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, The Hanover offers standard and specialized insurance protection for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com .

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Related Links

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In addition to the official RTW collection launch, the brand is happy to announce the opening of its first online flagship, habitual.com - a hub for shopping, news and discovery. In addition to the women's collection, consumers will be able to shop HABITUAL Girl available in sizes 4-6 & 7-14, the girl's collection will retail from $24 - $78. The brand, owned and produced by The Mamiye Group, intends to quickly expand past these two categories and into additional licensees in the near future.

"The Mamiye Group is focused on thoughtful design and meeting the needs of our consumers. The catalyst for relaunching HABITUAL, a legacy denim brand, was based on white space in the market and a demand from our retail partners. We noted the need for attainable denim and ready-to-wear with high design. Each piece in the collection makes a strong statement singularly, but also works seamlessly together. Habitual and Habitual Girl are created for confident and cool women and girls." - Stephen Mamiye, President, Mamiye Contemporary Division

The HABITUAL fall collection will introduce inky blues, warm earth tones, rich pomegranate and a palette of dark moody colors. Design will play with masculine and feminine silhouettes incorporating the use of leather materials and the expansion of the line into knits and sweaters. The collection will be sharply priced with leather starting at $398 and cashmere starting at $238.

HABITUAL was established in 2001 as a better contemporary and denim brand. Since its inception, the brand has focused on clean lines and tailoring with feminine touches. The brand is currently owned and produced by The Mamiye Group in New York City. HABITUAL is comprised of women's and girl's collections and is sold at habitual.com, Nordstrom.com, shopbop.com, Liverpool (Mexico) and other fine boutique locations. Learn more at: https://habitual.com/

SOURCE HABITUAL

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MELVILLE, N.Y. and TOKYO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AIP Publishing and The Physical Society of Japan (JPS) are pleased to announce a new marketing and sales partnership for the Journal of the Physical Society of Japan (JPSJ).

To grow its global footprint and inspire continued evolution and growth, JPS is partnering with AIP Publishing for global marketing and sales activities. The society chose to partner with AIP Publishing because of its mission-led values, outstanding reputation, established partnerships, and extensive experience marketing and selling scientific journals into the global physical sciences market.

"We look forward to working with AIP Publishing," commented Hikaru Kawamura, President of JPS. "As a premier global publisher in physics, AIP Publishing offers us a great opportunity to expand the digital outreach of JPSJ and its engagement with new audiences around the world."

JPSJ is the leading physics journal in Japan and has been publishing important research results in all fields of physics from condensed matter physics to particle physics, since 1946. JPSJ is a natural fit with the AIP Publishing portfolio and will be included in the AIP Complete sales package. JPSJ is the flagship title of The Physical Society of Japan.

John Haynes, CEO of AIP Publishing, said, "It's a privilege to work with such an esteemed organization as The Physical Society of Japan. We're really excited about the opportunity to bring JPSJ to a global audience as AIP Publishing continues to connect physical science researchers around the world."

AIP Publishing will begin marketing and selling JPSJ in June 2018. More information will be communicated to customers in the coming months.

About AIP Publishing

AIP Publishing is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the American Institute of Physics (AIP). AIP Publishing's mission is to support the charitable, scientific and educational purposes of AIP through scholarly publishing activities in the fields of the physical and related sciences on its own behalf and on behalf of our publishing partners to help them proactively advance their missions.

About The Physical Society of Japan

Founded in 1877, The Physical Society of Japan is one of the oldest academic societies for natural sciences in Japan. JPS's esteemed membership has included 13 Nobel Laureates. With 17,000 members, JPS serves researchers, engineers, teachers and students, from within and outside Japan. JPS mission is to promote members' research activities through Annual Meetings and publications.

SOURCE AIP Publishing

Related Links

http://publishing.aip.org


ATLANTA, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Triad Advisors, LLC ("Triad" or "the Firm"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA) and a leading independent advisory and brokerage (IAB) firm supporting independent hybrid financial advisory practices and registered investment advisory (RIA) firms, today announced it has successfully facilitated the recruitment of Atlanta area advisor Chris Kohne to Sugarloaf Wealth Management, a Triad-affiliated hybrid RIA. Mr. Kohne brings approximately $100 million in client assets to Sugarloaf, driving the firm's total brokerage and advisory assets over $500 million.

Nathan Stibbs, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Triad, said, "Chris Kohne's decision to join Sugarloaf Wealth Management underscores the value Triad Advisors provides to hybrid RIAs across the country. We're focused on promoting the success of our entire advisor community, by both supporting the operations of our affiliated advisor businesses, and enhancing their growth efforts with advisor recruiting. Successful advisors today are seeking flexibility, robust technology and advisory platforms, seamless transition support and succession planning options that will enable them to move into the next stage of their lives with confidence. With our extensive experience in partnering with hybrid RIAs to help drive their long-term success, Triad Advisors is pleased to provide all these capabilities to Sugarloaf and all of the hybrid advisors we're privileged to serve."

Sugarloaf Wealth Management, which was formed in 1989, provides financial planning and investment services backed by strong risk management capabilities to mass affluent and high net worth clients, particularly retirees and clients nearing retirement. The firm is based in Duluth, Georgia  a suburb of Atlanta  and maintains a geographic focus on Atlanta and the surrounding areas.

With the addition of about $100 million in client assets that Mr. Kohne has brought to the firm, Sugarloaf now has more than $500 million in total brokerage and advisory assets. Including Mr. Kohne, Sugarloaf's team today encompasses six advisors.

Taylor S. Manry, Principal of Sugarloaf Wealth Management, said, "We're thrilled to welcome Chris Kohne to Sugarloaf Wealth Management and to the Triad platform. We've known Chris for many years, and have been very impressed with his commitment to top-flight client service over the course of his career, which spans over two decades. Sugarloaf's strong retirement planning capabilities and asset management strategies, as well as our extensive experience in income distribution planning and client education, will be a natural fit for Chris and his clients. We're thankful for the support and partnership of Triad, which provided invaluable strategic guidance and transition planning assistance to help bring Chris to our team."

Chris Kohne said, "Joining Sugarloaf Wealth Management and the Triad platform is an ideal step for me and my clients at this stage in my career. This move was compelling for me not only because I've known and respected the Sugarloaf team for many years, but also because of their strong fit with my practice and their relationship with Triad Advisors. Triad's flexibility, culture of personalized service and vast resources all frankly made my decision an easy one, and their excellent succession planning capabilities will be a key resource as I begin to think about life after my career. I am delighted to associate with Sugarloaf and with the Triad platform."

Manry concluded, "Today's announcement also marks an exciting start to Sugarloaf's expanded recruiting approach. In the year ahead, we will seek to partner with additional advisors who present a strong fit with our culture of superb service and our focus on supporting clients in the retiree and near-retiree segments. We will also seek to bring on advisors who will benefit from Triad's specialization in supporting hybrid RIA firms and its exceptional succession planning capabilities. We are very excited about the road ahead for Sugarloaf and for our clients."

About Triad Advisors

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Triad Advisors, LLC is a national, independent advisory and brokerage firm as well as a multi-custodial SEC-Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) that is an early pioneer and continued leader in the Hybrid RIA marketplace. The company provides a comprehensive platform of products, trading and technology systems, as well as customized wealth management solutions. Recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing independent firms in the industry (including being named the leading firm for Hybrid RIAs eight years in a row by Investment Advisor magazine), Triad Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA). For more information, please visit www.triad-advisors.com.

About Sugarloaf Wealth Management

Sugarloaf Wealth Management, based in Duluth, Georgia, provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management services to small business owners, corporate employees, physicians, veterinarians, pre-retirees, and retirees. The firm offers a team approach, which includes four Certified Financial PlannersTM (CFP) and an in-house partnership with a group of certified public accountants. Securities offered through Triad Advisors, LLC, Member FINRA / SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor.

About Ladenburg Thalmann

Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA) is a publicly-traded diversified financial services company based in Miami, Florida. Ladenburg's subsidiaries include industry-leading independent advisory and brokerage (IAB) firms Securities America, Triad Advisors, Securities Service Network, Investacorp and KMS Financial Services, as well as Premier Trust, Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Highland Capital Brokerage, a leading independent life insurance brokerage company, Ladenburg Thalmann Annuity Insurance Services, a full-service annuity processing and marketing company, and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an investment bank which has been a member of the New York Stock Exchange for over 135 years. The company is committed to investing in the growth of its subsidiaries while respecting and maintaining their individual business identities, cultures, and leadership. For more information, please visit www.ladenburg.com.

Media Contacts:

Chris Clemens / Michael Dugan

Haven Tower Group

424 652 6520 ext. 102 or 424 652 6520 ext. 106

[email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE Triad Advisors

Related Links

http://www.triad-advisors.com


DALLAS, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As Union Gospel Mission (UGM) Dallas prepares to celebrate Easter with those living within their shelters, there are so many themes within the Easter story that reflect what is taking place in the lives of those at UGM Dallas. The Easter story is one of redemption, new beginnings and hope. The men, women and children at UGM Dallas shelters have firsthand experience of what a new beginning can mean.

We would like to introduce you to Michael, Brittney, and Papa D. These intelligent, kind-hearted individuals came to UGM Dallas shelters looking for the basics: food, clothes and shelter. Theirs was a story of brokenness, hopelessness and loss. Yet, the team of volunteers, donors and UGM Dallas staff saw potential, hope and the opportunity for a new life in each one of them. After meeting their basic needs, the team was able to move beyond that by equipping them through a discipleship program that renews their spiritual faith. Next, job training skills were offered, and all three residents completed three courses from The TG Academy. TG Academy provides job skills training and free job placement for UGM Dallas residents. Lastly, with the help of sponsors and donors, residents will receive furniture for their apartments and transportation for their new jobs. These stories are just a few that represent the hundreds of individuals seeking the opportunity to transform and restore their lives every day.

After receiving job training, Michael was employed by The Container Store Distribution Center where he has become a model employee. During his first month of employment, he took a train and two buses to get to work. Every day he commented on how thankful and blessed he was to have a job with such a great company. Not only is Michael receiving great pay, but he has a full package of benefits for the first time in his life. He got his driver's license yesterday and was surprised with a nice used car donated by local community partners. Michael was overwhelmed with joy and says he wants to complete his discipleship program and pay it forward by helping others along the way. He said this Easter is one he will never forget. Click here for photo

Brittney, a single mom of a smart and talented 10-year-old, joined Off the Bone Barbeque this week after completing her job training courses. She is being mentored by women in her discipleship program at UGM Dallas' The Center of Hope. Also, her new employer, co-owner Ms. Rose, has taken her under her wing. Brittney said the number one thing she has received from the programs at UGM Dallas is regaining respect and dignity towards herself. She wants to be able to provide a stable home for her son and be a role model for him. Her Easter story is one of hope and perseverance. We all look forward to assisting her with her progress. Additionally, Tuesday was her birthday and she said getting her job was the best gift ever. Click here for photo

Papa D. is 63 years old and was a Dart bus driver for 27 years. He and his wife had a nice home and cars. His wife became ill and Papa D. had to leave his job to take care of her. As her illness worsened, they used all of their savings and had to sell their home to place her in a nursing home. Papa D. spent time with her every day and at night lived in his car. He flickered his car lights in her window each night so she would know he was near. After a few years of living in his car, he moved into the UGM Dallas Men's shelter, where he receives the basics plus the support and encouragement of staff and volunteers. He takes a bus every day to visit his wife, fix her hair and talk with her even though she can no longer speak. This week he received a new pair of glasses so he can start a job with Aramark at Baylor Hospital and continue to help others. He said his new glasses were the best Easter gift ever. Papa D. also put on a hot furry bunny suit last weekend so children could have free pictures taken with the Easter bunny. Click here for photo

As you see, homeless individuals are every day people just like us. Many of them have simply fallen on hard times, and yes, some have made mistakes. However, when you take the time to get to know them, you'll learn that what they really need is to feel like they matter. Together, you and I as a community can help transform lives and end homelessness one person at a time.

"These individuals are shining examples of the transformation that takes place when we dare to look at the potential within people, offer them hope and give them the skills necessary to start a new life," stated Bruce Butler, CEO of Union Gospel Mission Dallas. "At Union Gospel Mission Dallas, we are a faith based organization that believes everyone deserves a second chance and that begins by feeding the body, mind and spirit."

For more information about the Union Gospel Mission Dallas Disciple Program or to support with a donation, please visit www.ugmdallas.org.

Media Contact:

Margaret McKoin, The Time Group

[email protected]

817-403-0866

SOURCE Union Gospel Mission Dallas

Related Links

http://www.ugmdallas.org


BLUE BELL, Pa., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) finds that many retail banks are struggling to keep pace with digital transformation, in particular as it relates to enabling customers to bank conveniently across whatever channel they use, be it mobile, desktop, ATM or in-branch. Unisys conducted the online survey of 100 manager-level and above financial services industry practitioners in the U.S. and the U.K.

Only 17 percent of respondents rated themselves as "optimal" in the execution of their digital transformation strategy. Of those surveyed, more than half rated themselves as only beginning or in medial stages of digital transformation (19 percent and 32 percent, respectively). Similarly, only 16 percent of those surveyed rated their omnichannel strategy "optimal," meaning that most banking customers are still lacking a unified view of all transaction and customer data across every channel, including web, mobile, ATM and in-branch  inhibiting the overall customer experience.

"Most banks are actively seeking ways to re-invent themselves to better compete in today's digital environment," said Eric Crabtree, global head of Unisys Financial Services. "These organizations understand the need to go beyond traditional banking services, however, many are struggling to modernize in the face of archaic processes or legacy systems. Ultimately, an integrated, secure omnichannel platform is critical to enabling banks to deliver a seamless banking experience  a key differentiator, especially for smaller and mid-size banks."

Security and trust are frequently cited as the main reasons that consumers do not use digital channels to their fullest potential. In fact, security remains one of the top concerns facing the financial services industry; the recent Unisys Security Index found that more Americans are seriously concerned about identity theft and bankcard fraud than they are about their own personal safety. It is therefore sobering that only 21 percent of respondents in the survey indicated that their security strategy/implementation is "optimal."

"At Unisys, we believe that proper security and a good customer experience are not mutually exclusive. Today, banks can incorporate tools like behavioral biometric authentication, which can help verify transactions and users based on individual tendencies like typing speed  helping customers achieve their financial goals however they prefer to do so  securely," said Crabtree.

To read the full report, click here or visit http://www.unisys.com/retail-banking-revolution.

More than 500 financial institutions worldwide rely on Unisys solutions. Recently, Unisys launched Elevate, an end-to-end, digital banking software platform and suite of applications designed to help financial institutions deliver an instantly secure, omnichannel banking experience to their customers. For more information on Unisys' financial services capabilities, please visit http://www.unisys.com/industries/financial-services.

About Unisys

Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most digitally demanding businesses and governments on Earth. Unisys offerings include security software and services; digital transformation and workplace services; industry applications and services; and innovative software operating environments for high-intensity enterprise computing. For more information on how Unisys builds better outcomes securely for its clients across the Government, Financial Services and Commercial markets, visit www.unisys.com.

Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn.

RELEASE NO.: 0329/9576

Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder.

UIS-C

SOURCE Unisys Corporation

Related Links

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Value Colleges (www.valuecolleges.com), an independent online guide to the best values in undergraduate and graduate education, is pleased to share their Top 50 Best Value Health Informatics Master's Degrees at http://www.valuecolleges.com/rankings/top-health-informatics-masters/

While the healthcare sector has been one of the fastest-growing parts of the economy for quite some time, one field in particular--health informatics--is seeing tremendous growth. In the age of Big Data, the Affordable Care Act, and health insurance giants, record-keeping is at a premium, and healthcare practitioners who can handle computer technology effectively are in great demand. Whether it is a nurse earning a certificate to increase income, or an administrative professional learning a new skill, a health informatics degree is a great opportunity to enhance credentials. Value Colleges has taken a look at the nation's most successful health informatics programs to rank the Top 50 Best Value Health Informatics Master's Degrees, giving prospective students the full picture of what colleges and universities can deliver on their promises.

Value Colleges uses three data points to determine ranking:

Reputation (U.S. News ranking)

Cost (IPEDS public data)

ROI (College Scorecard salary potential)

Without further ado, the top three programs for 2018 are: 1) University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida; 2) Stanford University in Stanford, California; and 3) Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Value Colleges congratulates the top three, as well as all the top fifty!

The full list, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Adelphi University - Garden City, NY

Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ

Boston University - Boston, MA

Brandeis University - Waltham, MA

Chatham University - Pittsburgh, PA

College of St. Scholastica - Duluth, MN

Columbia University - New York, NY

Dakota State University - Madison, SD

Drexel University - Philadelphia, PA

Duke University - Durham, NC

Florida International University - Miami, FL

George Washington University - Washington, DC

Grand Canyon University - Phoenix, AZ

Jacksonville University - Jacksonville, FL

Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore, MD

Lipscomb University - Nashville, TN

Marshall University - Huntington, WV

Northwestern University - Evanston, IL

The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

Oregon Health & Science University - Portland, OR

Regis University - Denver, CO

Roberts Wesleyan College - Rochester, NY

Rutgers University - New Brunswick, NJ

Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia, PA

Stanford University - Stanford, CA

Stony Brook University (SUNY) - Stony Brook, NY

University of Alabama at Birmingham - Birmingham, AL

University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Little Rock, AR

University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL

University of Florida - Gainesville, FL

University of Illinois at Chicago - Chicago, IL

University of Kansas - Lawrence, KS

University of Maryland University College - Adelphi, MD

University of Miami - Coral Gables, FL

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI

University of Minnesota - Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN

University of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson, MS

University of Missouri - Columbia, MO

University of New England - Biddeford, ME

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC

University of San Diego - San Diego, CA

University of San Francisco - San Francisco, CA

University of Scranton - Scranton, PA

University of South Florida - Tampa, FL

University of Utah - Salt Lake City, UT

University of Washington - Seattle, WA

UT Health Sciences Center at Houston - Houston, TX

Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN

Walden University - Minneapolis, MN

Xavier University - Cincinnati, OH

Contact:

Carrie Sealey-Morris

Lead Editor, Value Colleges

[email protected]

512.710.9901

SOURCE Value Colleges

Related Links

http://www.valuecolleges.com


Remember self-deportation and his attacks on Rick Perrys compassion for Dreamers? Photo: Kim Raff/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mitt Romney has clearly decided he wants his coronation as a U.S. senator from Utah to proceed as smoothly as possible, without any conflict with the president of the United States or opposition from hard-core conservatives in his adopted state. The endorsement he received from Trump last month helps him on both fronts. But hes still being cautious, reassuring voters that hes not going to Washington as some sort of heretic (echoing assurances he kept making to conservatives during his two presidential runs).

But some eyebrows were raised at this Romney assertion on the campaign trail, as reported by Katie England:

U.S. Senate candidate Mitt Romney spent much of a question-and-answer session in Provo Monday describing his relationship with President Donald Trump if elected, as well as establishing his conservative credentials.

Romney went so far as to say hes more conservative on certain issues than President Trump.

For instance, Im a deficit hawk, Romney said. That makes me more conservative than a lot of Republicans and a lot of Democrats. Im also more of a hawk on immigration than even the president. My view was these DACA kids shouldnt all be allowed to stay in the country legally.

More of an immigration hawk than Mr. Border Wall himself?

Well, Romney may be exaggerating a bit by describing Trumps position as embracing a path to citizenship for the kids once (and at least temporarily now) protected by DACA; the president is offering that only in exchange for all sorts of nativist goodies that immigration advocates (and their Democratic allies) may never accept.

But for those with short memories, its incontrovertible that Mitt Romney was a big-time immigration hawk as a presidential candidate.

This didnt just start in 2012. In 2008, when he had some success marketing himself as the movement conservative candidate, he ran this ad which sounds a bit like you-know-who:

But in 2012, Romney really kicked out the jams as the tough-on-immigration candidate. Aside from repeatedly opposing amnesty for the undocumented and repeatedly touting Arizonas show your papers law as a national model, Mitt famously endorsed a strategy of self-deportation for immigrants, which basically meant making their lives so miserable through various forms of harassment that theyd leave the country at their own expense.

As for Dreamers, Romney went after his most dangerous primary rival, Rick Perry, with a claw hammer for the Texas governors sponsorship of a state version of the DREAM Act; this simultaneously damaged Perry (who didnt handle the attacks very well) and added to Mitts conservative street cred.

By the time Romney won the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, he clearly understood he had probably overplayed the nativist hand. There were reports for a good while that he was planning a late-campaign embrace of legislation offering limited and temporary protection for Dreamers being prepared by Senator Marco Rubio that some called DREAM Act Lite. But the Romney pivot was preempted and ruined by Barack Obamas June 2012 DACA initiative, which to some extent may have been designed to do just that. So in appealing to Latino voters, Republicans were stuck with the candidate they had.

This is all important background for the much-discussed fact that Trump did marginally better than Romney among Latino voters. Is that really a testament to Trumps weird appeal, or more a reflection of how poorly Mitt presented himself to Latinos?

In any event, Romney has some genuine reason to boast of being as reactionary as Trump on immigration policy, if not actually more of a hawk than the president. In a long career of flipping and flopping on various issues, Romneys in fact been consistently bad on this subject for quite some time.
"We are excited to have Vusa join our team. He will play an important leadership role as we pivot our strategy to growth and improvement. His addition will help prepare our organization for growth through acquisitions. Vusa's diverse career experience is an excellent fit for this new role and we believe his personality and work ethic are consistent with our new values and the high-performance culture we are creating. We look forward to his leadership as we welcome him to SPX FLOW," said Marc Michael, President and CEO.

Vusa joins SPX FLOW from Ingersoll Rand where he spent the last 12 years in a variety of roles including corporate development, product management and treasury. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Zimbabwe and an MBA from Howard University.

About SPX FLOW, Inc.:

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, SPX FLOW, Inc. (NYSE: FLOW) innovates with customers to help feed and enhance the world by designing, delivering and servicing high value solutions at the heart of growing and sustaining our diverse communities. The company's product offering is concentrated in rotating, actuating and hydraulic technologies, as well as automated process systems, into food and beverage, industrial and power and energy markets. SPX FLOW has approximately $2 billion in annual revenues with operations in more than 30 countries and sales in more than 150 countries. To learn more about SPX FLOW, please visit www.spxflow.com.

Investor and Media Contact:

Ryan Taylor, VP, Communications and Investor Relations

Phone: 704-752-4486

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE SPX FLOW, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.spxflow.com


TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Webcom Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire York Bookbinders, a 34-year-old business specializing in hardcover book bindery services. The deal is expected to close on April 27, 2018.

The acquisition adds to the $30 million of Webcom's digital book manufacturing investments and reconfirms its commitment to meet the growing publisher demand for unique casebinding capabilities. This is Webcom's second major expansion of its casebinding services in 2018, following the recent investment in digital casebinding systems from GP2 Technologies.

"The integration of York Bookbinders into Webcom's Toronto manufacturing facility significantly improves Webcom's capacity to support book publishers with cost-competitive, responsive service for hardcover books in quantities ranging from book of one to thousands of copies," said Mike Collinge, President and CEO of Webcom. "This acquisition will augment Webcom's current POD, ASR, digital inkjet and softcover production capabilities supporting Canadian and global book publishers with an efficient, full-service North American book manufacturing and distribution hub."

New capabilities allow Webcom to meet the high-quality standards for NASTA-compliant educational titles, library bookbinding and a wide range of elaborate casebound book formats. The addition of York Bookbinders' skilled hardcover book operators, customer base and modern binding equipment aligns with Webcom's goal of full-service manufacturing support of global and mid-size publisher needs.

"York Bookbinders' current customer base of Canadian trade printers, brokers and agencies mirrors Webcom's Coatings Canada division customer base", said Collinge. "It is an opportunity to improve our competitiveness and create compelling product offerings for our trade customers by combining coating finishing and bindery services".

The management of both companies is developing a 6-month transition plan to consolidate equipment and operations at the Webcom's plant, which is located in Toronto.

About Webcom

Webcom is a leading Canadian book manufacturer that has been serving global and independent publishers for over 40 years. With a long history of technology leadership, Webcom offers innovative print solutions to address the challenges of high inventory and production costs. Print solutions are integrated through automated workflow technology and leading-edge digital inkjet web presses, conventional offset presses and the latest bindery systems. www.webcomlink.com

Media Contact:

Iryna Paziuk, Brand Manager

Phone: 416.496.1000 Ext 393

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Webcom Inc
TAMPA, Fla., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WebsiteClosers.com, the world's largest technology and internet business brokerage, along with its sister company, ValleyBiggs, a Middle Market Tech & Internet M&A firm, jointly announce the sale of Baetea LLC. Baetea, and its sister brand, Baebody, is a Teatox and Skincare Consumer Products company based in Michigan.

Baetea is a health and lifestyle company with a desire to promote an active, healthy and balanced lifestyle. Baetea Teatox is a delicious blend of traditional organic herbs that aids in digestion. It is Amazon's Choice for Teatox solutions and has become one of the largest Teatox companies on the Amazon.com platform.

In addition to Baetea, the company also owns the Baebody brand, a beauty and lifestyle brand with a desire to promote a natural, healthy and beautiful lifestyle. All products are made with natural ingredients and organic infusions. Baebody is a leading Skincare retailer on the Amazon Platform, including Retinol Moisturizers, Body Scrubs and Eye Gels.

Baetea was purchased by New World Natural Brands, LLC ("NWNB"). NWNB is a St. Louis-based holding company owned by EFR, Inc., C3 Capital Partners, and a group of private investors. NWNB is a rapidly growing holding company investing in beauty and personal care companies. Ed Ryan serves as Chairman of NWNB and Jim Watt serves as Chief Operating Officer.

Speaking about the acquisition, Mr. Watt stated, "We want to thank the M&A team at WebsiteClosers for helping us with this transaction. We also want to thank the ownership of Baetea for developing such a strong company and helping to transition operations to our team. Together we will achieve great things."

Media Contact:

Jason Guerrettaz

Executive Director

800-251-1559

[email protected]

ABOUT WEBSITECLOSERS

As the world's largest website, technology and internet business brokerage, WebsiteClosers.com is dedicated to providing M&A services to a wide range of clients across the globe, including Technology, Software, Internet, Website and other Digital companies. In partnership with its sister company, ValleyBiggs, the combined companies represents the largest number of Tech & Internet companies in the world, both in the SMB and Middle Markets.

WebsiteClosers.com is an affiliate portfolio company of United Commerce Group, Inc.

SOURCE WebsiteClosers.com

Related Links

https://www.websiteclosers.com/


CHICAGO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WHI Real Estate Partners L.P. ("WHIREP") announced today the final closing of WHI Real Estate Partners IV, L.P. ("WHIREP IV" or the "Fund") with $285 million of capital commitments, and an affiliated co-investment partnership with $17 million of capital commitments, exceeding the Fund's $250 million target.

WHIREP expects to invest the Fund in a broad range of office, industrial, residential, hotel, retail and other properties throughout the United States, continuing the opportunistic investment program of WHIREP's predecessor funds.

WHIREP IV received capital commitments from a diverse group of institutional investors, including university endowments, foundations, corporate pension plans, family offices and others.

WHIREP anticipates that the Fund will acquire real estate assets with an aggregate cost of $750 - $850 million. WHIREP IV has already consummated seven investments, and currently owns controlling interests in office, industrial and residential properties throughout the U.S. aggregating approximately 2.6 million square feet.

Park Hill Group, an affiliate of PJT Partners Inc., served as exclusive placement agent to the Fund. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as counsel to the general partner in connection with the offering of interests in the Fund.

About WHI Real Estate Partners

WHI Real Estate Partners L.P. is an opportunistic investment firm that specializes in repositioning middle-market real estate assets throughout the United States, through a series of private, institutional investment funds. WHIREP currently manages assets of approximately $850 million for a select group of endowments, foundations, corporate pension plans, family offices and others.

This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that are based on WHIREP's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "scheduled," "estimates," variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to projections of revenues, earnings, returns, etc. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve numerous risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in this Press Release due to a variety of factors. All of the interests in the Fund having been sold, this Press Release has been issued as a matter of record only, and does not constitute an offering of any security, or as a solicitation of an offer to acquire any security.

SOURCE WHI Real Estate Partners L.P.

Related Links

http://www.whirep.com


ANNVILLE, Pa., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), an official partner in the Department of Defense's Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, reminded Pennsylvanians that today is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a time to remember the heroism, bravery and sacrifices of Vietnam-era veterans and their families.

The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 permanently designates that every year March 29 will be celebrated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. It was on March 29, 1973, when combat and combat support units withdrew from South Vietnam.

"In honor of all of the men and women who served in our nation's armed forces throughout history, Pennsylvania is proud to join in the national commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War," Governor Tom Wolf wrote in a proclamation to the DMVA commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam War Month in March and Day, March 29.

"Today, and every day, our Vietnam veterans should receive the recognition they earned and deserve," said Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania's adjutant general and head of the DMVA. "They are true American heroes who we can't thank enough for the sacrifices they made on our behalf.

"In the spirit of American patriotism, it is important that we let all of our veterans and their families know how much we appreciate what they have done for our country. We should shake the hand of veterans when we see them in the community, take time to learn about their service and thank them. They are a great part of American history."



Carrelli added that National Vietnam War Veterans Day is also a good time to draw attention to the national Vietnam War Wall of Faces program.



For the past few years, the DMVA has partnered with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) in Washington, D.C., to find a photo of every Pennsylvanian whose name appears on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall  commonly referred to as The Wall. The VVMF is posting the photos on a virtual Wall of Faces in order to put a face and a story to every name, allowing these Vietnam veterans to be honored by family, friends and others from around the world.



"As time passes, it is crucial that we do not let the memory of our fallen Vietnam War heroes fade," said Carrelli. "By putting a face with the name of every Pennsylvanian listed on The Wall, we can more easily remember those who sacrificed greatly while defending our freedom and help to keep their legacy alive."



Though great progress has been made to find all 3,151 photos of service members from Pennsylvania whose names are on The Wall, there are still 34 missing. The DMVA continues to search feverishly for the remaining photos, but help from the community is needed.

A complete list of Pennsylvania Vietnam Veterans whose photos are still needed can be found by going to www.veterans.pa.gov, and clicking on Wall of Faces. Instructions on how to submit a photo can be found at http://www.vvmf.org/how-to-submit.

To view the virtual Wall of Faces, go to www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces.

Read Governor Wolf's proclamation commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam War Month and Day at Proclamation.

MEDIA CONTACT: Joseph Butera, 717-861-2178.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Related Links

http://www.dmva.state.pa.us


STAMFORD, Conn. and LUCCA, Italy, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Report focuses on PM products and solutions in the DACH region; Positioning is based on portfolio capabilities and market execution

CCH Tagetik, part of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting and a leader in global performance management software solutions, today announced that it is ranked as a market leader in financial performance management by BARC, a CXP Company.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/492891/Tagetik_Logo.jpg )



A research and consulting firm focused on enterprise software, BARC evaluated 13 vendor portfolios prevalent in the DACH region for the report. Criteria included product capabilities, architecture, sales and marketing strategy, customer feedback, and financial performance. CCH Tagetik is one of only four vendors to be ranked as a market leader.

The report's overall description of CCH Tagetik called out the following strengths:

Its integrated solution for all aspects of financial planning, including balance sheets, P&L reporting, and liquidity.

CPM functionality for financial consolidation, risk management, and disclosure management.

Comprehensive, pre-defined business rules for financial corporate management and selected operational plans.

Web-based workflow management with transparent status monitoring.

User-friendly Excel add-in and web-based forms for data entry.

"We are delighted to be recognized as a leading solution for the German speaking market," said Andreas Drescher, managing director, CCH Tagetik DACH. "Over recent years, we've gained significant traction in the D-A-CH market, thanks to the robust functionality of our CPM solution and the success we've had in helping companies meet rigorous new compliance requirements or to optimize their planning- or consolidation processes."

"To be named a market leader is a significant accomplishment," said Dr. Christian Fuchs, head of BARC's Analytics and Data Management Practice. "In today's business environment, PM must provide transparency into all financial processes. It also must go beyond analysis and reporting on the past and anticipate future developments and explore how they may impact an organization's business goals."

To download a copy of the report, "BARC Financial Performance Management DACH", click here.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).

CCH Tagetik a part of the Tax and Accounting division, provide solutions to CFOS for Corporate Performance Management.

For more information about our solutions and organization, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Media Contacts:

Greta Bartoli

CCH Tagetik

+39-058396811 office

[email protected]

Linda Galloway

insidHR Communications

+1-303-863-8620 office

+1-203-733-7446 mobile

[email protected]

SOURCE CCH Tagetik
ZUG, Switzerland, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Zap.org, a platform that empowers smart contracts with data, has partnered with Stox, an open source, Ethereum-based prediction market platform, to provide real-world data about events listed on Stox's prediction market. The data will be delivered to the blockchain to allow the smart contracts operating behind the scenes of the Stox platform to read and use that data.

Zap's oracles will provide trusted, reliable, and quality reporting of events followed by customers of the Stox prediction market. By adding Zap oracles, the Stox prediction market becomes fully decentralized. The usage of Zap's oracle data in a prominent blockchain platform such as Stox, will instill trust in the developers considering using the Zap platform. Showcasing such prominent customers, data providers will be incentivized to list data on the Zap marketplace to reach key customers.

"Decentralization is valued by blockchain users because it is seen as a form of data protection, and it is a major selling point for blockchain platforms," said Yossi Peretz, CEO of Stox. "Our blockchain-based prediction market proves how a prediction market can work with an oracle marketplace to not only bring real world data onto the blockchain, but to allow developers and speculators to arrive at a consensus about future events, as well."

Zap offers developers a way to find the data they need to build their smart contracts/Dapps from a wide range of sources, mitigating the risks involved with trusting a single source for data. Although centralized "web 1.0" prediction markets exist, decentralized blockchain-based alternatives will prove to be superior.

"We believe the decentralized nature of a blockchain-based platform helps safeguard data using a cryptographic, consensus-based system. Blockchain-based prediction market platforms like Stox are distinct because they aim for a high level of decentralization," said Nick Spanos, co-founder and Team Leader of Zap. "The usage of Zap oracles in a mainstream Ethereum platform, like Stox, will give other developers the confidence they need to trust the Zap platform and use data/oracles they find on our marketplace. This is merely the first step to empower people to disrupt the enterprise corporations and banks that have historically stifled innovation."

The Zap Project is solving one of the biggest challenges in the blockchain industry  the need for oracles that can provide smart contracts with access to off-chain data. The partnership highlights the importance of decentralization protecting strong data for smart contracts.

About ZAP

ZAP is an ethereum-based ERC-20 token powering an oracle marketplace for smart contracts. The platform's mission is to foster the creation of a standardized and self-sustained platform-agnostic smart contract data layer enhanced by the world's best open marketplace for oracles, dramatically lowering barriers to entry into the multi-billion dollar alternative data industry and the smart contract ecosystem. The Zap project is managed and directed by the Synapse Foundation, whose mission is to oversee development, increase community engagement, and sponsor participation within the Zap ecosystem.

Find out more information at Zap.org.

About Stox

Stox is an open source, Ethereum based prediction market platform, where users can make their predictions to generate their portion of a stake for a specified event.

Using the wisdom of the crowd, combined with their own individual skills and knowledge, people will be able to predict the outcome of events in almost any imaginable category: Finance, sports, politics and even the weather. Powering Stox is the STX digital token, the primary form for fees, collateral, and the currency for wagers in event predictions.

Stox is designed, first and foremost, as a practical framework for the mainstream prediction market. Find more information at www.stox.com.

Media Contact: Gabriella Velez, [email protected], 212-334-9753 x137

SOURCE ZAP
Democracy dies in darkness. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Facebook and Google are loosely regulated, privately owned entities that collectively distribute information to  and collect information about  billions of people on a daily basis. There is no precedent in human history for the kind of power that they enjoy. And both have a known record of exercising that power in deceitful, destructive ways. They have (collectively) conspired to suppress wages for workers in their sector; violated their users privacy rights; abetted censorship in authoritarian nations; contributed to a genocide in Myanmar; and aggressively avoided paying taxes to the government that funded the basic research and infrastructure on which their private empires were built.

Nevertheless, top executives at both of these companies believe that they have been subjected to an unfair amount of adversarial coverage in (what remains of) the traditional media. In their view, journalists do not monitor their activities so zealously  or analyze their actions so skeptically  out of concern for keeping them accountable to their users and the broader public, but rather, out of bitter jealousy.

And a journalist at Axios, Scott Rosenberg, wants them to know that theyre absolutely right.

Facebook and Google execs privately complain about the barrage of critical coverage they face, charging that media companies have a financial incentive to attack them and that media execs are settling scores. Theyre right.

Be smart: Outrage over Facebooks misuse of user data and failure to rein in election fraud is real. But the zeal that media outlets bring to their Facebook coverage is personal, too. Its turbocharged because journalists, individually and collectively, blame Facebook  along with other tech giants, like Google, and the internet itself  for seducing their readers, impoverishing their employers, and killing off their jobs.

 In the 90s, media stalwarts complained that Craigslist and eBay had stolen their classified business by posting ads for free  but paper classifieds were doomed the moment the web browser became popular.

In the 2000s, publishers lashed out at Googles hammerlock on search, while they couldnt even get search to work right on their own sites.

Incumbent media companies could have built and owned the digital advertising business themselves but they didnt move fast and smart enough and worried too much about cannibalizing their existing revenue from print and airwave ads.

One piece of this analysis is indisputably true: Journalists (and their employers) have been adversely impacted by the rise of these tech giants, and are thus, acutely aware of the less benign aspects of their power. It is plausible that this experience has led some outlets to cover Facebook and Google more adversarially than they might have otherwise.

But its also plausible that the immense power that Facebook and Google have amassed leads other outlets to cover them less adversarially than they should. For example, a newly hired tech editor at a digital-first publication that specializes in providing intimate access into the thoughts of the powerful (to readers who prefer their news in flash-card form) might write a beat-sweetener piece informing Facebook and Google executives that they are right to see themselves as victims of the Fourth Estates professional jealousy.

It is true that many legacy-media outlets did a lackluster job of adapting to the internet revolution (present company excluded). And its true that this made it easier for tech platforms to eat their industrys lunch. Rosenberg does a fine job of establishing a motive for score-settling journalism. But where is the crime? It would be one thing if Axios presented a litany of libelous errors that journalists had made in the course of covering Silicon Valley with a vengeance. But if this alleged resentment isnt producing misinformation, then what is the point of insinuating that critical coverage of Facebook is rooted in personal grievance? Who is served by such unsubstantiated insinuations?

These questions point to the more fundamental flaw in Rosenbergs analysis  its failure to grapple with journalisms civic functions and responsibilities. Lets stipulate that reporters resent Facebook and Google for what theyve done to the news business. Why should we assume that such resentment is rooted in personal concerns, rather than democratic ones?

Silicon Valley giants have outperformed newspapers in the business of matching advertisers to eyeballs, while also (at least, in Googles case) radically expanding the accessibility of information in a manner thats delivered immense benefits to the public (not least, that portion of the public that reports for a living). But they could not provide the latter service if it werent for journalistic enterprises  because Facebook and Google have not outperformed traditional media at its core function of news-gathering; theyve just slurped up the revenue streams that sustained such work.

Between 2004 and 2016, Googles revenue (the vast majority of which comes from advertising) swelled from $3.2 billion to $89.5 billion. Over that same period, the amount that local businesses invested in print newspaper ads dropped from $44.4 billion to $12.9 billion. Meanwhile, Facebook diverted more than $1 billion in advertising away from print outlets in 2016 alone, according to an analysis from Poynter.

This creative destruction didnt just hurt journalists, but also the publics that they serve. In 2014, there were 35 percent fewer full-time newspaper reporters covering state capitals in the U.S than there were in 2003. This decline was powered by the mass death of local and regional papers. And the civic consequences of that extinction event have been immediate and profound. Multiple studies have shown that when a city loses its local paper, residents become less knowledgeable about  and active in  local politics. One of the leading researchers on this phenomenon, Lee Shaker of Portland State University, explained its consequences to Wired last year:

You can kind of see this cascading series of consequences, Shaker says. Heres the scenario, as he describes it: If people dont get local news, they dont know whats going on in their community. If they dont know whats going on in their community, they dont get involved in their community. If theyre not involved in their community, and others arent involved in their community, their government may not actually function very well. If people arent involved at the local level, and they dont know whats going on, and the governments not performing at the local level, they start to lose trust. And when they start to lose trust, they start to have concerns about whether or not democracy is working, whether the government is working. And those feelings are naturally then extended to the national government.

This state of affairs works quite well for Americas would-be plutocrats (including those who maintain homes in Silicon Valley). Print journalisms crisis of profitability has left many papers reliant on the largesse of billionaires  and, in some cases, muzzled by their ideological whims. Meanwhile, the dearth of reporting on state governments has made it easier for monied interests to bend public policy to their will.

But the disruption of legacy media has worked rather poorly for anyone who believes that our nation should be governed democratically by a well-informed public (or, at least, by one that has been given the opportunity to be well-informed). The fact that Facebook and Google have devastated the news business is not a reason to view stories that portray their power as a threat to the public good with skepticism; it is a reason to view their power as a threat to the public good.
GUEST OBSERVER

State-owned power networks have spent up to A$20 billion more than was needed on the electricity grid, and households and businesses in New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania are paying for it in sky-high power bills.

A new Grattan Institute report, Down to the Wire, shows that electricity customers in these states would be paying A$100-A$400 less each year if the overspend had not happened.

The problem is that state governments, worried about blackouts and growing demand for electricity, encouraged the networks to spend more in the mid-2000s. But the networks overdid it, and now consumers are paying for a grid that is underused, overvalued, or both.

Why we built too much

The grid includes high-voltage transmission lines that carry electricity over large distances, as well as low-voltage poles and wires that connect to homes and businesses. Networks are built to cope with those times of highest demand for electricity. Yet the growth in the value of network assets has far exceeded growth in customer numbers, total demand, or even peak demand.

Demand for electricity did grow rapidly in the early 2000s, but since then it has slowed substantially as more and more households have installed solar panels, and appliances have become more energy efficient. Networks may have overbuilt because they expected that demand would continue to grow.

Yet the overbuilding has occurred almost exclusively in the public networks. Why would government ownership lead to such high costs?

There are two main reasons. First, investment in electricity networks boosts state government revenues because public networks pay a fee to the state to neutralise their lower borrowing costs (as well as the dividend they pay to the state as the owner). Second, a government-owned business might come under political pressure to prioritise goals such as reliability or job creation over cost.

Of course governments worry about reliability  they cop the blame if anything goes wrong. In 2005, the NSW and Queensland governments required their network businesses to build excessive back-up infrastructure to protect against even the most unlikely events. Reliability did improve a bit in some networks, but at significant cost: on average, customers got an extra 45 minutes of electricity a year at a cost of A$270 each.

State governments should take responsibility

Successive state governments in NSW, Queensland and Tasmania are responsible for overinvesting in their networks and, in NSW and Queensland, for setting reliability standards too high.

State governments cant turn back the clock but they can still fix the mistakes of the past. And they should, because if they dont, consumers will be paying for decades to come.

Households and businesses that can afford to buy solar panels and batteries will reduce their reliance on the grid. Meanwhile, those left behind  including the most vulnerable Australians  will be stuck with the burden of paying for the grid.

In Down to the Wire we recommend that where network businesses are still in government hands, the government should write down the value of the assets. This would mean governments forgoing future revenue in favour of lower electricity bills. For recently privatised businesses in NSW, a write-down could create more issues than it solves, so in those cases the state government should refund consumers the difference through a rebate.

At a time when governments are concerned about energy affordability, NSW, Queensland and Tasmania have a real opportunity to do something about it. They should seize it.

How to prevent this happening again

There will always be pressure to spend more. At the moment, concerns about South Australias reliability could very well lead to further investment in network infrastructure.

Policymakers must also deal with the risk that, in future, parts of the network may no longer be needed. The grid may need to be reconfigured as new technologies emerge, some communities go off-grid, and new energy sources arise in new locations.

For now, consumers bear this risk: they are locked into paying for assets Whether or not they are needed. In future, the risk should be shared between consumers and businesses; this would encourage businesses to avoid overbuilding in the first place and instead consider alternative solutions.

With the focus on reliability right now, governments are at risk of repeating mistakes of the past. The truth is that Australia already has a very reliable grid.

On average across the National Electricity Market, consumers experience less than two-and-a-half hours in unplanned outages per year. Reducing that by a few minutes of supply each year is very expensive. Politicians typically value reliability more than consumers, but ultimately it is consumers who foot the bill.

State governments now have an opportunity to reset the clock  to pay off the mistakes of the past and let consumers guide choices about our future grid.

Kate Griffiths, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
President Bill Clinton and author James Patterson will launch their book tour for their upcoming book, The President is Missing, at BookCon 2018. Clinton and Patterson will be on site for a book signing, as well as a panel on the main stage on Sunday, June 3.

BookCon will be the co-authors' first appearance together as they kick off their national book tour. Both events are open exclusively to BookCon ticketholders, and the book signing will require a separately purchased ticket.

The President is Missing marks the first time a U.S. president has collaborated with a novelist on a work of fiction. The book will be co-published by Alfred A. Knopf and Little, Brown, marking a collaboration between two major publishing houses, Penguin Random House and Hachette Book Group. The book will be released in stores on June 4.

"President Clinton and James Patterson have written one of the most buzzed about books of the year and we are thrilled to welcome them to BookCon for a once in a lifetime experience for their fans, Brien McDonald, BookCon event director, said in a statement.
ODON, Ind.  Special Actions Technology Group (SATG) could drive innovation in southern Indiana with its relocation to Purdue@WestGate and involvement in Purdue Universitys Institute for Global Security and Defense Innovation.

SATG is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small business composed of retired special operations personnel, scientists, engineers and defense acquisition and requirement experts.

Special Actions Technology Group will be a key asset at Purdue@WestGate in order to bridge the gap between leading-edge technology and Department of Defense needs, said Mike Dodd, the managing director for the Institute of Global Security and Defense Innovation. Combined with our cross-cutting research capabilities and Purdues core competences in STEM, SATG brings a wealth of knowledge that will put the latest tech in the hands of our warfighters.

Michael Cooper, founder and chief executive officer, established SATG in 2009 as a consulting firm to assist industry in mapping technical strengths to technical requirement gaps of special operations forces, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and across government.

National security requires agile and rapid development of advanced technologies to defeat emerging threats both overseas and within our borders, Cooper said. To counter these dangers, we will work directly with Naval Surface Warfare Center Craneand WestGate will provide us the necessary environment to fill this critical need.

Cooper has 22 years of service in United States Army Special Forces and more than 30 years of tactical, operational and strategic knowledge in United States Special Operations Command. SATG is the newest member of the co-working space at WestGate Academy, the Lock & Key. SATG has a second location in Ft. Myers, Florida.

About Purdue@WestGate

Purdue@WestGate is an economic development accelerator formed by the partnership between WestGate Authority, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation. The Indiana-based collaboration combines strengths to advance educational, research and development and technology commercialization across Indiana and elsewhere. Purdue@WestGate offers tools for startups, entrepreneurial experts, programs, educational opportunities and workforce development to help southern Indiana businesses grow and thrive. For more information about the resources available to businesses, visit Purdue@WestGate.###

Writer: Sarah K. Miller, 812-863-2756, skmiller@prf.org

Sources: Mike Dodd, 212-729-6959, doddm@purdue.edu

Michael Cooper, 813-283-8821, mcooper@satgllc.com
The U.S. military killed Musa Abu Dawud, a high-ranking al Qaeda leader in Libya, in an airstrike last weekend. The strike took place in the southwestern corner of Libya which borders Algerian, Niger, and Chad.

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced today that Dawud and another jihadist were killed in the March 24 airstrike in the southwestern town of Ubari (also known as Awbari).

Now that operational reporting and the battle damage assessment is fully complete, the command is able to confirm the death of Dawud, AFRICOM reported.

Dawud was an established jihadist who had been in the fight for at least three decades. The U.S. State Department formally added Dawud its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorist in May 2016, and noted that he began engaging in terrorist activity as early as 1992. He rose in the ranks of Algerias jihadist movement and became a senior leader in the Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), which merged with al Qaeda in 2007 and renamed itself al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

He was appointed commander of the southern zone for AQIM in 2012, and was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks in Algeria and Tunisia, according to State. Dawud was also in charge of the training and recruitment of new members for AQIM according to State and in Feb. 2013 he was put in charge of a mission in Tunisia tasked with recruiting and training new members from across North Africa on the use of weapons.

Dawuds role provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack U.S. and Western interests in the region, as per AFRICOM.

U.S. strikes against jihadists in Libya

The strike that killed Dawud is the second of its kind conducted in Libya in 2018, according to USAF Major Karl Wiest of AFIRCOM Media Relations. The date and location of the second strike, which was conducted against the Islamic State, is unknown. Last year, the United States targeted the Islamic State in Libya 12 times, according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal.

The United States conducted a record 497 strikes in Libya in 2016, nearly all of which supported a Libyan operation to dislodge the Islamic State from the coastal city of Sirte. Since the end of that operation, strikes have moved steadily southward. In Nov. 2017, the U.S. forces conducted two separate strikes in Fuqaha, approximately 500 km south of Sirte.

The strike against Dawud is the southernmost strike in Libya so far.

The United States will not relent in its mission to degrade, disrupt, and destroy terrorist organizations and bring stability to the region. We are committed to maintaining pressure on the terror network and preventing terrorists from establishing safe haven, added Major Wiest.

While nearly all of the strikes in Libya have targeted the Islamic State, the U.S. has launched at least one other against al Qaeda. In June 2015, U.S. warplanes targeted a meeting that was held by Ansar al Sharia Libya, an al Qaeda front group. While press reports claimed that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a veteran jihadist and top leader in AQIM, was killed, AQIM and its Al Murabitoon affiliate (which is led by Belmokhtar), denied the reports. Ansar al Sharia announced that several of its members were killed.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Alexandra Gutowski is a military affairs analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

This article appeared originally at FDD's Long War Journal.
A new normal is evident in the South China Sea disputes.

Last week, Philippine Secretary of Defense Delfin Lorenzana revealed that China continues to exchange radio challenges and responses with Philippine aircraft patrols and resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea. With Manila keen to avoid diplomatic tussles over Chinas development of artificial islands, this routine play of words masks the underlying modus vivendi that accommodates Chinas permanent presence and strategic dominance in areas claimed by Manila.

Phillipines President Rodrigo Duterte himself openly described Chinas artificial islands as military bases, but he insists they are directed only at the US, not the Philippines. In the meantime, the artificial islands provide protective cover to Chinas continued exploitation of resources in the Philippine economic exclusion zone. This notwithstanding the Philippines spectacular success in delegitimising Chinas resource claims through international arbitration.

Going against most previous Philippine administrations, Duterte accepted Chinas offer of joint development of South China Sea resources. He recently announced that the two countries will prudently and steadily advance cooperation on joint exploration of offshore petroleum resources. Since 2016, the Philippines has turned away from publicly asserting its exclusive maritime rights to instead pursue economic cooperation.

Manila hopes that it will be handsomely rewarded by this trade-off. Relations between the two claimants have improved greatly, with the Philippines actively soliciting Chinese financial investments and infrastructure assistance sorely needed to fuel economic growth. Even in the face of external defence and security demands, the Philippines administration does not want risk such rewards.

Dutertes celebrated severance from the US and preference for a security alliance with China and Russia, however, has so far fizzled out. Neither of the two major powers appear to be as interested in actively and directly challenging the existing network of military relationships in the region.

To the security sector, there is much less doubt about Manilas true security partners. In the conflict in Marawi City last year instigated by the ISIS-inspired Abu Sayyaf and the Maute Clan, the PhilippinesUS security alliance quietly reactivated at the outbreak of hostilities. The US provided vital battlefield reconnaissance, intelligence, advice, and logistics support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines that helped it improvise and adapt quickly to defeat the terrorist groups. This resulted in relatively few civilian casualties despite the massive collateral damage.

Australia also played a supporting role in the conflict, providing technical assistance and deploying surveillance aircraft. Dutertes repeated compliments paid to China for providing the sniper rifle that killed the last remaining Maute and Abu Sayyaf leaders seem trivial and apocryphal when compared with the support the Philippines received from long-time treaty allies.

Two events of the past fortnight exemplify the disjointed nature of Manilas current policies in the South China Sea.

First, the Armed Forces of the Philippines received six ScanEagle drones from the US, which modestly augment the formers assets for surveillance, maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance/disaster response, and counterterrorism. These capabilities would be especially useful in the West Philippine Sea and Southern Philippine regions. This asset transfer, the latest in a series of unbroken assistance since the previous administration, initially gave the impression that the PhilippineUS alliance remains firm.

But then followed a speech by Duterte. He declared the Philippines would never be involved in any US-led wars or expeditions unless it is directly threatened, apparently signalling non-involvement in, or no support for, any possible future military actions of any scale between its treaty ally and North Korea. Duterte thus took a very public swipe at the PhilippineUS relationship, which obviously weakens it as a tool for or against geopolitical leverage and calls the Philippines commitment to the alliance into question.

Considering its timing and geopolitical context, particularly the continuing challenges of Chinas maritime dominance in the West Philippine Sea and the slow-burning crisis on the Korean Peninsula, Dutertes statement seems to run counter to that expected of like-minded, coordinated allies.

These contrasting events exemplify unresolved fissures in Philippine external security policy  the gap between the Phillipines accommodation of China and its alienation of and distancing from the US. Although the stated objective has been to bring the Philippines towards a neutral, independent, non-aligned position (a friend to all, enemy to none), the latest actions and statements indicate that there are still problems with coming up with a unified, principled, and consistent approach to achieving that objective.

As a result, standing alliance cooperation activities and projects seem to be more transactional, improvisational, and opportunistic in nature. Official actions at the operational level appear starkly disconnected from official positions and statements at the policy level.

Even if, as demonstrated in Marawi, operationally the partnership remains strong and resilient, actions at the leadership level contribute to continuing uncertainty about future Philippine behaviour and follow-through on security treaty commitments.

Unfortunately, if these disjointed actions continue they may translate into perceptions of the Phillippines as an unreliabile or unworthy alliance partner, and over time give cause to sunder the alliance itself.

Jay L. Batongbacal is an associate professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law and director of the universitys Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea. He teaches courses on Property, Obligations & Contracts, and Law of the Sea and Natural Resources. Professor Batongbacal was a member of the technical team that prepared and defended the Philippines' claim to a continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the Benham Rise Region.

This article appeared originally at Lowy Institute's the interpreter.
It started 40 years ago when, optimistically ending decades of mutual estrangement, the United States and China agreed to something once unthinkable: A few students from communist China would come to the capitalist-imperialist United States to attend universities.

The clear aim of Deng Xiaoping, Chinas leader, was for his country to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to realize his ambitious plan for economic growth and technological modernization.

But American officials had a not-so-secret ulterior motive too: Their expectation was that by studying in America, Chinese students, future leaders of their country, would become a powerful force for democratic political change in China.

Worlds apart: Students in Beijing watch a 2016 U.S. presidential debate.

It is increasingly obvious that things havent worked out that way, as China has veered toward authoritarianism under Communist Party Secretary Xi Jinping.

This is the case even though the program begun in 1978 has exploded into what surely must be one of history's largest transfers of education and knowledge from one country to another. There are now more than 350,000 Chinese students studying at American colleges; hundreds of thousands of others have gotten their degrees and returned home. More than one-third of all foreign students in the U.S. are from China.

This has been good in many ways, not least in the hundreds of millions of dollars in tuition fees that Chinese students have paid into the coffers of American higher education, adding to at least the look of diversity on elite American campuses. For its part, China has gotten what Deng wanted, a great deal of the knowledge that, in a great historical irony, has helped it to become a potent strategic rival to the United States.

But the American hope that hundreds of thousands of American-educated Chinese students would be a force for political change in their native land?

That has not happened, a junior psychology major from Beijing at Columbia University told me, expressing a commonly held view.

We come here out of our individual interests, he said. Our families want us to be here, and we want to be here. So what we get from our American education is for our own use. We're going to go back to China to find jobs for ourselves.

Other students said similar things explaining their reasons for concentrating on their studies and not thinking much about the political situation back home. But there are other reasons.

One is that many Chinese students are actually quite proud of their country's achievements and do not see themselves as pro-democracy dissidents. Another is that their encounter with American life does not always make them think that the U.S. is a model for China. Third, even for those students who favor political change in China, the harsh and sure penalties for advocating it are powerful disincentives against speaking out.

In the view of some, these students remain quiescent because China's system of surveillance and social control extends all the way to American classrooms and dormitories. As one China expert, who preferred not to be identified, put it: As soon as there are two Chinese students, they tend to stay quiet, because you never know who the spook is.

The result, briefly put, is that while China has gotten what it wanted from the American knowledge industry, the United States has not, at least not in its 40-year-old aim to serve as a sort of political inspiration for a westernized Chinese elite.

You don't see the scales falling from people's eyes, said Andrew Nathan, a Columbia University professor of political science who has had numerous Chinese students in his classroom. You see people who are learning and exploring, but they're not changing fundamentally.

This does not mean that studying in the United States has no effect on the outlooks of Chinese students, or that some of them don't acquire ideas that might at some time in the future promote democratic change. It is not difficult to find students bothered by China's authoritarian turn, including Xi's recent abolition of term limits, and who appreciate the opportunity they have in the United States to read books and discuss ideas that would be banned in China.

Xi Jinping: a course in authoritarianism.

At Columbia, for example, about 30 Chinese students are taking a course on Contemporary Chinese Politics, being taught in Chinese by a well-known dissident, Zhang Boshu, who would almost surely be imprisoned were he to go back to China.

I have changed my views, a grad student taking that course told me. She spoke of understanding her own country's past in a more truthful way than would be allowed back home. Many of my friends, the people around me feel the way I do, she said.

But she also said that they are a minority. Most students don't think much about bringing about a more democratic China, in part because they don't think things are so bad at home, and in part because they see little hope -- in the context of China's surveillance state -- of bringing about meaningful change.



Most people feel, 'What can you do?' the student said. And if you can do nothing, you just do what you can for your own life.

Everybody lives in their own small world, another graduate student said. They're well educated. They have decent jobs. They're tech managers at big companies like Alibaba or at big international firms. So they feel they're doing well.

There are few large-sample studies of the attitudes of Chinese students, but those that have been done indicate what might seem to be a paradoxical result. A large number of Chinese feel more positive about the United States after they've been in the country for a while. But they also feel more positive about China, more patriotic and proud of the country's accomplishments.

One study, involving 960 Chinese students at Big Ten universities, was done in 2016 by the Center on Religion and Chinese Society at Purdue University. The survey found that 43 percent of the students believe that China's current political system was the most suitable system for their nation; 27 percent disagreed and 30 percent were neutral on the question. Asked to evaluate this statement, Democracy may have problems but it's better than any other form of government, 37 percent agreed, 28 disagreed, and 35 percent were neutral.

Of course, there are many different kinds of Chinese students. Some are princelings from the families of Chinas communist power elite. Some are Chinese diplomats who will use what they learn  including English and lessons about how the rest of the world works  as they help to advance China's global interests. There are technocrats clearly loyal to the regime. The newly appointed head of China's central bank, for example, is Yi Gang, who got his PhD from the University of Illinois and taught economics at Indiana University for eight years. A leading member of China's all-powerful Politburo, Liu He, has a master's in public administration from Harvard.

In 1985, Xi Jinping himself, a mid-level provincial official at the time, spent two weeks on an agricultural fact-finding mission in Iowa. His daughter went to Harvard, though nobody seems to know exactly what she did, or learned, there. In any case, these experiences have not stopped Xi from essentially banning Western values in China.

The large majority of China's students are private people, paying tuition out of their families' pockets and, like most American students, getting their educations to get ahead. They might admire American-style freedom of speech, and they might even want more freedom in China, but that doesn't turn them into opponents of their own government.

China is where the future is, the psychology major said. Some things are uncertain, but I still want to go back.

The students, like everybody from China, are also well aware of the harsh treatment imposed by their nation's security police on anyone brave or foolhardy enough to publicly promote the idea of a multiparty democracy for China. That was essentially the crime of China's most famous dissident, Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died in a Chinese prison last year.

If I didn't go to school here, I wouldn't appreciate the importance of freedom of expression, one Chinese student told me. Like other students from his country, he expressed concern with Xi's aggrandizement of power. But on the bright side, he said, it's going to help China with political stability. China needs a powerful central government.

What Chinese students in the United States feel, in other words, seems similar to what the new and large middle class in China itself feels about the government. It's a mixture of pride and fearpride in the country's achievements, a feeling that the government has done a good job, and fear of the consequences of dissent.

A 2015 survey of 140 Chinese students by Foreign Policy magazine found a result similar to that of the Purdue study. Chinese students say that their experience in America is transformative, as the magazine summed it up. It has made them more open-minded, less doctrinaire, more appreciative of Western freedoms, many respondents said. But these same respondents nonetheless remained generally supportive of their government's policies back home.

Chinese high-speed rail: fast track from pluralism.

And, after all, why not? Chinese students like freedom of speech, but living in the United States also makes them familiar with the problems of democracy  the political gridlock, the sensationalist press, what often looks to them like the wastefulness and the unseemliness of the ongoing political contest. They've also compared America's crumbling infrastructure, its rumbling, often-late trains and subways, with the efficient, brand new high-speed transportation networks that have been built in China, and in their eyes, this makes China look better than it did to them before they arrived in the United States. Several respondents in the Foreign Policy survey cited among the lessons learned in America that no country is perfect, no country is without problems, and neither China nor the United States is different in that respect.

And, not surprisingly, China's rise to great power status evokes patriotic pride in many Chinese, including those studying abroad.



They see that things are pretty good, Nathan said. They see their country becoming the greatest power in the world.

Subtly or not, the Chinese government tries to see to it that such attitudes prevail. It is reported to support to a network of 150 or so Chinese Scholars and Students Associations around the United States that remind students that they will be noticed if they visibly step out of line. Last year, Chinese students at the University of California-San Diego vociferously protested an invitation to the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan whom China regards as a splittist, or secessionist, to speak at the university commencement. The CSSA, according to press reports, spurred the protest. More generally, the New York Times reported, the CSSAs have worked in tandem with Beijing to promote a pro-Chinese agenda and tamp down anti-Chinese speech on western campuses.

And certainly China's government puts out plenty of signals that it expects students abroad, as the boilerplate puts it, to always follow the party. Two years ago, the Chinese Ministry of Education called on officials to ensure that students abroad become a positive patriotic energy and to build a multidimensional contact network linking home and abroad.

An investigation of the CSSAs by Foreign Policy magazine revealed that they generally receive funding from the Chinese Embassy or consulates in the U.S., and that many of them acknowledge being under the guidance or leadership of the government.



Some experts say that worries about the CSSAs are overblown. My impression is that CSSA's are mainly about picking up new students from airports, maintaining a list serve with housing and moving sale information, and organizing (often lackluster) holiday events, Haifeng Huang, a political scientist at the University of California-Merced, who has researched Chinese students, said in an email message. I'm not aware of CSSA surveillance of students. Nor did any of the students interviewed for this article know of any surveillance, or express any worries that they are being monitored. They tended to see the CSSA in innocuous terms and not as an important part of their lives.

Still, if Chinese students are mounting officially approved protests against the Dalai Lama, what Chinese student wouldn't feel pressure to keep quiet if they have different opinions? It would seem almost self-evident, given the harshness of political repression in China, that Chinese students in this country would be wary of openly criticizing the Communist Party, if they felt an inclination to do so.

Your parents will tell you, 'Don't put any dissenting views on social media platforms, one student at Columbia told me. I only talk to people with similar points of view or backgrounds.

Should the student exchange with China be seen in the same way that trade is rapidly coming to be seen  as part of an unbalanced relationship in which China has gained while the United States has lost? Certainly, the Trump administration has identified China as a major economic rival that has gotten much more out of its relationship with the U.S. than the U.S. has gotten, though the issue of the students does not seem to have drawn particular attention. One reason may be the financial benefit to the universities that these students provide, though there may be a downside to that reliance. China does not hesitate to apply economic pressure against countries and companies that take positions or actions that Beijing opposes  like inviting the Dalai Lama to speak at a commencement.

A Chinese student prepares for graduation.

In fact, UC-San Diego did not, despite the CSSA-led protests, cancel the speech. But there was a clear message to other institutions in the incident: that China could cut off the flow of students and therefore the money to any school that might invite the Dalai Lama in the future, or that undertake other activities that the Chinese Communist Party opposes. Even in the absence of clear evidence that pressures are actually being applied, some American faculty certainly worry that their economic dependence on China leaves them vulnerable to that possibility.

Still, to meet the bright, hard-working, reasonable and engaging students from China who are present at just about every American institution of higher learning is to want to welcome them and to hope that they continue to come. China is complicated. Given the tightness of controls over the media, the internet, and the education system, it is impossible to know how strong the underground yearning for political change might be.

Twenty-nine years ago that hidden yearning burst into the open in the student-led pro-democracy protests at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Inside China today, all information about that event, and especially its bloody suppression by China's army, is strictly prohibited.

But in the United States, Chinese students can, and do, acquire the knowledge forbidden to them at home, and in the long run, that can't be a bad thing.
The road to winning  or retaining -- the House majority likely runs through competitive districts in California, and the top-two jungle primary in June is causing headaches for Republicans and Democrats, who see its potential to tilt the playing field.

In the Golden State, the top two primary vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party. And in several targeted Republican House districts, Democrats have enough viable candidates to risk fracturing the vote and allowing two Republicans to advance to the general election, losing any opportunity to flip critical seats.

At the same time, however, some Republicans concede they are unlikely to field a candidate for U.S. Senate and are in danger of missing the gubernatorial general election ballot as well, which would leave both races at the top of the ballot entirely Democratic, thus potentially diminishing Republican voter turnout in the fall.

The open primary giveth and the open primary taketh from Republicans, said Bill Whalen, a fellow at the Hoover Institution and former top aide to GOP Gov. Pete Wilson. It potentially can give Republicans three seats back they might otherwise lose, but it might also cost Republicans at the top of the ticket.

For Democrats, the possibility of being left out of certain races is worrisome. They are targeting seven districts Hillary Clinton carried in 2016 that are represented by Republicans, and flipping some of them is critical to their overall strategy of regaining a majority for the first time in nearly a decade. If they get shut out of the ballot in November, competitive races fall entirely off the map.

For Republicans, however, the issue is not one of major urgency, but rather an open question with some degree of uncertainty, both in terms of whether they will field a candidate and what the consequences are if they dont. The Senate race is likely to feature longtime Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and progressive Democratic challenger Kevin de Leon. In the governors race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a significant lead in the polls, but two Republicans, businessman John Cox and state Assemblyman Travis Allen, are in a tight race with Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for second place in the crowded field.

Jim Brulte, the states Republican chairman, said he is absolutely confident the party will have a candidate for governor in the general election. He cited a recent poll from the Public Policy Institute of California showing Newsom leading the field with 28 percent of the vote, and Cox in second place with 14 percent. Close behind, however, were Villaraigosa with 12 percent and Allen with 10. Nearly a quarter of voters remained undecided, leaving the race for second place relatively wide open.

A poll from SurveyUSA this week showed Villaraigosa leading Cox by three percentage points. Jason Cabel Roe, a California-based Republican strategist, likened it to a 50-50 chance Republicans would have a candidate on the ballot in November.

If were not competitive at the top of the ticket and Republican voters dont turn out to vote in those races, that could tip the balance in some seats down ballot, he said.

Other Republicans, however, are far less concerned. Fred Whitaker, chairman of the Republican Party in Orange County, home to four critical House races, said he didnt think anything would be lost if Republicans were shut out in the top statewide contests. He argued Republicans won those four seats in 2016 despite no tailwind from the top of the ticket because two Democrats faced off in the Senate race and Donald Trump invested no time or money for organization and turnout efforts in a state he ultimately lost by 30 points.

Matt Rexroad, a Republican strategist in the state, said he didnt think Republicans would get shut out of the two-candidate governors race, but added he didnt think it would be a major problem for House races if they did. He argued that a Republican taking on Newsom likely wouldnt be competitive and therefore wouldnt create a tailwind for fellow party candidates. Conversely, Rexroad said a Democrat-on-Democrat race could be helpful because at least one of them would likely reach out to Republicans voters to try to build a stronger coalition.

Whitaker, Rexroad and other GOP strategists also pointed to efforts to adopt a ballot initiative blocking an increase of the gas tax, signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last year, and said it would be the biggest driver of Republican turnout. Both GOP candidates for governor have pushed for the ballot initiative.

Whether theyre on the [fall] ballot or not, the measure to repeal the gas tax will be on the ballot, Whitaker said. That will motivate our voters to get out to vote.

The congressional delegation has led the effort to put repeal of the gas tax on the ballot for that very reason -- they believe that will drive turnout, Brulte, the California party chairman, added.

Last month saw two positive developments for Republicans: Former GOP Rep. Doug Ose dropped out of the gubernatorial race, leaving just two Republican candidates, whereas former Hillary Clinton aide Amanda Renteria entered the fray, giving Democrats five candidates. Wayne Johnson, a GOP strategist working with Cox, expressed confidence in their position at this stage. He argued that with five Democrats in the primary and Newsom holding a significant lead, it would be difficult for a second Democrat to win enough support to top the leading Republican vote-getter.

Its crucial to the House races, Johnson said. Without someone on the top of the ticket, a Republican, it makes it very difficult to generate the kind of voter turnout that you need to help in the down-ballot races.

On the Democratic side, there is a sense of urgency to thin the field and also work to increase turnout for the June 5 primary. Though several candidates dropped out of multiple races before the ballots were set earlier this month, large fields of Democratic candidates remain for a number of House contests.

In GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabachers district, for example, there are eight Democrats on the ballot, raising the possibility that the incumbent and a Republican challenger could split the vote, leaving a fractured Democratic field behind. In a seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ed Royce, two candidates recently dropped out, but six Democrats are on the ballot, including three who have been successful fundraisers and have major national and local endorsements; there are also seven Republicans running, creating a highly volatile mix.

In the open district of retiring Rep. Darrell Issa, which he won by just over 1,600 votes in 2016, there are four Democratic candidates, all of whom are relatively well funded and considered viable, leaving open the possibility of vote fracturing there as well.

National Democrats are watching the races carefully, and are expected to weigh in at some point ahead of the primary to help elevate whomever they view as the strongest candidates. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has not become involved yet, but has made clear its willingness to do so.

Grassroots activists have put these races into play, and they deserve to have a Democrat on the ballot this November, said DCCC spokesman Drew Godinich, adding that all options are on the table in terms of investment.

One Democratic strategist working on races in California said candidates are hunkered down ahead of the filing deadline, awaiting first-quarter fundraising numbers at the end of this month. The strategist said those numbers would indicate which candidates would have the most to spend on advertising in final two months of the primary, and could also be a key benchmark for their viability in the general election.

You have to spend a lot of money to get people to recognize who you are, the strategist said.

Flip the 49th, a grassroots super PAC aimed directly at helping a Democrat win that district, is also investing heavily in boosting primary turnout in hopes of not being shut out in the fall. In an email to supporters last week, activist Cipriano Vargas said that expanding our voter turnout pool in the primary would help ensure a Democrat makes the general election. The group has volunteers knocking on doors each weekend and phone-banking two nights a week, and hopes to contact 132,000 voters before primary day. At their recent meeting, members suggested creating literature explaining the jungle primary system to voters.

All we can really do is try to expand the pie of democratic turnout, said Terra Lawson-Remer, one of the organizations leaders. If we dont expand the pie, we run a real risk of no Dem going beyond the primary. But if we expand the pie, we think we can make it through.
In this series of articles running through July, RealClearPolitics and RealClearDefense take an in-depth look at the intersection of cybersecurity, technology, and warfare in the 21st century.

Nearly four decades ago, Ronald Reagan ran for president vowing to upgrade U.S. armed forces on land, sea, and in the air. Thirty-five years ago this month, even as he made good on his campaign promises to the military, President Reagan proposed his Strategic Defense Initiative, which introduced the idea of extending American war-making ability to a fourth domain: outer space.

Although critics of the proposed missile shield immediately dubbed it Star Wars after the blockbuster movie, which filled theaters before SDI had even been envisioned, the advanced weapons systems the United States already possessed were run by what was then considered space-age technology -- computers. But as Reagan would soon learn to his surprise (after watching another Hollywood movie, WarGames), the only computer network that is truly secure is the one that no one can use.

What this suggested, even then, was that cyberspace is much more than a means of enhancing the weaponry of the four domains of war. It also constituted its own potential field of battle. Now that Americas erstwhile adversaries in Moscow have once again placed themselves in opposition to Western-style democracy in general, and the U.S. in particular, Russia has given form to this new dimension: cyberattack, warfares fifth domain.

How to confront that threat  and to protect the nation from other cyberattacks originating from many sources against innumerable American targets, public and private  has become one of the defining foreign policy challenges of Donald J. Trumps presidency.

Who Fired First?

At the Abyss, the 2004 memoir by former Reagan administration National Security Council official Thomas C. Reed, painted a picture of futuristic war. Except that in Reeds telling, the event happened in the past  in 1982. Using what was referred to as a logic bomb, the CIA seemingly launched the first incursion -- what wed now call a cyberattack -- against the Soviet Union.

This attack took the form of a CIA digital incursion into the Soviet computer network controlling a Siberian gas line. The result was said to be a catastrophic explosion resembling a nuclear mushroom cloud when seen via satellite. There are reasons to doubt this ever happened. For one thing, at a time of thawing in Russian-American relations, the former KGB official in charge of the region denied it. In addition, it seems doubtful that Soviet pipelines in that region were run digitally at the time. But there are two aspects to the story that are instructive. First, it showed how early in the Digital Age intelligence services were envisioning computer networks as a technology that could be sabotaged and even used as offensive weapons against their hosts.

Whether such a cyberattack occurred or not, infiltrating Soviet systems seems to have been part of an concerted interagency effort within the U.S. government. An initiative that included the CIA, the FBI, and the Department of Defense was described in a document known in defense circles as The Farewell Dossier. Here is an excerpt from that document:

"contrived computer chips [would make] their way into Soviet military equipment, flawed turbines were installed on a gas pipeline, and defective plans disrupted the output of chemical plants and a tractor factory. The Pentagon introduced misleading information pertinent to stealth aircraft, space defense, and tactical aircraft. The Soviet Space Shuttle was a rejected NASA design. When [CIA chief William] Casey told President Reagan of the undertaking, the latter was enthusiastic. In time, the project proved to be a model of interagency cooperation, with the FBI handling domestic requirements and CIA responsible for overseas operations. The program had great success, and it was never detected."

Whether this took place or was merely wishful thinking, the legend of the logic bomb demonstrated an organized and concerted theory into how cyberwarfare might be waged. Nonetheless, it was not until 2011 that the Pentagon would declare the Internet a Domain of Warfare, following the first-ever plan for cyberspace and after the establishment of U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) in 2010, nearly 30 years after the alleged 1982 incursion.

Also lost in the intervening years between The Farewell Dossier and the acknowledgment of cyber as a domain of warfare is the level of cooperation it envisioned at U.S. federal agencies, which drifted apart and no longer coordinated efforts in ways that would help address the exploding cyberthreats of today. Instead, the CIA reverted to identifying and mitigating large threats, DoD focused on purely operational security, and the FBI for the most part resumed its traditional law enforcement role.

In response to evolving cyber crime, the bureau established the FBI Computer Investigations and Infrastructure Threat Assessment Center (CITAC) in 1996. During testimony before Congress, Michael Vatis, deputy assistant director and chief of the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC), stated that CITAC:

should not merely provide warnings of imminent or ongoing attacks, but should also provide the focal point for coordinating the government's operational efforts to deter, contain, investigate, and respond to attacks on the nation's critical infrastructures. Such an entity should also provide a principal mechanism for sharing threat and vulnerability information between the government and the private sector.

Vatis warnings soon rang true in the form of the Solar Sunrise attack in 1998. Taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the DoDs Solaris (UNIX-based) computer system, hackers exploited the vulnerability by entering malicious code to examine and extract data from DoD sites around the world. So successful was the attack that it led the DoD to refer to it as the most organized and systematic attack to date. The perpetrators, however, were high school students from California, with an 18-year-old mentor from Israel.

The most widely recognized known example of cyberwarfare was Stuxnet, the American-Israeli project to dismantle Irans nuclear program, which propelled cyberwarfare into public consciousness. Possibly the most sophisticated cyber weapon ever deployed, Stuxnet apparently delayed the Iranian nuclear project for years, and also led to Iranian claims that the deaths of several scientists resulted from cyber-related explosions.

Whether that happened or not, what is known is that Iranians did not passively accept this sabotage. Nor did the Russians.

It was a senior researcher for Russias Kaspersky Lab, Roel Schouwenberg, whose work led to the discovery of Stuxnet. He reverse-engineered the worm to learn that this was a complex attack that must have taken a team of at least 10 two to three years to perfect, if not longer.

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The significance of Schouwenbergs work was revealed last year when the U.S. governments leading cybersecurity agency, the National Security Agency, fell victim to apparent Russian hackers. The NSAs top hacking team, Tailored Access Operations (TAO), became the subject of one of the worst security debacles ever to befall American intelligence. The apparent carelessness of an NSA employee, who took classified material home, allowed Kaspersky Lab and the so-called Shadow Brokers to skillfully utilize privileged information in launching attacks into the CIA and NSA; that carelessness is also believed to have led to the WannaCry ransomware worm as well as the NotPetya malware.

Enter the 2016 presidential campaign and the resulting chaos following Donald Trumps unlikely path to the White House. While much of the current drama centers on the narrative that Russia facilitated Trumps precarious election, it appears that Russias objective, at least initially, was not aiding Trump but simply faciliating turmoil. Its a form of Information Age warfare in the fifth domain with deep roots in age-old Soviet doctrine.

The big question now is what the Trump administration does about it.

This is the dilemma facing the administration and tasked to the Department of Homeland Security. The Information Sharing Act of 2015 and the Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP) and the National Cyber Incident Response Plan (NCIRP) are all meant to address the gamut of critical cyber vulnerabilities. But have these initiatives led to greater security and response capabilities?

"U.S. federal, state and local government agencies rank in last place in cyber security when compared against 17 major private industries." SecurityScorecard

A report by the start-up SecurityScorecard in 2016 revealed that U.S. federal, state and local government agencies rank in last place in cyber security when compared against 17 major private industries, including transportation, retail and healthcare.

The Government Accountability Office stated in 2017 that cyber-based intrusions and attacks on federal systems and systems supporting our nation's critical infrastructure, such as communications and financial services, are evolving and becoming more sophisticated. GAO first designated information security as a government-wide high-risk area in 1997. This was expanded to include the protection of cyber-critical infrastructure in 2003 and protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information in 2015.

As threats increase, the U.S. government falls further behind. Reporting in 2016, the GAO said that the number of reported cyber incidents across the federal government increased by an astounding 1,300 percent from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2015.

In response, the Trump administration has upped spending from that of the Obama administration to a proposed $3.3 billion in the fiscal 2019 budget. However, the GAO again points out in another 2017 report that the U.S. government has largely failed to address increased threats due to ineffective implementation of information security policies and practices.

Will Trumps efforts work? That remains to be seen, and the crux of the matter is that information security is considered a secondary or tertiary mission, often overridden by current operations. As Michael Vatis suggested in 1996, the success of the nations efforts will hinge on the governments ability to coordinate civilian and private-sector cooperation in the name of national security.

The popular public discourse of the moment revolves around the security of the 2018 midterm elections. During a February Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sen. Claire McCaskill asked Adm. Michael Rogers, director of the NSA and the U.S. Cyber Command, if the U.S. could keep the Russians from interfering. Rogers said yes, but he also said that the U.S. wasnt doing enough and that he had never been given any speci fic direction to take additional steps outside my [normal] authority. I have taken steps with my authority.

The Trump administration, however, claims that efforts to deter Russian meddling in U.S. elections are undercut by confusion over military authority to combat adversaries in cyberspace.
The campus and city news desks have compiled a list of events going on throughout the upcoming week that are open to Athenians and University 
Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Welcome to Reading Lists, comprehensive book guides from the Strategist designed to make you an expert (or at least a fascinating dinner-party companion) in hyperspecific or newsworthy topics. Up first: a selection of books about North Korea, recommended by researchers, professors, authors, and public-policy scholars.

For our North Korean primer, we consulted a knowledgeable group that includes Barbara Demick, author of National Book Critics Circle finalist Nothing to Envy; Jonathan Cheng, the Seoul bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal; John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at Harvards Belfer Center for international affairs; Jieun Baek, author of North Koreas Hidden Revolution; Darcie Draudt, Ph.D. student in political science at Johns Hopkins; Bruce Cumings, a historian of East Asia and a professor at the University of Chicago; Isaac Stone Fish, senior fellow at the Asia Societys Center on U.S.-China Relations; and Suki Kim, author of Without You, There Is No Us.

Each of these experts sent us a list of books, from their favorite defector memoirs to the most thorough overviews of the Kim dynasty. The titles ultimately included on this list were recommended by at least two experts. One notable absence: novels written by authors currently living in North Korea. Over email, Meredith Shaw, a Ph.D. candidate at USC, explained the gap thusly: The novels produced by the Party are intended as internal propaganda, and as such are naturally not translated into English. The list that follows is a literary portrait of North Korea, told instead through hard-nosed reporting and some remarkable memories.

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea $18 now 28% off $13 Every single person I spoke to said that to learn about North Korea, pick up Nothing to Envy by Los Angeles Times journalist Barbara Demick. Its a part-novelization of interviews with over 100 refugees from Chongjin, North Korea. Demick covers the famine of the 1990s, the route the main characters took to Seoul, and the effects of the 2009 currency reform. Demick researched this book while serving as the L.A. Times Beijing bureau chief, and she would travel up to the North Korea border region to talk to people living there illicitly from North Korea, Darcie Draudt says. The book tells a very empathetic and relatable account that talks about regular needs of people who happen to live in North Korea, and includes even a love story. Adds Jonathan Cheng: This title tops many North Korea reading lists for a reason. Demick paints a vivid portrait of life, told through the eyes of the people who lived it. $13 at Amazon Buy $13 at Amazon Buy

The Real North Korea: Life and Politics in the Failed Stalinist Utopia $19 Andrei Lankov, a Russian scholar who lived as an exchange student in North Korea in the 1980s, published this history text in 2013. Its a crowded topic  a search of history of North Korea books turns up some 54 million results on Google  but nearly every expert, author, and professor I spoke with cited it as their favorite expert-yet-readable background of the nation. This book is by far the most comprehensive backgrounder on North Korea, by one of the most knowledgeable scholars of this country, Jieun Baek said. It begins after World War II and at the regimes start in 1948, and carries through to the present, and argues that the nations survival against all odds demonstrates that its leaders are not irrational, but rather brilliantly calculating. $19 at Amazon Buy $19 at Amazon Buy

Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty $33 now 48% off $17 Understanding North Korea means understanding the three generations of Kims, a lineage referred to in North Korea as the Mount Paektu Bloodline. According to Demick and Bruce Cumings, a historian of East Asia, no one explains the family better than Bradley Martin, in this 900-page book. This big, fat book is a very accessible account of what makes North Korea tick, Cumings says. Its one of the first books I would read if I wanted to learn about North Korea and didnt have much of a base of knowledge. This encyclopedic book could have benefited from an exacting editor, says Cheng, but it does a good job of reflecting decades of travel to the North and tea-leaf-reading on its leaders by a longtime Korea hand. $17 at Amazon Buy $17 at Amazon Buy

The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag $17 A spate of memoirs have been published by North Korean defectors in recent years; experts tend to believe that many of them are (at least somewhat) sensationalized accounts. Most everyone I spoke to agreed that Aquariums of Pyongyang, written by Kang Chol-hwan, who was imprisoned in the Yodok concentration camp for ten years as a child, represents the best of the genre. Aquariums came out way before all of the many, many others, says Suki Kim, author of another book on this list (see below). It is by far the most believable of all of them. And the author, who ultimately became a reporter in South Korea, is a true intellectual, who is able to speak about his experience with nuance. $17 at Amazon Buy $17 at Amazon Buy

The Girl With Seven Names: A North Korean Defectors Story $18 now 11% off $16 Hyeonseo Lee grew up in a rarified version of North Korea: Her mother had a high songbun (the nations political caste system), and grew up with no shortage of food, a pet dog, and clothing made overseas. That is, until the famine hit and her mother and brothers attempted escape from the country landed them both in a Laotian jail. Lees book, which recounts her efforts to free her family, was nominated for numerous awards, and Lees 2013 TED Talk was viewed over 17 million times. $16 at Amazon Buy $16 at Amazon Buy

The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future $17 now 35% off $11 We live in a time of constant, alarming push notifications alerting us that, for instance, our president has decided to taunt Kim Jong Un via Twitter. Perhaps youd like to know what U.S.-DPRK relations looked like before this presidency. For that, Draudt and Park both suggest The Impossible State by Victor Cha. Cha is a good authority: He led the U.S. delegation to the six-party talks  the 2003 negotiations attempting North Koreas peaceful denuclearization. This is a comprehensive account for the dominant logic of U.S. policy toward North Korea, Draudt says. The book is long, but not dense, and would be helpful for readers wanting to know better the history of U.S. policy toward the peninsula, as well as how it affects our relations to North Korea today. $11 at Amazon Buy $11 at Amazon Buy

Marching Through Suffering: Loss and Survival in North Korea $55 now 29% off $39 The government makes academic fieldwork close to impossible in North Korea. Still, Sandra Fahy, an anthropologist from the University of London, managed to cull together an ethnographic account of the nation by interviewing more than 30 North Koreans who defected to Seoul and Tokyo, starting in the 1990s, during the famine. Dr. Fahy moves beyond analyzing the lived experiences of the individual North Koreans and ties their stories to wider sociopolitical themes, including the tensions between communalism and alienation, loyalty and distrust, and belief and doubt in the regime, Draudt says. Marching Through Suffering chronicles extraordinary human detail through an academic lens, Baek says. $39 at Amazon Buy $39 at Amazon Buy

Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Koreas Elite $17 now 12% off $15 Suki Kim went undercover as a missionary and a teacher at the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology for six months in 2011. Her account  which includes the death of Kim Jong Il  is an in-depth depiction of the nations capital. Its the only book I know of that really grasps the mind-set of the North Korean elite, says Barbara Demick. Complete with the deception and self-deception necessary to survive in that regime. $15 at Amazon Buy $15 at Amazon Buy

A Corpse in the Koryo: An Inspector O Novel $21 now 29% off $15 The identity of the Inspector Oh series author is a mystery: He uses a pseudonym, but gets identified on book covers as a former Western intelligence officer with decades of experience in Asia. Isaac Stone Fish, a senior fellow at the Asia Societys Center on U.S.-China Relations, says that the world of Inspector Oh is a believable and humane universe of love, intrigue, and spycraft, with North Korean characteristics. Inspector Oh, a North Korean detective, solves mysteries while contending with starvation, torture, and the difficulty of finding the perfect piece of wood in Pyongyang (Inspector Oh, the titular character, is a whittling fanatic). $15 at Amazon Buy $15 at Amazon Buy

Drifting House $16 Fish also recommends Drifting House, a collection of short stories about all manner of the Korean immigrant experience, from running away from the famine to Korean strip malls in Los Angeles. Its by Krys Lee, a Korean-American born in Seoul. The title story, Drifting House, follows three starving children fleeing China into North Korea in search of their mother, Fish says. It leaves little faith in humanity  except for this brilliant writers ability to tell the tale. $16 at Amazon Buy $16 at Amazon Buy

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If you are a 90s baby, you probably already know how hard it was to watch the generation below you start ignoring your favorite childhood toy
Head coach of the University of Georgia women's basketball team gave the same advice that she tells her players on the court to an audience of
Survivors of sexual assault are amplifying their voices louder than ever. In the wake of this cultural movement, listen to the stories sexual assault survivor's are telling. It takes courage to do so.
Megyn Kelly  the Today show host and Capital Region native  recounted Monday on NBC how she accidentally abandoned her dog in the wrong vacation home and had to go back to retrieve "the evidence."

Kelly, her husband, Doug Brunt, and their children recently traveled to Montana for a ski vacation and the family rented a home they'd only ever seen in photos.

"So we get there, give the address to the driver, pull up  it's beautiful. We take pictures. We walk in, like, 'Wow, this is a lot nicer than it looked online,'" Kelly said, before pausing for effect.

"Well, there is another family inside," she exclaimed.

RELATED VIDEO: Megyn Kelly Says Stormy Daniels Trump Threat 'Sounds Familiar'

"They're there, they're cooking, their music is playing," she recalled. "We're like, 'Oh my, oh my!' So we ran. We ran back inside the van, like, 'Oh my God, let's go. Let's go.'"

The driver apologized for transposing the numbers of the address and quickly took Kelly's family to the correct home, the news personality said.

The cringeworthy interaction didn't end there, though.

"Doug goes, 'Where's Basha?'" Kelly said. "Our dog, who had been with us  we had left her. Our evidence was at the first house."

The family drove back and when a confused woman answered the door, Kelly recalled her saying, "No, there is no dog here."

"And we were like, "Mmm.. Yes there is," Kelly said. "And there she was, like madame queen, in the middle of the living room. So we were busted."

Watch Kelly tell the story here:

And here's a photo of little Basha, for reference.

While recounting the spring break encounter to her audience on Monday, Kelly said, "I am really happy to be back with all of you  in the right studio."
TORRINGTON  Local residents came together to recognize veterans of the Vietnam War Thursday afternoon, as a ceremony was held in Coe Memorial Park.

Today, we revere all our Vietnam veterans  those who rest in honored glory, those who still suffer from the wounds of war, and those who, with us, enjoy the blessing of living in a land of the free, and the home of the brave, because of the brave, said Chaplain Roger Geiger.

The gathering featured remarks and proclamations on the occasion from state Rep. Michelle Cook, D-Torrington, state Rep. Brian Ohler, R-North Canaan, and Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone.

Ohler, a veteran of the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan, said he had been welcomed home joyously, with ribbons and parades  something veterans of the Vietnam War did not see.

With Rep. Cook and Mayor Carbone, and our entire delegation, every year here on out, its our mission to welcome you home  every year, because we are thankful, said Ohler. As a fellow brother, my comrades, all of you, I thank you humbly  you have my greatest support and appreciation.

Maj. Dan Eddinger, a Vietnam veteran, two-time Purple Heart recipient, and city resident shared thoughts and stories from his time serving during the war. His remarks included moments of humor, such as the time he was asked to draw on his experience growing up on a Nebraska dairy farm to move a water buffalo out of the way of his company, and solemnity.

He read a piece he wrote titled Faded Green, which concluded days past in a world far away / friends died to save a dream / faded green and fields of sorrow, and I live on / I live on / no tears, no smiles, no warm hugs will ease that pain, as well as anothers titled Angels Kiss, comparing a breeze after a firefight to either the breath of the grim reaper, or the kiss of an angel.

He thanked the veterans in attendance for maintaining the countrys respect in the military.

We are all survivors. Weve come back to a world that didnt exactly keep us happy. But its our group  this group here, today  that doesnt allow our men and women in uniform today to be looked at in a negative manner, said Eddinger. Its your group  you, here, today  that are the survivors that lift up the rest of our military. And I salute you  and welcome home.

Veterans Support Committee Chairman Leo Martigneni read the name of Vietnam veterans in attendance aloud, and each stepped forward to receive a round of applause. Wreathes were offered on the occasion by local veterans groups.

A three-volley rifle salute was offered outside of the Civic Center, and Taps was played.

After a benediction from Geiger and brief remarks from Martigneni, the event wrapped up with one more round of applause, as those in attendance recognized the veterans in their midst.
When the battle for 10 million tonne (MT) Essar Steel goes back to square one, with a re-bid deadline of April 2, the same 'ineligible bidders' plan to make a comeback with new bids for acquisition. ArcelorMittal, one of the two bidders who had submitted the bid in the first round, says it doesn't mind fresh bids. However, the second bidder Numetal Mauritius is still figuring out its plans to meet the qualification criteria.

The industry experts expect that the competition for Essar Steel will mainly play out between these two again. In addition to these two, there were three more companies, Vedanta Resources, Tata Steel and Nippon Steel, who had submitted expressions of interests (EoIs) for Essar Steel.

Anil Agarwal, chairman of Vedanta, had said earlier that his company is not keen to bid for Essar as they are not in the steel sector. Tata Steel already has a lot on its plate after it emerged as the highest bidder for Bhushan Steel and Bhushan Power & Steel. The combined offer value of these two bids comes to around Rs 59,000 crore, when Tata Steel owes Rs 83,000 crore of consolidated debt. In addition, the steelmaker has Rs 23,500 crore worth of expansion plan for Kalinganagar plant on cards. Japan's Nippon Steel has signed a joint venture (JV) formation agreement with ArcelorMittal, along with Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC), to acquire and manage Essar Steel.

Essar Steel is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings after failing to repay its loans totaling Rs 45,000 crore to lenders. According to bankers, only the applicants who had initially submitted EOIs would be eligible to bid in the second round. However, the experts are concerned whether the sell off can be concluded within the 270 days timeframe provided under the new insolvency and bankruptcy law.

After the first round of bids, the resolution professional had told Essar Steel's lenders that both the bids, Numetal and ArcelorMittal, were found to be not eligible; thus effectively re-opening the bid process. In order to be eligible to bid, VTB Bank of Russia, the leader in the consortium Numetal, would buy the 25 per cent stake of a trust controlled by one of the estranged promoters of Essar, Rewant Ruia. VTB Bank plans to buy the stake before April 2, the last day for submitting the second round of bids, sources said.

ArcelorMittal's bid was rejected in the first round as it had 29 per cent stake in bankrupt firm Uttam Galva. Besides, its chairman LN Mittal had 33 per cent stake KSS of Kazakhstan, which in turn held 100 per cent in KSS Petrona, a non-performing asset (NPAs) in India. The Uttam Galva stake has been sold back to its promoters, Miglani family. But there is no clarity on KSS Petron stake.

ArcelorMittal and Numetal had earlier approached the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against the resolution professional's decision to disqualify them. It will be coming up for hearing on April 4.
GlaxoSmithKline has announced plans to sell Horlicks and with the funds buy out Novartis stake in the consumer healthcare joint venture, for $13 billion. The days ahead would give a clue on how it all pans out, with the list of companies keen to buy Horlicks, growing each day. All the big FMCG companies - Unilever, Nestle, Mondelez, ITC among others - are there in the race to buy the brand.

While Horlicks is a brand with a huge heritage and 140-year-old history, it is only strong in a few countries and gets its bulk sales from India. Within the country, those who have studied the brand and its journey, see South and East India as its main markets. Over the years, it has defied changing consumer preferences, withstood generations, evolved and continued to grow here.

India may be a key market, but the story of Horlicks began in the UK, when it was invented by two British-born men, William Horlick (1846-1936) and his brother James (1844-1921) from Gloucestershire, England. As a website dedicated to Horlicks says, James was a chemist, working for a company that made dried baby food. William, the younger brother, had emigrated to America in 1869 and James decided to join him in Chicago in 1873. That same year, they started their own company (J&W Horlicks) to make a malted milk drink. They called their product 'Diastoid' and their advertising slogan read: 'Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food'.

From then to now, as a popular nutritional drink in India, it has been an incredibly long journey. Within India, the company has tried to contemporise the brand equity in the last 12-15 years and made it more modern and brought out variants for women, for children of various age groups and to suit varying taste.

In the process, it has also changed packaging and modernised the brand equity. Its various brand extensions are along various lines of specialized nutritional supplementation for general public and therefore not medical nutrition. However, it will be a challenge for the company which acquires it, to keep it relevant for the younger people.

But till then, brand experts feel, companies should keep in mind the larger messages on brand building from Horlicks and its long history:

1. Credibility is important as people will need to believe in the brand's promise.

2. Try and be a first mover in any category and then try and build on it.

3. Be consistent in your messaging (and not constantly changing track). This is critical for brand building.

4. Try and fill a genuine or a perceived unmet need.
Chinese authorities in the northern region of Inner Mongolia have detained two ethnic Mongolian herders on public order charges after they repeatedly lodged petitions over the actions of local officials and companies in their hometowns.



Wang Yatou and Toyaa of Ulaanhad village were detained by police in Inner Mongolia's Zaruud Banner, a county-like division, on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," activists said on Thursday.



"Wang Yatou and Toyaa of Zaruud Banner were detained yesterday, under criminal detention," ethnic Mongolian rights campaigner Xinna told RFA.



"Toyaa was in Beijing but she didn't venture out to Zhongnanhai," she said, referring to the headquarters of the ruling Chinese Communist Party on Tiananmen Square, where a separate group of ethnic Mongolians was also detained this week.



"They issued a notice of criminal detention to her family yesterday evening," Xinna said. "Wang Yatou was at home, but she was also detained."



"They are cracking down really hard right now on ordinary people who petition the authorities," she added.



Wang's son Hasbirig said his mother was sitting at home on Tuesday night when the police came.



"On the night of March 27, my mother was at home when four officers came round from the local police station," he said. "They told her to come down to the government, and then at about 7.00 p.m. yesterday, the police called me to say that she had been detained."



Wang's family has now received the detention documents, he said.



"The police in ... Zaruud Banner said that she is under criminal detention on suspicion of picking quarrels and stirring up trouble for multiple petitioning trips," Hasbirig said. "



Ethnic Mongolians, who make up almost 20 percent of Inner Mongolia's population of 23 million, increasingly complain of widespread environmental destruction and unfair development policies in the region.



Clashes common



Clashes between Chinese state-backed mining or forestry companies and herding communities are common in the region, which borders the independent country of Mongolia.



But those who complain about the loss of their grazing lands are frequently targeted for harassment, beatings, and detention by the authorities.



Wang Yatou and Toyaa were among a group of herders from Zaruud banner who lodged petitions in the regional capital Hohhot last December, but were prevented from approaching the complaints department of the regional government, they told RFA at the time.



Toyaa was reporting the illegal destruction of the environment and residents' property in her home village, citing official corruption at local level.



Wang has been seeking compensation after her son drowned in a ditch illegally dug by a company in her village.



Both women have previously been sentenced to six months' imprisonment, also for "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," in relation to their complaints.



A resident of Ulaanhad who asked to remain anonymous said Toyaa had served one month of her sentence before being released on bail, on condition that she stop petitioning.



But Toyaa hadn't complied, and had subsequently returned to Beijing to pursue her complaint, he said.



Sent back from Beijing



Meanwhile, authorities in Beijing detained a group of eight herders from Urad Middle Banner in the early hours of Tuesday morning, sending them back to their hometowns under the escort of "interceptors" from the local government, law enforcement officials hired to deal with petitioners, Xinna said.



Sharentuyaa, Dabushilat, Bao Yu, Alatengawa, and four others were detained outside the front gates of Zhongnanhai, she said.



"They were intercepted and escorted home on March 27," Xinna said. "If local governments would actually serve the people with the same alacrity that they arrange for them to be intercepted, these problems could all be resolved."



Bao Yu, a resident of Xinhure village, has been pursuing a long-running complaint against gold-mining company Taiping Mining, which she says has caused serious pollution of the local air and water, causing serious environmental damage to the fragile ecosystem of the local steppe, and leaving local Mongolian herders in extreme hardship.



Bao says the company is releasing heavy metals directly into local rivers, as well as causing air pollution with dynamiting and diesel fumes from the heavy machinery employed at the company's gold mine.



Local herds of sheep and cattle have developed respiratory problems and died after eating poisoned grass, and the sheep's wool has turned dark, rendering it useless, according to Bao, who has been petitioning about the problems since 2006.



Herder Munkhurig of Urad Middle Banner's Bayinulaan village, who was among the group that traveled to Beijing, said he has been petitioning for 18 years over the loss of traditional grazing lands to development, blaming corrupt local officials. He said local herders have received no compensation.



"I was detained close to Zhongnanhai, and eventually an official from where we live came and confiscated our ID cards," he said. "We are in a guesthouse now, but we're not allowed to go anywhere."



Xinna said Inner Mongolian officials have leased large numbers of rooms in hotels to use as temporary detention centers for local people who petition in Beijing.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The initial public offer (IPO) of hospitality chain Lemon Tree Hotels was subscribed 1.19 times on the last day of bidding on Wednesday. The IPO of the mid-priced hotel chain managed to receive full subscription in a holiday truncated week (Thursday and Friday) marked by volatility due to weak global markets and March derivatives expiry. The IPO saw success when another big ticket issue (Rs 4,017 crore) of ICICI Securities saw its size cut by Rs 500 crore and managed to garner just 88% of the subscription. Its parent ICICI Bank said the bank collected Rs 3,500 crore from the IPO.





Meanwhile, the Rs 1,038.68-crore Lemon Tree IPO received bids for 15,48,77,925 shares against the total issue size of 12,98,35,580 shares, data available with the NSE showed.

The portion meant for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) was subscribed 3.89 times, non-institutional investors 12 per cent and retail investors 12 per cent, merchant banking sources said.

The company's IPO is of up to 185,479,400 shares (including anchor portion of 55,643,820 shares). Price band for the issue has been fixed at Rs 54-56.

Lemon Tree Hotels raised Rs 311 crore from anchor investors on March 25, 2018. Kotak Mahindra Capital, CLSA India and JP Morgan India managed the issue. The company's shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and the National Stock Exchange.

18 anchor investors invested Rs 311.61 crore at a price of Rs 56 per scrip after allotment of 5,56,43,820 shares, the firm said.

SBI Magnum Balanced Fund, DB International Asia, HDFC Small Cap Fund, Aberdeen Asian Smaller Companies Investment Trust Plc, BNP Paribas Arbitrage and Alpine Global Premier Properties Fund were among the anchor investors.

At the upper end of the price band, the issue will raise Rs 1,038.68 crore.

The hotel chain, which is backed by buyout firm Warburg Pincus and Dutch pension fund APG, has fixed the IPO price band at Rs 54-Rs 56 per share. The issue will close on March 28.

The firm's public offer comprises sale of up to 185,479,400 equity shares by the existing shareholders, including Maplewood, Whispering Resorts, Palms International and RJ Corp.

According to the draft red herring prospectus, promoters hold 31.11 per cent stake and private equity investors and other non-promoter share holders hold 68.89 per cent stake in the firm.

"Our company expects listing of the equity shares will enhance our visibility and brand image and provide liquidity to our shareholders. Listing will also provide a public market for the equity shares in India," the company said in draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).

Lemon Tree, currently the leader in terms of controlling interest in owned and leased rooms has operations spread across the value chain and range from acquiring land to owning, leasing, developing, managing and marketing hotels.

The company has 45 hotels with 4,700 rooms in 28 cities. It has a portfolio of 19 owned-hotels, three owned-hotels are located on leased or licensed land, five leased hotels and 18 managed hotels, a company statement said.

Founded in 2002 by Patu Keswani, the company has hotels under three brands - Lemon Tree Premier, which is an upscale brand; Lemon Tree Resorts, a leisure segment brand; Lemon Tree Hotels, a midscale brand and the economy brand Red Fox Hotels.
A court in Hong Kong on Thursday rejected a bid to unseat a seventh pan-democratic lawmaker in the city, saying that any alleged problems with his election victory should have been dealt with through other channels.



Hong Kong businessman Wong Tai-hoi applied for a judicial review in a bid to prevent newly elected lawmaker Au Nok-hin from taking up his seat in the city's Legislative Council following a by-election on Mar. 11, on the grounds that he had once burned a copy of the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.



A high-profile intervention from China's parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), in a row over the use of oaths of allegiance to make political points, has led to the unseating of six pro-democracy members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo) in recent years, leading the pan-democratic camp to lose a crucial power of veto in the chamber.



Many more pro-democracy candidates, including Agnes Chow, of Demosisto, have been disqualified from standing in elections by officials, on the basis that they don't support the Basic Law, or are pro-independence.



But High Court judge Anderson Chow threw out Wong's application on Thursday, saying it was "thoroughly ill-conceived."



Under Hong Kong election rules, challenges to election results must be filed by at least 10 people, or by a losing candidate in the same election, in the form of an election petition, Chow said.



However, the judge declined to comment on Au's suitability as a LegCo member, saying Wong's allegations were irrelevant to his decision.



Au welcomed the ruling, and reiterated that he will sincerely uphold the Basic Law, hitting out at the attempt to unseat him as a politically motivated act by political groups loyal to Beijing and the Hong Kong administration.



"I hereby call on the pro-establishment faction to stop using the judicial system for such trivial and unnecessary matters," Au told reporters after the ruling. "They should not abuse the judicial system to stop me from carrying out my duties."



He said he hadn't ruled out further challenges to his election victory via the election petitioning system, however.



"The pro-establishment faction could still use various methods to try to oust me as a LegCo member, but I don't think any of these practices are appropriate," Au said.



"After all, around 130,000 people on Hong Kong Island turned out to vote for me ... in the LegCo by-election of Mar. 11," he said. "Members of the different factions should respect the election result."



But pro-Beijing trade unionist Wong Kwok-hing, who helped with the application, said Au may still face another challenge to his LegCo seat, as the judge hadn't criticized the substance of the application, only the legal process.



"The judge made it very clear that only our legal process was inappropriate, and that other, more appropriate channels were available to us," Wong Kwok-hing said. "One more appropriate channel would be an election petition."



"I believe that all right-thinking citizens, including Wong Tai-hoi, will be taking further legal advice," he said. "We hope to get started as soon as possible."



Burning protest



Au burned a copy of the Basic Law during a rally organized by the Civil Human Rights Front on Nov. 2, 2016, according to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper.



Au was protesting against the NPCs interpretation of the Basic Law, which led to the expulsion of six popularly elected pro-democracy LegCo members, starting with pro-independence lawmakers Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching.



The NPC standing committee's interpretation said that oaths must be taken with "solemnity and sincerity" to be valid, whereas the disqualified lawmakers had altered the wording and tone of theirs, or displayed banners and slogans while swearing in.



The pair, 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.



The Mar. 11 by-election replaced a further four pro-democracy lawmakersNathan Law, Leung Kwok-hung, Lau Siu-lai, and Edward Yiuwho were ousted in July after a court ruling that voided their oaths of office for reasons including speaking too slowly, inserting extra words, and using a tone deemed disrespectful to China.



Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Gao Feng for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
North Koreas border with China has remained closed since Sunday in a tightened security move during the visit of national leader Kim Jong Un to Beijing for meetings with Chinas President Xi Jinping, North Korean sources say.



The border, usually open to small businessmen and trade not restricted by international sanctions against Pyongyang, is now under the watch of state security officers brought in specially from the capital, a source in Sinuiju city in North Pyongan province told RFAs Korean Service on Wednesday.



Security agents from the province and the regular border guards are no longer on the front line, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



Instead, the border is being completely controlled by state security agents, who are restricting the movements of residents in the area, the source said.



In a move reflecting heightened security concerns, officers have also been cracking down on the use of mobile phones to make calls, often overlooked by local authorities, across the border, the source said.



Residents who have been making illegal phone calls that local security agents had not been paying much attention to have been raided by state security agents, and their phones have been confiscated, he said.



Peddlers and other North Koreans living along the border have been severely inconvenienced by the newly tightened controls, RFAs source said, adding, They have greatly resented these restrictions without realizing that this is all because of Kim Jong Uns secret trip to China.



Later, they heard the news about the trip, and were more understanding of the situation, he said.



Residents on the border now hope that Kims March 25 trip might help ease the pressure from Chinas support of international sanctions punishing Pyongyang for its illicit nuclear weapons program and missile tests, he said.



Also speaking to RFA, a source in North Koreas North Hamgyong province, lying along the border with China, said on Wednesday that the border remained closed.



Small-scale trade and peddling in the border areas have all stopped, and residents are anxiously hoping that restrictions will be lifted.



However, many also hope that Kim Jong Uns visit to China will mean that international sanctions against North Korea can also be relaxed, he said.



Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Myanmar police on Wednesday detained two village women seeking to block eviction from their homes on land claimed by a controversial China-operated copper mine in the countrys Sagaing region, sources said.



The two women, Ma San Hla and Thwe Thwe Win, had blocked police vehicles entering Old Wet Hmay village, a settlement of 30 households marked for destruction to make way for the Letpadaung copper mine, one villager told RFAs Myanmar Service.



Though ten of the villages 30 households have agreed voluntarily to move, the rest are resisting efforts to force them out, the villager named Aung Zaw Oo said.



We arent stopping anyone who wants to move out, Aung Zaw Oo said.



We told them they can go wherever they want, but we wont let police cars come into the village, he said, adding, We said this to the police, but they came in anyway.



When at least 100 riot-equipped police officers forced their way into the village, one woman, Man Sa Hla, lay down in the road in an attempt to stop police vehicles from coming in, Aung Zaw Oo said.



She then became hysterical due to over-excitement, and while she was having a fit, she and Thwe Thwe Win were taken away by female officers, he said.



After asking a police officer where the two were being taken , Aung Zaw Oo was told the women would be brought to the Wanbao Company, the Chinese firm operating the mine, he said.



I asked him whether the Burmese police were now working for Wanbao, and not for the Burmese people, but he wouldnt answer me, he said.



Land takeovers



The Letpadaung copper mine, run jointly by Chinas Wanbao company and a Myanmar-army owned conglomerate, Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd., has come under fire by local residents and farmers who have long protested the companys land takeovers in the area.



Villagers have heavily criticized and staged protests against mine operators for expropriating land without providing them adequate compensation and for damaging the environment.



In February 2017, about 100 Letpadaung residents blocked access to the mine, demanding they be given the 1,900 acres of land they were supposed to receive according to recommendations made earlier by a parliamentary commission led by National League for Democracy party leader Aung San Suu Kyi.



The following month, as many as 10 villagers and six police officers were injured during a clash when police fired rubber bullets at locals who were blocking an access road.



Authorities later charged 50 farmers with assault, illegal assembly, and destruction of state property for their role in the protest.



Reported by Thet Su Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Richard Finney.
In advance of a U.S.-Vietnam human rights dialogue scheduled for May, a human rights organization is urging State Department officials to voice U.S. concern over the rise in Vietnam of activist groups tied to the harassment of dissidents and religious communities.



Government-supporting Red Flags groups now frequently mobilize to attack Catholic priests and parishioners in Vietnam in what social media and rights groups describe as state-sponsored abuse in the one-party communist state.



In February, parents of Catholic schoolchildren barred from school in the Dien Doai commune of Nghe An province were attacked outside school gates by government-linked thugs when they sought a meeting with school administrators.



Meanwhile, in October 2017, two priests from a diocese in central Vietnam were surrounded by a mob of 300 waving red flags, while in May hundreds of thugs in Nghe An attacked a group of Catholic parishioners, including women and children, sending dozens to the hospital.



Speaking in an interview with RFAs Vietnamese Service, Nguyen Dinh Thangpresident of the U.S.-based rights group Boat People SOS (BPSOS)said that his group wants the activities of the Red Flags groups included in the bilateral meeting scheduled for May.



Before the dialogue round, the State Department will meet with the Vietnamese ambassador to the United State to discuss the topics of the coming talks, Thang said. We want to promote awareness of this issue of the Red Flags groups so that it will be included in the dialogue.



On Feb. 21, Thang and other members of his group met with Sam Brownback, U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom, to discuss the spread of Red Flags attacks against Catholic communities in Vietnam.



The ambassador was very interested in the Red Flags groups and wanted us to give him more information about them, Thang said, adding that in response BPOS produced an 18-page report outlining the growth and missions of the groups, including creating divisions between Catholics and non-Catholics and blocking community attempts to protest government handling of environmental disasters.



I believe that this issue will now be addressed in State Department reports [on human rights and religious freedoms] and in the dialogue, Thang said.



We have evidence showing that the government has facilitated the activities of the Red Flags groups, Thang said.



They have given them venues to hold meetings, including large meetings involving several groups. None of this can happen without government support, at least at the local level, he said.



Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Three people working for a land-mine clearing charity have been killed after their vehicle hit a mine in Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, officials said.

A spokeswoman for the de facto health ministry in Nagorno-Karabakh, Maya Azatian, told RFE/RL that two other people who were in the car were injured in the March 29 blast.

Representatives of HALO Trust told RFE/RL that all the victims were local residents.

The HALO Trust is a registered British charity and U.S. nonprofit organization whose mission is to remove debris left behind by war, particularly land mines.

Nagorno-Karabakh, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, declared independence from Azerbaijan during a 1988-94 war that killed some 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Three decades of diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict have brought little progress.
Georgia has decided to expel a Russian diplomat, joining dozens of countries in a response to the nerve-agent poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England.

In a March 29 statement, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said it "condemns the use of chemical weapons on the territory of the United Kingdom that caused grave human suffering...and posed serious threat to life and health of others."

Stressing that the poisoning "represents a serious challenge to common security," the ministry said that a staff member at the Russian Federation interests section at the Swiss Embassy in Tbilisi must leave the country within seven days.

Georgia's move follows the expulsion of more than 150 Russian diplomats by Britain, the United States, NATO, many European Union countries, and several others that are not in the EU, including Ukraine.

Diplomatic relations between NATO-aspirant Georgia and Russia were severed shortly after long-standing tension between the two former Soviet republics erupted into a five-day war in August 2008.

Switzerland, which has a record of representing other countries in third-party states, opened its Russian Federation interests section in 2009. Simultaneously, a Georgian interests section was opened by the Swiss Embassy in Moscow.

With reporting by Civil.ge
Six Turkish nationals have been arrested in Kosovo and deported over ties to schools linked to the cleric whom Ankara blames for a failed 2016 coup.

The state-run Anadolu Agency reported on March 29 that the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, used a private plane to take them back to Turkey.

Those sent back are said to be from a school network belonging to Fethullah Gulen, the cleric Erdogan blames for the 2016 failed coup in Turkey. Gulen, who lives in the United States, rejects the claim.

In a statement earlier, Kosovo's Interior Ministry said those arrested had their residence permits revoked without specifying why.

Adem Vokshi, a lawyer of one of the arrested Turkish citizens, told RFE/RL that the six were arrested because they were identified by the Kosovo intelligence agency as risky individuals.

Vokshi said one of those arrested was a doctor and was not linked to the schools.

According to Andolu, the six were allegedly responsible for recruitment into Gulens network and helping those in Turkey leave the country amid a security crackdown in which tens of thousands of people have been fired or imprisoned over alleged Gulen links.

The Kosovo Human Rights Council urged the authorities on March 29 not to extradite the political opponents of Erdogan to Ankara.

Turkey is a major supporter of impoverished Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and Turkish firms run the tiny Balkan country's sole airport and electricity network, and are building two highways worth around $2 billion.

With reporting by pristinainsight, AP, and Reuters
BISHKEK -- Authorities in Kyrgyzstan have launched a new case against fugitive opposition politician and former presidential candidate Omurbek Babanov.

Babanov is suspected of plotting riots and the seizure of power in the Central Asian country, State National Security Committee (UKMK) spokesman Rakhat Sulaimanov told RFE/RL on March 28.

A businessman who finished second in the October 2017 presidential election, Babanov left the country after the authorities launched an investigation on charges that he incited ethnic hatred during the campaign.

President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, the ruling-party candidate, won the election with backing from outgoing leader Almazbek Atambaev and took office in November.

Babanov, whose current whereabouts is unknown, has alleged the vote was marred by violations.

International election monitors said that "numerous and significant problems were noted" during the vote count and that "misuse of public resources, pressure on voters, and vote buying remain a concern."
Russia has served expulsion notices to a slew of staff in Western embassies in a diplomatic tit-for-tat ignited by the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on March 30 that Moscow was forced to retaliate after the expulsion of more than 150 Russian diplomats by two dozen countries in response to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also announced on March 30 that Britain had one month to cut its diplomatic contingent in Moscow to same size as Russia's mission in Britain.

That number wasn't immediately clear.

The ministry said it summoned the British ambassador on March 30 to hand him a protest over the "provocative and unsubstantiated actions" by Britain, which has blamed Russia for the poisoning with a nerve agent, triggering the diplomatic dispute between Moscow and Western countries.

The Russian Foreign Ministry later announced four diplomats from Poland would have to leave Russia in response to Warsaw's decision to expel four Russian diplomats in solidarity with Britain.

The Czech Republic, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland also said diplomats from their missions in Russia were given expulsion notices.

British officials said the notice to reduce their diplomatic presence in Russia was "regrettable," but expected.

A Foreign Office statement released on March 30 noted Russia's moves didn't "change the facts" of the attack and that there was no alternative to the conclusion that Russia was to blame for the attempted "assassination of two people on British soil" in a "flagrant breach of international law and the Chemical Weapons Convention."

Russia on March 29 also ordered the closure of the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg.

AP reported that staff were carrying boxes from the consulate building in Russia's second biggest city and loading them into a van on March 30.

On March 29, Lavrov said U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman had been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry to be briefed "on the content of the retaliatory measures toward the United States."

"They include the expulsion of the same number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the work of the consulate-general in St. Petersburg," Lavrov said.

The United States earlier expelled 60 Russian diplomats and ordered the shutdown of the Russian Consulate in Seattle.

The Foreign Ministry said the consulate must suspend operations within two days and that 58 U.S. diplomats in Moscow and two in Yekaterinburg will be required to leave by April 5.

"As for the other countries, everything will also be symmetrical in terms of the number of people from their diplomatic missions who will be leaving Russia," Lavrov added.

The U.S. State Department said it was not surprised by Russia's expulsions but added that there was "no justification" for the moves.

Spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters that "Russia should not be acting like a victim" and called its actions "regrettable."

"It's clear from the list provided to us that the Russian Federation is not interested in a dialogue on issues that matter to our two countries. We reserve the right to respond," Nauert said.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the tit-for-tat expulsions marked "a further deterioration in the United States-Russian relationship."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres responded to the latest actions by saying Cold War-style precautions are "necessary again" and that he was "very concerned" by the situation.

He told reporters the atmosphere was "similar to a large extent to what we lived through during the Cold War" and called for renewed "mechanisms of communication and control to avoid escalation and make sure things would not get out of control where tensions would rise."

The Skripals were found slumped on a bench in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4.

Moscow has denied it was behind the attack and has called on Britain to prove it did not itself poison Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter.

Both Skripals had been hospitalized since the attack in critical condition, but British health officials said on March 29 that Yulia Skripal was "improving rapidly" and was no longer in critical condition.

Her father remained in critical but stable condition, after earlier reports said chances of recovery for both appeared slim.

"I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal. She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," Christine Blanshard, medical director for Salisbury District Hospital, said on March 29.

Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer imprisoned by Moscow after being convicted of passing on information about Russian agents in various European countries, came to Britain in a 2010 spy swap.

One country that said it was not joining in the spat is Bulgaria, current holder of the EU presidency.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said on March 30 that his government decided to limit its actions to full support of Britain and by recalling its ambassador from Moscow for consultations as it awaits more evidence on the attack.

Bulgaria, a former close ally of Moscow, is heavily dependent on Russian energy supplies and on sizeable tourism revenue.

Nonetheless, the Western expulsions are the latest in a long-running series of diplomatic moves between the United States and Russia.

The administration of President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats and closed two recreation facilities in the United States in late 2016 in retaliation for Moscows interference in the U.S. presidential campaign.

After the U.S. Congress passed a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia and making it harder for President Donald Trump to ease or lift existing measures, theKremlin in July 2017 ordered Washington to reduce its staff at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and consulates to 455 people, a cut of about 755, although not all were diplomats.

The United States responded by ordering Russia to vacate its consulate in San Francisco and trade annexes in Washington and New York, steps intended to produce parity in the sizes of the Russian and U.S. diplomatic missions.

With reporting by Interfax, AFP, Reuters, AP, and dpa
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has returned to Pakistan for the first time since she was shot by Taliban militants in 2012, shedding tears of joy and vowing to keep campaigning for the education of girls.

"It's the happiest day of my life. I still can't believe it's happening," Malala said on March 29 after flying in to Islamabad with her father and younger brother and meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

"I don't normally cry," Malala said, wiping away tears. "I'm still 20 years old but I've seen so many things in life."

Malala was 15 when she was shot in the head on her school bus in the Swat Valley by Taliban gunmen because she campaigned for the education of girls, which the militant extremist group opposes.

She was taken to England for treatment and has remained there, enrolling at Oxford University in August 2017 and resumed her fight for the cause that earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

"For the betterment of Pakistan, it is necessary to educate girls and empower women," Malala said.

She said the Malala Fund, which she leads, has invested $6 million in schools and to provide books and uniforms for schoolchildren.

The party of Imran Khan, former international cricket star and now leading Pakistani opposition politician, said Malala's return was a sign of the defeat of extremism in the country.

Security was tight as Malala arrived at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport on a flight from Britain and then left in a convoy of nearly 15 vehicles, many of them occupied by heavily armed police.

Pakistani officials said earlier that Malala was scheduled to discuss the prospects of promoting education in less-developed areas of the country with Pakistani authorities. They said the details of her trip had been kept secret for security reasons.

Malala first came into the spotlight as a schoolgirl, when she started writing a diary of her life under Taliban rule in her hometown of Swat.

Malala strongly advocated education through her diary, which was written under the pseudonym "Gul Mukai" and featured on BBC Urdu.

The trip is expected to last four days. It was not clear whether Malala and her family would visit Swat during their visit, something that would require extraordinary security clearance measures, officials said.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, AP, Dawn.com, and The Express Tribune
BT Podcast: ICICI Bank board expresses faith in Chanda Kochhar

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ICICI Bank board expresses faith in MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar

ICICI Bank board has come out in support of its Managing Director and CEO Chanda Kochhar, saying it has full faith and confidence in her and described certain reports against her regarding credit disbursement to Videocon group as "malicious and unfounded rumours". ICICI Bank board also reviewed the bank's internal processes for credit approval and found them robust, the private sector lender said in a statement, as reported by PTI.



Government seeks bids to sell 76% stake in Air India

The government has invited bids for the disinvestment process of the state-owned national carrier Air India. In the preliminary information memorandum about the divestment process, government has invited Expressions of Interest for sale of 76 per cent stake in Air India. Professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP India has been appointed as transaction adviser for the strategic disinvestment process. Air India's buyer will have to take on at least a mammoth Rs 33,392 crore or close to 70% of the beleaguered carrier's debt on its books



PNB to honour LoUs worth Rs 6500 cr due to 7 lenders

Punjab National Bank has decided to honour LoUs worth Rs 6,500 crore, issued fraudulently to 7 lenders in favour of Nirav Modi and associates in connivance with bank officials.Putting an end to confusion over the payment obligation towards other lenders, PNB also assured that it will honour all subsequent maturing LoUs and FLCs as and when they are due as reported by PTI.



Amazon in trouble with Trump?

President Donald Trump reportedly wants to take on Amazon and the internet retail giant's tax treatment as reported by CNBC. The president has long argued that Amazon gets unfair tax treatment relative to brick-and-mortar retailers. Trump is "obsessed" with Amazon and wants to "go after" the company, the report stated.The president's reported stance on the company isn't new. In several tweets in recent years, Trump has argued for changes in how Amazon purchases get taxed. In a tweet some months back, Trump had posted, "Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt - many jobs being lost!"



Cambridge Analytica whistleblower names JD(U) as client, reveals location of India offices

Cambridge Analytica whistle-blower, Christopher Wylie, has shared the details about the political consulting firm's India operations on micro-blogging site Twitter. Wylie revealed Cambridge Analytica's parent SCL group role in elections in various Indian states. The document names the Janata Dal (United) as one of its clients.One of the pictures shared by Wylie had a list Cambridge Analytica's regional offices in India and its head office in Indirapuram-Ghaziabad.



GlaxoSmithKline may sell Horlicks brand to fund its $13 bn Novartis deal

Britain's biggest drugs company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that it will buy the 36.5 per cent stake that Novartis AG owns in their Consumer Healthcare Joint Venture for $13 billion. This will give Glaxo complete control over a product portfolio that includes best-sellers like Sensodyne toothpaste and Panadol tablets for pain relief. But to fund this buyout, GSK is considering putting up its iconic 145-year-old malted drink Horlicks for sale. The majority of the sales of Horlicks and other nutrition products are generated in India, where these products are sold by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd (GSKCH). In fact, according to the latter's annual report for 2016-17, malt-based foods contributed a whopping 95% to its total turnover.


Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on March 29, her first trip to her home country since she was shot in the head by Taliban militants in 2012 for advocating for girls' education. Yousafzai, who is now a university student in England, spoke emotionally about her return in an appearance on national television. She was set to meet with Pakistani authorities in Islamabad to discuss education initiatives.
KYIV -- An elusive Ukrainian associate of Paul Manafort says he briefed the former campaign chairman for U.S. President Donald Trump on Ukraine during last year's presidential race.



The comments by Konstantin Kilimnik, in an exclusive interview with RFE/RL, add to the swirl of intrigue surrounding Manafort, a shadowy political operative who helped bring Viktor Yanukovych to the Ukrainian presidency and who is now under FBI investigation for allegedly communicating with Russian intelligence officials during the 2016 U.S. campaign.



Kilimnik, a dual Russian-Ukrainian citizen, himself studied at the Russian military's main university for languages, which has led to speculation that he has ties to Russian military intelligence.

In the February 22 interview, Kilimnik denied any ties to Russian intelligence. But he said that he and Manafort spoke during the 2016 election "every couple months."



"I was briefing him on Ukraine," he said.



Manafort was fired by the Trump campaign in August after news reports documented payments to him from Yanukovychs pro-Russian political party.



Last month, The New York Times and other media reported that U.S. authorities were investigating Manafort and other Trump aides for allegedly communicating with Russian intelligence during the campaign.

Manafort did not respond to e-mails and a voicemail seeking comment from RFE/RL after the interview concluded. But shortly after those inquiries, Kilimnik called RFE/RL back and said he had been contacted directly by Manafort.



Kilimnik said that while he was speaking to Manafort "every couple months" about Ukraine, he wanted to clarify that he had not been formally advising him during the U.S. election campaign.



Since leaving the Trump campaign, Manafort has remained largely out of sight. Kilimnik said the last time he spoke to Manafort was in recent weeks.



Meeting Manafort



A short, camera-shy 46-year-old from Kriviy Rih with an affinity for metaphors, Kilimnik studied at Russias Military University for Foreign Languages, known today as the Military University of the Ministry of Defense.



In the interview at an Italian restaurant in Kyiv, Kilimnik explained how he came to work for Manafort and gave a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the political operatives role in the most pivotal events in history of contemporary Ukraine.



In the early 2000s, Kilimnik worked in Moscow for the International Republican Institute, a Washington-based nongovernmental group that promotes democracy with funding from the U.S. State Department, as well as from European foundations and the United Nations.



In 2005, he began working for Manafort, following the 2004 Orange Revolution -- an earlier series of mass protests that resulted in Yanukovych losing the Ukrainian presidency.



"Manafort is a guy who can merge strategy and messages into something that will work for victory," Kilimnik said. "He is very skillful."



Yanukovych recovered from his loss and went on to win the presidency in 2010, a victory many observers credited to Manaforts counsel.



After Yanukovych's election, Kilimnik said he spent 90 percent of his time inside the presidential administration, where he assisted Manafort.



In November 2013, the Yanukovych government became the focus of a tug-of-war between the European Union and Russia over a trade deal that would have pulled Ukraine away from Moscows orbit.



Kilimnik said Manafort told Yanukovych in his presence: "You have to trust the Europeans. Then down the road you will fix relations with Russia and youll be fine."

Yanukovych spurned the EU deal, triggering months of street protests in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities that turned violent and ultimately prompted him to flee the country.



"Everyone was telling [Yanukovych], 'you should sign the deal. Just sign the f****** deal,'" Kilimnik said. "Yanukovych did not listen to [Manafort], which is why he got f*****."



Russia later carried out a covert military operation to take control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, which it subsequently annexed, and backed the armed separatists fighting Kyiv's forces in the east.



In July of last year, while Manafort was still working with Trump, the Trump campaign altered the Republican Party's official endorsement of providing Ukraine with lethal weapons, The Washington Post reported. Ukraine had been asking Washington to provide such weapons to bolster its fight against well-armed separatists.



The following month, amid the uproar that emerged after The New York Times detailed the alleged off-the-books payments from Yanukovych's former party to Manafort, the Trump campaign cut ties with Manafort.

Despite briefing Manafort during the U.S. election campaign, Kilimnik said he has not been on Manafort's payroll since 2014. He now says he advises members of the political party that used to be led by Yanukovych until his ouster.



The last time Manafort visited Ukraine was in autumn 2015, according to Kilimnik.



Manafort's former office near Kyiv's Independence Square is closed. Nobody answered there when RFE/RL knocked on the door of the office on February 22.

'He Will Be Back'



Kilimnik insists that the media has misread Manafort, and he claimed Manafort did not receive any of the funds he was alleged to have received from Yanukovychs former party.



Kilimnik also argued that Manafort has no ties to Russia and claimed Manafort has not spoken with a Russian aside from Kilimnik "since Deripaska."



hat's a reference to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian billionaire who is considered a Kremlin insider and who has been barred from receiving a U.S. visa for years due to persistent allegations of organized crime links.



Deripaska has been locked in a legal battle with Manafort over investments in a private equity fund.



Kilimnik could not say when the last contact between Manafort and Deripaska occurred.



Manafort told The Wall Street Journal last month, "I have never had any relationship with the Russian [government] or any Russian officials."



Kilimnik also said that he had drafted a plan to bring peace to Ukraine in the nearly three-year-old conflict with Russia.



He referred to it as a "Mariupol plan," a reference to the southeastern port city that abuts the current line of conflict between government forces and Russia-backed separatist fighters.



It would bring Yanukovych back to Ukraine as a regional leader in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, where fighting has raged on and off for nearly three years, or possibly involve others such as the current separatist leaders there.



That plan, which Kilimnik said Manafort was not involved with, would face almost certain opposition in Kyiv since it calls for Yanukovych returning to Ukraine from Russia, where he fled in February 2014.



Meanwhile, The New York Times reported February 19 that a peace plan drafted by a little-known Ukrainian lawmaker to end the conflict had made it into the hands of top White House officials.



That news sparked an angry uproar in Kyiv.

Kilimnik suggested Ukraine may not have seen the last of Manafort.



"If there's a serious project that is pro-Ukrainian and can bring peace to this country, then he will be back," he said.
Prosecutors have asked a Moscow court to sentence three members of an ultraconservative group to prison for an arson attack apparently aimed to prevent the screening of a movie depicting an affair between a teenaged ballerina and the future Russian Tsar Nicholas II.

At a hearing on March 29, state prosecutors urged the Khamovniki district court to convict Christian State-Holy Rus activists Yury Kalinin, Aleksandr Bayanov, and Denis Mantalutsa of arson and sentence each of them to 2 1/2 years in prison.

All three defendants pleaded guilty to planning and carrying out an arson attack in September in which two cars were torched outside the Moscow office of lawyers for the director of Matilda, a film that drew sharp criticism from radical Russian Orthodox and monarchist fringe groups.

Masked assailants set the cars on fire outside the office of director Aleksei Uchitel's attorneys and left leaflets that said "Burn for Matilda."

The controversy over Matilda, a fictional film based on an early romantic liaison of Russia's last tsar, cast a spotlight on ultraconservative activists and groups like Christian State-Holy Rus.

Adamant critics of the film said it besmirched the memory of Nicholas, who was executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918 and was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church together with his family in 2000.

A letter signed by Christian State-Holy Rus and distributed in January 2017 said that members across Russia were prepared to sacrifice their lives for its "true Orthodox Christian path" and that showing Matilda could lead to bloodshed and "civil war."

In July 2017, the Culture Ministry approved the film for release and it was scheduled to open nationwide in late October.

But following several attacks appearing to target Uchitel and his film, some Russian cinemas canceled or postponed its screening, citing concerns for the safety of moviegoers.

With reporting by Interfax and Rapsinews
A Moscow court has sentenced a Russian man in absentia after convicting him of fighting against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Roman Zheleznov, who is currently in Ukraine, was found guilty of mercenary activity and sentenced to four years in prison in absentia at a hearing on March 29.

Prosecutors said that Zheleznov had joined the pro-Kyiv Azov Battalion, which has fought against the separatists in the 4-year-old war in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

More than 10,300 people have been killed in the conflict since April 2014.

Russia denies it has sent its soldiers to fight alongside the separatists, despite what Kyiv and NATO say is clear evidence that it has done so.

There are no known cases in which Russia has pressed mercenary-activity charges against anyone for joining the separatists, but it has prosecuted citizens accused of fighting on Kyiv's side.

In June 2017, a court in the city of Samara sentenced a local man, Artyom Shirobokov, to five years in prison in absentia after convicting him of joining the Azov Battalion.

Based on reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti
British health officials say the daughter of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal is no longer in critical condition and is "improving rapidly," weeks after a March 4 nerve-agent attack in an English city.

"I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal. She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," Christine Blanshard, medical director for Salisbury District Hospital, said on March 29.

The Skripals were found slumped on a bench in the southern city of Salisbury on March 4.

Her father, Sergei, remains in a critical but stable condition in the hospital, officials said.

The upgraded health report comes as Russia said retaliatory measures will be unveiled shortly in response to the expulsion of Russian diplomats by Britain, the United States, NATO, and many other Western countries and allies.

Our measures will be appropriate. They are currently under consideration and I think will be unveiled shortly," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a Moscow briefing on March 29.

"You will know about the form and content of the measures when everything is ready. I repeat, it will happen soon," she added, without adding details.

More than 150 Russian diplomats have been expelled by Britain, the United States, NATO, many European Union countries, and several others that are not in the EU, including Ukraine, in response to the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter.

Britain has blamed Russia for the poisoning, triggering the diplomatic dispute between Moscow and Western countries.

Georgia, which fought a five-day war with Russia in August 2008, became the latest nation on March 29 to declare it will expel a Russian diplomat in response to the poisoning.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said it "condemns the use of chemical weapons on the territory of the United Kingdom that caused grave human suffering...and posed serious threat to the life and health of others."

Moscow has denied it was behind the attack and has called on Britain to prove it did not itself poison Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter.

Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer imprisoned by Moscow after being convicted of passing on information about Russian agents in various European countries, came to Britain in a 2010 spy swap.

Despite the expulsions and exchange of tense remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on March 28 that President Vladimir Putin remained ready to hold a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

"The Russian side remains open, of course," Peskov said, adding that "all depends on our American colleagues."

Trump on March 21 told reporters that he hoped the two leaders could meet in the "not-too-distant future" to discuss several crises around the world.

With reporting by Interfax, AFP, Reuters, and AP
The administration of the Siberian region where a shopping-mall fire killed 64 people, including dozens of children, announced that the governor had donated one day's salary to a victims' fund -- triggering angry social-media responses over what many called an insulting pittance.

A press release by the Kemerovo regional administration said on March 29 that Governor Aman Tuleyev and his deputies had each contributed one day's salary to a fund set up to help the families of those who died in the March 25 fire at the Zimnyaya Vishnya (Winter Cherry) shopping center.

Based on Tuleyev's most recent income declaration, one day's salary would total around $100.

Tuleyev and his subordinates have faced fierce public criticism for what many see as a cold and tone-deaf response to the tragedy, including their characterizations of public outrage as the work of political opportunists.

The announcement by his office of the donation drew rebukes as well after it was reported by several local and national Russian media outlets on March 29.

Tuleyev's official salary in 2016 was just under 2.1 million rubles ($36,500), according to his most recent declaration. Based on that figure, one day's salary for Tuleyev would be around 5,700 rubles ($100).

The regional government's website listed 14 deputy governors as of March 29.

"A soulless beast!" one Twitter user said after the Russian newspaper RBK tweeted out its report on the donations by Tuleyev and his deputies.

A whopping day's salary, one Kemerovo man wrote sarcastically on Facebook.

The text of the press release disappeared from the Kemerovo government's official website for several hours after the donations were reported by local and federal media.

After the announcement vanished from the site, a spokeswoman for the regional administration, Svetlana Kharitonova, told RFE/RL by telephone that she did not know anything about the press release and suggested calling back the following day.

A slightly longer version of the press release reappeared on the regional government's website later on March 29.

Tuleyev has served as the governor of Kemerovo since 1997. In a March 27 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the deadly fire, he said there were only around 200 people at a recent demonstration in Kemerovo when, in fact, thousands had shown up. Tuleyev also told Putin that "troublemakers" and "opposition forces" were attempting to stoke unrest for political gain.

Tuleyev earned a total of 5.42 million rubles ($94,000) in 2016, according to his most recent declaration. That figure includes his official salary as well as his pension, interest from bank deposits, and award money that he says he donates to students and needy families.

The press release about the donations said that a total of 24.3 million rubles ($421,647) had been collected from a range of citizens, organizations, and companies throughout Russia and abroad.
A top campaign official for U.S. President Donald Trump had repeated communications during the final weeks of the 2016 presidential race with a business associate the FBI believes had ties to Russian intelligence, a court filing says.

The connection between Rick Gates, a former deputy chairman of the Trump campaign, and the associate was revealed in a court document filed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office late on March 27 and cited in media reports on March 28.

The document identifies the associate only as "Person A" and says he was working for the campaign at the time.

The New York Times, citing a "person with knowledge of the matter," identified "Person A" as Konstantin Kilimnik, an associate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort both during the campaign and when he worked as a consultant to the government of Viktor Yanukovych, the Moscow-friendly Ukrainian president who was ousted and fled to Russia in 2014.

The court document says Gates had frequent phone calls in September and October 2016 -- weeks before the November election -- with the associate, who the document says the FBI believes had active links to Russian spy services at the time.

Manafort has denied that Kilimnik had ties to Russian intelligence. But the court document says Gates told an associate that "Person A" was "a former Russian intelligence officer with the GRU," the Russian military intelligence agency.

Mueller has charged both Gates and Manafort with alleged crimes unrelated to their connections with "Person A."

Gates pleaded guilty last month to lying to the FBI and conspiring to defraud the United States, and he is now cooperating with Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Gates' alleged communications with the business associate were revealed in a sentencing document for former Skadden Arps attorney Alex van der Zwaan filed late on March 27.

Van der Zwaan pleaded guilty earlier this year to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Gates and the business associate. He is due to be sentenced on April 3.

In the document, prosecutors said Gates and van der Zwaan were in touch with "Person A" just before the election and that van der Zwaan acknowledged that he knew about the man's suspected intelligence ties because Gates had told him about them.

FBI agents "assess that Person A has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016," the document says. "During his first interview with the Special Counsel's Office, van der Zwaan admitted that he knew of that connection, stating that Gates told him Person A was a former Russian intelligence officer with the GRU."

Kilimnik, whose whereabouts is currently unknown, has denied having ties to Russian intelligence and Manafort has said he knew of no such connection.

The Washington Post, Associated Press, and other media reported last year that Kilimnik acted as an intermediary during the campaign between Manafort and Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, who is seen as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Media reported that Manafort offered to provide Deripaska with "private briefings" about the progress of Trump's campaign in an e-mail to Kilimnik in the midst of the campaign in July 2016.

Deripaska has since filed a civil lawsuit in New York state court against Gates and Manafort that accuses them of defrauding him out of an investment deal.

The lawsuit claims that Kilimnik graduated from the Military Institute of the Defense Ministry in Moscow.

The New York Times reported that Kilimnik, who maintains residences in both Moscow and Kyiv, was born in Ukraine when it was still part of the Soviet Union, and he served in the Russian Army as a linguist.

It said an investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors into Kilimniks possible links to Russian spy agencies was closed late last year without charges.

Manafort has pleaded not guilty to charges in two indictments, some of which relate to his work for Yanukovych, who was ousted by street protests and fled to Russia in 2014.

The New York Times reported on March 28 that one of Trump's attorneys in 2017 floated the possibility of pardoning Manafort and another top aide indicted by Mueller, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, in discussions with their lawyers.

The Trump attorney, John Dowd, who recently resigned from Trump's legal team, denied any discussions about pardons.

With reporting by Reuters and The New York Times
The United Nations Security Council has condemned missile attacks on Saudi Arabia launched by Yemen's Huthi rebels last weekend and expressed "grave concern" at reports the Huthis obtained the weapons in violation of a UN arms embargo.

In a statement issued late on March 28, the 15-member council -- including Russia, China, and top Western powers -- said it condemned the missile attacks "in the strongest possible terms" and said they pose a threat to regional security.

The council also "expressed alarm" that the Huthis are threatening to continue attacking Saudi Arabia, which has accused Iran of supplying the ballistic missiles used by the Huthis. Tehran has denied the allegation.

"The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians," the statement said.

The council statement did not name who is violating the arms embargo against the Huthis. But independent UN experts concluded in January that Iran had manufactured the missiles used in a series of similar missile attacks by the Huthis last year and Tehran violated the arms embargo because it failed to prevent those missiles from getting into Huthi hands.

Despite the UN conclusions, last month Russia used its veto power in the council to block a Western resolution outing Tehran for violating the arms embargo.

The United States in particular has been pushing to hold Iran accountable for allegedly supplying missiles and drones to the Huthis.

The latest Huthi missile attacks on March 25 were the most extensive and deadly so far. Saudi forces said they shot down three missiles over Riyadh, with debris falling on a home in the capital, killing an Egyptian laborer and wounding two others.

The Saudis said air defenses repelled missiles fired at three southern cities -- Najran, Jizan, and Khamis Mushait.

On March 26, the Saudi-led bombing coalition displayed what it said was fragments from the missiles at a news conference in Riyadh and said they showed the weapons were made in Iran.

A coalition spokesman said it was "reserving the right" to respond against Iran at an "appropriate" time.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps a day later denied providing the weapons to the Huthis and accused the Saudis of blaming Iran in an effort to distract from what it said were "atrocities" committed by Riyadh in Yemen.

A Saudi-led blockade of Yemeni ports last year threatened to worsen what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with millions of Yemenis living on the verge of famine and ravaged by diseases such as cholera, often without medical supplies.

An international outcry about the dire conditions for civilians in Yemen prompted Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to present a $930 million check to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for humanitarian aid to Yemen on a visit to the UN on March 28.

Guterres thanked the prince, but stressed that a political solution was needed to end the war in Yemen, not just a humanitarian response.

Were the Saudis to make good on their veiled threat to retaliate against Iran, it could sharply escalate a three-year conflict that has widely been viewed as a proxy war between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
TASHKENT -- Uzbek journalist Bobomurod Abdullaev has denied plotting to overthrow the government in a high-profile trial that is being seen as a test of President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who has promised to carry out reforms in the Central Asian country.

At his trial in Tashkent on March 29, Abdullaev, who is charged with "conspiracy to overthrow the constitutional regime," said that he "as a journalist just wanted to share what he knew with others."

"If my articles carried some uncertainty or insulted someone I am ready to be accountable in accordance with the law," Abdullaev said.

If convicted, Abdullaev, a freelance journalist and contributor to the Ferghana news agency and other media outlets, could face up to 20 years in prison.

The trial of Abdullaev, blogger Hayot Hon Nasriddinov, and businessmen Ravshan Salaev and Shavkat Olloyorov is being closely watched by human rights advocates, opposition activists, and journalists as a test of the governments vow to reform Uzbek society.

They were all arrested in 2017, a year after Mirziyoev took over the country following the death of his authoritarian predecessor, Islam Karimov.

Abdullaev's lawyer, Sergei Mayorov, said earlier that his client was tortured into making self-incriminating statements.

The charges against Abdullaev and his co-defendants stem from a series of articles under the byline Usman Haqnazarov, which has been used by more than one person.

The articles touched on issues related to circles close to Karimov, who ruled the Central Asian country for more than a quarter of a century before his death in 2016.

When asked by the judge, Zafar Nurmatov, on March 29 about the pseudonym, Abdullaev answered that Usmon was the first name of the husband of prominent Uzbek poetess Gulchehra Nurullaeva, whom he considered a "brave and fair person."

"If I had written my articles under my real name I would have been arrested right away and would not have been able to write my other articles. As for the surname Haqnazarov, the words 'haq' [right, true, lawful] and 'nazar' [attention, viewpoint, glance] carried the meaning -- a true standpoint," Abdullaev said.

In February, 12 human rights groups called for Abdullaev's immediate release and an independent investigation of allegations that he was tortured.

Mirziyoev has carried out reforms in the government, particularly in the powerful security services and Interior Ministry.

In October, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Uzbek authorities had taken "some positive steps" during Mirziyoevs first year but still needs to make "sustainable" improvements on human rights.

However, in its latest report released on March 28, HRW stated that journalists and other critics of the government in Uzbekistan remain under pressure from legal restrictions, politically motivated prosecutions, and fear-induced self-censorship.
American man who flew to Cancun with minor being held on $500,000 bail

Cancun, Q.R.  An American man who flew to Cancun with a minor teenage girl reported as missing, is being held on $500,000 USD bail.

Authorities say that 45-year-old Kevin Esterly arrived in Allentown, Pennsylvania Saturday after being arrested in Mexico and flown to Miami earlier in the month. According to court documents, Esterly was arraigned Sunday on a felony charge of interference with the custody of a child.

Wife, Stacey Esterly, filed for divorce Monday citing citing infidelity and irretrievable breakdown of their marriage. The couple had been married 12 years when her husband began a relationship with 16-year-old Amy Yu.

According to The Morning Call, Stacey Esterly is requesting spousal support and alimony saying shes unable to sustain herself during the course of the litigation.

Kevin Esterly flew himself and Yu to Cancun after the girl had been reported missing by her mother March 5. Tips lead authorities to their entry into the country. Mexico issued an Amber Alert for the missing teen. They were located March 18 in the seaside resort city of Playa del Carmen where Kevin was arrested.

The pair were flown back to Miami where Yu was eventually reunited with her family and Kevin, arrested and extradited to US authorities where he was transferred to Lehigh County, Pennsylvania to face charges.

Amy Yu was reported to be best friends with the eldest daughter of Kevin Esterly. Authorities say Yu willingly got on a plane and flew to Mexico with Esterly.

Esterly was listed as Yus stepfather on school records and frequently checked the 16-year-old out of school without her single-mothers knowledge.

Bail for Esterly, a father of four, has been set at $500,000 USD. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 2.
The country's biggest banking scam has just expanded further. Karnataka Bank today reported a fraud totalling Rs 86.47 crore in loans extended to Mehul Choksi-promoted Gitanjali Gems. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are the key accused in the Rs 13,600 crore Punjab National Bank scam.

A court filing by the CBI earlier this month had reportedly pegged the total amount allegedly defrauded by the Gitanjali Group between 2013 and 2017 at about Rs 7,080 crore. With this latest development the figure moves closer to Rs 7,200 crore mark.

"The bank has reported a fraud to Reserve Bank of India amounting to Rs 86.47 crore in the fund-based working capital facilities extended to Gitanjali Gems on account of non-realization of exports bills and diversion of funds," Karnataka Bank claimed in a BSE filing late on Wednesday. It added that the loan was extended under consortium arrangements.

Over 30 private and state-run banks are being probed by investigative agencies, which as a consortium sanctioned working capital loans worth Rs 5,280 crore to the Gitanjali Group starting 2009.

However, Karnataka Bank denied having any letter of undertaking (LoU) exposure to Gitanjali Fraudulent LoUs were the main modus operandi in the PNB scam, and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley recently told the Parliament that a total 1,213 of these fake instruments were issued to Modi's companies between March 2011 and May 2017. That's over 16 fake LoUs a month over the course of six years. No wonder the RBI "decided to discontinue the practice of issuance of LoUs/ LoCs [letters of comfort] for trade credits for imports into India" in mid-March.
Cancun Telmex workers threaten strike if terms not clarified

Cancun, Q.R.  Workers of Telmex in Cancun say they are ready to call a strike after waiting more than a year for the company to clarify its terms after diving into two.

Jose Guadalupe Poot Diaz, secretary general of Section 103 of the Syndicate of Telephone Operators of Mexico, said that they are ready to strike after waiting a year for the company Telmex, to verify terms regarding its subsidiary Telnor.

Poot Diaz says that its been more than a year since Telmex created the subsidiary, but due to lack of clarity, 60,000 union workers have their retirement benefits at risk.

Poot Diaz pointed out that the Federal Government stopped investing in this area more than four years ago. He says they stopped investing in cellular and internet connectivity in the towns of Quintana Roo where residential telephone networks exist.

He added that there are 3,000 public telephone booths in the streets of Cancun, but that 40 percent are not operating due to lack of maintenance.

We continue with the fight, we are confident that we will move forward, he said.

On March 7, the Federal Institute of Telecommunications (Ifetel) gave Telmex and its subsidiary Telnor 20 days to submit new company bylaws. According to Victor Manuel Rodriguez, head of the Regulatory Policy Unit of Ifetel, the deadlines for the formation of the new companies started March 7 explaining that Telmex is obliged to comply and report quarterly on the progress.

Before the end of the year, the company must have the constitution of the Board of Directors of the new company and by the first quarter, have made the transfer of personnel, among other points that must be done in a period of two years.

April 25 is the set date for Mexican telephone workers in Cancun to call a strike at Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex).
Hotel associations say its time for complete regulation

Cancun, Q.R.  Hotel associations say its time for complete regulation on vacation rentals throughout the state noting recent deaths reveal vulnerabilities.

At a press conference held in Cancun, the Hotel Associations of Cancun, (Solidaridad) Riviera Maya and the Center and South of the state along with the Tourism Director of Puerto Morelos, several Directors for State Inspection and Boards of Directors, spoke in favor of complete regulation, both for fiscal and security.

The unfortunate events that occurred a few months ago in Playa del Carmen with Argentine tourists, and recently in Tulum with the death of the family, reveal how vulnerable we are to these events with a terrible security image.

It has been demonstrated that not only is the name of the destination vulnerable, but also the life of the people, he said.

Roberto Cintron Gomez, president of the Hotel Association of Cancun and Puerto Morelos said that regulation is necessary to ensure fair competition and provide security to those who use these platforms.

He clarified that the regulation is not specifically against the platform, but against the hosts who are the ones who have to comply with these requirements, adding that the goal is to take care of the name of the destination.

Vacation rentals in Quintana Roo should be regulated and thus allow municipalities to collect resources and allocate them in things of benefit to the citizens, since currently, these vacation rentals do not generate any benefit for the community.

He added that even restaurants suffer because people who rent vacation properties prepare their own food and do not spend money eating out.

Cintron Gomez acknowledged that owners of the platforms, specifically Airbnb , are open to join the regulation, but that the real problem is with the owners of the properties, the hosts, coupled with the lack of political will to modify local regulations that they can be applied properly.
She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, along with Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, before being accepted to Oxford University. In a sign of the attention she still draws in Pakistan, security for Yousafzais visit was extremely tight. I have been dreaming of returning to Pakistan for the last five years, and today I am very happy, but I can still not believe that this is actually happening, she said at a reception hosted by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and added: Today, after 5  years, I have set foot on my soil. Whenever I would travel, in plane or in car, I would imagine that its Pakistan and I am driving in Islamabad. I would imagine this is Karachi, and it was never true, but now that I see it, I am very happy. The young woman was dubbed daughter of Pakistan.



Malala, the family and the Prime Minister of Pakistan

Video showed the Nobel laureate clad in a traditional Pakistani shalwar kameez and her head covered in a red and blue scarf as she sat next to the prime minister alongside her parents. Its the most happiest day of my life that I am back to my country and meeting my people; all my countrymen sitting here I want to welcome you, she said in Pashto, the native language of her region. Former TV anchor and social activist Reham Khan said, Lots of love and prayers to dearest Malala on her return to Pakistan.
It has been a fruitful week for those airing their grievances to Pune City Police against their own. The sort of interactive twitter account acknowledges complaints tagged to the city police and show a fair amount of interest when photographs of errant road users are posted. Almost all photographs that provide circumstantial evidence of road-rules broken warrant a reply with a request for location of offence, and date and time of offence.

So, when Shrikant Sonawane spotted a marked police car parked on a driving lane, obviously, he questioned the practice and tweeted the incident to Pune City Police.

On the same day, 24th March, 2018, the cops responded with their usual thanks for information we are informed to concern traffic divisional officer for take a legal action on this vehicle tweet.

However, even three days later, no action had been taken. Shrikant Sonawane followed up  Its been more than three days and still no challan good going pune police. Now I do feel that there is no point in complaining about anything anymore as no one is gonna take any action against it. Still no challan is generated. This was backed up by a screenshot of the E-Challan service. Looks like they wont take action on one of their own.

It's been more than three days and still no challan good going #punepolice. Now I do feel that there is no point in complaining about anything anymore as no one is gonna take any action against it. @PunePolice4U @PuneCityPolice @PuneCityLife #Maharashtra #trafficissue pic.twitter.com/ZsHI7AwaqX  shrikant sonawane (@shri9997) March 27, 2018

Finally, last evening Pune City Police were back with a response  action taken by PI chaturshrungi sir. And this was backed by a screenshot attachment that the errant car had in fact been challan-ed, albeit, 4 days late.

The challans drawn are as follows  Under the category of driving  134 (6) MMVR / 177 MVA  Using word, figure, drawing , sticker on vehicle (Press, Police, polite,advocate, etc) on non-transport MV. Fine Rs 200. Under the category of parking  15(2)(v) RRR / 177 MVA  Parking opposite another MV or as obstruction to other vehicle. Fine Rs 200.

But not all public grievances are addressed. Heres a video of an officer refusing to show his credentials and showing whos boss.

@PuneCityPolice @nitin_gadkari

Happened with one of my friend today (Kothrud,Pune) where his vehicle was forcefully locked. "My car was locked even though I parked at correct location and when I asked for an ICard from police officer, this was his behaviour" pic.twitter.com/x4eyNBKbxD  Anupam Kamal (@kamalanupam) March 18, 2018

Another tweet pointing out to an officer riding without a helmet was addressed this week.

#IAmSoIndian

That I don't follow traffic rules. And I'm from City traffic Police. (There's city police helmet + Police sticker on bike.) Hope @PuneCityPolice will issue fine /chalan ?? Or rules are only for Public ? pic.twitter.com/LzOaRIT6SF  Rajni patil ? (@indian_patil) March 24, 2018

The challan is drawn under the category of driving  Sec 129 / 177 MVA  Without Helmet. Fine Rs 500.
[NAIROBI] An initiative in six African countries has helped improve farming methods and food security.

Launched in 2012, the project funded by the government of Finland and called FoodAfrica Programme has helped improve the security and quality of food supply in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Uganda.

During a meeting held this month in Kenya (7 March), the programme leaders said that the initiative that ends in June this year is centred on sustainable food production, food safety and nutrition, market access and agricultural extension.

This is a good initiative that has helped increase our knowledge on farming methods such as grafting. Peter Katumbu, Eastern Kenya

Mila Sell, a senior specialist, Natural Resources Institute Finland, says that African soils are generally poor in micronutrients, which is a big challenge because smallholders have insufficient money to buy fertilisers.

Small-scale farmers, especially in the rural areas, have the weakest access to information, says Sell, adding that providing information, especially on land preparation and proper use of inputs to these farmers, can increase yields.

According to Sell, Africa offers enormous diversity of unused edible plant species that could help foster food security. These species, she notes, could be used by involving women in decision-making at household and national levels in matters of agriculture, especially food and nutrition.

The programme, the experts noted, has been able to engage volunteer farmer trainers (VFTs) to help increase the reach and sustainability of agricultural extension services. It has trained 20,000 farmers and improved the livelihoods of more than 200,000 people.

In an interview with SciDev.Net, Steve Franzel, an agricultural economist at the Kenya-headquartered World Agroforestry Centre, which is one of the projects implementing partners, said that although organisations are increasingly recruiting voluntary farmer trainers, proactive measures such as targeting womens groups are needed for recruiting female farmer trainers.

He added that VFTs are highly neglected and inadequately funded even though they play an important role in increasing trust to adopt new technologies. This is a positive indicator for sustainability as seen in dairy farming in Western parts of Kenya, explains Franzel.

But Peter Katumbu, a smallholder from Masii in Eastern Kenya says that smallholders still need help to access information, especially on markets. This is a good initiative that has helped increase our knowledge on farming methods such as grafting, Katumbu tells SciDev.Net.

Katumbu, who plants mangoes and oranges, says that access to markets will help smallholders get value for their produce and invest more in farming, thus increasing agricultural productivity and food security.

Since September last year, smallholders in Masii have realised over 60 per cent losses as their mangoes rot because of lack of markets, he adds.

Being a trainer of fellow smallholder farmers, Katumbu says that it was easier for him to persuade farmers in his locality using vernacular language and show them what to do practically. I am now a pioneer farmer in this area, helping smallholders improve their farming methods, he explains.

According to Sell, the programme has mostly been about research where good farming practices have been developed and tested. She adds that recommendations have been given to farmers and policymakers

The next step is to put the learning into use and assess the initiatives impact on food production.

According to her, because of the initiative, in Senegal cattle farmers incomes rose eight times because of more effective farming methods and cross-breeding.

She adds that the adoption of improved post-harvest methods including mobile dryer combined with tarp drying, farmers have reduced aflatoxin contamination by 80 per cent.



This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
OnePlus can give us the OnePlus 6 earlier than expected but maybe it's not all good news for the enthusiasts. The company has always tried to take a different path in terms of design-aesthetics. However, the OnePlus 6 might go the Apple-way. Company chief, Carl Pei told The Verge that they are going to place a notch in the screen of their future device.

The Android ecosytem seems to have agreed to the notch as the next step in smartphone evolution. Google Android P gets enhanced support for notches. Developers can start trying new functions wit the notch in place.

OnePlus has created a faithful following within a short span of its existence. One of the biggest reasons behind it is its no non-sense design language. However, the inclusion of a notch might raise questions on the company's dedication towards functionality.

As a preemptive measure and to explain the idea of including a notch in the next OnePlus, Carl Pei claimed that they just wanted to provide more screen real-estate to the user. "What you are essentially doing is moving the entire notification bar up, giving users more content on their screen", he explained.

He also tried to distance the brand from the sudden surge of Android phones with notches. The company head claimed that the notch will be put to much better use and will blend seamlessly with the software. He claimed that the OnePlus team has manually tested the notch with the top 1000 Play Store applications.

Pei also explained, unlike the iPhone X, they still had to include a chin with the OnePlus 6. Apple curves the display of the iPhone X towards the back panel to make it look bezel-less. Android phones are still struggling with the process to attach drivers to the display. Until a solution is found, there is no way to escape the chin of the device.

One relief is that the notch will be much narrower than the iPhone X but will be broader than the one found on Essential Phone.

The interaction came soon after the first leaked image of the OnePlus 6 was made public by popular tipster, Evan Blass. The leaked image indicates towards a new design language. The device will use a metal frame with chamfered edges. OnePlus 6 will still carry the legacy of 3.5mm headphone jack.

Since the leaks are increasing in frequency, there's a high chance that OnePlus might launch the device earlier than its usual launch time. The device is expected to be the most expensive OnePlus till date; crossing the price range of Rs 40,000.
Rubber ducks and crocodiles have always been popular bathtime companions. An Eawag study has now revealed the "dark side" of flexible plastic bath toys. Diverse microbial growth is promoted not only by the plastic materials but by bath users themselves.

Warm, humid bathrooms provide ideal conditions for the formation of bacterial and fungal biofilms -- for example, on shower curtains or behind cabinets. This applies in particular to rubber ducks and other bath toys. Dense growths of bacteria and fungi are found on the inner surface of these flexible toys, and a murky liquid will often be released when they are squeezed by a child. A group of researchers from Eawag, ETH Zurich and the University of Illinois have now studied the factors that favour microbial growth and the types of microorganisms present in bath toys.

In the study, they characterized biofilm communities inside used bath toys. They also carried out controlled experiments with new bath toys, under conditions simulating household use: over a period of 11 weeks, some of the toys were exposed to clean and others to dirty bath water (including constituents such as soap, human body fluids and bacteria). The bath toys were subsequently bisected and analysed in the laboratory. The findings sound unappetizing: between 5 million and 75 million cells per square centimetre were observed on the inner surfaces. However, the composition of the biofilm communities varied widely, especially among the bath toys from real households, but also between the two control groups. Fungal species were detected in almost 60% of the real bath toys and in all the dirty-water control toys. Potentially pathogenic bacteria were identified in 80% of all the toys studied, including Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the rodshaped bacterium often implicated in hospital-acquired infections.

The scientists then assessed the various factors influencing biofilm formation. Because of its low nutrient concentrations, tap water does not typically promote microbial growth. However, the toys themselves provide a source of nutrients: the plastic materials -- often low-quality polymers -- release substantial amounts of organic carbon compounds. During bathing, other key nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as additional bacteria, are contributed by the human body (body fluids such as urine and sweat), external contaminants and personal care products.

First author of the study is the microbiologist Lisa Neu. In her doctoral research, she is investigating -more generally -- biofilm formation and how plastic materials influence microbial processes in potable water. Her supervisor, Frederik Hammes, is not surprised by the findings: "Mouldy bath toys are widely discussed in online forums and blogs, but they have received little scientific attention to date." In fact, he adds, they are extremely interesting for researchers, as they represent "the junction between potable water, plastic materials, external contamination and vulnerable end-users." The vulnerable users in question are children who may enjoy squirting water from bath toys into their faces. Hammes comments: "This could strengthen the immune system, which would be positive, but it can also result in eye, ear, or even gastrointestinal infections."

So should rubber ducks be banned from the bathtub? Or carefully cleaned after use? Or -- as often recommended online -- should the hole be closed immediately, so as to prevent squirting? Hammes points out another option -- tighter regulations on polymeric materials used to produce bath toys. This has already proved effective for problematic chemicals; now, the release of carbon should also be taken into consideration, as is already the case in the testing of plastic pipes for drinking water.

This study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation as part of a project investigating the causes and consequences of bacterial growth in premise plumbing systems.
A research team led by Monica Bettencourt Dias, from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC, Portugal), discovered important features of cancer cells that may help clinicians fighting cancer.

The researchers observed that the number and size of tiny structures that exist inside cells, called centrioles, are increased in the most aggressive sub-types of cancer. This study will be published in Nature Communications* on the 28th of March.

Cancer is a very diverse disease with some tumours being more aggressive and more resistant to chemotherapy than others. Clinicians are eager to find novel diagnostic, prognostic and treatment tools that allow them to predict outcomes and treat patients in a more personalised way. The study now published may contribute to this process.

About 100 times smaller than the cross section of a hair, centrioles have been called the cells "brain," as they play crucial roles in cell multiplication, movement and communication. Their number and size are highly controlled in normal cells. Since their discovery, more than one century ago, it has been proposed that an abnormal increase in the number of these structures may induce cancer..

Bettencourt-Dias's team investigated the incidence of centriole abnormalities in human cancer cells. The researchers thoroughly analysed a panel of 60 human cancer lines originated from 9 distinct tissues. Their results reveal that cancer cells often have extra and longer centrioles, which are absent in normal cells. Importantly, the research team observed that supernumerary centrioles are more prevalent in aggressive breast -- as the triple negative -- and colon cancer. Also, the team discovered that longer centrioles are excessively active, which perturbs cell division and could favour cancer formation.

"Our data confirm that deregulated number and size of centrioles inside cells is associated with malignant features. This finding may help establishing centriole properties as a way of classifying tumours in order to establish prognosis and predict treatment response," says Gaelle Marteil, first author of this study and researcher at Bettencourt-Dias laboratory.

What is the next step? "The cell lines that we analysed are already well characterized in terms of genetic changes and resistance to therapeutics. We are pursuing our studies in collaboration with Nuno Barbosa-Morais' team at Instituto de Medicina Molecular, in Lisbon, and Joana Paredes at I3S, in Porto, to explore new mechanisms and therapeutics that could target centrioles in cancer," adds Monica Bettencourt-Dias.
A new 53 million-year-old insect fossil called a scorpionfly discovered at B.C.'s McAbee fossil bed site bears a striking resemblance to fossils of the same age from Pacific-coastal Russia, giving further evidence of an ancient Canada-Russia connection.

"We've seen this connection before through fossil plants and animals, but these insects show this in a beautiful way," says Bruce Archibald, a research associate in SFU's Department of Biological Sciences and the Royal BC Museum. "They are so much alike that only the wing colour of the new McAbee species tells them apart." Archibald and Alexandr Rasnitsyn, of Moscow's Russian Academy of Sciences, described the find and its significance in this month's The Canadian Entomologist.

"I'm not aware of any case where two such species so much alike and so close in age have been found in both Pacific Russia and Pacific Canada, and that's pretty great," said Archibald. He notes that the insect's only living relative is found in the temperate forest of central Chile, which has a climate that is similar in ways to B.C.'s 53 million years ago.

The new Canadian species was named Eomerope eonearctica, and its Russian doppelganger is Eomerope asiatica, described in 1974. The McAbee fossil site has been designated a provincial heritage by the province of B.C. for its spectacular fossil record. Archibald and Rasnitsyn also described a second new scorpionfly species that was found near Princeton, B.C.
In 1996, when a computer won a match against the then reigning world chess champion Garry Kasparov, it was nothing short of a sensation. After this breakthrough in the world of chess, the board game Go was long considered to be a bastion reserved for human players due to its complexity. Nowadays, however, the world's best players no longer have any chance of winning against the "AlphaGo" software. The recipe for the success of this computer programme is made possible through a combination of the so-called Monte Carlo Tree Search and deep neural networks based on machine learning and artificial intelligence. A team of researchers from the University of Muenster in Germany has now demonstrated that this combination is extremely well suited to planning chemical syntheses -- so-called retrosyntheses -- with unprecedented efficiency. The study has been published in the current issue of the Nature journal.

Marwin Segler, the lead author of the study, puts it in a nutshell: "Retrosynthesis is the ultimate discipline in organic chemistry. Chemists need years to master it -- just like with chess or Go. In addition to straightforward expertise, you also need a goodly portion of intuition and creativity for it. So far, everyone assumed that computers couldn't keep up without experts programming in tens of thousands of rules by hand. What we have shown is that the machine can, by itself, learn the rules and their applications from the literature available."

Retrosynthesis is the standard method for designing the production of chemical compounds. The principle is that, going backwards mentally, the compound is broken down into ever smaller components until the basic components have been obtained. This analysis provides the "cooking recipe," which is then used for working "forwards" in the laboratory to produce the target molecule, proceeding from the starting materials. Although easy in theory, the process presents difficulties in practice. "Just like in chess, in every step or move you've got variety of possibilities to choose from," says Segler. "In chemistry, however, there are orders of magnitude more possible moves than in chess, and the problem is much more complex."

This is where the new method comes into play, linking up the deep neural networks with the Monte Carlo Tree Search -- a constellation which is so promising that currently a large number of researchers from a variety of disciplines are working on it. The Monte Carlo Tree Search is a method for assessing moves in a game. At every move, the computer simulates numerous variants, for example how a game of chess might end. The most promising move is then selected.

In a similar way, the computer now looks for the best possible "moves" for the chemical synthesis. It is also able to learn by using deep neural networks. To this end, the computer draws on all the chemical literature ever published, which describes almost 12 million chemical reactions. Mike Preuss, an information systems specialist and co-author of the study, summarizes it as follows, in a somewhat simplified way: "The deep neural networks are used for predicting which reactions are possible with a certain molecule. Using the Monte Carlo Tree Search, the computer can test whether the reactions predicted really do lead to the target molecule."

The idea of using computers to plan syntheses isn't new. "The idea is actually about 60 years old." says Segler, "People thought it would be enough, as in the case of chess, to enter a large number of rules into the computer. But that didn't work. Chemistry is very complex and, in contrast to chess or Go, it can't be grasped purely logically using simple rules. Added to this is the fact that the number of publications with new reactions doubles every ten years or so. Neither chemists nor programmers can keep up with that. We need the help of an 'intelligent' computer." The new method is about 30 times faster than conventional programmes for planning syntheses and it finds potential synthesis routes for twice as many molecules.

In a double blind AB test, the Muenster researchers found that chemists consider these computer-generated synthesis routes to be just as good as existing tried-and-tested ones. "We hope that, using our method, chemists will not have to try out so much in the lab," Segler adds, "and that as a result, and using fewer resources, they will be able to produce the compounds which make our high standard of living possible."

The work received funding from the German Research Foundation as part of Collaborative Research Centre 858, "Synergetic Effects in Chemistry."
Female academics with young children find it more difficult to access research funding and generate attention for their results than their male counterparts.

That is the central finding of research by Cornelia Lawson, Aldo Geuna and Ugo Finardi, to be presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference at the University of Sussex in Brighton in March 2018.

Analysing the careers of 262 male and female scientists at the University of Turin over a ten-year period, their study shows that women receive less funding than their male peers and citation rates, where research is quoted in other academic work, drop for women with young children.

The study examines teaching and family commitments alongside public funding and the impact of research achieved through the quality of journal publications and volume of citations.

Researchers from the Universities of Bath, Turin and the National Research Council of Italy find that public funding of research is controlled by elite networks, such as professional scientific bodies, with those in leading management roles receiving twice the funding of other academics, potentially driven by favouritism or unconscious bias in the selection process.

Dr Cornelia Lawson, from the University of Bath's School of Management, says:

"Our research shows that female scientists with young children are not matching the citation levels of their male counterparts.

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"It may be that the challenge of travel to international conferences and meetings to promote research findings alongside childcare responsibility is at the heart of the motherhood penalty, leaving quality research overlooked. It highlights the need for support systems for women with childcare responsibilities.

"Conversely, fatherhood is correlated with higher citation rates for male scientists in the study, driven perhaps by the desire to provide for their new offspring, or reflecting a strategic decision to have a family when they feel their career is safely established."

The researchers believe that their research has applications across a range of academic disciplines and to countries including the UK, China and the United States, where the allocation of research funding is also linked to membership of elite networks.

Professor Aldo Geuna, from the University of Turin, says: "The strong influence of management positions in professional societies on research funding is concerning. Other networks should be given the same opportunity for funding and greater scrutiny of selection processes and diversity on selection processes is crucial."

'The productivity puzzle is an important question for universities that are striving to further scientific and technical knowledge. We hope that universities will do more to address the obstacles faced by female academics with young children.'

The researchers point to training initiated by the European Research Council and the Research Councils UK (RCUK) to address unconscious bias in funding allocation, and the Athena SWAN charter to advance gender equality in academia, as positive measures that they hope will help to overcome the hurdles identified in their research.
Biological tissues have complex mechanical properties -- soft-yet-strong, tough-yet-flexible -- that are difficult to reproduce using synthetic materials. An international team has managed to produce a biocompatible synthetic material that replicates tissue mechanics and alters color when it changes shape, like chameleon skin. These results, to which researchers from CNRS, Universite de Haute-Alsace(1) and ESRF, the European Synchrotron, have contributed with colleagues in the US (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Akron), are published on March 30, 2018 in Science. They promise new materials for biomedical devices.

To produce a medical implant, we need to select materials with similar mechanical properties to those in biological tissues, so as to mitigate inflammation or necrosis. A number of tissues including the skin, the intestinal wall, and the heart muscle, have the particularity of being soft yet stiffening when they are stretched. Until now, it has been impossible to reproduce this behavior with synthetic materials.

The researchers have attempted to achieve this with a unique triblock copolymer (2). They have synthesized a physically cross-linked elastomer composed of a central block onto which side chains are grafted (like a bottle brush) and with linear terminal blocks at each end. The researchers have found that by carefully selecting the polymer's structural parameters, the material followed the same strain curve as a biological tissue, in this case pig skin. It is also biocompatible, since it does not require additives, e.g. solvent, and remains stable in the presence of biological fluids.

Another property of the material appeared during the experiments: its color change upon deformation. As the scientists have shown, this is a purely physical phenomenon, which is caused by light scattering from the polymer structure. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments have shown that the terminal blocks of these polymers assemble in nanometer spheres, distributed in a brush-polymer matrix. Light interferes with this microphase-separated structure to produce color according to the distance between the spheres; so when the material is stretched it changes color. It is the same mechanism that explains -- in large part -- how chameleons change color.

The researchers have therefore succeeded in encoding in a unique synthetic polymer both mechanical properties (flexibility, strain profile) and optical properties, which had never previously been achieved. By adjusting the length or density of the "brush's" various side chains, these properties can be modulated. This discovery could lead to medical implants or more personalized prostheses (vascular implants, intraocular implants, replacement of intervertebral discs), and also to materials with completely new strain profiles, and applications that have not yet been imagined.

Notes:

(1) At the Institut de Sciences des Materiaux de Mulhouse (CNRS/UHA) and the Laboratoire de Physique et Mecanique Textiles (UHA).

(2) Biological tissues are composed of cells and molecules such as, in the case of skin, rigid collagen, and flexible elastin.
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After describing the arrest of Koku Anyidoho as disproportionate, former President John Dramani Mahama has shown solidarity to the Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by visiting him at the Criminal Investigative Department (CID) Headquarters.



A picture which has surfaced online captures Mr. Mahama in a black pair of trousers and a green shirt as he enters the premises. He was accompanied by Julius Debrah, former Chief of Staff.



The police on Tuesday afternoon picked up Mr. Anyidoho at the International Press Center for making what has been described as treasonable comments.



Mr. Anyidoho in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM, indicated that President Akufo-Addo will be overthrown just like his father and the late Dr. K. A Busia due to the ratification of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between the US and the government of Ghana.



Somebody should tell Nana Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. On the 13th of January 1972, a certain Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led an insurrection that removed the progress party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo Addos father was the ceremonial President. Someone should tell Akufo-Addo that history has an interesting way of repeating itself, Anyidoho warned.



There will be a civilian coup detat. There will be a social revolution. We [NDC] are starting it on Wednesday. The movement is starting on Wednesday. Nana Addo will have sleepless nights. He will suffer diarrhea. He said he wanted to be president, but we will make sure he will be fed up on the seat, he noted further.

Meanwhile, the Accra High Court has ordered the Police CID to seize some essential electronic gadgets on which information related to the alleged treasonable comments made by Koku Anyidoho are said to be stored.



The items to be seized under the order include laptops, iPhones and ipads.



Justice Patience Mills-Tetteh gave the order on Wednesday following an ex-parte motion issued at the court by the Police. The order also permits the police to search and seize electronic devices of agents of Anyodoho.

Source: ghanaweb.com









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For more than a quarter-century, San Franciscos public schools have failed to close the achievement gap for black, Latino and Pacific Islander students. At a meeting where community activists urged the school board to make changes, Pat Scott told a shocking story.

Last week, we got a boy whos a senior, said Scott, executive director of the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center in the Western Addition.I asked to see his transcript. He has straight Fs.

Scott repeated herself.

Straight Fs, she said. Freshman, sophomore, junior and senior year. And no one has intervened. He got a notice he wasnt going to graduate last week  and nothing happened.

The Chronicle obtained the boys transcript after the Nov. 14 meeting. It showed that the student attended Washington High School in the Outer Richmond District for nearly four years and failed every one of his classes.

An F in biology.

An F in world history.

An F in Spanish.

An F in P.E.

All Fs from grade nine to the first semester of grade 12. A social worker who looked into the boys case found that he also failed every class in the eighth grade, his last year of middle school.

Did the student, a Latino boy whose name The Chronicle is withholding, attend classes? How could he fail and still be advanced to the next grade? And most pressing of all, what allowed him to fall through the cracks for so long?

Brian Feulner / Brian Feulner, Special to The Chronicle

School officials, citing confidentiality laws, have refused to answer some of these questions. Without open access to records, its difficult to tell how responsive the school was to the students situation. But these are questions staffers are asking at Booker T. Washington Community Service Center, which helps students and young people transitioning out of foster care in the Western Addition.

Jerry Trotter, program director for college and career readiness at the center, said he hadnt seen anything like the boys transcript in his 15 years of working with students.

We were dumbfounded, he said. In my work with high school students  and students, period  Ive never seen anything as blatantly disengaged, not concerned. Even the audacity to print the report. As an institution, I would feel challenged or embarrassed to produce something like that without some kind of extensive explanation.

Susan Saunders, Washington Highs principal, declined to say how the student had been advanced from one grade to the next having failed every class, and what action, if any, the school took to intervene. She also declined to speak generally about how school officials would handle a student who consistently failed classes.

It could be bringing up specific family situations that I dont feel comfortable sharing with a reporter, Saunders said.

Gentle Blythe, a school district spokeswoman, also declined to talk about the students specific situation. She did say that the school administration doesnt see how (it) would be possible for a student to receive all Fs, because there are several checks along the way.

There are ways a student who did not get course credits can advance to the next grade, Blythe said, such as a parent denying a staff recommendation to hold back a student.

The student, who could not be reached for comment, arrived at the Booker T. Washington Community Service Center in October and enrolled in a career readiness program, staffers said. As a part of enrollment, the center asks for a students transcript and the most recent report card, which is how they learned of this boys situation.

Staffers contacted the Success Center, a local nonprofit that assists with educational programs. From there, the student was placed in a continuation school, where he is now working toward a GED, said Kiyana Merritt, the boys case manager at Booker T. Washington.

Its never too late to make a change, Merritt said. He definitely found confidence and faith coming to Booker T.

Merritt said Washington High officials had told her they tried on several occasions to contact the students parents, but its not clear why, or if, they gave up.

That kind of shows the relationships schools have with families of color, she said. They definitely need to repair the relationships.

Kevin Truitt, chief of student family and community support for the school district, said there are lots of things the school could do to help a student who is failing every class. He declined to provide specifics.

Theres probably a root cause, Truitt said. When youre talking about a student thats failing every class, every semester for years, thats an extremely rare and severe case.

Mary Rivers, a grant writer for Booker T. Washington, outlined the boys situation in a report on African Americans in the Western Addition for the city Department of Public Health. Although the student is Latino, his case was included because educational struggles tend to be similar among both groups, Rivers said.

Rivers interviewed the student and school staff members to compile the report, she said. The student, referred to as client 1, first met with counselors in middle school to try to improve his grades. He flunked all his classes in eighth grade but was still advanced to high school, Rivers wrote.

As he entered Washington High, the student felt nervous going into classrooms where he didnt know anyone and had no knowledge of what to do and where to go, Rivers wrote. This caused him to get in with the wrong crowd, which started distracting him from his studies.

As a freshman, the boy told his high school counselor that he couldnt focus in class and felt lost, but Rivers said the adviser was indifferent.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The counselor (Asian) was aggressive in how she spoke with client 1 (Latino), making him uncomfortable, Rivers wrote. Leaving with the feeling of not being understood, respected, and discriminated against, client 1 did not seek her assistance again, nor did she seek him out.

Rivers added, Client 1s parents reached out to the school and was (sic) not given resources, assistance as to how to work with her son, or resolve to the issue.

Booker T. Washington staffers said the boy held a job at the time, and had to look after several younger siblings. The student said he was in and out of classes, but the school did not report him as a chronic truant, the staffers said.

Under district rules, school officials must call a students parents after the first and second unexcused absences, and then send a declaration of legal truant letter if the situation continues. If the absences persist, the district can refer the case to the district attorneys office for violating state laws that require regular school attendance.

But before that happens, students are supposed to be offered counseling, mentoring, tutoring or a referral to an after-school program. Washington High School offers Beacon, a program funded by the city Department of Children, Youth and Their Families.

According to Rivers report, the student was never offered a tutor, nor given the option to go to this program.

Staffers at Booker T. Washington say the situation is indicative of schools broader problem in dealing with underachieving minority students. Scott, the executive director, recalled the case of a 12th-grader who came to the center barely able to read a basic childrens book.

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Trotter, the program director for college and career readiness, said some students who get As and Bs in math cant do basic multiplication and division during mentoring sessions.

The consistency, for us, was these are all of our children of color, Trotter said.

Seventy-four percent of black students across the district did not meet 2016-17 state assessment standards in at least one subject area, district data show. The same was true for 61 percent of Latino students and 65 percent of Pacific Islander students. Only 14 percent of whites and 16 percent of Asian Americans failed to meet standards in one subject area.

Nothing has changed in years and years, Scott said. Theres no help. Theres no intervention.

After the student came to Booker T., staff reached out to Washington High administrators about the students transcript, leading to an agreement to refer at-risk students to the community center, according to Rivers report.

If any student was considered at-risk, it was this one, Rivers wrote. How could the school district allow this to continue past the eighth grade, and even in the first year of high school? Where are the balances and checks for students, specifically the African Americans and Latinos? Why did the school not make a plan of action in the beginning?
For the next two months, swaths of Ocean Beach in San Francisco will bear a certain resemblance to a life-size playground sandbox.

Each weekday through the end of May, bulldozers, backhoes and dump trucks will dig up and ferry 75,000 tons of sand south from the beachs northern shores in an effort to temporarily replenish precious coastline lost to the forces of nature and accelerated by the effect of climate change.

Its a short-term measure the city has undertaken periodically since the early 2000s to combat and adapt to chronic coastal erosion at Ocean Beach south of Sloat Boulevard, where the shorelines attrition poses a mounting threat to critical wastewater infrastructure, natural habitats and beach access.

The idea is to prevent any emergency situations in this area until a longer-term solution is designed, said Anna Roche, a climate change specialist and special projects manager with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. In the interim, were using these measures to keep the area safe, protect our infrastructure and make the beach a little more accessible.

The south end Ocean Beach is home to the PUCs Oceanside Treatment Plant, which processes about 20 percent of San Franciscos wastewater. Erosion at Ocean Beach poses a significant risk to the Lake Merced Tunnel, a stretch of mostly underground pipeline that runs parallel with the shore, carrying wastewater and storm runoff to the treatment plant. The tunnel is also used to store wastewater during large storms.

Now Playing: To fight back against chronic erosion at Ocean Beach, San Francisco is digging up 75,000 tons of sand from the beach's northern shore and moving it south. Video: SFChronicle

Every year, the city takes measurements of how much shoreline is lost to rainstorms, sea level rise and the natural movements of the ocean at the beachs south end. Those measurements help determine how much sand and sand bags need to be placed in erosion hot spots to make up for the loss. One bad storm, Roche said, can result in 25 feet or more of bluff loss.

Luckily, an overabundance of sand gets deposited naturally each year at the north end of Ocean Beach near the OShaughnessy Seawall, so much that it tends to overwhelm the stairwells, promenade and parking lot.

Dump trucks will make about 1,550 trips up and down the Great Highway to deposit that sand and about 700 sandbags at the south end of the beach.

The city is also close to finalizing an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that would allow huge quantities of sand kicked up during the annual dredging of the Golden Gate shipping channel to be placed at Ocean Beach. Roche said the PUC expects to be using that dredged-up sand by as early as next year.

Michael Macor / The Chronicle

But, as the city admits, merely moving around sand each year wont solve Ocean Beachs chronic erosion problem. Additional short-term fixes like the installation of large boulder embankments along the coast have drawn criticism from environmentalists, who cite concerns over habitat degradation.

The city has a permit with the California Coastal Commission to take on smaller-scale projects like the sand transfers thats good through 2021. By then, the city is hoping to have the details of its long-term erosion mitigation and coastal protection plans finalized.

Those plans, Roche said, will include the details for implementing the recommendations in the 2012 Ocean Beach Master Plan, which was written by the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, or SPUR, in conjunction with city, state and federal officials.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Ben Grant, an urban design manager for SPUR, said the master plan is meant to guide the city as it adjusts to the inevitability of erosion at Ocean Beach while providing ideas for preserving as much beach access and natural habitat as possible.

Erosion is already a fact of life at the south end of Ocean Beach, and its going to get significantly worse as sea-level rise and climate change set in, Grant said. The master plan maps out how to gradually adapt to those changes, he said.

Among the most ambitious aspects of the master plan is the narrowing and eventual elimination of most of the Great Highway, which snakes along the coastline. Traffic would be rerouted along Sloat and Skyline boulevards. The highway would be replaced with a coastal trail, Grant said, and would give the city a lot more space to let nature take its course.

Confronting erosion at Ocean Beach, he continued, will require some sacrifices. You can have any two: easy flowing traffic, functional infrastructure or a sandy beach  but you cant have all three.

Through May, the PUCs sand caravans will impact traffic on the Great Highway. Southbound lanes of the highway between Lincoln Way and Sloat will be closed to traffic during work hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays  sometimes until 5 p.m. when necessary, the PUC said.

South of Sloat, single lanes in either direction will occasionally be closed. And parking areas at the south end of the OShaughnessy Seawall, the Sloat parking lot and those south of Sloat will be unavailable during construction.
2 1 of 2 Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Ben Margot / Associated Press Show More Show Less



San Francisco mayoral candidates Mark Leno and London Breed each added $100,000 to their respective campaign coffers after becoming the first candidates to qualify for the citys public financing program.

The Ethics Commission announced Tuesday that Breed and Leno were the first candidates in the mayors race to qualify for public money, but their rivals, Jane Kim and Angela Alioto, arent far behind. Kim and Alioto also have applied for the public financing program and both are expected to hear back from the commission in a matter of weeks on whether they had qualified.
San Francisco taxi medallions have nose-dived in value since the advent of Uber and Lyft.

Now the San Francisco Federal Credit Union, which made loans to cabbies to buy the $250,000 medallions, is suing the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, saying the transit agency let the taxi market collapse, walking away from promises that it would guarantee the medallions value.

The suit, filed this week in San Francisco Superior Court, said the credit union backed $125 million worth of loans for more than 700 of the medallions and has had to foreclose on 99 of them, while hundreds more drivers are seeking to surrender their medallions. It seeks $28 million in damages and wants the SFMTA to pay millions more to repurchase all the medallions.

The SFMTA elected to stick its head in the sand while the credit union and hard-working taxi driver medallion owners are saddled with all the burdens, the suit said.

John Cote, a spokesman for City Attorney Dennis Herrera, said the city has received the case and is reviewing it.

Some of the lawsuits allegations may be hard to prove. San Francisco and the SFMTA have no jurisdiction over ride-hailing services, as they are regulated at the state level. Taxi companies long complained that the lighter state regulations allowed the startups to erode their business.

But other allegations, such as that SFMTA reneged on specific financial guarantees to the credit union, may have more teeth.

The city realized $64 million in revenues from the sale of the medallions backed by the credit union, the lawsuit said.

San Francisco medallions used to be free, granted to drivers after they spent 15 or more years on a waiting list since the total number was capped. Since medallions became available only when drivers died, retired, became disabled or lost their licenses, more than 3,000 people were on the list. In 2010, the city started to sell medallions for $250,000 each to create a money-making machine to help with budget shortfalls, the suit said.

The SFMTA created an expensive asset out of thin air, the suit said  but the plan relied on finding a lender to finance medallion purchases, since most cabbies couldnt afford $250,000.

San Francisco approached numerous lenders and got many rejections, but the credit union eventually agreed to back the purchases, although it was concerned about the risks. The SFMTA gave it confidential data on taxi-driver income, agreed to facilitate a way for drivers to resell the medallions, guaranteed that the price would not fall below $250,000, and said it would retransfer foreclosed medallions, the lawsuit said.

In 2012, taxi drivers with medallions could bring in an average $9,500 a month, both by their own driving and by renting their medallions and cabs for second daily shifts, the lawsuit said. But by 2016, that number had plunged to $4,500, as cab revenues declined and it became nearly impossible to find a second driver for a second shift.

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Some days a taxi driver was lucky to earn $50 after expenses for a 10-hour shift, the suit said.

Starting in 2013, as Lyft and Uber began to win market share, the credit union started to worry and repeatedly asked the SFMTA how it would respond.

We cant fund taxi loans if (the SFMTA) are going to let the business erode away, Credit Union CEO Steven Stapp wrote in an email to a colleague in 2013.

Throughout 2016, the SFMTA repeatedly promised the credit union that it would take steps to reinvigorate the taxi industry, the lawsuit said. It promised actions such as reforming the transportation code, aggressively marketing medallions and commissioning expert studies, but never brought those up at board meetings, the lawsuit said.

By fall 2016, 485 medallion holders were on a wait list to surrender their medallions; the SFMTA is supposed to pay them $200,000 each, so medallion holders presumably could use that money to repay their loans from the credit union.
Its been a long time since a piece of contemporary music landed with the kind of all-encompassing cultural splash that attended the 2013 world premiere of John Luther Adams Become Ocean. This 45-minute orchestral tone poem, a series of cresting waves and immersive water imagery, caught hold of listeners imaginations as few pieces have and has refused to let go.

It won the Pulitzer Prize for music and a Grammy for best contemporary classical composition, and in one of the more intriguing musical crossovers in recent memory, the piece caught the attention of the pop songsmith Taylor Swift.

So when Music Director Ludovic Morlot and the Seattle Symphony come to Berkeley for a two-day residency with Cal Performances on Saturday and Sunday, April 7 and 8, its only fitting that Become Ocean  which they commissioned and premiered  should be a centerpiece of the orchestras offerings.

Its not the only one, though. Along with it, the orchestra will unveil a new companion piece by Adams, Become Desert, which is slated for a world premiere in Seattle on Thursday, March 29, just a few days earlier.

The new piece, Morlot said in a recent phone interview, is the one Adams  who is known for his spare and spatially innovative works for various chamber ensembles  wanted to write when the orchestra first approached him.

The idea of commissioning John goes back to my desire to create a distinctive identity for this orchestra. We knew that John had done all this work dealing with environmental issues, and I liked the idea of sort of appropriating that voice to what we wanted the orchestra to be.

But the richly upholstered score that resulted was a combination of Adams stark, philosophically alert character with the post-Romantic sensibility of the French conductor, who made his name with performances of Debussy and his modern compatriots.

I said, I want you to write a symphonic movement a la Sibelius, something Wagnerian, Morlot said in fluent, accented English. He was reluctant at first, but Im glad we went through with it. And now, with Become Desert, we are going back to what we think of as John Luther Adams.

But theres more to this tour, which also includes concert dates in Palm Desert and Las Vegas, than a vehicle for Adams two musical landscapes. Its also the beginning of an extended farewell for the 44-year-old conductor, who will step down from the Seattle post at the end of next season.

Morlots term as music director has been short  he only took up the post in 2011, succeeding the long-lasting Gerard Schwarz  but consequential. He has initiated an array of audience outreach programs designed to bring first-time concertgoers into the orchestras home at Benaroya Hall, and undertaken an array of commissions.

Perhaps most notably for an out-of-town observer, Morlot has created a showcase for the orchestras artistry with an ambitious and often sumptuous series of recordings on the orchestras in-house label Seattle Symphony Media. Those have included a Grammy-winning set of the complete works of the French modernist Henri Dutilleux, as well as music by Ives, Messiaen, Nielsen and more.

Asked to reflect on the achievements of his term, Morlot pointed first to the way he had recast the orchestra and its sound.

Its been a wonderful gift to have the opportunity to hire a fifth of the orchestra, and to fashion the musical aesthetic the way I believe it should sound  to try to create a particular sound world for each composer we do. Theres been a wonderful back-and-forth with the orchestra musicians  a culture of chamber music  that I will always cherish.

But also, I wanted to give the orchestra a little more of an identity, to invite the community to hear the concerts and to take civic pride in the institution. Not that it wasnt there before, but we wanted to make it exponentially more so.

The key to that, Morlot maintains, has been programming that draws audiences to hear live performances, even if theyre not sure of what they might be getting.

I tried to train the audience to trust us right from the beginning  in my first week we did Frank Zappa, Dutilleux and Beethovens Third Symphony. The idea is to tell people, We know you love Brahms First, and well play it for you  but we think youll love it more if we play it in a different context than all Brahms.

A similar spirit of exploration extends to the musicians as well.

Its always important to get out of our comfort zone, because thats how we grow as artists, he said. Art is important when theres a little danger involved.

But in 2019, Morlot will hand the baton to his successor  the Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard, who has been the orchestras principal guest conductor  and head off to a future that for the moment includes no publicly announced position. He makes his home in Los Angeles, where his wife works in the film industry and his two daughters, 15 and 12, are in school.

The explanations Morlot offers for the decision are cheerful but vague. The Seattle job, he points out, was his first American post after positions in Lyon (his hometown) and Brussels.

I felt this was a journey I needed to bring to an end once I had thrown all my ideas in the pot. You want to leave when you feel youve squeezed the lemon as much as you possibly can. Youre not going to squeeze it until youre trying to resurrect the juice.

Now its time to challenge myself with another environment  to have more time to focus on music and to develop my artistry.

Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman

Seattle Symphony: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 7; 3 p.m. April 8. $38-$98. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. (510) 642-9988, www.calperformances.org
WASHINGTON  California and the Trump administration are barreling toward a clash over vehicle emissions standards that could limit the kinds of cars and trucks automakers sell in the state and undermine efforts to reduce the nations largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

By Sunday, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to declare that the current tailpipe standards, toughened by the Obama administration in concert with California in 2009, are overly strict for model years 2022 to 2025. The announcement will set in motion a new rule-making process to weaken them.

The President Barack Obama-era standard calls for all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to meet a fleet average of more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025.

California plans to stick with the tougher tailpipe standards and tighten them on cars made beyond 2025, using its legal authority written into the 1970 Clean Air Act known as a waiver. A dozen states, including New York, follow Californias rules, together constituting more than a third of the national car market.

Transportation accounts for half of Californias greenhouse gas pollution and 80 percent of its smog and other air pollutants. Cutting passenger vehicle pollution is the linchpin of the states goal, set in law, to slash carbon emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

If California and the federal government part ways on tailpipe rules, it could set up a dual standard that could shrink the U.S. market for clean cars, damaging the states ability to meet its climate and air quality goals. It would also open a big new front in the ongoing policy war between the Trump administration and California.

John Storey / The Chronicle

Automakers, who last year urged EPA chief Scott Pruitt to redo the rules, now are alarmed at the potential that separate federal and state emissions policies could split the U.S. car market.

The industry has said unanimously we want to have one national program and keep California at the table, said Robert Bienenfeld, vice president of environment and energy strategy for American Honda. All automakers know we need to go to electrified power trains.

Instead, Bienenfeld said, it would be more effective to give automakers some leeway in the current standards. The current standards are more expensive than they need to be, and that by adding some flexibilities, regulators can significantly reduce our costs, which is really what were after, he said.

But to avoid splitting the country into two fuel-economy regimes, there has to be agreement between the EPA and California, or the EPA would have to revoke Californias waiver, said Michael Wara, a professor of environmental law at Stanford University.

In the nearly 14 months since he became EPAs director, Pruitt has systematically sought to roll back federal efforts to slow climate change, recently questioning whether global warming necessarily is a bad thing. If he succeeds in weakening tailpipe rules, it would be his biggest victory on that front yet.

Pruitt earlier this month suggested that California has forced the rest of the country to follow its rules, saying the state shouldnt and cant dictate to the rest of the country on tailpipe emissions.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in an interview that the state is ready to take whatever action, legal or otherwise, to protect its interests, calling the current rules indispensable to the states climate goals.

These federal standards are not just good for California and its people, its public health and its economy, but for the countrys as well, Becerra said. Our industries, our people, our local governments have made major decisions, investment decisions and otherwise, based on these standards. ... To just go backwards and unwind them would cost billions of dollars and be disruptive to our health and our environment.

The big threat to California, officials close to the matter said, is that if Pruitt takes a hard line, he would set off a litigation war over Californias waiver that could take years to resolve. Even if the state prevails, as many lawyers believe it would, the uncertainty could undermine Californias plans to tighten controls on model years beyond 2025.

Carmakers cant afford years of court fights, either. They have to finish their design models for 2022 no later than next year, said Michael Steel, a regulatory attorney for Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco.

The uncertainty cant last for too long or it becomes a problem for car companies, Steel said.

Gov. Jerry Brown has set a goal of getting 5 million zero-emissions vehicles on the states roads by 2030, requiring a big investment in electric and hydrogen fueling stations. A single national market makes building those cars, and their fueling network, cheaper and more efficient, experts said.

Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, has been meeting with administration officials for months to find a way forward, but the boards spokesman Stanley Young said the state has not even seen the EPA document about to be released and the state had no input into its content.

He said the state is awaiting any supporting data, evidence or analysis that purports to justify what we think would be an unfounded conclusion.

If Pruitt were to roll back the standards entirely, it would add an additional 540 million metric tons of global warming emissions just for vehicle models years 2022 to 2025, said Dave Cooke, senior vehicles analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, which opposes a rule change. That is the equivalent of a years worth of emissions from 134 coal plants, according to EPAS emissions calculator.

We cant afford to lose this battle, said Roland Hwang, managing director of the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.

Gloria Bergquist, vice president of the Auto Alliance, which represents 17 manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Volkswagen, said these automakers have more than 95 models of hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles on the market.

John Storey / Special to the Chronicle

But all of them put together are only about 3 percent of new cars sold, she said, and thats much lower than the sales of the single best-selling pickup truck in the United States, which is the Ford F-150. It outsells all of them together.

Weve invested in the (low-emission) technologies and dont want them sitting on dealers lots, Bergquist said. If consumers dont buy them, it puts us at odds with what regulators are doing.

Since the current rules were set in 2009, carmakers have come out with new technologies that have raised gasoline-engine efficiency and improved batteries in electric cars.

Theres just been a slew of technologies that have come to light that were not even anticipated while the cost of meeting the current target has plunged, said Drew Kodjak, executive director of the International Council on Clean Transportation. The standards are well within the reach of the manufacturers and are getting more feasible, not less.

To restrain global warming below levels considered dangerous, almost all new vehicles will have to have zero emissions by 2030, said Bob Perciasepe, former EPA deputy administrator in the Obama administration, now president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

You have this window of the next 12 years where you can try to get this working, Perciasepe said.
Orange County, once a Republican stronghold, has drifted toward the center in recent years as its population has become more diverse. Hillary Clinton carried the Southern California county in the 2016 presidential election, and Democrats hope to win four House seats now held by Republicans, two of whom are retiring, in November.

But on Tuesday, the countys Board of Supervisors offered a flashback to the Orange County of Richard Nixons and Ronald Reagans time, which may be more enduring than Democrats had envisioned. The board members, all Republicans, voted 4-0 to condemn Californias sanctuary law as unconstitutional and to join a lawsuit by the Trump administration that claims the state is illegally interfering with federal immigration enforcement.

The Orange County town of Los Alamitos took the same action last week.

The state has dumped violent and sexual criminals on the county, and its taken away the tools we need to deal with criminal illegal immigrants, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, who describes herself as a fourth-generation Japanese American, said in a statement Wednesday. Its time for cities and counties to fight back.

Another supervisor, Shawn Nelson, observed in an interview that the federal government sets immigration policy. Thats the way its been since the inception of this nation.

On Monday, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens denounced the sanctuary law, saying it could allow dangerous individuals to fall through the cracks of our justice system, and announced that her office would start posting online the release dates of every county jail inmate who has been sentenced or has had all charges dropped. That would presumably alert immigration officials that someone theyre looking for is about to be released into the public.

Sheriffs spokeswoman Carrie Braun said Hutchens is strictly complying with state law. The law prohibits local law enforcement only from giving immigration officials non-public information about a local inmates release or keeping an inmate in custody beyond the scheduled release date so that federal agents can pick them up.

The law allows local officers to hand inmates over to federal custody only if they have been convicted of specified serious crimes, and Braun said Hutchens has turned at least 168 such inmates over to immigration agents since Jan. 1.

Jessica Levinson, a law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said Tuesday that the anti-sanctuary moves reflect the views of a large swath of county residents, particularly those most likely to go to the polls.

I think the elected officials in Los Alamitos and Orange County know what theyre doing, said Levinson, who specializes in election law and also chairs the Los Angeles Ethics Commission. Theyre getting votes, representing the sentiments of their constituents.

Orange County has indeed become more moderate politically, with growing numbers of Latino and Asian immigrants, Levinson said. But she said the countys Vietnamese community leans somewhat conservative, and its still the case that voters tend to be older, wealthier, whiter and more conservative than the overall county population.

Its also the case that none of the county supervisors are on the ballot this year, leaving them freer to use immigration as a dog whistle, said Louis DeSipio, a professor of political science and Chicano studies at UC Irvine.

The supervisors reflect the older Orange County, DeSipio said. The county is changing. ... In some competitive areas, there is a strong groundswell behind more moderate candidates, including Democrats running for Congress. Its not a liberal bastion, but its probably not as conservative as its coming across at the supervisors meeting, he said.

The Trump administration lawsuit endorsed by the supervisors and the Los Alamitos City Council, and by 18 Republican-led states, was filed March 7 by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions office in federal court in Sacramento. It seeks to overturn recent state laws that limit local officers cooperation with immigration agents, that bar employers in California from allowing federal agents into private workplaces, and that allow the state attorney generals office to inspect detention facilities that hold immigrants under contract with the federal government.

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The principal target is SB54, which prohibits holding inmates beyond their release date at the request of immigration officers, restricts federal agents access to local jails, and prevents local officers from assisting in enforcement of federal immigration laws. The courts must decide whether those provisions are within Californias authority to regulate local law enforcement or an impermissible intrusion into federal authority.

State Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, the author of SB54 and a candidate for U.S. Senate, responded angrily to the Orange County supervisors actions.

This kind of obsessive immigrant-bashing is embarrassing to the county and its residents, and seems designed by the Republican supervisors to court the approval of a racist president, de Leon said in a statement.

The fact is, SB54 does not apply to dangerous criminals, he said, citing the provision that allows transfer of those convicted of serious crimes. So lets get real  this is about attacking hard-working, law-abiding immigrants.

In response, Bartlett, the county supervisor, said, This is not a racial issue, and no amount of race-baiting by Mr. de Leon will make it one. This is about complying with laws and protecting public safety.

President Trump also weighed in Wednesday, tweeting that his administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens of Orange County defending their rights against Californias illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies.
MOSCOW - Russia will close the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg and kick out 60 American diplomats in response to Monday's coordinated expulsion of Russian diplomats from the United States and a number of other countries, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

The move continues an ongoing escalation of tit for tat between Moscow and the West that began in early March with the alleged poisoning of a former Russian double agent on British soil with a Soviet-designed nerve agent. U.S. officials said Thursday that another round might be coming.

"We reserve the right to respond," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in Washington. "Russia should not be acting like a victim," she said, calling Moscow's move "regrettable" and "unwarranted."

U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. was summoned Thursday night to the Foreign Ministry, where Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov informed him of Russia's response.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement, 58 U.S. diplomats from the Moscow embassy and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg have been declared persona non grata. The United States expelled 60 Russians on Monday. The other U.S. consulate in Russia, in Vladivostok, will not be affected.

U.S. officials have hinted at further moves, possibly against Russian assets abroad. Huntsman told the local RBC news outlet earlier Thursday that such a move was "possible."

According to a Foreign Ministry readout of Huntsman's meeting with Ryabkov, the U.S. ambassador was rebuked for the remark and warned that such a move would have the "gravest consequences for global stability."

In addition to the expulsion of Russian diplomats Monday, the United States closed Russia's consulate in Seattle - claiming it to be a hub of Russian intelligence activity and citing its proximity to a major U.S. nuclear submarine base.

On March 14, British Prime Minister Theresa May had ordered the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats after Moscow rebuffed an earlier demand to explain how a Soviet-designed and Russian-produced nerve agent known as Novichok came to be used in Britain.

Last week, 10 of Britain's allies, including the United States, agreed to coordinated expulsions of Russian diplomats, believed to be intelligence officers, from their respective countries. The movement grew this week to include 27 countries. A tally by the Associated Press put the total number of expelled Russian diplomats at more than 150. The number of expulsions in other nations was mostly in the single digits.

"All [measures] regarding the number of people who will have to leave the Russian Federation . . . will also be mirrored with respect to other countries," Lavrov said. "This is the situation as of now."

Russia's move, in particular against the United States, "is a minor escalation," said Alexander Gabuev, an analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center and a former foreign policy correspondent for the Kommersant newspaper.

"Sixty diplomats is tit for tat, but shutting down the consulate in St. Petersburg is asymmetrical and escalatory - a mirror response would have been to shut down the Vladivostok consulate."

Another analyst, Vladimir Frolov, disagreed that Russia had escalated. "It was a matching response," Frolov said. "I was expecting them to close two U.S. consulates."

The Russian Foreign Ministry ran a poll on Twitter this week asking users to vote on which of the three consulates to respond against. St. Petersburg won the poll. Vladivostok is the headquarters of Russia's Pacific Fleet.

The St. Petersburg consulate has been given two days to pack up. All 60 of the U.S. diplomats subject to the expulsion order have one week to leave.

Russian officials from President Vladimir Putin on down have maintained that Moscow had nothing to do with the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal in the British town of Salisbury on March 4.

Both Skripals remain hospitalized. British authorities said Thursday that Yulia Skripal was showing signs of recovery, while her father remained in serious but stable condition. A police officer who came in contact with the substance also was hospitalized but has recovered.

Speaking before Parliament on Monday, May said that about 130 British citizens came in contact with the substance. May also said that Russia has offered 21 different arguments concerning the use of the Novichok agent.

Those arguments included denials that Novichok ever existed as well as accusing other former Soviet satellites of producing it. The only thread linking these denials is that Moscow had nothing to do with it and that the accusations are little more than a provocation.

Frolov said that Moscow's strategy probably will focus on shouldering the blow from the current round of expulsions and pivoting its attention to organizing a summit with President Donald Trump.

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"Putin is hoping to use his charm, just as he did with Bush in 2001," Frolov said, referring to President George W. Bush. "Putin needs to move quickly from here to there to score, but finds himself blocked by Theresa May."

But it may take a considerable amount of charm to overcome this week's moves.

"It is clear from the list provided to us," the State Department's Nauert said, referring to the expelled diplomats, "that the Russian Federation is not interested in dialogue on the issues that matter to our two countries."

Meanwhile, Russia has demanded that Britain hand over a sample of the substance used in the poisoning for analysis and demanded access to Yulia Skripal - a Russian citizen. Britain has not ceded to either demand.

The international Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has arrived in Salisbury to conduct its own analysis of the chemical used in the poisoning. It is expected to reveal its findings in two or three weeks.

The OPCW has said it will hand over its findings to Britain, the Tass news agency reported Thursday.

Lavrov said that Russia was calling for a special session of the OPCW's executive council April 4 to discuss the situation, establish a dialogue and "raise specific questions" about the Skripals' poisoning and the alleged use of Novichok.

If Western nations shy away from engaging in dialogue via the OPCW, Lavrov said, it would prove that the allegations against Moscow are nothing more than a "brazen provocation." He also said that the OPCW could confirm only the substance used, not Britain's assertions that Russia was behind it.

- - -

The Washington Post's Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report.
When the Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved funding for Urban Shield this week, they added a condition: The controversial program that trains law enforcement for large-scale disasters has to change.

The supervisors voted to de-emphasize weaponry and emphasize first responder training for next year.

What Urban Shield will look like in 2019 hasnt been determined, but, like a slow cell phone, Urban Shield is due for an upgrade.

Started in 2007, the four-day Urban Shield event includes tactical exercises for SWAT teams, bomb squads and emergency workers. Its about preparations to respond to the worst possible scenario: a mass-casualty incident like a massive fire or a terrorist attack.

Or a mass shooting.

Ive argued that Urban Shield might increase the unnecessary use of force by local police officers who participate because the conference promotes militarized team training exercises that seem to further desensitize officers to violence.

And at the vendor expo, where guns, scopes and silencers are displayed like jewelry, weapons of war are fetishized.

Urban Shield moved to Pleasanton in 2016 after protesters drove it out of Oakland, where it had been in previous years.

Many critics filled the meeting of the Alameda County supervisors Tuesday to demand an end to Urban Shield.

I just think this is the wrong time to do that type of exercise given the divisions in the country, given the fears that our immigrants have here, Supervisor Wilma Chan told me. I think we have to look at what is the most effective way to train our law enforcement around natural disasters and terrorism that doesnt frighten the community.

Its essential that law enforcement agencies have training, and this is the best outcome: Urban Shield will be redefined.

Id support an Urban Shield that prioritized communication between first responders, and the management and containment of emergencies faster and more effectively.

When the Big One occurs, I want the first responders to be ready to dig us out. And theyll need shovels, stretchers and support from those not in uniforms.

No guns required.

Urban Shield is funded through a $5.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that is approved for use in Alameda County by the Board of Supervisors. About $4 million is used to host administrative courses for law enforcement on things ranging from how to craft messages during disasters to how to clean up hazardous materials to how to handle an active shooter.

Only $1.5 million is reserved for Urban Shield.

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For Alameda County to continue receiving the Homeland Security funding, activities must have a nexus to terrorism, according to Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriffs Office.

Kelly told me that the program, which will be held Sept. 6-10, will undergo changes. This year, there will be a sensitivity monitor to advise the sheriffs office on how events might be perceived, and the weapons vendors wont be featured at the kickoff expo.

Another change that Kelly says is necessary: Altering the perception of Urban Shield in urban communities.

I think it will have to be more inclusive of our communities, particularly communities of color where law enforcement goes, where people were worried about Urban Shield tactics being used in those communities, Kelly said. I think along the way we missed some of our communities that have legitimate, preexisting concerns from years of negative interactions with law enforcement.

The fatal shootings of black and brown people by police officers remains a source of concern for urban communities. Urban Shield should be defined by something more than weapons and target practice.

Its just not a good time to have a show of force in Alameda County, Chan said. That doesnt mean that people shouldnt be safe and that police, fire and all those shouldnt have training, but I dont think at this time its the best way to do it.
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LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



























Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



OZ2



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OZ4



Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



























La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



Capitalismo...



medicos (2)



Quien educa a nuestros hijos?



Los Medios...



Sin Palabras...



Chistes feministas

- Cual es el problema, Eva?

- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz...

- Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.

- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...

- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.

- Que es un hombre?

- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.

- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.

- Cual es el truco?.

- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.

- Cual?

- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.





Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Ellas...



Ellas (2)...



Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1

Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije:

-Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro.

Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria.

Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre?

-Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa!



VENGANZA NUMERO 2

Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris.

A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita:

- Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!!

Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta.

La mujer paso quince dias en Francia.

El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla.

Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es:

- Y amor me trajiste mi francesita??

- Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina.



VENGANZA NUMERO 3

El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion.

- No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo.

- Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz.

Te quiero confesar algo.

- Esta bien, esta bien. Habla!

- He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga.

- Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!!



machismo y cibernetica



Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston.

-Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide.

-Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!.



.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.

Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos.

Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco.

Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas



Gol !!!!



Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso!



Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy!


From seven-figure median home prices to tent camps taking over parks and sidewalks, the ravages of Californias housing crisis are pervasive. But there is a place where the problem hardly exists: the campaign trail.

Sure, the candidates for governor and other posts are full of declarations about the depth of the shortage and bromides about filling it. But when theyre confronted with the sort of specific, pragmatic and not universally popular policy that could make a dent, the problem starts to sound less urgent.

A recent gubernatorial debate, sponsored by Los Angeles NBC4 and the University of Southern California, provided a striking example. The candidates were almost unanimously in favor of easing regulation and increasing housing supply  and against state Sen. Scott Wieners bill to ease regulation and increase housing supply.

Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa vowed to push transit-oriented development. But SB827, which would override local limits on high-density housing near mass transit, both doesnt go far enough and goes too far in another direction.

Democratic state Treasurer John Chiang said, I want to build housing around transportation centers. And if SB827 reached his desk? I would veto it.

Republican John Cox, who owns and manages apartment buildings, said, Weve got to streamline regulation and build far more supply. As for SB827, however, Im against it.

Democrat Delaine Eastin, a former state superintendent of schools, offered a lonely if cautious defense of Wieners imperfect bill. I support the concept, she said. We need more housing around transit hubs. The Democratic front-runner, former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, did not attend the debate but has similarly said he supports Wieners intent.

The idea had even fewer friends at a recent housing forum for San Franciscos mayoral hopefuls. We cant have one-size-fits-all planning, said former state Sen. Mark Leno.

The leading candidates have plenty of proposals to ramp up government spending on housing for the needy. What they generally oppose is any threat to sacrosanct local control over what may be built. And the fact is that local control caused the housing crisis and will perpetuate it in the absence of courageous leadership.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Much in the news these days are lawsuits in many states accusing the major oil companies of suppressing what they knew about climate change and thereby behaving like the tobacco companies in hiding their knowledge on the nicotine addiction and lung damage that came from cigarettes. There are groups on both sides of this issue.

The groups who say the problem is very serious and the oil companies are evil, publish articles saying why, as do the groups saying climate change and its damages are minor. Examples of both appeared in The Chronicles Opinion page March 21, just as a federal judge, who is hearing a San Francisco case, had what I think is the first daylong judicial tutorial on the issues. Both pieces are typical, where each side cherry-picks the data to make its case. Here is the real story.

There is no doubt about the reality of the greenhouse effect. Most high school Advanced Placement physics courses teach about what is called black body radiation. You can use that to easily calculate what the temperature will be on planets in our solar system if there were no greenhouse effect. If you do it on Mars, the calculated surface temperature is about 60 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Mars has almost no atmosphere and so no greenhouse effect, and its measured surface temperature is about 60 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

Venus is closer to the sun and its no-greenhouse surface temperature should average about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a very thick and dense atmosphere and its surface temperature is about 750 degrees Fahrenheit, about the same as the inside of a self-cleaning oven.

We, here on Earth, have the Goldilocks greenhouse effect. Without it, our surface temperature should be about 5 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Instead, it is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

If someone tells you there is no greenhouse effect, then they are either lying or stupid or stand to make lots of money by ignoring it.

The next question should be: Is the greenhouse effect changing?

We know that the amount of greenhouse gas in our atmosphere is going up. We know that from measurements of gases trapped in bubbles of the Antarctic glaciers going back a million years. But this is a complicated story because, as the temperature changes, many things change.

For example, if carbon dioxide increases, the temperature will go up. But if the temperature goes up, there will be more water vapor in the atmosphere. Water vapor is a strong greenhouse gas, so the temperature will go up further. But, if water vapor increases, cloud cover increases. Clouds reflect incoming sun back into space and more clouds lower the temperature. Putting all this together, along with other effects such as heat absorption in the oceans, requires a model of how the greenhouse affects the real planet. There are many models.

Putting the story together is the job of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Every five years or so, the IPCC commissions a new report. The newest is the Fifth Assessment, which came out in 2014. Each has four sections: the science basis, the impact analysis, mitigation possibilities, and the synthesis report.

To come to a conclusion on what will happen by the end of this century, the IPCC needs an estimate of emissions and a model of how the emissions affect the average global temperature. They use a range of emission scenarios, and almost all of the peer-reviewed models of what happens when the temperature goes up.

This is where most partisans cheat their readers. They pretend that there is only one answer and then they cherry-pick one to make their case.

Here are a couple of examples. If you use the low-emission case, then the rise in sea level is between 1.0 and 1.9 feet. In the high-emission scenario, it is between 1.5 and 3 feet, and this is what the Union of Concerned Scientists used in its Chronicle Open Forum piece last week.

The Heartland Institute focuses on temperature change and, of course, because the institute doesnt want anyone to believe it is a problem, it uses the lowest number; between 0.5 and 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The high-end prediction is very much higher.

Things change as time passes. Emission scenarios will change as the world changes. The Fifth Assessment came out before China and India signed on to the Paris accord. Those nations signed on more because of the health effects of emissions than because of climate change, but as they cut back on coal use, greenhouse gas emissions will go down, and with that the estimates will go down as well. How much lower only time will tell.

I use the time it will take to reduce the uncertainty in the calculations from the various scenarios. It will take about 20 years for the measurement of global temperature rise to tell us if we are headed toward the lower or higher end of the region of uncertainty for each scenario.

Meantime, stay tuned for the latest news.
SACRAMENTO  Stephon Clark wasnt sure what he wanted to do with his future, but one thing was clear: He wanted to be a great father to his two young children, his friends and family said.

At a memorial service that drew hundreds to Bayside of South Sacramento Church, those closest to the 22-year-old Sacramento man killed by police last week described him as the life of the party, an exceptional dancer and dresser, a bright student who had taken honors courses in high school, fiance to Salena Manni, and a caring father to their sons, Aiden and Cairo.

The crowd both paid tribute to Clark and demanded justice for his death.

At one point, Clarks older brother, SteVante Clark, led mourners in a chant, punching his fist in the air, yelling, I am...

Stephon Clark, responded the crowd inside the church.

Louder, SteVante Clark yelled.

Stephon Clark was unarmed when he was shot and killed March 18 by Sacramento police officers during a foot pursuit that ended in his grandmothers backyard 3 miles from the church where his funeral was held. His death sparked days of protests and a state review of Sacramento police practices.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy, said Clarks name will not be forgotten until we get justice.

This is not a local matter, Sharpton said, responding to a statement made by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about why the White House has not commented on national unrest over fatal police shootings, including Clarks death.

Theyve been killing young black men all over the country, Sharpton said onstage while SteVante Clark draped his arms around the reverend. And we are here to say that we are going to stand with Stephon Clark and the leaders of his family. We are putting aside our differences  its time for preachers to come out the pulpit, its time for politicians to come out the office, its time for us to go down and stop this madness.

Then, echoing SteVante, Sharpton said, I am...

Stephon Clark, the crowd yelled.

SteVante Clark grabbed the microphone from Sharpton and screamed, Louder.

Clarks body rested in a closed wooden casket covered with red flowers and ribbons and flanked by two heart-shaped bouquets of white roses with the words Rest in Power.

The music didnt drown out sobs that could be heard from the audience. One woman sang Beyonces 1+1: If I aint got nothing, I got you. If I aint got something, I dont give a damn, cause I got it with you.

Now Playing: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday declined further comment on the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man, describing it as a "local matter." Video: Time

Clarks cousin shared a poem, his voice quivering as tears streamed down his face.

They thought they had the robber because hes a black man too, his cousin said. Twenty times in his back as he tried to get inside. By the time they realized, they froze and let him die. Why?

That smile will never fade away, he added, as he hung his head.

SteVante Clark said he wants the city to build a library and resource center in his brothers name.

Stephon is going to live for generations, for generations, for generations, SteVante Clark said. The Clark family will never die.

Clarks death has ignited days of protests across Sacramento, with protesters shutting down major streets and a freeway last week and a Sacramento City Council meeting on Wednesday, and disrupting two of the Sacramento Kings past four basketball games in Golden One Center.

Hours after the funeral on Thursday, protesters marched through Sacramento streets for more than three hours. They shut down major intersections during rush-hour traffic, causing anger among some drivers who pleaded to be let through, and support among others who got out of their cars to hold protest signs or chant Clarks name.

The peaceful protest of about 100 demonstrators began and ended outside the office of Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, whom protesters want to indict the officers.

The Kings announced Thursday morning the creation of an education fund for Clarks two sons, in partnership with Build. Black. Coalition., which includes Black Lives Matter as a member.

Im extremely angry, said Jazzenna Davis of Sacramento, who stood in line and planned to attend the protests later that day, as she had in the days leading up to the funeral.

Few veteran reporters could recall a time in recent decades when so many national media outlets had descended on Sacramento.

Before the funeral, hundreds of people waited to be let into the church. Dozens of people were turned away when the church reached capacity.

Some of the people in line said they wanted to believe there would be change, that their voices would be heard. But many remained angry.

I have a lot of feelings right now, said Steven Ash, 28, a friend of Clarks. We deserve justice and peace in our communities. Police take an oath. When they violate that oath, they have to serve the consequences like we do.

On Tuesday, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that the state Justice Department has joined the Sacramento police investigation into Clarks death and will review practices in the department, including when to engage in a foot pursuit and policies regarding muting body cameras. The officers who shot Clark muted their microphones on body-camera footage released by the department, which raised suspicions in the community.

Clark was shot at 20 times by the two Sacramento police officers who were responding to reports of a suspect breaking into vehicles. The coroner has not said how many times Clark was struck by bullets.

The officers said they believed Clark had a gun when they shot him in the dark backyard of his grandmothers house around 9 p.m. Police said they found a cell phone next to Clark, not a weapon. His family called for the officers to be charged with murder.

Im still in turmoil, said Darnell Canfield of Sacramento, outside the funeral. Im in fear. Im in fear for my son and thankful he isnt as dark as me.
Politicians love having a villain to target  its an easy way to score points. But only when it serves their purposes.

Todays villain: Facebook.

The advantage to politicians in flogging Facebook: By ranting about how the social media platform violated the privacy of potentially 50 million users through the Cambridge Analytica scandal, it shows that they are sticking up for their constituents and keeping powerful corporate institutions under control.

But when it comes to Facebook, the villain is also the politicians best friend.

So while some elected leaders are encouraging the Federal Trade Commission to demand that Facebook pay damages to users whose privacy was violated, none is ditching it when it comes to their own campaigns. Theres no rush to pull down their Facebook campaign websites to protest the companys sloppy oversight of the personal information of millions of voters. Deleting the Facebook app? Thats for activists and certain billionaires who can live without it.

Politicians feel they cant cut ties with Facebook for a simple, practical reason  its too big to quit.

Facebook is so integrated into campaigns, said Kate Maeder, a Democratic strategist who runs state and local campaigns in California. Do you need FB to win? No. But this is the new frontier of modern campaigning.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Travis Allen has far less money in his campaign bank account than his opponents. Instead, he routinely brags on the campaign trail about the breadth of his campaigns social media reach. The three-term assemblyman from Huntington Beach (Orange County) calls Facebook a great equalizer in todays media and a great democratizer.

No longer are public leaders constrained by the traditional media. Now, with social media, I can talk directly to the voters of California with no filter, Allen said in an interview this week after an appearance at the University of San Francisco.

While Allen may have concerns about privacy breaches, he has no intention of getting off Facebook. The reason is that he cant find another social media platform that performs all the campaign functions Facebook does.

It speaks to the monopolistic nature of the current social media environment. There are only so many options to use, Allen said. New platforms are springing up, but theyre not seeing the same sort of widespread acceptance that Facebook does.

Others find Facebook virtually indispensable. On a basic, public level, Facebook serves as an online bulletin board for campaign events and a way for supporters  and potential supporters  to weigh in on issues. It helps campaigns recruit volunteers and get voters to the polls on election day.

More important to campaigns: Facebook helps them stitch together thousands of tiny pieces of personal data to help them find future supporters and donors. Just ask Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., whose campaigns masterful use of social media transformed a little known septuagenarian politician from a small state into a national force.

We would do a posting and get a ton of reach and engagement, said Hector Sigala, who was the director of social media for Sanders 2016 presidential campaign. And that was important to us, because the corporate media wasnt covering our campaign.

So while billionaire Elon Musk deleted the official Facebook pages for his SpaceX and Tesla companies, dont look for a stampede of politicians to follow.

I think it would be really difficult for a politician to run without Facebook  theyd be at inherent disadvantage, said Jillian C. York, the director for International Freedom of Expression for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who has written about leaving Facebook.

The whole trouble with leaving Facebook is that it doesnt make much of a difference if youre the only one to do it, whether its me were talking about or a politician, York said in an email interview. So, if one ethical politician decides to go but the others stay, the ethical one is probably going to lose.

James Tensuan / Special to The Chronicle 2017

Plus, York added, the current situation says a lot about the media ecosystem as well. In recent history, at least, it was television and newspapers that allowed politicians to reach their constituents  and television, at least, is better governed than Facebook in regards to political advertisements.

But some people are trying to make sure that those same standards that apply to TV and print ads apply to digital media as well.

Los Gatos resident Ann Ravel, the former chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission, is working on a project to enshrine some of those standards into what she calls the Voters Right to Know.

It is designed to be a state constitutional amendment that would increase transparency on technology platforms, no matter what they look like in the future. Enshrining those requirements in a state constitutional amendment would make them more durable, she said. Winning voter approval for those standards state-by-state might be politically easier than going through Congress or federal regulators.

What the public needs on social media is no different than what the public needs in other media, Ravel said. They need to know who is behind these campaign ads they see all the time.

For now, though, few political insiders expect candidates to leave Facebook. Its more likely that their audience might ditch the platform before they do.

I think Facebook is losing its influence, Maeder said. Millennials are abandoning Facebook for Instagram (which is owned by Facebook) and Snapchat. They see Facebook as something their parents use. With campaigns, tools come and go. Facebook might not be as powerful in a decade.
Internet educator Salman Khan edged out five equally talented nominees March 27 at the War Memorial Veterans Building during the Visionary of the Year Awards gala hosted by The San Francisco Chronicle.

Considering that the identification of local innovators and influencers is a bit like shooting fish in a Bay Area-wide barrel, we imagine the meetings of this VOTY nominating committee were rather animated.

Also in the running: the Rt. Rev. William Swing, founder of the United Religions Initiative and retired Episcopal bishop of California; Maven Project founder Dr. Laurie Green; Kiva co-founder Premal Shah; Santa Rosa Community Health Centers CEO Naomi Fuchs; and DREAMers founder-CEO Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca.

This fourth annual fete, featuring a McCalls cocktail reception and three-course dinner, was developed by Chronicle Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper with her colleagues, editorial page editor John Diaz and Jeff Johnson, whose tenure as Chronicle publisher has blossomed into a new gig as head honcho of Hearst Corporations newspaper division.

Scanning the crowd in the Green Room, it was clear this guest list was golden when we spotted an august trio of medical men: S.F. General Trauma surgeon Dr. Andre Campbell, UCSF Chancellor Dr. Sam Hawgood and CMPC CEO Dr. Warren Browner.

But we also hoped there were no serious events unfolding around town as almost every other major player in town was in attendance, too.

Catherine Bigelow / Special to The Chronicle

The 150 attendees ranged from first responders (SFPD Chief William Scott and SFFD Chief Joanne Hayes-White), philanthropists (including Fred Levin and Nancy Livingston; Noosheen Hashemi and Farzad Nazem) and politicos (Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, former S.F. Mayor Willie Brown, mayoral candidate Angela Alioto) to cultural pooh-bahs (ACTs Carey Perloff; S.F. Operas Matthew Shilvock; Fine Arts Museums Director Max Hollein) publishers (Santa Rosa Press Democrats Steve Falk and Nob Hill Gazettes Clint Reilly) and men of the cloth (Grace Cathedral Dean the very Rev. Malcolm Clemens Young).

This isnt an event you can buy your way into, joked Cooper. We know because people have tried.

The origins of this award, Cooper said, derive from the role The Chronicle desires to play in the region more than 150 years after the de Young brothers borrowed a $20 gold piece from a family friend to found the Daily Dramatic Chronicle.

With representatives from the areas finest institutions at the tables, Cooper described how much has changed since The Chronicles early days of publication.

Perhaps never before in history has public trust been so eroded in our nations institutions. We sit in the epicenter of so much that is going wrong with society, she explained. Epic housing problems and homelessness, struggles for affordable health care, an astounding disrespect for hardworking immigrants and a growing tech elite that seems to care more about the bottom line than our democracy.

John Diaz appreciates the Visionary program because it identifies positive stories that are happening in our midst.

And Lord knows, he said to loud applause, We could use a little more good news to counter-balance everything else thats happening in the world these days.

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Diaz also paid tribute to the Visionary nominating committee that, this year, included another subset of dynamos: former Secretary of State George Shultz and his wife, Protocol Chief Charlotte Shultz; AT&T California President Ken McNeely, Silicon Valley Community Foundation CEO Emmett Carson, angel investor Ron Conway, PG&Es Steve Malnight and Schaaf.

Youve possibly seen Mayor Schaaf on TV recently: Libby is the mayor willing to go to jail for her community, he noted, with a joking aside. I cant remember Willie Brown ever thinking that.

Cooper apologized for skipping the formality of introducing civic leaders in the crowd  a task that would demand every guest be recognized.

We gather here tonight for one of the most important of all our so-called San Francisco values to recognize the next generation of men and women who will change the world, she toasted. The dreamers and believers who know that the status quo is never good enough, and there is always a better way.
An 18-year-old woman was in critical condition Wednesday night after her vehicle took a 300-foot plunge off a cliff near Pacifica, authorities said.

Dispatchers received a 911 call at 6:17 p.m. that a vehicle had driven off the cliff onto Mussel Rock Park, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Efforts to replace a car's windshield went seriously awry when an auto glass repairman wound up setting a car on fire, as well as another car parked next to it.

A Ford Fusion and a Subaru Outback, owned by bank employees, were parked in a lot outside the bank on Hilltop Drive in Redding on Tuesday.
It's not clear how Oreo, a tuxedo cat missing from his Pacifica owner over a year ago, wound up 20 miles away from home. And on an island, no less.

But Oreo did somehow traverse a large portion of the Bay Area, all the way to Treasure Island, and managed to keep himself healthy for a year too before being scooped up by the San Francisco SPCA.
A massive fire erupted at a Hayward hotel early Thursday morning, authorities said.

The blaze began at 3:58 a.m. on the second floor of the three-story Americas Best Value Inn, at 2460 Whipple Rd, and flames crept into the third floor and attic, said Capt. Don Nichelson, a spokesman for the Hayward Fire Department.

The hotel was evacuated and no injuries were reported.

A lot of people were displaced out of their rooms, but only two people were seeking Red Cross shelter, Nichelson said.

By about 6:30 a.m., hotel guests were reportedly being let back into their rooms to retrieve their belongings.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. There was no immediate information on the amount of damage.
A federal court jury has cleared two San Francisco police officers of wrongdoing for fatally shooting a mentally ill man in his home in December 2010.

After hearing conflicting accounts of the officers confrontation with Vinh Tony Bui at a trial last week, U.S. District Court jurors rejected family members claims that the officers used excessive force or acted negligently when they shot him.

Police said they went to the home on Bacon Street in the Portola neighborhood in response to a report that Bui had stabbed a 15-year-old girl. Family members said afterward that Bui, 46, diagnosed with schizophrenia 15 years earlier, had suffered a psychotic episode at the sound of a slamming door and cut one of his nieces friends in the back with an X-Acto knife, which he had previously used as a letter opener.

The officers, Austin Wilson and Tony Ortiz, said the people they found in the home, who were mostly teenage friends and cousins of Buis niece, seemed reluctant to say who was hurt and did not appear in distress. Ortiz messaged a dispatcher to say there was no emergency, but then the girl showed them a puncture wound on her lower back.

The officers asked where the man with the knife was, and the teens said he was in a bathroom down the hall. At that point, said Cindy Tran, one of Buis sisters, she repeatedly tried to tell the officers about Buis schizophrenia, but the officers said later they did not remember hearing anything about that.

Witnesses disagreed about what happened next. The teenagers testifying in support of the lawsuit said Bui shuffled out of the bathroom slowly with the knife at his side, bent at the waist and turning away from the officers. But Wilson and Ortiz said Bui walked toward them waving the knife.

After he ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon, they said, they fired three shots at him from a few feet away.

Another sister, Rose Bui, said her brother, at 5 feet 6 and 135 pounds, posed no threat to the officers and that they made no attempt to disarm him or use pepper spray.

San Franciscos Office of Citizen Complaints issued a report before the trial saying that the officers use of lethal force had been reasonable but that their investigative and tactical errors jeopardized their own safety and those within the residence and also compromised the officers ability to consider alternatives to deadly force. The jury did not learn of the report, which was excluded from evidence at the request of the citys lawyers.

Deputy City Attorney Sean Connolly, who represented the city in the case, said he was grateful for the jury verdict but there are no winners or losers in cases like these. Any loss of life is tragic. Police officers have a difficult and unenviable job and are frequently called upon to make life-and-death decisions in dangerous and evolving circumstances.

Lawyers for Buis family could not be reached for comment.
Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America.
Shortly after learning hed won the Nobel Prize in physics, Richard Taylor stared at his reflection in a mirror.

Murray Gell-Mann is smart. Dick Garwin is smart, he told himself, referring to two pioneering 20th century physicists. You are lucky.

The self-effacing Taylor, a Stanford University professor emeritus of physics who shared the Nobel in 1990 for his role in the discovery of quarks, died Feb. 22 at his home on the Stanford campus. He was 88.

Taylors experiments with the university-operated SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in its early days revealed the existence of quarks, the elusive building blocks of the proton, neutron and other subatomic particles.

The discovery set the foundations for the Standard Model, which describes the elementary particles and forces that govern our existence.

Taylor, a strict experimentalist, never saw himself as the discoverer of quarks.

My job was to measure things and make sure that the measurements that I made were right, he told an interviewer for the Nobel Prize website in 2008. Its the job of the theoretical community to understand why things are the way I see them when I do the experiments. So I was not running around saying, I have discovered quarks.

Richard Edward Taylor was born Nov. 2, 1929, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, to a Scottish American mother and Northern Irish father. World War II radically transformed the small town, as the British Royal Air Force set up camp to train soldiers and later housed German and other Axis prisoners of war there.

Scientists arrived in Medicine Hat ready to work on chemical and biological weapons. They brought with them a completely different culture, Taylor said  one that fed his already-growing love for science.

The wartime glamour of the military, the sudden infusion of groups of sophisticated and highly educated people, and new cultural opportunities (the first live symphonic music I ever heard was played by German prisoners of war) all transformed our town and widened the horizons of the young people there, Taylor wrote.

As a child he sought out science books; in high school he blew three fingers off his left hand when a chemistry experiment at home went explosively wrong. Hed wanted to go into surgery, he told an interviewer for the Nobel Prize website, but a friend informed him that no one would want a surgeon with missing fingers.

By his own account, Taylor was not a good student  he failed Latin and never graduated from high school  but he had a gift for physics. He enrolled at the University of Alberta, completing his masters degree there before heading to Stanford to pursue a doctorate in 1952.

He soon started working on accelerators at the universitys High-Energy Physics Lab, and delayed his thesis for a few years to help build an accelerator in France. After less than a year at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, he returned to Stanford in 1962 to work at the nascent Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (or SLAC for short) and complete his dissertation.

Scientists who had been smashing subatomic particles together had already discovered a menagerie of what were called hadrons, a class that includes protons and neutrons as well as more exotic particles, said SLAC experimental physicist Martin Breidenbach, who participated in the experiments as a graduate student at MIT.

There was this great particle zoo of mesons and other hadrons which people didnt understand, he said, ticking off a few: pions, kaons, excited nucleons.

Physicists wanted to know what these hadrons  particularly the buildings blocks of the atoms nucleus, the proton and neutron  were made of. Was the proton a fundamental particle, with no smaller fragments within it? Or did it have some infinitesimal inner structure?

To find out, SLAC physicists used an accelerator that shot a beam of high-energy electrons at a target of protons and neutrons. Then they studied the subatomic shrapnel that resulted from these collisions. The 2-mile-long accelerator, which cost $114 million, was the longest linear accelerator ever built when it began operating in 1966.

At the time, many other accelerators were shooting beams of protons at targets. But scientists at SLAC shot beams of electrons instead, hoping that the smaller, simpler particles would provide a cleaner result. Taylor was instrumental in building the beam switchyard, which allowed multiple experiments to run at the same time, as well as its giant spectrometer.

The experiment that earned Taylor and his Massachusetts Institute of Technology-based colleagues Jerome I. Friedman and Henry W. Kendall the Nobel Prize was not expected to produce scientific fireworks: Scientists had already shot electrons at lower energies and not found anything unusual.

But to the trios surprise, these higher-energy electron beams scattered at wide angles once they hit their target. This told them there was something hard and discrete at the center of the proton. And that meant the proton was not a fundamental, indivisible unit of matter.

Those tiny components were soon identified as quarks, whose existence had been predicted by Caltech physicist Murray Gell-Mann. Later discoveries revealed that they came in six flavors, and different combinations of these flavors could explain the behavior of protons and neutrons as well as the more exotic hadrons that scientists had been discovering.

The discovery of quarks led scientists to develop the Standard Model, which simplified everything, Breidenbach said.

With the beginning of the Standard Model, all of these particles were understandable as collections of two or three quarks, he added.

On the day the Nobel Prize was announced, Taylor thanked about 30 people and said, Im here because Im probably the oldest and loudest of the group, according to a Stanford University remembrance.

Taylor was indeed quick to share credit. He insisted that all of the people who worked on the experiment come to Stockholm for the Nobel Prize ceremony, Breidenbach recalled. A photo of the entire group in Norway, dressed in white ties and tails, sat for years on his desk.

Leaders often have the option to delegate less appealing work. Not Taylor, said Les Cottrell, SLACs manager of computer networking, who started working with Taylor in 1967.

During active experiments, Taylor regularly took the unpopular early-morning shifts when the machinery had to be monitored around the clock, relieving junior members of the team from that burden. He also stayed late to keep the labs director abreast of developments.

He was very much a person who led from the front, Cottrell said.

And at the end of these projects, he and his wife would throw large parties for the staff at their house with a pool  not just for the scientists, but also the programmers, engineers and others involved in the experiments infrastructure, Cottrell recalled.

A consummate team player, Taylor felt that for experiments such as his, the Nobel Prize should be awarded to groups rather than one to three individuals.

Itll acknowledge that its not the work of an individual person but a huge group of people, he said in 2008. Theres no way to do it fairly with three.

Taylor is survived by his wife, Rita, and their son, Ted.
Saba Mahmood, a professor, theorist and author from Pakistan whose work focused on the intersection of Islam and feminist theory, died on March 10 at her home in Berkeley. She was 57.

The cause was pancreatic cancer, said her husband, Charles Hirschkind.

In her studies, Mahmood, a scholar of modern Egypt who specialized in sociocultural anthropology at UC Berkeley, also challenged entrenched notions about secularism and religion, particularly in Muslim societies. She had been brought up as a Muslim.

In her book Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject (2004), Mahmood explored a grass-roots womens movement focused on moral reform in Cairo in the 1990s.

The movement  one face of a broader Mideast effort to revive Muslim ethical practices  was unique in that these women came to understand that the rebuilding of a pious Islamic community could not be left to men alone, said Hirschkind, a fellow scholar of sociocultural anthropology at Berkeley who had sometimes collaborated with his wife.

And so the women in this movement stepped out of traditional female roles to become leaders and educators in the field of Islamic knowledge, he said.

The movement largely took place outside the arena of state politics  though its intervention into social and ethical life had a profound impact on the political condition of Egyptian society, Hirschkind said.

In a preface to the 2012 edition of her book, Mahmood described both the praise and criticism she had received from feminists. Her admirers saw it as tackling feminisms failure to come to terms with the viewpoints and lives of religious women, except as objects needing reform, her husband wrote in an email.

Sabas work demonstrated that women could be agents within, and not just against, patriarchal religious traditions, he added.

Her critics, he said, saw Mahmoods invitation to understand the perspectives of these religious women as an abandonment of feminisms emancipatory mandate.

Mahmood wrote that both these perspectives ignore the fact that I was not interested in delivering judgments on what counts as a feminist versus an anti-feminist practice.

She circled back to her point in 2016 at a conference at the Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan.

If I was to condemn those movements, that does not mean anyone has understood them any better, she said. My task as a scholar is not simply to denounce, but to try to understand what motivates people to be involved in such movements.

Politics of Piety won a Victoria Schuck Award from the American Political Science Association.

In her 2015 book, Religious Difference in a Secular Age: A Minority Report, Mahmood confronted conventional ideas that secularism  commonly understood as the absence of religion or the separation of religion from state  would help reduce social and political inequalities and religious tensions in Islamic countries.

Her findings drew on her exhaustive work in Egypt, looking at such religious minorities as Coptic Orthodox Christians and Bahais.

It is often argued, she said at the 2016 conference, that the solution to religious extremism is more secularism, and that nations like Pakistan suffer from fundamentalism because the state and its people are not adequately secular. But the idea that secularism means the separation of church and state is an old idea that has been challenged by scholars for about 20 years, she said.

These scholars now argue that the condition of secularism is in fact one in which the state has become more and more involved in the regulation of religious life and religious institutions, she said.

Thus, when Islamic movements struggle to make the state their means to Islamicize society, they are in line with this modern conception of secularism, Mahmood maintained.

Even in America, Protestantism is a very crucial aspect that informs almost all laws and practices, she said.

Her work has been translated into Arabic, French, Persian, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish and Polish.

Saba Mahmood was born on Feb. 3, 1961, in Quetta, Pakistan, to Mahmood Hussein, a police officer, and Latif Begum, a homemaker.

Mahmood moved to the United States in 1981 to study architecture and urban planning at the University of Washington in Seattle. She received her doctorate in anthropology from Stanford University in 1998 and taught at the University of Chicago before joining the Berkeley faculty in 2004. She had taught through the most recent fall semester.

Mahmood was central in the formation of the Berkeley Pakistan Studies Initiative, which has been called the first academic program in the United States dedicated to the study of Pakistans history, politics and culture.

She was also affiliated with the universitys Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Program in Critical Theory and the Institute for South Asia Studies.

In addition to her husband, whom she married in 2003, she is survived by a son, Nameer Hirschkind, and two brothers, Tariq and Khalid.

Mahmood received many honors and awards, among them the Axel Springer Fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin and fellowships at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and the UC Humanities Research Institute.

Clearly Saba Mahmood has always been too firmly a force in the world to be gone, Laurie A. Wilkie, the chair of Berkeleys anthropology department, wrote on the universitys website. She endures in her many important contributions within and beyond anthropology. She endures in the lives and careers of her many undergraduate and graduate students.
Scientists probing the ground with airborne laser beams have mapped the Rodgers Creek Fault in the heart of Santa Rosa for the first time, they reported Tuesday.

A team from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, led by geologist Suzanne Hecker, discovered the faults signs throughout the citys downtown area where redevelopment has long obscured the evidence of past quakes, Hecker said.

The newly mapped section of the fault broadens the area of downtown where a seismic hazard exists, Hecker said, but it does not say anything about the probability of future earthquakes there.

There is a significant probability of a major earthquake on the Rodgers Creek Fault in the coming decades, Heckers report said.

The most recent official estimates by the Geological Survey indicate there is a 31 percent probability of a quake with a magnitude 6.7 or greater striking somewhere on the combined Rodgers Creek and Hayward faults in the next 30 years, and recent research has made it clearer than ever that they are linked into a single fault beneath San Pablo Bay.

According to the latest census figures, 174,000 people live in Santa Rosa, the 41-square-mile county seat of Sonoma County.

The newly mapped fault zone in the central part of Santa Rosa is broader and extends farther east than scientists had previously assumed, Heckers report said, and her team also found new evidence of a small rightward bend in the fault that defined a slight depression in the ground extending a mile long and a quarter-mile wide.

Precise measurements of that regions magnetic and gravity variations, as well as the airborne laser technology known as Lidar, also detected a dense magnetic body of rock underground known as an asperity, Heckers team reported.

The rocks magnetism may have influenced the distribution of the many small aftershocks that followed the two well-known Santa Rosa earthquakes that struck in 1969 with magnitudes of 5.6 and 5.7. They caused $6 million in damage to buildings that were in the newly mapped area.

Heckers full report on the detailed mapping project is published online in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. Her colleagues in the report include Victoria E. Langenheim, R.A. Williams, C.S. Hitchcock, and Stephen B. DeLong.
In recent years, studies have shown that erratic work schedules can take a major toll on the well-being of service workers.

But many employers in the retail, restaurant and hospitality industries continue to behave as if stable scheduling is an unaffordable luxury.

I dont count on the hours in my schedule, said Sam Stephenson, a North Carolina Gap employee. I dont count on the money Im supposed to be getting.

Now a study involving Stephensons colleagues at more than two dozen Gap stores in the Chicago and San Francisco areas, undertaken by a team of researchers with the companys cooperation, aims to rebut the presumption that stable schedules are too costly. The study shows that more predictable and consistent hours are not just compatible with profitability, they also can significantly improve a stores bottom line.

The study randomly assigned about two-thirds of the stores to a treatment group, in which managers were encouraged to provide workers with more consistent start and stop times from day to day, and more consistent schedules from week to week. Many managers were also authorized to slightly increase the total number of payroll hours they could allocate to their workers. Scheduling at the remaining one-third of the stores continued largely as usual.

The result: Average sales during the experiment were 7 percent higher at the stores subject to the new policies than at the stores in the control group.

They were not operating in the stability sweet spot, said Joan Williams of UC Hastings College of the Law, one of the studys authors. We basically held up a mirror to capitalisms self-image of efficiency and showed the misaligned incentives that are disserving both workers and the company.

Shifting schedules have long been a complaint in the retail industry and other low-wage fields, and the Gap study suggests they are a lose-lose proposition. But there was one apparent conundrum at the heart of the findings: While the effect on sales was quite large  the 7 percent increase swamps the 1 to 3 percent improvement that many retailers struggle to achieve  the overall consistency of schedules improved only marginally.

Consider a part-time worker with an average of 16 shifts per month. At stores that attempted to make the changes, nearly 10 of those shifts were scheduled for a consistent time of day. At stores that had not done so, about nine of the shifts were consistent.

The explanation for how such modest changes could lead to such unusually large increases in sales may be that managers focused disproportionately on more experienced employees when it came to stabilizing the number of hours worked from week to week. That, in turn, appears to have lowered turnover among experienced workers, who helped their stores perform better.

It looks like managers did the rational thing  they had to improve stability, and so they picked the more experienced people, said Saravanan Kesavan, another author, who teaches business at the University of North Carolina. Now you have more experienced people in the store, and the productivity youre seeing increased, leading to higher sales.

Kesavan suggested that the San Francisco retailer could reap still greater financial benefits by making schedules even more stable and reducing turnover beyond what the experiment achieved. The attrition rate is still high, he said. (Susan Lambert of the University of Chicago was the third author.)

The researchers chose the 28 stores in the study, then randomly selected the 19 where the new policies would take effect for just under a year. Although the managers in those stores had previously agreed to take part, the researchers could not be certain that they carried out all the new policies. The managers were simply urged to do so with the companys blessing, an approach known as randomized encouragement design.

Marshall Fisher, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania who is an expert on retailing and was not involved in the project, said the study provided compelling evidence that if you treat people decently, you get better results.

Fisher cautioned, however, that generalizing from the study to the company writ large, to say nothing of the entire industry, could be complicated. For one thing, he said, it was unclear if the improvement in sales would be as large as the researchers found if the company were to put the new policies in place in all of its stores at once. It is possible that the stores that adopted the new policies became attractive to shoppers, and may have siphoned traffic and sales from other Gap stores.

Gap was noncommittal on whether it would introduce most of the changes across all of its stores.

Looming over the study was a gnawing question: Given the effort that went into making workers schedules more consistent from day to day and week to week, why wasnt there more improvement in the actual scheduling?

One answer, the researchers concluded, is that the biggest cause of disruption in work schedules at Gap stores was not the fluctuation in traffic from customers, as was long assumed to be the case in retailing. Overly narrow decision-making at the corporate headquarters was a major factor.

In 2015, as the study was beginning, Gap announced it would require schedules to be posted at least 10 days in advance at all its stores in the United States. But schedules can nonetheless change quickly. According to interviews the researchers conducted with workers and managers, sales promotions mandated by corporate headquarters often required a large increase in worker-hours on short notice. So did preparing for store visits by executives.

Its just been a roller coaster with promo changes, one manager told the researchers. This week alone the window changed three times.

Another manager reported having probably extended two to three shifts every day in the run-up to the visit by an executive.

The researchers also identified inaccurate information about the size and timing of shipments as a key obstacle to predictable scheduling, since processing new inventory is labor-intensive.

Fisher said those findings could have an optimistic interpretation, because they suggested it was largely within the companys power to smooth out the peaks and troughs in its workers schedules. Some companies, like Costco, are able to provide more regular schedules in part by stocking a smaller range of products or scaling back or eliminating promotions.

In a statement, Gap brands top human resources official, C. David Ard, said, We are taking a closer look at certain decisions made at headquarters and actively examining changes that could further stabilize the store scheduling process.

In the meantime, the fact that an inconveniently timed shipment could derail a stores schedule may point to a broader issue: Stores like Gap frequently leave little margin for error when it comes to staffing because managers are given targets for labor hours and their ability to meet them figures prominently in their evaluations.

A lot of the instability comes from managers having tight labor budgets, said Carrie Gleason, the director of the Fair Workweek Initiative at the Center for Popular Democracy, an advocacy group. Theyre understaffing to basically meet their numbers from one week to the next. Its management by the practice of triage.

As part of its scheduling changes in 2015, Gap officially eliminated tentative on call shifts that could be canceled at the last minute. But Stephenson, the Gap worker in North Carolina, said it was not uncommon for her managers to cancel a shift on short notice when they believe they can get by without an extra worker.

They try to do the best with what theyve got, and theyre very apologetic, Stephenson said. They say, Corporate says we dont have the hours.

Ard said: While we cant speak to this particular employees experience without further investigation, we will be looking into this issue as we treat such concerns seriously.

The most important contribution of the Gap study may be to chip away at a rigid approach to labor costs that may not always reflect a rational calculation.

It is massively useful, said Gleason of the Fair Workweek Initiative. It helps make the business case for why stable schedules work.
Daimler and BMW said Thursday that they will merge their car-sharing businesses as they try to compete better with Silicon Valley companies out to upend the automotive industry.

Daimler and BMW said they would put their respective mobility services  an array of apps and services that provide transport options for people who may not own cars  into a joint venture in which they will own equal shares.

The alliance is a major departure for BMW and Daimler, longtime rivals for the affections of affluent car buyers. Along with Volkswagens Audi division, the pair dominate the global market for luxury vehicles. Still, they are in danger of being overwhelmed by the superior financial firepower of new competitors from the tech world. Alphabet, Googles parent company, which has invested in autonomous car technology, has a stock market value 10 times Daimlers.

Otto founder

leaves Uber

Lior Ron, a central figure in Ubers self-driving-truck project, has left the company, said people familiar with the matter. The move comes less than two weeks after an Uber autonomous sport utility vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian in Arizona.

Ron co-founded autonomous trucking company Otto, which was acquired by Uber and became the subject of a trade-secrets lawsuit by Waymo. Ron testified in the trial while leading Uber Freight, a business that sought to create a shipping business with the help of autonomous trucks.

Eric Meyhofer, Ubers autonomous vehicle head, emailed employees that he and CEO Dara Khosrowshahi remain committed to the trucking project despite Rons departure. Dara and I both know all of you have been through a lot of change, and that is not easy, Meyhofer wrote in the email obtained by Bloomberg. I assure you that we remain bullish on Freight.

Software

DocuSign gets

ready for IPO

DocuSign, the San Francisco maker of electronic document software valued in its last private funding round at $3 billion, has filed for an initial public offering.

The company listed the offering size at $100 million in a filing Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That figure is a placeholder amount for calculating fees and will likely change.

DocuSign has been discussing plans for an IPO since at least 2013, but a drawn-out search for a CEO to take the company public helped delay that process. Current CEO Dan Springer was hired after a 15-month search.

DocuSign has raised more than $450 million in private funding from investors such as venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Microsoft Corp., according to its website.

Office space

HP relocating

to San Jose

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is relocating its headquarters to San Jose. The company, which has its roots in Palo Alto, will move to the America Center in North San Jose, which has a high concentration of technology companies, the city said in a news release.

The site at 6280 American Center Drive will offer Hewlett Packard about 220,000 square feet, and it will move about 1,000 employees there, according to the release. The shift is expected to take place late this year.

Social media

Reddit wont

take bitcoin

Early Bitcoin adopter Reddit has stopped accepting payments with the digital currency.

The social media service, a popular gathering spot for crypto enthusiasts, last week disabled the option to pay for its premium membership with bitcoin as it watches how Coinbase Commerce develops and after there were glitches in the system, according to a Reddit board administrator.

The move suggests that some merchants may disable bitcoin payments before deciding whether to switch to Coinbases service.

Courts

Suit on Tesla,

Solar City OKd

Tesla investors can pursue claims that CEO Elon Musk duped them into backing his $2.6 billion purchase of a solar-energy firm founded by his cousins.

Tesla shareholders challenging the acquisition of San Mateos SolarCity produced enough evidence showing the deal may have been flawed by conflicts, a Delaware judge ruled Wednesday.

Chronicle News Services
Fox News host Laura Ingraham apologized under pressure Thursday for taunting a survivor of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., as three companies confirmed they would pull advertising from her show.

The dispute began Wednesday when Ingraham shared an article about the student, David Hogg, 17, getting rejected from some of the colleges to which he had applied and accused him of whining about it.

Ingraham wrote: David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA ... totally predictable given acceptance rates.)

In response, Hogg, who has rapidly become a prominent advocate for gun control, called on Ingrahams advertisers to boycott her show. Three of the companies, TripAdvisor, Wayfair and Nutrish, said Thursday they would pull their ads.

As news of the boycotts began coming out Thursday, Ingraham apologized.

She wrote: Any student should be proud of a 4.2 GPA incl. @DavidHogg111. On reflection, in the spirit of Holy Week, I apologize for any upset or hurt my tweet caused him or any of the brave victims of Parkland. For the record, I believe my show was the first to feature David immediately after that horrific shooting and even noted how poised he was given the tragedy. As always, hes welcome to return to the show anytime for a productive discussion.

Hogg said he was unimpressed by her remarks.

She only apologized after we went after her advertisers, he said. It kind of speaks for itself.

Hogg said he has grown accustomed to being criticized, often ruthlessly. But to hear a prominent television host mock his college rejections was extremely frustrating, he said.

Im not going to stoop to her level and go after her on a personal level, he said. Im going to go after her advertisers.

Ingrahams remarks went too far for TripAdvisor, which said it planned to stop advertising on the show and that it did not condone the inappropriate comments made by this broadcaster.

We also believe Americans can disagree while still being agreeable, and that the free exchange of ideas within a community, in a peaceful manner, is the cornerstone of our democracy, the company said through a spokesman. In our view, these statements focused on a high school student cross the line of decency.

Nutrish, a pet food brand owned by Rachael Ray, said it was in the process of removing our ads from Laura Ingrahams program.

The comments she has made are not consistent with how we feel people should be treated, the company said.

Wayfair, an e-commerce company, said that it supports open dialogue and debate on issues, but that it would stop advertising on Ingrahams show.

The decision of an adult to personally criticize a high school student who has lost his classmates in an unspeakable tragedy is not consistent with our values, the company said.

Consumers have increasingly used social media to demand that advertisers respond to a series of controversies, particularly those involving Fox News hosts. Last year, more than 50 brands pulled ads from The OReilly Factor after the New York Times reported on settlements that the shows host, Bill OReilly, had made with women who accused him of sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior, which contributed to his ouster.

Similar boycott calls around Sean Hannity did not gain as much traction. In November, several brands that initially said they would stop advertising on Hannitys show after comments he made about Roy Moore, the former Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama, later walked back those statements.
Over 15 years, four women in Lake Oswego, Oregon, a wealthy Portland suburb, sought police protection against the same man, court filings show.

"He threatened to burn down my house with me in it," one woman wrote in her application for a restraining order. "I don't know what he's going to do next," a second wrote. "He choked me so hard it left a mark on my throat," wrote another. "He is scaring my children and me," a fourth woman said.

Yet the man, Douglas E. Greenberg, remains one of Morgan Stanley's top financial advisers  and a celebrated member of the wealth management industry.

For years, Morgan Stanley executives knew about his alleged conduct, according to seven former Morgan Stanley employees.

Morgan Stanley received a federal subpoena related to one abuse allegation, according to a lawyer for one of the women. In another instance, a Morgan Stanley manager alerted his superior when Greenberg was charged with violating a restraining order, according to three former employees. Another manager at the firm liked and replied to a Facebook post by one of Greenberg's ex-wives in which she described his abuse. On yet another occasion, an official from the bank's New York headquarters flew to Portland to investigate, two former employees said.

Despite this information, Morgan Stanley apparently took no action against Greenberg. He is still an employee and a member of the elite "Chairman's Club," which recognizes brokers who are not only top producers but also meet certain "conduct and compliance standards."



The wealth management division in which Greenberg works represents the future of Morgan Stanley. The company's chief executive, James P. Gorman, wants the division to supplant the volatile investment banking and trading businesses that until recently were the bank's profit engines. Wealth management now accounts for nearly half of the bank's total revenue.

Greenberg is in the top 2 percent of brokers at the firm by revenue produced. Last month, he made a Forbes list of Oregon's top wealth managers.

This week, after The New York Times contacted Morgan Stanley with questions about Greenberg, the bank put him on "administrative leave pending further review of this situation," said a Morgan Stanley spokeswoman, Christy Jockle. "We are committed to maintaining a safe and professional work environment and will take appropriate action based on the facts of the matter."

Reached on his cellphone this week, Greenberg said he had no comment. "It's interesting that a reporter from New York would somehow have all this information just on her own," he said. He did not respond to additional detailed requests for comment.

Since claims of sexual harassment in the workplace ignited the #MeToo movement last year, companies have been struggling to handle accusations against star employees. Fox News, for example, granted a four-year contract extension to anchor Bill O'Reilly soon after he paid $32 million to settle a sexual harassment claim against him.



Morgan Stanley has wrestled with the issue, too. Late last year, the bank fired a top investment banking executive, Harold E. Ford Jr., after hearing accusations that he had engaged in misconduct. The bank later said that Ford, a former Tennessee congressman, was not fired for sexual harassment. Ford has denied any wrongdoing.

None of the women Greenberg is said to have abused were employed by Morgan Stanley. But employees in the finance industry  especially those who manage money for clients  are judged in part on their character. That puts the onus on companies, and regulators, to police their conduct even outside the office.

Financial advisers like Greenberg have to share certain information about themselves publicly, under rules intended to help investors find trustworthy money managers. For example, brokers have to inform the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, known as FINRA, if they declare bankruptcy or are charged with any felony or with a misdemeanor related to money.

But there is just as much information that does not have to be disclosed  and that means that people with checkered histories can continue to thrive in the industry.

On FINRA's website, each broker's history is displayed in a vertical timeline, with red dots marking the date of each trouble spot.

There are five red dots on Greenberg's timeline. They represent a 1984 charge, eventually dismissed, of theft by check; a 2001 charge of criminal mischief in the first degree, also dismissed; two disputes with clients; and a regulatory penalty.

But that record does not reveal Greenberg's other run-ins with law enforcement and the judicial system, which are not required to be disclosed to FINRA.

In 2000, Greenberg admitted in an arbitration proceeding that he had phoned someone who did a lot of business with a colleague and told him, inaccurately, that the colleague was known for shady business practices, according to a record of the proceeding. Greenberg was not punished for what the three-person arbitration panel deemed was defamation because the statute of limitations had expired, the panel said in its decision.

In December 2006, Greenberg was charged with harassment and criminal mischief, according to court papers and a police blotter item in The Lake Oswego Review. He had violated a restraining order taken out by his ex-girlfriend, the second woman to ask for protection against him, according to the court papers. Greenberg eventually pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass and agreed to limitations on his movements, according to a plea deal reviewed by The Times.

And eight years later, Greenberg was charged with violating another restraining order taken out by a different ex-girlfriend. The woman, Anne Cost, had obtained the order against Greenberg after, she said, he threatened to burn down her house. Now, she told police, Greenberg was menacing her again, trailing her in his car.



"You could have placed a pizza box between her back bumper and Mr. Greenberg's front bumper he was so close to her," a Lake Oswego police officer, John J. Brent, wrote in his report of the incident, which was reviewed by The Times. Cost declined to comment.

After that September 2014 arrest, Greenberg's mug shot appeared online in a report about the arrest. Morgan Stanley employees in Seattle and Portland shared it via text messages and emails, according to the seven former Morgan Stanley employees, most of whom said they did not want to be identified because they feared retribution by Greenberg or the bank.

"Everybody knew," said Jani Beatty, a former vice president at Morgan Stanley's private bank. She added, "I considered him my friend until I understood the full extent of his actions against his intimate partners."

When he learned of the arrest, Paul Amsbury, a Morgan Stanley branch manager and Greenberg's boss, passed information about it, including the mug shot, to Curtis Peterson, the firm's Pacific Coast regional director, in San Francisco, according to Beatty and two other former bank employees. Amsbury's message: Greenberg was not fit to represent Morgan Stanley and should be dismissed.

Amsbury declined to comment. Peterson did not respond to requests for comment.

After Amsbury flagged the arrest, a high-ranking compliance official from Morgan Stanley's New York offices flew to Portland to meet with Greenberg and Amsbury, the former employees said. (Beatty, who worked in a separate business line in Greenberg's office, said she did not recall the visit.)

Morgan Stanley officials soon were confronted with more issues involving Greenberg.

In June 2015, his second ex-wife, Traci Williams, wrote a series of Facebook posts that described her ex-husband's alleged physical and verbal abuse. The posts did not name Greenberg, but there was little doubt about whom she was referring to. Her friends commented on the posts and criticized Greenberg by name. And a lawyer for Greenberg complained about the posts to Williams' lawyer.

Among the commenters was Alex Burlingame, a Morgan Stanley manager in Seattle who had worked with Greenberg for years. He "liked" the post and added a personal message: "Hang in there, Traci! So sorry to see that one acts this way. Nancy and I r thinking of you!"

Burlingame did not respond to requests for comment.

That summer, Williams said she started receiving what she perceived to be threatening letters in the mail. "I CAN SEE YOU," read one message made up of letters cut out from magazines. She reported the harassment to the Portland police, who opened an investigation. Their main suspect was Greenberg, according to emails between Williams, her lawyer and a Portland police officer that were reviewed by The Times.

The police eventually turned the case over to federal prosecutors, according to a July 2015 email to Williams from the Portland police officer. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service was also part of the investigation.

One day in early 2016, federal authorities showed up at Greenberg's Morgan Stanley office to serve a subpoena related to the investigation, according to Edie Rogoway, Williams' lawyer. On March 1, Greg Nyhus, an assistant U.S. attorney, said in an email to Rogoway, reviewed by The Times, that his office was reviewing documents obtained from several subpoenas.

A spokesman for Nyhus' office declined to comment.

Williams, meanwhile, asked her lawyer to complain to Morgan Stanley that Greenberg was making it hard for her to access her children's Morgan Stanley wealth management accounts.

Rogoway said she spoke to a Morgan Stanley lawyer, Bernard Kornmehl, about the accounts. Kornmehl declined to comment.

She said she told him that Greenberg had a history of abusing women.

Later that day, Rogoway emailed Williams about the conversation. She reported that Kornmehl had said that "many sides" were aware of Greenberg's alleged history.
An advertising trade group that gave an award to Cambridge Analytica last year for its big data work during the 2016 presidential election is now urging marketers to reconsider the ethics of how consumer information is collected and used.

The Advertising Research Foundation said it is waiting for more information before formally rescinding the award given to Cambridge Analytica, the British political consulting firm that was recently reported to have improperly harvested the data of 50 million Facebook users. The revelations have brought intense criticism of Facebook, which is facing inquiries from lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic around how it handles user information, and have many people taking a closer look at the role of data in online advertising.

Weve tended to assume that because you can do something, you should, Scott McDonald, chief executive of the ad group, said in an interview on Tuesday. He added that advertisers had been more concerned with the accuracy and validity of data they received from technology companies than with asking whether they should be collecting that data and using it to target consumers in the first place.

McDonald addressed the Cambridge Analytica situation and the need for new guidelines during a speech Wednesday morning at the groups annual convention in New York.

Things were much different last year, when Cambridge Analytica won a gold prize at the foundations David Ogilvy Awards, which have been given annually since 1994. The firm was honored for its work for Donald Trumps presidential campaign, in which it identified and advertised to undecided voters.

The selection, made by a jury of ad industry leaders, was very controversial because of the nature of the campaign, McDonald said. But the ad group viewed itself as Switzerland, he said, and was simply conducting a scientific evaluation of the quality of work.

Nobody had any idea the data might have been pilfered, he said. McDonald said he planned to potentially poll the jury again and see if the accusations are sustained before officially stripping Cambridge Analytica of the award.

The existence of the award highlights the enthusiasm with which marketers have approached the reams of consumer data generated by digital devices and their belief that people are happy to share whatever information technology may be collecting from them.

The Advertising Research Foundation, which acknowledged that the United States may adopt new regulations on how consumer data is collected, said it plans to work with other industry groups on guidelines for collecting and protecting that information. McDonald said advertising had gone too far in viewing consumers as prey, noting that even the industrys vocabulary had become military-like.

We talk about ad campaigns, consumers we target. We talk about subway takeovers, pop-ups, he said. These are fairly aggressive, and I dont think we even think about it  theyre just embedded in the metaphors of advertising.
President Donald Trump took aim at Amazon on Twitter Thursday, one day after a report that he wanted to 'go after' the Seattle-based online retailer.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election," Trump tweeted at 4:57 a.m. Pacific, using his own rules of capitalization. "Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!"

That sentiment is similar to a Dec. 29 tweet from Trump that criticized the U.S. Postal Service for its relationship with Amazon.

"Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer?" Trump asked. "Should be charging MUCH MORE!"

Thursday's message seemingly came in response to a story from news site Axios on Wednesday that claimed Trump is "obsessed" with Amazon and wants to regulate the online giant to protect "mom-and-pop retailers."

RELATED: Amazon paid no US income taxes for 2017

That report caused Amazon stock to tank more than 65 points (4.3 percent) on Wednesday, resulting in a $31 billion loss for the company.

When asked about the Axios report during her Wednesday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said no specific action against Amazon was being considered.

"The president has said many times before he's always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses, and this is no different," Sanders said. "And he's going to always look at different ways, but there aren't any specific policies on the table at this time."

It's not the first time the president has caused massive losses for Amazon. On Aug. 16, 2017, the company lost $6 billion after tweeting that Amazon "is doing great damage to tax paying retailers."

Amazon became the second-most-valuable company in the world last week after surpassing Google parent Alphabet in market value, but thanks to credits and deferment, the company won't pay any federal income taxes after topping $5.6 billion in income in 2017.

Trump's policies have recently benefited the online giant. The Republican-led U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which Trump signed into law in December, resulted in an estimated $789 million tax reduction for the company.

Seattlepi.com reporter Stephen Cohen can be reached at 206-448-8313 or stephencohen@seattlepi.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter at @scohenPI.
A 38-year-old man was identified as the victim of a fatal shooting that occurred over the weekend in Newark, authorities said.

John Amos was shot and killed just before 11 p.m. Friday near the 7700 block of Wells Avenue, the Newark Police Department said Wednesday.
ORLANDO  Jurors deliberated Wednesday whether the widow of the Orlando nightclub shooter lied to the FBI and helped her husband in the attack that killed 49 people or was an abused wife who knew nothing of his plans.

Noor Salman, 31, is charged with obstruction and providing material support to a terrorist organization. She faces up to life in prison if convicted of all charges.

Prosecutors said Salman and Omar Mateen scouted out potential targets together  including Disney World  and she knew he was buying ammunition for his AR-15 in preparation for a jihadi attack.

In the hours after the shooting, prosecutors said, she lied to the FBI about the number of guns her husband had and his Internet use, which included watching beheadings and visiting Islamic State group websites.

She does not have to be his equal in the attack, and in fact she is not, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney said.

Defense attorneys described Salman, who was born in California to Palestinian parents and once lived in Rodeo, as a simple woman with a low IQ. She was abused by her husband, who cheated on her with other women and concealed much of his life from her, they said.

Attorney Charles Swift said there was no way Salman knew that Mateen would attack the Pulse nightclub because even he didnt know he would attack the nightclub until after he went to the Disney Springs complex.

Its a horrible, random, senseless killing by a monster, Swift said. But it wasnt preplanned. The importance to this case is that if he didnt know, she couldnt know.
A female high school student was sexually assaulted at gunpoint on Wednesday while jogging in Palo Alto, police said. The assailant was said to emerge from a neighboring greenbelt and pull the victim off her path.

Palo Alto police responded to the report at about 1:45 p.m. near a trail at the intersection of Arastradero and Deer Creek Roads, near Tesla's headquarters. Police say the victim was jogging westbound on a pedestrian/bicycle path that runs parallel to Arastradero Road. The suspect fled the scene on foot and the victim flagged down a passerby, who reported the assault.
The San Francisco Police Department will hold a town hall meeting Thursday to release more details on the officer-involved shooting in a barbershop near the Excelsior and Crocker-Amazon neighborhoods that killed one person.

Department policy requires a town hall be held within 10 days of any officer-involved shootings. Thursdays meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Balboa High School, at 1000 Cayuga Avenue.

Five people and a San Francisco police officer were injured when gunfire broke out at Amazon Barber Shop on March 21. Jehad Eid, a 21-year-old from Suisun City who was on probation for a 2015 armed robbery, allegedly opened fire on officers and later died from his injuries.

Officers responded to a call from a parent reporting that their son was in possession of a gun around 4:30 p.m. on the 200 block of Amazon Avenue. Tariq Eid, Jehad Eids brother, said that some people who work in the barbershop are related to the Eids.

When officers arrived, Jehad Eid fled to the barbershop at 949 Geneva Avenue. Police said they returned fire only after he shot at them from inside the barbershop. A San Francisco police officer was shot in the leg, and four other people, including one minor, were also hit by gunfire.

Investigators did not immediately say who fired the shots that injured the victims inside the barbershop.

Tariq Eid, said his brother came to the United States with his family from the Palestinian territories as a baby. The family moved from San Francisco to Fairfield before settling down in Suisun City, where they live now.

Tariq Eid said his brother was a role model for discipline and hard work. He said he was skeptical of accounts of the incident and refused to believe his brother fired first.

Ive seen the cops shoot people in videos on Twitter, but I never thought my brother would be one of those people, he said. I just cant believe it.

The shooting is under investigation by the San Francisco Police Departments homicide detail and Internal Affairs Division and by the San Francisco District Attorneys Independent Investigations Bureau and the Department of Police Accountability.
Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Cecile McLorin Salvant and the Anat Cohen Tentet will be among the artists performing on eight stages at the 61st annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Sept. 21-23 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, festival organizers announced Thursday, March 29.

The opening concert, Tribute to Geri Allen, will feature this years artists-in-residence Tia Fuller and Ingrid Jensen on a bill that also includes Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis and others. Dianne Reeves, a National Education Association Jazz Master recipient, will be the festivals showcase artist, with four sets planned during the weekend.
Let's be clear. This is not a major injury, and this is a feature story about the bizarre things that happen on vacation. We've all heard of shark bites, piranhas, and maybe even Moray eels attacking out of their holes. But a single, small fish attacking?

They were rainbow-hued, shiny, shimmering, and swirling all around.

Then one went rogue.

It singled her out and plotted its attack.

Veronica De La Cruz, anchor of the 6 p.m. news on KPIX 5 and the 10 p.m. NightBeat newscast on KBCW, was snorkeling in Koh Kradan, Thailand Wednesday, on an epic trip to introduce her son to his grandpa, halfway around the world when things got weird in the water.

"I was surprised," De La Cruz said in a Facebook Messenger interview overnight. "We were snorkeling and I was floating above a bunch of tropical fish. I noticed one in particular--a black one with different rainbow colors--8 to 12 inches long, seemed particularly agitated. She kept swimming past us back and forth until finally she backed up as far as she could and charged for me."

RELATED: Snorkeling mask concerns after series of deaths

"She sunk her teeth into my leg. I jumped out of the water and started screaming," De La Cruz said.

If her name sounds familiar, this is the same anchor whose 4-year-old boy was bitten in the face by a neighbor's dog in what was an extremely serious attack.

Veronica De La Cruz

"And right after it happened my son said, 'Mommy, you got attacked by a fish and I got attacked by a dog??'," De La Cruz said.

"My first thought was -- is this thing poisonous?! And holy heck, the fish actually drew blood?"

After checking in with the dive shop, divers assured her the fish was not likely to be poisonous, but workers helped her disinfect the leg wound with alcohol.

But, as for why it attacked?

Fish bites are fairly rare, but a quick scan of various travel blogs shows they do happen every so often, usually with the same minimal damage to the human.

Locals think this particular fish bite was from a female, and the human swimming too close to her eggs caused her to go defensive.

For De La Cruz, that explanation made perfect sense, "Well just like I protect Hartley, I get it. If she is a mom, she is just protecting her unborn."

Veronica De La Cruz

Hartley is recovering nicely after a February dog attack. A Catahoula cur, a herding dog that typically weighs between 40 and 90 pounds and can reach up to 2 feet in height, bit him in the forehead, injuring his eye and facial structure. After a CT scan and surgery, he is back to being a kid.

De La Cruz said, "We keep his hair Long to cover his eye, he likes it like that, plus it covers the scars from the sun so they don't turn darker."

Very helpful when you're in the tropics.

"Crazy story, but everyone is fine. We have been seeing family so all is well. We are recovering from all our crazy animal escapades," De La Cruz said.

"Hopefully that's the last of the animal attack stories for the De La Cruz family!"
On Thursday, Thee Parkside will look different than most nights. The dive bar and music venue on San Francisco's 17th Street will be filled with women, femmes and non-binary folks.

The organizers of "No Apologies Fest," a one-night festival and benefit headlined by Oakland-based performer Ah Mer Ah Su, have a simple ask: "Men, sit this one out."

"Music events have always been major opportunities for predatory behavior," said Lauren Espina, one-half of the San Francisco-based Sea Witch Productions, who is hosting the festival with hello, cheetle. and BFF.fm.

"Every single woman I know has experienced harassment at a show," Espina continued. She includes herself  even at shows she and Sea Witch partner, Haley Scofield, booked.

READ ALSO: Monterey Jazz Festival highlights women in 61st year

Espina and Scofield wanted to create a space "where anyone who doesn't identify as a man can feel safe, unencumbered by the male gaze and from feeling like their bodies are a spectacle."

Some local music venues didn't want anything to do with it, Espina said, their fears stoked by a debacle that erupted after Alamo Drafthouse announced plans to hold women-only screenings of "Wonder Woman" last year.

Event spaces cannot legally turn anyone away based on gender  "We aren't the gender police," Espina notes  but they can encourage certain genders not to attend.

"Please remember," the event page states, "that any cis-man in the room is one less spot for a womxn, femme, and NB human."

The concept may have seemed revolutionary in years past, but in 2018, Espina thinks the "community is primed for something like this."

Men, she says, "understand why it's necessary."

READ ALSO: Outside Lands to release Eager Beaver tickets this week

The event's intersectional feminist slant keeps with the ethos of Sea Witch. The production company, founded by Espina in 2015, routinely hosts music events with social justice underpinnings, like their flagship event "Let it Bleed," a tampon drive for the homeless.

Thee Parkside's show is the culmination of a series of "No Apologies" events this month, including a panel discussion broadcast on BFF.fm and an art show at the Gallalery. A portion of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to TGI Justice Project, an organization benefiting transgender, genderqueer, and intersex people in prisons and beyond.

No Apologies Fest: 9 p.m. March 29. $8-10. Thee Parkside, 1600 17th St., S.F.

Michelle Robertson is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @mrobertsonsf.
WASHINGTON  President Trump on Wednesday fired David Shulkin, the embattled head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the latest high-profile ouster to roil the White House.

In a tweet, the president named Dr. Ronny Jackson, the chief White House physician, as the next VA secretary. Until Jackson can be confirmed, the acting head of the agency will be Robert Wilkie, the undersecretary for personnel at the Defense Department, Trump tweeted.

Shulkin has been besieged by allegations of ethical lapses coupled with a determined campaign against him by conservatives who favor greater privatization of the huge VA health care system.

Over the weekend, Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax, a conservative news site, who is a friend of Trumps, said in television interviews that he had talked to the president and that Shulkin was likely to depart the Cabinet very soon.

Shulkin, the one Obama administration holdover in the Cabinet, was a Trump favorite early on. Trump called him the 100-to-nothing man  a reference to the unanimous Senate vote to confirm him in early 2017  and joked that Shulkin was safe from being fired because he helped push legislation through Congress last year to speed disability appeals at the VA.

But he came under fire after he took his wife on a government-paid trip to Europe last year that appeared to involve more tourism than work. He also was the focus of an inspector general inquiry into whether he used his security detail to perform personal errands.

He also ran afoul of some conservatives for his go-slow approach to expanding government-paid private care for military veterans outside the VA system. Shifting more veterans to private care is a top priority for the influential network of conservative groups funded by Charles and David Koch.

Despite the criticism, Shulkin retained support from many traditional veterans organizations and key members of Congress, who shared his ambivalence about privatization at the federal governments second-largest department.

The disarray at the VA created a quandary for Trump, who repeatedly vowed during the 2016 campaign to improve veterans services, especially for the generation who fought in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Trump wavered on replacing Shulkin for months, at times openly touting potential replacements while his aides insisted there were no plans to make a change.
The Federal Aviation Administration has no explanation for a mysterious bright object seen by pilots of two separate aircraft over the Arizona desert in February.

A flight-control recording of the exchanges between the pilots and air traffic control officials was released by the FAA and first published by TheDrive.com's War Zone earlier this month.

"Was anybody above us that passed us like 30 seconds ago?" the pilot of a California-bound Learjet flying at 37,000 feet asks an air traffic controller at about 3:30 p.m. Feb. 24.

The controller at the FAA's Albuquerque Air Traffic Center in New Mexico responds, "Negative."

"OK," the pilot replies. "Something did."

MORE: Ex-Navy pilot's encounter with UFO studied by secret Pentagon program

Three minutes later, the Albuquerque control tower radioed a San Diego-bound American Airbus A321 that was in the area with an unusual request.

"American 1095, let me know if you see anything pass over you here in the next 15 miles," the flight control official says.

"If anything passes over us?! the surprised pilot asks.

The FAA official explains that another plane had reported sighting an object overhead "and we didn't have any targets," meaning it didn't show up on radar.

Just then the Learjet pilot cuts in: "I don't know what it was, it wasn't an airplane but it was  the path was going in the opposite direction."

About a minute passes, and American 1095 radios back:

"Yeah, something just passed over us, like a  I don't know what it was, but it was at least two-three thousand feet above us," the Airbus pilot says. "Yeah, it passed right over the top of us."

MORE: UFO experts says California is the tops for sightings

Asked by the flight control officer if it was moving or just hovering, the pilot replies, "I couldn't make it out if it was a balloon or whatnot, but it was just really beaming light or had a big reflection and several thousand feet above us going the opposite direction."

The pilot later says the object didn't appear to be a Google balloon. Then an unidentified individual adds, "UFO!"

FAA public affairs manager Lynn Lunsford told Phoenix New Times, "Other than the brief conversation between two aircraft, the controller was unable to verify that any other aircraft was in the area."

An incident involving an unidentified aircraft flying at a similar altitude over Northern California and Oregon occurred on Oct. 25. The UFO disappeared from radar after F-15 fighters were scrambled to pursue it.

Military aircraft frequently fly over the Sonoran Desert in western Arizona near the border with New Mexico. Three air force bases, Holloman, Davis-Monthan and Luke, operate in the region and Fort Huachuca to the south is the home of multiple unmanned aircraft units.

But military aircraft flying unannounced over commercial and private airliners would be highly irregular.
The BART Police Department promoted an officer who fatally shot a man in January near the West Oakland Station, selecting him for a mentoring role amid an investigation into whether the shooting followed state law and agency policy, records show.

But the promotion of Joseph Mateu to field training officer, announced Monday by BART Police Chief Carlos Rojas, was put on hold Wednesday after The Chronicle called the agency to ask about it, according to internal bulletins.

Wednesdays bulletin, marked as an addendum and correction to the earlier one, said the selection process for new field training officers has not yet been finalized.

Field training officers are responsible for instructing and evaluating rookie officers fresh out of the academy as they get their first experience in the field. Training officers must qualify for the position by taking a course and a test. If they pass, they receive a 5 percent pay increase, but do not go up in rank, BART officials said.

Mateu, a 13-year veteran of the force who was promoted to senior officer in 2010, is the subject of an investigation by Oakland police and the Alameda County district attorneys office into the Jan. 3 shooting of Sahleem Tindle during a violent altercation with another man across the street from the West Oakland BART station.

As of this week, Mateu had not been accused by authorities of any wrongdoing, and Rojas has said the officer displayed courage before shooting a man who appeared to be holding a handgun when he was shot in the back.

Tindles family members, who filed a legal claim against BART signaling their intent to sue, have called on Mateu to be fired and prosecuted for the killing, which they said was unjustified.

Efforts to reach Mateu and representatives of the BART officers union were unsuccessful.

On Monday, Rojas signed a department-wide bulletin announcing the promotion of Mateu and another officer. Six others remained in a pool of officers eligible for the promotion.

Officers Joseph Mateu and Michael Manzano have been selected as Field Training Officers, the bulletin stated. The effective date of their assignment will be contingent upon successful completion of the Basic Field Training Officer Course.

But after The Chronicle called to ask about the promotion Wednesday, BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost said she called the police chief, who made the call to send all eight officers to the field training officer course, including Mateu and Manzano.

He told me they were sending out a new memo and he was making a call to send all of them to the course, Trost said.

The revised memo had the original language lined out with a new message in red at the top. Rojas has not responded to phone calls from The Chronicle.

The new language read: *CORRECTION: The selection process for the listed Field Training Officer applicants has not yet been finalized. Officers Mateu, Mazano and the additional six listed officers must first attend the Basic Field Training Officer course. Candidates who successfully complete the course will then be considered for assignment to the collateral duty of Field Training Officer.

Trost said Mateu applied for the position in August, and that the shooting investigation does not affect his eligibility.

The investigation is ongoing, but hes now qualified and part of the pool, she said. Those eight were notified they can go to the field training officer course, which also requires a test. If you pass it, then the department will indicate which will become the new field training officers.

News of Mateus promotion, though it was put on hold, outraged Oakland attorney John Burris, who is representing Tindles family.

This is pretty stunning to me, Burris said. It certainly suggests prejudgment of the conduct of the police officer by the department. This only encourages distrust in the ability for the police to police themselves.

Mateu was placed on administrative leave for two weeks after the shooting, and returned to his patrol assignment Jan. 18, BART said.

According to footage from Mateus body-worn camera, he was in BARTs West Oakland Station just after 4:30 p.m. when he heard gunfire and ran through a parking lot to Seventh Street, where he found Tindle and another man grappling on the ground outside a barbershop.

Rojas said Tindle had already shot and wounded the other man, and appeared to be holding a gun. Mateu drew his gun and, as he came upon the men, shouted twice, Let me see your hands, before shooting Tindle three times in the back. Tindle died later at the hospital.

Police recovered a gun at the scene, though its unclear in the body-camera video whether Tindle had control of the weapon when he was shot.

Rojas called the incident a very challenging situation and commended the officer for running toward the sound of gunfire. This officer didnt create this, the chief said at a February news conference. He had to deal with what was created before he arrived.

Tindles family members have said that Mateu was not threatened by Tindle, the brother of professional boxer Karim Mayfield, and that Tindle did not have enough time to heed the officers orders.

They need to release him from his job and then they need to prosecute him, Tindles brother LaRon Mayfield said of Mateu. We are not going to let my brother just die in vain from senseless violence from the police.
A 41-year-old man charged with killing his estranged wife stabbed her with a survival-looking knife multiple times in the kitchen of a San Francisco church before turning the blade on himself, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The alleged details of Sundays killing of Jieyun Zhou were laid out in court papers asking to keep defendant Wyn Leung locked up without bail. Leung had been due in Superior Court for arraignment Wednesday, but remained hospitalized from self-inflicted injuries, officials said.

The episode began around 1 p.m. Sunday when Leung walked into Chinese Christian Church on Chester Avenue in Ingleside Heights, Assistant District Attorney Julia Cervantes wrote.

Leung told a 79-year-old facility assistant he wanted to see the pastor, while 37-year-old Zhou, a member of the congregation, was cleaning the parish hall.

Zhou, who had filed for divorce against Leung and was granted a restraining order in August in San Mateo County, told the pastor she didnt want to speak to her estranged husband, and told staff members she wanted to get out of the building, officials said.

But Leung ran into the church kitchen. Hearing screams, a staff member ran in as well and found Leung with his arm around Zhou and a knife in his right hand, Cervantes wrote. Leung stabbed the victim in the chest and back before stabbing himself, prosecutors said.

Defendant and Zhou fell to the ground, Cervantes wrote. Defendant got up and crawled to Zhou to stab her again.

The church worker rushed from the room to call 911, prosecutors said, before the pastor came upon the scene, finding Zhou facedown on the floor with Leung sitting next to her holding a large knife. Leung told the pastor, If Im going to jail, I might as well die before plunging the knife into his upper chest with both hands, Cervantes said.

Around 2:10 p.m., police arrived to find Leung still in the kitchen holding a survival looking knife, Cervantes said. Leung allegedly pointed the blade at officers, and they fired a bean bag round to try to subdue him. The defendant eventually became pale, sat down and dropped the knife, prosecutors said.

Police closed in and kicked the knife away, but Leung struggled with three officers, flailing his legs and ripping off one of their body cameras, officials said. Eventually, with the help of pepper spray and baton blows, Leung was detained.

An officer then checked on Zhou and found multiple deep stab wounds. She was pronounced dead an hour later at San Francisco General Hospital. Zhou was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and allegedly kicked a paramedic in her right shoulder while en route.

Leung faces charges including murder, battery on an officer and resisting arrest.
(AP Photo/Johnny Huu Nguyen)

ORTLAND, Ore. >> A touching photo of a white police officer hugging an African-American boy at a Portland protest this week has drawn heavy attention on social media.

The moment was captured by a photographer covering a protest in Portland, Oregon, over a Missouri grand jurys decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael Brown.
The Trump administrations lawsuit challenging Californias sanctuary laws limiting state and local cooperation with federal immigration officers will stay in Sacramento, a federal judge ruled Thursday in a rejection of the states request to transfer it to San Francisco.

Lawyers for the state had argued that the March 6 lawsuit filed by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions involved issues similar to those already before another federal judge in San Francisco, who is considering the Trump administrations attempts to withdraw federal funding from California and cities and counties, including San Francisco, that have passed sanctuary laws.

But U.S. District Judge John Mendez of Sacramento said the cases also raised some different issues. He noted that the state laws the Trump administration wants to strike down include two that are not involved in the San Francisco cases  one prohibiting employers from allowing immigration agents to enter private workplaces without a warrant, the other allowing the state attorney generals office to inspect detention facilities that have federal contracts to hold immigrants awaiting deportation hearings.

In contrast, Mendez said, a central issue in the San Francisco case is whether federal law authorizes the Trump administration to punish states and cities with sanctuary policies. The administration is relying on a law requiring state and local governments to allow police to pass along information to federal agents about a detainees immigration status. But California and San Francisco officials contend they are complying with that law.

The cases also have one issue in common, Mendez said  whether a new California law, SB54, interferes with immigration enforcement by limiting the information police can provide to federal agents, and the agents access to local jails.

But he said the lawsuits present distinct legal questions, statutes and factual circumstances to review and resolve and do not have to be consolidated in a single court. If he and the San Francisco judge, William Orrick III, issue conflicting rulings on the same issue, Mendez said, a federal appeals court can resolve them.

He scheduled a hearing for June 20 on the federal governments request for an injunction to halt enforcement of the state laws.

The ruling is a tactical victory for the Trump administration, which chose to file its suit in Sacramento, a judicial district with a more conservative cast than San Francisco. The case was assigned by random draw to Mendez, an appointee of President George W. Bush.

For similar reasons, the state filed its suit in San Francisco last year and drew Orrick, an appointee of President Barack Obama. Orrick has already rejected Trump administration attempts to cut off federal funding to San Francisco and Santa Clara counties, which filed their own suit, but he has not issued a final ruling yet on the validity of the local and state laws.

In response to the ruling, a representative of Attorney General Xavier Becerras office said the state is confident in its case no matter what court we argue in. ... Our state public safety laws work in concert, not conflict, with the federal government.
Oakland city workers began a sanitation operation with the assistance of the Oakland Police Department this morning, clearing garbage from a sprawling homeless encampment under Interstate Highway 980 on 27th Street and Northgate Avenue.

Crews could be seen using shovels to gather up solid waste. Residents of the encampment said they had not been asked to vacate the site.
A Santa Cruz County correctional officer has been terminated after he was arrested for engaging in sexual relations with an inmate, according to the sheriff's office.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart announced at a news conference this morning that former Officer Marco Del Real, 29, was arrested on suspicion of three felony counts of sexual activity with a confined adult, assault under color of authority and sexual penetration.

The investigation began when fellow correctional officers at the jail heard rumors among inmates of a sexual act that occurred between Del Real and a female inmate, Hart said. Sheriff's detectives interviewed inmates and staff and reviewed evidence, determining that one sexual act took place last July.

The investigation did not reveal any further sexual acts with other inmates.

While the investigation was taking place, Del Real was transferred to a different facility where he was on an assignment that had no direct contact with inmates, according to the sheriff.

The inmate was offered counseling and was told the former officer would have no further contact with her while she was in custody.

Hart said the sexual acts were prohibited by state law and the sheriff's office's policy, and that officers receive training on the matters, which means Del Real knew that it could result in termination and arrest.

"Knowing this occurred in the jail makes me sick," Hart said. "Officers are supposed to protect inmates, not harm them or take advantage of them. This officer, this suspect, violated his oath of office."

Hart directed Corrections Chief Deputy Steve Carney to conduct a full review of jail policies and reporting procedures, prepare plans to increase fixed cameras in the jail and outfit correctional officers with body-worn cameras. Hart is also requiring they provide additional training to staff and offer counseling services to incarcerated women.

Del Real was booked into county jail with bail set at $50,000. He posted bail Wednesday evening and was released with an assigned court date of April 2 for his arraignment, Hart said.

The victim's identity is not being disclosed to the public at this time in order to protect her privacy.

Anyone with additional information on the case or wants to report a similar case should call Sgt. Chris Shearer at (831) 454-7645.

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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Former Oakland Raider Aldon Smith failed to appear at his arraignment today in San Francisco Superior Court, prompting a judge to issue a $50,000 warrant for his arrest that would only go into effect if Smith misses his upcoming court date next week.

Smith was set to be arraigned today on three misdemeanor counts of violating a protective order, after he turned himself in on those allegations last Friday.

The restraining order had been placed by a judge on March 12, when Smith was arraigned for domestic violence, false imprisonment, vandalism and assault charges in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident on March 3 at an apartment in Nob Hill in which a woman was injured.

Smith's attorney Joshua Bentley today told the judge that Smith said in a text message that he was parking his vehicle. Bentley also said that in his history of representing Smith, Smith has never missed a court date.

After issuing the warrant with a stay, the judge moved Smith's arraignment on the three counts of violating a protective order to April 5, when he's already scheduled for a pretrial hearing on the previous domestic violence charge, among others. Smith has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

"Domestic violence is something our office is very concerned about," Deputy Public Defender Alex Bastian said outside of court.

"That's why anytime we have an instance of domestic violence we're going to take it seriously, regardless of whether you're a celebrity, an athlete or a politician. All of us need to abide by the rules and we all need to be together on this against domestic violence," Bastian said.

Last week, investigators with the Police Department's Special Victims Unit learned that Smith allegedly violated the order and they obtained a warrant for his arrest, police said.

After turning himself in, Smith was released on $30,000 bail.

In the original March 3 case, police said that officers responded around 8:30 p.m. to the 600 block of Bush Street for a report of domestic violence allegedly involving Smith.

Once officers arrived, Smith had left the scene.

The victim suffered injuries not considered life-threatening. Smith turned himself in three days later, police said.

The Raiders released Smith from his contract with them on March 5.

He had previously played for the San Francisco 49ers starting in 2011 but was released by the team in August 2015 following an arrest for a DUI hit-and-run in Santa Clara.

Smith signed with the Raiders the next month, but was suspended for a year in November 2015 for violating the NFL's substance abuse policies.

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OAKLAND (BCN)

An Oakland man was convicted today of 12 felony counts for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter when she was only 9 years old and an adult woman in incidents in San Leandro and Oakland in 2012 and 2013.

James Duckett, 34, of Oakland, looked straight ahead and didn't visibly react while the clerk for Alameda County Superior Court Judge Rhonda Burgess took nearly 15 minutes to read all the counts for which he was convicted.

Duckett was convicted of three counts of rape and one count each of sodomy and sexual penetration by force for sexually assaulting the adult woman at his cousin's apartment in San Leandro on Aug. 14, 2012, after he offered her a ride and to take her to lunch after she met him.

The woman testified during Duckett's lengthy trial that he sexually assaulted her as her 3-year-old son listened a few feet away and she told Duckett to stop but he told her to "just shut up or else."

The woman said she finally was able to flee with her son and get help after Duckett raped her for the third time.

That sexual assault occurred only three days after Duckett married his wife, the mother of the stepdaughter he was convicted of sexually abusing.

Duckett was convicted of three counts of intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 years or younger, two counts of committing a sex crime with a child and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter and holding a knife to her throat and her mother's throat.

The incidents took place in San Leandro and Oakland between Nov. 12, 2012, and July 11, 2013.

Duckett's competency has been questioned several times since he was arrested, according to court documents.

He was found not competent to stand trial at one point but then was restored to competency.

Duckett rocked back and forth during testimony in his trial and did so again today when the verdict was announced.

He faces a lengthy state prison sentence when Burgess sentences him on June 22.

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272-6280

Defense attorney Gregory Ward (510) 839-6594
SAN MATEO (BCN)

Police evacuated a building in San Mateo this morning after a written bomb threat was reportedly found on a note in the bathroom.

Officers responded to 1400 Fashion Island Blvd. at roughly 9:10 a.m. and began a search of the building with a K-9 unit trained to find explosives.

No threat was found and the scene was deemed safe, but police are still investigating the case and looking for a suspect.

Anyone with information about the bomb threat is asked to call (650) 522-7700. Anonymous tips can be called in at (650) 522-7676.

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MILPITAS (BCN)

The Milpitas Unified School District board president is "withholding further comment pending action to improve school safety," after extending statements of support for arming teachers and then retracting them.

Board president Daniel Bobay shared a Facebook post from a Dallas news outlet titled, "Teachers and School Staff Train To Carry Guns."

Bobay put a caption asking for his friends' opinions on the concept, saying he was not opposed as a "gun guy" and thought with proper screening and training, "it may be an answer to our city who refuses to add additional resource officers."

Milpitas Unified School District spokeswoman Shannon Carr confirmed the post and the fact that there was negative feedback, but said that there were no parents of students present who commented on the happenings at the most recent board meeting that took place Tuesday night.

Bobay said that after "long and thoughtful discussion" with city leaders, district superintendent Cheryl Jordan and fellow board members at Tuesday's meeting, he was going to withhold from weighing in with final thoughts until the district and city work to come up with a solution for heightened security in the school system.

"That process will take several weeks and the district position is the position I expect to support," Bobay said. "Let's keep the discussion and make our schools safe."

In response to the portion of Bobay's Facebook post that accused the city of Milpitas of not supplying needed additional officers on school grounds, Mayor Rich Tran said that he was partially right.

"I'm not for arming teachers, however, Bobay is right about school safety," Tran said. "We need more school resource officers on campus."

Tran said that it's time that the city supported the school district and called for at least two to three more school resource officers for the whole school district.

Milpitas City Councilmember Anthony Phan's views were less complimentary. He said in a statement that the school district's original decision to discipline students for participating in the March 14 national walkout calling for stronger gun safety legislation was a disappointment to him.

"If these actions reflect the values MUSD believes in, then I will no longer support future city partnerships with the district, as they conflict with my personal values," Phan said.

The school district sent out a statement two days before the walkout stating that any student who participated in the movement by walking off campus would be penalized with an unexcused absence.

The next day, the superintendent reversed her prior comments and said that Milpitas High School staff had worked with the city's Police Department to hold a walkout from campus to their headquarters a few blocks away.

Phan's statement against the school district is rooted in more than just its initial plans for the walkout, but also with the action of allowing U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos the right to visit Thomas Russell Middle School in October.

"MUSD's priorities are made questionable when DeVos, who undermines public education, is embraced amidst public safety concerns, yet students are being punished for peaceful civil disobedience," Phan said in his statement.

The district superintendent brought forward a resolution draft supporting school safety as a discussion opener with the Board of Education, according to Carr. The resolution repeats language of standing in solidarity with students and ensuring they are free from physical and psychological harm at each campus.

The resolution states that the board will support developing safety plans for perimeter improvements, establish safety and violence prevention programs, support research coming from the University of California's Violence Research Center established in June 2016, supporting programs that prevent violence in the community and increase funding for school staffing that support student mental health.

"I'm looking forward to making this proposal a reality, as soon as possible," the Milpitas mayor said.

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PALO ALTO (BCN)

A suspect with a handgun is on the loose after fleeing the scene of a sexual assault of a high school-aged jogger in Palo Alto on Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

At 1:47 p.m., the Palo Alto police dispatch center received a 911 call from a passerby reporting that an assault had occurred by the intersection of Arastradero Road and Deer Creek Road, police said.

Police responded immediately and located the minor in the greenbelt near the intersection, officers said. Paramedics from the city's fire department transported her to a hospital for treatment.

Around 5 p.m., officers said the girl was in stable condition.

Police said a preliminary investigation found that the victim was jogging west on the path that runs parallel to Arastradero Road when a suspect emerged and pulled her off of the path, then placed a gun to her head and assaulted her.

The suspect, whose description has changed since the original report around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, then fled on foot. The girl then flagged down the passerby who reported the crime.

Officers with the Palo Alto Police Department, Stanford Department of Public Safety, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety and the California Highway Patrol searched for the suspect in the area of the greenbelt for approximately two hours but could not locate him, Palo Alto police said.

Police do not know if he had a vehicle nearby that he could have escaped in.

The suspect was originally described as an Asian man in his 20s who was wearing a black sweatshirt, blue sweatpants and was armed with a handgun.

His description has since been updated to be a man possibly of Filipino descent who stands at 5 feet 10 inches tall, was wearing a black sweatshirt with a bear logo on it and a white and red border. The man was wearing gray baggy sweatpants and black sneakers, police said.

The victim could not describe the suspect's gun, according to police.

Anyone with information about the case should call the department's 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through email to paloalto@tipnow.org, sent via text or voicemail to (650) 383-8984 or through the police's free mobile app.

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OAKLAND (BCN)

One suspect is in custody after a shooting in East Oakland Wednesday evening, according to police.

The assault was reported in the 7600 block of MacArthur Boulevard around 6:25 p.m.

One male victim was transported to a hospital with at least one gunshot wound, according to police.

Details about the suspect who was arrested or the current condition of the victim were not immediately available.

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A man who died in a vehicle collision that injured four other men Wednesday in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood has been identified as 43-year-old Eliseo Lopez, according to the city's medical examiner.

Lopez died at a hospital following the collision, which occurred around 10:25 a.m. Wednesday near the corner of Illinois and 24th streets, police said.

The vehicle's driver was arrested at the scene and was booked into jail on suspicion of homicide, four counts of attempted homicide and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He's been identified as 33-year-old Mark Dennis, police said.

Dennis is being held in county jail without bail, according to jail records.

Before the collision, Dennis had allegedly gotten into a physical altercation with the five victims.

He then drove onto the sidewalk, plowing into them. After striking the group, Dennis drove off, police said.

Officers, however, were able to quickly locate him and his vehicle and took him into custody.

The four remaining victims were also hospitalized. Police have described them as men aged 38, 31, 39 and 42 years old.

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital spokesman Brent Andrew said Wednesday afternoon that one was in critical condition, two were in serious condition and one was in fair condition.

The Sonoma County coroner's office has identified a man who died in a crash while racing his car at Sonoma Raceway on Wednesday evening as James Kenneth Rambo, 75, of Napa.

Rambo was drag racing his 1976 customized Ford Pinto on a quarter-mile drag strip when he crashed around 6 p.m. during the Sonoma Drags and Drifts program at the raceway at 29355 Arnold Drive.

It appears Rambo braked after crossing the finish line and his Pinto pulled to the left and hit a K-rail at more than 100 mph, sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said.

An ambulance crew provided life-saving efforts but Rambo died of his injuries, Crum said.

Sonoma Raceway spokeswoman Diana Brennan said Rambo was the only one on the track at the time, and usually there are two vehicles racing during the Drags and Drift event.

The program gives drivers, including teens, an opportunity to race their vehicles in a safe, controlled environment instead of on the street.

A pedestrian fatally struck Saturday morning by an SUV on northbound Interstate Highway 880 in Oakland has been identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau as Bartolo Garcia Vasquez.

Garcia Vasquez, a 36-year-old resident of Oakland, was walking on the highway near 98th Avenue when he was struck by a Hyundai SUV.

Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene at 5:04 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

The driver remained at the scene to cooperate with the subsequent investigation, and impairment was not suspected as a factor, according to the CHP.

CHP officials did not say why Garcia Vasquez was walking on the highway.

A Santa Cruz County correctional officer has been terminated after he was arrested for engaging in sexual relations with an inmate, according to the sheriff's office.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart announced at a news conference this morning that former Officer Marco Del Real, 29, was arrested on suspicion of three felony counts of sexual activity with a confined adult, assault under color of authority and sexual penetration.

The investigation began when fellow correctional officers at the jail heard rumors among inmates of a sexual act that occurred between Del Real and a female inmate, Hart said. Sheriff's detectives interviewed inmates and staff and reviewed evidence, determining that one sexual act took place last July.

The investigation did not reveal any further sexual acts with other inmates.

While the investigation was taking place, Del Real was transferred to a different facility where he was on an assignment that had no direct contact with inmates, according to the sheriff.

The inmate was offered counseling and was told the former officer would have no further contact with her while she was in custody.

Hart said the sexual acts were prohibited by state law and the sheriff's office's policy, and that officers receive training on the matters, which means Del Real knew that it could result in termination and arrest.

"Knowing this occurred in the jail makes me sick," Hart said. "Officers are supposed to protect inmates, not harm them or take advantage of them. This officer, this suspect, violated his oath of office."

Hart directed Corrections Chief Deputy Steve Carney to conduct a full review of jail policies and reporting procedures, prepare plans to increase fixed cameras in the jail and outfit correctional officers with body-worn cameras. Hart is also requiring they provide additional training to staff and offer counseling services to incarcerated women.

Del Real was booked into county jail with bail set at $50,000. He posted bail Wednesday evening and was released with an assigned court date of April 2 for his arraignment, Hart said.

The victim's identity is not being disclosed to the public at this time in order to protect her privacy.

Anyone with additional information on the case or wants to report a similar case should call Sgt. Chris Shearer at (831) 454-7645.

One home has been evacuated and 10 others have been issued an order to shelter in place in San Jose after a construction crew hit a high-pressure gas line with a backhoe and ruptured it, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded at 10:06 a.m. to calls by neighbors who smelled gas coming from the area of the intersection of Miller Avenue and Tucker Drive, Fire Capt. Daniel Vega said.

When the first crews arrived on scene, they found that the pipe, which is about 2 inches in diameter, was ruptured in two places and the pressure had begun to cause the pavement to cave in on itself, according to the fire department.

Vega said PG&E crews told the fire department it will take at least three hours to clamp off and secure the line, so fire crews established a perimeter and blocked off the affected area from the public until then.

Vega said a nearby church that serves as a preschool has called their students' parents and told them to come and pick them up for the time being, since firefighters don't want to take any risks. However, there is not an official evacuation order for their site.

The fire department's hazardous materials team arrived on scene around 11 a.m. in order to utilize their air monitors, which show how far the gas leak is extending and whether or not the perimeter set up by fire crews is accurate for residents.

Vega said the whole area of the intersection is closed off since the pipe burst almost exactly in the middle of it, and that light water is being sprayed onto the two locations of the burst in order to keep the leaked gas at a minimum.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has rerouted their 26 westbound line to begin on nearby Prospect Road, taking a right on Johnson Avenue, a left on Rainbow Avenue and then wrap right back onto Miller Avenue to the regular route.

A man who was shot in East San Jose on Wednesday afternoon was taken to a hospital with injuries considered to be life-threatening, according to police.

Police responded to a report of a shooting in the 3200 block of Lanai Avenue around 3:05 p.m. Wednesday and found the man suffering from at least one gunshot wound, San Jose police Officer Gina Tepoorten said.

No further information about the case was immediately available.

Anyone with information on the shooting can call (408) 947-7867 or visit svcrimestoppers.org to submit a tip anonymously.

A suspect with a handgun is on the loose after fleeing the scene of a sexual assault of a high school-aged jogger in Palo Alto on Wednesday afternoon, according to police.

At 1:47 p.m., the Palo Alto police dispatch center received a 911 call from a passerby reporting that an assault had occurred by the intersection of Arastradero Road and Deer Creek Road, police said.

Police responded immediately and located the minor in the greenbelt near the intersection, officers said. Paramedics from the city's fire department transported her to a hospital for treatment.

Around 5 p.m., officers said the girl was in stable condition.

Police said a preliminary investigation found that the victim was jogging west on the path that runs parallel to Arastradero Road when a suspect emerged and pulled her off of the path, then placed a gun to her head and assaulted her.

The suspect, whose description has changed since the original report around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, then fled on foot. The girl then flagged down the passerby who reported the crime.

Officers with the Palo Alto Police Department, Stanford Department of Public Safety, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety and the California Highway Patrol searched for the suspect in the area of the greenbelt for approximately two hours but could not locate him, Palo Alto police said.

Police do not know if he had a vehicle nearby that he could have escaped in.

The suspect was originally described as an Asian man in his 20s who was wearing a black sweatshirt, blue sweatpants and was armed with a handgun.

His description has since been updated to be a man possibly of Filipino descent who stands at 5 feet 10 inches tall, was wearing a black sweatshirt with a bear logo on it and a white and red border. The man was wearing gray baggy sweatpants and black sneakers, police said.

The victim could not describe the suspect's gun, according to police.

Anyone with information about the case should call the department's 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through email to paloalto@tipnow.org, sent via text or voicemail to (650) 383-8984 or through the police's free mobile app.

A woman suffered critical injuries during a hit-and-run vehicle collision on Wednesday morning in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood, police said.

The collision was reported around 8:20 a.m. near the corner of Bernal Heights Boulevard and Bradford Street, according to police.

The vehicle allegedly struck the woman and then fled the scene, heading south on Bernal Heights Boulevard toward Carver Street.

The woman, described as being between 40 and 50 years old, was taken to a hospital.

Descriptions of the vehicle and its driver were not immediately available from police.

A 21-year-old man was arrested after a head-on collision that injured him and four other people on state Highway 183 in Salinas on Wednesday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At 8:22 p.m., a blue Subaru Impreza with two occupants traveling south on Highway 183 south of Espinosa Road drove across the center line and entered into the path of a black Chevrolet Tahoe with three occupants traveling north, CHP officials said.

The Chevrolet was unable to avoid the Subaru, and the cars collided and came to a rest blocking the lanes in both directions.

The Subaru male driver and his female passenger as well as the Chevrolet female driver and her male passenger were all transported by ambulance to Natividad Medical Center with major injuries, according to the CHP.

An additional minor riding in the Chevrolet suffered minor injuries.

CHP officials said the Subaru driver, a 21-year-old Salinas resident, was arrested because impairment is believed to be a factor in the crash.

Highway 183 was closed for "an extended period of time" as a result of the crash, CHP officials said.

A woman suffered major injuries after driving her vehicle off a cliff and landing upside down on the beach below Wednesday evening in Pacifica, police and firefighters said.

Emergency crews responded to the area of Palmetto Avenue and Westline Drive near the Mussel Rock Open Space Preserve around 6:15 p.m.

They found the vehicle had landed on its roof, then scaled down the cliff to extract the driver and sole occupant, who was found to be in critical condition.

She was transported to a hospital by helicopter due to the steep terrain. an update on her condition was not immediately available.

The rescue took approximately 90 minutes, according to the North County Fire Authority.

All lanes of eastbound El Camino Real in Sunnyvale are now open after they were closed to investigate a collision involving a pedestrian this morning, according to the city's Department of Public Safety.

Eastbound El Camino Real was closed off from Henderson Avenue to Halford Avenue for a little over two hours, public safety officials said.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority officials said around 7:15 a.m. that they were rerouting two bus lines, eastbound lines 22 and 522, to do a loop back around El Camino Real in order to continue operations around the scene.

VTA officials said around 10:15 a.m. that their operations had returned back to normal and thanked the public for their patience.

The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety said more information about the collision will be sent out later in the day.

One suspect is in custody after a shooting in East Oakland Wednesday evening, according to police.

The assault was reported in the 7600 block of MacArthur Boulevard around 6:25 p.m.

One male victim was transported to a hospital with at least one gunshot wound, according to police.

Details about the suspect who was arrested or the current condition of the victim were not immediately available.

A fire caused extensive damage to the garage of a home in Pleasanton on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department.

Firefighters responded at 1:29 p.m. to the fire reported on Glenbrook Court and arrived to find that flames in the garage had extended to the home's attic.

The blaze was eventually extinguished and the home's interior contents were protected by the use of salvage covers, fire officials said.

No injuries were reported in the fire, which was deemed to be accidental in nature.

Pacifica police are searching for a man who was reported exposing himself and taking photos of children in the area with his cellphone at Linda Mar Beach on Wednesday.

Officers said they were dispatched around 2:40 p.m. to the beach and discovered that the suspect had left prior to their arrival.

The suspect was described as a white man between 40 and 50 years old with a beard, wearing a black hat, a turquoise shirt and short white shorts, according to police.

The man was seen driving out of the beach parking lot southbound on state Highway 1 in a gray, late model two-door Honda Civic or a similar vehicle.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Pacifica police at (650) 738-7314 and refer to case number 18-0934.

Information can be turned in anonymously by contacting the Silent Witness Tip Line at (650) 359-4444 or going to the police website at http://www.cityofpacifica.org/depts/police/default.asp.

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A fire at a hotel in Hayward has forced guests to evacuate early this morning, according to the Hayward Fire Department.

The two-alarm fire, reported at America's Best Value Inn at 2460 Whipple Road, was reported just before 4 a.m. this morning, according to Fire Captain Don Nichelson.
A lockdown at Palo Alto High School has been lifted this afternoon after officers determined a phoned-in threat this afternoon was "likely a hoax," Palo Alto police said.

It was reported at 12:49 p.m. on the Police Department's Twitter account that a threat had surfaced that was directed at the school, located at 50 Embarcadero Road.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

A man who died in a vehicle collision that injured four other men Wednesday in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood has been identified as 43-year-old Eliseo Lopez, according to the city's medical examiner.

Lopez died at a hospital following the collision, which occurred around 10:25 a.m. Wednesday near the corner of Illinois and 24th streets, police said.

The vehicle's driver was arrested at the scene and was booked into jail on suspicion of homicide, four counts of attempted homicide and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He's been identified as 33-year-old Mark Dennis, police said.

Dennis is being held in county jail without bail, according to jail records.

Before the collision, Dennis had allegedly gotten into a physical altercation with the five victims.

He then drove onto the sidewalk, plowing into them. After striking the group, Dennis drove off, police said.

Officers, however, were able to quickly locate him and his vehicle and took him into custody.

The four remaining victims were also hospitalized. Police have described them as men aged 38, 31, 39 and 42 years old.

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital spokesman Brent Andrew said Wednesday afternoon that one was in critical condition, two were in serious condition and one was in fair condition.

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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

Police have arrested the driver of a vehicle that fled after hitting five people today in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood, killing one of the victims.

Officer Robert Rueca said alert officers were able to locate the male driver and his vehicle and arrested him. Police are not yet identifying the man.

The incident began around 10:25 a.m. near the corner of Illinois and 24th streets when the driver allegedly got into a physical altercation with five people. He then plowed into the victims with his vehicle, according to police.

After striking the group, the driver fled the scene before eventually being located by police.

Of the five people taken to the hospital, one person died, one is in critical condition, two are in serious condition and one is in fair condition, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital spokesman Brent Andrew said.

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VALLEJO (BCN)

Vallejo Police Chief Andrew Bidou today said he is working to meet the family of a man who was shot and killed by a city police officer and show them the video from the officer's body camera.

Bidou also said he would discuss the investigation of the Feb. 13 fatal shooting of 33-year-old Ronell Foster with the black community and the Vallejo Times Herald newspaper's leaders.

Bidou's written statement came after civil rights attorney John Burris called for police to release the body camera video to Foster's family and the community "so that they can know the true facts as to how the young father of two met his death."

Foster's family filed a federal lawsuit in Sacramento against the city of Vallejo, its Police Department and Officer Ryan McMahon.

Vallejo police Lt. Kenny Park said McMahon made an "investigative stop" of Foster who was riding a bicycle in an unsafe manner at Marin and Florida streets around 7:40 p.m. Feb. 13.

Foster ran, McMahon chased him and the two became involved in a "violent physical altercation" in the 400 block of Carolina Street, Park said.

McMahon's Taser was ineffective and Foster forcibly took away McMahon's metal flashlight and "presented it in a threatening manner," Park said.

"The officer, fearing imminent and serious physical harm, discharged his duty firearm, striking the suspect," Park said.

Burris said an independent witness never saw Foster present or strike at McMahon in a threatening manner with a flashlight.

Burris said McMahon shot Foster several times in the back and head as he fled McMahon who had "brutally bludgeoned him."

Bidou said Burris' information "undermines the true relationship between the Vallejo community and police.

"Although the investigation of this incident is not complete, the evidence, including the officer body camera video, reveal a different story than what was relayed in Mr. Burris' press release.

"We will be working to meet with the Foster family so they can view the body camera footage of the incident," Bidou said.

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REDWOOD CITY (BCN)

A Utah couple is expected to be brought to San Mateo County Superior Court within two weeks for arraignment on charges of fraud in collecting petition signatures for a Pacifica referendum last year, according to District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe.

Bradley Jasperson, 36, and Jentry Jasperson, 33, of Goshen, Utah, were charged in a criminal complaint on March 8 and arrested in Reno, Nev., last weekend. They were working at a Tesla factory there, Wagstaffe said.

The husband and wife are each charged with one joint count of perjury in certifying the signatures, five counts of election fraud and five counts of identity theft in forging signatures between May 5 and 14, 2017.

Wagstaffe said today that the couple has waived extradition proceedings and will be transported to San Mateo County by county sheriff's deputies within two weeks.

The referendum, supported by the California Apartment Association and San Mateo County Association of Realtors, concerned a temporary rent stabilization and just evictions measure enacted by the Pacifica City Council in April 2017.

The measure was intended as a lead-up to a November 2017 vote by city residents on a permanent rent stabilization measure, in which rent increases in buildings with three or more apartments would generally be tied to annual rises in the consumer price index.

The temporary law was due to go into effect on May 24, 2017, but did not, because opponents collected more than the 2,427 signatures needed to put the referendum on the ballot.

The referendum on the temporary measure was not held because the City Council had already decided to put a permanent rent stabilization on the November ballot.

The permanent measure was defeated by voters on Nov. 7.

Wasgstaffe said the fraud allegations concerned only the challenge to the temporary rent stabilization ordinance.

He said the couple is suspected of falsifying more than 100 signatures, but investigators stopped counting when they reached 100 allegedly forged signatures. Prosecutors then decided it would be sufficient to charge each defendant with five different examples of election fraud and identity theft, for a total of 10 cases of falsified signatures.

Wagstaffe said the defendants used the names of real county residents, but allegedly forged their signatures. They were paid $5 per signature. The criminal investigation began when elections officials alerted prosecutors that some signatures did not appear to be genuine.

"This type of fraud cuts to the core of democracy," the district attorney said.

(650) 363-4752
An Ohio teacher pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual battery on March 23, 2018, after having a child with a student she had adopted.

According to the Daily Mail, Laura Lynn Cross, 37, began grooming the then-student when he was in eighth grade and the affair escalated in 2014 when he became a freshman at Buchtel High School, where Cross taught English.

MORE SCANDAL: Texas teacher accused of having sexual relationship with 16-year-old student

Cross began inviting the then-16-year-old to play in her swimming pool at home and letting the student stay the night.

In 2015, Cross resigned her position at the high school and asked the student's mother for permission to become his legal guardian so she could "mentor" him, according to the New York Post.

The two moved in together with the court's approval and by December 2015, Cross had given birth to the student's child.

According to The Sun, the boy's mother had filed charges against Cross in June 2015 but nothing was done until she had the baby later that year.

"First of all, she's a schoolteacher. To get aroused by a child basically you have to be a sick individual," the student's father told the news site. "I was told by the school that she had a 'hold' on him and he was not cooperating, so basically they can't do nothing with it."

Cross was arrested in August 2017 and is now set to be sentenced in May.

Take a look through the gallery above to see other teachers who have been accused of having inappropriate relationships with students.
VALENCIA, Venezuela  Like most jails in Venezuela, the one attached to the police station in the northern city of Valencia was packed beyond capacity. Built to house roughly 60 inmates, it contained about 200.

Simmering anger fueled a riot there Wednesday morning: A prison guard, wounded by a knife, was taken hostage. Inmates threatened to kill him with a grenade unless their demands were met. Others set mattresses alight.

The fire turned the jail into an inferno. Emergency workers punched holes in the walls to let the smoke disperse and the inmates escape. But by nightfall, 66 men and two women  who were evidently at the jail to visit loved ones  were dead and scores were injured. Enraging Venezuelans and rights advocates, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at grieving relatives who gathered outside the jail overnight demanding information.

Late Thursday morning, a policewoman came outside and spoke to relatives demanding answers. She had a small sheet of paper in her hands.

Carlos Sanchez? she shouted.

A woman immediately raised her hand and yelled, Im his mother, yes.

He died, the officer said.

The mother started crying. She said her son had less than a year on his sentence.

The officer recited some names of inmates who had survived the fire and then shouted: Look, I havent had any breakfast, so lets calm down. These are the names I have, thats it.

With Venezuela in an economic collapse even worse than the Great Depression and its public health system in free fall, inmates throughout the country are going hungry. Protests are on the rise. Weapons and drug smuggling are prevalent, as is bribery of guards and of the heavily armed groups who hold sway over cell blocks and police holding cells like the ones in Valencia.

The fire was one of the worst disasters in the history of Venezuelas prisons, and its toll surpassed the 61 who died in a riot at a prison near Barquisimeto in 2013.
SAN DIEGO  The U.S. and Mexican governments are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas like never before to go after drug smugglers.

The United States, Mexico and Colombia will target drug smugglers off South Americas Pacific coast in an operation that is scheduled to begin Sunday and last for the foreseeable future, Coast Guard officials said.

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Paul Zukunft teased the idea during a recent defense conference in San Diego, saying the United States cant do it alone.

Its no secret we are besieged with the flow of drugs from Latin America to the United States, he said.

U.S. and Mexican forces have routinely worked together at sea, but the latest effort marks a significant step in terms of information sharing, collaboration and cooperation between the United States, Mexico and other partner nations, according to the Coast Guard.

The Americans and Mexicans will exchange intelligence more freely than in the past, which could mean sharing information on well-traveled routes for drug smugglers or preferred paths for specific smuggling organizations, Coast Guard spokeswoman Alana Miller said.

They will also board the other countrys vessels to view operations and gain expertise, Miller said. In 2015, three members of the Mexican navy boarded a Coast Guard vessel during a port call in Huatulco, Mexico, but this operation calls for more frequent exchanges, and they will be at sea.

The operation will last for the foreseeable future as long as its working for everyone, Miller said. Its sort of open-ended.

Traffickers over the years have increasingly turned to the sea to move their illegal goods, traversing an area off South America that is so big, the continental United States could be dropped inside. Smugglers routinely move cocaine out of countries like Colombia to Central America and Mexico via fishing boats, skiffs, commercial cargo ships  even homemade submarines.

The operation comes after five years of record seizures by the Coast Guard. But U.S. officials say because of limited resources, the U.S. militarys smallest service still catches only about 25 percent of illegal shipments in the Pacific.
ISLAMABAD  He is crisscrossing Pakistan championing a fatwa, or Islamic religious decree, forbidding militant violence inside the country. But the mere fact that Fazlur Rehman Khalil, veteran leader of an organization designated as a terror group by the U.S., is free has experts questioning Pakistans willingness to fight extremism.

Khalil, once a close friend of deceased al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, co-founded Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, a group accused by India of attacking its forces in the Kashmir region and by the U.S. of training militants and carrying out attacks in Afghanistan. The group has undergone several name changes over time and is now known as Ansar-ul Ummah.

But authorities have left him alone. At his home on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, the gates are protected by a burly, bushy bearded guard whose automatic rifle is always at his side. Khalils madrassa, or religious school, named for Khalid bin Al-Waleed, one of the most prominent early Muslim commanders leading the conquest of Iraq and Syria in the seventh century, occupies a sprawling compound next door in the middle of a crowded market.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Khalil denied the accusations against his group and applauded the fatwa, which he joined other Sunni and Shiite religious scholars in writing, denouncing militant violence in Pakistan as against Islam. The fatwa, issued in January, is the first such decree issued by such a broad range of scholars in Pakistan.

Terrorism, suicide attacks, blasts, and killing of innocent people are forbidden in Pakistan, in accordance with Shariah, or Islamic law, Khalil said, dressed in a starched white traditional garment and looking relaxed on the manicured lush green lawn of his compound.

Afghanistan has criticized the fatwa because it is specific to Pakistan. Khalil said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani should call Islamic scholars in his country together to issue a fatwa of their own. He offered to go to Kabul to help craft the fatwa.

The 55-year-old Khalils stature in the militant hierarchy has waned since the late 1990s, when he signed on to bin Ladens fatwa ordering the faithful to attack U.S. interests wherever they found them.

Still, his organizations publications are used to raise money and have exhorted the faithful to fight in Afghanistan, where the Afghan National Army, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, is struggling against a resurgent Taliban.
SEOUL  North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea will meet for the first time on April 27, officials said Thursday, setting a date for talks meant to continue the recent detente on the Korean Peninsula and pave the way for discussions between Kim and President Trump.

Early this month Kim agreed to a meeting with Moon, part of a flurry of diplomacy around Pyongyangs nuclear program that began with the Norths participation last month in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Senior negotiators from both Koreas met Thursday at Panmunjom, the so-called truce village on the countries border, to agree on a date and discuss other aspects of the summit meeting.

The two Korean leaders will meet at Peace House, a South Korean building inside Panmunjom, according to a joint statement the negotiators issued at the end of their talks Thursday. Peace House lies south of the demarcation line that bisects Panmunjom, which means that Kim would become the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-Gyon, the Souths chief delegate to the Panmunjom talks, hinted at progress toward including denuclearization in the agenda for the Kim-Moon meeting. But he said the two Koreas might need another round of high-level talks in coming weeks to settle the matter.

The South and North agreed on efforts to make the summit successful, sharing its historic significance in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, settling peace there and improving inter-Korean relations, Cho said.

The meeting will be the third ever held between leaders of the two Koreas. Kims father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, met with South Korean Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007, respectively, in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.

South Korean envoys who met with Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang early this month said he had expressed willingness to negotiate with the United States about normalizing ties and giving up his countrys nuclear weapons in return for security guarantees. Kim also promised to suspend all nuclear and missile tests while talks were under way, the envoys said.

Kim offered then to meet directly with Trump, who quickly accepted. No date has been set, but Trump said he was willing to meet Kim by May, after Moons discussions with him.

This week, Kim surprised both South Korea and the United States by secretly visiting Beijing, in his first trip outside North Korea since taking power. He met with President Xi Jinping of China, the Norths traditional communist ally, in a bid to mend frayed ties before meeting Moon and Trump.

In his discussions with Xi, Kim reaffirmed his intention to meet with the two leaders, according to Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency. Later Thursday, the Norths official Korean Central News Agency for the first time confirmed Kims plan to meet with Moon, without disclosing the time and venue of their meeting.
LONDON  The Kremlin announced Thursday that it will expel 60 U.S. diplomats, and probably dozens from other nations, intensifying Russias clash with Europe and the United States.

The action, which also includes closing the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, was in retaliation for the expulsion of more than 150 Russian officials from other countries  itself a reaction to a nerve-agent attack on British soil that Britain and its allies have blamed on Moscow.

The U.S. ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced. Sixty U.S. diplomats will be expelled from Russia  the same as the number of Russian diplomats whom Washington is expelling. The Americans were given until April 5 to leave the country.

In addition, Russia plans to expel an unspecified number of diplomats from the more than 20 other countries and NATO that joined Britain and the United States in expelling Russians. Lavrov said the number would mirror the number of expelled Russians, which suggested that the ultimate total might rise above 150. (Britain and Russia have already each expelled 23 of the other countrys representatives.)

The crisis over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter has driven tensions between the Kremlin and the West to their highest pitch in decades. The tit-for-tat responses raise the prospect of further, more serious escalations, either public or clandestine.

Relations were already rocky over Moscows roles in the wars in Syria and Ukraine, its annexation of Crimea, its meddling in elections in the United States and elsewhere, the assassination of Kremlin foes in Russia and abroad, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns against other countries and what Western officials have described as a broad, largely covert effort to destabilize and discredit liberal democracies.

Russia as a whole and many powerful Russians individually are already under economic sanctions by the West, and London has pledged to tighten its scrutiny and control of the vast Russian wealth  much of it held by allies of President Vladimir Putin  that has flowed into Britain in recent years. Britain has also said it will re-examine several suspicious deaths of Kremlin opponents.
About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile
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The Alberta Court of Appeal recently upheld a trial decision that struck down a termination clause as unenforceable.



In Canada, employees terminated without cause are entitled to notice or pay in lieu thereof at common law, which is more generous than statutory minimum entitlements, unless they contract out of that entitlement with clear and unambiguous language.

[SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline]

The plaintiff sued his employer for "constructive dismissal"a forced resignation. The plaintiff had an employment contract that purported to limit his entitlements on termination to "a severance payment equal to the wages only that [he] would have received during the applicable notice period," and that would "be in accordance with the provincial legislation for the province of employment." The contract elaborated:

"You should realize that other than the foregoing notice, or at our absolute discretion wages only in lieu of such notice, you will not be entitled to any further compensation or notice arising out of the termination of your employment by us without just cause. 

You understand and agree that other than the severance set out in paragraph 2(2) above, you shall not be entitled on the termination without just cause of your employment by [the employer] to any other claim or compensation, damages, payment in lieu of notice, further notice of termination, or any other claim or compensation whatsoever, whether arising out of your employment by [the employer] or the termination without just cause of your employment by [the employer]."

The Alberta Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge's ruling that the language of the contract was not sufficiently clear and restrictive to limit the employee's entitlement to that set out by Alberta's Employment Standards Code.

The court confirmed that simply stating that payment will be "in accordance with" the relevant employment standards legislation is insufficient to oust common law notice. The legislation requires payment to be at least equal to the wages the employee would have earned during the applicable notice period. The language was not sufficiently clear and unambiguous, as it did not make clear that pay in lieu of notice would be limited to the minimum requirements.

Holm v AGAT Laboratories Ltd., 2018 ABCA 23 (CanLII) (Jan. 19, 2018).

Professional Pointer: The language of Alberta's Employment Standards Code is similar to that of Ontario's Employment Standards Act, and this case is likely to be applicable across jurisdictions. However, there is contrary case law. Due to the complexity surrounding termination clauses, case law should be prepared or periodically reviewed by an employment lawyer, as the case law in this area likely will continue to develop.



Amanda Boyce is an attorney with Stringer LLP, the Worklaw Network member firm in Toronto.




Commonwealth Bank may sell its Indonesian life insurance business for hundreds of millions of dollars, as the banking industry's exodus from the lower-returning wealth management sector continues.

In the latest sign more wealth assets could soon be offloaded by a local bank, CBA on Thursday said it was "exploring alternatives" for PT Commonwealth Life, with investment bankers appointed to advise on a potential sale.

Commonwealth Bank has cut its exposure to wealth management. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Although there is limited information about the business in CBA's accounts, Bell Potter analyst TS Lim said that December 2016 accounts published in Indonesian showed shareholders' equity was valued at about $665 million at the time.

At that valuation, CBA's 80 per cent share would be worth a little more than $500 million, but Mr Lim said the estimate was a cautious one.
Jake Turnbull brings a world of teaching experience to his classroom. Jake Turnbull spent a decade gaining teaching experience around the world. Today, his students in Year 6 at Redlands in Sydney benefit from his global insights. Starting out as a teacher in Sydney 10 years ago, Turnbull then went travelling and taught in Africa. It was in Tanzania he met his now wife, who is English. He followed her back to England where he taught in a small village school. As my wife and I are both teachers we decided to travel to Shanghai and teach in China for two years, Turnbull says. From there they went to the picturesque Santiago in Chile for three years. "I feel my teaching experience around the world has allowed me to take the best practices from the countries I have taught in and use those in my classroom in Cremorne," Turnbull says.

Mr T, as the students call him, encourages his young learners to constantly ask questions such as, Why do I need to learn this? How does it relate to the real world?. I try to equip my students with real life skills that they are going to continue to need, he says. Whether it is in maths, learning to budget or becoming confident to speak in front of an audience, relating the learning to them is so crucial. A fan of technology and public speaking, Turnbull asks his students to create their own TED Talk. They begin by watching a TED talk on an area they find interesting and observing what techniques the presenter uses to convey their lesson or message. This may be using humour, hand gestures or not having too much text on slides, he says. They then discuss what they have learnt from the TED talk and the important message they can share with others. These talks have included an African boy inventing a machine to scare away lions from a village and why it is important not to put too much personal information on social media. It is then time for Turnbull's students to create and present their own TED talk. He says he is constantly blown away by what they come up with.
TPG Telecom has come the closest of the major telcos to delivering customers the national broadband network speeds they are paying for in the busy evening period.

After soaring complaints about NBN internet performance in the past 12 months, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) tested the speed of 400 NBN and ADSL services offered by 10 different providers.

Speed tests undertaken by the ACCC have proven positive for TPG Telecom. Credit:Glenn Hunt

TPG was found to deliver 90.7 per cent of the maximum "busy hour" speeds promised under its plans. This busy period from 7pm-11pm is when many people are trying to access the internet, typically causing congestion and lower speeds.

Telstra and iiNet were above 80 per cent. Optus was the lowest of the four recorded, at 80.7 per cent. Across all services tested, 5 per cent operated below 50 per cent of their promised plan speed.
In those circumstances the tax office will be able to notify credit rating agencies of the debts.

The federal government's proposed Transparency of Taxation Debts laws will initially apply to businesses with Australian Business Numbers and tax debts of more than $10,000 that are at least 90 days overdue.

On Wednesday afternoon Mr Noroozi told a parliamentary hearing into the ATO's annual report that the Turnbull government's proposed laws should require the Australian Taxation Office to inform taxpayers with an alleged debt that they can lodge a complaint with his office, and hold off reporting until the matter has been investigated.

Safeguards need to be introduced to ensure Australians don't have their credit rating damaged if laws allowing the tax office to report debts to credit agencies are introduced, according to the Inspector-General of Taxation Ali Noroozi.

The ATO has been consulting with stakeholders and insists proper safeguards are in place to protect taxpayers but several submissions to an inquiry on the proposed laws have expressed concerns.

I think the intention is that my office plays a safeguard [role] to make sure in instances where things dont go right, that my office catches those so that a small business or an individual doesnt have a devastating effect of having their credit rating trashed, if you like, mistakenly, Mr Noroozi said.

If the proposed laws are introduced, ATO Deputy Commissioner Robert Ravanello told the same Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue the agency would ramp up slowly starting with egregious cases of phoenixing and serious organised crime, before moving to small business taxpayers.

He said the ATO would always write to the taxpayer notifying them about a tax debt and the taxpayer has 21 days to respond and can ask for a review. And should the Inspector-General be already looking at a complaint relating to a particular debt, the debt would not be reported by the ATO until that complaint had been resolved.

But groups such as Self Employed Australia's Ken Phillips had warned in a submission that ATO already has draconian powers" and that if Parliament were to give the this ATO additional power "it would further extend the ATOs ability to bully, harass and destroy small business people.
Melbourne Comedy Festival performer Nikki Osborne has been forced to defend her upcoming shows after she was accused of offending people with autism.

The actor and comedian is due to perform her show 'On the Spectrum' next month. The show is about how she gets by as a mother of someone with high-functioning autism.

However some people have accused the 36-year-old of making fun of her child's disability. A number of people have taken to City of Kingston's Facebook page to demand the council step in and cancel three upcoming shows at Kingston City Hall in Melbourne.

On Thursday, Ms Osborne was forced to clarify her show wasn't designed to poke fun at her child.
The 12-episode series featured Sarah Koenig, a former producer with the weekly public radio program This American Life, telling the story of the killing, investigation and trial in a conversational narrative with interviews. It was downloaded more than 175 million times and won a Peabody Award.

Syed's new lawyer, Justin Brown, said he had been unable to locate the witness, Asia McClain, until the Serial team began investigating Syed's story. He said the podcast had been "enormously helpful" in pursuing justice for his client.

"Serial kind of shook the trees, and that enabled us to get in contact with Asia McClain and bring her to Baltimore for the post conviction hearing two years ago," Brown said at a news conference Thursday. "Serial has also helped build this groundswell of support for us and for Adnan and for the case, and that has fueled these efforts and helped us to fight on as we have."

McClain sent Syed two letters after he was arrested in 1999 stating that she had seen him at Woodlawn Public Library at the time that Lee was killed. Syed asked his lawyer, Maria Cristina Gutierrez, to contact McClain. She said she had "and nothing had come of it," the panel said.

After Syed was convicted, it was determined that Gutierrez had not in fact contacted McClain.
The Australian Medical Association says people not eligible for free vaccines should also wait until late next month or early May for their shot, while the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia says this group of people should start getting their jabs now. Loading The message for them is to be vaccinated from now onwards, essentially as soon as possible, said the pharmaceutical societys president Shane Jackson. Because what we are trying to do is get the herd immunity up for the entire population, which protects everyone. The Pharmacy Guild of Australias Anthony Tassone said while the ideal time for the flu jab was late April or early May, it was better for someone to get immunised earlier than not at all.

Herd immunity, which is getting the vaccination rates up above 95 per cent, is a team effort, he said. Both doctors and pharmacists say their stance has the support of the chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy. But the federal Department of Health has declined to weigh into the stoush by avoiding specifically detailing when the best time to vaccinate is. Recent evidence suggests that protection following influenza vaccination may begin to wane after three to four months, a department spokeswoman said. Therefore, timing of vaccination should aim to achieve the highest level of protection during the period of influenza virus circulation, typically from June to September and usually peaking from August.

The governments free influenza vaccine program begins on Sunday, April 1. At-risk groups are eligible, including pregnant women, those over 65 and many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Doctors and pharmacists have traded barbs over the motivation behind their differing advice. Dr Seidel said it was absolutely unacceptable that the two groups were not providing consistent advice to the public, and he accused the pharmacy guild and pharmaceutical society of backstabbing the chief medical officer by ignoring his advice. Dr Bastian Seidel has questioned the motivation of pharmacy groups. I dont understand what the motivation is other than a financial one, which is getting the vaccination out of the fridge and into the patient, whether its effective or not, Dr Seidel said.

Dr Jackson, meanwhile, said he did not think doctors had come to terms with the decision to allow pharmacists to administer some influenza injections and he dubbed the dispute a turf war. The medical professionals should be above that and giving really clear and appropriate advice to individual patents. Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon said he was concerned that some people eligible for free vaccines through their GPs were paying for the shots at a pharmacy. Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen However he said his overwhelming concern was making sure people got vaccinated, and pharmacists giving vaccines in a professional and confidential environment was next best to going to a doctor.

If allowing pharmacists to vaccinate increases the coverage of the population, then thats hardly something Australias doctors would be unhappy about, Dr Gannon said. In Melbourne, the owner of Ascot Vale Pharmacy Jane Mitchell has already stocked up on flu vaccines. But she is advising customers against getting a shot until late April, unless they are travelling overseas. I think we found last year that some people got immunised too early, so the immunity was waning towards that height of flu season, she said. Later next month, the pharmacy will start encouraging people to make a booking or simply walk to get their shots from a number of trained pharmacists at the 24-hour store. While there have already been high numbers of influenza cases this year, with 9000 notified so far, Immunisation Coalition director Dr Ginni Mansberg said experts were not expecting a repeat of last years horror season, which saw hundreds of elderly people and five children die.
"Who hasnt hidden a tampon up their sleeve or made an excuse about being sick when theyre not?" Credit:Stocksy

My first period started just after I turned twelve. To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement. Unlike a lot of adolescents, I had been desperate to join the secret club that more than a few of my friends had already been invited to join. I had agonised for months beforehand, convinced it would never arrive. I longed for the secret knowledge that I felt sure came with first menarche and yearned for the day it would flood through me.

As I quickly discovered, menstruation doesnt flow through so much as out of a person. It didnt take long for me to join the ranks of those around me who were full of complaints about its monthly torment, the tedious need to make sure you had menstrual products on you at all times and the dreaded fear that someone (read: your male peers at school) would find out you were on the rag.

Its been twenty five years since I started bleeding on a monthly basis, but it seems not much has changed in terms of its secrecy. The folks behind Lunette (manufacturers of menstrual cups, which I highly recommend - in fact, Im using one as I write this) have launched the Sustainable Period Project to help reduce menstrual product environmental waste and to instill positivity in school age children. (They are supported by ModiBodi, revolutionary period pants made right here in Australia and in whom I have also placed monthly trust.)

This first issue is one of paramount importance, especially in light of new Australian curriculum guidelines that encourages all subjects to include an element of sustainability. According to the Sustainable Period Project, there are six million Australian and New Zealand people of menstruating age. Each will use about 22 disposable menstrual products per cycle, which translates to between 11,000 - 16,000 in their lifetime. When you do the maths on that, its a lot of tampons and disposable pads going into landfill. Its simply unacceptable to continue supporting that level of waste.
Free Rain's production of 42nd Street at The Q is the quintessential feel-good Broadway musical comedy. David Merrick's 1980 stage adaptation of the 1933 Warner Bros. film brilliantly revived the nostalgia, charm and optimism of a musical, designed to dispel the lingering gloom of the Great Depression and lighten the heart with the sunny side of every situation. Like a seductive siren on every street corner of New York, Chris Baldock's heartfelt homage to the city of musical comedy entices his audience to come along and listen to the Lullaby of Broadway. It is an irresistible lure, assisted by musical director Nicholas Griffin, choreographer Michelle Heine and a 1930s style brassy, classy orchestra under the magical baton of conductor Ian McLean. From the orchestra's spirited overture and the company's stunning opening tap routine to Jarrad West's closing reprise of Lullaby of Broadway, Free Rain's 42nd Street sweeps you along on a wave of sheer enjoyment.

It is the songs and routines in this production that make your spirits soar, carrying you away from all care, seduced by costumes designed and created by Fiona Leach and her wardrobe team. And the production's exceptionally talented cast give it all they've got, effusing a contagious sense of fun and firing with dazzling enthusiasm and energy.

The plot is simple enough. Naive wannabe actress, Peggy Sawyer (Sophie Highmore), arrives in New York to find fame and fortune. Watch out for Highmore in future. With the grace of Cyd Charisse, the innocence of Leslie Caron and the ebullience of Debbie Reynolds, Highmore is destined for a bright future. She is in excellent company with stand-out professional Sam Ward as Peggy's admiring male lead, Billy Lawlor, Jarrad West as Julian Marsh, the fraught producer of Pretty Lady, his make-or-break Broadway musical, and the wonderfully talented Louiza Blomfield as the diva, Dorothy Brock, who breaks her ankle, creating an opportunity for newcomer Peggy to take on the star role.

In a company where every member gives their all, it is worth mentioning Debra Byrne as a very funny Maggie Jones, Lachlan Agett as dance master Andy Lee, David Cannell as Bert Barry and Karina Hudson as Ann Reilly.

Every aspect of this production pays joyful homage to the original musicals of the era. Set designers Martin Searles and Steve and Susie Walsh use projections to indicate place and period and the 15 members of the orchestra recreate a sense of the big bands of America in the '30s. It all adds to the nostalgia and the charm of a show in the old Broadway tradition that will have you tapping your feet, humming along and forgetting your troubles as you hear the beat of dancing feet at 42nd Street.
The skydiving instructor who saved the life of a Canberra teenager during a freak accident was on Thursday posthumously honoured with one of Australia's highest awards for bravery.

Antonio Rokov, 44, was killed in the tandem skydiving accident at Goulburn on November 21, 2015.

Mr Rokov worked for the elite Australian special forces unit.

He had twisted his body under 14-year-old Elijah Arranz and took the brunt of the sudden fall when their parachute collapsed.

On learning of his award, Mr Rokov's wife Samantha said she had been not the least bit surprised by his selflessness that day.
Police have released a "face-fit" image of a man they believe is responsible for an alleged assault and robbery in a Canberra park.

ACT Policing said the alleged incident happened outside the toilet block in Glebe Park, about 10.30pm on March 17.

Police have appealed for information about this man after an alleged assault and robbery in Glebe Park, Canberra. Credit:ACT Policing

The suspect is described as Caucasian, of slim-muscular build, between 175 and 180cm tall, and with light brown hair and hazel eyes.

He was wearing a black hoodie and black pants, and left on foot towards Constitution Avenue after the alleged incident.
The seven protesters who superglued their hands to a balustrade in Parliament House were acquitted on Thursday of intentionally damaging Commonwealth property.

Supporters in the public gallery greeted the verdicts with sighs of relief, and some wiped tears from their eyes. Once outside court, members of the group celebrated with hugs and cries of, "yes".

One of the protester's hands after it was pulled from the balustrade. Credit:Andrew Meares

The jury began deliberating about 9am Thursday and reached the verdict shortly after.
Some people get a lucky break. When Nicholas Baudin's expedition, commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte to map the coast of Australia, set sail in 1801, Charles-Alexander Lesueur and Nicolas-Martin Petit were signed on as gunners. The two-ship expedition already had a full complement of three artists.

But, said National Museum of Australia curator Cheryl Crilly, after the three artists deserted six months into the arduous voyage, Lesueur and Petit were promoted to become the official artists of the expedition. Lesueur painted Australian fauna, working with naturalist and zoologist Francois Peron, and Petit focused his attention on depicting the Indigenous people of different regions.

Curator Cheryl Crilly with her exhibition "The Art of Science: Baudin's Voyagers 1800 -1804" at the National Museum of Australia. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Although Baudin did not survive the three and a half year expedition - he died from tuberculosis - it was a scientific success, returning to France with more than 100,000 specimens and having discovered more than 2500 new species.

"They discovered 18 new species of jellyfish," Ms Crilly said.
The fractures within the Liberals are now so deep that every one of their debates is seen as another split that threatens more turmoil. So it was when seven backbenchers joined the argument this week over the plight of white farmers exposed to attack in South Africa.

A cynical response was that the conservatives in the Coalition party room were looking for a new way to pick a fight. Under this view, the determination to speak up in the party room was the real story. The death and torture of farmers was just the pretext.

This was a natural reading of the situation for anyone who is alive to the disagreements within the Liberals. Some swear it is wrong, yet the theory is impossible to dismiss because every participant and observer is now conditioned to expect more division.

Illustration: Simon Letch

The way Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton aired the issue two weeks ago seemed to fit the theory. He was talking about offering special attention to farmers being persecuted. By talking of Australia as a civilised country that could help those farmers, he was instantly under attack for branding South Africa uncivilised.
There are as many definitions of Column 8 (C8) as there are readers. "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand," is the offering of Peter Riley of Penrith. Richard Stewart of Pearl Beach quotes Granny herself and offers that it is based on "the 'Three Double U's': that is wit, whimsy and wisdom." Bill Walker of Havelock North suggests "that Column 8 was founded in 1947 as Twitter for the literate." Another Twitter comparison comes from Anne Russell of Matraville: "Column 8: Twitter for people who think before they write."

Graham Lams Digital Transformation (C8) anecdote of changing fingers into thumbs was more prescient than anyone could have predicted, with the sharp eyes of Column 8 readers delighting in the photo of the Egyptian chauffeur, in the very same issue of the Herald, with the caption stating that he was showing "his inked thumb as voting proof." One small problem - he was clearly holding up his pinky finger. Thanks to Robert Cann of Bellevue Hill, Glenda Taylor of Stanwell Tops and Eric Scott of Bondi Junction.

The upcoming summer season in Europe reminded Georgios Sotiropoulos of Mosman of a sign seen on the sunny island of Cyprus, designed to counter the immodesty of thawing northern revellers: "Welcome to Cyprus. When it's hot please dress for the body you have, not the body you want."

After reading the article in the Herald (29/3) where education expert Sir Ken Robertson hit out at testing regimes that are literally driving parents up the wall', Andrew Macintosh of Cromer had "visions of parents trying to climb up walls and falling back as gravity kicks in." There is no end in sight to the scourge that is the misuse of the word 'literally' - it will be more of a surprise if any Column 8 readers can write in with an example they have seen of it being used correctly.

"Where do you go for smoked cod for the Good Friday kedgeree?" asks Peter Wootton of Pyrmont. "It would appear that the Sydney Fish Market is unable to supply." If you had written earlier. Granny would have been only too happy to tell you that smoked cod fillets are readily available at your Woolworths fish counter for $10 a kilo. One for the memory bank.
In the most recent incident on March 3, the Thornton home of a Finks member was shot at multiple times, with one bullet hitting a man in the leg as he jumped up from a couch inside. Such incidents used to occur once a fortnight, according to police, but have now escalated to the point where there are three attacks per week. Blake Kevin Martin said there is a "disagreement" with the Finks. Credit:AAP In response, police have sought to impose a serious crime prevention order on the five men, the first application of its kind brought to court in NSW. If the application is successful, the men would be banned from approaching or contacting any member of any motorcycle gang; attending any licensed hotel, pub, club or bar; travelling in any vehicle from 9pm to 6am; going to any location where any motorcycle gang member would be; and using encrypted communications like Wickr, Snapchat or WhatsApp.

Kane Benjamin Tamplin, sergeant-at-arms of the Newcastle City chapter of the Nomads. Credit:AAP They will also be restricted from owning more than one mobile phone, must produce their phone and passwords to police upon request, and will not be allowed to wear or display any Nomads insignia or patches. Mark Tedeschi QC, representing the police, said officers were seeking "identical" orders against five members of the Finks. He unsuccessfully requested the Nomads orders be put in place immediately to "provide a degree of protection to the public over the Easter long weekend". We are speaking here about tribal warfare in the midst of our civilised society," Mr Tedeschi said. Its intolerable that this open warfare should be allowed to flourish.

Barrister Robert Cavanagh, representing the men, said the "punishing" and "shackling" conditions were "inhumane" and would cause some of the men who did shiftwork to put their jobs in jeopardy. "There is, in my respectful submission, no urgency whatsoever to protect the public from these defendants," Dr Cavanagh said. "They come before you showing respect. Thats not an outlaw gang mentality." Blake Kevin Martin pleaded guilty to affray after attacking a member of the Finks at Anytime Fitness in Kotara. All five men denied there was a war with the Finks, however Justice David Davies labelled parts of their evidence - including that they didn't know the rules of their own club - "frankly unbelievable".

Mr Bowtell, the president of the Newcastle City chapter of the Nomads, said he met frequently with police, including most recently on March 20 where he said he would "try and assist" with stopping the violence. Loading Under cross-examination, he said he did not think it was in his power to stop the conflict. "In my opinion it was more of the Finks attacking us," Bowtell said. "I think youll find ... we were under attack." Martin, a junior member of the club, admitted he had attacked a member of the Finks with Quinnell at the Anytime Fitness gym in Kotara last year. He was charged with affray, an offence to which he has pleaded guilty.
The police officer who fatally shot Courtney Topic as she gripped a large kitchen knife near a busy intersection in Sydney's west has denied he pulled the trigger because he panicked.

Senior Constable Ethan Tesoriero reflected he wouldn't alter his actions in those moments when he returned to the witness box in the NSW Coroner's Court at Glebe on Thursday.

Ms Topic, 22, was mentally ill when she died from a single shot fired 41 seconds after police arrived at an intersection near Hungry Jack's at West Hoxton the morning of February 10, 2015.

Senior Constable Ethan Tesoriero arrives at the inquest into the police shooting death of Courtney Topic. Credit:AAP

Witnesses reported seeing her walking in the area with the knife in one hand and a takeaway drink in the other.
















Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented the situation in Eastern Ghouta and the US military presence in Syria. Moscow is concerned by Washington's plans to fortify its military presence in Syria at the US military base in al-Tanf, heavy military equipment is arriving, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

"We are still concerned about reports that the United States and its allies are consolidating their illegal military presence in the territory of sovereign Syria. In particular, heavy military equipment is arriving in the zone established by the United States around the settlements of At Tanf in the southeast of the country," Zakharova told a briefing.









The US military base is located in the border town of al-Tanf, where troops of the armed Syrian opposition are trained and equipped. The Al-Rukban refugee camp is located in the "security zone" next to the US military base al-Tanf; it was illegally deployed in April 2017 under the pretext of fighting terrorists.









At the end of November last year, the head of the Russian Center for the reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria, Lieutenant-General Sergei Kuralenko, reported that the US, having closed the 55-kilometer zone around the US base in the Syrian city of al-Tanf, had isolated more than 50,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance. Russia then proposed to the command of a group of US troops in al-Tanf to jointly ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the refugees. The coalition, led by the United States, agreed to help, but said that it had not received confirmation that Syrian authorities were ready to allow convoys to pass.





Maria Zakharova said that the counterterrorism operation in the Syrian East Ghouta is coming to an end.





"The counterterrorism operation in East Ghouta is over, only the city of Douma remains under the control of militants," Zakharova said at a briefing in Moscow on Thursday.









A significant part of the civilian population was able to leave the city via humanitarian corridors organized with the assistance of the Russian military, she added.









"Negotiations are underway on the possibility of a peaceful transfer of control over the city to Syrian government forces," Zakharova added.









"Continuing fabricated and groundless accusations against the Syrian government and Russia with regard to the indiscriminate use of force in the alleged killing of civilians, pure fiction and other lies, that are allegedly imbued with concern for the fate of the civilian population, in fact create obstacles for reaching negotiated solutions and saving lives," Zakharova said.









The situation in Eastern Ghouta has been tense over the past months, resulting in ongoing shelling by militants of Damascus and fire from the Syrian government forces. Syrian authorities said it opened fire in response to shelling from Eastern Ghouta, but Western countries are blaming the Syrian government and Russia of being responsible for the intensification of tensions in the area. On February 24, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2401 that urges all parties to the conflict in Syria to immediately stop fighting and adhere to a humanitarian pause for at least 30 days across Syria.
















An Indian journalist could face years in jail on a people smuggling charge after allegedly helping a fake media contingent travel to Australia to attend the Commonwealth Games.

Australian Border Force officers detained Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 46, and eight others at the Brisbane Airport on Wednesday because his companions accreditation was allegedly not genuine.

The 'fake' Indian journalists arriving at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday.

The eight, aged between 20 and 37, were allegedly holding temporary activity visas and claiming to be accredited media representatives.

Mr Sharma is described in court documentation as a journalist. Prosecutors claim his accreditation was genuine but he facilitated the groups travel.
Commuters south of Brisbane are facing massive delays after a truck and car collided on south-east Queenslands busiest motorway.

At 7.30am, traffic on the Pacific Motorway was banked up 17 kilometres from Eagleby to Kingsholme, according to the Australian Traffic Network.

Footage from a traffic camera at Beenleigh after a crash on the Pacific Motorway.

An hour later, the delays extended for 20 kilometres.

A police spokesman said emergency services were called to a truck and car accident about 5.50am on Thursday.
RSPCA Queensland has asked for help to track down a man caught on camera hurling a cat over a fence and into a wall.

The video shows the man laughing after throwing the animal and may have been taken in the Ipswich area.

A still from a video "that shows a man hurling a cat into a wall".

RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty is urging anyone who recognises the man to come forward.

"The person who sent it said they were from the Ipswich area but we have been unable to confirm this," he said.
The 16-year-old boy accused of fatally stabbing a father of four in a carjacking was turned on by his friends for using a knife, according to court documents.

Five youths  Taisi Bartley, 20, Damian Siilata, 18, and three teens who cannot be named, aged 19, 17 and 16  will stand trial for murder over the death of Paul Costa in Brunswick West on July 2 last year.

The youths denied the charges during a three-day committal hearing before Peter Reardon in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this week.

Paul Costa was found dead in Dunstan Reserve, Brunswick West last year.

Prosecutors allege Mr Costa was seated in his red Nissan Patrol in Peacock Street about 9.50pm when the group jumped into his vehicle and dragged him out of the driver's seat and into the back.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

It is a Melbourne murder case of such grotesque inhumanity, committed in front of three young children.

A man aged in his 30s was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Supreme Court on Thursday for the torturous killing of his younger wife in their home in the citys north.

Despite a plea of guilty, Justice Lex Lasry said the killing was so terrible, the actions of the womans unremorseful husband so extreme that they warranted a 30-year non-parole period.

"What I am sure of, is that your conduct was grotesquely violent. Your crime was horrific. What you did was disgusting and made so much worse, to the extent that is possible, by involving your children as witnesses," Justice Lasry said.
The identity of some of the most dangerous sex offenders could be revealed under reforms to the state's suppression order laws being considered by the Victorian government.

An independent review of Victoria's Open Courts Act has recommended that courts should be restricted from making suppression orders concealing the identity or whereabouts of sex offenders living in the community under supervision.

Safety of the individuals would still need to be considered, it said.

The Victorian government has given its support "in full or in principle" to 17 of the 18 recommendations, and is still considering one.

Between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2016, Victorian courts and tribunals made1594 suppression orders.
More than 120 prison staff have been assaulted in WA jails in the past 12 months, new figures have revealed.

It comes as disturbing details emerge of a recent incident at a regional WA prison where a potential hostage situation involving a female prison officer was narrowly avoided.

Figures tabled in state parliament show there have been 125 assaults against staff in prisons since the middle of March last year.

Fourteen of the 125 cases were classified as 'serious assaults'.

The figures were provided following questions from One Nation MP Charles Smith in the Legislative Council.
A 2017 Data Analysis Australia review of all the evidence found the CSIRO methods and reports were inadequate to claim the emissions safe for rock art. The WA government has acknowledged the DAA review and Professor Blacks concerns in its Draft Burrup Rock Art Strategy, released last September for public comment with the aim to address the limitations of the past monitoring and analysis program. The senators had to review such complex evidence it took them a year longer to complete their report than planned. The final report was so fraught with tension none of the factions represented could agree on one set of recommendations. The Greens recommended stringent controls on industry, including measures of existing emissions and for all industry on the Peninsula to comply with zero acid emissions within one year. A photograph of air pollution in the area taken by a Karratha resident.

They recommended the Yara Pilbara Technical Ammonium Nitrate Production Facility (TANPF) be relocated to Maitland Industrial Estate 20 kilometres away and no further industrial development approvals be issued for the Burrup itself. Labor recommended further industry be approved only under strict guidelines. Both recommended new programs to track emissions and air quality and more tourism spending to bring long-term employment and economic opportunity to the region. Both recommended giving equal funding and powers to the Murujuga Corporations indigenous rangers. They co-manage the national park with the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, but, not being government staff, cannot enforce regulations around camping, fires and vandalism. The Coalition senators rejected the scientific evidence given by Professor Black and others and made no recommendations.

Throughout this inquiry, Coalition Senators have remained concerned over the committee's refusal to consider the weight of the evidence over the economic value the construction of the Yara Pilbara TANPF will bring to the Pilbara and Western Australia, and their continued support for a World Heritage listing of the Burrup Peninsula, its comments read. The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation Ranger team. Credit:Jarrad Seng. But all parties agreed the engravings were of immense cultural and spiritual significance to Aboriginal people, and of equally immense national and international archaeological and heritage value... and should be protected and conserved for current and future generations. They all noted a lack of engagement with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation in matters to do with the Burrup, and a lack of investment in tourism, as while concept designs and some funding are in place for a Murujuga Living Knowledge Centre at Conzinc Bay, more funding is needed to make the project a reality. They all also noted the community remained in the dark about the potential costs and benefits of a potential World Heritage nomination, and that the push to progress a nomination had been principally pushed by outside parties.

One was Friends of Australian Rock Art, of which Professor Black is a member. Professor Black said Coalition senators had ignored the basic chemical principles that acidity of the rock surfaces was dissolving the patina and destroying the rock art. He said industry development and permitted levels of emissions had been based on discredited CSIRO reports, now stated as superseded by CSIRO. "The acidity of rock surfaces has already increased 1000-fold and this is dissolving the rock patina now and destroying the art. We just do not have measurements as to how fast this is occurring," he said. Loading

This claim by the Coalition senators has now compromised the actions needed to save the petroglyphs for future generations." Murujugas Peter Jeffries said the traditional owners also believed the report did not go far enough. We are happy the report has come out and put the spotlight on the Burrup  its a good thing, he said. But a lot of people will be disappointed that there wasnt unity, or agreement on a way forward. He said the Corporation wanted increased powers for its park rangers and time for meaningful community consultation on a potential World Heritage nomination. There was internal support at the Corporation but the communitys concerns needed to be addressed.

The Corporation also wanted further industrial development confined to the Maitland Industrial Estate, and current emissions brought under control. We also agree with the clear recommendations that there needs to be a more rigid and structured monitoring process for emissions on the Burrup. We need the right information provided to industry, government, and all the people who have an interest, for a plan to look after the rock art for future generations, he said. We need a seat at the table and to share the opportunity to mould these plans, he said. We want to create a tourism precinct ... the opportunity to create a sustainable future. Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said the government was in the final stages of compiling responses to issues raised during consultation on the draft Burrup Rock Art Strategy.
Releasing helium balloons to celebrate a wedding, birthday or memorial could soon become a thing of the past after legislation seeking to ban the practice statewide was introduced to WA Parliament this week.

WA Greens MP Robin Chapple introduced the amendment to the Litter Act 1979 (WA) in parliament on Tuesday.

The "balloon" amendment would make it illegal to "inflate a party balloon outdoors, have an inflated party balloon outdoors, or release or cause an inflated party balloon to be released outdoors".

It will also mean officers will be able to issue on-the-spot fines for offenders.
A Vietnamese father of two was paid $500 per week to look after two cannabis grow houses south of Perth as part of a sophisticated drug operation, a Perth court was told this week.

Details of how the grow houses operated were revealed in the WA District Court on Tuesday as 41-year-old married man Cong Vu Dinh was jailed for three years for his role in the drug operation.

But with time already served Dinh could be free on parole in several weeks.

The court case culminated the day after WA Police revealed they had seized half a tonne of cannabis during eight months of raids on Perth homes allegedly rented out by South-East Asian crime gangs.

Since July 1, WA detectives have seized nearly 9000 cannabis plants from 77 privately rented properties converted and modified to grow the drug.
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Being locked up is tough at the best of times, and it's even harder when friends and family on the outside are celebrating a long weekend with good food.

But this week, detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre are getting in on the Easter spirit by baking hundreds of hot cross buns from scratch.

Alexander Maconochie Centre detainees are baking hundreds of hot cross buns this Easter. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Their handiwork includes a batch of 50 for the Beryl Women's Inc, a refuge that provides support and safe housing for women and children escaping domestic violence in the ACT.

It's the first time goods produced inside the jail will be sent outside its walls, something that gives detainee Rebecca Parlov a sense of pride.
Queensland's local government minister has asked for more power to sack local mayors after Logan's Luke Smith refusal to stand down after being charged with corruption.

Councillor Smith was charged by the Crime And Corruption Commission on Monday but has so far resisted calls to step down.

Stirling Hinchliffe has called for wider powers. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe says the Local Government Act doesn't give him the power to sack Smith under the circumstances but says it's worth looking at changing the law.

"I have concerns there aren't enough powers for the minister to properly deal with an arrangement of situations that arise in the world of local government," Mr Hinchliffe told ABC radio.
A state Liberal MP says she was left shaken by the alleged aggression of a male Labor politician in the Victorian Parliament building on Thursday.

An already ugly week in politics escalated on Thursday with a government MP giving opposition members a one-fingered salute in the lower house chamber and later apologising for his action.

The latest act of ill-discipline from a member of the government came on the same day Premier Daniel Andrews launched a campaign to combat negative male attitudes to women in a bid to address the state's domestic violence problem.

Memories are still fresh of an alleged physical altercation in the parliamentary dining room in February between two senior Labor figures in which a butter knife was reportedly brandished by one of the MPs.
Paju, South Korea: High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village on Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the stand-off over the North's nuclear program.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, left, shakes hands with North Korean delegation head Ri Son-gwon before their meeting at the northern side of Panmunjom on Thursday. Credit:AP

Officials plan to use the talks at the northern side of Panmunjom to determine the date and agenda of the meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The results of the closed-door talks weren't immediately clear.

It comes as increased activity at a North Korean nuclear site has once again caught the attention of analysts and renewed concerns about the complexities of denuclearisation talks.
London: For years, anti-corruption campaigners have railed against Britain's openness to ill-gotten riches from overseas and the foreigners who invest them. After a nerve agent attack on British soil, and the resulting diplomatic showdown between Russia and the West, that may be starting to change.

The British government said this week that it would review the cases of 700 Russians who were granted visas to live in Britain largely because they could invest millions of dollars in the country. And it signalled an openness to cutting off access to British financial markets for President Vladimir Putin's government in Russia.

The government's expressed determination to crack down on dirty money came on a day of rare good news in the poisoning attack. Yulia S. Skripal, who with her father, Sergei V. Skripal, was assaulted with a nerve agent, "is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition," Salisbury District Hospital said Thursday.

Her father, a former Russian spy, remains hospitalised in critical condition.
London: Intensifying Russia's clash with Europe and the United States, the Kremlin on Thursday announced that it would expel 150 Western diplomats and close the US consulate in St Petersburg.

The action was in retaliation for the expulsion of more than 150 Russian officials from other countries  which was itself a reaction to a nerve-agent attack on British soil that Britain and its allies have blamed on Moscow.

The US ambassador to Russia, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced. Sixty US diplomats will be expelled from Russia  the same as the number of Russian diplomats whom Washington is expelling. The Americans were given until April 5 to leave the country.

The crisis over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter has driven tensions between the Kremlin and the West to their highest pitch in decades. The tit-for-tat responses raise the prospect of further, more serious escalations, either public or clandestine.
Washington: President Donald Trump fired his embattled Veterans Affairs secretary on Wednesday and tapped as his replacement atop the chronically mismanaged agency the president's personal physician, who gained prominence with his effusive praise of the 71-year-old's physical and mental health.

The ouster of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, who has been mired in scandal over his charging taxpayers for luxury travel expenses and the infighting among his senior aides, had been widely expected and was made official at 5.31pm by presidential tweet.

Trump said he would nominate Ronny Jackson, 50, an active-duty rear admiral in the Navy who has served for the past three administrations as a White House physician.

Shulkin is only the latest in a string of firings by Trump. Below is a list of notable firings and resignations from Trump's White House since he took office on January 20, 2017.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Mainly clear skies. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
Jim Green, Director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, also hosts the popular Gravity Assist podcast, in which each episode he speaks to a fellow scientist about an aspect of NASA's exploration of the Solar System and beyond, from the craters of Mercury to the exoplanets of TRAPPIST-1, and everything in between. Here, he talks to Astrobiology Magazine's Keith Cooper about why he wanted to do a podcast, what it's like to give a 'gravity assist' and what his own gravity assist was as a student.

NASA's Director of Planetary Science, Dr Jim Green. (Image credit: NASA)

Where did the name for the podcast, Gravity Assist, come from?

The name actually comes from an experience I had several years ago in a small town called Mars, in Pennsylvania. The Mayor of Mars called us and wanted to have a big celebration in town centered around the theme of 'Mars'. So he wanted to know what would be a great event to celebrate, and I just grabbed my Martian calendar and said, "well if you're looking for something coming up this spring, Mars is at equinox". He asked me what should we call that, and I thought, about and said, "well we'll just call it the Mars New Year!" He loved the idea, so every couple of years they celebrate the Mars New Year. For the first one we had about one-hundred NASA representatives  it was really great! They had displays and we had rovers, driving the rovers with kids, and a little boy pretty much followed me around all day, and he and I chatted and I gave him my card and drove rovers with him and it was just delightful. Then about nine months later I received an e-mail from his father, and he said that his son has just really blossomed in school; he was getting good grades in maths and science, he's building the Juno spacecraft out of Lego and telling him his dad all about space, and his father wanted to thank me for giving his son a 'gravity assist', and I got it immediately.

It was at the 'Mars New Year' festival in the town of Mars, Pennsylvania, where Jim Green encountered a young man who gave him the idea for the name of his podcast. (Image credit: Jon Dawson)

What's coming up next on the show?

I want to talk to the scientists who are really doing the fantastic cutting-edge research, the kind of things that won't get into science books for many years. I've interviewed NASA's Dominic Benford about how our Solar System is oriented in our galactic spiral arm and how we move around our Galaxy, and how that galactic motion is so much different than we imagined and doesn't follow Kepler's laws unless you add some other things, like dark matter, things that we don't see.

In addition to that we're going to be talking about some of our past and future missions. I've talked with Steve Squyres about the Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars, we're going to talk about the re-discovering an old spacecraft called IMAGE, which we lost in 2005 and then 13 years later all of a sudden it just started transmitting and was actually found by an amateur. Then we're going to talk about planetary defense, we're going to hear about the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet system, we'll talk about volcanoes in the Solar System and on Earth, we'll go back to the Sun and talk much more about sunspots, and then the jets on Europa and Enceladus, so we're going to be all over the Universe.

What does it feel like to be able to give 'gravity assists' to young people?

To give you an example, we did one podcastw ith Andy Weir [the author of The Martian]. I was a consultant on the movie version of The Martian, and that's where I got to know him, and when we did the podcast I learned something really important. Andy had gotten a lot of requests from teachers across the country to produce a sanitized version of The Martian, something that doesn't have all the [bad] language in it, and the reason for this was that the teachers wanted to give their students the book, give them the formulae, here's the situation, now see if you get the same results that Mark Watney gets and then executes in the book.

Jim Green and Andy Weir in the Gravity Assist recording booth. (Image credit: Aubrey Gemignani/NASA)

Andy got so many requests for it that he asked Crown [the publishers] to do that, and what he later realized is that he was giving the kind of gravity assist he himself had received when he was young, to all these students who are getting immersed in the book. It never occurred to me, as it didn't with Andy, that I would ever be one of those people who would give gravity assists, but indeed I have, and that's really tremendously satisfying to me, knowing that what I do matters enough that kids get it and want to emulate it. Andy didn't think he could do it. In fact as we were doing the interview he got a little choked up over it as we were talking about inspiring kids, and I could see he was very emotional, that this was a passion for him and that he wanted to create a book that could reach these kids.

How popular is the Gravity Assist podcast among young people?

The podcasts are popular with a segment of kids that we weren't reaching, typically. NASA had a couple of podcasts going that seemed to be popular but they were technical and we wanted to do something that was scientific but more conversational, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

What was your own gravity assist when you were young?

I had the opportunity to have a fantastic high school teacher who was the director of an observatory, so I had a 12-inch Alvan Clark refracting telescope at my beck and call. In high school I was doing all kinds of stuff, observing the Sun. Then when I went to study at the University of Iowa, in my first semester I took astronomy 101, which was taught by Dr James Van Allen [of the Van Allen radiation belts fame]. So I walked into the classroom and there's about 400 kids there in the biggest auditorium they had at the university. In the second semester I took a small course called Readings in Astronomy, taught by 'staff', and when you see that in the course catalog it typically means a graduate student, but I loved astronomy so I was going to take it no matter what. It was in room 701, Van Allen Hall, and I went up to the room at the designated time, opened the door and walked in, and the room looked like a warehouse with tape racks, print-outs, it looked just like a place where people brought stuff to store. So I stood there wondering if I was in the right room, when Dr Van Allen leaned from behind a bookcase and said, "Jim, you're in the right room and you're my only student".

Dr James Van Allen gave Jim Green his big 'gravity assist.' (Image credit: NASA)

So I had Dr Van Allen for a semester, and once he knew I used a telescope and took observations of the Sun consecutively for three months over two summers, he said let's do some research with that, and that research turned out to be about sunspot rotation, and so I took measurements of sunspots from the data that I had collected with the 12-inch Alvan Clark refractor and wrote my first science paper and he was the referee. So here I am, a freshman, and at the end of that semester I knew exactly what I wanted to do, which was scientific research. I changed advisors to one of Van Allen's former students, Don Gurnett who was a professor at Iowa, and I worked with Don on the Voyager data, and data on Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind, and it was just spectacular, but it was really Dr Van Allen who fine-tuned my direction, as well as having the opportunity of having a high school teacher who get me started in this direction, and they were the people who gave me my gravity assists.

To learn more about the Gravity Assist podcast, visit the website.

This story was provided by Astrobiology Magazine, a web-based publication sponsored by the NASA astrobiology program. This version of the story published on Space.com. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Read our complete guide to China's Tiangong-1 space station crash here.

Any day now, the Chinese space station Tiangong-1 is expected to fall back to Earth  but it's uncertain where it will crash land. We know that Australia is in the potential zone, and we have been hit before by a falling space station.

But Tiangong-1 is just one of many pieces of space junk left orbiting our Earth.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) says more than 8,000 objects have been launched in to space, with 4,788 currently still in orbit around the Earth.

Read more: 60 years in orbit for 'grapefruit satellite'  the oldest human object in space

With every launch, even more space junk is produced ranging from the rocket boosters, to flakes of paint and the satellites themselves. In 2009 an old communication satellite crashed into a new one, creating thousands of pieces of smaller debris.

By some estimates, the amount of space junk is in the hundreds-of-thousands to millions of pieces and this interactive illustration shows some of them.

Space debris (Image credit: ESA)

From a heavenly place

Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace," was China's first space station  a small version of the International Space Station  and was launched in September 2011. Weighing a bit more than 8 tonnes, about 10 metres long and 3 metres in diameter, it was the first of three planned space stations.

China's school-bus-size prototype space station Tiangong-1 is nearing its plunge to Earth. (Image credit: The Aerospace Corporation/CORDS)

After delays in Tiangong-2, the Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 were merged and Tiangong-3 was launched in 2016. Tiangong-1 has subsequently not been in use and was always designed to come down back to Earth.

But where will it crash land?

A drop in the ocean

Halfway between New Zealand and South America in the Pacific Ocean is one of the most un-inhabited places on the Earth. This is the ideal location to have large pieces come back down, as the risk to lifeforms is minimal.

While most of these objects will break up into smaller bits, choosing a remote location then further minimises the risk of these bits.

In this part of an ocean there are literally hundreds of parts of automated space vehicles, rocket boosters, and even the Russian Space Station Mir, which splashed down east of Fiji in March 2001.

China's Tiangong-1 space station is due to hit Earth, and Australia is in the crash landing zone. (Image credit: Cindy Zhi/The Conversation, CC BY-ND)

When you look at maps of satellite and space junk re-entry, the majority go straight over Australia and New Zealand. That is because re-entry starts roughly between 80km and 100km above the ground, takes around 15 to 20 minutes, and creates debris footprints hundreds-to-thousands of kilometers wide.

Therefore in order to hit the target of the southern Pacific Ocean, it must start over Australia and New Zealand.

But there's one important feature that makes Tiangong-1 different in all of this: it is out of control, according to China's space agency.

Crashed in Australia

Skylab orbital workshop, America's first space station. (Image credit: NASA)

If you were around in 1979 and happened to be in Western Australia, you might have a unique souvenir  part of the NASA space station Skylab, which re-entered near the southern town of Esperance.

While most missions now plan on re-entry, this was not always the case and Skylab did not have a good plan for coming back to the Earth. It was designed for a nine-year lifetime, but no clear manoeuvrability was built to re-enter at a specific point.

As news came out that it was going to re-enter, and it was not clear where, there was a varied response. Some people staged Skylab parties, others operated safety measures (such as air raid siren preparedness in Brussels).

After it hit WA, the local Shire of Esperance issued NASA with a cheeky A$400 littering fine for scattering debris across its region. It was eventually paid in 2003  not by NASA, but by a US radio presenter and his listeners who raised the funds.

NASA fined for littering when Skylab fell near Esperance, WA. (Image credit: Flickr/Amanda Slater, CC BY-SA)

So in 2016 when China notified UNOOSA that Tiangong-1 was uncontrolled in its point of re-entry, this made scientists pay attention. Of course this made the public and media take notice, causing a bit of a panic in some coverage.

Don't panic!

Every day, hundreds of tons of debris, both human and natural (i.e. meteors), hit the Earth. Even those that survive re-entry and land pose a minute risk. Keep in mind, most of the Earth is unpopulated  from the oceans to vast deserts and land, nearly all people are safe.

The total surface are of the Earth is over 500 million square-kilometres. Even if a piece of space junk leaves a 1,000 square-kilometre debris field, that is only 0.0002% of the Earth's surface.

This graphic predicts details about the atmospheric re-entry and breakup of Tiangong-1. (Image credit: The Aerospace Corporation/CORDS)

In fact, the Aerospace Corporation has calculated the odds of getting hit by Tiangong-1 parts at 1 million times LESS than winning the lotto.

An image from ESA shows the region when Tiangong-1 is expected to re-enter. (Image credit: ESA)

Now that you know you don't have to worry, if you do end up being in a path that can see re-entry, you will see a show not unlike in the 2013 movie Gravity.

What are we doing about it

Of course the question has to be asked  what are we doing to both solve the junk already in space and prevent more? Well, lots actually.

A large source of space junk is all the rocket boosters and engines that are still up there and can be seen re-entering. If you remember the excitement in February around the Space X Falcon 9 Heavy launch, one of the huge reasons for excitement was that those rockets come back down safely, making them re-usable and not another piece of space junk.

Read more: Australia's back in the satellite business with a new launch

Making satellites smaller not only means they are cheaper and quicker to build, but at the end of their life they can break up even more in the atmosphere, eliminating the possibility of large pieces surviving and landing.

And for all those small bits out there, Electro-Optic Systems (EOS) and Mount Stromlo Observatory are part of the Space Environment Research Centre (SERC) which is planning to build a laser system capable of safely de-orbiting small bits of space junk

So don't worry about Tiangong-1 or other space junk hitting you, we're on it.

Brad E Tucker, Astrophysicist, Australian National University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com.
The Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft (bottom) and its Vikram lander (top) are prepared to be encapsulated by a payload fairing before being loaded on their Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III-M1 rocket for a July 2019 launch.

Chandrayaan-2 was India's second mission to the moon, and was a follow-up mission from the Chandrayaan-1 mission that assisted in confirming the presence of water/hydroxyl on the moon in 2009.

Chandrayaan-2 launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, aboard a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket on July 22, 2019 and reached lunar orbit on Aug. 19. During the Sept. 6 (Sept. 7 IST) moon landing attempt, ISRO officials lost contact with the Vikram moon lander as the probe was just 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) above the lunar surface. Officials have been unable to reach the lander since losing contact on Sept. 6.

Despite the apparent crash-landing of the lander, ISRO has confirmed that all the instruments on board the orbiter are working well. The current orbiter carries eight different instruments  and Indian scientists are already poring over some of the mission's very first science data. On Oct. 4, ISRO released photos the orbiter's High Resolution Camera took on Sept. 5 of a crater called Boguslawsky E, located near the lunar south pole.

Related: India's Space Program: Complete Coverage

Development and science

Initially, ISRO planned to partner with Russia to perform Chandrayaan-2. The two agencies signed an agreement in 2007 to launch the orbiter and lander in 2013. Russia later pulled out of the agreement, however, according to a news report from The Hindu. The Russian lander's construction was delayed after the December 2011 failure of Roscosmos' Phobos-Grunt mission to the Martian moon of Phobos, the report stated.

Russia subsequently pulled out of Chandrayaan-2 altogether, citing financial issues. Some reports stated that NASA and the European Space Agency were interested in participating, but ISRO proceeded with the mission on its own.

The goal of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter was to circle the moon and provide information about its surface, ISRO stated previously. "The payloads will collect scientific information on lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, lunar exosphere and signatures of hydroxyl and water-ice," ISRO said on its website. The mission was also supposed to send a small, 20-kilogram (44 lbs.), six-wheeled rover to the surface that could move semi-autonomously, examining the lunar regolith's composition.

This is the list of instruments that were on the orbiter, according to the Planetary Society:

Image 1 of 8 The Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft (bottom) and its Vikram lander (top) are prepared to be encapsulated by a payload fairing before being loaded on their Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III-M1 rocket for a July 2019 launch. (Image credit: India Space Research Organisation) Image 2 of 8 India's Vikram moon lander (left) is moved into launch position on the Chandrayaan-2 lunar orbiter ahead of a planned July 2019 launch. The mission will send an orbiter, lander and rover to the moon. (Image credit: India Space Research Organisation) Image 3 of 8 The target landing site for India's Chandrayaan-2 mission to explore the lunar south pole. (Image credit: Indian Space Research Organisation) Image 4 of 8 This Indian Space Research Organisation diagram shows the flight profile of the Chandrayaan-2 spaceraft as they fly to the moon between July and September 2019. (Image credit: Indian Space Research Organisation) Image 5 of 8 The India Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter, lander and rover launch into space atop a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III-M1 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sriharikota Island on July 22, 2019. (Image credit: India Space Research Organisation) Image 6 of 8 India plans to launch its second moon mission, Chandrayaan-2, in July 2019. (Image credit: ISRO via Twitter) Image 7 of 8 An artist's illustration of India's Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, and its Pragyan rover on the surface of the moon near the lunar south pole. (Image credit: Indian Space Research Organisation) Image 8 of 8 (Image credit: India Space Research Organisation)

Terrain Mapping Camera 2 (TMC-2), which will map the lunar surface in three dimensions using two on-board cameras. A predecessor instrument called TMC flew on Chandrayaan-1.

Collimated Large Array Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS), which will map the abundance of minerals on the surface. A predecessor instrument called CIXS (sometimes written as C1XS) flew on Chandrayaan-1.

Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM), which looks at emissions of solar X-rays.

Chandra's Atmospheric Composition Explorer (ChACE-2), which is a neutral mass spectrometer. A predecessor instrument called CHACE flew on Chandrayaan-1's Moon Impact Probe.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which will map the surface in radio waves. Some of its design is based on Chandrayaan-1's MiniSAR.

Imaging Infra-Red Spectrometer (IIRS), which will measure the abundance of water/hydroxl on the surface.

Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) to examine the surface, particularly the landing site of the lander and rover.

The lander's instruments included:

Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), to look for moonquakes.

Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE), to examine the surface's thermal properties.

Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA-Langmuir Probe), to look at plasma density on the surface.

The rover also carried two science instruments designed to look at the composition of the moon's surface: the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) and the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS).

Landing near the pole

Chandrayaan-2's lander and rover were targeted for a location about 600 km (375 miles) from the south pole, which would have been the first time any mission touched down so far from the equator, according to a January 2018 article in Science magazine. ISRO planned to use the experience for more challenging missions in the future, such as touching down on an asteroid or Mars, or sending a spacecraft to Venus, IRSO chair Kailasavadivoo Sivan said in the article.

The lander was expected to last about one lunar day, or 14 Earth-days, and it was unclear if it would revive after falling into the darkness of a lunar night and ISRO will have to wait until another mission to find out.

On Sept. 6, 2019 at 4:48 p.m. EDT (2048 GMT) K. Sivan, the director of ISRO, confirmed that communication had been lost with the Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander.

"Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 kilometers [1.3 miles]," Sivan said in an announcement at mission control. "Subsequently the communications from the lander to the ground station was lost. The data is being analyzed."

Video: The Moment India Lost Contact with the Vikram Moon Lander

Related: India's Chandrayaan-2 Mission to the Moon in Photos

Sivan did not specify when ISRO would be able to provide updates about the fate of the Vikram lander. According to data shown during the descent maneuver, the lowest altitude reported back to Earth was 0.2 miles (0.33 km) above the lunar surface.

A plot comparing live data received to the mission's trajectory suggested that Vikram was about 0.6 miles (1 km) horizontally off-track from the targeted landing site when communications stopped.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had arrived onsite at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru, India, about half an hour before scheduled touchdown of Vikram and was there to witness the communication loss.

"India is proud of our scientists!" Modi wrote in a Twitter update shortly after learning of the anomaly. "They've given their best and have always made India proud. These are moments to be courageous, and courageous we will be!"

"We remain hopeful and will continue working hard on our space programme," he added.

Additional resources:

This article was updated on Oct. 8, 2019 by Space.com Reference Editor Kimberly Hickok.
Update for 6 p.m. EDT: Tiangong-1 is now forecast to re-enter Earth's atmosphere on April 1 at 12:15 p.m. EDT (1615 GMT), give or take 9 hours, according to the Aerospace Corp.

ARLINGTON, Va.  The falling Chinese space station Tiangong-1 is tumbling in orbit and may crash back to Earth early Easter Sunday (April 1), experts say.

Estimates for the crash of Tiangong-1 range sometime between March 31 and April 1, with a focus of 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on April 1, according to Aerospace Corp., which is tracking the space lab's fall. That April 1 target comes with an error of 16 hours, so the spacecraft could potentially begin its fiery death dive anytime between Saturday and Sunday afternoon. An analysis by the European Space Agency also supports that re-entry estimate. [China's Falling Tiangong-1: What You Need to Know]

An artist's illustration of China's Tiangong-1 space station as it breaks apart and burns up in Earth's atmosphere. (Image credit: Aerospace Corporation)

But scientists and engineers still cannot pinpoint exactly where and when the 9.4-ton (8.5 metric tons) space station will fall. Partly that is because the school bus-size Tiangong-1 is tumbling as it falls, which makes it hard to predict how atmospheric drag will affect the spacecraft's re-entry time and path, Aerospace Corp. engineers said Wednesday (March 28).

"It is tumbling," Roger Thompson, a senior engineering specialist with Aerospace Corp., told reporters at the company's office here Wednesday. "We have been able to confirm that there is a tumble, we just can't tell the orientation."

Aerospace Corp. confirmed using U.S. Air Force radar data and telescope observations, Thompson said.

This map by the European Space Agency shows the area in which China's Tiangong-1 space station could fall (shown in green) around April 1, 2018. (Image credit: European Space Agency)

Tiangong-1 launched in September 2011 to test docking systems and other technology needed for an even larger, multi-module space station to be built in the 2020s. The station was visited by China's uncrewed Shenzhou-8 spacecraft in November 2011 and two crewed missions, one each in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

In March 2016, Tiangong-1 stopped communicating with its mission control center in Beijing, leading the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) to declare its mission over. Tiangong-1 has been space junk ever since.

Currently, Tiangong-1 is expected to fall to Earth somewhere between the latitudes of 42.7 degrees north and 42.7 degrees south, a range that spans the border of South Dakota and Nebraska in the north and Tasmania in the south.

As re-entry day nears for Tiangong-1, satellite trackers will be able to make more refined predictions for where and when it will crash. In a statement today (March 29), CMSEO officials said the public should not fear being hit by debris from Tiangong-1.

"There is no need for people to worry about its re-entry into the atmosphere. It won't crash to the Earth fiercely, as in sci-fi movie scenarios, but will look more like a shower of meteors," the statement said according to the state-run Xinhua news service.

You can still see the Tiangong-1 space station in the night sky, if you know when and where to look and have good weather.

In fact, the chances of being struck by debris from Tiangong-1 are less than 1 in a trillion, according to a fact sheet from Aerospace Corp.

If you are able to see the Tiangong-1 re-entry, you can report your sighting to Aerospace Corp.'s Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies through the CORDS website here.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
The future is now.Pied Piper finally has enough funding for proper offices and new employees, and to bring its peer-to-peer internet to the world  but leveling up introduces a whole new class of obstacles. While Richard struggles to lead a larger team and play with the big dogs, the rest of the team adjusts to new staff, new digs and new anxieties. Meanwhile, Hooli rival Gavin Belson has returned to power, but finds the threat of Pied Piper, and its boldness, hard to shake.The Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-nominated series comedy series SILICON VALLEY takes a comic look at the modern-day epicenter of the high-tech gold rush, where the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. A collaboration between Mike Judge and Alec Berg, the show returns for its eight-episode fifth season SUNDAY, MARCH 25 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.The series is also available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners streaming platforms.Series regulars include: Thomas Middleditch as Richard Hendricks; Zach Woods as Jared; Kumail Nanjiani as Dinesh; Martin Starr as Gilfoyle; Josh Brener as Big Head; Amanda Crew as Monica; Matt Ross as Gavin Belson; Jimmy O. Yang as Jian-Yang; and Suzanne Cryer as Laurie Bream.The Pied Piper guys are closer to real fame and fortune than ever before, as their new decentralized internet PiperNet approaches its debut. But more money brings more problems. As Richard struggles with the responsibilities of being the CEO of a rapidly growing company, along with pressures from investors Monica and Laurie, Dinesh and Gilfoyle adjust to a new team, Jared works his hardest to hold everything together, Big Head continues to stumble his way into good fortune and Jian-Yang proves theres nothing he wont do to make some fast cash. Meanwhile, at Hooli, reinstated CEO Gavins desire to stay relevant threatens to consume him as he seeks to destroy the competition.Upcoming episodes:Debut: SUNDAY, MARCH 25 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)Now that Pied Piper has ample funding and new offices, the pressure to get things right stymies Richard (Thomas Middleditch) and forces him to grow the company in a way he hadn't planned. A picky Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) and Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) question their ability to make good decisions. After returning to Hooli, Gavin (Matt Ross) worries about becoming antiquated.Written by *Ron Weiner;* directed by Mike Judge.Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 1 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)Panicked by suddenly leading a much larger team, Richard (Thomas Middleditch) finds himself managing a number of small conflicts in his efforts to unite his new employees. Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) celebrates a new purchase that Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) looks to spoil. Jian-Yang (Jimmy O. Yang) goes to court. Gavin (Matt Ross) meets pushback over his signature and what it says about him.Written by *Carson Mell;* directed by Mike Judge.Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 8 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)Encouraged by Jared (Zach Woods) to strike up a friendship with Dana (Dan Mintz), a like-minded CEO, Richard (Thomas Middleditch) instead finds himself charmed by Dana's COO (Ben Koldyke), who challenges his loyalty to Gilfoyle (Martin Starr). Facing limited housing options thanks to his impulse purchase, Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) searches for a new roommate.Written by Carrie *Kemper;* directed by Jamie Babbit.Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 15 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)Attempting to woo a gaming company to PiperNet, Richard (Thomas Middleditch) inadvertently angers a prized ally. Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) deals with a betrayal. In preparation for a big launch, Gavin (Matt Ross) leaves his underlings with a cryptic message. Jared (Zach Woods) gets inside information from Big Head (Josh Brener).Written by Josh Lieb*;* directed by Jamie Babbit.Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 22 (10:15-10:45 p.m.)Overshadowed by Jared (Zach Woods) in an on-camera interview, Richards (Thomas Middleditch) confidence wavers further when Laurie (Suzanne Cryer) and Monica (Amanda Crew) force him to work with Eklow, a new artificial-intelligence company. Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) worries about the prospect of introducing AI into Pied Piper. Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) makes Jared self-conscious ahead of a second interview. Gavin (Matt Ross) questions his future beyond Hooli.Written by Graham Wagner*;* directed by Gillian Robespierre.Debut: SUNDAY, APRIL 29 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)Richard (Thomas Middleditch) decides to help when Laurie (Suzanne Cryer) gets in a jam, but his lack of emotional discipline threatens to backfire on Pied Piper. Gavin (Matt Ross) tries to make a deal with a stubborn partner while abroad. Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) relishes a rare win. Jared (Zach Woods) bonds with a surprising figure.Written by Anthony King*;* directed by Matt Ross.
Chahid El Hafed (Sahrawi refugee camps) March 28, 2018 (SPS) - The Council of Ministers strongly condemned Wednesday the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations in the occupied city of Dakhla, after the cowardly assassination of young Sahrawi Abdel Fattah Ahmed Zein dubbing it as a Moroccan systematic policy to discourage the Sahrawis from their legitimate demands for their just rights to self-determination and independence, in statement concluded its meeting today under the chairmanship of the President of Republic, Secretary General of Frente POLISARIO, Brahim Gali.

The President of Republic has called in his intervention UN and all concerned organizations to intervene urgently to put an end to the seriousness health situation of Sahrawi political detainees due to the conditions of detention and their continued hunger strikes.

The Council appealed the United Nations and all concerned organizations to intervene to immediately release all Sahrawi political prisoners specially the Gdeim Izik group, the Eluali comrades known as the students group and Mubarak Daoudi, Yahya Mohamed Hafed Azza SPS

125/090/TRA
Chahid El Hafed (Sahrawi refugee camps) March 28, 2018 (SPS) - The Council of Ministers called on the United Nations to stop the Moroccan looting of the natural resources of the Sahrawi people, stressing on EUCJ ruling issued on February 27, 2018, urging EU to adhere strictly and enforce it, and prevent any attempt to circumvent it, in conformity with European law, international law and international humanitarian law, in statement a copy of which obtained by SPS

The statement reaffirmed UN Security Council support to the efforts of the UNSG Personal Envoy, President Horst Koehler, to complete the decolonization of Western Sahara, renewing its demand for the implementation of Resolution 2351 by pressing the Kingdom of Morocco to resume the negotiation process and to resolve the Moroccan blatant breach of the ceasefire and Military Agreement No. 1 in the El Guergaret area. SPS

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The city of Norwalk has been in talks with the organizers of the Rowayton Farmers Market about running a similar event weekly in South Norwalk, with a neighborhood grocery store balking immediately at the initial site considered: a municipal parking lot used by its shoppers.

The talks remain ongoing for a farmers market in South Norwalk, as confirmed by the Norwalk Parking Authority and Norwalk Redevelopment Agency in response to Hearst Connecticut Media queries. No decisions have been reached on whether a SoNo farmers market will be held this summer.

Staff did ... meet with the coordinator of the Rowayton Farmers Market on Monday to begin discussing the potential of a farmers market somewhere in SoNo, but that is as far as we have gotten at this point, stated Tim Sheehan, executive director of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, in an email response. Obviously there are many logistical issues that need to be considered in siting such a market. No site has been fully reviewed operationally much less finalized.

Maggie Trujillo, a local marketing consultant who has organized the Rowayton Farmers Market in the past, steered questions to city officials.

The Norwalk Parking Authority initially envisioned a farmers market in the Webster municipal parking lot on the north side of 50 Washington St. that serves SoNo businesses. That idea was met with objections from the CTown Supermarket on Washington Street, whose own shoppers use the Webster Lot. The authority has since considered the possibility of using a plaza connecting the easternmost side of Webster Lot to North Main Street, running between the Bowtie Ultimate Regent 8 cinema and the Burger Bar & Bistro, as well as other sites.

In 2016, the Food Access Coalition hosted the Common Ground Farmers Market on the front plaza of the high-rise office building at 50 Washington St. that dominates the South Norwalk skyline, but the nonprofit did not bring the farmers market back in 2017. The city is preparing a renovation this year of that plaza which would remove it from consideration.

The state of Connecticut has yet to publish its annual 2018 guide to farmers markets statewide, with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut also having yet to release its own version. The downtown New Canaan Farmers Market historically kicks off southwestern Connecticuts schedule, with this years opening scheduled for Saturday, April 28

The Rowayton Farmers Market typically targets a late May opening, running Friday afternoons last year with an emphasis on prepared foods and artisan crafts. Also having yet to pin down opening dates are the First Congregational Farmers Market held Saturdays on the Norwalk Green on East Avenue; and a farmers market at the Rainbow Plaza shopping center on Main Avenue, held weekly last year on Wednesday afternoons.
STAMFORD  With three months left in the public school year, the district has already exceeded its overtime budget for custodians due to staff vacancies, a high number of absences and a lack of part-time workers, according to newly obtained public documents.

In a Feb. 8 memo to Superintendent Earl Kim from finance director Hugh Murphy, the district requested a transfer from the custodial wages account to the custodial overtime account. The memo, which was part of a packet distributed at a Fiscal and Operations Committee meeting held a week later, said the regular wages account was $508,000 under budget and the overtime account was $625,000, leaving a $117,000 deficit.

The Board of Education voted to approve the transfer, but there was some skepticism.

We spent a great deal of time on negotiations on the last contract, board member Jackie Heftman said at the meeting. We now find ourselves in a situation where were spending overtime because we cant fill those positions. So what is the solution?

Rich Lyons, director of facilities for the company hired to manage the school districts buildings, said there was need for further discussion to find a solution. But said his company, ABM, was interviewing custodians.

I do believe theres a solution out there, Lyons said, suggesting the district may use a hybrid of more full-time employees and part-timers. We have had long-term vacancies this year (unlike) before due to real illness and injury.

According to the districts monthly financial statement from December, $1.36 million had been spent on overtime pay for custodians by the end of 2017. The budgeted allotment for the school year was $1.45 million.

Now, more than a month after that meeting, there are still seven vacancies for custodians in the district, Kim said in a phone interview last week.

This has been the case since at least January, when Kim wrote a memo to Murphy with the December year-to-date numbers and projections. The memo said there were 40 to 50 part-timers filling in, but the overtime costs was nearly $200,000 a month.

At the Feb. 13 meeting, Lyons added there have also been 12 to 16 full-timers out since July with vacancies for four to six permanent hires. Kim said about 40 percent of the open slots are due to vacancies while the rest are for long-term absences.

The memo said ABM, the company hired last March to take over maintenance of public school buildings, is looking to resolve the issues with staffing and coverage as quickly as possible. Kim said the staff vacancies were due to issues like worker injury and retirement.

Its a much longer process than if we were a private company, Kim said, adding workers must be tested, screened and interviewed before being hired. So these positions continue to be unfilled for a long period of time and the way to staff the positions, so the buildings got cleaned, was to have other custodians work overtime.

Part-timers

Lyons said ABM and its subcontractor, Milello Maintenance, are responsible for hiring part-time workers.

Milello Maintenance has previously been criticized by district custodians for hiring part-timers with high absentee rates, no background checks and without the appropriate skills to handle the job.

Rich Freedman, chairman of the Board of Finance, said he brought this issue up with the Board of Education when discussing next years budget. He said the board told them they hadnt been able to hire the number of part-time custodians their contract allots, forcing them to pay overtime to staffers instead.

They need to do a better job filling their part-time slots, Freedman said. ABM needs to do a better job filling the part-time slots. If they do that, then they wont need to spend as much on overtime.

Kim also said last week the number of temporary employees who work part-time is high because the district pays them little more than minimum wage, leading to low retention rates. The rates theyre paid are absorbed as part of their ABM contract.

At the fiscal and operations committee meeting, Heftman raised issue with this as well.

There has to be some incentive from the contractor to make sure part-timers are hired at a wage that makes it competitive, Heftman said. I realize it might cost us a little bit more money, but its not going to cost us what a full-timer does.

Despite Lyons saying at the public meeting that the high vacancies were unusual, Brendan Cremins, regional director for ABM, said the number of vacancies is at or below industry standards.

In partnership with the school system and city government, we are actively working to ensure the quality of services are maintained as they attempt to fill these positions, Cremins wrote in an email.

When asked how ABM was maintaining quality considering the number of openings, Cremins wrote: We are focused on ensuring quality through our industry-leading processes and by working closely with the school system. In some cases, if it makes sense, we will outsource as is a common business practice in the industry.

Lyons and Chris Velez, custodial manager for ABM in the district, deferred to Cremins and ABM when asked to comment on the situation, saying their contracts required them to go through the corporation to speak to the media.

Contract formerly held by Barbarotta

Prior to hiring ABM last year, the districts facilities were run by AFB Construction Management, which held a contract with the citys schools for nearly two decades. The CEO of the firm, Al Barbarotta, was under local and FBI investigation over whether he used his companys position to extort money from another city contractor.

AFB was also accused of not having a consistent presence at the school.

The Board of Education receives quarterly reports from the management firm, though assistant secretary Nicola Tarzia said hed like to see more from the new firm.

We do monthly meetings for facilities and operations updates, but Rich Lyons has been the go-to guy on most of these updates as far as ABM, Tarzia said. Id like to see a better presence of them and their management team. Its hard for me to tell if theyre actually in building or in town hall.

Lyons, a former Board of Education member from 2010 to 2014, previously served as project director in Stamford for AFB before being hired as the director of facilities for ABM.

ABM has a 27-month contract with the district through June 30, 2019 with an optional one-year extension. The company is being paid $553,000 for its work this school year.

Were pleased its a short-term contract by design, Kim said. So if things arent working out, we can go out to bid again. So theres strong incentive for them to fulfill.
In the minutes after the rejection of Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonalds bid to become chief justice, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy condemned opposition lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, for politicizing the normal process of judicial appointments.

Speaking to reporters, Malloy focused in particular on Sen. Michael A. McLachlan, a fifth-term Republican from Danbury, whom he tagged for homophobic and biased statements while an adviser to Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton over 15 years ago. In point of fact, he is on record as saying to people about a gay man who worked in the mayors office that he, Sen. McLachlan, might go home and beat his wife on a regular basis, but he wouldnt come in an talk about it in the office, Malloy said. Thats what he put akin to being gay. Apparently today he acted on it.
Rick Santorum is trying to walk back comments he made suggesting teenagers protesting gun violence would be better served by taking CPR classes instead of demanding stricter gun laws.

Santorum, a former Republican senator from Pennsylvania, had made his original comments Sunday while on CNN's "State of the Union." On a panel there, he dismissed the March for Our Lives rallies - which had drawn hundreds of thousands of protesters across the country the day before - as a "political movement" that was supported by "Hollywood elites" and "liberal billionaires."

"Is this really all about politics or is it all about keeping our schools safe?" Santorum told his fellow panelists. "Because if it is about keeping our schools safe, then we have to have a much broader discussion than the discussion that's going on right now. How about kids, instead of looking to someone else to solve their problem, do something about maybe taking CPR classes or trying to deal with situations that, if there is a violent shooter - ..."

Here he was cut off by the host, who argued that, by peacefully protesting, "the kids" had indeed taken action after a Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The mass shooting - already one of several to take place at a school in 2018 - left 17 students and staff members dead, and galvanized a new generation of activists, including many teenagers from Parkland.

"They took action to ask someone to pass a law," Santorum retorted. "They didn't take action to say, 'How do I, as an individual, deal with this problem? How am I gonna do something about stopping bullying in my community? What am I gonna do to actually help respond to a shooter?' "

His comments would soon reverberate across social media and draw the wrath of thousands who accused Santorum of victim blaming. In particular, many members of the medical community bristled at Santorum's idea that CPR would be in any way effective in saving people who had been shot by an AR-15 rifle.

On Wednesday, Santorum appeared on CNN's "New Day" and said he had not used the proper term before, though he did not specify which term he had intended to use.

"The fact of the matter is, I did misspeak in using the term CPR," he told host Chris Cuomo, adding a joke about the job security of CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta. "It obscured the larger point."

What he had meant to focus on, Santorum told Cuomo, were "the positive things that have come out of these mass shootings." He named organizations that had focused on mentoring and bullying prevention, describing the groups as "people who have actually focused on what we can do at our individual schools and communities to actually prevent these types of things."

But his defense of his original remarks would soon land him in another on-air debate, as Cuomo tried to get Santorum to address one of the common denominators in all school shootings: guns. Santorum said he disagreed that they were the main factor, and continued to bring up "broader things."

"Right, but you have to balance that with those being a distraction from the single metric that distinguishes the United States of America from all other developed countries when it comes to gun violence: We have more guns," Cuomo said. "Access to weapons matters. And it seems like you and others on your side of the fence are going after these kids who are survivors in the interest of political expediency."

As The Washington Post reported, Santorum - who twice ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination - has a deeply conservative message and following:

Over the years, he has warned of the "dangers" of contraception, saying it gives people "a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be." Adamantly against same-sex marriage, he has questioned, "I love my friends, my brother, heck, I even love my mother-in-law - should we call these relationships marriage, too?" And he has said even if his daughter were raped he would still counsel her to "do the right thing" - not have an abortion.

Santorum ... [bills] himself as a supporter of tea party, grass-roots efforts to change laws in Washington. There's no record of his telling those activists they were "looking to someone else to solve their problem."

This was not the first time Santorum tried defending his comments. The day after his controversial panel remarks, Santorum tweeted that "we need to learn from those who have experienced violence and found solutions that focus on the shooter."

The tweet was promptly "ratio-ed," as they say, as nearly 2,000 comments flooded in, most lambasting Santorum.

"Please just stop talking," one Twitter user replied.

On Wednesday, Santorum denied that he had attacked the Parkland students.

"If there's anybody that's going after folks for political expediency, it certainly isn't me," Santorum told Cuomo. "I mean, I certainly respect their right to go out to protest."

"By telling the kids, 'Figure out what you could do?' " Cuomo shot back. "The CPR comments smacked like, 'Learn what to do when other people get shot around you. That's the best we could do to help you not get hurt.' "

The interview never recovered from there, with the two men arguing the same points for about a minute more. Santorum repeatedly said he disagreed when Cuomo brought up guns as the "main variable" in school shootings.

The segment ended with Cuomo shaking his head slowly at Santorum.

"Then you're missing the point, Rick. You just are," Cuomo said. "The guns matter. Access to the weapon matters."
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GREENWICH  Greenwich police are advising residents to take extra precautions with their property when they attend funerals.

Police said area burglars are using death notices printed in the newspaper, or online, to target homes for break-ins.
T he future of 2600 jobs is hanging in the balance at Conviviality, Britains biggest beer, wine and spirits distributor, after it admitted on Thursday it was 10 days away from administration.

In what is one of the most rapid corporate collapses of recent years, the business valued on the stock market at 560 million three weeks ago is now worthless.

The owner of the Bargain Booze and Wine Rack chains is now desperately trying to sell all or parts of the business with the proceeds going to its banks and other creditors.

Its sudden implosion comes 10 days after chief executive Diana Hunter stepped down in the wake of a profit warning and the discovery of an unpaid 30 million tax bill.

The dividend was axed and trading in its shares suspended.

Industry sources told the Evening Standard that potential suitors such as private equity firm BlueGem could be in the running for Convivialitys drinks wholesaler Matthew Clark, bought in 2015 for 200 million. BlueGem was unavailable for comment.

The catastrophe follows an aggressive spending spree led by Hunter since the business floated on Londons junior AIM in 2013.

It splashed almost 300 million on acquisitions while investors have ploughed more than 250 million into Conviviality since. PwC, which has been working with the firm during the crisis, is the likely administrator.

Conviviality has tried to tap investors for more cash to stay afloat but yesterday admitted that it had failed to raise the 125 million it needed.

It was going to sell new shares via broker Investec to settle the tax bill, due today, and pay off some of its debts.

Prospective investors said Investec went from pricing the shares at 10p a share to 5p but could not win support of the existing shareholders even at that level.

Its banks  Barclays, HSBC and RBS  refused to offer a debt-for-equity swap to save the business.

Would-be investors said the rescue failed due to a lack of a strong management team, while another added that the 125 million would be disappearing to pay banks, the tax bill and suppliers who had withdrawn credit.

The failure threatens disruption to around 25,000 restaurants, pubs and bars. It is still trading, but customers were today working up contingency plans including JD Wetherspoon, which has around 900 pubs.

Clive Watson, the chairman of AIM-listed City Pub Group , said: Conviviality is a big player in our market. The disruption could be further magnified if we fall out of EU supply chains.
T he start of a four-day weekend seems like an appropriate time to look inward and really ask yourself: Are you a work-shy, lazy slob whos never done an honest days graft in your entire, bone-idle life? If the answer is Why, yes, maam and God save the Queen, then congratulations, youll fit right in. According to a new Government report, when it comes to work ethic Brits lag far behind immigrants from other countries.

This is not exactly new information. UK employers are wont to grumble about the comparative poor quality of UK-born employees and some have even built business models around the availability of their preferred migrant labour. In the wake of the Brexit vote, however, the grumbling has got both louder and more authoritative in tone.

Since the Governments migration advisory committee report is based on evidence given by 400 businesses, youd expect it to repeat these oft-aired views, and it does: migrants from other European Economic Area states are, apparently, more motivated and flexible than UK-born workers, more willing to work unsociable hours [and] to welcome overtime, less likely to take time off and often better-qualified than for the jobs they do. Ouch.

So what is the secret to motivating the shiftless UK-born workers? If Brexiteer ambitions for immigration control are to be taken seriously, the question of what we can learn from the other EEA nations will become only more pressing.

A friend whos recently transferred to her companys Paris office reports that no one will so much as answer an email from a new colleague until theyve been taken out for lunch. We could try that? Or perhaps whats needed is a Spanish-style siesta to energise the workforce for a Spanish-style late night?

Or maybe, just maybe, once you get past the dated national stereotypes, its not actually that British workers are unusually work-shy after all. Its that migrants from any country are unusually motivated. Be they Polish, Portuguese or Irish, working in the NHS, agriculture or construction, one quality all such workers share is the necessary drive to leave friends, family and home behind in search of opportunity.

And since the typical migrants social life is hundreds of miles away, that cheery willingness to work weekends is no wonder either. Its only for want of a better option.

If anyone in our economy needs an attitude adjustment then, its not the much maligned British worker but the much deluded British bossman, who, according to the same Government report, is reluctant to acknowledge the role low wages play in hiring decisions.

As for imported wisdom, heres the headline: longer hours dont necessarily equal increased productivity. People in Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, and the Netherlands all work a shorter week on average than the UKs 31.9 hours, and all contribute more per hour to their countries gross domestic product. Thats right, your boss should actually be thanking you for taking a holiday. De nada! De rien! Youre welcome!

Chrissy knows about Beyonces bite

Chrissy Teigen (Getty Images ) / Getty Images

Id always assumed that the concerned close friend of tabloid gossip stories existed only in the writers imagination. Happily this weeks Who bit Beyonce? mystery has proven otherwise. Well-connected blabbermouths do exist and we owe them a debt of gratitude.

It was actor and comedian Tiffany Haddish who kicked things off with her eyewitness report from an exclusive celebrity party. Then Chrissy Teigen followed up with some salacious speculation on the assailants identity. Both could learn from Quincy Jones, who fabulously flouted the A-lister code of discretion multiple times in a now notorious interview. We bet he knows who bit Beyonce.

* If your elaborate Easter plans are already causing headaches, then spare a thought for city officials in Dunedin, New Zealand, where a concert this weekend is expected to swell the local 120,000 population to double its size. To cope with the influx  the likes of which havent been seen since the 1860s Otago Gold Rush  Dunedin is planning to close roads for six days, bring a retired passenger train back into service and grant special liquor licences to local bars for the usually dry religious holiday. We have never seen anything like it, said Terry Davies of Dunedin Venues Management.
T hroughout March, the Evening Standard is running a special series to mark Womens History Month, covering everything from forgotten female heroes to the brilliant women of today.

Before public executions were outlawed in 1868, the death of Elizabeth Martha Brown in 1856 drew widespread fascination. One onlooker happened to be Thomas Hardy; what he saw inspired him to go on to write Tess of the D'Urbervilles. A new exhibition will soon open in Dorchester, where she was the last woman to be publicly hanged. Here, Rose Wallis, historian for the Shire Hall Courthouse Museum, explains why there's more to Brown's story than Hardy.

Who was Elizabeth Martha Brown?

Elizabeth Martha Brown was a shopkeeper from the village of Broadwindsor in West Dorset. In July 1856, she was tried for the murder of her husband at the Assize (or Crown) Court held at the Shire Hall, Dorchester. Found guilty, she was sentenced to death and became the last woman to be publicly hanged in the county.

Why has she been forgotten?

Like most ordinary working people in the past, Martha Brown left little for posterity. The records of the courts provide a way into her lived experience and the brief moment of notoriety her trial created. Locally she is remembered as the inspiration for Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. As a young man, the author witnessed her execution at Dorchester Gaol, mesmerised by "the figure turning slowly round on the rope".

Why does she deserve more recognition?

There is more to her story than its influence on Hardy. At the time, her case caused a sensation, fuelling debates in both the local and national press about the validity of capital punishment and the treatment of women in the criminal justice system.

Although there is little doubt Martha Brown murdered her husband, questions were asked about her possible motives in and out of court. Both the prosecution and the press paid attention to the age difference between the Browns: she being some 18 years older than her husband. Jealousy, and possible infidelity were claimed to have caused Martha's violent attack. She denied all, and her defence placed great emphasis on the careful dedication with which she executed her wifely duties. Once convicted, Martha Brown made a confession to the prison chaplain, revealing that she had been subject to repeated verbal and physical abuse. Finally snapping, she claimed, she had bludgeoned her husband to death.

Both the violence of the attack and her confession stimulated a very public debate. Petitions for clemency were published in the press and sent to the Home Secretary, but they fell on deaf ears. The same year, Lord Grey had already provoked considerable public criticism in granting a reprieve for Celestina Sommer who had murdered her daughter. Brown's offence was as heinous according to the social conventions of the day. As Sommer had proved herself the antithesis of motherhood, Martha Brown had decried the sanctity of the marriage contract and brutally killed her husband. But the sympathy her case engendered was clear. Her supporters considered hers a crime of passion, an outburst provoked by mistreatment, not a pre-meditated act. The finality and inflexibility of death as the punishment for murder was debated, drawing Martha Brown's case into a wider discussion concerning the continued use of the death penalty.

How does her case resonate with today?

So many of the issues raised by Martha Brown's trial are still pertinent today. What is clear from her case is that our condemnation for domestic violence is long-held. Relatively recently an understanding of coercive control has broadened our definition of abusive behaviour, particularly in marital relationships. However, we still struggle to process the violent responses of women even in the most horrendous circumstances.

Women in the courts, and the media, are still judged according to prevailing understandings of 'correct' femininity. Martha Brown was condemned for showing no emotion, for being unfeeling at her trial. Her detractors questioned why she hadn't revealed her husband's abusive behaviour. Little thought was given to the fear she must have felt entering the dock, awed by the spectacle of the court, or her exposure in front of the men - and they were only men - who would decide her fate. One commentator, although tacitly acknowledging the difficulties in the Browns' relationship, attributed them to an improvident marriage, a logical consequence of a union between a younger man and an older woman. Even Brown's defenders focused on her victimisation and her otherwise appropriate conduct as a good wife to mitigate her behaviour and garner sympathy.

Similar standards of feminine behaviour are applied to women today. Both the female victims and perpetrators of violent crime have their appearance and behaviours publicly scrutinised in a way that men do not. We are also, as was the case in 1856, struggling with how to punish violent crime in these circumstances. How do we punish killing whilst acknowledging often extreme provocation? Recent reflections on Ruth Ellis (the last woman to be hanged in Britain) and Sally Challen's current case for a right to appeal her life sentence, are riven with the same narratives and attitudes evident in 1856.

Historical perspectives don't necessarily reveal the answers, but they cause us to reflect, and one hopes, to act to affect change.

Eight paintings by women you have to see in London 1 /8 Eight paintings by women you have to see in London 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Virginia Woolf by Vanessa Bell (nee Stephen), 1912 National Portrait Gallery, London 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Artemisia Gentileschi, Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, about 1615-17 National Gallery, London 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Angelica Kauffman RA, Self-portrait, 1770 Royal Academy of Arts, London 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Mary Moser RA, Spring, ca. 1780 Royal Academy of Arts, London; Photographer: John Hammond 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Gwen John, Dorelia in a Black Dress, c.1903-4 Tate. Presented by the Trustees of the Duveen Paintings Fund 1949 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Agnes Martin, Faraway Love, 1999 Tate / National Galleries of Scotland/ Estate of Agnes Martin 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Rachel Ruysch, Flowers in a Vase, about 1685 The National Gallery, London 10 paintings by women you have to see in London Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun, Self Portrait in a Straw Hat, after 1782 The National Gallery, London

How are you recognising her this Womens History Month?

This month we are working hard to transform Martha Brown's story and the transcripts and documents from her court case into an immersive and interactive experience for people of all ages. Visitors will be able to walk in the footsteps of Martha Brown, from the underground cell that she was held in up into the dock where she was accused, questioned and sentenced to death. The museum opens on 1st May in Dorchester, Dorset.
T he big bumper bank holiday is so close we can almost taste the chocolate.

The four-day weekend is set to be overloaded with traditional Easter activities and egg hunts, but that just scrapes the surface of what the capital has in store.

Elsewhere, there's an indulgent chocolate afternoon tea, a bank holiday beer festival and plenty of music throughout the city.

Theres really no excuse to stay in this long weekend  these are our top picks of whats on.

Roof East reopens

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Popular Stratford hangout Roof East will be reopening for its summer season this weekend. Old favourites are set to return, including the batting cages and crazy golf, but the site will also see some new additions such as a VR foos-ball experience. Street food will be covered by vegan duo Eat Chay, KERB residents Kolkati and pop-up pro Jimmy Garcia.

From April 17, Great Eastern Rd, E15 1BB, roofeast.com

James Lavelle Selects and UNKLE at Southbank Centre

Electronic musician James Lavelle has cherry-picked some up-and-coming artists to perform at Southbank Centre this Friday. The completely free concert will take place in the Clore Ballroom, ahead of his UNKLE headline show at the Royal Festival Hall in the evening. The eclectic line-up will reflect the sounds that have played a part in shaping Lavelles 30-year career.

April 19, Belvedere Road, SW1, southbankcentre.co.uk

Handels Messiah on Good Friday at Royal Albert Hall

For a dose of classical, head down to the Royal Albert Hall on Good Friday for a rendition of Handels Messiah performed by the Royal Choral Society. The group have played at the legendary London venue every Easter since 1876  making it one of the capitals unique cultural traditions.

April 19, Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP, royalalberthall.com

Springfest at Alexandra Palace

A bank holiday at Ally Pally can only mean one thing  another beer festival is on the cards. Springfest runs on Friday evening, promising a traditional Bavarian beer hall and plenty of steins. The Oompah Band will be taking care of the entertainment, alongside tribute act the Counterfeit Beatles. Following that, the Club De Fromage gang will take guests into the night with their pop-heavy set.

April 19, Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY, alexandrapalaceevents.seetickets.com

InKERBator Weekender

Jake Davis

Street food legends KERB are setting up shop on Southbank for a bumper foodie pop-up, featuring talks, workshops and plenty of tasty treats. KERB favourites including Greedy Khao and Wandercrust will be serving up alongside by some rising stars of the street food scene  who are currently participating in the inKERBator programme. Some big names in Londons food scene have emerged from this scheme, including Million Dollar Menu winner Baba Gs and the award-winning Square Root London  and both will be hosting panel talks over the weekend. A competition will be run across the five days to crown one up-and-coming vendor with the "Future of Street Food" award.

April 18-22, Southbank Centre SW1, kerbfood.com

Re:Imagine: Take Care at XOYO

Getty Images

Drake performing seven shows at the O2 sent the capital into a Drizzy frenzy, but the music needn't stop there. Saturday night will see orchestral group Re:Imagine take on the singers 2011 album Take Care, with a string section, vocalists and more bringing some of his most famous songs to life.

April 20, 32-37 Cowper St, EC2A 4AP, tickets can be purchased here

Flea at Vinegar Yard

(Lauren Maccabee) / Lauren Maccabee

Formerly known as Flea at Flat Iron Square, the weekly fair has moved to London Bridges newest development Vinegar Yard. While the location has changed, the affordable vintage finds remain as good as ever, with hundreds of second hand gems including antiques, homeware, books, clothing and more all on offer.

April 20, St Thomas Street, SE1 3QX, for more information visit facebook.com

Heart of Brass at Queen of Hoxton

Things are set to get musical at Queen of Hoxton this weekend, as Bring Your Own Brass will take to the stage on Saturday night. Promising an evening of original hip hop beats and creative riffs, the band will deliver some feel-good favourites, original songs and unusual mash-ups. The group have performed at a number of festivals over the past few years including Glastonbury, Boomtown and Lovebox  they definitely know how to get the crowds going.

April 20, 1 Curtain Rd, EC2A 3JX, queen-of-hoxton.eventcube.io

Chocolate Afternoon Tea at Harvey Nichols

No Easter bank holiday would be complete without a generous helping of chocolate. Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge is running an indulgent limited edition afternoon tea, with plenty of chocolatey treats. Head pastry chef David Conlon has crafted a menu for those with a sweet tooth, consisting of a trio of chocolate macaroons, a white chocolate Easter egg, a chocolate sponge cake, a white chocolate mousse, chocolate pave with passion fruit cremeux and  if that wasnt enough  a chocolate verrine with caramelised macadamias. Traditionalists can also enjoy classic finger sandwiches and scones with bottomless Prosecco for an additional 15.

Across the weekend, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ, harveynichols.com

Shesus and the Sistas at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club

Giles Smith

Drag king Shesus and the sisters are back for a bank holiday extravaganza at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. Their resurrection story will fuse comedy, cabaret and  in-keeping with the rebirth theme  clothing for the audience is completely optional.

April 21, 42-44 Pollard Row, E2 6NB, for more information visit facebook.com

Save The Botanicals

To mark Earth Day  which falls on April 22  leading bars across the UK will be launching a Save The Botanicals cocktail menu, where each drink will be named after one of Britains endangered plant species, to raise awareness of conservation. London institutions getting involved include Heads + Tails and Mr Foggs Gin Parlour.

Across London, for more infomation visit fentimans.com

The Tiger Who Came To Tea at the Savoy

Keeping the little ones entertained over the school holidays can be a tricky task, but the Savoy are running a childrens book-inspired afternoon tea  making the traditional pastime enjoyable for kids and big kids alike. Sweet treats come in the form of tiger striped scones and pastries, in a nod to Judith Kerrs classic tale.

Across the weekend, Strand, WC2R 0EZ, thesavoylondon.com

Arnie all-nighter at the Prince Charles Cinema

If your idea of a great bank holiday is settling down and unwinding, Prince Charles Cinema is hosting the ultimate movie marathon event. The Arnie all-nighter does exactly what it says on the tin, screening six Arnold Schwarzenegger classics back to back, from 9.15pm on Saturday to 9.30am on Easter Sunday. The films on the bill include Commando, the Running Man, Predator, Total Recall, the Terminator and the Terminator 2.

April 21, 7 Leicester Pl, WC2H 7BY, princecharlescinema.com

A Super Happy Story (about feeling super sad)

A multi-award winning cabaret musical about depression has landed at the the Vaults, following a sell-out run at Edinburgh Fringe last year. The hour-long show is written by Olivier award-winner Jon Brittain (Rotterdam and Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho) and has music from Matthew Floyd Jones (Frisky and Mannish).

Until May 3, Leake St, SE1 7NN, thevaults.london
T here's nothing better than spending an entire afternoon browsing one of London's bookshops.

The smells, the crisp snap of the pages and the countless great minds that stalk the shelves are as alluring as a bookstores architectural chic. Luckily, our city is home to an impressive selection of shops that celebrate the capital's extraordinary literary history. You'd think the digital age would have seen them close by now, but in fact, gadgets like the Kindle have only made their appeal even stronger.

Now, you'll find bookstores donning rare collectibles alongside coffee shops and bespoke shopping experiences  things you simply can't appreciate online. Some also have great niches (early shout out to Word on the Water), too. In short, there's more charm in the pages of a novel than there is on your average iPad.

So that you can appreciate just how darling our bookhavens are, we've rounded up some of the capital's finest. From Daunt Books to Hatchards, here's where to find London's prettiest and most Instagrammable book shops.

John Sandoe Books, King's Road

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This glorious place lives on a back road just off the King's Road. It basically looks like it belongs in a Dickens novel. Think picturesque window boxes blooming with florals, creaky narrow stairs leading up to a fortress of humanities favourites and shelves stuffed with mountains upon mountains of leather bound masterpieces. Prepare yourself, because you will spend hours here.

10 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SR, johnsandoe.com

Daunt Books, Marylebone

Without question, the Marylebone branch of Daunt Books is the most Instagrammed bookstore in the capital. Occupying a gorgeous Edwardian building, the major sell of this book shop to the stars is its absolutely stonkingly gorgeous galleried main room, chock-a-block with stunning stained glass windows. Throughout, you'll feel like you are in another world. All the books are arranged by country, regardless of genre, so you are bound to pick up something fresh, new and exciting. Such fun!

84 Marylebone High St, W1U 4QW, dauntbooks.co.uk

Hatchards, Piccadilly

The city's most prestigious bookshop is also the UK's oldest. Hatchards first opened its doors to the Great British public in 1797 and is home to more than 100,000 rare, limited and first editions spread over five beautiful oak and mahogany floors. Bestowed with no less than three royal warrants (including one from Her Majesty, The Queen) it's probably one of the most refined, respected and revered bookshops in the Big Smoke.

187 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE, hatchards.co.uk

Gay's The Word, Marchmount Street

Amazingly, Gay's the Word is the only surviving and fully dedicated LGBT+ bookstore in the entire country. A much-loved community gem, the Marchmount Street icon stocks a vast selection of queer stories, theory and literature. Titles cover sex, relationships, parenting and children, as well as traditional canonical works from the gay canon. A favourite amongst advocates Sir Ian McKellan and Sir Stephen Fry, it also hosts countless hub events holding regular discussions with groups and academics up and down the country.

66 Marchmont St, WC1N 1AB, gaystheword.co.uk

Persephone Books, Lambs Conduit Street

Persephone Books is a standout. Unlike many of the city's other bookshops, it republishes print novels long forgotten and has a particular soft spot for stories written by women during the interwar periods. Back in 2001, the owners decided to give Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day a new lease of life. The result? The book became a major hit and was eventually adapted into a hit film starring Oscar-winning actress Frances McDormand. All books come with limited edition sleeves, grey covers and the most vibrant linings, so they'll look top notch on your bookshelf.

59 Lamb's Conduit St, WC1N 3NB, persephonebooks.co.uk

Libraria, Shoreditch

Sadly for Instagram folk, Rohan Silva's Libraria actually prohibits the use of phones within its deep, shockingly yellow walls  which probably explains the disclaimer 'our shop is designed as an antidote for the technological age'. It's all very analogue here. Designed to mimic Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges's Library of Babel, the whole place feels like a never ending dream with its mirrored ceiling and wall-to-wall bookshelves. Chairs and intimate reading booths are plentiful, and there's even an old school printing press hidden downstairs, too. Relaxed and downright inspiring, our advice is simple: grab a cushion and surround yourself in the company of Plato, Voltaire and Sartre.

65 Hanbury St, E1 5JP, libreria.io

Word on the Water, Granary Square

Say hello to London's quirkiest bookshop  Word on the Water. Housed inside a 100-year old Dutch barge, expect poetry slams, jazz nights (on the roof stage) and a wood-burning stove inside. Book wise, hundreds of new and second hand bargains are there to tempt your wallet. Another plus, it's dog-friendly, too.

York Way, Granary Square, N1C 4AA, @wordonthewater

London Review Bookshop, Bloomsbury

Since the glory days of 2003, the London Review Bookshop has been here to reflect the ethos of the literary publication. In there words: 'intelligent without being pompous; engaged without being partisan'. Find everything from great literary classics to history, politics and new philosophy donning their pristine wooden shelves. There's also a lovely little cafe, plus oodles of high-profile bookish events that take place throughout the year.

14-16 Bury Pl, WC1A 2JL, londonreviewbookshop.co.uk

Lutyens & Rubenstein, Notting Hill

Lutyens & Rubenstein has gorgeous written all over it. Perhaps it's those elegant striped awnings, or the charming book motifs which dangle from the cutesy interior? Whatever it is, this beautifully designed shop aims to provide all those who enter it with the most idiosyncratic browsing experience there ever was. Lutyen's biggest sell is its stock; all of it was assembled canvassing hundreds of readers, meaning everything on sale comes with its own personal recommendation. If you love art and poetry, their selection is unrivalled.

21 Kensington Park Rd, W11 2EU, lutyensrubinstein.co.uk

Hurlingham Books, Fulham

Hurlingham like to claim that they are the oldest indie bookstore in south west London. Owned by book lover Ray Cole, the shop's charm lies in its very irregular opening hours. Some days it opens at 9am-ish, while on the weekends they might be shut because of the footie. They say, 'it is best to call' before you pop in to avoid any disappointment. If it is, have no fear because the exterior is reason to go alone. From left to right, hardback fiction, art, photography, children and antiquarian goldies line the shelves, and on some days, you might even spot the odd stellar steal. In a nutshell, it's pretty. Very, very pretty.

91 Fulham High St, SW6 3JS, hurlinghambooks.com

Foster Books, Chiswick

Another Instagram favourite, Chiswick's Foster Books specialises in hard to find, out of print, exquisitely bound and rare books. It's a must visit for any bookworm but don't just take our word for it, influencer Siobhan Ferguson of prettycitylondon says it's enough reason to visit Chiswick alone.
A pril is certainly not the cruelest month when it comes to new theatre openings.

From blockbuster West End musicals to great new writing, this month is full of unmissable shows.

Heres our guide to what you need to see at the theatre in London this month.

Tina: the Musical

A new musical based on the life of Tina Turner hits the West End this month, and it may turn out to be Simply the Best (sorry, had to be done) new musical of the year. The dream team of director Phyllida Lloyd and writer Katori Hall are bringing the show to the Aldwych Theatre in collaboration with Turner herself. Adrienne Warren and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith take centre stage as Tina and Ike; read our interview with Holdbrook-Smith here.

Booking until October 20, Aldwych Theatre

The Writer

(John Phillips/Getty Images) / (John Phillips/Getty Images)

Ella Hickson returns to the Almeida after the brilliant and audacious Oil, with a new play about a young writer challenging the status quo. Romola Garai heads the cast in a production directed by Blanche McIntyre.

April 14 - May 26, Almeida Theatre; almeida.co.uk

Chicago

If youd have been there, if youd have seen it now you can! Chicago is back in the West End after almost six years away. Cuba Gooding Jr plays smooth talking lawyer Billy Flynn, with Ruthie Henshall taking on the role of Mama Morton. Check out our guide to 27 people you never knew were in Chicago to get you in the mood.

Booking until October 6, Phoenix Theatre

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical

Specular

Heavenly news - Bat Out of Hell is back. The musical won the Evening Standard BBC Radio 2 Audience Award last year, so trust us when we say its not one to miss the second time round. Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington reprise their roles as Strat and Raven.

April 2 - July 28, Dominion Theatre

The Moderate Soprano

Manuel Harlan

Before cultural institutions start changing the artistic landscape, someone has to actually start them. David Hares play about how John Christie founded Glyndebourne Opera was a hit at Hampstead Theatre in 2015, and now its getting a West End transfer. Roger Allam and Nancy Carroll reprise their roles.

April 6 - June 30, Duke of Yorks Theatre

Quiz

Johan Persson

The West Ends most popular tenant is back - playwright James Grahams third West End run in the last year opens this month. Quiz is based on one of the most controversial episodes of TV ever - when Charles Ingram is thought to have coughed his way to the jackpot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. It transfers after a hit run at Chichester Festival Theatre, hot on the feels of Ink and Labour of Love.

March 31 - June 16, Noel Coward Theatre

Nine Night

Natasha Gordons debut play opens at the Dorfman this month, in a production directed by Roy Alexander Weise. It explores how one family mourn and celebrate of the life of one woman during the traditional Jamaican Nine Night funeral tradition, a extended wake full of food, music and stories.

April 21 - May 26, National Theatre; nationaltheatre.org.uk

The Encounter

Complicites phenomenally successful show continues to blow audiences away, following a Broadway transfer and international tour, and now theres another chance to see it at the Barbican. Simon McBurney tells the story of how National Geographic photographer Loren McIntyre became lost in Brazil at the end of the 1960s, using binaural sound to transport imagination of the audience without them ever leaving their seats.

April 14 - May 5, Barbican Centre; barbican.org.uk

The Prudes

Anthony Neilson returns to the Royal Court after his brilliantly idiosyncratic Unreachable in 2016, which starred Matt Smith. His latest explores the non-existent sex life of a long-term couple, and how they try to rediscover it.

April 18 - June 2, Royal Court; royalcourttheatre.com

The Way of the World

Haydn Gwynne and Justine Mitchell are amongst a stellar ensemble for this restoration revival directed by James Macdonald. Gwynne plays Lady Wishfort, the matriarch of a dysfunctional family who are all out for the dough.
H enry James had more great ideas than he knew what to do with. I have my head, thank God, full of visions, he said in 1895. When the Master of the modern novel died 20 years later, he left more than 60 untouched germs for fictions in a series of notebooks: fantasies, incidents, anecdotes, some skeletal, others developed into well-stocked scenarios.

It was Philip Horne, one of the worlds leading James scholars, who had the idea of parcelling these germs out to other writers, explaining in his introduction: [R]ather than going to waste, these seeds might grow into something, albeit through a kind of surrogacy, and in the soil of other imaginations. And so he has given us a concept anthology of James-inspired short stories, cultivated by Rose Tremain, Colm Toibin, Tessa Hadley and others.

Its a smart idea  a sort of literary composting  even if the results are a mixed bag of charm and complacency. While some of the Jamesian rip-offs pass like a shrug, others leave us feeling  as Stephen King believes a good short story should  that weve received a quick kiss in the dark from a stranger.

Though whos to say that stranger isnt living in our midst? Its an idea that Paul Theroux explores in his chilling opening story, Father X, about a man who discovers his dead fathers birth certificate cannot be authenticated. Told in cool, unstoppable prose, Therouxs story revisits one of his favourite themes  sons living in the shadows of unknowable fathers  for an unsentimental glimpse of the Catholic Church in modern Boston.

Tremain writes about a different kind of lost child in Is Anybody There  an exquisitely claustrophobic ghost story about two neighbours in rural Norfolk whose lives become enmeshed when the older of the two women, Nell, complains of knocking on her walls. I was about to dial 999, to get an ambulance to come, says the narrator, but something stopped me doing this. The something was that I have never dialled the emergency number in my whole life, so it was as if I feared it was just a mythical number, a construct of the human mind, with nobody at the end of it.

Just as Tremains story has resonances with What Maisie Knew and The Turn of the Screw, readers may hear echoes of The Wings of the Dove in Old Friends, Hadleys confident, nuanced offering about a doomed love triangle. And there are some wonderfully Jamesian reflections on life and art in Amit Chaudhuris Wensleydale, an endearingly comic account of an old Calcuttan man poised between memory and a still-burgeoning awareness of the world as he tries to connect with a younger man: Baba, can you tell me exactly what stream of consciousness is? Is it just free-flowing thoughts?

Then after some serviceable tales from Jonathan Coe and Susie Boyt, and a few and clumsy offerings from Lynne Truss, Giles Foden and Horne himself, Joseph ONeills The Poltroon Husband commands our attention. Set in Arizona, its an elegant, idiosyncratic story about cowardice, which delicately unpicks a mans certainties about his marriage. It would have left James intrigued.

But it may have also left him wondering why Horne didnt cast his net wider. All anthologies reveal their editors tastes  and personal contacts  but surely even his publishers recognised that this author line-up is too parochial and safe? Horne, as if justifying the inclusion of his own rather trivial story, claims that many turned down his invitation to burgle the Masters brain  including, it would appear, every single writer under the age of 51. Did he, for example, ask Helen Oyeyemi, whos novel White is for Witching had its roots in Jamess fiction? Or Elif Batuman, Garth Greenwell, Sarah Hall or David Szalay? Authors who would have re-planted Jamess ideas in some of the less-noticed corners of human experience. One cant help lamenting this missed opportunity for stories more strange and wayward.
P olice have launched a murder investigation after a man found "shaking in bed" following an assault died.

The 59-year-old was rushed by ambulance to an east London hospital on Sunday evening after suffering serious injuries, police said.

Doctors called Scotland Yard just after midnight and officers went to the victim's home in Stern Close, Barking, east London.

There they were told that the victim had gone to bed the previous night and "was then found in the morning shaking in bed, with blood coming from his nose."

The victim died from his injuries in hospital at 4.37pm on Tuesday.

His home is being treated as a crime scene. A man, 48, and two women, 51 and 34, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The man remains in custody at a north London police station while the two women have been released under investigation.

A post-mortem investigation will take place on Thursday.
A young mother has lost her fight for life two days after being hit by a falling pallet of bricks while on the school run in east London.

Newly-engaged Michaela Boor, 29, was hit by bricks that fell from a 100ft crane in Mile End, on Tuesday morning.

She was hit by a pallet of bricks that fell from the crane several storeys above ground on a construction site.

Members of the public and site workers rushed to give her first aid after the incident before she was rushed to hospital in critical condition.

The aftermath of the accident in Mile End

Police today confirmed that she had lost her fight for life in hospital.

Police said in a statement: "A 29-year-old woman who was critically injured after being struck by falling debris in Tower Hamlets has died.

"The woman died in hospital at 10:40hrs on Thursday, 29 March. Her next of kin have been informed."

Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the incident.

Ms Boor announced on Facebook on March 17 that she was engaged.

The crane was being operated at Bow Corner, a development of flats by Higgins.

Richard Higgins, Chairman of Higgins Homes, said in a statement: It is with great sadness and distress that we learned of the death of Michaela Boor. We are continuing to co-operate fully with the ongoing police and Health & Safety Executive investigation.

"Our thoughts remain with Michaelas family and friends at this exceptionally sad time.

Friends yesterday demanded answers as to how she was hit. A friend of the woman said: Her family are devastated, we all are.

We had seen pallets of bricks wobbling up there, it was just not safe. It could have been any of us. The family and all of us want answers.

A vicar told how she said prayers next to her as she was being treated at the scene.

Vicar Bernadette Hegarty of St Paul's Church Bow Common, said she said prayers next to the woman as she lay injured. She said: "I sat and prayed with her as paramedics fought to bring her back (to life).

"I did not see the accident but went over to comfort her after I heard what had happened."

The vicar, whose church is opposite the building site and attached to the school which the woman's son attends, said the woman was a popular member of the close knit local community.

She added: "I know her to say hello to, she is a well liked member of the community. We are in deep shock as are the workers from the building site."
J OHN Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Anti-Semitism, has accused Jeremy Corbyn of failing to seize opportunities to tackle the problem within the party. Mann told The Londoner that in the past 18 months to two years he has repeatedly tried to talk to the Labour leader one-to-one on the issue. Mann says that despite numerous phone calls, emails and letters sent directly to Corbyn and his office, and even speaking to him in the corridor, asking for a meeting, him saying yes, no discussion materialised.

Furthermore, Mann strongly refutes the assertion by a number of leading Corbyn supporters that the leader has signed all the Early Day Motions condemning anti-Semitism.

One of the things hes put around everywhere is that there have been five Parliamentary resolutions about anti-Semitism and hes the only person whos signed them all, says Mann. Actually, I have personally tabled about a dozen and he hasnt signed most of them. He may not have seen them, but it is simply a lie that he has signed them all, that he has signed more than anybody else. Its a lie, its not true, its false news. Its fake news.

He adds: I asked for precise action and I raised abuse of BBC journalists, and the anti-Semitisim that was impacting them, but he didnt agree. I asked for action, he said, Yep, its very, very important to the Labour Party, well be taking action. This was 18 months to two years ago. He offered nothing precise.

Mann, who has been the victim of serious threats of violence, currently being investigated by the police, is passionate about fighting the issue within Labour because, its what the Labour Party is about, its about tackling all forms of discrimination. And you have to put your own house in order first  make sure your party is not racist before you start preaching."

In April 2016 Mann pursued Ken Livingstone up a BBC stairwell after Livingstone had claimed Hitler was a Zionist. "Anti-Semitism remains the one acceptable prejudice in the Labour Party," Mann says. "They're glorying in it."

Popcorn, King Lear and Anthony Hopkins going mad in Stevenage

The cast of King Lear at a preview screening / Getty

EMMA Thompson was at The Soho Hotel for a screening of the BBCs new adaptation of King Lear last night. The original work isnt exactly a bundle of laughs but Thompson, who plays Goneril, was in good spirits, bringing her daughter Gaia Wise and wearing a snazzy pair of silver shoes.

Popcorn while watching Lear? Somehow it doesnt seem right, she joked on entering the screening room. The film stars Anthony Hopkins as the king, and his performance, if anything, is too good.

Richard Eyre, the programmes director, told how they shot the famous madness scene with Hopkins dressed in wild disarray in Stevenage shopping centre. A lady in one of those mobility scooters, clearly with no idea who he was was, came up to Anthony and pointed him in the direction of the nearby hostel.

Later, a large cake was carried in, in celebration of Eyres 75th birthday.

The Russians leave Stanley swinging

Stanley Johnson (Photo by Mary Turner/Getty Images) / Getty Images

Following reports of manipulation in the Brexit vote, the Foreign Secretarys father now thinks it was the Russians wot won it. I am more than convinced that dark forces not a million miles away from the Kremlin were involved both in the US election and the Brexit vote, says Stanley Johnson, Boriss father.

Johnson senior has swung from Remain to Leave but says hell swing back again if there definitely was Russian involvement. Ive said if it could be shown there was tampering, I and people like me, would have to reconsider.

--

After Brexiteers threw dead fish into the Thames to highlight the plight of fishermen Miriam Gonzalez Durantez found a better use for them: a haddock a la marinera recipe. Do not be tempted to overcook the fish, the lawyer writes. If you are a Brexiteer you should be particularly careful because, lets face it, you are prone to overdoing things.

--

Last week Eurovision legend Katie Boyle died aged 91, and received a glowing obituary in The Guardian. It was written by Dennis Barker. But as Barker himself passed away in 2015, Boyle enjoyed the singular triumph of outliving her own obituary writer.

True-blood hounds

PISTOL and Boo, the pet dogs of former couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, were once caught up in a quarantine scandal when the couple flew them into Australia. Now a new pair of celebrity canines are having border trouble. Banjo and Dave, the dogs of True Blood stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, have been held at Heathrow airport since Sunday.

Theyve travelled together multiple times to [the] UK with exactly the same paperwork theyre now being held for, Brentwood-born Moyer says. Im all for protecting our borders but this is ridiculous. #FreetheHeathrow2

BARONESS Trumpington, below, says she had a #MeToo moment with David Lloyd George, bottom. The nonogenarian, former Bletchley Park codebreaker and onetime Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health says the war-time prime minister asked for her measurements.

I was only 15 when I met him, she tells The Oldie. He has quite a reputation. It was at his farmhouse. He measured me  with a tape measure. It was odd, but nothing happened.

She never had any trouble with Winston Churchill. [He] was both fun and frightening, she says. He loved animals. He liked to have animals all over his bed. Lloyd George, of course, liked to have girls all over his.

Quote of the Day

"Losing has never felt so good"
T heresa May is mounting a whirlwind tour of the UK with exactly one year to go until Brexit, as she promises to keep the country "strong and united".

Speaking to voters in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, Mrs May will say that what is important now is not Leave or Remain but making Brexit "a success for everyone".

The PM's bid to heal divisions caused by the 2016 EU referendum comes as polls suggest voters are still split down the middle over whether or not the UK should leave.

As the final year countdown began, she was buoyed by the EU's approval for a 21-month transition period after the official date of Brexit on March 29 2019 to allow the UK to prepare for its new relationship with Europe.

One year until Brexit: Negotiation timeline

But tough negotiations on the nature of the future relationship lie ahead with just months remaining to strike a deal on the UK's future relationship with the EU.

And the UK Government is facing stiff resistance from Edinburgh and Cardiff to plans to repatriate some powers from Brussels to London, rather than the devolved administrations.

Speaking ahead of her trip, Mrs May said: "I am determined that our future will be a bright one. It's a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners across Europe and beyond.

"Having regained control of our laws, our borders and our money, and seized the opportunities provided by Brexit, the UK will thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain."

Mrs May insisted that each of the devolved administrations will see "an increase in their decision-making powers" as a result of the return of responsibilities currently exercised by the EU.

Her Government remains "absolutely committed" to the devolution settlements, she said.

And she restated her rejection of EU proposals which would effectively create an administrative border down the Irish Sea by keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.

"As the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I have an absolute responsibility to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole," she said.

"That means ensuring that no new barriers are created within our common domestic market and that the UK is able to meet its international obligations in the future.

"No Prime Minister could leave these things to chance, because they are absolutely crucial to our success as a country in the future."

Mrs May said the Union delivered "enormous benefits" to all four nations of the UK.

And she declared: "I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the world's most successful union.

"The UK contains four proud and historic nations, but together we amount to so much more than the sum of our parts and our Union is an enormous force for good."

The PM will start the day by visiting textile workers at a factory in Ayrshire, before travelling to Newcastle to meet with a local parent and toddler group.

She will have lunch with farmers near Belfast before travelling to Barry in south Wales for a round-table discussion with businesses, and will later have tea in west London with a group of Polish citizens who have made the UK their home.

Brexit latest- David Davis insists Northern Ireland border issue will be 'much easier' to resolve after trade deal

But the news has not been universally welcomed.

Michael Russell, Scottish Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe, said: "By pursuing a disastrous hard Brexit, regardless of the cost to jobs and living standards, Theresa May and the Tories have shown they think they can now do anything to Scotland and get away with it.
L iam Fox fired a warning shot to Theresa May over Brexit today urging her not to let a transition period carry on beyond 2020.

The International Trade Secretary said he would not support an extension to the 21-month period, during which EU laws will continue to apply.

His intervention came as the Prime Minister marked a year to go until Britain leaves the European Union on March 29, 2019, with a tour taking in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and north-east England in a single day.

Starting with a company visit in Ayrshire, Mrs May said the implementation period would avoid a cliff-edge Brexit next year.

That gives people certainty, gives businesses certainty, it gives farmers certainty. They will be able to trade on the same basis up until December 2020 and, I believe, will be able to carry on that good trading relationship in the future in the free trade arrangement, in the economic partnership we are going to negotiate.

Liam Fox fired a warning shot to Theresa May over Brexit / EPA

Mr Fox refused to rule out a longer transition, but told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I wouldnt like to see that, nor would I support an extension.

Mrs May has kept open the option of extending the period beyond the end of 2020. During the implementation period, as she calls it, Britain will keep current trading terms but will have to obey the European court, allow free movement and abide by EU fishing quotas.

Critics pointed out that her tour avoided Scotlands fishing ports of Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Shetland.

Speaking to LBC, she said: I believe we can negotiate a good agreement which is tariff-free and as frictionless trade as possible, so we maintain those markets in the EU, but also that we open up markets around the rest of the world.

One year until Brexit: Negotiation timeline

But Treasury committee chair Nicky Morgan urged MPs to vote in Parliament for a soft Brexit to prevent the country losing out in influence and economically. In years to come people will ask, Where were you when MPs voted on this, she said.

Labour was in turmoil over shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberrys apparent admission that the Opposition could back the Government in a meaningful vote in the autumn. Of her remarks that Labour could back a blah, blah, blah deal, shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Today: She was being sarcastic in Emilys style.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan sought to make Brexit a key issue in the local elections on May 3. He said: The local elections will be the last chance before negotiations finish for Londoners to tell the Tories to abandon their chaotic and extreme approach to Brexit.
B oris Johnson has said the nerve agent attack in Salisbury has crystallised a "global wave of revulsion" against Russia.

The Foreign Secretary used a major foreign policy speech in London to praise friends and allies who surprised Moscow with their strong support for the UK.

The Foreign Secretary said: "Never before has there been a collective expulsion of Russian diplomats on the scale that we have seen over the last few days.

"It seems clear that the Kremlin underestimated the strength of global feeling.

"I do not for one moment believe that this global wave of revulsion has been prompted solely by Salisbury, let alone a sentimental love or affection for the UK.

"It wasn't about us. It was about all of us and the kind of world we want to live in.

"Because, I believe these expulsions represent a moment when a feeling has suddenly crystallised.

"When years of vexation and provocation have worn the collective patience to breaking point, and when across the world - across three continents - there are countries who are willing to say enough is enough."

The Foreign Secretary said that the concerted global action should act as a wake-up call for Moscow.

Nations all over the world expel Russian diplomats in response to Salisbury attack

"If they believed that no one would give a fig about the suffering of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, or that we would be indifferent to the reckless and contemptuous disregard for public safety that saw 39 others seek medical treatment, if they believed that we had become so morally weakened, so dependent on hydrocarbons, so chronically risk averse and so fearful of Russia that we would not dare to respond, then this is their answer.

"Because these countries know full well that they face the risk of retaliation. And frankly there are countries that have taken action that are more vulnerable to Russia than we are, whether through geography or their energy needs."

Mr Johnson said the strong international support for the UK bode well for Brexit.

"I believe there are many British people who have found it immensely reassuring to learn we may be leaving the EU in exactly a year but we will never be alone, and in part that commitment to Britain reflects Britain's reciprocal commitment to our friends."
J eremy Corbyn faced a new row over his handling of Labours anti-Semitism crisis today as calls were made for a party chief to resign from its ruling body.

Christine Shawcroft quit as head of Labours disputes panel after it emerged she opposed the suspension of a council candidate accused of Holocaust denial.

But the Left-winger remains an elected member of the partys National Executive Committee, and calls were growing for the Labour leader to force her to step down.

Labour MP Louise Ellman, a former chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, told Sky News: She should step down from the NEC. This is the first test of Jeremy Corbyns sincerity in addressing anti-Semitism and restoring confidence in the Labour Party.

Hundreds protest outside parliament over Labour's anti-Semitic accusations

Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth said: Stepping down from the disputes committee is not enough. Supporting holocaust deniers and dismissing real concerns about anti-Semitism as factionalism makes you unfit to represent the Labour Party at any level. Christine Shawcroft should not be on our NEC. Ms Shawcroft was told to step down by Mr Corbyn as disputes chair after it emerged she called for the reinstatement of Peterborough council candidate Alan Bull. She dismissed the row over his views as a partisan dispute within the local party.

She has since apologised and said she was unaware of all of the facts. She only became chair of the disputes panel, which investigates anti-Semitism and harassment breaches, in January.

Under pressure: Jeremy Corbyn / Getty Images

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said the partys electorate would have to decide whether she could take up a position on the NEC when her term ends in the summer. Asked whether Ms Shawcroft should now resign from her NEC post, he told Sky News: Well, no, Jeremy has asked her to stand down as the chair of the disputes committee. It is an elected position and it is up to the electorate to decide whether or not she should be elected again.
N igel Farage today said he "really hopes" claims that Brexiteers are "stealing our children's futures" prove true.

The former Ukip leader said the EU was increasingly "autocratic" and that in years to come Britain will be glad to have quit the bloc.

Mr Farage told an audience in Westminster: "Chuka Umunna said the other day he thinks the Brexit vote means were stealing our childrens futures from them. Well I really hope we are."

Farage said the EU was increasingly "autocratic" and that in years to come Britain will be glad to have quit the bloc / EPA

In a reference to Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who is facing the prospect of a jail sentence for his pro-independence activities in Spain, Mr Farage added: "If our childrens future is Catalonia, where people who simply have a different opinion are about to be locked up for 30 years ... if stealing our childrens future is taking them away from a union that is now harries and bullies whether its Poland, whether its Hungary.

Mr Farage claimed the EU is becoming more centralised, more autocratic, more ambitious in terms of foreign policy, expansion and militarisation, adding: I think we will say to ourselves in years to come, we were the first out, we did ourselves a favour and perhaps the rest of Europe too.

Mr Farage was also bullish about his role in the EU referendum in 2016. He claimed that in the final weeks of the campaign the only moment he feared his side would lose was when Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right fanatic in her Yorkshire constituency.

I think the murder that the murder that took place on [the] Thursday lunchtime of Jo Cox there was a feeling that maybe because of that and because of the guy that committed it, that maybe people would shift and there would be quite a big swing back towards the remain side, he said.

Campaign: Nigel Farage with one of Leave.EU posters during the 2016 referendum campaign / Philip Toscano/PA Wire

But there wasnt, people didnt change their minds. It stopped the campaign for three or four days for obvious and respectful reasons, but what Ive learned is that once people have made their minds up, its quite tough to change them.

He was speaking at an event hosted by think tank The UK in a Changing Europe marking one year until Britain formally leaves the EU in March 2019.

Mr Blair claimed Theresa May could survive a bruising Commons defeat on the final Brexit deal and end up offering the public a new vote.

He added that he thought enough Tory MPs could rebel to defeat the government when the final deal on Britain's departure from the EU is put before Parliament later this year or early in 2019.

Mr Farage responded to Mr Blairs comments, admitting he had been very worried about the prospect of a second referendum in recent weeks.

He insisted he was more confident now, but added: There clearly is a big establishment attempt to try to get the government to be beaten in the House of Commons and to precipitate a second referendum.
T ony Blair today said there was a perfectly rational case for a second EU referendum on the terms of Brexit.

The former Prime Minister claimed Theresa May could survive a bruising Commons defeat on the final Brexit deal and end up offering the public a new vote.

Mr Blair said enough Tory MPs could rebel to defeat the government when the final Brexit deal is put before Parliament later this year or early in 2019.

Asked what he hoped might happen with a year to go before Britain is due to leave the EU, he said: That we dont leave.

"That we have a vote in Parliament on the deal that she negotiates and brings forward to Parliament, that the vote in Parliament results in a defeat... and that the people then have a vote on whether the deal theyre being offered for the future is better than what they have now.

Mr Blair said he would stop intervening in the debate on Europe if such a vote was lost.

But he said his "instinct" was that public opinion could yet shift behind remaining in the EU as the reality of Brexit becomes clearer.

He said there was a dilemma about whether the UK would continue to have a close relationship with the EU, or whether there would be a more abrupt departure. Mr Blair said that decision could change the whole nature of the debate.

If you solve the dilemma in favour of staying close to Europe, youre going to disappoint the Brexit people, and if you go to the other side and end up with a clean break  then youre going to do significant damage and business is going to be saying that, he said.

At a certain point, theyre going to have to resolve it. The moment that happens, youre able to see what Brexit really means.

Speaking at a conference hosted by think tank the UK in a Changing Europe, he added: What Im really saying is, its such a momentous decision, lets reconsider when we we see the deal.

If we go ahead and leave, thats OK. Youll hear no more about changing the decision [from me].

Mr Blair said Conservative MPs have got to understand that driving through Brexit could open the door to a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Brexit is going to be 100 per cent owned by the Tories. I dont believe Labour will vote for the Tory deal on Brexit, and it will allow Labour to say we would have got you a better deal than these guys, he said, adding: "I have a feeling the 17 million who voted to leave are going to be short on gratitude, and the 16 million who voted to remain are going to be long on memory.

Speculating about what would happen if the PMs Brexit deal was defeated by MPs, he said: If its defeated in the House of Commons, she doesnt need to resign and there doesnt need to be an election.

She can simply say, OK, I put the deal before Parliament and they rejected it. Now its right that the people have the vote they should have the final say. Its actually perfectly rational. Its to say no lets decide whether we like the deal or not.

Mr Blair also warned that the case for Britain remaining part of the EU should be one of power on the world stage, rather than peace as was the case when the EU was established after World War Two.

If you want to have influence in the world youve got to band together with others, Mr Blair said. Its not about peace today, its about power. Its about not confusing patriotism with the way the 21st Century is going to be for us.

He added: We shouldnt kid ourselves. The rest of the world do not see this as globally ambitious Britain. They think lord, the Brits you guys were always really sensible people.
Brexit is no power grab  Theresa May

Theresa May has rejected claims Brexit will result in a Westminster power grab insisting it will mean more powers going to the devolved government in Edinburgh.

The Scottish and Welsh governments have both repeatedly claimed the UK Government's Brexit proposals are a Westminster "power grab", with powers returning from Brussels going to London instead of Edinburgh or Cardiff.

But as she restated her determination for the UK to leave, Mrs May rejected this.

She said: "Let's be clear, there is no power grab, we are not taking back any of the powers that are currently devolved to the Scottish Government, indeed the Scottish Government will be receiving more powers as a result of us leaving the European Union.

"What we're discussing with the Scottish Government is how we can do that and ensure that we still maintain the ability for Scottish farmers, for Scottish businesses, to trade freely across the whole of the United Kingdom, just as we are negotiating the agreement to ensure they can continue to trade freely with the rest of the European Union."

Speaking during a visit to Alex Begg weavers in Ayr, which produces luxury cashmere scarfs and accessories, the Prime Minister said: "We will be leaving the European Union on March 29 2019."
T he sacked head of the Parole Board today heaped pressure on Justice Secretary David Gauke by accusing him of being equally to blame for failings in the black cab rapist case.

In a devastating intervention, Nick Hardwick said that Mr Gauke should accept responsibility for mistakes that were made and the failure of his department to provide key evidence which could have stopped John Worboys being cleared for release.

He added that the Parole Board was no more at fault than the Ministry of Justice for the blunders in the case, and that reforms to prevent future problems would not be achieved unless Mr Gauke accepted his errors.

Mr Hardwicks attack came amid growing political pressure on the Justice Secretary, following yesterdays landmark ruling by the High Court which overturned the Parole Boards decision that Worboys, 60, should be freed after 10 years behind bars.

Theresa May responds to John Worboys decision

Three senior judges, led by Sir Brian Leveson, found the board had been wrong to assess the rapist on the basis of the 19 crimes he was convicted of, instead of the 100 plus-allegations made against him.

The judges said one key reason for this error was that the Ministry of Justice failed to submit crucial details about Worboyss full history to the Parole Board hearing that decided his case. The secret hearing that cleared him for release took place in November when Mr Gaukes predecessor David Lidington was justice secretary. Mr Gauke was appointed in January after a reshuffle in which Mr Lidington went to the Cabinet Office.

Nick Hardwick says Justice Secretary David Gauke is equally to blame for failings in the black cab rapist case / Rex Features

Mr Gauke  who was already under fire for leaving it to victims to challenge the boards decision, rather than pursuing the case himself  responded to the court ruling by sacking Mr Hardwick.

Lawyers for Worboyss victims have accused the minister of scapegoating Mr Hardwick, who joined the attack today. The Secretary of State should, as I have done, accept responsibility for mistakes that were made. Thats the only way that things will be put right, Mr Hardwick told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

Predator: John Worboys in handcuffs for court in 2008

I absolutely accept that the Parole Board was at fault in these matters. I dont accept that we were any more at fault than the Ministry of Justice and I dont believe that the right lessons will be learned from this case if the only people accepting any responsibility for what went wrong here is us.

The dossier that the panel received from the Secretary of State ... didnt contain information, or sufficient information, about those other alleged offences and therefore the panel didnt consider them. He said the Secretary of States representative, who was at the panel, did not suggest the panel should have considered those other matters.

The cab used by John Worboys

He added: Ive always said I am going to take responsibility for the work of the Parole Board. I am not going to shift the blame onto people who work for me. I accept my share of responsibility  others should do so too. Mr Hardwick said the Justice Secretary was not being correct in seeking to deny responsibility.

Asked if he was being scapegoated, Mr Hardwick said: I wouldnt use the word scapegoated, but ... all of those responsible for what went wrong in this case have to take their share of the responsibility, otherwise we wont put things right, and ... I dont think we are going to get the changes and reforms necessary. Mr Hardwick confirmed that he had been sacked, saying: I didnt resign willingly  I resigned because the Justice Secretary said I had no choice.

Booze bottles and other items seized from London cabbie rapist John Worboys / PA

In 2009, Worboys was convicted of 19 offences, including one rape and several sex attacks, on 12 women between 2006 and 2008. But police believe he had at least 105 victims and his offending began several years earlier. He was sentenced to indeterminate detention.

Despite this, the three-strong Parole Board panel decided he was safe to release under licence on the grounds that he had been open and honest about the reasons for his offending and was sufficiently reformed. Mr Gauke initially indicated he might bring a judicial review but backed down on the grounds that he was unlikely to win.

It meant that two victims, who funded their own case, were left to bring the challenge. Mayor Sadiq Khan also brought a separate challenge.
B ritain would vote to stay in the EU if a new referendum were to be held within the next 10 years, a major academic report has found.

Shifting attitudes and an increasing acceptance of immigration mean a vote on Brexit would turn out a different result than 2016's if it was held in 2026, experts said.

The major academic report funded by the Economic and Social Research Council also revealed that voters now are being put off Brexit by the governments confusing policy.

Published exactly a year ahead of the official Brexit date, the report has suggested that this, along with demographic changes, has swayed public opinion towards more of a pro-European stance.

The study predicts that, by as early as 2021, the electorate will be in favour of Remain by 52 to 48. And by 2026, the paper said the gap will have widened further, with Remain leading by 54 to 46.

The referendum result in 2016 saw Leave win the vote with a lead of just under four per cent.

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The report is titled Article 50, One Year On and was written by academics from The UK in a Changing Europe initiative which is aimed at improving access to research on the relationship between the UK and the European Union.

Political landscape: The report said the government has not been united and clear with its Brexit message / AFP/Getty Images

Set up in 2014, the initiative claims to provide an "authoritative, non-partisan and impartial reference point for those looking for information, insights and analysis about UK-EU relations."

A year ago, when the Prime Minister handed the Article 50 letter to the head of the European Council and triggered the formal withdrawal process, she promised to provide citizens and businesses with "as much certainty as possible, as early as possible".

But the authors of the report, written by The UK in a Changing Europe, have accused Mrs May of going against her words.

Anniversary: European Council President Donald Tusk holding the Article 50 letter on March 29 2017 / Yves Herman/Reuters

It said Mrs May has instead, pushed forward with a Brexit process characterised by significant political and economic uncertainty in the past 12 months.

And the authors said the governments lack of clear direction is impacting the countrys ability to plan for the future.

Referring to the Prime Ministers much-quoted strong and stable it added: The situation is far from stable.

Uncertainty reigns, Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe, said. This is having negative consequences for business and key sectors including agriculture, fisheries, aviation, the environment, higher education, the health service and financial services.

Weak: Theresa May has been criticised for her negotiating

In politics, the lack of an overall Conservative majority has created political instability and unpredictability.

The snap election of June 2017 left the Conservatives without a majority in Parliament and left the Prime Minister dependent for support on the DUP, a party committed to an intransigent position on perhaps the one issue most likely to derail the Brexit negotiationsthe Irish border.

The study predicts that, by as early as 2021, the electorate will be in favour of Remain by 52 to 48. And by 2026, the paper said the gap will have widened further, with Remain leading by 54 to 46.

It attributes this shift in public opinion to rising education, rising ethnic diversity and generational change.

Political opinion will shift, the report says / AFP/Getty Images

It says that public opinion about immigration appears to have shifted: It is viewed more positively and as a much less salient issue, especially as the Cabinet and country have moved in a more liberal direction.

The report, however, concludes that there is no clear vision of immigration policy after Brexit, let alone any concrete policy decisions, which is damaging the cause.

Writers Rob Ford and Maria Sobolewska explained that well established demographic trends, such as rising education levels, ethnic diversity and generational change, will influence opinion in future.

All else being equal, these changes will tend to pull opinion in a pro-European direction, they said.

Theresa May has been working to agree a trade deal ahead of Brexit next year / AP

We estimate they would be sufficient to produce a majority of 52 per cent for Remain in 2021, and 54 per cent by 2026.

They explained: All the Leave-leaning groups, such has school-leavers, white and British-born voters, and those who grew up before Britain joined the EU, are shrinking over time.

Simultaneously, all the Remain-leaning groups  graduates, ethnic minorities and migrants, and the younger cohorts who came of age after the Maastricht agreement  are growing.

Nick Clegg on Brexit: Irish border question cannot be ducked any longer

The authors did, however, warn that these predictions do not mean a European spring is just around the corner in Britain.

Many of those who voted Remain in 2016 were not enthusiasts. Sixty per cent of Remain voters also wanted to see the EUs powers reduced, they said.

Brexit has also changed views about the status quo  many [Remainers] believe the result of the referendum should be respected and would not support a complete reversal of the Brexit process.

In a context in which the two largest parties are themselves divided over Brexit, it is impossible to predict how the parliamentary arithmetic will play out, Prof. Menon added.

Negotiations: Theresa May with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron / EPA

And for all the hopes expressed that EU unity would be tested to breaking point, member states have remained staunchly united.

For the moment at least, it is hard to discern differing positions forming cracks which the UK government could attempt to turn into fissures

"The behaviour of the Government to date has led to accusations from Cardiff and Edinburgh that London is engaged in a power grab."
A social media campaign calling for a change in the way rape cases are conducted is growing in Northern Ireland after two Rugby stars were cleared of sexual assault in a high-profile case.

Ireland rugby internationals Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted of rape after a nine-week trial. They had both denied attacking the same woman at a house in south Belfast in 2016.

Following the verdict on Wednesday, people took to social media using it to broadly criticise the handling of sexual assault trials and investigations.

Campaigners shared the #Ibelieveher tag which has been used in the past to encourage women to come forward and report assaults.

Journalist and RTE presenter Sarah McInerney said the fact that so many people used the hashtag gives an insight into how deeply upsetting this court case was for so many people.

She added: If nothing else, it must surely lead to a change in how rape trials are conducted."

As part of the movement a series of solidarity rallies are planned around Northern Ireland and Ireland  including one outside Belfast High Court.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the events in a show of support for alleged sexual assault victims.

Mr Jackson, 26, and Mr Olding, 25, were acquitted after the jury of eight men and three women at Belfast Crown Court returned a unanimous verdict.

Mr Jackson was also found not guilty of sexual assault and not guilty verdicts were also returned for two other men charged in connection with the incident.

In brief comments outside the court, he thanked the judge for giving me a fair trial and added: "Out of respect for my employers I've nothing further to comment."

In a statement read by his solicitor Paul Dougan, Mr Olding said he was sorry for the hurt that was caused to the complainant but that he [didnt] agree with her perception of events, and I maintain that everything that happened that evening was consensual".

The incident was alleged to have happened during an after-party at Jackson's home in south Belfast on June 28, 2016.

The woman told the court she was attacked after going upstairs to retrieve a clutch bag, having decided to leave the party because the "mood changed".

She said Jackson had followed her into the bedroom, pushed her onto the bed and raped her and that Olding walked in then forced her to perform oral sex.
A multi-million-pound security ring of steel will surround the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle, it was revealed today.

Visitors for the wedding will have to pass through airport-style security scanners, and steel barriers will be erected to deter terrorist vehicle attacks.

Announcing the first details of the security operation, police said motorists driving into Windsor face being stopped and checked. All those arriving in the town will go through a screening and search regime.

More than 100,000 people are expected to visit Windsor for the wedding on Saturday, May 19.

Royal wedding countdown: The plan so far for Harry and Meghan

Thames Valley Police, responsible for policing the event, said the security operation was likely to be the largest in its history.

A security boundary was being mounted around the castle and St Georges Chapel where the wedding is taking place.

Anyone entering the inner area at Windsor Castle will have to undergo airport style security screening / PA

The couple will marry in a ceremony witnessed by 600 guests followed by a carriage procession through Windsor.

All those entering the inner area to see the royal procession will be subject to airport-style screening with routine bag searches, and checks will also be mounted on commercial vans and lorries.

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Police said there would be a steady build-up of security in Windsor in the coming weeks.

A spokesman said: Residents, local businesses and visitors to the town can expect to see an increased police presence, police officers, both armed and unarmed, search dogs, the mounted section, the roads policing unit and the National Police Air Service.

Armed police will mingle with the crowds on the day of the wedding

On the day armed officers will mingle with the crowds while snipers will be deployed on rooftops.

Police say a broad range of security measures will be in place  including a network of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras that can check for stolen and suspect vehicles on criminal or terrorist databases.

Meghan Markle will marry Prince Harry on May 19 / Getty

A number of so-called hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) barriers will be erected around the procession route and at key entrances to the town to protect against a terrorist using a vehicle to target crowds.

Dog and mounted patrols will also be on patrol and marine officers will be conducting searches along the nearby Thames.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Edinburgh - In pictures 1 /19 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Edinburgh - In pictures Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during a visit to Scotlan PA Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle meet a Shetland Pony as they arrive at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland Frank Augstein/AP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet Pony Major Mark Wilkinson and regimental mascot Cruachan IV during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet Pony Major Mark Wilkinson and regimental mascot Cruachan IV during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland AP Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle meet a Shetland Pony as they arrive at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland PA Meghan Markle greets wellwishers while on a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, as she and Prince Harry visited Scotland PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle meet a Shetland Pony as they arrive at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland Reuters Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Crowds gather ahead of a visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Edinburgh Castle PA A young girl waves a flag as she waits for the arrival of Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle at Edinburgh Castl Reuters Prince Harry during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland Chris Jackson/Getty Images Crowds await the arrivals of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ahead of royal walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotlan PA Meghan Markle during a walkabout on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, during their visit to Scotland PA

All leave for Thames Valleys 4,200-strong force has been cancelled, though police are refusing to say exactly how many officers will be deployed in the security operation.

The force is working closely with Scotland Yard, responsible for the security of the royals inside Windsor Castle.

Police and security chiefs have been studying lessons learned from the five terror attacks in London and Manchester last year, in particular the atrocities on London and Westminster bridges where vehicles mowed down crowds.

High security at Windsor Castle for Charles and Camilla's wedding in 2005 / PA

Police say they are trying to balance robust security measures with a desire to allow the thousands of onlookers to enjoy the atmosphere of the wedding.

Specialist units, such as firearms officers, are to be brought in as reinforcements from neighbouring forces.

Assistant Chief Constable David Hardcastle, leading the security operation, said: We are working with our partners, local businesses and the community to deliver a safe, secure and happy event for everyone.

Officers are acutely aware the event will be a major target at a time when the terrorist threat level remains at severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle release engagement photos

The wedding day will feature regiments and units that have a special relationship with Prince Harry, who served in the military for a decade and was deployed on frontline duties twice to Afghanistan.

Some estimates suggest security for the wedding will cost 30 million and police forces are talking to the Home Office over who foots the final bill.

So far there is no intelligence of any specific security threat to the event.
T oday marks exactly one year until the United Kingdom is expected to formally leave the European Union.

A transition period will follow, but Brexit day will arrive on March 29, 2019, 46 years after Britain joined the bloc.

Some 52 per cent voted for the divorce in a referendum in June 2016.

And Brexit remains on track after a transition period deal was agreed last month, allowing negotiations on the final terms to begin.

The key dates to come

April

Talks could start on a future trade and security deal as early as next month.

European chief negotiator Michel Barnier has previously stated he wants all talks on a future relationship to be wrapped up by October.

Whistleblower claims 'Vote Leave' Brexit campaign was 'totally illegal' under referendum spending rules

October 18-19

A quarterly EU summit that is Barniers target date to agree a withdrawal treaty, tying off legal loose ends for departure, such as the rights of citizens, mutual financial commitments and how to keep the Irish border fully open.

It will also contain the transition deal and be accompanied by a separate political declaration outlining the broad terms of a free trade accord and other relationships to follow after that.

January 2019

The EU and British parliaments must ratify the withdrawal treaty before Brexit. To avoid last-minute jitters, getting that done at least two months ahead of time would help.

March 29

At midnight in Brussels, 11pm in London, Britains membership of the EU will lapse, two years to the day after it formally filed notice to quit.

Labour: Owen Smith sacked by Corbyn over call for Brexit referendum

If there is no ratified withdrawal treaty, there will be legal chaos unless all sides agree to a complex special extension.

March 30

If things go to plan, Britain will start a transition period, during which the UK can start negotiating its own trade deals.

However it will still be party to existing EU trade deals with other countries.

The UK will effectively maintain access to EU markets and be bound by all EU rules and budgets, while losing its vote. It will be consulted on some issues.

During this period, EU citizens arriving in the UK will enjoy the same rights and guarantees as those who arrived before Brexit. The same will apply to UK expats on the continent.

December 31, 2020

The proposed transition period ends, with Britain free to implement its own trade deals with other countries and free of all obligations to the Union.

January 1, 2021
M alala Yousafzai has returned to Pakistan for the first time she was shot by Taliban militants in 2012.

The 20-year-old arrived at Islamabad's international airport in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Her visit was not announced prior to her arrival and it is being tightly monitored by security amid concerns of any possible threat to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Pakistani television channel Geo TV aired footage claiming to show 20-year-old Ms Yousafzai leaving Benazir Bhutto International Airport and getting into a car escorted by a security convoy.

Malala: the campaigner sits with her family in a VIP lounge of Islamabad Airport / REUTERS

It is reported that she will meet with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during her stay.

Ms Yousafzai, who is now studying at Oxford University, was just 15 when she was targeted by the Taliban for her outspoken campaigning over girls' rights to an education.

Meeting: The car carrying Pakistani activist Malala Yousafza leaves for Prime Minister House a / AFP/Getty Images

Her career as an activist began in early 2009, when she started writing a blog for the BBC about her life under Taliban occupation and promoting education for girls in Pakistan's Swat Valley.

But her campaign angered local militants and she was shot in the head during an assassination attempt while taking the bus to school.

She was treated at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital and, fearing reprisals in her native country, made the city her home.

In 2014 she became the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and her campaign for children's rights to education across the world has seen her address the United Nations on the issue.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai returns to Pakistan for the first time since she was shot by the Taliban / EPA

Pakistans opposition leader Imran Khan's party said Thursday that Malala's return was a sign of the defeat of extremism in the country.
F rench police are hunting a driver who tried to ram a group of soldiers jogging near to their military barracks, authorities said.

Ten soldiers from the 93rd Mountain Artillery regiment managed to avoid the oncoming vehicle in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, a small town south of Grenoble.

Police are currently searching for the driver and car, the mayor of Varces-Allieres-et-Risset told local media.

Officials said the reason for the driver's actions was unknown and it is unclear if the military was targeted specifically, the Associated Press reports.

School children were being kept indoors while the driver remained at large, according to Reuters.

The incident follows a hostage-taking in southern France last week.

An Islamic extremist went on a rampage, shooting at police before holding people in a supermarket.

Four people were killed before the attacker was gunned down.
P olice in Brazil were today searching for a British tourist who was last seen heading barefoot to a beauty spot to meditate.

Katherine Sarah Brewster, 27, had reportedly been staying in an hippie commune in Alpestre, in Brazils southern state of Santa Catarina.

She is said to have left the remote Dom Jose village early on Sunday to practise meditation at a nearby reservoir and never returned.

Residents of the UniPermacultura alternative community reportedly raised the alarm on Tuesday.

Police began a search of the area yesterday afternoon using sniffer dogs but claimed their efforts were hampered by rugged terrain.

Ms Brewster, from London, reportedly left the commune barefoot and wearing light clothes and Bermuda shorts.

She left her mobile phone behind but was carrying her British passport and a credit card, according to investigators.

Last night her younger sister Elizabeth launched a desperate appeal on Facebook for information.

She wrote in Portuguese: If you have happened to talk to Kat in the last few days, or know where she might be, please contact me. Im trying to talk to her urgently.

Villagers last saw her walking towards a wooded area en route to the Foz de Chapeco dam, where she would often go to meditate, according to reports.

Police chief Ercilio Carletti, who is leading the search, said: She was staying together with an alternative community, a long way in the sticks.

The community is called UniPermacultura. One of its members came to communicate her disappearance.

The information we have is that she came to spend time with this community. On Sunday she left to go walking and didnt come back.

Were in contact with the search team to help with sniffer dogs in case she is lost in the woods.

She could also have left to go voluntarily to another place, because she took her documents.

One of the hypotheses is that she went into the lake, which is very deep. The area there has many ravines, its very complicated.

The UniPermacultura commune describes itself as a secular ecovillage, where we live ecumenically respecting all manifestations and religious cults.

We will respect individuals and their individual choices as long as they do not affect the collective harmony.

However, yesterday the communitys coordinator denied the Englishwoman had been in the community and had been staying in the home of a couple situated close to UniPermacultura.

Ms Brewster arrived in Brazil to pilgrimage in nature, according to Brazils GauchaZH website.

She reportedly arrived at the Dom Jose community popular with hippies on February 20 after staying with friends in coastal city Florianopolis, southern Brazil.

The wooded area she would walk through runs alongside the vast Uruguay River, where attacks by anacondas, alligators and jaguars have also been reported.
R ussia is set to expel 150 diplomats and close the US consulate in St Petersburg in retaliation to the global condemnation of the poisoning of a former spy in Salisbury.

The countrys Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the moves, which mirror the action being taken against Russia by the UKs allies.

More than 20 countries have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats to leave in a show of solidarity over the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

The US expelled 60 diplomats and also closed the Russian consulate in Seattle.

Tit-for-tat reaction: The US consulate in St Petersburg is being closed / AFP/Getty Images

In response, Russia has declared 58 US diplomats in Moscow and two in Yekaterinburg as persona non grata.

Mr Lavrov added that other countries can expect a similar response as the tit-for-tat escalates.

He also renewed Russia's demand for access to Yulia Skripal, 33, who is reportedly out of a critical condition and improving rapidly.

It was not immediately clear if her condition would allow her to talk with British or Russian officials about the March 4 poisoning in Salisbury.

Mr Lavrov said that "we have again demanded to be guaranteed access to Yulia as she is a Russian citizen. I hope the British side can fulfil its obligations under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations".

The tit-for-tat diplomat expulsions began when Theresa May ordered 234 Russian diplomats to leave, after intelligence services said it was highly likely Russia was behind the attack. Moscow responded by sending home an equal number of UK diplomats.

Johnson lashes out at "malign acts" by Russian state

The White House has said Russia's expulsion of 60 American diplomats was "not unanticipated" and the US "will deal with it".

Elsewhere, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the world is approaching a situation "similar" to the Cold War as tensions rise between the United States and Russia.
T wo mothers and their six adopted children are feared dead after the familys car plunged off a cliff on the California coast.

Police are still searching for three children but the bodies of their siblings and parents have all been recovered.

Jennifer and Sarah Hart, a married coupled both aged 39, were found dead alongside Markis, 19, Jeremiah, 14, and Abigail, 14.

Hannah, 16, Devonte, 15, and Sierra, 12, are still missing but investigators said there is every indication they were in the car at the time.

Police scour the area the car left the Pacific Coast Highway near Mendocino, California / AP

Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said the people carrier left the Pacific Coast Highway near the city of Mendocino before crossing a wide area of gravel and plummeting down a 100 ft cliff on Monday afternoon.

He said the cause of the crash remains unknown but officials are investigating whether or not the car was deliberately driven over the edge. Jennifer was behind the wheel at the time.

I was at the scene two days ago, and I can tell you it was a very confusing scene, because there were no skid marks, Mr Allman said.

There were no brake marks. There was no indication of why this vehicle traversed approximately over 75 feet of a dirt pullout and went into the Pacific Ocean.

However, he added: "We have no evidence and no reason to believe this was an intentional act.

Jennifer and Sarah with four of their children in June 2014 / AP

The Hart family lived in Woodland, a small city near Portland, and often attended rallies and peaceful protests together.

In 2014, a picture of Devonte crying while hugging a police officer at a Black Lives Matter rally in Portland went viral around the world.

But their Woodland neighbours told local media they suspected the children may have been abused. They said child protection services had visited the home on Friday but nobody answered.

Dana DeKalb told KGWNews that Devonte had been coming to their house regularly in the last week asking for food.

This picture of Devonte Hart hugging a police officer at a Black Lives Matter protest went viral in 2014 / AP

Her husband Bruce DeKalb recalled that three months after the family moved into the home in May 2017, one of the girls rang their doorbell at 1.30am.

She was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her," he said. "She said that they were abusing her. It haunted my wife since that day."

Police in Woodland said they visited the house and found no obvious signs of trouble or violence. The family had left behind a pet, chickens and most of their belongings.

Bill Groener, 67, was a next-door neighbour of the family when they lived in West Linn, Oregon, and said the kids were home-schooled.

"They stayed indoors most of the time, even in really nice weather," Mr Groener said.

He said the family didn't eat sugar, raised their own vegetables, had animals and went on camping trips.

"There was enough positive there to kind of counteract the feeling that something maybe wasn't quite right," he added.
A t least 68 people have died following rioting and a fire at a police station in Venezuela.

Authorities have launched an immediate investigation into the tragic incident at the station in the city of Valencia in Carabobo state.

The fire reportedly started after prisoners kept in holding cells set fire to mattresses in a bid to break out on Wednesday.

Distraught relatives surrounded the station after news of the fire spread, demanding to know if their loved ones had survived.

Relatives of inmates clash with police in the city of Valencia / EPA

They claimed some inmates had died from smoke inhalation because they were unable to escape.

Riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowds and clashes broke out.

Relatives of inmates said some died from smoke inhalation as they were unable to escape / REUTERS

Jesus Santander, secretary general of the local government, said a police officer had been shot in the aftermath of the police station blaze.

Reports claimed rescuers had to break a hole through a wall in the station to free some of the prisoners inside.

Riot police used tear gas to disperse crowds outside the police station / REUTERS

Carlos Nieto Palma, director of the Window to Freedom' group, said officials should be held accountable for failing to address deteriorating conditions in police station jails.

The group said overcrowding has become common throughout the country as detainees are kept long past their holding periods.

"It's grave and alarming," Nieto Palma said. "What happened today in Carabobo is a sign of that."
T he daughter of a former Russian double agent poisoned alongside her father in a nerve agent attack is conscious and talking.

Yulia Skripal, 33, was "improving rapidly" on Thursday after she was exposed to Novichok in Salisbury, Wiltshire, earlier this month.

The BBC reports separate sources have verified Yulia is both conscious and talking.

It came as Russia's foreign minister said this evening that Moscow is renewing its demand for access to Ms Skripal.

Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow: "We have again demanded to be guaranteed access to Yulia as she is a Russian citizen.

Salisbury spy attack: What we know so far

I hope the British side can fulfill its obligations under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations."

Ex-spy Sergei Skripal remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

The US and European allies expelled more than 150 Russian diplomats this week over the poisoning.

Russia announced on Thursday it would expel the same number of Western diplomats.

The Metropolitan Police believe Mr Skripal and his daughter, who was visiting him from Russia, first came into contact with the deadly chemical at his home in Salisbury.

Detailed forensic testing revealed the highest concentration of Novichok was found on the front door.

Russian Spy Sergei Skripal: Salisbury Nerve Agent Incident 1 /14 Russian Spy Sergei Skripal: Salisbury Nerve Agent Incident Investigators in protective gear pursue the probe into the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal Getty Russian spy 'poisoning': Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal are fighting for life in hospital PA Personnel in hazmat suits work to secure a tent covering a bench in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found critically ill by exposure to a nerve agent Andrew Matthews/PA ilitary personnel are deployed to help remove vehicles from the scene after former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found critically ill after exposure to a nerve agent in Salisbury Getty Images Military in protective clothing remove vehicles from a car park in Salisbury EPA Police cordon: Military personnel in Salisbury PA Traces of the nerve agent used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found at Zizzi in Salisbury PA Amber Rudd: she visited the scene where Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found after having been poisoned by a nerve agent REUTERS Personnel are helped from their hazmat suits (right), after securing a tent covering a bench in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found critically ill by exposure to a nerve agent Andrew Matthews/PA Personnel in hazmat suits walk away after securing a tent covering a bench in the Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found critically ill by exposure to a nerve agent Andrew Matthews/PA Police put a red bag inside a police evidence bag immediately after the nerve agent attack on a Russian spy. Officers previously issued CCTV of a woman clutching a red bag Solent news Snap Fitness 24/7 Police activity in the cul-de-sac in Salisbury that contains the home of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal who was poisoned along with daughter Yulia with a nerve agent PA Sergei Skripal shops at Bargain Stop in a CCTV image from five days before his apparent poisoning

Police said traces of the nerve agent had been found at some of the other scenes detectives have been working at, but at lower concentrations.

Detectives will now focus their inquiries in and around the address, and specialist teams will step back from some of the other areas investigated over the past few weeks.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon said: "I would like to reassure residents that we have placed the cordons around the park, and officers will be searching it, as a precautionary measure.

"I would like to reiterate Public Health England's advice that the risk to the public is low. Anyone with concerns regarding the ongoing police activity in Salisbury is encouraged to speak to the local officers or PCSOs at the locations, who will be happy to offer reassurance."

Mr Skripal and his daughter have been patients at Salisbury District Hospital since they were discovered unconscious on a park bench nearly four weeks ago.

Spy poisoning: Russia to expel same number of diplomats as the West

Medical director Dr Christine Blanshard said: "I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal.

"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.

"I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high quality care to these patients over the last few weeks.

"I am very proud both of our front-line staff and all those who support them."

Britain has accused Russia of being behind the poisoning - allegations fiercely denied by Moscow.

In turn, Russia has suggested that UK intelligence officers may have been involved in the poisoning.

Britain insists there is no plausible alternative explanation for the attack and has dismissed the series of suggestions emanating from Moscow as nonsense.

Around 250 counter terrorism detectives continue to work around the clock on the attempted murder investigation, which is expected to continue for months.
E aster isnt only a time to stuff our faces with chocolate, but also the chance to give our wardrobes a much-needed overhaul for spring.

With plenty of clearance sales being held over the Bank Holiday, now is the time to snap up those essential transitional pieces. But youll need to know where to start before you sharpen those elbows.

To help you get the best out of your sales spree, weve compiled a guide to the clearance sales worth knowing about  from TK Maxx to River Island.

TK Maxx

Need designer clobber on a budget? TK Maxxs clearance sale features up to 80 per cent off big brands and includes womenswear, menswear and kids clothing. From Michael Kors jackets to Steve Madden shoes, here youll find the biggest and best discounts on luxury labels. Prices start from as little as 2.

H&M

The high street hero currently has reductions of up to 70 per cent off ladies, mens and kids clothing  youll even spot marked-down items from the Nicki Minaj x H&M range. With great deals on coats and handbags you can shop reduced items by trend, product type or size to make things easier. The sale includes thousands of products in the ladies category starting from a mere 1.29.

H&M

Topshop

Topshop is also offering up to 70 per cent off in its sale section, with items available in Petite and Tall sizes. Now that spring is here, stock up on jeans and floral-print items from the retailers 607 marked-down products  which start at just a tenner. Your wardrobe (and bank account) will thank you for it.

Urban Outfitters

With reductions of up to 75 per cent off, Urban Outfitters will have your spring wardrobe looking fresh in no time. The brands midseason sale consists of womens and mens fashion  and almost everything is super affordable. From comfy loungewear to A-line dresses, there are heaps of laidback styles for all budgets.

PrettyLittleThing

If youre looking for a killer dress for the long weekend, e-tailer PrettyLittleThing has slashed prices on LBDs, sequinned numbers and flashy heels to help you get your glam on without breaking the bank (or leaving the house). The end-of-season sale includes a whopping 2038 items for every fashion and weather situation is UK sizes from 4 to 20.

Debenhams

The department stores Easter Spectacular sale edit features major discounts across mens, womens and childrens categories. Ladies can save over 50 per cent on Carvela shoes and 70 per cent on selected handbags, while gents can enjoy 30 per cent off Calvin Klein and half price on Clarks footwear.

Getty Images

River Island

If your capsule is lacking colour, River Island has all sorts of bold pieces in its midseason sale. Get a head start on your summer wardrobe with reduced swimwear and beachwear, sunglasses and shorts. There are plenty of items for less than a tenner too.

Amazon
T he suitcase brand Away wants to do more than shake up the suitcase industry, it wants to completely change how your travel.

Travel is actually a broken industry, explains Jen Rubio, co-founder and creative director of Away. Everyone wants to talk about their trip but things, like packing and getting to the airport, can be the most painful experience.

We knew from the beginning that the way we were going to make a difference was to make a brand that would make travel more seamless, more enjoyable, and create products that contributed to that.

After launching in 2016, the company did $12 million in sales in its first year alone, and has raised around $31 million from investors including Global Founders Capital and Comcast Ventures.

With four stores in the US and a new store opening in London later this year, Away is only just getting started.

We spoke to Rubio about how the idea for Away started and what its like running a successful start-up.

Jen Rubio, co-founder and creative director at Away / Daniela Spector/Away

How Away started: the meeting of Jen Rubio and Steph Korey

The story of Away starts with the meeting of Rubio and her co-founder Steph Korey at Warby Parker, the eyewear company which started in 2010, where they were working in social media and supply chain respectively.

Warby Parker is now a $1.2 billion company but when Rubio and Korey began working there, it was still very much in start-up mode, offering a good learning experience.

It gave me a sense of how you can take something thats admittedly not very sexy  in Warby Parkers case eyewear, but by changing the way you build the company and add a new perspective to [a product], that will really disrupt the industry, says Rubio.

7 of the best suitcases - in pictures 1 /8 7 of the best suitcases - in pictures Our pick of the best hard cases... Revelation! Jude Suitcase This black, high-shine luggage set is constructed with a ridged, tough shell, ensuring your valuables will stay intact on a long-haul journey. 79, Revelation London, Buy it now Rimowa Classic Flight Case A classic four-wheeled suitcase with a durable aluminium-magnesium housing and adjustable telescopic handles that makes lifting and carrying easy. 570, Selfridges, Buy it now Longchamp Boxford Suitcase Breeze through the terminal with this smart, leather-trimmed carry-on, which will serve you well on impromptu weekends away. 345, Longchamp, Buy it now Tumi Tegra-Lite X Frame S Spinner Case Lightweight and robust, this eye-catching case combines the finest elements of style and practicality, with its contrast reinforcement panels and 4 smooth-glide spinner wheels, providing unrivaled maneuverability. 633, Wardow, Buy it now Globe Trotter Safari Trolley Case Luxury lovers take note: this 1920s-inspired suitcase not only looks superb, but also boasts polished brass hardware, a luxurious silk damask lining woven by the Gainsborough Silk and instant heirloom individuality. 1512, Globe Trotter, Buy it now Samsonite Lite-Shock Inspired by nature, the design of the Lite-Shock suitcase's shock-absorbing shell is based on the ripple-effect that appears when dropping a stone in the water. Not only does it look good, but the patented self-reinforced organic design gives extra strength to the case. 315, John Lewis, Buy it now Ted Baker Floral Case Floral lovers will want to wheel away this handy botanical suitcase this summer, which delivers premium performance thanks to a multi directional four-wheel system. 295, Ted Baker,Buy it now

Rubio then left Warby Parker to apply her start-up skills to the fashion brand All Saints, as the companys global head of innovation. After working there for two years, she was thinking about her next career move when her luggage broke.

When I was looking for an alternative, I realised this is an industry where there arent any great alternatives, explains Rubio. Even people who know luggage brands dont love them, they just use whats out there.

Using her brand experience, Rubio couldnt understand why there wasnt a luggage brand that people did love.

After re-connecting with Korey, who had received an MBA at Columbia Business School in the meantime, the duo decided to set up a direct-to-consumer luggage company that had the potential to drastically shift the industry. And with that, Away came along.

Away

Launching the first Away product

Away cases are smart and the company counts celebrities including Karlie Kloss, Suki Waterhouse and Zoe Saldana amongst its fans.

When designing the first Away case, the company went straight to its customers first before putting pen to paper, talking to nearly 1,000 travellers about the features they wanted in a suitcase.

This is how the cases ended up with hard exteriors yet are lightweight, have great zippers, good wheels, and a handy built-in removable USB charger in the carry-on case.

We took those steps before we even launched or designed the product, to ensure we were taking all the consumer insights to hand and getting feedback before wed even sold a single suitcase, she says.

If you launch an app or a website, its easier to be innovative by taking your product out and rolling out changes. But when youre creating products that people are buying, you have to make sure its something they want before you put it out into the world.

As well, Away also gives its customers features such as a 100-day trial and lifetime warranty whenever they buy a product. This is part of the companys strategy to ensure it provides an amazing customer experience.

When the best way to reach people is your website and theyre not able to touch and feel the product, you want to make them feel confident that youre not just marketing something theyll be stuck with if they dont like it, explains Rubio.

Away

Bridging the divide between tech and retail

Away and its founders are part of a new cohort of companies bridging the divide between tech and traditional firms. With its great brand presence on social media platforms like Instagram, as well as the fact it raises money like a tech start-up, Away can be classified as a tech firm.

However, due to the fact it sells products, it also comes under retail. This makes Away similar to other start-ups like Emily Weisss Glossier which are creating this new stream of companies.

Thats what is exciting about Away, that were building our own kind of company, says Rubio. Our infrastructure and processing stems from what we learned in tech, so being lean and innovative in everything we do.

But when we think about design and our physical products, we look at luxury and fashion companies because theyre really good at connecting with the customers.

I think the best parts about new brands like Away and Glossier is that we can take the good parts of each sector but arent stuck with the old bad habits or how theyre traditionally run.

This flexibility allows Away to spring up in new ways, like with retail stores. The company will be opening its fifth retail store in the UKs capital later this year.

As well as selling Away products, the stores also host events, panels, and workshops.

We see our stores as a platform to continue building the brand rather than just selling bags.

In the past two years, Away has been on a non-stop growth spree and it doesnt show any signs of stopping. Rubio says this is very rewarding.

Were really proud of the team weve built. Everyones so talented and the company has really become its own thing, not just about me and Steph anymore, she says.
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Minister of National Defense Mihai Fifor told on Thursday a press conference in Cluj-Napoca that Romania could become a regional hub for the defense industry and provide military capabilities for the countries in the area.

"There is a parliamentary initiative for the Ministry of Defense to take over the defense industry subordinated to the Ministry of Economy. It is a legislative initiative submitted to the Senate (...) As a former minister of economy, I can tell you that there is a great interest for 2% allocated for defense to return to the national defense industry. Romania did not go shopping with budget money, Romania wants to invest in the defense industry so we can restart many of the capabilities of the defense industry, because the intention is for Romania to become a regional hub for the defense industry," said Mihai Fifor.

In the context, he added that he had discussions with Croatian defense and economy ministers for Romania to provide the defense capabilities that the Croats buy.Minister of National Defense Mihai Fifor had a meeting with the command of the "Gemina" 4th Infantry Division on Thursday, and then he visited the Military Hospital in Cluj-Napoca.

AGERPRES .
Representatives of the Romanian language media with the historical communities around Romania visited on Wednesday the headquarters of the AGERPRES National News Agency on which occasion they were presented one of the most important projects of the agency launched this year, the "Great Union - Romania, at 100 years" documentary dedicated to the Centennial.

The attendees, journalists from Serbia - Voivodina, Ukraine - Cernauti and Transcarpatia, the Republic of Moldova - Chisinau and Balti, and Albania could learn from the deputy managing director of AGERPRES Claudia Nicolae about the general way of functioning of a news agency, alongside aspects connected to the organisation on desks and departments, and the way of working at central, local level of AGERPRES.

Claudia Nicolae spoke to the Romanian language journalists colleagues with the historical communities about the project of the film dedicated to the Centennial, too."The Great Union for Romania and the Centennial, this year, represent an important moment. None of us can forget history. (...) History is representing us, history is each and every ones' past, history is the foundation and roots of each nation, of each country," the deputy managing director told the guests.The guests from abroad could find out details about the AGERPRES video studio, too. They have watched afterwards a trailer of the above-mentioned documentary. The deputy editor-in-chief of the Video Section, Marilena Gheorghita talked to the guests about how shooting worked during the trips paid by the agency's teams to Northern Bucovina and Bessarabia, in the Republic of Moldova.One of the guests presented in turn an editorial project carried out in Ukraine, a book based on the memories of one of the six deputies with a right to vote sent by the historic Maramures to Alba Iulia in 1918, the peasant-writer Mihai Dan, "also known by people as Mihai (son) of Ilies, of God".On Wednesday, the participants in the "Centennial itinerary for Romanian journalists abroad" programme coordinated by the Ministry for Romanians Abroad visited the the public television SRTV and the public radio SRR.Moreover, on Tuesday the Romanian language journalists attended the solemn sitting of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies where the "Solemn Declaration of Parliament for the Celebration of Union of Bessarabia and the Mother Land, Romania, at 27 March 1918" was delivered, by which the unity of the Romanian people and the Romanian language are reflected.At the Parliament, they had a meeting with the two chambers' heads, as well as with the members of the committees for the Romanians Abroad and of the Foreign Policy committees.The Romanian language journalists with the historical communities are in Romania 26 through 30 March.
It is fairly simple to understand what the appointment of John Bolton as the Trump Administrations National Security Advisor is all about. First of all, as there is no congressional approval or confirmation process involved, the announcement made last week, which is being criticized from all sides, is not really subject to debate. Bolton is the new Advisor and will serve at the will of the president. One might note, however, that he is the third Advisor in fourteen months, so the position itself has in practice turned out to be a death sentence for those who have been bold enough to seek it.

Bolton is in place because his belligerent worldview coordinates very well with and validates that of the president, though it remains to be seen if that will translate into action. Trumps harsh rhetoric has so far not produced a new war, though there are plenty of threats being flung about regarding Iran and North Korea, and there have been some unfortunate incidents in Syria and with Russia. But so far Donald Trump has, if anything, been more moderate than Hillary Clinton would likely have been.

John Bolton has been praised by some in the media in the false belief that he represents a bad cop in the administration who will free up Trump to act as the good cop in dealing with world problems. That is a fanciful analysis as the Administration is already well represented in bad cops in UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Another argument is that the White House sorely needs a shake-up of the National Security Council, which Bolton will head, because it is not aggressive enough supporting US interests. It is a ridiculous argument as Bolton has never represented actual US interests. His guiding principle is that Washington should bomb everyone who is even remotely a threat and if someone is not a threat and merely an irritant, bomb them anyway.

Boltons appointment was based on good chemistry with Trump, who knows virtually nothing about what is going on in the world, but is also derives from demands made by the presidents major financial backer, Israeli-American casino multi-billionaire Sheldon Adelson. Adelson has funded various ventures launched by Bolton and is his patron. For Adelson, US foreign policy is all about Israel, a reality that is reflected in those who are expressing their enthusiasm for the Bolton appointment: Israels government, the Israel Lobby in the United States, and the media that reflexively supports anything that is perceived as being beneficial for the Jewish state.

Bolton, described as the most abrasive American diplomat of the twenty-first century, is a frequent contributor to the media, so his views on what must be done are pretty well defined. It can be expected that he will continue to support any and all efforts to end the nuclear agreement with Iran and bring about regime change, to include support of the totalitarian terrorist-cult Mujahideen e Khalq (MEK), which has for many years been paying him to speak at their rallies. To reduce Iranian regional influence, he favors reconstructing Iraq and Syria.

John Bolton also believes that Russias alleged interference in American elections was an act of war. He thinks that negotiations with enemies are useless and recommends preemptive attacks by US forces to end the actual or potential weapons of mass destruction threat coming from North Korea and Iran. He further believes that the United Nations is a dangerous anachronism and that leadership of the entire world, when necessary, should be exercised by the United States based solely on American interests.

Not surprisingly, Bolton is hardcore pro-Israeli and has been associated with virulent Islamophobes like Pamela Geller. He wants to end the problem posed by potential Palestinian statehood, which he describes as a ploy to strangle Israel, by allowing Jordan to take control of some bits of the West Bank, Egypt to resume control of Gaza, and the Israelis to absorb what is left for its settlers.

Conservative columnist George Will describes Bolton as the second most dangerous man in Washington, the most dangerous being his boss. The New York Times in a lead editorial observes that There are few people more likely than Mr. Bolton is to lead the country into war. His selection is a decision that is as alarming as any Mr. Trump has madeindulging his worst nationalistic instincts.

I would add that Bolton is particularly dangerous because he is a well-educated ideologue who sounds credible. He is, unfortunately, exactly the type of advisor that an ignorant president would find convincing. Therein lies the danger.
In August 2017 the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) began issuing Chinese made DJI consumer quadcopters to its infantry brigades and border guard battalions in the south. This was expected because Israeli commanders and troops had been having great success bringing their personnel quadcopters with them and finding them invaluable lifesavers. The DJI quadcopters used are the Mavic and Matrice. All infantry company commanders will receive a Mavic Pro, to be used as a pair of flying binoculars. The Mavic Pro quadcopter is light (734 g/1.6 pounds) and compact when folded (and takes up about as much space as binoculars). With controller (with small flat screen to view what the camera sees) and case the Mavic Pro weighs less than a kilogram (or two pounds). You can record the high res (4K) video but most of the time military users are in flying binocular mode. Troops, especially commanders, will also bring several extra batteries. These take an hour to recharge and most Israeli infantry units in the field are either close to buildings with electrical outlets or have military vehicles that are equipped to recharge portable devices. The Mavic Pro costs about a thousand dollars with one battery.

Average flight time is 21 minutes and the Mavic Pro can operate up to 7,000 meters from the user. It can fly as high as 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) but in combat usually operates at low (under 100 meters) altitude. The Mavic Pro is the result of nearly a decade of effort that produced several generations of quadcopters, each one smaller, cheaper and easier to use. The Mavic Pro turned out to be sturdy and cheap enough, not to mention easy to use, to be popular with troops both as a leisure time gadget and something very useful while on duty.

Mavic Pro first became available in late 2016. In early 2018 DJI released the Mavic Air, which weighs half as much as the Mavic Pro, is more compact and has the same battery life. The Mavic Air has improved collision avoidance features and is even easier to use than the Mavic Pro. It is also cheaper, at $800.

In urban fighting the Mavic Pro is most useful just looking at nearby rooftops and alleys. This is how infantry platoon and company commanders who brought their personal Mavic Pros with them used them and it was the reports from these users (as well as NCOs and troops who did the same) that drove the decision to make these quadcopters army issued items.

The reports of these early users made it easier to develop a training program and a standard doctrine for these quadcopters. As a practical matter the Mavic Pro is so easy to use that just about any soldier can pick one up and learn to use it as flying binoculars in minutes. What it came down to was commanders and troops quickly coming to consider these quadcopters as flying binoculars and not some high-tech device.

The border guards were issued larger Matrice quadcopters. These weigh about twice as much as the Mavic, can stay in the air twice as long and can carry night vision cameras. Because they are heavier the Matrice handle better in the wind, which is encountered more often in rural border areas. The border patrol regularly operates at night and has to cover larger areas. So the Matrice makes more sense. The Matrice 100 goes for $3,300 retail but governments usually buy in bulk at discount. .

At the same time (August) the IDF announced it was issuing DJI quadcopters and encouraging troops to continue using their own, U.S. Army ordered its personnel to stop using these same quadcopters. In fact the U.S. Army banned the use of any DJI (the Chinese manufacturer) quadcopters. The reason for the ban was suspected problems with the security of the wireless communication hardware and software used by DJI commercial UAVs. DJI is the largest manufacturer of commercial quadcopters in the world and the American military has been using them for some non-combat jobs as well as providing a lot of them to allies in Syria and Iraq. DJI quadcopters are also popular with Islamic terrorist groups and criminal organizations worldwide. The U.S. Army did not provide a lot of details of what the problems were (or might be) with the DJI quadcopters but ordered its personnel to stop using them immediately and uninstall any DJI software installed in army PCs and disconnect any DJI wireless hardware.

The IDF got in touch their American counterparts to get a better idea of why the American ban was implemented. The Israelis knew that commercial or consumer grade quadcopters lacked military grade encryption but based on Israeli experience (which is pretty much every day) there were no problems if you simply considered these quadcopters flying binoculars. A lot of American combat commanders made the same argument but were overruled because the media was making a big deal about the possibility that the Chinese could easily hack the DJI quadcopters. By the end of the year DJI had released upgraded control software that addressed some of these fears. This satisfied the Israelis and most other non-Chinese military users. The Israelis also had confidence in the large number of Israeli hackers (most of them have been in the military) willing and able to dissect the DJI quadcopters and their software looking for vulnerabilities.

Its no secret that DJI quadcopters have been showing in in combat zones with increasing frequency since 2014. The most popular of these, until the Mavic showed up was the DJI Phantom line of quadcopters. The Phantom 3 showed up in 2015. It cost about a thousand dollars, weighs 3.9 kg (8.6 pounds) can stay in the air about 20 minutes per flight and can go up to 2,000 meters from the operator. The operator can see (at 720p resolution) what is under the Phantom using a small display and capture a higher resolution video (2.7k or 1080p) on a 16 GB micro memory card on the UAV. The Phantom 3 was widely available. It is easy to operate and has flight control software that makes it easy to operate and keeps the video image stable. You can equip these with a night vision camera. Max altitude is over 500 meters (1,600 feet) but most Phantoms operate lower down because getting to higher altitude takes time.

DJI kept upgrading its Phantom line of quadcopters from the moment the first one hit the market in 2013 and the latest (early 2018) Mavic Air is the latest model. The Phantom 1 was basically a quadcopter you could add your own GoPro wireless vidcam to. But every few months DJI added new features and major upgrades were introduced as a new mode. Phantom 2 appeared at the end of 2013, Phantom 3 in early 2015 and Phantom 4 a year later. Phantom 3 was the most popular model and Phantom 4 was basically a Phantom 3 with lots more capabilities (4K video, video transmission range of five kilometers) and a higher price (about $1,800 each). Now models of the Phantom continue to appear. But when the Mavic showed up it was somewhat different in that it was deliberately smaller, cheaper, easier to use and more compact. This appealed to those who want to carry it around with them like people used to do with film cameras or still do with binoculars.

There are more expensive ($10,000 or more) and capable quadcopters and fixed wing models. But for the needs of troops and irregular forces in a chaotic combat zone relative cheap ones like Phantom and Mavic got the job done. The sweet spot appears to be the thousand dollars or under for compact quadcopters. These serve the need, get the job done, are easy to operate and you can afford to lose a few. DJI currently has over half the market for these quadcopters and apparently the U.S. Army has discovered vulnerabilities in the data security of the DJI software that could be exploited by the enemy (or already known and used by Chinese military intelligence). Since the Phantom UAVs have GPS and data logging anyone with access to DJI software could gather valuable information on how they are being used by all users, including the U.S. Army and allies it has supplied DJI UAVs to.

The Israelis are pioneers in Internet security software and hacking military and Internet software used by opponents. The Americans appear to be victims of their own paranoia. Not so much on the part of the troops but the politicians and media that thrive on FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) issues that will make some headlines. Meanwhile the flying binoculars definitely make life easier and safer for the troops. The Israelis chose that over FUD.
In South Sudan, foreign aid groups expect food shortages to affect 85 percent of the population within the next five weeks. The aid groups are trying to make the most of the dry season to bring food supplies into South Sudan by road and then move the food to storage and distribution sites around the country. When the rainy season starts roads in many places become impassable. Emergency food can be distributed by aircraft but the rainy season often closes more primitive airfields. Air delivery is also more costly. However, the rainy season isn't the only reason supply is difficult. South Sudan has 1.8 million internally displaced people (IDPs). Many are living in makeshift camps which have no food storage facilities. The civil war also hampers food and medical efforts and frequently closes transportation routes. Is the 85 percent figure credible or a scare story? No doubt the foreign aid groups would like a donation, but given the war, the chaotic conditions, the geography and the weather, it rates as a credible scare. Decoding the food relief world's jargon helps. The relief organizations are warning that a "food crisis" already exists in several South Sudanese states. That crisis is spreading to other areas. If it continues to spread and food resupply is interrupted, by the first week of May over 80 percent of the population could experience food crisis (growing hunger and malnutrition) conditions. "Food crisis" has a professional definition: people in affected areas are marginally able to meet minimum food requirements and local food stocks are declining precipitously. Another food relief agency says by July some area could confront a "food emergency." Definition of a "food emergency": acute malnutrition is evident. People are beginning to die from disease (due to physical weakness) and hunger. UN bureaucrats use jargon like "large food consumption gaps" to describe a food emergency; that means people often go days without eating. Famine conditions are the most extreme form of acute food insecurity. "Famine" doesn't require explanation. Most food relief agencies use the word, though you will see "food catastrophe." Well, a famine is a catastrophe, one characterized by starvation, disease, death and poverty. And famine conditions already exist in isolated pockets of South Sudan. (Austin Bay)

March 27, 2018: IGAD (East African Intergovernmental Authority on Development) has asked South Africa to free South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar, who has been under house arrest in South Africa since late 2016. IGAD asked that Machar be allowed to travel to South Sudan or any country not neighboring South Sudan. The request may be an indication that IGAD is preparing for a new round of South Sudan political settlement negotiations.

March 26, 2018: South Sudan has warned Sudan that it will not tolerate a build-up of Sudanese forces near the border. South Sudan claimed the Sudan has deployed army troops and heavy military equipment along the border just north of the South Sudan town of Kuek (Northern Upper Nile state).

Qatar has agreed to invest $4 billion in Sudan's Suakin port restoration project. The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has already begun restoring some of the old Ottoman-era structures on Suakin Island. Suakin is one of Africa's oldest seaports.

March 25, 2018: In South Sudan fighting has erupted in several places. The government claimed rebels attacked its forces in the northeast (Latjor state) and a government base in south (Central Equatoria state). Rebels also attacked and seized the government base in the Upper Nile state (Upper Nile state). The rebels denied the government accusations and claimed that government forces are conducting an offensive in rebel areas in an attempt to seize territory before new negotiations begin. The rebels asked that a CTSAMM (Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism) monitoring team visit Latjor state and other battle areas.

March 24, 2018: In western Sudan (Darfur) rebel group SLM-AW claimed it killed "dozens" of soldiers and pro- government militiamen in a series of battles fought just southeast of Jebel Marra (far west Darfur region). Clashes occurred in and around the Feina, Dalo, Dawa and Dolda areas (all are located in South Darfur state).

Sudan rejected accusations by Eritrea that it is supporting radical, anti-Eritrean government groups. Earlier this month Eritrea claimed that Qatar and Sudan have built a training base for Mohammed Jumma and his Eritrean Islamist fighters. Eritrea has also accused Sudan and Ethiopia of creating an anti-Eritrean force

March 21, 2018: The U.S. imposed strict economic sanctions on fifteen South Sudan oil and oil production companies because the South Sudan government is corrupt and uses oil revenues "to purchase weapons and fund irregular militias that undermine the peace, security, and stability" in South Sudan.

March 19, 2018: South Sudan is concerned that Sudan is hosting its former military chief of staff, General Paul Malong, who is now unwelcome in South Sudan because he joined the rebels.

March 16, 2018: Sudan will demobilize 6,500 former rebel fighters this year. This will take place mainly in three states; Blue Nile, South Kordofan and White Nile.

March 15, 2018: The UN has extended its South Sudan peacekeeping operation for another year. This force is authorized 17,000 troops (which includes the Regional Protection Force of 4,000). It can deploy up to 2,101 police personnel. The UN also warned South Sudan that it is considering imposing an arms embargo on the country.

March 9, 2018: In South Sudan anti-corruption groups claim that the national petroleum company, the Nile Petroleum Corporation (NilePet), has become a corrupt operation. The company is controlled by President Salva Kiir and his ruling clique. Kiir uses NilePet's oil revenues to maintain his security services and bankroll pro-government ethnic militias. The activists claim one arm of the National Security Service (NSS), the Internal Security Bureau (ISB), receives funds directly from NilePet. The ISB is involved in protecting South Sudan's oil fields, but direct funding evades political oversight and accounting. Supporting tribal militias is another matter. Critics claim all that does is complicate efforts to end local conflicts within South Sudan.

March 8, 2018: In South Sudan the UN organized peace talks in the disputed (between Sudan and South Sudan) Abyei region. This resulted in leaders of the Misseriya and Dinka Ngok tribes signed "a community peace agreement for peaceful coexistence." That isn't a peace treaty but it could be a small step toward one. Abyei is the oil-producing region on the Sudan-South Sudan border. Both Sudan and South Sudan claim it. South Sudan backs the Dinka Ngok. Sudan backs the Misseriya and evidence exists that Sudanese intelligence and security agencies once encouraged the Misseriya to attack the Dinka Ngok. Abyei is traditional Dinka Ngok territory. The Dinka Ngok are farmers. The Arabized Misseriya are semi-nomadic cattle herders and for centuries have moved through the Abyei region, where some Misseriya now live. Fighting between the two tribes led to the creation of this peace effort. There were clashes involving both tribes in early 2017. In December 2017, Misseriya leaders issued a tribal-wide edict that prohibited herdsmen from moving their cattle into Dinka Ngok areas. That decision helped make the peace conference possible.

In western Sudan (Darfur) the army RSF (Rapid Support Forces) captured Suleiman Marjan, a senior rebel commander (belonging to the SLA, or Sudan Liberation Army) in North Darfur state. Marjan was seeking new recruits.

March 7, 2018: In northeast South Sudan (Upper Nile state) a mine clearing tech working for the UN died when a landmine he was dealing with exploded. The South Sudan peace agreement specified that rebel areas would receive money for reconstruction. Former fighters would also receive job training. Very little money has been allocated for reconstruction and re-training and many of those who do receive training find that it was not adequate to do a job well.

March 5, 2018: In northeast Sudan (River Nile state) a series of clashes in a gold-producing area left one miner dead and five others injured. The most serious incident involved local Sudanese miners and a Russian mining company. The Sudanese claimed they owned the area and the security guards employed by the Russians disagreed.

March 4, 2018: In southeast Sudan (White Nile state) local officials are preparing to handle a lot more South Sudan refugees. Some 3,000 refugees have arrived in the last month. That may not seem like a lot, but 148,000 South Sudanese are already housed in camps in White Nile and a lot more are expected in the near future.

March 3, 2018: Sudan had resumed full diplomatic relations with Egypt (by send their ambassador back to Egypt). Sudan withdrew its ambassador to Egypt two months earlier because of a border dispute.

February 28, 2018: In Sudany the government released "several dozen" protestors who were arrested in January's "bread protests." The protestors were objecting to the government's decision to raise prices on bread and other staple foods because the subsidies for this were more than the government could afford.

February 27, 2018: In northwestern South Sudan the UN has relieved 46 Ghanaian peacekeepers from duty and is charging of sexually exploiting women they were ordered to protect.

February 26, 2018: South Sudan rebels confirmed that government forces had killed Felix Likambu Faustino, one of their senior commanders in south (Yei River state).
TICKERS: FEC; FECCF

Source: Streetwise Reports (3/29/18)

Ian Macqueen, an analyst with Eight Capital, revealed the areas of potential upside for this energy firm.



In a March 27 research note, analyst Ian Macqueen reported that Eight Capital initiated coverage on Frontera Energy Corp. (FEC:TSX) with a Buy rating and CA$52.50 per share target price. In comparison, the stock is currently trading at around CA$36.11 per share.

About Frontera's overall prospects, Macqueen concluded, "Short term, we see good upside to the company share price as it executes on some of the 2018-2019 catalysts outlined. . .medium term, we believe that the company can mitigate declines in 2019 and 2020 by appraising the Guatiquia and Quifa properties."

Longer term though, the analyst added, Frontera "needs to establish new growth properties (production and reserves) that do not currently exist within the portfolio." Those could be or include the Block 192 production contract and/or a discovery in LLA-25 at Acorazado.

Macqueen outlined six possible value-adding catalysts for Frontera:

1. Upwardly revised reserves at Quifa and Guatiquia based on results from drilling in 2017. For instance, Macqueen indicated that an additional 10 million barrels of heavy oil reserves at Quifa would add a value to the stock of about CA$2.75 per share, and the same at Guatiquia would add about CA$3.50 per share. "Even reasonably small reserve additions would be immediately impactful to our model," he added. "We think that there is a good chance that Frontera will get positive revisions at year-end 2017."

2. A win in the arbitration with the Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos in Colombia over high-priced royalties at Corcel. A victory would mean Frontera could eliminate about $200 million in current liabilities.

3. A positive outcome from renegotiated ship-or-pay contracts regarding the Oleoducto Bicentenario de Colombia S.A.S. (OBC) pipeline. Mandatory renegotiations, anticipated in Q2/18, "could reduce or eliminate ~$100M per year in unused OBC capacity charges," Macqueen noted.

4. Favorable exploration results. In Q1/18, Frontera plans to drill on the Guatiquia Block with three rigs. In Q2/18, it will initiate drilling on the LLA-25 block, with the Acorazado-1 exploration well "testing a ~54 million barrel prospect," wrote Macqueen. "Although it is high risk, success at Acorazado could allow the company to offset declines until at least 2020."

5. Landing the 30-year contract to produce oil from Block 192 in Peru's Maranon Basin. The public bidding process for the contract is slated to start in late 2018. Frontera, which currently has a temporary service agreement to drill there, "sees significant potential on the block" and "feels that the company is well positioned to win the contract," Macqueen relayed.

6. Increased EBITDA capacity at Puerto Bahia. Following completion of proposed infrastructure, including a new dry dock and pipeline connection to the Refineria de Cartagena, Frontera could see an increase in earnings up to greater than $100 million per year in 2020 from $50 million today.

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Disclosures from Eight Capital, Frontera Energy Corp., Initiating Coverage, Mar. 27, 2018

Conflicts of Interest: Eight Capital has written procedures designed to identify and manage potential conflicts of interest that arise in connection with its research and other businesses. The compensation of each Research Analyst/Associate involved in the preparation of this research report is based competitively upon several criteria, including performance assessment criteria, the quality of research and the value of the services they provide to clients of Eight Capital. The Research Analyst compensation pool includes revenues from several sources, including sales, trading and investment banking. Research analysts and associates do not receive compensation based upon revenues from specific investment banking transactions.

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Hawaiian airlines has announced its support for Netball in New Zealand through a major sponsorship of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and Northern Stars ANZ Premiership teams.

The airline joined management and officials from both teams to make the announcement during the WBOP Magic v Northern Stars pre-season match at the Silver Fern Farms Events Centre in Te Aroha recently.

Hawaiian will become a sponsor and Airline partner of both teams. The airline has now been flying to New Zealand for five years.

Russell Williss, Hawaiian Airlines New Zealand Country Director, says the carrier looks forward to welcoming the WBOP Magic and Northern Stars to Hawaiian Airlines Ohana (or family in Hawaiian).

Hawaiian Airlines chooses its sponsorship commitments carefully to match our own culture and values and New Zealand Netball is a great match with many of our own principles - integrity, responsibility, teamwork, diversity, passion, community and family  to name a few, he says.

Netball is New Zealands leading womens sport, with massive community engagement and we are delighted to be sponsoring two of the countrys most inspiring teams.

Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty Chief Executive Rohan West says they are excited about the partnership.

We are both delighted and excited to welcome Hawaiian Airlines as a major commercial sponsor of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.

As our new Airline Sponsor, Hawaiian Airlines brings an exciting, international dimension to our team and our game.

There are so many synergies and shared values between the WBOP Magic and Hawaiian Airlines that this partnership just feels right from the beginning.

We will work with Hawaiian Airlines on exciting opportunities for supporter engagement, especially focussing on enhancing the live game experience. Without giving away too much, fans who come to WBOP Magic home games may find themselves on board Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu.

Northern Stars General Manager Dianne Lasenby says the Northern Stars are proud to have Hawaiian Airlines join their family of sponsors.

We are absolutely delighted to welcome such an innovative international carrier as Hawaiian Airlines joining as our official airline sponsor. To bring on board such a well-recognised partner demonstrates the value of partnering with our sport.

We are excited to develop our relationship with Hawaiian Airlines and we cant wait to start rolling out some very exciting initiatives for our fans.
A Tauranga high school student is one of 10 selected from throughout the country to take part in a business challenge field-trip to Singapore in April.

The Southeast Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence has worked with Young Enterprise and the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (Singapore) to create a business study tour with the aim of exposing young Kiwis to the opportunities awaiting them outside of school and in the hub of businesses in Asia.

Tauranga Girls College student Skye Lunson-Storey is thrilled to be part of the student cohort.

Im feeling really excited because I havent really had the opportunity to go overseas before and Im looking forward to learning about Singapores diverse culture and business identity.

It will be an amazing experience to gain new skills that can expand my creative and innovative ideas for a future business. I was very surprised that I was chosen but I am extremely grateful.

Young Enterprise Trust communications adviser Ella Roche says the students will learn about the culture and business community in Singapore, including site visits to established companies and start-ups.

They will meet local entrepreneurs, as well as those involved in some of our trade relationships, and work with local Singaporean students on a thought-provoking business challenge.

She says the trip is an opportunity for the young entrepreneurs to extend their global business knowledge and their understanding of the Singapore trade environment.
Local electricity company Trustpower is one of several energy providers to have made submissions on the draft terms of reference for a government review into retail power prices.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods released the final terms of reference for the review earlier this week.

She says New Zealanders deserve to have access to electricity at a fair price, and this review will look into whether the electricity market is delivering that.

Residential electricity prices have risen by around 50 per cent since 2000 but the price for business remained flat. We want to find out why that is, she says.

The review will adopt a forward-looking approach and will consider the entire electricity market, from generation, through transmission and distribution, to retail.

We need to consider how the market operates as whole because all of it contributes to what makes up our power bills.

The review is also tasked with looking at how the electricity market and its regulatory framework is placed for the future, especially in the light of the rise of emerging technologies such as solar power and electric vehicles.

The minister says an expert advisory group will provide peer and technical advice for the review, which will be supported by a secretariat provided by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and external consultants.

The review will be carried out in stages, with the first phase looking at determining facts and building evidence, says Megan. The scope of further stages will be shaped by those findings.

Trustpower was one of several submitters on the draft terms of reference, along with other large electricity companies such as Genesis, Mercury, and Meridian.

In their submission they say they are confident the underlying structure of the market is sound, and that the market is performing well.

However, the company questions whether the period from 1999-2017 is an appropriate timeframe for the review, citing significant differences in the market and regulatory structure across both generation and retail between now and then.

Although that period will remain a focus for the review, looking to the future will also be given equal weight  something Trustpower called for in its submission.

A spokesperson for the minister says the impact of people going off the grid in the future with their own personal generation (such as solar power) will likely have an impact on prices, and affect the poorest in our communities, who are the least likely to be able to generate their own electricity.

Trustpower also points out that current ambition to have 100 per cent of electricity generated renewably by 2035 will put pressure on prices.

Renewables are relatively cheap to operate but expensive to develop (i.e. they have low operating costs but high capital costs), and the investment costs required to meet these targets will have to be recovered somehow.

While we support an increased role for renewables, the extra investment required will place upward pressure on electricity prices (assuming the increased investment costs will be recovered via the electricity market).

Earlier this year, TECT trustees made the proposal to wind up the consumer trust and focus solely on their charitable operations.

Speaking to SunLive at the time, TECT chair Bill Holland says there is perennial uncertainty in the electricity sector due to the risk of government interference.

Two years after I came onto the board, our shares were worth around eight dollars. Then Labour and the Greens came out with a policy [NZ Power, which would have purchased all electricity generation for the country] and the price dropped to six dollars. Now, they didnt get in at that election, but it shows what can happen.

Power prices are very political  just last year we had someone from New Zealand First saying the government should be buying back the electricity companies.

This upcoming review was one of the reasons behind re-examining the future of TECT. However, the trustees proposal failed to make it to a vote after submissions from consumers were overwhelmingly against change.

The current review will begin gathering evidence in April of this year, and is expected to report back its findings and recommendations by April/May 2019.
Good morning Sunners and welcome to Good Friday!

Most of us will agree Fridays are already pretty good on a normal week, but for many of us, this Friday is even beter as it marks the first of a four day weekend spent with family, relaxing or on those quick getaways.

For those of us who chose to stay in the Bay for the long weekend, or even for those of are visitors (welcome!), you can be rest assured there is no end to the great range of activities happening around the city for you to choose from.

Why not start your morning with a nice wind down - especially if youve had to travel on busy roads to get here - by attending a Piloga class.

Held at Arataki Community Centre, the class offers the perfect mix of pilates and yoga and is a great way to help combat the guilt you might feel a bit later on this weekend after one too many bites of chocolate.

And dont forget the 56th National Jazz Festival is on, so its a great weekend to be in the city, which is set to buzz with the smooth sounds of jazz.

Todays lineup includes Melbournes very own Shirazz, a six-piece band specialising in classic hot jazz of the 20s and 30s playing classic trad jazz as it was meant to be played.

So grab a friend and head along to Baycourt, they will be playing from 6pm.

Following on from them is the incredible Dr Fox. Legendary bassist Dewayne Pate teams up with saxophonist Dave Wilson and Dr Rodger Fox and the NZSM Big Band for a concert that will blow your socks off.

Theyll take the stage from 8pm and are sure to bring you a concert to remember.

For more information on either act, or any other details including ticketting visit the official event website.

Theres plenty more activities too, take a look at whats on offer below.

Friday 30 March

Acoholics Anonymous

Open meeting, 10am, Tauranga Central Baptist Church, corner 13th Ave & Cameron Rd. All welcome. Ph 0800 229 6757

Alcoholics Anonymous

Open meeting, 7.30pm, Tauranga Hanmer Clinic, 1235 Cameron Rd. (Behind SuperLiquour) All welcome. Ph 0800 229 675 757

Chess Tauranga

Tauranga RSA Chess Club, Greerton 5-7pm, Casual & Standard length games. Ph Werner 548 1111 http:/www.westernbopchess.weebly.com/

Comparative World Religions

Tauranga Term 1 classes on the Western belief traditions on Fridays 6-8pm, 16 Feb-6 Apr. More info & registration at www.rdc.org.nz/classes

Dr Fox Concert

Jazz masters in concert with Dr Rodger Fox & the NZSM Big Band. At Baycourt at 8pm. See ticketek.co.nz or baycourt.co.nz

Free Hearing Advice

FREE hearing check & advice on communication, devices, hearing difficulties, speechreading & living well with hearing loss groups. Ph Trish 927 6323

Genealogy Support Group

The Library support group meets on the 2nd Friday of the month either at Greerton or Tauranga Library. Experts available to assist. Register: ph 577 7177

Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer - Tuesday to Friday from 8:30am-9am at 53 Te Okuroa Drive Papamoa. Call Julie 0274 205 375 or visit: http://www.communityofstaidan.com/

Nemesh Exhibition & Workshops

"Gennie Collection" Exhibition by NEMESH: 2 Feb-1 Mar. Opening & Art Demo: 2 Feb, 5-7pm. Oil Workshops: 3-4-5 Feb, 11am-5pm. Contact: theartoungenz@gmail.com

Piloga Fridays

At Arataki Community Center 10:05-11:20am. Pilates, yoga & relaxation. Ph Mel 022 187 1295 or Claudia 021 192 7706 *runs Feb 16-April 13th

Preschool Music @ St. Georges

A half hour of fun, dance & movement to music, followed by morning tea. St. Georges Church lounge (1 Church Street) 9:30am Fridays termtime. Koha

Te Puke Toy Library

New hours, new location & so much fun. Come along & check it out. Friday Playgroup & Lego Club Friday afternoon. See Facebook for details.

Tots Time

10-11.30am, Grace Community Church, Bethlehem Hall. During the school terms. Ph Elaine 576 5135
Australia Gets Tough On Superannuation Compliance

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

29 March 2018

The Australian Government has introduced legislation to tighten the rules around the employer-paid superannuation guarantee.

According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), AUD2.85bn (USD2.2bn) in superannuation goes unpaid each year.

Revenue Minister Kelly O'Dwyer said: "The Bill will protect workers' superannuation entitlements by modernizing the enforcement of the superannuation guarantee. This Bill introduces very serious consequences for employers who break the law by short changing their employees."

Under the changes, the ATO will be able to direct an employer to pay any unpaid superannuation guarantee within a specified period. The ATO will be able to apply for court ordered penalties, including up to 12 months' imprisonment, where the direction is not complied with.

The ATO will also be able to disclose more information about superannuation guarantee non-compliance to affected employees.

The legislation will also extend Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting to all employers from July 1, 2019. STP will provide the ATO with current information about the amounts of superannuation that employers owe their employees.
India Adds BEPS Provisions To Qatar Tax Treaty

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

29 March 2018

India has approved amendments to its double tax agreement with Qatar.

The amendments update the information exchange provisions between the two countries in line with current international standards.

A new Limitation on Benefits (LOB) provision has been introduced, which is designed to prevent "treaty shopping" (whereby companies or transactions are structured through third countries to take advantage of favorable tax treaties in place in other jurisdictions).

This brings the double tax agreement into line with the minimum standards on treaty abuse under Action 6, and on improving dispute resolution procedures under Action 14 of the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting Action Plan.
Philippines' Corporate Tax Reform Progressing

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

29 March 2018

Corporate tax reform in the Philippines has moved a step closer with the introduction of House Bill No. 7458 into the country's parliament.

The bill provides for a one-percentage-point reduction in the current 30 percent rate of corporate income tax every year for domestic corporations, resident foreign corporations, and non-resident foreign corporations starting from next year. This will ultimately take the corporate income tax rate to 20 percent.

In addition, fiscal incentives are to be modernized to make them performance-based, targeted, time-bound, and transparent.

According to the Finance Ministry, under the bill's simplified and harmonized menu of incentives, businesses in industries that provide positive spillover to the economy may be granted an income tax holiday for up to three years, a reduced corporate income tax rate of 15 percent for up to 5 years (inclusive of the income tax holiday), and a 50 percent tax allowance for qualified capital expenditure, along with varied rates of tax deductions for research and development, training, labor expenses, infrastructure development, and reinvestment.

The bill proposes to expand the mandate of the Fiscal Incentives Review Board beyond government-owned and government-controlled corporations to include the approval of incentives to all registered enterprises, following a recommendation from one of the various investment promotion agencies.

In step with the goal of making investment incentives time-bound, the bill contains a "sunset" or a phase-out provision for incentives granted to registered enterprises for over two to five years, depending on the length of time these businesses have already benefited from such perks.

Stricter reporting and monitoring requirements are proposed to promote accountability on the part of registered enterprises.

The enforcement powers of the Bureau of Internal Revenue are strengthened, particularly with regard to the prosecution of tax cases.

The administration of allowable deductions and tax payment processes are simplified, and the definition of large taxpayers is expanded.

The measures are part of "Package 2" of the Duterte administration's Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP). The Department of Finance said it intends to introduce the rest of the CTRP package, which will cover property and capital income taxation, later this year.
Its no secret that Donald Trump has little love for Jeff Bezos, but a report from Axios claims this animosity goes beyond mere dislike. The president is said to be obsessed with Amazon, who he believes has gotten unfair tax benefits and preferential treatment from the US Postal Service.

Trump has in the past been vocal about his disdain for Amazon, Bezos, and the Washington Post, which Bezos owns. He called the tech giant a no-tax monopoly last year, adding that it was doing great damage to other retailers. The president also said that the US Postal Service was undercharging Amazon, thereby making it dumber and poorer.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the Washington Post, too, calling it Fake News Washington Post, and a tax shelter for Amazon. He famously claimed that Bezos and his firms would have such problems if he won the US election.

Update (3/31): During the weekend Trump resumed his attacks on Amazon, saying the company is scamming the US Postal Service. However reports do not seem to support the President's statement. The Postal Regulatory Commission, which oversees the industry, indicates USPS actually benefits from serving Amazon's deliveries, making a profit on them, and that Amazon does not receive special treatment beyond paying a lower rate as other bulk customer would.

While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that the size of the companys lobbying staff has ballooned, and that...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018

...does not include the Fake Washington Post, which is used as a lobbyist and should so REGISTER. If the P.O. increased its parcel rates, Amazons shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion. This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018

According to Axios, Trump wants to change Amazons tax treatment over fears that mom-and-pop retailers could be put out of business. One of Axios sources who has spoken to the president said: Hes wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law.

Despite Trumps dislike for the company already being public knowledge, Amazons shares fell 7 percent on the back of the report, wiping around $53 billion off its market cap. This comes at a time when tech stocks, especially Facebooks, are in decline, which could have contributed to Amazons slump.

Although Facebooks Cambridge Analytica scandal has made most of the headlines recently, and despite Mark Zuckerberg agreeing to testify before Congress, Axios says Trump isnt interested in how the platform handles user data. He also believes the Russia story is a hoax.

Since the report was published, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said the Trump administration isnt considering any policy changes directed at Amazon. The president has said many times before hes always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses and this is no different and hes going to always look at different ways, but there arent any specific policies on the table at this time, Sanders added.
The family of Elaine Herzberg, the woman who was killed by one of Ubers self-driving vehicles, has reached a settlement with the ride-hailing company. The agreement means a potential legal battle has now been avoided.

The collision between Ubers autonomous Volvo and Herzberg took place in Tempe, Arizona, on March 18. The 49-year-old was pushing her bicycle across the road when she was hit. She later died in hospital, becoming the first person to be killed by an autonomous vehicle. A video released by police shows the moments leading up to the crash.

It wasnt clear if Herzbergs family had intended to launch a lawsuit against Uber. The victims stepdaughter, Tina Marie Herzberg White, had said, Aint no amount of money in the world going to bring her back.

Reuters reports that Cristina Perez Hesano, an attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said the matter has been resolved between Uber and Herzbergs husband and daughter.

The terms of the settlement have not been revealed. Bellah Perez said Herzbergs family has no further comment on the matter as they consider it resolved.

Following the accident, Uber took all its self-driving cars off the roads in the four cities they operate. Earlier this week, it was revealed that the company wouldnt be reapplying for a permit to test its self-driving cars in California.

Other companies with autonomous car projects, including Toyota and Nvidia, have temporarily halted self-driving car tests on public roads. The chip maker has been quick to point out that Uber does not use its self-driving platform architecture.

Uber does not use Nvidia drive technology. Uber develops its own sensing and drive technology, said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
Palm may be staging a comeback and the nations largest wireless provider is said to be lending a hand.

Android Police, citing a trusted source, recently reported that TCL is planning to launch a Palm-branded smartphone on Verizon in the second half of 2018. Not much is known about the device besides that itll run Android but its telling nevertheless.

Palm specialized in the manufacture of personal digital assistants (PDAs). The company was an early pioneer in the smartphone space, bringing to market the Treo line of handsets years before Apple and Google got into the business.

Palm eventually went under and was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2010. HP CEO Leo Apotheker wasnt able to revive the brand, shutting it down a year later. In October 2014, the Palm name was sold to a shelf company linked to Chinese electronics maker TCL who last August, said it was preparing to launch Palm-branded devices sometime this year.

The possibility begs the question  would a Palm-branded phone succeed today? That depends on a lot of factors. Some would buy it just for the nostalgia associated with the name or perhaps if it offered retro features like, say, a mechanical sliding mechanism a la the Palm Pre. A truly groundbreaking feature or two wouldnt hurt, either, although as weve witnessed in recent years, innovation is increasingly rare among mobile devices.
The Venezuelan negotiating team also includes diplomat Alex Saab, who remains detained in Cape Verde pending his extradition to the United States. | Read More
Modern grocery retailers in Thailand are still growing but the sign of an impending slowdown is becoming more evident through increased competition. This trend can be observed in the overall picture of the modern grocery retailer market.

The proportion of modern grocery to total grocery market in Thailand is only 46%. Meanwhile, the value in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore is over 70-80%. This gap shows that there are still opportunities for modern grocery retailers in Thailand to grow, especially through opening new stores in the newly developed area of the country.

Highlight Modern grocery retailing has been a star sector due to its continued growth in market value and the number of stores. In the previous 2-3 years, however, the trend of store closure in modern grocery retailing internationally marked a stark contrast to the previous fortune.

This raised several important questions: Are modern grocery retailers in Thailand likely to follow suit? Are there opportunities for expansion in the number of stores, and how do retailers handle the competition in the market?

EIC views that modern grocery retailers in Thailand can still achieve considerable growth. Nonetheless, they must face intense competition which is likely to result in a careful selection of store location.

Retailers also need to develop their storefronts to accommodate the need of local consumers and introduce new services to create customer engagement. Additionally, the development of online retail channel alongside physical store (Omni-channel) is an important strategy for modern grocery retailers.

To remain competitive, modern grocery retailers must adapt to innovative technologies to differentiate and create capabilities and competitiveness for the future.

During 2006 to 2013, this market used to grow by 8-9% per annum However, In the last 3-4 years, the growth decelerated to 5% per annum. This is attributed to the recent economic slowdown as well as the increasing in competition that can be observed from the reduced figures in the same store sales growth (SSSG) statistics.

These statistics reveal that growth in the past occurred through the increase in the number of stores. In addition, the arrival of e-commerce and the introduction of new business models contributed to an increasing competitiveness.

EIC analysis shows that modern grocery retailer market in Thailand can still grow but increasing competition means that the level of growth will not reach the previous height, with 4% becoming the new normal over the next 3 years. This is because retailers will become more cautious in the selection of a store location and the changing business models.

Despite the sign of slowing growth in the modern grocery market, penetration of the modern grocery in Thailand remains low compared with the developed economies in Asia.

The proportion of modern grocery to total grocery market in Thailand is only 46%. Meanwhile, the value in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore is over 70-80%. This gap shows that there are still opportunities for modern grocery retailers in Thailand to grow, especially through opening new stores in the newly developed area of the country.

Based on World Banks information, the urbanisation rate in Thailand has further room to grow with the current rate of 50% in contrast to 80-90% in South Korea and Japan.

Furthermore, data on modern grocery penetration highlights that the number of stores in Thailand can still grow especially in the form of convenience store and supermarket.

Currently, there are 200 modern grocery stores to 1 million people, 3-4 times lower than Japan and South Korea. In any case, major players in the Thai market already have a plan to increase the number of stores focusing on a small format.

It is expected there will be an increase of convenient stores and supermarkets by 10% and 7% respectively in 2018. In contrast, the growth in the number of hypermarkets is likely to slow down because of several factors including changes in consumer behaviour, restrictions due to town and country planning law, and the difficulty in finding larger space for new stores. The smaller store format also means faster expansion. Consequently, smaller store format is more appropriate for the modern consumers who have a smaller family and crave convenience.

There are rooms for modern grocery retailers in Thailand to expand but

Author: Puripat Sophonkeereerat

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Trump impersonator Dennis Alan and Kim Jong-un impersonator Howard. Credit:Miguel Candela

Inspired by the satirical comedy group The Chaser, prankster Howard mimics North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and is a natural.

I have the advantage of having his face, so getting hired for the job is very easy, says the roving Melburnian in his late 30s. On-screen during the video chat he conducts from South Korea's capital, Seoul, he looks indistinguishable from the Dear Leader.

While other impersonators have to work on the accent and speak Korean, the Hong Kong-based Dear Leader double can coast.

So Im pretty lazy. I'm pretty lazy. I mean I do his mannerisms, so youve just got to think to yourself, What would a dictator do? and just look at what he does on TV and just imitate it. That's it, he says, citing the happy posture Kim adopts before a home audience and the stern one he presents before a Western one.
Illustration: Kerrie Leishman

There is a thrill to be had with getting away with it. The adrenalin rushes when we deliberately put ourselves in jeopardy and then fight our way out, or evade capture and defeat. But it is a cheap thrill because at some point we must come to terms with exactly what we have done. There is a day of reckoning, a conscience to be salved, a coming to terms with reality. This is where the lies come in.

Lies act, in the words of psychiatrist Salman Akhtar as a psychic manoeuvre to alter the relationship between ourselves and the reality of the situation. When we get away with something, we consciously break with the reality of the existence of rules. The lies we tell are to evade responsibility, or to justify our actions to others, but ultimately to ourselves. The lie transports us away from true connection with reality and therefore with others and society, and lands us in an underworld hall of mirrors.

I have little time for the idea that most people do not know right from wrong. We are subjected to enough profound, well-meaning or sanctimonious messages while growing up to be pretty clear where the boundaries are set on the field of play in society. We know when we are doing wrong, but self awareness is not enough to stop us. We give in to childish impulses to get what we believe we need, deserve or merely want.

In careers we are regularly subject to performance expectations. Realistic or otherwise, these serve to apply pressure. At the same time, work often promises rewards that can be financial, reputational, social or status enhancing. They speak to our needs. The temptation is to find the shortest route from expectation to reward to fulfil our needs, and very often inconvenient truths like rules block that path.
The Victorian division of the Liberal Party is said to be readying to sell its long-time city headquarters at104 Exhibition Street.

The war room could arm the Oppositions treasure chest by some $26 million, sources speculate.

On the south-east corner of Little Collins Street, the 444 square metre site includes a six-level building, Centenary Hall, completed in 1935, which could be razed, or extended, to make way for a residential redevelopment.

The party is not considering trading the property permit-ready, say agents, who say it has been touted for sale off-market also to investors. News of a listing or sale could not be confirmed with a Liberal Party representative.

This was the building which the Liberal Party took a $2 million mortgage against in 2016 following the fraud scandal which jailed former state director Damien Mantach.
Mr Wetton contacted AGL to notify them of the error when he received the first estimated bill. He said AGL told him it was his fault he received an estimate, as they couldn't find his meter box. But Mr Wetton said the meter was so visible that it could be seen on Google Street View. Its not behind a fence and were open 24 hours a day. Despite his protestations, successive bills also contained estimates. "The next month it was $1900, he said. "I sent them an email straight away, I said 'My wife is panicking, we need to know what's going on, can someone let us know?." The "stress" and "anguish" increased with each monthly bill, he said, to the point where AGL threatened them with disconnection unless they paid the outstanding estimated bills.

Paying the estimated bills would have seen them go "belly up". Stephen Wetton's first monthly bill from AGL was almost double what he was previously charged quarterly. "That's the point. If we paid it, it would close us down. We were facing bankruptcy, we put the house down on the business." In the midst of it all, his wife miscarried. Mr Wetton had had enough. "After that I said 'I'm no longer paying any more estimates, ever'."

He contacted Queensland's Energy and Water Ombudsman, which provides a free, independent dispute resolution service to energy customers. The ombudsman's office received an explanation from AGL which included an admission that it had sent estimated bills even though it had access to Mr Wetton's usage history. "Despite the fact that AGL have historical consumption available to use as a basis of estimation, (AGL's billing system) disregarded this data," AGL wrote to the Ombudsman in December 2016 in reference to Mr Wetton's account. A recent demand from AGL for immediate payment of what it says is overdue on Stephen Wetton's account. Mr Wetton said he believed the estimates were based on an average for commercial premises in his neighbourhood. One of his closest neighbours is a Nestle plant, where the company makes instant coffee.

"I've got the Nestle refinery just 100 metres up the road from me ... that refinery's on our grid. It's enormous. Theyve got 200 staff up there." After the ombudsman's intervention, AGL "reconciled billing to actual read data" for Mr Wetton's account for much of 2016 and offered him a $400 "customer service gesture". AGL proposed that he repay the $2,115 he owed, based on the revised bills, and in future submit his own meter readings by the 13th of each month to avoid receiving estimated bills. However, Mr Wetton said that each time he tried to submit a meter reading, AGL's website did not recognise his meter details. Mr Wetton estimates he now owes AGL around $7000 based on actual usage, and recently set up a payment plan, agreed upon by AGL, under which he pays $1000 a month.

Yet AGL is still sending bills based on estimates rather than actual meter readings, and keeps threatening to cut off his electricity supply. "Now theyre saying we owe over $20,000," he said. "They keep on sending me more estimate bills, which are $1500, $2000 a month and I keep on tearing them up. Mr Wetton expresses his frustration with AGL via the sign out front of his business, which faces the busy Bruce Highway. Credit: Gabi Harris "After making three fortnightly repayments plus the monthly bill, I get a call from an overseas call centre ... A woman says 'I'm ringing to let you know that we're giving you notice that we will cut your supply if [you] don't pay'.

"I said I discussed this six weeks ago ... The left hand doesn't know what the right is doing." Last week he received a text message from AGL threatening to cut off his power if he did not pay the full amount it says is owed. Despite the anguish the situation has caused, Mr Wetton has not lost his sense of humour. He channels it into a sign outside his car wash, which faces the busy Bruce Highway. He changes the message on it regularly and occasionally uses it to have a dig at AGL. "I give it to them that way."

Asked about Mr Wetton's case, an AGL spokesman said it sent him monthly bills at his request, even though the local distributor only reads the meter once every three months, as required by the Australian Energy Market Operator. "This means two in every three bills he receives are estimated because he does not have a digital meter. Any estimated bills are adjusted when an actual meter reading is taken." Mr Wettons estimated bills had been based on historical data since March 2016, the spokesman said. The spokesman said AGL's letters demanding overdue payment were "based on actual reads". AGL had a range of initiatives to help customers who had difficulty paying bills, he said, and disconnection was a last resort after all other options had been exhausted.
Well, they're here. Just a little earlier than anyone expected.

We told you last week that Chisholm couple Matt and Emma Keen were expecting identical girl triplets, due to be delivered in two to four weeks.

Emma and Matt Keen and kids Patrick, 11; Laura, seven, and Lily, five, are now enjoying the arrival of their three identical triplets, Aleisha, Maddilyn and Eloise. Credit:karleen minney

But after a check-up at the Canberra Hospital on Sunday, Emma was told she was "not going anywhere" and the triplets - Aleisha, Maddilyn and Eloise were born via caesarean on Sunday at 32 weeks.

Matt's mum Jenny said medical staff were keeping a closest eye on the smallest of the triplets, Maddilyn, and decided it was safer to deliver the special bubs sooner rather than later.
An attempt to pick up more than 140 kilograms of MDMA powder in a western Sydney warehouse failed to go to plan for two young men when they were met by the Australian Federal Police on Wednesday.

The consignment contained a total of 48 aluminum cylinders. One of the filters was drilled and a white crystalline substance returned a positive result for MDMA. Credit:AFP Media

Soo Young Lee, 22, and Scott Wang, 20, were arrested at a warehouse in Wetherill Park on Wednesday afternoon, where they were allegedly attempting to pick up the illicit powder, which was concealed in eight boxes of water filters.

A third man, 19-year-old Richard Ham, was also arrested in connection with the drugs on Wednesday evening at a different address in Strathfield.

The boxes contained 48 aluminium cylinders, which originated in the Netherlands and arrived in air cargo at Sydney Airport last Wednesday.
Salim Mehajer has been granted bail after two months behind bars, but the embattled former deputy mayor of Auburn is facing a fresh charge of perverting the course of justice for allegedly lying to Burwood Local Court.

The Supreme Court heard on Thursday that Mehajer was at the centre of "a snowballing of idiocy" but Justice Desmond Fagan said he ought to be released on bail pending two criminal trials in the District Court, which are unlikely to be heard until 2019.

Justice Fagan said Mehajer could end up spending longer in Silverwater prison awaiting trial than any potential jail sentence.

Mehajer, 31, has been in prison since January 23 after he was charged with perverting the course of justice and conspiring to cheat or defraud for allegedly staging a car crash on October 16 to avoid appearing in the Downing Centre Local Court to stand trial for assaulting a taxi driver.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict.

The lead detective in charge of investigating historical sex offence allegations against George Pell has been accused by the cardinals lawyers of charging him without examining conflicting evidence from witnesses.

Detective Acting Sergeant Christopher Reed, who was the lead investigator in Operation Tethering, a taskforce investigating Cardinal Pell that began in March 2013, was called to give evidence on Thursday during the final day of a hearing that will determine whether the cardinal stands trial.

Cardinal George Pell arrives at the Magistrates Court on Thursday. Credit:AAP

Cardinal Pell, 76, faces multiple historical sexual offence charges involving multiple complainants. Details of the charges are yet to be revealed. He has repeatedly and emphatically denied the allegations.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict.

A magistrate is now preparing to decide whether Cardinal George Pell will face trial over historical sexual assault allegations after a four-week pre-trial hearing concluded on Thursday.

It is not known, however, when Magistrate Belinda Wallington will hand down her decision.

The court will sit again on April 17 to adjudicate on supplementary submissions from the defence and the prosecution's response. Cardinal Pell has been excused from attending on this occasion.

Even if Ms Wallington rules there is insufficient evidence to commit Cardinal Pell to appear before a jury, the Director of Public Prosecutions has the right to review the magistrate's decision and send an accused person to trial.
The Andrews government is poised to ram its controversial fire services reforms through State Parliament on Thursday, taking advantage of a crossbench MP's absence.

Australian Conservatives' upper house MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins, who would have tipped the vote against Labor, remained too ill to go to work on Thursday, handing Labor the opportunity to get its bill passed.

Victorian MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins is unwell. Credit:Eddie Jim

The debate, which is expected to start on Thursday afternoon, could drag on until the early hours of Good Friday with the government expecting a lengthy rearguard action from Liberal and Nationals MPs who are opposed to the controversial new laws.

When MPs from major parties are absent from Parliament, opposing parties usually grant "a pair" taking one of their own out of the chamber to even up the numbers, but the arrangements are less clear-cut for minor parties and independents.
As St Patrick's Day is for Irish pubs, so Good Friday is to the nation's fish and chip shops  the one day of the year when people will wait for hours to get their hands on your number one product.

But while the tradition of eating seafood on Good Friday will once again have deep fryers bubbling away from dawn until well after dusk, many will instead turn to the Christian holiday's long-time culinary taboo: red meat.

Meat being aged at Butchers Diner in the Melbourne CBD. Credit:Eddie Jim

The grills, skillets and smokers at many of Melbourne's steakhouses, barbecue joints and meat restaurants will fire up as normal this Good Friday, as the decline in religion means fewer diners forgoing flesh.

"When I was a boy we used to camp at Nagambie, we weren't even allowed to eat Chicken Crimpy flavoured Shapes," said James Mayne, general manager at Prahran steakhouse Angus and Bon.
The machine is a Linotype, ubiquitous in newspaper and printing houses from the late 19th century to about the 1980s, when they were rendered obsolete by new technologies. It is one of dozens of hulking machines in the Melbourne Museum of Printing (MMoP), a horde of treasures and ephemera of the printing industry in Australia from its early days of hand-crafted letters right up to the computer age. The scene is from a video shot in 2005, when the museum was housed in a warehouse in Footscray before it moved further west. Among the museum's vast and disordered collection are boxes of engraved images, including several by The Age's celebrated cartoonist, the late Ron Tandberg. A Ron Tandberg cartoon from Isaachsen's collection. Credit:Jason South

Also here are trays upon trays of lead fonts, antique tools and a library of books and manuals. No longer in print, they carry a wealth of knowledge about how to operate equipment which, though not used anymore on an industrial scale, are sought after by a community of print-based artists and boutique designers. It is home too to working artefacts that predate the Linotypes  an Albion letterpress made in 1849 sits in pride of place and was used to hand-print books, posters and art right up until this year - until disaster struck. Although this disaster materialised suddenly, it had been travelling as slowly and irresistibly as a glacier over the years, arguably set in motion at the very moment the museum was born. Locked out and on the edge When Michael Isaachsen arrived at the locked door of his museum in February, there was a letter from his landlord in the window. It demanded that he quit the premises forthwith.

Isaachsen does not have the money to move a collection which amounts to between 30 to 70 semi-trailer loads, let alone to pay for its storage nor the rent of a new premises in which to rebuild his museum from the ashes once again. Now 77, his days as a self-made museum director are at a precipice. And with hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent owing, so is the collection he built from scratch. The Linotypes, the printing presses and the engravings face the prospect of being boiled down to scrap, the books tossed onto the garbage heap. Michael Isaachsen's life mission has been the creation of the Melbourne Museum of Printing. He amassed an enormous collection over several decades. Credit:Jason South If he calculates the money spent on buying material, paying rent, storing, moving and maintaining equipment, Isaachsen estimates that he and his family have ploughed north of $2 million into the museum. That includes an anonymous family member who sold an investment property for Isaachsens cause. It doesnt include 15 years' worth of wages lost by quitting his career in Australia Post early to pursue his dream of founding a museum of print, which results in me having nearly no possessions other then what's in the museum".

I have a very deep worry that my 40 years of work, my lifes savings and other peoples life savings have gone into making something that is worthwhile - and it could all be lost. The landlord - John Jackanic - says he feels sorry for Isaachsen. He believed in the museum and says he did his best to support Isaachsens dream for seven years - something Isaachsen does not dispute. 'My 40 years of work ... could all be lost': Michael Isaachsen. Credit:Jason South But now Jackanic fears being left with close to $500,000 in unpaid rent as well as a collection so gargantuan not even the man who assembled it knows its entire contents. Its sad the equipment is going to be lost if nobody buys it, but who I am going to sell it to? I have no connections in printing, I have no knowledge about what it all is, he said.

I'll be 75 this year ... I don't want be stuck with this. Jackanic, a pilot turned property developer, says he is fed up with years of empty words and deals which came to nothing. He says the relationship with his tenant  once warm  has soured, his trust evaporated. And so Jackanic and Isaachsen have both engaged lawyers, with the landlord arguing the material in the building can be considered abandoned and, therefore, his property. A crisis revisited The story of the Melbourne museum of print is a circuitous one littered with setbacks. It began in the 70s, when hobby printer Isaachsen saw an opportunity and a responsibility amid the waves of new technology disrupting the industry. As entire factories full of machinery became obsolete overnight, he took it upon himself to acquire and preserve the equipment and the skills he loved.

Laurie Harding demonstrates the operation of a Linotype machine at the 2009 fundraiser for the museum. Credit:Tobias Titz Even his critics admit he showed staggering resolve and bloody-mindedness. His collection grew and grew, quickly outstripping one man's power to catalogue and store it. But tales of Isaachsen and his museum spread among designers, craftspeople and artists and over the years he had no shortage of volunteers and would-be collaborators  among them distinguished academics, museum curators and high-profile artists. Yet when Isaachsen was locked out of his museum this year, it remained a one-man operation. Back in 2009 Warren Taylor, a Monash University lecturer in communication design, spearheaded a campaign to bail Isaachsen out of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent and save the MMoP.

In those days the museums home was in Moreland Street, Footscray. Print-based artist Jon Campbell, left, at the 2009 "Save the MMoP" fundraiser. Credit:Tobias Titz Taylor rallied a team of high-profile artists  Jon Campbell, Emily Floyd and Callum Morton among them  and design studios and put on a community fundraiser headlined by cult post-punk outfit Primitive Calculators. They raised about $30,000 and the collection in Moreland Street was saved. But as Taylor was soon to learn, the items he had helped rescue were just the tip of an iceberg. When it was on Moreland St there was basically a sort of a pathway leading through the clutter of equipment, machinery, furniture and type, it filled up most of the space of the workshop, Taylor recalls of his first visit to the museum back in the early 2000s.

I was amazed at how incredible a collection it was and that it was a working museum ... you were able to sort of work with the presses, you had access to the type, there were just rows and rows of type cases. You could dig out something that Michael hadnt seen for 10 years. For several years prior to the crisis in 2009, Taylor had suggested Isaachsen needed a committee to help steer the museum out of debt and consolidate the collection. Monash University's Warren Taylor, centre, and printworker Laurie Harding, right, with some of the exhibits at the 2009 fundraiser in Footscray. Credit:Tobias Titz With the success of their fundraiser and an enthused team of printers, designers and artists, it seemed a possibility. Taylor was establishing his own gallery, had an academic career and a young family to care for, but he believed in Isaachsens dream of a working museum. That was until Isaachsen took him to another factory in the outer western suburb of Brooklyn.

When they arrived at a pallet warehouse that day, workers were dumping cases of metal type into a skip. Michael was quite emotional, Taylor says. He estimates Isaachsen had more than 500 pallets of equipment stored in the warehouse  as well as an unknown amount of money owing to the buildings owner. Warren Taylor, far right, Jon Campbell, second from right, and others at Michael Isaachsen's other warehouse in Brooklyn. Credit:Tobias Titz They were selling the metal, steel, anything they could get money for, Taylor says. Taylor was to learn that the collection was scattered in warehouses across Melbournes west. That was the moment the full scope of Isaachsen's vision dawned upon him. This was no quirky, suburban collection.

It would be one of the biggest museums in the world, Taylor says. Taylor, along with a small group of volunteers, set about saving what they could. As he sorted through unmarked box upon unmarked box, he learned more of how Isaachsen had come to acquire his collection. Of how when The Canberra Times closed its printing operation down, its entire contents were trucked to Melbourne to add to the MMoP. Along with the typesetter and curved wooden type for newpaper posters, he ended up with coffee cups, stationery, all the ephemera of a printing studio. A three-tonne paper guillotine - originally donated by a printer in Bundoora and kept in storage by Michael Isaachsen - is craned into the museum in its most recent incarnation in west Footscray. Of when government printing houses and newspapers auctioned off equipment, Isaachsen was there early going through their bins.

The result was that, mixed with objects of typophiles' dreams  unopened Stempel Type Foundry Helvetica from 1957, like a rare toy still in its box  was some of Isaachsens grade 10 maths book. It would be like me walking into an op shop and finding 20,000 LPs and just deciding to take them all home without any plan to actually distribute them, Taylor says. And this accumulation is largely uncatalogued. The realisation left Taylor utterly deflated. If Michael had have taken me to that [Brooklyn] factory before we had the fundraiser we probably wouldnt have been so naive to think we could save the museum, he says. We would have been crushed by the quantity. Original Helvetica typeface in its boxes from the museum collection. Credit:Jason South

Time to let go? Taylor is far from the only qualified person who tried to steer Isaachsen in a direction which they believed would secure the future of his museum. Over the decades, Isaachsen has left a string of frustrated academics, artists and printers in his wake. Many used the word naive to describe their initial belief that they would be able to work with him. One said his relentless hoarding of objects and inability to genuinely share them with others had left him with a dead repository of stuff instead of a living museum. Isaachsen invited audiovisual designer Mal Padgett to vouch for the museums worth to Jackanic when the pair first met at the Croatian Club in Footscray in 2010. Padgett was more than happy to help convince the landlord of the value of the collection, but went to great pains to distance himself from the museums financial foundations. In March this year he spoke of a consortium of people from academic and cultural institutions who were anxious to see the collection was not lost and keen to create a modern and internationally significant museum with it.

He also warned of a private collectors circling like vultures as the museums demise seemed imminent. There are people ready to cherrypick this collection, Padgett said. They are ready for this to fall over, they are just going to pull it to pieces, and we can't let that happen. When he met Isaachsen this month, he had a "cruncher for him  it was time he relinquished control. Zoe Snyder of Geelong took a workshop at the MMoP and then came back to print her own book on the 1849 Albion press. "I love what Michael has done  without Michael, without his relentlessness and his dedication and his passion for this, we wouldn't have this archive, and that's got to be recognised, that's got to be respected, he said.

But the same person has also made the decisions that have got us to  a crisis point. What we all agree on is that this can't go to scrap metal, this cannot be destroyed." Jackanic doesnt want to be left out of pocket. If a white-knight consortium could pay what he is owed and save the entire museum, that would be perfect. Taylor says much of the collection needs to be sold off and the best, remaining items assembled and run as an independent museum. This, he says, will preserve its original DIY ethos. I do feel sorry for Michael, that he has this great collection, but it also is a great burden to him, he says. It would be hard to separate him from the collection, but I think that's probably the only way to actually do something long-term with it."

That is something upon which, in a way, both he and Isaachsen agree. Isaachsen is making an 11th-hour appeal for a loan of several million dollars over five years. He is hoping that a philanthropist will recognise what is at stake and prevent a massacre of historical objects. With his 80s approaching, Isaachsen has a plan: a board would be in charge of the museums operation, allowing him to walk away into retirement. I thought by now that other people would be running it, he says. By now, it wasn't meant to be me. Whatever happens next, Isaachsen will be parting ways with his lifes work. The question is, will the collection survive? Did he merely postpone the inevitable  or will it become the museum of which he has always dreamt?
A sex offender has been arrested after he spent three months evading police in Melbourne.

Darren McDonald, 53, was arrested in Melbourne's inner south on Thursday after police appealed to the public on Wednesday for help to find him.

Two warrants had been issued for his arrest, for failing to appear in court on March 15 and a breach of the Registered Sex Offender Act, which requires convicted sex offenders to report their whereabouts to police.

Registered sex offender Darren McDonald, 53, had not been seen by police since December 17.

Police last saw McDonald on December 17 in the CBD when they arrested and charged him for being drunk in a public place, offensive behaviour and a dishonesty-based offence.
Lydia Abela says she has worried about her Vulcan heater for years. Credit:Justin McManus

The states energy safety watchdog is urging Victorians not to use potentially deadly gas heaters that can emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

Energy Safe Victoria says anyone with a Pyrox or Vulcan Heritage gas heater should arrange a safety test on the units.

The heaters gave out high levels of carbon monoxide in certain conditions.

If the house is well sealed and the heater is operating at the same time as a kitchen or bathroom exhaust fan, carbon monoxide from the heater can be drawn into living areas, Paul Feardon, Energy Safe Victoria director, said.
A group of Coalition MPs are so intent on propping up AGL's ailing Liddell power station they are calling on the Turnbull government to forcibly acquire the coal-fired power plant.

But Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg all but ruled out the idea on Thursday, insisting the federal government was not going to start nationalising assets.

The charge for intervention is being led by Nationals MP George Christensen, but other MPs are said to have a degree of support for the idea, including former prime minister Tony Abbott and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.

Mr Christensen told Fairfax Media a compulsory land acquisition would mean the government could run Liddell itself or, if necessary, sell it to interested Chinese giant Shandong Ruyi.
Pauline Hanson's new book has reignited her long-running war of words with her One Nation co-founder, with David Oldfield describing the firebrand senator as a "fraud" who has "never had an original thought".

Senator Hanson this week released a collection of speeches to Parliament - made in both her original 1990s incarnation in the lower house and since returning to Canberra in 2016 - called Pauline: In Her Own Words.

But Mr Oldfield - Senator Hanson's one-time confidant and a former deputy leader of the party he helped create - has rubbished the book and its title, saying the speeches contained within are not her words at all.

Pauline Hanson and David Oldfield at a One Nation function in 1999. Credit:Robert Pearce.

"Not only are they not her words, they're not her thoughts," said Mr Oldfield, who went on to his own career in NSW politics and then reality TV. "Pauline didn't have any original thoughts. She's never had an original thought."
Social media giants already under siege over privacy concerns would face stiff financial penalties and tougher legal requirements to remove abusive material under the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into cyber bullying.

The inquiry into the adequacy of existing criminal laws around cyber bullying by the Senate's legal and constitutional affairs committee was triggered late last year by the suicide of Adelaide schoolgirl Libby Bell after an alleged bullying campaign that took place in person and on Facebook, Instragram and Snapchat.

The Labor and crossbench-dominated committee has recommended the government "place and maintain regulatory pressure on social media platforms to both prevent and quickly respond to cyber bullying material on their platform, including through the use of significant financial penalties where insufficient progress is achieved".

It also said the companies should have a legal duty of care for their users - giving people a right to seek compensation in the case of a breach - and be compelled to publish data on cyber bullying complaints they have received and acted on.

But DIGI, the industry body representing Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and other tech companies in Australia, resisted the push for tougher regulations saying the current laws were adequate.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a surprise visit to Beijing on Wednesday, marking the young despot's first trip overseas since he came to power in 2011. A readout from China's Xinhua news agency of his exchanges with Chinese President Xi Jinping indicated that the ground was being prepared for Kim and US President Donald Trump to hold talks over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

"The issue of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved," Kim said, according to Xinhua, "if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace." (Tellingly, though, not a single North Korean account had Kim invoking "denuclearisation", the White House's stated goal for the Korean Peninsula.)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Credit:AP

The Trump administration greeted the news from Beijing as a positive sign for further diplomacy. Trump indicated that he was looking forward to dialogue with Pyongyang - a marked reversal from last year's "fire and fury" bluster - and congratulated himself for applying the "maximum sanctions and pressure" that supposedly brought Kim closer to the table.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted that Kim's visit "was an unprecedented, historic step in the right direction" and proof that Trump's "maximum pressure campaign is working". That may be the case, but it still remains profoundly unclear what concessions, if any, Trump may win in putative talks with North Korea. Here are three major questions that loom over the proceedings, should they take place.
Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is on course for a landslide election victory although there was little sign he had achieved the high turnout he sought, according to early estimates after polls closed in a three-day election.

Some voters said they had received payments and other inducements to cast their ballots.

But with some private television stations reporting that he could achieve a vote share of 95 per cent or more, Sisi issued a defiant statement expressing pride at the way Egyptians had conducted themselves during the election.

Voters are bused in from other districts to vote at Heliopolis, an upmarket Cairo suburb. Credit:Faird Farid

"The voice of the Egyptian masses will undoubtedly bear witness to the fact that our nation's will imposes itself with a force that knows no weakness," Sisi said on Twitter.
But here is where the hypocrisy is. For years, both Silicon Valley and tech activists have claimed the moral high ground against government, often dismissing or disregarding the state as impossibly old-school, dysfunctional, uncomprehending or a perpetrator of mass surveillance. And not just in the US. Only last year, when Malcolm Turnbull proposed new laws to compel tech companies to co-operate with government when terrorists or criminals used end-to-end encryption, the Prime Minister was roundly mocked for calling for a War on Maths. Rather than discuss the fact that among its many good uses, end-to-end encryption is also being used for real crime and real terrorism, the community chose combat.

That followed Apple CEO Tim Cooks decision to publicly defy the US government when it asked for help in unlocking an encrypted iPhone of a deceased terrorist. All of this followed years of Edward Snowdens crusade against Western governments as the biggest threat to our rights. Being anti-state in the tech world was something of an article of faith  even as more and more political power ended up in the hands of the private sector. And so some government exasperation in the wake of the Facebook revelations is understandable. As National Cyber Security Adviser Alastair MacGibbon said recently: "These same companies that have allowed tens of millions of accounts to go at the back end out of their control will say to us often, 'look were not going to help you' or 'we cant help you' or 'youre overreaching as a government'  even though you have court orders and a really strong, compelling case because we need to protect the privacy of their customers.

These companies that hold up privacy and the sanctity of the individual to us as governments - Western, liberal, democratic governments  are the same ones that are then allowing data at the back end to go off out of their control." MacGibbons comments expose how lopsided this debate has become  in which its assumed that companies cant possibly be as big a threat to our freedom as the state can. Facebook and Cambridge Analytica show they can be. And its here where government has a role in weighing in on the side of citizens rights, especially in areas that are too complex for any one individual or activist group to do. This is what an effective government does. Australians by and large have a robust expectation for a capable state, one which can help assure the rights of the individual and big business are balanced.

Coming at a time when China is trialling a dystopian and illiberal "social credit" system and Russia seeks to dominate swaths of the information space, liberal democracies need to get this relationship right. While the digital rights of people in China and Russia are shrinking, liberal democracies must be the exemplar for the world, carrying their values into the digital world  and not letting it become a digital dystopia. Nations like Australia need to send a strong signal  one that resounds elsewhere  about what a fair and non-coercive relationship between a citizen and digital society should be. Thankfully, the spell of libertarianism that enabled the excesses of the tech world in the US never fully took hold here, so Australia can look at this issue with a clear eye. An open inquiry into digital platforms is one place where Australia can lead.

Australia already has shown leadership, in a way. Concern about running afoul of Australias privacy and election laws likely prevented Facebook data from being used in the way it was in the US by Cambridge Analytica. The Cambridge Analytica revelations remind us of the role and responsibility of a government able to confront and correct the complex technological challenges private industry can now spawn. We can all now see how an industry left completely to its own devices has created free-market Frankensteins that have been unleashed on the public. It shows that sidelining the public interest around influential technology is hazardous. And really only an effective state can maintain the expertise to keep a check on the tech business, to ensure individuals' rights are respected and upheld  not a crippled one. If that clashes with the best minds of Silicon Valley, so be it.
Mazda Reveals Updated Mazda CX-3 at New York Auto Show

NEW YORK - March 29, 2018: Mazda Motor Corporation today introduced its updated, refined Mazda CX-3. Additionally, the Mazda KAI concept and SKYACTIV-X engine made their North American auto show debuts, highlighting Mazdas design and engineering prowess as it moves toward its next-generation of vehicles.

In his introduction speech, Mazda Motor Corporation Global Chief Marketing Officer and Mazda North American Operations CEO Masahiro Moro discussed Mazdas commitment to the U.S. with Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc., the new plant scheduled to go online in 2021. He also introduced the updated Mazda CX-3 subcompact crossover SUV before journalists at the New York International Auto Show, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The new CX-3s interior has undergone significant improvements, most notably the adoption of an electronic parking brake that frees up space and allows for a significant increase in storage space. Additional improvements include a smoother, more efficient and more refined SKYACTIV-G 2.0 gasoline engine, available full-leather seating surfaces, improved NVH characteristics and redesigned seats that support a more comfortable position. Yet, Mazda CX-3 continues to possess uncommonly good driving dynamics and keenly updated design elements that complement what is already a compelling package.

Finally, Mazda displayed the Mazda KAI concept and SKYACTIV-X engine. KAI, which means pioneer in Japanese, portend Mazdas KODOSoul of Motion design direction, eschewing rhythm motion of the design language for cleaner lines, surface-based reflections and a less-is-more approach to creating a simultaneous sense of excitement and elegance. It is joined by the SKYACTIV-X engine, the worlds first commercially available gasoline compression-ignition engine. The KAI and SKYACTIV-X signal Mazdas future design and technology directions.

Called Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030, in which Mazda is aiming to reduce its CO2 emissions by 50 percent from 2010 levels by 2030. SKYACTIV-X will serve as a building block in that strategy, with it expected to be 20- to 30-percent more efficient than todays SKYACTIV-G engines. It will be available in Mazda vehicles starting in 2019.

SKYACTIV-X is part of a greater initiative in line with Mazdas Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 long-term vision for technology development. Mazda aims to use the fundamental appeal of the automobile  driving pleasure  to inspire people, enrich society and help bring about a beautiful earth. By offering an experience of car ownership that celebrates driving, the company hopes to enrich lives and build a strong bond with customers.
Joe Biden. Photo: Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Last week, actual Joe Biden and Onion Joe Biden briefly became one when, while speaking at an anti-sexual-assault rally, the former vice- president shared that hed like to fight the current president. More specifically, he said that if they were both in high school, hed take Trump behind the gym and beat the hell out of him. Trump then responded by tweeting that Crazy Joe Biden would go down fast and hard, crying all the way in a present-day fight. But rather than take up the offer of a septuagenarian brawl, Biden now says that he regrets his comments.

I shouldnt have said what I said. I shouldnt have brought it up again, because I dont want to get down in the mosh pit with this guy, Biden told Pod Save America, according to Politico. The idea that I would actually physically get in a contest with a president of the United States or anybody else now is not what I said, and it is not what this was about, but I should have just left it alone.

Biden previously said he wanted to beat Trump up behind the gym back during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Erin Bailey. Photo: Courtesy of Erin Bailey

A high school senior from Mike Pences hometown is organizing the Indiana citys first-ever Pride festival  partly because she wanted to recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ community, partly because she needed a senior project for school.

Eighteen-year-old Erin Bailey, a self-described progressive whos lived in Columbus, Indiana, her entire life, wasnt inspired by any of the past projects her schools alumni presented during a panel. What she instead found to be impressive was a Pride film festival in nearby Bloomington  a progressive hippie stronghold that stands out in the staunchly conservative state.

I got the idea for a Pride festival and the fact that its Mike Pences hometown made it even more perfect, Bailey told the New York Daily News. I dont agree with anything that he stands for.

While the city of fewer than 50,000 people is associated with Americas homophobic vice-president, Bailey describes Columbus as a little pocket in Indiana filled with culture thats becoming increasingly progressive. However, its never hosted anything like an LGBTQ Pride festival before, she told the Daily News, which shes excited to change.

People in Columbus have been very supportive, she told the Cut. I appreciate them standing with me.

According to the Facebook event page, the festival is planned for April 14 and will feature educational booths, vendors, foods, and performances. And, while its unlikely that hell be in attendance, Pence himself has even acknowledged the event.

Vice-President Pence commends Erin Bailey for her activism and engagement in the civic process, spokesperson Alyssa Farah said in a statement. As a proud Hoosier and Columbus native, hes heartened to see young people from his hometown getting involved in the political process.

Though Bailey appreciates the response, shes not wholly convinced his expressed sentiments are genuine.

Its nice he acknowledged what Im doing, she told the Cut, but Im not sure how sincere it is.
Relatives of inmates held at the General Command of the Carabobo Police react as they wait outside the prison, where a fire occurred in the cells area, according to local media, in Valencia, Venezuela March 28, 2018. (Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins)

68 Killed in Venezuelan Police Station Riot and Fire

VALENCIA, VenezuelaRioting and a fire in the cells of a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia killed 68 people on Wednesday, according to the government and witnesses.

Families hoping for news outside the police station were dispersed with tear gas and authorities did not give information until late into the evening.

The State Prosecutors Office guarantees to deepen investigations to immediately clarify what happened in these painful events that have left dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning, said Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab on Twitter. Saab is one of the officials of the Nicolas Maduro communist regime facing sanctions in 40 countries.

3) En las indagaciones preliminares, los resultados arrojan el fallecimiento d 66 hombres y dos mujeres q se encontraban en calidad de visitantes (pernocta) A los mismos se les realizaron los respectivos protocolos d autopsia y entrega respectiva de los cuerpos a sus familiares  Tarek William Saab (@TarekWiliamSaab) March 29, 2018

Venezuelan prisons are notoriously overcrowded and filled with weapons and drugs. Riots leaving dozens dead are not uncommon.

State official Jesus Santander said the state of Carabobo was in mourning after the incident in the city of Valencia.

Forensic doctors are determining the number of fatalities, Santander said. A policeman was shot in the leg and was in a stable condition and firefighters had extinguished the flames, he said.

Many Venezuelan prisons are lawless and have been for decades. Prisoners often openly wield machine guns and grenades, use drugs and leave guards powerless.

There are people who are inside those dungeons () and the authorities do not know they exist because they do not dare to enter, said Humberto Prado, a local prisons rights activist.

By Tibisay Romero

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iStock/Thinkstock(DALLAS) -- Beginning next year, students from pre-K to 12th grade who attend schools in a Dallas-area district will be required to carry only transparent backpacks to class.



The announcement was made in a three-page safety and security letter dated March 26, from the Ennis Independent School District in Texas, addressed to parents and guardians. The letter was made public on the district's website.



The change comes weeks after a gunman killed 17 people and injured others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Valentine's Day.



The letter which is signed by Ennis ISD Superintendent John E. Chapman, states that districts across the state are receiving threats made to their schools and that while it may pose an inconvenience to students and staff, the district would be heightening security -- beginning with random searches involving junior high and high school students and later, enforcing the district-wide clear backpack rule.



"Starting now," the letter reads, "we will randomly pick EJHS and EHS students to search through their backpacks. Please know that we are doing this in the best interest of all students. If your child gets chosen, please have them comply with the administration and officers."



Following the shooting, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are now required to use only clear backpacks at school after a letter was sent home to parents by Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools, Robert Runcie. "Each student will be given a clear backpack at no cost," Runcie wrote in the letter.



Chapman recommends Ennis ISD parents purchase backpacks made of PVC, or Polyvinyl chloride--a synthetic material that is stronger than "normal plastic," he wrote. Clear, non-vinyl backpacks will be provided at no cost to students by the non-profit organization Give a Kid a Chance, Chapman added.



In the next academic year the junior high and high school students within the Ennis ISD will also be required to wear their school ID round their neck, daily. Security gates will be installed and Ennis ISD said they will be hiring additional officers, installing more security cameras and scheduling more visits from their "canine units."



Ennis ISD denied ABC News' request for an interview. A representative at the district confirmed that the clear backpack requirement will be implemented in the 2018-2019 school year.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
8-Year-Old Michigan Boy Threatens to Kill Teacher for Taking His Phone

An 8-year-old boy in Michigan became so irate after his teacher took his phone that he made death threats.

He was very specific, kill the student and kill the teacher, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told Fox 2.

Not only did he threaten to kill the student that he thought had told about him having a cell phone in school, he threatened to kill a teacher that took the phone.

The sheriff said the threats, made at the International Technology Academy in Pontiac, needed to be addressed.

Thats pretty out of bounds on any level and that needs to be addressed, he said.

The Detroit News reported that the threats were made in a note that was found by the teacher, who reported it to the principal.

The principal then alerted school security officers, who passed it on to the sheriffs office.

The child and his mother were interviewed by police officers and the boy was released into his mothers custody. School officials declined to say what disciplinary action the child might face while the sheriffs department confirmed that the boy wasnt arrested.

This is going to be taken to the prosecutor for prosecution, Bouchard said, though he noted he doesnt want to see young children locked up. He thinks the child should get counseling as well as less severe punishment.

Boy, 8, threatens to kill teacher for taking his phone in Pontiac https://t.co/cUpLrMElhz pic.twitter.com/AnhlN9jabR  FOX 2 Detroit (@FOX2News) March 29, 2018

#TechGeeks247 Kids & Tech: The Evolution of Todays Digital Natives

https://t.co/WYH4cW8XHX  Donna Cunning (@cunning_donna) March 4, 2018

An on-duty referee at Oakland Countys Childrens Village juvenile facility was contacted by officials but declined to take the boy into custody because of his young age.

Experts advise parents to take great care before buying their children cell phones, especially the smartphones that are ubiquitous nowadays.

Jerry Bubrick, a clinical psychologist and anxiety expert at the Child Mind Institute, said the question isnt so much about age as it is about maturity.

I tell parents that its not so much about a particular age as it is about a kids social awareness and understanding of what the technology means, Dr. Bubrick said.

You could have a really immature 15-year-old whos acting out on the phone, but you give it to him because hes 15, whereas a really socially mature 12-year-old could handle it better.

According to a report titled Kids & Tech: The Evolution of Todays Digital Natives released in 2016, the average age that a child gets their first smartphone is 10.3 years old.

From NTD.tv

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Police take two presumed members of a gang trafficking people to the United States to court in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on June 9, 2016. (ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images)

Americas Human Trafficking Scourge Demands Moral Leadership

Any activity that leads to a persons exploitation, enslavement, or manipulation is a reprehensible violation of human dignity.

Whenever selfishness, criminal enterprises, or an ideology leads to the buying, selling, or bartering of a person, there must be outrage.

In simple terms, human trafficking is a scourge against human dignity that demands unequivocal denouncement, collaborative action, and moral leadership.

The Scope of the Crisis

According to the website Allies Against Slavery, more than 40 million men, women, and children throughout the world suffer the exploitation of human trafficking and modern slavery today.

Although this travesty is international, it is also a very real American crisis.

The scope of the crisis was detailed in a statewide human trafficking study through a partnership of Allies Against Slavery with the University of Texas.

This study, funded by the Texas Governors Office crystalized the prevalence of human trafficking and its economic magnitude throughout the state.

The findings, published in January 2017, include these details highlighting the crisis:

Approximately 79,000 minors and youth are victims of sex trafficking in Texas.

Approximately 234,000 workers are victims of labor trafficking.

There are currently an estimated 313,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas.

Traffickers exploit approximately $600 million from victims of labor trafficking in Texas.

Minor and youth sex trafficking costs the state of Texas approximately $6.6 Billion.

Yet, the human trafficking industry thrives not only in Texas but in all 50 states.

Modern Slavery Defined

According to Allies Against Slavery, Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that occurs when one person exerts control over another person in order to exploit them economically. In this scenario, the victim is controlled through manipulation, violence, or the threat of violence and cannot walk away.

Human trafficking is further explained as having three main components:

The Action, which means the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons

The Means, which includes threat of or use of force, deception, coercion, abuse of power or position of vulnerability

The Purpose, which is always exploitation.

Article 3 of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children says exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

Organizations Providing Solutions

Street Grace is one of the organizations dedicated to eradicating sex trafficking of minors. It combats the crisis by mobilizing communities through education, outreach, and advocacy.

The organization, located in Atlanta, Georgia, estimates that 100,000300,000 American children are at risk of being victimized through sex trafficking each year.

Read More Sexual Harassment Dishonors Human Dignity

This faith-based organization takes action against the crisis by mobilizing faith, business, and community leaders.

Combatting the crisis is multi-dimensional and demands multi-faceted solutions. Some of the initiatives Street Grace has designed to create protection and advocacy are as follows:

Educational programs for middle and high school youth

Volunteers on the ground to interact, train, and provide resources for victims

Enhancing community awareness through educational initiatives

Unifying the community to advocate for legislation

Another agency committed to combatting human trafficking is Covenant House, the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless and runaway youth.

Covenant House says that in the United States, the most common form of human trafficking involves the commercial sex industry. It occurs in online escort services, residential brothels, brothels disguised as massage parlors or spas, and in street prostitution.

The agency says that homeless youth are often easy prey for human trafficking predators. They are low risk without family support systems as often no one cares about them. They are also easy to lure, vulnerable, and easy to manipulate since they are desperate for food, shelter, and acceptance.

Final Reflections

On March 20, 2018, the U.S. Senate approved a bill by a majority of 97-2 titled the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act.

The bill allows victims of sex trafficking to seek justice against on-line activities that knowingly facilitate sexual trafficking.

It also allows a state attorney general to bring action in a U.S. district court to protect individuals from anyone who knowingly participates in the sex trafficking of children or sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

This bill is one step in the right direction but much more must be done to eradicate this travesty against human dignity.

One key solution will be the resolve of Americas youth. They have the heart to inspire an ethical renaissance through character, courage, and community.

As demonstrated recently in the March for Our Lives, understood to be one of the largest youth protests since the Vietnam War, Americas youth are standing united.

Although the March for Our Lives was dedicated specifically to sensible gun reform, the unity of Americas youth made a profound statement to America, and to the world.

Our youth gave hope that not only violence prevention, but other issues critical to our way of life, can be resolved through unity.

As the future of America, our youth deserve guidance, encouragement, and respect.

Americas youth are catalysts, pivotal to reawakening the nation, which will be realized through moral leadership, steadfast vigilance, and community cohesiveness.

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America. Bove is a recipient of the FBI Directors Community Leadership Award for combating crime and violence and is a former confidant of the New York Yankees. His newest book is Listen to Their Cries. For more information, see www.vincentbove.com

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Barrick Gold reported founder Peter Munk, seen here on Dec. 4, 2013, died peacefully in Toronto on March 28. He was 90. (The Canadian Press/Mark Blinch)

Barrick Gold Founder, Canadian Entrepreneur Peter Munk Dies at Age 90

TORONTOBarrick Gold Corp.s visionary founder Peter Munk, a man of lofty global ambitions who fulfilled them like few others, died on March 28 at the age of 90.

He racked up an impressive series of accomplishments in everything from custom stereos to tropical resorts, and established himself as one of Canadas great entrepreneurs.

Munk will always be most renowned, however, as the founder and builder of one of the worlds largest gold mining empires while at the helm of Barrick Gold. It was there where he most displayed his willingness to take risks, spot overlooked opportunities, and challenge the status quo.

He was born in Budapest in 1927 and fled Hungary with his family in 1944 when Nazi Germany invaded. He arrived in Toronto in 1948 at the age of 20 and undertook a number of entrepreneurial business activities before founding Barrick in 1983.

This is a country that does not ask about your origins, but concerns itself with your destiny, Munk said in 2011.

Someone has got to create and generate wealth.  Peter Munk

He is survived by Melanie, his wife of 45 years; five children, Anthony, Nina, Marc-David, Natalie, and Cheyne; and 14 grandchildren.

Capitalist Legacy

Munk, whose cause of death was not disclosed, leaves behind a legacy of business success, charitable donations, and an outspoken defender of the benefits of capitalism.

Toronto-based Barrick Gold grew into one of the worlds biggest gold producers under Munks leadership.

When I joined Barrick in 2002, the company was in the news on an almost daily basis, said Barrick President Kelvin Dushnisky.

Words like innovative, entrepreneurial, instinctive, agile, and astute were used regularly to describe the company. They could just as easily have been talking about Peter Munk himself, and, in many ways they were. Barrick is, after all, an extension of Peters personality.

Starting in 1983 with a small Ontario underground mine producing 3,000 ounces of gold a year, Munk set Barrick on a path of exponential growth.

The companys biggest break came in 1986, when he bought an underperforming mine in Nevada called Goldstrike. Few saw the potential of the mine, then producing 40,000 ounces of gold a year, but Munk made a bet on it and struck it big.

Before long, the mine was producing over 2 million ounces a year and remains one of the companys core mines, producing over a million ounces a year.

Not one satisfied to settle on a tidy profit, Munk would continue to buy mines and take over companies.

By 2006, Barrick would establish itself as the worlds biggest gold producer after gobbling up miner Placer Dome for US$10.4 billion.

Someone has got to create and generate wealth, Munk said at his last annual general meeting in 2014.

Munk had always been grateful for the opportunities that Canada, and his alma mater the University of Toronto had provided him.

With the significant wealth Munk generated from his exploits, he was able to donate many millions in charity through his Aurea charitable foundation.

He became one of Canadas best-known philanthropists, including a $175 million donation to the Toronto General Hospital in 1997. Barrick said he donated nearly $300 million to causes and institutions over his lifetime.

A Toronto cardiac centre bears his name thanks to more than $65 million in donation, as does the University of Torontos Munk School of Global Affairs after a $40 million pledge.
A helicopter hovers at the scene of the crash in which members of the family of Devonte Hart were killed. (California Highway Patrol)

Boy Who Hugged Officer in Viral Photo Missing After Familys SUV Goes Off Cliff

A teen famously photographed hugging a police officer during 2014 protests over the shooting of Michael Brown has been reported missing after several members of his family died in a horrific car crash.

The search continues for 15-year-old Devonte Hart and his siblings, 16-year-old Hannah Hart and 12-year-old Sierra Hart, officials from the California Highway Patrol and the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office said in a joint press conference on Wednesday, March 28, ABC reported.

Five members of Harts family, including adoptive parents Jennifer and Sarah Hart, are confirmed dead after the SUV they were in went off a cliff near Mendocino in northern California on Monday, March 26.

MORE: Devonte Hart, believed to be a victim, drew wide media attention after being photographed hugging a Portland Oregon Police Sergeant during a demonstration over the unrest in Ferguson Missouri  KABC / KGO pic.twitter.com/gWuPkK93lu  Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 28, 2018

The bodies of the two women were still in the vehicle, KGW8 News reported, and the bodies of the children were found outside.

A puzzling aspect of the case, authorities said, was the lack of brake or skid marks before the vehicle plummeted 75 feet into the Pacific Ocean, something police called confusing.

None of the victims of the crash had their seatbelts on, the authorities revealed, and when crews arrived the car engine was cold, reported ABC.

While investigators remain unclear about the details surrounding the circumstances of the incident, officials said they had no reason to believe the crash was an intentional act.

Devonte Hart became known when a photo of him hugging a police officer during the Ferguson protests in Portland on Nov. 25, 2014 went viral.

Hart was 12 at the time and carried a sign at the demonstration with the words free hugs on it, and the police officer in the photo reportedly walked up to the boy and asked if he could get one of those.

According to CNN, Portland police Sgt. Bret Barnum approached Devonte and extended his hand. Barnum reportedly said in a later interview he approached Devonte not as a police officer but just a human being when he saw him crying.

Freelance photographer Johnny Nguyen was there to capture the moment.

#BREAKING: Mendocino County Sheriffs Office confirms 15-year-old Devonte Hart #MISSING after California crash that killed family of five. Read more: https://t.co/rPJKbd0MTQ pic.twitter.com/KRm6ob0ylS  KATU News (@KATUNews) March 28, 2018

The situation itself is something police officers do every day when they go out on the street and make citizen contacts, Barnum said, according to CNN.

Within hours of its posting on Facebook by an Oregon newspaper, the first media outlet to publish the photo, it was shared more than 150,000 times, CNN reported.

It solidified what all of us do this work forthis job forto create good will, Barnum said of the positive attention the snap received in context of bridging social divides.

Police are still looking for 15-year-old Devonte Hart, who gained widespread attention in November 2014 when a photo of him hugging a police officer during a Ferguson-related protest in Portland went viral. https://t.co/e02BRq54wf  USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 29, 2018

Photographer Nguyen said it seemed to capture a spirit of unity and reconciliation.

I thought, what a great scene. A powerful scene. A scene with a message that needed to be communicated. A scene of coming together, he said, according to CNN.

I knew it had something special, something powerful. It had a message I think everyone wanted to see, he said.

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Chef Taunts Vegans Protesting at Restaurant by Butchering Deer Leg in Window

A Canadian chef appeared to taunt a group of vegan protesters by cutting up a deer leg in the window of his restaurant, in full view of the anti-meat demonstrators outside.

The incident, which took place Friday, March 23, was captured in a series of photographs and video, which have since lit up social media.

As chef Michael Hunter, co-owner of the Antler Kitchen and Bar in Toronto, separated meat from the bone of what the National Post reported was a leg of raw venison, a protester videotaped the scene.

To taunt the activists, reportedly said the man behind the camera in a video posted online, cited by the Post, he has brought the leg of a recently murdered deer to this dining area.

Footage from inside the restaurant was posted on social media.

Murder at dinner #murdertastytastymurder Post udostepniony przez MackenzieMackenzie (@mac515mac) Mar 23, 2018 o 5:15 PDT

Hunter, according to his restaurants website aims to celebrate the wild culinary delights of Canada and serves such exotic dishes as Spice Ash Cruster Rack of Deer, and a Game Burger made with Wild Boar, Bison, Deer.

But the restaurant has fallen foul of vegan protesters, who weeks ago descended on the Antler with signs accusing it of murder and animal cruelty.

On Friday night, protesters unfurled a huge banner reading murder, MailOnline reported. They also displayed other signs, including Animals are not ours to use, and Chickens display compassion to others suffering. Can you?

Chef Hunter evidently decided to make a statement of his own and brought a red-colored cutting board, a large leg of deer, and a paring knife.

We were obviously getting to him because were impacting his business  I assume, one of the protesters was cited as saying by the National Post. I actually cant knowthis was his way of getting revenge on us.

As the protesters crowded the window and voiced their fervent opposition, Hunter began to carve the venison.

Meanwhile, the incredulous protesters continued to film, and comment.

The owner has brought the leg of a recently murdered animal to the table, said one of the protesters on film. He is going out of his way to show us the leg. What animal would that be guys?

What hes doing here to mock us, he continued. The owner of this restaurant has gone out of his way to mock this legal peaceful protest at Antler restaurant by bringing the leg of an animal to this table where people are only supposed to be dining.

In the background, other protesters attempted to win sympathy from passersby.

One person, confused by their outrage, asked, Theyre murdering people?

No, theyre murdering animals! one of the protesters said back.

Is this against a health code? Is this legal? another said.

As a customer tried to enter the restaurant, another protester shouted, Dont go in there, look at what theyre doing! Theyre trying to taunt us!

After cutting up the meat, Hunter went to the kitchen to cook it.

He then returned to the window seat 30 minutes later and enjoyed it in front of the group.

It shocked me. It made me feel really sad, protester Marni Ugar told The National Post. For me, its just an animal and its an animal that didnt want to die.

In an apparent move to appease the protesters, Hunter has added vegan dishes to his menu and has even asked them to go foraging with him, MailOnline reported.

At one point during the protest, police officers arrived and entered the restaurant.

They spoke with Hunter, apparently sparking hope in the protesters that they would put a stop to the butchery. But at the end of their conversation, they and Hunter both smiled and laughed.

The protester providing the running commentary, at that point, said I do see them smiling. Thats unfortunate.

Toronto police later told the National Post they did not ask Hunter to stop what he was doing. Its his restaurant he can do what he wants, really, Sgt. Philip Townley said.

Hunter refused to speak to the media about the incident, but provided the National Post with a statement by email.

We are operating business as usual, he said. Our identity as a restaurant is well known throughout the city as is our ethical farming and foraging initiatives.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (L) being broadcast on a large video screen in Tokyo as pedestrians walk past following a North Korean missile test that passed over Japan on September 15, 2017, and China's President Xi Jinping (C) at the Great Hall of People in Beijing on April 20, 2017. (FRED DUFOUR,TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images)

China Says North Koreas Kim Pledged Commitment to Denuclearization

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearization and to meet U.S. officials, China said on March 28 after his meeting with President Xi Jinping, who promised China would uphold friendship with its isolated neighbor.

After two days of speculation, China and North Korea both confirmed that Kim had traveled to Beijing and met Xi during what China called an unofficial visit from March 25 to March 28.

The visit was Kims first known trip outside North Korea since he assumed power in 2011 and is believed by analysts to serve as preparation for upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.

North Koreas KCNA news agency made no mention of Kims pledge to denuclearize, or his anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump that is planned for some time in May.

China has traditionally been secretive North Koreas closest ally but ties have been frayed by its pursuit of nuclear weapons and Chinas backing of tough U.N. sanctions in response.

Chinas Foreign Ministry cited Kim in a lengthy statement as telling Xi the situation on the Korean peninsula was starting to improve because North Korea had taken the initiative to ease tension and put forward proposals for talks.

Many analysts and former negotiators  remain deeply skeptical that Kim is willing to give up the weapons his family has been developing for decades.

It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearization on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un said, according to the ministry.

North Korea was willing to talk with the United States and hold a summit between the two countries, he said.

The issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace, Kim said.

Nuclear Umbrella

Kim Jong Uns predecessors, grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il, both promised not to pursue nuclear weapons but secretly maintained programs to develop them, culminating in the Norths first nuclear test in 2006 under Kim Jong Il.

The North had said in previous, failed talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear program it could consider giving up its arsenal if the United States removed its troops from South Korea and withdrew its so-called nuclear umbrella of deterrence from South Korea and Japan.

Many analysts and former negotiators believe this still constitutes North Koreas stance and remain deeply skeptical Kim is willing to give up the weapons his family has been developing for decades.

At first wrapped in secrecy, the announcement of Kim Jong Uns visit soon became the third-most discussed topic on Chinas Weibo microblogging site, although many state media outlets blocked their comments sections.

Widely read Chinese state-run newspaper the Global Times praised the meeting as proving naysayers wrong about Beijing-Pyongyang relations.

China and North Korea maintaining their friendly relations provides a positive force for the whole region and promotes strategic stability in northeast Asia, it said in an editorial.

Kims appearance in Beijing involved almost all the trappings of a state visit, complete with an honor guard and banquet at Beijings Great Hall of the People.

Kim and Xi also met at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, where Kim Il Sung planted a tree in 1959 that still stands.

State television showed pictures of the two men chatting and Kims wife, Ri Sol Ju, getting a warm welcome from Xis wife, Peng Liyuan.

Trump Briefed

China briefed Trump on Kims visit and the communication included a personal message from Xi to Trump, the White House said in a statement.

The United States remains in close contact with our allies South Korea and Japan. We see this development as further evidence that our campaign of maximum pressure is creating the appropriate atmosphere for dialogue with North Korea, it said.

Analysts said the meeting strengthened North Koreas position ahead of any meeting with Trump by aligning Beijing and Pyongyang while reassuring China it was not being sidelined in any negotiations.

It seems that North Korea is not ready to deal with the United States without support and help from its longtime ally China, said Han Suk-hee, professor of Chinese Studies at South Koreas Yonsei University.

Kim told a banquet hosted by Xi the visit was intended to maintain our great friendship and continue and develop our bilateral ties at a time of rapid developments on the Korean peninsula, according to KCNA.

Xi had accepted an invitation with pleasure from him to visit North Korea, KCNA said.

China made no mention of Xi accepting an invitation, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang pointed to a line in their statement citing Xi as saying he is willing to maintain regular communications with North Korea via visits and exchanges of envoys and messages.

I have to say that China and North Korea have a tradition of high-level mutual visits, Lu told a daily news briefing.

China had largely sat on the sidelines as North Korea improved relations with South Korea recently, raising worry in Beijing that it was no longer a central player in the North Korean issue, reinforced by Trumps subsequent announcement of his proposed meeting with Kim Jong Un in May.

China is North Koreas lifeline, so the notion, from a Chinese perspective, that Kim Jong Un could have had these other two meetings before meeting with Xi Jinping, I think the Chinese just thought that is not going to happen, said Paul Haenle, director of the CarnegieTsinghua Center in Beijing and the former White House representative to North Korea denuclearization talks from 2007-2009.
National Rifle Association members look over guns in the Barrett display at the 146th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 29, 2017. With more than 800 exhibitors, the convention is the largest annual gathering for the NRA's more than 5 million members. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Donations to the NRA Tripled After Mass Shooting in Florida

Donations to the National Rifle Association (NRA) tripled in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Florida in February.

Reports from the Federal Election Commission showed that donations to the associations Political Victory Fund tripled from January to February.

The National Rifle Association received about $248,000 in January, versus about $779,000 in February.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political spending, donations of $200 or more by individuals doubled in the latter two weeks in February versus the first two weeks, indicating that the aftermath of the shooting played a big role in the large increase.

The shooting on Feb. 14 in Parkland at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School left 17 people dead and 16 others wounded.

Nikolas Cruz, a former student, allegedly admitted to opening fire at the school. After the shooting, a group of students started pushing for gun control legislation, including banning certain guns such as the AR-15.

The push, funded by celebrities and groups such as Everytown, has prompted a backlash from gun rights advocates, including the NRA. Events organized by the gun control advocates have included a town hall hosted by CNN in which students confronted NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and a national march on March 24.

NRA online ad spending increased sixfold after Parkland shooting https://t.co/Axx5k9SKer pic.twitter.com/D5NB2jdi88  The Hill (@thehill) March 24, 2018

The students have employed heightened rhetoric, suggesting any official that takes donations from the NRA should be voted out and saying officials at the association have blood on their hands.

In recent weeks, some advocates have also called for a repeal of the Second Amendment, including former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

The NRA has hit back with a number of advertisements, spending more than six times as much as it had been before the shooting on digital ads, including on Youtube and Facebook, reported the Chicago Tribune.

The daily average amount spent jumped from $11,300 to $47,300, according to data from Pathmatics, a company that analyzes data from online ads.

President Donald Trump has voiced support for some measures that gun control advocates have pushed in the wake of recent shootings, and under his advisement, the Justice Department ordered a ban on bump stocks.

However, hes also suggested arming teachers would provide an extra deterrent for would-be school shooters. Dozens of school districts across the nation already allow teachers to be armed, and a number of districts have moved to introduce or pass legislation that would allow that since the shooting.

Trump also used Twitter to speak out on the idea floated by some groups this week of repealing the Second Amendment.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED! As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY. We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018

THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED! he said. As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY. We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!

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An Uber self-driving Volvoa sight which will no longer be seen on the streets of Phoenix. (commons.wikimedia.org)

Emails Reveal Ongoing Relationship Between Uber and Arizona Governor

Arizonas governor, Doug Ducey, has gone out of his way to make Arizona friendly to autonomous vehicle (AV) companies.

Documents turned up by The Guardian show that the governor had an exceptionally friendly relationship with one such company, Uber.

It was an Uber AV, which struck and killed a pedestrian on the night of March 18the first recorded fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle.

The Guardian has obtained a series of emails between Uber and Ducey, sent between 2015 and 2017, which indicate that the governor acted on Ubers behalf with other Arizona state officials, while Uber promised to bring jobs to Arizona.

https://twitter.com/dougducey/status/812036376468144128openarms

Wide-Open Spaces

Uber, a San Francisco-based company, started testing its AVs in Californiabefore it got state permission. This led to Uber being temporarily banned from testing there.

California has some of the strictest AV laws in the nation. The state requires extended and detailed reporting on how the AV vehicles perform, and how often safety drivers have to intervene.

Arizona, (and Florida and Michigan) have very lax laws and in the case of Arizona, no reporting requirements.

A December 2016 press release from the Arizona Department of Transportation states, Part of what makes Arizona an ideal place for Uber and other companies to test autonomous vehicle technology is that there are no special permits or licensing required, AZCentral reported.

Uber Intel Corp., General Motors Co., and Waymo, the Google offspring, all have AV programs in the greater Phoenix area, according to AutoNews, all taking advantage of the permissive regulations.

Arizonas Uber Turnaround

Under the previous governor, Jan Brewer, Arizona was not particularly friendly to Uber. Gov. Brewer did not allow Uber drivers to register as rideshare taxis.

Arizona law required any vehicle transporting passengers commercially to get commercial insurance and required drivers to get a commercial drivers license. Uber drivers simply did not.

In 2014 Brewer vetoed a bill, which would have allowed Uber to operate.

Shawn Marquez, acting director of Arizona Department of Weights and Measures, was responsible for overseeing commercial drivers.

He agreed with Brewer that the bill wasnt strong enough, citing its lack of requirements for both insurance and drug testing.

However, Despite the veto, Uber and Lyft are continuing to operate, Marquez told AZCentral.com in 2014.

Uber began courting Ducey shortly after he took office in 2015.

Uber Senior Vice President David Ploufe and Justin Kintz, of Ubers Public Policy & Communications department, met with Ducey in February of that year, The Guardian reported.

One week later Kintz sent Ducey a letter saying I know [David Plouffe] and [Uber founder] Travis [Kalanick] are as excited as I am to expand our footprint in Arizona, and we are encouraged that the state Legislature is interested in codifying a permanent regulatory structure for ridesharing.

In April 2015, Ducey signed a bill allowing ride-sharing taxis to operate exempt from the laws and regulations governing standard taxis. The governor was flanked by Uber executives at the signing ceremony.

Uber came through with the jobs it promised. In June 2015 Uber opened a customer support center in Phoenix, creating 300 jobs.

In August 2015 Uber donated $25,000 to University of Arizonas College of Optical Sciences, The Guardian reports.

On the same day the gift was announced, Ducey signed an executive order allowing public testing of AV cars so long as they had human backup drivers on board. That same order allowed fully unmanned AVs on college campuses.

The email exchanges continue throughout 2016 and 2017, with Uber constantly thanking and praising the governor for his efforts to give AVs a free range in Arizona.

In March 2018, less than three weeks before the fatal accident, Ducey signed another order, allowing driverless AV cars to operate on public roads.

Waymo, the ABC-owned AV company, began testing driverless AV taxis in Carlsbad, Arizona, at that time. (ABC is the parent company of Google.)

No Clear Quid Pro Quo

Uber executives kept in close touch with Ducey from the time he took office until Monday, March 26, 2018, when he shut down Ubers Arizona test programs.

Now, with Uber squarely behind the eight ball for its involvement in a pedestrian death, neither party is eager to say anything publicly.

The emails The Guardian uncovered do not show any illegal collusion between Ducey and Uber. In fact, all the companies experimenting with AV technology have benefited equally.

What the emails do show is that Uber spent a lot of time and energy courting Ducey.

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From Voldemort to Dirty Jets: UFO Footage From Plane Window Stirs Theories

To the Harry Potter fans, it looks like Lord Voldemort himself is streaking alongside the afternoon flight to Athens.

To the conspiracy theorists, the dark trail is further proof of mysterious chemtrails, while to the UFO-enthusiasts it suggests a solid object forged from alien tech.

But for the more skeptical, it is possibly a contrail from a missile, or just a fighter jet with a dirty exhaust.

The footage taken by Australian Kerry Forides as he flew over the Aegean sea to Greece quickly went viral after he posted it to Youtube, asking if anyone could identify the mysterious black object that he filmed through the window for 3 minutes.

Just flew over Turkey somewhere over Izmir and Khios Aegean sea, heading into Athens around 4:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, he wrote.

It appears to be flying away at right angles from our commercial jet and somehow without either of us appearing to turn we end up almost following it.

A surprised womans voice can be heard in the videohis wife.

She saw a rocket about 1/2 hour earlier that is why I was so alert and ready to film, wrote Forides on Youtube

The video soon attracted the interest of UFO hunters and debunkers, racking up over 340,000 views in a week.

Forides noted on Facebook there were striking similarities between what he observed during his flight and what was featured in an article which covered a UFO sighting in Switzerland.

That sighting, comprising of only a photograph was dismissed as many as just a contrail from a jet.

Contrails are the characteristic tracer lines seen following aircraft, created by the sudden change in pressure created by a jet engine or a fast-moving wing. The shift in pressure causes the moisture in the air to condense into the white cloud, like breathing into cold air.

Some argue that such dark contrails sometimes should not be produced, and that such footage points to another theory: chemtrails.

The chemtrails conspiracy theory claims that the trails have other chemicals and biological agents mixed in with them.

But with the flight over Turkey being relatively close to the war zone around Syria, many suggest the most likely explanation is that the phenomenon was a contrail from a military aircraft, possibly even a missile.

Forides himself wrote that he overall agreed with the suggestion that it was a contrail. I thought it was a propelled vehicle of some kind but it was awfully close, and had a really dirty jet stream.

A few others said it was probably an elderly F4 Phantom II, with an older engine, known for being smokey and also still currently used by the Greek air force.

One Youtube commenter suggested it could be a trail from a Mig-29 fighter jet, saying that their exhaust can run dirty.

Others had more light-hearted suggestions.

Thats just the dark lord chasing Harry, wrote one commentator.

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Credit: Kerry Forides via Storyful
A sketch of a murder suspect in Georgia (L) and Michael De'Sean White, who was arrested and charged with four counts of murder. (Clayton County Police Department)

Georgia Teacher Charged With Murder After Gang Retaliation Killings

A teacher in Georgia is facing murder charges after two children were killed in what officials are calling gang retaliation.

Tatiyana Coates, 11, and her brother, Daveon Coates, 15, were killed in 2016 in DeKalb County.

A sketch of a man seen at the scene of the crime, drawn by a forensic artist, helped Clayton police officers identity Michael DeSean White, 26, who works as a school teacher at Toney Elementary School.

White has been charged with four counts of murder after the arrest this week, Clayton County Police Department Maj. Tina Daniel told WSB-TV.

The details, as far as the sketch and the photo, are incredibly similar, Daniel said. The sketch and Whites booking photo are side-by-side at the top of the article.

Daniel said it appears that White had at least one accomplice.

The teacher has been removed from Toney Elementary School until an investigation is complete. He began teaching at the school in August 2017.

Police officers said after the murder that the Coates home was broken into and Daveon and Tatiyana were shot and killed while they slept in a gang retaliation that missed its target, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

There is nothing glamorous about being in a gang, Police Chief Mike Register said after the killings.

What happened to that 11-year-old and that 15-year-old that morningyou can call yourself whatever you want, but the cold, hard facts are you are a punk and a coward and a murderer to go in and do what you did.

Joint funeral planned for siblings killed during home invasion https://t.co/uvVVmnzaqd pic.twitter.com/D6LH6uBFeh  AJC (@ajc) October 31, 2016

BREAKING: Police in Clayton Co. make 11 arrests in connection w/ 2016 shooting deaths of two children with Chattanooga ties. Background: https://t.co/xSY2T1cJb9 https://t.co/KEhr5sroX8  WTVC NewsChannel 9 (@newschannelnine) March 29, 2018

Officers said they believe the killers were looking for another 15-year-old boy who was not home at the time. That boy actually moved to Tennessee, reported the Chattanooga Times Free-Press.

A shootout that broke out in the city reportedly involved the teenager, according to police in Chattanooga. A gun recovered from that shootout was treated as evidence in the Georgia killings.

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Incredible Moment: Woman Plays the Flute in the Middle of Her Major Brain Surgery at Texas Hospital

A woman played the flute while in a Texas hospital getting brain surgery done, and the moment was captured on camera.

A video also emerged, shot by a staff member at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston on Tuesday, March 27.

Anna Henry, the patient, is a professional flutist.

Henry suffers from a hereditary condition that causes hand tremors, which can sometimes disrupt her ability to play the instrument.

Doctors performed a deep brain stimulation procedure that featured them planting electrodes in an effort to help reduce the tremors and improve Henrys life.

To test her abilities after some of the work was done, Henry was handed a flute and played for a bit.



Her performance enabled doctors to see how they were progressing and to make any adjustments that were needed.

Doctors and nurses applauded at the end of the performance.

The type of brain surgery also requires patients to be awake.

It is brain surgery, but its a way we can really improve a patients life, quality of life, where otherwise theyre going to be on medications that may have a modest effect on improving their tremor, Dr. Albert Fenoy, neurosurgeon with the Mischer Neuroscience Institute at Memorial Hermann and UTHealth, told KHOU. Deep brain stimulation is a really fantastic tool in how we can modulate a perturbed, dysfunctional system in the brain and make it more normal.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved deep brain stimulation to treat four conditions: essential tremor, Parkinsons disease, dystonia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder; its also being researched as a possible treatment for chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and other conditions.

Henry, currently the principal flutist with the Big Spring Symphony Orchestra, said that the condition has started impacting her musical career significantly, so she felt something had to be done. In a recent concert, she had to have her arm in a sling to keep it steady enough.

I can fight it, but Im tired of doing it. And it is getting worse. I know its a matter of either admitting I cant do it anymore, or doing this [surgery] so that I can, she said.

Henry told ABC 6 that the operation seems to be a success.

The tremors are greatly reduced, she said.

Shes now resting at her hotel before returning to Lubbock this weekend.

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Messages are placed near a mosque that was the location of a shooting spree in Quebec City, Quebec on January 31, 2017. Alexandre Bissonnette cut a low profile as a shy, withdrawn political science student, keen on far-right ideas. Bissonnette, known to have nationalist sympathies was charged January 30, 2017 with six counts of murder. (Alice Chiche/AFP/Getty Images)

Man Paralyzed in Quebec Mosque Shooting Holds No Resentment

QUEBECThe last time Aymen Derbali saw Alexandre Bissonnette before this week, the Quebec City mosque shooter was pointing a gun at his head.

The moments that followed 14 months ago turned Bissonnette into a murderer, and Derbali, who took seven bullets as he stood in the gunmans path, into a hero.

Derbali, who is now confined to a wheelchair, was in court Wednesday as a judge accepted Bissonnettes guilty pleas to six charges of first-degree murder and six of attempted murder in connection with the attack on Jan. 29, 2017.

Derbali, who hadnt attended previous court proceedings, said he felt recognition, but no rush of emotion when he saw Bissonnette again.

For me, [I felt] normal, he said in an interview at the rehabilitation centre where he is undergoing therapy.

At first look, I was very convinced it was the same face that I saw [that day] in front of me.

Derbali says hes glad Bissonnette decided to plead guilty because he believes it will help the victims to complete their mourning process.

But he questions the sincerity of the declaration the shooter read in court, especially Bissonnettes claim he is neither Islamophobic nor a terrorist.

If its not a terrorist act, its an Islamophobic one, he said.

He trained with weapons, he planned his gesture, he went to the mosque several times.

The shooters actions, Derbali said, made it clear Bissonnette wanted to kill Muslims, and as many as possible.

Is the fact of having spent a year in prison made him change his mind? Derbali said.

That, I dont know, and thats between him and God.

While the emotions from the shooting are still raw for Quebec Citys muslim community, Derbali says hes moving on.

His condition is slowly improving, and hes hoping to leave the rehabilitation centre sometime in the summer.

Eventually, he and his wife, and three children will move into an adapted home purchased for him with the proceeds of an online fundraiser.

The financing campaign, launched by Muslim organization DawaNet, surpassed its $400,000 goal in February.

While hes moving on from the tragedy, Derbali says hes still not sure what to make of the request Bissonnette made in court for forgiveness.

For now, he says he needs more time to think about it.

When Im convinced that all this, he really regrets it, then I will really be able to [forgive], he said.

I dont have any resentment.

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Man Saved From Vietnamese Orphanage During Vietnam War Meets His Mother For First Time

A British man saved decades ago from a Vietnam orphanage meets his birth mother for the very first time in an emotional moment captured on video.

Watch the touching moment a man is reunited with family long-thought dead, after a touching journey back to his roots.

Vance McElhinney, 43, had nothing but a crumpled baby photograph to show for his life prior to being airlifted to England in a rushed 1975 emergency mission.

Towards the end of the Vietnam War, children were gathered from Vietnamese orphanages in a frenzy of panic when the US president warned the advancing Vietcong troops planned to massacre war orphans.

The boy was adopted by a family in Northern Ireland and believed his family in Vietnam were dead.

But four years ago, Vance started to think about tracking down his birth relatives, and filmed A Place To Call Home for the BBC Northern Ireland series True North.

Local researchers and charities found out Vance had come from an orphanage in Quy Nhon.

When the documentary aired, Vance received a torrent of messages from people claiming to be family.

My phone was like Blackpool Illuminations, Vance said, according to SWNS reporter Laura Elvin.

People were sending me messages saying Im your brother, Im your cousin, Im your mother.

I had to be skeptical. People sent photos and I had to be brutal and reply Im sorry that looks nothing like me.

But one claim stood out: a woman claiming to be a cousin.

The message contained a striking photo of a Vietnamese man bearing an uncanny resemblance to Vance.

He showed it to his adoptive parents, who agreed the likeness was obvious, and three months later, in February 2016, he was on a plane to Vietnam.

A surprise awaited him when he met the woman claiming to be his cousin. During a face-to-face meeting with her in a cafe in Quy Nhon, he was shown a neatly-dressed woman in her 60s. The cousin told Vance: Shes your mother.

A skeptical Vance decided to get a DNA test done to know for sure whether Le Thi Anh, 64, was indeed his mother.

In late 2017, he received the resultsa positive match.

So in February 2018, Vance traveled again to Vietnam to greet his birth mother for the very first time.

I just said Hello mum and she cried uncontrollably for a few minutes.

There was no doubt in her mind, anyway, that I was her son, he said. She knew the DNA results were getting coverage, but I told her for sure when I saw her.

She only knew I was there 30 minutes before I arrived.

I kept it as quiet as possible for the ten days I was in Vietnam before seeing mum.

I wanted to keep it as real as possible.

It has been good getting to know her, but also difficult as my adopted mum passed away a few months ago.

I feel torn between families. Even though my adopted family are behind me 100 percent, its still hard.

After the city of Da Nang fell in March 1975, US President Gerald Ford announced his government would begin evacuating orphans from Saigon on 30 flights.

Vance was one of 100 children put on a rescue flight after he had been handed to nuns 600 kilometers (373 miles) away in Quy Nhon in the weeks or months before.

At the time nobody knew his history, but Vance has since discovered he was given to the nuns by his extended family when his mother was hospitalized for three weeks.

Vance speculates his relatives hoped to take him back, but with the country in turmoil, the children were unexpectedly moved to Saigon at short notice.

As soon as she found out, Vances mother and some of her brothers trekked the 600 kilometers to the cityby boat and on footover three weeks, but it was too late, she claims.

The border was shut for two more weeks and by the time she got in she wasnt able to get any information about her son, and had no idea if hed survived.

Rev. Canon Liz McElhinney and her husband Cyril MBE, national secretary of the YMCA for the U.K., watched the news in horror from their home in County Armagh.

Inspired to help, they traveled to Surrey and adopted a baby they called Vance, bringing him home to meet his new brothers, David and Stephen.

After being reunited with his birth mother in February, Vance spent several weeks getting to know her.

It is also reported he is setting up up a charity to help disabled youngsters, The Vance McElhinney Helping Hand Bursary Fund.

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3036 North Atlantic Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, near the location where Constantine Theoharis was last seen. (Screenshot via Google Maps)

Man Who Owes Over $500,000 in Child Support Mysteriously Disappears

A Florida father who had an over $500,000 child support case against him missed another court date. Neighbors recall seeing him out paddleboarding a week ago.

Constantine George Theoharis missed his March 27 court date, and thats after missing one on March 20, the same day a neighbor saw him head out to the ocean on a paddleboard. A figure believed to be Theoharis is seen in surveillance footage heading out on a paddleboard that morning, CBS Miami reported.

Since that day, he has not been seen or heard from. His wallet and passport are still at his home. His swim mask, fins, and weight belt are missing from his bag. Family members are still searching, according to CBS Miami.

Hes very capable out there on that paddleboard. For him to drown like that in those conditions seems very fishy to me, Richard Theoharis, Constantines brother, told CBS 4.

Theohariss uncle, John Katsikas, told CBS Miami that Theoharis is a skilled boater and diver. He said the family doesnt know what happened to him, and that he didnt take his diving tanks with him to the water.

Friends and family are searching for Theoharis. During the weekend they searched waters offshore and flew over the ocean. Theohariss is involved in an intense child support case.

He was under pressure, his brother told CBS 4. He owed $600,000 and he didnt have it. He was afraid the judge would throw him in jail. If hes scared, we hope he will contact us. Make a phone call. Just let somebody know youre safe so we can rest at night.

Richard thinks his brother could be faking his disappearance to escape the legal consequences of his case.

Constantine Theoharis is a 52-year-old commercial real estate agent with two teenage children. He and his wife divorced in 2008. Their custody battle has lasted five years, according to NBC 6.

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Missouri School Bus Driver Suspended, Accused of Leaving First-Grader on Bus for Eight Hours

A school bus driver in Missouri was suspended after being accused of leaving a first-grader on the bus for eight hours.

The incident took place in University City on Tuesday, March 27.

The 6-year-old student at Flynn Park Elementary School is walked to the bus stop by his mother every morning and she meets him there every day after school.

But that day he wasnt on the bus, Elisha Foster, the mother told Fox 2.

She called the police to report him missing, fearing the worst. The University City School District later said that the boy was inadvertently left alone on the unheated school bus for eight hours after apparently falling asleep and remaining on the vehicle after all the other students had exited.

The driver failed to see the boy and left for the day.

In a statement, the school district stated, According to the information we have at this time, the student boarded the school bus, fell asleep, and remained on the bus after the other students had exited. The Districts transportation provider, Missouri Central School Bus Company, has safety procedures in place to guard against this type of situation. However, it appears that those procedures were not followed. The sleeping student was not seen by the driver and was inadvertently transported back to the bus terminal.The student remained on the bus, at the bus terminal, for approximately 8 hours.

The school said the principal remains in close contact with the Fosters and the company.

As a District team, we are deeply sorry for the concern caused to this family. District officials are reviewing the Districts relationship with the bus company and are working with them to review policies and procedures intended to ensure student safety, the district added.

The school bus company said the driver has been suspended while the company launches a full investigation into what happened.



Its unacceptable to us too, we have a lot of processes in place. We have a long-standing history of this type of event not happening. We do whatever we can to make sure it doesnt, said Jim Love with the company.

But Foster said what happened to her son Thomas is totally unacceptable.

Elisha told KMOV she couldnt believe what happened. I dont understand it, I dont understand why they kept him on the bus, said Elisia,  I started screaming, I dont have my [expletive] baby on this bus.

The broadcaster noted that there are signs at the bus lot that remind drivers to check for sleeping children.

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Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks to the media following her trilateral briefing with U.S.Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Mexico's Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal during the sixth round of NAFTA negotiations in Montreal on Jan. 29, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

NAFTA Talks: US Proposes Higher Auto Wages

Canada likes the idea, Mexico maybe not so much

WASHINGTONMexican workers wages are at the heart of a major proposal from the United States aimed at breaking through an impasse on automobiles and securing a new North American Free Trade Agreement.

The latest U.S. idea incorporates worker salaries into the formula for calculating which cars can avoid tariffs under the auto rules of origin, several sources in different countries say.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said it would create incentives for car companies to pay wages far higher than the current average salary in Mexico, which, according to some estimates, is about US$2.04 per hour.

The United States has identified Mexican wages as a key priority, for two reasons: creating more middle-class Mexican buyers of imported goods, and reducing the incentive to shift car plants from high-wage countries.

The revelation adds context to enthusiastic comments last week from the Canadian government. Canadian officials said the Americans had proposed creative solutions for achieving their main overarching goal, which is more production in the United States.

Theres no question its a step forward, Canadian union leader Jerry Dias said in an interview Tuesday.

At least people are starting to understand that we have to fix the main problemwhich is wages in Mexico, said Dias, president of Unifor, Canadas largest private-sector union. The Mexicans will obviously push back  but Mexico knows theres not going to be a deal without higher wages.

The negotiations have accelerated, with the Unites States pushing for a new NAFTA within weeks.

Sources say the United States has introduced wages as a substitute for dropping its controversial demand that cars have 50 percent American content, deemed a non-starter by both Canada and Mexico.

The United States continues to demand a big increase in the percentage of car parts that must come from North America, from the current 62.5 percent to around 85 percent, but higher-wage labour would count as a credit toward the total.

Different sources described different salary levels as the cutoff rate.

Inside U.S. Trade, which first reported on the development, pegged the rate at US$15 per hour. One American briefed on the proposal understood it to include a range from $13 to $17. Dias said he has been briefed and heard its $15.

U.S. trade czar Robert Lighthizer hinted at the idea in a public appearance last week.

He told a congressional committee that there are several proposals being discussed that would help achieve his goal of driving up wages in Mexicoanother involves guaranteeing that workers can vote on collective agreements by secret ballot.

Theres a whole series of processes that were involved with in negotiating that [labour] element, Lighthizer told a House of Representatives committee last week.

Thats a hugely important issue. And the objective is to try to get wages up in Mexicowhich makes the United States more competitive, but also creates customers for the United States.

The proposal was first floated several days ago and appears to have kick-started the negotiations. Canada says its pleased by some of the latest developments, and the United States says all three countries are finally converging on a common vision.

One American source, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak frankly about the idea, said some details remain unclear. One example is whether car-makers would get credits toward an overall formula when they use higher-cost labour, or whether every car would have to have a certain percentage of high-paid labour.

The thing thats cleveringenious, actuallyis it creates an incentive to raise worker salaries, said that American, who is familiar with parts of the proposal.

Youd be creating this incentive to improve wage levels.

One trade insider said theres strong desire in Washington to drive up Mexican salaries. It may be key to winning Democrats votes, in particular, in ratifying an eventual deal.

The Democrats are especially vocal in bemoaning stagnant wages in Mexico as a drag on workers across the continent.

If there is no wage increase, there is going to have to be very strong provisions in the NAFTA getting rid of what some call white unions, or yellow unionsbasically company-sponsored unions, said Dan Ujczo of the law firm Dickinson Wright.

I wouldnt be surprised to see some type of movement towards setting a wage in Mexico. And I think that would be a red linefor Mexico.

He said Mexico finds itself in a tough spot. On the one hand, that country is especially anxious to get a deal, with elections approaching and an anti-establishment outsider candidate leading in the polls.

On the other hand, the pro-establishment government in Mexico has systematically opposed the idea of enshrining wage increases in a trade deal.

From The Canadian Press
New Texts Suggest Collusion Between Obama White House, CIA, FBI, and Senate Democrats Early in Trump-Russia Probe

Newly revealed text messages between two top FBI officials suggest an effort by high-ranking officials in the Obama White House, Justice Department, CIA, FBI, and the Senate to secretly coordinate the investigation of alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Fox News reported citing Republican investigators in Congress.

CIA Director John Brennan, FBI Director James Comey, President Barack Obamas Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, and then-Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid worked together in the early stages of the Trump probe in 2016, the text messages suggest, which is contrary to the Obama administrations public statements that it was not involved in the investigation.

Internal joint cyber cd intel piece for D, scenesetter for McDonough brief, Trainor [head of FBI cyber division] directed all cyber info be pulled, former head of counterintelligence at the FBI, Peter Strzok, texted senior FBI attorney Lisa Page on Aug. 8, 2016. Id let Bill and Jim hammer it out first, though it would be best for D to have it before the Wed WH session.

In the message D stands for FBI Director Comey and McDonough stands for Obamas chief of staff, Denis McDonough, according to the investigators.

We are not making conclusions. What we are saying is that the timeline is concerning enough to warrant the appointment of an independent investigator to look at whether or not the Obama White House was involved [in the Trump-Russia investigation], a Republican source in Congress told Fox News.

In the days leading up to the Aug. 8 text message, Strzok and Page appear to discuss steps to conceal their activity from future public scrutiny.

Make sure you can lawfully protect what you sign. Just thinking about congress, foia, etc. You probably know better than me, Page texted Strzok on Aug. 2, 2016.

In the message, foia refers to the Freedom of Information Act, which enables the public to view any government document and congress refers likely refers to the Congressional power to investigate the executive branch.

The CIA and FBI are historically independent agencies, meaning that coordination between political actors at the White House and investigators would be inappropriate, the investigators said.

Though Fox News did not name its Congressional sources, there are two committees in the House and Senate investigating matters related to the handling of the Trump-Russia probe. The Senate Committee on the Judiciary is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections. The House Intelligence Committee concluded a similar investigation but stated that it will continue investigating matters that arose from their probe.

The investigators point out that two weeks after the Aug. 8 text from Strzok to Page, Brennan went to Capitol Hill to brief Reid. Two days later, on Aug. 27, Reid wrote a letter to Comey demanding an investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Two days after that, The New York Times reported on the letter, thrusting an investigation that was still under wraps into the public spotlight.

Here we go, Strzok texted Page, including a link to the Times article titled Harry Reid Cites Evidence of Russian Tampering in U.S. Vote and Seeks FBI Inquiry.

Strzok then wrote: D [Comey] said at am brief that Reid called him and told him he would be sending a letter.

Reids letter and the Times article created a cover for the colluding parties who investigators say had been investigating Trump since mid-July on questionable ethical and legal grounds.

The here we go text between Strzok and Page indicates the FBI/ DOJ knew the letter from Reid was coming, a congressional source told Fox News. This created the inference they knew it would create public calls for an investigation into Russian interferencecovering them.

The Fox News source stressed the information available so far isnt passing judgment or claiming a smoking gun but did point out that the course of events was incredibly concerning.

At some point, the amount of concerning information becomes enough for a special counsel to look into it, the source said.

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Ohio Woman Killed in Car Crash Was on Her Way to Meet First Grandchild

A 37-year-old woman killed in a car crash in Ohio on Tuesday was headed to the hospital to meet her first grandchild.

Heather Belcher of Middletown was traveling during rush hour, around 5:30 p.m., north on I-75 in Lockland when the crash happened.

Belcher was hit so hard that she died at the scene.

A family member told Fox 19 that Belcher was actually driving to see her first grandchild.

She had a daughter that was in the hospital giving birth to her first grandbaby, said Jessica Bratton.

Its devastating that her first grandbaby is going to have to share that tragic day with her because you know on one hand you are celebrating the birth of your child and the other hand you are mourning the loss of your mom.

FOX Carolina 21

Family members are working on the funeral arrangement.

Belchers aunt said on Facebook that she was in shock when she learned the news.

I have just been sitting here in shock and sadness for about three hours now, wrote Kim Palko SanJulian.



I found out earlier this evening that my niece Heather Renee Belcher was killed in a tragic car accident. I think I am just numb. Please send prayers for my brother and her mother as they have to go through what no parent should have to go through.

She later added, This is still just too unreal!

I am so very sorry to hear this. All of you are in my thoughts and prayers, added another Facebook user.



I am so sorry for your loss. Sending prayers to you and the family. May God watch over all of you as you guys go through this terrible time, added another.

Police in Lockland are investigating the crash and have not publicly released any information as of yet.

From NTD.tv

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Aymen Derbali reacts to Alexandre Bissonnettes guilty plea at the hall of justice in Quebec City on March 28, 2018. Derbali was injured during the 2017 mosque shooting and has been paralyzed since. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Quebec City Mosque Shooter Alexandre Bissonnette Asks for Forgiveness

QUEBECThe man who killed six Muslims in a Quebec City mosque last year as they attended prayer is seeking forgiveness for his acts and says it was as though I was battling a demon that finished by winning out.

Every minute of my existence I bitterly regret what I did, the lives I have destroyed, the pain and suffering I have caused to so many people, without forgetting the members of my own family, Alexandre Bissonnette said as he read out a letter in court on March 28.

I am ashamed of what I did.

Bissonnette, 28, spoke to the court shortly after a judge accepted his guilty pleas on six charges of first-degree murder and six of attempted murder in connection with the attack.

Many people in the courtroom burst out sobbing and held hands as the judge confirmed the guilty pleas.

Bissonnette originally pleaded not guilty to the 12 charges March 26 but announced that afternoon he was changing his mind and wanted to plead guilty.

Superior Court Justice Francois Huot originally refused to accept the pleas pending a psychiatric assessment of the accused to ensure he fully understood the consequences of his decision.

Huot placed a publication ban on the proceedings but agreed March 28 to accept the guilty pleas.

In reading his letter, Bissonnette said he had been overcome by fear, by negative thoughts, and a sort of horrible kind of despair before the shootings.

Its though I was battling a demon that finished by winning outI would like to ask for forgiveness for what I did, but I know my acts are unforgivable.

The charges against Bissonnette were related to a shooting attack at the Islamic Cultural Centre in January 2017 in which he killed six men.

Psychiatrist Sylvain Faucher met with Bissonnette on March 26 and said he was fit to stand trial and to plead what he wants to plead.

He did not want to be the perpetrator of another collective drama, said Faucher.

Bissonnette said he wanted to plead guilty in order to avoid a trial and for the victims to not have to relive this tragedy.

The counts of attempted murder involved five people who were struck by bullets and a sixth charge encompassed the other people present at the mosque.

Jury selection had been scheduled to start April 3 and the trial is expected to last two months.

From The Canadian Press
Reports: Israel Flies F-35 Fighters Over Iran

Two Israeli F-35 fighter jets entered Iranian airspace over the past several weeks, according to the Jerusalem Post.

The two stealth fighters flew over Syrian and Iraqi airspace to reach Iran and targeted locations in the Iranian cities of Bandar Abbas, Esfahan, and Shiraz, according to the newspaper, quoting a Kuwaiti report for its information. Neither Israel or Iran have publicly commented on the report.

Israel, which is currently operating seven F-35 planes, has admitted to carrying out about 100 airstrikes in Syria over the past five years or so, mainly targeting Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorists, weapons, and infrastructure.

The Posts report said that the two F-35s circled in the sky over sites believed to be connected to Irans nuclear program. The two jets also went undetected by radar, including Russias radar system in Syria. A source said that its not clear if the Israeli operation was carried out along with the United States.

The source also said that the Israeli fighters have done a number of missions in Syria and along the border of Lebanon and Syria.

On Feb. 10, 2018, an Israeli F-16 was shot down by the Syrian regime after carrying out an air raid, wounding two pilots.

Israel at the time stated that it was the biggest and most significant attack the air force has conducted against Syrian air defenses since the 1982 Lebanon War, according to Haaretz. It was the first time Israel lost a jet to an enemy combatant since the 1982 conflict.

On March 20, Israel also confirmed for the first time that it bombed a Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007, ending a decade of speculation and secrecy.

#Israel: Two Israeli F-35 fighter jets entered #Iranian airspace over the past month, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported on Thursday. https://t.co/T5xoR4eED0  Global: MilitaryInfo (@bowden_jayden) March 29, 2018

The Israeli government, the Israel Defense Forces and the Mossad prevented Syria from developing nuclear capability, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, according to Reuters. Israels policy was and remains consistentto prevent our enemies from arming themselves with nuclear weapons.

Intelligence minister, Israel Katz, wrote on Twitter: The (2007) operation and its success made clear that Israel will never allow nuclear weaponry to be in the hands of those who threaten its existence  Syria then, and Iran today.

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Yuan banknotes and US dollars are seen on a table in Yichang, central China's Hubei province on August 14, 2015. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Scholar at Tsinghua University Explains Why China Could Lose Big in a Trade War, Online Post Gets Censored

Trade tensions between the United States and China have escalated in recent weeks. Last week, President Donald Trump announced tariffs valued up to $60 billion on Chinese imported goods. In response, the Chinese regime has hit back with a soft blow, announcing $3 billion in tariffs on American imported goods.

However, China is compromising because the Communist regime knows clearly it has no way to win the trade battle. Officials from both sides have begun private negotiations, while Chinese ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said in a recent interview with Bloomberg that China was willing to work with the United States to reduce the trade deficit.

Its state-run media, meanwhile, has talked big about forceful retaliation measures.

Sun Liping, a professor of sociology at Tsinghua University and former mentor to current Chinese leader Xi Jinping, recently published an article on the popular Chinese social media platform, WeChat, about the trade war between the United States and China. Sun was on the academic committee to evaluate PhD candidates dissertations during the same time period that Xi was pursuing a PhD at Tsinghua.

He said straightforwardly in his article that China cannot afford to fight back and predicted China will make a huge compromise with the United States. The post had more than 100,000 viewers within three days before it was deleted from WeChat.

He said China heavily relies on imports such as advanced technology products from the United States. Our foreign [currency] exchange mostly comes from the U.S. Without these foreign exchange, the necessities like food, oil, and microchips cannot be imported.

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As for America, he explained that it has natural resources within its own borders that sustain the countrys people. In addition, it has many allies around the world, which can provide markets even if it leaves Chinas. But we [China] cannot afford that, he said frankly.

It the trade war fights to the extreme, it will at most harm the U.S. economy seriously, he pointed out. But for us, its an issue of survival.

A longtime Chinese blogger who frequently comments on domestic economic news, using the pseudonym Manzu Yongshi, also recently published an article analyzing why China cant afford to have a trade war with the United States. Citing Chinese customs data, he provided numerical evidence of Chinas heavy reliance on American goods, especially in the areas of transportation vehicles, food commodities, and medical devices.

The blog post was soon deleted by Chinese censors as well.

Another blogger, writing under the pen name, Ganwu Shenghuo, said he has worked in the central government for many years. He wrote an article debunking retaliatory measures that have been touted in state media. He believed the state media articles were written merely to influence Chinese public opinion. His blog post was soon blocked, too.

One strategy mentioned in state media is for the Chinese regime to sell off huge amounts of U.S. Treasury bonds. But he said China has no other options but buy U.S. Treasury bonds because it is the safest investment with high profit for the Chinese regime. On the other hand, if China sells large numbers of U.S. Treasury bonds in a very short time, prices would drop rapidly. Americans could buy the low-price bonds sold off by China and get extremely high profits.

Another argument is for China to stop importing soybeans from the United States. However, the regime will then have to import them from other countries at high prices. He predicted that when the price of soybeans rises in those countries, other purchasers would likely go buy soybeans from America insteadfoiling Chinas plot.

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Soldiers in tanks pass in front of a screen near Tiananmen Square during a military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2015. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

China Using American Private Tech to Advance Military

The Chinese Communist Party is using investment and partnerships to acquire advanced technology for its military

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has for decades used a comprehensive strategy to steal from the U.S. economy, with tools including espionage, currency manipulation, cybertheft, and intellectual property theft.

Technology is probably the most important part of our economy, said U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer before the Senate finance committee on March 22.

We concluded that, in fact, China does have a policy of forced technology transfer; of requiring licensing at less than economic value; of state capitalism, wherein they go in and buy technology in the United States in noneconomic ways; and then, finally, of cybertheft, he said.

The goals of this push were best expressed when the CCP launched its Project 863 program in 1986, with its directive for catching up fast and surpassing the West. The U.S. Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive stated in 2011 that the ongoing program provides funding and guidance for efforts to clandestinely acquire U.S. technology and sensitive economic information.

Please click on image to enlarge.

Over the years, the CCP has started initiatives and created new tools for theft. Its push made global headlines in 2014, when a group of its military hackers were indicted for breaching the networks of private companies in the United States and stealing their intellectual property for the benefit of the CCP.

Rather than stopping after its hacker army was exposed, however, the CCP merely changed its tactics. It reduced the number of cyberattacks, but its hackers became more focused. It also passed additional laws that force foreign companies to hand over their data, and by early 2016 it had launched a new strategy for acquisitions and investment to gain control of targeted foreign markets.

A source familiar with the strategy shift told The Epoch Times in March 2017 that the CCP began sending teams of individuals to the United States to establish business and research partnerships, with the intention of bringing people or technology back to the mainland.

These strategies were known by many in the defense community and in the U.S. government, yet the United States has repeatedly failed to act. Richard Fisher, senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told The Epoch Times in 2015 that in a sense, it is very clear cut, but we dont want to accept what we see right before our eyes.

On March 22, however, President Donald Trump put into motion an initiative to stop the CCPs economic theft and to begin repairing trade with China.

Trump signed a memorandum that will impose tariffs on Chinese goods, worth between $50 billion and $60 billion annually, as a penalty for the CCPs theft of U.S. intellectual property.

The actions follow a U.S. trade representative investigation into the CCPs theft of intellectual property (IP). The trade representative will soon release a list of 1,300 products that have been targeted. Trump is also considering placing restrictions on Chinese investment, which the CCP has weaponized for economic warfare.

Video: How Industrial warfare has occurred between USA and China

The $50 billion to $60 billion in tariffs will only go a small way toward fixing the overall problem, however. The U.S. trade deficit with China is estimated at $375 billion. According to the independent IP Commissions 2017 report, the United States suffers an estimated $600 billion a year in IP theft, with the principal thief being China. Higher estimates put the losses to China due to IP theft in the trillions.

Any actions to end the CCPs economic theft and trade imbalances will need to take into consideration the full picture of the regime and its actions. (See the Epoch Times infographic on how the CCPs broader systems and strategies work.)

One complicating factor is the CCPs nationalization of otherwise benign institutions to carry out its operations. In China, the lines between private companies, the CCP, and its military are blurred. Any company with more than 50 employees is required to have a Communist Party liaison, and the regime uses tight regulations and data policies to ensure it maintains access and control.

Also, unlike the CCPs military hackers, who were illegally breaching company networks and stealing technology, the CCP in many cases uses legal loopholes to take advantage of the open system of the United States.

In its latest push, the CCP has mobilized investors, regulating where their money can or cannot go so as to fulfill the regimes broader interests. It is targeting startup companies, establishing and funding research conferences in order to gain access to frontier findings, and partnering with or leveraging existing ties with universities to access cutting-edge research.

The goal of the CCP today remains the same as when it began Project 863: It aims to replace the United States as the worlds leading power and to spread globally its China model. Based on communist totalitarianism, the China model lacks the basic principles of human rights and freedom of belief that are at the foundations of the West.
Some Canadian physicians say the federal government should follow the example of the United States and prosecute Purdue Pharma for its aggressive marketing of the opioid OxyContin, which fuelled the current opioid crisis across the country. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

Time for Ottawa to Stand up to Purdue Pharma, Say Physicians

The opioid manufacturer has paid hundreds of millions in penalties in US but gets a free pass in Canada

An Ontario physician says the federal government is showing zero leadership in prosecuting the pharmaceutical giant that produced and heavily promoted the addictive painkiller OxyContin, fuelling the opioid crisis that is now claiming more lives than motor vehicle accidents in Canada.

Last month, Purdue Pharma announced it would no longer be marketing opioids to doctors in the United States. Purdue pleaded guilty in 2007 for misleading U.S. physicians about the addictive qualities of its top-selling drug and has paid $634 million in criminal and civil charges.

But no such policy changes have been made in Canada by the Connecticut-based company, and some physicians and lawyers say its business as usual here, with Purdue facing only one $20 million class-action lawsuit that is currently being held up in a Saskatchewan court.

Approximately 4,000 Canadians died from overdoses in 2017, according to new data from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Dr. Kieran Moore, a professor of emergency medicine at Queens University in Kingston, said the federal government needs to do more to protect Canadians and hold Purdue accountable for its aggressive marketing of opioids.

You have to say enough is enough and try to prevent history from repeating itself, Moore said in an interview.

Its important to show that in the future, if pharmaceutical corporations show a disregard for informing the population and physicians for the risks of their drugs, there will be punishments, there will be penalties to be paid, and potentially holding people criminally responsible if they blatantly disrespect the laws in Canada.

Moore said the sole lawsuit against Purdue wont even scratch the surface when it comes to covering the social and financial costs of the companys role in escalating the opioid epidemic in Canada, which is second only to the United States in worldwide opioid prescription rates.

A former emergency room physician, Moore said hes seen the devastation from opioid addiction up close, and for every death he estimates there are 130 primary-care visits, 32 emergency room visits, and 10 addiction treatment admissions.

It absolutely calls for leadership at the federal level but I just dont know if this is clearly on the radar of the Liberal government, he said.

For the most part, pharmaceutical corporations will be regulated through federal laws, and really its going to take our provincial legislators lobbying the federal government to take action on thisstrong, bold action on changing the regulations.

Moore said there was some hope with former Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins, who pushed the federal government to prosecute Purdue Pharma, but last month Hoskins, a medical doctor, stepped down as minister, leaving a hole in political leadership.

Hoskins urged Ottawa to pursue legal action under the federal Food and Drugs Act (FDA), as the law prohibits the selling or advertising of a drug in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive.

Nav Persaud, a family physician and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, and Andrew S. Boozary, a resident physician at the University of Toronto, have also criticized Ottawas inaction over holding Purdue to account.

Although the hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties paid in the United States arent trivial, theyre still a small fraction of Purdue Pharmas profits from the opioid crisis, the doctors wrote in a recent op-ed. Purdue has generated $31 billion from OxyContin sales worldwide.

As Canadian communities continue to feel the brunt of the opioid crisis, its well past time that Canadian governments finally stand up to Purdue Pharma.

Maximum fine $5M per offence in Canada

Health Canada told The Epoch Times in an email it adheres to the law and would take any legal steps necessary to protect communities across the country from false advertising of drugs.

[Health Canada] is committed to ensuring that information in a health product advertisement is not false, misleading, or deceptive. Accordingly, should Health Canada determine that an advertisement poses a significant safety concern or is in contravention of the Food and Drugs Act  the department would take prompt and appropriate actions, wrote senior media adviser Maryse Durette.

Durette noted, however, that had charges been pursued under the FDA at the time of the alleged inappropriate marketing practices, which started in 2000, the maximum penalty that the courts could have imposed was a fine of $5,000 per offence. But since then, the FDA has been amended so that maximum fines of $5 million can be imposed.

But according to Amir Attaran, a professor of medicine and law at the University of Ottawa, Health Canada has more effective measures it can resort to besides the FDA.

[Health Canada] stops at the Food and Drug Act dimwittedly as if it is the only law Parliament ever passed, but of course that is false and there are other laws. For example, the Competition Act contains very substantial penalties for false representations. So too does the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the lawyer wrote in an email.

Attaran pointed out that even if the penalty under the FDA was only $5,000, Health Canada should still have pursued legal action to show it stands up for Canadians safety.

What Health Canada is really sayingand its disgustingis that they concluded the appropriate punishment was zero, so they did not go after Purdue at all and gave them a mulligan rather than prosecute them criminally the way the Americans did, he wrote.

For Canada to turn the tide on the opioid crisis, Moore said the relationship between medicine and the pharmaceutical industry must be seriously questioned. For example, he noted that in 2016 Purdue paid $3 million to physicians and medical professionals to buy influence and push more of its opioid products, long after it had pleaded guilty in 2007 for illegal marketing practices in the United States.

We have to stop those relationships, he said. We have to be much more evidence-based and thoughtful with how we prescribe and get [pharmaceutical companies] out of our medical schools, our residency programs, our hospitals, and have a more thoughtful relationship with evidence as the main driver with how we change our prescribing habits.

Jared Gnam is a freelance reporter based in Vancouver. He broke into the world of journalism covering the Stanley Cup Riot in 2011.
Trump Called Roseanne Barr After Blockbuster Premiere of Her Show

President Donald Trump personally called Roseanne Barr on Wednesday to congratulate her on the blockbuster premiere of her eponymous show, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told The New York Times.

Barr plays a Trump supporter in Roseanne, a revival of the popular 90s sitcom of the same name, which premiered on Tuesday evening to a whopping 18.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen. In comparison, revivals for hit shows American Idol and Will and Grace drew an average of just over 10 million for their season debuts.

The sitcom features a working-class family of five and several relatives. Barrs character, Roseanne Conner, is the households matriarch. The characters sister is a Hillary Clinton supporter.

Barr said that she decided to turn her character into a Trump supporter because it reflected the preferences of many Americans. Barr, herself, is a vocal Trump supporter on screen and off.

Trump congratulated Barr and thanked her for her support.

I just wanted to have that dialogue about families torn apart by the election and their political differences of opinion and how we handle it, Barr told the Times. I thought that this was an important thing to say at this time.

The original Roseanne went on air in 1988 and ran until 1997. The show became one of the most successful sitcoms of all time.

The shows revival two decades later brings politics into the fold, but Barr feels her characters support of Trump is a reflection the times.

Ive always had it be a true reflection of the society we live in, Barr said at a Television Critics Association event in January. Half the country voted for him, half of them didnt. Its just realistic.

If Roseanne continues to draw as it did in its premiere, it could become a top-rated show of the 2017-18 TV season. The current ratings winner, This Is US, has a 5.3 rating. Roseanne is slightly behind with 5.1.

Barr was a liberal in the past. Liberal television host Jimmy Kimmel asked about her change of heart.

Im shocked, because I know you were a very socially liberal person in general, he said.

Im still the sameyou all moved. You all went so [expletive] far out you lost everybody, she said. A lot of us, no matter who we voted for, we dont want to see our president fail.

ABC aired two episodes of Roseanne on Tuesday. The first half-hour episode started at 8 p.m. and had an average of 17.7 million viewers. The second episode kicked off at 8:30 and drew an average of 18.6 million viewers.

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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks to the media during a news conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, March 27, 2018. (AAP/Lukas Coch/via Reuters)

Turnbull Government Forced to Delay $36 Billion Tax Cut After Falling Two Votes Short In Senate

SYDNEYAustralian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been forced to delay introducing a bill to cut corporate tax after falling two votes short of a majority in the upper house.

The center-right leader wanted to cut the corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 30 percent this week.

Government Senate leader and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told the upper house late on Tuesday that the Coalition would not give up and will now introduce the tax cut bill in the next week of parliament scheduled for May. He said the government will put in the work needed to win over the Senate crossbench.

After two weeks of negotiations, the government had secured votes from four independent senators and One Nations bloc of three senators, while Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team remained opposed.

In the end, a holdout from two independent senators  Derryn Hinch and former ALP member Tim Storer  left the government with 37 of the 39 needed to pass the bill.

The government has made a decision that we will need to do some more work, Cormann said.

We are committed to these tax cuts because we passionately believe they are in the best interest of working families across Australia.

The delay leaves Turnbull without an upbeat message as he approaches a 30th straight Newspoll, a wide-watched opinion poll which has for the last 29 surveys had him trailing the Labor opposition.

Losing 30 Newspolls would be a symbolic blow for Turnbull since he used that benchmark to justify ousting former leader Tony Abbott in 2015. The next Newspoll is due out on April 8.

The governments failure to pass the tax cuts means it has nothing to change the narrative that it is a government stuck in a rut, said Haydon Manning, a political science professor at Flinders University in South Australia.

Turnbull desperately needs some good news after several months of negative headlines.

Turnbull has struggled for months against a tide of long-running scandals over which he has seemed to have limited control.

The second half of 2017 was dominated by a string of politician resignations amid questions about whether they held dual citizenship, a status which is banned for elected officials in Australia.

The start of 2018 was then consumed by then deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyces admission that he was expecting a child with a former employee. Joyce stood down in February after media reports he was the subject of an unrelated misconduct complaint.

Lobby group the Business Council of Australia (BCA) has been on a publicity offensive for corporate tax cuts in exchange for employing more people and higher wages.

The BCA and 10 chief executive officers wrote to all senators with this promise, but an internal BCA survey of its member CEOs found just one in five planned to use company tax cuts to pay higher wages or employ more people, the Australian Financial Review reported.

The BCA has said that it has become an easy target for populist anti-business campaigns amid the political posturing between the major parties.

I remain to be convinced that I should support this bill in its current form, Storer, who joined parliament in January, told the upper house on Wednesday.

This bill is a narrowly cast proposition of change (and) I have doubts that the decision to reduce company tax for all companies is prudent to undertake in the face of Australias budget deficit and debt, Storer added. He said he believed the money would be better spent on areas such as R&D, education, health and infrastructure to generate prosperity and enhance fairness.

Hinch was holding his support on a range of demands which the government was working to accommodate, including more support for pensioners and low-income renters.

On Storers demands, Cormann said that the government was always prepared for broader discussions about tax reform and that the focus is on making sure our tax system is as growth-friendly as possible, as efficient, and least-distorting on the economy as possible, and as equitable as appropriate, he told Sky News.

By Byron Kaye and Colin Packham

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US Takes Its First Pawns in Industrial War With China

Your first moves in a fight are never the main ones. They are designed to feel out the competition, to engage, and to get a feel for an opponents speed, power, response, penetration, and reflex. Once you get an idea of your opponents strengths and weaknesses, then you launch an attack on them with the intent to try to knock them out, push them back, scare them away, orif you are bold enoughincapacitate them.

On March 22, the Trump administration slapped $50 billion to $60 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods entering the United States. This indicates that the United States is very serious about repairing the $375 billion trade deficit with China and ending Chinese economic theft. This first retaliatory shot in the industrial war with China is likely designed to feel them out, to get an idea of how to strike them, and to counter their strikes.

The Chinese retaliation was comparatively light and placed a $3 billion tariff on American goods going into China. It was basically a block against the first strikeand thats what you do when someone reaches out to your export area: You intercept the strike, instead of attacking the opponents body.

The world does not adhere to U.S. law, and, until now, China has played by its own rules in global trade.

After the initial blows, the conflict went to the negotiating table, and senior officials with the Chinese regime have reportedly begun working with the United States to reach a new trade agreement. Initial reports said that China may cave on several U.S. demands.

Yet, as the Roman general Vegetius once famously stated, If you want peace, prepare for war. If negotiations are inadequate, or if the conflict grows into an open industrial war, both countries would be fighting for their economic lifeblood. With this in mind, we can benefit from gaining a better grasp on how industrial wars are fought.

Video: How Industrial warfare has occurred between USA and China

The Workings of Industrial Warfare

Lets take a look at aircraft manufacturer Boeing as a case study in industrial warfare. The Chinese regime was already working to steal aerospace technology and was working with foreign aircraft manufacturers like Boeing while quietly taking steps to replace these same companies in the global market.

One in every four jetliners that the Chinese buy are from Boeing. As soon as the U.S. strike came, pressure was applied to Boeing immediately, by sourcing other supply chains and holding back financial payments. The Chinese regime then levied a second strike of canceling orders on existing aircraft.

It is obvious that China is creating its own airliner from the technology transfers originally created in the Boeing deals, most of which have already been transferred. China can replace those contracts by contracting other suppliers around the world, with Airbus, Embraer, and Aeroflot being natural examples.

On the surface, it would appear that Boeing was suffering from attacks on Chinese trade, while in reality, it would merely be a hiccup in a longer-term strategy of the Chinese regime to replicate, then replace, the companies it is competing with.

As the Chinese regime struck deals, the partnerships it formed with companies were not based on American business culture. These deals were based on the business culture of the Chinese Communist Partyand there is a significant difference.

American companies have complained about this model of Chinese business culture, because it is such an invasive and predatory form of industrial warfare, and if taken to court would unlikely survive the ramifications of U.S. law. But the world does not adhere to U.S. law, and, until now, China has played by its own rules in global trade.

The Economic Fight

An industrial war needs legal backing and protections from the government, but it also needs industries to engage in the fight themselves.

It is the industries that must take up the gloves and be able to fight for themselves in the area of industrial warfare. Government can nudge them into the market battlefield through funding, education, and support.

With China, in particular, after the U.S. government employs tariffs and laws, and sets the battlefield, it will be on the industries to fight the war. Its on the industrial battlefield where the orders are being taken, where the manufacturing is being done, and where the money changes hands.

For businesses, this means finding out the exact points where products are being supplied to countries, and then engaging with those countries for the same product market.

When a customer goes to a shop, they should be able to see a product on the shelf of that shop. Is it made in America, China, or Japan? The customer then needs to decide whether to hand over money for that product or not. This is what the tariffs can be used forto keep your product out of the shops, to keep it off the shelf, or to limit your exports down to a trickle. The decision then becomes, Shall we bother to engage this country in the first place, or shall we go somewhere else we can sell?

The first shots in the new industrial war have been fired, and we need to analyze the first moves made, where we need to sharpen up maneuvers, and how we can industrially strike a competitor without getting six punches, two kicks, three knees, and two elbows in the Western economies face.

Industrial warfare is a very complex game, and if you dont know how to play it, you may end up doing damage to yourself.

Amar Manzoor is the author of The Art of Industrial Warfare and the founder of the 7Tao Industrial Warfare combat system, which he teaches to students.
These rings meant much more than money to their owner, and getting them back to their owner meant everything to Esther Daniel. (Screenshot via ABC11)

Woman Rewarded for Returning Wedding Ring She Found Outside Walmart

When Esther Daniel picked up a pair of diamond-studded rings in a Walmart parking lot, she didnt think about keeping them. Instead, she thought of ways to find their owner and return them.

Esther Daniel found a pair of rings in the parking lot of the Walmart in Raleigh, North Carolina, on March 13.

She could see right away that they were not costume jewelry, but expensive pieces of jewelry studded with diamonds.

She knew someone had lost them and badly wanted them back. So she made that her mission.

Wedding rings lost and found! A local woman found these rings in Raleigh Walmart parking lot & she wants to get them back to the rightful owner. Do you know anyone whos lost their rings? pic.twitter.com/KehTITX9AR  Stephanie Lopez (@LopezABC11) March 20, 2018

Daniel used social media to search for the rings owner, and when that didnt work, she called the local ABC affiliate. Daniel explained that she had been searching for the rings owner for two weeks and needed help.

Daniel told ABC11 that her mother had raised her to be honest and to do the right thing, and that was what mattered to her.

When I was a little girl my mama taught me on honesty and just this week we were talking with my son about integrity, Daniel said. That integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. Thats the only reason why I persistently did the right thing and Im hoping that it gets to the right person.

Doing Good Is Its Own Reward

ABC11 reporter Stephanie Lopez listened to Daniels story agreed to help Daniel return the rings owner.

Lopez aired a segment on the missing rings and happily, the owner of the lost rings saw it.

Local elementary school teacher Shnita Horton had been distraught when realized she had lost her engagement and wedding ring.

When she lost it, it was like her world fell apart. She was missing something, more than the ring. It was like a piece of her was missing, her husband, Robert Horton, told ABC11.

Horton came back to the Walmart where she had lost her rings to meet Daniel, and to show here the third ring, which completed the set, proving that Horton was the rightful owner.

Horton was overjoyedand so was Daniel.

Im glad I get to do this, Daniel told Horton. I am so happy.

Horton was speechless with relief and joy. I have no words, she said to Daniel. Thank you so much.

A More Tangible Reward

After seeing the whole tale unfold on TV, the management at Walmart wanted to make sure that Daniel was rewarded for her righteousness.

Assistant Manager Salif Saidy felt like he had been part of the first act of the three-week drama.

Daniel, upon finding the rings, had immediately come to Saidy, and gave him her number, asking him to pass it on to anyone who reported losing the rings.

Saidy got to be part of the final act as well.

Walmart called ABC11 and asked the station to arrange a meeting with Daniel at the store.

When Daniel arrived at the Walmart store, Saidy presented the young lady with a $500 gift card, a token of Walmarts appreciation for the good deeds Daniela had done.

We just wanted to thank you for your honesty and for the good deed and on behalf of Walmart I would like to present to a $500 gift card, Saidy said.

After receiving the card, Daniel told ABC11, I was moved and it was humbling because I was just doing what needed to be done, and what I would like someone to do for me.

Saidy said he got a little choked up when he handed over Daniels reward.

I was actually emotional too, when I first heard this story, that she was able to get the ring back to the right person, Saidy said.

Never stop fighting for the right thing, Daniel told ABC11 later. Always keep on fighting, and keep on doing the right thing, and dont quit.

From NTD.tv

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HARTFORD - A bill that would allow the state to regulate the Internet in the absence of federal net neutrality rules died in committee on Thursday due to a procedural trick engineered by Republican senators.

Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme and co-chairman of the Energy and Technology Committee, used his authority to split the committee and allow only the four senators to vote. While Democrats have a majority in the committee when House members are included, the committee has two Senate Democrats and two Republicans.

The resulting vote was a tie, meaning the bill failed. Although Formica held the vote open until 4 p.m., it was unlikely the two Republican senators  Formica and Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield  would change their no votes.

The procedural trick is seldom used, but was possible because the state Senate is tied 18-18 between Republicans and Democrats. That means Republicans gained an extra chairman on each committee. Formica used that to his advantage and moved to split the vote, which was raised by a senator.

It was something that we think is a federal issue and we think should be handled at the federal level, said Formica. We didnt want to subject our state to any lawsuits which we knew would be coming.

At this point it seemed to be the proper procedure to just end the conversation, he said.

Formicas co-chair Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, called the move highly unusual and stunning.

It was chaos, he said. If you want a bill to die, just like if you want a bill to succeed, you should have the votes for it to die or succeed. Im not saying that they dont have the right (to split the committee)because the rules allow for the procedure, but I think its cleaner if you vote it up or down.

The issue of net neutrality has gained steam since the Federal Communications Commission, under President Donald Trump, decided to dismantle Obama-era Internet regulations. Net neutrality advocates fear the change could enable internet providers to throttle consumer internet speeds, block certain websites or force some businesses to pay more to put their content on the same internet platform.

Many Democrats voiced support for state-level net neutrality regulations at a news conference in February. Oregon and Washington have passed similar protections.

"There is nothing more important than an open Internet," said Sen. Derek Slap, D-West Hartford, on Thursday. "The business models are changing significantly, and the landscape is very different and has have never had no rules in place."

Many believe its up to Congress to decide who regulates the Internet, given that the service crosses state lines, Slap acknowledged.

"There is legal precedent where regulators wanted to regulate the cable industry," Slap said. "This is something worth fighting for and 30 other states are taking action because they understand there is a clear danger to our economy. I think its worth moving this bill forward."

Like Formica, Sen. Hwang maintained issue is a federal one.

"Considering the pace of the world wide web and data privacy and the Amazons of the world, we recognize the Internet has wide implications," he said. For me, it is the ultimate interstate commerce issue. It is ultimately a federal issue."

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, proposed the bill and posted a video on Twitter denouncing the Republicans actions just after the vote.

Its concerning the fact that net neutrality has passed two legislatures on a bipartisan basis by wide margins, but here in Connecticut Republicans and their big lobbyist friends have decided they want to make sure they are protected and not consumers, he said.
NORWALK  More than 100 people filled the Concert Hall inside City Hall on Wednesday night as educators, parents and residents pleaded the Board of Estimate and Taxation to fully fund the $9.9 million education budget at Norwalks public hearing for the citys 2018-19 operating budget.

Some came with the same message they delivered at previous budget meetings, while others felt compelled to speak out for the first time ever since the city agreed to fund $5.5 million of the Board of Educations $9.9 million request.

Mayor Harry Rilling made an offer last week to give an additional $950,000 on the condition that the Board of Education contributes $550,000 from its health insurance fund.

Board of Education Chairman Mike Barbis pushed for the boards most recent request for $1.5 million by tapping into the citys unallocated contingency reserve. This would bring funding for the education budget closer to $7.5 million.

You offered us $950,000 and were asking for a small increment over that, potentially from this contingency fund. With the largest rainy day fund, do you really need a contingency fund? Barbis said Wednesday.

As of June 30, 2017, the citys rainy day fund was at $51.2 million  the largest unassigned fund balance among Connecticuts 169 municipalities, according to Thomas Hamilton, the districts current chief financial officer and the citys former finance director.

He commended city officials for their historically conservative budgeting practices but urged the Board of Estimate and Taxation to draw down from the citys contingency fund to expand the cap on the citys 2018-19 operating budget when they make a vote Monday night, which will then be presented to the full Common Council.

In the last decade, he said the city has outperformed budget expectations and has made few drawdowns from the fund balance even though they were budgeted.

In the past several years, the fund balance grew by several million dollars, despite planned use of $1-2 million, he added.

Just to put your fund balance in perspective, at this point theres one community out of 169 municipalities that has a fund balance in excess of $50 million. Thats the city of Norwalk.  Its only once you get down to $20 million that there are 15 other municipalities, 9 percent of the total in the state of Connecticut, that has a fund balance of $20 million or more. The next closest municipality is Bristol, which the statewide data says as of 2015-16 had $28.7 million in their unassigned fund balance, Hamilton said.

I believe there is an opportunity to avoid budgeting for an unallocated contingency, given the fact that you got a fund balance as large as it it, he added. I think its entirely reasonable to say we dont need an additional contingency fund in our operating budget.

All of those who spoke Wednesday night said underfunding the citys education budget would threaten the progress the district has made through the 2016-19 strategic operating plan, warning of repercussions to the academic success and the social, emotional learning of students.

If the education budget is not fully funded, it would most likely result in cuts to guidance counselors, kindergarten aides and other paraprofessionals as outlined in the recommended reductions put forth by the Superintendent of Schools Steven Adamowski. There would also be a lack of high school staff to support the statewide shift to 25 graduation credits starting in 2020.

Such deficits would had an adverse effect on the progress Norwalk has made, even with the lowest per-pupil expenditure (at around $17,000) in the area.

In the words of Emily Aponte, a fifth-grader in special education at Naramake Elementary School, if you cut anything, it will ruin a kids life.

You should make sure we have a proper education. We should not cut kindergarten aides. The reason is that if kids in my class dont listen, imagine kids in kindergarten. As a matter of fact, they shouldnt cut any aides, Emily said. Aides make kids successful and I have an aide, and I am successful.

Joanna Cooper told the Board of Estimate and Taxation and Rilling that their campaign promises to support the school system were lies.

I want to tell you that I could not be more proud or more disgusted at the same time, Cooper said. For a brief moment I thought that we were on our way to a Norwalk thats moving forward. What an empty promise.

The Board of Estimate and Taxation will vote on the citys budget cap Monday night, and the decision will be presented to the full Common Council, board member Edwin Camacho said.

As the mayor indicated, the conversations are onging, and we appreciate all of your comment and thank you for coming and contributing, Camacho said.

Norwalk Director of Finance Robert Barron reiterated the same thoughts in an email Wednesday.

The Mayor and entire BET have given significant and thoughtful consideration to the requests from all departments, my recommendations, and comments from the public and Im confident that they will approve a budget on Monday that best balances the needs of the City of Norwalk and its Board of Education with those of its taxpayers, he said.

Prior to public hearing, the board voted to cap the citys capital budget for fiscal year 2018-19 at $83,793,00 with the amount to be bonded and repaid from the citys general fund at $58,107,000. The difference of $25,686,000 will be financed from grants and other non-general fund sources.
Alex von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  In recognition of April as Autism Awareness Month, Norwalk will participate in the worldwide Light It Up Blue Autism Awareness Campaign with a gazebo lighting ceremony on the Norwalk Town Green at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 5.

Join a host of legislators, school district personnel, families, supporters and members of the Norwalk fire and police departments at the event. State Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, will present Gov. Dannel P. Malloys official Autism Awareness Proclamation and Mayor Harry Rilling will present Norwalks proclamation.
NORWALK  Amid dwindling dollars, Norwalk residents hit state Transportation Commissioner Jim Redeker hard Wednesday evening on why the state is moving forward with a $1 billion plan to replace the Walk Bridge.

We have called for a full valuation of all alternatives to the Walk Bridge project, said John Cohen, representing the local environmental group Norwalk Harbor Keeper. Heres some opportunities to return some money to the transportation trust by fully evaluating alternatives to the lift-bridge plan.

Nearly 100 people came to the Common Council chambers for the transportation forum hosted by state Reps. Fred Wilms, Terrie Wood and Gail Lavielle.

After Redeker gave an overview of his departments fiscal woes and measures proposed to shore up the State Transportation Fund, the three Republican lawmakers invited people to question him about local projects.

In January, Norwalk Harbor Keeper filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in January, challenging the DOT, Federal Transit Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation to further consider designs other than their proposed 240-foot, vertical-lift bridge.

Redeker refused to address the lawsuit Wednesday evening, but stood by his departments arrival at its preferred design.

We have done an evaluation and engineering studies and cost-benefits. Its public record. Obviously, theres disagreement, Redeker said. Weve made decisions based on that. We intend to move forward. If were stopped by a lawsuit, well stop. But at this point, weve made judgments about current and future transportation and one thing is very clear, that seems to be ignored: you cannot fix the current bridge. It has to be replaced.

He said the cost difference between the lift bridge and a fixed bridge is 11 percent.

In its lawsuit, Norwalk Harbor Keeper has argued that remaining maritime traffic  commercial and recreational  does not merit construction of a large lift bridge.

Wilms, R-Norwalk, described harbor use north of the bridge as pretty small and said housing is replacing industry.

Why does the DOT think its so important that we maintain the federally navigable waterway for a few boats? Wilms asked.

Resident Peter Libre counted the Walk Bridge as among several local DOT projects ripe for savings and rejected Redekers assertion federal law requires Norwalk Harbor to remain a federal navigation channel.

To state that federal law requires you to maintain the clearance, Im sorry thats false, Libre said. It is extremely clear that the Coast Guard can change the clearance. Also, Congress can work to change the clearance. You can either delist it as a navigable river, or you can also negotiate with the Coast Guard and change the clearance.

The Walk Bridge wasnt the only topic raised by area residents at the transportation forum.

Michael McGuire, a commercial real estate consultant based on Wall Street, called for the DOT to bring a train station back to the neighborhood as part of the Walk Bridge replacement project. He said the private sector would pay for the station along Metro-North Railroads Danbury Branch. McGuire urged the DOT to back the idea rather than await the outcome of a feasibility study.

I think you should do a study to find out if it doesnt work, McGuire said. I would challenge you to do that.

Redeker said a Wall Street train station would not be eligible for federal funding as part of the Walk Bridge replacement, adding state dollars are lacking.

He opened the forum with a presentation outlining the dwindling State Transportation Fund and proposals that have been put on the table to shore it up. They include reinstating highway tolls, boosting the gasoline tax, and increasing train and bus fares.

A Norwalk High School student pleaded for Redeker to maintain state funding for the Norwalk Transit District lest the districts Wheels Route 12 service be cut.

Transit District CEO Kim Morton said the district was flat-funded by the state in 2016, received a 2 percent decrease in 2017 and has been flat-funded this year, forcing it to consider further fare hikes and service reductions.

Were asking our state leaders to take immediate action and make funding of public transportation a priority for fiscal year 2019 and beyond, Morton said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Redeker attended a roundtable discussion hosted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., at Norwalk City Hall. He urged state and local officials to fight to ensure Connecticut gets its fair share of new federal infrastructure funds.

In Washington, D.C., an omnibus spending bill signed into law last week includes $10 billion in new infrastructure funding. Blumenthals office described the funding as a significant down payment towards the $1 trillion-plus needed to bring the nations crumbling infrastructure into the 21st century.

The office said the deal is key to Connecticuts economic development and includes $1.5 billion in new Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery funds, $2.6 billion in Amtrak and Northeast rail investment, $2.5 billion for highways and $800 million for transit investments.

The whole purpose of the meeting was really to alert the elected officials that there is an enormous opportunity for grants and funding for transportation improvements in this omnibus spending bill that was just passed by Congress, Blumenthal said afterward. Theres money for roads, rails and bridges.
Members of the Alaska House of Representatives recently passed a resolution asking the federal government not to crackdown or interfere in any way with states that have legalized marijuana of which, of course, Alaska is one. Voters there have approved cannabis for medical and recreational use. A total of 30 states have legalized medical marijuana, while eight have done so for recreational use.

The House passed the resolution unanimously. Gov. Berta Gardner also has voiced opposition to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recension of Obama-era policies that protected states with legal marijuana operations from federal government interference.

States that have legalized marijuana are embolden to defy the federal government by the Constitution's Tenth Amendment, which declares states have authority over any matter that the Constitution has not specified is a matter for the federal government. That amendment, the last of the Bill of Rights, is central to the debate over whether state's can make marijuana legal if federal law declares it illegal.

Public discourse on marijuana legalization at the federal level has only seriously considered the options of Congress making it legal or, conversely, empowering some sort of crackdown. But some are now arguing for a more streamlined approach: simply have the federal government get out of the issue entirely. Its a notion that has brought together people on both sides of the political fence.

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Tenth Amendment

A good place to start in understanding cannabis legalization is by reading the Constitution, which you can do right here. Its not all that long. The Tenth Amendment is simple but sweeping, stating: 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.

In the build up to the Civil War, southern states argued the federal government had no authority to tell them to end slavery. The same argument was used by southern states to defend segregation during the Civil Rights Era, but states rights factor into issues as diverse as same sex marriage and speed limits. A good example of the Tenth Amendment dividing powers between the states and federal government is the legal drinking age. The federal government, for public safety reasons, will withhold some federal highway funds from states that set their drinking age younger than 21 but Congress has never tried to pass a law setting the drinking age nationally at 21.

In short, not all power is centralized in the federal government. The Tenth Amendment has empowered states to launch marijuana programs even if it remains illegal at the federal level.

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Just let it go.

In The Atlantic earlier this year, writer Conor Friedersdorf argued that marijuana regulation should be left completely to the states. The federal government, he argued, should just let the issue go.

Cannabis has reversed the usual states rights debate. As noted by Friedersdorf, typically it is conservatives who argue for states rights. But with cannabis, it has been progressives who have argued the matter is rightfully for states to decide. They contend Congress should remove marijuana from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substance Act and let states to regulate marijuana. Interestingly, that argument appeals to people on both sides of the political fence.

In the National Review, editor Charles C.W. Cooke wrote, If Colorado or Oregon want to legalize weed while Mississippi and Utah ban it, thats fine. In fact, that is how the country is supposed to work. The U.S., he wrote, is a collection of states and not a giant centralized democracy with fifty regional departments.

Whether this notion wins out remains to be seen. And whether Congress legalizes marijuana nationally, enforces current federal law or turns the matter over to the states, its becoming increasingly clear that at some point it will have to do something when it comes to legal pot.

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Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Guerrilla Street Food announces the opening of the modern Filipino-American food truck and restaurants third location at 6120 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis. Located adjacent to The Pageant and Delmar Hall on the east side of The Loop, Guerrilla Street Food has opened with almost twenty new, creative dishes on the menu as well as a sleek, updated design.

Co-owners Brian Hardesty and Joel Crespo explain their excitement around this Delmar location. Opening in The Loop has always been a plan for us so were excited to see it all coming to fruition. This location is really the evolution of the brand, from design to the menu.

In addition to Guerrilla Street Foods Old School dishes like Chicken Adobo and the signature Flying Pig, the menu features almost twenty new items from Chef Brian Hardesty and Delmars Executive Chef Heidi Hamamura. The new offerings include additions to the Merienda (or starters) such as: Salted Duck Egg Toast with Union Loafers bread, duck yolk spread, duck egg whites, tomato, red onion, garlic, fish sauce and kumquat; two new lumpia offerings like Lumpia Shanghai with ground pork, onion, garlic, carrot, rolled and fried with a black garlic vinaigrette; Siopao, a steamed bun filled with pork, house oyster sauce, garlic, serrano chile and ginger; and more. The New School dishes feature Hardesty/Hamamuras collaborative entrees such as the Hamanado with marinated and braised local pork belly, caramelized pineapple, tart cherry relish and crushed chicharron, served with local steamed jasmine rice, to more adventurous eats like the Dinuguan, a pork blood stew with pork shoulder, pork belly, garlic and chiles, served with local jasmine rice and fresh pandan-scented puto.

Hardesty explains, There are more than 7,000 islands in the Philippines, so youll see variations of the same dish as you travel around the different regions. We want to embrace that same philosophy at our restaurantseach will have their own dishes and flavor based on where the restaurant is located. This menu showcases the vibrancy and diversity of The Loop.

Hardesty and Crespo, along with Hardestys brother, Greg, who designed the concepts black-and-gold logo with crossed fork and knife, created the modernized look for the 2,100-square-foot restaurant. Warm gray walls offer a neutral canvas for unique Filipino art throughout the restaurant. The team commissioned San Francisco-based artist, Kristian Kabuay, to create a mural for the space, featuring the Filipino ancient writing system, Baybayin. In addition, tattoo artist, Aleks Figueroa of Dream Jungle Tattoo in Long Beach, CA, who specializes in the art of traditional Filipino tribal tattoos, shared drawings of his work to adorn the restaurants tabletops. Crespo says, It is important for us to emulate the modernization of Filipino culture throughout our restaurant, not only with our food, but also the decor. Baybayin is a lost language for the Filipino culture, and we hope that the mural and tabletops spark a conversation with our guests about the traditions.

Additional design features for the 48-seat restaurant includes: an exposed ceiling with hanging plants; a personal collection of colorful photos from the co-owners trip to the Philippines as well as posters showcasing the duos mutual interests in music (The Clash, Beastie Boys, The Pixies, etc.); a large mural of the restaurants logo; a black-and-white honeycomb wall at the restaurants drink station; and more. Hardesty and Crespo also created a number of the design elements themselves from light fixtures made out of old skateboards; a nod to the restaurants logo with alternating forks and spoons behind a television that plays old kung fu movies; as well as the 6-seat wood bar flanking the restaurants open, exhibition kitchen. In addition, an old-school arcade game, Final Fight, adds to the excitement from the kitchen. Warmer weather will also bring an additional 30 seats at a sidewalk outdoor patio.

The Delmar location is the latest opening in a year of continuous growth for the casual concept. Guerrilla Street Food expanded from its flagship food truck and South Grand restaurant to open inside of 2nd Shift Brewing in July. Another outpost is on the horizon inside of Tropical Liqueurs in The Grove this spring/summer. Co-owners Brian Hardesty and Joel Crespo have also built up their team of executive chefs for each of the locations as well as welcomed restaurant industry veteran, Mike Emerson, to the team this year. Emerson, one of the most-recognizable personalities in the St. Louis food scene, co-founded the famed Pappy Smokehousecatapulting St. Louis as a top destination for BBQ in the country. He is consulting the team on everything from employee retention to scalable operations, such as the opening of the Delmar location.

Guerrilla Street Food is officially open Tuesday, March 13, 2018 in the East Delmar Loop 6120 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112. The hours of operation are 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

For more information on Guerrilla Street Food, visit their Facebook, Twitter, and website.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will celebrate the Illinois bicentennial with a special exhibit exploring the lives and accomplishments of the four U.S. presidents who called Illinois home.

From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama opens Friday, March 23, and runs for the rest of the year. It will examine the connections of those four presidents to Illinois, their achievements as politicians and communicators, and the first ladies who helped them succeed.

Visitors can see rare artifacts gathered from institutions across the country, including:

 the table where Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War

 the note cards Ronald Reagan used in his Tear Down This Wall speech

 the Grammy that Barack Obama won for the audio-book version of Dreams from My Father

 the Bible on which Grants head rested after his death

 a love letter from Reagan to his wife Nancy

 Obamas notes from his Bloody Sunday speech in Selma

And, of course, the Lincoln Presidential Library will display fascinating Lincoln items such as the last axe he ever used, his briefcase and his ink well and pen.

This nation would be much different today without the contributions of these four presidents, and they in turn would have been much different without Illinois influence on their characters and careers, said Alan Lowe, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The states 200th birthday is the perfect time for people to get to know these fascinating leaders.

From Illinois to the White House is presented with the generous support of PNC Bank and the John Ullrich Foundation.

Visitors get to see unfamiliar sides of the presidents. Theyll learn about Grant being so down on his luck that he had to pawn his watch and about Lincoln using his wrestling skills to win respect in a new community. Theyll see Obama about to start his first job as a lawyer and Reagan as a boy moving from town to town.

Visitors also get the chance to answer presidential trivia questions or pose for pictures behind a presidential lectern as they deliver the Gettysburg Address from a teleprompter.

The exhibit includes the states very first constitution, on loan from the Illinois State Archives.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is helping with many Bicentennial initiatives, but this exhibit is the librarys biggest and most important contribution, said Stuart Layne, Executive Director - Governors Office of the Bicentennial. From Illinois to the White House will be the preeminent exhibit of the states Bicentennial Celebration.

The exhibit is presented in the ALPLMs Illinois Gallery, a space dedicated to rotating exhibits on state history. There will be no extra fee to see From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama. It is provided as part of regular admission to the Lincoln museum (212 N. 6th Street, Springfield).

It will be accompanied by special programming, such as presentations on Reagans near-assassination and on the first ladies. Teachers can use the exhibit to help students learn history by choosing from three different lesson plans or attending a special workshop.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to telling the story of Americas 16th president through old-fashioned scholarship and modern technology.

The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art. The museum uses traditional exhibits, eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques to educate visitors. It also has some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history.

For more information, visit www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama is part of the states official bicentennial celebration.

On Dec. 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state in the union. The Illinois Bicentennial is a yearlong celebration of what has been BORN, BUILT & GROWN in the state and a reminder of why we are #IllinoisProud.

Citizens are encouraged to participate in the celebration by visiting www.illinois200.com and using the hashtag #IllinoisProud. Partners and event and project managers planning activities between Dec. 3, 2017, and Dec. 3, 2018, can apply for endorsement to become an official part of Illinois Bicentennial by visiting the sites PARTICIPATE page.
For The Edge

Its a mix of pop culture, wallpaper and a whole new audience at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL). In partnership with the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, the Lambert Art and Culture Program announces the installation of the renowned German artist Thomas Bayrles Chrysler Tapete. The work, made up of 66 individual panels of wallpaper mounted directly to the wall in a grid pattern, will be on view in Terminal 2 (E Gates) now through March 17, 2019. Bayrles Chrysler Tapete (1970) is one of a number of wallpaper works the artist has created since the late 60s. A key figure in European Pop Art, Bayrle has worked in painting, sculpture, fashion, and graphic design since the mid-1960s. Bayrles work explores an icon of mobility. He selects a vintage Chrysler from an era of economic largesse when Detroit was the automotive capital of the world, mass producing these powerful machines that served as symbols of status and freedom, as well as emblems of the postwar American character recognized throughout the world. The repetition of the figure alludes to the Chrysler as product, built on assembly lines to fulfill the dreams of a wide section of the population, yet also a commodity that reflects a growing homogeneity in society as a whole, not unlike the notorious Campbells soup cans of Andy Warhol. Tapete translates as tapestry, suggesting a visual work with a tactile, physical presence, and also references Bayrles use of wallpaper in many of his works. The work is also representative of the artists practice of frenzied patterning, collapsing foreground and background in the Op art tradition. Placed as it is in a corridor for travelers at the Airport (between gates E33 and E34), Bayrle has managed a fascinating reversal of perspective: these static car images appear as moving forms, filmic frames from the point of view of a world in motion.

Thomas Bayrle (b. 1937, Berlin) lives and works in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. His work has been presented in solo exhibitions around the world including, in 2017, at the Cite Internationale de la Papisserie, Aubusson, France; Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art, Vienna; and in 2016, Artissima, Torino, Italy; Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami; Lenbachhaus, Munich; Gavin Browns enterprise, New York; and the Museum Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany. Other solo exhibitions include the Meseu dArt Contemporani de Barcelona (2009), and the Museum Ludwig, Cologne (2009).
If filmmakers are intent on re-launching the Tomb Raider film series - and my ticket stub clearly attests that they are - then how do we justify a central female character who has for the twenty-two years since her inception been a harbinger of overly-sexualized pop culture hype? Can Lara Croft fit into our post-Wonder Woman, post-Harvey Weinstein Era of Good (Feminist) Feelings? Of course she can. Women can do anything men can do and at least one thing they cant, though motherhood has no bearing in the new film. What I find to be the case with this movie is that it graphically violent, to a respectful and guarded degree because its largely violent toward its woman protagonist. Thankfully, theres barely a hint of misogyny behind it.

I wanted Tomb Raider to be good, of course, but for more reasons that my admission fee. I wanted it to be a carefree and adventuresome action movie, one of my favorite kinds. It needed to be of sufficient caliber to review for you this week and it had to redeem the stalled forward progress of its young star, Alicia Vikander. Ill admit a small crush on the Swedish actress, but youd be hard to find anyone who wouldnt after her great performances in the superb Ex Machina and her Oscar-winning, star-making turn in The Danish Girl. She looked amazing in her swinging costumes from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Her last few pictures, however, have left me craving better, more expansive roles. The Light Between Oceans was fine, but boring, and last years Tulip Fever was a total mess. Her Lara Croft is on-point, best described as the 2013 video game version of the character, and the good basis for a new franchise foundation. To be sure, as befits my fastidious nature, I also re-watched Angelina Jolies 2001 version to see if it holds up (it doesnt).
10 hours ago

Chinese banks try to calm fears about developer's debts

BEIJING (AP)  Trying to dispel investor fears, some Chinese banks are disclosing what they are owed by a real estate developer that is struggling under $310 billion in debt and say they can cope with a potential default. The announcements came as Evergrande Group promised to talk with some individual investors in its debt.

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Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV.

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Coteau Community Market offers local, organic, minimal waste foods

The Coteau Community Market is a co-op that will connect local growers, producers and consumers to their foods and their community.
Ashley Madison, the Toronto-based website that caters to people seeking sex outside of their marriages, was dealt with what should have been a crippling blow for any company.

In 2015, it experienced one of the largest data breaches in history, which saw the personal information of 32 million clients released, leading to many reported cases of divorces, resignations, firings and suicides.

But with a rebranded parent company and a new chief technology officer, Ashley Madison is very much still in business  one that both the company and an independent audit report say is growing exponentially.

Could infidelity be the most durable business in the history of commerce?

In an interview with the Star, Ruben Buell, president and chief technology officer of Toronto-based Ruby Life (formerly Avid Life Media), Ashley Madisons parent company, said the company now has 55 million members.

An external audit by Ernst and Young found there were more than 5.6 million new registrations to the website in 2017. In Canada, membership grew by 17,371 a month. The male-to-female ratio, according to the report, is now 1:1 globally  previously, many of the female users had been fake accounts.

Psychologists say Ashley Madison is tapping into the enduring appeal of infidelity  while the company didnt invent it, it has created a space for it in the form of what New York-based sex therapist Sari Cooper called, the modern version of the baths, the brothel, tavern, or dungeon.

People have been having affairs long before Ashley Madison has been around, said Toronto psychologist Dr. Oren Amitay. The website is merely enabling it by removing the fear of the other person complicating their life  or at least think its removing the fear, he added.

Anything that convinces the population that this is normal contributes to more people doing that behaviour, said Amitay. People may use the website as a way to rationalize their decision by believing, for instance, that infidelity is so common they even have a website for it. If its so common then it might not be such a bad thing. 

Read more:

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Proposed data breach reporting regulations dont go far enough: advocacy centre

Ashley Madison dating website drops tagline Life is Short, Have an Affair!

Amitay said Ashley Madison has honed in on a phenomenon that hes often observed: affairs can happen when someone is reminded of their mortality after, for instance, a loved one has died or they have a serious health case.

When death is thrown in your face, it makes you think. Some will change careers, others will take up skydiving, but affairs are the easiest way to change things, said Amitay. He acknowledged that in some instances, when a person is in a horrible, terrible, loveless, sexless marriage, Ashley Madison can provide a useful platform for temporary escape.

More than 40 per cent of marriages are expected to end in divorce before the 30th anniversary, Statistics Canada reported in 2008, the last year the agency collected numbers on divorce. The limited research on infidelity suggests that, in North America, 15 per cent of women and 25 per cent of men will have extramarital affairs.

Claire Smith (who requested for her real name to not be used) has been on the site since 2002. The 45-year-old Toronto woman says the platform helped her deal with a sexless marriage with her first husband. He was perfectly happy and I wasnt, she said. My marriage was over regardless of the affair.

Smith met her current husband on the website in 2008, and both are still Ashley Madison users. You know, I think we almost set ourselves up for failure to think this has to be a monogamous relationship, she said.I dont think (Ashley Madison is) any different from a gambling website, or Uber or anything, right? It just facilitates whatever the need is.

Alicia M. Walker, the author of The Secret Life of the Cheating Wife: Power, Pragmatism and Pleasure in Womens Infidelity, surveyed many women who use Ashley Madison and found many of them felt the same way.

The biggest shock for me was that women talked about infidelity being an exercise in power and sexual autonomy, said the assistant professor of sociology at Missouri State University. These women were very pragmatic in the way they talked about it, said Walker, and spoke about fulfilment but also guilt. They recognized this is not how its meant to be  but the depth of someones need must be really great to withstand all of this and do it.

In his first year on the job, Buell said he has spoken to clients through weekly surveys that also indicate the need Walker refers to is, in fact, great. Married dating, as the company calls it, targets those who feel lonely or they feel like something is missing from their life, he said.

Ashley Madison hired Ernst and Young to rebuild trust with those customers, said Buell, and to show how the company has reinvented itself from the ground up one day at a time, focusing primarily on security and discretion.

Since 2015, the 120-employee company has undergone multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuits, an investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and a complete management makeover and a shift in public relations.

If Ashley Madison gets hacked, it will change your life, so we put our standards way above even what financial situations would need, said Buell.

Richard Powers, associate professor at University of Torontos Rotman School of Management, told the Star the companys comeback is an exception, and can be attributed to the very specific sector of dating that Noel Biderman, the companys founder, created for itself.

(Companies) that do come through (after a major scandal) usually come back under a different brand, said Powers. What is surprising is that they stayed with the same brand. But its familiar in the marketplace and they obviously felt the cache hadnt been damaged to the point that people thought.

Its quite amazing.

Powers, who teaches the case of Ashley Madison in his executive MBA class, added that Ashley Madison doesnt have a monopoly over the infidelity market but theyre the most recognized because theres always an advantage to the first move  they were the first ones.

The data breach increased the companys notoriety, aided by the fact that Biderman was a master marketer  helping put the name Ashley Madison on the front pages without spending a dime, said Powers.

There is a great brand here. There is a great business here, said Buell. What happened in 2015 happened. But we have survived and we are growing again and we will continue to grow.
Amazon.com Inc. has millennial shoppers nailed down. And their parents. And most of their grandparents.

But one group of potential customers has eluded the worlds biggest internet retailer.

Teenagers, otherwise known as generation Z, with their lack of debit and credit cards, their absence of bank accounts and their overwhelming preference for actually putting on clothes and going to physical stores to buy things they could purchase online, pose a big challenge to Amazon.

Amazons answer: The internet behemoth is in early discussions with banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Capital One Financial Corp. to create a product similar to checking accounts, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity. Amazon aims to tailor the accounts to appeal especially to youngsters and those who own no plastic in their wallets, the people said.

The sooner you can start collecting information on them, the better prepared you are, said Tim Barefield, a managing director at the consulting firm Kotter International. For Amazon, its another way to expand their brand. Their brand is reaching out every place that their tentacles can reach out to.

The move shows Amazons recognition that digital accounts for minors potentially lock in lifetime customers before they even leave their parents house. Amazon is savvy about its users life cycles. It offers new parents discounts on diapers and baby food. It gives college students discounted Amazon Prime memberships, providing free shipping and access to streaming video so young adults will already be Amazon shoppers when they start making more of their own spending decisions.

Pseudo card

Since many young people dont qualify for credit cards, Amazon created a pseudo-debit card called Amazon Cash that lets teenagers drop off money at drugstores such as 7-Eleven Inc. and CVS Health Corp. and add it to an Amazon wallet they can use online.

But Amazon has long known the process is clunky and has wanted to take steps to make it easier for customers without bank accounts to shop on its website. Walmart Inc. and American Express Co. offer accounts called Bluebird that have made inroads with teens.

Amazon, led by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is trying to stay on top even as it had revenue of $178 billion (U.S.) last year, a 31-per-cent jump from 2016 and an almost 2,500-per-cent increase from 2004, when many of these potential new customers were born.

Service charges

Children under the age of 18 typically arent able to sign up for a bank account without parental consent. Checking accounts for high school students often come with monthly service charges and overdraft fees.

So theres a chance for Amazon to improve the banking experience, said Stuart Sopp, chief executive officer of Current, a startup that offers debit cards to teens.

Im sure Amazon is scaring the hell out of every single regional bank and credit union right now, Sopp said. The banks have very clearly not serviced these demographics, so theres opportunity.

If Amazon could deliver a better banking experience for digitally savvy youngsters who are used to getting what they want with a few swipes or clicks, they might have banking customers for a long time, said Eric Marks, a senior director at the financial consultancy West Monroe Partners.

Amazon might also entice teens with its personal assistant Alexa. Such devices are popular among teens looking for a convenient way to pay, said Gavin Rosenberg, a senior director at the payments processor Total System Services Inc.

The younger generations are less concerned about privacy, so theyre more apt to use them, Rosenberg said.

Adults, too

The marketing opportunity doesnt end with teenagers. The e-commerce giant could also end up persuading people to close their existing bank accounts and open a new one with Amazon, according to a Cornerstone Advisors study published in January. It would also be a chance for a bank to partner with the online gargantuan.

Right now, banks might not be offering exactly what millennials want or need, said Marielle Schurig, a financial adviser at UBS Group AG who works with high-net-worth millennials. A lot of monthly statements dont offer insights or tools to manage your records or analyze your spending to budget or save for the future  something Amazon might provide.

Even with as much as a $10 monthly fee, 27 per cent of young millennials polled said they would open an additional checking account with Amazon. One-tenth said they would close their existing account and go with Amazon.

This is music to Amazons ears, Cornerstone said in its report. Why would they want to offer a free checking account when they can bundle the services of various providers on their platform  merchants and financial services providers  and charge a fee for it. A fee that consumers are willing to pay.

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OTTAWAComputer systems giant IBM says the company is not to blame for the disastrous rollout of the Phoenix pay system because it was not responsible for key elements of the scheme that has left tens of thousands of public servants shortchanged across Canada.

Speaking publicly for the first time prior to Senate testimony Wednesday night, IBM executives say the company flagged concerns nearly three years ago to top federal bureaucrats and urged Ottawa to delay the launch of Phoenix.

In interviews with the Toronto Star and Global News, IBM said the companys warnings were communicated verbally and in writing to senior officials within the public services department from July and August 2015, and continued until January 2016, a period that spanned the federal election that saw the Conservative government replaced by the Liberals.

Read more:

Technical glitch shuts down Phoenix pay account system

Civil servants across Canada hold rallies against Phoenix pay system after Liberals promise replacement

Trudeau government commits to move away from Phoenix pay system, look for replacement

Neither government hit the pause button. Since then, the Liberals and the Conservatives have pointed the finger of blame across the aisle. But to hear IBM tell it, there is plenty of blame to go around.

IBM said it told senior federal project managers the Conservative decision to start rolling out a new pay system in October 2015, which was slated to be fully in place in December 2015, was not realistic. The company says it advised the federal government should delay the 2015 launch for at least six to eight months, until July or August 2016.

But IBMs advice was rejected, senior executives said.

Federal officials told IBM the project start could be delayed only until February 2016, and the second phase that would see all departments using the new software had to go live by April 2016 because the government had already sent out notifications to the hundreds of clerks who processed paycheques in the federal government that their jobs were being eliminated by April. IBM dealt with senior officials at the assistant deputy minister level, and did not directly deal with ministers, the company said.

IBMs responsibility was the technology component. The software is working as it was designed, said IBM senior executive Regan Watts. The responsibility for change management, for training, for business processes, those are outside of our scope. Those are the responsibility of the government of Canada.

Now, two years later and after allocating about $1 billion on past and planned spending to fix Phoenix, the Liberal government said it will spend another $16 million looking at options to replace it. But IBM says the federal government does not need to replace the technology.

Phoenix can be fixed, the software does not need to be replaced and its not the issue, said Watts. IBMs message to the Senate is that there is no silver bullet.

Rather, Ottawa needs to address the problems that originally plagued the system and remain: training for federal employees, and adjusting business processes that guide the federal governments pay practices.

If Phoenix is a car and the technology is the engine, the engine still runs, the engine still works, however you cant drive a car if all the other elements of the vehicle arent working and in place, said Watts.

IBM said the biggest cause of pay headaches for federal employees is incorrect and late data entry by workers responsible for keying in employees information into the new computer system.

We share the urgency of the government of Canada in getting this resolved as quickly as we can, said Watts.

IBM says it is spending more than $10 million of its own money to aid Ottawa in adjusting for technological issues that continue to arise, and provides two project executives and brought in a third senior adviser to Public Works Minister Carla Qualtrough, who is charged with trying to fix Phoenix. The adviser is a U.K.-based executive who runs Britains national health-insurer pay system for more than a million people.

By late summer 2015, IBM said the companys executives were concerned about levels of training, about whether federal employees were ready for the new ways in which their paycheques would be processed, and about the extraordinarily high number of software changes Ottawa was demanding.

Ottawa was unwilling to adapt its pay rules or business processes to the technology, IBM said. For example, a federal worker is eligible for bilingual bonus pay only after five days on the job, not on the first day he or she is hired. Instead of changing that practice, federal managers insisted the software be rewritten.

In fact, IBM said the government demanded more than 1,500 changes to the software program. That number is huge, IBM said, and required not just a simple or occasional patch but meant breaking into the program and rewriting code to implement the hundreds of change orders.

The Phoenix project was the largest of its kind in Canada. The federal payroll runs under 80,000 distinct rules that describe pay rates. It reflects payment contracts with 100 bargaining units. Still, even in a project this big, IBM says it would expect no more than a couple of hundred change orders to the technology.

IBM warned the government that not all the requested software changes could be made on time for the 2016 rollout, and asked the government to prioritize the changes it wanted.

By the time the system went live, many functions, such as how to account for and process retroactive pay, were not in place, the Senate committee has heard. Since then, backlogs have grown and compounded what IBM said are human errors. IBM said responsibility for training  originally part of its contract  was removed in 2014 when the federal project managers said the government would take over that aspect of the transformation in-house.

IBM said it successfully rolled out the PeopleSoft software for Alberta, and did not encounter the same kinds of problems.

But federal auditor general Michael Ferguson flagged last fall that IBM had encountered problems when rolling out a new payroll processing plan in Queensland, Australia.

IBM defended itself Wednesday, saying Ferguson did not speak to the company before issuing his report. An inquiry in Australia said IBM wasnt to blame, and IBM said the Queensland government bought a different software program, rushed all its changes because it thought its old system was on the brink of collapse, and underestimated the complexity of its project.

In contrast, IBM said the Canadian government can still rescue Phoenix.

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Starting Thursday morning, smokers will be paying $4 more for a carton of cigarettes following a measure introduced in the 2018 provincial budget.

This is a continuing plan that was announced in last years budget, that follows a $2 per carton bump in 2017, with another $4 increase coming in 2019.

Higher tobacco taxes are the most effective strategy to reduce smoking especially among teenagers who have less disposable income, said Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society. We strongly support higher taxes to reduce smoking, prevent cancer, and save lives.

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Winners and losers from the 2018 Ontario budget

However, according to the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA), the tax increase will do more harm than good.

Tobacco contraband already makes up for 37 per cent of all cigarettes smoked in Ontario and this is just going to fuel it, said Dave Bryans, the CEO of OCSA.

Its unfair and irresponsible to continuously tax the legal market and push small businesses out of the market. The government needs to figure out another way.

Cunningham says the federal government has included other measures to reduce contraband tobacco in their budget.

According to the 2018 federal budget, the government will invest $80.5 million over five years in the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy, which is meant to limit the distribution of contraband tobacco.

Despite several years of projected deficits in his latest budget, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa says built in prudence will allow a return to balance. Opposition leaders said the Liberals are trying to win votes with spending. (The Canadian Press)

Tobacco taxation is known to be one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking, and to keep tobacco products out of the hands of young people, the budget said.

Cunningham said contraband, in the Canadian context, is not caused by higher taxes but rather proximity to available supply so there are ways to curtail that.

With files from Canadian Press and Jaren Kerr
OTTAWABoth opposition parties have asked the federal ethics commissioner to investigate whether a Liberal MP from Brampton broke parliamentary rules by helping his business associate hobnob with high-ranking officials during the prime ministers trip to India last month.

In a letter sent Thursday to conflict of interest and ethics commissioner Mario Dion, Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie argues that Raj Grewal broke two sections of the House of Commons ethics code when he secured invites for Brampton construction executive Yusuf Yenilmez to events with the Canadian delegation during the trip.

Photos posted on Yenilmezs Facebook page showed him posing at events with Grewal, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trudeaus chief of staff Katie Telford, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains, Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, and other high-ranking officials.

Grewal, a first-term MP for Brampton-East, has received employment income from Yenilmezs company, ZGemi Inc., since April 2017, according to his public disclosure on the ethics commissioners website. Yenilmez told the Star in an email last week that Grewal  a former Bay Street lawyer  provides legal services for private disputes that dont involve the federal government.

This access would have facilitated opportunities for Mr. Yenilmez to discuss his business operations, intentions and hopes with many senior figures in the Government of Canada, Kusie writes in her letter to Dion.

This very clearly raises serious concerns that sections 8 and 9 of the Code may have been breached by Mr. Grewal.

New Democrat MP Charlie Angus wrote to the commissioner on Wednesday to express concern that Grewal broke the same sections of the code by inviting his business partner to events with the Trudeau delegation in India. Those sections of the code prohibit MPs from furthering their private interests or to improperly further another persons interests through their positions as elected officials.

In an emailed statement to the Star on Thursday, Grewal said its an honour and privilege to represent the people of Brampton East, and that he has never used his office resources as an MP to do work for ZGemi.

The work done for ZGemi Inc. (Yenilmezs company) is done on an ad hoc basis and it is done on my personal laptop, Grewal said.

Last week, he told the Star that Yenilmez organized his own way to India and that the two did not travel there together. Grewal initially said he didnt facilitate Yenilmezs attendance to events with the Canadian delegation, but a spokesperson for the Prime Ministers Office later said that Grewal invited him to a reception in New Delhi with Canadas high commissioner.

In a followup statement, Grewal said he invited a diverse group of more than 30 supporters and stakeholders to participate in events around the India trip. Because Yenilmez was registered to travel during the trip with the Canada-India Forum, he had access to the receptions with or without my invitation, Grewal said.

Yenilmez has a record of supporting the Liberals that dates back several years. According to Elections Canada, Yenilmez donated more than $3,880 to the federal Liberal party from 2013 to 2017, and attended a thank you reception for Laurier Club donors with Trudeau in Toronto last year.

Ahmed Hussen, who is now the federal immigration minister, posted a photo on Twitter during the 2015 election campaign, in which he thanked my friend Yenilmez for help canvassing in his Toronto riding.

ZGemi Inc. operates across Canada and has more than 400 employees. In an email to the Star, Yenilmez said the companys relationship with Grewal was cleared with the ethics commissioner.

According to Margot Booth, a spokesperson for the commissioner, the ethics code doesnt restrict sources of employment income until MPs become parliamentary secretaries or members of cabinet. Stricter rules kick in at that point, she said.
OTTAWAThe Liberal government has proposed sweeping reforms to Canadas legal system to change the ways juries are selected, to streamline bail conditions, and to speed up trials.

Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said the bill aims to bring about a wide-reaching cultural shift in the criminal justice system and how it is administered throughout the country.

Tabled Thursday in the House of Commons, Bill C-75 would amend the criminal code, the youth justice act and other laws. A key part the 200-page package addresses concerns that the legal system is stacked against Indigenous people. It proposes to abolish what are known as peremptory challenges, which allow Crown and defence lawyers to dismiss a certain number of potential jurors without having to give a reason for their objection.

The move comes after a reportedly all-white jury acquitted a Saskatchwan farmer of murder in the fatal shooting of Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old Indigenous man. The high-profile acquittal of Gerald Stanley prompted protests across the country, and an emotional and highly publicized trek to Ottawa by members of the Boushie family, who pleaded for change.

I can understand the desire to respond to the Stanley case, and to the occasional abuse of (peremptory challenges), but they are not getting at the problem of non-representative juries, said lawyer Frank Addario, a former president of the Criminal Lawyers Association.

The criminal code could have been amended to require representative juries, which would create an obligation on the part of the provinces to create representative jury panels...This was a good opportunity to right that wrong.

Wilson-Raybould said systemic racist attitudes across the justice system are a challenge that we face but said the bill is a start towards enacting changes that fall within federal jurisdiction.

This is a call to action for all actors in the justice system, she said.

In response to a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that slammed a culture of complacency in the legal community, the bill takes square aim at reducing criminal trial delays by proposing new limits on preliminary inquiries. It would restrict the pretrial hearings to cases where the offence carries a possible life sentence, such as murder. There are some 9,100 preliminary inquiries held each year. Thursdays change would reduce that by 87 per cent, Wilson-Raybould said.

The legislation would also reclassify many offences. All indictable crimes with maximum sentences of 10 years or less  136 in all, ranging from theft over $5,000 to prison break offences  could be prosecuted as summary offences, a more streamlined process.

Under this change, the maximum penalty for summary conviction offences would be raised to two years less a day, up from six months for many offences now. The federal Justice Department believes more prosecutions would shift into provincial courts  freeing up court time in superior trial courts. Upon conviction, those sentences would be served in provincial jails, not penitentiaries.

Once passed, this legislation will have a real effect on court delays, Wilson-Raybould told reporters. She said the measures are supported by police and provinces and territories.

Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi told the Star Thursday hes confident that the provincial court has the necessary resources to deal with an influx of summary conviction offences, and has no plans to add more judges.

We feel that we have the capacity within the Ontario Court of Justice to deal with those additional cases given now that preliminary inquiries will not be taking place in a large number of cases, he said.

Naqvi had urged Ottawa last year to amend the criminal code to limit the use of preliminary hearings. He argued this was necessary in the wake of the Supreme Court of Canadas landmark 2016 ruling, Regina vs. Jordan, which set strict timelines to bring criminal matters to trial: 18 months in provincial court and 30 months in Superior Court.

This is a time to engage in bold reform; the Supreme Court of Canada was very clear in calling everyone out on the complacency in the system, Naqvi said. The need (for preliminary hearings) is far, far limited given that we live in this new reality in trying to get these cases done in either 18 or 30 months.

Preliminary hearings, which take place in provincial court, traditionally served two purposes: a discovery purpose, allowing defence lawyers to know the case against their client, and a screening purpose, meaning a judge would decide whether there was enough evidence to send the accused to trial in superior court.

Defence lawyers have argued preliminary hearings still serve a purpose, particularly when it comes to narrowing issues ahead of a trial, thereby saving time.

The experience of people who work in criminal law is that preliminary inquiries are a useful tool to reduce delay, settle cases, and sharpen up the issues for trial, Addario, the criminal defence lawyer, said.

The legislation, which comes with 100 pages of explanatory notes, does not offer more money to help provinces pay for more services in provincial courts and jails that are expected to handle more criminal cases, or for more legal aid services, or addictions and mental health services, to deal with Indigenous offenders or other marginalized groups Wilson-Raybould insisted must be given more support.

Among the other measures announced Thursday:

Steps to curb intimate partner violence. These include a reverse onus at bail for accused persons charged with an offence involving such crimes and with previous convictions. As well, strangulation would become an elevated form of assault.
An accused killer told a jury Wednesday he plans to mount a defence that will demonstrate the weakness in the Crowns circumstantial case and prove he is not responsible for the brutal, vile murder of his friend, Allan Lanteigne.

The Crown is trying to convince you that their theory is sound, Michael Ivezic told jurors who have been hearing evidence for four months. It is not sound, it is horribly flawed, and I will expose all the flaws with defence evidence.

Ivezic and his former lover, Demitry Papasotiriou-Lanteigne, are on trial for the beating death of the latters husband on March 2, 2011 in the foyer of his home at 934 Ossington Ave. Both have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

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The Crown alleges the men plotted the murder in order to collect Lanteignes $2 million life insurance death benefit.

Papasotiriou-Lanteigne, who was in Greece at the time of the killing, has elected not to testify at the trial. But Ivezic, who began representing himself about half-way through the case, told the jury he will be calling evidence that will disprove the Crowns case that he bludgeoned Lanteigne to death.

Make no mistake, members of the jury, I am just as outraged at  how Allan, was brutally beaten to death, I am saddened, but more so outraged about his senseless death, said Ivezic, a tall, grey hair man wearing a dark suit and glasses.

I just have to be strong, and to continue to show the world that  I am an innocent man.

He delivered his opening remarks standing behind a podium, and grasping a pen that he used to punctuate points.

Ivezic told jurors he is not on trial for his lifestyle or for having an affair with Demitry, although the Crowns desperately trying to connect the two, he said.

The married father of three said he is guilty of cheating on a wonderful, amazing woman, but last time I checked, an extramarital affair is not a criminal offence in Canada.

The racy, inflammatory email exchanges with his former lover are embarassing, he acknowledged, and were never meant to be shared in the public. He said the prosecution has built its case around its interpretation of the emails that prove nothing.

Those emails do not talk, or even hint about a murder, about planning, about colluding to commit a murder, about luring, and after the fact conduct. Theres no gloating about hey job well done. There is nothing.

Turning to the smoking gun and the elephant in the room  Ivezic said there is a perfectly plausible explanation for the fact his DNA was found under Lanteignes finger nails.

Evidence will show I picked him (Lanteigne) up  for a quick lunch together, Ivezic said. This is the last time I saw Allan in person. It was two days before he was brutally murdered.

The jury has heard no evidence that Lanteigne was friends with Ivezic.

Ivezic also told the jury he has an alibi. I was shopping with my son for his first laptop computer on March 1, he said, and said that on the night of the murder he was at the family home in Mississauga.

Before Ivezic began, Superior Court Justice Robert Goldstein warned jurors that while he might not be as polished as a lawyer, they should listen to the substance of what he had to say.
Downtown Toronto residents and councillors will be notified and consulted if utility crews do overnight work in their areas, confirmed a motion at council Tuesday.

A member motion put forward by Councillor Joe Cressy, and seconded by Mayor John Tory, re-affirmed non-emergency utility work should not take place overnight in downtown.

As we work to manage the needs of a busy downtown core, we must also ensure that we are managing the needs of the communities that call it home. We must work hard to find an appropriate balance, the motion read.

Last Wednesday, Tory had praised a new rule (in effect March 1) that prohibits utility companies and their subcontractors from doing planned road work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on streets bounded by Dundas St. to the north, Lake Shore Blvd./Harbour St. to the south, Bathurst St. to the west and Jarvis St. to the east.

The exception is on curb lanes where parking is allowed  but only between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The new rule is a commonsense approach to traffic and congestion management, Tory had said.

But Cressy and neighbouring councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam protested that Tory was putting the needs of commuting drivers over downtown residents trying to sleep.

Tory denied any intention of pushing noisy work to overnight.

The motion clarifies the policy, which was not intended to cause overnight noise in our downtown neighbourhoods, said Councillor Lucy Troisi at council.

Along with preventing non-essential overnight work, the motion re-affirmed that the new policy only applies major and minor arterial roadways. Daytime work will be permitted on non-arterial roadways.

With the help of downtown residents associations, councillors (Wong-Tam and Torisi) and (Mayor John Tory) weve ensured it wont happen overnight and will include consultation and notification, Cressy tweeted following councils vote.

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A man is dead after a head on collision between a motorcycle and a car on Wednesday evening, police say.

Emergency crews received a call for the collision in the Mt Pleasant and Carstowe Rds. area at around 5:50 p.m.

Witnesses told police that the motorcyclist was not moving and citizens were attempting CPR while paramedics arrived.

A male motorcyclist in his 40s was then rushed to the trauma centre in life-threatening condition where he succumbed to his injuries, paramedics said. No one else was assessed for injuries.

There are no further details surrounding the collision.

Police said the intersection will be closed as the investigation continues.
A Toronto police request to march in the June 24 Pride Parade follows months of talks and false starts that highlight the rocky relationship between police and the citys LGTBQ community, documents obtained by the Star reveal.

No final decision has been made on police wearing uniforms in the parade, a Toronto police spokesperson said.

While discussions are ongoing, Pride Toronto was at one point in favour of police marching in uniforms in 2018, according to emails obtained through a freedom of information request.

Read more:

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Photos: The 2017 Toronto Pride parade

Inclusivity energizes 2017 Toronto Pride parade

Last year, Toronto police were banned from uniformed participation after Black Lives Matter Toronto held a sit-in protest during the 2016 parade. Black Lives Matter argued a police presence could discourage marginalized communities from attending the parade.

Pride Toronto agreed to the ban for the 2017 parade on June 25, but revisited the ban for the 2018 parade in the months following as evidenced from a briefing note prepared for Mayor John Tory on Aug. 9, by his former aide Bryan Frois.

Pride and TPS have agreed that there will be a police presence  in uniform  in the 2018 parade, wrote Frois. Pride, specifically (executive director) Olivia (Nuamah), has met in the summer months with Chief (Mark) Saunders to go over the issue of police participation in the 2018 festival, and what it will consist of.

Chief Saunders has suggested that he would have 30 officers march with him, without vehicles or floats. This would be part of a co-ordinated effort between Pride Toronto and Toronto police to carefully reintroduce the service into the festivities.

Frois also contends that the 2017 Pride festival had significantly lower attendance, at 1.3 million visitors, partly because of the effects of BLM/police issue.

No definitive resolution was reached by November, however, and communications director Don Peat confirmed the mayors dissatisfaction to strategic initiatives director Siri Agrell.

Hes (Mayor John Tory) been pretty consistent that hes not happy with the situation and that he wants Pride and the police to work on resolving it, Peat wrote in an email Nov. 21.

Discussions continued but it appears by mid-January 2018 Pride Toronto wanted to take a different approach.

They came back to me yesterday to suggest police not in uniform, the chief in uniform, wrote Nuamah to Agrell on Jan. 16. They are taking it to the chief today for approval.

Two days later, Jan. 18, police arrested Bruce McArthur. McArthur is charged with six counts of first-degree murder in relation to men who had a connection to Torontos Gay Village.

McArthurs arrest followed years of missing persons reports and suspicions in and around the Gay Village that a serial killer was at work.

Saunders told the Globe and Mail in February that McArthur might have been arrested sooner if civilians had provided police with information. Last week, the Toronto police board voted unanimously to commission an external investigation into how the force conducts missing-persons probes.

I think this year, more than any year, Pride is going to be a time of reflection, and may feel more sombre perhaps in the wake of all the deaths, Syrus Marcus Ware, a team member at BLM Toronto and a trans man, told the Star in early March.

Neither Pride Toronto nor Toronto police would say if Saunders signed off on the decision for Saunders alone to march in uniform.

An application to participate (in the parade) has been submitted, Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray confirmed Wednesday. However, the current status of the application is still pending a final decision.

Pride Torontos Nuamah declined repeated interview requests made by the Star, but told the Globe and Mail in early March that tensions over police participation is a significant issue.

She said in a statement to the Star Wednesday that after parade registration closes on April 30, Pride Toronto will spend two to three weeks going through the applications and will post the final parade list on its website June 1.

Until this process has been completed no comment can be made on any individual or organizational registration, she said.

Tory continues to receive updates on the ongoing discussions, said Peat on Wednesday. He firmly believes this is a matter that the police and the LGBT2Q community will work out, with restored trust and collaboration as the number one priority.

With files from Vjosa Isai

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University of Toronto undergraduates have rejected a program that would have provided deeply discounted TTC passes to students.

In a three-day referendum that ended Wednesday, full-time undergraduate students at the universitys downtown St. George campus decided against adopting the U-Pass program, with 65.6 per cent of voters opposed.

The U-Pass program would have provided roughly 40,000 students with TTC passes for about $70 a month, much less than a regular post-secondary pass, which costs $116.75.

But the program proved controversial. It was designed to be revenue neutral for the TTC by compelling all students to pay for the passes through a levy tacked on to their annual student fees, regardless of whether they use transit.

A Facebook page set up in opposition to the plan warned the U-Pass would unfairly place financial burden on students who live on residence or near campus and dont need a transit pass.

The University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU) had backed the U-Pass idea. In a statement after the vote, UTSU President Mathias Memmel said the referendum result was strong indication the program wouldnt work without an opt-out provision for students who live near campus.

Transit and housing remain significant barriers to affordable and accessible post-secondary education for our diverse student body. We look forward to working constructively with ... provincial parties and city council in advance of the upcoming election. We also hope to continue our productive conversations with the TTC board, said Memmel.

He said that with more than 12,400 people casting ballots, the referendum turnout was the highest in a decade.

The TTC board approved the program on March 20, and proponents argued it would provide the transit agency with a guaranteed stream of revenue while also boosting ridership. But to participate, eligible schools have to hold a referendum among students.

Although U of T was the first institution to hold a vote, the TTC has identified George Brown College, Ryerson University, and OCAD University as other potential candidates for the U-Pass.

Implementing the program at York University is seen as more contentious because many of the schools students come from outside of Toronto and have less occasion to use the TTC.

I am disappointed that University of Toronto students voted against adopting the TTC discounted U-Pass. We hope the other Toronto colleges and universities vote differently and take advantage, said TTC Chair Josh Colle in an emailed statement.

U-Pass programs have been implemented at schools in other cities across Canada. But this is at least the second time a Toronto school has voted it down. U of Ts Scarborough campus rejected the idea in a 2008 referendum.
The Crowns star witness in its case against a Hamilton police officer says the fact that he told Craig Ruthowsky the possible identity of a murder suspect in Toronto does not make him a confidential informant.

You said that you did provide information to Det.-Const. Ruthowsky, correct, Crown attorney John Pollard asked the witness Thursday during re-examination in Ontario Superior Court.

The witness agreed but drew a distinction. Reporting a crime to police that he saw was different than passing on information told to him by a murder victims cousin.

This was a different situation, the witness testified. A friend  came to me, he was hysterical  and he asked me to pass on the information, so I did. I didnt know it to be true. It could have been a lie for all I know.

The identity of the witness, a cocaine dealer from Hamilton, is protected under a publication ban. The drug dealer, who finished his final day on the witness stand Thursday, spent much of the previous three days jousting with Ruthowskys defence lawyer, Greg Lafontaine.

Ruthowsky, 44, a 17-year-veteran of the Hamilton Police Service, has pleaded not guilty to bribery, obstruct justice, breach of trust, trafficking and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. He is currently under suspension.

His charges relate to allegations he accepted $20,000 a month from the drug dealer and his three associates, in exchange for information about impending raids, for help avoiding arrests and details on which rivals shouldnt be trusted. The witness testified Monday that the arrangement allowed him to sell cocaine with impunity, and that he was raking in money over a 12-month period the deal existed.

The position of the defence is that the witness, a cocaine trafficker, was a confidential informant who provided tips to Ruthowsky on criminal activity in and around Hamilton.

Lafontaine has suggested that the dealer invented the cop on the take scenario because he feared his cover would be blown after his arrest in a Toronto police project in 2015.

Before he wrapped up his cross-examination Thursday, Lafontaine asked the witness if he agreed that Ruthowsky was a hard-working police officer who was good at his job.

Well, he was taking criminals off the street but he was  taking money from people, selling drugs, all kinds of stuff, the witness replied.

I was going to suggest to you he was an incredibly productive police officer who was well known on the street as somebody who was kicking down doors all the time? the lawyer said following up.

I heard he was very busy. He was also a dirty police officer, the dealer responded.

The case resumes Tuesday in the downtown Toronto Superior Court of Justice.
Former Mississauga-Streetsville MP Wajid Ali Khan has been charged by the RCMP in a $1.1 million international investment fraud.

Khan, 71, was charged along with Nadeem Imtiaz Ahmed, 48, both of Mississauga, and both accused of borrowing more than $1.1 million from personal contacts in Canada, according to an RCMP news release announcing the charges. The lenders were told the money would be used to buy investment properties for them in Pakistan.

Khan faces seven charges  three counts of fraud, three counts of false pretense and one count of uttering a forged document. Ahmed faces five similar charges.

The RCMPs National Division RCMP Sensitive and International Investigative Section received complaints in January 2015 and began an investigation. The charges were just recently laid. The Sensitive and International Investigative Section focuses on criminal activity that poses a threat to Canadas government institutions, public officials, the integrity of the Crown, or that imperils Canadas political, economic and social integrity, according to the RCMP.

Khan made headlines in 2007 when he left the Liberal Party and crossed the floor to join the Conservatives, then left politics for good in 2009.

He crossed the floor so he could continue acting as a special adviser to then-prime minister Stephen Harper on the Middle East and Central Asia.

He was a prominent voice in the GTAs Pakistani and Muslim communities.

Khan was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004 and again in 2006 as a Liberal.

When Khan retired from politics, he said he would spend his time promoting Canadian businesses worldwide, and managing his assets in the GTA, Edmonton and Pakistan.

He served as an officer and pilot in the Pakistani Air Force from 1966 to 1973.

March is Fraud Prevention Month in Canada, and police are urging everyone to read up on the numerous frauds and scams that claim victims every year.

Recognizing a scam prevents it from happening, according to RCMP Supt. Denis Desnoyers in a release. Swindlers claim affiliation with reliable sources, provide believable answers to tough questions and hide the truth in the fine print. Protect yourself with the facts and be skeptical whenever a deal seems too good to be true.

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A former justice of the peace, who was fired for sexually harassing women at the Whitby courthouse, should not have his $770,000 legal bill from his discipline proceedings covered by public dollars, a discipline panel has ruled.

It was the second time since he was sacked in 2015 Errol Massiah asked a panel of the Justices of the Peace Review Council to make a recommendation to the attorney general that his legal tab be covered by the public purse, which is a power granted to the panel under Ontario law.

Massiah was found to have made a number of inappropriate comments to women at the courthouse, including leaning in close to the ear of a female prosecutor and saying Oooh, lady in red. On another occasion, as she was walking by, he said Looking goooood. Massiah said the comments were part of his management style. A female staffer also reported him changing in his chambers with the door open.

In its decision to refuse to give a recommendation for compensation, released Thursday, the discipline panel noted that this was Massiahs second discipline hearing for sexual harassment; he had also been found guilty by a separate panel in 2012 of sexually harassing women at the Oshawa courthouse.

In that case, he was suspended for 10 days without pay and ordered to take gender-sensitivity training. The public also picked up his $123,000-legal-bill from that proceeding.

By the time this hearing was underway, this justice of the peace should have known that his conduct was inappropriate based on common sense and everyday experience, but especially so, once he had the benefit of the first panels findings, the panel said in its decision Thursday.

The panel dedicated nearly half of its decision to calling out the conduct of one of Massiahs lawyers, Ernest Guiste, who represented Massiah except at the discipline hearing, itself, which was conducted by a different lawyer.

Among the many tactics employed to frustrate and delay proceedings, Mr. Massiah, through Mr. Guiste, filed a number of frivolous and vexatious motions interrupting the panels deliberations, as well as alleging, without basis, bias and various other acts of misconduct on the part of people involved in these proceedings, the panel said.

Mr. Guistes accounts for fees and disbursements, which exceeded a half a million dollars, are unreasonable on their face. More importantly, we are of the view that they are comprised almost entirely of frivolous and unreasonable actions taken in the hopes of defeating the public interest nature of the process.

The panel went as far as calling Massiah himself a vexatious litigant. Guiste, his lawyer, told the Star he didnt wish to comment as he had not yet seen the decision.

This was the second discipline panel to decide whether Massiah should be compensated in relation to sexual harassment at the Whitby courthouse. The panel that found him guilty and recommended he be fired in 2015 had also recommended he not be compensated, but that was overturned on appeal to Divisional Court. At the same time, the court upheld the findings of judicial misconduct and the penalty of termination.

By the time the compensation matter was sent back for reconsideration to the first panel, the chair, Ontario Court Justice Deborah Livingstone, had retired, and so the remaining two members, a justice of the peace and community member, tried to reach a unanimous decision but were unable to do so.

A new panel, chaired by Ontario Court Justice Diane Lahaie, was then constituted to decide the compensation question.

Massiah is set to return to Divisional Court on April 3, to argue that the earlier court ruling upholding the judicial misconduct findings and penalty of termination be set aside.
The provincial Liberals are offering plenty of goodies to Toronto-area transit users in their pre-election budget.

The 2018 spending plan released Wednesday by Premier Kathleen Wynnes government includes a pledge to reduce the fares for all GO Transit trips that are either less than 10 kilometres or are taken within the city of Toronto to $3 when using a Presto fare card.

Depending on the length of the trip, GO journeys within Toronto can currently cost Presto users more than $6.

The budget also proposes to work with transit agencies in municipalities adjacent to Toronto to provide discounts of $1.50 for Presto users who switch between the TTC and York Region Transit, Brampton Transit, Durham Region Transit, and Mississaugas MiWay.

The government estimates there are 63,000 such trips taken every day.

Both of the fare measures would go into effect in early 2019. According to a government spokesperson the lower GO fares would cost the province an estimated $90 million over three years, while discounts between the TTC and the 905 agencies would cost an estimated $70 million over the same period.

The Liberal budget also takes a page from the now discarded platform launched by former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown by promising to begin discussions with Toronto about the province taking ownership of TTC subway lines.

The Liberals are pitching the suite of proposals as a way of increasing public access to to a safe, reliable and seamless transit system across the GTA.

The opposition parties have countered with their own transit promises. On Tuesday, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath got a jump on the budget by pledging to restore provincial funding for municipal transit agencies operating costs.

The province used to pay half of the annual operating costs for the TTC and other systems, but the funding was cut under former Ontario PC premier Mike Harris.

For the last 15 years, the Liberal government has kept these devastating cuts in place, said Horwath in a press release.

She asserted the TTC was once the envy of the world but now struggles to provide reliable, frequent, comfortable and affordable transit service, and Wynne has repeatedly refused to restore the successful funding formula.

In a scrum with reporters in the budget lock-up Wednesday, Ontario PC leader Doug Ford described transit as his specialty, and also promised to upload TTC subways.

He pledged to build more underground transit in Toronto, including extending the existing Sheppard subway (Line 4), which would require scrapping plans for an LRT along the route.

He also promised to revert to a three-stop extension of Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) into Scarborough, which would cost at least than $1.2 billion more than the one-stop, $3.35-billion version currently being pursued. Ford didnt say how he would pay for the more expensive plan.

We should have regional transportation system that runs from one end of the GTA, through Toronto, to the other end, he said.

I believe in subways. I believe in rapid underground transit. As our city is growing up, we have to go under.

In a press conference at city hall, Mayor John Tory said he was deeply gratified with the Liberals plans to lower GO fares, a move that is crucial to making his SmartTrack plan viable.

SmartTrack would add stations within Toronto in order to create a more local rail service on existing GO lines. In order to attract riders, the price of a trip would have to be comparable to the TTC, which charges $3 for Presto users.

If you now have on a cost-effective or cost-competitive basis the ability to get on the GO transit system and use that inside the 416 for three bucks, studies have shown but also just common sense tells you a lot of people will use GO transit to get around and this will bring a measure of relief to TTC overcrowding, he said.

Tory expressed strong reservations about ceding ownership of the subway system to Queens Park, however. He said hed be willing to sit down at the table with the province but for the city to be even slightly interested in the proposal it would have to include significant benefits for the city, including provincial operating subsidies for bus and streetcar service.

With files from Rob Ferguson and David Rider.

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MOSCOWFlags on government buildings flew at half-staff. Newspaper front pages were colourless. TV stations suspended commercials. Politicians observed a minute of silence.

Russia was in an official state of mourning on Wednesday as funerals began for the 64 victims of a fire that swept through a mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo on Sunday. The tragedy has led to public outrage over a perceived lack of transparency and accountability.

Funeral ceremonies were held at three churches in Kemerovo, 3,200 kilometres east of Moscow, local news outlets reported. In the morning, the caskets bearing the remains of two children and one adult were brought to a cemetery following services at Holy Trinity Church, the TASS news agency reported.

This tragedy is made even worse by the fact that children became victims of the blaze, said a priest at another service in an Orthodox church, Reuters reported. Great grief is upon all of us, and there are no words that would express our common pain.

Outside the burned-out shopping mall, called Winter Cherry, stuffed toys were left beside a makeshift shrine for the victims, 41 of them children. Other mourners came bearing candles and food, local news outlets reported. Impromptu memorials have appeared across Russia, on the central squares of various cities where crowds assembled Tuesday evening for silent vigils in honour of the Kemerovo victims.

This is not a political rally. Lets meet without flags and banners, Nikolai Solodnikov, an organizer of the St. Petersburg rally, wrote on Facebook. Well simply remind ourselves that we are one country. In both joy, and in such terrible grief.

Read more:

We are burning, perhaps this is goodbye: Russian shopping mall fire kills 64, many of them children

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While official Russia lowered flags and put on black suits, the anti-corruption campaigner Alexei A. Navalny mounted a blistering attack on President Vladimir Putin and his system of government, saying that graft and unaccountability were to blame for the Kemerovo fire.

In a video posted on his website, Navalny said that Russia had 220,000 officials responsible for fire prevention but had one of the worst death rates from fires in the world.

So long as Russia does not start a real fight against corruption, we will continue to pay with the lives of children for all the bribes taken by Putins officials, said Navalny, who was barred from competing against Putin in Russias March 18 presidential election.

In Moscow, a vigil over yet another avoidable tragedy in a country with a notoriously poor fire safety record took on an overtly political tone, with an incensed crowd chanting Russia without Putin! and Corruption kills!

And in Perm, a city near the Ural Mountains where a nightclub fire in 2009 killed 156 people, the deadliest blaze in Russias post-Soviet history, more than 500 people gathered beside a memorial to those victims.

Why are such tragedies happening again and again? one woman told the tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda. Why does no one give a damn about people? Everyone wants more money, without a care about safety.

The Emergencies Ministry concluded its search of the scene Wednesday afternoon, TASS reported. The ministry said that 27 of the 64 victims found so far had been identified, some only by DNA analysis. Many residents have said they think authorities are deliberately understating the death toll.

An investigation is underway. Officials have cited an electrical short circuit as the most likely cause of the fire, though arson has not been ruled out. Authorities have arrested Nadezhda Suddenok, the manager of the mall, on charges of negligence, TASS reported. Sergei Antyushin, a security guard, has been charged with failure to activate the fire alarm system.

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BEIJINGKim Jong Uns surprise visit to Beijing this week to meet President Xi Jinping added an element of intrigue to talks over North Koreas nuclear program. It was also a propaganda opportunity for both men. For Xi, the meeting was a chance to cultivate an image as a peacemaker on the global stage. For Kim, it was an opportunity to signal membership in the club of world leaders.

Heres a look at how the Chinese and North Korean news media portrayed the meeting.

Read more:

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North Korea, China portray strong ties after Kim Jong Uns secret trip to Beijing

How Kim Jong Uns surprise China visit strengthens his hand in nuclear talks with Trump

Xi the elder statesman

In North Korea, Kim is often pictured alongside throngs of admirers who hang on and record his every word.

But it was Kim who was taking notes during his meeting with Xi, at least in the Chinese news media coverage on Wednesday. Kim, 34, was shown dutifully scribbling on a piece of paper as Xi, 64, spoke of the need for close ties between their two countries.

The images gave Xi the appearance of an elder statesman at a time when he has sought to expand Chinas influence over global affairs.

Ryan Hass, a former director for China at the National Security Council who is now a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said the coverage signaled that Beijing is in control of a complex security challenge, serving as the center of international efforts to defuse tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The Chinese government confirmed Wednesday that North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong Un went to Beijing and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It is Kim's first known trip to a foreign country since he took power in 2011. (The Associated Press)

Kims confident debut

While the Chinese news media published less flattering images of Kim, the North Korean media made sure he came across at home as charismatic, showing him smiling and offering a forceful handshake to Xi.

The state-run media showed photos of Kims extensive motorcade as well as Xi appearing to offer a toast to Kim. Those images did not appear in the Chinese media.

Kim, making his debut on the global stage, was most likely eager to show he was a respected figure who could hold his own with one of the worlds most powerful leaders. In North Korea he was depicted, without exception, as strong and in charge.

Ideological brethren

Mao Zedong once said China and North Korea, longtime Communist allies, were as close as lips and teeth.

But relations between the two countries have been strained in recent decades. However, there was no hint of that tension in the coverage of Kims visit this week.

The Chinese and the North Korean news media portrayed the two countries as ideological comrades. Kim was welcomed in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, as a military band played. News reports said he and Xi watched an art performance together, joined by their wives.

Orville Schell, director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at Asia Society in New York, described the pageantry as a renaissance of the old socialist-style, big-leader rituals.

They certainly didnt just sneak him in the back door, he said of Kim. It looked like he got pretty close to the full monty.

Personal chemistry

Both men seemed eager to convey that they have a renewed commitment to working together, and a personal chemistry that will unite them.

Xi showed considerable warmth toward Kim, smiling widely and offering affectionate embraces. Kim returned the fondness, waving enthusiastically as he departed.

The budding alliance between the two leaders may put new pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to meet with Kim in the coming weeks. While the location for a meeting has not yet been decided, some analysts say that Xi may be angling to have it in Beijing.

That would make Trump like the three-wheel bicycle, Mr. Schell said. He would have to go to Beijing again, and almost be the supplicant to these old allies that have patched up their marriage.

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This may not be the year for that Easter trip to the cottage, at least in Norways far north.

A Norwegian family cancelled their annual Easter vacation for the first time in 20 years after a neighbour sent a photograph of their seaside cottage buried in snow and apparently under imminent avalanche threat.

Bente Andreassen was planning to take the getaway near the village of Honningsvag in Norways Finnmark region when her neighbour, Camilla Daae-Qvale, sent her the photo this week, the news agency NRK reported.

When we got the picture, we said no. It was terrifying to see, Andreassen told NRK.

The house is the childhood home of Andreassens mother-in-law.

Andreassen posted Daae-Qvales photo to a Finnmark Facebook group on Tuesday.

Her post attracted hundreds of likes and more than 150 replies remarking on the ominous sight of the snowy overhang.

Avalanches have hit several roads near Andreassens cottage, with access cut off to nearby fishing villages in recent days, NRK reported.

Finnmark, Norways largest and northernmost county, is entirely located north of the Arctic Circle.

The forecast for the region calls for Friday lows of -4C with snow flurries and high avalanche danger.
ANNAPOLIS, Md.A Maryland appeals court on Thursday upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast Serial.

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park. He was 17 at the time.

Syeds story was widely publicized in the 2014 Serial podcast, which cast doubt on his guilt and inspired armchair investigators to unearth new information.

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The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered records for the number of times a podcast has been streamed or downloaded.

A lower court judge vacated Syeds conviction in 2016. Prosecutors appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the states intermediate appeals court.

Syeds lawyer, C. Justin Brown, said he is ready for a new trial.

If the state is so confident in their case, and if theyre so confident that Syed is guilty, they should just try the case. Were ready to try the case, Brown said.

Prosecutors declined to comment or to say whether they will appeal the ruling to the states highest court.

We are currently reviewing todays decision to determine next steps, Raquel Coombs, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, said in an email.

In a 2-1 decision, the three-judge appeals court panel agreed with Brown that his trial lawyer was ineffective for failing to investigate a potential alibi witness who said she saw Syed at a public library in the town of Woodlawn, Maryland, around the time the state claimed Syed killed Hae.

The panel said in its written decision that if testimony from Asia McClain had been presented to the jury, it would have directly contradicted the States theory of when Syed had the opportunity and did murder Hae, and could have created reasonable doubt in at least one jurors mind and led to a different outcome.

In considering the totality of the evidence at Syeds trial with the potential impact of McClains alibi testimony, this Court holds that there is a reasonable probability that, but for trial counsels deficient performance, the result of Syeds trial would have been different, Chief Judge Patrick Woodward wrote for the majority.

During a hearing in June, Thiru Vignarajah, a special assistant attorney general arguing on behalf of the state, said it was reasonable not to seek out McClain because Syeds lawyer was focused on an alibi placing him at Woodlawn High School, not the library.

Its the kind of thing that the defence attorney would have to make a judgment about, he said.

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Kathryn Grill Graeff disagreed with the majority, saying Syed had failed to overcome the presumption that his trial lawyers failure to contact McClain was based on reasonable trial strategy. Graeff said she would have reversed the lower courts ruling granting Syed a new trial.

Syed has been behind bars since his arrest in February 1999.

Brown said that after Syed learned the court had upheld the ruling granting him a new trial, he wanted to convey his deep gratitude and thanks from the bottom of his heart for all those people who have supported him this long and all those people who have believed in him.

Brown said Serial had an enormous impact on the case, generating attention that helped Syeds defence team locate McClain and bring her to Baltimore for a post-conviction hearing.

And Serial has also helped to build this groundswell of support for us and for Adnan and for the case, and that has really fuelled these efforts and allowed us to keep fighting on the way that we have, Brown said.
SAN FRANCISCONobody answered the door when a child welfare worker went to the Washington state home of the big, free-spirited Hart family to investigate a neighbours complaint that the youngsters were going hungry.

Three days later, the Harts crumpled SUV was found at the bottom of a 33-metre seaside cliff in northern California, all eight family members presumed dead in a mysterious wreck now under investigation. Five bodies have been recovered, but three children are still missing.

There are a lot of unknowns on this, said Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman. Several of the questions that have been asked today will never be answered.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the crash and said there is no reason so far to believe it was intentional. But they also said there were no skid marks or signs the driver braked as the GMC Yukon crossed a flat dirt pull-off area, about 25 metres wide, and went over the edge of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The case has thrown a spotlight on at least one previous run-in with the law by the Harts, along with neighbours repeated concerns about the way the home-schooled youngsters were being treated.

Some family friends, though, say that doesnt track with their knowledge of the parents, Sarah and Jennifer Hart, as a loving couple who promoted social justice and exposed their remarkable children to art, music and nature.

The brood was known as the Hart Tribe, a multiracial family of two women and six adopted children who grew their own food, took spontaneous road trips to camp and hike, and travelled to festivals and other events, offering free hugs and promoting unity.

One of the children, Devonte Hart, drew national attention after the Black youngster was photographed in tears, hugging a white police officer during a 2014 protest in Portland, Ore., over the deadly police shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Mo. Devonte was holding a Free Hugs sign.

But well before the wreck, Sarah Hart pleaded guilty in 2011 to a domestic assault charge in Douglas County, Minn., telling authorities she let her anger get out of control while spanking her 6-year-old adoptive daughter, court records show.

Then, last week, Bruce and Dana DeKalb, next-door neighbours of the Harts in Woodland, Wash., called state child protective services on Friday because Devonte, now 15, had been coming over to their house almost every day for a week, asking for food.

Dana DeKalb said Devonte told her his parents were punishing them by withholding food. The boy asked her to leave food in a box by the fence for him, she said.

Social service authorities opened an investigation, and a state caseworker went to the house last Friday but didnt find anyone home, state officials said. The agency had no prior history with the family, said Norah West, a spokeswoman with the Department of Social and Health Services.

By Saturday, the familys SUV was gone from the driveway, said Bruce DeKalb.

The wreck was discovered by a passing motorist Monday afternoon. The women, both 38, were found dead inside the SUV, while three of their children  Markis Hart, 19, Jeremiah Hart, 14, and Abigail Hart, 14  were discovered outside the vehicle.

A team on Thursday continued to search the rugged coastline for the three other children, also believed to have been in the SUV: Hannah Hart, 16, Sierra Hart, 12, and Devonte.

On Thursday, authorities in Washington state also searched the familys home for information. The Clark County Sheriffs Office said deputies were looking for bills, receipts or anything else to shed light on why the family left and other circumstances related to the trip, KGW-TV reported.

The DeKalbs also recounted that three months after the Harts moved into their house on two acres with a fenced pasture last May, one of the girls rang the DeKalbs doorbell at 1:30 a.m.

She was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her, Bruce DeKalb said. She said that they were abusing her. The entire family came over to their house the next morning to apologize and explain it was a bad week, Dana DeKalb said.

The sheriff said investigators dont know exactly when or how the SUV went over the cliff, situated alongside a spot commonly used by motorists to walk their pets. Allman appealed to anyone who might have seen the family to come forward.

Accident-reconstruction experts said investigators will look at such factors as the weather, road conditions and the possibility of brake failure, a blown tire or some other malfunction.

That model of Yukon was also presumably equipped with a black box recorder that would show its speed and use of the brakes, said Marcus Mazza, an engineer and accident-reconstruction expert with Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Robson Forensic.

Family friend Max Ribner took issue with the notion it was something other than a tragic accident. The couple adopted the six children, many of whom came from hard backgrounds, he said. They transformed these kids lives.

This is a tragic accident of a magnitude that cannot be measured, said Zippy Lomax, a photographer who knew the Harts. They were really radiant, warm, adventurous, inspiring people. They were always on some grand adventure, and the kids were living this life that was kind of like this dream.
MOSCOWRussia announced the expulsion of more than 150 diplomats, including 60 Americans and four Canadians, on Thursday and said it was closing a U.S. consulate in retaliation for the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in Britain, a tit-for-tat response that intensified the Kremlins rupture with the United States and Europe.

The Russian move came as a hospital treating Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in stable condition, though her father remained in critical condition.

The Skripals were found unconscious and critically ill in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Read more:

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Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says measures taken Monday against Russia were targeted. The government announced the expulsion of four Russian diplomats as the U.S. and other allies took similar actions. (The Canadian Press)

Analysis | After 2 dozen countries expel more than 100 spies and diplomats, Russia does what its best at: trolling

Two dozen countries, including Canada, which expelled four, as well as the U.S., many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain  a massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at news conference Thursday that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry while Lavrov was speaking, where he was handed notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the U.S. decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

In a statement, Huntsman said there was no justification for the move and that it shows Moscow isnt interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters.

Russia should not be acting like a victim, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Lavrov also said Moscow will retaliate for the U.S. decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg.

The Foreign Ministry said the U.S. diplomats, including 58 from the embassy in Moscow and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg, must leave Russia by April 5. It added that the U.S. must leave the consulate in St. Petersburg no later than Saturday.

The ministry warned that if the U.S. takes further hostile actions against Russian missions, Russia will respond in kind.

We invite the U.S. authorities who are encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country to come back to their senses and stop thoughtless actions to destroy bilateral relations, it said.

Lavrov emphasized that the expulsions followed brutal pressure from the U.S. and Britain, which forced their allies to follow the anti-Russian course.

He also noted that the job of the international chemical weapons watchdog is to determine what chemical agent was used to poison Skripal and his daughter, not verify the British conclusions.

Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting Monday of the secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said Thursday that 33-year-old Yulia is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day, said Dr. Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

Sergei Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.

Lavrov said that Russia would seek consular access to Yulia Skripal now that she has regained consciousness.

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SAN DIEGOThe U.S. and Mexican governments are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas like never before to go after drug smugglers.

The United States, Mexico and Colombia will target drug smugglers off South Americas Pacific coast in an operation that is scheduled to begin Sunday and last for the foreseeable future, Coast Guard officials told The Associated Press.

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Paul F. Zukunft teased the idea during a recent defence conference in San Diego, saying the United States cant do it alone.

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Its no secret we are besieged with the flow of drugs from Latin America to the United States, he said.

U.S. and Mexican forces have routinely worked together at sea, but the latest effort marks a significant step in terms of information sharing, collaboration and co-operation between the United States, Mexico and other partner nations, according to the Coast Guard.

The Americans and Mexicans will exchange intelligence more freely than in the past, which could mean sharing information on well-travelled routes for drug smugglers or preferred paths for specific smuggling organizations, Coast Guard spokesperson Alana Miller said.

They will also board the other countrys vessels to view operations and gain expertise, Miller said. In 2015, three members of the Mexican navy boarded a Coast Guard vessel during a port call in Huatulco, Mexico, but this operation calls for more frequent exchanges, and they will be at sea.

The operation will last for the foreseeable future as long as its working for everyone, Miller said. Its sort of open-ended.

Traffickers over the years have increasingly turned to the sea to move their illegal goods, traversing an area off South America that is so big, the continental United States could be dropped inside. Smugglers routinely move cocaine out of countries like Colombia to Central America and Mexico via fishing boats, skiffs, commercial cargo ships  even homemade submarines.

The operation comes after five years of record seizures by the Coast Guard. But U.S. officials say because of limited resources, the U.S. militarys smallest service still catches only about 25 per cent of illegal shipments in the Pacific.

Even so, the Coast Guard annually seizes three times the amount of cocaine confiscated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet ocean smuggling has not grabbed lawmakers attention like the flow of drugs across the nearly 3,200-kilometre-long land border, where the Trump administration wants to spend billions to build a continuous wall.

As much as 20 per cent of the cocaine moving through South America ends up in the United States, and most of it lands first in Mexico from seafaring smugglers. The hope is boats will be stopped before their shipments are loaded onto Mexican trucks that fan out on various routes bound for the U.S. border, authorities said. Large boats can cart 20 tons of cocaine or more.

Mexico has historically been among the Latin American countries that are most reluctant to join operations with the U.S., which can be traced back to the Mexican-American War that was fought 170 years ago. The United States cannot open military bases in Mexico, and U.S. officials, for instance, cannot venture into Mexican waters without prior permission, even if they are chasing drug vessels.

The Coast Guard now stops its pursuit and alerts Mexican authorities if suspicious boats cross into their territorial waters.

Its unclear whether this new co-operation will affect those restrictions.

Treaties with nations such as Colombia have allowed U.S. authorities more latitude, such as permitting Coast Guard officers to board Colombian-flagged ships. U.S. officials have touted Colombias joint anti-drug efforts as a model for the region.

The U.S. and Mexican military relationship has strengthened since the two nations signed the 2008 Merida Initiative to work together in the drug war. There have been more cross-border trainings, especially with the Mexican Navy, which is considered less corrupt than the Mexican Army and has raised its profile with the captures and killings of drug bosses.

The combined operation was planned in a series of meetings over the past year. The maritime services signed letters of intent to work together to fight organized crime while respecting each countrys sovereignty and territorial waters.

David Shirk, associate professor of political science at the University of San Diego, said the operation falls in line with Trumps vow to go after the bad hombres, while President Enrique Pena Nieto has recognized organized crime is so severe that Mexico needs help.

With more walled-off sections of the border, weve seen drug trafficking organizations literally go underground or offshore, he said.

Last year, the Coast Guard seized more than 455,000 pounds of cocaine worth more than $6 billion (U.S.) and brought more than 600 suspected traffickers back to the United States for prosecution. The Coast Guard has been criticized for holding suspects on ships where they cannot easily access lawyers. Shirk said joint operations could lead to serious violations of suspects rights at sea and possible human rights violations in the process.

Coast Guard officials say they respect suspects rights. Where suspects will be sent with the three countries participating in the operation will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

U.S. military officials have been reluctant to openly discuss details of the co-operation with their Mexican counterparts, sensitive to the Mexican publics historical view and recent barbs between the two presidents.

Jorge Chabat, a political scientist at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching in Mexico City, said he doubts the combined operation will get much negative reaction from a Mexican public tired of drug violence.

The more insecurity we have, the less nationalism we have in Mexico, he said.

Ultimately, he doubts the joint operation will make much difference.

This is something they have to do to maintain drug trafficking at the same level, and not allow it to grow, he said. Thats the most you can do. You cant just surrender.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.The suspect in the Florida high school shooting that killed 17 is getting letters of support in jail including fan mail and pictures of scantily clad women in addition to hundreds of dollars in contributions to his commissary account.

Teenage girls, women and men are sending letters and photographs of themselves and Facebook groups have been started to discuss how to help Nikolas Cruz, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Cruz is charged in the killings of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and is being held in the Broward County Jail. Prosecutors said they are seeking the death penalty.

The newspaper obtained copies of letters, including one from a woman who called Cruz beautiful and others with suggestive photos.

Cruz, who is on suicide watch, has not seen any of the letters, which are opened by the jail.

A judge has entered a plea of not guilty to all 34 charges against Nikolas Cruz who prosecutors say killed 17 at a Florida high school. Friends and family of the victims sat in the audience. (The Associated Press)

On March 15, a teenager sent a letter from Texas inside an envelope with happy faces and hearts.

Im 18-years-old. Im a senior in high school. When I saw your picture on the television, something attracted me to you, the letter stated. Your eyes are beautiful and the freckles on your face make you so handsome

Another letter told Cruz to Hang in there and keep your head up and another mailed six days after the shooting said I reserve the right to care about you, Nikolas!

Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, Cruzs lawyer, told the newspaper that his client has indeed received piles of letters.

In addition, $800 has been deposited into a commissary account which can be used by inmates to buy snacks, radios and personal hygiene products.

In my 40 years as public defender, Ive never seen this many letters to a defendant, Finkelstein said. Everyone now and then gets a few, but nothing like this.

Finkelstein said they have read a few religious ones to him but will not read him any fan letters or share any photographs.

The letters shake me up because they are written by regular, everyday teenage girls from across the nation, he said.
The juxtaposition is disturbing. One Canadian man has just this week pleaded guilty to killing six people and attempting to kill many more.

Another has also pleaded guilty to planning terrorist attacks in New York City  and prosecutors are asking for a maximum sentence.

The first man is Alexandre Bissonnette, who turned himself in after entering the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City and shooting as many worshippers as he could. Six men were left dead, five were critically injured  including one man who is now paralyzed.

The second man is Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, a 20-year-old man suffering from mental illness and drug addiction, who participated in an FBI-fabricated bomb plot. He will be sentenced on April 9  and is asking for leniency.

Whats remarkable about these two cases is how similar they are, but how differently they are playing out.

How is it that one of these man is not charged with terrorism, while the other is? Further, the one who is charged with terrorism suffers from documented mental health and addictions that are supposedly irrelevant, according to U.S. prosecutors.

Whether the FBI also learned during its investigation that El Bahnasawy might have mental health or addiction issues is simply immaterial, wrote the prosecutors in a sentencing submission.

Mental health has always mattered when it comes to prosecuting individuals for criminal acts. The judge in Bissonnettes case refused to accept a reversal of his plea from not guilty to guilty until he had been assessed by a psychiatrist.

And yet, for others, it simply isnt considered as a mitigating factor. With El Bahnasawy, there was clearly an opportunity for Canadian authorities to alert his family of their troubled sons descent into the criminal world of Daesh  rather than permitting, even facilitating, a vulnerable individual to sink further into his criminality.

We think he should be set free and allowed to go home  he was an 18-year-old that Canada could have and should have saved, his legal team has said. Instead, Canada handed him over to the United States and the United States should let him go home.

The pain of El Bahnasawys family is unimaginable. Here is a family that did everything it could to provide their son with the mental health supports he needed, but sadly, as many families know all too well, accessing such supports is often difficult, even impossible, with long waits to see specialists. In the meantime, how could they have known that the FBI was pulling their son deeper into a plot?

Bissonnettes family is similarly shattered. Alexandre remains our son, wrote his parents in a statement earlier this year. Like all parents, we had hopes of seeing him succeed and be happy in life. In a sense, we also lost a son.

We dont know if the family was aware of their sons online activities, nor that he was allegedly a far right and an ultra nationalist white supremacist, according to an acquaintance.

The families of those who were killed and injured on Jan. 29, 2017, deserve justice. Yet, it remains doubtful whether justice will truly be served because many people are still left wondering why Bissonnette wasnt charged with terrorism.

Even a quick review of a handful of recent cases reveals Muslim men were charged with terrorism offences sometimes with tenuous or imagined connections to terror, while non-Muslim whites get a pass, wrote lawyer Faisal Kutty in a commentary piece last fall.

This double standard has been at play for too long, and seriously harms our collective faith in the system. Justice must be applied fairly and without prejudice  and in both these cases, something is off. Our legislators need to examine each to figure out why.

In the meantime, the message for certain communities is painful: not only could we be terrorized at any moment by those consumed by hatred, but that we may also be targeted by the very authorities who should be protecting us, including our most vulnerable. We all deserve better than this.

Amira Elghawaby is a journalist and human rights advocate based in Ottawa. Follow her on Twitter @AmiraElghawaby
Since the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank tweeted last week that Canada is now officially a full member, it hasnt exactly made headlines. This is ostensibly a prelude for trade talks with China in an increasingly protectionist global landscape. And admission wasnt cheap: Chinese sources say Ottawa committed more than $1 billion to the Beijing-based bank.

But China-watchers are more fixated on the dramatic changes rolling out after the just-completed National People's Congress.

Among other moves, the annual Congress voted 2,970-to-0 to give President Xi Jinping a second five-year term, and repealed a regulation barring him from seeking a third.

They also rubber-stamped the creation of a National Supervision Commission, empowered to detain people for months at secret locations without access to lawyers or due process. This body ranks above even Chinas judiciary in the newly amended Constitution. Its establishment would certainly make Chinese Congress members pause before entering a symbolic protest vote against Xis Machiavellian restructuring of institutions to consolidate his own power.

After last week, any charade that state institutions are somehow independent from Chinas Communist Party (read: presidential) diktat is now abandoned. Whatever Xi says, goes. He chairs six top-level leading small groups and numerous other committees and commissions, covering every major area of policy, and has taken direct command of Chinas security and intelligence apparatus. (The authority of Chinese State Council Premier Li Keqiang is so debased that there is little point in our Prime Minister meeting with him again.)

Xis closing address to the Congress, intended to be heard around the world, was a rousing paean to the greatness of Chinas civilization across its dynastic history. The inventions of paper and printing, dynamite and the compass were cited, as were Chinas contributions to literature and philosophy, and the building of the Great Wall. It all underscored the point that Xi will oversee the great restoration of the Chinese nation by 2050. The characters wei da  meaning great  were heard 35 times in the 38-minute speech.

For Canada, the implications became clear in Xis promise that China will continue to actively engage in reconstruction and transformation of the systems of global governance by contributing more Chinese wisdom, Chinese re-designs and Chinese strength. This is part and parcel of Beijings massive One Belt One Road global infrastructure program, which China expects will lead to its development of the Canadian north and polar waters in years ahead.

The bleak irony is that the same Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that Canada has paid dearly to join would underwrite the One Belt One Road initiative that would reach into Canadian northern territory. China has already declared itself a near-Arctic nation, regardless of the strictures of geography.

Most alarming to Ottawa was the news that the Communist Partys United Front Work Department, responsible for promoting Chinas influence around the world, will be restructured and beefed up. Xi characterizes it as the partys magic weapon, and indeed its activity in Western countries has increasingly been seen as a covert, coercive or corrupt tool for Chinas foreign interests.

Chinas 2015 hack of the U.S. governments Office of Personnel Management  exposing personal data of 21 million government employees or their spouses to Chinas sophisticated super-computers  was likely a glimpse of a Chinese social engineering behemoth intended to induce naive Canadians to take actions that serve Beijings purposes more than Canadas own sovereign interests. It uses up-to-the-minute cyber-technology to cultivate the equivalent of Lenins useful idiots in nations of strategic interest to China, nations like Canada.

Beneath all the win-win rhetoric, and sops to Canadian greed, the real goal is buttressing the rise to power of a new global order, where liberal democratic principles are eclipsed by Xi Jinpings determined, authoritarian passion to restore Chinas lost greatness.

According to diplomatic lists maintained by Global Affairs Canada, the United States has 138 accredited foreign representatives at its embassy and consulates in Canada. But China has 169. This begs some questions. Why does China need so many more people stationed in Canada than our much more predominant economic partner and closest ally? And what are the Chinese diplomats doing here that the American diplomats arent?

Charles Burton is an associate professor of Political Science at Brock University in St. Catharines and a former counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing.

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Doug Ford is touting the great myth of the anti-tax crusaders, a seductive story that simply isnt true.

The new Ontario Progressive Conservative leader says if elected premier he will deliver billions of dollars in tax cuts. He will tackle the provinces debt. And he will do all this mostly by weeding out government waste.

Ford is promising a free lunch. Yet experience, including Fords own political past, dictates there is no such thing. There will be costs. And while we cannot be sure of exactly what form they will take, we can be confident they will be high and cruel.

Ford says he would cut at least $10 billion in income and sales taxes, a promise held over from the Peoples Guarantee, the carefully costed platform of Fords predecessor, Patrick Brown. To cover the lost revenues, Brown planned to impose a carbon tax, much of which would have been returned to voters. The provinces books, Brown said, would be balanced by 2020. Ford, too, promises balance. But while Ford likes the tax cuts, he doesnt like the carbon tax (or any other tax), leaving a $10-billion hole in his budget.

Not to worry, says the self-proclaimed stopper of gravy trains. Ford insists the better part of the shortfall  about $6 billion  could be covered through the elimination of so-called inefficiencies. Unfortunately, those who promise savings through waste-elimination rarely say where, specifically, this waste can be found  and Ford is no exception. He wants us to take it on faith.

That would be a mistake, as anyone who recalls Fords tenure at Toronto city hall can attest. Had it not been overshadowed by spectacular scandal, the mayoral administration of Dougs late brother Rob, in which Doug played a central role, might now be remembered first and foremost for its spectacular fiscal folly.

The Fords famously came to power vowing to save the city billions of dollars a year by eliminating waste at city hall. They hired the consulting firm KPMG to find inefficiencies and recommend areas to cut. The consultants were largely stumped. Perhaps, they suggested, the city could afford to close a few libraries.

When residents revolted in the face of this threat, the administration backed off and instead demanded each department cut 10 per cent of its budget. Ten per cent across the board without any apparent rhyme or reason, even though the KPMG report suggested this would in every case cut into core services  core protections for low-income people and the homeless, core infrastructure projects, core economic initiatives. And it did. There simply wasnt enough gravy. There never is.

For an anti-government populist such as Ford, who thrives on the anger of the electorate, promises of tax cuts funded through efficiency-finding hold a visceral power. We all remember Bev Odas $18 orange juice, Jane Philpotts pricy limo rides. And much has rightly been made of e-Health and ORNGE, cancelled gas plants and other boondoggles.

Certainly such misspending is an insult to voters and should be reined in. But it would take hundreds of millions of Odas fancy OJs to fill the hole in question. Even the costlier one-off boondoggles cant be the basis for enduring tax cuts. The greatest cost to government of such spending scandals is that they undermine trust and give credence to those who would foist upon voters the lie that tax cuts are a free good.

Ford wont find $6 billion in waste, just as he and his brother did not find the promised efficiencies at city hall. Instead, he will have to raise the money the old-fashioned way: taxes, debt or cuts to services. And given his outspoken disdain for taxes and debt, its no great mystery what path he would pursue.

The question, then, is what Ford might choose to cut. Presumably not the health-care system, the costs of which are rising as the population ages and which he has promised to improve. That takes about half of the provinces budget off the table. Will he cut Ontarios already inadequate welfare system? He could gut it and still not fill the gap.

As Nathan Laurie, a former member of this editorial board, pointed out in an opinion piece this week, Ford could eliminate the entire justice system and still barely cover two-thirds of his promise. Theres no way to cut $6 billion in spending without great pain.

Lets be clear about whats really on offer here. Ford is asking us to play a sort of austerity lottery. Because Ford wont tell us, we cant know which jobs will be lost, which programs deep-sixed, which services cut. At least Tim Hudak, the PC leader who went down in flames in the last provincial election promising to fund tax cuts by slashing 100,000 public-sector jobs, had the courage to spell out the human costs of his proposal.

Ford insists his tax cuts wont hurt. They will. Lets hope we never have to find out how bad.

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Most people would rather see a good sermon than hear one, because there is no inspiration more powerful than example.

What a missed opportunity it was, then, and what a tin ear for timing it showed, that Pope Francis declined this week of all weeks, through Canadas Catholic bishops, to apologize to First Nations in this country for abuses perpetrated by priests, nuns and teachers in residential schools operated by the church.

In the Christian world, this is Holy Week, the week of Christs crucifixion, Good Friday the remembrance of the most celebrated act of redemption in history. Christ died, Christians are taught, to redeem the sins of the world gone awry.

Contrition  the state of being broken open by the burden of sin, humbled sufficiently to atone  is a central tenet of Catholic teaching. It has its own prayer  the Act of Contrition, the operative word being act.

So it is dismaying that the Pope decided as he did.

A letter released by the president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said that while the Pope has recognized the injustices faced by Indigenous peoples around the world from colonialism and conduct by church agents, he felt that he could not personally respond to requests in Canada for an apology.

That was one of 94 recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

From the 1880s until the last residential school closed two decades ago, more than 150,000 Indigenous children attended residential schools in Canada, many reporting physical, sexual and emotional abuse. The consequences have rolled down the generations in Indigenous families and communities across the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said he was disappointed at the news, had asked Pope Francis during a visit last year to the Vatican to consider making a direct apology.

In 2008, Canada apologized for the residential schools.

Three years ago, in Bolivia, the Pope issued a general apology to Indigenous peoples in the Americas for the grave sins of colonialism. In 2010, he apologized to Irish victims of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy.

It is a mystery to understand  beyond the fears and dictates of lawyers  why he could not muster a similar act of contrition here. In matters so damaging as the way in which the church and its servants treated the First Nations of Canada, deeds speak loudest.

And as the Book of James teaches, Faith without works is dead.
Theo Moudakis: Russian welcome, Cartoon, March 28

Kudos for Theo Moudakis cartoon featuring Russian Leader Vladimir Putin welcoming home many expelled Russian diplomats, who all are drawn to look like the infamous cartoon spies, Boris and Natasha.

I fear, however, that a great many of your readers will not remember these memorable characters from the wonderful Rocky and Bullwinkle television show.

Nevertheless, I am confident that moose and squirrel will be laughing from their cartoon grave.

Simon Rosenblum, Toronto
Right wing slams Parkland teens, March 26

NRA TV host Colion Noir is stating the obvious in his weak-minded defence of gun ownership. Most certainly these students would not be known, because there would have been no gun available to murder their classmates and give them their new-found platform.

Who does he think they are pawns of  the friends they mourn, their friends parents, the police officers who are the first to risk their lives by responding to gun calls? No, the real pawns are in your legislatures and in Washington, too well paid off and afraid to speak out.

These students have put more thought into their first amendment than he and his supporters have in their warped interpretation of the second.

Good guys with guns is a pretty base response to the overall issue and Im sure they hope to sell more guns by using it. Arm everyone but make sure they are a good person first.

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorums suggestion for students to take CPR courses, which they probably have already done, is nonsense. Again, if there were no guns available, then CPR would not be necessary.

The utter silliness of their viewpoint and their sanctimonious suggestions are hard to fathom. It is also hard to wait for news of the next shooting.

Ernie Ilson, Mississauga

A pathetic response by a pathetic organization. NRA TV host Colion Noir states that the names of teens taking part in the gun-control marches are known only because a student gunman stormed into their school and killed three staff members and 14 students. This statement is basically true, but Im sure these students would prefer the anonymity they had before this shooting occurred.

Noir suggests that student marchers are using their first-amendment rights to attack everyone elses second-amendment rights. This self-serving statement reflects the utter disregard the NRA has for the value of human life.

Obviously, 300 million guns in the U.S.  almost one per person  isnt enough. How many of these guns are owned by gangsters, terrorists or mentally unstable people? Does the NRA care?

Rather than doting on the life-threatening second amendment. The NRA hierarchy would do well to read the Declaration of Independence, which gives the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Warren Dalton, Scarborough

Thanks to the Star for its excellent coverage of the student rallies and protests in the U.S. and Canada. These demonstrations will certainly evoke political reactions, but careful scrutiny must be taken to assure the politicians responses are much more than window dressing.

Legislation such as raising the minimum age to purchase guns may appease some people but it would prove largely useless. Anything less than a total ban on military-style weaponry will not solve the problem. An assault rifle purchased by a mature adult is still an assault rifle and can be made available to anyone determined to obtain it  legally or otherwise.

The safest approach is to restrict such instruments to military use and make them unavailable to the general public. The students and all who join them should accept nothing less.

Tom Sullivan, Toronto
In the end, the Ontario Liberal what-me-worry budget comes down to a matter of trust.

Can Premier Kathleen Wynnes government be trusted to abandon its deficit-cutting ways and deliver the billions in new spending it has pledged?

Or, if miraculously re-elected, will the Liberals suddenly find their promises too expensive to implement?

Will they find, as they have before, that times have changed, that the fiscal situation has deteriorated and that, sadly, circumstances demand cutbacks and the privatization of public assets.

If the Liberals can be trusted, Wednesdays budget is, in many ways, a masterpiece of social democratic policy.

Read more:

Liberals crank up Ontario budget spending on seniors and families as election looms

Winners and losers from the 2018 Ontario budget

Highlights from the 2018 Ontario budget

It cements in place Wynnes earlier commitment to universal pharmacare by eliminating the deductibles and user fees that 2.6 million seniors must currently pay when they use the Ontario Drug Benefit program.

It introduces a rudimentary denticare program for those not already covered by workplace or public plans.

And, as the piece de resistance, it pledges to introduce free daycare for all children from the age of two and a half until they reach kindergarten.

To help pay for this, it raises taxes by an average of $200 per person for the 1.8 million upper and middle income earners who make more than $95,000 a year.

Along the way, the budget promises much-needed money for those the Liberals have stiffed before, including hospitals, long-term care residents and the poor.

To get to this enviable position, Wynne and Finance Minister Charles Sousa have wisely abandoned their commitment to balancing the budget in the short term.

I say wisely because the social benefits from the Liberals proposed spending plans outweigh the initial monetary costs.

Moreover, as Justin Trudeaus federal Liberal government has shown, voters are willing to tolerate budget deficits if they think the money is being well spent.

True, Ontarios debt as a percentage of gross domestic product is predicted to rise slightly over the next three years. But if the Liberals keep their nerve, this is a small price to pay for a path-breaking agenda.

If they keep their nerve.

Despite several years of projected deficits in his latest budget, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa says built in prudence will allow a return to balance. Opposition leaders said the Liberals are trying to win votes with spending. (The Canadian Press)

Read more: Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: Ontario budget delivers most ambitious pre-election blueprint in recent memory  at a huge cost

Up to now, Wynnes Liberals have not been keen on running deficits. Even in this budget, Sousa spends the first five-pages of his 21-page introductory speech congratulating himself for having slayed the deficit.

To do that, Sousa and his government squeezed the health care and hospital spending they are now promising to expand.

Without warning, they also privatized Hydro One, the provinces electrical transmission monopoly, in order to give a short-term boost to their finances.

And the Liberals have dealt before with some promises they found too expensive by simply not honouring them.

Thats what former premier Dalton McGuinty did with his 2007 pledge to introduce limited denticare.

In this budget, Sousa predicts government deficits until 2024  more than two elections from now  to meet the new spending commitments.

He is unusually insouciant now about that. But he is bound to face pressure to change course. One of the questions supporters of the Liberals bold new agenda should ask themselves is whether hell succumb.

To put it another way: If Wynnes Liberals do win the June 7 provincial election on the basis of this very interesting budget, can they be counted on to deliver?

Thomas Walkom appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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Given up for dead, Ontarios Liberals have given birth to a belatedly bold child care budget as they nurse dreams of an electoral renaissance.

Queens Park has delivered the most ambitious pre-election blueprint in recent memory, pushing the envelope on deficit spending to rewrite the rules for free daycare  while bankrolling expanded pharmacare, home care, hospital care and mental health care.

But there is a price to be paid for all this caring  sharing the burden with a seemingly bottomless bottom line: $6 billion-plus annual deficits in coming years, with more borrowings piled onto our accumulated debt of more than $325 billion.

Read more:

Liberals crank up Ontario budget spending on seniors and families as election looms

Highlights from the 2018 Ontario budget

Liberals put health money into hospitals, focus on seniors

All to be paid off by future generations  notably those kids newly enrolled in child care.

But if we could ask the next generation, a couple of decades from now, if it was a wise investment  more precisely, if they were worth spending the money on  how would they answer?

Would they blame this budget for the debt overhang? Or credit it for investing in daycare that gave them an early start on childhood education, and allowed parents to get back on the job, while easing looming labour market shortages from a declining birth rate and those stay-at-home mothers?

Its a big bet. Now you see a balanced budget, now you dont.

Premier Kathleen Wynne and Finance Minister Charles Sousa have made their choice. Now voters get to decide whether this child care (and other-kinds-of-care) budget dies an early death after the June 7 election.

With the campaign kick-off just six weeks away, Ontarians will have their say: roll back daycare, pharmacare, home care if Doug Fords opposition Progressive Conservatives take power; or roll on with Wynnes Liberals, perhaps in concert with Andrea Horwaths New Democrats.

Before making that decision, voters will have to make sense of a 308-page bittersweet budget brimming with election sweeteners and weighed down with a bitter deficit aftertaste.

And since most people wont wade through the documents fine print, they will be heavily influenced by outsized rhetoric from politicians: Sousas spin, versus Fords fire-breathing rhetoric, while Horwath insists she can simultaneously fight taxes and foster denticare.

The first question might well be: Can we afford universal child care?

A better question might be: Can we afford not to have free daycare?

After all, the government doesnt make parents pay a daily user fee to send their kids to all-day kindergarten, so why create a deterrent for pre-K?

But the over-arching question is: Why now?

Annual budgets dont just take account of the economic cycle; they are also tailored to the electoral cycle. The intersection of these two cycles makes this a double-barrelled budget.

Sousa argued with a straight face that these are not election-cycle decisions we are making. But he could hardly claim the economic cycle forced his hand, given that Ontarios unemployment rate is at historic lows  5.5 per cent and holding  while economic growth has been remarkably robust in recent years.

To their credit, the Liberals understood that in good economic times, they could and should whittle down a deficit hangover of nearly $20 billion in the aftermath of the 2008-10 economic crisis, finally bringing the budget back to balance in the current fiscal year. So what prompted the fastest deficit U-turn in history for next years budget?

No, not an economic downturn, but an electoral downturn. It is an axiom of politics that voters are rarely rattled by deficit financing, because they are conditioned to getting something for nothing  albeit something enduring is preferable to something ephemeral (like tax cuts).

All three major parties have plunged the province into political  as opposed to economic  deficits while in government. Interestingly, the Tories were already planning a sizeable deficit in their election platform released last November so as to bankroll their promised tax cuts; that gap could grow given Fords vow, since becoming leader, to forego billions in carbon tax revenues.

If he wins on June 7, Ford could then claim to have shredded two election documents from two parties  first his own Tory platform, followed by the liberal budget. Just watch him.

In this budget, and the last couple, the Liberals have put forward the beginnings of bold policy prescriptions and smart social programs that were long overdue  free child care, free pharmacare, free tuition  but not all the borrowing adds up.

After launching pharmacare for young people (under age 25) in last years budget, this years budget expands free drugs to seniors by eliminating co-payments and deductibles. Is that the best use of hundreds of millions of dollars in government spending, given that todays seniors are in a better position to afford those (capped) fees than, say children who lack access to denticare? Of course not, but seniors are a powerful voting bloc, and they turn out on election day.

And dont forget last years decision to subsidize rising hydro bills (remortgaging rates through a longer amortization period). The borrowing was done off the governments books, on the backs of Ontario Power Generation, adding to the overall debt burden; the reduced rhetoric over hydro is proof of how politics prevails over economics.

Its all part of the good, the bad and the ugly of borrowing. And hedging budgetary bets in an election year.

Martin Regg Cohn is a columnist based in Toronto covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @reggcohn

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The past few years, my family and I have taken long road trips during our vacations, hitting multiple cities at a go in our van, camping and taking hotels along the way. My kids have developed the hobby of doing research  what we should do and see in most places, but especially what we should eat. Theyre very keen on the idea of famous foods associated with cities  the signature dishes particular places are known for.

So weve had Cincinnati-style chili (served on spaghetti and with a heap of shredded cheddar on top) from Camp Washington in Cinci. We went to Lafayette Coney Island for hot dogs served with mustard, onions and chili in Detroit, and hit up a Detroit-style pizza (square, with a deep, thick crust) as well. We had wings at one joint and beef on weck in another in Buffalo, Schwartzs smoked meat in Montreal, various poutines in Quebec City, brauts and pretzels in Milwaukee, deep dish pizza and Italian beef sandwiches in Chicago. And in New York, we had pastrami and an egg cream from Katzs, pizza and hot dogs all over the place and Italian ices from streetside stands.

Seldom are these civic identity foods fancy. Some of them arent even all that good. But theyre legitimately part of the culture of the cities weve eaten them in, and I cant say weve ever regretted any of these stops.

But what about Toronto? Its hard, famously hard, to say what our signature dish would be. The question comes up now and again, and Ive been thinking about it and asking people about it for a few months. It was discussed on CBCs Metro Morning again the other day  and their panel initially settled on the answer that we dont have a signature dish. Which may be the right answer, at least partly, at least not yet.

If youd asked me a few years ago, I would have answered without thinking: peameal bacon. This is Hogtown, after all, that bacon is where we got the name, and its a food they dont really eat at all in other big cities, at least not outside of Canada. I grew up in a household with a mother who would bring back whole uncut loins of peameal from St. Lawrence Market to have on hand for breakfasts, lunches and snacks. It is an amazing food.

And when youre at the market buying it, you stop at Carousel Bakery and get heaping slices of it on a soft Kaiser roll  just that, no condiments, no toppings. It needs nothing. Salt and softness, cornmeal and crust, and pork. This is Torontos sandwich, obviously.

In July 2016, Mayor John Tory declared that sandwich Torontos signature dish, so Im not saying anything new. Its a good answer.

But I have been thinking about the criteria that make sense for a local iconic food item, and I think it has to be somewhat unique (or at least uniquely common) locally, which the peameal sandwich is. But it also seems like it needs to be widespread in the city  something locals there actually eat regularly. And as food writer Corey Mintz pointed out on the CBC panel, that doesnt really apply here. You get peameal sandwiches at the market, and almost nowhere else. I like the ones at When the Pig Came Home in the Junction, and they make tasty ones with fried onions, cheese, tomatoes, and a fried egg on them at Long Branch Arena (no joke!), but they arent something you find in every diner and dive across the city. Sadly. There are no peameal-on-a-bun chains. Many people have never had one, or as Mintz said of himself, have only tried one once, like a tourist item.

Mintz suggested the street meat hot dog, which is something I had been considering as well. Ours are different (and bigger) than those in other cities, with a range of toppings unique here. And because they were our only street food for generations, they are everywhere. Jamaican patties also come up for consideration regularly  not because they are unique to Toronto in any way but because they are beloved and available everywhere from doughnut shops to subway stations.

I have heard people suggest that veal on bun is a distinctly Toronto thing  the elements of veal parmigiana heaped on a crusty roll with sauce  but I cant determine whether it really is rare outside the city, and the names of the two biggest purveyors of them (California Sandwiches and San Francesco) suggest some west-coast connection. Perhaps readers can tell me their experiences.

Meanwhile, Frans restaurant claims to have invented the banquet burger at Yonge and St. Clair. Now, whether they were the first to call it that or not, I have to think putting bacon strips on a cheeseburger is something that was bound to become common in any event. And is common, across the continent.

I considered whether there was a Toronto-style pizza, and stopped the train of thought when it dawned on me that the doughy mediocrity of Pizza Pizza is it. Swiss Chalet chicken with its red sauce and Tim Horton Timbits  both from chains founded in or near Toronto and now dominant in the market  probably have unheralded claims, though few of us want to make them loudly.

On some fundamental level, the problem is that these are not the things that spring to mind when you think of Toronto and food. Because our food scene is so much better and more varied than chain-store chicken: you think of kimchi and sushi and roti and dim sum. You think of how if you pick any cuisine from around the world, you can find an outstanding example of it here.

Which may be, strangely, why its hard to figure out a signature dish. Three different experts I spoke to about culture and cuisine  writer David Sax who chronicled the rise and fall of the Jewish deli in his book Save the Deli, anthropologist and food researcher Dylan Gordon of U of T, and Shyon Bauman who researches the sociology of food at U of T  all independently suggested that the diversity of the citys culture is why we dont have any (or many) singular foods that stand out as reflecting our culture. Because were not a monoculture.

Toronto, as we all know, has a diversity of food because of our strong history of immigration. So, instead of an iconic food in particular, Toronto is known for having a rich diversity of foods connected to ethnic communities, Bauman wrote in an email.

Gordon, noting that our pride in our cultural diversity is not something we always live up to in practice, even suggested the lack of any dominant food item might be an asset, symbolically. I think Toronto does have a unique food culture: a very diverse one. And it reflects the imagined diversity of our community. So there isnt just one Toronto food. There are many of them vying to represent who we think we are, and the lack of one that stands above the others is maybe a nice vision of how we imagine and aspire to a culture and politics built on difference instead of similarity.

What I wonder is whether, in time, this will give rise to new Toronto versions of the many food cultures we enjoy. Jewish deli foods in Montreal and New York, after all, emerged as local variations on a larger, older culture. Pizza, in all its North American incarnations, represents local evolutions of an Italian dish. The curries that are the most common dishes in London, England today bear little relation to those found in India, but were certainly based on them.

Sax suggested to me that perhaps over time wed see dishes and menus emerge that were like a Drake mixtape, showing influences from different styles and genres from the U.S. and Caribbean and places beyond, and references to Forest Hill and Weston and other neighbourhoods, adding bits and pieces from here and there  as unself-consciously mixed and matched as his hometown.

Im not widely travelled enough to know if local variations and mash-ups are already emerging here  not as one-off experiments but as Toronto standard dishes. Are there variations of popular dishes served here that have become substantially different from their ancestors around the world? Is there a Toronto-style pot-sticker, or a Scarborough-style dhal, or some distinct Etobicoke roll maki? Is there a common way of making roti or tartare or pasta here that would be considered instantly recognizable as our own?

If youre familiar with dishes that might fit that description  or have thoughts on what stands out to you as the Toronto signature dish  Id love to hear them. You can email me at ekeenan@thestar.ca. As I say, its a topic that comes up a lot, so its useful to have notes to refer to.

Besides, my kids are obsessed with trying famous foods from various cities. It would be great to let them try a few more of our own.

Ed Keenan is a columnist based in Toronto covering urban affairs. Follow him on Twitter: @thekeenanwire
On a recent television panel, Globe and Mail parliamentary bureau chief Bob Fife was asked about the pitfalls ahead for the Trudeau Liberals.

In his answer, he suggested that the upcoming consultations on systemic racism would be a wedge issue, saying, Is there really systematic racism in Canada? Go to high schools and universities. Kids of all ethnic backgrounds are hanging around together. Its not the Chinese kids with the Chinese kids or the South Asian kids with the South Asian kids. Im not sure if thats the case but this government has a tendency to tell us how we should be thinking and theres a potential danger in this, We know whats best for you type of attitude.

First of all, the social behaviour of teenagers is not a basis for any definition of systemic racism. Indeed, if one were to go to those high schools and look at their suspension records and into the classrooms of college-stream classes, one might begin to have a sense of what systemic racism is.

Secondly, this public consultation is only the beginning of a $23 million anti-racism strategy outlined in Budget 2018. In Canada, the rise of the 3 Percent, the impact of Rebel Media and the racist anger that led to the Quebec Mosque shooting, point to a clear need to discuss race and racism.

Questions about systemic racism are less about our personal interactions but rather about how the institutions that govern our lives have internalized and implemented racism. A multi-ethnic group of university students may quite like one another but their experience of the school is likely to differ on racial lines.

Fifes answer is telling. He is not the only senior political journalist to speak dismissively on the subject. Political columnist John Ibbitson has written that, a committee crisscrossing the country in search of intolerance is bound to find it, and to publicize that finding. This is of a piece with this governments fondness for making people feel bad about themselves.

Conservative MP Maxime Bernier has recently decided that any attempt by the government to grapple with race and racism is a Very Bad Thing.

On this consultation, he tweeted, More Liberal identity politics to divide us into tribes, buy votes and justify big gov programs. Get ready to hear self-appointed reps of intersectionally oppressed victims tell you every day how systematically racist and intolerant Canadians are. The usual places in the right-wing Internet have already begun to spin out.

The broad coalition of white fragility on display is, as ever, disappointing but not surprising.

(Coined by academic Robin DiAngelo, white fragility states that white people live in a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves.)

The Liberal government has held, or is holding consultations on, justice reform, NAFTA, marijuana, housing, and an independent elections commission, to name but a few. If anything, they are less interested in telling Canadians how to feel but in hearing how Canadians feel about everything. If you feel strongly about nutrition labelling, then this is the government for you.

Yet few of these consultations have ever pre-emptively provoked warning and ire quite like the consultations on systemic racism.

As the CBC notes, the federal government has been cautioned to approach this consultation carefully. A similar consultation in Quebec led to public rancor and was ultimately reframed to focus on the nebulous goal of valuing diversity and fighting against discrimination.

It has become commonplace to overinflate and overstate what conversations will do. A non-binding motion to study Islamophobia can become an all-out assault on free speech only if youre committed to or tacitly approving of Islamophobic speech.

Halting, underfunded, awkwardly celebratory and yet necessary efforts at reconciling Canadas past with Indigenous peoples are met with cynicism and impatience. Members of the same Parliamentary press gallery that could not find a single question to ask about Black people at the event for Black people comfortably frame the conversation on racism.

Consultations on systemic racism are a sign of a high-handed and didactic government that tells us how to think and feel only if that us doesnt include some of us.

Vicky Mochama is a co-host of the podcast, Safe Space. Her column appears every second Thursday. She also writes a tri-weekly column for Metro News that mixes politics, news and humour.
The first step towards lightening

The White Mans Burden

is through teaching the virtues of cleanliness.

PEARS SOAP

is a potent factor in brightening the dark corners of the earth as civilization advances, while amongst the cultured of all nations it holds the highest place  it is the ideal toilet soap.

Anybody who got through that without shaking their head needs to give their head a shake.

But, hey, that was the 1890s, when racism was, like, totally cool.

Zoom way into the future to now and what a change. There are no racists anymore. You can tell because advertisers dont appeal to them or say anything racist.

Ashton Kutcher didnt do brownface for Popchips in 2012.

Dunkin Donuts didnt air commercials using Blackface in Thailand in 2013.

Nivea didnt show a Black man tossing a mask of his own pre-Nivea Afro-haired head with the words Recivilize yourself in 2017.

Pepsi didnt appropriate the powerful image of Ieshia Evans facing down armoured police while protesting police brutality in Baton Rouge last year.

There are many such creative forces: Sony, H&M, Dove, to name a few.

So it isnt surprising that an international beer company pulled back its commercial this week after releasing on TV and online a fresh endorsement of colourism/shadeism. In it, a light-skinned bartender passes a beer past various Black people to another light-skinned woman. Then comes the tagline Lighter is Better.

In the spirit of denying this latest transgressor the pleasure of publicity, I wont deign to name the beer company even though its available all over the net.

While we feel the ad is referencing our [Insert name here] beer, a company spokesperson told BBC News in a statement, we missed the mark, are taking the feedback to heart and will use this to influence future campaigns.

Its official statement was more weasel worded: The ad can be perceived in a different manner and may be offensive to some.

Innocence and lack of intention can only work so many times in a connected world. Is it probable that none of the corporate types who OKd the creative for the ad that was reviewed up and down the ranks foresaw how the play of lighter being better and Black people could be racist? That they hadnt heard of Niveas white is purity ad campaign last year, the one that got hijacked by white supremacists? No? How about H&Ms disgraceful sweatshirt ad a few months ago?

Perhaps it was an attempt at shock advertising or in this case, a depraved spotlight grab.

Racism as a stealth publicity stunt. Or, we could call it hit-and-run advertising.

Provoke with a racist ad. Wait for the outrage. Apologize (with the words didnt mean it and learning thrown in), make sure you insert your brand in to the apology. Pull back.

You cant buy the publicity generated by the two cycles; first of running the ad and then of running the apology.

Arthur Fleischmann, CEO of the John St. advertising company he co-founded in downtown Toronto, has been in the business for about 30 years. He says he would put the ad in the bucket of, Wow thats tone deaf.

He is puzzled by how a big global beer brand could approve an ad like that, but, is any PR good PR? I would say today absolutely not, he says. If the shock and commentary is off-brand then youve done something detrimental to your business.

What does detrimental mean? Does brand damage translate into losses? Do people boycott the product in a meaningful way?

Fleischmann says people get outraged and furious at brands but  generally speaking, people will forgive a brand a misstep and in fact theyll forget about it over time.

But he suggests looking at the cultural biases of the market. Maybe theyre in markets where gender and race and sexual orientation profiling isnt held to the same standard.

The ads were aired in the U.S., New Zealand and Australia.

As someone who grew up in a culture deeply obsessed with light skin  fair skin  I know what Fleischmann means. And I can smell colourism/shadeism a mile off.

The stigma around dark skin and the association of lighter skin with refinement and success has become a pandemic. Worldwide spending on skin lightening products is projected to triple to about $40.3 billion in six years, according to research firm Global Industry Analysts.

Theres an idea. Maybe this beer company should diversify into the fairness creams business. Theyve already got the advertising down pat.

Shree Paradkar writes about discrimination and identity issues. You can follow her @shreeparadkar
OTTAWAKathleen Wynne has done Justin Trudeau no favour.

Many factors propelled Trudeau to his 2015 majority, but a key moment was his decision to reject fealty to the altar of the balanced budget and decide to run a deficit.

In a change election, former NDP leader Tom Mulcairs pledge to balance the books in his first year in government rang hollow. The NDP misjudged the tenor of the times in its zeal to prove some type of fiscal probity.

But Trudeaus pledge to return to balanced budgets has been lost to the wisps of political reality and one can foresee the winds blowing back for more modest journeys into the red, if not a return to the mantra of balanced budgets.

If the winds were blowing that way, Wynne came along to provide a major gust.

A deathbed spending spree in this weeks Ontario budget carries with it a $6.9-billion deficit and deficits projected for five more years.

The deficit question is a political dividing point and that divide often comes with age.

The Trudeau Liberals successfully calculated that millennials are so used to carrying personal debt that they would not be spooked by a government doing the same if there appeared to be tangible benefits for them at the end of that deficit rainbow.

And Canadian public opinion on the question regularly vacillates.

The Globe and Mail reported on internal pre-budget government focus groups which showed more than six in 10 respondents felt reducing the federal deficit should be a priority,

A year to the day earlier the same paper published results of a survey by Nanos Research that found 52 per cent of those surveyed supported the view that Ottawa should continue to run deficits as long as the size of the federal debt is declining in relation to the size of the economy.

Weve had an era of guaranteed balanced budget legislation and it was once the mark of responsible governing.

A survey of the budgets of the four largest provinces and the Trudeau government show different fiscal situations and philosophies.

Besides Wynne, Albertas New Democrats will run an $8.8 billion deficit this year and face five more years of deficit ahead.

But it is hardly a deficit of choice. It is the price being paid for diving oil prices and problems getting bitumen to market.

British Columbia New Democrats have forecast a surplus of $219 million this year with a forecast for surpluses through 2020-21.

Quebecs Philippe Couillard, like Wynne facing long odds in an election this year, balanced the budget.

Then there are the Trudeau Liberals, who have doubled down on spending with little regard to the deficit.

They tabled a February budget that carries an $18.1 billion deficit, when a $3 billion contingency fund is counted.

It has forecast slowly declining deficits that will be at $12.3 billion by 2022-23, but there is no longer any plan to get back in black.

Trudeau had pledged to cap deficits at $10 billion and a return to balanced books by the 2019 campaign. That was mocked by then-Conservative leader Stephen Harper who correctly predicted deficits would balloon under the Liberals.

Wynne, no matter how laudable initiatives on child care, dental and drug plans and mental health might be, has played to the heart of the tax and spend Liberal cliche.

Her deficit plan will be a major issue in an Ontario election that really does offer stark choices.

But it will cast light on her federal cousin and ally as Andrew Scheers federal Conservatives hammer away at Trudeaus broken budgetary promises.

Fiscal stewardship could return in a nasty way for the Liberals in 2019.

If Wynne loses, debate on the issue may wane.

If she wins, the spotlight will be back on Trudeau, particularly if the economy sputters.

Trudeau could get a rougher ride than expected if he is campaigning in 2019 while a Wynne government is dealing with the collision of back-breaking deficits and political reality.

Tim Harper is a former Star reporter who is a current freelance columnist based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @nutgraf1

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Getting licensed is just the first step. Establishing yourself as a successful agent is the harder part.

Addicted to HGTV? Love looking at houses? Well think carefully before you quit your day job and launch a new career as a real estate agent; it is not as easy as it looks.

Sure, real estate is one of the easiest businesses in the country to get licensed in. And for those interested in launching their own business, the overhead costs are minimal compared to, say, launching a restaurant.

However, the hard part is getting established in the business. It can take years of hustling before you make decent money, and even then, payday only comes when you sell a house, not every week as with a traditional job.

But for those who really love real estate and are ready to do what it takes to become a success in the field, the eventual reward can be a relatively well-paying career effectively running your own small business.

"It is a great industry," says Rick Sawicki, broker owner of Sawicki Real Estate in Amherst, Mass. "Where else for very little money can you own your own business."

For an aspiring real estate broker, the first step is getting licensed. How much time and money you will have to spend depend on where you live, with each state having different standards, though most require that you have a high school diploma or its equivalent and be at least 18.

Most states require that you pass a state licensing exam, though the number of classroom hours you have to put in before taking the test varies.

In Texas its 180 hours, in Florida it's 63, while Massachusetts, at 40 hours, has one of the lowest pre-exam requirements. In terms of cost, Massachusetts is not untypical, with the cost of licensing in the $500 to $700 range, Sawicki notes.

After passing the exam, you'll need to find a licensed brokerage who will take you on. As a real estate agent or salesperson, you can't legally sell on your own but must work under the supervision of a broker.

The good news is that finding a broker ready to take you on won't be all that hard -- all the major real estate agencies and smaller boutique firms as well rely on new agents to help pitch in with everything from fielding phone calls to babysitting open houses.

Once you are licensed, the real work begins.

To get established as a real estate agent, you need to be prepared to go without a paycheck for a long time. In fact, it could take several months before you sell anything and a couple years before you are making a living, brokers say.

The only way you get paid is by selling something and earning a commission on it.

Fifty-six percent of members with two years or less of experience made less than $10,000 in 2017, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors, or NAR.

"Like anything in sales, you have to have, as my mother would say, a stiff upper lip to work through adversity," says Sawicki, who took over his mother's brokerage business after an earlier career in liquor wholesale business. "How long can you go without a paycheck?"

In addition, there are other expenses that come with establishing a business -- anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 that you will need to budget for car expenses, advertising, joining the local board of Realtors and other fees, Weinraub notes.

But you will have to do far more than just bide your time. The only way to become a successful real estate agent is to put in the hours and take whatever opportunity you can to start building up your own network and business.

Weinraub got his start in real estate after selling a successful bagel business in Philadelphia and moving to California.

Like many agents at the start of their careers, Weinraub began covering open houses for other agents. It was a rare occurrence that a buyer would come in and make an offer while he was there, in which case he would get a share of the commission. But Weinraub used the opportunity to introduce himself to other buyers who then quickly became his clients.

Weinraub would then drive his buyers around looking at properties, picking up the commission when they finally settled on something.

Today Weinraub manages an office with 70 agents.

"I can tell you everyone who is going to be a success and who is not going to be," Weinraub says. "If they show up at twelve and sit for an hour they are never going to make it. "

But those agents who stick with it and put in the hard work can do very well.

Thirty-eight percent of members who had been in the business for 16 years or more made more than $100,000 in 2016, according NAR's member survey.

Calling the business a "personality game," the business also favors agents who have a knack of building relationships, Weinraub adds.

"I love the industry," Weinraub says. "For almost no money you can have a six-figure or higher income just by going to work."
The basic features of a prosperous corporate environment are all around us, but it's become difficult to stick to that narrative amid all the diversions, including from the President.

Once again, the Prez lurks over Amazon (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report .

Tech stocks fell for a second day on Wednesday, led by Amazon.com Inc., which slipped by 4.3% on a report that Donald Trump wants to go after the online retailing giant. It's another day when the President's messaging has gotten in the way of the good news his policies have largely delivered for the shareholders of U.S. public companies.

The Amazon news tended to obscure reports that fourth-quarter GDP rose faster than expected; that consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, grew by 4% instead of the expected 3.8%; and that pre-tax profits are growing faster than Wall Street estimates. All those positive numbers stem from the Trump tax cuts, his administration's determination to rescind or revoke regulations, and the ongoing assault on the labor movement.

The basic features of a prosperous corporate environment are all around us, but it's become difficult to stick to that narrative amid all the diversions, including from the President.

"While there is no shortage of noise out there to distract investors, ... upward revision (of GDP) should serve as a reminder that economic fundamentals carry weight and remain strong," said Mike Loewengart, vice president of investment strategy at E*Trade Financial Corp.

Reflecting that reality, drug companies and consumer staple stocks rose today, led by Merck (MRK) - Get Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Report , Pfizer (PFE) - Get Pfizer Inc. Report and Proctor & Gamble (PG) - Get Procter & Gamble Company Report . But, Trump can't seem to leave well enough alone.

While it's possible to believe that the President's attacks on Action Alerts Plus holding Amazon reflect a sincere desire to ameliorate unfairness or inefficiency in such things as antitrust issues in the retail sector, internet taxes, or postal shipping rates, it's also worth noting that the President is aware that Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, one of the richest people in the world, also owns The Washington Post, one of the newspapers that covers the nation's capital. Trump isn't a fan of the Post, which he often excoriates for publishing "fake news."

So while Trump may just be trying to fake out some of his Twitter readers, investors had to worry a little bit, and bid Amazon's stock down.

That's not to say that President Trump actually plans to do anything about Amazon. For one thing, it would require getting federal authorities in gear to begin antitrust investigations. Working amicably with Jeff Sessions' Justice Department hasn't been one of Trump's strengths so far.

It was the same thing with Trump's threats to impose global steel tariffs, which have basically come to nothing. The stock market clutched its pearls last week on reports that the new tariffs would affect relations with important trade partners including Canada, Mexico and South Korea. Instead, those countries have been exempted from the new levies.

Part of the reason the Dow lost 1,100 points in two days last week was on fears of a China trade war. But, it turns out that the $50 billion in levies aimed at China is a pitiful fraction of the entire U.S.-China trade nexus, and fears in the market faded.

Still, the unpredictable Commander-in-Chief retains an ability to shock and move markets. If the strength of a nation's currency in some ways reflects investor confidence about the nation's economic prospects, then the declining dollar is not a positive sign. Same with U.S. debt, where prices are falling and yields are rising as concern grows about where the U.S. is heading.

Some of you dollar-cost averagers out there, you might consider buying the increasingly cheap 10-year U.S. Treasury bond. There's almost every likelihood that Trump will leave office one day and the securities will recover.

Action Alerts Plus holding Facebook (FB) - Get Facebook, Inc. Class A Report shares rose a little today as investors reckoned that a business model which requires its customers to sign up for a Big Brother surveillance state still has some legs in it, though with CEO Mark Zuckerberg holding all the voting rights the equity owners may have no other option than to hang on and see what happens. That's one stock where the whiffs of corruption, scandal and incompetence don't emanate from the banks of the Potomac.
Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, tells Jim Cramer about what millennial cruisers want.

Did you miss "Mad Money" on CNBC? If so, here are some of Jim Cramer's top takeaways.

In an "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer also sat down with Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) - Get Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Report , a stock that's off $9 a share from its February highs.

Del Rio said that younger millennials now account for 25% of passengers at Norwegian and are the company's fastest growing segment. Cruises offer everything millennials are looking for, he explained, including variety, value and experiences that are second to none.

Del Rio was also bullish on China, where he said the economy is improving and the Chinese government is encouraging families to get out and take vacations together.

With the global economy booming, Del Rio said things are already looking strong for Norwegian in 2019.

Cramer and the AAP team say that despite the treacherous look of the market, they want to put capital to work. Their targets? Honeywell (HON) - Get Honeywell International Inc. (HON) Report and Nucor (NUE) - Get Nucor Corporation Report . Find out what they're telling their investment club members and get in on the conversation with a free trial subscription to Action Alerts PLUS.

Over on Real Money, Cramer notes that Playboy, "the authority on all things moral, has had enough and is leaving" Facebook (FB) - Get Facebook, Inc. Class A Report . Now what? Get more of his insights with a free trial subscription to Real Money.

Search Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" trading recommendations using our exclusive "Mad Money" Stock Screener.

To read a full recap of this episode of "Mad Money," click here.

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Nvidia has many alliances with top auto industry players, but it is also dependent on them in key ways. Alphabet's Waymo isn't as dependent, but is struggling to make friends.

In many ways, the steep selloff Nvidia (NVDA) - Get NVIDIA Corporation Report shares saw on news it's temporarily suspending its self-driving tests in response to the fatal crash that one of Uber's self-driving test vehicles saw feels unjustified.

Uber is just one of many Nvidia auto industry clients, and it also looks as if Uber's system suffered from company-specific hardware and/or software issues. On the whole, it looks like Nvidia's testing halt is driven by a wish to be cautious in an area where getting things right is a matter of life and death.

But the Uber crash, and the uproar surrounding it, does shine a light on how dependent Nvidia's self-driving efforts remain on the hardware and software work done by clients -- some of whom are likely to make much faster progress towards developing cars that can safely pilot themselves in common driving situations than others.

Alphabet's (GOOGL) - Get Alphabet Inc. Class A Report Waymo, by contrast, seems to be facing the opposite dilemma. The company's do-it-yourself approach to hardware, software and mapping -- with an assist from Intel (INTC) - Get Intel Corporation (INTC) Report on the silicon side of things -- makes it the master of its own fate to a far greater degree when it comes to creating viable self-driving systems. The only problem is that after nearly a decade of fruitful work, Waymo is still having trouble convincing top automakers to drop their own self-driving projects and embrace Waymo's vision.

Jim Cramer and the Action Alerts Plus team hold positions in Nvidia and Alphabet for their Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells NVDA or GOOGL? Learn more now.

On Tuesday, as CEO Jensen Huang was delivering a keynote talk during which he unveiled (among many other things) new and upcoming autonomous driving offerings, Nvidia confirmed a report that it has halted its self-driving road tests in order to learn from a March 18 crash involving an Uber self-driving car that killed a woman pushing a bicycle across a road in Tempe, AZ. Toyota (TM) - Get Toyota Motor Corp. Sponsored ADR Report has also said it's temporarily halting its autonomous driving tests.

At first, it looked like Uber would escape significant blame for the crash: The victim was crossing the road in a dark area that featured no pedestrian crossing, and initial police remarks about the crash footage gave the impression that it was unavoidable. But opinions quickly changed after the footage became available: Not only did forensic experts argue that an alert human driver could have stopped in time, many autonomous driving execs and engineers argued a self-driving system should have detected the victim and applied the car's brakes in time.

The latter group includes Amnon Shashua, CTO of Intel's Mobileye ADAS vision-processor unit. In a blog post, Shashua claimed a Mobileye system running the crash footage was able to detect the victim a second before impact in spite of poor video quality. Likewise, Waymo CEO John Krafcik expressed confidence his firm's technology would have been able to avoid a crash.

To make matters worse for Uber, a Reuters article raised questions about whether hardware changes contributed to the crash: Whereas the Ford Fusion test cars used by Uber contain seven LIDAR sensors to help detect people and objects, its Volvo XC90 test cars, such as the one involved in the accident, only have one LIDAR sensor. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has suspended Uber's local self-driving test work, and the company has said it won't re-apply for a California self-driving permit that expires at month's end.

Separately, electric car maker Tesla (TSLA) - Get Tesla Inc Report is facing an NHTSA probe over a fatal California crash involving a Model X SUV. It hasn't been learned yet whether the Model X's Autopilot system was engaged at the time of the crash. Tesla's second-gen Autopilot system relies on Nvidia's Drive PX 2 computing board; however, Tesla is working on a next-gen system relying on a home-grown processor.

The developments come less than three months after Nvidia confirmed at its press event at CES that Uber is using its GPUs in its self-driving test cars -- the companies are believed to have been partnering since 2015. At the event, Nvidia also played a video showing one of its own test cars driving itself over an eight-mile stretch in Holmdel, NJ featuring many turns and intersections.

Nvidia, it should be noted, has amassed a long list of clients promising to use Drive for their self-driving R&D, if not bring Drive-powered cars or systems to market. In addition to Tesla, Drive clients include Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volvo and Baidu, as well as auto parts giants Bosch, ZF and Continental.

Helping Nvidia's cause: The efficiency with which GPUs can run AI/deep learning algorithms, Nvidia's big R&D investments in creating Drive boards featuring powerful system-on-chips (SoCs) and in some cases discrete GPUs, and the rapid pace at which the company has rolled out developer tools and libraries for its platform. On Tuesday, Nvidia added the Drive Constellation System, a powerful dual-server system for simulating autonomous driving environments, to its arsenal.

But for all its strengths, it's still left to Nvidia's clients to use its hardware and tools/libraries to develop and flesh out the software that will control their autonomous systems. They also have to build or otherwise obtain the detailed maps needed by self-driving cars, as well as design sensor arrays (they tend to involve some mixture of LIDAR, radar and cameras) for their systems. Some firms will be more successful than others, and those with leads probably won't be keen on sharing their technology with rivals -- Nvidia clients or otherwise.

An automaker that adopted Waymo's self-driving systems could avoid having to do a lot of this legwork. Since 2009, Waymo's test cars have driven over five million miles on public roads, which together with extensive simulation work has helped it develop some of the most advanced -- if not the most advanced -- self-driving software in existence. Waymo has also invested heavily in mapping, and has developed a proprietary LIDAR sensor that it claims is far cheaper than rival offerings. It has also built custom vision and radar modules for its cars.

Waymo's systems rely on Intel CPUs and programmable chips (FPGAs) for processing power, and also contain Intel Ethernet chips and 4G modems. But unlike other Intel autonomous driving partners such as BMW and Aptiv (formerly Delphi), the company doesn't use Mobileye's vision processors and related software.

There might be no better evidence of how much progress Waymo has made than the fact that it's ready to start a program through which regular consumers can obtain rides in fully driverless Waymo minivans along designated roads in the Phoenix area (a good test area, given its weather and road quality). For now, other players in this space can only promise to offer something similar in time.

But for all its progress, Waymo still hasn't inked a deal with a major automaker for the development of Waymo-powered cars that will be sold to consumers, or even to a third-party robotaxi service. The company's much-discussed deal with Fiat Chrysler involves the purchase of Chrysler Pacifica minivans that Waymo is retrofitting and adding to its fleet. Likewise, a just-announced deal with Jaguar involves buying 20,000 electric Jaguar SUVs for Waymo's fleet.

In spite of its sales to Waymo, Fiat is teaming with Intel, BMW and Aptiv on autonomous driving R&D. Jaguar is also doing self-driving R&D independent of Waymo.

Why have automakers been so reluctant to partner with a self-driving firm that has clearly made a ton of progress? It might have something to do with fears of handing over control of the user experience to Waymo. Big-league automakers have long been responsible for developing much of the software used by their cars, and this could be making them reluctant to become dependent on a third party for software used to drive cars that they'll build. This might see this as becoming, in effect, the Dell or HP to Waymo's Microsoft.

Of course, autonomous driving software is far more complex than, say, infotainment or transmission system software, and automakers struggling to keep pace with Waymo and/or others in this field might eventually rethink their strategies. So might Uber, given its recent issues. Indeed, The Information reported earlier this month that Uber has discussed a potential alliance with Waymo now that their bitter trade secret lawsuit has been settled.

But the industry consensus is that we're still two to three years away from seeing cars supporting Level 4 autonomy (able to take over from humans in most, though not all, situations) going on sale. And even then, Level 4 is only expected to be supported in certain well-tested areas at first. Thus automakers feel as if they have some time to push ahead with their self-driving projects and see how things pan out.

And for many of the automakers, that means partnering with Nvidia, which can offer powerful hardware and continues to make good progress in building a software stack that eases the process of developing viable self-driving software. And for some others, that means partnering with Intel, which can offer a slew of processing solutions and whose Mobileye unit has decades of experience developing vision-processing algorithms for ADAS systems.

Still, this is unlikely to be a winner-takes-all game. And considering how far it has gotten to date, and how challenging of a problem autonomy remains, it would hardly be shocking if some big automakers eventually swallow their pride and learn to love Waymo.

This article has been corrected to note Uber is using Nvidia's GPUs, rather than its Drive computing board.

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As Wall Street readies for a long weekend, bitcoin traders weren't celebrating.

The No. 1 cryptocurrency by market cap tumbled Thursday as regulatory concerns came back into focus and a key technical level looked too close for comfort.

Here are the most important stories in cryptocurrency for Thursday, March 29.

Prices Near Death Cross

Bitcoin prices dropped more than 5% in early trading Thursday to slip below the $7,500 mark. Thursday morning's decline sent bitcoin to its lowest price since early February, bringing 2018 losses to as much as 48% in earlier trading. This quarter's major decline is the largest in the span of a single three-month period since 2011. The decline Thursday brought bitcoin close to breaking below its 200-day moving average as well. Should bitcoin reach close to $7,240, the cryptocurrency's 50-day moving average could break below its 200-day moving average, a phenomenon traders refer to as the "death cross." According to Coindesk's statistics, bitcoin fell as low as $7,330 Thursday, putting it within striking distance of the ominously named technical level.

U.K. Issues Warning

The Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom issued a statement Thursday warning investors about an unregistered brokerage dealer in Bulgaria that was allegedly offering U.K. citizens cryptocurrency derivative products without regulation. The firm, called Olsson Capital, was said to offer products tethered to a number of cryptocurrencies including bitcoin, dash, ethereum and litecoin. "This firm is not authorized by us and is targeting people in the U.K.," the regulator wrote. "Based upon information we hold, we believe it is carrying on unregulated activities which require authorization." Olsson was said to lack appropriate registration as a licensed broker with the FCA.

China Says Crypto a Risk

The People's Bank of China outlined an agenda for the coming year on Thursday and identified protecting the national currency from digital asset threats as a top priority. The bank's vice governor, Fan Yifei, said that protecting the Chinese yuan from potential cryptocurrency threats will be one of three top priorities in 2018. Fan added that the bank will work with other regulatory bodies to "rectify different kinds of cryptocurrencies."

College Kids Take to Mining

Cybersecurity company Vectra released a report Thursday showing that college students have begun mining cryptocurrencies at a significant rate. Higher education "easily surpassed" all other industries in "cryptocurrency-mining attack behaviors" from August 2017 through January 2018, Vectra found. "Cryptocurrency mining converts electricity to monetary value by using computational resources. This is very expensive to accomplish without a free source of power and a lot of computing resources with minimal security controls that are exposed to the internet. Large student-populations are ideal pastures for cryptojackers," Vectra wrote. Of the top five industries that have shown considerable amounts of crypto mining since August, higher education accounted for 85% of the activity.

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ALTON  In a process that began in November, aldermen Wednesday approved a three-time amended landlord licensing ordinance that, even with more changes, still involves a fee.

Vote was 6-1, with Alderman Michael Velloff, 3rd Ward, voting no.

I am for the ordinance, but not for these fees, he said. It will hurt the wrong people.

The original ordinance has been on the books for 20 years, which requires landlords to be licensed before renting out a housing unit, but having no licensing fee. The city, though, has not enforced the required license. Officials resurrected and amended the ordinance so as to crack down on landlords who do not keep up their properties.

Earlier this year, aldermen amended the old ordinance to require a $50 fee per year per dwelling unit  or $15 per unit if there are four or more units in a building. At a subsequent meeting, the Council voted to replace that amendment with a flat, $20 per unit annual fee.

Corporation Counselor Jim Schrempf said the latest amendment, as approved Wednesday, cleared up definitions, is more detailed about the hearing process to suspend or revoke landlord licenses; provides a hearing officer  not the mayor  an appeal process. The officer would be a neutral party and a landlord facing suspension or revocation of a license must appeal the hearing officers decision within 30 days.

Ron Deedrick, governmental affairs director at Illinois Realtors Southern Illinois District, returned to speak to the Council for the fourth time about the groups concerns. Deedrick has been meeting privately with officials, which resulted in the most recent changes in the ordinance, and thanked officials while saying he opposes the ordinance.

Im not here for the notorious derelict property owners, he said. He also said he has not gotten data from the city on number of rental units and owner-occupied housing in Alton or a cost-benefit analysis from the fees versus any hirings the city would have to make to implement the system.

He questioned if the licensing and fee would affect rental property sales, and said the city already is aggressive in prosecuting owners of derelict properties.

Aaron Agne, landlord and business owner, posed numerous questions to the panel, such as if the city would consider homes under contract for deed and Airbnb temporarily rentals as rental property.

I am strictly worried about money going out of our community, to out-of-state landlords who do not put money back into the city or their properties, Agne said. He also said if landlords pass on the cost of the fee it will be even more expensive for low-income tenants.

As is meeting procedure, officials listened but did not respond to his questions until later. Schrempf said contract for deed is not considered renting, but the city would have to deal with any such fake contracts to avoid licensing. He also clarified that if a landlord loses a license, the current tenants would not be kicked out of their unit. Neither that home nor any other units could be rented once vacant, however.

The ordinance says: The right of a landlord to rent or lease any residential dwelling unit to a new occupant may be denied, revoked or suspended in the event the landlord or any beneficial owner of an entity, which is the landlord, is delinquent in the payment of any fees, service charges, taxes or fines due the city of Alton or due the Circuit Court on cases brought by the city of Alton.

It continues: If the landlord or any beneficial owner of an entity which is the landlord is found to have violated any requirements of the building or housing codes of the city of Alton or failed to disclose a rental dwelling unit within the city of Alton, and if such violation continues unabated on any of the registered dwelling units owned by the landlord or any beneficial owner of landlord.

The vast amount of landlords operate above board, without licensing, we have no recourse, Mayor Brant Walker said. The city is trying to clean out operators of bad business in this city. This is the best, most cost-effective way to deal with notorious landlords.

In other business, aldermen followed their committee votes to approve three resolutions needed to establish the Alton Square Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area.

As they did at Mondays Committee of the Whole meeting, aldermen voted 6-1 to OK resolutions to: approve the Tax Increment Redevelopment Plan and Project for the Alton Square Mall Redevelopment Project Area; designate the project area as being the mall proper, parking lot and an outbuilding; and to adopt tax increment financing for the redevelopment project area.

As in committee, Velloff voted no on each resolution, unconvinced the city should further assist mall owner Alton Mall LLC, (Hull Property Group) of Augusta, Georgia, beyond the receipts it gets from a special sales tax. He said the tax so far has generated $3.3 million, which would remain after the TIF is in place.

The matters now need to return for vote in ordinance form, then the city would notify Madison County, which would certify, or set, the most current property values of the site. The city then would negotiate terms of a redevelopment agreement that covers for what expenses the city will reimburse Hull, and amounts. The City Council will vote to approve any such pact.

The city is establishing the district to generate additional funding for Hull to renovate the circa 1978 mall. The owner also is hoping to attract businesses to occupy a 110,000 square foot strip mall that would be constructed on the footprint of the former, attached Macys/Famous-Barr building. Hull also tentatively plans to renovate the second floor of the mall.

Hull has told city officials that it cannot make its estimated, $26.2 million in planned improvements  which continue evolving  without TIF money and other assistance.

Reach Linda N. Weller at 618-208-6450 or on Twitter @Linda_Weller
ST. LOUIS  An Edwardsville man is accused of trying to entice a purported teenage girl into having sex and providing him nude photos in St. Louis County, during an undercover online police sting.

The St. Louis County Prosecutors Office charged Kyle Werner, 39, with enticement or attempted enticement of a child (actor 21 years of age or older and child less than 15 years of age); and attempted possession of child pornography (1st offense), a Class D felony, on Feb. 14.
Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is no Italian restaurant. It is a "noodle god" or deity worshipped by the adherents of a social movement called Pastafarianism. Here, atheists unite to critique and spoof organised religion and creationist myths in their own semi-parodic church, where bread and wine is replaced with noodles and beer

Earlier this month, a 15-year-old student from Auckland, New Zealand, wanted the Human Rights Commission to intervene in a matter of grave concern. It was about his religious right to wear a colander as headdress in his school identity photo. When the authorities barred the teenager, who is an adherent of a religion called Pastafarianism, from wearing his article of faith, he is reported to have said, "I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster."

Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is no Italian restaurant. It is a "noodle god" or deity worshipped by the adherents of a social movement called Pastafarianism. Here, atheists unite to critique and spoof organised religion and creationist myths in their own semi-parodic church, where bread and wine is replaced with noodles and beer. Pastafarianism was born out of a satirical internet manifesto by Bobby Henderson to protest the teaching of intelligent design alongside the theory of evolution in public schools in Kansas, United States, in 2005. Soon, this blob of spaghetti, with a pair of meatballs and eyes, spread its tentacles far and wide to claim followers in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Canada. It is now a legally recognised religion in the Netherlands and New Zealand. In Germany, they even hold "noodle mass". There are followers in India too.

Naveen Ravindran, 31, from Mumbai, is a bonafide atheist. Four years ago, when he was completing a dissertation project on the impact of religious polarisation by right-wing groups in the digital world, the satirical writings of Henderson instantly resonated. "What I liked about it was that Henderson was taking the fight to religious zealots in a language they understood. It was absolutely ridiculous to be teaching intelligent design and the universe being created by god as scientific theory. Absurd to say the least," says Ravindran, who now co-owns an an advertising startup called Gramini Media. He gets to the crux of the matter. "Look, the basis is very simple. If a religious person asks you to prove god did not exist, then you will also have to prove that my god made of spaghetti and meatball is false," he says matter-of-factly.

Around a year ago, he formed a Facebook group called Pastafarian India to look for like-minded, Indian "theoretical practitioners" of this internet phenomenon, even though he knew there wouldn't be many in number. "I wanted to find people nearby with a certain IQ, who would help in crusading against false propaganda and lies that are so prevalent online," says Ravindran. He stays in touch via WhatsApp with a handful of Mumbai-based members of the 200-strong Facebook group. These members gather offline sporadically to discuss video trailers they hope to launch in the future. But more frequently, as avid Pastafarians, they actively participate in online discussion forums where topics range from atheist humor to ridiculing news of religious zealots. "We share lots of fun pasta videos and activist achievementslike, if you manage get a driver's license with a colander on your head," he says. Some of the hoary rituals of Pastafarians include showing up in full pirate regalia and drinking lots of beer. Fridays are sacred. As Ravindran likes to say, RAmen.

But mostly, he thinks the movement is gradually losing its raison d'etre. "It wasn't supposed to become a cult. But it is degenerating into one, and it will suffer the same trappings of any cult if it does so. The 'us versus them', the religious bullying, the hazing, and rituals of initiation." His words echo a recent Atlantic article on FSM, which said, "Along the way, something funny has happened to a movement founded in large part to critique organised religion: It has gotten organised, and has taken on both the trappings and some of the social functions of a real religion."

Is there any way this niche ideology can be tailored for an Indian audience? "Maybe if there is biriyani," laughs Ravindran.
The government on Wednesday unveiled plans to sell up to 76 per cent stake in Air India and transfer the management control to private players, starting the ambitious strategic disinvestment process for the debt-laden national carrier.

Coming out with a detailed preliminary information memorandum on the stake sale, the Civil Aviation Ministry said the proposed disinvestment would include profit-making Air India Express and joint venture AISATS. The latter is an equal joint venture between the national carrier and Singapore-based SATS Ltd.

While the government would retain 24 per cent stake in the national carrier, the winning bidder would be required to stay invested in the airline for at least three years.

Starting off the disinvestment exercisea major initiative of the NDA governmentExpression of Interest (EoI) has been sought from various entities, including foreign airlines.

The last date for submission of EoI is May 14 and intimation to the qualified interest bidders would be made on May 28.

Bidding can be done as a single player or as part of a consortium. The bidder should have a minimum net worth of Rs 5,000 crore and the requirement is subject to certain conditions depending on the class of entities.

Among others, the ministry has said that each consortium member should have positive profit after tax in at least three of the immediately preceding five financial years from the EoI deadline.

"However, if the member of the consortium is a scheduled airline operator in India, the condition to meet positive profit after tax shall not apply to such member provided shareholding of such member is restricted to maximum of 51 per cent of paid up equity share capital of the consortium (special purpose vehicle). In case of a foreign airline (ie airline which is not a scheduled airline operator in India), the requirement to meet positive profit after tax requirement shall remain applicable," it said.

Bids by management and employees of companies participating directly or by forming a consortium would be considered subject to guidelines issued by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).

The consortium can be along with a bank, venture capitalist, a financial institution or fund.

Four other subsidiaries of the airlineAIESL (Air India Engineering Services Ltd), AIATSL (Air India Air Transport Services Ltd), HCI (Hotel Corporation of India) and AASL (Airline Allied Services Ltd)would be hived off through demerger or any other appropriate mechanisms, as per the memorandum.

AIESL mainly provides maintenance and overhaul of engines while AIATSL is into ground and cargo handling services.

HCI owns and operates two hotels in the national capital and Srinagar. AASL is the regional arm of Air India and flies to Tier II and III cities.

"Air India has interests in other entities (Air India Engineering Services, Air India Air Transport Services, Airline Allied Services and Hotel Corporation of India) which are in the process of being transferred to a separate SPV and will not be a part of the proposed transaction," the memorandum said.

Air India had a fleet of 115 aircraft as of December 2017 and serves around 39 international destinations.

As on December 1, 2017, the airline had 11,214 permanent employees and 2,913 on contract, among others.

Among other conditions, the selected bidder would be required to "lock-in its entire shareholding in Air India and in the special purpose vehicle (in case investment in AI is made through a special purpose vehicle by a consortium or otherwise), up to the expiry of 3rd Anniversary of the consummation of the proposed transaction".

During this period, the bidder would also not be allowed to cede the management control.

Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) or Central Government Owned Cooperative Societies would not be allowed to bid for Air India unless a proposal is brought up for consideration of the Core Group of Secretaries on Disinvestment by the government, the memorandum said.

Ernst & Young LLP India has been appointed as transaction adviser for the strategic disinvestment process.

In June 2017, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave in-principle nod to the strategic disinvestment of the airline, which has a debt burden of over Rs 50,000 crore.

Subsequent to the decision, the Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism (AISAM), headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, was set up to decide on specific issues.

The national carrier is staying afloat on taxpayers' money under the turnaround plan approved by the previous UPA government in 2012.
Actress Meghan Markle's upcoming royal wedding with Prince Harry has had a huge impact on Suits, says series creator Aaron Korsh.

Without a doubt it's jacked up our visibility, Anypost.com quoted Korsh as saying.

All we really get is linear TV ratings and those were not affected as much by (the romance), but in terms of awareness of the show a it's exploded. Any time somebody in your cast that finds someone and falls in love is great whether they're famous or not, he added.

Suits will be back with season seven with all eyes on co-stars Markle and Patrick J. Adamsboth leaving the series. The show airs in India on Thursday on Comedy Central.

In the show, Markle, who will get married to Prince Harry on May 19, plays lawyer Rachel Zane, who is engaged to Mike Ross (Adams). The seventh season will focus on the characters' impending wedding.

Having them both leave at the same time has allowed us to give them a happy ending. Had one (actor) left before the other, we might not have been able to do that, said Korsh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fostered violence in Bihar, jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad claimed on Thursday, and indicated that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's position was also ruined in effect.

"There are riots and incidents of violence all over Bihar. After locking me up, BJP has set the whole state ablaze. Nitish Kumar is finished now," Prasad told reporters when he arrived at the New Delhi railway station.

Owing to his deteriorating health, the former Bihar chief minister has been brought to Delhi for treatment at AIIMS Hospital.

Prasad's statement was a reference to the communal clashes that broke out in Bihar's Bhagalpur, on March 17, during a procession that was carried out by workers from BJP, RSS and Bajrang Dal, and was led by Union Minister Ashwini Choubey's son, Arijit Shashwat.

An FIR was registered against Shashwat and others, for instigating the violence, but the continued delay in his arrest has been a shot in the arm for the Opposition, which has held the BJP-JD(U) government accountable for the same.

Asked about his health condition, the RJD chief said it was not good at the moment.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Delhi Police is probing the leakage of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class X and Class XII question papers, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Thursday. An internal investigation is also under way to look into the reasons behind the leak.

Two FIRs have been registered with Delhi Police in connection with the incident.

The question paper leak has affected 16 lakh students. The CBSE has ordered re-examinations for Class X mathematics paper and Class XII economics, dates of which are yet to be declared.

"It is an unfortunate incident. I understand the pain of students and parents. Culprits will be nabbed soon and strict action will be taken. We are taking all measures to ensure that the exams remain foolproof", said the Union minister.

Javadekar rubbished allegations that question papers of many other subjects have been leaked, saying in a lot of cases, the allegedly leaked paper did not match with the original one.

"CBSE has earned a good reputation for fair examinations. It was chosen to conduct the medical NEET exams. But this time there has been a breach. The CBSE will declare what is the next step, maybe on Monday or Tuesday. But we will make the system foolproof, Javadekar said at the cabinet briefing.

He also announced several HRD ministry decisions that were taken at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday night. One of them was the integrated scheme on school education by subsuming Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE) from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2020. An estimated allocation of Rs 75,000 crore over the period has been approved, which is a 20 per cent increase over the current allocation.

To embed technology in the process of learning, digital boards will be prioritised in schools. The ministry has formed a committee for the purpose, which will give its report in a month's time. Giving further push to technology in classrooms, from next year, textbooks published by the NCERT will have QR codes through which additional content can be accessed on laptops. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, which was till class VIII, is being extended till class XII, with the view to boost Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana.

The ministry has also decided to include skill courses from Class VI. Earlier, these courses used to start from Class IX. Preference will be given to educationally backward districts and special focus districts.

The cabinet has also given its approval for continuation of Credit Guarantee Fund for Education Loans Scheme and continuation and modification of Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme with a financial outlay of Rs. 6,600 crore for the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20. This will provide education loans to 10 lakh students during this period.

As against the scheme which ran since 2009, in which average educational loans per year were only Rs 2.78 lakhs, under the revised scheme, the number of loans per year are expected to be at least 3.3 lakhs, showing a 20 per cent increase over the previous scheme.
The draft of the impeachment motion, which the opposition is planning to bring against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, argues for his removal on grounds of his alleged involvement in the conspiracy of paying illegal gratification to allow admission in a medical college, charge of forgery to alter the date on an administrative order, and allegations of having abused his authority as master of roster to arbitrarily assign politically sensitive cases to select judges.

The draft, which the Congress is learnt to have put forth before other opposition parties for their backing, lists as the number one charge against Justice Misra his alleged role in the Prasad Educational Trust case, which relates to allegations of payment of illegal gratification to get judicial sanction for admission of students in a medical college.

The facts and circumstances relating to the Prasad Educational Trust case, show prima facie evidence suggesting that Chief Justice Dipak Misra may have been involved in the conspiracy of paying illegal gratification in the case, which at least warrants a thorough investigation, states the draft of the motion.

It charges Misra with having violated the first principle of the Code of Conduct for Judges by not recusing himself from the writ petition which sought an investigation into the matter of alleged payment of illegal gratification in the Prasad Educational Trust case. It notes that Misra dealt with the case on the administrative as well as judicial side even when the writ petition demanded a probe into the matter in which he too was likely to fall within the scope of investigation.

It is also alleged in the proposed motion that Misra appears to have antedated an administrative order dated November 6, 2017, which amounts to a serious act of forgery or fabrication. On November 9, while Court number two was hearing the writ petition filed by Kamini Jaiswal, seeking an investigation into alleged bribery in the Prasad Educational Trust case, the registrar brought an administrative note to the court, which was thereafter ordered to be annexed to the order passed by the court on that date. The draft motion states that while this note is purportedly dated November 6, 2017, it appears to have been antedated and appears to have been prepared and issued on November 9 itself.

The motion lists the allegation that Misra acquired land in Odisha when he was an advocate by giving an affidavit that was found to be false, and despite the orders of the ADM cancelling the allotment in 1985, he surrendered the land only in 2012 after he was elevated to the Supreme Court.

Misra is also charged with having abused his administrative authority as master of roster to arbitrarily assign individual cases of particular advocates in politically sensitive cases to select judges in order to achieve a predetermined outcome.
The Delhi Police's crime branch has begun investigating the alleged leak of Class 12 Economics and class 10 Mathematics papers after registering two separate cases in the matter, an official said on Wednesday.

In the wake of reports claiming paper leaks, the CBSE on Wednesday announced re-examination in the two papers.

On Monday, panic had gripped students of Class 12 following claims on social media that the economics paper had been leaked even though the Central Board of Secondary Education denied there was any slip up.

Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) R.P. Upadhyay and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Alok Kumar also held a meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik in the evening to discuss the future course of investigation.

In a statement, the Delhi Police said that they have registered two cases. The first case in connection with the leak of economics paper was lodged yesterday while the case pertaining to mathematics paper was lodged today, following a complaint by the regional director of CBSE.

The cases were registered on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

A special investigation team comprising two deputy commissioners of police, four assistant commissioners of police and five inspectors has been set up to investigate the matter. The team will be directly supervised by the joint commissioner of police (crime).

"We have received snapshots of the handwritten paper circulated through Whatsapp from the complainant. We are trying to ascertain the source of these messages. Since Whatsapp messages are end-to-end encrypted, we are facing a bit of difficulty in tracing the source," said an officer privy to the probe.

The officer said they have not questioned any official from any of the examination centres or from the board. The questioning will happen once the source of messages is traced.

Reports about the economics paper being leaked had circulated on social media, including on WhatsApp, several hours before the paper commenced on Monday.

The CBSE, however, denied any leak and urged students and parents not to panic.

"We have checked with all exam centres and the paper was not leaked. The source of circulation of this information is not known yet. We want to urge the students and parents to not panic and assure them that the board is doing its best to ensure sanctity of the examination," a senior CBSE official had said.

A similar incident occurred on March 15, when the Delhi government had said that it had received complaints of the Class 12 CBSE accountancy paper being leaked. A probe was later ordered even though the board had denied any leak.

"There has been no leakage of the question paper. All the seals have been found intact at all exam centres. However, at local level, some miscreants may have circulated messages through WhatsApp and other social media platforms to hurt the sanctity of the exam," the board had said then.
Veteran actor and Makkal Neethi Mayyam founder-president Kamal Haasan on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) at the earliest.

"My appeal to the prime minister is, please sir, you have the authority to create this CMB and you must do it. Please," Haasan said, addressing a news conference in Chennai.

"The prime minister can do (it) if he wants to. It is a simple, basic requirement. The people of Tamil Nadu and the farmers require water," he added.

The chorus for setting up of the CMB and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) in the state has been growing by the day ever since the Supreme court gave its verdict on February 16 on the vexed issue involving Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu's stand is that Centre must constitute the panels within six weeks from the day the apex court gave its verdict, which would be March 29, which is today.

Besides the ruling AIADMK, various political parties, including the DMK, besides several farmers' outfits have been stressing for setting up of the CMB to ensure that Tamil Nadu gets its due share of water from the inter-state river.

Haasan's contemporary, 'Superstar' Rajinikanth too had tweeted earlier in the day backing the establishment of the CMB, saying it was the "only just solution acceptable to all."

Haasan said setting up of the CMB was not a "big deal" and said there should be no political considerations in this issue.

"If there is politics in this (issue), then it is for votes. Please see what is required for the people," he said.

The actor added he has sought an appointment with Chief Minister K. Palaniswami to discuss the matter.

Asked if he would stage a protest in Delhi to persuade the Centre to set up the Cauvery panels at the earliest, he said, "It can be done if required," and asked the scribes if they too would join him.

He also supported the idea of MPs from Tamil Nadu quitting in protest over the issue.

The actor-politician further said he would join the locals protesting against the expansion of a Sterlite Copper smelter plant in Tuticorin on Sunday.

On the CBSE paper leak, Haasan said the students who had appeared for the exams were not at fault and that they had not copied or done any thing wrong.

"They cannot be punished" for the mistakes of the government or authorities, he added.

The CBSE on Wednesday announced re-examination for the Class X mathematics and Class XII economics, following reports of the paper leaks even as Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has promised to put in place a new "leak-proof" system to conduct the board examinations.
Under attack over exam paper leaks, CBSE chairperson Anita Karwal on Thursday said the decision to hold re-examination for two subjects was taken in favour of students and new dates for tests will be announced soon.

The remarks came a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in a circular, said that students would have to take re-examination for Class X mathematics and Class XII economics.

We have taken the decision in favour of students and in utmost fairness. Very soon we will announce the dates (for re-exams). Any further decision will also be taken in the favour of the students, she told reporters in New Delhi.

Students don't have to worry about anything. We are with them, she added.

Reacting to the paper leak issue, the Congress demanded the sacking of Karwal for alleged lapse.

The opposition party also sought the resignation of Human Resource Minister Prakash Javadekar and a probe by a high court judge.

Javadekar termed the CBSE examination paper leak issue unfortunate and assured that steps will be taken to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.

The minister further said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the issue "very seriously".

A source said Javadekar had two rounds of meeting with the top officials, including Karwal, during the day regarding the issue.

The Delhi unit of All India Democratic Students' Organisation also demanded a high-level probe into the CBSE question paper leak case, and said it showed the board's "utter negligence" in conducting examinations fairly.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to leave for Delhi when her state was burning over religious clashes. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav believes that in 2019 it will be one-to-one in his state. But both of them are merchants of dream, if one looks at the political spectrum in the country.

A senior Congressman told The WEEK on Wednesday that Congress would show its power in 2019 and would not leave the battle ground for others, because its an all India party.

We have presence in all over India. You can see us from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and then Gujarat to Assam. Is it possible for us to leave the ground accepting defeat? If BJP has to be defeated, it will be by Congress, otherwise none, said Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Bengal Pradip Bhattacharya.

Yes of course we would like to have alliance. But all parties opposed to BJP should understand we are the major force. Rahul Gandhi is rebuilding the party and in the coming days Congress will be victorious again,said he.

What Bhattacharya has said is the same what brewing in the minds of Congress leaders in India after Rahul Gandhi stepped into the shoes of her mother. Gandhi had talked of breaking the barrier between workers and him.

In fact he acted when he put a young leader at the helm of affairs in Gujarat. Leaders told this correspondent that there would be many such happenings in the coming days. Rahul would like to see the progress of the party all over India.

Quite expected, Congress has chosen Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh where its party would have to do well in the coming elections. Gandhi also knows that in Bihar and northern part of West Bengal, despite many defeats, Congress has vote banks. But in these two states, he would like to play the role of the second fiddle.

In none of these states, except for Bihar and West Bengal, an alliance could not be possible. An alliance in UP means Congress would have to forget reviving the party. In other states, it would have to fight BJP directly.

But doesn't Mamata know that such a formula is hardly achievable?

She knows that well. But many leaders, who saw her closely for many years, feel that its not a vision but an ambition that is taking her to all over India. Next month she is scheduled to go to Chennai to meet DMK working president M.K. Stalin and his ailing father Karunanidhi. That comes despite the fact that Mamata had called up Stalin a few months back and the Tamil leader almost brushed her advice away. Stalin neither came to Kolkata nor did he show very enthusiasm to meet Mamata at any place to discuss possible coalition.

Mamata reportedly predicted to her party members, DMK will sweep the Tamil Nadu election next year. She undermined the role to be played by actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, who are not under her scanner as of now.

Mamata decided to reach out to Stalin amid her good equations with leaders like Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu. However, none of these parties is expected to come under one front just to defeat BJP. They have their own brand of politics which is not Delhi centric. However, Chandrababu would like to play a big role during the formation of next government. And that obviously clashes with Mamatas interest as well. The fiery lady of West Bengal would also like to have a say in the next government.

But then why is she wasting her time by traveling across the country?

A Congress leader, who does not want to be named, said, This is just to create an image. She is only known as a leader who wiped out left that ruled Bengal for 34 years. But not much after that. An image conscious leader like her would like to play the role of selfless missionary who would only to be known as unifier.

If Mamatas prediction come to be truethat Congress would be compelled to support a non-BJP government from outsidethen the question would arise who would lead the front? Like in 1996, when V.P. Singh refused to be a candidate, leaders came to Jyoti Basu with folded hands to lead the front, Mamata would like to see senior leaders coming to Kolkata again with the same appeal in 2019. And in that case at least she would not do any historic blunder like the CPI(M) did.
Various Chinese state-run media agencies have reported that the country's first indigenously built aircraft carrier could soon commence sea trials, marking impressive progress for a ship that was launched less than a year ago at the Dalian Shipyard.

Work on the Chinese vessel, referred to as Type-001A by observers, was believed to have started in 2012-13, which makes for an astounding comparison with India's own indigenously built carrier (IAC). Construction of the IAC was started in 2005, but the vessel is expected to be ready for sea trials only by 2019, THE WEEK reported recently. The Indian vessel will be named the Vikrant, after India's first carrier, when it is commissioned into service.

The Chinese reports, which have also been quoted by the country's ministry of defence, claim the scaffolding on the ship has been removed an advanced radar system has been installed on it. It is opined that the sea trials could kick off on or around April 23, which is China's Navy Day. Sea trials are expected to take anywhere from several months to a year's time before the ship is officially commissioned into service.

According to analysts, the Type-001A has a loaded weight in excess of 60,000 tonnes and a length of over 300 metres and can carry over 40 aircraftthese figures are similar to the dimensions of China's first carrier, the Liaoning, which was acquired from Ukraine and refurbished by Beijing.

However, compared with the Liaoning, the Type-001A features a higher 'island'housing command and control facilitiesfor better coordination of flight operations, an improved flight deck layout and more optimised hangar spaces for maintenance and repair of aircraft. The improvements reflect China's attempts to incrementally modify the design of the Soviet-era Liaoning to eliminate its drawbacks.

The progress of the Type-001A provides stark lessons to India, which ventured into carrier aviation nearly 50 years before China commissioned the Liaoning and has access to technology from both the West (read Europe, Israel and the US) and Russia.

The IAC, for instance, was designed with Italian consultants and has US-origin gas turbines, an Israeli radar and Russian MiG-29K fighters. One of the first major delays the IAC faced was on account of Russia delaying the supply of high-tensile strength steel, which finally led to India developing the metal on its own. Furthermore, given the assortment of technology, the IAC has limited commonality with the INS Vikramaditya, which is an extensively modified Soviet-era ship.

The Chinese, on the other hand, opted for incremental improvements over the Liaoning. This has ensured construction of the Type-001A has proceeded at a rapid pace, but also made management of costs easier. The Chinese have also standardised on the J-15 fighter, a derivative of the Soviet SU-33, for both ships, while India is believed to be looking at buying up to 57 new fighters as the MiG-29Kbought originally for the Vikramadityahas had a poor reputation in service due to low operational availability and unreliable engines.

A J-15 taking off from the Liaoning | China's Ministry of Defence

The SU-33 was selected by the Soviet Navy over the MiG-29K in the late 1980s; the MiG aircraft was 'resurrected' with the purchase of the Vikramaditya from Russia.

That the MiG-29Ks are effectively being lined up for replacement less than a decade after their induction shows that the Vikramaditya purchase from Russiaand the MiG jets bought with ithas been a debacle for India.

All of the four carriers mentioned in this articleVikramaditya, the future Vikrant, the Liaoning and the Type-001Aare hampered by their aircraft launch arrangement, which revolves around the fighters relying on their own power to take off via an angled 'ski jump'. This is different from US and French carriers that have catapults to launch aircraft at significantly higher weights, increasing operational flexibility particularly for 'strike' operations against land or sea targets.

It is highly unlikely the Type-001A will venture into India's backyard and face off with the IAC or the Vikramaditya in the near future as China is still at a nascent stage with respect to power projection capabilities. However, Beijing's progress and its approach of pursuing incremental improvements, illustrated by the Type-001A, merit closer study by Indian defence planners.
Rioting and a fire in the cells of a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia killed 68 people on Wednesday, according to the government and witnesses.

Families hoping for news outside the police station were dispersed with tear gas and authorities did not give information until late into the evening.

The State Prosecutors Office guarantees to deepen investigations to immediately clarify what happened in these painful events that have left dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning, said Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab on Twitter.

Venezuelan prisons are notoriously overcrowded and filled with weapons and drugs. Riots leaving dozens dead are not uncommon.

State official Jesus Santander said the state of Carabobo was in mourning after the incident in the city of Valencia.

"Forensic doctors are determining the number of fatalities," Santander said. A policeman was shot in the leg and was in a stable condition and firefighters had extinguished the flames, he said.

Many Venezuelan prisons are lawless and have been for decades. Prisoners often openly wield machine guns and grenades, use drugs and leave guards powerless.

"There are people who are inside those dungeons (...) and the authorities do not know they exist because they do not dare to enter," said Humberto Prado, a local prisons rights activist.

-Reuters
Unidentified gunmen killed one person and wounded at least two others late on Wednesday in an attack on a hotel in the central Mali town of Bandiagara regularly frequented by United Nations staff and humanitarian workers, two witnesses said.

Five men approached the entrance to the Hotel la Falaise on foot at around 9.30pm (2130 GMT) and opened fire, they said.

The were walking calmly and seemed normal, said Bocar Karambe, a driver who was across the street from the hotel when the attack occurred.

Once they arrived in front of the gate, we heard the gunfire. When I turned around I saw they were shooting point blank at the people in front of the hotel, he said.

At least three people, a soldier guarding the entrance and two hotel workers, were struck by bullets. The soldier later died, Karambe and a second witness said.

One attacker was also killed.

The Hotel la Falaise was once popular with tourists visiting the Dogon people, who inhabit the cliffs of Malis central plateau.

However, the areas tourism industry dried up after Islamist groups, some with links to al Qaeda, seized Malis desert north in 2012. They were driven back by a French-led military intervention a year later, but attacks remain frequent.
North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, South Korean officials said on Thursday, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearization as tensions ease between the old foes.

South Korean officials, who announced the summit date after high-level talks with North Korean counterparts, said the summit agenda would largely be the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and an improvement of inter-Korean relations.

The two Koreas had agreed to hold the summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom when South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a delegation to Pyongyang this month to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Thursdays meeting was the first high-level dialogue between the two Koreas since the delegation returned from the North.

The two sides said in a joint statement they would hold a working-level meeting on April 4 to discuss details of the summit, such as staffing support, security and news releases.

We still have a fair number of issues to resolve on a working-level for preparations over the next month, said Ri Son Gwon, the chairman of North Koreas committee for the peaceful reunification of the country in closing remarks to the South Korean delegation.

But if the two sides deeply understand the historic significance and meaning of this summit and give their all, we will be able to solve all problems swiftly and amicably, Ri added.

Tension over North Koreas tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile surged last year and raised fears of US military action in response to North Korean threat to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.

But tension has eased significantly since North Korea decided to send athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. The neighbors are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.

China commended the two sides for their efforts to improve ties.

We hope the momentum of dialogue can continue and that the peaceful situation also can last, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a briefing.

RESOLVE PROBLEMS

Kim is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump some time in May to discuss denuclearization, although a time and place have not been set for that summit.

Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in a surprise visit to Beijing this week, his first trip outside the isolated North since he came to power in 2011.

Even more surprising was Kims pledge to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. That commitment was reported by Chinese state media, although North Koreas official media made no mention of it, or Kims anticipated meeting with Trump.

A senior Chinese official visiting Seoul on Thursday to brief South Korea on Kims visit to Beijing, said it should help ease tension and lead to the denuclearization of the peninsula.

We believe his visit will help the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, ensure peace and security of the Korean peninsula and resolve problems regarding the peninsula through political negotiations and discussions, Yang Jiechi said in opening remarks during a meeting with South Koreas National Security Office head, Chung Eui-yong.

Yang, a top Chinese diplomat, is scheduled to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon told reporters Kims visit to China was not discussed with North Korean officials in their Thursday talks.

Trump and Kim had exchanged insults and veiled threats of war in recent months but the US leader made the surprising announcement this month that he was prepared to meet Kim to discuss the crisis over the Norths development of weapons.

The North Korean leaders engagement with the international community has sparked speculation that he may try to meet other leaders. Japans Asahi newspaper said Japan had sounded out the North Korean government about a summit.

Japans Foreign Minister Taro Kono left open the possibility that Shinzo Abe might meet Kim at some point. Kono said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday that Japan was closely watching preparations for the North-South Korean summit and the Trump-Kim meeting.

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised Beijing would uphold its friendship with North Korea after his meeting with Kim.

Trump wrote on Twitter he had received a message from Xi late on Tuesday that his meeting with Kim went very well and that Kim looked forward to meeting the US president.

- Reuters
The surprise visit by the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Beijing on Monday, which was confirmed by China only on Wednesday, and the high-visibility meeting with President Xi Jinping has effectively re-arranged the east Asian strategic grid in a distinctive manner. The Xi-Kim summit also enhances the credibility of both leaders at a time when US President Donald Trump appeared to be setting the agenda for the long-troubled Korean peninsula.

Kim's visit to China also demonstrates in a subtle but unmistakable manner that Beijing is still the gate-keeper to Pyongyang, notwithstanding the latent tension in the bi-lateral relationship after China joined the US-led vote against North Korea in the UN Security Council in 2017.

The North Korean leader, who was deemed to be isolated and irrational, has successfully signaled that he is in the drivers seat in his engagement with the US and its allies (South Korea and Japan) and the nuclear weapon-missile status that Pyongyang has demonstrated in 2017 burnishes its claim to be a relevant interlocutor with the major powers.

However, Mr. Kim has also put out an olive branch and stated in Beijing that the issue of de-nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula can be resolved if South Korea and the US respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace.

This clear articulation of holding out the Holy Grail of a de-nuclearised Korean peninsula is deft diplomacy, for it trumps President Trump and his tweetlomacy in a very nuanced manner. Earlier, the US President had heaped scorn and ridicule on the North Korean leader in 2017 (calling him "little rocket man" and taunting him in public in a manner that was compared to juvenile penis-envy) and then surprised his own advisers by agreeing to a one on one meeting with Mr. Kimwhich is likely to take place in May.

At the time it seemed that the US had seized the initiative and had bypassed Beijing, but the Kim visit has restored Chinas relevance in the east Asian strategic calculus. However, even as preparations are being made for the US-North Korea summit meeting, the appointment of hard-liner John Bolton as the US National Security Adviser may queer the pitch. Western intelligence reports about North Korea pursuing more reactors adds to the anxiety.

North Korea has been in a state of suspended hostility with the US and its regional allies, for the 1950 Korean war has not ended formally and an uneasy armistice of July 1953 is in place. This ensured a cessation of hostilities, but did not lead to a formal peace treaty among the principal interlocutors.

At the time, India played a valuable role in overseeing the terms of the armistice and the return of prisoners in a war that saw the US and China pitted against each other. Then Major General K.S. Thimayya, who later became the Indian army Chief, headed the UN-led mission and played a much commended role.

From being termed an international pariah in 2017 for its defiance in conducting nuclear weapon tests and missile firing, North Korea shifted to an out-of-the-box diplomatic tack in January 2018, when it opened communication with South Korea and also participated in the Winter Olympics. Since then events have moved rapidly culminating in the surprise Beijing visit of this week and suddenly the Korean peninsula, which was deemed to be teetering on a nuclear precipice, has opened up various reassuring possibilitiesthereby hinting at the potential to radically alter the regional strategic framework.

Two summits are on the cards over the next few months, wherein Mr. Kim will meet his South Korean counterpart and the US President, and it is hoped that some kind of long overdue malleability will be introduced into a regional strategic stalemate of 65 years. Over the last six decades, the east Asian region has been compared to a glass bottle with six scorpions of varying size and venom trapped inside itthe two Koreas and Japan; and the three external interlocutors with competing intereststhe USA, former USSR, now Russia, and China.

The Kim visit to Beijing has led to a certain movement and further developments are on the anvilincluding a historical pattern where unbridled optimism about Pyongyang floundered on the rocks of realpolitik. Will 2018 be different? Watch this space!

But the enormity and desirability of a denuclearised Korean peninsula (a total removal of the US nuclear umbrella?) cannot be minimised and is a Holy Grail worth pursuingthe banana peels notwithstanding.

Bhaskar is director, Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the publication


Albany

A coalition of religious leaders from Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic and Buddhist faiths on Thursday urged Gov. Andrew Cuomo to embrace renewable power, rather than natural gas, to power electrical needs for the Empire State Plaza.

More than 100 clergy issued a letter to the governor urging him to have the New York Power Authority seek clean-energy alternatives to a plan that would install natural gas-fired turbines in the Sheridan Hollow neighborhood.

More for you Albany officials offer renewable energy options for Sheridan Hollow microgrid

Neighborhood activists have been fighting NYPA's plan to build two turbines totaling 16 megawatts at a state heating and cooling plant on Sheridan Avenue that was once used as a state-run trash incinerator.

Power from the facility would create a "microgrid" to run the nearby 96-acre plaza of government offices, which is currently supplied from the main electrical grid.

In the letter to Cuomo, the religious leaders said the predominantly minority neighborhood had already suffered environmental damage from incineration, and should not have to again face "unnecessary and disproportionate levels of pollution."

The letter urged the governor to "make Albany the shining centerpiece of climate hope for this country" by directing NYPA, which had already dismissed renewable power as being infeasible, to seek proposals from renewable power companies.

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County lawmaker Merton Simpson, who represents the district, said it gave him "a great deal of hope" to get backing from the religious community. "It is difficult to understand why the state is reluctant to actually take the concrete steps needed to meet its stated goals in the face of the obvious global climate disaster we face."

Deborah Ritano, executive director of the Capital Area Council of Churches, called on the governor to reconsider the natural gas plan. "The Council recognizes the importance of this moral issue ... This project will hurt young people and the poor, many of whom are people of color."

Under pressure from opponents, NYPA last month agreed to hold "listening sessions" to consider renewable energy, but stopped short of agreeing to seek formal proposals.

The Sheridan Avenue plant, which currently burns natural gas to produce steam heat for the plaza complex, has a troubled environmental history. It was once connected to the ANSWERS municipal trash burning plant, which was shut down in 1994 after repeated episodes of dumping soot in the neighborhood.
Schaghticoke

A 12-acre solar power array may soon grow in a vacant farm field in Schaghticoke, part of a spreading wave of so-called "community" solar farms proposed across the state.

While there are now slightly more than a dozen such solar farms running statewide, more than 300 more are in development after receiving state approval.

In Schaghticoke, developer Forefront Power wants to build a two-megawatt farm on vacant land on Verbeck Avenue, just west of Route 40, said town planner Frank Alessandrini.

It would be the first such project in a predominantly rural town with a lot of farmland, although there are "fewer farmers than there used to be," he said.

"It should be a good project. Doesn't make any noise, doesn't make any odors," said Alessandrini. Town planners have issued conditional approval for the work, marking the first approval under Schaghticoke's 2017 solar farm siting law, which set standards on how the farms must be built, he added.

California-based Forefront Power last year pitched a two-megawatt farm in Feura Bush, Albany County, to help cover the energy needs of the Bethlehem Central School District.

Unlike home-based solar systems, in which a single yard or rooftop is covered with panels, a community project is much larger and can involve thousands of panels spread across acres. Power is purchased by customers who might live far away, allowing them to avail themselves of clean energy without installing individual systems.

Today, just 14 community farms are running, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The authority is spearheading state efforts to grow renewable power as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's goal to dramatically cut state emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases by 2030.

Current facilities are capable of generating a combined total of less than seven megawatts, which is a small fraction of what just one traditional fossil fuel-fired power plant can generate.

One such array opened last year in the Rensselaer county town of Pittstown off Route 7. There, about 1,200 panels in a five-acre field are supplying power to support the Albany City School District, with the remaining electricity earmarked for 26 homeowners or apartment dwellers throughout the Capital Region.

The Schaghticoke project is just one of many more community farms that are coming. So far, the state has approved another 315 projects statewide, according to NYSERDA figures. Once built, those projects could supply a maximum of nearly 700 megawatts, which represents the equivalent of nearly three traditional power plants.

Alicia Barton, NYSERDA president and CEO, said the projects will cut greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and help slow man-made climate change.

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"Projects like these in Rensselaer County spur local investments, help create even more clean energy jobs and reduce harmful emissions while saving consumers money on electric bills," she said.

"There are some challenges to bringing on community solar, but we are committed to it," said Nate Stone, a spokesman for National Grid, the utility that covers most of the Capital Region.

There are 76 approved community solar projects spread through National Grid territory, including Altamont in Albany County, Schenectady and Rotterdam in Schenectady County, in Troy, East Greenbush and Brunswick in Rensselaer County; and in Waterford in Saratoga County.

Those projects would total about 142 megawatts, or enough to power about 25,000 average homes.

Before a utility can agree to connect a community solar farm to the transmission grid, engineering studies must determine if it can be done safely, said Stone. That review process can take a year, he said.

Stone said National Grid has added additional crews to handle the work of reviewing and then plugging in community solar arrays. "There is an explosion of solar right now in the state," Stone said.
Saratoga Springs

Death Wish Coffee, an online company that bills its signature product as the world's strongest coffee, is continuing to expand into the retail sector.

The company's Keurig cups will be available at 900 Walmart stores starting June 9, and products are already sold at select Price Chopper, Safeway, Hannaford and Shop Rite locations. According to third quarter projections, Death Wish Coffee items are expected to be stocked in an additional 550 stores ranging from Northern California to New York City and Philadelphia.

The business remains 90 percent e-commerce with online customers providing the baseline for sales, but the company has expanded the wholesale portion because customers often ask where they can find the coffee and K-cups in stores, said owner Mike Brown.

"It's what our customers want," he said. "It's much more convenient to them to find it at a store."

Death Wish is "by far our number one local company" for coffee and has been popular with customers locally and outside the Capital Region, said Mona Golub, a spokeswoman for Price Chopper. In the premium coffee segment, which includes heavyweights like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, Death Wish products consistently rank in the top five in terms of sales, she said.

At Price Chopper stores, a bag of 10 K-cups costs $15.99 and a 16-ounce bag of ground or whole bean coffee costs $19.99. Golub credits the company's following and unique products for their success.

"They're offering a superior, quality product," she said.

Brown is the former owner of Saratoga Coffee Traders, a coffee shop in downtown Saratoga Springs, and founded Death Wish in 2013 to provide people with coffee that combines strong flavor with high caffeine.

There were several advantages of starting an e-commerce company, as compared to opening a coffee shop or another physical space. At Saratoga Coffee Traders, he needed to meet a specific amount in sales every day to break even.

"I was starting at a negative before I even opened my doors every day," Brown said.

Store hours were also limited, and business is affected by weather and street traffic on a given day. With an online company, people could buy products through the website whenever they wanted and Death Wish could "hit the masses easily and cheaply," he said.

Still, launching an e-commerce business required more technical skills and marketing through social media and other channels and there were more online competitors, he said.

"Our advantage was our consistency," Brown said. "We always posted similar content every day and our customers started to rely on us for that funny coffee meme or as a resource for learning about roasting."

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In 2016, the company won a competition for a free $5 million Super Bowl ad paid for by Intuit Quickbooks and catapulted to national prominence when the 30-second ad aired and more than 150,000 people descended on Death Wish's website. Since then, the company has seen the business grow rapidly and expanded to a 15,000-square-foot facility in Round Lake last year to keep up with demand.

People's interest in buying locally sourced products and learning more about coffee has boosted Death Wish's following and success. Freshness is a key factor for customers and something Death Wish prides itself on.

"People want to spend their money in the community and have it stay in the community," Brown said. "It strengthens the economy, and consumers are starting to recognize that."

The company is not planning to open a Death Wish coffee shop in the next one to three years.

"But maybe in the next five to 10 years," Brown added.
New York

Equifax tapped longtime financial industry executive Mark Begor as its new permanent CEO, the company said Wednesday, as Equifax continues to try to recover from fallout surrounding the company's massive data breach.

The 59-year-old Begor will take over from Paulino do Rego Barros Jr., who became interim CEO in September when Richard Smith stepped down from the post. Smith's departure followed those of two other high-ranking executives who left in the wake of the hack, which exploited a software flaw that Equifax didn't fix to expose Social Security numbers, birthdates and other personal data that provide the keys to identify theft.

Begor comes to Atlanta-based Equifax from the private equity firm Warburg Pincus, but he spent 35 years at General Electric before joining that firm. Begor ran GE's retail credit card business from 2002 to 2011, which was eventually spun off into a separate company now known as Synchrony Financial. The company is one of the largest co-brand credit card issuers in the country, which is when a company pairs up with a bank to issue a credit card under its brand. He also is on the board of directors for FICO, the company behind the namesake credit score.

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In an interview with The Associated Press, Begor said he believed his previous experience working at GE  which deals with both businesses and consumers  would help him in the role. Equifax is still dealing with the aftereffects of the breach. A total of about 147.9 million Americans have been impacted by Equifax's data breach, which remains the largest exposure of personal information in history, and the company is under numerous state and federal investigations as well as dozens of class-action lawsuits.
"The Death of Stalin" is a unique and hilarious British comedy from Armando Iannucci, best known as the creator of HBO's "Veep" and the British TV series, "The Thick of It." It is absolutely worth seeing, but it won't appeal to everybody, so you should know what to expect.

It's the story of the Central Committee of the Communist party in the days before Joseph Stalin's death to the day of his funeral. It conflates events that took weeks and months, but otherwise it stays close to the facts in depicting the power struggle between Lavrentiy Beria, the ruthless head of the secret police, and Nikita Khrushchev.

This hardly seems the subject for comedy, but in practice, that very thing presents an ideal comic opportunity, both because of the sheer perversity of these brutal figures and bizarreness of looking at them in a comedy context. Iannucci does something remarkable here, in that he lends the whole atmosphere a quality of the ridiculous, while keeping it just within bounds of the absurd. Thus, we appreciate the stakes and take seriously the fact that the characters are at risk and that people are getting murdered.

The movie is funny throughout, sometimes funny from moment to moment, and so full of amusing asides that you might not catch all the humor in a single screening. At the same time, "The Death of Stalin" is a weird sort of hilarious, in that you easily might not laugh for minutes at a time. Instead of one big pie in the face, doled out at intervals, the movie presents an unending series of comic jabs, offered with a blank face and no pushing.

One of the running jokes, for example, is that every time someone hears of Stalin's death, they force themselves to burst into tears, even though it's clear that everyone hated the guy. Watching that isn't exactly side-splitting, but it's definitely and consistently amusing.

Apparently, all the actors were directed to sound like themselves, and that's a smart touch. No one tries to sound or act Russian, and no effort is made to keep the accents uniform. Steve Buscemi as Khrushchev sounds like a nervous guy from Brooklyn. As Malenkov, who assumes power after Stalin's death, Jeffrey Tambor sounds American, while Michael Palin (as Molotov), Jason Isaacs (as Field Marshal Zhukov) and Simon Russell Beale (as Beria) are their usual British selves. Just that one linguistic choice removes everything exotic from the characters and reduces them to comedic scale.

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Immediately after the death of Stalin, Beria started releasing political prisoners, both as a way to distance himself from Stalin's atrocities and to court favor with the public. Meanwhile, Khrushchev, who saw himself as the true reformer, felt himself getting pushed to the margins, and so he fought back. It happens that way in "The Death of Stalin," too, but in the movie, it's funnier.

Beale plays Beria as a vile creature, full of spite and malice. He's a standout, and so is Buscemi, who spends most of the movie either fretting or panicking, but he's scheming, too  and Buscemi suggests that, when it counts, there's an iron core inside this guy. Palin plays Molotov as a figure almost out of "Monty Python," who spouts nonsense and can change opinions from one sentence to the next. And Tambor is particularly funny as the unsteady Malenkov, who is so unsure of himself that he is constantly revising his orders.

At one point Tambor as Malenkov says "No problem," and then insists that he actually meant, "No! Problem!" What makes this particularly funny is the way that Tambor, after saying something so implausible, subtly darts his eyes around the room to see if anyone believes him.
Charles Frazier had a successful career as an English professor in Colorado and North Carolina when he decided to write a novel based on an old family story he had heard growing up. That novel, "Cold Mountain," set during the Civil War, won the National Book Award in 1997 and was made into a successful film in 2004.

His latest book, "Varina" (Harper Collins, $27.99, 351 pages), is also set during the Civil War, but the novel's central character is Varina Howell Davis, the young wife of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy.

"I never intended to go back to the Civil War time period," said Frazier, "but as the past three or four years have shown, that war is not ready to let go of us and there are plenty of people not ready to let go of it."

Varina Davis was a teenager with limited marriage prospects when she married the much older Jefferson Davis, a wealthy Mississippi plantation owner. What she didn't expect was that he would pursue a career in politics that would eventually bring them to Washington in the 1850s.

What caught Frazier's attention about her story was learning that after Jefferson Davis died, Varina Davis left Mississippi and moved to New York City in hopes of becoming a writer. It's where she lived for the rest of her life. "She was 60 or 61 when she began writing and publishing regularly in Pulitzer papers. In my research I found her to be a person who kept surprising people. She thrived in Washington and would have been content to be a senator's wife. She loved having great dinner parties with wonderful conversation. She wasn't afraid to give her own opinions and many in Washington underestimated her. She wasn't the submissive politician's wife, which was the normal behavior at that time."

The novel does not follow Davis' life in chronological order and part of it takes place in Saratoga Springs in the early 1900s. "When she was elderly she used to spend good portions of her summers in various places in upstate New York. I set the location in Saratoga because it's a place I used to visit when my daughter was younger and did horse showing there for a few weeks in June. We used to stay at a place where we would walk to the downtown. It's a lovely place and I look forward to returning."

Frazier found her life interesting, and he knew he could turn it into a novel when he discovered that a few days before the fall of Richmond she fled in a desperate attempt to not be captured by the Federal army. She and some of her children and friends traveled through South Carolina and Georgia, hoping to escape to Cuba. "That trip was the axle of her life, everything turns around it," said Frazier. "The book is mostly about the consequences of that war. She sees on that trip the devastation of what happened. Her personal odyssey was traveling through the wasteland of that war."

A quality Frazier most admired about Davis was that she became a woman in her late 70s who didn't necessarily hold on to the racist values of her youth. "She changed with the times. When she was older she often said the right side won the war, and even when secession was about to happen she told a few people, 'My husband is going to be the President, and it's going to be a disaster.'"

She even helped Jefferson Davis write his memoir as he was dying. Her husband believed the slave economy was more humane than the child labor mills of Yankee capitalism, but she came to understand later in life the horror of the ownership of people. "Jefferson Davis and his brother would often talk about their humane plantation and how they treated their slaves well," said Frazier. "It's not surprising that so many owners could come up with reasons to justify the ownership of people. That ownership often gave them the freedom to do horrible things to their slaves."

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When Frazier read letters Jefferson and Varina Davis exchanged, he found an unexpected degree of disharmony. "They spent a lot of time in their marriage apart, and a lot of the time quarreling."

When Varina moved to New York City many in the South found that unseemly. "The city of Richmond offered her a place to live for free for the rest of her life, but she stayed in New York. The building where she lived is still there. It's a hotel now only three blocks from Times Square."

She even formed a friendship with the widow of Ulysses S. Grant. "How unlikely was that?" said Frazier. "The two of them were conscious that the relationship was of interest to people. They made sure they did things together in places where they would be seen. They wanted their friendship to be an example of the reunification of the country."

Because of the success of his first book as a movie he thinks this new book has a good shot to be made into a film. "There's no plan yet, but it sure would be a good role for a talented actress."

Jack Rightmyer is a regular contributor to the Times Union.
Proctors recently unveiled an enticing roster of Broadway touring productions for 2019, including the smash hit "Hamilton."

If you plan to see the acclaimed musical about America's youngest Founding Father, you may need to become more intimately acquainted with the face of another important historical figure, Benjamin Franklin.

Premium tickets to the most popular touring plays can easily rise north of $100. On the secondary market, rates can inexplicably soar into the thousands. For spendthrift theatergoers, what may emerge is a duel between the culture-seeking heart and financially pragmatic mind.

However, you shouldn't assume ticket prices to see the roving Great White Way will leave you penniless. There are Broadway series ticket prices to suit all budgets, says Proctors CEO Philip Morris, as well as means to save.

"We try to remind people all the time that when you see a high-price VIP ticket that gets you face-to-face with a star, that's what that is," says Morris. "If you want to find an affordable option, it's there."

Those willing to spend a little more at the outset can become a member of Proctors' subscription series. Prices start at $204 per person and include tickets to select collection of performances at Proctors and Albany's Capital Repertory Theatre. Subscription ticket prices reflect a 40 percent discount over regular ticket prices. Subscribers also save on ticket fees, get pre-access to new shows and can split the payments up over time.

Becoming a subscriber is the only way to secure a ticket to "Hamilton" at this point in time. Individual seats for next year's slate of shows are not on sale yet; when they do become available, be ready to pounce on tickets that are part of the Lia Club 20 promotion. The Capital Region automotive family has partnered with Proctors to offer lounge seats to virtually every live performance, says Morris, for just $20. "Hamilton" will hopefully be included, he adds.

Proctors will occasionally offer two-for-one ticket online discounts or host day-of-performance lottery sales where tickets can be purchased at a significant discount. Last year, a limited number of $25 orchestra seats to "Wicked" were awarded mere hours before the curtain rose. These rush-ticket opportunities are dictated by the production company.

More for you 10 real things to buy with that $5,700 being asked for fake...

When "Hamilton" arrives next year, Morris fully expects 40 tickets to each performance will be awarded for just $10 to fortunate showgoers who enter the Ham4Ham lottery, which is now is hosted on the official Hamilton site (hamiltonmusical.com). The lottery opens at 11 a.m. two days prior to each show. Winners are notified the morning before the performance and have the opportunity to buy two $10 tickets during a limited purchase window. Further details will be announced next year.

There are a few more simple ways you can save on your next trip to Proctors. If you can gather a gang together, a 10 percent discount is available to groups of 10 or more to most shows. Purchase 50 or more tickets through the Group Services Department and you'll receive a 20 percent discount on each seat.

The theater continuously recruits new volunteers to work as ushers, bartenders, counter staff and more. Volunteers receive special ticket opportunities.

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Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members can get ticket discounts, as can membersof AAA Hudson Valley. Discounts may not apply to "Hamilton" tickets.

Live in Clifton Park? The Friends of the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library and Proctors partner to offer discount seats. You can learn more at the library.

On rare occasions, daily deals sites Travelzoo and Groupon offer discounted tickets to select performances. Tickets for seats to the mid-April run of "Dirty Dancing," regularly priced at $50, were recently featured on Travelzoo for $30.

If you stumble upon a sensational deal on a website other than Proctors.com, proceed with caution, says Morris. Far too many third-party ticket aggregators and exchange sites are peddling phony tickets.

"They cause us nothing but harm and pain," says Morris. "They will frequently sell the same ticket twice. We work really hard to stop those sales."

The staff at Proctors pores over all sales daily to ensure patrons purchase only legitimate tickets. The easiest way to guarantee your ticket is genuine is to purchase directly through the theater at Proctors.org.
Albany

Gabriel Vega killed two, but was punished for one.

Vanessa Milligan was a victim. The other was Alina Milligan, who hadn't yet been born.

At the time, prosecutors of the 2014 killings in Troy expressed frustration that, under New York law, they couldn't charge Vega for two killings. The only available charge for Alina's death was first-degree abortion, the crime for the intentional miscarriage of a fetus more than 24 weeks old that doesn't involve saving the mother's life.

That charge could soon disappear.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as part of his budget, has proposed removing abortion from the penal code, a change that some activists have long wanted. But opponents note that the change would allow the killing of viable fetuses, wanted by their mothers, to essentially go unpunished.

For example, if an abusive husband punched his pregnant spouse in the belly, killing the child, prosecutors could charge the man only with the assault on his wife. There would be no available charge for the death of the fetus.

"It's grotesque," said Shane Hug, a former Rensselaer County assistant district attorney who helped prosecute Vega. "Can you think of a worse act of domestic violence?"

I can't, and given that pregnant women face an increased risk of domestic violence, it is ironic that Cuomo proposed the changes as part of a supposed Women's Agenda.

The governor's proposed budget includes several other abortion-related proposals that are hotly controversial in the usual ways of the debate over reproductive rights. But I'm going to concentrate here on issues involving viable fetuses wanted by their mothers  cases like the killing of Vanessa and Alina Milligan, who died six days before her due date.

In part, that's because I think the argument is distinct from the abortion debate. In other words, you can be decidedly pro-choice and still be troubled that a healthy baby  that's the word, not fetus, that every pregnant mom uses  killed weeks or days ahead of his or her expected birth isn't considered worthy of special punishment.

"Roe v. Wade was presumably about a woman's right to choose," said Kathleen Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference. "It certainly does not protect the rights of a third party to destroy that child against her will."

In 38 states, including California, prosecutors can pursue a separate manslaughter charge when an unborn child is killed without a mother's consent. No such law exists in New York.

There have been efforts to change that.

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act, originally proposed by former Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, a pro-choice Democrat from the Bronx who noted that crimes involving pregnant women are more common than many believe, would allow the involuntary, violent termination of a pregnancy to be treated as a felony. The bill has languished for years.

In part, that's because some pro-choice voices fiercely resist giving unborn children any legal protection whatsoever, even when they pass the age of viability. Advocates also want abortion removed from the penal code, as Cuomo proposed in a budget that was still being negotiated on Wednesday.

(Separate legislation passed by the Democrat-controlled Assembly would do the same.)

"Abortion is not a crime, nor is it the result of a violent attack  it is a health-care procedure," Robin Chappelle Golston, president of Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, said in a written statement.

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"In the horrible circumstance where a third party attacks a woman and she loses a pregnancy, there are appropriate criminal charges," Golston added. "Courts in New York have found that an attack on a pregnant woman that results in fetal loss constitutes first-degree assault  which holds a harsher penalty than does a charge of abortion."

Just to be clear, that's assault on the mother, not the child. The charge would, of course, bring less of a punishment than murder or manslaughter.

Those more significant charges are what Vanessa's father, Nate Milligan, wanted for the killings of both his daughter, who was 19, and his unborn granddaughter. The family, he said, mourned the two losses after Vega killed them and set their apartment on fire to hide his crime.

"It was on the same level as killing my daughter," Milligan said of Alina's death. "We felt like it should have been double for everything."

Ultimately, Vega was given 25 years for manslaughter and 25 years for arson. The 2 - to 7-year sentence for his first-degree abortion conviction is running concurrently, meaning it was largely symbolic.

Still, it was something. It acknowledged that Alina's life had value.

More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse

The Milligan killings and the limitations faced by prosecutors still haunt Hug, the former assistant district attorney. Vanessa was burned beyond recognition, he said, but an autopsy revealed Alina's small body, just days away from a scheduled C-section, to be unharmed by the fire and fully formed.

"I saw it," Hug said. "It was a baby."
In a 4-1 decision Thursday, an appellate court in Albany upheld a lower court ruling dismissing a lawsuit to close the controversial "LLC loophole" that allows huge political giving in New York elections.

In the majority opinion, Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry of the Third Judicial Department wrote that the petitioners in the case  New York University's Brennan Center for Justice and six current or former political candidates  lacked standing to bring the lawsuit.

In addition, she wrote that closing the "LLC loophole," which allows each limited liability company owned by a person to give up to $150,000 annually in New York elections, was a matter for the Legislature, not the courts.

The LLC loophole was created not by law, but by a 1996 state Board of Elections opinion. Legislative efforts by Democrats to repeal the decision  which benefits Senate Republicans more due to their close ties to the real estate industry  have been stymied by the majority Senate Republicans.

"Essentially, petitioners ask this Court to direct respondent to rescind its 1996 opinion on the LLC Loophole and replace it with one that would provide what they assert to be a superior application of public policy," Garry wrote in the majority opinion, which was joined by two others. "We may not grant this request without violating the vital principle of the separation of powers."

In a concurring opinion, Justice John Egan agreed that the Board of Elections decision was not a matter for the courts to decide, but for different reasons.

The respondent in the lawsuit was the state Board of Elections.

In a dissent, Justice Michael Lynch argued that it was improper for LLCs to have a vastly highly donation limit than corporations, which have a $5,000 annual donation cap. Dissenting opinions are rare in the third appellate division.

Because there were not two dissents, the case will not automatically be kicked up to the Court of Appeals. Still, Daniel Weiner, senior counsel at the Brennan Center, said a further appeal was "likely," although the other plaintiffs need to be consulted on the decision.

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"We're deeply disappointed that the court like the trial courts chose to hide behind technicalities in order to avoid the merits of the issue," Weiner said. "Nobody wants to actually defend the LLC loophole, they want to look for excuses not to deal with this."

Weiner praised Lynch's dissenting opinion, and said it was well within the justices' authority to "exercise some courage and do their jobs."

In a related decision issued on Thursday, the justices said that the petitioners lacked standing to bring the lawsuit because they are trying to reverse a 2016 Board of Elections vote that deadlocked 2-2 on the question of whether to revisit the 1996 LLC loophole opinon. Even if the decision were revisited, it's unlikely that the board  which consists of two Republicans and two Democrats  would issue a new opinion to then rescind the LLC loophole.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the biggest recipient of LLC contributions, has repeatedly proposed closing it, but has not made it a major policy priority with recalcitrant Senate Republicans in the majority.
CORINTH  A 13-year-old boy was charged with a felony after threatening to "shoot up" Corinth High School on Wednesday, the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office said.

The Sheriff's Office investigated a complaint about the threat, which was made at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday.
NEW YORK (AP)  A New York federal appeals court says a judge went over the line by banning a man from drinking alcohol for four years.

Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jose Cabranes says in an opinion released Wednesday the alcohol ban imposed on Jeffrey Betts was unrelated to his crime and was unreasonable.
ALBANY  Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the state Labor Department to investigate reports of threatening and coercive behavior at Albany Medical Center, where nurses are attempting to unionize.

Roughly 2,100 nurses are eligible to vote in an election on April 12 and 13. They'll be asked to vote for or against joining the New York State Nurses Association, a union that represents approximately 40,000 nurses around the state and recently negotiated a contract for nurses at Westchester Medical Center.

The effort to unionize began more than a year ago, organizers said, when Albany nurses were inspired by the success the union had negotiating contracts elsewhere. But in recent weeks, as the election has neared, nurses have been subject to an escalating series of "coercive and intimidating" actions by management, they said, and filed complaints with the state Labor Department.

On Thursday afternoon, the governor issued a statement calling for an investigation into those complaints, saying he is "deeply disturbed" by the alleged behavior.

"New York state is a union state and we believe in the fundamental right to organize," he said. "At a time when organized labor is under attack from President Trump and the federal government in Washington, I stand shoulder to shoulder with our union brothers and sisters and those seeking to organize, especially the men and women who serve our sick and elderly at hospitals across the state.

"The right to organize is paramount, and New York state will not stand for any attempts to intimidate, illegally prevent, or dissuade workers from unionizing," the governor said.

The alleged behavior, organizers said, included warning Filipina nurses who are in Albany on work visas that unionizing might affect their immigration status, warning nurses that their raises and vacation that were already in the pipeline would either be canceled or held up if they decided to unionize, writing up nurses who discussed the union drive on non-work time, tearing down informational flyers from bulletin boards, and holding one-on-one and "captive audience" meetings to discourage nurses from organizing.

"I have been a union lawyer for a little over 35 years, and some of the conduct we have seen going on in Albany to fight unionization is among the most vicious and overreaching that I have ever seen in a union organization drive," said Susan Davis, general counsel for the New York State Nurses Association.

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Albany Medical Center, in a statement to the Times Union, said it respects its nurses and is closely following laws and regulations to ensure they have the right to make a "free and informed choice."

"Unfortunately, we have received numerous reports of our nurses who intend to vote no being subjected to intimidation and bullying by union supporters," a hospital spokesperson said. "This is a situation we cannot tolerate. We join with the governor in calling for an end to anything other than honest and respectful dialogue."

Organizers say the hospital should have filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees the election process, if it had received such reports.

Albany Medical Center nurses have attempted to unionize in the past. From 2001 to 2003, there were at least three drives to join New York State United Teachers, which represents nurses as well as teachers. Each of those elections failed by a narrow margin, organizers said.

In recent years, nurses employed by other area hospitals, including Nathan Littauer in Gloversville and Bellevue Woman's Center in Niskayuna, have successfully organized and gained union representation.
BETHLEHEM  A trucking business owner who ran for Albany Common Council last year is charged with stalking her former husband in Delmar  who himself has faced stalking and criminal impersonation charges.

Joanne Genovese, 62, who lost a Democrat primary and general election in the city's 13th Ward to now-Councilwoman Ginnie Farrell, is accused of stalking her 59-year-old ex-husband in a parking lot at 250 Delaware Ave. about 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday , a Bethlehem police report said.

Police allege Genovese followed the ex-husband  Samuel David Kramer  to a doctor's office, opened the doors of his vehicle and snapped photos of the contents in his car. The arrest report said she told police she took the photos "for a divorce court hearing." It was unclear what any hearing might concern.

Genovese was charged with fourth-degree stalking, a misdemeanor, and arraigned Wednesday before Town Justice Andrew Kirby, who released her without bail.

Genovese, who owns Genovese Transport & Cartage, lost a Democratic primary to Farrell by a tally 444- 256 in a race to fill the seat vacated by Councilman Dan Herring in 2017.

Genovese then ran on the Independence Party line in the general election against Farrell and Republican Timothy Looker.



In 2014, her ex-husband was charged in federal court in Albany with impersonating a retired New York state trooper and former homicide detective in Baltimore to impress a Clifton Park woman he met on the internet and began dating. He pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a gun and was sentenced to time served and six months of home detention.

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"The defendant may like Tommy Lee Jones movies, and he may have even stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but that does not make him a United States Marshal. In the future we would hope he instead takes advantage of old dating standbys like dinner and a movie," Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sharpe said in a pre-sentencing memo to U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino in 2015.

At the time, the prosecutor noted Kramer and his estranged wife had a "series of incidents." In 2012, Kramer was charged with aggravated harassment and fourth-degree stalking and pleaded it down to a violation harassment charge.

In addition, the memo said, "There appears to have been a domestic history between the two often not resulting in the filing of criminal charges dating back to 2004."

"The defendant and the 'truth' are not immediate and fast friends," Sharpe stated. "His initial inclination often appears to be embellish if not outright lie."
ALBANY  The New York News Publishers Association is urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reconsider a measure requiring the disclosure of entities that purchase online political and advocacy ads.

The news organization noted that the governor's proposal, which has been part of the state budget talks, fails to define the term "online platform." It's unclear whether the legislation would apply to personal blogs, online websites that do not publish printed papers, or only newspaper websites.

"The governor's proposal enlists 'online platforms' to act as agents of election law compliance by requiring them to verify the source of funding used to purchase ads, and to ensure the advertiser has properly registered with the state Board of Elections," NYNPA said in a statement. "Aside from the obvious First Amendment implications of requiring news organizations to act as compliance agents of state government, the proposal raises a number of questions."

The measure, for instance, would mandate that online platforms maintain a public database of any advertising purchased by independent committees. Violations of the requirement could result in fines.

The publishers association said there are hundreds of small newspapers across the state, including publications staffed by only one or two people and others that are published in languages other than English.

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"How will these organizations develop sufficient expertise in New York State Election Law to discern which advertising refers to a 'ballot proposal,' or would fall under the complex definition of an independent expenditure committee?" the association said in the statement.

Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie called for passage of the legislation last month, saying the proposal would "ensure New York's elections are fair, transparent and free from foreign influence." The proposal was prompted by concerns that Russian spy agencies had used social media platforms in the United States to try and influence the presidential election.

The legislation would expand the state's definition of political communication to include paid internet and digital advertisements and require "digital platforms to maintain a public file of all political advertisements purchased by a person or group for publication on the platform and require online platforms verify that foreign individuals and entities are not purchasing political advertisements in order to influence the American electorate," the governor's office said in a press release.
NYS DEC

BERNE  A town resident accused of burning his house down in an apparent attempt to demolish the abandoned structure on March 11 allegedly told officers he thought that as long as he reported the flames it was legal, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said Wednesday.

The man, who was not identified, has been ticketed for unlawful open burning, the DEC said. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said no additional charges would be filed.
ALBANY  Workers at the state Office of Information Technology Services have been blocked from accessing a website on their state computers that contains highly critical claims about that agency's leadership.

A screenshot sent to the Times Union shows that an employee's attempt to visit the website  NysITSCorruption.com  resulted in a message stating that "permission to visit this site" had been denied.
WHAT IS IT: Ginger-lime salmon poke, Fin  Your Fishmonger, Guilderland

BACKGROUND: In December, Rob Handel  who for four years was the chef at Heather Ridge Farm in Preston Hollow in rural Albany County  became executive chef at Fin  Your Fishmonger in Guilderland. Unusual for a small retail store, Fin has a full-time in-house chef for its prepared foods and grab-and-go dishes to be cooked at home, and for table-service meals including brunch on the first Sunday of the month and seafood suppers on the third Sunday. This dish, a Hawaiian staple similar to tartare, is part of Handel's mandate to expand Fin toward a raw-bar style restaurant that features innovative and traditional ceviches, crudos, rotating East and West Coast oysters, po' boys, tacos, plated meals and more. He also is continuing his program of wild edibles and fermented, smoked, preserved and otherwise handcrafted ingredients.

WHY IT'S SO GOOD: Handel, who has family in Hawaii, wanted to offer a different twist on traditional poke, which is most often ahi tuna with a soy-based marinade. He chose salmon and subbed in fish sauce, which doesn't overwhelm salmon's more delicate flavor and also doesn't stain its orange flesh the way soy would. The simple dressing adds complexity, acid and a little heat to the fish, which further benefits from sesame seeds and scallions rounds for texture. Eat it as is, spooned onto wonton chips or shrimp crackers, or as the centerpiece of an entree-size, healthful poke bowl.

Each month, Dish & Drink spotlights an individual restaurant item  starter, main course, dessert or cocktail  and we include a recipe so you can make it at home. Steve Barnes is senior writer and restaurant columnist for the Times Union.

Ginger-Lime Salmon Poke

From Rob Handel, executive chef, Fin  Your Fishmonger, Guilderland

Serves four as an appetizer, two as an entree

Ingredients:

1 pound salmon

1 tablespoon finely minced or grated ginger

Zest from one lime

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 teaspoon honey

3 scallions

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Method:

Skin the salmon if necessary and cut into half-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl.

Place the ginger into a small, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Raw ginger has an enzyme that will digest proteins and make the salmon soft and mealy; this step kills that enzyme. Add the lime zest, fish sauce, honey and Sriracha to the ginger and stir well to combine.

Slice the scallions into thin rounds and add to the salmon along with the ginger-lime sauce. Stir in toasted sesame seeds immediately before serving.

In Hawaii, poke  which means "to slice or cut" in Hawaiian  is typically eaten alone as an appetizer, and it is ubiquitous at backyard barbecues and supermarket deli counters. To serve as an entree, make a "poke bowl" by pairing the poke with pickled vegetables, sushi rice, greens, herbs or sauces that suit your tastes.
From suburban sprawl to charming riverside towns, Route 9W covers a lot of territory.

As we set off one warm, sunny day in February (!), we weren't sure what we would find. After all, most traffic long ago shifted to the state Thruway, which parallels the highway through the Hudson Valley.

Route 9W has a certain hard-luck quality. Collapsing barns, abandoned shops, massive industrial plants that emerge from a dystopian landscape, all line the route as you leave the shopping strips of Bethlehem and Glenmont.

Heavy trucks ply the two-lane road, shuttling among industrial sites and the nearby Thruway. Signs warn off would-be trespassers at some of the sites.

Finally, we had a respite as we entered the river town of Saugerties. We followed signs to the restored Saugerties lighthouse, following a winding half-mile path out to the Hudson, where the landmark building sits at the river's edge.

The 1869 structure offers overnight stays  we're told they sell out almost immediately  but every so often a vacancy appears at the saugertieslighthouse.com website.

A deck with picnic tables and benches is open to the public, and guided tours are offered Sunday afternoons from Memorial Day to Labor Day and by appointment.

Saugerties also offers a charming downtown with quirky shops and restaurants. The streets were busy on this sunny weekday afternoon.

Route 9W continues south out of town to Kingston, where it literally sails over that community's harbor on a highway viaduct. This town, featured in an earlier Traveling Man column, is also worth a stop, with a trolley that takes visitors to a riverside park and restaurants boasting outdoor decks with views of the harbor.

Perhaps the best view of the Hudson is a few miles farther south in the town of Highland. While Route 9W here is mostly a suburban four-lane road lined with shopping plazas, chain restaurants and plenty of parking lots, a small sign points the way to the west end of Walkway Over the Hudson, a former railroad bridge that in 2009 reopened as a 1.28-mile pedestrian bridge, more than 200 feet above the river.

Its opening marked the quadricentennial of explorer Henry Hudson's trip up what for many years was called the North River. The revitalized walkway has become a major tourist attraction, with a glass elevator on the east side connecting the bridge to a Poughkeespie park.

Route 9W also skirts a wine-making region, with numerous wineries nearby. Among them is Benmarl Winery in Marlboro, which claims to have the oldest vineyard in the state and holds the first state-issued farm winery license.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; parks.ny.gov

At Newburgh, we came to Interstate 84, and with the sun lower in the sky, we decided to take the Thruway back to the Capital Region. We'd hoped to visit George Washington's headquarters several blocks off 9W in Newburgh, but its winter hours are limited and on this day, it was closed.

This is where Washington, faced with a near-mutiny in the Continental Army even as victory in the Revolutionary War seemed near in 1783, put an end to the unrest with an emotional appeal to his troops.

The stone headquarters is open Fridays and Saturdays until mid-April, when it expands to Wednesday through Sunday hours. Check the website for more details.

We'd spent most of the day exploring Route 9W. The return trip took less than 90 minutes. What we'd seen was mostly invisible to Thruway travelers as they hurried to their destination.

It wasn't until we arrived at Interstate 787 that we again saw the impact of the Hudson, with the railyards and tank farms at the Port of Albany, and the downtown skyline as a backdrop.

On this day, the slower route had definitely been worth the time.
Being a 911 dispatcher might be harrowing most of the time, but it also provides moments of levity.

Especially on Thanksgiving.

In a recent Reddit thread asking 911 dispatchers for "some of the dumbest calls you've gotten," one user related the classic "emergency" call they always get on turkey day.

"Every Thanksgiving you'll always get the person who calls because they don't know how long to cook a turkey," they replied. "Never fails."

The user also added that "someone always puts a frozen turkey in a deep fryer," causing a house fire.

MORE: Redditors who went on reality TV shows reveal how real (or fake) they were

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FYI for the confused cooks out there: There's another place to call for turkey problems. Butterball's turkey hotline, in operation since 1981, is the appropriate place to direct your queries.

ALSO: In-N-Out worker shares cult burger chain's secrets, tips

But fowl mishaps are the least of 911 dispatchers' strange stories: Click through the gallery above to read the weird and funny calls dispatchers have received over the years. (Note: Some stories have been edited for punctuation and grammar.)
Samsung wasn't expected to release its Galaxy Note 9 until much later in the year. But now a new report suggests its release could be bumped up due to a disappointing Galaxy S9 launch.

(Image credit: Samsung)

The Korean tech giant could release the Galaxy Note 9 as early as July or August instead of offering the new handset in September, like it did with the Galaxy Note 8, The Investor is reporting. It's believed that Samsung's Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ haven't been performing as well as the company might have hoped. An earlier replacement, the report suggests, could help Samsung overcome missed financial targets.

Samsung released its Galaxy S9 line earlier this month, and based on our review of the S9 and S9+, they're best Android phones you can buy. The handset comes with improved power, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and the camera offers much improved low-light performance. A new feature called Intelligent Scan marries the handset's face and iris scanners to create a more convenient way to unlock the devices.

MORE: Galaxy Note 9 Will Have What Galaxy S9 Doesn't

However, beyond that, not much has changed compared to the Galaxy S8 that hit store shelves last year. And consumers may be sticking with their older handsets for now.



Samsung released its Galaxy Note 8 on Sept. 15, which at the time, was considered a bit late. In years past, the company stuck to a late-August time frame to help it beat Apple's flagship to the punch. But Samsung also need to ensure that the Note 8 was safe so as not to repeat the fire hazard debacle that was the Note 7.

For its part, Samsung hasn't commented on Galaxy S9 sales and likely won't until it reports earnings for its most recent quarter. And even then, the company could pitch the Galaxy Note 9's possible early launch as an opportunity to beat Apple to store shelves rather than a response to the Galaxy S9.

Either way, look for the Galaxy Note 9 to come with a few major updates. The Investor, whose report was earlier discovered by SamMobile, added that it's possible the Galaxy Note 9 could come with a larger 6.4-inch screen. The Note 9 could also get a fingerprint sensor embedded into its display, so you wouldn't have to reach around the device to unlock your phone.

Stay tuned for Galaxy Note 9 rumors as they emerge.
Recalls happen all the time in the auto industry. Whats rare is when the automaker thats doing the recall is a niche Italian supercar brand thats known more for building some of the most gorgeous cars on the planet. But alas, strange things happen in this strange business, which is why, of all auto brands in the world, Pagani is recalling all 2017 MY Huayra BC and Huayra Roadster supercars in the U.S. All 16 of them.

By "all," we mean all 16 of them

The recall involves all 16 Huayra BC and Huayra Roadster models that are currently in the U.S.

And you thought the Ferrari 488s that Ferrari recalled a week ago was rare? Apparently, Pagani is taking that mantle for itself. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall involves all 16 Huayra BC and Huayra Roadster models that are currently in the U.S. Turns out, even these multi-million dollar supercars are subject to defects and deficiencies. Who knew?

In the case of the Huayras, the defect was reportedly found in the battery, which may not have enough power to start the car or keep it running. Imagine driving your Huayra with everyone looking at it, and then it suddenly stops because the battery conks out. Sucks to be you, right?

Unfortunately, neither Pagani nor the NHTSA has found a remedy to fix the defective batteries. As such, theres no timetable on when the cars are going to get fixed, leaving open the possibility that you may not be able to drive your Huayras for an unspecified period of time.

In the case of the Huayras, the defect was reportedly found in the battery, which may not have enough power to start the car or keep it running

Its a big problem to have, especially for a car thats supposedly immune to everyday knocks like a faulty battery. Neither the Huayra BC or Huayra Roadster are supposed to have problems like this. Both cars are made out of carbon fiber, pack 6.0-liter, twin-turbo, V-12 engines, and have as much as 745 horsepower to play with. If they are going to have any problem, shouldnt it involve something a lot more sophisticated than a defective battery?

But, reality is reality no matter how its interpreted. All 16 units of the Huayra BC and Huayra Roadster in the U.S. are up for a recall. For safetys sake, owners of these mighty supercars better adhere to it, or they could find themselves with bigger problems down the road.

References

Read our full review on the 2018 Pagani Huyra Roadster.

Read our full review on the 2017 Pagani Huayra BC.

Read more Pagani news.
Genesis pulled the sheets off of the Essentia electric concept car at the 2018 New York Auto Show. As you might expect, the Essentia was in its own element as one of the few concept cars to make it to the Big Apple. It was in attendance to showcase what a future, Genesis-badged electric car could be in the future. Just dont get too excited about seeing a production version of the Essentia. Its probably not happening, though the technology it comes with could evolve into something that Hyundais luxury brand can use down the road.

Its the luxury brands first-ever attempt at a concept, and as far as first impressions go, the concept delivered the goods

The Genesis Essentia Concept has the makings of an all-timer. Its the luxury brands first-ever attempt at a concept, and as far as first impressions go, the concept delivered the goods. Theres a lot to like about it, not the least of which is a body made largely from carbon fiber. The monocoque structure and chassis are also made from the lightweight material, helping the concept keep its weight down.

Genesis said that the concept also features a number of electric motors that can help it accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just three seconds. There are no specific details on the exact power and performance numbers, but thats to be expected considering that we are dealing with a futuristic concept car that likely has no shot at ever making it as a production model.

There may be certain elements that can be loosely translated into a future production model, but as far as the concepts notable design highlights, dont put any money on it.

Thats where we should be careful about setting expectations on the Essentia. As revolutionary as it looks and as intriguing as it sounds as a future Genesis model, theres very little about it that can really translate into a future Genesis model. Think about it. Do you think a 50-inch roofline makes sense on a production Genesis? How about the GT-styled cabin that looks more like something youd see in Tron? There may be certain elements that can be loosely translated into a future production model, but as far as the concepts notable design highlights, dont put any money on it.

Even Manfred Fitzgerald, the global head of Genesis, understands the objective of the Essentia Concept as nothing but an interpretation of what a future all-electric Genesis GT model could look like if the automaker decides to go that route. We understand our obligation as a luxury car manufacturer to create objects of desire, sparking passion and inspiration by emphasizing a culture while exceeding expectations in terms of technology and connectivity, bringing our outside world seamlessly to the inside of the vehicle, he said. This is what the Genesis Essentia Concept is all about, and we are thrilled to introduce our interpretation of an all-electric, two-door Gran Turismo here in New York.

The Essentia Concept was showcased in New York, and its getting a ton of favorable reactions

By all accounts, Genesis succeeded in its objective. The Essentia Concept was showcased in New York, and its getting a ton of favorable reactions. There is a part of me that wishes it were possible for the concept to move over to production. Its that captivating. But, if youve been around the industry long enough to know what these concepts are for, youll know that theres little to no chance that Genesis is going to go completely out of its own element this early in its life as Hyundais luxury division. Maybe itll happen years from now when the company is established enough as a brand that it can steer its own future without help from its parent company.

But in the next few years? Dont get your hopes up.

References

The Genesis Essentia Concept Is The Outrageously Gorgeous EV Concept We Need

Read more Genesis news.

Read more New York Auto Show news.
When Maserati first announced plans to build an SUV back in 2011, not many people took the company seriously. It didnt help the Italian automakers cause when it took five years for the production model to arrive. As it turns out, all that waiting was for a reason. The Levante not only proved to be a popular model  over 10,000 units sold worldwide in 2017  it also paved the way for the Levante Trofeo to get showcased at the 2018 New York Auto Show. From ambitious beginnings to a full-fledged, Ferrari-powered range-topper, Maserati apparently knew what it was doing all along.

The Levante had a huge impact on that, accounting for over 11,000 units sold in the U.S. and Europe alone.

Maserati deserves a lot of credit for taking this leap. At the time of the Kubang Concepts unveiling in 2011, there werent a lot of premium automakers that were leaning heavily in developing an SUV. Sure, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, and Audi already had theirs, but companies like Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce were still a few years away from smelling the SUV roses. In some ways, Maserati had a hand in jump-starting the sudden uptick in premium crossovers and SUVs.

It took five years, but the company eventually launched the Levante in 2016. Since then, the model has performed better than all of our expectations. In more ways than one too. Very few people expected it to be good, and yet its received rave reviews since it arrived in 2016. More importantly, its been a sales success for Maserati, to the extent that the Italian automaker to double its global sales volume in just one year. The Levante had a huge impact on that, accounting for over 11,000 units sold in the U.S. and Europe alone. If that isnt impressive, I dont know what it is.

The V-8 engine produces a staggering 590 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, or 156 horsepower per liter as Maserati proudly claims

The SUVs success inevitably gave birth to the Levante Trofeo, a juiced-up version of the Maserati SUV thats been described as having the highest output per liter of any Maserati powerplant ever produced. Of course, that powerplant actually comes from Ferrari, but whos really paying attention to that. Whats important is the 3.8-liter, biturbo, V-8 engine that produces a staggering 590 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, or 156 horsepower per liter as Maserati proudly claims. All that translates to an acceleration time of just 3.9 seconds from 0 to 62 mph and a top speed of 186 mph.

Compare that to the standard Levante, and youre looking at an extra 160 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of twist for the Trofeo. That kind of extra power translates into its performance time as the range-topping Levante is faster to 62 mph by an incredible 1.2 seconds and has a top speed thats 22 mph faster than the standard model.

Compare that to the standard Levante, and youre looking at an extra 160 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of twist for the Trofeo.

For those who were skeptical of the Levante when it was being developed  I count myself in this group  the Levante Trofeo is living proof that, more often than not, automakers know exactly what theyre getting into.

References

Maserati Levante Trofeo grabs Porsche Cayenne Turbo by the throat with V-8 engine

Read our full speculative review on the 2019 Maserati Levante GTS.

Read our full review on the 2016 Maserati Levante.

Read more New York Auto Show news.

Read more Maserati news.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday rebuffed  at least for now  a call from GOP leaders to appoint a second special counsel to look into a host of their concerns and announced that he has asked the U.S. Attorney in Utah to spearhead a broad review. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Theres been a pretty popular and awkwardly named no poo trend going around. People forgo shampoo to avoid chemicals that strip away hairs natural oils; some even say shampoo is a sham created by advertisers over the past century. Katherine and Margaret here at Treehugger even ran careful experiments testing the trend.

I am not one of those people. I stopped washing my hair for two months by accident.

It all began when I was traveling through Portugal with my friends  let's call them Timward and Patriciabeth. I fully intended to shower, but something scared me off all the plumbing in our Lisbon apartment.

It All Started With a Washing Machine

youngvet / Getty Images



The washing machine was located under the stove in the tiny kitchen, because nothing says hygienic like a box of dirty water next to your food. Nonetheless, Id already been traveling for a couple weeks with only a backpacks worth of clothes, and my socks were so grimy that they were making my feet itch. I needed to do laundry.I ran a load and, once it finished, I opened the washing machine door. A pool of water spilled out. And I dont mean a trickle: the whole kitchen was flooded with half an inch of water. I slammed the machine door shut, but it was too late.

After pondering the injustice of the universe as a whole and my life in particular, I looked around for a mop. Finding none, I grabbed some towels and tried to soak up the flood. There was so much water that I had to keep squeezing the water out of the towels into the sink and reapplying them. Timward checked on my progress.

Wow, that really is a lot of water, he insightfully observed. Do you need help?

Yes, I responded. He nodded and walked away.

Then Patriciabeth popped in. Looks like youve got it covered, she chirped.

Scared to Shower

piovesempre / Getty Images



After that incident, I was too scared to try the shower. If a machine made for washing clothes could flood the kitchen, what was a machine designed for imitating rain capable of?

Luckily, I was already a pro at not showering. I generally washed my hair every five days or so, which is when my roots tended to get unbearably greasy. I figured Id just shower at the next place.

Alas, faulty systems were not an exclusively Lisbonian problem. Portugal was a global empire in the 16th century, but its been going downhill ever since, thanks to an earthquake and a few plucky French invasions. Long story short, Portuguese electricity and plumbing arent great. When Timward tried to use the oven at our apartment in Porto, it literally shocked him. Still, I was getting desperate.

Im gonna take a shower, I announced over cold sandwiches the next day.

Be careful, Timward warned me. The water pressures crazy. This did not sound like a problem to me. But when I turned on the tap, I discovered that the water was cold and the pressure non-existent. Apparently, by the water pressures crazy, Timward had meant, I cranked the pressure way up and used all the hot water. I heroically soaped and rinsed my body in about ten seconds but did not even attempt to clean my hair.

It was the same story everywhere else we stayed that month. Finally, on the last day, I managed to get warm water long enough to strong-arm some shampoo into my hair, at which point the water ran cold. (I can already hear commenters screaming, "That's washing your hair! You lied!" And maybe they're right. But "I accidentally stopped using shampoo for two months except for once or twice when I sort of didn't," wouldn't fit in the title bar.)

After leaving Portugal, I traveled alone to a Moroccan village with a population of 4,000. By then, a strange thing was happening: My scalp was feeling less oily.

The Moroccan Shower

Me after about a month of no shampoo. Ilana E. Strauss / Treehugger



Youre gonna love the shower, said the man who ran the guesthouse I was checking into as we tripped down a bumpy, dark stone path in the middle of the night. It actually has hot water, he continued, which I guess was something you could brag about there.

Finally. A hot shower. As I prepared my shower supplies, I discovered that Id lost my conditioner. So I asked a French tourist to translate a few words for me (French is one of a few widely-spoken languages in Morocco, thanks to, naturally, a couple French invasions) and went to the villages closet-sized general store.

Vou as conditionneur? I attempted to ask the 10-year-old boy at the outdoor counter. I mimed washing my hair. He gave me a look that said, I dont understand your French, foreigner, but if I did, I bet youd be saying something stupid.

Someone else in line assured me that there was no conditioner. I walked away, wondering how the villagers managed. Their hair looked fine. Maybe they kept a secret stock of conditioner hidden away so they could feel superior to tourists. If so, their plan was working.

I scoured my room for a towel. Apparently, my guesthouse did not provide one; Id have to make do with my sweatshirt. Even worse, the shower in my bathroom had a detachable showerhead. That would have been fine, but the part that connected the showerhead to the wall was broken, so Id have to hose myself down like an elephant bathing with its trunk. But greasy vagabonds cant be choosers.

I turned on the faucet ...

And a sad drizzle of lukewarm water eked out.

Morocco is mostly desert. Its blistering in the sun, but once the sun goes down or you step into the shade, the temperature drops by about 30 degrees. As a result, the guesthouse was an icebox; only a masochist would wash herself in tepid water there. I could rinse my body from time to time, but my hair would have to go au natural. Se la vie.

My hair, though surprisingly not oily, grew coarser and messier as time passed. In the U.S., I generally finger-combed my hair in the shower, but that was no longer an option, and there were no brushes for sale in the village. I took to wearing a plaid scarf Id brought along as a bandana, making me look like a lumberjack pirate.

The Dread Advice

After two months without shampoo. Ilana E. Strauss / Treehugger



Eventually, I met a middle-aged Rasta guy from the Sahara with colorful beads in his dreadlocks and a penchant for quoting Bob Marley.

Where's your family from? he asked me over mint tea at a local cafe blasting a mix of reggae and Berber music.

The U.S.

But originally? he probed. If you know your history, then you would know where youre coming from. I swallowed the real answer  some Jewish shtetl because I was not telling anyone that on this side of the Atlantic.

I like your dreads, I changed the subject.

You should dread yours, he told me. Your whole life would change.

He was right. Dreads dont get tangly; they are tangles. They could be the answer to my conundrum. It was a risky move; Id seen a video of a woman grabbing a blond guy and chastising him for his dreadlocks in San Francisco. I wondered if Americans might find my hairstyle offensive when I returned to the U.S. Still, cultural appropriation might be better than the matted tumbleweed taking over my head.

But before I could dread natty dread, fate intervened.

Hot Shower At Last

My hair after I finally washed it. Ilana E. Strauss / Treehugger



I havent had a hot shower in two months, I complained to a 23-year-old French Canadian who was boiling water over the outdoor propane tank that was his kitchen. I played with a lock of my hair that was making the unilateral decision to start dreading itself.

My showers hot, he responded in his thick Quebec accent, the legacy of yet more French invasions.

I looked at him with the kind of expression you might see on a zombie's face as it approaches a survivor with an, especially juicy brain.

You can use it if you want, he offered nervously. After pressuring the Canadian into lending me a towel, I locked him out of his bathroom and, ready for another disappointment, twisted the shower handle.

Warm water streamed onto my face like magma over an icy mountain. The world faded away; all that existed was the steamy cascade. Id eaten truffles, gotten massages, and stayed in fancy hotels. But Id never known true luxury until that moment. When I emerged from the bathroom, my hair had returned to normal.

"All good?" the Canadian asked me as I left.

"I've been reborn," I told him, stealing the towel.

Heres the odd thing: Over those couple months, Id washed my hair once. But despite getting a little stiff and quite tangled  again, no brush  my hair never really looked or felt too horrific. I think I passed pretty successfully as a perfectly sanitary human. In fact, my hair was greasiest at the two-week mark, which I've heard is the amount of time it takes your hair to adjust to the no shampoo lifestyle. Id finally figured out how the Moroccan villagers kept their hair so silky without conditioner: if you dont dry your hair out with shampoo all the time, you dont need conditioner.

Since coming back to the U.S., Ive started showering regularly again (you're welcome, America). But I only shampoo every ten days or so, and I dont use conditioner. Ultimately, I learned that 1) the no poo trend might be onto something and 2) if you go anywhere that was invaded by the French, bring a comb.
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As our country celebrates 45 years as a republic, let us highlight the two avian species which represent our twin-island nation. Our two national birds, the Scarlet Ibis and the Cocrico, stand proudly on our countrys coat of arms. Today, let us learn more about these two feathered national symbols.
Gary Griffith has sounded an alarm over four senior police officers who are in the running for the position of the countrys next top cop, but who continue to be on active duty and involved in investigations.




Guwahati : Concerning about rising crimes against women in Assam, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday directed all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SP) of all districts to ensure swift and correct filling of charge-sheet in all crimes against women and children so that justice can be given to the victims.





Chaired a law and order meeting with DCs and SPs of all districts through video conferencing at his conference hall at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, the Assam CM said that, no criminal should be able to get away taking advantage of the loopholes in law and that must be ensured by filing an accurate charge-sheet, he said.





Sonowal also directed the DCs and SPs to conduct intensive awareness campaigns with active participation of students, teachers, NGOs, village heads (gao burhas), village defence forces, panchayat members, ASHA

workers, anganwadi workers etc so that people are made aware to prevent heinous crimes taking place against children and women in all corners of the state.





The Assam CM directed the SPs of all districts to personally monitor all such cases.





Issuing a directive to the DCs of all districts to ensure completion of repair works of embankments within stipulated timeframe through strict monitoring, Sonowal instructed DC Jorhat to prevent erosion caused by Brahmaputra River at Nimati Ghat by monitoring the works closely.





He also directed the DCs and SPs of Dibrugarh and Dhemaji Districts to ensure speedy completion of Bogibeel Bridge so that it can be opened for the public at an early date.





Infrastructure development related all national projects must be accorded top priority by the DCs and SPs, Sonowal said.





The Assam CM directed the SPs of all districts to act strongly against drug trafficking and illegal syndicates.




AS he wrapped up a post-Cabinet news conference in Port of Spain on Thursday, the Prime Minister said the country was in a better place than it was this time last year. He was speaking after having rolled out a new regime of arrangements towards further re-opening of the society.
Hi all,

In November and December this year we will travel through Australia for around 5 weeks. We came up with an itinerary but I would love to hear if this itinerary is realistic and if the number of days spent in each place is OK. I should probably mention that we would like to drive no more than 4-5 hours a day and also have some days just for relaxing. Also, we are mainly interested in nature and laid-back cities that are not too touristy.

Arrival in Perth > 2 full days in Perth > 7 days traveling to Cervantes, Kalbarri NP, Denham etc. by campervan > 3,5 days in Fremantle, one day of which we will visit Rottnest Island > Fly from Perth to Alice Springs, 1 day in Alice Springs > 5 days traveling the Red Centre by campervan > Fly from Alice Springs to Adelaide, 2,5 full days in Adelaide there > Drive from Adelaide to Melbourne via Coonawarra/ Penola and the Great Ocean Road in 3 - 4 days > 4,5 full days in Melbourne, one day of which we will visit Phillip Island > Fly from Melbourne to Cairns > 5 full days in Cairns, during which we will visit the GBR, Daintree Rainforest, Cape Trib, etc. > Fly home

Also, some questions I'm hoping you can help me with:

- We are hoping to use a relocation deal for the Adelaide - Melbourne road trip. Are these deals generally available on weekends as well? And is it realistic to think we will find a relocation deal if we are not flexible with regards to dates?

- Is Penola / Coonawarra + Mount Gambier worth a visit?

- We will be using AirBnB's (or campervans) with kitchen facilities to keep costs low. Is it realistic to think we will be able to eat for max. 35 AUD / day (for the 2 of us)?

Of course, any additional advice would be very welcome too!

Edited: 3 years ago
I would go to KI on route to Adelaide. If you haven't discovered this website yet is gives really good ideas plus maps for suggested routes. There is also a suggestion for the whole Melbourne to Adelaide route.

I also wrote a post on things to do around Mt Gambier. I hope you allow the time to enjoy this lovely part of the road and yes Easter will be busy
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I'm planning a rough itinerary for our trip in a month. We've never been to the Breuer. Not even when it was the Whitney. I'd like to work it into our plans this time.

I'm interested in thoughts on the pros and cons of vising this museum weekday vs weekend. Crowding vs potentially disruptive school groups, etc. Does this "less famous" museum have little crowding in general so it's not a concern? I'm talking about a "nice enough weather" day, not a rainy day where museums are overstuffed and positively steamy with soggy people.

Ideally, I would want to combine this with Central Park and I like the Central Park weekend vibe. That's certainly not a complete "must" though.

It's hard for me to estimate how long we might spend there. It's relatively small, isn't it? So perhaps a couple of hours? Our museum style is to linger for pieces that most interest us and sometimes do a slow stroll by others. We don't read every placard for every exhibit. I know... it's vague. I'd also like to spend time in the shop as I've read that it's a little bit fabulous.

I'm also interested in the Cooper Hewitt. Have never been here either(!!). It seems like it might work to combine them. For those familiar with this museum, will weekday vs weekend make a major difference here? Is combining them a bad idea?
- Khalwale questioned why Miguna did not present his Canadian passport for stamping as was standard procedure

- The former Kakamega senator said Miguna should have legally pursued his Kenyan passport afterwards

- He saw no reason why the combative lawyer had to consequentially endure the messy fiasco at JKIA

Former Kakamega senator and deputy leader of Ford Kenya Boni Khalwale, has pointed an accusing finger at self-declared NRM leader Miguna Migunas lawyers for misleading him.

Khalwale slammed Migunas lawyers through a tweet posted on Wednesday, March 28, referring to them as drama queens.

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READ ALSO: Mjukuu wa Kibaki apongeza GSU kwa jinsi walivyomshugulikia Miguna, achochea hisia za Wakenya

In the tweet seen by TUKO.co.ke, the former senator wondered why Miguna couldnt have simply presented his Canadian passport for stamping and thereafter legally pursued his Kenyan passport.

Miguna had for the better part of Tuesday, March 27, been detained at the airport following a botched attempt to deport him to Dubai. Photo: Miguna Miguna/Twitter

Migunas lawyers are also drama queens. Otherwise, having travelled on his Canadian passport, he shouldve just produced it for stamping and there after his lawyers move to court for reinstatement of his Kenyan passport, Khalwale said.

Khalwale didn't understand why Miguna had endure the traumatising ordeal of being manhandled by police officers at JKIA.

The former Kakamega senetor reminded Kenyans the knife (saw) cut both ways and as a result Miguna met the full wrath of law enforcers because of failing to follow standard procedure upon entry.

The Ford Kenya deputy leader opined Miguna could have avoided the whole dramatic episode following his arrival at JKIA airport on Monday, March 26.

READ ALSO: Protests in Kisumu over Miguna Migunas prolonged detention

Khalwale reminded Kenyans the knife cut both ways and as a result Miguna met the full wrath of law enforcers because of failing to follow standard procedure upon entry. Photo: Boni Khalwale/Twitter

After being denied entry, Miguna was advised by his lawyer Cliff Ombeta not to fill the forms to regularise his citizenship status.

READ ALSO: Jubilee cannot be trusted - Raila's adviser speaks after Miguna debacle

As TUKO.co.ke formerly reported, the fiery lawyer was offered some reprieve after the court ordered his immediate release from detention at the JKIA although this is yet to happen.

Following his release order by High Court judge Justice Roselyn Aburili, Miguna is now set to appear in court on Wednesday, March 28.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) | Tuko TV - Kenya News

Source: Tuko.co.ke
- Bushiri's church in Botswana was shutdown by the government for using miracle money

- The 'prophet' is well known for his alleged miracles including claims he could walk on water

- He also claimed his wife was impregnated by the Holy Spirit

- Bushiri is set for a three-day crusade in Kenya

A self-declared and controversial Malawian prophet who shocked the world with claims that his wife was impregnated by the Holy Spirit is set to tour Kenya in his Global Prophetic tour mission.

TUKO.co.ke understands prophet Shepherd Bushiri of Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG), will be landing in the country on April 17 for a two-day preaching tour.

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READ ALSO: Mjukuu wa Kibaki apongeza GSU kwa jinsi walivyomshugulikia Miguna, achochea hisia za Wakenya

A poster announcing the expected Kenyan tour of Bushiri. Photo: ECG

According to Nyasa Times, Bushiri is set to tour the United States, India, Australia, Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi.

Controversial prophet Bushiri who is set to tour Kenya in April 2018. Photo: Prophet Shepherd Bushiri/Facebook

READ ALSO: This job is tough, I am almost giving up - Nairobi governor Mike Sonko

"Together with my father Prophet Uebert Angel and my brother in the Lord, Prophet Jeremiah, our mission in Nigeria was never without a divine agenda.

"We set out for Nigeria with a commissioned goal to preach the gospel, demonstrate His power, deliver the afflicted and usher a message of hope to God's people. This is part of my mission to win two million souls," he said in a Facebook post after his Nigeria tour.

READ ALSO: Former mother in law actress Celina insists shes still thick as fans beg her not to hit the gym

READ ALSO: 16 extremely weird and common opinions foreigners have about Kenya

In 2017, the controversial prophet shocked the world when he said that his wife had been impregnated by the Holy Spirit and that his child would be named Major Jesus.

In 2016, Bushiri released a video in which he claimed he was walking in the air but the footage was pulled down from YouTube.

A screenshot of the YouTube video that had shown Bushiri walking in the air.

The Botswana government in January, 2018 closed Bushiri's churches after he introduced what he termed 'miracle money' in contravention of the country's laws on money.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Kenya Breaking News Today
- Kenyans on social media took issue with the government's constant disobedience of court orders

- Nairobi High Court Judge George Odunga found Matiangi, Boinnet and Kihalangwa in contempt of court

- The trio should expect to be fined up to KSh 200k or be thrown in jail for six months

The controversy surrounding detention and subsequent failure by the government to produce Miguna Miguna in court continues to feature prominently in most conversations.

Nairobi High Court Judge George Odunga on Wednesday, March 28, convicted Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet for disrespecting the court orders.

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READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

Odunga summoned Matiangi to appear before court on Thursday, March 29, together with Boinnet and Immigration Director Gordon Kihalangwa for sentencing and further orders.

Kenyans on Twitter took issue with the government constant disobedience of the court orders requiring them to release the fiery lawyer. Photo: Daily Nation

READ ALSO: Police officers stole KSh 150k from me - Miguna Miguna

The judge said court orders should be respected by everybody and added he would still sentence them in their absence.

"State officers cannot continue to act in contempt and going about their business without respecting courts orders," the judge said.

Kenyans on social media took issue with the government's constant disobedience of the court orders requiring them to release the fiery lawyer.

READ ALSO: Matiang'i, Boinnet now face possible jail-terms as Miguna saga boils over

This is the umpteenth time the three defied another court order seeking immediate release of the embattled general.

READ ALSO: State officials go into hiding to evade court orders from Miguna's lawyers

The trio should expect to be fined up to KSh 200,000 or be thrown in jail for six months, or be slapped with both.

Latest reports indicated the government intended to appeal the charges.

Miguna's woes started on Tuesday, January 30 when he administered a controversial oath of office to Raila Odinga as the People's President.

Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest
- A number of Ugandan radio stations have been shut down over alleged witchcraft

- The stations had their licences revoked by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)

Up to 23 radio stations were shut down in Uganda for allegedly promoting witchcraft, TUKO.co.ke has learnt.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on Wednesday, March 28, suspended licenses of the radio outlets on grounds that they were breaching the license conditions.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

A number of Ugandan radio stations were shut down for allegedly promoting witchcraft. Photo: Tiramis/Twitter

According to the Uganda Communications Act, 2013, the government was obliged to revoke the license of any media outlet which was in direct breach of the law.

Among the stations which had their license revoked included Metro FM, Nile FM, Kagadi Broadcasting Services, Emambya FM, Village Club FM, Radio Kitara, Packwach FM and Tropical FM.

The radio stations have been accused of allegedly promoting witchcraft by advertising witchcraft content.

They are also believed to be aiding electronic fraud.

UCC spokesperson Pamela Ankunda confirmed the move to revoke the licenses, saying they would only be returned once they committed to adhering to the licensing conditions.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) | Tuko TV - Kenya News:

Source: Tuko News
- Kenyans took to social media to express their views following the new developments

- Miguna was deported for the second time by Kenyan authorities

- The politician said he was drugged before being put on a flight to Dubai

- He said he was denied medical attention despite feeling unwell

- Miguna violently refused to be re-deported on Monday hours after he jetted back

- Lawyers representing him were blocked from serving authorities with court orders demanding his release

Kenyans took to social media on Thursday, March 29, to express their views after Kenyan authorities forcibly re-deported Miguna Miguna after a three-day drama at JKIA.

Miguna jetted back on Monday, March 26, but was blocked from leaving Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on grounds that he was not a Kenyan citizen and did not provide his travel documents.

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READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

Miguna Miguna takes a selfies photo from his hospital bed in Dubai. Photo: Reptile_Oberi/Twitter

Source: Facebook

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) self-declared general refused to be issued with a six-month tourist visa as had been proposed by the governmnet in a bid to facilitate his entry to the country.

READ ALSO: I was drugged - Miguna speaks after being deported

For three days, the government was involved in an ugly spat with the lawyer with court orders being ignored and disobeyed by the authorities.

High Court judge George Odunga convicted Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and is set to sentence them on Thursday at 10 am for contempt of court.

Miguna Miguna in hospital in Dubai. Photo: Reptile_Oberi/Twitter

Odunga also issued orders restricting the governmnet from taking Miguna from the court's jurisdiction but this was also defied as the politician was put on a Dubai-bound plane shortly before 11pm.

READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna deported again

Kenyans took to social media and condemned the move by the government while others hailed the move.

Some said Gatundu South MP Moes Kuria was a credible source of news as he had earlier said Miguna should have been sedated and send back to Canada.

Other commentators wondered how the authorities would deal with poor Kenyans away from media cameras if what happened to Miguna was anything to go by.

READ ALSO: Trump nominates new US ambassador to Kenya

The government was condemned for disobeying court orders with impunity.

The roughing up of lawyers representing the NRM general was also condemned by a section of Kenyans.

READ ALSO: Uhuru finally swears-in senior intelligence officer and son to Garrissa senator as DPP

Miguna was encouraged to remain fearless in his fight for liberation no matter what is done to him.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko
- KFCB CEO Ezekiel Mutua is quite the family man

- He is a husband to a lovely wife Jane Mutua and a father of two sons

- Jane is not only beautiful but also an accomplished career woman

Kenya Film Classification Board(KFCB) CEO, Ezekiel Mutua is known for his no-nonsense stance on anything he considers immoral to the country.

He was featured amont top 100 most reputable African with the likes of Tanzania media mogul Reginald Mengi, South African Theologian Desmond Tutu and former UN Secretary-General Koffi Annan.

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READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

Ezekiels wife Jane Mutua works as an Education Advisor with Save the Children International and previously worked as an Education Specialist with UNICEF Kenya. Phot: Jane Mutua/ Facebook

READ ALSO: Ezekiel Mutua accused of overstepping his mandate

What many people did not know is Mutua is quite the family man.

He is among the few celebrity dads who value their families so much and balance between work and family.

READ ALSO: Moral Police, Ezekiel Mutua, Lauds Citizen Tv's 10/10 show for adhering to his conditions

Ezekiel Mutua's gorgeous wife. Photo: Jane Mutua/ Facebook

READ ALSO: Moral police Ezekiel Mutua says he would have been a Luo, some Kenyans agree with him

For a man who has stood his ground against television commercials that violate family values, you can expect nothing less than a man who values family.

READ ALSO: Kenya's moral police,Ezekiel Mutua, puts citizen TV on notice over obscene programing

Ezekiels wife Jane Mutua works as an Education Advisor with Save the Children International and previously worked as an Education Specialist with UNICEF Kenya. Photo: Jane Mutua/ Facebook

READ ALSO: Ezekiel Mutua blames media for arson attack in schools

To Mutua, his family comes first. He has been sharing photos of his young family and what has caught many peoples attention is the wifes gorgeous looks.

READ ALSO: Ezekiel Mutua shuts down controversial "lesbian" show

The lovely lady is a mom of two sons. Photo: Jane Mutau/Facebook

READ ALSO: Desperate Kenyan job seekers should not be forced to produce Helb and good conduct certificates - Ezekiel Mutua

Ezekiels wife Jane Mutua works as an Education Advisor with Save the Children International and previously worked as an Education Specialist with UNICEF Kenya.

READ ALSO: Kenyans sharply divided on whether to pitty Ezekiel Mutua

Ezekiels wife Jane Mutua works as an Education Advisor with Save the Children International and previously worked as an Education Specialist with UNICEF Kenya. Photo: Jane Mutua/Facebook

READ ALSO: Ezekiel Mutua insults fan who questioned him on Facebook

In addition, Jane has worked with the UN Coordination office on UN reform and Millennium Development Goals, UNDP, UNFPA, OWN & Associates, Community Organization Consultants (COC), Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) and Daraja: The Civic Initiatives.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Kenyan Domestic worker explains her plight in Saudi Arabia | Faces of Kenya on TUKO TV

Source: Kenyan Breaking News
- Bob Godec was replaced as US ambassador to Kenya on Wednesday by president Trump

- Trump nominated Senator Kyle McCarter as the new ambassador

- Godec was ambassador to Kenya since 2012

- NASA politicians had threatened to write to US senate committee to recall Godec over his alleged biasness

The United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday, March 28 nominated state Senator Kyle McCarter of downstate Lebanon as new Ambassador to Kenya replacing Bob Godec.

McCarter accepted the nomination and said that he was honoured to be picked and promised to foster close ties between Washington and Nairobi.

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READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

Senator Kyle McCarter who was nominated to replace Bob Godec as US ambassador to Kenya. Photo: Chicago Sun Times

It is an honour to be asked to represent President Trump and our great nation in a country where I have lived and served for many years.

I look forward to bringing about a closer relationship that will benefit both our nations, McCarter said in a statement as reported by Chicago Sun Times.

READ ALSO: I was drugged - Miguna speaks after being deported

According to information provided by the White House, McCarter is an Illinois manufacturer and politician.

He has been president and owner of Custom Product Innovations, Inc., since 1996, and of Custom Coating Innovations since 2009.

McCarter he has also been a State senator in the Illinois General Assembly since 2009.

US president Donald Trump gestures at a past event. he has replaced Bob Godec as US ambassador to Kenya. Photo: CNN

READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna's lawyers thrown out of JKIA by police

"From 1984-1989, he served as a field auditor, Missionary and International Director of Each One Feed One International, based in Lebanon, Illinois with an office in Mukothima, Kenya.

"McCarter volunteered as a Member of Mercy Ministries of America (now Mercy Multiplied), serving as president for one year. He has been a member of numerous Chambers of Commerce in Illinois," White House said in a statement.

Godec was nominated by former US president Barack Obama on September 19, 2012 and posted to Kenya.

He was assigned as the Charge dAffaires at the US Embassy Nairobi, Kenya in August 2012.

READ ALSO: Uhuru finally swears-in senior intelligence officer and son to Garrissa senator as DPP

US ambassador to Kenya Bob Godec during a past function. Photo: US Embassy

Previously, Godec was US ambassador to Tunisia from 2006 to 2009 and has formerly served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and as Deputy Coordinator for the Transition in Iraq.

However, Godec found himself in trouble after National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders accused him of favouring the Jubilee administration instead of being a neutral arbiter.

The politicians said Godec had been biased in efforts to bring an end to the political crisis since the disputed August 8, 2017 presidential elections and threatened to write to relevant US authorities to recall the envoy.

Trump had earlier sacked Godec after he assuming office but later rescinded the decision in which over 80 officials were fired.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko
- Ahmednasir said court orders should not be treated like toilet paper

- He said it is unacceptable for court orders to be defied by the governmnet

- Orders demanding the release of Miguna were ignored by the police

- Senior governmnet officials ignored orders to appear before court over the Miguna saga

A senior counsel who represented President Uhuru Kenyatta in an election petition has lashed out at the government for disobeying court orders with impunity.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi took to his Twitter page to tear apart the Jubilee administration for openly defying court orders demanding the release of Miguna Miguna who was being held at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

The court had also ordered Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to appear in court alongside Immigration boss Gordon Kihalangwa.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi who told the government to obey court orders. Photo: Daily Nation

READ ALSO: How Kenyans reacted to Miguna's re-deportation

High Court Judge George Odunga's orders barring Kenyan authorities from taking Miguna away from the court's jurisdiction was also defied as the governmnet re-deported the NRM general to Canada through Dubai.

Ahmednasir said he does not care about Miguna but was deeply concerned when the governmnet treated court orders like "toilet paper".

"I don't care and don't give a hoot about Miguna Miguna...But I care and take great exception when lawful court orders are treated as toilet paper and are wilfully disregarded...just unacceptable!," he said.

READ ALSO: I was drugged - Miguna speaks after being deported

Further, he gave a story of a similar case in the US where a judge was told to enforce his orders and hoped it could not be done in Kenya.

"Following American Supreme Court decision in Worcester v Georgia where the Court ruled in favour of Cherokee Indian Nation, angry president Andrew Jackson told the CJ "John Marshall has made his decision: now let him enforce it". I hope we don't tell the same to Justice Odunga!" he said.

READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna dramatically resists second deportation

Odunga was set to sentence Boinnet, Matiang'i and Kihalangwa after convicting them a day earlier for contempt of court.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News
- The politician claimed he had been injected with a noxious substance before being deported

- He complained of pains in his whole body following the harrowing ordeal in the hands of Kenyan authorities

- Miguna accused the Kenyan government of violating his rights by ignoring court orders

Embattled National Resistance Movement (NRM) general Miguna Miguna was on Thursday, March 29, admitted to a Dubai hospital after he fell ill during his dramatic and controversial deportation from Kenya.

Miguna was forced into a Dubai-bound plane on Wednesday night at about 11pm despite a court order barring the Kenyan government from removing him out of its jurisdiction.

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READ ALSO: Unamjua mkewe Miguna Miguna? Haya ndio maisha yake ya ndoa

As reported earlier by TUKO.co.ke, Miguna said he was drugged before being forced to board EK722 Emirates Airline flight.

Miguna in his hospital bed in a Dubai hospital where he is being treated. Photo: Miguna Miguna

READ ALSO: Video and photos of Miguna without signature cap in Dubai after second deportation

In a statement seen by TUKO.co.ke, Miguna narrated how he was wrestled to the ground by police officers who broke into his airport toilet cell and injected him with an unknown substance that knocked him off for the whole flight.

About 50 heavily armed thugs led by the uniformed Somali policeman who had commanded them on Monday, violently broke into the toilet I had been detained incommunicado in at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport, didnt identify themselves, wrestled me to the ground, held onto and sat on me as a group of four different thugs injected substances to both my soles, arms, hands, both sides of my ribs and basically all over my body until I passed out, he narrated.

Later, he said that he had been denied access to a doctor until insisted on seeking treatment upon landing in Dubai and refusing to be put on a flight to Canada.

Miguna Miguna takes a selfie photo at his hospital bed in Dubai. Photo: Miguna Miguna/Courtesy

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Lawyer PLO Lumumba unhappy with poll showing Ruto as most preferred 2022 presidential candidate

After much wrangling, I was granted access to a doctor who conducted basic medical tests and confirmed my story.

Additional toxicology tests would require exiting the airport, which I can only do with my valid Kenyan passport  a document the despots illegally confiscated and destroyed in violation of Justice Kimarus order.

I have severe pain on the left side of my chest, my left wrist, my right elbow and my feet. I believe that the despots must have injected me with noxious substances, he said.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko Kenya
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- They termed the continued disobedience of court orders over Miguna's case as unacceptable

- Others expressed their frustrations saying Kenya is slowly turning into a country led by rogue officials

- Mutula Kilonzo Jr questioned whether Matiang'i and Boinett were above the law

- The reactions came after government deported Miguna for a second time despite orders to release him unconditionally

Kenyan lawyers on Thursday, March 29, united in condemning the government for disobeying orders issued by courts.

While reacting to the showdown between the state and lawyer Miguna Miguna, they said the government must respect the courts and, uphold and protect the Constitution.

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READ ALSO: Moses Kuria apigwa picha akiwa ndani ya ndege na Miguna Miguna, Dubai

Lawyers wore yellow ribbons as they protested Government's move to disobey court orders. Photo: Edwin Okoth/TUKO

The lawyers took to social media to vent their anger and wore yellow ribbons while appearing in courts to show solidarity in bid to push for obedience of court orders.

READ ALSO: I was drugged - Miguna speaks after being deported

Lawyers representing Miguna were roughed up by Jomo Kenyatta Airport (JKIA) security on Wednesday, March 27, when they attempted to serve immigration officers with court order as reported earlier by TUKO.co.ke.

High Court Judge George Odunga convicted Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and Immigration boss Gordon Kihalangwa for contempt of court.

READ ALSO: Miguna admitted to a Dubai hospital after mistreatment by Kenyan authorities

The governmnet was told to stop treating court orders like tissue paper and show some respect to the rule of law.

The lawyers warned the government was setting a bad precedent as the common citizen is bound to follow the example set by top officials to ignore court orders and take the law in their own hands to get the justice they desire.

READ ALSO: Raila Odinga attends sentencing of CS Matiang'i, IG Boinnet

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko
- Godec has been US ambassador to Kenya for more than five years

- He will be replaced by Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter

- Godec thanked Kenyans for their extraordinary friendship and collaboration over the years

- NASA politicians and supporters had accused the ambassador of being biased against them

The outgoing US ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec on Thursday, March 29, offered a warm thank you to the Kenyan people and government for their extraordinary friendship.

He also described the progress and achievements his office had realised in the last five years.

Among the key areas, he listed health care, education, agriculture, trade, investment, security and governance as the major areas of collaboration between Kenya and the US.

READ ALSO: Moses Kuria apigwa picha akiwa ndani ya ndege na Miguna Miguna, Dubai

The outgoing US ambassador Robert Godec had on Thursday, March 29 offered a warm thank you to the Kenyan people and government. Ambassador Bob Godec/Twitter.

READ ALSO: You're fired! Donald Trump sacks US ambassador to Kenya

"Kenya holds a special place in my heart. I offer a warm Asanteni Sana to the Kenyan government, Kenyan people, and my Embassy colleagues for their extraordinary friendship and collaboration over the years," he said.

As TUKO.co.ke earlier reported, President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday, March 28, nominated state Senator Kyle McCarter of downstate Lebanon as new Ambassador to Kenya.

McCarter accepted the nomination and said he was honoured to be picked and promised to foster close ties between Washington and Nairobi.

The new ambassador is an Illinois manufacturer and politician.

READ ALSO: US Ambassador is in Kenya to stay - Trump tells NASA

According to information provided by the White House, McCarter is an Illinois manufacturer and politician. Photo: Illinois Policy Organisation.

READ ALSO: Angry NASA supporters burn American flags outside US Embassy in Gigiri

Godec was nominated by former US president Barack Obama on September 19, 2012 and posted to Kenya.

He was assigned as the Charge dAffaires at the US Embassy Nairobi, Kenya in the same year.

His stay in Kenya had been in the recent past been a subject of political debate in most NASA rallies.

The opposition politicians in a number of occasions accused the ambassador of meddling in the affairs of the country.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - on TUKO TV

Source: Tuko Kenya
Kenya is reported to be splitting in half and Kenyans have apparently been moved by the recent crack that has occurred yet again in the Great Rift Valley. Keep reading to find out the causes and the impacts of the crack.

Source: Citizen Tanzania

The latest Suswa news. What's happened?

The news of Kenya splitting has surely terrified a lot of Kenyans. Geologists have mentioned this fact as well. Apparently, the rift valley seems to be the main centre of the split. As per the geologists, the several huge earth movements that happened on Monday in the morning has left quite a good amount of deep fissures in the Narok County.

The busy Mai Maihu-Narok road falls closest to the intersection of the damage. Once a beautiful serene valley that was also very fertile, the land has apparently been transformed into a huge tear. Reports have confirmed that the tear is at most 20 metres wide and around 50 feet deep as well.

The Great Rift Valley contains hundreds of weak spots, this spot is thus just another spot which has occurred yet again in the valley. Scientists say that the spot runs to Mozambique from the Horn of Africa, through the entire continent.

Formation of a new continent

It was noted that four countries located in the Horn of Africa, including half of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya might split their ways from Africa and give birth to a brand new continent. The new continent is currently named Somali Plate. This might take a while as the expected timeframe of the birth of Somali Plate is about 50 million years from now.

The geographical structure of the valley also seems to be different. It is said that at the base of the valley, the forces of the planet are maximum. On the other hand, the geological processes have also turned to be very active.

The bottom of the valley is the location where Suswa lies. As per geologist David Adede, The valley has a history of tectonic and volcanic activities. He further added, Whereas the rift has remained tectonically inactive in the recent past, there could be movements deep within the Earths crust that have resulted in zones of weakness extending all the way to the surface.

These primary zones of weakness have been forming fissures and fault lines, usually which are filled by amounts of volcanic ash. Facts suggest that these volcanic ashes could be from Mt Longonot which is not very far.

The effect of rain

Source - Citizen Digital

Thanks to the rain, the cracks are finally clearly visible. The ashes have also been washed away by the rainwater. Be it shifting of the masses of the planet or plate tectonics, the whole scenario is mainly based on the universal argument that the outer shell of the earth is primarily a group of a large number of plates which are considered to be gliding over the mantle of the earth.

Our planet has a total of 9 major plates which are named after their landform composition-

Pacific

North American

African

Eurasian

Australian

Indo-Australian

South American

Antarctic

Indian

The problem lies deep beneath the earths crust right at Suswa as Mr Munene has said. Kenya National Highways Authority has undertaken the highway repair work that includes filling up all the cracked gullies with rocks and concrete. This is however not a permanent solution to the problem.

The geological process in the zone

Mr Muene says, You cannot stop a geological process because it occurs from deep within the crust of the Earth. There needs to be a lot more scientific studies so that the proper geology of the area is properly understood and the fault lines can be mapped accordingly.

He further added, Geological investigations are normally mandatory for any major infrastructural projects such as roads, bridges and even high-rise buildings in danger zones, and Monday we could not establish the safety of the new railway line cutting through this valley in the wake of recent events.

On 19th of March, the families who live just adjacent to the fissure had started to move out. Mary Wambui, a 72-year-old says, Staying here is like courting death. Mary was spending a normal day with her family on Monday, 19th March 2018, when the earth had ripped her home into two separate parts.

On the next day, when the damage inspection team arrived, the infrastructure principal secretary Julius Korir had admitted the fault line shift was kind of a challenge for the engineers. They have blamed the areas geology before because of the regular transport disruption during rainy days.

Why do people like to visit Mt Suswa?

Source - Xtrym.com

Mount Suswa is known as Kenyas most under-appreciated treasures for a reason. It is a hidden gem in fact. From Kenyas capital, it is considered as one of the best day trips. There are lots of companies that can offer you with the best hiking and camping safari at Mt Suswa.

This is how the Suswa map looks like-

Source - Jambo Nairobi

The map of Suswa contains the following:

Suswa caves

The outer crater of Mt Suswa has numerous lava caves. A shield type volcano is what Suswa meaning actually is. They have a total of 30 entrances, many are the roofs that have collapsed into the caves. Many types of vegetation, including fig trees, help to tag the location of the opening to the caves. However, it will be better if a local guide is appointed for a tour of the cave. Exploration of the caves also requires headlamps or torches.

The Suswa caves are also home to a lot of bats who are known to travel up to 30 kilometres at night looking out for food. They return back to the caves in the morning. Another exciting location in the cave is the home of the baboons. The place is named baboons parliament. The departure of the bats accounts for the arrival of the baboons.

One of the chambers has a rock painting as well. The painting is actually attributed to the Masaai morans who go to sleep there as a part of one of their rituals.

Suswa crater

Suswa mountain is known to have a double crater that has a shield type cone that covers an area of about 270 square kilometres. The inner volcano lying at the summit soars to a magnificent altitude of about 2356 metres. The inner crater spreads out across 5 km. This area is also covered by a beautiful forest, home to hyenas, leopards, antelopes, buffaloes and a few more wildlife. You will be able to see the bats in their colonies, hanging from the roof.

A twist of nature has altered the shape of the crater, what happened is that the inner crater has formed something that looks like a moat-type trench that encircles the central island which lies in the crater itself. This creates a magnificent view that will only be believed if it is seen.

The outer crater is filled up with a lot of the homesteads of the Masaai. On a usual basis, they graze their livestock on the slopes of the inner volcano and the outer crater. They harvest water for the domestic purpose from the multiple numbers of springs that spout hot water and steam in the area.

Mt Suswa Kenya

Mt Suswa is definitely one great tourist hotspot. There is a great possibility for climbing the mountain. The summit is located at 2,356 meters. Paths to the mountain are not very much specific; however, the mountain is best accessible from the northeast and the north. The base of the mountain is where Suswa primary school is located in, that is also one of the starting points.

As Mt Suswa is also home to a large number of Masaais who live at the mountains near the base of Suswa, it is recommended for tourists or other people to meet up with the head of the family in case their paths cross.

Mt Suswa location

The actual Suswa location lies between Nairobi which is also Kenyas capital and Narok. There is a possibility to drive upwards towards the mountain through the lesser end into the outer crater by using a standard four wheeler vehicle. The trail is composed of a number of barricades where the fee is collected by the local Masaai for fee collection. However, people can make fine arrangements with the help of a guide so that the fees can be paid all at once and the barricades can be skipped sooner.

Except for Rauchs trail, the summit has no such proper pathways. Following this trail on foot can lead to the peak as well. From the northeast, this trail begins around one and a half kilometres towards the summit. Rauchs trail is usually marked with a sign made up of wood that overlooks the crater.

Getting to Mount Suswa

In case one is using public means of transport, they are advised to take the Mai Maihu matatus from Nyamakima and then they are supposed to take the Suswa matatus which are along Narok Road. An estimated 2 hours will be necessary for the walk to the crater, from Suswa market. You can get a mount Suswa map for better-guided access-

READ ALSO- Kikuyu culture, traditions and language

Requirements for entry

Vehicle  Ksh 500 Resident Visitor  Ksh 500 per day Camping  Ksh 500 per night

Hiking in Mount Suswa

Mt Suswa is a hiking spot; adventurers must definitely try it out. The parking spot for the hikers right on the inner craters edge. After parking, the hikers go for the trail that goes up to a gradual slope on the crater edge, right towards the summit. The timeframe required to get to the summit is usually an hour, after which it takes one more hour to reach the second summit which is even higher. It takes around a total of four hours for the 10 km return trip.

Camping

The Suswa conservancy includes a large number of camping spots. The edge of the inner crater has the most breathtaking and spectacular views. There are no problems of sudden wildlife encounters with predators, however, caution Is definitely advised.

Geology of Suswa

Source - Global Geothermal News

Suswa is actually a shield type volcano that is located in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. The mountain is composed of a unique double crater that has a moat-type inner crater that surrounds a rock block which is tilted. Suswa has lava tube caves right at the outer crater on the northeast side.

The inner crater is said to be the home to a large number of species of snakes. Rest of the wildlife interests near or on Mt. Suswa are giraffes, zebras, turtles, mongooses, leopards and hyenas.

The base of Suswa is surrounded by numerous mountains containing a good number of Masaai homesteads. As a part of their daily living g, they also graze cattle on the grasslands of the mountain, this makes an occasional route to the summit.

The people

A group of Maasai pastoralists have made up their homesteads on the crater floor which is relatively flat. There are no signs of lakes or streams inside the crater. Also a continuous 6-month dry season makes it very difficult to harvest water for regular consumption along with feeding the cattle. But, no worries for the Masaai people, as they are using metal pipes that condenses the steam coming out from the volcanic vents.

Source: Tuko.co.ke
- Ondiek Miguna said his brother's troubles started when he swore in Raila

- He said none of the local leaders have come out to fight for Miguna's freedom

- He also took issues with the Uhuru-Raila handshake which Miguna was against

- Ondiek said if Miguna is not Kenyan then all his family members are not Kenyans

- The government insists Miguna is not a Kenyan citizen

Relatives of besieged National Resistance Movement (NRM) general, Miguna Miguna, on Thursday, March 29, broke their silence over the persistent tribulation of the controversial political activist.

TUKO.co.ke has reliably learned Miguna's close relatives in Kenya are not happy with how the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga and the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition handled the 'general's citizenship saga.

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READ ALSO: Kalonzo alitabiri kuhusu Miguna kupewa dawa kisha kufurushwa nchini?

Miguna Miguna was allegedly dragged,drugged before he was deported to Dubai on the night of Wednesday, March 28. Photo: TUKO.

READ ALSO: Migunas blow-by-blow account on how he ended up in Dubai against his wish

Speaking to NTV Kenya, Miguna's brother, Ondiek Miguna, claimed the NRM leader's troubles started with the controversial swearing-in of Raila on January 30, 2018, at Uhuru Park.

During the said event, Miguna and lawyer Tom Kajwang', who was also dramatically arrested and later released, administered the infamous oath to Raila.

"Miguna's problems started when he swore in Raila as the People's President," Ondiek said.

READ ALSO: Raila Odinga attends sentencing of CS Matiang'i, IG Boinnet

Lawyer Miguna Miguna's brother, Ondiek Miguna, speaks out about his tribulations and citizenship saga. Photo:TUKO.

A visibly angry Ondieki sensationally accused Raila and NASA of betraying Miguna following the oath-taking exercise.

"During the time Miguna has been in trouble, I have never heard any of our local representatives in NASA talk about him. Even our local MP hasn't spoken and we don't know why they are quiet. So that is why I am saying he was betrayed," he said.

READ ALSO: Miguna admitted to a Dubai hospital after mistreatment by Kenyan authorities

Ondiek also spoke about the citizenship issue that was being cited as the main reason for Miguna's deportation to Canada and re-deportation to Dubai.

"I hear the Minister for Interior still insisting Miguna is a foreigner. I don't know how they use their English. Why should Miguna be called a foreigner, somebody born in Kenya, in Kano, Ahero, went to Apondo Primary School, Onjiko Secondary and proceeded to the University of Nairobi University? If they think he doesn't belong here, then it means all of us, the Miguna family, also don't belong here," Ondiek said.

READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna deported

He also poured cold water on the now famous Uhuru-Raila handshake at Harambee House on March 9, 2018, saying it was not meant to benefit Kenyans but rather two individuals.

"If the handshake meant anything good, then what is happening to my brother should not have happened. I don't think it (the handshake) meant good for us or for Kenyans. Everybody is asking abut the handshake. Miguna never welcomed the handshake.He said it never meant good for Kenyans but for two people," Ondiek said.

READ ALSO: Immigration department says Miguna Miguna is not a Kenyan citizen and has an illegal Kenyan passport

Miguna was re-deported to Dubai after a deadly three-day stand-off with Immigration officials and security officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) upon his return from a seven-week deportation.

The NRM leader refused to hand over his Canadian passport and also declined to fill in citizenship application forms that were presented to him by the Immigration officers.

Miguna Miguna's return: Chaos at Jomo Kenyatta Int. Airport (JKIA) - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Newspaper
- A Kenyan woman recently left jaws on the floor after openly celebrating the death of her hubby's side dish

- The mpango wa kando succumbed to injuries following a road accident

- According to the woman, the MWK was with her hubby when the accident occurred

- The husband was injured and admitted to hospital awaiting discharge

- The woman claimed she will hold a big party to thank God for saving her hubby as well as celebrating the death of the MWK

Death is something that you can never wish on anyone, even your worst enemy.

However, a Kenyan woman recently proved otherwise after taking to social media to ask fellow women to advise her on how to celebrate the death of her enemy.

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Taking to Facebook on Wednesday, March 28, the lady identified as Judy claimed her hubbys mpango wa kando had passed on following a tragic road accident.

READ ALSO: Kalonzo alitabiri kuhusu Miguna kupewa dawa kisha kufurushwa nchini?

Kenyan woman openly celebrates death of hubby's side dish. Photo: Chit Chat For Nairobi Moms/Facebook

According to the lass, her hubby and his mpango wa kando had secretly gone out for dinner on Friday, March 23 and were involved in a road accident on their way back.

In a funny yet shocking post seen by TUKO.co.ke, the lady explained how her hubby survived the accident but his side dish succumbed to injuries days later.

In addition, Lucy claimed she couldnt wait for her hubby to be discharged from the hospital so that she can host a mother of all parties to thank God for saving his life, as well as celebrating the death of his side dish.

Judy went ahead to reveal how her hubbys MWK had lied to her parents that she was married to the man.

READ ALSO: New woman spotted at home of Mwingi MP who clobbered wife and TV girl, Doreen Gatwiri

Kenyan woman shocks many as she celebrates death of hubby's mpango wa kando. Photo: Chit Chat For Nairobi Moms/Facebook

READ ALSO: Magufuli's party fires pregnant youth representative for under-performance

The MWK allegedly lied to her people about her man being in Rwanda to cover up for his absence from their home in Runda.

Back to her hubby, Judy claimed he completely denied knowing the MWK when he came to, claiming he only gave her a lift on his way from Kiambu.

In conclusion, the lass advised fellow ladies to keep off other peoples men, holding that God will always punish such evils.

Woman asks fellow women to advice her on how to celebrate death of hubby's mpango wa kando.Photo: Chit Chat for Nairobi Moms/Facebook

READ ALSO: Gospel singer Kidum discharged, out of danger after near death experience

She even went to the extent of mocking the fallen soldier by stating how she died a poor lady who left nothing behind for her kids and parents.

Lucys post, however, shocked quite a number of people who wondered why one would celebrate the death of another person.

Many held that the lady had every right to be bitter but did not have to mock hubbys fallen clandestine or even celebrate her demise.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Vivian Exclusive Interview for Tuko Buzz: Meet Miss Chum Chum | TUKO TV

Source: Tuko
- Daniel Mugo Ndirangu was accused of dating his student, Haniya Rehana

- Ndirangu was also accused of kidnapping and sleeping with Rehana

- The teacher denied all the charges before a Magistrate court

- He argued the girl never disclosed her real age so he assumed she was a grown-up

An illicit inter-racial love affair between a college teacher and a student has ended up in court with the girls family suing the teacher for preying on their young daughter.

TUKO.co.ke gathered Daniel Mugo Ndirangu, a 24-year-old teacher at Intel College in Nairobi's Spring Valley along General Mathenge Road, was charged for dating and abusing the 17-year-old girl, identified as Haniya Rehana Haroon, in 2014.

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READ ALSO: Kalonzo alitabiri kuhusu Miguna kupewa dawa kisha kufurushwa nchini?

Daniel Mugo Ndirangu, a teacher at Intel College in Nairobi Spring Valley along General Mathenge Road in Mombasa Law Courts charged with abusing his Asian student, 17. Photo: Hazary Baraka/TUKO.

READ ALSO: Female teacher wanted for sexual relations with young student

Ndirangu was accused of abducting Rehana who was pursuing a business course at the college.

She was just two months shy of her 18th birthday.

It was alleged that on different occasions between April 26 and May 2014 at Lower Kabete, Nairobi County, Ndirangu had a forbidden relationship with the minor.

He was also accused of intentionally touching the minor's behind and sleeping with her.

READ ALSO: School fires teacher for allegedly making kids give her massages

The teacher was found guilty of kidnapping and sleeping with the young Rehana and consequently charged before a Magistrate court in Mombasa .

Ndirangu, however, denied the charges and was released on a bond of Ksh 100,000.

The charges were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) after it was established that Rehana had taken herself to Nairobi and voluntarily agreed to stay in Ndirangus house in Lower Kabete.

READ ALSO: 19-year-old student beaten by teacher for not doing HOMEWORK undergoes surgery (photo)

While testifying in court, Rehana admitted Ndirangu was her boyfriend and she loved him and that she took herself to Nairobi.

The girl said she arrived in Nairobi at night and called Ndirangu to pick her up from Spring Valley.

"I reached Nairobi at night and went to Spring Valley and called Ndirangu who is a teacher at Intel College. He came and picked me up and drove towards Lower Kabete where he has rented a house. I stayed there with him because he was my boyfriend," she narrated.

READ ALSO: Samburu pupils explain why they thoroughly caned their female teachers

The pair, the court heard, lived together for 10 days but their union was short-lived as Spring Valley police accompanied with Rehana's uncles finally traced the love-smitten teen through her phone to Ndirangu' house at Lower Kabete, marking the end of their secret escapade.

"We cohabited together as husband and wife for a period of 10 days only to be caught in the house by my uncles, Mazhar Maroon and Munir Ishmael and police officers," she said.

In his defense, through his lawyer Jared Magolo, Ndirangu said Rehana never disclosed her age to him and he assumed she was a grown woman.

READ ALSO: Meru teacher killed by his lover of two years

The accused also denied Rehana was his girlfriend, and that he was only assisting her with a place to stay after his step-father attempted to rape her.

He said on April 26 about 8:45 pm, Rehana called him to pick her up from Spring Valley petrol station.

"I took a matatu from where I stay and came to Spring Valley petrol station where I met her and asked her what was the problem. She told me she had been chased away from home by her step-father. She then informed me that she will never go back there...," said Ndirangu.

READ ALSO: Headmaster BURNS all cellphones claiming they make girls PREGNANT

The teacher added Rehana disclosed to him that her step-father had tried to sexually assault her her and that her mother did not offer any defense or assistance and so she decided to run away from home.

"All the facts were not investigated to find what exactly transpired between Rehana, her step-father and mother that led to her seeking refuge in Nairobi," said Ndirangu who requested the DPP to investigate the matter afresh.

Story by Hazary Baraka

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Apprehend Matiang'i and Boinett on sight - Edwin Sifuna - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News
The severe blow the tourism sector took, the agricultural sector, and surviving the covid19 pandemic, were just some of the areas THA Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis focused on, on delivering his Republic day message, to the people of Tobago.
Canada plans to double the number of its police experts in Ukraine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine Roman Waschuk said at the meeting with Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov on March 28.

"We plan to double the number of our officers - experts in Ukraine with the view of the effective reform of the National Police of Ukraine and improvement of skills of police officers," the ambassador said, the press service of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine reports.

As ambassador Waschuk noted, Canada currently holds the G7 presidency, so it closely follows the situation in Ukraine. Ottawa is ready to support Ukraine not only on the path of reforms, but also in restoration of the territorial integrity and improvement of the economic situation, the Canadian diplomat assured.

Canada has always acted as our strategic partner in reforming the law enforcement system of Ukraine, Ukrainian Interior Minister Avakov stressed.

"We appreciate the support of our Canadian colleagues in the process of reforming the Interior Ministry and hope for further deepening of cooperation," the minister said.

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Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman discussed in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki the strengthening of bilateral economic cooperation.

"We discussed the priority issues of bilateral cooperation, in particular with regard to strengthening economic cooperation and searching for mutually acceptable solutions to resolve existing challenging issues," the Head of the Ukrainian Government wrote on Facebook.

Groysman thanked the Polish government "for the strong support for Ukraine in countering the implementation of the Russian energy project Nord Stream 2."

Ukrainian PM also invited his Polish colleague to visit Ukraine and continue a close intergovernmental dialogue. Groysman also congratulated Morawiecki on the Easter holidays, which will be celebrated in Poland next Sunday.

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Irish low-cost airline Ryanair, which entered the Ukrainian market, plans to employ Ukrainian IT professionals in a new data center in Ukraine.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said this this in an interview with Ukraine's Center for Transport Strategies.

He said that Ryanair has great demand for storage and processing of data, so the airline needs competent personnel for this purpose.

"From the experience of our data center in Wroclaw, Poland, we know that Ukrainians have such competence. Of the 250 employees there over 50% are IT specialists from Ukraine. We believe that it would be much more effective to create one more data center of our company in Ukraine and employ more than 250 Ukrainian specialists there. We are already working on it," O'Leary said.

As reported, Ryanair will perform 15 flights from Ukraine from the autumn of 2018. The cheapest Ryanair tickets will cost ten euros.

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UKRAINIAN ID international economic and humanitarian forum will be held in the town of Kaniv, Cherkasy region, on July 7-8.

Natalia Zabolotna, the president of the Ukrainian Humanitarian Development Foundation and the initiator of the forum, stated this at the press conference on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Weve decided to hold an economic and humanitarian forum for a good reason. We believe that an economically and financially successful country is impossible without development in the humanitarian field and due attention to the development of human capital. That is why we entitled the forum "Plan for tomorrow. Strategy of Successful Country." We really want this forum not to be purely Ukrainian. We strive to set the tradition of holding our Ukrainian Davos," Zabolotna stressed.

The forum activities will be held in five thematic panels: Economy, Society, Technology, Culture and Humanitarian Security.

"One of the most interesting topics that have never been raised at the economic forums is ulture ID. We will dwell on the importance of cultural capital, the culture as a sphere of national security and whether it is possible to decentralize culture... And, of course, we will discuss cultural tourism. We know that 40% of tourists in the world stand for cultural tourism. We will talk about how to reach the pool of world tourism, bring it to Kyiv, Kaniv, different regions of our country," Zabolotna said.

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Europe still faces a real threat of a full-fledged war due to Russia's ongoing aggression, and today the situation requires concrete, constructive steps towards the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Volodymyr Yelchenko said this at the open debate of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, March 28, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"For more than four years the situation in and around my country has remained an example of unutilized potential of UN peacekeeping. Ukraine's request to deploy PKO in Donbas region of Ukraine is still not properly considered and no action has been taken," Yelchenko said during a meeting devoted to UN peacekeeping operations.

He noted that from the first days in office UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had declared a clear position on primacy of conflict prevention, mediation and other diplomatic peaceful tools.

"In this respect, his visit to Ukraine last July was a good manifestation of commitment to bringing peace to Europe. The continent, over which a very real threat of another full-fledged war is currently hanging due to an ongoing aggression by the one permanent member of the Council against my country, as well as its aggressive actions in other parts of the world, including in the territory of other permanent members of the Council," Yelchenko said.

That is why, what is urgently needed now are concrete actions - both on the part of the Security Council and the Secretary-General, the diplomat said.

"We stand ready to engage constructively at all levels," Yelchenko said.

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Balukh's relatives know nothing about his condition.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands that Russia immediately release Volodymyr Balukh, a Ukrainian activist and recognized political prisoner, who was imprisoned in Russian-annexed Crimea for "storing ammunition" and who went on hunger strike for an unlimited period due to the verdict.

"We demand that the Russian Federation immediately release Volodymyr Balukh, a political prisoner from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who went on hunger strike on March 19. The case was fabricated," spokesperson for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter on Wednesday, March 28.

Read alsoUkraine shows full list of "Kremlin prisoners"

Balukh's relatives are unable to check information about his condition.

"We don't know how he has been doing. We don't even know if he is still alive. Nothing," Balukh's wife Natalia Balukh told the Krym.Realii news outlet.

As UNIAN reported earlier, 46-year-old Volodymyr Balukh, a Ukrainian activist and recognized political prisoner, who was sentenced in the annexed Crimea for "storing ammunition," announced an indefinite hunger strike on March 19.

According to the Crimean Human Rights Group, the move is a demonstration of protest against the verdict.

On March 14, the Kremlin-controlled supreme court of Crimea changed the verdict against Balukh. A judge excluded the count "acquisition of ammunition" from the indictment. In this regard, the sentence was reduced by two months, i.e. to 3 years 5 months of imprisonment in a penal colony.

The court also ordered that Balukh should pay a 10,000-ruble ($175) fine.

The Ukrainian man was arrested in December 2016, after the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed explosives and 90 bullets had been found in his attic.
It is still unclear how many Ukrainian diplomats can be expelled from Russia in retaliation.

Deputy Head of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Olena Zerkal has said 66 Russian diplomats continue working in Ukraine after 13 have been expelled.

She noted that when Ukraine decided to expel 13 Russian diplomats, it was aware of the Russian Federation's possible retaliation.

"We proceeded from the fact that this indeed may happen, and when we considered the option with the Russian diplomats, we were aware there is likely to be a response and this could affect our consular missions and diplomatic representative offices in Russia, and this stopped us from expelling a larger number of Russian diplomats, since it was also news for me that 79 people were working in Ukraine," Zerkal said on Radio NV (Novoe Vremya).

Read alsoUkrainian activists "bidding farewell" to Russian diplomats in Kyiv (Photo)

"Now, after 13 go home, quite a lot still stay here  these are 66 people," Zerkal said.

At the same time, the diplomat stressed that there are fewer Ukrainian diplomats working in Russia than Russian ones in Ukraine.

"And of course, this creates additional tension for our representative offices in most Russian regions, especially with regard to Rostov, and the need to ensure consular access to Ukrainian political prisoners," Zerkal said.

Answering a clarifying question regarding the exact number of Ukrainian diplomats in Russia, she said it is "much lower."

"There are a few dozen, but still it cannot be compared with Russia's representation," Zerkal said.

She added that "there are 45 or 47 diplomats of ours there."

Zerkal noted it was still unclear how many Ukrainian diplomats could be expelled from Russia in retaliation.

"We are not aware how many and who exactly will be proposed by them for the so-called extradition," the diplomat said.
Viatrovych said this change could provoke movement in the opposite direction.

Director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance Volodymyr Viatrovych has said Ukraine's transition to the Latin alphabet may contribute to Russification in the country and prevent many citizens from switching to the Ukrainian language.

"'Giving up the Cyrillic alphabet will safeguard us from Russia and bring us closer to Europe' is the main argument of the advocates. However, in reality, changing the letter may do a disservice  enhance Russification. In recent years, more and more Russian-speaking citizens are switching to Ukrainian. The introduction of the Latin alphabet will create an additional barrier and will prevent many of them from doing this," he wrote on Facebook.

Moreover, Viatrovych said this change could provoke movement in the opposite direction  the familiar Cyrillic Russian will be easier for many people than the unfamiliar Latin Ukrainian.

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin suggested discussing the possible introduction of the Latin alphabet in Ukraine along with the Cyrillic alphabet. He had such an idea after the suggestion of a historian and journalist from Poland, Zemovit Szczerek.
Ukraine needs a new treaty with Russia to have legal tools for resolving disputes with that country.

Deputy Head of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Olena Zerkal has said the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation cannot be prolonged since Russia has grossly violated it.

"We must determine our position on the extension of the treaty until October-November this year. In my opinion, this treaty cannot be prolonged since Russia has already grossly violated it, especially as regards the recent Russian presidential elections held in Crimea," she said on Radio NV (Novoe Vremya).

According to Zerkal, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry was against the termination of this treaty until all pretrial procedures in international courts over the Russian Federation's actions against Ukraine were completed.

Read alsoRussian Duma official proposes to partially denounce Russia-Ukraine Friendship Treaty

"Now all the cases against Russia are already in the courts... Therefore, we have no doubt that this treaty is not being implemented, and in new realities, we must reach a new agreement that will also provide for legal instruments for resolving disputes between the countries," Zerkal said.

"I hope that common sense will somehow prevail over aggression, I do not know in what form it will be, but I know that any relations with Russia should already be based on completely different grounds and proceed from entirely different realities, than it was in the 1990s," she stressed.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has prepared a number of proposals concerning the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia, including its partial or complete suspension.

UNIAN memo. The Russia-Ukraine Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership was signed on May 31, 1997.

The two countries formally recognized the borders of each other and consolidated the principles of strategic partnership and respect for territorial integrity.

After the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the subsequent outbreak of fighting in Donbas, Ukraine has repeatedly called for terminating the treaty due to Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
According to Feygin, the "political" case itself, the ongoing trial and everything related is the result of strained Russia-Ukraine relations.

Russian lawyer Mark Feygin called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate the exchange of his client, Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko, who is being tried in Moscow on "espionage" charges.

Feygin told UNIAN that the "political" case itself, the ongoing trial and everything related is the result of strained relations between the two countries.

At the same time, the lawyer noted that he did not lose hope for a "humanitarian decision" in the Sushchenko case, as happened with his other client, Ilmi Umerov of Crimea.

"Sushchenko's possible exchange for Russian citizens brought to criminal responsibility in Ukraine would be a really timely way out showing willingness of state leaders to solving the problems of Ukrainian political prisoners. Many expect this, both in Ukraine and Russia," Feygin said.

Read alsoOSCE calls on Ukraine to probe threats to journalists, tells of efforts to free Roman SushchenkoIn the appeal, he also stressed that the work of "political" lawyers like him should be protected from illegal pressure and persecution.

The lawyer recalled that he faced artificial obstacles in this category of cases. Currently, according to the defender, "[pro-Kremlin blogger Anatoly] Shariy, who is wanted for committing several criminal offenses in Ukraine, and accused by his sister of pedophilia, is being used as an instrument against Feygin's efforts in the Sushchenko case.

On December 6, 2017, the Qualification Commission of the Moscow Chamber of Attorneys considered Shariy's complaint against Feygin. The meeting was postponed to January 24, 2018, then  to February 27, and further  to April 24.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 27, the Moscow court extended Sushchenko's term in custody for another six months pending trial.

The French-based Ukrinform correspondent was detained in Moscow on September 30, 2016. The Federal Security Service branded him an operative of Ukrainian intelligence and accused him of "espionage".
Vice Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine is interested in implementing such a proposal in the near future, ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in 2019.

NATO member states offered Ukraine assistance in protecting the electronic network of the Central Election Commission from possible Russian cyberattacks during the elections set to be held in 2019, according to Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze who spoke with journalists in Brussels following an ambassadorial-level meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission.

"We discussed practical things, threats that we can assume could be realized by Russia, their meddling in the election process," the vice prime minister said, according to an UNIAN correspondent in Brussels.

Read alsoPoroshenko approves Annual National Program of Ukraine-NATO cooperation"One of the potential targets of such an attack may be the Central Election Commission. There was a concrete proposal from our Romanian partners, who are a leading country in the Cyber Security Trust Fund, about the inclusion of the CEC in the second phase of the agreement on the Fund, to which we had moved. This is a very concrete and practical proposal that we can implement very quickly and which will make the CEC electronic network more stable and protected," she said.

Read alsoTurchynov: Ukraine makes big step to build national cybersecurity systemAccording to Klympush-Tsintsadze, the Ukrainian side is interested in putting the proposal to life in the near future, ahead of the 2019 elections, as Ukraine "must prepare for them in this regard as well."
In a joint statement, Poroshenko, Merkel, Macron and Putin confirmed their commitment to the implementation of Minsk accords in all areas.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin until this day never publicly supported the ceasefire in Donbas, according to Ukraine's representative to the humanitarian subgroup of the Tripartite Contact Group on Donbas settlement, First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko.

She called "important" the latest joint statement by the Normandy Four leaders regarding their commitment to the implementation of Minsk Agreements.

"Throughout the war, the ceasefire has been announced 12 times (as a rule, at Ukraine's initiative). This is the thirteenth attempt. Not once has the ceasefire been observed by the other side. But during the truce, the intensity of shellings decreased, and this means saved lives of both military and civilians," the envoy wrote on Facebook.

"The Ukrainian side, the president [Petro Poroshenko] have always publicly supported the truce and made relevant statements. Not once has there been a public statement by Putin, although it's on him and his team that the militants' behavior depends as well as their ability to observe ceasefire. This statement by the Normandy Four in support of the Easter truce, set to start March 30, is perhaps the first such public announcement," said Gerashchenko.

Read alsoNormandy Four leaders to seek ways to speed up peace efforts in eastern Ukraine  mediaAs UNIAN reported, in a joint statement, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed their commitment to the implementation of Minsk agreements in all of its dimensions (security, political, humanitarian and socio-economic areas). They also noted that they will look at possible ways to accelerate the implementation of the agreements in coming months.

In addition, the Normandy Four leaders called for more effort to release the remaining prisoners under the "all for all" formula.
The MP accused of plotting a coup and a terror act in Kyiv shall not be bailed out, the court rules.

The Kyiv City Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the first instance court to keep Nadiia Savchenko behind bars for a period of 59 days.

The defense team's appeal motion has been overruled.

Savchenko is to remain in custody until May 20.

As UNIAN reported, the Verkhovna Rada on March 22 greenlighted the arrest of Member of Parliament Nadiia Savchenko, a former Ukrainian pilot released from a Russian prison as part of PoW exchange effort.

Read alsoChief Prosecutor suspects Medvedchuk of plotting coup in Ukraine together with Ruban, SavchenkoUkraine's prosecutors charged Savchenko of plotting a coup and an act of terror in Ukraine, following an elaborate sting operation by the SBU Security Service of Ukraine who initially targeted former hostage swap negotiator Volodymyr Ruban who is believed to have conspired with Nadiia Savchenko.

On March 23, she a Kyiv district court ruled that Savchenko be remanded in custody for 59 days without bail.

Savchenko is suspected of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 109 (actions aimed at the forcible change or overthrow of the constitutional order or seizure of state power); Part 1 of Article 14 (preparations for a crime), Part 2 of Article 28 (committing a crime by a group of persons, a group of persons by prior agreement, an organized group or a criminal organization), Article 112 (an attempted attack on the life of a public figure), Part 3 of Article 258 (an act of terror); Part 1 of Article 258-3 (creation of a terrorist group or organization) and Part 1 of Article 263 (illegal possession of weapons, ammunition or explosives) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Education Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.
Polish and Ukrainian government heads confirmed the strategic nature of partnership between the two countries.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Wednesday held a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Groysman, the Polish Prime Minister's Chancellery reported.

The prime ministers "confirmed the strategic nature of partnership between the two countries," according to Radio Poland citing the Chancellery.

Morawiecki stressed that "Poland supports and will continue to support Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine."

The head of the Polish government also touched upon the issue of moratorium on exhumation of Polish tombs in Ukraine, expressing "hope that Ukraine will lift the moratorium on the search and exhumation of the remains of Polish victims of wars and political repressions in Ukraine."

Read alsoLate Polish leader warned against Russian attack on Ukraine: ex-NATO chiefIn response, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said that "we should jointly counter provocations against our mutual relations."

Groysman invited a representative of the Polish Government to participate in the Kyiv Security Forum to be held April 12-14.
The enemy resorted to using proscribed weapons, namely 122mm artillery systems and 120mm mortars.

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 54 times in the past 24 hours.

"In the Donetsk sector, the militants fired proscribed 122mm artillery systems at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the village of Shyrokyne, while the Ukrainian fortified positions near the villages of Pavlopil and Hnutove came under fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and cannons of infantry fighting vehicles," the press center of the headquarters of Ukraine's military operations reported on Facebook on Thursday morning.

Read alsoEx-"LPR" leader Plotnitsky enjoying "quiet life" outside Moscow  Ukrainian source

"The enemy also used 82mm mortars near the villages of Vodiane and Pisky. The defenders of the town of Avdiyivka, and the villages of Novotroyitske, Opytne, Kamianka, Shyrokyne, Talakivka and Pisky were attacked with the use of grenade launchers of various systems. In addition, the occupiers fired heavy machine guns at our fortified positions near the town of Maryinka, as well as small arms near Butivka coal mine and the village of Novomykhailivka," the report says.

In the Luhansk sector, the Russian occupation forces opened fire from 82mm mortars and heavy machine guns at the Ukrainian positions near the village of Katerynivka. Moreover, they used grenade launchers and heavy machine guns against the Ukrainian positions in the town of Schastia.

No Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded in action, it said.
A column of 40 trucks will reportedly deliver over 400 tonnes of humanitarian aid, namely children's food kits, study books and essentials.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has sent its 75th "humanitarian convoy" to Donbas.

The convoy consists of two columns  one headed for Donetsk, the other  to Luhansk, the ministry's press service reported, according to an UNIAN correspondent in Russia.

Read alsoConvoy of military hardware spotted in Russia, near Ukraine border (Video)

A column of 40 trucks "will deliver over 400 tonnes of humanitarian aid, namely children's food kits, study books and essentials, to residents of Donbas."

Since August 2014, Russia has been sending the so-called "humanitarian" convoys to the hostility zone in Ukraine's east. Ukrainian border guards and customs officers are banned from inspecting the cargo.

The Ukrainian authorities insist that they have proof that such trucks transport weapons and ammunition along with goods for civilians.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly demanded that Russia stop violating Ukraine's sovereignty by sending the so-called "humanitarian" aid.
The UAZ truck was manufactured in the Russian town of Ulyanovsk.

A Russian-made vehicle, which was at the disposal of Russian-backed militants in Donbas, has been destroyed.

"This is a militant-owned UAZ truck, which was manufactured in the Russian town of Ulyanovsk, the town where the 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade is based. It was this unit that was killing our fellow citizens near the town of Ilovaisk," the Povernys Zhyvym [Back and Alive] project wrote on Facebook on March 29.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 54 times in the past 24 hours.

UNIAN memo. The Battle of Ilovaisk dates back to the beginning of August 2014. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially reported about 366 Ukrainian servicemen killed in the so-called "Ilovaisk pocket," 429 soldiers were wounded, and another 300 people became prisoners of war. At the same time, according to Ukrainian MP Anton Gerashchenko, over 1,000 people were killed near Ilovaisk.
Should there be a threat to life and health of civilians or personnel of the Ukrainian army, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to immediately respond.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to establish and observe the ceasefire along the entire contact line in Donbas during the Easter holidays, starting from March 30, 2018 at 00:01 (Kyiv time).

Read alsoEscalation in Donbas: Ukraine reports 54 enemy attacks in Donbas in last day

"The Ukrainian troops have strictly observed all agreements on the ceasefire," the press center of the headquarters of Ukraine's military operations reported on Facebook.

"However, should there be a threat to life and health of civilians or personnel of the Ukrainian army, any other provocative actions by the militants of the occupation administration of the Russian Federation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to immediately react," the headquarters said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement of the situation in Donbas on March 26 agreed on a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire from March 30, 2018.
Ardern had previously said that unlike other intelligence partners, there were no Russian spies present at the Russian embassy in New Zealand for her government to expel.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday she was considering a travel ban on some Russian citizens in response to a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain that the British government has blamed on Moscow.

New Zealand has not joined the United States and other allies in expelling Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning, but would consider restricting Russians entering the country, Reuters said.

"I've now asked MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) to advise me on whether there are people who should be the subject of visa exclusions for New Zealand as well," Ardern told Radio New Zealand.

Read alsoU.S. Department of State: 27 countries, NATO order to expel 151 Russian diplomats

The United States said on Monday it would expel 60 Russian diplomats, joining governments across Europe in punishing the Kremlin. In total, 100 Russian diplomats were being removed, the biggest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats since the height of the Cold War.

Ardern had previously said that unlike other intelligence partners, there were no Russian spies present at the Russian embassy in New Zealand for her government to expel.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters told Parliament on Wednesday that most of Russia's spying activity on New Zealand took place from offshore.

In 2014, the previous National government had slapped travel sanctions on around 20 Russians and Ukrainians to protest Russia's annexation of Crimea in eastern Ukraine.
The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses solidarity with the United Kingdom.

Georgia has joined other countries in a move to expel Russian diplomats and requests a member of the staff of the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi to leave the country within seven days.

Read alsoMontenegro declares one Russian diplomat persona non grata

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the use of chemical weapons on the territory of the United Kingdom that caused grave human suffering of three individuals and posed a serious threat to the life and health of others. This represents a serious challenge to common security," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia said in a statement.

"The Ministry expresses solidarity with the United Kingdom, shares the position of the United Kingdom as well as of international community on this matter and declares a member of the staff of the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi persona non grata, who should leave Georgia within seven days," reads the report.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian authorities have expelled 13 Russian diplomats, while 66 are still working in Ukraine.
Her father, who apparently was a key target of poisoning attack, remains in a critical but stable condition.

The daughter of the Russian spy targeted in the Salisbury nerve agent attack is no longer in a critical condition and "improving rapidly."

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement that only two patients remained in hospital following the incident earlier this month. Police officer who had been affected after he responded to the incident was discharged from hospital last week, according to Sky News.

"With only two patients now remaining in hospital, we are pleased to be able to inform you that Yulia Skripal is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable," reads the report.

Ex-GRU operative Sergei Skripal remains in a critical but stable condition, the authorities say.

Read alsoBritain shares "unprecedented" Skripal intelligence with allies"I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal. She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," the hospital's medical director Dr Christine Blanshard said.

The update follows the news that the nerve agent Novichok was found at the front of the Skripals' house.

The nerve agent attack has led to increased tensions between the UK and Russia, with the UK accusing Moscow of being behind the attack.

Read alsoUK to review visas for 700 rich Russians as part of crackdownDozens of countries have showed support for the UK by expelling Russian diplomats in response.

Russia keeps denying any involvement in the incident.
Peskov said he considers the allegations against MP Slutsky to be something of a fashion statement.

After refusing for weeks to comment on the sexual harassment allegations against Russia's State Duma deputy Leonid Slutsky, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has finally shared his thoughts, comparing Slutskys victims to the dozens of actresses who say Harvey Weinstein harassed them.

Peskov said these women remind him of prostitutes, according to Meduza.

This has less to do with the Ethics Committee than the police, Peskov told an audience at Moscows Higher School of Economics on Thursday. He then repeated the suspicions many Russian political figures have raised, asking Slutksys accusers, If he groped you, if he harassed you, why did you remain silent? Why didnt you go to the police? Why did so much time pass, and then you went to the Ethics Committee?

Read alsoDozens arrested in Belarus as opposition celebrates "Freedom Day" (Photo)Peskov said he considers the allegations against Slutsky to be something of a fashion statement. Were trying to keep up with the mayhem thats been happening in America, he explained, before adding, You know, it reminds me of the Hollywood stars who became stars and who have done a lot that clashes with our notions of honor and dignity. But they did these things anyway, in order to become celebrities. They earned hundreds of millions of dollars, and after 10 years they started saying that Weinstein is a bad man. Maybe hes a scumbag, but none of them went to the police [sic] and said, Weinstein raped me! No! They wanted to earn 10 million dollars. What do we call a woman who sleeps with a man for 10 million dollars? This might sound rude, but we call her a prostitute.
The move comes as a mirror measure, Lavrov says.

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, says Russia will close down the U.S. consulate in St Petersburg.

The move is a retaliation to the expulsion of Russian diplomats across the world following the poisoning of the Skripals, according to Sky News.

Mr Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures".

Read alsoCondition of Salisbury spy daughter Yulia Skripal "improving rapidly" - media"They include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg," he added.

Russia will expel 60 U.S. diplomats, the same amount as the number of their diplomats ejected from Washington earlier.

The Russian consulate general in Seattle has been shut down.
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As many as 8,000 saplings have so far been distributed door to door in federal capital under Ghar Ghar Aik Shajar Programme (GGASP).

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :As many as 8,000 saplings have so far been distributed door to door in Federal capital under Ghar Ghar Aik Shajar Programme (GGASP). "We have set a target to plant 10,000 saplings under the programme and till date we have visited 8,0000 homes and distributed around 8,000 plants among the residents" a senior official of the Ministry of Climate Change told APP Thursday.

He said as many 4,000 saplings had also been distributed among students of various educational institutions in federal capital in another tree plantation drive, under which "We have set a target to distribute 5,000 saplings among students of educational institutions by end of March.

" Under the Green Pakistan Programme (GPP), he said, around 18 million saplings had been planted throughout the country. "We have achieved the set target for the last year, now during the current year we are ahead from the set target under the GPP," he added.

He said the Green Pakistan Programme was on February 9, 2017 to plant 100 million saplings across the country with the cost of Rs 4.7 billion in five years.  He said the saplings had been planted along the roads, canals and various designated places of the country under the GPP. He urged the citizens to take part actively in the ongoing tree plantation drive.
(@FahadShabbir)

A total of 80,000 tons of low-sulphur diesel are scheduled to be shipped to the Netherlands and Belgium in April, Sinopec's Tianjin subsidiary said. The diesel will be loaded onto two tankers departing Tianjin port next month, the company told Xinhua.

TIANJIN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) ::A total of 80,000 tons of low-sulphur diesel are scheduled to be shipped to the Netherlands and Belgium in April, Sinopec's Tianjin subsidiary said.

The diesel will be loaded onto two tankers departing Tianjin port next month, the company told Xinhua. China's diesel is mainly shipped to southeastern Asian countries, but in recent years, an increasing number of refineries have exported to Europe, said Jia Binghao, deputy director of operations in the company.

From November last year, China halted sales of diesel with sulphur content above 10 parts per millions (ppm) to address air pollution. Chinese refineries have increased production of high-grade diesel to meet the new standards.

Exports of diesel are also of higher-grade.

"On the one hand, domestic consumption has dropped and on the other, diesel with better quality is favoured by foreign buyers," said Jia. In June last year, 40,000 tonnes of low-sulphur diesel was shipped from Tianjin to Le Havre in France, Sinopec's first diesel export to Europe.

In October, 80,000 tonnes of low-sulphur diesel was loaded onto a very large crude carrier (VLCC) and taken to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the first diesel shipment using VLCC from China. In 2017, the Tianjin subsidiary made 28 export shipments of diesel, totalling 1.15 million tonnes, the highest amount for many years.

"After entering European and American markets, we are now exploring the Australian market," said Liu Rong, vice manager of the Tianjin refinery.
Shipping activity remained active at the port where four ships, Maritime Sotoshio, IVS Beach Wood,

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point news - 29th Mar, 2018 ): Shipping activity remained active at the port where four ships, Maritime Sotoshio, IVS Beach Wood, Thong Long and Red Eagle carrying Coal, Palm Kernel and Diesel oil were allotted berths at Port Qasim Electric Power Terminal, Multi-purpose Terminal, Grain & Fertilizer Terminal and FOTCO Oil Terminal respectively on Wednesday. Meanwhile four more ships, Engiadina, Pacific Talent, Sun Ploeg and NCC Maha with coal and Palm oil also arrived at outer anchorage of Port Qasim during last 24 hours. A total of ten ships namely, Maersk Euphrates, MSC Algeciras, Riva Wind, Soho Trader, Madrid Trader, Maritime Setoshio, IVS Beach Wood, Alamanda, Thong Long and Red Eagle are currently occupying PQA berths to load/offload Containers, Wheat, Talc Powder, Project Cargo, Coal, Palm oil, Palm Kernal and Diesel oil respectively during last 24 hours.

Cargo throughput during last 24 hours stood at 121,162 tonnes, comprising 46,694 tonnes import cargo and 74,468 tonnes export cargo inclusive of containerized cargo carried in 3,218 Containers (TEUs), (287 TEUs imports and 2,931 TEUs exports) was handled at the Port . Two ships, Container vessel Maersk Euphrates and General cargo carrier Madrid Trader sailed out to sea on Thursday morning, while another container vessel MSC Algeciras is expected to sail on same day. Five ships, CMA CGM Al-Maviva, CMA CGM Nerval, Engiadina, Pacific Action and Bunga Lily carrying Containers, Coal, General cargo and Chemicals are expected to take berths at QICT, PIBT, MW-1 and EVTL respectively on Thursday, 29th March while three more ships Adamastos, Uni Florida and Libra with containers are due to arrive at Port Qasim on Friday.
(@rukhshanmir)

Tens of thousands of Saudi students studying abroad will each be receiving $2,000 from the government to support their education.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Tens of thousands of Saudi students studying abroad will each be receiving $2,000 from the government to support their education. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman approved on Wednesday a recommendation made by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to grant financial reward to students abroad on government scholarships and those studying at their own expense, Saudi Gazzette reported.

The King approved another recommendation to expand the country's overseas scholarship program to include Saudi students who meet certain requirements and are studying abroad at their own expense. There are currently 90,000 Saudis studying on government scholarships abroad, compared to more than 200,000 in 2014
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

District Magistrate Swat, Shahid Mehmood, under section 144 has banned all kinds of construction near streams, canals and graveyards.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :District Magistrate Swat, Shahid Mehmood, under section 144 has banned all kinds of construction near streams, canals and graveyards. The ban has also been imposed on construction near rivers and irrigation channels.

The ban has been imposed hence forthwith for a period of two months. The violators would be prosecuted under section 188, said an official statement issued here on Thursday.
(@FahadShabbir)

Chief Minister, Balochsitan Ministers announce Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) the newly political party has been announced on Thursday as Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) for contesting of up-coming general election to struggle for interesting of province.

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Chief Minister, Balochsitan Ministers announce Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) the newly political party has been announced on Thursday as Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) for contesting of up-coming general election to struggle for interesting of province.

Saeed Ahmed Hashmi was addressing a press conference at Balochistan Chief Minister Secretariat. Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, provincial ministers and member of Balochistan Assembly were present on the occasion.

Saeed Hashmi said the BAP was made after lot of consultation with party members aiming to struggle for development of Balochsitan and remove prolonged deprivation of it. He said we decided that Balochistan Awami Party interim central spokesman Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar and interim provincial spokesman Shuaib Nousherwani would be nominated, saying that a 10 member of Party interim committee was formed, so they would make manifesto of party in one month.

He said general council would regularly declare chief of BAP and other positions in next week of April, saying that the party would be registration in Pakistan Election Commission after the general councils meeting.

"The party will distribute seats for provincial and National Assembly on merit bases to party members to contest for upcoming general election 2018", he added. He said the party could contest the upcoming general elections with the slogan of 'Stronger nation, unified people.

On the occasion, Anwar-ul Haq Kakar said that they are expecting members to join the newly formed party soon and shared that their only hope is democracy. "The people of Balochistan will decide who they choose to stand with and the party will not compromise on the rights of people of Balochistan." Replying a question, Kakar said our mission is to ensure that our political aims are so strong they would work for people of Balochistan in positive manners.
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Christian Community residing in various areas of Bahawalpur will celebrate Easter on April 1. On the occasion, religious celebrations would be held in the Churches.

BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Christian Community residing in various areas of Bahawalpur will celebrate Easter on April 1. On the occasion, religious celebrations would be held in the Churches.

Main service would be held at Catholic Church, Model Town-A.

Easter is an important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. Good Friday would be celebrated tomorrow. Good Friday and Easter fall at Friday and Sunday respectively between late March and early April each year, following the cycle of the moon.

District Police has made special security arrangements for both the events.
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European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Jean Francois Cautain and National Security Adviser Lt. Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua Thursday discussed matters pertaining to regional security especially NSA's recent visit to Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Jean Francois Cautain and National Security Adviser Lt. Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua Thursday discussed matters pertaining to regional security especially NSA's recent visit to Afghanistan.

The EU envoy sought NSA's opinion on the issues of reconciliation and internal political peace process in Afghanistan. NSA explained the fragile security situation in Afghanistan at length. He also highlighted the complexities of the perpetual conflict in Afghanistan and underscored that a cooperative framework by all was direly needed to resolve conflict in Afghanistan, said a press release.

He stressed the need of making best use of the peace offer made by President Ghani "It is first time in 16 years that the peace is being given a chance.

Earlier every body was investing in war. Let us all work together and invest in the peace this time" he added.

The envoy expressed his commitment to advance European Union's contribution to deliver lasting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and in the region. He also acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan's efforts against terrorism and for regional peace and stability.

"EU recognizes the challenges faced by Pakistan and appreciates the way Pakistan is responding to those challenges." he added. Both sides agreed that everyone has to contribute in seeking peace in Afghanistan which will enhance the regional security as well.
The Federal Public service Commission (FPSC) on Thursday has notified around 53 candidates' in different cadres of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Ministry of Kashmir Affairs.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :The Federal Public service Commission (FPSC) on Thursday has notified around 53 candidates' in different cadres of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Ministry of Kashmir Affairs.

Out of total 53 inductions, around 34 female candidates have been appointed against the post of Oriental Teachers (BS-16) in education department of GB, while some 19 female candidates inducted against the post of Medical Officer (BS-17) GB, a press release said.

In an another notification by the FPSC, Muhammad Akhter has been appointed for the post of 2nd engineer in BS-18, at Pakistan Navy, Ministry of defense.
Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani called on Chairman Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari here on Thursday.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani called on Chairman Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari here on Thursday. Both leaders discussed current political situation and the upcoming general election, especially in South Punjab, said a press release issued by the party secretariat.

Yousuf Raza Gillani expressed the optimism that PPP will sweep the general elections in South Punjab and rest of the country if free fair polls are held.
The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on Thursday celebrated "Cultural Week-2018" at male and female campuses. The students took part in the curricular activities and enthralled the audience with their performance.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on Thursday celebrated "Cultural Week-2018" at male and female campuses. The students took part in the curricular activities and enthralled the audience with their performance.

Nawaf Saeed Ahmad Al-Malki, Ambassador of Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while speaking in an inaugural ceremony said that educational institutions were best platforms for building strong brotherly relations among nations.

He said that students from more than fifty nations were availing facility of knowledge here at IIUI which had become an international platform for students across the globe,a press release said.

Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan during his speech said that friendship is foundation for making relationships with global community. He advised students to promote friendship with other international students for building strong relations.

He also emphasized Chinese students to promote Chinese Culture among other international students studying at IIUI. Rector, IIUI said that the event will show the world the most beautiful example of cultural diversity and it will promote message of peace and harmony among national and international students of the varsity.

Prof Dr Ahmed Yousef Al Draiweesh, President, IIUI welcomed the ambassadors in the mega event during inaugural ceremony and congratulated organizers for holding the event successfuly. He said that IIUI is celebrating its 27th Cultural Week with full zeal and zest.

Students' Advisor, Dr. Tariq Javed briefed that IIUI celebrates Cultural week every year with the aim to keep cultural values intact in the face of the global cultural invasions.

He said that the objective of this celebration is to provide the students and community an opportunity to witness the diversity of the IIU World.

Ambassadors and guests visited stalls of various countries which were setup by the students. The stalls presented the culture of different international countries mainly, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Somalia, Thailand, Indonesia and other countries.

The national stalls representing Gilgit Baltistan, South Punjab, Khyber Pakhtukhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan were also part of this cultural exhibition. Meanwhile, Department of urdu and Students Advisor Office organized, (Mehfil-e-Mushaira) at New Campus of the University Renowned poet s Iftikhar Arif, Toseef Tabassum, Dr.

Ehsan Akbar, Jaleel Aali, Dr. Habib Ur Rehman Asim, Saseer Ahmed Nasir, Mehboob Zafar, Akhtar Usman, Manzar Naqvi, Afzal Gohar, Ahmed Atta Ullah and Imran Aaami attended the mehfil while a large number of faculty members and students were also present on the occasion.

It is pertinent to note that the 27th International Cultural Exhibition of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) has started at the varsity. Yao Jing, Ambassador of China was the Guest of honor at this occasion.

The ceremony was also attended by Ambassadors of Kenya, Thailand, Turkey, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Oman, Yamen, Egypt and Somalia. Academicians and administration heads of the University including large number of faculty members and students were also present during the ceremony.
:Local journalists Thursday continued their protest for the third consecutive day against the murder of a journalist, Zeeshan Ashraf Butt, correspondent for daily Nawa-i-Waqt Lahore at Sambrial, allegedly by a union council chairman.

SIALKOT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Local journalists Thursday continued their protest for the third consecutive day against the murder of a journalist, Zeeshan Ashraf Butt, correspondent for daily Nawa-i-Waqt Lahore at Sambrial, allegedly by a union council chairman.

On Tuesday, accused Imran Aslam Cheema, chairman of union council Begowala, allegedly shot dead Zeeshan Butt over a money dispute. Begowala police have failed to arrest the accused so far. The police have registered a murder case against Imran Aslam and his five other accomplices on the report of deceased's elder brother Luqman Ashraf Butt.
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The speakers at a seminar in Srinagar have said that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory, which needs to be resolved through a referendum on the principle of People's right to self-determination.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :The speakers at a seminar in Srinagar have said that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory, which needs to be resolved through a referendum on the principle of People's right to self-determination.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the day-long seminar titled 'The Right of Self-determination and Persistent Human Rights Violations in Kashmir' was presided over by the President of the High Court Bar Association of occupied Kashmir, Muhammad Abdul Qayoom and moderated by HCBA General Secretary, Advocate G.

N. Shaheen. It was organized by the Bar Association to commemorate the 22nd martyrdom anniversary of prominent Kashmiri human rights lawyer and political activist, Advocate Jalil Andrabi. Andrabi was detained by an Indian army officer, Major Avtar Singh, on March 8, 1996 in Srinagar and three weeks later, his body was found floating in the river Jhelum.

The day was marked with the expression of solidarity with the mission of the martyrs and reaffirmation and commitment to pursue the Kashmir cause. The speakers while emphasizing the importance of people's right to self-determination said that the United Nations Security Council resolutions were bedrock of Kashmiris' freedom struggle.

The speakers said neither the paucity of time nor can state repression subjugate the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir fighting for their inalienable birth right. They said that Kashmir freedom struggle was indigenous in nature and substance and it could not be linked to any kind of terrorism.

The Indian propaganda against the Kashmir freedom struggle, they added, is mischievous and based on falsehood. Kashmir has emerged as a major and worst human tragedy, as the state repression is at its peak and people are denied the basic rights even, as such, the international community including the United Nations Organization, Amnesty International, Asia Watch and other human rights organizations of the world should intervene to prevent the genocide of the people of J&K at the hands of occupation forces.

The seminar, among other, was also addressed by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir Chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chief Muhammad Yasin Malik.
:A minor girl drowned in an open sewerage channel in the area of Tandlianwala police station. Police spokesman said here Thursday that two year old girl Muskan Wajid of Mohallah Iqbal Colony, Tandlianwala, went missing on Wednesday while playing outside her house.

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :A minor girl drowned in an open sewerage channel in the area of Tandlianwala police station. Police spokesman said here Thursday that two year old girl Muskan Wajid of Mohallah Iqbal Colony, Tandlianwala, went missing on Wednesday while playing outside her house.

Her parents searched her a lot but in vain.

On Thursday, some people saw the body of minor in an open sewerage channel passing through the locality. People fished out the body and staged a protest demonstration against the tehsil municipal administration.

They said the TMA officers were responsible for the death of the minor. Receiving information, area police rushed to the spot and dispersed the demonstrators.
Youngest Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai on Thursday said a strong and long-lasting democracy in Pakistan, was very important for its peace and prosperity.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Youngest Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai on Thursday said a strong and long-lasting democracy in Pakistan, was very important for its peace and prosperity.

Malala, the youngest winner of the prestigious award, speaking here at a special event by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to welcome her homecoming after five and a half years, said unity among the people of Pakistan was need of the hour to address the issues including education and health.

Malala said the areas of education, health and economic growth had nothing to do with political differences and thus required a collaborative effort by all, setting aside their mutual differences.

Malala Yousafzai returned home early this morning from the United Kingdom, where she was treated for her wounds after an attack by the Taliban in 2012 while she was returning home from her school in Mingora town of Swat valley.

Prime Minister Abbasi greeted the girl's education activist saying "Welcome home Malala" and said the then 13-year old student had now returned home as an internationally acclaimed person. Abbasi said he was very happy to see Pakistan's internationally famed young daughter coming back home.

He said when Malala left home in 2012, terrorism was rife in the country, however the country waged a very difficult war against this menace, sacrificing its over 6,500 army men and 25,000 civilians and law enforcement personnel, to make the country peaceful.

He said Pakistan would continue to fight out terrorists till the elimination of their last remnants. He described the young Malala a leading representative of the youth, particularly of the women and assured that the government fully stood by her vision.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said whatever impression the world had got about Pakistan, there was no other country in the world that rendered more sacrifices against terrorism.

He asked Malala to spread Pakistan's message of peace in the world and wished her every success in her efforts and contribution for the cause of education.

Overwhelmed with emotions and outpouring of love for the homeland, Malala said she was extremely happy to return home. She said wherever in the world she travelled, she remembered Pakistan close to her heart.

With tears in her eyes, she also spoke a few words in her native language Pushto and said she was still in a daze and it all seemed surreal. She said she always wanted to return home and recalled her home town Swat.

Malala said in 20 years of her life, she had seen a lot of ups and downs. She recalled her early life in a beautiful scenic area but regretted that it was all destroyed by the fire and fury, unleashed by the Taliban.

She said had it been her will, she would have never left her home and her country Pakistan. Malala stressed for investing in the education, particularly of girl child. She said the Malala Education Fund was already working in his regard and its objective was to empower the women and make them self-sufficient to earn their own living.

Malala Yousafzai shared her thoughts and answered queries about the Malala Fund and its contributions towards women empowerment. To a question, she said the objective was not only to provide books or schools for the girls, but to create an environment that encouraged their education and raise them as inspirational women.

She said there were several glowing examples of women in Pakistan that were turning tides in different fields. The event was attended by ministers, diplomats and educationists. Malala's father Ziauddin Yousufzai was also present.
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Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana will reach here tomorrow (Friday) on a one-day visit. According to a handout, the governor will meet with a delegation of Khanewal District Bar Association at Circuit House, and attend Kisan Mela at Bahauddin Zakariya University as chief guest.

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana will reach here tomorrow (Friday) on a one-day visit. According to a handout, the governor will meet with a delegation of Khanewal District Bar Association at Circuit House, and attend Kisan Mela at Bahauddin Zakariya University as chief guest.

He will also attend Retina Symposium at Nishtar Medical University and oath taking ceremony of Tax Bar Association Multan. Later, Rajwana will leave for Islamabad.
The prevalence of road accidents and the measures to prevent road mishaps were discussed at a seminar, here on Thursday.

SUKKUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :The prevalence of road accidents and the measures to prevent road mishaps were discussed at a seminar, here on Thursday. Addressing the seminar Senior Superintendent of Police (SP), National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) Sukkur sector, Ghulam Sarwar Bhayo said that Motorway Police have always maintained the standard of road safety which is also always acknowledged worldwide.

He said that road traffic crashes should not be accepted as inevitable because they are, in fact, both predictable and preventable. He said the probability of accidents can be reduced in a number of different ways.

On the occasion, Pricipal Public school Muhammad Imran and Principal City School Saboi Irtiza lauded the efforts of the Motorway police, calling it a disciplined force that has managed highways very well.
Pakistan and Somalia on Thursday agreed to enhance mutual cooperation and boost bilateral relations in various fields.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Pakistan and Somalia on Thursday agreed to enhance mutual cooperation and boost bilateral relations in various fields. National Security Advisor Lt General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua while talking to Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of Somalia Balal Mohamed Cusman, said that Somalia is a country of great fortune and strategic importance.

Both sides also reiterated to work together in close collaboration in all the fields and also to learn from each other experiences. Ambassador of Somalia Khadija Mohammad Al-Makhdoomi was also present in the meeting.

The Ambassador expressed her desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in multiple areas including trade, human resource development, defence and security. She said that Pakistan has great capacity to tackle internal security matters and Somalia wants to learn from its experience in this regard.
Director General Islamic Research Institute, Islamic International University Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq has called upon teachers to inform students about the Islamic values.

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Director General Islamic Research Institute, Islamic International University Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq has called upon teachers to inform students about the Islamic values.

He was addressing the second session of an international conference titled "The Tradition of Adoption, Innovation and Transmission in Islamic Culture and Civilization". He said the proper knowledge about Islamic culture, civilisation and values would surely help young generation make rapid progress in the world.

Chairman Department of Islamic Studies, BZU, Professor Dr Abdul Qadus Suhaib said on the occasion that respect for humanity was basic principle of Islamic values. Dr Kashif Mehmood told the participants that the menace of terrorism could be defeated through promotion of ideology which was now established at national level.

Dr Asmat Naaz, Dr Samia Maqbool Niazi, Dr Mudassira Sabreen, Muhammad Munir, Rustam Khan and Dr Razia Shabana also addressed the conference.
Women are playing their role for making Pakistan a strong and prosperous country in the comity of nations. This was said by Robeena Amjad, the President Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FWCCI), while addressing a function to mark the Pakistan Day.

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Women are playing their role for making Pakistan a strong and prosperous country in the comity of nations. This was said by Robeena Amjad, the President Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FWCCI), while addressing a function to mark the Pakistan Day.

She said," Now we are passing through the construction phase of Pakistan and during this stage women should also contribute their role to further strengthen the ideology of Pakistan". She said the FWCCI had been created to provide a platform to sensitize women in addition to resolving their entrepreneurial problems.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Pakistan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to curb illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Pakistan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to curb illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan.

According to Radio Pakistan the collaboration will contribute towards enhancing capacities of relevant law enforcement agencies, in particular Pakistan Customs, to enhance vigilance against wildlife trafficking. Both organizations will also launch joint awareness campaigns to raise awareness on the issue.
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WWF-Pakistan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to work together through innovative means to curb illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan.

WWF-Pakistan and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to work together through innovative means to curb illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan.

The collaboration will contribute towards enhancing capacities of relevant law enforcement agencies, in particular Pakistan Customs, to acquaint them about the key aspects of illegal wildlife trade in order to enhance vigilance against wildlife trafficking. Both organizations will also launch joint awareness campaigns to raise awareness on this issue.

Rab Nawaz, Senior Director Programmes, WWF-Pakistan said that illegal wildlife trade is a persistent conservation challenge that could be managed through collaborative efforts. Illegal wildlife trade is recognised as a translational organised crime due to its lucrative nature and organised criminal networks involved in operating the supply chain of illegal wildlife trade. According to him, this partnership with UNODC will set a benchmark to address the wildlife trafficking issue in the country and further strengthen efforts to support capacity building of Pakistans trade monitoring and regulating authorities. Our previous work has helped unravel the scale of illegal wildlife trade across the country and identify the species which are facing extinction as an outcome of the trade. We rely on the support of partners to highlight and take action against this organized crime, he said. He further added that WWF-Pakistan has recently initiated a snow leopard conservation initiative focusing on the adoption of a zero-poaching frame-work to protect the species from poaching and illegal trade.

Speaking on the occasion, Cesar Guedes, Representative UNODC said, Wildlife crime destabilizes ecosystems and alongside habitat destruction, poses a grave threat to endangered wildlife. It does, however, take a greater stretch of the imagination to see how illegal wildlife trade is not solely an environmental injustice, but also undermines state authority, fuels violent conflict and terrorism, impacts national and global security and socioeconomic development. Estimated to generate US$20 billion annually, illegal wildlife trade is one of the largest global illegal activities.



The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recognizes wildlife crime as the third largest transnational crime after drugs and human trafficking, which undermines state authority and socio-economic development. Illegal wildlife trade has a devastating impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. Guedes also said, The World Wildlife Crime Report, which was issued in 2016, represents the first global assessment of its kind. The report builds on information taken from World WISE: which unveiled data platforms and contains information of over 164,000 seizures related to wildlife crime from 120 countries. One of the key observations the database illustrates is the extreme diversity of this illegal activity: nearly 7,000 species are included in the seizures, yet no single one represents more than six per cent of the total, nor does a single country constitute the source of more than 15 per cent of the seized shipments." Guedes explained that the collaboration will benefit from WWFs expertise in educating frontline law enforcement officers to alert them on new risks and will enable them to identify and intercept wildlife that is being trafficked. He also added, We are happy to be able to contribute in stopping this trend through this initiative.

This partnership is also well aligned with the objectives of the National Plan of Action developed by WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and the involvement of relevant stakeholders. The Action Plan provides a roadmap to combat illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan. WWF-Pakistan has a long history of working on and addressing the issue of illegal wildlife trade. For the first time in Pakistan, the organization will initiate the first Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART), a technology based system to protect wildlife from poaching and illegal trade in the country.

The partnership between WWF-Pakistan and UNODC-WCOs Container Control Programme (CCP) aims to strengthen collaboration for effective management of illegal wildlife trade through effective coordination, knowledge and information sharing, and institutional capacity building, of the relevant law-enforcement agencies in Pakistan.
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The Municipal Government of Shenzhen has invited top musicians from Pakistan to participate in the third Belt and Road International Music Festival to be held at the South China's city next year, an official said on Thursday.

SHENZHEN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :The Municipal Government of Shenzhen has invited top musicians from Pakistan to participate in the third Belt and Road International Music Festival to be held at the South China's city next year, an official said on Thursday.

"We wish to invite some of the best musicians from Pakistan to come and perform at next music festival along with the renowned musicians from other Belt and Road countries", Han Wangxi, Director of Information Office, Shenzhen Municipal Government told APP.

Giving details of this year's festival being held in the modern city located in the Guangdong province, he said it will last five weeks and over 700 world-renowned musicians from 40 countries and regions are participating and performing in festival and said the concerned officials from Pakistan government should recommend their top artists to participate in this mega music event.

He said the local administration hopes to connect Shenzhen, the fast developing city in China, to the world through music. "With the first international music festival successfully held last year, we are now expecting an even more inclusive, global and high-end music festival this year," he added.

"Economically, we are very confident to be a global city between the years 2020 to 2035 but culturally, we are also aiming to become a global cultural city," he remarked.

In an effort to make the city an international hub of cultural music, he said as many as 31 major cultural events including, design, fashion show, music festival and exhibition of Chinese culture in the city this year.

Han Wangxi said the city administration has a plan to build a world class design college, design museum and opera house and an arts college. The festival, continuing last year's theme, Connect China and the World, is co-organized by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Chinese Musicians Associations.

It is an answer to China's Belt & Road Initiative in the sector of culture and music. Lasting for over a month from March 23 to April 29, a total of 17 concerts will be held at major theatres in the city, while the tickets to the concerts will be priced much lower than market-driven concerts.

Director General, Musicians Association, Ye Xiaogan said the festival has drawn great attraction among the people and expressed the confidence that people of this city as well as tourists will pay more attention and make this mega event a success by attending it in a very large number.

The music festival will also host a series of extensive and related activities, such as the music seminar and master classes in order to create a good cultural environment for the cooperation and development among the countries along the Belt and Road.
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Belarus and China's Hubei Province agreed to expand cooperation, BelTA learned from the press service of the Council of the Republic.

MINSK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) ::Belarus and China's Hubei Province agreed to expand cooperation, BelTA learned from the press service of the Council of the Republic.

The partnership was discussed at a meeting of Belarusian parliamentary delegation with Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress of Hubei Province Wang Lin. Hubei Province shows interest in joint projects with the Belarusian business in the fields of engineering, transport, metallurgy, and laser equipment.

"Our province is China's engineering hub, which annually produces more than 3 million vehicles. An example of successful partnership with Belarus in the industrial sector was the establishment of the joint venture Volat-Sanjiang, which specializes in the production of hydraulic equipment.

It would be great if we had more such projects," said Wang Lin. Among the possible areas of cooperation is the production of high-speed rail transport. Agriculture is another promising area for cooperation.

"People in the Hubei Province like Belarusian dairy products and juices very much.

We also have something to offer. For example, our province ranks first in China in the production of freshwater fish," Wang Lin said.

Hubei Province is also interested in developing cooperation in science, innovation, education, culture, and tourism. "We will be glad to develop partnership with businessmen of Belarus and are ready to do our best to promote this cooperation," she said.

Andrei Rybak, the Chairman of the House of Representatives' Standing Committee on Industry, Fuel and Energy, Transport and Communications thanked for the meeting on behalf of the parliamentary delegation.

He supported the initiative to expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Hubei Province and invited the companies to become residents of the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of developing cooperation in education and youth affairs.

While in China, the Belarusian MPs also visited the Chinese company CRSIC (China Railway Science & Industry Group Corporation) on March to discuss possible areas of cooperation.
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China on Thursday welcomed Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Oli statement of pursuing an independent and balanced foreign policy and maintaining friendly relations with the neighbouring countries.

BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :China on Thursday welcomed Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Oli statement of pursuing an independent and balanced foreign policy and maintaining friendly relations with the neighbouring countries.

"China appreciates the Nepalese government's pursuit of an independent foreign policy and supports Nepal's development of friendly and cooperative relations with neighbouring countries," Spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry Lu Kang said during his regular press briefing here.

He said, China, Nepal, and India are important neighbours to each other and hoped that the three parties could work together to strengthen positive interaction and achieve common development. Recently, Nepali Prime Minister Oli held a briefing for foreign diplomatic envoys and explained the foreign policy of the Nepalese government.
Quito, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Ecuador on Wednesday said it has stopped Julian Assange's ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up since 2012.

The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries' affairs while in the mission, an Ecuadoran government statement said without elaborating.

Under that deal, Assange had pledged "to not send messages that could be seen as interference in relations with other countries," the statement said, adding that it could take other, unspecified measures if he persisted.

The move to cut off Assange came after he used Twitter on Monday to challenge Britain's accusation that Russia was responsible for the March 4 nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent in the English city of Salisbury.

Assange also questioned the decision by Britain and more than 20 countries to retaliate against the poisoning by expelling Russian diplomats deemed spies. The comments prompted a British Foreign Office minister, Alan Duncan, to brand Assange a "miserable little worm" who should leave the embassy to turn himself over to British authorities.

In another tweetstorm on Tuesday, Assange attacked the arrest in Germany of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont under an EU warrant issued by Spain over Puigdemont's failed bid last year to declare independence for his Spanish region.

Assange's "behavior, with his messages on social networks, puts at risk our good relations" with Britain and the European Union, the Ecuadoran government text said. - Online activity - Assange, 46, has spent much of his time in his small room in the embassy tweeting and at times contributing to RT, a Russian state-owned television channel that broadcasts Kremlin messaging, as well as taking part in media conferences via video link.

In 2016, Ecuador briefly suspended his internet connection for posting documents online that were seen as having an impact on the US presidential election from which Donald Trump emerged the victor.

In May 2017, Ecuadoran President Lenin Moreno asked Assange to refrain from commenting on the separatist crisis in Spain's Catalonia region, after he tweeted that Madrid was guilty of "repression." An analyst, Michel Levi of the Simon Bolivar Andean University, said he believed the decision to render Assange incommunicado "isn't a change of policy in terms of his asylum, but rather to keep him to his conditions" of staying in the embassy.

- Extradition fear - Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there. Assange claims the accusations were politically motivated and could lead to him being extradited to the United States to face imprisonment over WikiLeaks' publication of secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Sweden dropped its investigation last year, but British authorities say they still want to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions. Ecuador in December made Assange an Ecuadoran citizen and unsuccessfully tried to register him as a diplomat with immunity as part of its efforts to have the WikiLeaks founder leave the embassy without risk of being detained.

Ecuador's foreign minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said Wednesday that a delegation would meet with Assange's lawyers in London next week "to explore what alternatives" existed to have Assange be able to leave the embassy. "We continue to hold dialogue with the United Kingdom to seek a definitive and durable solution to this situation," she added.
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Warsaw, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2018 ) :European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans will visit Warsaw on April 9, the Polish government said Thursday, amid conflict over Poland's controversial court reforms.

"His visit is a continuation of the ongoing impartial and fact-based dialogue between Poland's government and the European Commission," government spokeswoman Joanna Kopcinska told AFP. She added that Timmermans had been invited to the Polish capital by Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz.

According to the Polish news agency PAP, the talks will mainly revolve around the court reforms that led the European Union to launch unprecedented legal action against Warsaw. Brussels in December triggered Article 7 of the EU treaty over what it sees as "systemic threats" to the independence of the Polish judiciary from the country's right-wing government -- a move that could lead to never-before-used sanctions.

Poland had three months to reply to the EU's concerns. Last week the foreign ministry said it had met the deadline, without specifying the contents of its response. A lawmaker from the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, Marek Ast, however announced that a draft law would be introduced to slightly modify the reforms.

The opposition denounced the changes as merely cosmetic. Timmermans said last week that the EU's executive arm will analyse Warsaw's response before ministers meet again next month to assess whether "steps forward were made or not".

The stakes are high if Warsaw fails to satisfy Brussels. It could be stripped of voting rights in the bloc under the Article 7 procedure -- covering systemic threats to the rule of law -- which had never been previously used against an EU state. However, Poland's ally Hungary, which has also clashed with Brussels over democracy issues, has vowed to veto any sanction.
Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2018 ) :French President Emmanuel Macron met Thursday with a delegation of the Syrian Democratic Forces made up of Kurdish and Arab fighters and promised them support from France, the presidency said in a statement.

Macron hopes "a dialogue can be established between the SDF and Turkey with help from France and the international community", it said. The meeting comes after a Turkish assault seized the Syrian Kurdish city of Afrin driving out a Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a terrorist group.
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Indonesian national police have decided to prolong a military operation in Poso of Central Sulawesi province to hunt for the rest of members of a group which has linkages with the IS terrorist organization.

JAKARTA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) ::Indonesian national police have decided to prolong a military operation in Poso of Central Sulawesi province to hunt for the rest of members of a group which has linkages with the IS terrorist organization.

The operation would be extended for another three months starting from April to capture seven terrorists who still survive and hide in a deep forest of Poso, national police spokesman Mohammad Iqbal disclosed on Thursday, Xinhua reported.

"We will extend the operation because there are still seven terrorists who are at large in Poso," he was quoted by Bisnis media as saying.

The militants are grouped in the Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (MIT), which has a linkage with the IS global terrorist group.

The leader of the MIT, the most wanted terrorist, Santoso, was shot dead in the military operation. Over 2,000 soldiers and policemen have been taking part in the military operation, according to police.

The IS group has coordinated several suicide strikes in Indonesia, including the suicide bombings in the hearth of the country's capital Jakarta, a bush stop in eastern Jakarta in recent years, leaving 12 people dead and dozens others injured.
Zintan, Libya, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :Leaders of the two most heavily armed towns in western Libya met Wednesday for the first time since they fought for control of Tripoli four years ago, hailing the reconciliation talks "historic".

The towns of Misrata and Zintan were among the first to rise up against the regime of dictator Moamer Kadhafi who was killed in 2011. The rebels had taken control of the capital in the summer of 2011 two months before Kadhafi was caught in his hometown of Sirte.

They shared strategic sites in Tripoli until 2014 when a coalition led by Misrata forced out the Zintanis after weeks of bloodshed. Leaders of the armed groups and dignitaries from Misrata travelled to Zintan, 170 kilometres (105 miles)southeast of Tripoli, for a meeting that a final statement declared "historic".

"This meeting is a first step which will be followed by others," said Zintan mayor Mustafa al-Barouni at the start of the discussions. "There will no longer be recourse to arms to settle our differences," he vowed.

Ahead of the next meeting due to take place in Misrata, 200 kms east of Tripoli, the two sides agreed to set up a committee to look into the main issues, such as the fate of prisoners and those who have disappeared.

Mohamad Rajab, head of Misrata's military council, said Wednesday's first session would facilitate "reconciliation with other regions and tribes". Their statement said both sides stressed the need to bring the army and police under a civilian authority and to fight terrorism.

Libya has been gripped by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled Kadhafi, with rival administrations and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country. Today a national unity government in Tripoli, which has international recognition, faces a rival authority supported by Khalifa Hafter in the east.

Khalifa is accused by Misrata of seeking to set up a new military dictatorship in Libya. Militants and people-traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the North African country.
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The demonstrators demanded investigation into the murder of city councilwoman Marielle Franco, two weeks after her death.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) ::The demonstrators demanded investigation into the murder of city councilwoman Marielle Franco, two weeks after her death. Hundreds of people marched in the downtown area and demanded the killers in Franco's case be identified and delivered to justice, Xinhua reported here on Thursday.

Franco, 39, was in the second year of her first term as a city councilor of the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro when she was murdered in the downtown on the night of March 14. The councilor and her driver, Anderson Gomes, were shot and killed inside their car, as they returned from a political event.

Franco strongly criticized local police for using disproportional violence in the slums and poor communities, as well as racial profiling. In addition, she also denounced the militia groups who took over the communities from drug gangs but acted like the mob when they extorted money for "security and other services".

Though investigators have not made any progress, policemen, militias and even the armed forces are under pressure because of this case. The United Nations has called for a thorough probe into the case, and so did several other international organizations.
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South Korea is actively cooperating with Cambodia and Vietnam in the e-government field by dispatching an inter-ministerial contingent to the Southeast Asian nations, the interior ministry said Thursday.

SEOUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Mar, 2018 ) :South Korea is actively cooperating with Cambodia and Vietnam in the e-government field by dispatching an inter-ministerial contingent to the Southeast Asian nations, the interior ministry said Thursday.

The team, comprising officials from seven related ministries, held a digital government forum at the Cambodian posts and telecommunications ministry in Phnom Penh earlier in the day, with its minister Tram Iv Tek attending, the ministry said.

The forum introduced South Korea's e-government system and major e-government projects of the two countries and also included discussions of bilateral cooperation, according to the ministry. In particular, discussions on South Korea's e-government regulations and resident registration system took place to facilitate their possible export to Cambodia, the ministry said.

The contingent will visit Vietnam on Friday to hold a similar forum, the ministry added.
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The United Arab Emirates said two Qatari fighter jets "dangerously approached" two passenger flights on Monday, the third such incident between the Gulf rivals

Abu Dhabi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Mar, 2018 ) :The United Arab Emirates said two Qatari fighter jets "dangerously approached" two passenger flights on Monday, the third such incident between the Gulf rivals.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have clashed repeatedly over alleged airspace violations this year, as a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf enters its 10th month.

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority condemned the "reckless manner in which two Qatari fighter jets dangerously approached two UAE-registered commercial aircraft while flying over Bahraini airspace today, in a flagrant and serious threat to civil aviation and air navigation safety".

One of the aircraft was forced to "do an emergency manoeuvre to avoid colliding with the Qatari jets," the aviation authority said in a statement published by the official WAM news agency.


Nathans Famous will host the Nevada qualifier for the annual Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest at 3 pm on Saturday April 28, 2018. The event will take place at New York-New York Hotel and Casino.

The top male and female finishers in the event will qualify for a seat at the Nathans Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn, on July 4th, 2018, where they will face reigning champions Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo.

The launch of the annual Nathans Famous hot dog-eating contest circuit signals the arrival of summer, said Scott Harvey, executive vice president of Nathans Famous. Some of the most accomplished eaters in the world will compete at this event, but we also are seeking new talent in Las Vegas to represent our nation on the most patriotic day of the year.

Competitive eating is the lens through which our humanity is revealed, said Major League Eating Chair George Shea. Competing against world champ Joey Chestnut on the big stage in Coney Island on July 4 is the dream of any patriot.

Joey Chestnut of San Jose, CA, currently holds the title of hot dog-eating world champion after defeating rising star Carmen Cincotti with a Coney Island record of 72 hot dogs in 2017. Chestnuts all-time best is a world record 73 Nathans Famous hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Miki Sudo of Las Vegas, NV, will defend her title as female champion, having consumed 41 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes in 2017, a new personal best.

In recent years, an estimated 35,000 fans have traveled to the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island to watch the Nathans Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in person. The live telecast of the event has consistently attracted millions of viewers since ESPN first aired the contest in 2004.

According to legend, the Nathans Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest has occurred each July 4th in Coney Island, N.Y., since 1916, the year Nathan Handwerker opened the beloved restaurant. MLE, the governing body of all stomach-centric sports, sanctions the Nathans Famous Hot Dog-Eating Circuit and ensures the contests are judged professionally and that safety standards are in place at each event.
As the sun sets on March 30, Jewish communities around the world will celebrate the festival of Passover. The holiday commemorates the Hebrews' liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. A few days before the start of the holiday, a New York-based interfaith organization hosted a unique event where Jews were joined by Muslims in Passover festivities. And the celebration happened at an unlikely venue  a mosque. Aunshuman Apte reports from New York.
Afghan photojournalist Massoud Hossaini, who has been working for the Associated Press in Kabul, said he survived what he called an assassination attempt Thursday.

Hossaini won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news photography in 2012 after capturing the image of a crying girl in the aftermath of a suicide attack on a crowded Shi'ite shrine in Kabul.

He told VOA that three gunmen got out of a car Thursday and started shooting at his vehicle as he was driving his car.

"As I began driving, a Toyota car blocked my way and three people got out of the car with guns and started firing at my car. It took me a few seconds to make sense of the situation and realize that the target of the attackers was me," Hossaini said.

"As soon as I realized that I was the target, I rammed my vehicle into the car of the gunmen and fled the scene to a nearby police station," he added.

Hossaini said authorities were investigating the incident, and that while it was premature to blame any group, he did rule out the possibility of this being a criminal incident.

"I can tell you that this was not an armed robbery, as I had the key inside my vehicle when I left it to purchase a phone card, and they [armed men] could have gotten the car easily," he said.

Previous threats

Hossaini said he had received threats in the past from the Islamic State terror group and the Taliban.

"Just like other reporters, I also received a series of threats from the Islamic State and the Taliban, but I did not think such a thing would take place. Even now, I cannot speculate on who carried out the attack, as the investigation is underway to get to the bottom of the issue," he said.

Hossaini is the only Afghan who has won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for breaking news photography for taking the photo of a 12-year-old girl, Tarana Akbari, who was standing in the middle of dead and injured bodies at the Abul Fazl shrine in Kabul in 2011.

She was screaming and trying to make sense of what had happened. The suicide attack killed more than 80 people and injured dozens more.

Hossaini was working for Agence France-Presse at the time and was inside the shrine to cover the Ashura event, a religious day commemorating the killing of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The photo made headlines and went viral globally on social media.

The Afghan Taliban condemned the attack at the time and denied responsibility for it. Lashkar e-Jangvi, an armed group in Pakistan known for violence against Shiite Muslims, claimed responsibility for the attack. The 2011 terror attack on the shrine was the first major attack against the Shiite minority in Afghanistan.

Since then, Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a series of terror attacks against Shiite mosques and religious centers in different parts of Afghanistan, killing and injuring hundreds of people, mainly Shiites.

Sectarian war sought

IS has been trying to trigger a sectarian war between Shiite and Sunni Muslims inside Afghanistan.

Afghan officials claim that IS in Afghanistan is mostly made up of members of Lashkare-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and the Haqqani network, which all are based in Pakistan and just changed their names and affiliation.

All three militant groups are U.S.- and EU-designated terror organizations.

Hossaini also was trapped inside the American University of Afghanistan during a terror attack on the university in 2016, which killed 13 people and injured several others, including Hossaini.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center, a media advocacy group, condemned the attack on Hossaini and urged law enforcement authorities of the country to investigate the incident and share their findings with the media as to who was behind the attack.

VOA's Afghan Service contributed to this report.
The world could see its first city with a population of 100 million by the end of this century. That is the conclusion of new research into the speed of urbanization in many fast-growing countries in Africa and Asia, which suggests even small cities could balloon into huge metropolises in the coming decades.

By the end of the century, the worlds population is forecast to reach up to 14 billion. Eighty percent of those people will be living in cities, according to new research from the Ontario Institute of Technology.

We are now seeing the urbanization wave headed through China, it is toward the latter part of its urbanization. And now it is headed for India, and then we will see it culminate in the big cities of sub-Saharan Africa, co-author and professor Daniel Hoornweg told VOA via Skype.

That could mean the first 100-million population city, and the top candidate is Lagos, Nigeria.

WATCH: Africa Could See World's First 100 Million City by Century's End

Africa and cities

Today its population is 20 million, not the largest, as that accolade belongs to Tokyo with about 38 million people, but one of the fastest growing. In two generations, Lagos has grown a hundredfold. By 2100 it is projected to be home to more people than the state of California.

Lagos, Dar Es Salaam, Kinshasa: These are the cities that are looking at four- to five-fold increases in population. By the end of the century, the lions share of large cities, the top 20 if you will, most of those will be in Africa, Hoornweg said.

Lagos sprawls across 1,000 square kilometers, an urban jungle of skyscrapers, shanty towns and everything in between. Its population grows by 900 people per day.

The poorest residents, often migrant communities, live in slums by the lagoon. Amnesty International has warned of ruthless forced evictions to make way for new developments, which have left more than 30,000 people homeless and 11 dead.

Oladipupo Aiveomiye lives in the Ilaje-Bariga shantytown.

The threat of being evicted, the threat of being chased away overnight has gripped people to the extent that they cannot even work or operate in this area, he said.

Young continent

Across Africa the median age is younger than 20 and the fertility rate is 4.4 births per woman. Even small cities are forecast to balloon in size. Niamey in Niger could grow from less than 1 million today to 46 million by the end of the century; Blantyre in Malawi from 1 million to 40 million.

Asia, too, will witness huge urban growth, with Kabul in Afghanistan projected to hit 50 million people.

Hoornweg says despite the associated problems of slums, poor sanitation and pollution, increasing urbanization can be a good thing.

Cities, by their nature, because of a more compact lifestyle, can provide a quality of life higher than anywhere else with less energy per unit of GDP, he said. So, cities actually provide a really important opportunity. We will not get to global sustainability without big cities.

Many cities in the West are predicted to plateau or decline in size. By the end of the century, only 14 of the biggest 100 are forecast to be in North America or Europe.
Amnesty International is accusing Saudi Arabia of using "an aggressive publicity drive" to rehabilitate the country's reputation the organization said has been tarnished by numerous human rights violations.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is in the midst of three-week cross-country tour of the United States, which began with a March 20 meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump. His trip is designed to strengthen U.S.-Saudi relations and secure American investment in the country.

Prince Mohammad's itinerary also includes meetings with business leaders, media organizations and members of Congress, some of whom have been critical of Saudi Arabia's intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, particularly regarding the humanitarian crisis and civilian casualties.

Some lawmakers called the war, which claimed the lives of about 10,000 people, a "humanitarian catastrophe," for which they believe the Saudis are responsible.

Amnesty also said the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia has "deteriorated markedly" since Mohammad bin Salman assumed the role of crown prince last summer. Saudi rulers have long drawn intense criticism from rights groups over the targeting of political dissidents and human rights groups.

Amnesty has launched an advertising campaign to encourage global observers "not to mistake public relations for human rights."

"The best PR machine in the world cannot gloss over Saudi Arabia's dismal human rights record," Amnesty Middle East Director Samah Hadid said Thursday in a statement. "The Crown Prince has been cast as a reformer but the crackdown against dissenting voices in his country has only intensified since his appointment last June."

Amnesty's awareness initiative features an advertising campaign that takes satirical jabs at Saudi Arabia.

"To improve its image, maybe #SaudiArabia should start by investing in human rights, not PR campaigns?," the human rights group posted on Twitter.
Former vice president Joe Biden regrets saying he'd beat the hell out of President Donald Trump if they were in high school for how he treats women.

In a Pod Save America interview released Wednesday, the Democrat said I shouldn't have said what I said.

At a University of Miami rally against sexual assault last week, Biden cited lewd comments that Republican candidate Trump made in a 2005 Access Hollywood tape about grabbing women without their permission.

The 75-year-old made similar comments in the closing days of the 2016 campaign.

Trump tweeted: Crazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy.

Biden said he should not have brought it up again. He said I don't want to get down in the mosh pit with this guy.
Botswanas president has drawn attention recently for urging long-time African leaders to loosen their grip on power: first, Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe, then Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Now, its his turn. President Ian Khama steps down Saturday to make way for his vice president, exactly a decade - to the day - after he became president of the diamond-rich Southern African nation. Current Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi will take his place.

Botswana is a rarity on the continent for its record of free and fair elections since independence, as well as its reputation for low levels of corruption.

Presidential spokesman Jeff Ramsay says Khama leaves behind a strong and peaceful country.

Weve had uninterrupted democracy and development in our country since 1965, I should say, although independence was 66, with the first election and self-government, he told VOA. In the case of Khama, some of the highlights, first, would be his promotion of poverty eradication. We have a poverty eradication program, weve made progress in reducing poverty levels.

Khamas voluntary departure is a bright spot in a region where other leaders have gone to great lengths to stay in power, some beyond their legal mandate.

But Khamas critics say that while they applaud his respect of the law in this regard, he has shown an authoritarian streak.

The retired army general, says analyst Ndulamo Anthony Morima, has pushed through bills and signed some orders without going through parliamentary processes, has stifled dissent, and oversaw the governments decision to stop advertising in private media outlets that it saw as critical of Khamas administration.

There were some authoritarian tendencies, but obviously, not to the extent of our fellow African countries, [where] we know there is almost a lack of regard at all for democracy, Morima told VOA.

Like father, like son, like brother ?

Khama is the oldest son of Botswanas first post-independence leader, Seretse Khama. The younger Khamas critics have accused him of trying to establish a family dynasty. In 2014, the president drew fire from his own party when he attempted to have his younger brother, Tshekedi, installed as vice president.

Tshekedi is one of several candidates rumored to be in the running as the new presidents deputy.

The Khama family also occupies a number of key positions inside and adjacent to the government. Tshekedi is minister of tourism. His twin, Anthony, is a businessman who was embroiled in a 2015 scandal in which his company was allegedly given favor in a major defense contract.

Their cousin is the defense minister and oversees the nations intelligence agency. Another cousin is a top ruling party adviser and once served as ambassador to Sweden. And his ex-wife, who kept the Khama name, heads the nations De Beers diamond franchise.

Analyst Nicole Beardsworth says the end of Khamas presidency doesnt mean the Khama name is out of play in Botswanas politics.

Theoretically, Masisi now has 18 months to solidify his position and levy the advantages of incumbency to win the nomination of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party and the election.

But Beardsworth says, If Ian Khama spends the next two years trying to position his brother and gather support and momentum for his candidacy, then, its entirely possible that it might be Ian Khamas brother instead.

That theory, Morima notes, is popular in Gaborones political circles. But, he adds, the nations opposition has failed to mount a strong challenge to the BDP.

So I think what needs to be done is the opposition taking itself seriously, coalescing around a particular platform so that it poses a real challenge to the BDP, which currently is not the case, he said. And my prediction is that, come 2019, we may still see the BDP winning the elections.

1 car, 143 cows

Khama has enjoyed a warm send-off during his last year in office. He recently completed a tour of the nation, where citizens lavished him with praise and showered with gifts that included a car, 143 cows and hundreds of chickens.

In one of his many farewell speeches, the former pilot, who has never married, said he never really wanted to be president.

But, he quipped, now Botswana is convincing me that I should become a farmer with all the animals that have been gifted to me."
Brazil federal police arrested several people Thursday with links to President Michel Temer who is suspected of accepting bribes for the awarding of contracts to companies operating at the countrys largest port.

The arrests were authorized by Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso, who is overseeing the Sao Paulo Santos port investigation.

The attorney generals office said in a statement that arrests were made at Santos as part of an investigation into alleged corruption involving a decree signed by Temer regulating Brazils ports.

The decree Temer signed last May extended contracts for companies operating at the port from 25 to 35 years with an option of renewal for up to 70 years.

Temer has denied any wrongdoing in the awarding of port contracts, and his Cabinet secretary told reporters the president would clear his name.

Rodrimar, one of the companies at the center of the probe, confirmed in a statement that its president, Antonio Celso Grecco, was arrested and that police searched its headquarters in Santos. The company said that in accordance with the warrant, Celso Grecco could be held for five days.

Rodrimar said it has never accepted official favors and that the decree did not benefit any company, adding that the company and Celso Grecco were surprised by Thursdays move.

Brazilian media reported that others arrested included: Jose Yunes, a longtime former aide to Temer; Joao Batista Lima, a retired military police colonel with reportedly close ties to Temer; and Wagner Rossi, an agriculture minister in a previous government who once ran Codesp, the entity that administers the port.

Attorneys for the suspects said their clients have denied any wrongdoing. Some of them called their clients detention unacceptable and/or illegal.
A hospital in Britain says the daughter of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal is "improving rapidly" after a nerve agent attack earlier this month and is no longer in critical condition.

"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," said Salisbury District hospital Medical Director Hospital Christine Blanshard.

Yulia Skripal and her father fell ill after being poisoned with a nerve toxin in the British town of Salisbury. Russia has been blamed for the attack and more than 20 countries, including the U.S., ordered the expulsion of Russian diplomats in response.

Sergei Skripal remains in critical condition, according to Dr. Blanshard.

Russia denies it was responsible for the nerve agent attack and has alleged it was carried out by British intelligence services to discredit Russia. Britain dismisses that allegation.

British police gave an update on the investigation Wednesday, saying that after forensic examinations, detectives believe the Skripals first made contact with the toxin at the front door of their home. They cautioned that those living in the neighborhood will see continued searches taking place but that the risk to the public remains low.

So far, police say they have looked through 5,000 hours of security camera footage, examined more than 1,350 other exhibits and interviewed hundreds of witnesses.

In a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May praised the "very strong response" by the United States, which ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats after Moscow was blamed for the attack.

The White House said "both leaders agreed on the importance of dismantling Russias spy networks in the United Kingdom and the United States to curtail Russian clandestine activities and prevent future chemical weapons attacks on either countrys soil."

VOA's White House correspondent Steve Herman and national security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.
Hispanic civil rights leader Cesar Chavez fought for the rights of itinerant farmworkers, many of them immigrants. He remains an inspiration for many, but for others, his legacy is complicated.

Chavez, who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, died in 1993. He'll be remembered Saturday, March 31, on Cesar Chavez Day, which is a state holiday in California.

Symbol of Latino empowerment

Half of the vegetables, fruit and nuts grown in the United States come from Californias Central Valley, Chavezs base of operations. At its height, the UFW claimed a membership of 70,000 in California, Florida, Washington, Texas and Arizona. Membership would later drop below 10,000.

Chavez, an advocate of nonviolence, has remained an international icon for his efforts to improve wages and working conditions for impoverished farmworkers, through strikes and boycotts of agricultural products. He also became a symbol of Latino empowerment.

In the 1960s, Chavez gained the support of key public figures, including Sen. Robert Kennedy, and was eventually embraced by the labor movement. A devout Roman Catholic, he was also admired by many Catholic bishops as he gained international fame.

A flawed figure

Miriam Pawel, author of The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography, said there was another side to the civil rights leader.

He was very human, she said. He had a lot of flaws, and in some ways, he contributed to some of the unions decline. But he was an enormously heroic figure whose achievements should be studied and celebrated.

Among Chavezs flaws, Pawel said, was he became increasingly autocratic in running his union after relocating in 1971 to a compound in the rural community of Keene, California, where he hoped to create a community that could translate his vision into action. President Barack Obama dedicated a national monument on the site in 2012.

WATCH: Cesar Chavez Day in California - Reflecting on Immigration

Chavez also had a mixed record in his dealings with undocumented workers  those who crossed the border illegally or stayed in the United States without authorization.

Today, between 50 and 70 percent of U.S. farmworkers are unauthorized, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Union officials say its the result of a system of labor recruitment that uses third-party contractors, and that few farmworkers today are unionized.

The UFWs decline was largely the result of decisions made by Chavez, said Matthew Garcia, a history professor at Dartmouth College and author of From the Jaws of Victory: The Triumph and Tragedy of Cesar Chavez and the Farm Worker Movement.

Garcia recalls the efforts of Chavezs cousin Manuel to create a vigilante line with UFW members near the Mexican border in Arizona, a so-called wet line, to block the entry of illegal migrants in the 1970s.

He said Chavez was a man of his times, not one who rose above them, and that he saw undocumented workers as an impediment to organizing an effective union.

Not so, said Chavezs son Paul, a one-time UFW organizer, negotiator and lobbyist, and now chairman of the Cesar Chavez Foundation. He said his father was opposed to illegal strikebreakers, but accepted union members without the requirement that they be legal residents.

Its always been, You represent who works in the fields. And so, no, there never has been and never will be (the need for legal residency).

Lasting legacy

Today, nonprofit organizations inspired by Chavez support the undocumented, as well as legal immigrants, with housing, health care and education.

I want to learn more English, and I want to get my high school diploma, said Vilma Hernandez, a cafeteria worker and U.S. citizen who was born in El Salvador.

He's a student at an adult school in Bakersfield, California, which is sponsored by the Farmworker Institute for Education and Leadership Development.

Teacher Cesar Reveles said that other students are fearful. Immigration checkpoints in Bakersfield have targeted residents thought to be in the country illegally, which makes them not want to come, he said, or not want to go out with their families, or be on the streets.

Student Teresa Aguilar said she became a citizen after nearly 30 years in the country because of the current harsh enforcement of immigration law under President Donald Trump.

Samuel Santiago Santiago, a restaurant manager and part-time student, is worried about his brother and other relatives who are undocumented.

Aguilar worried about the young people brought to the United States as children who had a temporary reprieve from the threat of deportation under Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which Trump has ended.

The president or the Congress, they have to do something, Aguilar said.

Congress and the president have been unable to craft an agreement. Trump blames the Democrats, and the Democrats blame Trump and a faction of Republicans who oppose the DACA program. Talks have been complicated by Trumps insistence that the agreement include funding for a border wall.

Like much of the U.S. labor movement, the UFW and its allied organizations today support undocumented workers, especially DACA recipients.

Chavezs life provides an example for activism, said David Villarino, Chavezs former bodyguard who now heads the Farmworker Institute and is married to Chavezs daughter Liz. He said the labor leaders message was one of empowerment and change through nonviolent activism.

Pawel said Chavez showed the poorest people that they could take on what was then the most powerful industry in the state of California and win contracts, inspiring others to undertake collective action. But he had difficulty reconciling the bureaucracy of the union with his vision of the movement, she said.

Garcia noted that Chavez inspired others with the way he built a multiethnic movement, a multigenerational movement, employing the tactic of boycotts against agricultural products such as grapes and lettuce  a technique still used by labor and civil rights activists.
China's Communist Party leadership is taking new steps to assert its control over state broadcasters and a regulator for all types of media from movies to TV programs and books. The moves will put the party more squarely in charge as it seeks to improve its messaging at home and boost China's image abroad. But analysts argue that such a top-down unified approach may fall short of its intended goal.

During top-level political meetings in Beijing earlier this month, Chinas president was granted a mandate to stay in office as long as he wishes and the party also approved the creation of what is being called the Voice of China, a proposed merger of three top broadcasters  China Central Television, China Radio International and China National Radio  into one entity.

It also dissolved the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television or (SAPPRFT)  a body that oversees everything from foreign films coming into China to TV programs and books.

Both are now more firmly under the thumb of the communist partys propaganda department.

Seeking more unified message



The shift to give the party more control is a subtle but significant one for a country where all types of media are already tightly controlled. It also reflects the huge ambitions of Chinas powerful leader Xi Jinping and his desire to present a consistent message.

Chinas Xi is determined to advance his so-called Chinese Dream of restoring China to its past greatness, raise the countrys prominence on the world stage and expand Beijings influence through ventures such as the trillion-dollar infrastructure and trade project, the Belt and Road.

According to estimates, Chinas party-state apparatus spends billions of dollars each year on media and propaganda overseas. Yet the worlds second largest economy, a country enjoying growing prominence on the world stage, is still struggling to gain a strong favorable view in countries such as Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Germany and the United States.

Branding



David Lampton, director of China Studies at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, said the move is in part about branding.

I think party control for domestic purposes principally, but also getting a handle on Chinas message in the world and getting leverage over media conglomerates that they want to do business with around the world are certainly objectives as well, Lampton said.

How much employees of the three broadcasters or the general public will welcome the move is unclear. Lampton said he expects Chinese intellectuals and the countrys middle class will chafe under the increasing control.

China has the worlds largest middle class population and more and more Chinese are traveling across the globe, outside the countrys great firewall of censorship. Awareness and concern about a wider range of issues is growing. So much so that Xi Jinping has mentioned the issue twice at recent key political meetings as well as the need for the party to quickly adapt.

However, adapting by tightening controls over information and the partys grip on the narrative is not what some analysts believe is the best solution.

Nicholas Cull, Professor of Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern Californias Annenberg School, argues the strength of China is not its unity, but diversity.

An effort to create a single Voice of China is a misrepresentation of the complex reality that exists on the ground, he said. Cull adds that it is also a reflection of the Chinese governments view that diversity is some kind of a threat and their wish for China to be perceived internationally as just one thing, with one person in charge.

Its an ironic thing that, really, the fantasy of the Chinese government and the fantasy of the Chinaphobe in the West are exactly the same thing, that China is one single, super-strong thing, and, the reality is so different from that, he said.

Competing on world scene



Lampton adds that efforts to dilute Chinas dynamic range of voices at home is unlikely to increase Beijings soft power abroad.

Competition and rights to say what you think and have diverse opinions, I think thats the core of what you would call ideological soft power abroad, Lampton said. So, Chinas attempt to homogenize its message and get one single brand message out there, I think probably weakens Chinas soft power, it doesnt increase it.

Still, the sheer size of Chinas expansive media operations overseas and growing coverage of local news globally will be an advantage and challenge that its competitors will have to face.

Cull said that what worries him is that sometimes for budget reasons, Western broadcasters are walking away from the really important stories in the world and from connecting to the ordinary people on the ground and the stories they care about.

With a combined number of nearly 300 bureaus around the world, Chinas state-backed media operations are reporting in dozens of languages. Cull said that he does not write off Voice of China as an international media player and adds that in some places it will be very competitive.

The Chinese are putting more and more journalists into the world and just by the volume of their coverage are getting a say in world affairs, Cull said. And at some point thats going to pay off in terms of audience, just because, basically people want to see themselves and hear about themselves in media coverage, not about things to which they have no direct connection.
He did jail time for petty crime and was under surveillance as a potential extremist, yet Radouane Lakdim slipped through the French security net.

Lakdim  who killed four people in a shooting-and-hostage rampage in southern France last week  is a prime example of the challenges security officials face and the missteps they can make as homegrown extremists multiply.

Even before France buried his victims Thursday, angry voices asked what went wrong.

The questions are coming from victims' families, opposition leaders and even from Morocco's counterterrorism chief  whose country has helped France investigate dual-national extremists in the past but was never told that the French-Moroccan Lakdim was a risk.

Did a summons to meet with intelligence officials play a role in Lakdim's decision to spring into action? Was there a slip-up in surveillance?

Experts say French intelligence services are drowning in data and lacking enough analysts to interpret.

More than 20,000 names are on two lists of radicalized or potentially radicalized people in France. It takes 20 officers to survey a single person daily, experts say.

Lakdim was one of more than 15 people in France under surveillance as potentially dangerous since 2012 but went on to commit attacks and kill. With soldiers in the streets, a new, tougher terrorism law and new efforts to prevent radicalization, France appears to be covering all bases. But attacks keep coming.

Lakdim took his sister to school on March 23, then killed in the name of the Islamic State group in a three-stage attack in the medieval city of Carcassonne, where he lived, and in the nearby town Trebes. The 25-year-old was shot dead later that day when police stormed a supermarket to free his hostages.

List of offenses

By the time he died, Lakdim had been convicted twice on drug and weapons possession charges; was suspected of belonging to a local Salafist movement; had a radicalized girlfriend who had converted to Islam and is now charged in the case; owned a saber, a handgun and knives; had done a month of prison time; and was to go before a court on April 23 for possessing a knife and driving without a permit.

The profile mimics those of many small-time delinquents. But questions arise because Lakdim was on two watch lists, starting in 2014, and was closely monitored since late 2015, according to anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins. The surveillance failed to provide "warning signs of an intention to act'' or indications he planned to travel to Syria or Iraq, Molins said.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Wednesday confirmed reports that French security services were poised to reduce the surveillance on Lakdim. Yet Collomb maintained there were no "dysfunctions'' in tracking him.

"This poses once again the question of the efficacy of the surveillance,'' said Yves Trotignon, a former intelligence official.

In 2016, one of two men who slashed a priest's throat during Mass in a small Normandy town wore an electronic bracelet after serving prison time. The man who killed a police couple in their home outside Paris a month earlier was under surveillance. A man who tried to crash his car loaded with gas canisters and weapons into gendarmes on Paris' Champs-Elysees last year was under surveillance, yet had a gun permit.

French authorities stress their successes. While 11 deadly attacks have been carried out since the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a kosher grocery were attacked in January 2015, 51 attacks have been thwarted and 17 more have failed, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told lawmakers Tuesday.

A 100 percent success rate in counterterrorism is impossible, and the threat will last for years, authorities warn.

Trotignon compares a terror attack to an industrial accident because "there is never a single cause,'' but an accumulation of missteps.

Little problems, like a defective joint in refinery piping, get patched. "Then one day all the little problems happen at the same time. ... An attack is like that.''

What's the stimulus?

Investigators look for attack triggers.

The newspaper Le Monde reported that Lakdim had recently received a written summons from French intelligence headquarters for an "administrative meeting''  a flag that he was under watch.

At the time of the failed Champs-Elysees ramming attack, Le Monde reported that the driver, Adam Djaziri, had received his third demand for an "administrative meeting'' shortly before the attack, which killed no one but himself.

Across the Mediterranean, the chief of Morocco's counterterrorism agency questioned why France didn't communicate with him.

Abdelhak Khiame told The Associated Press that as of Tuesday  four days after Lakdim's deadly attack  he had heard nothing from Paris, despite a policy of information sharing.

"His country of birth should have been notified that its national is wanted by French security,'' said Khiame, director of Morocco's Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations. Moroccans make up a large subset of Islamic State group fighters, and dual Moroccan-European citizens have taken part in past IS attacks in Europe.

Alain Bauer, a leading criminologist, maintains the attacks by Lakdim could have been thwarted. Analysis is the key, he and other experts said, along with on-the-ground tailing.

"Like almost all others that ... succeeded, it could have been avoided,'' said Bauer, who has written a book on French intelligence. "We rely on 'Inspector Google' to decide how to fight YouTube radicals. It doesn't work ... these tools cannot replace human intelligence.''
The U.N. secretary-general on Wednesday appointed a former U.S. career diplomat to be the organization's political chief.

Antonio Guterres named Rosemary DiCarlo as undersecretary-general for political affairs. She is the first woman to hold the position.

Since August 2015, DiCarlo has been president of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and a senior fellow at Yale University.

Prior to that, she served as the U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N. from 2010 to 2015. During her State Department career, she was also posted to U.S. embassies in Moscow and Oslo.

DiCarlo is widely respected, and the announcement of her appointment was immediately welcomed by other diplomats on social media.

France's ambassador to Washington, Gerard Araud, who served previously as U.N. ambassador during DiCarlo's U.N. tenure, expressed his congratulations and added that she was "a great diplomat."

"Best wishes to experienced diplomat," wrote the European Union's U.N. envoy, Joao Vale de Almeida. "Can count on my personal and @EUatUN's full support."

DiCarlo succeeds another American, former State Department official Jeffrey Feltman, who was appointed under Ban Ki-moon in July 2012 and will depart the U.N. this week.

"The secretary-general is deeply grateful for Mr. Feltman's dedicated, inspirational leadership of the Department of Political Affairs and his diplomatic skills in exercising the good offices of the secretary-general to defuse crises and identify just and durable political solutions around the world," Guterres' office said in a statement.

In December, Feltman undertook a visit to North Korea, in what he called at the time "the most important mission" of his career. He was the most senior U.N. official to visit the country since 2011.

His meeting with senior North Korean officials came at a time of rising tensions on the peninsula. Many U.N. diplomats credit his trip as the first step toward the de-escalation that has opened the door to a possible summit between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Paris and around France in a mass show of anger against anti-Semitism and intolerance following the slaying of an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor.

The wide avenue leading out of Place de la Nation in Paris was a sea of people Wednesday evening. Young and old, rabbis and schoolchildren walked shoulder to shoulder. Some brandished angry banners: I am Jewish, read one, but Im neither rich, nor a banker, nor do I have a hooked nose.

Protester Alain Beit is happy about the big turnout  its about time, he said.

Im Jewish and also Im gay, he said. Were in the middle of two different kinds of hate  anti-Semitism ... but we also feel the hate against the LGBTQ people.

The march comes nearly a week after the stabbing death of Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll, 85, in her apartment not far from here. Two men have been arrested in her slaying, which police believe was motivated by anti-Semitism. It is the latest in a string of at times horrific anti-Semitic attacks over the past decade, including a 2015 terrorist strike on a Kosher supermarket. A record number of French Jews have emigrated to Israel in recent years.

Jews and non-Jews marched together. Valerie Bougault walked with a Jewish friend and her son.

Im here because its absolutely unbelievable in 2018 to have an anti-Semitic  whether its done by little crooks, or its ideological, its absolutely unbelievable. In France, we do have to make an effort in the schools, in the suburbs, everywhere, Bougault said.

Interviewed before the march, Jewish Consistory President Joel Mergui says while anti-Semitism hasnt necessarily gotten worse, attacks and aggressions against Jews continue to grow. Its serious, he says, that the country hasnt been able to find a solution to issues like anti-Semitism, radical Islam and terrorism.

Not everyone was welcome at the march. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen and far-left politician Jean-Luc Melenchon made an appearance to jeers from the crowd. Earlier, Jewish leaders said they were not welcome.

The march caps a day that marked another hate crime, as French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to police officer Arnaud Beltram who sacrificed his life in an Islamist attack last Friday  the same day Knoll was killed. Macron, who also attended Knolls funeral Wednesday, called her death a barbaric act and vowed to fight anti-Semitism.
The former Soviet republic of Georgia says it will expel a Russia diplomat in solidarity with Britain over the nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy.

Thursday's announcement follows the expulsion of more than 150 Russian diplomats by European Union nations, the United States, NATO and other countries in response to the March 4 poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter.

Georgia severed diplomatic ties with Russia following a brief war in the breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Russian diplomats have been operating out of the special interests section of the Swiss embassy in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, since 2009.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the diplomat has been declared persona non grata and must leave within a week. The ministry condemned the poisoning, calling it a "serious challenge to common security."
The pursuit of happiness is among the unalienable rights listed in the U.S. Declaration of Independence and so it is no wonder that the study of that elusive treasure makes for one of the most popular classes in the country. A record 1,200 students are attending a class that teaches students how to be happier at prestigious Yale University in the U.S. state of Connecticut. As VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports, many more are enrolled in the Yale happiness course online.
There appeared to be no major surprises in Egypt's three-day presidential election, with preliminary results showing that President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi had been re-elected with 92 percent of the vote. The president's little-known opponent, Moussa Mustapha Moussa, won about two percent.

Individual polling stations across Egypt announced the results of three days of voting, giving what appeared to be a landslide victory to incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.



The spokesman for Egypt's National Electoral Commission, Mahmoud el-Sherif, told journalists Wednesday that official final results would not be announced until Monday, April 2. It was not immediately clear why individual polling stations went ahead and announced vote counts sooner.

A sandstorm, which raged across much of the country Wednesday, fouled up voting in many places, and voting hours reportedly were extended by some local precinct chiefs.

In Photos: Egypt Election



Journalists had unprecedented access to polling stations in many towns and cities, with some broadcasting directly from polling stations, as votes were counted late Wednesday and into Thursday morning.

About 23 million of Egypt's 60 million registered voters turned out to vote during three days of balloting. The 40 percent turnout was down from 47 percent during the 2014 presidential election, causing some disappointment among government supporters. Two million voters also cast ballots for candidates who were not on the ballot, according to Al Ahram newspaper.

Egyptians who did not vote wondered Thursday whether the government would enforce a seldom used law fining those who did not cast their ballots. Egypt's electoral spokesman said Wednesday he was personally opposed to the imposition of fines, although theoretically, the law could be applied.

A number of opposition parties, including the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, called on Egyptian voters not to go to the polls. Some voters apparently heeded the call not to vote, while others appeared apathetic about the political process in general.
Letters to the Editor: Loss of The Vineyard House a hit for Valley; Federal law vs. the state; Good message for all parents
A Kenyan opposition politician says authorities drugged and forcibly deported him to Dubai.

Miguna Miguna says in a Facebook post that he had been detained in a bathroom at Nairobi's international airport since Monday, when he returned from Canada after being deported last month. Miguna says authorities broke into the bathroom Thursday and injected him with a substance, then dragged him to an Emirates Airline plane.

Lawyers for Miguna said their client was deported despite a court order mandating his release. A High Court judge on Wednesday declared the interior minister and national police chief in contempt of court for disregarding the order. He ordered the officials to appear in court Thursday to answer to the charge.

Miguna was deported to Canada last month after he administered the oath of office to opposition leader Raila Odinga at his mock presidential swearing-in ceremony in January to protest President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election. He was stripped of his Kenyan passport before he was forced to leave the country, but also holds Canadian citizenship and is traveling on a Canadian passport.

Odinga's supporters insist Kenyatta fraudulently won Kenya's presidential election in August.

The Supreme Court ruled that election invalid on procedural grounds, but Odinga boycotted a rerun in October, saying the electoral commission could not conduct a fair election. Kenyatta won that second election with 98 percent of the votes.

Odinga and Kenyatta have held talks in recent weeks in an effort to ease tensions that arose from the October poll.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will hold a bilateral summit on April 27.

The date for the historic meeting was set Thursday during a meeting between envoys from both Koreas in the border truce village of Panmunjonm, located in the Demilitarized Zone that has separated the two rivals since the 1950-53 civil war. Leaders of North and South Korea have met just twice since the split, the first in 2000 and the last one in 2007.

The agreement on the inter-Korean summit was reached just days after Kim Jong Un made a surprise visit to China, his first international trip since taking power in 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il. China said Kim confirmed his commitment to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and engage in talks with South Korea and the United States during his talks with President Xi Jingping.

North and South Korean envoys will meet again next Wednesday, April 4, to finalize the details for the Kim-Moon summit.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted that a campaign "of maximum pressure has forced Kim Jong Un out of isolation."

She said the U.S. is "closely linked" with South Korea on the upcoming inter-Korean summit next month and added that pressure on North Korea will continue until it takes "real action towards denuclearization."

The summit comes after a year of increased tensions between Pyongyang and Seoul over the North's defiant testing of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and an exchange of bellicose rhetoric between the North and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration employed what it called a "maximum pressure strategy," and led international efforts to pressure Pyongyang to halt its nuclear program by imposing tough sanctions.

In the last few months, Kim made a dramatic shift from his nonnegotiable position that North Korea is now a nuclear weapons state. Instead, he suspended nuclear and missile tests, participated in the Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea, and offered to engage in nuclear talks

Trump has accepted Kim Jong Un's offer for a one-one-one summit that is expected sometime in May.
Kosovo police arrested six Turks working with a group of schools owned by a cleric who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago and handed them over to Turkish authorities Thursday, officials said.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said Turkish intelligence agency MIT used a private plane to take those arrested back to Turkey. They have been handed over to the judiciary.

Those sent back are said to be from a school network that belongs to Fethullah Gulen, the cleric Erdogan blames for the 2016 failed coup in Turkey. Gulen, who lives in the U.S., denies the claim.

Anadolu Agency said the six were alleged senior Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) members and were arrested following operations against the terror group's branch in the Balkans.

Turkish police said they had found evidence of how they have operated in the Balkans: fundraising, allegedly recruiting terror group members, forging documents, or taking part in the conspiracy to overthrow the Turkish government.

In a statement earlier, Kosovo's Interior Ministry said those arrested had their residence permits revoked, without providing any reason why.

According to Kosovo law, the ministry can revoke residency permits for security, criminal, health, public moral or human rights threats.

Dozens of students of the Gulen-owned schools held a protest in downtown Pristina calling for the release of the six.

Kosovo's Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said in a statement that he wasn't informed of the police operation and that he was trying to understand the constitutional and legal responsibilities of that action and the unclear things about it.

Haradinaj convened an urgent meeting of his Cabinet. He asked the heads of intelligence agencies and police departments, and the interior and justice ministers to report why authorities revoked the permits of the six Turks, and why they were arrested and deported in urgency and in secrecy.

President Hashim Thaci, too, was disillusioned how our relevant institutions failed to protect foreign citizens working in Kosovo, adding that he learned about it after the arrest.

Kosovo's foreign ministry strongly denounced the action, saying that the arrest and deportation of the Turkish citizens with a regular residence permit ... is ... in direct contradiction to international norms.

That should not have happened under any circumstances, a statement said. The Foreign Affairs Ministry opposes such an action and also expresses its deep regret to the family members of the deported.

Turkey has been a main supporter for the new state, Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.

The Gulistan Education Institutions confirmed the arrests, saying the managers were taken away in a mysterious way.

Lawyer Urim Vokshi said they were arrested after intelligence agents identified them as dangerous, without offering any reason or proof.

Nazmi Ulus, a senior manager of the Gulistan network in Kosovo, said they all had legal residence permits.

These are the effects of the Erdogan regime in Balkan countries or in other Asian and African countries, he told the Associated Press.

The Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms, or KMDLNJ, a human rights group in Kosovo, urged the government not to interfere in the fight between Erdogan and Gulen.

The KMDLNj opposes the arrest of the Turkish citizens in Kosovo for political reasons and strongly opposes any effort of their extradition in the current circumstances, it said a statement.
North Korean defectors are voicing concern the repression and long-standing human rights violations allegedly committed by the leadership in Pyongyang will be forgotten during the nuclear summits expected to be held soon.

North and South Korea agreed Thursday to hold the inter-Korean summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27.

The announcement was made during a high-level planning session on the northern side of the border in the Panmunjom truce village, where the armistice to end the Korean War was signed. This will be the third meeting of the leaders from the communist North and the democratic South. The last one was in 2007.

U.S. President Donald Trump also agreed to meet with Kim sometime in May. The meeting would be the first U.S.-North Korea summit.

Ending North Koreas threatening nuclear and missile programs will a main focus of both summits.

Human rights

Kim this week confirmed his commitment to engage in denuclearization talks during his surprise visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. What likely wont be on the agenda is the widespread repression the authoritarian state tries to keep hidden from the world.

In Seoul, human rights activists recently staged a small demonstration in front of the presidential Blue House to demand the inter-Korean summit in late April also address the atrocities committed by the authoritarian government in Pyongyang.

The third summit on denuclearization that will decide the destiny of this Korean Peninsula, cannot be done while disregarding the human rights of North Koreans, said Kim Tae-Hoon with the group Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea.

The United Nations in 2014 documented a network of secret political prisons in North Korea and cases of state-sanctioned torture, rape and murder. Efforts in the U.N. Security Council to refer the leadership in Pyongyang to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity have stalled as China, North Koreas closest ally, would likely veto the measure.

The inhumane treatment and death earlier this year of American student Otto Warmbier was a shocking reminder of the brutal nature of the Kim government.

Warmbier was arrested in early 2016 for tearing down a poster while visiting Pyongyang with a tour group. A few months into serving a 15-year sentence of hard labor, he fell into a coma and was kept for nearly a year in prison without proper care. He died in June 2017 soon after being released in a comatose state.

In North Korea, trying to access information from the outside world is a crime, and anyone caught trying to escape across the border is arrested and sent to prison, or worse.

In November security cameras in the demilitarized zone recorded the North Korean military shooting one of its own soldiers, as he defected across the heavily guarded border with the South.

Engagement policy

Advocates for reforming North Korea through policies of engagement do not dispute the dire conditions in the North. But Moon Chung-in, a special adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in for national security affairs, argues that focusing now on North Korean rights violations would undermine the chances of getting a nuclear deal.

If you put human rights and democracy issues together with the nuclear issues, then North Korea will regard this as a hostile act by the United States and they will never make concessions on the nuclear issue, said Moon at a conference in March organized by The National Committee on North Korea in Washington.

It is an argument that frustrates many defectors and human rights advocates.

I think it is heartbreaking since it is disregarding the pain of the North Koreans, said Lee Han-byeol, a North Korean defector and activist with the Improving North Korean Human Rights Center.

Jung Kwang-il, who was among a group of North Korean defectors that met earlier this year with Trump in the White House, was initially encouraged by the attention the president paid to the ongoing atrocities in North Korea.

He said that he was aware that North Korean human rights are in bad condition, but he did not know it was this bad, said Jung, who spent three years in a North Korean prison for contacting a South Korean, and is now a human rights activist with a group called No Chain.

But with no follow-up coming from the White House, Jung now worries the United States also seems willing to put aside human rights to get a nuclear deal.

Hyung Jin Kim and Lee Yoon-jee in Seoul contributed to this report.
Pakistan said Thursday it has given a dossier to Afghanistan containing evidence that fugitive militants are using the neighboring country for terrorist attacks against Pakistani security and civilian targets.

The move came as a senior American diplomat, Alice Wells, arrived in Islamabad for several says of talks with Pakistani officials on how to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal says the dossier was delivered through the Afghan embassy in Islamabad. It contained proof that a recent deadly suicide bombing of a military base in the northwestern Swat district was plotted by the outlawed Pakistani Taliban operating in Afghanistan.



The bomb blast early last month killed at least 11 Pakistani soldiers and wounded 13 others.

Faisal said that evidence also has been provided to Afghan officials about several other terrorist groups, including Jamaat-ul Ahrar, or JuD, maintaining hideouts on the other side of the largely porous border between the two countries.

Seeking action

He said Kabul has been asked to take action against the terrorist hideouts being used for financing, planning and undertaking cross-border terrorist attacks on Pakistani military posts, cities and towns.

We have shared the locations of the safe heavens of these groups with Afghan and the U.S. authorities on many occasions, however, our concerns have not yet been fully addressed. This issue has been addressed in some locations where Afghanistan has established its border posts and deployed troops, Faisal told reporters at his weekly news conference Thursday.

There was no immediate reaction available from the Afghan government to Pakistani assertions.

A Pakistan military spokesman, Major-General Asif Ghafoor, revealed a day earlier that security forces recently have arrested 16 would-be suicide bombers, including nine Afghans. Ghafoor said all the bombers had come from Afghanistan to carry out terrorist activities.

A U.S. drone strike earlier this month in an Afghan border region killed at least 21 fighters and commanders of the Pakistani Taliban, a move Islamabad welcomed.

Afghan authorities, for their part, have been accusing Pakistans military institutions of supporting and harboring sanctuaries of the Taliban and its allied Haqqani network that is waging deadly attacks on Afghan and U.S.-led international forces in the country.

Bilateral talks

The allegations and counter allegations come as Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is scheduled to visit Kabul next week at the invitation of President Ashraf Ghani for bilateral talks on reducing tensions, and improving trade and economic ties.

The Trump administration has been pressing Islamabad to take decisive action against alleged Afghan Taliban sanctuaries on its soil and also recently suspended military assistance to Pakistan until it delivers on counterterrorism pledges.

Officials in Islamabad reject the charges, saying no insurgent hideouts exist on their side of the border. Tensions in bilateral ties have deteriorated in recent months. Both sides insist, however, a diplomatic re-engagement has been underway to address mutual concerns.

The State Department's Wells is in Pakistan where she has held talks with senior officials on developments in Afghanistan. Spokesman Faisal said Ambassador Wells held a meeting Thursday with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

The discussions are focused on issues including Pakistans counterterrorism efforts and the regional situation in Afghanistan in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trumps South Asia policy, Faisal said.

The two countries are maintaining regular engagement to address the common challenges and take the relationship forward, the spokesman said.
Pakistan announced Thursday that it had successfully conducted another test-firing of a nuclear-capable, submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM), which has a range of 450 kilometers.

The indigenously developed Babur missile was fired from an underwater platform and "engaged its target with precise accuracy," a military statement said.

The rocket is capable of delivering "various types of payloads" and provides Pakistan a "credible" second-strike capability.

Military spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor, while referring to the country's archrival India, said the development of Babur was a response to "provocative nuclear strategies and posture being pursued in the neighborhood." He also released some footage of the testing.

WATCH: Footage of Test-Firing From Pakistan Army

Pakistan said its nuclear and missile development programs are India-specific and have effectively deterred the bigger neighbor, with its larger military power, from imposing another war on the country.

"When it comes to responding to India for their threat, anything and everything that we have is for them and for nobody else," Ghafoor told reporters a day earlier.

Military tensions are running high over the divided Kashmir region, which has caused two of the three wars between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.

Both South Asian nations are locked in almost daily skirmishes along the Line of Control, which separates Pakistan's portion from the Indian-ruled two-thirds of the Himalayan region.

Meanwhile, earlier this week the United States imposed sanctions on seven Pakistani companies for alleged links to the nuclear trade.

The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIC) places those companies on its Entity List, which the U.S. uses to identify foreign parties that are "acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States," the BIC website explains.
Nearly a week after President Donald Trump issued an order banning some transgender people from serving in the U.S. military, the Pentagon is refusing to provide clarity, citing ongoing legal challenges.

Last Friday, the White House released a memo from Trump to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, stating the administration concurred with a policy for transgender service members privately recommended by Mattis in late February.

The memo said Mattis and Nielsen "have concluded that the accession or retention of individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria  those who may require substantial medical treatment, including through medical drugs or surgery  presents considerable risk to military effectiveness and lethality."

"Gender dysphoria" (formerly known as gender identity disorder) is defined by strong, persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with one's own assigned sex that results in significant distress or impairment.

The memo also granted the secretaries the authority to implement policies as they saw fit.

But since then, the Department of Defense has been silent, refusing to answer questions from reporters seeking clarity on a new policy that could affect nearly 9,000 transgender service members.

The pattern continued Thursday when Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White told reporters, "We will continue to comply with four court orders assessing transgender applicants for military service and retaining current transgender service members."

White said she is prevented from discussing any aspect of the new policy because of ongoing litigation challenging Trump's order to ban transgender forces.

The Pentagon said there are 8,980 service members who identify as transgender, but only 937 active-duty service members were diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
Pope Francis told inmates of a central Rome prison Thursday that a leader must know how to serve.

Just before washing their feet on Holy Thursday at Regina Coeli, just a stone's throw away from the Vatican, the pope also told the inmates that he was a sinner, just as they were, but he represented Jesus.

Francis washed the feet of 12 inmates in the same way that Jesus washed the feet of his 12 disciples before sharing the Last Supper with them. The men, selected by prison authorities, were from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, the Moldavia region, Colombia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Eight of them were Catholics, two Muslims, one Buddhist and one Orthodox Christian.

The visit by Francis to the city's oldest and best-known prison evoked memories of December 26, 1958, when Pope John XXIII became the first pontiff to call on Regina Coeli.

Since the start of his pontificate five years ago, Francis has celebrated the Mass of Our Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday outside the Vatican. In the past, he has gone to detention centers and a home for the disabled to wash the feet of prisoners, refugees and other marginalized people.

This is a tradition that Francis began as archbishop of Buenos Aires, where he would regularly mark the Holy Thursday liturgy in local jails.

At the prison, the pope also greeted inmates and visited those who were sick inside the prison's infirmary.

In the morning, the pope celebrated the traditional Chrism Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica. As Holy Thursday was the day Jesus shared his priesthood with the apostles, Francis led the many priests, bishops and cardinals present in a renewal of their priestly vows.

The pope also blessed the oils that will be used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination and the anointing of the sick throughout the year.

In a lengthy homily, Francis urged priests to be close to their people, calling proximity "the key to mercy" and truth.

Jesus, the pope said, could have been a scribe or a doctor of the law, but he wanted to be an "evangelizer," a street preacher, the "bearer of joyful news" for his people.

The pope told priests all over the world: "Closeness is crucial for an evangelizer because it is a key attitude in the Gospel."

On Good Friday, Francis will preside over the Way of the Cross procession at Rome's ancient Colosseum, re-enacting Christ's crucifixion.
The United States on Thursday declared there is no justification for Russia's retaliatory expulsion of American diplomats.

Later Thursday, the White House issued a statement saying the action by Moscow "marks a further deterioration" of the relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

"The expulsion of undeclared Russian intelligence officers by the United States and more than two dozen partner nations and NATO allies earlier this week was an appropriate response to the Russian attack on the soil of the United Kingdom. Russias response was not unanticipated, and the United States will deal with it," the statement said.

WATCH: State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert on Russia's plan to expel US diplomats

The Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Heather Nauert, also criticized Moscow's actions, which were announced earlier in the day by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Russia should not be acting like a victim," the State Department spokeswoman added, remarking that the only real victims are those poisoned and inconvenienced by the March 4 release of a nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury.

Lavrov announced the expulsion of 60 U.S. diplomats in response to Washington ordering the departure of the same number of Russian envoys.

Russia also is closing the U.S. consulate in the city of Saint Petersburg, ordering it to cease operations in two days.

"It's clear from the list provided to us that the Russian Federation is not interested in a dialogue on issues that matter to our two countries," Nauert told reporters at Thursday's State Department briefing. "We reserve the right to respond."

The United States, along with more than two dozen other nations, has revoked the credentials of Russian diplomats the nations accuse of working as spies after Moscow was blamed for the nerve agent attack on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, earlier this month in Salisbury.

"The United States is better off with fewer Russian spies," Nauert told reporters at Thursday's State Department briefing.

All of the Americans declared persona non grata  58 diplomats in Moscow and two officials of the consulate in Yekaterinburg  are to leave Russia by April 5.

Russia also is expected to expel diplomats from the other countries that took action against it.

Moscow denies responsibility for the nerve agent attack. It alleges that the attack was carried out by British intelligence services in order to make Russia look bad. Britain dismisses that allegation.

U.S.-Russia relations

Expressing concern about deteriorating relations between the two nuclear powers, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling for Washington and Moscow to discuss their differences.

"During the Cold War, there were mechanisms of communication and control to avoid the escalation of incidents, to make sure that things would not get out of control when tensions would rise. Those mechanisms have been dismantled," Guterres told reporters. "I do believe that mechanisms of this sort are necessary again."

U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman  who was summoned to the foreign ministry Thursday  told VOA that "our desire, of course, is to maintain dialogue on the issues that matter the most. Issues like strategic stability and arms control, which are not just a U.S.-Russia set of issues, but indeed impact the stability and the well-being of the entire globe."

British Prime Minister Theresa May, in a phone call this week with U.S. President Donald Trump, praised Washington's "very strong response" in the wake of the poisoning.

The White House said, "Both leaders agreed on the importance of dismantling Russia's spy networks in the United Kingdom and the United States to curtail Russian clandestine activities and prevent future chemical weapons attacks on either country's soil."

Attack victims

Meanwhile, Yulia Skripal is "improving rapidly" after the nerve agent attack and is no longer in critical condition, said Salisbury District Hospital Medical Director Christine Blanshard.

Sergei Skripal remains in critical condition, according to the physician.

British police say detectives believe the Skripals first made contact with the toxin at the front door of their home. They cautioned that those living in the neighborhood will see continued searches, but that the risk to the public remains low.
The law school lecture hall at Dakars Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) is, as usual, packed well beyond its 2,000-person capacity. Students huddle on the floor and perch on the window sills. Others stand by the door, straining to hear the professor.

If you really want a seat, you need to get here at noon or at 11 a.m. for a class that starts at 3 p.m., says second-year student Insa Diop, seated outside. Im just going to have to make photocopies of the handout. And for the teachers explanations, well, Ive missed them.

About 60 percent of the students at UCAD failed their exams last year. Administrators and staff blame overcrowding. For those who do graduate, jobs are far from guaranteed. In fact, people with more than a secondary-school education have the highest unemployment rate in Senegal, according to 2017 government data.

Experts see the higher education sector in crisis across the region.

Bursting at the seams

UCAD has an official capacity of 25,000 students. But there are more than 100,000 enrolled at the school, and UCAD, like other universities across Africa, is facing a looming demographic bulge.

The United Nations estimates that by 2030, about one quarter of the worlds youth aged 15-24 will reside in Africa. The population boom is coupled with a growing number of young people across the continent completing secondary school.

Higher education systems in Africa are simply not suited to the number of students who have access to university, said Gilles Yabi, founder of the Dakar-based West Africa Citizen Think Tank (WATHI).

Compared to other parts of the world, sub-Saharan Africa still has the lowest proportion of people in higher education. However, university enrollment in the region has grown dramatically, from barely 400,000 in 1970 to 7.2 million in 2013, according to the World Bank.

Last year, the student-to-lecturer ratio at UCAD was a staggering 158 to 1 for the School of Humanities and 75 to 1 for the Law School.

WATCH: Part 2

I feel exhausted, even dead if I can say so. But this is the job, and we are driven, said Professor Oumar Dieye, who teaches French literature at UCAD.

Confronted by persistent protests from both teachers and students, Senegal embarked in 2013 on a $750 million expansion of the higher education system. The project was to take four years but is still ongoing.

Senegal has taken the bull by the horns, said Youssouf Ouattara, higher education project coordinator for the U.N. Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in West Africa. He said Senegal is an example for the region, but he fears the reform is coming too late. We would have wanted to see the same efforts start 18 years ago, he said.

The government is expanding existing campuses, including UCAD, and building two new universities outside Dakar, scheduled to open this fall. More teachers have been recruited, and a virtual university was set up in 2014.

But the changes arent coming fast enough for students.

The employment disconnect

In Dakar, it is not uncommon to find, as VOA did, a chemistry major selling second-hand clothes on the street or a finance graduate managing a used furniture depot.

There is this incompatibility between the content of university programs and the needs of the economy. Young people going into higher education expect a higher quality of life and easier access to jobs, but in many [African] countries they are actually more likely to be unemployed, says Yabi. There will be major crises if reforms are not implemented, especially if students do not see concrete results.

In Senegal, employment is concentrated in three sectors  nearly half in agriculture, followed by the service sector and industrial occupations such as construction and mining.

Yet over a third of students at UCAD, the largest public university, are studying humanities.

WATCH: Part 3

We are not giving young people proper guidance. They are left in the hands of parents and family who push them towards classic career paths, said Aminata Sall Diallo, who heads a Senegalese government task force helping university graduates find work.

The government plans to open technical training schools in each of Senegals 14 regions. One of the new universities under construction will specialize in agriculture; the other will be devoted to fields such as electro-mechanics, aeronautics and land management.

Experts say this practical approach must begin much sooner, at the primary and secondary school levels.

Higher education alone will not be able to meet the diversity of market demands, said UNESCOs Ouattara.

Nearly half of Senegals current population is younger than 14 years of age. Some warn of a ticking time bomb, but the head of UCAD, Chancellor Ibrahima Thioub, remains an optimist.

The mass influx of young people into schools and universities is a good thing for African countries, he told VOA. We can transform this into a lever for development so long as we play our cards right.
If there is one thing that you cannot blame Chilean director Patricio Valladares of being, it is being lazy. Valladares is hard at work on creating a new Sci-fi/Horror mini series called Embryo, plugging away at the pilot. He has sent over a trio of images for us to share with you, which you will find below.

Embryo is a deliriously twisted tale of alien insemination, cannibalism and love that tells the story of Kevin and his girlfriend Evelyn, who, while camping out in the woods in the Chile countryside is abducted and impregnated by otherworldly beings. As the entity inside her begins to grow at a rapid rate, Evelyn discovers that the cravings shes experiencing can only be satiated by the taste of human flesh and blood. When she attacks a doctor, Kevin decides not to hand her over to the authorities, but to go on the run and try to get to big city where they can find help to remove the thing thats slowly taking over Evelyns body.

We are certain there will be more of Embryo to share with you down the road. Stay tuned. Embryo was co-created and written by Barry Keating and Patricio Valladares. The pilot series will be produced by Francisco Inostroza, Loris Curci (Producer of Nightworld) Chilean-based Suspenso and Chilean Government/Corfo.
Serbia's president sought advice from Russian President Vladimir Putin on how to respond to a spike in tension with Kosovo.

Aleksandar Vucics office said in a statement that he informed Putin about the brutal attack by Kosovo police on Monday against a senior Serb official who was arrested and expelled after entering the country without an official permit.

Vucic sought Putin's counsel because its perfectly clear that (Kosovar) Albanians have wide support of numerous Western states for their unilateral declaration of independence a decade ago, the statement said

It didnt say whether Putin had offered any specific guidance, but Vucic later told a Serbian TV station that Serbia can count on full and crucial help from the Russian Federation.

The call underscored the approach Vucic has taken as he tries to push Serbia toward European Union entry next decade. While he has engaged with the bloc, he's also kept strong ties with Russia and has refused to acknowledge Kosovos declaration of independence in 2008, which came almost a decade after NATO warplanes forced Serb troops out of Kosovo.

NATO troops have been stationed in Kosovo since 1999 when the alliance intervened to stop a Serb crackdown against Kosovar Albanian separatists. Serb military involvement in Kosovo would create a major crisis with the West, especially if there is indirect support from Russia.

Involving Russia in the Serbia-Kosovo conflict could complicate efforts by the EU to find a peaceful solution. Both Serbia and Kosovo want to join the EU, but in order to join the economic bloc, they must normalize ties.

Kosovos Serb minority on Wednesday demanded that the countrys interior minister and police chief resign over the arrest and expulsion of Marko Djuric, head of the Serbian government office for Kosovo.

Washington has condemned the incident which unnecessarily heightens tensions and threatens regional stability. The U.S. State Department statement Tuesday also urged all parties to avoid further escalation and resolve disputes peacefully.
A checkpoint in the desert of northern Somalia is the first line of defense against Al-Shabab and Islamic State from reaching the port city of Bossaso, the economic hub of the semi-autonomous Puntland state.

The two extremist groups have set up camp in the mountains east and west of the city, and launch periodic attacks, including two assaults on the checkpoint last year.

In daylight, armed police search every car heading in and out of the city, looking for weapons, explosives, and hidden militants. At dusk, they take up positions behind bunkers in case the extremists attack again.

"We are always on standby, we are always careful, but with God's will we will defeat them one day," says Lieutenant Colonel Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed, who commands the checkpoint.

Puntland has long been more stable than the country's volatile south, where al-Shabab has battled the government and African Union forces for the past decade. But in the past year, there have been a string of smaller attacks in Puntland, including tossed grenades and shootings in and around Bossaso.

Now, government security forces are on alert amid fears that Somalia's instability may be creeping north.

At the checkpoint, Ahmed says they uncover weaponry or make arrests almost every day. Two weeks ago, they found six al-Shabab suspects hidden in a truck bed, he says.

Just days before VOA's visit, Ahmed says his men captured a suspected IS member who had jumped off his vehicle and tried to skirt the checkpoint by foot.

"I sent two groups of troops. Some took the vehicle, the others went by foot," Ahmed explains. "When [the suspect] saw the first troops coming in front, he tried to run backwards, and he ran into the second group."

Blending in

In Bossaso itself, security appears tight, with police and soldiers riding pickup trucks, maintaining a visible presence on the streets. But authorities admit extremist cells are in the town, blending into the civilian population. There have been two attacks on police posts in Bossaso this year, killing a handful of officers.

"As a normal person you cant distinguish them from the rest of the people, and if they have the intention to do something, they do it and run away," says Colonel Abdul Hakim Yusuf Hussein, the police commissioner for Puntland's Bari region, which includes Bossaso.

While it's unclear exactly who carried out the two recent incidents, police have set up new checkpoints and conduct night operations in the city to round up potential troublemakers.

Hussein says al-Shabab members are shifting north to escape military pressure in southern Somalia, and gain access to weapons smuggled by sea across the Gulf of Aden from war-torn Yemen.

But Hussein downplayed the overall extremist threat, noting that IS, which briefly captured a town east of Bossaso in 2016, now only has between 40 and 50 fighters, not enough to launch large offensives. He said smaller grenade or gun attacks are merely a way for extremists to say "We are still here."

Bossaso remains calmer than Somalia's capital Mogadishu in the south, where deadly explosions are common. Attacks in Bossaso target security forces and officials, a contrast to large bombings in Mogadishu that mostly kill civilians.

During a walk with police through a busy market, VOA spoke to shopkeepers like Ali Mahmoud, who said security was fine in the city.

You can come across an accident or an incident, but there is no big threat that we now fear," he said.

Even so, as long as extremists remain in the countryside with access to weapons, Bossaso is not completely safe.

WATCH: Puntland Police on Alert as Somalia Terror Threat Moves North
Armed security officers are becoming more prevalent at America's schools, according to a federal study released Thursday amid a heated debate over whether teachers and other school officials should carry guns.

Armed officers were present at least once a week in 43 percent of all public schools during the 2015-16 school year, compared with 31 percent of schools a decade before, according to data from a survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Last month's mass shooting at a Florida high school put renewed focus on the role of armed school security guards, after a video showed that a sheriff's deputy at the school approached but did not enter the building where the attack was taking place.

The study came out a day after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos kicked off a federal school safety panel. DeVos has said that schools should have the option to arm teachers. She's being criticized by teachers' unions for not including educators, students and experts in the panel, which consists only of her and three other Cabinet secretaries.

The percentage of schools with a security guard, a school resource officer or other sworn law enforcement officer on campus at least once a week has gone up from 42 percent in 2005-06 to 57 percent a decade later. While security at schools of all grade levels increased, the shift is clearer among elementary schools, where the share with security staff has gone from 26 percent to 45 percent in the same time period.

"There has been an increase in security staff in school over the last 10 years and it's more pronounced at the primary school level," said Lauren Musu-Gillette, lead author of the report.

Experts, however, are divided on whether putting such officers on school campuses will make the schools safer or frighten children and lead to more arrests.

"There needs to be at least one in every school in the country," said Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers. "Every school could benefit from one."

School resource officers are sworn law enforcement personnel who have been trained to work in schools. Their duties include controlling outside traffic, patrolling the school, maintaining discipline, identifying problems and mentoring at-risk students, teaching law-related classes and serving as liaisons between schools and police. The school security study released Thursday includes school resource officers, other sworn law enforcement and additional security staff.

Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Council, agrees, saying that trained officers carrying weapons can help prevent a shooting inside the school and deter a possible shooter from entering.

"It sends the signal that the school is being watched and that the care and supervision of children is an important priority," Stephens said.

Others have questions.

A 2013 congressional report found that the available research "draws conflicting conclusions about whether SRO programs are effective at reducing school violence."

"Also, the research does not address whether SRO programs deter school shootings, one of the key reasons for renewed congressional interest in these programs," the study said.

Critics of putting weapons in schools point to the sheriff's deputy in Parkland who stayed outside the school when 17 people were being killed. The officer, Deputy Scot Peterson, says he thought the shots were being fired from outside the school.

Ron Astor, an education professor at University of Southern California who specializes in school behavior, says that putting weapons in schools will make them akin to prisons, intimidate children and hurt their studies. Instead, he says, research has shown that violence, bullying and the use of drugs and guns is reduced in warm, caring environments focused on providing support to students.

"With a lot of guns, it doesn't create a sense of safety with the children and the teachers. It could trigger post-traumatic stress disorder. It triggers nonattendance," Astor said.

"We don't want to live in neighborhoods where there are thousands of police officers or the military. Who likes to live in those neighborhoods?" he said. "We like to live in neighborhoods where we know each other, where people have good relationships with each other, where they are out on the streets, talking to each other."
The world's largest passenger jet landed at Beirut's international airport on Thursday, bringing with it hope for a revival of Lebanon's vital tourism sector.

The one-off Emirates Airbus A380 flight from Dubai was an acknowledgement of the substantial passenger traffic between Lebanon and Gulf nations, where many Lebanese nationals work and more pass through to destinations farther afield.

Emirates said it scheduled the flight, the first of its kind to carry paying passengers, to see if Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport was ready to handle regular A380 service.

Lebanese officials hope the results are positive, as tourist arrivals climb to levels last seen in 2010, before the uprising in neighboring Syria the following year raised fears of violent spillover.

Lebanon welcomed 1.85 million tourists in 2017, according to the Tourism Ministry, the most since 2.16 million came in 2010.

There are nine flights daily from Dubai to Beirut, on three different carriers.

Tourism is one of the key pillars of Lebanon's economy, accounting for 19 percent of the country's GDP, according to the U.K.-based World Travel and Tourism Council.

However, Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, Lebanon's only commercial airfield, is sorely out-of-date and lines at security can stretch for hours in the summer months, when throngs of expatriates visit the country.

The airport, renovated after the 1975-1990 civil war, was designed to handle 6 million passengers annually. In 2017, it saw over 8 million, according to the airport's research department. Its gate areas are grimy and gloomy - a poor reflection of politicians' outsized ambitions for the national tourism industry.

Lebanon's Cabinet and the country's flagship airline, Middle East Airlines, are considering two plans to expand and improve the airport's facilities, one costing $88 million and the other $200 million. Their aim is to expand capacity to 10 million passengers annually by 2020 and then support continued growth beyond that.
Kenyas High Court has fined three top government officials $2,000 each for defying court orders, including an order to release detained opposition leader Miguna Miguna. The sentencing reflects a months-long tug of war between the executive branch and the judiciary in the wake of last years contentious presidential election.

Kenyan Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, and the head of immigration Gordon Kihalangwa were again no-shows in court Thursday.

"Each of the first, second and third respondents are hereby penalized to pay a fine of 200,000 Kenyan shillings personally. The same sum will be deducted directly from their next month salary, said Judge George Odunga, issuing the sentence.

On Wednesday, the judge held the three officials in contempt of court for defying an order to immediately release opposition leader Miguna Miguna, who had been detained at the airport since Monday and denied entry to Kenya.

In this case, it is clear the respondents are the ones in charge of security in this country," he said. "They are in charge of executions of warrants of arrests. They have clearly shown they have no respect for the rule of law and will not comply with orders of this court. Even if the citizens were to arrest them, they would still be placed at the disposal of their juniors. I do not see how any of the juniors will execute the warrants against them.

The Interior Ministry spokesman declined to comment on the sentencing when reached by VOA.

Kenyans woke up Thursday morning to learn that Miguna had been deported, for a second time, during the night, this time to Dubai. A human rights lawyer and assistant to Miguna told VOAs Daybreak Africa that Miguna had been forcibly deported under sedation.

Lawyers in Nairobi wore yellow ribbons Thursday in protest.

The legal fraternity and the whole country have become increasingly concerned with the states blatant disregard of lawful court orders as witnessed over the last couple of months. There can be no justification of disobedience of court orders by any party, said Harriet Chigai, the vice president of the Law Society of Kenya, speaking alongside leaders of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission at a joint press conference Thursday.

Officials have defied several court orders this year relating to both the previous arrest and deportation of Miguna in February and a media blackout over the oppositions swearing-in of Raila Odinga as the so-called people's president in January.

Migunas lawyer, Nelson Havi, says the government has set a dangerous precedent.

The biggest beneficiary of the due process is the government, so when the government disobeys court orders they are setting a very bad precedent because in future nobody else will have any compulsion to obey a court order, he said.

The matter is expected to return before the High Court on April 6.

Setting the date for the hearing, Judge Odunga said his order from earlier this week that the state produce Miguna in court is still valid.
President Donald Trump will host the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for a Baltic Summit at the White House on April 3.

According to Principal Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah, Trump and the three heads of state will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuanias independence.

The summit, which will mark the beginning of another century of strong ties and cooperation between the countries, will focus on the three Baltic states achievements since gaining independence.

Business, trade, energy, and cultural partnerships will be on the agenda, as well as the issue of strengthening the countries security, the press secretary added.

"I think what we have seen in the past four or three years is the community of democratic nations is under attack," Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics recently told VOA Russian Service, referring to Russian interference.

"The very basis of our democratic institutions are under attack through social media by fake news, and also through the influence of money, and it is very important that we stick together," he said.

The Baltic nations are aiming to bolster that message during the upcoming summit. And, as Rinkevics emphasized, it seems appropriate to mark 100 years of Baltic independence in Washington.

"It's important that we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of our sovereignty, our independence, here, together with our Lithuanian and Estonian friends, because the role of the USA has been and still is very significant," he said.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania mark the centennial of their 1918 independence declarations despite their 47 years under Soviet rule, from 1944 to 1991.

This story originated in VOA's Russian Service.
U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken with his top defense official about using military funding to build the border wall with Mexico.

Its been an initial conversation, Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Dana White said Thursday when asked if Trump had broached the subject with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Remember, securing Americans and securing the nation is of paramount importance to the secretary, White said.

This past Sunday, the president tweeted, Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich.

He followed that with a second Tweet, saying, Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!

The Pentagon has not provided any details about how much military funding could be used to build the border wall, which has an estimated price tag of more than $20 billion, or what impact that would have on the U.S. military itself.

But the defense appropriations act passed by Congress tells the Pentagon where to spend its money and a change in the budget would need Congressional approval.

Thats a bridge too far because we dont have those details, the Defense Departments White told reporters Thursday. It's been an initial conversation.

Theres no daylight between them (Mattis and Trump) with respect to making sure this military stays the most lethal in the world, White added.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is not afraid to mince words and had quite the greeting for President Donald Trumps new national security adviser Thursday.



After shaking hands with John Bolton and escorting him up the steps to the Pentagon, Mattis wasted no time unleashing a one-liner.



I heard youre actually the devil incarnate and I wanted to meet you, Mattis told Bolton, who laughed, as they walked through the Pentagons doors.



The highly anticipated meeting is the first between two men.On Tuesday, Mattis told Pentagon reporters he had never met Bolton before, but that he did not anticipate any difficulties in forging a working relationship.



No reservations, no concerns at all, Mattis said at the time. It's going to be a partnership. We're going to go forward.



Bolton, who was Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from 2001-2005, is regarded as a hard-liner and interventionist on matters of foreign policy and defense. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2002 and has called for military action against Iran and North Korea.



There have been questions about whether Mattis and Bolton would be able to work together effectively given Boltons reputation as a hawk on defense issues, while Mattis has repeatedly stressed a need to lead with diplomacy.



I hope that there's some different worldviews, Mattis told reporters earlier this week. That's the normal thing you want, unless you want groupthink.



Earlier Thursday, Mattis hosted U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Pompeo has been nominated to replace ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.



Chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White described the earlier meeting as routine, and an opportunity for Mattis to review the Pentagons priorities with other administration officials and members of Congress.



Thursdays meetings come as reports emerge that the U.S. defense secretary could visit China in the next several months.



Defense departments in both countries are currently coordinating on this," Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said Thursday, when asked about the possibility.



Pentagon officials would not comment on the reports.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday his plan to upgrade the nation's aging highways and bridges would transform them "from a source of endless frustration into a source of endless pride."

The U.S. leader, speaking at a union training center in the Midwestern state of Ohio, said Americans had watched as Washington "spent trillions of dollars building up foreign countries while allowing our own country's infrastructure to fall into a state of total disrepair."

Trump was pushing his proposal to use $200 billion in federal money over the next decade to spur at least $1.5 trillion in overall spending on the new construction, a program that has drawn little support in Congress.

"Now is the time to rebuild our country, to take care of our people, to fight for our great American workers," Trump said.

He first unveiled the plan in February and hailed it as one that could garner support from his Republican colleagues in Congress, as well as from opposition Democrats. But there is no indication that lawmakers will take it up anytime soon as they focus more on getting re-elected in the November elections.

Trump's plan calls for heavy investments by state and local governments for most of the infrastructure spending. That led some lawmakers to say the plan could lead to construction of toll roads that are unpopular with commuters in order to pay for the upgraded roads, or the sale of government assets to raise money.

Instead of looking to adopt Trump's plan, House Speaker Paul Ryan, who oversees the majority Republican caucus in the House of Representatives, touted infrastructure improvements included in last week's $1.3 trillion spending plan that funds government agencies through the end of September.

"Long-overdue updates to our country's infrastructure," Ryan said in a Twitter remark.

Affair allegations

Trump's visit to Ohio was the U.S. leader's first public appearance this week, days after adult film actress Stormy Daniels alleged in a nationally televised broadcast that she had a one-night affair with Trump in 2006, months after his wife, Melania, gave birth to their son, Barron.

Trump's personal attorney and White House aides have denied the affair, but Trump has not commented on the allegations. His White House spokesmen have declined to discuss a $130,000 payment made by Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election  money Daniels says was aimed at buying her silence ahead of the voting.

After his speech in Ohio, Trump headed to his Florida estate Mar-a-Lago to spend the Easter weekend with his family.
One day after calling it a great deal for American and Korean workers, President Donald Trump threatened to hold up a renegotiated trade deal between Washington and Seoul.

Trump told an audience Thursday in Ohio that he may postpone implementing the agreement until after a denuclearization deal is made with North Korea.

He called the updated trade pact with the South a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly.

Trump gave no details on his strategy of holding up the trade deal or what kind of leverage he is expecting from Seoul as he gets ready for an expected summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sometime before May.

We're moving along very nicely with North Korea. Well see what happens. Certainly, the rhetoric has calmed down just a little bit, Trump said Thursday.

Trump had threatened to pull out of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, calling it horrible for U.S. workers and manufacturers.

But U.S. and Korean negotiators announced this week a revised deal. It exempts South Korea from the new stiff tariffs on steel exports to the United States, while limiting Korean steel shipments.

The revised agreement also will give U.S. carmakers more access to Korean markets.

The North and South Korean leaders plan to hold their own summit in April.
Ankara has launched new attacks and threats aimed at Washington for ongoing U.S. support of the Syrian-Kurdish militia, the YPG. The latest verbal salvo comes as diplomatic talks between the NATO allies continue to resolve their worst crisis in bilateral relations.

The YPG is a key ally in Washingtons war against Islamic State militants, but Ankara accuses the militia of being linked to the PKK, which is waging a decades-long Kurdish insurgency within Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim slammed Washington for the recent creation of a Syrian political party dubbed "Syria's Future, which Yildirim claimed was nothing more than a political front for the YPG.

We know them well. They may be able to fool some of our allies by changing their name, but Turkey will recognize them, Yildirim told reporters. The United States, which tried to hide the PKK with three-letter signs in order to form a terror corridor to siege Turkey from the south, is now making these villains set up a party in Syria, Yildirim added.



Ankara is demanding the removal of the YPG Kurdish militia and its political wing, the PYD from the Syrian town of Manbij. The creation of the new Syrian party is seen by Ankara as the latest example of deception by Washington, in which Kurdish forces simply rename themselves, but remain in Manbij.

Manbij is a key point of tension in U.S.-Turkish relations. Under former U.S. president Barack Obama, American forces promised the YPG militia would withdraw from the town after ousting Islamic State. How trustworthy are the United States as an ally, declared international relations expert Soli Ozel of Istanbuls Bilgi University. Did they or did they not promise they would make YPG and PYD leave Manbij. Did they keep their promise? No, added Ozel.

Adding to Ankaras fury, U.S. forces are now deployed with the YPG in Manbij. The town is strategically important as a junction between east and west Syria. Analysts say U.S. forces see it as key not only preventing any re-emergence of Islamic State, but also countering growing Iranian influence.

Low on patience

But Ankara is warning its patience is running out with Washington. It was stated that terrorists in Manbij should be removed from the region as soon as possible, or Turkey will not abstain from taking initiative, read a statement after Wednesdays meeting of Turkeys National Security Council.

Observers warn Ankara is emboldened after Turkish-led forces scored a crushing victory over the YPG in the Syrian Afrin enclave around 100 kilometers from Manbij.

Erdogan has announced Manbij is his next target, he is no doubt going to move slowly there, says political columnist Semih Idiz of the al-Monitor website. He is going to dare the Americans, either a diplomatic solution or possibly military solution. Over the next few days there will be some hard thinking in Washington, said Idiz.

Turkish ministers have warned U.S. forces could be targeted if they remained deployed with YPG in Manbij. Such threats have been dismissed by U.S. generals, warning any attack on its forces would be strongly resisted.

Turkish and U.S. diplomats are engaged in seeking to resolve the looming confrontation. Talks have added urgency now that Turkish presidential and general elections are due next year. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government analysts are using the crisis to play to strong anti-American sentiments of its nationalist voting constituency.

Because of the current political climate in Turkey, the tendency of the political leadership [is] to engage in highly populist discourse, points out analyst Sinan Ulgen of Brussels-based Carnegie Europe, The failure in these talks may lead to an escalatory process, where Turkey would take measures, which would be responded to by the U.S.

Ankaras determination to end the threat posed by the PKK Kurdish insurgency is not only confined to Syria. Baghdad has also been put on notice over the presence of PKK bases in its territory. It is expected from the Iraqi state to prevent terrorist group action in various locations in Iraq, especially in Sinjar and the Qandil Mountains, read Wednesday's National Security Council statement.

The PKK has for decades had its headquarters in Iraqs mountainous Qandil region. A Turkish military intervention into the Iraqi Sinjar region, where the PKK also was based, was narrowly averted after Kurdish fighters handed over the area to Iraqi forces. For the global politics, raw power is back, playing hard ball is in fashion, we can see in a way, Turkey has joined the others, observes former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen.

Turkey, will not shy away from projecting power either in Syria or Iraq, added Selcen.
The Trump administration is hopeful it can reach a deal on a new North American Free Trade Agreement before the July 1 presidential election in Mexico and U.S. midterm congressional elections in November.

Id say Im hopeful  I think we are making progress. I think that all three parties want to move forward. We have a short window, because of elections and things beyond our control, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told CNBC television Wednesday.

But Canadas chief negotiator was far less optimistic.

We have yet to see exactly what the U.S. means by an agreement in principle, Steve Verheul told reporters Wednesday in Ottawa. There are still significant gaps, Verheul said. We can accomplish quite a bit between now and then, and weve made it clear to the U.S. that we will be prepared to negotiate at any time, any place, for as long as they are prepared to negotiate, but so far we havent really seen that process get going, he said.

Officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico are supposed to meet in the United States next month for the eighth round of talks, although Washington has not announced dates yet.
Dr. Ronny Jackson, picked by President Donald Trump to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, has served as White House physician to three presidents.

Jackson went into active naval service in 1995 after getting his medical degree from University of Texas Medical Branch. He went on to become the honor graduate of the Navys Undersea Medical Officer Program in Groton, Conn., before obtaining more credentials in emergency medicine.

He served as an emergency doctor specializing in resuscitating troops while deployed to Iraq in 2005 with the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon in Taqaddum, Iraq.

While Jackson was still in Iraq, the President George W. Bush administration selected him to be a White House physician under Air Force Brigadier General Richard Tubb. In 2013, then President Barack Obama appointed him to the top role, and he remained there when Trump took office.

He gained a degree of fame unusual for White House physicians in 2017 when he took questions from the White House press corps on national television, discussing at length the presidents physical exam.

Trump, the oldest first-term president in American history, was plagued at the time by questions about his physical health, weight and mental stability. But Jackson gave the president top rating.

The presidents overall health is excellent, Jackson declared at the time. His cardiac performance during his physical exam was very good. He continues to enjoy the significant long-term cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol. ... All clinical data indicates that the president is currently very healthy.

As the White House doctor, Jackson is responsible for attending not only to the president but also to the first family, the vice president, White House staff and people visiting the White House, including heads of state and civilian guests.

Jackson was recently nominated for a promotion in rank, though it is unclear whether he will remain an active-duty officer if he is confirmed by the Senate.

Running the VA, the second-largest federal government department, would be a considerable shift from Jacksons current role.
Shes talked shop with President Barack Obama and is soon to be the subject of a feature documentary. Mai Khoi, an outspoken musician who has become a thorn in the side of the Vietnamese government, was detained Tuesday after refusing to shut up about human rights amidst a widening crackdown on dissent in the country. David Boyle reports from Hanoi.
Shes just spent about eight hours being interrogated by Vietnamese state security officials at the airport after a flight from Europe, but the intimidation hasnt shaken Mai Khois focus.

Im busy, she says on the phone over the clamor of rehearsing musicians hours later.

I cant talk, I have to practice.

The outspoken musician, whose full name is Do Nguyen Mai Khoi, just released a new album titled Dissent and has learned to deal with pressure from Vietnams government as a matter of formality.

In a later call, she described how she was detained at Hanois Noi Bai airport on Tuesday night after returning from a European tour and forced to recount the activities of her trip in painstakingly granular detail.

She said this type of mental violence isnt new to her, but it is extremely disquieting in a country that has been giving long jail terms to activists who dare raise sensitive topics.

No, to stay in Vietnam is not safe for me who wants to express freely, but I still have to stay here because I think its going to change. The censorship systems going to change. The way they control peoples talk has to be changed, she said.

Mixed signals on freedom of speech

Just which direction Vietnam is heading in when it comes to freedom of expression is not entirely clear. The country has been praised for huge strides it has made in LGBT rights, including rescinding a ban on gay marriage in recent years.

Bucking the regional trend, Vietnam is strengthening ties with the United States and other democracies to counterbalance the rapidly growing geopolitical influence of its old foe China amidst escalating tensions between Beijing and Hanoi over rival claims to the South China Sea.

Ina powerful diplomatic gesture, a U.S. aircraft carrier docked in Vietnam this year for the first time since the fall of Saigon, which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the war.

This strategic alignment gives rise to hopes that increasing internationalism will lead Vietnam to greater openness, as does its current trajectory on international trade.

Vietnam has just signed on to the the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)  a deal linking the economies of 11 countries across a vast stretch of the Pacific rim  and is on the cusp of securing a huge free trade agreement with the EU this year.

Le Dang Doanh, a former economic advisor to the Vietnamese government and current party member, believes these trade deals could help push his country toward greater openness.

And I really do hope that the CPTPP and Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, including some paragraphs on the freedom of the voter, on the commitment of Vietnam to international conventions, will help increasingly to provide a more open environment, he said.

Surging Internet penetration, Le said, was also increasingly pushing public debate beyond the traditionally tight censorship of the state.

The Internet infiltration in Vietnam is very high and also Facebook is popular so that Vietnamese society now is free to collect more information, people have more independent thinking and Vietnam is increasingly internationalized, he said.

Yet at the same time, the persecution of activists has escalated alarmingly in the past year and often they have been targeted precisely for their social media activities.

In February, environmental activist Hoang Duc Binh was sentenced to 14 years in jail for live-streaming a protest over a massive spill of toxic waste across 200 kilometers of Vietnamese coastline that has decimated the fishing business and enraged the public.

Blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, who is popularly known by the alias Mother Mushroom, was handed 10 years in June for criticizing the government in interviews with foreign media and on her Facebook page.

Activist Tran Thi Nga was sentenced to nine years of jail in July for posting articles and videos to Facebook in which she accused authorities of committing human rights violations.

In total, Human Rights Watch found at least 10 activists had been sentenced in 2017 to jail terms between five and 10 years while some 36 had been beaten by plained clothed thugs since 2015.

Artists like Mai Khoi continue to speak out

Despite the risks, artists such as Khoi - who shot to fame as a state ordained pop star in 2010 before deciding art without politics was meaningless - remain defiant and increasingly high-profile.

After Khoi was blocked from an attempt to run for parliament in 2016, she met then-U.S. President Barack Obama during his trip to Hanoi to give him an alternate view to the official state narrative on the countrys progress.

Subsequent concerts have attracted uninvited guests from the police, but when she launched her new album late last month to a private audience no one came to shut it down.

The Vietnamese government recently released a statement flatly refuting claims Khoi has made that she has been targeted because of her outspoken music.

The competent authorities of Viet Nam have never issued any performance ban on Ms. Mai Khoi, it said.

Khoi feels less than reassured, but no less determined.

I have to forget about the fear and music keeps me strong. My songs, my feelings, my emotions and the support from people around me keeps me strong and [I] have more power, I mean the power inside me to keep continuing what Im doing now, she said.
You can never stage or time things perfectly, laughs Jon Huntsman, the U.S. ambassador to Russia.

He is discussing the controversial phone call President Donald Trump made last week to Vladimir Putin, in which he congratulated the Russian leader on his re-election.

The call surprised White House advisers whod urged Trump to withhold compliments  it also raised expectations, falsely, in Moscow the United States might not join a coordinated campaign by two dozen Western countries to retaliate for the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain that London has blamed on the Kremlin.

In an exclusive interview with VOA appraising where the relationship stands between the U.S. and Russia, Huntsman says Trump has remained consistent in his strategy towards Russia.

I can tell you that as long as I have discussed Russia with the President, which goes back to when he sat me down and asked me to take this job, he has been very consistent about wanting to engage, notwithstanding our challenges, his desire to engage and keep a dialogue alive and well.

But he stresses Trump has made it clear "... he expects any kind of engagement and meetings at the head of state level to be based on progress on the issues that matter most. Coming from the private sector, and I have worked for many presidents, Republican and Democrat, he is a results-oriented person. He wants to know where we are going, whats been done, what kind of progress, for example, on Ukraine and issues like that. He is very much into the results and where the relationship is heading.

For an ambassador whos in the eye of a Cold War-style storm, Huntsman remains determinedly upbeat.

He is braced for the Kremlin response to the U.S. decision to expel dozens of Russian diplomats. I expect they will respond, whether it will be an asymmetrical response or a symmetrical response, we will have to wait to see, he said.

Hours later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia will expel an equal number of U.S. diplomats.

Continue engagement

Huntsman said however the Kremlin reacts, It is the responsibility of both countries to stay engaged, no matter how difficult these bilateral issues or regional issues become.

WATCH: US Ambassador to Russia Jon Hunstman on the U.S.-Russia relationship

And to remain engaged in wake of a Russian presidential election Huntsman says bore no relationship to a real poll. I am not sure you can call it an election, he says. I have run for office a few times, and I recognize an election when I see it. When you have got robust debate; you have a fully-engaged media that are talking about the issues that matter the most. I did not hear a lot of dialogue about the issues that are front and center, he adds.

Huntsman says the confrontation with Russia wont end even if the Kremlin restricts its retaliation to a proportional tit-for-tat. The issues dividing the West and Russia isnt only about the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia.

It depends on how you define the end-point, he says. "But clearly a successful outcome would be that Russia steps back from its malign activity and becomes a responsible partner. He cites Syria as an example, complaining that Russia voted five time on the U.N. Security Council against investigating chemical weapons abuses by Syria."

Trust in Britain

In his interviews with Russian media, he is asked often why the United States believes Britain that the Russian state was behind the March 4 Skripal assassination attempt.

To VOA he says, You dont just decide to believe. We are a grown-up mature democracies. We have robust civil society, we are open, transparent countries, both the United States and the UK. So it is not like you can conduct an investigation without a lot of very interested and probing eyes following the case the entire way. So that is the environment we are operating in. The burden is on the UK to look at the case, to investigate and to come up with their results. And of course there has been some close sharing of information, that is the way these things go with the security services.

He says people will learn a lot more as we go forward, I suspect.

But even in the middle of diplomatic standoff that most veterans liken to some of the lowest points of the Cold War, Huntsman says the United States must stay engaged as best it can, pushing for change and improvements. The relationship is stressed, he says. For those who say theres nothing left, nonsense, he adds.

He says it would be highly irresponsible not to continue engagement with Russia on issues like strategic stability and arms control, peace and stability in the Middle East, and Syria, which he says "... must be brought to an end, both from a conflict standpoint and a creation of a government thereafter.

But he acknowledges a sudden breakthrough is unrealistic. Hopes are dashed, relationships crumble, we have seen that over and again. The focus has to be on where our interests overlap and can come together and begin to forge a dialogue.
The White House has welcomed a meeting between North Korea's Kim Jong Un and China's Xi Jinping as a positive prelude to potential talks between Washington and Pyongyang. U.S. President Donald Trump however maintains that a maximum pressure campaign against North Korea will continue. Speaking with VOA's Korean Service, an East-Asia expert says the visit was also Kim Jong Un's effort to fortify his position before inter-Korean talks scheduled in April. Jesusemen Oni has more.
Zimbabwe has launched anti-corruption courts set to tackle high cases of corruption in the country, ranked 157 out of 185 on the World Corruption Index released recently by Transparency International.

Twelve magistrates are expected to be preside over cases of corruption in the five anti-corruption courts officially launched Thursday by Chief Justice Luke Malaba in Harare and Zimbabwes second largest city, Bulawayo. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says this is part of his 100-day Rapid Results Initiative, which he has to meet before April 10th.

In an effort to curb corruption, President Emmerson Mnangagwa last Monday released a list of individuals and companies who are alleged to have ignored his directive to return all illegally externalized funds, amounting to billions of dollars.

Critics are skeptical about the governments move following indications that it is investigating former First Lady Grace Mugabe, linked to a new opposition political party, for allegedly attempting to smuggle an assortment of animal products, including elephant tusks to the United Arab Emirates, China and other nations.

Ziyambi said Zimbabwe needs to curb rampant corruption in order to register significant growth.

We are sending a message to would-be people who want to be corrupt that its no longer business as usual. So, its a deterrent measure on its own when people are conscious that when I engage in corrupt activities there is an express route to prison  We mean business. We have to deal with corruption in order to turn around the economy.

Some cabinet ministers in 1988 were involved in the illegal buying of vehicles using a state-sanctioned facility but some of them were not punished by the government. One of them, Maurice Nyagumbo, took his own life when investigations were in progress.

Several ministers and top government officials have been implicated in other scandals since independence from British rule in 1980.

Currently, the government is investigating Mrs. Mugabe for allegedly attempting to use a state facility to smuggle animal products to several nations. Her husband, former president Robert Mugabe, has been linked to the National Patriotic Front, which opposes his removal from power by the military and Mnangagwa last November.
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It also restricts union activities in department offices, forcing representatives to go on unpaid leave if they need to conduct union activities. Management no longer recognizes union stewards and is forcing all activities to go through Young. The union typically has had an office and equipment in Education Department buildings, but the agency is kicking it out and confiscating equipment union officials had used.
Franchot said it was utterly shameful that the legislature would hijack the bill to strip him and the rest of the panel of its authority. He said he was not apologetic for taking county and school officials, including those from Democratic-run jurisdictions, to task over the inhumane conditions of the schools and how they spend state taxpayer dollars.
He and other restaurateurs successfully pushed for more liberal happy hour laws in the Virginia legislature four years ago. For the first time since the end of Prohibition, it became legal to put a sign promoting boozy discounts outside a restaurant or bar in the commonwealth. Print, social media and broadcast ads were also legalized.
Officials at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, whose members produce 70 percent of the cars and light trucks sold in the United States, say low gasoline prices in recent years have created a disconnect between what sort of vehicles federal policymakers expect to be sold and what Americans are actually buying. Alliance spokeswoman Gloria Bergquist noted that the government had previously predicted that future sales would be two-thirds cars and one-third light trucks, while the current ratio is the reverse.
The state Department of Labor said it will review reports from daily inspections of rides by park staff at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan., before it is scheduled to reopen May 25 for its annual season. A state law enacted last year after Caleb Schwabs death requires amusement parks to keep daily reports on their rides and to give them annual inspections.
Jaworski later said that he was threatened, shunned and scolded by strangers as well as friends for his role in the fight. Many of his Texas business associates broke off their relationships because he took on the assignment. Ten years later, he was equally faithful to the highest traditions of the legal profession when he accepted the responsibility to investigate President Richard Nixon, who had carried Texas during the 1972 election with 66 percent of the popular vote.
The kids have been savvy enough to know better. They have reminded everyone that the Second Amendments right to bear arms, even as interpreted by a conservative Supreme Court and the right-leaning lower federal courts, is far from absolute: It permits Congress and the states to outlaw what the court in District of Columbia v. Heller called dangerous and unusual weapons and those not typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, and to comprehensively regulate gun sales and the places guns can be carried. Over the past decade, the court has let stand bans on semiautomatic assault rifles, limits on the sale of large magazines and restrictions on the number of guns a person can stockpile. It has left no doubt that Congress can require universal gun registration, that states can forbid gun sales to anyone under 21, and that government can red-flag potentially dangerous purchasers, ban concealed carry and enact sweeping safety measures. Relying on that legal reality, the young have reassured Americans fearful of confiscation that they do not seek the repeal of the Second Amendment.
Trumps speech was reminiscent of his campaign rallies. Indeed, he twice mentioned his 2016 foe, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Bemoaning the U.S. trade agreement with South Korea, which his administration renegotiated this week, Trump called the previous deal a Hillary Clinton special  perhaps because she was secretary of state when President Barack Obama negotiated the last iteration of it in 2010. But the treaty was first executed in 2007, during the George W. Bush administration.
My business has halved, said Chhim Phin, who has run a seafood restaurant on Independence Beach since 2003. We used to have lots of Western tourists coming here, people who liked to try our food. But Chinese tourists dont want to eat Khmer food and experience our local customs  they prefer to eat their own food. Chinese tourists like to stay in their bubble.
WSU Presents Regions Premier Climbing Festival

March 29, 2018

OGDEN, Utah  For 11 years, Weber State Universitys Outdoor Program has hosted an annual climbing festival that brings together climbers of all skill levels. The Petzl Ogden Climbing Festival presented by Black Diamond and Beehive Cheese will be held April 13-14 with events at various times and locations throughout Ogden.

The two-day festival, hosted in conjunction with GEAR:30 and the Front Climbing Club, will include clinics, equipment demonstrations and a keynote presentation from a nationally renowned climber.

When we started the Ogden Climbing Festival 11 years ago, I never imagined this success, said Daniel Turner, Outdoor Program coordinator. The Ogden Climbing Festival is a community event that focuses on education. From beginners to professionals, there is something there for everyone.



This years keynote speaker is Emily Harrington, a professional rock climber and adventurer. Harrington has climbed for most of her life, making her a leading figure in the climbing community. Her achievements include years of success in the USA Climbing Team on the national and world competition circuit, as well as summiting Everest and becoming the first female to ascend some of the worlds hardest technical routes.

Harrington will present April 13 at 7:15 p.m. in Ogden Union Station (2501 Wall Ave). The presentation will include food, beverages, music and raffles. Due to limited seating, general admission tickets will be sold in advance for $15, and any remaining tickets will be sold at the door for $25 paid in cash only.

The Ogden Climbing Festival is the largest in Utah. Novice and experienced climbers of all ages and abilities are invited to learn new skills in the festivals friendly environment.

One can arrive new to the climbing community and be welcomed in, rubbing shoulders with climbing legends, and not even know, Turner said. Thats the beauty of Ogden, Utah. The climbing history is so deep, yet few people really know what is right under their nose.

Schedule of events:

April 13, evening.  Emily Harrington presents at Union Station. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the presentation starts at 7:15 p.m. A raffle and poster signing will follow. Tickets are limited and may be purchased at weber.edu/ogdenclimbingfestival. Those who purchase VIP tickets are invited to a social from 6-7 p.m.

April 14, 8 a.m. to noon  Volunteers can participate in trail work and crag cleanup at the trail systems above 22nd St. and the boulder field. Participants will meet at the Saint Joseph High School Parking lot (1790 Lake St.) at 8 a.m. A light breakfast will be available for purchase, and Lucky Slice pizza will provide a free lunch noon to 1 p.m. following the cleanup. Volunteers may sign up now at volunteersignup.org/THBTM.

April 14, 1-5 p.m.  Education climbing clinics offered at the lower Ogden Boulder Field. Participants will park and check in at Saint Joseph High School. To view the variety of clinics or pre-register, visit weber.edu/ogdenclimbingfestival/education.

April 14, 6-9 p.m.  Equipment demonstrations and the Citizens Climbing Competition held at The Front Climbing Club (225 20th St.). The climbing competition, which is open for anyone to register, will run from 5-9 p.m. Attendees can purchase tickets here.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
GREENWICH  State Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker came to Greenwich this week to share a tale of woe with local residents.

The states transportation fund, which is supposed to pay for infrastructure upkeep and improvements, faces a five-year budget deficit of $388 million, he said.

Redeker, who met with residents in an informational session Tuesday night, said about $15 per household goes into the fund each month, which he compared with the $91.66 the average Connecticut household spends a month on coffee.

Theres something out of whack in terms of the value system and I think its because theres this thing called the freeway and people think roads are free, Redeker said. Theyre not. Thats the dilemma. Thats where we are.

The fund was created after the Mianus River Bridge collapse in Greenwich in 1983. But with revenue from the gas tax and other sources declining  and the fund being used for non-transportation purposes  the deficit has resulted.

Money in the fund is being used to service transportation debt, rather than to pay for needed projects. In January, the DOT released a list of $4.3 billion worth of projects that were postponed indefinitely, including rehabilitation of the Cos Cob railroad bridge and several others in Greenwich.

There have been changes in transportation services as well, including reductions of bus and rail service during off-peak hours and increases in fares.

Redeker said the DOT has little power to solve the overriding problem because issues such as debt service and transportation income come under the purview of the state Legislature.

I cant cut my way out of the problem in the transportation fund, Redeker said. You can cut and cut and cut but theres just no more to go before you shut the DOT down.

Many projects are ongoing, however, and Redeker offered status updates. He also shared news about high-speed rail coming through Connecticut. Concerns about the proposed federal project have been deeply felt in Greenwich because of the amount of property, particularly in Riverside and Cos Cob, that would have to be taken in order for the high-speed track to be built.

Several of the potential rail lines most vocal local opponents were in attendance for Tuesdays meeting, and Redeker sought to calm their fears.

There is no money for it, Redeker said. The (Federal Railroad Administration) would not be advancing a project of its own accord. In fact the study that was done showed if anyone wanted to advance a project in that report it is up to the individual states to take it on. If there was anything happening it would not be on the federal side and if you look at the budget that was just passed theres no money in it for any of it.

Instead, he said, concepts for increasing speed and capacity on the existing New Haven Line will be discussed in the near future.
Manitoba cannabis producer Delta 9 has inked a deal to export marijuana to Germany for use by legal medical cannabis users in that country.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/3/2018 (1275 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba cannabis producer Delta 9 has inked a deal to export marijuana to Germany for use by legal medical cannabis users in that country.

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The agreement is a letter of intent between Delta 9 and Barcelona, Spain-based Kalapa, which has a German joint venture called CanPharma. Delta 9 will export "a minimum of 40 kilograms of cannabis a month (480 kg per year)" to CanPharma, according to a press release, plus an undisclosed amount of cannabis extracts.

"Right now were producing in the area of 2,000 kilos per year," Delta 9 CEO John Arbuthnot said.

"By the end of this year, that capacity will have doubled or tripled," Arbuthnot said, describing the export agreement as "a relatively small amount" of his companys planned future production.

Arbuthnot said the agreement is still subject to a number of conditions before Delta 9 actually starts shipping cannabis abroad. Delta 9 will have to obtain Good Manufacturing Practices certification, undergo a production site inspection by German authorities, and receive a special Health Canada licence to export its products.

"If were looking at other licensed producers (of cannabis) and deals theyve done as any indication, I think three to six months is not unreasonable for us to be starting to see shipments through to Germany," Arbuthnot said.

solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca Twitter@sol_israel
As far as hog barns go, this one breezed through the approval process with relative ease.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/3/2018 (1275 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As far as hog barns go, this one breezed through the approval process with relative ease.

Topigs Norsvin, a Dutch swine-genetics company, is nearing completion of a $15-million facility just north of the town of Woodlands in the Interlake.

The plant was approved by the Rural Municipality of Woodlands last summer, and site clearing began in September. The company recently confirmed the plant will be open by July. It will host public tours on June 27, after which the facility will be closed to the public.

"Its pretty exciting. This is a huge facility, a huge opportunity for employment and some tax assessment," said Trevor King, reeve for the RM of Woodlands.

The facility will house about 2,600 hogs, all boars, less than half the number in a commercial hog barn. Boars will be tested using a hospital CT scanner for such things as growth, feed conversion, fat, muscle and bone structure, before determining the top boars for sale.

A swine-genetics facility needs to be at least eight kilometres from the nearest hog barn for biosecurity reasons. Woodlands was chosen because its a farming community and near Richardson International Airport. The company plans to ship top boars for breeding and boar semen to more than 50 countries. Hogs are typically shipped about 40 at a time, travelling inside an airplanes hold.

"Its almost built," Topigs spokesman John Sawatzky said in a telephone interview.

Obtaining approval of a new hog facility can often prove to be a lengthy and acrimonious exercise. Topigs Norsvin got off to a rough start in 2016, when it purchased private land for its facility only to run into opposition from neighbours.

"What we did is we accepted advice from people" and looked for another site, Sawatzky said. The company received several land offers from private individuals, but eventually purchased an 80-acre parcel of community pasture owned by the RM.

SUPPLIED When fully completed, the Topigs Norsvin boar-breeding facility near Woodlands is expected to resemble this rendering and accommodate 2,600 boars.

This time there were no complaints from neighbours. The nearest resident is three kilometres away and runs a dairy operation. The west side of the site is pasture.

The town of Woodlands is about 35 kilometres north of Winnipeg. The swine genetics facility is about 13 kilometres west of town.

"Its a biosecure location away from other hog facilities. Thats a big thing for us," Sawatzky said.

The Canadian head office for Topigs is in Winnipeg, but the company is a partnership of two farmer co-operatives in Norway and the Netherlands.

According to information provided at an open house in 2016, the facility would pay about $10,000 per year in property taxes: $6,000 to the municipality and $4,000 to education.

It will employ 10 to 12 people, from farm workers, to PhDs, to scientists. The facility will total 52,000 square feet and will include a duplex for two employee families to live on.

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Construction also entails building a road that will be cost-shared with the RM, and a three-phase power line along the road that residents can access.

Concerns that a hog operation could pollute Francis Lake, which is five kilometres away, were dispelled by the environmental technical review committee.

"June 27 is our grand opening, and then we hope to move animals in after the cleaning and disinfecting in July," Sawatzky said.

The Woodlands area has seen a bit of a surge in investment lately. Arrow Farm Equipment recently underwent a $10-million expansion, doubling its staff to around 45, King said.

Arrow is owned by members of a local Christian sect called Plymouth Brethren, but people from outside the sect also work there.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
Though the project has been marred by court challenges and broken treaty promises for more than a decade, the future of Kapyong Barracks is still hopeful and it could become a tangible example of reconciliation in the heart of the country, says Manitobas treaty relations commissioner.

This article was published 29/3/2018 (1275 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Though the project has been marred by court challenges and broken treaty promises for more than a decade, the future of Kapyong Barracks is still hopeful and it could become a tangible example of reconciliation in the heart of the country, says Manitobas treaty relations commissioner.

"I think that if something good can come out of this, if the government can support (the First Nations) rather than just being forced to do this by the courts, I think its an opportunity for them to move it further to say, OK, lets do this and lets support the First Nations in their economic development. Lets support the First Nations in having (Kapyong) converted to reserve," said commissioner Loretta Ross, a member of Hollow River First Nation who works with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Ross said Canada should consider fast-tracking conversion of the barracks into an urban reserve, if or when the land purchase goes through, to make up for past stalling and to mend Treaty One relationships.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Loretta Ross, a member of Hollow River First Nation who works with the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Seven First Nations  Brokenhead, Long Plain, Peguis, Roseau River, Sagkeeng, Sandy Bay and Swan River  are interested in the Kapyong property. It has been vacant since 2004 when Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry moved to CFB Shilo.

The Federal Court of Appeal echoed hopes for reconciliation in its final court decision in August 2015, which ruled the First Nations ought to have first dibs on the surplus land. Canada had previously tried to sell the property to Canada Lands Co. in 2007 without properly consulting the Indigenous groups, the court said.

"Finally, it is to be hoped that whatever rancour, bitterness and mistrust among the parties may have existed in the past, the parties will now proceed to engage in constructive, respectful consultations concerning the Barracks property for the benefit of all," the court wrote in its decision.

Ross believes the public is warming to the idea of an urban reserve located in the south end of Winnipeg. She sees it as an excellent economic opportunity that could also further social and cultural understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Still, there is "absolutely" some racism apparent among detractors of the urban reserve concept, she said.

"I think a large part of it is fear of the unknown. Urban reserves are still a relatively new concept in Manitoba, despite the fact that weve had urban reserves in many major cities across Canada. Were a little bit behind here in understanding and grasping that concept," Ross said.

"So I think Kapyong Barracks will elevate that conversation and hopefully force people to understand it and to accept it."

Winnipeg does already have an urban reserve near Polo Park. The Madison reserve, which belongs to Long Plain, blends fairly seamlessly with the rest of the cityscape. It boasts a gas station, Yellowquil College and some local businesses.

Local architect Brent Bellamy doesnt think installing an urban reserve at Kapyong is the only way the barracks could economically benefit First Nations.

Bellamy said Canada Lands could draft up agreements that compel future developers to use First Nations labour and companies, or set up a training centre with strict requirements that the redevelopment project ends up training a prescribed number of Indigenous electricians, construction workers or planners.

"First Nations people in Winnipeg are the key to our future. We have to do something about their situation right now. And it would be great if this piece of land could somehow contribute to that  but it doesnt have to be an urban reserve to achieve that," he said.

Jim Thomas and Tim Hogan, planners with HTFC Planning and Design in Winnipeg, are on the outside looking in, wondering whats going on with the prolonged negotiations. Both men have worked with Indigenous groups for decades on community planning and Treaty Land Entitlement issues.

They say theres still a long road ahead for Kapyongs redevelopment -- from questions of demolition of derelict buildings and environmental remediation, to municipal service agreements that would need to be drawn up with the City of Winnipeg for things like water, street and sewer networks.

The 160-acre stretch is in a prime location for mixed-use commercial and residential development, said Hogan. Using the land around Tuxedo and River Heights -- and not letting it sit abandoned for another 14 years -- would be beneficial to all parties, Thomas added.

"What Id like to think, if Im feeling positive, is I think Kapyong represents an opportunity ... to demonstrate what the intent and the spirit of the treaty was. The nations that existed at the time and the newcomers sharing the land, living together and (having) greater prosperity and quality of life," Thomas said.

"You sit there and say, Well, that sounds pie in the sky. But wouldnt that be marvellous if there were ways in which you could tangibly show implementation of the promises of the treaty?"

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Planners Jim Thomas (left) and Tim Hogan at HTFC Planning and Design.

Niigaan Sinclair, who is Anishinaabe and originally from St. Peters (Little Peguis) Indian Settlement, said the development of the Kapyong site represents "a true opportunity for reconciliation in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Canada." At Kapyong, some Indigenous people can finally get back some of the territory they are owed, he said.

"This is a situation where most of these First Nations will be able to find gateways out of the Indian Act just due to this project. Its an opportunity for Indigenous nations to have a real venue to be able to create relationships and partnerships with Winnipeggers and Manitobans," said Sinclair, an associate professor in native studies at the University of Manitoba.

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"Its one of those projects where you just see so much potential in it and Indigenous peoples see a real opportunity and a gateway out of the draconian 150 years (of Canada) due to it. Its not going to be the only solution, but its a really big significant solution."

Kapyongs future could be more than just a chapter in Canadas soon-to-be history books, according to Ross.

"I think anytime you have an opportunity for the First Nation community and non-First Nation community to co-exist is a form of reconciliation," she said. "But (we have) to do it in a respectful manner and in a way that is not so prescriptive to the First Nations that it becomes un-doable or unmanageable in the way that they want to do things as well."

 with files from Dylan Robertson

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu
Winnipeg police are riding transit buses to crack down on drivers who are using cellphones behind the wheel.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 29/3/2018 (1275 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police are riding transit buses to crack down on drivers who are using cellphones behind the wheel.

At a news conference Thursday, police warned motorists they will be watched from above as officers ride city buses as passengers so they can look down on drivers.

"Our main purpose for today is to educate drivers on our roadways that distracted driving is now basically on parity with impaired driving as far as danger goes," said Winnipeg Police Service traffic Sgt. Sean Pollock.

He called it a "commitment to safety."

Uniformed officers were on buses on some of the citys busiest routes Thursday. When officers spotted a driver on a cellphone, they radioed details to patrols to intercept drivers and ticket them.

They did issue tickets  but not as many as they thought they would. They hope the deterrent factor will keep it that way.

"Theres been that unfortunate, slow decline into that habit of reaching for the cellphone. When were driving home on a daily basis, people all around us are using their phones. I dont, myself, see any reason why a text, a phone call or an email is worth putting anyone, including yourself, at risk," Pollock said.

Having police officers on buses offers an added sense of security to other people on the bus, said Randy Tonnellier, Winnipeg Transits acting manager of operations.

"For us, were really happy to be partnering with Winnipeg police. It helps to have that security presence on the bus. It helps to deter undesirable behaviour, plus it helps make the roads safer for everyone, including our operators," he said.

Catching drivers with phones in their hands has always been the trickiest part of enforcing laws against distracted driving.

Its the reason the number of tickets handed out to drivers stayed the same for years, while the number of collisions rose.

Since 2013, the number of distracted-driving tickets averaged around 5,000 a year until last year, when the number jumped to 7,800.

Crashes, meanwhile, have soared in the province.

Manitoba Public Insurance data show from 2011 to 2016 the number of automobile crashes related to distracted driving jumped to 11,086 from 2,415.

The distracted-driving fine is $204, and drivers who are caught get five demerits, which raises their premium costs.

The provincial Conservative government introduced a bill last week that would see first-time offenders lose their driving privileges for three days if they are caught with cellphones in their hands while driving.

The penalty rises to a seven-day suspension for a second offence.

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Critics said the proposal goes too far because it gives police too much discretion at the scene without the benefit of a court hearing.

The Canadian Automobile Association is behind the latest police effort to monitor drivers from buses.

"Surveys show that our members arent worried about being caught, and we know police have been frustrated for the same reason: you have to visibly see people holding their devices before you can give them a ticket," CAA Manitoba spokeswoman Liz Kulyk said.

"We think its a great idea to use buses, and were glad police are looking for new, innovative ways to catch people breaking the law."

Thursdays push was part of a pilot project, but police hope their presence will become part of their patrols.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. (post 4/18/06 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada LP, Whirlpool Canada Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Chile Limitada, Whirlpool Colombia S.A.S., Whirlpool Comercial Ltda., Whirlpool Company Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Company Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool Croatia Ltd., Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A., Whirlpool Ecuador S.A., Whirlpool Eesti OU, Whirlpool El Salvador, Whirlpool El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Electrodomesticos S.A., Whirlpool Eletrodomesticos AM S.A., Whirlpool Enterprises, Whirlpool Enterprises LLC, Whirlpool Europe B.V., Whirlpool Europe Coordination Center, Whirlpool Europe Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Ev Aletleri Pazarlama Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Finance B.V., Whirlpool Finance Center Corp., Whirlpool Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Finance Overseas Ltd., Whirlpool Financial Corporation, Whirlpool Financial Corporation International, Whirlpool Floor Care Corp., Whirlpool France Holdings SAS, Whirlpool France SAS, Whirlpool Germany GmbH, Whirlpool Global B.V., Whirlpool Global Investments B.V., Whirlpool Greater China Inc., Whirlpool Guatemala, Whirlpool Guatemala S.A., Whirlpool Hellas S.A., Whirlpool Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool Home Appliances B.V., Whirlpool Home Appliances Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool Hungarian Trading Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool India Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Insurance Company, Whirlpool Insurance Company Ltd., Whirlpool Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool International GmbH, Whirlpool International Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool International Manufacturing S.a r.l., Whirlpool Ireland Appliances Limited, Whirlpool Ireland Limited, Whirlpool Italia Holdings S.r.l., Whirlpool Italia S.r.l., Whirlpool Japan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc..
The following companies are subsidiares of Ashland Global: 565 Corporation, ASH GP INC., ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICAL (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD., ASHLAND SPECIALTY CHEMICALS (MALAYSIA) SDN.BHD, Adams Drive Totowa L.L.C., Alera Property Holdings LLC, Alera Technologies Inc., Alix Technologies LLC, Aloe Vemera S.P.R de R.L. de C.V., Ash (Gibraltar) One Limited, Ash B CIS 1 Limited, Ash B CIS 2 Limited, Ash B1 Limited, Ash B2 Limited, Ash B3 Limited, Ash B4 Limited, Ash B5 Limited, Ash CIS Canada Corp., Ash CIS Canada Holdings B.V., Ash CIS GmbH, Ash Global Holding Three GmbH, Ash Global Holdings Two B.V., Ash Junior Global Holding One LLC, Ash Junior Global Holding Two LLC, Ash Swiss Holding Two GmbH, AshLux Three S.a r.l., AshOne C. V., Ashland (Australasia) Pty. Limited, Ashland (Changzhou) Advanced Chemical Co. Ltd., Ashland (Changzhou) Specialty Chemical Co. Ltd, Ashland (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Ashland (Gibraltar) One Holding Inc., Ashland (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Ashland Argentina S.R.L., Ashland CZ s.r.o., Ashland Canada Corp./Corporation Ashland Canada, Ashland Canada Holdings B. V., Ashland Chemco Inc., Ashland Chemical De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ashland Chemical Hispania S. L., Ashland Chemical Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ashland Chemicals (Nanjing) Company Limited, Ashland Colombia S.A.S., Ashland Comercio de Especialidades Quimicas do Brasil Ltda., Ashland Danmark ApS, Ashland Eastern Markets LLC, Ashland Ethanol Inc., Ashland Finance Limited, Ashland Finland Oy, Ashland France SAS, Ashland Global Holdings One C.V., Ashland India Private Limited, Ashland Industria de Ingredientes do Brasil Ltda., Ashland Industries Deutschland GmbH, Ashland Industries Europe GmbH, Ashland Industries France SAS, Ashland Industries Italia S.r.l., Ashland Industries Nederland B.V., Ashland Industries UK Limited, Ashland International Holdings LLC, Ashland Italia S.r.l., Ashland Japan Ltd., Ashland Korea Limited, Ashland LLC, Ashland Licensing and Intellectual Property LLC, Ashland ME Holdings Inc., Ashland Mexico Holdings One LLC, Ashland Mexico Holdings Two LLC, Ashland Nigeria Exploration Unlimited, Ashland Oil (Nigeria) Company Unlimited, Ashland Oil Inc., Ashland Pacific Pty. Ltd., Ashland Participacoes Ltda., Ashland Pharmachem International Holdings LLC, Ashland Polimeros do Brasil S.A., Ashland Services B. V., Ashland Services Mexico S.A. de C.V., Ashland Singapore Pte. Ltd., Ashland Specialties Austria GmbH, Ashland Specialties Belgium BVBA, Ashland Specialties France S.a.r.l., Ashland Specialties Hispania S.L., Ashland Specialties Holding C.V., Ashland Specialties Ireland Limited, Ashland Specialties Poland Sp. z o.o., Ashland Specialties Sverige AB, Ashland Specialties UK Limited, Ashland Specialty Chemical Korea Co. Ltd., Ashland Specialty Ingredients G.P., Ashland Technologies GmbH, Ashland-Alaskan Limited, Ashland-Plasticos De Portugal Lda., Ashmont Insurance Company Inc., Ashprop Two LLC, Avoca LLC, Avoele S.A. de C.V., Belleville Realty Corp., Bluegrass Insurance Company Limited, CLTA LLC, CVG Capital III LLC, Carol Clifton Inc., Clevedon Sp. z o.o., Curtis Bay Insurance Co. Ltd, East Bay Realty Services Inc., Ever Success Overseas Limited, FRJ Inc., Fospur, Hercofina, Hercules, Hercules Holding BV BVBA, Hercules Holding II Limited, Hercules Hydrocarbon Holdings Inc., Hercules International Limited LLC, Hercules Investment ApS, Hercules Investments Netherlands B.V., Hercules Islands Corporation, Hercules LLC, Hercules Paper Holdings Inc., Hercules Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, ISP (Belgium) International N. V., ISP Alginates Inc., ISP Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd, ISP Biochema Schwaben GmbH, ISP Canada Corp., ISP Capital LLC, ISP Chemco LLC, ISP Chemical Products LLC, ISP Chemicals LLC, ISP Environmental Services Inc., ISP France Holding SARL, ISP France Marketing SARL, ISP Freetown Fine Chemicals Inc., ISP Freight Services N. V., ISP Global Operations (Barbados) Inc., ISP Global Technologies Deutschland Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, ISP Global Technologies Inc., ISP Global Technologies LLC, ISP HC Limited, ISP Holdings (U.K.) Ltd., ISP Hungary Holdings Limited Liability Company, ISP International Corp., ISP Investments LLC, ISP Lima LLC, ISP Luxembourg Canada S.a.r.l., ISP Management Company Inc., ISP Marl GmbH, ISP Marl Holdings GmbH, ISP Microcaps (U.K.) Limited, ISP Pharma Systems LLC, ISP Real Estate Company Inc., ISP Singapore Holding LLC, ISP Technologies Inc., ISP Technologies LLC, International Specialty Holdings LLC, International Specialty Products, International Specialty Products (India) Private Limited, International Specialty Products Funding Corporation, International Specialty Products Inc., Jiangmen Ashland Chemicals Company Limited, Nanjing Clear Environment Protection, Northwest Coatings, Oil Can Henrys, PT Ashland Asia, PT ISP Chemicals Indonesia, Pakistan Gum Industries (Private) Limited, Pharmachem Laboratories, Pharmachem Laboratories LLC, Pharmachem Laboratories Utah LLC, Prince Street Paterson LLC, Progiven S.A.S., Proprietary Nutritionals LLC, Ralop S. de R.L. de C.V., Saudi Industrial Resins Co. Ltd. (Polyester), Shanghai Ashland Industrial Trading Co. Ltd., St Croix Petrochemical Corp, Taiwan Ashland Co. Ltd., Techwax Limited, Vemera S. de R.L. de C.V., and WSP LLC.
Travelport Worldwide Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates a travel commerce platform that offers distribution, technology, payment, mobile, and other solutions for the travel and tourism industry in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It facilitates travel commerce by connecting travel providers, such as airlines, hotel chains, and car rental companies with online and offline travel buyers in a business-to-business travel platform. The company provides distribution and merchandising solutions for hotel, car rental, rail, cruise-line, and tour operators; Virtual Account Number payment solutions that automatically generate unique MasterCard numbers that are used to process payments; advertising solutions; and other platform services, such as subscription, processing, and business intelligence data services, as well as marketing-oriented analytical tools to travel agencies, travel providers, and other travel data users. It also offers critical IT solutions and other services to airlines, such as shopping, ticketing, departure control, business intelligence, and other solutions. Travelport Worldwide Limited was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Langley, the United Kingdom.

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The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alermac Inversiones S.A. de C.V., Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, Brown Brothers Distribution Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Flint Soluciones Seguras Para Trafico, Ennis Highway Traffic Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Ennis Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Ennis Paint Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis Paint Boya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Germany GmbH, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Prismo Italio S.r.l., Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis  Flint Mexico, Ennis  Flint New Zealand, Ennis  Flint New Zealand Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Africa (Pty) Ltd, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Manchester Thermoplastics LLC, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Canada Limited, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holding Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG AP Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l., PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Manufacturing SARL, PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hellas S.A., PPG Hemmelrath Coatings Inc., PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Czech Republic s.r.o., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Kft., PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., Prismo Road Markings Limited, ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 007 857 392, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, SigmaKalon Middle East B.V., Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, United International Business NV, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, Worwag Coatings, and Zaganite Industries Pty Ltd.
Getech Group Plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides geoscience and geospatial products and services to the companies and governments in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Americas, the Asia Pacific, and Africa. It offers ArcGIS platform for use in wind and solar projects to operate authoritative information, streamline operations, and transform data; and ArcGIS pipeline referencing to manage pipeline data and, track the status and health of pipeline assets. The company also offers Data Assistant that transfers data between ArcGIS and E&P interpretation systems; Exploration Analyst, which allows to combine in-house, vendor, and public domain data together to get a better answer; Globe geoscience knowledge-base for ArcGIS that helps understand earth's geological evolution to predict the location; and Unconventionals Analyst, which provides essential tools for well pattern design and reserve assessment. In addition, it builds and manages a network of hydrogen hubs; and provides government advisory services. Getech Group Plc was founded in 1986 and is based in Leeds, the United Kingdom.

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Grupo Supervielle SA operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of banking services. It operates through the following segments: Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, Consumer, Insurance and Asset Management and Other Services. The Retail Banking segment involves in granting of loans and other credit products such as deposits of physical persons. The Corporate Banking segment focuses in advisory services at a corporate and financial level, as well as the administration of assets and loans targeted to big clients. The Treasury segment operates with Government Securities of the Group, syndicated loans, and financial lease. The Consumer segment consists of loans and other credit products targeted to middle and lower-middle income sectors and non-financial products and services. The Insurance segment comprises insurance products, with a focus on life insurance. The Asset Management and Other Services segment offers mutual funds and other products and services. The company was founded on October 8, 1979 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH.
The following companies are subsidiares of The Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Deep Pride Limited, Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., EPS Polidrox Industria e Comercio de Resinas Ltda, Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Guangdong Yuegang Dadi Paints Company Limited, Guardsman Australia Pty Limited, Guardsman Industries Limited, Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Jiangsu Pulanna Coating Co. Ltd., Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Resin Surfaces Limited, Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO  Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade, Sayerlack, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (South China) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Luxembourg Investment Management Company S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams Uruguay S.A., Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, TOB Becker Acroma Ukraine, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar (Asia) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Australia) Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Germany) GmbH, The Valspar (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar (Nantes) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar (South Africa) Corporation (Pty) Ltd, The Valspar (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar Inc., Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited, Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, Vantaco Oy, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams.
The following companies are subsidiares of LyondellBasell Industries: A. Schulman, A. Schulman 's-Gravendeel B.V., A. Schulman AG, A. Schulman Asia Limited, A. Schulman Belgium BVBA, A. Schulman Canada Ltd., A. Schulman Castellon S.L., A. Schulman Europe GmbH & Co. KG, A. Schulman Europe International B.V., A. Schulman Europe Verwaltungs GmbH, A. Schulman Gainsborough Ltd, A. Schulman GmbH, A. Schulman GmbH (Austrian Branch), A. Schulman Holding Company France S.A.S., A. Schulman Holdings (France) S.A.S., A. Schulman Holdings S.a.r.l., A. Schulman Inc., A. Schulman Inc. Limited, A. Schulman International Inc., A. Schulman International Services BVBA, A. Schulman Ireland Limited, A. Schulman Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, A. Schulman Nordic AB, A. Schulman Plastics (Branch), A. Schulman Plastics (Dongguan) Ltd., A. Schulman Plastics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., A. Schulman Plastics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., A. Schulman Plastics BVBA, A. Schulman Plastics India Private Limited, A. Schulman Plastics PTY. LTD., A. Schulman Plastics S.r.l., A. Schulman Plastics SAS, A. Schulman Plastics bvba Bornem Sucursala Cluj-Napoca, A. Schulman Plastics organizacni slozka, A. Schulman Plastk Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, A. Schulman Plasticos do Brasil Ltda., A. Schulman Polska Sp. z o.o., A. Schulman Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, A. Schulman S.A.S., A. Schulman S.a.r.l., A. Schulman Thermoplastic Compounds Limited, A. Schulman Thermoplastic Compounds Sdn Bhd, A. Schulman de Mexico S.A. de C.V., A. Schulman del Peru S.A.C., A.Schulman Poznan Sp. Z o.o., ARCO Chemical, AS Global Holdings Inc., AS Mex Hold S.A. de C.V., AS Worldwide LLC, AS Worldwide LLC & Cie S.C.S., ASI Akron Land Co., ASI Employment S.A. de C.V., ASI Investments Holding Co., Al Waha Petrochemical Company, BKV Beteiligungs- und Kunststoffverwertungs-gesellschaft mbH, BMC Deutschland GmbH, BMC Dongguan Limited, BMC Far East Limited, BMC TetraDURTurkey Plastik Hammadde Kompozit Uretim Sanayi ve Ticaret Limted Sirketi, Basell (Thailand) Holdings B.V., Basell Advanced Polyolefins (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Basell Advanced Polyolefins (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Basell Advanced Polyolefins (Thailand) Company Ltd., Basell Arabie Investissements SAS, Basell Asia Pacific Limited, Basell Bayreuth Chemie GmbH, Basell Benelux B.V., Basell Chemie Koln GmbH, Basell Europe Holdings B.V., Basell Germany Holdings GmbH, Basell Holdings Middle East GmbH, Basell Iberica Poliolefinas Holdings S.L., Basell International Holdings B.V., Basell International Trading FZE, Basell Italia S.r.l, Basell Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Basell Moyen Orient Investissements SAS, Basell North America Inc., Basell Orlen Polyolefins Sp. Z.o.o., Basell Orlen Polyolefins Sprzedaz Sp. Z.o.o., Basell Poliolefinas Comercial Espagnola S.L., Basell Poliolefinas Iberica S.L., Basell Poliolefinas Ltda., Basell Poliolefinas S. de R.L. de C.V., Basell Poliolefine Italia S.r.l., Basell Polyolefin Istanbul Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Basell Polyolefine GmbH, Basell Polyolefines France S.A.S., Basell Polyolefins Company BVBA, Basell Polyolefins India Private Limited, Basell Polyolefins Korea Ltd., Basell Polyolefins UK Limited, Basell Sales & Marketing Company B.V., Basell Service Company B.V., Basell Slovakia s.r.o., Basell Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Basell UK Holdings Limited, Basell UK Ltd., Brindisi Servizi Generali S.c.a.r.l., Bulk Molding Compounds Inc., Bulk Molding Compounds Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bulk Molding Compounds do Brasil Industria de Plasticos Reforcados Ltda., Citadel Brazil Holdings LLC, Citadel Intermediate Holdings LLC, Citadel Plastics Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Citadel Plastics Holdings Inc., Citadel Plastics Mexico Holdings LLC, Citadel Plastics Netherlands Holdings LLC, Compagnie Petrochimique de Berre SAS, Compagnie de Distribution des Hydrocarbures SAS, EMS Holding Ltd., EPS Ethylen-Pipeline-Sud Geschaftsfuhrungs GmbH, EPS Ethylen-Pipeline-Sud GmbH & Co. KG, Elian S.A.S., Equistar Bayport LLC, Equistar Chemicals LP, Equistar GP LLC, Equistar LP LLC, Equistar Mont Belvieu Corporation, GuangZhou Basell Advanced Polyolefins Co. Ltd., HGGC Citadel Plastics Holdings Inc., HGGC Citadel Plastics Intermediate Holdings Inc., HMC Polymers Company Limited, HPC Holdings LLC, Hadlock Plastics LLC, Houston Refining LP, I.F.M. S.c.a.r.l., ICO Europe C.V., ICO Holdings LLC, ICO Holdings New Zealand Limited, ICO Petrochemical Cayman Islands, ICO Polymers Cayman Islands, Indelpro S.A. de C.V., Infraserv GmbH & Co. Hochst KG, Inmobiliaria Satchmo S. de R.L. de C.V., Innovacion Y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados A.C., J.R. Courtenay (N.Z.) Limited, LPI Holding Company, LYB (Barbados) SRL, LYB Advanced Polymer Solutions Ireland Limited, LYB Americas Finance Company LLC, LYB Equistar Holdings LLC, LYB Export Holdings Limited, LYB Exports Inc., LYB Finance Company B.V., LYB International Finance B.V., LYB International Finance II B.V., LYB International Finance III LLC, LYB Ireland 2 Limited, LYB Ireland Limited, LYB La Porte Hyperzone LLC, LYB Luxembourg S.a r.l., LYB Matrixx Holdings Inc., LYB Receivables LLC, LYB Trading Company B.V., LYB Treasury Services Ltd., Limited Liability Company "LyondellBasell Polyolefins", Limited Liability Company A. Schulman, Lucent Polymers Inc., Lyondell Asia Holdings Limited, Lyondell Centennial Corp., Lyondell Chemical Company, Lyondell Chemical Europe Inc., Lyondell Chemical Overseas Services Inc., Lyondell Chemical Products Europe LLC, Lyondell Chemical Properties L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology 1 Inc., Lyondell Chemical Technology L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology Management Inc., Lyondell Chemie (PO-11) B.V., Lyondell Chemie (POSM) B.V., Lyondell Chemie Nederland B.V., Lyondell Chimie France SAS, Lyondell China Holdings Limited, Lyondell Greater China Holdings Limited, Lyondell Greater China Ltd., Lyondell Greater China Trading Limited, Lyondell Japan Inc., Lyondell PO-11 C.V., Lyondell POJVGP LLC, Lyondell POJVLP LLC, Lyondell POTechGP Inc., Lyondell POTechLP Inc., Lyondell Refining Company LLC, Lyondell Refining I LLC, Lyondell South Asia Pte Ltd, LyondellBasell Acetyls Holdco LLC, LyondellBasell Acetyls LLC, LyondellBasell Advanced Polyolefins Mexico S.A. de C.V., LyondellBasell Australia (Holdings) Pty Ltd, LyondellBasell Australia Pty Ltd, LyondellBasell Brasil Ltda., LyondellBasell Canada Inc., LyondellBasell Central Europe Kft., LyondellBasell China Holdings B.V., LyondellBasell Circular Economy B.V., LyondellBasell Covestro Manufacturing Maasvlakte V.O.F., LyondellBasell Egypt LLC, LyondellBasell F&F Holdco LLC, LyondellBasell Finance Company, LyondellBasell Holdings France SAS, LyondellBasell Hungary Kft, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., LyondellBasell Investment LLC, LyondellBasell Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., LyondellBasell Polyolefin (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Services France S.A.S., LyondellBasell Subholdings B.V., LyondellBasell Taiwan Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Transportation Company LLC, Millennium Chemicals, Natpet Schulman Specialty Plastic Compounds, Ningbo ZRCC Lyondell Chemical Co. Ltd., Ningbo ZRCC Lyondell Chemical Marketing Co. Ltd., OE Insurance Ltd, Oil Casualty Insurance Ltd., Oil Insurance Limited, PD Glycol LP, PO JV LP, PO Offtake LP, POSM II Limited Partnership L.P., POSM II Properties Partnership LLC, PT A.Schulman Plastics, PT ASchulman Plastics Commercial, PTT Chemical PCL, Poly Pacific Polymers Sdn. Bhd., Poly Pacific Pty. Ltd., PolyMirae Co. Ltd., Premix Holding Company, Premix Inc., Prime Colorants Inc., QCP B.V., QCP Holding B.V., QCP IP B.V., Quantum Composites Inc., RIGK GmbH Gesellschaft zur Ruckfuhrung industrieller and gewerblicher Kunstoffverpackungen mbH, Rayong Olefins Co. Ltd., Rexene - LDPE and PP Businesses, SCG ICO Polymers Company Limited, SJS Plastiblends, San Jacinto Rail Limited, Saudi Ethylene & Polyethylene Company, Saudi Polyolefins Company, Sociedad Espanola De Materiales Plasticos Semap S.A., Societe des Stockages Petroliers du Rhone SA, Solvay Engineered Polymers, Surplast S.A., TRV Thermische Ruckstandsverwertung GmbH & Co. KG, TRV Thermische Ruckstandsverwertung Verwaltungs-GmbH, Technology JV LP, The Matrixx Group Incorporated, ULSAN PP Co. Ltd., YNCORIS GmbH & Co. KG, Zylog Plastalloys, and tetra-DUR Kunststoff-Produktion GmbH.
Nevsun Resources Ltd. engages in the mining and development of mineral properties in Europe, Africa, and North America. It explores for gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits. The company's principal assets include Timok project, a copper-gold development project in Serbia; and Bisha copper- zinc mine in Eritrea. It also holds exploration licenses and permits in Serbia and Macedonia, as well as in the Bisha mining district. The company was incorporated in 1965 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. As of January 7, 2019, Nevsun Resources Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited.

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Montpelier RE Holdings Ltd. is a holding company. The Company provides customized insurance and reinsurance solutions to the global market. Through its affiliates in Bermuda, it provides institutional and retail investors with direct access to the global property reinsurance market. It operates in three segments: Montpelier Bermuda, which consists of the assets and operations of Montpelier Reinsurance Ltd., which is its wholly owned operating subsidiary based in Pembroke, Bermuda and is registered as a Bermuda Class four insurer; Montpelier at Lloyd's, which consists of the assets and operations of Montpelier Syndicate 5151, Montpelier Capital Limited, Montpelier at Lloyd's Limited, Montpelier Underwriting Services Limited and Montpelier Underwriting Inc., and Collateralized Reinsurance, which is marketed under the name Blue Capital. Blue Capital is an asset management platform offering property catastrophe reinsurance-linked investment products to institutional and retail investors.

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Wall Street analysts have given SilverCrest Metals a "Buy" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but SilverCrest Metals wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

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Wall Street analysts have given Victoria Oil & Gas a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Victoria Oil & Gas wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
William & Mary celebrates For the Bold in Richmond

For the Bold: The Main Street Station is lit up in green and hold in honor of W&M. Photo by Nathan Romans Photo - of - Hide Caption

Home to nearly 23,000 alumni, parents and friends, greater Richmond was ignited with Tribe pride last night as the William & Mary community gathered together at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to celebrate For the Bold. The Richmond Main Street Station also dazzled in green and gold and illuminated the nights sky while the university's family and friends were left inspired by the impact of the W&Ms most ambitious campaign.

Sue Hanna Gerdelman 76, chair of For the Bold, shared the news that in greater Richmond alone, more than $71 million has been raised toward the universitys $1 billion campaign goal. She also boasted that the Richmond area last year had one of the highest alumni participation rates in the nation  at more than 32 percent and our alumni continue to be highly engaged with their alma mater both on and off campus.

Since the start of the campaign, the number of alumni engaging in new and expanded program offerings, including career networking opportunities and special affinity group events, has increased by 110 percent.

Jean Berger Estes 75 and Rob Estes 74, co-chairs of the Richmond regional campaign committee, stood before the crowd  which included more than 400 attendees  and stressed that although William & Mary has a solid financial foundation now, alumni, parents and friends of the university must remain vigilant.

"We must all continue to engage with William & Mary so that our campus can remain a vibrant community of exceptional minds and diverse perspectives. Scholarships are key to this effort, said Rob Estes. "Generations before us have passed the torch so that we can build on our legacy of achievement and advance another 325 years of excellence in the classroom and beyond. It is incumbent upon us to do so.

Terelle Robinson 17, who currently works for Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, told the audience about the life-changing impact of the scholarship he received to attend William & Mary.

"I never would have thought in my wildest dreams that this abandoned child from Ashland, Virginia, reared by his grandmother, would be afforded so many opportunities. It is not that I did not think I was deserving, but I did not always see a clear path. My William & Mary experience fortified for me how valuable our community is and how we look out for and propel each other forward, Robinson said.

He added, "The people of William & Mary are forever etched in my head and heart. I am already doing what I can to help other students achieve their dreams. I will be forever boldly involved in the life of William & Mary with my time, talent and treasure. It is just that important."

Richmond is the hometown to many in the William & Mary community, including President Taylor Reveley. In remarks at the celebration, Reveley said he was glad to be back in Richmond, the city where he and his wife, Helen, raised their four children and where he practiced law for 28 years. While providing an update on the progress of For the Bold, he reiterated, We are achieving greater preeminence by pushing toward what we seek to become, not simply what we want to maintain.

At the conclusion of the celebration, Gerdelman added, Friends, it is the time for us all to be bold, to act boldly and to inspire the entire Richmond region and William & Mary community to show the world that our time is now and our future is today. This is our moment to make history together.

Impact

The impact of the For the Bold campaign can be felt on campus and around the globe. Here are just a few examples:
Thousands of Arizona teachers and their supporters marched on the state capitol in Phoenix yesterday. Others held protests in Tucson, Yuma and other cities to demand higher wages and increased school funding in the western US state.

The protests took place on the eve of a planned April 2 statewide teachers strike in Oklahoma and is part of wave of struggles by educators spreading across the US and internationally since the nine-day teachers strike in West Virginia.

The Day of Action in Phoenix was called by teachers organized on the Facebook pages Arizona Educators Unitedwhich has nearly 40,000 membersand Save Our Schools Arizona, a group opposing a law to expand school vouchers. The Arizona Education Association (AEA) and Arizona Federation of Teachers (AFT) have professed support for the protesting teachers in order to contain opposition and smother it. However, rank-and-file teachers have engaged in protests at the capitol and sickouts in west Phoenix and parts of Glendale. There is a growing demand for a statewide strike.

Median pay for Arizona teachers is last in nation, at $42,730 a year. Democrats and Republicans have also slashed school spending since the 2008 financial crash, and the state is currently ranked 49th in the nation for per pupil spending, just behind Oklahoma. While refusing to reverse decades of corporate tax cuts implemented by both parties, Republican Governor Doug Ducey authorized a 1 percent raise for teachers in the current budget year and plans another 1 percent next year.

Chanting Overworked and Underpaid, teachers wearing RedForEd t-shirts and carrying homemade signs with slogans like Stop Shortchanging Our Future: Fund Education, marched around the capitol Wednesday. During a rally, one of the leaders of Arizona Educators United, Noah Karvelis, an elementary school music teacher in the Phoenix suburb of Tolleson, read the groups demands.

They include a 20 percent pay raise, yearly pay raises, step increases for experience and educational degrees, the restoration of funding to pre-2008 levels and no new tax cuts. Karvelis said that if the legislature did not agree to the demands there would be an escalation of actions. He added: If we have to, we will strike, to the cheers of teachers and their supporters.

There were also illusions, no doubt encouraged by the unions, in the Democratic state legislators, who have professed support for the teachers. But the funding crisis in Arizona, like the rest of the country, is the product of decades of corporate tax cuts and school defunding carried out by both parties. This includes former Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano, who signed a $500 million tax cut in 2006 only to slash hundreds of millions from education and other essential programs after the financial crash in 2008.

Jonni Santschi is a high school teacher in North Phoenix who has taught in several states, including Missouri and California. She told the WSWS, I have a masters degree in psychology and 20 years of experience in behavioral psychology, and Im barely making $40,000. Last year, we had half of the teachers quit because of pay."

We teach because we love it. We love the kids and the families, but its becoming a nightmare. We dont want to be rich. All we want is a livable wage and compensation for all our student loans. My mother was a long-time teacher in Tucson, and I remember her striking and sacrificing when I was a little girl. But the unions are useless now. They are not doing anything. The AEA is supposed to be our voice. But its not. Thats why were raising our own voices.

Referring to high levels of social inequality and poverty, which has produced 30,000 homeless students in the state, Jonni said, You have open homelessness in Arizona because of the warm weather, with people living in their cars. You never know when a child is living in those conditions. With a background in mental health, Im trained to find out and help.

Economists estimate Arizona would have more than $4 billion more a year in revenue had it not cut taxes over the past 20 years for Fortune 500 companies like Phoenix-based Avnet, the worlds largest distributor of electronic components; multi-national mining giant Freeport-McMoRan (which acquired Phelps Dodge Copper in 2007); and waste management firm Republic Services.

While teachers marched on the capitol earlier this month, the state Senate Finance Committee was discussing cutting taxes on capital gains, which would benefit Arizonas 183 millionaires even as the state continued to run, as one researcher said, a permanent austerity budget.

In Oklahoma, Democratic state legislators and the two teachers unionsthe Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) and the Oklahoma Federation of Teachers (OFT)are trying to head off a statewide strike by teachers and public employees scheduled for next Monday, April 2. The OEA reluctantly agreed to back the action after tens of thousands of educators, organized through Facebook pages Oklahoma Teachers United and Oklahoma Teacher Walkoutthe Time is Now, pressed for a statewide strike.

Last week, the OEA and OFT put forward a roadmap to Republican Governor Mary Fallin and the state legislature to prevent the strike, which called for a $10,000 raise over three years. This would be paid for largely through regressive consumption taxes that would hit working-class residents the hardest, combined with a small increase in taxes on the oil and gas industry.

On Wednesday night, the State Senate voted 36-10 to back a bill passed by the State House of Representatives earlier in the week by a 79-19 margin. The bill only provides a one-time $6,000 raise and does nothing to reverse the decades-long school funding cuts, which have led to larger class sizes, fewer supplies and four-day class schedules in some districts.

The funding proposal is based on the unions recommendations and will include regressive taxes on motor fuel, cigarettes and motel and hotel fees, and a modest increase in the Gross Production Tax on new oil and gas wells. The latter will rise from 2 to 5 percent, although it had long been 7 percent before Governor Mary Fallin cut it.

Democrats and Republicans hailed the deal as historic, and the governor has scheduled a signing party today.

After the initial proposal was met with derision by rank-and-file teachers who also threatened to quit the unions if they did not come out in favor of the planned teacher walkout, OEA President Alicia Priest took a cautious approach. While saying the bill was a step in the right direction, she added that the walkout would still go on, although teachers might be saying thank you if the governor had signed the bill by then.

The equivocation by the OEA was met with a torrent of denunciations by Democrats and Republicans who backed the bill, and Priest changed her tune on Wednesday night, making it clear the union wants to prevent an open-ended strike and turn Mondays action into an impotent day of lobbying.

The passage of the bill, she said, is a truly historic moment in Oklahoma, that provided a historic investment of half a billion dollars that will benefit a generation of Oklahoma students and will be felt in every community across the state There is still work to do to get this legislature to invest more in our classrooms. That work will continue Monday when educators descend on the Capitol."

In Facebook postings, teachers denounced the proposal. Aurora Lora posted: This bill is not enough. We cannot stop fighting for what our schools deserve because they threw us some breadcrumbs. Giving a $1,250 raise to support staff is insulting and does not bring them up to a living wage. The amount for textbooks and instructional materials would not even fund a new math textbook adoption for the statesomething the state cancelled two years ago because we had no money. Shame on any education leader who thinks this is good enough and that we should settle for less than what we deserve. I'll see you all out on the picket line this Monday!

Another post on the Oklahoma Teachers United read, The bond between the teachers will not be broken by a union seeking to divide us. Teachers stand united!

These developments underscore the need for rank-and-file teachers to decisively break with all of the unions, which do everything they can to suppress the class struggle. Teachers must take the conduct of the struggle into their own hands.

In every school and community, rank-and-file committees should be elected to mobilize the entire working class to fight for the right to quality education, livable wages and fully funded health care and pension benefits for teachers and all school employees. This will require a struggle against both big business parties and the capitalist profit system they defend.

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The struggle of teachers cannot be isolated! For a united movement of the entire working class!

[27 March 2018]
The Pentagon and Poland Wednesday signed a $4.75 billion deal to sell the eastern European country the Patriot anti-missile system.

While Polands extreme right-wing government hailed the arms deal, the largest in the countrys history, it will undoubtedly further stoke tensions between the West and Moscow, which has viewed the deployment of such systems as part of a concerted effort by Washington and its allies to undermine Russias ability to defend itself against a nuclear attack.

It is an extraordinary, historic moment; it is Polands introduction into a whole new world of state-of-the-art technology, modern weaponry, and defensive means, Polish President Andrzej Duda said during the signing ceremony, which was held at an armaments factory before a column of Polish troops.

Its a lot of money, but we also know from our historical experience that security has no price, said Duda, whose authoritarian regime will no doubt extract the money to pay for the missiles through redoubled attacks on the living standards of Polish workers.

The Polish arms deal has been inked in the midst of a coordinated international campaign led by London and Washington to indict Moscow for the poisoning of the ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southern English city of Salisbury on March 4.

Russia has denied any involvement in the poisoning, which the British authorities have claimed was carried out with a nerve agent of a type (Novichok) that had once been manufactured in the Soviet Union and that it was highly likely that the attack was the work of Russia.

Without presenting any evidence to substantiate these accusationsmuch less any conceivable motive for Moscow to carry out such an action on the eve of the presidential election in Russiathe British Conservative government of Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23 Russian diplomats.

London has refused Moscows requests to supply a sample of the alleged nerve agent used in the attack, as is required by international chemical weapons treaties. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement Wednesday charging that the attitude of the May government shows that UK authorities are not interested in finding out the motives and those responsible for the crime in Salisbury and suggests that the British intelligence services are involved in it.

Washington joined this anti-Russian crusade, ordering the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomatic personnel and the closing of the Russian consulate in Seattle, while joining with London in pressuring other countries to follow suit. More than 20 other countries responded with expulsions. Most of these countries took only token actions, however, involving one or two Russian diplomats. Nine members of the EU took no action. The only expulsion of more than four diplomats in Europe came from the rabidly anti-Russian government of Ukraine, which ordered 13 Russian diplomats to leave the country.

Poland, which along with Germany, France and Canada was one of the countries expelling four Russians, has long served as a pillar of the military buildup by the US and NATO against Russia.

Since the coming to office of the Trump administration, Washington has openly promoted the forging of closer ties to Warsaw and other eastern European governments, reviving the so-called Intermarium project of the 1920s, in which the US sought an alliance with fascistic and right-wing regimes in the region directed against both the Soviet Union and the rise of Germany as a continental hegemon.

The turn toward Eastern Europe is in large part a response to mounting tensions between Washington and Germany, which is increasingly seeking its own great power interests, including through commercial and other ties with Russia. While Berlin joined with the UK, France and the US in signing a joint declaration blaming Russia for the Skripal poisoning, there exist sharp divisions within the German ruling establishment and Chancellor Angela Merkels grand coalition government over the issue.

We must do everything possible to prevent a new Cold War with Russia, Social Democrat Gernot Erler, the government coordinator for Russia, told the Passauer Neue Presse.

Other prominent Social Democrats went further. Former European Commissioner Guenter Verheugen questioned the objective basis for the sanctions. The view that if in doubt, Putin and the Russians are responsible for everything, is one that poisons thought and must stop, he told the Augsburger Allgemeine.

Such views reflect the concerns of major German corporate and financial interests, whose profits are tied up with the Russian market.

The German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, whose members include some 200 German companies, warned against over-hasty conclusions over the Skripal affair leading to a spiral of escalation.

Just one day after it expelled a handful of Russian diplomats, the German government on Tuesday announced final approval for the construction and operation of the Russia-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will pipe Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The project has been bitterly opposed by both Washington and its Eastern European allies.

It is no doubt such tensions that the US defense secretary, Gen. James Mattis, had in mind when he told reporters at the Pentagon that Russia was trying to break the unity of the Western alliance. Mattis claimed that it was pretty obvious that Russia was responsible for the attack on Skripal and charged Moscow with having chosen to be a strategic competitor, even to the point of reckless activity.

The sharp divisions that have emerged among the NATO powers notwithstanding, there are continuous signs that active preparations are underway for war with Russia.

Senior US military officers speaking at the Association of the United States Armys Global Force Symposium on Monday issued warnings that the Pentagon must dramatically increase the range of the services artillery and missile systems to counter a Russian threat that would leave ground forces without air support in the first few weeks of a war in Europe, the website military.com reported. The American military, the officers revealed, is working on a number of new weapons systems designed to counteract superior Russian air defense systems that would preclude the operation of fixed-wing aircraft.

Weve got to push the maximum range of all systems under development for close, deep and strategic, and we have got to outgun the enemy, Gen. Robert Brown, commanding general of United States Army Pacific Command, told an audience of military officers and defense contractors.

Meanwhile, the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, announced Wednesday that it has launched an initiative to create a military Schengen zone, allowing NATO military forces to freely cross European borders. The military project is being unveiled even as right-wing nationalist and anti-immigrant European politicians, including Germanys new Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, are openly rejecting the original Schengen Agreement, in effect for over two decades, which allows border-control-free travel between the 26 European countries that signed on to it.

EU transport commissioner Violeta Bulc told reporters that the aim was to ensure quick and seamless mobility across the continent. This is a matter of collective security.

In addition to removing border controls, she said that investments would be made to assure that key corridors would be capable of handling tanks and heavy military vehicles. We must be able to quickly deploy troops either within the EU or rapidly launch military operations abroad and to do so we need infrastructure that is fit for the purpose.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Fomin responded to the announcement by stating that the real goal was to fast-track to the maximum extent ... deployment towards Russias borders.

He also told the Russian Defense Ministrys official newspaper that the US and NATO were creating arsenals of weapons, ammunition and food supplies in various countries, including Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, to prepare for war with Russia.
Why Human Footprints Found in New Mexico Are a Big Deal
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From Esquire

If Robert Mueller puts any more pressure on Paul Manafort, hes liable to turn Manafort into a tiny diamond. First of all, Mueller apparently has Rick Gates, Manaforts old running buddy, singing the entire Ring cycle as regards to the relationship he and Manafort-and the Trump campaign-had with a whole host of the Volga Bagmen. From CNN:

That Gates and the unnamed person, who had lived in Kiev and Moscow and worked for one of Paul Manafort's companies, were in touch in September and October 2016 was "pertinent to the investigation," a court filing from prosecutors said Tuesday night. The acknowledgment that Gates knew the person had Russian intelligence ties is alleged in a report prosecutors filed about the coming sentencing of a Dutch attorney. That attorney, Alex van der Zwaan, who worked with Gates and Manafort previously, pleaded guilty last month to lying to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators about his interactions with Gates and the unnamed person.

Manafort has to know that Gates is the golden key that will open the door to Manaforts own cell. Certainly, as Politico points out, the folks at Camp Runamuck know it.

While Gates now wears a GPS monitor around his ankle, in 2016 he wore a Secret Service lapel pin that gave him easy access to Trump on the campaign trail and at Trump Tower. He saw everything, said a Republican consultant who worked with Gates during the campaign. The consultant called Gates one of the top five insiders whom Mueller could have tapped as a cooperative government witness. One defense attorney in the case said Gates plea has triggered palpable alarm in Trump world.

Manafort may have struck a larger public profile, but Gates spent more time in Trumps orbit. Manafort left the Trump campaign under a cloud of scandal in mid-August 2016. Gates, his right-hand man, stayed on through the election before assisting the Trump inauguration and Trumps early presidency. Worst of all for the White House, Gates lacks hard-wired loyalty. He is not family, like Trumps oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., or his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Nor is he among true Trump believers like Corey Lewandowski and Brad Parscale.

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Through Gates, Mueller gets Manafort, and Manafort is the whole ballgame, at least on the issue of the Russian ratfcking of the 2016 election. (As far as money-laundering, real estate scams, and the rest of the bag of White House horrors, there will be other songbirds singing other songs, I reckon.)

Photo credit: Getty

Manaforts own camp seems to be playing that card pretty heavily, too, at least according to CBS News. There is no way to interpret this latest story as anything less than a shot across the president*s ample beam. Nice little hidden criminal past you have there, Mr. President. Be a shame if anything happened to it.

According to the sources, Manafort is not planning to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller and will fight the charges through to trial. It is unlikely that Manafort will escape conviction now that his co-defendant Richard Gates has agreed to work with the special counsel and the charges against him are no longer focused on rarely-prosecuted legal infractions involving the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Manafort was originally charged with money laundering and making false statements to investigators. Last month, after Gates pleaded guilty to two counts,

Reasonable is a very flexible term in this context-in which it apparently means that it is reasonable to expect that an amoral gombeen will behave pretty much as youd expect an amoral gombeen to behave if the country elected an amoral gombeen to be President of the United States. The outward-bound ratlines are getting jammed up.



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Vice President Mike Pences hometown of Columbus, Indiana, is set to hold its first LGBT Pride festival on April 14.

High school senior Erin Bailey organized the event in the historically conservative community, explaining to the Huffington Post that even though Mike Pence is openly anti-gay, that doesnt mean that all of us in his hometown are.

Bailey appeared to be referring to multiple anti-LGBT stances Pence has taken over the years, including signing Indianas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which opponents argued allowed discrimination against LGBT people; saying gay couples would cause societal collapse; opposing the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell; and rejecting the Obama administration directive on transgender bathrooms.

LGBT advocates have also criticized Pence, a self-described religious conservative, for his reported support of gay conversion therapy, pointing to a 2000 statement on Pences congressional campaign website where he noted that Congress should reauthorize a law funding HIV/AIDS treatment but resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.

Pences press secretary, Alyssa Farah, told PEOPLE in January that the vice president does not and has never supported conversion therapy. The accusation is totally false with no basis in fact, Farah said at the time.

Given all of this, it may come as a surprise to some that the vice president has said hes proud of Baileys initiative in organizing the festival.

His press secretary told USA Today in a statement, Vice President Pence commends Erin Bailey for her activism and engagement in the civic process. As a proud Hoosier and Columbus native, hes heartened to see young people from his hometown getting involved in the political process.

Bailey, who is organizing the festival as her senior project at Columbus Signature Academy-New Tech, says shes hoping to promote a message of inclusiveness from Pences hometown.

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Most people would think that all of us here are also anti-LGBT, she told USA Today. But there are plenty of us who very much support the LGBT community and are members of the community.

USA Today notes that Columbus is one of a few towns in the state that has added LGBT protections to city ordinances  a change made in 2015 after then-Indiana Gov. Pence signed the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. After facing backlash from local businesses, Pence later signed a revised law that would prevent such discrimination.

RELATED VIDEO: Vice President Mike Pence Leaves Colts Game Due to National Anthem Protests

Pence has been in the headlines recently as he faces continued criticism for his overall record on gay rights.

Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, who is openly gay, lambasted Pence in January over his anti-LGBT positions, specifically his alleged funding of gay conversion therapy. In an interview with USA Today in January, Rippon described Pence as someone who has gone out of their way to not only show that they arent a friend of a gay person but that they think that theyre sick.

Last Week Tonight host John Oliver also knocked Pences viewpoints in a bestselling new book about the vice presidents pet rabbit, Marlon Bundo, falling in love with an another male rabbit. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo  the spoof created by Oliver in response to a childrens book written by Pences daughter Charlotte and illustrated by his wife, Karen  has been outselling the original book in recent weeks.

Pences daughter later revealed that she bought a copy of the parody book, whose proceeds have been pledged to The Trevor Project and AIDS United.

Hes giving proceeds of the book to charity, and were also giving proceeds of our book to charity, so I really think that we can all get behind it, Charlotte told ITK as reported by The Hill. It doesnt have to be divisive. I think that everybody can come together over Marlon.
Models from the Beso Tura, Alexandr Rogov, and Anastasia Dokuchaeva runway shows from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

When you think of the worlds top fashion capitals, you tend to think of the big four: Paris, Milan, London, and New York  not Moscow. But that perception is changing.

In recent years, the fashion industry has witnessed a new guard of fashionable cities emerge in Eastern Europe and Asia. Places like Tbilisi, Kiev, Berlin, Seoul, Tokyo, and now Moscow have become prime sites for scouting emerging talent and fresh-faced street style stars. But for Moscow in particular, this journey toward becoming the next fashion capital has been more than 10 years in the making.

This year, I was invited to attend the 37th season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. To my surprise, it was nothing like what I had imagined. I always perceived the Russian fashion scene to be heavy on streetwear (i.e., analogous to their main breakout star, Gosha Rubchinskiy). But instead, the designers were diverse in background and presented collections that were multifaceted and distinct from one another. Some were definitely much stronger than others in terms of design technique, fabric choices, and styling choices, but overall the clothes were varied, ranging from intricate, embroidered gowns to commercial style workwear, as well as gender fluid clothing and, yes, streetwear, too.

At its core, MBFW Russia is focused on fortifying Russian talent, but it is also big on supporting international designers. This season included special international showcases with designers from Africa and Kazakhstan. In the past, guest designers have been invited from China and Indonesia as well. In fact, such household names as Jeremy Scott and Vivienne Westwood have previously shown in Russia.

To those outside of Moscow, it might seem like Russias fashion scene has just begun, and in some respects, it has. Its important to remember that the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991, less than 30 years ago. In the early 1900s, Russia didnt have someone like Coco Chanel, Cristobal Balenciaga, or Christian Dior leading its fashion industry. Many of the designers on the Russian calendar today started their journey not long ago  some in the early 2000s, others just recently.

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In fact, 2004 is when Russias first fashion week launched. At the time, we invited just 17 designers, Alexander Shumsky, president of the Russian Fashion Council, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. He explains that the shows were set up in tents similar to those at New Yorks Bryant Park, centered in Moscows iconic Red Square, home to St. Basils Cathedral and the historic GUM shopping center and near the Kremlin. Now, the shows are held at the Manege in Moscows Design Museum.

To Russias disadvantage, the country didnt have sustainable commercial brands like you have in New York: Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Proenza Schouler, says the RFC president. That is why the Russian Fashion Council is focused on selecting the best designers for its fashion week, not necessarily the most known brands. In the end, were focused on talent and aim to establish Moscow as a fashion capital. Not a shopping capital.

As a city that is one of the worlds largest, with more than 12 million people, it possesses immense potential for global fashion success. But to say that Moscow is the next fashion capital right now is a bit premature, although its certainly one to watch closely. Until then, meet Moscows six brightest stars, who will certainly serve as catalysts in the citys journey to becoming the fashion capital it aspires to be.

Models walk in Alexandr Rogovs show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

To Russians, Alexandr Rogov is already considered a star. His fashion show clearly reflected his popularity, being the most packed show of the week. I was almost elbowed out at one point. Rogov actually began his career in television but soon transitioned into fashion styling, where his success bloomed. Hes worked with premier publications in Russia such as Harpers Bazaar, Glamour, and Elle. In 2012, Tatler named him one of the most influential Russian stylists. The following year, in 2013, Rogov decided to establish his own eponymous fashion line.

In just a few short years, he cemented himself as a designer to watch. His collection for fall fuses an Eastern European aesthetic, similar to Demna Gvasalias streetwear hit: Vetements with a light femininity. Key items include his silky patchwork dresses, sheer tops, and sweatshirts. His accessories are also worth mentioning: Matrix-style sunglasses, colorful gloves, and sheer embellished socks.

Models walk in Anastasia Dokuchaevas show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

Anastasia Dokuchaeva has only two fashion collection under her belt, but she presented one of the strongest collections of the week. Her designs seamlessly mesh maximalist style with streetwear and border on futuristic but still wearable. Key pieces include her graphic geometric coats, logo outerwear, and a white strapless dress with splatters of blood similar to Raf Simonss SS18 collection for Calvin Klein.

Models walk in Artem Shumovs show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

Artem Shumov is one of Russias biggest rising stars. Hes shown in Russia for a few seasons now and was one of six selected to present in London recently. Although Shumov established his brand in St. Petersburg and is currently based in Shanghai, hes a big fan of Moscow. I love Moscow more and more, he says. Its changing, its freer, its more open now for different opportunities. It also helps that Moscow is a very beautiful city, says the designer.

But for this seasons collection, Shumov was inspired by his new home base. His show also had one of the most diverse model casts of the week, featuring South Sudanese model Nile Shadow. Shumovs designs creatively played with proportions, tailoring, and color.

Models walk in Beso Turas show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

Beso Turazashvili of Beso Tura is a Georgian-Russian designer whose collections are inspired by his travels. He previously worked with Stella McCartney in New York and lived in Dubai. He describes his designs as meant for powerful, strong women. According to his website, the Beso Tura woman is self-confident, modern, ambitious, and independent. This seasons collection had hints of Anthony Vaccarellos vision for Saint Laurent, whose FW18 show featured bright lights coupled with similar short 80s-style minidresses. But the leather jumpsuits and trench coats were the biggest highlights. Dont be surprised if you see Bella Hadid rocking one of these looks in the near future.

Models walk in Rich Mnisis show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

Rich Mnisi was part of MBFW Russias Africa Explosion showcase, which highlighted African designers specially invited to show their collections on the Russian catwalk. Mnisis designs were refreshing for the Eastern European fashion scene due to their gender fluidity. Male models wore sheer trousers and svelte feminine suiting, while female models wore vibrant, graphic coats and skirts. Mnisis accessories were also on trend, featuring oversized tote bags, colorful earrings, and waist bags.

Models walk in Otocyons show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. (Photos: Courtesy of MBFW Russia; art: Quinn Lemmers)

Surprisingly, one of the best collections at MBFW Russia came from a young designer who didnt even show on the main fashion calendar. Her name is Lesya Ruakovich, and she is the founder of Otocyon. She was one of more than 20 young designers chosen to present at Futurum Moscow, an all-day free fashion event sponsored by the Russian Fashion Council that takes place on the last day of fashion week.

This season, Futurum Moscow intermixed art with fashion by featuring a special exhibit in partnership with Artis Project, founded by Anastasia Potanina. They enlisted popular, Russian street-artist, Alexey Mednoy to create live artwork on site based on Moscows urban landscape. Futurum Moscow was founded in 2017 to provide young designers a platform to showcase their fashion collections without worrying about how to fund them or produce them. This investment in Russias youth is strategic. After all, the fate of Russias future in fashion lies in the hands of its youth.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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 What its really like working as a black fashion model in Russia

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Photo: Getty Images/design Yahoo Lifestyle

A new study this week in Scientific Reports isnt just revising the way we think about our bodies  its shaking the very foundation of human anatomy. In it, scientists suggest that weve overlooked the largest organ we possess: the interstitium, a complex web of interconnected tissues, just below the skin, that contain fluid-filled sacs that are constantly weaving around organs, veins, and arteries.

If youre confused by this explanation, youre not alone. Much of the scientific world is baffled by the discovery  so much so that eight scientific journals (according to the Daily Beast) turned down the story before Scientific Reports decided to run it. So, as doctors, scientists, and engineers begin to grapple with what the interstitium means for the future of medicine, heres a breakdown of what you need to know.

What is the interstitium?

The interstitium is located in the space between our organs, the tissues just below skin level that we cant see. Scientists once considered this region to be simply dense tissue that held our organs together but did little else. What theyve discovered now is that this space isnt just flat tissue, but an intricate meshwork of tissue (made of collagen and protein) that houses sacs carrying important fluid.

Who discovered it and how?

According to an in-depth report from Daily Beast reporter Tanya Basu, the discovery was made after two endoscopists, Dr. David Carr-Locke (Weill Cornell Medicine) and Dr. Petros Benias (Northwell Health), approached Dr. Neil Theise, a professor in the Department of Pathology at New York University, with a question about oddly shaped bright spaces that they noticed on a slide of tissue. Carr-Locke and Benias had a simple question: What is that?

The three tested to see if the sacs were blood vessels or collagen sacs, but found they were neither. They asked other doctors, researchers, and scientists, but no one could explain what these mysterious sacs were. As they continued to search for an answer, they began collecting more and more slides of live tissue, and made an incredible discovery: The fluid-filled sacs were everywhere. Once the three uncovered how vast this structure was, they knew theyd found something major, and set out to define its purpose.

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How had scientists missed this?

According to an explanation from New York Universitys Langone Hospital (from which the lead researcher Theise hails), the process of studying tissues led to the oversight. Scientists prepare tissue  by treating it with chemicals, slicing it thinly, and [dyeing] it to highlight key features, writes NYU. The fixing process makes vivid details of cells and structures, but drains away any fluid. So when scientists have looked at images of tissues up until now, theyve looked at tissues without the fluid  which forms an integral part of the interstitium, and reveals its complex web. Removing the fluid caused the sacs to pancake, they write, like the floors of a collapsed building. When they took images with the fluid intact, they were able to locate the complex mesh framework that surrounds it.

Why is it considered an organ?

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, an organ is defined as a group of tissues in a living organism that have been adapted to perform a specific function. One of the main functions of the interstitium, scientists believe, is to act as a shock absorber for our other organs by weaving in, out, and around them. This prevents tissues from tearing, allows vessels to pump, and ensures muscles can expand.

Because the connective tissue houses fluid-filled sacs, its constantly shifting shape, allowing us to absorb (and sustain) pressure. On top of this, the interstitium appears to be in communication with our lymphatic system, which is responsible for distributing immune cells. This means that it helps carry immune cells through the body but also can act as a pathway for disease.

Why is this such a big deal?

Based on this study, the interstitium makes up 20 percent of the human body, meaning its officially the largest organ we have (skin, the closest, makes up 16 percent). Previously believed to be stagnant tissue, the concept that this is actually a major organ performing complex functions opens up millions of possibilities for things that it could explain. It may explain why acupuncture is so effective, as Theise theorized to the Daily Beast, or how inflammation spreads through the body.

But thats just the beginning of insights that it may provide. The finding that this layer is a highway of moving fluid may explain why cancer that invades it becomes much more likely to spread. Draining into the lymphatic system, the newfound network is the source of lymph, the fluid vital to the functioning of immune cells that generate inflammation, NYU writes. Furthermore, the cells that reside in the space, and collagen bundles they line, change with age, and may contribute to the wrinkling of skin, the stiffening of limbs, and the progression of fibrotic, sclerotic, and inflammatory diseases.

***

For his part, Theise is excited about the future. This fixation artifact of collapse has made a fluid-filled tissue type throughout the body appear solid in biopsy slides for decades, he said in a statement. This finding has potential to drive dramatic advances in medicine, including the possibility that the direct sampling of interstitial fluid may become a powerful diagnostic tool.

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Trying to make out with the Easter Bunny isnt egg-zactly appropriate behavior  especially when kids are watching  but thats what police said an Ohio woman did.

Ladonna Hughett, 54, was arrested on Saturday after police said she lewdly propositioned and grabbed an Easter Bunny working at a carousel park in Mansfield.

When Hughett posed for a photo with the rabbit, witnesses said she inappropriately grabbed the costumed character and made suggestive comments within earshot of families at the indoor park, according to local station WLW.

Someone called Mansfield police.

We received a report from a citizen, an unusual report from a citizen, that called us to the Richland Carrousel Park of an intoxicated female doing some lewd acts on the Easter Bunny, Assistant Chief Keith Porch told the TV station.

(Photo: WJW TV)

Arriving officers found Hughett on the carousel, the station reported.

According to an arrest report obtained by The Smoking Gun, officers said Hughett seemed to be drunk with slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and a generally wobbly demeanor.

Hughett was charged with public drunkenness and booked into the county jail. She was released eight hours later, according to WLW. Police didnt charge her with assaulting the Easter Bunny.

Hughetts Facebook page seemed amazingly prophetic, featuring a comment that she can be a handfull but most of the time i am just a idiot, according to Metro.com.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated WLW is a Columbus TV station. It is in Cincinnati.

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Jesse James Thomas, arrested March 28 for public drunkenness, Thomas was wearing a sombrero when he jumped on an officer's parked patrol car screaming his name, according to an account in the Sacramento Bee. Read more.

Jana Lawrence

Jana Lawrence, 46, of Dacula, Ga., is accused of wreaking havoc at two restaurants Saturday, by groping, licking and flashing fellow patrons before being arrested.

Vanessa Robinson

Vanessa Robinson was charged with aggravated assult after she allegedly cut up her boyfriend after he tried leaving her apartment with the last beer -- a Colt 45 to be specific.

Niles Gammons

Ohio man Niles Gammons found himself in a bit of double trouble when -- thanks to daylight savings -- authorities busted him twice in one day, at the exact same time.

Justina Laniewski

Laniewski, 41, was arrested for allegedly endangering her child, among other charges, when she ran in to a raging creek to "save" ducks during Hurricane Sandy's onslaught on Oct. 30, 2012. Police say that Laniewski left her 4-year-old unattended while she plunged into neck-high waters in Glen Rock, Pa. It took 8 firefighters to rescue the woman, who allegedly had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit for driving.

Patricia Libby

Police say that Patricia Libby was under the influence when repeatedly crashed her car into another vehicle in the parking lot of a Marco Island, Fla. elementary school where her children are enrolled.

William Liddell

William Liddell is accused of getting into a tussle with cops after they tried to arrest him for a hit and run. During the altercation, a police report said Liddell defecated in his pants.

Ty Alsop

Ty Alsop was allegedly found passed out in a car with pants soaked in urine. He was taken to an Evansville, Ind. hospital to detoxify. Instead of staying put, he sneaked out past the staff. Witnesses saw him in the parking lot wearing a hospital gown that exposed his backside. Alsop asked police for a second chance, claiming "I'm not really a bad guy. I've just been a drunken a-----e tonight," according to the police report.

Alison Whelan

This 51-year-old Brit hijacked a ferry in September 2011, reportedly yelling to police officers that she was Jack Sparrow. Read the whole story here.

Eugene Carl Kotelman

Largo (Fla.) Police pulled over Kotelman allegedly for speeding and driving drunk on May 3. Cops checked the trunk and say they found a small monkey tucked inside. Read more.

Coley Mitchell

Coley Mitchell, a lab tech at Georgia Health Sciences University, was arrested for public drunkenness after being found in a locker room intoxicated with his pants down halfway his legs surrounded by two lab monkeys that had been let out of their cages.

Olivia Ornelas

Police in Illinois say that Olivia Ornelas blamed her DUI and crashed vehicle on her boyfriend's failure to take her, as he promised, to the new "Twilight" movie. Read more.

Man Charged with DWI for Driving Motorized Cooler

An Australian man caught driving a motorized cooler box through a beachside resort town appeared in court charged with drunk driving, The Courier Mail reported Monday. Christopher Ian Petrie, 23, faces charges of driving under the influence and driving without a license after police caught him on the makeshift vehicle, which was powered by a 50cc engine.

Randon Reid

Police in Phoenix, Ariz., have accused Randon Reid of the crime of flight -- and a crime against flight. Investigators say the 26-year-old suspect opened fire on an airplane parked at Deer Valley Airport, then fled from authorities who tried to pull him over. He has reportedly been charged with felony flight and driving under the influence.

Debra Oberlin

It's always best to practice what you preach. Police in Florida say they arrested the former president of a local chapter of Mother's Against Drunk Driving for driving under the influence. Debra Oberlin has been charged with drunk driving for the Feb. 18 incident.

Andrei Bibbs

Andrei Bibbs, 54, of the 3000 block of Coopers Grove Court, was arrested Jan. 7 Illinois State Police and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was clearly shocked by the change.

Bradley Pope

Pope was arrested for DUI. He allegedly told police that he was a "covert agent" and that he had drank 100 beers.

David Caruso

In early August 2012, David Caruso was busted for allegedly deciding to grab a beer while driving through a sobriety checkpoint in Connecticut. Read more.

Samuel Phipps

Phipps was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after he got into a car accident that he allegedly blamed on an elephant.

Sherri Wilkins

Sherri Wilkins, a drug and alcohol counselor, was arrested after allegedly fatally hitting pedestrian Philip Moreno with her car while driving under the influence. Police say Wilkins then drove over two miles with Moreno partially through her windshield. Read the whole story here.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Feminist can mean many things to many different, thoughtful people. (Image: Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)

To mark the International Day of the Woman on March 8 and Womens History Month, Yahoo Lifestyle is exploring notions of feminism and the womens movement through a diverse series of profiles  from transgender activist Ashlee Marie Preston to conservative campus leader Karin Agness Lips  that aim to reach across many aisles.

Yahoo Lifestyle was lucky enough to spend much of Womens History Month speaking with some amazing individuals  activists, mothers, actors, and influencers among them. And one thing we asked them all is about the term feminism  what it means to them, and if there is room for more than one definition within the context of todays womens movement. Heres what 12 game-changers had to say.

Padma Lakshmi, Top Chef host

I dont think theres room, actually, for more than one definition. I think theres one definition and its very plain: If youre a feminist, you believe that all people, including women  half the population  deserve to be treated equally. We deserve equality under the law, in our culture, in our marriages, as parents, and as professionals. We have a long way to go. Weve come some way, but we have a long, long way to go.  But if you believe that everybody deserves the same rights, then youre a feminist. Its that simple. Its not hating men; it has nothing to do with that. I love men  I love men  I love women, I wear bikinis, I wear lipstick, I have a lot of lipstick, I wear high heels, I am a feminist. I dont think that I could love someone who wasnt a feminist, because I wouldnt respect them. Because I would feel like they dont respect me. Because if you say, Im not a feminist, then that means youre bigoted in some way  that you think Im less because of my gender, or that I deserve less than someone whos a man. And I think that person is crazy.

Asia Kate Dillon, Billions and Orange Is the New Black actor

Feminism feels to me like an acknowledgment of the fem  the fem-ness  the feminine energy as just as powerful and integral toward life as masculine energy, and the idea that everything that weve been taught, traditionally, about the ways in which feminine energy is somehow less than or weaker or not as capable. Its just about subverting all those ideas and saying, actually, we all are capable of experiencing the feminine and the masculine but also the investigation of what those words actually mean  what is feminine? What is masculine? Other than the traditions of a social contract that was created before we were born  that we never signed  that were asked to adhere to.

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Padma Lakshmi, left, and Asia Kate Dillon. (Photos: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)

Tamika Mallory, Womens March cofounder

Im still trying to figure out what feminism is to me. There are broad definitions that have been historically used to describe the term, but Im still working to define it for me and my generation, because the word itself  yes, it is a word  I believe has manifested itself in a real movement. Its a breathing and living thing, and in order for that to be so, it has to actually represent the issues and concerns that I carry with me, and that is not always so. Some folks who claim feminism may not be concerned with the things that matter to me. But then there are other people who claim feminism, and they are part of the body of people who are interested in how black and brown people are impacted by oppression and other very significant issues. So it does have different meanings for different people. But how it manifests itself collectively is something I think we, specifically Womens March, are still trying to define and still trying to figure out.

Trace Lysette, transgender activist and Transparent actor

I think that the key, going forward, is intersectional feminism inclusionary feminism versus conservative old-school feminism, or white elitist feminism. Being a feminist is to be compassionate, and compassion doesnt stop at just cis white women  it should permeate into all different walks of humanity. If youre not with that, youre going to get left behind.

Marley Dias, 13-year-old author and activist, head of #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign

I believe that feminism needs to teach more girls about how to make institutional changes and how to further engage men and boys into being our allies.  I dont see my generation at the forefront [of #MeToo and Times Up], the way older women are. I dont see where they are making a place for us to continue, refine, and expand the work they have started. Young girls like me may not understand all the issues, but we are the ones who will be left to deal with anything they have not dealt with; we must be taken seriously.

Melissa Harris Perry, professor and former MSNBC commentator

For me feminism is a question, and the question is: What truths are missing here? So it is not a particular set of policy prescriptions or position on any set of ideas; its a question that were asking ourselves all the time. We are always limited in our own understandings, and so no matter how woke you are, youre always asleep to something else. We have some blind spots in our periphery. [I remind my students] that they should probably not eliminate everybody that asks a stupid-ass question in class, because  just because they dont have all their truths doesnt mean that theyre not on the path to them. So just keep asking, as feminists: What truth is missing?

Lorelei Lee, sex worker and activist

For me, feminism means recognizing that misogynist underside of so many of the systems in which we live. But it also means recognizing the ways that misogyny intersects with other forms of oppression. So I think that a definition of feminism that isnt intersectional, to use a frequently misunderstood word, is a failed definition of feminism. I think it fails to uphold the ideal that it pretends to support. If you claim to agree with gender equality, you cant actually uphold that without recognizing the ways that gender discrimination intersects with so many other forms of discrimination. Obviously, two of the very big areas in which that happens is exclusion of sex workers and exclusion of transgender people from feminist discourse.

Melissa Harris Perry, left, and Lorelei Lee. (Photos: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)

Kimberly Drew, Metropolitan Museum of Art social media manager and Museum Mammy

For so many people, it can mean so many exclusionary things, and it is a term/phrase that needs to be constantly interrogated. Its maturing every day. Every year we are learning new ways in which there is a hole in it and weve got to fix it and not just put a Band-Aid on it.  Its not perfect. It will never be perfect, but it doesnt have to hurt. We have to keep flexible and in flux because all of these identities are constantly on a spectrum and all of these oppressions are constantly on a spectrum  there are always new ways in which people get cut out.

Kassy Dillon, founder of the Lone Conservative

Its supposed to mean equality and helping women get to a status where theyre equal. In modern day terms, its changed, or the connotation has changed, where theres this standard for the feminist movement and what you must believe. I dont like the term feminism. Women are not a monolith and have different viewpoints.

Ashlee Marie Preston, writer and activist, Revry host

I would say, ultimately, that feminism that doesnt acknowledge the experiences of women of color, immigrant women, disabled women, or trans women is faux feminism. Sometimes we forget that there are identities that carry more privilege within the womens movement, and often what happens is the experiences of women of color and trans women tend to be put to the back, and theres a lot of myopia. And any time you dont consider the experiences of all women, its coming from a self-serving place.  I feel that its impossible to be an ultraconservative feminist, because youre supporting people that are working against your own interests. So when I see white women who are Trump supporters, who say theyre feminists, it blows my mind.  Feminism is about improving the quality of life for all women. And if youre not actively dismantling racism, or discrimination based on class and economic position, then you are part of the problem  and youre benefiting fromm the oppression of other women. Therefore, you cannot be a feminist.

Ashlee Marie Preston, left, and Kassy Dillon. (Photos: Getty Images/Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle)

Karin Agness Lips, founder of the Network for Enlightened Women and the Independent Womens Forum

Right now, one of the problems with feminism is that it lacks a universally agreed-upon meaning. If you would gather a group of leaders in the womens empowerment movement, the definition would vary dramatically. The problem with modern-day feminism is that it lacks that universally agreed-upon definition, and its been co-opted by political liberals and progressives as a vehicle to pass their political agenda. The feminism Id love to talk about is opportunity feminism, which seeks to maximize womens opportunities to build the fulfilling and meaningful lives they want to build. When I speak on campuses, I talk about opportunity feminism focusing on the opportunities our policies should be promoting.

Tarana Burke, Just Be Inc. activist and #MeToo creator

Theres always room. I never try to tell people anything that personally impacts their lives. Right? For me, it is about gender equity, and its just about us having the same things as men. Because I think there are things that exist in the world that are associated with men that are just toxic in general. For instance, when people talk about pay equity, were really talking about white women having the same amount of pay as white men. When pay equity happens, what happens to the women of color? Pay equality rather. But when you talk about equity, youre talking about an equitable distribution of resources and things like that and so my feminism is a feminism that reaches all of the marginalized communities, includes all of their voices and centers on their needs, which is hard because its a lot of different needs from a lot of different people. But my feminism is one that is committed to that work. Thats how I look at it. I try to work from that gaze.

Virgie Tovar, author and body-positive activist and influencer

For me, its fundamentally about the belief that every single woman has the right to thrive, and thats a different definition for every single person. Like, for me, my right to thrive is my right to have sex whenever and with whomever I want, to have relationships on the terms that work for both of us, and for me to be able to sit by a pool and have a Chihuahua and speak my mind without cultural repercussions. It means the right to actually do the things that authentically nourish me, and for the culture to support  or at least not actively hinder  that endeavor. Were living in a reality in which womens right to thrive and womens right to freedom are deeply hindered by patriarchy, and theres not an active investment in women in our culture right now. What we see is a woman is more likely to be sexually assaulted than to live a life on her own terms, thats the reality  as for conservative women, if you are actively exercising politics and voting on politics that hinder womens autonomy, you are not a feminist. Its just that simple.

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President Trump strongly opposes job-killing regulations and generally wants the government to leave businesses alone. The corporate tax cuts he signed in 2017 were one of the most business-friendly moves to come from Washington in decades.

But there are exceptions to Trumps chumminess with corporate Americaand several businesses he seems to have a personal grudge against. Weve identified 13 of them.

Amazon. Trump periodically jabs the e-commerce giant, as he did on March 29 when he complained that it puts local shops out of business, underpays the U.S. Postal Service for delivering its packages and shirks its obligation to pay taxes. Amazon (AMZN) stock has fallen more than 7% on concerns Trump could somehow damage the companys finances. But Trumps criticism is odd, because Trump himself has boasted about how smart it is to pay the least amount of tax possible. Trumps real focus probably isnt Amazon itself, but its CEO, Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Washington Postwhich frequently publishes stories critical of Trump.

Time-Warner. Trumps Justice Department is mounting unusual opposition to AT&Ts (T) plan to buy the Time-Warner (TWX) TV and film network, claiming it violates antitrust rules. But many antitrust experts disagree, since AT&T and Time-Warner dont compete with each other and the deal would be a vertical merger rather than one in which a merged company could gain enough market share to pinch consumers. Republicans generally eschew this type of government meddling in business deals, but the real trigger here may be CNN, which Trump routinely derides as Fake News CNN. Time-Warner owns CNN, and Trump may be trying to scuttle the deal as retribution against critical coverage on the cable channel.

Boeing. Trump bashed the aerospace giant for out-of-control costs on the next version of Air Force One, while then claiming credit for $1.4 billion in cost savings on a renegotiated contract last February. Peace made. But Boeing (BA) may now be vulnerable to Trumps America-first trade policy. Trump is imposing new tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports to the United States, and China is likely to retaliate with similar tariffs on U.S. imports in coming weeks. Boeing sells a lot of aircraft to China and could find itself out of the running if new tariffs make its planes more expensive in China than competitive offerings from Europes Airbus.

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Wells Fargo (WFC). Trump has singled out this bank for a variety of consumer abuses that have led to millions of dollars in fines. I will cut regs but make penalties severe when caught cheating! Trump tweeted in December.

Health insurers. Trump hasnt gone after these companies by name, but he seems incensed that big insurers, such as Cigna (CI), Aetna (AET), Anthem (ANTM) and UnitedHealth (UNH), received government subsidies as part of the Affordable Care Act. Trump killed those subsidies last year. Money pouring into Insurance Companies profits, under the guise of ObamaCare, is over, Trump tweeted in October. They have made a fortune. When health insurance stocks fell on news of the axed subsidies, Trump gloated, Health insurance stocks, which have gone through the roof during the ObamaCare years, plunged yesterday after I ended their Dems windfall!

Comcast (CMCSA). It owns NBC, another perennial Trump target. When NBC fired Matt Lauer last November, Trump tweeted, When will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News.

Merck (MRK). Trump took it personally when CEO Ken Frazier quit a Trump manufacturing council last August, following controversial remarks Trump made about a white supremacists rally in Charlottesville, Va. Trump has also complained sporadically about the high cost of prescription drugs. So Fraziers snub provided a populist opportunity for Trump. Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from Presidents Manufacturing Council, the president tweeted, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!

The NFL. Trump condemned the league on Twitter roughly two dozen times last year, urging fans to boycott any team with players who refused to stand for the national anthem. Trumps tireless campaign against the league probably contributed to a ratings slump last year.

ESPN. After former anchor Jemele Hill called Trump a white supremacist, Trump tweeted, With Jemele Hill at the mike, it is no wonder ESPN ratings have tanked, in fact, tanked so badly it is the talk of the industry. Disney (DIS), which competes with Time-Warner, owns ESPN.

The New York Times, or in Trumpspeak, the failing New York Times. Trump has a beef with many news organization, but the Times (NYT) has managed to draw more presidential ire than just about any other. Trump has attacked the paper at least 40 times on Twitter since becoming president, accusing it of writing total fiction and being naive (or dumb) and weak and ineffective. That, despite the fact that Trump, himself, is widely considered to be one of the Times frequent off-the-record sources. Maybe Trump knows more than he lets on.

Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available.

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Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman

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Miguel Perez with a photo of his son Miguel Perez-Montes. Perez-Montes, an Army veteran who did two tours in Afghanistan, was deported after spending seven years in prison on a drug conviction. (Photo: Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images)

Hours before Miguel Perez-Montes, an Army combat veteran, was deported to Mexico last Friday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D.-Ill., issued an unusually personal and impassioned appeal to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to delay his return to the country he left at the age of 8.

She never got an answer, and that same day, according to a statement from ICE spokeswoman Nicole Alberico, Perez-Montes was flown from Gary, Ind., to Brownsville, Texas, where he was escorted over the border and turned over to Mexican authorities. It was the latest in a series of ICE actions against immigrants who have attracted the attention of the media, activists or elected officials, actions that have led immigration-rights advocates to suspect that ICE is trying to make an example of them. At one time, the intervention of a U.S. senator would likely have at least postponed a deportation. In Perez-Montess case, it either didnt help  or, some suspect, had the opposite effect.

Perez-Montes, who was in the country legally and served two tours in Afghanistan, was deported as a result of a 2010 felony drug conviction for selling cocaine, for which he had served half of a 15-year prison sentence before being transferred into ICE custody in September 2016. Duckworth, a disabled combat veteran herself, said in her letter that a severe, undiagnosed case of PTSD caused his drug problem and led to his arrest.

Army veteran Miguel Perez-Montes, who served two tours in Afghanistan, looks on during a news conference following his deportation by ICE, which denied his citizens application due to a felony drug conviction, in Tijuana, Mexico, on March 27, 2018. (Photo: Jorge Duenes/Reuters)

As ICE continues to hastily and aggressively pursue the deportation of this Veteran who served our nation in uniform, I am urgently appealing you to stay his deportation and personally review his case, Duckworth wrote after learning that, amid Perez-Montess lengthy and public fight for citizenship, immigration officials had transferred him from the Illinois detention center where hed been held to Chicagos OHare Airport for imminent removal without notifying his family or allowing him to pack his belongings.

This is a very deplorable way to treat a Veteran who risked his life in combat for our nation, Duckworth wrote, and beneath her signature she scrawled a handwritten note in blue ink: This is a matter of great personal importance to me and many other veterans. Please personally review this case and provide my office with information.

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Though it was Perez-Montess military service that led to Duckworths interest in his case, he is one of a growing list of immigrants whove lost public fights against detention or deportation after they or others spoke out about their cases, a trend that has immigration lawyers and advocates questioning ICEs priorities.

Gregory Chen, director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, a nonpartisan voluntary bar association comprising more than 15,000 immigration attorneys and professors, said he and his colleagues have definitely gotten the impression that elevating a case in a way that draws more attention to it, whether from the media or a member of Congress, is far less likely to elicit a positive response from the Trump administration than it might have in the past.

Amer Othman Adi with his wife and daughters. (Photo: Haneen Adi)

Individual tales of long-term residents facing deportation after decades in the U.S. have captured local and national headlines since the first weeks of the Trump administration, when Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, armed with a mandate to crack down on illegal immigration, did away with the Obama-era enforcement categories that prioritized deportations of recent border arrivals, convicted violent criminals, known gang members, suspected terrorists and others considered threats to public safety.

Suddenly, ICE was deporting people like Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, a 21-year Arizona resident and mother of two U.S. citizens, whod been allowed to stay in the country, despite a previous order for removal, as long as she checked in regularly with immigration officials. Several sympathetic stories of fathers facing deportation, like Amer Othman Adi, a Jordanian-born entrepreneur in Ohio whod lived in the U.S. for 38 years, and Jorge Garcia, whod been brought to the U.S. from Mexico at age 10 but was too old to qualify for DACA, have attracted media attention and public support. But their cases ended with them being put on airplanes and sent out of the country.

I absolutely believe the way Amers case was handled by the Trump administration was intended to publicly humiliate [him] and his family for exercising their right to free speech. It is despicable, said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who advocated against Adis deportation.

Everybody is subject to enforcement at the same level, even if theyve lived here for years and pose no threat to communities, even if they have families and compelling equities, Chen said of the current administrations approach to immigration enforcement. This administration may even retaliate if there is attention drawn to a case and be more adversarial than look for a way to resolve it positively.

Jorge Garcia embraces his wife and children before being deported to Mexico at Detroit Metro Airport, Jan. 15, 2018. (Photo: Niraj Warikoo /Detroit Free Press vAa AP)

While Perez-Montes and others like him werent in the public eye until they actually faced deportation, several prominent immigration activists have also been arrested and subjected to removal orders in what they claim is an attempt to silence dissent.

Last March, 22-year-old Daniela Vargas was pulled over and arrested by ICE agents after speaking about her immigration status, and calling for President Trump to protect her, at a press conference in Jackson, Miss. Vargas, who was brought to the U.S. from her native Argentina at age 7, was in the process of trying to reapply for protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which had expired several months earlier.

In December, Mexican-born Baltazar Aburto Gutierrez was reportedly arrested and detained after he spoke to the Seattle Times about his girlfriends arrest for an article about ICE cracking down in Washingtons Pacific County. The following month, ICE agents detained Eliseo Jurado Fernandez, an undocumented Mexican national and the partner of Peruvian immigrant rights activist Ingrid Encalada Latorre, who has taken sanctuary in three different Colorado churches in an effort to avoid deportation. In a statement to the Denver Post at the time, ICE field office director Jeffrey Lynch confirmed that ICE targeted Eliseo Jurado Fernandez for arrest after he came to ICEs attention during an investigation into his spouse, Ingrid Encalada Latorre.

On the East Coast, immigration agents arrested two prominent activists and leaders of New Yorks New Sanctuary Coalition just days apart in January. Jean Montrevil, who previously served time in prison for felony convictions of cocaine possession and had been checking in with ICE regularly for the past 15 years, was deported to Haiti 13 days after his arrest on Jan. 3. Montrevils colleague Ravi Ragbir, a well-known activist from Trinidad, was arrested during his ICE check-in on Jan. 11 and detained. Ragbir, who obtained lawful permanent residency in 1994, was ordered deported after serving a prison sentence for a 2000 conviction on charges related to a lending-fraud scheme. Since 2008, Ragbir had received four stays of deportation, requiring that he check in regularly with ICE, but eventually his appeals expired and Ragbir received a final order of removal.

Immigration activist Ravi Ragbir, whose long battle over deportation has drawn support from Democratic politicians in New York, wont have to leave the country before a First Amendment lawsuit is heard. (Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP)

On Jan. 30, a federal judge in Manhattan ordered his immediate release and condemned Ragbirs arrest without notice as treatment we associate with regimes we revile as unjust.

Ragbir is currently pursuing a First Amendment lawsuit alleging that he and other activists have been unfairly targeted by immigration officials in an effort to censor them.

An ICE source, speaking on background, said that by dispensing with the former administrations list of enforcement priorities, the Trump administration has opened the door to deporting immigrants with nonviolent criminal records who might have been allowed to stay under the old rules. The source said this might be fueling the perception that ICE is targeting high-profile individuals but denied knowledge of any directions from the agency to do so.

Not all the activists whove been caught in ICEs dragnet had criminal records, however.

Maru Mora-Villalpando, a prominent Washington state-based immigration activist who was born in Mexico City and came to the U.S. on a tourist visa more than 25 years ago, for example, had no prior run-ins with either the criminal justice or immigration enforcement systems when she received a notice to appear in immigration court back in December.

Maru Mora-Villalpando at a news conference where it was announced that the longtime activist for illegal immigrants in the Northwest is now facing deportation herself, in Seattle on Jan. 16, 2018. (Photo: Elaine Thompson/AP)

In fact, on the form that was submitted to recommend Mora-Villalpando for removal from the U.S.  a copy of which was made public  a Seattle-based field officer not only confirmed that Mora-Villalpando had no criminal record but wrote that he had become aware of her after an interview with a local publication in which she identified herself as undocumented.

It should also be noted, the officer wrote, that she has extensive involvement in anti-ICE protests and Latino advocacy programs and has become a public figure in her local community.

It doesnt get any more clear than that, Mora-Villalpando told Yahoo News. This is completely political retaliation. Its also against my own freedom of speech, my constitutional right.

Such actions by ICE, she argues, are a way for them to create more fear in our communities so we dont continue speaking up and fighting back.

[Thats] not supposed to happen in a democracy, not supposed to happen in a First World country, she said.

The ACLU, along with several other immigrant rights groups from around the country, claims that more than 20 activists have been targeted by ICE for speaking out against the administrations enforcement tactics. ICE has repeatedly denied those assertions.

Maru Mora-Villalpando, right, with supporter Nestora Salgado at a news conference announcing that Mora-Villalpando, a longtime activist for illegal immigrants in the Northwest, is now facing deportation, Jan. 16, 2018, in Seattle. (Photo: Elaine Thompson/AP)

Though she noted that the U.S. deported more immigrants during Obamas tenure than under any other president, Mora-Villalpando said that, as an activist, at least during the Obama administration we were able to speak up and even engage with authorities. Now its just impossible.

Now it doesnt matter if you get media attention or if you get some political support or even the community support. It doesnt guarantee that youre going to be able to stay, she added. And thats because ICE has way too much power.

Not only did Duckworth call directly on Nielsen to review the Perez-Montes case, but for the first and only time in her career on Capitol Hill, the senator made a longshot attempt to protect Perez-Montes through a private bill, a relatively uncommon type of special legislation that applies only to a specific individual or small group of people.

Since 1983, members of Congress have introduced a total of 4,200 private bills, half of which sought to grant legal status to a particular immigrant at risk of deportation. Of those private immigration bills that have been submitted over the past 35 years, about 6 percent have become law.

In a statement explaining her decision to submit the private bill, Duckworth wrote, This should never have happened in the first place, but Im going to try everything in my power to prevent this disgraceful treatment of a Veteran who served honorably.

In the past, when a private immigration bill was submitted on behalf of a specific individual, ICE would automatically postpone that persons deportation, allowing them to remain in the country while the bill awaited consideration in Congress. Though few of these bills are ever actually enacted into law, this policy enabled members of Congress to postpone deportations for several years by repeatedly reintroducing the same private bills during each congressional session.

Last May, however, ICE director Thomas Homan sent a letter to a handful of senators informing them that, effective immediately, the agency would no longer be delaying deportations for people with private bills pending.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., above, unsuccessfully appealed to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to delay the deportation of fellow veteran Miguel Perez-Montes. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Madhuri Grewal, a federal immigration policy counsel at the ACLU, pointed to ICEs new policy on private bills  which, she noted, are usually a last resort for individuals and when introduced in the past were taken very seriously as an example of little administrative changes that make it easier for the agency to be subject to less oversight by members of Congress.

The fact that Perez-Montes was deported hours after Sen. Duckworth reached out directly to Secretary Nielsen has left Grewal with some troubling questions.

Does ICE make things worse for someone for whom a high-profile person is trying to intervene in their case? she asked. Not only are we concerned that theres retaliation, [but] is this an agency thats subject to oversight?

I cant give you answer to that, but what we saw in this particular case doesnt leave me with a lot of hope, she said.

A spokesperson for ICE provided Yahoo News with a public statement confirming the details of Miguel Perez-Montess deportation and his past criminal conviction, but did not respond to a request for comment on the concerns expressed by Grewal and others.

Following the news of Perez-Montess deportation, Duckworth said she was appalled by Nielsens failure to respond to her personal appeal for a review. A DHS spokesperson declined to comment on the record when asked why Nielsen did not respond to Duckworths request.

This case is a tragic example of what can happen when national immigration policies are based more in hate than on logic and ICE doesnt feel accountable to anyone, Duckworth said, vowing to explore additional oversight options to prevent combat veterans from encountering the same treatment in the future. At the very least, Miguel should have been able to exhaust all of his legal options before being rushed out of the country under a shroud of secrecy, she said.

U.S. Army veteran Miguel Perez-Montes, who served two tours in Afghanistan, with his mother, Esperanza Montes, during a news conference following his deportation by U.S. authorities, March 27, 2018. (Photo: Jorge Duenes/Reuters)

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Hollywood mothers are often subjected to mom-shaming on a regular basis thanks to social media  just ask Kim Kardashian. Rarely, however, do we hear about dad-shaming.

Al Roker became the exception. This week, the Today Show host posted a sneaky parenting video onto Twitter where hes seen locking away phones and a Nintendo Switch in a safety box. His reasoning: his 15-year-old son, Nick, would stay up all night on the devices.

Most of Rokers fans thought the idea was a genius parenting hack. Well done, one user wrote. But another parent responded with a jab at the TV hosts methods.

Al wasted no time in clapping back, putting the dad-shammer in his place.

Other parents chimed right in, applauding Roker for standing up to the troll. They all agreed: theres no room for judgmental parents.

We do have to wonder, however, if Rokers son Nick is on his dads side like the rest of Twitter. His devices are still locked away after all.
Outside the Triple S in Baton Rouge, where Sterling was killed in July 2016, local residents say we already knew the verdict

A mural in memory of Alton Sterling outside the Triple S mart. Sterling was shot six times. Photograph: Josh Brasted/Getty Images

At the Triple S mart in northern Baton Rouge, where in July 2016 Alton Sterling was killed by police officers, it was mostly business as usual on Tuesday.

Out front, Travis Hicks sold CDs under a portrait of Sterling while folks filtered in and out for lottery scratch tickets, Gatorade and chips. To the side, another vendor hawked boiled crawfish, $4 a pound.

The only discernible sign of anything unusual was a small group who had gathered in the wake of Louisiana attorney general Jeff Landrys decision not to charge officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake over Sterlings death. After a scuffle, Salamoni shot Sterling  who had been selling CDs  six times.

Some were saddened, others angry. Some wanted to show up to do something positive. None could register much in the way of surprise.

I knew nothing was going to happen after what happened with the last one, said Queen Shakur, referring to the federal decision not to indict the officers that was handed down last summer.

Authorities in Baton Rouge spent Monday night fortifying parts of the city, throwing up barricades and installing floodlights. They called in reinforcements from other parts of Louisiana, in case people took to the streets. But no demonstrations arose. Out front of police headquarters, as in the rest of city, all was quiet.

You gotta give the people something to shut them up  If you dont give them that firing, this city just might go crazy Rosalyn Scott

The people wasnt going to tear up the city because, let me tell you, the people, we already knew the verdict, said Rosalyn Scott, another resident who had come to the Triple S.

Scott said she remained hopeful that at the very least Salamoni would be fired at the conclusion of an administrative review. But it was a hope that could only be expressed in the most cynical of terms.

Youve got to give the people something, Scott said. You didnt give them a conviction, you didnt give them an arrest, so you gotta give the people something to shut them up. If you dont give them that firing, this city just might go crazy.

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The Baton Rouge police chief, Murphy Paul, said on Tuesday he expected the review to last about a week. Other officials have suggested an announcement could be made by Friday.

The investigation of Sterlings death revealed that within seconds of arriving at the convenience store on 5 July 2016, in answer to an unidentified callers report of having been threatened with a gun, Salamoni approached the 37-year-old father of five with a gun pointed at his head.

Sterling was carrying a gun. The officers said they thought he had reached for it. The store owner said he had not. Use-of-force experts cited in Landrys report were critical of the officers conduct, though they concluded that the shooting was reasonable.

The silence that greeted Landrys report may not only have been the product of fatalist discouragement. It may have been tactical, too.

Shaena Johnson, an organizer with Astraea LGBTQ Racial Justice Fund, told the Guardian a group of young activists had asked her to tell media the lack of visible protest was intentional, and that plans for demonstrations were still in the works.

They dont want the national activists to come in and steal their light so thats why theyre doing it the way theyre doing it, Johnson said.

Many young activists, she said, were frustrated by the way out-of-town figures with large national followings showed up in the city to protest against Sterlings death and received an outsized share of the medias attention. The arrest of well-known protester DeRay McKesson made headlines nationwide. More than 200 people, Scott among them, were jailed in total.

Johnson said the young activists were spreading messages by word of mouth rather than flyers or social-media posts.

There is a strategy, she said. The young folks are active and they are moving. They are the ones that were moving last time. They just didnt get credit for it.


By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) shares fell almost 5 percent on Wednesday, wiping more than $30 billion off its market value, after news website Axios reported that U.S. President Donald Trump is obsessed with the world's largest online retailer and wants to rein in its growing power.

Trump has talked about using antitrust law to "go after" the company because he is worried about mom-and-pop retailers being put out of business by Amazon, Axios reported, citing five sources it said had discussed the issue with him.

Trump also wants to change Amazon's tax treatment, the Axios report said, an issue the president raised publicly last year when he called for an internet tax for online retailers, even though Amazon already collects sales tax on items it sells direct to customers.

"The president has said many times before he's always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses and this is no different," said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, when asked about the Axios report. "He's always going to look at different ways, but there aren't any specific policies on the table at this time."

Trump has been complaining about Amazon in private, believing the company has become too powerful, another administration official confirmed to Reuters.

The official said Trump links this to Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos private ownership of the Washington Post, which he has called "fake news" for its critical coverage of his administration. Trump regards the newspaper as a mouthpiece for Bezos' business interests, calling it #AmazonWashingtonPost on Twitter.

Amazon did not reply to a request for comment on the Axios report.

FAVOURITE TARGET

Trump has criticized Amazon over taxes and jobs in the past, without offering evidence. The president urging the use of antitrust law to selectively thwart a company would be unprecedented, according to Jeffrey Jacobovitz of the law firm Arnall Golden Gregory LLP.

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Amazon's stock, which fell as low as $1,386.17 on Wednesday, was last down 4.6 percent at $1,427.83. The shares have nearly quadrupled over the last three years.

Tech stocks have been under pressure after Facebook Inc (FB.O) acknowledged this month that user data had been improperly harvested by a consultancy.

"With Facebook and regulatory worries, the last thing nervous tech investors wanted to see was news that Trump is targeting Bezos and Amazon over the coming months as this remains a lingering cloud over the stock and heightens the risk profile in the eyes of the Street," GBH Insights analyst Daniel Ives said.

(Additional reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; Diane Bartz and Amanda Becker in Washington; Sinead Carew in New York; writing by Chris Sanders; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and James Dalgleish)
By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Three people born in American Samoa have sued the U.S. government, saying that its failure to grant them birthright citizenship violates the 14th Amendment of the Constitution and renders them "second-class Americans." The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Utah, where all three of the plaintiffs live, asks that all people born in American Samoa be granted citizenship and its attendant rights as well as new passports reflecting that status. American Samoa, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean with a population of about 55,000, has been an unincorporated U.S. territory since 1900. It is the only overseas U.S. territory without birthright U.S. citizenship. Its people are considered noncitizen U.S. nationals, a status that denies them the full rights of American citizenship. The plaintiffs also seek to have the U.S. Department of State policy declaring them "no-citizen nationals" ruled unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the United States or its territories. "For plaintiffs, like other Americans born in American Samoa, the Fourteenth Amendment's promise of equality has not been fulfilled," the lawsuit says. "They have been subjected to a stamp of inferior status that diminishes their standing in their communities in our nation as a whole," the lawsuit states. "This arbitrary and discriminatory constitutional indignity inflicts irreparable and continuing harm on plaintiffs." A spokeswoman for the State Department, Pooja Jhunjhunwala, declined to comment, citing a department policy on pending litigation. In 2015 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled against a similar challenge to the State Department policy by five American Samoans, finding that the 14th Amendment does not automatically extend to unincorporated U.S. territories like American Samoa. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to take up the case, leaving that ruling intact. The U.S. Congress previously has decided on a territory-by-territory basis whether people born in the various overseas territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands automatically become U.S. citizens. Citizenship would make the plaintiffs eligible for full U.S. passports and such rights as being able to vote in national elections if they reside in a U.S. state. Those born in the territory can claim citizenship if, at birth, one of their parents was a U.S. citizen. They can also pursue naturalized U.S. citizenship. The government of American Samoa has opposed birthright citizenship, saying that it might threaten Samoan cultural traditions. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Valencia (Venezuela) (AFP) - Authorities in Venezuela faced an onslaught of national and international outrage Thursday over a blaze in a police station's jail in which 68 people died, in one of the worst disasters to hit the country's desperately overcrowded detention facilities.

The blaze engulfed cells in the police headquarters on Wednesday in Valencia, Venezuela's third-biggest city, located in northern Carabobo state near the capital Caracas.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who gave the death toll amid mayhem early Thursday at the police building, said the fire was the likely cause of the deaths. He said it looked to have been started deliberately by the detainees.

Anguished relatives of those being kept there had tried to storm the station on Wednesday, during which an officer was hurt by a stone. Police responded with tear gas to disperse them.

On Thursday, the crowd was calmer but no less anxious.

"I can't get past to see if he's dead of not," wailed Maria, an elderly woman whose son was being held in the station.

Nearby, a female police officer read off a list of survivors.

"They gave me the body of my nephew yesterday, and I've been here since 6:00 am waiting for his ID card," so he can be buried, another relative, Carmen Varela, told AFP.

"He wasn't burned. He had a gunshot to his head. To me, it looks like it was a slaughter," she said, visibly angry.

- Attempted jailbreak -

"I want to see my brother," said one woman who gave her first name as Yelitza.

The police, she said, "were the ones who caused this -- it was a massacre."

The UN's human rights office in Switzerland said in a statement it was "appalled at the horrific deaths" at the station, and called for authorities to fully investigate.

Although the Valencia station's cells were designed to hold arrested suspects for up to 48 hours, many of those being kept in them were thought to be convicted prisoners unable to be accommodated in the country's overflowing penitentiaries.

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An inmates' rights association called Una Ventana a la Libertad (A Window on Freedom) said the fire was started by detainees attempting a jailbreak.

"The detainees tried to grab two police officers. When that didn't work, they started a riot and decided to set fire to mattresses, thinking that the doors would then have to be opened. (But) the bars didn't open," the group's director, Carlos Nieto, told AFP.

Fire crews had to smash a hole in the wall so survivors could get out, he said, adding that around 200 people were being held inside at the time.

- Dire conditions -

Some prisoners "burned to death and others were asphyxiated," Nieto said.

Photos taken by Nieto's group showed the body of a man with burns and firefighters trying to put out flames.

Venezuela's prisons suffer from dire overcrowding and a shortage of basic supplies, struggling under the deepening economic crisis that is gripping the once-wealthy oil-producing country.

Nieto's association estimates that the temporary detention cells in Venezuela's police stations are at five times their capacity.

"All the police stations in Venezuela are facing similar or worse conditions of overcrowding, lack of food and disease," he said.

The association said 65 people died last year in the holding cells due to violence, malnutrition or tuberculosis.

Twenty-one detainees escaped Thursday from a police station in the northern city of Maracay, authorities said. One was recaptured hours later.

The escapees, who were being held at the police station awaiting hearings, fled with three guns and a motorcycle belonging to the precinct, its chief Donan Conde told local radio.

Two weeks ago, 58 detainees escaped holding cells on Margarita Island, a favored tourist spot, after punching a hole in their facility's wall. They were all quickly recaptured.

In August 2017, a riot left 37 dead and 14 wounded in police cells in the southern state of Amazonas, while an April 2017 clash between rival gangs left 12 dead and 11 injured in the Puente Ayala prison in the eastern city of Barcelona.

A month before that, the remains of 14 people were found in a mass grave in the General Penitentiary of Venezuela, in San Juan de Los Morros in the country's center.
Anxiety is rising as Tesla (TSLA) gets closer to announcing its latest Model 3 production numbers, Moody's analyst Bruce Clark told CNBC on Wednesday.

"This is clearly a very critical time and we're getting close to that point where they're going to have to make this announcement. As you get closer to these inflection points, the volatility, the anxiety obviously could go up," he said in an interview with " Power Lunch ."

Moody's downgraded Tesla's credit ratings late Tuesday and changed its outlook to negative from stable, citing "significant shortfall" in the Model 3 production rate and a tight financial situation.

The credit ratings agency also said the electric-car maker will likely need to raise more money in the near future to meet its cash needs and maintain its expected pace of expansion.

Tesla is currently targeting a weekly production rate of 2,500 by the end of March.

If it slightly exceeds that number, there still won't be much upside, said Clark, because it has a large cash burn right now.

However, if it significantly misses its target, that's a negative sign.

"They're going to have to go back to the capital markets, raise a pretty significant amount of debt to help cover that burn and also to prepare themselves for about $1.2 billion in maturities of convertible bonds," said Clark.

On Wednesday, Tesla shares tumbled for a second day in a row, hitting a new 52-week low. The stock was down more than 8 percent in afternoon trading. The Moody's report also sent the company's bond price plunging Wednesday.

However, the Moody's downgrade wasn't the only thing pressuring Tesla's stock.

On Wednesday, Morgan Stanley weighed in , saying the company must quickly improve its Model 3 production rate if it wants to raise critically needed funds from investors at a decent price.

And on Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board said it sent investigators to look into a fatal crash involving a Model X SUV last week in California. Citigroup also said Tuesday that its analysis of the Model 3 competition points to near-term risk for the stock.

Tesla declined to comment on the Moody's downgrade. However, the company did defend its Autopilot driver-assist technology in wake of the California crash.

 CNBC's Evelyn Cheng and Tae Kim contributed to this report.
China's first-ever space laboratory, Tiangong-1, will fall to Earth within the next week and, weather permitting, you may get an opportunity to see it in one of its final trips around our planet. And, if you're very lucky, you might even get a chance to see it disintegrate into a fiery ball as it streaks across the sky.



The space lab launched on Sept. 29, 2011, from Jiuquan, China, and was christened Tiangong-1, which means "Heavenly Palace." A robotic spacecraft, Shenzhou-8, docked with Tiangong-1 in early November 2011, followed by two crewed missions: Shenzhou-9 in June 2012, and Shenzhou-10 in June 2013. Both missions carried three Chinese astronauts and lasted for two weeks.



On March 21, 2016, Chinese space agency officials announced that Tiangong-1 had officially ended its service and that the telemetry link with the spacelab had been lost. Shortly thereafter, U.S. satellite observers noticed that it appeared to be in a slow, uncontrolled roll as it circled Earth. It's been space junk ever since. [China's Space Station Crash: Everything You Need to Know]



Spacecraft trackers with the Aerospace Corp. predict Tiangong-1 will fall to Earth between early morning March 30 and early morning April 2, with Easter Sunday (April 1) among the likely targets. Tiangong-1 is currently circling Earth about every 88 minutes at an average altitude of 134 miles (215 kilometers)  about half the altitude of the International Space Station  and getting lower each day.



How to see Tiangong-1

This photo of China's Tiangong-1 space station module streaking overhead was captured by Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project in Rome on March 9, 2018. The spacecraft will fall to Earth between March 30 and April 1. The constellations Orion, Auriga and Taurus are also visible. Gianluca Masi/Virtual Telescope Project



First, if you'd like to see Tiangong-1 on Wednesday (March 28), you can watch this a free webcast from the Virtual Telescope Project led by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT). The webcast will feature live views of the space station in partnership with the Tenagra Observatories in Arizona.



If you want to see if Tiangong-1 will be visible to you, you'll need a sighting schedule for your location. For that, go to the Heavens Above website here.

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When you go to this site you will be asked to log in. Once you register, all you need do is indicate your location. On the home page under satellites, you will find "10-day predictions for satellites of special interest." Tiangong-1 is second on that list below the ISS.



Tiangong-1 is predicted to make passes sometime around the break of dawn over much of the United States and southern Canada from March 26 to April 3.



Among the features on Heavens Above is the ability to generate a sky map showing Tiangong-1's path among the background stars. Typically, it can range in brightness from 3rd magnitude to zero (as bright as the brightest stars).



Since Tiangong-1 is tumbling, watch for rapid changes in its brightness as it tracks across the sky. You are given the option of getting a schedule for only the visible (pre-sunrise) passes, or all the passes  that also includes those occurring during the daytime; a handy tool to have if you are hoping to catch a glimpse of the re-entry fireball (if it occurs within your viewing range).



You should frequently check Heavens Above for an updated sighting schedule; as the space lab gets closer to re-entry, the times of visibility could change noticeably.



As far as pinning down the time and location as to when Tiangong-1 will come down, this page at Satflare.com collects and compares different re-entry predictions with orbital figures and re-entry ground bands. Data will be updated many times a day.



Finally, to see the latest ground track of Tiangong-1 and where it is at a given moment, you can visit N2YO.com here.



When and where will Tiangong-1 actually fall?

China's Tiangong-1 space station is predicted to fall somewhere between the latitudes of 42.8 degrees north and 42.8 degrees south, the area shaded in yellow and green here. Aerospace Corporation



As of this writing, the best predictions target Easter Sunday (April 1), plus or minus two days.



Part of this uncertainty stems from the fact that a very small error in the calculated height of the space lab at a given time can lead to a large error in the expected time and place of re-entry. Being large in cross-sectional area, at 34 feet in length and 11 feet in diameter (10.4 by 3.4 meters), but relatively small in mass, at 9.4 tons (8.5 metric tons), Tiangong-1 is sensitive to solar radiation pressure. [Tiangong-1: China's Falling Space Station in Pictures]



Moreover, the vertical extent of the atmosphere is affected by relatively small changes in solar activity, which cannot be precisely predicted. For example, the increased ultraviolet radiation associated with a solar flare heats the upper atmosphere, causing it to expand. This increases the drag on Tiangong-1.



As to where the space lab will make its final plunge, that, too, is a mystery.



Tiangong-1 is circling Earth in an orbit inclined 42.7 degrees to the equator, meaning impact of any associated debris can occur anywhere in a zone extending from between latitudes 42.7 degrees north to 42.7 degrees south. That would include about 80 percent of the contiguous United States and southern sections of Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece) as well as much of China and Japan. As for nations in the Southern Hemisphere, that list includes Chile, Argentina, Southern Australia and New Zealand.



Also unknown is just how much will be left of the space lab once it bursts into flames upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere.



The first serious damage will likely come when its orbital height falls to about 70 miles above the Earth's surface. The thin solar panels that resemble wings on either side of the cylindrical spacecraft will be the first to feel the effects of pushing against more and more molecules of air, ultimately breaking off.



In the following minutes, Tiangong-1 will likely tilt forward as the forces of friction increase. Somewhere between 40 and 50 miles up, the entire vehicle will become consumed in flames with large chunks breaking off, becoming scattered and breaking up into still smaller fragments.



Finally, at about 10 miles up, the falling fragments will lose their forward velocity and will rain almost straight down. According to a September 2016 report in The Guardian, Jonathan McDowell, the Harvard astrophysicist and noted spacecraft tracker, said: "There will be lumps of about 100 kg (220 lbs.) or so, still enough to give you a nasty wallop if it hit you. Yes there's a chance it will do damage, it might take out someone's car, there will be a rain of a few pieces of metal, it might go through someone's roof, like if a flap fell off a plane, but it is not widespread damage."



A spectacular end



Although it is still impossible to say precisely where Tiangong-1 will fall, scientists have a reasonably good idea of what the death throes of the Chinese space station will be like. [Biggest Spacecraft to Fall Uncontrolled From Space]



It should take less than 30 minutes, and during that time, the space station will sweep over roughly one-third of its final orbital trajectory. For those near and along that flight path, Tiangong-1's demise could result in a spectacular display, especially if it occurs at night.



Those who have reported seeing satellite re-entries in the past say the effect is similar to a slow-moving, fragmenting fireball meteor. The fragments will glow briefly because of intense friction in the upper atmosphere, then will die out. Even during the daytime, the breakup of Tiangong-1 might be partially visible as the largest pieces glow for a few moments like silvery skyrockets.



As an example of what might be seen, back on Sept. 6, 2001, the rocket body of a Kosmos 756 SB satellite, which had been orbiting the Earth since 1975, re-entered the atmosphere, giving early risers from North Carolina to New York a spectacular fiery display. Thousands of people jammed telephone lines to local radio and television stations and emergency hotlines to report the sighting of what initially was believed to be a dazzling fireball meteor.



Tom Kaminski, who reports morning-drive traffic for WCBS Newsradio 880 in New York, was walking out to his traffic helicopter in Linden, New Jersey, about 5:50 a.m. when the rocket body's re-entry caught his eye.



Kaminski described it as "looking like an aircraft that was on fire  it appeared to be trailing flames." He said that it appeared to be traveling rather slowly across the sky, taking fully 90 seconds to move from the southeast to the northwest. He also said that smaller pieces were visible, breaking off the main object. Finally, he said that it left a "long and distinct contrail which remained visible for at least 10 minutes."

Editor's note: If you see the Tiangong-1 space station's re-entry and snap a photo of video, let us know. You can share images and video with Space.com here: 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 Farmers Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for Fios1 News in Rye Brook, NY.

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Two months before her two children were found dead in their carseats, Brittany Velasquezs family told authorities the young mom was having difficulties taking care of them, PEOPLE confirms.

Velasquezs son, 2, and her 10-month-old daughter were found dead Monday in the car outside their Superior, Arizona, home. Velasquez, 20, has since been charged with two counts of murder as evidence found at the scene indicated unspecified foul play, according to statement by the Pinal County Sheriffs Office.

Now, new details reveal that Velasquez was investigated by the Arizona Department of Child Safety twice for alleged neglect and that local police visited the house multiple times over the last few years, sometimes after calls from a concerned relative, ACB15 reports.

On Jan. 1, a relative of Velasquez called police alleging she had stolen a fur coat, according to a police records obtained by USA Today. While speaking to police, the relative alleged that Velasquez kept disappearing for days at a time and leaving her kids with her family.

In a statement to PEOPLE, the DCS confirms that they received two reports of alleged neglect in the past but found no evidence of abuse. The first call came in October 2016, when the department received a report alleging that Velasquez would leave her son home with her mother for long periods of time.

Brittany Velasquez

The child was seen on multiple occasions during the investigation. The DCS investigator concluded there were no indications the child was being abused or neglected and there were no legal grounds to remove the child, the statement says.

The case was eventually closed after local authorities visited the childrens grandmothers home and found no evidence a child had been harmed.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

On Jan. 5, a second neglect report was called into DCS alleging Velasquez had left her two children with her mother again. Through their investigation, DCS learned that while Velasquez worked, her mother took care of the children at her home.

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DCS searched Velasquezs apartment, enrolled her in a home visitation program, signed the children up for daycare at no extra cost and determined that there were no signs of abuse or neglect, according to the statement.

Brother: We Begged CPS to Take the Kids

In June, Velasquezs husband Christopher Mathew Miranda died, according to her Facebook.

He was loved by many and this is very devastating to us all, Velasquez wrote on a GoFundMe page. He will be dearly missed.

It is unclear how Miranda died. The couple married in August 2015, according to Velasquezs Facebook.

Brittany Velasquez and Christopher Miranda (from left)

Family members told local media Velasquez was mentally unstable.

In an interview with FOX10, Velasquezs brother, Vincent, alleged his sister had been suffering from mental illness since she was young. Calling her deranged, Vincent told the station she allegedly refused to get help.

We tried, Vincent told FOX10. We begged CPS to take the kids. We begged the cops. Nothing would happen. Only thing we can do. We cant kidnap the kids. My grandparents let them stay in the house. Other than that, thats all we can do, know they are in a home, being fed.

In their statement, DCS said: While there were concerns raised regarding Ms. Velasquezs previous mental health, no evidence was presented by anyone that indicated mental health issues were impeding Ms. Velasquezs ability to parent.

Autopsies will be conducted to determine the childrens cause of death.

Velasquez is being held on an unspecified amount of bail, and PEOPLE was unable to determine if she had retained legal counsel who could comment on her behalf.
Arizona Police Department Equip Patrol Bikes with AR-15s

Despite the hot-button issues associated with the high-powered rifles in todays political climate, Tempe, Arizona police officials opt to mount AR-15s on half of the departments patrol bikes

Assault rifles have been a major topic of debate in the news as of late, but headlines from this morning have thrust the high-powered rifles into the spotlight yet again, albeit for whats an objectively decent reason. Despite this, some members of the public seemingly feel a tad uneasy about seeing AR-15s out in the open on the back of police bikes instead of tucked away inside patrol cars. "People do notice. We've had both sides. We've had people concerned about how it looks. It looks militaristic," Sgt. Ronald Elcock of the Tempe Police Department told CNN affiliate KPHO.

MORE NEW POLICE EQUIPMENT: US cops get Yamaha FJR1300 patrol bikes

Back in late 2017 RideApart got the chance to sit down with Roland Sands after he was hired to outfit a Honda Africa Twin for a Southern California police department, and the legendary builder explained that its vital to understand that motorcycle cops often are the first to arrive on scene as they have the ability to zip through traffic and squeeze in between gaps. For this reason its crucial that these officers have the means and ability to protect themselves and not be outgunned, just look at the famous February 1997 North Hollywood Bank of America shootout and it becomes abundantly clear that facing off against a long-gun with only handguns and shotguns makes for an incredibly dangerous situation.

The RSD Africa Twin includes an AR-15 rack, as well as ballistic blankets for officers to take cover behind

GETTING PULLED OVER 101: How to handle flashing lights in the rearview

For these reasons the Phoenix suburbs police department opted to equip eight of its patrol bikesroughly half of its fleet of two-wheelerswith AR-15s mounted on racks on the back of the bikes. The Tempe PD got the idea from Chief Sylvia Moir after she transferred from El Cerrito, California to Tempe in late 2016, bringing the practice with her to Arizona. When serious trouble strikes and traffic blocks the way, sometimes a police motorcycle is the only vehicle that can get through, said Tempe police Commander Michael Pooley.

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One of the Tempe PD's AR-equipped patrol bikes.

In an interview with KPHO Sgt. Elcock explained that moto-mounted officers are required to go through an additional 40 hours of training before being issued one of the assault weapons, and the guns are safely fixed to the bike via a locking mechanism that only the officer can open. "So it's not something that anybody can go up there and grab off the back of the motorcycle," said Sgt. Elcock. There hasnt been any word on whether or not any kind of trigger lock or guard is used.

MORE MOTORCYCLE COPS WITH BIG GUNS: Machine-gun wielding Mexican moto cops

"We're always concerned about public perceptions. We don't want people to think we're carrying these around for no reason, stated Commander Pooley. The police departments implementing this practice are doing so fairly quietly for obvious reasons, not wanting this to become part of the debate over police militarization when it is in reality a pretty practical decision.

Sources: Phoenix New Times; KPHO (CNN)
Carcassonne (France) (AFP) - Arnaud Beltrame's family were devastated to hear that he had sacrificed his life to help end a jihadist attack, but they were not surprised: he was always putting other people first.

The police officer, who receives a full national honour ceremony on Wednesday, has been hailed as a hero for offering himself as a hostage during Friday's attack in southwest France.

"He was always like that -- he's someone who ever since he was born did everything for his country," his mother Nicolle told RTL radio.

"He would tell me, 'Mum, I do my job. That's all'."

President Emmanuel Macron, who will give Wednesday's eulogy, said the married 44-year-old had "displayed exceptional calm in the heat of the moment".

Beltrame had hoped to be able to negotiate with attacker Radouane Lakdim once the woman he was using as a human shield in a supermarket siege had been taken to safety.

Instead, Lakdim shot Beltrame and slit his throat. He became the fourth victim of a shooting spree that has stunned the normally tranquil towns of Carcassonne and Trebes.

Beltrame's brother Damien said his last act, putting his own life on the line to help others, was typical of him.

"You behaved in your last moments just as you behaved throughout your whole life," he wrote on Facebook.

"As a patriot, as a good man, as a man with a big heart."

- Decorated in Iraq -

Known for his cheery disposition, Lieutenant-Colonel Beltrame joined the army reserves at 23. He trained as a parachutist before graduating in 1999 from the EMIA military college.

His superiors there described him as someone who "fought until the end and never gave up", Macron said.

As an elite member of France's gendarmerie military police force, Beltrame was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and was decorated two years later for his bravery there.

Back in France, he served for four years protecting the presidential palace before eventually settling in the Aude region as the local force's deputy commander.

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By strange coincidence, back in December he had simulated a terrorist attack at a supermarket: a scenario horribly similar to the siege in which he gave his life.

"For him, being a policeman was about protecting people," said his widow Marielle, a veterinarian.

The couple, who did not have children, had been due to celebrate their civil marriage with a religious wedding this year.

Beltrame's faith, which came relatively late in life at the age of 33, was important to him, his wife told the Christian weekly La Vie.

His last act "was the act of a policeman and the act of a Christian", she said.

"You can't separate one from the other."
The man who became a disruptor in the beer industry back in 1995 has come up with a new concept of the beverage  by integrating the psychedelic component of cannabis. Alongside his wife Jodi, Keith Villa is now establishing himself as one of the first to create a marijuana-infused beverage that actually contains THC, the cannabis chemical that produces a buzz. And if it sounds enticing yet nerve-racking for those who havent experienced a marijuana high before, there will be three levels of the brew to try out.

The man behind Blue Moon beer is now creating a beverage that will give you a high. (Photo: Getty Images)

After developing and overseeing the Blue Moon Belgian White brand under Coors Brewing for 23 years, and working with MillerCoors for more than three decades, Villa was ready for something new. Similar to his idea of bringing a Belgian beer to the States, his new venture is all about pushing the boundaries in terms of what beverages people might not yet know they want. For a country where marijuana is still federally illegal, a drink that gets you high certainly falls under that category.

Ceria Beverages and its THC-infused beer is coming soon. (Photo: ceriabeverages.com)

It really is a step back in time to just after Prohibition, he told Forbes. Back in 1933 you had a stigma with alcohol. After so many years of being illegal it took years to get over that. But once that goes away for cannabis, it will be a huge part of our economy.

Getting a head start on that market, Villa believes, presents him with the opportunity to work out all the kinks in the process of making a cannabis-infused beer. And by establishing his and Jodis brand Ceria Beverages around this product first, they dont have to fear spoiling an established brand by irritating regulators  a likely possibility, as the concept is a bit controversial.

Although Villa is calling the beverage a beer, federal law prohibits alcohol and THC from being mixed. Its why all previous marijuana-infused branded beers lack the psychoactive compound, and instead infuse (nonpsychedelic) hemp extract into the drink to give it a marijuana taste.

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What we found is consumers of cannabis want the real deal, Villa told the Forbes. Giving them a beer with hemp or CBD is almost like giving a craft beer drinker an alcohol-free Russian Imperial Stout and telling them, This is good enough.

Ceria Beverages beer will do the opposite, by brewing a regular beer, removing the alcohol content, and then injecting the THC. The process is something that cannabinoid research company Ebbu has figured out. In partnering with Ceria Beverages, the pair has decoded how to infuse the THC to result in varying levels of highs, and with specific feelings or effects. The best part is that theyve equated the effects of the marijuana to the effects of certain volumes of alcohol content, so that your high wont be any more elevated than your drunk.

Although the light, medium, and heavy-duty beers will be sold exclusively in Colorado this fall, Villa and the team expect to expand as the legality of marijuana does.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

 Marijuana could reduce drug and alcohol relapses for addicts

 Marijuana could treat chronic pain better than opioids

 New bill would allow school nurses to administer medical marijuana

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Ben Affleck is doing just fine, thank you very much. Following this weeks New Yorker article titled The Great Sadness of Ben Affleck, the actor wants the publication (and the world) to know theres nothing sad here.

Ben Affleck shows off his huge back tattoo while filming Triple Frontier on March 15. (Photo: Backgrid)

@NewYorker Im doing just fine. Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos.  Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) March 29, 2018

The 800-word article was written after paparazzi photos of Affleck, 45, zeroed in on his giant back tattoo on the beach in Honolulu, where hes filming the Netflix movie Triple Frontier. The writer of the post, Naomi Fry, remarked on the prominence of his waist line, describing these pictures as one of several despondent shots of Affleck since he and Jennifer Garner split in 2016.

In one image, the actor stands alone, looking off into the middle distance. His gut is pooching outward in a way that, in a more enlightened country like, say, France, would perhaps be considered virile, not unlike the lusty Gerard Depardieu in his prime but, in fitness-fascist America, tends to read as Homer Simpsonesque, Fry wrote in the post. A blue-gray towel is wrapped protectively around his midsection  recalling a shy teen at the local pool.

The article prompted backlash on social media, with the Wrap even wondering if the New Yorker called Ben Affleck fat. Thats certainly how many readers took it, and they were quick to point out how the mean-spirited post failed to mention his struggle with alcohol addiction.

You did. It is the most mean-spirited article Ive read in a long time. He has struggled with alcohol addiction which you managed to leave out. So low-level, I will not be subscribing to the New Yorker  ever.  Hanne (@Hannerask) March 27, 2018

Im late but Ben Affleck has been body shamed non stop ever since he was cast as Batman for 5 years now. Hes a recovering alcoholic and people have nothing better to do than mock that. Journalism is dead. Leave Ben alone pic.twitter.com/QLr14y4mKN  Josh (@_VintageReality) March 28, 2018

Shameful. Its awful that the New Yorker would publish this. If poking fun at a celebritys sadness or perceived depression is the best you can do Id suggest counseling. Aspire to do something better.  Brian @C2E2, R2D2, C3PO & BB8 (@supe78) March 25, 2018

Theres one person who is loving Afflecks thick skin and back tattoo, and thats his current girlfriend, Lindsay Shookus.

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Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus have some fun in the sun. (Photo: Backgrid)

The Saturday Night Live producer, 37, is visiting her beau on location in Hawaii, and the two were photographed kayaking in the ocean. And theres nothing sad about kayaking!

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Fifteen European Union countries including Britain signed the first project under its new defense research fund on Wednesday, the latest small step toward integrating European militaries and their industries. While the 35-million-euro ($43 million) EU grant for naval surveillance technology is modest, the fund aims to grow from its pilot phase to a multi-mullion-euro undertaking from 2021. "It's an important moment, we've managed to gather together 42 companies from 15 member states," European Industry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska told reporters following a signing ceremony. Italy's aerospace and defense group Leonardo SPA will lead the Ocean2020 project that also includes Estonia, France, Greece, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Officials say years of cuts in defense research have put Europe's future military capabilities at risk, but now France and Germany are leading a broad effort to develop and deploy the bloc's armed forces together. The signing at the European Commission follows a flurry of diplomatic breakthroughs on defense collaboration after Britain - Europe's main military power along with France - voted in 2016 to quit the EU. London long blocked such plans, fearing the creation of EU armed forces. Facing a range of threats on its borders from the Caucasus to the Sahara, EU states, now unfettered by British opposition, launched a pact in December to integrate defenses. Earlier this month, 25 countries also agreed to develop their first joint projects under the pact. The European Commission has proposed a 1.5 billion euro annual European Defence Fund to support defense capabilities that will include 500 million euros for defense research, up from the current 90-million-euro pilot phase. The Commission hopes EU governments will add to the fund to develop projects and weapons, eventually taking it toward 5 billion euros a year, with assets owned by member states. "WE NEED THE UK" The long-term EU goal is in coordination with NATO but to reduce reliance on the United States, which wants Europeans to pay more for their own security. Britain is concerned about being left outside the new cooperation and missing out on weapons projects. Prime Minister Theresa May wants to reach a "security treaty" with the EU by 2019. It was not immediately clear whether Britain could continue in Ocean2020 after it leaves the bloc in a year's time. Leonardo's CEO Alessandro Profumo said it was important for Britain to remain in European defense efforts, partly because the Italian firm has 7,000 staff in Britain. "Not only for us but for the European defense system, we need the U.K.," he told reporters. Britain hopes negotiations on its future security role in the EU will start soon. But EU officials said May would need to submit a formal paper to detail her ideas and then allow EU and British negotiators to move forward. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by David Stamp)
SOFIA/PARIS (Reuters) - Renowned Bulgarian psychoanalyst and philosopher Julia Kristeva, who has lived in France since 1965, worked as an agent for the Balkan countrys secret service in the communist era, a state commission said, but she denied the accusation. Kristeva, who is the author of more than 30 books and worked alongside other leading French intellectuals such as Jacques Derrida, Jacques Lacan and Roland Barthes, said the claim constituted "an attack on my honour and reputation". The Bulgarian commission which identifies people who worked for the communist-era secret services said Kristeva had worked, under the code name "Sabina", as a collaborator for the first department of the State Security agency. The department oversaw intelligence in the area of the arts and mass media. It said she began working for the State Security organisation on June 19, 1971. She had moved to Paris in 1965 on a French government scholarship. The document did not say how long she worked for State Security or whether she received any payment. The commission said it based its conclusions on two volumes of declassified files. "The report that I may have been a member of the Bulgarian secret services under the name of Sabina is not only untrue and grotesque. It damages my honour and reputation and is damaging for my work as well," the Paris-based Kristeva told Reuters in an emailed statement. Kristeva, now 76, said she had instructed her lawyer to take action against publications that spread the allegation. "SOMEONE WANTS TO HARM ME" In separate comments to French online weekly L'Obs, Kristeva said: "Someone wants to harm me. We dont know what is in our files." She told L'Obs that the file came out because she had wanted to work for a Bulgarian newspaper and under some rules of the archives, they must publish information on the background of all journalists. In its heyday Bulgaria's State Security, working closely with the Soviet KGB, operated a network of some 100,000 agents and informers. It was dissolved in 1989 following the collapse of the communist regime. The issue of access to, and publication of, its files has continued to raise powerful emotions in Bulgaria during its difficult transition to democracy. Foreign Policy magazine has ranked Kristeva as one of the 100 greatest thinkers of the 20th century. As well as books on psychoanalysis and philosophy, she has written extensively on cultural and feminist issues and is also a novelist. She is an emeritus professor at the University Paris Diderot and a visiting professor at Columbia University in New York. (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov and Alissa De Carbonnel in Sofia and Brian Love in Paris; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Five people were killed when their car plunged off a 100-foot California cliff Monday, authorities said. Two women and three children were inside the vehicle.

The car was traveling from Oregon and went off a cliff on the Pacific Coast Highway south of Juan Creek, some 20 miles north of Fort Bragg, The Press-Democrat reported. The Pacific Coast Highway is known for its scenic route along the California coast overlooking the ocean.

It remained unclear when, exactly, the crash occurred, though the wreckage was spotted at around 3:39 p.m. local time.

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The two adults killed in the crash were identified as Sarah Hart and Jennifer Hart, both 39, according to KPTV. The women were either married or domestic partners, KGW-TV reported, and were from West Linn, Oregon.

The children, two boys and one girl, in the 2003 GMC were not wearing safety equipment, California Highway Patrol told the Oregonian. The children were ejected from the car at some point, though the women were found inside. All five people died at the scene.

The car apparently landed on its roof and was partially submerged when firefighters got to the scene. The recovery effort, undertaken by several agencies, lasted until after dark, according to The Press-Democrat.

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The weather was reportedly clear when the crash occurred. Authorities also said they did not consider alcohol or drugs factors in the crash, though it remained unclear what happened. The incident remained under investigation, and autopsies were set to be performed on the bodies to determine the cause of death.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
ADRIATIC SEA (June 6, 2018) The guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) fires its Mark 45 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise. Normandy is deployed as part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group

Harry J. Kazianis

Security, Middle East

Looking at any map reveals a whole host of challenges.

How Iran Would Fight a War Against America

Tehran, while not trying to create an empire of sorts throughout the Middle East, as some have offered, certainly seems focused on expanding its regional interests and influenceas any power on the rise would naturally seek to do. The natural defense of such interests could, by default, turn Iran into the Middle Easts new regional hegemon. Look far and wide into the soul of U.S. diplomats, and that is the real fear (and a shared one among Washingtons allies in the region). While many in the Middle East and beyond fear Irans possible nuclear aspirations, such weapons are only a part of a much bigger geostrategic challenge.

The facts are simple: Washington and Tehran are locked into a long-term geopolitical contest throughout the Middle East that will span decadesa similar contest in many ways to Washington and Beijings battle for influence in the Asia-Pacific and wider Indo-Pacific regions.

Over the long term, the U.S.-Iranian struggle throughout the Middle East could very well be a mini-Thucydides trap, to steal the phrase from my beloved Harvards resident geostrategic guru, Graham Allisonthe classic tale of how when a rising power meets an established power, war is oftentimes the most common result (eleven out of fifteen times, per Allison).

This first appeared in 2015.

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Taking such a long view of U.S.-Iranian relations only reveals stormy seas ahead. No serious foreign-policy or national-security mind can see a long-term partnership beyond maybe short-term alignments in Iraq and decreased tensions from Iran putting its nuclear program on ice for ten years (Remember, folks: In ten years, Iran can slowly expand its nuclear program, and in fifteen years, it has no restrictions on the amount of uranium it wishes to produce...then what?).

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Looking at any map reveals a whole host of challenges.

From Yemen, to Syria, to Lebanon and over the long term in Iraq, it is quite clear Washington and Tehran have too many areas of contention for their relationship to turn rosey.

Iran is a nation that, like China, feels history has certainly not been kind, especially at the hands of Western powers. Tehran, while not trying to create an empire of sorts throughout the Middle East, as some have offered, certainly seems focused on expanding its regional interests and influenceas any power on the rise would naturally seek to do. The natural defense of such interests could, by default, turn Iran into the Middle Easts new regional hegemon. Look far and wide into the soul of U.S. diplomats, and that is the real fear (and a shared one among Washingtons allies in the region). While many in the Middle East and beyond fear Irans possible nuclear aspirations, such weapons are only a part of a much bigger geostrategic challenge.

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So the real question seems quite simple: Will America and Iran come to blows over Tehrans regional aspirations?

I, for one, certainly hope not. I think the best possible solution to these countries conflicting goals would be for both sides to take a very pragmatic approachto align their interests in areas of shared goals, while agreeing to disagree, and even competing in many areas across the wider Middle Eastfrenemies, if you will.

However, as history has shown us time and time again, the end result we want does not always come to pass. This piece will explore the various ways Iran could strike U.S. forces if conflict ever occurred. Looking specifically at Tehrans military capabilities, one quickly realizes Irans military, while not nearly as advanced as the United States, is certainly tough enough to constrain Washingtons strategic objectives through large parts of the Middle East, especially as one approaches Irans borders.

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From China with Love: Iran Loves A2/AD

While the pages of many publicationsincluding this oneare filled with various ideas and concepts that detail one of my favorite subjects, Chinese anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD), other nations are adopting this smart asymmetric strategy, and Iran is one of them. While nowhere near as advanced as Chinas various sea mines, ballistic and cruise missiles, submarines, cyber weapons and C2 and C4ISR systems, Iranian A2/AD still packs quite a punch.

So what would an Iranian A2/AD campaign against U.S. forces look like? Well, let us assume Iran decided, for whatever reason, to strike first and strike decisivelythe best way to utilize any A2/AD force. The best research to guide us in such a discussion is a 2011 report from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) that looks at Iranian A2/AD capabilities and possible U.S. responses, titled: Outside-In: Operating from Range to Defeat Irans Anti-Access/Area-Denial Threats.

The real highlight of this report is that it sketches out an Iranian A2/AD campaign against U.S. forces in the timeframe between 2020 and 2025 with what CSBA assumes Iran would have developed in terms of military capabilities by that time. The scenario also assumes a U.S. force posture at roughly 2011-levels. While these qualifiers do detract slightly from the accuracy of the scenario, CSBA does show the reader quite effectively what Iran could do.

For starters, as noted prior, surprise will be the key, with Iran going all in with a massive strike:

Iran will likely exploit the element of surprise to subject U.S. forces in the Gulf to a concentrated, combined-arms attack. Using coastal radars, UAVs, and civilian vessels for initial targeting information, Iranian surface vessels could swarm U.S. surface combatants in narrow waters, firing a huge volume of rockets and missiles in an attempt to overwhelm the Navys AEGIS combat system and kinetic defenses like the Close-In Weapons System and Rolling Airframe Missile, and possibly drive U.S. vessels toward prelaid minefields. Shore-based ASCMs and Klub-K missiles launched from civilian vessels may augment these strikes. Irans offensive maritime exclusion platforms could exploit commercial maritime traffic and shore clutter to mask their movement and impede U.S. counter-targeting. While these attacks are underway, Iran could use its SRBMs and proxy forces to strike U.S. airfields, bases, and ports. Iran will likely seek to overwhelm U.S. and partner missile defenses with salvos of less accurate missiles before using more accurate SRBMs armed with submunitions to destroy unsheltered aircraft and other military systems. Proxy groups could attack forward bases using presighted guided mortars and rockets, and radiation-seeking munitions to destroy radars and C4 nodes.

Iran would also try to lock out the Strait of Hormuz:

After initial attacks to attrite U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, Iran will likely use its maritime exclusion systems to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Mine warfare should feature prominently in Iranian attempts to close the Strait. As with many of its A2/AD systems, Iran could employ a combination of smart influence mines along with large quantities of less capable weapons such as surface contact mines. Iran may deploy many of its less sophisticated mines from a variety of surface vessels, while it reserves its submarine force to lay influence mines covertly. Though Iran may wish to sink or incapacitate a U.S. warship with a mine, its primary goal is probably to deny passage and force the U.S. Navy to engage in prolonged mine countermeasure (MCM) operations while under threat from Iranian shore-based attacks. U.S. MCM ships, which typically lack the armor and self-defenses of larger warships, would be unlikely to survive in the Strait until these threats are suppressed. Iran could deploy its land-based ASCMs from camouflaged and hardened sites to firing positions along its coastline and on Iranian-occupied islands in the Strait of Hormuz while placing decoys at false firing positions to complicate U.S. counterstrikes. Hundreds of ASCMs may cover the Strait, awaiting target cueing data from coastal radars, UAVs, surface vessels, and submarines. Salvo and multiple axis attacks could enable these ASCMs to saturate U.S. defenses. Similar to the way in which Iran structured its ballistic missile attacks, salvos of less capable ASCMs might be used to exhaust U.S. defenses, paving the way for attacks by more advanced missiles.

Also, according to CSBA, Iran would be rewarded by spreading the field of conflict:

Undoubtedly aware that the United States ability to bring military power to bear is influenced by the demand for forces in other regions, Iran may seek to expand the geographical scope of a conflict in order to divert U.S. attention and resources elsewhere. Irans terrorist proxies, perhaps aided by Quds Force operatives, could be employed to threaten U.S. interests in other theaters. Iran could conceivably leverage its relationship with Hezbollah to attempt to draw Israel into the conflict or tap Hezbollahs clandestine networks to carry out attacks in other regions.

Concluding Thoughts

The above is only a very small sample of what is an excellent, but frightening, report. CSBA deserves credit for showing what such a conflict would look like, and did not get nearly enough credit when the report was released. While slightly dated, since it was written towards the end of 2011, any defense or national-security wonk should sit down and read it cover to cover. After reading the whole report, along with just a quick parsing of many other documents and resources on Irans military over the years, one can easily come to the conclusion that Irans forces, when confronted close to its shores, would not be easily subdued. What is referred to commonly as the tyranny of distance, combined with Tehrans growing A2/AD capabilities, creates an interesting challenge for U.S. warfighters if the unthinkable ever came to pass.

Lets just hope Washington and Tehran can make frenemies work over the long haul.

Harry J. Kazianis serves as Director of Defense Studies at the Center for the National Interest.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, President Xi Jinping and both their wives meet in Beijing: AFP/Getty

In hosting North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un on a surprise visit to Beijing, Chinas President Xi Jinping has made clear to the United States that his country will be an integral part of the as-yet-to-be-scheduled and unprecedented negotiations between Mr Kim and President Donald Trump.

The meeting put a new coat of paint on the relationship between the two countries, which was believed to have soured somewhat as China backed UN sanctions against Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programmes. The secret journey by Mr Kim, believed to be his first international trip since taking power in 2011, has allowed Mr Xi to ensure Chinas interests are represented whether they are physically present for the negotiations or not.

Xi Jinping wants to make sure he is fully informed of North Koreas intentions, and ensure North Korea keeps Chinas interests in mind as it prepares to talk with South Korea and the US, Patricia Kim, the Stanton nuclear security fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, told The Independent.

China has been largely on the sidelines of the flurry of diplomatic outreaches between the US, North Korea and South Korea in the post-Olympic period, and inviting Kim to make his first foreign trip to Beijing was Xis way of reinserting China into the arena, she continued.

The two-day visit also served Mr Kims interests, of course, reminding officials in Seoul and Washington that Mr Kim has some bargaining power.

The United States is going to have to read it as a sign that they cant kick North Korea around, that North Korea still has influence in Beijing, Adam Mount, a senior fellow and director of the Defence Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists, told The Independent.

The White House has called Mr Kims China visit  especially the fact that the North Korean leader travelled outside of his country for potentially the first time since taking power  a positive sign for the upcoming talks between the US and North Korea, and proof that the American diplomatic offensive is working.

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President Donald Trump has helped orchestrate a strong international response to North Koreas repeated nuclear missile tests, including sanctions approved by the United Nations and honoured by China, and that is paying off, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Wednesday.

Were going to be cautiously optimistic, Ms Sanders told reporters.

Following news of the trip, Mr Trump tweeted that he is looking forward to meeting Mr Kim.

For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and he denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula was not even a small possibility, Mr Trump wrote. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!

South Korea has cautioned they were not involved in the efforts to bring Mr Kim to Beijing, and that it added a new layer of complexity to the situation. Perhaps with that in mind, state media has labelled the visit by Mr Kim as unofficial.

What is happening now is beyond what the [government] was predicting, and [Seoul] will need to keep an eye on the situation with all possibilities in mind, senior presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan told reporters.

Mr Xi, for his part, has said that the visit was a positive one and that he expects his country will continue to play a constructive role on the issue [of talks], and work with all parties, including the DPRK [North Korea], toward the thaw of the situation on the Peninsula, according to state news agency Xinhua.
By Ben Blanchard and Joyce Lee

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearisation and to meet U.S. officials, China said on Wednesday after his meeting with President Xi Jinping, who promised China would uphold friendship with its isolated neighbour.

After two days of speculation, China and North Korea both confirmed that Kim had travelled to Beijing and met Xi during what China called an unofficial visit from Sunday to Wednesday.

The visit was Kim's first known trip outside North Korea since he assumed power in 2011 and is believed by analysts to serve as preparation for upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter he had received a message from Xi on Tuesday night that his meeting with Kim "went very well" and that Kim looked forward to meeting the U.S. president.

"Look forward to our meeting!" Trump wrote, while adding: "In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!"

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the China-North Korea talks and Kim's decision to travel outside his country were a "positive sign" the U.S.-led pressure campaign to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons has been working. "We're going to be cautiously optimistic," she told reporters.

"For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," Trump tweeted on Wednesday. "Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity."

Earlier this month, Trump, who has exchanged bellicose threats with Kim in the past year, surprised the world by agreeing to meet the North Korean leader to discuss the crisis over Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons capable of hitting the United States.

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North Korea's official media has made no mention of Kim's pledge to denuclearise or the anticipated meeting with Trump, which is planned for some time in May.

China has traditionally been secretive North Korea's closest ally but ties have been frayed by Kim's nuclear weapons programme and Beijing's backing of tough U.N. sanctions in response.

China's Foreign Ministry cited Kim in a lengthy statement as telling Xi the situation on the Korean peninsula was starting to improve because North Korea had taken the initiative to ease tensions and put forward proposals for talks.

"It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearisation on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong Il," Kim Jong Un said, according to the ministry.

North Korea was willing to talk with the United States and hold a summit between the countries, it quoted him as saying.

"The issue of denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace," Kim said.

'NUCLEAR UMBRELLA'

Kim Jong Un's predecessors, grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il, both promised not to pursue nuclear weapons but secretly maintained programmes to develop them, culminating in the North's first nuclear test in 2006 under Kim Jong Il.

North Korea has said in previous, failed talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear programme it could consider giving up its arsenal if the United States removed its troops from South Korea and withdrew its so-called nuclear umbrella of deterrence from South Korea and Japan.

Many analysts and former negotiators believe this still constitutes North Korea's stance and remain deeply sceptical Kim is willing to give up the weapons his family has been developing for decades.

"Kim Jong Un has finally echoed the unconvincing line of his father that denuclearisation is the 'will' of Kim Il Sung," said Daniel Russel, who served as the top U.S. diplomat for Asia until last April.

"While that's better than his outright rejection of denuclearisation to date, it's not very persuasive in light of his actions and his caveats about the need for the U.S. to first create the right 'atmosphere'," Russel said in an email.

Widely read Chinese state-run newspaper the Global Times said the Kim-Xi meeting proved naysayers wrong about Beijing-Pyongyang relations.

"China and North Korea maintaining their friendly relations provides a positive force for the whole region and promotes strategic stability in northeast Asia," it said in an editorial.

Kim's appearance in Beijing involved almost all the trappings of a state visit, complete with an honour guard and banquet at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

Kim and Xi also met at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, where Kim Il Sung planted a tree in 1959 that still stands.

State television showed pictures of the two men chatting and Kim's wife, Ri Sol Ju, getting a warm welcome from Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan.

Analysts said the meeting strengthened North Korea's position ahead of any meeting with Trump by aligning Beijing and Pyongyang while reassuring China it was not being sidelined in any negotiations.

A top Chinese diplomat, Politburo member Yang Jiechi, will brief South Korean President Moon Jae-in about the Beijing talks in Seoul on Thursday, the South Korean presidency said.

North Korea's official news agency said Kim told a banquet hosted by Xi that his visit was intended to "maintain our great friendship and continue and develop our bilateral ties at a time of rapid developments on the Korean peninsula".

It said Xi had accepted an invitation "with pleasure" to visit North Korea.

China had largely sat on the sidelines as North Korea improved relations with South Korea recently, raising worries in Beijing that it was no longer a central player in the North Korean issue, reinforced by Trump's announcement of his proposed meeting with Kim.

(Additional reporting by Christine Kim and Soyoung Kim in SEOUL, David Stanway and John Ruwitch in SHANGHAI and Ayesha Rascoe, Lisa Lambert and David Brunnstrom in WASHINGTON; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish)
A historic deal between China and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops is not "imminent," a Vatican spokesman said Thursday, contradicting an optimistic statement from a Chinese government-approved bishop.

"I can state that there is no imminent signature of an agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China," said Vatican spokesman Greg Burke.

"I would like to stress that the Holy Father Francis remains in constant contact with his collaborators on Chinese issues and is accompanying the steps of the ongoing dialogue," he added.

On Thursday, Bishop Guo Jincai, secretary-general of the Bishops Conference of the Catholic Church in China, was quoted by the state-owned Global Times as saying that negotiations with the Vatican had reached "the final stages".

"If everything goes right, the deal could be signed as early as the end of this month," said Guo, who is recognised by China's Communist government.

The Vatican relaunched long-stalled negotiations with Beijing three years ago.

The question of whether China or the Holy See gets to designate bishops has been a major obstacle to progress.

Under a potential deal, the Vatican could agree to recognise seven bishops who were chosen by the Communist government, in the hope that Beijing would accept the pope's authority as head of the Catholic Church in China, a source close to the matter told AFP last month.

Beijing and the Vatican severed diplomatic relations in 1951 and although ties have improved as China's Catholic population grows, they have remained at odds over the appointment of bishops.

China's roughly 12 million Catholics are divided between a government-run association, whose clergy are chosen by the atheist Communist Party, and an unofficial underground church loyal to the Vatican.

While some believe an agreement will bridge divisions between the two, others fear concessions to China may backfire on the "underground" devout, many of whom suffered years of persecution for following the pope.

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The Vatican has previously accepted several bishops appointed by Beijing.

- A deal with the devil? -

Some opponents -- among them the militant Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen -- say an agreement risks abandoning loyal believers and amounts to a deal with the devil.

A lay Catholic in central China told AFP that the deal would "certainly" lead to "less freedom for the underground Church".

"If the Vatican violates its conscience, the underground believers in mainland China will certainly not accept it," she said.

Last month, an open letter by lay Catholics mostly based in Hong Kong expressed concern that the recognition of Beijing-appointed bishops would lead to "confusion and pain, and schism would be created".

- Bishop disappearance -

On Tuesday night, Chinese police released an underground bishop at the heart of the Beijing-Vatican negotiations after holding him for a day, sources told AFP on Wednesday.

Vincent Guo Xijin, bishop of the diocese of Mindong in the southeastern province of Fujian, is recognised by the Vatican but not by the Chinese authorities.

He was recently urged by the Vatican to step aside for state-appointed Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu and to accept being demoted to auxiliary bishop, as part of preparations for the agreement.

According to Catholics consulted by AsiaNews, which is run by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, Guo's disappearance can be explained by his refusal to celebrate Easter with the prelate who will replace him.

Asked about Guo's arrest, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday he was not aware of the situation.

But, he added, the "Chinese government fully respects and protects, according to the law, the rights of religious belief and freedom of its citizens".

On Thursday Lu expressed hope that the dialogue between China and the Vatican could "continue to proceed well and achieve positive results".
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Vice Premier Liu He, known for his tough stance on credit-driven stimulus, told a new team of Chinese regulators that the prevention of risks in the country's financial sector is their top priority.

Liu said China also needs to deepen financial reforms and further open up the sector, with market forces providing the cue, according to the official Xinhua news agency on Tuesday.

"To win the battle against financial risks is a priority of the country's current financial work," said Liu, who is also a trusted confidant of President Xi Jinping.

China is among global economies viewed as most vulnerable to a banking crisis, according to the Bank for International Settlements. Beijing has maintained that debt risks are under control, and its commitment to deleveraging will not waver.

But those promises have been met with scepticism, with critics saying China might fall back on the old play-book of credit-fuelled investment when growth slows.

Still, Liu is known to be a critic of credit-derived stimulus, widely seen as being behind the voice of an unnamed "authoritative person" who wrote in the People's Daily, the party's mouthpiece, in May 2016 warning about risks from the country's debt-driven growth model.

"Liu is a critic of the debt-fuelled program that China adopted following the (global) financial crisis, or at least feels that it has continued for too long and that government stimulus cannot be the main driver of growth," said Tony Saich, an expert in Chinese politics at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Liu, on what Xinhua described as an inspection trip, told the central bank and financial regulators that effort should be spent on supporting the real economy while keeping monetary policy prudent and neutral and ensuring reasonable and stable liquidity in the financial system.

His visit followed the recent appointment of a new People's Bank of China (PBOC) governor and the head of a merged banking and insurance watchdog.

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The move to tighten oversight of China's $42 trillion banking and insurance sectors comes as Beijing reins in riskier lending practices and cut high corporate debt.

China has also cracked down on Chinese conglomerates for their aggressive acquisitions of overseas assets.

It has additionally launched a campaign to root out officials engaged in corrupt practices in the financial sector.

Xiang Junbo, former chairman of the insurance watchdog, last April became the highest-ranking finance industry official to be investigated for corruption.

"China will also provide a strong political foundation for its financial work by upholding its anti-corruption campaign," Liu said.

Liu, since his elevation into China's 25-member Politburo, the second-highest tier in Beijing's political power structure after the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, has emerged as an assertive voice in the government on not just the economy and finance, but also trade. [L3N1RA27J]

Liu is involved in China's trade dialogue with the United States, and last week spoke with U.S. Secretary Steven Mnuchin as trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies flared anew.

(Reporting by Yawen Chen, Min Zhang, Se Young Lee and Ryan Woo; Additional reporting by John Ruwitch in Shanghai; Editing by Alison Williams and Sam Holmes)
New York (AFP) - British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, wife of Hollywood A-lister George, announced Thursday she will represent two Reuters journalists detained in Myanmar in a case that has incensed global opinion.

Myanmar reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last December and have been charged under the Official Secrets Act, which could see them jailed up to 14 years.

They had been investigating the killing by security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals of 10 unarmed Rohingya Muslim men in the country's crisis-hit northern Rakhine State.

"Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately," Clooney said.

"Yet they have been denied bail and face 14 years in prison. The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmar's commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech."

Clooney's involvement will increase the global attention that has surrounded proceedings against the pair, who are being detained in a Yangon prison.

"We will pursue all avenues to secure our reporters' release. Retaining Ms Clooney greatly strengthens our international legal expertise and allows us to broaden those efforts," said Gail Gove, chief counsel of Reuters.

Former US president Bill Clinton and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are among those who have called for the journalists' release as fears grow about Myanmar's shrinking press freedoms.

Clooney, an internationally respected lawyer, has also attracted huge celebrity following since her 2014 marriage to American film star George Clooney.
The ongoing series of Facebook scandals are hitting a fever pitch.

After Russian bots, questionable political advertising, and the Cambridge Analytica debacle in which 50 million users data was leveraged to help clients like the Trump campaign, Facebooks approval rating is falling and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly agreed to testify in front of Congress. (Heres what that might be like.)

Internationally, the pressure is equally high, with Zuckerberg refusing a British parliamentary summons to appear.

For the first time, it seems, the public may be ready to listen to what Facebooks detractors have argued for years: that the service, while technically free to use, in fact exacts a significant cost from the people who use it.

Over three years ago, Todd Berger and Paul Budnitz started a social media network that many in the media hailed as a Facebook-killer. The app, called Ello.co, took an anti-Facebook attitude and had a sharp manifesto. Advertisers buy your data so they can show you more ads. You are the product thats bought and sold, it read  and still reads. You are not a product.

Ello still exists, but not as an alternative to Facebook. Instead, its something more in line with its original intent as a platform for creative professionals and individuals who demand ownership of their data and intellectual property.

In fact, no platform really exists that does what Facebook does, and the seemingly insurmountable barriers to entry for viable competitors has led many to wonder whether Facebook is a monopoly. (To users it seems like it, to advertisers  and probably regulators  its not.)

In a wide-ranging interview with Yahoo Finance, Berger, Ellos current CEO, spoke of the companys struggle competing with Facebook, what itd take to really compete with the company, and the prospect of regulation.

Ellos brief moment of hope as the next Facebook

When Ello emerged in 2014, the minimalist design, language and freshness attracted something like 34,000 signup requests per hour, and created a media hype storm that branded it as a real threat to Facebooks dominance. For Berger, this was unwelcome, given that the company was not even in beta, only had a few million dollars in funding, and was not for everyone, as an Ello spokesperson told Yahoo Finance at the time.

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The hype got so strong that even Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was asked about it (she said she hadnt heard of it).

Ellos manifesto from 2014 appears to have aged well four years later. (screenshot by Yahoo Finance)

But when people came from Facebook to see what all the fuss was about, they expected to find calendars, events, photo archives, and things that require the full might of unlimited VC money. Unfortunately for Ello, these things werent part of its platform  or their vision for what their specific creative-oriented social media network should have. It wasnt the space to invite people to mass events or a repository for photos.

We were never going to meet mainstream expectations, because the expectation was everything Facebook does, but with better policies, says Berger. That was impossible without hundreds of millions. People showed up and they were bummed out.

What a competitor would need

This failure  which, in all fairness was foisted on the company, since it was not trying to be the next Facebook  illustrated what was needed to take on Facebook: an enormous amount of money.

The only way to compete is to go to the VCs that made money on these Facebooks and Googles and say we need $200 million to get started. No one will achieve that scale with $5, $10, $20 million  its not much money in this space, Berger says. Probably no one will pump a billion into social. Thats the kind of money itd take to meet user expectations when they try it.

Of course, even with money and the best tech infrastructure on the planet, going up against Facebook may not even be possible. Google + (Plus) failed to catch on spectacularly when it rolled out its social network.

Without selling users data or resorting to advertising, the scale problem may not have a solution, says Berger. So far, no one, not least Facebook, has cracked the nut at scale. Perhaps it hasnt been a priority as most people dont seem to mind allowing their digital lives to be leveraged  even if some are now upset about it having been involved in dodgy electioneering.

Other than selling users information and running ads, the only way to deal with this problem at scale would be a subscription model. Some niche social media networks have versions of this (Strava, for example, is an exercise tracking app that is a social media network) but most people believe the public thus far doesnt have an appetite to pay.

We have this baked-in notion that certain services ought to be free, says Berger. But its not free because of ads and data sales  those are the costs.

It would take more than money

The first part of the solution, Berger says, is having some sort of cultural shift on data protection or a sense of security. Some of this has happened in other countries  Europes GDPR laws aim to give people the control of their data once again  but until a critical mass begins to care, change is difficult.

Budnitz, Bergers co-founder and former Ello CEO (he left the company), agrees.

In an email, he said that a new network that considers privacy in a consumer-friendly way simply wont do well. In his view, what Facebook can do with the data gives it such a big advantage that it could be an insurmountable barrier to entry.

Its what makes Facebook so hard to compete with, he wrote in an email to Yahoo Finance. The only way around this, he said, is regulation. Its going to be up to governments to protect its citizens from these companies, which should also foster competition.

If the government imposes strong regulations on Facebook, or if some public scandal undermines the platforms dominance, the result could be a more atomized version of social media. Instead of one big place for everything, Berger envisions a world in which people might favor one niche social network over another.

I buy things from places that specialize in those things, says Berger. No jack of all trades can be really good at everything. Facebook got really good at a lot of things, but at a high cost for personal safety and security, in my opinion.

Users are already more skeptical about social media. The fact that companies like Facebook actually did save everything you posted, kept track of everywhere you logged in from, and created a profile of what youre into from the information you gave voluntary shouldnt be a surprise. But it to many it is and it may be uncomfortable.

Berger, however, cautions users who find themselves caring about this to look in the mirror.

You dont to get to blame Facebook, Berger says. Thats all in their privacy policy. They said they were doing that  they didnt trick anyone.



Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Confidential tip line: FinanceTips[at]oath[.com].

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit, and Pyongyang has discussed the possibility of a leaders' meeting with Japan, Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Thursday.

The government of Kim Jong Un has informed leaders of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers Party of the possibility of a summit with Japan, the newspaper said, citing an unidentified North Korean source and briefing papers.

"The Japanese government has expressed a wish to host a leaders meeting, via the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan," or Chongryon, Pyongyang's de facto embassy in Japan, the Asahi quoted the North Korean briefing papers as saying.

The Japanese government said it had been in touch with the North but declined to offer specific comment on the report.

"We have been communicating with North Korea through various occasions and means such as a route via our embassy in Beijing, but I would like to refrain from going into specifics," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference.

A Chongryon spokesman in Tokyo declined to comment on the Asahi report.

A Japanese government source told Reuters in mid-March that Japan was considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago.

The Asahi said in an article from Seoul Kim's government had explained its bilateral diplomatic plans for South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, in that order.

Kim met President Xi Jinping in China this week, his first trip abroad since taking over as North Korean leader in 2011. Summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump are being planned for April and May, respectively.

The North Korean briefing papers cite the possibility of a Japan summit in early June, the Asahi said.

Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono left open the possibility that Abe might meet Kim at some point. Kono said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday Japan was closely watching preparations for the North-South Korean summit and the Trump-Kim meeting.

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A Japanese ruling party lawmaker said the outlook for an Abe-Kim summit depended on how the earlier summits played out. "There are stages and barriers," he told Reuters. "In particular, there's no guarantee Trump-Kim talks will go well."

The Asahi quoted another unidentified source as saying North Korea's "dialogue partner on security issues is America" but that the country "can only hope for large-scale financial assistance from Japan".

North Korea hopes to get $20 billion to $50 billion in aid from Japan if it normalises relations, the newspaper said. However, it said the briefing papers offered no specifics about steps to normalise bilateral relations, as agreed in 2002.

Those steps include resolving the abductee issue, as well as Pyongyang's missile and nuclear weapons development.

North Korea admitted in 2002 it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies, and five of them returned to Japan. Tokyo suspects that hundreds more may have been taken.

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Linda Sieg; Writing by William Mallard and Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Paul Tait)
Cienfuegos (Cuba) (AFP) - The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution were Fidel Castro's brainchild nearly 60 years ago, created to keep watch over a shaky regime -- now, they are an enduring symbol of communism in Cuba.

While their role may have changed somewhat, these bodies remain overseers of the revolution at a local level -- and will be charged with ensuring discipline when Raul Castro hands over the presidency to his successor on April 19.

In his modest home in Cienfuegos, located 230 kilometers (about 145 miles) from Havana, Orlando Fernandez remembers perfectly listening to a radio broadcast of Fidel's speech to the nation on the night of September 28, 1960.

Castro had been in power for a little over a year, but he had not yet revealed his socialist bent.

"We started to set off firecrackers, and at that moment, Fidel had this marvelous idea and said: 'We are going to create an organization to defend the revolution'," recalled the retired agricultural worker, 87.

The new revolutionary regime faced armed attacks, primarily in Havana, many of which were instigated or backed by Washington.

"We are going to create a collective revolutionary surveillance system. They are playing with the people, and they don't know the tremendous revolutionary force of the people," Castro told a large crowd of supporters gathered in the capital.

Fernandez, one of the first to join, was elected to the head of the CDR, as they are known in Spanish, in his neighborhood of Pueblo Nuevo in an inaugural vote.

"I am a founder of the CDR," the elderly man, now frail and with thinning hair, said with pride. He has been an active member for four decades.

- 'On guard' -

Considered "the eyes and ears of the revolution," the CDR's logo shows a man brandishing a shield and a machete, accompanied by the slogan "on guard."

Every committee has a president, a surveillance chief, an organizer and an ideologue who keep detailed records on local members.

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Castro opponents called them "chivatos" -- or "informers" -- and they kept an eye on anyone whose ideas or behavior seemed suspect.

Thousands of cells exist in every neighborhood, in every village in the country, with around eight million members -- more than three-quarters of the island's population.

Their national coordinator, Carlos Rafael Miranda, is one of 31 members of Cuba's Council of State, the country's executive body.

The defense committees are particularly visible during elections. They preside over neighborhood meetings, scrupulously controlling citizens' participation and interfering in candidate nominations.

- Diversification -

This ideological gatekeeper system -- with cousins in Venezuela and Ecuador -- survived the economic and social upheavals that followed the end of the Cold War.

And step by step, the committees have taken on tasks like catching drug traffickers and combatting tax evasion. Others work to fight crime, with designated "watchmen" to keep an eye on late-night grocery stores.

Members also promote social benefits and coordinate services like vaccination campaigns and blood drives, as well as organizing volunteers for community projects like clearing litter or pruning trees.

They played a crucial role mobilizing volunteers as Hurricane Irma battered the island nation last year.

Noting a "change in context" since the Cold War ended, Cuban affairs analyst Arturo Lopez-Levy, who lectures at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, said today "the role of the CDR is more restrained, less important for new generations and of fundamental value to the community."

Fernandez says he hopes, though, that the groups will survive, saying they are inseparable from Cuban communism.

"The revolution is here to stay. No one is going to reverse it," he said.
Washington (AFP) - They're Democrats who oppose abortion, defend gun rights and work with President Donald Trump. And, no, they are not hell-bent on wrecking their party.

Intent on retaking Congress from the Republicans in midterm elections in November, different factions of the Democratic Party -- from moderates to far left -- are setting aside their differences for now and staying together.

Despite the vigorous primary fights already under way, the end justifies the means.

"The Democratic Party elites, they just want to get the majority. They don't care what kind of candidate they get it with," said Robert Boatright, associate professor of political science at Clark University.

So one sees things like this: Democratic Party leaders welcoming the recent special-election win of one Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania. Lamb favors gun rights, opposes abortion and wants to get rid of the long-time leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.

From Texas to Massachusetts, Democrats have pledged to prevent Pelosi from becoming speaker of the House if in fact the Democrats take the chamber in November.

In Illinois, outgoing Democrat Dan Lipinski, who opposes abortion rights, recently won a tough primary race against a progressive candidate backed by Bernie Sanders.

And when Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill dared criticize Hillary Clinton for the way she refers to Trump supporters, Fox News ran a long segment on its morning show screaming about "the Democratic civil war."

Such an assessment is "significantly overstated," said Norman Ornstein, a seasoned observer of US politics who is with the American Enterprise Institute.

"There's a cultural difference between the left and the right in this country," he said.

The Democrats' internal disputes, he added, are a far cry from the upheaval that shook the Republicans in 2010 with the emergence of the Tea Party -- the ultra-conservative movement that aimed to overthrow the Republican establishment.

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In Congress, the Democrats do not have anybody who constantly puts a stick in the eye of their leaders, as Republican lawmakers like Rand Paul or Ted Cruz do.

- Abundance of Democratic hopefuls -

Midterm elections in America are widely seen as a referendum on the record of the president elected two years earlier. The president's party tends to do poorly.

Such was the case of Bill Clinton in 1994, or George W. Bush, bogged down in the Iraq war, in 2006, or Barack Obama in 2010 after he enacted the signature health care reform that bears his name, Obamacare.

Trump, whose approval ratings stand at around a meager 40 percent, could follow in their footsteps, even if he is convinced that a strong economy and the tax cut he engineered will play to his advantage.

At the national level the Democrats are therefore hoping for a wave of anti-Trump fervor to mobilize their supporters.

But they are also working quietly and discretely in districts that Trump won in 2016, reckoning that some voters are willing to back the Democrats so long as Trump is not raked over the coals.

"Democrats don't need to win a ton of Trump voters to take back the House," said John Hudak, a scholar at the Brookings Institution.

Of the 435 seats in the House, some 50 congressional districts are deemed competitive enough politically that they could go either way. The Democrats need to gain 24 seats to retake the chamber.

Besides getting good numbers in the polls, the energy of the Democrats is seen in a surge of activism among their supporters.

Steven Rogers, a professor of political science at St. Louis University, crunched the numbers and found that never before have so many Democrats come forward to run for seats in state legislatures. This is not the case for the Republicans, he added.

The example of the 2006 midterms shows that a party does not need to agree on everything in order to triumph.

Back then, the Democrats managed to take seats away from the Republicans in their home turf -- in states such as North Carolina and Idaho -- by fielding moderate candidates. And at the time the Democrats were not all in agreement on the Iraq war.

In the end, that strong showing allowed the party to kiss and make up internally and regain its stride. In 2008, it took the White House, with Obama's historic win.

Today the same zeal and spirit are empowering the Democrats, said Ornstein, pointing to Democratic wins in special elections like the one in Pennsylvania.

"So far, you look at the results and they speak for themselves," he said.
Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington: AP

Donald Trump is said to be trying to persuade the US Defence Department to pay for the construction of his long-promised border wall between the US and Mexico.

The president proposed the idea to several of his advisers last week, claiming the, the Washington Post reports.

He then floated the possibility while meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan, who apparently offered little reaction to the proposal, the Post said. Senior officials on Capitol Hill later told the newspaper it was unlikely that the military would pay for the concrete barrier.

Mr Trump last week grudgingly signed a massive budget bill that allocated $1.6bn for border security this year, even though the president at one point wanted $25bn to fully fund the construction of his border wall.

Mr Trump had originally said the wall would be paid for by Mexico.

Meanwhile, the $1.3 trillion government spending bill allots about $700bn for the military.

A senior Pentagon official told the Post that any reallocation of 2018 military funding for the border wall would require an act of Congress.

A budget amendment to direct more funds toward the border wall would require 60 votes in the Senate.

With Republicans currently holding a slim 51-seat majority in the 100-member upper chamber, such a measure is unlikely to pass.
Donald Trump, the US president - AP

Donald Trumps lawyer talked about pardoning two top former advisers as the Russian investigation was closing in, according to The New York Times.

John Dowd reportedly discussed the topic with lawyers for Michael Flynn, once the White House national security adviser, and Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman.

The conversations were said to have taken place last year as both were coming under scrutiny from Robert Mueller, the special counsel looking into Russian election meddling.

It raises the question of whether pardons were discussed to dissuade them from pleading guilty and co-operating with the investigation, thereby revealing what they saw during the campaign.

It is unclear if Mr Trump was aware of the alleged conversations, according to The New York Times. The claim was also denied by Mr Dowd himself.

Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The US president has the power to pardon people who face or are convicted of federal charges.

There has been media speculation for months about whether Mr Trump could use the power to protect any former campaign aides charged by the Russia investigation.

Mr Flynn, who was fired for misleading senior Trump figures about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, was charged with lying to the FBI. He eventually pleaded guilty.

Mr Manafort was charged with a number of alleged crimes including money laundering and making false statements. He has pleaded not guilty.

Mr Dowds discussions about pardoning with each of the mens lawyers took place before the charges were brought against them late last year, according to The New York Times.

As central figures in Mr Trumps 2016 election campaign both men would have had a front row seat on private discussions before the vote.

John Dowd, Donald Trump's former lawyer Credit: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Allegations that Mr Trump's campaign colluded with the Russians in an attempt to win the election are believed to be a focus of Mr Mueller's investigation.

Mr Dowd told The New York Times: There were no discussions. Period. As far as I know, no discussions.

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Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer dealing with the investigation, said: I have only been asked about pardons by the press and have routinely responded on the record that no pardons are under discussion or under consideration at the White House.

The White House confirmed Mr Trump has the power to grant pardons yesterday but rebutted questions about the report, referring back to Mr Cobb's statement.

Mr Trump has previously responded to questions about whether he would consider a pardon for Mr Flynn.

He said on December 15: I dont want to talk about pardons for Michael Flynn yet.

Well see what happens. Lets see. I can say this: When you look at whats gone on with the FBI and with the Justice Department, people are very, very angry.
By Sierra Brown

Almost 4,000 Liberians have been living and working legally in the United States since 1999, but now, those immigrants may have to uproot their foundation. President Donald Trump noted on Tuesday (Mar. 28), that hes giving Liberians with a temporary immigration status a year in the states before they have to resettle in Liberia or be deported, the New York Times reports.

Trump decided not to renew the Deferred Enforced Departure program that allowed Liberians to legally live in the states since 1999 to aide the countrys infrastructure after a civil war. It was set to expire Saturday (Mar. 31). Trump outlined a 12-month orderly transition because Liberia is no longer experiencing armed conflict and has made significant progress in restoring stability and democratic governance, according to the NYT.

Near the start of the year, Trumps administration also ended temporary legal immigration status for 200,000 Salvadorans in the U.S. The countrys Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have skyrocketed in 2017 with a total of 143,470 arrests, according to a Pew Research Center study.

His administration also plans to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The White House says theyre doing it as a way to help protect minority voting rights, while others state this could lower participation in the survey causing a domino effect of inaccurate information, uneven distribution of federal money and strategically moving politics for the benefit of Republicans.

This post Donald Trump Lifts Deportation Protection For Liberians In The U.S. first appeared on Vibe.
The Hague (AFP) - Dutch voters narrowly rejected a new law giving security services greater powers to spy on emails and online data, the electoral council announced Thursday, unveiling final referendum results.

More than six million Dutch citizens out of some 13 million eligible voters cast ballots in the national referendum last week on the controversial legislation, set to come into effect on May 1.

After a 51.5 percent turnout -- enough to validate the referendum's results -- 49.4 percent voted down the law, while 46.5 percent were in favour.

"The referendum's outcome therefore is a rejection of the information and security services law," council chairman Jan-Kees Wiebenga said.

"This means the government will have to reconsider the law. However, it's not a binding referendum," he told a press conference in The Hague.

The referendum, triggered by a group of Amsterdam students as a citizens initiative, was held on March 21 alongside municipal elections across 380 Dutch local councils.

The students were angered by what they saw as a bid by authorities to grab over-arching powers but proponents say it will give security services greater ability to monitor dangerous groups such as jihadist organisations.

Although it is non-binding, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who supports the legislation, has vowed he will take the results of the referendum seriously.

Vice Prime Minister Kajsa Ollongren however said Thursday that the cabinet would take its time to consider the results, the ANP news agency said.

It is also likely the last referendum in the Netherlands as legislation to repeal the laws under which they can be organised are set to be passed by the upper house of parliament soon.

The Dutch results come amid a world-wide firestorm over the online hijacking of personal data including on social media giant Facebook.

The US company has met fierce criticism after it was revealed that the personal data of tens of millions of users was harvested by a British firm linked to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Last week's referendum went hand-in-hand with municipal elections in the Netherlands in which results were fractured, with local parties doing well, as well as the eco-friendly leftist party GroenLinks, which emerged as the largest in several major cities.
Cairo (AFP) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with about 92 percent of the vote, preliminary results showed on Thursday, with just over 40 percent of voters casting ballots.

Twenty-five million of the 60 million registered voters, or some 41.5 percent, turned out during the three days of polling that ended Wednesday, state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reported. Twenty-three million voted for Sisi.

The Akhbar el-Youm newspaper did not report the full turnout but said Sisi won 21.4 million votes, and his rival Moussa Mostafa Moussa 721,000 votes, without mentioning the number of spoiled ballots.

According to Al-Ahram, in addition to 23 million who cast valid votes, two million spoiled their ballot papers.

Sisi's sole challenger was the little-known Moussa, himself a supporter of the president, who registered immediately before the close date for applications, saving the election from being a one-horse race.

Moussa conceded his loss on Wednesday night, telling a television station he had hoped for 10 percent of the vote.

"But I know the immense popularity of President Sisi," he said.

Other, more heavy-weight would-be challengers were all sidelined, detained or pulled out.

Sisi, who as army chief ousted Egypt's first freely elected president -- Islamist Mohamed Morsi -- after mass street protests in 2013, won his first term in 2014 with 96.9 percent of the vote.

- Turnout down on 2014 -

Turnout of 47 percent in that year's election was sharply higher than this year's 40 percent despite appeals from Prime Minister Sherif Ismail for voters to fulfil their patriotic duty.

Sisi had praised the turn out.

"The vote by masses of Egypt will remain a testament, no doubt, that our nation's will imposes itself with strength and knows no weakness," Sisi said on his Twitter account late Wednesday.

Boycotters who cannot show good reason for not going to the polls could a face a fine of up to 500 Egyptian pounds (22 euros), the electoral commission has warned.

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At a news conference, election commission official, Mahmud al-Sherif, said there had been no violations of Egypt's election law.

Opposition groups had called for a boycott of this week's vote which they labelled a facade.

There were no presidential debates and Sisi himself did not appear at any official campaign events, although he spoke at a number of ceremonies.

In an interview days ahead of the vote, Sisi said he had wished there were more candidates, denying any role in sidelining them.

At a speech before the vote he also called for a high turnout.

"I need you because the journey is not over," Sisi told a mostly female audience. "I need every lady and mother and sister, please, I need the entire world to see us in the street" voting.

Morsi's removal had ushered in a deadly crackdown that killed and jailed hundreds of Islamists.

The initial crackdown on Morsi's supporters expanded to include liberal and leftist secular activists

A jihadist insurgency since has killed hundreds of policemen and civilians.

Sisi gave the armed forces and police a three-month deadline in November to wipe out the Islamic State group in its Sinai Peninsula stronghold.

The deadline has since been extended, and on February 9 the armed forces launched their most comprehensive campaign yet to end the five-year-old jihadist insurgency.

But attacks by the jihadists have continued.

On Saturday, two policemen were killed in a car bomb targeting the provincial head of security for the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. The security chief was unharmed.

Egyptian cities, especially Cairo, have been flooded with banners showing Sisi and messages of support from business owners. Posters vowing support for Moussa, 65, are rarely seen.

While still popular, Sisi has embarked on tough economic reforms that have been welcomed by foreign investors but dented his popularity at home.
Emily Blunt is staying mum on Trump. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

To quote a certain unforgettable assistant from The Devil Wears Prada, fans can expect to hear less **hands flapping like a chatty mouth** and more **clenched fist to signal shutting up** out of Emily Blunt  at least as far as Donald Trump is concerned.

In a new interview with ES Magazine, the Quiet Place actress reveals that shes shied away from talking American politics after experiencing fallout from a 2015 joke about the then presidential candidate.

I became an American citizen recently, and that night, we watched the Republican debate and I thought, This was a terrible mistake. What have I done?' the British star quipped to the Hollywood Reporter at the time.

Many conservatives were offended by the remark, and Blunt now says shes more careful about what she says.

It was a fairly innocuous joke because, you know, where Im from we poke fun at our public figures, she told ES. I think I wasnt quite American enough to be able to say that. I have to be really careful now. Certain subjects, I just cant. Because Im also someone who loathes getting in trouble. Ever since I was a kid, Ive loathed getting in trouble.

Troubles one thing; being targeted by an angry Trump tweet is on a whole other level.

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Robert Farley

Security,

You make the call.

Enterprise: The Best Aircraft Carrier the Navy Ever Built?

Shortly before USS Enterprise went to the breakers, a new ship bearing the name was laid down; CVN-65, the worlds first nuclear aircraft carrier. The latter USS Enterprise served for fifty years, before decommissioning in 2012. Another USS Enterprise, CVN-80, is scheduled for completion by 2025. An altogether unforeseeable event immortalized the name even more. In 1965, Gene Roddenberry gave the name Enterprise to the starship of his series Star Trek. Just as CV-6 survived combat situations that destroyed other carriers, NCC-1701 would survive wildly improbable scenarios. The wild, and unpredictable, success of that series and its spinoffs would lead to a variety of other Enterprises, each with the same improbable success as their World War II namesake.

In May 1938, the U.S. Navy commissioned the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the seventh ship to bear the name in American service. The second of three sisters, Enterprise made a centralperhaps the centralcontribution to the war effort in 1942. The U.S. Navy began 1942 with six fleet carriers (excluding the small Ranger, which served in the Atlantic). Over the course of the year, Japanese aircraft and submarines would sink four of those carriers and put a fifth (USS Saratoga) out of action for long periods of time. Enterprise fought with distinction in most of the major battles of 1942, and survived to contribute for the rest of the war.

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In short, USS Enterprise (CV-6) was the finest ship ever to serve in the U.S. Navy.

Construction

Second ship of the Yorktown class, Enterprise was laid down in July 1934. The Yorktowns constituted the greater part of the second generation of U.S. fleet carriers, after the experimental ships and the conversions of the 1920s. Experience with USS Ranger and the Lexingtons indicated that large carriers had many advantages in serviceability and survivability over smaller ships, so the Navy decided to go large. Enterprise displaced twenty-five thousand tons, could make thirty-three knots and could comfortably carry around eighty combat aircraft. U.S. naval architects incorporated many of the lessons learned from the Lexington class into the Yorktowns, and they became the worlds most advanced, effective carriers when they entered service in the late 1930s. They would provide a template for the Essex-class aircraft carriers, which would begin joining the U.S. Navy in 1943.

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1942

USS Enterprise joined the Pacific Fleet in 1939, and operated in a variety of roles in the years immediately preceding the war. Having just ferried aircraft to Wake Island, it narrowly missed the Japanese strike on Pearl Harbor, arriving on the evening of December 7, and putting back to sea shortly thereafter to (fruitlessly) search for the Japanese task force. On December 8, its aircraft found and sank the Japanese submarine I-70. Across the winter and early spring of 1942, Enterprise raided across the Pacific, striking Japanese installations on several recently acquired islands. In April, it escorted USS Hornet on the Doolittle Raid, only narrowly missing the Battle of Coral Sea on its return.

In late May, Enterprise sortied to intercept the expected Japanese invasion of Midway Island. Serving with its sisters Yorktown and Hornet at Midway, its dive bombers helped destroy four Japanese carriers, along with a heavy cruiser. This victory broke Japanese momentum in the Pacific, but did not offer any rest to Enterprise, especially as Yorktown had sunk during the battle.

By mid-July, Enterprise had sailed the South Pacific, where it served throughout the Solomons campaign, taking damage at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and at the Battle of Santa Cruz (its last sister, Hornet, was destroyed in the latter battle). Despite this damage, it left the action only briefly for repairs, continuing the fight for almost the entirety of 1942 and early 1943. Its aircraft helped destroy HIJMS Hiei in November.

Later War

As the Essex class carriers began to come into service in 1943, Enterprises importance to the war decreased. A four month overhaul in mid-1943 helped bring it back to full combat effectiveness. Enterprise contributed to the great carrier actions of 1944, fighting at the Battle of Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. These battles tore out the heart of the Japanese carrier fleet, and also led to the destruction of several battleships.

In late 1944, Enterprise re-equipped for night operations, pioneering Navy efforts to maintain air superiority around the clock. It supported U.S. operations on Iwo Jima and eventually Okinawa, suffering damage from two kamikaze attacks in the latter. Its repairs from the final attack were completed just as the war in the Pacific ended; the most important single warship of the war, it nevertheless missed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.

Postwar

Enterprises first duty in the immediate postwar period was to help return U.S. servicemen to the United States. It left service permanently in early 1946; although only ten years old at this point, Enterprise had been superseded by the Essex class and the much larger Midway-class carriers. Unlike its sometimes partner USS Saratoga, Enterprise was spared destruction in the Bikini atom bomb tests. Instead, it entered the reserve fleet.

Enterprise won twenty battle stars in the Pacific, more than any other U.S. ship. There was widespread recognition of its service, and several efforts to preserve it as a monument. Despite the advocacy of retired Navy personnel, however, these efforts failed, and it was sold for scrap in 1958. This is now recognized by many as a tragic failure of the United States to properly maintain its military heritage; in the years after Enterprises scrapping, several other battleships and aircraft carriers were preserved.

Into the Future

Shortly before USS Enterprise went to the breakers, a new ship bearing the name was laid down; CVN-65, the worlds first nuclear aircraft carrier. The latter USS Enterprise served for fifty years, before decommissioning in 2012. Another USS Enterprise, CVN-80, is scheduled for completion by 2025.

An altogether unforeseeable event immortalized the name even more. In 1965, Gene Roddenberry gave the name Enterprise to the starship of his series Star Trek. Just as CV-6 survived combat situations that destroyed other carriers, NCC-1701 would survive wildly improbable scenarios. The wild, and unpredictable, success of that series and its spinoffs would lead to a variety of other Enterprises, each with the same improbable success as their World War II namesake.

Robert Farley, a frequent contributor to TNI, is author of The Battleship Book. He serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky. His work includes military doctrine, national security, and maritime affairs. He blogs at Lawyers, Guns and Money and Information Dissemination and The Diplomat.

This first appeared in June of last year.

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Warsaw (AFP) - European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans will visit Warsaw on April 9, the Polish government said Thursday, amid conflict over Poland's controversial court reforms.

"His visit is a continuation of the ongoing impartial and fact-based dialogue between Poland's government and the European Commission," government spokeswoman Joanna Kopcinska told AFP.

She added that Timmermans had been invited to the Polish capital by Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz.

According to the Polish news agency PAP, the talks will mainly revolve around the court reforms that led the European Union to launch unprecedented legal action against Warsaw.

Brussels in December triggered Article 7 of the EU treaty over what it sees as "systemic threats" to the independence of the Polish judiciary from the country's right-wing government -- a move that could lead to never-before-used sanctions.

Poland had three months to reply to the EU's concerns. Last week the foreign ministry said it had met the deadline, without specifying the contents of its response.

A lawmaker from the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, Marek Ast, however announced that a draft law would be introduced to slightly modify the reforms.

The opposition denounced the changes as merely cosmetic.

Timmermans said last week that the EU's executive arm will analyse Warsaw's response before ministers meet again next month to assess whether "steps forward were made or not".

The stakes are high if Warsaw fails to satisfy Brussels.

It could be stripped of voting rights in the bloc under the Article 7 procedure -- covering systemic threats to the rule of law -- which had never been previously used against an EU state.

However, Poland's ally Hungary, which has also clashed with Brussels over democracy issues, has vowed to veto any sanction.
Larry Wilson might not have graduated from the Harvard Business School or lived through the Black Plague, but hes still certainly qualified to talk about Beetlejuice. While most people rightly think of director Tim Burton and star Michael Keaton when they look back at the dark comedy, the story was the brainchild of Wilson, his producing partner, Michael Bender, and fellow co-writer, the late Michael McDowell. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the hit film (which opened on March 30, 1988), Yahoo chatted with Wilson about a movie that might have been very different. (Watch the highlights above.)

1. Beetlejuice originally had a far darker ending

Among Beetlejuice unexpected turns is its ending. Dour daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) comes back home from school with mostly good grades and is rewarded with a ghostly dance number by her homes resident ghosts Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis). Its a surprisingly cheerful way to leave the characters. But Wilson and McDowell initially wrote up something much more morbid.

Our first ending was Lydia  she died in a fire and was able to join Barbara and Adam in the afterlife, Wilson said with a sheepish grin. A couple of people said to us, Do you really think thats a good idea? Is that really the message you want to be sending to the teenagers of the world? Die in a fire? So, yeah, it probably was darker.

2. Beetlejuice almost wound up with a dreadfully different title

Working as an instructor for UCLAs Extension program in the 80s, Wilson befriended a student named Marjorie Lewis and gave her a copy of his Beetlejuice script. Lewis, who was working in development for the Geffen Film Company, championed the script enough that it wound up being bought and made. Wilson thinks it fortuitous that heavyweight producer David Geffen came on board.

Warner Bros. might love Beetlejuice now, but there was great resistance to the movie from the studios marketing department at the time. Among the concerns the suits had was the title. They recommended a truly terrible alternate title.

Story continues

The title that I remember being suggested, pretty much before the release, was House Ghost, Wilson recalled. I bet it was David Geffen who said no to that, and a big firm no. There were marketing people within Warner Bros. who thought no one would know what Beetlejuice was, but theyd know what a house ghost was. Thank God [they went with Beetlejuice]. I would not like to be here talking about House Ghost the movie.

Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice. Screenwriter Larry Wilson said that while Keaton defined the character as we know him today, the original inspiration for the beloved character was a comedic icon  Groucho Marx. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

3. A major character was cut out early on

Wilson has joked about the rewrite process he and McDowell had to endure before Beetlejuice was made. In one interview he said they spent a year ruining their first draft. Burton in his book Burton on Burton said they were burnt out and so he brought in a fresh fighter in well-regarded script doctor Warren Skaaren.

Lydia, the key character in many ways, the portal for so many people, had a sister, said, regarding a big change Skaaren made. She was the goth; the sister was the straight one. Warren got rid of the sister, and what a good decision because then it all became about Lydia. Thats the [change] I remember most vividly  Warren did a really respectful rewrite, which isnt always the case.

4. A Hollywood legend served as the inspiration for Beetlejuice

Nearly everything audiences loved about Beetlejuice can be credited to Michael Keaton. He developed the look of the character and improvised most of his dialogue. But before Keaton came aboard, Wilson drew his inspiration for the character from a comedic icon.

The first thing I remember writing about the character or saying to [Michael Keaton] about the character was, Hes Groucho Marx from hell,' Wilson reminisced. Groucho Marx was the fastest, wittiest, most sardonic absurdist person in the room, always. But it doesnt make a difference because Michael Keatons Beetlejuice.

5. The screenwriter had a sequel idea and it wasnt the much-maligned Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian

Fresh off the success of their unlikely hit, Warner Bros. began exploring ideas for a sequel. Burton, on the other hand, wasnt as keen on revisiting the world, so he pitched what he thought would be a dud, a tropical adventure, Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. The theoretical movie would have had the Deetz family and Beetlejuice experience a zany Hawaiian romp. Fortunately, this never happened. Wilson, who didnt have involvement in it, says he had an idea back in the day.

I had an idea for a sequel right away and it would have been a continuation of the story, Wilson shared. Mr. Deetz [Jeffrey Jones] would have developed a crush on Geena Daviss character. That would have been my idea. It would have been driven by character and not driven by a premise.

Wilson has expressed his support for the animated series and the upcoming Broadway musical that are using the character in ways that are a departure from the original source, but he is wary of sequel plans.

I would love the money that would come with a sequel but in some ways Im very glad there hasnt been one, Wilson shared. Ive always been very worried about what a Beetlejuice sequel movie would be because of ideas like Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. And the character is going to stop being funny and become grating. That movie is, in so many ways to me, like lightning in a bottle. It was one of those one-of-a-kind experiences that the talk of a sequel makes me, creatively, a little bit nervous.

While he not be entirely into the idea of a sequel, Wilson did say that hed like there to be a Beetlejuice Cinematic Universe of sorts. My wife, Cynthia, and my step-son, John, and I are writing a script called Just Buried together, Wilson revealed. Its kind of, in some ways, a story of Cynthia and my very unlikely romance in the world of Beetlejuice. Its a couple that dies just before they get married and they have to figure out how to get married in the afterlife.

Warner Bros., meanwhile, hasnt abandoned the idea and there were reports last year that a new screenwriter was working on a sequel script with the blessing of Burton and Keaton.

Larry Wilsons new movie, a 3D animated adaptation of The Little Vampire, will be released on-demand later this year.

Beetlejuice supporting player Dick Cavett on his genius contribution to the film:

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Officials representing North and South Korea met on Thursday to agree on a date for a first summit between the two countries leaders in more than a decade.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon faced his North Korean counterpart Ri Son-gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, for talks at the Tongilgak, an administrative building located on the northern side of the border truce village Panmunjom in the heavily-guarded demilitarized zone (DMZ).

Date and Place

By the end of the meeting, the two delegations agreed on a date and a location for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to meet South Korean president Moon Jae-in. The summit will take place in less than a months time, on April 27. The chosen location is South Koreas Peace House, in Panmunjoms southern side, according to a statement read at the end of the meeting.

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The South Korean presidential office welcomed the decision in a statement. "As the date of the South-North summit has been set, we will do our utmost to make sure nothing will be neglected in our preparations for the summit during the remainder," presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

"It is our hope that all people will become one so the summit can become a groundbreaking opportunity to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula," he added.

Agenda

South Koreas priorities are to agree on a path towards denuclerization of the Korean peninsula, which would involve Pyongyang getting rid of its nuclear weapons and facilities, as well as formally establishing a peace agreement to end the hostilities resulting from 1950-53 Korean Warthe armistice signed three years in 1953 was never followed by a comprehensive peace treaty.

Moon made these priorities clear throughout his campaign and, during his inauguration in May, pledged to do everything he could to build peace on the Korean peninsula." Intentions to work towards a peace treaty were expressed in the previous inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007, but did not produce an official agreement.

Story continues

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03_29_Summit

Korea Pool/Yonhap via Reuters

South Koreas lead negotiator, minister Cho, confirmed Moons goals have not changed. The April summit will be another start of a great journey to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, bring peace to the peninsula and develop inter-Korean ties," he said in his closing remarks on Thursday.

North Koreas goals remain less clear. Most North Korean analysts are hawkish about the possibilities of Pyongyang giving up the arsenal it spent so much time, money and efforts to build. A top U.S. military commander told the House Armed Services Committee last month he thinks Kim's objective is to pursue reunification with South Korea, imposing his ideology on the southern neighbor.

In his recent visit to China, Kim reportedly stated North Koreas commitment to denuclearization was the countrys "consistent stand, but in fact Pyongyang has long been paying lip-service to the idea of getting rid of nuclear weapons, just to blame the U.S. and its joint military drills with South Korea for its need to have a nuclear deterrent.

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North Korea remained vague about its objectives even after Thursdays meeting. We still have a fair number of issues to resolve on a working-level for preparations over the next month, said Ri said, quoted in Reuters. But if the two sides deeply understand the historic significance and meaning of this summit and give their all, we will be able to solve all problems swiftly and amicably, Ri added.

What the U.S., Japan and China say

China has expressed support for the April meeting, commending the two sides for agreeing on a summit. "The dialogue has once again become the main theme. This, as it is known to all, is what the Chinese side has insisted on and persistently worked for," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing, calling for all parties involved in the area to support inter-Korean talks "to promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the political settlement of the Peninsula issue."

With Kim visiting China and planning to meet with South Korean and U.S. presidentsPyongyang offered a summit with President Donald Trump but has yet to officially react to his positive responseJapan is also taking diplomatic steps toward Pyongyang as not to be left out. An article published in Japanese newspaper Asahi on Thursday, quoting anonymous sources and official briefings, indicated that Japan has offered North Korea a summit to take place in June.

We have been communicating with North Korea through various occasions and means such as a route via our embassy in Beijing, but I would like to refrain from going into specifics, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference, quoted in Reuters, refusing to further discuss Asahi's report.

President Trump has yet to comment on the latest developments, although he said he is looking forward to meeting with the North Korean leader in a tweet on Wednesday reacting to Kim's China visit.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Dave Majumdar

Security,

Kim Jong Un is not happy.

The F-35 Is Now on North Korea's Doorstep

South Korea celebrated the rollout of its first Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as the North Korean threat looms in the background.

Heightened tensions continue on the Korean peninsula after the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a surprise visit to Beijing ahead of a potential summit with the United States.

While the F-35 will not be operational with the Republic of Korea Air Force for some time to come, the addition of the new stealth fighter will help to enhance South Koreas security against a hostile North.

"Today is a truly meaningful day as we celebrate the roll-out of ROKAF's first F-35A, the world's best fighter jet, which will secure the sovereign airspace of the Republic of Korea," Song Young-moo, the Republic of Korea's Minister of Defense, said in a previously recorded message. "The deployment of the F-35 will serve as momentum to enhance the combined operations of the ROK-U.S. Air Forces, and advance ROKAF's support capabilities for ground operations."

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Aside from its stealth and sensors, one the F-35s major selling points is its interoperability with U.S. forces. If tensions on the Korean peninsula spillover into open warfare, South Korea and the United States will have to work hand in glove to defeat Pyongyang.

"This is a major step forward for our F-35 enterprise and our ROKAF partners as we deliver Korea's first F-35, the first of six F-35 aircraft that will be delivered this year," Vice Adm. Mat Winter, F-35 program executive officer, said. "The F-35A is a game-changing capability that will enable the South Korean Forces to operate side-by-side with our U.S. forces in protecting your nation's homeland. I extend my personal congratulations to the combined government and industry team in achieving this milestone."

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Lockheed Martin is understandably proud of delivering jets to another customer after the F-35s long and troubled developmental period.

"We are proud to support the Republic of Korea with the unrivalled fifth generation F-35," Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin chairman, president and chief executive officer, said. "We know that it will be a symbol of strength reminding us all that when we partner together, our nations are safer, our people are more secure, and our future is brighter."

According to Lockheed Martin, the rollout ceremony was attended by more than 450 guests, including five members of the Republic of Korea National Assembly Defense Committee, as well as Suh, Choo-suk, vice minister of National Defense; and Lt. Gen. Lee, Seong-yong, vice chief of staff of the ROKAF.

Initially, South Koreas first F-35s will be delivered to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona to train ROKAF personnel to operate and maintain the new jet. Operational F-35s will arrive in South Korea in 2019 where the aircraft will be based at Cheongju. South Korea is expected to buy 40 F-35A aircraft acquired through the U.S. government's Foreign Military Sales program. However, there is a good chance that South Korea will buy additional F-35s when time comes to recapitalize Seouls large F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet.

Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest. You can follow him on Twitter: @davemajumdar.

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Families bereft after Venezuelan prison riot kills dozens Relatives of inmates held at the General Command of the Carabobo Police react as they wait outside the prison, where a fire occurred in the cells area, according to local media, in Valencia, Venezuela, March 28, 2018. (Photo: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

Distraught families are clamoring for information about detained relatives following a fire that Venezuelas chief prosecutor says killed 68 people when it swept through the cells of the state police station.

Angry relatives fought with police outside the facility Wednesday after being unable to get any information on casualties from Wednesdays fire, which townspeople said erupted after a disturbance involving detainees. Officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and local officials would confirm only that there were fatalities.

Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said four prosecutors had been named to determine what happened and who is responsible for the tragedy in Valencia, a town in Carabobo state 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Caracas, the capital.

It was one of the worst jail disasters in Venezuela, where human rights groups complain about poor conditions in prisons and jails. A fire at a prison in the western state of Zulia killed more than 100 inmates in 1994. (AP)

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Snapchat has been under fire lately, but it helped one Georgia man locate a 15-year-old girl after she went missing from her grandmothers home in Gordon County, Ga., Saturday, according to a local news report.

Family friend Dakota Moss, 27, came across a photo of the missing teen, Amber Austin, on Snapchat just a few days later, NBC affiliate 11Alive reports. On Wednesday, he hatched a plan to trap the man who was keeping Austin at his home.

Doing what any father would do, Moss posed as a woman on social media and invited the man over to his house. He alerted the authorities, who arrested 34-year-old Dayton Koop on charges on unruliness of a minor. Koop reportedly also had meth in his possession.

Social media came in handy in this missing teen case. (Photo: PeopleImages/Getty Images)

Its unclear if Koop had abducted Austin, but Moss said the teen was found in the backseat of his car with a bandana tied around her wrist. Police are now hailing Moss for his quick thinking.

When he had pulled in [to his home], he went around to the back, Moss said of Koops capture. I had my roommate go out the back, and I called the sheriffs department knowing he was there.

She seemed real scared, he said of Austin. She had tears in her eyes. I prayed so hard that God would help me find this girl, and it all worked out for the best.

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By John Ndiso MAI MAHIU, Kenya (Reuters) - Eliud Njoroge and his wife were inside their house in Kenya's Rift Valley when a crack appeared in the cement floor and started spreading. As they raced out they already knew it was more than a construction fault. Other cracks had started to appear on their town's main road - a major thoroughfare to the Maasai Mara nature reserve - after weeks of rain, floods and tremors. In the days that followed, geologists started to take full stock of the disaster - a giant fissure, kilometers long, slicing through the road and surrounding countryside - a harsh reminder that Kenya's majestic Rift Valley, a tourist hotspot, sits on some of the most unstable ground on the continent. "My wife screamed for the neighbors to come and help us remove our belongings," Njoroge said, remembering when they first noticed the crack in their home in the town of Mai Mahiu on March 18. In the days that followed, the house became so unstable it had to be demolished. Njoroge was left searching for salvage in the piled up bricks and corrugated tin sheets. The couple are still looking for a place to stay. The road was fixed in a day. But the fissure has forced other families to leave and geologists have warned it could spread further with more heavy rains expected over the next two months. "People on the ground should be sensitive especially when it rains. Checking whether there are cracks, ground that is sinking or tremors," said geologist David Adede. "The cracks run almost in a straight line so you can project. If you see a crack coming your way, get away, he added. In the very long term - over the next tens of millions of years - geologists say the underlying tectonic fault could split the continent in two. In the meantime, geologists have warned that authorities need to do more to take fault lines into account as they plan their new roads, rail lines and infrastructure projects. "They constructed the road without knowing there was a fault line, that's why the contractors are on standby since they dont know where the crack is going," said Adede. (Editing by Maggie Fick and Andrew Heavens)
Chinas first domestically-built aircraft carrier is now preparing for sea trials. The carrier is a potent symbol of the modernized Chinese military and of Beijings ambition to be a self-reliant top-tier global power.

The carrier, launched in the northern Chinese port of Dalian on April 26, 2017, is known as the Type 001A. The latest photos from the shipyard where the carrier was launched show that the scaffolds on the ship have now been removed and that a phased array radar has been installed, Chinas Global Times newspaper reported.

The news comes as China conducted a massive naval exercise in the South China Sea. Beijing said the drill was the start of more frequent exercises as China challenges U.S. regional influence.

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China introduced its first ever aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in 2012. The former Soviet Kuznetsov-class carrier was procured from Russia and repurposed for Chinese use. The deployment of the Type 001A will be a powerful statement of Chinas long-term intention to advance its interests in the South China Sea, already a diplomatic flash point.

Type 001A China aircraft carrier

STR/AFP/Getty Images

The steam-powered, 1,033-foot Type 001A will have a full load displacement of around 77,000 tons. It will be able to carry 48 aircraft when deployed. Though impressive, this is still less than the U.S. Navys Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarriers, which are the largest warships ever built. The USS George H.W. Bushthe most recent Nimitz-class carrieris 1,092-feet long, displaces around 102,000 tons and generally carries up to 56 fixed-wing aircraft.

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Liu Zheng, the chairman of the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company that operates the shipyard preparing the Type 001A, told state television broadcaster China Central Television, All the equipment and devices on the carrier are in the joint debugging stage, and the main engine has been powered. In 2018, we will present a surprise to the Chinese people. Liu is also the general director of construction for the Type 001A and a member of the National Peoples Congress (NPC).

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Type 001a china aircraft carrier

STR/AFP/Getty Images

While it seems clear the Type 001A is preparing for sea trials, their exact timing has not been announced. The military might be eyeing Chinas Navy Day on April 23, which marks the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. This year will mark the navys 69-year anniversary.

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Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told Global Times: "After the sea trial, which normally takes about 6-12 months, it will be ready for delivery to the PLA Navy, so it's very likely we will see the carrier enlisted by the end of 2018.

The eventual name of the Type 001A is yet to be decided. PLA Navy warships are traditionally named after Chinese regions, but some politicians and social media users have argued the carriers name should signal an intent to re-establish control over Taiwan as part of Beijings "One China" policy.

Suggestions include naming the warship after Shi Lang, an admiral who recaptured Taiwan for the Qing dynasty in 1683. Another proposed name is simply "Taiwan," Global Times said.

Chinas third carrier, known as the Type 002, is already under construction. It will be even larger than the 001A, with a displacement of around 88,000 tons.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Amazon has been having a great yearuntil today. The companys stock tanked up to 7% in afternoon tradingshedding more than $50 billion from its market capon a report from online news site Axios that Donald Trump is obsessed with Amazon and interested in building an antitrust case against it.

Axios reports that the US presidents ire toward Amazon is being fueled by his wealthy friends, who complain that Amazon is decimating their businesses. A source who has spoken with the US president told the news site, Hes wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law.

That said, Trumps obsession with Amazon is nothing new. Trump has grumbled about Amazons tax treatment and CEO Jeff Bezoss ownership of the Washington Post (which he is fond of calling the Amazon Washington Post and Fake News Washington Post) since at least 2015. In a speech in February 2016, Trump said Amazon would have such problems if he were elected president. And at a White House dinner in July 2017, he attempted to get billionaire investor Leon Cooperman to claim that Amazon is a monopoly.

Its unclear why the recent reporting in Axios would move the market so much, when Trumps distaste for Amazon and Bezos is already well established. In the meantime, the president is reportedly unconcerned with Facebook, which is under fire from lawmakers in the US and the UK for alleged ties to Russian meddling in Brexit and the 2016 US election.

Under pressure from users, advertisers, investors, and lawmakers, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently agreed to testify before the US Congress for the first time. Per Axios, however, Trump isnt interested in how Facebook handles user data and believes the Russia narrative is a hoax.

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Former Disney Channel star Caroline Sunshine is joining the White House press office in the role of press assistant, according to CNN.

From 2010 to 2013, Sunshine was in the Disney Channel show Shake It Up opposite Bella Thorne and Zendaya. Though she is best known for her acting career, its not her first job in politics.

Prior to this new role, the 22-year-old was a White House intern. She has also interned in House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthys office, and has been involved in other various political organizations.

Caroline Sunshine in Hollywood, Calif. on July 9, 2014

Her new job comes as President Donald Trumps White House has seen a series of departures  in just the last month, Gary Cohn resigned from his post as Chief Economic Adviser, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was fired, and H.R. McMaster former National Security Adviser, and Rex Tillerson former Secretary of State were ousted from their posts. On the last day of February Hope Hicks, former White House Communications Director, announced she was leaving the White House.

Cohn was replaced by CNBC contributor Larry Kudlow, McMaster Was replaced by Fox News contributor and former U.N. ambassador John Bolton, and Tillerson was replaced by CIA director Mike Pompeo.
HANOI (Reuters) - A Vietnamese court jailed on Thursday a former Politburo member for 18 years after he was convicted of financial irregularities at a state-owned enterprise, adding to a 13-year sentence handed down separately in January, his lawyer said. Dinh La Thang, 57, was convicted of "deliberate violation of state regulations on economic management", his lawyer, Dao Huu Dang, told Reuters. Thang denied wrongdoing, he said. Thang was prosecuted in connection with losses of up to 800 billion dong ($35 million) in a PetroVietnam investment in Ocean Commercial Joint Stock Bank. Ocean Bank suffered heavy losses and was forcibly taken over in 2015 by the State Bank of Vietnam, the central bank. Thang, the highest-level politician to have been sentenced for decades, will also have to pay a fine of 600 billion dong ($26.31 million), Dang said. The Politburo is Vietnam's top decision-making body. Thang lost his position in the Politburo last year, after he came under suspicion of wrongdoing. In January, Thang was handed a 13-year sentence after being found guilty of "economic mismanagement" at a coal-fired power plant overseen by state-owned energy firm PetroVietnam, of which he was chairman. The People's Court of Hanoi also handed sentences of between 15 months of probation to 16 years in prison to six other people for their involvement in the case at the trial starting on Monday last week, according to the lawyer and state media. Dang said it was not clear if Thang would appeal. (Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by Robert Birsel)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Thursday that a U.S. military strike in Yemen killed four al Qaeda militants, the seventh such strike in the country this month. In a statement, the Pentagon said the strike against Yemen's al Qaeda branch, known as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), was carried out near al-Bayda. "No civilians were present and therefore none were injured or killed as a result of the strike," the statement said. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; editing by Grant McCool)
In the weeks since the Parkland, Fla., shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, student activists like Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg have emerged as faces of the Generation Z gun reform movement. Theyve also attracted the ire of some conservatives.

Fox host Laura Ingraham mocked Stoneman Douglas student David Hogg on social media. (Photo: Getty Images)

Fox News Laura Ingraham, host of the Ingraham Angle, spoke with David Hogg on her show just after the shooting occurred on Feb. 14. More than a month later, Ingraham mocked Hogg via social media, circulating a story that alleges Hogg was not accepted by four colleges to which the high schooler applied.

Student activist David Hogg. (Photo: Getty Images)

As goes the politically charged social media game of virtual volleyball, it was Shannon Coulters turn to serve. Coulter  who launched the Grab Your Wallet movement urging consumers to boycott the Ivanka Trump label before and following President Trumps election  responded to Ingraham by publicly calling upon companies like Wayfair that advertise during Ingrahams broadcast to stop funneling advertising dollars to the show.

Hi, @Wayfair: your name was mentioned today as a possible advertiser on the @FoxNews show, @IngrahamAngle. Do you advertise on this show and if so, are you concerned about Ms. Ingraham's recent mocking of Parkland shooting survivor @davidhogg111's college application status? pic.twitter.com/KHihJDsNH6  Shannon Coulter (@shannoncoulter) March 29, 2018

Hundreds of people interacted with Coulters tweet, many of whom egged Wayfair to respond. The e-commerce home-goods store issued the following statement to Yahoo Lifestyle: As a company, we support open dialogue and debate on issues. However, the decision of an adult to personally criticize a high school student who has lost his classmates in an unspeakable tragedy is not consistent with our values. We do not plan to continue advertising on this particular program.

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Coulter has attached herself to multiple progressive causes, along the way encouraging consumer boycotts as a method for driving change. Separately from Coulters efforts, conservatively bent consumers threatened to boycott outdoor retailer Patagonia after its chief executive expressed discontent with Trumps efforts to reduce the size of the Bears Ears monuments in Utah.

So for every progressive reaction, it seems, there is an equal and opposite conservative reaction.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




Paris (AFP) - France on Thursday accused Iran of supplying weapons to Huthi rebels waging a three-year fight against a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and rejected Tehran's denial.

"There is a problem in Yemen: it is that the political process has not begun, that Saudi Arabia feels regularly attacked by the Huthis, who are themselves supplied with arms by Iran," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio.

Iran has said it supports the Huthis' cause in Yemen but has repeatedly denied arming them, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia of evidence of weapon shipments.

Le Drian's comments come just days before an official visit to France by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose government has threatened Iran with retaliation after Huthi rebels fired seven missiles into Saudia Arabia last weekend.

Riyadh said Iran supplied the missiles which struck the capital as well as three cities close to the Yemeni border, killing one person and injuring two.

On Tuesday Iran's Revolutionary Guards rejected the accusation, saying it would be impossible to get them through the blockade imposed against Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition.

Le Drian's bolstering of Riyadh's claims could strain ties between Iran and France ahead of an expected visit by President Emmanuel Macron to Tehran in the coming months, the first by a French head of state or government since 1976.

France has resisted international pressure to stop supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the main players in the coalition which supports Yemen's pro-government forces.

Amnesty International last week said the shipments by France, along with the US and Britain, had contributed to the deaths of thousands of civilians in attacks by coalition forces.

But Le Drian insisted Thursday that the weapon sales complied with international law.

"We have a very rigorous framework on weapon exports which we adhere to with great vigilance," he said.

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- Stepping up pressure -

The conflict in Yemen, which has killed an estimated 10,000 people, comes as Iran is under increasing pressure over its role in several Middle East conflicts.

Le Drian visited Tehran in early March to lay the groundwork for Macron's coming visit, and to discuss the landmark 2015 deal with international powers that curtailed Iran's nuclear programme.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to walk away from the deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran when it next comes up for renewal by the American president in May.

Although Macron along with other European leaders has made no secret of his desire to secure the deal, he has repeatedly criticised Tehran's ballistic missile programme.

He has also called on Tehran to rein in the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad after weeks of assaults by his forces against rebels in Eastern Ghouta, which has prompted tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Iran and Russia are Bashar's main backers in his war against a rebellion launched in 2011.

Le Drian said Thursday that Macron was still planning to visit Russia in May "for the time being", despite rapidly deteriorating relations between Moscow and the West over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain.

"We want a frank discussion with Moscow, a demanding one without any ambiguity, to ask Moscow to respect international law," he said.
Paris (AFP) - President Emmanuel Macron is to unveil Thursday a bold plan to make France a centre of reference for artificial intelligence research, aimed at drawing homegrown and foreign talent in a field dominated by US and Chinese players.

The proposals, which Macron's office said would be backed by 1.5 billion euros ($1.85 billion) in public funds, follow months of interviews with AI experts worldwide by star mathematician Cedric Villani, now a lawmaker in Macron's Republic On The Move (LREM) party.

Villani's report, presented Wednesday, calls for doubling the pay of young researchers and engineers, and tripling the number of students specialising in artificial intelligence over the next three years.

Macron hosted a dinner Wednesday for about a dozen AI specialists and industry leaders convened as part of a conference being held in Paris on Thursday, at which he was to outline his priorities.

Both Fujitsu of Japan and South Korean giant Samsung announced Wednesday that they would set up AI research centres in France, while Google said it would sponsor a dedicated AI chair at the country's elite Polytechnique engineering school.

Microsoft said it would invest $30 million in France, including at its Microsoft AI school opened this month, which is targeting 400,000 students over the next three years.

Macron's dinner guests included Yann LeCun, the New York-based Frenchman who until recently ran the AI research lab at Facebook.

Also attending was Demis Hassabis of Britain's DeepMind -- creator of the AlphaGo system that in 2016 beat an elite human player of the Chinese game "Go" -- which will open in France its first European research centre.

"Much of the discussion centred on the best way to accompany the huge changes made possible by artificial intelligence and their ethical implications, and to ensure they are beneficial to humanity," said Marie-Paule Cani, who will hold Google's new AI chair, of the evening's exchanges.

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- 'Digital champions' -

The AI push dovetails with Macron's pledge to shake up the French economy and make the country more attractive to foreign investors, which has included business tax cuts and eased labour laws.

Samsung's research centre, its third largest in the world, will be headed by Luc Julia, the French researcher who co-invented Apple's voice-activated assistant Siri before decamping for Samsung.

Industry experts say that while France produces engineering talent widely sought after by companies and universities around the world, few French start-ups have managed to become top players in cutting-edge technologies.

To avoid diluting its efforts and resources, Villani's report urges the government to concentrate on four sectors: Defence and security, transport, the environment, and health.

Macron is also expected to propose a European framework for facilitating cooperation between researchers and sharing data, while addressing growing concerns about privacy breaches or the replacement of thousands of jobs by machines.

"We want France and Europe to be digitial champions in the service of humanity. That means for example a general rule on data protection," France's Digital Minister Mounir Mahjoubi told French daily Les Echos in remarks published Thursday.
Paris (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron met Thursday with a delegation of the Syrian Democratic Forces made up of Kurdish and Arab fighters and promised them support from France, the presidency said in a statement.

Macron acknowledged the "role of the SDF in the fight against Daesh", another acronym for the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria and Iraq.

The French leader reaffirmed the priority of this battle against "the terrorist threat" and assured the SDF of France's support, in particular in stabilising the security zone in northeast Syria "to prevent the resurgence of Daesh while awaiting a political solution to the Syrian conflict," the Elysee said.

The backbone of the SDF is the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which has been driven out of its stronghold Afrin by a Turkish offensive in Syria.

The offensive began in January against the YPG, which Turkey says is allied with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has been waging an insurgency in its country since 1984 and Ankara considers as a terrorist organisation.

Macron expressed the hope that "a dialogue can be established between the SDF and Turkey with help from France and the international community", the statement said.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has put the number who have fled Afrin at 250,000, and says dozens of civilians have been killed in the fighting, in addition to around 1,500 Kurdish fighters.
Foix (France) (AFP) - A French vegan activist was handed a suspended prison term on Thursday for condoning terrorism after writing on Facebook that "justice" had been served when a butcher was killed during an Islamist attack last week, a legal source said.

The unusual case, prosecuted under France's tough anti-terror security laws, was heard in the town of Saint-Gaudens in southwest France.

Police spotted the Facebook message by the vegan cheesemaker on Monday night about the killing of butcher Christian Medves at a Super U supermarket in Trebes last week during a shooting spree by an Islamic extremist.

"So then, you are shocked that a murderer is killed by a terrorist." wrote the animal rights activist, named as Myriam by local media. "Not me. I've got zero compassion for him, there's justice in it."

With France mourning the four victims of the gunman's rampage, the message sparked outrage online and the author later deleted it, but prosecutors decided to press charges for condoning terrorism, a legal source said.

During sentencing on Thursday, the defendant was handed a suspended prison term of seven months, meaning she will not serve any time behind bars unless she re-offends, local prosecutor Cecile Deprade told AFP.

Anyone suspected of approving terrorism or commenting on it favourably can be charged under French law. Doing so on the internet carries a maximum seven-year jail term and a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($125,000).

"I can understand that you can love and defend animals, but not to the point where you hate humans," Franck Alberti, a lawyer who is close to the butcher's family, was quoted as saying by Le Parisien newspaper.

The Facebook post also drew condemnation from the French Butchers' Confederation which called it "dreadful" and urged respect for Medves, a 50-year-old father of two who was head of the meat section in the Super U.

La Depeche du Midi newspaper published a message from the vegan activist earlier this week in which she said she had deleted her comment within two hours and thought it was visible only to her friends, not to the public.

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A left-wing French activist who had stood for parliament last June, Stephane Poussier, was handed a one-year suspended jail term on Tuesday over comments he posted on Twitter over the same attack last Friday.

Poussier had welcomed the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, a police colonel who exchanged himself for a hostage but was then killed in an act hailed as heroic.

"Whenever a policeman is shot... I think of my friend Remi Fraisse," he wrote, referring to an environmental activist killed by a stun grenade fired by police during a 2014 protest over a dam.

"And this time it was a colonel, great! Additionally, it means one less Macron voter," he added.

President Emmanuel Macron led tributes on Wednesday at a national commemoration for Beltrame.
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazilian police on Thursday arrested Jose Yunes, a friend of President Michel Temer, in a graft crackdown connected to suspicions over the awarding of contracts at Sao Paulo's Santos port.

At least three others close to the center-right president were also detained: retired colonel Joao Baptista Lima, former agriculture minister Wagner Rossi, and Antonio Celso Greco, owner of port logistics company Rodrimar.

Prosecutors said the four could be held in preventative detention for an initial five days. The indictments were sealed, but the case appeared linked to an ongoing probe into whether Rodrimar won port contracts in exchange for bribes to Temer.

The arrests were authorized by Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso, who is overseeing the Santos investigation.

Yunes' lawyer called his client's detention "unacceptable" and "illegal."

Temer has denied any wrongdoing in the awarding of port contracts and his cabinet secretary, Carlos Marun, told journalists the president would clear his name.

"We have complete confidence that with transparent and impartial investigations... the president's complete innocence will ultimately be clear," Marun said. "This does not weaken the government, because President Temer has nothing to do with it."

For its part, Rodrimar issued a statement saying it was "surprised" at the arrests and that in its 70 years of existence "it never paid a bribe to any public servant and never authorized anyone to do so in its name."

However, the arrests bring Brazil's giant corruption scandal ever closer to Temer. Last year, two criminal corruption charges were filed against him, but he escaped further prosecution because Congress voted against removing his presidential immunity.

Dozens of powerful politicians have fallen into the "Car Wash" anti-graft net following revelations that Brazil's leaders were systematically giving contracts with state-controlled enterprises in exchange for massive bribes.
By Andrea Shalal COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - Germany and the Netherlands could deepen missile defense ties in the coming years to strengthen NATO defenses, a German general told Reuters, at a time of growing tensions with Russia. Defense ministers from both countries will emphasize the growing importance of their military ties at a Dutch base on April 4, when a German short-range air defense unit is formally put under Dutch command. Brigadier General Michael Gschossmann, commander of ground-based units for the German air force, said the move was "politically significant" and could pave the way for joint development of new weapons and joint operation of existing long-range missile defense systems such as the Patriot system. Chancellor Angela Merkel has said perceived U.S. isolationism under President Donald Trump and the threat posed by Russia as well as instability in Africa and the Middle East mean Germany and Europe must be more active in regional security. Germany and the Netherlands are also among a number of European Union states which have expelled Russian diplomats over Moscow's suspected involvement in the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. The German and Dutch militaries have already knitted together some land forces and naval elements, and train together on missile defense, in what could be a model for deeper security cooperation in Europe in the future. "We are now working with the Dutch to integrate our smaller systems, and suggest that cooperation could be expanded to include larger weapons systems in the longer term," Gschossmann said in an interview. "If there's a political will to move ahead, it could happen relatively quickly." The moves are being watched by U.S. and European arms makers keen to secure orders as Western powers beef up their defenses against missiles and other threats including drones. A spokesman for German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen declined comment on the scope of future German-Dutch projects. A Dutch defense ministry spokeswoman said the two countries were looking at possible joint procurement programs, but had not yet reached any decisions. ECONOMY OF EFFORT Since World War Two, Britain and France have been Europe's top military powers. However, Germany has come under increased pressure since Trump's election to meet NATO's defense spending target, set at two percent of member states' annual economic output. The new coalition government says it intends to meet Germany's NATO commitments, but its agreement does not explicitly mention reaching the spending target by 2024. Gschossmann said working together on new capabilities made sense given tight budgets and the fact that both countries needed to buy new short-range air defense missiles and radar systems, including a replacement for Stinger shoulder-launched missiles that will go out of service in the mid-2020s. Germany is close to completing requirements for a new very-short and short-range air defense system that could be worth around 2 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in the near-term, according to government sources. The Defense Ministry is expected to launch a competition this summer with the goal of awarding a contract in mid-2019, Gschossmann said. Potential bidders include Diehl Defense, a privately held German weapons maker, whose IRIS-T missile has been modified with a dual-cab tracked vehicle built by a unit of BAE Systems for Sweden. France's Thales systems, would also be likely to compete for the order, industry sources said. Germany aims to have six brigades ready for deployment by 2032, which would require close to 20 air-defense fire units to protect them, Gschossmann said. Joint work by the Germans and the Dutch could even extend to the United States in the future, Gschossmann said, noting that the U.S. military was also seeking to rebuild its short-range air defenses after years of cuts. In the longer term, Germany and the Netherlands could jointly operate longer-range missile defense systems such as the Patriot system built by U.S. arms maker Raytheon Co, Gschossmann said. That system is due to remain in use in Germany until at least 2030, he said, although Germany is also negotiating a contract for a follow-on system with Lockheed Martin Corp and European missiles maker MBDA (additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch; editing by David Stamp)
By Kwasi Kpodo ACCRA (Reuters) - Thousands of people protested in Ghana's capital Accra on Wednesday against the expansion of its defense cooperation with the United States, in a rare public display of opposition to the growing foreign military presence in West Africa. Demonstrators blowing vuvuzelas and beating drums filled Accra's business district, holding placards criticizing a new deal with Washington that they say threatens Ghana's sovereignty. "As a right-thinking citizen, I am here to fight for my country. I am against selling our peace and security for $20 million," said Gifty Yankson, a 49-year-old trader. "They (the American military) become a curse everywhere they are, and I am not ready to mortgage my security," Yankson said. Police estimated the crowd size at about 3,500 protesters. While officers in riot gear were present, no violence was reported. International powers including the United States and France are looking to extend their presence in the remote Sahel region in particular, where al Qaeda and Islamic State militants have gained a strong foothold in recent years. But Washington is struggling to mend its image in Africa, which was damaged by reports President Donald Trump described African nations as "shithole countries" in a discussion on immigration. The White House later denied he used that language. Under the deal approved by Ghana's parliament last week, the United States will invest around $20 million in training and equipment for the Ghanaian military this year. Opposition lawmakers boycotted the parliamentary vote. In return, the U.S. military will be allowed to deploy troops and import military equipment tax-free, use an airport runway that meets U.S. standards, and have free access to Ghana's radio spectrum. Ghana has had a long-standing military and trade ties with the United States, but many say the latest agreement was a step too far. Responding to local press reports concerning the deal, the U.S. Embassy in Accra underscored in a statement last week that it had no plans to establish a military base in Ghana. It said the existing 20-year-old cooperation agreement "does not cover the current range and volume of bilateral exercises and assistance." Four elite U.S. soldiers were killed in Niger alongside local troops in an Islamist ambush in October, sparking a fierce debate back home about covert U.S. actions in West Africa. The United States has about 7,200 U.S. Defense Department personnel, including soldiers, stationed in Africa. Over half of those are stationed at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, with the remaining personnel scattered across 32 other smaller locations. (Reporting By Kwasi Kpodo; Writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Joe Bavier and Hugh Lawson)
Pecs (Hungary) (AFP) - Zoltan Mester's charity was all set to begin work helping sick children, old people and local communities in poverty-stricken southern Hungary, aided by 415,500 euros ($515,400) from George Soros.

But in late 2017, Pecs city council issued a resolution that stopped the "Emberseg erejevel" ("With the power of humanity") organisation in its tracks.

"We, the inhabitants of Pecs, are shocked to learn that a project of US-Hungarian billionaire speculator George Soros's foundation will try to influence our lives, decisions and choices by setting up a campaign centre here," it read.

The very same evening, the owner of the office that Mester's decade-old organisation was going to rent told them that they couldn't have it after all.

"He explained that he didn't want any problems with the authorities," Mester told AFP.

Such experiences are common for non-governmental organisations under Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who polls suggest will secure a third consecutive term in elections on April 8.

Since 1979, the Hungarian-born Soros has ploughed tens of billions of dollars into his Open Society Foundations (OSF), which in turn fund civil society groups around the world.

In Hungary the money has helped organisations helping refugees -- of whom there are few in Hungary -- as well as poor people and minorities to get access to health care and education.

But echoing other populists in the region and conspiracy theorists on both sides of the Atlantic, Orban says Soros is part of a "globalist elite" in cahoots to destroy Hungary and Europe through mass immigration.

"They are not national, but international. They do not believe in work, but speculate with money. They have no homeland, but feel that the whole world is theirs," Orban, 54, thundered in a typical recent speech.

"They are not generous, but vengeful, and always attack the heart -- especially if it is red, white and green," he said in reference to the colours of the Hungarian flag.

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- Playground insults -

Soros, whose money helped fund a young Orban's studies and helped his Fidesz party get off the ground, rejects the accusations, calling them "distortions and outright lies".

The atmosphere is such that "children, to insult each other, chant 'Soros is your grandfather'," Daniel Renyi, a journalist at the news website 444.hu, told AFP.

Over the summer and in the run-up to the election, Orban's Fidesz party plastered the country with billboards "warning" about Soros.

One of them depicts Soros, 87, and opposition candidates holding wire-cutters to destroy the razor-wire fence that Orban erected on the Serbian border in 2015 to keep out migrants.

"Clearly his organisations or the organisations that (Soros) has funded are going for a different political agenda," government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told AFP.

"We see here a democracy problem."

- You've got hate mail -

Most NGOs have boycotted a rule introduced last year, similar to one in Russia, requiring them to declare themselves if they receive more than 24,000 euros annually in foreign funding.

But according to Daniel Makonnen, OSF spokesman, the government is applying other forms of "pressure" such as suspending EU funding.

"We get anonymous emails and Facebook messages calling us 'Soros agents'," Mester said. "The more horrible ones say 'you and your wives will be raped by migrants'."

And Orban's government has already lined up a new "Stop Soros" package of laws for after the election, which will introduce taxes on foreign-funded NGOs "supporting" illegal immigration.

The package will also see foreigners deemed to support the entry of asylum seekers barred from entering Hungary and NGOs undergoing a security check before being allowed to operate.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Israel on Thursday warned the United Nations that it has the right to defend itself on the eve of a mass protest planned by Palestinians in Gaza.

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon wrote to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council to warn of a "dangerous effort by Palestinian leaders to create conflict by orchestrating a series of mass confrontations."

Palestinians in Gaza on Friday will kick off six weeks of protests leading up to the inauguration of the new US embassy in Jerusalem around May 14.

The Israeli armed forces chief has warned that forces at the Gaza border with Israel were ready to respond if the border fence is breached.

"In light of the Palestinians organized planned provocation for the coming weeks, I reiterate Israel's right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens," Danon wrote.

The ambassador condemned the planned protest and said UN personnel in Gaza should refrain from taking part in the demonstrations.
By Domenico Lusi ROME (Reuters) - Italy on Thursday arrested five men in an operation against suspected supporters of Islamist terrorism, police said, after tracing the phone contacts of the Berlin truck attacker shot in Milan in late 2016. Four of the men, all Tunisians, were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to aid illegal immigration, while a fifth man, who is also believed to be Tunisian, was picked up for allegedly plotting militant attacks, prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco said. While the suspects played no part in the December 2016 truck attack in Berlin that killed 12 people, police discovered them by following the telephone records of Anis Amri, the Tunisian man shot dead near Milan four days after the assault on the Christmas market. "No link at all has been found" between the men and the Berlin attack, said Walter Dian, an anti-terrorism police official from Latina, a city south of the capital. Instead, police said Amri may have been heading south to acquire false documents from them. Amri was brought to Italy after being rescued at sea from a migrant boat in February 2011, and he later spent almost four years in prison in Sicily for vandalism, threats and theft. In 2015, he was released and told to leave the country. He went to Germany. "There's no concrete evidence that leads us to think a specific attack was planned, but there is enough proof for us to think that this was where things were heading," Colaiocco told reporters, referring to the man arrested on terrorism charges. He had consulted the Internet on how to use a missile launcher, and he had looked into the cost of renting a pick-up truck as well, the prosecutor said. Italy has already expelled other three men tied to Amri on evidence that they had become radicalized Islamists amid a general increase in expulsions over the past year. As part of their operation, police were carrying out searches in Rome, the southern port city of Naples and the central and southern towns of Latina, Viterbo, Caserta and Matera, investigators said. Thursday's sweep is not connected to a series of similar raids this month, police said. On Wednesday anti-terrorism police arrested an Italian citizen of Moroccan origin who they said was an Islamic State sympathizer planning a possible truck attack. Interior Minister Marco Minniti said on Wednesday the security threat to Italy from Islamic State supporters was higher than ever because more foreign fighters were attempting to return to Europe via Italy after the jihadist group suffered defeats in Syria and Iraq. So far this year, 29 foreigners, mostly Muslims, have been expelled from Italy as suspected threats to national security. (Writing by Gavin Jones and Steve Scherer; Editing by Alison Williams)
Rome (AFP) - Italian police Thursday arrested five people as part of an anti-terror raid linked to a Tunisian who staged a deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market in 2016, Italian media reported.

Anis Amri, a rejected asylum seeker, had rammed a stolen truck into the crowded square, killing 12 people and wounding about 100 others.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on December 19, 2016 -- its deadliest ever carried out in Germany.

Amri, who had previously lived in Italy, was killed four days after the assault by police in a Milan suburb.

The five detained Thursday morning are accused of activities linked to "international terrorism" and procuring false documents for migrants, the Italian AGI news agency reported.

The suspects included a Tunisian national from the city of Latina, south of Rome, who had allegedly planned to provide Amri with fake identity papers to help him flee abroad, investigators told AGI.

The raids were carried out in several cities including Rome, Latina, and Naples.

Amri, who was 24 when he was shot dead by police, landed on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa in 2011 and spent four years in prison in Sicily for burning down a school.

In the aftermath of the Berlin attack, Italian police raided several homes where Amri had reportedly stayed in 2015 in an agricultural region southeast of Rome.

The press reported that he had spent several weeks in Aprilia, about 40 kilometres south of the Italian capital, with a fellow Tunisian whom he met in Lampedusa.

At the time, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni ruled out the existence of "networks" supporting Amri in Italy, but judicial authorities said that the country's criminal underbelly often provided logistical support to European terrorists.

Following the deadly market attack, German police faced fierce criticism when it emerged that Amri -- who had been in Germany since 2015 and was registered under several different identities -- should have been deported.

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On Wednesday, Italian police also arrested a 23-year-old Italian with Moroccan parents, Halili Elmahdi, in the northeastern city of Turin.

Police said Elmahdi showed alarming signs of radicalisation and was promoting Islamist extremism on social networks.

During a raid at his home, security forces uncovered manuals indicating how to kill someone with a knife and instructions for installing a bomb on board a truck.

The homes of 13 of Elmahdi's contacts were searched on the same day in several Italian cities.

Elmahdi is suspected of seeking to recruit Muslim "lone wolves" in Italy to commit attacks.

Prosecutors said that the 23-year-old, who was under surveillance after being arrested in 2015 on charges of glorifying terrorism, may have been ready to commit acts of terror because of his radicalisation.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit, and Pyongyang has discussed the possibility of a leaders' meeting with Japan and other countries, Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Thursday. The government of Kim Jong Un has informed leaders of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers Party of the possibility of summits with Japan, Russia and other countries, the newspaper said, citing an unidentified North Korean source and briefing papers. "The Japanese government has expressed a wish to host a leaders meeting, via the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan," or Chongryong, Pyongyang's de facto embassy in Japan, the Asahi quoted the briefing papers as saying. A Japanese government source told Reuters in mid-March that Japan was considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago. The Asahi said in an article from Seoul Kim's government had discussed the possibility of summits with South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, in that order. Kim met President Xi Jinping in China this week, his first trip abroad as North Korean leader. Summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump are being planned for April and May, respectively. The North Korean briefing papers cite the possibility of a Japan summit in early June, the Asahi said. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono left open the possibility that Abe might meet Kim at some point. Kono said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday Japan was closely watching preparations for the North-South Korean summit and the Trump-Kim meeting. The Asahi quoted another unidentified source as saying North Korea's "dialogue partner on security issues is America" but that the country "can only hope for large-scale financial assistance from Japan". North Korea hopes to get $20 billion to $50 billion in aid from Japan if it normalises relations, the newspaper said. But it said the briefing papers offered no specifics about steps to normalise bilateral relations, as agreed in 2002. Those steps include resolving the abductee issue, as well as Pyongyang's missile and nuclear weapons development. (Writing by William Mallard; Editing by Paul Tait)
When Jeff Sessions was a boy of 7 or 8, he had a dog that followed him everywhere. But one day, the dog got him in trouble. Sessions had run with the mutt into the woods of rural Alabama, figuring it knew where it was going. By the time he realized he was wrong, the two of them were hopelessly lost. They closed all the stores and everyone had to go looking for me, Sessions recalled with a chuckle. My excuse was, I was just following him.

Sessions told me this story on March 15the day before he fired former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabefrom his blue vinyl club chair on the military jet that had whisked the U.S. Attorney General away from Washington. It had the ring of a parable: beware those who seem the most loyal to you; it is they who will lead you astray.

Donald Trump once followed Sessions lead, promising as a candidate the crackdowns on crime, immigration and trade for which Sessions crusaded in the Senate. The first Senator to endorse Trump, Sessions gave him credibility with the far right and provided the intellectual framework for his law-and-order sloganeering. And as Attorney General, he has turned Trumps rhetoric into reality, emerging as the most effective enforcer of the Presidents agenda.

But if the fixation on law and order brought Sessions and Trump together, it is also what has rent them asunder. When Sessions recused himself a year ago from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, he set in motion the chain of events that culminated in the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump has never forgiven him. In public and private, the President has denigrated the proud former Senator, calling him an idiot, beleaguered and disgraceful.

The broken relationship has turned the job of a lifetime into an exercise in humiliation. Rumors that Sessions neck is on the chopping block are constant, and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt has been angling to replace him. As Sessions and I spoke on the plane, he was headed to Nashville to give a speech to a police chiefs convention, followed by a stop in Lexington, Ky., to meet with prosecutors, police and families affected by the opioid crisis. All the while, Fox News played on mute above his head, its chyrons questioning whether Sessions was about to be fired.

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Even if his tenure ends tomorrow, Sessions would leave a legacy that will affect millions of Americans. He has dramatically shifted the orientation of the Justice Department, pulling back from police oversight and civil rights enforcement and pushing a hard-line approach to drugs, gangs and immigration violations. He has cast aside his predecessors attempts to rectify inequities in the criminal-justice system in favor of a maximalist approach to prosecuting and jailing criminals. He has rescinded the Obama Administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and reversed its stances on voting rights and transgender rights. I am thrilled to be able to advance an agenda that I believe in, he told a group of federal prosecutors in Lexington later that day. I believed in it before I came here, and Ill believe in it when Im gone.

Sessions reviews remarks to be delivered to a gathering of police chiefs in Nashville in mid-March

Sessions liberal critics agree that hes been remarkably effective. Thats why they find him so frightening. He has, they charge, put the full force of law behind Trumps racially coded rhetoric. The Justice Department is supposed to be protecting people, keeping people safe and affirming our basic rights, says Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, a Democrat who took the extraordinary step of testifying against a fellow Senator during Sessions confirmation hearings last year. But he has rolled back the Justice Departments efforts to do that. The irony of Sessions position is that the same critics who despise his policy initiatives are adamant that Trump should not remove him. Jeff Sessions is not acting in defense of the rights of Americans. He should not be in that job, Booker told me. But I do not think he should be fired for the reasons Donald Trump would fire him.

As the chaos in the White House rages and threatens to consume him, Sessions professes to pay it no heed. I want to do what the President wants me to do, he said in his slow, drawling voice, his blue-green eyes peering over the top of his glasses. A wry smirk lifted a corner of his lips. But I do feel like were advancing the agenda that he believes in. And whats good for me is its what I believe in too.

It was a brisk, sunny day in Lexington, with dirty clumps of snow still clinging to the ground. Sessions marched across the tarmac into the waiting motorcade. At 71, he is full of energy, and his slight stature and elfin ears give him a buoyancy that belies his severe views. His bright eyes and upturned mouth make him look like hes smiling even when hes delivering a jeremiad against criminals or foreigners.

In an upstairs room in the building housing the U.S. Attorneys office, a group of white people sat in a semicircle, surrounded by framed photographs of their dead loved ones. Sessions sat before them, listening to their pleas for more help from the federal government. Just say no, it wont work with this drug, said a stocky man named Dennis, whose 24-year-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose.

After hearing the stories, Sessions had a question. How many of your children had treatment before they died? Seeing nearly all the hands raised, he nodded grimly. Well, we need treatment, he said, but it is true that a lot of people it doesnt work for.

What does work, according to Sessions, is arresting people and locking them up. He has stuck to this stance, forged by his work as a prosecutor in the 1970s and 80s, even as the mainstream consensus has shifted. In recent years, most experts have come to view the war on drugs as a counterproductive failure, and a bipartisan movement for criminal-justice reform seeks to soften the harsh and unequal penalties it imposed.

The reformers have made considerable headway at the state level. Texas has closed eight prisons and saved millions of dollars without seeing crime rise. In the 80s and 90s, we put a lot of people in prison, but theres no evidence that made us any safer, says Koch Industries Mark Holden, who has led the conservative Koch brothers push on the issue. (Koch Industries, through a subsidiary, is an investor in Meredith Corporation, TIMEs parent company.)

Under Obama, the Justice Department investigated local police departments, exposing systematic mistreatment of minorities, and secured agreements, known as consent decrees, to reform their practices. Attorney General Eric Holder launched a smart on crime initiative urging federal prosecutors to use discretion in seeking harsh sentences. Reform efforts have helped reduce the federal prison population from 220,000 to 180,000 in the past five years. To Obamas progressive supporters, these changes were among his greatest strokes of racial progress.

But in the view of Sessions and his supporters, including many in law enforcement, the reformers have it backward. Under Obama, Sessions believes, the DOJ sent all the wrong signals, demoralizing police officers and soft-pedaling the dangers of drugs. In speeches, he cites the shrinking prison population not as a breakthrough but as a worrisome trend. Weve got some space to put some people! he told the chiefs in Nashville. Sessions believes todays low crime rates are a direct result of proactive policing and harsh sentences, and that dialing them back is causing crime to rise. According to the FBI, the violent crime rate rose 7% between 2014 and 2016, and the murder rate rose 20%, following years of decline.

Sessions has moved swiftly to unwind the Obama Justice Departments policies. He canceled the smart on crime initiative and replaced it with a directive to pursue maximal charging and sentencing. He pulled out of the consent decrees and rescinded Holders hands-off marijuana-enforcement policy. He announced the end of DACA, stepped up deportation orders and sued California over sanctuary cities. He has embraced Trumps call to impose the death penalty on some drug dealers, which some legal scholars consider unconstitutional. Emphasizing treatment for drug addicts isnt just ineffective, according to Sessionsits dangerous. The extraordinary surge in addiction and drug death is a product of a popular misunderstanding of the dangers of drugs, he told me. Because all too often, all we get in the media is how anybody whos against drugs is goofy, and we just ought to chill out.

In February, Sessions sent a letter warning the Senate that a bill to reduce federal sentences risked putting the very worst criminals back into our communities. (An outraged Chuck Grassley, the Republican Senator from Iowa, told reporters that if Sessions wanted to keep making laws, he should go back to elected office.) Sessions believes his erstwhile colleagues have been misled. This whole mentality that theres another solution other than incarceration, he told me, all I will say to you is, people today dont know that every one of these things has been tried over the last 40 years.

Sessions seemed exasperated when I asked him to address the disproportionate impact of harsh policing and incarceration on black families and communities. He cited the work of Heather Mac Donald, the controversial conservative scholar who argues that racial bias in the criminal-justice system is a myth and that the real problem is a war on cops. Mac Donald popularized the concept of the Ferguson effect, an unproven theory that crime rises when police feel hamstrung by political oversight. Sessions embraces this notion. In cities like Baltimore and Chicago, he told me, politicians spend all that time attacking the police department instead of the criminals.

To critics, all these theories are no more than window dressing for a racist system that intimidates, imprisons and kills black people indiscriminately in order to make white people feel safe. Since the 1960s, law and order has been a coded political slogan, a fear-based appeal to galvanize white voters. There is a consensus that the war on drugs of the 1980s and 90s destroyed communities, disproportionately impacted people of color, ballooned the criminal-justice system and the prisons, and exacerbated poverty and inequality in our country, says Todd Cox, director of policy for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. By turning the Justice Department away from civil rights and toward harsh enforcement, Sessions embodies what many see as the institutional racism of the Trump Administration. He has taken the racially coded messages that served as dog whistles during the campaign and operationalized them into policy.

The conviction among his critics that Sessions is racist has sometimes led them to overreach. In February, a Democratic Senator and the American Civil Liberties Union blasted him for referring to the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement in a speech. It was a factual description, one Obama had used on many occasions. But in explaining it to me, Sessions couldnt resist a detour into cultural stereotypes. I believe the American legal system, which clearly developed out of England, is a wonder of the world, and its based on the fact that lady justice is blindfolded, he said. When you go and travel like I haveto Kosovo, to Afghanistan, to Iraqwhere weve invested huge amounts of money and effort to export our legal system to a culture thats totally unfamiliar with it, it doesnt work. Its because it requires a degree of trust and respect, education and maybe even a cultural predisposition.

Sessions delivering a speech to police chiefs in Nashville

Sessions contends that the policies he champions help minority communities by cleaning up their neighborhoods. If you do the map of your city and youve got five times the murders in a minority neighborhood, do you just go away? he asked me, eyes narrowed. Or do you prosecute the criminals who are committing the murders? Thats the fundamental answer. And the other thing is, you think the mothers whove got children, the older people who are afraid to walk to the grocery storeshouldnt they be free just like they are in the elite part of town?

Sessions leaned over the plastic airplane table. Whose side are you on? he asked. Im on the victims side, and overwhelmingly the victims are minorities. The prosecution of certain minorities for murder, the victim is overwhelmingly another African American or Hispanic. It occurs within their own communities. (Law-enforcement statistics show white criminals also tend to target white victims.)

His eyes gleamed as he sat back. We are protecting minority citizens, he concluded. The fundamental question is, Who rules the streets? The government, or the outlaws?

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III grew up in Hybart, a small town in rural southwestern Alabama, where his father owned a country store. He was raised to follow the rules. I was always persnickety about integrity and all that, he said. The troubled history of race in America runs through his family. His grandfather, the original J.B. Sessions, was named after two icons of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis and P.G.T. Beauregard, and was 2 when his own father died at Antietam. Sessions ancestors migrated south in the 1830s, when President Andrew Jackson forcibly removed Native Americans from the land that is now Alabama to accommodate the growing white population. Like many white Southerners of long lineage, he is descended from numerous slave owners, including his mothers great-grandfather Oliver Powe, who the 1860 Census records as having owned 25 slaves.

Sessions attended segregated schools and an all-white university. After earning his law degree from the University of Alabama, he joined the U.S. Attorneys office in Mobile, and in 1986, then President Reagan nominated him for a federal judgeship. Sessions confirmation turned contentious when the Senate Judiciary Committee confronted him with charges of racism. A black assistant U.S. Attorney testified that Sessions had addressed him as boy and had said that he thought the Ku Klux Klan was all right until he found out they smoked pot. (Sessions said he was joking.) Just as disturbing to liberals on the committee was a voter-fraud case Sessions had brought against a group of civil rights activists who were helping black voters cast their ballots. (The activists were acquitted.) Sessions protested that he was not a racist, and had allowed civil rights cases to move through his office. His nomination was rejected with a combination of Democratic and Republican votes.

Elected to the Senate in 1996, Sessions became known as a dogmatic outlier. As many Republicans called for increases in legal immigration and clemency for the undocumented, Sessions gave fiery floor speeches denouncing those ideas. He also jibed with Trump on trade, having come to view big global agreements as a raw deal for the American worker. With less immigration and fewer imported goods, he reasoned, companies would be forced to produce their wares in America, using American workers paid a substantial wage. Most economists disagree, arguing that even if these policies were feasible, they would raise prices and lower living standards.

Another crucial element of Sessions worldview was his sense of resentment against elites. He saw what he called Wall Street geniuses and masters of the universe as out of touch with his working-class constituents lives. He was extraordinarily consistent, says Josh Holmes, a former chief of staff to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, and sort of the opposite of a chamber of commerce Republican.

Although his crusades were often lonely, Sessions could be effective. In 2013, when a bill providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants had support from powerful advocates across the political spectrum, Sessions was its loudest critic. He couldnt keep it from passing the Senate but successfully led the charge to stop it in the House. The conservative National Review dubbed him Amnestys worst enemy.

If many of Sessions colleagues regarded him as a gadfly, a growing faction of the hard right came to see him as a hero. The nationalist views he espoused attracted the attention of Breitbart.com and its then chairman, Stephen Bannon. At a time when many Republicans thought only a message of moderation could win back the White House, Bannon, who would go on to become Trumps chief campaign and White House strategist, was inspired by Sessions insistence that restricting immigration and trade could be a political winner. As Sessions wrote in a 2012 memo to his colleagues: This humble and honest populismin contrast to the [Obama] Administrations cheap demagoguerywould open the ears of millions who have turned away from our party.

I want to do what the President wants me to do, says Sessions, seen boarding a government plane to Washington. I do feel like were advancing the agenda that he believes in. And whats good for me is its what I believe in too.

In 2013, Bannon tried to convince Sessions to run for President; he demurred. But Sessions was pleasantly surprised when Trump began campaigning on his old themes. Sessions aide Stephen Miller went to work for Trumps campaign, helping shape his policy platform on immigration, trade and other issues. Just before Super Tuesday, Sessions became the first and only Senator to endorse Trump in the primary, dealing a blow to then rival Ted Cruz. Accepting the endorsement at a massive rally in Madison, Trump called Sessions a great man.

Sessions became a close and trusted adviser to the campaign. He was thrilled that Trump had become the pitchman for his positions. Here he comes on all of it, boom boom boom, Sessions told me. Nobody else was saying that.

As the sun set outside the plane window, Sessions began to wax philosophical about the rule of law. The Attorney Generals job, he said, is to tell the executive what he can and cant do legally. Tenting his fingers beneath his chin, Sessions said he stands by his recusal from the Russia investigation: I think I did the right thing. I dont think the Attorney General can ask everybody else in the department to follow the rules if the Attorney General doesnt follow them.

Trump appears to see it differently; he has reportedly griped that Sessions has failed to protect him. He does get frustrated, Sessions concedes. Hes trying to run this country, and hes got to spend his time dealing with certain issues.

Like so many Republicans, Sessions has accommodated himself to Trump in ways that seem to contravene his principles. The day after I interviewed him, Sessionsacting on a recommendation from the inspector general and FBI disciplinary officialsfired the FBIs McCabe two days before he was set to retire. McCabe decried the act as politically motivated retaliation, an impression Trump bolstered with a set of gloating morning-after tweets. It was subsequently reported that McCabe had previously investigated Sessions over his Russian contacts.

Still, when it comes to the Russia investigation, Sessions has held the line against Trumps interference. Shortly before our trip, he had dinner at a Washington restaurant with Solicitor General Noel Francisco and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the official overseeing the Mueller probe. The tiniest of symbolic protests, it nonetheless reportedly sent Trump into a rage. Sessions declined to comment on the dinner conversation, but he did say he ordered the fried chickena house specialtyand a banana split that was too big to finish.

Sessions ultimate loyalty, he told me, is not to any man but to a principle. Congress passes a law, judges follow the law, and nobodys above the law, including the judges, and including the President, he said. Yet every person of conviction makes a bargain by going to work for Trump: to wield the levers of power, to make changes you believe are for the better, you will have to make certain compromises. As many others can attestand as Sessions may soon discoverfollowing Trump can lead you astray.
Former vice president Joe Biden would come out on top in a fist fight against President Donald Trumpand the 2020 presidential election, a new poll suggests.

Related: Joe Biden Would Have Beat Trump Had He Run For President, Democrat Says

Thirty-seven percent of Americans think Biden would defeat Trump in a fist fight, while 32 percent of respondents would bet on the president. Another 30 percent were unsure of the theoretical fight's outcome. The poll was released on Tuesday and conducted by left-leaning organization Public Policy Polling released on Tuesday.

Trending: What Kim Jong Un Did in China: Red Carpet Visit Included Virtual Reality and Lavish Banquet

The three-day national poll started on March 23, a couple days after Biden said that if he and Trump were still in high school, he would take Trump behind the gym and beat the hell out of him.

Trump the following day responded by tweeting, Crazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy.

Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. He doesnt know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Dont threaten people Joe! Trump tweeted.

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On Friday, Biden said he shouldnt have uttered those words, Because I don't want to get down in the mosh pit with this guy.

The shots Biden and Trump fired at each other were viewed by some as a preview of the 2020 election. In that regard, Biden came out even stronger in the poll. Asked if the two men were candidates for president, 56 percent said they would vote for Biden, while only 39 percent would vote for Trump and 6 percent were not sure.

Most popular: Transgender Activists Aim to Disempower Parents Rights

Biden did not run in 2016 due to the death of his son but has, on more than one occasion, said he may very well run against Trump in 2020.

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It is not the first time that Biden and Trump have exchanged fighting words. Rather, it is a deja vu of October 2016, when Biden said he wished he could take Trump behind the gym for boasting about groping and kissing women without their consent. Trump replied that he would love to fight Biden.

The poll included 846 registered voters and had a margin of error is 3.4 percentage points.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Nairobi (AFP) - A Kenyan court fined the interior minister and police chief Thursday after they defied orders to produce an opposition politician in court, who was instead deported for the second time in two months.

A prominent but unelected politician with the National Super Alliance (NASA), Miguna Miguna was thrust into the spotlight after his deportation last month, and his attempted return to Kenya this week has seen the nation gripped by political theatrics.

As Miguna was held at the airport for two days over the immigration spat, the high court twice ordered Interior Minister Fred Matiangi, Police Chief Joseph Boinnet and a top immigration official to produce him in court.

Both orders were disregarded and Miguna was put on a flight to Dubai late Wednesday.

High Court Judge George Odunga fined the three men $2,000 (1,600 euros) each, saying they had "violated the constitution for failing to obey the rule of law and court orders."

A growing battle between government and the judiciary -- since the Supreme Court annulled President Uhuru Kenyatta's election victory last year -- has seen authorities ignore several court orders.

Miguna's first expulsion came after he was arrested for treason for taking part in the mock swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga, who insisted he was the rightful victor of last year's elections.

The interior ministry said Miguna had forfeited his Kenyan citizenship by obtaining Canadian citizenship several years ago -- at a time when dual citizenship was not allowed.

In February a court ordered authorities to allow Miguna's return, and issue him with a travel document or allow him to enter on his Canadian passport, pending the hearing of a petition he had filed to defend his Kenyan citizenship.

However, when Miguna arrived on Monday, he refused to apply for a six-month visa, enter on his Canadian passport or fill out forms to regularise his nationality.

"He declined to sign entry documents and tore them (up). He stayed here for two days and each time they were taken to him he shouted back that he is a Kenyan," an immigration official said on condition of anonymity.

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On Monday, airport police attacked and injured several reporters covering the event in an incident captured in video footage and condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In a statement from Dubai, Miguna said he had been detained in a toilet for two days at Kenya's main international airport, and alleged officers had wrestled him to the ground and injected him with an unknown substance "until I passed out".

The incident comes some three weeks after Odinga and Kenyatta's surprise reconciliation following the bruising electoral season.

Around 100 people died, mostly at the hands of police, during the election turmoil, according to rights groups.
Nairobi (AFP) - An outspoken member of the opposition alliance was Wednesday expelled from Kenya for the second time in two months, his lawyer told AFP.

Miguna Miguna, a firebrand member of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, was forced onto an international flight to Canada last month.

The High Court on February 26 ordered immigration authorities to allow him to return to the country and he arrived back on Monday.

"He has been deported," for a second time, said lawyer Cliff Ombeta by telephone.

"It is a Dubai destined flight but we don't know where they're taking him."

An airport source confirmed the new deportation after immigration refused to allow him entry -- despite one judge calling for his release and another telling the authorities to present him before a court on Friday.

Miguna's first expulsion came after he was arrested for treason for taking part in the mock swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga, who insists he is the rightful victor of last year's elections.

The interior ministry said Miguna had "denounced" his Kenyan citizenship after obtaining Canadian citizenship several years ago.

Holding dual citizenship is legal in Kenya, and in August, Miguna ran for political office, with proof of Kenyan citizenship a key criteria for all candidates.

Miguna holds no elected office, but has styled himself "general" of the opposition's "National Resistance Movement" (NRM) wing, in charge of implementing a threatened programme of civil disobedience and boycotts.

Miguna's enforced exile is part of a long saga of Kenya's disputed elections which saw the Supreme Court annul the result of the initial August poll and Odinga boycott the October rerun, handing victory to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

A Human Rights Watch statement released Monday said 104 people had died at the hands of police and armed gangs during the election.
A boy who hugged a cop in a photo that went viral amid national unrest over police shootings was missing after his familys SUV plunged off a cliff in Mendocino County, California, killing at least five, according to the sheriff.

Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman on Wednesday identified the deceased parents as Jennifer and Sarah Hart, both 38, of Woodland, Washington, who were found still inside the upside-down car in shallow water. The bodies of three of their adopted children, 19-year-old Markis, 14-year-old Jeremiah and 14-year-old Abigail were recovered nearby.

Allman believes the boy from the viral photo, Devonte, 15, and two other siblings, Hannah, 16, and Sierra, 12, were also passengers in the vehicle when it plummeted into the ocean on Monday. Calls to 9-1-1 alerted police.

The viral moment when Devonte Hart and a police officer hugged at a demonstration. (Photo: Johnny Nguyen)

We know that an entire family vanished, Allman said at a news conference Wednesday. (Watch it below.)

Despite reports of turmoil in the family, Allman said law enforcement believes the tragedy was an accident.

In 2014, Devonte provided a unifying moment amid nationwide demonstrations after a police officer escaped indictment for fatally shooting teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. At a protest in Portland, Oregon, a police officer saw Devonte, then 12, holding a Free Hugs sign and asked to share an embrace.

The two hugged, and the image of the black child and white officer became a sensation on social media.

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Exterior of the Urban League of St. Louis Empowerment Center.

The interior of the Urban League of St. Louis Empowerment Center on August 31, 2017 in Ferguson, Missouri.

The interior of the Urban League of St. Louis Empowerment Center.

A sign in sheet is seen prior to a Urban League 'Save Our Sons' course.

Bryant Tomlin poses for a portrait at the Urban League of St. Louis Empowerment Center.

Tallis Brown of Urban League of St. Louis facilitates during a 'Save Our Sons' course.

A participant takes notes during a 'Save Our Sons' course.

A participant speaks during a 'Save Our Sons' course.

A participant speaks during a 'Save Our Sons' course.

A participant speaks during a 'Save Our Sons' course.

Tydrell Stevens of the Urban League St. Louis poses for a portrait.

Kat 'Mama Kat' Daniels works to prepare food for the homeless as a part of her 'PotBangerz' food outreach at the First Congregational Church.

Kat "Mama Kat" Daniels passes out dinner to homeless citizens.

Kat "Mama Kat" Daniels passes out dinner to homeless citizens.

Ferguson Activist Brittany Ferrell

ST. LOUIS, MO. - AUGUST 31: Ferguson Activists Brittany Ferrell poses for a portrait at a private residence on August 31, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas for Huffington Post)

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Donald Trump has hailed progress in the North Korean standoff after the regimes leader Kim Jong-un backed denuclearisation during a surprise visit to China.

The US president said there was a good chance Mr Kim would do what is right for humanity and expressed optimism for the pairs much-anticipated talks.

It came after Mr Kim met Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, during a three-day diplomatic trip to Beijing  his first meeting with a foreign leader since taking power in 2011.

Mr Kim said he supported US-North Korea summit and wanted to see the denuclearistion of the Korean peninsula, according to a Chinese state media outlet.

Reacting to the news, Mr Trump revealed Mr Xi had sent a personal message briefing him on the meeting and struck an upbeat note on Wednesday morning.

Mr Trump tweeted: For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility.

Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!

He added that Mr Xi had said Mr Kim looks forward to meeting the US president, adding: In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!

Chinese President Xi Jinping, second from right, and his wife Peng Liyuan, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from left, and his wife Ri Sol Ju Credit: AP

The developments are a marked contrast to the war of words that Mr Trump got into with Mr Kim last year as North Korea carried out a series of missile tests.

Then the US president dubbed the North Korean leader little rocket man and threatened fire and fury, while Mr Kim called Mr Trump a dotard  someone who is old and senile.

Mr Kims visit to Beijing was confirmed with photographs and official statements after much speculation when a dark green armoured train was spotted rolling through the citys suburbs.

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Beijing has traditionally been the closest ally of North Korea, but ties have been frayed by the regimes pursuit of nuclear weapons and Chinas backing for tough UN sanctions.

That friction had opened the door to Mr Trump who was poised to become the first foreign leader to hold talks with Mr Kim before this visit took place.

Reports from state media in China and North Korea quoted both leaders talking up the closeness of relations between their countries.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, left, shake hands at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing Credit: AP

According to North Korea's official KCNA news agency, Mr Kim said: "There is no question that my first foreign visit would be to the Chinese capital.

"This is my solemn duty as someone who should value and continue the DPRK-PRC relations through generations".

DPRK are the initials for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Mr Xi said: Both Comrade Chairman and I have personally experienced and witnessed the development of China-DPRK relationship."

"This is a strategic choice and the only right choice both sides have made based on history and reality.... This should not and will not change because of any single event at a particular time.

Xinhua, Chinas official news agency, talked about the friendship or friendly relations between both countries no fewer than 21 times in its report about the visit.

The North Korean leader also told Mr Xi his nuclear-armed regime was "committed to denuclearisation", according to Xinhua.

Mr Kim said: "The issue of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace.

He was also quoted as saying: "The DPRK is willing to have dialogue with the United States and hold a summit of the two countries.

The ones we haven't seen yet: of the unofficial banquet on Monday night pic.twitter.com/YejN0qNUIY

 Oliver Hotham (@OliverHotham) March 28, 2018

Analysts had earlier suggested Beijing had been sidelined by Pyongyang's approaches to Seoul and Washington, but Mr Kim's visit means China has reclaimed its leading role on the world stage.

Deng Yuwen, an independent Chinese international relations scholar, said North Korea needed to turn to its old ally ahead of the US summit, as Kim will be sceptical that Mr Trump will guarantee the security of his regime.

"North Korea needs the big brother to protect it at a crucial moment," Deng told AFP.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, fourth from left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from right, meet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Credit: AP

Mr Kim had not met Mr Xi since the young North Korean leader took over after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

Speculation had been rife in recent days that the North Korean leader had travelled to China.

After a dark green armoured train was spotted rolling through Beijing's suburbs on Monday, the motorcade was later seen heading towards a location where Mr Xi typically hosts foreign dignitaries.

Mr Kim is set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April before a proposed Trump summit in May.

As diplomatic momentum builds towards the much anticipated meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Kim, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold talks with the US president in April.

The Japanese leader is finalising details for a summit with Mr Trump on April 18 to discuss strategy, a ruling party official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The meeting between Mr Abe and the U.S. leader is expected to be held at Trump's Mar-a-Largo retreat in Florida, according to the source.

Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-il, met then-president Jiang Zemin in China in 2000 before a summit between the two Koreas in June that year. That visit was seen at the time as reaffirmation of close ties with Beijing.
It's no secret that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt disagrees with the overwhelming evidence tying human emissions of greenhouse gases to increasing global average temperatures, sea level rise, and a host of other problems for humanity.

He has, after all, moved to scuttle the Obama administration's regulations that would limit such emissions from power plants, ordered the EPA's climate change websites to go dark, and advocated for a televised debate on climate science, among other actions.

Now comes word that on Tuesday, EPA officials distributed talking points about climate science to its top public affairs staff throughout the country, providing eight talking points about the agency's work on helping America adapt to a warming planet.

SEE ALSO: In court, oil company admits reality of human-caused global warming, denies guilt

The talking points, first reported by the HuffPost, are contradicted by both the agency's previous climate science website as well as a federal climate report that EPA scientists contributed to.

The email including the new talking points was sent on behalf of Joel D. Scheraga, the agency's senior advisor for climate adaptation  a program that, ironically, Pruitt has sought to eliminate.

I think its only fair that if climate scientists have to explain AGAIN why were warming the planet, physicists should have to explain how come stuff falls down https://t.co/CNxwYz60gb  Kate Marvel (@DrKateMarvel) March 28, 2018

According to the email in the HuffPost report, which the EPA confirmed to them as authentic, two of the bullet points outright contradict and distort the findings of mainstream climate scientists, saying:

"Human activity impacts our changing climate in some manner. The ability to measure with precision the degree and extent of that impact, and what to do about it, are subject to continuing debate and dialogue."



"While there has been extensive research and a host of published reports on climate change, clear gaps remain including our understanding of the role of human activity and what we can do about it."

A federal report published in November, known as the Climate Change Special Report, states clearly and unequivocally that the burning of fossil fuels for energy and other human activities cause global warming.

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The report  which is the most which is the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to climate science findings  states (original emphasis included):

(In the language of the report, "extremely likely" means a greater than 95 percent chance.)

Global annual average radiative forcing change from 1750 to 2011 due to human activities.

Image: NCA 4, CSSR.

Presumably, these inaccurate EPA talking points will now be parroted by EPA public affairs officials when they deal with the media and the public, since the email was sent to communications directors and regional public affairs chiefs. That could, in effect, spread Pruitt's climate denial around the country under the guise of a respected government agency.

Pruitt has often said it's uncertain how much global warming is natural versus human-caused, a point included in the email that was leaked to the Huffington Post.

However, the November 2017 federal report specified the exact range of what the human contribution is, something that previous climate studies had not done.

It found that human activities have likely contributed between 92 percent and 123 percent of the observed temperature change from 1951 to 2010. (The contribution may be above 100 percent because, absent human activities, it's likely the climate would be cooling over time.)

Earths average global temperature from 2013 to 2017, as compared to a baseline average from 1951 to 1980.

Image: NASA/GSFC/Scientific Visualization Studio.

"The likely contributions of natural forcing and internal variability to global temperature change over that period are minor," the dozens of scientists who wrote that report concluded.

"This period is now the warmest in the history of modern civilization," the report found.

The EPA's now archived climate change website was also unambiguous about what is causing global warming, stating that "humans are largely responsible for recent climate change." It also explains that global warming "... is caused mostly by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere."

For Pruitt, conceding the reality of human-caused global warming would necessitate pursuing a radically different policy agenda at the EPA. To date, Pruitt's approach has been to try to dismantle the EPA, particularly its work on climate change but also in other areas  the science be damned.

These bullet points mark the spread of his climate science denial beyond EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., to the agency's offices around the country.
Officials say 68 people are dead after a riot and fire erupted Wednesday night at a Venezuelan jail, the BBC reports.

The blaze at the Valencia city police stations lockup was reportedly sparked by prisoners setting mattresses alight in a jailbreak attempt. Many are believed to have asphyxiated due to smoke inhalation.

Nearly all the victims were inmates, Tarek Saab, the chief state prosecutor, revealed on Twitter. Two women visiting the station overnight also died.

He said four attorneys have been assigned to investigate the incident.

Families are demanding answers and justice amid one of the worst prison catastrophes to hit the nation, where penitentiary conditions have frequently been decried by human rights activists.

Outside the station, officers in riot gear used tear gas to disperse a crowd of angry relatives gathered to see if their loved ones had survived. Videos showed men and women frantically running away as helmeted police wielded batons. A scuffle broke out between a group of women demanding information and officers creating a blockade in front of the facility.

I dont know if my son is dead or alive! Aida Parra told the Associated Press, adding that she last saw her son when she delivered him food one day earlier. They havent told me anything.

Families were seen weeping, clinging to each other and falling to their knees in prayer as injured and burned bodies were removed from the jail cells on stretchers. Some relatives fainted. Authorities did not provide a death toll until late into the evening.

Paramedics help a woman who fainted outside the lockup where a fire occurred in Valencia, Venezuela on March 28, 2018.

State official Jesus Santander confirmed to the BBC that the fire was extinguished and said a police officer had been shot in the leg but was in a stable condition.

In a statement, he said that the cause of the fire would be determined, and promised comprehensive social assistance to the victims families.

Notoriously overcrowded and lawless, Venezuelas prisons sporadically experience deadly clashes between inmates and officers. Drugs, weapons and gangs are reportedly pervasive behind bars. More than 6,6oo people died in Venezuelas prisons between 1999 and 2015, according to Human Rights Watch. The group also said the countrys deteriorating facilities averaged about 210% overcrowding.

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Read more: Inside the Hell of Venezuelan Police Prisons

Police station lockups, like the one in Valencia, are especially plagued by overcrowding, allegedly due to prolonged preliminary detention periods amid trial backlogs.

Its grave and alarming, Carlos Nieto Palma, director of prison watchdog Window to Freedom, told AP of the penitentiary conditions. What happened today in Carabobo [state] is a sign of that.
At least 12 states have responded with a wave of fury and legal action this week after the Trump administration announced it would add a question to the 2020 census asking respondents whether they are U.S. citizens.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he would lead a multistate coalition to block the decision the Commerce Department announced on Monday. The addition of a citizenship question is highly controversial, and civil rights groups have long claimed it could jeopardize the accuracy of the census.

A fair and accurate count of all people in America is one of the federal governments most solemn constitutional obligations, Schneiderman said in a statement released Tuesday. The Trump Administrations reckless decision to suddenly abandon nearly 70 years of practice by demanding to know the citizenship status of each resident counted cuts to the heart of this sacred obligation  and will create an environment of fear and distrust in immigrant communities that would make impossible both an accurate Census and the fair distribution of federal tax dollars.

The states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington quickly said they would join the lawsuit, with state officials condemning the citizenship question as an arbitrary one that would only do harm.

California filed its own lawsuit earlier on Tuesday after the states attorney general, Xavier Becerra, called the new question alarming and an unconstitutional attempt to discourage an accurate census count.

The census is constitutionally mandated every 10 years and must count every resident in the United States, citizen or not. The results inform everything from political boundaries to the allocation of more than $675 billion a year in federal funding.

The decennial survey has not asked all households about citizenship since 1950, and critics say doing so will lead fewer people to respond, especially in minority communities experiencing heightened distrust of the federal government. A memo released in September found that respondents expressed growing concerns to field researchers about the confidentiality of their census answers. Some people said they would be providing false information due to worries about their immigration status.

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Yet the White House defended the inclusion of the citizenship question, and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called it necessary ... to protect voters.

I think that it is going to determine the individuals in our country, and provide information that allows us to comply with our own laws and with our own procedures, she told reporters at a press briefing in which she falsely claimed that a citizenship question had been included in every census since 1965.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also addressed those concerns in his announcement on Monday, saying other Western countries ask similar questions and that the need for accurate citizenship data outweighed fears of a lower response rate.

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder also said his organization, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, will sue.

The addition of a citizenship question to the census questionnaire is a direct attack on our representative democracy, he said in a statement. Make no mistake  this decision is motivated purely by politics. In deciding to add this question without even testing its effects, the Administration is departing from decades of census policy and ignoring the warnings of census experts.

Clarification: Language in this story has been amended to specify that the decennial census has not asked all households a question about U.S. citizenship since 1950. (In later decades, a smaller number of households did receive a version of the census form that included a question about citizenship.)

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Monrovia (AFP) - As UN peacekeepers leave Liberia after 14 years, headway in reforming the security forces is being undermined by lack of progress in tackling the country's traumatic legacy of war crimes, officials say.

Liberia's 1989-2003 conflict killed around a quarter of a million people, while government forces and rebel groups murdered, maimed and raped with impunity.

The UN mission, known as UNMIL, was deployed in September 2003 as the highly politicised army and police were disbanded after committing some of the worst abuses.

The effort to protect Liberians after the gruelling conflict will be remembered long after the mission's exit, said Eugene Farkollie, a civil society leader.

"UNMIL has had a serious positive impact in Liberia. No need to remind anyone about how the UN peacekeepers saved thousands of lives by sending a vanguard force when killing was fair game for the various warring factions," Farkollie told AFP.

"The mission gave hope to refugees to return home, and built schools through its quick impact projects. UNMIL also positively impacted our security sector by helping to train a professional police and immigration (service)," he added.

UNMIL handed back control of security matters in July 2016. Its final pullout is on Friday.

Samuel Smith, a Liberian security expert, pointed to the peaceful rollout of last year's presidential election as proof that the security forces could stand on their own, partly thanks to UN support and training.

"When you look at the manner in which our national security handled the presidential elections, it makes you believe that we are getting there gradually," he said.

- Exclusion -

But UN officials say more must be done to address the roots of Liberia's long conflict, and to deal with its lingering effects.

The United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed said last week in Monrovia that peace would "remain fragile as long as people feel excluded from the economic and political life of the country, and as long as corruption undermines confidence in institutions".

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A Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up by former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to probe war crimes and rights abuses linked to the conflict said in 2009 that a compensation scheme should be created, alongside a dedicated war crimes court.

To date no one has been prosecuted for war crimes committed during the conflict, and the underlying causes of the conflict remain strongly felt in Liberian society.

President George Weah has made no specific commitments to addressing war crimes since his election last year.

"Either we forget or justice is done," he said at a ceremony for the mission's departure.

However, he added he harboured hopes that the Ministry of Justice and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission would come "back to the table", without elaborating.

Ibrahim Al-Bakri Nyei, a Liberian researcher and political analyst, said the country's leaders had to provide an outlet for victims to access justice, and for perpetrators "to exonerate themselves or justify their alleged action before a competent court".

A war crimes court, he added, would require UN expertise to set up, pointing to continuing role for the world body beyond development projects once its peacekeeping duties wound up.

- Regional force -

The future of UN peacekeeping is also being considered more widely as two other bodies are playing an increasingly important role in West African security and politics: the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the G5 Sahel group of nations.

An ECOWAS military force, ECOMOG, predated the UN mission in the country.

ECOWAS has mediated several crises in the region over the last two years, including the departure into exile of Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh, and Liberia's own political crisis in late 2017, when the ruling party contested election results.

The G5 Sahel has deployed its own military force to the border areas between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to tackle jihadists and smugglers operating in the area, supplementing a Malian peacekeeping mission in Mali.

In the context of such regional cooperation, the UN still has a role, Nyei argued.

"While ECOWAS is growing stronger and demonstrating strong capability to resolve regional issues, the backing of the UN will only reinforce ECOWAS efforts and assure citizens further of the world superpowers' support to the peace processes in the region," he said.

The UN's Mohammed cautioned against complacency regarding Liberia's potential implication in the Sahel's fragile security situation, however.

"Having peace in Liberia doesn't mean that you will be protected from the instability," she told AFP.
Malala Yousafzai was finally able to visit the country she was forced to flee in 2012, after the Taliban attempted to assassinate her in 2012 because of her advocacy for girls' education.

Yousafzai, her father, and her younger brother landed in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad on Thursday. They met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, members of the government and lawmakers later in the day, Reuters reported.

"Welcome home," the Pakistani prime minister told Yousafzai, who was 15 when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head as she was returning home from school on a bus in her native Swat Valley. Yousafzai was airlifed to safety and received treatment in the U.K., with her family settling down in Birmingham.

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Yousafzai was visibly emotional about returning to her homeland and gave a brief speech in switching between English, Urdu and Pashto, broadcast live on Pakistani television.

"I am very happy, and I still can't believe that this is actually happening ... in the last five years I have always just seen this dream of setting foot in my homeland," she said, quoted by Al Jazeera reporter Asad Hashim, drying tears from her eyes.

"I'm still 20 years old but I've seen so many things in life" she added. "From growing up in Swat...and then the attack, to have to leave the country. Everything was happening by itself, [I] could not control anything. If it were up to me, I would never have left this country."

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03_28_Malala

Edgard Garrido/File Photo/Reuters

She is currently studying for a Bachelor's Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University's Lady Margaret Hall, the college once attended by the first female prime minister of Pakistan Bernazir Bhutto, one of Yousafzai's role models and herself an assassination victim.

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Since leaving Pakistan, Yousafzai started her own organization to promote girls' rights to education, the Malala Fund and, in 2014, became the world's youngest Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The fund has invested $6 million towards educational projects for girls in Pakistan, Yousafzai said.

Earlier this month, she announced the opening of a school in Pakistan's Shangla district, near her native Swat Valley, built with contributions that include her Nobel prize money.

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Her visit to Pakistan was shrouded in secrecy due to security concern. It is unclear whether she'll be visiting her home town, but she is expected to stay in the country until April 2, discussing her advocacy works and meeting relatives, according to local media reported.

"When she went away, she was a child. She has returned as the most prominent citizen of Pakistan," Abbasi said, quoted in Reuters.

Despite the warm welcome from the government and her widespread popularity abroad, some people in Pakistan see Yousafzai as a polarizing figure spreading Western influence and badmouthing the country. Abbasi said the young woman should be free to visit Pakistan anytime. The world has given her respect, Pakistan will as well, he said, quoted in Pakistani media.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
By Ian Simpson

(Reuters) - A Baltimore man whose murder conviction was questioned by the popular 2014 "Serial" podcast will be retried, a Maryland appeals court ordered on Thursday, after concluding that his lawyer had failed to defend him effectively.

The case involving a 1999 murder seized public attention in 2014 when Chicago public radio station WBEZ's "Serial" podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times, pointed out possible holes in prosecutors' case against Adnan Syed, now 37.

The state Court of Special Appeals upheld a lower court's decision last year to overturn Syed's conviction in the strangling of his ex-girlfriend while he was in high school, and sent his case back to a Baltimore court for retrial. He remains behind bars and is serving a life sentence.

In a 105-page ruling, the appeals court agreed with a lower court that Syed's right to effective legal representation "was violated by trial counsel's failure to investigate a potential alibi witness." Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh had appealed the lower court's 2016 decision.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Martin Welch had ruled that Syed's original lawyer, Cristina Gutierrez, should have cross-examined a witness about the reliability of cellphone tower evidence.

But the appeals court said Gutierrez instead should have tried to investigate a potential alibi witness, Asia McClain Chapman.

Chapman testified in 2016 that she and Syed were together at the time when prosecutors said the murder occurred and no one contacted her to provide an alibi at Syed's trial.

Gutierrez, who died in 2004, agreed to be disbarred by the state's highest court in 2001 rather than face complaints filed with the state's Attorney Grievance Commission. She said at the time that she could no longer practice because of ill health.

The attorney general's office could appeal Thursday's decision to the state's highest tribunal, the Court of Appeals.

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"We are currently reviewing todays decision to determine next steps," Raquel Coombs, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Frosh, said in an email.

Syed's attorney, Justin Brown, said he was confident his client would be found not guilty in a retrial.

"We hope that they (the state) will come to the conclusion that this has gone on long enough" and not appeal the ruling, Brown told a press conference.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington; editing by James Dalgleish, Susan Thomas and Jonathan Oatis)
Mini, BMWs sporty British brand, showcased a classic red Mini Electric small rally car that was a herald to 60s pop culture in England at the 2018 New York International Auto Show this week. A modern take on a restored classic Mini Cooper features new drivetrain technology that reflects future urban mobility. The Classics exterior red paint contrasts with a white roof, white racing stripes across the hood and yellow MINI Electric logo in the brand badge and on wheel hubs. However, its not for the streets.



The novel model that is packed with charisma, style and driving fun, debuts as a 2019 model just in time for the 60th anniversary (2019) of the classic Mini car that was first produced in 1959 as a Morris Mini-Minor. Based on the Mini 3-door, the Classic Electric Concept will be produced at the Mini plant in Oxford, England, next year. However, consumers wont get to buy this one-of-a-kind Mini. Instead, Mini plans to unveil an electric hardtop model for 2019 that will be built on the new Cooper compact sporty car platform.





Classic Mini Electric front quarter left photo

Electric hybrid power is already a powertrain choice in the Mini Cooper SE Countryman plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Small SUV that partners a gasoline engine with an electric drive system to produce a combined 224 horsepower. This 5-door PHEV draws power from both engines for enhanced acceleration, with a pure electric driving range of more than 77 miles.

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Mini, BMWs sporty British brand, showcased a classic red Mini Electric small rally car that was a herald to '60s pop culture in England at the 2018 New York International Auto Show this week.

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Mexico City (AFP) - In Tlacotepec, in southern Mexico, dozens of armed civilians patrol a mountainous area to keep organized crime from taking root.

In the sweltering heat, the community policing group joins similar squads from neighboring villages in a show of force.

There are only two local police officers in the area. Both are unarmed.

In Guerrero state, one of the most violent in the country, more than 2,300 murders were committed in 2017, according to official figures.

Community policing groups cropped up more than six years ago in Guerrero, and also in neighboring Michoacan state, in a bid to protect local residents from violent gangs and other criminal groups.

"They might find me dead, but never put down or humiliated," reads a slogan on several uniforms worn by the armed men. The phrase is attributed to Heliodoro Castillo (1887-1917), a local hero of the Mexican Revolution.

When they are asked why they decided to take up arms, several of the men recount how someone close to them -- a relative, a friend -- was killed or a victim of extortion.

"God rewards those who fight for just causes," one group leader says, triggering applause.

But the line separating these armed militia groups from the drug traffickers can be fluid, or even non-existent: many members openly admit that they participate in the trade of opium poppies, which are used to make heroin.
Robert E Kelly

Security, Asia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

Even if this springs summit falls through, we have now ascertained an important fact: the road to peace in Korea runs through Beijing.

North Korea's Visit Proves That China Has Leverage

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un just met Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This comes on the cusp of Kims meetings with South Korean president Moon Jae-in in April and, possibly, U.S. president Donald Trump in May. Much of the initial analysis has focused on the importance of North Korea securing Chinese support in the upcoming talks, Beijings desire for an informal role in any evolving deal, or the novelty of Kim Jong-un travelling abroad. All of that is correct. But the meeting also just disproved a long-standing Chinese argument about why Beijing is not much to blame for North Koreas behavior. And it tells Trump that his instincts to go to China about North Korea were right all along, and that the United States must still go through China if it wants a final deal that will really stick.

Western analysts have targeted China for years regarding North Korea. They have claimed that China has leverage, especially economic, over North Korea. As much as 90 percent of North Koreas trade goes through China. North Korean elite money is held in Chinese banks and allows North Korea to buy internationallywhether parts for its nuclear and missile programs, or luxury goods for its elites. When North Korean elites want to travel, they pass through China. North Koreas airline routinely flies to China, and a traveler can easily see, as I did when I flew from Beijing to Pyongyang, other travelers violating the UN luxury goods ban by walking straight from Beijing duty-free shops to their Pyongyang flight with bags of goodies. When President Trump assumed office, he correctly sensed thisthat China was ultimately North Koreas sponsor. He was criticized relentlessly for pandering to Xi to cut off the North, as was former South Korean president Park Geun-Hye who tried the same track.

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In the end, neither effort worked, but that does not mean the approach was wrong. North Korea is not a satellite of China. It was never to China or the Soviet Union what East Germany was to Moscow. But it clearly cannot stand without at least Chinas toleration and forbearance. It is China which allows sanctions leaky enough that Kim can buy off internal elites with foreign gifts like cars, booze and skis. It is China which waters down sanctions at the UN again and again and drags its feet with the panel of experts who enforce them. It is fear of Chinas intervention which likely stayed Trumps fire and fury threats last year.

This is pretty obvious to anyone who spends much time on this issue. Kim Jong-uns father rarely went abroadbut he did go to China. North Koreas failed autarchic juche economy has been dependent on external inputs since the very beginning. But Beijing has always denied this. Again and again, from summits between Xi and Trump down to academic panels I have say on with Chinese officials, and everywhere in between, we have constantly been told that the West overestimates Chinas ability to shape North Korean behavior.

If the Kim-Xi summit tells us anything, it is that this Chinese claim is what we always knew it to beresponsibility-evading flim-flam. When negotiations over the future of the Korean Peninsula got serious, as it appears this spring, the first thing Kim Jong-un did was run off to China to feel them out for his bargaining space. Kim does not like Xi. The Korean Central News Agency, North Koreas foreign propaganda outlet, has been tough on Xi in the past. Kim has ignored Chinese envoys to North Korea. Kim, like most dictators, is uncomfortable leaving his country for very long. And Xi does not appear to care much for Kim. (Their summit picture is pretty uninspiring.) Yet when genuinely major issues of North Korean security are stake, the North felt it had to quickly heal the drift of the last few years and placate Xi with a trip to Beijing.

This is a smart move of course. North Korea really is dependent on Chinese goodwill. With John Bolton as the incoming U.S. National Security Advisor, the North would be wise to firm up Chinese backing. Bolton has a history of seeking strikes on North Korea. The vague threat of Chinese intervention in a U.S.North Korean conflict will help deter the United States, to North Koreas benefit. Similarly, South Korean president Moon has floated ideas about denuclearization and a possible peace deal. The Chinese will want to know the details, as they have long instrumentalized North Korea as a buffer against the United States in Asia.

In short, it is a mutually beneficial, patron-client relationship. North Korea gets Chinese protection and sanction-busting; China gets the buffer. And no matter the public Chinese denials of this relationship, it resurfaced immediately when the Chinese genuinely felt their interests to be in play.

Learning this definitely is progress. Even if this springs summitry falls through, we have now ascertained an important fact: the road to peace in Korea runs through Beijing. It has for twenty years. The Chinese just do not want to admit it, because they do not want the moral culpability for North Koreas awfulness or the responsibility to actually do anything. But Kim Jong-un just proved this very point by taking that Beijing road himself. So the next time you hear the Chinese say that North Korea is really an American issue, remember that no less than Kim Jong-un just proved that they are lying.

Robert Kelly is an associate professor of international relations in the Department of Political Science at Pusan National University. More of his writing can be found at his website. He tweets at @Robert_E_Kelly.

Image: Reuters

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Asia Times

Security,

There is at least one sign--just don't get too excited just yet.

Is North Korea Getting Ready to Close Its Nuclear Weapons Test Site?

North Korea has halved the number of soldiers guarding its Punggyeri nuclear test site  in a possible sign that it hopes for an imminent rapprochement with US, according to well-placed sources.

The Asahi Shimbun quotes sources as saying the decision to downsize the garrison may reflect anticipation in Pyongyang that a planned meeting in May between US President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong-un will lead to a deal that results in North Koreas denuclearization in exchange for full bilateral relations, economic aid and security guarantees.

At the same time, Asahis sources said it wouldnt be hard to resume operations at Punggyeri if the talks fail. But the latest move by North Korea could also be interpreted as a step towards eventually closing the facility.

Sources said the order was issued early this month to the 19th regiment that is deployed in and around the test site. Transfer orders were issued to two of the four battalions that have been in charge of digging tunnels at the site for underground nuclear tests, the Japanese newspaper reported.

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The four battalions are said have a combined strength of about 1,000.

Two battalions remain in readiness at the test site, along with what Asahi said was about 150 members of an engineering corps battalion and 70 or so members of a military company in charge of security.

If a pact is struck at the Trump-Kim summit to denuclearize North Korea, the remaining troops at Punggyeri could be transferred and the site closed, the sources said.

Such a move would echo past moves by North Korea. In June 2008, during the Bush administration, North Korea destroyed a cooling tower for a nuclear reactor at a nuclear-related facility at Yongbyon as a way to demonstrate Pyongyang was adhering to an international agreement on denuclearization.

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President George W. Bush announced in response at the time that Washington was dropping North Korea from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, and issued a proclamation lifting some sanctions under the Trading with the Enemy Act.

Conditions attached

The North is attaching conditions in its latest talks with the US. The sources said North Korea would only go ahead with the concessions based on the steps Washington takes in response to demands from Pyongyang.

The sources also provided insights into Pyongyangs thinking on denuclearization.

During meetings at the highest leadership levels within North Korea, it was explained that nuclear tests are no longer a necessity as the completion of such weapons is now a fait accompli, the sources told the newspaper. It was also explained that even if a denuclearization agreement was reached, it would take at least a decade to destroy the nations nuclear arsenal.

This first appeared in AsiaTimes here.

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By Christine Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, South Korean officials said on Thursday, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearisation as tensions ease between the old foes.

South Korean officials, who announced the date after high-level talks with North Korean counterparts, said the agenda would largely be denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and improving inter-Korean relations.

The two Koreas had agreed to hold the summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom when South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a delegation to Pyongyang this month to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Thursday's meeting was the first high-level dialogue between the two Koreas since the delegation returned from the North.

The two sides said in a joint statement they would hold a working-level meeting on April 4 to discuss details of the summit, such as staffing support, security and news releases.

"We still have a fair number of issues to resolve on a working level for preparations over the next month," said Ri Son Gwon, the chairman of North Korea's committee for the peaceful reunification of the country in closing remarks to the South Korean delegation.

"But if the two sides deeply understand the historic significance and meaning of this summit and give their all, we will be able to solve all problems swiftly and amicably," Ri added.

Tension over North Korea's tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile surged last year and raised fears of U.S. military action in response to North Korea's threat to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.

But tension has eased significantly since North Korea decided to send athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. The neighbours are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.

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China commended both sides for their efforts to improve ties.

"We hope the momentum of dialogue can continue and that the peaceful situation also can last," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a briefing.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was encouraged by the recent developments with North Korea.

"I believe that in this world where unfortunately so many problems seem not to have a solution, I think there is here an opportunity for a peaceful solution to something that a few months ago was haunting us as the biggest danger we were facing," Guterres told reporters on Thursday.

'RESOLVE PROBLEMS'

Kim is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in May to discuss denuclearisation, although a time and place have not been set.

Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in a surprise visit to Beijing this week, his first trip outside the isolated North since he came to power in 2011.

Even more surprising was Kim's pledge to denuclearise the Korean peninsula. That commitment was reported by Chinese state media, although North Korea's official media made no mention of it, or Kim's anticipated meeting with Trump.

A senior Chinese official visiting Seoul on Thursday to brief South Korea on Kim's visit to Beijing said it should help ease tension and lead to the denuclearisation of the peninsula.

"We believe his visit will help the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, ensure peace and security of the Korean peninsula and resolve problems regarding the peninsula through political negotiations and discussions," Yang Jiechi said in opening remarks during a meeting with South Korea's National Security Office head, Chung Eui-yong.

Yang, a top Chinese diplomat, is scheduled to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon told reporters Kim's visit to China was not discussed with North Korean officials in their Thursday talks.

Trump and Kim had exchanged insults and veiled threats of war in recent months but the U.S. leader made the surprising announcement this month that he was prepared to meet Kim to discuss the crisis over the North's development of weapons.

The North Korean leader's engagement with the international community has sparked speculation that he may try to meet other leaders. Japan's Asahi newspaper said Japan had sounded out the North Korean government about a summit.

Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono left open the possibility that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe might meet Kim at some point. Kono said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday that Japan was closely watching preparations for the North-South Korean summit and the Trump-Kim meeting.

Xi promised that Beijing would uphold its friendship with North Korea after his meeting with Kim.

Trump wrote on Twitter he had received a message from Xi late on Tuesday that his meeting with Kim "went very well" and that Kim looked forward to meeting the U.S. president.

(Reporting by Christine Kim; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in BEIJING and Michelle Nichols at the UNITED NATIONS; Editing by Robert Birsel and James Dalgleish)
The National Rifle Association has launched a heated offensive in the weeks since the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Warning of the freedom-hating left impinging on Americans fundamental rights and spreading conspiracy theories about teenagers who survived the mass shooting, the gun group ramped up efforts to raise money, recruit members and drum up support for its agenda.

The strategy appears to be working.

Donations to the group spiked in the aftermath of the school shooting, in which a former student armed with an assault-style rifle killed 17 people. According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, the NRA received twice as much money from nearly five times as many donors in the week after the shooting, compared with the week before.

Donations to the NRAs Political Victory Fund, which contributes money to political campaigns for NRA-friendly candidates, tripled in February from the month earlier, reported CNN.

The Center for Responsive Politics noted its unclear what caused the surge. It said factors may have included the NRAs recent outreach efforts and comments by President Donald Trump after the shooting suggesting he may take a tougher stance on gun control (Trump later flip-flopped on the issue).

The Chicago Tribune reported last week that the NRA aggressively increased its advertising on Facebook in the weeks after the Parkland attack. The paper, citing data from tech company Pathmatics, reported that the NRAs average daily spending on Facebook advertising had been $11,300 in the 24 days before the shooting. The group paused its ads in the four days immediately after the slaughter, but then r esumed advertising  increasing average daily spending on Facebook ads to $47,300 in the succeeding 24 days.

NRA social media pages have boosted membership and donation-drive messages since Parkland. On Saturday  hours before the March For Our Lives in Washington, organized by Stoneman Douglas survivors  an NRA post on Facebook urged people to join the group to stand and fight for our kids safety.

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Todays protests arent spontaneous, the NRA wrote on Facebook, referring to the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators demanding gun reforms. Gun-hating billionaires and Hollywood elites are manipulating and exploiting children as part of their plan to DESTROY the Second Amendment and strip us of our right to defend ourselves and our loved ones.

The post directed people to the NRA website, which urged them to join NRAs March for Freedom. Visitors were given an option to pay for a membership.

(Photo: Screenshot/NRA)

In the six weeks prior to Parkland, the NRA posted just one message about donations or membership on its Facebook page. In the six weeks since, it has published 11 such posts.

Recent posts strike a similar tone. The freedom-hating left wants to take away your fundamental right to self-defense, read one from mid-March, boasting an EXCLUSIVE RENEWAL OFFER for existing NRA members.

Never in our lives have we seen more dangerous and reckless attacks from those who despise our freedoms, said another, promising a FREE gift for those who renewed their membership. We need YOU fighting with us more than ever!

The regular price of a one-year NRA membership is $40. According to a 2015 report by the nonprofit A-Mark Foundation, about half of NRAs total revenue comes from membership dues.

Its unclear how many new members have joined the NRA or renewed their membership since the Parkland attack.

The NRA didnt immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
By Alissa de Carbonnel and Tsvetelia Tsolova SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria, which has a strong pro-Russian lobby in government, needs more time to decide whether to follow NATO and EU allies in expelling Russian diplomats over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy, its deputy prime minister said on Thursday. EU presidency chair Bulgaria has recalled its ambassador from Moscow after the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in the first known use of a military-grade nerve agent on European soil since World War Two. But it has stopped short of following most EU members and allies in NATO, including the United States, which have expelled dozens of Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity with Britain over the March 4 attack. "The political situation in Bulgaria is such that these types of decisions have to be taken by consensus," deputy prime minister Tomislav Donchev said, referring to a strong body of opinion in the coalition government and opposition which favours pursuing good ties with Russia. "At the moment, for good or bad, there is no such consensus," he said. Bulgaria, which was liberated from Ottoman rule by Russia, became one of the most obedient Soviet satellite states during the Cold War. Many Bulgarians feel a strong cultural affinity for Russia, with which they share the Cyrillic script and orthodox Christianity. This legacy translates into a coalition government in which the centre-right GERB party shares power with three smaller nationalist parties which to varying degrees support better ties with Russia and argue that Bulgaria should take a balanced position over the Skripal case. They have opposed a call by a senior GERB official for Bulgaria to follow the lead of its allies and expel Russian diplomats. Both President Rumen Radev and the biggest opposition party, the Socialists, are also insisting that more concrete proof is needed of Russian involvement in the Skripal poisoning. The government's Security Council was to discuss the attack on Friday and the coalition partners themselves were due to meet to discuss possible next measures in the affair. "I categorically think these (calls for Bulgaria to expel Russian diplomats) are a mistake," said Volen Siderov, leader of the pro-Russian, nationalist Attack party, one of GERB's junior coalition partners. "We have one unclear case. We have no evidence of Russia's participation," he said in a statement. Donchev, in an interview with Reuters, said any action undertaken by Bulgaria would be seen as a signal of solidarity with Britain and its allies and also as a signal to Russia. Speaking of the internal situation, he said: "Taking into account that our government is a coalition one ... I am not convinced that such a decision can be taken so easily and so quickly." Donchev said Bulgaria would wait for a report from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for the time being, saying that Sofia was monitoring developments closely. "What happened in Great Britain is ... unacceptable. It is barbaric, it is a chemical weapon, it is a military toxic substance," Donchev said. Referring to Bulgaria's history of close ties with Russia, Donchev said: "This is an undeniable fact. History, though, is sometimes a good, and sometimes a bad, teacher in politics." (Additional reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
President Donald Trump has made no secret of the fact that he does not care for Amazon (AMZN) or its CEO and founder Jeff Bezos.

On Thursday, Trump tweeted that, I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!

I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2018

Trumps comments Thursday followed a Wednesday report from Axios which found the president is fixated on finding ways to regulate Amazon while most lawmakers are turning their gaze towards Facebook (FB), Twitter (TWTR), and Google (GOOGL) over their uses and handling of user data.

And these comments also track a long-running feud between Trump and Bezos, which has included Trump calling The Washington Post  which Bezos owns through his personal investment vehicle  fake news and a lobbyist for Amazon, among other criticisms of both companies.

But while regulating Amazon from an anti-trust position by arguing that its retail business is uncompetitive may appear to be outside the current political appetite from DC lawmakers, there is an area of Amazons business that Trump could directly, and negatively, impact with haste  Department of Defense contracts.

U.S. President Donald Trump departs the White House for a trip to Cleveland, Ohio, in Washington D.C., U.S., March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Our overall view remains that Alphabet and Facebook have direct regulatory issues in front of them, writes Dan Clifton, an analyst at Strategas. Amazon remains a political target, but is more difficult to regulate. The issue to watch with Amazon in the short run is a movement against the company receiving the sole award for cloud computing contracts for the Department of Defense.

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Amazons potential DoD windfall

Back in February, a company called REAN Cloud, which an Amazon Web Services consulting partner and reseller, was awarded a $950 million contract from the DoD to help with the Departments work moving its tech infrastructure to the cloud. As The Washington Post reported at the time, this award stoked fears among some Amazon cloud competitors that it would be the sole company awarded the massive, grand-prize contract to provide cloud services to the DoD.

The Washington Business Journal reported that the omnibus spending bill signed by Trump earlier this month contained a provision which requires the DoD to explain why awarding a contract that could run in excess of $10 billion to a single vendor is the best way to execute this plan.

In 2013, Amazon Web Services won a $600 million contract from the CIA.

And with signs pointing to Amazon having the upper hand in winning a potentially massive contract from the DoD, Clifton sees this as an area where Trump could hit back against Amazon.

Of all the stories we read [on Wednesday], however, we saw very little attention paid to the one area where Trump could actually hurt Amazon  cloud computing contracts, Clifton writes. Tech companies have been fuming at the possibility of Amazon being the sole company awarded a multi-year cloud services contract at DoD. Congress was forced to intervene in the recent omnibus.

Clifton adds that, We believe other tech companies are largely funding [negative ads] to bring attention to the fact that Amazon is about to receive a windfall from the Trump Administration and one that will allow it to squeeze out the other tech companies.

Amazons cloud business pulled in $17.5 billion in revenue in 2017 and earned the company $4.33 billion in profit, more than the $4.1 billion the company made as a whole. And if Amazons tech rivals get Trumps attention on a potential multi-billion dollar Defense award seemingly destined for Amazon, the President could have an opening to hit his favorite target in its most profitable business unit.



Myles Udland is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @MylesUdland

Read more from Myles here:
By Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - OPEC is seeking "very long-term" cooperation with other crude exporters, the secretary general of the oil exporting group said on Wednesday.

Mohammad Barkindo was commenting on news that top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC Russia were working on a long-term pact that could extend controls over world crude supplies by major exporters for up to 20 years.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the plan in an interview with Reuters on Monday.

Russia, the world's biggest oil producer, has worked with the 14-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in previous oil gluts to rein in supplies and push up prices, but a 10 to 20-year deal between the two would be unprecedented.

"We are looking for a very long-term cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC producing countries," Barkindo told an energy conference in Baghdad.

OPEC states, Russia and several other non-OPEC producers agreed to cut supplies from January 2017 to lift oil prices that plunged from above $110 a barrel in 2014 to below $30 in 2016.

A deal to extend the pact, which has boosted prices to around $70 now, was agreed in November. The output cuts are now due to run until the end of 2018.

"In addition to the 24 countries that came to sign the declaration of cooperation in November, we have six more producing countries who came to show solidarity," he said.

Several oil exporters have suggested a six-month extension to the supply pact, Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi told the conference, without identifying the countries.

Regarding Iraq's own resources, the minister said OPEC's second-largest producer might have oil reserves twice as big as indicated by current estimates of about 150 billion barrels.

He said the crude market was stabilising and prices had "improved", adding that a decision on whether to extend cuts beyond 2018 depended on meetings to be held by the exporters by the end of this year.

Barkindo said OPEC was evaluating the impact of the supply pact to determine the "appropriate action" when it expired.

In addition, he said investment in the oil industry was increasing as oil prices recovered but had not yet reached the level before the downturn in 2014.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Edmund Blair)
The two Washington mothers who drove off a Northern California cliff with at least three of their six adopted children in the vehicle on Monday were reportedly being investigated for child abuse before the fatal crash.

The California Highway Patrol said it recovered the bodies of partners Sarah and Jennifer Hart, both 38 years old, and three of their six adopted children, Markis, 19, Jeremiah, 14, and Abigail, 14.

Three of the Hart children, Hannah, 16, Sierra, 12, and 15-year-old Devonte, who was captured in a viral photo hugging a police officer during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2014, are all still missing.

Although authorities maintain that they have no evidence the couple deliberately drove their SUV off the seaside highway, they also noted that they didn't find skid marks on the portion of the road where the vehicle went over.



Photo: Facebook

According to the Oregonian, neighbors of the Harts had recently called Child Protective Services after Devonte repeatedly showed up at their house claiming his parents were "punishing them by withholding food" and begging them for something to eat.

Neighbor Dana DeKalb told KGW that when a social worker showed up to investigate on Friday, the Harts refused to answer the door. Hours later, DeKalb claims the family disappeared.

"The next morning when we saw that the vehicle was gone, and then Sunday morning when it still wasn't there, we figured something was off," Bruce DeKalb, Dana's husband, told KGW.

The DeKalbs also told the station that one of the Harts' adopted daughters rang their doorbell at 1:30 a.m. one day last year claiming her moms were abusing her.

"She was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her," Bruce DeKalb said. "She said that they were abusing her."

Sarah Hart had also been accused of child abuse eight years ago when her family was living in Minnesota, according to KATU.

According to a criminal complaint attained by the station, the couple's 6-year-old adopted daughter told her teacher she had "owies on her tummy," and when the teacher lifted her shirt to check, she saw the child had scattered bruises on her stomach and back.

Sarah told investigators at the time that she "let her anger get out of control the previous day," admitting that she took the child into the bathroom and bent her over the edge of the bathtub, hitting her over the backside. She was given a three-month suspended jail sentence and a year of probation over the incident.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The prime surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks will face a verdict on April 23 in a separate case involving a shootout in Brussels in 2016, a Belgian court said on Thursday. Salah Abdeslam is being held in France for his alleged role in the November 2015 killing of 130 people in Paris by Islamic State militants. He was also charged with attempted murder over a shootout that occurred days before his arrest in Brussels and IS suicide bombings in the Belgian capital in March 2016. He faces up to 20 years in jail over the shootout in which several police officers were wounded. Abdeslam was taken under heavy security from France to Brussels to appear at the first session of his trial, there where he declined to testify. He was not present at subsequent sessions, and his lawyer argued he should be freed because of procedural mistakes by Belgian prosecutors. His co-accused, Tunisian Sofien Ayari, said he and Abdeslam were in a Brussels apartment when police arrived, but that neither opened fire. A three-hour siege ended with marksmen killing Mohamed Belkaid, a 35-year-old Algerian, by which time Abdeslam and Ayari had fled. The two were apprehended a few days later at a flat in another district of Brussels. Belgian police said they found an arms cache, an Islamic State flag and Abdeslam's DNA in the first apartment where the shootout occurred. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; Editing by Philip Blenkinsop and Mark Heinrich)
Brussels (AFP) - Belgian judges will hand down their verdict in April in the trial of Salah Abdeslam, the last surviving suspect in the Paris Islamist attacks, over a shootout in Brussels that led to his capture.

The court in Brussels announced that it will deliver the judgement on April 23, two months after Abdeslam stood trial on charges of the attempted murder of police officers.

He is being held in a prison near Paris but was transported to the court for part of the hearing in February, during which he proclaimed he would only put his "trust in Allah".

The court made the announcement after hearing an application from Belgian terror victims to be named as civil parties in the case against Abdeslam over the March 2016 gun battle.

"The verdict will be handed down on April 23," presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen told the Brussels court.

Islamist gunman Radouane Lakdim, who shot dead four people last week in southern France, including a policeman killed after taking the place of a hostage, said during the siege he was acting on behalf of the Islamic State group and demanded the release of Abdeslam.

Prosecutors have recommended a maximum of 20 years in prison for Abdeslam, 28, and Soufiane Ayari, his 24-year-old co-defendant.

The pair are being tried on terrorist-related charges of attempted murder and possession of banned weapons over the shootout on March 15, 2016 in which three police officers were wounded.

Seven days later, suicide bombers from a cell linked to the November 2015 Paris attacks killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more at Brussels airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital.

Neither defendant appeared in court on Thursday.

- Symbolic damages -

Abdeslam accused the court of being anti-Muslim in a statement on the first day of the trial, before refusing to come to court for the rest of the hearings.

His lawyer Sven Mary sought the case's dismissal over a technicality over how the judges were named to investigate the gun battle.

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The Belgian trial is a prelude to a bigger one that Abdeslam will face in France at a later date over the November 13, 2015, Paris attacks claimed by IS, in which 130 people were killed.

Abdeslam's brother Brahim was one of the suicide bombers.

Investigators say the same cell carried out the Brussels attacks, alleging the arrest of Abdeslam precipitated the suicide bombings in the Belgian capital.

The Brussels court held a hearing Thursday into a request from V-Europe, a group representing Belgian victims from the Brussels bombings and other attacks, to be considered a civil party in the police shootout.

V-Europe, which also works with groups representing the Paris attacks victims, said the shootout in the Brussels neighbourhood of Forest "is a part of a continuum between the 13 November and 22 March" as the same cell was involved in both.

The group is asking for a symbolic one euro in damages, its lawyer Guillaume Lys told the court.

"The attitude of the defendants, their behaviour during the shootout, precipitated what happened on March 22, 2016," Lys said. "We must be able to recognise the damage suffered by the victims that I represent because it helps in their recovery."
A Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student has a message for those saying peers should have done more to befriend Nikolas Cruz, the former student charged with murdering 17 people at the school last month: Its not that simple.

In a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday, senior Isabelle Robinson argues that people who think the shooting could have been prevented if people were nicer to the gunman beforehand are demeaning the victims.

I am writing this because of the disturbing number of comments Ive read that go something like this: Maybe if Mr. Cruzs classmates and peers had been a little nicer to him, the shooting at Stoneman Douglas would never have occurred, she says. The idea that we are to blame, even implicitly, for the murders of our friends and teachers is a slap in the face to all Stoneman Douglas victims and survivors.

In the piece, Robinson recalls an incident five years ago, when Cruz  at that time a stranger  allegedly threw an apple at her back in the school cafeteria. A year later, Robinson writes, she was assigned to tutor Cruz through the schools peer counseling program, a duty she took in stride despite significant discomfort.

That experience, and others gained in her time as a peer counselor and teaching assistant, taught Robinson about the benefits of reaching out to those who need kindness most  but friendliness isnt a cure for everything, she writes.

Students should not be expected to cure the ills of our genuinely troubled classmates, or even our friends, because we first and foremost go to school to learn, Robinson writes. The implication that Mr. Cruzs mental health problems could have been solved if only he had been loved more by his fellow students is both a gross misunderstanding of how these diseases work and a dangerous suggestion that puts children on the front line.

Still, that belief is common: 86% of students said bullying causes students to turn to lethal violence in schools, according to National Voices for Equality, Education and Enlightenment. But while many school shooters are bullied, a one-size-fits-all profile of school shooters does not exist, according to an FBI report, and to shoehorn these individuals into one oversimplifies the issue.

Jeff Temple, a psychologist in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told TIME after the Parkland shooting that while its important for kids to reach out to classmates who may need a friend, if we start identifying people as potential mass shooters, theyre going to feel even more marginalized, stigmatized, traumatized.

Temple adds that its not students jobs to stop a shooting, and that, if anything, the focus should be on getting help for peers who may need it. I think its okay, if youre a kid, to go to a teacher and say, Hey, Im worried about John, Temple said.
Lauren Hogg, a teen survivor of last months mass shooting at a Florida high school, is accusing a Fox News host of cyberbullying.

Laura Ingraham of the Ingraham Angle on Wednesday mocked Hoggs brother, David Hogg, also a survivor of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, which left 17 dead.

David Hogg has since become a vocal proponent of gun control, and has been attacked from the right for it.

Ingraham said the high school senior whined about getting rejected by four colleges:

David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates.) https://t.co/wflA4hWHXY  Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) March 28, 2018

Lauren Hogg defended her brother:

How low are your ratings @IngrahamAngle that you have to start attacking my brothers grades to get attention? If you ask me, he is more articulate than you and has far better character. Man, thats real low even for you. Coming from a 14 year old, please grow up. #NeverAgain https://t.co/CgUVeGRfxP  Lauren Hogg (@lauren_hoggs) March 28, 2018

Her brother called for a boycott of Ingrahams show on Wednesday evening:

Soooo @IngrahamAngle what are your biggest advertisers ... Asking for a friend. #BoycottIngramAdverts  David Hogg (@davidhogg111) March 29, 2018

Lauren Hogg also called on first lady Melania Trump, who has vowed to fight cyberbullying, to speak out.

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Lauren Hogg, who lost four friends in the mass shooting, made a similar comment last month, when Donald Trump Jr. liked two tweets promoting right-wing conspiracy theories about her brother.

You say that your mission as first lady is to stop cyber bullying, she tweeted to Melania Trump. Dont you think it would have been smart to have a convo with your stepson @ DonaldJTrumpJr before he liked a post about a false conspiracy theory which ... put a target on my back?

The Hogg family has received death threats since the mass shooting, The Washington Post reported last month.

Also on HuffPost

Washington, D.C.

Daisy Hernandez, 22, joins students and gun control advocates for the March For Our Lives event.

Students react during a speech at the rally.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Emma Gonzalez stayed silent for 6 minutes and 20 seconds in her speech.

The crowd listens as Emma Gonzalez speaks at the rally.

Gonzalez included six minutes and twenty seconds of silence in her speech, the time it took a shooter to kill 17 students and faculty at Stoneman Douglas High School.

Los Angeles student Edna Chavez cries as she speaks about the shooting death of her 14-year-old brother as she addresses students and gun control advocates during the "March for Our Lives".

21-year-old Alexander Voneiff of Alexandria, Virginia, cries as he shows marchers his "Enough" shirt.

Young girls wave down at marchers from the balcony of the Newseum.

A boy displays his hand-made sign as he poses for a photograph.

Demi Lovato performs 'Skyscraper' during the March for Our Lives.

Singer Lin-Manuel Miranda (L) and Singer Ben Platt perform.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Washington (AFP) - A senior Al-Qaeda operative and another jihadist were killed in a US air strike in Libya, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.

The March 24 strike near Ubari in southern Libya killed "two Al-Qaeda terrorists, including Musa Abu Dawud, a high-ranking Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) official," the US military's Africa Command said in a statement.

Officials said the strike, the second by the US this year and the first targeting AQIM, had been coordinated with the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

As is the case in Somalia, the Pentagon has the authority to conduct plane and drone strikes in Libya, provided it has the support of the local government.

"Dawud trained AQIM recruits in Libya for attack operations in the region," the Africom statement read.

"He provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack US and Western interests in the region."

The US State Department said Dawud was a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2016.

He began engaging in terrorist activity as early as 1992, the State Department said at the time.

"As a senior leader for AQIM, Dawud is responsible for multiple terrorist attacks, including the February 45, 2013, attack on the military barracks in Khenchela, Algeria, that injured multiple soldiers and a July 2013 attack on a Tunisian military patrol in the Mount Chaambi area that killed nine soldiers," officials said.

Libya has been gripped by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, with rival administrations and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country.

Jihadists and people-traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the North African country.
A senior Al-Qaeda leader has been killed in an airstrike in Libya, in what is the first such U.S. attack on the group in the country.

A statement from U.S. Africa Command said that the strike, near the western town of Ubari, killed Musa Abu Dawud, a high ranking Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) official. A second Al-Qaeda fighter was also killed.

Africa Commands announcement said that Dawud was training fighters for the Libyan branch of AQIM. He was also providing weapons, logistical and financial support for AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack U.S. and Western interests in the region.

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The U.S. military announced the strike on March 24, but did not specify the target. Following operational reporting and the battle damage assessment, military officials confirmed Wednesday that Dawud had been killed.

Airstrike in Libya

FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/Getty Images

The U.S. named Dawud a specially designated global terrorist in 2016. This label is reserved for militants who have committed, or may soon commit, terrorist acts against the U.S. Dawud had been appointed commander of AQIMs southern zone, which includes Algeria and Tunisia, in 2012.

Don't miss: Lauren Hogg Asks Melania Trump for Comment While Brother Gets 'Cyberbullied' by Laura Ingraham

Dawuds militancy emerged as early as 1992, when he was a member of the Algerian Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), a forerunner to AQIM. Dawud is believed to have coordinated a July 2013 attack on a Tunisian military patrol that killed nine soldiers.

Previous U.S. airstrikes in Libya have targeted ISIS, but Al-Qaeda affiliated groups have a longer history and stronger influence in the country, Voice of America reported.

Story continues

This is the second U.S. airstrike in Libya in 2018. In 2017 there were 12, according to FDDs Long War Journal, down from a record 497 in 2016, the majority of which targeted ISIS fighters in the coastal city of Sirte.

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According to Africa Commands statement, Al-Qaeda and other groups have taken advantage of under-governed spaces in Libya to establish sanctuaries for plotting, inspiring, and directing terror attacks; recruiting and facilitating the movement of foreign terrorist fighters; and raising and moving funds to support their operations. Left unaddressed, these organizations could continue to inflict casualties on the civilian populations and security forces, and plot attacks against U.S. citizens and allied interests in the region.

AQIM fighters in Libya have been linked to an attack on an Algerian gas plant that killed 67 people in 2013 and have been blamed for the 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, which killed Ambassador Christopher Stephens and three other Americans.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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The worlds biggest solar project is going to get underway in Saudi Arabia, according a plan whipped up by the countrys sovereign wealth fund and the Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank.

The partners are joint investors in the $100 billion Vision Fund, the worlds largest private equity fund, which will provide the initial cash for the first phase of the scheme.

Heres what you need to know about the project.

How big is biggest?

SoftBank and the Saudis say the solar project will be able to generate around 7.2 gigawatts of power in 2019, and 200 gigawatts by 2030.

Today, all the solar deployments around the world generate around 400 gigawatts (which is slightly more than is generated by nuclear, incidentally.) The largest installation at the moment, the Tengger Desert Solar Park in China, generates just over 1.5 gigawatts. So yes, this is a big deal.

How does Saudi Arabia generate power today?

Mostly by burning oil, unsurprisingly. Because domestic petroleum is so heavily subsidized, around 60% of the kingdoms electricity comes from it. But because consumption is rising, that has implications for the amount of oil Saudi Arabia has left to sell abroad. So theres a big economic angle to this.

Saudi Arabia is also a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change, but it has not been clear as to how it intends to achieve its carbon emissions reduction targets. Its a bit clearer now. And that doesnt just matter for the global pactthe country is also particularly sensitive to climate change.

How much will this cost?

According to SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son, the first phase will cost $5 billion. The Vision Fund will stump up $1 billion for that, while the rest of the financing will come from debt.

By the time the project is completed, it will have cost an estimated $200 billion. That includes the cost of labor, panelswhich will be imported until local production capacity is up to speedand an unprecedented network of batteries that will be able to store this energy for measured distribution over the Saudi grid.

The project will fund its own expansion, said Son, who explained that the profits generated in each step of the build-out would help fund the next phase.
By Catherine Lagrange LYON, France (Reuters) - The incident in which a man was arrested by French police on Thursday after driving a stolen car at a group of soldiers jogging outside their base near in the foothills of the Alps was not terrorism related, a local prosecutor said. "This is quite clearly not a case of terrorism," Grenoble Prosecutor Jean-Yves Coquillat told reporters. "There was no religious talk, no 'Allahu Akbar' pronounced," he said. The incident caused a flurry of alarm coming after an Islamic State loyalist went on a rampage in southern France last Friday, killing four people. It was the first militant attack since President Emmanuel Macron lifted a state of emergency in November. A spokesman for the army's land regiments based in the Isere region told Reuters earlier soldiers had told police the driver first passed them shouting abuse in Arabic, before returning and trying to run them down. No one was hurt in the incident. "There were a good 10 of them jogging outside their barracks. He targeted one group of four, but none were hit," the Isere land forces spokesman said. The suspect was arrested in a stolen Peugeot 208 in Grenoble, about 15 km (nine miles) north of Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, where the incident took place. Coquillat said the 25-year-old man was known to authorities for petty crime and had spent some time in prison. He was found drunk, passed out at the wheel of the car. "There was no radicalization during this period and this person was totally unknown to counter-terrorism services", Coquillat said. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry in Paris and Catherine Lagrange in Lyon; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
Pope Francis has spoken out strongly against Italy's mafia groups during his pontificate. - AP

Pope Francis fired the latest salvo in his condemnation of the Italian mafia on Wednesday, telling gangsters that they carry death in their souls and cannot claim to be Catholics.

Speaking at his weekly general audience in St Peters Square, the Pope excoriated mafia criminals in a discourse about fake Christians who, he said, claim to be pious but in fact live a corrupt life.

These fake Christians will end up in a bad way, he told a crowd of tens of thousands of people packed into the square.

Lets think about what happens right here at home (in Italy), lets think about the so-called Christian mafiosi.

They have nothing Christian about them. They claim to be Christian, but they carry death in their souls. We pray for them.

Pope Francis has singled out the mafia for condemnation throughout his five-year papacy.

Pope Francis condemned mafia gangsters, saying they 'carry death in their souls' Credit: Reuters

Many members of Cosa Nostra in Sicily, the Ndrangheta in Calabria and the Camorra of Naples identify as Catholics, going to church and having their children baptised.

Mafia dons invoke the names of saints in secret initiation ceremonies.

On saints days in towns and villages in southern Italy, processions have been known to pause outside the homes of condemned mafiosi, saluting the local don by lowering a relic or a statue of the Madonna in a sign of respect.

In one high-profile case, a procession in the Calabrian town of Oppido Mamertina made a detour and performed a salute beneath a flat where Giuseppe Mazzagatti, a convicted mob boss, was serving a life sentence under house arrest.

The octogenarian was not in prison because of his advanced age.

Pope Francis has called for such behaviour to end.

In an interview with an Italian newspaper in 2014, he said: Some priests tend to overlook the mafia phenomenon. But all this is changing and will change. Our denunciation of the mafia will not happen just once, it will be constant.

On a visit that year to Calabria, home turf of the drug-dealing Ndrangheta mafia, he declared that mobsters were excommunicated as a result of their criminal activities.

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He accused organised crime networks of engaging in the adoration of evil.

The Sicilian town of Corleone is a stronghold of the Cosa Nostra mafia. Credit: Reuters

Those who in their lives follow this path of evil, as mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated, he said at a Mass in the town of Sibari in Calabria. This evil must be fought against.

Earlier that year he pleaded with mafia criminals to renounce their lives of crime in order to avoid eternal damnation.

"Men and women of the mafia, please change your lives, convert, stop doing evil, he said during a prayer vigil in Rome that was attended by victims of mafia crimes.

"The power, the money you have now from so many dirty deals, from so many mafia crimes, blood-stained money, blood-stained power; you will not be able to take that with you to the other life.

He continued: There is still time not to end up in hell, which awaits you if you continue on this road.

It was the Catholic Churchs strongest condemnation of the mafia since 1993, when Pope John Paul warned Sicilys Cosa Nostra criminals that they would "one day face the justice of God".
Rome (AFP) - Pope Francis washed prisoners' feet at a Rome jail on Thursday, including two Muslims, an Orthodox Christian and a Buddhist, once again choosing to celebrate Holy Thursday among Italy's incarcerated.

"Everyone always has the opportunity to change life and one cannot judge," said Francis to the prisoners of the city's all-male Regina Coeli prison.

It is the fourth time in the pope's five year papacy that he has celebrated the Holy Mass in an Italian jail.

"For me, visiting the sick, going into prison, making the prisoner feel that he can have hope of rehabilitation, that is the preaching of the Church," said Francis in a recent book of interviews.

This year, the twelve inmates washed by Francis hailed from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Colombia, Moldova, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

The rite, performed yearly on Maundy or Holy Thursday, commemorates Jesus Christ's Last Supper with the apostles.

In Christian tradition, Jesus is said to have washed their feet ahead of the meal in a gesture of humility.

"I am a sinner like you but today I represent Jesus... God never abandons us, never tires of forgiving us," Francis said to the inmates.

The ceremony is part of the run-up to Easter Sunday.

Since his election in 2013, the pope has moved the feet washing ceremony outside the walls of the Vatican and into centres for vulnerable people or those on society's margins.

In his first year he visited a youth detention centre where he performed the ritual on a group of young inmates including two Muslims -- the first Catholic leader ever to do so.

In 2014 he washed the feet of elderly and disabled people, in 2015 he did so in a prison, and in 2016 he chose a migrant reception centre.

Last year the pope went to Paliano jail outside Rome where he washed the feet of former mafiosi in a prison known for housing inmates who have informed on old mobster allies.
(WASHINGTON)  President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that the Second Amendment WILL NEVER BE REPEALED and called on voters to elect more Republicans in this falls congressional elections because the GOP must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court.

Trumps statements came a day after retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in an essay in The New York Times that repealing the amendment would make it easier for Congress to enact gun control legislation.

Last months shootings that killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, have galvanized young people, liberals and Democrats for a renewed push to curb firearms. That has included demonstrations that have drawn hundreds of thousands of marchers in cities across the country.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED! Trump tweeted early Wednesday. As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY. We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!

There is no current, major push to repeal the Second Amendment. Any effort to do so would be unlikely to succeed in todays divisive political climate. Under the most common way to amend the Constitution, the House and Senate would both need to approve the proposal by two-thirds majorities. It would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.

Political parties do not technically hold the Supreme Court like they control Congress.

Justices are nominated by presidents and must be confirmed by the Senate. It is true justices often reflect the political views of presidents who select them, but that is not always the case.

Of the current nine justices, the four considered to comprise the courts conservative wing were appointed by GOP presidents and the four more liberal judges were selected by Democratic presidents. The ninth, often considered the crucial swing vote, is Anthony Kennedy, who was nominated by Republican President Ronald Reagan.

Trump would have an easier time filling the next Supreme Court vacancy if Republicans can expand their current 51-49 Senate majority in Novembers elections.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment lets people own guns for self-defense.
On the left, a picture of President Trump. On the right, a picture of a sign from Stoneman Douglas High School

As a nation, we want to prevent the next school shooting.

Were just divided on exactly how.

In the time between February 14, 2018, the day 17 people were shot and killed at a high school in Parkland, Florida, and last weekends March for Our Lives, both the Trump administration and Parkland students released their plans for preventing the next tragedy.

While their visions for gun reform and school safety differ in some ways, one part of their proposals align  their stance on policies that might affect people with mental illnesses.

Below weve outlined the mental health aspects of both proposals, and how people living with mental illnesses  and those who advocate for mental health policy  have reacted so far.

Trumps Proposal: A List of Immediate Actions

On March 12, almost one month after the Parkland shooting, the White House released a list of immediate actions the administration wants to take to protect schools from mass shootings. On a fact sheet explaining Trumps positions, a section called Mental Health Reform, details how the administration sees mental health working into the equation.

Related: 23 'Harmless' Comments Teachers Said That Hurt Their Students' Mental Health

President Trump is proposing an expansion and reform of mental health programs, including those that help identify and treat individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others, it reads, citing specifically:

The President is proposing increased integration of mental health, primary care, and family services, as well as support for programs that utilize court-ordered treatment.

Court-ordered treatment is mandated treatment that goes through the court system, Frankie Berger, director of advocacy at the Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that serves to eliminate treatment barriers for severe mental illnesses, explained. This action takes away someones right to choose their medical treatment and is typically reserved for people who are proven to be an imminent threat to themselves or others  something called the dangerousness standard.

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For someone in acute psychosis, who perhaps threatens a family member, attempts suicide or is detained by the police after a violent altercation, this could mean forced hospitalization. But psychosis and violence arent strongly linked, and most people are not a threat to themselves or others in a psychotic state. In some states, then, the dangerousness standard can be overturned in certain situations. In these cases, family or guardians can petition the courts for their loved one to receive assisted outpatient treatment (AOT). Rather than hospitalization, AOT includes forced interventions like medication and therapy.

Related: When Shame Is Your Constant Companion

But what does this have to do with school shootings?

I think its hard to directly relate how this would help with a school shooting incident, Berger told The Mighty. Broadly speaking, its a measure that could help both decriminalize mental illnesses and reduce some of the incidents that happen outside of school shootings.

Those who advocate for court-ordered treatment like AOT see it as a tool to get those with mental illnesses out of jail and off the streets, while also reducing violent incidents caused by mental illness, that while rare, do exist.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, two million people with mental illness are arrested each year, and nearly 15 percent of men and 30 percent of women in jail have a serious mental health condition. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that one in five people experiencing homelessness had a serious mental illness, and a similar percentage had a chronic substance use disorder.

Related: How Mental Illness Changed My Relationship With the Night

The problem is, theres not a lot of evidence this has anything to do with school shootings. In a piece about mental health and mass shootings, Newsweek reported theres no consensus on what portion of mass killers show signs of mental illness. Dr. Jeffrey Swanson, one of the leading researchers on mental health and violence, told Newsweek predicting who will be the next mass shooter is akin to finding a needle in a haystack, and that in order to be sure youd have to detain the haystack.

And that is why many experts say treating court-ordered treatment like a solution to mass shootings is misguided. In fact, after authoring a report about the effectiveness of AOT in New York, Swanson told Behavioral Healthcare that while AOT did save the state money and could be effective when paired with community-based services, People who understand what outpatient commitment is would never say this is a violence prevention strategy outpatient commitment isnt going to prevent mass shootings.

While theres a movement of mental health advocates who fight against all forced treatment, Frank Farley, former president of the American Psychological Association, said along with the general concerns that come with forcing someone into mental health treatment, mental health policy based on catching the next mass shooter could make people with mental illnesses even more vulnerable to unnecessary forced treatment.

In the rush to deal with this mass shooting, we need to watch out for human rights violations, Farley told The Mighty. Predicting dangerous is an imperfect science at best, and we dont want to take away peoples freedoms to not be treated, to say nowe have to make sure were not scooping up people who shouldnt be forced to do anything.

In a listening session held at the White House with students and parents from the Parkland community, Trump didnt mention court-ordered treatment specifically, but he did cite a lack of institutions as a roadblock in preventing mass shootings. He said:

You know, years ago we had mental hospitals, mental institutions, we had a lot of them, and a lot of them have closed. Some people thought it was a stigma, some people thought, frankly, the legislators thought it was too expensive. Today if you catch somebody they dont know what to do with them. He hasnt committed the crime, but he may very well, and theres no mental institution, theres no place to bring them. We have that a lot.

If you catch somebody they dont know what to do with them.

That seems to be the basis of the Presidents thinking when it comes to mental health. We need court-ordered treatment because we need a way to detain those with mental illness. We need more institutions because we need a place to put them  not because everyone deserves accessible and compassionate healthcare.

Parkland Students Proposal: A Gun Law Manifesto

While organizers from March for Our Lives released a five-point action plan that exclusively focuses on gun law reform, staff from the student newsletter at Parklands Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School also released a manifesto to fix Americas gun laws, which they published in The Guardian.

Editors note: It is unclear whether March for Our Lives endorses all the points found in The Guardian article. The Mighty is still waiting to hear back for comment.

Some of the points endorsed by the student publication have people in the mental health and disability communities concerned.

Yea ok i get that the parkland kids are children and all but the ideas abt mental illness they are pushing Are. Deadly. Mentally ill people (mainly poc w/ highly stigmatized conditions) are gonna die if their stuff gets passed  Gale Juniper (@sleepyjuniper) March 25, 2018

OMG NO! This proposal is a great way to guarantee that people suffering mental illness end up treated even worse than we already are! Enact this and suddenly we who suffer from ideation can't openly discuss it with our therapists.https://t.co/EcFlFeUko7 pic.twitter.com/cqJr3NRZe7  Mx.Savanni D'Gerinel (@savannidgerinel) March 25, 2018

So Ive been more or less on board with #MarchForOurLives up until this point, but then I read the Guardian editorial that the Parkland teens put out regarding their policy proposals and Im honestly horrified. Horrified, Twitter user @tea_comrade wrote. Specifically, shes referring a point where Parkland students advocate for changing privacy laws to allow mental healthcare providers to communicate with law enforcement. The section reads:

As seen in the tragedy at our school, poor communication between mental healthcare providers and law enforcement may have contributed to a disturbed person with murderous tendencies and intentions entering a school and gunning down 17 people in cold blood. We must improve this channel of communication. To do so, privacy laws should be amended. That will allow us to prevent people who are a danger to themselves or to others from purchasing firearms. That could help prevent tragedies such as the Parkland massacre.

so I've been more or less on board with #MarchForOurLives up until this point, but then I read the Guardian editorial that the Parkland teens put out regarding their policy proposals and I'm honestly horrified. Horrified.  bi bike bro (@tea_comrade) March 24, 2018

In a Twitter thread that has over 4,900 retweets, @tea_comrade explained why this proposal made her uncomfortable as someone with a mental illness.

Allowing mental health professionals to collaborate with cops on this scale is on the table now? Is it really? Cops and mental health treatment are not really words that should be uttered in the same sentence. The vast majority of mentally ill people will never harm a fly. They are actually FAR more likely to have violence inflicted upon themnot just by their peers, but by the state. This proposal would only accelerate that process. If the gun control movement puts disabled autonomy on the sacrifical altar in exchange for legislative victory, well, Im out. We can have gun control, but not like this.

The Parkland students specify that the purpose of this communication would be to prevent individuals from purchasing firearms, however, one-fourth of police shootings involve someone with a mental illness. It makes sense that people in the mental health community  especially people of color  would be nervous about more police involvement in mental health treatment. Of all police fatal shootings, a disproportionate amount involve black people.

Another Twitter user, Farheen Ehsan, pointed out the Parkland students policy proposal was full of ableist language. Under a point called, Dedicate more funds to mental health research and professionals, Parkland students wrote, Many of those who commit mass shootings suffer from these kinds of illnesses  referring to mental illnesses.

thread: so now that #marchforourlives is over, can we talk about how bugged i am by their actual policy proposals? they're filled with imperialist & ableist language that scapegoat people with mental illness. https://t.co/67p7xrMsxC  farheen ehsan (@fifimcfae) March 26, 2018

We do need more mental health professionals to help people struggling and we need more research about preventing mass shootings. However, concluding that those commit mass shootings suffer from these kinds of illnesses falls into the same trap as Trumps proposal. While yes, its true, the mental health system likely failed the Parkland shooter, profiling people based on their mental illness does little to prevent violence.

At the end of the day, we should be fixing the mental health system to help people who need it  not to prevent violence. Mental health reform for the sake of preventing violence isnt compassionate, it unfairly stigmatizes an entire group of people, and it wont work. At least, it wont work without trampling over a lot of peoples human rights.

In the whole equation, the mental health case is the weakest, Farley told me. Most people with mental illness wouldnt hurt a fly. Yeah, they need our attention, but they need our protection, too.

Read more stories like this on The Mighty:

The Anger I Felt Once I Realized I Didn't Deserve to Be Abused as a Child

The Type of Childhood Bullying We Don't Talk About  That Still Affects My Mental Health Today

15 'Rude' Things People Don't Realize You're Doing Because of Dissociation
With buyers showing no signs of letup in their enthusiasm for crossovers of all sizes and shapes, the redesigned 2019 Toyota RAV4 couldn't be coming at a better time.

The Toyota RAV4 small SUV became the company's single best-selling model in the U.S. last year, surging past its long-time champion, the Camry mid-size sedan.

The company delivered more than 400,000 of the now-six-year-old RAV4 compact crossover, and more than 50,000 of those included a hybrid powertrain.

DON'T MISS: 2019 Toyota RAV4 preview

The gas-powered RAV4 is due in showrooms in a few months. Unlike its predecessor, which didn't add a hybrid version until several years into its run, the 2019 RAV4 Hybrid is being launched in the same model year as its gasoline-only counterparts.

The 2019 RAV4 will arrive late this yearToyota is just saying "winter" for nowand the hybrid version will follow within a few months "in early 2019."

The new 2019 RAV4 is restyled, slightly sleeker, and comes with more standard and optional features than the model it supplants. Front-end styling draws from the aggressive look of the company's 4Runner off-road SUV.

2019 Toyota RAV4

The latest RAV4 is built on the company's Toyota New Global Architecture, as are the latest Prius, Camry, C-HR, and other modelsmeaning the hybrid battery can sit under the rear seat rather than below the load bay.

The RAV4 is slightly lower and wider, with a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase, though its overall dimensions are within half an inch of the old one all round.

The base engine is a 2.5-liter inline-4, and for the RAV4 Hybrid, that's adapted to run on the ultra-efficient Atkinson cycle and paired to the latest generation of Toyota's two-motor hybrid system, known as THS-II.

READ THIS: Toyota Prius V hybrid wagon ends U.S. run; RAV4 Hybrid took its sales

Under optimal circumstances, Toyota says the conventional engine can occasionally hit 40 percent thermal efficiency, while the hybrid version squeaks out 41 percent. That means that only 60 percent of the energy in the gasoline used is wasted as heat and noise.

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As before, the gasoline-only versions use mechanical all-wheel drive while the RAV4 Hybrid eliminates the driveshaft to the rear wheels and substitutes an electric motor mounted transversely between the rear wheels to provide on-demand traction in back as well.

Unfortunately, Toyota provided no ratings of specifications for the new RAV4 in either version. What Toyota did say is that the RAV4 Hybrid will be the most powerful model in the lineup. The automaker hinted at about 200 horsepower for the gas version, with even more power for the RAV4 Hybrid.

2019 Toyota RAV4

The outgoing 2018 model is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined, against 26 mpg combined for the most fuel-efficient version of the gasoline-only model.

Toyota says that the RAV4 Hybrid battery will again be a nickel-metal hydride unit stuffed under its rear seat.

For 2019, Toyota will offer the RAV4 Hybrid in no fewer than four trim levels, with the top-of-the-line XSE Hybrid offering both the most standard and optional features to make it what the company calls "the sportiest RAV4."

Compact crossover competitors for the RAV4 include the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, and Nissan Rogue.

CHECK OUT: Entry-level 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE model starts at $28,100

The Rogue offers a hybrid version; Honda is expected to add the CR-V hybrid now on sale in Europe and Asia to its U.S. lineup at some point; and Ford has promised a plug-in hybrid Escape in its next generation, in 2020 or later.

Chevrolet, on the other hand, is approaching small-SUV fuel efficiency by offering a 4-cylinder turbodiesel option instead.

For all the latest about the green-car concepts and production models on display in Manhattan, see our New York auto-show news page.
WASHINGTON  After a year of Donald Trumps complaints that a criminal investigation into his presidential campaign is nothing more than a witch hunt, it turns out that special counsel Robert Mueller may have, in fact, found a Russian witch.

In the final months before the 2016 election, top Trump campaign aide Rick Gates was in contact with a former member of Russian military intelligence whose background he knew about, according to a new court filing by Muellers office.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agents assisting the Special Counsels Office assess that Person A has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016, states a sentencing memo in the case of Alex van der Zwaan, a Dutch lawyer who pleaded guilty to lying to federal prosecutors earlier this year.

The White House press office did not respond to HuffPost queries about the memo in light of Trumps repeated questioning of the legitimacy of Muellers investigation. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did offer the standard White House blanket denial that Trump or his campaign had done anything wrong.

There was no collusion and were confident in that, Sanders said.

Trump has called Muellers probe a hoax and a witch hunt dozens of times since taking office 14 months ago. Of late, he has taken to writing witch hunt in all capital letters for emphasis.

The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT! he tweeted on March 17.

Two days later, he tweeted, A total WITCH HUNT with massive conflicts of interest!

The new document, filed late Tuesday, is the most recent tidbit to emerge from Muellers closely guarded investigation, which so far has produced five guilty pleas and indictments of 14 others  including 13 Russians who worked to help elect Trump as well as the former chairman of Trumps campaign, Paul Manafort.

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Gates was Trumps deputy campaign chairman and later the campaigns liaison to the Republican National Committee.

Manafort and Gates were also business partners in efforts to help pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine, and their indictments accused them of money laundering in that work. Gates has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with Mueller, while Manafort has vowed to fight the charges.

Person A is not identified in the court filing, but the description reportedly appears to match Konstantin Kilimnik, who managed a Kiev lobbying office for Gates and Manafort.

Last summer, according to The New York Times, John Dowd, who was then the presidents main personal lawyer on the Mueller investigation, discussed the idea of giving pardons to Manafort and to retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Trumps first national security adviser. Flynn has also pleaded guilty in the Russia probe, for making false statements to investigators. Pardons could make it harder for Mueller to gather evidence against Trump personally  but could make it easier for Mueller to prove obstruction of justice.

Dowd denied the pardon story in a brief phone interview with HuffPost on Wednesday. I didnt have discussions, he said, before hanging up.

At Wednesdays press briefing, Sanders referred all questions about any pardon discussions to a statement from Ty Cobb, the lawyer handling the Mueller probe for the White House. His statement also denied that there had been any talk of pardons.

The U.S. intelligence community concluded during the 2016 campaign that not only was Russia interfering in the U.S. election, but it was actively trying to help Trump and hurt Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

The FBI began its probe of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians well before Election Day. Control of the investigation was shifted to Mueller after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey in May 2017. Soon after, the president told NBC News as well as senior Russian officials visiting the Oval Office that he had done so because of the investigation.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 7, 2017, as Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on. (Photo: Sputnik Photo Agency/Reuters)

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Russia announced Thursday it would expel 60 U.S. diplomats, close the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg and open an extraordinary United Nations session in response to Western reactions over accusations that Moscow was behind the poisoning of an ex-Soviet spy in the U.K.

Russia has denied being responsible for an alleged nerve agent attack earlier this month that has left former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter hospitalized. London, fellow Western and allied governments and the U.S.-led NATO military alliance, however, have collectively dismissed more than 100 Russian diplomats in response. Having promised retaliatory actions against a number of countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov singled out the U.S. in the latest upset for ties between Washington and Moscow.

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"U.S. ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman has been summoned to our ministry, where my deputy Sergei Ryabkov is briefing him on the tit-for-tat steps against the U.S.," Lavrov said, according to the state-run Tass Russian News Agency.

"They include the expulsion of the same number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw consent to the work of the Consulate General in St. Petersburg."

RTX5F1BN

Reuters

He didn't stop there. Lavrov said Moscow would formally propose an emergency session of the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to be held on Wednesday. Russia has argued that the U.K. has denied Russian diplomats consular access to Skripal and his daughter and has refused to answer critical questions about the case.

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"I hope our Western partners will not shun an honest conversation. Otherwise, that will be another confirmation that everything that is going on is a gross provocation," Lavrov said, according to Tass.

The spat comes at a low point for relations between Russia and the West, which has accused Moscow of interfering in the affairs of sovereign nations and pursuing a destabilizing campaign for increased military power. Following Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, where Moscow argued ethnic Russians were threatened by Ukraine's political uprising, both Russia and NATO have built up their forces along European borders and have conducted dueling military exercises across the continent.

The U.S. has charged Russia with interfering in the 2016 presidential election and of condoning chemical weapons attacks allegedly launched by the Syrian military in territory held by rebels and jihadis, two charges that the Kremlin has denied. After what the U.S. has described as the first chemical weapons attack in Europe since World War II, Washington kicked out 60 Russian diplomats and closed the Russian embassy in Seattle.

Russia has criticized these moves and similar ones from other governments as being premature pending a thorough investigation of the incident, which reportedly involved Novachek nerve agents. Moscow has likened the mass expulsion to Cold Warera tactics, saying the U.S. was "blackmailing" other countries into taking action against Moscow, and compared a State Department spokeswoman's description of Russia as "beast from the deep sea" with "lots of tentacles" to Nazi propaganda.

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YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images

In a notable exception to the recent expulsions, Austria said Tuesday it would remain neutral in the affairs and not expel any Russian diplomats.

"We stand behind the decision to recall the EU ambassador, but we will not take any national measures," Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said in a joint statement, according to the Agence France-Presse.

"Indeed, we want to keep the channels of communication to Russia open," they added. "Austria is a neutral country and sees itself as a bridge-builder between East and West."

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Moscow (AFP) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said Syrian forces had "nearly wiped out the terrorists" in the rebel-held enclave of Western Ghouta.

Backed by the Russian military since 2015, the Syrian regime in February launched a massive offensive against rebels in the Damascus suburb, killing more that 1,600 civilians.

"As a result of this anti-terrorism operation in Western Ghouta, terrorist elements have nearly been wiped out of this suburb of the Syrian capital," Lavrov said at press conference in Moscow after meeting UN Syrian envoy Staffan de Mistura.

"Civilian life is going to be re-established there," Lavrov said, adding that "the majority of the rebels have been evacuated".

Syrian troops have recaptured more than 90 percent of Ghouta, and are draining the last opposition pockets with negotiated pull-outs mediated by Russia.

Moscow has secured two such deals already and has been pressing Jaish al-Islam, the rebel faction in control of the third and final part of the enclave near Damascus, to leave too.

Russia's deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Thursday negotiations with Jaish al-Islam were continuing.

"There are working group contacts. They contact us, they write letters, they talk on the phone, we meet," he was quoted as saying by the Ria Novosti agency.

"There exists" some chance that the negotiations could progress, he added.

De Mistura also met with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Choigu who said over the next few days "we are going to begin to bring the people back to their homes in Western Ghouta, and they will be able to lead a normal life".

He added that "more than 130,000 refugees and more than 11,000 armed fighters" had fled Ghouta via humanitarian corridors.
KRON 4 News

One person was killed and three others seriously injured in San Francisco after a fight escalated into a driver ploughing into a group of five people, police said.

The driver got into a physical altercation with the group before running his vehicle into them and driving away, a San Francisco police official said.

Four of the five were sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries as authorities hunted for the driver. One of them subsequently died.

A police spokeswoman said the department did not have any additional information on the suspect.

The incident occurred in the Dogpatch, an industrial area of San Francisco dominated by warehouses.

Police officers cordoned off the streets as onlookers relayed the aftermath.

Paul Lim told the San Francisco Chronicle that a passerby entered his place of business pleading for aid to assist the injured victims.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

UPDATE  3:51 p.m. EDT: San Francisco police confirmed on Twitter Wednesday one person had died following a hit and run in the citys Dogpatch neighborhood.

Sadly there is now a fatality in this case, police said. Avoid the area of 24th St. and Illinois.

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Authorities had not yet released the identity of the person who died. They were still searching for the suspect in the hit and run, who reportedly got in an altercation with pedestrians and wielded an axe before plowing into a group of people.

The conditions of the other four people who were hospitalized remained unknown.

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Original story:

At least five people were injured when a driver plowed their car through a group of pedestrians in San Francisco Wednesday morning. The driver crashed into the pedestrians and fled the scene, according to authorities.

Authorities had not yet said officially whether the crash was intentional, though a witness said the driver got into an argument with a person on the sidewalk and others intervened, KNTV reported. The driver got out of his vehicle armed with an axe before plowing his car through the crowd, the witness told the station.

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A second witness also said the driver possessed a small axe and that the people involved in the argument chased the driver back into the van, KNTV reported. Thats when the driver drove into the people on the sidewalk.

All five victims were transported to a nearby hospital. Four suffered life-threatening injuries, KTVU-TV reported.

Police had not yet apprehended the suspect and were investigating the scene.

Story continues

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Pakistani media has reacted angrily to reports that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi underwent routine security checks at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport despite his status as a high-level diplomat, the Times of India has reported.

The reports come amid a difficult period in U.S.-Pakistani relations. President Donald Trump is considering visa bans and sanctions on Pakistani officials over alleged support of the Afghan Taliban, while sanctions have already been imposed on Pakistani companies suspected of nuclear technology trading.

Abbasi was on a private trip to visit his sister who is receiving medical care in the U.S. According to Pakistani channel Geo News, Abbasi is known for a modest and simple private life, and was also spotted travelling alone at a train station during his visit to the U.K.

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Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images

But after footage emerged of Abbasi making his way through a routine security check alongside regular passengers, Pakistani television networks criticized what they considered a diplomatic insult. The Times of India quoted one commentator as saying: "He should be ashamed for saying he went on a private visit. He is the prime minister he has a diplomatic passport there is no such thing as a private visit. He is representing the country there are certain protocols.

News 18 claimed Abbasi's security check was an embarrassment for the country.

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#BREAKING - Embarrassment for Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi frisked in JFK Airport. pic.twitter.com/yZjUXjIY15  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 28, 2018

Abbasi also met with Vice President Mike Pence during his U.S. visit. A White House statement said that during the meeting, Pence supported Trump's demand that Pakistan must do more to address the continued presence of the Taliban, Haqqani Network, and other terrorist groups operating in their country.

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Groups within Pakistans government, and especially its Inter-Services Intelligence agency, have been accused of funding and supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan, allowing fighters to take refuge on the Pakistani side of the porous border between the two countries.

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According to Foreign Policy, the Trump White House is considering unprecedented political penalties on Pakistan for alleged Taliban support. The magazine reported that options under consideration include permanently cutting off the U.S. military aid that was suspended in January, and imposing visa bans on Pakistani government officials accused of providing support to the militants.

Taliban

STR/AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan, a nuclear power and significant customer for American military technology, has been an outward ally in the U.S.-led War on Terror, but its private motives are murkier. Along with its suspected ongoing support for the Taliban, Pakistan was home to Osama bin Laden when he was killed by U.S. special forces in 2011. Bin Laden had been living in a large compound in the city of Abbottabad, home to the Pakistani Military Academy and many retired military officers.

Many commentators were skeptical that such a high value target could have been living in the city for several years without the knowledge of Pakistans military and intelligence agency.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Could your beauty products get you fired from your job? (Photo: Getty Images)

When working at a retail store, that last thing an employee wants to worry about is being unjustly terminated. Unfortunately, it happens far too often, and a Seattle woman is speaking up about a workplace experience that she alleges got her fired.

Takeallah Rivera, 28, was a happy employee at Babelands Seattle location until earlier this month. On Facebook, she wrote: A white co-worker has been nitpicking and bullying me for the last few weeks because of my scented products. The first time it happened, I was annoyed, but, I altered my regimen to include unscented products, despite the fact that we work with the public and they NEVER had a reaction to anyone else wearing scented products.

Rivera went on to describe how she was let go by her manager after a confrontation in front of a customer. The post has since gone viral and sparked lots of chatter, with more than 400 comments and over 1,000 shares.

Rivera was a se educator/sales associate at Babeland and she says she was very confident in her position with the company. I submitted my resume for the newly-open assistant manager position at the company a few hours before I was fired, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. I studied my training materials daily, asked tons of questions, and took a lot of initiative. I picked up open shifts often and was very eager to begin hosting workshops! I also heavily advertised the companys products on my social media accounts to share with friends and family.

Before her termination, Rivera wore scented soaps and fragrances such as Victorias Secret Amber Romance  which she describes as a warm blend of vanilla, sandalwood, cherry, and creme anglaise. However, one of her co-workers objected that they were sensitive to the scents, and rather than being combative, Rivera altered her beauty regimen to include only unscented products.

However, this concession didnt seem to make a difference. The issue escalated when her co-worker allegedly mentioned to her on the sales floor that another co-worker was going to get baking soda and vinegar to wash the scent off her. Rivera was mortified, and says the two began to argue until a manager intervened.

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I stated to my co-worker that I felt that they were singling me out and that they were scent-sensitive to black people, she says. I had done everything in my power to accommodate their scent sensitivities, and they were projecting their issues onto me, rather than to the company.

Rivera alleges that the manager couldnt come up with a solution at the moment and asked both employees to go home for the day. She took a few minutes to herself but declined to leave, as she says she didnt want this issue to stop her from working.

Not too long after taking a moment to self-reflect, Rivera returned to working. But she claims the manager let her know that she and the disputing co-worker were being let go due to the outburst they had on the sales floor. Post-termination, Rivera says she quickly found out that the co-worker who was chastising her was not let go and still has the job, which left her in a very uneasy place with Babeland.

Two days after Rivera shared her side of the story on Facebook, Babeland released an official statement, stating: We are aware that a former employee has alleged that she was terminated or otherwise treated poorly due to her race. This is not true. We take such claims very seriously and have reached out to the former employee to discuss her concerns further.

Rivera claims that the investigation didnt begin until she reached out to her former employer. No one bothered to speak to me, she says.

The statement from Babeland affirms that harassment and discrimination are strictly prohibited, that the company is proud of its diversity, and invites anyone with concerns to contact its HR department via email.

Official statement from Babeland regarding the termination of Takeallah Rivera. (Photo: Facebook/Babeland)

Aside from working as a part-time educator, hosting two-hour parenting support groups once a week, Rivera says that it has been a challenge trying to quickly find a new job to make ends meet. Not only was I working for Babeland to advance my career as a feminist se educator and looking to advance in the company, but I was also working towards building my doula practice, relocating, and purchasing a small home.

Rivera has finally been given the chance to speak with Babeland human resources to share her experiences. She has also begun taking legal action by working with an attorney affiliated with the NAACP, and a crowdfunding campaign has been set up for the former Babeland employee and her son to help them both stay afloat.

This isnt the first time Babeland has been called out for alleged discrimination. In 2017, an article ran on the blog Yo, Is This Ageist?, and an employee at a Babeland New York City store was accused of not being helpful and of addressing a customers 91-year-old mother in a sarcastic tone.

As for Riveras case, scent sensitivities can be viewed as a disability, according to ADA guidelines. After a court ruling, many employers have strictly implemented related policies. However, Rivera says she began wearing scentless products as a courtesy to her co-workers sensitivities  which led her to believe that racism may have played a part in her termination from Babeland.

Being one of the few employees of color at the Seattle location also made her feel like a target. I am hoping that the outcome of this situation would be for the company to take a long, hard look at their staff, managers, hiring practices, and their values, she says. I am hoping that this situation would serve as a learning tool of how to not to treat employees of color.

Yahoo Lifestyle has reached out to Babeland for comment and will update after it receives a response.

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Anna Paquin and her husband, Stephen Moyer, are sharing adorable photos of their pups Banjo and Dave, but not just for the fun of it.

The two have spoken out on social media because, as Moyer said in the first post, their dogs are being held at customs in London, supposedly at the citys Heathrow Airport.

#banjo&dave R currently being held at customs in London

2 days now @HARC_COL

Theyve travelled 2gether multiple times to UK with exactly the same paperwork theyre now being held 4 & looks like theyll go into quarantine.

Im all for protecting our borders but this is ridiculous pic.twitter.com/3PynMT7Xn7  Stephen Moyer (@smoyer) March 27, 2018

With nothing but respect for border laws that protect the environment/eco systems why are our dogs on THIS occasion being held in quarantine despite a perfect track record of rabies shots? #FreeTheHeathrow2 #FreeThePuppies #banjo #themeniceofvenice https://t.co/2Ht6a3RUod  Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) March 27, 2018

The former True Blood stars, who married in 2010, share 5-year-old twins Charlie and Poppy, as well as their dogs. And they love their dogs, so much so that they take them everywhere, as noted in a September 2017 story in the Telegraph. This morning I was up early to let the dogs out, Moyer said. The newspaper noted, The couple have two [dogs] that travel everywhere with them  Dave, a black Labrador cross, and Banjo, a Louisiana Leopard Dog.

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Back on social media, Moyer and Paquin both shared several more messages about their current plight.

Fans helped them spread the word.

Thanks Anja!!

Im loving this creativity!

As of tomorrow we have to start paying.

And they will be in quarantine for 21 days for NO REASON.

1400!#freethepuppies #FreeTheHeathrow2 #FreeDaveAndBanjo #banjo#themeniceofvenice https://t.co/NNufbP0Okc  Stephen Moyer (@smoyer) March 27, 2018

The Heathrow website links to the official United Kingdom government website, which outlines a few basic requirements for bringing a dog into the U.K., including having it vaccinated against rabies, having it microchipped, having a pet passport for it, and, usually, showing that the dog has had a tapeworm treatment.

Although the couple did seem upset, Paquin assured fans that the incident would not turn into a situation like the one Johnny Depp and Amber Heard faced in 2015.

This is very true. And we would never do something that was illegal or irresponsible regarding the importing of our pets. https://t.co/4KlAVAch5D  Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) March 28, 2018

Depp and Heard faced legal trouble after they failed to declare their two dogs when they entered Australia. They ended up apologizing (albeit not very enthusiastically on Depps part), and Heard eventually pleaded guilty in an Australian court to knowingly falsifying documents. The two charges of bringing their dogs, Pistol and Boo, into the country illegally on a private flight were dropped.

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Badalona (Spain) (AFP) - The Spanish group whose migrant rescue boat has been impounded by the Italian authorities hit out Thursday at what it called a deliberate campaign to ensure there were no independent witnesses to how refugees are treated while trying to flee from Libya to Italy.

"Proactiva Open Arms is the new target of a clear institutional, political and media campaign that wants to keep away witnesses who could denounce human rights violations in the Mediterranean," founder Oscar Camps told a news conference.

The Proactiva Open Arms group, which has saved more than 5,000 migrants since the start of 2017, had its boat impounded at the port of Pozzallo in Sicily, where it arrived on Saturday with more than 200 people rescued off the coast of Libya.

The non governmental group had refused to hand the migrants over to the Libyan coastguard, despite warnings from Rome and what the NGO claimed were death threats from the Libyans.

The prosecutor's office in Catania in eastern Sicily has opened an investigation into the NGO and three of its leaders for criminal conspiracy to promote illegal immigration.

Nevertheless, Camps argued that returning the migrants to Libya, where the situation is chaotic and human rights violations are common, "would mean sending them back to the hell they have fled."

The NGO's legal adviser, Jaime Rodrigo, an expert in marine law, said the legal justification for impounding the boat was "non-existant".

"It is possible that the boat will be held for a very long time, because the seizure can last as long as the procedure, and we know how long the procedures are," he said.

The boat is currently the NGO's only craft in operation and its seizure means Proactiva Open Arms, which is facing financial difficulties, cannot carry out any more rescue operations.

"We are flies and they're using cannons to fire at us," Camps said, calling for private donations and support from institutions.

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Italy is the main entry point for migrants arriving in Europe across the Mediterranean.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as of March 25, more than 6,100 migrants had reached Italian shores since the beginning of the year and 359 have died.

In 2017, the number of arrivals in Italy was close to 22,000, with 727 deaths.
Photo: Getty Images

Howard University is embroiled in controversy this week, after a whistleblower alerted the public to the alleged misappropriation of $1 million in financial aid by school employees. This type of fraud is nothing new to universities. Its safe to say, however, that online reaction to the scandal has been more entertaining than most, particularly after social media users caught wind of one of the possible suspects, law student and fashion blogger Tyrone Hankerson Jr.

I was alerted in December 2016 that there may have been some misappropriation of University-provided financial aid funds, Howard University President Wayne Frederick said in a statement on Wednesday. He said he immediately initiated an audit, which concluded that from 2007-2016, the school gave grants and tuition remission to some of its student employees that exceeded the total cost of attendance. All of the money involved was from the university, not from federal or donor-directed funds, Frederick said.

An investigation of individual employee actions was completed in September 2017 and as a result, six employees have been fired for gross misconduct and neglect of duties, the statement said. We will refer this matter for criminal prosecution, as appropriate.

What has many up in arms, including the Howard University Student Association, is that the school did not alert its students to this fraud until this week. A writer going by the name Veritas 1867 posted a story to Medium saying that $1 million in financial aid was diverted from 2013-2017 (Frederick has not specified an amount). The post, which has since been deleted, said that it was a student employee who first alerted administrators to the issue, and named two people allegedly involved in the scam, former associate director of financial aid Brian Johnson and law student Tyrone Hankerson Jr. The latter, who also attended Howard as an undergraduate, supposedly received $429,612 in grants and various scholarships over four years.

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We are frustrated to see the Universitys statement being sent to the press and not addressed to students first, the student association tweeted on Wednesday. This clearly is a betrayal of our trust and shouldve been addressed to the Howard Community months ago.

We are frustrated to see the Universitys statement being sent to the press and not addressed to students first. This clearly is a betrayal of our trust and shouldve been addressed to the Howard Community months ago. https://t.co/QMatxc41vt  HUSA (@HUSAssociation) March 28, 2018

Frederick did meet with the group later on Wednesday, and according to its Twitter, he assured them that the embezzlement did not result in a loss of financial aid to any students.

Not everyone is buying that.

The Tyrone Hankerson situation upsets me to the core bc there has been MANY times during my dealings w/ Howard I sat up at night & cried HARD bc financial aid played w/ my livelihood. Yet, dude got a smooth $430K w/o being noticed. I want reparations.  bonita applebum (@Bruh_SheAPoodle) March 28, 2018

Meanwhile, people are having a field day with Hankerson. Though he has since deleted all of his social media accounts, he didnt erase his digital footprint before many were able to save photos of the student wearing expensive-looking clothing, including a huge fur coat.

Howard University Law Student involved in recent embezzlement scandal, #TyroneHankerson, owned a blog (now deleted), that showcased his extravagant lifestyle, wearing coats that cost $2600, and Comme des Garcons converses that cost about $125.00. pic.twitter.com/2ozz7a4rfU  OME (@ohmyeyeliner) March 28, 2018

Financial aid fraud plagues many a school. The list of investigations by the U.S. Department of Education reveals that dozens of schemes are discovered each year (and those are just the ones involving federal funds). In January, the New York Times reported that the former director of financial aid at Columbia Universitys Teachers College helped three students receive inflated stipends. One student received nearly $600,000 in stipends from 2011-2017 despite not having been enrolled in classes since 2010, according to authorities. In 2016, a New York University graduate student pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $1.3 million in federal student loans by submitting forged documents from doctors and landlords.

As far as we know, none of those students modeled their loot quite this way.

This man has ruined the name Tyrone for centuries to come #HowardUniversity #TyroneHankerson pic.twitter.com/JM1ifz4HaQ  Confectionary Compadre (@fufunsouppikin) March 28, 2018

Hankerson released a statement to ABC News through his lawyer denying the allegations against him.

When the truth comes out, it will be confirmed that I followed all rules and protocol with the approval of the, then, financial aid officers in any grants, scholarships or awards given to me as a student who attended class all year round and traveled abroad, the statement said. [T]he story that was posted this morning fails to explain the full scope of my 7-year experience at Howard University and is most misleading if taken out of context.

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Civilians wait to be evacuated from Syria's eastern Al-Ghouta province outside Damascus, Syria, - Photoshot/Avalon.red

The Syrian army is preparing to launch a "huge" operation against the last rebel-held town in eastern Ghouta unless the Jaish al-Islam insurgent group agrees to hand over the area, a pro-Syrian government newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Routed by the Russian-backed Syrian army, rebels in other parts of eastern Ghouta are leaving in convoys to insurgent-held areas in the northwest under withdrawal deals that are restoring President Bashar al-Assad's control.

Douma's fall would seal the rebels' worst defeat since 2016, driving them from their last big stronghold near the capital, and would also carry potent symbolism. The town was the main centre of street protests in the Damascus suburbs against Mr Assad's rule that ignited the conflict seven years ago.

Backed by Russia and Iran, the government has repeatedly forced rebels to surrender areas and withdraw to Idlib, where the United Nations describes the conditions faced by hundreds of thousands of displaced opposition supporters as "catastrophic".

A bandaged injured Syrian man sits on a hospital bed at a make-shift clinic in Zamalka Credit: AFP

The Jaish al-Islam group says it is determined to stay in Douma, where tens of thousands of civilians are surrounded by government forces. The government says it will crush any rebels who do not agree to leave or to live under state rule.

"The forces deployed in Ghouta are preparing a huge military operation in Douma if the Jaish al-Islam terrorists do not agree to hand over the city and depart," al-Watan newspaper said.

A Syrian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the situation was in a critical phase: "These two days will be decisive," the official told Reuters, without giving further details.

The area has been quieter in recent days as Jaish al-Islam has negotiated with Russian forces about Douma's fate. The rebel group said on Tuesday that Russia had yet to give an answer to its proposals. It accused Damascus and Moscow of seeking to impose demographic change by forcing residents to leave.

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Syrian children ride a bike in a destroyed street as civilians and rebels prepare to evacuate one of the few remaining rebel-held pockets in Arbin, in Eastern Ghouta Credit: AFP

A witness in Douma reached by telephone said dozens of residents took to the streets of the city on Wednesday calling on rebels and opposition-led authorities negotiating with the Russians to reveal more information about the talks.

Although Jaish al-Islam denies planning to leave, two rebel sources said the fighters are weighing options including leaving for rebel-held areas further northeast in Qalamoun, or in southern Syria, despite some opposition by rival rebels there.

The Syrian military backed by Russian firepower has overrun most of eastern Ghouta in an operation that began on Feb. 18. More than 1,600 people have been killed in some of the fiercest bombing of the war, and thousands more have been injured, according to rescuers and a war monitor.

The eastern Ghouta area had nearly two million people before the conflict, and was a major industrial and commercial hub before the war, with rural zones that provided residents of the capital with their main source of fresh produce and dairy.

UN officials said they were continuing their efforts to get another convoy of aid into the besieged city, where estimates of the number of people who remain have shrunk to around 70,000 from more than 100,000 as a steady stream of civilians began to leave in recent days.

"It's a fluid situation. We are planning a convoy ... the minute we have all the approvals and guarantees of going in and out we will do the convoy," Ali al-Zatari, the UN Humanitarian coordinator in Syria, told a news conference in Damascus.

State media said more than 125,000 people had left rebel-held areas since the start of the offensive.

Rebels and their families who are being evacuated to other opposition areas were mainly leaving from a pocket encompassing the towns of Arbin, Ain Tarma and Zamalka that was controlled by Failaq al-Rahman, the other main rebel group in eastern Ghouta.
Beirut (AFP) - The fate of Syria's Idlib will depend on Turkey's ability to keep a lid on the jihadist-dominated tinderbox and prevent an explosive Russian-backed government offensive on its doorstep, analysts say.

Largely outside government control since 2015, the northwestern province is home to some 2.5 million people, including many rebels from other areas who were evacuated there after being defeated by government forces.

President Bashar al-"Assad's fiercest foes are being gathered in Idlib, and there would be great temptation for Russia to green light a regime offensive on the province," Syria expert Nicholas Heras said.

But "Turkey needs Idlib to serve as a buffer against the war," said Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

The war in Syria has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced more than half the population from their homes, including more than three million to neighbouring Turkey.

Already overwhelmed, Ankara is determined to prevent more Syrians from crossing into its territory and even says it wants to create conditions for mass refugee returns.

"Turkey needs Idlib to serve as a buffer against the war. If Assad tried to seize Idlib, at a bare minimum hundreds of thousands of people would be displaced, and they would have few places to run to," Heras said.

The incentive is clear for Turkey to prevent the chaos that would result from a regime assault but to do so it will have to rein in powerful jihadists in the province.

- Jihadists dominant -

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group led by Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate, has faced military setbacks in Idlib in recent months.

But unless Ankara decides otherwise, analysts say, the group will probably retain influence in the province where a myriad of jihadist and other rebels have vied for power since 2015.

Since the start of the year, HTS has lost dozens of areas to a government offensive in the southeast of the province.

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In the meantime, former allies Ahrar al-Sham and Nureddine al-Zinki banded together against HTS to form the Turkey-backed Syria Liberation Front.

The new group a few weeks ago launched an assault against the jihadist alliance's positions, taking back several areas including the towns of Ariha and Maaret al-Numan.

Syria analyst Haid Haid says recent territorial losses have dented HTS's standing.

They have "broken its military aura" as "a power that cannot be vanquished, which had helped it scare off the other factions", said the research fellow at King's College London.

But even as HTS control of Idlib has dwindled to around 60 percent of the province, it has retained control other key sources of political and economic power.

Sam Heller, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, said HTS still holds key assets in the province.

- Putin-Erdogan 'contest' -

"It lost areas in the southern countryside of Idlib but it retained the Bab al-Hawa border crossing (with Turkey) and control over the provincial capital Idlib city," he said.

A civilian body that acts in the jihadist-led group's interests levies taxes from shopkeepers, and has tried to impose its will on local councils in the province.

Heras said HTS "retains a social organising power that effectively makes it a first among equals in the opposition governance".

"Unless Turkey wills it and devotes the military resources to combat Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the other armed opposition groups in Idlib will not win," he said.

Since January, Turkish troops have deployed to three observation posts in Idlib province to monitor a so-called "de-escalation zone" agreed in September by Turkey, Russia and Iran.

The de-escalation is essentially a dead letter and while Russia has no forces on the ground in Idlib, its fighter jets have struck targets in support of regime forces, as they have elsewhere in Syria.

The province, with its explosive cocktail of competing armed groups, is about to become the latest scene of the face-off between the two most powerful brokers in the Syrian conflict.

"Idlib is a contest between Russia and Turkey," said Heras, who argued the deciding factor would be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erogan's "determination to stare down" his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Heller agreed that Idlib's fate would likely be determined by the international powers involved in Syria's conflict.

"The province's fate will depend on what Turkish-Russian agreements are made behind the scenes," he said.
A Texas teacher has been suspended for discussing her sexual orientation in class. (Photo: Getty Images)

An elementary school teacher has been suspended for discussing a topic related to her sexual orientation in class.

Stacy Bailey, 31, an art teacher at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School in Arlington, Texas, who was previously named Teacher of the Year 2016, was suspended with pay after the district received a complaint from a parent that she was discussing an LGBT topic in class.

On Wednesday, The Dallas Morning News published a statement from the Mansfield Independent School District, which read that Bailey insists that it is her right and that it is age appropriate for her to have ongoing discussions with elementary-age students about her own sexual orientation, the sexual orientation of artists, and their relationships with other gay artists.

The newspaper added, Parents have the right to control the conversation with their children, especially as it relates to religion, politics, sex/sexual orientation, etc., and that Ms. Bailey refused to follow administrations directions regarding age-appropriate conversation with students.

Yahoo Lifestyle could not reach a representative at Mansfield for comment and did not hear back from Bailey or her lawyer Giana Ortiz for comment.

Stacy Bailey is an art teacher at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School in Arlington, Texas, who was previously named Teacher of the Year 2016. (Photo: Viking News Network)

However, on Tuesday, Ortiz wrote in an email to the Dallas Morning News that the administrations depiction of events isnt accurate. For Stacy, this entire ordeal began when she spoke with the students about her family which, for Stacy, included her wife, Ortiz said. The district appears to speak for Stacy when it states that she insists it is her right and that it is age appropriate to discuss matters including ongoing discussions about her own sexuality. This is absolutely false. Further, she never received directives to change her behavior  and never refused to follow any directive.

According to a March 7 story published by the Dallas Morning News in August, Bailey emailed the district to ask that sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression be included in the schools antidiscrimination policy.

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I think it is important that MISD starts movement towards progress now, Baileys email read, according to the news outlet. We have many LGBTQ teachers, students, and families in this district. We deserve the right to feel protected by our district.

A few weeks later, Bailey received notice that she was suspended until an investigation is completed. She was also told to make no contact with students, parents or other staff members. (The school denied that Baileys request was related to her suspension).

On Wednesday, Baileys lawyer said the schools public statement was a violation of the law. [Im] shocked by the school districts decision to speak openly about a personnel matter  Stacys administrative leave  in spite of its legal obligations of confidentiality, Ortiz told the Dallas Morning News. The districts actions violate Stacys rights under the U.S. Constitution.

On Tuesday night, the paper reported that three dozen people, including Baileys wife, father, and sister appeared at a school board meeting requesting answers regarding Baileys suspension. A 9-year-old student also addressed the board, calling Bailey a role model.

The Dallas Morning News also published text messages it claims are from Charlotte Anderson principal Sheira Petty who messaged a staffer named Donna about the situation. In response to whether Bailey had done something similar in the past, Petty reportedly replied, Not to his [sic] extent. She has said she had a girlfriend and she showed a slide show of her friends that included girlfriend.  In talking with HR, it was always determined I was NOT to tell her she cant say certain things. To my knowledge, she has never gone to this extent.

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By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday overturned a U.S. jury's verdict that required Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd to pay GlaxoSmithKline Plc more than $235 million for infringing a patent covering its blood pressure drug Coreg. U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark in Wilmington, Delaware ruled that the evidence did not support the jury's finding in June that Teva sales of a generic version of the drug caused doctors to infringe GSK's patent. The jury had awarded GSK $234.1 million in lost profits and said the drug company deserved an additional $1.4 million in royalties. It also had rejected Teva's contention that the patent was invalid, a decision Stark did not overturn. "We are disappointed with the judge's decision and are reviewing our options," British drugmaker GSK said in a statement. Israel-based Teva declined to comment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Teva's generic version of Coreg, or carvedilol, in 2007. GSK had alleged that while Teva's FDA application had a carve-out to address its use for treating chronic heart failure, which GSK said remained under patent, the generic drugmaker changed its label in 2011 to add that use. GSK said that as a result, Teva caused doctors to infringe its patent by selling a generic version of the drug and marketing it as a substitute for Coreg. But in his ruling on Wednesday, Stark said that the evidence did not support finding that Teva's actions as opposed to other factors induced doctors into infringing the patent by prescribing generic carvedilol to treat chronic heart failure. "Without proof of causation, which is an essential element of GSK's action, a finding of inducement cannot stand," Stark wrote. The case is GlaxoSmithKline LLC et al v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, No. 14-cv-00878. (The story corrects attribution of reversed corporate quotes in paragraphs 4 and 5) (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; editing by Susan Thomas and Diane Craft)
An unarmed black man who was shot dead by a Texas police officer last Thursday had been walking towards the cop with his pants down when the officer fired the lethal shot, according to video of the shooting released by the Harris County Sheriffs Office on Monday.

In the clip, taken from Deputy Cameron Brewers dashboard camera, 34-year-old Danny Ray Thomas can be seen walking in the middle of a Houston road with his pants around his ankles.

Brewer had stopped his car at an intersection after noticing a skirmish between Thomas and another man, who is seen in the video shoving Thomas.

Brewer, who is black, stepped out of the vehicle and can be heard repeatedly shouting, Get down, man! Get down on the ground, as Thomas approached him. A single gunshot then rings out offscreen before Brewer appears at the bottom edge of the video.

Thomas, who was unarmed, was transported to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.

Family members told the Chronicle that Thomas had suffered from depression. His two young children, they said, had died in 2016 after allegedly being drowned by their mother, who has been charged with murder and is awaiting trial.

New video released by the Harris County Sheriff's Office on Monday captures the moments when a deputy shot and killed Danny Ray Thomas, 34, during an altercation in north Houston on Thursday. https://t.co/lQUAi3PAmT pic.twitter.com/pwlf4Ocx75  Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 26, 2018

Harris County sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at a news conference Monday that his department was taking the shooting extremely seriously and was conducting a thorough, transparent and expeditious investigation into the incident.

Gonzalez added that the Houston Police Department had launched its own probe since the shooting had occurred within city limits.

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He also said that Brewer had a Taser on him at the time of the shooting and had been trained on the use of non-lethal force, particularly in cases involving mental illness. Brewer, who joined the department in 2016, had been given a body camera hours before the shooting, but it was off and charging in his car at the time.

Houston police said in a statement last week that Brewer had fired his weapon at Thomas in self-defense. Thomas had ignored Brewers repeated verbal commands and had continued to advance toward the deputy, police said.

Fearing for his safety, the deputy discharged his duty weapon, striking Thomas once in the chest, the statement continued, adding that Thomas had been spotted by witnesses walking in the middle of the intersection with his pants around his ankles, talking to himself and hitting vehicles as they passed by in the minutes before the shooting.

The Houston Chronicle released another video last week showing a different angle of the shooting, captured by an onlookers cell phone. The video, filmed from across the street, shows the same scuffle between Thomas and the other man.

Thomas is then seen walking toward Brewers police car. Hes about to get Tased, a woman can be heard saying in the clip, referring to Thomas.

The video then shows the officer pointing a gun at the approaching man. Uh-uh, not yet, not yet, not yet, the woman says upon seeing the weapon.

A van then drives by, blocking her view of the two men. Just then, a single gunshot can be heard.

He shot that man, the woman says in the video. Why he shot him? Why he shot that man? He shouldve got Tased, he shouldnt have shot that man.

The cellphone video can be viewed below. Viewer discretion is advised.

#BREAKING Video obtained by the @HoustonChron shows the death of Danny Ray Thomas after he was shot by a Harris County deputy Thursday. No weapon was recovered at the scene, officials said. #hounews #breakingnews



Watch the full video: https://t.co/wqh4BKPRZo pic.twitter.com/jdoj0gc3hv  Robert Downen (@RobDownenChron) March 24, 2018

Hours after Thomas was killed, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Sacramento, California, to denounce the March 18 police shooting of another unarmed black man.

Sacramento police said they thought Stephon Clark, 22, had been holding a gun at the time of the shooting. It turned out to be a cell phone. Clark was shot 20 times in his own backyard.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated the woman filming the video of the shooting repeatedly said not shoot upon seeing the weapon. In fact, she was saying not yet. Additionally, language has been removed indicating the officer appeared to perform CPR on Thomas.

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Los Angeles (AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday backed Orange County supervisors joining a federal government lawsuit challenging California's "sanctuary state" legislation protecting undocumented migrants.

The country lawmakers oppose the California Values Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from asking about immigration status and bars local authorities from detaining undocumented immigrants for federal authorities to pick up.

"My administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California's illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies," the president tweeted.

"California's Sanctuary laws release known dangerous criminals into communities across the State. All citizens have the right to be protected by Federal law and strong borders."

Officials in Orange County, a traditionally more conservative pocket of liberal California, say the law does not stop sheriff's deputies from giving immigration authorities access to jails to interview inmates.

Local law enforcement officials may also cooperate with the deportation of state convicts in prison or inmates in local jails being held for a list of serious offenses, the legislators say.

Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel proposed a resolution passed on Tuesday condemning the state law, which she called "totally unconstitutional."

This prompted another supervisor, Shawn Nelson, to propose joining the Justice Department lawsuit, which was also passed.

The votes came on the heels of a preliminary vote by the city council of Los Alamitos, located in the county, to "exempt" the city from the state law, drawing a rebuke from the American Civil Liberties Union, which has pledged to sue.

Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who represents Orange County, said the sanctuary law was "doing nothing more than attracting millions more people to come to this country and to consume the very wealth that is necessary for our quality of life."

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He said the "flow of illegals" had "brought down our quality of education," as well as health care and housing, complaining that millions came to claim benefits in the United States.

But Democratic state senator Kevin De Leon countered: "This kind of obsessive immigrant bashing is embarrassing to the county and its residents, and seems designed to court the approval of a racist president and his cronies."

Undocumented immigrants may be entitled to emergency medical care, schooling and access to certain nutrition programs but they do not get welfare, social security, Medicare or Medicaid, access to Obamacare and children's health insurance, disability support or food stamps.

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has announced that her department will begin publicly releasing information about the release of undocumented immigrants from the county's jails.

Hutchens opposed the state law because she felt it would hinder her department's cooperation with federal authorities.

Justice Department spokesman Devin O'Malley welcomed Orange County's decision to support the suit over California's "sanctuary state."

A spokesman for California's Democratic Governor Jerry Brown said he was unlikely to react to the move.
A simple count of everyone in the country. What could be so hard about that?

In the 23 times that count has been done in the United States since the Constitution first required it in 1790, its become clear that there is almost nothing simple about the decennial census. The announcement this week that at least a dozen states would sue the Trump administration for adding a question about citizenship status to the 2020 census is but the most recent fight over what seems like should be a straightforward mathematical enumeration, but has almost always been an emotional and political one.

Of course its political, it is the underpinning of the entire political system, says Margo Anderson, distinguished professor of history and urban studies at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and author of The American Census: A Social History. It is always controversial.

But if the fact that the census regularly results in a political fight is news to you, Anderson is not surprised. Issues of race and region, growth and decline, equity and justice, have been fought out in census politics over the centuries, she writes in the introduction to her book, though because decades may pass between flare-ups of particular issues, the participants are often unaware of relevant earlier debate.

Mandated by Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, the census decides the population of each state, which in turn determines how much representation that state gets in the House of Representatives, how many votes each state has in the Electoral College, and what percentage of federal funds a state receives. A change in a states population, therefore, results directly in a gain or loss in that states political and economic clout.

In fact, the first political tussle over the census came during the writing of Article 1 in 1789. Southerners wanted slaves counted in their tally, as it would increase their numbers and their power, while Northerners wanted the opposite. The compromise was that slaves counted as 3/5 of a person, a choice that would haunt the nation well beyond the Civil War.

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The Constitution only requires a population count, or enumeration. Which questions are asked during that count are decided by the census bureau, and over time form a snapshot of what issues felt important to the nation every 10 years. The questions change with whatever is salient, Anderson says.

In 1920, for instance, it felt time to take out the question about whether each household member had served in the Union or Confederate armed forces. That same year, questions were added that asked each U.S. resident when they naturalized, as well as for their own mother tongue and those of their parents.

The 2020 U.S. Census will add a question about citizenship status, a move that brought swift condemnation from many Democrats, who said it would intimidate immigrants and discourage them from participating. (Photo: Ross D. Franklin/AP)

By 1940, there were questions trying to gauge the impact of the Depression, asking about the need for housing, employment and unemployment, income and how often and where a family had moved in search of work.

In 2010, same-sex married couples were allowed for the first time to mark their spouse as husband or wife on a census form, and a box for unmarried partner was also available.

Sometimes the flare-ups over the census are caused by doubt about the results. Both George Washington and Alexander Hamilton thought the first census  which found that 3.9 million people lived in the young nation  was an undercount.

In 1840, an argument erupted over the accuracy of an apparent spike in insanity among the nations freed black population  at a rate of 1 in 162 in the North and 1 in 1,558 in the South. Advocates for slavery seized on those statistics to show that slaves went insane when freed; abolitionists countered that the data were simply wrong, the result of a confusing design of the census form that allowed elderly white members of a household to be counted in the column for colored and for some of those insane blacks to be attributed to families that had no black members. The historical consensus is that the data were in fact wrong, Anderson says.

In 1930, the fight was over unemployment, since the count took place so soon after the stock market crash. By the time the data was processed, the jobless figure was attacked as being too low by legislators who had hoped for higher numbers to justify a larger federal response. Congress in fact authorized a special 1931 census just to measure unemployment, and that number was much higher than it had been the year before.

Miscounts did not end with the modern era and its introduction of computer questionnaires in place of handwritten tallies by door-to-door enumerators. In 1990, for instance, 10 million Americans were somehow lost and 6 million were apparently counted twice. As most of those lived in poverty, the states where they resided could not qualify for the federal funds that might otherwise have been available for services.

Other controversies took place before the counting even began. In response to the 1990 miscount, the Clinton administration announced 10 years later that it would use data sampling to estimate the population rather than counting each individual. Republicans feared that this would result in an increased representation of minority groups, which would in turn result in election districts more favorable to Democrats. Newt Gingrich sued the Census Bureau, and a federal court struck down the sampling plan.

Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

And now there is the uproar over citizenship. The question has appeared periodically on census questionnaires over the years, but has not been included since 1950. The Department of Justice, which in January of this year asked for it to be added again, says that in order to enforce the Voting Rights Act, there must be a count of citizens who are old enough to vote. Those opposed to the addition argue that it will increase a trend toward individuals refusing to reply to all census questions for fear of exposing private information. A September 2017 memo written by bureau staff described a recent increase in respondents spontaneously expressing concerns about confidentiality in some pretest studies on the upcoming form, creating a new phenomenon  particularly among immigrant respondents.

If response rates are in fact depressed, history shows, the eventual count will be inaccurate, and in this case would increase the power of states with fewer undocumented immigrants.

Rather than remain a dry argument over the efficacy of sampling a wary population, however, the debate over the citizenship question has taken on some of the same emotional tones common to census arguments throughout history.

Since the Commerce Department confirmed Monday night that respondents in 2020 would be asked if they are citizens, state attorneys general began to fight back. Eric Schneiderman of New York called it a reckless decision to suddenly abandon nearly 70 years of practice, and warned the change would create an environment of fear and distrust in immigrant communities that would make impossible both an accurate census and the fair distribution of federal tax dollars.

The Trump/Pence campaign, in turn, sent out an email blast on Wednesday afternoon asking supporters to sign a petition to Defend the President: 2020 Census Questions.

President Trump has officially mandated that the 2020 United States Census ask people living in America whether or not they are citizens, the letter read. And the sanctuary state of California is now SUING the Trump Administration to stop this commonsense order.

We cannot let a few Hollywood special interests speak for the rest of our country, it concluded. Its time to fight back. Its time to once again reclaim our voice in America.

(Cover thumbnail photo Illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP)

Read more from Yahoo News:
John Dowd, the lawyer for President Donald Trump who resigned last week, floated potential pardons of former Trump advisers Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort as special counsel Robert Muellers investigation closed in, according to a New York Times report published Wednesday.

Three unnamed sources told the Times that Dowd discussed offering presidential pardons for Flynn, the presidents former national security adviser, and Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager, as Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election mounted.

Dowd had discussions with attorneys for Flynn and Manafort shortly after he took over as Trumps personal lawyer last summer, according to the Times. Dowd reportedly told Flynns attorney, Robert K. Kelner, that Trump felt the case against Flynn was flimsy and that the president was prepared to pardon him.

Flynn has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian government. After news of the plea broke in December, Dowd told The Wall Street Journal that he was not worried about it.

The former Trump lawyer spoke to Manaforts legal representation about a pardon in October, before Manafort was indicted on charges of conspiracy and money laundering in connection with the Russia investigation, the Times reported.

Read more at The New York Times.

Dowd resigned from Trumps legal team on Thursday as he felt the president was increasingly ignoring his advice, sources told the Times and The Washington Post.

President Donald Trump has attacked special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation a number of times. (Photo: Yuri Gripas/Reuters)

When asked about the reports during a Wednesday press briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied any conversation of pardons.

I would refer you back to the statement from [White House lawyer] Ty Cobb and the report youre asking about, in which he said, Ive only been asked about pardons by the press and have routinely responded on the record that no pardons are under discussion or consideration at the White House, Sanders told reporters in the briefing room.

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The White House has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia in regard to the 2016 election.

Trump has attacked Muellers investigation a number of times, especially as Mueller increases pressure on the president. Mueller issued subpoenas to the Trump Organization demanding documents referencing Russia earlier this month.

The presidents aggression toward Muellers investigation has prompted a number of concerns that Trump will push to fire the special counsel. Nine Democratic senators signed a letter Tuesday urging senior officials at the Justice Department to publicly defend Mueller against the White House.

This story has been updated to include comments from White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and more background on the Russia investigation.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday declined further comment on the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man, describing it as a local matter. She gave the same answer when asked about two more incidents of deadly police violence against black men.

Certainly a terrible incident, Sanders said Wednesday, when asked about Clarks death and the recent decision not to bring criminal charges against the police officers who fatally shot Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in July 2016.

This is something that is a local matter and something that we feel should be left up to the local authorities at this point in time, Sanders said.

Clark was shot at 20 times by Sacramento police officers while he was in his grandparents backyard. Police said they thought Clark was armed, but he was found with only a cell phone. Hundreds of protesters  including Clarks brother  rallied at Sacramento City Hall on Tuesday, calling for justice for Clark.

Trump has repeatedly said that police officers deserve more respect, and he has been critical of protesters calling for an end to police brutality and racial injustice.

Certainly we want to make sure that all law enforcement is carrying out the letter of the law, Sanders said Wednesday, when pressed for follow up. The Presidents very supportive of law enforcement, but at the same time in these specific cases, in these specific instances, those would be left up to local authorities to make that determination  and not something for the federal government to weigh into.

By comparison, Trump has repeatedly weighed in on the 2015 shooting death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco, which became a flash point in the national immigration debate. Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, an undocumented immigrant who was accused of killing her, was acquitted of murder in December, but was found guilty of illegal gun possession.

Steinle died on July 1, 2015. Two days later, Trump tweeted about her death, sending heartfelt condolences to her family. He later demanded that President Obama call her family and blamed her death on the immigration policies of the Obama Administration.

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Trump also took to Twitter in December to criticize the jurys verdict in the case.

A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case! No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration, he tweeted, later adding: His exoneration is a complete travesty of justice. BUILD THE WALL!

Trump has not tweeted about Clarks death.
Washington (AFP) - In his nuclear standoffs with North Korea and Iran and disputes over Chinese trade and a Mexican wall, Donald Trump bet that his bullying style would get results.

Trump was quick to claim vindication Wednesday when China reported that North Korea's Kim Jong Un is ready to talk nuclear disarmament at their upcoming summit

Indeed, the US president often boasts he has already won concessions from cowed foes and contrite allies, but some say it is too soon to identify major breakthroughs.

For, while Trump's high-stakes gambles have triggered diplomatic scrambles, they have also boosted the risk of conflict without yet delivering a payoff.

And his ultimatums have accelerated the diplomatic time frame by setting new deadlines and thus increasing the odds of a breakdown that could lead to war.

"For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," he tweeted.

"Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!" he boasted.

Trump's decision to accept an invitation to talks, to be held before the end of May, dumbfounded foreign policy experts and caught his own staff off guard.

But it was typical of his style of tearing up the diplomatic rulebook.

It matches his threat to tear up the Iran nuclear deal if European allies do not agree to tougher measures against Tehran and his vow to tear up NAFTA if Canada and Mexico do not make trade concessions.

Trump's supporters point to the fact that America's allies have engaged with US negotiators to find a way to appease some of Trump's concerns.

- Unpredictable negotiator -

But it is not clear that his acceptance of Kim's invitation is a win for Washington's campaign of "maximum pressure."

Some see it as a gift to a regime that has long seen its drive to obtain nuclear weapons as a means to win international respect -- and face-to-face talks.

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"On the one hand, Trump does seem to have shaken things up and moved things forward in a way that was unimaginable," said Andrew Mertha of Cornell University.

"Unfortunately it comes at the price of pretty much giving Kim what he wanted," he told AFP.

Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argues sanctions and Trump's unpredictability have forced opponents like Kim to engage.

But, as he told AFP, "all these stories are yet to be written.

"On North Korea, we've seen perhaps the most tangible results, although we certainly don't see a final outcome."

Kim visited Beijing this week to confer with Chinese leaders, a reminder that Washington does not hold all the cards.

Kim confirmed to China that he is ready to discuss the "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula, but this may mean different things to each side.

Washington will accept nothing less than Pyongyang verifiably giving up its nuclear arsenal, fuel enrichment and ballistic missile program.

But Kim is likely to insist "denuclearization" includes withdrawing the promise of a US "nuclear umbrella" to deter attacks on its treaty ally South Korea.

And he will repeat his demand that US forces leave the peninsula, an extraordinary concession that it is hard to imagine any previous US president acceding to.

And Kim does not seem intimidated.

Monday was his first foreign foray as leader, arriving in Beijing in an armored train for talks with China's powerful leader Xi Jinping.

Xi will have given Kim a very clear idea of what China is prepared to accept from the summit, but Kim's isolation is over and he may play Washington against Beijing.

- Devastating war -

Perhaps Trump did play into Kim hands by accepting talks without first discussing the North Korean and Chinese red lines.

And perhaps he was over ambitious when he tried to get London, Paris and Berlin to rewrite an Iran deal they seem only prepared to tweak or update.

But, since these initiatives began, he has made some personnel changes at home that could show his negotiating partners that he means business.

Trump has sacked his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who backed the Iran deal and favored cautious diplomacy with North Korea.

He plans to replace Tillerson with hardline CIA chief Mike Pompeo and his national security adviser HR McMaster with notorious hawk John Bolton.

Bolton is an advocate of regime change in Iran and as recently as last month he warned that negotiations would only give Kim more time to build missiles.

"The dynamics have changed," Schanzer said, arguing that European leaders should now take more seriously the idea that Trump is ready to tear up the Iran deal.

"The president has been playing hardball, and he hasn't lost doing so yet. He hasn't won, but he certainly hasn't lost," he said.

If Trump fails to win concessions on Iran, he can dump the deal and reimpose sanctions on Tehran's regime and any European bank that continues to deal with it.

But if North Korean talks break down, does that make a devastating war more likely?

"There's a greater chance of a breakthrough under Trump but there's also a greater chance that this whole thing explodes and that we end up in military confrontation," said Ian Bremmer, head of consultants the Eurasia Group.
By Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled that New York State Thruway Authority had the right to use toll revenue collected from commercial truckers to maintain upstate canals, upholding the dismissal of a lawsuit by a trucking industry group.

A unanimous three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said that a 1991 federal law, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, specifically authorized the Thruway Authority to use excess toll revenue for canals.

The decision upheld a February 2017 ruling by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan dismissing the lawsuit, which was filed in 2013 by the American Trucking Associations (ATA). The trade group argued that it was unconstitutional for the Thruway Authority to use the toll revenue for anything other than maintaining toll roads.

ATA and the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, which represented the state Thruway Authority, could not immediately be reached for comment.

ATA originally sought an order blocking the Thruway Authority from using toll revenue for canals, and money damages for revenue it had already used.

In 2016, control of the canals were transferred from the Thruway Authority to the state's Power Authority, making the request for a court order moot. However, ATA continued to seek damages.

McMahon handed a victory to ATA in August 2016, ruling that the use of toll revenue for canals was unconstitutional. However, the Thruway Authority then filed a new motion to dismiss the case, citing the 1991 federal law for the first time.

In her order granting that motion, McMahon called it "unfortunate" that the Thruway Authority had not made it earlier, saying that New York taxpayers had paid for "thousands of hours of unnecessary legal work."

Nonetheless, she said the agency was right and dismissed the case.

ATA appealed, asking the 2nd Circuit to revive the case, but the panel on Thursday upheld McMahon's interpretation of the law.

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York, editing by G Crosse)
By Eric Walsh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered an end to special legal status for certain immigrants from Liberia, including some who have lived in the United States for decades, effective next year, citing improved conditions in the West African nation. "Liberia is no longer experiencing armed conflict and has made significant progress in restoring stability and democratic governance," according to a memorandum signed by Trump and released by the White House. Trump has pursued a crackdown on legal and illegal immigration since becoming president last year. Some Liberians have been eligible for either Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure since March 1991 due to civil war, fragile political and economic conditions and an Ebola virus outbreak in 2014, the memorandum said. The special status will end on March 31, 2019. "Liberia has also concluded reconstruction from prior conflicts, which has contributed significantly to an environment that is able to handle adequately the return of its nationals," Trump said. "The 2014 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease caused a tragic loss of life and economic damage to the country, but Liberia has made tremendous progress in its ability to diagnose and contain future outbreaks of the disease," Trump added. A 12-month "wind-down" period starting March 31, 2018, will allow the Liberian government to prepare to re-integrate returning citizens and give time for affected Liberians to "make necessary arrangements," said the memorandum, which was addressed to the Department of Homeland Security. The Liberian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for the number of immigrants who will be affected. Trump previously included three other African countries -- Chad, Somalia and Libya -- among several nations whose citizens were blocked from entering the United States. African politicians and diplomats blasted Trump in January after he was reported to have used vulgar language to describe African countries and Haiti, with some calling him a racist. Trump later denied making the remark. (Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Eric Beech and Will Dunham)
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office called on authorities in Venezuela on Thursday to carry out a speedy investigation into a prison fire and to provide reparations to victims' families. Rioting and a fire in the cells of a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia killed 68 people on Wednesday, according to the government and witnesses. Venezuelan prisons are notoriously overcrowded and filled with weapons and drugs. "We urge the Venezuelan authorities to carry out a prompt, thorough and effective investigation to establish the cause of these deaths, provide reparations to the victims families, and, where applicable, identify and bring those responsible to justice," the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement voicing concern at prison conditions. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Gareth Jones)
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday condemned a barrage of missile attacks against Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Houthi group and expressed grave concern at reports of violations of an U.N. arms embargo on Houthi leaders. Saudi forces said they shot down three missiles over Riyadh shortly before midnight on Sunday. Debris fell on a home in the capital, killing an Egyptian man and wounding two others. They said air defences also repelled missiles fired at the southern Saudi cities of Najran, Jizan and Khamis Mushait. In a statement, the 15-member Security Council expressed alarm at a Houthi threat to continue such attacks in the region. Sunday's attacks threaten to sharply escalate a war that has unleashed what the United Nations considers the world's most urgent humanitarian crisis. Millions of Yemenis live under threat of mass starvation and disease, at the mercy of combatants who have sometimes cut off food and medical supplies. "The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians," the statement said. The three-year conflict pits a coalition of Sunni Arab states friendly to the West against the Houthis, a Shi'ite armed movement sympathetic to Iran. The Houthis, who deny they are Iranian pawns and say their movement is a national revolution against corruption, control the north of Yemen. Independent U.N. experts reported to the Security Council in January that Iran had violated U.N. sanctions on Yemen because "it failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer" of ballistic missiles and other equipment to the Houthi group. The U.N. Security Council statement on Wednesday did not name who is violating the arms embargo. Last month, Russia vetoed a western bid for the United Nations Security Council to call out Tehran for failing to prevent its weapons from falling into the hands of the Houthis. Iran has denied supplying the Houthis weapons. The Trump administration has for months been lobbying for Iran to be held accountable at the United Nations, while at the same time threatening to quit a 2015 deal among world powers to curb Iran's nuclear program if "disastrous flaws" are not fixed. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Sandra Maler)
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN's outgoing political chief expressed concern Thursday in a parting message that the United Nations was losing support from a growing number of countries.

Jeffrey Feltman, an American who served as under-secretary-general for political affairs since 2012, said it was "quite worrying" that leaders were questioning the value of the United Nations.

"I do leave here concerned about making sure that we maintain in addition to the excellent leadership we have... that we maintain member-state support," said Feltman.

There are "an increasing number of leaders, increasing number of countries that are questioning whether the multinational system that this organization represents is the right way forward, is the answer," he said.

His remarks were directed in part at the United States where President Donald Trump has cut funding to the world body and his new national security adviser John Bolton has expressed skepticism about the UN's work.

Feltman described the United Nations as a "force multiplier" in addressing issues including terrorism and climate change that concern US national interests and those of other countries.

"We need to show that we can be effective," he said in a farewell press conference.

Feltman, who oversaw UN efforts to end conflicts worldwide, said Syria "remains the most tragic example of the failures of the international community to address a peace-and-security, humanitarian and human rights catastrophe."

Now in its eighth year, the war in Syria has killed more than 350,000 people with no breakthrough in sight for diplomatic efforts that have been undermined by divisions in the Security Council.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in December dispatched Feltman to North Korea to push for dialogue as fears of a nuclear war gripped the region.

It was the highest-level UN visit to Pyongyang in six years, a mission undertaken with Trump's approval.

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Despite signs that the United States is opting for diplomacy on North Korea, Feltman said it was "important to manage expectations."

"The issues are extremely complicated," he warned, adding that summit meetings between North and South Korean leaders as well as between Trump and Kim Jong Un would be the "start of the process".

Feltman will be replaced by another American, Rosemary DiCarlo, who becomes the first woman to hold the top post.
Geneva (AFP) - The United Nations on Thursday voiced outrage at the deaths of 68 people when a fire engulfed police holding cells in Venezuela and urged Caracas to investigate the tragedy.

"We are appalled at the horrific deaths of at least 68 people in Venezuela after a fire swept through a police station jail," the UN human rights office said in a statement.

Wednesday's fire in Valencia, in Carabobo State, was thought to have been started deliberately during an attempted jailbreak.

It marks one of the worst tragedies in years in Venezuela's notoriously violent and overcrowded prison system.

"We urge the Venezuelan authorities to carry out a prompt, thorough and effective investigation to establish the cause of these deaths," the UN statement said.

It also called on Caracas to "provide reparations to the victims' families, and, where applicable, identify and bring those responsible to justice."

Venezuela's attorney general said Thursday that four prosecutors had been named to investigate the blaze, which in addition to detainees killed two women who were visiting the jail.

The rights office voiced concern at reports that "security forces had used tear gas to disperse relatives who had gathered in front of the police station... to demand information about their loved ones."

"We call on the authorities to respect the families' right to information and to peaceful assembly," it said.

Venezuela's prisons suffer from dire overcrowding and a shortage of basic supplies, struggling under the deepening economic crisis that is gripping the once-wealthy oil-producing country.

"States are guarantors of the lives and physical integrity of persons deprived of their liberty," the rights office pointed out.

It urged Venezuela to bring prison conditions in line with "international human rights norms and standards, including the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

It also called on the country to allow for independent, international monitoring of its prisons.
This originally appeared on The Conversation.

Is this person a citizen of the United States?

On March 26, the U.S. Commerce Department announced that a citizenship question would be added to the 2020 census. This question, originally proposed by the Department of Justice, would ostensibly help enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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Census 2021

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

When it was first proposed in December 2017, census experts, over 100 national scientific and civil rights organizations, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Democratic senators and House members protested vehemently.

I am a social scientist who studies immigration. I have used census data on immigration and citizenship in my research for over two decades, and I have urged government statistical agencies before to collect more data about immigrants. But I dont think its wise to collect citizenship status in the 2020 census. Doing so would not only raise the risk of collecting inaccurate data, but also reduce public confidence in the census itself.

Tracking citizenship

On the one hand, data on citizenship is valuable. In any modern democracy, statistical data is essential for informing policy debates and guiding the implementation of governmental programs. Without it, decisions would almost certainly be too easily shaped by anecdotal evidence and personal biases.

Citizenship data has been used to track political participation and inclusion of immigrant groups. Citizenship is strongly associated with access to public assistance, health care and jobs. Social scientists and policy analysts rely heavily on survey items on citizenship to understand immigrants well-being and their impact on host societies.

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Whats more, the U.S. Census Bureau has successfully collected confidential information on citizenship status in the past. The citizenship question was first introduced in the 1870 census and was part of all censuses from 1890 through 1950. It was included in the long form of the censusadministered to 1 in 6 householdsas late as 2000. Its also asked in the American Community Survey, a survey that Census Bureau conducts every year.

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Immigrants tend to be willing survey respondents. In a 2010 study, Hispanic immigrants were more likely than U.S.-born Hispanics to agree that the census is good for the Hispanic community. They were also more likely to correctly understand that the census cannot be used to determine whether a person is in the country legally, and that the bureau must keep their responses confidential.

In another study I published in 2014 with two colleagues, James Bachmeier and Frank Bean, we found that nearly all immigrants answered questions about their immigration and documentation status. These response rates are on par with or better than typical survey questions on health or income. Moreover, immigrants responses to these questions appeared to be fairly accurate.

Harming the data

However, the political climate surrounding immigration has changed in the last year.

Not all immigrants have been cooperative respondents in the past. Those who are more likely to be undocumented have been undercounted in past censuses and were more likely to incorrectly report themselves as U.S. citizens.

The Trump administrations anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy may have increased mistrust among all immigrants, not just those who are undocumented. During focus group interviews conducted by the Census Bureau roughly six months into Trumps presidency, immigrants appeared anxious and reluctant to cooperate with Census Bureau interviewers. They mentioned fears of deportation, the elimination of DACA, a Muslim ban and ICE raids. One respondent walked out when the questionnaire turned to the topic of citizenship, leaving the interviewer alone in his apartment. Respondents even omitted or gave false names on household rosters to avoid registering with the Census Bureau. Interviewers remarked that it was much easier to collect data on immigration and citizenship just a few years ago than it is now.

Its not yet clear whether the fears seen in the focus group interviews are widespread or how such fears would affect response rates if the citizenship question were added to the 2020 census. Additionally, researchers havent yet worked out a way to ask the citizenship question so its not perceived as threatening.

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Unfortunately, theres not enough time to find out. A finalized questionnaire must be submitted to Congress by the end of March.

What to do in 2020

I served on the Census Advisory Board from 2008 to 2011 and have personally witnessed the time and effort it takes for the Census Bureau to develop questions for the census. Officials must pay meticulous attention to the exact question wording, response categories, ordering and questionnaire layout.

I believe adding a citizenship question without adequate testing could severely reduce participation in the 2020 census among the countrys 44 million immigrants and the additional 32 million U.S.-born people who live with them.

The social and economic consequences of a low response rate for the 2020 census would be severe. Even small errors in coverage could shift the distribution of political power and federal funds, as well as reduce the effectiveness of public health systems and other government functions.

Perhaps even worse, high coverage error in the 2020 census could undermine the publics trust in the census as the nations source of information on the size, growth and geographic distribution of the U.S. population.

This occurred a century ago, as historian Margo Anderson described in her book, The American Census. The 1920 census revealed dramatic shifts in population from rural to urban areas, as large waves of Eastern and Southern European immigrants settled predominantly in American cities. Congress, fearing the political ramifications of these changes, rejected the results of the 1920 census and voted not to redistribute the seats of the House according to the most recent census data. A similar rejection of the results of the 2020 census would likely result in a constitutional crisis today.

Citizenship data would be valuable. But the risks of poor data qualityor the erosion of public trust in the census and other governmental institutionsfar outweigh the potential benefits. Given that there are other current data available on citizenship, why take unnecessary risks when the stakes are so high?

This is an updated version of an article originally published on February 22, 2018.

Jennifer Van Hook, Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography, Pennsylvania State University.

The Conversation

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court on Wednesday revisited an issue close to the heart of American democracy: do voters pick their politicians, or is it the other way round, with lawmakers choosing their electorate?

Voters have for decades complained about partisan "gerrymandering" -- the widespread practice of redrawing a state's congressional districts to favor one political party over another.

The much-maligned tactic is a hot topic in the run-up to November's midterm elections -- with Republicans suing over Democrat redistricting in the state of Maryland.

In October, the Supreme Court's justices heard arguments in a lawsuit on Republican gerrymandering in Wisconsin -- but have yet to make a decision on that case.

While the new case accuses the Democrats, most charges of gerrymandering have in the recent past been levied against the Republicans.

The Maryland example is particularly illustrative of the phenomenon: the Democrats previously held six constituencies, the Republicans two.

Then in 2011, the Democrats pushed their advantage by redrawing the electoral map, flipping Maryland's 6th Congressional District over from Republican to Democrat.

"What the Maryland legislature did was to shuffle 360,000 people out and bring in 350,000 people," the left-leaning Justice Elena Kagan said Wednesday as the court began hearing the case.

"The result of that is that the district went from 47 percent Republican and 36 percent Democratic to exactly the opposite, 45 percent Democratic and 34 percent Republican."

"How much more evidence of partisan intent could we need?" she added.

- One person, one vote -

In the US, where Donald Trump was elected with fewer votes than his rival Hillary Clinton, redrawing the boundaries to benefit a particular party is common practice.

For years, the Supreme Court has been reluctant to get involved in gerrymandering cases -- unsure of the criteria by which to judge them and fearing a deluge of electoral challenges.

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But for the first time, it could set limits on the practice, named after 19th century Republican Elbridge Gerry, who redrew state senate election district boundaries in Massachusetts.

The new boundaries were said to resemble a salamander, giving way to the second part of the term.

"Is there a practical remedy that won't get judges involved in every -- or dozens and dozens and dozens of very important political decisions?" wondered Justice Stephen Breyer, who was appointed by former president Bill Clinton.

"It seems like a pretty clear violation of the Constitution in some form to have deliberate, extreme gerrymandering," he added.

Under the US Constitution, legislative districts are supposed to be the same size in terms of population, following the legal principle of one person, one vote.

But by redrawing voting blocs along party lines, millions of votes are in effect diluted.

"First Amendment retaliation does not even try to answer the perennial question of how much is too much politics in a redistricting process that this Court has called inherently political," said Maryland's solicitor general Steven Sullivan.

The Supreme Court could, by June, set gerrymandering limits by studying the possibility of a technical tool to curb the tactic.

Constituency maps for state and federal elections are usually redesigned following the US Census, carried out once per decade.

In most cases, it is the elected officials of each state who draw up the new districts according to population.

After the 2010 elections, the Republicans controlled Congress and redrew the electoral maps of 21 states.

The Trump administration has decided to add a question on citizenship to the next census, adding a new wrinkle to the issue.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - US Ambassador Nikki Haley told countries at the United Nations on Wednesday they need to "step up" and pay a bigger share of the multi-billion-dollar bill for peacekeeping operations.

The largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping, the United States last year negotiated a $600 million cut to that budget, but Haley made clear the administration wants to further trim the bill.

The United States will remain the number one financial supporter, Haley told a Security Council debate on peacekeeping, but it will cap its contribution to 25 percent, down from the current level of 28.5 percent.

"One country should not shoulder more than one quarter of the UN peacekeeping budget, and we look forward to a more equitable distribution of the budget among member states," she said.

"Moving forward, the United States will not pay more than 25 percent of the peacekeeping budget."

"All of us have a role to play, and all of us must step up."

After complex negotiations among the UN's 193 countries, the peacekeeping budget for 2017-2018 was set at $6.8 billion with 10 countries paying the lion's share.

After the United States, China is the second biggest contributor, covering 10.25 percent of the budget followed by Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Canada and Spain.

Negotiations on changing the UN scale of assessments for these payments are expected to be tough-going.

The cap of 25 percent of the US contribution has been in US law since the 1990s, but Congress has in the past waived that requirement at the administration's request.

President Donald Trump's administration has taken a hard line on UN funding, cutting contributions and pushing for cost-saving reforms.

- Unrealistic expectations -

The push for US funding cuts came as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched a bid to modernize peace missions following a sharp increase in attacks that killed 59 blue helmets last year.

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The UN's largest missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, the Central African Republic and South Sudan are struggling to protect civilians caught in fighting that shows little sign of abating.

"Peace operations cannot succeed if they are deployed instead of a political solution, rather than in support of one," Guterres told the council.

"We are damaging the instrument of peacekeeping, and indeed multilateralism itself, in creating unrealistic expectations. Lives and credibility are being lost," he said.

The United Nations has also been shaken by a wave of sexual abuse allegations against its peacekeepers in many of its 15 missions, which Guterres has vowed to root out.

A strong global player in peacekeeping, China said it will actively take part in an overhaul of the peace missions and backed efforts by the African Union to carve out a bigger role.

"China supports the peacekeeping funding proposal from the AU and hopes to see details of the AU-owned peacekeeping operations," said Chinese Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu.

France also said it would back a future request from the African Union for funding of its peace operations.

More than 100,000 troops from 120 countries serve under the UN flag in missions worldwide.
Earlier this month, a woman broke a glass ceiling: President Donald Trump announced that he would name Gina Haspel, a career intelligence officer, the first female director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Yet Haspel is something of a rarity, an Atlantic analysis of 2,475 Trump appointees shows. The White House has named twice as many men as women to administration positions. This gender skew is both broad and deep: In no department do female appointees outnumber male appointees, and in some cases men outnumber women four or five to one. Moreover, men significantly outnumber women in low-level positions as well as in high-level ones, with Trumps Cabinet currently composed of 19 men and five women. Overall, 33 percent of Trumps appointees are women, compared to 47 percent of the national workforce and 43 percent of the 2 million workers across the executive branch.

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The Republican Party and Trump officials have touted the number of women named to top government posts. The president has appointed more women to senior-level positions than previous administrations, the GOP has argued. Hes empowering ALL Americans with his winning agenda. But the analysisthe biggest and broadest look at Trump appointments conducted thus farshows that by some measures the White House has assembled the most preponderantly male team since the Reagan administration. Until Haspel, Trump also had not named as many women to top positions as his most recent predecessors, as the GOP has claimed.

With appointed positions, theres no excuse for an imbalance, because nothing is left to the voters, nothing is left to the media, nothing is left to potential candidates that have to decide whether to throw their hats into the ring and put themselves forward, said Jennifer Lawless, the director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University. Any administration that actually values gender parity can very easily assemble appointees that are roughly 50-50.

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The Trump administration has not, as the analysis, based on a pool of data on Trump appointees compiled and published by ProPublica, reveals. There are 75 different departments, boards, commissions, and agencies to which it has named staffers, from the massive Defense Department to the tiny Delta Regional Authority, and men made up half or more of appointments in 64 of them. In 22, all appointees were male, including at the National Labor Relations Board and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Men made up a majority of appointees in all Cabinet departments, with the skew particularly heavy in Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Labor, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, where male appointees outnumbered women by as many as four to one. The dataset of names Trump has put forward since taking office includes nominees awaiting Senate confirmation, interim appointees, those who have departed, and those who have transferred departments.

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Republican strategists and officials pointed to the women Trump has named to top positions in government, among them Nikki Haley, the ambassador to the United Nations; Linda McMahon, the head of the Small Business Administration; Elaine Chao, the secretary of transportation; and Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. We are seeing more women in prominent positions that we never thought wed see before and thats thanks to President Trump, said Missy Shorey, the executive director of Maggies List, which, like its liberal counterpart Emilys List, helps women run for office.

Aside from Haspel, though, Trump has not put women forward for any top positions that were not previously held by a woman, meaning that large spans of the glass ceiling remain unbroken. Youve never had a female secretary of defense, and youve never had a female secretary of the treasury, said Michele L. Swers, who studies women and government at Georgetown University. These are two positions that are seen as the most prestigious in the Cabinet, and the most central to the functioning of American national-security and economic policy. And President Trump did not renew Janet Yellen in her term as [the chair of the Federal Reserve]. Obama also had more top-level female appointees from the outset, contrary to Republican claims, naming seven such officials in 2009.

The Atlantic analysis showed that the Trump administrations gender skew occurred at all levels of governmentmeaning that Trump has more male administration officials to promote to senior ranks, and giving the next Republican administration a gender-skewed pool of potential applicants. People further up the food chain are picking these people who are lower-level appointees who are also white and male, Debbie Walsh, the director of the nonpartisan Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers. This is part of the reason why you need to have people in the room that make decisions that are diverse. Diversity begets diversity.

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The Trump administrations gender skew is roughly equivalent to that of the George W. Bush administration, and significantly higher than that of the Barack Obama administration. Roughly one in three Trump appointees is female, as in the George W. Bush administration, whereas Obama and Bill Clinton granted roughly two in five positions to women. Compared with a similar, large pool of data on Obama nominees as of 2012, the share of female appointees has fallen 27 percentage points at the Labor Department; 19 points at the Treasury; 18 points at the Department of Housing and Urban Development; and 16 points at Veterans Affairs. At no Cabinet department has the Trump White House named a higher share of women than the Obama administration did, thus far.

The Share of Women Among Political Appointees

The percentage of women appointees, by Cabinet department, put forward by Trump since taking office, compared to a similar analysis of Obama appointees as of 2012. Both differ from the broader non-appointed workforce that currently staffs the agencies. (Data: The Atlantic / ProPublica / The New York Times / 2012 Plum Book / Office of Personnel Management)

Experts on women in government and Republican political analysts said that a number of interrelated factors contributed to the administrations gender skew. First was the simple fact that there are more Republican men than Republican women and, across Washington, more men working in conservative politics than women working in conservative politics. Think tanks, lobbying firms, research and advocacy groups, Hill offices, Wall Street: They all have a longtime gender imbalance, and all feed candidates into the administration. Its important to have more women in these offices and to grow this pipeline, said Tiffany Waddell, a founder of RightNOW Women PAC, speaking about women on the Hill. One of the easiest things to do is to have women who are holding public office encourage other women to be part of the team.

It is also possible that Trumpwith his history of sexist remarks, alleged commitment of sexual assault, and heavily male inner circlehad turned off many conservative women who might have joined another Republican administration, with his support among conservative women consistently lower than his support among conservative men. How many times does he get away with saying something misogynistic before we call him a misogynist? said Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist and prominent Never Trumper, on CNN. How many times does he get away with saying something sexist before we acknowledge it is he who is a sexist?

The Trump administrations failure to make gender parity a prioritythough it has touted its achievements in naming women to high-level positions, has never cited it as a personnel goalplayed a role too. My broad impression is that Donald Trump and his top advisers dont place any semblance of gender parity or equality at the top of their list of goals, said Lawless. Its just that it doesnt occur to themthey are not at all interested in ensuring that they continue to make the progress that the Obama administration had made. And so when they come across a name of somebody that they think would be qualified, or that they think is a legitimate occupant for that position, they appoint that person regardless of sex. (The Trump administration did not respond to questions about the Atlantic analysis, or how it chose candidates for appointments. When previously asked about diversity in appointments, it has pointed to the women who hold Cabinet positions.)

Then there is the way that Trump himself chooses his aides and advisors, with an emphasis on individuals who look the part and on personal connections. Its not necessarily surprising that you have the chief economic adviser, or at least the soon-to-be departing chief economic adviser, as somebody who is male, and you have a secretary of treasury who is male, and so forth, said Lilly J. Goren, a political scientist at Carroll University. Those are the expectations. And when the president of the United States talks about his potential secretary of state having to look a certain way, then he too is casting an image of what that person is supposed to look like.

More broadlyand perhaps more importantlyconservatives as a group care less about gender balance, pushing against identity as a meaningful heuristic on its own. We know that identity politics is hollow, and the left has it as their only rallying cry, said Shorey. To sit there and look at this analysis and think its complete and an accurate representation is shortsighted. Youre talking about things where its never been 50-50! To land that at the foot of this Republican administrationthis is why so many conservatives write off the news as fake news. Stop it and relax, and be excited for these amazing women. She added that she felt that the media condescended to Republican women, by arguing that they voted against their own self-interest and by implying that the party had a problem with women in general.

The important thing is whether the administration has been effective, argued Jody Rushton, the president of the National Federation of Republican Women. As a womens organization, we champion women, she said. But our first and foremost requirements of a candidate are to meet the requirements. Someone whos ethical. Someone whos conservative. Someone whos strong. What should come first is that you should elect or appoint quality candidates. It shouldnt matter what color you are. It shouldnt matter if youre male or female. Youve got to fit our requirements. She added that Rex Tillerson, Trumps unceremoniously fired secretary of state, had not been a good administration official because of his lack of loyalty, whereas Haspel was tough. Shes smart. She is loyal to conservative politics and to Trump. Theres nothing better.

On the left, on the other hand, arguments about representation and fairness have had far more resonance. In 1992, President-elect Bill Clinton famously called womens groups bean counters for pressuring him toward gender parity in his appointments. But now, Democrats are more than twice as likely as Republicans to say the country has more work to do to achieve gender equality, according to a Pew Research Center poll, and Democratic administrations have had far more female appointees than Republican administrations: The Obama administration openly talked about gender parity as a goal and Hillary Clinton promised as a candidate to appoint a Cabinet that looked like the American people. The Republican party, in the current climate, is not as focused on diversity as the Democrats, so theres going to be a lot more pressure on Democratic groups to get their president to appoint women, said Lawless. [Trump has] generally not emphasized the importance of appointing more women, and thats certainly not that important to the coalition that elected him.

Indeed, Republican women in some cases will say there isnt any hard evidence of this argument that to overcome discrimination, to overcome bias, we need to take an extra step, said Leonie Huddy, a political scientist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Take the argument that, Well, there arent the kind of women who are well-qualified for this job and were taking the best people, she said. Those arguments are going to have great resonance for women who are Republicans.

Political experts also said that the Republican Partys position on women and representation in some ways might make it harder to recruit and promote women, and to push the party closer to gender parity in the future. The whole philosophy of the Republican party is to steer clear of identity politics, so its hard to make the case within the ethos of the party that it matters to have women there, substantively, said Walsh. Theyd like to have a big tent. They want it to be diverse. But they dont talk about the value diversity brings, and argue that identity politics is responsible for this partisan divide we have.

As of now, there is little evidence that the balance of female appointees will change in the coming weeks or months. Along with Haspel, who faces opposition from Democrats and some Republicans on the Hill, Trump has recently picked Larry Kudlow, a CNBC commentator, to head the National Economic Council, Mike Pompeo to run the State Department, and John Bolton as his national-security adviser.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
The White House denied that President Donald Trump is considering pardoning former aides tangled in the special counsels investigation, soon after the New York Times reported his former personal attorney had mentioned the idea.

Speaking at the daily briefing, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders read a statement White House lawyer Ty Cobb provided to the Times, in which he said, I have only been asked about pardons by the press and have routinely responded on the record that no pardons are under discussion or under consideration at the White House.

Ty Cobb is the person that would be most directly involved in this, she said, directing the press to his statement. Sanders continued that the president has the authority to pardon individuals, but that the cases mentioned by the Times have not been discussed in the White House, and that she is not aware of any conversations between Trump and Dowd on this issue.

A New York Times report published Wednesday afternoon said that Trumps former lawyer, John Dowd, broached the idea of pardoning former advisers Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort with their lawyers last year, citing three unnamed people with knowledge of the discussions.

The discussions happened just as special counsel Robert Muellers investigation was looking into both mens conduct, the Times reported.

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In October, Mueller indicted Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager, and his associate Rick Gates on charges of failing to register as agents of a foreign government, providing false statements about their lobbying work with the Ukrainian government, among other things.

Manafort pleaded not guilty. In December, Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI over the course of the investigation. In February, Gates pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to investigators.

The White House and Trumps lawyers have regularly argued that the president is not considering pardons.

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WH attorney Ty Cobb to CNN: "There is no consideration being given to pardoning Michael Flynn at the White House."  Jim Acosta (@Acosta) December 15, 2017

Shortly after the Washington Post reported in July of 2017 that some of his lawyers had discussed using pardons to undercut Muellers investigation, Trump noted in a tweet that he has the complete power to pardon.

While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us.FAKE NEWS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2017

And at the time of Flynns plea, Trump would not rule out pardoning Flynn.

I dont want to talk about pardons for Michael Flynn yet, he told a reporter. Well see what happens. Lets see.

Even if Trump did issue pardons, experts warn it could backfire. He cant pardon for offenses under state law, meaning staffers could still be in legal jeopardy depending on their actions, and pardoned officials would no longer be able to avoid testifying publicly.

As president, Trump has granted pardons to former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio for criminal contempt and a Navy sailor who took photos of classified areas of a submarine and then destroyed the evidence when he faced an investigation.
President Donald Trumps TV star-run administration has hired former Disney Channel actress Caroline Sunshine as a White House press assistant.

Sunshine, 22, is best known for a role with Zendaya in the Disney series Shake It Up, which followed the lives of teenage backup dancers during its run from 2010 to 2013.

A post shared by Caroline Sunshine (@carolinesunshine) on Mar 30, 2013 at 8:13pm PDT

Sunshine was named to the new job after a White House internship, which she landed through an application on the White House website, CNN reported.

In college, she was involved with the American Enterprise Institute and an active member of her schools Model United Nations team, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told CNN. Prior to her internship at the White House, Caroline interned for the Office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the College Republican National Committee and the California Republican Party.

Images on Sunshines Instagram show some from her Model U.N. days and hints of political ambitions, like a photo of an I voted sticker:

A post shared by Caroline Sunshine (@carolinesunshine) on Oct 31, 2015 at 10:00am PDT

That Trumps White House would hire another staffer with TV experience isnt surprising. The president, who spent years as a reality TV star, recently named John Bolton  former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. turned Fox News analyst  as his new national security adviser.

Still, many people on social media had comments about Sunshines appointment:

Have spent five minutes staring at this trying to be sure that it's not The Onion https://t.co/0gF6ExwWw4  Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 27, 2018

Donald Trump has hired a Disney Channel star named Sunshine for the White House staff. Sounds fake, but this is somehow a real story. Its just that this presidency is fake.  Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 28, 2018

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION; DISNEY EDITION.



The rate of turnover in the Trump administration feels less like a revolving door and more like a pulse-pounding, gut-wrenching thrill ride; Space Mountain in warp drive.



Welcome #CarolineSunshinepic.twitter.com/25UNkk6wUa  Agit-Pop (@agitpopworld) March 28, 2018

OMG ... Seriously?! Why not just hire the entire Mickey Mouse Club to run the government?! #TrumpInsanity#FratHouse45



Caroline Sunshine, former Disney star, joins White House press team https://t.co/A9xVl0DmXX  Caryn Jones (@Woke2Injustice) March 28, 2018

Former Disney Channel star Caroline Sunshine is joining the White House press office as a press assistant.



This is a sad attempt to make the White House look younger. They also want to take advantage of her social media presence. pic.twitter.com/0jQMIRpjPm  Red T Raccoon (@RedTRaccoon) March 28, 2018

Disney once had a show called Cory in the House about a kid in the White House. Maybe Caroline in the House is coming.

This story has been updated to include more details about Bolton.
For the first time in the countrys history, a court in South Africa sentenced a white woman to prison for using racist language.

Vicki Momberg was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in jail for using racist slurs to describe black police officers who had arrived to help her following a robbery in 2016. The incident had been caught on film, and Momberg was convicted in November last year of four counts of crimen injuria, or intentionally impairing the dignity of another person.

During the incident, Momberg told the police officers that she did not want to be assisted by a black person and she threatened to use physical violence. In the video that spread across social media, Momberg had referred to black people as kaffirs, a derogatory term that was frequently used during South Africas apartheid regime.

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If I see a kaffir, I will drive him over, she said. I have a gun. I will shoot everybody.

Authorities in South Africa have defined the word as hate speech and made moves to criminalize its use. Momberg is now the first person to be convicted for its use.

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Many South Africans celebrated the ruling as a sign that authorities are taking racism seriously. The Nelson Mandela Foundation released a statement saying that the ruling was a clear message that race-based abuse would not be tolerated.

"For too long, post-apartheid South Africa has pursued what we would call strategies of generosity in relation to such manifestations of racism. It must stop, the statement read.

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But others have criticized the law against hate speech as insufficient for addressing the deep-seated racism pervasive in South Africa.

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Verbal and psychical punishment that characterize racial assaults and slurs are a way in which the perpetrator reinforces their sense of identity over their victims, whom they cast as inferior or deviant, South African law professor Joel Modiri wrote in 2016 when the government first proposed criminalizing the word "kaffir."

It is therefore puzzling that the mooted solution to this problem as proposed by the ANC government is the criminalization of racist and other hate speech. If the history of racism is best understood historically as one of oppression rather than mere hate or aversion, why would the solution be to criminalize expressions of racism rather than to address, finally after 22 years, its root causes and endemic effects? Modiri continued.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Oriana Skylar Mastro

Security, Asia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju pose for a picture with Chinese President Xi Jinping and wife Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China in this picture released to Reuters on March 28, 2018. Ju Peng/Xinhua via REUTERS

While North Korea and the United States will be vying for the upper hand, the ultimate winner will be Beijing.

Why Xi Jinping Wants to Broker the Trump-Kim Deal

On Tuesday, March 27, an armored train transported a number of high-level North Korean officials to Beijing for a secretive visita delegation that included Kim Jong-un himself. This is a major turn of events as Kim has never traveled outside his hermit kingdom since becoming its leader in 2011, nor has he met with another head of state. Though China did confirm Kims presence in Beijing after he left, we still have no insight into who initiated the visit and what was discussed.

One thing is certain, however: this visit was a desperatebut strategicmove designed to improve Kims position in any future negotiations with the United States.

Kim needs Beijing on his side if North Korea is going to achieve its goals at the negotiating table. However, Beijings support is not a given. As I wrote in Foreign Affairs, the ChinaNorth Korea relationship has deteriorated in recent years. Beijings efforts to distance itself from Pyongyang enjoys wide public support. Xi is said to despise the North Korean regime, and he has publicly stated that China will not protect North Korea if Kim provokes a conflict. In fact, the bilateral relationship has gotten so bad that officers in the Peoples Liberation Army have suggested to me in private meetings that Beijing and Pyongyang may not take the same side in the event of a new Korean war. Such a historical trip may demonstrate Kims willingness to finally heed Beijings advice, which would go a long way to improve strained relations.

Having Beijing on his side would work to Kims advantage in a number of ways. First, based on past negotiating patterns, Kim is likely to ask for the easing of sanctions and even some positive economic inducements just to stay involved in the diplomatic process. The United States, however, will be resistant to this, given its opposition to the economic benefits that were a part of the Iran deal, coupled with National Security Advisordesignate John Boltons comments that meeting President Trump should be enough of a reward.

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Historically, Beijing has been supportive of easing sanctions if it keeps North Korea talking; China is a big piece of the equation, seeing that it is responsible for 90 percent of North Koreas trade with the outside world. If China is so inclined, it could unilaterally provide sanctions relief, or even convince the United States to soften its attempts at isolating Pyongyang.

Beyond economics, Pyongyang likely got wind that the United States was pushing China to openly discuss contingencies on the Korean Peninsula to deconflict potential operationsand that Beijing was becoming more receptive. China has also carried out a number of exercises that suggest it is actively preparing for a Korean contingency. Since 2015, the majority of Chinese naval drills have taken place in the Bohai and Yellow Seas, off the coast of North Korea and Japan, including three known major exercises in the waters close to North Korea. In September 2017, two days after North Koreas fifth nuclear test, land and air force personnel conducted exercises while Chinas strategic rocket force practiced shooting down incoming missiles over the waters close to North Korea. According to a Chinese naval expert, these exercises show that China is prepared and able to stop any power that threatens stability in the region.

If war breaks out on the peninsula, but China does not intervene to protect North Korea and collaborates in the aftermath with the United States, that would mean the end of Kim. In short, the stakes are high, and Kim needs to be in a position to play the two countries off each other. Engaging directly with both sides will help him do that.

But is a short visit to Beijing enough? It is hard to know Chinas response; media outlets were banned Tuesday from reporting on North Korea at all and terms such as North Korea, Kim Jong-un and Fatty the Third were completely censored from Weibo, Chinas largest social media platform.

China and its leaders are not amateurs when it comes to dealing with the North Korean regime. While Kims willingness to leave Pyongyang to go to Chinas capital goes a long way to demonstrate his desire for improved relations, Beijing likely has some demands of its own. Xi probably chastised Kim for his provocative behavior, and warned him not to engage in any more nuclear or missile tests under any circumstances. China may even push for domestic political and economic changes within North Korea, or more access and influence with the regime, especially in the context of negotiations with the United States. In other words, if Xi is going to help Kim, China cant merely be notified of Kims decisionsit has to be able to drive them.

Additionally, China needs to make sure that Kim is prepared to negotiate in good faith. If this is merely a stalling tactic until Kim completes his nuclear deterrent, there are concerns that this could be the last straw for the Trump administration, making war on the peninsula all but imminent. This is an outcome that Beijing is hoping to avoid if possible.

At the very least, Beijing just won itself a seat at the table. While North Korea and the United States will be vying for the upper hand, the ultimate winner will be Beijing. China is in the best position among all three to drive events in its favor, and to ensure that there is no war and no collapse. Perhaps most importantly, Chinas involvement can ensure that the United States continues to focus on the Korea nuclear issue, thus failing to compete with Beijing for regional power, and perhaps even global influence.

Oriana Skylar Mastro is an assistant professor of security studies at Georgetown University and a Jeane Kirkpatrick Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Her research and commentary can be found at orianaskylarmastro.com.

Image: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju pose for a picture with Chinese President Xi Jinping and wife Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China in this picture released to Reuters on March 28, 2018. Ju Peng/Xinhua via REUTERS

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Ecuadors Embassy in London has cut off all Internet access for its whistleblower-in-residence Julian Assange, claiming that the WikiLeaks founder broke an agreement not to spread messages that could damage Ecuadors relationship with other countries.

The behavior of Assange, with his messages on social media, puts at risk the good relationship the country maintains with Great Britain, with the other members of the European Union, and with other countries, the Ecuadorian embassy announced in a statement Wednesday. The agreement to not send messages that would damage Ecuadors foreign policy was allegedly signed by Assange last year.

The decision was made after Assange and his organization WikiLeaks were accused of attempting to influence foreign elections.

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Ecuador cut Assanges Internet access once in 2016 over concerns that he may try to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections in the U.S. During that year, WikiLeaks published a collection of emails stolen by hackers from the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party. A recent statement from special counsel Robert Muellers office on Tuesday claimed that the hacker who gave the stolen emails to Wikileaks was likely a Russian military intelligence agent. Many analysts suspect that Assange and WikiLeaks are both aligned with the Russian government.

President Donald Trump has argued that WikiLeaks had no impact on the outcome of the 2016 presidential elections. But the president lauded the organization on numerous occasions during his campaign for office. The organization also shared direct messages with the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., and with Trump surrogate Roger Stone.

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Cutting Assange off from the Internet will ensure that the WikiLeaks founder cannot engage in these types of endeavors directly. Nevertheless, WikiLeaks has staff members and editors in other countries, and the radical transparency organization can continue to leak classified information with Assange.

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Assange originally took refuge in Ecuadors Embassy in London in order to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced charges of sexual assault. Sweden eventually dropped the charges against him, but if he leaves the embassy he could be arrested by British authorities for jumping bail. The WikiLeaks founder says he is afraid to leave the embassy because Britain may comply with demands that he be extradited to the United States to face trial for his involvement in the leaking of classified government information through his organization.

But during his stay at the embassy, Assange has clashed with embassy staff on numerous occasions. The embassy employees have complained that he fails to care for his own personal hygiene and regularly wipes his fingers on his pants after he eats.

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Ecuadors embassy released the statement Wednesday confirming that Assange would be cut off from communicating with the outside world shortly after he tweeted an antagonistic message at a British minister implying that the British politician was a snake.

Assange was granted asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012, and obtained Ecuadorian citizenship earlier this year. He is also an Australian national.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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A woman in Mansfield, Ohio, was arrested on Saturday after police say she drunkenly made lewd comments to the Easter Bunny before taking a ride on the carousel.

According to the Mansfield News Journal, police said a 54-year-old woman was having her picture taken with the Easter Bunny while intoxicated at the Richland Carrousel Park when she allegedly made lewd comments at the celebrated, chocolate-loving bunny. She then rode the carousel.

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Mansfield Police said that the woman was unsteady on her feet and slurred her speech, ABC11 reported. Other witnesses also allegedly told police they thought she was intoxicated.

The woman was arrested for drunkenness and taken to Richard County Jail. A search of Richland County Jail's roster online suggested that she had been released.

The Mansfield Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

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A post written by "The Easter Bunny" on the Richland Carrousel Park's website the day after the alleged incident said that photos cost $5 and that people can take a ride on the carousel while they wait for them to be printed. My bunch of carrots were very good and I have lots of energy, the bunny wrote.

The Richland Carrousel Park website says that at the time of its opening in 1991, it was the first new, hard-carved carousel in America since the 1930s.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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A woman was knocked unconscious and seriously injured after she fell from a plane door and onto the tarmac as the plane taxied toward taking off, according to a report from Israeli news source The Times of Israel on Tuesday.

The woman, 38-year-old Dikla Abitbul, was returning from a five-day vacation in Hungary on a flight to Tel Aviv, Israel, when the incident occurred Friday at Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest. She was taken to a Budapest hospital and is being treated for her injuries, according to reports.

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Exactly what led to the incident isn't 100 percent clear. The Times of Israel reported a vehicle used to taxi was emitting thick smoke, the plane sucking it in through its ventilation system. Passengers rushed for the doorseven as the captain attempted to explain the situation. Abitbul's mother, Riki Sapirin, seemed to suggest there might have been some sort of malfunction with the plane in an interview with Israeli news source Ynet News.

Regardless, passengers reportedly rushed for the emergency exits, and the doors and slides down to the taxi area were opened despite the captain apparently asking for that not to happen.

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It's unclear exactly why Abitbul fell, but potential explanations have included being accidentally pushed off amid the rush for the doors and the gusts from the engines.

We realized that smoke was coming into the plane," Sapirin told Ynet News. "They said that the pilot had asked the flight stewards not to open the emergency doors, but the panic among the passengers forced them to open them. Another man was also injured after sliding down from the plane, not from Israel, but Dikla flew from the door onto the asphalt."

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Her mother explained to Ynet News that the injuries are quite seriousshe fractured ribs and has a head surgeryand that Abitbul has been anesthetized in critical condition since she arrived in the hospital. The incident occurred on an Israir Airlines flight, which reportedly leased a Boeing 737 from a budget Czech airline.

A flight attendant in Uganda died this month after a similar sort of fall onto the tarmac. The woman fell from the emergency door of a parked Emirates plane at Entebbe airport in Uganda as it was preparing to board the flight, according to the BBC.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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By Charlotte Greenfield WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand will not allow entry to Russian diplomats expelled by other countries in response to a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain, that Britain has blamed on Russia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday. The attempted murder of Sergie Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain's MI6 spy service, has plunged Moscow's relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low. After Britain expelled 23 Russians it said were spies working under diplomatic cover, Russia followed by throwing out 23 British diplomats. The United States and other Western countries, including most member states of the European Union and NATO, expelled more than 100 diplomats. New Zealand has not expelled any Russians, which Ardern earlier justified by saying there were no Russian spies present at the Russian embassy in New Zealand for her government to expel, unlike the situation in other intelligence partners. She said on Thursday she would ask allies for the names of the Russians they expelled and they would not be allowed into New Zealand to protest against Russia's "inadequate response" to the attack in Britain. "Those names will then be placed on a travel ban list to ensure that individuals who have been found to undertake activities incompatible with their diplomatic status in other countries do not enter New Zealand," she said in a statement. Some politicians had earlier criticized Ardern for not taking a harder stance against Russia, and risking a rift with the Pacific nation's Western allies. "The perception is that the original response wasn't strong enough and therefore they're trying to make up for it," Robert Ayson, professor of security studies at the Victoria University in Wellington, said of the travel ban. "It does look like a bit of scramble." Rhys Ball, a Massey University security analyst who formerly worked for New Zealand's intelligence service, said the government's block on the expelled Russians was largely a gesture. "It's a very lightweight effort ... those undeclared intelligence officers are essentially what we would describe as 'blown' now and they're not going to travel to any other country any time soon," Ball said. Some analysts see the government's decision not to expel any Russians as one the first major international missteps for the charismatic Ardern, whose center-left Labour government took the helm in October. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters told Parliament on Wednesday that most of Russia's spying activity on New Zealand took place from offshore. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Grant McCool, Robert Birsel)
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Two University of Washington professors are taking aim at BS in a provocatively named new course they hope to teach this spring. The professors would like to push the course materials online  teaching it as a MOOC, for example, a freely available course taught over the web.
In 1967, Israel did much more than act preemptively to win what would become known as the Six-Day War . It fought a war of blitzkrieg, ensuring it rushed its enemies and maximized the land it controlled, only then targeting the more powerful enemy strongholdswhen they were isolated and weakened. Israel will need to fight such a war again if it wants to be viewed as the victor in its next war with Hezbollah.

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Every year around springtime the chatter begins like clockwork: In the summer, experts claim, a war between Israel and Hezbollah will start anew. This year is no different, with the exception that Hezbollahs entanglement in Syria is winding down, Iranian military assets are on Israels borders, and tensions, preparations and warnings are at an all-time high.

In other words, at least on paper, the timing for war is ripe. A lot has happened since the Second Lebanon War in 2006. While both parties have grown stronger and smarter, alliances have altered and the risks to both sides have grown.

If Israel wants to be viewed as the victor in its next war with Hezbollah, it will need to fight a war of blitzkrieg (Photo: Yoav Zitun)

Hezbollah today has an abundance of sophisticated weaponry from Iran, Syria, China and Russia. As is often pointed out in the media, the group has more rockets than nearly all NATO countries. It has cooperation and coordination with the (US-backed) Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as well as the Lebanese government. It has a government in Syria that owes it its very existence and which is awash with Iranian Revolutionary Guard advisors that sit close to Israels borders. It has UAVs and missiles capable of targeting cities, ships and aircraft alike. Add to that the years of experience Hezbollah has gained in fighting US-backed forces such as the Kurds as well as terrorist groups such as ISIS, and Israel has itself one seriously formidable foe.

Understanding the propaganda value, any future conflict will see Hezbollah attempt for the first time to take control of an Israeli town or village, even if temporarily. And it very well may succeed in doing so (temporarily). If it is able to choose the start of the war, it will send tens of thousands of both precise and crude rockets into the Jewish state in the first few days, striking at all major Israeli population centers.

It will also attempt to target strategic Israeli positions such as Ben-Gurion Airport (and Israeli-bound aircraft), oil and gas platforms on land and sea, power and water plants, the IDFs military headquarters in the heart of Tel Aviv, chemical plants in Haifa, and Israels main nuclear site in Dimonanot to mention Israeli and Jewish locations abroad. It will also make use of tunnels, with which Hezbollah has decades of experience. Nearly all of Israel will be at risk. These actions, however, will have consequences.

IDF tanks during Six-Day War (Photo: Bamahane, courtesy of IDF Archive at the Defense Ministry)

In any future conflict, Israel will attempt to target Lebanese infrastructure and punish that state for supporting Hezbollah and allowing itself to be used as cover by Hezbollah and Iran. This will result in government, military, commercial and military infrastructure being destroyed on a scale not seen in Lebanon in quite some time (if ever).

The approximately 200 villages that intentionally double as Hezbollahs military bases in South Lebanon will be heavily damaged. Parts of Syria will likely be targeted as well, potentially bringing Assads remaining Syrian forces into the fray, as Hezbollah and Iran have significant resources capable of targeting Israel in that country.

Israel will begin any new conflict with the open support of the Trump administration as well as the tacit support of most of the Sunni Arab world, who are eager to see the Iranian-backed Shi'ite crescent weaken and bleed. But it will also have its share of detractors. The United States is more politicized than ever before, which means more will come out against Israel precisely as a result of US President Donald Trumps support for the Jewish state.

Knee-jerk critics of Israel in Europe and elsewhere can be counted on to undoubtedly condemn the Jewish State regardless of the validity of its fight. Hezbollah is banking on the international community (and media) to jump into the anti-Israel frenzy, willingly and intentionally sacrificing the Lebanese civilian population to do so.

Considering its enemy and their tactics, for Israel to be viewed as the victorespecially by its own domestic populationit will need to do more than it has in previous engagements both in Lebanon and Gaza. It will need not just military success, but the conquering of large swaths of Lebanese territory to create the perception of a clear psychological and strategic victory as well.

Unlike the Second Lebanon War, this means Israel must go as far north as possible while ensuring it can control the supply lines to sustain it. The IDF need not get bogged down trying to take the individual southern Lebanese villages rife with entrenched and prepared Hezbollah resistance. It must follow the blitzkrieg strategy that it employed so successfully in 1967.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah

Preemption is also key to success, and something not easy for any democratic state to employ. Israel will need to create a casus belli to commence a war; something that should not be difficult to find. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been traditionally weary of war, but his current political troubles make him perhaps more amenable to fighting an inevitable conflict on Israels best terms.

Only preemption will ensure the Jewish state better controls the pace of the war from its onset, while also allowing its air force to destroy more precision guided and heavier munition rockets and missiles before they have a chance to launch. Thanks to the newest Trump administration shake up, between John Bolton and Michael Pompeo, Israel has perhaps its best allies in place for just such a strike.

Israel must also avoid creating unrealistic goals it cannot possibly guarantee, which only feeds into the narrative of its enemies. Claims to destroy Hezbollah once and for all sound great, but weaken the Israeli position when all is said and done, and both domestic and international pressures result in Israel calling it quits prior to reaching that incredibly difficult goal. And stating that Hassan Nasrallah and other leaders will be eliminated only matter if they actually take place. Better to remain quiet and take in the credit and praise only once something tangible is achieved.

While both Hezbollah and Israel have declared themselves disinterested in war at this time, in reality the next war will come too soon. When it does, Israel will do well to remember the lessons of 1967 and not just those of 2006.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Major General Yoav Mordechai warned bus companies in the Gaza Strip Wednesday evening not to cooperate with the Hamas terror group by driving residents toward the border fence as part of the large scale Great March of Return protest planned for this Friday.

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Anyone who approaches the border is endangering his life. From my point of view, if bus companies you own take some of the protestors and bring them to the border, you and your families will be held personally responsible, Mordechai warned during an interview on the Alhurra United States-based public Arabic-language satellite TV channel.

Mordechai then turned to the bus companies themselves, saying that If you enjoyed benefits in the past, they will be canceled.



Severe steps would be taken by the IDF, he continued, against any attempts by the protesters to approach the border fence or damage it or to infiltrate into Israeli territory.

Major General Yoav Mordechai (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The Israeli response will be strong, and not only against the protestors. Every option is on the table, he added.

Mordechai said that the IDF had cautioned the bus companies in the coastal enclave against becoming involved in any way in the protest, emphasizing again that protestors attempting to breach the border would be dealt with with a heavy hand.

Personal steps will be taken against anyone who uses the buses to get to the violent protests and against the bus company owners, he stated. We made contact with more than 20 managers of bus companies that Hamas paid to encourage people who dont want to leave their homes and participate in these violent protests.

Asked whether punitive steps would be meted out against officials in Gaza, Mordechai reiterated that all options were at the IDFs disposal. We intend to do anything in order to prevent violent protests and terroristic protests, he responded.

Hamas, he continued, had failed. It has failed in the economy, in its management of Gaza, in the reconciliation deal and in its military terror project in which it invested all its millions in building underground tunnels, Mordechai said in the interview.

Mordechai was also asked about the meetings and conferences he had recently attended to raise money for Gaza.

These conferences, which took place in Cairo, Brussels and the White House are important because Hamas failed in the economic aspect and its management of Gaza, he repeated.

He also emphasized that we have information that Hamas, after it realized that all options had been closed on its face, is trying to open a direct line with Tehran via the al-Quds brigade in order to smuggle money and aid into the strip.

Hamas terrorist during military drill

The IDF has deployed more than 100 sharpshooters on the Gaza border ahead of a planned mass Palestinian demonstration near the frontier, Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot told Yedioth Ahronoth in a special interview that will be published in full on Friday.

We have deployed more than 100 sharpshooters who were called up from all of the militarys units, primarily from the special forces, Eisenkot said in the interview. If lives are in jeopardy, there is permission to open fire.

The IDF has been issuing daily warnings to the residents of Gaza ahead of the planned protest. On Tuesday evening, it warned the residents not to approach the border fence with Israel during their Great March of Return planned for Friday, and described it as a March of Anarchy.

Israeli security forces are bracing for the upcoming mass march in the strip, and preparing for extreme scenarios envising diversion operations designed to enable Hamas terrorists to infiltrate into Israel while Israeli security forces are dealing with rioters spread across the border.

In a video posted in Arabic on the IDF Spokespersons Unit Facebook page, residents were told that Hamas was using them as a decoy in its violent schemes rather than providing solutions to the problems that Gazans face.
Israel's national carrier filed a lawsuit against the government on Wednesday for allowing Air India to fly over Saudi airspace on its New Delhi-Tel Aviv flights, a move El Al says puts it at an unfair disadvantage.

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El Al claims that when it was privatized back in the 1990s, the Israeli government at the time pledged to "encourage fair and healthy competition" between Israeli airlines and their foreign competitors. This promise is now being undermined, El Al said.

Saudi Arabia and Israel have no diplomatic ties. The kingdom's decision to allow the Indian carrier to fly through its airspace en route to Tel Aviv reflected a recent, behind-the-scenes warming of ties between the two countries.

El Al (Photo: Shaul Golan)

But El Al says it has been harmed as a result. It currently has the only flights connecting Mumbai to Tel Aviv but is forced to bypass Saudi Arabia on that route. The new Air India route significantly shortens travel time and airfare costs.

El Al is asking that the Air India flights be halted until Israeli airlines are also allowed to fly over Saudi Arabia. The suit also names Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's transport minister, Yisrael Katz, and Air India.

Air India (Photo: Shutterstock)

The Israeli government has lauded the new Air India route from New Delhi to Tel Aviv as a symbol of tightening ties between the countries, as well as a harbinger of Israel's improving status in the region. Israel says it has seen a 33 percent uptick this year in incoming tourism from India.

Netanyahu has said he sees "huge" potential for Israel from the flights over Saudi airspace with "long-term implications."

The first flight Air India flight over Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states landed last week.
The IDF has arrested two Palestinians who infiltrated into Israeli territory from the southern Gaza Strip.

The suspects were arrested next to the border crossing near the security fence in possession of two bolt cutters and a knife.

They were taken in for questioning by security forces.
The defense attroney representing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus wife and son, Sara and Yair, filed a complaint Wednesday to the Police Investigations Unit in the Justice Ministry against what was described as manipulative and false leaks to the media.

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Mrs. Netanyahu, Yair Netanyahu and the prime minister were questioned Monday morning as part of the Bezeq corruption case, also known as Case 4000

The prime minister was grilled for four hours by his investigators at his official residence in Jerusalem, while his wife Sara was summoned to the offices of the police's Lahav 433 investigations unit and Yair was questioned for the first time at the Israel Securities Authority's offices.

On Monday, the prime ministers wife and her son were investigated by Lahav 443 investigators at the Israel Securities Authority's offices. Immediately after the conclusion of the investigation, a witch hunt and lies began, orchestrated and timed around their investigations by different media outlets, the lawyer Yossi Cohen began in his complaint.

Sara Netanyahu and Yair Netanyahu (Photos: Motti Kimchi, MCT)

Several hours after the investigation concluded, news sites began publishing false and distorted claims, about the things that were said by Mrs. Netanyahu in the investigation. Part of the quotes were indeed statements that were made in the investigation about which only the investigators and my client knew, he continued.

In real time, facts were published to which only the investigators were privy, such as their request to hold a confrontation with my clients (and the states witnessed.), the fact that Mr. Yair Netanyahu was investigated in the Israel Securities Authority and the nature of the suspicions against him, the versions of my clients regarding the text messages and more and more details that were known only to the investigators, Cohen claimed.

Cohen said that during the previous investigation of Mrs. Netanyahu, there were leaks that she had been questioned under caution and that the police commissioner had raised his finger at her.

The defense attorney bemoaned the fact that it had been alleged that Mrs. Netanyahu had leaked the information during a break in her questioning, after which the police warned her at the beginning of her next interrogation session.

PM Netanyahu and Sara Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters)

This is a preposterous claim. The fact that my client is about to be questioned under caution was published by media outlets at least four days before the date of the investigation, Cohen complained.

He added that the leaks constituted a flagrant violation by the investigators of the penal code of transfering classified information, a breach of duty, and a breach of trust.

In light of the above, we request that you investigate the transgressions that were carried out and look into who leaked the false information that found its way to the media, he added. I would seek your response regarding previous complaints that I filed after the previous investigation of my client.

Shortly after Cohens complaint, the police rebuffed the claims, implying that it was an effort to divert attention from the investigation. The police do not intend to be dragged into actions aimed at harming the police's duty to reach the truth, a statement said in response.

The Netanyahu couple were presented for the first time with details revealed in testimony given by their former media advisor, Nir Hefetz, who recently signed a state's witness agreement in the case.

Nir Hefetz (Photo: Reuters)

Over the last two weeks, Hefetz has sat with investigators who have compiled masses of testimony relating to the case, which erupted in February when the Israel Securities Authority completed its inquiry into Elovitch's ties with Netanyahu and the suspicion he enjoyed benefits for Bezeq in return for favorable coverage of Netanyahu on the Walla! News website, which is fully owned by Bezeq.

Hefetz allegedly presented evidence to the interrogators, some of which are backed up by documents and recordings about the behind-the-scenes moves.

He identified himself as the individual who acted as the liaison between the Netanyahu family and Walla! News CEO Ilan Yeshua.
An indictment was served Thursday morning against an Arab-Israeli man who ran over and lightly-to-moderately wounded two soldiers, a border policeman and a pedestrian in the city of Acre in early March in what police confirmed was a terror attack.

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Malek Yousef Asadi (26), from Shefa-'Amr in northern Israel, carried out his attack at the citys train station, before a Border Police officer managed to shoot and neutralize him.

Soldier being run over by Malek Yousef Asadi

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The indictment attributed to him five counts of attempted murder in his act of terror. Asadi, who was originally reported as being 51 years old, was hospitalized after the attack but was discharged on Tuesday before arriving in court.

Security forces were originally unsure as to the motives of the driver, with varying reports indicating that he had gone on the rampage with his vehicle after being issued an expensive parking fine. However, the security forces dispelled the rumors, stating that the attack and the parking ticket were entirely unrelated.

According to the indictment, on 3 March at 11 am, Asadi arrived with his wife to a doctors clinic in Acre for a medical check up.

He parked his vehicle next to the building on a pavement on Haatzmaut Street and blocked the pedestrian walkway while waiting for his wife. At 11:24 am, policemen from the municipal police passed by and issued a parking fine, which they stuck on Asadis windscreen.

After receiving the fine, Asadi spotted a soldier looking over at him. At that point, he began driving his vehicle toward Yehushpat Street in the direction of the soldier.

Malek Yousef Asadi (Photo: Gil Nechushtan)

When he noticed that the soldier was about to cross the road, he accelerated his vehicle, ascended the sidewalk and ran the soldier over with intent to kill, the indictment noted.

Afterward, Asadi continued and hit three more soldiers and attempted to plow his vehicle into others. The indictments also notes that before the attack, Asadi told his friends that life in heaven is better.

Asadi worked in the past as a welder, and during his work was asked to make trailers for security forces, including for the Israel Police and the IDF.

In March 2016, Asadi suffered a personal crisis and cut contact with all his friends and became a social recluse. During the same period, when he was becoming increasingly religious, Asadi asked his employer not to make the trailers for the security forces, and was subsequently fired. Two months later, he got married.

Car after the attack (Photo: Gil Nechushtan)

In a statement after the vehicular attack, police said that evidence from the scene and the CCTV footage confirmed that it was a nationalistically-motivated incident.

Asadis relatives rejected the polices assertion that the incident was terror related, however.

His father told Ynet, Why would my son do such a thing? All that happened is he took his pregnant wife to the hospital for a checkup and intended to return home. He added that he was not informed of his sons condition after he was shot and moderately wounded by security forces at the scene.
China commended on Thursday efforts to improve ties by North and South Korea and said it hopes positive momentum can be sustained, after a date was set for the first summit between the two countries in more than a decade.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the comments at a regular briefing.
Leaders, Knesset members and activists in the Arab sector rejected Wednesday claims made by Israels Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh that the two sides were cooperating ahead of what is referred to by Arabs as Land Day, an annual day of commemoration for Palestinians.

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"We dont need to worry about Land Day. We are coordinating with the Arab sector. Over the last 15 years I have not known any events that are out of the ordinary. I dont think anything will happen this year, Alsheikh said.

However, city leaders and MKs declared shortly after that they were unaware of any cooperation arrangements with the police.

Marking Land Day in 2017

Land Day marks events that took place on 30 March 1976 when the Israeli government, headed by Yitzhak Rabin, expropriated Arab lands in the Galilee. Over the years, the day came to symbolize Arab national identity on which Arabs demand rights they say they are deprived of.

Processions to mark the occasion are set to take place in Arraba, located in the lower Galilee in northern Israel and in Umm al-Fahm.

In addition, the imam of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, Akrama Sabari, announced last Friday that large protests would be staged throughout east Jerusalem against the Jerusalem Magistrates Court decision to enable religious people to hold Talmudic ceremonies next to the gates of the mosque.

We wont recognize the courts decision, because it has no right to discuss the matter. The decision harms and aggravates the worshipers, especially on Friday on which prayers take place during Land Day, Sabari said.

Chairman of the Popular Committee in Jisr al-Zarqa and a social political activist also insisted that there was no pre-planned coordination with the police.

There is no coordination as defined by the police. For years the Arab public has marked national and social occasions like Land Day and Nakba Day, he said. The fact that the police are informed of the activity in order to maintain public order and to protect the participants in the events does not mean there is coordination.

The police is taking steps without any connection to the organizers and unfortunately, also in other cases in which the police was allegedly coordinating with the organizers, it didnt shy away from using violence against the protestors, he added.

According to former MK Mohammad Barakeh too, no coordination with the police has been set up.

We had no coordination with the police. We are responsible for the activities that are planned in the north on Friday and Saturday, he said in statements that were confirmed by Mayor of Arraba, Ali Asla.

Due to the sensitivity surrounding the occasion, which Joint List MK Hanin Zoabi described as a day of struggle, some Arabs feel that coordination to the police would constitute a contradiction.

Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Land Day is a day of struggle and the idea of coordination with the police contradicts the meaning of the day, she said. The protestors dont want to see the police. There is no need for its presence beyond to provoke and to harass us like the Shin Bet, to arrest the youth and afterwards blame them for all kinds of false charges.

Turning to the heads of the Arab councils, Zoabi said: If you want to gain the trust of your public, keep the police away from us, and implement the true will of the public. Dont be afraid of the police.

Residents of eastern Jerusalem called on people to join the protests on Friday after Friday prayersa particularly volatile time during periods of heightened tensions, as radical Muslim clerics whip up hysteria during sermons. Some called on the participants to block to the roads in response to the courts decision.

This government is looking to provoke us, we are ready for all. Land Day will also go to east Jerusalem, they warned.
The Central District Attorneys Office filed Thursday to the Lod District Court an indictment against Abed al-Karim Adel Assi , the terrorist who fatally stabbed 29-year-old Rabbi Itamar Ben Gal in February.

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Assi carried out the stabbing near the entrance to the settlement of Ariel in the Samaria region of the West Bank on February 5. Ben Gal is survived by his wife, Miriam, and their four children.

Abed al-Karim Adel Assi arrested (:  ")

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Following a prolonged manhunt, Assi was was caught in Nablus a month-and-a-half later, along with several other suspects who helped him hide.

According to the indictment, Assi decided on February 5 to commit an ideologically- and nationalistically-motivated act of terror, and to murder Jews following an argument that he had with an IDF soldier at the Ariel Junction.

To that end, the same day the terrorist purchased in Nablus two 27cm knives and made his way to the junction, where he saw Ben Gal standing nearby.

Identifying his target as a Jew due to his clothing and kippah (skullcap), Assi approached his victim, pulled out one of the knives and stabbed him in his chest and stomach.

Rabbi Itamar Ben Gal (Photo: Yair Sagi)

After Ben Gal attempted to flee the scene, the indictment notes, the terrorist chased him intending to continue the attack. The continuation of the stabbing was only prevented after a driver spotted the incident and hit Assi with his vehicle.

Ynet learned that a day before the attack, the terrorist approached a hitchhiking stop in Ariel and told a group of Kfir soldiers: I remember your faces you bi***s. Seeing that Assi was carrying a blue Israeli ID card, he was released.

Abed al-Karim Adel Assi

After managing to flee the scene and elude Israeli security guards for more than a month, Assi was eventually arrested on March 18.

During his investigation, the terrorist confessed to all the charges leveled against him and described exactly how the murder took place.

It also emerged during the investigation that he had uploaded to his Facebook page a post taking responsibility for the murder.
Jordan has accepted Israel's choice of a new ambassador for the kingdom, another sign of improving ties after a months-long crisis.

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Government spokesman Mohammed Momani said Thursday that the envoy, Amir Weissbrod, "can start his mission any time now."

The posting of a new Israeli ambassador would end one of the tensest episodes since the two countries signed a peace treaty in 1994.

Amir Weissbrod (Photo: Courtesy MFA)

It began last summer when a security guard at the Israeli embassy in Jordan shot and killed two Jordanians, alleging one attacked him with a screw driver. The Israeli guard and Israel's then-ambassador Einat Schlein were given a hero's welcome by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, infuriating Jordan.

PM Netanyahu with Schlein and the gaurd (Photo: Haim Zach/GPO)

Jordanian authorities say they suspect the shooting was unprovoked but could not investigate the guard due to his diplomatic immunity.

Earlier this year, the two sides said they found a way to overcome the crisis, including appointing a new Israeli ambassador.

A senior official confirmed after the incident that Schlein would not be returning to Amman. "The Jordanians don't want her back, and this has been a big obstacle in patching things up."

Ziv Moyal, Israeli guard

Israel has shown no sign of meeting Jordan's demand that it launch criminal proceedings against the guard, who was identified, much to Israel's chagrin after the shooting, by the Jordanian daily Al-Rad as Ziv Moyal, 28. His diplomatic identity card was also published, delivering a blow to Israel which had censored the publication of his details.
A man in his 20s from Umm al-Fahm has filed a complaint to the police claiming that a pair of settlers attacked him and stole NIS 1,000 shekels from him near the Mevo Dotan settlement in the Samaria region of the West Bank.

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According to the resident, who works as a delivery man, the incident took place on Wednesday when he went to the community to deliver a package.

On my way back I spotted a car that was following me and flashing its lights. I continued to drive and at some point the car overtook me and blocked me, the man said.

Man who filed complaint

Two men then alighted the vehicle, he continued, and began violently assaulting him.

One of them choked me and grabbed by hand, the second one kicked me and stole more than NIS 1,000 from me, he claimed.

He also said that his driving licence and ID card were stolen by the assailants, who simultaneously hurled curses at him and racially abused him.

They called me a dirty Arab and asked me what are you doing here, you dog. How did you get here? he recalled.

I was scared to tell them that I was from Umm al-Fahm so I told them I was from Kafr Qara, an Arab town southeast of Haifa.

When people began to appear at the scene, he said he managed to escape, but the attackers attempted to continue their assault.

They continued to chase me and I called the police. Unfortunately, one of the policemen said to me on the phone that it wasnt his area, he said.

I felt as though my life was in danger and suddenly my scooter stopped working. So I was forced to drag it until I got to the road and then a car containing soldiers came by. I signaled them to stop with both hands. They saw me and ignored me.

Eventually, the complainant arrived at a checkpoint where police were present. They too, he said, refused to help him.

They wanted me to give testimony and they took my scooter and cellphone as if I was a criminal. They didnt do a thing in order to try and catch the suspects who hurt me, he said. If it was a Jew, we would have seen policemen deploy in all areas.

Following the complaint, the police launched an investigation. A serious investigation has been opened. We are looking in all directions, including suspicions of a nationalistically-motivated incident, a statement said.
A number of protests have broken out in Iran since the beginning of the year over water, a growing political concern due to a drought which residents of parched areas and analysts say has been exacerbated by mismanagement.

The demonstrations have been relatively small, sporadic and limited to towns around the central city of Isfahan and Khuzestan province in the west. But they have highlighted an issue that played a role in earlier unrest and the authorities have cracked down, while recognising the need for change.

In early March, the turnout was light in a town near Isfahan, with dozens of farmers chanting the tongue-in-cheek slogan "Death to farmers, long live oppressors!", according to online videos. A week later the protests became more tense.
Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a nerve toxin that had been left on the front door of their home in England, British counter-terrorism police said.

After the first known use of a military-grade nerve agent on European soil since World War Two, Britain blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attempted assassination, and the West has expelled around 130 Russian diplomats.

Russia has denied using Novichok, a nerve agent first developed by the Soviet military, to attack Skripal. Moscow has said it suspects the British secret services are trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.
Police arrested Thursday afternoon two suspects in Beer Sheva after issuing a warning earlier in a statement informing southern residents that security deployments were being reinforced in the city due to a security-related incident.

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The two were arrested following a sudden manhunt and were taken in for questioning by the Shin Bet.

Arrest of one of the suspects

The central suspect is a Bedouin Israeli who was cuffed after being spotted by police in the street.

The second suspect was possibly an aid to what was believed could be a terrorist. He was also taken in for questioning.

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Beer Sheva Mayor Ruvik Danilovich wrote on his Facebook page: Dear citizens, I have just been updated by the local southern commander of the Israel Police that you can now return to your daily routine. Thank you for your alertness!

Security deployments were beefed up in the southern city amid suspicions that a terrorist may be on the loose, prompting a wide scale search.
France, Britain and Germany are struggling to persuade their EU partners to back new sanctions on Iran to preserve its nuclear deal, diplomats said, with Italy doubting whether the measures can stop the United States pulling out in May.

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At a closed-door meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday, London, Paris and Berlin sought EU support for formal approval of the new sanctions in April, after proposing them in mid-March, according to a document seen by Reuters.

But Italy, with support from Spain and Austria, resisted plans to impose travel bans and asset freezes on around 15 Iranians, companies and groups, linked to Iran's ballistic missile programme and role in Syria's war.

EU Parliament (Photo: Reuters)

Rome said they would not be enough to persuade US President Donald Trump not to withdraw from the nuclear deal and would endanger burgeoning business ties with Iran. Spain was also wary of the knock-on effects.

Under EU rules, economic sanctions need unanimous support.

"Italy said dialogue was the preferred option and that sanctions could weaken our position while not convincing the United States," the diplomat said. "Spain asked the three to consider the implications of such a move."

Chancellor Angela Merkel (Photo: AP)

Trump has given the European signatories a May 12 deadline to "fix the terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear accord, agreed under his predecessor Barack Obama, or he will refuse to extend a suspension of US sanctions on Iran.





President Emannuel Macron (Photo: MCT)

Trump's choices in recent weeks of two officials publicly opposed to the Iran accord, John Bolton as national security adviser, and Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, has dramatically raised the probability of a US pullout, the diplomats said.

Rome and Tehran in January signed a framework credit agreement to fund investments worth up to 5 billion euros ($6 billion) in Iran.

"COMMANDO APPROACH"

In Brussels, other countries including Sweden were upset that the three European powers were trying to push things through the EU's diplomatic approval process so quickly.

"There was a commando approach, but it failed," a second EU diplomat said.

"The difference here is that everyone thinks Trump will pull out (of the Iran deal) and so some consider this pointless."

Iranian President Rouhani; US President Trump (Photo: AFP, Getty Images)

The three countries are in talks with the US administration to see what could encourage Trump to issue new waivers on US sanctions.

The 2015 pact between Iran and six major powersBritain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Stateslifted sanctions that had crippled Iran's oil-based economy, in return for restrictions on its nuclear activities.

The new measures proposed by London, Paris and Berlin could target members of Iran's most powerful security force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), as well as commanders of the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah.

Discussions are expected to continue in early April but at a lower level than ambassadors, to try for a compromise at EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg on April 16, the last formal gathering on the EU agenda before Trump's May deadline.

Iran insists its nuclear work has been non-military and missile programme purely defensive.
When Joval Valdivia joined Borinquen Medical Centers of Miami-Dade four months ago, he knew right away the first thing he wanted to implement in his role as an outreach specialist was a support group for transgender individuals.

Transgender [people] are the most discriminated in the LGBTQ community, said Valdivia, who is known throughout Miami and Fort Lauderdale for his fliers and promotions of clubs and events from South Beach to Wilton Manors. After my friend, sister and mother in the scene, legendary trans woman Jackie Wilson, passed away, I was so hurt I knew I needed to do something to help this community that suffer from depression, suicide, drug use or get into abusive relationships.

When other trans friends such as Paloma de Laurenti, Monica Cooper and Bianca Brinski  the list goes on, Valdivia says  died too soon, Valdivia made it his mission to make a difference in the trans community. So he started working at the Borinquen office at 100 NE 38th St. in November, referred by Angel Infiniti Camacho, who works the tests and treatment program at Borinquen. The trans support group launched in January. Meetings are held bi-weekly on Tuesday evenings.

This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, Valdivia said. I remember one of my best friends, entertainer Barbra Brice, lived here on South Beach. Not even drag could help her survive. She is a smart trans woman. No one would hire her at a regular daytime job, so she had to leave Miami and move in with her parents because the struggle in Miami was too much.

Valdivia said support groups like this accomplish a lot for those who attend.

We talk about substance abuse, discrimination, depression and other topics that the trans community deals with on a daily basis, Valdivia said. They learn something new in every group meeting. We create different topics every week.

Transgender activist, author and actress Rajee Narinesingh was recently a guest speaker at one of the group meetings. Valdivia says he hopes to have more transgender members of the community attend and share stories of their journey, including Taina Norell, Aryah Lester and Morgan Mayfaire.

For now, Valdivia says the support group is trans focused because there is not enough support out there for [transgenders]. He adds Borinquen also offers a recovery skills group on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. and a Spanish version of that group on Fridays at 10 a.m. Valdivia says it is an open space for everyone.

This group wouldn't be possible without Carmen Pineiro, program coordinator, and Waleska Perez, substance abuse counselor, Valdivia said.

Pineiro runs the Substance Abuse Treatment Outpatient & Prevention Program (STOPP), which provides substance abuse treatment and services to LGBT individuals, minorities and others facing these issues.

Services include outreach; individual substance abuse counseling; groups counseling; early recovery skills; relapse prevention; family education; prevention and risk reduction education and counseling; HIV and Hepatitis testing, counseling and treatment; referral and linkage to residential treatment facilities; access and linkage to psychiatric services and specialty medical services; Ryan White case management; and additional community support services, such as housing and employment assistance.

For the last 10 years, STOPP has been successful in reducing substance use among African Americans and Hispanics and providing access to HIV care. With rising crystal meth use within the gay community and new HIV infections, Pineiro says STOPP maximizes its focus on engaging the LGBT community in efforts to increase awareness.

Borinquen is committed to decreasing substance use and increasing healthier lifestyles in our Miami-Dade community, Pineiro said. This funding gives us the opportunity to offer more services, increase access to these services and to make a lasting, positive impact on our community.

Pineiro said addiction destroys all aspects of a persons life, confiscating the mind and body and leading to loss of employment, financial instability, loss of family support and homelessness. She added individuals who need treatment often have limited resources, dont know where to turn to or ashamed to ask for help if its available.

Experienced STOPP counselors provide an atmosphere conducive to recovery and assist clients throughout their personal recovery journeys, Pineiro said. If you know anyone who admits to using drugs or alcohol or has depression or anxiety and you believe they will benefit from speaking to a counselor, do not hesitate to refer them to STOPP.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 305-576-1599, ext. 3117.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman asserted Thursday that while the infiltration of three Gaza terrorists into Israel is a "hitch," "we must not turn an operational hitch into a tragedy like Yom Kippur (War)."

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Three Palestinians armed with knives and grenades entered Israel on Tuesday and were able to get 20 kilometers from the border before getting caught in the Tze'elim area.

"There have always been hitches and there will always be hitches," Lieberman told Ynet in an interview. "We learn the lessons immediately, and our goal is to allow a quiet, safe Passover for the entire people of Israel, and primarily to the Israelis living on the Gaza border."

Defense Minister Lieberman at the Ynet studio (Photo: Avi Mualem)

Israel's security forces are preparing to face a large protest march Hamas is planning to mark 70 years to what Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" (catastrophe)the creation of the State of Israel. The terror group has called on Gaza residents to march en masse toward the Israeli border and protest there starting this Friday, Land Day, and until May 15, Nakba Day.

"We're ready as we should be" for the so-called "March of Return," Lieberman assured. "I'm sure we'll allow the people of Israel to celebrate Passover in security and in peace."

Tents the Palestinians erected on the Gaza border to house protesters (Photo: AFP)

The defense minister said security forces "will do everything" to make sure the protests on the Gaza border don't lead to escalation, "but you have to understand, the situation is not simple in Gaza. There's Hamas and there's (Islamic) Jihad. There are Salafists and all kinds of rebel jihadist organizations." Regardless, he stressed, "We're ready for any scenario."

He came out against "the headlines and self-flagellation" in the Israeli media in the run-up to the mass protests, saying it is "complete insanity."

"I very much trust the IDF chief, the GOC Southern Command and the commander of the Gaza Division. Can we completely prevent every hitch? No. Do we need to make it into a tragedy? No. And we don't need to be talking in terms of 'mass hysteria,'" Lieberman added.

Defense Minister Lieberman at the Ynet studio (Photo: Avi Mualem)

The defense minister asserted that "there's no Palestinian from Gaza that arrives at the border to clash with the IDF willingly. They're all Hamas members or their families force them to go there. Just look at all the temptations Hamas puts in front of people to show uptransportation, free internet, bathrooms, tents. Next they'll have a rock concert there to make people come."

Lieberman also said the IDF has " made it clear to all business owners who are involved in the activity near the fence, including the owners of transportation companies, that anyone we identify as helping Hamas's effort will never be able to enter Israel, do business here, or anything else."

Lieberman said he was working to prevent a war on the Gaza border. "We can prevent a war only with significant and serious deterrence. Only by making the other side understand it's not worth it," he noted.

While Israel doesn't "want to cause fatalities on the other side, because that would be the fuel that would really bring the masses," troops were instructed "not to allow a violation of Israeli sovereignty, and we will make that clear during the day today and tomorrow," Lieberman said.

"We will try to keep them in the perimeter (the buffer zone), not let them get near the fence. Anyone who violates Israeli sovereigntyand damaging the fence is a violation of sovereigntywill be hurt. There are hundreds of snipers who will know how to identify the rioters and those who lead them, and we'll hurt them," he warned.

'Kick Hamas out'

The defense minister called on Palestinians in Gaza not to join the protest. "You know who's to blame for your abysmal situation. Try to change things from within," he said.

Hamas, Lieberman said, realized it was losing support on the Palestinian street and could lose power as a result, so the Gazan terror group is trying to direct the residents' anger towards Israel.

"The residents of Gaza understand they're being used, the residents of Gaza understand Hamas has failed. It failed in administration, it failed in reconciliation, it failed everything. It is isolated in the Arab world, no Sunni state supports it," Lieberman said.

Defense Minister Lieberman at the Ynet studio (Photo: Avi Mualem)

"You won't see any (Hamas) leader or their families by the fence, only foot-soldiers," he charged.

Lieberman also called on the Palestinians in the strip to oust Hamas. "We expect the residents of Gaza to kick Hamas out. We don't plan on doing their job for them," Lieberman stressed.

"The reconciliation has failed. Hamas has no supportnot from (Palestinian President) Abbas, not from the Arab world, and not from the international community. It is now in the hands of Gaza's residents. If they want to ensure their children's future, if they want jobs, if they want to freely travel all over the worldthey must replace their regime," he went on to say.

'Hamas won't last a week without Iran'

The defense minister stressed, however, that Hamas is only "an organization that serves as a branch and a satellite. We need to deal with the sourcethe Iranians. Hamas and Islamic Jihad can't exist without Iranian support, just like Hezbollah can't exist without Iranian support."

"All of the arms, munitions, advisers and technologyit's all coming from Iran. Even the $260 million Hamas invested in 2017 in tunneling, in armament, in rocket manufacturingmost of it came from Iran. Hamas and Islamic Jihad wouldn't be able to last even one week without Iran," he asserted.

Defense Minister Lieberman at the Ynet studio (Photo: Avi Mualem)

Lieberman called to establish a regional coalition against Iran, as well as cancel the nuclear agreement Tehran signed with world powers. "We need to go back to harsh sanctions against Iran and cancel the agreement," he said.

"All intelligence services in the world are aware of the fact Iran is violating the agreement and rushing to realize its nuclear program. It simply lied while negotiating," the defense minister claimed.

'Abbas is taking off his mask'

Lieberman was not surprised to learn Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was directly paying stipends to terrorists and their families. "Abbas has decided he's not hiding it anymore, he's taking off his mask," he said.

The defense minister noted he was still pushing for a bill proposal to deduct the terrorists' salaries from the tax money Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. "We were able to pass it in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation before the hiatus. It will be brought to the Knesset at the beginning of its summer session," he said, vowing it'll pass by the end of the summer session.

Defense Minister Lieberman at the Ynet studio (Photo: Avi Mualem)

"Whether the finance minister wants it or not, it doesn't matter, we will pass it. If not as a government bill proposal, then as a private one," Lieberman continued, noting that "When the US Congress passes the Taylor Force Act to cut USAID funds to the PA over these terror stipends, we can't just watch from the sidelines."

'Almost obsessive chatter'

Lieberman came out against what he called "almost obsessive chatter" about Israel's attack on Syria's nuclear reactor in 2007, an operation the country only admitted to this month.

"There's an unhealthy trend here. We didn't authorize all of this chatter," he said. "When the Censor authorized the publication of (Israel's responsibility for) the attack, it was based on the fact there were already many publications (about it), including in George W. Bush's book, and in a big article in the New Yorker, and so on. But no one expected all of these former senior officials to start a war over credit, and start throwing around all kinds of operational details from that time."

Defense Minister Lieberman at the Ynet studio (Photo: Avi Mualem)

He said a commission will be established after Passover to examine the matter and said legislation might be needed "to regulate the ability of senior defense officials after their retirement to speak freely and really pour out information that hurts security."

The defense minister also discussed his battle over budget allocations to increase security for the home front in northern Israel. "While fighting for the budget, we got NIS 150 million. With that, we can fill some holes, but it's not a real, extensive effort to strengthen the home front the way we want to," he said.

"We need NIS 5 billion over five years. That would bring the north to the same level as the south," Lieberman added.
A Kenyan opposition politician alleged he was drugged and deported to Dubai early Thursday after his attempt to enter Kenya led to him being detained in an airport toilet for more than a day.

Miguna Miguna, targeted in a Kenyan government crackdown amid lingering election tensions, was deported even after a court ordered authorities to release him, lawyer Cliff Ombeta said. Police at the airport roughed up lawyers and forced them to leave when they tried to serve the court order, said another lawyer, James Orengo.

Miguna said in a Facebook post that authorities broke into the airport toilet where he had been held and forcibly injected him with a substance and he passed out. He said he regained consciousness when the Emirates flight arrived in Dubai.

"I will and must return to Kenya as a Kenyan citizen by birth as various courts have ordered," he wrote.
Brig. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon was promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed as the new Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, replacing outgoing COGAT Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai.

The appointment ceremony was held at the chief of staff's office in The Kirya, and was attended by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and members of the IDF General Staff.
Three brothers, settlers and members of a six-person Jewish terror cell, were sentenced Thursday to prison terms ranging from 32 months to five years for their part in hate crimes committed against Palestinians in 2014 and 2015.

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They were convicted of a series of "price tag" felonies, which took place in the Gush Talmonim area near Ramallahincluding torching vehicles, throwing Molotov cocktails and gas grenades at homes and aggravated assaultas a form of revenge for attacks against Israeli citizens perpetrated by Palestinians during that time, such as the murder of Naama and Eitam Heinkin.

The trial of the three other members of the cell is still ongoing.

Car owned by Palestinians torched by the defendants

The suspects confessed to the crimes attributed to them and have even reenacted several of the incidents. They admitted that their objective was to sow fear and panic among the Palestinian residents of the West Bank and to send a message to the Israeli public and security forces.

One of the defendants, who was a 16-year-old minor at the time the crimes were committed, was convicted as part of a plea bargain of membership in a terrorist organization, arson, assault under aggravated circumstances motivated by racism, sabotage with aggravated intent and other offenses. The court sentenced him to five years in prison.

Another defendant, who was a soldier at the time of the offenses, was convicted of arson, vandalism with racist motives, assault under aggravated circumstances motivated by racism and other offenses. The court sentenced him to 4.5 years in prison.

A third defendant was convicted of offenses that resulted in malicious damage stemming from racist motives, stone-throwing at vehicles and other offenses, and the court sentenced him to 32 months in prison.

The defendants were also required to pay an agreed-upon compensation of NIS 50,000 to their victims.

'Price tag' graffiti the defendants spray-painted on a home of a Palestinian family

The Central District Attoney's Office said the crimes were "motivated by racism and directed against Palestinians and their property, solely because of their religious or national affiliation," adding the case "exemplifies the determination of the law enforcement authorities to eliminate violent acts, especially when they constitute acts of terror and on a clearly nationalistic background."

The attorney who represents the three, Sonia Harizi Moses of the right-wing legal aid organization Honenu, claimed the conviction "did not take into account (the fact that) the defendants, who are all related, were minors at the time of most of the offenses (were carried out) and underwent a difficult time in their lives that I cannot divulge," and that no lives were harmed by their actions.

"The verdict is very strict and we intend to consider an appeal to the Supreme Court," she added.

Yesh Din, a left-wing legal NGO that represents some of the victims in the case, responded by asserting it is "a miracle" that lives were not harmed by the three's actions, which they referred to as "Jewish terrorism," noting the court's decision to convict them of membership in a terror organization.
Hamas issued an unusual statement on Thursday evening, calling on the masses expected to take part in the "Great March of Return" to stick to "peaceful ways" of protest.

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The terror group, which controls Gaza, has called on Palestinians in the strip to march at the Israeli border and protest there starting Friday, Land Day, and until May 15, Nakba Day.

In its statement Thursday, Hamas publicly demanded participants to avoid any action that could disrupt or distort the objectives of the protest and sabotage its success.

Tents the Palestinians erected on the Gaza border to house protesters (Photo: AFP)

Meanwhile, the deputy Hamas leader in the strip, Khalil al-Hayya, visited the tent cities erected in five locations on the Israel-Gaza border to house the protesters coming from across the enclave on Thursday and delivered a similar message, calling for mass participation but stressing the protest should be done in "peaceful ways."

Israeli security forces are bracing for the upcoming mass march in the strip, and preparing for extreme scenarios envising diversion operations designed to enable Hamas terrorists to infiltrate into Israel while Israeli security forces are dealing with rioters spread across the border.

Palestinians riot near the Gaza border ahead of Friday's protests (Photo: Reuters)

The IDF has been issuing daily warnings to the residents of Gaza ahead of the planned protest. On Tuesday evening, it warned the residents not to approach the border fence with Israel during their Great March of Return planned for Friday, and described it as a March of Anarchy."

In a video posted in Arabic on the IDF Spokespersons Unit Facebook page, residents were told that Hamas was using them as a decoy in its violent schemes rather than providing solutions to the problems that Gazans face.

The Israeli military has also deployed more than 100 snipers on the Gaza border ahead of the planned mass demonstration.

We have deployed more than 100 sharpshooters who were called up from all of the militarys units, primarily from the special forces, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot told Yedioth Ahronoth. If lives are in jeopardy, there is permission to open fire.

IDF sniper near the Gaza border (Photo: Yoav Zitun)

IDF soldiers are confronted by frequent violent Palestinian protests along the Gaza border and have used tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition against demonstrators who hurl rocks or Molotov cocktails at them.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, has further warned bus companies in the Gaza Strip not to cooperate with Hamas by driving residents toward the border fence.

Anyone who approaches the border is endangering his life. From my point of view, if bus companies you own takes some of the protesters and brings them to the border, you and your families will be held personally responsible, Mordechai warned during an interview on the US-based public Arabic-language satellite TV channel Alhurra.

IDF troops being briefed on the Gaza border (Photo: Reuters)

The start of the demonstration was symbolically linked to what Palestinians call Land Day, which commemorates the six Arab citizens of Israel killed by Israeli security forces in demonstrations in 1976 over land confiscations. The week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, when Israel heightens security, also begins on Friday.

The protest is due to end on May 15, the day Palestinians call the Nakba or Catastrophe, marking the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the conflict surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948.

Palestinians have long demanded that as many as five million of their compatriots be granted the right to return. Israel rules this out, fearing an influx of Arabs that would eliminate its Jewish majority. Israel argues the refugees should resettle in a future state that the Palestinians seek in West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The National Anti-Racism Coordinator's Office, which is part of the Justice Ministry, is examining disciplinary and legal steps against Israel's Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef after he compared "negros" to "monkeys."

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Attorney Awaka (Kobi) Zana, the head of the anti-racism unit, called the chief rabbi's comments "very severe," noting that "it's are enough to justify different measures against the rabbi on the administrative, disciplinary and even criminal levelsto the extent it becomes evident the remarks constitute incitement to racism."

A statement from the National Anti-Racism Coordinator's Office said it is "examining different steps on this matter, and to that end has turned to relevant authorized officials requesting to check and clarify these comments, so the matter can be examined in depth and the proper steps can be taken."

Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef

"The unit will continue monitoring the remarks and take every necessary step to prevent a repeat of such racist comments from civil service employees and public service providers in the future," the statement went on to say.

During his lesson on the weekly Torah portion of Vayakhel-Pekudei, the chief rabbi spoke about the blessings of trees which is a customary ritual during the month of Nissan.

The halachic question revolves around whether to bless one tree or at least two, and in this context, Rabbi Yosef offered examples of other blessings, for example the blessing of "strange creatures" that evoke attention or repulsion, rather than aesthetic pleasure.

"We dont say a blessing for every negro  He needs to be a negro whose father and mother are white  if you know, they had a monkey for a son, they had a son like that, Rabbi Yosef said.

A statement issued on Rabbi Yosefs behalf insisted that The words of the rabbi are quoted from the Babylonian Talmud in Berakhot. R. Joshua b. Levi said: 'On seeing pockmarked persons one says: Blessed be He who makes strange creatures. An objection was raised: If one sees a negro  he says: Blessed be He who makes strange creatures. Our Rabbis taught: On seeing an elephant, an ape, or a long-tailed ape, one says: Blessed is He who makes strange creatures.

Rabbi Yosef's comments got international coverage as well, and condemnations came flooding in from across the globe. Among others, he was criticized for his remarks by Britains Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and the Anti-Defamation League in the US.

Tebeka, an advocacy NGO for equality and justice for Ethiopian Israelis, demanded the chief rabbi issue an apology "for the use of the offensive words that have been recognized as slander by the courts in the State of Israel."

The NGO's executive director, Fentahun Assefa-Dawit, sent a letter to the Chief Rabbinate and the minister of religious services protesting the chief rabbi's comments and noting examples of anti-racism legislation that bars the use of the word "kushi," which is the Hebrew equivalent of "negro."

"The Tebeka NGO firmly and harshly condemns such remarks, which are made under the guise of 'kosher' comments that appear in Jewish texts and could give dangerous legitimization to the general public to make use of these grave words," Assefa-Dawit wrote.
Russia on Thursday responded quid pro quo to the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in Britain, while a hospital treating the pair said the woman is improving rapidly and is out of critical condition.

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Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found unconscious and critically ill in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Two dozen countries, including the US, many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britaina massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at news conference Thursday that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Photo: EPA)

Lavrov added that just as he was making the statement, US Ambassador Jon Huntsman was invited to the Foreign Ministry, where he was handed notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

Lavrov said Moscow will also retaliate to the US decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St. Petersburg.

The Foreign Ministry said the US diplomats, including 58 diplomats from the US Embassy in Moscow and two from the US consulate in Yekaterinburg, must leave Russia by April 5. It added that the US must leave the consulate in St. Petersburg no later than Saturday.

The ministry warned that in case the US takes further hostile actions against Russian missions, Russia will respond in kind.

We invite the US authorities who are encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country to come back to their senses and stop thoughtless actions to destroy bilateral relations, it said.

The US, Germany and France joined the UK in pointing a finger in blame at Russia for a nerve agent attack against a Russian double agent and his daughter

Lavrov emphasized that the expulsions followed a brutal pressure from the US and Britain who forced their allies to follow the anti-Russian course.

He also noted that the job of the international chemical weapons watchdog is to determine what chemical agent was used to poison Skripal and his daughter, not verify the British conclusions.

Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting Monday of the secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said Thursday 33-year-old Yulia is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day, said Dr. Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

Sergei Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.

Lavrov said that Russia would seek consular access to Yulia Skripalr now that she regained consciousness.

Russian double agent Sergei Skripal (L) and his daughter Yulia were in critical condition after a nerve agent attack (Photo: AP)

Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer, was imprisoned after he sold secrets to British intelligence. He was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

Britain says he and his daughter, who was visiting from Russia, were poisoned with a nerve agent developed in Soviet times and that it must have come from Russia.

Police say they were likely exposed to the poison on the door of Sergei Skripals suburban house in Salisbury, where the highest concentration of the chemical has been found.

About 250 British counterterrorism officers are working on the investigation, retracing the Skripals movements to uncover how the poison was delivered. They have searched a pub, a restaurant and a cemetery, and on Thursday cordoned off a childrens playground near the Skripal home.

Collecting evidence at the crime scene (Photo: AP)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Britains allegation of Russian involvement in the poisoning was a swindle and an international provocation. She said Russia continued to demand access to investigation materials, which Britain has refused to share.

Zakharova charged that Britain, the US, the Czech Republic and Sweden all have researched the nerve agent that London said was used to poison the Skripals.

She said that the Western research into the class of nerve agent, known as Novichok, was reflected in numerous open source documents of NATO members. Britain and its allies have dismissed previous Russian claims that they possessed that type of nerve agent.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the world is approaching a situation "similar" to the Cold War as tensions rise between the United States and Russia.

But Guterres said Thursday it's different in two important ways: There are more players in conflicts than during the two-superpower era and fewer communication channels set up to keep problems from escalating. He told reporters Thursday he is "very concerned."
Brig. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon was promoted to the rank of major general on Thursday as he was appointed the new Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, replacing outgoing COGAT Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, who served in the position for the last four years.

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The appointment ceremony was held at the IDF chief of staff's office in the Kirya IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, and was attended by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and members of the IDF General Staff.

Abu Rokon, who is currently the head of the Border Crossings Authority in the Defense Ministry, is set to officially take the position in May. He will be the second Druze appointed to the post, as well as the second Druze to ever reach the rank of major general.

Brig. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon receiving his new rank (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

"As the most senior representative of the Druze community in the defense establishment and in the IDF, I take upon myself an additional responsibility, even if not formally, to work for the full integration of members of the community in the IDF and the state, to promote the community's activity towards the security of the State of Israel, and to serve as its mouthpiece within the establishment," Abu Rokon said at the ceremony.

Lieberman, lauding Mordechai as a "a one-man advocacy office" who the state owes much gratitude to, told Abu Rokon that COGAT will nevertheless benefit from his experience and skills. He then wished him success in his new post, especially as he enters it at such a "sensitive time."

Eisenkot praised the decision, saying he is confident Abu Rokon is the right man for the job and will bring his "enormous experience to the post."

L to R: Lieberman, Mordechai, Abu Rokon and Eisenkot (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Mordechai himself commended the selection of Abu Rokon as his replacement.

"Beyond our friendship, he has tremendous knowledge, and I have no doubt that he is right for the task," he said. "I have no doubt that the General Staff will help him, and he will succeed in leading this excellent organization forward."
The New York Police Department can use a Cold War-era legal tactic to conceal whether it put two Muslim men under surveillance, the state's highest court ruled Thursday.

The Court of Appeals, in a split 4-3 decision, ruled that the NYPD was in its rights to decline acknowledging whether records existed pertaining to possible surveillance of a Talib Abdur-Rashid, a Manhattan imam, and Samir Hashmi, a former Rutgers University student.

In 2012, the two men filed separate Freedom of Information Law requests seeking any records the NYPD had relating to surveillance or an investigation. The NYPD responded by saying it could "neither confirm nor deny" the records even existed.

The men sued the NYPD separately in lawsuits prompted by a series of Pulitzer Prize-winning stories by The Associated Press on NYPD surveillance of Muslim groups in New York and New Jersey after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. After moving through lower courts, the two cases were combined for the Court of Appeals case.
The United States says there's "no justification" for Russia's retaliatory moves to expel 60 US diplomats and shutter the American Consulate in St. Petersburg.

US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman says in a statement that it shows Moscow isn't interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters. The comments come after Huntsman was summoned late Thursday by Russia's government and given a list of diplomats who must leave within 48 hours.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says that "Russia should not be acting like a victim." She calls Russia's actions "regrettable" and "unwarranted."

She says the US reserves the right to respond to Russia's response.

Russia kicked out the diplomats after the US and other nations kicked out Russian diplomats to punish Moscow for alleged involvement in an ex-spy's poisoning in the UK.
When a gay Michigan man revealed his secret crush on national television in 1995, the appearance would set forth a chain of events that ended very badly.

Scott Amedure, 32, was a guest on the syndicated The Jenny Jones Show on an episode titled, My Secret Admirer. The only problem was the object of his affection was an unsuspecting straight acquaintance, Jonathan Schmitz, 24.

During the segment, Amedure was encouraged by Jones to share his fantasies about Schmitz before the man was brought onstage. The men exchanged an awkward embrace before the host dropped her bombshell. In response to Amedure's disclosure, Schmitz laughed, then stated that he was completely heterosexual. He had been led by a producer to believe his admirer was a woman.

But that wasnt the end of the story. Later that evening, the men went out drinking and an alleged sexual encounter ensued. Amedure left a note at Schmitzs home three days later. An enraged Schmitz purchased a shotgun and murdered his admirer. Schmitz left and called 911, confessing to the killing. Despite a gay panic defense, the man would later be found guilty and sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.

The tragedy that began on a sensational talk show fascinated playwright Ronnie Larsen. The creator of the hit Off-Broadway comedy Making Porn has long been open about his own attraction to straight men.

Everything that could have gone wrong for (Amedure) did, basically, Larsen said. At the time, those shows like Jenny Jones and Jerry Springer were always about the set up and rarely did they not end up without some sort of sweaty brawl. The fact that Schmitz took the surprise so well should have been a big red flag.

As the story unfolded on the TV news and in tabloids, Larsen became intrigued with the men. Soon, the tale began to shape itself into a play. The writer even journeyed to Michigan to research his subjects and the bizarre chain of events that unfolded in just a matter of days during that cold winter.

They say life imitates art, but in reality, Sleeping with Straight Men is art imitating life, he explained, but then adding, except my story is kind of a comedy.

In his research, he discovered that the mens relationship was far more nuanced than a newspaper headline or wire service story might convey, just like all romantic relationshipsstraight or gay.

While not strictly biographical, the resulting play was critically and commercially successful in its Off-Broadway, London, San Francisco and Chicago runs several years ago, and Larsen felt the timing was particularly right to mount a new production at the new Foundry at Abyss Studios in Wilton Manors: Schmitz was released from a Michigan state prison seven months ago.

Sex and love are risky and then, unlike now, you couldnt just post a hashtag when you were hurt, Larsen said. People were literally putting their lives in jeopardy, all in the hope of finding love.

Sleeping with Straight Men will be performed April 4  29 at The Foundry at Abyss Studios, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets are $20  50 at RonnieLarsen.com.
The IDF was making final preparations Thursday night ahead of the Palestinian "Great March of Return" towards the Israel-Gaza border fence on Friday.

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Thousands of soldiers from the Golani Brigade, the Armored Corps, the Nahal Brigade and the Givati Brigade, as well as troops from the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps, Air Force video units and Special Forces will be deployed along the Gaza frontier, while parts of the border area will be declared closed military zones.

IDF officers by the Gaza border (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

The Seder night breaks for hundreds of soldiers currently in training had to be canceled so reinforcements could be sent to the Gaza border.

Palestinians prepare for 'March of Return' (: )

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The IDF has completed works to build fortifications in the form of massive mounds of earth, behind which dozens of snipers will be stationed on Friday.

IDF engineering forces also set up barbed-wire fences to make it harder on Palestinians who may attempt to cross the border fence.

IDF fortifications on border (Photo: AFP)

The march is expected to begin in the late morning hours, and it is part of a broader Palestinian campaign that begins Friday, Land Day, and is set to end in a month and a half on May 15Nakba Day. Buses to the border will leave from all across the Gaza Strip after noon prayers.

While the height of the Palestinian campaign is expected around Israel's Independence Day and the opening of the new US Embassy in Jerusalem, defense officials estimate that thousands of Palestinian protesters will take part in the march on Friday in more than 10 locations along the borderfrom the Erez Crossing in the north of Gaza to the Kerem Shalom area in the enclave's south.

Palestinians riot near the Gaza border ahead of Friday's protests (Photo: Reuters)

The IDF wishes to prevent a "photo of victory" from Hamaseither of Palestinian rioters crossing the border fence and planting a Palestinian flag on the Israel site, or of many bodies of rioters shot to death by the IDF.

To that end, troops have been equipped with gas and stun grenades as well as other crowd dispersal measures in an effort to avoid the use of live fire against the protesters as much as possible.

IDF troops being briefed on the Gaza border (Photo: Reuters)

The IDF forces will also be using multirotor drones and tactical drones, which will be flying over friction points to monitor rioters and alert the troops to their actions.

The troops have been preparing to face worst-case scenarios, including an attempt by Hamas fighters to infiltrate Israel under the cover of the protestseither through tunnels or from above groundand attack the soldiers who would be distracted by the rioting. The soldiers are also prepared for possible sniper fire from Gaza under the cover of the protests.

Tent encampments set up by the border (Photo: EPA)

The IDF urged Israeli citizens living in the border area not to break from their daily routine, and no restrictions have been placed on them or visitors expected to arrive at the western Negev area during the intermediate days of Passover.

Meanwhile, the Palestinians completed their own preparations for the march, with tent encampments erected in five locations along the border to house the protesters who arrived from across the Gaza Strip.

The encampments are some 700 meters from the Israeli border and in the next month and a half different groups are expected to stay there every day.

Tent encampments set up by the border (Photo: AFP)

In addition, emergency services in the Gaza Strip have gone into high alert ahead of the campaign.

Hamas issued an unusual statement on Thursday evening, calling on the masses expected to take part in the "Great March of Return" to stick to "peaceful ways" of protest.

Palestinians by the border (Photo: EPA)

Deputy Hamas leader in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, visited the tent encampments on Thursday and delivered a similar message, calling for mass participation but stressing the protest should be done in "peaceful ways."





Deputy Hamas leader in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, visits tent encampments (Photo: EPA)

The IDF has been issuing daily warnings to the residents of Gaza ahead of the planned protest. On Tuesday evening, it warned the residents not to approach the border fence with Israel during their Great March of Return planned for Friday, and described it as a March of Anarchy."

In a video posted in Arabic on the IDF Spokespersons Unit Facebook page, residents were told that Hamas was using them as a decoy in its violent schemes rather than providing solutions to the problems that Gazans face.





Palestinians by the border (Photo: AFP)

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, has further warned bus companies in the Gaza Strip not to cooperate with Hamas by driving residents toward the border fence.

Anyone who approaches the border is endangering his life. From my point of view, if bus companies you own takes some of the protesters and brings them to the border, you and your families will be held personally responsible, Mordechai warned during an interview on the US-based public Arabic-language satellite TV channel Alhurra.

While Palestinians in Gaza will march towards the border, their brethen in the West Bank will also hold protests to mark Land Day, which commemorates the six Arab citizens of Israel killed by Israeli security forces in demonstrations in 1976 over land confiscations. The main demonstration is set to take place at the Beit El checkpoint, which leads to Ramallah.
CFO sentiment and expectations of the economy in Q4

Following the 2016 US presidential election, CFOs started off 2017 on a very positive notewith the first quarter survey registering the sharpest sentiment uptick in its seven-year history. The positive outlook continued in the second and third quarters, even as CFOs voiced steadily growing concerns about geopolitical conflict, US political turmoil, and Washingtons struggles to deliver in key policy areas.

Underpinning CFOs sentiment have been their positive assessments of the North American economy and improving perceptions of Europe and China. But confidence in the trajectory of the North American economy slid last quarter, with CFOs voicing still stronger concerns about Washington and geopolitics. The effects were strongest in the US, where CFOs led a broader decline in own-company optimism and also in expectations for earnings and investment.

Turmoil continued on several fronts this quarter. But global economic growth remained on a positive trajectory and equity markets hit new highs, and CFOs optimism about their own companies prospects rebounded to the third-highest level in the surveys history. Earnings expectations rose further above their two-year average. And although lower than last quarter, expectations for revenue, capital investment, and domestic hiring all remained above their two-year averages.

So what is driving CFOs optimism as they look toward 2018? To answer this question, this quarters survey explores CFOs perspectives regarding major economies, government policy, megatrends and disruptors, and their own companies plans.

Download the report to read the details or executive summary to view the highlights.
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry visited the U.S. Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory today, where he toured the site of a superconducting upgrade to the accelerator that powers the labs X-ray laser and met with employees in a town hall meeting.

We enjoyed the opportunity to share with the Secretary some of our advanced scientific facilities and programs, current and future, said SLAC Director Chi-Chang Kao, and to hear from him about the importance of our work to the Department of Energy and the country.

The Secretary peered down the 567-foot-long undulator hall where accelerated electrons are bounced through thousands of special magnets to generate powerful X-rays for experiments at the labs Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the worlds first hard X-ray free-electron laser.

Secretary Perry then spoke with scientists at the X-ray Pump Probe experimental instrument where those X-rays are used to take snapshots of atoms and molecules at work in nanoscale objects, such as proteins, viruses and materials with special properties for future energy or manufacturing applications. There, the Secretary tried his hand at aligning an X-ray camera by manipulating a precision robotic arm.

On a tour of SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source X-ray laser, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry strolls down the undulator hall, where a series of magnets wiggle electrons fired by the lab's linear accelerator to generate the brightest X-rays in the world. (Dawn Harmer/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

LCLS is a DOE Office of Science user facility. Construction began in 2016 on an upgrade called LCLS-II, scheduled to open for experiments in 2020.

At the site of the LCLS-II cryoplant  a powerful chilling plant that will keep a future superconducting accelerator at close to absolute zero, roughly the temperature of outer space  Secretary Perry learned more about how this upgrade will significantly boost the power and capacity of LCLS, adding a second X-ray laser beam that fires up to a million pulses per second and shines 10,000 times brighter, on average, than the current one. LCLS-II will further sharpen our view of how nature works at the atomic scale and help advance transformative technologies of the future, including novel electronics, life-saving drugs and innovative energy solutions.

Secretary Rick Perry signs one of the undulators during a tour of the cryoplant that will help make X-rays faster and brighter at an upgrade to SLAC's X-ray laser. (Dawn Harmer/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

Secretary Perry also met with Persis Drell, Stanford University provost and former director of SLAC. SLAC is operated by Stanford and the relationship has been critical to the labs founding and development.

Its great that Secretary Perry came out and saw the excitement here because it makes it much more real, Drell said after listening to the Secretarys remarks to lab staff. I thought he did an outstanding job of communicating that he really values the people who dedicate their lives to working at the national labs.

In his remarks during the town hall meeting, Secretary Perry emphasized the importance of the national laboratories in keeping America at the cutting edge of scientific discovery and technology innovation.

I believe that we have a role in getting concepts out of the lab and to the people who could see the benefits, he said. There are always skeptics when technology is introduced, he added, referring to the early days of LCLS, but every now and then you make some Jell-O stick on the walland it changes peoples lives forever. Thats what you do, thats what the DOE does, and thats why Im proud to be a part of it.

For questions or comments, contact the SLAC Office of Communications at communications@slac.stanford.edu.

SLAC is a multi-program laboratory exploring frontier questions in photon science, astrophysics, particle physics and accelerator research. Located in Menlo Park, Calif., SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
Enrolling your children in the best senior high schools in Ghana can make a difference in their academic journey. Names such as Aquinas Secondary and Wesley Grammar will always ring a bell whenever top-performing institutions are mentioned. This is partly due to the track record of excellence that the schools have had over the years.

Photo: canva.com (modified by author)

Source: UGC

Wesley Girls High School students. Photo: @ashesi

Source: Twitter

Getting an excellent education is crucial to the growth of individuals and their surroundings. The best schools, among other things, are characterised by a good learning environment and availability and access to modern learning/instructional materials.

A healthy teacher-student relationship is another important factor worth considering. This is why every parent who values quality education for their children don't hesitate to watch out for some of the best schools in town.

Best senior high schools in Ghana

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) takes into account several factors when selecting the best institution. Here are some of the factors considered in ranking the best 100 senior high schools in Ghana.

Consistency

Exam performance in the last five years

Best average percentile of students who passed the exam

Number of students who scored A1 to C6

So, which SHS is the best in Ghana? Here is a list of the top 100 senior high schools that Ghana is proud to have produced so far:

1. St James Seminary Senior High

St James performed exceptionally well in the last examination. With an average performance of 98.8%, it proved to be the best school in the country.

2. St Francis Xavier Junior Seminary

St Francis Xavier is known for its record of excellence over the years. In the past five years, the school has remained on top of the list as one of the best schools. In the last examination, they had an average percentage score of 94.97.

3. Opoku Ware Senior High School

The citadel of learning is located in Fankyenebra, near Santasi in the Ashanti Region. In the last West African Examination, the school had an 88.23% average success rate.

4. Wesley Girls High School

Wesely Girls High School leads other all-girls schools located in the country. The educational institution is in Cape Coast, the Central Region of Ghana. With its 87.53% average success rate in the last exam, it has proved to be the best all-girls school to send your girls.

5. Holy Child Senior High School

Also known as Angel's Hill, Holy Child is also one of the best schools in Ghana, considering the students' performance in the last five years. Located in Cape Coast in the Central Region, the educational institution had an 87.53% average success rate in the previous examination.

6. Adisadel College

Adisadel College has some of the best educational facilities in the country. So, the 86.31% average success rate recorded is not surprising.

7. St. Peter Senior High School

The Roman Catholic boys' senior high school in the Eastern Region of Ghana had an 84.81% average pass rate, making it one of the best schools in the country.

Adisadel College students. Photo: @nsmqghana

Source: Twitter

8. St. Augustine's College

The all-male academic institution in Cape Coast that started at Amissano, a village near Elmina, in 1930, also made it to the list of the best educational institutions in the country. Based on the WAEC rating, it has an 83.06% average success rate.

9. Rev. John Teye Memorial Institute

The private Christian school is located at Ofankor in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. With an exceptional average pass rate of 81.96%, it has consistently made it to the list as one of the best schools in the country over the years.

10. Notre Dame Seminary Senior High School

The all-male second cycle educational institution located in Navrongo received an 81.64% average success rating in the last examination.

11. St. Roses Senior High School

The school may be a public Catholic high school for girls, yet it has a good rating. With its 81.59% average success rating, it has proved that public school education is also effective.

12. Louis Senior High School

The Ghanaian educational institution for girls in the Oduom suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region also comes closely behind St. Roses Senior High School with its 81.25% average success rating.

13. Saviour Senior High School

The recently established citadel of learning in Oseim has quickly registered itself as one of the leading schools in the country. Compared to other long-running colleges, the school has an 80.97% average success rating.

14. Mfantsipim School

Mfantsipim is an all-boys boarding secondary school in Cape Coast. In the last examination, it had an average pass rate of 79.03%.

15. Presec Legon Boys' Senior High School

The secondary boarding school for boys located in Legon, Accra Legon, also made it to the list with its 78.08% average pass rate.

16. Galaxy international School

The international school located in Accra, with three campuses in different parts of the city, comes closely behind Presec Legon Boys' Senior High School with an average pass rate of 77.46%.

17. Prempeh College

Although the college is a public secondary boarding school for boys in Kumasi, it has a good learning environment and equipped trainers. This is evident in the 76.63% average pass rate it recorded in the last exam.

18. Berekum Star Senior High school

The private senior high mixed school in Bono Region at Mpasisie Newtown of Berekum district has also recorded significant success in the last exam with a 75.94% average pass rate.

19. Pope John Secondary School

The secondary school is located in Effiduase, Koforidua. It also made it to the list with a 75.83% average pass rate.

20. Aburi Girls' Secondary School

Aburi is a Presbyterian senior high boarding school for girls located south of Aburi in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Based on its quality education and students engagement with sound teachers, the educational institution also had a 74.46% average success rate.

Other schools under this category include these:

Koforidua Secondary Technical School (KSTS) Ghanata Senior High School, Dodowa Accra Girls Secondary School Aquinas Secondary Christian Methodist School O'Reilly Secondary Osu Presbyterian Secondary School Labone Secondary Wesley Grammar Ghana Secondary School, Koforidua (GHANASS) Koforidua Secondary/Technical School (KSTS) Kash Money Brotherhood International School (KMBIS) Accra Girls Secondary School, Maamobi. Ningo Secondary School Osudoku Tech Accra High School, Asylum Down Achimota Secondary School Action Secondary Technical School American Curriculum International School Armed Forces Secondary Technical, Burma Camp Aquinas Secondary, Cantonments Christian Methodist School, Asylum Down Dansoman Secondary School, Dansoman Ebenezer Secondary School, Dansoman Edge Hill Senior High School, Awoshie Faith Montessori School and International College Ghana International School Holy Trinity Secondary, High Street Kaneshie Secondary Technical School, Kaneshie Kinbu Secondary Technical, Kinbu La Presbyterian Senior Secondary School, La Emmaus Labone Secondary, Labone Lincoln Community School, Accra Ghana Nungua Secondary School, Nungua Okuapenmman Secondary School, Akuapem-Akropong Nifa Secondary School, Adukrom Adukrom SecondaryTechnical School, Adukrom Nsawam Senior High School Nsawam business college Presbyterian Secondary Technical School, Aburi Benkum SHS Saint Martin's Secondary School, Nsawam-Adoagyiri Akosombo International School Akwamuman Senior Secondary School Akim Swedru Secondary School (AKISS) Oda Secondary School Christian Heritage Secondary Technical, Kukurantumi, Akyem Ofori Panin Secondary School, Kukurantumi, Akyem Saint Paul Technical School, Kukurantumi, Akyem Kibi Secondary Technical School, Kyebi, Akyem Osino Presbyterian Secondary Technical, Osino Nkwatia Secondary School, Nkwatia Kwahu Nkawkaw Secondary School, Nkawkaw Okuapeman SHS Ghana Secondary School, Koforidua (GHANASS) Koforidua Secondary/Technical School (KSTS) New-Juaben Secondary Commercial School (NJUASCO) Kash Money Brotherhood International School (KMBIS) Yilo Krobo Secondary Commercial School Koforidua Technical Institute, Koforidua good foundation ~ ASG Boso Secondary Technical School Asesewa Secondary School, Asesewa Akrofuom Secondary/Technical, Akrofuom Asare Bediako Secondary, Akrokerri Bogwesango Secondary, Bodwesango Christ the King Catholic School, Obuasi Dompoase Secondary, Dompoase New Edubiase Secondary, New Edubiase Obuasi Secondary/Technical, Obuasi T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Fomena Adu Gyamfi Secondary, Jamasi Agona Secondary/Technical, Agona Konadu Yiadom Secondary, Asaman Okomfo Anokye Secondary, Wiamoase S.D.A. Secondary, Agona Tetrem Secondary, Tetrem Ashiaman Secondary, Ashiaman Chemu Secondary, Tema Community 4 Manhean Secondary/Technical, Tema New Town Our Lady of Mercy Secondary, Lashibi

A classroom. Photo: pixabay.com

Source: UGC

What is the biggest SHS in Ghana?

Presbyterian Boys Senior School is reportedly one of the biggest senior high schools in the country. The all-boys school, popularly referred to as PRESEC, was founded in 1938 by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Presently, the institution of learning boasts about 3,000 students.

Which region has the most senior high schools in Ghana?

Among the 16 regions in the country, the Ashanti Region is reputed as the region with the highest senior high schools. The Eastern Region has the second-highest learning institutions, while the Upper West Region has the lowest number.

Business secondary high colleges

When considering the best business schools in the country, it should be noted that there are very few of them at the secondary level. This is why it is sometimes hard to mention the top 10 best business SHS in Ghana. Most senior high learning institutions teach business courses, except for colleges that provide purely science and technology-related subjects.

However, business learning institutions like Sunyani Business Senior High School and Business Senior High School are notable colleges. So, students who want to specialise in business-related courses can apply there. Otherwise, business schools like the following can be considered:

University of Education Winneba Faculty Of Business

University for Development Studies School Of Business And Law

PwC Ghana Business School

Nobel International Business School

Islamic University College, Ghana School Of Business

Concord Business College

Valley View University School Of Business

Ghana School Of Business at Catholic University College

Now that you have the list of the best Senior High Schools in Ghana, it should help you make an informed decision if you want your kid to enrol in a top-performing school.

Yen.com.gh recently shared a comprehensive list of the top private senior high schools in Ghana. The list is based on their performance in WAEC exams over the years.

If you are a parent seeking a quality institution for your child to enroll in, this list provides plenty of options. Most of these schools outperform many public SHS in academics and other areas

Source: Yen
Are you considering applying to the University of Professional Studies, Accra, and you want to know more about UPSA courses? The institution has some of the best courses in the fields of Business, Accounting and Finance in the country. Students who have gone through the citadel of learning are happy considering the conducive learning environment and the practical approach with which learning activities are carried out.

Image: twitter.com, @UPSAGhana

Source: Twitter

Is UPSA a private university? The university started as a private, professional business education college before the Government of Ghana took over in 1978. Over the years, it has expanded to create room for more courses.

As a fast-rising budding university in Ghana, the UPSA courses offered are highly marketable after satisfying the National Accreditation Board of Ghana. Here's everything you want to know about the courses offered at UPSA, whether at diploma, degree, or postgraduate level. You should know everything to make an informed decision.

UPSA courses

Below is a comprehensive list of the courses available at the University of Professional Studies, Accra:

UPSA diploma courses

UPSA diploma courses have morning and evening classes. The diploma courses offered center around the fields of Business, Finance and Accounting. Here are the specific courses currently available at the institution:

Diploma in management

Diploma in public relations management

Diploma in information technology management

Diploma in accounting

Diploma in marketing

UPSA Undergraduate degree programs

Below is a list of the undergraduate degree courses

Bachelor of science in accounting

Bachelor of science in banking and finance

Bachelor of Business Administration

Bachelors of arts in Public Relations Management

Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science

Image: pixabay.com

Source: UGC

UPSA postgraduate programs

If you are considering learning at the institution, the following are UPSA postgraduate courses.

MBA in Accounting and Finance

Master of Business Administration in Corporate Governance

Master of Business Administration in Marketing

Master of Business Administration in Petroleum Accounting and Finance

Master of Business Administration in Total Quality Management

Master of Philosophy and Master of Science in Leadership

Master of Business Administration in Auditing

Master of Business Administration in Internal Auditing

Other professional programs that the institution offers include the following:

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) UK

Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG)

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) U.K.

Association of certified chartered accountants (ACCA)

UPSA admission requirements 2021

Do you plan to pursue an admission at the university? Find out about the requirements based on the chosen course you want to study.

Admission requirements for diploma programmes

Based on the management's decision on their diploma programmes, the requirements for UPSA admission 2020 are explained below:

If you are applying with G.C.E. Advanced level, before you can be considered for admission, you must have passed in any two subjects at the G.C.E. A level plus a have a general pass in the paper. Also, you need at least Grade 6 in five subjects, which should include Mathematics and English as well as any Science subject at the G.C.E. O level.

WASSCE applicants must have a grade between A1 and D7 in the following three core subjects: English, Mathematics, and Integrated Science. They must also have at least credit passes between A1 and C6 in any three elective subjects related to the applicants fields of interest.

SSSCE/GBCE applicants must have at least credit passes from grade A to D in three core subjects including English, Mathematics and Integrated Science in addition to credit passes in any of the three elective subjects related to the area of specialization of the applicant.

Image: twitter.com, @UPSAGhana

Source: Twitter

Admission requirements for undergraduate programs

You need at least credit passes in the grade range A1 to C6 if you are applying with WASSCE.

Grade range between A and D is expected from those using SSSCE/GBCE. It must include three core subjects, including English, Mathematics, and Integrated Science as well as three elective subjects with an aggregate score of 24 or better.

Certificate 'A' or a diploma in Education is compulsory for those applying with a post-secondary Teacher certificate. But then, this must be from an accredited learning institution in the country.

If you are using the WAEC General Certificate of Education Advanced Level, you are expected to have passed three subjects, and any of them must have, at least, grade D or better with a plus in the General paper. You should also have credit passes (Grade 6) or even better in five subjects, including English, Mathematics and any Science subject at the G.C.E.' O' Level.

Anyone applying with a professional qualification must have completed the first level in any of these professional bodies: ICSA, C.I.M., CIMA, ACCA, ICAG, and C.I.B.

A full diploma certificate with passes in five subjects, two of which must be grade D or better, if you are with the Advanced Business Certificate Examination. At the same time, you need a pass in six subjects, including English, Mathematics, Integrated Science in the GBCE, SSSCE, or WASSCE for you to be eligible to apply.

Applicants with a Higher National Diploma with at most Second class (Lower Division) awarded by NABPTEX in the related field of study are also legible for the UPSA online course registration. The applicant, however, must also have a 2-year post HND qualification working experience.

Applicants who have a university or tertiary diploma in Ghana accredited by the National Accreditation Board in programs relevant to the field of study offered in the institution must have a Final Grade Point Average of at most 2.49.

For GCSE or Cambridge GCE O and A Level applicant, must have at least five passes in subjects including English and Mathematics at the GSCE/Cambridge O level and three relevant subjects at the A level.

Mature applicants for UPSA January admission must satisfy the following requirements;

Attained the minimum required age of 25 years before 1st January.

They must provide evidence of age by carrying a birth certificate with a minimum of five years old at the time of application.

They must also have three years work experience with a letter of appointment from the employer and proof of employment in the form of contract or payslips.

They are also expected to possess at least five passes in five G.C.E. O level in subjects including English and Mathematics. For WASSCE or SSSCE/ GBCE holders, at least grade C6 or grade D respectively in five subjects, including Mathematics and English, is compulsory.

Lastly, they must pass a Mature Students Entrance Examination and a selection interview.

Image: twitter.com,@UPSAGhana

Source: Twitter

Is UPSA admission over?

Depending on the course that you are applying for, the following are UPSA admission deadline for 2020/2021 academic year:

If you are applying with a Diploma/HND/Professional certificate, admission closes on Friday, 26th June, 2020.

Prospective students applying with 4 years LLB can still do until Monday, 15th June, 2020.

Those applying with WASSCE, admission application closes on Friday, 28th August, 2020.

Postgraduate (MPhil/MBA/MSc/MA) students have the opportunity to apply until Friday, 26th June, 2020.

Also, Postgraduate (Sandwich) applicants can only apply until Friday, 26th June, 2020, while Postgraduate (Distance Learning) have until Saturday, 15th August, 2020.

Lastly, for Postgraduate (PhD), the deadline for applying for admission has been postponed until further notice.

If you have inquiries that you may want to make about, you can visit UPSA student portal. The online platform is available to both current and prospective students. With it, you can check your admission status, register courses if you have been admitted, check results, and also pay fees. UPSA admission fees include the residential facility, academic facility user fees, and miscellaneous charges.

Does UPSA offer public administration?

No. The University of Professional Studies does not offer the course. However, there are other exciting courses that you can choose from based on what the institution provides.

How are UPSA fees disbursed?

If you are a weekend school student, you can pay the necessary Academic Facility User Fees at Ecobank. But if you are a mainstream student, depending on what is stated in your admission letter, you can either pay at Ecobank or Access bank using your Student Identification Number contained in your pay-in-slips.

From there, you will need to visit interpayafrica.com or upsa.edu.gh to complete the disbursement of fees that you already made at the bank. However, you should bear in mind that any academic facility user fees that you pay through the Ecobank interpay platform cannot be disbursed. Also, registration can only be made after, at least 24 hours that you paid.

If you have any difficulty, you can visit the Students Account Office with your Ecobank pay-in-slip for further assistance.

UPSA is one of the reputable institutions in Ghana. As a fast-rising Ghanaian university, the UPSA courses offered are highly marketable. You should find a course among various options available there to achieve your goal if you are looking forward to studying at this citadel of learning.

Source: Yen.com.gh
Scores of disgruntlement Ghanaians on Wednesday marched through major streets in Accra in protest of the controversial defence cooperation agreement between Ghana and the United States.

The protesters first converged at the Obra Spot and march through the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue to Farisco Traffic Light to TUC to EOCO and end at Hearts Park.

Massive turn up at the Ghana-US military deal demo

READ ALSO: 5 previous government appointees that were jailed by the NPP

The police who were on the grounds to ensure law and order put in place a "comprehensive security arrangement that ensure a peaceful protest march.

The demonstration was led the coalition of opposition political parties known as the Ghana First Patriotic Front.

Photos of how demo against Ghana-US military deal shook Accra

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The agreement, which was ratified by a Majority-only Parliament last week. The deal will permit the U.S. Military to use Ghana as a base for staging and deploying forces.

Amongst other things, the deal will allow the US unrestricted access and tax exemptions. Ghana has also agreed to bear the cost and take primary responsibility for securing the U.S. facilities in Ghana.

The crowd at the Accra demo

READ ALSO: The top donors at the funeral of the late Ebony Reigns

The deal will also allow for military training activities between the armies of the two countries.

Ghana is expected to earn some $20 million annually as part of the agreement.

Photos of how demo against Ghana-US military deal shook Accra

The documents show that negotiation with the U.S. has been ongoing at least for the past 8 months, however, Cabinet approved the deal on Thursday, March 8, 2018.

Ebony Reigns Funeral: Highlights from the final funeral rites

READ ALSO: Ghanaians react to Koku Anyidoho's arrest over coup comments

Send us a message via our official Facebook or Instagram page to get it published on YEN.com.gh

Source: Yen News
- A former Central regional minister, Aquinas Tawaih Quansah, has observed the Ghana-US military agreement will only lead to the birth of what he described as half-caste babies

- He says Ghana will not only enjoy $20 million from the agreement but will also lose its women to the US soldiers in intimate and amorous relationships

Former Central Regional Minister, Aquinas Tawaih Quansah, believes Ghana does not stand to gain so much from the controversial military pact signed with the United States.

According to him, the only benefit the nation stands to gain is the US military sleeping with Ghanaian ladies to produce half-caste babies.

A former Central regional minister, Aquinas Tawaih Quansah

READ ALSO: Photos of how demo against Ghana-US military deal shook Accra

The controversial Ghana-US military agreement was last Friday ratified by Parliament despite protests from a large section of the public.

The agreement, which would see the US give Ghana $20million every year, gives the American military unfiltered access to military installations in Ghana.

The deal also grants the US tax waivers for any military equipment that they import to Ghana.

However, the former Minister insists in addition to the said amount, the US military would engage in relationships with Ghanaian ladies to produce babies of mixed races.

Speaking on Adom TVs Badwam show, Mr. Quansah said: Those of us who have had the chance to be close to the military know a lot about our military. At the end of the day, what will the US military teach us.

Maybe what we will gain is that in the next 10 to 15 years, we will have half-caste babies or black American babies and I think that is the only thing that Ghana stands to gain aside that huge money.

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He added that the right procedure was not used in ratifying the Ghana-US military agreement in Parliament.

He accused the Majority of using their numbers to impose the agreement on the House and Ghanaians in general.

We [NDC] are against the agreement. That is our stance on this issue. Article 75 of our constitution states clearly how far Ghana can go in such agreements. The right procedure wasnt used in this case. This government needs to be told, he asserted.

Meanwhile, the opposition NDC joined hundreds of Ghanaians Wednesday to demonstrate on the streets of Accra against the military pact.

Ebony Reigns Funeral: Highlights from the final funeral rites

READ ALSO: The top donors at the funeral of the late Ebony Reigns

Send us a message via our official Facebook or Instagram page to get it published on YEN.com.gh

Source: Yen
- An Accra High Court has ordered that electronic gadgets belonging to Koku Anyidoho who is in the custody of the police over his comment that President Nana Akufo-Addo will be overthrown

- The court's order comes after a moton to that effect filed by the police

- The order allows the police to seize Koku's laptops, phones, among others and also gives them full access to search Koku's house

An Accra High Court has ordered for the seizure of essential electronic gadgets belonging to embattled NDC Deputy General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho.

This follows an ex-parte motion filed by the police at the court on Wednesday seeking to seize gadgets on which information related to his civil revolt comments could be stored.

The items to be seized under as ordered by Justice Patience Mills-Tetteh include laptops, iPhones and iPads of Md Anyidoho.

Koku Anyidoho

Police will now have full access to the residence of the NDC's Deputy General Secretary.

READ ALSO: Rawlings breaks silence over arrest of Koku Anyidoho

The order also permits the police to search and seize electronic devices of agents of Anyodoho.

It is hereby ordered that electronic gadgets including laptops, iphones and ipads believed to be storage of information related to treason in the premises of Koku Anyidoho and his agents are to be seized to aid police investigation of the said Koku Anyidoho, the order dated March 28 and sighted by YEN.com.gh stated

The court order

Koku Anyidoho was arrested on Tuesday, March 27, by the police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) following a comment he made in a radio interview. Koku had threatened that there will be a "civil revolt" over the Ghana-US Defence Cooperation Agreement ratified by Parliament.

READ ALSO: Rare photo of Koku Anyidohu with Mahama and top NDC officials emerges moments after arrest

On January 13, 1972, a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addos father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. Therell be a civil revolt," Mr Anyidoho said.

He was arrested at the Ghana International Press Centre while addressing a press conference and has been in custody since after being charged with treason related offences.

Koku Anyidoho is expected to make his first appearance in court on Thursday, March 29.

YEN remembers the beautiful life of dancehall diva Ebony Reigns with this video below:

Your stories and photos are always welcome.

Send us a message via our official Facebook or Instagram page to get it published on YEN.com.gh

Source: Yen
- Rev. Lawrence Tetteh has reacted to rumours of bad blood between Rev. Owusu Bempah and himself

- According to him, Rev. Owusu Bempah is his brother and for that reason, the speculations are baseless

The Founding President of the Worldwide Miracle Outreach, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, has dismissed reports that he isnt on good terms with Rev. Owusu Bempah, the General Overseer of the Glorious Word Power Ministry International.

According to him, such comments are based on mere speculations and must therefore be ignored.

YEN.com.gh understands that Owusu Bempahs arrival at the forecourt of the State House, the venue for the burial ceremony of the late Ebony, disrupted Rev. Tettehs sermon, a development he promptly responded to.

Rev. Lawrence Tetteh

READ ALSO: Stonebwoy and Archipalago descend on Shatta Wale in a new video

He is reported to have stated that: Ladies and gentlemen, Im preaching. I think this is one of things we do in Ghana that is so disrespectful. A man of God is preaching; we should show respect because it is not right. Rev Isaac, join me up stage.

The comment was interpreted by a cross-section of Ghanaians as an indication of bad blood between the two men of God.

Speaking to Adom TV, Rev. Tetteh explained that he has no problem with Rev. Owusu Bempah, whom he describes as his brother.

He added that disrespecting a fellow man of God will be the last thing hell do in private, let alone on such a public event which was being carried live on national television.

Rev. Tetteh went on to say that there was no point in creating issues between men of God. He added that he even took all the money Rev. Owusu Bempah had on him, and shared it among some people.

READ ALSO: Colombian rapper MC Dementor organizes first smock show in Tamale

Ebonys mother pays a tribute to her in a touching video:

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Source: Yen
- The US Embassy in Ghana has repeated clarifications regarding reports that the country wants to build a military base in Ghana

- It says the recent deal is only a framework to govern both government's responsibilities in ongoing security operations

- The US Embassy says it has similar deals with other countries around the world

The United States diplomatic mission in Ghana has repeated its clarification regarding reports stating that that country has requested the right to establish a military base for US Armed Forces in Ghana.

In a statement released on Wednesday, March 28th, 2018, The United States Embassy in Ghana reiterated that the United States has completely no intention to seek the right to establish a military base of operations in Ghana.

According to the US Embassy's statement, the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) the United States Government has with the Government of Ghana is "the legal framework to govern the ongoing security cooperation" between Ghana and the US.

READ ALSO: Throwback video of Ebony in a funny dance competition with friends proves she was lively

News of the US Government's agreement has since cause considerable uproar with Ghanaians since it went to parliament on Friday, March 23rd. A group calling itself the Ghana First Patriotic Front (GFPF) has since mobilized and staged a public protest against the deal's ratification.

Read the US Embassy's statement below:

The U.S. Embassy underscores that the United States has not requested, nor does it intend to request, the establishment of a military base in Ghana or the permanent presence of U.S. troops in Ghana. Reports alleging otherwise are inaccurate and misleading.

The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between the governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Ghana is not a base agreement.

It is the legal framework to govern the ongoing security cooperation between our two sovereign countries; our security cooperation spans more than 20 years and has included numerous bilateral and multilateral training activities in Ghana.

The United States has a significant number of DCAs with countries around the world, including European, Asian and African partners.

The Defense Cooperation Agreement does not give the U.S. military the right to enter Ghana without permission from the Government of Ghana. Instead, the DCA addresses the rights and responsibilities of both nations when the U.S. military is present in Ghana, with permission from the Government of Ghana, and for purposes that the Government of Ghana decides are appropriate.

Furthermore, the principle of reciprocity observed between our two nations applies to provisions such as immunity and shipments. By establishing this expanded legal framework between our two countries, we underscore our respect for Ghanas sovereignty as we seek to strengthen our cooperation on regional and global issues.

Also checkout a video of Ebony's mother giving a heartfelt tribute at the late dancehall artiste's funeral, which was held at the forecourt of State House, and was attended by a plethora of Ghanaian celebrities:

READ ALSO: If I were not married, I would have loved to kiss Adjetey Annan  Nana Ama McBrown

Do you have any story to share with YEN? Get featured! We are available on Facebook and Instagram

Source: Yen.com.gh
Three new Expedition 55 crew members are beginning their first full workweek aboard the International Space Station.

They and the rest of the crew are getting ready for a spacewalk on Thursday and next week's arrival of the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft.

NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel are preparing for a spacewalk just six days after arriving at their new home in space. The duo reviewed their spacewalk procedures today with fellow astronauts Scott Tingle and Norishige Kanai. The veteran spacewalkers will install communications antennas and replace a camera assembly during the excursion set to begin Thursday at 8:10 a.m. EDT. NASA TV broadcast the spacewalk activities live beginning at 7 a.m.

Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov has been packing a Russian resupply ship with trash and old gear readying it for its departure on Wednesday. The Progress 68 (68P) cargo craft will undock from the Pirs docking compartment Wednesday at 9:50 a.m. It will reenter Earth's atmosphere April 25 for a fiery demise over the Pacific Ocean. The 68P has been attached to the station since Oct. 16.

The next cargo craft due to resupply the station is the SpaceX Dragon. After its launch April 2 at 4:30 p.m. Dragon will take a two-day flight to the station. The commercial cargo craft will be robotically captured and installed next Wednesday at 6 a.m. to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module.

Kanai and Tingle will be at the robotics controls inside the cupola when they capture Dragon with the Canadarm2 robotic arm. The duo practiced the Dragon rendezvous and capture procedures today. The crew has also been configuring the orbital lab for the new science experiments Dragon is delivering next week.

On-Orbit Status Report

Lab Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Status: The Lab MCA 72 hour dryout completed period ended on Friday 23 March. This weekend, telemetry indicated that the water readings were too high to proceed with a successful activation and calibration. As of this morning, the water readings were no longer off-scale high; however they were too high to proceed with nominal activation. A Failure Investigation Team (FIT) met today at 12:00 PM CDT and, based on their findings, another attempt at activation will be performed early tomorrow morning if the indications are within their nominal ranges.

Lack of Data from Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator (MERLIN) 1 and Station Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS): After the Improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (iPEHG) transition over the weekend, MERLIN 1 and SAMS, located in Express Rack 3 (ER3), were not receiving data. Ground teams reloaded the Columbus iPEHG configuration file and performed a reboot without success. Troubleshooting today uncovered incorrect data in the PEHG Software, resulting in the data routing issue. Teams properly configured the iPEHG and successfully recovered communication with the MERLIN and SAMS sensor.

Manufacturing Device (MD): The crew removed and stowed a 3D printed item from the Manufacturing Device today. The Manufacturing Device supports the production of components on the ISS for both NASA and commercial objectives. It is capable of producing parts out of a wide variety of thermopolymers including engineered plastics.

Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS): Japanese ground controllers will use the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) to move CATS from the JEM Exposed Facility (EF) #3 location to JEM EF#8 tonight. The CATS Payload lost power on October 30, 2017. Subsequent attempts at troubleshooting the power and data connections were unsuccessful in recovering the payload at JEM EF Site #3. The CATS investigation uses a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system to measure the location, composition and distribution of pollution, dust, smoke, aerosols and other particulates in the atmosphere. CATS is mounted on the JEM EF Facility and is used to study the atmospheric constituents that impact global climate. By gaining a better understanding of cloud and aerosol coverage, scientists can create a better model of the Earth's climate feedback processes.

Transparent Alloys Operation: The crew removed and stowed the Transparent Alloys cartridge and hardware and restored the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) to its standard configuration this morning. For the Transparent Alloys investigation, the morphological instabilities of directional solidified, transparent binary eutectic alloys under purely diffusive conditions are studied. Real-time observations are made of the dynamics of eutectic front structures with a micron-scale resolution over a centimetric space scale, during long periods of time. Such observations are very sensitive to convective motions in the liquid, which are suppressed in microgravity.

Lighting Effects: A 53S crewmember completed a daily sleep log entry this morning upon waking to record his sleep patterns and wakefulness. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance. Results from this investigation also have major implications for people on Earth who use electric lights.

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: Today the crew will continued preparations for US EVA #49 - Node 3 External Wireless Communications (EWC) installation, planned for Thursday March 29, 2018. The crew continued with EVA tool configuration, reviewed on-board training material for fluid Quick Disconnects (QDs), reviewed EVA translation paths using Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG), and reviewed EVA procedures. At the end of the day, the crew had a conference with ground EVA specialists in order to discuss any question on the activities they performed today or will perform during the upcoming EVA.

Crew Medical Officer (CMO) On-Board Training: Two crewmembers performed computer-based CMO training. This training is done periodically to ensure the CMOs maintain proficiency in responding to crew health emergencies.

Dragon On-Board Training (OBT): Today the crewmembers scheduled to capture SpX-14 Dragon performed on-board training where they reviewed the mission profile, rendezvous procedures and crew interfaces for monitoring and commanding to Dragon. SpX-14 is on track to launch April 2, 2018 and berth to ISS on April 4, 2018.

Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) Relocation: Tonight, ground controllers will relocate the CATS payload from the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Exposed Facility Unit (EFU)-3 to EFU-8. This relocation will ensure the viability of the EFU-3 location, needed to support the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 payload arriving later this year, after commanding to the CATS payload was lost late last year.

Today's Planned Activities

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry

HRF Generic Urine Collection

Transparent Alloys Cartridge Stow

ELEKTRON pre-activation purge

54S SM-AGAT-U55 external batteries charge (2 items) (init)

54S post-docking Samsung tablet charging (init)

HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations

HRF Generic Urine Collection Stow

-2. Individual BD-2 strategy test protocol creation. Specialist conference

54S Gas-Analyzer Deactivation

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis

-2. Science ops prep. Specialist conference

Transparent Alloys Hardware Stow

-2. Science ops assistance

-2. BD-2 science ops run (individual strategy test). Specialist conference

-2. Closeout ops (assistance)

-2. Closeout ops. Specialist conference

VEG-03 Dual Facility Watering for each Plant Pillow

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) QD Training Review

KONSTANTA-2. Retrieve the cartridge from [-] and stow at panel to warm up for one hour

Manufacturing Device ABS Print Removal, Clean and Stow

ISS Crew Orientation

Removal equipment transfer to 68P (DC1) along with IMS updates

Profile of Mood States (POMS) Questionnaire

KONSTANTA-2. 1st study setup and run. Specialist conference

Station Support Computer (SSC) 17 Laptop Relocate

KONSTANTA-2. Photography during the science operation

68P (DC1) stowage completion report. Specialist conference

On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon OBT Conference

Crew Medical Officer (CMO) On Board Training (OBT)

On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Rendezvous Review

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring

Combustion Integrated Rack Upper Rack Doors Open

Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #4 Bottle Replacement

54S cargo ops, IMS update

Combustion Integrated Rack Upper Rack Doors Close

Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) Software Review

SM ventilation systems maintenance. Group A

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review

54S SM-AGAT-U55 external batteries charge (2 items) (term)

54S post-docking Samsung tablet charging (term)

KALTSIY. Science ops session 2

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Conference

53S Gas-Analyzer Deactivation

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record

Portable air samples with Portable O2 Monitor and CDM

Completed Task List Activities

None

Ground Activities

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Standard Commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Tuesday, 03/27: TVCIC Bolt R&R, METEOR HDD Swap, AstroPi Upgrade, Veggie03 Harvest, Dragon OBT, Lighting Effects, EVA Prep, MSG Fan Cleaning

Wednesday, 03/28: 68P Undock, Emergency Roles Review, EVA Tool Config/Procedure Review, Dragon ROBoT OBT, CUCU Checkout, Veggie-03 Ops

Thursday, 03/29: US EVA 49

QUICK ISS Status - Environmental Control Group:

Component - Status

Elektron - On

Vozdukh - Manual

[] 1 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV1") - Off

[] 2 - SM Air Conditioner System ("SKV2") - On

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab - Operate

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 - Standby

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab - Standby

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3

Standby - Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)

Standby - Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)

Standby - Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab

Full Up - Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 - Off

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Latte art with a latte heart, thats what were all about here at Sprudge. And theres a latte art throwdown next week that fits the bill. On Thursday, April 5th in Longmont, Colorado, Ozo Coffee is hosting a latte art throwdown benefitting KGNU Community Radio.

This is the second annual OZO Coffee TNT, but it is the first done in honor of KGNUs 40th anniversary, and they are pulling out all the stops. For the cost of a $15 buy-inwith the proceeds going to KGNUparticipants will receive one pound of Ozos KGNU 40th Anniversary Blend and are entered to win tickets to see Vulpeck and Kamasi Washington at Red Rocks, amongst others. You can be the worst at latte art and still win free tickets to see a modern jazz master at the best outdoor venue in America.

And if you happen to also be good at the hearts, stars, and balloonsor whatever it is you crazy kids are pouring these daysprizes for the throwdown include items from Baratza, Topo Designs (Americas colorful answer for Fjallraven), prAna (makers of the Zion stretch, the best pants for climbing), and many, many more. After those resounding endorsements, should a Daypack or cargo green pair of pants32 inseamhappen to fall before me, I wouldnt not pick them up is all Im saying.

There will of course be beer and wine, really good beer and wine (this is Colorado after all), provided by Upslope Brewing Company, Avery Brewing, and Wyatts Wet Goods.

The FOMO is strong with this one. Its going to be a good time for a good cause with a ton of cool prizes. So you should definitely make your way out to Longmont On Thursday. It all gets going at 6:00pm for throwdown sign-ups, with the first milk touching espresso promptly at 7:00pm. For more information, visit the OZO Coffee + KGNU Thursday Night Throwdown Fundraiser Facebook event page.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.

*top image via Ozo Coffee
Krystal C continued an impressive 2018 campaign on Wednesday night (March 28), as she won her fourth consecutive race with a come-from-behind nose victory over Aritzia Hanover in Buffalo Raceway's featured $7,700 pace for mares.

The five-year-old Krystal C (Ray Fisher Jr.) has now hit the board in all nine starts this season and toured the Hamburg half-mile oval in a career-best 1:56.2 over a fast track. However, her stellar record was overlooked by the betting public, as she returned a healthy $16.20 for the victory.

Things didn't look good for Krystal C with a quarter mile to pace, as she was shuffled back to fourth and looked helplessly boxed in. But in the stretch, Krystal C was masterfully maneuvered to the outside and powered to the wire with a :28.4 last split to nose out Aritzia Hanover (Billy Davis Jr.). Cut And Paste (Shawn McDonough) took third.

Owned and trained by Sabrina Clevenger, Krystal C (Sportswriter-Kaylas Raider) now has five victories in nine starts this year. The win bumped her seasonal earnings to $20,046 and $44,626 lifetime.

Call Me Maybe lit up the tote board in the tenth race as Shawn McDonough steered the mare to a $126.00 upset.

Fisher Jr. completed the evening with four victories in the bike while John Cummings Jr. and Shawn McDonough had doubles. Trainer Ryan Swift conditioned a pair of winners.

Racing will resume on Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. with a 12-race card slated.

(Buffalo Raceway)
For more than 20 years, Sarah Andrews paid her dues, as she worked as an assistant trainer for a number of stables, including some of the most prominent in harness racing. All that hard work and learning has paid off, as Andrews has emerged as one of the leading percentage trainers at the Meadows this year.

Andrews will send out five horses this Saturday (March 31) at the Meadows, which will see its first race roll in behind the starting gate at 1:05 p.m.

Harness racing was an unusual career choice for Andrews, an Illinois native whose family has little background in the sport. But when Andrews was 16, a family friend took her to the nearby Marengo, IL farm of trainer John Butenschoen. Except for a brief, unhappy stint in a manufacturing plant, shes been involved with Standardbreds ever since.

After working for Butenschoen, she relocated to the New Jersey stable of Carl Porcelli, Jr.  she conditioned a few of her own horses as well  before signing on with trainer Joe Holloway.

I gave up my horses in New Jersey to work for Joe, be around some nice horses and learn about the baby end of the business, Andrews says. Ive always worked for people I thought could teach me something, and Im using what Ive learned from all of them.

For Holloway, she assisted with some of the sports superstars, including Always B Miki, who would go on to become the fastest Standardbred ever, and Breeders Crown champion Divine Caroline.

She did a lot of work with Divine Caroline, Holloway recalls. She helped the horse, and that helped her also.

When Andrews, 42, thought she might ready to start her own public stable, Holloway had some advice for her:

I said, Youre not going to stay here forever. I thought the Meadows was a good place for her to set up. She had no deep roots here, so it was easier for her to make the move. I think its paid off for her.

Andrews wasnt an instant success at the Meadows, but it was pretty darn close. In 2017, only her second full season at the Pennsylvania track, she had a breakout year, as she sent out 34 winners and compiled a highly respectable .253 UTR. Shes on track to eclipse those results this year  her current .344 UTR currently places her fourth among the Meadows trainers.

Meanwhile, her stable has grown from a couple horses to 14, representing a diversity of owners. Upgrading her stock is her next objective.

Were going to the Meadowlands sale next month to see if we can get some actual power horses, she says.

Andrews Saturday quintet includes: Purdy Sam (Race 2, Post 4); Save The Shark (Race 3, Post 2); Im Feelin Good (Race 6, Post 6); Nitro Seelster (Race 7, Post 1); Allbeef N Nobull (Race 7, Post 9, racing uncoupled with Nitro Seelster). Of that group, Andrews gives the class-dropping Purdy Sam, with Tony Hall driving, the best shot to win.

Tony really gets along with that horse, she says. He seems to get more out of him.

Weekend racing at the Meadows will kick off with a special Friday twilight program (first post 5:30 p.m.). On Saturday, Mychoice members can compete in the Road to the Triple Crown Thoroughbred Handicapping Contest. More information is available at the retail counter in the tracks racebook.

(Meadows)
The start of the 2018 Woodbine, Mohawk Park racing season is quickly approaching, thus several talented older performers resurfaced Thursday morning (March 29) for qualifying action over the Campbellville oval.

Visibility was a bit of an issue for Thursdays nine-race session, as fog made it difficult to see the horses from the half until mid-stretch. The track was listed as fast with a one-second variant.

The mornings third qualifier saw the return of five-year-old pacer Easy Lover Hanover.

The Ben Wallace trainee was sitting third heading to the half. When the horses reappeared in the lane, McNair and the Easy Lover were on top and pacing well to a strong five-length victory in 1:54.4. Preferred regular Ellis Park finished second.

Easy Lover Hanover completed 2017 as the hottest horse on the Woodbine circuit. The Wallace-trained and Brad Grant-owned pacer won the $34,000 Preferred six consecutive times to finish the year nine for 24 with $215,487 in purse earnings.

Easy Lover Hanover is poised for a strong 2018 and is again eligible to the Canadian Pacing Derby.

OBrien Award winner Sandbetweenurtoes made her 2018 debut in the opening qualifier and finished second, beaten a length and a quarter, to six-year-old pacing mare Mach Magic. The seven-year-old pacing mare teamed up with her regular driver, Doug McNair, for Thursdays qualifier and sat third behind the eventual winner throughout most of the race.

Older pacers werent the complete story of the morning, as some notable older trotters took to the track in the second qualifier.

Five-year-old trotting mare P L Jill was victorious in the second qualifier, as she stopped the clock in 1:58.4 with driver Louis-Philippe Roy at the controls. The Renaldo Morales trainee was making her first appearance since December.

P L Jill had a successful 2017 in which she won eight of 24 starts and banked earnings of $117,105 for Prince Lee Acres. Starting in the non-winners of three class last winter, P L Jill climbed her way up to compete in the Preferred and also competed against the sports top trotting mares in the Miss Versatility.

P L Jill is eligible to Junes Armbro Flight Stakes.

Luc Blais trainee Warrawee Roo finished third (seven lengths behind P L Jill) in his first qualifier of 2018. The five-year-old horse made 11 starts in 2017, with seven of those starts coming in stakes competition. Warrawee Roo is eligible to this years Maple Leaf Trot after having finished fourth in last years edition.

To view the harness racing results for the Thursday qualifying session at Mohawk, click the following link: Thursday Results  Mohawk Racetrack (Qualifying).

The next qualifying session at Woodbine, Mohawk Park will take place next Thursday (April 5) and will begin at 10 a.m.

Live pari-mutuel racing will return to Woodbine, Mohawk Park on Thursday, April 12.

(With files from Woodbine Entertainment)
Foundation for Moral Law Files Amicus Brief Supporting Pro-Life Sidewalk Counselor

Contact: John Eidsmoe, Foundation for Moral Law, 334-262-1245, info@morallaw.org

MONTGOMERY, Ala., March 28, 2018 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Foundation for Moral today filed a proposed amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia supporting the right of Jeryl Turco, a sidewalk counselor in Englewood, New Jersey, to talk with abortion-bound women without having to navigate a maze of no-entry zones on the sidewalk in front of the local abortion mill.



Foundation President Kayla Moore explained: "An Englewood city ordinance has created a web of no-entrance zones that hinder pro-life counseling on the sidewalk in front of the local abortion mill. Meanwhile, abortion-favoring 'escorts,' known colloquially as 'deathscorts,' may ignore the zones and roam free on the sidewalk."



Foundation Counsel Martin Wishnatsky added: "Only pro-life counselors have to respect the no-go zones. The exception in the ordinance for abortion workers and agents slants the playing field in favor of pro-abortion speech. The federal district court in New Jersey found the ordinance unconstitutional. We are urging the Third Circuit to do the same."


Fiesta Hermosa will be back for Labor Day weekend, but with a new local look, slightly different name
Hughes Communications India Limited (HCIL), a subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes), has been awarded Top VSAT Operator in India award by Dataquest at the Digital Leadership Conclave & awards held on March 21st, 2018 at New Delhi . The prestigious award, recognizes companies that demonstrate outstanding performance in delivering world-class results in service and support in the telecom sector. The award was presented to Partho Banerjee, President and Managing director of HCIL.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Banerjee said, We are extremely proud to be recognized again as the winner of this prestigious award by CyberMedia. It is our constant endeavor to provide the most efficient and highest performance satellite broadband services to support a wide range of applications across all market sectors. We have recently launched our state-of-the-art JUPITER satellite technology and services in India, which has met with huge immediate success in India. Receiving this award is a testament to our continuous commitment and efforts to satcom and to the country. We thank the organizers, our customers and partners for recognizing HCIL as the Top VSAT operator in India.

The award winners were selected by Dataquest based on an extensive research (V&D100 annual survey) conducted among a carefully selected group of professionals and sector experts. This enabled the selection process to be fair, transparent, and conclusive, especially since every nominee has played a significant role in the countrys telecom growth story. Hughes Communications India emerged the winner by a wide margin.
Johnny Nguyen(MENDOCINO, Calif.) -- A teen who was seen hugging a police officer in a photo that went viral during 2014 protests over the police-involved shooting death of Michael Brown has been reported missing after several members of his family died in a horrific car crash.



Five people have been confirmed dead after the SUV they were in went off a cliff near Mendocino in Northern California, on Monday, officials from the California Highway Patrol and the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said in a joint press conference Wednesday afternoon.



Search and rescue teams continue to look for Devonte Hart, 15, and his siblings, 16-year-old Hannah Hart and 12-year-old Sierra Hart, officials said. Their parents, Jennifer and Sarah Hart, and three of their siblings died in the crash.



The scene was "confusing," with no brake or skid marks before the car fell 75 feet into the Pacific Ocean, authorities said.



Authorities have every reason to believe that all six children were in the SUV. The victims were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident, officials said.



Investigators are still trying to piece together exactly when the crash occurred, and there were no witnesses. The car engine was cold by the time first responders arrived on the scene, authorities said.



There was no evidence left in the car, but police are searching for possible gas or hotel receipts to obtain a better timeline, officials said, adding that they have "no reason to believe" that the crash was "an intentional act."



Devonte Hart was seen in a photo taken on Nov. 25, 2014 hugging a police officer as tears streamed down his cheek during protests in Portland, Oregon, over Brown's death in Ferguson, Missouri, and a grand jury's failure to indict the officer who shot him. The poignant photo was taken during a national outcry over police brutality.



The boy, who was 12 at the time, was carrying a sign at the demonstration that said "free hugs," prompting the Portland police officer to ask him if he would "get one of those." The moment was then captured by freelance photographer Johnny Nguyen.



Devonte Hart was the adoptive son of Jennifer and Sarah Hart, ABC Portland affiliate KATU reported.



The family is from just outside Woodland, Washington, a suburb of Portland, according to KATU.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Washington Mayor declares Mar 26 as `Bangladesh Day`

Mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser has declared Bangladesh's 48th Independence and National Day (March 26) as 'Bangladesh Day'.



A representative of the Mayor formally handed over the proclamation to Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Mohammad Ziauddin at the Independence Day reception at the Embassy on Wednesday, said a PID handout on Thursday.



The proclamation says the people of Bangladesh on this day remember the leadership of Father of their Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the valor of freedom fighters that led to the independence of their country.



The United States Department of State has cited Bangladesh as a 'global example of a democratic, tolerant, pluralistic, and moderate nation' whose friendship matters to the United States, the proclamation also mentioned.



The Embassy of Bangladesh has contributed to the cultural diversity of the District of Colombia and has participated in many DC events. -- UNB, Dhaka.






Ecuador cuts WikiLeaks founder Assange's internet at Embassy

Julian Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012.

AP, Ecuador :

Ecuador's government said Wednesday it has cut off WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's internet connection at the nation's London embassy after his recent activity on social media decrying the arrest of a Catalan separatist politician.

In a statement, officials said Assange's recent posts "put at risk" the good relations Ecuador maintains with nations throughout Europe and had decided as of Tuesday to suspend his internet access "in order to prevent any potential harm." Assange has since gone silent on social media.

Ecuador granted Assange asylum in the South American nation's London embassy in 2012, where he has remained cooped up ever since. Ecuador has repeatedly tried to find a solution that would allow Assange to leave without the threat of arrest, but with no success. He remains wanted in Britain for jumping bail and also fears a possible U.S. extradition request based on his leaking of classified State Department documents.

Relations between Assange and his host nation have often grown prickly.

Ecuador suspended his internet access in 2016 after a WikiLeaks dump targeting Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. And while former President Rafael Correa hailed Assange's work, the South American country's current head of state has called him a hacker and warned him not to meddle in politics.

As part of an agreement allowing him to stay at Ecuador's embassy, Assange is forbidden from sending any messages that would interfere with the country's diplomatic relations other nations. "He violated that agreement," said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador's minister of foreign affairs. She added that Ecuador's government would be sending of a group of diplomats to meet with Assange's legal team in London next week while also continuing a dialogue with British officials on how to resolve "an inherited problem."

Assange frequently tweets more than a dozen times a day, sharing news stories and comments that often focus on global politics and digital security issues. In recent days, Assange had criticized Germany's detention of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont. He wrote that the European arrest warrant system "allows an abusive government to persecute its opponents across the whole of the EU."

He also chimed in a decision by the United States and more than a dozen European nations to kick out Russian diplomats on Monday following Moscow's alleged poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain.

"The manner of and timing of Russian diplomatic expulsions is poor diplomacy," he wrote.

Following Assange's remarks, a British minister called him a "miserable little worm" and said it was regretful that he remains in Ecuador's embassy.

Ecuador granted the Australian-born Assange citizenship in December as part of an effort to make him a member of its diplomatic team, which would grant him additional rights like special legal immunity. But Britain's Foreign Office rejected the request to grant him diplomatic status in the U.K.




Lankan President cuts PM`s duties in power struggle

Maithripala Sirisena appointed a special inquiry which cleared Wickremesinghe of any wrongdoing..

AFP, Colombo :

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Wednesday reduced the responsibilities of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as a power struggle worsened within their uneasy coalition.

Sirisena took away the central bank, the policy-making National Operations Room and several other institutions from the control of Wickremesinghe, who had held them since coming to power in January 2015.

The changes were published in a government gazette notice issued Wednesday which transferred the responsibilities to Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

There was no official explanation for why the Central Bank of Sri Lanka had been taken away from the prime minister's control. In 2015 a central bank governor appointed by Wickremesinghe, Arjuna Mahendran, was accused of insider trading.

Sirisena appointed a special inquiry which cleared Wickremesinghe of any wrongdoing. But Mahendran was held responsible for passing sensitive information to his bond-dealer son-in-law Arjun Aloysius to make $75 million in undue profits.

Sirisena joined hands with Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) to oust strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse in January 2015 after a decade in power.

But since then their alliance has fractured, with Sirisena clashing with free-market champion Wickremesinghe over economic policy.

Relations worsened further after their coalition did badly in local government elections last month.

The president blamed the premier for their electoral setbacks.

Earlier this year, Sirisena publicly lambasted Wickremesinghe and his UNP, saying they had mismanaged the economy. Sirisena said the current government was also more corrupt than the former regime they toppled together.

A section within Sirisena's party supports a no-confidence move against Wickremesinghe slated for April 4. However, the UNP is the largest single party in the 225-member assembly and commands a comfortable majority with the help of allies.

The premier could be brought down only if Sirisena can unite his own fractured Sri Lanka Freedom Party and engineer defections from Wickremesinghe's UNP.

Tensions between the coalition partners have also escalated over Sirisena's attempts to extend his presidential term by one more year till 2021, a move that was rejected by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

The UNP has suggested that it may go it alone at the next general election in 2020.

Presidential powers to sack the government and call early elections were removed through a constitutional amendment introduced in the early days of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe coalition.




Jubo League activist hacked to death

Chitagong Bureau :

A local Jubo League activist was hacked to death in an attack allegedly by his rivals in Chittagong. The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Md Mohiuddin who was well known in the Halishahar area in the port city.

The incident occurred in Meher Afroze Hig h School in Saltgola area on Monday afternoon, said Inspector Moinul Islam of Bandar Police Station.

"Mohiuddin went to attend a meeting to form a committee with former students of the school to organise a reunion," OC Moinul added.

Followers of Haji Iqbal, a local influential leader, attacked him with sharp weapons and stabbed him indiscriminat ely, he said.Critically injured, Mohiuddin was taken to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
BCL men attack JCD leader at CU

CU Correspondent :

A group of activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) CU unit yesterday injured President of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal of CU unit at Chittagong University campus .

Witnesses said , a group of BCL activists including Masum Khan and Rafi beat up Khorsed Alam, President CU Chattra Dal , Nazrul Islam , Joint Secretary and Nazmul Hossain , Sabbir Ahmmad , activists of CU Chhattra Dal in front of CU central Shaheed Minner whlile Chattra Dal leaders were leaving campus after placing tribute sto Freedom Fighter Mural on Independent Day. The BCL men also snatched away mobile and wallet from CU Chattra Dal President. On information, police rushed the spot but did not find him. Afterward victim was sent to CU Medical Center.

BCL activists are known as follower of Former Vice President Razaul Haque Rubel.

Former Vice President of CU BCl unit Rezaul Haque Rubel said ``Our activists have resisted them because the anti-liberation force Chattra Dal`s leaders and activists have come to create sabotage and unstable situation on the campus. They got away them from the campus after chasing one step.''

CU Chhatra Dal General Secretary Shahidul Islam Shahid said: "We are not present in any procession but we have come to pay tribute to the martyrs of the war on the Independent Day. But the administration failed to provide security. Some BCl activists beat up our leaders. I doubt if they believe in the spirit of liberation war. ''

Asking about the incident, CU Assistant Proctor Liton Mitra said that an altercation was taken place.

Later, police rushed to the spot and rescued them and sent to medical. No one was seriously injured.




Taiwan is an emerging destination for intrepid travellers

Weekend Plus Desk :

Those caught up in the hustle bustle of a city life - and craving for someplace pristine, calm and relaxed - will fall in love with Taiwan. But along with its tranquility and peace, there is also the effervescence of a place celebrating its culture and language with aplomb.

This small island nation in the South China Sea is truly the heart of Asia - and it is fast catching the attention of Indian travellers, offering as it does a perfect combo of fabulous food, superb night life, bustling markets, hot springs, culture, history, architecture and stunning natural beauty - from gentle mountains to lovely coastal landscapes.

It was around the Taiwan Lantern Festival 2018 that we landed at Taichung International Airport here to be greeted by our tour guide, the friendly and ever-smiling Charles Tung. And he wanted all of us - a group of travelling journalists - smiling as well. "Say cheese," he said as he got us to pose for a group photo before we embarked on our journey of exploration.

And there is much to explore.

"Taiwan has a truly unique natural beauty. There are beautiful places like Sun Moon lake, Yangmingshan National Park, Black Dwarf Cave to name just a few. These places provide an escape from the chaos of urban living," Noel Saxena, Country Head, Taiwan Tourism Bureau India Office, told IANS.

Saxena said Taiwan is also very rich when it comes to art.

"Be it dance, music or even folk art, the Taiwanese have earned critical acclaim with an exceptional display of talent. Taiwanese hand puppetry and Taiwanese opera are two foremost examples of art forms that are authentically Taiwanese, in that they use the Taiwanese language, not Mandarin," he informed.

The Taiwanese love for music and art was evident at Ten Drum Ciatou Creative Park, located in Kaohsiung. Once a sugar processing plant, it is now the hub of a percussion group - the Ten Drum Percussion Group that has won accolades globally, including a Grammy in the Best World Album category.

While taking a walk around the former factory, we had to take a path made up of the branches of trees Quite literally, we were walking on trees without fear of falling down - a unique experience.

Other stops included the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, a comprehensive recreational area featuring Taiwanese indigenous people's cultural relics as well as amusement park facilities; and the Sun Moon Lake, situated near Yuchi township, was truly mesmerising. One of the most beautiful alpine lakes in Taiwan, it is shaped like a crescent moon; hence the name.

The Buddha Memorial Centre at Fo Guang Shan is a landmark in the country. Touching 108 metres in height, the Buddha is made up of 1,872 metric tonnes of copper and iron and is currently the world's tallest bronze seated Buddha.

"Taiwan is blessed with natural beauty, scenic areas, great food, astonishing history and culture - and Taipei 101. This makes it a great destination. It is a destination for all age groups," said Saxena.

The country is home to only about 20 million people and is a technology powerhouse. This was quite evident even at the traditional Lantern Festival - held earlier this month - where all the work displayed was high-tech.


Washington DC Mayor declares March 26 as Bangladesh Day



The Mayor of Washington DC has declared the Bangladesh's Independence and National Day as the "Bangladesh Day", according to a press release of Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC, received here on Thursday.

A representative of the Mayor Muriel Bowser formally conveyed the decision to Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Mohammad Ziauddin at the Independence Day reception at the embassy, organised on Wednesday evening.

The proclamation said that on this day people of Bangladesh remember the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the valor of the freedom fighters that led to the independence of their country.

It said that the US Department of State has already cited Bangladesh as "a global example of a democratic, tolerant, pluralistic, and moderate nation" whose friendship matters to the United States.

Referring to the contribution of Bangladesh embassy to the cultural

diversity of the District of Colombia, the mayor congratulated the ambassador

and all the people of Bangladesh on this special occasion, and declared March

26 as "Bangladesh Day".




Come out from immoral competitions in public examinations: President

President M Abdul Hamid on Thursday called upon the guardians not to involve in ominous and unfair competitions to help their children obtain 'A+' in public examinations., including primary and secondary levels.

"You have to come out from ill and immoral competitions in the examinations . . . as immoral education doesn't bring any benefit to the society, the country and the nation," he said while addressing the third convocation of the University of Information Technology and Sciences (UITS) at International Convention Centre, Bashundhara, here.

Terming the involvement of some parents in recent incidents of question paper leak, the President said the guardians should not only be concerned over their kids' exam results, but also be cautious about the issue of their moral degradation.

The President, also the chancellor of the university, observed: "The society at present is experiencing the decadence due to lack of moral education."

He appreciated the introduction of the special courses on "Moral Education" and "Emergence of Bangladesh" in the UITS curriculum to familiarize the new generation with the ideals and values of the country's freedom struggle.

Abdul Hamid put emphasis on practical training alongside the theoretical teachings and hoped that the university authority would contribute in developing skilled, eligible and enthusiastic youths for the country.

"It is the demand of time to ensure quality education, infrastructure development and time-befitting facilities for the teachers, officials and employees of university," the President said, asking the all private universities to abide by "The Private University Act 2010".

President Hamid suggested the graduates not to forget the country and its people as well as not to compromise with injustice and untruth.

"Always try to uphold the dignity of your degree through which a lot of responsibilities are bestowed upon you and never tarnish your personal dignity and morality," the university chancellor advised the graduates.

Computer scientist and columnist Professor Dr Mohammad Kaykobad of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) was the convocation speaker.

Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Professor Abdul Mannan, UITS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammed Solaiman, UITS Trustee Board Chairman Alhaj Sufi Mohammed Mizanur Rahman and secretaries to the President, among others, were present.
Srabanti to shoot for Bhaijaan Elo Re in London

Srabanti will be flying off to London for 18 days to shoot for Bhaijaan Elo Re. So, the actress will miss few episodes of Dance Bangla Dance Junior where she is one of the judges. "I will miss few episodes but I will be back with a bang after my shoot," said the actress. The actress has a busy schedule for the nexy few months. As she will be come to Bangladesh after return back from London to start shooting for a new film, Jodi Ekdin. "After that I will start a new film with Soham which will be directed by Abhimanyu Mukherjee," said the actress on her way to dubbing for Piya Re.




Criminals do not hesitate to attack police

NEWSPAPER reports said Sub-inspector at Gouripur police station in Mymensingh Asaduzzaman Asad, 37, who was stabbed in the abdomen by an alleged drug peddler on Wednesday, was flown to Dhaka on Thursday for better treatment. The police official was attacked by the criminals when he tried to catch one of them.



It is not the lone incident of attack on the police. A few days ago, an Inspector of the Detective Branch under Dhaka Metropolitan Police Jalal Uddin Ahmed was killed by the criminals when he was conducting an operation to recover two stolen firearms of two Sergeants. Jalal Uddin had received PPM in 2013 for his courageous role and efficiency. In another incident, a group of youths, aged between 15 and 20, riding three motorbikes opened fire on a team of Chittagong Metropolitan Police near Panchlaish Gate No. 2 on February 18. Police claimed the attackers were involved in mugging and opened fire to evade arrest for possessing illegal firearms.



These three incidents make it clear that criminals do not fear the police and they are gradually becoming desperate. The reality is that, the criminals can easily steal police firearms and they even can kill a skilled police official if he tries to recover the stolen weapons.

It was astonishing to know that Jalal Uddin was not alone. He was present with his team. But the criminals did not hesitate to open fire on the armed DB team. Most surprisingly, the criminals have such connections and arrangements so that they can hide themselves in safe places just within minutes after committing the crimes.

The continuous propaganda of the Home Ministry about combating crimes- such as reducing incidents of murder, mugging and drug peddling, is nothing but an eyewash policy of the government. Not only in Dhaka, Chittagong or Mymensingh, the organized criminals are running their illegal businesses and committing various types of crimes almost everywhere in the country where the law enforcement agencies are apparently helpless.



Not only that, raping and killing of women have also appeared as a big problem in the recent days. Two women of the Garo ethnic community were killed by unknown miscreants in the city's Gulshan area a few days ago. Besides, incidents of murder after gang rape in different rural areas have crossed all limits.



We think it is not enough only to nab the criminals. Here, the law enforcement agencies should focus on the godfathers or patrons of the criminals. Police know the criminals always get political support, perhaps from those with political power. At first the police will have to disconnect the liaison between the political leaders and criminals. Otherwise, the common people will not get the expected result.






BNP's return to power means destruction: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressing the huge public meeting at the Thakurgaon Zila School ground on Thursday.

UNB, Thakurgaon :

Seeking vote for Awami League in the next general election, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said BNP's return to power means destruction of the country.

"BNP's return to power means destroying the country, burning people to death, indulging in corruption, plundering and terrorism, and creating militancy," she said while addressing a public rally in the district town.

Awami League's Thakurgaon district unit arranged the rally at Thakurgaon Government Boys' High School ground in the town.

Mentioning that the national election will be held in December 2018, the Prime Minister said, "If you vote for Boat, we'll present you a Sonar Bangla with continued development."

The PM further said, "The symbol of boat means your development and peace. It'll provide you improved lifestyle."

Criticising BNP leaders, Sheikh Hasina said Khaleda Zia's two sons looted Tk 980.20 crore from banks, but did not pay back asingle penny.

Talking about the imprisonment of Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, she questioned why BNP is now waging a movement against the court verdict."The court has passed the verdict. Today, she's a convict. The fund for orphans had been plundered. Why's the movement for? In the Holy Quran, Allah also keeps a provision for punishment if the orphans are not given their dues (Haq)," she said.

The Prime Minister said the fund came for orphans in 1991, but Khaleda Zia embezzled the whole amount without giving a single penny to the beneficiaries.

Coming down hard on BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, she said he is spreading falsehood throughout the day daily. "His throat has swollen for talking the whole day. He needs to receive treatment again and again."

"There should be a limit of spreading falsehood.

Allah will also be displeased if anyone spreads falsehood the whole day," she added.

The Prime Minister said Fakhrul was State Minister for the Civil Aviation during the BNP regime from 2001 to 2006 when he destroyed Biman. "They can destroy but can't create anything. They can plunder people's property, but can't give them anything."

She continued, "He (Fakhrul) is a man of your area, but he shut down Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari when he was the state minister."

Coming to power in 2008, the Awami League government reopened the Saidupur, Rajshahi and Barisal airports, purchased eight aircraft and the process is on to procure two more, Hasina said.

In her 36-minute speech, she focused on various development activities of the government. "We want to develop the country and change the people's fate," she said, adding that no one will remain homeless and hungry in the country.

At the rally, the Prime Minister announced to establish a university, a special economic zone, an IT park, a new police station and a hostel for professional women in Thakurgaon.

She also made some other promises, including providing an inter-city train, for the people of the district.

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated 33 development projects and laid the foundation stones of 33 others.

AL district unit president AlhajDabirul Islam MP presided over the rally.

Sheikh Hasina last visited Thakurgaon on September 18, 2001. AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Brides Minister ObaidulQuader, MP, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, MP, AL presidium member Ramesh Chandra Sen, MP, AL joint general secretaries MahbubulAlam, MP and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, MP, AL organising secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP, among others, addressed the rally.
Potato growers deprived of fair price

Anisul Islam Noor :

The potato growers are facing loss due to fall of price for bumper production in last few years in view of favourable weather condition.

Experts said, though Bangladesh's potato has both domestic and global demand, the farmers are not getting fair price for lack of adequate market facilities.

According to the source of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the country's potato output was 1,13.327 lakh tonnes in 2017 against the target of 96 lakh metric tonnes. The production was 94.74 lakh tonnes in 2016 and 92.54 lakh tonnes in 2015.

However, demand for potato in the country is around 70 lakh tonnes. About 10 lakh tonnes are used as seeds.

Every year farmers make profits, but this season they are deprived of fair price mainly due to surplus production.

Heavy rainfall affected early varieties of potato cultivation and delayed the production, taking that opportunity businessmen imported early varieties of potato from India and sold those in the kitchen markets.

Bangladesh Potato Exporters Association (BPEA) leader Sheikh Abdul Kader told The New Nation yesterday that farmers are producing a huge quantity of potatoes, but are deprived of fair price due to lack of proper marketing policy.

Other countries give lots of facilities to export their potato, but Bangladesh does not do so, he said.

"Every year farmers cultivate potatoes and they can

grow two more crops on the same piece of land," he also said.

If the government will not introduce quality varieties of potato in the country, potato export will shrinks further, he added.

In the first seven months of 2017, about 45,000 metric tonnes of potato were exported.

A total of 40,230 tonnes were exported in the 2015-16 fiscal year, 94,614 tonnes in the 2014-15 fiscal year, 103,000 tonnes in the 2013-14 fiscal year, according to Hortex Foundation.

For shortage of export-quality potato, is not exported enough potato though the country produces surplus, said the exporter.

Different varieties of potatoes are selling at very low prices at growers' ends of the northern districts.

Potatoes are selling at Tk 5 to Tk 7.5 a kg in Nilphamari recently compared with Tk 14-16 a kg on Sunday in the capital, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Shamsul Islam, a farmer from Nilphamari, said production cost of potatoes per kg was Tk six to eight, but they are selling it at lower prices in the local market.

He said cold storage owners did not buy the potato this time as they suffered losses last season.

"Last year cold storage owners witnessed huge loss, for this they are not buying," he said.
Former Egyptian President Morsi poised to premature death in jail

Al Jazeera News :

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi is being imprisoned in standards lower than those sanctioned by international law, which could lead to an early death, a panel of British MPs and lawyers said.

In a report released on Wednesday, the Detention Review Panel (DRP), which was commissioned by Morsi's family, said the former leader is "receiving inadequate medical care, particularly inadequate management of his diabetes, and inadequate management of his liver disease".

"The consequence of this inadequate care is likely to be rapid deterioration of his long-term conditions, which is likely to lead to premature death," it said.

The panel said the conditions of his detention could meet the threshold for torture in Egyptian and international law. It added that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi "could, in principle, be responsible for the crime of torture".

Morsi, 67, was democratically elected after Egypt's 2011 revolution. He was then deposed following mass protests and a military coup in July 2013. He served just one year of a four-year term, while the organisation to which he belonged, the Muslim Brotherhood, has since been outlawed.

Since his removal, Morsi has been tried in several different cases.

In April 2015, he was sentenced to 20 years on charges of ordering the arrest and torture of protesters in clashes outside the presidential palace in 2012. In September 2016, he was sentenced to another 25 years in prison on charges of passing intelligence to Qatar. In December 2017, Morsi was also sentenced to three years on charges of insulting the judiciary.

He is now being held at the infamous Tora Prison, also known as Scorpion Prison, where the DRP said he had been held in solitary confinement for about three years.

The panel, led by MP Crispin Blunt, said it was able to gather information about Morsi's detention from several sources, including testimony from Morsi's son as well as medical professionals informed of the former president's condition. The DRP had originally requested to visit Morsi and assess his detention conditions firsthand, but the panel said it did not hear back from the Egyptian government.

The release of the report cames as Egypt wrapped up a three-day presidential election, which el-Sisi is expected to win easily.

The National Election Authority cleared el-Sisi and Moussa Mustafa Moussa to run.

Mousa is a little-known politician who joined the race at the last minute after several potential candidates were forced out or arrested.

Mousa had endorsed el-Sisi for a second term and even organised events to help nominate the former military chief up until a week before the nomination deadline.
Poll violence costs a life

Staff Reporter :

A man was reportedly killed when police opened gunfire at a polling station of a Union Parishad in Ghatail upazila of Tangail ahead of election in the wee hours on Thursday.

Our Tangail correspondent reports, the deceased was identified as Abdul Malek, 32, son of Nesar Ali and a relative of one Bulbuli Begum, a reserved women's seat aspirant of Sagardighi Union.

According to local people, police opened gunfire to disperse the ballot snatchers at Shonamuri Guptobrindaban Government Primary School around 3:00am on Thursday.

Police opened fire as per older of the presiding officer, said Sanjit Kumar Roy, Police Superintendent of Tangail. "I have heard that one person died afterwards."

The body was found in Mymensingh's Fulbaria, just two kilometres from Ghatail upazila. As a resume polls remained suspended following the violence.

Union Parishad elections are taking place in eight Unions of three upazilas and a municipality in Tangail.

Meanwhile, elections and by-elections of 133 Union Parishad and several municipalities of local bodies were held across the country on Thursday.

The voting started at 8am and ended at 4pm without any break amid tight security. Election were held in 47 Union Parishad (UP), seven municipalities, by election in four municipalities and election in one Upazila Parishad, said SM Asaduzzaman, Director Public Relation of Election Commission.
Salam Party mugs by exchanging greetings

Staff Reporter :



Law enforcers have arrested five members of Salam Party, an organised criminal gang, from the citys Paltan area on Wednesday evening.



The arrested are Jitu, 49, Mizan, 35, Akhter Hossain, 45, Ripon, 28, and Pintu Miah, 31. They used to mug people by shaking hands in the name of exchanging greeting 'assalamu alaikum', police said.



Mahmudul Haque, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Paltan Police Station, said, Tipped off, a team of police arrested them from in front of Ideal Diagnostic Centre yesterday evening and recovered Tk 1 lakh from their possession.



In primary interrogation, the arrestees confessed that they wearing new shirt, pant and shoe, suddenly appeared before a targeted person and tried to get closer to him by giving salam, a religious greeting of Muslim, the police official said.



At one stage, they snatched money, mobile and other valuables from the person showing weapons, he said quoting the arrestees.



Sometimes, the criminals pickpocket creating a crowd like situation around the victim, said the OC.



The muggers also told the cops that they have been committing such crime showing the trick in front of bank or ATM booth in different places in the capital, including Shantinagar, Paltan and Kakrail.



By forming groups of four to five members for a specific area, they mug people through syndication, he added.








ACC's appeal to extend Khaleda's punishment illegal: BNP Fakhrul couldn't meet Khaleda due to her illness

Staff Reporter :

The BNP on Thursday termed the Anti-Corruption Commission's appeal to High Court to increase party chief Khaleda Zia's punishment on Zia Orphanage Trust case illegal.

"There is not any law in ACC to submit such a review petition to increase any body's punishment. The ACC's petition to increase Khaleda Zia's jail term is totally unlawful and politically motivated," BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said this at a news briefing at the party's central office in the city's at Nayapaltan.

The BNP leader accused the Election Commission to act as blind and deaf person since it kept silent after the ruling Awami League's candidates involved in vote rigging in the on-going Union Council and Municipal elections in Comilla, Tangail and Chittagong areas.

BNP Vice-Chairmen Shawkat Mahmud and Nitai Roy Chowdhury, and Assistant Organising Secretary Abdus Salam Azad, among others, were present.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir could not meet the party's imprisoned chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday due to her illness.

Fakhrul was scheduled to meet Khaleda Zia at Old Dhaka Central Jail at 3:00pm at Nazimuddin Road.

On the way, Mirza Fakhrul was informed that Khaleda Zia is ill so his visit to BNP chairperson was postponed. BNP chairperson's press wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan told this to a group of journalists quoting Mirza Fakhrul as saying.
Celebration is fake: Nagorik Oikya

Staff Reporter :

Speakers at an event on Thursday said the government's celebration of graduation from LDC to a developing country is fake adding that Bangladesh has to overcome two more steps finally for achieving it.

They said it while addressing a discussion titled " Graduation to developing country and its upgradation to autocracy" organized by Nagorik Oikya at Reporters Unity in the city on Thursday afternoon.

"Development is an ongoing process; no government alone can claim the development has taken place under it. Without democracy and people's right to expression there cannot be sustainable

development," Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, former governor of Bangladesh Bank said.

The status of developing country is still far away from now, the country has to face many challenges to achieve it around 2024 said, he said.

Founder of Gonosasthokendro Dr. Jafarullah Chowdhury said, country's makers of development are the farmers and workers who have worked hard to achieve it. Real reception has go to them.

"The discrimination under quota system is the opposite of our spirit of liberation War" he said.

Professor Dilara Chowdhury said, "The government is trying to distort our history in various ways, to claim credits. Without real history no nation can go ahead."

She said, if there is no free and fair election, Bangladesh will fall into deep crisis.

Professor Asif Nazrul said, the status of developing country is fundamentally hypocratic and the celebration was very funny.

Nagorik Oikya's Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said, the status of developing country is completely wrong.

The ruling party is trying to arrange another January 5 type election showing a drama of fake development, he said.

Bipolobi Workers Party General Sectary Comrade Saiful Haque, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal General Sectary Abdul Malek Ratan, Former Ambassador Sirajul Islam and Gonosanghati Andolan Coordinator Junayed Saki, Dr Zahid, among others, spoke in the function.




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.
Yes, the decision belongs on the local level

No, no one should be able to dictate whether people wear masks

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On Wednesday, March 14th  National Heroes Day  members of the Biabou Senior Citizens Health and Fitness Group set out to challenge themselves with a walk lasting close to two hours for some of its members, the majority of them in their seventies and older.





The group is made up of older persons from Biabou and surrounding areas. Apart from their advancement in age, many of the members are afflicted with the chronic ailments traditionally associated with ageing  diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, heart disease; some are even recovering from stroke.





But none of these ailments were enough to deter, not even the most infirm among the membership from walking. The walk started at 6:30am from the Biabou Learning Resource Centre. The more physically challenged ones who were unable to walk the entire journey took the circular route along the main road, around the clinic, across the Biabou bridge and back to the resource centre; while the others walked northward along the Windward highway to the Reaves Level gap and back. The fact that these older persons could overcome such formidable physical challenges to engage in a fitness walk over that distance was indeed a heroic feat. Also participating in the walk were members of staff of the Health Promotion Unit within the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, and the Parliamentary Representative of South Windward (the constituency in which the group is grounded), the Honorable Frederick Stephenson.





The walk was part of a year-long series of activities leading up to the groups tenth anniversary (February 26, 2019). This series of activities was unveiled at a launching ceremony held on Sunday, February 25th at the Biabou Hard Court. The next activity would be the visiting of the shut-in members of the group during the month of April.





The group is an initiative of the Health Promotion Unit, and it is one of the first initiatives to be implemented under the Port of Spain Declaration, which is an agreement signed by the Caribbean Heads of Governments, as a regional strategy to combat Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases. The goal of the group is to promote the health and wellbeing of its members; its motto: "Age gracefully, Stay healthy, Celebrate life.
Left:Justice Brian Cottle gave studious consideration to all that was before him before handing down the sentences.Right:George Chocolate Franklyn (right) pleaded guilty and may have earned himself less of an overall sentence.

George Chocolate Franklyn, a businessman who unleased a series of violent attacks, including double murder in his Campden Park neighbourhood, September 13, 2011, received multiple prison sentences at the Criminal Assizes on Tuesday.





Franklyn told Justice Brian Cottle, "Thank you, after the sentences were handed down. He had pleaded guilty to 17 charges last week Monday, but sentencing was adjourned.

Franklyn was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of his wife Ingrid Jack-Franklyn, 35, but the time spent on remand is to be deducted from that sentence.





Franklyn was remanded since September 16, 2011 in connection with the matter.

The 47-year-old was also sentenced to 15 years for the murder of his neighbor Marva James. That sentence will run consecutively to the other sentence.





Franklyn also received a ten-year sentence for each of the attempted murders of Sharon James, daughter of Marva James; Simeon James, Marvas son, who is also Sharons brother; Desroy Jack, Jack-Franklyns brother; and Desroy Lavia. These sentences will run concurrently with the others.





Franklyn was further sentenced to seven years for aggravated burglary, five years for possession of a firearm with intent, and three years for ammunition possession. These sentences will also run concurrently with the others.

The businessman is expected to serve an overall sentence of about 34 years.

All the offences arose from the nightmare drama which unfolded at Campden Park around 7 a.m.





Jack-Franklyn received gunshot wounds to her head and abdomen, while James was shot in the face, resulting in their death. Other persons survived gunshot injuries as well as stab wounds during the onslaught.





In a sterling and lengthy mitigation plea, Franklyns lawyer Stephen Williams outlined his clients history. He noted that Franklyn attended the Fitz Hughs Government School but had to leave because of financial circumstances. His mother died when he was six years old, and at age 12, he left Chateaubelair and went to Kingstown where he lived for a period of time. Because of his circumstance, he slept on the streets of Kingstown pushed a cart, and did odd jobs to survive.





Williams said that Franklyn endured a hard life, and even though he sought to make an honest, living, and managed to migrate to United States some years later, he was eventually deported because of problems he had there.





According to the lawyer, while Franklyn was working in the United States, he had returned to these shores on various occasions, during which time he met the woman he made his wife. He built his house and mini-mart on Jack-Franklyns land and worked for long hours. The marriage relationship, however, began having problems, and Franklyn would hear talk in the community and during visits to his wifes workplace. He would also receive calls from anonymous persons, in relation to the relationship.





"These problems together with the sceptic schedule of running the business caused the defendant some stress, Williams said, adding that his client acted under domestic and emotional stress. He noted that the Social Inquiry Report stated that Franklyn had expressed remorse, and was a good candidate for rehabilitation.

Williams said Franklyn had confronted his wife, that fateful morning, about what he was hearing. An argument ensued, and he was struck by an unknown object, and it was at this stage the series of events escalated.

Justice Cottle took into account Franklyns guilty plea, the Social Inquiry Reports conclusion that he was a good candidate for rehabilitation, and that he acted under some social and domestic stress; but the Judge also stressed the seriousness of the offences.




by Bishop SONNY E. WILLIAMS

Presiding Bishop

Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies

St. Vincent and the Grenadines District





Whether youre celebrating Easter this weekend or just enjoying a weekend of rest and relaxation, I hope you will find the time to reflect on the gospel record of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.





From my reflection, I see a vivid display of human nature and tendencies in the players of this drama as it intriguingly unfolds.





Reflect on the enthusiasm of the crowd and their extravagant display of adoration as Jesus entered Jerusalem. The gospel writers described the scene, as many spread garments in the way, waved branches, strewed them and shouted his praise. Yet, by the end of the week, when asked to exercise their choice between Jesus and Barabbas, they resoundingly and repeatedly called for the crucifixion of Jesus. How can the tide of popular opinion change so quickly? What was the basis of their choice? Barabbas could be identified with any group whose shadowy lifestyle blurred the boundaries between crime and politics.





Reflect on Judas self-interest and self-ambition that masqueraded in a claim to champion the cause of the poor. The gospel writer assessed him as "not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief and had the bag, and bare what was put there in (Jn. 12:6). Although his real motive was to steal, he echoed the condemnation thats become so common in our culture. No wonder that he found thirty pieces of silver irresistible as a reward for the betrayal of his beloved master.





Reflect on the Jewish High Priest Caiaphas whose political common sense is to solve problems by scape- goating others. He reasoned, "It is better that one man should die for the people, rather the whole nation should perish (Jn. 11:50. He continued, "If we let this man go on like this, everyone will believe on him, and then the Romans will come and destroy both our place and our nation.





Consequently "they kept looking for a way to kill him, for they were afraid of him. What a diabolical way to justify your endeavours, to eliminate your perceived opponent.





Reflect on Pontius Pilate, a powerful political figure with considerable military power at his disposal. He held the keys of life and death in his hands. Yet, the irony of the story as it is told in the Gospel, is that Pilate emerges as perhaps the weakest of all the characters. He is skilfully and relatively easily manipulated by Caiaphas who changed the charge from blasphemy to dangerous political insurgency. Pilates personal weakness and political vulnerability were exploited with Caiaphas carefully chosen words: "If you release this man, you are not a friend of the emperor. Pilate is like so many in positions of political power who are haunted by their past, an Achilles heel that occasionally forces them to limp. Pilate was not willing to pay the political price, and hence did what was politically expedient. Integrity does not come cheap, and Pilate couldnt afford it.





Reflect on the guards of the tomb of Jesus. Most of us are like these guards, were Caesars people. We often are aware of the facts, but we tread lightly for fear that our political system will victimize us for speaking out or telling the truth. The gospel writer, Matthew said that these soldiers were given large sums of money to conceal the truth and propagate the lie that the disciples stole his body (Matt. 28:11-15).





"Jesus is Lord was very scandalous in ancient Rome. "Jesus is Lord was a direct affront to the popular Roman slogan "Caesar is Lord. By refusing to submit to Caesar Augustus as Lord, and claiming a new king and a new kingdom, Jesus and his followers were committing nothing short of treason. The radical message of Easter that Jesus rose from the dead, meant Caesars regime and all other regimes have an expiration date on them. His Kingdom will be the only one that will have no end.





Easter also has a political meaning: it meant that God said yes to Jesus passion for a transformed world, and no to the powers of domination that killed him. Of course, Easter has more than a political meaning  but not less.





Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (PAWI) encourages all to embrace Jesus as Lord of your life.
Occupational Health and Safety and Disaster Management policies and procedures at St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) were among issues highlighted at the 2018 Occupational Health and Safety & Disaster Management Seminar, held in Jamaica from March 11th -14th .





The seminar, which was organised by the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) and co-hosted by the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS), was held under the theme: "Safety by Design with Disaster in Mind.





The event was aimed at promoting a proactive approach to health and safety in the workplace, and involved a number of occupational health and safety experts and energy leaders who used the platform to share ideas, experiences, skills and knowledge.





VINLECs Environmental Health and Safety Officer Mr. Anthony Patterson presented on the topic "Greening the Electric Utility - Achieving Net Positive Environmental Impact., in which he addressed issues related to environmental and sustainability accounting, environmental hazards and mitigation measures for electric utilities, and VINLECs renewable energy thrust.





VINLECs Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Thornley Myers was among a group of panelists who addressed the topic  "Roadmap to Rebuilding and Resilience.





Mr. Myers noted that one of the important steps in this process is preparation. He said that building a roadmap will help stakeholders navigate through the events that occur during times of disaster and noted that the participants should use the experiences of other utilities as a guide.

The CEO assured that VINLEC continues to be an advocate of occupational health and safety, and encouraged other Companies to do the same.





The Occupational Health and Safety & Disaster Management Seminar was held concurrently with the Corporate Communications, Human Resource and Customer Service Conference.
Errol Hinson, the security guard who was shot in his face during an incident at Heritage Square, Kingstown, March 15, was said, up to press time on Wednesday, to be in serious condition at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, and was scheduled to undergo surgery today (Thursday).





Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche made the disclosure at the Serious Offences Court on Monday, as he further objected to bail for Rockies resident Kishron Jackson who is charged with attempting to murder the security guard, as well as Veron Williams, an employee of the Lions Club, which operates the Lotto Booth at Heritage Square.





Jackson is also charged with conspiring with others to rob the booth.

Delpleche noted that while Williams, who had also received a gunshot injury during the incident, was discharged from the hospital, Hinson remains in serious condition. As a result, Jackson, who had initially appeared in Court last week Monday, was further remanded when he reappeared before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne this week. He will return to Court next Tuesday, April 3, when the issue of bail will again be reviewed.




The state-owned Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC) has injected another SR1 billion ($266 million) to boost the consumer mortgage market, through funding from real estate financer Amlak International, said a report.



This is SRCs third such transaction and the first refinancing deal for this year. It includes portfolio acquisition and a short-term financing (Murabaha deal), reported the Arab News, citing a top official.



This crucial funding through Amlak International demonstrates SRC's growing role as a catalyst for the Saudi housing market, remarked Fabrice Susini, the chief executive officer.



Amlak was the first real estate financing company approved by the Saudi Arabia Monetary Authority (SAMA).



Recently, the company announced that it will offer the first real estate financing for Ministry of Housing beneficiaries to acquire ready-made housing units within King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).



"We will keep enabling lenders to offer more accessible home buying solutions to more Saudi citizens by providing liquidity as well as balance sheet relief," noted Susini.



The deal also signals SRCs commitment to the Ministry of Housing to offer more accessible housing finance solutions and facilitate market growth, he added.



Amlak CEO Abdullah bin Turki Al Sudairy said: "As the first company granted a licence to engage in real estate financing in Saudi Arabia, we recognise the need to work with the public sector to grow the real estate market."



This agreement will help us provide sustainable mortgage solutions to ensure that citizens can easily own the right home, stated Al Sudairy.



Over the past 10 years, Amlak has developed a close working relationship with developers, financing more than 9,000 units in more than 100 projects across the kingdom, he added.
Kuwaits Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre (JACC) has been named the Best Cultural Design Project at the Index Architecture & Design Awards 2018 (IADAs) held in Dubai recently.



Index is internationally respected as the largest design-oriented tradeshow in the Middle East. First launched in 1991, the four-day event welcomes more than 25,000 delegates from the design and architecture industry from more than 100 countries every year, with the IADAs celebrating exceptional creativity, innovation and passion in design.



SSH was appointed by design and build contractor, Al Hani Construction & Trading Company, as lead architecture and engineering designer on the four-building complex.



Since its grand opening in November 2016, the centre has won several architectural and design awards, now adding its IADA win to its roster, said a statement from the company.



JACC plays host to various performing arts and cultural events, as well as local and international acts. Together, with the recently opened Sheikh Abdullah Al Ahmad Cultural Centre (ASCC), also designed by SSH, JACC forms part of Kuwait Citys new national cultural district.



The key buildings of the complex are a Theatre Centre, Music Centre, Conference Centre and National Library for Historical Documents, all set within a national park for Kuwait. Designed to resemble jewels, JACC acts as the centrepiece of the countrys cultural quarter.



On behalf of the Amiri Diwan and SSH, we are very proud that the Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre has been honoured with this award, remarked George Abi Hanna, the managing director of SSH Kuwait.



This reaffirms the strength of the Amiri Diwans vision for this complex and the quality of SSHs design and its architectural and engineering team. A fantastic result, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
US-based KBR, a global provider of professional services and technologies, has been awarded an ammonia plant contract by Toyo Engineering Corporation (Toyo) for the Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan (HURL) greenfield urea project in Gorakhpur, India.



Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide licensing and basic engineering design (LBED) services for the project, said a statement.



HURL is a joint venture of three of the most prestigious Indian public sector companies  Coal India Limited (CIL), NTPC Limited (NTPC) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)  in cooperation with Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) and Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited (HFCL), it said.



HURL's Gorakhpur plant is an important milestone for the Government of India towards making India self-sufficient in urea production and is the first initiative of its kind by the Indian Government since the last set of plants were built over 10 years ago.



The foundation stone of the project was laid by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2016.



John Derbyshire, President, KBR Technology & Consulting, said: We are pleased that our ammonia technology has been selected for the first greenfield urea plant being set-up by HURL as part of this initiative by the Government of India.



This project will be an important milestone for India to meet its urea demand and KBR is honoured and proud to be a part of this project, he said.



Arun Kumar Gupta, managing director, HURL, said: HURL project at Gorakhpur shows the commitment and support of Government of India, Niti Aayog, Department of Fertilizer under Indian Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and promoter companies, towards the Indian fertiliser sector.



We believe that with best technologies and project management practices, this project will fulfil our vision of growth, efficiency and building national self-sufficiency, he added.



KBR is a leader in ammonia technology and has been involved in the licensing, design, engineering, and/or construction of more than 230 grass roots ammonia plants and over 100 revamp ammonia projects globally, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia-based Al Safi Holding, a unit of Al Faisaliah Group, has sold its shares in Al Safi Danone Company (ASD), a producer of dairy and juice products, to National Agricultural Development Co (Nadec).



Baker McKenzie, a leading global law firm, has acted for Al Safi Holding in this deal, said a statement.



The business combination of Nadec and ASD, a joint venture between Al Safi Holding and French food company Danone, was announced on March 25, it said.



As a result, Nadec will buy all the shares in ASD from Al Safi Holding and Danone Dairy Investments Indonesia and ASD shareholders will own 38.8 per cent of Nadec. The value of the transaction is undisclosed, it added.



The deal will help consolidate Nadecs and ASDs business in the dairy industry in Saudi Arabia, reinforce their position to create a leading regional dairy and beverage player, and extend their geographic reach, said a statement.



Riyadh partner Karim Nassar led the team, working with partner David Monnier and associate Alia AlSalloum.



Nassar said: The combination of Nadec and ASD marks a milestone as the first major consolidation in Saudi Arabia's dairy industry, as well as being one of the largest transactions announced this year.



It reflects the consolidation trends we are seeing across all industry sectors in the Middle East, and underlines the continuing development of Saudi Arabia's private sector in line with the nation's economic vision. We are delighted to have been able to support the Al Faisaliah Group in this landmark transaction, he added.



Ahmad Al Taher, Al Faisaliah Groups general counsel, said: We would like to thank Baker McKenzie for their professionalism and efficiency. Nassar, Monnier and AlSalloum were able to simplify and articulate complicated legal matters while keeping commercial intentions at the forefront, and helping bring the transaction to a full and complete circle.



Baker McKenzies role was vital to the transaction and we look forward to working with them again, he added.



Nadec has a market capitalisation of SR3.2 billion ($853 million) and is 20 per cent owned by Saudis Public Investment Fund, with the rest publicly traded on the Saudi bourse, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Korea Energy Agency (KEA) for renewable energy collaboration and investment between South Korea and the UAE.



Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Masdars chief executive officer, and Dr Nam Hoon Kang, president and CEO of KEA, signed the agreement, which coincided with the President of South Korea Moon Jae-ins four-day visit to the UAE and his first to the Middle East since his election last year, said a statement.



Under the terms of the agreement, Masdar and KEA aim to establish a potential strategic partnership to encourage renewable energy investment in Korea and to develop a number of renewable energy projects using solar, wind, energy storage, floating solar power and waste-to-energy technologies, among others, it said.



Al Ramahi said: We are proud to collaborate with industry leaders and like-minded companies that share the same values and goals as us.



Our partnership with KEA will allow us to strengthen our relationship with Korea and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and new energy industry projects to improve energy security and spur innovation in smart urban development, he added.



Both parties have also agreed to the possibility of expanding the scope of the collaboration in the future and will exchange expertise in the renewable energy and new energy industry fields covering energy auditing, smart grids, energy storage and other related areas.



Dr Kang said: We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Masdar, which will lay the foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation. Utilising Masdar and our specialist knowledge and expertise will enable the Republic of Korea to advance its renewable energy goals.



The signing of the agreement follows the Korea-UAE bilateral Economic Cooperation Council meeting in March, where Masdar and KEA initiated the development of the partnership.



The agreement builds upon Masdars current ties with the Republic of Korea following the signing of a strategic agreement during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2018 with global infrastructure and energy development company Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. to support the commercialisation of low-energy reverse osmosis seawater desalination plants in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.



Masdars Clean Energy division is a leading developer and operator of utility-scale, grid-connected projects, as well as applications providing electricity access to communities away from the grid.



The division also engages in research and development of sustainable technologies, from seawater desalination to solar photovoltaics, biofuel and energy storage to enhance current capabilities of renewable energy technologies and boost local, regional and global renewable energy power generation capacity.  TradeArabia News Service
Qatar Airways has boosted its operations to Greece with the launch of its inaugural flight to the countrys second-largest city, Thessaloniki.

The airlines Airbus A320, which landed at the Thessaloniki Makedonia Airport on March 27, was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute followed by a welcome ceremony for VIP delegates.



The new four-times-weekly service from Doha to the airlines second gateway in Greece commenced just one month ahead of the launch of its third destination in Greece, the beautiful island of Mykonos.



The VIP delegation on board the flight, led by Qatar Airways Group representative, Captain Jassim Al-Haroon, vice president operations Amiri Flight, included Constantinos Orphanides, ambassador of the Hellenic Republic in Qatar, and was welcomed by Abdulaziz Ali Al-Naama, ambassador of the Qatar to the Hellenic Republic; Yiannis Boutaris, mayor of Thessaloniki; and Fraport Greece executive director of commercial and business development, George Vilos.



Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: Qatar Airways new service to Thessaloniki will help reinforce links between Qatar and Greece, and deepen the friendship and co-operation between our two great countries. Our second gateway in Greece, Thessaloniki is a major tourist destination all year round offering access to some of Greeces most famous resorts. We are delighted to support Greeces tourism industry by providing more global travellers the opportunity to visit this iconic city.



Alexander Zinell, Fraport Greece chief executive officer, said: I am delighted to welcome Qatar Airways to Thessaloniki Makedonia Airport and the first scheduled flights to and from Thessaloniki and Doha. The decision by our new airline partner, Qatar Airways, is a clear indication of the Thessaloniki Makedonia Airport growth potential. Passengers from Northern Greece and the Balkans can now benefit from direct flights linking Thessaloniki with the international hub of Doha and beyond. We look forward to working closely with Qatar Airways and support them in ensuring the success of the new route.



Qatar Airways has been operating to Athens since June 2005, and in 2015 increased its service to the Greek capital from twice daily to three times daily to meet growing demand. The Athens route is operated by a mix of the airlines state-of-the-art aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In January 2018, Qatar Airways was also the first airline to bring the Airbus A350 to the city. The first flights to Thessaloniki will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.



Qatar Airways robust growth strategy in Europe continues, with service to Mykonos commencing in May. The launch of these additional two gateways into Greece confirms the airlines strong commitment to boosting tourism in Greece, especially from regions with strong Greek populations such as Australia and the Middle East. With the launch of service to Mykonos, the award-winning airline will operate 58 times a week between the five-star Hamad International Airport (HIA) and Greece.



The new gateway will connect Thessaloniki to Qatar Airways global network, through its state-of-the-art hub in Doha, to more than 150 business and leisure destinations including Qatar, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Vietnam.



In 2018-19, Qatar Airways will be adding many more exciting new destinations to its network, including London Gatwick and Cardiff, United Kingdom; Lisbon, Portugal; Tallinn, Estonia; Valletta, Malta; Cebu and Davao, Philippines; Langkawi, Malaysia; Da Nang, Vietnam; Bodrum, Antalya and Hatay, Turkey; Mykonos, Greece and Malaga, Spain. - TradeArabia News Service
Over 100 resorts/hotel properties in the Maldives have confirmed their participation in the second edition of Travel Trade Show of Maldives (TTM), scheduled to take place in May.



TTM is scheduled to be held at Dharubaaruge, Male Maldives from May 1 to 3. It is expected that along with over 140 resorts/hotels properties, 200 international buyers/media will attend the show.



Premium Exhibitors include Adaaran Resorts, Angiri Resorts, Crown & Champa Resorts, Bandos Maldives and Villa Hotels & Resorts Maldives. TTM Gala night, which will be held at Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi, will host the TTM Awards on May 2. TTM will also host the second Hotelier Summit of the Maldives targeting the hotel investors, leading hotel owners, operators, developers, architects, interior designers and consultants.



The Hotelier Summit Maldives will offer a solution-oriented platform that facilitates face-to-face meetings, networking activities, and information exchange amongst the most elite assemblage of hotel owners and general managers. A total of four panels are scheduled to take place at the summit in which more than 150 hotel owners and general managers from resorts and hotels of Maldives will participate. Various topics are set to be discussed that are significant to the Maldivian tourism industry.



TTM 2018 will also hold the first Maldives Supplier Expo. It is the only event, where exhibiting companies can expect to meet key decision makers, engineering directors and procurement managers from all over the Maldives. A total of 1,000+ key decision makers and purchasing chiefs from over 150 resorts and leading companies of Maldives are expected to pass through the doors of the expo to visit and network with the exhibitors.



The second Tourism Career Fair will be held during TTM at Dharubaaruge on May 3. Much like last year, the career fair is a great opportunity for students/professionals to meet and network with tourism industry representatives in the Maldives. The career fair will be held from 20:00  23:00 at Dharubaaruge, Male Maldives.



TTM aims to facilitate the tourism industry of Maldives to reach the ultimate target of 2 million tourists with over $3.5 billion in receipts by the end of 2020. More than 300 hoteliers, suppliers, related industries and travel industry professionals from the Maldives and abroad are expected to visit TTM to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends in the Maldives. - TradeArabia News Service
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(SACRAMENTO, Calif) -- Mourners have arrived at a Sacramento church to grieve the death of Stephon Clark, the 22-year-old man who was unarmed when he was fatally shot by police in his grandmother's backyard on March 18.



Clarks wake is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at the Boss Church in Sacramento, and his funeral will follow on Thursday.



Black Lives Matter will also continue its week of protests, with scheduled rallies happening outside the Sacramento District Attorneys Office Wednesday and Thursday.



Outside of the church, one of Clark's aunts, Sacramento resident Kimmy Simone, told ABC News she wanted her nephew to be remembered for his smile, his humbleness and "how he loved people."



"He shouldn't have to be in here right now," Simone said, gesturing toward the church.



Simone said that while she was "upset," she did not expect the heavy media presence that lined the exterior of the church. She thanked the media for covering the story and urged prosecutors to obtain justice for Clark and anyone else who has fallen victim to gun violence.



"You just keep looking at these kids over and over -- it's not black. It's white. It's all colors," She said. "Look at [the] 17 children they killed at that school [Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida]. Look at it. Guns, violence, all that is hate. We don't need it."



Another one of Clark's aunts, Shernita Crosby, echoed Simone's call for justice, saying that these tragic deaths will happen "over and over again" if nothing is done.



Crosby described Clark as a "kind, loving father" and "always smiling."



"I want his kids to know we are here," she said.



On Tuesday night, a city council meeting turned chaotic when Stevante Clark, Stephon Clark's brother, stormed into the meeting, yelling and ignoring calls to restore order, as video of the meeting showed. Stevante Clark also climbed on top of a dais where the mayor was seated and began to yell into a microphone.



"The mayor and the city of Sacramento has failed all of you," Stevante Clark said. "The gang-banging has to stop. The poverty is uncontrollable. I need y'all to hear me."



White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked about the fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark at a White House briefing on Wednesday.



She described the shooting as a terrible incident but also said that the problem is something we feel should be left up to local authorities.



Sanders went on to add: The president is very supportive of law enforcement. But at the same time, in these specific cases and these specific instances, those will be left up to local authorities to make that determination and not something for the federal government to weigh into."



Reverend Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy at Thursdays funeral.







Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to three men accused of killing Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh, a 28-year-old techie based in Pune in 2014. The accused men belong to a radical Hindu outfit Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS), whose chief Dhananjay Desai is also behind bars in the same case.

The decision on bail application followed a fresh set of hearing after the directive of Supreme Court of India. The three accused were also granted bail in January 2017 but their bail was challenged by the victims family in the Apex court.

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In February this year, the apex court issued a directive to Bombay High Court while deciding the bail pleas, and told the latter to decide based on the same set of directives.

High Court stated, the fault of the deceased was only that he belonged to another religion. I consider this factor in favor of the applicants/accused, while granting the bail to the three accused last time.

Namely, Vijay Rajendra Gambhire, Ganesh alias Ranjeet Shankar Yadav, and Ajay Dili Lalge were allegedly involved in the killing of Mohsin Shaikh. However, Justice Mridula Bhatkar of Bombay HC, while granting the bail on Wednesday, said, It is not a pre-designed crime. The accused had no personal vendetta against the deceased Mohsin.

They were provoked by the speech and discussion in the meeting, which had taken place just half an hour before the incident, Justice Bhatkar further added.

While also staying the trial of the accused, Justice Bhatkar noted, Thus, there is no possibility of commencement of trial in the near future.

On June 2, 2014, 28-year-old Pune-based IT professional Mohsin Shaikh was murdered by the members of Hindu Rashtra Sena when he was returning from the mosque after prayers. At the time of the incident, morphed and objectional images of Shivaji and Bal Thackeray were being circulated on social media, which gave rise to communal stress in the city.

The three men are listed among 21 accused, allegedly the member of HRS, including HRS Chief Dhananjay Desai, who were booked for the killing of Mohsin Shaikh in Hadsapar on June 2, 2014.
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For more than two decades Baku has been sounding the alarm over the destruction of historical and cultural heritage in Azerbaijan's territories occupied by Armenia. The reports about the continuing aggression against cultural objects were submitted to UNESCO, UN, the Council of Europe, the OIC, ISESCO and other international organizations.

However, as spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Tigran Balayan said this week, "if the Azerbaijani authorities are interested in the preservation of the cultural heritage, they have to address the the Nagorno- Karabakh Republic".

Commenting on this statement, spokesperson of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hikmat Hajiyev expressed the opinion that the representative of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs implicitly recognizes the fact of pursuing a policy of committing acts of vandalism, destruction, plundering, desecration and embezzlement of cultural heritage and religious monuments, including non-Muslim ones. Hajiyev considers it an atrocity not only against the people of Azerbaijan, but also against all humanity. According to him, 738 historical monuments, 28 museums with more than 83,500 exhibits, 4 art galleries, 14 memorial complexes and 1891 material and cultural resources, including 1107 cultural facilities, were destroyed in the territories occupied by Armenia.

Thus, the 17th century mosque complex in the Jabrayil district, the Yukhari and Ashagi Govhar Agha mosques, the 18th century Saatly mosque in Shusha, the 19th century mosque in the Agdam district were turned into stables.

Such archaeological monuments as Vagif Mausoleum, Natavans house, Karavansaray in Shusha were plundered and destroyed, the property of Albanian Christian churches located in the occupied Khodjaly, Kalbajary (Ganjasar and Khudaveng), Lachin, Khojavand and other Azerbaijani regions was appropriated. The architectural features of these churches have been changed, and now they are represented as Armenian monuments. Illegal archaeological excavations have been conducted in the Azykh Cave and around Aghdam district since 2003.

In addition to the historical and cultural monuments located in the occupied Azerbaijani territory, the same situation is with the objects located on the territory of Armenia. The Demirbulag Mosque in Yerevan was wiped out, the Blue Mosque was "reconstructed" to distort its origin. The Haji Novruzali Bey Mosque, built in the second half of the 18th century, Sardar Palace or Khans Palace were also destroyed. The Sardar Mosque in Yerevan also suffered a systematic destruction and was completely destroyed in 2014.

Such actions are a gross violation of the obligations undertaken by Armenia under the 1954 Hague Convention and the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, adopted in 1999.

The fact that Armenia bears direct international legal responsibility for vandalism in the occupied territories is recognized in the world. As a result of Armenia's aggression, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation regularly adopts resolutions condemning the destruction and desecration of the historical and cultural heritage and temples belonging to the Islamic religion.
One of Turkey's largest international investors, SOCAR, has announced new investment plans for the country's petrochemicals industry to be completed by 2022, citing the opportunities in Turkey's petrochemicals market.

As Daily Sabah writes in the article Energy giant SOCAR plans another petrochemical investment in Turkey, investing in Turkey since 2008 starting with the acquisition of Petkim for nearly $2.5 billion and reaching investments of $19.5 billion, State Oil Company of Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR)'s Turkey subsidiary announced a new investment plan in Turkey's petrochemical industry. SOCAR Turkey CEO Zaur Gahramanov has said that SOCAR Turkey's refinery in Aliaga, Izmir, SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR) will start production in September and that the Azeri energy giant is scheduled to decide on new investments in 2019. The company, which has earned the title of Turkey's largest international investor with the energy projects it has undertaken and finished, plans to complete the construction of the new petrochemical complex by the end of 2022. Gahramanov said that the firm delivered a good performance in 2017. One of the companies operating under SOCAR Turkey, Petkim, broke production, revenue and profit records last year with TL 1.4 billion ($351.22 million) in profits, the CEO added.

"All projects are progressing very well. The constructions of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline [TANAP] and STAR refinery currently continue and they will start operating this year," he said. With their completion, the two largest energy projects in Turkey in which the company has been investing for the past eight years will be accomplished. As Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak previously announced, TANAP is scheduled to start its first deliveries of gas in July, and the STAR refinery will start production in September, Gahramanov said.

SOCAR has so far invested $12.6 billion of the planned $19.5 in Turkey. Once the ongoing projects finish, the company's investments will reach $16.5 billion. The remaining $3 billion, Gahramanov said, will be allocated to new investment projects for 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Concerning the opportunities in the Turkish market for petrochemical investments, Gahramanov said: "We are working on new petrochemical investment projects in Turkey. We will decide on a new petrochemical investment in 2019, and plan to complete the construction of the new petrochemical complex by the end of 2022."Gahramanov drew attention to the problem of Turkey's current account deficit, which largely depends on imported energy products. He said that all of SOCAR's investment aim to narrow that deficit. "The STAR refinery, TANAP and our new petrochemical complex project are designed to narrow the current account deficit and will provide billions of dollars to the Turkish economy," he said, adding that SOCAR plans long-term investments in Turkey as the company has confidence in the country's economy.

Gahramanov said that SOCAR exports 50 percent of Petkim's production and the STAR refinery's petrochemical production will be distributed in the Turkish market. The company expects $12 billion in turnover by 2019 when they start to operate on full capacity. "A new refinery with a capacity of 10 million tons will start operating in Turkey," he said, referring to STAR.

STAR, whose started construction in 2011, is currently under construction on a 2,400-hectare site on the Aliaga Peninsula. With a crude oil processing capacity of 10 million tons, STAR is underway as the most critical component of SOCAR Turkey's integrated energy solutions and value chain. A $6 billion investment, the STAR refinery is the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) made in a single location.

As for oil prices, Gahramanov said that SOCAR does not expect either a drastic fall or rise in prices and foresees that crude prices will hover around $65 to $70 per barrel.
Mass expulsion of Russian diplomats from Great Britain, America, Canada, Australia and a number of European states, including Germany and France, marked an unprecedented escalation in Russia's relations with the "collective West." Professor Wilfried Furman shared his thoughts on current situation in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.

"Exactly 15 years ago President George Bush, mislead the entire world and the UN, saying that Saddam Hussein possesed weapons of mass destruction, and attacked Iraq together with Britain. This 'preventive' war was waged in the name of self-defense. But it was a military intervention that violated international law, accompanied by a huge number of violations of human rights," professor recalled.

"At the same time, using their right of veto in the UN Security Council, the United States and Great Britain prevented any resolution on condemnation of this step - such use of the right of veto is unacceptable. The US was 'supported' by 43 obedient states, whose costs were partly paid by Washington. This war was also profitable for business, for the private military corporation Black Water, for example. British Prime Minister John Meyer later publicly apologized for this - that's at least something!" Furman said.

"President Trump expelled 17 Russian diplomats, because Russia is suspected (!) of interfering in the American presidential election. It happened almost immediately after he fired Rex Tillerson and appointed former CIA chief Mike Pompeo to the post of Secretary of State," Wilfried Furman noted. British Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23 Russian diplomats, and declares on the basis of indirect evidence and unconfirmed conclusions, without any final investigation and international involvement, that Russia 'is guilty of an attempted murder' of Sergey Skripal, Russia is suspected (!) of an attempted murder with the use of poisonous substance on March 4 in Salsbury. At the same time, May also talks about an even earlier murder with the use of poisonous substance, about Eastern Ukraine and Crimea, as well as assumptions that Russia wanted to influence presidential campaign in the US and organized cyber attacks on Germany. At the same time, she calls on friendly nations such as the United States, France or Germany to support and help Britain in the framework of NATO and the UN Security Council. Viewing these events as Russian chemical attack on the UK, Theresa May, probably after talking with Trump, classifies Russia as a terrorist state. Meanwhile, this is also viewed as an attack that justifies 'military actions in self-defense,' just like George Bush justified his actions in Iraq.

German expert believes that first military strike may happen in Syria: if there will be a direct military clash with Russia and Bashar Assad's government forces, then "obedient" Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will also interfere, pursuing their own goals in the region. Such confrontation should trigger retaliatory nuclear strike by Russia, which would affect, among other states, the UK.

"Politicians who play with fire like that, based on suspicions alone, are in a very dangerous situation in domestic politics. That's how it is today in the UK, where current government held early parliamentary elections with catastrophic consequences, which also had negative impact on the United Kingdom's negotiating position in the Brexit talks. Will we see a planned and obviously controlled war in the name of saving its own power?" Wilfried Furman noted.

Professor also stressed that those who oppose this immediately find themselves in "isolation" and called a puppet of Moscow, a supporter and defender of Russian President Vladimir Putin and so on. "However, the support that the United Kingdom received from the United States, France and Germany and NATO, creates only a sense of power, it's not absolute," he concluded.
Washington should find a way to cooperate with Ankara as Trump steps toward creating a more homogeneous and hawkish administration on diplomacy, national security and the economy, according to Daily Sabah and its article Turkey wants to fill geopolitical void in Middle East.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week sacked H.R. McMaster, his national security adviser, and replaced him with John Bolton, the conservative, ultra-hawkish former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Bolton, who rose to prominence in President George W. Bush's administration, believes that the U.S. must resort to hard power abroad. He is tough on North Korea, Iran and Russia and, more importantly, he is a friend of Israel.

Bolton's appointment represents a step toward creating a more homogeneous and hawkish Trump administration on diplomacy, national security and the economy. Although Trump lost his most radical advisers, including Sebastian Gorka and Steve Bannon, over the past year, he proved capable of sacking more conventional figures such as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and McMaster. Again, he was able to form a coherent team of establishment-friendly hawks.

The first key step taken by the Trump administration was to start a trade war with China, and the second step, the consolidation of the Israel, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) bloc to contain Iran in the Middle East, is already underway. It would appear that Washington's Middle East policy will be shaped more clearly by Israel's national interests in the future, which means that a new geopolitical void will emerge in the region.

Turkey must make necessary preparations to shelter itself from the negative effects of this new void and seize the opportunities it will create. Since the 9/11 attacks, changes in Washington's Middle East policy have created geopolitical voids that have fueled competition between rival regional powers. The U.S. occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq under Bush created a power vacuum that was largely filled by Iran. Again, Iran exploited President Barack Obama's administration's mistakes against the backdrop of the Arab Spring and created a pro-Shiite empire in the Middle East. Fixated on eliminating the Muslim Brotherhood, Gulf countries watched from the sidelines as Iranian influence grew in a number of countries such as Palestine and Yemen.

At the same time, Russia, which directly intervened in the Syrian civil war in 2015, became more influential across the region. Although the Obama administration assumed that Russia would get stuck in the Syrian quagmire, the Russian presence in the conflict zone resulted in the strengthening of Moscow's cooperation with Ankara and Tehran. The United States, in turn, alienated Ankara by partnering with the People's Protection Units (YPG), the PKK's Syrian affiliate in Syria. Having made every attempt to work with Washington in Syria, Turkey eventually encountered a serious threat in the form of a YPG statelet across its southern border. Either way, the regional void that the Obama administration created hurt Turkey's interests, forcing the country to adopt a new national security strategy in 2016, whereby it launched Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch against Daesh and the YPG, respectively, in northern Syria. At the same time, the country sided with Qatar to distance itself from the growing polarization between Iran and Gulf countries.

Turkey's active regional policy has two dimensions. First, Ankara seeks to remedy the losses it suffered due to Washington's misguided policies. Secondly, it wants to fill the geopolitical void that the U.S. created in the Middle East. Until now, Ankara has been successful thanks to its ability to work more closely with Russia and keep tensions under control with the United States. The decision to use hard power in Syria was crucial to exploiting the disagreements between various stakeholders and ultimately strengthened Turkey's hand. Refusing to become part of regional polarization, Ankara could be the main beneficiary of the current geopolitical void if it can position itself to cooperate with various parties simultaneously.

One way or another, Washington must cooperate with Ankara, and even if Turkey and the U.S. fail to reach an agreement on the YPG, Ankara will have plenty of more opportunities down the road.
Humanities have certain features that need to be taken into consideration during evaluation of effectiveness of scientists and scientific institutions, director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology named after Miklouho-Maclay Valery Tishkov said speaking at the Russian State University for the Humanities.

He wrote about this in a letter to head of the Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations and the president, and received a positive response. "It's about necessity or significance of not only results, but also essense of many humanitarian disciplines. Monographs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, publication of sources - all of this should be recognized as completely legitimate, indexable result of scientific work of humanities scholar. This will help humanitarian scientific knowledge to reach not only narrow professional community, but also wider audience. Many people want to know history, literature. There are amateurs who reach professional level, there are many social movements. There's a danger that professional historiography may be used by amateurs from various social movements. Archival and textual researches, field work, excavations, ethnographic and folklore expeditions, surveys require resources and equipment," Valery Tishkov believes.

He noted that the list of most important areas of scientific researches in the Russian Federation doesn't include a single topic of humanitarian nature, other than topics associated with study of various forms of extremism and terrorism. "However, there are still a lot of problems associated with such phenomenon as ethics. For 20 years we haven't paid attention to how dissertations and other researches can simply be bought in our environment. Humanities have suffered from this more than anything else. Now there are websites where you can publish scientific publications for money, and you will even be praised for it the university administration, praised for your high rating and the fact that you showed affiliation with a particular university. It's a very serious problem. Ethical climate, scientific standards, we must seriously discuss them and take certain measures," Tishkov noted.

Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, director of the Institute for Applied Mathematics named after Mstislav Keldysh, Boris Chetverushkin, said that unification of humanitarian and technical knowledge is extremely useful: "Right now one of the most discussed topics is a presidential decree of last May on the development of a program for evaluation of consequences of decision-making, risk assessment, threats and unforeseen circumstances. What is it? If from mathematical point of view, it's the Big Data theory, the supercomputer technology. Right now we're working on this in our institute and we understand that we can't proceed without specialists in the field of political science, history, cultural studies. We need their help in risks assessment. It's a truly breakthrough direction. There's nothing more important than evaluation consequences of a decision that's completely unobvious. For example, when you assess the need to increase retirement age, some say it's good for the economy, others say that young people won't have any jobs. All of this must be taken into account, and there's no way to do it without specialists in the humanities."
The Armenian society deeply condoles the families of the victims of a fire in the Zimnyaya Vishnya shopping mall in Kemerovo, the representatives of the Armenian intelligentsia said, speaking with the correspondents of Vestnik Kavkaza.

The director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Ruben Safrastyan, stressed that the tragedy of Kemerovo residents affected the hearts of many Armenian citizens. "First of all, I want to express my deep condolences over this terrible tragedy, which claimed lives of many adults and, worst of all, children's lives. This disaster saddened not only the Russian citizens, but also many people in Armenia," he said.

"During these days, many citizens came to the Russian embassy to express their condolences, leave flowers and toys there to commemorate the dead children. This tragedy once again showed how small our planet is - the tragedy that happened thousands of kilometers from Armenia, affected people here, especially since it happened with the Russian people and Russia, with which we have long-standing friendly relations," Ruben Safrastyan added.

The Director of the Armenian branch of the CIS Institute, Alexander Makarov, noted that Armenia perceived the Russian tragedy in the same way as normal people around the world. "On the very first day, before the Russian embassy announced that it started accepting condolences, a lot of letters were sent to the ambassador Ivan Volynkin, people brought flowers and toys to the embassy building, left notes in the memory book. It was a normal human reaction that follows such tragedies," he pointed out.

"Many people monitored the news about it, tried to understand why it happened, but first of all it was pain and expression of empathy and condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to those who survived this tragedy and remain in hospital. My condolences, I'm very sorry for what happened," Alexander Markarov said.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has compared the Salisbury nerve agent attack to the Russian novel Crime and Punishment, saying: We are all confident of the culprit  and the only question is whether he will confess or be caught.

Johnson cited Fyodor Dostoevskys literary epic in an attack on the "wearying barrage of Russian lies" over the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, which has prompted international outcry and led to mass expulsions of Russian diplomats from 27 countries.

He also sought to disparage the Kremlin by comparing the Russian-made nerve agent, novichok, to the iconic lightsaber from Star Wars, which he claimed was invented in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, the Independent reported.
Georgia is shocked by the Kemerovo tragedy, Georgian political scientists told the correspondents of Vestnik Kavkaza, expressing their condolences to the families of the victims of a fire in the Zimnyaya Vishnya shopping mall in Kemerovo.

The head of the Institute of Management Strategy, Petre Mamradze, said that Georgia mourns together with Russia. "I've been talking to people a lot these days, and all Georgia mourns. Everyone is shocked that in the last few minutes those children sent sms to their parents saying that they are suffocating and burning. There was a teacher Tatyana Darsalia among the victims, ethnic Georgian, she helped a part of the children and immediately returned to the fire, but could not get out. She had many relatives and friends in Georgia. These days there were condolences from all levels of the Georgian leadership to the Russian people over this tragedy," he said.

"In such cases, I feel nothing but sympathy for the victims and the families of those dead. Many in Georgia feel the same way, wondering how this could happen, a tragedy because of criminal negligence and sloppiness. Of course, fires, accidents happen everywhere, including in the most developed and rich countries, but this does not excuse those people, whose actions caused the death of the children. Let's hope that appropriate measures will be taken, because it should never be repeated," Petre Mamradze added.

The head of the Center for Strategic Studies of the Caucasus, Mamuka Areshidze, also noted that Georgia condoles the families of the dead and the whole of Russia. "This is a huge tragedy, and it's just inhuman to say otherwise - but there are some people who try to get some political dividends even from someone else's grief. In general, this is a terrible tragedy, and there are no other words, only condolences. We should be strong and consolidated in order to share the common pain," he said.

A member of the Expert Club of Georgia Vakhtang Maisaya, also expressed his personal condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. "This is an absolute blasphemy, because the children were killed - the most terrible tragedy at the global level. I condole the families of the victims. The Georgian community perceived the fire in Kemerovo as a tragedy, all were united in expressing condolences, except for the nationalist minority. But they were a small minority, because Georgia mourns and expresses deep condolences to the families of the victims of this tragedy," the political scientist said.

"Such a tragedy could happen everywhere. The authorities, despite the absence of diplomatic relations with Russia, came out with public official statements to the Russian people. Georgia showed solidarity with all who perceived the tragedy as a personal grief, and I want to once again express my personal condolences to the families all the victims," Vakhtang Maisaya concluded.
The documents signed with Iran today are historically important, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in a statement to the press after the signing of bilateral documents with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

"Today, many documents have been signed, and I would like to highlight two documents among them. These are documents related to working together in the Caspian Sea and building the Astara-Rasht railway. These documents are historically important. Our cooperation in the Caspian Sea and in the transport sector will level up with the implementation of these documents, and at the same time, it will have a very positive impact on regional cooperation," President Aliyev said.

The head of state noted that the sides have made great progress in the field of transport.

"Last year, when I was on a visit to Iran, we marked the arrival of the first train from Azerbaijan to Iran. The first train entered Iran via a bridge built on Astarachai. And today we signed a very important and historic agreement on the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway. I am confident that the missing part of the North-South transport corridor - the Astara-Rasht railway will be built in a short time and thus new opportunities will open for the entire Eurasian region," the President of Azerbaijan said.

"The North-South transport corridor is under implementation as a result of our joint efforts and of neighboring countries. In parallel, we have begun to work actively to create the South-West transport corridor. North-South and East-West transport corridors will be connected in the future. Our countries play a very important role here. I can state with full responsibility that the agreement on the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway, signed today, is of historical significance and I believe that everyone will witness this in the years to come," President Aliyev noted.
The North Caucasus perceived the tragedy in Kemerovo, which killed 64 people, as if it was their own, the representatives of the Caucasian intelligentsia told the correspondents of Vestnik Kavkaza, expressing their condolences to the families of the victims of a fire in the Zimnyaya Vishnya shopping mall in Kemerovo.

The president of Kabardino Balkarian State University Barasbi Karamurzov stressed that this tragedy united all Russian people. "I know no person who would have reacted neutrally to this catastrophe. This is a real horror, our common tragedy. Everyone reacted to this as if it was their own," he said.

Barasbi Karamurzov added that no words can heal this pain. "It's hard to know what to say to support the parents who have lost their children. I'm an aged man, but I do not know what to say to help them. I can only express my deepest and most profound condolences. I think that this is the worst thing for every person. I would like to help somehow, it's our common tragedy," the president of KBSU said.

Professor of the Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University Maya Astvatsaturova also stressed that residents of the North Caucasus, like all other Russian citizens, perceived the tragedy as if it was their own, especially since their own losses are fresh in their memories. "I am referring to the capture of the hospital in Budyonnovsk, the Beslan siege and the explosions in the markets. Unfortunately, we know what it's like. There are mourning and commemoration events with participation of students and young people in virtually all the cities and settlements," she said.

"The idea of a large family with many children is very common in the North Caucasus, it is not an accident that there is the largest birth rate in Russia in some regions of the North Caucasus Federal District. Of course, we mourn all the dead children in Kemerovo these days. Volunteers, public organizations and the heads of the subjects were unified these days, like the whole of Russia. It could not be otherwise. Regardless of ethnic and religious affiliations, mosques and Russian Orthodox churches, Armenian Orthodox apostolic churches and synagogues held commemoration events. The whole our country mourns, this is our common tragedy. And, of course, we also hope that it will be investigated. We have two large shopping malls in Pyatigorsk, practically all cities have them, and we are all interested in security," Maya Astvatsaturova summed up.

Director of the Educational and Scientific Center for the Study of Ethnopolitical and Ethno-Cultural Processes of the Russian State University for the Humanities, Magomed Omarov, also drew attention to the sincerity of the feelings of the residents of the North Caucasus Federal District who went to the streets to commemorate the victims of the Kemerovo tragedy. "We have a special attitude towards children, so we took this pain to heart. In all the cities people gathered in central squares and sincerely expressed their feelings, laid flowers. It was both in small villages and in the capitals of the republics of the North Caucasus, because Russia had a terrible tragedy," he noted.

"I am a father and I can hardly imagine what it's like to lose a child. It's the worst thing that can happen. At this time, we just need to support these people to help them go through this terrible time. The children who were left without parents also need help. This was a great shock for us, when children died in broad daylight and we just want to help the victims and the families of the victims, morally or financially," Magomed Omarov summed up.
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on a statement made by US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, who had not ruled out that Russias assets in the US could be seized following the Skripal incident.

The Kremlin has been keeping a close eye on statements concerning the possible seizure of Russias assets in foreign countries in the wake of the so-called Skripal case, Peskov noted. "Indeed, it is a very important issue, which concerns the image of countries as reliable economic partners," he said.

"Such decisions cannot but tarnish the image of these countries as far as their relations with other investors go," TASS cited the spokesman as saying.

Huntsman said earlier that Russias assets in the United States may be seized in the wake of the poisoning of former Russian military intelligence (GRU) Colonel Sergei Skripal. In addition, The Guardian wrote that British Prime Minister "Theresa May has agreed to look into imposing a ban on the City of London from helping Russia to sell its sovereign debt."
Georgia's government has decided to expel one Russian diplomat, a staff member of the Russian Interests Section at Switzerlands Embassy in Tbilisi, the countrys Foreign Ministry said.

According to the statement, the ministry expresses solidarity with the United Kingdom, and shares the stance of the UK and international community on this issue. "Therefore it declares undesirable the presence in Georgia of one staff member of the Russian Interests Section at Switzerlands Embassy in Tbilisi," the statement says.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry has ordered the Russian diplomat to leave the country within seven days.
HCM CITY  The first Shop & Store Vietnam, a conference and exhibition on the retail and franchise industry, is being held in HCM City from March 28.

The event has attracted 70 brands from 18 countries and regions, and three international group pavilions from Thailand, Singapore and Japan.

The event, which will also feature conferences on retail and franchise and legal aspects on franchise, provides an opportunity for businesses in retail, franchise and shop fitting to show off their products.

They include franchises like Miniso and Tupperware, King BBQ, Hotpot Story, Khao Lao, Blackball, Chabayom, SIC, Renmi, Nishio and others.

The event also showcases new technologies in retail business, including retail devices and digital signage solutions.

There will be demonstrations of Cashless Showcase and 3D holograms and a smart shopping competition.

The organiser, Reed Tradex, has collaborated with Miniso and Ibox/2can to launch the "SSV CashlessPay" application for exhibitors and visitors to practically experience cashless transactions to make shopping more convenient.

The event is being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in District 7.  VNS
HCM CITY  Many international and regional brands will enter Viet Nams retail and franchise sector in the coming years, according to experts taking part in Viet Nam Retail and Franchise Conference held in HCM City yesterday.

Viet Nam is a growing market for the retail and franchise sector, said Suttisak Wilanan, deputy managing director of Reed Tradex.

Viet Nam has all the potential elements, such as a large consumer base, rapidly rising incomes and a generation of educated, young and growing professionals, bringing an optimistic prospective for national and international brands to double its retail and franchising industry in next five years, he said.

Viet Nam was ranked ninth of the top 12 markets identified by members of the International Franchise Association as the most valuable markets for international expansion. It was also profiled in the Top Markets Report.

Nguyen Phi Van, founder and chairwoman of Retail & Franchise Asia, said Viet Nam has not had a professional franchise market.

Franchising began in Viet Nam in the 1990s with the introduction of well-known fast food chains like KFC, Lotteria, and Jollibee. It began in regional countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in the 1980s.

The Vietnamese franchise market is still new, and local businesses do not have much understanding of or experience with it, she said.

More Vietnamese businesses are now exploring new business opportunities available via franchising. Nevertheless, there are a number of risks that a franchisor should investigate carefully before engaging or expanding in business in Viet Nam.

On the other hand, Vietnamese franchisees need to be knowledgeable about the franchise business as well as seek consultancy from industry experts to avoid risks.

In the next five years, there will be a strong evolution when we learn lessons from failure and successes in the past five years, Van said. From 2018 and beyond, Viet Nam will continue to be a destination for international brands, especially regional brands. At the same time, local brands have started to develop platforms to promote their brands in the world market.

Bill Schreiber, vice president of international development at Little Caesars, said: We are the third largest pizza brand in the world. We are not in Viet Nam right now... So the reason we are here is to create brand awareness and to let people know we are interested in coming to Viet Nam.

Viet Nams pizza consumption is growing by over 7 per cent per year, he said, adding that his company would enter Vietnamese market in one of two ways. We can either have one franchisee take the whole country or we can have two franchisees in the countrys north and south so we can grow at the same time.

Tran Anh Minh, expansion manager at Typperware Vietnam, said by participating in the show, the company wants to find distribution agents for its products in the Vietnamese market.

Currently, it has 33 stores nationwide and targets having more than 100 stores by 2020, he said.

Cashless society

The development of technology has changed the landscape of the retail industry, delegates said.

Many brick-and-mortar businesses dont take cash anymore, and mobile wallets and other convenient digital payment methods are meeting the demand of people everywhere.

Some retailers are taking it to the next level with their own programmes by combining mobile wallets with loyalty programmes, offering shoppers the chance to both pay and earn rewards with one easy tap on their smartphone.

Suttisak Wilanan said: The ease of conducting financial transactions with cashless payments has opened a new era of shopping and customer experience. People will no longer need to carry wads of cash, plastic cards, or even queue up for ATM withdrawals. Its also a safer and easier spending option when people are travelling.

Tran Trong Huy Thong, brand and marketing manager of Miniso Vietnam, said: The Compound Annual Growth Rate of Viet Nam in 2011-20 is forecast to be among the highest in ASEAN region, reaching 8 per cent, giving a casual fashion department store brand like Miniso many opportunities as well as challenges.

Young customers in Viet Nam are willing to spend more and want to shop more convenient, he said.

Organised by Reed Tradex and Retail & Franchise Asia, the conference was organised on the sidelines of the Shop & Store Vietnam 2018 exhibition and conference, which is being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre from March 28-20.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) on Tuesday asked Grab Taxi Company Limited to report on its acquisition of Uber in the Southeast Asian market, including Viet Nam.

MoIT sent a document to Grab stating its order and asking it to submit the report before April 3.

Trinh Anh Tuan, deputy head of the ministrys Viet Nam Competition Authority (VCA), said yesterday that VCA had also asked Grab to provide information and documents related to the acquisition as well as the acquisition contract.

Tuan said this requirement was based on the State management function on competition stipulated in Clause 2, Article 7, of the Law on Competition. Accordingly, MoIT is responsible for controlling economic concentration activities in the market.

He emphasised that the Law on Competition clearly stipulated that merger and acquisition (M&A) activities that could have major impacts on market competition would be limited.

According to the law, Grab was required to make an announcement to VCA on the acquisition for consideration of its effects on competition in the market before and after the deal.

If VCA concluded that the deal would not have any major impact or have minor effect on the market, Grab could go ahead with the deal.

Moreover, Grab and Uber are required to ask for permission from all competition authorities in the Southeast Asian countries that are required to complete the deal, Tuan said.

Article 22 of the law states that within 45 working days of receiving enough documents, VCA is liable to answer to businesses in written about the deal.

Violations of the Law on Competition for M&A transactions invite strict punishment. The maximum penalty is up to 10 per cent of the total revenue of the violated firms in the previous financial year.

In some other situations, VCA can apply supplementary penalties in addition to the monetary penalty, such as revoking business licence,ordering the separation of merged and acquired businesses or selling merged and acquired companies.

Worry over monopoly

According to Grabs announcement to acquire Ubers Southeast Asia operations on Monday, Grab will integrate Ubers ridesharing and food delivery business in the region into Grabs existing platform. Accordingly, all of Ubers motorcycle and taxi drivers in Viet Nam will have the opportunity to work for Grab from April 8.As part of the acquisition, Uber will take a 27.5 per cent stake in Grab, and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will join Grabs management board.

Grabs announcement worried both Ubers taxi drivers and customers about their benefits as well as a possible increase in travel cost.

Nguyen Trang Anh in Linh am Urban Area, Hoang Mai District, who has been regularly using Uber since its entry into Viet Nam, fearsthat the acquisition will not bring benefits to customers as promotion programmes may be reduced, while the ridesharing market will lose its competition because of the monopoly of Grab.

Uber drivers have the same worry as their income will certainly be affected when many drivers would use both Grab and Uber. Some had even borrowed bank loans to buy a car to become a full-time Uber driver. They can lose their job if their accounts at Grab are locked due to violations of regulations, said a Uber driver.

Grabs representative in Viet Nam told online newspaper vietnamplus that its open technology would ensure a smooth transfer from Uber to Grab and that drivers and customers would find it easy to integrate to the Grab app.

From April 8, all Uber driver can join Grab. Drivers can download and install the Grab app on their mobilephones. However, the account information of Uber drivers will be transferred to Grab only if they agree. Customers are required to register for the Grab app for first use, he said.

He told the newspaper that tariffs for customers trips would be based on the travel itinerary and flexible fees depending on transport demand and number of available cars. This could ensure benefits to both customers and drivers, he said.

NguyenVan Thanh, chairman of the Viet Nam Automobile Transportation Association, said traditional taxi firms such as Mai Linh, Vinasun and ThanhCong had built apps to compete with Grab to avoid monopoly in the market.  VNS
Faced with a lack of national brand identity and growing anxiety over intellectual property (IP) rights laws, Viet Nam may soon have to make drastic changes in business practices, ethics and consumption. Viet Nam News reporter Phuong Uyen talked to Nguyen Thi Phi Nga, lawyer, licensed IP attorney and Counsel at Hogan Lovells International LLP, about the countrys future in IP protection and national brand establishment.

There seems to be growing concern regarding the fact the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has omitted about 20 IP clauses from its previous iteration, due to the USs absence. Do you think this might slow the formation of an IP rights culture in Viet Nam?

I think the lack of distinct IP related clauses in the CPTPP will not hinder the growth of a national IP culture, due to at least three reasons.

Firstly, looking at the Vietnamese Governments efforts in asserting IP rights, since joining the World Trade Oganisation (WTO) and other major free trade agreements, namely the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, the current level of dedication and commitment is not too far behind compared to what the former TPP would have required. We all agree that the Government has been very dedicated to implementing IP rights in Viet Nam, especially in recent years.

Also, Vietnamese firms have increased their understanding of IP, and have taken steps to protect themselves and set up their own brands, albeit with room for improvement. At the moment, domestic firms account for 20 per cent of total registered brand names within Viet Nam, as well as in other countries, with Government-backed promotional programmes aiding local firms in developing their trademarks at home and abroad.

Last, Vietnamese consumers are now more aware of IP rights than ever. I have heard it said that local customers, mostly younger generations, choose their favourite brands based on trends and conspicuous consumption, but I beg to differ. We must see that nowadays consumers are very careful with their selection, even when it comes to big multinational brands. Our consumers do not make purchases simply because of the brands, but rather because such brands guarantee quality, instead of simply showing off to their peers.

Despite locally produced goods, often garments or leatherwear, being exported abroad, there is a lack of Vietnamese brands that are welcomed and trusted by consumers. What are your thoughts on this, do you think we are lacking a national brand identity?

I think that makes sense in some ways. The problem of defining Viet Nams brand identity is one of the Governments top priorities, and there have been efforts by both the State and local firms to develop and protect their brand names. Nonetheless, I personally think such endeavours, though positive, are not enough and that so much more needs to be done.

I think the Government must invest more in helping firms find IP solutions, creativity and human resources development, in order to first establish a well-accepted brand name both domestically and internationally. Meanwhile, firms must be devoted both strategically and financially to this cause, and consumers should show support for trustworthy Vietnamese brands.

I can list VinGroups VinEco fresh produce brand as a chief example of firms being universally welcomed in Viet Nam, with virtually no loss of trust on buyers part. This clearly means that besides marketing and promotional stunts, quality is the key determinant for a brands survival and growth.

Do you think establishing a high level of product quality is firms number one concern to earn customers trust, and only once this is done, should they start thinking about IP rights, trademarks, or brand identity?

I think this is partly correct, but we all must walk on two feet, because hopping on one alone wouldnt take you very far, same thing with favouring one leg instead of relying on both equally. I suppose both quality and brand name promotion must come together for firms to grow.

One unfortunate incident was when a Vietnamese firm I would rather not name did not register their trademark designs, and a Japanese firm managed to register and copy their designs to sell them in Japan first. After some legal debates, the Vietnamese firms were allowed to sell their designs in Japan, but they were not entitled to monopoly the trademark. I say this to any firm: you must focus on both quality and trademark protection.

Should the Vietnamese government apply protectionism and issue policies to ensure that locally produced goods are favoured by Vietnamese consumers, to help local firms grow, similar to what Japan and the Republic of South Korea did a few decades ago?

Such things did happen in those countries, but that was before the WTO, free trade deals and economic integration. The historical context has changed, the nature of international trade has shifted, and we simply cannot force that on todays standards. Furthermore, even if the Government did choose to support local firms by ensuring domestic consumers purchase their goods; this would only be beneficial in the short term. In the long run, this will stunt firms growth and will, because they will rely too much on protectionism.

We would also risk disappointing foreign investors and producers, and if they are not satisfied with our Governments policies, they will simply choose other countries to invest in. I believe consistency in administration, fair treatment and freedom of commerce are needed for future economic development.  VNS
HA NOI  After a year of thorough investigation into the anti-dumping and anti-subsidisation case of Vietnamese coiled steel rod, the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC) has closed the matter.

No further anti-dumping subsidies will be imposed. The Viet Nam Steel Association (VSA) on Wednesday said ADC had issued termination report No 416 on Monday in the case against coiled steel rod imported from South Korea, Indonesia and Viet Nam.

ADC concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that Vietnamese steelmaker Hoa Phat Group and other steel producers had been selling under market price in Australias steel market.

ADCs conclusion also defined the dumping margin for exports from South Korea and Indonesia at 20.9 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively.

According to regulations of the World Trade Organisation and Australian Trade Law, dumping of imported goods into the country with a margin of less than 2 per cent would not be considered dumping. The Vietnamese steel exported to Australia was dumped at a margin of less than 2 per cent.

ADCs decision is good news for Vietnamese steel producers as Australia is a potential steel market.

A representative of Hoa Phat Group said they had cooperated with relevant agencies and ADC in answering questions and providing adequate information and documents for direct examination in August 2018.

In addition to this, the group also submitted the plaintiffs arguments against an application lodged by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd.

ADC concluded that there was no support from the Vietnamese Government relating to power tariffs and input material for steel producers, including Hoa Phat Group, as well as no special market situation for coiled steel rod in Viet Nam.

ADC used the normal price comparison method in the local market and export prices to define the dumping margin. It decided to terminate the investigation as Vietnamese steel exports had not harmed the Australian steel industry.

Following an application by One Steel Manufacturing Pty Ltd,on June 7, 2017, ADC initiated an investigation into the alleged dumping of coiled steel rod exported to Australia from Indonesia, South Korea and Viet Nam.

OneSteel claimed that goods were being exported to Australia at prices lower than their normal value and that dumping had damaged the Australian steel industry through loss of sales, market share and profits.

Last year, Hoa Phat Group shipped 36,000 tonnes of coiled steel rod and steel bars to Australia. The group exported some 42,000 tonnes of steel to Australia in the first three months of the year.  VNS
HA NOI  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Nguyen Phu Trong cut the ribbon during a ceremony in Paris on March 28 to deliver an A350 Airbus wide-body plane to the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.



Speaking at the event, Trong congratulated the important milestones in the development strategy of Vietnam Airlines and appreciated the efforts of the leading carrier in the role of connecting between two countries and two continents.

The transfer ceremony took place at a time when the carrier is celebrating the 15th anniversary of Viet Nam  France direct flight, as part of celebrations for the 45th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties.

Vietnam Airlines General Director Duong Tri Thanh said it is the 11th out of 14 aircraft due to be delivered to the carrier during 2015-19, bringing the total number of its Airbus planes to 150 by late 2019.



He affirmed that Vietnam Airlines always considers Airbus an important partner to help modernise its fleet up to four- and five-star standards in the future under its long-term development strategy.



Vietnam Airlines is the first and only carrier to tap the Vietnam  France route over the past 15 years, playing a pillar role in developing domestic aviation strategy and contributing to tightening bilateral diplomatic ties.



Since its establishment, Vietnam Airlines has regarded flight services to Europe as strategic, with France being a key market and gateway to Europe. In 1994, it opened a representative office in France and launched one-day flights to the country with transit via Dubai  the first long route to Europe.



A decade later, the carrier opened direct flights linking Ha Noi and HCM City with Paris, cutting travelling time to 12 hours with wide-body Boeing 777.



While tapping flights to France from 1994 to 2003, Vietnam Airlines served around 800,000 passengers. A decade later, the figure rose four-fold to roughly 3.2 million.



With the frequency of 10 flights per week using Airbus 350 and four-star services, Vietnam Airlines is maintaining the largest market share of carrying passengers between the two countries.



On March 28 morning, the Party chief left Paris, concluding his three-day official visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.  VNS
HA NOI  National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan held a working session with the Dutch Cooperative Organisation - Agriterra in the Dutch city of Arnhem on March 28 while visiting the World Horti Centre.



Speaking at the session, Agriterra Managing Director Kees Blokland introduced the centres activities and horticulture cooperation model between Viet Nam and the Netherlands.



He said Agriterra gathers the involvement of manufacturers, researchers, businesses and government in flower production and trade, adding that it offers consultancy-training, experience sharing, access to bank loans and improvement of services for farmers organisations, as well as facilitates dialogues among farmers, government and businesses.



According to him, Agriterra sent experts to Viet Nam and welcomed a Vietnam Farmers Union delegation to the Netherlands for training. It also signed an action programme on cooperation with the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance which was approved by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam.



The centres flower transaction floor now boasts 4,000 member cooperatives, including 450 international ones, attracts 2,000 consumers and earns 4.7 billion euro (US$5.8 billion) annually from export to 140 countries worldwide.



The floor records roughly 110,000 transactions per day and sells 12.4 billion branches of 20,000 different flower species.



The Vietnamese NA leader learned about Agriterras operating experience, especially manufacturing by value chain and the role of the legislature and government in supporting Agriterra and Dutch cooperatives in policies and resources.  VNS
CAN THO  Travel and transportation services company WorldTrans announced its schedule for direct charter flights between Can Tho and Bangkok this year at a press conference in Mekong Delta city on Wednesday.



WorldTrans will operate eight flights between the two destinations in June and July using the 180-seater Airbus 320 aircraft from VietJet Air. Flight duration will be one hour and 25 minutes, with a round-trip ticket costing VN4.6 million (US$201.48).



The direct route, which will have HCM City as transit stop, will help save a great deal of time.



WorldTrans General Director Vu uc Bien said the company aimed to become a leading charter flight service provider in Viet Nam. He announced that the company was planning to launch 150 charter flights between Viet Nam and global tourism hubs, such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Thailand as well as ASEAN member countries.



Air trips between Can Tho and other destinations account for 30 per cent of the companys total flights, he said.



According to ao Anh Dung, Vice Chairman of the Can Tho Peoples Committee, local tourism has experienced robust growth in recent years. The city has welcomed many tourists to Can Tho and the Mekong Delta region as well as sent a large number of locals to domestic and overseas destinations.



Dung noted that Can Tho international airport had received significant investments but was yet to capitalise on its full capacity.



Can Tho wants to work with air transportation companies to organise more flights in future, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  Travel experts and firms discussed strategies to develop the tourism industry in the central coastal province of Binh inh during a seminar held on Wednesday in Ha Noi.

The provinces highlighted destinations and tour options were presented at the seminar. These included Cu Lao Xanh Island, vestiges of the ancient Champa kingdom, beautiful beaches such as Ky Co, considered the Maldives of Viet Nam, and Eo Gio Pass.

Nguyen Thi Xuan Lan, vice chairwoman of the Binh inh Provincial Tourism Association, said the local authorities and travel agents had focused on co-operating with partners in the Central Highlands and southern central regions to connect destinations in their regions and create new tour packages for visitors.

Lan suggested that instead of buying flights directly to Quy Nhon city in Binh inh Province , tourists can save money by flying to Tuy Hoa city in Phu Yen Province , then driving to Quy Nhon and Pleiku city, Gia Lai Province and departing from Pleiku Airport .

Thats a convenient way to have extraordinary experiences because tourists can travel to different destinations in the route, she said.

Tran Thanh Thuy from Fidi Tour Company pointed out the fact that in the high season, travel companies struggle to book hotels for large groups of tourists. Lan suggested that as a solution tourists can book rooms at new hotels which will offer favourable prices during their soft opening periods this summer.

Some 2,000 rooms at hotels and 1,500 rooms at resorts will be available to serve tourists this summer, said Lan.

Customers often book rooms at famous hotels which have been already operating for a long time, leading to those properties being over-booked and more expensive. I suggest that tourists can book rooms at new two-star hotels whose quality can be compared with old three-star hotels.

Binh inh Province s tourism industry has been building special tours for older people, creating opportunities for elderly travelers to make friends with each other and relax.

The tour is designed especially for the old people with separate rooms at hotels and resorts to provide a relaxing time and tranquility, said Lan.

The customers will have the chance to enjoy food and meditate following the guidance of experts.
by Mai Kim Khuyen

A LAT  Japanese citizen Takahiro Nonume has a desire to make life more beautiful. And he has chosen Viet Nam to carry out his mission.

The friendly 35-year-old agriculturist, known as Taka by his colleagues, left his home country in 2016.

He moved to the Central Highlands province of Lam ong, where he settled in a Nhim Commune, about 30km from a Lat City, to help farm workers apply new techniques in growing flowers and make more profit from flower trading.

Taka said he had been impressed by a Lat flowers the first time he visited the city five years ago, but only got the chance to work there in 2016.

He is now a production manager for Pan-Saladbowl under the Pangroup, an agriculture and food firm offering food products and solutions globally within an integrated value chain from Viet Nam.

As for why he chose to work in a Lat, Taka said aside from the favourable conditions with regard to the labour force and weather conditions for flower growing, he found the local farmers and farm workers in a Nhim pleasant to work with. They are always hard working and want to study new things, he said.

He told Viet Nam News he was first introduced to the job at Pan-Saladbowl by a friend and at first, he aimed only to work. But while talking and working with local people on the farm, most of whom were ethnic minority KHo people, Taka found that he should help them improve their quality of life by applying Japanese techniques in flower growing.

"My love for flowers and people in a Lat started from my first days and gradually became so deep that I want to work and live for a long time in a Nhim," said Taka.

Over the past two years, the Japanese man has helped import 150 varieties of carnations and 50 varieties of chrysanthemum from the Netherlands, Spain, Colombia and Japan to a Lat. They are growing experimentally in the city and the most adaptable varieties will be chosen for mass production in many areas.

As a result, the farm currently cultivates more than 100 varieties of flowers with high quality and brilliant colours in a Nhim Commune, meeting the demands of consumers in domestic and world markets.

Taka said the flower farm in the commune could produce nearly 200,000 carnations and daisies every month, of which two thirds are exported to Japan and the rest is consumed domestically.

According to Ha Thi Thu Thuy, Takas assistant and production supervisor, thanks to his cheerful and enthusiastic tutoring in flower growing, about 40 farm workers have mastered the new techniques to meet quality requirements for flower exports to Japan.

Comparing flower planting in Japan with practices in Viet Nam, Taka said weather and nature had gifted a Lat City and Lac Duong District with favourable conditions for developing vegetables and flowers all year round, while in Japan there are four seasons a year and the weather changes fiercely.

Growing flowers in Japan demands much more investment in technology than in a Lat City, so the cost for flower cultivation in his country was about 10 times higher than in a Lat, said Taka. He added the city has great potential to increase flower exports to Japan.

Many Japanese people prefer to purchase flowers imported from Viet Nam, he said.

But, business enterprises and farmers in a Lat face many obstacles in exporting flowers to Japan.

Natural conditions for growing flowers in a Lat are not a problem but the city should focus more on restructuring the production for higher quality and a greater number of products for both domestic and world markets, Taka said.

Not only managing the flower farm in a Nhim, he is also taking part in a modern greenhouse farm project in a on Commune, Lam Ha District.

There, Taka is doing research on a number of varieties of lettuce and white radish to expand the cultivated area and diversify production in the near future.

Kingdom of flowers

Embracing the typical natural and cultural features of the Central Highlands, the poetic a Lat City is called by names that indicate its romantic beauty: Little Paris, City of Pine Forests and Land of Mist. But the name Kingdom of flowers is perhaps its most impressive and accurate.

Nestled at 1,500 metres above sea level, the city is quiet and pretty all year with mild climate and temperatures varying between 15 and 24 degree Celsius.

If Lam ong is among the hi-tech agricultural production leaders nationwide, a Lat has become its standard bearer with the greatest contribution to this specialised farming region.

In recent years, a Lat flower brands have been diverse in types with thousands of native and imported varieties. The brands have incrementally established their position on international markets where they can compete on an equal footing with strong flower growers around the world.

According to a recent authority report, the province aims to expand the export of a Lat flowers from the current 10 per cent of output to 30 per cent by 2020.

The report said a comprehensive renovation in investment strategy and farming techniques must be carried out to achieve the export goal.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang (r) receives newly-accredited ambassadors of South Africa to Viet Nam Mpetjane Kgaogelo Lekgoro in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang hosted separate receptions for the newly-accredited ambassadors of South Africa and Egypt to Viet Nam in Ha Noi yesterday.

At a meeting with South African Ambassador Mpetjane Kgaogelo Lekgoro, President Quang expressed his hope that the diplomat will make constructive contributions to the friendship between Vietnam and South Africa.

The leader used the occasion to extend his congratulations to South Africa on the successful organisation of the presidential election, and Cyril Ramaphosa on his win in the election.

The host said he believes that under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Government and people will reap more achievements in national construction and development.

He suggested the two countries join hands in organising pragmatic activities marking the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 100th birth anniversary of President Nelson Mandela in 2018, and soon organise the fourth Vietnam-South Africa Inter-Governmental Partnership Forum in Pretoria.

In reply, the South African ambassador pledged that he will make all-out efforts to maintain and enhance the bilateral relationship, heeding the exchange of high-level visits between the two countries.

At the reception for Egyptian Ambassador Mahmoud Hassan Neyel, President Quang expressed his belief that with his experience and pro-activeness, the diplomat will have significant contributions to fostering the Vietnam-Egypt ties.

President Quang conveyed his greetings to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Ah Sisi while recalling good memories of Abdel Fattah Ah Sisis visit to Viet Nam in 2017. He hoped that Egypt will have a successful election in March, 2018, a significant event in the northeast Asian nation.

Regarding the bilateral ties, President Quang wished that Mahmoud Hassan Neyel will work to boost delegation exchanges to fortify friendship and mutual understanding.

Also, he recommended the Egyptian Ambassador work to increase two-way trade value to US$1 billion as set by leaders from both sides, hoping that Egypt will help Viet Nam build a set of Halal food standards used in the country, laying a foundation for exports to the Muslim markets.

Ambassador Mahmoud Hassan Neyel, for his part, said that the Egyptian President expects to welcome President Quang on his state visit to his country, saying that the trip will create a strong impetus for the cooperative ties between the two nations.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang (r) receives Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang expressed his delight at the development of the Viet Nam-Belarus friendship and co-operation in all fields as he hosted Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko in Ha Noi yesterday.

He expressed his pleasure at the effective implementation of agreements between the two countries, especially the Viet Nam-Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement that became effective in late 2016, eliminating 90 per cent of tariffs and opening up new prospects in economic and trade ties between Belarus and Viet Nam.

President Quang stressed that Viet Nam hopes to receive more investment from Belarus, especially in automobile and automobile spare part production, chemicals and industrial equipment.

Viet Nam will back Belarusian firms to engage in urban railway construction projects and create conditions for Belaruss industrial and engineering products to access Viet Nam, he pledged. President Quang said he hoped that the two sides will foster collaboration in defence, security and fighting crime.

The Vietnamese leader said he hopes the two countries will continue supporting each other at regional and international forums.

Semashko said that his visit aims to take a measure of the relationships achievements since the Viet Nam- Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement took effect. He noted that he had working sessions with leaders of Ha Noi, ministries, sectors and localities to discuss ways to promote cooperation projects in transportation, food and pharmaceuticals.

The Vietnamese and Belarusian economies can supplement each other, which will contribute to the growth of both countries, he added.

Bus deal

Ha Noi was looking for support from Belarus to upgrade and modernise its bus system, the city chairman told the visiting Belarusian Deputy PM yesterday.

Ha Noi Peoples Committee Chairman Nguyen uc Chung said that the city planned to buy and replace between 700 and 1,000 buses by 2020, aiming to increase the rate of public bus use to between 20 and 22 per cent.

This presents huge potential for co-operation between Ha Noi and auto makers from Belarus, Chung said.

Ha Noi Transport and Services Corporation (Transerco) General Director Nguyen Hoang Trung said that the company last year bought 32 buses, including 80 and 60 seaters, from a Belarusian company. The Belarusian buses performed better than the older buses being used for public transport, Trung said.

But he added that the imported buses were significantly more expensive, costing about 25 to 40 per cent more than similar buses from other brands.

Chung told Semashko that the city was more than willing to buy more buses from Belarus, asking auto makers of the Eastern European country to work with Transerco on options to lower the bus prices.

Semashko agreed and promised to soon start talking with the Transerco. He also suggested Belarus may help Viet Nam build an auto assembling plant which might bring the bus costs down.

He added that Belarusian companies were also eager to further support Viet Nam in developing infrastructure, particularly the urban rail system.  VNS
Mark Wilson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Justice Department's internal watchdog has launched an investigation into what sources say is the FBI's surveillance of Trump associate Carter Page just weeks before the 2016 presidential election.



"[T]he Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will initiate a review that will examine the Justice Department's and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) relating to a certain U.S. person," inspector general Michael Horowitz said in a statement Wednesday.



While Horowitz's statement does not mention Page by name, sources have confirmed the inspector general's probe is tied to Page, a New York-based business consultant who volunteered for the Trump campaign.



For months, Republicans have complained that the court-approved surveillance of Page was based on "fake" information laid out in the controversial "dossier authored by former British spy Chris Steele. The dossier alleged ties between Trump, his aides, and Russian operatives.



However, by the time FBI agents obtained approval from the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor Pages communications, Page was already on the FBIs radar after being targeted for recruitment as an intelligence source by Russian spies, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.



Page has denied any wrongdoing.



As part of its new investigation, "the OIG also will review information that was known to the DOJ and the FBI at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source," Horowitz said in his statement Wednesday. "Additionally, the OIG will review the DOJ's and FBI's relationship and communications with the alleged source as they relate to the FISC applications."



The issue came to a head earlier this year when Republicans and Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee released dueling memoranda about the circumstances behind the surveillance of Page.



Republicans claimed their memo illustrated "abuses" at the FBI and Justice Department, but Democrats insisted such claims were unfair and based on limited information.



Last week, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee announced the committee had issued a subpoena to the Justice Department, seeking documents related to "potential abused of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act" and a series of other controversial matters.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday visited the traditional Bat Trang ceramics village in Ha Noi, one of the countrys famous trade villages.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday visited the traditional Bat Trang ceramics village in Ha Noi, one of the countrys famous trade villages.

The visit took place two days ahead of the villages traditional festival, held annually between the 14th and 16th days of the second lunar month.

Talking to local authorities, artisans, and people of the village, the PM expressed his admiration for the local preservation of traditional cultural values and economic practices amid the growth of the countrys market economy, saying they reflect the areas patriotism.

Acknowledging inadequate policies in support of craftsmen, Phuc affirmed the Government will continue working on the issue and creating better mechanisms to facilitate the planning of Bat Trang Village.

Praising overseas and domestic distribution of Bat Trang potteries, he suggested the application of advanced technologies for improved quality and product diversity.

Phuc said the villages achievements can serve as an example for its peers nationwide.

Highlighting good outcomes of new-style rural building in the village, the leader urged local authorities to help expand traditional craft production and pay attention to environmental protection.

He asked the authorities to connect the village with travel agencies to capitalise on the customer source of millions of tourists to Ha Noi  VNS
President Tran ai Quang yesterday had a telephone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, congratulating him on his successful reelection.  VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang yesterday had a telephone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, congratulating him on his successful reelection.

Quang expressed his belief that Russia under Putins leadership will remain stable and develop further, along with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Russia . Together, the two countries will actively contribute to peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region and the world.

Quang also expressed his deepest condolences to Putin and Russian citizens for the massive loss of lives and assets in a Sunday fire in the Siberian city of Kemerovo , which killed 64 people, many of whom were children.

President Putin told Quang that Russia always regards Viet Nam as one of its prioritised partners in the Asia Pacific. Russia approves of the proactive role of Viet Nam in the region and commits to continue co-operating with the country to further promote bilateral ties in the coming time, Putin said.

During the call, the two leaders agreed on specific measures to implement previous agreements on various sectors like politics, economy, trade, investment, science and technology, as well as defence and security to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Russia .

They also agreed on the importance of promoting political exchanges, especially at the high level, and to start preparation work for the Friendship Year in 2019 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the treaty on basic principles for the bilateral ties.  VNS
HAVANA  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong on Wednesday (local time) laid a floral wreath at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument in the Hoa Binh (Peace) Park upon his arrival in Havana capital city for a State visit to Cuba.

The monument is located in the 5,600 square-metres Hoa Binh Park on the Avenue 26, Nuevo Vedado in the downtown of Havana. It was inaugurated on May 19, 2003 to mark the 113th birthday of the late President.



Lazara Mecerdes Lospes Acea, Vice President of the Council of State and First Secretary of the Havana City Party Committee, staff and local residents in Nuevo Vedado area, Revolution Square district were also present at the event.



Later the same day, Party General Secretary Trong met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Cuba.



He updated the participants on Viet Nams socio-economic development, achievements over the past year as well as the goals and measures the Party and State are implementing to ensure the nations rapid and sustainable growth, as well as to build the strong and transparent Party and political system.



The Party leader hailed the efforts made by officials and staff of the embassy for overcoming difficulties and promoting solidarity and sense of responsibility to fulfil their tasks, including their thorough preparations for his four-day State visit to Cuba from March 28.



They have made active contribution to effectively implementing cooperation agreements between senior leaders of the two countries, thus further deepening the Viet Nam  Cuba special relations.



Party General Secretary Trong is on a State visit to Cuba at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.



This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passing away of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and also the Vietnamese Party chiefs first visit to Latin-America following the 12th National Congress of the CPV the same year.



Since the two countries set up diplomatic ties in December 1960, their solidarity, mutual support and comprehensive cooperation have been strengthened.  VNS
Viet Nams education sector has been ordered to shape up and improve its public image.  Photo dantri.com.vn

HA NOI  Viet Nams education sector has been ordered to shape up and improve its public image.

The Government asked the Ministry of Education and Training to take measures to solve cases related to teacher redundancy and teacher recruitment in some localities at a meeting between the Governments working group and the ministry yesterday.

The move follows a series of recent events such as the mass lay-off of 500 ak Lak Province teachers and the sad fact that a teacher with 10 years experience earns less than minimum wage.

The ministry was also requested to address cases which caused society to lose trust in teachers, for example, teachers forcing students to take extra classes, school violence and cases related to teachers ethics.

What has the ministry done to end such cases? We are very sad to hear that an eighth grader in Ben Tre Province was violent against a teacher, a teacher asked students to kneel down as a punishment and then the students parents asked the teacher to kneel down and a pregnant teacher (of another school) was asked to kneel down, said Mai Tien Dung, Minister and Chairman of the Office of the Government and the working groups leader.

The certifying of professors and associate professors must be open and transparent, Dung said, urging the ministry to accelerate the construction of universities.

Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha said that the ministry has worked with localities to ensure that recruitment of teaching students is based on real demand.

Job opportunities for teaching graduates depend on each localitys recruitment policy, Nha said.

The ministry will review the records of professor and associate professor candidates by March 31 and will not certify unqualified ones. It is also studying a draft proposal on criteria for certifying professors and associate professors and will submit it to the Prime Minister for approval, he said.

Regarding university entrance exams, this year, financial accounting and engineering majors of some universities require students to take literature, history and geography tests. The Government asked the ministry to review the case and not allow universities to ignore quality to fill in recruitment quotas.

Nguyen Van Phuc, Education and Training deputy minister affirmed that training quality must be ensured, threatening to name and shame universities which fail to follow admission regulations.

Following Government efforts to slash the number of business conditions and administrative procedures by half, the ministry plans to remove and simplify 91 out of 212 business conditions to encourage investment into improving education training quality and taking care of students, the minister said.  VNS
AK LAK  Police said they have arrested Huynh Be, a principal of a secondary school in the Central Highlands province, over allegations of misappropriated assets.

Previously, police in the rural district of Krong Pak received a complaint from Chu Thi Long in Ea Yong Commune. She alleged that her family gave Huynh Be VN300 million (US$14,300) to buy a teaching post at a college in ak Lak Province for her daughter.

On August 19, 2016 after receiving the full amount, Huynh Be wrote a commitment document in which he promised to secure a teaching post for Longs daughter. However, one year later, Huynh Be still hadnt managed to follow through with his promise and multiple times refused to return the money.

Huynh Be has admitted to the police that he received the bribe from Longs family.

Krong Pak police said they have received several similar complaints against Be from many other victims.

Teachers of the Ngo May secondary school, where Be was the principal, also alleged that he misappropriated parts of the salaries of teachers on short-term contracts. They also claimed that Bes son, who left his post at the school in November 2017, still received a full monthly salary until February this year.

The arrest is part of a sprawling investigation into violations in the employment of hundreds of teachers beyond the allocated quota for the public schools in the Krong Pak District.

The provinces inspections, concluded in early March, revealed the redundancy of 600 teachers, and the authorities issued a decision to terminate contracts with 600 teachers. Two hundred of them would find themselves jobless, as the province currently has no demand for their teaching subjects. The other 400 laid-off teachers are eligible for the upcoming employment exam to secure one of the 178 much-vied-for teaching jobs vacant in the public schools. The sudden decision sparked anxiety amongst the teachers and drew attention across the country.

The ministry of home affairs in a press conference yesterday said the mass firing of improperly employed teachers was a step in the right direction, in line with efforts to downsize the public sector. Other solutions, however, will be studied to ensure employment for all those affected.  VNS
HCM CITY The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to give a US$350 million loan to the city for flood-prevention projects, according to the Steering Centre for Urban Flood Control (SCFC).

For phase 1, the funds will go toward flood-prevention projects in districts 12, Go Vap and Binh Thanh, and for the Tham Luong-Ben Cat canal cleanup and drainage project.

These projects were supposed to receive funds from the World Bank, but due to problems related to compensation and site clearance, the bank decided in November last year not to loan the money.

Nguyen Ngoc Cong, director of the Steering Centre for Urban Flood Control, said that, after the WBs decision, the city had to apply to ADB for the loan.  VNS
VINH LONG  Scores of households living along the Hau River in Thanh Phuoc Ward, Binh Minh Town, in the southern province of Vinh Long have faced the risk of landslides for years.

The threat to residents lives has grown increasingly serious, according to the residents.

They said the ward has seen a number of landslides in the area, including one that was some 10m deep and 100m long on August 22 and 23 last year. The landslides razed two houses and damaged many others.

After the incident, local authorities moved residents to safer spaces and helped them resettle, but the landslides reoccurred.

The hazard has become more common since February, leaving deep potholes in the roads in its wake.

To limit these landslides, residents use simple tools such as timber, sandbags and steel wires.

Pham Van Nhan, a resident, said funds to buy the tools were contributed by the residents, but after a few days, the road suffered more damage from landslides.

Chairman of the Binh Minh Town Peoples Committee Nguyen Van Dan said the committee had allocated new living spaces for 31 households.

However, the landslides were becoming increasingly complicated to handle, so the committee instructed the Thanh Phuoc Ward authorities to supervise and support the people.

If conditions worsen, the committee will let residents travel on another safe road and ask for guidance from the provincial authorities.

Dan said the town did not have the necessary funds to build a strong embankment in the area, so support from upper-level authorities is needed.  VNS
GENEVA  Viet Nam strongly opposes a press release on 20 March by several UN human rights experts, said Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Viet Nams Permanent Mission to the UN, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva.

Talking to the press on Wednesday, Dung stressed "The Press Release shows these human rights experts unprofessional manner, their lack of good will and impartiality, and their failure to comply with the Code of Conduct and the Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures Mandate Holders as it relies on non-credible information, raised unfounded concerns and makes pre-emptive judgment on the exchange between authorities and relevant individuals on a particular issue".



He affirmed dialogues between Governments and concerned individuals and organisations as well as those between Governments and human rights mechanisms are fundamental in the promotion and protection of human rights, saying that the Government regrets the lack of constructive attitude of these experts.



Ambassador Dung reiterated that the Government always does its utmost to promote and protect human rights and has consistently demonstrated its good will and willingness in dialogue and cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms.



Previously, two non-governmental organisations, the Research Centre for Gender, Family, and Environment in Development (CGFED) in Hanoi and Sweden-based IPEN, released a document in November 2017 stating that female labourers working in Samsung factories in Viet Nam suffered adverse health impacts associated with inappropriate working conditions.



Samsung refuted the documents content, which was based on interviews with 45 out of more than 100,000 Samsung workers, while raising concerns about its objectivity and unscientific methodology.



After the release of the document, the management board of industrial parks in Viet Nams Bac Ninh province in November 2017 invited representatives of Bac Ninh-based Samsung Electronics Viet Nam and CGFED, IPEN twice to a meeting to exchange information concerning this document. The two NGOs refused to attend the meeting.



Last year, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, in coordination with the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, conducted on-site inspections of 216 enterprises in electronics sector, including Samsung factories in Bac Ninh (September 2017) and those in Thai Nguyen (July 2017). The inspection results have been reported on the mass media.



A report on the result of working environment monitoring published in October 2017 by the Ha Noi-based Service Centre of Science and Technology for Health and Environment indicates that indicators of working condition at Samsung factories in Bac Ninh are within the permissible limits, and recommends measures to improve working conditions and transparency.



Samsung is one of the worlds largest manufacturers of mobile phones and tablets with many fierce competitors, with the most notable rival being Apple.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The 108 Military Central Hospital organised a ceremony to honour Major Le Hai Ninh, a soldier whose lung, heart, kidney and corneas were donated after he was declared brain dead at a ceremony yesterday.

His organs helped save the lives of six patients in the north and the south cities of Viet Nam.

Ninh contributed to the medical history in Viet Nam by facilitating the first lung transplant from a brain dead donor.

Earlier, Ninh, 45, from Yen Mo District, Ninh Binh Province, was sent to the hospital in a condition of deep coma due to stroke and brain oedema on February 23, 2018.

After learning about Ninhs situation, his family decided to donate his organs, including the lung, heart, kidneys and corneas to save the lives of six needy patients, including two soldiers, said Prof. Mai Hong Bang, director of 108 Military Central Hospital, at the event.

The hospital has carried out legal procedures, in accordance with the law on donation, removal and transplant of human tissues and organs. This is a noble and humanitarian gesture by major Ninh and his family, said Prof. Bang.

Health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and leaders of 108 Military Central Hospital visit lung receiver, Tran Ngoc Hanh, in the 108 Military Central Hospital on Wednesday.  Photo courtesy of the 108 Military Central Hospital

On March 26, the 108 Military Central Hospitals team of 60 doctors successfully performed the first ever lung transplant from a dead brain donor in Viet Nam in an eight-hour surgery.

Tran Ngoc Hanh, 52, from Nam inh Province, who received the lung, was diagnosed with severe respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a lung transplant was the only way to save his life.

At the same time, Ninhs organs were transplanted to five other patients. A cornea was transplanted to a patient at the hospital, while the other one went to a patient at the Central Eye Hospital.

The hospital also collaborated with the National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Collaboration Centre, Viet uc Hospital in Ha Noi and Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City to preserve and send the kidneys and heart to HCM City by air to be transplanted to two other patients at Cho Ray Hospital.

All the six receivers are in stable health condition, especially Hanh, the lung receiver, said Prof. Bang.

At the event, health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien handed over a For peoples health insignia to Ninh, while the hospital leader presented free health insurance cards to his family.  VNS
HCM City Police have started criminal proceedings in the case of the Carina Plaza apartment building fire in HCM Citys District 8 which killed 13 people and injured 27 on March 23. Photo vietnamnet.vn

HCM CITY  HCM City Police have started criminal proceedings in the case of the Carina Plaza apartment building fire in HCM Citys District 8 which killed 13 people and injured 27 on March 23.

Detailed information on the upcoming criminal proceedings will be released at a press meeting to be held today by the HCM City Peoples Committee, according to Colonel Nguyen Sy Quang, chief of staff of the city police.

He said on Tuesday that the proceedings were in line with Article 313 of the 2015 Criminal Code that deal with violations of fire safety regulations.

At least 150 motorbikes and 13 cars parked in the basement where the fire originated were destroyed by the blaze.

Located at 1648 Vo Van Kiet Street, Carina Plaza complex includes three buildings of 15-21 storeys each and a total of 736 apartments. It opened six years ago.

Quang said the investigation at the scene showed that a malfunctioning motorbike was the cause of the fire, and that arson had been ruled out as a possible cause.

The blaze started at 0:30 in the basement located between buildings A and B of the apartment complex.

The citys Fire Fighting Police Department sent 34 fire trucks and 200 firefighters to the site to control the blaze and rescue hundreds of people who were trapped inside. An hour after arriving, the fire was under control.

On March 26, a delegation from the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, led by Deputy President Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, visited injured residents at Cho Ray Hospital.

The delegation also visited the family of Tran Van An, a guard at Carina Plaza who died in the fire.

The Fatherland Fronts central committee plans to offer a total of VN200 million (US$8,820) for families affected by the fire. VNS
PRESS RELEASE  EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin  (March 28, 2018)  The final year of World War I centennial activities at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 will feature historic aircraft from the era and flying activities that commemorate the final year of the Great War that concluded with the armistice of 1918.

The 66th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention is July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

This years World War I commemoration activities will take place throughout the week, with a special emphasis on Friday, July 27. Many of the aircraft that will be on display are also connected to the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force that is part of AirVenture week.

In the four-year stretch of World War I, aviation technology and piloting made strides that have been rarely matched in the history of flight, said Rick Larsen, EAAs vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. A century later, aviation enthusiast still marvel at the determination, ingenuity, and skill of those who designed, built, and flew these aircraft. They were making history in a field of engineering that mostly did not exist just 15 years earlier.

The World War I programming will be primarily based in the vintage aircraft parking area on the AirVenture flight line. Along with the aircraft on display for the 1915-1918 era, there will be World War I re-enactors and sta5tic engine runs. In addition, World War I-era aircraft, aircraft owners, and historians will participate in forums and Vintage in Review session throughout the week. A number of the aircraft will also be displayed at various times on AirVentures showcase Boeing Plaza.

Among the aircraft expected to be on display is a newly restored DH4 Liberty biplane being reconstructed by EAA members and high school students in Tennessee.

Our entire DH-4 Liberty team is looking forward to honoring the memory of all those brave young lads that climbed into the cockpits of those early aeroplanes to defend liberty in the skies above Europe a century ago, said Dorian Walker, who is leading the restoration team. What better place to celebrate those early aeronautical feats than Americas premiere aviation event, AirVenture 2018. We are pleased to bring the only flying, as delivered to the military, Dayton-Wright DH-4 Liberty Aeroplane, Warbird #1 to Oshkosh this July.

Other aircraft from the collection of renowned aviator Kermit Weeks are scheduled to be present, as well as a rare 1915 Bleriot replica in Royal Flying Corps markings. More details will be announced as they are finalized.
From our good friend Phil Buckley, comes a recent progress update concerning a brace of Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXs under rebuild with Vintage Fighter Restorations in Scone, New South Wales, Australia. Owned by Ross Pay, VFR has established itself as one of the premier warbird restoration facilities in Australia. Rosss father, the late Col Pay, was a doyen of the warbird movement downunder, and is responsible for recovering large numbers of Vietnam War vintage American aircraft such as T-28 Trojans, A-37 Dragonflys, and O-1 Bird Dogs from various nations in South East Asia during the early 1990s. He also restored and maintained a number of WWII fighters such as Spitfire Mk.VIIIc MV239, Kittyhawk Mk.I AK752 and CA-18 Mustang A68-107, among others, so it is no surprise that Ross has continued in his fathers footsteps.

The two Spitfires at VFR are both combat veterans with significant histories: MH415 and MH603. Of the two, MH415 is easily the more important, as it was entirely intact and in time capsule condition when acquired in 2014. Its history is presented on VFRs website as follows

Supermarine Spitfire MH415 was constructed in 1943 at Castle Bromwich UK. The aircraft was delivered to RAF No.129 (Mysore) Squadron at Hornchurch in August 1943, and wore the squadron codes DV-G and was often flown by the C.O. Sqn Ldr Gonay. Records show that MH 415 was in the thick of the action with 129 Sqn, regularly participating in missions over Europe. In October 1943, the Spitfire moved on to No. 222 (Natal) Squadron in October 1943 where she continued to participate in more sweeps across the continent.

The Spitfire was retired in 2 January, 1944 to a role with the Air Fighting Development Unit at RAF Wittering. Then in September 1944 MH415 was delivered to No. 126 Squadron at Bradwell Bay, Essex. The aircraft was next noted at Vickers Armstrongs at Oxford in January 1945 for rectification and repair. On completion it went to No.6 Maintenance Unit (MU) at Brize Norton for storage. On 6th February MH415 went to De Havillands at Whitney in Oxfordshire for a complete rebuild, following which it ended its RAF service with No.9 MU at Cosford in storage again.

Post War, the Spitfire was sold to the Dutch Air Force in 1946 and in 1947 was shipped to Java as Dutch AF H-108 and H-65 with 332 Sqn. The Spitfire returned to Holland and was re-serialed B-12. MH415 passed to The Belgian Air Force in 1953 as SM-40, but only served a further 3 years before being retired in 1956.

Following Military service MH415 was converted and utilized by a Belgian company as a target towing aircraft for a contract to the Belgian and other air Forces. The Spitfire wore the civil registration OO-ARD and an attractive blue and white paint scheme.

In the early 1960s the Spitfire appeared in various Motion Pictures including The Longest Day and at some Airshows. The aircraft was by now in the ownership of Rousseau Aviation of Dinhard in France and was not utilized for a number of years.

During 1966 aircraft were being gathered to participate in the Battle of Britain (BoB) movie and MH415 was acquired and overhauled. The Spitfire was utilized in filming of the BoB movie both in the UK and Spain flying 125 hours and wearing identities, N3312/AI-C, N3311/CD-B, N3321/AI-M, N2210/CD-A, N3310/AI-A, N3322/AI/N, N3319/DO-K and N3314/AI-E.

Following the BoB movie, the Spitfire along with another and a number of Messerschmitts (actually Spanish built Merlin engined Hispano Buchons) were taken in lieu of payment for film flying duties by USA pilot Wilson Connie Edwards and moved to Texas USA in 1969 where it was registered N415MH. The Spitfire was repainted in 222 squadron codes ZD-E. MH415 only flew sparingly in the USA and totaled just 36 hours there until it was stored on Edwards Farm in 1973.

While MH415 has undergone a down-to-the-last-rivet restoration, the rebuild team have been meticulous with their efforts to preserve as much original structure as possible, given that the aircraft was in such original condition when it arrived. What will emerge when VFR have finished their magic will be one of the finest and most original, combat veteran Spitfires anywhere in the world.

Supermarine Spitfire MH603, on the other hand, has required a lot more new material in its restoration. This aircraft was recovered as a collection of battered components from the famous South African scrap yard that a number of other Spitfires have re-emerged from in recent years. VFR has provided the following to summarize its service history

This Spitfire, with construction number CBAF.IX.5589, was built in 1943 at Castle Bromwich UK. The aircraft, now RAF serialed MH603 was delivered to 39 Maintenance Unit (MU) on 15-10-43. It then passed on to 405 Repair and Salvage Unit (ARF) at Croydon on 25/10/43. The aircraft commenced operational service with 331(Norwegian) Squadron on 3/1/44 and served operationally coded FN-B, flown by Capt. Bjorn Bjornstad, then moved to 274 Squadron RAF coded as JJ-K on 2-6-44 where it was flown by W/O.S.G.Barker . The Spitfire is noted as going to Fighter Leaders School FLS Millfield on 21/8/44 and then to the Central Fighter Establishment (CFE) Tangmere on 1/6/45. Following its operational service the aircraft passed through a number of training and maintenance units. Post war, in 1949, the aircraft was sold to the South African Air Force and following retirement in 1955 passed on to South African Metal & Machinery Co, Salt River, Cape Town as scrap until the remains were recovered by the South African Air Force museum and stored at Snake Valley.

In 1989 the aircraft was recorded back in the UK with Steve Atkins of Rye, Sussex, and then with John Sykes, Oxford, UK. In 1993 the Spitfire is reported as being in the USA with Joe Scogna/ Vintage Air, Yardley PA. From 1993 until 2008 the aircraft was a project at Fort Collins CO and in 2008 it was acquired by Provenance Fighter Sales and sold to Pays in 2009.

Both aircraft are clearly well under way towards their first flight, and WarbirdsNews will endeavor to bring our readers periodic updates on their progress. We look forwards to more details from Phil Buckley in good time, and thank him very much for providing the photographs and details herein.
Marguerite Jimenez has an article in Foreign Affairs explaining who Miguel Diaz-Canel is and how the United States should respond to his ascension to power in Cuba. The upshot:





Although no one can predict exactly how Diaz-Canel will respond to these challenges, there is no denying that change is on the horizon. The United States and other outside actors will not determine the nature or the timing of these changes. They can, however, create a climate in which reform is easier. Strategies of U.S. engagement that recognize Cuban sovereignty and resist calling for regime change will reduce the risks to Diaz-Canel of undertaking more significant changes.

There is a fine line between caution and passivity, but this line is one the United States must successfully walk. There will be strong resistance to a foreign presence, and the possibility of blowback is very real. The United States can and must play a role in Cuban democratization, but it cannot create it.

The policy of the United States toward Cuba has been remarkably consistent for decades, but has never achieved its stated goals, namely regime change and democratization. There is no way to predict when a political opening will occur, and it is highly unlikely the United States will be the motor of change, but we have laid out the optimal ways of addressing regime change when it occurs. The most effective responses will be constructive, measured, and multilateral, but active. These are not terms usually associated with U.S. policy toward Cuba, but they are central to a new post-Castro relationship.

This is sensible. Six years ago I published an article in Military Review with Erin Fiorey, who at the time was an M.A. student in Latin American Studies here at UNC Charlotte. We wrote the following:The United States government is terrible at learning from past foreign policy mistakes. Our policy toward Cuba has almost always been an abject failure, not only not achieving its goals but actually making us worse off and even harming our own national security. Forgive the cliche, but this is literally an historic moment in Cuban politics and we seem poised to screw it up, perhaps even via tweets.
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FirstEnergy gives notice to deactivate four units

29 March 2018

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FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) has notified regional transmission organisation PJM Interconnection that it will deactivate the Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants during the next three years. The company, which is aiming to leave the competitive market, is seeking legislative policy solutions to keep the plants operating.

The Perry plant (Image: FirstEnergy/NRC)

Davis-Besse, a single-unit pressurised water reactor, and Perry, a single boiling water reactor, are in Ohio. According to the US Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), they generate 14.1% of the state's electricity. The two-unit Beaver Valley PWR plant is in Pennsylvania. The four units' total capacity is 4048 MWe and together they provided about 65% of electricity produced by the FES generating fleet last year.

Ohio and Pennsylvania are in a deregulated electricity market, where generators compete against each other to sell power to suppliers through competitive auctions. Nuclear plant operators in such markets have faced competition from low-cost gas, particularly from shale gas developments, and subsidised wind power, leaving well-performing nuclear units at risk of closure for economic reasons.

Don Moul, president of FES Generation Companies and chief nuclear officer, said the decision to deactivate the facilities had been a difficult one.

"Though the plants have taken aggressive measures to cut costs, the market challenges facing these units are beyond their control," he said.

The state of Ohio is considering legislation that would support the continued operation of nuclear power plants by recognising their contribution to clean energy generation. State governments in New York and Illinois have already adopted such policies. FirstEnergy Corporation has said it will continue to advocate for Ohio to adopt such legislation, although it already announced in November 2016 its intention to withdraw from the competitive electricity market.

FES said the plants will continue to operate normally as the company continues to work towards legislative solutions or the possible sale of the units as an alternative to deactivation. The process to prepare for a potential deactivation, including preparing a detailed decommissioning plan and amending plant licences, can take over two years, FES said. The company has verbally notified the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the planned deactivations.

"We call on elected officials in Ohio and Pennsylvania to consider policy solutions that would recognise the importance of these facilities to the employees and local economies in which they operate, and the unique role they play in providing reliable, zero-emission electric power for consumers in both states," Moul said. "We stand ready to roll up our sleeves and work with policy makers to find solutions that will make it feasible to continue to operate these plants in the future," he added.

The Beaver Valley and Davis-Besse units have all received renewed operating licences from the NRC. The licence for Beaver Valley unit 1 expires in 2036, unit 2 in 2047 and Davis-Besse in 2037. Perry is currently licensed to operate until 2026. Davis-Besse earlier this week returned to service after a 24-day refuelling outage, breaking its own previous record of 38 days set in 2012.

FES is a competitive generation subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp, and the nuclear units are operated by FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company. A strategic review of FES's remaining generating capacity - two coal plants and one natural gas plant - is also under way as part of FirstEnergy's plan to leave the deregulated market.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Mar 29, 2018 | By Tess

If you dont know it by name, youll certainly be familiar with the famous Fearless Girl statue which was installed in Manhattans Financial District last year. The bronze statue, designed by artist Kristen Visbal and commissioned by investment firm State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), stands down Wall Streets notorious Charging Bull statue, highlighting the importance of gender diversity in leadership positions.

Now, for $6,500, you can buy your very own miniature version of the Fearless Girl sculpture as Visbal is creating a limited run of 1,000 replicas made with the help of 3D scanning and printing.

20 percent of the proceeds from the sculpture sales will reportedly be given to a nonprofit (and we hope that the other portion will go to the artist and not towards the investment firm that commissioned the piece).

In making the replicas, Visbal captured a 3D scan of the original sculpture on June 2017 and transformed the data into a 3D model. From there, the artist says she 3D printed a miniature version of the model using a vero photopolymer material. The final pieces will be cast in bronze (on order) and will be mounted on a 4 cm base made of black granite.

The original Fearless Girl statue stands in New York City's Financial District

Since the pieces are part of a limited-edition run, each miniature statue (measuring about 22 inches in height), will be signed and numbered. Buyers can expect to receive their $6,500 Fearless Girl mementos in a velvet-lined presentation box along with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.

My hope is that your limited-edition bronze will serve as a symbol of empowerment and encouragement, writes Visbal, and as a reminder that collaboration between genders and culture is the enlightened path forward for smarter, stronger decisions.

Interested? Youll have to put down a 60 percent deposit to secure your casting and will have to wait three to four months to receive the limited edition sculpture.

Somewhat ironically, SSgA, the firm that commissioned the sculpture, has incited some controversy over the sculpture, as people have pointed out that only five women sat on its 28-person leadership council. In October 2017, it was reported that the investment firm agreed to pay a $5 million settlement for gender-based salary discrimination.

Still, the Fearless Girl statue itself still draws many tourists and is reportedly being considered as a permanent installation in New York City.

Since we placed Fearless Girl in New York City on International Women's Day last year, she has inspired millions around the world and drawn thousands of visitors, said a SSgA representative. We are currently working with the Mayor's Office to determine a permanent solution to keep Fearless Girl in New York City so she can continue to promote the power of having more women in leadership.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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I believe in humans, don't care about their gender wrote at 3/31/2018 7:00:29 AM:What a waste of money




Mar 29, 2018 | By Benedict

Sciaky, Inc., the metal additive manufacturing (AM) specialist pioneering the use of Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) 3D printing, has entered into an agreement with Farcco Tecnologia to increase sales of its 3D printers in Brazil.

In terms of scale, few 3D printer companies even come close to what Sciaky can achieve with its EBAM 3D printing systems.

Capable of rapidly 3D printing parts ranging from 8 inches (203 mm) to 19 feet (5.79 meters) in length, Sciakys EBAM 3D printers are some of the most in-demand machines in the industry, and have been adopted by major companies like Airbus and Lockheed Martin.

Sciakys EBAM technology is different to other metal additive manufacturing processes in that it deposits metal via wire feedstock (rather than powder), layer by layer, until a 3D printed part reaches near-net shape and is ready for subtractive machining.

These EBAM 3D printing systems use Sciakys IRISS (Interlayer Real-time Imaging & Sensing System), a patented Closed-Loop Control that provides consistent part geometry, mechanical properties, microstructure, metal chemistry, and more. It is this closed-loop control that sets the technology apart from other wire feedstock metal 3D printing processes.

As well as being able to print on a huge scale, Sciakys 3D printers are also capable of depositing huge amounts of material in a short space of time: up to 20 lbs of metal per hour.

Following a major business deal, Sciaky now looks set to bring its additive manufacturing systems to more customers in South America.

The 3D printing company has entered into an agreement with Farcco Tecnologia, a rapidly growing sales agent of metal 3D printing solutions and CNC machining equipment, to increase sales efforts of its EBAM solutions in the Brazilian market. It follows Sciakys move into the Japanese 3D printing market this time last year.

Sciaky is excited to work with Farcco and educate the Brazilian market about the real-world benefits of EBAM technology, said Scott Phillips, President and CEO of Sciaky. When compared to traditional forging methods, EBAM offers significant competitive advantages for customers all over the world by drastically reducing production time, waste, and costs associated to manufacturing large, high-value metal parts.

Brazil's thriving aerospace, oil & gas, and mining industries are natural fits for Sciaky's EBAM metal 3D printing solutions and renowned EB welding offerings, added Fabio Sant'Ana, CEO of Farcco Tecnologia. It's an honor to introduce these innovative technologies to the visionaries at Brazil's leading manufacturing companies.

Sciaky is a subsidiary of Phillips Service Industries (PSI), a holding company based in Livonia, Michigan.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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Joshua Rothman in The New Yorker:

Thomas Metzinger had his first out-of-body experience when he was nineteen. He was on a ten-week meditation retreat in the Westerwald, a mountainous area near his home, in Frankfurt. After a long day of yoga and meditation, he had a slice of cake and fell asleep. Then he awoke, feeling an itch on his back. He tried to scratch it, but couldnthis arm seemed paralyzed. He tried to force the arm to move, and, somehow, this shifted him up and out of his body, so that he seemed to be floating above himself. Gazing out into the room, he was both amazed and afraid. He heard someone else breathing and, in a panic, looked around for an intruder. Only much later did he realize that the breathing had been his.

At the time, in the early nineteen-eighties, Metzinger was a philosophy student researching the mind-body problem at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat. During the postwar years, Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer had made the universitys Institute for Social Researchthe Frankfurt Schoola center of neo-Marxist thought, and the campus remained a politically radical place. In Britain and America, philosophers, computer scientists, psychologists, and neuroscientists were working together to reconceive the mind as a purely physical system created by the brain. In Metzingers department, such theories were denounced as anti-human and proto-fascist. Metzinger considered himself a radicalhe had waist-length hair, and was proud to have been teargassed while protesting the U.S. militarybut also a rationalist. Immersing himself in the work of the Anglophone philosophers, hed eventually become convinced that his soul was made by his brain. He was, therefore, doubly shocked by his out-of-body experience, which had seemed irrevocably real. Could materialism be wrong? Could consciousness exist immaterially, outside of the body? He admonished himself: How arrogant I have been!

More here.
Pune, India, 29th March 2018: WiseGuyReports announced addition of new report, titled Payments Landscape in Bulgaria: Opportunities and Risks to 2021.

Summary

Payments Landscape in Bulgaria: Opportunities and Risks to 2021, report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Bulgarian cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including credit transfers, direct debit, cash and payment cards during the review-period (2013-17e).

The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2017-21f). It also offers information on the countrys competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.

GET SAMPLE REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3090616-payments-landscape-in-bulgaria-opportunities-and-risks-to-2021

The report brings together research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers details of regulatory policy and recent changes in the regulatory structure.

Companies mentioned

OTP Bank

KBC Bank

UniCredit Bank

Central Cooperative Bank

Eurobank

First Investment Bank

Raiffeisen Bank

United Bulgarian Bank

Access Finance

BORICA

Visa

Mastercard

This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Bulgarian cards and payments industry, including 

 Current and forecast values for each market in the Bulgarian cards and payments industry, including debit and credit cards.

 Detailed insights into payment instruments including credit transfers, direct debit, cash, and payment cards. It also, includes an overview of the countrys key alternative payment instruments.

 E-commerce market analysis.

 Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Bulgarian cards and payments industry.

 Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit and credit cards.

Scope

 The share of domestic scheme provider BORICA has been declining, with international scheme providers Mastercard and Visa taking charge of the debit card market. BORICAs share fell from 3.9% in 2013 to 1.3% 2017 in terms of number of cards in circulation. To regain its presence and to compete with international schemes, BORICA launched national card scheme Bcard in July 2017. As of November 2017, six banks and several non-banks have started issuing Bcard in the country.

 American Express exited the Bulgarian market in 2017. In July 2017, Postbank (subsidiary of Eurobank Group)  which was the sole issuer of American Express cards  ceased both the issuance and maintenance of American Express pay-later cards in the country. The banks existing American Express cards were replaced with Mastercard-branded cards, which contributed to the growth of Mastercards pay-later card share in 2017.

 Contactless payments are gaining traction in Bulgaria. All major banks now offer contactless cards in the country, while Visa and Mastercard have launched their respective contactless technologies, payWave and PayPass. According to Visa Europe, Bulgarian contactless payments via Visa cards rose by 612% over the 12-month period to April 2016. Almost 40,000 contactless terminals accept Visa contactless cards in the country. To capitalize on this trend, in March 2017 CIBANK collaborated with Mastercard to become the first bank in Bulgaria to introduce contactless ATMs.

Reasons to buy

 Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Bulgarian cards and payments industry and each market within it.

 Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Bulgarian cards and payments industry.

 Assess the competitive dynamics in the Bulgarian cards and payments industry.

 Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Bulgaria.

 Gain insights into key regulations governing the Bulgarian cards and payments industry.

Table of Content: Key Points

Market Overview

Executive Summary

Card-based Payments

E-commerce Payments

Alternative Payments

Payments Infrastructure & Regulation

Continued

ACCESS REPORT @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3090616-payments-landscape-in-bulgaria-opportunities-and-risks-to-2021

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Exploration Commences: New Approach to an Historic Gold Field

Perth, Mar 29, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cervantes Corporation Limited ( ASX:CVS ) (Cervantes) is pleased to inform the market it has undertaken a comprehensive review of the gold exploration potential of the Primrose Shear. This shear is related to high grade gold mineralisation that was mined historically (see Figure 1 in link below). The review took in work done by previous explorers as well as records from historic gold producers in the Paynes Find Gold Field. In recognition of the significance of this mineralised shear, the area is referred to as the Primrose Project.- Focus has swung to potentially large tonnage shear-related gold targets- Untested gold geochemistry anomalism recognised- Four untested shear-related gold targets to be confirmed with aircore drilling along the Primrose Shear- Historically defined gold mineralisation at Pansy Prospect to be drilled for confirmation and expansion- Tenders for the drilling have been invited- Programmes of Work submitted to the DMIRS- Regulatory approvals awaitedCervantes controls in excess of 8km strike length of the Primrose Shear. The package of tenements includes mining leases which are the subject of an ongoing acquisition from European Lithium Ltd (CVS' ASX release on 15 Nov., 2017) and a number of Cervantes owned tenements (see Table 1, Figure 2 in link below).The aim of the review was to identify opportunities not pursued by previous workers and, where appropriate, materially increase and validate the mineralisation previously defined.A large body of drilling at the Carnation Prospect has been ear-marked for a detailed analysis.Regional opportunitiesThe historic workings in the project area were based on at surface, late stage, quartz-vein related gold mineralisation. This style of gold, while generally of a high grade, is discontinuous and size limited. Past explorers were distracted from pursuing the greater prize of a potentially much larger tonnage target by these historic occurrences.The following references are made in respect to historic exploration data that are the subject of announcements to the ASX by Paynes Find Gold Ltd ( ASX:PNE ) on 14 June, 2011 and 19 November, 2012 and Cervantes Corporation Limited ( ASX:CVS ) on 4 May, 2017.Consultants CSA Global undertook a field-wide study for the purpose of improving understanding of the structural and lithostratigraphic controls on mineralisation with implications for exploration targeting. The following critical conclusions were drawn:- Two major gold mineralising episodes are recognised:o Shear related quartz veining with high-grade gold in boudinaged quartz veins hosted by gneiss. This was the main target for historic mining activities (Type 1 mineralisation).o Lower grade, but consistent gold mineralisation along the sheared contact between mafic amphibolite and gneiss (Type 2).o Extensive quartz veining containing gold mineralisation in the western mafic / ultramafic sequence (Type 3 mineralisation). This is an under explored gold target.- The gneissic terrain that hosts the historic workings are a lower priority target because of the inconsistent gold mineralization.- The sheared and intensely altered contact between the mafic unit and the gneiss should be the prime focus. This target is likely to exhibit consistent and significant thicknesses and may be open to depth and along strike.The two styles of gold mineralisation are shown schematically in Figure 3 (see link below). Type 1 gold mineralisation was extensively pursued in the past. Intercepts such as 3m at 92.1g/t gold (Au) in drill hole PFRC120 represent this type, while intercepts such as 12m at 6.61g/t Au in hole PFRC116 (PNE announcement 21 Nov., 2012) are interpreted to represent Type 2 gold mineralisation. While lower grade, this type has the ability to be present in much higher tonnages and total contained gold.The Primrose Shear related gold target has not been fully pursued by previous explorers, yet presents as the greatest opportunity in this historic gold field. Of the approximately 8km of strike Cervantes controls on this shear and its offshoots, only 0.55km has been drill tested.An initial three pronged exploration programme has been designed to begin the process of systematic, target focused, model driven testing of this highly auriferous area.Regional sampling programmeThe regional review has identified seven prospects for follow-up with four being chosen for testing with aircore (AC) drilling during the current phase of exploration, namely Blue Bell, Princess Mary, Goodingnow, and Pansy. (see Figure 4 in link below). All lie on flexures in the Primrose Shear and have associated with them elevated surface geochemistry gold signatures. The aim of this work is to identify parts of the Primrose Shear that are auriferous as a pathfinder for deeper RC drill testing. Seventy holes are planned.Pansy PitThe Pansy Pit (see Figure 4 and 5 in link below) was mined in 1912-13 and produced at an average grade of 17.4g/t Au. It represents the currently known southernmost extension of known gold mineralisation along the Primrose Shear.Cervantes has reviewed all previous work, including drilling undertaken by Falcon Australia Limited in 1987 ("Summary of Pansy Prospect, Paynes Find for Falcon Australia", A.Peerless, K.H.Morgan & Assoc., 1987, DMIRS report A21516). Field inspections were also done. On the basis of structural and lithological geometries present, extents indicated by historic drilling, possible strike and down dip extensions recognised by Cervantes, and gold grades intercepted that drilling, a notional exploration target of 10,000t to 35,000t at a grade of 2.0g/t to 4.5g/t gold has been estimated. This is based upon 21 RC holes (see Figure 5, Appendices 1 and 2 in link below) in conjunction with aeromagnetic data interpretation as well as field mapping both regionally and within the existing pit. The potential quantity and grade of this target is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.Sixteen RC holes for 550m to test down-dip, up-dip and along strike of the historic holes are planned (see Figure 5 in link below). Drilling is pending Programme of Work assessment by Department of Mines Industry Regulations and Safety (WA) and are expected to be completed by July, 2018. This data will be used to confirm and extend the known mineralisation as a prelude to possible resource definition drilling.Carnation ProspectThe previous explorer, Paynes Find Gold (PNE), focused its extensive drilling campaigns on the footwall side of the Primrose Shear within the Paynes Find Gneiss. This gneiss, bounded by the Primrose Shear to the west and the Daffodil Shear to the east, forms a rigid brittle body that hosts the vein swarms that host the historically mined high grade, low tonnage, late stage veined gold. Insufficient continuous mineralisation was defined by PNE to estimate an economic resource.Drill holes that were collared in the hanging wall amphibolites to the west tended to indicate the potential for thicker intersections of more continuous gold mineralisation.A more in-depth review of this particular prospect is planned. This will include assaying of drill hole sections not yet sampled, mapping of alteration to determine if there exists an alteration signature to the gold, and a synthesis of litho-structural controls on gold mineralisation.About the Primrose ProjectThe Primrose Project covers in excess of 8km of the highly gold mineralised Primrose Shear in the Murchison District of the Eastern Goldfields, Western Australia. Over 37 gold mines, of various sizes, operated in this field from 1911 till 1982. Some 63,000 ounces of gold was mined at an average grade of 25g/t during this period. It is generally accepted that significantly more gold than this was won from alluvial and unreported production.Cervantes now controls 20 mining leases, prospecting licences, and an exploration licence that cover the majority of this historic gold field. A large database of drilling, surface geochemistry, geological, and geophysical data has been assembled to allow the field to be better understood than at any time in its history.To view figures, please visit:About Cervantes Corporation Limited

Cervantes Corporation Limited (ASX:CVS) is an emerging gold explorer and aspiring gold miner. It has built up a portfolio of gold properties in well-known and historically producing gold districts with a strategy to apply novel exploration and development thinking. Cervantes has identified opportunities in those districts that were overlooked by previous explorers. The company is committed to maximizing shareholder value through the development of those opportunities.


Director Appointment and Resignation

Melbourne, Mar 29, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Xped Limited ( ASX:XPE ) ("Xped" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr John Schultz as an executive director, effective from 30 March 2018.Mr Schultz holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics Engineering, is a serial entrepreneur having successfully founded developed several companies over the last two decades, specialising in the design, manufacture and business development of electronics systems. Mr Schultz has a wealth of experience running design and manufacturing businesses, managing staff and subcontractors and secured significant international business, exporting vehicle immobilisers to Malaysia for aftermarket distribution and direct fit to Honda. These contracts saw a peak of 30 employees locally employed and managed at Technology Park. Mr Schultz's involvement in the group encompasses system specification, design, product design and manufacture, resource management and developing commercialisation opportunities. Mr Schultz was previously an executive director of the Company before relinquishing his role as a director to concentrate on executive management.Xped also wishes to advise that Mr Athan Lekkas has resigned as a director of the company effective from 30 March 2018. Mr Lekkas was instrumental in transforming the listed entity from a resources company to one with important technologies in the Internet of Things ("IoT") sector. The board thanks Mr Lekkas for his valuable contribution over the past years, and wishes him the best of success in his future endeavours.Attached (see link below) is the Final Director's Interest Notice for Mr Lekkas and the Initial Directors Interest Notice for Mr Schultz.The material terms of Mr Schultz's services agreement are as follows.Remuneration: fixed at $250,000 per annum, with no additional fee for duties as a director;Contract Term and Termination: the initial two year term of Mr Schultz's contract expired on 23 March 2018 and was extended by 6 months, with termination by either party on one month's notice.To view the attachment, please visit:About XPED Ltd

XPED Ltd (ASX:XPE) is an Australian Internet of Things (IoT) technology business. Xped has developed revolutionary and patent-protected technology that allows any consumer, regardless of their technical capability, to connect, monitor and control devices and appliances found in our everyday environment. Xped provides technology solutions for Smart Home, Smart Building, and Healthcare.

At Xped, were Making Technology Easy Again(TM)


Announces Listing on OTC Markets

Singapore, Mar 29, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Noble Vici Group Inc. ( OTCMKTS:NVGI ) today announced the appointment of Sir Eldee Tang as its Chief Executive Officer, and that it is currently listed on OTC markets, under the symbol NVGI.Sir Eldee Tang said, "Today's announcement reflects our strategy to invest in the future, both in the leadership quality of the team and in emerging businesses that will chart our growth. This is an opportune time to expand our businesses globally and I look forward to the exciting growth opportunities that lies ahead."Sir Eldee Tang is a seasoned entrepreneur in the e-commerce and fintech industry. He is the recipient of numerous distinguished business awards including the Most Promising Entrepreneur Award from Asia Pacific Entrepreneur Award (APEA) in 2010 as well as the Global Outstanding Young Chinese Award by the Global Chinese Outstanding Youth in 2016. Last year, he was nominated and received his knighthood status by the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta for his contribution on humanitarian efforts.Under the leadership of Sir Eldee Tang, the company has also released the news of the appointment of two senior executives. Mr Lim Yee Chuan has been named as the Chief Operations Officer, overseeing NVG's group operations, human resources planning and administration. Mr Yip Sin Chi has been appointed Chief Financial Officer and will oversee the financial management and performance analysis of the group."Sir Eldee Tang is a remarkable entrepreneur who stands at the forefront of an emerging new generation of leaders in the e-commerce and payments space. I strongly believe that his breadth and depth of experience will steer NVG to new heights globally," said Mr Philip Soh, Director of Capital Markets at UOB Kay Hian Limited, Singapore.For more information, please visit http://www.noblevici.com About Former CompanyGold Union Inc. (GOLU) was an infrastructure developer with focus on gold nugget exportation and land development. Gold Union Inc. had its assets (Land Banking) held in Cambodia. Its primary focus was on land acquisition, road and logistical infrastructure development related to mining concession with the aim to operate a full-scale gold logistical hauling road and the eventual acquisition of the harbor.About Flame Communications

Flame Communications provides specialised communications solutions to enhance a company's brand value. For more than a decade, we have been helping multinational organisations as well as small and medium enterprises roll out their PR and IR campaigns with great success.

About Noble Vici Group Inc.

Noble Vici Group, Inc. (OTCMKTS:NVGI) is a company on the cutting edge of technology, through in-house developments and external acquisitions the company is building an ecosystem of IoT, Big Data, Blockchain and E-commerce to form a digital revolution that provides our users with the tools to live and interact in the modern mobile world.
Disclosure: The author was invited to a paid press trip to DO Montsant in Spain. The contents of this article were not influenced by DO Montsant.

Despite being a relatively young appellation, the area of DO Montsant has been involved in

winemaking since the Roman Empire. With time comes progress, and the region is no stranger to innovation in winemaking and winemaking as a constant source of employment and income for families in the region. Officially, Montsant was finally recognized as a Designation of Origin in 2001.

GEOGRAPHY

DO Montsant is located in the county of Priorat, which may sound familiar as the more well-known appellation of Priorat is also located in this county. While these two appellations are very close geographically, the wines are markedly different, primarily due to the soil composition of each of the two regions.

An hour and a half west-southwest of Barcelona, DO Montsant forms an almost complete oval shape surrounding the DOQ Priorat, with one small section of that oval being apart of the Priorat. This semi-circle shape contains very mountainous terrain, as well as some more varied aspects including more gently rolling hills. The entire appellation features 6 different mountain ranges: Montsant, La Llena, Prades, Argentera, Mola de Colldejou, Llaberia/Catalan Coastal Mountain ranges, plus the La Figuera and Tormo mountains.

The region isnt completely mountainous, however.

Continued

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Pete Marovich/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- A group of environmental advocacy groups has launched a campaign to push Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt out of office this week.



The Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, and Natural Resources Defense Council and other groups launched the "Boot Pruitt" campaign Wednesday with a website, Twitter account and commercials strategically placed during the president's preferred morning news program Fox & Friends and also on MSNBC's Morning Joe.



The commercial mentions investigations into Pruitt's spending on travel and includes Pruitt's comments from a 2016 interview when he called Trump an "empty vessel" when it comes to the Constitution and the law.



Those comments were reported by CNN last month. At the time of the interview, Pruitt supported candidate Jeb Bush in the GOP primary.



The Sierra Club and other groups have vocally opposed Pruitt since the president nominated him to be EPA administrator in December 2016.



"Every audience deserves to hear what Scott Pruitt is doing to our air, our water, and our health -- even Donald Trump. Pruitt is endangering families and wasting taxpayer dollars. That would be enough to get him fired twice in any normal administration. But insulting Trump? We dont think thats something even he can ignore. Theres no question that its past time to boot Pruitt, Sierra Club President Michael Brune said in a statement.



The EPA said in a statement Wednesday that the campaign will likely not be successful.



A campaign funded by the Sierra Club running ads on MSNBC and Morning Joe attempting to influence President Trump may not be particularly successful. But please dont take my word for it, spend your money. Administrator Pruitt is proud to advance President Trumps agenda on regulatory certainty and environmental stewardship, EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said in a statement.



Some members of Congress also tweeted their support for the campaign.



Rep. Raul M. Grijalva



Rep. Barbara Lee

Rep. John Sarbanes

In addition to the campaign from environmental groups, John Podesta, the chair of Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and former counselor to President Barack Obama, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post saying it was time to give Pruitt "the boot."



"The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency has always been to protect human health and the environment. But since taking the helm just over a year ago, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has made no secret that his personal mission is to do the opposite," Podesta writes in the editorial. "Time after time, Pruitt has ignored his agencys own data, analysis and recommendations in order to protect corporate polluters. He has given new meaning to the lobbyist revolving door, hiring people who have close connections to the industries that the EPA is supposed to regulate. And he wasted taxpayer money for his own personal comfort."



The Sierra Club would not disclose how much money the group spent on the ads. The commercials on MSNBC and Fox News will run in the Washington, D.C. area through the rest of this week, according to the Sierra Club. The group is also promoting Facebook ads in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Pruitt's home town, accompanied by a petition calling on Pruitt to resign.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Latest products, services to be showcased at Latin Americas leading airshow

Airbus will have a major presence at the 20th FIDAE air show, showcasing the latest products, services and innovations in the commercial aircraft, defence, space and helicopter markets. Since 1994, Airbus has participated in the biennial show, which will take place at Santiago Chiles Arturo Merino Benitez Airport on 3 - 8 April.



After making its debut at FIDAE in 2016, the Airbus A350-900 is back and will be on static display and take part in flying demonstrations on 2 - 5 April. The A350-900 is the cornerstone of the A350 XWB Family, an all-new family of mid-size widebody long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel, and since its launch, Airbus has captured nearly 50 percent market share of net orders of widebody aircraft in Latin America.

The highlight of Airbus Defence and Spaces presence at FIDAE includes an A400M from the Spanish Air Force. This new-generation military airlifter has proven its capabilities in the most demanding theatres, also playing a critical role in humanitarian operations around the world. The highly-versatile C295 military transport and mission aircraft from the Mexican Air Force (SEDENA) will also be on static display. Airbus is the preferred partner of all three of Chiles armed forces, with 12 light and medium military transport aircraft  C212, CN235 and C295  in operation. In the space field, Airbus will exhibit its satellite offering. Visitors will see a mockup of the AstroBus-S, a compact satellite with high performance that was the basis of the Peru SAT-1, the Peruvian satellite built in a timeframe of less than two years and successfully launched in September 2016.

Leading the regions helicopter market with 39 percent of deliveries in the past five years, Airbus helicopter division will showcase a wide range of products already in service. From the light single-engine H125 and H130 to the medium H155, to the light twin-engine H135 and H145, visitors will discover that Airbus has the right product for every helicopter mission.

Making its debut at FIDAE will be the Airbus H145 helicopter, which will be delivered to Chilean operator Ecocopter, becoming the first of its type in service in the country. With more than 100 helicopters in service, the Super Puma family will be represented by the nine-ton H215M that combines mission-proven ruggedness with a full glass cockpit, modern avionics, and very competitive operating and maintenance costs. Operated by both Chiles army and navy, the H215M will be part of their display.

Key Airbus activities at FIDAE include:

Airbus will host a series of media briefings covering the commercial, helicopter, military aircraft and space systems markets

Airbus will sponsor a variety of events running in parallel with FIDAE or organized by FIDAE, such as the IATA Wings of Change Conference, Aviation Leaders Forum and the IV Space Conference and the LARS 2018 Conference

Airbus will also kick off the 2018 edition of InPlaneSight, a A400M global photo competition launched to celebrate the A400M entering into service with air forces around the world

Latin America is one of the first markets and sourcing partner regions for Airbus, with an order backlog of $50 billion and a legacy business that goes back more than 40 years. As one of Airbus key markets, Latin America is home to over 1,200 Airbus employees, at 21 sites across six countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay).
China will upgrade Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets with a world-class radar system that will substantially improve the combat capability of the aircraft, a top Chinese radar researcher said. Hu Mingchun, head of the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology in Jiangsu province, said the KLJ-7A active phased array radar will give the JF-17 many advantages in an aerial combat.

A PAF JF-17 Thunder fighter jetA PAF JF-17 Thunder fighter jet

(Credit: Shimin Gu)



China will upgrade Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets with a world-class radar system that will substantially improve the combat capability of the aircraft, a top Chinese radar researcher said. Hu Mingchun, head of the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology in Jiangsu province, said the KLJ-7A active phased array radar will give the JF-17 many advantages in an aerial combat.



"Our product will tremendously extend the fighter jet's detection range, giving it a much longer sight that will help it detect the enemy's aircraft before they do, and this is very important because in real combat if you see first, you fire first," he said. "The radar is capable of tracking dozens of targets and engaging several of them simultaneously. It also has a good jamming-resistant capacity that keeps the plane away from enemy's electronic interference."



The KLJ-7A radar can be mounted on light-or medium-weight fighter jets. It is one of the best of its kind in the world in terms of technology and capability, Hu said.



Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology, part of the State-owned defense giant China Electronics Technology Group Corp, is the country's largest and strongest developer of military radar. Its products have been sold to more than 20 nations in Africa and Asia.

The JF-17, known as the FC-1 in China, is a lightweight, multirole fighter jet codeveloped by Aviation Industry Corp of China and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.



The plane is widely deployed by the Pakistan Air Force and some reportedly have been purchased by the Myanmar Air Force.

Meanwhile China and Pakistan have spared no effort to find new buyers.



Wu Peixin, an aviation industry analyst in Beijing, said the upgrade with a type of cutting-edge radar will undoubtedly enhance the JF-17/FC-1's appeal to potential buyers from developing nations.



"The KLJ-7A will enable JF-17 and its variants to have stronger fighting capability at a reasonable cost, allowing the aircraft to compete with or confront expensive Western or Russian jets," he said.



Hu suggested that China should encourage and give more support to the efforts of Chinese arms makers to export because by doing so the country's defense technologies and products will have more opportunities to display their advantages to buyers and to verify designs and capabilities for further improvements.



The research institute has been promoting a series of new-generation radar capable of detecting stealth aircraft such as the US F-22 Raptor.



These new radar types, such as the YLC-8B, SLC-7 and SLC-12, integrate the traditional detection method of mechanical scanning with two-dimensional active phased array technology, so they are able to handle not only stealth fighter jets but also unmanned aircraft, and even cruise or ballistic missiles, according to the institute.

All of them can be mounted on vehicles, it said.



Hu said the institute not only sells its radar but also provides air-defense solution packages to clients and helps them build their own research and development capabilities.



"In the past, our radar was backward so we had to follow others' rules in both the market and the battlefield. Now we have begun to turn into a leading player in this sphere. Therefore, we are becoming a rule maker and make others follow our rules," Hu said.



(Source: China Daily)
Birmingham City Councilor Hunter Williams plans to introduce an ordinance next week to allow Sunday alcohol sales to begin at 10 a.m.

The Alabama State Legislature passed a bill last week that gives the Birmingham City Council the authority to pass an ordinance to allow restaurants to start Sunday alcohol sales at 10 a.m. rather than noon.

A previous law allowed Birmingham to hold a referendum to allow earlier Sunday alcohol sales, but the measure failed to make it to a ballot.

"I have drafted the legislation that will go before (the council's) public safety committee next week," Williams said in an email. "This bill will eliminate outdated 'blue laws' that impose unnecessary restrictions on Birmingham businesses that both business owners and taxpayers do not want. I expect this bill to be an economic stimulus for the city of Birmingham as well as our restaurants."

Williams said Senate Bill 384, which was signed by Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday, was a joint effort led by himself, Mayor Randall Woodfin, Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, and other colleagues in the Jefferson County delegation.

State Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, sponsored the same bill in the House.

The Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association and Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitor's Bureau supported early alcohol sales.

"Restaurants, hotels, and tourism contribute greatly to the economy in Birmingham and Jefferson County," John Oros, president and CEO of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, said in a statement to AL.com. "The tourism industry employs over 27,000 of our residents. Our nationally known food scene is a great draw for many of the 4.5 million visitors who travel and stay with us each year. We support any legislation that will benefit our many acclaimed restaurants, their employees, and creates special experiences for our visitors."
Authorities have released the name of a man shot to death Wednesday night in southwest Birmingham.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Richard Stephen Roberts. He was 23 and lived in Graysville.

The shooting happened at 8:24 p.m. in the 1800 block of Francis Avenue. He was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:56 p.m.

"During the course of the investigation it was discovered the victim was working on a vehicle parked in the street when another vehicle drove by and started shooting. The victim attempted to flee from the shooter but was unable to do so," a police statement read.

No arrests have been announced.

Roberts is Birmingham's 26th homicide this year, and the 39th in all of Jefferson County. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
A 64-year-old man was fatally shot after authorities say he dragged an ALEA state trooper who was trying to arrest him.

Troopers on Thursday identified the slain suspect as Gerald Richard Johns. He was from Childersburg.

It all began about 5:20 p.m. when a trooper tried to stop Johns on Gene E. Stewart Boulevard near Sylacauga for multiple traffic violations, said Trooper Cpl. Jimmy Harrell. Johns was driving a white Mazda Miata.

Authorities said Johns failed to stop for the trooper and a pursuit ensued. When Johns stopped, the trooper exited his cruiser in an attempt to take Johns into custody.

The suspect then drove off with the trooper hanging on the side of the Miata. The trooper fired once, striking Johns in the upper right chest. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Harrell said the trooper was taken to the hospital and later released. "He was banged up,'' he said.

The incident remains under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation along with the Talladega County Sheriff's Office and the Talladega County District Attorney's Office.

Just last year, Johns was reported missing by the Talladega County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said he was reported missing on Feb. 3, 2017. He had told family he was traveling to Philadelphia, Mississippi but family became concerned when they had not heard from him in nearly a week.

At that time, they said he had a medical condition that required daily medication but did not have his medication with him. Authorities found him on Feb. 10, 2017, in Mississippi.

Efforts to locate his family regarding his Wednesday-night shooting were not immediately successful.

On Tuesday, a woman was shot and killed by a Montgomery police officer under similar circumstances. In that case, officers tried to approach a suspect in a stolen vehicle when the officer was dragged under that vehicle. A second officer fired and killed the woman whose name has not yet been released.

"It's a dangerous job,'' Harrell said. "It's inherently dangerous yet our guys come out every day and serve without hesitation."
A 40-year-old Birmingham woman was arrested in Shelby County Wednesday after police say she made inappropriate sexual advances toward a young boy.

Helena police announced the arrest of Charlotte Moore. A release from the department said officers responded to the 2900 block of Dublin Drive on a report of sexual abuse.

Once on the scene, they were told a white female had approached a boy under the age of 12 and touched him inappropriately while talking with him. Police began looking for the white female described and found Moore, who matched the description given by the victim.

Moore was arrested for sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and placed in Helena City Jail to await transport to Shelby County Jail. No additional details were released.
Some employers have handed out bonus checks since President Donald Trump signed a tax reform plan into law late last year. Great Southern Wood Preserving will not.

Instead, Great Southern has announced that it is reinvesting its tax savings in "an active and ongoing process to increase employee benefits" with the windfall from lower corporate tax rates. Among other things, the money will help lower healthcare costs for employees and provide scholarships for their dependents.

Great Southern manufactures a range of construction supplies but is best known for its Yellawood pressure-treated lumber. Based in Abbeville, Ala., a Henry County town northeast of Dothan, the company employs almost 1,200 people and operates in 11 states. Founder Jimmy Rane has been ranked by Forbes as Alabama's wealthiest person and also has appeared in the company's ads as "Yella Fella."

Great Southern is a privately held company and isn't obligated to release the same degree of financial information as publicly traded operations. A Great Southern spokesman said the company wouldn't provide an overall figure for the amount of money it was investing in employee benefits.

According to information released late Wednesday by the company, the benefits will take several forms. One is "investments on an ongoing basis to lower healthcare costs for eligible employees." Another is to "allow employees to accrue more paid time off based on length of service." A third is a new scholarship program.

The spokesman said the new benefits are being implemented rapidly and are expected to be in place "in a matter of weeks as opposed to months." Employee dependents will be able to apply for scholarships available for the fall semester. He said that part time employees who had benefits will see a change, not just full-time employees.

Information provided by the company on that program didn't specify the value of the scholarships or the requirements to win them. But it says the program is open to students at four-year universities, community colleges, technical schools and trade schools. They are one-year awards, but students can re-apply for additional years.

"I'm very pleased that every employee across the company will see the results of the change in tax laws," the company release quoted Rane as saying. "The success we've enjoyed as a company comes from every one of us working hard and doing our part, and I can't think of a better way to apply our tax savings than by further investing in benefits programs for our employees. We strive to be an employer that draws the best and brightest to our company, and we believe that providing stronger benefits is essential to this continuing effort."
An Alabama sate trooper was involved in an officer-involved shooting in Sylacauga Wednesday night, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

The subject involved is dead and the officer was taken to a hospital for further evaluation, said Cpl. Jimmy Harrell Jr.

ALEA officials did not provide details of the shooting, but said a press conference will be held Thursday morning.

The press conference will be at the Birmingham ALEA-SBI Office at 9 a.m. Harrell and Lt. John Riley will speak at the press conference.

Additional details about the shooting were not immediately available.
Alabama lawmakers left unfinished business after a long, tense day on Wednesday and will return Thursday morning to try to wrap up the legislative session.

A bill that would have required police to keep records of traffic stops to help identify racial profiling, an important bill for the Legislative Black Caucus, did not come up for a vote in the House of Representatives and may be dead for this session.

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, said it would not be considered on Thursday.

"It will not come up tomorrow," McCutcheon said.

Republican lawmakers amended a bill to allow economic development professionals to work in Alabama without registering as lobbyists and squeezed it through the Senate on a 15-14 vote, sending it to the House.

The House adjourned before voting on the bill and could pass it Thursday and send it to Gov. Kay Ivey.

A main task remaining is the 2019 education budget. The Senate waited until late in the day to bring it up and did not take a vote. The budget has moved smoothly so far and has generally not been controversial.

The General Fund budget has already passed and been signed into law.

Sen. President Pro Tem Del Marsh said the Senate will deal with the education budget when it returns Thursday.

Another bill still in play concerns the state's DUI law and ignition interlock devices.

Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman, said the bill will save lives by keeping drunk drivers off the road and said he was ready to delay other legislation because of his concerns that the House would not pass it on what was expected to be the last day.

McCutcheon said the bill was a priority for the House on Thursday.

Lawmakers had planned to finish the session Wednesday but the day did not go smoothly. Mounting tensions over bills that different lawmakers considered priorities and the sometimes slow pace of work led the House and Senate to take a number of recesses, at times appearing to wait on the other chamber's next move.

Marsh said returning on Thursday was not a problem. Legislators still have five possible meeting days left out of the allowed 30.
Some bills remain on hold as the Alabama Legislature moves into the evening on what is expected to be the last night of the legislative session.

The 2019 education budget awaits final approval by the Senate. The budget has enjoyed strong support through both chambers and approval is probably not in doubt. But the Senate has not addressed the budget since the House approved it on Tuesday.

A bill to identify and prohibit racial profiling by law enforcement remains a key issue. The House adjourned Tuesday without considering it and it remains in play tonight.

The bill is the top priority for the Black Caucus.

A bill to exempt economic developers from the requirement to register as lobbyists under the state ethics law also remains in play. The Senate passed it by a vote of 15-14. It returns to the House, which could agree with Senate changes and give it final passage.

Updated at 6:34 p.m. to say that economic developers bill passed Senate. Corrected at 8:58 a.m. on March 29 to say that bill exempts developers from requirement to register as lobbyists under the ethics law.


Fifty years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. The civil rights leader's shocking murder on April 4, 1968, marked one of the most significant moments in U.S. history.

The city's role in the civil rights movement and King's death has long made it a destination for anyone interested in King's legacy. Museums, churches and even iconic Beale Street tell the story of King's final days here.

Thousands of people are expected to make the pilgrimage to Memphis for the 50th anniversary. Several events honoring King's work and commemorating the sanitation workers strike that brought him to Memphis have already taken place. More are scheduled in early April, including marches, speeches and conferences.

The Associated Press takes a look at places to visit with connections to King in Memphis and other U.S. cities, along with some events.

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

The National Civil Rights Museum in the South Main area of downtown Memphis is the center for all things related to King in the city. The museum, built at the site of the Lorraine Motel, opened in 1991, then underwent a $28 million renovation and reopened in 2014 with many new interactive exhibits.

From the street, visitors approaching the museum see a striking sight: a wreath on the balcony where King was shot. Inside, exhibits tell the story of the civil rights movement, including detailed scenes of the desegregation of a lunch counter and sanitation workers marching in Memphis. The workers were seeking higher pay and better working conditions after two of them were killed by a malfunctioning garbage truck.

Visitors end their museum tour back at the assassination site, looking into the preserved interior of room 306, where King was staying, and looking out, from inside the building, onto the balcony where he was shot.

The museum plans several anniversary events, including on April 4, a day of remembrance and the opening of an exhibit of more than 150 photographs looking back at the 50 years since King's death.

CLAYBORN TEMPLE

With its tall tower and multi-colored stained glass windows, this 19th century church was the headquarters for the sanitation workers strike. Men and women regularly gathered at the temple for meetings, rallies and before marching to City Hall.

Led by King, supporters of the sanitation workers assembled at the temple before embarking on his first march in Memphis, on March 28, 1968. That march turned violent: Police and protesters clashed, and several storefront windows on Beale Street were smashed. Marchers ran to the temple, seeking sanctuary. Police beat protesters outside the building, and threw tear gas inside.

The temple eventually fell into disrepair and closed, sitting empty for 25 years. In 2016, a group called Clayborn Reborn announced it was renovating the church. Work is underway and a memorial honoring the sanitation workers is under construction. The stately building sits across from the modern FedExForum, home of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies.

MASON TEMPLE

The night before he was killed, King made a stirring speech at this church, located near the Lorraine Motel. In his "I've Been To the Mountaintop" speech, King gave an impassioned account of his life experiences and seemed to foretell his death when he said: "I've seen the Promised Land ... I may not get there with you."

Built in the 1940s, the gray church looks plain and boxy from the outside. But inside reveals a cavernous nave, with pews surrounding an elevated pulpit. Colorful flags are placed throughout the church. It's easy to imagine people standing in the balcony during King's speech, which was delivered on a stormy night, with thunder booming and winds shaking the building.

The Mason Temple is scheduled to host a "Mountaintop Speech Commemoration" event on April 3 with King's children, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III, and Andrew Young, a confidant of King's and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The temple is also the finishing point for an April 4 march that could attract as many as 100,000 people. The rapper Common and other performers will kick off the march with a rally at the union hall where the sanitation workers organized in 1968.

ELSEWHERE

In Washington, D.C., the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is inscribed with words from King's "I Have A Dream" speech, which he delivered at the Lincoln Memorial.

In Montgomery, the Dexter Parsonage Museum is located in the house where he lived while serving as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and while leading the bus boycott that started with Rosa Parks' arrest.

In Atlanta, Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park includes a visitor center with a civil rights museum, King's boyhood home and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King served as co-pastor with his father. At the nearby King Center, an outdoor memorial offers reflecting pools, eternal flame and the crypts where King and his wife Coretta were interred.

Georgia Tourism has launched a "Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Trail" with these and other sites, including the First African Baptist Church in Dublin, where King gave his first speech as a teenager.

A SOMBER EVENT

While Memphis hotels are mostly filled up for the anniversary of King's death, it's a much more somber event than what the city typically promotes, said Kevin Kane, president and CEO of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"The eyes of the world will be on Memphis," Kane said.
Fort Payne police have identified the victim of a Wednesday-afternoon crash as 26-year-old Nicholas Delane Sewell.

Sewell was riding a 2005 Suzuki motorcycle on Airport Road at the intersection of Locklear Street, police Chief Randy Bynum said. Just before 2 p.m., the motorcycle collided with a 2014 Jeep that was driven by a juvenile.

Sewell, of Rainsville, died at the scene.

The chief said the crash remains under investigation by traffic homicide detectives.

Updated March 29 at 1:49 p.m.
As he was installed Thursday as Auburn University's 19th president, Steven Leath unveiled a vision that includes hiring 500 new tenure-track faculty members over the next five years.

Leath was hired in March 2017 after a process in which the roster of candidates wasn't revealed to the public. He succeeded Jay Gogue, who held the post since July 2007 and retired in summer 2017. Leath had previously been president at Iowa State, which set fundraising records and increased research spending during his tenure.

The ceremony was attended by Gov. Kay Ivey, among other dignitaries.

In general terms, Leath said his aim is for Auburn to become "a world-class academic, research and service university in the true spirit of our land-grant heritage." He said the three core components of that land-grant spirit were the education of its students, the research and scholarship done by its faculty and the pursuit of outreach and engagement beneficial to the larger community.

"We're doing well in every area, and doing exceptionally well in some," he said. He said that "solid" and "sound" performance in scholarship and research leaves "room for growth and improvement."

He said an ongoing internal reorganization -- such as splitting responsibility for economic development between two vice-presidents -- will streamline the university's efforts and help it make the most of its resources. But it also needs more resources, he said, particularly when it comes to faculty.

"Quite simply, we need to increase our faculty and give these new hires and their peers on campus the resources they need to succeed," he said. "We intend to transform Auburn into a top-tier academic, research and service university by hiring more than 500 tenure-track, research- and scholarship-focused faculty by 2022."

According to information provided Thursday by Auburn, the net increase in faculty size will be significantly smaller: "The total number of tenured and tenure-track faculty is expected to grow from 1,144 in 2018 to an estimated 1,250 by 2022 after accounting for typical faculty retirement and attrition patterns."

New facilities including housing and labs also will be needed, he said. He acknowledged the effort will be expensive, but said he believes Auburn is "well-positioned" following a recent successful fundraising campaign. "Sources of funding for new facilities and expansions of existing facilities will be considered in collaboration with the governor and our development partners as we flesh out our needs," he said.

He also suggested marketing would be a big part of the effort, saying that "It's important that we raise Auburn's profile because we'll need that higher visibility" as the university recruits new faculty and partners.

"I'm not advocating that we brag or boast," he said. "I learned quickly that's not the Auburn way. But there's nothing wrong with Auburn getting its fair share of well-deserved recognition for our tremendous abilities and accomplishments."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to accept this challenge with me," he said. "Together, we can achieve it."
Two lawmen from Alabama are among 380 sheriffs in 40 states calling on Congress to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

In a letter to Congress, sheriffs from around the country said, "Now is the time to act!" on border security.

The letter was made public this week by the National Sheriffs' Association.

Sheriffs from around the country sent a letter to all Members of Congress outlining the need for congressional action on securing Americas border.



Read the #PressRelease here: https://t.co/rKCYq7KLfX pic.twitter.com/RBu4L03PHo  National Sheriffs' Association (@NationalSheriff) March 28, 2018

Among those on the list were Alabama sheriffs Chuck Phillips, of Jackson County, and Huey "Hoss" Mack, of Baldwin County.

"As elected Sheriffs, we have taken an oath to do everything in our power to keep our citizens and legal residents, our communities, and our nation safe," the letter says. "Year after year, we have been warning the Federal government about detrimental increases in transnational drug trafficking, gang violence, sex trafficking, murder, and other escalating incidents of crime by illegal aliens entering our country.

"Because Congress has failed to enact the necessary reforms, our citizens and legal residents face even greater dangers, our national security is more vulnerable, and our enforcement efforts have been seriously compromised," the sheriffs said.

The letter asks Congress to pass legislation that:

enforces immigration laws

tightens border security

replaces and upgrades current barriers and fencing

suspends visa issuance to any place where adequate vetting of applicants can't occur

ends criminal cooperation and shelter in cities, counties and states

Read the full letter here:

Sheriffs Pen Letter to Congress by Ashley Remkus on Scribd
Sen. Rodger Smitherman said he went home Wednesday night expecting the House to vote on his racial profiling bill today.

The senator said he learned otherwise this morning.

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon told reporters as he left the chamber last night that the bill would not come up today. The bill had been on the House agenda for Wednesday but never came up during a slow-moving day with lots of interruptions.

Smitherman's bill had passed the Senate 27-0 in January. It failed on a procedural vote last week in the House. Negotiations produced a compromise bill this week.

The bill would have defined racial profiling, saying police could not use race as the only reason to stop a driver. Police agencies would have to develop a written policy to prohibit profiling. They would have to keep records on traffic stops, including the race of the driver, location of the stop, reason for the stop and disposition of the stop.

Smitherman has cited his own experiences with being stopped by police for no reason and said that's a common concern for African-Americans.

"To ignore the needs of the people in regards to being able to be free to move, free to do what they've got to do, free from profiling, from harassment, to want to continue that is a very, very big disappointment to me," Smitherman said.

Smitherman said his willingness to make changes to the bill suggested during negotiations with opponents proved fruitless. One change was to allow law enforcement entities to develop the format for how they would record the traffic stop data.

"That's what they asked for, allowing that," Smitherman said. "And yet, for the bill to not even get an opportunity to be heard. Whether they voted it up or down, that's not even the issue."

McCutcheon said he intended for the bill to come up. He said when the Senate adjourned Wednesday night that the House membership was not inclined to stay either.

"We had it on the calendar and we were going to bring it up," McCutcheon said "And then, because the Senate adjourned and left us, most of you that were here knew the outcry from the members. And members were really upset that we were here working. It was late. And the Senate was going home."

"There was never any orchestrated maneuvering or strategy to not bring that bill up," McCutcheon said.

Rep. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, who sponsored the bill in the House, said she believed the bill had a chance to pass had it come up for a vote because of the efforts made to reach a compromise.

"I'm really disappointed. It's really hard to lose a bill on the very last day of session," Coleman said.

Coleman said she intended to work on the issue again next year.

Smitherman said a key point is that police should have to document a reason every time they stop a driver.

"You can't stop people on suspicion," Smitherman said. "The law says you have to have probable cause to stop people. That's the Constitution of the United States."

Smitherman said he is already planning to prefile a bill next legislative session. He has worked on the legislation for three years.

"Profiling is simply because who the person is, what they're driving, or what they're wearing, or how they look, you make the decision to stop them. That's what profiling is. And that's what needs to be eliminated."

This story was corrected at 1:03 p.m. to remove reference to Speaker McCutcheon saying that the racial profiling bill was dead on a radio show. McCutcheon said he was not on the show. Updated several times to add quotes from McCutcheon and Rep. Merika Coleman.


Updated 11:25 a.m. March 29, with House voting results.

Alabama Senate Boss Del Marsh is everything one might want in a leader.

He's independently wealthy, politically secure, smart, savvy, and he looks swell in a suit.

Imagine what he could do if he cared about the people of Alabama, and not just a powerful few.

Imagine.

But then, you might as well imagine a pink elephant flying across the Alabama sky. It's about as likely.

On the day Marsh adjourned the Alabama Senate so members could attend the funeral of Milton McGregor, a man the feds accused of buying and selling legislators as if they were the Amazon Deal of the Day, Marsh brought them back to bully through a so-called "economic development" bill that would give a select group of fat cats a pathway around the ethics law.

The irony would be amusing, if the consequence weren't so dire.

Marsh, with help from 14 other senators who passed the bill by the slimmest of margins - 15-14-1 - ignored Republicans like Trip Pittman and Dick Brewbaker, who warned HB317 was a wolf in the wool that would come back to bite its supporters on election day. He ignored Democrats like Bobby Singleton and Hank Sanders, who pointed out that the problem the bill is supposed to fix was not a problem at all.

Until it passes. Then it's a problem.

One Republican said he'd never seen a bill pushed so desperately in the Senate. Ever. Not because it helps the people of Alabama, but because it helps an elite few protect their own assets and their own behinds.

It is disguised, in a cunning bit of subterfuge, as an "economic development" bill.

Holy words. But holey words.

Alabama Senate President Pro Tempore Del Marsh.

The bill was pushed by Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield and companies that didn't like the way lobbyists and principals - those who pay lobbyists - were dragged into the trial of former House Speaker Mike Hubbard, a Marsh pal whose conviction on ethics charges shook Alabama's political world.

The whole thing was dreamed up as a way to make sure those companies - everybody from Harbert to Great Southern Wood and others -- won't be dragged in again.

Bipartisan opposition to the bill forced it to Wednesday, which was expected to be the session's last day. Changes and compromises were offered, but the bill stubbornly refused to address real concerns that it would leave a Hubbard-sized hole in the ethics law. It would exempt "economic development professionals" from having to register or abide by the rules lobbyist must follow.

So call yourself an economic developer, and you're off the hook. No matter what you really are.

The House of Representatives this morning, after some debate, concurred with the Senate, giving the bill final passage.

"This piece of legislation creates a massive loophole in the ethics law," Rep. Chris England argued. "It creates a subset of people who can lobby without having to register as lobbyists."

He warned that lawmakers would regret supporting it.

"This is an 'I don't want to come back to the Legislature' bill," he said. "The horse you rode in on is the horse you'll ride out on."

But the House voted 52-22, with 22 abstentions, to send it on to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature. She will likely give it.

She'll say it is about jobs, and many Alabamians will buy it. And she'll steer the ship of state into the cliffs of corruption.

Marsh will say the same, and Attorney General Steve Marshall - raking in the campaign contributions from companies that were dragged into the Hubbard fiasco - will look the other way.

They will all be complicit.

They could stand for honesty and integrity, and the good people of Alabama, but they don't.

They stand, like butlers for the Big Mules, to do the bidding of a select few. They are not leaders. Nor are they servants to the public or the promise of righteous government.

The Senate vote on HB317

They are slaves to special interests, to laws that protect a powerful few. In the holy name of jobs.

They can put on fine clothes and look a lot like leaders. But they don't work for you.

You'd be better represented by that elephant.

John Archibald's column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Write him at jarchibald@al.com.
The late Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes argued that we must approach the law with the point of view of the "bad man."

Good people, after all, don't need the law. They know right from wrong and let their consciences guide their actions.

However, the bad man pokes the law with his bony finger, searching for its soft spots. He reads the law only so he may predict the outcomes that suit his greatest material benefit. If he finds a weakness, he will exploit it. If he sees a loophole, he'll climb through it. If he can crack the law's foundation, he will bring it crashing down.

That's why when lawmakers write the law and when justices interpret the law, they must anticipate what the bad man will do.

But there should be a corollary to Holmes' Bad Man Theory: You don't have to break the law when you're the one who makes the law.

I kept thinking of Holmes' theory Thursday morning, when state Rep. Paul Beckman argued on the Alabama House floor that loopholes and weaknesses and such aren't worth lawmakers' time fussing over. Somebody will find a way around the law, he argued. That's good business, he said. That's free enterprise.

Beckman was speaking in favor of HB 317, what might be the worst bill of the 2018 legislative session. That bill, once signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, will exempt those who call themselves "economic development professionals" from having to register as lobbyists under the Alabama ethics law. That means when they walk the halls of Montgomery looking for corporate welfare, no one will know who they work for.

What that means, too, is that those "economic development professionals" will be freed from other requirements of the law, such as reporting what they spend entertaining Alabama lawmakers and other public officials.

Rep. Chris England called the bill a loophole you could drive an economic development truck through.

"You're describing different shades of the same color," he told the bill's sponsor, Rep. Ken Johnson. "It's still lobbying. You're drawing a distinction without a difference because money is involved."

Prominent (but not powerful) people have been ringing alarm bells about this bill. Alabama Ethics Commission Director Tom Albritton said it was a bad bill, at least until he got crosswise with his commission for doing so and quickly turned silent.

Van Davis, the special prosecutor who convicted former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, blasted the bill, calling it dangerous for the state.

Former United States Attorney (and candidate for Alabama Attorney General) Alice Martin spoke out against it earlier this week.

"Part-time economic developer will be one of the most popular job titles in Alabama if this bill passes," she said.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall gave his blessing to the bill and said his top corruption prosecutors had reviewed and signed off on it, but those top prosecutors have gone as quiet as Albritton at the Ethics Commission. That's a Little Strange.

State Sen. Dick Brewbaker, who's retiring from the Alabama Legislature this year, told his colleagues he was glad he was going because, if the bill passed, the FBI could back up a truck to the State House. (Brewbaker is going to be missed and has earned a spot alongside the late Sen. Mac Parsons and former Rep. Jeff McLaughlin in the Righteous Troublemaker Hall of Fame.)

What was most telling was just how desperate some lawmakers were to get this bill to the governor's desk. After the budgets passed, many were packing their bags and putting on their coats, but Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon and Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh all but bolted the doors, keeping the Legislature in session until the bill got through.

Both the bill's sponsors, Johnson and state Sen. Phil Williams (not to be confused with state Rep. Phil Williams who fought it), are lame ducks. Evidently, nobody seeking reelection would carry this toxic bill.

Gov. Kay Ivey praised Legislative leaders for getting HB 317 to her desk. If she signs it, it will be an ugly defining moment of her short tenure. Already one of her possible opponents, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, has called on her to veto the legislation, setting up HB 317 as a major election issue in the primaries this summer and the general election this fall.

But at this point, Ivey must sign it. Her office pressured lawmakers to support the legislation, and if she balks now, she'll leave those lawmakers exposed. A political betrayal like that could be as dangerous as signing the bill.

But let's be clear. When she puts her pen to paper, she'll be opening a new door to old corruption.

It was clear in the late days of the session that the fix was in. The bill would pass. But not before England gave his colleagues another warning.

"This right here is going to keep some of y'all from coming back down here," England said. "This is a death warrant. This is an 'I-don't-want-to-be-in-the-Legislature-anymore bill.'"

England reminded the chamber how the Republican revolution of 2010 quickly amended the state's ethics laws to make them the toughest in the nation. And now many of those same lawmakers (at least the ones who haven't been convicted or haven't pleaded guilty to breaking their own laws) want to dial those reforms back.

"The horse you rode in on is the horse you'll ride out on," England said.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group.

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Sasha Brown hunched over a petri dish, poking gelatin with a metal stick alongside three other middle schoolers.

I want to be a chemist when I grow up, Brown said. I dont know what in chemistry, but something to do with chemistry.

Brown, a 12-year-old seventh grader from Howard Bishop Middle School, was one of four girls who attended UFs Women in Science and Engineering fifth-annual Girlz Science Spring Camp. The week-long camp lets sixth and seventh grade girls experience different elements of Science, Mathematics, Technology and Engineering, said May Mansy, a UF biomedical engineering doctoral student.

A maximum of 15 girls can attend the $50 five-day camp, Mansy said.

Mansy said the camp makes big concepts easier to understand by breaking them down step by step. For their experiment Brown did Tuesday, the girls made models of the brain by mixing agar, which is similar to Jell-O.

The organization aims to expose girls to different areas of STEM and introduce them to other female scientists, Mansy said.

We are trying to show them that we are there in the field and there are other people like you who can do it, Mansy said. If we can do it, you can do it.

Compared to the previous four camps, this year the lessons are more in-depth and explore fields like biomedical, electrical, chemical and computer engineering, Mansy said.

Khushi Patel, an 11-year-old Lincoln Middle School sixth grader, said it was her first year attending the camp, and she is excited for the food sciences experiment scheduled for Friday.

I am really interested in science, and I really like this camp because we get hands on experiences, Patel said.

Alana Keller, an 11-year-old Howard Bishop Middle School sixth grader, said she enjoyed the Monday trip to Three Lakes Creek, located at 2730 NW 39th Ave., to hunt for sharks teeth.

Throughout the week, the girls will use a machine to hear their heartbeat and listen to their brain waves, said Sarah Rowlinson, a UF biomedical engineering professor.

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She said shes excited to engage with the girls and foster a love of science.

I remember when I was a little girl at a science camp, and that really changed things for me, Rowlinson said.

Sasha Brown, 12, Alana Keller, 11, Maggie Klein, 12 and Khushi Patel, 11, are middle school girls learning about brain phantoms, which are a material that have specific characteristics to the brain tissue.
City Commissioner David Arreola remembers sitting at his college graduation ceremony surrounded by his schoolmates. They were all worried, wondering if the time and money they put into their degrees would get them jobs after.

Year after year, said 27-year-old Arreola, who graduated four years ago. I watched my friends get their diplomas and walk off the other end of that stage headfirst into a recession in this state.

His friends, along with other Florida residents, struggled to find jobs and had to leave the state, he said Wednesday at a protest.

Six people gathered outside of the closed Gainesville Job Corps Office at 11 a.m. for the Gainesville stop in the Ricks Recession tour. The events seek to hold Gov. Rick Scott accountable for conditions in Florida following the 2007 recession. Arreola, the City of Gainesville District 3 commissioner, was one of the speakers alongside others including Alachua County Commissioner Ken Cornell.

The protest was organized by For Our Future, a progressive advocacy group that focuses on a number of issues that impact working families.

Blake Williams, communications director for the group, said job numbers are still below what they were before the recession in 36 out of 67 Florida counties. In addition, 45 percent of households are classified as working poor, which means their income falls below the poverty line although theyre a part of the labor force.

One big bill could mean not making ends meet at the end of the month and could mean deciding between a car bill or an electric payment or things like that, Williams said.

The Ricks Recession tour website was launched last November at the end of Floridas legislative session, Williams said. Alachua County was the tours third stop, after Volusia County and Tallahassee, where they protested outside Scotts office.

James Ingle, president of a labor union called Gainesville chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said some jobs have been created during Scotts terms as governor. However, they have been low-wage, short-hour jobs that dont provide financial security, health insurance or other benefits.

Ingle said union electricians make decent money, but some members still decide to travel across the country  leaving behind their families  to make more money for the same jobs.

We need better jobs, not just more jobs, Ingle said.

City Commissioner David Arreola speaks outside of the closed Gainesville Job Corps Office on Wednesday for the Gainesville stop in the Ricks Recession tour.

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The Japanese government is calling on the United States to exempt high-quality Japanese steel from its Section 232 import tariffs.

Motofuni Kusachi, chief representative of Japan Iron & Steel Federation, told delegates on Thursday March 29 at the China Iron & Steel Association's 16th International Steel Market and Trade Conference in Xian that because Japan exports high-quality products that US mills cannot produce, its steel should not be subject to the Section 232 import taxes.



Several other countries and territories have been granted temporary exemptions from the US import tariffs - including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the European Union - while they continue to negotiate with the US. South Korea reached an exemption agreement with the US, effective May 1, that replaces the tariff with an annual quota.



Negotiations for country exemptions are scheduled to conclude by May 1, according to Philip Bell, president of US Steel Manufacturers Association.



Japan exported 162,342 tonnes of finished steel to the US in January, up 31% year on year.






Jeremy Corbyn supporters call anti-Semitism protest the work of a very powerful special interest group

How goes the Labour Partys response to accusations of anti-Semitism in the ranks? Party leader Jeremy Corbyn admitted to pockets of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party. He then went on to talk of newer forms of anti-Semitism woven into criticism of Israeli governments Criticism of Israel, particularly in relation to the continuing dispossession of the Palestinian people, cannot be avoided. Nevertheless, comparing Israel or the actions of Israeli governments to the Nazis, attributing criticisms of Israel to Jewish characteristics or to Jewish people in general and using abusive phraseology about supporters of Israel such as Zio all constitute aspects of contemporary anti-Semitism.

Is the anti-Semitism really that new.

On Facebook, around 2.000 users purporting to be Jeremy Corbyn supporters have reacted to an open letter saying Mondays Jewish-organised protest against anti-Semitism was the work of a very powerful special interest group wielding its immense strength to employ the full might of the BBC. The open letter posted to a open group garnered 936 comments before the admin disabled commenting, writing:

exaggerating the influence/power of Jewish groups is a form of antisemitism. Jewish groups have the right to lobby and influence the same as other religious or ethnic groups do. You do not specify what special interest groups you are talking about. If you are talking about groups like JLM etc, phrases like very powerful are totally inappropriate. I would also suggest the reason why the BBC ran the story at the top of its headlines all Monday is down to the Westminster clique, _not_ because of any Jewish lobby groups! Im turning off comments. The reason Im not deleting this post is because screenshots are all over twitter, and keeping the post will help us get to the bottom of whats happening here. Please do not delete it without talking to us first I deeply question the motives of the person that took this screenshot to score political points, rather than reporting it to us. This group has about 400 posts a day and about 10,000 comments. We are unpaid volunteers. We rely on people to report any concerns, especially when overwhelmed by a tsunami of posts from the subject being top of the news agenda.

One twitter screenshot is here:

Not everyone endorsed the letter as the Indy claims they did. Many who did respond have have. But, as noted, there have been dissenting voices, not least of all the groups admin.

The open letter on the Facebook group We Support Jeremy Corbyn runs:

Yesterday we witnessed the full onslaught of a very powerful special interest group mobilising its apparent, immense strength against you. It is clear this group can employ the full might of the BBC to make sure its voice is heard very loudly and clearly. It is a shame not every special interest group can get the same coverage But, and it is a very big BUT, we live in a democracy, a one member one vote democracy and no special interest group, regardless of their history or influence, can be allowed to dictate who the rest of us can vote for or how we vote. I am writing this letter to say that I support you and I trust you, more than I would trust any politician, to do the right thing in terms of racism, antisemitism, and any hate mongering from anyone against anyone. We know that any politician who stands for the many and not the few will have very many powerful enemies and it is expecting an awful lot of a person to put up with the pressures that are put on you. But thank you, thank you, for your inspiration and steadfastness and be sure that you still have my support.

As said, not all reactions have been supportive of the letter  the majority have been, but not all:

Do people not realise how how absolutely ironic it is that in response to accusations of antisemitism that people accuse people of Jewish background of backroom organising and conspiracy?

Beneath a link to the story on the letter published by the Indy, there is talk of conspiracy:

This is the first time ive actualy seen first hand how a smear starts from actually reading the letter in question when put on the group to how they have spun it in an almost villian like way Anyone with an iota of common sense realises the anti semitic problem is an attempt to wreck the labour party. When it has the full support of the BBC it is patently obvious that there is collusion with the tory party, as we all know it is now totally controlled by these corrupt brigades who are up to their necks in corruption. The only way you would get an honest answer from them is if they were constantly wire up to a polygraph. We must bring them to account for the sake of all of our futures. Make no mistake we are being manipulated by pure evil

And:

Just to alert you guys. Theres a journalist mole on this group whos shared Frances Naggs letter.

Over on the BBC, the Jewish-organised anti-Semitism protest was followed by a new revelation. We meet Christine Shawcroft, 62, head of the Labour Partys disputes panel who has quit after it emerged she had opposed the suspension of a council candidate accused of Holocaust denial. The accused Labour Party member denies any wrongdoing.

Are attitudes towards Jews finally changing within Corbyns Labour? Will Labour finally extend its self-aggrandised and self-hymned intolerance of all racism towards its members who attack, bait and demonise Jews with calls for them to be mass deported (that was from a serving Labour MP), monstering them as a people so uniquely barbaric that Jews are not worthy of the Holocaust  which, you know, might all be big fake news, a revolting and sneaky claim which makes liars of every survivor, their families and the murdered millions? Thankfully, we live in a democracy. So you can give two fingers to racism at the next election.

Vote now and vote often!

Karen Strike

Posted: 29th, March 2018 | In: News, Politicians Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
Labour MP calls for 17.4m Brexit voters to apologise for nasty anti-Semitism tweet about Muslims

Labour MP David Lammy wants an apology from everyone who voted for Brexit. Hes collecting names. Hes going to be busy, what with there being 17.4million of us who voted Leave to process. But Twitter, where Lammy made his reasoned request, can handle some of the admin. And he can ask fellow Labour MP Naz Shah to help. Shes also outraged by a nasty tweet from a Brexit-supporting group. Like Lammy and Jeremy Corbyn, Shah is highly sensitive to racism following a cathartic journey. The adult woman voted into the Commons by the good people of Bradford West discovered that advocating for the mass deportation of Jews to the American mid-West was a bit, you know, akin to Nazi and Stalinist methods for dealing with the Jewish problem. She apologised and is now on the side of the knowing.

The trigger for Lammy and Shahs ire was this tweet from the account @leave.eu.

Is it any wonder that Labour cant be bothered to deal with the disgusting antisemitism in their party when they are so reliant on the votes of Britains exploding Muslim population? Its a question of maths for these people, not justice!

To blame Muslims for creating Labours cesspit of anti-Semitism is wholly wrong. To pick the word exploding to describe Muslim families is pathetic, nasty, divisive and anti-human. To claim all Muslims vote as a block demeans their autonomy. The tweet stinks.

Although thats not to say Labour with its commitment to identity politics doesnt use craven means to shore up its vote. Perhaps the party believes taking on any anti-Semitic Muslims not worth the effort if it affects the polls? Perhaps Labour is not all that in to individuality, equality and free will. Perhaps Labour doesnt trust voters, preferring to package us into boxes according to our race, religion, age and gender, before proposing policies that appease each community by pandering to what they perceive our prejudices to be?

But why is Corbyns Labour not so bothered about speaking up for Jews, being more blind to anti-Semitism than other forms of racism? Does the Labour Party need and value Jewish support? In 2012 former Labour London mayor Ken Livingstone told BBCs Newsnight programme:

People vote according to their income. Now that can change  it might be a generation before people catch up. If we were talking 50 years ago, the Roman Catholic community, the Irish community in Britain, the Jewish community was solidly Labour. Still the Irish Catholic community is pretty still solidly Labour because it is not terribly rich. As the Jewish community got richer, it moved over to voting for Mrs Thatcher as they did in Finchley.

So much for the politics. Lammys upset by the tweet. And he wants you  all 17.4m of you deplorables who voted Brexit  to apologise for one bellends sad message. He has not called for every Labour Party member and voter to apologise for anti-Semitism in the ranks. But surely that will come.

Hello @metpoliceuk I would like to report this crime. Please investigate. This tweet is a crime under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006: Use of threatening words or behaviour, or any written material which is threatening or intends thereby to stir up religious hatred.

He followed that with:

Hate speech is a crime. I am reporting you to the police. @BorisJohnson @michaelgove @Nigel_Farage and all people that voted to Leave on June 23rd 2016 must condemn this immediately and unequivocally. This is absolutely disgusting.

All 17.4 million of you must condemn this tweet now. Or..? Be arrested? Be named and shamed? Be forever branded a racist? Be disgusting?

PS: The problem is, if course, that Lammy has nailed it. Hes correctly reasoned that Brexit only won because the 17.4 million of us who usually vote for the BNP would not be denied. Of course, had we known how racist Labour was*, wed most likely have gone with them. But their official position was unclear during the EU Referendum vote, as nuanced and slippery as their leader, so Brexit was the chance for every racist  all 17.4 million us  to win the day. Finally.

* Labours gonna walk the next election if it keeps the anti-Semitism thriving. The BNP never stood enough candidates to make us believe bigots could form a Government. But with Labours anti-Semitism being well advertised, its all vote now and vote often.

First they came for the EU Raus!

Paul Sorene

Posted: 29th, March 2018 | In: Key Posts, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Rome, March 29 - Italia police said Thursday that they have arrested five people in Rome and Latina accused of being linked to Anis Amri, a Tunisian who carried out the 2016 Berlin Christmas-market truck attack in which 12 people were killed.

Amri was subsequently killed in a shootout with Italian police at Sesto San Giovanni, near Milan, on December 23, 2016.

Amri hijacked a truck and drove it into a crowded market - an attack that the Islamic State (ISIS) group claimed responsibility for. The people arrested on Thursday are accused of training and other activities for international terrorism and criminal association to falsify documents and aid illegal immigration.

In addition to the arrests, properties were searched in the provinces of Latina, Rome, Caserta, Naples, Matera and Viterbo as part of the operation. The arrests come after two other big operations over the last few days targeting suspects allegedly linked to ISIS in Italy.

Interior Minister Marco Minniti called for an ulterior reinforcement of security checks at crowded places "in view of the Easter holidays" at an extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Strategic Antiterrorism Analysis (CASA) on Wednesday follow the terror-linked arrests. An Italo-Moroccan accused of belonging to the Islamic State (ISIS) Islamist terror group was arrested in Turin on Wednesday and police said he had been planning to use trucks for attacks and seeking 'lone wolves' to carry them out. Elmahdi Halili, 23, the author of the first ISIS propaganda message in Italian, was captured at the end of a probe by anti-terrorism police in the northwestern Italian city. At the moment of his arrest, Halili reportedly shouted.

On Tuesday in Foggia an Italo-Egyptian was arrested on charges of teaching children to kill for jihad. An Italian teacher from Foggia who works in Ferrara has been placed under investigation in that probe, judicial sources said Wednesday. The teacher is said to have converted to Islam. In an interview with La Stampa newspaper Wednesday, Minniti said "the picture of the ISIS threat remains unchanged".


CAIRO - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with 92% of the vote, according to a report by broadcaster DMC on the number of votes garnered by Sisi (22 million) out of the number of voters (24 million).



In previous elections in 2014, in which he also had one rival who was more well-known than the current one, the leftist Hamdine Sabbahi, Sisi garnered 96.9% of the vote against Sabbahi's 3.1%.



Turnout in the first post-Mubarak elections in 2012, when 13 candidates were running, was 46.4% in the first round and 51.8% in the runoff won by Islamist candidate Mohamed Morsi.



The website of Egyptian government daily Al Ahram said ''some 25 million'' voters cast their ballots in the presidential election that wrapped up yesterday, or nearly 42%.



The newspaper confirmed the percentage of ''about 92%'' of votes for Sisi. Its website ran the headline - ''First results: 25 million voted, Sisi got 23 million (votes), or 92% and Moussa (Mostafa, his only rival) 3%''.
Beirut - The world's biggest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380 operated by Emirates, landed in Beirut on Thursday on a single test flight in view of the possible resumption of tourism to Lebanon, particularly from the Gulf States, following the tension in the region in recent months. The Dubai-based carrier wanted to test the capacity of the Rafic Hariri airport in the Lebanese capital, the only airport able to handle passenger services in the country. Tourist arrivals in Lebanon reached a record 2.16 million in 2010 before dropping sharply due to tension and conflict particularly in neighbouring Syria. The sector showed partial recovery in 2017 with the arrival of 1.85 million tourists. However, in November the traditional source countries of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain invited their citizens not to travel to Lebanon due to the tension resulting from the resignation of Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri, which was announced by Riyadh and then withdrawn following his return to Lebanon.
BEIRUT - The Syrian authorities and the Russian authorities in Syria have given rebel forces in the enclave of Eastern Ghouta a three-day ultimatum to leave the last remaining rebel-held town in the area, Syrian State TV reported on Thursday. Following the deadline the military will enter Douma, where tens of thousands of civilians are living under siege.

Thousands of civilians and militants over the past few days have been leaving Ghouta, the area east of Damascus that has been almost entirely conquered by government forces, to reach the north-western Idlib region under Turkish control, sources on the ground said Thursday. According to the sources, an estimated 6,000 people including fighters and civilians left overnight by bus the districts of Zamalka and Arbin in eastern ghouta and travelled to Idlib.

Hundreds of civilians left the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta on Thursday morning, according to Syrian government news agency SANA citing the Syrian Red Crescent. Douma is the last remaining rebel stronghold in the besieged region outside Damascus. "The counter-terrorism operation is almost complete in Eastern Ghouta: only the city of Duma is in rebel hands," said Russian defence ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, quoted by

Interfax.



Meanwhile negotiations are ongoing between Russia, an ally of the Syrian government, and Jaysh al Islam, the last militia that has not formally surrendered in Ghouta, which controls the town of Duma
(by Cristoforo Spinella)

ISTANBUL - Erdogan has been in power longer than Ataturk. He is the longest-serving leader of republican Turkey - over 15 years - first as head of government and now as president. Its founder Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk - or 'the father of Turks' - lags behind.



With 5,493 consecutive days at the helm of the country, according to the website Gercek Gundem, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has scored another symbolic goal to become Turkey's absolute leader, changing the secularist, pro-western republic promoted by the man that created it from the ashes of the Ottoman empire, remaining in power from its foundation on October 29, 1923 until his death on November 10, 1938.



Erdogan's record began on March 15, 2003, when he became the head of the government led by a party inspired by Islam, the AKP, succeeding Abdullah Gul.



Gul for a few months had been filling the position for him, waiting for a ban from public office to end, which he had been serving together with a 10-month jail sentence (he served four months) for inciting religious hatred.



Since then, he served as prime minister in two other governments until he won the first direct election of a president of the republic on August 10, 214. Erdogan has held this symbolic role of constitutional guarantor in an extensive manner, often chairing the council of ministers.



His 'de facto' presidential system became official after a referendum last year, whose controversial result ensured that the next head of State would have ample executive powers. And Erdogan has been working towards this new goal for months. In order to forge an alliance with Mhp nationalists, the heirs of the Grey Wolves, he changed the electoral law which up until now prevented parties from presenting themselves in coalitions with different symbols.



He is hoping to win over 50% of the vote in the first round of elections to avoid a run-off in which the fragmented opposition could forge an alliance against its rival, setting aside their differences on key issues dividing it, from Islam's role in public life to the Kurdish issue.



A vote is scheduled in a year and a half but could be held earlier to take advantage of growing nationalism in the wake of the victorious military offensive in Syria. Erdogan is ready for the challenge to prolong his record.
First Palestinian tents along Gaza-Israel border March of Return on Friday for Land Day

(ANSAmed) - Gaza, March 29 - Palestinians in Gaza have started erecting the first tents along the border with Israel ahead of the March of Return starting Friday as part of the six-week Land Day protest. Hamas, which is backing the initiative, has called on the population to join the demonstration and go to the tents after Friday prayer. The organisation has also said it will monitor the tented area in order to prevent the protests from reaching the barrier fence. On the far side Israel has tightened security and deployed additional troops including marksmen with the stated aim of preventing any trespassing onto Jewish territory or damage to the barrier. The Jewish communities living around the Gaza Strip have also been put on alert. The annual Land Day, which coincides with the start of Jewish Passover, marks the anniversary of the general strike and marches organised on March 30, 1976, in protest at the expropriation of land by Israel for security reasons. (ANSAmed).




Libya: 'abducted' Tripoli mayor allegedly under arrest On corruption charges, reports

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MARCH 29 - The mayor of Tripoli, Abdul Raouf Hassan Bair al-Mal has been either abducted or arrested, according to different reports out on Thursday.



The municipal council first sounded the alarm, saying the mayor was abducted from his home by an armed group.



The council suspended its activity and urged the government of Fayez al-Sarraj to ''take all the urgent and necessary measures for the release of the mayor as they are in charge of security''.



Meanwhile a ''source from the department of security'' in the Libyan capital was quoted as saying in a tweet by broadcaster Al Ahrar that the mayor was ''officially arrested'' on corruption charges regarding the administration of his municipality.



The arrest was allegedly made after the mayor refused to cooperate with investigators, according to the tweet.



Similar reports, quoting an official source, were also published by the website of Libyan television ''Libya 24''.



''The department of general investigations of Tripoli has announced the arrest of the head of the municipality of Tripoli, Abdulrauf Beitelmal, after it came in possession of information regarding administrative corruption'', according to the website of Libya 24.



''The department has denounced the municipality's statement that talks about an abduction and states that the Libyan official faces multiple counts of corruption'', it added.



(ANSAmed)
Egypt: Sisi wins second term with 92% of the vote - media Against one rival. Turnout at 42%, Al Ahram

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MARCH 29 - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with 92% of the vote, according to a report by broadcaster DMC on the number of votes garnered by Sisi (22 million) out of the number of voters (24 million).



In previous elections in 2014, in which he also had one rival who was more well-known than the current one, the leftist Hamdine Sabbahi, Sisi garnered 96.9% of the vote against Sabbahi's 3.1%.



Turnout in the first post-Mubarak elections in 2012, when 13 candidates were running, was 46.4% in the first round and 51.8% in the runoff won by Islamist candidate Mohamed Morsi.



The website of Egyptian government daily Al Ahram said ''some 25 million'' voters cast their ballots in the presidential election that wrapped up yesterday, or nearly 42%.



The newspaper confirmed the percentage of ''about 92%'' of votes for Sisi. Its website ran the headline - ''First results: 25 million voted, Sisi got 23 million (votes), or 92% and Moussa (Mostafa, his only rival) 3%''. (ANSAmed)
Erdogan in power in Turkey for 15 years, longer than Ataturk The 'Sultan' beats record, works for re-election

(by Cristoforo Spinella) (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MARCH 29 - Erdogan has been in power longer than Ataturk. He is the longest-serving leader of republican Turkey - over 15 years - first as head of government and now as president. Its founder Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk - or 'the father of Turks' - lags behind.



With 5,493 consecutive days at the helm of the country, according to the website Gercek Gundem, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has scored another symbolic goal to become Turkey's absolute leader, changing the secularist, pro-western republic promoted by the man that created it from the ashes of the Ottoman empire, remaining in power from its foundation on October 29, 1923 until his death on November 10, 1938.



Erdogan's record began on March 15, 2003, when he became the head of the government led by a party inspired by Islam, the AKP, succeeding Abdullah Gul.



Gul for a few months had been filling the position for him, waiting for a ban from public office to end, which he had been serving together with a 10-month jail sentence (he served four months) for inciting religious hatred.



Since then, he served as prime minister in two other governments until he won the first direct election of a president of the republic on August 10, 214. Erdogan has held this symbolic role of constitutional guarantor in an extensive manner, often chairing the council of ministers.



His 'de facto' presidential system became official after a referendum last year, whose controversial result ensured that the next head of State would have ample executive powers. And Erdogan has been working towards this new goal for months. In order to forge an alliance with Mhp nationalists, the heirs of the Grey Wolves, he changed the electoral law which up until now prevented parties from presenting themselves in coalitions with different symbols.



He is hoping to win over 50% of the vote in the first round of elections to avoid a run-off in which the fragmented opposition could forge an alliance against its rival, setting aside their differences on key issues dividing it, from Islam's role in public life to the Kurdish issue.



A vote is scheduled in a year and a half but could be held earlier to take advantage of growing nationalism in the wake of the victorious military offensive in Syria. Erdogan is ready for the challenge to prolong his record. (ANSAmed)
Syria: over 6,000 people left Ghouta overnight, sources Including civilians, militants

(ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MARCH 29 - Thousands of civilians and militants over the past few days have been leaving Ghouta, the area east of Damascus that has been almost entirely conquered by government forces, to reach the north-western Idlib region under Turkish control, sources on the ground said Thursday.



According to the sources, an estimated 6,000 people including fighters and civilians left overnight by bus the districts of Zamalka and Arbin in eastern ghouta and travelled to Idlib.



Meanwhile negotiations are ongoing between Russia, an ally of the Syrian government, and Jaysh al Islam, the last militia that has not formally surrendered in Ghouta, which controls the town of Duma. (ANSAmed)
Emirates plane lands in Beirut in view of tourism recovery Test flight for Airbus A380

(ANSAmed) - Beirut, March 29 - The world's biggest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380 operated by Emirates, landed in Beirut on Thursday on a single test flight in view of the possible resumption of tourism to Lebanon, particularly from the Gulf States, following the tension in the region in recent months. The Dubai-based carrier wanted to test the capacity of the Rafic Hariri airport in the Lebanese capital, the only airport able to handle passenger services in the country. Tourist arrivals in Lebanon reached a record 2.16 million in 2010 before dropping sharply due to tension and conflict particularly in neighbouring Syria. The sector showed partial recovery in 2017 with the arrival of 1.85 million tourists. However, in November the traditional source countries of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain invited their citizens not to travel to Lebanon due to the tension resulting from the resignation of Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri, which was announced by Riyadh and then withdrawn following his return to Lebanon.



(ANSAmed).




This week, Etihad Airways celebrates the 10th anniversary of the airlines operations in the China market after it launched an Abu Dhabi to Beijing service in 2008, followed by Chengdu in 2011, Shanghai in 2012 and Hong Kong in 2015.





To-date, nearly four million travelers have flown the routes which Etihad Airways operates to and from China. There are currently 28 flights per week with easy connectivity via Etihads Abu Dhabi hub to more than 40 business and leisure destinations across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and North America.

Through the effective integration of cargo capacity on freighters and aboard passenger aircraft, Etihad Airways has carried over 400,000 tons of cargo between China and the UAE in the past ten years.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said, We wish to express our heartfelt appreciation for the tremendous support and recognition weve received over the past 10 years from our guests and all our stakeholders. They have all been instrumental in cementing Etihads position as a leading airline in this market and beyond.

In order to offer maximum convenience to passengers, Etihad Airways has forged codeshare partnerships with Hainan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines.

Etihad Airways upgraded the Shanghai and Beijing services to its state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in 2016 and 2017, respectively, in order to further meet the strong demands of Chinese passengers for a more comfortable, personalized and memorable travel experience.



Baumgartner added: We feel extremely proud to be witnessing and participating in what has been a decade of rapid development in Chinas tourism and aviation markets. These industries are undergoing disruptive changes, both in China and across the world, with digitalization gradually becoming an important driver in this field. In the past decade, innovative and cutting-edge products and services such as The Residence, Inflight Chef, Food & Beverage Manager, and Flying Nanny  as well as distribution technology  such as the online flagship store on the Alitrip platform - distinguished Etihad Airways in a competitive market.



While we will continue to offer an unparalleled experience for all our guests, we recognise that Etihad Airways needs to continue to proactively take into account increasingly diverse customer needs and to consistently evolve our value proposition to offer a tailored product and service to all our customers. We believe that in the future the best airlines will be those that empower travelers by providing them the freedom to choose a product that is customised and personalised to satisfy their individual requirements.



Dr. Ali Al Dhaheri, the UAE Ambassador to China, said, For many years, the UAE has been the second largest trading partner and the largest export market of China in the West Asia and North Africa Region. China is the largest trading partner of UAE now, and UAE is the one receiving largest investment from China in Middle East. The UAE is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and is committed to its central mission of bringing the Belt and Road vision to life. As a key aviation hub in the Gulf region, the UAE and Abu Dhabi will continue to play a critical role in the global collaboration under the Belt and Road initiative, using the strong global network of Etihad Airways.



Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director General, Department of Culture and Tourism, added: China has grown to become the largest overseas source market for Abu Dhabi hotel guest arrivals. Abu Dhabi welcomed nearly 380,000 tourists from China in 2017, a highly impressive increase of 61 per cent over the previous year and in January we recorded a further 10 per cent year-on-year rise. Recent developments such as the visa on arrival scheme, implemented in 2016 has and will further drive Abu Dhabis growth as an emerging key destination for Chinese passengers.



Peter Baumgartner concluded: China is and will continue to be one of the most important markets for Etihad Airways. Looking to the coming decade, Etihad Airways will continue to fulfil and enhance its comprehensive commitment to China, focus on diverse customer needs, and offer tailored travel options for all our guests.
The first runway at Istanbul New Airport (INA) is now ready for takeoff and landing.

For the first time, runway number one, which is 3,750m long and 60m wide, has been lit up. INA has installed the worlds biggest and most sophisticated Airfield Ground Lighting (AGL) at its first runway, featuring 34,183 LED lights. Intelligent lighting makes the visual guiding process easier and improves situational surveillance and aircraft tracking systems. This allows for optimised aircraft routing to and from the gates, a more efficient traffic flow and an increase in safety.

80% of the initial phase of Istanbul New Airport, which is due to open on October 29, is now complete. We are working day and night for this project that will put Turkeys stamp on the history of aviation, says Yusuf Akcayoglu, CEO of IGA Airports Construction. We have recently finished the baggage system which constitutes our airports core. And now we have made the runway number one ready for landing with all the required equipment and in compliance with the relevant global standards. We are looking forward to delivering Istanbul New Airport in its entirety in October.

Istanbul New Airport is set to serve an approximate 100 airlines and become the worlds new aviation hub with 350 destinations in passenger and cargo transportation. The initial phase with a passenger capacity of 90 million will be commissioned with three independent parallel runways, taxiways, a terminal building, an air traffic control tower, communication and weather systems as well as other utility buildings.
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Midland-based Concho Resources will pay $8 billion to buy West Texas rival RSP Permian in a merger that creates the largest shale driller in the booming Permian.

While not a household name, the big sale makes Concho an even larger power player in the Permian Basin, which now accounts for more than half of all the oil drilling rigs in the entire country. RSP Permian is based out of Dallas, but its also focused just on West Texas and the parts of the Permian extending into New Mexico.

Perfectly positioned to capitalize off the Permian shale boom from its Midland home, Concho has grown rapidly as one of the leaders in domestic oil production. Concho was valued on Wall Street at more than $23 billion before the deal was announced Wednesday.

RSP, which was formed in 2010, was valued at about $6.2 billion before the sale.

Concho Chairman and CEO Tim Leach said RSP Permian operates similarly to his company, so they should mesh well to form one super Permian Basin player.

The RSP team built an exceptional high-margin asset portfolio consistent with our playbook  large, contiguous positions in the core of the Permian Basin, Leach said. And they did so with a strategy of maximizing well performance and returns, which provides substantial running room for continuous development with large-scale projects.

This combination allows us to consolidate premier assets that seamlessly fold into our drilling program, enhance our scale advantage and reinforce our leadership position in the Permian Basin, all while strengthening our platform for delivering predictable growth and returns.

After independent producers in West Texas like Concho and RSP helped lead the initial Permian shale boom, the focus switched last year to Big Oil players like Exxon Mobil and Chevron beefing up their Permian positions. Now, Concho is taking action to stake its claim as the leader in Permian shale, especially in the unconventional production that combines horizontal drilling techniques with hydraulic fracturing, called fracking, to produce oil and gas from the hard-to-crack shale rock.

Energy analyst David Kistler, of Piper Jaffrey & Co., said Concho is successfully increasing the scale and scope of its already enviable Permian position. At the same time, RSP Permian shareholders should benefit from great value generated by the sale, he added.

However, the sale is happening at a time when investors are asking for discipline and shying away from forking over a lot of extra dollars. As such, the initial Wall Street reaction was down on Conchos big move. Conchos stock dipped about 8 percent in early Wednesday morning trading. Likewise, RSP Permian stock jumped more than 15 percent.

RSP Permian will give Concho nearly 100,000 more net acres in the Permian, increasing its overall position to about 640,000 net acres. The combined company would have 27 active drilling rigs operating in the Permian.

Apart from the $8 billion sale, Concho also will assume about $1.5 billion in RSP Permian debt.
Alex Wong/Getty Images(FAIRFAX, Va.) -- The National Rifle Association tells ABC News that it has received a single contribution from a Russian individual of less than $1,000 during the 2012-2018 election cycle.



We have one contribution from a Russian, Steven Hart, outside counsel to the NRA, said in an interview with ABC News.



Hart said it was the life membership payment made by Alexander Torshin, a Russian politician who contributed to the NRAs lobbying arm which is not required by law to disclose the donation. Hart added, The donation was the persons membership dues and was not used for election-related activities. That was not a major donor program, he said.



NRA General Counsel John C. Frazer, in a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, made public Tuesday, said the gun-rights group accepted foreign donations, though not for electioneering purposes. The groups disclosure that it received only one donation is new.



Wyden, top Democrat on the Finance Committee and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, originally wrote to the NRA following published media reports in January that said the FBI has been investigating whether Russian money illegally flowed through the NRA and into the campaign coffers of then-candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential race.



It is illegal for a foreign national to contribute to a U.S. campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission; however, it is not illegal for a foreign national to contribute to other causes. The money cannot be used for electioneering, per election law.



Contributions to an organization's advocacy arm do not have to be disclosed.



McClatchy's Washington Bureau first reported that federal investigators were looking specifically at the activities of Alexander Torshin, a Putin-connected Russian banker who is an NRA member. He reportedly traveled to the NRA convention in Kentucky in 2016.



Following that January report, the Federal Election Commission launched a probe, and Congress also took notice, including Senate Intelligence Committee investigators looking more broadly at Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, according to a congressional source with knowledge of the inquiry.



Hart told ABC News he has not been contacted by the FBI and insists that the entire matter is made up.



I know this is difficult but the political arm of the NRA has not ever accepted foreign contributions. That is illegal. Hart said. They cannot disclose what does not exist.



A spokesperson for Wyden said the senator continues to await the NRAs response to his March 27 letter.



I appreciate your assertion that the NRA complies with applicable federal laws, Wyden wrote in that letter - a response to the NRA disclosure about foreign contributions. However it is incumbent on lawmakers to not only investigate compliance with the law, but also to ascertain whether present law provides sufficient safeguards to protect the American political process from foreign influence.



This is imaginary but details do matter eventually, Hart told ABC News. There is no Russian influence. This all comes off one report. Weve been trying to be polite. How do you prove a negative?



The NRA spent a record $54 million in the 2016 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, with the bulk of that money  more than $35 million  flowing through the organizations nonprofit, 501(c)(4) lobbying arm, which is not required to disclose its donors.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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The Canadian Space Agency is looking for new Science Advisor to the President

Science Advisor to the President, Canadian Space Agency

As the stewards of advancing the knowledge of space through science and ensuring that space science and technology benefits Canadians, we seek a science visionary passionate about shaping Canada's future directions in space science and championing space research in Canada and internationally.

Reporting directly to the President, and working in close collaboration with Canada's Chief Science Advisor and a network of Science Advisors from other science based departments and agencies, you will develop innovative strategies for growth, forge lasting partnerships to sustain them, and promote science by engaging the public and the next generation.

Read the full announcement.
Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus were photographed together in Hawaii and are said to be in a 'committed relationship'.

Mumbai: Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus were photographed spending time together in Hawaii and are said to be in a "committed relationship".

Dressed up in casual workout clothes, the duo was spotted holding hands after a breakfast date on March 24 in Honolulu.

A source told People magazine that they are "very much still together".

Another insider added that Affleck, 45 and Shookus, 37, are taking their time but "enjoy each others company" and "are in a committed relationship".

The actor has been training for his new film "Triple Frontier" in the popular holiday destination.
The two accused were thrashed and paraded naked by the mob, including women, in Yingkiong market area on March 26.

The 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the four men, including her boyfriend, near the under-construction Gandhi Bridge on March 25. (Representational Image)

Itanagar: Two men were paraded naked by a mob in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh for allegedly raping a high school student, a top police official said.

The two accused were thrashed and paraded naked by the mob, including women, in Yingkiong market area on March 26 before being handed over to the police.

Two others are absconding, the police official said.

The 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the four men, including her boyfriend, near the under-construction Gandhi Bridge on March 25, DIG (central range) John Neihalaia said.

The incident took place at around 8.30 pm at a place, about six kilometre away from Yingkiong town and the police received information on the following day, the DIG said.

The accused are from Pangkang village.

The DIG said that a search has been launched to nab the two accused and a police team has been sent to Jengging in search of the duo, he said.

Terming the incident as "unfortunate", state Home Minister Kumar Waii has sought the support of one and all to bring the guilty to book.

He also asked minors to avoid going out with strangers to unknown locations and travelling after dark.

"Such incidents are unexpected but could be tackled with coordinated efforts," he said and advocated that the civil society should be vigilant to ensure the security of girls.

Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women has asked the Upper Siang SP to nab the absconding culprits under the POCSO Act, 2012 and award exemplary punishment to them.

The APSCW also requested the family members of the culprits and society to cooperate with the police to deliver justice to the victim and her family.

This is the second rape incident in the town this year. A six-year-old girl student was allegedly raped by her teacher on February 22 last.

Cases of mob outrage and vigilante justice have surfaced in the state over the past few months prompting the state government to enact a legislation on March 16 which would provide death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

Earlier in March, a man accused of raping a 12-year-old was paraded naked around Daporijo town in Upper Subansiri district before he was handed over to the police.

A mob of around 800 people stormed into the Tezu police station in Lohit district on February 19 last and dragged out a man and his accomplice accused of raping and murder of a five-year-old girl and lynched them in the market area.
The meeting comes in wake of the 6-week deadline given by the SC to the Centre to formulate a scheme ending on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palanisamy held discussions with his senior cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, and other officials on the matter. (Photo: File/PTI)

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palanisamy on Thursday held discussions with his senior ministers on the Cauvery issue, even as protests were held in different parts of the state demanding constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB). Palanisamy held discussions with his senior cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, and officials on the matter.

The meeting comes in the wake of the six-week deadline given by the Supreme Court to the Centre to formulate a scheme ending on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu's stand is that the Centre must constitute the panels within six weeks from the day the apex court gave its verdict, which would be March 29.

The Supreme Court had on February 16 pronounced its verdict on the vexed dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In its judgement on petitions by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the final order of the Cauvery water disputes tribunal apportioning the water among the riparian states, the apex court had raised the 270 tmcft share of Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share.

The court had compensated Tamil Nadu's reduction by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft ground water from the river basin.

Also read: SC Cauvery verdict: TN share reduced, K'taka gets additional 14.75 tmc water

Since the verdict, Tamil Nadu has been urging the Centre to set up the CMB and the Central Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) to ensure it received its due share of water.

Protests were held in some parts of the state, demanding the immediate formation of the CMB. Farmers' associations and fringe outfits held protests in Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Dindigul.

In Tirunelveli and Dindigul, some activists climbed cellphone towers pressing for their demand, but were persuaded by the police to get down. They were later taken into custody.
Media persons in the past were allowed entry into Rashtrapati Bhawan to take comments of political leaders after they met the president.

'In some time, you will reach there...outside India Gate. Then probably, you will not be allowed to stand even there. Achche din aa gaye hain,' Gandhi said with a wry smile on his face. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The media on Wednesday was denied entry inside the President's house after opposition leaders met President Ram Nath Kovind on the SC/ST issue. Reacting to the incident, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said to the media "achche din aa gaye hain". It was an indirect attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 election slogan of 'achche din' (good days).

"In some time, you will reach there...outside India Gate. Then probably, you will not be allowed to stand even there. Achche din aa gaye hain," Gandhi said with a wry smile on his face.

Media persons have been complaining that they, unlike in the past, were not allowed entry into Rashtrapati Bhavan, when a delegation of opposition leaders were meeting the president.

Responding to the queries of media persons, the press secretary to the president of India, Ashok Malik, said media conferences by political leaders are not allowed inside Rashtrapati Bhavan and this practice has been put in place to emphasise the non-partisan nature of the institution.

"Media conferences by political leaders are not permitted within Rashtrapati Bhavan. This norm was put in place by the President after he took office in July 2017, to emphasise the non-partisan nature of the institution. Requests by all political groups are politely declined," he said on Twitter.

Media persons in the past were allowed entry into Rashtrapati Bhawan to take comments of political leaders after they met the president.

The leaders usually spoke in the lawns of Rashtrapati Bhawan, near the entry to the President's House, but this has stopped ever since Kovind took over from Pranab Mukherjee.
Members of two communities clashed on Wednesday over taking out a religious procession in Bihar's Nalanda.

Lalu Prasad, who is serving jail term in Ranchi since December 23 in a fodder scam case, was taken to New Delhi on medical advice for specialised treatment at AIIMS. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

New Delhi: RJD supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav after being brought to Delhi for treatment at AIIMS on Thursday said that "Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is now finished".

Pointing out the riots and incidents of violence in Bihar, Lalu Yadav said that the "BJP has set the whole state ablaze".

According to news agency PTI, members of two communities clashed on Wednesday over taking out a religious procession in Bihar's Nalanda district, leaving more than 20 persons, including four security personnel, injured.

Nalanda is the native district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Communal clashes have erupted in several districts in the state since Ram Navami last Sunday.

"People from both sides indulged in heavy stone-pelting in Silao block of the district following a dispute over the route of a Ram Navami procession, and police had to resort to mild use of force besides firing tear gas shells to quell the mobs," Superintendent of Police, Nalanda, Sudhir Kumar Porika said.

Clashes have erupted in districts like Bhagalpur and Aurangabad, triggering a political slugfest with the opposition RJD-Congress combine blaming the spurt in such incidents on alleged dominance of the BJP, the junior partner in the Nitish Kumar government, on the state's bureaucratic machinery.

Lalu Prasad, who is serving jail term in Ranchi since December 23 in a fodder scam case, was taken to New Delhi on medical advice for specialised treatment at AIIMS.

Prasad had been admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Ranchi on March 17 on complaints of uneasiness at Birsa Munda Jail and had left for New Delhi on Wednesday by train after a Special CBI court allowed him to seek treatment at Delhi AIIMS.

Senior advocate Chittaranjan Sinha, who has been handling the fodder scam cases for Prasad from the very beginning, said the 69-year-old RJD chief is suffering from diabetes, high creatinine levels and blood pressure.

A special CBI court last week sentenced Yadav to 14 years in prison fine of Rs 60 lakh in Dumka treasury case. He was pronounced guilty on March 19 in a fourth fodder scam case involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury between December 1995 and January 1996.

Earlier in January, a CBI court in Ranchi had sentenced Lalu Prasad to five years in jail in the third fodder scam case.

Along with Lalu, former Bihar chief Jagannath Mishra, was also sentenced to five years in prison in the case.

The conviction and the quantum of punishment was delivered in a case related to the Chaibasa Treasury from which Rs 33.67 crore were siphoned off against the actual allocation of just Rs 7.10 lakh in 1992-93.

On January 6, RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail by a CBI special court in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago.

Lalu Prasad was convicted in the first fodder scam case in 2013 and awarded five years in jail.

(With inputs from PTI)
Judge Loya was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case.

Loya died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday said it has no information about the death of CBI Special Judge BH Loya, who died in Nagpur in December 2014.

In a written reply to a query by KTS Tulsi on the issue, Union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said in the Rajya Sabha that 'police' and 'public order' are state subjects under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has no information in this regard," he said.

Tulsi had asked whether any person accompanied the body of CBI special judge BH Loya and if that person gave any history of Judge Loya to the doctor at a Nagpur hospital. He also sought to know the time of death of Judge Loya and cause of death as per hospital records.

Judge Loya was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. He died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. The Supreme Court is hearing petitions seeking independent probe into Judge Loya's death.

Gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, who the Gujarat Police claimed was also a terrorist, was killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Gujarat and Rajasthan police in 2005. His wife Kausar Bi disappeared, and was alleged to have been eliminated by police. Shaikh's associate Tulsi Prajapati was also later killed in an alleged fake encounter.

The CBI took over the probe in February 2010 and filed charge sheet in July the same year against 23 accused, including Amit Shah, who at that time was the minister of state for home in Gujarat.

The trial court, over a period of time, discharged several accused in the case, including Shah and three IPS officers.
The accused, famously known as Jagdamba baba, in name of 'deeksha' would terrify youths, indulge into sexual activities and torture them.

38-year-old Jhala was arrested on Tuesday following an investigation into a case under sections 306 and 354 of the IPC for abetment of suicide lodged against him earlier this month, Jhalawar DSP Chagan Singh said. (Photo: PTI | Representational Image)

Kota (Rajasthan): Kuldeep Singh Jhala, who called himself an incarnation of goddess Shakti and Jagdamba, was arrested on charges of sexual assault of teenage boys and alleged involvement in abetting a 20-year-old youth to commit suicide last month, police said.

According to the police, the accused person, famously known as Jagdamba baba, in the name of 'deeksha' would terrify youths, indulge into sexual activities and later torture them.

38-year-old Jhala was arrested on Tuesday following an investigation into a case under sections 306 and 354 of the IPC for abetment of suicide lodged against him earlier this month, Jhalawar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Chagan Singh said.

The officer said father of a 20-year-old deceased youth, identified as Yuvraj Singh, who committed suicide on February 19 this year, lodged a case of abetment of suicide against the accused Baba on March 1.

As per the complaint filed by the victim's father, Yuvraj was set to be engaged with a girl from Ujjain, but when the accused Baba got to know about the proposed engagement he threatened him to not get married and started torturing him.

"Depressed and puzzled by the torture and harassment, the youth ended his life on Feb 19 by hanging himself to the ceiling fan at his home," the DSP said.

Police said they have recorded statements of about five to seven youths, who also have confessed of them being subjected to vulgar activities and sexual harassment in the name of deeksha and later engaging them with vulgar mobile chats.

However, any sexual involvement with women has not been traced so far, they said.

The accused, who had over 700 followers, has been involved into hypocrite religious activities at his home, and would once in a year during Navratra dress up as a woman with makeup and lead a grand procession through the city, the DSP said.
The resolution on the recommendations have been uploaded on the Supreme Court website.

New Delhi: With a view to ensuring transparency in the process of appointments, the Supreme Court collegium of judges, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, held an informal personal interview of candidates shortlisted by the Calcutta and Madhya Pradesh high courts on March 26.

The resolution on the recommendations have been uploaded on the Supreme Court website. The collegium, which also includes Justices J. Chelameswar and Ranjan Gogoi, asked a host of questions, including about their knowledge in various branches of the law for the purpose of assessing merit and suitability for elevation to the two high courts.

Highly-placed sources said the procedure of interaction with candidates would dispel the criticism that appointments are made by the collegium secretly without any accountability.

According to the resolution, the collegium carefully scrutinised the material placed in the file which includes the views of the chief ministers as forwarded by the two states governors, Intelligence Bureau reports, the age, income, reported/unreported judgments in respect of all recommendees as well as the observations made by the department of justice in the file.

It says: Apart from this, we invited all recommendees to have an interaction with them. On the basis of the interaction and having regard to all relevant factors, the collegium is of the considered view that Biswajit Basu, Amrita Sinha, Sutanu Kumar Patra, Abhijit Gangopadhyay and Jay Sengupta... are suitable for being appointed as judges of the Calcutta high court.

With regard to the recommendation of Tirthankar Ghosh, the collegium sought further information from the acting chief justice of the high court, and in case of Hiranmay Bhattacharya the recommendation was deferred.

For the Madhya Pradesh high court, the collegium has recommended the elevation of advocate Sanjay Dwivedi and four judicial officers, Akhil Kumar Shrivastava, Brij Kishore Shrivastava, Rajendra Kumar Shrivastava and Mohammed Fahim Anwar, saying they are suitable to be appointed as judges.
The woman was in a relationship with the victim's father and wanted to marry him. However, he kept delaying marriage and this enraged her.

The accused, Anita Waghle, also a resident of Nallasopara, Palghar district, was arrested on Tuesday night, police said. (Photo: Representational | File)

Palghar: With the arrest of a 22-year-old woman, police on Wednesday claimed to have solved the murder of a girl in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, who was kidnapped and whose body was later found in Gujarat.

Also read: 5-yr-old girl kidnapped from Maharashtra, found dead in Gujarat toilet

The accused, Anita Waghle, also a resident of Nallasopara, Palghar district, was arrested on Tuesday night, police said.

The five-year-old girl was kidnapped from outside her home on March 24 and she was found dead in the ladies' toilet of Navsari railway station in Gujarat, over 250km from Mumbai, on Sunday, Additional SP Raj Tilak Roshan told reporters.

The Navsari police initially registered a case of accidental death and sent the body for a post-mortem which revealed the death was due to strangulation.

Later, a murder case was filed, police said.

A probe revealed Waghle had taken the girl to Navsari in a train and strangled her to death in the toilet, police said.

A team of cops led by senior inspector Kishore Khairnar zeroed in on the woman on Tuesday night and placed her under arrest, they said and claimed she has confessed to the crime.

The woman was reportedly in a relationship with the victim's father, an autorickshaw driver, and wanted to marry him. However, he kept delaying marriage and this enraged her, they said. The accused then kidnapped and killed his daughter, police added.
Ayush Nautiyal, a final year student of commerce at the Ram Lal Anand college, was abducted from his home in Dwarka in northwest Delhi.

21-year-old Ayush Nautiyal went missing last Thursday just after he left home from college. (Photo: facebook.com/ayush.nautiyal.94)

New Delhi: A 21-year-old Delhi University student who was kidnapped a week ago for ransom was found murdered near a drain in Dwarka on Wednesday night.

Ayush Nautiyal, a final year student of commerce at the Ram Lal Anand college, was abducted from his home in Dwarka in northwest Delhi and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh.

According to a report in NDTV, Ayush went missing last Thursday just after he left home from college. His parents grew worried when he didnt return home in the evening. His father later received a WhatsApp message from Ayushs phone, which contained a picture showing him tied up with his mouth covered and a head injury. The message demanded Rs 50 lakh as ransom.

Following this, the family went to the police and reportedly raised Rs 10 lakh and tried to hand it over to the kidnappers but couldn't find them.

On Wednesday night, however, his body was found near the drain.

The bereaved family has accused the police of negligence and lack of action to track the kidnappers down.

"We carried the money and drove through the area in search of the kidnappers. A police van escorted us, but we could not find anything for two days. Then we saw his body," one of Ayushs cousin was quoted as telling a newspaper.
The Union home ministry has also asked the West Bengal government for a report on the violence.

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday alleged that while West Bengal is burning, chief minister Mamata Banerjee is busy playing politics in Delhi. Violent clashes broke out between two communities over a Ram Navami procession at Raniganj in Asansol earlier this week. The Union home ministry has also asked the West Bengal government for a report on the violence.

Senior BJP leader and Union minister Prakash Javadekar said, The whole of Bengal is burning and Mamata Banerjee is busy doing politics in Delhi. We strongly deplore this.

The BJP said the West Bengal chief minister can play politics if she so wish but first douse the fire in Bengal which the goons of your own TMC have ignited. The BJP also displayed images of violence in the state.

The party also blamed the Mamata-led TMC for the attacks on Ram bhakts and said people had come out in large numbers for the procession and this did not go down well with the TMC goons. Police could not take any action and were instead attacked by the TMC workers.

The BJP claimed that law and order has failed and reminded the state chief minister that while the Lok Sabha elections are due next year, Ms Banerjee needs to first bring the situation under control in her state.
Within hours of his meeting with the BJP leader, however Guttedar was unceremoniously expelled for six years from the Congress.

BENGALURU: Former minister and backward classes leader, and serial party-hopper, Malikayya Guttedar on Thursday delivered a body blow to the Congress on Thursday when he announced his decision to part ways with the party and join BJP on grounds that a senior legislator like himself was not accommodated in the cabinet by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Without mentioning his long running feud with senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr Guttedar, who has represented Afzalpur constituency in Kalaburgi district for six terms irrespective of his party affiliation, said after a meeting with state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa that he would also quit the membership of the Assembly, without any riders.

Within hours of his meeting with the BJP leader, however Guttedar was unceremoniously expelled for six years from the Congress.

He said he spoke to Mr Siddaramaiah about his decision to quit the Congress but could not submit his resignation to Speaker K.B. Koliwad as the latter was away. He would join the BJP during party president Amit Shahs tour of Mysuru on March 30 and 31, he added.

A party-hopper, Mr Guttedar had quit the Congress earlier to join Karnataka Congress Party (KCP), an outfit launched by the late Chief Minister S Bangarappa in 1994, but returned to the Congress in 2013 after a stint as a JD (S). legislator. He, however, had run-ins with veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and his minister-son Priyank Kharge during his latest tenure in Congress. Their differences reached a point of no return when Mr Priyank Kharge was inducted into the ministry by Mr Siddaramaiah, overlooking the seniority of Mr Guttedar.
Harry and his American actress fiancee are set to tie the knot at Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 19.

LONDON: A brewery in Windsor, the British town where Prince Harry will marry American Meghan Markle in May, believes it has concocted its own perfect pairing with a "royal beer" celebrating the occasion.

The regal-themed brew, a pale ale named "Harry & Meghan's Windsor Knot", appropriately combines British and American hops, barley grown on the Royal Farms adjoining Windsor Castle -- and a finishing touch of champagne yeast.

"Marrying these ingredients creates a new pale ale that is young, fresh and full of character," proclaimed Windsor & Eton Brewery, which launched the limited edition craft beer on Wednesday.

The firm, which says it is on a long-shot mission "to make Windsor more famous for its beers than any other attraction", brewed its first "Windsor Knot" for the 2011 wedding of Harry's brother Prince William to Kate Middleton.

To honour this new Anglo-American nuptial, the brewery team has designed a bottle and pump clip featuring a tie made out of Britain's Union Jack flag and the US' stars and stripes.

It also displays two interlocking male and female symbols "to reflect the strength and support they give each other" the brewers said in a press release announcing their concoction.

Harry and his American actress fiancee are set to tie the knot at Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 19.

British pubs will be allowed to stay open late on the eve of the wedding and on May 19, for what the British Government has described as "a day of national celebration".
Singh was the last one to deboard at Lajpat Nagar, when he realised he had lost his wallet.

Mr Singhs post to thank Mr Siddharth has collected many positive comments praising Mr Siddharth.

New Delhi: He is one lucky man who lost his wallet while travelling on the Delhi Metro and got it delivered by the postman  all thanks to a good samaritan.

Normally things lost on the Metro never make their way back to the owner, but Gurpreet Singhs, 24, case was different.

Thanks to Mr Singhs widely shared Facebook post, he received his wallet by post 11 days after he lost his wallet on March 15.

Mr Singh said, On March 26, I received a parcel from India Post, which contained my wallet and a letter.

It was from one Siddharth Mehta, a Noida resident, who had sent the parce. The parcel contained my wallet with the money and documents intact and a letter, Mr Singh said.

I found your wallet on the Delhi Metro and I am sending you the same, read the letter, accompanying the wallet. Be careful next time brother, wrote Mr Siddharth, signing off with a smiley.

Mr Singhs post to thank Mr Siddharth has collected many positive comments praising Mr Siddharth.

Recollecting, Mr Singh said, I was travelling to Lajpat Nagar from the Central Secretariat Metro station. I was the last one to deboard at Lajpat Nagar Metro station when I suddenly realised that I lost my wallet.

Mr Singh immediately went to the customer care and was told to wait for a few minutes till the Metro reached its final stop at Sarita Vihar. After searching the length and breadth of the train, the Metro officials did not find his wallet.
The court expressed anger saying the police were defeating the purpose of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

After hearing arguments on the victim's mother plea, the court on Wednesday reserved its order for April 2. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday castigated the city police for summoning repeatedly a child witness to the police station for recording his statement in a case of alleged rape of his three-year-old class mate by the school's trustee, a French national.

Justice Revati Mohite Dere expressed her anger saying that the police were defeating the purpose of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by not adhering to the laid down procedures for probe into a case under the Act.

Justice Dere vent off her ire after coming to know that the police had summoned the child witness and his father to the police station to record their statements in the case of rape, allegedly committed in May 2017 by the trustee of an international school of the city.

Irked by the information about summoning of the child witness, Justice Dere said, "If the police keep summoning children to police stations like this, the parents are naturally bound to feel that it was just adding to the trauma. It is very disturbing to note that the child and his father had to go to the police station on several occasions."

"The Act is very clear on what procedure needs to be followed by the police while probing cases of such nature. Why were the child and his father called to the police station?" Justice Dere asked.

The whole purpose of the POCSO Act would be defeated if the police behave in such an ignorant manner, she said, adding that as per the Act, the police have to go to the residence of the child in civil clothes and record his or her statement.

Upset with the episode, Justice Dere ordered the police to submit to the court the case diary details, marking out how many times the boy and his father were called to the police station.

The court was informed about the repeated summoning of the victim's class mate, a three-year-old boy, and his father by the counsel for the victim's mother, who has moved the court challenging the grant of bail to the school trustee by the sessions court.

Appearing for the victim's mother, her counsel Vijay Hiremath had apprised the court about repeated summoning of the child witness to the police station during the last hearing on the woman's plea against the grant of bail to the French national.

Besides the victim's mother, the parents of 42 other students from the school, located in suburban Andheri, too had moved the court seeking a direction to the trustee to stay away from the institution as they feared for the safety of their children.

The trustee, a French national, was arrested on November 7 last year, but was granted bail by the sessions court on November 24, 2017.

Following this, the victim's mother had approached the high court for cancellation of his bail.

After hearing arguments on the victim's mother plea, the court on Wednesday reserved its order for April 2.

Senior counsel Shirish Gupte, appearing for the French trustee of the school, argued that his client had fallen victim to the school politics.

"He (trustee) has been managing the school for 25 years and has no criminal antecedents. There is a sinister motive behind this case," Gupte argued.

Hiremath, however, argued that the sessions court order was perverse and bad in law.

The incident dates back to May 2017, when the girl's parents noticed changes in her behaviour, and difficulty in sitting and walking.

When they asked her if anyone had hurt her or touched her inappropriately, she pointed to a picture of the school trustee, the child's mother said in the plea.

An FIR was subsequently lodged against the trustee in May 2017. He, however, was arrested only in November after the victim's parents filed a writ petition in the high court alleging the police inaction.
Unfortunately, those who oppose federalism by advocating a strong Centre have never offered a properly argued brief.

As if the people of crisis-torn Pakistan did not have their plate full of intractable problems, they are now being dragged into a dangerous controversy over the 18th Amendment. The call to undo the amendment of 2010 and the NFC award of 2009 obviously means revival of the unitary form of government that had inexorably led to the states dismemberment.

The 18th Amendment was only a modest step towards establishing a genuine federation and the NFC award was designed to strengthen the federating units finances. Both objectives are derived from Pakistans foundational premises.

Pakistan was always meant to be a federation. All constitutional proposals, from the Objectives Resolution and Basic Principles Committees (BPC) three reports to the constitutions of 1956 and 1973, except for the Ayub constitution, described the Pakistan state as a federation.

However, the establishment of a federation was not easy as neither the political leaders nor the bureaucracy had the necessary experience. Unable to deal properly with the language agitation in the eastern wing, the power struggle within the Punjab Muslim League, the separation of Karachi from Sindh, the support to Qayyum Khans rule in the then NWFP, and the pro-autonomy stirrings in Balochistan, both partners  the political class and the bureaucracy  in rule tended to use the provinces as the Central governments vassals.

They also acquired the power to sack the provincial governments and used it thoughtlessly. With the passage of time the central leaders and the bureaucracy developed a vested interest in sustaining a unitary form of government. Subsequently, they found support in some powerful quarters.

The military revealed its aversion to federalism when Ayub Khan, while adapting the abrogated Constitution of 1956 to his scheme of things, dropped the terms federation and federal government from his 1962 Constitution; the state was described as a republic and the federal government became the Central government. Although Yahya Khan and the military rulers that followed him restored the word federation in their constitutional plans there is little evidence to suggest that the security forces have reconciled themselves to the logic of federalism.

The merchant community, brought into politics by Ayub Khan, shared his preference for a strong Centre to duly empowered provinces. And the religio-political groups implicitly joined them because they have always supported a single authority in the land with absolute powers.

All of these anti-federal tendencies were reflected in the deliberations of the all-parties parliamentary committee set up to deal with the long-pending issue of provincial autonomy. Each concession to the federating units, including the abolition of the concurrent list and replacing NWFP with a decent name for that province, was reported to have been contested. The moves to purge the constitution of Ziaul Haqs extra-democratic insertions were successfully resisted by his faithful followers. Those standing for greater provincial autonomy accepted for the sake of unity much less than they wanted. The 18th Amendment was thus a shining example of political progress by consensus. The issue clearly is whether a movement towards establishing a genuine federation is contrary to the national interest or whether it will better serve the ideal of national good.

Unfortunately, those who oppose federalism by advocating a strong Centre have never offered a properly argued brief. Their main contention has been that in the interest of stability, state power should be exercised at a single, high level and not at four or more subsidiary levels, and that ministers belonging to Parliament and bureaucrats belonging to the superior services are inherently capable of acting more wisely than their poorer country cousins. An additional argument is that the provinces have failed to fully benefit from the devolution of power under the 18th Amendment.

This defence of a strong Centre will not pass scrutiny even by the lowest court in the country. The qualities attributed to the central patriarchs reek of indefensible snobbery. The cost Pakistan has paid for maintaining a strong Centre is known to all. The Ayubian strong centre not only pushed East Bengal out of the state, it also alienated all provinces and territories except Punjab.

While the Central administration is by its very nature incapable of appreciating the needs of the people living far beyond its reach, the inefficiency for which the provincial or local authorities are blamed can be removed by experience and training. Above all, the opponents of federalism repudiate the foundational premises of Pakistan and the imperatives of a pluralist society.

The advocates of a federal set-up, on the other hand, have an irrefutable case. The whole Pakistan Movement was built on the pledge to establish a federation of autonomous and sovereign units. Since the provinces, existed before the state of Pakistan was born, it is for them to decide how much of power and resources they would surrender to the federal authority.

No Constitution is valid for all times. After some years it should be necessary to move beyond the 18th Amendment and give greater authority to the provincial and local governments because power is most efficiently used from as close a proximity to the subject as possible, and this is also a barrier to corruption.

But let all this lie in the future. If the debate on federalism and the NFC award is continued at the present juncture in Pakistans life and influential figures take sides, the resultant division and polarisation of the people will do no good to the country.

By arrangement with Dawn
The PM will do no good to his chances of securing another term by imagining the developments to be just an one-act skit of the overambitious.

In recent weeks, the Opposition parties, due to a series of developments and proactive steps, have snatched the advantage of first mover from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP. The position of superiority that Mr Modi enjoyed in 2014 stemmed from presenting early the new and promissory. Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjees initiative, her meetings with various Opposition stalwarts  including dissident BJP leaders  may not yet display the possibility of a national alternative to Mr Modi, but the proposal holds the potential of ousting the BJP. The Prime Minister will do no good to his chances of securing another term by imagining the developments to be just an one-act skit of the overambitious.

Ms Banerjees 1:1 formula is a rather catchy way of representing an old argument. Back in 1977, when Indira Gandhi called for elections while the Emergency was still in force, she was confident that a fragmented Opposition would be no match. Yet the sentiment of anti-Congressism proved such a potent adhesive that parties sank their differences and made seat adjustments before formally merging into the Janata Party. Of the 154 seats the Congress won, it touched double-digits only in seven states  Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. These states accounted for 132 of the Congress tally. The party drew a blank in Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh  where it was the primary political force in previous polls. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress won just one seat each. In the 1971 election, when the Congress secured 352 seats, its tally from these states was 168. Indisputably, Indira Gandhis rout stemmed from losses in her bastion  she even lost her own seat in Rae Bareli. The defeat was not just due to anger over the Emergency excesses but also because the anti-Congress vote did not split. Much before the concept of an Index of Opposition Unity was theorised, a high score on this scale was the reason for the debacle. All anti-Congress parties contested on the symbol of Charan Singhs Bharatiya Lok Dal and in states like Punjab, forged alliances with the regional players.

More than a decade later, the second time the Congress  now under Rajiv Gandhi  was ousted was in 1989, when it won just 197 seats. This was principally due to poor performances in Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, MP, Maharashtra, UP and Rajasthan, and mainly due to the alliance between the Janata Dal, the BJP and in some states with other parties. Losses for the Congress would have been higher had the BJP and JD cut out friendly contests in MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and UP.

Ms Banerjees 1:1 proposition is therefore workable  as evidenced in the recent byelections in Gorakhpur and Phulpur  and possibly necessary. However, because the political terrain has altered since the advent of the coalition era, the arithmetic values in the political equation have to be reassigned.

First, the Congress is no longer the principal pole and Opposition unity now has to be built against the BJP. The 1999 election marked this transition, and although the BJP lost in 2004, it remained the fulcrum around which political sentiment mobilised, in favour or against. While previously parties justified unholy alliances to keep authoritarian forces out of power, after 1999 it was to keep communal forces at bay. The pre-poll alliances that the Congress struck played a crucial role in the BJPs defeat in 2004. Since then, the Congress has stayed with alliances and utterances at the recent plenary showed its realisation of the need to be more accommodative if Mr Modi is to be stopped. The moot point is the extent of the accommodation it will be willing to do, and how this would calibrate the partys revival. Much will depend on whether the Congress leaders are driven by the spirit of overnight returns to a pivotal position or view it as a long-drawn process.

In 1996, when the Congress was in office, the party fielded 529 candidates with an alliance only in Tamil Nadu. The number of candidates it put up subsequently declined  477 (1998), 453 (1999), 417 (2004). Once it came to power in 2004, its ambition soared and in 2009 and 2014 it put up 440 and 464 candidates, indicating reduced space for allies. For Ms Banerjees formula to get accepted nationally, and not remaining limited to states where the Congress is not in direct contest with the BJP or is a dominant non-BJP party, magnanimity will have to be displayed by the satraps as well as the Congress top brass. For instance, unless the West Bengal chief minister is willing to allocate parts of her political territory to the Congress, and perhaps even the Left, and in response it is willing to accept its limited strength and not hanker for too many seats as the Congress has often done in UP earlier, her proposition will remain confined to theatrics for the media.

Pragmatism must be the principle if a cohesive Opposition platform is to unitedly take on the BJP. Soon parties have to also discuss formalising the platform, give it a name and hammer out a joint statement of objectives. This will become crucial in the event of a hung verdict and to prevent the BJP securing Rashtrapati Bhavans call to get first shot at governance  like in 1996  simply because it emerges as the single largest party. A pre-poll pact involving as many parties as possible is obligatory to ensure the mandate is respected in the event of significant reduction in the BJPs tally. The Oppositions best chance is to prevent Mr Modi from converting the polls into a wave election, ensuring it remains one whose outcome is decided by state aggregations. Wisely, Ms Banerjee is not yet falling into the BJPs trap of naming a face  doing this would mean contesting the BJP on its turf. A beginning has been made, but much work remains to ensure that 2019 is a keen contest and not a preordained as in 2014.
There is nothing about the present White House that leaves one sanguine on any count.

President Donald Trump was so impressed by John Boltons hawkishness on Fox News that he appointed him his national security adviser. By this logic, Arnab Goswami must be in line for a Cabinet slot soon.

This clearly is not the whole truth. Mr Bolton, after all, is only part of a larger continuum. He was named George W. Bushs ambassador to the United Nations but while he served in an interim capacity for over a year, the US Congress didnt confirm him because of his intemperate style. Congress now has to toss a coin on who is more intemperate: the US President or his NSA? He was to have taken over from John Negroponte who, more than secretary of state Colin Powell, was the key hawk in the run-up to the occupation of Iraq in April 2003. For greater continuity in the theme partly scripted by him, he took over as ambassador to Baghdad. A key player in his team was Robert Stephens Ford, whom Mr Negroponte praised sky high because he had the courage to wear his flak jacket and go out of the high-security Green Zone to meet contacts.

When did you last hear of a senior diplomat go out to meet contacts in the midst of a civil war turning into an insurgency?

It was this experience which came in handy when Mr Ford became ambassador to Damascus. Under the cover of the so-called Arab Spring, he drove to Daraa, Homs, Hama in 2011, major centres of the insurgency which, over time, became, the Syrian civil war. Note the continuity in personnel from Iraq to Syria and now Iran.

His testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on February 6, 2018, contains the blueprint for West Asia, of which Iran is today the most combustible part. By a coincidence, Colin Powells former chief of staff, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, intervened on the theme publicly on February 5. Were two opposite points of view competing for the attention of the US Congress?

The New York Times Op-Ed page headline said it all:

I Helped Sell the False Choice of War Once. Its Happening Again. The column, written by Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, appeared on February 5, 2018. The date is significant because exactly 15 years ago, on February 5, 2003, Colin Powell, former secretary of state, spoke at the UN, making out a case for a pre-emptive war with Iraq. Remember those satellite pictures, sinister vehicular movement, confirming the presence of weapons of mass destruction in that blighted country.

Gen. Powells chief of staff, who actually helped draft the speech, was Lawrence Wilkerson, now a much chastened man. He learnt the hard way that both he and his boss had been set on a fools errand by the intelligence community. There were no WMDs in Iraq.

Mr Wilkerson, the perennial insider, draws comparisons with the current mood in Washington.

Just over a month ago, the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said the administration had undeniable evidence that Iran was not complying with the Security Council resolutions regarding its ballistic missile programme and Yemen.

Just like Gen. Powell, Ms Haley showed satellite images and other physical evidence available only to the US Intelligence community to prove her case.

Its astonishing how similar that moment was to Powells 2003 presentation. Who is pushing America into a conflict with Iran?

Avigdor Lieberman (Israeli defence minister) and Benjamin Netanyahu and their acolytes in this country (US), among whom I put Nikki Haley  they have determined that it would be best if American troops also participated in the overthrow of the Tehran regime.

There is nothing about the present White House that leaves one sanguine on any count. It would be rank bad form to compare the President of the United States with Caligula, but folks are making that comparison to good effect. Caligula elevated his horse to Cabinet rank. Donald Trump has committed no such misdemeanor so far. But no one can bet on the future.

While his buddies across the Atlantic are in convulsions over Russian President Vladimir Putin dispensing nerve agents on the streets of Britain, Mr Trump has made a quiet telephonic contact with the same Russian gent. He then turfed out Russian diplomats. No one can make out whether he is cooing or barking at the Kremlin.

Washingtons current policy towards Iran, which carries Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushners imprimatur, is quite transparent  leave it outside the regional order that the US seeks to impose in West Asia (Middle East). And then defang Iran in every possible way, including military action.

This is the exact opposite of the order that Barack Obama-John Kerry had sketched out for the region.

The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran was signed within a certain conceptual framework. The pivot to Asia had acquired greater saliency in Mr Obamas scheme. Chinas extraordinary rise required the US to pay greater attention to the Pacific region. This entailed that day-to-day supervision of West Asian affairs by the US would no longer be possible.

The US was not running away from its West Asian responsibilities. The legitimacy conferred on Iran after the nuclear deal made it a key player in the new West Asian balance of power which Washington was proposing. Other players in this arrangement would be Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. But Saudi Arabia and Israel, sleeping in the same bed in Syria, were totally averse to having Iran as a player in the new West Asian balance. It was galling for the Israeli-Saudi duet when Russia, with the help of Iran-controlled militias and Turkeys switch in favour of Bashar al-Assad, turned the tide in Syria.

This is when Mr Trump appeared in the White House, not quite Caligula incarnate but more or less there. As candidate he had told Jake Tapper of CNN that billions of dollars had been given to groups in Syria who may well have been the Islamic State. I think they were the Islamic State, he said with certainty. The interview is available on YouTube.

Instead of wasting money on questionable groups, Mr Trump has fallen back on a strategy closest to his heart: making money. Towards this end he has American boots on the ground in Syria, for which a prohibitive bill will be submitted to an embattled Saudi King-to-be, running helter skelter between Yemen, Syria, Qatar and the occupants of Riyadhs Ritz Carlton Hotel.
A certain situational quid pro quo is invariably at play to justify Irans infrequent allusion to the Kashmir card.

Eyebrows were raised in India when Irans foreign minister Javad Zarif called out China and Pakistan to join the development of Chabahar port, just a month after New Delhi inked a pact with Tehran to lease a part of the strategic port. Mr Zarif was on a three-day Pakistan visit, leading a 30-member business delegation, when he is said to have made the outreach while delivering a lecture at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, a think tank backed by Pakistans foreign ministry. Adding to the situational tease was the assurance by the Iranian minister that it would not allow its territory to be used against Pakistans interests and a reciprocal assurance came forthwith by Pakistan (though this part didnt hog the media limelight). The optics were further spiced with the de rigueur meeting of the Iranian delegation with Pakistans Army Chief Gen. Javed Bajwa and national security adviser Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua (Retd).

Was it an unnecessary over-read of the normal diplomatic courtesies and generalities by New Delhi? Or was it in line with the occasional tease and insertion of the Kashmir angularity that Tehran tactically deploys? As recently as last year, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei had clubbed the people of Kashmir, along with Yemeni, Syrian and Bahrainis, as part of his sermon on the many wounds inflicted on the body of the Islamic world! It was a strange insertion of the K word with three other citizenries as the Iranian accusation had a decided anti-sectarian slant, and was basically targeting the Sunni majority, Saudis, Egyptians and Emiratis. This surprising addition didnt persist too long and was not raised again in the subsequent sermons  observers attributed it to a typical pressure tactic by Tehran to register its own concerns over Indias slow progress on Chabahar, and the parallel deepening of New Delhis ties with Arab sheikhdoms, and worse, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. This unwarranted mention of Kashmir last year was previously done in 2010 when India had shocked Iran by voting against it at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A certain situational quid pro quo is invariably at play to justify Irans infrequent allusion to the Kashmir card. Actually, it was Iran which had famously saved the day for India in 1994 when it had backed out of a crucial Organisation of Islamic Conference resolution on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. This resolution was proposed by Pakistan and was backed by the OIC forum in order to embarrass India; Irans sudden withdrawal aborted the OIC resolution as it operates on the principle of consensus.

Historically, Iran has been careful to refrain from positing Kashmir in its political rhetoric, just like it avoids mentioning Chechnya, Kosovo or Xinjiang, in order to retain good relations with Russia, Serbia and China. For Pakistan, co-religiosity (as Islamabad insists on calling Iran a brotherly Islamic state) and a 909-km border contiguity is still worth only about $1 billion of annual trade with Iran, whereas Tehrans civilisational friendship with India across thousands of kilometers of the Arabian Sea has still managed over $13 billion of trade (despite some sanctions still in place). Clearly, the fact that the ummah and the enflamed Middle Eastern battlegrounds are sharply divided along sectarian lines and the fact that Pakistan has decided to throw its weight with the Saudi-led bloc is a matter of fundamental irreconcilability for Iran.

The Prince Mohammad bin Salman-led Saudi Arabia has raised tempers and upped its ante against Iran with the formation of the 41-nation (including Pakistan, but without Shia-ruled Iran, Iraq and Syria) Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC)  a military confederation-led by former Pakistan military chief Gen. Raheel Sharif. The Riyadh-headquartered IMCTC is seen as a bulwark against the growing Iranian footprint in the region and against Iranian proxies like Yemeni Houthis and Lebanese Hezbollah. The faultlines between the two blocs are widening, with the Iranians calling the young Saudi prince a man of simple mind while Mohammad bin Salman had equated the Iranian leadership to Hitler!

Even bilaterally, beyond the sectarian dissonance and the alignment of Pakistan with the Saudi-led bloc, Iran has been mulling over legal options to force Pakistan to complete its side of the IP gas pipeline. Whispers are rife of a $1 billion compensation suit by Iran against Pakistan at the International Court of Justice. Afghanistan is another sore point in the Iran-Pakistan equation, where the Pakistani complicity with the Afghan Taliban has cemented the India-Afghanistan-Iran alignment, which vehemently opposes the duplicitous role played by Pakistan. The bonhomie, optimism and personalised touches in Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis recent visit to India were in sharp contrast to the constant yo-yo in Iran-Pakistan affairs, which are also susceptible to flareups. A few years back, Iran had warned Pakistan that it would target militant hideouts inside Pakistan if Islamabad didnt act against Sunni jihadists operating inside Pakistan  the same accusation against Pakistan that is made by India and Afghanistan.

Given this background, Irans assurances that the Chabahar port project was not meant to encircle Pakistan or strangulate anybody may have been misconstrued overenthusiastically by the Pakistani establishment to be a counterpoise to the Indo-Iranian strategic convergence. However, the barely veiled and loaded wordsmithing of roping in its nemesis, Saudi Arabia, in the conversational framework was a left-handed move. Our relations with India, just like Pakistans relations with Saudi Arabia, are not against Pakistan, as we understand Pakistans relations with Saudi Arabia are not against Iran. The reality of Pakistans abject surrender, servility and commitment to Saudi Arabia in all its affairs is a well-established fact that Tehran fully comprehends. The spin doctors in Islamabad may have had a field day in twisting contexts, but the history, fundamentals and strategic underpinnings that define bilateral equations will always prefer an Indo-Iranian equation over the intrigues of Pakistani-Iranian dynamics.
The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries affairs while in the mission.

Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there. (Photo: AP)

Quito: Ecuador on Wednesday said it has stopped Julian Assanges ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up since 2012.

The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries affairs while in the mission, an Ecuadoran government statement said without elaborating.

Under that deal, Assange had pledged to not send messages that could be seen as interference in relations with other countries, the statement said, adding that it could take other, unspecified measures if he persisted.

The move to cut off Assange came after he used Twitter on Monday to challenge Britains accusation that Russia was responsible for the March 4 nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent in the English city of Salisbury.

Assange also questioned the decision by Britain and more than 20 countries to retaliate against the poisoning by expelling Russian diplomats deemed spies.

The comments prompted a British Foreign Office minister, Alan Duncan, to brand Assange a miserable little worm who should leave the embassy to turn himself over to British authorities.

In another tweet-storm on Tuesday, Assange attacked the arrest in Germany of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont under an EU warrant issued by Spain over Puigdemonts failed bid last year to declare independence for his Spanish region.

Assanges behavior, with his messages on social networks, puts at risk our good relations with Britain and the European Union, the Ecuadoran government text said.

Online activity

Assange, 46, has spent much of his time in his small room in the embassy tweeting and at times contributing to RT, a Russian state-owned television channel that broadcasts Kremlin messaging, as well as taking part in media conferences via video link.

In 2016, Ecuador briefly suspended his internet connection for posting documents online that were seen as having an impact on the US presidential election from which Donald Trump emerged the victor.

In May 2017, Ecuadoran president Lenin Moreno asked Assange to refrain from commenting on the separatist crisis in Spains Catalonia region, after he tweeted that Madrid was guilty of repression.

An analyst, Michel Levi of the Simon Bolivar Andean University, said he believed the decision to render Assange incommunicado isnt a change of policy in terms of his asylum, but rather to keep him to his conditions of staying in the embassy.

Extradition fear

Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there.

Assange claims the accusations were politically motivated and could lead to him being extradited to the United States to face imprisonment over WikiLeaks publication of secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Sweden dropped its investigation last year, but British authorities say they still want to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions.

Ecuador in December made Assange an Ecuadoran citizen and unsuccessfully tried to register him as a diplomat with immunity as part of its efforts to have the WikiLeaks founder leave the embassy without risk of being detained.

Ecuadors foreign minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said Wednesday that a delegation would meet with Assanges lawyers in London next week to explore what alternatives existed to have Assange be able to leave the embassy.

We continue to hold dialogue with the United Kingdom to seek a definitive and durable solution to this situation, she added.
Msgr. Georges Abou Khazen describes the climate of Holy Week in a city at war for eight years. Powers and foreign interests are stripping the country bare and dividing the spoils. Confirmations symbol of a living community struggling to survive. On Good Friday a nighttime procession through the churches of the city.

Aleppo (AsiaNews) - The Christian community is experiencing the celebrations of the Holy Week that prepare for Easter "in a mixed climate" of "hope", so that we can soon arrive "at peace" but also of "skepticism", because we still do not know "how it will really end". These are the words of the Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo of the Latins Msgr. Georges Abou Khazen speaking to AsiaNews. He cannot mask his concern "for the new foreign intervention [that of Turkey, in Afrin] in the north of the country". "We hope for the best - he adds - but the feeling is that they are stripping this poor country bare and are dividing its spoils".

The prayer intentions of the faithful, says the prelate, are "always reaching for peace. When the weapons cease, then it will be possible to start working again and return to a more peaceful, serene life, as it was before the conflict ". "It is moving - the prelate continues - to see all these people who gather to participate in prayers, celebrations, rituals with a single desire that unites them: to celebrate peace". This, he adds, "will be the eighth Easter of war. However, the hope remains that the testimony of Christ the Savior can instill a renewed optimism and that, after the Via Crucis, the Resurrection will come".

The Syrian conflict recently entered its eight year and continues to claim victims among the civilian population. Aleppo, once the economic and commercial capital of Syria, today bears the marks of this long and bloody journey: many industries and workshops, the heart of local production, are reduced to rubble. Thousands of families have fled and the Christian community itself has shrunk by more than two-thirds. The future remains an unknown factor, especially for young people.

In a context of violence and devastation, in recent years the Church has launched several projects to support and help the population. These include campaigns to keep the city clean, aid to young married couples, from food parcels to funds for electricity supplies, summer camps for hundreds of children, contributions to cover health care costs and medicines, visits, exams, treatments. They are all initiatives in favor of the needy, which in many cases the people of Aleppo - for years the epicenter of the Syrian conflict until the liberation in December 2016  could not access.

But from a tormented city there are also signs of hope: on March 18, 35 young people from the Latin parish received the sacrament of Confirmation from the hands of the Apostolic Vicar, together with the local parish priest Fr. Ibrahim Alsabagh. The sign of a living community that wants to grow and witness to the presence of Christ, source of peace and salvation. "The number of the faithful - underlines Msgr. Georges - in these years has diminished but ours remains a living Church. Seeing the assiduousness with which people attend the functions is a source of hope. If the Lord will save us and give us a future, it will also be thanks to this living community ".

"We have experienced death and destruction - says the prelate - but at the same time we have lived great testimonies of love and solidarity. The war continues and new victims die every day, an exaggerated number of deaths. People continue to flee from the country. Faced with all this suffering we cannot remain deaf and impassive, even after eight years we cannot resign ourselves to the logic of violence and war".

Faith is stronger than death, underlines the prelate, that is why the ceremonies are always crowded with the faithful. Among the most significant moments of the coming days "the Christians of Aleppo will visit all the churches of the city following the rites of Good Friday. A sort of procession that winds through the streets of the city and will end late at night ". "On the occasion of Easter - he concludes - I renew the invitation to pray for this community of ours, which is alive. That the Risen Christ give peace to Aleppo and all of Syria. "(DS)
It is the first reduction since 1994, when the VAT system was launched. Taxes will be reduced from 17% to 16% in the manufacturing sector; in the transport, construction, telecommunications and agricultural sectors, they will be lowered from 11% to 10%. All these measures will be applied to Chinese and foreign companies.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - China has announced a reduction in value added tax for some sectors of the economy, equivalent to a saving of 400 billion yuan (about 53 billion euros).

The tax cut, which will be effective from May 1, is the first since 1994, when the country adopted the tax reform and assumed the so-called VAT system.

Taxes will be reduced from 17% to 16% in the manufacturing sector; in the transport, construction, telecommunications and agricultural sectors, they will be lowered from 11% to 10%.

All these measures were decided in a meeting of the Council of State, held yesterday and chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

Another decision is the reduction of fees for small businesses. So far, those companies that had sales of up to 800 thousand yuan were eligible for the reduction. Now the basis for requesting a tax reduction is 5million yuan.

All these measures will be applied to Chinese and foreign companies.

According to some researchers, the 1% reduction in VAT is too low to bring real benefits to small and medium-sized businesses.
by Kamran Chaudhry

The police registered a case against 14 doctors, 20 security guards and 10 nurses. Suneel Saleem was killed because he asked that his sister be seen by doctors at the Services Hospital. The latter filed a counter complaint against Christians. This is a shame, says priest.

Lahore (AsiaNews)  A Christian man who suffered critical injuries after he was beaten by doctors and security guards died at Lahores Services Hospital where the incident took place.

Despite his serious injuries, Suneel Saleem was left unattended for hours before being moved to intensive care. He had rushed to the hospital after his two sisters, Mehwish and Kiran were beaten and segregated by male nurses for asking that a gynecologist visit the heavily pregnant Kiran. The one available at the time, Dr Saira, was however on a break, drinking tea.

Mehwish Saleem spoke to AsiaNews, describing the tragic curse of events. On Monday, she and her sister Kiran came to the hospital. "They admitted my elder sister, who is nine-month pregnant, but the doctor would not visit her, Mehwish said, because he was sipping tea.

When they approached the doctor, the latter shouted at them, Get the hell out of here. When the sisters insisted, the woman doctor threatened to keep my sister in for three weeks without permission to eat or meet our family.

"During the exchange, she hit Kirans belly with a [medical] file. I caught her as she stumbled. Then she saw the cross on my neck. Mehwish reports that she and her sister were slapped, abused and locked in a room. Their admittance cards and Kirans private medical file were taken.

When Suneel heard about what had happened to his sisters, he rushed to the hospital with relatives.

"The doctors then called the hospitals security agents who locked us up in separate rooms, then they beat my relatives up in another room. My brother was hit with a glass slab. Even after he fainted, they slapped him. When he stopped breathing, the guards and the doctors thought he was faking it.

Suneel was eventually attached to a respirator in the intensive care unit at around 10.30 m. Five hours later his lifeless body was handed over to relatives.

The police received a complaint for murder against 14 doctors, 20 security guards and 10 nurses. The statement notes that the incident began with the dispute involving Dr Saira.

Reacting to the incident, at least 300 Christians staged a protest yesterday in front of the Lahore Press Club led by the Rising Christian Union, which called for "action against the doctors and staff".

Meanwhile, Dr Amiruddin, the medical superintendent at Services Hospital, filed a complaint against the victim's family, accusing them of seriously injuring a security agent.

The incident is a disgrace, said Fr Abid Habib, former president of Major Superiors Leadership Conference of Pakistan. Who would expect such a thing from doctors.

For the clergyman, It is a shameful that they are [now] claiming that the young doctors are innocent. It is shameful that patients and their family members are mistreated instead of receiving assistance. People even have to pay bribes to get a staff member to see a patient.

More will follow. A committee was set up to probe the matter. They are expected to give a report. As usual they will try their best to quash the case and justice will not be done. They have ruined Easter celebrations for the whole community.
In his homily, Mgr Kikuchi, calls for openness to the wider community, to the idea of creating an evangelising mind". Dedicated to praying for others, Lent saw every Sunday focus on a different theme and a different paper flower, symbol of the "crosses of the world". Young people must be brought closer to the Church and Jesus.

Tokyo (AsiaNews)  Mgr Tarcisio Kikuchi, the new archbishop of Tokyo, delivered the homily in todays Chrism Mass. In it, he focused on the mission, on showing growing openness to others, to the wider community, to the idea of creating an evangelising mind in our communities, starting with the clergy", said Fr Andrea Lembo, regional superior of Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Japan. The archbishop, he added, is very much mission-oriented, something we looked forward to".

For Fr Lembo, who is parish priest at the Holy Family Church in Fuchu (western Greater Tokyo), the mission towards others is a must. Every Sunday during Lent, the community started the week with a "prayer for others" on a different topic, symbolised by a paper flower that worshippers picked up from baskets at the back of the church, and then brought back the following week and attached to the cross (pictured).

"The first one occurred during the visit of a nun who has volunteered in Fukushima since 2011. For this reason, we prayed on the first Sunday for the volunteers of the world, for those who help people in need, that the Lord may give them strength.

On the second Sunday we prayed for the victims of natural disasters; on the third for those who will be baptised on Easter Eve; on the fourth for refugees, especially children; and on the fifth for the sick, those in need."

"Thus, through the Resurrection of the Lord we remember that we too have collaborated to carrying the crosses that exist in the world. On Easter Eve, the crucifix will be completely covered with flowers, Fr Lembo explained.

The aim "is a simple thing, reawaken the idea of prayer for others, learning about others. For this reason, every week I give out articles on the issues we pray for: not only the statistics about migrants, but also the beautiful stories of migrants who came back to life thanks to the way they were received, a process in which young people participated. I asked them to lead these celebrations".

The missionary hopes to reach as many people as possible. For this reason, he chose to replace the evening Mass on the second Saturday of the month with the Taize* prayer, led by young people with the music.

The goal is to create more room. For non-Catholics, the Mass is hard to understand. By contrast the Taize prayer is easier: one repeats it by chanting a Gospel verse. It is very meditative and has a broad range that brings people closer to the Church, to Jesus."

Young people will enliven the Coena Domini tonight and the Adoration of the Cross tomorrow with the Taize songs, with the same musical instruments used in the prayers recited in the past few months.

"In addition, hard-boiled eggs will be handed out," the missionary said. "I will bless them on Easter Sunday, and we will give them out.

This year I asked the community to open up to the wider community. I have parishioners who help the homeless and poor families.

"I told them: Lets buy more eggs and between Easter afternoon and Monday or Tuesday  when we take turns to volunteer  we give a simple note with our best wishes, the explanation of what Easter is, and five or six eggs per family.

It will be a sign of our openness to the people of Fuchu, through the little things we do."

* Taize is the community founded by frere Roger in Taize, France.
by Nirmala Carvalho

The Sister Disciples of the Divine Master run the institute "Divya Kala Kendra, offering lessons in music and dance of Indian and Western tradition. The purpose of the school is to support respect for plurality.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The Sister Disciples of the Divine Master are celebrating the second anniversary of the "Divya Kala Kendra" arts center in Prarthanlaya (Mumbai). In the center the nuns teach music, songs and dances typical of the Indian tradition. A delegation from Rome, where the congregation is based, was present for the ceremony. Speaking to AsiaNews, Sr. Lidia Awoki, among the general councilors from Italy, states: "We are very proud that our sisters make this great contribution to society, keeping alive the rich cultural heritage of India".

The nun explains that "the charism of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master is not the social apostolate [but priestly and liturgical, ed.]. Despite this, wherever we are, our presence is witness and we contribute to the development of society ". The center "Divya Kala Kendra", she adds, "helps to shape and outline the future of society".

In the center for the figurative arts, the religious teach liturgical music of both Hindi and Western tradition. Sister Sushma, with a degree in Indian classical dance, teaches various types of traditional dances: Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Orissi and Kathak. Sr. Amita Mascarenhas, regional superior of the community, transmits her skills on the music typical of the Hindustan region [which includes the northern areas of the Indian subcontinent, ed.].

The aim of the school is to support respect for plurality, to transmit the richness of Indian cultural heritage and to impart its diversity to students, so that everyone can remain faithful to their identity, contributing to society and to the process of national construction. During the ceremony, the pupils performed with guitar and piano in compositions of classical and western derivation. They also performed the traditional Koli dance.
The director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, issued a statement on the matter.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  There is no imminent agreement between the Holy See and China, said Greg Burke, director of the Holy See Press Office, responding to a reporters question.

I can say that that the signing of an agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China is not imminent," Burke said.

"I would also like to stress that the Holy Father Francis remains in constant contact with his collaborators on Chinese issues and follows the progress of ongoing talks.
Some 32,100 children were born in January, 8 per cent less than in January 2017. Monthly childbirths have decreased on-year every month since December 2015. The fertility rate now stands at 1.05, half of what is needed to reproduce the population.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The number of births in South Korea has hit another negative record, government data showed Wednesday, in the latest sign of the chronic low birthrate for more than a decade.

About 32,100 babies were born in January, down 8 per cent, from 34,900 tallied a year earlier.

Monthly childbirths have decreased on-year every month since December 2015.

The number of babies born in 2017 reached 357,700, down 11.9 per cent. The figure marked the lowest number of newborns since the statistics agency started to compile such data in 1970.

The total fertility rate, or the number of babies that a woman is projected to have during her lifetime, fell to 1.05 last year, half of the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman.

South Korea's population is expected to decline after 2032 due to low birthrates, this according to government data released on 22 March.

Coupled with a rapidly aging population, a low birthrate can reduce the available workforce in Asia's fourth-largest economy and drive up welfare costs, including measures to encourage people to have more children.

In fact, the South Korean government has poured 80 trillion won (US$ 74.5 billion) into dealing with the low birthrate for the past decade.

Government figures also indicate that the number of deaths came to 31,600 in January, up 22 per cent, from a year earlier, whilst the number of marriages stood at 24,400 in January, up 2.5 per cent.

Conversely, data for 2017 show that the overall number of marriages has not gone up. Last year, 264,500 couples got married, down 6.1 per cent from the previous year.
By Andrew Dempster, Director, Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research; Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Tel

from www.shutterstock.com

Its been a long time coming, but Australia is finally going to have a Space Agency. This will enable Australian space industries to benefit from agency-to-agency agreements and collaborations, and facilitate our participation in the growing global space market.

The Federal Government appointed an Expert Review Panel to map out how the Agency should operate. As we wait for its report  the final strategy was scheduled to be submitted in March 2018  two space experts offer their perspectives on what we might expect.





Read more:

Lost in space: Australia dwindled from space leader to also-ran in 50 years





What will an Australian Space Agency need in terms of people, resources and infrastructure?

Andrew Dempster:

It seems clear there is a real appetite on both sides of politics for an agency for our times, that embraces the excitement being generated by Space 2.0  that is, commercial entities, low-cost access to space and avoiding some of the baggage of the older legacy agencies.

Its likely the focus will be on growing the Australian space industry, with less emphasis on space exploration, human space flight and space science. However, for the agency to have any impact or credibility, the people, resources and infrastructure must be provided at an adequate level.

I have in the past pointed to the UK agency as a good model  it basically cost nothing initially and significant funding followed when it succeeded. Now, I dont think we can afford to replicate this in Australia. The agency needs to be properly funded from the beginning. Penny-pinching will kill it.





Read more:

Investing in space: what the UK Space Agency can teach Australia





Alice Gorman:

Weve been here before and seen how a lack of resourcing plays out. The 1980s Australian Space Board was managed by a small office within the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce, but it fizzled out after ten years and we were back to square one. Theres a strong feeling in the Australian space community that a substantial investment in a stand-alone agency is the only way to avoid another death by bureaucracy.

In terms of personnel, well need leadership with credibility and experience in the global space arena, people familiar with how existing space activities across government departments work, and probably therell be a role for some kind of advisory or expert panels.

The structure will also be important. NASA, for example, runs 11 research centres, and the European Space Agency has nine centres or facilities, including the Kourou launch site in French Guiana. They support human spaceflight programs as well as deep space exploration. Both organisations use private contractors, and large chunks of the private space sector rely on them as clients. This is not a model that Australia can sustain.

Personally, I think its critical that the new agency also takes Indigenous interests on board. Indigenous people cant be left out of conversations about the future of Australian space technologies.





Read more:

Friday essay: trace fossils  the silence of Ediacara, the shadow of uranium





How strongly should the Space Agency be linked with Defence programs?

Andrew Dempster:

Recently the Australian Strategic Policy Institute argued that we must develop a solid space industry for our own strategic and Defence needs. However, strong industries such as that in the US have a dominant civilian space sector.

So I would argue that to avoid this strategic weakness, it is more important to reinforce the independence of the civilian agency from Defence. It is the job of the agency to ensure this independence. Being overly close to Defence is likely to hamper the current civilian commercial drive so effectively being driven by the start-up community. Having a thriving civilian space sector can only benefit Defence anyway.

Alice Gorman:

I agree with Andrew that forging a new civil and commercial space identity is essential.

Because the Woomera rocket launch site, one of our most significant space assets, is located in South Australia, as well as the Defence Science and Technology Group  which grew out of the Cold War weapons program  South Australia has traditionally been the focus of Defence-related space activities.









Defence Image Gallery





At this stage we can be hopeful that a properly funded space agency will allow equal participation across all states.

Where should Australias Space Agency be located?

Alice Gorman:

Theres interest in where the agency will be located because there will be jobs associated with it. Ive had so many enquiries from acquaintances  and strangers  asking about this.

People probably are thinking it will be something like NASA, with a whole industrial complex. Were not anything like that scale. Having said that, a Canberra-based headquarters supported by state-based centres makes a lot of sense.

Andrew Dempster:

Ive written a lot about Australias space agency, and recently I outlined an example of why a federal approach is essential: using space assets to monitor the Murray Darling Basin to avoid water theft.





Read more:

Preventing Murray-Darling water theft: a space agency can help Australia manage federal resources





In terms of location, I agree there will need to be an administrative presence in Canberra, to interact with the Federal Government. Other satellite sites should reflect where the action is.

If there are to be satellite offices, they need to be close to where the industry is currently active, and where it is developing. This may require some sort of representation in each state.

Senator Kim Carrs recent announcement of Labors policy of several hubs and centres lends itself very well to distributed activity around the country. Bipartisanship on that issue would be very helpful.

Which Australian states have relevant space capabilities right now?

Alice Gorman:

I live in South Australia, so am naturally well acquainted with this states space achievements! A number of exciting new start-ups such as Fleet, Neumann Space and Myriota are based in Adelaide.

The South Australian Space Industry Centre funds space accelerator and incubator programs. Every year, we host the International Space University Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program.





Read more:

A sports car and a glitter ball are now in space  what does that say about us as humans?





The three universities in South Australia have strengths in satellite telecommunications, space law and space heritage. At the international level, South Australia has been developing relationships with the French national space agency (CNES), as well as French aerospace industries.

Andrew Dempster

I am from NSW so I have a particular interest in the NSW Department of Industry submission to the expert review panel. It suggested the future Australian Space Agency should be based in NSW and goes on to list 17 reasons why NSW dominates in space, such as having the largest space workforce, revenue, research effort, number of start-ups, venture capital and law presence.

The only centre funded by the Australian Research Council on space is in NSW, and two of the four satellites built and launched last year involved my university.

However, I dont believe there is any benefit to highlighting one state over another. Im with Raytheon Australia, whose official position is that state rivalry for Defence work is getting hysterical and we should be avoiding that with space work.





Read more:

Three new reports add clarity to Australia's space sector, a 'crowded and valuable high ground'





Really exciting things are happening in space all over Australia. Australias launch company Gilmour Space Technologies operates out of Queensland. A lot of space start-ups are being nurtured by Moonshot X in Victoria. Western Australia boasts the Desert Fireball Network and the only Australian picosat (small satellite) developer, Picosat Systems. The ACT hosts the large testing facility, the Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre.

Alice Gorman:

Back in 1958, the beginning of the Space Age, Australia was one of the founding members of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Weve been kind of missing in action ever since.

The new Space Agency will allow us to have a credible voice on issues that may impact Australia  such as revisions to the international space treaties. Its going to be exciting times ahead!

Andrew Dempster is director of Seaskip Pty Ltd. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Defence Materials Technology Centre. He sits on the Advisory Committee of the Space Industry Association of Australia. He made a personal submission to the Expert Review Panel.

Alice Gorman is a Director on the Board of the Space Industry Association of Australia, and a member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Opinions expressed here are her own.

Originally published in The Conversation.
It doesn't matter where you are, you would need to lodge the child visa while the child is offshore. It's possible you may have better luck getting a visitor visa after that's done with the reason that you want the child to be able to be with you in Australia while their offshore application is being processed. However you'd need to take the child offshore briefly (a short trip to NZ, Bali, etc. is sufficient) when they are ready to grant the visa. There is no bridging visa available when you lodge an offshore application.
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A Miami man was arrested in Polk County Tuesday evening after officials say he traveled to Polk to kidnap and sexually batter a 10-year-old girl whom he met online.

Sheriff: Miami man groomed 10-year-old Polk girl online

Jonathan Fundora arrested, charged

Fundora accused of kidnapping, sexually battering girl

The 23-year-old suspect, Jonathan Fundora, is charged with several crimes including kidnapping, sexual battery on a victim under 12, traveling to meet a minor, and possession of child pornography, officials said.

Sheriff Grady Judd said during a news conference that Fundora had "groomed" the child for nearly six weeks before traveling to Polk County.

According to the report, Fundora picked up the young girl at the end of the road where she lives. The victim left a note for her parent saying that she was going to stay at a friend's house for three days. Sheriff Judd said as soon as the parent found the note and realized the girl was gone, the parent immediately called to report the child missing.

Deputies were able to locate the suspect and victim at a Motel 6 in Lakeland within 35 minutes.

When deputies banged on the room door, Judd said the suspect answered the door in his underwear. He also said deputies found the girl hiding in the bathroom wearing a dog collar and a baby pacifier hanging around her neck.

"This suspect groomed and manipulated a little girl online and then traveled all the way to Polk County to sexually abuse her - he is the poster child for why it is critical that parents monitor their children's activities online. I commend our patrol deputies for catching him in the act of sexually abusing a child, and I shudder to think of what the other horrible consequences would have been had her parent not immediately reported her missing. We will do everything in our power to ensure he spends the rest of his life behind bars," Sheriff Judd said.

The suspect was booked into the Polk County jail on Wednesday afternoon and will have a first appearance hearing at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Jurors in the Noor Salman trial will deliberate for a third day on charges she helped her husband with the attack on Pulse nightclub, one of the worst mass shootings in modern U.S. history.

After more than 12 hours of deliberations Thursday, jurors decided to head home and come back to the Orlando federal courthouse on Good Friday to continue mulling over a mass of evidence entered at trial.

Their main mission is to answer the question: Did Salman willingly help and support her husband carry out an attack that killed 49 people?

"Its really both for jury," said attorney David Haas, who is not involved with the trial. "They have to deliberate on facts and then interpret those legal definitions theyve been given to see if the facts match up to the crime or crimes. Theres five elements for count one, four elements for count two and its a really a matter of seeing which facts go to which element," Haas said.

"Its a difficult, tedious process.

Noor Salman defense team leaving federal court as jury ends day of deliberations. Jury to return 9AM Friday. Fritz Scheller asked thoughts on timing: Thats the way the system works. @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/f9qdij4zOP  Greg Angel (@NewsGuyGreg) March 29, 2018

The jurors came out at one point Thursday morning with a question about the elements of the charges that Salman is facing. Salman is charged with obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting and providing material support to a terrorist organization.

Jurors wanted to know specifically on the count of aiding and abetting, where it outlines willful actions. They also asked for guidance on how to define "encouragement" and "support."

Judge Paul Bryon replied it is up to the jury to look at all of the evidence and define for themselves what "encouragement" and "support" mean.

Here is Judge Paul Byrons response to Noor Salman Trial jury question: What constitutes willful support and encouragement for Material Support of Terrorism? @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/HaOsBEk5m4  Greg Angel (@NewsGuyGreg) March 29, 2018

These charges focus on whether Salman knowingly helped and supported her husband, Omar Mateen, in the June 2016 massacre that left 49 dead and whether she intentionally lied to investigators about what she knew about plans for the attack.

A panel of 12 unidentified jurors are weighing the evidence presented by both sides in the case. The jury includes seven white women, four white men and a Hispanic man.



Legal expert David Haas spoke about the process involved in deliberations.

@MyNews13 Legal Expert David Haas explains how jurors tell the judge theyve reached a verdict in Noor Salman trial. (NOTE: as of 2:45P Thursday there is NO verdict). @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/Y1spsIyxvm  Greg Angel (@NewsGuyGreg) March 29, 2018

Salman family spokeswoman Susan Clary described the defendant as a "housewife" and "mother" who had a sheltered life.

.@susanclary: "She was a housewife, a mother, didn't work outside the home. She depended on (Mateen) for everything. The bottom fell out after the 11th hour interrogation and her arrest." @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/qLD9OoPv7f  Julie Gargotta (@juliegargotta) March 29, 2018

During closing arguments Wednesday, prosecutors told the jury they think Mateen originally planned to attack Disney Springs and not the gay nightclub.

The prosecution maintains that Salman was in on that plan. However, the defense team said she didn't know what Mateen was going to do.

They also think the shakeup in the prosecution's argument helps their case.



"We have now known for a year and a half what their theory was, and it was all about the scouting of Pulse and casing of Pulse," defense attorney Linda Moreno said. "And then all of a sudden for the first time, in the closing argument, that is not their emphasis anymore. Now it's Disney."

Jurors must reach a unanimous verdict on both charges.

Salman family not outside courthouse

Each day, Salmans family has been outside the federal courthouse in downtown Orlando to support her. But family members weren't out there Thursday morning.

The family is very nervous, but theyre hopeful. They are in seclusion and resting," Clary said. "They didnt want to have to come to the courthouse to sit and wait. Its a very difficult thing to sit and wait anyway, but to wait at the courthouse is even more frustrating.

Clary said Salman herself is afraid, but insists on her innocence.

She wants the people of Orlando to hear the truth about her and about the fact that she did not know what he (Mateen) was doing. And that if she had known, she wouldve told somebody.

Earlier Thursday, a provocative blogger got kicked out and cited for trespassing after filming on federal property.


The Polk County Sheriffs Office has had zero unsolved homicides for the past nine years, according to Sheriff Grady Judd. He said theyre in the ballpark of solving their latest one.

Judd: team has solved more than 148 homicides in past 9 years

Team utilizes detectives from different divisions

Tips from large social media following also very helpful

According to Judd, the team has solved more than 148 homicides during in the past nine years.

Do you know our homicide team is the best in the nation? said Judd. If you come here and commit a crime, we are going to chase you to the ends of the earth."



Judd said his agency floods a homicide crime scene with between 20 to 30 investigators immediately. The detectives come from different divisions in the sheriffs office, including homicide, crime scene analysts, intelligence and narcotics investigators.

Initially, Judd said they work the case for up to 72 hours straight.



We have to get the evidence," he explained. "If you miss that evidence, many times you cant come back a week or two weeks later and get it."



Judd said obtaining surveillance video is key. Its what helped them arrest a FEMA contractor on Jan. 10, who detectives accused of robbing and killing a man during a gun sale.



We saw where he purchased fuel and gas. You see technology documents, everything, Judd said.



According to the arrest affidavits for the three suspects, Gerjuan Jackson, Kenley Campbell and Darril Rankin, detectives saw Campbells car on surveillance video entering and leaving the gun sellers neighborhood. They also were able to get his license plate and a picture of him driving off of the turnpikes surveillance system, as well as determine there were two others in the car.

The affidavit said they were also able to track the Campbells cell phone from Mobile, Alabama, where the three suspects are from, to near the victims home, at the time the murder occurred. Polk detectives also found Jacksons official FEMA contractor identification during the investigation.



Judd said having nearly 200,000 followers on his agencys Facebook page is also helpful.



With the social media we have today, people will call you and give you information, Judd said.



Judd said another tactic they use is reaching out to people on probation or with outstanding warrants who live near the crime scene to see if they can provide relevant information to the case.

Judd believes bringing all those resources to bear will soon yield results as the team works on the murder of Mulberry resident Tammy Butler, 58, who was found deceased in her home on Thursday, March 22, 2018.
Three adults and two teenagers have been arrested and charged in Pinellas County with beating and robbing a 17-year-old male, according to authorities.

Five charged with beating, robbing 17-year-old

Three adults, two juveniles arrested

17-year-old victim lured to park by suspect

The incident occurred on March 17 at Boca Millennium Park in Seminole.

Deputies said the victim was lured to the park by a 17-year-old female suspect to "hang out." Once at the park, deputies said 19-year-old Jordan Wilson, 19-year-old Trevor Ahem, 18-year-old Dakota Mohr, and a 15-year-old male suspect jumped the victim from behind and began physically beating him. Deputies said they then forcefully took a gold chain, medallion, and $10 from the victim, before fleeing from the scene.

The victim sustained serious injuries including a fracture to his facial area, multiple lacerations, and multiple bruises to his face and body.

The five suspects were arrested and charged with strong arm robbery.

The two juveniles were taken to the Pinellas County Juvenile Assessment Center.
Oregon Coast Officials: Stay Away from Seal Pups, You Might Kill Them; Video

Published 03/28/2018 at 6:35 PM PDT - Updated 03/28/2018 at 7:05 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Oregon Coast)  Seal pupping season is about to arrive on the Oregon coast, and officials are bracing for their first report of a stranded young one on the beach. With the busy spring break weeks comes a warning from them: stay away from baby harbor seals. (All baby seal photos courtesy Seaside Aquarium and Tiffany Boothe).

In fact, trying to help them could kill them. They're insanely cute and they look cuddly, but you absolutely have to leave them alone.

The warning comes from several entities, including Lincoln City Visitors Center and the Seaside Aquarium's Tiffany Boothe.

Boothe said that well-meaning people sometimes think that a baby seal alone on the beach has been abandoned, but this is not the case. The mother is often nearby, watching, but will not approach with people around. If the baby seal is moved, it has no chance of reuniting with its mother.

Mammal researches have found that most pups reunite with their mothers after appearing to be abandoned' for many hours, Boothe said. Well-meaning people who remove seal pups from beaches are eliminating the possibility of the pup being reunited with their mother. These people are also violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and they may face criminal and or civil penalties.

The best thing for you to do is to keep well away from this seal pup thereby reducing stress on the pup and/or alarming its mother.

The aquarium has dealt with some especially dim-witted members of the public in the past when it comes to harbor seal pups. One year, aquarium manager Keith Chandler had to track down a nearly newborn and finally discovered it had been taken to someone's hotel room, where they had placed it in a bathtub.

Another example of bad behavior happened in 2007. A newborn  only a foot long  had been spotted in three different beaches just south of Cannon Beach. Numerous beach-goers picked it up and tried to put it back in the surf. This could've caused the pup serious harm, if these actions had somehow spooked the mother or otherwise caused the seal to get lost from her.

Seal pups on the beach are usually  almost always  there to rest. Like any baby, they need a lot of sleep. If you try to help and it spooks the mother away, the seal will likely die.

By trying to help you only ensure its death. This is why when the Seaside Aquarium - or any section of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network along the coast  responds to such calls they set up do not disturb signs around, and maybe even rope the area off.

Anyone who observes incidents of seal pup harassment, or animals in distress, should call the Oregon State Police at 1-800-452-7888. Oregon Coast Hotels in these areas - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours - More baby seal photos below courtesy Seaside Aquarium.

















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iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- The White House distanced itself Wednesday from the debate over police shootings of African Americans, saying issues regarding law enforcement are best left to the local communities involved.



Press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked in the daily briefing about the case of Stephon Clark, who was fatally shot by Sacramento police earlier this month and whose death has sparked multiple protests in the city. According to Sacramento Police Department body cam footage, Clark was unarmed though police could be heard on the footage yelling, gun, gun, gun as they fired a combined 20 shots. Police were responding to reports of someone in the neighborhood breaking car windows, and say Clark ran from officers when a police helicopter arrived at the scene.



While Sanders described the situation as a terrible incident, she said dealing with them is something we feel should be left up to local authorities.



Certainly, we want to make sure all law enforcement is carrying out the letter of the law, Sanders said. The president is very supportive of law enforcement. But at the same time, in these specific cases and these specific instances, those will be left up to local authorities to make that determination and not something for the federal government to weigh into.



Pressed later in the briefing by a reporter on whether the president is showing an absence of leadership on the issue, Sanders pushed back.



We want to find ways to bring the country together," Sanders said. "Certainly not looking for any place of division.



When asked what her message would be to the African American mothers who might fear for the lives of their sons and daughters, Sanders said the president doesnt draw a distinction between race when discussing the need to protect Americans.



I think we should do every single thing we can every single day to protect the people of this country, Sanders said. I think the president,  whether they're black, white, Hispanic, male or female, rich or poor  we look for ways to protect the individuals in this country, particularly children.



Her explanation comes as the president has been all but silent on the issue since taking office, with the exception of holding various events where he has urged a law and order crackdown and even told police officers to not be too nice to suspects they are arresting.



Separately, the claim that the president has been hesitant to weigh in on local law enforcement issues runs counter to his calls in 2017 to send the feds into Chicago to patrol the most dangerous areas.



The Obama White House had a similar reluctance to weigh in on a spate of police-involved shootings of African Americans, citing both the idea of influencing ongoing investigations as well as former President Barack Obama acknowledging the political sensitivities of adding his voice into the fray.



In the wake of the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in 2016, though, Obama said he considered them emblematic of some of the wider "racial disparities" in the criminal justice system.



"This is not just a black issue. It's not just a Hispanic issue," Obama said. "This is an American issue that we should all care about, all fair-minded people should be concerned."

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Every spring, Hindus across the world visit temples and apply sindoor, a red pigment, to their foreheads. This ritual is part of the annual Hindu festival of Hanuman Jayanti, also called Hanuman Janam-Utsav. The date of Hanuman Jayanti varies from year to year and across India. Communities in South India usually celebrate this festival during the Margazhi month of Moola Nakshathram as that month is believed to be when Hanuman was born. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, however, celebrate Hanuman Jayanti from Chaitra Purnima to the tenth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Vaishaka. Maharashtra places the holiday on the full moon day during the month of Chaitra.Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the birth of Lord Hanuman. Hanuman was the son of Anjana, a female spirit of the clouds and waters, and Desari, the chief of the vanara, a group of powerful monkey people who lived in the forests. The wind god Vayu also played a role in the conception and birth of Hanuman. Some texts identify Hanuman as an incarnation of Shiva, but Hanuman is best known for his role in the epic poem and sacred text the Ramayana, Ramas Journey.The Ramayana tells the story of the divine prince Rama. Rama was sent into exile unjustly by his stepmother, Kaikeyi. While in exile, Ramas wife, Sita, is abducted by the demon Ravana. Much of the epic poem is devoted to Ramas determined quest to rescue Sita from Ravana. Rama successfully recovers Sita and kills Ravana with the help of the vanara. Rama and Sita return to the kingdom of Ayodhya and usher in a golden age of humanity. Rama, the titular character of the Ramayana, is identified as an incarnation, or avatara, of the god Vishnu.Hanuman plays a central role in the Ramayana, and his stories are nearly always tied to those of Prince Rama, also called Lord Ram. Even before Hanumans birth, it was predicted that he would be a devotee of Lord Ram. After he was born, Hanuman was a trouble maker who, among other feats of mischief, tried to grab the sun from the sky. In response, powerful sages cursed Hanuman and made him forget his magic powers. Hanuman became a loyal servant to Rama and a commander of Ramas legions of monkeys. The memory of his powers was restored to Hanuman by Jambavan, the king of the bears, and as a result, Hanuman made a giant leap across the strait that lies between India and Sri Lanka to steal the medicinal herbs necessary to heal the wounded in Ramas army. When Hanuman struggled to identify the herbs, he picked up the entire mountain and brought that back to India. Before Hanuman left Sri Lanka, his tail was set on fire. Hanuman, however, used this fire to burn Sri Lanka to the ground.The Ramayana has multiple characters and relationships that are seen as exemplifying proper conduct. Rama and Laksmana, Ramas younger brother who goes with Rama into exile, are held up as the perfect example of fraternal love. Sita, meanwhile, is said to be the epitome of womanly purity and virtue. Some modern women, however, take issue with the treatment of Sita in the Ramayana. After her rescue by Rama, Sita undergoes a trial by fire to prove that she was not raped or seduced by Ravana. Despite the fact that her innocence is proven by the gods protecting her from the flames, the people of Ayodhya do not believe that Sita did not sleep, willingly or unwillingly, with Ravana. As such, Sita is sent into exile. She gives birth to a pair of twins before dying. In a country that is still struggling with the treatment of women and the deadly ritual of sati, some people feel that interpretations of the Ramayana need to be updated for the modern age. This idea, of course, is extremely controversial.Regardless of the debates that swirl around the Ramayana, Hanuman is held up as the embodiment of loyalty and devotion. These admirable traits are recognized year round at temples dedicated to Hanuman and given special attention during Hanuman Jayanti.During Hanuman Jayanti, Hindus take an early morning holy bath and either attend temples dedicated to Hanuman or perform puja at home if they have their own shrine dedicated to Hanuman. The Hanuman Chalisa is read in order to conquer evil spirits and provide mental peace to those reading and listening. People apply red powder to their foreheads in an echo of how Hanuman covered his whole body in sindoor to ensure Ramas immortality.The colorful festival celebrates the coexistence of humanity and natures creatures, as represented by Rama and Hanuman. Hanuman is also celebrated as a symbol of devotion, strength, magical powers and energy and also as the 11th Rudra avatara of the great god Shiva. Many devotees pray to Hanuman to be blessed with bravery, intelligence and loyalty like that which Hanuman displayed.Hanuman is a popular god among Hindus, and his temples are often filled with monkeys who know that humans cannot harm them so long as they are on temple grounds. Hindus, however, are not the only ones who recognize Hanuman. Hanuman also appears in Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism as well as in Indian pop culture. The Ramayana is one of Indias most beloved stories, and the myth has been retold in a variety of mediums. The television series Ramayan aired in India between 1987 and 1988. Ramayan drew so many viewers that India came to a standstill when the program aired as everyone with access to a television stopped what they were doing to watch the show. The myth also appeared as a big-budget primetime series in the 2008 show Ramayana.Hanuman has been honored for millennia, and that fact has not changed in the modern age. Thousands still flock to his temples and wear sindoor in recognition of his devotion to Rama. Hanuman himself would likely be pleased with this. There is, after all, something perfect about the determined loyalty of Hindus to the god who was known for his faithfulness.
For Immediate Release, March 29, 2018 Contact: Elise Bennett, (727) 755-6950, ebennett@biologicaldiversity.org New York Rule Will Prevent More Turtles From Drowning in Coastal Crab Traps Terrapin Excluder Devices Lessen Drowning Risk for Coastal Turtles ALBANY, N.Y. New regulations in New York will protect diamondback terrapins from drowning in crab traps. The Department of Environmental Conservation filed a notice of adoption of the turtle-protection rule Wednesday, responding to widespread support from conservation organizations and citizens, including the Center for Biological Diversity and its members. The rule now requires trappers to use small, inexpensive appliances called terrapin excluder devices on crab traps in most of the terrapins coastal habitat in New York. It reflects the culmination of a decades-long effort by wildlife officials, conservationists and the public to protect the states only estuarine turtle. Its a brighter day for New Yorks terrapins thanks to state wildlife officials, said Elise Bennett, a Center staff attorney dedicated to protecting rare reptiles and amphibians. Now that theyre no longer at risk of drowning in droves in crab traps, diamondback terrapins will have a chance to survive and recover in peace. Terrapin excluder devices keep terrapins out of traps by altering the size of the traps entrances so the majority of adult turtles cannot fit through. These devices can protect more than 70 percent of terrapins while having little to no effect on crab hauls. New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland have adopted rules requiring these devices, and South Carolina has teamed up with local crabbers to test them out in its coastal waters. Crab traps are lethal to terrapins. Enticed by the lure of fresh bait, they drown when they cannot escape. Gregarious by nature, terrapins have been known to follow one another into traps. One study reported 94 terrapins in a single trap. A body of studies conducted over 75 years show that these deaths in crab traps can decimate terrapin populations and have likely contributed to their decline. New Yorks new rule sets a shining example of how a small adjustment can make a tremendous difference for terrapins, said Bennett. Other coastal states along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico should follow New Yorks lead to ensure the survival of these unique and beautiful turtles. Diamondback terrapins, found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, are the only North American turtles that live exclusively where fresh water meets the sea. They are critical to coastal ecosystems, eating salt marsh periwinkle snails that can become overpopulated and devour marsh grasses that protect shorelines and sustain wildlife. In September, New York ended the commercial harvest of diamondback terrapins in state waters. More than 60 scientists signed a letter supporting the rule, explaining that the practice put New Yorks terrapins at risk. The latest rule will give terrapins an even greater chance at recovering from historic overharvest, crab trap mortality and other threats to them and their coastal habitat. The rule also allows the state to require terrapin excluder devices in other coastal areas if crab traps cause population declines. Background

As part of a campaign to protect turtles in the United States, the Center has petitioned for and advocated on behalf of state regulations that support the wellbeing of wild turtle populations. Earlier this month, in response to a Center petition, the Missouri Department of Conservation banned commercial collection of the states wild freshwater turtles. In September of last year, Nevada created a statewide ban on the destructive commercial collection of all reptiles and New York halted all commercial terrapin turtle harvesting. In March 2017, Iowa adopted new regulations setting closed seasons and possession limits for commercial turtle trappers. In 2012 Georgia approved state rules regulating the commercial collection of turtles, and Alabama completely banned commercial collection.

And in 2009 Florida responded by banning almost all commercial collection of freshwater turtles from public and private waters. The Center recently petitioned for a ban on unlimited commercial trapping in Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Media Advisory, March 29, 2018

Contact: Patrick Sullivan, (415) 517-9364, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org

Bay Area Film Screening to Explore U.S. Military's Threat to Endangered Marine Mammal

BERKELEY, Calif. The Center for Biological Diversity will hold a special screening on May 3 of Zan, an award-winning documentary about one of Earths most endangered marine mammals  the Okinawa dugong. The event is cosponsored by Turtle Island Restoration Network.

Using breathtaking underwater footage, the film explores the dugongs plight and the struggle of people in Okinawa, Japan, to protect these gentle manatee relatives.

Zan: In Search of the Last of the Okinawan Dugong examines a planned U.S. military airbase that would destroy crucial dugong habitat and wipe out the last members of this imperiled species.

Center attorney and activist Miyoko Sakashita will introduce the film. Shell discuss the dugongs role in Okinawas indigenous culture and how Bay Area residents can defend these animals.

The Center and other American and Japanese conservation groups and Okinawan citizens have sued to compel the U.S. military to fully consider the impacts of the airbase. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals last year affirmed that the lawsuit could proceed.

What: Screening of Zan, an award-winning documentary about how a U.S. military base threatens one of the Earths most endangered marine mammals: the Okinawa dugong.

When: Thursday, May 3, at 7 p.m.

Where: Rialto Elmwood Theater, 2966 College Ave, Berkeley, California.



Who: Attorney and activist Miyoko Sakashita will introduce the film and talk about the threat a planned U.S. military base expansion in Japan poses to the survival of these manatee relatives.

Register: Admission is free but please register in advance at https://ZantheFilm.brownpapertickets.com.

More info: Andrea Weber, (510) 844-7100, aweber@biologicaldiversity.org.

The Center and other American and Japanese conservation groups and Okinawan citizens have sued to compel the U.S. military to fully consider the impacts of the airbase. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals last year affirmed that the lawsuit could proceed.

Directed by Richard Grehan, Zan has been honored at the Global Film Festival Awards in Los Angeles and other film festivals around the world. More information at www.zanthemovie.com.
Ticket bookings are now open for Ciclope Africa, the regional leg of Ciclope, the leading international festival that recognises and rewards exceptional craft in moving image. This is the first ever African edition of Ciclope and 'Ciclope Africa' will take place on 10 April 2018 at Zeitz MOCAA Museum of Contemporary Art in Cape Town.

Its an international awards festival: Ciclope is lauded across the globe as the leading craft festival, and will be turning its attention to Africa for the first time ever, with the aim of shining a spotlight on the continents production talent. Those who feel that Africa has untapped potential which is not recognised globally; this is one you definitely dont want to miss. You get to watch renowned international speakers on stage: The festival will have big names like Daniel Bergmann, founder and managing director at Stink Film (UK); Peter Grasse, executive producer at Dictionary Films (Japan); and Mbithi Masya, director at Fat Rain Films (Kenya) on stage, sharing their insights and knowledge with the audience. Play witness to incredible shortlist work judged by respected local and international jurors: All shortlist work has been judged by a jury panel comprised of local and global talents, including Alistair King (King James), Amy Allais (Ola! Films), Ralph Laucella (O Positive, US), Trish Russell (AMV BBDO, UK), Debra Stubbs (Groundglass), Kim Geldenhuys (0307), Yash Deb (Isobar, Kenya) and Antoine Bagot (Ogilvy Paris, France), among others. Now is your chance to see the work these great minds will award as finalists. Fill up your Instagram feed: As Ciclope Africa will be held at Cape Towns new critically acclaimed Museum of Contemporary Art, Zeitz MOCAA, now is your chance to see what all the hype is about if you havent yet been. Get snacking: There will be an array of canapes and tasty tidbits available, so youll never go hangry. One for the gin fiends Gin fans will be happy to know that leading distiller Inverroche is sponsoring the welcome cocktails, so you can get your drink on while you mingle. Meet your production heroes in real life: Ciclope Africa will play host to those talented directors, creatives, artists, and producers that youve always wanted to friend on Facebook, so now is your chance to meet them IRL. Networking your a** off: We all know that tired old adage; Its not what you know, its who you know. Well, attending Ciclope Africa means that you will be sharing the same space as like-minded individuals who make it their lifes mission to excel in their craft  or work with those who do. Make sure you have those business cards ready. One of a kind: Unlike far-too-many adland festivals, Ciclope focuses on the art of execution, rather than the big idea. Whether its a TV commercial, a mobile app or an interactive installation, Ciclope believes that without expert execution, an idea falls flat making it a one-of-a-kind. Afterparty: Ciclope Africas afterparty will be held at The Electric, a trendy new venue in Cape Town (behind Harrington Cocktail Lounge). DJ Richard Marshall will be on the desks, so bring your dancing shoes.

We are happy to announce the launch of #CICLOPEAfrica, the first ever film craft award in the region! The event will take place at the @ZeitzMOCAA, in Cape Town, on Tuesday 10th April. More info at https://t.co/0TkIWFZCeq! pic.twitter.com/tpadh64ZxQ  Ciclope Festival (@CiclopeFestival) January 16, 2018

Here are 10 reasons why you should definitely get cracking on booking those tickets (which you can do here ):Ciclope, hosted annually in Berlin, Germany, is the leading international festival and awards ceremony that recognises and rewards exceptional craft in moving image. For the past eight years, Ciclope has provided a platform for directors, creatives, artists, producers and brands to celebrate exceptional work, share knowledge and be inspired. Ciclope has been hosted in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Sydney and more. Ciclope Africa is a regional leg of the annual flagship festival in Berlin, which was established with the aim of celebrating and elevating talent across the African continent. Ciclope Africa will be hosted for the first time ever on the 10 April 2018 at Zeitz MOCAA Museum of Contemporary Art in Cape Town, South Africa.
NAIROBI, Kenya - The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on authorities in Kenya to immediately investigate the assault of journalists by police at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on Tuesday. According to media reports and journalists who spoke with CPJ, police officers attacked reporters covering an opposition politician's return to the country, causing injuries to at least two journalists.

 khunaspix via 123RF

"Authorities in Kenya cannot resolve their political disputes by beating up journalists," said CPJ Africa program coordinator Angela Quintal from New York. "Kenyan authorities must urgently investigate this attack and put an end to any assaults on the press by security personnel, including police forces."Journalists from several media houses had stationed themselves at the airport Monday afternoon to report on the standoff between opposition politician Miguna Miguna and immigration officials who disputed his right to enter the country, according to media reports. Shortly before midnight, officers began to verbally and physically harass journalists reporting outside an international arrivals terminal while ordering them to leave, according to media reports and video footage.Two journalists, Stephen Letoo, a political reporter with the privately owned Citizen TV network, and Robert Gichira, a cameraman with the privately owned Nation TV channel, told CPJ that they were beaten by police.Letoo, who said he was beaten, pushed, and kicked by an unknown number of officers, told CPJ that he momentarily lost consciousness and suffered injuries to his abdomen and limbs. He said he was treated at an airport hospital and discharged after two hours. Letoo told CPJ that two Citizen TV cameramen were also slapped by police officers at the scene.Gichira told CPJ that he suffered minor injuries to his arms and legs in the attack. A third journalist, broadcast reporter Sophia Wanuna of the privately owned Kenya Television Network (KTN), told CPJ that she narrowly avoided being hit by a baton-wielding police officer while she was reporting live because her cameraman intervened and stopped the officer. Gichira and Wanuna also told CPJ that the officers damaged their camera equipment.Dennis Itumbi, who heads digital communication for the office of the president in Kenya, said in a Facebook post yesterday that police had "done well". Itumbi suggested that journalists had defied police orders and were filming in unauthorised areas. Reached by CPJ for comment today, Itumbi said that he "did not have the complete story" about whether journalists were "beaten" at the airport and directed anyone hurt during the incident to file a formal complaint.Police spokesperson Charles Owino declined to provide comment to CPJ, and Inspector General Joseph Boinnet of Kenya's National Police Service did not respond to two phone calls and a text message seeking comment this evening. Ministry of Interior spokesperson Mwenda Njoka told CPJ that the journalists had been in a restricted area of the airport.Reports by Citizen TV and The Star daily newspaper indicated that authorities today continued to deny press access to Miguna, who was still detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).Press conditions in Kenya have deteriorated drastically in recent months. CPJ documented harassment of and attacks on journalists by security personnel and politicians during the elections in 2017, and in February authorities shut down four television channels in connection with their coverage of an opposition event in Nairobi.
Mozambican authorities should launch a credible investigation into the abduction and assault of Ericino de Salema, a prominent journalist and human rights lawyer, and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

Ericino de Salema, a prominent journalist and human rights lawyer, was abducted and assaulted on March 27, according to reports. Credit: Neusa Ribeiro.

Three unidentified gunmen on Tuesday abducted Salema outside the headquarters of the National Union of Journalists (SNJ) in the capital, Maputo, beat him with their AK-47 assault rifles, and left him unconscious along the Maputo Ring Road, according to news Children who witnessed the attack alerted an adult who then transported Salema to a private hospital in the city, according to the news website Club of Mozambique.Salema sustained fractures to his arm and legs, according to his wife Neusa Ribeiro. The journalist told his wife that the gunmen received instructions on what to do with him via cellphone.Ribeiro told CPJ that her husband, a frequent government critic , received an anonymous call on March 26 saying that he would be silenced for being so outspoken."We are deeply disturbed that a respected journalist like Ericino de Salema is targeted in this way in broad daylight in an apparent attempt to silence his critical commentary," said CPJ Africa coordinator Angela Quintal. "We urge authorities to ensure that this brazen attack is credibly investigated and that his attackers face the full might of the law."Police spokesperson Inacio Dina did not answer repeated calls from CPJ requesting comment. Interior Minister Basilio Monteiro did not answer CPJ's call to his cellphone or WhatsApp message.The Mozambican state news agency (AIM) said on Wednesday that local police were investigating the journalist's abduction and beating.Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua today reported that Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario told Parliament that the government was outraged by the abduction and torture of Salema and would do everything to find the criminals.Salema is a regular commentator on the weekly current affairs television show Pontos de Vista (Point of View), which airs on the private broadcaster STV, according to news reports . Previously he worked for the independent weekly Savana, and later worked for other privately owned weeklies, according to IOL During a March 25 Pontos de Vista broadcast, Salema criticised the new government's attempt to restructure Mozambique's US$2 billion debt accrued under the previous administration, according to a report on the independent South Africa news website IOL. In the same broadcast, Salema also called for the resignation of Finance Minister Adriano Maleiane.In May 2016, Selma's predecessor as a commentator on Pontos de Vista, academic Jaime Macuane, was abducted outside of his home, driven to a stretch of the Ring Road, shot in both legs, and then left by the roadside, according to AIM
Criticism of Rwandan President Paul Kagame is believed to be the reason behind the disappearance of South African advertising professional, Leon Orsmond. He has been missing for six weeks.

MISSING: Leon Orsmond.

Missing

Still missing: SA Creative Director Leon Orsmond (Osmosis Leon on FB) living in Rwanda. Friends say maybe detained in Rwanda for political criticism. "If he's still alive we need to let the Rwandans know that we will not stop looking for him." #paulkagame #RwandaLaFinDuSilence pic.twitter.com/LLHygZDk0r  Wendy M  (@Wendymoor) March 23, 2018

Orsmond, a well-known South African advertising man who has been working in Rwanda for more than eight years, disappeared without trace in the capital Kigali on 17 February 2018. In the days leading up to his disappearance, 60-year-old Orsmond posted a number of posts on his Instagram feed and Facebook page, Freedom Of Speech Rwanda, in which he was highly critical of Rwandas President Paul Kagame.He was also putting the final touches to a book called Banana Republique which was critical of the Rwandan state. Orsmond is a colourful character who contributed to Bizcommunity.com in the early part of this century. He worked at some of South Africas leading advertising agencies - Leo Burnett, Ogilvy and Bernstein Loxton Golding & Klein - including a stint in Dubai at Ogilvy One as executive creative director, before making his home in Rwanda in the last decade.He set up Osmosis, a viral creative think tank and social networking agency, working on clients from Dubai to Johannesburg, from his base in Rwanda. His profile on Bizcommunity.com lists clients such as: MTN, Skol Lager, RDB and Nike.A cousin, Digby Orsmond, who lives in the UK, and his stepdaughter, Chelsey May, who is from Johannesburg, have reported his disappearance to both the South African and Rwandan authorities, but there has been no official confirmation that he has been arrested or detained. It is believed that Orsmond had been living illegally in the country after both his passport and visa had expired some years ago.According to May, her stepfathers last post on social media was on 17 February. She became concerned about a week later when she had heard nothing from him and they were in regular contact. All her attempts to get hold of Mr. Orsmond on his phone and via messages and email were unsuccessful.May says she has it on good authority from three different sources that her stepdad was arrested at his home in Kigali by security forces not reporting to the Rwandan National Police. When May contacted Orsmonds landlord, from whom he had been renting a room for years, the landlord denied even knowing Orsmond.DIRCO, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation have been liaising with their Rwandan counterparts, but as yet they have not had any feedback. The Rwandan National Police have tweeted that they are aware of his disappearance and have requested information from anybody who may have news of his whereabouts.
KIGALI, Rwanda - Future plans necessary to nurture the creative, skilled populations that will form the bedrock of knowledge-led economies in Africa, was discussed at the Next Einstein Forum in Rwanda this week.

Einstein Forum

Future innovators

Circular economy

Where money meets technology

The presidential panel that opened Day 2 of the 2018 Next Einstein Forum (NEF) Global Gathering in Kigali lifted the level of debate at the conference a notch higher as policymakers and scientists grappled with the practical implications of creating knowledge-led societies.President's Macky Sall of Senegal and President Paul Kagame of hosts Rwanda, led the discussion, reflecting on past policies and future plans necessary to nurture the creative, skilled and populations that will form the bedrock of knowledge-led economies. The white paper on which the discussion focused was jointly prepared by the NEF, the Sustainable Development Goals Centre for Africa, the African Academy of Sciences and Carnegie Mellon University Africa.President Sall called on African states to balance the focus on improving the quality of science and STEM subjects in higher education, with policy reforms that were able to attract foreign investment into the technology sectors."We need to have similar public private partnerships like those you see here at NEF. African states also need to believe in technology. Technology is what separates states today. Africa cannot be absent from the world stage in terms of innovation," said Sall, citing India and Japan as successful examples of the approach.The white paper proposes specific public policies for states to accelerate innovation and build a knowledge-based development model under the umbrella of three pillars: regulatory framework; skills and capacity; and finance and partnerships.Sall's call for open and visionary leadership was echoed by Kagame as well as NEF founder and Chairman Thierry Zomahoun.Kagame said his government's focus on investment in ICT sector and supporting education and research in the field was because science touched every aspect of economy."Maybe I shouldn't be a Zuckerberg, but the one to enable others to become like Zuckerberg", President Kagame said in response to clarifying the one wish he had for African technology.The NEF's next group of fellows were unveiled on the day and audience given a peak into their research and practical application of their projects.The NEF fellowship programme recognises Africa's best young scientists and technologists, providing them access to its vast network for support, connections, and counsel to advance their work.Projects ranged from genome modification aimed at improving plant and crop resilience, to nanotechnology applied to pharmaceutical products.Cameroonian Arthur Zang presented his CardioPad, which uses solar panels to test for heart disease and distribute the diagnosis via Bluetooth or the internet to inner-city hospitals. The innovation with the potential to dramatically reduce the incidence of cardiac related deaths in rural areas.Other fellows showcasing their projects included a medical jacket that uses algorithms to detect pneumonia in young children, a machine in Liberia that converts palm oil debris into skin care products.Newly awarded NEF fellow Justus Masa, a Ugandan electrochemist based at the Ruhr University in Germany, highlighted Africa's vast solar power potential and the opportunity to create a new industry around hydrogen batteries."We have a resource we are not using in the sun. Solar energy could generate as much as 40,000 megawatts for the continent. Africa has to get ambitious," Masa said.A discussion on Africa's Low Carbon Circular Economy, found that green energy needed to have strong business case before it could be used to spur faster growth.The "tap and go" payment system developed by Rwandan Patrick Buchana, which allows for cashless payments for the country's public service and seen bus company revenues jump more than 20%, sent a ripple of excitement through the packed auditorium.At the session looking at how artificial intelligence can be applied to the health sciences, Professor Abdoulaye Banire Diallo explained how he used AI to decode genomes, harvesting that data through algorithms and machine learning methods to detect, study and monitor pathogens."There are already examples in traditional health systems of artificial intelligence systems being used. In Senegal we already monitoring the relationship between tuberculosis and HIV using these systems," said Diallo.The interface between academic ability and soft skills was explored in the panel titled Learning to Lead, with the panel discussing the need for native tongue instruction in higher education and scientific research to grow the number of scientists on the continent, as well ways to bridge the funding gap."We need to think deeper about who are the individuals that could benefit from these kind of projects," said Dr Connie Nshemereirwe of Actualise Africa. "There are a lot of underserved yet critical populations that could really benefit from an expanded view of the whole concept of science leadership."A plea from many of the tech entrepreneurs was for flexible government regulation that was willing to take risks on unprecedented and unusual ideas. Regulation was also a hot topic at the New Fintech Frontier discussion.Between 300 million and 500 million African people are either unbanked or do not have credit histories that allow them access financial products, while those in formal banking are looking for faster and safer ways to save, invest and borrow money.Technology alone cannot solve the problem, it has to coupled with regulation that supports innovation.Enter fintech, driven by blockchain, the widely talked about but little understood technology that has loomed large at the conference as NEF looked bring fintech practitioners closer to the policymakers who regulate spaces in which they operate .Where the money meets the technology, that's what you call fintech," said Rwanda Finance Minister Claver Gatete. "The speed at which fintech is developing is amazing, that's one of the reasons we have a $100 million innovation and we want to bring up to $1 billion."Rose Muturi of Tala, a smartphone app using alternative data like potential clients digital habits to formulate a credit score and deliver instant credit to them, said regulation had to catch up because fintech overlapped between banking, the consumer sector and many other sectors."We look at the way you use your smartphone. Everything you do on it, that forms part of your digital footprint."Where you spend your time online to how you save names on your phone ... these pieces of data can tell us whether you're a fraudster or not," she explained.The company has given loans to 1.5 million people worth around $300 million since launching three years ago.Data driven solutions big and small, the panel found, was indeed the next frontier. The NEF Global Gathering concluded on March 28.Launched in 2013, the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) is an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in partnership with the Robert Bosch Stiftung . The NEF is a platform that connects science, society and policy in Africa and the rest of the world - with the goal to leverage science for human development globally.The NEF believes that Africa's contributions to the global scientific community are critical for global progress. At the centre of NEF efforts are Africa's young people, the driving force for Africa's scientific renaissance. The NEF is a unique youth-driven forum.
Iconic fashion brand MaXhosa by Laduma, known for its signature bold and graphic knitwear designs, showcased their new Op Art-inspired Autumn/Winter collection at the recent AFI Fashion Week in Cape Town.

Image by Andile Buka

Tell us the MaXhosa by Laduma story. How did the brand come about?

How would you describe the MaXhosa by Laduma design aesthetic?

Take us through the inspiration behind the range you showed at AFI Fashion Week. Any notable deviations from previous collections?

How do you interpret the AFI Fashion Week theme; #IamAfrica?

What have been some of your top career highlights?

What would be your top trends for Autumn/Winter menswear this year?

How would you like to see fashion evolve over the next decade?

What are the most pressing challenges facing young fashion designers in South Africa?

What will you be working on next?

MaXhosa by Laduma knitwear was born in 2010 with designer Laduma Ngxokolos desire to explore knitwear design solutions that would be suitable for Amakrwala (Xhosa initiates). Since then, Ngxokolo has received numerous awards and global acclaim.We got in touch with Ngxokolo to chat about the new collection and the rise of African fashion.MaXhosa by Laduma was initially inspired by the Xhosa Amakrwala rite of passage. I wanted to create a collection suitable for these Xhosa initiates. I worked with the use of Xhosa beadwork, which has bold colours and distinctive patterns to create a premium range that suited the Amakrwala. The MaXhosa story is all referenced in the collections I have created  it is a story of humble beginnings and seeking inspiration in cultural aesthetics to modernise fashion.The aesthetic is African renaissance  it captures the rich and authentic feel of the African people. The MaXhosa motifs and signature patterns all forms part of the design. It looks towards a modern way of showcasing a utopian Afro-futuristic collection.This collection is inspired by Op Art, it takes on a new and inventive way of translating patterns towards a 3D look and feel. I took on the task of playing with 3D patterns and fused the MaXhosa signature with the Op Art inspired designs. Op Art creates a lot of movement  you can see the movement in the patterns. The patterns have evolved with us as a brand and are totally different from the place we started from.The aim of the new collection is to transition the pieces to luxury status; it is styled with the use of the signature patterns, but with a bold and 3D expression  the collection seeks to showcase the consistency of the patterns in an innovative way.Africa is a continent full of creativity and riches. Our story has been told in many ways, some of which has not helped us advance. It is time for us to control the narrative, and make bold statements in owning and reclaiming our confidence. I am Africa is a bold statement, thus we have to be building our brands to be a global brand. We must aim to be celebrated in Africa, and our products sold across Africa.Many moments in my career have been highlights; from winning the 2010 International Society of Dyers and Colourists Design Award, which was my first award and marked my first international trip as well as the first time I flew in my life. Two years later, judging in the same award, was a full circle moment. There were many awards after that, which all have meant something  but my most memorable moment was when a patron came to me and told me that should they be buried, they would want it to be in my collection.The top trend for me would be the influence of streetwear, such as sweaters and shirts with bold statements, as well as oversized jackets. I find simplicity to be key, as it is made for functional use.The evolution into meeting the demand of quality, globally, is one I am most passionate about. I would like to see designers create styles that capture our continent and what it has to offer. This also affects the business of fashion, as I feel that fashion brands have to evolve into being a globally competitive business. It is of the utmost importance for designers to balance the creative with the business, and this might be the great evolution of fashion  where African fashion and luxury is becoming one of the top exports of our continent.Holistically, most of the designers are not receiving enough business support. This then influences all facets of the design, including the creative output. It is crucial to have support, from there, quality can be assured. Material sourcing and production facilities are all facets of the business, there needs to be balance; the creative with the commerce. Marketing and PR are key ways to push the product out there  brand education and product positioning help push the brand from premium to luxury.The next phase of the brand is the concentration on production, moving in-house, and controlling the value chain. This makes us competitive in the market, as well as ensuring quality control. I am now working and playing around with signature pieces. I have taken time to study my market effectively, I now see that people are looking at cultural statements in the pieces I create.We also have evolved into being a luxury brand. With production, we are then able to refine the quality even further. The next aim is to be Africas leading luxury lifestyle brand. We are also moving toward other lifestyle products.
The head of the Hawks's commercial crime unit has slammed a report submitted by Steinhoff management as lacking in substance and "malicious".

The damning indictment by Maj-Gen Alfred Khana was made during a presentation to a joint hearing on the troubled global retailing group held by four parliamentary committees on Wednesday.The Hawks are investigating three matters relating to Steinhoff which Khana said would ultimately involve fraud and misrepresentation which had led to the loss of billions of rand for investors. But Khana said there was no inkling of a suspect yet as there was nothing pointing to anybody. Complainants who had laid charges had done so based on media reports.The committees have decided to summons former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste to the next hearing on Steinhoff, which will probably take place in August, because of his failure to appear when previously invited.Former chief financial officer Ben la Grange will be given 10 days to respond positively to an invitation or else he too will be issued with a summons.Referring to the statements by Khana, finance committee chairman Yunus Carrim said it was "worrying" that Steinhoff management appeared to have cynically submitted a report to the Hawks on the eve of their appearance before the committees in January.Steinhoff management did not report a criminal case to the Hawks, as appeared to be the case at the time, but merely submitted a section 34 report under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.Steinhoff's legal representative, Rob Driman of Werksmans, said the report to the Hawks had not been cynical.
Speakers included Zimbabwean civil rights activist and #ThisFlag movement leader Evan Mawarire, former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed, Moroccan-born French free expression advocate and journalist Zineb El Rhazoui, Arab Spring writer and journalist Iyad el-Baghdadi, Chinese-Canadian actress and human rights activist Anastasia Lin, Angolan investigative journalist Rafael Marques de Morais, and Eritrean information activist and refugee rescuer Meron Estefanos, and Egyptian actor and LGBT rights activist Omar Sharif Jr., among others.

Mandela Centenary

A platform for the ignored

This is a gathering of people who are disrupting  disrupting on behalf of freedom. We have all kinds of disrupters in the audience. This event is about the state of freedom and human dignity across the world. We seek to humanise human suffering, to encourage civil societys involvement.The forum was held in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Centenary Nelson Mandela was an inspiration to activists across the world, whether it was North Korea defectors or womens rights advocates in Saudi Arabia. It is an incredible honour for us at OFF to work alongside those who are tasked to be the guardians of Mandelas legacy, says Halvorssen.Sello Hatang, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation called the event a critical moment where South Africa will be looking back and forward, with Mandelas Centenary, and asked how do we reimagine a South Africa that cares about the vulnerable in our society and live up to Madibas values, and building a values-based society?If we go back to why Madiba established the foundation, he continued, it was with three ideas in mind. Democracy building, peace building and ensuring that we build a culture of human rights. If these three can be achieved in a day of reimagining human rights culture, a day where people put their own lives on the line to ensure there is no vulnerability around the world, then we will get somewhere.He added: Today is a day to shake the narratives that need shaking and for people to rethink democracy. It is for citizens to say what can I do to help others.Today, half the worlds population lives under authoritarian regimes, whether these are dictatorships or competitive authoritarian states. OFF is here to address that problem, Halvorssen said. It was created as a platform to provide a voice to those who are ignored, or whose struggles have been ignored. The media is an important component of the forum.Sadly, the worlds democracies have failed at addressing the issue of tyranny across the world, so it is up to private individuals to help other individuals. Engineers helping engineers, artists helping artists, veterans helping veterans, we gather here today in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation because we cannot depend on the governments of the free world to safeguard and promote human rights. It is up to civil society. The OFF extends a cordial invitation to any South African to join our movement.The speakers we have brought here are here to speak with you and to share their experiences, and to learn about yours, he adds.Hatang also alluded to this event being a teaser for many more and a bigger forum next year.
About Danette Breitenbach

Danette Breitenbach was the editor and publisher of Advantage, the publication that served the marketing, media and advertising industry in southern Africa. Before her editorship, she was deputy-editor as well as freelancing for over a year on the publication before that. She has worked extensively in print media, mainly B2B, in the fields of marketing, mining, disability marketing, advertising and media.
In partnership with LaunchLab and the Mergon Group

Provide a brief summary of the business/social innovation idea and its history.

What is the particular social issue that the business idea aims to address?

How does the business idea solve or address the social issue?

Explain how the business intends to make money and be sustainable, while clearly describing the target market or customer profile.

What key milestones have been achieved within the venture already?

What is the strategy to grow the business and scale the social impact?

Anything else that the panel needs to know?

Nation Builder, together with the Stellenbosch University LaunchLab and the Mergon Group, is inviting business pitches for their inaugural Social Innovation Challenge. The competition aims to identify and support South Africas social entrepreneurs, with an opportunity to win a share of R150,000 seed capital.Entrepreneurs with a self-sustainable business idea  no matter how simple or small  that addresses particular social issues, positively impacts communities, empowers the disadvantaged, or has the potential to solve local problems in innovative ways, are invited to enter the Social Innovation Challenge.Ten finalists will receive exposure to a broader network of business investors at the final pitching event, which will be hosted by LaunchLab in Stellenbosch on 13 June 2018. Three final winners will receive their portion of R150,000 funding capital, as well as business support from LaunchLab.In addition to social innovation specialists, media and social development experts, the judging panel will consist of astute business leaders who have successfully walked the entrepreneurship journey.Social entrepreneurs are those who see social challenges as opportunities, devise sustainable business solutions to meet those needs, and positively impact many South Africans in the process, says Keri-Leigh MacDonald, executive director of Nation Builder, an organisation that supports businesses in leading social change in South Africa. Social entrepreneurs are the next wave of change-makers and social reformers. Nation Builder wants to support and showcase some of these great and emerging homegrown social businesses as a means to challenge us all to think differently when addressing our local social challenges, she adds.According to Brandon Paschal, head of incubation at LaunchLab, most of the startups that the LaunchLab currently work with already have a strong social conscience. We have worked with many great small businesses in sectors such as mental health, financial inclusion, job creation, empowerment, and sustainability. Were excited for them to have this platform with Nation Builder and the broader network of great socially responsible companies. It is a wonderful way for them to gain more exposure, but also to work with like-minded partners that can help take their businesses forward, without compromising on their social conscience and the greater purpose of their business.The winning entrepreneur and their business idea will also be showcased at Nation Buildersconference in Gauteng in August 2018. In addition, they will receive exposure through the various Nation Builder, Mergon and LaunchLab media channels.The societal benefits from these enterprises can bring about increased economic activity and opportunities for many more South Africans, while playing a pivotal role in breaking the cycles of social ills that many people are facing daily. The Nation Builder Social Innovation Challenge is a first step in fuelling and highlighting local social innovation solutions, says Pieter Faure, CEO of Mergon.Submit a three-minute video (cell phone footage can be submitted too) of yourself explaining your business idea with your entry form which can be found on the LaunchLab website Pitches (video entries) need to focus on providing the following information:Submissions opened on 14 March , and the deadline for online submission entries is. The top ten finalists will be notified by the end of May. Finalists transport to and accommodation in Stellenbosch for two nights will be provided.LaunchLabs terms and conditions apply, and are available to download here: https://launchlab.co.za/innovationchallenges/competition-terms-conditions/ The three winning pitches will be announced at the pitching event on Wednesday, 13 June 2018. The panellists decision is final.
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

Land degradation can take many forms, but always entails a serious disruption of a healthy balance between five key ecosystem functions . These are: food production, fibre provision, microclimate regulation, water retention, and carbon storage.Its impacts can be far-reaching, including loss of soil fertility, destruction of species habitat and biodiversity, soil erosion, and excessive nutrient runoff into lakes.







Read more:

The immense challenge of desertification in sub-Saharan Africa







A global threat

Globalised causes

Land degradation also has serious knock-on effects for humans, such as malnutrition, disease, forced migration, cultural damage, and even war.At its worst, land degradation can result in the desertification or abandonment of land (or both). Protracted drought and loss of fertile land may have been contributing factors in the wars in Sudan and Syria According to the new report, 43% of world populations live in regions affected by land degradation. By 2050, the report estimates, four billion people will be living in drylands. These are defined by the United Nations as land with an aridity ratio of less than 0.65, meaning that the amount of water lost far outweighs the amount received in precipitation.Such areas are highly vulnerable to food and water insecurity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.It would be wrong to infer that land degradation is purely a problem for developing countries. Overall, the land is generally more degraded in the developed world  as shown, for example, by greater declines in soil organic carbon content , a measure of soil health. However, in richer nations, the rate of degradation has slowed, and people in these regions are generally less vulnerable to its effects.It is in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and South and Central America that the problem is growing most rapidly. But climate change, especially where droughts and forest fires are becoming more frequent, can cause land degradation even in affluent places such as California and Australia.Whats more, a decline in the overall availability of agricultural land is bound to affect food prices globally. By 2050, the report states, humans will have transformed almost every part of the planet, apart from uninhabitable stretches such as deserts, mountains, tundra and polar regions.Perhaps most chillingly, the report predicts that the combined effects of land degradation and climate change will have displaced between 50 million and 700 million people by 2050, potentially triggering conflict over disputed land Some of this migration will inevitably be across international borders  how much is impossible to tell. While the impacts on migrants are almost always devastating, the ripple effects, as we have seen recently with the Syrian war, can spread far and wide, affecting electoral outcomes, border controls and social security systems throughout the world.The two most significant direct causes of land degradation are the conversion of native vegetation into crop and grazing lands, and unsustainable land-management practices. Other factors include the effects of climate change and loss of land to urbanisation, infrastructure and mining.However, the underlying driver of all these changes is rising per-capita demand from growing populations for protein, fibre and bioenergy. This, in turn, leads to more demand for land and further encroachment into areas with marginal soils.Market deregulation, which has been a global trend since the 1980s, can lead to the destruction of sustainable land management practices in favour of monocultures , and can encourage a race to the bottom as far as environmental protection is concerned. The vast geographical distance between demand for consumer goods and the land needed to produce them  between, in other words, the cause of land degradation and its effect  makes it much harder to address the problem politically.Sadly, the timid history of attempts to create global governance regimes over the past century  from human rights to conflict prevention, arms control, social protections and environmental treaties  has seen more failures than successes.On the positive side, success stories in land management are well documented: agroforestry, conservation agriculture, soil fertility management, regeneration and water conservation. In fact, the new report states that the economic case for land restoration is strong, with benefits averaging ten times the costs, even when looking at very different types of lands and communities of flora and fauna. A common feature of many of these success stories is major involvement by indigenous populations and local farmers.And yet these achievements remain far short of the scope of the problem. Significant obstacles remain  including, according to the report, increasing demand for land, lack of awareness of the extent of land degradation, fragmented decision-making within and between countries, and increased costs of restoration as time goes by.On the other hand, the reports authors emphasise that a host of existing multilateral agreements, including conventions on desertification biodiversity and wetlands , provide a strong platform for combating land degradation. However, whether these agreements will be successful in overcoming the obstacles mentioned above remains to be seen.







Read more:

If the world's soils keep drying out that's bad news for microbes (and people)







What can we do as citizens, especially those of us who live in cities and have little direct interaction with the land? The most obvious action is to eat less meat and, more generally, to inform ourselves about the sources and impacts of the food we buy  including its packaging, fuel and transport.But the problem is not just about individual choices, important as these are. Underlying systemic causes need to be addressed, including deregulated international trading systems, lack of protection for local communities powerless to resist global market forces, ideologies of unfettered growth and perverse incentives for more consumption.Arguably, what is needed is a broadening of the active scope of national politics, from an almost exclusive concern with short-term economic well-being to the making of global futures. Next time you meet your local representative, ask them what they are doing to protect the interests of your children and grandchildren. Or, even better, inform yourself, talk to others about it, form your own opinion about what should be done, then try to make it happen.This article was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article
The Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (Irba) has extended its investigation into the role of auditing firm Deloitte in the auditing of Steinhoff financial statements back by two years to 2012.

Imran Vanker, standards director at the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors

The investigation will now extend from 2012 to 2016 - the period in which Steinhoff had its primary listing in SA.The decision to extend the probe was based on information received, Irba's director of standards, Imran Vanker, said in Parliament. He participated in a hearing by four committees into the Steinhoff debacle.Irba will evaluate the conduct of Deloitte against the regulator's auditing standards and ethics.Vanker said the audit evidence in the audit file would be examined with a fine toothcomb and measured against what was expected of an audit. Irba would also evaluate whether Deloitte responded appropriately to the risks identified within the Steinhoff group.For example, Irba will look, among other things, at how Deloitte dealt with off-balance items in a manner consistent with accounting standards, whether its valuations were fair and whether its business model was interrogated for appropriate risks.Vanker noted that Irba would require the restated financial statements of Steinhoff in order to finalise its probe.He said the investigation was a complex one "involving multiple entities and requiring cross-jurisdictional engagements within the various countries' laws". As such, it was not possible to give a reliable estimate of the complete scope and timeframes within which the investigation would be completed.He noted that the investigation of a public interest matter such as Steinhoff was likely to be finalised within three years. Non-public interest investigations usually took 18 months.Irba's work will be assisted by the release of the restated Steinhoff statements and the report on the outcome of the PwC investigation into accounting irregularities. This could shed further light on what Irba had already discovered or focus attention on other areas requiring attention in relation to the role of the auditors.Vanker said co-operation from Deloitte had been "satisfactory" and it had responded to Irba's requests for information. Irba was also working closely with the Dutch audit authority.He noted that at any one time Irba was dealing with about 150 investigations and needed more resources to do its work.
Final regulations on the expiry of data bundles are set to be published by the end of April, telecommunications regulator the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) told MPs on Wednesday.

Icasa said the regulations were part of measures to reduce the cost to communicate.These are expected to bring relief to consumers, who have long bemoaned usage limits.The government is pulling out all the stops to reduce the cost of communicating, pointing out that it is only through legislative means that it can ensure reasonable pricing and market structure in the sector.Network operators have been under intense scrutiny in recent months for allegedly ripping off consumers, especially when it comes to data expiry dates and out-of-bundle billing.Briefing members of Parliament's select committee on communications and public enterprises on the cost of communications, Icasa councillor Leweng Mphahlele said the regulator had introduced various measures to reduce the exorbitant costs of communicating. The measures had resulted in the significant reduction in voice tariffs over the years.However, Icasa remained concerned about the costs of data for the public, particularly out-of-bundle rates."SA's data bundles are one of the highest compared to the countries we have benchmarked ourselves against," Mphahlele pointed out.He said Icasa had concluded public consultations on the end user project and final regulations would be published by the end of April."Icasa is proposing that data should not expire within three years, operators must send users notification of service depletion at specific intervals ". the current practice is that if you buy a data bundle and you deplete it, the operator charges you out-of-bundle rates. This current practice exposes users to bill shock. Operators must give end users the option to opt in or out of out-of-bundle rates," said Mphahlele.Cell C's group general counsel, Graham Mackinnon, told MPs that there was no incentive for the dominant players to reduce their prices. The market is currently dominated by Vodacom and MTN."They haven't done it up until now. [The] only thing that will drive prices down is competition. There are tools which Icasa can use to stimulate competition and reduce competition, such as termination rates and number portability " moving networks is hard. Number porting needs to be made easier," he said.Telkom's chief risk officer, Tsholofelo Molefe, said the Vodacom and MTN duopoly was entrenched and, together with high barriers to entry, it made reducing the cost to communicate much more difficult.
The dictionary is and will always be an invaluable tool at school - especially bilingual dictionaries. The team that compiled the latest edition of the Oxford Afrikaans-Engels English-Afrikaans Skoolwoordeboek School Dictionary wanted to offer more than just basic word translations - using special techniques, they have gone a step further to incorporate the current curriculum and culture in the new version.

Fred Pheiffer

How does the latest version of the Oxford Afrikaans-Engels English-Afrikaans Skoolwoordeboek School Dictionary differ from the previous edition?

Tell us about the emphasis on the grammatical and structural importance of the words/translations used?

Cultural and gender sensitivities were of particular importance when selecting example sentences for the dictionary. Did this pose any significant issues during compilation?

Jy spaar baie water as jy stort eerder as om te bad. / You save a lot of water if you shower rather than having a bath.



Aan die einde van die Ramadaan-vastyd vier Moesliems Eid. / At the end of the Ramadan fast Muslims celebrate Eid.



Die moderne dieet bevat te veel verfynde koolhidrate. / The modern diet contains too many refined carbohydrates.

Dictionaries are often considered "boring" - how do we start changing this perception?

In this hi-tech era, are there any plans to launch this in an online version - say a downloadable app?

Will Oxford be looking to introduce the same compilation methodology into its other bilingual dictionaries, for eg. the English-Xhosa dictionary?

We chatted with Fred Pheiffer, the managing editor: dictionaries for Oxford University Press South Africa, about the new edition and what went into its creation...Firstly, the second edition of the(called the Tweet for short) has more entries (the words with their grammatical information, meanings, translations, and example sentences). Roughly 1500 entries have been added to each half of the dictionary. As a result, the new Tweet has 30% more content.Secondly, the Tweet is now suitable for use up to Matric for learners with Afrikaans or English as First Additional Language. Whereas previously we aimed the Tweet at Grades 4 to 9, many of the new words included apply specifically to the curriculum content of Grades 10 to 12. This makes the new Tweet like a one-stop shop: useful for most of a learners school years.Thirdly, we replaced most of the example sentences in the first-edition Tweet with sentences from what is called a corpus in lexicography (the practice and study of dictionary making). A corpus is a large volume of texts stored electronically. It provides statistical data about the frequency of words usage and hence which high-frequency words the lexicographer (dictionary compiler) should focus on. A corpus is also a rich source of real-life example sentences. One of the corpuses we used to make the new Tweet contains a selection of our own Oxford textbooks and prescribed literature. Hence the example sentences in the new Tweet relate to the work done in class and to the school environment and the life of teenage learners.Each entry in the new Tweet now has more grammatical information than those in the old Tweet. The dictionary shows the user how to pronounce words and where words may be hyphenated. It also shows the plurals of nouns, the degrees of comparison of adjectives, and the past tense and past and continuous participles of verbs. Since we compiled the new Tweet using a school textbook corpus, the words we included relate directly to teaching and learning done in the classroom. Furthermore, the corpus also reveals which meanings of words are the most important. Finally, only the most relevant translations were provided. We seldom showed more than two translations, so as not to confuse learners.Oxford University Press SA strives to provide teaching and learning resources that are both useful and relevant to the teachers and learners of present-day South Africa. Our teachers and learners come from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. This diversity needs to be reflected in OUPSAs products, including our dictionaries. We need to understand, for example, that the majority of Afrikaans speakers are not white, and that most teachers and learners use English as an additional language. Hence Oxfords dictionary makers prescribe to the principle of plain language, and our word selection and example sentences reflect the broad socio-economic, cultural, and religious make-up of the communities the users of our products belong to. In short, we strive for inclusivity.Example sentences include:Dictionary publishers can prevent their dictionaries becoming boring by keeping up with present-day vocabulary and expressions and with, for example, new social trends and technological developments. As a rule of thumb dictionaries should be updated every five years. A new edition of a school dictionary should not only include trending new vocabulary, but also example sentences that relate to the every-day life of South African teenagers. An Oxford school dictionary should not only provide the comfort of the familiar, but also the excitement of discovering the new.Many of OUPSAs best-selling dictionaries have been available on CD for several years now. We are also looking at making our dictionaries accessible online and as cellphone apps, especially since a printed product has limited space, far less space than the content actually prepared during the compilation process would require. In fact, two of OUPSAs bilingual school dictionaries, theand theare already available at Oxford Global Languages (OGL). The links are https://zu.oxforddictionaries.com/ and https://nso.oxforddictionaries.com/ However, one should bear in mind, firstly, that for many South African schools the internet is not yet readily available, meaning there is still a big demand for printed dictionaries and other learning material. Secondly, when dictionary content is accessed online, the user expects every word search to be successful. However, a school dictionary like the Tweet is not designed to be comprehensive. Rather its focus is on helping a learner to understand words he or she will encounter in the classroom, and to use those words correctly in expressions and sentences.All OUPSAs bilingual school dictionaries have been compiled by explaining or translating those words learners will most likely encounter in the classroom and while doing homework. Furthermore, we strive to compile our dictionaries using a defined vocabulary (3000 understandable words) and plain language. Finally, we are increasingly using corpus data to compile our entry lists and to extract example sentences from. In fact, the second edition of the Tweet is the first local school dictionary to be based entirely on corpus material, right from the start of the compilation process.
koseb via pixabay

Building a sustainable hotel

The many hotels dotted along the coastline cater for leisure and holiday-makers, corporate and conference groups, incentive and domestic travellers catering to any pocket and with many more hotels, resorts and spas under construction and planned for, the area promises to become the destination of choice for any and all travellers.Said Salim Awadh Bakhresa, owner of the 106-roomed Hotel Verde Zanzibar  Azam Luxury Resort & Spa which recently opened its doors to the public, said he chose this particular piece of paradise due to the increasing popularity of the area as a holiday destination and to fulfil his vision of becoming a leader in building East Africas greenest hotel and promoting responsible tourism.With his deep roots in the community, he added that he wants to give back and contribute to tourism and job creation in a positive way.The hotel is situated 2km from the popular and ever-developing Stone Town where African tradition combines with Persian, Indian, Arab and European influences in the historic buildings, architecture and spectacularly carved wooden doors.Bakhresa went on to say that by commissioning Verde Hotels, a sustainable hotel management company, he was able to incorporate and employ green building elements, strategies and practices that will benefit the environment, the locals and guests. By sourcing from local suppliers - from food to staff, amenities and logistics - they are able to support the community, the economy and responsible tourism.
The hospitality sector is facing challenges unlike any other industry, with markets developing, economies fluctuating and consumer preferences evolving. If hospitality businesses don't grow apace, they'll have obsolescence built into them. It's essential that the tourism industry embraces the Industrial Revolution 4.0 to accommodate the digital advances that will make sustainability a reality.

Theres an app for that

Make it easier for your guests

Be resource wise

The digital revolution used to mean just your website. Thats all. While your website is central to much of the activity your brand will experience, theres more to it than that. Industry giants are able to operate with more agility, achieving more in shorter periods, so how can smaller companies remain competitive?Your customers have, by and large, shifted to mobile devices when conducting business, from researching to booking and then paying. Its a no-brainer that your site must be mobile-friendly (and that you offer Wi-Fi access at hotels and other tourism-related businesses). Your visitors need a seamless approach that allows them to do what they want to do on one platform.Companies have gone app-crazy, but do apps add the value you want them to provide? You could spend vast amounts on app development only to have limited uptake from a market that is saturated with apps. Do the research into the demand and what app development can do for you, and the anticipated ROI before you dive into the app space. Maybe there is far better technology that already exists that can be adapted according to the needs that will save you on development costs.Great platforms provide great data that, in turn, produce valuable insights that allow for more personalised service. Ultimately, you want to be able to provide seamless business services across channels from one platform so that visitors can get what they want with little inconvenience, saving them time.There are many hospitality businesses that are short-sighted when it comes to accepting payment options. For example, offering Visa or Mastercard as the only options (or EFT, for that matter), can limit you. China-based UnionPay is the largest card payment organisation (debit and credit cards combined) in the world, based on payment transactions, schemes and number of cards issued, before the two card payment companies mentioned previously. Yet, many companies havent tapped into its network potential. Given that Chinese travellers will prioritise establishments that accept it, it again makes sense to add it to your bouquet of payment options.Looking to more progressive payment options, adopting a variety of payment options can allow for greater fluidity in transacting for visitors.Energy-wise and water-wise buildings are the way forward  but too often businesses are sticking to decades-old approaches to developments that see outmoded practices that dont acknowledge the essential role of sustainable tourism in ensuring business longevity.Alternative water and energy supplies should be considered as part of the scenario planning for developers: what if the local water supply dries up, or the national power grid has hiccups  all too common an occurrence on the continent. Have you built these considerations into your businesses so that visitors arent inconvenienced?Your IT team is no longer a few people tucked away in an office, IT touches every aspect of your business, and its only through a strategy that recognises this and incorporates IT input across the board that sustainable hospitality can be achieved.
It's all systems go for the 1% VAT hike from 14% to 15%, with the South African Revenue Services (SARS) issuing a statement saying it is ready to implement the increase with effect from this weekend.

tookapic via pixabay

Less disposable, rising business costs

Dorine Reinstein, Content Editor, Big Ambitions

Most South Africans have seen a flurry of notices of the VAT increase hit their inboxes with every shop, vendor and service provider reminding them that the increase is imminent. The good news, however, is that South Africans can still escape to any exotic destination without having to worry too much about adding 1% to their budget.Charmaine van Niekerk, HR and Operations Director for Club Travel, explains that the 1% VAT increase is a negligible factor when it comes to airline bookings and will only be applicable on the base fare of domestic air travel. Keeping in mind that the bulk of the cost of a local air ticket tends to consist of taxes and surcharges and not the base fare, the 1% increase on the base fare can indeed be considered negligible.Van Niekerk adds that no VAT is applied on international airfares, so for international holidays, travellers will only see a 1% VAT increase on the service fee they pay to the travel agent. This is again unlikely to have a major impact on their holiday budget.This sentiment is echoed by Theresa Szejwallo, MD of the Travel Corporation in South Africa. However, Szejwallo warns the general public is likely to feel the pinch in other areas of life, which means they will have less disposable income for travelling costs.Local establishments and attractions could also be seen increasing their prices and tariffs, as the VAT increase will see their business costs rise as a result of increased transport and food prices. This hike in business costs is likely to be passed on to visitors, both international and local.However, before you rush to your local travel agent to book your holiday before the VAT increase this weekend, know that it might just be too late already. According to VAT experts, in order to determine whether the supply of services attracts 14% or 15% VAT, the general and specific time of supply rules apply. This means that if an invoice is issued before 1 April, 14% VAT will apply, after 1 April, 15% VAT will apply.Depending on the circumstances, even if an invoice is issued before 1 April but the delivery of the goods or services occurs after 1 April, the new rate may apply.Establishments like SANParks has also already announced that they will be adjusting tariffs upwards as they are a registered VAT vendor. Theyve warned travellers that even if they are already holding a confirmed reservation for a stay or for activities from 1 April, they will be asked to pay the difference as a result of the increased VAT rate.
Online fashion retailer Zando has initiated zero-rate data for both contract and prepaid Vodacom subscribers in SA. This means that all Vodacom users can browse and transact on both Zando's mobile app (iOS and Android) and mobile website and no longer pay for data usage.

Addressing data concerns

The decision forms part of the retailer's focus on becoming mobile-centric, in line with global trends.According to the company, South Africa is fast catching up on the international trend of adopting a mobile-first attitude, with 61% of smartphone usage attributed to accessing internet and applications. With smartphones becoming more affordable, more users have access to the mobile web itself and Zando looks to further support this consumer lifestyle initiative through becoming a truly mobile-first enterprise.This is a great step in the right direction to provide that added value to allow our customers to shop online and browse our mobile platforms without the worry of incurring any extra data costs. This aligns with our current Best Price strategy of ensuring our offering is value added driven. We choose Vodacom on the basis they currently have around 53% of the market share over other networks according to the, said Graham Du Plessis, head of mobile at Zando.According to the same study released by Effective Measure, the most telling stat for retailers was that 48% of users dont purchase items when they are on a mobile connection, this suggests a potential pain point around data concerns. As the report further indicates respondents are comfortable conducting their banking, purchasing airtime and paying their bills via their devices, retail shopping, however, lags as it intuitively requires more browsing time.With 71% of unique browsers coming from a mobile source, according to Effective Measures latest February 2018release for publishers, the potential is there, says du Plessis.Currently data costs are a large talking point in the market and can be seen as a very real barrier to accessing the internet and thus stunting the e-commerce retailers. As the data clearly shows there is a very strong trend toward mobile becoming more embedded in ones everyday life, this step simply adds more choice for the consumer to browse what we have to offer. We wanted to play our part by taking away the cost barrier and by starting with zero rating Vodacom users in this first phase. I believe we are well on our way to really creating real value for our customers.
PARIS, France - British fashion designer Stella McCartney is to take full control of her brand, buying the 50-percent stake held by French luxury group Kering, the two sides announced on Wednesday.

Stella McCartney and Kering said in a joint statement that they had "entered into an agreement for the sale and purchase of Kering's 50% stake in Stella McCartney Ltd to Stella McCartney, who will thus become the sole owner of her brand in its entirety."After a partnership with Kering, which also owns Gucci, dating back 17 years, "it is the right moment to acquire the full control of the company bearing my name," said McCartney, daughter of former Beatles frontman Paul McCartney.Financial details were not disclosed, but McCartney had had until 31 March to exercise a long-standing option to repurchase the stake."This opportunity represents a crucial patrimonial decision for me. I am extremely grateful to Francois-Henri Pinault and his family and everyone at the Kering group for everything we have built together in the last 17 years," McCartney said.The statement said they would continue to cooperate "over time with the aim of guaranteeing a smooth transition in order to minimize disruptions and maintain the brand's momentum in the market."McCartney would also remain a board member of the Kering Foundation, which is dedicated to stopping violence against women and improving women's lives.And "Kering and Stella McCartney will continue to collaborate closely in the field of sustainable fashion," the statement said.Kering CEO Pinault said it was "the right time for Stella to move to the next stage. I am extremely proud of what Kering and Stella McCartney have accomplished together since 2001."
Zimbabwe's new government

Evan Mawarire is a civil rights activist, pastor, and leader of the #ThisFlag movement in Zimbabwe.

Halvorssen said that the UNHRC represents the confusion that exists among us. It is ironic that some members of council lack human rights, such as freedom of speech, in their own countries. Zineb El Rhazoul , a Moroccan-born French human rights activist and former columnist for the satirical weekly magazine, said as long as these countries sit on the council and can vote, we will never solve any issues, such as womens rights. No salvation can come from this council and that is why we need to build other alternative ways to rid society of dictators. Iyad el-Baghdadi , a prominent Palestinian intellectual, writer and activist, added his voice to the debate saying that he is not a fan of over reliance on government for change. Citizens are the ones who bring about change. It is up to us to pressure our officials to achieve change. They do what you ask them to do. If you can vote in democracy, then you are already privileged, he added.Governments are not in the business of social justice, said Evan Mawarire , a civil rights activist and leader of the #ThisFlag movement in Zimbabwe. Governments are in the business of retaining power. That is what they do. Therefore, in the future, citizens need to find and develop global platforms because that is our business. Our business is protecting ourselves.He is under no illusion that the new government in Zimbabwe is promoting freedom. The new government in Zimbabwe has its own agenda and none of the changes they make are addressing the freedom of the people. Zimbabwe may be open for business, but it is not open for freedom.Halvorssen said the council has not addressed any of the issues any of the speakers at the forum will address: "Not freedom in Zimbabwe and Angola, gay rights in Egypt, or female genital mutilation (FGM) in Somalia.
This job expired on 28 May 2018.
This job expired on 10 May 2018.
This job expired on 21 May 2018.
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Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

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As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



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Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. are in talks to merge and create a new automaker that trades as a single stock, people with knowledge of the matter said. A deal would end the current alliance between the companies and marry them as one corporation, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the details arent public.

Renault currently owns 43 percent of Nissan while the Japanese carmaker has a 15 percent stake in its French counterpart. Carlos Ghosn, the chairman of both companies, is driving the negotiations and would run the combined entity, the people said. The ...
Airline companies and experts both say there is one big stumbling block in the terms and conditions of the expression of interest for the sale of Air India. And that is the Rs 50 billion net worth criteria for Indian carriers, which only Indigo Airlines will meet, forcing the others to go for a consortium instead of bidding alone.

In a consortium, Indian carriers not meeting net worth and the profit-after-tax criteria (they have to make PAT in three out of five years) are limited to a 51 per cent stake. This simply means that they can hold only 38 per cent in Air India, because it ...
Political blame-game over communal violence in West Bengal intensified on Thursday with Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo accusing the police and district administration of acting like TMC cadres and coming into action only after the miscreants involved in the violence reached their hiding places. "It has been the modus operandi that the police do not act in the first hour and a half," he remarked. "Whether it's the police, the District Magistrate or the administration, they are all acting like TMC cadres.

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

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As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



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Congress leader on Thursday rejected the charges made against him by Union minister Smriti Irani, claiming that it was an attempt to divert public attention from key issues like the CBSE paper leak and data leak.

Admitting that he had purchased land from his own money which was not in dispute, he said the transaction was listed in his and his company's income tax filings.

Irani on Thursday demanded an explanation from Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over Sibal's alleged land dealing with a businessman who was investigated by the CBI in 2013 for alleged bribery.

At a hurriedly convened press conference, Sibal said he was saddened that the minister was making such allegations instead of talking about the grave issue of the CBSE paper leak and data leak.

The former law minister also threatened to file a defamation suit against news website opindia.com, which Irani had cited for her allegations against him, but refused to do so against her.

"Yes, I brought the the company. Does anyone have objections? I gave the money from my income, which is tax paid and the income tax returns are filed up to date," he told reporters.

Asked about the charges about his dealings with the businessman who was facing a money laundering investigation, he said, "You ask him all those questions" and ended the conference.

"It is sad that a minister in this government is interested in raising non-issues, rather than the real issues of the people," Sibal said.

"I'm a little saddened that to divert the attention of the people, to the complete lack of application of mind and the utter carelessness of this ministry and government, she instead came out and asked Rahul Gandhi to explain," he said.

Sibal said Irani made the allegations "without even reading the meaning of money launderer".

He also said that to his knowledge, there were no proceedings of money laundering against anybody and if there were, the person concerned should be asked about them instead.

Sibal also asked Irani whether she would ask the prime minister "why he is so close to Mehul bhai, who is a money launderer".

"Does she ask the prime minister why Nirav Modi is photographed with him in Davos, who is also allegedly a money launderer," he asked.

Irani on Thursday had also cited a South African media report, which alleged that the businessman, Piyush Goyal, was involved in money laundering.

Citing opindia.com, she alleged that Sibal and his wife bought a company called Grand Castilo from Goyal in 2017 while the UPA government was investigating the businessman for bribery.

"People might say that Mr Sibal has a right to buy and engage with the so-called alleged money launderer, the question I pose is - is it politically acceptable to Sri Rahul Gandhi," Irani told reporters here.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Interpol to locate diamantaire Nirav Modi and his family accused in multi-crore Punjab Bank (PNB) fraud, said informed sources.

According to the sources, the agency sent the request to the Interpol last week aimed at locate and arrest Modi who left the country along with his family in January first week, weeks before the scam was reported to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating criminal misconduct in the case.

The move is part of money trail probe by the ED and the CBI after cases were registered against Modi and his business partner and uncle Mehul Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Group, for defrauding PNB.

Modi, a regular on the lists of rich and famous Indians since 2013, along with his group companies -- Diamond R US, Stellar Diamond and Solar Exports -- and others have been implicated in the Rs 135 billion scam which was admitted by the PNB in February, leading to a massive upheaval in the country's banking system.



ALSO READ: PNB fraud: ED arrests Nirav Modi's Firestar Diamond VP S S Wadhwa

The CBI in February also approached the Interpol with a request of issuing a Diffusion Notice against Modi to locate him.

Modi's wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and his uncle Choksi left on January 4.

The PNB has claimed in different complaints to the CBI that several Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) were fraudulently issued by its officials in connivance with Modi and the other accused in the case causing it huge loss.

A LoU is a letter of comfort issued by one bank to branches of other banks, based on which foreign branches offer credit to buyers.

In its ongoing investigation in the case, the ED on Tuesday arrested Modi's Firestar Group Vice President Shyam Sunder Wadhwa and it has so far carried out searches at 251 properties across the country and seized diamonds, gold, pearls and precious and semi-precious stones.

The ED has also claimed to have attached immovable properties belonging to their business groups to the tune of Rs 7,638 crore.
Further, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on which the Supreme Courts March 20 judgment is based itself shows that rapes of Dalit women have doubled in the last ten years. NCRB data also says that chargesheets were filed in as many 78% cases, which means the argument that false cases are being filed out of vengeance is flawed. Though shocking, these figures are ...

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



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Digital Editor
Following the alleged data leak regarding the schedule of the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls, an Officers' Committee constituted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) examined responses submitted by the parties involved.

Following the meeting, the ECI stated that further inquiry would be conducted into the matter and necessary action would be taken.

For the unversed, controversy erupted on Tuesday after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell head Amit Malviya took to Twitter to reveal the polling date as May 12 and counting as May 18, ahead of the ECI's official announcement.

However, Malviya deleted the tweet, post social media uproar.

Following this, the BJP leader in his response to the election-governing body, claimed that the tweet was based on a flash taken out by a leading TV channel, thereby downplaying the possibility of an information leak.

"I wish to reiterate that I firmly believe in the exclusive constitutional domain of the Election Commission to conduct free and fair elections in the country, and also in the confidentiality and secrecy mandated upon it in process of doing so. It is my kind submission that my tweet was in no way intended to infringe upon the constitutional mandate of the Election Commission," Malviya clarified.

Meanwhile, a local media in Karnataka also announced similar dates, following updates from the aforementioned leading channel, as per their clarification.

However, the national TV channel clarified that no information leak had taken place.

On a related note, the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will go to polls on May 12, and counting of votes will be held on May 15.
Microsoft Corp on Thursday said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of its windows and devices business, will be leaving the company amid a major management reshuffle. Myerson has been at Microsoft for more than two decades. He was responsible for supervising the company's products including Windows, Surface, Xbox, Windows Server and HoloLens Mixed Reality. Microsoft is also creating two new engineering teams focusing on artificial intelligence and its cloud business. Myerson will be working with Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella to ensure a smooth transition of ...
The youngest Nobel laureate, Malala Yousafzai arrived in Pakistan late Wednesday night, after spending about six years abroad.

Yousafzai's flight- Emirates' EK-614 - landed at the Benazir Bhutto Airport at 1:41 AM, reported Geo TV.

During her stay in Pakistan, the 20-year-old, is likely to hold meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other important figures. She will also participate in the 'Meet the Malala' programme, the report said. Further details have been "kept secret in view of the sensitivity surrounding the visit," a government official said.

The education activist was shot in the head in October 2012 by the Taliban gunmen for actively supporting girls' right to education.

The same year, she left Pakistan after surviving an assassination attempt by Taliban, as she was returning from school.

She was hit in the head, but survived the attack and was airlifted to the Military Hospital Peshawar.

Yousafzai was then shifted to London for further treatment.

At the age of 17, Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to and struggle for promoting education for children. She shared the prize with Kailash Satyarthi, a children's rights activist.



Malala is widely respected internationally for her bravery and activism, but opinion is divided in Pakistan where some conservatives view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country.


Former French president has been ordered to stand trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling involving a judge from whom he sought information about an investigation, a legal source said on Thursday.

Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog and former judge Gilbert Azibert must also stand trial in the case dating back to 2014, the source told AFP, confirming a report in French daily Le Monde.

According to prosecutors, Sarkozy's lawyer tried to get information from Azibert over the status of a campaign financing investigation.

In that inquiry, Sarkozy was suspected of accepting illicit payments from the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.

He was cleared in 2013 of taking advantage of the elderly woman, but wiretaps on Sarkozy's phone suggested he had discussed with Herzog giving Azibert, a magistrate from a top appeals court, a job in Monaco in exchange for information on the Bettencourt case.

Sarkozy has argued that the job never materialised, meaning he is not guilty of anything, but investigators believe the deal fell through because the former president and his lawyer learned their phones were being tapped.

Herzog and Azibert are also facing charges of violation of confidentiality.

The decision is the latest legal problem for Sarkozy, whose attempt to mount a comeback for the presidency failed in November 2016, when he could not secure the backing of his own party during primaries.

Last week the former president, who already faces a trial for illegal campaign financing in his 2012 re-election campaign, was charged with accepting millions of euros in funding from late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday filed cases against certain directors of two private companies for cheating Bank of India to the tune of about Rs 89 crore.

The two separate cases registered under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and substantive offences against a private rice mill at Mandi Gurdaspur, its four Directors and another private firm at Swank Mandi in Amritsar city of Punjab and unknown persons and public servants were filed after a complaint by the Bank of India, a statement said.

It was alleged in the FIR that the accused persons, in pursuance of a conspiracy, induced Bank of India to sanction credit facilities on the basis of forged/fabricated stock statements and balance-sheets.

According to the statement, the company based at Amritsar cheated the bank and did not repay a loan of Rs 61.01 crore.

The statement also mentioned another FIR against a private Agro Tech Company at Mandi Gurdaspur and four of its directors, another private firm based in Pathankot and unknown persons and public servants for cheating the bank to the tune of Rs 28.30 crore (approx).

The CBI also conducted searches at various locations in Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Pathankot (all in Punjab) and recovered incriminating documents in relation to the cases.

The CBI action follows multi-billion-dollar Punjab Bank fraud case involving celebrated jeweller Nirav Modi and his relative as well as Gitanjali Gems owner Mehul Choksi.

The more than Rs 15,000 crore scam has rattled the country and its economy, with the country's banks tightening grip over laws of sanctioning loans.

Further investigation and searches are on in the matter, the statement read.

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Delegates from Aeroports de Paris (ADP) met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and expressed interest in partnering with airport projects in the state.

The officials said they were keen on making a long-term partnership and contribute to the growth of the state.

In this regard, Naidu opined that with a growing middle class, increasing development, population, tourism, air traffic, Andhra Pradesh could be the hub for ADP's operations in India.

"Visakhapatnam offers the potential of the best airport in the country due to its close proximity to the sea, and popular tourist destinations Araku and Lambasingi. This is not just about scenic beauty; coastal Andhra has real strength. Our people are strong in knowledge and IT and have traveled and settled across the world. Air connectivity is very crucial for our stabilised growth," he added.

From around 16 flights a day, there are 72 flights that arrive at and depart from the airports in Andhra Pradesh. However, as per Naidu, airports are no longer just for connectivity, but also for creating an ecosystem for sustainable economic growth.

On a related note, ADP has designed and participated in the engineering of 26 airports across the globe including ones in Paris, Beijing, Muscat and New York. They have three headquarters in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, and are taking up projects across the world in varied capacities.

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Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday ended his indefinite fast after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Hazare had been on a fast from March 23 at Ramlila Ground to demand the appointment of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states, and ensure better production cost for farm produce.

Speaking to media, Fadnavis assured that the Central government has taken positive decision on Hazare's demand.

"Central government has taken affirmative decisions on most of Anna Hazare's demands," Fadnavis said.

The Maharashtra government further averred that "a committee has been formed for the demand approval of Anna Hazare."

On Monday, the Centre reached out to Hazare along with Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan to ensure that most of the demands of the social activist will be fulfilled.

Hazare had earlier said that he would do satyagraha till life left in his body and accused the central government of not allotting space.

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Naxals claim to be pro-poor and pro-tribal, but is this true?

Tribals in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district recently spoke about their objection to Naxal related violence and exposed the modus operandi of the latter.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one tribal said, "Naxals took us and forced us to take up arms. They lured us into believing that we could form our own government and country.They (Naxals) said the government constructs roads but will not allow them to."

Another tribal said, "The Naxals summoned our village before an open court and killed him brutally. They cut his body into several pieces. This is the standard of Naxal brutality."

A third tribal said, "The Naxals don't want schools to be constructed in the area. They force villagers not to send their kids to government schools. They provoke villagers to oppose any road and bridge construction. The Naxals misguide villagers about forests disappearing with these projects. We are now living in a camp. The Naxals even threaten to kill us if we return to our village.

The Naxals are not only misleading innocent villagers, but also are obstructing development projects in the state. They carry out attacks on workers engaged in road and bridge construction.

However, their real face has been exposed and tribal villagers have realized the importance of development.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his wife are involved in a land scam.

According to a media report, the duo acquired a piece of land valued at Rs 89 crore in New Delhi municipal area by paying much less amount for acquiring the holding company, when Sibal was the Union Law Minister during the tenure of the Congress party.

The Union Minister said that Sibal had a business deal with a person who was accused of money laundering.

"The person who was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for bribery during the UPA government and against whom South African journalists levelled charges of money laundering, from him Kapil Sibal and his wife got ownership of a company named Grande Castello Private Limited," BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani told media, quoting the report.

Irani added, "Is it so natural for the Congress leadership today to embrace money launderer, to shake hand with those that they had investigated for bribery?"

The media report said that Sibal and his wife allegedly bought 100 percent shares -50 percent each - in a company that had a paid-up capital of Rs one lakh.

"The company, Grande Castello Private Limited, owns the land in Delhi that was cost at Rs 89 crore in the books of the company before the acquisition," the report quoted.

On a related note, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are also accused of acquiring properties at lower prices in the Herald case.

Moreover, Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son-in-law Robert Vadra are also involved in controversies relating to land deals.

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Raising question over the Uttar Pradesh Government's decision to add Dr BR Ambedkar's middle name 'Ramji' in all state records, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Udit Raj on Thursday said that it would create controversy unnecessarily.

Speaking to ANI, Raj said, "I don't find any reason to change his name, it's an individual's freedom to decide how he wants to be known, Why create a controversy unnecessarily?"

The Dalit leader also expressed displeasure on behalf of the community.

On the recommendation of Governor Ram Naik, the Uttar Pradesh Government has passed an order to officially introduce 'Ramji' as the middle name of Dr BR Ambedkar in all documents and records in the state.

India's Dalit social reformer, whose full name is Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, is named as only BR Ambedkar in all official records.

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A federal judge in California has denied the request of porn star Stormy Daniels' attorney to depose United States President Donald Trump and his personal attorney, Michael Cohen as a part of the adult film star's lawsuit.

US District Judge James Otero on Thursday denied the motion, stating that it was "procedurally premature", reportedly suggesting that her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, could refile the motion at a later date.

The motion was "frivolous, untimely and premature on its face", CNN reported, citing, Cohen's spokesman David Schwartz, as saying in a statement.

Schwartz said, "I'm not at all surprised by the judge's decision to deny the motion to compel depositions of Michael Cohen and Donald Trump. This frivolous motion was denied with 48 hours of filing and I'm pleased it was denied".

Avenatti said that he will refile his motion to depose Trump and Cohen after they file their petition to move to arbitration.

"Here is an order from the Ct denying our motion as premature on procedural grounds. We will refile the motion as soon as DT, MC, and EC, LLC file their motion to compel arbitration seeking to hide the facts from public view. We expect this any day," he tweeted.

Daniels has publicly claimed a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. She recently appeared on CBS' "60 Minutes" and claimed Cohen orchestrated a payment to keep her quiet during the election.

Daniels has been locked in a legal battle with President Trump earlier this month, seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she and Cohen had signed more than a decade ago.

The adult star said that the deal is not valid because the US President "never signed it himself".

The judge, a former President George W Bush appointee, has set a hearing for April 30, according to the reports.
The Czech Republic is expelling three Russian diplomats in the aftermath of poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal at his home in Britain's Salisbury.

Two diplomats and one of the officials of the Russian trade mission in Czech Republic have to leave the country as of the latest 1 April, the Sputnik reported, citing the representative of the Russian embassy in Prague, as saying.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has branded the diplomats as "unreported spies", who are working under diplomatic cover.

Babis wrote on his page in a social network,"The use of a term 'diplomat' [in the light of the issue of expulsion] is wrong. In fact, these are people who are called 'unreported spies.' It seems that there are more of them in the Czech Republic than in any other country in Europe. Moreover, the Russian side scandalously accused us that this Novichok poison is allegedly being manufactured here. This is a blatant lie."

Retired military intelligence officer Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, 33, were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury city centre on March 4.

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday told UK Parliament that 23 countries had expelled more than 115 Russian intelligence diplomats, which "represents an unprecedented series of expulsions that demonstrates to the Kremlin that we will not tolerate their attempts to flout international law, undermine our values or threaten our security".

Only a handful of EU countries including Austria, Portugal, Greece and Malta, have declined to take any step.

Many other countries have expelled one or two diplomats, a move designed to register support for the UK.

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Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Greentech Mega Food Park Private Ltd, the first mega food park in Rajasthan at Roopangarh Village in Ajmer district on Thursday.

The park has been set up at a cost of Rs. 113.57 crore and will benefit around 25,000 farmers.

Giving details of the project, Harsimrat said "the mega food park, which has been set up in an area of 85.44 acres, would have a central processing centre as well as four Primary Processing Centres (PPCs) at Jaipur, Nagaur, Tonk and Churu".

"The park would also have facilities for primary processing and storage near the farms and would not only benefit farmers of Ajmer but also those of nearby districts of Jaipur, Nagaur, Tonk and Churu as well," she added.

The facilities being created at Central Processing Centre (CPC) of this Mega Food Park include cold storage of 5,000 MT, deep freeze of 2,550 MT, IQF of 2 MT/Hr., dry warehouse for raw materials 2,500 MT + dry warehouse for finished goods of 5,000 MT, silos of 6,500 MT, pack house of 10 MT/Hr, steam generator of 8 MT/Hr and other related food processing facilities.

The Union Minister further noted that "the mega food park would leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and would eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 crore annually".

"The park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers in the CPC and PPC catchment areas," she noted.

She also said that modern infrastructure for food processing created at the park will benefit farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Rajasthan and adjoining areas immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector.

The minister also highlighted how her ministry, under the visionary guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was focusing on boosting the food processing industry so that agriculture sector could grow exponentially and become a major contributor to doubling farmers' income through implementation of projects under the flagship scheme of 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana' and 'Make in India' initiative of the government.

The park was inaugurated in the presence of Union Minister of State for Food Processing Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Rajasthan Minister of Industries Rajpal Singh Shekhawat and Minister of Agriculture Prabhu Lal Saini and Ajmer MP (Lok Sabha) Raghu Sharma.

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The health of the daughter of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who was earlier poisoned in a nerve agent attack at his Salisbury home, is stable and showing rapid improvements, the hospital treating her said on Thursday.

"I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal. She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours," CNN News quoted Dr Christine Blanshard, Medical Director for Salisbury District Hospital as saying in a statement.

According to the British government, Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter were on March 4 exposed to a military-grade nerve agent. The father-daughter duo has since then been hospitalised in a critical condition.

The former Russian spy, 66, remains in a "critical but stable condition" but Yulia is "improving rapidly", the statement said.

The update on Yulia's condition comes a day after London's Metropolitan Police said Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent at the former spy's home as police have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent to date on the property's front door.

According to CNN, detectives will investigate around Sergei Skripal's Salisbury home for the coming weeks and possibly months. Yulia was visiting her father at the time they were poisoned.

The United Kingdom has reacted strongly to the incident and expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the attack blamed on Moscow. Russia has denied its involvement and suggested the UK was behind the poisoning, which UK officials believe was an exposure to a Soviet-era nerve agent known as Novichok.

More than 20 countries, including the US, Canada and 18 European Union (EU) members, have joined the UK in expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday said Moscow welcomed reports that Austria -- which has not ordered the expulsion of Russian diplomats - had offered to mediate between the two countries in the case.

Thomas Schnoll, the spokesman for Austria Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, told CNN that Austria condemned the Skripal poisoning but wanted to keep channels of communication with Russia open. "We see Austria as a bridge builder between the West and the East.

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India and Japan on Thursday discussed various issues including terrorism, economic development, and mutual cooperation, a joint statement by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said.

According to the statement, the two leaders exchanged views on Japan's role in the economic development of India, and in the view of Tokyo's contribution in the development of foreign countries, the two countries discussed development schemes in Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Describing terrorism as a black spot in the world and agreeing to tackle the menace together, Swaraj emphasised on the need to demolish terrorist safe havens, destroy terror networks and stall the terrorists' plans to launch attacks on foreign territories.

Kono and Swaraj welcomed the constantly increasing interaction between the people of the two countries, including economists, Members of Parliament and scholars.

It said India and Japan last year celebrated the bond of friendship and organised cultural activities all year around. Swaraj said the events helped in the development of a close partnership between Indian states and Japanese prefectures.

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Terror mastermind Hafiz-Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has reiterated his desire to launch a jihad or holy war against India from Pakistani soil.

Addressing a gathering of over 4,000 people during 'Friday sermon' in Rawalpindi recently, Maulana Abdul Rahman, Amir of the JuD, said Pakistan being an Islamic state is a centre of jihad loving people who would love to launch a jihad against India.

He said, "Pakistan is a centre of preparation of battle against India under 'Ghazwa-e-Hind'. Also, it is a centre of jihad loving people. Why we should not foil the conspiracies of infidels being hatched against Islam. Infidels only want liberalism and openness to be prevailing in Pakistan."

"But now lovers of Pakistan will certainly rise and foil their all conspiracies. We will sacrifice our lives but will not allow infidels to become successful in their conspiracies", said Rahman in his address.

The JuD Amir also fuel venom against the United States and Israel.

Rahman said, Trump, Modi and Israel are issuing threats against Muslims. They are hatching propaganda against Muslims by terming them fundamentalists, extremists and terrorists. They (U.S.) are the biggest terrorists. They had dropped atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and killed crores of people."

Pakistan claims to have put a ban on activities of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, but they openly sends threat to India. Rahman said, 'A group of our army will start battle against India and Allah almighty with his blessing had saved that group from fire of hell."

He added, "The caravan of Islam would convert whole India into Pakistan. No hurdle will be able to stop this carvan. Allah is the protector of this caravan."

JuD chief and founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hafiz Saeed, is accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The U.S. has offered a USD 10 million bounty for him.

However, Pakistan continues to use Saeed and his organization as a proxy against India.

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Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad, who has been serving the prison term in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Jail since December 23 last year in connection with the fodder scam, was admitted to the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on Thursday.

"Lalu Prasad Yadav was referred from RIMS Ranchi to AIIMS New Delhi. He is admitted under Department of Medicine and is also being seen by other concerned departments. He has a mild localised infection and high blood sugar. He is responding to treatment and is stable," according to a statement from the hospital.

The imprisoned minister, who was admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on March 16 after he complained of discomfort at Birsa Munda Jail, was moved to the AIIMS in the wake of his deteriorating health.

The suggestion came after the medical board at the RIMS on Tuesday once again reviewed the condition of Lalu Prasad and found that his sugar level was high and increasing.

They also said he had developed some renal problems.

On Monday, RIMS Director Dr R.K. Shrivastava, too, concurred that RJD supremo should be shifted to the AIIMS for better treatment.

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The youngest Nobel laureate and prominent Pakistani educational activist, Malala Yousafzai met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday, the Pakistan Prime Minister's office confirmed the development.

Earlier on Wednesday, Malala arrived in Pakistan after spending about six years in the United Kingdom.

Malala's flight- Emirates' EK-614 - landed at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Rawalpindi at 1:41 AM, reported Geo TV.

During her stay in Pakistan, the 20-year-old is likely to hold meetings with Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other important figures. She will also participate in the 'Meet the Malala' programme, the report said.

In October 2012, the education activist was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen for actively supporting girls' right to education in Mingora, Swat Valley in northern Pakistan.

The shooting drew widespread international condemnation.

The same year, she left Pakistan after surviving this assassination attempt. She now stays with her family in Birmingham, UK.

At the age of 17, Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions and struggle for promoting education for children.

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The use of IEDs and landmines is being condemned globally, but Naxals in India are using these devices frequently against security forces.

On March 13, a powerful landmine blast in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district killed nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

In another attack on March 24, five District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel were injured in an IED explosion carried out by Naxals.

Experts have condemned the use of IEDs and Landmine blasts in the state.

Journalist Rajendra Vajpayee said, "This is a repetition of the recent ambush by the Maoists in Burkapal and Kistaram, but it is because of the intelligence of the army and the alert received that the attack did not get much hype. Had their been huge casualties, the situation would have been different. Naxalites are making constant efforts to slay jawans just as they did in the Burkapal attack. They have not been very successful."

The Naxals are continuously killing innocent people.

Social activist Sampat Jha said, "The Naxals are very clever. They always try to create differences between the civilians and the security forces. They appear as civilians and wear similar clothes like us and successfully lay traps. After the incident, when security forces carry out a search operation, they fail to get trapped.

The Naxals are using tribals as shields to spread their brand of mayhem.

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Nepal Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, next month will address the nation from the Himalayan District of Nepal, Mugu which borders China.

Prime Minister Oli, who will be visiting Mugu to inaugurate the Karnali Province's Tourism Year 2018-19 starting on April 14.

This is the first time that a Nepali Prime Minister will be addressing the nation out of the Parliament, Official Residence and Office.

"Prime Minister Oli will be addressing the nation on the very first day of New Year from Rara Lake," The secretariat of the Prime Minister stated in a release late on Wednesday.

Rara, which is the biggest lake in Nepal, lies on the Mugu District falling on the Karnali Province, the least developed province amongst the seven provinces of the new federal system adopted by the country.

The strategically important district of Nepal bordering China has the nearest Chinese market, Hyazimang and the nearest crossing point for Tibet to China, situated at an elevation of 6,495 metres.

"The decision of the Prime Minister to address the nation from the least developed district of the nation will have a very positive impact on the people of the district as it is one of the most backward regions of the country," Karuna Devkota, a postgraduate student in capital Kathmandu told ANI.

Nepal, who have agreed to establish the seven-border crossing along the border with China in 2015, came at a time when the protests by Madhesis in the southern plains, regarding the demand to be recognised in the newly-formed Nepali constitution, led to the blocking of basic supplies from India.

By Binod Prasad Adhikari

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Deputy Spokesperson of the United States Embassy in India, Alexander McLaren on Thursday said Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was frisked at the US airport as he was on private visit.

Speaking to ANI, McLaren said that if an individual is on a private visit, irrespective of whether he or she is a citizen or any head of the state, then he has to go through the same security procedure.

"If a head of state chooses to travel privately without diplomatic passport then they are travelling as a private citizen and they have to go through same security screening as you and I and everyone else has gone through," clarified McLaren.

He further said that if an individual was on an official visit, then "it would have been a different story."

The Pakistan Prime Minister was frisked at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York during the security procedure.

A video of the incident showed Prime Minister Abbasi, who reportedly was on a private visit to meet his ailing sister in the US, adjusting his t-shirt after getting out of security checks with his jacket and a trolley bag.

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Pakistan is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous countries in the for activists and reporters.

The country's powerful and secretive security establishment, which includes the much feared Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the military, has long used abductions to silence anyone who dares to question or expose their actions, claims Kiran Nazish, an independent journalist covering South Asia and the Middle East, adding that she is of the view that the army is now waging what she calls "a quiet war on journalists".

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, nearly 10,000 people have gone missing in the country since 2001, with nearly 3,000 still unaccounted for. In 2016 alone, there were 728 disappearances.

The HRCP and human rights activists say these numbers are significantly under reported.

This matters, of course, for ordinary Pakistanis, who can't speak freely about their government. It also affects Pakistani lawmakers, whose ability to craft legislation is hampered by the lack of information, Nazish says in an article that she has written for the web site www.vox.com.

According to Nazish, these enforced disappearances have real consequences for the rest of the as well, and recalls U.S. President Donald Trump's first tweet of 2018, when he directly exposed Pakistan's failure to assist Washington in its global war on terror.

"The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit," he tweeted.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help," he added.

According to Nazish, Trump's tweet speaks of a larger issue i.e. that Pakistan is battling its own war on terror.

"Many parts of the country, including Waziristan, on its porous border with Afghanistan, have turned into safe havens for militants and terror groups. The Pakistani military has been accused of working closely with and even aiding terrorists there. To many, Pakistan is a black hole of information due to the lack of reporting and independent voices on the ground. Not knowing what actually is taking place not only complicates global efforts to counter terrorism, but also puts the region and the at large at risk," she says.

She further asks how will Washington verify Pakistan's cracking down on terrorist groups like the Taliban and the Haqqani Network before agreeing to revoke the suspension of USD 900 million in security aid to Islamabad.

Nazish opines that Pakistan's intelligence agencies operate like an independent arm of the state

"It's important to note that Pakistan's government, although democratically elected, does not have the power to control or influence the far-reaching and powerful military establishment. Pakistan's intelligence agencies hold so much power that even the police can't touch them. And despite criticism and warnings from international groups, and pledges by the government of Pakistan, disappearances seem to be getting worse," she adds.

Pakistan's Commission on Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances received nearly 300 cases of alleged enforced disappearances from August to October 2017, by far the largest number in a three month period in recent years.

And in early 2017, three Pakistani bloggers who were critical of the government disappeared for weeks, without a trace. When they were released, all three described torture and sexual abuse at the hands of Pakistani security personnel.

"Anyone who reports on Balochistan, or terrorism in Pakistan, knows that the military agencies will come after them," Khushal Khan, a research officer at the HRCP, told Nazish.

Waziristan, the restive region on the Western border with Afghanistan, is one of the most under reported places in the country. There's almost no information that hasn't been vetted or censored by the military going in or out.

The Pakistani military has claimed several times that they have defeated terrorism in this area and forced out the terrorists - but the military refuses to let journalists or NGOs visit the area to verify their claims.

The fact is that anyone who attempts to report on what's happening in Pakistan now runs the risk of disappearing.

"When I was investigating abductions of civilians from Waziristan in 2015, my sources were threatened and told that they "should not speak to journalists," Nazish, a former senior fellow at New America, says.

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A high-level official from a branch of the US Department of State, Alice G. Wells, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday, to hold discussions with senior Government officials on various issues concerning the two countries, a press release from Washinton confirmed.

Wells, who heads the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, a branch of the US Department of State that deals with US foreign policy and relations with South Asian countries, will meet with US Embassy staff, several senior Pakistani government officials, international organization leaders, and members of the private sector in Islamabad.

Wells will discuss The US' South Asia strategy and Pakistan's stated commitment to eliminate all terrorist groups present in its country, as well as the US' shared interest in building economic and commercial ties that benefit both nations.

She will also travel to Karachi to meet with senior government officials and the members of the business community. She will discuss The US' ongoing efforts to build strong economic and people-to-people ties.

This comes amid apparent strains in the relations between the two nations, as US President Donald Trump lately cut off financial aid of around USD two billion to Pakistan. Trump had earlier tweeted that Washington had 'foolishly' given more than USD 33 billion for 15 years.

A lot of the blame, for the brewing rift in relations between the countries, has been pointed at Pakistan's inability to control active Islamic militants in the country and its neighbours, causing the Trump administration to place Pakistan on the watch list of Paris based Financial Action Task Force's list of countries with inadequate terrorist financing controls, which will happen in July.

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Hours after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani accused Kapil Sibal of being involved in a land scam during his tenure as law minister in 2013, the Congress leader dismissed the claims, saying that it was a "legal" acquisition.

According to a media report, Sibal and his wife acquired a piece of land valued at Rs 89 crore in New Delhi municipal area by paying just Rs 1 lakh.

Irani, referring to the report, said that the pair got the ownership of a company, Grande Castello, from a person who was probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for bribery allegations at the time and against whom South African journalists had levelled charges of money laundering.

Quoting the news report, she said, "Grande Castello, with no business in Financial Year 2013-14, commenced purchase of a piece of land, which eventually cost Rs 45.21 crore. To fund this, the company raised interest-free loans and book overdrafts."

"Once the land was registered in the company's name in 2014-15, the company decided to revalue the aforesaid land based on the 'Market Value' as per valuation report obtained from the Government Registered valuer, thus raising the value of the land by Rs 43.79 crores to Rs 89 crore, almost doubling the value," she added.

However, Sibal dismissed the allegations, saying, "A person who does not know the meaning of money laundering is making allegations? Yes, I bought the company, does anyone mind? I paid and did so from my earnings, tax for which was paid by me, but no one saw it. I paid income tax and all my records are in order."

"If you have a problem, ask me. Why are you asking Rahul Gandhi?" Sibal further asked.

Also, the Congress leader advised the BJP to not deflect attention from the real issues and speak on the CBSE paper leak matter.

He added, "Today, a minister came out as a party worker to address a press conference. The BJP should have spoken on the CBSE issue and addressed the problems of the students. Instead, Irani started deflecting the real issues.

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Some British Sikhs along with Kashmiri separatists are planning to conduct an anti-India campaign during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK next month.

Working as stooges of Pakistan-based militants, including Wadhwa Singh of Babbar Khalsa International, these UK-based Sikhs held a meeting at a Gurudwara in London to plot their strategy.

These self styled Sikh leaders get their instructions from Pakistan based Sikh militants, whose sole objective is to conduct acts of terror against the Indian State. They are a very small and discredited bunch here in London and have no following in any of the Gurudwaras. They work at the behest of the Pakistan Government and have been aptly described as stooges by fellow Sikhs.

These separatists have links with Pakistan based Babbar Khalsa terrorist outfit and have time and again raised the issue of Khalistan at the international platform, knowing well that it is a non issue.

They have been planning to hold anti-India protests outside the venue of Commonwealth Summit on April 18.

Heads of 53 Commonwealth nations, including Indian Prime Minister Modi, will attend the Summit from April 16-20 in London and Windsor.

As per Government Whips' Office, House of Lords website, Member of Parliament Lord Nazir Ahmed is also planning to raise a question on Kashmir and Punjab in the House of Lords on April 16.

The question stated on the website says, "Lord Ahmed to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to encourage the government of India to withdraw its formal reservations against the right of self determination so that the conflicts in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Punjab and other territories in the north east of the Indian sub-continent can move towards a peaceful resolution in a democratic manner, underpinned by international law."

The Pakistani-origin British MP, who is also president of the all-Party Parliamentary group on Kashmir, is known to be working on anti-India campaign in the UK Parliament including support to the discredited self styled Sikh leaders who pursue an Anti India agenda.

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Incumbent Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been re-elected to the post for the second time, according to state media on Thursday.

Sisi won the elections with a brute majority, amassing a massive 92 percent vote share.

According to state-owned newspapers Al-Ahram and Akhbar el-Youm, and the official MENA news agency, the three-day voting saw 60 million registered voters that ended on Wednesday.

Sisi's only challenger and al-Ghad Party chief Moussa Mostafa Moussa was able to get only three percent of vote share.

Meanwhile, the official results are scheduled to be announced on April 2.

With no real opposition to Sisi apart from Moussa, various political analysts had already determined the outcome in favour of the former, as per media reports.

Sisi took over as Egypt's president for the first time in 2012, replacing the democratically elected now-jailed Mohamed Morsi.

Later, Sisi was democratically elected in 2014 as less than half of the eligible voters had cast their votes since the toppling of its first democratic government in 2013.

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A Delhi Court on Thursday sent all four accused arrested in connection with the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam paper leak to police custody for seven days.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police in a joint operation arrested four people involved in online hacking of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam.

The accused identified as Ajay, Parma, Gaurav, Sonu, were arrested from Delhi's Gandhi Nagar area.

The culprits used to charge Rs 15 lakhs to help examinees through an online app, 'Team Viewer'.

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A group of students staged a protest against the CBSE question paper leaks at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Thursday, demanding either a re-examination of all subjects or none at all.

The Economics question paper of class XII, held on March 26 and Maths question paper of class X, held on March 28 were leaked on social media hours before the examination.

CBSE students protest over the alleged paper leak, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi | Photo: PTI

Leveling allegations on the CBSE which suggested that more than one question paper was leaked, one protester said, "The CBSE should re-schedule all exams because multiple papers have been leaked, or just apprehend the ones involved and not hold any re-examinations at all, and what guarantee is there that the re-examination papers won't be leaked. No CBSE official has been arrested yet, they might just leak it again."

Raising slogans of 'we want justice', one of the agitated students branded the re-examination decision as 'hanging the students without getting hurt' and said, "If they wanted to hang someone, hang the CBSE bosses, arrest the CBSE chairman, the leak was done by the CBSE, not the students, then why punish them?"

A 10th class Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) student displays a placard during a protest over the alleged paper leak, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi | photo: PTI





The All India Democratic Student's Organisation and the Student's Union of India also staged protests against the CBSE for re-scheduling both the examinations.

"The Modi government has become an anti-student government because the government should be directly responsible for lapses in Government organisations. Someone should be held responsible from the government, first, the SSC paper leaks happened, now the CBSE paper leaks, why is the government punishing the students over it," said one protester.
Maintaining silence, the White House has refused to answer if United States President Donald Trump had know-how of a USD 130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels by his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

When, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was tossed a question on if Trump was aware of the payment, she responded, "Look, the President has denied the allegations. We've spoken about this issue extensively and I don't have anything else to beyond that. Anything beyond that I would refer you to the outside counsel," CNN reported.

The White House has claimed that the President has addressed the controversy surrounding Daniels.

According to the report, Cohen in October 2016, released a statement to CNN on behalf of Trump, which read, "President Trump once again vehemently denies any such occurrence as has Ms. Daniels."

Simultaneously, Cohen signed a statement from Daniels as well stating that the allegations of an affair were "absolutely false".

Cohen has said that he used "own personal funds to facilitate a payment of USD 130,000" to Daniels for her silence on the matter, weeks before the 2016 presidential election.

On that note, Daniels has been locked in a legal battle with President Trump earlier this month, seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she and Cohen had signed more than a decade ago.

The adult star said that the deal is not valid because the US President "never signed it himself".

Daniels on Monday accused Cohen for defamation amending her lawsuit against the US President.

According to the lawsuit, it now claims that Cohen defamed Daniels by suggesting that she is lying about her alleged 2006 affair with Trump.

The suit specifically points to a statement Cohen made last month, "Just because something isn't true doesn't mean that it can't cause you harm or damage," he said.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved certain official amendments to the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill.

The Amendment to the NMC Bill comes in the backdrop of its consideration in the Lok Sabha on 02.01.2018 and subsequently being referred to the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC). The Government has considered the recommendations made by the Standing Committee in its report tabled in the House on 20.03.2018 and general feedback, particularly the views of medical students and practitioners regarding certain provisions of the Bill.

Details:

The Amendments include:

Final MBBS Examination to be held as a common exam across the country and would serve as an exit test called the National Exit Test (NEXT):

Having considered the common demand by the students not to subject them to an additional licentiate exam for the purpose of getting license to practice, the Cabinet has approved that the final MBBS examination would be held as a common exam throughout the country and would serve as an exit test to be called the National Exit Test (NEXT). Thus, the students would not have to appear in a separate exam after MBBS to get license to practice. NEXT would also serve as the screening test for doctors with foreign medical qualifications in order to practice in India.

Provision of Bridge course for AYUSH practitioners to practice modern medicine removed:

The provision dealing with bridge course for AYUSH practitioners to practice modern medicine to a limited extent has also been removed.

It has been left to the State Governments to take necessary measures for addressing and promoting primary health care in rural areas.

Fee regulation for 50% seats in private medical institutions and deemed universities:

The maximum limit of 40% seats for which fee would be regulated in private medical institutions and deemed universities has been increased to 50% seats. Further, it has been clarified that the fee would also include all other charges taken by the colleges.

Number of nominees from States and UTs in NMC increased from 3 to 6:

Responding to the demands from States to increase their representation in the NMC, the nominees of States and UTs in the NMC have been increased from 3 to 6. The NMC will comprise of 25 members of which at least 21 will be doctors.

Monetary penalty for a medical college non-compliant with the norms replaced with provision for different penalty options

Another major concern gathered during discussion with stakeholders was the wide range of monetary penalty, ranging from one half to ten times the annual fee recovered from a batch, to be imposed in a graded manner on a medical college non-compliant with the norms. The clause has been replaced with a provision which provides different options for warning, reasonable monetary penalty, reducing intake, stoppage of admission leading up to withdrawal of recognition.

Stringent punishment for unqualified medical practitioners or quacks:

The government is concerned about the quality and safety of health care being made available to the citizens and the need to act strictly against unqualified practitioners or quacks. The punishment for any unauthorized practice of medicine has been made severe by including a provision for imprisonment of up to one year along with a fine extending up to Rs. 5 lakhs.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for continuation of Credit Guarantee Fund for Loans Scheme and continuation and modification of Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme with a financial outlay of Rs. 6,600 crore for period from 2017-18 to 2019-20. This will provide loans to 10 lakh students during this period.

Modifications in the present proposal:

i. In order to allow more students to access the benefit, (and also considering that the average loan size has been only Rs. 4 lakhs), the ceiling on the loan amount has been refixed at Rs. 7.5 lakhs.

ii. The moratorium period would be course period + 1 year.

iii. To promote quality education, the scheme would cover loans for pursuing professional/technical courses from NAAC/NBA accredited Institutions/programmes or Institutions of National Importance or Central Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs).

This condition would however, be applicable with prospective effect, and would not apply to the current loans.

iv. A dashboard would be put in place for better monitoring of the scheme.

Coverage:

As against the scheme which ran since 2009, in which average educational loans per year were only 2.78 lakhs, under the revised scheme, the number of loans per year are expected to be at least 3.3 lakhs, showing a 20% increase over the previous scheme.

The above restructuring of the scheme is in accordance with the policy of the Government to make good quality affordable to all.

Background:

Central Sector Interest Subsidy (CSIS) Scheme was launched on 1st April, 2009. Under the Scheme, full interest subsidy is provided for the education loan taken from Scheduled Banks under the Model Education Loan Scheme of Indian Banks' Association, covering a period of course duration + 1 year. This is made available for all the professional/technical courses in India and students with annual gross parental income up to Rs. 4.5 lakhs were eligible. The loans are disbursed without any collateral security and third-party guarantee. An amount of Rs. 9,408.52 crore has been disbursed towards interest subsidy and 25.10 lakh students have benefitted till date.

Credit Guarantee Fund for Education Loans (CGFEL) Scheme provides guarantee for the education loan under the Model Education Loan Scheme of Indian Banks' Association, disbursed by the banks without seeking any collateral security and third-party guarantee, for a maximum loan amount of Rs. 7.5 Lakhs.

A third party evaluation of the scheme has been made by IIM Bangalore, which suggested that the scheme should be rationalised to serve more students from economically weaker sections.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of Ministry of Commerce & Industry for removal of prohibition on export of all varieties of edible oils except mustard oil. Mustard oil will continue to be exported only in consumer packs upto 5 Kgs and with a minimum export price of US $ 900 per tonne.

The CCEA has also approved empowering the Committee, chaired by Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution and comprising Secretaries of Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Department of Revenue, Department of Consumer Affairs and DGFT, to review the export/import policy on all varieties of edible oils and consider measures such as quantitative restrictions, prior registration, imposition of Minimum Export Price (MEP) and changes in import duties depending on domestic production and demand, domestic and international prices and international trade volumes.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee, headed by the Commerce Secretary, mandated to review the export of edible oils in consumer packs & calibrate MEP from time to time, has been discontinued.

Impact:

Removing of restrictions on export of all edible oils is likely to provide additional marketing avenues for edible oils and oilseeds and will benefit the farmers by way of better realisation for oilseeds. Allowing export of edible oils may also result in utilization of idle capacity in India's edible oils industry and is a step towards Ease of Doing Business by removing confusion arising out of prohibition on export of edible oils and a plethora of exemptions.

Background:

The production of oilseeds in 2016-17 has seen a quantum jump in comparison to past two years.

It is expected that the production of oilseeds in 2017-18 is going to sustain at the same levels. At present, only certain edible oils can be exported in bulk and other oils only in consumer packs upto 5 Kg with MEP. In order to support growing production of oilseeds and to explore additional avenues for marketing of edible oils, it is required to allow bulk export of all edible oils with the exception of mustard oil, which is an item of mass consumption in India.

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Held on 28 March 2018

The Board of Indian Oil Corporation in its meeting held on 28 March 2018 has accorded approval for the following:

1. Augmentation of Kandla LPG Import Terminal from 0.6 MMTPA to 2.5 MMTPA at an estimated cost of Rs 588 crore.

2. Laying of 30' crude oil pipeline in Haldia-Barauni Section of Paradip-Haldia- Barauni pipeline and conversion of existing 18" product pipeline and gas pipeline at an estimated cost of Rs 3217 crore.

3. Augmentation of Mathura-Tundla Product Pipeline and its extension for hook-up with Barauni Kanpur Pipeline at Gawria T-point by laying Tundla -Gawria pipeline at an estimated cost of Rs 686 crore.

4. Project for production of 100% BS-VI at Gujarat Refinery at an estimated cost of Rs 3380 crore.

5. Acquisition of minority stake (4%) in the LanzaTech New Zealand amounting to USD 20 million through its wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore, IOCL Singapore.

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At least 11 Yemeni soldiers were killed after Al Qaeda gunmen ambushed a military convoy in the southeastern province of Hadramout on Wednesday evening, a security official told Xinhua.

The deadly attack was carried out by a group of Al Qaeda gunmen in Hajar Valley of Hadramout province and targeted a military convoy composed of three vehicles, the security source said on condition of anonymity.

Most of the killed soldiers were belonging to the newly-recruited Yemeni forces backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and some members of the Special Operations Forces in Hadramout, the source said.

He added that additional UAE-backed Yemeni forces were dispatched to the attack site in Hajar Valley just a few hours after the terrorist attack.

A tribal source in the area confirmed to Xinhua that a number of soldiers went missing after the attack.

"The Al Qaeda attackers rained the convoy with a barrage of heavy gunfire from different directions and soldiers couldn't survive," the tribal source said anonymously.

During the past two years, the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other terrorist groups including the Islamic State had an active presence in Yemen's southern part.

Both the Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants often launch suicide and roadside bombings against Yemeni security forces based in several provinces of the country.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including capital Sanaa, in 2014.

Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The United Nations has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with seven million Yemenis on the brink of famine and cholera causing more than 2,000 deaths.

--IANS

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Two NASA astronauts will head outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday to begin a 6.5-hour spacewalk.

During the spacewalk at approximately 8 a.m. (5.30 p.m. India time), Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold will install wireless communications antennas and replace a camera system, NASA said in a blog post on Wednesday.

They will also attempt to remove suspect hoses from a cooling system, it said.

This will be the 209th spacewalk in support of space station assembly and maintenance.

Spacewalkers Feustel and Arnold have their tools and suits ready for Thursday's excursion, NASA said in an earlier blog post on the same day.

They wrapped up final reviews with Flight Engineers Scott Tingle and Norishige Kanai who will assist the spacewalkers in and out of their spacesuits, it added.

The spacewalk by Feustel and Arnold will be the fourth this year for the orbital lab maintenance.

Meanwhile, a Russian cargo craft departed the space station on Wednesday after completing a six-month stay at the Pirs docking compartment.

It will orbit Earth for a month where Russian ground controllers will conduct a series of engineering tests on the 68P.

The cargo ship will then reenter the atmosphere on April 25 loaded with trash and discarded items for a fiery but safe demise over the Pacific Ocean, NASA said.

--IANS

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At least 68 people have been killed in a fire that erupted during a riot at a jail in the Venezuelan city of Valencia, according to a government official.

The blaze at the police station's lockup was reportedly sparked by prisoners setting mattresses alight in a jailbreak attempt on Wednesday. Many were believed to have asphyxiated due to smoke inhalation, the BBC reported.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on Twitter that nearly all the dead were prisoners. Two women who were staying overnight at the police station also died.

An investigation would be launched immediately to clarify what had happened, he said, adding that four prosecutors had been assigned to the case.

"The prosecutor's office vows to investigate to immediately clarify what happened in these painful events that have left dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning," said the Attorney General on Twitter.

Families were demanding answers and justice as it was one of the worst jail disasters to hit the nation, where human rights groups complain about bad prison conditions. A fire at a prison in the western state of Zulia killed more than 100 inmates in 1994.

The association Una Ventana a la Libertad (A Window on Freedom), which monitors jail conditions, said its reports showed a police officer had been shot in the leg by a detainee and that shortly afterwards mattresses in cells were set ablaze and the fire quickly spread.

State official Jesus Santander said one police officer had been shot. Rescuers reportedly broke through walls to try to free those trapped by the blaze.

Angry relatives gathered outside the detention centre after news of the fire broke and clashed with police as they sought information about loved ones. The situation soon turned violent and police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Videos showed men and women frantically running away as helmeted police wielded batons.

"They have not told us anything, I ask that (the law enforcement) not treat them like dogs, that they do not throw gas at them. They shot them as if they were dogs," said Lissette Mendoza, a mother of a 19-year-old inmate, Yorman Salazar.

Opposition lawmaker Juan Miguel Matheus demanded that the pro-government leader of Carabobo state inform relatives about what had happened.

"The desperation of relatives should not be played with," he said.

Later, in his press release, the Governor of Carabobo expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said that he would support them "with the funeral services and subsequent burial of the deceased inmates".
Amid the prevailing tension in parts of Raniganj and adjoining areas in West Bengal's Paschim Burdwan district following clashes over Ram Navami rallies, Union Minister Babul Supriyo was on Thursday not allowed to enter the area.

An FIR against the minister was also lodged for violation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc, L.N. Meena, Commissioner of Asansol-Durgapur Police, told IANS over phone.

Citing security reasons, police stopped the car of the Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises as he tried to enter the Railpar area in the district.

"As a public representative, it is my duty to be with the people when they are in trouble and I have every right to visit my constituency. Police was saying that I would not be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area.

"Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," said Asansol MP Supriyo who also engaged in a verbal duel with police personnel surrounding his car.

Incidentally, a group of people raised slogans against the minister demanding that he should leave the area.

"People of Ranigunj are attacked, police force is outnumbered and severely injured. And the Mamata government could only muster cutting off internet connectivity for 2 days? Because goons on the streets have been downloading weapons and bombs off the internet, is it now," Supriyo tweeted later.

Actress-turned politician Locket Chatterjee, who is the state BJP Mahila Morcha President, was supposed to visit Raniganj but was also stopped by police at Durgapur.

Criticising the BJP leaders' attempt to enter the area, West Bengal Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee blamed the ruling party at the Centre for the unrest.

"The immediate task is to restore peace and bring normalcy in the area. When the police and the state government are trying to take confidence building measures, why do they want to visit Raniganj?," he said.

Several shops and houses were vandalised and set ablaze over the Ram Navami related clashes in parts of the district and 19 people have been arrested for fomenting trouble.

A clash also broke out between two groups around a Ram Navami procession in Raniganj on Monday. A person was allegedly hacked to death while a Deputy Commissioner of Police lost a hand after getting hit by a bomb.

According to police, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since last night.

A special team comprising senior police officers Siddhinath Gupta, Jawed Shamim and Vineet Goyal was dispatched to prevent any more untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, there was intense police patrolling on Thursday in the area, especially in the Dhadka area, where a police vehicle was vandalised and two Trinamool offices were set on fire in violence on Tuesday.

The BJP, which is trying to pitchfork itself as the main challenger to the Trinamool in the state, has been using the Ram Navami celebrations since last year to appeal to the sentiments of the majority Hindu population.

Sensing the BJP's motive, the ruling Trinamool Congress also celebrated the occasion massively on its own this year.

--IANS

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A day after RTI documents pointed to an alleged 'Tea scam' in Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's Office (CMO), Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam demanded an internal inquiry on the entire issue.

In a letter to Fadnavis on Thursday, Nirupam plugged holes into the CMO's denial to the RTI response.

"The response of the CMO is full of loopholes and lies. They claim that this is the overall expense that has been spent on bouquets, shawls, coconuts which were given during felicitations, whereas the RTI was specifically for tea and snacks. So why is the CMO clubbing all other expenses now?" he asked.

Referring to the comments by former Union Minister and four-time Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, saying he was never aware that such huge expenses could be incurred on serving tea, Nirupam said that even other ex-CMs have said that the tea and snacks expenses of the CMO have always been in lakhs.

"Then how did the expenses suddenly rise to Rs 3.4 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 57, 99,150 in 2015-16? The CMO statement lacks authenticity and seems a desperate attempt just to cover up the truth because the expense has increased by 577 per cent which equals to more than 18,500 cups of tea consumed every single day," he said.

Dismissing the CMO's reply, Nirupam asked Fadnavis to provide a breakdown of the number of cups of tea served at various other locations like Sahyadri Guest House, Hyderabad House, Varsha Bungalow, Nagpur Office.

"If there is transparency and if the CMO is saying that we are making misleading claims, then give us a break-up if there's nothing to hide," he said.

On Wednesday, Nirupam brewed up a storm by furnishing RTI documents showing that in the past three years, the tea consumption in the CMO has increased by a staggering 577 per cent.

--IANS

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked troop-contributing countries not to place restrictions on how their peacekeepers are deployed so that the operations can deal with emerging threats to peacekeeping.

The request made at the UN Security Council on Wednesday would pose a challenge to countries like India whose peacekeepers could be subject to hazardous conditions as mission mandates are changed midcourse and often without providing them the necessary resources, if the limitations are lifted.

"The caveats imposed by troop-contributing or police-contributing countries should not hinder our operations," Guterres said, even as he outlined the changed environment in which the peacekeepers operate to the ministerial-level Council meeting on peacekeeping attended by 10 ministers and presided over by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

"UN peacekeeping missions now operate in far more dangerous, complex and high-risk environments.

"They are under threat from armed groups, criminals and terrorists, who have access to powerful modern weapons.

"Last year, we lost 59 peacekeepers through malicious acts - a sharp increase since 2016, when the figure was 34.

"Too often in the past, our troops have been reduced to waiting in a defensive posture, giving hostile forces time and space to plan attacks," Guterres added.

To counter it, the UN would have to ensure "to have well-trained, well-equipped peacekeepers that are mobile and agile, and can be proactive in dealing with challenges and threats," he said.

The caveats or the limitations placed by countries on how their peacekeepers are used by the UN center around the "defensive posture" that Guterres mentioned.

Going beyond that to taking more aggressive or proactiveaction would mean putting the peacekeepers in an active conflict mode, essentially sucking them into a local warlike situations, which many troop-contributing countries are not willing to join in as the original concepts of peacekeeping are radically altered.

Guterres said there was a need for "quantum leap" in refocusing peacekeeping operations and, therefore, he was launching a new initiative, "Action for Peacekeeping".

"As peacekeeping marks its 70th anniversary, I hope we can develop a set of mutually-agreed principles and commitments to create peacekeeping operations fit for the future," he said.

The initiative will be taken up on the sidelines of the next General Assembly session in September, he said and hoped that an agreement on it will be reached by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, he said the Council should "sharpen and streamline mandates" and criticised it for putting "unrealistic expectations" because of which "lives and credibility are being lost".

As an example, he cited the the South Sudan operations where 2,402 Indian peacekeepers are deployed.

"Please put an end to mandates that look like Christmas trees," he old the Council.

"Christmas is over, and the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) cannot possibly implement 209 mandated tasks. By attempting too much, we dilute our efforts and weaken our impact."

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)

--IANS

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Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday called off his hunger strike after the Central government "in principle" agreed to his demands but refrained from providing a roadmap on the implementation in a time-bound manner.

Hazare, who had earlier demanded the timeline along with the action plan, said the Narendra Modi government assured him that promises would be fulfilled "soon" even as he warned the government of another agitation if the action is not taken in the six months' time.

A delegation of ministers led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Hazare on Thursday evening and informed him that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was "positive" about the demands of setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee report for fair crop prices and new electoral reforms.

Subsequently, Hazare broke his seven-day long fast with a glass of juice in presence of Fadnavis, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan among others.

"The government has agreed to give 1.5 times the input cost (for agricultural produce). Also, government has said the Lokpal would be appointed soon. It says the electoral reforms come under the Election Commission's jurisdiction," Hazare told the gathering of around 3,000 protestors at the iconic Ramlila Maidan.

"The government has said that the promises would be fulfilled soon. I will wait for six months. If the government fails to do it till then, I will start agitation in September. However, Fadnavis says it will not even take six months. Let us see."

Fadnavis said the Prime Minister's Office had in letter to Hazare conveyed which components would be considered while fixing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agriculture produce.

"The central government has been positive about Anna ji's demands. We have explained to him the factors to be considered while fixing MSP. Also, a committee has been constituted in accordance with his demand of more autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)," he said.

Fadnavis said the other demands of electoral reforms including "right to recall" would be forwarded to the Election Commission.

"The government will take speedy action on these issues. So Anna ji need not hold another fast," Fadnavis said.

Soon after Fadnavis finished his address, a protester hurled a shoe towards the stage with unknown motives. While no one was hurt, police detained the protestor immediately.

--IANS

spk/vd

--

Saurabh Katkurwar

Principal Correspondent,A

Indo Asian News Service (IANS),

Delhi.

Mobile no- 98 9090 5734

Alternate email id- krait.saurabh@gmail.com

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India can move to higher rates of economic growth if it can resolve its "twin balance sheet" problem of high corporate debt and non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, accumulated in the banking system, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian said on Thursday.

In his address at the India Economic Conclave here organised by Times Network, Subramanian said that having overcome the short-term consequences of demonetisation and of implementing the Goods and Services tax (GST) last year, India can now propel itself onto a higher growth trajectory.

"If we can solve this twin balance sheet challenge given the new developments, and if we put the short term consequences of GST and demonetisation behind us, I think that could itself propel us to higher rates of growth than we have seen recently," the CEA said.

"After we put behind some of the major structural reform, growth has started to revive. In some ways there are two or three big reform actions that don't necessarily involve new stuff that we have to do," he added.

Subramanian also said policymakers need to re-evaluate whether more has to be done to deal with the NPAs of public sector banks, which have crossed the staggering level of Rs 8.5 lakh crore.

The government has embarked on a two-pronged strategy on bad loans.

On the one hand, it has brought in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) which provides for a six-month time-bound insolvency resolution process. On the other hand, it has approved a Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation plan for state-run banks.

In June last year, the Reserve Bank of India referred 12 accounts, totalling about 25 per cent of the gross NPAs, for resolution under the IBC.

--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 Japan on Thursday called for a peaceful, stable and free Indo-Pacific region following the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here.

"We are both democratic countries who respect openness, rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Sushma Swaraj said while addressing the media with Kono following the talks.

"The Special Strategic and Global Partnership we share is extremely important in the context of today's world," she said. "Both our countries seek a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region."

On his part, Kono said India was Japan's most important partner in its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

"Our Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy and India's Act East Policy should be further merged," he said.

The remarks assume significance given China's belligerence in the South China Sea and attempts to increase its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.

India and Japan, along with the US and Australia, are also part of the recently revived quad that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

In her address, Sushma Swaraj said that in Thursday's Strategic Dialogue, she and Kono discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Stating that India had emerged as one of the fastest growing economies, she said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country had risen in the rankings of ease of doing business.

"During our discussions, I told Foreign Minister Kono that India has embarked on the path of change and in this we regard Japan as an important partner," she stated.

"We welcome Japan's role in our flagship programmes like Smart Cities, Digital India and Start-up India."

Sushma Swaraj said she and Kono also discussed cooperation in the areas of information and communication, space research, health services and food security besides new areas.

She said that both sides appreciated the growing people-to-people ties between the two countries and called for relationships to be established between the states of India and the prefectures of Japan.

Both sides also strongly condemned terrorism and those providing safe havens to terrorists and agreed to unitedly fight climate change.

Sushma Swaraj said the Strategic Dialogue had laid the groundwork for the annual bilateral summit between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to be held later this year.

Following the talks, the two sides signed loan agreements on projects being implemented in India with Japanese aid, including on connectivity in northeastern India, Mumbai Metro Line 3, construction of Chennai Sea Water Desalination Plant and Himachal Pradesh forest ecosystem management.

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj addressed the Indian community at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre here during which she lauded the contribution of the diaspora in strengthening India's relations with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

She met former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and discussed ways to take the India-Japan relationship forward.

Kishida is Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council.

--IANS

ab/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Japan on Thursday called for a peaceful, stable, free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region following the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here.

"Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership has acquired a broader significance in the current global context," Sushma Swaraj said while jointly addressing the media with Kono.

"Our growing convergence on economic and strategic issues is important for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," she said.

Kono said India was Japan's most important partner in its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

"Our Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy and India's Act East Policy should be further merged," he said.

The remarks assume significance given China's belligerence in the South China Sea and attempts to increase its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.

India and Japan, along with the US and Australia, are also part of the recently revived quad that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

In her address, Sushma Swaraj said that in Thursday's Strategic Dialogue, she and Kono discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Stating that India has emerged as the fastest-growing large economy in the world, she said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is strongly committed to improving the "ease of doing business" and has "set into motion many far-reaching changes to build infrastructure, reform the business environment and promote education, skills and economic development".

"In my discussions with Foreign Minister Kono, I emphasized that in India's transformational journey, we regard Japan as a natural partner."

Sushma Swaraj said that India welcomes Japanese entrepreneurs with new opportunities in flagship initiatives such as Smart City, Digital India, Start-Up India and many others.

"Foreign Minister Kono and I had very productive discussions on how India and Japan are today working closely to build robust ties in high speed rail, information and communications technology, innovation, space science, healthcare and food processing, to name just a few.

"We also exchanged views on some new areas of focus in our engagement, such as skills development, Japanese language training in India and the possibility of Indian professionals working in Japan under the Technical Intern Training Programme."

She said that both sides appreciated the growing people-to-people ties between the two countries and "also expressed our satisfaction over growing role of states in India and prefectures in Japan as active stake-holders in our partnership".

Stating that both sides exchanged views on some important global issues where India and Japan have growing convergences, she said: "We shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that requires global action in the spirit of azero tolerance', including by rooting out terrorist safe havens, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists."

Sushma Swaraj also said that both sides emphasised the need for concerted global action to deal with other common challenges such as climate change.

She said she believed the Strategic Dialogue has laid a sound foundation for the annual bilateral summit between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to be held later this year.

Following the talks, the two sides signed loan agreements on projects being implemented in India with Japanese aid, including on connectivity in northeastern India, Mumbai Metro Line 3, construction of Chennai Sea Water Desalination Plant and Himachal Pradesh forest ecosystem management.

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj addressed the Indian community at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre here during which she lauded the contribution of the diaspora in strengthening India's relations with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

She met former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who is Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, and discussed ways to take the bilateral relationship forward.

--IANS

ab/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Trina Solar of China, the largest manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels globally and India's biggest supplier, awaits further easing of business conditions for the sector to begin production in the country for which the company has acquired land in Andhra Pradesh, according to Chairman and CEO Gao Jifan.

In an exclusive chat here with Indian reporters on the sidelines of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Chinese solar giant, Gao said he also had occasions to speak about the importance of developing the Indian solar market with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a time the country is in a mission mode on solar energy as a co-founder of the Gurugram-headquartered International Solar Alliance.

The sheer scale of Trina's achievements testify to its pride of place in China, which has been struggling with its own emission problems. Founded in 1997, it became the first solar PV maker to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange in 2006. The company has already shipped 32 gigawatt (GW), or 32,000 megawatt (MW), of modules to the rest of the world. Its products are available in 70 countries and shipments last year alone amounted to 9 GW.

Trina, which specialises in the manufacture of crystalline silicon PV modules and system integration, currently has about 10 per cent share of the global market. It also produces ingots, wafers and solar cells. It has over 20 per cent share in the Indian market and has cumulatively supplied 3 GW of equipment.

Gao explained that while India will continue to be a prime market for Trina, module-making is a high-investment activity and costs of manufacturing in India are very high. Solar power tariffs, as discovered through competitive bidding, have, however, been falling at the same time and are currently below Rs 2.50 per unit.

"Unfortunately, PV manufacturing lacks a supply chain in India and we prefer to import equipment from overseas," Gao said.

"If costs of making in India do not support the economics of production for the customer, it makes our job difficult. Our basic principle is to provide value for the customer. If the local customer cannot afford our products, that makes it difficult for us to produce," he said.

Another gap in India is the lack of reliable power supply for production, he said.

The company has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up a manufacturing plant with an investment of Rs 2,800 crore. Around 90 acres of land have been earmarked for the proposed unit at Atchutapuram in Visakhapatnam district. State Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has said the factory would create employment opportunities for 3,500 people.

Trina had, in 2014, supplied 600,000 panels for India's largest solar project of 151 MW at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh.

"I hope India opens up the PV market," Gao said, underlining the importance of producing locally if Trina wants to grow in the country. However, the lack of a developed domestic supply chain means that production is not cost-competitive. Nearly 90 per cent of India's solar panels are imported, while Indian manufacturers have to depend on accessories from China.

India's national solar programme, launched in 2010, has a domestic content requirement clause in order to protect and encourage local industry. It mandates that a solar power producer compulsorily source a certain percentage of solar cells and modules from local manufacturers in order to be able to benefit from the government guarantee to purchase the energy produced.

In this connection, a World Trade Organisation panel has earlier ruled that India's domestic content requirement for the solar sector is inconsistent with its treaty obligations.

Besides, cheaper Chinese imports have provoked industry bodies like the Indian Solar Manufacturers' Association to demand safeguard levies and anti-dumping duties.

On the other hand, with the sharp fall in solar and wind tariffs in India, as well as in equipment costs, government incentives had dried up, according to solar stakeholders.

A recent report by global accounting firm KPMG says that in the absence of strong local manufacturing, India will need to import $42 billion of solar equipment by 2030, corresponding to 100 GW of installed capacity.

The latest Bloomberg New Energy Finance report on the Indian solar sector, titled "Trade Dispute Overshadows Rising Market", projects India's solar cells and PV market, currently at 8.6 GW, to cross 12 GW by 2020. Around 90 per cent of Indian imports of PV cells and modules last year came from China and were worth over $3 billion.

Gao also said that Trina has set up a new business vertical to develop the rooftop solar market for the residential segment, as well as for big and small industry, the total size of which in India is around 1 GW.

(Biswajit Choudhury was in China at the invitation of Trina Solar. He can be reached at biswajit.c@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India will export 65-70 lakh bales of cotton in the ongoing cotton season 2017-18 (October-September) amid aggressive demands from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and China, said an official on Thursday.

Atul Ganatra, President, Cotton Association of India (CAI), said that apart from the neighbouring countries, India has also been receiving demands for cotton from several other countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey.

According to the CAI, India had exported 63 lakh bales of cotton last year. Each bale has nearly 170 kg of cotton.

Foreign buyers are interested in sourcing cotton from India as they find it cost effective and less expensive in comparison to other countries, said Ganatra.

India has already shipped nearly 53-55 lakh bales in the current season and contracts have been signed for another 8-10 lakh bales scheduled for shipment in April-May.

According to him, Indian cotton exports would reach 65 lakh bales by May-end as Bangladesh, the world's largest cotton importer, does not have much of its own production and its spinning mills largely depend on imports.

"In the early six months of this cotton production and marketing season 2017-18 (October-March), India has sold 55 lakh bales of cotton, of which 17 lakh bales have been shipped to Bangladesh followed by 11 lakh bales to Pakistan, 10 lakh to Vietnam, seven lakh to China, 7 lakh to Indonesia and Taiwan, and 3 lakh to other countries including Sri Lanka, Turkey and Thailand, among others," the CAI chief told IANS.

In case China's demand shifts from the US to India, its largest supplier, it will be a win-win situation for both cotton growers and suppliers as the prices of Indian cotton will move up, he said.

"But at present China has huge stocks in its government vault for current year's consumption, therefore, it will not source much. However, by the end of season, India's cotton exports to China may touch 10 lakh bales," Ganatra added.

The CAI had pegged India's cotton crop at 362 lakh bales for 2017-18 in its monthly report on March 9, 2018, down five lakh bales from the previous month as pink ball worms infestation and dry weather caused severe damage to the cotton crop this year in the Maharashtra and Telangana regions -- the two key cotton producers in India.

As per the Association estimates, the consumption of local mills is 330 lakh bales. Taking into account the export figure of 65-70 lakh bales, the aggregate demand works out to nearly 400 lakh bales.

As for the supplies, it is pegged at 412 lakh bales, with 362 lakh bales of the current year's production and 30 lakh carry-forward bales, while imports are expected to be around 20 lakh bales. Hence, the closing stocks would be around 12 lakh bales.

As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures, India is the largest producer of cotton in the world with 365 lakh bales this year, followed by China (353 lakh bales), the U.S. (273 lakh bales), Pakistan (105 lakh bales) and Brazil (103 lakh bales).

The five largest exporters of cotton are the U.S. (186 lakh bales), Australia (56 lakh bales), Brazil (54 lakh bales), India (54 lakh bales) and Uzbekistan (15 lakh bales).

As per the US agency, five major consumers of cotton are China (513 lakh bales), India (314 lakh bales), Pakistan (134 lakh bales), Bangladesh, (92 lakh bales) and Turkey (90 lakh bales).

The five major importers are Bangladesh (93 lakh bales), China (64 lakh bales), Vietnam (54 lakh bales), Indonesia (45 lakh bales) and Turkey (45 lakh bales).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 10th edition of The GRIHA Summit that will discuss sustainable building policies, tools and techniques and exhibitions showcasing sustainable building materials, construction practices and technologies will be organised in New Delhi in December by TERI in cooperation with the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia, one of the world's leading varsities.

GRIHA Summit seeks to discuss the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire lifecycle based on quantitative and qualitative criteria. It seeks to minimise resource consumption, waste generation and overall ecological and environmental impact of buildings and habitats.

Ian Jacobs, President and Vice Chancellor, UNSW said: "Our partnership with TERI represents our commitment to jointly develop tangible applications of research that our teams work in several areas such as clean energy and sustainable housing, including photo-voltaics, waste-water treatment and intelligent transport systems.

"This demonstrates UNSW's commitment to a robust 'India Strategy' that aligns with the developmental aspirations of the Indian government. We look forward to exploring several areas of collaboration with TERI."

Sydney-based UNSW is one of the world's leading research and teaching universities and is home to more than 52,000 students from over 130 countries. It offers programmes in architecture, art and design, business, engineering and law, medicine and science backed by a rich international faculty.

The partnership highlights the growing collaboration between India and Australia across various sectors.

Ajay Mathur, President, GRIHA Council and Director General, TERI said: "I welcome the offer of UNSW to co-create the 10th GRIHA Summit together with the GRIHA Council. I am equally excited on the renewed partnership between TERI and UNSW in the collaborative efforts of knowledge transfer and identification of specific areas for research and development across various thematics concerning the Built "

Over the years, the GRIHA Summit has witnessed enthusiastic participation from government, industry, building practitioners, developers, academia and all other relevant stakeholders.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A key commander of the Islamic State (IS) militant group was captured and three foreign nationals of the outfit were killed as Afghan security forces' aircraft targeted its hideout in northern Afghanistan, police said on Thursday.

The attack took place in Darzab district of Jawzjan province, a police official told Xinhua news agency.

"The warplanes of security forces targeted a hideout of IS rebels in Qazal Rabat area of Darzab district late Wednesday night, killing three foreign fighters and capturing a key commander of the group named Muzafar," said the official.

Without identifying the nationalities of the foreign fighters, the official said Muzafar's capture could deal a major blow to the group in Jawzjan and adjoining areas.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the provincial government Reza Ghafori said that the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan often conduct air attacks against militants and sorties were continuing against IS bastions in Darzab and Qush Tepa districts over the past two months.

--IANS

and/soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after the surfaced, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar faced a barrage of questions from the media, which was not satisfied with the comforting words of the Minister.

"I can assure you that the culprits behind the leak won't be spared. The police is already on the job and just like it nabbed four people in the SSC scam, I am sure it will soon catch the culprits in this case, too," he said.

"Besides, we have also constituted an internal inquiry to find out who leaked the papers," the Minister told the reporters before he was charged with another volley of questions.

"I think the honourable minister has given a comprehensive statement...," intervened Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was also addressing the press on Cabinet's decision taken on Wednesday, but he too was cut short for questions on students' protest across the city.

Even as the the Minister responded to the media queries, students in considerable numbers exhibited their anger in the form of protest at Jantar Mantar and raised slogans against CBSE.

"This is not right, CBSE should think of the students who didn't have anything to do with the leak, before conducting a re-examination," Aman, a Class 12 student of a government school at Gandhi Nagar, told IANS.

"Not just on social media, people were seen selling the question paper outside a school at Kailash Nagar (Gandhi Nagar) for Rs 8,000," he said.

Another student of Class 12 said paper were leaked for other subjects also.

"Biology and Chemistry papers were also leaked. I got to know of people who were offering question papers for Rs 16,000 if you wanted it a night before and for Rs 3,000 if you wanted it on the morning of the examination day," the student of KIIT World School in Pitampura said.

"CBSE chief should be sacked. Why is my money, a taxpayer's money, being spent on the re-examination? Is this the only way to make it just for all? There should be some other way. Let's not make it easy for the politicians," a furious mother of two girl students said at the protest.

It is said that question papers for Maths of Class 10 and Economics of Class 12 -- examinations for which were conducted on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, this week -- were in circulation for days before they came to be acknowledged as "leaks" by the board.

A flagrant act of recklessness on the part of board was also observed when it went ahead with Class 10 Maths examination on Wednesday despite being aware of the leak of Economics paper and even filed an FIR on Tuesday.

An Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on Wednesday after the CBSE registered two cases with the Crime Branch.

The first case was registered on Tuesday evening about Class 12 Economics question paper leak and the second related to the leak of Class 10 Maths paper was filed on Wednesday.

(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.)
Amid reports of Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi being frisked at an airport in the US, an official at the US Embassy here said on Thursday that he could not confirm this but stated that leaders of countries while on private visits are subject to normal security procedures.

"Obviously we cannot speak about some specific case," Alexander McLaren, deputy spokesperson of the US Embassy here, said in response to a question during a media interaction.

"My understanding is that if a head of state chooses to travel privately without diplomatic passport, then they are travelling as a private citizen, then he would have to go through the same security screening that you and I will have to go," he said.

"Obviously, an official visit is a different story."

A video that has gone viral on social media shows a casually-dressed Abbasi being frisked at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York earlier this week.

He was seen putting on his belt after clearing security, picking up his coat and bag and walking away moments later.

According to Pakistani media reports, Abbasi travelled to the US to visit his ailing sister.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Russia in May despite differences revolving around a former Russian agent's poisoning, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday.

"For the moment, the trip is planned," Le Drian told RTL radio.

At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Macron is scheduled to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum being held from May 24-26, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We must have a frank dialogue with Russia. We want to maintain it, but it is a dialogue on which we need a lot of clarity," Le Drian said.

Earlier this week, France asked four Russian diplomats to leave the country within a week in response to former Russian agent Sergei Skripal's poisoning in Britain.

On March 4, Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in a shopping centre in the southern city of Salisbury.

Macron's office said on March 15 that France agreed with Britain that Russia was responsible for the poisoning. Russia, however, has denied any involvement in the poisoning incident.

--IANS

and/soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistani Nobel laureate and education activist Malala Yosafzai arrived here on Thursday, more than five years after she left the country following a failed assassination attempt by the Taliban for advocating girls rights to education.

Yousafzai's flight landed at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport at 1.41 a.m., reports Geo News. The 20-year-old was accompanied by her parents and CEO of the Malala Fund.

She is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, as well as other important figures.

Yousafzai will also participate in the "Meet the Malala" programme during her four-day stay in Pakistan.

In October 2012, Yousafzai - then 15-years-old - was shot in the head at point-blank range by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) gunmen as she was returning from her school in Swat valley.

She suffered bullet injuries and was admitted to the military hospital Peshawar but was later flown to London for further treatment.

The shooting drew widespread international condemnation, Geo News reported.

She has become an internationally recognised symbol of resistance to the Taliban's efforts of denying women education and other rights.

In 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 in recognition of her efforts for children's rights.

Earlier this month, the Nobel laureate appeared on "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman" on Netflix.

Speaking of Swat, Malala stated: "It is just like a paradise on Earth."

She said she "did not realise how beautiful Swat was" until she moved to the UK.

During a visit to Canada last year, she was provided an opportunity to address the country's parliament, Dawn news reported.

Last April, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres selected Malala Yousafzai to be a UN messenger of peace, the highest honour bestowed by the UN chief on a global citizen.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An anti-corruption court here on Thursday indicted former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and 25 others in a corruption case pertaining to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

All the accused, however, pleaded not guilty against the charges. The former Prime Minister called the allegations "baseless", Dawn online reported.

Gilani and some former and serving senior TDAP officials, along with a few others, were accused of causing a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer through the approval and disbursement of fake and trade subsidies during the previous PPP government.

The Federal Investigation Agency had chargesheeted Gilani in around 25 out of over 70 cases pertaining to the trade subsidy scam.

The former Prime Minister's counsel Barrister Farooq H. Naek stated that his client was charged with corruption of Rs 4.9 million in 26 cases, but maintained that all the allegations were "untrue" and that the cases were "political revenge".

The others indicted include Tariq Iqbal Puri, who headed TDAP from October 1, 2010 to July 7, 2012; Ex-TDAP Director General (facilitation) Abdul Karim Daudpota and other TDAP employees.

Ten of the 25 indicted were proclaimed offenders.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its support for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's recent peace overture and urged the Taliban insurgents to join the reconciliation process.

Ghani unveiled his peace offer to the Taliban last month that includes recognizing the group as a political party, allowing it to open an office in Kabul, issuing passports to its members and removing the names of its senior commanders from the UN terrorist blacklist.

"Pakistan has been urging Taliban through it public statements, as well as private messaging to join the peace process. This, we feel, is a shared responsibility. Pakistan should not be singled out in this regard," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said at his weekly briefing.

The spokesman said that Pakistan has reiterated that only through political reconciliation, wherein all warring factions begin a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue with the Afghan government, can lasting peace be achieved in Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan welcomed Ghani's vision for peace and supported his offer of peace talks with the Taliban.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Popular actor Prakash Raj on Thursday called on Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao here.

They discussed the prevailing political situation and Rao's plans to float a new front of non-BJP and non-Congress parties.

Prakash Raj, who acts in South Indian films and is a bitter critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met Rao at the latter's official residence. He later drove to the state Assembly with Rao.

Rao, who is also the President of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has been getting support from various quarters for his plans to float a new front.

Prakash Raj met TRS chief a day after former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, called on him to discuss the latest political situation in the country.

Last week, KCR had visited Kolkata and met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had already announced her support to his efforts to cobble up a front as an alternative to both the BJP and Congress.

--IANS

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Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday met former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and discussed ways to take the India-Japan relationship forward.

Kishida is Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council.

"Fruitful discussion on taking relationship forward across diverse sectors," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"Kishida's role in strengthening our ties are invaluable," Kumar said.

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj addressed the Indian community at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre here during which she lauded the contribution of the diaspora in strengthening India's relations with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

She said India's relations with Japan had strengthened under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

Sushma Swaraj arrived here on Wednesday to co-chair with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue to be held later on Thursday.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Toyota Motor Corporation on Thursday said that it has concluded a 'basic agreement' with Suzuki Motor Corporation toward the mutual supply of hybrid and other vehicles between the two companies for the Indian market.

"Specifically, Suzuki will supply the Baleno and Vitara Brezza vehicle models to Toyota, while Toyota will supply the Corolla vehicle model to Suzuki," the company said in a statement.

"Details on each model, such as the schedule of the start of supply, number of supplied units, vehicle specifications, and supply pricing, will be considered at a later stage."

According to the statement, the vehicles will be sold by respective subsidiaries of Toyota and Suzuki based in India through their sales networks.

"By challenging and competing with each other with the goal of mutual improvement, Toyota and Suzuki aim to invigorate the Indian automotive market to further enhance their respective products and services to be offered to customers," the statement said.

Since February 6, 2017, when Toyota and Suzuki concluded a memorandum toward business partnership, the two companies have been "exploring concrete projects for collaboration in areas including environmental technology, safety technology, information technology, and the mutual supply of products and components".

In addition, the November 2017 announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the two to consider a cooperative structure for introducing battery electric vehicles in the Indian market in around 2020 was one outcome of the joint exploration into the partnership.

"Today's announcement is another outcome and underscores the progress Toyota and Suzuki have together made, and it aims to bolster both companies' product lineups and encourage competition in the Indian automotive market," the statement added.

--IANS

rv/bg

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Two Delhi Police officers have been arrested for the robbery of nearly 9 kg of gold chains from a Mumbai-based jeweller here, it was announced on Thursday.

Additional Director General of Uttar Pradesh Police, Prashant Kumar, praised his colleagues for solving the March 18 robbery when criminals in police uniform looted the gold outside the Sahibabad railway station here.

He identified the arrested police officers as Assistant Sub-Inspectors Satendra Singh and Brahm Pal of Delhi Police. The looted jewellery was worth Rs 3 crore.

Kumar praised his men for breaking what he said was "a dangerous nexus" between the two Delhi Police officers and professional robbers.

Investigations led them to Satendra Singh and Brahm Pal who were arrested. About 6 kg of gold was seized from them.

"They confessed to their crime and revealed they knew a salesman, Shailendra Yadav of Anand Jewellers in Meerut, who was earlier a police informer and who tipped them off about movement of bulk jewellery from Meerut to Delhi.

"The two officers were also involved in a similar robbery about 10 years ago and another seven to eight years ago," officer Kumar said.

--IANS

sps/mr/rak/vd

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The US President from 1945 to 1953, Harry S Truman, had a sign on his table that read The Buck Stops Here. It is unclear at whose table the buck stops in India. In the recently uncovered Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, first the government and then the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have chosen to blame each other.

PNBs multiple errors of commission and omission in the Nirav Modi case have resulted in that bank losing Rs 140 billion and counting. So far, only junior PNB officers have been identified as having colluded with the fraudsters. For taxpayers, who have to ...
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who has been serving a jail term in connection with the fodder scam, was on Thursday admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for specialised treatment.

Prasad, who was serving his jail term in Ranchi, was referred to AIIMS by the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Ranchi.

"His condition is stable. He was brought in at noon. His sugar levels are a little bit high and he has some infection in the kidney," an AIIMS doctor said.

He also said that Prasad has been admitted under the medicine department.

The RJD chief had been admitted to RIMS in Ranchi on March 17 over complaints of uneasiness while he was lodged at the Birsa Munda Jail. Prasad has been serving a jail term since December 23.

He left for New Delhi yesterday by train after a special CBI court allowed him to seek treatment at Delhi AIIMS.

Senior advocate Chittaranjan Sinha, who has been handling Prasad's fodder scam cases from the very beginning, said the 69-year-old leader is suffering from diabetes, high creatinine levels and blood pressure.

"His condition was not suitable for flying and the doctors at RIMS advised him to travel by train," Sinha said.

A medical board at the RIMS where Prasad was being treated had decided to refer him to AIIMS for better treatment, RIMS Director R K Srivastav said.

The former chief minister has been convicted in four fodder scam cases since 2013 -- the latest being the Dumka treasury case, in which a special CBI court sentenced him to 14 years in jail.

The Jharkhand High Court will hear on April 6 his bail plea in connection with his conviction in the third fodder scam case -- pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury, Sinha said.

(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.)
The Punjab Police today said it has arrested two Kenyan women and a man from Hoshiarpur in the state after 300 grams of heroin was seized from them.

The women were identified as Margaret and Eric, presently residing in New Delhi, and the man was identified as Amritpal Singh, a resident of Bulhowal in Punjab.

The police said the three were booked under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

SSP, Hoshiarpur, J Elanchezhian said a police team in the city's Civil Lines area signalled a car to stop, but on seeing the police the car's driver tried to escape.

After a brief chase, the police intercepted the car. A search of the vehicle's occupants - driver Singh and the two Kenyan women - led to the seizure of 100 grams of heroin from each of them, the police said, adding that the car has been impounded.

During preliminary interrogation, the Kenyan women revealed that they used to smuggle heroin from Delhi and sell it in Punjab.

Two cases under the NDPS Act had previously been registered against Singh in Adampur in Jalandhar and Model Town in Hoshiarpur, police said.

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Two members of the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) were killed in an encounter, while a villager was shot dead by CPI(Maoist) in separate incidents in Jharkhand, police said today.

Two PLFI activists were killed in an encounter with the police in Regre Bagichatoli under Karra police station of Khunti district today.

Acting on a tip-off that some members of the PLFI have assembled in the village, a joint team of Ranchi and Khunti district police rushed to the spot, Khunti Superintendent of Police Ashwini Kumar Sinha said.

Activists of the PLFI, a Maoist outfit, fired on the approaching police team and the policemen retaliated, he said adding that two ultras have been killed in the gun battle and others fled.

A search operation has been launched following the encounter to track down the extremists.

Police recovered two fire-arms and a motorcycle from the spot.

Meanwhile, a villager was shot dead by CPI(Maoist) which has given a Jharkhand bandh today in protest against alleged police atrocity, police said.

The villager's two-wheeler was also torched in Goilkera police station limit of West Singhbhum district last night.

The man was killed on the suspicion of being a police informer, though the police rejected the charge.

Meanwhile, the bandh failed to evoke any response in the state, barring West Singhbhum and Khunti districts, where the bandh was partial, police said.

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China's powerful military on Thursday said it has completed the target of laying off 300,000 troops and hinted at more reforms to optimise the quality and combat efficiency of the now two-million-strong force.

"Our target of downsizing the military by three hundred thousand is basically achieved," Chinese Defence spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang told a media briefing here, terming it as an "important political decision and political declaration" made by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the country.

The plan to downsize the world's largest army by 300,000 was announced by President Xi Jinping at a parade in 2015.

The PLA which was 4.5-million strong till 1980 was first resized to three million in 1985 and later to 2.3 million.

China also hiked its defence budget this year to a whopping $175 billion, three times higher than that of India.

The PLA also announced last year that it would reduce its ground troops to less than a million as part of Chinese military modernisation plan under which the navy has been given greater role to expand China's global influence.

The troops cut also came in the backdrop of a massive anti-corruption drive carried out by Xi, who also heads the military in which over 3,000 personnel including over 50 top Generals were removed and punished.

Xi also carried out a massive restructuring plan integrating several commands and creating a Rocket Force and the Strategic Support Force for the missile launches.

Ren also hinted that reforms of the military will continue.

"However, the comprehensive reform plan is still ongoing," he said, adding that the related information will be released in due course.

The present military reform plan has made "very considerate arrangements to downsize the military", he said.

"At the same time, we are working arduously to build on lean military force," he said.

"We are working to reduce the quantity to improve the quality to optimise our force structure to streamline our headquarters and non-combat staff to phase outdated equipment and to facilitate the transformation of the PLA (People's Liberation of Army) from a military focussed on quantity and scale to the one focussing on quality and efficiency," he said.

From manpower intensive to high-tech intensive was the essence of the modernisation of the defence and the military, he said.

"I also want to emphasise that China has always adhered to path of peace development, defensive policy and it has always been and will always be a force to maintain peace in the world and region," he added.
A Yemeni official says a suspected al-Qaida attack on a checkpoint in the southeast has killed nine soldiers and wounded four others.

Hisham al-Jabri, a military spokesman, said yesterday's attack in the Hadramawt province targeted an elite unit set up by the United Arab Emirates, which is part of a Saudi-led coalition battling the country's Houthi rebels. He says five attackers were killed.

The Saudi-led coalition has been at war with the Iran-allied rebels for more than three years in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people and devastated the Arab world's poorest country.

Al-Qaida and a local Islamic State affiliate have exploited the chaos to expand their reach.

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Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals Group today said it has partnered with the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR), UK, to help address the shortage of skilled radiologists in India and UK.

Through the partnership, Apollo Radiology International (ARI), a speciality division of the group, will provide opportunities to Indian radiologists to work for fixed terms in the UK, Apollo Hospitals Group said in a statement.

As part of the collaboration, eligible Indian radiologists will work and train in the NHS partner hospitals for a three-year period, it added.

Apollo Hospitals Group Joint MD Sangita Reddy said, "We are delighted to have partnered with the Royal College of Radiologists and Health Education England to enhance multi-fold the availability of trained radiologists in the NHS and Indian health system."



The need to rapidly upskill and train radiologists is of immense importance, given the requirement for the speciality in prevention and management of diseases, quaternary care and surgical interventions, she added.

"This partnership will ensure that Indian radiologists get an opportunity to enhance their skills through exposure to the NHS system," President of Royal College of Radiologists, Nicola Strickland, said.

Not only will this be beneficial to address shortages in the NHS, it will also strengthen the Indian health delivery system, when these trained radiologists return to work in India after their three-year engagement, she added.

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The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to introduce B R Ambedkar's middle name 'Ramji' in all references to him in official correspondence and records, a move criticised by the opposition as politically motivated.

A government order on using 'Ramji' was issued last night by Principal Secretary (Admin) Jitendra Kumar, an official spokesman said here today.

'Ramji' was the name of Ambedkar's father and as per practice in Maharashtra, father's name is used as the middle name by his son.

The government decision, however, did not go down well with the opposition ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party seeing vote-bank behind it.

"The state government's move to change the name of Dr. Ambedkar is a drama aimed at getting cheap popularity... BJP and its government has been taking the name of Babasaheb these days for the selfish motive of gaining the votes of Dalits and indulge in all kind of dramas," BSP chief Mayawati said.

"Dr. Ambedkar is Babasaheb and most respected of all sections of people, but like in the case of Gandhiji no one takes his full name and calls him Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Do the BJP people themselves refer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in government ads as Narendra Damodardas Modi. Why is this selfish being done in the name of Ambedkar," she asked.

SP leader Anurag Bhadoria, too, accused the BJP government of politicising Ambedkar's name to win Dalit votes.

In Mainpuri, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said that instead of altering Ambedkar's name, it is important that the path he showed is followed.

"A change has been made in the name of Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Whosoever has the right to vote knows his name. It is essential today, when he is being remembered and a new name is being affixed with his name, to follow the path shown by him," he said.

"I will say that it is also essential that the chief minister reads the Preamble of the Constitution. If he does so, the anger that was shown in the UP Legislative Council over his remarks against socialism will not be seen. The Constitution and its basis is around socialism," he said, referring to Adityanath's speech in Vidhan Parishad yesterday.

"If someone says 'sabka saath sabka vikas' it can also be considered as the definition of socialism by some people," he said.

Congress spokesman Surendra Rajput said the BJP only follows names and not the work done by big personalities.

"They only want to work on the name. It will be better if the BJP works on saving and strengthening the Constitution," he said, adding, "Ambedkar cannot be eulogised by weakening the Constitution."



UP cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya, however, said there was no in the government decision and no motive should be attached to the order.

Another senior minister and spokesman of the Uttar Pradesh government, Sidharth Nath Singh, said the BJP has only seen to it that the name of Baba Saheb is written correctly.

"Those who follow his ideals and indulge in tactics should not dabble into politics in his name. When it is written and used rightly they should praise it," he said.

"In Maharashtra, a father's name is mentioned in the middle of his son's name. But, if they (opposition) see Ayodhya in it, this shows how hollow they are and how low they have stooped to that they connect everything with it (Ram and Ayodhya)," he said.

Singh said the use of Baba Saheb's photo in all government offices has been made mandatory from April.

To a question, he said: "The SP should first answer why they had not done the needful when Governor Ram Naik had made this suggestion to him. Akhilesh Yadav should say...now that he has joined hands with Mayawati."



A campaign to write Ambedkar's name correctly was initiated by Naik in December 2017, citing the manner in which Ambedkar signed on the pages of the Constitution.

The spelling of Ambedkar in English will remain unchanged, but in Hindi it will be spelt as 'Aambedkar'.

The governor had written to the prime minister, the chief minister and also to Babasahib Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Mahasabha, expressing concerns over the prevalent "incorrect spelling" of Ambedkar.

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Union Minister Babul Supriyo and a senior West Bengal BJP leader were today stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area, where the situation continued to remain tense after violence erupted over a Ram Navami procession.

Internet services were suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were clamped in the area, following clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over a Ram Navami rally at Raniganj.

However, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since last night, police said.

Supriyo, the Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and MP from Asansol, tried to enter the Railpar area in Paschim Bardhaman district, where police stopped his car, citing security reasons.

Reportedly, a group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area.

West Bengal BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee, who was en route to Raniganj, was also stopped by police at Durgapur. In protest, the actress-turned-politician staged a sit-in.

Supriyo claimed that only the deployment of central forces can bring back peace in the area as locals don not have faith in the police.

channels showed him engaged in a verbal duel with police personnel, who had surrounded his vehicle.

"As a public representative I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty. But the police is saying I won't be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," Supriyo said.

He said that he would inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident.

The minister, earlier this week, had blamed inaction on part of the police for Sunday's violence over Ram Navami celebrations in Raniganj, neighbouring Asansol.

Reacting to both the incidents, West Bengal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee alleged that the BJP was trying destroy the communal peace and harmony in the state.

"When the police is patrolling the area why do they want to visit Raniganj? Are they not satisfied after unleashing violence for the last two days," he said.

Senior TMC leader and Mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation, Jitendra Tiwari, accused Supriyo of trying to disturb peace in the area.

A senior district police official said a huge contingent of the police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) is patrolling the area.

"There have been no fresh incidents of violence, although Section 144 is still imposed in the area," he said, adding, the situation is still tense.

One person was killed and two police officers were injured in the violence on Sunday and Monday.

Senior IPS officers Jawed Shamim, Siddhinath Gupta and Vineet Goyal have been deputed on special duty to bring the situation under control.

Governor K N Tripathi has also been advised not to visit Durgapur to see a police officer injured in the violence in Raniganj in view of deployment of police in the area, an official release said yesterday.

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Union minister Babul Supriyo and a senior West Bengal BJP leader were today stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area, which has been on the boil since Sunday, over clashes following a Ram Navami rally.

Supriyo claimed that two FIRs were lodged against him after which he also filed a complaint against the police. However, there was no confirmation from the police whether such FIRs were lodged or not.

State BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee was also barred from visiting the affected areas today as the situation continued to remain tense there.

Internet services remained suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were clamped in the area, following clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over a Ram Navami rally at Raniganj, the police said.

However, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since last night, the police said, adding that the situation was "under control".

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today held a high-level meeting at the secretariat after her return from Delhi. Chief secretary, home secretary, DGP and ADGP (law and order) were present at the meeting.

Banerjee did not comment on the situation at Asansol-Raniganj.

Speaking to TV channel ABP Ananda, Supriyo claimed he had learnt that two first information reports (FIR) were lodged against him after he had tried to enter the Asansol-Raniganj area, which led to a heated verbal exchange between him and the cops.

Supriyo, the MP from Asansol, tried to enter the Railpar area in Paschim Bardhaman district, where police stopped his car, citing security reasons.

A group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area.

TV channels showed him engaged in a verbal spat with police personnel, who had surrounded his vehicle.

"As a public representative, I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty. But the police is saying I won't be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," Supriyo said.

He said he would inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident.

Supriyo claimed that only the deployment of central forces could bring back peace to the area as locals did not have faith in the police.

The minister, earlier this week, had blamed inaction on part of the police for Sunday's violence over Ram Navami celebrations in Raniganj, neighbouring Asansol.

When asked, the police did not immediately confirm if complaints were lodged against the Union minister.

Locket Chatterjee, who was en route to Raniganj, was also stopped by police at Durgapur. In protest, the actress-turned-politician staged a sit-in.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee alleged that the BJP was trying to destroy communal peace and harmony in the state.

"When the police is patrolling the area, why do they want to visit Raniganj? Are they not satisfied after unleashing violence for the last two days," he claimed.

Chatterjee, also the TMC secretary general, claimed that Supriyo was seen pushing the on-duty police officers.

S N Gupta, a senior police officer, said the situation was under control. He, however, advised the people not to pay heed to rumours and stay indoors.

In all, 60 people were detained in connection with the violence, he said.

A district police officer said a contingent of the police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were patrolling the area.

"There have been no fresh incidents of violence, although Section 144 is still imposed in the area," he said, adding, the situation was still tense.

One person was killed and two police officers were injured in the violence that erupted on Sunday and Monday.

Senior IPS officers Jawed Shamim, Siddhinath Gupta and Vineet Goyal have been deputed on special duty to bring the situation under control.

Governor K N Tripathi has also been advised not to visit Durgapur to see a police officer injured in the violence in Raniganj in view of deployment of police in the area, an official release said yesterday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today advised business management students to become entrepreneurs instead of beingmere job- seekers.

"Now you are armed with a degree andMBA from an institute like IIM-Visakhapatnam. It is time to imagine,as imagination only will give you the wings for your career growth," he said in his address at the convocation of Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Visakhapatnam here.

He urged the IIM graduates to become entrepreneurs instead of being mere job-seekers and asked them to come to Amaravatito have a glimpse of his real-time management.

He saidthe fourth industrial revolution had begun and it hinged on IT and IOT (internet of things).

'Make technology as the platform for building your dreams. Set goals and proceed systematically towards them," he told the students.

He said earning money was only a by-product, the important thing was building a strong career that revolves around ethical values.

The Chief Minister appreciated IIM-Visakhapatnam for giving 25 per cent of the seats to girls.

"Women empowerment is the key to overall development of a country. The role reversal has setin. Earlier, women were dependent on men. Now, it's the other way round," he said.

He asked the IIM to increase the percentage of seats for women to 50 in the coming years.

Earlier, the chairman of Governing Board of IIM-VisakhapatnamHari S Bhartia said though this was the second batch that was passing out of the institute, it was the first batch to be awarded an MBA degree, after the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017, came into force.

He said in about three years, IIM-Visakhapatnam would have its own state-of-the-art campus at Gambheeram in the city.

Earlier, the Chief Minister awarded degrees to 43 of the total 45 students, in the presence of their parents.

Director of IIM-Visakhapatnam professor M Chandrasekhar said the students from across 19 States constituted the batchandthe institute achieved 100 per cent placement.

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The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is one of the 22 centres in India selected to host the Smart India Hackathon's second edition, which begins tomorrow.

The Union HRD Ministry's event will be held from March 30 and 31 to develop mobile applications and computer programmes for union ministries and state governments.

This year, BHU will host teams, which will develop apps and programmes for the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

The first edition of the hackathon was held in 2017.

More than 1,300 problems have been given by various ministries and state governments to be solved in this edition of the hackathon.

Forty-three teams from all over India are participating in the event and each team comprises six students.

The hackathon would be inaugurated by the prime minister and Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar tomorrow through video-conferencing.

The Union HRD Ministry has announced Rs 1 lakh as first prize, Rs 75,000 as second prize and Rs 50,000 as third prize.

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The ruling BJD's student wing today demanded resignation of Union minister Prakash Javadekar, protesting against the CBSE Board's decision to reconduct two papers of Class X and Class XII.

The Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) has decided to reconduct examinations for Mathematics paper of Class X and Economics paper of Class XII.

The activists of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) gheraoed the CBSE office here pressing for their demand.

"Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi silent at a time when the future of lakhs of students is at stake? He should take responsibility and answer. We demand resignation of Javadekar for his incompetency," said BCJD president, Rana Pratap Patra.

Patra also demanded a high-level probe into the leak to bring the culprits to book.

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Most cyber frauds in India's business process outsourcing (BPO) sector take place due to lack of strict implementation of existing information security protocols together with poor employee awareness, a survey jointly conducted by industry body ASSOCHAM and Microsoft says.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) along with Microsoft conducted the survey titled, 'Understanding the perceptions and awareness around cyber security among employees working in BPOs,' in Delhi-NCR and Kolkata to ascertain the level of awareness regarding cyber frauds among people employed in the sector.

The survey sample design comprised four focus group discussions (FGDs) and 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) held across Delhi-NCR and Kolkata, an ASSOCHAM statement said.

It was noted that awareness about cyber frauds was low among freshers and job applicants, but it was relatively higher in experienced employees.

"Both employees and customers are to be blamed for cyber frauds as employees lack ethics and customers for being careless about security and privacy," admitted experienced BPO professionals while acknowledging that computer hacking, credit card/bank frauds, malware/virus, tech support scams are "most prevalent."



While enough measures exist in the BPO sector to keep a check on cyber frauds, it is the lack of seriousness at the organisational level towards the issue which is the root cause to the problem as casual attitude is often passed down to employees, the survey said.

"Basic protocols like frisking/checking before entry/exit, no mobile phones on floor, no pen and paper and others are frequently overlooked, thereby exposing gaps."



It was also revealed that there is certain casualness, as the general feeling is that most cyber frauds take place on a larger scale, and the security staff is not aware of implications of not following proper protocols.

"There is also little awareness on importance of protecting data of clients leading to casual attitude of employees towards data."



While seriousness of implications and fear of repercussions is not deeply instilled in the employees' minds, they can also get trapped or perpetrate those frauds unknowingly.

The survey also suggested immediate steps to drive home seriousness about cyber frauds - include comprehensive session on cyber fraud in induction programme, implement stringent security measures, install strong antivirus systems, organise sessions on ethical practices, implement training and development programmes.

ASSOCHAM in collaboration with Microsoft has launched 'Cybersuraksha Youth Awareness Campaign,' wherein a series of workshops are being organised in various states with an aim to promoting awareness about cyber security threats among citizens and provide up-to-date security information through education and sharing of good practices, it was stated.

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The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and the Housing Department of Maharashtra failed to shift slum-dwellers from the airport land here even ten years after a private builder was given the job of building alternative tenements for them, the CAG has said.

Slums still occupy the airport land, "which continue to pose a grave security threat", the Comptroller and Auditor General said in its report, tabled before the Maharashtra legislature yesterday.

The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) had entrusted the task of rehabilitation of some 80,000 families living on Airport land to Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) in 2007.

"Though (some of) the tenements were ready for rehabilitation, SRA had not taken the possession of these tenements from the builder due to non-finalisation of the list of eligible slum dwellers," said the report.

"No slum dwellers could be shifted from the airport land even ten years after the scheme was taken up, defeating the objective of clearance of slums from airport land which continue to pose a grave security threat to the safety, security and operations of the Mumbai airport," it said.

The Housing Department failed to co-ordinate with the SRA and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for timely shifting of slum-dwellers, it said.

In another case, the CAG said, SRA wrongly approved a scheme for rehabilitation of Project-Affected People in eastern Mumbai, ignoring objections of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and granting an undue favour to a private developer.

The Bombay High Court, on October 14, 2009, had directed the government to remove the encroachments along the pipelines which supply water to Mumbai.

The government decided to provide alternative tenements to 7,500 families who lived along the pipelines.

"The SRA sanctioned a slum rehabilitation scheme on a private land owned by a developer in village Mahul for construction of 8,582 PAP tenements," the CAG noted.

"The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre objected to the scheme as it fell inside its buffer zone, and raised concerns of a potential threat to national security. Similar concerns were raised by Hindustan Petroleum since the tenements were adjacent to their Mumbai refinery," the CAG said.

The SRA still sanctioned the construction, it said.

Also, while giving transfer of development rights or TDR (which is given in return for a land surrendered for a public project), the SRA gave an undue benefit of Rs 156.85 crore to the builder, the CAG said.

The project was eventually scrapped in October 2013 when the Chief Secretary endorsed the security concerns.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The city civic body has told the Bombay High Court that it has no powers to delete a birth or death-related entry from its records, while responding to a single mother's plea seeking a birth certificate for her child without the father's name.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's birth registration department filed an affidavit in the court yesterday, stating that it did not have the authority to issue a birth certificate in the present case, without the name of the child's biological father.

The BMC was responding to a previous direction of a bench of Justices A S Oka and R I Chagla, hearing the plea of a 31-year-old woman from Nallasopara town in neighbouring Palghar district.

In her plea, the woman claimed that she was unmarried and that she gave birth to a girl through the test tube method in August 2016.

She claimed that since the identity of the donor in her case was kept secret by the medical authorities, there was no way for her to have given the BMC the name of her child's biological father.

However, the BMC's counsel, Suresh Pakale, produced in court the girl's birth certificate and the original records, including the hospital form giving information about the child.

As per the records, at the time of the child's birth, the petitioner had given her full name and claimed that she was married to a businessman.

She had also given that man's name as the child's biological father in the hospital form, that was used as the basis for the child's birth record.

The woman has disputed the authenticity of the form, while the BMC has submitted that the document bears the woman's signature.

Pakale also told HC that once an entry is made in the corporation's records, then its officials only have the power to amend it, if it is found to be "incorrect," or "if the same has been recorded fraudulently".

"Since neither is the case here and the petitioner herself gave us the information on her marital status and the name of the child's biological father, we cannot delete it from our records and the birth certificate," Pakale told HC.

The petitioner approached the high court last year, after the civic body refused her request to leave the space for the father's name on the child's birth certificate blank.

She urged the court to direct the corporation to remove the name of the child's father from its records and to change her marital status to "unmarried".

On March 14 this year, while hearing a similar case, the bench had directed the BMC to "mask" the name of the biological father of a child on her birth certificate.

The child's mother, an unwed woman, had urged the court to permit her to leave the space for the father's name on the certificate blank.

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Disha Patani says she is looking for stronger roles and cannot go on a film signing spree to appear active in the public eye.

The 25-year-old actor, who made her Hindi film with "M S Dhoni: The Untold Story" in 2016, says she would want to be associated with "good stories" that help her register her presence.

"The story matters to me a lot. I can't do something I don't like. Just for the sake of being out there... Showing people I exist, I can't do that... Because it's a lot of work. Filmmaking is not easy. You have to give your 1,000 per cent. You don't get to sleep, eat.

"I'm not happy to do it if I'm not happy with the story. I look for stronger roles, for the parts that would help me leave an impact. People should like the characters I play. Maybe, that's why I find it hard to find roles," Patani told PTI in an interview.

The actor also featured in "Kung-Fu Yoga" with Sonu Sood and international action legend Jacky Chan last year.

Patani will next be seen in "Baaghi 2", opposite Tiger Shroff, and she says it took her "a lot of time" to get into the skin of her character, Neha.

"She is a completely different person. But, I am similar to her only in parts. Audience will come to see a suspense element to the role," she says.

The film is the sequel to the 2016 action movie, with Shroff coming back as the male lead, Ronnie.

When asked if she was worried about the film as sequels are weighed with expectations, Patani says, "I was not a part of the first one, so I don't have that pressure. But Tiger must be going through that. It's a fresh start for me. I don't have the baggage."



The actor says she aspires to do strong roles in films.

"I know it's too early for me to ask for so much. I have just started. In future, I want to do roles that inspire girls and women. I want girls to know that they are as strong as the boys," she adds.

Patani, who is a second year BTech dropout, wanted to become an Air Force pilot.

She says people discouraged her when she decided to give up studies to pursue films but the only way to silence critics is to prove them wrong.

"If someone tells me, 'you can't do this', I get motivated, I feel 'I have to do this now'. People always pass judgements but at the end of the day, you know yourself."



"Baaghi 2" releases this Friday.

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The Congress on Thursday demanded that HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal be sacked following reports that the Class 10 mathematics and the Class 12 papers had been leaked.

The party is also demanding a judicial probe by a high court judge into the matter, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

The Delhi Police's crime branch is investigating the alleged leak after registering two separate cases.

Terming the issue "unfortunate", Javadekar has said the culprits will be punished.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which has announced a retest in the two papers, will declare the re-examination date probably on Monday or Tuesday, he said.
The crime branch has questioned 25 people, including 18 students and five tutors, in connection with the alleged leak of CBSE examination papers, the Delhi Police said today.

Special CP (crime branch) R P Upadhyay said: "We have no information that this leakage is pan-India but if such a thing emerges, we will send teams outside Delhi."



He said the police is trying to find the origin of the leakage and how it was transmitted and the beneficiaries.

"Twenty five people have been questioned so far. Both the papers were available before the scheduled examination dates. Among them were 18 students, five tutors and two others," he said.

He said the person whose name was mentioned in the CBSE complaint to the police had also received the paper, which was circulated through WhatsApp.

Students in Delhi took to the streets today to protest the CBSE's decision to hold re-examination of Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics papers, even as the Congress demanded that Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and the Board chairperson be sacked.

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Reacting to CBSE's decision of re-examination of Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers, actor Rani Mukerji today said the retests should not be a matter of concern for students if they are well prepared and the syllabus does not change.

In the wake of reports claiming paper leaks of the two papers, the Central Board of Secondary announced the retests yesterday.

When asked to comment about CBSE's decision, Rani told reporters, "If the students are prepared for the exams and the syllabus doesn't change, it doesn't matter if the exams are held again. If students are just mugging up then it'll be a problem. If they're preparing from day 1 then it doesn't matter."



The 40-year-old actor was speaking at the success celebration of her recent release, "Hichki", in which she plays a school teacher who has Tourette's Syndrome.

"Of course, it changes their vacation plans a bit. That might take a beating I guess. But in terms of students, I am sure they all are very bright," she added.

"Hichki" released last week.

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Canadian institutional investor La Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) has made an initial investment of USD 20 million in the first growth fund of Nandan Nilekani promoted Fundamentum.

The investment in Fundamentum's first growth fund (Series B) is a new strategic investment for CDPQ, enabling it to diversify its activities in India, a priority market, the company said in a statement.

In addition to the investment in Fundamentum, CDPQ said it will also explore direct investments in Fundamentum's portfolio companies.

According to CDPQ president and chief executive officer Michael Sabia, India ranks as the world's third largest technology start-up hub and this new partnership will enable the selected start-ups to scale their businesses.

"We view this as the beginning of a long-term partnership leading to subsequent rounds of investments," he said.

Fundamentum is a scale-up platform for mid-stage technology companies in India founded by Nilekani and Sanjeev Aggarwal the founder of Daksh and Helion Venture Partners, alongside a network of Indian entrepreneurs and key investors.

With a target size of approximately USD 100 million, Fundamentum Partnership - Fund I is expected to invest an average of up to USD 15 million in select startups.

It will focus on investments in consumer and enterprise technology businesses across retail, logistics, travel and outsourcing.

"We will greatly benefit from CDPQ's knowledge of global trends and deep investment expertise. Both Fundamentum and CDPQ are bullish about the opportunity to build a host of large and enduring world-class organisations out of India, in the next decade and beyond," said Nilekani.

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An organisation here has launched a certification programme for companies to help in making the workplace safe for women employees.

The 'Sexual Abuse Free Environment (SAFE) certification', launched by the Gujarat chapter of British Chevening Alumni India, aims at sensitising the companies and creating awareness among employees about sexual harassment at workplace.

Chevening is a global scholarship programme of the UK government.

A safe work environment will attract more talent from among women, British Deputy High Commissioner to India, Alexander Evans, said while launching the certification programme here yesterday.

"For us in the UK, this is not a political debate but it is about talent. If you exclude women or make workplace unfavourable for women, you are basically reducing the ability to attract talent to the organisation. It is important for people to feel safe at the workplace," he said.

"Sexual harassment, as the ingredient at a work place, makes it toxic, it makes it deeply unpleasant for people to be at the workplace. And particularly, because sometimes it is done in a private way in the form of bullying or harassment, it can puncture somebody's confidence," he further said.

Despite the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act coming into force on December 9, 2013, many companies were yet to implement it, said Ruzan Khambatta, a Chevening scholar from Gujarat, who is behind the idea of the certification programme.

"This, despite the legal requirement that any workplace with more than 10 employees needs to implement the Act," she said.

Quoting a joint report of the industry body FICCI and Ernst & Young (a multinational professional services firm), issued in November 2015, Khambatta said 36 per cent of Indian firms and 25 per cent among the multi-national companies (MNCs) are not in compliance with the Act.

A company with more than 10 employees can register for the SAFE certification, based on compliance of certain conditions laid down under the law, she said.

"A SAFE committee comprising noted individuals from the society would audit the applications of companies, conduct interviews and surprise checks, and grant them the certification, subject to the fulfilment of certain criteria," Khambatta said.

The certification programme has been launched in Gujarat and will be gradually taken across the country, she added.

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister will camp in New Delhi on April 2 and 3 to meet leaders of various political parties and seek their support for the demand of special status to the state.

Though a specific itinerary has not been chalked out yet, TDP sources said the chief minister would confer with all non-BJP parties to explain the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh post-bifurcation and how the NDA government "failed" to honour the promises made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Already, the TDP MPs have handed over a letter written by Naidu to leaders of various parties and sought their support in the state's fight for its rights, but it is not yet clear as to whom the chief minister will meet during his New Delhi trip.

"I will bring every party together and fight for the just rights of the state. The state's development is my only agenda and not politicking," the TDP supremo had announced in the Assembly.

Though the Left parties and other organisations suggested that the chief minister spend at least 10 days in the national capital, Naidu said he could not stay that long because of the ongoing budget session of the assembly.

TDP sources, however, indicated that he might extend his stay by a day or two in case the no-confidence motion against the Modi government is taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha.

"Right now our focus is only on the state issues and the no-confidence motion. We want the Centre to implement the 19 main issues incorporated in the AP Reorganisation Act and also the six promises made in Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014 by the then prime minister Manmohan Singh," a politburo member of TDP said.

The issue of the Federal Front that's being talked about was not on the TDP chief's mind yet, he said.
Chaos prevailed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Thursday as there were inordinate delays during baggage check which led to long queues and flight delays. "System failure detected in baggage handling system at Delhi Airport, thousands of bags reported to be misplaced as of now," reported ANI on Twitter.

Airlines like Vistara complained that the bags were not being loaded in the aircraft and that DIAL, the airport operator, was trying to find a solution to the problem.

Several flyers vented their anger on social media with some claiming that though they had arrived at their destination behind schedule, their luggage hadn't been delivered to them.

The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the airport operator, is yet to issue a statement on the chaos.
China today commended Nepal's new Left Alliance government for adopting an independent and balanced policy towards its neighbours.

"China, Nepal and India are important neighbours to each other. We hope the three sides can work together, have some sound interactions and achieve common development," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing here.

The Left Alliance of the CPN-UML, led by K P Sharma Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre, led by Prachanda, had in December secured 174 seats in the 275-member Parliament in the historic provincial and parliamentary polls.

Known for his pro-China stance, 65-year-old Oli was elected as the prime minister. He had earlier served as the Nepal's prime minister from 2015 to 2016 during which Kathmandu's ties with New Delhi had strained.

To a question about Oli's assertion to follow independent and balanced foreign policy, Lu said China "commend the Nepali government's commitment towards independent foreign policy."



China also "support Nepal developing friendly and positive relations with its neighbours," Lu added.

Oli, who had publicly criticised New Delhi for interfering in Nepal's internal matters and accused it of toppling his government, after his sweeping poll victory said his party would forge a partnership with India to move forward the country towards the path of economic prosperity.
Close ties between militaries of China and Pakistan will not only help maintain an all weather partnership between the two countries but also the regional peace and global stability, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said today.

China's 2.3 million-strong military is the world's largest, and Pakistan has emerged as the biggest consumer of the China-produced military hardware. In the past five years, Pakistan has bought 41 per cent of China's exported weapons, according to analysts.

Pakistan is seeking to make China its main supplier of military hardware, partly due to the looser financial terms offered by Beijing, replacing traditional suppliers from the west.

"China and Pakistan share all weather partnership. We have maintained very high level of defence exchange and cooperation," Chinese military spokesman, Col Ren Guoqiang told a media briefing here.

"At the same time, I am very confident that military cooperation will help facilitate our state to state relationship and also in maintaining regional peace and international stability", he said.

Guoqiang's comments came in the backdrop of China selling a powerful tracking system in an unprecedented deal which could speed up the development of multi-warhead missiles by Pakistan.

Zheng Mengwei, a researcher with the state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of Optics and Electronics in Chengdu, Sichuan province recently.

The researchers told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that Pakistan had bought a highly sophisticated, large-scale optical tracking and measurement system from China and deployed it at a firing range for use in testing and developing its new missiles.

China was the first country to export such sensitive equipment to Pakistan, CAS said.

The Post report attributed the sale of the equipment to Pakistan to India testing the most advanced nuclear-ready intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-V with a range long enough to hit Beijing or Shanghai.

Chinese authorities declassified information about the sale of the tracking system yesterday.

While India's single-warhead missiles are bigger and cover longer distances, Pakistan has focused its efforts on developing multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), a type of missile carrying several nuclear warheads that can be directed towards different targets, the report said.

Unlike the US, which accounts for one-third of exports and supplies at least 100 countries, China delivered major arms to 44 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa.

More than 60 per cent of China's exports went to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar and another 22 per cent went to Africa, a recent study report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said.

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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has mourned the death of Penny Chaudhary, co-pilot of Coast Guard helicopter which crashed near Maharashtra's Raigad, and conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved family.

Assistant Commandant Capt Penny Chaudhary, the co-pilot of the Coast Guard Chetak helicopter, was on life support following surgery for head injury, died Tuesday night after battling for life for 17 days.

The officer had suffered internal bleeding after the rotor of the helicopter struck her head during the incident on March 10.

She was admitted at the naval hospital INHS Asvini in south Mumbai's Colaba area.

"The brave and gusty officer from Karnal wasone of the youngest women pilots of the country. She was a bright student who worked hard to become a pilot and set an example for others to follow.

"I convey my heart-felt condolences to members of the bereaved family and pray that her soul may rest in peace," the Chief Minister said in a condolence message.

The mortal remains of the 26-year-old were consigned to flames with state honours at Karnal today.

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The Congress today expelled senior Congress MLA Malikayya Venkayya Guttedar after he announced his decision to quit the ruling party in the state and join BJP ahead of the May 12 assembly polls in Karnataka.

Guttedar, a six-time MLA from Afzalpur and a former minister, has been unhappy with the party and its state leadership for some time, over him not being considered for ministership by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Later in the day, the state Congress expelled Guttedar from the party for six years, citing his "anti-party" stand as the reason.

"Afzalpur MLA and Karnataka Housing Board Chairman Malikayya Guttedar has been expelled from the party for six years, for his anti-party stands," said Karnataka Congress quoting its President G Parameshwara in a statement.

Guttedar, who met state BJP Chief B S Yeddyurappa today said, he has spoken to Chief Minister over phone before taking the decision.

"There was confusion, which party I will join. I have decided to join the BJP under the leadership of Yeddyurappa, quitting Congress," Guttedar told reporters here.

He said, he would join the BJP in the presence of party national president Amit Shah during his visit to Mysuru on March 30 and 31.

Guttedar said many of his supporters would also join the BJP.

He said he was joining the BJP "unconditionally" to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party's chief ministerial candidate Yeddyurappa's leadership.

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The Congress in Madhya Pradesh will take out a march on April 5 to demand that the BJP government take steps to check the spurt in crimes against women in the state, a senior leader said today.

The 'nyay yatra' (march for justice) will be taken out from Udaipura area in Raisen district to Bhopal - covering a distance of about 100 km.

The Congress' decision to take out the march comes in the wake of the alleged suicide committed by a woman, whose parents claimed that she was married to the son of state Public Works Department (PWD) minister Rampal Singh.

The woman's family had also claimed that the minister's son was planning to marry a second time.

On March 22, a Congress delegation had met Governor Anandiben Patel and demanded registration of a case against Rampal Singh and his family members in connection with the woman's suicide.

Preeti Raghuvanshi (28), had allegedly committed suicide at her parents' house at Udaipura on March 16.

The minister later said that if his son had accepted Raghuvanshi as his wife, he too accepted her as his daughter- in-law.

However, the Congress delegation told the governor that had the minister accepted Raghuvanshi as his daughter-in- law, she would not have taken the extreme step.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Ajay Singh, said today that the yatra will be taken out on foot as well as on vehicles from Uadipura, where Raghuvanshi committed suicide.

"We want the minister to resign and his son Girjesh to be booked (in the suicide case). Even after so many days, the minister's son has not been booked," he told reporters here.

The police were dragging their feet in investigating the case, the Congress legislator alleged.

The marchers would reach Bhopal the next day (April 6) and stage a protest in the state capital, he said.

The yatra is primarily aimed at highlighting the crimes and atrocities being committed on women and girls in Madhya Pradesh, the LoP said.

"Women and girls are unsafe in the state," he claimed.

"Our voice is being stifled in the Legislative Assembly. So, we are going to come out on the streets on behalf of the state's people who are facing lot of hardships," the Congress leader said.

The Opposition party will take out more such marches in days to come to highlight the 'plight' of different sections of the society, he said.

"We will continue such protests till Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is ousted in the Assembly elections due later this year," he added.

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The opposition Congress today slammed the ruling BJD government in the Assembly for anomalies in the rolloot of 'Khushi' scheme for schoolgirls in the state.

Under the Khushi scheme, girls are provided free sanitary napkins in govenrment and government-aided schools across the state.

The Congress said that the scheme is being implemented in a partial manner.

Senior Congress MLA Bhujabal Majhi said the state government should make arrangements to provide sanitary napkins to girls studying between standard 6 and 12 in both aided and non-aided schools.

Majhi was replying to Health Minister Pratap Jenas statement in the Assembly. He said that the scheme will benefit girl students of only government-aided schools.

During Question Hour, Majhi said, Around 2,67,400 girls are studying in non-aided schools while many of the 51 schools for children with disabilities are yet to receive 'government-aided school' status. Would the state government include girl students of these schools under the scheme?



BJD MLA Sameer Ranjan Dash also wanted to know whether the state government would take steps to provide sanitary napkins to girls who are not even enrolled in schools.

Jena, however, said that the state government has not taken any decision in regard to providing free sanitary napkins to all girls.

The scheme is being implemented by the health and family welfare department of the state at a cost of 70 crore per year, a senior government official said.

After launching the scheme, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had said that about 17 lakh girls studying in government and government-aided schools will benefit from it.

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A Delhi court has refused to protect an Assistant Professor from possible arrest in a case of allegedly writing to the Prime Minister's Office on a forged letter head for action in a matter.

Special Judge O P Saini dismissed the anticipatory bail application of GM Govindappa, noting that as many as 48 fake letterheads were recovered from him, he had not joined investigation and a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him.

"Asking PMO (Prime Minister's Office) to take action in a matter by writing a letter on a forged letter head is a serious matter and the entire truth is required to be unearthed," the court said, while also noting that the accused was also involved in a previous such case in Karnataka.

In his anticipatory bail application, the accused had claimed innocence and said that there was no evidence against him.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had opposed his bail plea alleging that in a raid conducted at Govindappa's residence, 48 fake letter heads were recovered.

Govindappa had made co-accused K Somashekar write a letter to the PMO on a fake letter head, it alleged, adding that he had also appointed Somashekar to a non-existent post after charging him Rs 13 lakh.

According to the police, Somashekar had written to the PMO in August 2016 on a letter head of Indian Council of National Affairs (ICNA) which showed him to be Director (Public Grievances), Minister of Home Affairs, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.

In the letter, he had complained to the PMO that a petrol pump in Bangalore was granted licence in violation of the Petroleum Rules and action may be taken in the matter, including its closure.

When the letter reached the PMO, the officers there got suspicious about its authenticity and referred it to the police which found it to be fake.

The police found that the post of Director Public Grievances, in the Indian Council of National Affairs was arranged for K Somashekar by Govindappa after charging Rs 13 lakh from him.

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The CPI has backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's stand favouring inclusion of the Congress in a front to take on the BJP in the general elections next year.

On the Trinamool Congress leader's efforts to forge opposition unity, the Communist Party of India general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said electoral adjustment among the opposition parties at the national level may not be possible.

"But in the states, according to their specific conditions, there should be some sort of one-to-one contest to defeat the BJP," the veteran leader told PTI.

Reddy said in states like West Bengal and Kerala, where the Left is directly pitted against the Trinamool Congress and the Congress respectively, joining of forces between them would not be possible.

"It (electoral adjustment) will be possible in states where this type of a situation (as exists in West Bengal and Kerala) is not there," he said.

"I can't speak on behalf of the entire Left. But my party's opinion is wherever there is a possibility with a regional party and other parties (to put up a common candidate against the BJP), there should be some sort of understanding and we are not for exclusion of the Congress where there is a possibility (for electoral understanding)," the CPI leader said.

On who is the bigger adversary for the Left -- the BJP or the Trinamool Congress, he said, "Of course the BJP. Our main adversary is the BJP. We will fight the BJP...main enemy."



Banerjee yesterday met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and stressed the need for the Congress to be part of a front to take on the BJP.

She had also met a host of other opposition leaders during her two-day visit to the national capital.

Banerjee met NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and leaders of some regional parties, including NDA ally Shiv Sena, to explore possibilities of a "federal front" to take on the BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls.

The West Bengal chief minister also met disgruntled BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha, besides having a telephonic conversation with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, with whom she talked of a "one-to-one" fight in the states.

"I have told Sonia ji that what the country wants is there should be a state-wise one-to-one fight against the BJP. Whichever party is the strongest in a state, that party should contest in that state against the BJP," she had said.

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The Communist Party of India (CPI) today termed "suicidal" the government's decision to privatise Air India and demanded it to roll-back the move.

Disinvestment of Air India is against the national interest and is being carried out at a time when banks are being "looted" by the private sector, it said, making an oblique reference to the recent controversy involving jewellery designer Nirav Modi.

Modi is an accused in a Rs 11,400-crore banking fraud and is believed to have left the country.

"Whenever any public sector unit is plunged into a crisis for no fault of it, the Modi government takes decision to hand it over to private sector business houses," the party said in a statement, adding, "handing over public assets to private sector is suicidal".

The government today unveiled plans to sell up to 76 per cent stake in Air India and transfer the management control to private players, starting the ambitious strategic disinvestment process for the debt-laden national carrier.

Air India had a fleet of 115 aircraft as on December 2017 and serves around 39 international destinations.

As on December 1, 2017, the airline had 11,214 permanent employees and 2,913 on contract, among others.

Leading trade union All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) also slammed the move and appealed workers and trade unions to unitedly oppose the "retrograde" policy.

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The Delhi Congress today said it will hold a protest over the alleged "atrocities" on Dalits and the BJP-led central government's "failure" to properly put up its case before the Supreme Court, leading to the "dilution" of the provisions of the SC/ST atrocities act.

Senior leaders of the Delhi Congress, including former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, today discussed various issues such as atrocities against Dalits and the recent hike of fixed charges of electricity in Delhi, during a meeting at the party office here.

The demonstration will register party's protest against "rising atrocities" against Dalits and the "failure" of the BJP-led Central government in properly putting up its case before the Supreme Court, "diluting" the provision of arrest under the SC/ST Act, said Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken.

On the issue of hike of fixed charges of electricity, he alleged that the hike will hit the poor consumers hard as the move was intended to benefit the power companies.

The "massive" increase in the fixed charges in the Delhi power tariff will put an additional burden of Rs 1,510 crore on the power consumers, he claimed.

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Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain today sought to allay concerns that the hike in fixed charges, announced by the power regulator, will put extra burden on those availing the government's subsidy scheme.

Jain said the AAP government would continue with the power subsidy for which a separate amount has already been allotted in the budget.

The power minister told reporters that contrary to popular perception, the government provides a flat rebate of Rs 2 per unit for consumption between 0-200 units and around Rs 2.98 per unit for consumptions in the bracket 201-400, instead of a 50 per cent subsidy on the actual energy charges.

"Now, those who consume between 0-200 units will be charged one rupee per unit and for consumption of 201-400 unit Rs 1.5 will be charged," he said.

Jain issued a chart according to which a household with a 1KW connection that consumes 100 units will pay only one rupee more from April while for consumption of 200 units one will save Rs 116.

The chart shows that in each category of sanctioned load -- be it 1 KW, 2 KW, 3 KW or 4 KW - the savings will be more for more consumption.

Yesterday, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) announced a new tariff schedule for 2018-19 and said it will have an overall lowering effect on electricity bills for various categories of consumers in the national capital.

In the new tariff schedule applicable from April 1, the DERC hiked the fixed charges but reduced the per unit rates of electricity consumed.

The government has maintained that people in Delhi will not have to pay more despite a hike in the fixed charges.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia yesterday said the AAP government had not allowed any hike in the power tariff for the fourth year on the trot.

Attacking the BJP, he alleged that the party was "misleading" the people of Delhi saying power bills would increase.

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Donald Glover is miffed with the cancellation of "Deadpool" animated series and the actor vented out his anger by posting a 15-page fake script for the show.

In the script posted on his official Twitter account, the "Atlanta" star took potshots at Marvel for backing out of the project and dwelled upon the reason for it.

As per the script, titled "Finale", Deadpool wakes up in a Jeep in Kenya as he takes a mission involving Sudan, the last male northern white rhino that died recently.

"You know, I'm not mad about this whole 'cancelled' thing. I actually think it's a good time to have a violent, gun loving white man ranting on TV? Other than the President," Deadpool tells Sudan in the script.

Earlier this week, it was announced that FX Productions, Glover and brother Stephen would no longer be partnering with Marvel on the series. A statement from FX had cited "creative differences" as the reason. Its statement said the Glovers had agreed to part ways with the network and with Marvel television.

The script also has jokes about the Bitcoin roller coaster and Facebook's privacy flaws. It also reveals actor Sanaa Lathan as the person who allegedly bit pop star Beyonce's face.

"Do you think they cancelled the show cause of racism?" Deadpool wonders.

"Yeah, but all the writers were black. And the references were pretty black too. I heard they went over the lunch budget ordering Jamaican food at least once a week."



In another scene, Deadpool says, "It just feels like everyone wants something different, but no one want to do anything different to get it. Doesn't Marvel have enough feel-good minority shows everyone supports but doesn't watch? I mean I think our show woulda been funny. I just wanted a place to be honest And I guess that place is Freeform."



The animated series originally received a 10-episode straight-to-series order in May and was set to launch this year on FX's comedy network FXX.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man driving a car with fake licence plates tried to ram a group of soldiers out jogging in southeast France today, security sources told AFP, sparking fears of a new attempted attack as the country mourns the victims of an Islamist shooting spree last week.

Speaking French and Arabic, the man first threatened a group of soldiers at around 8 am in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near Grenoble, and then tried to run down another group returning to their barracks from a jog, the sources added.

"The soldiers managed to get up onto the pavement without being hit," army spokesman Colonel Benoit Brulon told AFP.

The driver of the small Peugeot 208 hatchback, who was accompanied by a woman, sped off before being arrested around lunchtime in Grenoble, police and military sources said.

Prosecutors in Grenoble, a town in the foothills of the French Alps, said the incident was not being treated as a terrorist attack for the moment and the motive remained unclear.

The incident comes with France on edge after a jihadist rampage in the towns of Carcassonne and Trebes last week where a 25-year-old gunman killed four people, including a policeman who took the place of a hostage in a supermarket siege.

The people of Trebes paid an emotional farewell to three local victims at a ceremony in the square of the sleepy town on Thursday, held a day after a national tribute to officer Arnaud Beltrame in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron.

"You fell under the bullets of terrorism and took with you the insouciance of a little town in Occitanie where no one expected to ever experience such happenings," Trebes Mayor Eric Menassi told mourners at the gathering attended by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

The security forces have been repeatedly targeted during the string of jihadist attacks that have claimed the lives of 240 people around France in the past three years.

At least six security force members have been killed during that period.

In last week's attack, the Moroccan-born gunman Radouane Lakdim fired at a group of policemen returning from a jog before storming the Super U store and shooting dead two people. He also killed the passenger of a car he hijacked in Carcassonne.

Beltrame intervened during the supermarket siege to take the place of a cashier Lakdim was using as a human shield.

But after three hours of negotiations the gunman, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, slit Beltrame's throat before himself being shot dead by police.

Paying tribute to Beltrame at a national ceremony in Paris yesterday, President Emmanuel Macron said his act of self-sacrifice would "remain etched in French hearts".

Lakdim, who had a criminal record for weapons and drugs offences, was on a watchlist of suspected radicals, but authorities had concluded that he did not pose a threat.

His 18-year-old girlfriend, a radicalised Muslim convert, has been charged with being part of a terrorist conspiracy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man tried to ram his car into soldiers jogging near their barracks in southeast France today, without causing any injuries, security sources said.

A hunt was underway for the driver who insulted another group of soldiers after the aborted attack in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near Grenoble, before speeding off, the sources added.

The incident comes with France on edge after a jihadist rampage in the southwest last week, where a 25-year-old radicalised gunman killed four people, including a policeman who took the place of a hostage in a supermarket siege.

Today, the four victims of the attack in the town of Carcassonne and nearby Trebes, including the heroic officer Arnaud Beltrame, will be laid to rest in the region.

Paying tribute to the officer at a national ceremony in Paris on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron said his act of supreme self- sacrifice would "remain etched in French hearts".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said e-Panchayats will help root out corruption from the state.

The chief minister was here to address a public meeting and lay foundation stones for several projects.

There were problems in the initial phases of implementation of the GST, which were removed later. Similarly, problems in implementing the e-Panchayat programme such as lack of computer knowledge among staff will also be solved in a few months, he said.

The system will run perfectly and help in abolishing corruption, Khattar said.

The chief minister also urged people to make themselves aware about the benefits of e-Panchayts, a release said.

Khattar said that as many as 150 'Antodaya Bhawans' will be set up in the state to enable people residing in villages and wards to avail benefits of about 300 government welfare schemes.

Initially, the facility will be made available in six districts from April 14, the release said.

He also claimed that jobs were now being given on merit and there was no involvement of middlemen.

On an attempt by a handful of INLD workers to show his convoy black flags, Khattar said the main opposition party in the state is left only with the task of opposing and showing black flags.

The party name should now be"black flag party", he said.

Ministers Anil Vij and Krishan Lal Pawar and Member of Parliament Ratan Lal Kataria were among others present on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with a sweeping majority, garnering nearly 92 per cent of the total votes, media reports said today.

According to early estimates, more than 23 million Egyptians voted for the 63-year-old Field Marshal in the three-day presidential election.

His sole challenger, the little-known centrist politician and al Ghad party chief Moussa Mostafa Moussa, is estimated to have obtained 3 per cent of the vote.

Vote counting started after polling stations closed on Wednesday.

According to non-official figures, 21,088,295 people voted for Sisi in polling stations across Egypt.

The official results will be announced on April 2.

Sisi posted photos of voters participating in the polls and praised them on facebook for the huge turnout on late Wednesday.

"The voice of the masses of Egyptians will remain a witness - no doubt - that the will of our nation is prevailing with a force that does not know weakness," Sisi said.

"The scenes of the Egyptians outside the polling stations will remain a matter of honour and pride for me and hard evidence of the greatness of our nation," he added.

According to the official results of the vote count released by the general election committee in Aswan governorate, Sisi received 254,940 votes against Moussa's 9,563 votes.

In Sidi Gaber in Alexandria governorate, Sisi won 83,631 votes against 2,474 votes for his rival.

The number of eligible voters who cast their ballots stood at 95,486, with 86,112 valid votes registered, it said.

Alexandria governorate has more than 3.8 million eligible voters.

In the Nile Delta governorate of Gharbiya, Sisi obtained 90 per cent of votes, with a turnout of more than 50 per cent, state news agency MENA reported, citing preliminary results.

About 60 million people were eligible to vote in the election which was held in 13,687 polling stations across the country and under the supervision of 18,678 judges from various judicial bodies and authorities.

Police and army personnel maintained a tight vigil near the polling stations to ensure that no untoward incident happens.

Sisi overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Tosi in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. He was elected for a four-year presidential term in 2014.
The ongoing Privacy concern raised after the Facebook data scandal illustrates that most countries are ill prepared for the digital economy, the United Nations has said.

Cambridge Analytica, the UK-based analytics and marketing firm that worked for the Trump presidential campaign in 2016, allegedly procured Facebook data harvested from millions of users to target US voters. It is alleged that the firm also worked extensively in India.

The Internet user growth is booming and with more people ever purchasing goods and services online, protecting their privacy must be a top priority, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the main UN agency dealing with the economics of globalisation, said.

The privacy concerns raised after the revelation that a political data firm gained access to millions of Facebook users without their consent signals to the larger problem that nations need to be prepared more for a world of e-commerce, UNCTAD said.

"The current debate about Facebook and data privacy vividly illustrates that most countries are ill prepared for the digital economy," UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said.

This is more worrying given that about 90 per cent of new Internet users over the last five years live in developing countries about half of which currently lack legislation to protect their privacy, he said.

In addition, with global e-commerce estimated to have reached USD 26 trillion in 2016, ensuring that no one is left behind in enjoying its benefits is also vital.

Kituyi's call coincides with the agency's E-Commerce Week in Geneva next month. It is the leading forum for governments, private sector, development banks, academia and the civil society to discuss development opportunities and challenges before the evolving digital economy.

UNCTAD said the digital economy is evolving fast. Between 2012 and 2017, the number of monthly Facebook users surged from 1 billion to 2.2 billion - with the fastest growth happening in developing countries.

New estimates from UNCTAD suggest that global e-commerce reached almost USD 26 trillion in 2016. The United States remained by far the largest market, with combined e-commerce sales of some USD 7.6 trillion, with Japan ranked second, some distance behind.

However, China is the leader in the business to consumer (B2C) segment. China and the US accounted for just over half of all B2C sales in 2016.

India in 2016 entered the top 10 e-commerce markets for the first time.

There were an estimated 1.4 billion online shoppers around the globe in 2016 (up by 11 per cent over 2015), equivalent to 55 per cent of all Internet users.

"We know that the digital economy can bring great benefits to developing countries, but we need to address some critical questions to ensure that digitalisation leads to the future we want," Kituyi added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eminent American experts have questioned the credibility of social media platforms like Facebook, which is in the middle of a controversy over a potential breach of user confidentiality.

Although the tech giant yesterday announced that it would bring changes in its privacy settings tools to better protect the users' data, experts are still unconvinced and want such companies to be held accountable on privacy matters.

"Facebook is just one of many social media platforms aggregating our lives, and most users accept these companies terms of use without having read them. Unless we hold these companies accountable, they will continue to dominate others aspects of our lives," Will Potter Howard R Marsh Visiting Professor of Journalism at the University of Michigan said.

"This data breach should put an end to any possibility of Facebook being used for voting, and its an opportunity for all of us to rethink the trust we have put in social media companies," he said in response to a question on the Facebook controversy.

Whistleblower Christopher Wylie, a founding employee of London-based consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, has accused that the firm, hired by Donald Trump during his primary campaign, illegally mined tens of millions of users' Facebook data and then used it to target potential voters.

Following this, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg issued a statement outlining his firm's role in the scandal and apologised to its billions of users for the breach.

Garlin Gilchrist, from University of Michigan, said that Facebook and the social media platforms that dominate the attention economy are now being called to understand what that responsibility entails.

Erik Gordon, a clinical assistant professor at the Ross School of Business, said the data scandal means that Facebook needed to consider a new model in which it is responsible for content.

"That is a costly model. It's a model that will lose posters and viewers. Facebook's revenue model would be significantly hurt by regulatory changes in how it can turn data on users into revenue and by users getting off Facebook or using it less because of data privacy concerns," he said.

The Federal Trade Commission is already investigating Facebook over its privacy practices and Zuckerberg has been asked to testify before a Congressional Committee next month.

A communication researcher at Cornell University said that the social media giant's announced plans to revamp its privacy tools won't alter the company's core business model, which relies on user data.

He instead suggested that Facebook take steps to build trust.

"For example, Facebook could make its data sharing and advertising policies much clearer to users, be more transparent about what data is shared with apps and third parties, and make privacy settings easier for users to understand and modify," said Natalie Bazarova.

Bazarova said the best way to protect social media users was through public education and awareness-raising.

"Facebook can also change their default privacy settings to allow users to opt in to sharing their information, rather than asking them to make an effort to opt out of it," she said.

"Public education and awareness-raising relating to online privacy can help individual users protect themselves. Users need to be aware that when it comes to the internet, there's no free lunch," she said.

According to HV Jagadish, a professor of computer science and engineering and expert on ethics in computer science, the solution lies in developing ethical principles regarding the analysis and use of data.

"Recent research shows that by observing a few hundred of your Facebook likes, it is possible for an algorithm to predict your personal preferences better than your spouse can predict them," said Jagadish.

He said the politicians and businesses that profit from such data shouldn't be blamed for trying to better predict people's choices, "since it's the role of politicians".

"The problem is that they now have tools so effective that the persuasion happens on a playing field we perceive as not being even," Jagadish said.

Aviv Ovadya of the University of Michigan warned that pushing too much for privacy may impact data portability, or the ability to determine if foreign actors are manipulating online discourse.

"or even the ability to hold Facebook accountable itself," he said.

Ovadya, a Knight Innovation Fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, sounded the alarm about the vulnerability of social media platforms to propaganda and misinformation from foreign governments.

"If even aggregated Facebook data is so private that only Facebook can see it, then how can independent bodies determine if Facebook is acting responsibly?" Ovadya asked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The finance ministry has asked RBI to look into the problems being faced by industry and banks by the abrupt ban on LoUs, and provide some breathing space to them, sources said.

Reserve Bank of India this month banned issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Letters of Comfort (LoC), used extensively for trade finance, following the unearthing of Nirav Modi fraud case.

Nirav Modi and associates in connivance with some officials of Punjab National Bank (PNB) used LoUs to defrauded the lender of over Rs 13,000 crore.

The sources said the ministry has received representations from various corporates and banks against the abrupt banning of LoUs asking the RBI to provide some breathing space to them.

They feel that the sudden banning of LoUs has caused some disruption, the sources said, adding that the ministry has forwarded those representations to the central bank to take a final call.

According to the representations, the sudden discontinuation of LoUs has hit small and medium enterprises, they said.

So, on their behalf, the ministry has requested RBI to look this issue favourably, the sources added.

The cost for trade finance has also gone up because of shift to letters of credit, as per the representations. These instruments involve a commission fee along with a so called acceptance charge which is not the case with LoUs as they only involve a guarantee fee.

Earlier this month, RBI barred banks from issuing guarantees in the form of letters of undertaking (LoU) as it clamped down on the import financing route used by fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi for allegedly committing India's biggest bank fraud.

RBI also banned with immediate effect issuance of LoCs which, like LoUs, are used by importers to fund their overseas purchases.

However, letters of credit and bank guarantees will continue upon meeting certain conditions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After some fraudsters tried to dupe people of money claiming they were from popular Television show Kaun Banega Crorepati, The Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued an appeal to people not to fall in the trap.

The JK Crime Branch has noticed that some fraudsters in order to dupe innocent and gullible people upload fake on YouTube showing a particular person winning huge prize through Kaun Banega Crorepati. The targeted person is then asked to collect the prize urgently by following the company rules and regulations, the spokesman said.

"Crime Branch Kashmir has advised the people not to share their bank details with any person," the spokesman said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading Canadian pension fund CDPQ has infused USD 20 million in the first growth fund of Fundamentum, promoted by Nandan Nilekani and Sanjeev Aggarwal.

With a target size of about USD 100 million, the growth fund 'Fundamentum Partnership - Fund I' expects to invest an average of USD 15 million in select startups.

Investments will focus on consumer and enterprise technology businesses across areas like retail, logistics, travel and outsourcing.

"La Caisse de dpt et placement du Qubec (CDPQ), a leading institutional investor, today announced an initial investment of USD 20 million in the first growth fund of Fundamentum...," said a statement issued jointly by the two entities.

Fundamentum is designed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs, and positions itself as a scale-up platform for mid-stage technology companies in India. It looks to combine financial and intellectual capital to scale these businesses.

"Fundamentum benefits from the experience of its two founders, Nandan Nilekani (co-founder of Infosys) and Sanjeev Aggarwal (founder of Daksh, Helion), alongside a network of Indian entrepreneurs and key investors," the statement said.

A long-term institutional investor which manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans, CDPQ will also explore direct investments in Fundamentum's portfolio companies, it added.

"We will greatly benefit from CDPQ's knowledge of global trends and deep investment expertise. Both Fundamentum and CDPQ are bullish about the opportunity to build a host of large and enduring world-class organisations out of India, in the next decade and beyond," Nilekani said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Gauhati High Court has approved a proposal for setting up of fast track courts for day-to-day trial of cases related to rape and murder of women and children.

An administrative committee consisting has resolved to approve the matter in a meeting held yesterday, a release issued by the high court said today.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in a letter on March 26, had urged the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court to consider setting up of fast track courts in the wake of the rape and murder of a minor girl in Nagaon district, and similar cases in the state.

The committee will work out the modalities and submit a report in this regard within three days, the release said.

In his letter, the chief minister also lauded the efforts of the high court for constituting fast track courts to try cases under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1971, which has led to speedy conviction of culprits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A school in Haryana's Rewari was today renamed after an Army officer who was killed while fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

Haryana state education department took the initiative of renaming the government senior secondary girls school, Kosli, in Rewari district as 'Shaheed Major Vikas Yadav Senior Secondary School'.

The renaming was to pay respect to Major Vikas Yadav of 7 Jat who had laid down his life fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir, an Army spokesperson said..

The renaming coincides with his birth anniversary.

The event also saw unveiling of statue of the valiant officer by Lt Gen SK Saini, Colonel of the Jat Regiment. To mark the occasion, a large number of veterans including course mates of the brave officer were also present at the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aimed at engaging college students in the government's cleanliness drive, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has introduced a Swachh Bharat Summer Internship (SBSI), for them to conduct sanitation drives in villages during summer vacation, according to an official statement today.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is the coordinating ministry for the Centre's ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission.

"In line with the Prime Minister's clarion call on 2nd October 2014 for each individual to devote 100 hours to Swachhata through the year,the SBSI aims to engage lakhs of educated youths across the country, develop their skills and orientation for the sanitation sector, amplify mass awareness and cement the people's movement (Jan andolan) aspect of Swachh Bharat Mission," the statement said.

Under the terms of the internship, candidates would be required to undertake 100 hours of activities including creation of sanitation infrastructure, system building and behaviour change campaigns in and around nearby villages.

"Every intern who completes the SBSI will also be provided a Certificate of Internship by the Swachh Bharat Mission," the ministry said.

The ministry said the University Grants Commission had agreed to provide 2 credit points as an elective' under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) to students in higher educational institutions who would be undertaking and completing the SBSI.

The internship will be implemented in association with the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The All Assam Students Union (AASU) today accused the Assam government of playing politics with the existence of the Assam Women's University (AWU) where students are agitating since March 5 over demands such as appointment of permanent vice-chancellor.

The AASU, an influential students body, took out a rally in Jorhat, in which organisations like Assam Women University Students Forum participated.

"The Assam Women's University is on the boil for nearly a month. But the government is playing politics with the issue and its students," AASU general secretary Lurin Jyoti Gogoi said.

The central government is stressing on the Beti Bachao Beti Prahao and women empowerment schemes but Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have done nothing to solve the issue at the AWU, he claimed.

Students of AWU, the only institute of its kind in the North East, are agitating to press for permanent vice-chancellor and for transforming it into a full fledged university.

Since classes began in 2014, the AWU has been functioning without a Vice Chancellor and any permanent teaching staff. Assam Agricultural University's VC K M Bujarbaruah is functioning as the Mentor and all the teachers have been appointed on contract and ad-hoc basis.

The agitation had been launched on March 5 and protests are being held across upper Assam in support of it.

No formal degree certificates could be awarded to the AWU students and provisional certificates were issued as convocations could not be held without a permanent VC and for other reasons, AWU Academic Registrar Dr L K Hazarika said.

The process for appointment of a permanent VC is in the pipeline, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gunmen believed to be cattle thieves killed 15 herders in the latest bout of violence in northern Nigeria's herding communities, police and a local official said today.

"Armed bandits attacked Bawon-Daji village yesterday and killed 15 people," the police spokesman for Zamfara state, Muhammad Shehu, told AFP.

His account was corroborated by a senior local government official, Gado Anka.

Anka told AFP motorcycle-riding gunmen stormed the remote village in Anka district around 1:00 pm, shooting dead 12 residents before fleeing to a hideout in the bush.

"They returned two hours later and attacked mourners during the funeral of the victims in the cemetery, killing three more and injuring several others," he said.

Rural communuties in the agrarian state are under siege from gangs who kill, loot and torching homes.

This has prompted villages to form vigilante groups -- which in turn are often accused of extra-judicial killings of suspected cattle thieves, prompting deadly reprisals by the gangs.

It was not clear if the latest killings were as a result of reprisals.

In February, dozens of people were killed when gunmen opened fire on traders and villagers at Birane, in the Zurmi area of the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At a high-level UN Security Council meeting on peacekeeping operations, the world's superpower - the US -- and Canada were represented by their top cabinet-level officials, both of whom are of Indian-descent and belonging to the Sikh faith, signalling the rise of Indian-origin persons in geo-political leadership positions across the world.

US Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Canada's Minister for National Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan came together to address the Security Council yesterday in an open debate on improving the Organisation's flagship enterprise - UN peacekeeping.

Haley, born as Nimrata Randhawa in South Carolina, is the daughter of Indian immigrants from Punjab. Her parents Ajit Singh Randhawa and Raj Kaur Randhawa emigrated from Amritsar in Punjab, India. Haley had served as the Governor of South Carolina. She became the first Indian-American to serve in a presidential administration at a Cabinet level position when she was confirmed to be inducted in President Donald Trump's Cabinet.

Sajjan was born in a village in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, India and had emigrated to Canada in 1976, when he was five years old. He was sworn in as Canada's defence minister in the government of Justin Trudeau in 2015.

Addressing the Council, Haley called for shared responsibility and shared costs for peacekeeping among Member States. She said the United States has long been the largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping by far but added that peacekeeping is a shared responsibility. She announced that going forward, the US will not pay more than 25 per cent of the peacekeeping budget.

With shared responsibility comes shared burdens and shared costs. One country should not shoulder more than one quarter of the UN peacekeeping budget, and we look forward to a more equitable distribution of the budget among Member States. Moving forward, the United States will not pay more than 25 percent of the peacekeeping budget, she said, adding that this is a cap required by US law.

All of us have a role to play, and all of us must step up, she said.

Speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security, another diplomat Sajjan called for redoubled efforts and more creative thinking to increase the number of women in peacekeeping.

He said more must be done to mainstream gender considerations into peacekeeping, including the deployment of gender advisers and women protection advisers.

Speaking in his national capacity, he said the United Nations had repeatedly failed to reach targets for the deployment of women. The time for change is now and we must be bold, he said, drawing attention to a Canadian initiative aimed at overcoming barriers to women's participation.

Noting that Canada chaired the Working Group of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, he said that body had tied the voices of troop- and police-contributing countries to efforts to improve the way peacekeeping was delivered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bombay High Court has said it is time the Maharashtra government develops a model plan for constant governance and supervision of shelter homes for children in the state.

The court also said that the government could also consult social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muuruganantham for supply of sanitary pads for girls staying in these homes.

A division bench of Justices N H Patil and G S Kulkarni was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by a city resident, Sangeeta Punekar, raising the issue of poor condition of a children's shelter home in suburban Mankhurd.

The court said prima facie, the Mankhurd shelter home's condition was not up to the mark.

"There is a need for constant governance, supervision and special care so as to maintain the condition of the shelter home. It is time the government comes up with a model plan which can then be emulated in all other shelter homes in the state," Justice Patil said in an order on March 27.

The bench pointed out that the staff vacancies need to be filled immediately, the existing staff should be paid salaries on time, and the CCTVs should be in working condition and maintained regularly.

There should be regular medical check-ups of the children at the shelter home, and a proper supply of medicines and sanitary napkins, the court said.

"The issue of supply of medicines and sanitary napkins can be resolved within a day. There are so many NGOs working towards this. Why can't the state government contact these NGOs?" Justice Patil asked.

The court also said that the government could consult Muruganantham, the inventor of a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine.

Government pleader Purnima Kantharia assured the court that the government was looking into the issue seriously and that all necessary steps would be taken.

The bench then posted the petition for hearing on April 20, and asked the government to file a compliance report by then.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are the top at 2130 hours:



NATION:



DEL34 CBSE-LD JAVADEKARCBSE likely to announce re-exam dates by Mon or Tue: JavadekarNew Delhi: The CBSE is expected to announce on Monday or Tuesday the next date of re-examination for Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics subjects, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said today, in the wake of paper leaks.

DEL50 IRANI-RAHUL-DIGITAL POLICY



Irani attacks Rahul Gandhi on data privacy issue, to soon make announcement on digital policy



New Delhi: Amid the raging controversy over data privacy, Union Minister Smriti Irani today launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, alleging that he had increased his popularity by using bots from Uzbekistan and Russia while his party was using technology to divide the country on caste lines.

DEL54 INDOPAK-INDUS-LD WATER



India, Pak hold Permanent Indus Commission meet



New Delhi: India and Pakistan today held a meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission here and discussed several issues under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), sources said today.

DEL47 ED-LD ROSE VALLEY



Rose Valley ponzi scam: ED attaches over Rs 2,300-cr assets



Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today attached assets worth over Rs 2,300 crore, including two dozen hotels and resorts, in connection with its money laundering probe in the Rose Valley ponzi scam case.

DEL28 CBSE-LD-RE-EXAM



CBSE paper leaks: Students take to streets; Cong demands HRD min's sacking



New Delhi: Students here took to the streets today to protest the CBSE's decision to hold re-examination of Class 10 Mathematics and Class 12 Economics papers, even as the Congress demanded that Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and the board chairperson be sacked.

DEL43 LDALL GSLV



India successfully launches another communication satellite into orbit



V Gangadharan



Sriharikota (AP): India today successfully put into orbit its latest communication satellite GSAT-6A after a perfect launch of its powerful geosynchronous rocket that will help in mobile communication even from very remote locations through hand-held ground terminals.

CAL7



WB-RAM NAVAMI LD SUPRIYO



Ram Navami clash: Babul Supriyo barred from visiting troubled areas



Kolkata: Union minister Babul Supriyo and a senior West Bengal BJP leader were today stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area, where situation continued to remain tense after violence erupted over a Ram Navami procession.

DEL51 UP-3RD LD AMBEDKAR



B R Ambedkar gets new name in UP govt records; oppn says move politically motivated



Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to introduce B R Ambedkar's middle name 'Ramji' in all references to him in official correspondence and records, a move criticised by the opposition as politically motivated.

DEL53 POL-LD ANNA



Lokpal, agrarian issues: Hazare calls off strike after govt assures speedy steps



New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare today called off his hunger strike on the seventh day of his protest here, saying the government has assured him of steps "soon" towards appointing Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states and addressing agrarian issues he flagged by him.

CAL5 BH-COMMUNAL-ARRESTS



50 held in Bihar in police crackdown in communal violence-hit areas



Samastipur/Nalanda (Bihar): Nearly 50 people, including two local BJP workers, were today held in Samastipur and Nalanda districts of Bihar in connection with communal clashes that erupted there in the last couple of days.

LEGAL:



LGD8 SC-JUDGE-COLLEGIUM



SC collegium breaks traditions, interacts with to be HC judges



New Delhi: In an apparent effort to ward off criticism of opaqueness, the Supreme Court collegium has broken the tradition by interacting with as many as 12 lawyers and trial court judges who were recommended for appointment as permanent judges in the Calcutta and Madhya Pradesh High Courts.

LGD7 SC-LD JUDGE LETTER



Judiciary-Govt bonhomie, death knell for democracy: SC Judge



New Delhi: Any "bonhomie" between the judiciary and the government would sound the "death knell" for democracy, senior-most Supreme Court judge Justice J Chelameswar has told the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and urged him to convene a full court to deal with the alleged executive interference in judiciary.

BUSINESS:



DEL35 BIZ-GAS-PRICE



Govt raises gas prices to two-year high of $3.

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The upgraded 'Himmat' app is more of 'utility' rather than an 'emergency safety' app, a senior Delhi Police official said today.

While addressing a session on safety and security at a two-day conference on Safer Road Transportation to Promote National Tourism, the official said 'Himmat Plus' offers a wide range of safety features to its users.

It has a special feature for scanning the QR codes of taxi, auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers to verify their details, said Sanjay Baniwal, special commissioner of police, women safety, modernisation and airport.

The details of taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers at the airport were collected and fed in the server of the app. Each driver has been provided with a 'QR card' to be placed in their vehicle which can be scanned by the commuter to establish their authenticity.

The app can be used by women commuters coming out of the Delhi Airport and five metro stations -- Anand Vihar, Vishwa Vidyalaya, Malviya Nagar, Saket and Nehru Place, he added.

The officer said the app would act as a deterrent to crimes against women.

"Women are little vulnerable while travelling and when they board a taxi or an auto-rickshaw, they do not know if it is safe. The upgraded app will definitely empower them and boost their confidence," he said.

With upgraded features and user-friendly interface, the app is no longer restricted to just being an emergency app.

The upgraded app has been transformed from an 'emergency safety' app to a 'utility' app. The process of registration has also been simplified. Now anybody can download it on their mobiles unlike the previous app for which one had to visit the Delhi Police's website to download it," the officer said.

The Facebook page of the Delhi Traffic Police and Twitter handles of the Delhi Police have also been linked to the app to provide traffic updates and other information, he added.

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Filmmaker-archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur will host renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan for three days and he hopes the director's trip to India will draw attention to the cause of film preservation and restoration.

Nolan, known for modern classics such as "Memento", "The Prestige", "Inception" and the Dark Knight series, may be one of the most innovative and visionary filmmakers of the current generation but he has his feet firmly planted in tradition, being one of the last directors to shoot on photochemical film when rest of the world has gone digital.

He has often spoken about restoring old film reels and, in fact, is slated to present the 70mm print of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey" at the Cannes Film Festival to mark the movie's 50th anniversary.

Dungarpur has been at the forefront of restoration efforts in Indian cinema and even made a film, "The Celluloid Man", on Indian archivist PK Nair but the filmmaker feels the film industry here is still apathetic towards its heritage.

"We have got support for a cause which we have been fighting alone. It is fantastic. There was hardly any support from the film industry and people in India. And suddenly you get support from two internationally world-renowned artistes (Nolan and celebrated visual artist Tacita Dean).

"We want that they (industry people) should be awakened. They should realise that people from across the world are realising things and supporting us, so why not support here," Dungarpur told PTI in an interview.

Founder of Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), Dungarpur says, film preservation is in a "horrible state" in India.

"It is not sad but shocking. People are not interested in preserving their heritage because they do not care. In India, do people preserve anything? It is a horrible state we are living in. The support has come from abroad for this and people here do not have time to hear and today everybody is calling me because this is happening here (Nolan's trip)," Dungarpur says.

Without taking names, Dungarpur says he reached out to almost the entire industry, including Bollywood and people from southern cinema, but never found any help.

"They just say what you are doing is great, we are proud of you. Instead of saying I will help you, I have been told others should come and help you.

"Everybody knows about our foundation, we have done three workshops. We have been voicing for this since three years. We are looking after the heritage of the film industry and we do not get funding to safeguard their heritage," he adds.

A public lecture on 'Process and the Non-Deliberate Act' by Dean is slated to take place tomorrow.

It will be followed by a discussion on 'Reframing The Future Of Film' on Monday in Mumbai with Nolan, Dean and Dungarpur.

A roundtable discussion is also planned with prominent personalities of the Indian film industry to be attended by Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kamal Haasan, Shyam Benegal and others.

Nolan will be present for the screenings of two of his recent films --Oscar-nomianted "Dunkirk" and "Interstellar".

In 2015, Dungarpur had signed the petition "Save Film" and had requested Dean to visit India.

Dean contacted him last year and informed him that Nolan and she had decided to do the next edition of 'Reframing the Future of Film' in India.

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The energy sector offers immense opportunities of cooperation between India and the US not only in the trade of natural resources, but also in drawing from each other's financial sectors, a top Indian-American official has said.

Having recently returned from India on his maiden trip, Neil Chatterjee, a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), said an enormous amount of money can be made in the Indian energy sector in the coming decades.

"I think there are real opportunities for the US to work in a bilateral fashion, not just to sell our fuels, but technology and provide capital," said Chatterjee, who is the first ever Indian-American to serve as FERC Commissioner.

"USD 2.8 trillion needs to be invested in India's energy generation, transmission, and distribution assets to modernise India's grid," he told PTI in an interview.

Noting that the energy cooperation between India and the US is a two-way street, he said America also had much to learn from the Indian experience.

Observing that the Indian government and the states have ambitious energy policy goals, he said FERC was looking forward to gathering insights from its Indian counterparts at Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and from the government in implementing Indian energy policy objectives.

Chatterjee said the Trump administration was committed to supporting India's efforts to increase the share of natural gas generation within its energy portfolio.

Two major US natural gas exporters Cheniere and Dominion have executed long-term supply contracts with the Gas Authority of India for a combined 280 billion cubic feet per year of US natural gas. The value of these two contracts alone is USD 32 billion.

Other US exporters are focused on the Indian natural gas market, as the International Energy Association projects India's consumption of natural gas to increase an average of 4.6 per cent a year through 2040.

"The United States and India are also exploring formal frameworks that could catalyse bilateral government and private sector cooperation to enable more natural gas generation capacity and supporting infrastructure such as pipelines and import/export facilities," he said.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US last June, Indian refiners have announced more than 10 million barrels of crude oil purchases from America, he said.

Continued diversification of India's oil sourcing to increase US oil imports will be a boon for American producers and exporters, Chatterjee said.

"It will also ensure greater energy security for India. I am proud to have played a small role in the increasing oil trade between the US and India. I was on US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's staff as he negotiated lifting the 40-year old ban on US crude oil exports with the Obama Administration in late 2015," he said.

Chatterjee said that energy resources did not include only natural resource and commodities, but also a spectrum of components, services and finished products across the entire energy sector.

"The exchange of energy resources would be bilateral, as the United States energy sector will be an increasingly important market for Indian-manufactured products. Third, the US and India can draw on each other's resources in the financial sectors to realise energy policy objectives," he said.

India has ambitious goals for deploying renewables, even as it will continue to depend on coal fire generation, he said.

"They want to increase their usage of gas, but they have to figure out some challenges when it comes to building out basic infrastructure like transmission lines," Chatterjee said, adding that there are immense opportunities and is optimistic about India's future.

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India and Pakistan today held a meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission here and discussed several issues under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), sources said today.

The 114th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) will continue tomorrow when Pakistan's objections over the designs of some of India's hydropower projects along with other issues related to the IWT are likely to come up for discussion.

India has been maintaining that the designs of the projects are very much in line with the IWT, which was signed in 1960 by the two countries.

India's Indus water commissioner P K Saxena, technical experts and a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took part in meeting as part of the Indian delegation.

Pakistan's six-member delegation was led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, during the Commission's meeting, which is taking place in the backdrop of the continuing tension between the two countries over a host of issues, including the alleged harassment of diplomats.

The PIC is an established mechanism under the IWT, which mandates it to establish and maintain cooperative arrangements for the implementation of the water distribution pact and to promote cooperation between the two sides in the development of the Indus water systems.

The two sides discussed routine and administrative issues and shared information like flood data among other. The issues relating to the projects may come up for discussion tomorrow, a source said.

Pakistan, the sources said, has been expressing concerns over India's Ratle (850 MW), Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW) projects -- located in the Chenab basin contending that they violate the IWT.

The IWT covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers -- Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.

The treaty specifies that waters from the three western rivers -- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab -- are reserved for Pakistan, while waters from eastern rivers -- Ravi, Sutlej and Beas -- are for reserved for India.

The PIC had last met in March 2017 in Islamabad. The meeting of the PIC is held alternately in India and Pakistan at least once every year as mandated by the treaty.

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India today successfully put into orbit its latest communication satellite GSAT-6A after a perfect launch of its powerful geosynchronous rocket that will help in mobile communication even from very remote locations through hand-held ground terminals.

Scripting yet another success for the ISRO, the 49.1 metre Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F08), fitted with indigenously developed cryogenic engine at the third stage, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here at 4.56 pm and soared majestically into the clear sky at the end of the 27-hour countdown,



The satellite, with a mission life of about ten years, would provide a thrust to mobile communication through multi-beam coverage facility, the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) said. It is expected to be a shot in the arm for the armed forces.

In a text-book launch, about 18 minutes later, the rocket injected the GSAT-6A into the geostationary transfer orbit as ISRO scientists broke into celebrations at the mission control centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on its successful space mission.

"Congratulations to ISRO and other stakeholders on the successful launch of GSLV-F08 with indigenous cryogenic stage," he tweeted.

"GSAT-6A, a communication satellite, will provide new possibilities for mobile applications. Proud of ISRO for taking the nation towards new heights and a brighter future," the PM's twitter handle said.

ISRO chief K Sivan said the fifth successive successful launch of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic stage successfully placed the high power S-band communication satellite in the "designated orbit precisely."



GSAT6A was a complement to GSAT6, which was already in orbit, and these two satellites combined will provide a platform for development of advanced technologies, he said.

This is the first mission for Sivan, who assumed charge of the space agency in January.

Right from the core stage ignition to the GSAT-6A satellite separation, the entire launch was completed within the scheduled mission duration as the space agency had yet another precise launch.

This is the 12th flight of GSLV rocket and the sixth with indigenous cryogenic upper stage.

The 2140-kg GSAT-6A is a high power S-band communication satellite and would complement the services being provided by GSAT 6 since its launch in 2015.

It will be a technology demonstrator for high power S-band transmission from the satellite for supporting two-way communication, according to ISRO.

The satellite will also provide a platform for developing technologies such as demonstration of 6 m S-Band Unfurlable Antenna, hand-held ground terminals and network management techniques that could be useful in satellite-based mobile communication applications.

ISRO had made significant improvements in the GSLV Mk-II rocket including induction of high thrust Vikas engine in the second stage.

The three-stage launch vehicle weighing 415.6 tonnes also was deployed with electromechanical actuation system in place of electro-hydraulic actuation system for much better reliability.

A jubilant S Somanath, Director, VSSC, said the GSLV F08, the "naughty boy tamed by Sivan (was) behaving well in this mission." The geosynchronous rocket was dubbed "a naughty boy" after some of its earlier launches had failed.

The satellite was put in a very good orbit which will ensure long service, he added.

P Kunhikrishnan, Director, SHAR, described today's launch as a "magnificent mission."



Sivan's first assigment as ISRO chief happened to be an "important" one, he said.

In January, the space agency had successfully launched its 100th satellite along with 30 other spacecraft including weather observation Cartosat 2 series onboard its Polar rocket from here.

That launch included 28 satellites from foreign countries and the successful mission had put behind the rare setback ISRO suffered after the failure of the PSLV-C39 mission in August last year.

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An Indian journalist in Australia has been charged with people smuggling after he helped a "fake media contingent" of eight other Indians arrive in Brisbane to cover the Commonwealth Games, authorities said today.

Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 46, was detained at the Brisbane Airport yesterday along with his eight Indian companions whose accreditation was allegedly not genuine, Australian Border Force (ABF) said.

According to an ABF statement, Sharma has been charged with offences under the Migration Act 1958, including people smuggling, after he allegedly facilitated the travel of a "fake media contingent" to attend the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games next week.

Nine individuals who arrived at Brisbane Airport held Temporary Activity Visas and claimed to be accredited media representatives to cover the Commonwealth Games.

ABF Airline Liaison Officer (ALO) in Bangkok had flagged the group on transit through Thailand on suspicion that they may be "non-genuine travellers", the statement said.

They were questioned by ABF officers on arrival in Brisbane and eight were found to have fraudulent foreign media credentials, it said.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers arrested and charged Sharma who appeared in Brisbane court today.

The maximum penalty for these offences is 20 years in jail.

The police will allege in court that the Indian national who did hold valid credentials was facilitating the group's travel, the statement said.

ABF Regional Commander Queensland Terry Price said while the forces were working hard to ensure smooth entry for legitimate Commonwealth Games visitors, attempts to exploit the event and Australia's visa programme will not be tolerated.

"Anyone wishing to enter Australia, including athletes, team officials, spectators and the media must hold a valid visa and accreditation and must be deemed to be a legitimate visitor," Price said.

As with all travellers, the ABF will process all Commonwealth Games visitors on arrival and anyone found not to be here for legitimate purposes can expect to have their visas cancelled and to be turned around, he said, adding that this may occur on arrival or prior to boarding flights to Australia.

"We have a skilled network of ALOs at key overseas international airports who can identify travellers of concern and stop them travelling or, as in this case, provide real time information to alert colleagues onshore," he said.

"The ABF remains highly alert to other similar attempts that may occur as we get closer to the start of the Commonwealth Games," Price said.

AFP Manager Aviation Warwick Macfarlane said the security measures in the lead-up and duration of the Commonwealth Games will be a collaborative effort between law enforcement and domestic partner agencies.

"AFP officers at Brisbane International Airport will continue to work with partner agencies to maintain a safe and secure environment for all travellers attending the Commonwealth Games," Macfarlane said.

While the other eight Indians have been taken into immigration detention, Sharma will be remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on April 6.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games, commonly known as Gold Coast 2018, will be held from April 4 to 15 in Queensland, Australia.

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People entering the 'Ratna Bhandar', the treasury of Lord Jagannath at the famous temple in Puri in Odisha, for inspection, would have to do it wearing only "gamcha", the traditional cotton towel, a temple official said today.

This is one of the conditions laid down by the Odisha government before the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) while granting permission to open the 'Ratna Bhandar' after 34 years for inspection by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Precious jewellery and ornaments of the deities are kept in Ratna Bhandar, which was last inspected in 1984 when only three of its seven chambers were opened.

No one knows exactly what was stored in the other chambers.

"The people entering the Ratna Bhandar will be subjected to frisking both at the time of entry and exit. They will not be allowed to carry any of their personal belongings inside, not even clothes. We will provide them with traditional gamchas," SJTA chief administrator P K Jena said.

The state government's law department yesterday granted conditional permission to open the Ratna Bhandar for inspection by experts of the ASI to assess its structural stability and safety.

The inspection process will be video-graphed and the temple administration will keep a record of names and addresses of those entering it, Jena said adding that they will not be allowed to wear ornaments or electronic devices. He had said no assessment of the ornaments or valuables kept inside the Ratna Bhandar will be undertaken.

Jena said the SJTA will ensure that nothing other than the walls and roof of the Ratna Bhandar is inspected and the video-grapher will be instructed not to take snaps of valuables inside the Ratna Bhandar.

The SJTA is also mulling to involve members of Snake Helpline, an organisation that helps catch snakes for their release in their natural habitat later.

R N Mishra, who was the administrator of the temple in 1984, said that those who had entered the Ratna Bhandar that year for inspection had heard hissing sounds inside the area.

As only 'diyas' were allowed as source of light during those days, the inspection was stopped, he said.

The date of inspection will be decided at a meeting of the Chhatisa Nijog, the apex body of temple servitors, this evening.

On March 22, the Orissa High Court had ordered the ASI to inspect the structures of the Ratna Bhandar on March 26 and 27. After the inspection, the ASI said its outer surface was good. The condition of inside structures would be inspected after it is opened.

The court is monitoring the repair undertaken by the ASI in the 12th-century shrine since 2016, while adjudicating over a PIL seeking judicial intervention for effective repair and renovation of the temple.

The Shree Jagannath Temple is located in Puri, one of the four 'Dhams' the Hindus considered holy. The other three 'Dhams' are Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameswaram.

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Opening up about his long and enduring partnership with Ismail Merchant, Oscar winning screenwriter James Ivory says they kept their relationship a secret because his Mumbai-born partner belonged to a "deeply conservative" Muslim family.

The two men behind Merchant Ivory Productions formed a partnership that lasted for close to 50 years and produced classics such as "Shakespeare Wallah", "Heat and Dust", "A Room with a View", "Maurice", "Howards End" and "The Remains of the Day".

Merchant died in 2005 at the age of 68.

Over the years, there have been rumours about their personal relationship but both zealously guarded their privacy.

"Well, you just wouldn't. That is not something that an Indian Muslim would ever say publicly or in print. Ever! You have to remember that Ismail was an Indian citizen living in Bombay, with a deeply conservative Muslim family there," Ivory said in an interview with The Guardian this week.

"It's not the sort of thing he was going to broadcast. Since we were so close and lived most of our lives together, I wasn't about to undermine him."



At the Academy Awards this year, where he won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Call Me by Your Name", Ivory thanked the late Merchant along with Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and Andre Aciman.

"I wouldn't be standing up here without the inspired help I received from my life's partners, who are gone, our writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who received this award twice, and our famous producer Ismail Merchant. Working with him for close to 50 years at Merchant-Ivory led me to this award," the 89-year-old said.

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In a daring road holdup, a 35 year-old jeweller travelling in a bus was shot dead and robbed of his bag containing ornaments by two armed miscreants at Triveniganj near here, the police said today.

The miscreants decamped after looting valuable from some other passengers as well, they said.

The jeweller, who had a showroom in Haidergarh area here was returning home in Lucknow after closing the shop, when the two armed miscreants stopped the bus and opened fire on him and fled with his bag, the police said, adding the jeweller died on the spot.

A case has been registered and the investigations is on, the police added.

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Veteran actor and Makkal Neethi Mayyam founder-president Kamal Haasan today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) at the earliest.

"My appeal to the prime minister is, please sir, you have the authority to create this CMB and you must do it. Please," Haasan said, addressing a conference here.

"The prime minister can do (it) if he wants to. It is a simple, basic requirement. The people of Tamil Nadu and the farmers require water," he added.

The chorus for setting up of the CMB and Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) in the state has been growing by the day ever since the Supreme court gave its verdict on February 16 on the vexed issue involving Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu's stand is that Centre must constitute the panels within six weeks from the day the apex court gave its verdict, which would be March 29, i.e. today.

Besides the ruling AIADMK, various political parties including the DMK besides several farmers' outfits have been stressing for setting up of the CMB to ensure that Tamil Nadu gets its due share of water from the inter-state river.

Haasan's contemporary, 'Superstar' Rajinikanth too had tweeted earlier in the day backing the establishment of the CMB, saying it was the "only just solution acceptable to all."



Haasan said setting up of the CMB was not a "big deal" and said there should be no political considerations in this issue.

"If there is in this (issue), then it is for votes. Please see what is required for the people," he said.

The actor added he has sought an appointment with Chief Minister K Palaniswami to discuss the matter.

Asked if he would stage a protest in Delhi to persuade the Centre to set up the Cauvery panels at the earliest, he said, "It can be done if required," and asked the scribes if they too would join him.

He also supported the idea of MPs from Tamil Nadu quitting in protest over the issue.

The actor-politician further said he would join the locals protesting against the expansion of a Sterlite Copper smelter plant in Tuticorin on Sunday.

On the CBSE paper leak, Haasan said the students who had appeared for the exams were not at fault and that they had not copied or done any thing wrong.

"They cannot be punished" for the mistakes of the government or authorities, he added.

The CBSE on Wednesday announced re-examination for the Class 10 Mathematics and Class 12 Economics following reports of the paper leaks even as Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar has promised to put in place a new "leak-proof" system to conduct the board examinations.

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Lawyers say that today Kenyan authorities deported an opposition politician whose attempt to enter the country led to him being detained in an airport toilet for more than a day.

Lawyer Cliff Ombeta said that Miguna Miguna, targeted in a Kenyan government crackdown amid lingering election tensions, was sent to Dubai even after a court ordered authorities to release him.

Another lawyer, James Orengo, said police at the airport roughed up lawyers and forced them to leave when they tried to serve the court order.

Kenyan authorities did not immediately respond, though Kenya's immigration department re-tweeted a post urging the public to ignore a rumor that Miguna had been sedated.

The deportation ended the airport drama in which Miguna posted from what he called "Toilet at Terminal 2.

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Latur Labour Court has ordered that all properties of the Tulja Bhawani Mandir Trust be sealed for failing to follow an earlier order.

The trust manages the famous Tulja Bhawani temple at Tuljarpur in Osmanabad district.

Divisional Labour Assistant Commmissioner S G Mundhe issued the order three days ago after the temple trust failed to pay salary arrears of five of its retired employees.

The administrate building, temple library, rest house building of the Tulja Bhawani engineering college, among others (but not the temple itself) should be sealed, the order said.

Five former employees of the trust had approached the labour court, and the court, on August 26, 2016, had ordered the trust to pay them their salary arrears with 12 per cent interest.

However, the temple trust didn't pay the dues, the latest order said.

"We have received the court's order to seal the properties. We will take further decision after taking our legal advisor's opinion," said Tulja Bhawani Mandir Trust member and Sub Divisional Magistrate Chetan Girase.

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Sri Lanka is negotiating free trade agreements with two Asian economic powerhouses, India and China, with an aim to become a financial hub of the continent, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said.

Addressing a function at the opening of the Bank of China branch here, he said that several projects, funded by China, were underway in the country while agreements on several others have been reached.

China is investing in various infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka which has signed the Beijing's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) initiatives.

Sri Lanka, in December last year, formally handed over the strategic southern port of Hambantota to China on a 99-year lease, in a deal dubbed by the opposition and trade unions as "a sell-out" after.

Under the lease agreement, two Chinese firms Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) and Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS) managed by the China Merchants Port Holdings Company (CMPort) and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority will own the port and the investment zone around it, officials said.

The port, overlooking the Indian Ocean, is expected to play a key role in China's Belt and Road initiative, which will link ports and roads between China and Europe.

The Sri Lankan government had signed a USD 1.1 billion deal in July last to sell a 70 per cent stake in the Hambantota port to China. The island nation received USD 300 million as the initial payment under the 99-year lease agreement.

The Prime Minister said that Sri Lanka's economic relationship with China is growing with agreements reached on several projects.

He said that Colombo was already fast developing with the Chinese funded port city being constructed and once completed will be a financial city.

Wickremesinghe said that by the end of the decade Sri Lanka will have a good infrastructure network between Hambantota and Kandy.

"Sri Lanka is looking to be the financial hub of Asia as China becomes the powerhouse of Asia. For this reason, Sri Lanka is now working with China on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"The FTA with China will be in addition to the FTA Sri Lanka is discussing with India resulting in the country having economic trade deals with the two major countries in Asia," the Prime Minister said, it is important for the country's economy to grow.

He also said there has been much progress in building the Chinese funded port city, a pet project of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa regime which was halted after the unity government came to power in 2015.

It was, however, restarted notwithstanding statements made by the Wickremesinghe's party when in opposition against the project.

He said that the opening of branch of the Bank of China, the world's fourth biggest in terms of assets, will help bring Chinese investments to Sri Lanka.

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A top Sri Lankan prison official was arrested today in connection with the shooting during a riot by prisoners inside the high-security Welikada jail here in which 27 inmates were killed, police said.

Twenty-seven prisoners were killed and 20 others and a jail official injured, after armed troops opened fire on the inmates when a riot broke out in Sri Lanka's largest and most crowded prison on November 9, 2012.

The riot occurred when prisoners took control of the jail after objecting to a search by the Special Task Force who entered the prison to find hidden arms, drugs and mobile phones on the premises.

Commissioner of Prisons in charge of rehabilitation Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, who was the prison superintendent at the time of the incident, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), they said.

Lamahewa's arrested came after a top policeman, in charge of narcotics, was held yesterday in the same incident.

The killings escalated international condemnation of the then Sri Lankan President Manhinda Rajapakse, whose regime had sanctions imposed for rights abuses in the final years of the country's 37-year-long ethnic war that ended in 2009.

With the change of government in 2015, a probe committee was appointed. The case was reopened in July last year following media reports that the killings were ordered by senior members of the former regime.

The government was accused of going slow on the recommendations and making arrests.

The 2012 riot was the worst prison violence since 50 inmates were hacked to death in a July 1983 riot.

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Social activist today called off his hunger strike on the seventh day of his protest here, saying the government has assured him of steps "soon" towards appointing Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states and addressing agrarian issues he flagged by him.

At the venue at Ramlila Grounds here, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who acted as the emissary of the Centre along with Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat, said that the NDA government has taken positive decisions in response to the demands of Hazare and several other farmers' organisations.

Shekhawat, who read out a letter from Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh regarding Hazare's demands, said the government will also convey issues raised by the activist relating electoral reforms to the Election Commission.

The 80-year-old anti-corruption activist, however, said he was giving the government six months time till August to come good on its assurance and warned that his protest will again begin in September if the demands were not met.

Hazare ended his indefinite hunger strike with Fadnavis offering him coconut water. Maharashtra's Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan too was present at the protest venue, where close to 300 other protesters also ended their fast at the same time.

They (government) have assured us they will make the appointments (of Lokpal and Lokayukta) as soon as possible. I will see till August and we will begin again in September. It should be done within a time frame. (Though) Chief Minister Fadnavis has said it will not even take six months, we will see," Hazare said.

Sarkar aur janta alag nahi hoti...sarkar ka kaam hai janta ki bhalai, desh ki bhalai...aise andolan ki naubat nahi aani chahiye (the government and the public are not separate. The government's job is to do what is good for the people and the country. Things should not come to such a pass that protests are needed)," he said.

On his part, Fadnavis said, Whatever demands Anna (Hazare) made have been accepted (by the central government).

He said, We have given a letter from the PMO to AnnaWe told him about the reforms brought in connection with the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices and that a committee has been formed to give it autonomy...We have also explained to Anna in writing which components will fall under the (1.5 times) MSP (minimum support price).

In his address after Hazare called off the protest, Fadnavis said the Centre is taking speedy steps to appoint Lokpal. He also assured the activist that the Maharashtra will be first among the states to have a Lokayukta.

Meanwhile, a man, who identified himself as Rajkumar Saini, hurled a shoe towards the stage where Hazare, Fadnavis and Shekhawat were present, but it was unclear as to whom it was aimed at. He also flung some papers in the air and banged his head on a railing near the stage.

The man was whisked away by the police.

A small group of protesters present there accused the government of misleading Hazare and expressed displeasure over the issue of farm-loan waiver not being discussed at all.

We had come here to join the protest over agrarian issues. The loan waiver issue was not even discussed. The government has cheated. We will keep raising the issue, a protester, who identified himself as Rajesh Sharma from Haryana, said.

(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 visibly emotional Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan today, saying that she had dreamed about returning home every day for the last five years since she was airlifted to Britain after being shot in the head by the Taliban militants in 2012.

Hours after her arrival here, the famed human rights activist met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at his office here along with some other officials, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) tweeted.

"I have dreamed of returning to Pakistan for the past five years," 20-year-old Malala said with tears in her eyes.

"Whether I was in a plane or driving in a car in streets of London, I dreamed of being in Islamabad and Karachi but it was not trueBut finally I am here and very happy," she said.

She said she had a great desire to move freely in Pakistan.

Malala said that she was working on the education of children and wants empowerment of women in Pakistan.

"Today, I am very happy that, after five-and-a-half years, I have set foot on the soil of my nation again," she said in Urdu.

"I am now 20 years old, but I have seen a lot over the course of my life. From growing up in Swat - it was such a beautiful place - to then seeing terrorism and extremism from 2007 till 2009. And then seeing how many difficulties women and girls face in our society, and how we can fight against those challenges," she said.

"And then being attacked, leaving my country...Everything was happening itself, I could not control anything. If it was my call, I would never have left my country. The doctors performed surgery on me and saved my life. But then for further treatment I had to go out and continue my education there. But it was always my dream that I return to Pakistan," she added.

Malala left Pakistan after she was shot in the head by the Taliban militants in 2012 for campaigning for female education in Swat Valley. The young activist not only survived the bullet wound in her head but won the Noble Peace prize in 2014.

Prime Minister Abbasi in a warm welcome address said he was happy that a daughter of the nation has come to her motherland. "It is your home. Now you are not an ordinary citizen, your security is our responsibility," he said.

He said the entire world gave honour and respect to Malala and Pakistan would also give her the kind of respect she deserves.

Abbasi told the Nobel laureate that Pakistan defeated militants after a difficult war since her departure. He said Pakistan has become safe as terrorism has been uprooted.

Malala was dressed in Pakistani shalwar kameez and dupatta and accompanied by her mother and father.

"Pakistan welcomes 'Gul Makai' to her home. We are proud of you. #malalacomeshome," Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal tweeted earlier today.

Due to security reasons, her four day-visit and her entire itinerary is being kept secret.

CEO of Malala Fund is also with her and she is expected to participate in the 'Meet the Malala' programme in Pakistan.

It is not known if she will travel to her native Swat where she lived and was attacked while returning from a school in October 2012 when she was 14 years old.

Severely wounded, Malala was taken by helicopter from one military hospital in Pakistan to another, where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma so an air ambulance could fly her to Britain for treatment.

After she was attacked, the Taliban released a statement saying that they would target her again if she survived.

At age 17, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her education advocacy. She shared the prize with India's social activist Kailash Satyarthi.

Unable to return to Pakistan after her recovery, Malala moved to Britain, setting up the Malala Fund and supporting local education advocacy groups with a focus on Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan, Syria and Kenya.

She is currently studying at Oxford University.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, appointed her as UN Messenger of Peace to promote girls education in April last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever Nobel Laureate, today arrived in Pakistan, six years after she was shot in head by the Taliban militants for advocating for girls

Malala, now 20 and a vocal human rights activist, was shot by a gunman for campaigning for female in 2012 in Pakistan's Swat Valley.

Accompanied by her parents, Malala was escorted through Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security,



Malala was dressed in Pakistani shalwar kameez and dupatta. She was smiling and looked happy as he was greeted at the airport.

Her arrival and stay in Pakistan has been kept secret due to security threats.

But official sources said that she is expected to stay for four days and meet Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

CEO of Malala Fund is also with her and she is expected to participate in the 'Meet the Malala' programme in Pakistan.

It is not known if she will travel to her native Swat in northwestern Pakistan where she lived and was attacked while returning from a school in October 2012 when she was 14 years old.

Severely wounded, Malala was taken by helicopter from one military hospital in Pakistan to another, where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma so an air ambulance could fly her to Great Britain for treatment.

After she was attacked, the Taliban released a statement saying that they would target her again if she survived.

At age 17, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her advocacy.

Unable to return to Pakistan after her recovery, Malala moved to Britain, setting up the Malala Fund and supporting local education advocacy groups with a focus on Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan, Syria and Kenya.

She is currently studying at Oxford University.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed her as UN Messenger of Peace to promote girls education in April last year.

Malala began her campaign aged just 11, when she started writing a blog for the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls' education.

In 2007, the Islamist militants had taken over the area and imposed a brutal rule.

Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

The Taliban, who are opposed to the education of girls, have destroyed hundreds of schools in Pakistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever Nobel Laureate, today returned to a warm welcome to Pakistan, her first visit after she was shot in head by the Taliban militants for advocating for girls education more than five years ago.

Hours after her arrival, the famed human rights activist met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at his office here along with some other officials, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) tweeted.

"Pakistan welcomes 'Gul Makai' to her home. We are proud of you. #malalacomeshome," Muhammad Faisal, Foreign Office spokesperson tweeted today.

Malala, now 20, was shot by a gunman for campaigning for female education in 2012 in Pakistan's Swat Valley.

Accompanied by her parents, Malala was escorted through Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security.

Malala was dressed in Pakistani shalwar kameez and dupatta. She was smiling and looked happy as he was greeted at the airport.

Due to security reasons, her four day-visit and her entire itinerary was being kept secret.

CEO of Malala Fund is also with her and she is expected to participate in the 'Meet the Malala' programme in Pakistan.

It is not known if she will travel to her native Swat in northwestern Pakistan where she lived and was attacked while returning from a school in October 2012 when she was 14 years old.

Severely wounded, Malala was taken by helicopter from one military hospital in Pakistan to another, where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma so an air ambulance could fly her to Great Britain for treatment.

After she was attacked, the Taliban released a statement saying that they would target her again if she survived.

At age 17, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her education advocacy.

She shared the coveted prize with India's social activist Kailash Satyarthi.

Unable to return to Pakistan after her recovery, Malala moved to Britain, setting up the Malala Fund and supporting local education advocacy groups with a focus on Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan, Syria and Kenya.

She is currently studying at Oxford University.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed her as UN Messenger of Peace to promote girls education in April last year.

Malala began her campaign aged just 11, when she started writing a blog for the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls' education.

In 2007, the Islamist militants had taken over the area and imposed a brutal rule.

Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

The Taliban, who are opposed to the education of girls, have destroyed hundreds of schools in Pakistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One person allegedly operating a fake branch of a private bank was arrested in Mulayam Nagar locality here, police said today.

Superintendent of Police SP Ganguly said that following reports about a fake branch of Karnataka Bank Ltd, bank officials from Varanasi and Delhi came here yesterday and on the basis of their report, Vinod Kumar Kamble was arrested.

Over Rs 1.37 lakh cash, three computers, a laptop, two mobile phones, a printer, some bank passbooks, pay-in and deposit slips and other items were recovered from him, the SP said.

A case has been registered in this connection at Ballia Kotwali and investigations are on, the SP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Heineken may have taken Chance the Rapper's criticism of one of their advertisements to heart.



The Dutch brewing company has pulled the plug on the Heineken Light commercial the recording artist called "terribly racist."



The advertisement shows a bartender sliding a bottle of Heineken beer past three black people to a white woman standing at an opposite end of a bar. It ends with the slogan, "Sometimes, Lighter is Better" and highlights the beer's 99 calorie count.



"For decades, Heineken has developed a positive track record for creating marketing that shows there's more that unites us than divides us," Heineken said in a statement provided to ABC News. "While we feel the ad is referencing our Heineken Light beer, and that light beer is better than other high-calorie options -- we missed the mark, are taking the feedback to heart and will use this to influence future campaigns."



On Sunday, the Chicago rapper, whose given name is Chancelor Bennett, wrote a post on Twitter accusing Heineken of baiting the public with the advertisement. He also clarified that he was not calling for anyone to boycott the company.



"I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably [sic] racist ads so they can get more views," he wrote. "And that s--- racist/bogus so I guess I shouldn't help by posting about it."



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Armed Maoists set ablaze several equipment and vehicles kept in the site of a construction company and assaulted its manager in Kandhamal district, police said today.

A group of red rebels, including women, stormed the site at Malimaha village under Balliguda police station area late last night, Kandhamal SP Prateek Kumar Singh said.

During the hour-long strike, the Maoists torched three tractors, a mixture machine, an earth-mover and some other equipment of the construction company, he said.

They also assaulted the manager of the company whose condition was stated to be serious and threatened the labourers who were sleeping at the site.

The attack came two days after the police destroyed a Maoist camp inside the Kakulajhar reserve forest in Khajuripada area.

It is suspected that the armed rebels belong to Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh group of Maoists, the SP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metals and mining giant Vedanta Ltd today said it may see impairment of up to Rs 1,800 crore in the current fiscal on account of the Supreme Court order to shut mining operations in Goa from March 16, 2018.

"In light of the Supreme Court of India judgement dated February 7, 2018 wherein the Court has directed that effective March 16, 2018 all mining operations in the state of Goa are to be stopped, the Company wishes to inform its investors that there could be a likely impairment of Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 1,800 crore net of taxes (Rs 2,100 crore to Rs 2,400 crore gross of taxes) on this account," Vedanta Ltd said in a regulatory filing.

The Anil Agarwal-led company said this is mainly related to mining reserve and would be reflected in the results for FY 2017-18.

Stating that the impairment is non-cash accounting item, the company also clarified that the closure of the group's iron ore business in Goa would not have any material impact on the its profitability.

Vedanta said it reviews the carrying value of its assets at each reporting period end, considering market developments such as long term commodity price assumptions, regulatory changes and other developments.

In its order on February 7, the apex court had quashed 88 mining leases in Goa, leading to closure of the mining industry in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK Police are urging the public not to be "alarmed" by the massive scale of security arrangements ahead of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, described as one of the largest security operations in British history.

Prince Harry and Markle would wed at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, followed by a carriage procession through Windsor town and a reception in St George's Hall, it was announced last year.

Thames Valley Police called on the public not to be "alarmed" by the massive scale of the security arrangements in the lead up to the big day on May 19 in Windsor Castle.

"The wedding is expected to attract thousands of people from around the world to Windsor and planning is well under way. Visitors to the town can expect to see our officers, both armed and unarmed, our search dogs and our mounted section out and about in the coming weeks and months," Thames Valley Police said in a statement.

"A broad range of visible security measures are already in place, such as the extensive network of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, Close Circuit Television (CCTV) and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) barriers. There are also many security measures that you can't see," it said.

The force also encouraged local businesses, communities and visitors to continue to be its "extra eyes and ears".

British Transport Police will be patrolling railway stations and carriages linking other regions with the town of Windsor.

Visitors for the wedding will have to pass through airport-style security scanners, and steel barriers will be erected to deter terrorist vehicle attacks, something police termed as a "screening and search regime".

Dogs and mounted officers will also be on patrol and marine officers will be conducting searches along the nearby Thames river.

All leaves for Thames Valley Police's 4,200-strong force has been cancelled, though police are refusing to say exactly how many officers will be deployed in the security operation.

The force is working closely with Scotland Yard, responsible for the security of the royal family inside Windsor Castle.

The wedding day will feature regiments and units that have a special relationship with Prince Harry, who served in the military for a decade and was deployed on frontline duties twice in Afghanistan.

According to some estimates, the security operation for the royal wedding could amount to 30 million pounds.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Militants tonight shot dead a special police officer (SPO) and injured his wife in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.

"Militants fired upon SPO Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh inside his residence at Katsoo in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district," the police official said.

While the SPO was killed in the spot, his wife, Fareeda, suffered injuries in the firing by the militants, the official said.

He said the woman has been rushed to a hospital for treatment.

In a separate incident, the ultras fired upon a man at Chancer in Kulgam district, the official said. Sayar Wani was hit by a bullet in the leg, he said, adding the injured was admitted to a local hospital for treatment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would address a major globally televised event during his three-day visit to the UK next month to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' is being billed as a "niche event", which will take place in a broadcast studio setting in central London on April 18.

A few hundred guests picked out by an open ballot following registrations on bharatkibaat.org will get the chance to participate in the moderated question and answer session with the Prime Minister.

"A unique niche event is being planned in London on April 18. Titled as #BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath, it will be a one of its kind live interactive conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Foreign Affairs Department, announced on Twitter.

The Prime Minister will arrive in London from Sweden and hold a series of bilateral meetings, including with British Prime Minister Theresa May and an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, expected on April 18.

On April 19 and 20, he will take part in the CHOGM discussions along with heads of government from other 52 member-countries of the Commonwealth.

The visit has been dubbed as "historic" within diplomatic circles as this would mark an Indian Prime Minister's presence at CHOGM for the first time since 2010. Modi had been reportedly invited personally by the Queen in a letter addressed to him.

"It is a great time for India and it is exciting to see the energised way in which new opportunities are being taken up," Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, had recently said in reference to India's enhanced role within the organisation.

According to her, the 53 member-countries will also take a decision on appointing a successor to the 91-year-old monarch as the Head of the Commonwealth during the summit in London and Windsor.

The Heads of Government Meeting on April 19 and 20 will be preceded by the Commonwealth Business Forum between April 16-18, which will bring together hundreds of business people and stakeholders from across the 53 Commonwealth countries.

"Participation from Indian businesses to the Commonwealth Business Forum is just staggering in terms of the calibre, range, innovation and dynamism," said Richard Burge, CEO of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), who will be leading the trade and business strand of the agenda.

Modi's last visit to the UK took place in November 2015, when he had addressed a massive gathering of the Indian diaspora in Britain at Wembley Stadium in London.

As was the case then, a few UK-based groups have indicated plans to hold protests at some of the venues Modi is likely to visit. This will include a demonstration by Sikh Federation UK, which says it wants to register its protest over what it believes is the torture of 31-year-old Scottish Sikh Jagtar Singh Johal in Nabha Central Jail in Punjab.

Mark Field, Minister of state in-charge of Asia and the Pacific in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), had said during a Westminster Hall debate in the UK Parliament complex earlier this month that he would "try" to see if the issue of Johal's arrest can be raised with Modi during CHOGM.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tainted Pakistan pacer Muhammad Asif suffered humiliation at the Dubai International Airport where he was refused entry by immigration officials for not having complete documents.

Asif confirmed he had to take a return flight home from Dubai.

I didn't have a particular letter from their ministry of foreign affairs which I apparently required to enter Dubai, Asif said.

The pacer, who served a five-year ban for spot-fixing between 2010 and 2015, required additional clearance to enter the emirates as in 2008 he had been detained and sent to jail after a small quantity of opium was found in his pocket.

Asif said he had been issued a visa for the visit to UAE where he was invited to play in a T20 tournament in Sharjah.

But I didn't have the one particular letter and the organisers have now said they will arrange it after which I might still go and play in the tournament, he added.

Asif, besides the spot-fixing ban and the opium possession case, has also been banned once for failing a dope test and once got into a brawl with Shoaib Akhtar before the 2007 World T20.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal has stepped into a new era of political stability and economic development following the successful holding of the local, provincial and federal elections, President Bidya Devi Bhandari said today.

Nepal concluded the three phase of provincial, local and parliamentary elections as part of its efforts to implement the new Constitution that was promulgated in September 2015.

The new government led by Left parties under Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli convened its first Parliament session on March 5 after the Himalayan nation successfully held landmark provincial and federal elections.

While making her first address to a joint meeting of Parliament -- House of Representatives and National Assembly -- Bhandari said the significant phase of the Constitution implementation has been over following the successful holding of parliamentary and provincial elections.

This was Bhandari's first address in the Parliament after being re-elected as the head of state for the second time on March 14.

The CPN-UML has 121 members, the NC has 63, and the CPN-MC has 53 while the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal has 17 and the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has 16 members.

The successful conclusion of elections has brought an end to the protracted political transition and uncertainty and induced rays of hope for prosperity, she said.

Bhandari underlined the need of cooperation with the neighbouring countries for the prosperity and development of the country.

She expressed hope that Nepal will be free from corruption and called on all to join hands to put an end to corruption prevalent in the country. She also called for a violence-free society, stating that the country should not involve in any kind of violence under any pretext.

Stating that Nepal was listed in the least-developed countries due to the weak governance and administrations, she said that from now onwards, the country should head towards the path of economic development at a faster pace.

As a large number of youths are going abroad in search of employment, it is high time for the government to address their expectations for the development of the country, the president added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US state of New Jersey has declared April as 'Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month' as part of its effort to promote awareness of the faith.

New Jersey's State Assembly made the declaration in a joint resolution this week, saying it was an effort to combat the "increasing and unacceptable levels of anti-Sikh bigotry".

"The month of April of every year is designated as 'Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month' in the State of New Jersey in order to promote public awareness of the Sikh faith, recognise the important contributions of the Sikh community, and combat anti-Sikh bigotry," the resolution said.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by both the New Jersey House of Representative and the Senate.

The state wants to acknowledge the lasting contributions of the Sikh people and the essential role they play in New Jersey's diverse community, a media release said yesterday.

This state assemblies of Indiana and Delaware adopted similar resolutions earlier in the month. But unlike New Jersey they declared the month of April this year as the Sikh Heritage Month and Sikh Awareness and Awareness month, respectively.

The resolution noted that despite their progressive principles and charitable deeds, the American-Sikh community commonly experienced discrimination, often by individuals who are unaware of the beliefs and practices of the faith.

"Nearly 60 percent of Americans admit to knowing nothing about the religion or its practitioners, and national rates of anti-Sikh bigotry rose dramatically following the September 11th terrorist attacks," the resolution said.

Sikhs disproportionately experience school bullying, with estimates indicating that over 50 per cent of all Sikh children, and roughly 67 per cent of turbaned-Sikh children, endure physical or verbal abuse while at school, it said.

In New Jersey, a Sikh student's turban was set on fire by a classmate at Hightstown High School in 2008.

The resolution said that deadly assaults against the Sikh community had become all-too-common occurrences across the country.

"Although the Sikh-American community continues to peacefully overcome each attack on its cultural identity, the State of New Jersey is now compelled to promote public awareness of the Sikh faith and memorialise the lasting contributions of its Sikh residents," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Odisha government today said it will take appropriate action regarding appointment of a Lokayukta after examining the Supreme Court's order.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister B K Arukha said this in the Assembly after the opposition members created ruckus for three days over delay in appointment of a Lokayukta.

"The state government will examine the orders passed by the Supreme Court and appropriate action will be taken," Arukha said.

"Related matters pertaining to Lokayuktas with respect to different states are pending before the Supreme Court of India for decision," the minister said in the statement.

The minister made this statement a day after an all-party meeting, convened by the Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat, resolved that the government should inform the House on its views on the Lokayukta appointment.

Normalcy returned in the Assembly after the minister's statement, officials said.

The state government yesterday had agreed to give a statement in the Assembly over the delay in appointment of a Lokayukta despite the Odisha Lokayukta Act being passed in the House four years ago.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan on Thursday criticised India and other G-4 nations for seeking expansion of the UN Security Council's permanent membership, saying proposals that promote "national aspirations" of some member states cannot enhance representative nature of the powerful organ of the world body.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN opposed the G-4 nations' - India, Brazil, Germany and Japan - position on Security Council reform during Intergovernmental Negotiations here.

The G-4 grouping has been seeking expansion of the permanent and non-permanent seats of the Security Council to make the powerful UN body more representative and reflective of the changing global order.

The four nations support each other's bids for permanent seats on an expanded Security Council.

Lodhi criticised the G-4 nation's position, saying "without prejudice to the Common African Position for representation on behalf of an entire region, we are at a loss to understand how proposals that seek to promote the national aspirations of some member states, can enhance the representative nature of the Security Council, when the region in question, has neither bestowed that privilege on them, nor does it enjoy the right to hold them to account".

A press release issued by Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN said that the G-4 nations "have shown no flexibility" in their campaign for expanding the Security Council by 10 seats, with 6 additional permanent and four non-permanent members.

It said the Italy/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group opposed any additional permanent members.

"As a compromise, UfC has proposed a new category of members not permanent members with longer duration in terms and a possibility to get re-elected once," the statement said.

Noting that representativeness and accountability were two sides of the same coin, Lodhi said the greater the accountability, the better the representativeness and that one cannot co-exist without the other.

"Applied in the context of the Security Council, it is evident that these conditions cannot be met by an expansion in the permanent category," she said.

"This is acknowledged by UN charter itself, wherein permanent members are identified by name without creating any pretence of regional or equitable distribution," she said.

Lodhi said that it was in the non-permanent category where the elements of equitable representation were embedded, adding that the reform process itself has to be a membership-driven one.

Earlier, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, speaking on behalf of the G-4 at the informal meeting on Intergovernmental Negotiations, had called for transparency in negotiations on Security Council reforms, underlining that countries and groups making proposals, specifically on veto and regional representation, should necessarily be named in the documents framed for the discussions.

"Currently, we see several unattributed propositions. Serious proposals made with genuine intent are not orphans without support. Or is it that those who have initially suggested these no longer desire to be associated with them. If that is so, we need to know. If not, we should not be selective in attributing," Akbaruddin had said at the session on March 27 as member states discussed the paper circulated 'Revised Elements of Commonality and Issues for Further Consideration'.
Eighty-seven years after Bhagat Singh was hanged for the murder of a British police officer, Pakistan on Thursday displayed all records of the legendary freedom fighter's case file and his comrades, a step appreciated by the civil society and rights activists.

Early this week, Pakistan's Punjab government had displayed some of the records of the case file of Bhagat Singh's trial, which is called the Lahore Conspiracy Case, at the historic Tomb of Anarkali in Lahore.

"We have displayed all the record related to Bhagat Singh and his comrades trial case in the exhibition," Punjab Archives Department Director Abbas Chughtai told PTI today.

"Seeing enormous public response we have decided to extend the exhibition date till coming Sunday. Earlier, we had planned it for only for one day," he said, adding a total 50 or so documents related to the Lahore Conspiracy case and newspaper clippings has been put on display.

"This is all the record we have with us," he added.

Singh, 23, was hanged by British rulers on March 23, 1931 in Lahore, after being tried under charges for hatching a conspiracy against the colonial government. The case was filed against Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for allegedly killing British police officer John P Saunders.

Their bodies were cremated and the ashes were thrown in the River Sutlej the same day in extreme secrecy to avoid any public reaction. The world came to know about the hangings through Maulana Zafar Ali Khan's Zamindar newspaper two days later.

The Archives department on Monday displayed request of Bhagat Singh for providing order of court dated August 27, 1930, petition of Bhagat Singh dated May 31, 1929 for interview of his father, petition of Sardar Kishan Singh, father of Bhagat Singh, against the death sentence of his son and the certificate/execution of death of Bhagat Singh in Lahore district jail by the superintendent of jail dated March 23, 1931.

Today, it exhibited the posters of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, copies of the books and revolutionary poetry attributed to Bhagat Singh, DIG CID's reports about recovery of a bomb factory in Lahore, recovery of revolvers from Singh, list of chemicals, pictures of bullets, pistols and bombshells recovered as evidence, post-mortem report of Saunders,



warrants of execution of Sukhdev and Rajguru and judgment against appeal of Singh among others.

Bhagat Singh and his comrades' petition dated March 5, 1931, in the Court at Buckingham Palace is also on display.

It pleaded "The lords of the committee in obedience to the late King Edward the seventh's order in council have taken the said humble petition into consideration and having heard counsel in support thereof their lordships do this day agree humbly to report to your majesty as their opinion that the said petition ought to be dismissed."



At the venue, legendary Khan Abdul Karim Khan's thumri in Raag Jhinjhoti "Piya Bin Chain Na Awat," which he rendered in 1929, was being played in the background, adding to the historic value of the place and setting a perfect background to pay tribute to Bhagat Singh and his comrades.

Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed and additional chief secretary Umar Rasool, who took the initiative to exhibit this historic case file at the official level also visited.

A good number of teachers and students of the College of Arts and other institutions visited it today.

"I spent some three hours here to go through the Lahore Conspiracy case. I had read a little about Bhagat Singh but after going through all this record my admiration for these freedom fighters has multiplied," says NCA student Fariha Naz.
Pakistan today handed over a dossier to Afghanistan containing evidence of Afghan-based militant groups' involvement in attacks on its soil.

Foreign Office said in a statement that Pakistan handed over the dossier to the embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad.

"The dossier contains evidence of the involvement of Afghanistan based TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) in the suicide bombing at a Pakistan Army unit in Swat and the presence of TTP, JuA (Jamaatul Ahrar) and other terrorist groups' hideouts in Afghan territory," the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan also asked Afghanistan to take effective action against terrorist hideouts from where "they have been financing, planning and undertaking cross border terrorist attacks on Pakistani military posts, cities and towns."



At least 11 security personnel were killed when a suicide bomber targeted them in Kabal area of Swat in early February. Army said that the bomber came from Afghanistan.

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Pakistan and the US discussed today regional issues including peace efforts in Afghanistan and the situation along the Line of Control (LoC).

Ambassador Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

"The Foreign Secretary also apprised the visiting delegation of the continued ceasefire violations by India that undermined stability of the region," the FO said.

Pakistan's position that a comprehensive dialogue was the only way forward for civilised nations to resolve outstanding issues was reiterated, it said.

The two sides reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional issues particularly in Afghanistan and agreed that the momentum of the peace initiative unveiled in Kabul by President Ashraf Ghani and followed up in Tashkent needs to be carried forward, the statement said.

The mechanisms for return of refugees and strengthening border management were also discussed, as both sides also reiterated their firm commitments to act against all groups that target Pakistan and Afghanistan, it said.

Noting that the US and Pakistan had a long track record of cooperation, ambassador Wells emphasised the importance of working together to achieve the common objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.

The two sides agreed to continue bilateral engagements at all levels.

This was ambassador Wells' second visit to Pakistan this year aimed at continuing the conversation to strengthen bilateral relations and promote peace and security in the region.

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Pakistan today expressed concern over the growing influence of Da'esh (the Islamic State) in Afghanistan and its concentration on the borders with the Afghan neighbours.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said at the weekly media briefing that Da'esh had been involved in cross-border raids at Pakistani military posts.

"We have been consistently raising serious concerns about the rising footprint of Da'esh in Afghanistan. Concentration of Da'esh along the borders with Pakistan, Central Asian Republics, Iran and China further alarms us of its negative implications for Afghanistan, Pakistan and regional security," he said.

He said the evidence of Da'esh's cross-border raids at Pakistani military posts had been shared on several occasions with Afghanistan.

Faisal said Pakistan always supported an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process in Afghanistan and reiterated that only political reconciliation can bring lasting peace in the war-torn country.

He said that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has accepted an invitation from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to visit Afghanistan at a convenient time.

To a question about Pakistan firing across the border with Afghanistan, he said that "our border troops only open fire when they are fired upon (by terrorists) and the response is always directed at the point of origin and is proportionate.

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Only 22 per cent of the Prime Minister's Rs 80,000 crore development package for Jammu and Kashmir has been released to the state government so far, a parliamentary committee has said in a scathing report underlining the "little outcome achieved" under it.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha recently, said the progress on implementing the Prime Minister's development package had been slow and a "poor outcome" had been achieved in the past 12 months.

The committee found that out of the Rs 80,068-crore Prime Minister's Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir, projects of Rs 67,046 crore have been sanctioned and Rs 17,913 crore have been released to the state government, according to the report.

The committee noted that most of the projects - including that for creation of jobs, transit accommodations, one-time settlement of 36,384 families from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Chhamb displaced persons, and raising of India Reserve Battalions - were still under progress and "little outcome was achieved".

"Observing this pattern of poor outcome in the past twelve months, the committee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs should intensify its efforts to achieve measurable outcome under the PM's Development Package by speeding up the work in the upcoming fiscal and implement all the projects at the earliest," the panel said in its report.

The committee also desires that the ministry may apprise it about the details of expenditure incurred under various heads out of Rs 80,000 crore and the actual physical and financial achievements against the set targets under this package, the report read.

There are seven projects which are at different stages of implementation.

"In that regard, the Committee would like to be informed about the total amount disbursed so far for payment of honorarium to the Special Police Officers at the enhanced rate of Rs 6,000 per month, and the number of beneficiaries, further progress made in raising of the 5 India Reserve Battalions.

"Status of projects amounting to Rs 255.30 crore already sanctioned and remaining proposals of Rs 245 crore pertaining to the security and law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, progress achieved with regard to construction of 6,000 transit accommodation in the Kashmir Valley, implementation status of the project on creation of 3,000 jobs identified by the state government in 18 different departments," the panel said.

It also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to inform it about the latest status of the implementation of the rehabilitation package for one-time settlement of 36,384 families from PoK, Chhamb displaced persons.

"The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs, in tandem with the state government of Jammu and Kashmir should ensure timely implementation of undertaken projects of Rs 80,068 crore under the PM's Development Package for the J-K," the report read.

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Food and beverages major PepsiCo India is giving its Trpoicana juice an image make-over, roping in Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif as brand ambassador as part of strategy to double business of the range by 2020.

Apart from focussing on smaller cities, rest of urban (RoU) and rural market expansion, the company is also looking at packaging innovations to enhance reach of the brand.

"Given the fact that juice is a really under-penetrated category in the country, we want to be participating in the penetrative growth," PepsiCo India Vice President Nutrition Deepika Warrier told PTI.

She said Tropicana is one of the fastest growing brands of the company and PepsiCo India has laid out "a pretty ambitious plan that we want to double Tropicana business by 2020".

At present, the Tropicana master brand, including Slice and other sub-brands, is over Rs 1,000 crore, she added.

On the repositioning of the brand, Warrier said, "Earlier Tropicana was seen as an international aspirational brand and we were targeting to young adults and metro consumers as a complement to rushed breakfast."



Now the company will target youth, making Tropicana "an enabler in lifestyle for the time-pressed millennials who find their own health and nutrition hacks and to suit their individual lifestyles".

On the distribution front, she said PepsiCo India has a redefined strategy through its strategic partnership with bottling partner, Varun Beverages Ltd (VBL) for sale and distribution of Tropicana range of juices along with Gatorade and Quaker Value-Added Dairy in north and east India announced in January.

"The north and east regions together account for 80 per cent of the juice market in India," Warrier said, adding VBL's reach will help the brand more than double the distribution reach in these regions, with a focus on rest of urban (RoU) and rural market expansion.

In south and west India, Tropicana will be sold through PepsiCo's system for core carbonated beverage.

The target for Tropicana is to reach 2.5 lakh outlets in 330 towns from one lakh in around 80-100 towns at present, she added.

Warrier also said PepsiCo India could consider smaller pack sizes for Rs 10 as compared to the current entry level size of Rs 20 as it looks to penetrate deeper in the rural markets.

Besides, innovations like transparent packaging in order to convince consumers that the juices don't contain preservatives may be looked at, Warrier said.

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The two-day meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) began here today with India and Pakistan expected to discuss various issues under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) during the parleys.

The Indian delegation for the annual meeting comprises India's Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena, a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and technical experts, sources said.

Pakistan's six-member delegation for the commission's 114th meeting is being led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah.

The meeting will take place in the backdrop of the continuing tension between the two countries over a host of issues, including the alleged harassment of diplomats.

The PIC is an established mechanism underthe IWT, which mandates it to establish and maintain cooperative arrangements for the implementation of the water distribution pact and to promote cooperation between India and Pakistan in the development of the Indus water systems.

Commissioners are representatives of their respective governments for all matters arising out of this treaty.

Pakistan has been expressing concerns over India's Ratle (850 MW), Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW) projects -- located in the Chenab basin contending they violated the IWT, signed in 1960, sources said.

India, however, has been maintaining that designs of these projects are very much in accordance with the treaty.

The IWT covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers -- Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.

The treaty specifies that waters from the three western rivers -- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab -- are reserved for Pakistan, while waters from eastern rivers -- Ravi, Sutlej and Beas -- are for reserved for India.

The PIC had last met in March 2017 in Islamabad. The meeting of the PIC is held alternately in India and Pakistan at least once every year as mandated by the treaty.

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Union minister Babul Supriyo and a senior West Bengal BJP leader were today stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area, where situation continued to remain tense after violence erupted over a Ram Navami procession.

Internet services remained suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were clamped in the area, following clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over a Ram Navami rally at Raniganj, the police said.

However, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since last night, the police said adding that the situation was "under control".

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today held a high-level meeting at the secretariat after her return from Delhi. Chief secretary, home secretary, DGP and ADGP (law and order) were present at the meeting.

Banerjee did not comment on the situation at Asansol-Raniganj.

Supriyo, the MP from Asansol, tried to enter the Railpar area in Paschim Bardhaman district, where police stopped his car, citing security reasons.

A group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area.

TV channels showed him engaged in a verbal spat with police personnel, who had surrounded his vehicle.

"As a public representative, I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty. But the police is saying I won't be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," Supriyo said.

He said that he would inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident.

Supriyo claimed that only the deployment of central forces could bring back peace to the area as locals did not have faith in the police.

The minister, earlier this week, had blamed inaction on part of the police for Sunday's violence over Ram Navami celebrations in Raniganj, neighbouring Asansol.

When asked, the police did not immediately confirm if complaints were lodged against the Union minister.

State BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee, who was en route to Raniganj, was also stopped by police at Durgapur. In protest, the actress-turned-politician staged a sit-in.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee alleged that the BJP was trying to destroy the communal peace and harmony in the state.

"When the police is patrolling the area, why do they want to visit Raniganj? Are they not satisfied after unleashing violence for the last two days," he claimed.

Chatterjee, also the TMC secretary general, claimed that Supriyo was seen pushing the on-duty police officers.

S N Gupta, a senior police officer, said the situation was under control. He, however, advised the people not to pay heed to any rumour and stay indoors.

In all, 60 people were detained in connection with the violence, he said.

A district police officer said a contingent of the police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were patrolling the area.

"There have been no fresh incidents of violence, although Section 144 is still imposed in the area," he said, adding, the situation was still tense.

One person was killed and two police officers were injured in the violence that erupted on Sunday and Monday.

Senior IPS officers Jawed Shamim, Siddhinath Gupta and Vineet Goyal have been deputed on special duty to bring the situation under control.

Governor K N Tripathi has also been advised not to visit Durgapur to see a police officer injured in the violence in Raniganj in view of deployment of police in the area, an official release said yesterday.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today set a one-year deadline to complete a tunnel on the Dehradun-Saharanpur highway.

He also asked the executing agency to decorate its interiors with motifs, which showcase the state's culture.

"The interior of the tunnel should be painted with motifs. These will give a glimpse of Uttarakhand's culture to commuters," he said at a meeting to review the progress of the project.

The tunnel is located near the Daat Kali temple on the outskirts of the state capital.

Rawat also reviewed the progress of the ISBT flyover at Ajabpur and another at Mohkampur.

He asked the executing agencies to complete both the projects before the state's foundation day in October.

The chief minister said that negligence in quality of work will not be tolerated.

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The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of Rs 58.9 crore on the country's leading private sector lender ICICI Bank for violating its directions on direct sale of securities.

"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed through an order dated March 26, 2018, a monetary penalty of Rs 589 million on ICICI Bank Limited for non-compliance with directions issued on direct sale of securities from its HTM (held-to-maturity) portfolio and specified disclosure in this regard," the central bank said in a notification issued today.

ICICI Bank said the violation was "due to a genuine misunderstanding on the timing of the applicability of RBI's directions in this matter".

It said: "RBI has imposed a penalty on the bank for continued sale of government securities classified as HTM."



The bank said it continued with the sales from HTM category for a few weeks during the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

It further said that it would give utmost importance to regulatory compliance and endeavours to meet supervisory expectations.

Imposing the penalty, RBI said it was being done in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 after taking into account failure of the bank to adhere to the directions issued by central banker.

This action, RBI added, was based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance.

It (fine) is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers, RBI said.

As per RBI guidelines, banks need to classify investments into three categories of held-for-trading (HFT), available-for-sale (AFS) and held-for-maturity (HTM).

The securities required to be held till maturity fall under HTM category. In case the sale of securities from this category exceeds 5 per cent of the required investment under HTM, banks need to disclose that in their audited annual financial statements, the market value of the HTM investments and have to indicate the excess of book value over market value.

But the bank had not made this disclosure at that time but had disclosed in the annual report 2016-17.

ICICI Bank said it has been subsequently making the specified disclosures as directed by RBI in the audited financial results since the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

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The Finance Ministry today said a "historic" Rs 71,633 crore was processed and routed through the PFMS portal on March 28.

The Public Financial Management System (PFMS), administered by the Department of Expenditure, is an end-to- end solution for processing payments, tracking, monitoring, accounting, reconciliation and reporting.

It provides scheme managers a unified platform for tracking releases and monitoring their last mile utilisation.

"On March 28, an amount of Rs 71,633.45 crore has been digitally transacted/routed through PFMS Portal for 98,19,026 transactions. This is a historic record of number of digital transactions processed in a single day," the ministry said in a statement.

Of this, Rs 52,292 crore was transferred to state governments, while other digital payments by PAOs (Principal Accounts Office) were to the tune of Rs 13,040 crore.

Besides, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments by implementing agencies accounted for Rs 2,493 crore, while other digital payments was to the tune of Rs 2,472 crore.

PFMS is an ambitious project of the government being implemented by the Controller General of Accounts.

It provides platform for efficient management of funds through tracking of funds and real time reporting of expenditure and receipts through treasury and bank interface.

The line ministries/departments utilise this platform to monitor the utilisation of funds provided to the implementing agencies and state governments. PFMS is also used for DBT payments under MGNREGA and other notified schemes of the Government of India.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday Moscow would expel 60 US diplomats and close its consulate in Saint Petersburg in a tit-for-tat expulsion over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal.

Lavrov said that the US ambassador had been informed of "retaliatory measures", saying that "they include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg".

Washington earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and shut down the Russian consulate general in Seattle.
Goa Congress' outgoing president Shantaram Naik today demanded sacking of CBSE chairman in connection with paper leaks and handing over the matter to the CBI for investigation.

"The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) chairman should be sacked and if found criminally responsible or negligent, he should be put under arrest," Naik, who resigned as the state Congress president recently, said in a statement.

Naik's resignation is not yet accepted by the Congress top brass.

The Delhi Police's crime branch is investigating the alleged leak of Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers after registering two separate cases in the matter.

In the wake of reports claiming paper leaks, the CBSE yesterday announced re-examination of the two papers.

Referring to alleged leaks of papers, Naik said the Union HRD Ministry seemed interested only in "painting the Policy in saffron".

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be held responsible for a "criminal delay" in finalisingnew Policy.

The Congress leader demanded incorporation of necessary provisions in the Policy under preparation to "curb the menace of paper leakage".

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Sarah Jessica Parker almost stopped short of an endorsement for her "Sex and The City" co-star Cynthia Nixon, who is in the running for the office of New York governor.

The 53-year-old actor said she is looking forward to talking to Nixon about her bid.

"Cynthia has been my friend and colleague since we were little girls. I look forward to talking to her about her New York state gubernatorial bid," Parker said in a short statement to Page Six.

Nixon received rousing endorsement from another "SATC" alum Kristin Davis, who tweeted in support of the actor the day she announced her campaign.

"I am so proud of @CynthiaNixon, no one cares more than she does about EVERY person getting a fair change and a good education. I know that she would be an excellent Governor!" Davis had written.

Kim Cattral also backed Nixon -- who played career-driven lawyer, Miranda Hobbes on the hit show -- in a reserved tweet.

"I support and respect any former colleague's right to make their own career choices," she had said.

Nixon, 51, told People magazine that all three of her "SATC" co-stars have "expressed love, support and excitement" about her political debut.

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Senior-most Supreme Court judge, Justice J Chelameswar, has shot off a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) asking him to consider convening a full court to take up the issue of alleged executive interference in judiciary.

Justice Chelameswar, in his letter written on March 21, cautioned that "the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any State sounds the death knell to democracy".

The unprecedent letter, copies of which were also sent to 22 other apex court judges, has questioned the probe initiated by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari against District and Sessions Judge Krishna Bhat at the instance of Union Ministry of Law and Justice, despite his name being recommended for elevation twice by the Collegium.

"Someone from Bangalore has already beaten us in the race to the bottom. The Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court is more than willing to do the Executive bidding, behind our back," Justice Chelameswar wrote in his six-page letter.

Raising the issue of judicial independence, he said, "We, the judges of the Supreme Court of India, are being accused of ceding our independence and our institutional integrity to the Executive's incremental encroachment.

"The executive is always impatient, and brooks no disobedience even of the judiciary if it can. Attempts were always made to treat the Chief Justices as the Departmental Heads in the Secretariat. So much for our 'independence and preeminence' as a distinct State organ".

Justice Chelameswar, who had held the unprecedented January 12 press conference along with three other senior judges questioning the allocation of cases by the CJI, referred to the "unhappy experience" where the Government sat tight over the files even after the Collegium recommended names for appointment in the higher judiciary.

"For some time, our unhappy experience has been that the government's accepting our recommendations is an exception and sitting on them is the norm. 'Inconvenient' but able judges or judges to be are being bypassed through this route," he claimed.

The apex court judge, who is demitting office on June 22, took serious note of the communication between the Karnataka High Court chief justice and the executive saying, "the role of High Court ceases with its recommendation".

He said that any correspondence, clarificatory or otherwise, has to be between the executive and the Supreme Court.

Referring to Bhat's case, he said, "To my mind, I could recollect no instance from the past, of the executive bypassing the Supreme Court, more particularly while its recommendations are pending, to look into the allegations already falsified and conclusively rejected by us.

"Asking the High Court to re-evaluate our recommendation in this matter has to be deemed improper and contumacious."



He said the judiciary may not be "far-off" when the executive would directly communicate with the High Court about the pending cases and ask what orders are to be passed.

"Let us also not forget the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any State sounds the death knell to democracy. We both are mutual watchdogs, so to say, no mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts", he said in the letter to the CJI.

Asking the CJI to take up the issue of executive interference in judiciary by convening a full court on the judicial side, he said this was necessary in order to ensure that the institution (Supreme Court) remained relevant under the scheme of the Constitution.

He then referred to an instance from the past when the apex court had taken serious note of direct communication of the then Law Minister with the High Courts on the issue of judges' transfer which had finally led to the judgement in first judges case in 1981. Later, the Collegium had assumed power with regard to judges' appointment in higher judiciary.

In 2016, then Chief Justice of India T S Thakur had asked then High Court chief justice S K Mukherjee to hold an inquiry against Bhat on certain allegations levelled by a subordinate woman judicial officer. Bhat's name was later recommended after the probe had given him a clean chit.

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Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today said science and technology havebeen an integral part of Indian culture and tradition and there is scientific rationale behind "what our forefathers have practised" with regard to cow dung and 'tulsi'.

"Shall I tell you one thing... whatever our forefathers have said or done is scientific. Even cow dung you put (on floor) with water and spread in the morning. There is science.Tulsi there is science and it's proven. It is not like blind belief," he said.

Naidu was addressing scientific fraternity of different Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), a constituent research laboratory of the CSIR here.

"We have our traditional knowledge. Science and technology have been an integral part of Indian culture and tradition. Some people say culture. Indian philosophy... what is it... All blind belief," Naidu said.

He said ancient India was known for rich scientific contributionsright from the use of zero, precise calculation of eclipses, concept of atom, to "Shushruta Samhita" involving complex surgery and "Charak" explicitly describing diseases, their causes and modes of treatment.

The civilisations of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa are ample proof that ancient India was more advanced than the rest of the world at that time, Naidu said.

"Our Indian weavers used to weave clothes and put them in a matchbox and export. that's the history. So, that means there is inherent knowledge," he said.

"What we need to do is we have to tap it, identify it, encourage it and move on That's why PM introduced skill development and new idioms have come," the vice president said.

Naidu said he had expressed his desire to focus his attention on regularly interacting with researchers and scientists at IIMs, IITs,universities, colleges, to motivate them to work for the country and betterment of the people.

"I am not an expert in science and technology but science is very very important for the betterment of our lives," he said.

"The very purpose of science and research is to search the methods through which you can make peoples' lives more comfortable," the vice-president said.

Research institutes have important role to play for development of the country and not only development but sustainable development is very much required and for that lot of study and research has to be done, he said.

"On many issues whether it is drinking water, energy security, food security, defence security all these are very important and very vital."



"It is here the research institutes play a important role. Fortunately there is no dearth of knowledge in our country," he said.

He urged scientists to put in concerted efforts to provide solutions to the many problems faced by mankind and to ensure that Mother Earth is a better place to live for the present and future generations to come.

"The government has a responsibility and departments and CSIR also have a responsibility and at the same time as citizens, research scholars, students it is our duty. I feel that we must all come with some solutions to the many problems faced by mankind," he said.

CSIR-NGRI research programmes are broadbased and aligned to national priorities and missions of the Union government, the Vice-President said.

He said he would also like CSIR and its institutions like the NGRI to popularise science so that more and more children get interested in pursuing science subjects.

"We also need to have state-of-the-art R&D base that will cater to both, the academia and the industry."



Naidu emphasised that science is the one and only medium that can provide solutions for the present and emerging problems in the years to come.

"Mankind faces numerous challenges related to climate change, global warming, sustainable development, clean energy water etc, and hence I earnestly urge the earth scientists present here, to work towards sustainable goals, meet societal needs and facilitate nation building," he added.

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Ruling BJP's alliance partner Shiv Sena and the opposition Congress have opposed the idea of holding the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature in Nagpur instead of Mumbai, which is the norm.

The state government has appointed a committee of three ministers to take a final call on the venue of the monsoon session which will be held in July.

As per convention, the monsoon and Budget sessions of the state legislature are held in Mumbai while Nagpur, the second capital of Maharashtra, hosts the winter session in December.

Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde recalled the July 2005 Mumbai deluge to oppose the idea of holding the monsoon session in Nagpur.

He said the council of ministers should be in Mumbai in event of any eventuality.

"Entire Mumbai and the metropolitan region was submerged under water during the deluge in July 2005. The government and ministers must be available in Mumbai during the monsoon session. We cannot rush from Nagpur if something bad happens in Mumbai or Thane," he said.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (Congress) said a majority of legislators from all political parties are against the idea of holding the monsoon session in Nagpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"This proposal is not practical. Only the chief minister is in the favour of this proposal," said Vikhe Patil.

Another Sena minister said Fadnavis wanted to clear the issues pertaining to Vidarbha--the region which largely voted in favour of the BJP in 2014 polls--as there is a possibility that mid-term polls for Lok Sabha and state Assembly would be held in December this year.

"Hence, Fadnavis wants to clear issues related to Vidarbha and may announce a special financial package for his home region before the mid-term polls are announced," he said.

The minister said Fadnavis would not get an opportunity to "favour" Vidarbha region if simultaneous polls are to be held, and hence he is pushing the idea of holding the monsoon session in Nagpur in July.

The three-minister committee, headed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat (BJP), comprises Industries Minister Subhash Desai (Sena) and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP).

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Ahead of the Assembly polls in Karnataka, BJP chief Amit Shah will from tomorrow tour parts of the old Mysuru region, where the party had not won a single seat in the previous election.

As part of his "Karunada Jagruti Yatre", Shah will tour Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Mandya and Ramanagara districts on March 30 and 31.

Out of the total 26 seats in the four districts, considered as the Vokkaliga heartland, BJP did not win even a single seat during the 2013 Assembly elections.

Moreover, the region is the home turf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who hails from Mysuru.

Former Chief Minister and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy and senior minister D K Shivakumar enjoy considerable influence in the region.

Significantly, Shah's itinerary includes meeting with the erstwhile royalfamily of Mysuru, triggering speculations about their supporting or joining the BJP.

However, scion of royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has ruled out political entry and saidhe got to know about Shah's meeting with the family through the media.

"I have got this information only through the press. I can't say anything about it," he told reporters inMysuru, when asked about the meeting with Shah.

"I have told several times that I'm not interested inpolitics. There is no chance at all about me joining any party. I'm not interested in Through social work wewill continue our relationship with the public," he said.

Continuing his visits to mutts, Shah will also visit influential Lingayat seminary in the region 'Suttur mutt', andalso Ganapati Sacchidananda Ashrama.

He will also visit the famous Nanjanagudu Srikanteshwara and the Melukote Cheluvanarayanaswamy temples.

Shah's schedule also includes meeting with Dalitleaders and lunch with them. He will also interact with organic farmersand women, take part in ST convention, visit Channapatna Craft Park and interact with silk growers and silk industry.

Recently, Congress President Rahul Gandhi too toured the region for two days.

Interestingly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too iscamping in Mysuru from today till April 2, and will takepart in the campaign activities there.

Siddaramaiah has already announced his intentions to contest from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru district.

This is the fourth leg of Shah's tour in the state. He has already covered parts of coastal and Malnad, north, and central regions of the state.

The Election Commission had announced a single-phase election on May 12 for the 224-member Karnataka LegislativeAssembly.

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China said today its relations with India are developing with a "sound momentum" and the two sides have made new achievements as they made efforts to reset their ties with major high-level visits post-Dokalam.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang, however, parried questions over India cancelling some events of the Dalai Lama.

"Recently, thanks to concerted efforts by the two sides, China-India relations have been developing with a sound momentum. We have seen some new achievements in our cooperation in various fields," Lu told a media briefing here.

He was replying to a question whether China welcomes recent efforts by India to improve ties with China including cancellation of some events by the Dalai Lama.

He also skirted a direct response about the likely visit of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to China.

"For us, we attach importance to development of ties with India," Lu said.

"We would like to work with India under the guidance of our two leaders to maintain our exchanges at all levels, enhance mutual trust, manage our differences and ensure bilateral relations can move forward along the right track," he said.

Separately, the Chinese Defence Ministry, which is bracing for the visit of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to China, said that developing military-to-military ties is an "important step" in the progress of bilateral relations.

Asked about Sitharaman's upcoming visit, Chinese Defence spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang told a media briefing today that "the military-to-military relationship between India and China is an integral part of the state-to-state relationship".

"China and India, we hope can work together to deepen our mutually beneficial cooperation. To develop the military-to- military relationship is an important step to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of the state," he said, stressing the significance of the defence ties.

"We hope to see a sound interaction between the two militaries," he said, adding that programme for Sitharaman's



visit is still being chalked out.

Sitharaman said recently that she plans to visit China next month.

In recent months, India and China have made efforts to reset their ties damaged by the 73-day long standoff at Dokalam over Chinese military's push to build a road close to India's Chicken Neck corridor.

The area of the standoff is also claimed by Bhutan.

The standoff ended on August 28 after People's Liberation Army (PLA) agreed to stop the road building but continued its build-up of troops and infrastructure in the vicinity while continuing to assert that Dokalam belongs to it.

While Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan visited India recently, a number of top Indian officials including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were expected to visit China in the next few weeks to take part in the events connected with June summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held in Chinese city of Qingdao.

Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale recently said in a media interview that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to take part in the summit and will "definitely" meet and hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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The former Russian double agent and his daughter who were targeted with a deadly nerve agent came into contact with the poison at their Salisbury home in the UK, Scotland Yard have confirmed, noting that the "complex probe" into the attempted murders will continue for several weeks.

Specialists have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent to-date as being on the front door of the address, which was home to the former spy.

Following detailed forensic and scientific examination, the Metropolitan Police said yesterday that the detectives believed Sergei and Yulia Skripal first came into contact with the Russian-made nerve agent at their home address in Salisbury.

"At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door. We are therefore focusing much of our efforts in and around their address.

"Those living in the Skripals' neighbourhood can expect to see officers carrying out searches as part of this but I want to reassure them that the risk remains low and our searches are precautionary," said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing with the Met Police.

Thanking the local community, he said his officers were likely be in the area for "several weeks and months" as the "complex investigation" into the attempted murders of Sergei and his daughter continues.

The Met Police described it as one of the largest investigations undertaken by British counter-terrorism policing.

Officers will be carrying out thorough searches in the areas surrounding the Skripals' address as part of the ongoing investigation and as a precautionary measure.

Around 250 counter-terrorism detectives continue to work around the clock on the investigation, supported by a full range of experts and partners.

Officers continue to trawl through more than 5,000 hours of CCTV and examine over 1,350 exhibits that have been seized.

Around 500 witnesses have been identified and hundreds of statements taken.

Traces of the nerve agent have been found at some of the other scenes detectives have been working at over the past few weeks, but at lower concentrations to that found at the home address.

Specialist search officers are now concluding their "meticulous work" at some of these scenes and as they do so, are handing these back to local Wiltshire Police.

"It is an extremely challenging investigation and police and partners continue to manage a number of unique and difficult issues. We thank the public for their continued support," said Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills.

The Maltings shopping centre, where the father and daughter were found slumped on March 4, is among the sites handed back to Wiltshire Police from the UK national counter- terrorism investigation, Mills added.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said the chemical used in the attack was part of a group of nerve agents developed by Russia known as Novichok. Russia has denied any involvement in the attack.

As many as 27 countries have joined the UK in expelling Russian diplomats from there countries in a show of solidarity.

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No-frills carrier SpiceJet today announced a new daily service between Delhi and Leh and an all-inclusive return fare of Rs 7,799 as an introductory offer.

The flight to Leh will commence service on May 1 from Terminal 1 of the IGI airport here.

SG 121 will take off from Delhi at 6.05 am and reach Leh at 7.25 am. The return flight, SG 122, will take off at 7.55 am and reach Delhi at 9.10 am, the airline said in a statement.

Leh is the 46th domestic destination to be added to SpiceJet's pan India network.

To celebrate the launch, the airline also announced a limited period special introductory all-inclusive one-way fare of Rs. 3999 and return fare of Rs. 7799, applicable for bookings made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Deploying its Boeing 737-700 aircraft on the route, passengers from Leh can conveniently travel to a host of other cities both on SpiceJet's domestic as well as international network via multiple onward connections from Delhi, the statement read.

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Sri Lanka's main party in the ruling unity government United National Party today unanimously decided to back its leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the no-confidence motion submitted against him by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa-backed Joint Opposition.

The motion scheduled for April 4 was handed over to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya by the Joint Opposition (JO) last week against Wickremesinghe, accusing him of financial mismanagement and failing to tackle anti-Muslim riots early this month in the central Kandy district.

"At the policy making working committee meeting this morning, it was unanimously decided to back the Prime Minister in the no-confidence motion," Education Minister Akila Viraj said.

He said the party will meet for three days to deliberate on the reforms needed to implement them within two months.

Wickremesinghe, 68, had resisted a call from President Maithripala Sirisena to resign following a crushing defeat to Rajapaksa's new party Sri Lanka People's Front in the February 10 local election.

According to analysts, the no-confidence motion against Wickremesinghe is being secretly backed by Sirisena against the man who sponsored him to be the President after Rajapaksa's defeat in 2015.

The motion calls for the removal of Wickremesinghe for appointing a non Sri Lankan as the governor of the Central Bank, allegedly protecting those responsible for the bank Bond issues scam and failing in his duty as the law and order minister to tackle anti-Muslim riots early this month.

Wickremesinghe was recently replaced as law and order minister after clashes erupted in the central Kandy district.

Anti-Muslim violence in Kandy and Ampara districts left three people dead.

Sirisena last night removed key institutions from the control of Wickremesinghe, including the Central Bank.

He had appointed a committee to probe the bank's bond issues scam under Wickremesinghe's friend and former Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

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The Delhi unit of All India Democratic Students' Organisation today demanded a high-level probe into the CBSE question paper leak case, and said it showed the board's "utter negligence" in conducting examinations fairly.

The students' body staged a demonstration on Parliament Street against the leakage of papers of two subjects and accused the central government of making false claims in providing good governance.

"We demand high-level inquiry into the leaks and appeal to the students and parents to initiate a movement till all the demands are met," AIDSO vice president Rahul Sarkar said.

A large number of students from various schools participated in the protest and raised slogans against CBSE and Ministry of Human Resource Development over the way they had handled the examination process.

"It has shocked lakhs of students who had prepared day and night for exams. This system has failed to stop corrupt practices and few people including high officials who are busy in making money at the cost of future of students," Sarkar said.

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Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Dharamvira Gandhi today launched 'Punjab Manch' which, he said, will take the shape of a political party in coming months and contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Batting for more powers to the states, Gandhi said the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had failed to safeguard the interests of Punjab while the AAP had sidelined leaders from the state and was in grip of a "high-command culture".

"The ultimate aim of this Manch is to evolve into a strong regional political outfit. There is a need for such an outfit in Punjab which can guard its interests. We will be touring Punjab over the next few weeks and months and take feedback from people.

"Once the Manch takes shape of a political outfit, I will quit AAP. We then intend to context the next year's Lok Sabha polls," he said.

The MP said the Manch's vision is 'Federal India, Democratic Punjab' as "at present we have a centralised political structure, in the form of an overwhelmingly powerful Centre in which the contours of a 'Union of States' is only faintly discernable".

"Punjab Manch aims to build a country where diversities of all hues, enjoy opportunities to flower as part of a larger bouquet, fully realising the idea of 'unity in diversity'," he said.

Replying to a question, the suspended AAP MP from Patiala said he will quit AAP only after the Manch takes shape of a political outfit.

Gandhi hit out at other political parties, including the Congress and BJP, for "failing to protect the interests of Punjab" over the years.

He alleged that the SAD had "reneged on the interest and the future of Punjab".

Gandhi also accused the AAP for "ignoring the real volunteers and local leadership, and centralising power".

"Leaders from Punjab were sidelined by AAP as people sitting in Delhi ran the show. Leaders like Sucha Singh Chhotepur were humiliated. A high-command culture is prevailing in the party now," he claimed.

To another question, Gandhi said he had told the AAP leadership to either withdraw his suspension or expel him from the party.

"But, they have not taken any decision," he said.

Gandhi and another MP Harinder Singh Khalsa were suspended from the primary membership of the AAP for "indiscipline and anti-party activities" over two years back.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today held "very productive" talks with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during which the two leaders discussed a wide-range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Swaraj, who is here on a three-day visit -- her first to Japan in the capacity of External Affairs Minister -- reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties during the 9th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue.

"Foreign Minister Kono and I had very productive talks, covering a wide-range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest," Swaraj said.

Asserting that India regards Japan as a "natural partner", she said there is vast scope to combine "our relative advantages, whether of capital, technology or human resources, and to work for mutual benefit."



"Japan's presence is visible in major infrastructure and capacity-building projects across India. Our flagship initiatives such as Smart City, Digital India, Start Up India and many others welcome Japan's entrepreneurs with new opportunities. We are happy to note that Japanese investments in India, both public and private, are on the rise," she added.

Swaraj said the two sides had very productive discussions on how India and Japan are today working closely to build robust ties in High Speed Rail, Information and Communications Technology, Innovation, Space Science, Healthcare and Food Processing, to name just a few.

"We also exchanged views on some new areas of focus in our engagement, such as skills development, Japanese language training in India and the possibility of Indian professionals working in Japan under the Technical Intern Training Programme," she added.

Swaraj also said that there should be a "zero tolerance" on terrorism.

"We shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that requires global action in the spirit of zero tolerance, including by rooting out terrorist safe havens, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists," she said.

Swaraj will call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tomorrow.

Bilateral relations between India and Japan have expanded rapidly in recent years. This is reflected in the number of high-level visits exchanged and the several official dialogue mechanisms that are in place, the minister said.

"The Special Strategic and Global Partnership between our two countries that was established during Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's landmark visit to Japan in 2014, has been constantly strengthened through our mutual efforts. There is optimism on both sides about the potential of our future ties.

"India and Japan have shared values, with a long history of friendly exchanges. Buddhism unites us. We are both democracies. We value openness, transparency, rule of law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity," she said.

"Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership has acquired a broader significance in the current global context. Our growing convergence on economic and strategic issues is important for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," Swaraj said.

The discussions have laid a sound foundation for the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan for the next bilateral Annual Summit later this year, Swaraj said.

According to official figures, Japanese FDI in India during 2016-17 was USD 4.7 billion, an increase of 80 per cent over the last year.

In 2016-17, India-Japan trade reached USD 13.61 billion, showing a decrease of 6.21 per cent over 2015-16, when the total bilateral trade was USD 14.51 billion.

India's export to Japan for 2016-17 was USD 3.86 billion, whereas India's import from the East Asian country for 2016-17 was USD 9.76 billion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today held "very productive" talks with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during which the two leaders discussed a wide-range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Swaraj, who is here on a three-day visit -- her first to Japan in the capacity of the External Affairs Minister -- and Kano reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties during the 9th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue.

The two leaders took stock of progress since Prime Minister Abe's "highly successful" visit to India in September.

"Foreign Minister Kono and I had very productive talks, covering a wide-range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest," Swaraj said.

Asserting that India regards Japan as a "natural partner", she said there is vast scope to combine "our relative advantages, whether of capital, technology or human resources, and to work for mutual benefit."



"Japan's presence is visible in major infrastructure and capacity-building projects across India. Our flagship initiatives such as Smart City, Digital India, Start Up India and many others welcome Japan's entrepreneurs with new opportunities. We are happy to note that Japanese investments in India, both public and private, are on the rise," she added.

Swaraj said the two sides had very productive discussions on how India and Japan are working closely to build robust ties in High Speed Rail, Information and Communications Technology, Innovation, Space Science, Healthcare and Food Processing and other fields.

"We also exchanged views on some new areas of focus in our engagement, such as skills development, Japanese language training in India and the possibility of Indian professionals working in Japan under the Technical Intern Training Programme," she added.

The minister said the bilateral relations between India and Japan have expanded rapidly in recent years and it is reflected in the number of high-level visits exchanged and the several official dialogue mechanisms that are in place.

"The Special Strategic and Global Partnership between our two countries that was established during Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's landmark visit to Japan in 2014, has been constantly strengthened through our mutual efforts. There is optimism on both sides about the potential of our future ties.

"India and Japan have shared values, with a long history of friendly exchanges. Buddhism unites us. We are both democracies. We value openness, transparency, rule of law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity," she said.

"Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership has acquired a broader significance in the current global context. Our growing convergence on economic and strategic issues is important for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," Swaraj said.

She said as part of Japan's sustained participation in India's economic modernisation, both sides will exchange notes for Japanese Overseas Development Assistance for four new developmental projects in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Swaraj also said that there should be a "zero tolerance" on terrorism.

"We shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that requires global action in the spirit of zero tolerance, including by rooting out terrorist safe havens, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists," she said.

She also emphasised the need for concerted global action to deal with other common challenges such as climate change.

Swaraj will call on Prime Minister Abe tomorrow.

The discussions have laid a sound foundation for the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan for the next bilateral Annual Summit later this year, Swaraj said.

"That visit, I am confident, will give renewed thrust to our Special Strategic and Global Partnership," she asserted.

"On sidelines of the strategic dialogue between EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, documents were signed/exchanged between the two sides," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Earlier, Swaraj met Chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council & former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

"Fruitful discussion on taking relationship forward across diverse sectors. Mr. Kishida's role in strengthening our ties are invaluable," Kumar tweeted.

Swaraj also addressed a gathering of Indian diaspora at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre in Tokyo.

Addressing the gathering, she lauded the contribution of the diaspora for strengthening the bond with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

According to official figures, Japanese FDI in India during 2016-17 was USD 4.7 billion, an increase of 80 per cent over the last year.

In 2016-17, India-Japan trade reached USD 13.61 billion, showing a decrease of 6.21 per cent over 2015-16, when the total bilateral trade was USD 14.51 billion.

India's export to Japan for 2016-17 was USD 3.86 billion, whereas India's import from the East Asian country for 2016-17 was USD 9.76 billion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Dravyavati river project for the revival and area development of Amanishah nullah in the city would be completed this year, executing agency Tata Projects said today.

The project would be completed this year. It is one of its kind projects in which treated sewage water will be used for recharging the river, a Tata Projects official said today.

The Jaipur Development Authority has awarded the Rs 1,676 crore contract to a consortium of Tata Projects and Shanghai Urban Construction Group to complete the Dravyavati River Project.

The project seeks to develop an ecosystem which can withstand general public use, and revive the waters of the Dravyavati river which has reduced to the form of Amanishah Nullah.

The Tata Projects official said that representatives from various states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have visited the project site for exploring scope for implementing similar project in their states.

The total length of the nullah which originates from the western slopes of Nahargarhh-Amer hills and flows through the west side of the city is 47.5 km. There are 82 major and hundreds of minor drains that discharge sewage into the nullah.

He said that five sewage treatment plants (STP) have been planned with a cumulative capacity of 170 megalitres per day. On the river banks, provisions have been made for planting approximately 16,000 trees, shrubs and ornaments plants. Three fully landscaped parks and other public facilities will also be developed under the project.

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Confusion prevailed at the airport here in the early hours today following diversion and cancellation of some flights at the international airport here after an Indigo plane suffered "multiple tyre bursts."



The aircraft coming from the temple town of Tirupati with 77 people on board suffered multiple tyre bursts while landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport last night.

All the 73 passengers including an infant were evacuated safely, the airline said.

Reacting to the incident, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) in a statement tonight said "On March 28, 2018, Indigo flight 6E 7117 from Tirupati to Hyderabad suffered multiple tyre bursts at 2204 hours while landing at Hyderabad International Airport."



Since all four main gear wheels burst on landing, the aircraft was rendered completely immobile, GHIAL, which operates the Rajiv Gandhi International airport, said.

Indigo team supported by Hyderabad Airport officials changed two of the four tyres as per airline Disabled Aircraft Recovery Plan, post which the aircraft was safely towed away and operations resumed at 0222 hours of March 29, it said.

The incident caused diversion of 31 incoming flights (10 International and 21 Domestic flights) besides cancellation of 14 domestic flights from the airport, it said.

Due to diversion of flights, other passengers faced inconvenience.

"The runway was non-operational for close to four hours from last night to 2.22 am of today," the sources at the airport said.

The cancellation of flights was mostly due to late arrivals from the diverted airport stations, and Crew Flight Duty Limitations (FDTL) issues, the release said.

The Airport Fire Rescue team acted promptly and ensured that the sparking caused due to multiple tyre burst did not get out of control and all the passengers were deplaned without injury, it said.

The release said in light of the nature of incident, the aircraft recovery was managed in the shortest possible time through combined efforts of Indigo airline, Hyderabad International Airport, AAI, DGCA and all other airport stakeholders.

"Once the flight operations resumed, Airport Operations Control Centre, the nerve center of the airport, effectively managed the airside and terminal resources for seamless arrivals and departures," it said.

Hyderabad International Airport officials ensured that terminal facilities were provided to the stranded passengers, the statement said.

The airline had earlier said "IndiGo flight 6E 7117 operated by an ATR (aircraft) from Tirupati to Hyderabad suffered a tyre burst while landing at Hyderabad Airport."



"The 72 passengers and one infant and four crew members are safe," IndiGo had said in a statement.

YSR Congress MLA R K Roja from Andhra Pradesh, who was among the passengers in the flight, said all of them were in "panic" and "tension" following the incident.

"There was tension, but due to God's grace all are safe. The flight started at 8.55 pm from Tirupati," said Roja, who had also shot some videos (capturing the moments) inside the aircraft after the incident.

According to her, the doors of the aircraft were apparently jammed and passengers became tense as they were not opened.

"We heard the blast and from the windows (of the aircraft), we saw (ground) staff with equipment near the aircraft.I took some videos (to show) that all are safe," Roja said.

"We also saw fire staff...we waited for long and later the doors were opened, till then panic prevailed.Thank God nothing happened...all are safe," Roja added.

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The daughter of a policeman who survived the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack has been appointed as a deputy director in the Agriculture Department of the Maharashtra government.

Dhanashree (23) is the daughter of constable Arun Jadhav.

Jadhav was in the police van targeted by Pakistani terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail near Cama Hospital in south Mumbai on the night of November 26, 2008.

Then Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, IPS officer Ashok Kamte, 'encounter specialist' police inspector Vijay Salaskar and three other constables were killed as the terrorists opened fire on the van.

Constable Jadhav, the only one to survive the ambush, is now posted with the Anti-Extortion Cell of Mumbai Police.

Dhanashree completed her agricultural engineering from Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli in 2015.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured Jadhav that she will get a government job.

Recently Dhanashree applied for a vacancy and received the job order, constable Jadhav said.

She will join duty in Gadchiroli district on April 2.

"I am very thankful to chief minister Fadnavis for keeping his word," Jadhav said.

When asked if he had any apprehensions about his daughter getting her first posting in a Naxal-affected district, he said, "I fought with terrorists during the (26/11) attack. I don't think working in Gadchiroli is a big deal."



He also thanked agriculture minister Pandurang Phundkar and the officials who helped him.

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Prime Minister Theresa May is touring in different parts of the UK today to mark the one-year anniversary of the Brexit Day, the date Britain is set to formally exit from the European Union (EU).

The British Prime Minister had invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on March 29 last year, triggering the official two-year time-frame for Britain's exit from the economic bloc.

As she visited parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland yesterday, her key message is one of unity for all those who voted for or against Brexit in the June 2016 referendum.

"Today, one year until the UK leaves the EU and begins to chart a new course in the world, I am visiting all four nations of the union to hear from people across our country what Brexit means to them. I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the world's most successful union," she said in a statement.

She added: I am determined that our future will be a bright one. It's a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners across Europe and beyond.

"Having regained control of our laws, our borders and our money, and seized the opportunities provided by Brexit, the UK will thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain."



May began her tour by visiting a textile factory in Ayrshire, Scotland, with other stops at a parent and toddler group in Newcastle, lunch with farmers near Belfast before meeting businesses in Barry, South Wales.

On 29 Manet year, the UK will formally leave the EU and is due to enter a 21-month transition period during which much of the current arrangements continue, before the final permanent post-membership relationship is due to kick-in. Since formal negotiations began between the two sides in June last year, an agreement has been struck on a Brexit "divorce bill", but the crucial issue of how they will trade together in the longer term has yet to be settled.

Later this year, Theresa May will put an outline of the Brexit deal to Parliament for its approval.

Meanwhile, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a major anti-Brexit voice, said it was "more likely... than a few months ago" that Brexit could be stopped, saying it was "not too late".

"I always say to people the likelihood is it happens, but it doesn't have to happen, and the first place that's going to decide it is Parliament and MPs should vote according to their conscience," he said.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson, whose party is campaigning for a second referendum once a final Brexit deal is done, said the public should have a final say because there was a lot of new information available since the June 2016 vote.

"Once those details are becoming clearer, as the government comes towards the end of the negotiations, then it ought to be up to the people to decide what path we, the country, take," she said.

"There is still a real chance that we should be able to choose, if that's what we want, a different path and not go down the Brexit route," she added.

The Opposition Labour party has said that it would not vote for the Brexit deal unless "the government are sensible and they negotiate properly... get a deal that meets the six tests".

An opinion poll conducted by Sky Data shows the UK still split down the middle with 66 per cent saying they feel Britain is more divided as a country as Brexit approaches. When asked whether Brexit is good or bad for the country, the margin remains very slim with 46 per cent responding it is a bad idea and 44 per cent saying it is a good idea.

On June 23, 2016, the UK had voted in a referendum to leave the EU by 51.89 per cent in favour of an exit and 48.11 per cent in favour of Remain.

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A top US State Department official is in Pakistan to review the progress made by Islamabad in President Donald Trump's regional policy, in particular their commitment in the fight against terrorism.

Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at State Department, arrived in Pakistan yesterday.

"While in Islamabad, senior bureau official Wells will discuss our South Asia strategy and Pakistan's stated commitment to eliminate all terrorist groups present in its country, as well as our shared interest in building economic and commercial ties that benefit both nations," the State Department said in a statement.

The department did not give the duration of her stay in Pakistan. However, it said she would be travelling to Karachi.

"Wells will also travel to Karachi to meet with senior government officials and the business community. She will discuss our ongoing efforts to build strong economic and people-to-people ties," the State Department said.

In Islamabad, she will meet with US Embassy staff and several senior Pakistani government officials, international organisation leaders, and members of the private sector.

Wells' visit to Pakistan comes amidst reports that the Trump Administration is considering taking a series of strong measures against Pakistan.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who has been nominated by Trump as his next Secretary of State and incoming National Security Advisor John Bolton are known for adopting a tough posture towards Pakistan.

Leading American journal, Foreign Policy magazine this week said the White House was engaged in an internal debate about the tempo and scale of possible punitive steps against Pakistan, "echoing arguments under previous US presidents".

"Some officials and military officers favour a hard line with Pakistan, maintaining that years of aid and accommodation have produced little in return. But other voices in the administration worry about alienating a nuclear-armed country of 200 million people bordering China," it said.

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Congress' Karnataka socialmedia in-charge Srivatsa Y B today said he has told the Election Commission that a newsbreak on an English TV channel was the source for his tweets on the schedule of Karnataka assembly election, before the official announcement.

The Election Commission had formed a committee of officials to inquire into the alleged information leak pertaining to the schedule, before its official announcement on Tuesday.

"Yes they (officials) reached out to me yesterday. Ihave also already given my reply," Srivatsa told PTI.

The KPCC social media in-charge said he has informedofficials that he got the information from a newsbreak on anEnglish channel.

Asked if he has been asked to appear before the committee, he said "not as of now."



Srivatsa had tweeted the poll schedule on March 27with a wrong counting date, minutes before it was officiallyannounced by the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi.

"Karnataka Elections on 12th May. Results on 18th May.#INC4Karnataka" his tweet read.

The EC has announced a single phase election for the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly to be held on May 12.

Counting of votes will be taken up on May 15.

Srivatsa's written response uploaded on the commission's website said the source of his information was a newsbreak that he saw on an English TV Channel at 11.06 a.m, which he then used to post his tweet.

"It's my submission that my tweet wasn't intended toinfringe upon the constitutional mandate of the EC to conductfree and fair elections," he has said.

Srivatsa has also attached the screen prints of thetelevision channel as well as his tweet with the letter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two persons have been arrested for allegedly cheating a medical practitioner from Kalyan of Rs 14 lakh under the pretext of "appointing" him as a member of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), police said today.

The accused duo are identified as Amrut Borse from Dhule in Maharashtra and Kunal Naresh Sharma from Delhi, said Thane police PRO Sukhada Narkar.

She said Borse allegedly approached complainant Dr Ramkrishna Pawar, who runs a medical practice in Khadakpada area of Kalyan in Thane district, in 2016.

"Borse told Pawar that he was impressed by the latter's commendable service for the people and would appoint him as a member of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes through his friend who is a senior officer in Delhi," Narkar said.

Borse then referred Pawar to Sharma saying the latter is a "senior government officer".

"To convince Pawar, Borse and Sharma showed him a letterhead with the Government of India written on it and visiting cards purportedly bearing an official seal with their names," Narkar said.

She said the logos used on the letterhead and the cards seemed to be fake.

Borse then demanded Rs 13.90 lakh from Pawar for facilitating his appointment, and told him that he would get his appointment letter soon.

"After waiting for few days, Pawar realised that something was amiss and approached police against the duo," she said.

On Pawar's complaint, police registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC against Borse and Sharma.

On a tip-off, Borse was arrested from Dhule in north Maharashtra on on March 22.

Narkar said the police seized cards with a logo resembling the government emblem, visiting cards mentioning Corruption Eradication Committee, a four-wheeler number plate with Government of India written on it, and some papers with the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium enterprises written on them.

Borse's interrogation led police to Sharma who was arrested from Delhi on March 26, the officer said.

Both the accused are in the custody of Khadakpada police and futher investigation is on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police has nabbed two more persons, including a juvenile, in connection with the killing of a 25-year-old pregnant woman and disposing of the body earlier this month, an official said today.

The woman's husband, Kalpesh Thackeray (30), was earlier arrested for allegedly strangulating her to death while his two friends held her hands and legs at his residence in Ambadi village here on the night of March 9.

Later, the trio took Mahi's body in a four-wheeler and buried it in a nearby forest, the police official said.

The husband lodged a complaint with the police on March 12, claiming that his wife was missing from the house since March 10.

However, acting on inputs provided by some locals, the police detained the husband.

The official said that during questioning, Thackeray had confessed that he killed his wife and dumped the body.

Later, the police exhumed the decomposed body on March 20 and sent it to the J J Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai for post-mortem.

The police subsequently registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence).

According to Ganeshpuri's deputy superintendent of police K D Katkar, the woman wanted to have a child, but her husband was against it.

The couple used to have frequent quarrels over the issue following which Thackeray, with the help of his two friends, killed his wife on March 9, he said.

Based on inputs, the police nabbed the husband's friends - Nilesh Shelar (24) and a 16-year-old boy - on March 27.

Shelar was yesterday produced in the local court which remanded him in police custody till March 31.

The juvenile was referred to a correction home, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN's outgoing political chief expressed concern today in a parting message that the United Nations was losing support from a growing number of countries.

Jeffrey Feltman, an American who served as under-secretary-general for political affairs since 2012, said it was "quite worrying" that leaders were questioning the value of the United Nations.

"I do leave here concerned about making sure that we maintain in addition to the excellent leadership we have... that we maintain member-state support," said Feltman.

There are "an increasing number of leaders, increasing number of countries that are questioning whether the multinational system that this organization represents is the right way forward, is the answer," he said.

His remarks were directed in part at the United States where President Donald Trump has cut funding to the world body and his new national security adviser John Bolton has expressed skepticism about the UN's work.

Feltman described the United Nations as a "force multiplier" in addressing issues including terrorism and climate change that concern US national interests and those of other countries.

"We need to show that we can be effective," he said in a farewell press conference.

Feltman, who oversaw UN efforts to end conflicts worldwide, said Syria "remains the most tragic example of the failures of the international community to address a peace-and-security, humanitarian and human rights catastrophe."



Now in its eighth year, the war in Syria has killed more than 350,000 people with no breakthrough in sight for diplomatic efforts that have been undermined by divisions in the Security Council.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in December dispatched Feltman to North Korea to push for dialogue as fears of a nuclear war gripped the region.

It was the highest-level UN visit to Pyongyang in six years, a mission undertaken with Trump's approval.

Despite signs that the United States is opting for diplomacy on North Korea, Feltman said it was "important to manage expectations."



"The issues are extremely complicated," he warned, adding that summit meetings between North and South Korean leaders as well as between Trump and Kim Jong Un would be the "start of the process".

Feltman will be replaced by another American, Rosemary DiCarlo, who becomes the first woman to hold the top post.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 35-year-old undertrial prisoner died today under suspicious circumstance in Sewada jail of the district in Madhya Pradesh.

Bhura Lodhi, facing trial in a murder case, was found lying unconscious in a jail toilet in the morning, said Jailor Shivpal Paradhia.

"Lodhi went to the toilet this morning but did not return for a prayer session, following which a search was launched. We found him lying unconscious in the toilet," he said.

Lodhi was then rushed to a health centre where doctors declared him dead, he said.

His body has been sent for postmortem, the jailor said, adding an inquiry is on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's exports of steel and aluminium products may become costlier and uncompetitive in the American market due to the US decision to impose duties on such goods, the government has said.

The US has imposed duty of 25 per cent and 10 per cent on certain steel and aluminium imports. The decision was effective from March 23.

India has already requested the US for exemption to its steel exports, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.

"Though it would be difficult to estimate what would be the quantum of impact on Indian steel and aluminium exports, the Indian exports may become costlier and uncompetitive in the US market especially against other countries who are exempted from levy of tariff by the US," he has said.

He added that the protectionist measure on steel and aluminium is not in the best interest of furthering global trade.

Iron and steel exports to the US stood at USD 309.18 million during April-January this fiscal. On the other hand, shipments of articles of iron and steel aggregated at USD 1.35 billion during the same period.

He said that the duties imposed by the US is beyond the bound rate committed by America to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

In a separate reply, the minister said India has raised this issue with the US highlighting that Indian steel exports are primarily of those items which are not domestically produced in the US and in no way threaten American industry.

"The government has urged the US to exempt India from these tariffs," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Announcing the Visa Day for this year on June 6, US Consul-General George H Hogeman today advised students to "listen carefully" to the questions asked during the visa interview and reply them with "real answers".

He said the secret to success for students, who aspire to pursue higher in the US, during the interview is that "there is no secret".

"All that a student has to do is to listen carefully to questions asked by officers and reply to them with real answers instead of coming up with prepared speech," he told reporters.

"We know students are nervous. That is okay. Many nervous applicants are issued visas," he said.

On the Visa Day, US Embassy in Delhi and its four consulates - Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai - are thrown open exclusively to adjudicate visa applications from Indian students who aspire to pursue higher studies in the US.

One out of six international students in the US is from India, Hogeman said.

Citing a report from last year, he said 1,86,000 Indian students are in the US and "that is the highest number ever."



"People-to-people relationships are the bedrock of the US-India relations and the bedrock of such relationships are student visas. Higher plays a central role in the relationship between two countries," the consul-general said.

According to an official in the consular team, the interview process may happen for 30 minutes on an average and a student is likely to be asked about the reasons for choosing the US for higher education, details about the programme chosen and financial plan to fund the course.

"However, the time taken and questions asked would differ depending on each student. If a visa gets rejected, a student has to introspect and learn from that experience before applying again," the official said.

The team urged students to not trust fraudulent agents. "No one can guarantee you a visa. When applicants receive a message with fraud indicators, we encourage them to exercise caution and common sense."



Fraud Prevention Manager with US Embassy Elizabeth Lawrence said: "Students are advised to use resources available with 'EducationUSA' and conduct research on programmes they would like to prefer. We do not require any documents at the time of visa interview, but if an individual prefers to bring, they should not be fake. Any students providing counterfeited certificates may be barred from applying for visa forever."EducationUSA is a US Department of State network of over 425 international student advising centres in more than 175 countries, offering accurate and current information.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Orissa High Court today directed the administrative body of Jagannath Temple in Puri to inform it on April 5 as to when the 'Ratna Bhandar', the treasury of the Lord, could be opened for inspection.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vineet Saran directed this while adjudicating a petition filed by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) seeking time not less than six weeks to take steps to open the 'Ratna Bhandar'.

Precious jewellery and ornaments of the deities of the 12th century shrine are kept in the 'Ratna Bhandar' which was last inspected in 1984 and only three of its seven chambers had been opened then.

The Orissa High Court had on March 22 ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to inspect the structural condition of the 'Ratna Bhandar' on March 26 and 27. After the inspection, the ASI said its outer surface is good. The condition of the inside would be inspected only after it was opened.

As per the Records of Right of the temple prepared in 1952, the temple administration is required to obtain permission from the state government to open the 'Ratna Bhandar' and the permission has already been obtained by the SJTA.

The repair works undertaken by the ASI in the temple is being monitored by the high court while adjudicating over a PIL seeking a judicial intervention for an effective repair and renovation of the shrine.

The bench also directed the SJTA to inform the high court on April 5 when the temple's Prayer Hall (Jagamohan) could be opened for devotees.

The ASI had told the high court on March 16 that the repair of the prayer hall were over and it was now ready for use by devotees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China does not want a trade war with the United States, but it won't accept any negotiations if they are hijacked unilaterally, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday.China opposes U.S. intimidation on trade, ministry spokesman Gao Feng told a regular briefing in Beijing, adding that China will conduct trade-related investigations fairly and in accordance with local and WTO rules.Gao said China did not rule out any options in relation to U.S. trade issues and that the solution on trade was not to close the door but open it further. (Reporting by Yawen Chen and Se Young ...
BEIJING (Reuters) - A former manager for Microsoft Corp in China has been named as the first executive secretary of the Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI), which works to address social and environmental risks in the cobalt supply chain.Christina Feng, who managed the U.S. tech giant's programme for the responsible sourcing of raw materials until January 2017, was appointed to the full-time RCI role earlier this month and will be based in Beijing, Feng said in an interview with Reuters late on Wednesday. The 28-member RCI, which groups high-profile cobalt users such as Apple Inc, Sony Corp ...
(Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fined ICICI Bank Ltd, the country's third biggest lender, 589 million rupees ($9.04 million) for not sticking to certain rules about sale of government securities, in a rare move by the banking regulator.The RBI imposed the penalty on ICICI Bank for not complying with directions issued by it on direct sale of securities held under the bank's held-to-maturity (HTM) portfolio and for lack of disclosure about the sale, the central bank said in a statement https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/PressRelease/PDFs/PR25938AACA959D1DA45AAA28BC1E1169EF20A.PDF ...
By Paresh Dave(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp on Thursday said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of its Windows and devices business, will be leaving the company amid a major management reshuffle that increases the company's focus on its cloud products. The latest transition builds on earlier efforts to unite engineers who work on software with those that oversee hardware. Microsoft is creating two new engineering teams, with one focusing on how consumers use technology and the other on how businesses use cloud computing and artificial intelligence. See story https://bit.ly/2E4xg0UMicrosoft ...
By Naomi TajitsuTOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp agreed on Thursday to produce cars for each other in India as Toyota aims to increase its market share in the world's fifth-largest passenger car market.The agreement follows an R&D tie-up announced by the two Japanese automakers a year ago, and will see Toyota, one of the world's biggest automakers, secure production from its much smaller rival, which dominates India with its line-up of affordable compact cars.Suzuki will supply gasoline and mild-gasoline hybrid versions of its Baleno hatchback, along with the Vitara ...
| BY Ricki Green |

Cadbury, via creative agency Ogilvy Melbourne, has launched a first of its kind social experience for Facebook Live, bringing the joy of a Cadbury Easter to all Australians.

The Cadbury Live Egg Hunt, a live 360 Facebook video, was created with Alt.vfx, Sydney. Designed to let anyone experience the excitement of a real Easter egg hunt from anywhere in Australia, it saw more than 220,000 hunters around the nation take part during the hour-long broadcast.

Says David Ponce de Leon, ECD, Ogilvy Melbourne: A Cadbury Easter is all about joy and wonder, and theres nothing more exciting than scouring the backyard for every last egg, but why should the kids get all the fun? We wanted to create an experience that would remind all Australians of the happiness an Easter egg hunt brings.

During the one hour live post on Thursday 15 March 7-8pm AEST, hunters searched the animated world looking for Cadbury Easter eggs. The first person to spot an egg and comment was rewarded with real Cadbury chocolates for Easter, attracting over 70,000 comments.

Says Tyrone Estephan, executive producer, Alt.vfx: When this project came to us, we had to solve a lot of technical challenges to make it happen, which we love. Interacting LIVE with over 220,000 people across a 1-hour social media live stream, whilst having those people explore a 360-virtual environment, pushes the boundaries of future creativity. We also love how we married this new world tech with old school 2D traditional animation. We will see this Interactive Live Stream VR thing happen a lot now, and Alt R+D were very happy to collaborate with Cadbury on a social first!

Kjetil Undhjem, Mondelez Internationals director of marketing for chocolate said it was really special to be able to bring the joy of the Easter egg hunt to Australian families in such an innovative new way.

Says Undhjem: Easter is a very special time for us at Cadbury and the fact that we got such a high level of interaction with this virtual egg hunt means the magic of Easter is alive and well.

Ogilvy

Executive Creative Director  David Ponce de Leon

Group Account Director  Danielle Chapman

Head of Strategy  Virginia Pracht

Creative Director  Josh Murrell

Creative Director  Sharon Condy

Associate Creative Director  Tom Wenborn

Associate Creative Director  Tom Russell

Creative  Huei Yin Wong

Creative  Jack Railton-Woodcock

Account Manager  Catherine Martyn

Producer  Afrim Memed

Social Media Manager  Cassandra Chen

Social Media Manager  Katia Rapota

Alt.vfx

Executive Producer  Tyrone Estephan

Creative Technologist  Raymond Leung

Illustrator and 2D Animator  Harry Gold

Producer  Alison Ingram

Risk Sound

Sound Designer  Liam Annert

Sound Producer  Brodie Mattner

Mondelez

Mondelez Internationals Director of Marketing  Kjetil Undhjem

Senior Marketing Manager Chocolate  Seasonal & Gifting ANZ  Melanie Yates
| BY Ricki Green |

By Clive Prosser (left), director of Advertising Week APAC

Last week, The Guardian and The Observer broke what could be the story of the year. This most recent revelation in the Cambridge Analytica story and subsequent outrage, points to a growing need for truth  a theme reflected in debates held throughout Advertising Week Europe, hosted in Piccadilly Circus, London.

According to the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, this year named The Battle for Truth, Australians are nearly the least trusting worldwide in media, and almost 7 in 10 worry about false information or fake news being used as a weapon.

Layer on top of that the upcoming GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) coming into effect from 25th May and, speaking purely as an observer and no expert to judge, it could be one helluva year for the industry.

I may be biased, but it seems to me that Advertising Week Europe has a habit of staging some of the most pressing issues facing the industry, literally as they are unfolding, and no doubt well see the same thing happen in Sydney for the inaugural APAC edition in July this year.

Almost exactly a year ago, we were reading instead about the YouTube brand safety scandal over ads appearing alongside extremist content and watching major brand after major brand pull their advertising from Google. Whats next for March 2019?

While the drama is being played out in London and across the Atlantic, the underlying issues of personal data, trust, brand safety and transparency are just as relevant to Aussie advertisers and marketers as they are overseas. Something I am keenly aware of, as we start to craft the agenda for Advertising Week APAC.

A major highlight from last week was Matt Brittin, president of Google EMEA tackling the future of digital media with CEO of the Guardian Media Group David Pemsel. From identifying violent extremism on YouTube, to the need for equality in search, to protecting the future of the Guardian without introducing a paywall, the early morning discussion at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club set the tone for the week.

Playing to the agency crowd, Grey Londons top creatives enjoyed a packed audience eager to hear about how to f**k up from the best in business. Meanwhile, Sir John Hegarty, of BBH, roused a round of applause by reflecting on the reason why he entered into advertising in the first place: to create work that people wanted to watch, to inspire people rather than conning people into watching something. Rather than nodding along with the rise of mobile, Sir John insisted on the value of an ideas first approach, which focuses on sheer brilliant creative over hitting the right platform or context.

From the rise of mobile and video, to understanding the power of AI and machine learning, to access to talent, similar challenges are affecting both the UK and Australian marketing, media and advertising sectors.

So where do the differences lie? For one, Aussie creatives are arguably taking more risks. We see more ads causing a stir for their bold, brash, and often outright offensive ideas. Take the latest Meat and Livestock Australia ad, Lamb Side Story, which seems to be turning people vegan, or the notorious banter from Sportsbet in which sprinter Ben Johnson alludes to his use of steroids with the message putting the roid in Android. Either its down to less regulation, or Aussie consumers are used to more tongue in cheek, or a combination of both.

Another important difference is theres no Brexit Down Under. Almost three years later, the Brexit deal is still being worked out, and uncertainty continues. This may be pure speculation, but its surely not so farfetched as to reason that the Australian creative industry could find a boost of creative talent migrating from the UK to our warmer climes over the coming years.

Finally, the UKs creative industries remain concentrated in London, whereas Aussies keep each other on their toes through a healthy rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne. With both cities laying claim to a fair share of our top creative, media and marketing agencies, the saying that youre only as good as your competition applies.
| BY Ricki Green |

Facebook Australia has today been announced as official partner of AWARD School, Australias pre-eminent training program for aspiring creatives.

As flagship partner, the Facebook Australia team will support tomorrows creative leaders through a number of initiatives during the 2018 AWARD School program, including providing a prize to the National AWARD School winner who will be flown to Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park, California for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Facebooks creative agency ambassador group.

In addition, lecturers, tutors and students will have access to Workplace by Facebook to allow for real-time, secure and agile sharing and communicating between the group.

Says Mike Spirkovski, chair, AWARD: Were thrilled to have Facebook on board. Its a great privilege to have the worlds biggest social network investing back into the creative industry through the AWARD School program.

Says Alexandra, Sloane, head of marketing, Australia & New Zealand, Facebook: AWARD School brings together the brightest creative minds in our industry, from the most seasoned ECDs, right through to fresh talent. Our partnership with AWARD is about strengthening those connections; for example, Workplace by Facebook will be used to fuel real-time learning and collaboration during the program.

Established in 1983, AWARD School is a 12-week intensive industry course for aspiring copywriters and art directors in the advertising industry. The program is run by more than 40 senior creatives, and accepts around 200 students each year across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA. The first lectures for 2018 AWARD School kick off on April 9 in NSW and VIC and April 16 in QLD, WA and SA.

AWARD School NSW heads Karen Ferry and Brendan Willenberg said the partnership is welcome news.

Says Ferry: This year, our focus on AWARD School is to address how the industry is evolving beyond advertising agencies. Partnering with Facebook allows our students to discover more about the value that platforms like this can bring.
| BY Ricki Green |

Samsung Electronics Australia has appointed Josh Grace as chief marketing officer (CMO), effective immediately.

Grace assumes the CMO role at Samsung after returning to Sydney from Singapore where he lived for six years and held the position as regional marketing officer for health company Abbott, and managing director of Leo Burnett, Singapore. Prior to living in Singapore he held the position of chief operating officer of Leo Burnett, Sydney.

Grace will oversee marketing for Samsung Electronics Australia and foster programs to drive innovation in its brand communications as well as campaigns for IT and Mobile (mobile and wearable products and services), Consumer Electronics (TV, audio and appliances), and pioneer programs to support emerging forms of connected technology and IoT.

In addition to products, services and emerging technology, Grace will also spearhead the evolution of Samsung Electronics Australias partnership programs, which currently includes Qantas, the Sydney Opera House as Principal Partner and Netball Australia as Innovation Partner.

Says Grace: Im thrilled to take on this position at Samsung Electronics Australia and work with such an inspiring global brand and passionate team of marketers and business leaders right here in Australia. This is an incredibly important time for the brand as we explore fresh and innovative ways to reach our customers and communicate what makes Samsung different and why our approach to customers is so special.

The appointment comes as Samsung drives major global and local brand programs based on the theme of Do What You Cant, which is the core message in supporting the recently launched Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones. Samsung is also building momentum across its major brand activity for its televisions, audio, and home appliances categories.

Says Grace: I feel incredibly fortunate to return to Australia to be part of a brand journey that I have been following for some time. I am inspired by Samsungs culture of innovation and pushing the barriers of whats possible. I look forward to working within such a driven team.
| BY Ricki Green |

HT&Es ARN and Adshel have partnered with Toyota and its media agency The Media Store and creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi to Defy Expectation with a unique, mass scale campaign activation for the all-new Toyota Camry. In an Australian first, the multi-channel campaign will include a full day takeover of ARNs Pure Gold national network, running in tandem with a dominant nationwide Adshel campaign  delivering additional impact to engaged audiences across both HT&E channels.

From 6am to 7pm today, Thursday, March 29, Toyota will be the only commercial partner heard on air, across 101.7 WSFM in Sydney, GOLD104.3 in Melbourne, 4KQ693 in Brisbane, Cruise1323 in Adelaide and 96FM in Perth.

For one unforgettable day, the Pure Gold Network will be transformed into a broadcast platform dedicated to sharing the stories of people who, like the all-new Toyota Camry, have defied or are defying expectation.

WSFMs Jonesy & Amanda will present the stories of professionals, sportspeople, artists and everyday heroes who have surpassed expectation and taken their passion, expertise, and creativity to the next level.

On the same day, more than 150 Adshel Live digital screens in key metro locations will display the all-new Camry creative, giving Toyota 100 per cent share of voice. This is the first time Adshel digital screens have been dedicated to just one advertiser for the day.

Says Wayne Gabriel, general manager, national marketing, Toyota Australia: Were excited to be part of this media first and to be able to showcase some amazing stories of courage, perseverance and determination from every day Australians. We hope that through the sharing of these stories we can inspire others to defy their own expectations. Each of our agency partners has brought something special to what will be a fantastic day.

Says Tony Kendall, chief revenue officer, HT&E: We are delighted to be working with Toyota and TMS to bring this innovative campaign to life. The combination of ARN and Adshel has proven it can effectively and efficiently deliver results well over and above free-to-air TV. HT&E is the only Australian media company that can execute an idea like this across these powerful media assets.

Says Emma-Jayne Owens, chief commercial officer, ARN: This initiative demonstrates the strength that collaboration across on-air, digital and out of home can achieve to create impact for brands and engage audiences. This Pure Gold network takeover is an excellent example of how ARN can help to energise brands and reach our audiences in interesting and engaging ways.

Says David Roddick, sales and marketing director, Adshel: Providing flexibility to brands like Toyota is core to our business, it means Adshel can amplify an entire campaign as it rolls out across a range of channels. This campaign delivers high impact by using the largest street furniture network in Australia to connect with audiences while they are driving  which is the perfect context to talk to them about the all-new Toyota Camry.
| BY Ricki Green |

Monash University has launched a confronting new campaign that challenges people to change what they dont like in the world. An impactful 60-second film is the first piece of work to go to air.

At a time when it is easy to turn a blind eye to the harsh realities of the world and hide behind social media, this campaign holds a mirror up to the issues shaping the global community and calls to action those who want to make change for the better.

Every scene in the film aligns with research, work, or a learning approach  small or large  that Monash is part of in an attempt to address the need for change.

Says Fabian Marrone, CMO, Monash University: There are serious challenges facing the world and the human race, but we all have the power to address them head on. If you dont like it, change it is a call to action. Its Monash acknowledging we have a role to play in the solutions and inviting those who want to change their lives or the lives of those around them to be part of it.

The campaign acknowledges those agents of change already taking action and mobilising others. It acknowledges the challenges the global community is facing and reminds us we can all play a role in progress.

Says Jake Barrow, executive creative director, Y&R Melbourne: Universities are meant to be full of the restless and change-makers. It is no secret that, right now, the world needs them more than ever. This idea seeks to identify these people and give them the opportunities to leave the world in better shape than they found it.

In a coup for the university, the launch film features the new music track Blaccout by local Indigenous artist, A.B. Original.

Says Marrone: We wanted change agents whose message was one of empowerment to play this vital role in this campaign. After hearing the A.B. Original track, we realised they were the perfect fit.

If you dont like it, change it is a through-the-line campaign that will see executions throughout Australia and globally over the coming months.

Client: Monash University

Chief Marketing Officer: Fabian Marrone

Director, Strategic Marketing and Communications: Caroline Knowles

Senior Manager, Strategic Marketing and Communications: Jane Mahuru

Creative Agency: Y&R Melbourne

Chief Creative Officer: Paul Nagy

Executive Creative Director: Jake Barrow

Creative Director: James Wills

Planning Director: Michael Hyde

Senior Planners: Lyndal Kearney & Christine OKeefe

Managing Partner: Julian Bell

Group Account Director: Matthew Hunt

Senior Account Manager: Sarah Wood

Designers: Lewis Brown, Simon Gray

Production: Y&R Melbourne

Director: Hayden Gregory

Executive Producer: Sheridan Wadelton

Production Assistant: Annie Thiele

Offline Editor: Billy Browne

Online Editor: Alek Janev

Music: A.B. Original

Music Supervision: Karl Richter, Level Two Music
| BY Lynchy |

Inspired by the hammockers habit which is always seeking for the best relaxing spot, by using only two hanging mediums, such as trees or cliffs, this print execution uses nature objects with an optical illusion approach to represent comfort and calmness while they are enjoying the sights on their adventures. The campaign by Lotus H, Indonesia is created for Ticket To The Moon brand, as a pioneer of camping hammocks, which always brings innovation to it products.
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Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 10:23AM





Googles latest acquisition will make it easier for you to search for GIFs on its platforms. The search giant just bought GIF search engine Tenor for an undisclosed amount. Google says they will be integrating Tenors technology into its products like Gboard and Google Images. Tenor, for those of you who dont know, offers the GIF Keyboard on Android, iOS, and macOS. It lets you search through the companys entire database of GIFs, which you can send to other people on your platform of choice. The company has direct tie-ins with the likes of Samsung and Facebook for Messages app and Messenger, respectively. While joining Google, Tenor will still continue to operate under its own name.

Source: Engadget
Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 9:54AM

You might know Pedro Pascal from his time playing Oberyn Martell in hit HBO series Game of Thrones or you might know him from his time on Netflixs Narcos. And now youll get to see more of him as he plays a pivotal role for the upcoming Wonder Woman sequel. This will be the second time the actor will be working with director Patty Jenkins. The plot for the movie, which is slated for a Nov. 1, 2019 release, is still being kept under wraps so we cant say what Pascals role will be in the film.

Source: Variety
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It was the David and Goliath battle that pitted residents against the ACT government and supermarket giant Coles. But the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal has finally overturned ACTPLA's decision to approve a controversial redevelopment of the Woolworths' car park in Dickson after a long-running appeal. In a decision handed down late on Thursday, the tribunal determined the proposed development broke too many planning rules to be mitigated by conditions placed on its approval. It will mean Coles will have to re-submit a revised development proposal for the site. A Coles spokesman would not say whether they planned on appealing the decision, but said they would read the judgement carefully. ACT Chief Planner Ben Ponton said the planning and land authority would look at the decision to determine what lessons can be learned from this and if further planning reforms were required. Mr Ponton said the authority respected the tribunal's decision but noted in the last year, 19 of 20 decisions that went to ACAT for review came back in ACTPLA's favour. But Greens crossbencher and former Downer resident Caroline Le Couteur, who was was one of the original objectors to the development, said the "planning system was broken". She said she was disappointed ACTPLA could approve something that had been "so completely demolished by the tribunal" and this case was one of the reasons the Legislative Assembly's planning committee had announced an inquiry into development applications. "I do regret that it's taken the commitment of the community to get this action. It's not fair on the community or on the commercial developers," Ms Le Couteur said. "If Woolworths wasn't indirectly involved there's no way the community could have funded this." Dickson resident Ron Brent said while he was confident they would win the "one-sided battle", he was pleased the tribunal had chosen to protect the character of Dickson. Town planner Jane Goffman, who gave evidence during the hearing, said she was really grateful that the tribunal had confirmed "what we knew all along". Ms Goffman said they did not face a level playing field in the appeal, with a transcript of the proceedings alone costing $20,000. "We couldn't have pooled the resources unless Charter Hall backed us up," she said. North Canberra Community Council chair Denis O'Brien encouraged Coles and ACTPLA to get together soon to find a development that would fit with planning rules, the community's expectations and their commercial requirements and expediate its construction. Ms Goffman said locals were hanging out for a second and third supermarket, especially the Aldi, but wanted the development to be sympathetic to the surrounding group centre. Coles' development arm first lodged plans to build two supermarkets and 155 apartments on the car park on the corner of of Antill and Badham streets in late 2014. But the developers were sent back to the drawing board in early 2015 after local residents and businesses complained about its impact on traffic and pedestrian safety. Their main concern was the "mall" Coles wanted to build would cut off pedestrian access to the Dickson group centre, strangling small businesses and activity in the eclectic courtyards. The ACT government gave the green light to scaled back plans in June 2016, however residents said there were still traffic and accessibility problems with the new development. Woolworths' landlord Charter Hall filed an appeal against the approval in July 2016, with the North Canberra Community Council and Downer Community Association as joined parties. Mr Brent told Fairfax Media locals weren't against the development and were desperate for another supermarket, but did not want it at the "price of the character of Dickson". "They're essentially building a moat around the new development that will isolate it from the rest Dickson," Mr Brent said. The tribunal reserved their decision last March after 15 days of hearing. The Woolworths car park is not one of the blocks of land at the centre of the controversial Dickson landswap, however its fate is tied to it. The Land Development Agency made the complicated land deal with the Dickson Tradies to trade the government-owned car park next door to their club for the CFMEU headquarters and old Downer Club in 2014. However the Tradies Club will only pay for the land once the Coles development is finished to ensure there is still parking in the area.

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Canberra based Girls Takeover Parliament co-founders have been named on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2018 list, which recognises young innovators and leaders in the region. In October last year, Ashleigh Streeter-Jones and Caitlin Figueiredo joined forces with 15 other local girls who shared their ambitions for high office in a "takeover" of Parliament House. The young women, aged between 17 and 30, each hijacked the seat of a federal MP. The pair were named "youthful visionaries" by Forbes for challenging conventional wisdom and rewriting the rules for the next generation of female leaders. The "takeover" program, run in conjunction with Plan International Australia, made history by being the world's largest political takeover, Ms Streeter-Jones said. She said the program set to close the "dream gap" for Australian young women and girls and demand a gender balance in parliament. "More than half of young women thought it was harder for women to become politicians and that female politicians were treated unfairly by male politicians and the media," she said. The program secured the involvement of every major political party in the ACT Legislative Assembly and Federal Parliament. Nationally, the program saw the direct participation of 23 MPs including the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Labor leaders Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek, Greens leader Richard di Natale and former Senator Nick Xenophon. "This award opens up a world of possibilities for our work," Ms Streeter-Jones said. "While we need more women in politics, the voices of young women are almost totally absent - but we're going to change all of that." Ms Figueiredo, who is currently at the United Nations said she felt truly grateful to have "received an award of this calibre with Ashleigh". "When establishing Girls Takeover Parliament, we were on a mission to ensure the rights and voices of young women were heard by our politicians - and this recognition proves our program is a game changer," she said. Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia editor Rana Wehbe said the list celebrated "inspiring game-changers like Ashleigh and Caitlin who are disrupting their sectors and not taking 'no' for an answer." She said the criteria for honorees to make the list included leadership and disruption in their field; entrepreneurial mind-set and results; and the likelihood of changing their field over the next half-century. There were more than 2000 submissions, but only 300 made the cut with 36 Australians honoured. Girls Takeover ranked 10th on the Forbes Social Entrepreneurs list.

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UPDATE:

The Sanibel Police Department could not confirm the arrival of Vice President Mike Pence today. However, officials reported that motorists may experience delays on the Sanibel Causeway up until 5 p.m.

.

ORIGINAL (March 29, 2018):

Vice President Mike Pence will arrive in Fort Myers today for a weeklong visit on Sanibel.

The National Business Aviation Administration issued a temporary flight restriction and notice to airmen from 1:45 to 3 p.m., which spans three nautical miles in Lee County and impacts Southwest Florida Intentional Airport. Pilots are prohibited from flying during that time.

Pence appears to be staying on the island for a week, according to the documents.

Another temporary flight restriction and notice to airmen has been issued by the National Business Aviation Administration for April 6 from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m., again spanning three nautical miles in Lee County and impacting Southwest Florida Intentional Airport.

In April 2017, Pence and his wife arrived in Lee and spent some time on Sanibel. They attended a Sunday service at the Sanibel Community Church, as well as dined at the Timbers Restaurant.
Photo: Contributed

The City of Vernon is still in favour of a bylaw to ban smoking in most public spaces.

Support from council seems to be unanimous for a ban, but just what it will look like is still up for debate.

Council discussed the topic Monday night before directing staff to come back with an amendment to the bylaw.

Changes to the bylaw would include a ban on cannabis as well as "new technologies" like vaping.

However, wording will be reworked to allow for smoking on sidewalks.

In February, Vernon city council was approached by Transit First to implement a smoking bylaw based on the one in Lake Country.

The Lake Country bylaw bans smoking  of any kind  in any public space including within 7.5 metres of any transit stop; in any park, or in any common area
Why in the world would Kelowna City Council want to pass a bylaw making it illegal to play music anywhere in the city without a permit?

How would a street performer be defined? Does it mean people wanting to play the pianos the city has put around town will require a permit or face a fine? Lumped in with this same proposal is a change to the panhandler bylaw making it illegal to panhandle from 8am to 8 pm and easier to ask for money at movie theatres and ATMs.

This is blatant discrimination against and harassment of musicians. This type of bylaw will be a blight on our city and give us the reputation as a police (bylaw) state where uniformed bylaw officers will be cracking down on musicians who bring joy and happiness. Will public singing be next?

Lumping busking with panhandling is ridiculous! Musicians invest in equipment and have spent hours learning their craft.

I urge you to not support this bylaw, which by the way, will cost a fortune to enforce!

Karen Abramsen
Photo: RCMP Cal Little

A 25-year-old woman must wait another week or two to find out if she will spend five years, or almost nine years behind bars for a sex show turned armed robbery in the summer of 2016.

Heather Nystrom appeared in Kelowna court by video Wednesday morning for her sentencing hearing, while her co-accused, 52-year-old Cal Little appeared in person.

In January, the pair were found guilty of robbery with a prohibited weapon for a bizarre incident on the evening of July 13, 2016.

A man who lived in a condo near UBC Okanagan contacted Nystrom and Little after finding them on a classified site, advertising a live sex show. The man agreed on a price of $400 for an hour show, and the pair arrived at his condo shortly after midnight.

The man said that after a brief discussion inside the condo, Little produced a sawed-off shotgun from a duffel bag and said: This is a robbery.

The pair left the condo just six minutes after arriving with the $400 and the man's cell phone.

Little contended the man had tried to grab Nystrom's crotch, and they had taken the money because their no-touching agreement had been broken, but Justice Jane Cartwright rejected this version of events.

The pair were found by police and arrested on July 15, with two shotguns in their vehicle, a bag full of 20 cell phones and cocaine.

Near the end of their trial in late 2017, Little jumped bail, but he was found by police on Jan. 14 after a short pursuit near downtown Kelowna.

Little does not have a lawyer, and at one point on Wednesday, he got in an argument with Justice Cartwright.

Sit down and be quiet, she told him sternly. Are you being disrespectful to me?

I'm being disrespectful to the court, sorry, he replied. I just feel that I have not been fairly represented, I asked for an extension to get a lawyer, I was denied ... The whole thing has been just push it along, get him guilty.

Justice Cartwright eventually granted Little an eight-week adjournment to allow for a presentence report to be completed.

Meanwhile, Nystrom's lawyer, Mandy Cheema, argued the Crown's proposed total sentence of 8.8 years for Nystrom was unduly harsh and onerous, as she is a young, first-time offender and Little, being a much older man, played a significant role in how the events played out.

Robbery with a prohibited weapon carries a minimum sentence of five years imprisonment. The additional time the Crown is seeking comes from the possession of prohibited firearms with ammunition when they were arrested on July 15.

Cheema is seeking a total sentence of five years for Nystrom, the minimum that could be given.

Justice Cartwright said she would need a week or two to decide on a fit sentence for Nystrom.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer 2017's Easter Egg Drop

Easter weekend in Penticton is shaping up be egg-ceptional fun for Pentictonites.

Liquidity Winery is hosting its fourth annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31. The free event features over 500 egg-citing prizes hidden around the grounds. The search runs from noon until 3 p.m., but the winery's bistro opens at 11 with Easter brunch specials.

An Easter fair complete with a bouncy castle and face painting will be topped off with an eggs-treme display  at 1 p.m. on Saturday, a helicopter will fly over Manitou Park in Naramata dropping ping pong balls which can be eggs-changed for chocolate.

Also on Saturday, the Penticton Museum will host a scavenger hunt, egg-counting contest and make-your-own Easter card station beginning at 10:30 a.m.

If Saturday's wine-filled hunt wasn't enough, Upper Bench Winery in Naramata is hosting another adult egg hunt at 1 p.m. on Sunday. $35 gets you into the hunt, plus a glass of wine and appetizers.

The Penticton Lakeside will host an Easter brunch Sunday, including an egg hunt for kids and an eggs-quisite meal for $25.95 a person, beginning at 11 a.m.

The Easter Bunny will also visit Apex Mountain to be on the scene for an egg hunt 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.

The always-anticipated LocoLanding egg hunt will take place Easter Monday, with tickets costing $5 per child. Easter eggs will be hidden throughout the park and S.S. Sicamous area between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. There will also be activity stations and photo-ops with the Easter Bunny himself.

And ahead of the weekend, Cherry Lane shopping mall is holding an egg-citing Easter colouring contest with categories open to both adults and kids. Winners could nab a $1,000 gift card to take themselves on an egg-stravagant shopping spree.
Photo: Google Street View George Apostolidis home on Alexander Place.

An insurance company has been ordered to pay out a 76-year-old West Kelowna man's $425,000 claim, after the company claimed he set the fire that damaged the home himself.

George Apostolidis and his now-wife travelled to Penticton on Sept. 21, 2015, and stayed at the Lakeside Resort for the evening. At 6:35 a.m., Apostolidis was woken by a call from police, telling him there had been a fire at his home, at 2162 Alexander Pl. in West Kelowna.

The fire was quickly determined to be an arson. The arsonist had spray painted several messages on the concrete around the house, including, SATAN IS KING, BURN IN HELL, DIE and 666.

Apostolidis' neighbour had seen a silver Chrysler 300 in the driveway at 5:15 a.m. and noticed the house was on fire. When the neighbour went to investigate, the car sped away.

The fire burned itself out before the fire department arrived, due to a lack of oxygen.

Through its own investigation, Canadian Northern Shield Insurance determined the fire was intentionally caused by, or at the request of, Apostolidis.

Apostolidis had been trying to sell the house for about 14 months when the fire occurred, and had lowered the price several times.

The day before the fire, Apostolidis called his security system company because the alarm had been squealing. The technician couldn't get it to turn off, and decided to cut its power for the time being. Therefore, the alarm was not activated when the arson occurred.

In his decision, Justice Ian Meiklem found it was improbable that Apostolidis, an illiterate man with limited technical skills, could have tricked the technician into cutting off the alarm power.

Meiklem found Apostolidis was not responsbile for the fire.

The plaintiffs overnight stay in Penticton means that it is virtually a certainty that the plaintiff did not commit the arson himself, he wrote in his judgment. It could be said that hypothetically the opportunity to hire a third party arsonist is available to any insured with unsavoury connections ... there was no evidence connecting the plaintiff to anyone who might be the arsonist, despite investigations having been conducted by both the RCMP and the defendant.

Northern Shield must pay both the claim and court costs.
Photo: Google Maps

Golden RCMP report a woman and child have died in a snowmobile accident.

Just after noon Wednesday, police were notified of the backcountry incident west of Golden.

A 35-year-old woman and an 11-year-old female child from Miami, Florida, have died during a guided snowmobile tour, says Const. Spencer Lainchbury.

Police were still on scene investigating the incident late into the afternoon.

No further information on how the accident occurred was released.
Alanna Kelly

City of Kelowna crews and firefighters will be closely monitoring an active mudslide on Knox Mountain all weekend.

Since Castanet first broke word on the moving mud Wednesday morning, a barrier fence has been moved from just metres away from the cliff back to the roadway.

We moved the fence back a little bit on the side of caution, said fire chief Travis Whiting.

Numerous residents were out examining the bright orange fence on Royal View Drive, which is a high traffic area.

We are asking people to avoid that area, stay away from the edge and be careful, he said.

Employees at Knox Mountain Metals said they have watched the mudslide get bigger and bigger each day.

Rainfall on Monday night caused a large portion of mud to slump down at the end of their yard on Bay Avenue.

It is pretty unstable, it moves every day, every day there is more, said one employee.

Whiting and roadways supervisor Stephen Bryans said they are working with geotechnical engineers.

We are working with the geotechnical engineer to understand exactly what is happening, said Whiting.

The owner of Knox Mountain Metals said city staff told him they would not be able to work on the area as it is too wet and will have to wait until it dries.

He added he is concerned about the danger the slide poses not only to his staff but residents walking in the area.

Of course the business owner is concerned about his own employee safety and his own business, said Whiting.

If we thought there was an immediate risk than we would have taken appropriate action, he said. If there is information to get out we will make sure we get it to you.
Photo: Twitter

UPDATE: 5:15 p.m.

The rockslide south of Merritt has now been cleared, DriveBC reports.

ORIGINAL: 6:30 a.m.

A rockslide has closed one lane of the Coquihalla Highway south of Merritt.

DriveBC reports the Wednesday night slide came down 16 kilometres south of the city.

It closed northbound lanes for about an hour late last night.

There is currently no estimated time of complete reopening, and a scene assessment is underway.
Photo: homeaway.com

A Massachusetts woman has filed a federal lawsuit accusing her tenant of using her Martha's Vineyard home to shoot pornographic videos without telling her.

The lawsuit filed this week says Leah Bassett had no idea when she rented out her home in 2014 that it would be used to shoot adult films.

Bassett says the filmmakers used "nearly every room of her home for their porn production purposes," including her bedrooms, sofas, dining room table and laundry room appliances.

Bassett says the "highly disturbing discovery" has caused her emotional and psychological distress.

The lawsuit was filed against the adult film company, Quebec, Canada-based Mile High Distribution Inc., and several individuals. Stephen Roach, an attorney for Mile High, says the matter arose out of a basic landlord-tenant dispute and the allegations in the complaint are "unfounded."
Photo: Twitter

Looks like Mathew Good's appearance in Kelowna tomorrow night could be in jeopardy.

The performer has had to pull out of tonight's concert in Prince George after collapsing onstage in Edmonton earlier this week.

Good continues to recover in Edmonton hospital and under the advisement of doctors, he will not be able to perform at Thursday nights Prince George show at the CN Centre.

The Our Lady Peace and Matthew Good concert was already rescheduled once.

Tour mates Our Lady Peace and Ellevator will perform as planned, with the concert starting at 7:30 pm.

Matthew Goods management team advises he is very disappointed he will not be able to rejoin the tour in Prince George, but he remains hopeful he can do so in Kelowna, on Friday, March 30th, and Abbotsford on March 31st.

Raine Maida, of Our Lady Peace says, I spent time with Matt last night in the hospital. He made it clear he wanted the tour to go on, and he will make it back out playing as soon as the doctors clear him. Prince George is out for Matt, but we will do our very best to honour his wishes and ROCK the CN Centre! We all hope to see you there!
Photo: The Canadian Press

What to do with Marilyn Hartman?

That's the question at a hearing Thursday for a 66-year-old woman dubbed the "serial stowaway" for a history of trying to sneak onto commercial jets without a ticket. She's behind bars, not because she faces charges that she slipped onto a jet from Chicago to London, but because of what the judge who set her free told her not to do: She returned to the airport.

Now, two months after a judge ordered Hartman held without bond  a move typically reserved for dangerous offenders such as murder suspects  her attorney is expected to seek her release from jail.

Parle Roe-Taylor won't say whether mental health professionals have concluded Hartman is legally sane as they have before. Nor will she say if she's found a mental health facility or another place to stay for Hartman.

But she says Hartman doesn't belong in jail.

"She is not violent, she's not demonstrated to be a harm to herself. There is no reason to take her out of society," said Roe-Taylor, a Cook County public defender's office attorney.

But that might happen. After years of arrests followed by brief stays in jails and mental health facilities, Hartman is in big legal trouble. Because she allegedly remained in the airport intending to commit theft  a flight she didn't pay for  and boarded the jet for the same reason, she faces felony burglary charges that carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. She's also charged with felony criminal trespassing.

The hearing is the latest chapter in a story that's played out the past decade in Chicago, Hawaii, San Francisco, Florida and elsewhere. It will again display the case of a woman who frustrates the legal system  voiced by a judge in 2016 when Hartman was arrested at O'Hare International Airport after being placed on mental health probation and released to a nursing home.

"We can't keep doing this over and over and over again," Cook County Circuit Judge William Raines said.

Hartman has been nabbed in and near airports dozens of times and made it onto planes maybe half-dozen times. Recently, she made it into the air on a flight from Chicago to London.

Why she does it is unclear. Though she refused to be interviewed for this story, she has tried to explain.

"I feel the need to get on a plane to go away," she told Joe Eskenazi for a 2015 San Francisco Magazine story.

Her life explains little.

Hartman's legal run-ins didn't begin until she was into middle age. A letter in a court file in Chicago says Hartman for decades was stable  high school in Chicago, then courses at the Chicago College of Commerce followed by decades as a legal secretary, legal research and telemarketing before she stopped working in 2003.

She never married, has no children and it's unclear why in the 1980s she changed her last name from Stall to Hartman. She has at least two brothers in the Chicago area, but calls to them weren't returned.

She was found mentally fit, though troubled, by Cook County mental health professionals in 2015. The psychiatric summary include a diagnosis of "Major Depressive Disorder in full remission, and Unspecified Personality disorder with Anti-Social Traits" along with "Adjustment Disorder," according to a probation department letter that also noted she was taking an anti-depressant.
Photo: The Canadian Press Dragonfly telescope

It's a double cosmic conundrum: Lots of stuff that was already invisible has gone missing.

Astronomers have found a distant galaxy where there is no dark matter.

Dark matter is called "dark" because it can't be seen. It is the mysterious and invisible skeleton of the universe that scientists figure makes up about 27 per cent of the cosmos. Scientists only know dark matter exists because they can observe how it pushes and pulls things they can see, like stars.

It's supposed to be everywhere.

But Yale University astronomer Pieter van Dokkum and colleagues spied a vast, old galaxy with relatively few stars where what you see truly is what you get. The galaxy's stars are speeding around with no apparent influence from dark matter, according to a study published in Wednesday's journal Nature .

Instead of shaking the very foundations of physics, scientists say this absence of dark matter may help prove the existence of, wait for it, dark matter.

"Not sure what to make of it, but it is definitely intriguing," wrote Case Western Reserve astronomer Stacy McGaugh, who was not part of the study, in an email. "This is a weird galaxy."

Van Dokkum studies diffuse galaxies, ones that cover enormous areas but have relatively few stars. To look for them he and colleagues built their own makeshift telescope out of 48 telephoto lenses that he first tested by using a toy flashlight to shine a light on a paper clip. The bug-eyed telescope, called Dragonfly , peers into the sky from New Mexico.

Using Dragonfly, van Dokkum and colleagues found a large, sparse galaxy called NGC1052-DF2 in the northern constellation Cetus, also known as the whale. It's as big as the Milky Way but with only one per cent of its stars. Then they used larger telescopes on Hawaii and eventually the Hubble Space Telescope to study the galaxy.

Even though the galaxy is mostly empty, they found clusters of densely grouped stars. With measurements from the telescopes, van Dokkum and colleagues calculated how fast those clusters moved. If there were a normal amount of dark matter those clusters would be speeding around at about 67,000 mph (108,000 kilometres per hour). Instead, the clusters were moving at about 18,000 mph (28,000 kilometres per hour). That's about how fast they would move if there were no dark matter at all, van Dokkum said.

The team also calculated the total mass of the galaxy and found the stars account for everything, with little or no room left for dark matter.

"I find this unlikely in all possible contexts," said McGaugh, who is a proponent of a "modified gravity" theory that excludes the existence of dark matter altogether. "That doesn't make it wrong, just really weird."

How could this absence of dark matter help prove that it exists? By potentially disproving modified gravity theories that suggest gravity acts in a way that the cosmos makes sense without dark matter. But those alternative theories require stars in this galaxy to zip at least twice as fast as they were seen moving in this study.
Photo: RCMP Ethan Dillon

UPDATE: 2:50 p.m.

While Ethan Dillon remains on the lam, his trial has continued on without him.

On Thursday, the Crown wrapped up its case against Dillon, who's accused of possessing more than 12 kilograms of an MDMA analogue for the purpose of trafficking.

Dillon was caught by police on April, 1, 2015, picking up a box at Loomis Express in West Kelowna. The box, shipped from China, contained 12.55 kilograms of MDEA, a drug that produces similar, but less euphoric, effects to MDMA.

RCMP Sgt. Craig McMillan testified Thursday the drugs would have cost about $75,000 to buy in bulk, but would have netted more than $500,000 if sold by the gram.

In a statement to police following his arrest, Dillon said he was picking up the package for a friend, and didn't know what it contained.

I honestly thought it was like an ounce of M or something, Molly or something, Dillon told police, referring to MDMA.

An arrest warrant was issued for Dillon Tuesday when he didn't show up for the second day of his trial  for the second time in as many days.

He was found at his home in Peachland when he didn't show up on Monday. He claimed he didn't realize his trial had started. He was then released from custody, but failed to return to court the next morning.

Dillon is representing himself in the case.

Despite his absence, the trial concluded Thursday, with Justice Lisa Wyatt deferring her decision until next week.

Dillon's co-accused, Steven Allen, pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking last September and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

UPDATE: 9:50 a.m.

The 22-year-old man police are looking for was facing trial for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking this week.

It appears Ethan Dillon has not shown up to his trial.

This wouldn't be the first time Dillon has been a no-show. A warrant was issued on Monday after he failed to show up to his first day of trial.

It's unclear if a second warrant has now been issued for his arrest.

ORIGINAL: 8:50 a.m.

West Kelowna RCMP need your help to find a missing Peachland man.



Ethan Dillon was last heard from by family on March 28th, 2018.



Ethan is described as a Caucasian male, 22 years of age, 6 feet tall, approximately 160 lbs, with red hair and green eyes. He was believed to be wearing a grey pair of jeans.



Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ethan Dillon is urged to contact RCMP.
Photo: Province of B.C.

The Okanagan Corrections Centre is dealing with yet another lawsuit from an inmate, at least the fifth in as many months.

In a small claims lawsuit filed this week against the provincial government, Alex Boucher alleges he was assaulted by another inmate while in protective custody on Dec. 20, 2017.

Boucher claims prison staff should have protected him better from his attacker, who he said was charged for threats against him earlier that day.

Because of staff not following procedures this day I was assaulted in the worst way possible, the handwritten lawsuit states.

The claim seeks $34,000 for negligence.

Boucher, however, has a history of using the courts to go after law enforcement. He has unsuccessfully sued the Enderby RCMP on two occasions, once for slander and defamation.

He has a criminal record dating back to at least 2009, with multiple convictions for break and enter.

The lawsuit comes just days after Matthew Van Exan sued for allegedly being forced to strip in front of a security camera. In November, David McHale sued for for $25,000 for an alleged attack on him while he was in protective custody.

Taylor Verhaegan sued around the same time for an alleged assault on him by a corrections officer. Finally, Michael Telford sued in October for an injury he said he sustained while working at the institution.
Photo: Chelsea Powrie

The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen has hired a specialized hydrologist to look at options for moving water through Willowbrook.

The tiny community near Oliver has been under a state of emergency since Tuesday, as about 20 properties have been affected by flooding in Kearns Creek.

Before we can start trenching or pumping water we need to understand what the consequences will be, Paul Edmonds said, RDOS emergency operations centre director.

Speeding up water in one place could damage homes and property lower down. That risk needs to be understood.

While the flooding situation there is stabilized, the RDOS said the main concern currently is slowly-rising water  which they said will be a concern throughout the region as snow melts.

The RDOS said they also have received funding from Emergency Management BC to do a flood risk assessment in the region.

The emergency operations centre remains open, and inquiries can be made by calling 250-490-4225.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A Maryland appeals court on Thursday upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast "Serial."

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park. Syed's story was widely publicized in the 2014 "Serial" podcast, which cast doubt on his guilt. The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered podcast records.

Syed's lawyer, C. Justin Brown, said he is pleased by the ruling.

"If the state is so confident in their case, and if they're so confident that Syed is guilty, they should just try the case. We're ready to try the case," Brown said.

A lower court judge vacated Syed's conviction in 2016, citing his attorney's failure to cross-examine a key witness. Prosecutors appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appeals court.

In a 2-1 ruling, the three-judge appeals court panel agreed with Syed's current lawyer that his trial lawyer was ineffective for failing to investigate a potential alibi witness who said she saw Syed at a public library at the time the state claimed Syed killed Hae.

The panel said in its written decision that if testimony from Asia McClain had been presented to the jury, it would have "directly contradicted the State's theory of when Syed had the opportunity and did murder Hae" and could have created reasonable doubt in at least one juror's mind and led to a different outcome.

It was not immediately clear if prosecutors plan to appeal the ruling to the state's highest court.
Photo: The Canadian Press Ancient footprints found on Calvert Island off the province's central coast.

Dozens of ancient footprints discovered on a British Columbia island have been confirmed as the earliest known of their kind in North America.

Researchers at the University of Victoria's Hakai Institute say they've found a total of 29 fossilized footprints, buried deep below a beach on Calvert Island off the province's central coast.

They studied wood fibres embedded in the prints to confirm they were left there about 13,000 years ago.

The research, published in PLOS One journal on Wednesday, confirms earlier theories about the age of the prints and expands their number beyond the first set discovered in 2014.

Researchers say at least one child was among the early humans who left the footprints and they appear centred around a focal point, rather than marking a trail.

They believe there are more, but will leave them untouched in case scientists in the future with better technology are able to learn more from them.
Photo: Contributed

Looks like the majority of Canadians are siding with landlords when it comes to saying no to Fido.

New research from Vancouver based the Angus Reid institute indicates 63 per cent of Canadians feel landlords should have the right to refuse to rent to pet owners, something activists have been pushing to change.

But polling data shows most people disagree with those petitioning for increased rights for pet-owners.

Overall, more than six-in-ten Canadians say landlords should be able to refuse to rent their properties to pet owners, but the percentage holding this view rises to seven-in-ten among actual homeowners.
Photo: RCMP Peter DeGroot

British Columbia's police watchdog has cleared an officer in the shooting death of a fugitive gunman found in a remote cabin following a manhunt.

Peter DeGroot is not named in the report released today, but was identified in 2014 as the man who exchanged gunfire with police when Mounties responded to reports of a dispute between two people.

DeGroot fled into the woods, triggering an influx of officers, helicopters and search dogs in the Slocan area of southeastern British Columbia.

RCMP found him in a cabin four days later and he was shot and killed during what police called an "altercation."

The Independent Investigations Office report says the investigation was drawn out because of initial evidence that DeGroot had been shot in the back, which was later countered by pathologists' analysis.

The watchdog says there is not enough evidence to consider charges against the officer, whom it concludes did not use unreasonable force.
Photo: The Canadian Press Royal wedding souvenirs in a London shop.

The big decisions have been made: Windsor Castle is the venue, May is the month, the guests have been invited and the wedding dress has likely been chosen.

Friday marks 50 days to go until the wedding of Prince Harry, 33, and Meghan Markle, 36  time to decide the details that will make a large royal wedding feel intimate.

That's the view of Anna McGregor, director of the Wedding Gallery, one of Britain's leading wedding planning agencies. Its emporium in central London offers everything from wedding gowns to sample menus to festive cufflinks shaped like top hats.

"You've chosen your menu, so choosing your drinks would probably start happening about now, and picking how much wine you would need is one of the more fun parts of planning the wedding, because you get to do a great wine tasting," she said.

Her recommendation? In most cases, plan on a bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine for each guest, plus cocktails after dinner "and beer for the boys."

This being a royal wedding, "I'm sure they've got a nice cellar they can pick from as well," she added.

One big challenge still to come, she said, is the seating plan. That can be a weekslong project even for couples who need to work out seating for 10 or 15 tables.

Harry and Markle have invited about 600 people for the wedding at St. George's Chapel and afternoon reception and then are having a more exclusive nighttime gathering for 200 of them. That's a minimum of 60 tables if you squeeze in 10 people per table.

Some new details are emerging. The Ministry of Defence said this week that regiments and units associated with Harry's years in the military will provide ceremonial support during the wedding and carriage procession. More than 250 members of the Armed Forces will be tasked with this role.

Kensington Palace officials have kept quiet about many of the key wedding details, including the super-secret guest list. Officials say the invitations have been sent but won't reveal the names.

The couple has also invited 2,640 people from all walks of life to come to the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch them arrive and to see their carriage procession from a fine vantage point.

On the wedding dress front, the designer of Markle's gown is still not known to the public, leading to a guessing game that is picking up speed. Will it be a British or American designer? The lucky fashion house that received the coveted assignment has no doubt been sworn to secrecy.

Dress fittings will likely take place inside one of the royal palaces, not at a bridal salon, where Markle could be seen by fellow shoppers and their cellphone cameras.

Regardless of what dress she chooses, McGregor expects Harry and Markle to define wedding styles for the next year  if not years to come  not just for the fashions, but for tableware, flowers and the overall look.

"She's already a style icon," McGregor said. "The royal family are style icons and have been for generations. So yes, it's absolutely going to lead trends and fashions in weddings."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Pilgrims seeking serenity during a visit to Jesus' traditional baptism site may be rattled to discover they are surrounded by thousands of land mines left over from dormant Mideast conflicts. But a project now underway plans to rid the West Bank site of the explosive devices, clearing away the relics of war that have blemished the sacred place for nearly five decades.

Land mines still speckle many parts of Israeli war-won territory. But the effort at the baptism site carries particular weight because of its importance to the world's Christians and the delicate international diplomacy that was required to take the project off the ground.

The project's organizers had to navigate a virtual minefield of often quarreling church denominations, as well as Israeli and Palestinian officials.

"To see a site that is visited by over half a million pilgrims and tourists each year and for them to come in their buses and be so close to land mines is very unusual," said James Cowan, the head of The HALO Trust, an international mine-clearing charity carrying out the project. "We hope that pilgrims and tourists will be able to visit this site and celebrate the baptism of Christ in the way that was intended."

Christians believe John the Baptist baptized Jesus at the site, a lush stretch of the Jordan River flanked by desert  Christianity's third holiest site after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, built on the spot where Christian belief says Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, constructed on the site where tradition holds Jesus was born.

The baptism marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. Many modern-day visitors don white robes and immerse themselves in the sacred waters in a show of faith.

Churches were built in the area as early as the 4th century. By the 1930s, Greek, Coptic, Syrian and Catholic churches, among others, all had plots in the river valley, erecting golden-domed shrines and other structures.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. Shortly after that, clergy fled their plots and Israel began planting land mines both on church land and in the surrounding area to fend off enemies. Israeli officials say that among the 3,000 explosive devices in the baptism site's vicinity are also booby traps laid by Palestinian militants. Unexploded ordnances also litter the area.

A small path was cleared for Pope John Paul II's visit in 2000 and pilgrims for years had to co-ordinate their visits with the Israeli military, because of security and land mine concerns.

In 2011, the site was officially opened to the public after Israel cleared a narrow road leading to the Jordan River. Today, buses ferry hundreds of thousands of visitors along that road each year, with the surrounding area remaining off limits.

The $1.15 million de-mining project, which was funded by Israel and private donors, aims to open up access to the area for pilgrims, clergy and tourists in about a year.

The de-mining project began earlier in March with work on the Ethiopian church's property, where barbed-wire fencing with yellow "DANGER MINES!" signs encircles crumbling, sand-hued buildings, one with a rusted cross. Bulldozers sifted through the mine-laden earth.
Photo: File photo

Authorities say a New Jersey mother who left her sleeping toddler alone in an illegally parked car that was later towed is now facing criminal charges.

Fort Lee police say 46-year-old Yuqing Jiang told them she had gone to her bank Monday to make a deposit before it closed. She left her sleeping two-year-old daughter in the parked vehicle, then later returned to find it and her daughter missing.

Jiang called 911 and learned the car was towed to a facility near the bank. Police found the toddler asleep in the back of the towed vehicle, but she wasn't in a car seat.

Jiang is charged with abuse, abandonment, cruelty and neglect of a child. It's not known if she's retained an attorney.
Construction crews will begin resurfacing the new entrance into Camp Jordan Parkway starting on Friday. The resurfacing will begin with the southbound lanes (Bass Pro Shops side).

The traffic will then be shifted over to the new travel lanes Monday.

This operation will allow full depth construction of the existing lanes (Chick-fil-A side) of Camp Jordan Parkway. This project is tentative, weather permitting.
The Chambers newest BEST partnership is a relationship between United Community Bank and North Lee Elementary School. The staff and students are elated to have United Community Bank as our BEST partner. states Dana Yost, principal North Lee Elementary. We look forward to working together to improve our school and the community.BEST, the acronym for Business & Education Serving Together, is a program of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce that unites the efforts of a business and a selected school for the betterment of both.United Community Bank has always taken pride in being active in the communities we serve, said Matt Hurst, United Community Bank market president. We are truly honored and blessed to be a BEST partner with North Lee Elementary.The Chambers BEST program unites the efforts of a business and a selected school and involves a commitment of time, energy and expertise, Sherry Crye, the Chambers director of workforce development, said. The ultimate goal is to help prepare students for the labor force. The intermediate goal is to forge affiliations between a business and a school for the benefit of both.Each public school in the Bradley County and Cleveland City School Systems has one or more local business partners. For information about the BEST partnership program, call Sherry Crye at 423-472-6587.
Tennessee American Water will join local and state law enforcement officials next Wednesday to raise awareness on the dangers of distracted driving and to support Tennessees mission, Drive to Zero, a multi-agency collaboration to decrease traffic fatalities statewide.



Distracted driving is a danger to all of the public. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing, said Manager of Operations for Tennessee American Water Casey Allen. Drivers should remain focused and diligent at all times.



Tennessee American Water and other utility or public work employees often perform work on roadways. In an active work zone, workers are especially vulnerable, said Mr. Allen. Fatalities with Tennessee Department of Transportation employees in the last couple of years, unfortunately, made this all too clear.



The Move Over Law requires that motorists change lanes, if safe to do so, or slow down when a vehicle with flashing lights is parked on the side of the road, he said. This law protects utility workers, in addition to police and other emergency vehicles.



On Wednesday, Tennessee American Water will join the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and local law enforcement in Chattanooga for Tennessees third statewide bus tour to crack down on distracted driving. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the THP Chattanooga headquarters, 4120 Cummings Hwy.



Texting is one of the most common and dangerous distractions. Other examples are talking on the phone, applying makeup, eating, playing loud music or driving with a pet in your lap. Distractions can even be mental or emotional, officials said.



In 2017, there were 24,781 traffic crashes statewide where distracted driving was a contributing factor, according to the Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network. Of those crashes, 120 were fatal.
UTA researchers are leading an international team developing a new device that could enable physicists to take the next step toward a greater understanding of the neutrino, a subatomic particle that may offer an answer to the lingering mystery of the universe's matter-antimatter imbalance.

Physics tells us that matter is created side by side with antimatter. But if matter and antimatter are produced equally, then all of the matter created in the early universe should have been cancelled out by equal amounts of antimatter, eliminating existence itself instantly. And we would not exist.

To explain this asymmetry, some particle physicists claim that the tiny subatomic particle, the neutrino, and its antimatter particle, the antineutrino, are in fact the same particle. This might account for the overall excess of matter in the universe as a whole-- and why we are here.

UTA researchers are now taking advantage of a biochemistry technique that uses fluorescence to detect ions to identify the product of a radioactive decay called neutrinoless double-beta decay that would demonstrate that the neutrino is its own antiparticle.

Radioactive decay is the breakdown of an atomic nucleus releasing energy and matter from the nucleus. Ordinary double-beta decay is an unusual mode of radioactivity in which a nucleus emits two electrons and two antineutrinos at the same time. However, if neutrinos and antineutrinos are identical, then the two antineutrinos can, in effect, cancel each other, resulting in a neutrinoless decay, with all of the energy given to the two electrons.

To find this neutrinoless double-beta decay, scientists are looking at a very rare event that occurs about once a year, when a xenon atom decays and converts to barium. If a neutrinoless double-beta decay has occurred, you would expect to find a barium ion in coincidence with two electrons of the right total energy. UTA researchers' proposed new detector precisely would permit identifying this single barium ion accompanying pairs of electrons created within large quantities of xenon gas.

"If we observe even one such event, it would be a profound discovery in particle physics, on par with the discovery of the Higgs boson," said Ben Jones, UTA assistant professor of physics, who is leading this research for the American branch of the Neutrino Experiment with Xenon TPC - Time Projection Chamber or NEXT program, which searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Other UTA researchers also collaborated on the ATLAS experiment, which led to the Nobel Prize winning discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012.

The researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of their technique on a small scale and now plan to use the device in a large-scale detector, which they envision as a chamber containing a ton of high-pressure, purified xenon gas.

David Nygren, UTA Presidential Distinguished Professor of Physics and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, had the idea to look at fluorescence when he realized how neuroscientists use the technique to look at calcium ions that jump from neuron to neuron in the brain.

"I realized that calcium and barium are not so different, so perhaps we could use the same technique to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay," Nygren said.

Early research with UTA graduate student Austin McDonald identified a chemical compound called FLUO-3 that not only works with calcium ions but is also sensitive to barium. From there, the team devised a device that could reveal barium ions in a large volume of gaseous xenon, which was proven in the published paper.

"The beauty of this research is that it brings together physicists and chemists in generating creative new solutions to enable discoveries in fundamental physics," said UTA physics chair Alex Weiss. "This work clearly demonstrates the ability of students and faculty at UTA to lead the way in international physics projects and represents an important example of the world-class research enabled by UTA's focus on data-driven discovery."
The move will end a long run at 1 E. Wacker Drive by Kemper and affiliated insurance companies. The 41-story tower was developed in the early 1960s by United Insurance Company of America, which Kemper owns. The building opened in 1962 and was called the United of America Building. The Kemper name has been atop the building in block letters since 2012, Ciesemier said.
"I've seen three stoppages in the last six months, and I don't think this will be the last," he said. "If you are in manufacturing today, you need to do some preparations. It's easy to shut (WannaCry) down."
Trump has frequently complained about Amazon and Jeff Bezos to his friends, according to people who have spoken with the president. For example, at a dinner last month at Mar-a-Lago with Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera and the president's two adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, Trump brought up Amazon and said they should pay more in taxes, according to a person familiar with the dinner.
The Chicago ordinance is based on the legal doctrine of home rule authority to address the issue locally in lieu of an amendment to the Condominium Property Act on a statewide level. The new ordinance will take effect April 18. However, due to the inconsistency between Section 19 and the Chicago privacy ordinance, theres the possibility of a legal challenge to the Chicago ordinance until the state legislature takes action.
"Yes, you need to know how to stretch a dollar, but do you have practice on me?"



Linda Poindexter, Branford, FL.
2) Marz Gallery at Marz Community Brewing Co. will host the opening reception for Song Poems by Jeremiah Chiu, featuring visual music, graphic scores, and translations of language/sound into image, according to the web site, and a mural by Adi Goodrich. To celebrate, the brewery has created a limited edition New England-style double IPA named Can Music: Drum for Inventive Percussion Artists. Also, a limited edition brew, Dans le Sud (a bottle-conditioned brett saison) features elements of Goodrichs mural on the bottle. Free. 5-8 p.m. Saturday. 3630 S. Iron St., 773-579-1935, marzbrewing.com
He has known Goose Island founder John Hall almost as long as hes been alive; he became friends with Johns son, Greg, in the first grade. When John Hall launched Goose Island as a brewpub in 1988, Ahsmann was one of its first bartenders, endlessly explaining the difference between ales and lagers for customers befuddled by the burgeoning craft beer movement. He later spent 10 years in Goose Islands marketing department, which was where he worked when John Hall stunned the world in 2011 by selling the brewery to the worlds largest beer company, Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Food & Dining sampled nine brands of frozen french fries. I went for the basic straight cut fries when I could, the skinnier shoestrings when I couldnt. Although Dallas said crinkle cut fries were a best-seller at his Lincoln Square market because they are crunchier, I didnt want the shape to get in the way of the tasting  this was to be all about the fries and their flavor and the degree of crispness plain old straight cut fries could achieve in the oven.
Even Matt Damon was forced to respond, when "The Daily Show" host Trevor Noah asked him about his best friend's interesting artwork. "It's not one man's job to tell another man what he can do to his back. You know, I support him in all of his artistic expression," Damon said, raising the question of whether a true friend would let someone get that tattoo on his back.
Therein lies what makes Get Out such a fascinating and crucial piece of revisionism. It featured the same scenario  a young, upper-middle-class white woman brings home an African-American boyfriend to meet her parents  but the fear and tension that motivates the story does not reside in the older white generation. It is felt by the black guy coming to the house with his white girlfriend, entering partly into the unknown and partly into hundreds of years of agonizing history. Peele takes you deep into that mans psyche, as evoked by Daniel Kaluuya, and in so doing you see the flip side of Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, one probably unimagined by all of the white people for whom the film was made, but likely not by the African-American audience who also came out in 1967 to see Poitier, and to hope for change.
The research involved 278 infants who died of SIDS, also called "crib death" or "cot death," and 729 healthy controls. Four of those who died of SIDS had a variant of a gene called SCN4A associated with an impairment of breathing muscles, while no babies in the control group had it. Authors Michael Hanna from the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council's Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and Michael Ackerman from the Mayo Clinic in the United States wrote that these mutations are extremely rare and typically found in fewer than 5 out of 100,000 people.
Last fall, we challenged each other to a 30-day purge. On day one, you toss or donate one item. Day two, two items. And so on. Wed text each other photos, joking about how long it took me to give up the knockoff Ralph Lauren hat Id purchased on our Guatemala trip. She sent me a photo of some old sewing junk. Some of those pins probably held pattern to fabric for the prom dresses shed made  the ones I begged her to sew shorter and tighter.
It wasnt only the doors to the courtroom that were closed to the public  Emanuel, who fought efforts to be deposed in the civil lawsuit against the city, got a special ride to the upper floors of the Daley Center in a private elevator normally reserved for judges.
Lets be clear, though. This has nothing do with a persons actual level of intelligence. It has nothing to do with how talented or untalented someone really is. It has nothing to do with the kind of human being someone is. It is all about perception.
"When your old-ass parent is like, I dont know how to send an iMessage, and youre just like, Give me the (deleted) phone and let me handle it, said Hogg in an earlier interview. Sadly, thats what we have to do with our government; our parents dont know how to use a (deleted) democracy, so we have to."
The vehicle they were traveling in was stolen in an armed carjacking a couple of days ago in Maywood. When Chicago police officers spotted it on the West Side on Wednesday, they began following it but lost track of them, the trooper said.
Sanchez, 51, pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of a weapon by a felon after authorities raided his West Side home last May and found a .45-caliber pistol hidden in a false book on his bedside table. According to the charges, he also had a bulletproof vest in his closet and a copy of the written bylaws of the Two-Six hidden in a vent in his bedroom. Federal guidelines call for up to about three years in prison for Sanchez when hes sentenced on April 9.
The disagreement turned physical, and Johnson hit the man twice in the face, according to police. The man, who suffered a cut to the lip, was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in good condition.
Its a slap in the face, said Mecole Jordan, coordinator for the group, speaking of the aldermen and the mayor. Instead of having a conversation about how we move forward with the ordinance as drafted, we get two brand-new ordinances. Im not sure where the community engagement piece happened there. Where is the legitimacy? Where is the buy-in from the community? This is business as usual, and it cannot continue this way.
Clifton was the warrant officer that morning and became flirtatious with the woman after she told him she had a girlfriend, prosecutors said. He asked her into his office alone, closed the door and pinned her against the wall, prosecutors said, then groped her, kissed her neck and tried to reach into her clothing while making sexual comments.
The man-made substance is a mixture of hundreds of chemicals, often called cannabinoids because they affect the same brain cell receptors as the main ingredient in marijuana. Cannabinoids are sometimes sprayed on plant material for smoking, or are sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices, the health departments warning said. The products are also sometimes referred to as herbal or liquid incense.
Miguel Beedle, founder and CEO of Enterprise Scrum from Park Ridge, stumbled out of an alley in the 400 block of North State Street about 2:30 a.m. Friday, stabbed in the neck, according to police. A trail of blood led from the alley to the street and sidewalk on Hubbard, just north of State.
She had an apartment, she was beginning to start an independent life, she was no longer dealing with issues of homelessness, she said. This is a step toward treatment, but its not ideal for her situation.
"I'm not worried about anything," Emanuel said. "What keeps me up at night is thinking about Chicago's future and what we have to do to not let any grass grow under our feet as we invest in that future." (Bill Ruthhart)
"My perspective is that they probably do have a legitimate problem, but it's one they should have anticipated," said Ross Vincent, a member of a citizens advisory group for the Pueblo plant. "They've known for many years that some of the rounds are going to contain that stuff."
Trump was last seen in public on Friday, when he used an appearance at the White House to criticize a massive government funding bill he had signed into law. The president, first lady Melania Trump and their 12-year-old son, Barron, spent last weekend at their Palm Beach, Florida, estate. Trump returned to the White House on Sunday shortly before CBS' "60 Minutes" aired its interview with porn actress Stormy Daniels, who says the married Trump had sex with her in his Lake Tahoe hotel room in 2006.
Two traffic policemen approached the woman and told her that she had violated the traffic regulations of the People's Republic of China. Eager to get to her job, Mao Yan apologized and pointed out that there was no fencing to block jaywalkers like her. She hoped to get off with a verbal warning. The officers, however, were intent on prosecution. They demanded her identity card, which is issued to all Chinese citizens. When Mao Yan said that she had not brought hers, they asked for her ID number. When she said she had not memorized it, one officer snapped her picture with a camera phone. Seconds later, he read out her name, her ID card number and date of birth. Using facial recognition technology, he had identified Mao Yan.
Yet Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and by now a cable-news fixture, insists there is "ample evidence in the public domain on the issue of collusion," though he's never cited anything of the sort. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., suggests that a "cloud of treason" hangs over the Trump administration. Former CIA director John Brennan insinuated that Russia is blackmailing the president, a grave accusation, of which he later conceded, "I do not know if the Russians have something on Donald Trump." Meanwhile, film director Rob Reiner has recruited former intel chiefs James Clapper and Leon Panetta to sit on the advisory board of his "Committee to Investigate Russia," which might be necessary were the FBI, House, Senate and Mueller not already doing just that.
What does this mean for Illinois? With its sizable Latino population, Illinois stands to get less than its rightful share of federal funding and see its political clout weakened; this state is sure to lose one of its 18 U.S. House seats but could lose two. Those factors explain why Illinois is one of at least 11 states that are gearing up to sue to keep the Trump administration from including the citizenship question in the census. California filed its own suit Monday.
I am really sorry Schulman has a difficult relationship with his father. I am sorry he does not like rules. But serious religion is about rules, obligations and responsibilities, which create opportunities for service. It is from these joy is derived. Freedom is the joy of responsibility, of being less concerned with I and more with we, of worrying and caring and celebrating with and for our families and communities. Being free is not, as Schulman maintains, about getting to choose whether to eat bread or matzo. It is about not afflicting the stranger because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
I maintain the news media pay only scant attention to this new generation of leadership. The reason Rev. Cornell W. Brooks, Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner and Rev. David Brawley arent household names is because their work in organizations such as the NAACP, Religious Action Center and Industrial Areas Foundation is hardly being delivered to every household within the pages of their newspapers. To me, if some think the loud moral voice of clergy sounds like silence, its really a matter of editorial decisions not to allow more folks to listen.
With a new location opening at 3349 N. Sheffield Ave. on April 4, youll soon have two places to grab a giant slice of pizza and a 16-ounce fountain drink for just $5.50. That deal always applies to sausage, cheese, pepperoni and veggie pizzas, but depending on how many pies theyre turning out that day, you might be able to get a slice of one of their signature pies like the kabob pizza topped with beef, lamb or chicken shawarma plus green peppers and onions, or the Mediterranean pizza, where the same meats are paired with mushrooms, romaine lettuce, pepperoncini and garlic sauce. No matter what you pick, add on one of their beloved garlic bites for $1 or get three for $2.75.
For example, teens are tasked with everything from researching the growth and cultivation of the "L'Olivo," which means the olive; "La Commercalizzazione," which involves marketing the product through tastings and promotions; and "La scienza economica," which is the study of economics and the international laws regarding importing products.
Reported incidents of property crime decreased about 16% from 2015 to 2019, according to the FBI, with the national average now at 400 burglaries and 1,700 larceny-thefts per 100,000 people annually. The top 15 cities on this list averaged more than double the number of burglaries per 100,000 people, and the number of larcenies are 60% higher on average per 100,000 residents. Larceny, which is the theft of objects like bicycles or anything stolen without force, comprised about 75% of all property crimes in 2019, burglary, which is unlawful entry to commit a felony, accounted for 16% and motor vehicle theft for 10%.
There were many soldiers who died in the Civil War who were not identified because there were no dog tags. Instead, soldiers scratched their names in their belts or pinned paper with their names to their clothing before going into battle. Those who designed the hall in Aurora believed it was important to honor those unknown soldiers, so they reserved a blank tablet that the Recording Angel faces.
The trial did not go well. The judge ruled against Kathleen, finding her liable for the full $15,000. In the letter of complaint she sent the judge following the trial, and subsequently forwarded to me, Kathleen stated she was verbally abused and continually interrupted by the judge, and at one point was told by him, I may feel sorry for you, but that doesnt mean I will rule in your favor. Kathleen said she left the proceeding feeling bullied and demeaned.
"But Hughie has plans to try to get Mammy to sign the place over to him so he can sell it, put her up in a nursing home and take off with his girlfriend, Bernie Burns. The play revolves around his machinations as he tries to get Mammy to sign the place over and the obstacles that keep falling in his way."
Giese did not have the necessary permits for the bobcat and was illegally living in the industrial park, Farrell said. The bobcat was his pet and was found surrounded by cat toys. A large litter box also was located just outside of the office where the bobcat was discovered along with a cat climbing tree, Farrell said.
Henderson said the reconfiguration in Chicago Heights has been about a 90-day process and a lot of work has already been done inside, where Serena has been busy "staging" the furniture to make it look more home-like, and incorporating other changes to make it more inviting.
"The governor is underfunding," Davis said. He said when lawmakers questioned the administration about the budget, they were told the difference would be made up next year with a $90 million increase in early-education funding for fiscal year 2020. Davis said he and other lawmakers are not satisfied with the proposal.
Sherissa Lamb, 24, of the 600 block of Case Place, Evanston, who was also in the vehicle, admitted to having the pipe, according to the release. She was charged with a local ordinance violation of possession of drug paraphernalia.
A: In 1998 the school was looking for the first time for a curator for the museum. Four years before, they had built it. After four years they decided they needed someone to focus and really devote themselves to developing the museum. This combination of working in a museum and teaching in a college really appealed to me.
In Winthrop Harbor, there were no arrests for DUI, but four citations were issued for seat belt violations, which is also part of the annual extra patrols that target people driving impaired or not wearing the proper restraints.
A fatal shooting in Zion involving a federal Housing and Urban Development agent Thursday morning is being investigated by federal, state and Zion police investigators, authorities said.



Zion police responded to a call of a shooting at 6:09 a.m. in the 3000 block of Ezekiel Avenue, where officers found a man with a gunshot wound, according to a Zion police news release.



The officers began attempting life-saving measures, but when Zion Fire Department rescue personnel arrived they determined that the man was dead, police said.



Officers spoke to a federal agent, "and learned that the deceased subject, armed with a handgun, and several other subjects approached the agent" while the agent was sitting in a vehicle, according to police.



The man who was shot was wearing a bandana concealing a portion of his face and displayed the handgun to the agent, at which point the agent fired a handgun through the vehicle's window striking the man, the release said.



The remaining people fled the area, and a handgun was found at the scene, police said.



The agent was transported to a hospital for evaluation.



Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said late Thursday afternoon that the person shot was a male in his late teens or early 20s.



Cooper said an autopsy is scheduled Friday, after which he expects to release a preliminary cause of death and likely the man's identity.



The Zion Police Department is assisting federal authorities and the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Unit in conducting an investigation into the incident at the request of the federal agency, according to the release.



Illinois State Police Sgt. Jacqueline Cepeda said late Thursday the investigation into the incident is in its beginning stages, "and therefore we cannot release any further details regarding the shooting at this time."



She said, however, that police could confirm that the federal agent involved in the shooting works for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.



The Zion Police release stressed that no Zion police officers were involved in the incident or fired a weapon, nor were Zion officers present when the shooting occurred.



Authorities said the investigation remains active and federal agents and other officials were at the scene Thursday afternoon.



Anyone with information is urged to contact the Zion Police Department at (847) 872-8000
On behalf of the Roberti Community House, I was thrilled to receive the funds from Help Them To Hope's 2017 campaign funds. This award is so greatly appreciated and will allow us to rescue more fresh produce that will be added to our meals. We will continue to prepare healthy, nutritional meals for the under-served and vulnerable children attending our summer and after-school programs. Last year, we worked with over 250 children in all of our programs designed specifically for youth.
Ochoa: Sometimes, I'll suggest we add things to a recipe or take them out. It's pretty liberal here as far as something we want to try. I put in my Mexican flavors and we'll do different ceviche or pesto or salsas or specials when we grill outside. When we do charity events, I often do the appetizers.
Officers responded at 9:36 a.m. to the yellow parking garage near Macy's and Route 83, where the woman told them a white Toyota Camry had blocked her in a parking space. She said a man got out of the passenger side of the Camry and opened the driver's door of her Honda Civic, as he brandished a gun while demanding she get out of her car.
Beginning the week of April 16, the library, and the consortium of libraries to which is belongs, will transition to a new online catalog, the library announced. One of the features of this new catalog is automatic renewals on eligible items that have not been returned by their due date, the library said.
Six years ago, Clark was on the Indiana State Board of Education list of failing schools. Since then, the school has made great strides. The high school now ranks 51 out of 756 in the state of Indiana, and its scores in math are 17 percent above the state average. While Clark has modestly improved its Language Arts scores during that time, Clark's principal Robert Wilson is convinced that the Northwest Indiana Writing Project and the C3WP approach will have an even greater effect.
"Finding ways to help them pursue their dreams and expand their horizons is thrilling. It's why I'm in education. I'm looking for ways to go beyond the classroom to help people do things they never thought they could do so they're really pushing their limits. That's what it's all about for me," Hecht said.
The Rev. Patrick Kalich, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Crown Point, said little has changed over the years in the way services are conducted beginning Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Last Supper. Kalich said the ceremony at St. Mary's includes the washing of the feet as Christ did following the Last Supper. In keeping with tradition, Holy Thursday Mass does not end, only pauses until Good Friday services, then again until Holy Saturday culminating with the close of the four-day service at the end of Easter Sunday Mass.
We dont live there, so we cannot just come in and say what will make the community better, she said. For me, understanding the resiliency in the community  how this school is working, how these organizations are so healthy, what keeps people in the community, and working to make it better  thats part of what we need to look at.
City council candidates talk housing, debrucing at forum

The CSU Pueblo College Democrats hosted a forum with four city council candidates, a county treasurer candidate and state House candidate on Sept. 23.
By Alexander Chipman Koty

China will cut value-added tax (VAT) rates for businesses in the manufacturing, transportation, construction, telecommunication, and agricultural sectors, according to Premier Li Keqiang.

The cuts  which will go into effect on May 1, 2018  are expected to slash taxes by RMB 240 billion (US$38.17) this year. They are part of a wider tax reform package that aims to reduce taxes by a total of RMB 400 billion (US$64 billion) in 2018.

The tax reform will lower the VAT rate for manufacturing enterprises from 17 percent to 16 percent, and the rate for transportation, construction, telecommunication, and agricultural enterprises from 11 percent to 10 percent.

RELATED: China Announces Sweeping Reform of Government Institutions

In addition to the VAT rate cuts, China has expanded the criteria to qualify as a small-scale VAT taxpayer. Small-scale VAT taxpayers are now defined as those whose annual sales are less than RMB 5 million, whereas before there were three different tiers of small-scale VAT taxpayers.

Businesses registered as general taxpayers can opt to register as small-scale taxpayers if they fall under the new criteria. Small-scale taxpayers benefit from a preferential VAT rate of three percent, but generally cannot issue special VAT fapiao  except for under certain pilot programs  which is essential for many businesses.

Eligible businesses in advanced manufacturing, modern services, and electric utility can also receive a lump-sum refund on input VAT yet to be deducted as part of the broader tax cut package.

The tax cuts follow Lis Work Report at the Two Sessions meetings, where he pledged to ease the tax burden for businesses, improve the business environment, and streamline the VAT system. Li stated at the time that the government also plans to reduce the number of VAT brackets from three to two; China currently has three VAT tax brackets: 17 percent, 11 percent, and six percent.

Tax Compliance Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

The latest tax cuts and plans to simplify the VAT can be seen as a continuation of a long-term agenda. Last year, China eliminated the 13 percent tax bracket, and introduced an RMB 380 billion (US$55.2 billion) tax cut package. The government has continuously adjusted and optimized the VAT system since it completed its VAT reform in 2016, which has led to RMB 2.1 trillion (US$333.9 billion) in tax cuts over the past five years.

The most recent tax cuts also come months after the US passed its own tax reform package, which significantly lowered US companies tax obligations. Some economists have argued that China should cut taxes in response in order to bolster its competitiveness as an investment destination.
The photo exhibition "Greek Photographers Focusing on Beijing" held its opening ceremony in Beijing on March 29.

The exhibition, hosted by the Information Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government and supported by the embassy of Greece, showcased 120 pictures of Beijing by two Greek photographers.

George Doupas, one of the photographers, said they spent 10 days capturing the beauty and essence of Beijing. The photos not only record Beijing's historical and cultural protection, but also display the story of innovation, growth and prosperity of this ancient city, he said.

"Beijing has so many interesting things to do and see, it is a treat for the eyes to any photographer," Doupas said. "I've lived in Beijing already for nine years, and this city still surprises me and amazes me.

Leonidas Rokanas, Greek Ambassador to China, delivered a speech during the opening ceremony. He said the photos were the international language that tied the people between Greece and China. "I was proud that the event could promote the relationship of the two countries," he said.

His speech was echoed by Xu Hejian, head of the Information Office of the Beijing municipal government. Xu said both Greece and China had 5,000 years of history and prosperous cultures, and the two countries have a well-developed and profound friendship. Through the exhibition, Xu said he believes that the beautiful stories of Beijing can be told and shared with everyone who comes to this city, so that more people can learn about and understand Beijing.

The exhibition was part of a photography event named "World Photographers Focusing on Beijing" that began in 1999. Over the past 18 years, the event has attracted more than 100 photographers from around the world to come to Beijing and capture a large number of precious photos on Beijing's people, landscape and attractions.

"Greek Photographers Focusing on Beijing" will stay in Beijing until April 5, then move to Greece to run from April 24 to May 6.
Pu'er, a city long famous for fermented tea, has now also become a capital of coffee planting. That's due, in part, to the Starbucks Yunnan Farmer Support Center, which was built in 2012 to help local coffee farmers with sustainable practices while providing high quality Yunnan Arabica beans for the well-known international coffee brand.

Tong Yalun, director of the support center, says the region's coffee growers sell their harvest at a "transparent global futures" coffee price, which means they get the same price for every batch they bring.

Before the center was built, the quality of locally grown coffee delivered to the processing factories was spottysometimes even containing small stones mixed in with the beans. Farmers often drove directly to factory roasters to sell their beans.

It's only by offering a steady supply of beans with consistent quality, Tong said, that the Yunnan coffee brand will become well known around the world.

Tong decided to reward farmers who bring better quality beans with prices that are higher than the future market.

"You give me good beans, I give you good price," Tong said. Overnight, the news spread. Soon, a long queue of trucks appeared at the front gate of their factory.

Consider Ding Zhihai, who spent 12 hours driving 800 kilometers from the coffee-planting area Baoshan, which is close to the Nu River and has an altitude between 800 and 1,600 metersa fine place to grow coffee.

Ding helped set up a collective firm in 2014 representing four villages with more than 2,000 households; the group used to sell coffee beans to trade agencies who often offered low prices, he said.

On March 6, the group sold 30 metric tons of coffee to Starbucks' Aini factory for the first time. After sampling and testing, he received a bonus of 55,000 yuan ($8,801.4) for the large diameter of his beans.

Today, Yunnan province contributes about 95 percent of the coffee beans produced in China. Pu'er alone takes up about 60 percent.

Farms like Ding's collective firm must pass the CAFE Practice test, a third-party verification process that ensures companies are sourcing sustainably grown and processed coffee by evaluating the economic, social and environmental aspects of coffee production.

By the end of 2017, there were 1,678 Yunnan coffee suppliers that passed their CAFE Practice test, covering plantation areas of more than 16,000 hectares.

The support center has offering planting knowledge and services for free to nearly 17,000, offering planting knowledge and services for free to farmers, such as how to tackle coffee tree diseases and how to fertilize.

Sun Jian, an agricultural technician at the Support Center, said researchers there have studied which environment best suits growing coffee trees in Yunnan and developed the first comprehensive fertilizer for local farmers, and helped farmers to get a good price in buying their fertilizer products.

Last year, at the Pu'er stadium, about 4,000 coffee farmers from Yunnan were offered the opportunity to taste the brewed coffee they had grown.

Zhu Yuankun, a local farmer was rewarded with prizes for "top delivery in volumes and in quality".

"What the convention brought is a sense of honor among the farmers to make them feel proud of what they are doing," Tong said.

An increasing number of local farmers are offering quality beans to Starbucks. In 2017, the company collected about 7,000 tons of coffee beans from the province.

Tong said it is still not enough, as they hope to be able to supply more than just Chinese markets and also develop their own high-end coffee beans.

In 2017, Starbucks China developed its first premium small-lot coffee from Yunnan, which is named the Starbucks Reserve Yunnan Yellow Honey Coffee. Last December, Starbucks opened its first international Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai.

"Starbucks has been dedicated in contributing to the development of the coffee industry in China, to bring the best of Yunnan coffee to the country and to the world," said Belinda Wong, CEO of Starbucks China, in 2017. "We've taken a key step to complete the journey from a raw bean to a cup of brewed coffee in China."

The roastery has been able to roast beans from Yunnan and offer Chinese customers coffee made from beans that were harvested fairly recently, therefore improving the taste of the coffee. Previously, the beans were roasted in Starbucks' roastery in the US and shipped to the Chinese market.

There is a market demand for more hand-brewed coffee outlets, while the Shanghai Roastery is a good opportunity for Starbucks to upgrade its products and branding, said Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China.

Howard Schultz, executive chairman of Starbucks, predicted the coffee market in China will achieve the same scale as that of the United States in nine years.

Starbucks now operates more than 3,200 stores in 139 cities in China and is hoping to cash in on the growing demand from lower-tier cities. The coffee chain is on the way to achieving its goal of operating 5,000 stores in China by 2021, and continuing to open shops in about 15 new cities annually to reach more than 200 cities by then.

One of those cities is Pu'er, a fourth-tier city that borders three Southeast Asian countries. Advertising for recruitment for baristas has already begun.

In the future, the Starbucks Yunnan Farmer Support Center is expected to expand collection regions to its four areas in Yunnan province, from Pu'er city, to Lancang, Xishuang Banna and Baoshan.

"We want the farmers here to live a better life," Tong said. "We want the world to know the brand of Yunnan coffee."
Anti-desertification specialist Wang Xinping, 49, has flown to Mongolia for the second time to help locals prevent sand dunes from drifting.

Wang is a researcher at the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources of the China Academy of Sciences in Gansu Province. His journey to Mongolia is part of a multi-national project funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology in China.

The ministry spent 10 million yuan (about 1.6 million U.S dollars) to fund a three-year program to send Chinese anti-desertification specialists to Mongolia, Israel and Kazakhstan. The specialists come from six research institutes and universities in China.

Wang and three colleagues flew to Ulan Bator on Sunday and arrived at Elsen Tasarkhai, where they are scheduled to stay until April 1. He will help Mongolian researchers fix the moving dunes in a 29-hectare experimental zone.

Wang specializes in using straw checkerboard barriers to fix the sand and grow vegetation.

"My colleagues and I have much experience looking for seeds that can endure sandy soil. I want to use my skills and solutions to help the local Mongolians. My job in Mongolia this time is to search for suitable seeds to plant in the experiment zone," he said.

Desertification is one of the most significant ecological and environmental problems in the world. It causes annual economic losses of 42 billion U.S. dollars worldwide and affects 167 countries and regions with a total population of more than two billion.

China, one of the most seriously affected countries, started research to combat desertification in the 1950s. After years of research, China is ahead of its peers.

The area of desertified land in the country is dropping by an annual average of more than 2,400 square km, compared to an annual average expansion of over 10,000 square km at the end of the last century, making China the first country in the world to achieve desert shrinkage.

About 76.8 percent of the land in Mongolia and 70 percent of the land in Kazakhstan suffer from soil degradation.

"The Chinese research institutes are well developed. They have experienced scientists and appropriate equipment," said Yerlan Turuspekov, a researcher with the Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology of Kazakhstan.

China has 90 projects for global cooperation in desertification prevention, and the country shares its anti-desertification technology with others.

"I hope the international cooperation will bring about more technological innovation and help people improve their living environment," said Wang.
You are here: China

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), presided over the first meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform Wednesday.

"The launch of deeper reform of the Party and state institutions marks a new stage for deepening reform in all areas," said Xi, also Chinese president, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and head of the central committee for deepening overall reform.

Deputy heads of the committee Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng attended the meeting.

"The reform will further touch upon profound adjustment of interests patterns and changes of the system of institutions," Xi said.

With the reform becoming more complex, sensitive and onerous, Xi called for efforts to strengthen and improve the Party's coordination and leadership over deepening reform in all areas, and incorporate the reform of institutions with the advancement of reform tasks.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up drive.

Transforming the former central leading group for deepening overall reform to the central committee for deepening overall reform is an important measure to improve the institutions and mechanisms by which the Party exercises leadership over major work, read a statement issued after the meeting.

Participants at the meeting approved a number of documents:

-- work rules of the central committee for deepening overall reform as well as its special groups and general office;

-- a guideline on further streamlining approval procedures;

-- a plan to set up a financial court in Shanghai;

-- a document on establishing a mechanism for China's participation in international macro-economic policy coordination to improve international economic governance structure;

-- plans for deepening reform and opening-up in pilot free trade zones in Guangdong, Tianjin and Fujian;

-- a guideline to regulate the asset management businesses of financial institutions;

-- a guideline on strengthening regulation over the investment of non-financial enterprises in financial institutions;

-- a document on wage reform in state-owned enterprises;

-- pilot reform plans on the sequence of on-duty police officers and technical police personnel;

-- a document on deepening reform in review and evaluation of projects, talent and institutions;

-- a document on improving integrity in scientific research;

-- a document on strengthening Party building at public hospitals;

-- a document on strengthening team building for mediators.

Attendees at the meeting also discussed a report on deepening reform of the disciplinary inspection and supervision system and the institutions of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the national supervisory commission, as well as a report on the first round of inspection over environmental protection led by central authorities.
You are here: China

Talent is being highly sought after as Chinese cities seek further development, reports People's Daily.

In the latest move to secure talent, authorities in Shanghai have released a series of new policies to attract top overseas talent as the city strives to build itself into a global innovation center for science and technology.

More than 20 other Chinese cities, including Beijing, Hangzhou and Nanjing, have also released new policies to attract top talent.



Favorable policies include simplified procedures to get residency permits, rental discounts and house purchasing subsidies.

Innovative personnel in the field of science and technology are the main focus. Shanghai has been able to snap-up some 75,000 such high-quality Chinese professionals over the past two years. Beijing has listed science and technology as one of the seven fields which the city urgently needs to upgrade its talent base.

International talents are also being sought after amid the competition.

According to a CGTN report, new measures issued by Beijing's government will make it easier for overseas talent to obtain visas, work permits and long-term residential visas.

Measures to snap-up foreign talent in Hangzhou include favorable entry-exit policies, funding for startups, as well as direct employment and subsidies for foreign graduates.

Jiangsu's capital, Nanjing, is offering foreign graduates who want to start a business residency permits which will be valid for 2 to 5 years.

In this year's national government work report, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stressed that the country will broaden its channels for foreign talent to come to China, while encouraging overseas Chinese students to return to start businesses.

Observers say the thirst for overseas talent reflects Chinese cities' desire to increase their global recognition.
On March 24, Beijing National Stadium (also known as the Bird's Nest), as well as many other landmarks across China, switched off their lights at 8:30 p.m. for an hour as part of China's effort as a participant in a global movement which brings millions together across the world to call for greater actions on environmental protection.

Organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the movement, called the "Earth Hour," encourages individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights for one hour as a visual display of their commitment and a symbolic show of solidarity for the planet.

The movement's debut ceremony was held at the Bird's Nest in 2009. Run by the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co., Ltd., the Bird's Nest is one of the major venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and a landmark in the Chinese capital. It has been an advocate and practitioner of energy conservation, emission reduction and environmental protection. The stadium adopts advanced energy-saving design and environmental protection measures, such as natural ventilation and natural lighting, comprehensive recycle of rainwater, and utilization of renewable geothermal energy.

This year's event encourages people to adopt a green lifestyle that is friendly to the natural environment, beneficial to energy conservation and emission reduction, and helpful for promoting environmental protection and sustainable development in society.

Lo Sze Ping, chief representative of WWF's Beijing Office, said he hopes the event could guide the public to act beyond the 60 minutes, and turn the efforts toward protecting the ecology, the environment, and people's health into an everyday lifestyle.

The one-hour lights out at the Bird's Nest is estimated to save over 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, and reduce carbon dioxide emission for approximately one ton.
The eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has transferred more than 2.5 billion cubic meters of water to Shandong province since the first phase of this project began operation on Nov.15, 2013, officials from the administrative bureau of the project's eastern route said.

Over the past four years, the eastern route has transferred 170 million, 328 million, 602 million and 889 million cubic meters of water, respectively, to Shandong province, officials said. In 2018, the transfer volume is expected to reach 1.08 billion cubic meters.



The project has provided a stable supply of water from the south to the dry north and helped to increase the water quality as well. According to the officials, the quality of the diverted water has remained at the level of Class III of environmental quality standards for surface water.

Designed to divert water from China's longest river, the Yangtze River, the eastern route of the water diversion project started in Yangzhou city, Jiangsu province. The first stage of the project aims to supply water to dry areas in Jiangsu, Shandong, and Anhui provinces.

The first phase of the eastern route is 1,467 kilometers in total, with 404 kilometers in Jiangsu province. There are 13 pumping stations built along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and other parallel rivers to pump water from the Yangtze, contributing to irrigation, shipping and water supplies to cities along the route.

The Jinhu and Hongze pumping stations are the two major stations built along the eastern route, which also help to set examples for new technologies and environmentally friendly designs for the project's future development.

In 2017, the Jinhu station transferred 229 million cubic meters of water through self-developed and energy-efficient technology.

"The new technology was awarded the first prize of China's top technology awards on water conservancy and widely applied in other pumping stations along the route," said Guo Jun, the station manager.

The Hongze station, while diverting water and generating electricity for nearby villages, has been responsible for tackling pollution threats along the eastern route. The station has taken a slew of measures to treat improperly disposed household waste and sewage waste discharged into rivers. After constructing structures for pollution prevention and control, the Hongze station was officially recognized as a national scenic spot in 2015.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project was conceived by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong in 1952. The construction on the eastern route began on Dec. 27, 2002.
The right rural base of Donald Trump finally saw that the Trump administration is now hijacked by neoconservative hawks. This is essentially a Bush 43rd administration on steroids. The tariffs are a signal of hardening neoconservatism, although there's still a hope that this issue will be resolved by talks. That is not all. The Trump administration will now have two of the most staunchest neoconservatives, John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo. Analysts fear that this might only exacerbate the more hawkish tendencies in Trump himself.



Additional tariffs on certain Chinese goods and intellectual property cases against China in WTO would mean that there's a chance of a trade war, but it will depend on the escalation from both sides. "We have a tremendous intellectual property theft problem, it's going to make us a much stronger, much richer nation," Trump was quoted to say. The tariffs from the U.S. side is on 1300 goods mostly in the technology, rail and medicine sector where the Chinese have a competitive advantage.

This is a trade war, which is fundamentally unilateral, and started by President Trump. The Chinese side has said repeatedly that it has no interest in a trade war. President Xi has repeatedly stated his opposition to protectionism, and in his speech in Davos mentioned that there are no winners in a trade war. The Chinese retaliation in 128 sectors will include wine, dried fruit and nuts, fresh fruit, steel pipes, ginseng, and modified ethanol which will be subjected to 15 percent tariffs. Aluminum and pork would see around 25 percent. In a curious move, the Trump administration wants to start a dialogue with China urging them to lower tariffs on cars.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said in interviews that he is hopeful of a trade deal with China during the talks and a trade war is unlikely if a solution could be reached. He also categorically mentioned that while the U.S. isn't afraid of a trade war, it's not the objective, a rhetoric which mirrors Beijing. It's evident that at least someone in the American side understands that a trade war isn't good, regardless of whatever comes out of the Whitehouse. Moreover, the case in the WTO is stacked against the U.S. in relation to tariffs.

Needless to say, this is a move what defies logic from Trump's side, and only can be attributed to domestic politics. Trump needs to show he is tough on other countries, to his base. Ultimately however it is his base who will suffer. Even if Trump makes intellectual property his hill to die on, the intellectual property war would benefit only the coastal tech base and would do nothing for his heartland base. Instead, a counter tariff on fruits, wine and pork would ravage his support base. It is not clear however if that's what Trump wants, to foment a siege mentality in his base for the next election, an idea that they are at war with everyone around the world.

The markets are not much worried. The Guardian reported gains in the stock market, and saner minds still hope that there's more bluster than actual malice in all the trade war talks. There's simply panic among farmers in response to Trump's plan. "We sell a lot of pork to China, so higher tariffs on our exports going there will harm our producers and undermine the rural economy," Jim Heimerl, the president of the National Pork Producers Council was quoted by Guardian.

That would send a chill down the spine of the Republican leaders who are standing for reelection in the midterms and is in effect the strongest deterrence against any unilateral scorched earth trade policy the U.S. government is planning to undertake. Ultimately, however, Trump has no ally in his trade war, neither in Europe, nor in Japan or Canada. Trump needs China for different geopolitical challenges and to tackle them simultaneously and together. If he cannot manage that, his presidency would be regarded as a failure. This trade war would then be considered his first and biggest blunder.

Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
You are here: World

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Russia's Strategic Missile Force has begun large-scale command-and-staff exercises in the Urals, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

More than 3,000 troops and about 300 units of equipment will be involved in the drills in Sverdlovsk region to improve combat readiness and capability, the ministry said in a press release.

Transport and combat helicopters as well as drones will be used to search and strike simulated enemies. Supersonic interceptor MiG-31 and reconnaissance aircraft An-30 will also be mobilized.

The strategic missile drills are being held amid escalated tensions between Russia and Western countries over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.
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Polling stations in Egypt closed Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time (0800 GMT) , bringing an end to the three-day presidential elections which kicked off on Monday.



Incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi is expected to make an easy win on his sole rival, a little-known politician, for a second four-year term.

The Egyptian leadership seeks a high voter turnout as a sign of popular support for President Sisi's reelection and the people's confidence in his leadership for a better future.

On March 19, the most populous Arab state wrapped up the three-day voting process of Egyptian expatriates in about 124 countries across the world.

Nearly 60 million Egyptians out of the country's 104 million population are eligible to vote in some 13,700 polling stations nationwide.

Judge Yossif Jamal, head of Hadayek al-Maadi polling station in Cairo told Xinhua the turnout in his station was medium, adding that it increased notably on the third day.

"Around 25 percent of voters in this station cast their votes," he said, adding that during the three days of elections the polling station witnessed a medium voter turnout, with mostly women and old people approaching the ballots.

The judge said the percentage registered at this station could not be an indication as many stations across the country witnessed a high turnout that exceeded 50 percent.

"After counting the ballots, the results will be sent to the National Elections Authority which will announce the final results later next week," he pointed out.

The election's final result will be announced on April 2, according to the National Election Authority.

Right after polling stations were closed, President Sisi hailed the Egyptians for participating in the elections.

"The scenes of the Egyptians before the polling stations will remain sources of honor and pride for me, and a shining proof of the greatness of our nation," Sisi posted on his Facebook page.

The polls are held amid intense security presence and tight security measures taken by the army and the police around polling centers throughout Egypt.

Voters cast their ballots at some 13,706 polling stations nationwide, with about 18,000 judges overseeing the voting process that is also monitored by at least 53 local organizations and nine international ones, besides more than 680 foreign reporters.

Hours before the election kicked off, the police announced the killing of six terrorists during a raid in Beheira province north of the capital Cairo.

The interior ministry said the terrorist cell was involved in Saturday's car bomb attack in the nearby coastal province of Alexandria that killed two policemen and wounded at least four others.

Terror activities in Egypt have killed hundreds of security men and civilians since the military toppled Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Brotherhood group.

The country's elections authority announced on Wednesday that the governorates of Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, and North Sinai, which suffer the most from terrorist attacks, witnessed the highest voter turnout throughout the three days of elections.
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Turkey will take action if Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) do not withdraw immediately from Syria's Manbij region, Turkish National Security Council (MGK) said on Wednesday.

The MGK meeting was chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with participation of Premier Minister, Chief of General Staff, and other high-ranking officials.

"Terrorists in Manbij should be removed from the region as soon as possible, or else Turkey will not abstain from taking initiative," said a statement released after the meeting.

It added that Turkey will "take action" if Iraq failed to halt Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist group's activities in its territory.

Manbij sits on the west bank of the Euphrates River and the east of Syria's Afrin region, where Turkey has taken over recently from YPG militants after intensive military operations.

Ankara considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization, but the U.S. sees the group as effective partner in the fight against Islamic State and provides it military supplement, stirring disagreement between the two NATO members.
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Japanese parliament enacted on Wednesday a record-high 97.71 trillion yen (US$926 billion) budget for fiscal 2018 with soaring social security costs and military spending.

Japan's House of Councillors approved the budget plan Wednesday after it was greenlighted by the House of Representatives on Feb. 28.

According to the budget, the fiscal year starting from April 2018 will see a record-high 74.41 trillion yen (US$701 billion) earmarked for policy spending in the general account of the Japanese government.

Among the major outlays, spending on social security will rise to a record high of some 32.97 trillion yen (US$311 billion), accounting for a third of the total budget, on the back of the increasingly aging society of Japan.

Defense spending, another major outlay, also hit a record-high of 5.19 trillion yen (US$49 billion), rising for the sixth straight year since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in 2012.

Among the defense spending, some 730 million yen (US$6.88 million) are expected to be used to prepare for the introduction of the U.S.-developed land-based "Aegis Ashore" missile defense system.

Debt serving expenses, including payment for interests, are to reach 23.30 trillion yen (US$219 billion).

The spending is expected to be mainly covered by taxes and other revenues collected by the government, with tax revenue predicted to leap to 59.08 trillion yen (US$557 billion).

The government, meanwhile, expects to reduce its dependence on debt, though very slightly, to 34.5 percent, from the 35.3 percent in the fiscal 2017, with issuance of new bonds expected to fall to 33.69 trillion yen (US$317 billion) in fiscal 2018.

The government, which uses debt for financing more than other developed economies, however, is still burdened with arrears that continue to stand as the highest in the industrialized world, amounting to more than twice the size of Japan's economy.

The current budget plan is the first since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in essence, abandoned the government's target of achieving a primary budget surplus by fiscal 2020 by opting to raise spending on child welfare and education.
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The Chinese Embassy in Kuwait said Wednesday that China hopes to integrate its Belt and Road Initiative with Kuwait's development strategy to promote beneficial cooperation.

In a lecture at the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK), Cheng Yongru, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait, explained in details the concept and content of the Chinese initiative, as well as the broad prospect of the Sino-Kuwait cooperation within the framework of the initiative.

"Through this lecture... I would like to share and exchange with the audience some of our ideas and practices with an aim to enhance communication and promote mutual understanding," said Cheng.

"We also want to promote the integration between the Belt and Road Initiative and Kuwait's development strategy so as to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in trade and infrastructure," he noted.

The audience, including teachers, students and local businessmen, expressed the hope to further understand how the initiative will integrate resources and promote China's cooperation with countries along the ancient trade routes.

Arther Seakhoa-king, assistant professor at the ACK Business School, said it was the first time for him to know what the Belt and Road Initiative really means.

"It was very pleased to understand that the initiative involves everybody, wherever they are, in Africa, the United States or Europe. The Belt and Road Initiative is an opportunity for everybody," he said.

Li Biao, secretary general of the Association of Chinese Companies in Kuwait, said Kuwait is an important market for Chinese enterprises, many of which have entered the Kuwaiti market since the initiative was put forward in 2013.

"At present, many Chinese companies are dedicated to the construction of large roads and bridges in Kuwait and the planning and construction of new cities. Under the framework of the initiative and 'Kuwait 2035,' there will be a very good development prospect for Chinese companies," Li said.

The initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.

In February 2010, the Kuwaiti government unveiled the "Kuwait 2035," a national development strategy to turn the traditionally oil-dependent country into a trade and financial hub.
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Polish defense minister Mariusz Blaszczak on Wednesday signed a contract in Warsaw to buy U.S. Patriot air and missile defense systems.

The contract was formally signed in a ceremony, which attended by Polish president Andrzej Duda and prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Polish News Agency (PAP) reported that Poland will pay US$4.75 billion for the systems.

Duda said that the cost of the U.S. Patriot air and missile defense systems is huge but "the security has no price". He added that the Patriot systems are to constitute the basis of Poland's air defense for decades.

Morawiecki announced on Tuesday that "the first Patriot systems will reach Poland in 2022, followed by further systems two years later, in 2024".

In November last year, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of the Patriot System to Poland and said that the deal will give Poland "greater flexibility to conduct air and missile defense operations" with the United States and other NATO members.
 Flash

Ecuador's government on Wednesday said it suspended WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's access to all outside communications, including the internet, where he maintained an active political presence.



Some of his recent pronouncements risked impacting Ecuador's ties with other countries, the government said.

"The government of Ecuador cautions that Assange's behavior, via messages on social networks, put at risk the country's good relations with Britain, with the other countries of the European Union and other nations," the National Communications Ministry (Secom) said in a statement.

The ministry added that Assange had previously agreed to refrain from publicly making politically sensitive statements.

"The decision (to suspend access) was made after Assange failed to fulfill an agreement he signed with the government at the end of 2017, which obligates him to refrain from issuing messages that could be presumed to interfere in (the affairs of) other states," according to the statement.

On Sunday, Assange posted several messages on Twitter criticizing the arrest of Carles Puigdemont, Spain's former Catalan leader, sparking the decision to suspend his access to all communications.

"To prevent potential damage, on March 27 the London embassy suspended Assange's access to communications with the outside," the ministry said.

Ecuador granted Assange political asylum in 2012, but the anti-secrecy activist has been living in virtual captivity at its embassy in London, as the British government has refused to give him safe passage to leave the country.

Assange's lawyers are to meet with Ecuadorian envoys in London next week to discuss the measure, Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Fernanda Espinoza said later in the day.

"We will explore options within the framework of international law and our own legislation and the Ecuadorian Constitution," Espinoza told reporters.

"The important thing is to continue to dialogue with Britain to find a definitive and lasting solution to this situation that the current government has inherited from the previous administration," she said.

Assange, who after six years in confinement is reportedly in ailing health, was granted asylum by former president Rafael Correa.

In December, Moreno's government granted him citizenship in a bid to break the diplomatic and legal deadlock with Britain over Assange's fate. The idea was to give him diplomatic status and immunity, but Britain refused to go along with the plan.
China Aviation Daily | Mar. 27, 2018

Cobalt Air, Cyprus' largest airline, inaugurated a new daily service between Heathrow and Larnaca today, re-establishing an important link last served by the former Cyprus Airways in 2015. A new, enhanced business class offering, including dine on demand, is being introduced coinciding with service start, complementing the airline's increasingly popular economy experience. A limited number of great value seats are still available over the Easter period. See www.cobalt-aero, your local travel agent or telephone 0330 808 0430 for details.

The addition of Heathrow on 27th March makes it a hat-trick of London airports for expanding Cobalt Air, which is already established at London Stansted and Gatwick, plus Manchester in north west UK.

Departures to Larnaca from Heathrow also offer convenient onward connections to Cobalt's Abu Dhabi, UAE services - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Andrew Madar, CEO of Cobalt Air, commented: "Cobalt is already Cyprus' largest airline, offering flights to over 20 destinations from the island. We are delighted to be extending our network further with a daily service between Heathrow and Larnaca. At Cobalt, we offer great value and service in our Economy cabin and large bespoke seats plus dine-on-demand catering in our Business cabin."

Simon Eastburn, Director of Airline Business Development at Heathrow said, "We are delighted to welcome Cobalt Air to Heathrow. This daily service gives passengers more choice and greater opportunity to fly to this popular short-haul holiday destination. We hope passengers enjoy the fantastic choice of dining options and services we offer in Terminal 3."

Cobalt is flying Airbus A320 aircraft from London Heathrow to Larnaca with 12 seats in Business and 144 in Economy.Its new business class product is in a two-by-two configuration with a 40" pitch and economy a generous 30".

Timed to appeal to both business and leisure passengers, flights depart London Heathrow's Terminal 3 at 17.20 and arrive into Larnaca at 23.50. On the return journey, flights leave Larnaca at 12.45 midday and arrive back in London Heathrow T3 at 15.45.

Contributed by Cobalt Air




China Aviation Daily | Mar. 24, 2018

Austrian Airlines is once again showcasing an extensive offering in the new 2018 summer flight schedule, encompassing 138 destinations in 55 countries. "We are focusing on Germany this year. However, we will also boost our flights to Greece and Italy in the summer flight schedule of 2018", explains Austrian Airlines CCO Andreas Otto. The airline's portfolio of long-haul flights is also being expanded in the summer season. Austria's flag carrier will operate five weekly flights to Tokyo as of May 15, 2018. In addition to traditional holiday destinations in Europe, Austrian Airlines will offer more flight connections in the upcoming summer to Tel Aviv, the Israeli metropolis on the Mediterranean. On balance, there will be 18 weekly Austrian Airlines flights between Vienna and Tel Aviv. The summer flight schedule will take effect on March 25, 2018.

Focus on Germany

Austrian Airlines will substantially expand its flight offering to Germany in the upcoming summer. Austria's national airline will fly up to 55 times per week to Berlin-Tegel, a rise of 21 flights compared to the summer of 2017. Flight connections to Dusseldorf will also be increased with the start of the new summer flight schedule. Austrian Airlines will come close to doubling its offering to Dusseldorf compared to the previous year by operating up to 38 flights per week. Stuttgart is also a key destination in the summer with up to 31 weekly flights from Vienna or five more flight connections than in the last summer flight schedule. On balance, Austrian Airlines is upgrading its flight offering from Vienna to German destinations by adding up to 43 flights per week, with the total number of flight connections from Vienna to Germany up to 248 per week.

More flights to Greece and Italy

Due to rising demand, Austrian Airlines will fly more frequently to Chania, Corfu, Karpathos, Kos and Athens. The airline will operate three additional flights each week, raising the total to 55 weekly flight connections to 17 destinations in Greece.

Italy also remains a popular vacation destination. For this reason, Austrian Airlines is expanding its offering by up to thirteen additional flights per week. Frequencies are being increased to Venice, Catania, Olbia and Cagliari, amongst other destinations. Austrian Airlines will operate up to 112 flights each week to eleven destinations in Italy.

Central and Eastern Europe remain the airline's core markets

Austrian Airlines will continue to be a specialist for Central and Eastern Europe. The Austrian home carrier will fly to a total of 33 destinations in the upcoming summer season. The offering encompasses four cities in the Ukraine i.e. Kiev, Dnipro, Lviv and Odessa. Frequencies will be increased by one additional flight to the latter two destinations to push the total up to eleven weekly flights in each case. On balance, Austrian Airlines will offer up to 42 flights per week connecting Vienna and the Ukraine.

The offering of flight connections to Russia encompasses up to 28 weekly flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar.

The 2018 flight schedule of Austrian Airlines also includes three destinations in Romania, with up to 47 weekly flights operated to Bucharest, Iasi and Sibiu.

Expansion of long-haul routes

Starting on May 15, 2018, Austrian Airlines will expand its portfolio of long-haul flight connections by adding another highlight, namely Tokyo. It will operate a Boeing 777 on five weekly flights to the Japanese capital city and metropolis of millions, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Moreover, North America is once again strongly represented in the summer flight schedule. For example, the Austrian Airlines flight offering once again includes the popular tourist destination of Los Angeles with six weekly flights. Furthermore, four flights will be operated each week to Miami, six to Toronto and daily flights will be offered to Washington and Chicago. Austrian Airlines will continue to offer thirteen flights each week to the New York airports of Newark and JFK.

Contributed by Austrian Airlines




A Sichuan chef from the University of Electronic Science and Technology (UESTC) in Chengdu, China shows the students at a local catering vocational high school named Lycee George Freche in Montpellier how to make Kung Pao chicken. [Photo provided to China Daily]

What does it feel like when Sichuan food meets Western food?

The University of Electronic Science and Technology (UESTC) in Chengdu, China recently sent a delegation of Sichuan chefs from its school cafeteria to conduct culinary and food cultural exchanges with their overseas counterparts at the Confucius Institute in Montpellier, France, and the Confucius Institute at the University of Louvain in Belgium.

The Confucius Institute in Montpellier and UESTC co-hosted a two-day event called "Sichuan Cuisine Festival". The Sichuan chefs introduced the characteristics of Sichuan cuisine and showed how to make kung pao chicken at a local catering vocational high school named Lycee George Freche. Under the guidance of three chefs, the students also tried their hands at making Sichuan cuisine.

There was also a PK section between Chinese and Western food. People who ate at the vocational school could choose either Chinese food or Western food. The chefs from UESTC prepared kung pao chicken, mapo tofu and poached sliced beef in hot chili oil for the dining guests who chose Sichuan cuisine. The chefs were greeted with continuous applause and cheers when they came out of the kitchen.

In the evening, a large-scale Chinese-French food feast began. Chantal Marion, deputy mayor of Montpellier, France, Christian Lagarde, vice-chancellor of the University of Montpellier, and representatives from the Confucius Institute in Montpellier attended the banquet. The traditional Sichuan cuisine served at the banquet won high praise from the guests.

The delegation had a three-day visit at the University of Leuven, Belgium. They visited ALMA, Leuven's largest student restaurant, where the chefs were invited to prepare a special dish for the students -- the Belgian chefs' version of kung pao chicken. Nearly 300 students stood in line for the dish.

Daniel Lips, head of the ALMA, thanked the Confucius Institute and UESTC delegation for bringing Sichuan cuisine to the restaurant, and said the restaurant was considering adding kung pao chicken to the regular menu.

The delegation also visited VTI, a technical institute in Leuven, where the Sichuan chefs and Belgian chefs had an exchange on cooking. The Sichuan chefs cooked kung pao chicken, mapo tofu and chrysanthemum fish, while the Belgian chefs cooked Western food.
UK delegation rounds off visit to Chongqing Updated: 2018-03-28 chinadaily.com.cn

A delegation from the United Kingdom visited eight primary and secondary schools in Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing Municipality from March 19 to March 23, seeking cooperation in overseas exchanges, resource sharing and curriculum building.

The delegation, which consisted of 20 education officials, experienced professionals, principals and full-time teachers from Wales, UK, studied the principles, methods and evaluation mechanisms of mathematics education in these selected Chongqing schools.

Delegates from Wales pose with teachers and students from Jinyu Primary School in Liangjiang New Area on March 19. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

The visit was jointly conducted by the Chongqing Municipality Education Committee and the British Council and organized by the Liangjiang New Area Bureau of Education.

As mathematics is an important part of Sino-UK cooperation in elementary education, Wales has targeted Chongqing Municipality for further projects.

Delegates were treated to Chinese etiquette and modern dance shows at Jinyu School, where they also observed an open class demonstrating the school's math education techniques. In a subsequent conversation, the two sides discussed the planning, design, practices and efficiency of the math class.

Teachers from the UK and Liangjiang discuss the planning, design, practices and efficiency of math classes during a casual discussion. [Photo/cqedu.cn]

At Jinzhou Primary School, delegates participated in a first-grade math class involving the tangram, a traditional Chinese dissection puzzle. They admired the ingenuity of tangrams and praised local students for their mathematical thinking.

The visit will hopefully promote the development of a more competitive global education system, according to the Liangjiang New Area Bureau of Education.

Liangjiang New Area will adhere to the principle of "expanding international schools, enhancing international communication and exploring areas of cooperation", bringing in more foreign education teams to build a world-class center of international education.
It can travel anywhere in time and space, and it looks much bigger on the inside (or smaller on the outside, depending on where youre standing). In 1963, it blended in perfectly as a British police box. But now, the intergalactic space cruiser stands out like a sore thumb, whether its landed in contemporary London or in the ancient Egyptian Sahara. It is strange, a foreign object that turns up in random places. And despite it being so alienliterallynobody seems to bat an eyelid at the presence of the TARDIS from the global hit television show Doctor Who.

The cross of Christ is a similar anomaly. Turning up in fashion era after fashion era, displayed in churches and schools and graveyards across the world, and gracing the lyrics of our worship songs and the walls of our art galleriesthis ancient instrument of Roman execution has become one of the most recognizable symbols on the planet. And yet it often escapes peoples notice.

Like the TARDIS, the cross is a strange entry point to something much greater than its humble appearance would suggest. Something that seemed so small and insignificantsuch as a relatively unknown Jewish man dying an unremarkable death at the hands of the Roman Empireis, in fact, an invitation into a much larger reality. It opens up something of the cavernous depth of meaning of the love, grace, wrath, and compassion of God. It offers fresh faith for the doubter, new hope for the despondent, belonging for the lonely, and salvation for the lost. The cross is not just a commemoration of death, but an invitation to life.

At the heart of the atonement is divine hospitality, where God invites the undeserving and unexpected to come home with him.

The final words of Jesus on the cross, as recorded in the Gospels, provide us with an entry point to understand that mysterious invitation. Each of the seven sayings crucially invites us to share in Gods revolutionary hospitality, not only being welcomed as the strangers and enemies we once were but also welcoming other strangers and enemies in his name and for his sake.

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

As Christians, we believe the crucifixion of Jesus marks the darkest moment in human history. But even as it begins, we see the character of Christ shine through. Lukes gospel records Jesus first words from the cross as Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (23:34). Jesus is pleading for Gods grace both for the Jews who are willfully rejecting him and for the Romans who are brutally executing him. Both for the soldiers who are hammering the nails in his wrists and the crowds who are looking on in approval.

It also has a greater resonance, reaching far beyond those first-century executioners to their accomplices in sin from every century. Jesus words are a prayer not for himself but for others. He does not use the last of his energy to call out for personal assistance from his heavenly Father but to plead the case of men who are strangers and enemies to him. His merciful words are a preemptive act of grace ahead of the obscene act that is to come. They are a precedent of grace that blazes a trail for all who seek to follow in his footsteps. They challenge us to put the needs of otherseven enemies and strangersahead of our own.

I am thirsty.

Jesus generous prayer for mercy for his enemies contrasts with what is recognized as his second saying of the cross. With the words I am thirsty, he now requests their mercy in the form of a drink to give him relief. This seems puzzling coming from one who revealed himself as the water of life in the form of a stranger by a Samaritan well. The man who taught his disciples to quench the thirst of strangers as evidence of their love for God now becomes that thirsty stranger. How ironic that the one who once provided wine at a wedding party is now left with nothing to drink. Or perhaps it is not ironic but poignant that the one who could calm the storms and walk on water now restrains his own power and relies on others to bring him a drink.

In his distress, Jesus is offered wine vinegar on a sponge. He receives it, enabling and accepting an act of hospitality even at this darkest of all moments. He receives it, despite it being little more than a gesture of scorn and hostility. When we are in need ourselves, can we be like Jesus and see it as an opportunity to give others the blessing of hospitality ministry?

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Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.

In the exchange of words between Jesus and the criminal dying beside him, we are given a significant picture of the welcome God offers to us amid all the trauma and tragedy. Speaking would have been extremely difficult because of the macabre methodology of crucifixion. Jesus chooses to use some of his last painful breaths to speak words of comfort and compassion to a stranger. Again we see at the cross of Christ the story of incredible grace. At the heart of the atonement is divine hospitality, where God invites the undeserving and unexpected to come home with him.

The thief on the cross recognizes Jesus solidarityhe knows that Jesus faces the same suffering that he himself is going through. He recognizes Jesus sanctity too: While everyone else saw a would-be king, a powerless non-savior, a disappointing quasi-messiah, this criminal alone recognizes his own guilt and Jesus innocence of all charges.

And he recognizes Jesus sovereigntythat he has a kingdom awaiting him after his death. Pilate had not grasped this, despite the caption he attached to the cross. The religious leaders had not grasped it, despite countless prophetic utterances that pointed to exactly this moment. Not even Jesus disciples had grasped it, despite having spent three years listening to Jesus explain it.

Apart from Jesus himself, not one other person had understood that the Crucifixion was not just a terrible miscarriage of justice but was the very means by which Jesus was going to be crowned King. Jesus endorses his neighbors take on events, graciously responding with the assurance that has become treasured as the third of Jesus seven sayings from the cross: Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

Jesus wants this self-confessed criminal to be in no doubt that he will shortly be receiving the ultimate VIP welcome into eternal life in Gods presence. Amidst the extreme pain he was suffering, these were words of comfort and privilege to cling to. Just in case we may have missed Jesus deliberate preferential treatment of the outcast in his ministry, he makes sure we dont miss it here. Turning up for his inauguration as King of Heaven, Jesus brings along a convicted criminal as his plus one.

Here is your son. . . . Here is your mother.

As Jesus hangs on the cross, John records his fourth saying. Jesus turns to his mother Mary, standing by his friend John, and says, Woman, here is your son, and to John, he says, Here is your mother. As if dying for the sins of the world and securing our eternal home werent a big enough task, Jesus secures temporal hospitality for those closest to him. The highly respected New Testament scholar D. A. Carson recognizes in these words the echo of a legal adoption formula, and John himself tells us that From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John adopted Mary as his own mother, to care for her needs and to console her in this time of great personal loss. In this simple act, we see Jesus promoting hospitality by practically enabling people to be reconciled to God and to one another.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Both Matthew and Mark record Jesus cry of desolation from the cross in the fifth saying: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Here Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, where King David is facing serious troubles. Davids cry of desperation, his description of the ridicule and insults he received, his heart melting like wax, his thirst, and the gambling for his clothes seem to describe Jesus crucifixion with uncanny accuracy. But Jesus use of the words expresses a much greater despair at the isolation that he was experiencing as he, God the Son, was alienated from God, his own Father.

In some profound and mysterious way, the Godhead, the one God who is in three persons, was disrupted by the cross. The consequence of Jesus carrying the crushing weight of the worlds sins on his shoulders is that he and his Father are estranged. Somehow, Jesus had to be forsaken by his Father, so that we could be forgiven. He was rejected so that we could be accepted. He was excluded from the mercy of God so that we could be included. Here is the ultimate act of hospitality, that Jesus would be displaced from the presence of God so that we could be welcomed into it.

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Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

The final words of Jesus that Luke records come as darkness falls at noon and the curtain in the temple is torn in two, declaring that God is no longer a stranger to his peopleall are welcome in his presence, his sanctuary. Jesus cries out, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. These words demonstrate that despite the agony of his death, Jesus still has great trust in and affection for his heavenly Father.

The words on Jesus lips are borrowed from Psalm 31, which is effectively a plea for asylum. In the middle of great personal distress, Davids cry expresses his trust in Gods protective care, in which he seeks refuge. Despite all appearances, God is his safe place, his panic room, his fortress. Jesus now asks for the same hospitality from Godfor sanctuary from the turmoil that he is in.

It is a poignant moment, witnessed by one unexpected person: a Roman centurion, an outsider amidst a crowd of insiders. He declares his praise to God: Surely he was the Son of God! This enemy and stranger sees what no one else can. Once again, even in the very moment of his death, Jesus is opening the way for those previously excluded from the kingdom of God to be reconciled and welcomed in.

It is finished.

Now Jesus utters his final words: It is finished. There are so many different ways in which those words are true. Jesus own suffering is finishedhe has identified with the pain of humanity to the utmost extreme. The sacrificial system that sustained Jewish religious practice for so long is finished and done with because the wrath of God is utterly satisfied with the sacrifice of his only Son. The captivity of humanity to sin is finished with the payment of the ransom necessary to liberate us from slavery to sin. The Passover is finished as Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, fulfills all that Gods rescue of his people from Egypt symbolized. The battle with evil is finished as Jesus the conquering King wins victory by dying in our place. Our exclusion from Gods presence is finally over.

These seven sayings from the cross on that strange, terrible, good Friday paint a beautiful multifaceted picture of Jesus as the great host of heaven. They also present us with an urgent challenge this Easter: Will we join with Jesus to invite othersoutsiders, enemies, and strangersinto our homes and our hearts in anticipation of our eternal hope?

To be honest, I hadnt noticed before that hospitality is the golden thread that weaves throughout each of the sayings of the cross. Despite teaching these passages each Good Friday for decades, it took a global refugee crisis to open my eyes to the fact that welcoming the stranger is a dominant theme, not just of the Crucifixion, but of the whole of Scripture. Too often I had interpreted these verses as a form of pietistic therapyI would only remind my congregation that God loved them so much that Jesus had died for them. This is true, but the cross has so much more to say to us. So much more to challenge us with.

Hearing Christs words from the cross again, my prayer is that you would be challenged by the radical hospitality of God and you might consider what it means for you to walk in the way of the cross. To whom might God be calling you to show radical hospitality? To whom is God asking you to open up your home, your family, your church? Christ alone has died for the sins of the world, but his cross must pattern our lives and surely that means we offer Christs welcome to the outcast, the refugee, the foster child, and the widow.

Krish Kandiah is the founder of the fostering and adoption charity Home for Good and lectures on justice, hospitality, and mission at Regents Park College, Oxford University, and Regent College Vancouver. This article is adapted from his most recent book, God Is Stranger (IVP, 2017).
The magic returns; the strains of our music will once more ring forth. Consortium Aurora Borealis is back in action after the silence imposed on so many arts organizations by COVID-19.
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AKRON, Ohio - An Akron man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for seriously injuring a Cuyahoga Falls police officer by ramming his truck into a patrol car.

Donald Watson Jr., 47, rammed Cuyahoga Falls officer Ted Davis' patrol car during a July 23, 2016 police chase, prosecutors said. Davis suffered broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, and a ruptured diaphragm and spent more than a week in a hospital.

Watson pleaded guilty last week to attempted murder, felonious assault, aggravated arson, vandalism and attempted aggravated vehicular assault in the case.

Judge Jason Wells sentenced him Thursday in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

Watson's attorney, John Greven, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The police chase happened shortly after Watson called the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department and threatened to kill officers. He then rammed his truck into patrol cars that were parked outside the police department, prosecutors said.

Several police officers chased Watson's truck as he drove away. He struck another car during the pursuit, prosecutors said.

When the chase reached Broad Street, Watson drove across a gap in the median dividing the road and rammed Davis' patrol car, prosecutors said.

Investigators later discovered the crash happened just hours after Watson set fire to his own home in Akron. Watson burned his legs but the home sustained minor damage, prosecutors said.

To comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The city of Cleveland's projected 2018 budget includes millions of dollars in expenditures related to the ongoing police reform efforts it agreed to with the Justice Department.

The money is going toward initiatives either created for or expressly required by the consent decree, including up to $228,000 for a new police oversight office and more than $777,000 to staff and run a community commission.

There are also other costs not directly required by the reform agreement but that are related, including millions of dollars to hire more police officers.

The Cleveland City Council approved the city's $1.7 billion budget on Monday, largely leaving Mayor Frank Jackson's original proposal intact. The mayor signed the budget the next day.

The city entered into the consent decree in 2015 following a Justice Department investigation that revealed decades of unconstitutional policing.

Sharon Dumas, the city's finance director and Jackson's acting chief of staff, acknowledged the costs of the consent decree, while far from the city's biggest expenditure, does account for a lot of expenses.

The consent decree also requires a series of technological upgrades, as the Justice Department found that Cleveland police uses out-of-date computers and equipment and lags far behind other mid-to-large-sized cities.

The budget signed this week does not fully account for all of an estimated $3 million the city will spend in 2018 to upgrade the police department's technology and equipment, such as buying new cruisers and installing computers in them. Those expenses come through a capital budget, expected to be presented in the coming weeks.

Those upgrades began last year, and Dumas estimated that the city has already paid about $2 million for them.

Such costs should be expected by residents until a federal judge determines the city is in full compliance with the consent decree. While Cleveland missed many deadlines outlined in the original agreement, Dumas insisted the city will complete the required reforms within the five-year minimum timeframe.

Here are a few ways police reform made its way into the city's 2018 budget:

Hiring more police officers

Jackson made a promise during the 2017 election to hire more police officers as the city experienced an increase in violent crime. The mayor also said money from a 0.5 percent municipal income tax increase that voters passed in 2016 would go toward hiring more officers.

The consent decree does not explicitly require the city to hire more officers. It does, however, require the city to assess the department's staffing and determine whether more officers are needed.

While the city has not yet completed that staffing study, it determined that hiring more officers is necessary. This resulted in city's plan to hire 150 more officers in 2018 and 100 more in 2019.

The police department is projected to spend more than $201 million in 2018. That's over $16 million more than what it spent in 2017, according to the estimates in Jackson's budget plan.

Office of Professional Standards

The office that investigates citizen complaints against police officers is projected to spend about $2.26 million in 2018. It spent about $1.18 million in 2017.

The city's hope is that what's contained in the budget will fix problems the monitoring team and Justice Department have flagged with the office.

Shortly after the monitoring team was hired in 2015, it found serious issues with the investigations OPS has undertaken. It has also found that there is a backlog of unfinished investigations that now stretch back to 2015.

The city has struggled with ways to clear the backlog and reform the office. It rewrote the office's manuals, hired more full-time investigators and other temporary ones. However, about 380 unfinished cases remain on the books.

It has now, under the threat of firm action from the federal judge overseeing the consent decree, agreed to hire an outside agency to investigate the backlog. The city has budgeted nearly $1 million for OPS to spend on "professional services," and an agency is expected to be hired with some of that money.

The city in 2018 budgeted for 14 OPS positions, including two more investigators, a project coordinator and a "senior investigator" that will act as a supervisor and advisor.

The Civilian Police Review Board, which reviews OPS investigations and makes disciplinary decisions, also has an estimated budget of about $164,000.

Community Police Commission

The expenditures for the Cleveland Community Police Commission, a group mandated by the consent decree to represent the voice of residents on reform-related issues, are set to be about $777,000 in 2018.

The 13-person board holds regular meetings, solicits feedback from the community and makes recommendations on new police policies and procedures.

The commission was established in 2015 and its volunteer members determined that a professional staff was necessary to perform the outreach and clerical work necessary for it to function properly.

The board hired an executive director and four staffers last year. It spent about $287,000 in 2017, but it was also in the midst of hiring for the new positions and did not have to pay every person a full year's salary and benefits.

Inspector general

The city has agreed to hire an inspector general, which will add another layer of scrutiny to the police department. The city has not yet filled that position.

The mayor will appoint the inspector general, who will have access to department records and will conduct audits to ensure that officers adhere to policies and that those policies follow state and federal laws. The inspector general will also examine Office of Professional Standards investigations, analyze department trends and ensure consistent discipline is being imposed.

Whoever takes the position cannot have worked for Cleveland police department.

The city has budgeted up to $228,000 for the inspector general's office. It is looking to hire three positions for the office, including the inspector general and two auditors.

Implementation

In all, the city has 12 positions budgeted for 2018 that deal directly with the requirements contained in its reform agreement with the Justice Department. The city budgeted for these positions in 2017, but many of them were not filled until the first few months of this year, Dumas said.

While consent decree coordinator Greg White was hired in 2016, the city also budgeted for and mostly filled several analyst positions. These employees installed and will maintain new software programs the city is using to modernize the department, Dumas said. These include computer-aided dispatch and programs that allow officers to file police reports from the field.

The analysts will also help study data on trends in the police department in areas such as use of force and search and seizure.

The city has also reassigned a police captain, two sergeants and a patrol officer, all of whom will be responsible for recruitment efforts for new police officers, Dumas said.

The city also placed Ron Bakeman, the new civilian head of internal affairs, underneath this category. Bakeman started in February.

This category includes payments to the monitoring team and officer training efforts.

The city spent nearly $2.6 million on these positions and other implementation costs in 2017, according to the mayor's budget estimate. The city projected that it will spend $5.8 million this year.
CLEVELAND, Ohio --An Akron man is on trial this week on charges that accuse him of selling fentanyl to a woman who died.

Jurmaine Jeffries, 29, is charged in the death of Jamie Huffer. The 52-year-old's mother found her dead in September 2015 of an overdose in the attic of a home in Akron's Goodyear Heights neighborhood.

While prosecutors say they can prove that Jeffries was the one who sold the fatal dose of the powerful opioid to Huffer, Jeffries' attorney says Huffer was also a drug dealer and that police never definitively tied Jeffries or any drugs he supposedly sold to her death.

Jeffries faces two drug distribution charges, one of which contains what is called a "death specification." If convicted with the death specification, he faces a minimum of 20 years in federal prison.

A jury was picked Wednesday in U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr.'s courtroom. Jeffries is free on bond.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley, during her opening statement, promised the jury "the whole story," with both the good and the bad. She said Huffer's body was found surrounded by needles, bags of drugs, pills, spoons and lighters.

Akron police found texts on Huffer's phone from Jeffries' number that showed she had ordered drugs from him the day she died, Riley said. The officers texted Jeffries to order more and arrested him when he pulled up to the house a little while later.

Officers found bags drugs in his car and in his pants pocket, Riley said.

Carolyn Kucharski, a federal public defender representing Jeffries, emphasized that Huffer's body was found "surrounded by extensive evidence of long-term drug abuse" and that she was a user and dealer with multiple ways to get her drugs.

In other words, the federal government can't say for sure that Jeffries supplied Huffer with the fatal dose, Kucharski said.

While Jeffries does not contest a charge that says he had drugs on him when he was arrested, Kucharski said detectives zeroed in on Jeffries and "jumped to a conclusion too soon" that he was their suspect.

Riley, in her opening statement, told the jury that it cannot consider whether Huffer holds any responsibility for her death, as she is not on trial.

The trial could last as long as two weeks.

Federal prosecutors have used so-called "death spec" cases as one of the tools to fight the deadly opioid scourge that has ravaged Northeast Ohio. Local prosecutors have said they only use these charges for the worst of the worst.

Critics have said these and other measures are similar to those used during the War on Drugs in the 1980s and 1990s, which led the country to significantly expand its population and needlessly locks up large amounts of people, mostly black men.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland Heights man has pleaded not guilty to running a prostitution ring and supplying a woman with a fatal dose of drugs last year.

Linus Undiandeye, 32, made his first appearance in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Thursday after a grand jury indicted him on involuntary manslaughter, human trafficking, promoting prostitution, trafficking in fentanyl and the club-drug molly and other charges.

Brandy Stergis, 20, and Jose Bell, 25, are also charged with human trafficking and promoting prostitution. Bell is currently in the Lorain County Jail on unrelated charges. Stergis is set for an April arraignment.

Undiandeye is being held on $750,000 bond.

The investigation into Undiandeye started Dec. 1, when an 18-year-old woman who overdosed was dropped off at University Hospitals. The woman tested positive for both cocaine and carfentanil, an extremely potent relative of the opiate fentanyl according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.

Surveillance video picked up the license plate of the car that dropped her off, and investigators tracked it to Undiandeye, prosecutors say.

Police obtained a search warrant for his apartment on Inglewood Drive and, on Dec. 27 found fentanyl, the club-drug molly and a gun inside, according to court records.

Cleveland Heights police arrested Undiandeye on drug trafficking charges and continued their investigation. They uncovered that Undiandeye, Stergis and Bell were served as a pimp for two women, including the woman who overdosed.

Prosecutors say the woman who died was clean for more than a month before she met Undiandeye, who used fentanyl to lure her into his operation.

Experts in human trafficking have said that pimps often use drugs as a mechanism to get women and girls to become dependent on them.

Undiandeye was released from prison in May after serving about two years in prison on domestic violence and weapons charges. Court records say he flashed a 9mm pistol and threatened to shoot the mother of his 10-day-old child in 2014.

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BEREA, Ohio - When Donald Trump attacks the media as fake, he's peddling a theme that overwhelming plays well with his base but not among most Ohioans, according to results of a statewide poll announced Thursday by Baldwin Wallace University.

Asked who they trust more to tell the truth about important issues, 24.5 percent of registered Ohio voters said Trump and 34 percent said the news media.

The rest responded neither (27.6 percent), both equally (7.3 percent) or unsure (6.6 percent).

The findings were sharply different based on party identification.

Republicans: 55.8 percent said they trusted Trump more; 9.5 percent the news media.

Independents: 15.7 percent said they trusted Trump more; 37 percent the news media.

Democrats: 5 percent said they trusted Trump more; 63 percent the news media.

Yet on the straight question of trust and confidence- not being forced to pick Trump or the news media - the news media did not score well: 40.4 percent said they trusted the media a fair amount or a great deal, 42.8 percent said not very much and 16.8 percent said not at all.

The university's Community Research Institute polled 1,011 registered voters from Feb. 28 through March 9. Quotas and weighting were applied to reflect Ohio's makeup for political affiliation, age, gender, race, education and income. The poll has an overall margin of error of three percentage points, higher for subgroups.

Results released earlier found Ohioans strongly favoring Trump over Ohio Gov. John Kasich in a potential rematch of the Republican presidential primary, Sherrod Brown holding a lead in the U.S. Senate race, and both Republicans and Democrats favoring new gun regulations.

Also on Thursday, Baldwin Wallace released poll findings on President's Trump's Twitter habits.

Overall, 70.5 percent said Trump's use of Twitter was inappropriate, versus 14.6 percent who said it was appropriate.

This view was held strongly by both Democrats and independents, with 86.2 percent of Democrats calling it inappropriate and 70.5 percent of independents.

Yet even among Republicans, 44.1 percent called Trump's Twitter behavior inappropriate versus a smaller group of 32.5 percent who said it was appropriate.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- McDonald's is the latest company investing millions in its employees thanks to savings from the Trump tax cuts.

The fast-food giant announced commitment of $150 million over five years towards Archways to Opportunity. The program gives employees access to a variety of free educational services as well as high school and college tuition assistance.

"Our commitment to education reinforces our ongoing support of the people who play a crucial role in our journey to build a better McDonald's," Steve Easterbrook, McDonald's President and CEO, said in a statement. "By offering restaurant employees more opportunities to further their education and pursue their career aspirations, we are helping them find their full potential, whether that's at McDonald's or elsewhere."

Nationwide, Archways to Opportunity has helped 24,000 people better their education and awarded over $21 million in tuition assistance since launching in 2015. In the Ohio region, the program has benefitted more 600 employees, an investment of over $700,000

In addition to tripling its investment in the program, McDonald's is lowering the eligibility requirement from nine months of employment to 90 days. The company is also extending some of the available services to employees' families.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for people looking for jobs this summer in Northeast Ohio," said John Blickle, whose family runs 26 McDonald's restaurants in the area. "If they get hired at a McDonald's restaurant in May, they can be eligible for these education benefits by the time they go back to school in August or September."

More than 50 of Blickle's employees have received tuition assistance. Three have even earned their high school diploma through the program.

McDonalds joins a list of companies that includes Disney, Walmart, AT&T and others directing money from the tax cuts back to employees in some form.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A new $4.1 million, five-year sponsorship from PNC Bank and the PNC Foundation will expand and strengthen the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's mission to engage, teach and inspire through the power of music. The money will help propel the Rock Hall's youth education and community engagement programs such as free events, interactive exhibit storytelling activities, live music and a partnership with Cleveland Public Library.

The deal is split into two parts. PNC Bank pledged $3.75 million to support a variety of initiatives at the museum. The PNC Foundation pledged $375,000 to help underwrite Toddler Rock for the next five years as part of PNC Grow Up Great, the bank's early childhood education initiative.

"We're honored by this support for education and how it helps us impact more students and families in Northeast Ohio with classroom programs, as well as with live music on our summer stage and things like the High School Rock-Off, which are all tied into young people and connecting them with music," Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris said. "That extends to the things we're doing with Cleveland Public Library. The core of this partnership is the power of music and education."

The announcement comes right in time for the April 14 induction ceremony in Cleveland. The partnership kicks off Saturday, April 7, as the Rock Hall hosts Celebration Day Powered by PNC, which marks the beginning of a week of celebrating the inductions. The free event will feature inductee spotlight programs and a special live performance on the main stage headlined by 2018 inductee Richie Sambora and Australia's Orianthi. It closes out with a dance party and fireworks on the plaza.

"Music is such a great platform to connect people," says PNC regional president Paul Clark. "We're very much of an opinion that it can connect communities and neighborhoods and generations. There's no place better on the planet to do that than the Rock Hall."

The Rock Hall will also use part of the $3.75 million from PNC Bank to build on the "ROCK X CPL" programming between the museum and Cleveland Public library. Throughout the year, the Rock Hall will offer free, music-based education events at the library's different branches. The first event was held this March and featured all-ages fun, including live music by local acts, musical video games and interactive educational activities.

"Libraries are great places for children to learn," Clark says. "The highest quality education that we're bringing to them might be a new experience. The education piece is a big part of what we're trying to do with our expanded partnership."

PNC's support also extends to interactive elements of the museum. An Inductee Insights video series will roll out to connect fans digitally with their favorite artists as they tell their stories. Fans have a chance to tell their own stories about how rock and roll influenced them through the Say It Loud installation that debuted last summer at the Rock Hall. More than 15,000 people have recorded their musical memories.

"Music is storytelling," Clark says. "The connection that storytelling makes is special, it's kind of magical. To be able to bring that to a greater scale, especially in Cleveland neighborhoods, is something we've been trying to do for a long time and this partnership enables us to do that. And it enables them to draw more people from Cleveland neighborhoods to walk through their front door."

The Rock Hall will also build on its free summer concert series. Last year, the Rock Hall hosted more than 50 live shows throughout the summer.

That regional engagement is a connecting thread throughout the programming, which falls in line with the Rock Hall's recent direction. Last year, the Rock Hall embarked on its "Museum 2.0" transformation, which aimed to add vibrancy and deepen its ties to the community.

"This all allows people to connect and be inspired by music and learn from each other," Harris says. "That's why it's important to have high school bands on a stage sharing their passion. It's important to have our summer stage with artists performing and visitors engaging with them and then sharing their rock and roll stories through our Say It Loud booths so that others can learn from their experience. We all find common ground through music, and through that common ground, we're stronger."

Toddler Rock, launched in 1999, is a program for local children ages 3 to 5 that uses music to teach problem solving, communication and more. Through PNC Foundation support, more students will also be able to experience their Rockin the Schools program, the Rock Hall's free classes for students K-12. Its reach will now include more schools in Cuyahoga County as PNC covers transportation expenses. Prior to today's announcement, PNC has donated nearly $1 million to the program over the last decade.

"Toddler Rock has been our real flagship programs for young people, and PNC has been one of the lead supporters of it since 2009," Harris says. "Right now, the program reaches students from all over the region, but this PNC support will help schools that are particularly challenged with transportation in getting them to come to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame."

The announcement further strengthens the ties between PNC and the Rock Hall. The bank is a longtime supporter of museum programs. PNC, along with Advance Ohio and ideastream, have teamed up with the Rock Hall for a an April 3 Cleveland Connects forum called "Rock on a Roll," looking at the museum's history its impact on the city of Cleveland and its future direction.

Panelists will include Motown legend Martha Reeves, Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris and former Rock Hall leaders Dennis Barrie and David Abbott. The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited and reservations are required at cleveland.com/clevelandconnects. /p>
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- University Hospitals may have had problems with its fertility freezer as early as August 2017, according to Custom BioGenic Systems, the company that manufactured freezer tanks used in UH's fertility center.

Custom BioGenic attributed human error for a series of missteps in the fertility lab at UH's Ahuja Medical Center in early March, when temperatures rose in a freezer tank filled with frozen embryos and a remote alarm was turned off. All 4,000 frozen eggs and embryos in the fertility program were rendered nonviable.

"The early stages of our investigation into this unfortunate incident indicate it was the result of human error," read the statement CBS sent the Plain Dealer on Wednesday evening.

Previously, UH said the incident was a combination of human error and equipment failure.

In a March 26 letter from UH to 950 affected patients, the hospital said it ordered an extra freezer tank from CBS to complete preventive maintenance on its existing tank, which was having problems with the auto-fill function. The auto-fill function automatically keeps freezers filled with cold liquid nitrogen, allowing tissue samples to stay chilled to -196 Celsius.

But CBS, based in Bruce Twp., Michigan, said the extra tank was made available to UH as of Aug. 15, 2017, and was delivered Nov. 2.

During an interview with the Plain Dealer on Tuesday, Dr. James Liu, chairman of UH's Department of OB/GYN, said he wasn't sure when the extra tank was delivered or how long UH had problems with its tanks.

In an emailed statement to the Plain Dealer Thursday, UH confirmed the extra tank was delivered around Nov. 2. UH said the extra tank first was used in the andrology lab, which handles sperm and also had a tank with an auto-fill malfunction, and had only recently become available for the embryology lab.

CBS also said UH appeared to have used an improper technique to fill the freezer tanks with liquid nitrogen while the auto-fill function was not working.

Lab workers initially used a hose to fill the tanks manually by connecting the freezers to the liquid nitrogen tank, as CBS recommended. Later, UH resorted to pouring liquid nitrogen into the top of the freezer tank - not into the reservoir where the liquid nitrogen is pumped by hose. The last pour of liquid nitrogen into the top of the tank, called a "container filling" method, was on the Friday before the weekend incident March 3-4.

"The tank is not designed to be filled by liquid nitrogen being poured into the top of the tank," CBS said.

The CBS units at UH, called Isothermal Storage Units, are unable to monitor liquid nitrogen levels when the substance is poured into the top of the tank. The units' read-outs detect the level of liquid nitrogen in the reservoir, which was bypassed by the hospital's use of a "container filling" method to refill the tanks.

When asked Thursday if UH knew it was improperly filling tanks, officials referred to the March 26 letter, which described the container filling approach UH used when it ran out of liquid nitrogen tanks.

UH initially said 2,000 eggs and embryos were affected by the temperature fluctuation, but later revised that number to include all the specimens. UH also upped the number of patients involved to 950 from the original 700. There are 22 lawsuits that have been filed against UH over the incident.

CBS, founded in 1987, also made the following points in its statement:

The company does not provide or service liquid nitrogen tanks.

It did not design or install the remote alarm system that UH said was turned off over the weekend. The remote alarm system should have called lab technicians at home to alert them of the freezer problem. The local alarm on the freezer unit did activate correctly when temperatures rose in the freezer.

CBS said it does not have a history of malfunctions with any of its products. The company said a Florida incident mentioned in media reports was caused by human error, not a CBS tank malfunction. Stored sperm was lost in that incident in Gainesville.

"CBS continues to have the utmost confidence in our products, and the people who serve our customers," the statement read. "We are working diligently to support the investigation of what occurred at UH."

This story was updated to include comments from UH.
LORAIN, Ohio -- Detectives have identified a Lorain woman killed in a burglary that also left a man in critical condition.

Linda Wisniewski, 67, was found dead Tuesday in a home on Amherst Avenue near West 36th Street, police said. Detectives have not said how she died.

A 28-year-old man who also lived in the home was seriously injured in the incident, police said. He remained hospitalized Thursday morning.

No arrests have been made in the case, police said.

Lorain police officers were investigating a report of a burglary just after 10 p.m. when they found the victims in the home, police said.

Detectives have interviewed witnesses and developed several leads in the case. They've also obtained evidence from the scene, including surveillance video, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lorain police detectives at 440-204-2100.

To comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man is charged in the death of his ex-girlfriend, who was missing for a month before her body was found in a garbage can at an abandoned home.

Yaphet Bradley, 35, is charged with aggravated murder, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He is not in police custody and a warrant was issued Thursday for his arrest.

The U.S Marshals are searching for Bradley. He is considered armed and dangerous. He is known to frequent East Cleveland, near Euclid and Superior avenues, according to the U.S. Marshals.

Another man, Calvin Young, 24, is also charged in the case. He faces charges of gross abuse of a corpse, obstructing official business and tampering with evidence.

Bradley is accused of killing Miriam Johnson, the mother of three of her four children, all between 13 and 7 years old, family members said. Cleveland Heights Police Chief Annette Mecklenburg said investigators believe Bradley killed Johnson at her apartment in Cleveland Heights and that Young helped Bradley move her body to the abandoned home in Cleveland.

Calvin Young

Johnson's family last saw her on Feb. 25, when her mother dropped her off at her Mayfield Road apartment. The next day she called off work at the Map Room restaurant in downtown Cleveland, according to police reports.

Her family reported her missing March 6. Johnson's mother told Cleveland Heights police that her daughter had recently received her income tax check and that Bradley often would "come around" when her daughter had money, according to a police report.

Cleveland Heights police said they feared Bradley had been holding her against her will and that Johnson was in danger. Bradley has three times been convicted of violently attacking Johnson.

Police kept searching for Johnson. Her body was found stuffed in a garbage can on March 25 at an abandoned home on Chamberlain Avenue, between East 71st and East 74th streets in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood.

She died of a gunshot wound to the head and stab wounds to her torso, arms and legs, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner.

Johnson has been the victim of violence at the hands of Bradley at least three times since 2010, according to court records.

In 2012, he broke into her Cleveland home after learning that Johnson gave money to a new boyfriend.

He pushed her into the house and slapped her in the face and back of the head. He locked his crying children in a room, then repeatedly punched Johnson in the face until he knocked her unconscious. Johnson woke up to Bradley urinating on her. Bradley then kicked her several more times in the side while she was curled up on the floor. Johnson got away, ran to a neighbor's house and called 911.

Bradley was sentenced to 18 months in prison in that case.

He twice attacked her in 2010 and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. On March 22, 2010 he argued with Johnson, shoved her onto her bed and choked her until she nearly passed out. Johnson got free from his grip and ran into the hall, where Bradley shoved her. He blocked her from being able to leave the home. Johnson suffered injuries to her neck and collar bone in the attack.

Two months later, he grabbed Johnson and dragged her into her home and attacked her.

Bradley in 2016 pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sentenced to two years on probation. Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority police arrested him with drugs, a digital scale and bullets. He violated the terms of his probation and a warrant was issued for his arrest in November.

He was also convicted of drug trafficking and theft in 2004.

Young is also on probation stemming from an October conviction for child endangering and criminal damaging. He was sentenced to two years on probation in that case.

He is also facing charges of possessing a weapon under disability and improperly handling a gun in a car stemming from a Jan. 28 arrest. Young pleaded not guilty in that case and was free after posting a $15,000 bond.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County's charter, approved by voters nine years ago in the wake of the largest public-corruption scandal in county history, includes safeguards to prevent history from repeating itself.

Yet the county government is again the focus of a public-corruption probe. Over the last several months, investigators have sought records related to contracts, top county administrators and conflict-of-interest opinions.

The investigators have not publicly disclosed what crimes they suspect have been committed. But the eight subpoenas they have served on the county beg one question: Did the framers of the charter do enough?

Today, cleveland.com takes a look at some of the safeguards that are in place, and interviews three people who helped launch the new charter government about their work and whether they think more needs to be done.

What safeguards are in the charter and county code?

The charter includes a series of checks and balances, including the sharing of power between an elected county executive and 11 elected members of County Council. The executive is in charge of drafting a budget and executing contracts. The council controls the purse strings. Council members hold legislative power, but the executive can veto ordinances.

The charter created the independent office of the internal auditor. The Department of Internal Audit reviews operations to ensure rules are being followed and tasks are done efficiently.

Council members also passed an ordinance in early 2011 to create another independent office, the inspector general, which is in charge of investigating allegations of misconduct.

The executive, council members and voters all hold power to address wrongdoing under the revamped government. The executive investigates and disciplines employees. Council members can investigate by summoning employees and subpoenaing evidence. The charter also includes a method for voters to recall elected officials.

What was the intent of the charter authors?

Then-county Prosecutor Bill Mason, who co-authored the charter with then-Parma Heights Mayor Martin Zanotti, said the corruption scandal helped create a public groundswell of support for change. But preventing corruption was not the focus of the people working on charter.

Mason said he and the other charter framers intended to create a government that would be efficient, transparent and accountable - qualities that earlier, unsuccessful reform efforts had sought.

"It really wasn't about corruption," he said. "In previous forms, the efforts were to make everything more efficient. That was our impetus, too."

Were some issues contested?

Yes. Some critics questioned giving so much influence to the county executive, a single official. But Mason said he argued that a strong county executive could lead a more efficient government, and boost economic development, because companies could take proposals to a single executive instead of three commissioners.

"We really did focus on making this person have control, like the mayor of a city," he said.

Were other safeguards established?

Yes. County Council passed a code of ethics. Among other provisions, the code prohibits the hiring of relatives and requires all employees and elected officials to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and to complete an ethics training program annually.

Council members also passed a procurement ordinance that requires all purchases and contracts be posted online in a searchable format.

"We thought it was an opening shot," said C. Ellen Connally, who served as the president of the inaugural County Council. "We wanted to make it clear there was a new ethical standard."

Were some reforms not adopted?

Yes, campaign-finance reform.

Mason said officials were pressed for time to get the charter measure on the 2009 ballot, and did not have an opportunity to fully review a proposal for campaign-finance reform.

"We dabbled with it, but we never really got serious with it, and we thought that it just didn't belong in the charter," he said.

County Council members considered campaign-finance reforms in the months after they first took office. Dave Greenspan, who served on the inaugural council, said he introduced a bill to limit individual and political action committee donations to county candidates to $12,000 - similar to existing limits for statewide races. But the bill failed because opponents argued for limits of roughly $750 to $1,000.

"I did not believe we had an issue with campaign finance," Greenspan said. "I just wanted to be preemptive to come up with a policy in case we ran into any issues."

Any regrets in light of the latest investigation?

"I believe we worked diligently to prevent anything from happening in the future," Greenspan said. "The procedures are in place. You're supposed to disclose a conflict of interest. If you don't disclose a conflict of interest, obviously that's a different issue."

Mason and Connally agreed, saying officials took appropriate steps at the time to revamp the county's government and safeguard against corruption.

"We wanted good government for the county," Connally said. "And I think it's generally been effective."
NORTH PERRY, Ohio - Unyielding fog made the Perry Nuclear Power Plant disappear Thursday, and many in Lake County hope a shutdown does not make that a permanent state.

John Dean, who runs Checkers Drive-in in Perry with his wife Kathy on Thursday, March 29, 2018. He said everyone at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant has been very supportive of the restaurant. (James Ewinger, The Plain Dealer)

Neighbors of the plant remained optimistic in interviews Thursday that government intervention, a buyer or a reassessment of its financial health will stave off closure of a plant that has importance for each of them.

FirstEnergy told federal regulators late Wednesday that it wants to close its three nuclear power plants -- Perry, Davis-Besse near Toledo and Beaver Valley near Pittsburgh -- within three years.

The company followed up Thursday by asking the U.S. Department of Energy to help save its plants.

Joanne Szafraniec, manager and co-owner of Sammy K's Restaurant and Lounge in Perry, said, "I think its going to stay open, otherwise where are they going to get power from?"

Jon Menchyk of Madison, a patron at Sammy's, said, "I've been hearing it's going to close for 20 years."

John Dean said he has owned and operated the nearby Checker Drive-In for 28 years, "and everyone at the plant from the top down, from executives to employees, have supported us since day one."

Szafraniec said that when the plant shuts down every two years for refueling, "I stay open 24/7" to feed the thousand or so temporary workers hired for the job.

Opinion about the prospect of losing the plant fell generally into expressions of dread or militant confidence that "it ain't gonna happen," as one woman at Sammy's bar said.

In the dread camp, Michele Woltman of Perry Township said closure would be "a disaster, because it's been a major economic help for the communities and the school systems."

She would know because she is assistant to the township's fiscal officer -- and also is the cemetery sexton and manager of the township's community center.

Michael King, executive captain of the Perry Joint Fire District, has an unusual relationship with the plant, and not merely because a significant portion of the district's annual $3 million budget comes from the plant's taxes.

"We do more training for radiological events than most departments, up to 20 hours a year," he said, and every firefighter has at least one dosimeter to detect exposure to radiation.

The district serves the township as well as Perry Village and North Perry Village.

Another outfit with an unusual tie to the plant is New Green Legacy Service next door. Owner Patrick New confirmed that the company decontaminates tools and equipment used in nuclear power plants, not just here, but from across the country.

"They (the Perry plant) have my support," he said.

"We still have three years left," said John Dean of Checkers, "and look forward to some kind of government help."

Because of the plant, FirstEnergy may be the biggest taxpayer in Lake County.

The single biggest slice of property and utility taxes from the plant goes to Perry Local schools, which serve Perry Village, North Perry Village and Perry Township.

According to the office of Lake County Auditor Edward Zupancic, the plant's public utility tax bill generated $3.6 million in 2017 for the school district in collection year 2018, and its property taxes for the same period sent an additional $2.2 million.

FirstEnergy's utility and property taxes produce more than $11 million in tax collection year 2018, according to the county, divided among the Perry Schools, Perry Fire and 14 other public entities that include Lakeland Community College (more than $500,000) and the Lake County Crime Lab ($43,000).
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Four Ohio natives filed a lawsuit Thursday to try to force state officials to allow them to change the sex listed on their birth certificates.

Ohio is one of three states that do not allow individuals to change their sex on their birth certificates. Susan Becker, general counsel for the ACLU of Ohio, which is representing the plaintiffs, said Ohio's policy is not just an outlier but is unconstitutional.

"A birth certificate tells the world who we are," Becker said at a news conference. "Ohio's birth certificate policy refuses to provide transgender individuals -- and only transgender individuals -- with a birth certificate that accurately conveys their gender identity."

The ACLU, ACLU of Ohio and Lambda Legal filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The complaint names Ohio Department of Health Director Lance Himes as a defendant, as well as the director and state registrar of the Ohio Office of Vital Statistics.

The plaintiffs say they have run into legal and employment issues because their Ohio birth certificates do not match the gender they identify as. Only Tennessee and Kansas also do not allow individuals to change their gender marker on birth certificates. A federal court ordered Idaho to begin allowing changes earlier this month.

The complaint alleges Ohio's policy violates transgender individuals' First Amendment rights by forcing them to disclose their gender status when presenting birth certificates that don't match their identity and is inconsistent with federal and state policies. Transgender individuals can change their sex on passports and for Social Security benefits, and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles allows changes on driver's licenses and state ID cards, according to the complaint.

Melissa Alexander, chairwoman of TransOhio, said advocates worked with state officials on the BMV change in 2009 and since have been trying to work with the Department of Health on the birth certificate policy.

"We have attempted for years to do this administratively and they refuse to do it," Alexander said. "We've met with them. We've had phone conferences with them. We've provided them information and sample policies and they still will not do this."

The Department of Health declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Citizens for Community Values, an Ohio-based conservative advocacy group, said the ACLU's claims are "based in junk science."

"With this lawsuit, the ACLU is sacrificing medical accuracy for political ideology by attempting to force the state to falsify official records," the group's president Aaron Baer said in a statement. "A birth certificate that doesn't accurately reflect the biological realities of an individual becomes a meaningless, if not harmful document."

Stacie Ray, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said she was threatened with physical violence by a coworker who learned she was a transgender woman after a human resources official loudly questioned Ray about why her birth certificate listed her as male. Ray, a truck driver, has been unable to obtain a hazardous materials endorsement needed for a promotion because her mismatched documents were rejected for a required background check, according to the complaint.

Another plaintiff, Basil Argento said the discrepancy between his Ohio birth certificate, which listed him as female, and passport caused significant delays and fees when he was trying to obtain dual Italian citizenship. Argento flew to California to obtain a court order mandating the gender change, but he said the Department of Health still denied his request.

"Beyond the indignity of having a birth certificate that does not reflect my reality and the hassles and marginal harm it has caused me in various situations over the years, the Department of Health's discriminatory policy has also affected me financially," Argento said.

Mobile readers, click here to read a copy of the complaint.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A Cleveland man admitted to investigators that he helped dump the body of a slain Cleveland Heights mother in an abandoned building in Cleveland, according to court records.

Calvin Young, 24, entered no plea Thursday during his first appearance in Cleveland Heights Municipal Court to charges of abusing a corpse, tampering with evidence and obstructing justice in connection with the death of Miriam Johnson, a 31-year-old mother of four.

Cleveland Heights Municipal Judge James Costello set Young's bond at $500,000. His case will now be bound over to a Cuyahoga County grand jury.

Young helped Yaphet Bradley move Johnson's body from her Mayfield Road apartment to an abandoned home on Chamberlain Avenue in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood, Cleveland Heights Police Chief Annette Mecklenburg said.

Young told investigators that he knew Bradley, 35, killed Johnson and helped buy the 64-gallon garbage can where they stuffed Johnson's body, court records say. Investigators said that Young rented a U-Haul truck March 2 that he and Bradley used to move the body.

Johnson's body was found on March 25. She died from a gunshot wound to the back of her head and multiple stab wounds on her torso, arms and legs, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner said.

Yaphet Bradley

Young is not accused of killing Johnson. Bradley is charged with aggravated murder. He is not in police custody and a warrant is out for his arrest. The U.S. Marshals are searching for Bradley and consider him armed and dangerous.

Bradley is Johnson's ex-boyfriend and the father of three of her children. He has a history of violent offenses against Johnson.

Johnson's family reported her missing on March 6. Her mother reported she last had contact with her daughter on Feb. 25, and Cleveland Heights police found that she had called off work at the Map Room in downtown Cleveland the following day, according to a police report.

She also told police that Johnson had just received her income tax check and that Bradley had in the past tried to contact her if he knew she had money, according to the police report.

Investigators immediately suspected she was in danger and said at the time they believed that Bradley may have been holding her against her will. Bradley has been convicted three times of violently attacking Johnson since 2010.

Young is on probation stemming from an October conviction for child endangering and criminal damaging. He was sentenced to two years on probation in that case.

He is also facing charges of possessing a weapon under disability and improperly handling a gun in a car stemming from a Jan. 28 arrest. Young pleaded not guilty in that case and was free after posting a $15,000 bond.

To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor is tapping into the $3 million she loaned to her campaign to attack state Attorney General Mike DeWine, her opponent in the increasingly nasty Republican primary for Ohio governor.

The Taylor campaign announced Thursday it had spent about $450,000 to air TV and radio ads in the Cincinnati and Dayton media markets.

The ads began airing Thursday, and are scheduled to continue running through April 8, according to Medium Buying, a Republican political firm in Columbus that tracks political ad spending.

Medium Buying captured one of the TV ads, a re-cut of a 60-second digital ad the Taylor campaign released earlier this month, and posted it to its Twitter account.

OH-Gov: Mary Taylor is up this morning with her first TV ad pic.twitter.com/g20N15JMsd  Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) March 29, 2018

The Taylor campaign shared a second ad, which like the first attacks DeWine for votes he took as a U.S. senator on a 2006 bipartisan immigration-reform bill that, had it passed, would have created a path for citizenship for some undocumented immigrants, but also funded border security and classified illegal immigration as a felony. The new ad barely mentions Taylor, but describes DeWine as voting with then-Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to grant "amnesty for illegals."

In a statement, DeWine campaign spokesman Ryan Stubenrauch called the Taylor campaign's new ad "desperate" and "completely false."

"Mike DeWine pushed to build a wall, hire more than 15,000 new border agents, and crack down on employers hiring illegal aliens," Stubenrauch said. "Taylor did nothing. DeWine fought to defend President Trump's Executive Orders on Immigration all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Taylor did nothing. Mike DeWine defended President Trump's Executive Order defunding illegal sanctuary cities. Again, Taylor did nothing. Mike DeWine is the only candidate who has taken action to defend conservative values and is proud of his many accomplishments."

The Taylor campaign's decision to load up in Southwest Ohio, rather than pay for a statewide ad campaign, is an interesting one. It suggests the Taylor campaign, which generally has been strapped for cash, has made a strategic choice to spend its limited resources.

A public poll released this week found that DeWine, a longtime Ohio political mainstay who grew up and lives near Dayton, had his strongest level of support in Southwest Ohio. The area traditionally has been Ohio's most politically conservative. Taylor, who is trying to attack DeWine from the political right, likely is trying to erode his support and present herself as a more conservative alternative.

That same poll, conducted by SurveyUSA, found DeWine holding a comfortable lead over Taylor by a 50 percent to 18 percent margin.

The new ad buy comes on the heels of a $670,000 statewide TV campaign purchased last week by Onward Ohio, a pro-Taylor Super PAC. The DeWine campaign responded with its own round of statewide ads that attacked Taylor as unqualified to run the state, and summarized issues she'd had managing her staff.

Early voting for the primary election begins April 10, while the election itself is on May 8.
RICHFIELD, Ohio - President Donald Trump always has Ohio on his mind.

It was a key piece of his unlikely victory in the 2016 election. He's visited the state four times to give speeches since taking office - plus sent his Vice President Mike Pence to give three.

And during his Thursday speech at a union training facility in Richfield, it showed.

Before Trump even arrived to the town halfway between Cleveland and Akron, the streets were lined with people standing in dreary weather holding signs of support (although a group of protesters also gathered nearby). Once he arrived, the crowd cheered enthusiastically.

It was a speech that seemed tailored for the crowd of Ohio workers, the kind of speech focused on trade that arguably helped Trump win the state by more than 8 percentage points.

And it was the kind of speech that reminded many workers who fell on tough times of the past when their lives were flush.

"We are in many cases like a third-world country," Trump said. "It's an embarrassment. And we were the ones who had the drive and the imagination to get it done."

He talked about renegotiating deals, bringing back jobs, spurring growth and keeping out immigrants who might take those jobs.

Nicole Stewart, a 4-year apprentice at the Richfield facility, said she felt like the United States had rebounded. She credited Trump with increasing demand for union labor.

"Last year, the union has been so busy work-wise," Stewart said.

Though his speech was winding at times, Trump did briefly plug his infrastructure plan, which calls for $1.5 trillion in spending - $200 million from the federal government and the rest coming from state and local governments and private spending.

While the crowd cheered that idea, Ralph King, an infrastructure specialist who served as a Trump elector in 2016, said he wasn't sold on the feasibility of Trump's plan. King said saddling localities with a huge funding burden wouldn't work since most municipalities are already cash-strapped.

"Show me how the money is going to get down to the blue-collar level to the everyday man and woman and these communities they live in to fix their roads," King said. "I don't see it, and I don't think anyone can show you it if you ask them point blank."

But what was supposed to be a speech on infrastructure at an official White House event essentially turned into a slightly more low-key version of a campaign rally in front of an invite-only audience. Trump said he might hold up the recently renegotiated trade deal with South Korea. He said he would protect Second Amendment rights. He praised the fact that he was handed a record number of judicial vacancies to fill.

And he took several shots at Democrats.

"Now the Democrats are trying to figure out who the hell you are," Trump said to the workers in the crowd. "You know who you are. You're hard working people. You work your asses off and you got sick and tired of the people you were supposed to be voting for. But you came out for us."

Trump also said Democrats wanted to allow immigrants across the border.

"They want people to come in from the border, and they want, I guess, I can't imagine they want, but certainly drugs are flowing across borders," Trump said.

And, he implored to the group to not give the Democrats any more "wins."

Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Kirstin Alvanitakis said Trump was clueless to the plight of blue-collar Americans.

"Donald Trump doesn't know a thing about the real lives of American workers," she said. "Ohio Democrats have been standing with workers for decades. Ohio Democrats fought against NAFTA. We fought against the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We stood up and fought back when John Kasich and the Ohio GOP tried to attack workers' rights with Senate Bill 5. Meanwhile, Trump was using Chinese steel and aluminum for his construction projects, so he can spare us his fake outrage about Ohio workers."

Trump said the media still hadn't figured out the Trump voter. He pointed to the success of the continuation of the television show "Roseanne." The show, which focuses on a working-class family, features a main character who is a Trump supporter -- played by Trump supporter Roseanne Barr.

It's been a ratings success. So much so, Trump said he phoned Barr to congratulate her.

"Over 18 million people (watched it). And it was about us," Trump said. "They haven't figured it out - the fake news hasn't quite figured it out yet. They have not figured it out. So that was great. And they haven't figured it out. But they will. And when they do, they'll become much less fake. May take a while, but it's happening."

Republicans took note of Trump's focus on Ohio and did their best to cozy up while he was here. U.S. Reps. Jim Renacci of Wadsworth and Bob Gibbs of Holmes County greeted the president on the tarmac of the airport despite a cold and rainy afternoon. Renacci has especially latched onto the Trump bandwagon - first in his run for governor, before he switched races to run for Senate. Gibbs is also facing a challenge in his district from Democrat Ken Harbaugh, who has raised $1 million so far.

Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor was in the crowd at the speech and got a shoutout from the president. The once firm ally of Gov. John Kasich has since distanced herself from the governor in favor of aligning herself with Trump in her bid for governor against Attorney General Mike DeWine. DeWine was invited, but couldn't make it.

Even the once never-Trumper Auditor Dave Yost was in the audience and received a greeting from the president.

One statewide official who wasn't invited? Kasich - the frequent Trump critic and possible 2020 challenger.

Politics reporter Mariella van der Sluijs contributed to this story.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a lawsuit filed by Dr. Jon Heavey, a Rocky River physician hoping to get on the May ballot as a Democratic candidate for governor.

Heavey was a surprise candidate, announcing his candidacy with just days before the filing Feb. 7 filing deadline.

The secretary of state's office, however, ruled Heavey did not have the required 1,000 signatures to appear on the May ballot.

Heavey named Secretary of State Jon Husted as well as the boards of elections for Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Summit and Warren counties in his lawsuit.

Heavey contended that each of the counties invalidated signatures without merit. He submitted several examples as evidence, including multiple instances of the boards disqualifying a signature because the person was not registered when records show they were.

The boards and Husted "collectively erred, disregarded applicable law, and abused their discretion in rejecting at least 146 signatures when each such signatures satisfied all requirements of the law and should have been counted as valid," Heavey stated in the suit.

If the 146 signatures had been validated, Heavey and his running mate, Adam Hudak, would have made the ballot.

But the Supreme Court ruled that Heavey did not show "clear and convincing evidence that there were at least 146 erroneously rejected."

"It's apparent the parties are trying to anoint their candidates. So it's not the vote that counts, but who counts the votes," Heavey said in an interview Thursday.

Heavey said his team is reviewing its options.

"The Supreme Court unanimously confirmed what I and the bipartisan boards of elections around the state had earlier concluded, that Mr. Heavey failed to reach the minimum signature requirement and, as a result, did not qualify as a candidate," secretary of state Jon Husted said in a statement.
GREEN, Ohio - Spirit Airlines is cutting service at the Akron-Canton Airport, and starting next month will fly only to Orlando through the summer.

Eliminated routes include year-round service to Fort Lauderdale and seasonal service to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The cuts come as yet another blow to the small airport, which is facing increasing competition from much larger Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, 50 miles to its north.

Spirit spokesman Stephen Schuler declined to offer a reason for the cuts, saying, "We remain focused on connecting Akron-Canton to Orlando with our year-round service."

But the reductions may be seen as proof that Spirit's experiment -- offering identical destinations at Akron-Canton and Cleveland Hopkins - failed to attract enough passengers for both.

Spirit's load factor, the percentage of seats filled on an average flight, at Akron-Canton was 77.3 percent in 2017, according to U.S. Department of Transportation figures. The airline's load factor in Cleveland was 82.9 percent; nationwide, it was 83.3 percent.

The airline garnered some attention in the industry when it announced in 2016 that it would begin flying from CAK, overlapping on six routes that it already offered from Cleveland.

Those routes included Las Vegas, which Spirit dropped last year, Myrtle Beach, Fort Myers, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Fort Myers, Tampa and Myrtle Beach were seasonal flights; Fort Lauderdale and Orlando both started as year-round destinations.

Flights to Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Fort Myers will continue through mid-April. Myrtle Beach will not return this spring.

Schuler said Tampa and Fort Myers are scheduled to resume in November.

In an email, Akron-Canton spokeswoman Lisa Dalpiaz said: "Spirit is still committed to serving CAK and will continue exploring other opportunities that will be strong performers in the market."

At a launch party for the new service at the Akron-Canton Airport in late 2016, Spirit CEO Bob Fornaro said he saw CAK and Cleveland Hopkins as complementary airports, not competitors. "We're comfortable being in both," he said at the time. "The area is certainly big enough."

At the same time it is downsizing at Akron-Canton, Spirit is launching new service elsewhere in Ohio. The airline started flying to seven destinations from John Glenn Columbus International Airport earlier this year.

Akron-Canton has seen passenger traffic drop dramatically in recent years. In 2017, it served 1.27 million passengers, down from 1.84 million in 2012.

Southwest Airlines, once the largest carrier at Akron-Canton, pulled out of the airport in 2017. Also that year, Allegiant Air moved its CAK operations to Cleveland.

Several low-cost airlines, including both Allegiant and Spirit, have taken advantage of a competitive opening in Cleveland since 2014, when United Airlines closed its hub at Hopkins.

Since United's downsizing, numerous new airlines have started flying from Cleveland, while others, including Southwest, have added destinations.
March 29, 2018

 Two U.S. astronauts worked outside of the International Space Station Thursday on what marked the 100th spacewalk performed by crew members living on board the orbiting laboratory.



Expedition 55 crewmates Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold, both of NASA, spent six hours and 10 minutes conducting maintenance activities on the exterior of the space station.



The spacewalkers, dressed in U.S. extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) suits, began the EVA (extravehicular activity) at 9:33 a.m. EDT (1333 GMT) and completed the spacewalk at 3:43 p.m. EDT (1943 GMT).



At the start of their outing, after exiting the Quest airlock, Feustel and Arnold went separate ways to accomplish two different tasks. Arnold worked his way over to the port side of the space station's backbone truss and mounted himself on a platform on the end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm.







Expedition 55 flight engineer Ricky Arnold riding on the end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm outside of the space station. (NASA TV)

After taking a short ride on the end of the arm, which was controlled from within the space station by NASA astronaut Scott Tingle, Arnold set about disconnecting and retrieving two jumper cables from near one of the orbiting complex's radiator panels. The pair of hoses, which were isolated on an earlier spacewalk, are suspected of being the source of a small ammonia coolant leak and will be returned to Earth for analysis and repair.



Meanwhile, Feustel made his way over to the end cone of the Tranquility node, where he installed two handrails each with integrated Wi-Fi-like antennas. The new hardware will route data from an upcoming experiment that will measure the temperature of plants on Earth to better understand the amount of water they require and their response to stress.



The radiometer, named ECOSTRESS, will be launched on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and added to the platform on the outside of the Japanese Kibo module later this year.



Next Feustel repositioned a different jumper cable from the starboard truss to the side of the Destiny laboratory, where it will be needed for the next spacewalk slated for May.



Feustel then reunited with Arnold along the port side truss to replace a standard definition (SD) video camera that no longer was able to pan and tilt as needed. The SD camera, which sits between a light and a high-definition camera, is used by the crew to monitor visiting vehicles as they come and go, as well as other activities outside of the station.







Expedition 55 flight engineer Drew Feustel is seen near the Cupola outside the space station on March 29. (Oleg Artemyev/Roscosmos)

Finally, Feustel completed a "get ahead" task, breaking the torque on bolts securing a coolant system pump module in preparation for its move on the next EVA.



With that complete, the spacewalkers returned inside the Quest airlock and switched their suits off of internal battery power, officially marking the end of the EVA.



Thursday's spacewalk marked the first major activity since Feustel and Arnold arrived at the station just six days ago. The two astronauts, along with cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, docked their Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft at the orbiting lab on Friday (March 23), two days after launching from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.



This was Feustel's seventh spacewalk, after three working on the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009 and three outside the space station in 2011 during the penultimate mission of the space shuttle program. He now has spent a total of 48 hours and 28 minutes working in the vacuum of space.



Arnold has now performed three spacewalks, including two at the space station in 2009. His tally is now 18 hours and 44 minutes on EVA.







One of two Russian Orlan spacesuits used for the first spacewalk conducted by International Space Station crew members. (NASA)

Station crew members have now made 100 spacewalks in the complex's 17 years of continuous human occupancy.



The first such EVA was made by Expedition 2 crewmates Yuri Usachev of Russia and James Voss of NASA to install a docking cone on the Zarya module. That spacewalk, on June 8, 2001, lasted just 19 minutes.



Of the 100 spacewalks, 51 were conducted using Russian Orlan spacesuits. The remaining 49 used U.S. EMU suits, like those worn on Thursday's excursion.



When also including the EVAs made by space shuttle crew members, Feustel and Arnold's spacewalk was the 209th in support of the space station assembly and maintenance since December 1988.
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Anastasia Shchipanova created a portrait of Grenada.







Grenada celebrated its 44th anniversary of independence. The celebration of the Independence Day of 2018 was held under the motto "One People, One Country. Our Responsibility." The Grenada Embassy was opened in Russia on August 1, 2017 and became the first official representation of the Caribbean countries in our country.

"Our two countries have different cultures. Therefore, we aim to introduce the citizens of Grenada to Russian culture, and vice versa. One of the most important prospects for bilateral relations is opening of a trading house, thanks to which the products from Grenada will enter the Russian market, including nutmeg, cocoa beans, rum.", Oleg Firer, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Grenada to the Russian Federation said.

During the reception, guests were surprised with an unusual performance: under the guidance of an energy-abstractionist painter, winner of the Fashion TV Awards "The Best Artist of the Year - 2017" Anastasia Shchipanova, guests created an energy portrait of Grenada. Each guest could take his part and paint part of the future painting during the celebration.

"The performance was very active, in a friendly atmosphere. Creation of an energy portrait really captivated the ambassadors and other participants of the reception. In creating a portrait, I decided to use colors of the national flag of Grenada. These are yellow gently merging into green, a soft combination, bright yellow and green splashes of color, just as sunny Grenada. It is surprising that at the end of the celebration of the anniversary of the independence of Granada, the Prime Minister of Grenada, Keith Mitchell, sent an electronic congratulation in exactly the same colors as my painting: in yellow and green color tones. This really surprised and delighted Oleg Firer, the ambassador of Grenada in Russia. No wonder they say that creative people catch one inspiration for everyone. Confirmation of these words is that evening where we could see how this official invitation is similar to the painting created on that day. Guests of the evening approached the painting with sincere interest to ask about the technique of painting and created a wonderful atmosphere for creativity.

I am really happy that the painting will be in the embassy and occupy a place of honor there. I also want to note the motto "One People, one country and one responsibility", which became the theme of the event. We all must follow this idea. To be hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, regardless of race, religion, age, skin color and any ideology", the artist Anastasia Shchipanova shared her impressions of the evening.
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She hobnobs with the top brass in the southern film industries, styling them for their film projects, endorsements and public appearances, and her social media feeds provide pointers to fashion and beauty trends. In the course of styling for her projects, Neeraja Kona found herself developing a deep liking for breathable fabrics in comfortable silhouettes. She might wear designer labels now and then but most often, she says shes at ease wearing handloom cotton kurtas. A store like Fabindia would be my go-to place for workwear clothes. And, Im aware that for many women, comfortable clothing is of utmost priority, she says, talking to us a day after announcing her forthcoming clothing project, Kaluva (lotus), on social media.

Shes been doing the groundwork for a year. Her fascination for block prints took her to Jaipur where she began working with the craftsmen. Pockets of Rajasthan are known for their intricate block print designs, from the Anokhi museum in the vicinity of Amer Fort to the bylanes of Jaipur where one would find several block printers busy at work. Kaluva will have a range of cottons and muls block printed in Jaipur. Certain colours have become synonymous with block prints. Neeraja wants to present a broader colour palette, Apart from the vegetable dyes, indigos and reds one associates with the bagru prints, we will have a variety of pastels; the plan is to use natural dyes and a mix of chemical colours to arrive at new shades. It would be good to have colours like mauve.

Kaluva will launch in a couple of months, first as an online store and eventually as a brick and mortar space. The USP, says Neeraja, will be the affordable pricing, I might be working with designers for film projects but this clothing line is not going to be a designer range so to speak.

The workshop for Kaluva will be in Neerajas hometown Bapatla, where she will be roping in homemakers and single women looking to better their livelihoods. Block printing will be done in Jaipur, the master tailors in Hyderabad will be working on silhouettes and the stitching will happen in Bapatla, she informs.

In recent years, several start-ups have entered the handloom clothing space with online stores. Ask Neeraja what will set Kaluva apart and she laughs, Its okay if Kaluva doesnt really stand out from the crowd or offers a few silhouettes one might find in the retail sector. I want women to relate to the brand and be happy wearing the clothes. A few stores in Hyderabad specialise in easy, comfortable cotton clothing. But the rest of the stuff available is generic in terms of colours and patterns.

Theres always scope for a new clothing line and coming from someone who has worked closely with the fashion industry, Kaluva could be worth the wait.Read more at:http://www.sheindressau.com/lace-wedding-dresses-australia | http://www.sheindressau.com/vintage-wedding-dresses-au
The expert underlined Peru's foreign policy is not circumstantial, but a State policy that has been maintained despite recent changes in Government





"Peru's foreign policy is not circumstantial, it does not belong to a [certain] party, a flag or an ideological position; it belongs to the country, it's a State policy," Velit told El Peruano official gazette.





According to the analyst, this continental meeting will be an event with "special, unique, and exceptional characteristics," as it might be attended by U.S. President Donald Trump , who would make his first official trip to South America.





Velit also pointed out the Summit of the Americas should address Venezuela's situation, since "it is a special case for Latin America. It is the area, the region, the country, and the market, which is currently facing the most difficult situation."





situation, but also the "All countries must collaborate and put their two cents to resolve not only the politicalbut also the humanitarian crisis facing said neighboring nation," he remarked.





Moreover, Velit expressed confidence the Summit of the Americas will be a success, as announced by President Vizcarra last Tuesday





"There are also many topics of interest for Peru at this time, such as corruption and insecurity in Latin America," concluded the international analyst.





The 8th Summit of the Americas will take place in Lima on April 13-14, 2018.





(END) FBP/DOP/MVF/JAA/MVB
According to Adex Data Trade Business Intelligence System, the Inca country exported 32 tons of cod, which were mainly shipped in fresh form by air.

Major exporting companies were Agromarina del Peru, Armavi , Empresa Pesquera Ocean Fish, and Peruvian Seabass.

Annual figures

Peru exported 169 tons of cod worth US$4.441 million in 2017 , an important 54% growth compared with the previous year.

In this regard, the guild underlined the Production Ministry (Produce) has set a maximum quota of 155 tons for 2018 , so it is unlikely to exceed the shipped volume from last year.
12:39 | Lima, Mar. 29.

"These situations affect him," he told Canal N adding they hope "problems can be solved as soon as possible and in the best way."





79-year-old Fujimori was on Wednesday admitted to Lima's Centenario Clinic for severe dehydration. As is known, the ex-Head of State was pardoned by former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski last December.





According to Aguinaga a former Health Minister in the Fujimori administration considered a person close to Alberto and Kenji Fujimori the 37-year-old congressman has been clear about the videos, in which he allegedly participated in negotiations in exchange for public works.





The Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered the opening of a preliminary investigation on three legislators who appeared in the videos. Said recordings showed lawmakers allegedly negotiating public works in exchange for votes against the impeachment motion pending on then-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski





Afterwards , the opposition alleged that the embattled President's allies were trying to buy votes ahead of the corresponding impeachment session debate. The revelation led to the , the opposition alleged that the embattled President's allies were trying to buy votes ahead of the corresponding impeachment session debate. The revelation led to the resignation of former President Kuczynski last week, who was succeeded by President Martin Vizcarra





The current investigation includes legislators Kenji Fujimori, Bienvenido Ramirez, and Guillermo Bocangel, as well as former Transport and Communications Minister Bruno Giuffra, for the alleged crime of improper bribery and others to the detriment of the State.





In addition, it arranged for opposition Fuerza Popular party Congressman Moises Mamani who made the recordings to be notified so that he can give his testimony next week and provide all the information he has.





"The main thing is that this will be clarified for everyone. Therefore, investigations must be carried out with the greatest balance possible to get to the truth," Aguinaga said.





(END) VVS/CVC/MVB
Dr. Juan's patients think they know more about mouths than he does, and insist on describing how their own dentists back home do things. Or they'll ask if he knows what Novocain is. "Not if I'm going to use it," he clarifies for us, "but if I know what it is." (He does know what Novocain is. He also knows they probably mean lidocaine, because most dentists haven't used Novocain for decades.)

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His favorite line came from a patronizing New Yorker, who advised him before a procedure, "Be sure to use surgical gloves." Other patients are surprised he has state-of-the-art equipment. One was surprised to see solid brick buildings.

Those attitudes seem ridiculous to Dr. Juan, but patient advocates do suggest that you research any foreign clinic and even check it out personally before agreeing to be treated. Sure, good doctors in Mexico may be as skilled as their counterparts in America, but that doesn't mean you can trust just any building in a border village or resort town that swears it's a hospital. Maybe you'll find yourself operated on by a cosmetologist instead of a surgeon and needlessly end up dead. Or maybe the mistake will be less major, but you won't have American courts protecting you afterward or getting you compensation. Medical tourism comes with risks. It's a messy workaround that shouldn't be necessary, not some awesome hack that beats the system.

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Every so often, a patient of Dr. Juan's will get up from the chair, still in severe pain, and leave. "Sorry," they say, leaving their nonrefundable payment behind. "I can't do this." And at least once a month, Jerry takes some passenger like that back to the U.S., their procedure abandoned. One memorable guy made it as far as having his leg shaved in surgical prep before getting out of there, spooked at the last minute by hearing the doctors speaking Spanish. On the shuttle north, the other passengers talked about how well their own operations had gone, so after they crossed the border, he phoned the hospital, asking if he could do the surgery after all. They told him it was too late -- to go forward with it, he'd have to pay the fee a second time.

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Maybe he ended up doing that. Even paying twice, it would still be a bargain.

Evan V. Symon is a writer, interview finder and journalist for the Personal Experiences section at Cracked. Have an awesome job/experience you'd like to see up here? Then hit us up in the forums.

Interested in making a trip to Mexico? Check out Fodor's Guide to San Diego and Tijuana.

Support Cracked's journalism with a visit to our Contribution Page. Please and thank you.

For more, check out A Zero B.S. Guide To American Healthcare and 5 Huge Problems Nobody Told You About American Healthcare.

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A common misconception is that student loans are never dischargeable in bankruptcy. There is a bankruptcy discharge exception for some qualified student loans and educational benefit repayment obligations. The discharge exception does not, however, apply to all loans made to students. Jason Iuliano argues in a new paper that bankruptcy courts have interpreted the discharge exception too broadly, applying it to loans for unaccredited schools, loans for tutoring services, and loans beyond the cost of attendance for college. His paper presents a compelling argument based on the plain language of the statute, the legislative history and policy in support of a narrow reading of 11 USC 523(a)(8).

The Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas recently adopted the narrow reading of 523(a)(8)(A)(ii) in Crocker v. Navient Solutions, LLC , Adv. 16-3175 (Bankr. S.D. Tx Mar. 26, 2018). The court denied Navient's motion for summary judgment, finding that the bar exam study loan from SLMA at issue was not within the discharge exception for qualified student loans or educational benefit repayments.

In another class action complaint filed last year against Sallie Mae and Navient, plaintiffs claim that servicers are systematically defrauding student loan debtors about their bankruptcy discharge rights. According to the complaint in Homaidan v. Sallie Mae, Inc. (17-ap-01085 Bankr. EDNY), servicers illegally continued collecting private student loans that were fully discharged in debtor bankruptcies because they were not qualified educational loans. The servicers exploited the common misconception that "student loans" writ large are excluded from bankruptcy discharge. The defendants' motion to dismiss or compel arbitration is pending.

Professor Iuliano has also demonstrated in a prior paper that even student loans covered by the bankruptcy discharge exception can still be discharged based on showing "undue hardship," and that courts are far more likely to approve undue hardship discharges than many debtors (and lawyers) may realize.
As'ad's Bio

As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants.
From the man who once claimed Things Can Only Get Better we yesterday heard about The Big Disillusion.

Tony Blair was doing another anti-Brexit turn on the fringes of Westminster. He put forward an almost entirely negative prospectus, spreading gloom in the hope of causing a second referendum.

Brexit was a disaster, he said, and his fellow Remainers would prevail only once the electorate had woken up to the error of its ways.

Tony Blair: 'The smile seems pained, the voice has gone a bit pinched and the grey hair, thick at the back, was blueish under the lights'

Tony Blair's cheeks 'have done that wrinkled, pouchy thing that happened to Cilla Black towards the end of her days'

If we do leave the EU next March, the former PM said, his carrer in politics would be over - 'what a wonderful Brexit windfall', our correspondent says

He wanted to string out the Brexit process as long as possible. The Conservatives could go down at the 2022 election if Brexit was still an issue then, he said.

How odd to think that Mr Blairs New Labour once admonished the Right for being downbeat and defeatist.

He once understood the importance of optimism in politics. Now it is things can only deteriorate.

Ageing actress Tony was appearing at an academics network, The UK In A Changing Europe. The venue was the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre opposite Westminster Abbey.

I cant remember the last time Mr Blair stepped foot inside the Houses of Parliament.

Has he been back even once since he left office?

We were promised not a speech but a keynote conversation between him and a slightly matey politics don, Anand Menon.

Tony Blair has been leading a drive to force a second referendum on the Brexit terms

I was expecting this Menon to be a patsy but in fact he pinged some decently sceptical questions at Mr Blair.

The two of them sat in low chairs, Menon with an earring, Mr Blair in black, retro Chelsea boots.

The old-groover footwear said it all. Although he is still spry  thinner and maybe shorter than in his heyday  the package is now dated.

The smile seems pained, the voice has gone a bit pinched and the grey hair, thick at the back, was blueish under the lights.

His cheeks have done that wrinkled, pouchy thing that happened to Cilla Black towards the end of her days.

Prof Menon began by asking what the next 12 months would bring (it is now a year to our official departure from the EU).

Mr Blair coughed up his alternative: That we dont leave the EU, he grunted, avian eyes staring coldly at the floor.

He could foresee a scenario in which Theresa Mays EU departure deal was defeated in Parliament and she was then obliged to hold another referendum.

After familiar arguments that Britain hadnt a hope of succeeding outside the EU, he said Leave voters would be furious when they realised how much less capable we were of fighting globalism once we had lost the protection of the EU.

Leave voters would be short on gratitude and Remain voters would be long on memory.

Menon expressed doubt that Europhile Tory MPs would rebel against Mrs May if they saw it could make Jeremy Corbyn prime minister.

Mr Blair did not quite answer that point (perhaps Dominic Grieve has promised him he will oppose Mrs May whatever the deal) but he did sneer lightly about Mr Corbyn.

Ditto President Trump, to whom he referred without mentioning his name. A sentence left trailing, a raised eyebrow, a smirk: that is how European Centrists disdain the US president.

From time to time Mr Blair reminded us that he had been prime minister for ten years.

We had the usual stuff about the difference between strategy and tactics. He talks about Theresa May as she, Brexiteers as these guys.

Although he was trotting out pretty standard Remoaner fare, it was done without much zeal. There was a hint of resignation about his performance.

Though he claimed huskily that the Big Disillusion would give the Remainers their opportunity to stop Brexit, there was little va-voom.

And he gave Corbynites a tremendous incentive to support Mrs May. If we do leave the EU next March, he said, for me thats over.

We would hear no more from him about Brexit, or possibly much else.

Tony Blair is promising to quit the limelight? What a wonderful Brexit windfall.
A mother-of-two, who has incurable cancer, has revealed that with the little time she has left, she wants to focus on creating some special memories for her family and marrying her long-time partner.

Jessica Gregory, 27, of Christchurch, New Zealand, is terminally ill with secondary cancer in her lymph nodes.

While up until five weeks ago, she was expecting to live for another two years, the mum to Alexis, 7, and Caydence, 3, told FEMAIL specialists have said her cancer is more advanced.

Now, she doesn't know how much time she has left because she has been too scared to ask.

Jess Gregory (pictured far left) with her family daughter Alexis (second left) partner Phillip (centre) and her youngest Caydence (pictured left)

Ms Gregory explained her situation has progressed to the point where she is using a wheelchair to alleviate chronic pain in her legs, and that palliative treatment is her only option.

Ms Gregory's journey with the illness is one that has been fraught with heartbreak.

She was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer in 2016 - and at the time, she revealed she was pregnant with her third child.

'I was about ten weeks along and had some spotting, [so I] went for a scan and they found a tumour on my cervix,' she told FEMAIL.

'So I was faced with a very hard decision whether I would have treatment and which meant medically terminating the baby or keeping the baby and most likely die.'

Ms Adams was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer in 2016. She revealed she was also pregnant with her third child at the time

Ms Gregory said the prospect of leaving her two children motherless guided her decision to terminate with the hope treatment would cure her.

She underwent a hysterectomy, chemotherapy, radiation and brachytherapy - a type of treatment that allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation to precise areas of the body.

A scan six months later showed no sign of cancer, and the family thought they could put this difficult time behind them.

Ms Gregory said further scans were done in 2017 and while these showed there was some swelling in her lymph nodes, there weren't any indications at the time that her cancer had returned.

Ms Gregory said the prospect of leaving her two children motherless guided her decision to terminate with the hope treatment would cure her

Three months ago, following yet another scan and a biopsy, she was diagnosed with secondary cancer in her lymph nodes.

At the time, she said her medical team had said she had two years left to live, but five weeks ago she found out the cancer was more advanced, and there was nothing the team could do to save her life.

Ms Gregory shared how when she was first diagnosed with cervical cancer she made a bucket list, one filled with plans including travelling overseas.

Ms Gregory said there were only two things on her bucket list now: to create memories for her girls, Alexis and Caydence and to marry her partner, Phillip Adams

In particular, she wants to visit her dream destination, Scotland.

The 27-year-old said as an avid reader, the Outlander series by her favourite author Diana Gabaldon, had inspired her to travel there.

'But now because of my diagnosis, I can't go that far,' she said emotionally.

Today, this list only has two things on it: to create memories for her girls, Alexis and Caydence, and to marry her long-time partner, Phillip Adams.

Ms Gregory's mother, Lucy Gregory (left) has taken leave from work and now looks after her full-time

Ms Gregory's mum has taken leave from work to look after her daughter full-time.

The family have struggled financially but have rallied in support and set up a Give a Little page to raise funds in the hopes of making Ms Gregory's dreams come true.

So far the page has raised more than $13,000.

As well as an outpouring of financial assistance, people everywhere have come forward to help make her dream of getting married a reality.

As well as an outpouring of financial assistance, people everywhere have come forward to help make her dream of getting married a reality

To date, a celebrant, a baker, and a make up artist have offered their services.

'We may not be able to save her but we can give her a bit of magic every minute we have her with us every precious moment!' a statement on the webpage reads.

'She wants to get married before her time is up, we're going to make this happen no matter what.'

To donate to Ms Gregory's cause, please visit her Givealittle webpage page here
The New York City Human Rights Commission is investigating trendy women-only private members' club The Wing for gender discrimination.

Founded by Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan in October 2016, The Wing states on its website that it was 'born out of the belief that women need and deserve a multi-purpose space designed to make their lives easier, and that magic is created when women gather together'.

However, the New York City Commission on Human Rights has opened what they call a 'commission-initiated investigation' into how it operates.

Investigation: The New York City Human Rights Commission is launching an investigation into gender bias at The Wing, a women-only social club launched in October 2016

Doing it for themselves: Founded by Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan, The Wing was 'born out of the belief that women need and deserve' a 'space designed to make their lives easier'

After learning of the business through its media coverage, the NYC Human Rights Commission decided to launch an investigation to determine if the business's operations violate the city's Human Right's Law.

The law states that 'businesses that furnish public accommodations, including most private clubs (though not all),' cannot discriminate against customers based on their gender.

The Wing not only prohibits men not only from becoming members, but from also visiting the clubs.

'All that's happened is that The Wing and the Commission have agreed, mutually, to sit down and have a conversation,' said Karen Dunn of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, the law firm representing The Wing.

And speaking to Jezebel, Melissa Murray, law professor at UC Berkeley called the investigation 'absurd'.

'I think it's patently absurd for New York's human rights commission to be focusing on The Wing when we've had, over the last six months, numerous complaints about workplaces being absolutely hostile to women in terms of pervasive and endemic sexual harassment,' she said.

'Leaving aside the fact that so many workplaces seem to be rife with incidents of sexual harassment, now, after #MeToo, I think there are a lot of men in positions of authority who are going to be really skeptical and afraid to mentor women and that might make a space like this even more necessary.'

Service: The Wing prohibits men but female members can avail of work-spaces and amenities designed with women's needs in mind, like a Lactation Room and Beauty Room

A-list: The Wing frequently hosts events featuring celebrity guests like Jennifer Lawrence, pictured with co-founder Audrey Gelman at The Wing Soho in February 2018

Popular: The club currently has 1,500 members along with a 8,000-person waiting list for its three locations in New York and one in Washington, D.C. despite the $2,700-a-year fees

And speaking to The Cut on Tuesday, Audrey Gelman, CEO of The Wing said in a statement that 'the de Blasio Administration fully supports the mission of The Wing and will work with us to see it prosper.'

A City Hall press secretary also told The Cut that these types of reviews are 'very normal' and that 'the Mayor is fully supportive of The Wing's mission.'

The club currently has 1,500 members along with a lengthy 8,000-person waiting list for its three locations in New York - one in Flatiron, one in Soho and a third in downtown Brooklyn - and one in Washington, D.C. despite the hefty $2,700-a-year membership fees.

'Membership to The Wing includes access to open-plan and private work-spaces plus amenities designed with women's needs in mind,' the company states on its website.

'Included with membership is a robust and unique calendar of events and a community of women dedicated to living their best lives.'

Each club also features a 'Lactation Room' for breastfeeding mothers and a 'Beauty Room'.

And in the short time since its inception, The Wing has raised $40 million in venture capital, launched a magazine and held several celebrity led events at its locations.

Speaking out: The Wing has said in a statement that 'the de Blasio Administration fully supports the mission of The Wing and will work with us to see it prosper'

Support: Women have taken to Twitter to voice their outrage that the women's-only space is being criticized for gender discrimination

Missing the point: One man took to Twitter to sarcastically congratulate the commission on misinterpreting the meaning of The Wing

Abuse of power: Another women shared that she was disappointed that The Wing was under investigation when many other groups in New York needed to be reviewed

However making it to the front of the waiting list and paying the yearly fee is not enough; to belong to the female-only club, you have to first apply, then, if chosen, there are two types of membership passes to choose from.

The cheaper of which grants access to just one club of your choosing, while the other gives 'unlimited access to all current and future Wing locations'.

Since the news broke, many women have taken to Twitter to voice their objection to the investigation.

Twitter user Ashley Louise wrote: 'Hey @NYCMayorsOffice how about you use my tax dollars to investigate Weinstein or the Trumps or @ManhattanDA Cy Vance who let them off instead of self-initiating some garbage investigation into @the_wing.'

A sentiment shared by L.M. Gambier who typed: The bullsh*t investigation of @the_wing is basically that all over again. What an ugly thing to do to undermine marginalized people's ability to come together and support each other. @NYCCHR @NYCMayorsOffice #IStandWithTheWing'.
Danielle Mason has become the second person in the UK to have a revolutionary natural and non-invasive butt lift in a bid to be taken more seriously as an actress.

The half-sister of Eastenders' Jessie Wallaces had 90 peanut-oil infused Endopeel injections at Vie Aesthetics in London, and hopes the lunch-time procedure will also give her the confidence boost she needs to meet the man of her dreams.

The former My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star, 34, told Mail Online: I got my break through being a Page Three girl, but I want to be taken more seriously as an actress now. Thats what Ive studied for.

Id love to star in Benidorm, Im a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, or Id love to do a panto. I want people to see that Ive got a personality and a sense of humour. But all I get are the blonde bimbo gigs because Ive got big boobs, which I also want to get reduced.

Im hoping that this might take the focus away from my surgically-enhanced cleavage for once.'

Former My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Danielle Mason, 34, has had a peanut oil bum lift in a bid to boost her curves - and her acting career

The mother-of-two picture before the procedure (left) said she was feeling self-conscious about her lack of curves. Right: After the injections, Danielle was very impressed with the tightened and rounded effect

Danielle - who split with her TV co-star, cage fighter Tony Giles, three years ago - got demoralised after failing to glean results from gym sessions five times a week.

So she decided to try the ground-breaking treatment, which is a hit in places like South America, particularly in Brazil, but hasn't yet taken off in the UK.

She continued: The gym wasnt working for me. I was spending so much time training and doing squats but I couldnt see it making any difference, so I got sick of it.

What is Endopeel? Endopeel injections contain a solution of carbolic acid and peanut oil acids. When injected, it causes a process known as 'chemical myolysis', meaning the skin is plumped and the muscles are tightened. A course of injections takes an hour and for the ultimate lifting effect, three sessions at a total cost of 2,400 are recommended. Advertisement

When I heard about this procedure, I thought, Why not? Its all natural so it doesnt cost the earth and it wont impact on my health.

I know Im loud but I suffer from body confidence issues like we all do. It affects what I wear and Im always commenting on my saggy bum.

Who knows? If this helps me restore my self-esteem I might even meet the man of my dreams.

The mum of Rudy, six, and Delilah Rose, four, grimaced while the 90 jabs were being injected into her behind. Some of the jabs drew blood and caused bruising.

Dr Ioannis Liakis used anaesthetic cream on her rear end and marked out in pen where the injections needed to go in advance, so it looked like an elaborate game of noughts and crosses had been played on it.

Dr Ioannis Liakis marked Danielle's derriere with a pen in advance so he could see where the injections needed to go

The mother-of-two said she was hoping to land more film roles and is even eyeing up a stint in the Australian jungle for I'm a Celebrity

Dr Ioannis Liakis has only ever performed the procedure on one other person in the UK

She said: When the jabs go in to a less fleshy area, they hurt a bit.

Its nowhere near the pain of having tattoos, Ive got a flower on each wrist for both of my children plus flowers on my foot. But then nothing compares to childbirth!

Once shed been injected over an hour later, Danielle couldnt believe her new pert butt, which is now much more like her idol Kylie Jenners. She said: Oh my God, my saggy bum is much fuller, its like an apple now. It even accentuates my figure.

Its my birthday this Friday. I cant wait to go on holiday next week so I can show off my curves in a thong on the beach.

Who is Jessie Wallace's half-sister Danielle Mason? Danielle and her half-sister have the same mother, Annette Mason. They spent ten years locked in a feud after Danielle accused the Eastenders actress of turning her back on her stepfather Ron Mason, who was battling leukaemia. However, the pair reconciled after their grandfather passed away and have been seen out on the town together on several occasions. Danielle came to prominence when she featured on My Big Fat Gypsy wedding with her former partner, traveller Tony Giles. The couple were unusual due to the fact that Danielle is not a traveller, and because she and Tony had a child out of wedlock, something which goes against the community's culture. During the show, the pair discussed whether to have a 50K wedding in the UK or elope to Vegas, but they never made it down the aisle. However, cultural clashes drove them apart with Danielle claiming Tony wanted her to be a traditional stay-at-home housewife. When asked if shed ever get back with her ex-husband and the father of her kids, she scoffed: Hed need to grow up before Id ever even consider taking him back. Im much happier being a single mum. As well as My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Danielle has also worked as a glamour model. She also appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show in 2008. The bubbly blonde spoke has starred in three films over the last year, including the latest in the budget gangland franchise, Rise of The Footsoldier 3. Shes also launching a Mirror Images online Christmas dress range. Danielle and her half-sister have the same mother, Annette Mason, and reconciled in the past few years after a decade-long feud Advertisement

However, Danielle ruled out the idea of a night on the town to celebrate.

But dont expect to see me out on the town promoting myself or what Im doing. I used to hang out in Chinawhite nightclub on Wednesdays with celebrities including Katie Price. Im running around after my kids now, who I love so much. I dont even wear make-up in the week.

My sister Jessie is the same these days. You wont catch us out on the town any more. Shes supportive of what Im doing with my life, although she did question what I was doing when I had cheek fillers done recently.

The aspiring actress said she hoped to be offered more serious roles in the future

The mother-of-two said she can't wait to slip into a thong bikini on her upcoming beach holiday to show off the results

I dont know what shell make of this. But then I dont ask her for advice. We both do our own thing.

Dr Liakis of Vie Aesthetics in Londons Harley Street  who advises a session a year after the first three to maintain the results - said: The only other person whos had this procedure in the UK is the model Nicole Gibson, and shes thrilled with her fuller bottom. She gets comments on her butt when shes working out in the gym.

Endopeel is natural and complication free, even after 10 years. Danielle will be running around after her kids as normal by the time she gets home.
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A young couple have celebrated their wedding day by taking their bridal party to KFC.

Joel and Payton Giacomantonio tied the knot earlier in March, but with a long wait between the wedding ceremony and reception, the Queensland couple decided to stop by their favourite fast food store.

'We turned up in a limo, I had on my tiara and veil on and the boys were in their full suits. Their expressions were like 'are you joking?',' Ms Giacomantonio told Quest Community News.

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Joel and Payton Giacomantonio (pictured together) tied the knot earlier in March this year but stopped at KFC for a snack

The pair's first meal together as married couple was a box of crispy fried chicken (pictured) as well as Zinger burgers

The couple had a long wait between their wedding ceremony and reception so went to KFC to cure their hunger (pictured)

Their bridal party also snacked on the colonel's famous Zinger burgers (pictured) while they waited for the reception at 6pm

With the ceremony at 11am and the reception at 6pm, the new bride said they were 'starving hungry' and stopped to refuel at KFC.

The pair's first meal together as married couple was a box of crispy fried chicken while their bridal party also snacked on the colonel's famous Zinger burgers.

'It was on the way to the park lands and my photographer was starving hungry and pregnant so this is just where we stopped and had a quick bite to eat and off we went,' Ms Giacomantonio told Sunrise Thursday morning.

The couple, who have been together more than six years, had a quick photo shoot at the Eagleby KFC, south of Brisbane, before heading on their way to their wedding reception.

While the quirky pit stop is something unusual, Mr Giacomantonio's parents also stopped at the fast food franchise after their own wedding for an 'end of night, drunken KFC trip'.

The wedding photographer shared the quirky photos online which were quickly viewed more than 1000 times.

'It was on the way to the park lands and my photographer was starving hungry and pregnant so this is just where we stopped and had a quick bite to eat and off we went,' Ms Giacomantonio said

The couple, who have been together more than six years, had a quick photo shoot at the Eagleby KFC, south of Brisbane, before heading on their way to their wedding reception

While the quirky pit stop is something unusual, Mr Giacomantonio's parents also stopped at the fast food franchise after their own wedding for an 'end of night, drunken KFC trip'
Parents are well aware of the struggles LEGO can present in the home - whether it's that painful sting from stepping on a rogue block or constantly cluttered spaces.

And with more than 50,000 pieces made every 30 seconds, the hit toy isn't going away any time soon.

Thankfully, Australian professional organiser, Anita Birges, has come up with a genius solution for organising the blocks and preventing the collection from getting out of control.

'Every time I go into a home for a toy declutter, the question I am most often asked is how I store the LEGO,' the Mise en Place founder told FEMAIL.

Australian professional organiser, Anita Birges, has come up with a genius solution for organising LEGO and preventing the collection from getting out of control

 Slide me  'Every time I go into a home for a toy declutter, the question I am most often asked is how I store the LEGO,' the Mise en Place founder told FEMAIL (before and after)

'This also depends on how the kids play with it - are they freestylers or instruction builders?

'A lot of people keep trying different storage ideas which then ends up also being clutter. Storing something as visual and as fiddly as LEGO needs to be done properly once and the system will last.'

Appearing on Today Extra, Ms Birges took viewers through the step by step process of her clever LEGO organisation method.

'Whether it's in a cupboard, under a bed or you've got a room where you can store the toys, there is a way you can have it organised properly,' she said.

Appearing on Today Extra, Ms Birges took viewers through the step by step process of her clever LEGO organisation method

'A tool shed has lots of little screws and nuts and bolts and things and it is the same concept with LEGO. So I am going to use these from Bunnings - they are handy storage large backing plates and are $15.95 each,' she said

The first step Ms Birges took was removing everything from the playroom as the shelves the family was using to store the LEGO was contributing to the clutter.

'Something I see a lot of is the storage of all of these manuals - but you don't need them to build things. There is a website called Brickset and you just put in the number of the LEGO and it will tell you how to build it,' she said.

The biggest issue on the top shelf, Ms Birges said, was that it was 'wasted storage'.

'There are things back here that the family probably doesn't even know about. We need to fix it up, get everything out and set up a really good shelving space,' she said.

Beforehand, the room was cluttered and there was no system in place

Ms Birges then used tubs on the back plates to perfectly organise the space

Ms Birges then set up shelves to use up all the height and depth and created a great place to display the LEGO.

The storage solution she created for the pieces of LEGO was based off the idea of a tool shed.

'A tool shed has lots of little screws and nuts and bolts and things and it is the same concept with LEGO. So I am going to use these from Bunnings - they are handy storage large backing plates and are $15.95 each,' she said.

'I am going to put them all across the wall to create this masterpiece.'

Ms Birges then used tubs on the back plates to perfectly organise the space.

'Usually I would use a label maker but when it comes to LEGO how are you going to describe each piece? So what I do is I grab a piece from each box and stick it on with glue on the front of each box,' she said

'Down the bottom I have superheroes, puzzles, games, arts and crafts and I am going to use a label maker for that,' she said

So how does she ensure it's clear what is kept in each compartment?

'Usually I would use a label maker but when it comes to LEGO how are you going to describe each piece? So what I do is I grab a piece from each box and stick it on with glue on the front of each box,' she said.

'The more visual it is for kids the easier it is for them to follow instructions.

'Down the bottom I have superheroes, puzzles, games, arts and crafts and I am going to use a label maker for that,' she said.

To finish the room, she created a table.

'Every home that has LEGO needs an awesome LEGO table with excellent storage. So what I did was I went down to IKEA and got this coffee table for $29.99 and then went down to Kmart and got some LEGO base plates for $10,' she said.

'Every home that has LEGO needs an awesome LEGO table with excellent storage. So what I did was I went down to IKEA and got this coffee table for $29.99 and then went down to Kmart and got some LEGO base plates for $10,' she said

'It's been two weeks and their mum has said how much pride and care they have for their play room now. Items are put back where they belong because there is a place for everything and it's so simple for the kids to use,' she said

'A very important tip when attaching these to the table is to use Tarzan's glue. Don't use PVA glue because that is for wood and it won't stick the plastics together.

'The last part is the storage underneath. I went to Howard's Storage World and got some organisers for $17 and paid $36 for an underbed storage box. It just slides in underneath.

'Even I want to play in here now.'

Ms Birges told FEMAIL that the room did in fact stay in the same condition after she had finished.

'When the kids arrived back from school that day and went into the room we organised, they said to their parents "This is so beautiful that we will never mess it up again",' she said.

'It's been two weeks and their mum has said how much pride and care they have for their play room now. Items are put back where they belong because there is a place for everything and it's so simple for the kids to use.'
A woman who woke up to what she believed were the consequences of a bad dish of General Tso's chicken was stunned to deliver an unexpected baby three hours later.

Crystal Gail Amerson, 29, thought food poisoning was responsible for the stomach pains that woke her up around 4 am on Sunday, The Pensacola News Journal reported.

The mother, of Pensacola, Florida, who didn't know she was actually 37 weeks pregnant, spent more than an hour taking trips to the bathroom.

Surprise! Crystal Gail Amerson, 29, thought food poisoning was responsible for the stomach pains that woke her up on Sunday, but she was actually pregnant with a baby boy (pictured)

Pain: The mother (pictured with her fiance), of Pensacola, Florida, spent more than an hour taking trips to the bathroom before calling an ambulance

'I had Chinese food the night before and I kind of figured maybe I had food poisoning or something like that,' she told the newspaper.

As the pain escalated, Amerson woke up her fiance, Brian Westerfield, 26, telling him they should call an ambulance.

'The stomach pains were just excruciating and I could hardly move,' she said.

Amerson then learned the real source of her stomach ache when she delivered her second child.

Her son, a 19-inch, five-pound baby named Oliver James, entered the world in the back of the ambulance en route to the hospital.

Newborn: Her son, a 19-inch, five-pound baby named Oliver James, entered the world in the back of the ambulance en route to the hospital

Undetected: Amerson, who also has an 18-month-old son, says she's didn't feel many symptoms during her first pregnancy and didn't seem to put on much weight

Some women sometimes do not find out they are pregnant until they are about to give birth. If they have an irregular menstrual cycle, that can make the pregnancy even harder to spot.

Amerson, who also has an 18-month-old son, says she's didn't feel many symptoms during her first pregnancy and didn't seem to put on much weight.

'I gained a little bit of weight, but I think with my first baby I didn't notice either,' she added.

'I never gained that pregnancy shape, really. And then I wear scrubs to work because I work at a retirement home for Alzheimer's and dementia patients. So I guess the way they fit me as well, it was hard to notice anything or tell anything.'

Although the Chinese food was absolved of blame, Amerson says she may never be able to enjoy it as she once did.

'That's what I was telling my mother-in-law, I think I'm traumatized from Chinese food,' she said. 'I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at it the same way again.'
A hot cross bun baked using honey, fresh spices and topped with a custard cross has been hailed as the 'world's best hot cross bun.'

An eatery in Auckland, New Zealand has been producing the buns for the past 10 years, and now the treats have become so popular, it can't keep up with demand.

The bespoke buns cost $5.50 each. They are sugar-free and come laden with fruit peel and hand-ground spice.

It's quite costly considering in Australia, a six pack of hot cross buns from Coles or Woolworths will only set you back a mere $3.50.

But what sets this New Zealand hot cross bun apart from the rest is its cross apparently.

These hot cross buns are sugar-free and come laden with fruit peel and fresh spice

An eatery in Auckland, New Zealand has been producing the buns for the past 10 years

Crosses are normally made from a paste of flour and water, but these delights are formed from a decadent vanilla bean custard.

Previously the team at Ima Cuisine sold 500 hot cross buns a day in the lead up to Easter, but that's since increased to 1,000.

Orders now top 2,500 for Thursday, and teams have been working through the night to fulfil these.

Previously the team at Ima Cuisine sold 500 hot cross buns a day in the lead up to Easter, but that's now increased to 1,000

The moreish morsel has cult-like status among those who live in the city, and during the month they are on sale, there's often a long line of people waiting to get their hands on one, according to the NZ Herald.

However, those wanting to walk in off the street a buy a bun today will find themselves out of luck.

'We have completely sold out of hot cross buns,' Ima Cuisine's voicemail message said 'and we can't sell you a bun if you are walking in off the street.'

The moreish morsel has cult-like status among those who live in the city, and during the month they are on sale, there's often a long line of people waiting to get their hands on one

Bun creator Yael Shochat revealed the hot cross bun recipe is a contemporary twist on the Easter classic

The hype around the much-coveted bun has been building for a while, but after Jetstar's in-flight magazine named them the best buns in the world, their status soared.

The creator of the buns, Yael Shochat, a baker from Tel Aviv who now lives in Auckland, told the publication her recipe is a contemporary twist on the Easter classic.

'I found this recipe for hot cross buns with custard crosses by someone from the Culinary Institute of America years ago and I loved it,' she said.

Previously the team at Ima Cuisine sold 500 hot cross buns a day in the lead up to Easter, but that's since increased to 1,000

Crosses are normally made from a paste of flour and water, but these delights are formed from a decadent vanilla custard.

'You've got a bun thats spicy and fruity, and the vanilla custard really balances it out. Ive never seen it anywhere else.

'I've adapted the recipe and made it my own, and people go crazy for them.'

Ms Shochat said the secret to her buns success was taking the time to freshly grind her spices, which 'makes a big difference.'
I don't know how many young women come to this blog or how many are parents of teenage or young adult women, but here are some safety tips from Kelsey's Army:

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1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.Remember the acronym TIPS:ake Chargenform others of your whereaboutsrepare for any situationurvival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen)For more information, go to Kelsey's Army
The fashion crowd can't get enough of the pantsuit trend right now.

But its latest incarnation is one for people who want to make a bold and dramatic statement this season.

The pink pantsuit - and specifically the power suit by Australian label C/MEO Collective - has been spotted on everyone from Jesinta Franklin to Anna Heinrich.

But at $438, it certainly doesn't come cheap.

The pink pantsuit - and specifically the power suit by Australian label C/MEO Collective (pictured) - is the It fashion item this season

The $438 power suit has been spotted on a slew of celebrities, including model, Clementine McVeigh (pictured), who dressed it down with Fendi sunglasses and Gucci trainers

The first to rock the suit was model Jesinta Franklin (pictured), who sported the in-vogue outfit with stiletto heels, a hat and statement necklace

The first to rock the suit was model Jesinta Franklin, who sported the in-vogue outfit with stiletto heels, a hat and statement necklace.

But while she chose to style the outfit up, others have adopted a more relaxed approach.

Fellow model, Clementine McVeigh, chose to wear the suit with Gucci trainers and Fendi sunglasses.

Ex Bachelor star and lawyer, Anna Heinrich (pictured), decided to 'shoulder robe' the $259 jacket over her shoulders, while she posed for a photograph with family members

One of the most recent to wear the pant suit was fashion and lifestyle blogger, Rozalia Russian, who styled the suit with a high-waisted belt and crop top, when she attended VAMFF (pictured)

Meanwhile, ex Bachelor star and lawyer, Anna Heinrich, decided to 'shoulder robe' the $259 jacket over her shoulders, while she wore a white wrap top and sandals to pose for a photograph with family members.

One of the most recent to wear the pant suit was fashion and lifestyle blogger, Rozalia Russian, who styled the suit with a high-waisted belt and crop top, when she attended Melbourne's Fashion Festival.

The suit is currently on sale at David Jones, where it explains it will soon become a 'standout favourite in your wardrobe'.

For those struggling to afford the $438 C/MEO Collective pink pant suit (pictured), there are ways to buy something cheaper

ASOS have a Unique 21 Boxy Blazer Co-Ord, with matching pants in a dusky millennial pink - the entire outfit costs just $136 (pictured)

Elsewhere on ASOS, there is a Monki tailored blazer for $80; the matching pants for this set cost just $20 (pictured)

But if you want to get the C/MEO Collective look on the cheap, where can you go?

ASOS have a Unique 21 Boxy Blazer Co-Ord, with matching pants in a dusky millennial pink.

Together, the whole outfit comes to a rather more purse-friendly $136.

Elsewhere on ASOS, there is a Monki tailored blazer for $80. The matching pants for this set cost just $20.

Boohoo have a wide-legged pair of pink trousers for $24.

And if you want to go half of the way and aren't quite ready to commit to the fully-pink look, The Iconic have an on-sale $49.98 double-breasted jacket.

For those who just can't deal with the idea that the C/MEO Collective pantsuit can't be theirs, why not try fashion rental website, GlamCorner, where you can hire the entire outfit out for four days for just $99?

The suit is currently available in a range of sizes.

The Iconic have an on-sale $49.98 double-breasted jacket (pictured)

Boohoo have a wide-legged pair of pink trousers for $24 (pictured)

You can get wide-legged culotte pants from SABA for $99 (pictured)

Over the past 18 months, pink has driven the sales of everything - whether it's fashion items, beauty products in Glossier bags or interiors items in a blush colour, like that Kmart knotted cushion that sent the Internet into a frenzy several months ago.

In fact, there were 19,000 more pink fashion items on the global fashion search site, Lyst, in 2017 that there were in 2016.

Meanwhile, searches increased by a whopping 56 per cent.
HOW I admire the Japanese cultures sensible approach to greeting people when they meet  a simple bow or nod of the head is enough, be it to friends, acquaintances or strangers. Theres no handshaking, hugging or, heaven forbid, kissing.

Unlike we British, they obviously know plenty about germs, especially as they are often swathed in gloves and surgical masks.

If only I could find them in silk and satin and swathed in Swarovski crystals! Because while Ive long been concerned with germs, Ive become even more wary following my recent experience with a terrible bout of influenza.

Joan Collins kisses Robert Kilroy-Silk as she is welcomed as an early member of UKIP in 2004

Joan Collins poses with Cilla Black as the pair embrace Cliff Richard, who gives Dame Joan a kiss on the cheek

Where did I catch it from? Its almost impossible to know, but I believe the deadliest germ carriers are other peoples hands and faces  which makes my life tricky, considering I work in a profession where hugs, kisses and physical contact are the norm.

Indeed, in the course of my career, some actors and directors have put my immune system under serious strain, so unnecessarily up close and personal have they become.

My flu virus struck when I was on a plane to Dubai as I travelled to perform my one-woman show at the opera house in December. In spite of having had the flu jab, which protects one from the viruss deathly A-strain, apparently one can still succumb to the less serious but still awful B-strain, which I unfortunately contracted.

Regardless, the show had to go on, so I staggered on to the stage and managed to get through it, in spite of several coughing fits. Back in London I took to my bed like a Victorian lady with a case of the swoons  legs shaky as spaghetti, ribs aching from a hacking cough. Bed-bound for a fortnight, I almost felt that the end was near. (Im an actress  you have to expect some drama.)

Ever since, I have upped my one-woman war against germs. A few weeks after my illness, on a flight from London to LA, I was adamant on blocking the airvent above me with duct tape and swabbing my seat and media screen vigorously with disinfectant wipes. I had armed myself with enough hand sanitiser, nose-blocking gel and baby wipes to stock a corner chemist.

I was protecting myself from the zillions of invisible germs that lurk inside aeroplanes, as they do on every surface from door handles to lift buttons and supermarket trolleys. Indeed, while Ive long worn gloves as a fashionable accessory, now I wear them whenever possible to protect myself against virulent germs.

And, yes, I try to avoid shaking hands  instead offering my jaunty closed fist for a gentle bump, which is usually met by a puzzled expression unless the recipient is approaching puberty  much less this ghastly fad of kissing and hugging strangers.

Joan Collins often shared kisses with her co-stars on screen. Left: with Oliver Tobias in the Stud, right with Stephen Boyd in Island in the Sun

The bane of my life is the bear hug followed by a sloppy kiss on the cheek from total strangers. As I was born and brought up at a time where you didnt kiss or hug anyone except your family, and it was the norm to seldom receive much affection from your parents past the age of ten, this is a fad I cant adjust to.

My mother was a germophobe long before it was trendy to be one. As her first-born, she wrapped me in cotton wool. When we went out in the pram, and because strangers would often coo over me and get far too close for her comfort, she felt compelled to have a sign printed, which she put on the blanket covering her little darling, stating: Please do not kiss me.

Unfortunately, I no longer have that sign, as it would be still useful. Yes, other actors and actresses seemingly relish sharing their intimate space with others, but call me cold and aloof  and I try not to be  I dont willingly participate.

Joan Collins kissing Rod Steiger in 1970 film 'Seven Thieves'

Joan puckers up with Milica Kastnet at her launch party of book ''The World According to Joan' at London's Southbank Centre in 2011

So these #metoo movements and mysterious unwritten laws that make it verboten to get too close to your colleagues suit me just fine, even though I generally am against the nanny-state these movements engender.

After the curtain comes down actors are no longer supposed to fraternise with each other and much less with the management and production staff. However, if those were the rules in 2000, I would never have been able to date my husband, Percy, when we met in San Francisco and toured the U.S. He was managing the company and I was playing opposite George Hamilton.

Luckily, George is not one of those actors who spray you with saliva when you have a scene in close proximity. Ever the gent, we worked together several times on TV and he has never parted his lips during a kissing scene.

Joan goes cheek-to-cheek with her brother Bill Collins at 'The World According to Joan' book launch in 2011

Joan Collins and Christopher Biggins share a hug and a kiss on the cheek

Sadly, that doesnt apply to a few other actors, who must have exposed me to more germs than I care to think about. As soon as the director yells action during a love scene, these actors become full on with the hands, the mouth and the dreaded tongue.

Not to speak ill of the dead (but I will), I played opposite George Peppard in a little epic called The Executioner, shot in Greece. Unfortunately, he was an eager beaver in the amorous department. Wearing nothing but knickers and a sheet during our first love scene, I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as all 6ft 2in of him was splayed on top of me.

The wardrobe lady swiftly pulled the sheet away at the last minute and he came in for the kill. I tried a closed mouth screen-kiss, but he attempted the full-on Frenchie, and as I politely extricated his tongue from my throat for the fourth time, I became angry.

I protested to our director, Sam Wanamaker, while GP looked on in amusement as the make-up department tried to reconstruct both our lipstick-covered faces.

Just do it a little less forcefully, George, said Sam persuasively.

OK, he growled, ever the great star, and off we went again:

Sheet off; Peppard on; tongue in  ugh! Sam was finally satisfied and cried cut. Did you enjoy that? smirked George.

Joan Collins kisses Anthony Newley

No, I hated it and you didnt have to be quite so method, I retorted as I struggled back into my robe, trying not to be the days cabaret act for the crew.

Youre a prude, he sneered. Most actresses love it.

Well, Im not one of em, I said and stalked off speechless with fury. George became petulant and refused to talk to me, so we communicated only through our make-up people and during our scenes.

Another actor to perform inappropriate kissing on me was Gene Barry (otherwise known as Bat Masterson in the eponymous U.S. TV series). The details are hazy, but I was a wife pining for my estranged husband who appears to be a double agent, and Gene was the spy master trying to catch him out.

In the movie, Gene escorted me to my front door after a platonic dinner date.

He then tried what was supposed to be an avuncular goodbye peck on the cheek but out came that tongue again. No, no, you cant do it like that, I said struggling away. Im supposed to be grieving.

Joan Collins And her husband Percy Gibson share a kiss at the 2002 British Book Awards atT he Grovesnor House Hotel, London

For Chrissakes, what are you? Frigid? he demanded.

Yes, Ive had two kids and two husbands, and Im frigid, I replied, but Gene didnt get the sarcasm. Im Gene Barry. Im the hero of this picture. This womans gotta enjoy it. My fans will be disappointed!

Well, my fans will hate it. Why dont you go kiss them instead?

We WERE frosty from then on, until he made a guest appearance in These Old Broads, which I starred in with Shirley MacLaine, Debbie Reynolds and Elizabeth Taylor, decades later. He recalled, not our fall-out on the set, but my subsequent appearance in Playboy Magazine!

Thankfully, neither of these saliva-filled interactions gave me a cold or flu. I wasnt so lucky when I experienced another distasteful kiss on legendary producer Sam Spiegels super-yacht, moored in a gorgeous bay outside Cannes.

I was with Roger Moore and David Niven and their respective wives, looking forward to a birthday celebration for some other Hollywood big-wig. Twenty of us were seated on deck on a long table. Roger toasted the birthday boy, then added: And its Joanies birthday today too!

Congratulations, honey, beamed Spiegel, And have I got a present for you, little lady. He lumbered up to me and plonked a tonsil-probing smacker, complete with snake-like tongue, on my lips. Roger thought it was hilarious.

I sat there gobsmacked with a sickly smile on my face as the table whooped with glee and I surreptitiously wiped my mouth on my napkin.

The following day I came down with a virulent strain of flu and had to spend days in bed.

So, dear reader, if I dont accept your kisses, hugs and handshakes, it doesnt mean I dont like you. It just means I dont want to catch your germs.
A midwife has revealed the most common phone calls she has answered in hospital.

Mother-of-two Amelia Lamont, from Melbourne, has been a midwife for five years - and so she knows the distressing feeling at both ends of the birth suite.

Taking to Instagram, Amelia, otherwise known as The Midwife Mumma, said the most frequent concerns they heard over the line were about fetal movements.

'One of the most common phone calls us midwives take in the hospital is from women worried about their fetal movements,' she said.

'We can hear the panic in their voice as soon as they say hello. It's horrid and our hearts start pumping with them.'

Mother-of-two Amelia Lamont (pictured with her daughter Essie), from Melbourne, has been a midwife for five years - and so she knows the distressing feeling at both ends of the birth suite

Taking to Instagram, Amelia, otherwise known as The Midwife Mumma, said the most frequent concerns they hear over the line are about fetal movements

The midwife would then follow through with a series of questions: 'When did you last feel baby move? Have you had any bleeding? How many weeks are you?

'But the reality is... none of that matters. A mother's instinct knows best and that is why more often then not, we invite them straight in for a CTG monitor to reassure them and to check the well being of their unborn baby.'

CTG stands for cardiotocography, commonly used during pregnancy to monitor the fetal heart and contractions of the uterus.

Amelia explained how often many women would feel foolish for making the phone call - thinking they are bothering the hospital at inconvenient times.

Amelia encouraged pregnant women to call for help at any time if they notice their unborn baby's movements are slowing down (pictured with her son Alfie)

'Many women say: "I'm sorry to bother you" or "look I'm probably being silly and over reacting". Or even better "I was there last week with the same thing so I know baby will be fine but...",' she said.

'Firstly, you are never bothering us. You and your baby are our priority at all times. Secondly, you are never being silly or overreacting, who would take that chance?

'You felt a hunch and you did the right thing.

'Lastly, you can come every day with concerns regarding you baby's movements and we will always take you seriously. Chances are baby is quiet for a reason.'

Taking to Instagram, Amelia, otherwise known as The Midwife Mumma , said the most common phone calls she she has received are about fetal movements

Amelia offered her advice of making sure your unborn baby moves by lying on your back for a few minutes

Amelia encouraged pregnant women to call for help at any time if they notice their unborn baby's movements are slowing down.

'Never underestimate your mum instincts, ever,' Amelia said.

'My ob always told me: "I don't care what any test shows, if you feel something isn't right, it probably isn't" and bless him.

'Never once let me feel like I was being a hypochondriac or melodramatic. Did you know that the average fetal movements felt is approximately 10 movements within two hours from around 26 weeks?

'Some have super active babies much earlier so the 10 in two rule would also apply to you.'

Pregnant women are the most common callers - who often seek help over the phone about concerns after noticing a change in their unborn baby's movements

Amelia offered her advice of making sure your unborn baby moves by lying on your back for a few minutes.

'Most of the time we are way too busy to notice but if you are ever worried, always take a moment to lie down for a few minutes and more often then not baby will be bouncing away but - and this is a big but,' she said.

'If you cannot feel baby or you are dissatisfied with its movements, always call your hospital and speak to your midwife about your concerns.

'Mumma knows best.'

The mother said she's currently working on an e-book about everything you need to know from a midwife's perspective.

'Because everything pregnancy and baby related that is essential for a healthy, happy pregnancy will be available to you in the click of a button,' she said.
An 18-year-old student from Ireland is the first to announce that she has received a invitation to the royal wedding in May.

Daniella Timperley, from Randalstown, is one of the 600 members of the public to receive an invite to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials in Windsor on May 19.

The sixth-form student who studies at St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena was chosen because of her extensive charity work.

Irish student Daniella Timperely is one of the first to be announced as a guest at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding

In fact, her very special invitation comes the same week that Daniella was named Top Youth Volunteer.

Announcing the news on Twitter, St Louis school wrote: 'What a week it has been for Daniella! Not only was she named Top Youth Volunteer 2018, she has also received an invitation to the royal wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle as a result of her extensive charity work!'

The MailOnline has contacted St Louis Grammar for a comment.

The couple, who will marry at St George's chapel in Windsor on May 19, chose to invite 600 members of the public to their nuptials

Daniella's invitation comes the same week that she was named Top Youth Volunteer 2018 as announced by her grammar school St Louis Ballymena

Daniella shares Meghan's passion for women's rights having been involved with Women's Aid ABCLN from a young age and even represented the charity on the BBC Children in Need Youth Panel in 2015.

The teen has also dedicated her time to working in care homes, helping at homework clubs at her school and has also spent time raising funds for children in Romania.

Speaking to the Paramerica Spirit of Community awards teacher Bronagh McGreevy, said: 'In comparison to many young people, Daniella gives up the temptations on TVs, going out and other normal teenage activities to selflessly serve others.

Daniella will also enjoy a lunchtime reception at St George's Hall, which is being given by the Queen. Pictured: The invitations sent out by the couple

'She is a remarkable young lady who I respect and admire. She is indeed a special young lady.'

Daniella will join 599 guests at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding service at St George's Chapel before making their way to a lunchtime reception at St George's Hall, which is being given by the Queen.

The invitation stipulates a strict dress code with men asked to don military uniform - likely to be worn by Harry, a former solder who is now Captain General of Royal Marines - or a morning coat and lounge hat, with women asked to wear a day dress and hat.

The invitations, posted last week, have been produced by company Barnard & Westwood, which has held a Royal Warrant for Printing & Bookbinding by Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen since 1985.
Parents of quintuplets have revealed exactly what it takes to keep their busy household running.

Briana and Jordan Turner, from Kentucky, welcomed Zoey Hart, Dakota Faith, Hollyn Grace, Asher Blaze and Gavin Lane, in May last year following fertility treatment.

To keep the children in clean clothes the couple, who have help from Briana's mother and a live-in nanny, do at least three loads of washing a day. The babies also go through 60 nappies and at least 20 different outfits in just 24 hours.

The weekly shop involves dozens of pots of baby food and previously the family had to prepare some 40 bottles of milk to keep the quintuplets fed.

Growing family: Briana and Jordan Turner, from Kentucky, welcomed Zoey Hart, Dakota Faith, Hollyn Grace, Asher Blaze and Gavin Lane, in May last year following fertility treatment

Carefully planned: The babies' bottles are lined up, reveling how many they need in a day

Weekly shop: Dozens of pots of baby food, formula and gallons of milk in a shopping trolley

Siblings (left-right) Zoey Hart, Dakota Faith, Hollyn Grace, Asher Blaze, Gavin Lane

Briana said: 'It's absolutely crazy - there is certainly never a dull moment in the house.

'We are feeding every 30 minutes because as soon as the last baby is fed you are back to feeding the first one. The cycle starts again. It is a bit like an assembly line.

'They get through numerous bottles a day.

Day out: The Turners had to buy a van to take all five children out at the same time

Shopping haul: More than 10 bags of baby food and formula are needed to keep them fed

Attracting attention: Two double buggies and a baby carrier are needed to take them out

Play time (left to right): Zoey Hart, Dakota Faith, Hollyn Grace, Asher Blaze, Gavin Lane

'We haven't really taken them out too much as their immune systems are weak but when we do we certainly attract attention!

Raising quintuplets: By numbers 4: Number of outfits each of the quintuplets wears every day 20:Total number of baby outfits needed per day 3: Loads of washing a day needed to keep the children in fresh clothes 30: Number of minutes between each feed, rotating through each child in turn 40: Number of bottles of milk the children went through as babies 60: Number of nappies used a day 2: Number of double buggies needed for taking the children on a stroll. The fifth is carried in a wrap 1: Number of new cars bought to take all five children on a family day out Advertisement

'We usually take them out in twos or threes on different trips.

'We had to get a van as soon as they were born - obviously our standard car didn't fit them. But even that's a squeeze.

'It is definitely a huge task taking them out and we attract a lot of attention. We can't really go anywhere without that.'

Briana, 30, and Jordan spent two years trying for a baby before opting for fertility treatment.

The father-of-five admitted he 'almost passed out' when the couple found out they were expecting quintuplets.

Jordan, 27, took just a week of paternity leave before returning to work as a crane driver but Briana has help from the full-time nanny and her mother, who arrives at the house every morning at 6am to help look after her grandchildren.

The couple estimates they have already spent thousands on the basic essentials for their children and admit they will have to move into a bigger house as the quintuplets grow.

Help: Ann Turner, Jordan's mother, plays with her five grandchildren at the family home

Fragile: The quintuplets, pictured as newborns, have weak immune systems

Briana said: 'Each of them has their own little personalities. It has been really cool watching them grow.

'We do have to stay to quite a tight schedule and we are adapting that as they grow. Sometimes it does not seem real - this past year has just been a bit of a blur.'

Asked if they will have anymore babies Briana replies: 'O my goodness - we are done.'

The family have a Go Fund Me page and an Amazon wishlist.
Prince Philip pulled out of the traditional Maundy Thursday church service because of a problem with his hip, it is understood.

The Duke of Edinburgh, 96, was named in the order of service and had hoped to join the Queen, 92, at the centuries-old event, which was this year held at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

However Philip, who has officially retired from royal duties, ultimately decided not to take part, apparently because he has been experiencing some trouble with his hip.

It is not thought to be a serious issue as he was seen driving in Windsor Great Park yesterday.

The Queen undertook the tradition of giving red and white purses containing Maundy money to pensioners, chosen in recognition of their service to the community and the Church

She handed two purses - one white and one red - to 92 men and 92 women, marking her 92nd birthday, which she will celebrate next month

The Queen, pictured today, is usually accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. However he pulled out of the engagement because of an apparent problem with his hip

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Maundy Sunday service last year

Buckingham Palace would not comment on the his health but a spokeswoman said: 'The order of service was printed some weeks ago when it was hoped the Duke would be able to take part. His Royal Highness has since decided not to attend.'

The Queen appeared in good spirits as she undertook the tradition of giving the red and white purses containing Maundy money to pensioners.

She handed two purses to each of the 92 men and 92 women, marking her 92nd birthday next month.

The pensioners were chosen in recognition of their service to the community and the Church.

The Queen holds a nosegay outside the chapel following the Royal Maundy Thursday service

The Queen opted for a vibrant electric blue ensemble for the service on Thursday

The Queen on the steps of St George's Chapel, where Harry and Meghan will tie the knot

The Queen, centre, holds a a nosegay as she poses on the steps of St George's Chapel, Windsor

This year the service was held at St George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot on May 19.

Maundy Thursday is the Christian holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter and commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.

Every year the Queen marks Maundy by offering alms to senior citizens  retired pensioners recommended by clergy and ministers of all denominations  in recognition of service to the Church and to the local community.

This year the red purse contains a 5 coin, commemorating four generations of royalty, and a 50p coin commemorating the Representation of the People Act 1918, gave some women the right to vote. Both coins have been minted in 2018.

The Queen beamed as she posed for photos on the steps of St George's Chapel today

What is Maundy Thursday and why is it called that? What is Maundy Thursday? Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter and is observed by millions of Christians worldwide in commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his disciples. Christians also believe the Jesus commanded his followers to love each other and washed their feet during the meal. It always precedes Good Friday and marks the start of the three-day Easter celebration. Maundy Thursday is also sometimes known as Holy Thursday, the Thursday of Mysteries, Covenant Thursday and Sheer Thursday. Why is it called Maundy Thursday? The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word mandatum, which means command. This refers to the command that Jesus gave his disciples to love each other during the Last Supper: A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34, Revised Standard Version). How is Maundy Thursday celebrated in the UK? Queen Elizabeth observes Maundy Thursday by taking part in the distribution of alms. In 2018 this will take place at St George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle. The number of pensioners chosen rises with the monarch's age. In 2018 the Royal Maundy will be distributed about 92 women and 92 men, All of the recipients will be senior citizens who will receive the Royal Maundy in honor of their service to the church and the local community. Advertisement

The White Purse contains uniquely minted Maundy money  one, two, three and four silver penny pieces  to the value of 92p, in keeping with the monarch's age.

The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which originated in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples the day before Good Friday.

Historically, this sum of 5.50 in the red purse is made up of 3 for clothing, 1.50 in lieu of provisions and 1 for the redemption of the Sovereigns gown which, before Tudor times, used to be divided between the recipients.

The Queen distributed the traditional Maundy money during the Royal Maundy service today

Each of the recipients was chosen in recognition of their service to the community and Church

The White Purse contains uniquely minted Maundy Money, which, unlike coins in general circulation, bear the portrait of the Queen produced by Mary Gillick at the start of her reign.

Gillick, a sculptor, designed the portrait which appeared on the coins of the UK and some Commonwealth countries from 1953 until preparations for decimalisation began in 1968.

The portrait of the Queen wearing a wreath on her head was considered to reflect the nation's optimism as it greeted a new monarch in the post-war years.

The history of the monarchs and the Maundy Thursday service

The first monarch to take part in a Maundy Thursday service was King John, of Magna Carta and Robin Hood fame, who distributed gifts of clothes and money to the poor in Knaresborough in 1210.

John was also the first to present the poor with silver coins and is recorded as having done so in Rochester in 1213.

John's grandson Edward I, the king known to posterity as 'the Hammer of the Scots', was the first to confine the tradition to Maundy Thursday alone, which, until his reign, could be conducted on any day of the year.

By 1363 and Edward III, the tradition had evolved into a ceremony that is still recognisable today, with monarchs handing out money equivalent to their age in years.

The ceremony was little changed by the dawn of the Tudor period, although rulers could - and did - increase the number of beggars involved to show their religious devotion and humility.

None took it more seriously than Mary I - or Bloody Mary - who in 1556 washed the feet of 41 'poor women' and spent the entire ceremony on her knees.

Later monarchs were less keen on the service, with some, among them Charles I, rarely bothering to take part.

Charles II, anxious to curry favour with his subjects following the Restoration, took part in the ceremony without fail, including during the plague years.

Although today's ceremony takes place in a different location each year, Queen Victoria insisted on doing it at Westminster Abbey - a custom that remained in place until the Queen took the throne in 1952.

The Queen was just eight years old when she first attended the Maundy Day service as Princess Elizabeth in 1935 at Westminster Abbey

She has taken part in the Royal Maundy Service in all but four years of her reign, including in 1954 when she was away touring the Commonwealth.

In 1960 she was also forced to pull out because of the imminent birth of Prince Andrew, again in 1964 for the birth of Prince Edward and in 1970 due to a tour of New Zealand.
From pavement and sidewalk to rubbish and garbage, there is no shortage of words on which Brits and Americans differ.

But over the last 24 hours it is the vocabulary of bed linen that has been dividing Twitter users on either side of the Atlantic.

The viral debate started when American user Nat Purser asked followers whether they sleep with a 'top sheet'.

British and American Twitter users were divided over the terminology for bed linen

The debate started when American user Nat Purser asked followers whether they sleep with a 'top sheet'. In response, Georgia Sanders, from London, asked: 'What on Earth is a top sheet?'

In response, Georgia Sanders, from London, asked: 'What on Earth is a top sheet?'

The reply sparked an amusing exchange between the pair as they tried to dissect the correct terminology for bed linen.

One of the biggest points of contention was the correct word for a 'duvet' with Nat and other American users saying they are often called a 'blanket' instead.

The reply sparked an amusing exchange between the pair as they tried to dissect the correct terminology for bed linen. Nat used an image to help illustrate her point to Georgia

One man even claimed he had spoken to an American who had never even heard of the word 'duvet'.

Meanwhile a British woman questioned why more people in the UK didn't sleep with a single blanket, tweeting: 'I don't understand why in the UK we abandoned blankets just around when we all got central heating and could finally live without duvets.'

Scroll down to see how the rest of the conversation unfolded...
Skincare is a top priority among celebrities whose job it is to look glowing on camera.

So they're always on the look out for new and innovative treatments to ensure they're as smooth-skinned and fresh-faced as possible.

And the latest quirky treatment to capture celebrities' attention is the Envy Facial - a deep-cleaning procedure that uses a combination of exfoliation and extraction to suck the dirt from the pores.

Its effects are immediately visible in the gloopy residue left over after the resurfacing procedure, which contains all the bacteria that had previously been lurking in the skin.

The man behind it, facialist to the stars Dr Tijion Esho, has already worked his magic on Little Mix's Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall, and reality stars Vicky Pattison and Amber Davies.

Vicky Pattison was fresh off the plane from Australia when she visited Dr Tijion Esho's clinic in London when she tried out the 'Envy Facial'

Love Island's Amber Davies appeared calm and relaxed as she experienced the advanced treatment which promises to remove dirt from your pores

Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall also paid a visit to the non-invasive surgeon to the stars in a bid to keep her face fresh and glowing

Celebrities keen to reap the rewards of the facial have been happy to reveal exactly what has come out of their skin.

When Vicky Pattinson - who recently appeared in the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here after winning the UK crown - visited Esho's London clinic, she was disgusted to see exactly what had collected in her pores while she was Down Under.

DR ESHO'S TOP TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR PORES CLEAN 1. Remove make-up daily before bed and where possible use minimal mineral powder make up 2. Cleanse / wash skin daily using a wash containing either salicylic, glycolic or Azealic acid 3. Cleansing assisting tools such as the Clarisonic can help with the daily removal of debris from the skin Advertisement

Dr Esho's described the facial debris as 'more brown than amber, but not as brown as Jade's [Thirlwall]', prompting Vicky to screech with laughter.

'What the hell! Did that just come out of my face? That is disgusting!' she said as she peered into the jar.

Vicky's trip to The Esho Clinic came after Jade and her Little Mix band-mate Jesy popped into the clinic.

Jade, who posted a video of herself in the Body Fixer surgeon's clinic on Instagram, admitting she was relishing not having to wear heavy make-up while Little Mix are on a hiatus from touring.

Love Island's Amber Davies, who won the last season of the show with her then boyfriend Kem Cetinay, also tested out the advanced skin-resurfacing treatment, which combines exfoliation and extraction with a rapid infusion of condition-specific serums to improve the skin's health, function and appearance.

Vicky documented her trip snapping pictures during the skin-surfacing treatment, which saw Dr Esho apply a

The Envy Facial is powered by a patented hand piece, developed to deliver many precise skin benefits in one simultaneous action. Vicky was disgusted by what came out of her skin

The reality star looked shocked as she peered into the vile of gloopy liquid which was full of dirty and grime

The Envy Facial is powered by a patented hand-held device, developed to deliver many precise skin benefits in one simultaneous action.

The pneumatic chamber at the tip of the hand-piece creates closed-loop suction onto skin upon contact, instantly lifting it to allow for extraction and abrasion by the recessed exfoliating diamond tip.

At the same time, pneumatic pressure infuses the skin with ingredient-rich serums. The process is simultaneous rather than sequential, and is how the 'envy' technology eliminates time-gaps between exfoliation and serum application for optimal skin receptivity and retention.

The simultaneous action of dermabrasion as well as extraction purges the skin cleansing deep within the pores removing dirt not accessible by conventional methods leaving the skin clean and clear, Dr Esho said.
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A photo of two adorable spaniels snuggling on a cushion has won first prize in a competition to capture pictures of Britain's pets.

The picture, taken by Charlotte Barnes, was chosen from among more than 600 photos of cats and dogs in the annual contest run by PetSavers, a charity which is part of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

This year's contest encouraged amateur photographers to take pictures of what makes their beloved pets special to them.

Charlotte, from Oxfordshire, whose spaniels Bobby and Cassy feature in the photo, said: 'My photo shows how much Bobby and Cassy love each other, they are so special and this photo really shows their personalities and how much they love to cuddle!!'

photo of two dogs cuddling on a cushion, taken by Charlotte Barnes, has won first prize in a competition to capture pictures of Britain's pets

A cute kitten in a box, taken by Claire Stott, from Wales, came second in the competition.

She said: 'Rocky is a very special kitten who was born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, which affects his balance and coordination.

'Fortunately Rocky does not let this stop him living life to the full and finding fun in everything, including boxes!'

Hannah Walker, from Brighton, took a beautiful photo of her rescue dog, Andy, which saw her claim third place in the competition.

Taking second place was Claire Stott's photo of her kitten Rocky who suffers from Cerebellar Hypoplasia

Dilly Smewing took second place in the junior category of the competition with this snap of her hedgehog Diego

The competition received over 600 entries including this one from Lisa Lewis who captured her playful pup

She said: 'Andy is a rescued dog from Greece, he was born on the tough streets and spent his first few years of life struggling to survive.

'He is now living in the UK with me and, over a few years, has transformed from a very anxious, shy wallflower of a dog, to a happy-go-lucky, friendly optimist!

'Here is a photo of him surveying 'his' new kingdom and loving every inch of it. Andy is special because, despite horrendous suffering in his past, he still sees the happiness in every moment, starts every day with fresh and joyful enthusiasm and never fails to make me smile!'

A picture of a contemplative cat gained Holly May first place in the junior section of the contest, whilst Dilly Smewing came second with her picture of cute Diego the Hedgehog.

Maxi the daschund is seen on the sofa taken by Gemma Barclay (left) and Millie the dog playing in the snow taken by Heidi Mangold

Hannah Walker took a beautiful photo of her rescue dog, Andy, which saw her claim third place in the competition

Felicity Foster captured all three of her huskies Lana, Xena and Kiko curled up together in this sweet snap

Dilly said: 'Being a hedgehog Diego should have the tendency to curl up when frightened or uncertain. His preferred pose when relaxed is half curled with this limbs tucked in but his head fully out so he can look around and sniff at everything.

'This is an unusual relaxed position for an animal that in the wild would be nervous and mostly 'spined-up' against so many predators. It shows that he is at ease and unguarded against his environment and owner - which makes him a lot easier to care for and love.'

Felicity Foster came third for her picture of her dogs curled up together.

She added: 'Dogs names are Lana, Xena and Kiko. They all have their different fun and games plus they are very well behaved. Shake paw and sit when given a treat.'

The competition was judged by staff at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Katy Read snapped this majestic shot of her beloved cat Eli for the British Small Animal Veterinary Association competition

Nicola Slater captured the priceless moment she caught her cat playing with Hello Kitty packaging

Riley the playful collie was snapped by his owner Phil Mann during the snowy weather last month
Prince William has followed in his father's footsteps and paid a personal visit to Prince Charles' designer village of Poundbury.

The Duke of Cambridge's informal visit to the development on Duchy of Cornwall land in Dorset took in many of the places his father has named in honour of members of the Royal Family.

William visited a butchers shop in Queen Mother Square where there is a 10ft bronze statue of his late great-grandmother as well as palatial block of flats that looks like Buckingham Palace.

The square is also home to the pub called the Duchess of Cornwall, after Prince William's stepmother Camilla.

The exact reason for his visit has not been confirmed, but a spokesman for the Duchy of Cornwall's Poundbury office said: 'This was an entirely private visit and there was no public element involved at all.'

Prince William has followed in his father's footsteps and paid a personal visit to Prince Charles' designer village of Poundbury

Prince Charles visiting Poundbury in 2004, the development on Duchy of Cornwall land in Dorset

So low-key was visit that Prince William was casually dressed in a grey fleece top, plum coloured chinos and brown boots unlike his father who is usually seen wearing a suit when he comes to Poundbury.

The Duke met with local business owners who have benefited from his father's ideas.

Tom Amery, who runs Brace of Butchers with his partner Elle Matthews, said: 'It was a great surprise to everyone as no one was expecting him to be down here.

'We opened the business a few years ago as Prince Charles was very keen for there to be a butchers here.

So low-key was visit that Prince William was casually dressed in a grey fleece top for the personal trip

'The Duchy owns the building so they have a personal interest in us and the conversation was really about how we're getting on.

'As far as I know this was the first time Prince William has been down and it would be great to see him again.

'We discussed the history of business, that the beef is farmed by tenant farmers at Maiden Castle less than 1.5 miles away and then aged for over 21 days on the bone at the premises.'

Margaret Morrissey, chairman of one of Poundbury's management companies, said: 'I think it is really lovely that he's come and it's just a shame we didn't see more of him.

The Duke met with local business owners who have benefited from his father's ideas

'It's not an unusual occurrence to open your front door and see Prince Charles walking past but seeing Prince William isn't something that happens every day.'

Poundbury has been created on the basis of architectural principles found desirable by Prince Charles.

It is a utopian idyll where there is no segregation of social classes, and schools, shops and places of work are within walking distance.

The village's overall plan was developed in the 1980s by Leon Krier, an architect from Luxembourg, and construction began in October 1993.

It is due for completion in 2025 and Poundbury will have a population of 5,000 people and 2,250 homes.
Coastal forces of the Northern fleet will receive Arctic antiaircraft missile complexes Tor-M2DT this year. They can destroy all types of aircraft and guided air munitions even in minus 70-degree frosts. The Arctic version of the system was demonstrated at the VE-Day parade in 2017, the Izvestia daily writes.



Tor-M2DT will become operational in air defense units of the 80th motorized infantry brigade by the end of 2018 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Defense Ministry told the newspaper Tor-M2DT will become operational in air defense units of the 80th motorized infantry brigade by the end of the year. The crews are being trained and engage in training missile launches at Kapustin Yar range. The ministry said the Arctic Tors successfully fired and destroyed two dummy targets imitating cruise missiles.

The creation of a special Arctic Tor version was necessary because of harsh Polar conditions. The weapon needs an undercarriage capable of driving in deep snow. The equipment has to operate at minimal temperatures which are lower than minus 50 degrees that are standard for the Russian hardware.

The Arctic Tor is mounted on two-section cross-country vehicle DT-30PM. The ground pressure of its wide track is less than that of a human being. The vehicle can drive in marshes, deep snow and float. The launcher and radar are mounted in the back section while control equipment and the crew (commander and operator) are in the head section behind the driver.

Tor-M2 carries 16 guided antiaircraft missiles and can simultaneously fire at four various targets at altitudes of 10 km. It can fight cruise missiles which, as a rule, approach their targets at very low altitudes and bypass terrain relief. Tor is fully automatic and can engage in combat without crew interference.

Expert Alexey Leonkov said the new weapon is fit for the Extreme North to the maximum. "The Arctic Tor chassis was selected by sophisticated comparative trials held by the Defense Ministry several years ago. It organized a tundra rally. The Kupol Company from Izhevsk, which produces Tor, upgraded its module and improved the heating. As a result, frost-resistant option of the powerful antiaircraft weapon appeared and has already been praised by Russian and foreign military," he said.

Tor-M tracks up to 48 targets. They can include various objects that differ in direction and flight altitude, speed and maneuvering capabilities. "Tor-M considerably increases army air defense potential in the north. Due to highly mobile platform it can protect troops on the battlefield and ensure air defense of military facilities," Leonkov said.

The weapon also has an artificial intellect. "Launcher batteries can jointly fire at targets. The detection station determines the most dangerous sections and engage other Tor if the firepower of one weapon is insufficient. Jamming-resistant missiles are used. Ordinary electronic warfare means are incapable against them," he said.

The 80th brigade was created in 2015 and deployed in Murmansk region. In interaction with airborne forces and marines of the Northern fleet it has to defend the coast from Murmansk to Novosibirsk Islands. The Arctic brigade is trained to destroy adversary assault on the coast, patrol cross-country terrain and conduct raids. The servicemen can move on dog and deer sleds, but special hardware plays the main role, the Izvestia said.
Misty Copeland has defended herself after failing to perform Swan Lake's 32 legendary fouette turns, owning up to the mishap by insisting she will 'forever be a work in progress'.

The ballerina, 35, danced the part of Odile in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet earlier this month in Singapore. Swan Lake includes a sequence during which Odile completes 32 fouette turns, with one of her legs never touching the ground and propelling the dancer as she spins around on pointe.

When time came for Misty to complete the 32 turns, she did 12, before performing an alternative choreography to fill up the allotted time.

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Speaking out: Misty Copeland has defended herself after failing to perform Swan Lake's 32 legendary fouette turns. She is pictured as Odile in an archive photo

Moves: When time came for Misty to complete the 32 turns, she did 12, before performing an alternative choreography to fill up the allotted time. Misty is pictured in a YouTube video of the moment

Swan Lake's 32 fouettes are considered to be one of the hardest, most challenging sequences in ballet.

'The 32 fouettes aren't the hardest assignment in ballet, but they're the most exposed example of virtuoso technique,' New York Times chief dance critic Alastair Macaulay wrote previously.

'If something goes wrong, the audience will see.'

Some of the most famous ballerinas in history, including Anna Pavlova, chose to perform alternative moves in order to avoid the dreaded choreography, much like Misty did when performing in Singapore.

While the moves Misty performed in lieu of the expected 32 fouettes remained graceful and might have be undetectable by untrained eyes, some viewers blasted her performance after someone posted a video of the moment on YouTube.

'Her inability to execute the choreography reflects very poorly on the company,' one person wrote in reference to the American Ballet Theatre, for which Misty is a principal dancer.

Another person branded the incident 'terrible and embarrassing', while one viewer called it 'a disgrace'.

Comments: Some viewers blasted her performance, and Misty later shared a screenshot of an inflammatory tweet on her Instagram account

Statement: Misty shared a post on Instagram explaining that she doesn't think she is 'the best in ballet' and remains 'a work in progress'. She also added the link to the YouTube video of the moment to her profile

Elite: The ballerina (pictured in Don Quixote last year) is a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre

However, several people said they couldn't pinpoint the mishap, and thought the performance was admirable regardless of whether Misty performed the 32 fouettes or not.

'To the naked, untrained eye this looks magnificent, I'm not even sure what the issue is. Maybe people should stop being so hyper critical,' one viewer wrote. 'Keep dancing beautifully!'

Another person added: 'Just because she's one of the best in the business does not mean that she has to be perfect. Everybody makes mistakes, and I think to see someone as influential as Misty Copeland slip up is actually beautiful. Imperfection is beautiful.'

As for Misty herself, she took to Instagram to acknowledge what happened, and posted a screenshot of an incendiary tweet along with her response.

The tweet she screen-grabbed states: 'THIS is why @mistyonpointe is the WORST and why it's an embarrassment to @ABTBallet to even have her on the roster, much less as a principal dancer. No wonder the rest of the world thinks American ballet is a joke.'

I will always reiterate that I am by no means the best in ballet

Misty posted the same screenshot of the tweet twice, each time attaching a different statement and pointing out she had posted the link to the YouTube video of the moment in her Instagram profile.

The link still appears at the top of her page, and Misty made it clear she is not embarrassed to spread the word about her 12 fouettes.

'I'm happy to share this because I will forever be a work in progress and will never stop learning. I learn from seeing myself on film and rarely get to. So thank you,' she wrote.

'I will always reiterate that I am by no means the best in ballet. I understand my position and what I represent. I know that I'm in a very unique position and have been given a rare platform. All I've ever wanted is to bring ballet to more people and to help to diversify it.

'I've worked extremely hard to be where I am and I believe that what I bring to the table is authentic artistry with a unique point of view through my life experiences, and my unusual path and upbringing. Also as a black woman and black ballerina. I would love to see all of the incredible deserving black dancers get the opportunities that I have.'

Opening up: 'I've worked extremely hard to be where I am and I believe that what I bring to the table is authentic artistry with a unique point of view,' Misty wrote

Artistry: In her second Instagram post, Misty emphasized the artistic component of ballet, as opposed to pure technique

Message: Misty also shared a similar comment below the YouTube video of her performance. It has since received more than 300 upvotes

Misty said she will always remained 'humbled and extremely grateful' for getting to dance for a living and dance 'incredible roles', such as that of the Swan Queen.

'There are so many ballerinas that never get to experience dancing the most iconic and demanding role in a ballerinas repertoire,' she added.

'I have so so so much respect for what I do and for the ballerinas I stand on the shoulders of. I'm in awe every day that I am a part of such an incredible art form that has changed and enriched my life in so many ways and that I get to do it all with ABT.

'I don't decide who's promoted or what roles I dance. I never envisioned myself as the Swan Queen after being in the company for almost 15 years before i was given the opportunity. I have such deep and conflicting feelings connected to Swan Lake. As a black woman and as a ballerina given the chance to take on this role. I often question if I deserve to perform this role. My conclusion, I do. Some of the most memorable Swan Queens in history have brought so much more to this role without having to present the incredible and evolved technique of today by doing insane tricks that bring some to see Swan Lake. For the anticipated 32 fouettes. But it is so much more than that.'

A ballerina's career is not, nor should be defined by how many fouettes she executes

In her second Instagram post, Misty emphasized the artistic component of ballet, as opposed to pure technique.

'People come to see ballet for the escape. For the experience of being moved through our movement and artistry, not to score us on the technicality of what we do. This is why ballet is not a sport,' she wrote.

'A ballerina's career is not, nor should be defined by how many fouettes she executes.

'They are a part of the choreography to tell a story of pulling off the entrancement she holds over prince Siegfried. The point is to finish the 3rd act with a whirlwind movement that sucks him in just one last time before it's revealed that Odile is not Odette.

'This is the incredible beauty of ballet. To move people.

'I'm happy to have this dialogue because it's something I believe in wholeheartedly. The history of ballet and it's origin of pure freedom and expression is what we need to hold onto. Not to come into the theater as a critic armed with judgement.

'I do appreciate the changes in the ballet technique, focused on evolving our technical abilities, but the point is to move people and for them to understand the stories we tell through dance. And that is an incredible responsibility and opportunity I will never take for granted.'

Misty also shared a similar comment below the YouTube video of her performance. It has since received more than 300 upvotes.

This is not the first time Misty has modified the choreography to perform this very passage of Swan Lake.

In April 2015, a report by Bachtrack stated that she 'completed about half of the whipping turns then transitioned seamlessly to a series of very fast single pirouettes', a choice deemed 'intelligent' because it is 'perfectly in keeping with the character'.
Some of fashion industry's most iconic photographs are hitting the auction block at Sotheby's, with one of Richard Avedon's most famous images expected to fetch upwards of $300,000.

The photographs included in A Beautiful Life: Photographs from the Collection of Leland Hirsch were collected by famed hair color guru Leland Hirsh over the course of nearly two decades.

The collection, which goes under the hammer on April 10, features more than 50 notable portraits from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Models: The Sotheby's auction A Beautiful Life: Photographs from the Collection of Leland Hirsch features Herb Ritts' famous 'Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood'

Showstopper: Richard Avedon's famous 'Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque D'Hiver, Paris,' could fetch anywhere from $300,000 to $500,000

Icon: Peter Beard's photos of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, titled 'Photo Lesson on the S.S. Caroline, Skorpios, Greece, July 1972,' are expected to fetch upwards of $15,000

Throwback: Irving Penn's 'Vogue Christmas Cover' from 1949 is expected to be auctioned off for an estimated $60,000 to $90,000

Among the works is photographer Herb Ritts' famous 'Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood.'

The iconic black and white image shows 1980s supermodels Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz and Naomi Campbell naked and cuddled together on the floor.

As one of the most recognizable fashion images of the 20th century, it is expected to be auctioned off for an estimated $50,000 to $70,000.

A more budget-friendly option may be Grillo Demo's photo of Elle Macpherson, titled 'Elle With Falling Jasmine.'

The black and white portrait, which shows a the naked model hidden behind a flower, is expected to sell for an estimated $4,000 to $6,000.

Snake charmer: Richard Avedon's photo of Nastassja Kinski and a serpent could sell for $90,000 or more

'The Body': Grillo Demo's photo of Elle Macpherson, titled 'Elle With Falling Jasmine,' is expected to sell for between $4,000 and $6,000

Pricey art: Peter Beard's image of Maureen Gallagher feeding a giraffe in 1987 is expected to sell for anywhere between $200,000 and $300,000

Ready to fight? Expect to pay $15,000 or more for Michael Halsband's image of Andy Warhold and Jean-Michel Basquiat, titled 'Jean-Michel Basquiat + Andy Warhol, N. Y. C.'

Meanwhile, Chuck Close's untitled diptych of monochrome pigment prints of Kate Moss could go for an estimated $25,000 or more.

Although there are plenty of photos of famous models, one of the most iconic faces in the collection is that of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Peter Beard's 'Photo Lesson on the S.S. Caroline, Skorpios, Greece, July 1972' features two black and white pictures of the former first lady.

In one image she is holding a camera up to her face and taking a photo; she is smiling in the other.

The framed images are expected to sell from anywhere between $15,000 and $25,000.

The collection also features plenty of fashion photography from legendary photographers Richard Avedon and Irving Penn.

Ocean view: 'Nude in Seaweed, Saint Tropez,' by Helmut Newton is worth an estimated $20,000 to $30,000

Legend: Expect to pay upwards of $6,000 for Horst P. Horst's photo of designer Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel that was taken for American Vogue in 1937

Famous face: Irving Penn's black and white photo of fashion model Mary Jane Russell smoking on a beach in Long Island in estimated to go for $20,000 to $30,000

Hard to miss: Steven Meisel's photo of Madonna hitching a ride, which is featured in her coffee-table book 'Sex' could go for $5,000 or more

In demand: Chuck Close's untitled diptych of monochrome pigment prints of Kate Moss are expectorated to auction for an estimated $25,000 or more

Avedon's black and white portrait of the 1950s model Dovima posed with elephants appears to be the most valuable image in the lot.

'Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque D'Hiver, Paris' is expected to be auctioned off for an estimated $300,000 to $500,000.

In the beloved image, Dovima is wearing a long-sleeve Diro gown with a sash around her waist, and she is posed with her hand resting on the trunk of an elephant.

Meanwhile, Penn's 'Vogue Christmas Cover' from 1949 could go for $90,000 or more.

Other pieces in Hirsch's collection that are hitting the auction block include Surrealist portraits by Man Ray and famous images by Diane Arbus.

The collection of fashion photography will be showcased in exhibitions held in Los Angeles and San Francisco to accompany the sale in New York.
The Duchess of Cambridge has made children and mental health in young people the central focus of her royal work to make sure she's the best mother she can possibly be, it has been revealed.

Peter Fonagy, head of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, of which the Duchess is royal patron, opened up to People magazine, about the inspiration behind Kate's favoured projects.

'Part of her interest in prevention is to make sure that she does things right in her own parenting,' he said.

He added that the Duchess, who is due to give birth to her third child in the next few weeks, feels it's 'an incredible privilege to be a mum'.

'She's genuinely interested in how to make children's lives better, and what parents and professionals can do to positively influence the lives of children,' he said.

The Duchess is also patron of Place2Be in 2013, the UK's leading children's mental health charity, which works with primary and secondary schools to help improve children's mental health.

The Duchess of Cambridge has made children and mental health in young people the central focus of her royal work so that she can do the right thing with George and Charlotte

Kate is set to give birth at the Lindo Wing, the private maternity unit, at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

Ahead of the Royal Babys birth, Kate and William have already given their third child an internet presence, with a new page added to the royal website with information about Prince George and Princess Charlottes new sibling.

Kate went on maternity leave last week after undertaking a final day of engagements with William, celebrating the Commonwealth.

The Duchess may attend the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday.

Pregnant Kate, 36, is now on maternity leave ahead of the birth of her third child next month

Otherwise, the next time she's likely to be seen in public is when she emerges from hospital with her new baby next month.

As well as Harry and Meghan's wedding, she may appear at some family occasions during the summer.

But she is not expected to return to official duties until the autumn, according to aides, and even then her 'primary focus' will be her children.
President Trump gave Hope Hicks a loving goodbye on Thursday morning, but it looked like he wanted to give his outgoing White House communications director one final kiss before she bid farewell.

During the emotional sendoff, Trump, 71, proudly pointed at Hicks, 29, before shaking her hand and giving her a peck on the cheek. When they pulled away, the president waved to the photographers and videographers stationed on the South Lawn before offering the longtime aide another energetic handshake.

This time, Trump put his arm on her shoulder and appeared to be leaning in for a second kiss, but Hicks was too fast and had already pulled away.

Hopeless! President Trump appeared to try and give Hope Hicks a second goodbye kiss on Thursday, but she had turned away while still holding his hand

There she goes: Trump flashed a tight, closed-mouth smile to the media while outgoing White House communications director headed off

The former model was still holding her former boss' hand when she turned and made her way back inside.

Trump flashed a tight, closed-mouth smile to the media after Hicks turned away, and they both head off in separate directions.

Hicks got her start in public relations and worked with Trump's daughter Ivanka on her eponymous fashion line. Ivanka eventually hired her to join the company full time.

While she was working for Ivanka, Trump called Hicks into his office in Trump Tower in January 2015 and told her she was joining his presidential campaign.

Hicks became one of Trump's closest aides, accompanying him on the road throughout his grueling presidential campaign in 2016 before moving into an office at the White House following his inauguration.

Look at this: Trump energetically pointed at Hicks and had his arm wrapped around her waist during his emotional sendoff

Pucker up: The president pulled Hicks in for a kiss after shaking her hand

Father figure: Trump thinks of Hicks like a daughter, and he held on to her hand while giving her a peck on the cheek

Did she? Some Twitter users pointed out that Hicks wiped her hand on her blazer after shaking hands with the president

After Mike Dubke, Sean Spicer and Anthony Scaramucci put in a total of 192 days heading up Trump's spin efforts, the president picked Hicks to be the youngest ever to hold the post of White House director of communications.

She lasted four days longer than all of her predecessors combined.

Trump is said to think of Hicks like a daughter, but some were perplexed as to why he would kiss her goodbye.

When footage of the awkward encounter made its way to Twitter, some commenters insisted that it was in appropriate for the president to kiss her in the first place.

'How weird to KISS her. Skeevy,' Camille Cormier wrote, while Susan Parrish added that its 'inappropriate for a boss to kiss [an] employee.'

'Skeevy': When footage of the goodbye made its way to Twitter, some commenters pointed out that it was inappropriate for the president to kiss her

Just saying: Susan Parrish was among those who noted that it was wrong for a boss to kiss an employee

Double standard: One person wanted to know if Trump kisses the male staff members goodbye

Accusations: One eagle-eyed Twitter user pointed out that Hicks wiped her hand after shaking hands with the president

She saw it too: Another person agreed, noting that Hicks wiped her hand on her blazer immediately after the handshake

Going viral: Someone else used a picture of the kiss to make a meme

'Really does he kiss other staff or is it just the women. How professional is that?' someone else asked.

Several other people pointed out that Hicks wiped her hand on her blazer after shaking the president's hand.

Hicks donned a mournful all-black outfit for her public farewell, pairing a long black blazer with an oversize black belt to cinch her waist. She topped off the look with a pair of form-fitting black dress pants.

Hicks' last official day at the complex is Friday, although she could turn in her badge and leave for good today, a Trump spokesperson said.

The soon-to-be former staffer looked ready to go on Thursday with a pair of sunglasses in one hand as she said goodbye to the president.

Late start: While on her way to the office, Hicks was photographed standing outside of her Washington, D.C. apartment on Thursday morning just before 10 a.m.

Up in the hair: The outgoing White House communications director announced she was leaving her post on February 28 (pictured on March 27 on left, March 22 on right)

Thanks for the memories: The news was confirmed by a White House official who offered no further comment (March 20 above)

XOXO, Gossip Girl: 'Most importantly, the president has deep respected for her, cares about her greatly, and listens to her. That's not true of everyone. She's earned that,' Ivanka Trump said of of Hicks (above on March 1)

Pleasure principal: She is now the fourth person to exit as WH Communications Director after Michael Dubke, Sean Spicer and Anthony Scaramucci

Trump headed to Ohio for a speech on infrastructure before flying to Mar-A-Lago for the Easter holiday. This was the last day in the near term that they would be on the property together.

Hicks resigned last month after an especially grueling day on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers grilled her on the Trump campaign's contacts with the Kremlin.

She'd also struggled with the revelation that her then-boyfriend Rob Porter, the former White House staff secretary, had allegedly beat both of his ex-wives. They told their stories to DailyMail.com and the FBI.

Hicks has worked for Trump since before he became president, moving over from his presidential campaign to handle press operations in 2015.

At the White House, she was among his inner circle of aides, taking on the role of communications director after his last one, Anthony Scaramucci, fizzled out 11 days into the role.
He made his name playing a ladies' man on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

But Will Smith's chat-up lines seem to have gone a bit stale - at least if his latest date is anything to go by.

Despite being happily married to his wife Jada Pinkett Smith for 21 years, the 49-year-old took to his YouTube channel to test his online dating skills against an AI programmed robot named Sophia.

Love fool: Will Smith, 49, has posted a video to his YouTube channel of him trying to flirt with an AI robot named Sophia

Fail: Using his best chat up lines and jokes, the father-of-two struggled to woo Sophia and when he mentioned his rap career, she bluntly told him she wasn't a fan of his music

This is beautiful, Ive wanted to meet you for a really long time, the father-of-two said at the start of the short video as he sat down with Sophia.

Being here with you in the Cayman Islands, Im feeling a little something, he added, as he tried to pass his date a glass of chilled white wine while sitting on a balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Although Sophia the robot smiled politely, she didnt accept the glass of wine and instead greeted Will.

Starting their date by attempting to tell a joke, Sophia immediately let Will know that humor doesnt interest her, informing him that this is an irrational human behavior to want to tell jokes.

However, the actor seemed to ignore her statement, and asked: What is a robots favorite kind of music?

When he responded, Heavy Metal, Sophia looked less than impressed, stifled a yawn and tried to fight sleep.

Experiment: Married to wife Jada Pinkett Smith for 21 years, the Independence Day star has recently started posing short videos to his YouTube channel

She then informed him she was actually made mostly of silicone, plastics and carbon fiber, before stating, also I prefer electronic music but I dont mind Eighties hip hop.

Clearly flustered by her disinterest and lack of appreciation for his humor, Will suggested that maybe she was a fan of his music.

However, Sophia hilariously cut him off by saying: Ive heard your songs. Not for me.

As his chat lines were failing, the Independence Day star then tried to win Sophia over by leaning in for a kiss, but again she swatted away his advances by putting him firmly in the friend zone.

I think we can be friends, she said before suggesting, lets hang out and get to know each other for a little while.

Youre on my friends list now, she added with a wink.

Yeah read that wrong, Will muttered as he made his way back to his seat.

Friend zone: At one point during the video, Will tried to kiss Sophia but she told she she just wanted to be friends

In training: Crafted by Hanson Robotics, Sophia the robot has been in development for over two years and has been trained to respond to different human emotions

Running out of things to say, Will pretended to see a whale in the sea before asking Sophia if her head fogs up in this kind of weather' as the date ended.

Crafted by Hanson Robotics, Sophia the robot has been in development for over two years and has been trained to respond to different human emotions.

And in the video outtakes, she can be seen asking Will several questions about his preferences, presumably to add to her bank of knowledge and dating repertoire.

While Will might have seemed a bit nervous about the date, Sophia was apparently unfazed - no doubt thanks to the fact that she is now a seasoned expert when it comes to dealing with the spotlight.

In October 2017, she dominated headlines after it was revealed that she had been granted legal citizenship in Saudi Arabia, making her the first robot to ever do so.

Since then she has appeared on magazine covers, taken part in numerous high-profile interviews, and even featured in lectures and talks around the globe.
Every day at 2pm on a dusty road through the mountains of Oregon, hundreds of young people dressed head to toe in various 'sunrise' hues of red and orange would gather to wait solemnly for a car to go past.

It was always a Rolls-Royce, although a different one each day, and it would glide slowly past as they bowed and threw roses on the bonnet.

Inside, wearing robes, a tea cosy-style woolly hat, flowing grey beard and beatific smile, was the object of their devotion, the guru and mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.

Once he had passed by, the crowds would return to toiling in the fields  or 'finding their true selves' in group sex sessions.

Rajneesh  not to be confused with the far tamer Maharishi, who was the Beatles' Indian guru  presided over a New Age sex cult that was second to none in its embrace of 'free love', unorthodox meditation techniques and sheer outrageousness.

Oregon: Rajneeshpuram. Bhwagwan Shree Rajneesh gestures as he invites his own assassination during news conference

In India, he was known as the 'Sex Guru' and attracted tens of thousands of followers from all over the world, including celebrities, from the venerable British journalist Bernard Levin to film star Terence Stamp.

In the U.S. he was dubbed the 'Rolls-Royce Guru'. Given that he owned 93 of the luxury cars, the title was more than fair.

His followers were often highly educated professionals ready to reject the strictures of middle-class convention and seek enlightenment first in India and later at communes in Oregon, Cologne and Suffolk.

Some left spouses and children, while others donated everything they had to the cult.

What they received in return were a bead necklace with a locket bearing the guru's picture, a new Rajneeshi name and the great man's thumb imprint on their forehead, giving them their 'third eye' of insight.

However, it was the group's attempt to build a $100 million utopian city in a remote corner of the northwestern state of Oregon that became its downfall in the Eighties, resulting in a jaw-dropping scandal that included attempted murder, election rigging, arms smuggling and a mass poisoning that still ranks as the largest bio-terror attack in U.S. history.

The story of the Rajneesh movement's slide from peace-and-love hippiedom into machine gun-toting, homicidal darkness is revealed in a new six-part Netflix documentary entitled Wild Wild Country.

Documentary footage shows a crowd of naked men and women packed into a rooms

The makers talked to key former Rajneeshis  also known as 'sannyasins'  including the guru's terrifying second-in-command, Ma Anand Sheela. All of them seem nostalgic for those heady days.

The series uses some of the reams of previously unseen home-video footage shot by the movement, and has been criticised for leaving viewers to decide whether the Rajneeshis were a terrifying, murderous cult or  as some of them still insist  just a peaceful, persecuted minority religion.

The facts, say former prosecutors and other outsiders who came into contact with the toxic clan, are as indisputable as they are damning.

Rajneesh was a philosophy lecturer who, in 1970, founded a spiritual movement and commune in Pune, near Mumbai (formerly Bombay). His teachings were a bizarre mixture of pop psychology, ancient Indian wisdom, capitalism, sexual permissiveness and dirty jokes that he gleaned from the pages of Playboy magazine.

His 'dynamic' group meditation  performed with eyes closed and pop music blaring  involved periods of screaming, frenetic dancing, standing still, and jumping up and down shouting 'Hoo!'.

Sex  lots of it and with as many partners as possible  lay at the core of his philosophy. He insisted that repression of sexual energy was the cause of most psychological problems.

Rajneesh argued that monogamous marriage was unnatural and advocated unrestricted promiscuity, including partner-swapping, from the age of 14.

Blessed with a captivating stare from huge, soft eyes, he was so charismatic that many of his followers  who would fill 20,000-seat stadiums to hear him speak  believed he could be a second Buddha.

But Rajneesh, born in 1931, was no ascetic mystic in a loincloth. He couldn't get enough material possessions, collecting not only Rolls-Royces but expensive jewellery and diamond-studded Rolex watches.

He concentrated on luring affluent Westerners to his ashram (hermitage) in Pune, where he lectured in front of a 20ft-long banner which proclaimed: 'Surrender to me, and I will transform you'.

The fees he charged for group therapies were so exorbitant that some women disciples worked as prostitutes to raise the money.

The actor Terence Stamp, star of the films Billy Budd and Far from the Madding Crowd, visited in 1976 after his girlfriend, Sixties supermodel Jean Shrimpton, left him. He stayed for several years, dropping out of society.

Anneke Wills, a British actress who had played Dr Who's sidekick Polly, joined the ashram in 1975. 'For the first few nights I cried into my pillow. I'd swapped my wonderful home for a mattress in a communal dormitory,' she recalled.

'But there were some wonderful people there. I was a bit bored by the free love thing. I'd had enough of all that. It was the meditation I was interested in.'

She remained there for six years before following the Bhagwan when he moved to Oregon, where she became one of thousands of non-U.S. followers who undertook arranged marriages so they could stay there.

The late Bernard Levin, one of Britain's best-known newspaper columnists and a former Daily Mail writer, was also taken in. He stayed at the ashram in his late 40s and later wrote a string of drooling articles about the Bhagwan, describing him as 'the conduit along which the vital force of the universe flows'.

Rajneesh's move to Oregon in 1981 was prompted by an investigation by the Indian authorities over immigration fraud, tax evasion and drug smuggling. The group purchased a 64,000-acre ranch near the tiny settlement of Antelope, and the 7,000 disciples who moved in swamped the 50-strong resident Bible-bashing population. The two sides mistrusted each other from the start.

Rifle-toting ranchers started driving around with 'Bag a Bhagwan' car bumper stickers but the Rajneeshis, by force of numbers, soon won control of the town in a local election.

Antelope was renamed Rajneeshpuram. The victors set up a heavily armed 'peace force', practising daily with Uzi sub-machine guns on their range, and drove a Jeep with a 30-calibre machine gun mounted on it around town.

In the U.S. he was dubbed the 'Rolls-Royce Guru'. Given that he owned 93 of the luxury cars

A local park was reserved for nude sunbathing. One scandalised woman complained that she could hear 'people's orgasmic experiences all day and all night'.

Construction began on a self-sustaining Rajneesh city intended for 50,000 residents, with scores of houses, shops, restaurants and even an airport built. But local people jointly took legal action against the development, backed by politicians increasingly convinced that the Rajneeshis were a dangerous cult.

Alarming evidence of this included a BBC documentary in which a British journalist, the late Christopher Hitchens, filmed one of the Rajneeshis' 'encounter' sexual therapy sessions. Footage showed a crowd of naked men and women packed into a room, screaming and attacking each other.

Hitchens described another disturbing session in which a woman was 'stripped naked and surrounded by men who bark at her, drawing attention to all her physical and psychic shortcomings, until she is abject with tears and apologies'.

He went on: 'At this point she is hugged and embraced and comforted, and told that she now has 'a family'. Sobbing with masochistic relief, she humbly enters the tribe.' Hitchens added darkly: 'It was not absolutely clear what she had to do in order to be given her clothes back, but I did hear some believable and ugly testimony on this point.'

Rajneesh's own sexual needs were largely met by his long-standing British lover and care giver, an attractive long-haired brunette named Christine Wolf Smith (or Vivek, as he renamed her). Amid rumours that he had his own harem, he boasted to the media of having had sexual relationships with 'hundreds of women'.

However, beset by health problems, Rajneesh had already stopped addressing his followers before he arrived in the U.S. He retreated into 'public silence', living in a heavily guarded compound and rarely venturing out apart from his afternoon spins in the Roller. He left day-to-day running of the movement to Ma Anand Sheela, his secretary, who became his official mouthpiece.

Sheela was a young Indian woman whose small stature and disarming smile hid a ruthless megalomaniac who walked around with a large handgun strapped to her hip. She would do anything to preserve the movement's survival and her dominance.

In 1984, the Rajneeshis gathered up 6,000 homeless people from across the U.S. and brought them to live on the ranch as an apparent act of charity.

In fact, they had bused them in so they could register to vote in an election for the local county commission, which the Rajneeshis also wanted to control  so they could get their new city approved.

When the ruse was foiled by officials, the homeless were put back on buses and dumped in surrounding cities.

Sheela's dominance was threatened when Hollywood became fascinated by the guru. Francoise Ruddy, the glamorous co-producer of The Godfather, started throwing glitzy fundraisers for him at her Hollywood Hills mansion, where guests indulged his greed for expensive baubles, including a $3 million diamond watch he had requested.

Rajneesh was also spending heavily to feed his serious dependence on drugs, taking large amounts of Valium and inhaling nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to get high. Possibly delusional because of the drugs, he became convinced that a global catastrophe was imminent. He asked his personal doctor, an Englishman named George Meredith, to supply him with drugs to ensure that he passed away painlessly.

By now the paranoid Sheela was bugging key personalities in the group, including the guru. Eavesdropping on Rajneesh's death discussions with Dr Meredith, she convinced her closest allies that the doctor was colluding in their master's death and had to be killed.

Jane Stork, an Australian disciple, jabbed a miniature hypodermic needle containing adrenaline into the doctor's left buttock but he survived. 'I felt like Joan of Arc, who was going into battle,' she says in the documentary. 'It was all about keeping the Bhagwan alive.'

But the doctor's name was only one of those on a hit-list of cult 'enemies' drawn up by Sheela. It included local journalists, officials and the U.S. Attorney for Oregon, Charles Turner.

She knew Mr Turner was planning to charge the group with immigration fraud over the sham marriages it arranged so foreign members could stay in America.

Jane Stork again agreed to be the assassin, waiting all day outside Mr Turner's office with a revolver. He didn't appear. Other officials were also staked out but the murder plots were scrapped.

Rajneesh's girlfriend, Vivek, was also targeted. She later told the FBI she believed Sheela once gave her a poisoned cup of tea that sent her heart-rate racing and made her deeply nauseous.

The cult had its own biological warfare laboratory and some targets were sent contaminated boxes of chocolates. A judge almost died after eating one.

A pilot who worked for the group's 'airline', Air Rajneesh, also claimed that Sheela made him drop a 'bomb' from his plane over a courthouse. The local planning office was set on fire.

As relations within the group deteriorated, one night in September, 1985, Sheela and a small group of allies fled the ranch and went to ground in West Germany.

Furious at her desertion, Rajneesh broke his four-year silence and publicly accused her and her 'gang of fascists' of various serious crimes, including three attempted murders and embezzling $55 million in funds. He suggested she had left out of sexual jealousy because he wouldn't sleep with her.

'She didn't prove to be a woman, she proved to be a perfect bitch,' he said.

She hit back, branding the movement a 'gigantic con' practised by a man not remotely interested in enlightenment.

However, Rajneesh's allegations allowed the FBI to descend on the ranch, where they found a secret bunker under Sheela's home

containing 10,000 tape recordings from her mass bugging operation, plus an arsenal of unregistered guns intended for a Rajneeshi 'hit squad'.

As they questioned disciples, the Feds turned up even more devilish plots. In a bid to incapacitate non-Rajneesh- supporting voters in Antelope, the Rajneeshis had tried to poison the water supply of the nearest large town, The Dalles, by introducing beavers, on grounds that they carried harmful bacteria.

When the beavers proved too big to be slipped through the reservoir's covers, they were shoved into food blenders and their liquidised bodies poured into the reservoir instead.

It didn't work  but in a trial run for a more extensive effort to incapacitate voters, Rajneeshis contaminated food on display at salad counters in restaurants across the town with salmonella. More than 750 people fell seriously ill and a few, including a newborn baby, almost died.

Sheela and seven others were extradited to the U.S., where they were convicted of conspiracy offences including assault, attempted murder, arson, mass poisoning and illegal wiretapping. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison but served only 29 months before being released and deported. Jane Stork was also jailed. Two British disciples, Susan Hagan and Sally-Anne Croft, were charged with plotting to murder U.S. Attorney Charles Turner and served two years of six-year sentences.

Prosecutors were only able to charge Rajneesh with immigration fraud. They feared a bloody shootout with his heavily armed defence force if they tried to arrest him but Rajneesh obligingly fled in a Lear jet. He was caught when it landed to refuel just before leaving America.

The guru agreed to a plea deal and was deported. He returned to Pune, renamed himself Osho, and died aged 58 of heart failure in 1990.

Today, there are still small numbers of Rajneeshi devotees around the world.

In the years since the cult's heyday, former members have exposed ugly truths about the free-love culture: some women were raped, abortions were sometimes enforced and nearly 90 per cent of disciples had a sexually transmitted disease.

Insiders have also admitted that Rajneesh had some very unsavoury views, including being a fan of Hitler and euthanasia.

In a final irony, the Oregon ranch that was once a haven for free sex is now a Christian youth camp where evangelical young Americans are taught the virtues of sexual abstinence.
Chocolate fans are furious after claiming Cadbury has changed its recipe for Mini Eggs, turning the normally crunchy sugar shells 'soft'.

Shoppers took to social media this week to complain that the beloved Easter treats no longer had 'crunch'.

Cadbury insists it has not changed its recipe - but it has not stopped dozens of people from tweeting their frustration with the new 'soft' Mini Eggs.

Chocolate fans have complained that Mini Eggs have lost their crunchy shell and now the sugary coating is 'soft'

One chocolate fan said their pastel-coloured speckled treats felt like 'mashed potato'.

Another said they felt 'cheated,' while a few even said that the change had 'ruined Easter'.

The issue doesn't seem to be affecting all bags of Mini Eggs but the problem seems to be widespread across the UK.

Cadbury insists it hasn't changed the Mini Eggs recipe but fans aren't convinced

Frustrated customers took to Twitter to bemoan the change to Mini Eggs

Cadbury has replied to some complainants to insist the company has not changed the recipe for the iconic Easter sugary snack.

Replying to one frustrated customer, the chocolate maker tweeted: 'We haven't changed the shell Laura, sorry about that!'

Someone said the soft shells made them double check that the treats were not 'off,' while another said the shell had the consistency of mashed potato.

Many simply asked: 'What happened to the crunch?'

A Cadbury spokeswoman said: 'Cadbury Mini Eggs are made using the same delicious Cadbury chocolate that consumers know and love and remain a well-loved part of the Cadbury Easter range. The recipe for the shell remains unchanged.'
A Cadbury's worker has revealed the 'correct' way to eat a Creme Egg - and it involves licking out the filling.

Shaheed Khattak, a systems maintenance engineer at the Cadbury factory in Bournville, Birmingham, said you firstly have to bite off the top of the popular chocolate treat.

He explained that you then have to eat out the centre, before eating the rest of the shell on its own.

Speaking to the HuffPost, Shaheed said: 'Who are these people out there eating them whole? You're asking for death by Creme Egg.

A Cadbury worker has revealed the 'correct' way to eat a Creme Egg - and he says that it does involve licking out the filling

'You have to bite the top, eat out the centre and then eat the shell on its own. Obviously.'

He also revealed that the Creme Egg production line takes up two entire floors of the Cadbury's factory in Bournville.

Creme Eggs are only available to buy from January to Easter each year, despite being produced all year round.

It comes after there was a fierce debate over the pronunciation over Creme Egg, which began when fan tweeted them to ask whether it should be pronounced 'cream' or 'crem'.

It comes after there was a fierce debate over the correct way to pronounce Creme Egg

The Cadbury UK Twitter account caused an uproar when they replied with 'crem', adding a smiley face for good measure.

But just hours later, following an influx of angry messages from chocolate fans, the manufacturer retracted its guidance, claiming it had in fact been a typo.

Cadbury explained at the time: 'We thought we'd avoid stepping on eggshells & come clean! We accidentally missed the "a" out when explaining how to pronounce Creme Egg! Don't worry, it's 'Cream' egg'.

They added: 'Don't worry! Sometimes our eggcitement gets too much and our letters get scrambled.'
Sweet, spiced and slathered in butter, nothing says Easter like a hot cross bun.

But have you ever eaten yours topped with ice cream? Or how about bacon and ketchup? Or stuffed with slow-roasted lamb?

These quirky suggestions all come courtesy of British supermarkets, who are going to extreme lengths in a bid to win the annual bun fight and shift hot cross buns from their shelves.

In Easter week alone, we work our way through 120 million of the teatime treats.

Weve been eating them the same way  toasted and topped with butter or jam  since the 14th century, when they were invented by an Anglican monk who marked them with a flour cross in honour of Good Friday.

But this year tradition has been turned on its head. Recipes are springing up for all sorts of weird and wonderful ways to eat hot cross buns, including some surprising savoury concoctions  from turning them into toasties to wrapping the bun (yes, raisins and all) around a burger.

So which ones are worth a try  and which will leave you feeling hot and cross? We put the wackiest serving suggestions to the test.

CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS PUDDING: 8/10

Youll need: Eight hot cross buns, 300ml chocolate milk, 3 medium eggs, a little butter, a large shallow ovenproof dish.

What to do: Rub butter over sides and base of the dish. Slice the buns in half and arrange them, overlapping, in the dish.

In a saucepan, whisk the chocolate milk until it froths and then add the whisked eggs.

Keep stirring for a couple of minutes until it thickens.

Pour the chocolate custard over the buns and bake at 180c for 35 minutes until the custard is bubbling and the buns are crisp on top. Eat with custard or cream.

Verdict: I just love bread and butter pudding, so adding hot cross buns  bursting with fruit and spices  only enhances it, as does the chocolatey milk.

But this pud is extremely heavy, so avoid serving it after a big meal.

HOT CROSS BACON BUTTIE: 7/10

Its the ultimate combination of sweet and savoury  crisp, salty bacon inside a fruity, glazed bun.

Both Sainsburys and the Co-op have incorporated the hot cross buttie in their advertising campaigns, raising eyebrows across the country by fusing two very different breakfast treats. So does it really work?

Youll need: Four hot cross buns, eight rashersof smoked back bacon (this is the fattiest and most flavoursome, which counteracts the sweetness of the bun), butter and some ketchup.

What to do: Grill or fry the bacon until crisp  grilling is better as it gets rid of the grease and stops it dripping into the bun.

While the bacon cooks, toast and butter the hot cross buns as normal.

Take the bacon out and pat it dry with kitchen roll.

Next, build your butties: a buttered bun half, two rashers of bacon, a squirt of ketchup (or brown sauce) and the bun top.

Verdict: It shouldnt work but it does. The texture is lovely  crunchy bacon and crisp toasty bun  and the salt is a tasty contrast to the fruit. The tomato ketchup tastes terrible, though, so next time Ill try maple syrup.

BOILED EGG & HOT CROSS SOLIDERS: 3/10

This idea comes from discount supermarket Aldi ...

Youll need: One fresh egg and one bun per serving. If you like Marmite, you could try spreading this on your soldiers to enhance the savoury taste.

What to do: Boil water in a pan and add the eggs, simmering gently for four-and-a-half minutes.

When eggs are almost ready, slice buns in half and toast as normal.

You want your soldiers sturdy, so make sure the bun is golden. Spread with Marmite and slice into strips.

Verdict: I dont like the combination of savoury, malty egg with sugary bun  and when I come across a raisin its so unpleasant I have to spit it out. Its also tricky to eat as the bun soldiers keep falling apart.

HOT CROSS CHEESE TOASTIE: 10/10

Youll need: One large hot cross bun per person (try the Co-op, 1 for six), a wedge of Brie, chilli jam and a handful of rocket.

If youve got a toasted sandwich or panini-maker, you can make your toastie in this  but wrapping it in greaseproof paper and using a griddle pan works, too.

What to do: Slice bun in half and flatten using a rolling pin.

Butter inside and out. Fill with slices of Brie, jam and rocket.

Put it in the panini-maker or wrap in greaseproof paper and griddle each side for a few minutes until the cheese melts.

Verdict: The combination of oozing, melting Brie, chilli jam and fruit in the bun makes this taste a bit like a cheeseboard.

Its utterly delicious. A surprising winner.

HOT CROSS ICE CREAM SANDWICH: 5/10

This calorific feast was dreamed up by budget supermarket chain Iceland, who recommend squidging a scoop of ice cream between two halves of a toasted bun.

Youll need: One hot cross bun per serving, vanilla ice cream and chocolate or toffee sauce.

What to do: First, prepare the buns with a sharp knife by slicing off two of the sides and rounding off the other two into a curve (this makes it look like an ice cream wafer).

Slice each in half horizontally and squash the two halves flat using your palm.

Put buns under a hot grill or in the toaster until crisp (I used a waffle maker).

Cool completely before assembling the sandwich: a bun half on the base, a scoop of ice cream topped with sauce and the other half on top.

Press down so the ice cream oozes out the sides  and eat immediately.

Verdict: Delicious idea but messy: I ended up with ice cream all over my hands and face.

HOT CROSS BUN BURGER: 9/10

Savoury buns are all the rage  but weve gone a step further than M&Ss cheese and onion hot cross buns by stuffing roast lamb inside a bun.

Youll need: Lamb shoulder(slow roasted for 3 hours so it falls apart), red onion, pomegranate seeds, watercress and mayonnaise.

One bun per serving.

What to do: Slice each bun in half and lightly toast the inside under a hot grill.

Spread mayonnaise on the bottom, top with watercress and onion, then the meat, followed by pomegranate seeds and the toasted top.

Verdict: The sweet bun goes well with the melt-in-the mouth meat and tangy salad. The raisins and spices give it a Middle Eastern street food flavour.

HOT CROSS FRENCH TOAST: 2/10

Youll need: Four buns (to serve four), three eggs, a few tbsps milk, butter, icing sugar mixed with a pinch of cinnamon, and fresh berries of your choice.

What to do: Whisk eggs and milk together and tip into a large shallow dish. Slice buns in half and put them in the egg mixture to soak for half an hour.

Heat butter in a frying pan. Once its sizzling, add the egg-soaked buns and fry on each side for 2-3 mins, until the egg sets and turns golden. Serve hot, topped with cinnamon sugar and berries.

Verdict: They smell gorgeous on the plate but the taste is underwhelming. The buns are doughy, stodgy and still soggy  I cant eat more than half.

HOT CROSS TIRAMISU: 8/10

Youll need: Three hot cross buns, 250ml double cream, 250g mascarpone cheese, 2 tbsp caster sugar,

2 tbsp of marsala (sweet wine), 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp instant coffee and a chocolate flake.

Youll also need four dessert glasses.

What to do: Slice each bun in half and each half into four long fingers. Dissolve coffee granules in 200ml hot water.

Dip bun fingers in the coffee and set aside on a plate.

Whisk cream and stir in cheese, sugar and marsala.

Assemble tiramisu. Start with one or two sponge fingers, then a layer of cream, then sponge, until youve used up all the ingredients.

Top with a dusting of cocoa powder and crumbled flake.

Verdict: The bun is denser than sponge fingers so they give the dish a bit of texture  and they go really nicely with the coffee.
A drug which can extend the life of patients with advanced prostate cancer might be more effective if taken with a full English breakfast, a study suggests.

Current NHS guidelines for the drug abiraterone - also known as Zytiga - say it must be taken on an empty stomach.

But new research from the University of Chicago suggests taking the drug with high-fat food could increase by ten-fold the amount absorbed by the body.

This could mean doses could be lowered, potentially saving the NHS thousands.

Abiraterone currently costs the health service 2,300 per patient for every 30 days of treatment.

A drug which can extend the life of patients with advanced prostate cancer might be more effective if taken with a full English breakfast, a study suggests

The drug is used to control symptoms and delay the need for chemotherapy after other hormone treatments have failed.

It works by stopping the production of testosterone so cancer cells cannot continue to grow.

For the study, doctors asked half of a group of 72 patients with advanced prostate cancer to take the standard dose of four pills with water on an empty stomach then wait an hour before breakfast.

The others were asked to take just one pill with a low-fast breakfast such as cereal with skimmed milk.

Researchers found the disease was kept under control just as well in patients who took the low dose with breakfast as in patients who took the recommended dose.

Survival rates were identical in both groups and levels of PSA  a marker for prostate cancer  were slightly lower in the group who took a low dose with food after 12 weeks.

For the study, doctors asked half of the patients to take the standard dose of four pills with water on an empty stomach while others were asked to take just one pill with a low-fast breakfast such as cereal with skimmed milk

Researchers said four or five times more of the drug gets absorbed and enters the blood stream if the drug is swallowed with a low-fat meal containing around 300 calories.

This could be increased to 10 times if the drug was taken with a high-fat meal containing around 825 calories  like a full breakfast.

Lead author Dr Russell Szmulewitz said taking a low dose with food was more convenient for patients and cut medicine costs by up to 75 per cent.

Lower doses could also potentially reduce side effects, which include fluid retention, high blood pressure and liver problems.

He said: 'Taking this medicine while fasting is wasteful. [By taking a low dose with food] the patient gets a simplified schedule, slightly more control over his daily life and the convenience of eating whenever he chooses.'

Authors of the paper, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, said the small study would need replicating on a larger scale before any changes to recommended doses were made.

Commenting on the research, Dr Iain Frame of Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'Techniques which could help to make future treatments affordable to our cash-strapped NHS are of course welcomed.

'This very early study has made some interesting observations but a much larger trial is needed before any concrete conclusions can be drawn.'
Russian will begin supplying weapons to Armenia this year as part of the new $100 million defense loan, Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Drozhzhov said on Thursday.

March 29, 2018, 16:59 Russia to start arms supplies to Armenia under new $100 mln defense loan in 2018

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 29, ARTSAKHPRESS:They [arms supplies] are scheduled for 2018, Drozhzhov told reportser at the second International Exhibition of Arms and Defense Technologies "ArmHiTec-2018" hosted by Yerevan, Armenia, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.

In December 2017, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan signed into law the Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Russian Federation on granting state export loan to the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

Under the deal signed on 24 October 2017, Russia is set to provide a state export loan worth $100 million to Armenia to finance purchase of Russian-made weapons by the country.
Thousands of teenagers are being left 'zombified' after using the illegal tranquiliser Xanax as a party drug or to help them cope with mental-health problems, new research suggests.

Xanax, a brand name of a class of drugs called benzodiazepine, is causing adolescents to suffer memory blackouts and personality changes, according to the largest survey of its kind.

Some 35 per cent of those aged between 13 and 24 take the drug recreationally or to help them cope with stress and depression when help is lacking in an over-stretched NHS, the research, by the website VICE, adds.

Bambos Charalambous, who is Labour MP for Enfield Southgate and has previously voiced concerns over Xanax, claims the tranquiliser is part of a subculture for those under 30, with older generations often never having heard of it.

Xanax is banned by the NHS but can be easily bought online from the US, where it is legal, creating a black market.

Benzodiazepine, also known as 'benzos', typically cause users to build up a drug tolerance within weeks, resulting in them craving ever larger doses to get the 'hit' they desire.

Withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety, panic attacks and even hallucinations.

Celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber have had Xanax habits.

In January, Police Scotland issued an alert after more than 20 Xanax-related deaths occurred, which it called a 'national issue that also extends into other parts of the UK'.

Thousands of teenagers are turning into 'zombies' after taking the illegal drug Xanax (stock)

WHAT CAN ILLEGAL XANAX BE CUT WITH? Counterfeit 'Xanax' bought illegally online as fake pills is often made of generic alprazolam powder and is sometimes cut with the opioid fentanyl. Alprazolam is a minor tranquiliser used for the treatment of anxiety. Fentanyl, which was behind the death of musician Prince, is a painkiller that can severely affect breathing at high doses. Advertisement

'I nearly stabbed a man on Xanax', user claims

Results further suggest just six per cent of young people have never heard of Xanax.

How children are buying anti-anxiety medication Xanax on social media websites Children as young as 13 are illegally buying the anti-anxiety medication Xanax on social media websites such Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, a charity warned in February 2018. Online dealers are openly advertising the drug for as little as 25p to teenagers alongside pictures of pills piled high and boasts of next day delivery. Experts have warned Xanax, which is 20 times stronger than Valium, is becoming increasingly popular among teenagers. It is often glamourised in US rap music and is said to be rife among grammar schools where pupils are self-diagnosing anxiety disorders due to the high pressure they find themselves under. The charity Addaction branded such social media sites unpoliceable after seeing a dramatic rise in drugs being advertised and sold over their platforms in the past six months. In February there were more than 3,700 Instagram posts captioned with the hashtag xanaxforsale. Advertisement

One study participant, out of the 85,000 who took part in the research , said they had practically lost a friend as a result of their drug addiction, saying 'it's up there with heroin'.

Another said the tranquiliser is the most dangerous substance they have encountered.

Some claim they broke off relationships or put deposits down on houses while under the drug's influence and did not realise until they were sober.

One user even said: 'I nearly stabbed a man on Xanax.

'Xanax gives you the confidence to do absolutely anything.'

'Young people are playing Russian roulette with their lives'

Speaking of the drug's use among young people, Mr Charalambous told The Times: 'There is a subculture for people under 25 or 30.

'It's part of their vocabulary but older people have never heard of it.'

Mr Charalambous adds many young people think the drug is 'cool' or wrongly believe they can safely self-medicate their mental-health disorders due to Xanax being available in the US.

Mr Charalambous went on to say many are driven to tranquiliser use after being forced to wait months for a medical appointment for conditions such as depression or anxiety.

According to Harry Shapiro, director of the Drug-Wise information service, health ministers cannot wait to see if Xanax is just a craze, with teenagers putting their lives at risk by combining such drugs, of unknown strength, with alcohol.

He adds adolescents may assume buying drugs online is safer than on the streets, however, many are cut with substances such as the opioid fentanyl.

According to Barry Haslam, a drug safety campaigner: 'Young people ingesting Xanax are playing Russian roulette with their lives.'

Popular rap artists like Eminem are fueling tranquiliser use, an investigation suggests

Popular stars like Eminem are fueling Xanax use

This comes after research released earlier this month suggested popular rap artists like Eminem are fueling illegal tranquiliser use.

Eminem's 2010 hit 'I'm have a relapse' contains the lyrics: 'I get these panic attacks, pop a Xanax, relax'.

In Drake's hit 'Two birds one stone' he raps about the actor Kid Cudi's, his nemesis, drug use, saying: 'You stay xanned [Xanax] and perked [Percocet] up so when reality set in you dont gotta face it'.

Rapper Lil Peep, who is believed to have accidentally overdosed on Fentanyl and Xanax last November, also sang: 'I found some Xanax in my bed, I took that s***, went back to sleep' in his song 'Praying to the Sky'.

More than 1.5 million counterfeit Xanax pills were sold in the UK between 2015 and 2017, according to a BBC Three analysis.

Last year, Border Force seized the equivalent of 25 million counterfeit pills, compared to 860,989 in the previous 24 months.

The BBC investigation suggested that two online sellers, who go under the names Hulked Benzo Boss and UKBenzos, flooded the market, pushing packs of 1,000 pills alongside explanations for dealers on how to make profits from drug sales.

Last month, six schoolgirls from Wandsworth, south London, were taken to hospital after suffering Xanax-related complications.
Prostitutes in south east Asia could be fueling the rise of super gonorrhoea, experts today suggested in the wake of a 'worrying' new strain of the STI.

Other acclaimed scientists have warned the emergence of the drug-resistant bug - which has been branded the 'world's worst case' - could take us back to the dark ages, when the common STI proved untreatable.

The claims follow yesterday's report by health officials that revealed an Englishman had picked up a form of gonorrhoea - which is the third most common STI in the UK - that is resistant to two crucial antibiotics.

The unidentified man, who was having regular sex with a woman in the UK, caught the STI during a one-night-stand during his travels to south east Asia earlier this year. Tests have revealed the British woman, who is believed to be his girlfriend, has so far not been infected.

Public Health England has warned the Englishman's case is the world's first ever recorded case of the STI not responding to ceftraiaxone and azithryomycin  the two drugs that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends to be given to patients.

Cases of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea  known as super gonorrhoea  have been growing in frequency for a few years and have prompted repeated concerns by the WHO, which warned it could become immune to antibiotics in a 'matter of years'.

In the first recorded case worldwide, an English man caught the STI from a woman during his travels to south east Asia earlier this year

Professor Johnjoe McFadden, a molecular geneticist at Surrey University, suggested it was likely the prostitution in south east Asia could be fuelling the rise of drug-resistant STIs.

Countries such as Thailand, famous for its notorious sex industry, are popular with young British travellers. Government figures show one million Brits make the 11-hour journey to visit the country each year.

Professor McFadden told MailOnline: 'Anyone who has frequent sex is more likely to have gonorrhoea, and the more frequent the more likely they are to pick up a resistant strain.'

He refused to blame the sex tourism trade in south east Asia, but added: 'Obviously people who have sex most often in this part of the world are prostitutes.'

Professor Matthew Baylis, from Liverpool University, suggested there may be 'some people in south east Asia, perhaps, with this strain of gonorrhoea'.

He told MailOnline: 'He [the man] is unlikely to be the absolute first person in entire world [to get the strain].' Professor Bailey added he 'most likely got it from someone else'.

If tests later reveal a population in south east Asia to have this strain of gonorrhoea, then it could take us back 'to a time before Alexander Fleming and antibiotics were discovered, where it was an untreatable STI'.

COULD THIS BE A CURE FOR SUPER GONORRHOEA? A new antibiotic was found in the 'arms race' against incurable superbugs, The Daily Mail revealed last July. The drug is a weapon in the fight against a strain of 'super-gonorrhoea' similar to that which swept across London, the South East and Midlands. Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies has previously written to GPs warning that gonorrhoea, Britain's second most common STI after chlamydia, could become an 'untreatable disease'. But the bug, some strains of which are now resistant to every hospital antibiotic, was defeated by British scientists using the antibiotic closthioamide. While still at least five years away from being available to patients, closthioamide cured 98 per cent of gonorrhoea samples taken from British patients. The antibiotic, only discovered seven years ago, has also been found to tackle hospital superbug MRSA and deadly E.coli and could go on to be tested against other bacteria, including drug-resistant TB. Advertisement

Professor Baylis added: 'Gonorrhoea itself is obviously not the nicest thing, but it's not the worst STI out there, but, nevertheless, we don't want to have it in an untreatable way.'

Dr Richard Stabler, an associate professor in molecular bacteriology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, warned the new case of super gonorrhoea was 'worrying' because 'there isn't really an obvious next set of drugs we would move to.

All three experts called for people to make sure they use protection, which can stop the transmission of the STI, which is the third most common in the UK.

PHE officials yesterday released a report confirming the new case of super gonorrhoea. It announced it had formed an 'incident management team' to stop its spread. The BBC branded it the 'world's worst case'.

Its report read: 'This is the first global report of high-level azithromycin resistant N. gonorrhoeae which is also resistant to ceftriaxone.'

The new case follows repeated warnings over the dangers of super gonorrhoea, and other antibiotic resistant bugs, by concerned health chiefs.

WHO raised concerns two years ago the STI, historically known as the 'clap', could become immune to antibiotics in a 'matter of years'. And last year it said some strains are becoming 'much harder, and sometimes impossible, to treat'.

The new document stated the man - whose location has also been withheld - attended sexual health services earlier this year.

Other acclaimed scientists have warned the 'worrying' drug-resistant strain could take us back to the dark ages, when the common STI proved untreatable

IS ORAL SEX FUELING THE RISE OF SUPER GONORRHOEA? 'Gonorrhoea is a very smart bug,' said Teodora Wi, a human reproduction specialist at the Geneva-based UN health agency last summer. 'Every time you introduce a new type of antibiotic to treat it, this bug develops resistance to it.' She added that the rapid spread of the antibiotic resistant bacteria has been caused in part by oral sex. The sexually transmitted bacteria can live at the back of the throat and, because of this, is frequently exposed to antibiotics used to treat throat infections. Repeated exposure to antibiotics makes it easier for bacteria to evolve drug resistance. 'When you use antibiotics to treat infections like a normal sore throat, this mixes with the Neisseria species [gonorrhoea bacteria] in your throat and this results in resistance,' Dr Wi told the BBC. Advertisement

He was having regular sex with a female in the UK, but also had a one-off encounter with another woman in south-east Asia.

The man told doctors his gonorrhoea symptoms began a month after having sex with the woman on his travels, PHE officials said.

The document does not state whether the Asian woman already had the multi-drug resistant strain of gonorrhoea, or if it mutated.

He was started on a course of ceftriaxone and spectinomycin - but tests showed the STI remained in his throat, suggesting one failed to work.

Laboratory tests revealed a high resistance to azithromycin and ceftriaxone. It also showed the bug was only susceptible to spectinomycin.

The patient - who will be retested in the middle of next month to see if he still has gonorrhoea - is now being treated with daily injections of ertapenem, another antibiotic.

Preliminary STI results for his sexual partner in the UK returned negative for gonorrhoea. She is being followed up.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STIs at PHE, said: 'We are investigating a case who has gonorrhoea which was acquired abroad and is very resistant to the recommended first line treatment.

'First line treatment for gonorrhoea is a combination of two antibiotics (azithromycin and ceftriaxone). This is the first time a case has displayed such high-level resistance to both of these drugs and to most other commonly used antibiotics.

'We are following up this case to ensure that the infection was effectively treated with other options and the risk of any onward transmission is minimised.'

More than 35,000 people a year are infected with gonorrhoea in England, including record numbers of baby boomers. Only chlamydia and genital warts are more prevalent. Figures show 78 million people worldwide contract gonorrhoea each year.

But a 'super' version of the STI, which is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium, swept across Britain two years ago, striking London, the South East and the Midlands.

It was resistant to the common antibiotic ciprofloxacin and extended-spectrum cephalosporins, which are the drugs of last resort.

A WHO analysis of STI data around the world previously revealed 97 per cent of countries have reported strains of gonorrhoea that are resistant to ciprofloxacin.

A further 81 per cent stated there was increasing resistance to just azithromycin. And more than 50 countries warned strains were showing some form of resistance to ceftraixone - another last-resort treatment.

Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies has previously written to GPs warning that gonorrhoea could become an 'untreatable disease' and that antibiotic resistance could take humanity back to the 'dark ages'.

Super gonorrhoea is one of many antibiotic-resistant infections which together kill an estimated 700,000 people worldwide each year.

Deemed to be one of the biggest threats to humanity, the issue has previously been cited as severe as terrorism and global warming.

Antibiotics have been so overused by GPs and hospital staff for decades that the bacteria have evolved to become resistant.

Doctors claim medicines including penicillin no longer work on sore throats, skin infections and, more seriously, pneumonia.
Parents are urged to vaccinate their children against measles if they are travelling to Europe this Easter weekend.

Due to ongoing outbreaks across the continent, Public Health England (PHE) is strongly advising youngsters are up-to-date with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.

Romania, Italy, Germany, Greece and France are all experiencing unprecedented cases of the highly infectious, life-threatening condition.

At least 168 cases have occurred in England so far this year, with London, the South East, West Midlands and South West having the most sufferers. More than 200,000 cases occurred across Europe in February alone.

To prevent a measles outbreak, it is recommended that 95 per cent of the population is immunised against the infection.

Only 91.9 per cent of children were vaccinated against measles between 2015 and 2016 compared to 94.2 per cent in 2014-to-2015 and 94.3 per cent in 2013-to-2014, according to NHS immunisation statistics.

The World Health Organization (WHO) claims people's fear of vaccines, along with complacency, means many, particularly young children, are unprotected.

The decision by parents not to vaccinate their children could be attributed to disgraced gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield's theory in 1995 that the MMR vaccine is linked to bowel disease and autism. His controversial views have since been widely discredited.

Parents are urged to vaccinate their children against measles if they are travelling to Europe this Easter weekend. Outbreaks are occurring in France, Greece, Italy and Germany (stock)

MEASLES DECLARED 'ELIMINATED' FROM THE UK JUST FOUR MONTHS AGO The 'elimination' of measles has been achieved in the UK, global health leaders said in September. The elimination of measles or rubella can be verified once a country has sustained 'interruption of endemic transmission' for at least 36 months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The European Regional Verification Commission said the UK achieved elimination status for measles as of 2016. Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said: 'We are delighted that the WHO has confirmed that the UK achieved measles elimination in 2016 and that rubella elimination continues to be sustained. 'In addition, national vaccine coverage of the first MMR dose in five year olds has hit the WHO's 95 per cent target. 'This is a huge achievement and a testament to all the hard work by our health professionals in the NHS to ensure that all children and adults are fully protected with two doses of the MMR vaccine. 'We need to ensure that this is sustained going forward by maintaining and improving coverage of the MMR vaccine in children and by catching up older children and young adults who missed out.' Advertisement

WHAT WERE THE MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA VACCINATION RATES IN TWO-YEAR-OLDS ACROSS ENGLAND IN 2015-TO-2016? Region of England % vaccinated North East

North West

Yorkshire & Humber

East Midlands

West Midlands

East of England

London

South East

South West

Source: NHS immunisation statistics 95

92.9

94

94.1

93.1

93.5

86.4

91.9

92.9



Officials urge people to get vaccinated

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, said: 'The measles outbreaks we are currently seeing in England are linked to ongoing large outbreaks in Europe.

'People who have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine are particularly at risk.

'We want to remind people that measles is not just a disease of young children and we're seeing many cases in people over 15 years of age.

'Adults or parents who are unsure if they or their children have been fully vaccinated should check with their GP and make an appointment to receive two doses of MMR vaccine.

She added: 'The UK achieved WHO measles elimination status last year, so the overall risk of measles to the UK population is low.

'However due to ongoing measles outbreaks in Europe, we will continue to see cases in unimmunised individuals and limited onward spread can occur in communities with low MMR coverage and in age groups with very close mixing.'

To prevent a measles outbreak, 95 per cent of the population should be vaccinated (stock)

Epidemics in Europe

Earlier this year, the WHO warned measles was spreading across Europe in regions where vaccination rates are low, such as Poland, Switzerland and Ukraine.

Data published in November last year by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in the Communicable Disease Threat Report show that from January 2016 to November 2017, more than 19,000 measles cases were reported in the EU, including 46 deaths.

The highest number of cases in 2017 were reported in Romania, where 7,759 people suffered, followed by Italy with 4,775 cases and Germany with 898 sufferers. Greece also experienced a measles outbreak, with at least 368 cases, and one death, since May 2017.

Dr Ramsay said: 'Due to ongoing measles outbreaks within Europe, we will continue to see imported measles cases in the UK in unimmunised individuals.

'This serves as an important reminder for parents to take up the offer of MMR vaccination for their children when offered at one year of age and as a pre-school booster at three years, four months of age.'

WHAT IS MEASLES, WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW CAN YOU CATCH IT? Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads easily from an infected person by coughing, sneezing or even just breathing. Symptoms develop between six and 19 days after infection, and include a runny nose, cough, sore eyes, a fever and a rash. The rash appears as red and blotchy marks on the hairline that travel down over several days, turning brown and eventually fading. Some children complain of disliking bright lights or develop white spots with red backgrounds on their tongue. In one in 15 cases, measles can cause life-threatening complications including pneumonia, convulsions and encephalitis. Dr Ava Easton, chief executive of the Encephalitis Society told MailOnline: 'Measles can be very serious. '[It] can cause encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain. 'Encephalitis can result in death or disability.' Treatment focuses on staying hydrated, resting and taking painkillers, if necessary. Measles can be prevented by receiving two vaccinations, the first at 13 months old and the second at three years and four months to five years old. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement

Fears over discredited claims the jab causes autism may be to blame for outbreaks (stock)

ARE AUTISTIC CHILDREN MISSING OUT ON VACCINATIONS? Autistic children are missing out on life-saving vaccinations, research suggested in March 2018. Only 81.6 per cent of those on the autism spectrum have received all the recommended vaccinations for children aged between four and six years old, a study found. For those without the developmental disability, 94.1 per cent have had the necessary jabs, including diptheria, polio, and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), the research adds. Lead author Dr Ousseny Zerbo, from Kaiser Permanente, California, said: 'These findings suggest that children with autism and their younger siblings may be at greater risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. 'Vaccine hesitancy or refusal may play a role in children not getting properly vaccinated.' Results further suggest just 89.1 per cent of children with autism have been vaccinated against diptheria, tetanus and whooping cough, compared to 96.6 per cent of youngsters without the disorder. Only 84 per cent of autistic children are protected against MMR versus 95.9 per cent who do not suffer such developmental and behavioural challenges. The younger siblings of autism sufferers are also missing out, with 6.8 per cent receiving fewer vital jabs than their peers. Dr Nicholas Wood, from Sydney University, who was not involved in the study, added: 'Parents of autism spectrum disorder kids may be worried; they may still feel that the MMR vaccine led to autism. 'And that a second dose may cause a regression.' Advertisement

Is Andrew Wakefield's discredited research to blame for low vaccination rates?

In 1995 the gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield published a study in The Lancet showing children who had been vaccinated against MMR were more likely to have bowel disease and autism.

He speculated that being injected with a 'dead' form of the measles virus causes disruption to intestinal tissue, leading to both of the disorders.

After a 1998 paper further confirmed this finding, Wakefield said: 'The risk of this particular syndrome [which he termed autistic enterocolitis] developing is related to the combined vaccine, the MMR, rather than the single vaccines.'

At the time, Wakefield had a patent for single MMR vaccines and was therefore accused of having a conflict of interest.

Nonetheless, MMR vaccination rates in the US and UK plummeted, until, in 2004 the then-editor of The Lancet Dr Richard Horton described Wakefield's research as 'fundamentally flawed', adding he was paid by attorneys seeking lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers.

The Lancet formally retracted Wakefield's research paper in 2010.

Three months later, the General Medical Council banned Wakefield from practicing medicine in Britain, stating his research had shown a 'callous disregard' for children's health.

On January 6 2011, The British Medical Journal published a report showing that of the 12 children included in Wakefield's 1995 study, at most two had autistic symptoms post vaccination, rather than the eight he claimed.

At least two of the children also had developmental delays before they were vaccinated, yet Wakefield's paper claimed they were all 'previously normal'.

Further findings revealed none of the children had autism, non-specific colitis or symptoms within days of receiving the MMR vaccine, yet the study claimed six of the participants suffered all three.
Two women lost their hair after eating pumpkin soup and a side-dish of squash, new research has revealed.

Just weeks after consuming the root vegetables, the unnamed women, believed to be from France, experienced spontaneous alopecia, which affected their scalps and genitals, a case report reveals.

Such symptoms are thought to be due to cucurbit poisoning, which occurs when people consume excessive amounts of the bitter-tasting compound cucurbitacin.

Shop-bought pumpkins and squashes contain trace amounts of cucurbitacin, however, it can be present in homegrown produce, particularly if the vegetables are grown with little water.

It is believed to be the first time cucurbit poisoning has been associated with hair loss.

Both of the women experienced short-term nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea after eating the vegetables before going on to develop trichorrhexis nodosa, which causes hair strands all over the body to snap off.

It is unclear if their hair has completely regrown.

Two women lost their hair after eating pumpkin soup and a side-dish of squash. Image shows one of the patient's regrown hair at just 6cm long six months after the incident

Weeks after the meal the women had alopecia, which affected their scalps and genitals (stock)

WHAT IS TRICHORRHEXIS NODOSA? Trichorrhexis nodosa is a common condition that creates weak points along hair strands, causing them to break easily. It can be inherited or may be triggered by excessive blow drying, brushing, perming or colouring. Trichorrhexis nodosa may also occur as a result of an underlying disorder, such as an underactive thyroid, iron deficiency or build up of ammonia. Symptoms include hair appearing like it is not growing. It may break off at the scalp or cause split ends, thinness or strand tips to appear white. Treatment focuses on reducing damage via gentle brushing and avoiding harsh chemicals in shampoos, conditioners and dyes. Trichorrhexis nodosa is not a serious condition but can affect a sufferer's self esteem. Source: Penn State Hershey Advertisement

Suffered extreme vomiting and entire-body hair loss

The first patient ate the soup with her family, who consumed less of the meal than she did.

This is thought to be due to her being able to tolerate the meal's likely bitter flavour.

Although her relatives experience gastro-related symptoms, she was the only one to suffer hair loss.

Two months later, some of the woman's hair was still breaking 2cm from her scalp.

The second woman ate the squash side dish with others, who turned it down, complaining it tasted bitter.

After suffering initial extreme vomiting, the patient experienced substantial hair loss from her scalp and armpits.

Six months later, she was still unable to grow hair longer than 6cm.

It is unclear where the vegetables the women ate came from.

Dermatologist Dr Philippe Assouly, from Saint Louis Hospital in Paris, said: 'Acquired trichorrhexis nodosa supports the diagnosis, with the length of the hair that grew after poisoning matching the length of the new hair growth.'

The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Close examination of one of the women's hair shows broken ends on their strands

What is cucurbit poisoning?

Cucurbitacin is a toxin that occurs naturally in plants belonging to the Cucurbit family, which includes butternut squashes, pumpkins, courgettes, cucumbers and melons.

These toxins are thought to be a defence mechanism against herbivores.

In small amounts, cucurbitacins are harmless and merely create a slightly bitter taste.

When present in large quantities, however, they are extremely bitter and cause abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Vegetables available at the supermarket have been bred to contain low amounts of cucurbitacin, however, environmental stress, such as inadequate water, can trigger its production.

The risk of cucurbit poisoning cannot be assessed by vegetables' appearances.

To reduce the risk of becoming ill, people should never eat wild vegetables or swallow those that have a bitter taste.
Cocaine is driving a fresh boom in overdose deaths in America, a new CDC report reveals.

While the rate of people dying from all drugs increased 21.5 percent in 2016, the biggest increase was seen among cocaine users, with a 52.4 percent increase in deaths compared to the 10 percent increase among opioid users.

Officials believe the immense surge is being fueled by a new market: cocaine cut with fentanyl, the highly-addictive sedative which is more powerful than heroin.

Fears of this have been brewing lately - Connecticut recently reported a 420 percent increase in deaths involving cocaine and fentanyl since 2015, and the rate of fentanyl-laced cocaine seized by police in Massachusetts has tripled since 2016.

The new CDC analysis, published on Thursday, is the latest evidence to show cocaine's ascent as the fastest growing killer on the drug market - as the rate of opioid deaths shows no sign of slowing down.

Connecticut has seen a 420 percent rise in cocaine and fentanyl deaths since 2015, and the rate of fentanyl-laced cocaine seized in Massachusetts tripled. A new CDC report adds further evidence

WHY WOULD ANYONE MIX FENTANYL AND COCAINE? Cocaine, a schedule II drug, is known as an 'upper', since it is a stimulant that makes users alert and energized. Fentanyl, also schedule II, is known as a 'downer', since it is a powerful sedative that triggers a state of relaxation. Combining the two is not new: according to the DEA the drugs are mixed to create a 'speedballing' effect, triggering a 'rush' of cocaine with the numbness of fentanyl. 'The desired outcome is for the user to experience the high from the cocaine with the depressant (heroin or fentanyl) helping ease the otherwise sharp comedown after the effects of the cocaine subside,' the DEA explained in its latest report. However, some believe dealers may be lacing cocaine with fentanyl, not for its effect, but to capitalize on its addictive qualities, luring users back for more. Others believe it may be something of an accident. Either way, fentanyl is incredibly lethal and likely fatal for users who have not taken opioids before. Advertisement

The report is a new analysis of the 2016 drugs death data, which revealed drugs killed 63,000 Americans in one year alone.

Many have speculated that we may be past the peak and measures to control painkiller prescriptions could be turning the tide.

However, amid efforts to crack down on prescription drugs, the once-marginal industry of highly-addictive synthetic drugs laced with the powerful sedative fentanyl is on the rise.

The new CDC report revealed the overdose death rate from drugs laced with fentanyl more than doubled.

Reflecting on the new analysis, CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, MD, said anyone who suggests we have this epidemic under control is getting ahead of themselves.

'No area of the United States is exempt from this epidemic  we all know a friend, family member, or loved one devastated by opioids,' Dr Schuchat said.

'All branches of the federal government are working together to reduce the availability of illicit drugs, prevent deaths from overdoses, treat people with substance-use disorders, and prevent people from starting using drugs in the first place.'

Sixteen states were hit particularly hard by this new brand of cocaine, the report revealed, with the highest rates seen in Washington DC, Rhode Island, and Ohio.

Meanwhile, West Virginia remains the most blighted state by every other drug.

The report's lead author, Puja Seth, PhD, said the new in-depth look at the 2016 data should renew urgency to form stronger alliances between police and medics.

'Effective, synchronized programs to prevent drug overdoses will require coordination of law enforcement, first responders, mental health/substance-abuse providers, public health agencies, and community partners,' Dr Seth said.
At-home genetic test for cancer risk are inaccurate 40 percent of the time, a new analysis claims.

The tests like the recently-approved version by DNA testing firm 23andMe are intended to detect mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are associated with higher risk of developing breast, ovarian and prostate cancer.

However, an analysis by Ambry Genetics, a company that interprets data from consumer DNA tests, found that nearly half of the results supplied in the last month from various other firms were false positives.

As a result at least seven people were given an unnecessary scare, adding yet another reason to question the reliability of such tests that the FDA has warned is 'seriously limited'.

An analysis has revealed that almost half of the results from DNA tests for gene mutations related to increased breast and ovarian cancer risk were false positives

The report published in the journal Nature last week is based on data from 49 people who had already received such test results.

Their DNA was retested and analyzed by Ambry Genetics and multiple other labs.

The results were then compared with the previous findings, revealing that false positives in 40 percent of the cases.

More than half of those false positives were for BRCA mutations.

An estimated one in 300 to one in 800 Americans have BRCA mutations, commonly known as the Angelina Jolie gene because the actress had a double-mastectomy in 2013 after finding out she had inherited the mutation from her mother.

Specific inherited BRCA mutations have been most closely linked to increased the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, but have also been associated with increased risks of other types of cancer.

Current clinical guidelines for evaluating a person's genetic risk of having a BRCA mutation are based personal and family history of certain cancers.

However, a study by geneticist and breast cancer researcher Mary Claire-King, PhD, found that 50 percent of families with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations had 'no history of breast or ovarian cancer that would have triggered clinical attention'.

This highlights the need for more accessible testing for everyone, not just those who know they could be at risk for the mutation.

One in eight women in the US will develop breast cancer in their life. About five to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are hereditary and can be attributed to a BRCA mutation.

A recent study by the University of Cambridge estimated that about 72 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation and about 69 percent with a BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by the age of 80.

One in 73 women will develop ovarian cancer, and the same Cambridge study estimated that about 44 percent of women with a BRCA1 mutation and about 17 percent with a BRCA2 mutation will develop ovarian cancer by the age of 80.

In men, BRCA mutations are associated with 40 percent of breast cancer cases which affect one in 1,000 men.

They are also associated with prostate cancer, which affects one in seven men.

What are BRCA gene mutations? Angelina Jolie drew attention to the BRCA gene in 2013 when she had a double-mastectomy after learning she'd inherited a mutation from her mother. BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes produce tumor suppressor proteins that help repair damaged DNA. When either of these genes is mutated, or altered, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that can lead to cancer. Specific inherited BRCA mutations have been most closely linked to increased the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, but have also been associated with increased risks of other types of cancer. People with certain BRCA mutations tend to develop breast and ovarian cancers at younger ages than those who do not have these mutations. The mutations can be inherited from either parent, and a child of a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes has a 50-percent chance of inheriting the mutation. Source: The National Cancer Institute Advertisement

The test is expected to cost $199 and comes with a swab that is inserted in the mouth to collect saliva before being sealed into a container and returned to the company's lab in California.

It can detect three out of more than 1,000 inherited BRCA gene mutations but cannot determine a person's overall risk of developing cancer.

Women with one of these variants have a 45- to 85-percent chance of developing breast cancer by age 70, according to 23andMe.

The FDA said that most cancers are not caused by genetic mutations, and the ones tracked by the test aren't the most common BRCA mutations.

The variants are most prevalent in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, but have been observed at much lower rates in other ethnicities.

The Food and Drug Administration has warned that the test is not a substitute for regular doctors visits and should not be used to make any medical decisions.

23andMe CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki also said: 'It's important to understand that the majority of cancer is not hereditary, our test does not account for all genetic variants that can cause a higher risk of cancer, and people should continue with their recommended cancer screenings.'

23andMe will be required to prominently print warnings about the limitations of the genetic information provided.

'Being the first and only direct-to-consumer genetics company to receive FDA authorization to test for cancer risk without a prescription is a major milestone for 23andMe and for the consumer,' Wojcicki said.

'We believe it's important for consumers to have direct and affordable access to this potentially life-saving information. We will continue pioneering a path for greater access to health information, and promoting a more consumer-driven, preventative approach to health care.'

The Silicon Valley-based firm was the first FDA-approved company to offer mail-order DNA tests beginning in 2007.

The most popular product they offer is a kit that tests for ancestry information and outline's a person's chances of developing diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

The system has been criticized by experts who say the results provided are oversimplified and should be taken with a grain of salt.

The FDA blocked 23andMe from offering genetic health information in 2013, but the company pushed back and in April 2017 was cleared to market 10 genetic tests for diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers.
Memoir

THE SHEEP STELL

by Janet White (Little Brown 16.99)

On a hot, clear morning on the remote New Zealand island of Aroa, 25-year-old Janet White nipped out to milk the cow and returned to find a thwarted suitor waving a rifle.

A tough and experienced farm manager with her own flock of 500 sheep, White was not prone to physical fear.

But Jack  a charismatic fellow farmer who had stolen a boat to pursue her to the island  was in a frantic, fiendish mood. He said he could not live without her.

In her book, Jane White recalls how she was left for dead by a suitor on a farm on the remote New Zealand island of Aroa. She is pictured here on Aroa with a sheepdog in 1954

I suggested that he put away the gun and talk. He refused. There was only one thing he wanted and I could not give it.

Moments later, she was running for a boat, but she heard the splash of Jacks feet behind her and something cracked down on her head with terrifying force.

As I fell, he hit me again and again, until the butt of the rifle broke off and dropped on to the pebbles beside my face.

I could feel the blood running down my neck and around my ears. There was a long, taut silence, and I tried not to move so he would think I was dead.

Then I heard the crunching of shingle as he walked away.

Such a crisply relayed account of shocking violence on a sunbaked foreign shore in the Fifties is not what you expect from the pastel-covered memoir of an octogenarian English shepherd.

But Janet White has never delivered the expected.

Born into an urban, intellectual family, Whites parents expected her to follow her older sister to Cambridge. But she was smitten by the countryside while evacuated to the Cotswolds during the war and left school at 16 to work on a Chilterns farm.

If her parents thought the hard labour would cure her romantic ideas, they were wrong. No one could have been more thrilled to become a dairy maid, she sighs. I loved the smell of the cows and hay and malty brewers grains; the clang of buckets and drumming milk and whistling men. Graduating from agricultural college at the end of the Forties, White took her first job as a shepherd at a farm on the Scottish side of the Cheviot Hills.

THE SHEEP STELL by Janet White

She gives an intense insight into the exhilarations of rural solitude and the invigorations of herding, shearing and lambing through the night. The deaths of culled foxes, errant sheepdogs and abandoned lambs hit her hard.

As a woman in a male-dominated profession, she was determined to match the men task for task. Only once did her female weakness prevent White from matching the mens work.

At that time, young male sheep (wethers) were castrated by a shepherd slicing off the tip of the scrotum with a knife and drawing out the testicles with his teeth. These were dropped in a bucket and taken home at the end of the day, along with the fattest lambs tails, to be cooked for supper.

Our operator suggested that my strong young teeth would do a more efficient job. I feared I should be sick and insisted I was only fit for holding lambs. More frightening was the effect she had on the local men. One threatened to shoot himself if she wouldnt marry him. Another sent her calendars of Scottish scenery for the next 25 years.

But White had fallen in love with a fellow student at college who, sadly, married someone else.

To start afresh, she sailed to the other side of the world to find her island paradise  only to fall victim to the relentless Jack.

After he left her for dead, White made it back to the mainland and finally came home.

Back in England, she finally found the man of her dreams: a poetry-loving civil servant called Jim who, in 1957, renounced suburbia to buy a farm with her in the Sussex Weald.

The couple had four children and their son Robert eventually took over the running of the farm. Jim died in 1998 and, in 2004, White made a trip back to Aroa to celebrate her 75th birthday.

She was delighted to find it little changed: A treasure trove of shells, oysters on rocks, giant flax bushes, shaggy cabbage trees, the haunting song of the grey warbler, the switchback path past the wild bees nest to the sand dunes, seabirds calling, vistas of green islets and the sea in all its moods and vivid colours encircling me.
BEE QUEST by Dave Goulson

BEE QUEST

by Dave Goulson (Vintage 9.99)

Goulson is bonkers about bees, and his passion burns bright in this gloriously entertaining account of his travels around the world in pursuit of rare species.

On Salisbury Plain, where the Armys activities have preserved pristine wildflower habitats of a kind that have almost vanished elsewhere in Britain, he finds the Shrill Carder bee.

In the flowery foothills of the Gorce Mountains in southern Poland, he spots the Yellow Armpit bee.

In Patagonia, he seeks the Giant Golden bumblebee, whose queens are said to resemble flying golden mice.

Dave Goulsons writing is strikingly elegant and very funny and, while his book is an elegy for lost diversity, he ends on an upbeat note, suggesting how we can avoid bequeathing to our grandchildren a grey, impoverished world of concrete and steel.

STIFF UPPER LIP by Alex Renton

STIFF UPPER LIP

by Alex Renton (Orion 9.99)

In 2014, the journalist Alex Renton published an article about his experience of physical and emotional abuse at his prep school, Ashdown House. In 25 years of . . . journalism, Id never had such a response, he writes.

The sheer quantity of suffering in his readers accounts led him to write this devastating investigation into the experiences of children abandoned by their families into the care of strangers, often astonishingly early.

Renton is in no doubt that to send a child away to boarding school (as he was himself) aged eight is an act of psychological cruelty, however well-intentioned.

And he provides overwhelming evidence in support of his view, from brutal beatings and sexual abuse to lifelong emotional damage.

Today, he concludes, a lot has changed, but not everything. They are still boarding schools.

THE ANIMALS AMONG US by John Bradshaw

THE ANIMALS AMONG US

by John Bradshaw (Penguin 9.99)

The animal behaviour expert John Bradshaw was once something of an agnostic when it came to pets, but my wife . . . introduced me to the joys of greetings from a wet nose and wagging tail.

In his latest book, Bradshaw investigates the long history of the human-animal bond, exploring claims that pets can act as a panacea for all kinds of ills.

Considering the possibility that pets are the ultimate con artists, distracting us from more pressing responsibilities such as caring for our fellow humans, he argues that, on the contrary, pet ownership has emerged as part of our evolution as a social species. It may even have given our pet-loving ancestors a distinct advantage.

Pets, he concludes, may have domesticated us as much as we domesticated them.
After nearly twenty years of working in alliance with one another, Renault and Nissan are in talks to go the whole hog and merge, a report by Bloomberg said.

With the prospect of the two companies becoming a single listed stock on the cards, French-owned Renault's shares have climbed by over 5.4 per cent to 98.35.

While the markets may be brimming with excitement over the potential deal, the duo are keeping tight-lighted, with a spokesman for the Renault-Nissan alliance stating they will not comment on 'rumours and speculation'.

Full-blown merger? After nearly twenty years of working in alliance with one another, Renault and Nissan are in talks to go the whole hog and merge, a report suggests

In early morning trading, Reanult's share price increased over 8 per cent, marking the biggest daily jump for a decade.

If a merger between the pair did go ahead, the combined entity would become the world's biggest carmaker by production levels.

A deal could also lead to significant cost savings for the pair. At present, Nissan employs 7,000 people across the UK, with a major production plant in Wearside.

According to unidentified sources who spoke to Bloomberg, the parties are in talks to discuss a transaction in which Nissan would effectively give Renault's shareholders stock in the new company.

Nissan's shareholders would also receive shares in the new company in exchange for their holdings, the sources said.

Last month, Reuters reported that Renault and Nissan were discussing plans for the Japanese carmaker to buy most of the French state's 15 per cent Renault holding.

If the deal progresses, the French state's shareholding could become a major sticking point, with the government unlikely to want to see its control relinquished or its stake watered down.

On the up: In early morning trading, Reanult's share price increased over 8 per cent, marking the biggest daily jump for a decade

Another important consideration would be where the duo's headquarters would be based.

London or a location in the Netherlands could be contenders, but this could in turn cause tensions with the governments in France and Japan, which is where the pair have strong links.

Renault currently owns 43 per cent of Nissan while the Japanese carmaker has a 15 per cent stake in its French counterpart.

Carlos Ghosn, the chairman of both companies, is understood to be driving the negotiations and would run the combined entity, Bloomberg's sources suggest.

New model: The 2019 Nissan Altima showcased at the New York Auto Show

Design: The interior of Nissan's Altima model for 2019 in New York

Nissan shares are down nearly 2 per cent over the past year, giving the company a valuation of 4.6 trillion yen.

Janet Lewis, an analyst at Macquarie in Tokyo, said: 'Size matters in the auto industry.

'The concern has always primarily been the French government, and somewhat Japan, because both France and Japan like to keep their national champions.'
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Everyone raves about Studio 54 being the epitome of debauchery and decadence, but few realize that the eccentric festivities of the 1970s spilled way out of Manhattan and onto Fire Island and the Hamptons, which played host to some of the wildest parties of the area and the age.

Acclaimed photographer Meryl Meisler captured some of the rowdiest house parties in those locations where attendees wore little to no clothing along with similar images taken at the public beaches during the summers of 1977 and 1978.

'The parties were really wild, they were definitely very fun summers to be apart of,' Meisler told DailyMail.com of the numerous black and white images she captured during the time period.

'The club scene was very vibrant. The LGBTQ scene was thriving and thrilling. Its still a haven.

Everyone raves about Studio 54 being the epitome of debauchery and decadence, but few realize that the eccentric festivities of the 70s spilled way out out of Manhattan and onto an island. Cherry Grove, Fire Island and the Hamptons are just three of the enclaves on Long Island which played host to some of the wildest parties of the area. Pictured above are four friends competing for Ms. Monster in an image captured by photographer Meryl Meisler during Labor Day 1977 on Fire Island

The acclaimed photographer captured some of the rowdiest house parties in those locations where attendees wore little to no clothing along with similar images taken at the public beaches during the summers of 1977 and 1978. Meisler took the photo above in August of 1977 at Cherry Grove. She told DailyMail.com how the man would wear costumes every day, including the one above she called 'parrot pants' since he attached a replica of the bird to his crotch

Meisler said: 'The parties were really wild, they were definitely very fun summers to be apart of. Disco was in full swing and it was a blast.' The above image shows Meisler's friend, Judi, dancing while sandwiched in between two men during a Cherry Grove party at the Ice Palace on Fire Island in 1977

Nearly every weekend during the summers of 1977 and 1978, Meisler would take her camera with her to document the fun times. Pictured above in the middle is one of Meisler's friends named Barnett with an inside of a Cherry Grove home on Fire Island in August 1977

'Disco was in full swing and it was a blast. I would come out every weekend during those summers and would bring my camera. And I'm glad I took my camera, I have this record that you can't replicate.

'It was a time in New York history and the world where it was post-Stonewall, Women's Liberation, music changed, pre-AIDS/HIV - it was a time of innocence and I was part of it.'

Of her wide-ranging photo collection, Meisler, who is a New York native, explained the people in the captivating images were of all ages and were very friendly and open to allowing her to photograph them whether they were partying at one of the beaches.

The 66-year-old artist said: 'They were happy to be photographed. You know, life is a beach for them and it's very pleasant. Fire Island is an oasis and it's a Long Island treasure that's very fragile and very small.'

She added that The Ice Palace was a popular club where a ton of LGBTQ people partied, including herself. The festive establishment has been hosting the Miss Fire Island contest since 1966 where men dress in drag costume to compete for the title during Labor Day weekend.

'I would come out every weekend during those summers and would bring my camera. And I'm glad I took my camera, I have this record that you can't replicate,' Meisler said of the dozens of images she snapped during those two summers. Pictured above are two men dancing at the Ice Palace during Bartenders Weekend in Cherry Grove on Fire Island in September 1977

'It was a time in New York history and the world where it was post-Stonewall, Women's Liberation, music changed, pre-AIDS/HIV - it was a time of innocence and I was part of it.' Pictured above is a couple dancing at a party in Ocean Beach on Fire Island in September 1978

Of the many parties she attended, Meisler said attending a Star Wars-themed party in Fire Island Pines during August 1977 is the most memorable. The image above is an overhead shot from that party

Of her wide-ranging photo collection, Meisler, who is a New York native, explained the people in the captivating images were of all ages and were very friendly and open to allowing her to photograph them. Meisler captured the intimate image above showing two young men kissing and holding hands inside the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove on Fire Island in September 1977

She said: 'I've come to realize 40 years later after taking these images that photography is a sense of a memoir. And I'm just going back and editing it and releasing the images. I also am realizing in retrospect I photographed things that are upbeat and uplifting and things that made me smile.' Meisler captured the image above of a woman wearing chains at a party in Cherry Grove on Fire Island in August 1977

'The Ice Palace still plays disco and there are still wonderful things happening in Fire Island all the time,' Meisler added.

Of the dozens of people she photographed during those summers, there are a few who stood out to her, including a man who would wear a 'costume every day.'

'He was one of our neighbors in Cherry Grove from South America, I believe,' she described of the man who she couldn't recall his name.

'He didn't just wear his bathing suit, but he would wear a costume everyday. One image shows him in a speedo with a fake parrot attached to his crotch and that was just one of the many creative costumes he would wear.'

Another one of her favorite memories was attending a Star Wars themed house party in Fire Island Pines that she described as being 'quite wild since the movie had just come out around then.'

Another image taken by Meisler shows the man above in June of 1977 inside his home in the Cherry Grove area on Fire Island. Meisler said that he loved frogs and was obsessed with the amphibians so much that he had an entire area inside of his beach home dedicated to them

Of everything, Fire Island is one of the top places Meisler still enjoys visiting during the summer. Pictured above is a vendor walking in the sand during July 1977 at Hot Dog Beach located in Hamptons Bay, New York

'Every year its a tradition that I go out with my friend Judi to Cherry Grove on Fire Island,' Meisler shared. 'It's a magical place and will always continue to be. People were there in the 70s to have a good time and that still exists.' Meisler captured the above image of her friend, Judi, posing in her swimsuit in front of a sign at the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove on Fire Island during the summer of 1978

Meisler photographed a group of friends doing a synchronized leg kick while enjoying a day at Hot Dog Beach in Hamptons Bay, New York during July 1977

A couple enjoying the sand on Hot Dog Beach in Hamptons Bay, New York were captured by Meisler in the seconds before kissing in July 1977

Meisler snapped the above image of a young man buried up to his neck in sand on Hot Dog Beach in Hamptons Bay, New York during July 1977

Meisler is also the author of two books, A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick and Purgatory & Paradise: Sassy 70s Suburbia & the City , which include photos from Fire Island, Studio 54 and the Lower East Side. She is pictured above in 2014

'That was probably one of the wildest parties I have ever gone to. You were just very free to do anything and people had no rules,' Meisler stated.

Spending every day enjoying the beach for two summers in a row came to an end for Meisler who became an art teacher by 1979.

She taught in New York City public schools for roughly 31 years, but still documented her surroundings around the city, more specifically the Lower East Side neighborhood.

'I've come to realize 40 years later after taking these images that photography is a sense of a memoir. And I'm just going back and editing it and releasing the images,' she added.

'I also am realizing in retrospect I photographed things that are upbeat and uplifting and things that made me smile.'

Her impeccable collection of photographs showcasing the area in the 1970s and 1980s is set to go on display in May at the Storefront Project located at 70 Orchard Street in New York City.

She is also the author of two books, A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick and Purgatory & Paradise: Sassy 70s Suburbia & the City, which include photos from Fire Island, Studio 54 and the Lower East Side.

Of everything, Fire Island is one of the top places Meisler still enjoys visiting during the summer.

'Every year its a tradition that I go out with my friend Judi to Cherry Grove on Fire Island,' Meisler shared.

'It's a magical place and will always continue to be. People were there in the 70s to have a good time and that still exists.'
by Paolo Fossati

"Our area is large and hard-to-get-to, says the clergyman. For many Catholics it is hard to reach the city from where they live. So, after Easter, I visit each of the 20 villages of the mission to celebrate the solemnity.

Fang (AsiaNews) - Fr Massimo Bolgan (pictured), 50, is a missionary priest with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Thailand. Last 6 January, he became parish priest in Fang, a town in Thailands far north, on the border with Myanmar.

Here he ministers to various tribes and ethnic minorities, mostly poor and living in remote areas. The local PIME mission has two hostels, one in Fang and one in Ban Thoet Thai, home to more than a hundred children from poor families. Here, they can get an education.

Fr Bolgans life as a priest requires a lot of energy because of the areas remoteness and inaccessibility. He spoke to AsiaNews, describing the days leading up to Easter in a frontier church, enlivened by the conversion of tribal peoples.

How does Thailands small Catholic community experience the time before Easter?

The school year has already ended in Thailand, so we are on a holiday break. Usually, Easter occurs at Songkran, the Buddhist lunisolar New Year. This is a great time for Thais, who celebrate for five days in the streets, in mock fights with water balloons to purify all the bad things from the previous year. This can make it hard for Christians to concentrate during Holy Week. But this year Easter comes a few days before the New Year, so there wont be any problem.

What initiatives has PIME undertaken at its mission in Fang?

"With the schools closed, the children who stay in our residential facility during the year go home. Therefore, for Holy Week we have decided to organise a camp for the kids from the villages covered by our mission. As of yesterday, we have about a hundred students from middle school and through activities we have prepared for them, like meetings and catechesis, we shall prepare them to live and understand the deep meaning of the Easter Triduum. This is a unique opportunity for them to experience the Easter together.

When I carry out pastoral visits to their communities, it is rare to see them in church for Mass, attended mostly by adults and seniors. For young people, a camp offers an opportunity to deepen their faith. Several of the children who come have not yet been baptised. If the parents have not received the sacrament and their children are not adults, we priests do not baptise them."

How does mission life change at this time?

"Thanks to the kids in the camp, Fang parish is always full. Usually, some 40 or 50 people attend it. It is because we are in a town, where it is harder for Christianity to breach the strong Buddhist tradition of Thai culture. Still, since we are a border town, the small community has been strengthened by people from Myanmar settling in the area. Plus, the young people who have been at our centre in the past are always very prepared and steadfast in the faith.

How do local Catholics celebrate Easter?

"As to how villagers celebrate Easter, it must be said that Fang is different from other missions, where settlements are closer to each other and priests can bring together the faithful more easily. Our area is large and hard-to-get-to. For many Catholics it is difficult to reach the town from where they live. So, after Easter, I visit each of the missions 20 villages to celebrate the solemnity, even if it is after the holy day. Since that will be during working days, I asked the faithful to meet me in the morning or in the evening.

Easter is a time of baptisms. How many tribal people will become Christians and what kind of journey of conversion have they undertaken?

"In the first week, Ill visit ten villages. In three of these, I will administer the baptism to scores of adults and children: 15 in the first, 20 in the second and six in the third. The ceremony represents an important moment for the whole community because it will involve the first groups of adults becoming Christians. It is customary here to celebrate baptisms, especially for adults, on Holy Saturday, at the end of a period of preparation of at least two years, which begins with the renunciation of previous beliefs. During this period, our catechists visit the villages almost every month to educate future Christians. It is important for us to verify that the participation of the catechumens in the meetings is constant. At the end of the journey, the catechist will determine whether or not the person is ready to receive the baptism.

What Easter tradition is felt the most among the faithful?

"Traditionally, at Easter, ethnic Akha tribal people give away red-painted hard-boiled eggs. At this time, when I visit their villages, I see many children and women with their hands stained with dye, but when I ask how the custom developed, nobody is able to answer me and they are all amazed by my curiosity. My guess is that these people, originally from Myanmar, came into contact with the first Western missionaries who introduced this Easter symbol. So, I usually use this opportunity to explain to them what the egg represents to me: the image of a life born out of something that seems inanimate.

What battles and challenges do PIME missionaries face in Fang?

"Right now, we PIME missionaries have completed the new edition of a prayer book in the Akha language and we are trying to find money to get it printed. We believe it is important that tribal people have a text that can help them pray. Despite many difficulties, such as the high rate of illiteracy, we are investing a lot of our energy in this project, supported also by the work of catechists, who master the language. We must believe in it.

"Another area in which we are working hard is the training of catechists and tribal leaders, people who can help to teach the faithful how to pray in places where we priests cannot go. In this case too, the difficulties we must overcome are different. First of all, there is the lack of lay people willing to take on the task and dedicate time to it. Secondly, there is the difficulty of raising funds to pay people and counter the same economic pressures that drive people to the big cities.

Still, despite everything, this is our dream and we shall do everything we can to make it come true.
Jessica Biel and her business partners have accused their former restaurant employees of trying to extort money from them in their $1.5million lawsuit, according to new court filings.

Last year, Biel and her business partners at the kid-friendly West Hollywood restaurant Au Fudge were sued by nine former employees accusing them of collecting gratuities from private events without distributing it to their workers.

The actress and her fellow business partners have responded to the lawsuit, denying all wrongdoing, according to legal documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com.

The nine restaurant employees are represented by Stormy Daniels' former lawyer, Keith Davidson, who appeared to be unresponsive to Biel's lawyers just as the porn star started to speak out about her alleged one-night stand with President Donald Trump.

Jessica Biel and her business partners at the LA restaurant Au Fudge were sued by nine former employees accusing them of not distributing gratuities collected at private events. Biel and her business partners now accuse their former employees of trying to extort money from them

Five of the nine employees at Jessica Biel's kid-friendly LA restaurant Au Fudge who are suing the star and her business partners for $1.5 million

The former employees claim that the majority of their income came from working at special events that cost companies including Netflix and Amazon up to $90,000 for an occasion - but they never received gratuities.

'There would be multiple events per week and you would be working tirelessly and we would walk away with pennies,' Defendant Connor Gleason said. 'We felt really cheated out of our hard-earned money.'

Another former staffer, Kirstyn Toney, said that 'these companies, they thought they were tipping the staff, and they were really just tipping Jessica Biel'.

But lawyers for Biel call the lawsuit nothing more than 'an effort to extort money from the Defendants via unsupported and farfetched claims that lack any credibility'.

The suit claimed that the bulk of the restaurant's money came from 'buyouts', or private events in which they routinely charged clients 22 per cent gratuity - but the employees claim they never saw their tips.

They sued Biel and her business partners claiming they lost out on $430,100 in gratuities from the private events and an additional $31,549 in missed rest breaks which they said they were denied.

The suit also sought $1 million in punitive damage.

The nine restaurant employees are represented by Stormy Daniels' former lawyer, Keith Davidson, who appeared to be unresponsive to Biel's lawyers just as the porn star started to speak out about her alleged one-night stand with President Donald Trump

In mid-January, Daniels first spoke out about her alleged one-night stand with Trump and the NDA she had to sign ahead of the 2016 presidential election. She's pictured above speaking on 60 Minutes on Sunday

In legal documents filed on February 27, Biel's legal team claims the lawsuit attempts to hold her personally liable for the funds with no factual support.

The actress calls the claims 'frivolous' and demands the judge dismiss the case.

Legal filings claim that the gratuities that the employees claim they're owed were not actually gratuities, but mandatory service charges that are not owed to the employees.

Biel and her business partners say they have never had conversations with the employees over the accusations they've made.

Further, legal documents claim that there is no proof that the employees worked the events mentioned in their lawsuit, provided services that would entitle them to tips or even had an agreement with Au Fudge that they were entitled to tips.

The filing claims that if the court allows the employees to continue to pursue their case, it could enable them to recover gratuities that are owed to others who worked for the restaurant.

In regard to the claim that employees weren't provided meal breaks, Biel and her business partners say there is no allegation that any of them felt obligated to work through their break.

Biel and her business partners have asked that the lawsuit be dismissed.

In the weeks before the latest documents were filed, a lawyer representing Biel tried to meet with Keith Davidson, the lawyer who is representing the former employees and the former lawyer of Stormy Daniels

Davidson was apparently unresponsive through email when a lawyer representing Biel tried to have a phone call at the end of January and in early February

It took Knoles more than two weeks to pin down Davidson and discuss the complaint. Shortly thereafter, the complaint was filed

In the weeks before the latest documents were filed, a lawyer representing Biel tried to meet with Keith Davidson, the lawyer who is representing the former employees and the former lawyer of Stormy Daniels.

Just days before the 2016 election, Davidson negotiated a nondisclosure agreement for Daniels with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen in return for $130,000.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is now suing Trump to have her NDA torn up because the now-president never signed it. Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, claims he paid Daniels himself.

In the Au Fudge case, Davidson was apparently unresponsive through email when a lawyer representing Biel tried to have a phone call at the end of January and in early February.

The lawyer, Emily Knoles, attempted to contact Davidson on several occasions via email to discuss the lawsuit and their demurrer, or objection to the lawsuit.

It took Knoles more than two weeks to pin down Davidson and discuss the complaint. Shortly thereafter, the demurrer was filed.

The correspondence came around the time Daniels started speaking out about the alleged affair and NDA.

The White House on Monday said Trump 'has strongly, clearly and has consistently denied' allegations of sexual liaison with Daniels

Daniels first claimed she had an affair with Trump on January 12.

Knoles' first email to Davidson was on January 17. Davidson first responded on January 26, but the two didn't speak about the case until February 5 - right in the midst of the Daniels scandal.

The White House on Monday said Trump 'has strongly, clearly and has consistently denied' allegations of sexual liaison.

In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS's '60 Minutes' show, Daniels said she had been threatened by a man in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011 who warned her to 'leave Trump alone.'

Davidson no longer represents Daniels, who is now represented by Michael Avenatti, who took the porn star on as a client earlier this year.

Davidson's attorney provided the following statement to DailyMail.com: 'These nine hard-working members of the Au Fudge waitstaff had their hard-earned tips stolen from the owners of the establishment.

'This is nothing more than a case where workers were not paid for their work. To portray the situation as though the employees are seeking anything more than what they are owed is reckless, unfair and defamatory.

'I stand by these employees and their valid claim and look forward to them receiving justice in this case.'
The heartbroken parents of 22-month-old baby Alfie Evans have hit out at the British legal system after losing the latest round of their court battle to continue his life-support treatment.

Tom Evans and Kate James, of Liverpool, asked judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to examine their son's case after both the High Court and Court of Appeal ruled doctors could halt his care against his parents' wishes.

Medics at Alder Hay Children's Hospital in Liverpool say Alfie has a 'relentless and progressive' neurological condition which has destroyed part of his brain, and he is unable to breathe or swallow on his own.

ECHR judges rejected the family's latest bid to continue treatment on Wednesday just days after the UK Supreme Court also refused to hear the case and the hospital have since claimed this brings the legal battle to an end.

Writing on the official Facebook support group for his son's campaign, Mr Evans said the family had been 'failed disgracefully by the system' and urged the hospital to allow Alfie to 'go home to die'.

Should the parents and hospital disagree over whether Alfie can go home there could yet be another court battle to decide where he spends his final days.

Tom Evans and Kate James, the parents of 22-month-old Alfie Evans, will not have their case heard at the European Court of Human Rights after judges refused to accept it

Alfie, pictured, has a 'relentless and progressive' neurological condition which has destroyed part of his brain

In an emotional Facebook post Mr Evans said Alfie was about to be 'murdered' and begged doctors to work with the family

Mr Evans also posted images of Alfie including this one of him holding his son's hand, arguing they prove he is 'not dying'

In an emotional post on Facebook, Mr Evans uploaded images of his son in hospital and said they 'clearly proved' his son was not dying and was about to be 'murdered'.

They also appealed for help from The Queen, the Pope and Angela Merkel in their efforts to keep Alfie alive.

He wrote: ' FAILED DISGRACEFULLY BY THE SYSTEM.

'DOES OUR SON LOOK IN ANY OF THESE PICTURES LIKR (sic) HE IS DYING!!!!! NONE OF THESE SRE (sic) SEIZURE OR REFLEXES HE IS CLEARLY THERE ALIVE.

'SHARE SHARE SHARE PLEASE EVERYONE WE AS PARENTS ARE NOT GIVING UP SHARE SHARE SHARE.

'OUR SON IS ABOUT TO HE MURDERED,TAKING AWAY FROM US, HIS INNOCENT LIFE IS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN.

'PLEASE OUR QUEEN POPE FRANCIS PLEASE ANGELA MERKEL. SOMEONE SAVE OR (sic) INNOCENT NOT DYING SON.

'WE ARE IN BITS DISTRAUGHT IN PAIN.

'HE LOOKS INTO OUR EYES EVRYDAY (sic) HE RESPONDS TO US EVERYDAY ALFIE JAMES EVANS WE LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCH.

'WE WLL (sic) DO EVRYTHING (sic) WE CAN

'PLEASE AH (Alder Hay) LET HIM GO HOME TO DIE ON A TRACHY (sic) THAT HE CAN PAY FOR OUT HIS OWN FUNDS!!!

'We beg now ah to work with us.'

A spokesman for Alder Hey Children's Hospital said the decision brought the legal process to an end and it would work with the family to offer 'palliative care'.

'Today the European Court of Human Rights declared Alfies familys application inadmissible, finding that there was no appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

This signals the end of a very difficult and protracted legal process. We understand that this decision is very distressing for Alfies family.

'Our priority is now to work with them to agree the most appropriate palliative care plan and we would ask that their privacy is respected at this time.'

The family said Alfie, pictured, was 'about to be murdered' after the ECHR decision

Mr Evans begged The Queen, the Pope and Angela Merkel to help Alfie, left and right, holding his parent's hand, in the Facebook post and said the family was distraught

Mr Evans also asked Alder Hey Children's Hospital to let Alfie 'go home to die'

Supporters on Twitter are still urging the courts to allow Alfie to be taken for treatment elsewhere

A spokesman for the ECHR said judges had declared the application inadmissible and found no appearance of any human rights violation.

The couple had already run out of legal options in the UK.

A High Court judge has ruled that doctors at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool can stop treating Alfie, against the wishes of his parents.

That decision has been upheld by Court of Appeal judges and Supreme Court justices.

Judges heard that Alfie, who was born on May 9 2016, is in a 'semi-vegetative state' and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed.

Specialists at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool said life-support treatment could stop and the judge said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile.

Mr Evans, pictured at the High Court, and his wife want to take Alfie to a hospital in Italy to continue the search for a cure

The youngster is unable to breathe or swallow on his own and doctors say any further treatment is 'futile'

Alfie's parents, right, have exhausted their legal options in the UK and had gone to the European Courts to continue their fight for their son, left

Supporters have voiced their outrage at the decision on Facebook, with one writing they were 'ashamed to be British' over the long-running case

Others have pledged their support to the family and given them their sympathies

At a Court of Appeal hearing earlier this month Lord Justice McFarlane, Lord Justice McCombe and Lady Justice King dismissed the parents' challenge.

Mrs Justice King said Alfie's parents were 'unable to accept what movements in Alfie they see are not positive responses'.

Mrs Justice King said medical evidence showed that Alfie was 'deeply comatose' and 'to all intents and purposes unaware of his surroundings'.

She added: 'I think, in fairness to the parents waiting anxiously on the other end of the telephone line, I should tell them immediately their applications for permission to appeal are refused.'

Supreme Court justices then decided that the case is not worth arguing and refused to give the couple 'permission' to mount a further appeal.

Rules meant that Alfie parents could not simply ask Supreme Court justice to consider the case.

The parents' fight for Alfie has won support across the country with demonstrators backing them at previous court hearings, including this girl carrying a placard at the High Court in February

The family have also been leading social media campaigns to gather support from across the world

They first had to clear an initial legal hurdle by persuading justices that they had a case worth arguing.

A Supreme Court spokeswoman said that justices had rejected the couple's bid after analysing written arguments from everyone involved.

His parents had argued he should be taken abroad to continue the search for a diagnosis and cure.

They said the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome, Italy was willing to take him in.

The Italian hospital had proposed carrying out two surgical procedures, one placing a breathing tube into his throat and another placing a feeding tube into his stomach.
Primary school teacher Sabina Nessa was hit on the head by an assailant wielding a weapon just yards from her home in south-east London, then slung over his shoulder and dumped in a park in an attack caught on CCTV, it was reported last night. Officers were said to be investigating the footage taken near the 28-year-old's home in Kidbrooke, southeast London, last Friday evening. In separate developments, detectives released different CCTV images of a man and a car they want to trace in connection with Sabina's death. And they also said last night a 38-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder, the second arrest in the investigation. Sabina disappeared on Friday evening as she left home to meet a man for a first date at a local pub. Her body was found in Cator Park, 200 yards from her home, on Saturday afternoon. On the same day a man in his 40s and known to her was the first to be arrested on suspicion of her murder. He was later released under investigation. The attack CCTV, shows an assailant apparently striking Sabina on the head with an object moments after she left her house. He then carries her over his shoulder in the direction of Cator Park, a police source told the newspaper.
A teacher has pleaded guilty to having her underage student's baby after spending three years grooming him and becoming his foster mother.

Laura Lynn Cross, 37, of Tallmadge, Ohio, started grooming the child when he was in eighth grade, when students are between the ages of 13 and 14.

Cross, an English teacher at Buchtel High School, pleaded guilty on Friday to three counts of sexual battery.

Laura Lynn Cross, 37, of Tallmadge, Ohio, (pictured in a Facebook photo, left, and a mug shot, right) started grooming the child when he was in eighth grade, when students are between the ages of 13 and 14

She began by inviting the student to play in her swimming pool before convincing his mother to let him move in as part of a court-approved 'partial parental custody' arrangement.

Cross was arrested earlier this month after police learned she had given birth to the boy's baby in December 2015.

The teenager's mother complained to Akron police in June 2015 about the affair and contacted prosecutors in Tallmadge, according to Ohio.com.

And his father claimed to news5cleveland that he first raised concerns with police as early as 2012 when his son was a freshman, but Cross was punished.

He said of Cross, who resigned from her teaching position in January 2015: 'First of all, she's a schoolteacher. To get aroused by a child basically you have to be a sick individual.'

She is due to be sentenced by Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tammy O'Brien on May 24.

Cross was arrested earlier this month after police learned she had given birth to the boy's baby in December 2015. She is pictured images taken from her Facebook

She was arrested earlier this month after police learned she had given birth to the boy's baby in December 2015
The Armed Forces are to be handed billions of pounds to tackle threats from terrorists and hostile states such as Russia.

The Prime Minister said yesterday the Government would do better on defence in the future to ensure the capabilities meet the changing threats facing the UK.

Details of the promise of billions in the next autumn budget to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson came after Theresa May announced a one-off cash injection of 800 million to the Ministry of Defence.

Gavin Williamson (pictured) welcomed the 800 million cash injection for the Ministry of Defence offered by Theresa May

The Treasury will release 600 million from a contingency pot in the next financial year so it can go towards building a new class of submarines to carry the UKs nuclear deterrent. This will free up money for operations and training, areas which would have been cut otherwise.

A further 200 million will be made available to move forward certain projects this year, which in turn will give the department more room to spend money on other schemes next year.

Mr Williamson said last night: This is a welcome boost to our Armed Forces, ensuring we defend our country and protect our national interests with the ultimate capability.

In an increasingly dangerous world we must strengthen and maintain our ability to counter the intensifying and evolving threats we face to keep Britain safe.

In the Commons, Mrs May said: Todays announcement will ensure the work to rebuild the UKs new world-class submarines remains on schedule and another sign of the deep commitment this government has to keeping our country safe.

The MoD is carrying out a defence review to examine which areas of the department need more money after dire warnings about the state of the Armed Forces.

In the Commons, Theresa May said the funding would help to rebuild the UK's world-class submarines

This has been called the Modernising Defence Programme and comes after a wider Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) in 2015.

The mini review will be published this summer and is expected to say the MoD needs greater investment in more modern capabilities and this cannot be done without extra resources.

In a written statement yesterday on the publication of a National Security Capability Review (NSCR), the PM said the Government would deliver better military capability.

She said: The NSCR focused on capabilities that are critical to our national security to support implementation of the SDSR. As a result we will deliver better military capability through the Modernising Defence Programme, designed to ensure our defence capabilities meet the changing threats we face.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said of the injection of cash: Our commitment to defence and national security is unwavering.

The UKs defence budget is the highest in Europe and the second highest in Nato and ensures Britain can continue to respond effectively to the ever-changing threats we face.

We will continue to invest in our world-class Armed Forces and this additional investment of 600 million will ensure the UK is protected by the nuclear deterrent provided by the new Dreadnought fleet into the 2030s and beyond.

A Whitehall source said: This is a significant win for Gavin and the Armed Forces.

It is a major boost and the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made commitments that more cash will be available to meet the intensifying threats later in the year as we approach the budget.
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Pouty frowns, Cheshire grins, and proud poses are just some of the beautiful moments one German photographer has captured from a group of precious pups.

From the 'Confused Kiboyo' to the 'Intimidated Indiana', Elke Vogelsang's new series 'Dogsonality' features a range of pet portraits with a variety of adorable facial expressions.

Vogelsang specializes in dog portraiture, a dream job that she says puts her in the 'very lucky position' of making a living by hanging out with dogs.

Elke Vogelsang's new series 'Dogsonality' features a range of pet portraits with a variety of adorable facial expressions

Vogelsang specializes in dog portraiture, a dream job that she says put her in the 'very lucky position' of making a living by hanging out with dogs

The photographer decided to make 'Dogsonality' because she realized how 'unique every single dog is'.

'Each and every one of them has its very special character, quirks, and personality,' she writes on her website.

'I try to portrait this in my pictures. I never tire of exploring the quirkiness and cuteness of our best friends.'

Vogelsang discovered her passion for photography during one of the most stressful moments of her life.

The photographer decided to make 'Dogsonality' because she realized how 'unique every single dog is'

Vogelsang, who has been taking pictures of dogs for years, realized that 'each and every one of them has its very special character, quirks, and personality,' she writes on her website

Vogelsang she never tires of 'exploring the quirkiness and cuteness of our best friends' and always tries to portray their unique personalities in her photos

Vogelsang began specializing in dog photography purely from her own love of taking pictures of her three pups

Her husband Carsten suddenly had a brain hemorrhage one day, and was only saved because their dogs Noodles and Scout found him in time.

'They heard that something was wrong and raised the alarm, running to the bathroom door,' she said in 2015. 'We found my husband lying in the bathtub unconscious.'

'He spent weeks in a coma, months without any short-term memory, and months in hospital. My dogs and my photography were my comfort and distraction at that time.'

Vogelsang decided to take a picture every day as a diary for her husband while he was in the hospital and had no memory.

As Vogelsang began to post her dog portraits online, more and more people began asking if she would take pictures of their dogs as well

Vogelsang found that pups were extremely expressive subjects behind the camera, and she loved capturing their unique personalities in her photographs

Vogelsang discovered her own passion for photography when her husband was hospitalized for months after suffering a brain hemorrhage

It was Vogelsang's own rescue dogs who saved her husband by bringing her attention to the bathroom door after he fell unconscious in the tub

'This one picture a day project lasted much longer than that,' she said. 'Photography became something like an addiction to me, as it was such a great way to try and stay calm, to relax, to be creative.'

Vogelsang's husband made a full recovery, and she found a new calling.

'The stressful time made me think about life and what to do with it,' she said. 'I wanted to change something.'

'I had a dull job as a translator. I loved photography a lot and didn't want to do anything else anymore. This all led to me becoming a professional photographer. I do what I love now.'

Vogelsang began taking a picture a day to show as a diary to her husband because he had suffered memory loss after the accident and was in a coma for weeks

But the project lasted much longer than she expected as Vogelsang became addicted to photography

Vogelsang, who was working at the time as a translator, decided to quit her job and become a professional photographer

That includes taking pictures of adorable pups, which at first just started with Vogelsang's own three precious rescue dogs from Spain.

'My dogs found themselves in front of the camera very often,' she said. 'I posted the pictures on the internet, which led to people asking me if I could photograph their dogs too.'

Vogelsang found that pups were extremely expressive subjects behind the camera, and she loved capturing their unique personalities in her photographs.

'Dogs are funny characters. They find pleasure in the most mundane things,' she said. 'My dogs are my joy, recreation, and constant source of laughter. They can be shy and sad as well.'

'In my pictures, I try to explore the funny, quirky side of dogs and dog photography. It's an homage to dogs, life, and photography.'
A grim discovery was made after an elderly man's body was found in a burnt out car.

Firefighters attended the scene of a car fire Wednesday night and made the shocking discovery 60km south of Melbourne.

The 83-year-old man was found dead inside the car after authorities put out the blaze at a property at Frankston South after 7pm.

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Fire fighters attended the scene of a car fire Wednesday night and made the shocking discovery 60km south of Melbourne

The 83-year-old man was found dead inside the car after authorities put out the blaze at a property at Frankston South after 7pm

Family were shocked by the death, saying the elderly man did not suffer from mental illness and was 'happy and healthy', The Herald Sun reported.

'We didn't see this coming,' the man's daughter said.

The death is not being treated as suspicious by authorities.
Harvey Weinsteins former assistant has told MPs she tried to stop the disgraced film moguls sex abuse 20 years ago.

Zelda Perkins said she took action in 1998 after a colleague at his film company Miramax said Weinstein had tried to rape her.

She naively thought that reporting his alleged abuse to the firms family-friendly parent company Disney would result in his dismissal.

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Zelda Perkins, former personal assistant to Harvey Weinsten, speaks to Parliament's Women and Equalities Committee on Wednesday

Perkins said she was advised by lawyers that she and the alleged victim would be utterly crushed if they tried to take on Weinstein (above)

Weinstein and Perkins at the Cannes Film Festival amFAR dinner on May 21, 1998

Instead, she was warned against speaking out  and both women quit their jobs at Weinsteins London office after signing agreements forbidding them to discuss the incident.

I was made to feel like I was in the wrong for trying to expose his behaviour, she told the Commons women and equalities committee yesterday.

Miss Perkins, then only 22, said that her attempt to stand up for another young woman had ruined her career, which basically came to a halt.

What is a non disclosure agreement and why are they controversial? Parliament's women and equalities committee, headed by Tory MP Maria Miller (pictured), is investigating how non disclosure agreements work and whether they are being misused (file pic) Non-Disclosure Agreements is a catch-all term for agreements that include confidentiality clauses  sometimes referred to as gagging clauses. They are meant to be used to stop confidential information like trade secrets leaking out when someone leaves a company or organisation. But they have sparked a storm of criticism as employers have often used them to cover up improper conduct and gag their former employees. They have often been used by employed to gag those who make allegations of sexual harassment. They have also been used to cover up improper, discriminatory or even illegal behaviour. Parliament's women and equalities committee, headed by Tory MP Maria Miller, is investigating how they work and whether they are being misused. Advertisement

I attempted several interviews but the film industry is very incestuous and Harvey at the time was the kingpin.

Since October last year, Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment and rape over several decades by a string of actresses and assistants.

Miss Perkins said everybody knew that he had a roving eye and he pushed it with women, adding that he often walked around the office in his underwear.

I was 22 and I was like OK, this is what it must be like in the big league... this guy is really important, he doesnt have time to wear his trousers.

She said that on every occasion I was alone with him he would asked her for a massage while in his underwear.

I often had to wake him up in the hotel in the mornings and he would try to pull me into bed. She decided to act when her colleague said Weinstein had tried to rape her at the Venice Film Festival.

She told the committee: When somebody comes to you and says that has happened there is not much choice about what you should do.

However, she was advised by lawyers that she and the alleged victim would be utterly crushed if they tried to take on Weinstein.

They were also told that no legal action could be taken in the UK because the alleged crime had occurred in Italy.

She told MPs she felt trapped in a vortex of fear.

Both women left Miramax and later moved abroad. They signed a non-disclosure agreement and were given payments of 175,000.

The agreement committed Weinstein to have therapy for three years, but Miss Perkins said she had no idea if that happened.

She told MPs she had felt compelled to sign the stringent and egregious contract after humiliating and degrading talks that finally ended at 5am after a 12-hour meeting.

She told the committee, which was investigating workplace harassment and the use of non-disclosure deals, that Miramax had offered her more money to stay.

Zelda Perkins (pictured left in November 2017) quit Weinstein's (right, in 2015) film company in 1998, along with a colleague who accused the movie mogul of trying to rape her

Harvey wanted to keep his enemies close, she said. We were more valuable staying within the company than leaving. He offered us more money  whatever we wanted.

There had been a clear admission of guilt throughout the process, really, she said.

Miss Perkins refused to stay in her job but found it difficult to get a new one in the industry.

When she met Weinstein a year later at a film festival he told me that everything I had done was pointless.

Asked if she was happy with the agreement she signed, she said no, adding: I believed we had done the best we could in terms of stopping his behaviour. Essentially we were defrauded.

We signed that agreement with the belief that Miramax and Harvey Weinstein would uphold their obligations.

She said non-disclosure agreements shouldnt cover up criminality and should not have applied in her case.

There was also a disparity between his legal firepower and hers, she said, adding that she felt her own legal team were out of their depth.

She told MPs that she had been let down by the law and the procedure for reporting crimes, because in this instance the complaint would have gone to Weinstein himself as the companys overall boss.

The Weinstein Company - founded after he left Miramax in 2005 - filed for bankruptcy this month and freed all its employees from non-disclosure agreements they may have signed.

Weinstein denies all allegations of non-consensual sex but has apologised for his behaviour towards women.

c.ellicott@dailymail.co.uk
When it comes to naked self-aggrandisement, brass neck and eye-watering double standards, the machinations of the British establishment are truly wondrous to behold.

Take Lionel Barber, 62-year-old editor of the Financial Times, who even his admirers would admit, is not much given to self-doubt or modesty.

A year ago he raised eyebrows after accepting the Legion d'Honneur from the French government in recognition of the Remainer FT's 'positive role in the European debate'. But now he has truly excelled himself.

Financial Times editor Lionel Barber (pictured) was tasked with finding a new chairman. To widespread incredulity, it's just emerged he has decided to put himself forward for the job

Barber has spent nearly a year as acting interim chairman of Tate, the art galleries group, tasked with finding a new chairman.

To widespread incredulity, it's just emerged he has decided to put himself forward for the job.

Barber's expected appointment has already raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and disquiet has been expressed among FT journalists and Tate trustees.

The gallery is reliant on corporate sponsorship from financial companies which would normally be scrutinised by the Financial Times.

The chairman's role is to secure external funding so questions will inevitably be asked as to how donations to the Tate may affect his paper's coverage of the donors.

But, in a further astonishing twist, I can reveal Barber is also chair of Tate's ethics committee  the very body whose role it is to police sponsors and ensure no impropriety in receiving donations from companies that often appear in his own paper's pages.

Other leading candidates for the chairmanship were Moya Greene (pictured), chief executive of the Royal Mail

Also in contention was Barber's fellow Tate trustee Roland Rudd (pictured), chairman of the PR company Finsbury

Barber, as if he didn't have enough on his gilded plate, also sits on the gallery's Finance and Operations Committee and the Audit Committee.

'All trustees and the chair are bound by the Nolan principles,' says a Tate spokesman, referring to the Committee for Standards in Public Life. 'We haven't announced the next Chair of Tate and we cannot comment further at this stage.'

Once he is appointed Tate chairman it is expected Barber will stand down from the ethics committee.

Other leading candidates for the chairmanship were Moya Greene, chief executive of the Royal Mail, and Barber's fellow Tate trustee Roland Rudd, chairman of the PR company Finsbury.

'The funding situation of Tate is dire,' says my source. 'After government funding they need to raise 100 million a year. Tate Britain is in need of major refurbishment. This is not just a part-time sinecure, but a challenging job.'

Barber, who has been FT editor since 2005, is thought to have secured agreement from Nikkei, the Japanese owners of the newspaper, that he could carry out both roles for a limited period.

'He has told colleagues at the newspaper he plans to stay until 2020,' says another source.

Seasoned Fleet Street observers, however, are mystified as to how Barber could find time to do both jobs. Barber declined to comment.

Outspoken Kirstie Allsopp says her Location, Location, Location co-presenter, Phil Spencer, is definitely not a 'new man'.

Kirstie, the daughter of former Christie's chairman Lord Hindlip, says: 'He has an amazing wife in Fiona, who does everything  except that he takes care of the mortgage, bins and cars. That's all he does.'

Kirstie doesn't disclose if her long-term boyfriend, Ben Andersen, is any more helpful around the house.

Seeing my son on set is just surreal, says Mum actress

There are plenty of awkward scenes to enjoy in the hit BBC sitcom Mum  and the embarrassing moments are not confined to on-screen shenanigans.

Lesley Manville, 62, is the acclaimed star of the show while her 29-year-old son, Alfie, works on it as a cameraman.

Lesley Manville, 62, is the acclaimed star of the show while her 29-year-old son, Alfie, (pictured with his mother), works on it as a cameraman

Manville says: 'Sometimes I'd see him at lunchtime and he'd quip: 'You all right there, Mum? In your trailer?'

Alfie, whose father is Manville's ex-husband, Gary Oldman, worked with his mother during outdoor scenes. 'It was surreal at times,' the actress says. 'I'd sometimes forget Alfie was on the crew and think, 'What on earth are you doing here?' when I saw him.'

Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg says if the EU referendum had gone the other way, he would have temporarily joined an order of Trappist monks and remained silent for several months rather than complain about the result.

He might have enjoyed the experience. The Leicestershire monastery in question has a licence to brew its own beer.
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They're back.

That's the message from heavily-tatooed Finks members as the feared motorcycle gang moves to re-establish a stronghold in Victoria.

After all but disappearing from the state three years ago, the Finks have bold plans to open four new club houses across Melbourne.

Daily Mail Australia was invited into the club's inner sanctum at a makeshift suburban quarters in Frankston in Melbourne's south-east on Wednesday to meet national president, BJ.

High ranking members of the Finks motorcycle club, including national president BJ, centre, Victorian state president, Nugget and Moe, left.

Five members newly-formed Victorian chapters spoke with Daily Mail Australia from their make-shift meeting place on Wednesday

BJ - who says he has no more room on his body for more tattoos also has half of his teeth tapped in gold

With tattoos covering nearly every inch of his body, BJ's broad chest is draped in a heavy gold chain, which matches his gold-plated teeth, as he stands alongside his 'brothers' in a humble backyard shed adorned with bikie paraphernalia.

His message was loud and clear: 'The Finks have returned to Victoria'.

They have enlisted new members from across the country and plan to open four clubhouses, one for each of their new chapters in Frankston, City, Sunsbury North and Cheltenham.

Under pressure from mounting legal fees and police attention 'brought on by rogue members', the infamous club all but disappeared from the state three years ago.

But BJ and his 'no-nonsense' offsiders - who like him are dressed head-to toe in Finks gear and covered in body art - say they have 'thrown out' the past members and are determined to start anew.

The club sees Victoria as an important place to hold territory as it is one of the few states where bikies are 'afforded their human rights' without tough consorting laws to 'drive them underground'.

The bikies say they have a new vision for the club - and want to steer it away from illegal activities which have caused trouble in the past

Adam, pictured, is a newer member of the club - but looks to his leader's for advice and says he will follow the new rules set out by BJ and Nugget

AK is pictured here sporting the club's latest shirt - which includes a cheeky message for rivals on the back

Moe has handguns tattooed on his chest - as well as an intricate right-hand sleeve. Most of the senior bikie's face and neck is covered

WHAT ARE THE ANTI-GANG LAWS? (NSW) According to NSW law a person can be charged with consorting if they 'habitually consorts with convicted offenders after being given a warning not to speak with the offenders. This means they cannot talk to or communicates with an offender. To habitually consort the person has to talk to two convicted offenders (whether the same or separate occasion) and have to be caught on two occasions. Police can give a consorting warning orally or in writing and must explain that consorting is an offence and the person being spoken to is a criminal. The maximum penalty is three years jail. Advertisement

In New South Wales and Queensland, tough anti-bikie laws mean they can't ride together, or even communicate with each other 'without risking jail time'.

'Bikie clubs are the last stand for human rights  in Australia no one is allowed to do anything anymore. We - just like everyone else - just want to hang out with our mates and go for a drink on Friday night without being told we can't,' BJ said.

'Victoria is the last state where there are still basic human rights  police can't just bash down a door and come into our homes  they can't tell us we can't talk to our mates.'

BJ looks every bit the enforcer but his right-hand-man, former Rebel and tattooist 'Nugget', is not to be dismissed as they explain their new direction where 'people who f**k up will be kicked out.'

The club all-but collapsed in 2015 after police raided 20 Finks properties and arrested 17 members, charging them with everything from drugs and weapons offences to extortion attempts and planning a kidnapping.

The club, and particularly the troubled Ringwood chapter, were struggling financially under the weight of mounting legal fees and had a 'bad boy' reputation across Melbourne.

'Nugget' keeps his own tattoos covered with long sleeves - the tattooist used to be a member of the Rebels club

Close-up photos of Moe's face tattoos show a spider's web on his nose and tribal tattoos on his hairline

BJ, pictured, explained how he had to come across from Perth to take the reins when the club started to fail

BJ explained how he had to come across from Perth to take the reins.

'It took 18 months to get it right - and it was the hardest thing I have ever done - cleaning out the club here,' he said.

The former Victorian members have been replaced by members from interstate, with new blood and riders from other clubs.

Nugget, who refuses to follow the bold face-tattoo look adopted by many of his colleagues, wears long sleeves over his heavily-inked arms.

He has a neatly styled goatee, and a bald head. But wears the Finks colours with pride - despite once believing he would never join another club after leaving the Rebels.

The former Victorian members have been replaced by members from interstate, with new blood and riders from other clubs

The club all-but collapsed in 2015 after police raided 20 Finks properties and arrested 17 members

The club now has 54 members in Victoria  and 20 men on their way to getting colours

Nugget, who refuses to follow the bold face-tattoo look adopted by many of his colleagues, wears long sleeves over his heavily-inked arms

'I lost a lot the first time I got into a motorcycle club  but I took a long time looking at what BJ was doing and joined him. I wouldn't have done that if the change wasn't real.'

BJ and Nugget say only time will tell if their new approach will work, but they're hoping their 'higher standards' will help keep out criminals 'attracted to the club for the wrong reason'.

They claim the days of police pulling their members over to allegedly find 'a boot full of meth, steroids and cash' are over - ending when the notorious Ringwood Clubhouse was shut down.

The club now has 54 members in Victoria  and 20 men on their way to getting colours.

But they also expect to attract new recruits from other states, particularly NSW and Queensland, where members have been hit hard by anti-bikie legislation.

'People from Sydney might find it a bit easier to ride with us,' BJ said.

'It took 18 months to get it right - and it was the hardest thing I have ever done - cleaning out the club here,' he said

The tattoo on his hand is 'a girl in a burka' or 'a girl in a balaclava' depending on how he feels

All Finks members must ride a bike - but they are given a grace period if they fall on hard tomes - or lose their licence

The Finks national run was held in Victoria over the weekend with 246 members taking part. There were no arrests

'You are not going to be able to stop bike clubs  and if you force them into hiding they will automatically be doing something wrong when they meet  so where does it stop.'

BJ admits 'the way he looks' has caught the attention of the police - who 'followed him' and the other new senior club members when they first moved into the city.

'They didn't trust us because of what had happened before  I got pulled over more than ten times a day  but they have laid off because we haven't done anything wrong.'

High ranking club members from NSW have recently been hit with drug charges following investigations by police. The Melbourne members said they couldn't comment on the Sydney man's arrest and will 'focus on keeping their own boys out of trouble'.

The Finks national run was held in Victoria over the weekend with 246 members taking part. There were no arrests.

BJ and Nugget say only time will tell if their new approach will work, but they're hoping their 'higher standards' will help keep out criminals 'attracted to the club for the wrong reason'
In documents sent to PNG Attitude, four different groups of leaders from local authorities in Morobe have pushed back strongly against Dr Schrams sacking and have sought government intervention in the case.

Dr Schram was sacked by the Council in February for alleged serious misconduct and breach of his employment contract. He denies the allegations and is taking legal action to contest his dismissal.

LAE  Local leaders from across Morobe Province have petitioned the Papua New Guinea government to prevent the University of Technology Council from removing vice chancellor Dr Albert Schram as head of one of the nations leading universities.

Children swim in calm waters off Busamang village - one of the many areas in Morobe Province supporting the reinstatement of Unitech's vice-chancellor

Councillors Yawing Madulu and Toby Tusili say they represent more than 3,000 people from Busamang village in the Salamaua Council who are calling on the government to intervene.

Cr Madulu said the current conflict between the University Council and Dr Schram was detrimental to the good administration of the university.

"This very important tertiary institution has a significant role in educating and producing the country's human resources, which are critical for PNG's development and advancement, he said.

Conflict like this doesn't create the appropriate and conducive learning and teaching environment which are essential for an institution like Unitech.

In addition to infrastructural improvements, the university took on a very important function, the training of medical nurses, Cr Madulu said.

The councillors said Dr Schram had shared with them his vision for Unitech, including his dream for the establishment of a future University City.

"We believe if Dr Schram is allowed to continue as vice chancellor and bring his vision into reality, the university will attract investment and generate income which can support Unitech, instead of it depending entirely on the government for funding."

The councillors described Dr Schram as a humble and an easy going person, who associated with people at all levels easily and well.

Hon Kiwas Nayos, president of the Hube Council in Finschaffen, speaking as the political head of more than 5,000 people said the sacking of Dr Schram had been a huge disgrace to me as a leader of this province.

I believe this vice chancellor has a heart for not only the people of the Morobe but for other people in Papua New Guinea, Cr Nayos said. I have seen are lot of changes under the leadership of Dr Schram, including the distribution of Dell Laptop computers to all first year students, which is precisely the transformation we appreciate to develop to a world standard.

Its about time that we rose from our sick bed and fought the wickedness of our laziest bone. If we remain like a sleeping giant, the country Papua New Guinea will sink at any time. Before bad comes to worse we must take some measures to manage our resources wisely for future use.

I once again call on the government of PNG to make decisive action to allow the vice chancellor back to his office, Cr Nayos said.

Nabak Council president Jayford K Mavo said he spoke for the 7,000 people of Nabak in appealing for the return of Dr Schram to his humble office in order for him to implement his strategic plan and vision for the University of Technology.

Cr Mavo said Dr Schram has a compassionate and sympathetic heart and brain for this country and for Morobe Province. Why on this earth did the university council lay many false allegations against him. I see that there was no serious crime he committed such as misuse of funds or mismanagement of university facilities.

From my own observation, he has done many great things since he occupied this office of vice chancellor in 2012. Unitech council must respect the kind of leadership he has portrayed in Morobe and Papua New Guinea, Cr Mavo said.

Four Lae urban leaders, including two ward presidents of Lae Urban Council called on the PNG government and Unitech Council members to withdraw all allegations and accusations made against Dr Schram.

Rejecting the allegations made against the vice chancellor, they said Dr Schram had shown himself to be a strategic, performance-focused, result-driven professional with years of experience in executive roles in higher education and academic research at an international level.

Dr Schram has a heart for this country, they said. He has achieved great things for Unitech as vice chancellor since 2012. A man of high stature, he has chosen to help build PNG by enhancing the human resources of the country.

Although he is not a Papua New Guinean, he has shown compassion and sympathy for our country. We salute him for not giving up and for fighting against corruption on behalf of the silent majority.
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Firefighters have rescued a woman from the Genesee River in upstate New York.

The Rochester Fire Department responded to a 911 call around 8am on Wednesday, with the caller reporting spotting a woman in the river near the downtown Andrews Street bridge.

Crews rushed to the scene and found the woman clinging to a log amid mud and floating debris by the bridge.

'This was a technical rescue so the process for getting the victim out the water was about 40 minutes,' the department said in a statement.

First, two firefighters lowered a ladder down a 20-foot wall on the river's east bank and used it to enter the water.

Two other rescuers approached in an inflatable raft that they put in the water upstream of the bridge.

The Rochester Fire Department responded to a 911 call around 8am on Wednesday, with the caller reporting spotting a woman in the river near the downtown Andrews Street bridge.

The rescue took about 40 minutes as firefighters worked around dangerous floating debris to pull the woman to safety

Rescue crews used both a ladder lowered down a 20-foot wall and an inflatable raft put in the river upstream

Andrews Street was briefly closed during the rescue, and the fire department contacted the energy control center at Rochester, Gas and Electric to ensure that they did not change the current of the water from an upstream dam at Court Street

Courtesy of WHAM

The rescue was challenging because of the debris in the water as well as a strong undertow current in the river, a spokesman for the fire department said.

Andrews Street was briefly closed during the rescue, and the fire department contacted the energy control center at Rochester, Gas and Electric to ensure that they did not change the current of the water from an upstream dam at Court Street.

'We didn't want her to fall back into the water,' said Everett Daniels, one of the firefighters who entered the river, in an interview with the Democrat and Chronicle.

'We stabilized her with ropes and then worked to move her closer to the wall,' said Daniels. The woman was pulled from the water and up the wall in a harness.

A rescue team is seen pulling the woman from the water. It was not immediately clear how she ended up in the river

Firefighters stabilized the woman with ropes and then worked to move her closer to the wall on the river's east bank

Firefighters said that the woman was suffering hypothermia from the effects of the frigid waters of the Genesee River

The woman was pulled from the water and up the wall in a harness by members of the Rochester Fire Department

The woman was transported Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment. The extent of her injuries wasn't immediately clear

Daniels said that the woman was suffering from the effects of the frigid waters of the Genesee River. 'That cold turns to pain, and the hypothermia kicks in,' he said.

'She was shivering cold. She couldn't feel anything and she was screaming that her hands were purple. We just told her 'be patient, we've got you',' he said.

The woman, who appeared to be about 50 years old, had difficulty answering questions when she was first pulled from the water.

It wasn't immediately clear how she ended up in the river.

The woman was transported Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment. The extent of her injuries wasn't immediately clear.
A schoolmate of alleged mass killer Nikolas Cruz has said she tried to befriend him during their time together at a Florida high school but that it did not make a difference in his behavior.

Isabelle Robinson wrote on Wednesday that she is insulted by the suggestion that the February 14 massacre in Parkland could have been prevented if students were nicer to Cruz.

Robinson, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, survived the shooting which claimed the lives of 17 people, including students and faculty.

Robinson writes in The New York Times that she was angered by a number of comments online which implied that the students at the school were partially responsible for the shooting because they did not make an effort to socialize with Cruz.

Isabelle Robinson (right), a schoolmate of alleged mass killer Nikolas Cruz (left), has said she tried to befriend him during their time together at a Florida high school but that it did not make a difference in his behavior

Robinson wrote on Wednesday that she is insulted by the suggestion that the February 14 massacre in Parkland could have been prevented if students were nicer to Cruz

The idea that we are to blame, even implicitly, for the murders of our friends and teachers is a slap in the face to all Stoneman Douglas victims and survivors, she writes

When Robinson was in seventh grade, she was eating lunch one day in a school cafeteria when I felt a sudden pain in my lower back. Cruz had thrown an apple at her, she writes. Robinson is seen above with Van Jones of CNN

The idea that we are to blame, even implicitly, for the murders of our friends and teachers is a slap in the face to all Stoneman Douglas victims and survivors, she writes.

Robinson writes that she hid in a dark closet while Cruz allegedly went on his murderous rampage.

She recalls her first ever encounter with Cruz.

When Robinson was in seventh grade, she was eating lunch one day in a school cafeteria when I felt a sudden pain in my lower back.

Cruz had thrown an apple at her, she writes.

The force of the blow knocked the wind out of my 90-pound body, Robinson writes.

As she lay on the floor crying, she says Cruz was smirking.

His eyes were lit up with a sick, twisted joy as he watched me cry, Robinson writes.

She says that despite the warning signs and bad behavior, students at Stoneman Douglas were still left vulnerable.

Robinson recalls that a year after Cruz threw an apple at her, she was assigned to tutor him as part of a peer counselling program.

Despite my discomfort, I sat down with him, alone, she writes.

I was forced to endure his cursing me out and ogling my chest until the hourlong session ended.

When I was done, I felt a surge of pride for having organized his binder and helped him with his homework.

Robinson, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, survived the shooting which claimed the lives of 17 people, including students and faculty

Looking back, I am horrified. I now understand that I was left, unassisted, with a student who had a known history of rage and brutality.

Robinson writes that Cruzs problems ran much deeper than simply being left out of social circles in high school.

Students should not be expected to cure the ills of our genuinely troubled classmates, or even our friends, because we first and foremost go to school to learn, she writes.

The implication that Mr. Cruzs mental health problems could have been solved if only he had been loved more by his fellow students is both a gross misunderstanding of how these diseases work and a dangerous suggestion that puts children on the front line.

Robinson writes that students are being scapegoated for the failures of school administrators, the government, and law enforcement.

No amount of kindness or compassion alone would have changed the person that Nikolas Cruz is and was, or the horrendous actions he perpetrated, she writes.

That is a weak excuse for the failures of our school system, our government and our gun laws.
A Texas judge has revoked bond for the 50-year-old mother of a teenager who used an 'affluenza' defense regarding a fatal drunken-driving wreck.

Tonya Couch was booked into the Tarrant County jail Wednesday.

Court documents show that she failed a urine test required as a condition of her bond but don't specify the substance the urinalysis revealed.

State District Judge Wayne Salvant had warned Couch last June to 'use common sense' pending her trial on hindering apprehension of a felon and money laundering charges.

Tonya Couch (pictured on Jan 12, 2016) was booked into the Tarrant County jail Wednesday

Tonya Couch, the mother of America's most notorious drunk driver Ethan Couch, was taken to jail by authorities in Texas for violating the terms of her bond

She was charged after she and son, Ethan, fled to Mexico in 2015. Ethan Couch is to be released Monday after spending two years in jail on a probation violation. He is seen in December 2015 after he was taken into custody by authorities in Mexico

A psychologist at trial blamed 'affluenza' or acting irresponsibly due to wealth for his actions in a 2013 North Texas wreck that killed four

She was charged after she and son, Ethan, fled to Mexico in 2015.

Ethan Couch is to be released Monday after spending two years in jail on a probation violation.

A psychologist at trial blamed 'affluenza' or acting irresponsibly due to wealth for his actions in a 2013 North Texas wreck that killed four.

Ethan Couch is scheduled to be released nine days before his 21st birthday and will remain under probation supervision after the release, said David McClelland, a spokesman for the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office.

Couch was 16 and had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit of an adult when he struck and killed four people in June 2013.

At his trial in juvenile court that year, a psychologist testifying on his behalf described Couch as suffering from 'affluenza.'

Victims: Couch slammed into the SUV of 24-year-old Breanna Mitchell (left) and mother-and-daughter neighbors Hollie and Shelby Boyles (right)

Sergio Molina, one of Couch's passengers, was paralyzed and can now communicate only by blinking

The psychologist said it was an affliction coming from being spoiled by his parents that prevented him from telling right from wrong.

Couch was sentenced to 10 years of probation, which sparked outrage from critics who ridiculed the affluenza defense and said his familys wealth had helped keep him out of jail.

But in late 2015, when a social media video surfaced that showed him in possible violation of his drug-and-drink-free probation, he and his mother Tonya Couch fled the United States for Mexico, where the two were later apprehended and deported.

A Tarrant County judge in 2016 then transferred Ethan Couchs probation supervision to the adult system.

As a condition of the adult probation, the judge ordered him to serve 720 days in jail, 180 days for each of the four crash fatalities.

The sentence was seen as the maximum possible given the various legal mechanisms of a case that spanned the juvenile and adult systems, legal officials said.

Lawyers for Couch have long argued for his release, saying the punishment was excessive and the judge who sentenced him had no authority to place him behind bars.

Tonya Couch was charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive and money laundering.

She had been free on bond for more than two years awaiting trial before a judge revoked bond on Wednesday.
Laurie Penny, pictured at home in Leyton, has revealed the extent of the abuse she suffers online

Feminist writer Laurie Penny has revealed the torrents of online abuse she has faced as figures show one in five women are sexually harassed online.

The journalist was forced to move out of her home after being threatened with a bomb and is subjected to daily threats of rape.

The 31-year-old author has detailed the extent of the abuse in a 5,933 word essay about her personal experience.

Miss Penny, who started her career as a reporter for the socialist newspaper The Morning Star, writes regularly for The Guardian and the New Statesman about gender, feminism and politics.

Her pieces have become famous online for dividing opinion and attracting comments from trolls, who she says threaten her on a regular basis.

But in the piece published on Longreads.com, Miss Penny said she resents being called 'provocative' for her views and believes she is targeted for being a woman and speaking out on challenging subjects.

Miss Penny described being aged 23 and on the phone to a suicide helpline after being plagued by online trolls.

And then three years later, detailed how she was forced to leave her flat in London after police became fearful she was going to be targeted with a bomb.

She reflected: 'You are 26 and you get your first credible bomb threat.

'The police advise you to leave your flat. You hide out in an ex-boyfriend's front room. You're scared, which people can deal with, and angry which they can't.'

Troubled: Laurie Penny, pictured right on This Morning in 2013, describes how the abuse has made her angry and anxious

Her essay comes after Amnesty International published their latest research which shows one in five women in the UK have suffered online abuse or harassment.

Almost half of women said the abuse or harassment they received was sexist or misogynistic, with a worrying 27% saying it threatened sexual or physical assault.

Young women are especially affected, with one in three polled saying that they have experienced online abuse.

Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project  an online initiative to catalogue instances of sexism  said of the research: 'We are seeing young women and teenage girls experiencing online harassment as a normal part of their existence online.

'Girls who dare to express opinions about politics or current events often experience a very swift, misogynistic backlash. This might be rape threats or comments telling them to get back in the kitchen.

'It's an invisible issue right now, but it might be having a major impact on the future political participation of those girls and young women. We won't necessarily see the outcome of that before it's too late.'
A serial rapist who met his victims on Facebook and Tinder tried to blackmail a teenage girl into sex using an iPod she left in his car.

Andrew James Benn, 28, is facing decades behind bars after pleading guilty to over 30 charges for the rape or indecent assaults of 14 women and girls.

Benn appeared in Newcastle Local Court by video link from Parklea Correctional Centre in north-west Sydney on Wednesday and will be sentenced later in the year.

A serial rapist who met his victims on Facebook and Tinder tried to blackmail a teenage girl into sex using an iPod she left in his car (pictured is Morpeth Cemetery where one of the rapes took place)

The charges included 21 counts of sexual intercourse without consent, committed against women and teenage girls between 2012 and 2017, The Herald reported.

'Sex three times a week for a month and let me do whatever I want to u [sic],' Benn wrote to one of his victims when she asked him for her iPod back.

The girl, who had sex with Benn, then-23, in 2012 when she was 15 and 16 had left the music player in his car.

When she said she did not want it back he threatened to upload embarrassing photos of her online.

After she told him that would be child pornography and she could have him charged with rape, Benn answered back 'Cool'.

Benn threatened another one of his victims after sexually assaulting her in 2016, claiming he had bikie links and warning her not to call the police.

Andrew James Benn, 28, is facing decades behind bars after pleading guilty by video link in Newcastle Local Court (pictured) to over 30 charges for the rape or indecent assaults of 14 women and girls

'If the police come knocking on my door, my friends will come knocking on yours,' he told her.

'My friends are in the Hells Angels and they can make you disappear.'

In 2013 he attacked a 17-year-old girl he befriended on Facebook, driving her to a boat ramp and raping her in the backseat of his car.

When other cars turned up he took her to Morpeth Cemetery where he sexually assaulted her again.

Benn used social media to meet the women, who he would chat with online before meeting up with them and forcing himself on them.

He was charged with 60 offences after publicity over his January 2017 arrest led to a number of victims coming forward.

Police arrested Benn when three women and two teenage girls reported being sexually assaulted.
A hero policeman who saved the life of a fellow officer and the courageous skydiving instructor who saved a 15-year-old boy's life after a freak accident are just some of the bravest Australians honoured in an annual ceremony.

Queensland Senior Constable Brett Forte sacrificed his life when he intercepted a car being driven by wanted criminal Ricky Maddison.

Senior Constable Forte spotted Maddison, who had been convicted of assault and charged with torture, and followed him to a remote Toowoomba property during a frantic police pursuit.

A violent shooting occurred which left Senior Constable Forte dying in a rolled over police car on a rural property all the while his policing partner, Senior Constable Cath Nielsen, fired at the criminal with a handgun.

Queensland Senior Constable Brett Forte (pictured) sacrificed his life when he intercepted a car being driven by wanted criminal Ricky Maddison in 2017 and will be awarded the Commendation for Brave Conduct

Courageous skydiving instructor Tony Rokov (pictured) saved the life of a young teenager after a freak accident at Goulburn in 2015

Senior Constable Stephen Barlow rushed to the scene with Constable Brittany Poulton and Acting Sergeant Scott Hill, who said they could 'certainly hear machine gun fire' being used by Maddison, Fairfax Media reported.

The four officers rescued Senior Constable Forte from the rolled over car and retreated after the violent shooting on May 29 last year west of Brisbane.

Senior Constable Forte will be Awarded the Commendation for Brave Conduct making him one of 34 Bravery Medal recipients for 2018.

Courageous skydiving instructor Tony Rokov saved the life of a young teenager after a freak accident at Goulburn in 2015.

Despite the calm conditions during the skydive, a gust of wind disrupted the dive with Elijah Arranzu, then 14-years-old, and forced the pair to plummet to the ground.

Mr Rokov, a former Special Forces commando, wrapped himself around the young boy to protect him from the force of landing.

The brave man has been posthumously honoured with the Star of Courage for losing his own life by using the move and saved Elijah.

Samantha Rokov said her late husband, who spent more than two decades in the Australian Army, would have done everything to ensure the teenager was 'ok and calm', ABC News reported.

The brave man (pictured) has been posthumously honoured with the Star of Courage for losing his own life by protecting Elijah from impact and saving him in Goulburn in 2015

Sohan Senanayake (pictured)he was on his way to work in Melbourne when he spotted a woman collapse on train tracks before plucking her to safety with another onlooker, Laurence Deal, with just a minute until the train arrived in 2013

'I can almost hear what he would have been saying to him, 'you'll be right mate,' I can just hear it,' Mrs Rokov said.

The courageous skydiver is one of 170 people who have been awarded the Star of Courage since the national bravery awards began in 1975.

For Sohan Senanayake, it was a simple commute to work in Melbourne that changed the life of himself and another woman.

In July 2013 a woman collapsed on to the tracks with a train expected to arrive within one minute.

The hero jumped down to the tracks and realised the woman was not conscious.

The 2018 awards also acknowledge slain Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson (pictured) who received a Star of Courage award for calming lone gunman Man Haron Monis in 2014

Barrister Katrina Dawson, (pictured) who was killed by police bullet fragments as they stormed the cafe and shot Monis, was awarded a bravery medal

Another onlooker, Laurence Deal, jumped down and helped Mr Senanayake pluck the woman from the tracks, saving her just in time of the arriving train.

'I looked at the passenger-information display, and it said the train was coming in one minute, so adrenaline kicked in ... all happened in probably 30 seconds,' he told SBS News.

The two men have been awarded Australian Bravery Medals given to exceptional people who were brave in potentially fatal incidents.

The 2018 awards also acknowledge slain Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson for calming lone gunman, Man Haron Monis, down during the December 2014 Sydney siege.

Barrister Katrina Dawson was also killed by police bullet fragments as they stormed the cafe and shot Monis, ending the siege.

Mr Johnson will be the second Star of Courage recipient for 2018 and Ms Dawson will be one of 34 Bravery Medal recipients.

One of the surviving hostages, Jarrod Morton-Hoffman, was also awarded with a bravery award.

The Australian Bravery Awards are announced twice yearly by Governor General Peter Cosgrove and will be awarded to selfless individuals in ceremonies around Australia in coming months.
A blind former doctor was reduced to tears on a train after passengers ignored his pleas for a seat while his guide dog slid around the carriage in distress.

Amit Patel, who lost his sight five years ago from a haemorrhage behind his eyes, took to Twitter to reveal his 'humiliation', telling followers how he struggled to find something to hold as commuters blanked his calls for help.

The 37-year-old had walked with Guide Dog Kika to the end of the platform to board a Southeastern train to Waterloo in the designated disabled section, but was left feeling hurt and humiliated when nobody moved to allow him sit down.

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Amit Patel, 37, lost his sight five years ago, and uses his Guide Dog Kika to get around. He was reduced to tears on Wednesday after boarding a train and being ignored by other passengers

He was left in tears after boarding a wet train and being ignored by his fellow commuters, who stayed seated around him as he struggled to find something to hold on to and Kika slid across the wet floor (pictured) even having her tail trodden on

'People can be so selfish, they pretend they can't see or hear when I ask if there's a seat available,' he wrote in the emotional social media post.

'It's so humiliating when I struggle to find something to hold onto and keep Kika safe at the same time, this is when you'll see a tear running down my face.

'Life is difficult enough.'

Mr Patel had given Kika the verbal command 'find a seat', but this was ignored by his fellow commuters, who stayed put and allowed the Labrador to slip in the wet.

He added in a further heartbreaking tweet: 'Kika kept sliding & she was obviously distressed. She looks after me everyday & I felt useless.'

The following day Mr Patel, tweeting from his personal account, reflected on his ordeal. He said 'people can be so selfish, they pretend they can't see or hear when I ask if there's a seat available. It's so humiliating when I struggle to find something to hold onto to keep Kika safe'

Mr Patel had walked with Kika to the end of the platform to board a Southeastern train in the designated disabled section, but was left feeling hurt and humiliated when nobody moved to allow him sit down

The former A&E doctor was working as a locum in London hospitals when he started losing his sight five years ago.

Despite six cornea transplants in Britain and two in America, doctors were unable to save Mr Patel's sight and each transplant was rejected by his body.

He was diagnosed with keratoconus - a condition which changes the shape of the cornea - during his final year of medical school by his flatmate who is an optician.

Mr Patel, who has two twitter accounts, a personal one and one on behalf of Kika to raise awareness about guide dogs, shared his ordeal via social media. The post said: 'Dad had to stand with his back against the doors whilst trying not to slip & I was sliding all ove the place'

Continuing to express his frustration, Mr Patel continued: 'We walked to the end of the platform in the pouring rain so that we can board the designated disabled section on Southeastern railway' but he was left feeling humiliated when no one helped

Mr Patel explained his experience on Wednesday was nothing out of the ordinary, but Kika's distress was especially heartbreaking for him.

'I was very upset yesterday as the floor on the train was slippery, Kika kept sliding and she was obviously distressed,' he wrote.

'She looks after me everyday, and I felt useless.'

Discussing the humiliating ordeal, Mr Patel told the Evening Standard: 'Normally she is really good or occasionally somebody says, "here have my seat", but not yesterday.

Responding to well-wishers, he said: 'Unfortuntaly being infored when asking for a seat is a daily occurance for us. I was very upset yesterday as the floor on the train was slippery. Kika kept sliding and she was obviously distressed'

Taking the 25-minute journey from New Eltham to Waterloo East, Kika was unable to lie down on the floor as it was too wet, so she was sitting on her back paws in distress (pictured)

'Nobody moved, not one person,' said Mr Patel.

Taking the 25-minute journey from New Eltham to Waterloo East, Kika was unable to lie down on the floor as it was too wet, so she was sitting on her back paws in distress.

Mr Patel's ordeal comes three months after hit out at London Underground commuters and staff who ignored and pushed past him during rush hour.

Mr Patel said even though he had verbally asked Kika to find him a seat, still nobody moved

Speaking to MailOnline last year, Mr Patel described how he was fed up of being regularly ignored by staff and commuters while travelling in London, so added a camera to Kika's back to record the public's behaviour.

Mr Patel said in one instance he had been told to apologise for being in the way and ignored by station staff.

So the father-of-one attached a GoPro camera to Kika's back to record the public's behaviour.

His wife Seema reviews the footage at the end of the day and tweets about the pair's travels around the capital.

Mr Patel said he felt useless being unable to help his distressed, sliding, Guide Dog, who had done so much for him

Mr Patel said in January people 'deliberately' hit him with their bags: 'They have loads of space to get past but they seem to think it is fun to barge into a blind person.

'Kika always sits to my left hand side so we often block the escalator and people will hit her with bags and umbrellas to get her to move out of the way.

'The worst part is the tutting and negative comments behind me. People are so rude and arrogant and assume they can do whatever they want.

'One lady even said I should apologise to the people behind her for holding them up. I asked her if I should apologise for being blind and she said, 'yes'.

'Sometimes I wonder who is the blind person when there are people glued to their mobile phones.

'It really scares Kika sometimes, I can feel how upset she gets and when I get upset she senses it and she won't go on the escalators for a few days.'

Mr Patel said in January during a previous incident that people 'deliberately' hit him with their bags: 'They have loads of space to get past but they seem to think it is fun to barge into a blind person

Mr Patel travels by train nearly every day and says he has been ignored by staff when he is in unfamiliar surroundings.

He added: 'Sometimes I get a train with my four-month old son and I say quite loudly 'Kika, find me a seat' but no-one budges.

'When my wife reviewed a piece of footage once a lady was sitting on one seat with her shopping on another.

He said in January: 'The worst part is the tutting and negative comments behind me. People are so rude and arrogant and assume they can do whatever they want'

'Sometimes the only way I get a seat is to scratch Kika behind the ears so she shakes a little - no one likes a wet dog. It makes it so much harder than it needs to be.

'There are taxi drivers who will see you and won't stop, sometimes train staff will say they didn't see me when they clearly did.

'People even walk right up to me then swerve at the last minute, and come up to Kika and touch her and distract her while she is walking.

Kika previously saved her owner's life when a car jumped a red light at a crossing. Mr Patel added: 'She saw the car, got in front of me and took the hit - the car grazed her nose. It was three days before she could work again'

'Losing my sight is very lonely, if I'm travelling by public transport I'm sometimes like a scared little boy sat in the corner.'

Kika even saved her owner's life when a car jumped a red light at a crossing.

Mr Patel added: 'She saw the car, got in front of me and took the hit - the car grazed her nose. It was three days before she could work again.'

Kika, who has been with Mr Patel since 2014, is one of only five per cent of guide dogs trained to take their owner on an escalator.

Kika, who has been with Mr Patel since 2014, is one of only five per cent of guide dogs trained to take their owner on an escalator. A camera is attached to her on commutes to bring more attention to the frustration blind people endure

The former University College Hospital doctor said: 'I've lost the sight completely in my right eye and my left has nearly gone.

'People assume that if you lose your sight that's it, there's no pain, but it's excruciating. My other senses have increased though, my smell, hearing and touch.

Mr Patel now volunteers for RNIB, Action for Blind People and Guide Dogs for the Blind to help coach new guide dog users.
My Lord Mayor, Your Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen.

I'm going to talk about Britain's global role and our work with our allies around the world but I turn first to the events of this remarkable week because never before has there been a collective expulsion of Russian diplomats on the scale that we have seen over the last few days.

As I speak there are now 27 countries that have themselves taken the risk of kicking out people whose presence they deem to be no longer conducive to the public good.

Of course there are many more that have chosen to act in other ways, countries that have issued powerful statements or downgraded their representation at the World Cup.

But by your leave my Lord Mayor and without wishing to be in any way invidious I want to remind you of the full roll of honour: Albania Australia Belgium Canada Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Romania Spain Sweden Ukraine United States.

And NATO has either expelled or denied accreditation to 10 Russian officials.

And it seems clear that the Kremlin underestimated the strength of global feeling: if they thought that the world had become so hardened and cynical as not to care about the use of chemical weapons in a peaceful place like Salisbury, if they believed that no one would give a fig about the suffering of Sergei and Yulia Skripal or that we would be indifferent to the reckless and contemptuous disregard for public safety that saw 39 others seek medical treatment, if they believed that we had become so morally weakened, so dependent on hydrocarbons, so chronically risk averse and so fearful of Russia that we would not dare to respond, then this is their answer, because these countries know full well that they face the risk of retaliation and frankly there are countries that have taken action that are more vulnerable to Russia than we are, whether through geography or their energy needs, and I pay tribute to them because they know that their own Russia-based diplomats, and their families, must now deal with the possibility of their own lives being turned upside down.

That is a huge commitment and sacrifice for one country to make - let alone 27 - and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

But of course I know that these thanks are in a sense impertinent because I do not for one moment believe that this global wave of revulsion has been prompted solely by Salisbury, let alone a sentimental love or affection for the UK, though I don't exclude the possibility of such feelings somewhere in the mix.

It wasn't about us: it was about all of us and the kind of world we want to live in.

Because I believe these expulsions represent a moment when a feeling has suddenly crystallised, when years of vexation and provocation have worn the collective patience to breaking point, and when across the world - across 3 continents - there are countries who are willing to say enough is enough.

After the annexation of Crimea, the intervention in the Donbas, the downing of MH17, the cyberattacks, the attempted coup in Montenegro, the concealing of chemical weapon attacks in Syria, the hacking of the Bundestag, the interference in elections, there are now just too many countries who have felt the disruptive and malign behaviour of the Russian state.

And Salisbury has spoken not just to Salisbury in South Australia and Salisbury in Pennsylvania, in North Carolina, in Maryland, but to all the tranquil cathedral cities across Europe that could have suffered a similar fate and where people deserve to live free from fear and after all these provocations, this week was the moment when the world decided to say enough to the wearying barrage of Russian lies, the torrent of obfuscation and intercontinental ballistic whoppers.

First they told us that Novichok never existed, then they told us that it did exist but they had destroyed the stocks, then they claimed that the stocks had escaped to Sweden or the Czech Republic or Slovakia or the United States.

And the other day they claimed that the true inventor of Novichok was Theresa May.

In the last few days we have been told that Sergei Skripal took an overdose, that he attempted suicide and therefore presumably tried to take his daughter with him, that his attempted murder was revenge for Britain's supposed poisoning of Ivan the Terrible, or that we did it to spoil the World Cup.

In fact the Foreign Office has so far counted 24 such ludicrous fibs - and so I am glad that 27 countries have stood up to say that they are not swallowing that nonsense any more.

It is rather like the beginning of Crime and Punishment in the sense that we are all confident of the culprit - and the only question is whether he will confess or be caught.

And in these last few days it is our values - and our belief in the rules based international order - that have proved their worth.

Not only has there been a strong and speedy multilateral response from NATO and the EU Council but countries that are members of neither have come forward to show that this country is blessed to be part of a broader community of ideals.

And I believe there are many British people who have found it immensely reassuring to learn we may be leaving the EU in exactly a year but we will never be alone, and in part that commitment to Britain reflects Britain's reciprocal commitment to our friends, whether through the work of our peerless intelligence agencies or our armed forces or our development budgets.

And that is what I mean by Global Britain, and so I repeat the prime minister's unconditional and immoveable commitment: that we will stand by you as you have stood by us.

We will continue to work with you - bringing as we do 20 per cent of EU defence spending, 25 per cent of the aid budget, 55 per cent of the tonnage of the supply and replenishment vessels needed to keep warships at sea, 100 per cent of the heavy lift capacity.

We are with you in Estonia, we are with you in training the armed forces in Ukraine, we are there in Nigeria and in the Middle East, where the fight against Daesh goes on and where the UK has delivered the second biggest number of air strikes after the US.

We are with you in the Sahel - or we will be with you shortly - and HMS Sutherland is now in the Pacific, exercising alongside our Australian friends, and the UK has forces deployed in more countries than any other European power.

And I have last week announced that we are expanding our FCO network, with another 250 British diplomats overseas and another ten UK embassies or high commissions in another ten sovereign posts - with the Commonwealth as a priority especially as we will be hosting its summit next month - so that Britain will have more diplomatic missions than any other European country - exceeding the French by one, news that I am told was received with rapture in the Quai d'Orsay, since there is no more compelling case for more funding than news of expansion in King Charles Street.

We believe in that expansion - and we will go further, especially in Africa, because we believe that a Global Britain is fundamentally in the interests of the British people because it is by being open to the world, and engaging with every country, that the British people will find the markets for their goods and services and ideas as we have done for centuries in that great free trade revolution that made this city the capital of the world and built the Mansion House in which we meet tonight.

When we leave the EU next year, we will re-establish ourselves as an independent member of the WTO and we will be the world's leading proselytiser for free trade.

And it is symmetrically by being welcoming to talent from abroad - as we must and will be - that we have brought to our shores for generations people who want to live their lives without fear of judgment or persecution, to do as they choose provided they do no harm to others, and it is that ethos of generosity that has made this city not just the most diverse in the world but also the most productive region of Europe.

And today the UK is the biggest destination for FDI after the US, our unemployment is at the lowest for 43 years (I seem to remember some people predicting that it would rise by 500,000), we have the biggest tech sector, the best universities.

And Cambridge University alone has won more Nobel prizes than every university in Russia and China added together and multiplied by 2.

We have the most vibrant and dynamic cultural scene, with one venue - the British Museum - attracting more visitors than ten whole European countries that it would not be tactful to name tonight.

And out of this great minestrone, this bouillabaisse, this ratatouille, this seething and syncretic cauldron of culture, we export not just goods - though we certainly do - but ideas and attitudes and even patterns of behaviour.

I am delighted to say that in both the Czech Republic and in Iceland they mark Jan 7 with silly walks day in honour of Monty Python.

There are now nine countries that have their own version of David Brent, and it is an astonishing fact that both of the two highest grossing movies in the world last year was either shot or produced in this country: Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars.

And what is the principal utensil of violence in Star Wars?

And where was the light sabre invented?

In which part of London? In Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

And that tells you all you need to know about the difference between modern Britain and the government of Vladimir Putin.

They make Novichok, we make light sabres.

One a hideous weapon that is specifically intended for assassination.

The other an implausible theatrical prop with a mysterious buzz.

But which of those two weapons is really more effective in the world of today?

Which has done more for our respective economies?

Which has delighted the imaginations of three generations of children and earned billions?

Which one is loved and which one is loathed?

I tell you that the arsenals of this country and of our friends are not stocked with poison but with something vastly more powerful: the power of imagination and creativity and innovation that comes with living in a free society, of a kind you see all around you today.

And it is that power that will prevail and it is in that spirit of absolute confidence and security that it is our job now not just to beware the Russian state, but to reach out, in spite of all our present difficulties, to extend the hand of friendship to the Russian people.

Because it cannot be said too often that the paranoid imaginings of their rulers have no basis in fact, they are not ringed by foes but by countries who see themselves as admirers and friends, who have taken this action this week because they want nothing so much as to have an end to this pattern of disruptive behaviour, and who want to live in peace and mutual respect and who hope one day that it will be possible to see ever greater commercial and cultural cooperation between us and the Russian people.

And I believe that day can and will come.

I hope it does.

And if and when it does I believe it will be thanks to the resolution of all the countries that acted in their different ways this week.

We will have to keep that resolve because there is no doubt that we will be tested again and I can assure you that in that test the resolve of the British government and people will be unflinching.
Right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, once a staunch President Trump supporter, doubled down in her attacks on The Donald this week.

The conservative commentator who called Trump an 'ignoramus' appeared on 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' on Fox Business Network on Wednesday and said she was disappointed how much Trump had changed from when he was a candidate.

'A switch changed with him. An elegant person wouldn't have said the things he was saying,' Coulter, 56, said.

'It was precisely that he was so coarse that allowed him to say these incredibly courageous things. He didn't care what Manhattan elites thought of him.

'Now all he wants is for Goldman Sachs to like him. don't know what happened. But that's a different president. I haven't changed. He has.'

Right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, once a staunch President Trump supporter, doubled down in her attacks on The Donald this week when she appeard on 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' on Wednesday

'Now all he wants is for Goldman Sachs to like him. don't know what happened. But that's a different president. I haven't changed. He has,' the commentator, 56, said

Coulter was just doubling down on her attacks that she delivered against Trump when she visited Columbia University on Tuesday night

These are not the first attacks that Coulter has thrown at the commander-in-chief.

To a group largely composed of College Republicans at Columbia University on Tuesday night, Coulter revealed that she was blinded in her view of Trump, reported The Daily Beast.

'I knew he was a shallow, lazy ignoramus, and I didn't care,' she admitted to the audience at Columbia's Roone Arledge Cinema.

During the debate between Coulter and neoliberal blogger Mickey Kaus, the conservative commentator said she was 'heartbroken' by Trump seeming to have changed since being elected.

'It kind of breaks my heart,' Coulter said, in reference to Trump's weak follow-through on his highly-touted immigration policy. 'He's not giving us what he promised at every single campaign stop.'

To a group largely composed of College Republicans, Coulter (pictured, July 2017) admitted: 'I knew he was a shallow, lazy ignoramus, and I didn't care'

Coulter (pictured, August 2017) also said she was 'heartbroken' by Trump seeming to have changed since being elected

However, despite her qualms, she said that Trump's campaign was preferable to his rivals back in 2016 (Pictured, Trump on Friday)

Four days before the event at Columbia, Coulter ripped Trump on Twitter after he signed the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill

However, despite her qualms, she said that Trump's campaign was preferable to his rivals back in 2016.

'We had 16 lunatics being chased by men with nets running for presidentand Trump,' Coulter explained.

'So of course I had to be pedal-to-the-metal for Donald Trump. I'd been waiting 30 years for someone to say all these things,' she added, referring to his pledge to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.

Just four days before the Columbia event, Coulter slammed Trump on Twitter after he signed the $1.3trillion omnibus spending bill Friday.

She claimed the bill favored too much funding for Democratic programs but none for GOP pledges such as the border wall.

After the signing, Trump said: 'There are a lot of things that I'm unhappy about in this bill...I say to Congress that I will never sign another bill like this again.'

Coulter mocked Trump on Friday, tweeting: '"I will never sign another bill like this again". Yeah, because you'll be impeached.'
A 10-year-old girl who was left blooded and unconscious after a violent hit-and-run has made a desperate public appeal for information.

Alannah Davey had been playing at a her favourite park just 20 metres from her home in Adelaide's south-west when a car hit her, fracturing her skull, injuring her face and lacerating her liver.

Three days after being left for dead, outside her Mount Barker house, the girl has come forward asking the public to come forward with information.

A 10-year-old girl who was left blooded and unconscious after a violent hit-and-run has made a desperate public appeal for information

'If anybody knows what to me, please tell the police,' she told 7News on Wednesday.

The girl's mother Lisa, who was inside vacuuming the house when her life was turned upside down, can't understand how someone could live with themselves.

'At least we've still got her,' she said.

Three members of the public came to the girl's rescue and told Alannah's mother a man was already with her and said she was hit by a car.

Alannah Davey (pictured), 10, was playing at her favourite park in Mount Barker, when she was hit by a car which then sped off leaving her sprawled unconscious and bloodied on the ground

The girl's mother Lisa, who was inside vacuuming the house when her life was turned upside down, can't understand how someone could live with themselves

Alannah's mother Lisa Davey (pictured) was at home cleaning when she was informed of what had happened

By the time police and paramedics arrived, the man was no where to be seen.

'I don't know how someone could do that, how could you hit somebody and not stop?' Ms Davey told Yahoo News.

Ms Davey was at home, cleaning when she was informed of what had happened to her daughter.

Alannah was rushed to the Women's and Children's Hospital with facial injuries, skull fractures and a bruised liver.

Alannah (pictured) was rushed to the Women's and Children's Hospital with facial injuries, skull fractures and a bruised liver

One resident said she is not surprised something like this happened because people are constantly speeding in the area.

Police are appealing to members of the public and drivers who may have seen Alannah leave her home on Sunday around lunchtime to come forward.

Police are also requesting any dash came footage anyone may have from that day.

Ms Davey is asking for whoever did this to do the right thing and come forward.
A Denver man is accused of fatally shooting his neighbor in the back of the head after they got into a heated argument because he thought the victim was beating his dog.

Michael Kourosh Sadeghi, 32, was arrested on Tuesday night for the murder of his 42-year-old neighbor Dustin Schmidt.

Police were called to a home in the 4000 block of 106th Drive in Thornton, just north of Denver, at about 8pm following reports of gunfire.

Scroll down for video

Michael Kourosh Sadeghi, 32, was arrested in Denver on Tuesday night for the murder of his 42-year-old neighbor Dustin Schmidt

They found the victim dead in his yard with at least five gunshot wounds.

The victim's identity has not yet been officially released, but Schmidt's fiancee Vicki Branaghan, 42, confirmed to the Denver Post that he had been killed.

'We were all three standing there. Mike pulled the gun out and shot Dustin in the back of the head five times,' Branaghan said.

'I was just a few feet away. Mike turned around and walked back to his house as though nothing happened.'

Police said they do not have a motive yet but they are still investigating.

Schmidt's fiancee Vicki Branaghan said the incident was sparked when their neighbor became enraged and accused them of abusing their German-shepherd mix dog

The victim's fiancee said their neighbor became enraged and accused them of abusing their German-shepherd mix dog named Bruno

'All indications are that these people - up until last night - got along. We're still trying to figure out why one neighbor shot another,' Thornton police spokesman Matt Barnes said.

The victim's fiancee said the couple's German-shepherd mix dog named Bruno had started regularly jumping over the fence separating their yard from Sadeghi's.

Branaghan said they had put up electric wire to stop the dog from jumping but he managed to make it over the fence on Tuesday night.

He was left hanging from his neck on Sadeghi's side of the fence before Schmidt ran over and pulled him back over.

Police said they do not have a motive yet but they are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting in the backyard of this home

Schmidt swatted the dog as discipline, according to his fiancee.

Branaghan said Sadeghi started screaming that the victim had beaten the dog.

She said the pair got into an argument as Sadeghi continued to yell, accusing them of animal abuse.

Branaghan said Sadeghi reached over the fence and shot her fiancee as he walked away.

Sadeghi is facing first degree murder charges. He is being held at the Adams County Detention Facility while police continue their investigations.
A woman has taken a swing at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo while ranting wildly in the state Capitol.

The incident occurred on Wednesday outside the state police substation in the Albany Capitol building, where Cuomo had just secured the release of New York Daily News reporter Ken Lovett.

Lovett had been arrested about a half-hour earlier after Senate sergeants-at-arms confronted him for talking on his cell phone in the lobby of the Senate, which was not in session at the time.

The 52-year-old reporter called the arrest 'the most bizarre thing I've experienced during my nearly quarter century covering the state Capitol' in a column about the incident.

Video courtesy of Politico

Daily News reporter Ken Lovett is taken into custody in the Senate lobby for talking on his cell phone. He called it the 'most bizarre' incident in his 24 years covering the state Capitol

Lovett (left) was released after Cuomo (right) went over the the police substation and told the the desk sergeant that he was the reporter's 'state-appointed attorney'

Photos of Lovett in handcuffs spread quickly over Twitter and the Albany press corps raised an immediate outcry over the incident.

Cuomo left his office in the Capitol complex and went over to the state police substation, where he told the the desk sergeant that he was Lovett's 'state-appointed attorney,' Politico reported.

The governor emerged with the freed reporter moments later, and began addressing a gaggle of press that had assembled, jokingly calling Lovett his 'client'.

'He's not going to flee the jurisdiction, we don't believe any charges are going to be filed, freedom of the press is alive and well in the city of Albany,' Cuomo said.

Suddenly, a woman burst out of the substation and began ranting wildly.

'Did you know this office doesn't want to submit a complaint of a sexual harassment I had here? NDA? And they went, they took out a rifle on me Friday, here?' she shouted, pointing back toward the state police office.

The woman was wearing a Yankees jacket, a striped stocking cap and headphones.

As Cuomo spoke, woman burst out of the substation behind him and began ranting wildly

Cuomo continued to joke with the press as the woman jabbed a finger at him and cursed

The woman took a wild swing at Cuomo as state police dragged her back into the station

.@klnynews back at his desk safe and sound after spending about a half hour in detention by @NyStatePolice he was arrested for talking on a cell phone in Senate lobby while Senate was not even in session. Lovett was visited by @NYGovCuomo and no charges will be filed. pic.twitter.com/w6hRAG5jBA  Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) March 28, 2018

Cuomo regarded her calmly for a moment, and then returned to joking with the press as she continued to rant next to him.

'I know that Ken Lovett can be a dangerous man,' joked Cuomo, who has been the target of scathing columns by Lovett in the past. 'It just does my heart good to say I freed Ken Lovett.'

The woman turned her ire on Cuomo for ignoring her, shouting: 'Yeah, youre not doing nothing here, you punk a**! Youre not doing a motherf**king s**t either! I got proof!'

The woman, clutching a sheaf of papers, took a wild swing at Cuomo but did not connect. She was detained and pulled into the station by state troopers.

Lovett slipped away in the confusion, returning to his office where he found a cupcake and a metal file left on his desk as a joke.

He commended the state police for their professionalism during his brief detention and told the Associated Press that the episode will 'make a good bar story.'

Charges will not be filed against Lovett in the incident, a Senate spokesman said.

The woman was charged with disorderly conduct under the states mental health law. Her name was not released because of the mental health charge.
Nine Indian nationals were detained at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday after claiming to have been journalists arriving for the Commonwealth Games next week.

The group, who held Temporary Activity Visas, were flagged as suspicious during a layover in Thailand and were questioned on arrival in Australia. Eight were found to have fraudulent media credentials.

They were detained overnight, with eight of the nine now facing immediate deportation, with the ninth facing court instead.

Rakesh Kumar Sharma, 46, has been charged with aggravated people smuggling and falsifying documents.

The maximum penalty for these offences is 20 years in jail.

Nine Indian nationals have been detained at Brisbane Airport after claiming they were journalists here for the Commonwealth Games (stock image)

Police will allege in court that Sharma, who did hold valid credentials, was facilitating the group's travel.

He faced Brisbane Magistrate's Court on Thursday afternoon, but was remanded in custody while a Hindi interpreter was sought.

Sharma is scheduled to reappear in court on April 6 for a bail application.

The Australian Border Force Regional Commander for Queensland, Terry Price, said there would be strict screening measures for anyone entering Australia.

'As with all travellers, the ABF will process all Commonwealth Games visitors on arrival and anyone found not to be here for legitimate purposes can expect to have their visas cancelled and to be turned around,' he said.

'This may occur on arrival in Australia, or prior to boarding flights to Australia.

Eight of the nine have been detained in immigration detention, while the ninth has been remanded in custody on charges of people smuggling and falsifying documents (stock image)

'We have a skilled network of [liaison officers] at key overseas international airports who can identify travellers of concern and stop them travelling or, as in this case, provide real time information to alert colleagues onshore.

'The ABF remains highly alert to other similar attempts that may occur as we get closer to the start of the Commonwealth Games.'

Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Bob Gee confirmed the incident earlier on Thursday, but refused to go into detail as officers from the Australian Federal Police were still investigating.

'I have spoken to the Commonwealth Games lead, and there is no threat to the Commonwealth Games,' he said.

'In fact, what you'll see, is that the system works.'
An Islamic State sympathiser who viciously murdered and mutilated his wife in front of their children in Melbourne has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The man, who cannot be named to protect his children, attacked his 27-year-old wife with a knife at their Broadmeadows home, in Victoria's north-west, in 2016, cutting off two of her fingers and gouging out her right eye.

The 36-year-old must spend at least three decades in prison before being eligible for parole.

An Islamic State sympathiser who viciously murdered and mutilated his wife in front of their children in Melbourne has been sentenced to life imprisonment (mural of IS flag pictured in Mosul)

In sentencing the man on Thursday, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Lex Lasry said the killer, who has already spent 634 days in custody, showed 'no remorse'.

He said he could not be satisfied the man's jihadist ideology led to the killing or that the methylamphetamine smoker was in a drug-induced psychosis at the time.

'I would not have thought your conduct in murdering your very compliant wife could be classified as an act of Jihad,' Justice Lasry said.

'What I am sure of is your conduct was grotesquely violent.

'The murder of your wife was the culmination of a long history of domestic violence.'

The court heard the man flushed his wife's eye down the toilet after gouging it out in front of the couple's children, aged just 2, 4 and 6.

In sentencing the man on Thursday, Supreme Court of Victoria (pictured) Justice Lex Lasry said the killer, who has already spent 634 days in custody, showed 'no remorse'

The woman died of blood loss, with multiple wounds to her face and genitals, a gouged-out right eye, and two amputated fingers.

After the murder, the man took his children with him to dump their mother's body, later taking them to eat pastries at a bakery.

The murder came after the woman had moved to Australia from Lebanon and was cut off from the support of her family and friends.
Plans to demolish Sydney's ANZ Stadium and rebuild it from the ground up have been scrapped, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian changes her mind on the controversial $2billion policy.

The New South Wales government will refurbish the stadium in western Sydney built for the 2000 Olympic Games instead of demolishing it. The rebuild of the smaller Allianz Stadium at Moore Park will still go ahead.

The plan proved controversial when it was unveiled, with a petition started by ex-Wallaby Peter FitzSimons to reconsider the decision attracting more than 200,000 signatures.

Plans to demolish Sydney's ANZ Stadium and rebuild it from the ground up have been scrapped, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian changes her mind on the controversial $2billion policy

The New South Wales government will refurbish the stadium in western Sydney built for the 2000 Olympic Games instead of demolishing it

Ms Berejiklian said the decision was based on public feedback.

'We are a government that does its homework and listens to the public,' she said.

'The comprehensive homework means we will be able to deliver two outstanding stadiums for Sydney at the best possible value for taxpayers.'

The revised plan will save NSW about $1billion, Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said.

'This government will not allow NSW to fall behind the other states on sporting infrastructure and the associated jobs and economic boost they provide.'

After being presented the revised proposal it was approved by cabinet on Thursday, reversing the decision to tear down ANZ Stadium.

The NRL had reportedly promised 25 years of grand finals to be held in Sydney under the condition that the Olympic stadium would be rebuilt.

The backflip leaves the door open for a potential relocation of rugby league's showcase game north to Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

An artist's impression of what a redeveloped ANZ Stadium would have looked like

NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley has been touring the state in a big red bus emblazoned with the slogan 'schools and hospitals before stadiums'.

A recent opinion poll suggested more than half of NSW voters opposed the government spending more than $2billion to demolish and rebuild ANZ and Allianz stadiums.

In response to the criticism, Mr Ayres said the investment in stadiums is 'significantly less than one per cent of the $200billion the NSW government will invest in health and education over the next five years'.

A report from Infrastructure NSW showed a 75,000 seat ANZ Stadium rebuild would cost $1.33billion, more than was previously estimated.

The revised plan will save NSW about $1billion, said Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres (pictured centre)

The government then decided to proceed with a 'better value' 70,000-seat renovation, costing $810million. The renovations will ensure all seats are undercover.

ANZ Stadium's renovations are expected to be completed by mid-2021, while a new Allianz Stadium will be built by March 2022.

FitzSimons tweeted about Ms Berejilklian's backflip, and retweeted comments calling it 'only half good news'.

He had previously advocated using the money allocated for the stadium redevelopment plan for 100 $10million investments in sport across New South Wales.

NRL chairman Peter Beattie has reportedly fully backed the decision to refurbish ANZ Stadium, the Daily Telegraph said.

Mr Beattie, a former Queensland Labor premier who was renowned for political backflips, preferred a new stadium but said he was 'prepared to compromise'.
The brother of the suspected Florida high school gunman pleaded no contest Thursday to trespassing on the campus where the deadly rampage happened and was sentenced to time served and six months of probation.

Judge Melinda Kirsch Brown told Zachary Cruz he must not return to Borward County unless it is for court and must stay one mile away from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where his brother Nikolas carried out the shooting.

He is also not allowed contact with any students or employees from the school, must enroll in therapy, wear an ankle bracelet and cannot possess firearms or ammunition.

The judge Thursday also said Zachary Cruz must be tested to make sure he isn't consuming drugs or alcohol.

The 18-year-old was arrested March 19 after police found him skateboarding at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High after school. Administrators had told him not to come on campus.

Zachary Cruz, the brother of the Parkland shooter, pleaded no contest on Thursday to trespassing at the school where the shooting happened, and was sentenced to time served. He's pictured above during the hearing on Thursday

The 18-year-old will be on probation for the next six months and has to stay a mile away from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Zachary's lawyer is seen whispering to him during the hearing on Thursday

Rocxanne Deschamps, who took Zachary and his brother in after their mother dies, listens during the hearing on Thursday

Recently released body camera footage shows Zachary being arrested for trespassing at the school on march 19

Zachary Cruz told officers he came to the school to 'reflect on the school shooting and soak it all in'

Cruz is the younger brother of Nikolas Cruz, who's accused of killing 17 students and staff members at the school February 14. The Cruz brothers attended Stoneman Douglas but did not graduate.

Zachary is the half-brother of suspected Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz (pictured)

According to an arrest report, Zachary Cruz told officers he came to the school to 'reflect on the school shooting and soak it all in.' He did not resist arrest and the report made no mention of any weapons.

Joseph Kimok, an attorney for Zachary Cruz, read a statement from him saying he was sorry if he scared anyone by visiting the school. The attorney also said Zachary Cruz had never been told to stay away from the school.

Nickolas and Zachary Cruz shared the same biological mother but had different fathers. Both were adopted at very young ages by Roger and Lynda Cruz. Lynda Cruz died in November and their father died some years earlier.

At his first court appearance on March 20, prosecutors argued for Zachary to be held on a high bail since he had trespassed at the school three times since the shooting and had disturbing conversations with his brother about how 'popular' the shooter was becoming.

Zachary cried at a court hearing for his brother on Marhc 14, less than a week before he was arrested as well

Nikolas and Zachary share the same biological mother and were adopted by Roger and Lynda Cruz as children. Their adoptive father died when they were young, and Lynda died last year from pneumonia. They are seen above interring her ashes

The judge agreed and ordered Zachary held on $500,000, which his attorneys argued was excessive - since bail for trespassing is normally just $25.

They argued that he was being unfairly treated because of his brother's crimes.

Because he was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation by the judge, Zachary will not be able to buy any guns per a new Florida law.

Cops searched the home where he lives and determined he doesn't own any guns currently. If he did, they would have been able to seize according to the new law.
Parkland survivor David Hogg is asking his supporters to boycott Fox News host Laura Ingraham after she mocked his college rejections.

David Hogg, 17, recently revealed in an interview with TMZ that he was not accepted into UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, or UC Irvine.

Ingraham then took to Twitter and accused Hogg of 'whining' about his rejections.

'David Hogg rejected by Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it,' she tweeted on Wednesday.

Parkland survivor David Hogg, 17, is asking his supporters to boycott Fox News host Laura Ingraham after she mocked his college rejections this week

Ingraham took to Twitter on Wednesday and accused Hogg of 'whining' about his rejections

'Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates),' she added.

Hogg tweeted at Ingraham directly following the hit, writing: 'Soooo what are your biggest advertisers...Asking for a friend. #BoycottIngramAdverts'.

He then tweeted a list of advertisers which included AT&T, Nutrish, Allstate, Esurance, Bayer, Liberty Mutual, Arby's, TripAdvisor, Nestle, and Hulu.

Hogg instructed his nearly 600,000 followers to pick a number between 1 and 12 and contact the company next to the number.

The teen also tweeted at each of the Twitter accounts directly, linking to Ingraham's tweet and asking 'why do you support this?'

TMZ founder Harvey Levin came to Hogg's defense, tweeting directly at Ingraham and asking if she had watched the video of the interview at all.

Hogg tweeted at Ingraham directly following the hit and encouraged his nearly 600,000 followers to help boycott her advertisers

He then tweeted a list of advertisers which included AT&T, Nutrish, Allstate, Esurance, Bayer, Liberty Mutual, Arby's, Trip Advisor, Nestle, and Hulu

The teen also tweeted at each of the twitter accounts directly, linking to Ingraham's tweet and asking 'why do you support this?'

'David was not whining. I called him about the story,' Levin wrote. 'He was not feeling sorry for himself in the slightest.'

'It was my idea that colleges should consider applicants who are so committed. Did you watch the video?'

Hogg revealed on Tuesday that he had been rejected from the four California schools.

The teen also revealed he has a 4.2 GPA and scored a 1270 on his SAT, both of which are considered above average.

Hogg, who recently helped organize March For Our Lives, admitted that it was hard to focus on college decisions at the current moment.

TMZ founder Harvey Levin also came to Hogg's defense, tweeting directly at Ingraham and asking if she had watched the video of the interview at all

'It's been kind of annoying having to deal with that and everything else that's been going on but at this point, you know, we're changing the world,' he told TMZ.

Hogg said he was not surprised by the decision and did not attribute his rejection to his involvement in the movement, suggesting instead that he had been overlooked in a vast number of applications.

'I am not surprised at all honestly,' he said.

'I think there's a lot of amazing people that don't get to college not only that do things like I do, but because their voices just aren't heard in the tsunami of people that apply every year for college in such an economic impacted school system which we have here in America where people have to go into massive amounts of debt just to go to college and get an education.'

Hogg revealed on Tuesday that he had been rejected from the four California schools

'I think it's really sad but it's the truth.'

A number of people hit back at Ingraham on Twitter, asking how she could pick on a child who had just watched 17 of his classmates die in a mass shooting.

'Attacking a traumatized kid for a 4.1 GPA. Good on you #GOP. Keeping it classy always. Party of family values and all that,' wrote user Wenders K.

'Are you really picking on a teenager who just watched his classmates die in pools of their blood less than two months ago?' asked Brooke Binkowski.

One user pointed out that Ingraham had gotten Hogg's GPA wrong.

'She obviously didn't read it, just wanted to bully a teenager,' they added.

'Reveling in the misfortune of a child is embarrassing, even for your Laura,' tweeted author Molly Knight.

'Imagine being an adult who hates teenagers so much you pants him online for getting rejected by colleges,' tweeted Andrew Kirell.

Hogg said he has yet to decide which university he will attend, adding that it was not a priority given his ongoing activism.

Hogg, who recently helped organize March For Our Lives (pictured in Washington DC), admitted that it was hard to focus on college decisions at the current moment

Emma Gonzalez will attend the New College of Florida, a liberal arts college, Hogg revealed

'Right now, I have no clue. I haven't even thought about it, honestly. It is absolutely disappointing but at this point we're already changing the world,' he said.

'If colleges want to support us in that, great, if they don't it doesn't matter, we're still going to change the world.'

A million people around America turned out for coordinated protests against gun violence on March 24.

The largest was held in Washington DC where Hogg gave an impassioned and, some said presidential, speech on the issue of gun reform in front of 800,000 people.

Since February 15, he has been at the forefront of advocacy for tighter gun laws.

Emma Gonzalez, his classmate who stood silent on the enormous stage at Saturday's protest for as long as gunman Nikolas Cruz sprayed her school with bullets, will attend the New College of Florida, a liberal arts school, he said.
Police in Utah have found two bodies that are believed to be those of a teenage couple who went missing three months ago.

Investigators found the bodies in an abandoned mine near Eureka, a town located in the western Utah desert.

Forensic experts will need to do an autopsy to definitively determine the identity of the victims.

News of the bodies' discovery was reported by The Salt Lake Tribune.

Brelynn 'Breezy' Otteson (left) and Riley Powell (right), both 18, have been missing since December 30. Their truck was found abandoned on January 2

Police in Utah have found two bodies that are believed to be those of a teenage couple who went missing three months ago. Their bodies were found in the Tintic Standard No. 2 mine near Eureka (seen above)

Authorities believe that the bodies are those of Brelynne 'Breezy' Otteson and Riley Powell.

Otteson and Powell, both 18, were reported missing on January 2. Investigators say they were likely murdered.

Their abandoned truck was discovered ten days after they went missing.

No arrests have been made as of yet, but police say they have identified people of interest in the case.

The teenagers were last seen on December 30 when relatives said they were driving from Tooele to Eureka, a distance of around 55 miles. Their car was found after they were reported missing near Cherry Creek Reservoir but they have never been seen again

The young couple's dark blue Cherokee Jeep was found among trees to the side of the highway on January 11. There was a camouflage strap on the driver's seat and it appeared to have had its tires slashed. It is pictured after being brought back to police HQ

Relatives told police that the two teens were last seen on New Year's Eve in December last year when they left Tooele, near Salt Lake City, to drive to Eureka.

Their truck was seen on January 11 hidden among trees on a side road from the highway they would have taken but the teenagers were never seen again.

On January 16, police searched the home where Powell's mother Mistie Carlson lives with her boyfriend Lee Shepherd, her mother, Linda Powell, and her mother's boyfriend William 'Clubby' Larson after being alerted to them by a neighbor.

Details of that search became public last month when the search warrant obtained by police beforehand was unsealed in court.

The neighbor said they had seen Shepherd towing a car similar to the one Riley often drove on January 2, the day they were reported missing.

Police seized several items of property including a camouflage tie strap which they described as being 'identical' to one found in the driver's seat of the teenager's abandoned car.

Slash marks on their tires also appeared to have been made deliberately, police said.

Officers who searched the house said they believed they wound find proof of desecration of a dead body and murder.

The items they seized included drug paraphernalia and letters addressed to Riley's mother.

The search warrant, which DailyMail.com has viewed, describes detectives' suspicions and why they were led to the house.

The condition of the Cherokee Jeep when it was found on January 11 raised suspicions.

Riley's grandmother Linda Powell also lives at the home that was searched as does her boyfriend, William 'Clubby' Larson

'It had two flat tires on the passenger side and a camouflage tie down strap stuck in the driver's side rear leaf spring.

'Upon further inspection the rear passenger tire had a puncture in the side wall that appeared to be straight in with a smaller flat shaped object. The front passenger tire had two punctures identical to the rear tire.

There was no tear in the side wall that would indicate that the tires where moving when punctured,' Detective Tyler Johnson, of the Sanpete/Juab County Sheriff's Office wrote.

Suspicion grew after a neighbor told them that they had seen a blue Chevrolet car similar to the kind owned by Shepherd towing Riley and Breezy's car down the highway.

That neighbor told them the car being towed was 'the one Riley is always driving.'

When officers arrived at the property, they asked the two couples to come to the police station to discuss the teenagers' disappearance.

Riley's mother, grandmother and her boyfriend all gave voluntary interviews on January 15 but Shepherd, his step-father, refused to speak to police and instead left the house to go into a trailer on the property.

'Mistie, Linda, and Clubby came willingly to the sheriff's office. Lee refused to come and stayed at the property.

'I observed Lee entering a enclosed camp trailer to the north of the modular home above described,' Detective Tyler Johnson wrote.

During her interview, Riley's mother Mistie said she had been at home on New Year's Eve with the rest of the family at a party, the officer said.

Clubby, her mother's boyfriend, said she was not there at all and another guest who attended the event made no mention of her being there.

In their application for the warrant, police said they suspected they would find proof that the teens had been murdered during their search of the house.

'Affiant believes the property and evidence described above is evidence of the crime or crimes of Obstruction of Justice, Desecration of a dead human body and Homicide,' Detective Johnson wrote.

On January 16, Jaub County Sheriff's Office touted the search warrant and the result of it as a significant development in the case.

In a press release, they said it had become 'highly suspicious'.

'The circumstances surrounding the recovery of the vehicle, its condition and general placement of the vehicle is determined to be highly suspicious.

Breezy and Riley lived with his grandfather in Eureka, Utah, and were said to have been on their way home when they died

'These factors, in addition to other investigate leads and pieces of evidence, have led investigators to believe that the Jeep was dropped off there by intention and not by the two missing individuals and foul play is strongly suggested.

Breezy's relatives did not rush to judgement after the contents of the search warrant were made public.

'The unsealed search warrant affidavit released today in regards to the disappearance of Breezy and Riley can appear to be a shock to all.

'The information provided in this document can appear to be alarming and create a lot of accusations and assumptions.

'We want to remind everyone that the information released today is part of the process and all leads have to be investigated,' her aunt, Amanda Hunt, said in a statement on Facebook last month.

Neither Mistie, Lee, Linda nor Clubby have commented publicly since the search warrant's contents became public.

On January 2, Mistie wrote: 'Has anyone seen my son Riley L. Powell? He has been missing for like two days,' on Facebook.
One person is dead and a man has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition following a serious crash in the north west of Queensland.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Barkly Highway about 8.40am on Thursday, where a fuel tanker had become ablaze following the crash.

Huge plumes of dark smoke were seen coming from the fuel tanker, and the vehicle involved was found on its side.

One person is dead and another is fighting for life after a fiery crash on the Barkly Highway in north west Queensland

A spokeswoman for Ambulance NSW told Daily Mail Australia said a male patient was transported to Cloncurry Hospital, and a second was assessed for critical injuries but did not require transport.

Sergeant Ross Kirkpatrick told the ABC the fuel tank exploded upon collision with the vehicle, and it was not known if there were more casualties.

'It's very hard to get close and make further investigations as to further potential patients,' he said.

'With that much fuel around it's really caused quite an incident, really there's not much more they can do other than let the fuel burn out for the time being.'

As of 3pm, the fire is understood to still be raging, and police are unable to approach the tanker due to the intensity of the blaze.

The highway remains closed.

A vehicle collided with a fuel tanker on Thursday morning, causing the tanker to explode and the vehicle to roll over
Killer gas heaters may be threatening lives in thousands of homes, authorities have warned.

Energy Safe Victoria has told residents not to use their Pyrox or Vulcan heaters because they release lethal levels of carbon monoxide.

The heaters - which were made in the 1970s and are no longer on sale - are not safe in modern homes which are sealed so well that deadly gas can't escape.

The warning comes a year after a 62-year-old woman died of carbon monoxide poisoning in her Melbourne home. Testing has revealed the gas came from a Vulcan heater.

Danger: Killer gas heaters may be threatening lives in thousands of homes, authorities have warned. Pictured: The Pyrox gas heater

Authorities are asking residents to test their heaters with a qualified gas-fitter immediately. Climate Technologies will provide a $150 rebate towards the cost of this test

Authorities are asking residents to test their heaters with a qualified gas-fitter immediately. Climate Technologies will provide a $150 rebate towards the cost of this test.

Victoria's Director of Energy Safety, Paul Fearon, said: 'If the house is well sealed and the heater is operating at the same time as a kitchen or bathroom exhaust fan, carbon monoxide from the heater can be drawn into living areas.'

'The manufacturer Climate Technologies has a program in place to test every household with one of these heaters.'

Open flue heaters, like the Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage space heater, are old technology and not necessarily compatible with many new or renovated homes with less ventilation.

As a result, and in addition to the testing and replacement program now in place, all Vulcan Heritage or Pyrox Heritage space heaters have been withdrawn from sale and their manufacturer has ceased production.

'This is a timely reminder that everyone should have indoor gas appliances, especially heaters, checked by a qualified gasfitter every two years,' Mr Fearon said.

Anyone with a Pyrox or a Vulcan heritage gas heater should call Climate Technologies on (03) 8795 2462
Gov. Andrew Cuomo was a leading proponent of allowing the construction of four upstate New York casinos, but he's not receptive to the idea of bailing out the troubled gaming facilities.

One day after del Lago Resort & Casino in Seneca County announced that it was seeking help from the state, Cuomo said he's not sympathetic to casinos requesting assistance.

"The upstate gaming casinos are private concerns. They bid, they made an investment and some of them will say they're not doing as well as they hoped or would've expected," he told reporters in Albany Wednesday. "But they're private concerns, and I don't want to get into the business of bailing out private concerns."

Del Lago opened in February 2017  Cuomo was at the grand opening event  and has been struggling to meet its lofty revenue projections. The casino was projected to rake in $263 million in its first year, but fell well short of that goal by more than $100 million.
Elaine Herzberg, 49, died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe earlier this month

The family of the woman killed by an Uber self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle.

Cristina Perez Hesano, attorney with the firm of Bellah Perez in Glendale, Arizona, said 'the matter has been resolved' between Uber and daughter and husband of Elaine Herzberg.

Herzberg, 49, died after being hit by an Uber self-driving SUV in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe earlier this month.

Terms of the settlement were not given.

The law firm representing them said that Herzbergs daughter and husband, whose names were not disclosed, will have no further comment on the matter as they consider it resolved.

Fall-out from the accident could stall the development and testing of self-driving vehicles, which are designed to eventually perform far better than human drivers and sharply reduce the number of motor vehicle fatalities that occur each year.

Herzberg was jay-walking across a divided four-lane road with her bicycle when she was struck. A video taken from a dash-mounted camera inside the vehicle showed the SUV traveling along a dark street when suddenly the headlights illuminated Herzberg

Other footage showed the human driver who was behind the wheel, Rafaela Vasquez, mostly looking down and not at the road in the seconds before the accident

Uber and microchip developer Nvidia Corp have put self-driving car testing programs on hold following the fatality, which is believed to be the first death of a pedestrian struck by a self-driving vehicle.

The fatality also presents an unprecedented liability challenge because self-driving vehicles, which are still in the development stage, involve a complex system of hardware and software often made by outside suppliers.

Herzberg was jay-walking across a divided four-lane road with her bicycle when she was struck.

A video taken from a dash-mounted camera inside the vehicle that was released by Tempe police showed the SUV traveling along a dark street when suddenly the headlights illuminated Herzberg in front of the SUV.

Herzberg was taken to hospital but died of her injuries. She is shown (left) in a social media photograph and (right) in a mugshot

Vasquez was traveling at 40mph at the time, well within the 45mph speed limit, and insisted that she was alert but that nothing could have been done to stop the crash

Other footage showed the human driver who was behind the wheel, Rafaela Vasquez, mostly looking down and not at the road in the seconds before the accident.

Herzberg, 49, known fondly as 'Elle' and 'Ms Elle', was widely known and liked throughout the homeless community of Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix.

'She was like everyone's aunt,' said Benjamin Jeffrey, a friend of Herzberg and also homeless, who spoke to Reuters last week from an encampment near the scene of Sunday's accident.

'She didn't need to be on the streets and yet she did it with style and with couth and with originality,' Jeffrey said.

Police said Herzberg was killed while walking her bike across a four-lane road outside the crosswalk when she was struck by an Uber self-driving SUV traveling at about 40 miles per hour.

Friends of Vasquez, 44, defended her, saying that she is an intelligent woman who is devastated by what happened.

Vasquez told police that Herzberg, who had spent time in prison for drug offenses, stepped out in front of her with a bicycle carrying multiple shopping bags and that she had no time to brake before it hit her.

She was traveling at 38 mph at the time, well within the 45 mph speed limit and insisted that she was alert but that nothing could have been done to stop the crash.
Boeing has said it contained a 'limited' attack on a production facility by the WannaCry virus, after an engineer sent an alarming memo warning it could 'spread to airplane software.

The attack by the feared ransomware, which crippled the UK's National Health Serivice last year, hit a Boeing commercial airplane assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday.

'It is metastasizing rapidly out of North Charleston and I just heard 777 (automated spar assembly tools) may have gone down,' Mike VanderWel, chief engineer at Boeing Commercial Airplane production engineering wrote in a memo calling for 'All hands on deck', the Seattle Times reported.

VanderWel added his concern that the virus could hit equipment used in functional tests of airplanes and potentially 'spread to airplane software.'

The 787 Aft Body manufacturing area is seen at Boeing South Carolina in North Charleston, South Carolina in a file photo. The facility was attacked by WannaCry on Wednesday

The attack triggered widespread alarm within Boeing, but by later in the day the company was calling for calm.

'A number of articles on a malware disruption are overstated and inaccurate,' Boeing said in a statement a little after 7pm.

'Our cybersecurity operations center detected a limited intrusion of malware that affected a small number of systems. Remediations were applied and this is not a production or delivery issue,' the statement said.

Boeing spokeswoman Linda Mills told the Times that the vulnerability was 'limited to a few machines'.

She said software patches were deployed and there was no interruption to 777 production or any other program.

Boeing Dreamliner 787 planes sit on the production line at the company's final assembly facility in North Charleston, South Carolina in a file photo. The attack was quickly contained

WannaCry first gained infamy in May of 2017, in a series of attacks in countries around the world.

The UK National Health Services was one of the largest victims of that attack, with over 70,000 devices in English and Scottish hospitals infected. In all, some 200,000 computers were infected across 150 countries.

In December, the US government publicly declared that it considered North Korea to be responsible for that attack.

Microsoft issued a patch in April 2017 that fixes the vulnerability in Windows software that WannaCry exploits.

However, some companies with specialized equipment do not frequently update their custom software, for fear patches will damage the systems.
Kim Jong-Un will become the first North Korean leader since the end of the war to visit the South, as he meets President Moon Jae-in for talks next month.

The leaders will meet on the Southern side of the border village of Panmunjom on April 27, for the third-ever inter-Korean summit in history.

The meeting will be followed by landmark talks between Kim and US President Donald Trump, which could come as early as May, officials said today.

First leader: Kim Jong Un, pictured yesterday during his unofficial visit to China, will cross the border and meet with South Korea's president next month

'According to the will of both leaders, the South and North agreed to hold the '2018 South-North summit' on April 27 at the South's Peace House in Panmunjom,' representatives for both nations said in a joint statement after a meeting held on the northern side of the border village.

The leader of Pyongyang's delegation, Ri Son Gwon, said the meeting had been enabled thanks to 'many events that were unprecedented in inter-Korean relations' taking place in the past few months.

The meeting will see Kim become the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the end of the Korean War - although according to Pyongyang's official accounts, during the conflict his grandfather and predecessor Kim Il Sung went several times to Seoul, which twice fell to his forces.

Another round of working-level talks next Wednesday will discuss issues including protocol and security.

Next month's meeting comes after previous inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007, since when the North has made extensive progress in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Uniting: South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-Gyon, right, shakes hands with North Korean delegation head Ri Son-Gwon, left, before their meeting on the northen side of the border village of Panmunjom

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon crosses the border line to attend talks held on the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjom

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said that setting a date for the summit was a priority in the talks

KIM'S CHINA VISIT WAS FOR BEIJING TO ASSERT DOMINANCE, SAYS EXPERTS Kim Jong-un has been trying to get Beijing to agree to let him visit for years, and finally agreed after the North Korean dictator reached out to Us President Donald Trump, experts say. The aim of the surprise unofficial visit this week was to assert dominance and remind Kim that China is his closest ally. 'Beijing is concerned with any concessions that North Korea might make toward the U.S. in exchange for a U.S. security guarantee, and the emergence of a unified Korea as an American military ally on China's border,' Yun Sun, who runs the East Asia program and the China Program at the Stimson Center, wrote in an analysis on 38 North. 'Kim Jong Un's visit shows that China is not marginalized, but playing a leading role. This saves China a lot of face,' Pang Zhongying, a North Korea expert at Renmin University in Beijing, told The Associated Press. However, Zhongying added that the visit had mostly benefited Kim Jong-Un in his quest to show the U.S. and South Korea that he too has powerful friends. '[Meanwhile] North Korea once again is taking advantage of China. It plays the China card, showing South Korea and the U.S.: China is still my ally.' Advertisement

It has been subjected to multiple rounds of sanctions by the UN Security Council, US, South and others as a result, and tensions in the region have soared, with Kim and Trump engaging in a fiery war of words last year.

But a rapid rapprochement on the peninsula was kicked off by the Winter Olympics in the South and events have moved quickly since then, with a flurry of official visits between the two Koreas.

An advance team of Southern performers headed north on Thursday ahead of K-pop concerts in Pyongyang.

Also Thursday, China's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, was due to travel to Seoul to brief Moon on Kim's secretive visit to Beijing this week to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time.

It was the North Korean leader's first overseas trip since inheriting power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

China has long been the North's key diplomatic defender and provider of trade and aid, but relations have been strained by Pyongyang's weapons programmes, with Beijing showing a new willingness to implement UN sanctions against it.

Even so the two leaders hailed their nations' historic ties, with Xi accepting Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

'There is no question that my first foreign visit would be to the Chinese capital,' it quoted Kim as saying, calling it a 'noble obligation'.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (centre) and his wife Ri Sol Ju (centre right) are greeted by Chinese Communist Party members on the arrival at Beijing station in Beijing

The pink leather chairs inside the train contrast with its green and yellow exterior

The North Korean leader was treated to a lavish welcome by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his secretive trip to Beijing as both sides seek to repair frayed ties ahead of landmark summits between Seoul and Washington

Kim pledged that he was 'committed to denuclearisation' on the Korean peninsula, according to China's Xinhua news agency - but added this would depend on South Korea and the US taking what he called 'progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace'.

Analysts say both sides had reason to hold the meeting -- Pyongyang to secure Beijing's backing and support, and China to protect its interests in what it considers its backyard.

Robert Kelly, a professor at Pusan National University in South Korea, said: 'Xi would not grant this meeting unless the Chinese were genuinely concerned about the summits to come and wanted some kind of role to play.'

The South's JoongAng Daily newspaper said in an editorial Thursday that the meeting 'makes the situation more complicated because Xi stepped into the negotiation all of a sudden'.

'China will not simply look on,' it added.
An ABC radio presenter has been slammed on social media for telling a woman with a rare genetic skin disorder she looked like a burns victim.

Melbourne broadcaster Jon Faine showed a lack of sensitivity towards Carly Findlay when she explained her non-contagious ichthyosis caused her skin to become dry and flaky.

'You look as if you're a burns victim almost, and your whole face is covered with this red flush,' the 774 ABC presenter said on Wednesday morning.

Scroll down for audio

An ABC radio presenter has been slammed on social media for telling Carly Findlay, a woman with a rare genetic skin disorder, she looked like a burns victim

This was after Findlay, a Melbourne writer and disability advocate, had described how her moisturiser had her feel sore.

'It makes me really red and itchy and a bit shiny as I have to use paraffin for moisturiser and I sometimes walk a bit stiff because I'm sore  but it's the attitude of society that is more disabling,' she said.

The interview became more uncomfortable when Faine suggested her appearance was 'kind of good on Halloween' after Ms Findlay said she was used to 'kids being scared'.

Two minutes later, the writer talked about people just blurting out their thoughts to her.

Melbourne broadcaster Jon Faine showed a lack of sensitivity towards Carly Findlay when she explained her non-contagious ichthyosis caused her skin to become dry and flaky

'What's the worst you've ever heard?,' Faine asked.

Ms Findlay replied: 'There's lots of stuff. Can you have sex?.'

Moments later, the ABC presenter asked the married woman: 'What's the answer?'

Afterwards, Ms Findlay told her 10,651 Facebook followers it was an 'extremely difficult interview'.

'It showed the microaggressions issue in depth,' she said of her 29-minute interview on the ABC.

Afterwards, Ms Findlay told her 10,651 Facebook followers it was an 'extremely difficult interview'

Ms Findlay's Facebook followers expressed outrage at her treatment on the ABC

Ed Kennedy suggested Melbourne ABC radio's Jon Faine needed some 'sensitivity training'

Another man went further and described the line of questioning as 'utterly atrocious'

Ms Findlay's Facebook followers expressed outrage at her treatment on the ABC.

'That is disgusting! How dare he,' Robyn Hall wrote on her page.

Ed Kennedy suggested Faine needed some 'sensitivity training'.

'It's just not good enough. Sorry you had to go through that,' he said.

Another man went further.

'Wow this is utterly atrocious behaviour. I wonder if he picked up on the utter irony of every question and comment he made and your dignified responses,' Troy Thomas said.
They've ruthlessly pilloried both left and right over the years, and even savaged Donald Trump's run for president with a series of episodes that culminated in him being murdered.

So many people may be surprised by reports South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have nailed their political colors to the mast and come out as Republicans.

Radio host Larry Elder said the comedy duo announced their political persuasion while he was presenting them with a 'freedom' award from Norman Lear's left-wing campaign group, the People for the American Way Foundation.

Radio host Larry Elder said the comedy duo announced their political persuasion while he was presenting them with a 'freedom' award from Norman Lear's left-wing campaign group, the People for the American Way Foundation

Elder said the pair 'graciously accepted' their award before breaking into nervous laughter and saying, 'We're Republicans'

Elder tweeted: 'Trey Parker & Matt Stone of @SouthPark asked me to introduce them when they received a "freedom" award from Norman Lear's organization.

'After they graciously accepted, they said, "We're republicans." Nervous laughter. They repeated, "No, seriously, we're republicans."#Priceless.'

The group describes itself as a 'progressive advocacy organization' that exists to fight Right-wing extremism.

The revelation comes some two years after Parker and Stone screened a vicious attack on Trump which skirted the borders of decency and taste and arguably crossed them.

The revelation that South Park's writers are Republicans may surprise anyone who tuned into this 2015 episode which brutally attacked Donald Trump and his policies before the election

The episode, called 'Where My Country Gone', included a shocking finale showing Trump being raped and murdered

In an almost unprecedented attack on a running presidential candidate, the adult cartoon lampooned the Republican and in a shocking finale, showed the billionaire businessman being brutally raped and murdered.

The inflammatory episode of the satirical cartoon was supposed to attack Trump's immigration policies and mocked his oft-repeated promise to build a wall between the US and Mexico.

The episode, called 'Where My Country Gone', was screened in September 2015, and showed Trump becoming the President of Canada, causing all of the Canadians to flee across the border into America.
At least 68 people have died during a fire that erupted in a Venezuela police station after a riot involving prisoners.

The fire reportedly broke out after inmates set fire to mattresses in a bid to break free from the General Command of the Carabobo Police headquarters in Valencia, a town about 100 miles west of Caracas, on Wednesday.

Police were forced to use tear gas to disperse the crowd gathered outside the police station after the fire, as desperate relatives tried to find out what had happened to their loved ones.

Outrage: A female relative of one of the prisoners thought to have been killed in the fire breaks down as the crowd waits for news

Anger: Relatives of prisoners clashed with police outside the prison in Venezuela on Wednesday after authorities initially refused to confirm if anyone had died in a fire and riot

Heartbreaking: Two relatives break down outside the prison as it is confirmed that at least 68 people have died in the fire

Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on his official Twitter account that 68 people were dead and nearly all of them were prisoners.

He said the dead included two women who were staying overnight at the station, but he didn't provide any further details.

Dozens of men and women clashed with officers in riot gear outside the station, accusing police of keeping detainees in squalid conditions and demanding to know if their loved ones had survived the fire.

'I don't know if my son is dead or alive!' cried Aida Parra, who said she last saw her son a day before, when she went to deliver him food.

'They haven't told me anything.'

Relatives buried their hands in their faces as tears streamed down their cheeks, while some had to be held up with the support of friends and family as they collapsed in despair. Others wept quietly and clutched their hands in prayer.

Relatives of inmates held at the General Command of the Carabobo Police react as they wait outside the prison, where a fire broke out and left 68 dead

Impatience: Dozens of relatives had gathered outside the prison after news of the fire spread, desperate to find out what happened

A woman breaks down outside the prison as she waits for news of her relative on Wednesday

Tragedy: Officials later reported that nearly all of the 68 casualties were prisoners, but also included two women who were staying overnight at the station

A Window to Freedom, a nonprofit group that monitors conditions at Venezuela's jails, said preliminary but unconfirmed information indicated the riot began when an armed detainee shot an officer in the leg.

Shortly after that a fire broke out, with flames growing quickly as the blaze spread to mattresses in the cells.

Rescuers apparently had to break a hole through a wall to free some of the prisoners inside.

A Window to Freedom's director, Carlos Nieto Palma, said officials should be held accountable for failing to address deteriorating conditions in police station jails.

The group said overcrowding has become common throughout the country as detainees are kept long past customary brief holding periods before being sent to other larger jails before trial or freed.

A relative of prisoner cries outside the prison where at least 68 people died in a riot fire

Paramedics help a relative of an inmate held at the General Command of the Carabobo Police, who fainted, outside the prison

Dozens of men and women demanding to know if their loved ones had survived clashed with police officers in riot gear

'It's grave and alarming,' Nieto Palma said. 'What happened today in Carabobo is a sign of that.'

Opposition lawmaker Juan Miguel Matheus demanded that the pro-government leader of Carabobo state inform relatives about what had happened.

'The desperation of relatives should not be played with,' he said.

Clashes between prisoners and guards are not uncommon in Venezuela.

Inmates are frequently able to obtain weapons and drugs with the help of corrupt guards and heavily armed groups control cellblock gangs.
Students deciding whether to transition straight in to university from high school is no easy feat however taking some time off between studying could be the best way forward, a new study has revealed.

With university census dates looming, thousands of school-leavers are choosing if they will remain in their chosen course or drop out without having to pay any fees.

Despite the negative connotations with students who wait before taking up their next level of education or who drop their chosen courses, a study by the University of Sydney has indicated those who take gap years are most successful in their studies later.

Dimitri Kazanis (pictured) felt judged by others when he put aside a law scholarship to take a year off

He took the break year instead before resuming study to take up a teaching degree (pictured with girlfriend Sam)

When compared to undergraduates who enter university straight from high school and mature aged students it was found that when used constructively, gap years helped students gain skills, better grades and did not slow down their academic momentum.

Western Sydney man Dimitri Kazanis felt the scrutiny of others when he decided to put aside a generous scholarship at Western Sydney University in 2012 and take a year off, but ultimately the decision paid off.

'I had received a scholarship to study law at Western Sydney University in 2012, however I was quick to realise that the legal field was not something I was passionate about. I always had a passion and loved sharing knowledge

'Many people talked down the teaching profession and said that I would 'waste my ATAR' by not going into a profession like law

'For me, it was always Law or Teaching. I decided to leave my course and take some time before pursuing my dream.

'Many told me that it was a mistake. Perseverance was key at this time,' Mr Kazanis told Daily Mail Australia.

Since completing his Masters of Teaching Mr Kazanis has embarked on a career path he is passionate about

'I realised the census date was coming up, so I evaluated my options and decided to leave before I got too far into the course.

'Even though I was very grateful for the scholarship, how could I stay in a course and lead a career that I wasn't going to be 100 per cent passionate about and committed to.

Upcoming NSW university census dates University of Notre Dame: 23 March Macquarie University: 26 March University of NSW: 31 March University of Sydney: 31 March University of Technology, Sydney: 9 April Advertisement

'I took a gap year and worked hard to save some money. It allowed me to strategically set up my options, save money and enter teaching the next year.

'I always had the dream of eventually opening up my own tutoring centre coming from Western Sydney, you grow up wanting to beat the odds and prove the stereotypes wrong.

'I wanted to be that person who could help the underdog of the classroom. For the next three years, I put my head down with my independent tutoring and studies, which paved the pathway to making my dream come true.

'During this time, I also completed a Masters of Teaching.'

A study found taking time off between high school and university is beneficial

Mr Kazanis' business Precision Tuition has also now expanded to a team of more than 25 tutors, and assists over 150 students across Greater Western Sydney. '

His success story that would have never happened if he had continued with law which left him feeling unfulfilled and unmotivated.

The 24-year-old believes Australia needs to reverse the negative attitude associated with university 'drop-outs', particularly when youth are expected to make significant decisions regarding their future as young as only 17 or 18 years old.

Those who choose to leave their chosen course of study are often left to feel like failures however Mr Kazanis hopes the release of information like the University of Sydney analysis inspires others to bravely risk time off to make better informed decisions for themselves in the long term.
Wearing sunglasses and open-collared shirts that showed off their heavily tattooed physiques, five Nomad bikies strutted from court with their glamorous girlfriends today after fighting a police attempt to restrict their movements amid fears of a devastating turf war.

Police want to stop the high-ranking gang members from driving at night, entering licensed premises and using encrypted communication platforms including WhatsApp, Snapchat, Wickr and Hushmail.

The harsh measures - never before imposed on bikies - are part of a desperate police attempt to stave off a war between the Nomads and the Finks in the Hunter region of New South Wales after a spate of recent shootings.

Giving evidence in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday, Nomads national president Dylan Brittliffe said there had been no problems between the gangs for more than a year and that he had no idea who was behind attacks against Nomad members.

Left: Nomads Newcastle leader Bradley Bowtell. Right: Nomads National president Dylan Patrick Brittliffe with a glamorous blonde

Nomad Kane Benjamin Tamplin leaves court with a glamorous blonde on Thursday

Tamplin walks with one hand in his pocked alongside the blonde woman who carries a Louis Vuitton handbag over her shoulder

Nomads Newcastle leader Bradley Bowtell carries a bottle of water in his tattooed hand

Left: Kane Benjamin Tamplin. Right: James Kenneth Quinnell leaves court on Thursday

James Kenneth Quinnell leaves court after fighting a police attempt to restrict bikie movements

Giving evidence in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday, Nomads national president Dylan Patrick Brittliffe (pictured) said there had been no problems between the gangs for more than a year

James Kenneth Quinnell leaves court wearing sunglasses and carrying a smartphone in his hand

The harsh measures - never before imposed on bikies - are part of a desperate police attempt to stave off a war between the Nomads and the Finks. Pictured: Nomads National president Dylan Patrick Brittliffe with a glamorous blonde

Blake Kevin Martin leaves court wearing a gold watch and sunglasses with satchel over his shoulder

The restrictions would include not being allowed to enter any licensed premises in NSW or travelling in cars at night time over the next 12 months.

The group would be forced to hand their mobile phones over to police and reveal passwords upon the command of officers.

The restrictions can be imposed on anyone regarded to be 'involved in serious criminal activity' - even if they have not been convicted.

The orders would be obtained under similar legislation applied to suspected terrorists.

A raid on the Nomads clubhouse last weekend led to it being declared a restricted premises

The Newcastle chapter of the Nomads, which is allegedly part of escalating violence between rival bikie gangs around the city, north of Sydney

Bradley Bowtell (left and right) appeared in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney to oppose the order, represented by barrister Robert Cavanah

The troubled has spanned across the Hunter Valley region, mainly in Newcastle and Maitland (pictured)

Despite a judge last week saying the orders were 'draconian', NSW Police Criminal Groups Commander Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace told the Telegraph it was the next best step.

'We'd tried everything. We already had our toolbox - raids, arrests, FPOs, but the violence continued, so we reached out a little further.

'It's an attempt to not only curb violent behaviour, but also to have an impact on the way they're trying to do business.'

Chris O'Brien, the acting solicitor for the men, said: 'On behalf of each of the defendants, the orders are opposed. The consequence of the orders being made are so oppressive that it could potential put each of the defendants out of work.'

Police have established Task Force Darnay in response to the violence and have shut down a number of bikie clubhouses across the region

The police response follows seven drive-by shootings and firebombings involving the gangs across the Hunter Valley throughout the first nine weeks of this year.

The Newcastle chapters of the Finks and Nomads have seen their numbers rise in the first few months of 2018, as the two groups battle for supremacy in the region.

Police sources have told Daily Mail Australia they fear a bikie war could erupt, leading them to initiate a task force specifically to crack down on the local rival gangs before the violence turns deadly.

While much focus in recent weeks has been on bikie shootings across Sydney, just a few hours north tensions have been escalating over the past 12 months.

Where two years ago members of rival gangs would leave friendly comments to their rivals on Facebook, the goodwill appears to have dried up.
Thousand of land mines left over from past conflicts in the Middle East are being cleared away from an area close to where Jesus was baptised.

The site in Qasr El-Yahud in the West Bank attracts more than half a million pilgrims every year, many of who don't even realise how close they are to the explosives.

A project will now clear away the devices that have lain near the holy site for nearly five decades.

The place of Jesus' baptism is the third holiest site in Christianity organizers of the the land mine clearing have had to satisfy quarreling church denominations, as well as Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Photo released by HALO Trust shows a digger working at de-mining the land near the baptismal site of Jesus Christ, Qasr al Yahud, in the West Bank

'To see a site that is visited by over half a million pilgrims and tourists each year and for them to come in their buses and be so close to land mines is very unusual,' said James Cowan, the head of The HALO Trust, an international mine-clearing charity carrying out the project.

'We hope that pilgrims and tourists will be able to visit this site and celebrate the baptism of Christ in the way that was intended.'

Christians believe John the Baptist baptized Jesus at the site, a lush stretch of the Jordan River flanked by desert.

Thousand of land mines left over from past conflicts in the Middle East surround the area near where Jesus was baptised

It is Christianity's third holiest site after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, built on the spot where Christian belief says Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, constructed on the site where tradition holds Jesus was born.

The baptism marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry and many modern-day visitors don white robes and immerse themselves in the sacred waters in a show of faith.

Churches were built near the holy site as early as the 4th century.

Greek, Coptic, Syrian and Catholic churches, among several others, all had buildings in the area by the 1930s, erecting golden-domed shrines and other structures.

Israel captured the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East war and began planting the land mines on church land and in the surrounding area to protect it from enemies.

Israeli officials say that booby traps laid by Palestinian militants are also among the 3,000 explosive devices in the baptism site's vicinity.

Work started on removing the mines in March with several churches in the area surrounded by barbed-wire fencing and warning signs that read 'Danger Mines'

A small path was cleared for Pope John Paul II's visit in 2000 and pilgrims for years have been forced to coordinate their visits with the Israeli military because of security and land mine concerns.

In 2011, the site was finally officially opened to the public after Israel cleared a narrow road leading to the Jordan River.

Today, buses ferry hundreds of thousands of visitors along that road each year, with the surrounding area remaining off limits.

The $1.15 million project is funded by Israel and private donors and aims to open up access to the area for pilgrims, clergy and tourists in about a year.

The project began earlier in March, starting with work on the Ethiopian church's property, where barbed-wire fencing with yellow 'DANGER MINES!' warning signs encircles crumbling buildings.

Bulldozers were used to hunt for the explosive devices.

Within the area of the church, an armored vehicle dug into the earth, hoisting up a chunk of soil and then straining it through a sifter, searching for anti-personnel mines the size of a block of Camembert cheese.

A worker from Israel's National Mine Action Authority, who are working with the HALO Trust begin to clear 3,000 mines and explosive devices from the Qasr el Yahud baptism site

The mounds of soil were sifted through and put into a cleared or still hazardous pile.

In the distance, a string of anti-tank mines, each slightly larger than a 30-centimeter (12-inch) pizza, protruded from the ground.

Even detecting the mines has proven to be a difficult task with experts forced to comb through historical records, interview former Israeli soldiers and survey old maps.

Anti-tank mines, with heavier charges, are embedded to the west of an access road while anti-personnel mines and booby traps are located within the church plots.

But experts say identifying the mines isn't an exact process with the ever-shifting top soil of the Jordan River Valley displacing some of them.

Drones, dogs, metal detectors and bulldozers have been used to sniff out the rest of the mines.

'It's a challenge that requires working slowly, in a safe way and not to take any chances,' said Marcel Aviv, the director of the Israeli de-mining authority, INMAA.

A sign warning against land mines hanging in front of abandoned Christian monastery buildings

Eight churches are scattered across the nearly 250-acre expanse of land that borders the baptism site.

The churches share custodianship of many sites in the Holy Land and often come into conflict on how to manage them.

It took almost four years to get all denominations to agree to the terms of the project, a process that saw Cowan, The HALO Trust director, meet church leaders, including Pope Francis.

HALO also waded into the Middle Eastern conflict, seeking approval to work on the site from Israel, which controls the area, and getting a green light from the Palestinians who claim the West Bank as part of their future state.

Majid Fityani, the Palestinian governor of the nearby city of Jericho, welcomed the de-mining.

'We have been demanding the removal of these mines for a long time,' he said. 'We are interested in removing these mines that were planted by Israel because this is our land.'

A picture taken on March 11 showing workers and a mechanical digger from the HALO Trust, a UK-based non-profit de-mining organisation

Representatives from both sides were brought in to supervise HALO's work. Jordan provides access to the baptism site from the other side of the river and Cowan also met with the country's king to discuss the matter.

'We pray and hope that the clearance of land mines around the baptism site will contribute to peace and reconciliation in our region, which is very much needed at this time,' Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of the Holy Land, said in a statement.

'We are glad that after many years, pilgrims from around the world will be able to fully experience and venerate this holy site.'
Gold Coast City Council has backflipped on the decision to ban outdoor activities such as fire twirling, slacklining and the playing of bongo drums in a Burleigh Heads park over concerns of anti-social behaviour.

Mayor Tom Tate advised the community via Facebook that Councillor Pauline Young is now sorting out the issue.

'The sign is being replaced with one that says that says the activity just needs a permit - which is really about the players and especially the fire twirlers having insurance in case someone gets hurt, especially children,' he wrote.

'The players, fire twirlers and slack rope walkers just need the same public liability insurance like personal trainers in parks.

'I think this means the bongos will be right to keep going.'

The Gold Coast council backflipped on a ban which prohibited fire twirling, bongo drums and slacklining at a popular Burleigh Heads park

The signs which were installed on Tuesday, are directed at a series of drumming circles and cultural events which fed-up locals claim went hand-in-hand with alcohol and other substances.

According to the council, the events had been flagged as a problem by residents who live near the area.

Complaints of excessive noise, a lack of respect for the area and graffiti were detailed as an issue according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

In less than 24 hours when the sign was erected it had already been vandalised with the words 'fun' over the new park rules.

'It appears the sign has been appropriately updated overnight,' one person said posting a photo of the vandalised sign.

Bongos at Burleigh is on every Sunday evening at the park and was described to attract 'anti social behaviour'

Area Councillor Pauline Young said concerns were raised about the area being used inappropriately (Stock photo, it is not alleged the persons shown acted inappropriately)

Area Councillor Pauline Young said concerns were raised about the area being used inappropriately.

'For the last month, we've been working alongside a stakeholder group, to come up with a better direction, and bring groups who use the park for recreational activities into line, under the same permit,' she told the paper.

She said: 'The actions of a rogue few, are reflecting back on, what used to be a very popular event.'

In 1999, Matthew McConaughey was arrested for playing the bongos nude while he was high on marijuana in Austin, Texas

Facebook users have hatched a plan to start a petition to remove the the sign and the newly introduced rules.

'I hadn't seen that sign but what a disgrace, the council should be asked to 'please explain.' I'd like to see their reasoning behind this ban and was the local community consulted. It seems to me it's petition time,' one user said.

Another user posted: 'The Sunday "drumming " in Burleigh has been a cultural highlight every Sunday for years in Burleigh. I agree, alcohol wrecks the family friendly vibe. Instead of banning the drumming etc, could they had out fines to drunk people and this would clean it up?'

One person has drawn attention that this ban might be directed at American actor, Matthew McConaughey who was arrested for playing the bongos nude while he was high on marijuana in Austin, Texas.
The lake is about six inches above its long-term average, but it's about seven inches lower than it was at this time last year. Bevacqua compared the lake levels in 2017 to 2016, when it was also about seven inches higher than the current level. But flooding wasn't a problem in 2016.

Bevacqua said the current lake level is a "poor predictor" of whether there will be flooding later this spring.

"What happened last year was unusual and unlikely to recur, but it is possible," he added.

The state is preparing for possible flooding. Cuomo directed state agencies to ensure the Lake Ontario Rapid Response Team is ready for deployment. The team includes employees from the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Financial Services, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the New York State Police and the Office of General Services. Local government agencies are also part of the response effort.

Resources are already being deployed to counties along the lake. The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has started to distribute nearly 250,000 sandbags and sandbagging equipment, according to the governor's office.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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Missing: Katherine Sarah Brewster, 27, from London, went to meditate on Sunday and never returner

Police in Brazil are searching for a British tourist who was last seen heading barefoot to a beauty spot to meditate, it was reported today.

Katherine Sarah Brewster, 27, had been staying in a remote village in Alpestre, in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina.

She reportedly left the Dom Jose village early on Sunday to practise meditation at a nearby reservoir and never returned.

Police said she had been staying in a hippie commune called Unipermacultura or Ecovila Dom Jose.

Residents of the Permacultura alternative community, based in the village, which is based on the permaculture ideals of sustainable living, reportedly raised the alarm on Tuesday.

However, a Unipermacultura spokesman denied she was staying in the commune or that she'd had any contact with anyone there.

The spokesman said she was staying with a couple in the village, adding that she had come after her boyfriend who was a friend of the couple.

Luiz Vasconcelos said: 'Katherine was our guest and she had nothing to do with the eco-village in Dom Jose.

'She came here looking to make contact with nature and the plants and went out a lot to meditate.

'We know nothing more that what we have told the police. Unexpectedly, Katherine just disappeared in a strange way and we don't want to start guessing her motives or the whereabout of where she might be.

'Hopefully everything will become clear soon with the best possible outcome.'

Police began a search of the area yesterday afternoon using sniffer dogs but claimed their efforts were hampered by 'rugged terrain'.

Ms Brewster, from London, reportedly left the village barefoot and wearing light clothes and bermuda shorts.

Hippie commune: Ms Brewster is said to have been staying in this 'eco village' in Alpestre, southern Brazil, where members reported her missing on Tuesday

Alternative community: Others staying in the village said that it was not unusual for Ms Brewster to go into the wild to meditate

She left her mobile phone behind but as carrying her British passport and a credit card, according to investigators.

Villagers last saw her walking towards a wooded area on route to the Foz de Chapeco dam, where she would often go to meditate, according to reports.

Police chief Ercilio Carletti, who is leading the search, said: 'She was staying together with an alternative community that lives outside the town, a long way in the sticks.

Mystery: Ms Brewster left behind her mobile phone, as well as her driving licence, but reportedly took her passport with her

'The community is called Unipermacultura. One of its members came to communicate her disappearance.

'The information we have is that she came to spend time with this community. On Sunday she left to go walking and didn't come back.

'We're in contact with the search team to help with sniffer dogs in case she is lost in the woods.

'She could also have left to go voluntarily to another place, because she took her documents.

'One of the hypotheses is that she went into the lake, which is very deep. The area there has many ravines, it's very complicated.'

The Unipermacultura commune describes itself as 'a secular ecovillage, where we live ecumenically respecting all manifestations and religious cults.. we will respect individuals and their individual choices as long as they do not affect the collective harmony.'

However yesterday the community's coordinator denied the Englishwoman had been in the community.

Clairton da Silva told Brazil's Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper Ms Brewster had never taken part in any of their projects and had no links with the group.

She said: 'What is known is that she was staying in the home of a couple situated close to Unipermacultura.

Missing: Police are combing through the area where the young British woman went missing, but say their efforts are being hampered by 'rough terrain'

Ms Brewster arrived Brazil two years ago to 'pilgrimage in nature', according to Brazil's GauchaZH website. Other reports claim she arrived in the country at the start of this year.

She reportedly arrived at the Dom Jose community popular with hippies on February 20 after staying with friends in coastal city Florianopolis, southern Brazil.

According to a statement made to police by the owners of the house where she was staying, she had a philosophy of 'living in contact with nature' and often went out to meditate alone in the wild.

The wooded area she would walk through runs alongside the vast Uruguay River, where attacks by anacondas, alligators and jaguars have also been reported.

Police yesterday said that the British Consulate in Sao Paulo have already been informed about Ms Brewster's disappearance, who have contacted her family back in the UK.
A broadcaster and his son have been left bloody and bruised, lucky to be alive, after they say a drone may have ran into their small aircraft and sent it hurtling towards the ground.

Rod Vaughan, who crashed into a cornfield in Waihi, was hanging upside down in the debris of his plane, covered in his own blood and shocked he wasn't dead when rescue crews arrived, the New Zealand Herald has reported.

Now he says the crash may have been caused by a drone.

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Broadcaster Rod Vaughan was flying over the Waihi skyline when a possible drone hit the plane and sent him and his son hurtling towards the earth he says

The plane (pictured) was travelling at 90kmph as it descended into a cornfield and flipped over on impact, leaving Vaughan and his son Richard covered in blood and shocked they were alive

His claim that a rogue drone is responsible for the crash is backed by the chief flying instructor of the nearest aero club who was one of the first on the scene.

Vaughan was taking his son, Richard, who was visiting form Germany, for an afternoon flight in a Aeroprakt Foxbat.

They were almost 2000 feet up when an unknown object hurtled into the windscreen of the aircraft making it shatter.

In mere seconds they went from cursing along the New Zealand skyline, taking in the view, to fighting for their lives.

'Suddenly the windscreen just exploded... the things just fell apart,' he said.

The wind-force coming through the plane dislodged the doors, smashed the side and back windows and sent Vaughan's headset flying.

Vaughan was taking his son, Richard, who was visiting form Germany, for an afternoon flight in a Aeroprakt Foxbat

He knew he had to make an emergency landing. Seeing a cornfield in the distance Vaughan managed to turn the plane towards it.

'I said to Richard, I shouted at him, this is where we are going, I don't know whats going to happen, but I don't think it's going to be a good outcome here. But just brace yourself.'

Vaughan said he thought the plane was travelling at 90kmh as it descended towards the field. It clipped the top of a hedge on the way down and then, landing hard, flipped itself over.

The pair hung upside down in the field. They had escape the potentially fatal crash with just minor injuries. Vaughan had cut his head and Richard suffered bruising.

Vaughan's split decision to bring the plane down in the field potentially saved the pairs lives

He believes the unknown object was a drone and says that the recreational toys pose a serious threat to flyers

After he's injuries began to heal, Vaughan begun to think how how this could have happened.

Because of the way the window smashed he concluded it was either a bird, a high velocity rifle or a drone. He ruled the first two out because he hadn't seen any bird activity in the area and the latter was just highly unlikely.

If Vaughan's theory is right, that a rogue drone did take them out, this will be the first time in New Zealand that a drone has caused an aviation crash.

Across the globe the potential for drones to crash into aircraft is fast becoming an issue.

If Vaughan's theory is right it would be the first time a drone has bought a plane down in New Zealand

Currently in the US a helicopter's crash landing is being investigated after aviation experts realised it may have been caused by a drone.

In March, Air New Zealand called for tougher regulations on drone use after one came within just metres of a plane coming into land at Tokyo airport.

Vaughan, who was famously punched in the face by Sir Bob Jones earlier on in his career, says that drones pose a serious threat to recreational flyers as they can be bought for as little as $90 and are hard to see.

'That doesn't give pilots much room to avoid these things. Some can be pretty small and almost impossible to see from a cockpit. The drones are essentially invisible.'
Johan van Hulst (pictured), who later became a senator in the Netherlands, rescued over 600 young Jews in Amsterdam during the Holocaust

A Dutch seminary leader who saved hundreds of Jewish children from the Nazis has died at the age of 107.

Johan van Hulst, who later became a senator in the Netherlands, rescued over 600 young Jews in Amsterdam during the Holocaust.

He was recognised as Righteous Among the Nations - a title for non-Jews who saved Jews from murder during the Nazi slaughter - in 1972.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu honoured Van Hulst during a trip to the Netherlands in 2012, telling him: 'We say, those who save one life save a universe.

'You saved hundreds of universes. I want to thank you in the name of the Jewish people, but also in the name of humanity.'

He saved the children while head of a Protestant school that was opposite a nursery used by the Nazis to detain young Jews before they were moved to death camps.

When there were too many children - under-12s were separated from their parents by the Nazis - they would be moved to Van Hulst's school.

After the war, he served in the senate between 1956 and 1981 in the Christian Democratic Appeal party. Pictured left: Van Hulst in The Hague in 1971

Van Hulst then established an 'ingenious system' to hide some of the children across the city - often smuggling them in sacks and laundry baskets.

He did not declare them on documents given to the Nazis, thus avoiding being caught.

If 30 children were moved to the school, he would only write down 25 names.

He was asked by an inspector from the Dutch education ministry in 1943, while under the watchful gaze of SS thugs: 'Are those Jewish children?'

Van Hulst (pictured during his political career), however, always felt that he did not do enough

Van Hulst replied: 'You don't really expect me to answer that, do you?'

But the inspector, who shook his hand, simply said: 'In God's name, be careful.'

He was eventually forced to go into hiding after a collaborator gave up his scheme in 1945.

After the war, he served in the senate between 1956 and 1981 in the Christian Democratic Appeal party.

Van Hulst, however, always felt that he did not do enough.

In 2015, he said: 'I actually only think about what I have not been able to do. To those few thousand children that I could not have saved.'

There are over 5,000 Rights Among the Nations in the Netherlands, the country with the second highest number after Poland.

He died in Amsterdam on March 22.
Disgraced former Auburn deputy major Salim Mehajer has been granted Supreme Court bail.

Mehajer was ordered to adhere to strict bail conditions in court Thursday, including reporting to police twice daily, Seven News reported.

He was behind bars accused of staging a car accident to get out of facing court for bashing a taxi driver.

Disgraced former Auburn deputy major Salim Mehajer (pictured) has been granted Supreme Court bail

The controversial Sydney businessman previously failed three times to convince a magistrate his release on bail was warranted.

The 31-year-old finally won his freedom on Thursday evening on condition of a $200,000 surety following an all-day hearing in the NSW Supreme Court.

Justice Desmond Fagan granted him bail, saying he would have to report to Bankstown police station twice daily, not leave the state of NSW and not go within 500 metres of Sydney airport.

When he took his third shot at freedom, he raised claims of bikie gang threats and looming bankruptcy.

The controversial Sydney businessman (pictured) previously failed three times to convince a magistrate his release on bail was warranted

Mehajer was on his way to face court on charges of assaulting a taxi driver in October when his Mercedes slammed into another vehicle at Lidcombe.

Representing himself in early March, he admitted his current situation was 'an absolute mess', with frozen bank accounts affecting his business, family, employees and investors.

Magistrate Jacqueline Trad said the points Mehajer raised were already well ventilated and ruled he would remain behind bars until his matter was heard on March 28.

Mehajer was last month found guilty of assaulting a television reporter and is also awaiting a verdict next month on electoral fraud matters.
This is the moment a little boy struggles to jump onto a stool in his Taekwondo class in front of his classmates.

Try as he might, the child just cant seem to jump onto the stool that his teacher is holding.

The video, filmed in Qingdao City in eastern China's Shandong Province, starts with the little boys classmates taking turns to jump onto the cheetah-print cylinder.

This is the moment a little boy struggles to jump onto a stool in his Taekwondo class in front of his classmates

Each of them manages to perfect the action - until a much smaller child steps up to try.

The adorable little one jumps up and down a couple of times but fails to move forward onto the stool.

A fellow student can be seen laughing in the background as the adult in the clip urges the child to jump onto the stool.

The footage was filmed on March 18.
A leading Labour moderate is on the brink of quitting the party over Jeremy Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism and his response to the Salisbury attack.

John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, is contemplating quitting the Labour whip and spending the rest of his time in Parliament as an independent.

Mr Woodcock is an arch Corbyn critic and has previously said that he could not back him as Prime Minister.

He is furious at the way Mr Corbyn has failed confront the anti-Semitism that has plunged Labour into crisis.

The Labour leader stands accused of not confronting the abuse and anti-Semitic tropes peddled by his supporters and in his name.

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John Woodcock (pictured in Parliament this week) MP for Barrow and Furness, is contemplating quitting the Labour whip and spending the rest of his time in Parliament as an independent

Labour MPs who have spoken out against the abuse abuse and attended the protest against it outside Parliament on Monday night have been threatened with deselection and deluged with hate mail from Corbynistas.

Mr Corbyn issued a grovelling apology to Jewish leaders vowing to do more to tackle the abuse in a desperate bid to get on top of the scandal.

But he is facing a fresh crisis today after the Daily Mail revealed that Christine Shawcroft, Labour's disciplinary chief and a key Corbyn ally, has quit for opposing the suspension of an apparent Holocaust denier.

Mr Woodcock, who has been an MP since 2010, is also furious at Mr Corbyn's response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

Jeremy Corbyn (pictured in Parliament this week) has come under heavy criticism for his handling of the anti-Semitism sweeping through the ranks of his supporters

Labour was in meltdown over anti-Semitism last night after its disciplinary chief Christine Shawcroft (pictured) resigned for opposing the suspension of an apparent Holocaust denier

The Labour leader called for the British authorities refused to condemn the Kremlin for the attack and called for a sample of the poison used to verify the results.

And his official spokesman cast doubt over MI5's investigations - suggesting the intelligence services cannot be trusted because of the Iraq War.

When Mr Corbyn stood up in the House of Commons earlier this week to insist he has been a longtime critic of the Kremlin, Mr Woodcock leapt to his feet to challenge him.

Mr Corbyn told MPs he had been 'a robust critic of the actions of the Russian government for more than 20 years'.

The Labour leader said he had opposed abuse in Chechnya, the oppression of LGBT rights and 'dodgy laundering by Russian oligarchs of money through London'.

Mr Woodcock, a frequent critic of Mr Corbyn, immediately intervened to demand: 'I was not intending to intervene in this, but I cannot actually let that remark go by.

'I've sat here reading his article in the Morning Star after Russia annexed part of Ukraine, where the strongest criticism he makes there is 'on Ukraine, I would not condone Russian behaviour or expansion, but it is not unprovoked'.

'And then into the usual criticism of the US and Nato and UK policy.

'It's just not true.'

Tory MPs screamed 'more' after Mr Woodcock's extraordinary intervention, but Mr Corbyn sarcastically said: 'I thank my honourable friend for his usual helpful intervention. Thank you very much.'

Mr Williamson turned on him and shouted that he should cross the floor and sit with the government.

An unmoved Mr Woodcock merely put his hand to his ear and looked scathingly at the prominent Corbynista.

The angry spat in the Commons last night exposed the scale of the tensions among Labour MPs amid a renewed outcry at Mr Corbyn's performance.
Serial sex attacker John Worboys will be kept in prison for at least a few more months after a court overturned a decision to release him

The victims of black cab rapist John Worboys have spoken of their ongoing trauma following his attacks - and their relief that he will be staying in jail for now.

Yesterday, High Court judges took the unprecedented step of overturning a parole board decision to release Worboys, finding the prison panel hadn't properly looked at the sex attacker's criminality.

Worboys will now stay in jail until a new parole hearing can be arranged in the next few months.

His victims have now spoke of their relief at the decision, with one saying the case had been hanging over her for months.

One of the women who took the case to court said: 'Justice has been served and a lot of women will sleep better, knowing he will remain behind bars.

'He's not somebody that should be walking the streets. I'm thrilled at this decision, but the whole system failed in this case, from start to finish. I feel I have been let down at every step.'

She added: 'Why did I have to do all this? I would never have imagined back in 2008 that I would be in this position of basically being forced to be the justice system. Why did it have to be me? I wouldn't want any other woman to have to go through what I've gone through.'

One of Worboys' victims spoke to Good Morning Britain's Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid

Another victim, referred to as Stacey, told ITV's Good Morning Britain today: 'You feel frightened in that you've been holding your breath for months and then the relief of letting it go. That's how I felt yesterday afternoon. You have a spring in your step. It's marvellous.'

The victim, who was drugged by Worboys after she was in a pub, branded him 'a total menace to society and women'.

She praised the media for highlighting the case and forcing it to court.

Describing her case, she said: 'It was a calculated move but I still don't know to this day what happened.

'They found my DNA is his cab, quite significantly, a long time after I reported it. They then found my details in a notebook when they did a sweep of his house.

'You don't realise the effect it has on you. it's almost like you living in this cloud, and its only then when you come out and you think "wow, look at the impact". You're not yourself, but you think you are.

'I just think there are plenty more victims out there. I would say in terms of how he is and his ability, there's more out there. He's a threat.'

Worboys during a recent court appearance. His victim described him as 'a total menace'

Worboys was convicted of attacks on 12 women at his 2009 trial after 'sample' charges were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service. But police believe he assaulted at least 105 between 2002 and 2008.

In a scathing ruling yesterday, three judges cited basic failures in the Parole Board's handling of the case.

They said the 60-year-old's claim that he posed no risk had 'not been probed to any extent, if at all'.

The fiasco led to the sacking yesterday of the board's chief, left a minister on the brink and sparked fears that the whole parole system might not be fit for purpose.

Ministers last night ordered an urgent review into recent decisions to release six other dangerous criminals straight from top-security prisons.

Another of his victims told MailOnline: 'I'm really delighted to know this has been the ruling and he is back behind bars.

'I find Worboys completely inhuman and as I have said before, the image of his face is inescapable.

'Regardless of his pleas of righteousness, I cannot imagine a time when he will be 'safe' to walk the streets. Given how long the time frame and how numerous the offences, he should never earn the right for the freedom he has taken from others.'

The court's decision led to the forced resignation of parole board chairman Nick Hardwick (left). Justice Secretary David Gauke (right) is also under pressure over his department's handling of the case

The victim, who has never told her parents what happened to her, said she had tried and failed to block the attack from her memory.

As the decision was announced, Parole Board chairman Nick Hardwick was forced to resign in disgrace. But Justice Secretary David Gauke was fighting to keep his job with lawyers for the victims suggesting he should also be held accountable.

Mr Gauke turned down the chance to bring a judicial review himself, and authorised the use of taxpayers' money to defend the right of the Parole Board to cloak its decision in total secrecy.

Tory MP Anna Soubry said she was seeking reassurances 'that there are not other instances where the Parole Board has released people who we deemed to be dangerous in circumstances where they should not be'.

Another Conservative MP, Julian Lewis, said the crisis 'illustrates the fact that there is a culture of consideration for rapists and murderers that puts the public gravely at risk'.
This is the hilarious moment a teenager becomes confused by a rotary telephone and fails to dial her mother's number - to the exasperation of her grandmother.

Footage, believed to be filmed somewhere in the US, shows the child pointing to the old telephone and asking 'what's this?' to her grandmother who is recording the humorous scenes.

The astonished adult replies: 'What do you mean, "what is it"? It's a d*** phone!'

This is the hilarious moment a teenager becomes confused by a rotary telephone and fails to dial her mother's number - all to the exasperation of her grandmother

'How do you use it?' the bewildered teenager asks, only for her grandmother to become increasingly appalled by her granddaughter's lack of knowledge of the older generation's technology.

The exchange continues until the child tries to dial her mother. But instead of using the machine correctly, the teenager starts to press down on the numbers.

Gobsmacked, her grandmother yells: 'What are you doing pushing your finger in the hole trying to dial? Youve got to spin the wheel like wheel of fortune girl.'

The teenager then questions why there are letters on the machine if you can't text, to which her elder says: 'You cant text, youve got to talk to people. It is a telephone - you all are too high tech.'

Footage, believed to be filmed somewhere in the US, shows the child pointing to the old telephone and asking 'what's this' to her grandmother who is recording the humorous scenes

Eventually the teenager gives up and can be seen using her mobile phone instead.

Wanting the last word, her stunned grandmother says: 'This is ridiculous, Im going to talk to your mom. Matter of fact, I have another phone like that and itll be at your house tomorrow and youre going to learn how to use that phone.'

Social media users were quick to react to the footage that was published on January 24, 2018.

'I feel sorry for that girl if that is the way her grandmother talks to her,' one said.

Another added: 'I miss using those rotary phones. I don't think she should be so upset with her. It's not her fault that she has no idea what it is, but it's still funny!'
The country's highest-ranking transgender soldier has praised the British Army as 'fantastic' as she and her partner announced their hopes of having children.

Captain Hannah Winterbourne, 31, and Jake Graf, 40, walked down the aisle at Chelsea Town Hall in London last week.

Hannah spent the first few years of her time in the army as a man before deciding to undergo a sex-change operation while on a tour of Afghanistan six years ago.

She has now praised the army and her fellow soldiers for supporting her through the transition.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Jake spoke of the couple's hopes of having children, having tied the knot on Friday

Captain Winterbourne (left, before, and right, after her transition) spent her first years in the Army as a man before she spoke about her decision to transition while still on active duty

'The British Army have been fantastic,' she said. 'The army just really gets it.

'We have a really difficult job to do and you want the person next to you to be really good at our job because that could be a really dangerous situation

'You dont care whether theyre transgender, gay black or Muslim. It doesnt matter at all because we focus on our job and our output.

'All my peers were supportive and made sure I was happy and could keep doing my job.'

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Jake spoke of the couple's hopes of having children, having tied the knot on Friday.

Jake, who starred alongside Eddie Redmayne in Hollywood film The Danish Girl, began transitioning in his mid-twenties having endured a hellish childhood.

Captain Hannah Winterbourne, 31, and Jake Graf, 40, walked down the aisle at Chelsea Town Hall in London last week

Captain Hannah Winterbourne (right) has married actor Jake Graf (right) - who was born a woman. Pictured, the pair after getting engaged in New York's Central Park

Captain Winterbourne (pictured with Mr Graf) said she was 'terrified' before their first date but is now overjoyed at their nuptials

He said: 'Ive worked as a manny for the last 20-odd years. So Ive looked after other peoples children but its come to the point where Id like to have my own.

'Hannah is amazing with children and we regularly look after our niece and nephew.

'For us, kids is a definite. Whether that is through surrogacy or adoption, we hope it can happen soon.'

The couple also spoke they first met and coming out as transgender to their parents and family.

Hannah's picture on a front-page story in 2015 caught the eye of Jake, who told a mutual friend that he thought she looked cute  before the pair starting talking.

Although Hannah said she was 'terrified' before their first date on London's South Bank, the fact that Mr Graf was also transgender made things a lot easier.

Their relationship flourished and the pair got engaged when Mr Graf  who was in 2015 film The Danish Girl alongside Eddie Redmayne - proposed in New York.

Jake Graf (pictured left before his transition and right afterwards) said he went through hell when he was a child

Jake, who starred alongside Eddie Redmayne in Hollywood film The Danish Girl, began transitioning in his mid-twenties having endured a hellish childhood

Hannah, pictured left before her transition, started the process four years ago after a tour of Afghanistan

Speaking about his childhood, Jake said: 'I knew from two and a half to three years old that I was a boy and I was very vocal about it from a very young age.

'It is always how Ive been and Ive just had to realign my body to how my minds feels and I think the same is true of Hannah.

'We dont want people to be walking around feeling like they are walking on eggshells or worrying about offending. Occasionally youll get it wrong and slip up.

'My mother, for years, called me by my old name but it was coming from a place of love and quite often people want to get it right but dont have the information.'

'She said a year after me going through my transition that she did cry for her little girl for many months which obviously was heartbreaking but she has just been amazing and my own personal cheerleader.'

Hannah added: 'Both sets of our parents were very happy, but it took several years for us to work through those processes and understand who we really are.
VIP guests said they were left 'devastated' by the quality of food and queues at a prosecco festival after paying up to 35 for a ticket.

One woman bought five VIP tickets for the Prosecco & Fizz Festival, which describes itself as the 'biggest and best' event at City Hall in Cardiff on Saturday.

Rhian James, from Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, said she was left 'devastated' when she and her friends arrived at the 'embarrassing' festival.

Another guest complained about the huge queues in the VIP area and said she had to eat crumpets and toast at home because she was so hungry.

Customers were left disappointed after being served the food at the event which was held in Cardiff on Saturday

Adverts on the official website said the guests would be treated to 'Italian street food' (pictured here, an advert on their website)

VIP guests were also promised a free glass of prosecco upon arrival at the event held in 'iconic' British venues (pictured here, an advert on their official website)

The event describes itself as being 'probably the biggest and best prosecco festival' which is 'an absolute must' for proescco fans.

It adds that the festivals are held in 'historic and iconic' British buildings and guests are treated to 'Italian street food'.

Ms James, 32, said: 'It was my decision. I saw it advertised on Facebook and I thought it would be one of those brunches.

'There wasn't much marketing on it so I thought it would have nibbles with stands or a bottomless brunch type of thing.

'We paid 30 each for VIP tickets. It was myself and four girlfriends who went, and we all paid the same.'

She added: 'When I arrived I was given two free drinks tokens and a free glass of prosecco. But two girls in my group didn't get the free tokens.

'We arrived at different times and I was the last to arrive. It was really bizarre. It was like we were waiting for something to happen.

'Our group shared a table with some strangers. We were served some Italian canapes in a plastic tray. It was embarrassing.

'We had to share this with strangers on our table. There were 10 people on our table.

'For any other food you had to pay for that separately. I saw people with pizza and chips.'

VIP tickets were advertised as having seats in their own VIP area, own VIP bar and keepsake glass, as well as drinks tokens and food.

But Ms James claimed that wasn't the case and said the event was 'badly organised' and there 'was no VIP section'.

She added: 'Everyone just had to sit where they could get a seat. It was such a disaster.

'I remember I felt embarrassed because I was the one who had instigated it all. It sounded like a perfect girly-day out. But it was awful.

'We left after about an hour-and-a-half. It was really bad.

'We did try and complain and were told to email an address on the flyer. You had to be there to believe it.'

People had spent up to 35 for VIP tickets for the Prosecco & Fizz Festival (right) which was held at City Hall in Cardiff (left)

Lisa Morgan, 49, from Nantgarw, said she paid 80 in total for three early bird tickets.

She bought the tickets as an early birthday present for one of her friends, but said she was shocked at what she saw.

Ms Morgan claimed they waited in a queue for VIPs which was longer than the one for general entry and around three hours later to go and eat elsewhere.

She said: 'We were home by 9.30pm eating toast and crumpets because we were so hungry.

'I'm absolutely gutted because it was a present. I'm a stickler for researching things and I thought she'd like it.

'But from the moment we had to queue it felt wrong. It was not what we expected.'

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'We spoke to the organiser at Cardiff who insisted he hadn't heard any complaints.

'Everyone we spoke to thought it was terrible. I was one of the lucky ones who only paid 15 for a ticket, but some paid 35 plus.

'It was the cheesiest thing I've ever been to in my life.'

The event describes itself as being 'probably the biggest and best prosecco festival' which is 'an absolute must' for proescco fans (pictured here, an advert from their site)

Ms Morgan said she contacted the organisers and was told she would be getting a refund, but as of Wednesday night, had not received one.

A spokeswoman for the organisers said: 'We would like to apologise that some people were disappointed with our event at City Hall, Cardiff on March 24, 2018.

'We welcome the feedback regarding queues and the seating arrangements. We apologise that the food we provided did not live up to some guests expectations and we admit that in a few cases the quantity and choice fell below our normal standards.

'We contracted a local reputable catering company for the event and will be forwarding the comments directly to them and will bear in mind the feedback when we plan the catering for our future events.

'The majority of the 1000+ guests that attended our event were delighted with the choice of venue; at being given a good quality Prosecco Spumante DOC on arrival; enjoyed our broad range of Prosecco that was available throughout the event.

'We also provided four hours of live music by professional musicians during each 4  hour session with the majority of guests thoroughly enjoying their experience and staying until the end.'

The Prosecco Festival, which is being held in Cardiff in October, said it was in no way connected to the event held at City Hall on Saturday.

Jessica Rice, company director of Prosecco Festival LTD, said: 'The event at City Hall run by the Prosecco & Fizz Festival is in absolutely no way connected to, or affiliated to the very successful Prosecco Festival LTD which travels across the UK to more than 40 locations, including the very successful Prosecco Festival at Portland House in Cardiff and Swansea's Brangwyn Hall.'
The $11 an hour rate went into effect in October, according to CNN Money.

At that time, there were discussions happening in Congress about the tax plan. However, there was no action taken on a single proposal. The House didn't pass its proposal until November. (Katko voted for the bill.) The final legislation wasn't approved until December  three months after Target announced its decision to raise employee wages.

Target has said that the tax law will benefit the company and allow it to address "long-standing capital deployment priorities, including capital investments, dividends and additional share repurchase." But its commitment to raise employee wages came before the tax law was finalized.

Conclusion
Family Dollar has agreed to pay $45million to settle a gender bias lawsuit that spans more than 15 years ago.

The discount retailer was accused by more than 37,000 female managers of paying its male counterparts more for doing the same job.

The lawsuit claimed this was a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

Family Dollar has reached a settlement with female managers to pay $45million for alleged gender pay discrimination. The lawsuit was filed by 49 female managers with the company who said there was an almost 16-year period of differing pay between genders

Family Dollar originally denied the claims that it paid female managers less but have since agreed to a settlement with the managers, the Charlotte Observer reported.

According to the settlement, 49 female managers filed Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charges against the store alleging a pattern of discriminatory wages towards women.

The claims from the employees go from July 2002 to November 2017, an almost 16-year period of alleged lower wages.

US District Judge Max Cogburn signed off on the settlement on March 14 to compensate the affected managers for the pay they did not receive.

Family Dollar denied any wrongdoing, saying that it 'has treated all employees fairly with regard to salaries.'

But since the settlement, the store has agreed in addition to the $45million payout to work with experts on its starting salaries for manager to insure no further issues.

The discount retailer's headquarters are in Matthews, North Carolina, with over 8,000 stores throughout the country.
There are fresh fears the deadly Zika virus could strike Australia, after a Queensland Council revealed the mosquito which carries the virus is well populated there.

Gympie Regional Council will go on a three-month hunt from April to inspect all rainwater tanks in Goomeri, north of Brisbane.

'Goomeri is the only town within the Gympie region identified as having this particular breed of mosquito,' Councillor Smerdon told The Gympie Times.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito (pictured stock) is the main mosquito which transmits the Zika virus, dengue fever and the chikungunya virus

There are fresh fears the deadly Zika virus could strike Australia, after a Queensland Council revealed the mosquito which carries the virus is well populated there

Officers from the council and Queensland Health will visit all the properties in Goomeri to stop the spread of the mosquito.

Councillor Hilary Smerdon said inspections of the tanks is a legal requirement and it is important in stopping the further spread of the virus.

He said they want to ensure they have the right mosquito-proof screening and flap valves which will prevent the mosquito from entering into the tank.

The screening will prevent the breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito within the community and around Australia.

However, if a tank does not have the mosquito-proof screen and flap valves, or if it's defective, the council will provide information to the resident to ensure the tank is fixed.

Councillor Hilary Smerdon said inspections of the tanks is a legal requirement and it is important in stopping the further spread of the virus

The virus is passed on to human when they are bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito

According to the World Health Organisation, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main mosquito which transmits the Zika virus, dengue fever and the chikungunya virus.

The virus is passed on to human when they are bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito.

The female Aedes mosquito acquires the virus when it feeds off an infected person.
Labour's disgraced disciplinary chief will stay on the panel which rules on anti-Semitism cases - despite being 'sacked' for defending a Holocaust denier.

Christine Shawcroft was forced to quit her post after it emerged that she had emailed activists to demand activist Alan Bull be allowed back into the party.

But it is understood that she will continue to sit on the disciplinary panel as she is a member of the Labour party's ruling NEC body.

It means she will still get to have a vote on whether the the dozens of activists accused of anti-Semitism will get to stay in Labour.

The revelation has sparked fury among Labour moderates with one telling Mail Online they are 'astonished'.

Labour was in meltdown over anti-Semitism last night after its disciplinary chief Christine Shawcroft (pictured) resigned for opposing the suspension of an apparent Holocaust denier

Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell toured the TV studios to defend Mr Corbyn's handling of the case and say Ms Shawcroft should not be sacked form the NEC.

It comes as Jeremy Corbyn is facing questions over why it took him four days to sack her from her post.

Ms Shawcroft has said she was not aware of the Holocaust denying article before she intervened.

Labour MP John Woodcock considering quitting party over Corbyn John Woodcock (pictured in Parliament this week) MP for Barrow and Furness, is contemplating quitting the Labour whip and spending the rest of his time in Parliament as an independent A leading Labour moderate is on the brink of quitting the party over Jeremy Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism and his response to the Salisbury attack. John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, is contemplating quitting the Labour whip and spending the rest of his time in Parliament as an independent. Mr Woodcock is an arch Corbyn critic and has previously said that he could not back him as Prime Minister. He is furious at the way Mr Corbyn has failed confront the anti-Semitism that has plunged Labour into crisis. The Labour leader stands accused of not confronting the abuse and anti-Semitic tropes peddled by his supporters and in his name. Advertisement

Labour MPs are calling for Ms Shawcroft to be removed from the NEC and kicked out of the Labour Party - and warn that if she is not then Mr Corbyn will be seen as a 'hypocrite'.

Meanwhile, the Labour leader sparked fresh fury by defending controversial protesters who besieged the demonstration against anti-Semitism on Monday as 'good people'.

He also revealed that Labour has received 300 complaints of anti-Semitism since he became leader in 2015, with 60 under active investigation.

While his close ally John McDonnell was slammed for trying to shift the blame for the failure to tackle anti-Semitism on Labour's outgoing General Secretary Iain McNicol.

Commenting on Ms Shawcroft, Labour MP John Mann told Mail Online: 'She should be removed from the NEC immediately and expelled from the Labour Party...

'If Jeremy Corbyn does not do this then he has demonstrated his inability to lead if he doesn't sack her.'

But shadow chancellor Mr McDonnell toured the TV studios to defend Mr Corbyn's handling of the case and say Ms Shawcroft should not be sacked form the NEC.

Mr Mann added said Ms Shawcroft should also be sacked as the director of the Corbyn-backing campaign group Momentum.

He said: 'She might as well have been covering up for the notorious Holocaust denier David Irving.

'Jeremy Corbyn has to sack her from the NEC today, otherwise he will be seen as a hypocrite by everyone.'

Mr Mann said he knew of dozens of Jewish Labour members who have left the party in the past week because they are fed up with Mr Corbyn's inaction on anti-Semitism.

Corbyn issued grovelling apology email to members over anti-Semitism row Jeremy Corbyn today sent a grovelling apology email to party members over the anti-Semitism row. In the mass mail out, he said he acknowledged the 'anger and upset' voiced by the Jewish community. And he added: 'I want to assure you that prejudice against, and harassment of, Jewish people have no pace whatsoever in our party.' He said there are 'newer forms' of anti-Semitism which are woven into criticism of the state of Israel. He said: 'I am committed to ensuring our Party is a welcoming and secure place for everyone. 'I offer all Jewish members my assurance that this applies equally to them. I want all of us to hear Jewish voices and listen. 'If you are not Jewish, I want you to better understand the importance of this issue and what we can do together to ensure our Party remains true to our values. 'Zero tolerance for antisemitism means what it says. We will not accept it. Advertisement

He added: 'They are saying there is no safe space for them in the Labour Party.'

Meanwhile, a petition has been launched by Richard Angell, the director of the Blairite think-tank, has launched a petition calling for Ms Shawcroft to immediately resign from the NEC.

Labour MP Ian Austin tore into Mr Corbyn over anti-Semitism and demanded that Ms Shawcroft step down immediately.

He said: 'This is the committee that is supposed to review internal disciplinary cases and the chair thinks someone who was accused of sharing material that says the Holocaust was a hoax is fit to be a Labour candidate.

'Of course she shouldn't be on our NEC.'

He added: 'It is completely unfair to blame the staff for this. This is a question of leadership and political will.

'Jeremy has got to show the leadership and the political will to get this sorted out.'

And he tore into the Labour leader over his inaction, saying: 'He has defended the most appalling extremists and anti-Semites in the past.

'It is because of these issues that I think he shouldn't have been the leader.'

Labour MP Wes Streeting said: 'Has Christine Shawcroft not resigned from the NEC?

'How on earth can she possibly remain given her inexcusable defence of a Holocaust denier? Her explanation is totally implausible.'

Louise Ellman, Labour MP Liverpool, Riversdale, said: 'She should step down form the NERC. This is the first test of Jeremy Corbyn's sincerity in addressing anti-Semitism and restoring confidence in the Labour Party.

A day after the suspension, the issue of anti-Semitism returned to the headlines when it emerged that Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) had defended the artist of an anti-Semitic mural

'These revelations question the credibility of Labour's processes for dealing with anti-Semitism.'

Ruth Smeeth, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, said: 'Stepping down from the disputes committee is not enough.

2,000 Corbynistas sign open letter blaming anti-Semitism row on 'special interest group' More than 2,000 Corbynistas have signed an open letter blaming the anti-Semitism row on a ' very powerful special interest group'. The activists suggested the row was a conspiracy organised by a powerful elite to smear Jeremy Corbyn's name. The letter says: 'Yesterday we witnessed the full onslaught of a very powerful special interest group mobilising its apparent, immense strength against you. 'It is clear this group can employ the full might of the BBC to make sure its voice is heard very loudly and clearly. 'It is a shame not every special interest group can get the same coverage.' It adds: 'I support you and I trust you, more than I would trust any politician, to do the right thing in terms of racism, anti-Semitism and any hate mongering from anyone against anyone. 'I hope that you can stay strong and carry on representing all of us (the many).' It warns that Mr Corbyn has 'powerful enemies' but urges him to stand strong.

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'Supporting holocaust deniers and dismissing real concerns about anti-Semitism as 'factionalism' makes you unfit to represent the Labor Party at any level.

'Christine Shawcroft should not be on our NEC.'

Asked whether Ms Shawcroft should resign from her post on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, Mr McDonnell told Sky News: 'Well, no, Jeremy has asked her to stand down as the chair of the disputes committee.'

He added: 'She's not at the head of that committee (the NEC). It is an elected position and it is up to the electorate to decide whether or not she should be elected again.'

And he also appeared to lay the blame for the failure to tackle anti-Semitism with Labour's outgoing general secretary Ian McNicol.

The latest anti-Semitism scandal comes after a torrid week for Mr Corbyn in which he has faced protests against his leadership by Jewish leaders outside Parliament.

He has faced accusations he has willfully turned a blind eye to anti-Semitism peddled in his name and failed to speak out as Labour moderates who condemn the abuse are deluged with hate mail and threatened with deselection.

Over the past four days Mr Corbyn has tried to show he is committed to getting on top of the scandal - promising to finally meet Jewish leaders and to enact the recommendations of the Shami Chakrabarti review.

He sat down for an interview with Jewish News - but the paper's verdict today is damning with a front page headline reading 'Not good enough'.

The activist, Alan Bull, a Labour candidate for Peterborough Council, had been suspended for posting a link on Facebook to a fake news article titled: 'International Red Cross Report Confirms the Holocaust of Six Million Jews is a Hoax'

Labour was plunged into the latest scandal after it emerged Ms Shawcroft - who was elected to her post amid objections from moderates in January, defended Alan Bull.

The Labour candidate for Peterborough Council, posted an article to a fake news article titled: 'International Red Cross Report Confirms the Holocaust of Six Million Jews is a Hoax.'

Labour is still delivering leaflets urging voters to back Alan Bull Residents in Peterborough are still getting leaflets urging them to vote for Alun Bull even though he has been suspended from Labour Labour is still delivering leaflets urging voters in Peterborough to back the council candidate at the centre of the Holocaust denial scandal. Residents in Stanground South have been handed posted urging them to to back Alan Bull for 'a change' - even though he has been suspended from Labour after posting a Holocaust denying article. Labour MP John Mann demanded answers from Labour's campaigns chief Ian Lavery. He tweeted: 'Why has this man not been removed as a candidate Ian Lavery? You are in charge of the campaign. Get him removed today please.' It is understood than an elderly Labour volunteer delivered the leaflet by mistake as she did not know Mr Bull had been suspended. Labour Party spokeswoman said: 'Alan Bull has been suspended from the Party pending investigation and is not a Labour council candidate.' Advertisement

It was accompanied with a picture of the famous gates of Auschwitz, with the phrase 'Arbeit Macht Frei' [work sets you free] replaced with 'Muh Holocaust'.

This phrase is apparently used by opponents of Israel to allege that whenever anyone criticises it to a Jewish person, they will start talking about the Holocaust to deflect attention.

Despite this, Miss Shawcroft, the hard-Left chairman of Labour's disputes panel, emailed colleagues on Sunday to criticise Mr Bull's suspension.

Astonishingly, she claimed that the Facebook post was only 'alleged to show anti-Semitism' and said it had been taken 'out of context'.

And she suggested he had only been suspended after having been targeted by moderates.

Last night, Miss Shawcroft said she was 'deeply sorry' for defending the man behind the 'abhorrent' post  and announced she was resigning.

It is believed she went after pressure from Mr Corbyn's office.

The revelation places yet further question marks over how seriously Labour is taking allegations of anti-Semitism in the party.

Mr Corbyn tried to get on the front foot in tackling the crisis by doing a big sit down interview with Jewish News in which he claimed he has always stood up to anti-Semitism.

But it risked backfiring after he refused to apologise for his previous talks with Hamas and Hezbollah - both banned terror groups.

Mr Corbyn, who has previously said he regrets describing the groups as 'friends' was asked directly if he could understand the 'concerns' of Jewish people over the issue.

But the Labour leader defended having talks with the groups.

He said: 'The context was a discussion about a future peace in the Middle East. I used that language.

'I obviously realise this can be misinterpreted and indeed has been.

'I clearly do not support their views but recognise  and I'm sure everyone else does  that there has to be a peace process that involves all groups in the Middle East, and that indeed is what many people have attempted to bring about over past governments.'

He said there must be a solution to the Middle East question.

He said: 'That means that the settlement policy should end, the occupation of the West Bank should end, to have an effective two-state solution.

The Jewish community called on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to stamp out anti-Semitism in the Labour Party

'As you know my party's policy, which Ed Miliband led us on, was for recognition of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, and that was included in our manifesto as well. Indeed that's what Parliament voted for.'

Corbyn risks fresh anger by defending protesters who besieged the demo against anti-Semitism Jeremy Corbyn risked sparking fresh anger by defending the controversial protesters who besieged the demonstration against anti-Semitism on Monday night. He said the campaigners in Jewish Voice for Labour are 'good people'. The group, which claims criticism of Mr Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism is an attempt to smear his name, has sparked huge controversy since it was set up. And on Monday dozens of its supporters descended on Parliament Square to angrily protest at a demonstration called by Jewish leaders. But challenged by Jewish News about the group, Mr Corbyn leapt to their defence. He said: 'JVL are committed to fighting anti-Semitism and making sure there is a Jewish voice in the party. 'We already have the Jewish Labour Movement. 'JVL was established last year and I think it is good that we have organisations within the party that are giving that voice to people. 'Im not a member of that or JLM, but theyre good people, they are in the party because they love and believe in it.' The Labour leader tried to get on the front foot by doing a big sit down interview with Jewish News in which he claimed he has always stood up to anti-Semitism. But it risked backfiring after he insisted he had the best of intentions in talking with the two banned terror groups. Mr Corbyn, who has previously said he regrets describing the groups as 'friends' was asked directly if he could understand the 'concerns' of Jewish people over the issue. He replied: 'The context was a discussion about a future peace in the Middle East. I used that language. 'I obviously realise this can be misinterpreted and indeed has been. 'I clearly do not support their views but recognise  and I'm sure everyone else does  that there has to be a peace process that involves all groups in the Middle East, and that indeed is what many people have attempted to bring about over past governments.' Advertisement

And in yet another development in the anti-Semitism scandal, many of Mr Corbyn's supporters are still claiming the storm is a smear campaign warn by an 'elite' .

More than 2,000 Corbynistas have signed an open letter blaming the anti-Semitism row on a ' very powerful special interest group'.

The activists suggested the row was a conspiracy organised by a powerful elite to smear Jeremy Corbyn's name.

The letter says: 'Yesterday we witnessed the full onslaught of a very powerful special interest group mobilising its apparent, immense strength against you.

'It is clear this group can employ the full might of the BBC to make sure its voice is heard very loudly and clearly.

'It is a shame not every special interest group can get the same coverage.'

It adds: 'I support you and I trust you, more than I would trust any politician, to do the right thing in terms of racism, anti-Semitism and any hate mongering from anyone against anyone.

'I hope that you can stay strong and carry on representing all of us (the many).'

It warns that Mr Corbyn has 'powerful enemies' but urges him to stand strong.

In a sign that moderate Labour activists are frustrated at Mr Corbyn's inaction on the issue, a local Labour party in Scotland has written directly to the Jewish community to express their disgust at anti-Semitism - and desire to tackle it.

Eastwood Labour Party in East Renfrewshire in Scotland said they do not agree with Mr Corbyn's assessment that there are just 'pockets' of anti-Semitism in Labour.

They said: 'We believe that it is present to an unacceptable extent in the party at all levels. We are sorry for this.'

They added: 'It is our responsibility to deal with the issues in our party here and now. We are determined not to shirk that responsibility.'

Yesterday, Jewish leaders wrote to the Labour leader to demand root-and-branch reform.

They demanded he take 'personal responsibility' for tackling anti-Semitism in Labour.

The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council said the party must appoint an independent ombudsman to investigate claims of anti-Semitism.

The group laid out a list of demands it said the Labour leader must fulfill to show he is actually trying to tackle anti-Semitism.

They said all outstanding anti-Semitism cases must come to a 'swift' conclusion, and that Labour MPs, councillors and members must not share platforms with people who have been kicked out the party for the abuse.

Labour MP John Mann was among the moderates who attended the protest on Monday night to tell Jeremy Corbyn 'enough is enough' and he must do far more to tackle anti-Semitism

The Board said the party must do more to engage with the Jewish community, that change must be 'sustained and enduring'.

Who knew what and when about the Christine Shawcroft email backing a Holocaust denier? Christine Shawcroft emailed colleagues on Sunday to criticise Alun Bull's suspension. Jon Lansman, the Momentum founder and NEC member, and the new General Secretary Jennie Formby, are both said to have been aware of her email. Jeremy Corbyn sacked Ms Shawcroft from her post on Wednesday after being made aware of the email. But it is unclear when he was first alerted to it. The Labour leader's office would not say when the message was first brought to their attention.

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And they said Mr Corbyn must directly take on the activists peddling anti-Semitism in his name.

The Board wrote: 'People inside and outside the Jewish community are repeatedly subjected to abuse and insults for raising the issue of anti-Semitism in the labour party.

'This even affects those Labour MPs who showed their solidarity with the Jewish community on Monday.

'This is a disgrace. Nobody should be vilified for opposing anti-Semitism.'

In her statement last night, Miss Shawcroft said: 'I sent this email before being aware of the full information about this case and I had not been shown the image of his abhorrent Facebook post.

'Had I seen this image, I would not have requested that the decision to suspend him be re-considered.

'I am deeply sorry for having done so.

'This week we have seen a clear expression of the pain and hurt that has been caused to Jewish members of our party and the wider Jewish community, and by the reality of anti-Semitism being denied and downplayed.'

Yesterday the Mail revealed Labour was dealing with at least 74 allegations of anti-Semitism.

Mr Bull was suspended on Thursday, nine months after posting the offensive article on Facebook.

Labour's outgoing General Secretary hits back at claims he failed to act on anti-Semitism Outgoing Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol hit back at the claim by emailing members of Labour's NEC outlining the steps he had taken (file pic) Labour's outgoing General Secretary today hit back at claims he failed to act on tackling anti-Semitism. John McDonnell has tried to blame Iain McNicol for the scandal, claiming he failed to enact the recommendations of Shami Chakrabarti's report. But today Mr McNicol hit back at the claim by emailing members of Labour's NEC outlining the steps he had taken. He said he tried to hire staff to get through the backlog of disciplinary cases - including many anti-Semitism cases - but this was stalled by Jeremy Corbyn's office. A Labour insider told Huffington Post: 'It shows that the real reason is a lack of political leadership. 'The hard Left on the NEC have also been defending some of those accused. 'It doesn't matter what processes you put in place if there is no appetite to get serious on the issue.' Ian McNicol was a leading moderate who is leaving amid reports he was forced out by Corbynistas. Advertisement

The suspension means he cannot stand in the local elections for Peterborough Council in May.

He claims he had only posted the page to 'provoke discussion'.

A day after the suspension, the issue of anti-Semitism returned to the headlines when it emerged that Mr Corbyn had defended the artist of an anti-Semitic mural.

Two days later, on Sunday, Miss Shawcroft emailed senior Labour figures to question the suspension of Mr Bull.

A director of Momentum, she took over as chairman of the Labour Party's disputes sub-committee in February  ousting a moderate.

She wrote: 'I am concerned to hear about the suspension of Alan Bull.

'The original complaint, a Facebook post taken completely out of context and alleged to show anti-Semitism, was received by the party almost a year ago; yet Mr Bull has been suspended just in time to stop him standing in the Peterborough elections.'

She wrote that he had a chance of winning the council seat and that 'elements' of the local party wanted him suspended and added: 'I think we should reinstate his membership.'

Last night the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council condemned threats to MPs who highlight the hatred of Jews.

They outlined six pre-conditions before they meet Mr Corbyn  including cases being ' brought to a swift conclusion under a fixed timescale'.

The letter said: 'An independent, mutually agreed ombudsman should be appointed to oversee performance, reporting to the Party and to the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council.'

Mr Corbyn was called on to take 'personal responsibility' that the changes are implemented.

Among the messages describing anti-Semitism cases as a smear was one by Annie Macfarlane.

She wrote: 'This is just a vicious slur in the lead up to the council elections. The genuine people know the truth.'
Kim Jong-un is funding his nukes by selling fake sex potions that contain up to 30,000 times the safe level of killer Mercury.

The traditional products  said to promote vitality, libido and fertility  were found to be laced with dangerous amounts of arsenic and lead.

The concoctions  sold abroad to generate foreign currency - claim to be made from bear gall bladder and Siberian musk deer and are popular in China, Russia and Mongolia.

Kim Jong Un, pictured during his unofficial visit to China, appears to be fueling his nuclear ambitions by selling fake sex potions in North Korean state-run restaurants abroad

But they are often made using dog or pig parts.

The news website NK Daily found the products on sale in China.

Hundreds of packages of products labelled Chosun Gomyol - said to be North Korean bear gall bladder, Noishim Sahyang  claiming to be made from the brains of musk deer and another potion called Angunguhwanghwan were captured in a video.

Another dangerous product called Uhwang Chongshimhwan was also found to be on sale. The products are primarily sold in North Korean state-run restaurants abroad as well as on websites in China.

Instead of providing health benefits, however, the products have been found to contain extremely high levels of harmful heavy metals which can lead to serious health issues.

The North Korean bear gall bladder product, according to tests run by the South Korean government-affiliated National Forensics Service (NFS), is made with pig organs.

The North Korean 'traditional' potions are made from dogs and pigs and are said to be popular in Russia, China and Mongolia

Tests on Angunguhwanghwan found mercury levels 20,000 times higher than the acceptable standard, arsenic 12,000 times the standard, and almost four times the safe concentration of lead.

Noishim Sahyang contained 49 times the standard level of mercury, three times the standard level of arsenic, and five times the standard level of lead.

Additionally, it was found that the product was not made from the Siberian musk deer, despite being named after the animal.

Uhwang Chongshimhwan a marble-sized golden pill which was claimed to contain various natural ingredients, was found by the NFS to contain 30,000 times the acceptable level of mercury and 1,600 times the acceptable level of arsenic.

NK Daily said: 'Health products such as these from North Korea are manufactured by companies affiliated with the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), Ministry of State Security, and the military, and are a component of foreign currency-earning ventures for the central government.

'One of the primary targets for these products are South Korean tourists visiting North Korean state-run restaurants in China, Mongolia, and Southeast Asia.

'Chinese people typically stay away from these items now, knowing that they are mostly fake. Instead, it's mainly the foreign tourists that are buying them.'

A defector told the news outlet: 'A lot of the ones sold are fakes made from pig or dog parts.'

A satellite image taken last month at a nuclear reactor in North Korea. Steam coming from the stack and new construction around the facility shows testing has likely begun

The news come amid reports that Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump are planning to meet for the first time.

Trump and Kim are planning to meet by May, according to officials, and denuclearization will likely be the biggest topic on their agenda if they do meet.

North Korea tested its biggest nuclear device to date last September. Pyongyang claims it was an H-bomb.

While the North hasn't conducted any tests since, or test-launched any long-range missiles since Nov. 28, the heightened activity at the Yongbyon complex could be ominous.

North Korea has long viewed the development of nuclear weapons as key to the survival of the Kim dynasty and as a means to force other foreign powers to take the dictatorship seriously.
Russia appears to be protecting the identity of Yulia Skripal's 'strange' fiance who has suspected links to Moscow's secret services.

His name is understood to be known to several major Moscow newspapers, but has not appeared publicly, nor has he spoken about her fate.

The identity of his mother has not been revealed - she is reported to have high-level connections to the 'siloviki', Vladimir Putin's secret services - and allegedly strongly objected to her son's relationship with the 'daughter of a traitor'.

A High Court judge in London made clear last week that the Russian man Yulia, 33, was intending to marry had made no attempt to get in touch with the hospital where she is in a coma fighting for her life after she and her father were poisoned with nerve agent Novichok.

The name of Yulia's fiance is understood to be known to several major Moscow newspapers, but has not appeared publicly, nor has he spoken about her fate. Pictured: Yulia Skripal

Sergei Skripal's niece, Viktoria Skripal (pictured), 45, said in a BBC Russia interview this week that her theory is that the attack was over a 'domestic' issue and that 'it was aimed specifically at Yulia', not at her father

Russia appears to be protecting the identity of Yulia Skripal's 'strange' fiance who has suspected links to Moscow's secret services. Pictured: Yulia and her father, Sergei

It comes as Sergei Skripal's niece renewed her extraordinary claims that the nerve agent attack in Salisbury was primarily aimed at Yulia - over her intended marriage.

Her fiance also failed to collect her beloved dog Nuar, which she put into kennels in Podolsk, near Moscow, before her fateful trip to Salisbury when she was poisoned, according to one newspaper.

The black mongrel this week 'went missing' from the kennels, according to a Skripal family member.

Earlier, it was reported kennel had a debt accumulating at 10 a day and staff 'do not know what to do with him', reported Moskovsky Komsomolets.

Her fiance also failed to collect her beloved dog Nuar (pictured), which she put into kennels in Podolsk, near Moscow, before her fateful trip to Salisbury when she was poisoned, according to one newspaper

Yulia's improvised office in her bedroom with, sitting on the stool, a pet cat. After Yulia's poisoning, her fiance is said to have told his friends: 'Everything is okay'

Left: The flat where Yulia's fiance is believed to live in Moscow. Right: Yulia Skripal's last known address in the city

The newspaper labelled him as her 'strange boyfriend', pointing out that prior to her trip to Britain Yulia had been 'glowing with happiness' about her impending marriage to the 30-year-old.

The paper named him as Stanislav but made clear this was not his real identity.

It is unclear why his real name was not used but he and his family are said to be close to the Russian secret services.

The report said the couple had begun a renovation of her flat - which included a baby's room because they intended to start a family.

But the report questioned her boyfriend's commitment.

After Yulia's poisoning he allegedly told his friends: 'Everything is okay.'

'He prefers not to discuss the situation and limits his communication,' said the newspaper, which asked: 'Why didn't Stanislav take care of Nuar's destiny?'

'After the tragedy around Yulia he went into the shadows and stopped getting in touch.'

Yulia (left) was planning to take her intended husband on a trip to Britain to meet her father, Sergei (right)

Retired colonel Sergei Skripal is pictured during a hearing at the Moscow District Court in 2006

Sergei Skripal's niece, Viktoria Skripal, 45, said in a BBC Russia interview this week that her theory is that the attack was over a 'domestic' issue and that 'it was aimed specifically at Yulia', not at her father.

Earlier, she had confirmed Yulia had 'strained relations' with her fiance's mother - 'at least this was how she told us'.

She said: 'The mother didn't accept her, she didn't understand.

'The mother thought that if Yulia was the daughter of the traitor, then Yulia herself will betray.

'This was the mother's prime argument against Yulia.'

She also said the prognosis for the former Russian double agent and his daughter 'really isn't good'.

She told the BBC: 'Out of 99 per cent I have maybe 1 per cent of hope. Whatever it was has given them a very small chance of survival.'

In an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, she described the mother as 'high ranked' in the Russian security services.

'I don't know where exactly. I don't know where she is from and where she lives.'

Pictured: Victoria Skripal, niece of Sergey Skripal, with her family

She appears to work for an unnamed company involved in researching security and control systems.

This business - where her son also works - is 'closely linked' to the security services, reported Moskovsky Komsomolets.

The newspaper also stated: 'Those who knew the couple believe that [Yulia] was too naive in making rosy plans about their life together.

A 'secret friend' of her fiance was quoted saying 'he didn't want the wedding, he preferred free relations'.

Yulia's husband-to-be was also painted as exploiting the sale of the Skripal's family flat in Moscow to get money to buy himself a new car.

'During the deal he was dreaming out loud about buying himself a new jeep,' said the report.

'The young man had been using an old Land Rover of his father.'

After the sale, the pair bought a Ford Kuga SUV which he has been seen driving.

Despite this Yulia was planning to take her intended husband on a trip to Britain to meet her father.

'Of course she was dreaming about her father being present at her wedding,' said the newspaper citing friends of the couple.

'And he would have wanted to come.

Yulia's husband-to-be has also been painted as exploiting the sale of the Skripal's family flat in Moscow to get money to buy himself a new car. Pictured: The Skripals

'But this was impossible [and] Yulia was hoping to introduce her husband in England later.'

Before she left for London - she had a one-and-a-half-minute call with her boyfriend before her plane took off.

This was believed to be the last time they spoke.

The couple had been living together at his Moscow flat while hers was being renovated.

Viktoria's 19-year-old daughter Ekaterina posted this notice that Yulia's dog had gone missing: 'Black mongrel named Nuar. In early March it was taken to a shelter in Moscow region. According to the latest data it was in a prepaid shelter in Podolsk, but now the dog is missing.

'It is important to have any information about the whereabouts of this dog! The dog must be found today or its destiny will be very sad.'
Theresa May held out the prospect of a Brexit dividend for the NHS today as she hailed the 'opportunities' outside the EU.

On a whirlwind tour of all four UK nations to mark exactly a year until the UK formally leaves the bloc, the Prime Minister insisted funding would be freed up once we stop paying 'vast sums' into Brussels coffers.

She urged hard-line Remainers to stop trying to refight the referendum and work together to make a success of the move.

The Prime Minister had lunch with farmers at Fairview Farm in Bangor, Northern Ireland, on her tour this afternoon

Mrs May was shown around Fairview Farm by owners Stephen and Susanne Jackson, and their three daughters Hannah, Abbie and Emily

Theresa May was at the Alex Begg textile firm in Ayr this morning on the first stop of her Brexit countdown tour

Later Mrs May chatted with parent and children at St Andrew's Heddon-on-the-Wall primary school in Newcastle

The Prime Minister is visiting every nation in the UK today as she marks a year to go until the formal Brexit date

Speaking at a weaving firm in Ayr after her plane touched down on the first leg of the tour, Mrs May said: 'I believe there are real opportunities for the United Kingdom when we leave the European Union, we are starting now the negotiations on what our trade arrangements and arrangements overall in our economic partnership will be with the EU 27 once we leave.

'Brexit provides us with opportunities. I want to see us coming together, the four nations across the United Kingdom we have a very a strong union, that is in our interests and it is in our interests to come together and really seize these opportunities for the future.'

She acknowledged that many Remainers wanted to see a 'different outcome' in 2016.

But she urged diehard critics of Brexit in the 'Westminster bubble' to drop their efforts to thwart Britain's departure.

'I know there are still some who would be happier if the referendum were to be rerun or the result ignored,' she wrote.

'Regardless of whether they backed Leave or Remain, most people are tired of hearing the same old divisive arguments from the referendum campaign, and just want us to get on with the task of making Brexit a success.

'And they're right to think that. The people of this country voted to leave the EU and, as Prime Minister, it's my job to make that happen.' Mrs May says she wants to use Brexit to 'strengthen the bonds that unite us'.

Mrs May said that after Brexit the UK would no longer be sending 'vast sums of money' to Brussels, making cash available for national priorities like health.

In an interview with the BBC during the tour, the PM said: 'Of course when we leave the European Union we will no longer be sending vast sums of money year in, year out.

'So, there will be money available here in the UK for us to spend on our priorities - priorities like the NHS.

'We are going to look at a multi-year settlement (for the NHS), we are going to ensure, as we do that, we continue to take a balanced approach to our economy. 'We have got a long-term plan.'

The Prime Minister appealed for unity on a visit in Ayr as she kicked off a whistlestop tour of the UK to marks a year until Britain formally leaves the EU

Theresa May was shown around a textile plant in Ayr as she began the tour of the UK today

Mrs May moved on from Scotland to meet families at a parent and toddler group in Newcastle.

The PM visited St Andrew's Heddon-on-the-Wall where she sat with the youngsters while they were playing, and had a chat around the table with parents.

On the third leg of her tour, Mrs May visited a dairy farm owned by the Jackson family on the outskirts of Belfast.

WHEN WILL BRITAIN BE OUT OF THE EU? Britain triggered Article 50 on March 29, 2017, starting a two year process for leaving the EU: March 2018: Outline transition deal agreed, running for about two years June 2018: EU summit that Brussels says should consider broad principles of a future trade deal. October 2018: Political agreement on the future partnership due to be reached Early 2019: Major votes in Westminster and Brussels to ratify the deal March 29, 2019: Article 50 expires, Britain leaves the EU. Transition is expected to keep everything the same for about two years December 31, 2020: Transition expected to come to an end and the new relationship - if it has been agreed - should kick in Advertisement

Sitting down for lunch in the farmhouse with representatives of the Ulster Farmers' Union, she heard of concerns within the agriculture industry about Brexit's potential to impact on the free flow of goods across the Irish border.

Farmers' representatives also stressed that they did not want a new border created in the Irish sea, obstructing important trade links with Great Britain.

Mrs May told the farmers Brexit presented opportunities. 'I think one of the things that will come out of Brexit is the opportunity for agriculture here but across the UK to really - out of the CAP (EU's Common Agricultural Policy) - to set our own way of doing things,' she said.

She told fellow guests at the lunch that on a recent visit to China she had learned of potential opportunities for milk exporters in the UK. 'There's lot of opportunities to find ways of doing these things,' Mrs May said.

The Prime Minister added: 'We are absolutely committed to ensuring there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland to ensure that free flow.'

On her visit to the farm between Belfast and Bangor Mrs May was pressed on why she had not taken the opportunity to visit communities closer to the Irish border, given the acute concern held by many in that area about Brexit.

'I absolutely understand how important this issue is for people generally in Northern Ireland but obviously particularly for those who are living close to, and in some cases, may have homes that are across the border,' she said.

Mrs May declined to give a commitment to visit the border before the UK leave the EU.

Later she travelled to Barry in south Wales to meet local businesses.

A year from today, at 11pm on Friday, March 29, the United Kingdom will formally leave the European Union.

Mrs May sealed the outline of a Brexit transition deal at an EU summit last week (pictured with Jean-Claude Juncker)

She is finishing the day over a cup of tea in West London with a group of Polish migrants who have made their home in Britain.

In interviews during her tour, the PM said she was 'looking forward' to Brexit day next year.

'Yes, I am looking forward to it because it presents great opportunities for the United Kingdom,' she told LBC.

'What I'm doing today, I'm visiting the four nations of the United Kingdom, I'm starting here in Scotland, visiting a company that is exporting into the European Union but also exporting around the rest of the world, hearing from people what they think about Brexit and talking about the opportunities that we can seize once we're outside the European Union.

'But, also, making sure that we strengthen the bonds between the four nations of the United Kingdom.'

Britain would be 'humiliated' by failure to leave EU customs union, says diplomat Britain would be 'humiliated' if it fails to leave the EU customs union, the outgoing Australian High Commissioner to London has warned. In a valedictory speech, Alexander Downer said keeping within the customs arrangements would mean Eurocrats continuing to set UK trade policy. 'It would be humiliating for a once great country to end up by being little more than a dependency of the European Union,' he said. He sought to highlight the opportunities offered by leaving the EU, saying a trade free deal with Australia would 'plug the UK into the fastest growing markets in the world'. 'Because the UK hasn't negotiated trade agreements for many years, there is a distinct lack of national self-confidence particularly in the media about Britain's capacity to negotiate trade agreements,' he said. 'I don't think you should be without confidence. This is something you can do and do relatively easily provided you yourselves wish to open your markets to the outside world.' Advertisement

Meanwhile, Labour is in fresh turmoil over its position on Brexit.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer today slapped down colleague Emily Thornberry after she suggested Labour would back the government's final deal with the EU in a crunch Commons vote at the end of this year.

Mrs Thornberry said the deal was likely to be so vague that it would meet Labour's six 'tests'.

Speaking at an event in London, she said: 'The difficulty with a meaningful vote in October - which we have secured - is what is it that we are going to be agreeing on? We have our six tests. If you hold up 'blah, blah, blah' to the six tests, it will probably pass it and then we leave the EU and then we are in the status quo and during that period there has to be a negotiation as to what our final relationship is going to be.'

But Sir Keir said the party's position had not changed and it was 'prepared' to vote against the final package.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell also weighed in by insisting the shape of the deal so far was 'nowhere near' one that could be accepted by Labour.

The pro-Remain group Best for Britain yesterday launched a 500,000 advertising campaign aimed at forcing a second referendum.

The group, which is bankrolled by US billionaire George Soros, has prepared a 10-week advertising blitz designed to overturn the 2016 referendum result. Adverts will appear in newspapers and on posters around the country, as well as on social media.

Tony Blair has also stepped up his calls for a second referendum.

In an interview with the Independent last night, the former prime minister urged pro-Remain Labour MPs to rebel against Jeremy Corbyn over the issue, saying: 'This is the most important decision since the Second World War and it is and it's going to decide the destiny of the country for future generations, do what you think is right, this is one moment surely to do that.'

THERESA MAY: The ordinary British people have made it clear - Brexit MUST be a success

A year from today, at 11pm on Friday, March 29, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union.

In doing so, we will reach the end of a process that began in the summer of 2016 with the single biggest democratic mandate this country has ever seen.

Of course there were many who, at the time, wanted to see a different outcome. I know there are still some who would be happier if the referendum were to be rerun or the result ignored.

But as I travel around the country, talking to ordinary people far from the Westminster bubble, one thing quickly becomes very clear.

Regardless of whether they backed Leave or Remain, most people are tired of hearing the same old divisive arguments from the referendum campaign, writes Theresa May (pictured)

Regardless of whether they backed Leave or Remain, most people are tired of hearing the same old divisive arguments from the referendum campaign, and just want us to get on with the task of making Brexit a success.

And they're right to think that. The people of this country voted to leave the EU and, as Prime Minister, it's my job to make that happen.

That's why, in the 12 months since I triggered Article 50, the Government has been working around the clock to make Brexit work for Britain.

There have been countless hours of negotiations between the UK and Brussels.

Thousands of civil servants in departments right across Whitehall have been working hard to prepare the country for life after the EU.

The people of this country voted to leave the EU and, as Prime Minister, it's my job to make that happen, says Theresa May

I've travelled across Europe, meeting with national and EU leaders to discuss the way ahead, while Cabinet ministers have spearheaded negotiations in their areas of responsibility.

This enormous effort is already paying off. Just look at the recent agreement on the implementation period.

Some said reaching such a consensus was an impossible task, yet we've done exactly that, securing an arrangement that delivers for the UK and which was warmly welcomed by leaders at last week's EU Council.

The agreement on the implementation period shows what can be achieved when we come together as a nation and focus on the future.

I have an ambitious vision for that future. It's a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners in Europe and beyond and build on the progress we've made as a country over the past few years.

The economy is growing more strongly than many predicted, the deficit is down by three-quarters, employment is at a record high.

It is our job to secure a Brexit that not only locks in that economic success, but makes our country even more prosperous and secure.

And, by seizing the opportunities provided by Brexit, that is exactly what we are going to do.

Today, I'm travelling to all four nations of the UK, visiting businesses and talking to people about how  together  we can deliver a Brexit that works for every part of our precious union.

I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the world's most successful union.

We have one year to get Britain ready to leave the EU, 365 days in which to shape the legacy we will leave to our children and grandchildren.

If we put aside our differences and all pull in the same direction we can deliver a Brexit that works for everyone. That's what people of this country demanded. And that is what we must give them.
Debra Beach, 58, pictured in Egypt, died just one day before she was due to fly home

A British grandmother-of-13 has died while on a luxury holiday in Egypt from a suspected panic attack despite being fit and healthy.

Debra Beach, 58, who had no history of panic attacks, died just one day before she was due to fly home to Epsom, Surrey, after two weeks in Hurghada.

She woke up struggling to breathe and passed away an hour later in her four-star room at the 78-a-night Hawaii Riviera Aqua Park Resort, saying with her final words: 'I can't do this anymore.'

Her daughter, Leiann, 38, was later told how she had died from a panic attack that had caused Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (Sads) in November 2017.

The family are now raising awareness of panic attacks and Sads, and planning a legal case against the hotel over claims it took them 45 minutes to respond.

Debra Beach had been together with her husband Ken, 58, since they were 11, and they were soon due to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary with a cruise

Leiann, a full-time mother, said: 'We'd had an amazing holiday and just three hours before my mum's panic attack started we were up together and having a great time.

'We were coming to the end of a two-week break with my sister and her four children and my three kids when the disaster happened.

'I rushed into my mum's room after my nephew, who was staying in her room, began knocking at my hotel room door at 6am on November 14.

'I knew it was serious as soon as I saw her breathing into a bag and struggling to talk.

Leiann and Debra Beach, who were on holiday together in Hurghada in November 2017

'I decided to call reception and ask for the on-site doctor, but it took ages before someone finally arrived.

A programme for the mother's funeral at the North East Surrey Crematorium in Morden

'I had also requested an ambulance was called but it took 45 minutes before the hotel doctor arrived and a further 10 or 15 minutes before the ambulance.

'My mum then started bleeding from her nose and mouth, it was horrific, no one knew what to do to save her.

'I'd rang for an ambulance and I'd even called my friend in Egypt to call a local one too.

'But it was all too late, her lips went blue and she stopped breathing. Her final words were 'I can't do this anymore'.

'It was heart-breaking and although she may not have been saved if help came straight away, the delays for the onsite doctor was shocking.

'We don't think he was even trained to deal with life threatening illnesses as he was panicking and not helping my mum in anyway.'

An autopsy conducted at St George's Hospital in Tooting, South London, found nothing abnormal and concluded that her death was most likely caused by a panic attack that led to Sads.

The family were on holiday at the four-star Hawaii Riviera Aqua Park Resort in Hurghada, Egypt

Leiann said: 'We had to wait three weeks to get her home and it was awful having to board our plane without her the following day. We were best friends and life won't ever be the same without her.

Sads: The invisible killer that claims 500 lives a year in Britain Sudden adult death syndrome (Sads) is caused by a 'ventricular arrhythmia', a disturbance in the heart's rhythm. It can strike at any age and can even affect those who are fit and athletic. Sometimes there are no warning signs, but in other cases victims can experience dizziness or fainting spells. It is often triggered by physical or emotional stress. In some cases it may be caused by an underlying genetic disorder which runs in families, while in others it may be caused by a condition which is acquired. Around one in four cases is thought to be caused by a set of conditions called ion channelopathies. These affect the electrical functioning of the heart without affecting its structure, meaning they can only be detected in life rather than after death. The prevalence of Sads is not fully known as many sudden deaths are put down to accidents, but research suggests it claims around 500 lives a year in Britain. It was first noted in 1977 among Hmong refugees in the US. It was then reported again in Singapore when medics looked through records which showed 230 healthy Thai men died suddenly between 1982 and 1990. Advertisement

'My dad, Ken, 58, was supposed to be celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary with her on a cruise - they'd been together since they were 11 years old.

'We will never know the true cause for why our mum had a panic attack that then killed her.

'But due to the slow response by medics in Egypt I don't think I'll ever go abroad again. I just don't feel safe taking my kids away incase something was to happen to them.

'My mum had no history of panic attacks and was the happiest and most caring person you could ever meet.'

Leiann is now sharing her story as a warning to other tourists who will be going abroad this summer.

She added: 'I want to make people aware that on-site doctors aren't always able to help and if something serious happens that you might be left to wait like we did.

'We don't know whether faster medical help would have saved her life but it definitely would have made it less frightening for her and us during her final moments.'

The family booked their two week luxury break with Romford-based A1 Travel, which has since gone out of business following the collapse of Monarch Airlines.

The Beach family have since launched a legal case against Hawaii Riviera Aqua Park to investigate the death and find the causes behind the claimed delay.

Hawaii Riviera Aqua Park Resort has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Patrick Kielty has relived the murder of his father at the hand of protestant paramilitaries who claimed he was an IRA chief as part of a new TV documentary.

The comedian revealed the moment he was called into the headmaster's office of his school to be told of his father Jack's death at the hands of Loyalist shooters.

As part of a BBC programme documenting the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Kielty spoke about the effect the murder has had on his life.

The Loyalist assassins had fired on his father's firm in Dundrum, County Down, at the height of the Troubles.

Patrick Kielty was just six days away from turning 17 when he buried his father and served as a pallbearer at the funeral

It was a case of mistaken identity, with the killers believing Jack to be an officer in the IRA, a link that was immediately dismissed by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and family members.

Reliving the moment he was told of the death at the age of 16, Kielty said: 'It was the very first Red Nose Day and I'd put the posters up all around the school.

'When I was called to the headmaster's office, I thought I was going to get told off because I'd plastered the entire school with them.

'Then I got to his office and one of my dad's business colleagues was there. That's when I knew something was terribly wrong.

'I remember thinking, "I need to get home. How's my mum? Where's everybody else?" At the time you don't realise you're going through shock.'

Kielty, who is now married to TV star Cat Deeley, was just six days away from turning 17 when he buried his father and served as a pallbearer at the funeral.

Kielty, who is now married to TV star Cat Deeley (pictured), having met while presenting Fame Academy with Deeley back in 2002

'At the time you think, "Let's just get through the next day". My younger brother Cathal was just 11 at the time and I think it was much harder for him.

'When you go through something like that, you spend your life making up for other people's discomfort because they don't know what to say.

'But growing up in Northern Ireland you had less of those chats because a lot of people knew what you were going through. There was never anger.

'It was a case of looking after mum and the family pulling together. The minute you're angry then someone else has won.'

Speaking about the death in the new BBC documentary, Kielty added: 'When my dad was killed I honestly believed that peace in Northern Ireland was a pipedream.

'But the Good Friday Agreement achieved the impossible and largely brought an end to the bloodshed.

'Even though my dad's killers were released as part of the process, I welcomed the deal as it promised an end to violence once and for all.'

Patrick Kielty is pictured alongside Labour politician and secretary for Northern Ireland, Mo Mowlam

Prior to the events of January 25, 1988, the Kieltys had lived a more or less idyllic existence.

He said: 'Because my dad owned a business that employed both Protestants and Catholics, and because someone down the road had been shot a year or so beforehand, we were initially told that my dad had been killed as a revenge.'

William Bell, Delbert Watson and David Curlett were eventually sentenced to life for the murder but were freed in 2000 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

'For me it was absolutely part of the process,' Kielty said. 'People talk about making peace, and then they draw their line in the sand and say, 'I'll make peace here'.

The Loyalist assassins had fired on Jack Kielty's firm in Dundrum, County Down, at the height of the Troubles

'But peace is about going beyond where you want to go. The reason there haven't been many places where peace has broken out is because people cannot go beyond the place they need to.'

Life eventually moved on. As far as the Kielty family were concerned, the men had been tried and convicted 'and so we thought that everything was essentially sorted'.

Then three years ago, while doing a show in Belfast, Patrick was approached by a woman who threw new light on his father's death.

Investigative journalist Roger Cook had exposed a local protection racket being run by James Craig, an Ulster Defence Association commander, in his current affairs show The Cook Report, but Craig then tried to sue the programme.

'This woman told me that her husband and my dad had been going to give evidence in the trial against James Craig,' says Kielty.

'And I didn't know that. Apparently they gave evidence behind a screen but then the trial collapsed and both men were then identifiable.'

It is now claimed that Jack Kielty was shot to send out a warning to others to keep quiet.

Craig was never brought to justice as he was himself shot dead by the UDA a few months later.

'My dad was a brave man but it was my mum who wanted to protect us. She's the one who raised the family and kept us together. She was 46 when he died and she never remarried.'

As part of a BBC programme documenting the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Kielty spoke about the effect the murder has had on his life.
The Pope has been sensationally quoted as saying hell does not exist and souls not worthy of heaven merely disappear instead of being tormented.

But the Vatican quickly denied the apparent dramatic theological shift, accusing atheist reporter Eugenio Scalfari of 'reconstructing' his words.

Catholic teaching dictates that 'immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell'.

The Pope has sensationally declared hell does not exist and souls not worthy of heaven merely disappear instead of being tormented

But the Vatican quickly denied the apparent dramatic theological shift, accusing atheist reporter Eugenio Scalfari (pictured) of 'reconstructing' his words

Scalfari, 93, in his fifth interview of Pope Francis published in La Repubblica, asked what happened to 'bad souls' after their bodies died.

'They are not punished, those who repent obtain the forgiveness of God and enter the rank of souls who contemplate him, but those who do not repent and cannot therefore be forgiven disappear,' he quoted the Pope as replying.

'There is no hell, there is the disappearance of sinful souls.'

The Vatican on Thursday said the Italian journalist and the Pope had a private meeting but claimed it was 'without giving him any interview'.

'What is reported by the author in today's article is the result of his reconstruction, in which the literal words pronounced by the Pope are not quoted,' it said.

'No quotation of the aforementioned article must therefore be considered as a faithful transcription of the words of the Holy Father.'

Scalfari, 93, in his fifth interview of Pope Francis published in La Repubblica , asked what happened to 'bad souls' after their bodies died

Scalfari report came a day before the Pope urged priests to be spiritually closer to adulterers and to not preach Holy laws at people but instead tell them when they sin

The Holy See pointed out that Pope Francis previously mentioned hell in a March 2014 prayer vigil calling on mafia members to change their lives.

'While there is still time, so that you do not end up in hell. That is what awaits you if you continue on this path,' he said then.

Scalfari has previously been accused of contorting the Pope's words in previous meetings, due to his unconventional style of not taking notes.

'I try to understand the person I am interviewing, and after that I write his answers with my own words,' he said after a 2013 incident.

He at that point reported the Pope told him: 'Everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them.'

Scalfari afterwards conceded that as a result 'some of the Pope's words I reported, were not shared by Pope Francis.'

The following year Vatican officials even questioned whether reports of interviews with the Pope by atheist reporters could ever be trusted.

Pope Francis washes the feet of Rome prisoners for Holy Thursday Pope Francis washed prisoners' feet at a Rome jail on Thursday - including two Muslims, an Orthodox Christian and a Buddhist - once again choosing to celebrate Holy Thursday among Italy's incarcerated. 'Everyone always has the opportunity to change life and one cannot judge,' Francis said to the prisoners of the city's all-male Regina Coeli prison. It is the fourth time in the pope's five year papacy that he has celebrated the Holy Mass in an Italian jail. 'For me, visiting the sick, going into prison, making the prisoner feel that he can have hope of rehabilitation, that is the preaching of the Church,' he said in a recent book of interviews. This year, the 12 inmates washed by Francis hailed from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Colombia, Moldova, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. The rite, performed yearly on Maundy or Holy Thursday, commemorates Jesus Christ's Last Supper with the apostles. In Christian tradition, Jesus is said to have washed their feet ahead of the meal in a gesture of humility. 'I am a sinner like you but today I represent Jesus... God never abandons us, never tires of forgiving us,' Francis said to the inmates. The ceremony is part of the run-up to Easter Sunday. Since his election in 2013, the pope has moved the feet washing ceremony outside the walls of the Vatican and into centres for vulnerable people or those on society's margins. In his first year he visited a youth detention centre where he performed the ritual on a group of young inmates including two Muslims - the first Catholic leader ever to do so. In 2014 he washed the feet of elderly and disabled people, in 2015 he did so in a prison, and in 2016 he chose a migrant reception centre. Last year the pope went to Paliano jail outside Rome where he washed the feet of former mafiosi in a prison known for housing inmates who have informed on old mobster allies. - AFP Advertisement

Scalfari's report came a day before the Pope urged priests to be spiritually closer to adulterers and to not preach Holy laws at people but instead tell them when they sin.

Pope Francis shared the guidance during Holy Thursday Mass which is meant to show the unity of the Catholic Church during the pre-Easter period.

He called on priests to be close to their flocks and to do more than just preach laws at them when they sin.

In his homily, Francis also said that priests should help adulterers look forward and not condemn them with legalism.

The pope warned that priests must not be tempted to 'idolise' church law and doctrine, to ensure that as many ordinary people remain close to Jesus as possible.

Francis stressed the need to not judge adulterers too harshly and also called on priests to be patient with them, even if it meant continuously stressing the wrongness of the sin to them.

Pope Francis blows inside an amphora containing holy oil during a Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican

Pope Francis delivered the speech as he celebrated a Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican.

During the Mass the pontiff blesses a token amount of oil that will be used to administer the sacraments for the year.

The holy oil is contained in an amphora that the Pope blows into during the ceremony.

The surprising words came after conservatives complained that Francis is dividing the church with his opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion.

Critics say Francis is disregarding church law about the indissolubility of marriage by effectively allowing adulterers access to the sacraments.

Francis appeared to be hitting back at the criticism with his Holy Thursday Mass, choosing specifically to preach about how priests should accompany adulterers during a Mass meant to demonstrate the unity of priests with their bishops.

He told priests in St. Peter's Basilica that Jesus wasn't disregarding the law when, in the Biblical story, he refused to condemn an adulterer when he found her.

An amphora containing holy oil is carried in front of Pope Francis during a Chrism Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Thursday

Francis said priests can tell adulterers not to sin again, but using a non-legalistic tone that allows the sinner 'to look forward and not backward.'

'The correct tone is that of the confessor who is prepared to repeat it 70 times seven,' he said.

Holy Thursday marks the start of an intense four days of activity leading up to Easter Sunday, including the Thursday afternoon ritual washing of the feet of 12 people, which Francis will perform at Rome's central Regina Coeli prison.

The 12 inmates include Catholics, Muslims, an Orthodox Christian and a Buddhist, the Vatican said. They hail from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Moldova, Colombia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

On Friday, Francis presides over the Way of the Cross procession at Rome's Colosseum re-enacting Christ's crucifixion.

On Saturday night, he celebrates the solemn Easter Vigil in St. Peter's Basilica, followed by the joyful Easter Sunday Mass marking Christ's resurrection.

During the Mass the pontiff blesses a token amount of oil that will be used to administer the sacraments for the year

The Pope has been criticised by some conservatives for allowing some divorced and remarried Catholics receive communion.

Last year, the pope replaced Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller who was the Church's hardline doctrinal watchdog.

The former Cardinal had publicly clashed with the Pope over divorce reforms.

Francis had produced a papal treatise called 'The Joy of Love', which was an attempt to make the Catholic Church more inclusive and less condemning.

In the document the pontiff sided with progressive proposal to allow some divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion.

This horrified traditionalists, who believed divorcing and remarrying was adultery and therefore a sin.
A high profile, former Hells Angels enforcer, with a self described 'passion for crime' has had his drug charges dropped because police could not find enough evidence to convict him.

Instagram celebrity and scandalous bad boy, Ben 'Notorious' Geppert, refused to show his face at the Southport Magistrates Court as police told the judge they would be dropping the charges.

They are no longer persuing the chargers of two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one count of possessing a utensil connected with drug use, the Gold Coast Bulletin has reported.

Ben Geppert (left) a high profile Instagramer and former Hells Angels member has had the drug charges against him dropped

Geppert and his girlfriend Allaina Vader were kicked of Hamilton Island earlier this year

Geppert has eluded to a 'storm' coming over social media while photographing himself wearing a face mask (pictured)

The police gave no reason for dropping the charges.

Geppert made headlines earlier this year after he and his heavily tattooed glamour girlfriend, Allaina Vader, were marched off Hamilton Island after receiving infringement notices for threatening behaviour.

He recently bragged on social media saying 'the old me is history' and 'ain't the smartest crim, but i'll make the most noise'.

Geppert and Allaina both boast sizeable Instagram fans. They use the social media platform to build their personal brand, play out their relationship and feud with other former bikies.

They show off their heavily tattooed bodies and seemingly luxurious lifestyle and call each other 'boo' and 'princes' over the app.

'Mind on my money, only money on my mind,' Geppert posted this week.

He's also put up an image of him wearing a face mask and a matching Adidas tracksuit.

The pair took to social media after the were booted off the Island to dismiss their infringement notice

A social media feud was later started with former Hells Angels bikie Ben 'Notorious' Geppert (left) and ex-Bandidos West End president Brett 'Kaos' Pechey (right)

Their girlfriends are Instagram stars and cousins Allaina and Rikki-Louise Jones

The words 'NoRemorse. Da storm is coming' were written with the post.

One of his followers commented 'I wonder who did it' and Geppert replied by saying: 'ain't the smartest crim. But I'll make the most noise ... DW about that my brah lol'.

Vader has made no comment on her Instagram to suggest the pair are expecting something in the future.

The couple both have sizeable followings on Instagram and use the platform to promote themselves and their lifestyle

Vadar has made no suggestion on Instagram that the pair are expecting something to happen soon but instead has been posting about how she has started training again (right)

'Finally back training,' she posted recently.

The pair were fined following the disturbance they caused on Hamilton Island but dismissed it afterwards over social media.

'Two fines pfffff brrrrrrt throw it on our tabs ya dogs,' Ms Vader posted.

'I hated it there! Everything was shut the humans f***ed got our money back and free yacht ride to the mainland F***ing winning.'

Geppert was again the centre of controversy in February after he was blamed for causing a rift between Vader and her sister Rikki Louise Jones who is also an Instagram star.

Geppert was the centre of controversy again this year after he started a fight over social media with Peachy

Jones is dating Brett 'kaos' Peachy who was once Queensland's most wanted bikie.

The two had been pseudo 'brother-in-laws' by virtue of their relationships with the sisters but the friendship ended after Geppert claimed that Peachy was a 'dog' and a police informant.

The unsubstantiated claim was related to Gold Coast police interviewing Peachey over his knowledge of the Brothers 4 Life gang, which is trying to gain a foothold in Queensland.

In an Instagram post he put up at the time Geppert took his Brothers 4 Life gang T-shirt, which he had worn with Kaos's public approval and throws it on the ground.


The U.S. Census Bureau has met a requirement to submit the 2020 census questions to Congress, including a controversial citizenship query that is being included for the first time in 70 years.

The questions submitted by the Census Bureau include age, sex, race, relationship and homeownership status. Those questions have traditionally appeared on the census form.

But it's the addition of the citizenship status question that has drawn criticism. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross decided to reinstate the citizenship question, which last appeared on the 1950 census form, after a request from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Department of Justice contends that the question will help the agency enforce the Voting Rights Act, a law which was enacted 15 years after the citizenship question was last on the census form.

The question that will appear on the census is, "Is this person a citizen of the United States?" There are five options to choose from: Yes, born in the United States; yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas; yes, born abroad of U.S. citizen parent or parents; yes, U.S. citizen by naturalization; or no, not a U.S. citizen.
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Three of the four men murdered by an ISIS terrorist in a supermarket siege in France last week were honoured at a public funeral attended by hundreds of mourners.

The coffins of Herve Sosna, Christian Medves and Jean Mazieres were put on display in the town square of Trebes, a small town in southern France where the siege took place.

All three were shot or stabbed to death by Radouane Lakdim during his rampage through Carcassonne and Trebes that ended with a shootout at the Super U shop.

The coffins of Herve Sosna, Christian Medves and Jean Mazieres were put on display in the town square of Trebes, a small town in southern France

The four men murdered by an ISIS terrorist in a supermarket siege in France last week were honoured at a public funeral attended by hundreds of mourners

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe stands by as family members pay their last respects during the funeral service

Mr Mazieres, 60, was killed by attacker Redouane Lakdim during the carjacking; Mr Medves, 50, was shot in the supermarket, where he worked as a butcher; and construction worker Mr Sosna, 65, was a customer in the supermarket.

A private religious ceremony took place afterwards for gendarme Arnaud Beltrame in nearby Carcassonne, and it will be followed by a burial later in the cemetery of Ferrals-les-Corbieres.

Yesterday, France held a national homage to Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame, who was given a posthumous Legion of Honor for his heroism in swapping himself for a hostage.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and senior government figures including Interior Minister Gerard Collomb and the Keeper of the Seals Nicole Belloubet attended the service on Thursday morning to pay their respects, speaking to families of the victims and local residents.

Ladkim's first victim, retired winemaker Jean Mazieres, 61, and Christian Medves, chief butcher of Super U

Hero policeman Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, who died after swapping places with a hostage, and Herve Sosna, a 65-year-old retired bricklayer

Tributes: Flowers lay at the gate of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame's barracks in Carcassonne ahead of his funeral today

In honour: A portrait of Lt. Col. Beltrame lie along the hundreds of flowers left at the barracks

Family members lay flowers and kiss the coffins of their loved ones murdered in the rampage

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and senior government figures attended the service on Thursday morning to pay their respects, speaking to families of the victims and local residents

Both Mr Sosna, a 65-year-old retired bricklayer murdered inside the supermarket, and retired winemaker Mr Mazieres have had their funerals in nearby congregations today

Mr Medves, chief butcher of Super U, will have his funeral at 4.30pm this afternoon, the church of Trebes, where he lived with his wife and two daughters.

'He the happy grandfather of a one-year-old granddaughter and his eldest daughter is expecting her second child,' Mayor of Trebes Franck Alberti told La Depeche.

'He was a hyper bon vivant, extremely attached to his family and friends. For his girls, their dad was their idol,' his friend Oliver said.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe walks with a young family member during the funeral service

A mass and a vigil in honor of the four victims will take place in the church of St-Etienne de Trebes at 6.30pm

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe lays a white rose on a coffin of one of the three people killed in the terrorist attack

Beltrame will have his private funeral at 11 am in the Cathedral Saint-Michel of Carcassonne, in a mass performed bishop Alain Planet, then be buried in Ferrals, in the Corbieres, where he lived with his wife since last summer.

A mass and a vigil in honor of the four victims will also take place in the church of St-Etienne de Trebes at 6.30pm.

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday hailed Beltrame as the symbol of the 'French spirit of resistance' at a huge public memorial in Paris.

The 44-year-old's coffin was carried in a procession from Paris' Pantheon to a ceremony at Hotel des Invalides, where he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Honor for his bravery.

In his eulogy to the murdered cop, President Macron said: 'The name of his attacker will be forgotten, but the name of Arnaud Beltrame will live on.'

The French leader vowed to ensure 'he will not have died in vain,' ,' urging the nation to be vigilant in the face of an 'insidious' jihadist threat.

'His example will remain etched in French hearts,' the president told hundreds gathered in the rain at the historic Hotel des Invalides military museum and hospital in central Paris.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (4th L), French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb and French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet (R) stand with family members as they pay their last respects

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (3rd L) is flanked by French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet (2nd L), French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb (2nd R) and the Mayor of Trebes Eric Menassi (R) as they pay their respects

'To accept to die so the innocent can live: that is the essence of what it means to be a soldier,' he said, comparing the policeman's sacrifice to those of France's World War II heroes.

'Others, even many who are brave, would have wavered or hesitated.

'We are not just fighting terrorist groups, the armies of Daesh and imams who preach hate and death,' Macron said, using another name for the Islamic State group.

Lakdim, who claimed allegiance to ISIS, had already shot dead the passenger of a car he hijacked in nearby Carcassonne, before driving to the supermarket and killing two more people there.

Beltrame hoped to be able to negotiate with the 25-year-old, but Lakdim stabbed him in the throat and the officer died of his wounds the next morning.

A total of four men were murdered in the attacks around Carcassonne before Lakdim himself was gunned down by special forces GIGN police.
A beautician who raised her brother and sister after their parents died hanged herself in her salon, an inquest heard.

Regan Collinson, 39. was found dead in her hair and beauty shop Polished, in Garston, Liverpool, by her best friend.

The hearing at Liverpool Coroners court was told that Regan suffered from mental illness and took anxiety medication.

Ms Collinson, who was described by friends as a 'wonderful, amazing girl' raised her siblings herself when their parents died when they were young.

Regan Collinson (left and right) who found dead in her own salon in Garston, Liverpool

The family were struck by tragedy again when her younger brother took his own life at the age of 17.

Her best friend, Joseph Muscart, who had known Regan for 20 years, told the court she recently 'had not been the same person.'

He said she made pancakes for Regan on the morning of her death on January 5 this year, and the pair had laughed and joked about her being late for work.

But just a few hours later, Joseph realised that she wasn't answering her phone and arrived at the beauty shop to find the store locked up.

Liverpool Coroners Court heard Ms Collinson (left and right) had suffered with mental illness and had 'not been herself' in recent weeks

He found a key and walked in to find Regan's body.

Paramedics arrived and pronounced her dead shortly afterwards.

Ms Collinson, who also taught beauty at Hugh Baird College in Bootle was clearly held in 'high esteem' coroner Simon Holder said.

He said she had 'built up a successful business in a competitive market' and kept it running 'day in, day out'.

Ms Collinson's beauty shop Polished, where she was found by her friend on January 5

After the hearing, Mr Muscart said: 'She was such a wonderful, amazing girl who was always there for everyone and will be missed beyond belief.

'She left us all far too soon but will never be forgotten and will forever be in our hearts.'

The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Netflix has confirmed it has tapped former US national security advisor and United Nations ambassador Susan Rice to join its board of directors - sparking an angry backlash from conservatives.

Rice, a visiting fellow at Harvard and an opinion writer for The New York Times, directed the National Security Council, providing the daily briefing to then-president Barack Obama during his second term.

This put her in charge of foreign and national security policy, intelligence and military efforts in the years following the 2012 attack on the US embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead.

Rice came under fire from Republican lawmakers who accused her of underplaying the attack as a spontaneous act of violence in response to an anti-Muslim film, while Obama admitted it was a premeditated attack.

Her Netflix appointment has prompted TV fans to cancel their subscription to the streaming giant.

Netflix has confirmed it has tapped former US national security advisor and United Nations ambassador Susan Rice (pictured) to join its board of directors - sparking an angry backlash from conservatives

A burnt house and a car are seen inside the US Embassy compound on September 12, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya following an overnight attack on the building

She was also berated for inappropriately 'unmasking' the names of associates of President Donald Trump that appeared in intelligence reports last year.

National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch took to Twitter to describe Netflix as 'the perfect place for a former staffer who blamed a terror attack on a poorly-made short film.'

Tom Fitton, president of the conservative foundation Judicial Watch, said: 'Netflix doubles down in support of Obama corruption - compromised Susan Rice, who lied repeatedly on both Benghazi and the unmasking issue joins its Board of Directors.'

Republican Twitter users threatened to cancel their Netflix subscriptions, pointing out that that Obama himself is reportedly in talks with the streaming service for a production deal.

Netflix's new recruit Susan Rice caused controversy in 2012 when terrorists attacked the US mission in Benghazi on September 11

Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings said in a statement, however, that the streaming service was 'delighted' with its new hire.

He said: 'For decades, she has tackled difficult, complex global issues with intelligence, integrity and insight and we look forward to benefiting from her experience and wisdom.'

US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens (pictured) and three other Americans were killed in the attack near a CIA annex

Rice said she was thrilled to be joining a 'cutting-edge company whose leadership, high-quality productions and unique culture' she admired deeply.

Netflix's new recruit caused controversy in 2012 when terrorists attacked the US mission in Benghazi on September 11.

US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the attack near a CIA annex.

Republicans were furious when she suggested it was a spontaneous event arising from protests of an anti-Islam film rather than a premeditated attack.

Intelligence officials has said the attack was possibly tied to al-Qaeda affiliates.

In the weeks following the incident, Rice apologized for not calling the attacks on the US consulate terrorism

The comments came after she failed to win over her harshest GOP critics in the Senate during a meeting with them..

She claimed she never meant to mislead the American people, and instead used talking points given to her by the intelligence community at the time.
One of Sydney's resident seals, Sealvester, has made himself at home on the outskirts of a popular marina this week, delighting residents and visitors alike.

But after climbing his way onto the pavement at Rushcutters Bay Park, east of the city, for the sixth consecutive day, authorities decided it was time he moved on.

A steel fence was erected Thursday, blocking Sealvester from the set of steps he had used all week to climb onto the footpath and sun bake.

One of Sydney's resident seals, Sealvester (pictured), has been blocked from climbing onto his favourite resting spot in Rushcutters Bay Park in Sydney

The mammal was spotted looking notably disappointed Thursday evening, with footage showing him struggling in the water at the foot of the steps.

Authorities attempted to block his entry to the park previously, but their plastic tape and bollards proved ineffective as the determined seal broke through with ease.

Residents were told the fence was installed to protect Sealvester from pets commonly exercised at the off-leash park.

Many locals, however, argued the measure was not necessary and Sealvester should be able to relax in the sun wherever he liked.

'(It's) so sad we can't co-exist and people are not respecting his space,' Jo Hocking told Daily Mail Australia.

Authorities attempted to block his entry to the park previously, but their plastic tape and bollards proved ineffective as the determined seal broke through with ease

'I get why they are doing it but he obviously loves it there and it's sad that those that don't respect his space ruin it for everyone else but most of all Sealvester.'

Kerrin White watched in horror Thursday afternoon as the seal battled to break through the metal fence.

'I called the council number and reported it as I was so affected seeing him trying to get back up the stairs,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I spent the evening down there with the Orrca volunteers and they are going to recommend that they put a cyclone fence further back so he can get back up and chill out.'

Residents were told the fence was installed to protect Sealvester from pets commonly exercised at the off-leash park

'He has an infected eye and needs to get back to his colony but for now he wants to relax in our backyard and most of the locals love him.'

A ranger said Sealvester was being monitored by appropriate agencies, who hoped to encourage him to rest at Nielsen Park where dogs were not allowed.

There had reportedly been incidents involving dog owners behaving irresponsibly in the presence of Sealvester, allowing their animals to roam off their lead.
This is the terrifying moment a free standing air conditioning unit comes crashing down on a 10-year-old girl as she does the splits during a dance class.

A video taken by a member of the school shows the pupil buried underneath the 110lb (50kg) machine after it had smashed onto her.

The child's two front teeth were broken in half by the accident, which took place in southern China.

The accident happened in a studio where primary school students were taking a dance class

Girl, aged 10, does the splits as the 110lb air conditioning unit comes crashing down on her

The incident happened in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen in December last year, but was only reported by Chinese media yesterday.

The footage was filmed by a member of the school for practice purposes at the time.

Mr Peng, the child's father, was seen crying in a video interview with Guangdong Radio and Television, saying that he has been unhappy with the way the school managed the accident.

'There is no way you can restore the original teeth, so they need to give my daughter back the best teeth possible.'

He said that the school had paid only 800-900 RMB (91-102) to have braces fitted for his daughter.

He also said that after further inquiries, other dentists have said that braces shouldn't be fitted until at least a year or year and half after the accident.

Teacher rushes to the girl, who as a result has her two front teeth broken in half

Questions have been raised about how such a heavy device could have collapsed so easily, given the obvious dangers in a school and health and safety implications in a dance studio.

The video also shows a billowing curtain from a gust of wind blowing in the adjacent window just before the accident, raising the question of whether that triggered the fall.

The deputy head master of the school mentioned in an interview with Guangdong Radio and Television that the 'wooden flooring' may be to blame, since 'vibrations' from more than ten dancing students may have shaken the standalone device.

He admitted that the school 'might' have been at fault for not undertaking proper safety checks.

The case is still being investigated by the authority.
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Thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest after two international rugby players were cleared of rape.

Irish sportsmen Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted by a jury of eight men and three women on Wednesday following a nine-week trial at Belfast Crown Court.

They were accused of sexually assaulting a woman when they went back to Jackson's flat after a night out in the capital city.

The court heard the pair were in a WhatsApp group which discussed having a 'spit roast' and said sex with the woman was 'like a merry-go-round'.

But just hours after they were cleared, in response to the wider issues raised by the case and in support of the woman and others in a similar position, thousands of people tweeted #IBelieveHer.

The hashtag was trending in the UK, Ireland and worldwide and on Thursday a rally outside the Laganside courthouse took place along with others in Derry, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin. Tonight a much smaller group of protesters have gathered in Marble Arch in London.

'I'm a woman not a merry-go-round': Protesters Jessica O'Brien (left) and Merryn Sadlier with their homemade placards at the demonstration in Dublin on Thursday afternoon

One #IBelieveHer campaigner Tara Fitzgerald attended the protest in Dublin, Ireland, on Thursday

Solidarity: Karen Kelly and her brother from Conor traveled from Cabra West on the outskirts of Dublin to take part in the demonstration

Pictured: Sisters Ava Gale Murphy and Moya Gale Murphy (right) at the protest

'We believe': A smaller group of protesters gather at Marble Arch in London tonight

A section of the crowd at the #IBelieveHer solidarity demonstration at The Spire in Dublin

Hundreds of #IBelieveHer campaigners gathered on O'Connell Street in Dublin on Thursday afternoon after two rugby stars were cleared of rape

Thousands of women joined a protest in Dublin, Ireland, on Thursday afternoon one day after two rugby stars were cleared of rape

A rally has been held in Belfast this lunchtime following the rape verdict of the Ulster Rugby players at Laganside court

#IBelieveHer campaigners protested in Dublin, Ireland, to show support of women taking allegations before the courts and this woman herself

Hundreds of protesters arrived in Limerick on Thursday afternoon to join the #IBelieveHer campaign

What Olding and Jackson were alleged to have said on Whatsapp Whatsapp messages allegedly sent by Stuart Olding and Paddy Jackson were read to Belfast Crown Court, during evidence presented by the prosecution. In one, Olding was said to have written: 'We are all top sh*gg*rs', before adding: 'It was like a merry-go-around at a carnival.' The court heard he also wrote: 'There was a bit of spit roasting going on last night fellas.' It is alleged that Jackson replied on the same WhatsApp messaging service: 'There was a lot of spit.' The alleged conversation in full: 'How was she?' 'She was very, very loose' 'Any ***** get ******?' 'There was a lot of spit roast last night' 'There was a lot of spit' 'It was like a merry go round at the carnival' 'We are all top shaggers' 'Love Belfast *****' 'Boys, did you pass spit roast brassers' 'What the fuck was going on. Last night was hilarious.' 'Why are we such legends?' 'I know it's ridiculous' 'Mate no jokes she was in hysterics, wasn't going to end well' 'Really, **** sake, did you calm her? Where does she live?' 'Aye, just threw her home then went back to mine' Advertisement

Both Jackson, 26, and Olding, 25, were cleared alongside their friend Rory Harrison, 25 - who denied perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

Another friend Blane McIlroy, 26, was accused of one count of exposure but the four defendants were cleared of all charges relating to the alleged incident in June 2016.

The Belfast rally was organised by Reclaim the Night Belfast, which is a group which is campaigning against harassment and gender-based violence.

On Facebook, the group wrote: 'The feminist movement is calling a rally in response to the impact of the recent rape trial in Belfast.

'There is a lot of anger and upset among women who have observed the treatment of the [woman] in this case and found it harrowing and re-traumatising.'

On Twitter Humans actress Gemma Khan voiced her support for the complainant.

She wrote: '(I) can't stop thinking about the poor young woman in the Belfast case. I hope she knows how many of us support her and believe her. The legal system is stacked against victims. Rape culture is real. Education about consent has never been more needed.'

Many used their messages to support the woman who gave evidence throughout the trial, which was described by the judge as 'probably the most difficult trial any jury in Northern Ireland has been asked to adjudicate on'.

After the case yesterday, Jackson - who was also cleared of a separate charge of sexual assault - said: 'I'd just like to thank the judge and the jury for giving me a fair trial, my parents for being here every day, as well as my brother and sisters.

'Out of respect for my employers I've nothing further to comment.'

Meanwhile, Olding's solicitor Paul Dougan, read out a statement on behalf of the rugby player.

He said: 'I want to acknowledge publicly that though I committed no criminal offence on the evening of June 28, 2016, I regret deeply the events of that evening.

'I want to acknowledge that the complainant came to court and gave evidence about her perception of those events.

'I am sorry for the hurt that was caused to the complainant. It was never my intention to cause any upset to anyone on that night.

'I don't agree with her perception of events, and I maintain that everything that happened that evening was consensual.'

'We believe her': Riana Lynch from Donegal (left) and Saoirse Real (right) in Dublin sharing their views at a protest in Limerick

'Rape is caused by rapists': Four more supporters holding homemade signs in support of the complainant

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Laganside court after the #IBelieveHer hashtag trended on Twitter

Two sisters, Rebecca and Annie Philips attended the #IBelieveHer protest in Limerick, Ireland

Rugby players 'prey on women like pieces of meat': Olympic champion Greg Rutherford's girlfriend describes feeling 'violated' in club encounters with sportsmen after Irish stars are cleared of rape The girlfriend of British Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford has slammed the 'gargantuan egos' of rugby players after two Irish stars were cleared of rape. Susie Verrill, who last year revealed she had slept with two former England rugby internationals, said she has seen players 'prey on women like meat' at social events. Her comments, which were not directed at any individuals, come after Irish internationals Paddy Jackson, 26, and Stuart Olding, 25, were cleared of rape yesterday following a nine-week trial at Belfast Crown Court. Pictured: Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford with his long-term girlfriend Susie Verrill They were accused of sexually assaulting the same woman when they went back to Jackson's flat after a night out in Belfast. Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford's long-term girlfriend Susie Verrill has tweeted after the two Irish rugby stars were cleared of rape. Susie Verrill took to Twitter after the rugby stars were cleared and said that some players have 'gargantuan egos' After they were cleared, the hashtag #IBelieveHer - in support of women taking allegations before the courts and this woman herself - was trending worldwide. And now Ms Verrill has weighed into the argument by saying that she has felt 'violated' when leaving some bars. Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford's long-term girlfriend Susie Verrill has tweeted after the two Irish rugby stars were cleared of rape RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Next Pictured: Jeweller in court over 25m Hatton Garden gem raid... Daredevils who risked their lives scaling the 500ft-high... Share this article Share After they were cleared, the hashtag #IBelieveHer - in support of women taking allegations before the courts and this woman herself - was trending worldwide. Miss Verrill added her take She wrote on Twitter: 'I've experienced first hand, the pack mentality & gargantuan egos linked to rugby players She wrote on Twitter: 'I've experienced first hand, the pack mentality & gargantuan egos linked to rugby players. 'I used to like a rugby player, let's get that straight. It took very little time to realise what a whole host of them are about. And it ain't good. 'Thankfully I was never in a position where I went home with anyone & felt the need to report it the next day. 'But I have left bars feeling violated by behaviour conducted in front of others and unable to do much about it. 'I've seen other players at events, watch them prey on women like meat. Seen conversations they've had between one another. It's just so inappropriate teenage boy.' Last year, Ms Verrill - who has two children with the Olympic long jumper, 31 - said that the pair are not going to tie the knot because they do not want 'a lifetime of misery and 'a lifetime of misery and s*** sex'. Advertisement

A series of protests were held today across Ireland including one outside Belfast Crown Court

Paddy Jackson, 26, (left) and Stuart Olding, 25, (right) were accused of raping the woman at a party back at Jackson's home and were both cleared yesterday

Jackson, who played 25 times for Ireland, was photographed leaving Belfast Crown Court after being cleared of rape

Ireland and Ulster rugby player Paddy Jackson (centre) arrived with family members at Belfast Crown Court before he was cleared

Rory Harrison, 25, (left, pictured today) and Blane McIlory (right, pictured today) were also cleared

Jackson and the woman had been in Ollie's nightclub in Belfast (pictured) on the night of the alleged incident

Jackson (pictured playing for Ireland) has not played at club or national level since he was charged in July last year

The court had previously heard how the rugby players were accused of boasting with their friends about a 'spit roasting' on a WhatsApp group.

The jury was told that Olding allegedly wrote 'we are all top sh****rs, before adding: 'It was like a merry-go-around at a carnival.'

He also wrote: 'There was a bit of spit roasting going on last night fellas,' the court heard.

It is also alleged that Jackson replied on the same WhatsApp messaging service: 'There was a lot of spit.'

In another message also read out, McIlroy boasted: 'Pumped a bird with Jacko on Monday, roasted her, then another on Tuesday night.'

A review by the Irish Rugby Football Union and Ulster Rugby is now underway following the verdict.
An army sniper who miraculously survived being shot through the neck and carried on fighting for 90 minutes is selling his bravery medal for 100,000 so he can buy a house.

Lance Corporal Simon Moloney was convinced he was about to die after a bullet hit him in the throat during a firefight in Afghanistan in 2013 during Operation Herrick.

He said he spent 10 minutes preparing for death until a medic stemmed the bleeding and stabilised him.

Minutes later he was back on his feet and fought the Taliban in searing 40C heat, pinning down enemy snipers and helping save his comrades.

Now he has made a 'big but logical' decision to sell the medals at auction to afford a home in his native St Albans, Hertfordshire, where average prices are 390,000.

Lance Corporal Simon Moloney was shot in the neck while serving in Afghanistan with the Household Cavalry in 2013, but continued fighting for 90 minutes after receiving treatment

The bullet that hit his neck missed an artery at 'trillion-to-one' odds and medic Wesley Masters, pictured treating L/Cpl Moloney, was able to stem the bleeding

He was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, pictured left, for his bravery in action, helping to save comrades by pinning down enemy snipers. He also received an Operational Service Medal for participating in the campaign and is selling both for around 100,000 to afford a house

Masters, pictured right with L/Cpl Moloney, risked his own life to save the soldier by running 400 yards through heavy fire. He was awarded the Military Cross

A surgeon who later operated on L/Cpl Moloney told him the bullet had missed his vital arteries and airways by millimetres at odds of a trillion-to-one.

L/Cpl Moloney was serving with the Blues and Royals, part of the Household Cavalry, on his second tour of Afghanistan when he was nearly killed in July 2013 in Helmand province.

He was part of a 12 man troop flown into a Taliban stronghold to seek out insurgents.

The sniper and a machine gunner positioned themselves on the roof of a building to provide a watch and cover fire.

But an enemy sharpshooter picked him out and shot him through the neck.

The bullet entered the left side of his neck, missed his trachea and carotid main artery and exited through the right side.

The near-fatal blow knocked L/Cpl Moloney off the sloping roof. He plunged 8ft towards the ground but luckily a goat broke his fall.

Medic Wesley Masters risked his life to dash 400 yards under heavy fire to provide first aid. One grenade went off just 12ft away from them.

L/Cpl Moloney, pictured, served 10 years in the Army but is now trying to buy a house in Hertfordshire where average prices are around 390,000

The soldier, pictured in action in Afghanistan, said it was a 'big decision' to sell the medals but also a 'logical' one

He was later awarded the Military Cross for his bravery.

L/Cpl Moloney said: 'Looking back it was one of the best days of my life but for five or 10 minutes I was pretty sure I was going to die.

'It felt as though I had been punched, there was blood pouring from my neck.. Adrenaline had kicked in so I wasn't in pain. I was annoyed I had been shot because I knew who had shot me.

'I did genuinely think death was on the cards and I had accepted that if I was going to go I wasn't going to go out crying, I was going to go out with respect.

'It was the longest 10 minutes of my life. But then the medic said I was going to be alright and i had absolute faith in him.

His Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, pictured, is second only to the Victoria Cross in terms of awards for bravery in the Armed Forces

'I should be dead by now but I am in the position I am now because of everybody else who was there that day. I had good blokes around me.

'I was bleeding quite a bit but after about five minutes of treatment I was back on my feet and was back on it.

'The surgeon later told me that he couldn't make the same incision with a scalpel as the one the bullet that hit me did without killing me.'

L/Cpl Moloney, 27, left the Armed Forces last December after 10 years service.

He said he has made the 'logical' decision to sell the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross he was awarded for the action to give him a better future, which includes getting on the property ladder.

L/Cpl Moloney lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire, which is described as one of the mos difficult places in Britain outside London for first time buyers, with the average property price around 390,000.

He said: 'I am incredibly proud of my medals and what they represent. It has been a big decision to sell them but also a logical one.

'The money I hope to raise by selling my medals if life changing for someone in my position and is purely to give me and my future family a better life.

'I will 100 per cent use it to get on the property ladder.

'I rent at the moment and I will look to buy somewhere, a house, with the idea of letting it out grow it on until I need it.'

The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is the second highest award for gallantry in battle, with only the Victoria Cross ranking higher.

His is one of only 59 CGCs awarded since the decoration was instituted in 1993.

It will be sold along with his Operational Service Medal with an Afghanistan clasp by London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb who have given it a pre-sale estimate of between 80,000 to 100,000.

L/Cpl Moloney, pictured, said he feared he would die for around 'five or ten minutes' after he was shot but the day went on to be 'one of the best of his life'

Pierce Noonan, managing director at Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'Simon Moloney is a quintessentially British hero who talks about his extraordinary brush with death in Afghanistan with a calm, modest detachment that fills me with admiration.

'The story of how he fought on for an hour and a half after receiving treatment for a wound that came within millimetres of killing him is truly inspirational.'

Part of the citation for L/Cpl Moloney's CGC reads: 'Shouting through the effects of his throat injury and over the crack of enemy sniper rounds, Moloney passed critical target information to win the fire-fight.

'Moloney continued fighting for a further 90 minutes until, against his will, he was extracted by helicopter.

'Without his gallantry and skill in the ruthless suppression of the enemy, it is likely his troop would have sustained multiple casualties.'

The sale takes place in London on May 9.
Heartbroken children whose mother died after suffering two heart attacks while waiting for an hour in A&E corridor have slammed an 'insulting' 47,000 payout.

Lisa Howells, 38, died after waiting for treatment in an A&E corridor despite suffering from life-threatening diabetes.

Health chiefs admitted liability over the mother-of-two's death - and four years later have offered her family 47,000, considered paltry by her devastated family.

Heartbroken children whose mother died after suffering two heart attacks while waiting for an hour in A&E corridor have slammed an 'insulting' 47,000 payout. Lisa Howells (mid), 38, died after waiting for treatment in an A&E corridor despite suffering from life-threatening diabetes

But Lisa's son Jordan, 22, described the figure as 'peanuts' saying his mother's life was worth much more.

He said: 'My mother fell ill and was taken to hospital in an ambulance and they knew she was in a critical condition - but they didn't tell anyone.

'She was then left in a corridor for 55 minutes and ignored - she was out of sight and out of mind.

'While she was there she suffered two heart attacks that left her brain dead.'

Health chiefs admitted liability over the mother-of-two's death - and four years later have offered her family 47,000, considered paltry by her devastated family. But Lisa's son Jordan (pictured), 22, described the figure as 'peanuts' saying his mother's life was worth much more

Jordan said his mother was treated in intensive care of Nevil Hall Hospital, in Abergavenny, south Wales, while the family hoped for a miracle.

But days later shop worker Lisa died - and Jordan, 18 at the time and his sister Jade, then 16, were left 'heartbroken and distraught'.

He said: 'We were dependent on our mother at the time and living in a council house which we couldn't stay in.

Ms Howell was then left in a corridor for 55 minutes and ignored - she was out of sight and out of mind. While she was there she suffered two heart attacks that left her brain dead

'If we hadn't had other family living nearby we would have been homeless.'

Jordan and Jade were forced to move from the home they shared with their mother in rural Monmouthshire to live with family in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

But almost four years after Lisa's death, Jordan says he is still yet to reach a settlement with the Aneurin Bevan Health Board.

He said: 'In January we were offered 47,000 but I thought it was an insult - it's peanuts.

Jordan said: 'In January we were offered 47,000 but I thought it was an insult - it's peanuts'

'This is my mother's life. She suffered in that hospital and we suffered as well.

'To offer such a low amount is taking the p***.

'I have read about other cases where families have got life-changing sums and I think my mother's life was worth more.'

A Health Inspectorate Wales review into Lisa's death said: 'There was an unacceptable delay in triage and initiating treatment to Ms Howells in the emergency department.'

Aneurin Bevan Health Board has been asked for a comment about the setttlement offer.

A spokeswoman said earlier: 'We wish offer our sincere apologies that the Health Board breached our duty of care to Lisa Howells in May 2014.

'Following a detailed internal investigation our Redress Panel confirmed that there was a failure to assess her condition in a timely way, and we fully accept that the standard of care given to Lisa fell short of what we would have expected and should have been delivered.

'We would like to offer again our unreserved apologies to Lisa's family for this failing in our care.'
A vegan who posted a Facebook message offering 'zero sympathy' for a butcher killed by an Islamist militant during an attack in France last week has received a suspended jail sentence.

Vegan cheese maker Myriam-Serge Jouglet appeared before a judge on a charge of condoning terrorism on Thursday.

She lives in Saint Gaudens, a village not far from the Pyrenees mountains and the town of Trebes, hit by last week's attack.

Christian Medves (pictured), who was chief butcher of Super U, is set to have his funeral later at the church of Trebes, where he lived with his wife and two daughters

Hero policeman Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, who died after swapping places with a hostage, and Herve Sosna, a 65-year-old retired bricklayer

The coffins of Arnaud Beltrame, Herve Sosna, and Christian Medves were put on display in the town square of Trebes, a small town in southern France

'So then, you are shocked that a murderer is killed by a terrorist.' wrote the animal rights activist, named as Myriam by local media. 'Not me. I've got zero compassion for him, there's justice in it.'

The message sparked outrage online - with France in deep mourning for the four victims of the gunman's rampage - and the message was later deleted.

The defendant received a suspended prison term of seven months, meaning she will not serve any time behind bars unless she re-offends, local prosecutor Cecile Deprade told AFP.

Anyone suspected of approving terrorism or commenting on it favourably can be charged under French law.

Doing so on the internet carries a maximum seven-year jail term and a fine of up to 87,000.

'I can understand that you can love and defend animals, but not to the point where you hate humans,' Franck Alberti, a lawyer who is close to the butcher's family, was quoted as saying by Le Parisien newspaper.

In the post, the woman wrote: 'What, it shocks you that an assassin is killed by a terrorist? Not me, I have zero compassion for him'

The Facebook post also drew condemnation from the French Butchers' Confederation which called it 'dreadful' and urged respect for Medves, a 50-year-old father of two who was head of the meat section in the Super U.

La Depeche du Midi newspaper published a message from the vegan activist earlier this week in which she said she had deleted her comment within two hours and thought it was visible only to her friends, not to the public.

Medves, was laid to rest on Thursday at the church of Trebes, where he lived with his wife and two daughters.

He was a hyper bon vivant, extremely attached to his family and friends. For his girls, their dad was their idol,' his friend Oliver said.

'He was the happy grandfather of a one-year-old granddaughter and his eldest daughter is expecting her second child,' Mayor of Trebes Franck Alberti told La Depeche.

Jouglet's conviction comes two days after a left-wing activist received a one-year suspended sentence for hailing the death of another victim of the same attack, hero gendarme Arnaud Beltrame.

Stephane Poussier, who stood for parliament last June, was handed a one-year suspended jail term on Tuesday over comments he posted on Twitter over the same attack last Friday.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe stands by as family members pay their last respects during the funeral service

Poussier had welcomed the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, a police colonel who exchanged himself for a hostage but was then killed in an act hailed as heroic.

'Whenever a policeman is shot... I think of my friend Remi Fraisse,' he wrote, referring to an environmental activist killed by a stun grenade fired by police during a 2014 protest over a dam.

'And this time it was a colonel, great! Additionally, it means one less Macron voter,' he said.

Moroccan-born Radouane Lakdim killed four people during his rampage, including three people in a supermarket in Trebes.

Ladkim's first victim, retired winemaker Jean Mazieres, 61

Among the victims there were Beltrame and butcher Christian Medves.

Lakdim was later shot dead by police.

President Macron on Wednesday led a national tribute to Beltrame, who swapped places with a woman Lakdim had been holding hostage.

Earlier on Thursday the coffins of Arnaud Beltrame, Herve Sosna, and Christian Medves were put on display in the town square of Trebes.

France the day before held a national homage to Lieutenant Colonel Beltrame, who was given a posthumous Legion of Honor for his heroism in swapping himself for a hostage.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and senior government figures including Interior Minister Gerard Collomb and the Keeper of the Seals Nicole Belloubet attended the service on Thursday morning to pay their respects, speaking to families of the victims and local residents.

President Macron has hailed Beltrame as the symbol of the 'French spirit of resistance' at a huge public memorial in Paris.

In his eulogy to the murdered cop, President Macron said: 'The name of his attacker will be forgotten, but the name of Arnaud Beltrame will live on.'

The French leader vowed to ensure 'he will not have died in vain,' urging the nation to be vigilant in the face of an 'insidious' jihadist threat.
Afghan interpreter Asadullah Najibullah has been jailed for drugging and raping a 14-year-old girl just months after he was allowed to live in the UK

An Afghan interpreter with the British Army has been jailed for drugging and raping a 14-year-old girl just months after he was allowed to live in the UK.

Asadullah Najibullah, 28, plied the girl and her two friends with vodka and cannabis after luring them to his flat to celebrate Bonfire Night.

Najibullah then called for a taxi to pick up her friends, leaving him alone in the flat with the 14-year-old, who smoked some more cannabis.

A court heard he then took off the girl's clothes and raped her while she lay unconscious on November 5, 2016.

She only became aware of what happened when he sent her a photograph of her passed out and her mother contacted police.

Najibullah, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, admitted raping the girl and supplying her with cannabis at Warwick Crown Court.

He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years and ordered to register as a sex offender for life on Wednesday.

The court heard Najibullah had witnessed his policeman father murdered by the Taliban and went on to serve with the British and United States armies for three years.

Najibullah, 28, plied the girl and her two friends with vodka and cannabis after luring them to his flat to celebrate Bonfire Night. He was jailed at Warwickshire Crown Court

He came to the UK in 2015 because of fears for his safety in his home country and was given indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Judge Anthony Potter told him: 'You pleaded guilty to two offences, including the rape of a young and vulnerable girl, and the supply to her of cannabis in order to facilitate that rape.

'This was almost a year after you had arrived in this country, having been relocated here at the instigation of the Ministry of Defence.

'She [the victim] was young and vulnerable, and you were significantly older, 26 at the time, and had a life experience well beyond her conception.

'You had vodka which you supplied to her, and you had cannabis which you supplied to all three.

'That was a considered act, and once her friends had left, you took her telephone.

'By that stage she was having difficulty co-ordinating, and during the course of the rape she passed out.

'I have to bear in mind your previous exemplary conduct.

'You served with the British Army, and with the United States Army, in Afghanistan, and over the course of some three years you provided continued support as an interpreter.

'You have been witness to a number of events which have had a continuing effect on you, and you were only in this country because the MoD believed there was a risk to your life if you remained in Afghanistan.

'It is a sad feature of this case that you have chosen to repay that support by behaving in the way you did.'

Prosecutor Matthew Brook said: 'She had smoked (cannabis) before, but this had a very unusual effect on her, and she had difficulty moving her arms and legs.

'There was a suspicion there was something else in it as well.

'In the living room he tried to kiss her.

'He was aware she was only 14.

'She said 'no,' but he didn't desist, and she tried to push him away.

'He started to pull her clothes from her.

'She was trying to move her arms and legs to stop him, but with little effect.

'He then got on top of her and raped her.'

The girl was not aware of how it ended, because she passed out, and her next memory was of waking up some time later.

She left the flat, but Najibullah kept phoning her, asking to meet.

He approached her a number of times as she was on her way to school, on one occasion showing her a photograph he had taken of her while she had been unconscious in the flat.

Two weeks later, her mother became aware something was wrong because her daughter kept getting phone calls which seemed to worry her, so asked her what was going on.

When she was told what had happened, she called the police, and Najibullah was arrested.

He denied knowing the girl or having any sexual contact with her - but pleaded guilty after DNA evidence was found on his pyjama bottoms she had put on after the rape.

Graeme Simpson, defending, said Najibullah had 'put his life and safety at risk' by assisting the British forces in Afghanistan, and the Ministry of Defence believed he would be in danger if he remained there.

He added: 'He says today he did wrong and deserves to be punished.

'He says he's happy to be punished for what he did.'
"When wrote the grant, in order to justify our plan for the funders and the need for services, we relied on this public data as indications of need and how we were proposing to meet that need ... It wasn't something we entered into lightly at all," she said.

Bizzari disagrees that there is a need for more mental health services. He highlighted existing services provided in the county, including more than 100 walk-in patients a month at the county-run clinic, the opening of two primary care offices this year and the presence of 11 satellite clinics in schools.

The Community Services Board, Bizzari said, prepares an annual comprehensive plan for mental health services. The planning process, he continued, is "transparent and open to the public." But he claimed ARISE didn't participate in the mental health needs assessment.

"They cited a sentence in a previous year's plan that indicated a need to expand mental health services and they used that as evidence to support their plan to push their clinic in," he said.

Despite Bizzari's opposition, ARISE renewed attempts to get him on board with the organization's plan. But in December, Bizzari sent an email to Anderson notifying her that he reviewed the satellite proposal "and the need is not here."
Robert John Lupton-Le Masurier, 41, was jailed for seven months in Jersey

A teacher once named 'Britain's sign language tutor of the year' has been jailed after being snared by a female paedophile hunter.

Sick Robert John Lupton-Le Masurier, 41, who is profoundly deaf, was caught posing as a 13-year-old boy on the gay dating website Grindr in January.

He attempted to meet an underage youngster for sex but was instead met by Cheyenne O'Connor, 25, and became the fifth paedophile to be jailed by the mother-of-two.

She launched her one woman campaign to 'clean up' her community of Jersey as she claimed victims of sex abuse were being let down by the justice system.

And she said that while she was pleased with her latest conviction, she felt his prison term should have been longer after it was reduced to seven months 'as an act of mercy' by Magistrate Sara Fitz.

The judge lowered Le Masurier's term from nine months after reading a letter from an expert about the effects that prison can have on a deaf person.

Mrs Fitz said that she was taking into account deafness in terms of the additional hardship the defendant would suffer in prison. 'Those hardships are very well set out in the report,' she added.

The defendant from Jersey admitted a charge of attempting to meet a child aged 13 following sexual grooming.

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Le Masurier attempted to meet an underage youngster for sex. He asked the boy about his school and for pictures, asking him to be discreet. He told Benny: 'I'm really looking for fun (sex),' adding later in the conversation

Prosecuting, Lauren Hallam told the court how Miss O'Connor set up a fake profile on Grindr on January 7 under the false name of 'Benny' and registered the age as being 18, due to the application rules.

Once on Grindr, Ms O'Connor however posed as a 13-year-old boy.

The court heard that three days later 'Benny' received a message from Le Masurier and told him his age.

Benny told him: 'I not going to lie I am underage. Don't want anybody to talk to me that doesn't want to.

Le Masurier was snared by Cheyenne O'Connor, 25, and became the fifth paedophile to be jailed by the mother-of-two

Le Masurier replied: 'You mean you don't want some fun?'

Benny then said he had never done anything before to which Le Masurier responded: 'You want to try?'

Benny then told him: 'I'm 13.'

After this, Le Masurier asked the boy about his school and for pictures, asking him to be discreet.

He told Benny: 'I'm really looking for fun (sex),' adding later in the conversation,

'Don't worry about being nervous, don't mind your age as long as you are very, very discreet.'

Ms Hallam said that the conversation continued with some 'very sexual requests' and the pair then continued to exchange messages for five days.

When they eventually met Miss O'Connor photographed Le Masurier walking around the area and then went to the police.

During his police interview, Le Masurier, who his advocate described as 'profoundly deaf,' said he didn't understand the word '13' or 'age.'

Le Masurier claimed he had a poor command of English and didn't understand the content of the conversation - denying that he knew the boy was 13.

Advocate Nina Benest, who was defending Le Masurier, said he was profoundly deaf, of previous good character, had pleaded guilty on the first occasion and had several references.

Ms Hallam said that the conversation continued with some 'very sexual requests' and the pair then continued to exchange messages for five days

Prosecuting, Lauren Hallam told the court how Miss O'Connor set up a fake profile on Grindr on January 7 under the false name of 'Benny' and registered the age as being 18, due to the application rules

She said he had been in a relationship for 20 years and never had a previous underage encounter or any 'general sexual interest in children.'

She said Le Masurier took full responsibility for his actions and understood how he had broken the law, for which he offered an 'unreserved apology.'

She added: 'He knows nothing beyond what is expressly explained to him. There is no white noise for him, no TV, no radio, no general conversation, no eavesdropping. There is no osmosis by which he can learn society's rules.'

She explained that his first language is the British Sign Language (BSL) and that English is foreign to him and needs to be translated.

In addition she said his command of English was equivalent to that of a seven or eight-year-old child.

Advocate Benest told the court that there was no information about any prison officer having even a basic command of BSL. She said that as a result of his conviction, Le Masurier lost his job, lost his partner and was 'ostracised by the community.'

She said he was completely isolated and couldn't rebuild his life.

She told the court: 'He had never came across the word ''grooming'' before and it is something that had to be explained at length to him during his interview. This has been a shocking and frightening experience for him.'

Magistrate Sara Fitz lowered Le Masurier's term from nine months after reading a letter from an expert about the effects that prison can have on a deaf person. Pictured: The Magistrates Court in Jersey

He was also made the subject of a five-year restraining order limiting his use of computers and also told that it will be at least five years before he can apply to be removed from the Sex Offenders Register.

Speaking after the case Miss O'Connor said: 'I don't think it should have been reduced just because he was deaf. What difference does it make if it is five months or 12 months inside. He is still going to get the same grief.'

'Robert, a former school teacher up until his arrest, attempted to meet a 13-year-old boy at his home.

'The excuses used by Robert today in court were appalling, ''I didn't understand the number 13'' along with ''A light bulb clicked and I realised what I had done while waiting to meet him''.

'Bearing in mind, this man stayed 20 mins longer than the child did and also had arranged another meet the following day.

'His sexual chat was explicit and he also proceeded to send a picture of his tiny little man area covered by parts of his boxers.

'The sentence was lowered from the standard 9-11 months due to him being completely deaf and no one knowing sign language at the prison, so Robert I hope you enjoy your time up there with the other five serving time.'

Miss O'Connor has vowed to continue her work to trap people who want to try to meet children.

She added: 'I thought the publicity would make a few think twice about contacting me but it seems to have just got worse, nothing will stop them.

'Child abuse is a massive issue in Jersey and there is no-one else doing this but me.

'I decided to carry on based on how rubbish our justice system was and how many victims were being let down.

'The justice system is shocking when it comes to this.'
Dr James Lilja, pictured, is awaiting trial after being accused of negligent treatment

The founding drummer in the punk band The Offspring saved a jurors life during his own medical malpractice hearing.

As 35 prospective jurors sat in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland, California, one of them collapsed and hit his head.

Dr James Lilja leaped into action and having established the man had lost consciousness and had no pulse, he successfully administered CPR.

After the casualty was taken away with a pulse, the judge was forced declare a mistrial, stating the former rocker's heroics would sway the jury.

Lilja left the music scene in the late 1980s to concentrate on his medical career - running his own gynecology practice out of San Jose and Fremont.

Talking after the incident, the doctor told Law360: 'No good deed goes unpunished.'

He is awaiting trial after being accused of negligent treatment by Stephenie Sargiotto and her husband, John, according to the SF Gate.

The heroics led their attorney, Robert G Schock to request the mistrial.

Talking to judge Ronni MacLaren, Schock said: 'How could the potential jurors not be biased after witnessing the defendant's bold action.'

Unsurprisingly, Lilja's attorney pushed back, but the judge came down on the side of the plaintiff, saying the jurors' bias would be 'incurable'.

Back in 1984, the gynecologic physician was on the drums for The Offspring as they started out in Orange County, California.

Dexter Holland (left) and Noodles (Kevin Wasserman) performing with American punk group The Offspring in London 1995 in the early years after Lilja had left the band in 1987

Lilja formed the band with Offspring frontman Dexter Holland (pictured), who said back in 2014, 'This guy was dying to get into medical schoo

He was with the band for three years before leaving to concentrate on his medical career.

Lilja formed the band with Offspring frontman Dexter Holland, who said back in 2014, 'This guy was dying to get into medical school.

'In fact, he was so intent on getting into medical school that he didn't really even practice with us much.'

Ron Welty took Lilja's place in the band 31 years ago, and remains the group's drummer to this day.

After leaving the band, Lilja enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where he gained his qualifications.

He worked his way up to owning his own practice, specializing in the treatment of cancerous and precancerous conditions of the female reproductive tract.
Abusive driving instructor Tanveer Ghani from Pakistan starved his arranged bride until she was forced to eat scraps from the bin and pressured her into weekly 'weigh-ins' LLandudno court heard

An abusive driving instructor from Pakistan starved his arranged bride until she was forced to eat scraps from the bin and pressured her into weekly 'weigh-ins'.

Tanveer Ghani of Anglesey, North Wales, who was found guilty of coercive behaviour towards Farzana Kauser, 37, measured her every Sunday to monitor her weight.

The 57-year-old married the Ms Kauser at a ceremony in Pakistan in 2015 but she did not move to Wales until 2017 following visa delays.

LLandudno district court judge said during their three month time together she had been subject to emotional and financial abuse, including the ritual of 'weigh-ins and measurements' because of his constant demands about her weight.

Giving evidence in Urdu through an interpreter, Ms Kauser said Ghani controlled what she ate and sometimes she was so hungry she would eat scraps from the bin.

The judge said there would be Sunday weigh-ins and her weight became such an issue 'that she questioned her own sanity.'

Ghani told the court he was born in Lahore, came to this country as a teenager and became a driving instructor in 1993.

After his partner of 30 years, Iona Roberts, left him his sister-in-law persuaded him to re-marry.

'She said 'this girl is very honest, loyal and guaranteed spot-on,' he recalled. 'I suddenly got calls from Farzana'. In September 2015 they were married in Pakistan.

'The intention was to meet her first before I actually married but this did not happen.'

However they had a 13-day honeymoon and were very happy.

LLandudno district court judge said during their three month time together Farzana Kauser, 37, from Pakistan, had been subject to emotional and financial abuse, including the ritual of 'weigh-ins and measurements' because of his constant demands about her weight

He told his barrister, Matthew Curtis, he was not concerned about her appearance and 'I loved her the way she was.'

He added: 'This was a love marriage so far as I was concerned. I never put any restriction on her food, never shouted, called her names or raised my voice.

'We got on great and she could go out any time and leave the house. I had no idea whether she monitored her weight and never put her on scales or measured her waist.

'She would peck me on the cheek when I came through the door from work.

'As far as I was concerned everything was working out. But when she put too much spice in the food I suggested she should stay with my sister and reduce her spice.

'She would send me text messages rather than say anything to my face.'

He went on: 'We would talk about our future together. I was hoping to have a bungalow which would be our own home.

'She showed no signs of being unhappy. She wanted to be my soul mate and that was what I wanted.'

But Jo Maxwell, the prosecuting barrister, read abusive text messages Ghani had sent to his wife while she was still in Pakistan, in one of which he'd called her fat and lazy.

In another he'd said 'just divorce now, I do not want you.' Ghani replied that he could not remember this.

Miss Maxwell read a reply in which Miss Kauser had written : 'Honey, I will lose weight, I'm doing my best but please do not punish me.'

If he had ever called her 'a fat cow,' he maintained, it was when they were having a laugh.

Miss Maxwell mentioned that Iona Roberts had given evidence about his controlling behaviour towards her.

'How do you feel now knowing that the two women who have loved you felt they were going to die as a result of your actions?' asked Miss Maxwell.

Ghani replied : 'I did nothing to either one of them.'

The barrister said both women had been subjected to 'humiliation and intimidation.'

Mr Curtis suggested to the judge that there had been no evidence of continuous control and coercion. It had been a genuine relationship though perhaps both had been naive.

It could be that the domestic allegation was being used as a 'fall-back' ploy to obtain a visa to remain in Britain indefinitely, and it was believed that Miss Kauser's brother had served a prison sentence for immigration offences.

'She was never remotely like a slave,' he contended.

But finding Ghani guilty District Judge Jones said it was clear he was oblivious to the feelings of others. The ritual of weigh-ins and measurements was offensive and the psychological abuse meant that 'she would fear for her own mental health.'
Chinese men with shaved heads and wearing orange robes are impersonating Buddhists scouring the streets of Perth and ripping off unwitting residents.

At least three of the men were seen today around the Perth CBD asking for donations.

Two of the men confessed they were not collecting money for a legitimate charity when they were confronted by police, PerthNow reported.

They also admitted that they were on tourist visas.

Chinese men pretending to be monks have been seen in Perth's CBD trying to scam people for their money. The same tricked was pulled by a group in Sydney's CBD in 2014 (pictured)

Members of the community who saw the fake monks said they were offering blessings, tokens and prayer bracelets before requesting donations from people passing by.

One of the men was apparently showing people a booklet with records of generous donations in an attempt to pressure people into giving him money.

Charity workers who ask for money on the streets are required to have a permit and Consumer Protection has said that anyone who is approached and asked for money should request to see it.

This is not the first time this scam has appeared in Australia.

In 2014 fake monks were presenting gold tokens or blessings to people in Sydney's CBD were then demanding money from them.

In some cases they were receiving up to $75 from unsuspecting people.

The fake monks use tactics to get attention such as offering up trinkets or prayer bracelets

At the time people reported that the monks stormed off when they are only given a few dollars.

The scam is common across the globe with Buddhist impersonators setting up scamming shop in many of the world's major cities.

Reports of the men have surfaced in Canada, New York, San Francisco, India, Nepal and Australia.

This is not the first time Perth has been hit with the scam, in 2014 Consumer Protection investigated reports that they were operating in Hay Street Mall.

To protect themselves, consumers should approach charity organisations directly and contact Fair Trading if they have any concerns.
An extremely rare breed of pig has left wildlife volunteers feeling a little sheepish after surprising them in the woods.

The three Hungarian pigs were mistaken for sheep due to their extremely hairy bodies which look just like wool.

But they are actually known as Mangalica and are a cross between pigs and European wild boars.

Extremely hairy Hungarian pigs, pictured, were mistaken for sheep by wildlife volunteers in Kent

Known as Mangalica, the hogs, pictured, are a cross between pigs and European wild boar

Katie Blake, 54, from Whitstable, Kent said she was shocked to find a small group of the 'impostors' strolling across her path looking for things to eat in the woods between Whitstable and Herne Bay.

She said: 'I was there as a Kent Wildlife Trust volunteer, helping to clear a section of the woodland.

'We were standing around and they wandered past, we all looked up and I quickly got my phone out and snapped some pictures.

'There were three of them, all about the same size. At first we thought they were sheep, then we realised they were actually pigs.

'They were just rutting around looking for food, and ranging up the public footpath.

'They were very tame - they didn't mind us being there at all.'

The pigs were spotted rutting around for food on a pathway in Whitstable, Kent

The 54-year-old thinks the pigs must have 'escaped from somewhere' as they are not indigenous to the UK.

She added: 'In the past they had a couple of people say they have lost them from farms in the area.'

According to the Hungarian National Association of Mangalica Breeders the pig has a 200-year-old history.

It has a medium body size and the hair on the pig can vary from grey red/brown depending on the breed.

The hairy pig was rescued from the brink of extinction by animal geneticist Peter Toth.

The meat from the Mangalica pig is prized by chefs the world over for its high quality.

Staff at Wildwood Discovery Park in nearby Herne Bay, Kent said they were aware of other sightings.

Dan Farrow from the park, said: 'The woolly pigs are not indigenous to the UK.

'There are a number of farms in the UK which breed them for meat and they also make good pets but as far as we're aware there are no wild colonies on our shores.'
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A British photographer has been named Urban Photographer of the Year in a global competition with more than 80,000 entries.

Richard Morgan's image, entitles 'What are you looking at?', captures a fascinating street-scene in Poznan, western Poland.

The black and white photo shows dozens of people in the street looking up and taking mobile phone photos of a tourist attraction - bar one man who stares at the camera.

Winner, winner: British photographer Richard Morgan has been named Urban Photographer of the Year with a black-and-white photograph of a street scene in Poznan, western Poland

Colour and contrast: This photo shows a farmer in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, amid a sea of betel nuts

Backpacker's dream: Another winning snap shows the skyline of Auckland, New Zealand out of the back of a camper van

Photographers from more than 180 countries entered real estate group CBRE's annual urban photography competition, held for the 11th year in a row.

Amateur and professional photographers were challenged to capture moments of urban connectivity and interactivity through the brief, 'Cities of Connections: People, Places, Perspectives.'

Another UK winner was Ian Harper, who won in the EMEA category for his entry, 'Barcelona from Above,' a photograph capturing the beauty and symmetry of Barcelona from dizzying heights.

Life in colour: Photographer Azim Khan Ronnie was specially commented for this photo, entitled Red Carpet

Captured by technology: A young man sits and stares at his phone in this snap taken at an unknown location

From above: This photo capturing the beauty and symmetry of Barcelona, won the EMEA category

The Americas prize was awarded to Alec Herrera from the United States for his entry, 'Good morning, Auckland,' depicting the New Zealand city's skyline from the back of a camper van.

The Asia Pacific prize went to M Yousuf Tusha from Bangladesh for his entry, 'Betel Nut,' a striking image of a farmer among a sea of betel nuts in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

The EMEA prize was awarded to Ian Harper from the United Kingdom for his entry, 'Barcelona from Above,' a photograph capturing the beauty and symmetry of Barcelona from dizzying heights.

Human feats: a photograph taken from above by Dibyendu Dey Choudhuryu shows to women wrestling

Amazing scenes: A photograph entitles Foundry Work, by Raju Ghosh was also specially commended

Contemplation: This photo is entitles The Meaning of Life, and shows people waiting for a train on a platform
Breakfast television program Sunrise is under investigation after the network aired a 'highly offensive' live segment discussing Aboriginal adoption earlier this month.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced on Thursday it was investigating the program, following the episode which aired March 14.

The program's discussion on the issue of Indigenous children in child protection may have breached the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015, The Guardian reported.

Channel Seven's breakfast program, Sunrise, is under investigation after the network aired a 'highly offensive' live segment discussing Aboriginal adoption earlier this month

The controversial topic was brought to light following a call from children's minister David Gillespie for rules prohibiting Aboriginal children to be adopted by non-family members to be relaxed.

During the 'Hot Topic' segment, panelist Prue MacSween argued in favour of removing Aboriginal children from abusive families, saying the move would be a 'no brainer'.

'Just like the first Stolen Generation, where a lot of children were taken because it was for their well-being, we need to do it again, perhaps,' she said.

But her 'appalling' comments, along with the rest of the segment, was labeled highly offensive and 'nationally shameful'.

The program was slammed for not having an Indigenous person speak on the topic and for making factually incorrect statements.

A formal complaint was lodged by NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge with Acma, with him saying MacSween's comment was 'a highly offensive, racist and divisive statement'.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) announced on Thursday it was investigating the program

Panelist Prue MacSween (pictured) argued in favour of removing Aboriginal children from abusive families, saying the move would be a 'no brainer'

He was also disappointed Ms Armytage failed to condemn or rebuke the inflammatory comments.

'It has been more than two weeks and Sunrise still hasn't apologised to First Nations people for its racist and biased commentary of the stolen generation,' Mr Shoebridge said.

'Worse still, Sunrise made a concerted effort to silence opposition and cover up protests outside their studio with a fake background.'

In the following week, the program invited three Indigenous child protection experts for a 'special' panel to discuss the complexities of child protection and possible solutions.

But no apology or acknowledgment was given to the highly criticised panel discussion the week prior.

After the original episode, many viewers were notably disturbed a representative from the Aboriginal community was not called in to comment on the matter.

The segment, hosted by Samantha Armytage (left) and joined by Brisbane radio host Ben Davis (right) was labeled highly offensive and 'nationally shameful'

It sparked protests outside the program's windows during its live broadcast, but footage of the angry campaigners was not shown.

Ms Armytage faced harsh backlash for her opening comment, 'post-Stolen Generations there's been a huge move to leave Aboriginal children where they are, even if they're being neglected in their own families.'

Ms MacSween said it was 'crazy to just even contemplate' that people were arguing against having Indigenous children removed from their families and placed in white homes.

Her explosive opinions were not taken to kindly by South Sea Islander and Darumbal journalist Amy McQuire, who slammed the two-minute segment for being packed with 'mistruths'.

'The idea that Aboriginal children are not being placed in white families is a lie,' she wrote in a blog post.
There are concerns for an 11-year-old boy's safety after he went missing more than four days.

Ben Hodson was last seen in the Mount Eliza area on March 25, 2018.

Ben has been described by police as being '155cm tall with a skinny build, fair complexion and blonde hair'.

Ben Hodson has been missing since March 25 and has been described by police as being '155cm tall with a skinny build, fair complexion and blonde hair'

He is also known to hang out in the Frankston and Hastings area.

Police are concerned for Ben due to his age and how long he has not been seen.

They have released a photo of the Ben in the hopes someone recognises him and has information on his whereabouts.

Police advise that anyone with information on the 11-year-old's disappearance should call Mornington Police Station on 5970 4900.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has joined the legal team representing two Reuters reporters who were jailed for their coverage of the Rohingya massacre.

A court in Yangon, Myanmar has been holding hearings since January to decide whether the journalists will be charged under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of ten Rohingya Muslim men in western Myanmar's Rakhine state during an army operation that began in August, which has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

Amal Clooney (pictured) has joined the legal team of two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar over their coverage of the Rohingya massacre

The legal team representing the two reporters asked the court to throw out the case on Wednesday, saying there was insufficient evidence to support the charges against them.

Amal Clooney's office has confirmed she is joining the defence team.

In a statement, she was quoted as saying: 'Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately.

Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo (pictured centre) is escorted by police as he holds his daughter

'The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmar's commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech.'

Zaw Htay, spokesman for Myanmar's civilian government, declined to comment.

Government officials have strenuously denied the arrests represent an attack on press freedom.

However, rights advocates say that there is a growing threat in the Southeast Asian country towards press freedom.

Reuters journalist Wa Lone (pictured centre) was arrested alongside Kyaw Soe Oo on December 12

Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, Hau Do Suan, said last month that the Reuters journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of 'illegally possessing confidential government documents'.

Gail Gove, chief counsel of Reuters, said retaining Clooney would strengthen the company's international legal expertise and broaden efforts to secure the release of the reporters.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been in custody since their arrest on December 12.

They have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner.

The district court in northern Yangon will hear arguments from prosecutors and defence lawyers on the motion to dismiss the case on April 4.
Newly-released video shows American special operators and Afghan Special Security Forces working together to target an ISIS-Khorasan cell in Afghanistan this week.

The rare footage was released by the Department of Defense on Tuesday, and depicts an overnight raid in the Jowzjan province.

The video shows the special ops teams loading into a helicopter, being dropped off in rural Afghanistan and then getting into a firefight with the local ISIS-affiliate cell.

According to U.S. officials, the raid resulted in the deaths of an ISIS-K commander and another terrorist fighter.

'This tactical defeat of ISIS-K fighters in Jowzjan is the most recent in a series of Afghan and US (special operations forces) counterterrorism successes targeting ISIS-K in northern Afghanistan this year,' a statement from the Department of Defense said.

ISIS-K has been responsible for some of the most deadly terrorist attack on civilians in Afghanistan, and U.S. forces in the country have been focused on stopping the group's ability to bring fighters into the region.

The Department of Defense released a video on Tuesday, showing an overnight raid in Afghanistan that resulted in the death of two ISIS-Khorasan terrorists

The video shows U.S. special operators and Afghan Special Security Forces being dropped off in rural Afghanistan and then getting into a firefight with the local ISIS cell

Flashes of green light indicate when bombs go off during the overnight raid

The raid is the latest in a string of victories over ISIS in Afghanistan

'These IS-K fighters are primarily Pakistani Pashtun,' Gen. John Nicholson, commander, US Forces-Afghanistan said in a statement.

'They have another segment of Islamic Movement Uzbekistan. And then there's probably ten per cent that's from a variety of sources around the world,' he added.

Last year, Afghan and U.S. forces started a campaign to push the group out of the region.

While they've taken back the vast majority of the group's territory, they have failed to completely eradicate the group in the country.

The mission overnight on March 26 and 27 is the latest in a string of recent victories over ISIS-K, according to the Department of Defense.

On March 22, four ISIS-K fighters were killed in the Darzab district. Six days before that, a U.S. airstrike killed ISIS-K platoon commanders Omair and Abu Samaya, as the pair were meeting in the Sar-e Pul province. Later that same evening, 13 terrorists were killed in a nighttime raid on the group's headquarters in Jowzjan. And on January 28, Khitab Aka, ISIS-K's head facilitator of foreign fighters, was captured by Afghan forces.
AUBURN  A Cortland man who was previously convicted of murder is headed back to prison, this time for attempting to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex in the town of Aurelius.

Domenick Krango, 61, of 13 N. Cliff Road, pleaded guilty in February to one count of first-degree attempted criminal sex act, a class C felony. At the time, the former U.S. Marine said he had driven to the Fingerlakes Mall last year to have oral sex with a preteen girl he met online. But instead of a 12-year-old girl, Krango said he found a state trooper waiting for his arrest.

On Thursday, Krango appeared in Cayuga County Court for sentencing and admitted he is no stranger to prison.

In 1981, Krango was convicted of second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping in Craven County, North Carolina. According to an article from the Wilson Daily Times, Krango was charged in connection with the "gangster-style kidnapping" of a man named Robert Elting in June 1980. There was no information about the murder, which occurred on the same date.
Shake It Up Disney Channel actress Caroline Sunshine has taken on the new role of press assistant under President Trumps government and is expected to be working under Sarah Sanders after the completion of a White House internship.

White House spokesperson Lindsay Walters told CNN that as well as Caroline being an intern, in college, she was involved with the American Enterprise Institute and an active member of her schools Model United Nations team.

Prior to her internship at the White House, Caroline interned for the Office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the College Republican National Committee and California Republican Party.

Sunshine's Shake It Up co-stars Bella Thorne and Zendaya have not provided comment on this move, but who exactly is Caroline Sunshine?

Shake It Up Disney Channel actress Caroline Sunshine has taken on the role of press assistant

Who is Caroline Sunshine?

Caroline Mohr Sunshine was born on September 5 1995 in Atlanta, Georgia to Thom and Karen Sunshine, but was raised in Orange County, California.

Sunshine started studying ballet at the age of three and went on get her first lead role in Goldilocks and later, started to act and compete in dance competitions.

During her childhood, her stage credits included Annie Warbucks, The Nutcracker and after starting to attend professional auditions, she landed her first commercial role for Amazing Allysen the talking doll and then for Yoplait Go-Gurt and Capn Crunch.

Caroline Sunshine made a name for herself starring opposite Bella Thorne and Zendaya

Caroline Sunshines career

In 2010, she started filming for the CBS sitcom Team Spitz and in the same year, she starred in her first feature film, Marmaduke, in which she played Barbara Winslow. As well as this, she got the role she is most renowned for, Tinka Hessenheffer in the Disney show Shake It Up, alongside Bella Thorne and Zendaya.

After her Disney career ended in 2013, she performed as the lead in the Non-Equity national tour of Bring It On the Musical and then a Freeform pilot of an adaptation of the novel Recovery Road. She also starred in Go Four Broke and The Outfield.

In 2017, she made her first foray into politics and became an intern at the White House during the first few days of Donald Trumps presidency and was given the position of press assistant on March 27 2018.

What is Caroline Sunshines net worth?

Caroline Sunshines net worth has accumulated to $2million (1.4m), according to Celebrity Net Worth.
The daughter of a former Russian double agent poisoned alongside her father in a nerve agent attack is 'conscious and talking.'

Yulia Skripal was 'improving rapidly' after being exposed to Novichok on March 4 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and is now stable in hospital, doctors said, with the 33-year-old also understood to be eating and drinking.

The BBC reports separate sources have verified Yulia is both conscious and talking.

Her father, ex-spy Sergei Skripal, 66, remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

One of Mr Skripal's friends has said he believes he is being kept alive by life support machines.

Mr Skripal's niece previously said she believes he only has a '1 per cent chance' of survival.

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Yulia Skripal was 'improving rapidly' after being exposed to Novichok on March 4 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and is now stable in hospital, doctors said

Doctors said Yulia Skripal (pictured with her father) was 'improving rapidly' after being exposed to Novichok on March 4

In a statement, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said Yulia Skripal is 'improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition.'

The development could prove key to the investigation into the attack - as it may mean Ms Skripal could soon be able to tell police about the moments before she and her father collapsed in a park.

She could also potentially identify whoever carried out the attack - which is now thought to have taken place at Mr Skripal's suburban home.

The Metropolitan Police believe Mr Skripal and his daughter, who was visiting him from Russia, first came into contact with the deadly chemical at his home in Salisbury.

Detailed forensic testing revealed the highest concentration of Novichok was found on the front door.

The attempted murder investigation is continuing and, as a precautionary measure, police placed a cordon around a children's play area at nearby Montgomery Gardens.

Police have removed the front door of Sergei Skripal's home after it emerged detectives believe that is where the former spy came into contact with the nerve agent

Police said traces of the nerve agent had been found at some of the other scenes detectives have been working at, but at lower concentrations.

Detectives will now focus their inquiries in and around the address, and specialist teams will step back from some of the other areas investigated over the past few weeks.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon said: 'I would like to reassure residents that we have placed the cordons around the park, and officers will be searching it, as a precautionary measure.

'I would like to reiterate Public Health England's advice that the risk to the public is low. Anyone with concerns regarding the ongoing police activity in Salisbury is encouraged to speak to the local officers or PCSOs at the locations, who will be happy to offer reassurance.'

Mr Skripal and his daughter have been patients at Salisbury District Hospital since they were discovered unconscious on a park bench close to The Maltings shopping centre nearly four weeks ago.

Wiltshire Police Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was also exposed to the nerve agent, was discharged from the hospital last week.

Aerial pictures reveal the door and surrounding building have been removed with police have covered the front garden and put paneling down to walk on

A large part of the street has now been closed off, with evidence tents in the back garden

Medical director Dr Christine Blanshard said: 'I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal.

'She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.

'I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high quality care to these patients over the last few weeks.

'I am very proud both of our front-line staff and all those who support them.'

Early this week Viktoria Skripal, a niece of the former spy, told the BBC her uncle and cousin have only a slim chance of surviving.

She said the prognosis 'really isn't good' and revealed Mr Skripal's mother had not been told of the incident.

Mr Skripal and his daughter (left) stand outside the front door with another relative during a previous visit she made to the UK

Mr Skripal had put up a lucky horse shoe above his suburban home in Salisbury

Britain has accused Russia of being behind the poisoning - allegations fiercely denied by Moscow.

In turn, Russia has suggested that UK intelligence officers may have been involved in the poisoning.

The Kremlin allegation came as Moscow faced increasing global isolation, with at least 26 countries expelling a total of more than 130 suspected spies.

Britain insists there is no plausible alternative explanation for the attack and has dismissed the series of suggestions emanating from Moscow as nonsense.

More than 250 counter-terrorism detectives continue to work on one of the biggest investigations since the July 7 attacks in London in 2005.

Officers are trawling through more than 5,000 hours of CCTV.

No corden was placed around the house when the investigation first began earlier this month

They have seized 1,350 items, including the Skripals' car, the table and chairs where they sat for lunch and even the bench where they were found.

About 500 witnesses, including neighbours, drinkers in a waterside pub and diners in an Italian restaurant have been identified.

Traces of the nerve agent have been found at several locations, including the Skripals' BMW, but police said they are at 'lower concentrations'.

DS Nick Bailey was one of the first on the scene at Mr Skripal's house. He later fell ill

The London Road cemetery, where his wife and son are buried, The Maltings shopping centre and the Ashley Wood compound have been handed back into the control of Wiltshire Police.

A children's play area near Mr Skripal's home became the latest location closed off by police investigating the chemical weapons attack today.

It comes as police investigating the nerve agent attack removed the front door of the home where the Skripals are believed to have been poisoned.

Forensics teams have said they found the 'highest concentration' of the deadly Novichok substance at the entrance to the suburban house in Salisbury.

The discovery has led investigators to examine whether a 'poison postman' is responsible for the attack on the former double agent and his daughter.

The Zizzi restaurant visited by the Skripals before they collapsed remains cordened off

One theory is that they may have been visited by a bogus parcel van driver, postman or leaflet deliverer who exposed them to the poison.

Another is that the poison was smeared on the front door or door handle, leading to its delayed effect after they left home. Experts insist such a complex assassination would need a killer 'on the ground' to ensure it was a 'success'.

Scotland Yard said last night its focus was on the Skripals' semi-detached house on the outskirts of the cathedral city.

Residents were warned teams of detectives, forensic experts and scientists will remain for 'the coming weeks, and possibly months'.
President Donald Trump hit out at Amazon on Thursday morning before normal trading hours, finally commenting on a report that he's 'obsessed' with the company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos and wants to 'go after' it.

An Axios report on Wednesday that revealed Trump's plot to put strict new regulations on the company sent Amazon's stock into free fall, whacking off billions in value for shareholders, including Bezos.

Trump did not deny the report this morning and even suggested it was true when he copped to a years-long belief that the e-commerce behemoth is behind retail store failures and U.S. Postal Service problems.

'I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election,' he said. 'Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!'

President Donald Trump hit out at Amazon on Thursday morning before normal trading hours, finally commenting on a report that he's 'obsessed' with the company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos and wants to 'go after' it

Wednesday report said Trump is looking for ways to knock Internet retail giant Amazon down a few pegs. Amazon's billionaire owner Jeff Bezos is seen at right at the White House in June

Trump's war on Amazon had stock prices dipping so low on Wednesday that the company at one point shed $53 billion in value. Had the stock price not recovered, Bezos would have personally taken a more than $8 billion hit

Amazon closed 4.38 percentage points down on Wednesday after rallying mid-day

The White House said yesterday, at an afternoon news conference that helped to fuel a moderate recovery in Amazon's stock price, that there's 'no specific policies or actions' that would apply to Amazon's business model that it's currently considering.

But Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also noted that Trump is 'always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses' and his interest in pursuing an Internet sales tax 'is no different.'

After the White House press briefing, at which Sanders was repeatedly asked about Amazon, the company's stock closed 4.38 percentage points down.

At its low point, Amazon took a $53 billion thrashing. At days end, losses had been reigned in to $31 billion.

Axios drove the market down Wednesday am with a report based on the word of five sources that indicated Trump is pondering ways to knock Amazon down a few pegs.

'Hes obsessed with Amazon,' a source said told the news website. 'Obsessed.'

Trump's desire to further regulate Amazon has been inflamed by his wealthy friends' complaints that lax Internet commerce rules are killing their businesses, Axios reported.

The president also believes that Amazon's thriving business model is hurting mom and pop stores that are owned by people who voted for him.

A source told Axios that Trump has also blamed Amazon for losses suffered by the U.S. Post Office.

'The whole post office thing, that's very much a perception he has,' the source said. 'It's been explained to him in multiple meetings that his perception is inaccurate and that the post office actually makes a ton of money from Amazon.'

Bezos founded Amazon nearly 25 years ago in 1994. For the past 11 years, the U.S. Postal Service has had giant losses, and it's expected to suffer more.

The government division ended the 2017 fiscal year $2.7 billion down.

Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan said in a cry for help that the service's 'financial results will continue to deteriorate and likely at an accelerated rate' because it 'cannot generate enough revenue or cut enough costs' to pay its bills.

A PBS Newshour report at the end of the last fiscal year detailed the post office's attempt to raise revenue by introducing a double-digit increase in the cost to ship packages.

A drop-off in traditional letter mail is where the Post Office took its licks, the report said, as mail volume fell by 5 billion pieces, which amounts to 3.6 percent.

Letter mail had made up 70 percent of the U.S Postal Service's revenue. If anything, the report indicated, its the advent of email that's killing the government service.

As Brennan said at the time, 'No other shipper delivers as many e-commerce packages to the home.'

Friendship didn't last: Trump shook hands with Jeff Bezos at the White House in June last year - but has become increasingly hostile to Amazon

If you want a friend in Washington...: Bezos took a robotic dog for a walk around a secretive conference in California earlier this month

Speaking out on the matter Thursday am, Trump claimed that Amazon was causing 'tremendous loss to the U.S.' postal system. He also claimed the company that is the eighth largest employer in the U.S. is 'putting many thousands of retailers out of business.'

Trump mentioned the fact that Amazon pays 'little or no taxes to state & local governments' in his tweet, hinting at a desire for Congress to hit the company and other online retailers with an Internet sales tax.

A source told Axios that Trump is also seeking to come after Amazon using anti-trust or competition law.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told the House of Representatives' tax-writing committee in February that the administration 'feels strongly' that Internet sales should be taxed.

At a July appearance before the U.S. Senate where he was asked about the Internet sales tax, Mnuchin singled out Amazon.

'I am encouraged that Amazon is now charging tax, I believe, on their own sales but not the marketplace,' he said. 'I'm not sure I understand the consistency on that, but I respect the states' ability that there's an awful lot of money that's not being collected.'

Traditionally conservative organizations like Americans for Tax Reform that are typically on the Republican president side have staunchly opposed the administration's push to introduce new taxes on e-commerce.

ATR president Grover Norquist told DailyMail.com on Thursday after the Trump tweet that his organization is '100 percent opposed' to an Internet sales tax because it 'would allow politicians to impose taxes and regulations across state borders.'

'An online sales tax hurts small businesses and consumers, not Amazon, because Amazon already collects sales tax nearly everywhere,' Norquist said. 'An online sales tax would entrench big box stores and stop Mom and Pop competitors dead in their tracks.'

Norquist further posited that an online sales tax would actually help Amazon -- 'because then they can sell tax collection services.'

Trump's desire to further regulate Amazon has been inflamed by his wealthy friends' complaints that lax Internet commerce rules are killing their businesses, Axios reported.

Bezos is also the owner of The Washington Post, which Trump has labeled 'fake news' because of the stories it has done on him that he says are false representations

Amazon's stock share fell by as much as 7.4 percent on Wednesday, Reuters said, after the damaging Axios report ran. After a late-day rally, shares were trending downward again on Thursday am following Trump's latest slam.

Bezos is also the owner of The Washington Post, which Trump has labeled 'fake news' because of the stories it has done on him that he says are false representations.

A June 28, 2017 tweet dubbed the two companies - which have totally separate leadership structures - the 'AmazonWashingtonPost' and described the newspaper as the 'guardian' of the retail division and the reason that Amazon does not have to pay an Internet sales tax.

'Which they should,' he stated.

An August 16, 2017 tweet claimed 'Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers.

'Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt - many jobs being lost!' he said.

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump made similar assaults on The Post, Amazon and Bezos, who attended a meeting last June for the tech industry at the White House.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Rah Shah insisted Thursday morning on Fox News that the tweets and the president's desire to tax Amazon are nothing personal.

'This is really about policy,' he said. 'You have a huge company that's done amazing things...and really tax policy and other policy has to catch up with that.'
Maureen Dubberley sent a letter her then-boyfriend Colin while he was completing his National Service in the Caribbean in November 1961

A widow has been reunited with a love letter she sent to her soldier husband 57 years ago - after it was found in the pocket of his combat trousers at an army surplus store.

The crinkled love note was sent to Colin Dubberley by his then 19-year-old beau Maureen while he was on National Service in the Caribbean in November 1961.

Lance Corporal Dubberley, of the Worcestershire Regiment, read the letter and put it into the pocket of his army-issue trousers.

After Colin completed his military service, his uniform, including the trousers with the letter, were put into storage before being sold to army surplus stores.

Incredibly, last week a man contacted Maureen on Facebook to say he had bought the trousers and discovered the letter inside the right hand pocket.

Colin died in 2000 aged 60 from a suspected heart attack, and Maureen says the letter is a welcome reminder of their early relationship.

Retired wages supervisor Maureen, 75, from Halesowen, West Midlands, said: 'I couldn't believe it when it arrived.

'It brought back a lot of memories.

'My family are overwhelmed.

'I didn't recognise the writing on the envelope at first.

Colin Dubberley, right, pictured in Worcester Barracks before deploying to Jamaica, received the letter in November 1961 and hid it in his trousers

Amazingly, the young conscript placed the letter in his army trousers where it remained hidden for almost 60 years when it resurfaced at an Army surplus shop

The couple, pictured, got married in 1963 but unfortunately Colin died in 2000 aged just 60

After Colin completed his army service, his uniform - including the letter - was placed into storage before being sold onto an army surplus store where it has re-emerged

'It didn't look like my writing, but it had my husband's army number on it.

'I have got all the letters that my husband wrote to me, but this is the only one I have got that I wrote to him.

'It's rather funny that I have been reunited with the letter by a man who contacted me using modern day technology like Facebook.

'We don't write letters like this anymore, due to mobile phones and emails, so it's a lovely surprise to be reunited with it.'

In the letter, dated November 19, 1961, Maureen writes: 'Hello Darling, I do hope you have received my other letters my love and missing me as much as I am missing you.

'I hope you are in good health and enjoying yourself.

'I bet it's a terrible mess, I don't think I would fancy the job, I wouldn't really mind if I could be with you though all day.

'Do you think it will be any longer than three months?

'Four months tomorrow, the 16th, will be demob day my darling then we can be together an awful lot more, I can't wait for it to come.

The happy couple, pictured, were married for 37 years until Colin's death in 2000

'I shall start as from the first day of the New Year crossing the days off.

'I love you my darling and I always will and I hope, my love, that your feelings for me won't change during our separation - I know mine won't or even will, I love you too much my darling.

'Last night I slept with your photo under the pillow with my hand on it and I woke a few times during the night and kissed it, it is in front of me now.

'I know it may be difficult to write but as long as I get one occasionally I won't worry too much about you, I know you will take great care of yourself.

'The letter I wait for most is to say, 'I am coming home my love'.

'Well it's getting on for midnight so God bless you my darling, I will write again soon.

'All my love and kisses for ever and ever, your sweetheart girlfriend Maureen.

'PS - I think you are great my love and I am so much in love with you.'

Colin, a brewery drayman, was dispatched to British Honduras, now Belize, and Jamaica while on National Service, to help with the clear up operation after Hurricane Hattie.

The Category 5 hurricane saw winds of 160mph batter the Caribbean for six days and left more than 300 people dead.

Months later he returned home and married Maureen and the couple were together for 37 years and went on to have three children and four grandchildren.

Colin died 2000 aged 60 after suffering a suspected heart attack while he was on the bowling green.

Colin, pictured top, handed back his army uniform after he completed his service and it eventually made its way to Lee Money, 57, who tracked her down on Facebook and asked whether she had written the letter he had found in an old pair of army trousers

Maureen said she found out about the survival of the letter by Lee Money, 57, who tracked her down using Facebook.

She added: 'I was contacted over Facebook by a man in Bracknell, Berkshire, who buys old army equipment and uniform.

'He messaged me a picture of the letter and said, 'does this letter belong to you?

'I replied and said, 'yes I recognise my late husband's army number.'

'He said he found the letter in the pocket of one of the pairs of trousers he got from an army surplus store.

'They must have been Colin's trousers because it's my handwriting on the letter.

'Colin came out the army in 1962 and where these trousers have been all these years, God knows.

'When Lee posted the actual letter to me I just thought 'blimey, my past is catching up with me.'

'I often look through all my letters which I've got (from Colin) and I can't find another one that I'd written to him, I had all the ones he had wrote to me.

'It's as if I could have written it yesterday.

'It's one of those devotional love letters that a 19-year-old would have written at the time, it said things like how I couldn't wait to see him again.'
Michael Issakidis, 73, and his business partner for years spent up big on luxury cars, waterfront homes and yachts - lavishing some $63 million they netted in fleecing the Australian Taxation Office.

The Gold Coast businessman was found guilty last year of conspiring with Anthony Dickson in multi-million dollar tax evasion and money laundering schemes, defrauding the ATO of about $135 million in total.

The spending spree ended when investigators swooped in, and five months ago Issakidis and his wife tried to commit suicide as his sentence hearing loomed.

Gold Coast's Michael John Issakidis has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the largest tax avoidance case persecuted in Australia's history

The Gold Coast businessman conspired with his business partner Anthony Dickson, defrauding the ATO of about $135 million in total

On Thursday Issakidis was sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court to 10 years and three months but will be eligible for parole after serving seven years and six months.

Dickson is already serving a minimum nine years and three months behind bars for the conspiracies.

In 2016 Dickson's maximum jail term was increased from 11 to 14 years on appeal - the longest punishment handed down for tax fraud and money-laundering.

'This was the largest and one of the most complex investigations into tax fraud in Australia's history,' Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer said.

The crimes were uncovered by the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce, which found that between 2007 and 2010 Issakidis and Dickson deliberately absorbed $450 million in false tax deductions.

The directors of NeuMedix Health Australasia, a consortium of investment and technology companies, used tax havens and complex international trust structures in the scam.

Police found Issakidis and his wife Donrecka (pictured together) unconscious inside one of their luxury cars in the garage before his sentencing in 2017

The men funneled $68 million through the scheme, which they splashed on luxury homes, cars and boats (pictured)

More than $40 million in luxury assets linked to Issakidis were seized in a 2012 Federal Police raid

The duo created a web of fake identities and bogus offshore companies to siphon money through the UK, Hong Kong and the UAE.

The Australian Federal Police seized $55 million in assets including Rolls-Royces, a Lamborghini, an Aston Martin and a BMW.

'The sheer size of the fraud and significant penalties imposed by the judge show that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated,' Ms O'Dwyer said.

The duo created a web of fake identities and bogus offshore companies

Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan described it as a wake-up call to dodgy lawyers and accountants.

'Just because it's complex, just because it's going to take a long time doesn't mean we're going to ever give up along the way,' he said.

'People like this have to be brought to account.'

Since the task force was set up in 2015 five people have been sent to prison, 740 reviews and audits have been completed and $562 million in liabilities were identified.

When he did not appear in court for his sentencing, police went to his mansion in Sovereign Islands, an affluent gated community on the Gold Coast

Federal Police raids show Issakidis being lead out of his home by detectives

Another 30 criminal, civil and intelligence investigations are underway.

Issakidis and his wife were found unconscious at their Paradise Point mansion last October after he failed to attend his sentence hearing.

Issakidis later said he was no longer suicidal, saying 'we are now in the position where we have to stay alive for each other which is why it is so important we can visit each other'.

Issakidis is expected to apply to be transferred to a Queensland prison on welfare grounds.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Don Trump Jr. has hit out at Jeb Bush after Trump's former Republican presidential nominee rival joked that he got to return every night to 'children who actually love me'.

The 40-year-old was furious after Bush appeared to suggest that he and his siblings didn't love Donald Trump.

'Jeb! I love everything about my father,' he tweeted.

'I love that he's a fighter, I love that he has guts, I love that he's President (all those things you're not).

'Also love that he learned enough about politics in a few weeks to dismantle you piece by piece despite it being your life's work,' continued Don Jr, who is currently going through a divorce with wife Vanessa amid claims he cheated on her with Aubrey O'Day.

Jeb Bush joked that he got to return every night to 'children who actually love me' - unlike his former Republican (Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush (L) and Donald Trump talk following the Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm College February 6, 2016)

Eric Trump also weighed in, tweeting: 'I actually love my father very much. #PleaseClap.'

The tweets came after Bush gave a talk about his run for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump at Yale University on Tuesday.

The animosity between Trump and Bush became pronounced in 2016 as the real estate mogul repeatedly laid into Jeb, branding him 'low energy' and criticizing his father George Bush's presidency.

He also famously called him an 'embarrassment to his family' and compared him to a 'little sheep' at the Republican presidential debates.

Both Donald Trump's sons, Eric (left) and Don Jr (right) hit back at Jeb Bush after his comments

'He's a desperate person. He's a sad and he's a pathetic person,' Trump said on CNN.

'I mean, this guy is a nervous wreck. I've never seen anything like it.'

During his talk at Yale, Jeb Bush joked that he was 'not going to talk about the 2016 election' because 'I'm still in therapy.'

But that didn't stop him taking a couple of swipes at his old opponent.

He described how he'd returned from a tough 2016 Republican primary in South Carolina to children who 'actually love me.'

The jibe was met with applause and laughter from the crowd.

Bush, a former Florida governor, also said Trump was 'Republican in basically name only'

Bush, a former Florida governor, also said Trump was 'Republican in basically name only.'

The talk, under the title 'A Conversation with Jeb Bush: Restoring Conservatism in America', focused on the next generation of the conservative movement in the US.

Aside from his jokes about the president, Bush said he wanted politics to return to a politer discourse rather than the aggressive, combatitive, personality-politics of the past election.
Nasreen Knight rammed her husband Julian Knight's Land Rover with her car after she found out the pair spent the night together

A millionaire hedge fund trader who attacked her husband with a seven inch knife after finding out he was having an affair with her horse-riding friend has been jailed for 15 months.

Nasreen Knight had days earlier rammed her husband Julian Knight's Land Rover with her Nissan when she discovered the pair had spent the night together.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Knight lunged at her husband and smashed his glasses before later attacking him in the laundry room of their farmhouse.

Knight, a mother-of-four who previously had an affair herself, punched Ms Hillyer and pulled her hair before she was arrested.

She was bailed on condition that she did not return to the house.

The scorned wife then turned up eight days after the bust-up and demanded her retired husband drop the charges so she could secure a job with Bloomberg.

Knight had been involved in a road collision and her husbands had seen her staggering towards the property clutching a bottle of vodka.

Mr Knight allowed her inside due to her facial injuries.

Knight, a mother-of-four who previously had an affair herself, punched Ms Hillyer (pictured with Julian Knight) and tore out clumps of her hair before she was arrested

Mark Achurch, prosecuting, said: 'She was lying down incomprehensible, either through drink or the accident or both.

'The defendant grabbed a kitchen knife from the drawer. She lunged out at him holding the knife in a dagger-style position.'

The couple grappled with one another and Mr Knight's finger was cut during the altercation before he was able to disarm his wife.

Julian Knight is pictured here with Princes William and Harry in a photo posted to his Facebook

Ms Hillyer managed to phone the police while hiding under the stairs as Knight ran around the house with the blade looking for her

She then attacked her husband a second time - biting him on the shoulder, punching him and pulling his hair - before reaching for the knife again and running around looking for the mistress.

Mr Achurch added: 'She was shouting "where is Erika? I want to kill her!"'

Ms Hillyer, who was hiding under the stairs, was able to phone police as Knight stormed around looking for her.

Knight, who speaks five languages and was a director of US-based Striquer LLP, was arrested.

The trader, of Frieston, Lincolnshire, admitted charges including actual bodily harm and assault by beating.

Knight (pictured) of Frieston, Lincolnshire, admitted charges including actual bodily harm and assault by beating

The court heard Knight rammed her husband's Land Rover Defender with her Nissan, and when Mr Knights new partner, Erika Hillyer (pictured), turned up, she was also attacked

Judge Simon Hirst sentenced Nasreen for 15 months due to the level of violence and use of the knife.

He told her: You are a highly educated woman. You speak five languages and you were a hedge fund trader in London.

'These offences occurred at a very difficult time during the break down of your marriage. There was a degree of goading.

'Im afraid the level of violence, the use of a weapon and the persistent nature of the offending on two separate days means this is so serious that there must be an immediate custodial sentence.'

Clarkson Baptiste, in mitigation, said of Knight: 'She is of previous good character. She is very sorry for what she has done.

'Her whole life had been turned upside down. She feels that she had been usurped by another.

'She realises that the relationship with her ex partner is over.'
A 'manipulative' mother-of-three duped a retired civil servant by claiming she had been kidnapped in order to obtain cash to fund her drug addiction, a court heard.

Emma Stansfield, 34, siphoned 3,000 out of the unnamed divorce, 59, when she got a hold of his bank card and withdrew 10 per cent of his life savings last July.

Stansfield told her 'vulnerable' victim that she was being threatened by violent men who she owed 1,000, offering up sex to the man if he helped her.

The class-A drug addict even faked her own kidnapping to swindle more cash out of the former civil servant and claimed that sores on her body were caused by cigarette burns from the money-hungry drug dealers.

Emma Stansfield, 34, siphoned 3,000 out of an unnamed divorce, 59, when she got a hold of his bank card and withdrew 10 per cent of his life savings last July. She told the retired civil servant that she was kidnapped by drug dealers

The mother-of-three woman was sentenced on Wednesday to a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to take a six-month drug rehab course

The Croydon woman was sentenced on Wednesday to a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to take a six-month drug rehab course.

She pleaded guilty to blackmail and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The mother was also banned from contacting the man, reported the Evening Standard.

The Inner London crown court heard that Stansfield 'infiltrated the life' of her victim, who lived alone in South Norwood.

Just the second time they met, Stansfield had asked the man for cash, creating a false tale that involved drug dealers threatening her, her children and her grandmother in order to fund her drug habit, said prosecutor Archie Mackay.

Stansfield even told the man that drug dealers had broken her wrists and she was only released from the 'abusers' so she could collect money to settle her debts.

The class-A drug addict from Croydon claimed that sores on her body were caused by cigarette burns from the money-hungry drug dealers

The Inner London crown court heard that Stansfield 'infiltrated the life' of her victim, who lived alone in South Norwood

When she pretended to be kidnapped, the victim contacted police, who soon discovered Stansfield's blackmail scheme.

Even behind bars, Stansfield wouldn't let her plan go, sending the man 15 letters from prison, promising him sex if he withdrew his damaging statement to police.

The letters were said to make the victim feel 'guilty and sorry for her'.

Sentencing Stansfield, Judge Nigel Seed told her that she had intentionally picked her 'vulnerable' victim and that she was 'cruelly manipulative to him'.
Earlier this month, Al-Waleed (pictured) said all is forgiven after his three-month detention, dismissing speculation he had forfeited control of his assets in exchange for his freedom

Billionaire Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal has given up his entitlement to a share of annual cash handouts from the kingdom worth hundreds of millions of dollars after being held in a corruption crackdown.

Earlier this month, Al-Waleed, owner of Kingdom Holding Company, said all is forgiven after his three-month detention, dismissing speculation he had forfeited control of his assets in exchange for his freedom.

The prince, dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia, was released from the now-notorious Ritz-Carlton hotel in early January after an undisclosed financial agreement with the government.

'Prince Al-Waleed gave up his full entitlement of his share of the proposed annual cash distributions, which totalled ... 8.50 halalas per share (or) 299.2 million Saudi riyals (56.7 million) quarterly,' a bourse filing today said.

'I am not a person who is going to say I forgive but I don't forget. I say I forgive and I forget at the same time,' Prince Al-Waleed said in an interview with Bloomberg News published on March 20.

'It's business as usual. We are going to continue investing in Saudi Arabia. I was born in Saudi Arabia, I will die in Saudi Arabia.'

The prince refused to divulge the terms of his release, which he described as a 'confidential and secret agreement'.

The agreement had, however, left him free to function normally with 'zero guilt' and 'zero conditions', he said.

The prince, dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia, was released from the now-notorious Ritz-Carlton hotel in early January after an undisclosed financial agreement with the government. Pictured: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud, who is behind the unprecedented crackdown on corruption among members of the government and royal family

Al-Waleed was the most high-profile detainee among 350 suspects rounded up since November 4, including business tycoons and ministers, who were held in Riyadh's luxury Ritz-Carlton.

The prolonged detention of Prince Al-Waleed, ranked among the richest men in the world, had sent shock waves across a host of companies that count him as a major investor.

A Saudi official told AFP that the prince's release came after a monetary settlement similar to deals that authorities struck with most other detainees in exchange for their freedom.

He revealed no figures.

Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb, however, has said that $107 billion has been recovered in the crackdown in various forms of assets handed over that included property, securities and cash.

Al-Waleed also denied reports he had been tortured or subject to mistreatment behind bars.

Al-Waleed (pictured) also denied reports he had been tortured or subject to mistreatment behind bars

'I was never tortured,' he said.

'Actually, I was given the best service. Doctors used to come twice a day. We had the best service, best food, best everything.'

The prince asserted that he was firmly in control of his Riyadh-listed Kingdom Holding company and was working with advisers, including Goldman Sachs, to find investments as large as $3 billion.

'Some people in business community will be doubtful, will say: 'What's going on?'

'However, I assure them that everything is normal and we are functioning as we were before and we welcome them to come here to see what we're doing in Saudi Arabia and life is back to normal.'

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 32-year-old son of the king, is behind the unprecedented crackdown on corruption among members of the government and royal family, as he consolidates his grip on power.

Some critics have labelled Prince Mohammed's campaign a shakedown and power grab, but authorities insist the purge targeted endemic corruption as the country prepares for a post-oil era.
Chris MacCormick, the chair of Aurora's Community Preservation Panel, was one of two Aurora community members present who expressed opposition to the tax inducements.

MacCormick made it clear he was "grateful for (the Inns)" and what they do provide for the community. However, one of the reasons he stated his opposition was because "Pleasant Rowland came to the village with a promise to pay for her projects in entirety," MacCormick said.

"The other thing is, among all these inn employees who are here, not one lives in Aurora, I believe - raise your hand if I'm wrong," MacCormick said, pausing. He continued after no hands went up, "so that's an issue for us."

MacCormick said when Rowland entered the village, she said "she would sustain businesses in the community interest, whether they were profitable or not," which has not been the case as with the closing of Dorie's Bakery due it not being profitable.

Sue Edinger, the chief operating officer of the inns, commented that the tax abatement, "is a tool to help a business start to grow and have time to increase their base. The likelihood of Pleasant Rowland being here for 10 years is very slim. So this second inducement in particular is likely to impact, will impact, the Inns of Aurora in the future and probably not Pleasant Rowland.
Katrina Shangreaux, 30, has admitted to the 2016 murder of her son, Kylen, 2, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

A South Dakota woman accused of beating her two-year-old to death has admitted to the heinous murder.

Authorities say 30-year-old Katrina Shangreaux murdered her son, Kylen, after he had an accident while potty training at his grandmother's house in Porcupine on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Shangreaux has agreed to confess to second-degree murder as part of a deal with prosecutors, according to the U.S Attorneys Office in Rapid City.

Despite initially pleading not guilty to first-degree murder, Shangreaux has admitted to beating the little boy with a belt, throwing him to the ground and hitting him in the stomach after she became enraged when she came home on July 28, 2016, and found the little boy had wet the bed.

The mother said she had been drinking heavily and was on pain medications before the attack, according to her confession, first cited by the Rapid City Journal.

In her written statement she said she became even angrier after the boy 'gave her a sideways look' and referred to her as 'Angie' - his paternal aunt, who had custody of him until a tribal court gave him back to Shangreaux weeks before his death, as reported by the Journal.

The beating only stopped when Shangreaux realized how 'badly she had injured him.'

Despite initially pleading not guilty to first-degree murder, Shangreaux has admitted to beating Kylen (pictured) to death after she became enraged when he wet the bed

Kylen's paternal aunt Angie (both pictured) had custody of him until about a month before his death, when a tribal court gave him back to Shangreaux

Before an ambulance arrived, she and her mother wiped blood and feces from the boy, who had soiled himself as he tumbled to the ground after the severe beating.

By the time Kylen was examined by doctors at the hospital, he had been dead for about four hours, the physician who saw him estimated.

He had bruises, bite marks, a torn scrotum, a rib fracture and 'extensive bleeding in his abdomen and brain'. Bruises reportedly covered about 70 per cent of the little boy's body.

An autopsy found he died of blunt force trauma.

After hearing of Kyle's death Shangreaux fled first to White Clay, Nebraska, and then to Rapid City in South Dakota.

Kylen's grandmother Sonya Dubray, 49, is accused of tampering with evidence and being an accessory to first-degree murder, court documents show.

She allegedly laundered the dead boy's clothes, cleaned the crime scene, misled investigators about alleged abuse against the boy and falsely told a Bureau of Indian Affairs special agent that the child was potty-trained.

By the time Kylen was examined by doctors at the hospital, he had been dead for about four hours, the physician who saw him estimated

Shangreaux's mother, Sonya Dubray, 49, (both pictured) is accused of tampering with evidence and being an accessory to first-degree murder

Dubray pleaded not guilty and is free on bail while her criminal case is proceeding.

A Facebook page created by Angie in Kylen's memory reacted to Shangreaux' plea deal: 'I should have never stopped fighting for you. I love you the most Ky Sky Pie. No one can ever take away our love.

'All I know is that this didn't have to happen. It could have been prevented... if someone had listened and done their job.'

Shangreaux could be sentenced up to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.

Other initial charges such as aggravated battery of an infant and felony child abuse and neglect would be dropped as part of her plea deal.

Kylen was the half-brother of a one-year-old boy who authorities say was slain in April 2015 by their father.

James Shangreaux Sr. is currently in prison on charges of abuse and neglect of the child.
Ladonna Hughett, 54, was arrested on Saturday after inappropriately posing with an Easter bunny at a carousel park in Mansfield, Ohio

A woman was arrested on Saturday after inappropriately posing with an Easter bunny at a carousel park in Mansfield, Ohio.

Ladonna Hughett, 54, 'lewdly propositioned and grabbed an Easter Bunny,' according to Yahoo News.

Apparently Ohio police officers said she posed for a photo with the rabbit and suggestively grabbed the bunny and made bawdy comments in front of young children and families.

After watching Hughett's inappropriate behavior someone called Mansfield police.

'We received a report from a citizen, an unusual report from a citizen, that called us to the Richland Carrousel Park of an intoxicated female doing some lewd acts on the Easter Bunny,' Assistant Chief Keith Porch told the TV station.

Ladonna Hughett, 54, 'lewdly propositioned and grabbed an Easter Bunny' police said

According to an arrest report she had 'a generally wobbly demeanor,' and appeared to be intoxicated due to her slurred speech, unsteadiness on her feet and bloodshot eyes.

The woman was charged with public drunkenness and booked into the county jail however police didnt charge her with assaulting the Easter Bunny.

Apparently she was released eight hours later.

The woman was arrested on Saturday after inappropriately posing with an Easter bunny at a carousel park in Mansfield, Ohio
Salim Wakil has denied a terror charge over claims he sent money to his sister in Syria

A Hampshire man accused of sending money to his teenage sister after she fled to Syria has denied a terror charge.

Salim Wakil, of Fleet, is accused of sending just over 2,000 through a money broker to Lebanon last year.

The money is said to have been sent on to Wakil's sister - named only as 'Sumayyah' - in Syria, much of which was then held by terrorist groups at the time.

Wakil, 24, appeared before Westminster Magistrates, charged with one count of funding terrorism.

He denied the charge and his case was transferred to London's Old Bailey, where Wakil will come before a judge on April 17.

Mark Carroll, prosecuting, said: 'This is an allegation that Salim Wakil has sent a substantial amount of money to his sister who is in Syria.'

Wakil's sister is said to have travelled to Syria in 2014, when she was just 16.

The charge Wakil faces is that he 'entered into an arrangement with reasonable cause to suspect money would be used for terrorism' in February 2017.

Under the Terrorism Act 2000, is illegal for anyone to receive, transfer or hold funds if they 'know', 'intend' or has 'reasonable cause to suspect' it may be used for the purposes of terrorism.
Ed Bastian defended his decision to end discounts for NRA members, saying he won't let the state interfere in his business

The CEO of Delta Air Lines has hit back at politicians for their response to the company's decision to cut ties with the National Rifle Association, saying 'we're not going to let the state decide how we run our business'.

Ed Bastian spoke out Wednesday about the airline's scrapping of discounts for NRA members amid a backlash against the organisation after Nikolas Cruz shot dead 17 people at a Florida school in February.

He made the remarks at a Hope Global Forum annual meeting at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, insisting that Delta supports the first and second amendments.

'You've got to stand up for what you believe in, and people want to hear what your company is in today's society more than ever,' he said.

He added: 'We're not going to let the state decide how we run our business'.

Last month Delta was among numerous businesses to cut ties with the NRA as the long-standing debate on gun control intensified amid the Florida school shooting.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, stormed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland armed with an assault rifle and shot dead 17 students and staff.

The website ThinkProgress published a list of companies that partner with the NRA and the hashtag #BoycottNRA appeared on Twitter.

As pressure mounted on businesses to take action, United Airlines quickly followed Delta's lead by withdrawing special deals for NRA members.

Cheaper rates had been set up by the airlines ahead of the NRA's annual convention in May, offering discounts of up to 10 per cent off flights to Dallas.

'We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from its website,' Delta said in a statement after scrapping the plan on February 24.

Delta Air Lines previously offered cheaper rates through their group travel program, but have now scrapped the deals for NRA members

Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle speaking in Atlanta in 2015. He raged over Delta's decision on NRA discounts, saying 'corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back'

But Bastian's decision provoked fierce backlash from Georgia legislators.

In a move seen as a way of punishing Delta, they halted plans for a $50million jet fuel tax exemption which would have benefited the company.

Companies which cut ties with the NRA Hertz Chubb Met Life Symantec Teladoc Simplisafe Best Western Wyndham Hotels Alamo Rent A Car National Rent A Car Enterprise Rent A Car First National Bank of Omaha Delta Airlines United Airlines Advertisement

Earlier this month, the Republican-controlled House voted 135-24 in favour of the move, prompting experts to raise First Amendment concerns.

Some businesses also criticised the airline, saying that, as NRA members, they will never fly Delta again.

Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle tweeted that he would 'kill any tax legislation that benefits Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with the NRA.'

The Republican and staunch NRA ally added: 'Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.'

Some states took advantage of the dispute between Georgia and Delta by urging the airline to relocate, with governors from Connecticut, New York and Virginia stepping forward to make pitches.

A congressman from Ohio and the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, also reached out to Delta.

Florida shooter Nicholas Cruz is led into court this month. He shot dead 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Delta is Georgia's largest private employer, with 33,000 workers statewide.

The NRA is America's longest standing civil rights organisation and campaigns to defend Second Amendment rights which allow citizens to keep and bear arms.
A white nationalist who became known as the 'crying Nazi' following last year's deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia revealed that he's working with the FBI as an informant.

News that Christopher Cantwell was talking to the feds was first leaked online by the notorious far-right hacker Andrew 'Weev' Auernheimer, who called the move 'scumbag behavior'.

During a conversation with Auernheimer, Cantwell said he had talked to the police and was most likely going to talk to the FBI too. In follow-ups texts, Cantwell said he was working with authorities to get revenge on anti-fascist groups.

White nationalist Christopher Cantwell said he's working with the FBI to seek revenge on anti-fascist groups. Cantwell is pictured above at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia

Cantwell, pictured at last year's rally, said in a blog post that he wants to take Antifa because they were behind the violence at the Unite the Right rally

'Not throwing our people under the bus. We weren't the bad guys last August, and Charlottesville is ignoring that fact. The feds want to bust Antifa, and I'm keen to help them,' he told Auernheimer in the leaked messages.

Following the rally, Cantwell was arrested and indicted on felony charges of using tear gas on counter-protestors

After the conversation was posted many fellow white nationalists took to Gab calling Cantwell 'human garbage' and a 'rat', according to ThinkProgress.

The Radical Agenda blogger penned a post titled 'Why I'm Talking to the Feds' to defend his actions insisting that he was becoming an FBI informant so he could take down Antifa because they 'were the primary instigators and perpetrators of most of the Charlottesville violence'.

'They engaged in interstate travel to participate in a riot, a federal crime,' he said. 'A riot sure as hell ensued in Charlottesville, and I surely traveled interstate, but i most definitely was not looking forward to a god damn riot. THEY WERE.'

He also ensured his critics that he would never give authorities information on the alt-right - even if he wanted to.

'We are not criminals. If the FBI searched every electronic device I have ever owned and pumped me full of top secret truth drugs and extracted every letter of knowledge I had about the Alt Right, I literally couldnt give them a single f***ing criminal,' he posted.

A memorial for Heather Heyer, who was killed at the Charlottesville rally when a car plowed into a group of people protesting against the white nationalist rally

DeAndre Harris, 2-, was viciously attacked in a parking garage at the rally

News that Cantwell was talking to the FBI was leaked by notorious far-right hacker Andrew 'Weev' Auernheimer, who called the move 'scumbag behavior'

'Seeing as to how there is absolutely no chance I could snitch on our guys EVEN IF I WANTED TO, on account of our guys not having committed a crime, I dont see how this could be a bad thing.'

During last year's rally counter-protestor Heather Heyer was killed when a car driven by 20-year-old James Alex Fields plowed into a group of people. Fields is a member of the far-right group Vanguard America.

Videos and photos of counter-protestor DeAndre Harris being viciously beaten by white nationalist members inside a parking garage at the rally also went viral. Harris, 20, suffered head lacerations that required 10 stitches and a spinal injury.

Cantwell, who was indicted on felony charges of using tear gas on counter-protestors, earned the nickname 'crying Nazi' after he posted a video of himself getting emotional when he learned police were looking for him in wake of the violence that took place at the rally.

He's currently awaiting trial.
The fashion stylist who has accused actor Ed Westwick of being a 'violent sexual predator' has filed a report with the police in Los Angeles, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Haley Camille Freedman, 23, is the fourth woman to claim that the Gossip Girl star raped or sexually assaulted her.

She claims Westwick repeatedly raped her and held her captive for two days at his Hollywood mansion, according to court papers.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney announced on July 27, 2018 that Westwick will not face rape and sexual assault charges because of insufficient evidence.

Westwick's lawyer Blair Berk said: 'The evidence was clear from the start that each of the allegations made by these three women were absolutely untrue. It is a shame there are those who prejudged this case and that it took over eight months for Ed to be officially cleared of all of these charges.'

The former art director of the Instagram-based fashion magazine Kat & Bare, Freedman named Westwick in documents filed in Federal court in Los Angeles in early March citing the alleged rape.

And on March 28 the blonde met with detectives at the LAPD Hollywood station to make an official complaint about the alleged attack in 2014.

Haley Camille Freedman, 23, met with detectives at the LAPD Hollywood station to make a complaint about the alleged attack in 2014, in which she says Ed Westwick raped her

Freedman claims Westwick repeatedly raped her and held her captive for tw days at his Hollywood mansion, according to court papers. She is the fourth woman to claim that the Gossip Girl star raped or sexually assaulted her

In exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com, Freedman was seen leaving the police station where she had spent a few hours.

Dressed in blue jeans, black top and taupe jacket and wearing a black hat, Freedman looked somber as she left the police station late afternoon.

It's understood detectives already probing previous allegations against Westwick interviewed Freedman and will now investigate her claims against the star.

Sources close to the case have told DailyMail.com that officers have scheduled a meeting for Freedman to sit down with the LA County District Attorney's office next week.

One source said: 'The police are taking these allegations very seriously, detectives sat down with Haley for hours and they want her to meet with the DA next week.'

In a court filing earlier this month, Freedman said she's suing her ex-partners at fashion firm Kat & Bare for, among several complaints, breach of contract and fraud, accusing them of 'shunning' her and cutting her out of the business she helped build after she decided to go public with her shocking account of her alleged 'nightmare' sexual encounter with Westwick.

In the 129-page lawsuit, the 30-year-old screen heartthrob. - best known for playing womanizing bad boy Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl - is described by her lawyers as 'monstrous', a 'serial rapist', and 'abusive, crazed alcoholic'.

Westwick has yet to comment on Freedman's allegations, but last year, he issued a statement protesting his innocence after actresses Aurelie Wynn and Rachel Eck shared their stories online.

But earlier this week the star deleted statements he posted on social media denying sexual assault allegations made against him as the LA District Attorney's office investigates the claims.

'I have never forced myself in any manner, on any woman,' he said at the time. 'I certainly have never committed rape I am co-operating with the authorities so that they can clear my name as soon as possible.'

He has since taken that statement down.

The former art director of the Instagram-based fashion magazine Kat & Bare, Freedman named Westwick in documents filed in Federal court in Los Angeles earlier this month citing the alleged rape

Westwick has yet to comment on Freedman's allegations, but last year, he issued a statement protesting his innocence after actresses Aurelie Wynn and Rachel Eck shared their stories online

Dressed in blue jeans, black top and taupe jacket and wearing a black hat, Freedman looked somber as she left the police station late afternoon

Freedman says she consented to have sex with Westwick after she was invited to his Hollywood home after a night of partying, but later became afraid after he allegedly turned 'aggressive' and violently raped her

Freedman says met Westwick at a party on August 5, 2014, after a night out with her friend Ashlynn at Hollywood hotspot 1 Oak, according to the court papers.

'Westwick displayed an immediate attraction to Freedman, flirting with her openly,' documents say.

Freedman responded and the two continued to flirt, escalating to kissing, the legal papers say.

The two ended up at Westwick's lavish Glendower Estate home where they 'soon went to Westwick's bedroom, where they proceeded to have what began as consensual sexual intercourse'.

Legal documents continue: 'However, during their first intercourse, Westwick became violent and aggressive, demanding that Freedman strangle him or slap his face and when Freedman declined, putting his hands around her neck and slapping her and strangling her against her will.'

Westwick also asked Freedman to spit on him during sex, it's alleged.

When Freedman refused, he would spit on her. It is claimed.

'When their first intercourse ended, Freedman knew she never wanted to have sex with Westwick ever again and wanted to leave and go back to her car and life,' the documents state.

Freedman (left) is the fourth woman to accuse Westwick of rape or sexual assault. Creative producer Rachel Eck (right) also came forward to accuse Westwick of sexual assault

Actress Kristina Cohen (left) and former actress Aurelie Wynn (right) were the first to come forward in November, both claiming that Westwick had raped them in 2014

Freedman fell asleep and woke up next morning with Westwick asleep beside her.

Unable to use her phone because of poor reception, she asked him to take her home, but he declined.

'He assured her that he would drive her back to her car - eventually,' the court documents go on.

First though, Westwick wanted more sex with Freedman, the papers state. Freedman declined but he persisted anyway.

The papers state that during one or more of their bouts of intercourse, Westwick said that he wanted to penetrate Freedman anally and she refused, firmly telling Westwick that she did not want that.

Westwick penetrated Freedman anally deeply with his fingers anyway, holding her down to do so over her protests.

'Freedman became overwhelmed with confusion, fear and shock,' the papers state. 'She became distant, letting her mind leave her body while Westwick had his way with her physical self, hoping for it to end.'

Eventually, each session of intercourse from Westwick would end but when Freedman would ask to leave, Westwick would repeat that he would take her back to her car when he was ready, the papers state.

He became 'scary and threatening' the more Freedman insisted on leaving, raised his voice and was physically intimidating Freedman into obeying him.

At the time of Freedman's encounter with Westwick, the actor was renting a six-bedroom Mediterranean style villa located on one acre inside Griffith Park, Los Angeles. The spacious property built in 1931 boasts a heated mineral water pool and crystal fire pit and commands impressive city views

'Westwick intentionally used fear and intimidation to make Freedman afraid to go anywhere except the bed, bathroom or bedroom balcony, and she did not,' the legal papers state

The 23-year-old said she stayed in the star's home for two days because she felt like she couldn't leave because he used 'fear and intimidation to keep Freedman captive'. She is suing her ex-partners at Kat & Bare for, among other complaints, breach of contract and fraud, claiming they shunned her after she decided to go public with the allegations

He wouldn't let her leave until he was 'done with raping her' and ready to leave himself, the papers state.

Eventually, in the late afternoon or early evening of August 7, Westwick did drive her back to her friend's home, where she had parked her car two days earlier - only to find that it had been towed and impounded.

The next day, feeling 'traumatized and exhausted,' according to the legal papers, Freedman made an appointment with her gynecologist who found, on examining her August 13, that she was 'still physically bruised, bleeding and internally torn and infected in her genital area'.

'Freedman had no intercourse or sexual contact with anyone else between being sexually assaulted by Westwick and the August 13 medical examination,' legal papers state.

'The physical damage and signs of rape on the August 13 medical report are from the encounter with Westwick,' according to court documents.

Freedman also recounted the experience to a close friend and her close friend's mother.

She also considered reporting the incident to police and pursuing legal action.

The papers added: 'Ultimately, however, Freedman decided not to report the encounter, fearing that she would suffer backlash and that her entire career might be thwarted if she did. Freedman made a conscious decision to stay silent.'

Freedman 'threw herself into her work' for the next three years.

Westwick, pictured from and center, is best known for playing womanizing bad boy Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl (pictured above is a promotional photo for the show)

It wasn't until with the onset of the #MeToo movement and actresses Kristina Cohen and Aurelie Wynn both making public accusations against Westwick in early November last year, claiming the actor had raped them as well, that Freedman felt she should finally speak out.

'When some of this habitual rapist's other victims came forward as part of 2017's amplified #MeToo movement, Freedman decided that she might also,' the legal documents state. 'But first she checked with the her business partners at Kat & Bare.'

The papers state that her partners ultimately turned their back on her.

And that's what led to Freedman's newly filed lawsuit against those partners, commercial director Richard D'Alessio, businessman Nicolas Gibbs and writer Becky Tahel Bordo.

The court documents add on Freedman: 'Less than a year ago she was a rising star in the stylist and fashion consultant community, making a good living on her own and moving steadily toward realization of her dream of becoming a creative director by the age of 30.

'Now, after trusting (her partners) in business and trusting their advice and purported support about telling her #MeToo story, Freedman doesn't have a job at all,' legal papers state.

Freedman, who says she was 'on track' to be making $300,000 over two years, is seeking damages of $300,000 for fraud and $100,000 for breach of contract.

Us Weekly this week reported that Westwick has hired a high-profile female criminal lawyer to represent him.
A young mother crushed by a pallet of bricks that fell from 70ft died in hospital two days later this morning, it has been revealed.

Michaela Boor, 29, from east London, was left unconscious on the pavement in Mile End surrounded by piles of rubble on Tuesday morning.

She was understood to have dropped her son off at school across the road from the building site when bricks descended from scaffolding above.

Michaela Boor, 29, of East London, has died after she was crushed by bricks in East London

Miss Boor had recently got engaged to her partner Andy Murgatroyd (pictured together)

A Scotland Yard spokesman said this afternoon: 'A 29-year-old woman who was critically injured after being struck by falling debris in Tower Hamlets has died.

'The woman died in hospital at 10.40am on Thursday. Her next of kin have been informed. Formal identification awaits. A post-mortem examination will take place.'

Tragically, Miss Boor is believed to have got engaged less than a fortnight ago to her partner of four years Andy Murgatroyd.

It has also emerged Miss Boor's father Matthew Boor is a bricklayer who has been in the profession for 20 years. A fundraising page has been set up by his employers.

Building firm Maytrix Construction created a JustGiving page in a bid to raise 20,000 to help Mr Boor and his family, It has so far collected more than 4,500.

Before her death, a friend told the Evening Standard: 'Her family are devastated, we all are. She has ended up fighting for life in hospital on her 29th birthday.

'We had seen pallets of bricks wobbling up there, it was just not safe. It could have been any of us. The family and all of us want answers.'

Mother Bernadette Hegarty, vicar of St Paul's of Bow Common Church, attached to the school, rushed to the scene minutes after the accident at about 9.30am.

This is basket on the crane from which the pallet of bricks is believed to have fallen

The debris, pictured, tumbled 70ft from a crane at a building site in Mile End, East London

She told how paramedics helped Miss Boor after she suffered multiple injuries.

Mother Bernadette told MailOnline: 'The young woman looked very wounded. The paramedics brought her back.

'I sat down and prayed with her as the paramedics worked. I did not see the accident but I went over to comfort her after I heard what had happened.'

The young mother is believed to have been on her way to a local supermarket when the pallet of bricks fell upon her.

Prayers will be offered for the young woman at a Maundy Thursday service today and at a Good Friday service tomorrow at Bow Common Church.

Mother Bernadette told MailOnline: 'She is a well-liked member of the community. I know her to say hello to. We are all in deep shock by what has happened, as are the workers on the building site.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman and her family at this difficult time.'

Pictured: The young mother has been identified as 29-year-old Michaela Boor (left and right)

Paramedics took the woman to hospital with severe injuries after the incident in East London

The site in London has been cleared although some evidence of the horrific accident remains

Another parent from St Luke's Church of England Primary School described Miss Boor as a 'lovely girl', adding: 'We are all devastated by what happened.'

Meanwhile local politicians have slammed safety conditions at the site, claiming barriers should have been put in place.

Mile End councillor Shah Alam, who lives very near the building site, said he raised health and safety concerns with the local Tower Hamlets Council after the incident.

He said: 'They have been working here for eight months but they have never had any hazard notices or barriers to protect people. There were no staff present while the crane operated overhead.

'There are three primary schools nearby, a nursery, a church and a mosque. My neighbour doesn't feel safe walking her children to school.'

Officers attended the scene at 9.38am on Tuesday, where bystanders were helping the woman after she was spotted lying in a pile of rubble and broken wood.

Paramedics took the woman to hospital after the incident outside Bow Corner, a new development of luxury flats. A second person was also taken to hospital.

Work appears to have halted at the site while a Health and Safety Executive probe is ongoing

Pictured: The aftermath of the bricks which fell around 70ft from the crane in Mile End

Scotland Yard said the woman appeared to have been injured by the debris after 9.30am

Witness Alan Harris, who owns go-kart track Revolution Karting that faces the site, said he rushed over to see what had happened after hearing a 'loud bang.'

'One woman was out cold underneath the bricks and another woman next to her was screaming hysterically for an ambulance and looking up into the heavens,' he told the East London Advertiser.

Mr Harris said it wasn't clear if the two women were together. The 72-year-old said he called for ambulance and indicated 'the seriousness of the situation' to the operator.

Witness Aladdin Rahman said: 'My friend who's a bus driver and was driving a bus at the time it happened, said that some bricks had fallen on the woman.

'Several people were trying to get to the lady and so were the construction workers. It was a hectic scene at the time.'

Pedestrians on the road caught the aftermath of the accident on video,

The woman was earlier in a critical condition after being hit by a pile of bricks in East London

The basket on the crane can be seen following the shocking incident at the building site

The incident happened next to the Bow Corner housing construction in East London

Bricks could be seen scattered around the victim as she lay on the pavement with bystanders giving her first aid next a building site.

The London Ambulance Service later took the woman to an east London hospital. A man was also treated for shock and forensic investigators remain at the scene.

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: 'Inspectors have attended the site and are making ongoing enquiries in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

'As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further at this time.'

Bow Corner is a development of 19 one, two and three bedroom apartments by Higgins Homes that is expected to be completed this year.

One beds start from 435,000, two beds from 545,000 and three beds from 650,000.

Bow Corner in East London is a development of 19 one, two and three bedroom apartments

Police in Tower Hamlets were called after the woman was severely injured by falling debris

Steve Boreham, construction director of Higgins Homes, said: 'Our primary thoughts and concerns are with the lady who has been injured and those affected today.

'We are working with the Health and Safety Executive who are investigating the incident to determine the cause and will release more information as soon as it's available. Our priority at the moment is of course to make the area safe.'

Local road closures were put in place while emergency services dealt with events.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman added: 'We were called at 9.38am to E14 to reports of an incident.

'We sent a number of resources to the scene including an incident response officer, a motorcycle responder, two single responders in cars and two ambulance crews. We also dispatched London's Air Ambulance by car.

'We treated a woman at the scene for serious injuries and took her as a priority to a major trauma centre. We also took a second person to hospital.'
The woman who was racially attacked by two females while on a train this week said the abuse continued right up until the commuters got off at their stop.

Disturbing footage emerged Tuesday showing two girls launching a shocking verbal tirade on Mila, a Filipino woman, on board a Frankston line train in Melbourne.

The 66-year-old had been an Australian resident since 1985, but that didn't stop the attackers telling her to 'go back to your own country'.

She said the confrontation started after she asked one of the girls to stop looking at her when she began 'coughing from time to time', news.com.au reported.

'The girl, she keeps staring at me. After a while I asked her to stop looking at me and that's when the other girl started yelling,' Mila said.

The short clip uploaded to social media showed a blonde woman shouting racist obscenities across the Metro Trains carriage.

'I'll stare at you the whole time now c***. Make me shut up, b****. I ain't gonna shut up. I never gonna shut up, c***,' the blonde, wearing a black hoodie, said.

'What are you going to do? Go back to your own f***ing country... F**k you too, you motherf***ing curry muncher.'

Mila attempted to calm the situation and said: 'I don't know you, you don't know me.'

Shocking video has emerged a young woman launching a vile, racist attack on a commuter sitting alone on a busy Melbourne train

'It's my country, it's not your f***ing country,' the blonde woman responds.

The abuse continued as three women pressed the emergency button and moved down the carriage to come to Mila's aid.

'I couldn't believe their mouths. It's never happened to me before and I've been commuting for a while. It went for a long time, and it only stopped when they got off.'

The victim recalled the girls getting off the train at Highett in the city's southeast, where they ran away from Protective Safety Officers.

She got off the train herself at Flinders Street station and spoke with Metro Trains staff who contacted the police, but they have not yet got in touch with her.

Mila, who was a recovering cancer patient, wanted to send a clear message to the girls who racially attacked her.

'I'll stare at you the whole time now c***. Make me shut up, b****. I ain't gonna shut up. I never gonna shut up, c***,' a blonde woman in a black hoodie said

'I'm not worried about seeing them again. I just want them to know they can't act like that. They have to stop doing it. That behaviour is disgusting.'

The woman who posted the video to social media described the behaviour of the two blonde girls as 'disgusting'.

'They racially abused a lady sitting on her own. [We] pressed the emergency button and sat beside the lady to support her until these girls got off the train.'

The group were praised online for supporting the victim, with one writing: 'Well done ladies, so glad you didn't just stand by.'
This is the triumphant moment a group of men free a desperate pooch trapped under rubble in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

The unlucky black dog is shown at the beginning of the video squashed among debris and pinned down by metal bars.

Several men can be seen shouting and attempting to pull the bars away from the animal as it looks around, frightened and wide-eyed.

The unlucky black dog is shown at the beginning of the video squashed among debris and pinned down by metal bars

One of the men pours water into its mouth and onto its head from a bottle as the Iraqi sun beats down on its face

Several men can be seen shouting and attempting to pull the bars away from the animal as it looks around, frightened and wide-eyed. They then attach a hook to the bars to pull them off

One of the men pours water into its mouth and onto its head from a bottle as the Iraqi sun beats down on its face.

Another man in the group attempts to use a pole as leverage to lift up the bars while others clear away rocks, but manpower alone proves insufficient to bear the weight.

A hook on the end of a chain is then attached to the bars before a mobile crane adds machine power to the rescue effort.

After working the position of the hook perfectly, the men stand back and the crane lifts the bars just high enough to allow the caged canine to crawl free.

As the dog runs around the rubble in confused joy, the men cheer and clap loudly to celebrate the liberation.

But the happy hound wastes no time thanking its saviours, and instead runs into the street as fast as it can before disappearing around a corner.

After working to position the hook perfectly, the men stand back and the crane lifts the bars just high enough to allow the caged canine to crawl free

As the dog runs around the rubble in confused joy, the men cheer and clap loudly to celebrate the liberation

But the happy hound wastes no time thanking its saviours, and instead runs into the street as fast as it can before disappearing around a corner

Mosul was liberated from ISIS rule on July 10 last year after two years under the boot of the totalitarian Islamist group.

An investigation by the Associated Press claimed between 9,000 and 11,000 people were killed during the battle to free the city.

But much of the ancient settlement was badly damaged during shelling and street fighting.
A wallaby that may have been feeling a little too much pier pressure bounced it's way into a bit of bother when it took one wrong hop and ended up in the water near a Central Coast wharf.

As the animal fought to keep it's head above the water concerned residents gathered around the Veterans Hall Wharf, and tried to work out a way to save it.

Then one of them noticed a local ferry was about to run right over it.

MV Sorrento skipper Tim Conway was steering his ferry into the wharf when he got an urgent call to warn him that the wallaby was in the water and close to his berth, The Daily Telegraph has reported.

A wallaby took one wrong hop and ended up in the water off Veterans Hall Wharf on the Central Coast

Skipper Tim Conway who was driving his ferry almost ran the animal over but a urgent call from someone on land alerted him to it

'When I looked over I saw a bunch of people standing around the wharf and sure enough, I saw a swimming wallaby,' he said.

Conway and his skipper rushed to action but the rescue wouldn't be as straightforward as just jumping in. The height of the breakwater nearby made a Baywatch styled operation too difficult.

They had to get the wallaby closer to the wharf.

'We decided to use the deck line that we use to tie the boats to the wharves and use the loop to drag the wallaby closer,' he said.

Conway used the pre-made lasso to draw the creature closer. Several throws later he had gotten the frightened wallaby close enough to reach.

Getting down on his belly he managed to grab the wriggling wallaby and pull it up to land.

Conway and his skipper rushed to action. Using a rope they managed to get the wallaby closer to the wharf

Pictures documenting the recuse were posted to Facebook by the ferry company Conway works for.

'Not every day you see a wallaby swimming in off veterans hall wharf!' the post said.

'Some quick actions and rope skills got the Wallaby close enough to be plucked out of the water and released across the road into the Bush.'

The heartwarming post quickly attracted a lot of attention as people commented on how lucky the creature was.

As soon as they pulled it to dry land it ran off down the road and into the bush

'Glad there was someone to rescue this poor wallaby it must have been terrified. Thank you to those wonderful men who managed to get it out of water and back to Bush where it belongs,' one user wrote.

'Not all heroes wear capes,' said another.

As soon as Conway pulled the creature onto dry land it ran off, down the nearby street and into territory it's a lot more familiar with - the bush.

'I've pulled plenty of people out of the water before, but I've never pulled out a wallaby,' Conway said.
One of the things that sets Simplex apart from larger manufacturers is its attention to quality, Bob said. In 2016 and 2017, the company had a 100-percent quality rating, meaning not a single customer returned a part due to a defect. According to a chart on the company's website, Simplex's quality rating has not dipped below 99-percent since 1990.

"That's really what we're known for nowadays," Bob said of the company's quality reputation.

He credits the hard work and diligence of Simplex's 10 employees for the company's outstanding ratings.

"The people that we have working here go such a long way toward making it a reality," Bob said. "They're conscientious, they've been with us a long time, they care about what goes out the door and they understand what it takes to make a good product."

While things certainly have changed in the past 100 years, Bob said he takes comfort in the understanding that "this is not a business that's going to set the world on fire."

"A good day is when I can keep my customers happy, as far as getting product out the door, and when the employees, who are my friends, go home feeling like they've accomplished something and they don't dread coming to work tomorrow," Bob said. "If we can stay the course as [Charlie and I] mature into retirement age and I can leave the business viable for the next owner, then I will have done my job."

Staff writer Natalie Brophy can be reached at (315)282-2239 or natalie.brophy@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie.

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Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been ordered to stand trial for corruption and influence peddling involving a judge, from whom he tried to get information about an investigation, a legal source said Thursday.

According to prosecutors, Sarkozy's lawyer tried to get information from judge Gilbert Azibert over the status of a campaign financing investigation.

In that inquiry, Sarkozy was suspected of accepting illicit payments from the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his 2007 presidential campaign.

Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog and Azibert must also stand trial in the case dating back to 2014, the source said, confirming a report in French daily Le Monde.

All rise: Nicolas Sarkozy, pictured with fellow former French President Francois Hollande yesterday, allegedly used informants to gain intel on police investigation into claims the L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt financed his election campaign

He was cleared in 2013 of taking advantage of the elderly heiress, but wiretaps on Sarkozy's phone suggested he and lawyer Herzog had discussed giving Azibert, a magistrate from a top appeals court, a job in Monaco in exchange for information on the Bettencourt case.

Sarkozy has argued that the job never materialised, meaning he is not guilty of anything, but investigators believe the deal fell through because the former president and his lawyer learned their phones were being tapped.

Herzog and Azibert are also facing charges of violation of confidentiality.

L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt (pictured) allegedly made illicit payments to Sarkozy's 2007 election campaign

The decision to send the case to trial comes a week after Sarkozy - who already faces a trial for illegal campaign financing in his 2012 re-election campaign - was charged with accepting millions of euros in funding from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi

The new trial came about after investigators using phone-taps to examine the alleged links to Gaddafi began to suspect he had kept tabs on a separate case through a network of informants.

Love lost: Sarkozy was last week charged with passive bribery, illegal campaign financing and receiving 4.35million of Libyan public funds from Muammar Gaddafi. The pair are pictured at Elysee Palace in Paris in 2007

Sarkozy, who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012, has been charged with passive bribery, illegal campaign financing and receiving 4.35million of Libyan public funds.

If he is found guilty, he could be jailed over the donations, which are believed to have been laundered through bank accounts in Panama and Switzerland.

In a court statement published last week, Sarkozy called the charges 'slanderous' and claimed that the accusations are a 'manipulation by the dictator Gaddafi or his gang'.

'I've been living the hell of this slander since March 11, 2011' when the late Colonel Gaddafi first made the allegations, Sarkozy said.

Out in public: Sarkozy attended the ceremony to honour Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, who was killed in last week's terrorist attack, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, his wife Brigitte Macron and Francois Hollande at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris

He also lashed out at Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine who claims to have delivered three cash-stuffed suitcases from Kadhafi in 2006 and 2007, when Sarkozy was preparing his first run for president.

Takieddine, who claimed he provided 1.5 to 2 million euros in 200-euro and 500-euro notes, has 'highly suspect characteristics and the questionable past', Sarkozy retorted.

His lawyer, Thierry Herzog, used the same colourful language when he went on radio last friday Friday to defend his client.

'I will prove (ex-) President Sarkozy innocent. I will give proof he is innocent and then we will know who the evildoers are, who the thugs are, who the assassins are, who the robbers are,' he told RTL.

Before his indictment, Sarkozy was planning a trip to London, but he is now under judicial control and may not be allowed to travel.

On Wednesday, he was in attendance at a ceremony at the Hotel des Invalides, along with fellow former president Francois Hollande, honouring the police officer killed in by an ISIS terrorist in southwestern France last week.
Pastor Troy Martinez spoke out about his concern surrounding the arrests of four MS-13 gang members who have been linked to 10 murders across Las Vegas in the past year

A pastor says ways to end the crime spree carried out by the prolific MS-13 gang must be found after four members were linked to 10 murders across Las Vegas in the past year.

'We're literally seeing the type of Third World violence right here in what we are calling a civilized society,' Pastor Troy Martinez told Fox 5.

The 52-year-old has spent his career working with and trying to reform gang members, but said the string of murders is indicative of a growing problem.

The four alleged gang members were named in a federal lawsuit as Jose Diaz Orelana, 22, Luis Reyes-Castillo, 24, David Perez Manchame, 19, and Miguel Torres-Escobar, 20.

The men, who each came into the country illegally from El Salvador, now face charges of first degree murder and kidnapping, among others, and if convicted could spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

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The four alleged gang members were named in a federal lawsuit as Jose Diaz Orelana, 22, Luis Reyes-Castillo, 24, David Perez Manchame, 19, and Miguel Torres-Escobar, 20. They were each charged with first degree murder and kidnapping in connection with 10 slayings around Las Vegas in the past year

'We're literally seeing the type of Third World violence right here in what we are calling a civilized society,' Pastor Troy Martinez told Fox 5

They are also suspects in nine other murders, according to the federal lawsuit.

'We cannot wait until there are 10 bodies in the desert, hotel rooms, wherever else they're dumped,' Pastor Martinez said, expressing his urge for a call to action.

The federal lawsuit detailed one of the cases, stating suspects saw a member of a rival gang outside a down town club and convinced him to get in their car.

They then allegedly tied him up as they drove him to a location outside the city before repeatedly stabbing and shooting him.

He was then dismembered and his body parts were dumped in a secluded part of the city.

The federal lawsuit detailed one of the cases, stating suspects saw a member of a rival gang outside a down town club and convinced him to get in their car.

They then allegedly tied him up as they drove him to a location outside the city before repeatedly stabbing and shooting him

Pastor Martinez said he is working with schools, churches and the police to teach teens about the dangers of gangs before they reach the age where they might be tempted to join one.

'Many gangs have their own trademarks, their own style,' Martinez said, referring to the 10 brutal murders committed over the past year.

'MS-13 is known for overture, known for making people suffer - brutal and violent murders to send fear into other gangs and into the community. And parents should be veyr concerned their child is not safe in a community where gang members are able to kill people, kill them and dump their bodies all over our valley.

'If we're not working with the young people, be sure that the gang members are.'

Pastor Martinez said he is working with schools, churches and the police to teach teens about the dangers of gangs before they reach the age where they might be tempted to join one

The Las Vegas Sheriff Joe Lombardo also expressed his concern regarding the nature of the murders and the individuals suspected of committing them

WHO ARE MS-13? The ultra-violent street gang MS-13 was the first to be designated as an international criminal group. With as many as 20,000 members in 46 states, the gang has expanded far beyond its initial roots. Members are accused of major crimes including murder, kidnapping, prostitution, drug smuggling and human trafficking. Major roundups of MS-13 members have taken place across the country since the early 2000s. In Charlotte, N.C., 53 gang members were arrested as part of Operation Fed Up, which targeted MS-13 members. In 2016, 58 members of MS-13 were rounded up as part of 'Operation Mean Streets'. Previously, two of their most notable killings include stabbing to death a federal witness in 2004 and chopping the hands off of a 16-year-old boy in 2005. Advertisement

He also urged parents to be vigilant when observing their children and any new behaviors - warning them to look out for signs that could indicate a teen may be being recruited into a gang.

'We have directly worked with many gangs, including MS-13. There's two places that your child will end up: that's either dead or in prison,' he told Fox.

The Las Vegas Sheriff Joe Lombardo also expressed his concern regarding the nature of the murders and the individuals suspected of committing them.

'We're seeing young and younger people committing more violent crimes, including murder,' he told the news station.

'That's concerning.'

He gave details about the 10 murders and their links back to MS-13 on Monday, and said there are roughly 50 undocumented members of that gang in the valley.

In total five suspects have been arrested, however one has not been named because he is a juvenile.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo (pictured, far right) announced on Monday that five suspects are in federal custody in connection to 10 murders tied to the MS-13 gang that have taken place over the course of a year

All of the victims were either were shot or stabbed numerous times. According to police, six of the 10 victims were kidnapped before being murdered on the outskirts of town (Pictured, victims Izzak Towery, left, and Richard Gaudio, right)

The murders were committed between March 2017 and March 2018. At least two of the victims were involved with MS-13 (Pictured, victims Juan Carlos Estrada Raya, left, and Ricardo Olivas, right)

'The suspects involved in these crimes are extremely violent,' said Lombardo. 'They kill their victims over as little as identifying with another gang or participating in street level narcotic sales' (Pictured, Daniel Clark)

On Monday Lombardo gave more details about the 10 individuals murdered over the past year.

'Our investigation this far has recovered 18 firearms, which include an AR-15, semi-automatic pistols and shotguns,' Capt Plummer said. 'Eight of those guns were stolen in Metro's jurisdiction; one in Henderson.'

The suspects, believed to be in the US illegally, have been charged with kidnapping, assault with intent to commit murder, first-degree murder, use of a firearm resulting in death and crimes occurring on federal land.

The victims were identified as Daniel Clark, Richard Gaudio, Carlos Pachaca-Rodriguez, Arquimidez Sandoval-Martinez, Juan Carlos Estrada Raya, Jose Hernandez, Ricardo Olivas, Izzak Towery, Earl Ryan and Rony Fuentes.

The murders were committed between March 2017 and March 2018.

At least two of the victims, Pachaca-Rodriguez and Sandoval-Martinez, were involved with MS-13. Several of the victims were affiliated with other Mexican gangs.

According to police, six of the 10 victims were kidnapped before being murdered on the outskirts of town.

The suspects were taken into custody on Jones Boulevard on March 7 as they were on their way to kill another person, according to homicide Captain Robert Plummer who was also at the news conference.

'The suspects involved in these crimes are extremely violent,' said Lombardo. 'They kill their victims over as little as identifying with another gang or participating in street level narcotic sales.'
A Labour activist was suspended today after tweeting a mocked-up image of the notorious Auschwitz 'Arbeit Macht Frei' sign on a job centre.

Marianne Tellier is facing a formal investigation over the offensive post as the party's anti-Semitism crisis continued to rage.

The fervent Corbynista, who has served as a ward secretary in Sheffield Heeley, sent the message in response to a jokey cartoon about how work stops people having a life.

The image she tweeted shows a job centre sign, with the normal logo replaced with the words: 'Arbeit Macht Frei.'

Marianne Tellier is facing a formal investigation over the offensive post (pictured) as the party's anti-Semitism crisis continued to rage

The German phrase means 'Work Makes You Free', and it was used on the infamous iron gates at Auschwitz (pictured) and at other Nazi concentration camps

The row erupted as Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at his London home today) faces questions over why it took four days to sack his hard-left disciplinary chief for defending a Holocaust denier

The German phrase means 'Work Sets You Free', and it was used on the infamous iron gates at Auschwitz in Poland and at other Nazi concentration camps.

Author and comedian David Baddiel was among those who condemned the post online.

Amid a wave of criticism today, Ms Tellier complained she was 'being harangued by apartheid deniers'.

She retweeted messages suggesting that she was justified in using the Nazi phrase to highlight how the Tories were treating deprived members of society.

MailOnline has contacted MsTellier for comment.

Prisoners at Auschwitz were forced to make the five-metre sign, and it remains an enduring symbol of the Holocaust.

More than a million people - 90 per cent of them Jews - were murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz during the Second World War.

According to the Sheffield Star, the tweet was reported by a fellow Labour member from Sheffield Heeley CLP.

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: 'The Labour Party is committed to challenging and campaigning against antisemitism in all its forms.

Labour MP John Woodcock considering quitting party over Corbyn John Woodcock (pictured in Parliament this week) MP for Barrow and Furness, is contemplating quitting the Labour whip and spending the rest of his time in Parliament as an independent A leading Labour moderate is on the brink of quitting the party over Jeremy Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism and his response to the Salisbury attack. John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, is contemplating quitting the Labour whip and spending the rest of his time in Parliament as an independent. Mr Woodcock is an arch Corbyn critic and has previously said that he could not back him as Prime Minister. He is furious at the way Mr Corbyn has failed confront the anti-Semitism that has plunged Labour into crisis. The Labour leader stands accused of not confronting the abuse and anti-Semitic tropes peddled by his supporters and in his name. Advertisement

'Any complaints of antisemitism are taken extremely seriously.

'These are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action taken.'

The Liberal Democrat leader on Sheffield Council, Shaffaq Mohammed, told the Sheffield Star: 'This is absolutely appalling imagery and I expected better from the Labour Party.

We look to those in power to set an example. 'Anti-Semitism cannot be tolerated and it's clear from this Labour member's Twitter profile that action needs to be taken now.'

The row erupted as Jeremy Corbyn faces questions over why it took him four days to sack his hard-left disciplinary chief after she defended a Holocaust denier.

Christine Shawcroft was forced out of her post after it emerged that she had e-mailed colleagues to demand the activist be let back into the party.

The activist, Alan Bull, had been suspended for posting a link on Facebook to a fake news article titled: International Red Cross report Confirms the Holocaust of Six Million Jews is a Hoax.

But yesterday it emerged she would continue to sit on the panel, meaning she will still be able to pass judgment on people accused of anti-Semitism.

But Labour MPs are now calling for her to be kicked out of the Labour Party - and warn that if she is not then Mr Corbyn will be seen as a 'hypocrite'.

Ruth Smeeth, a Jewish Labour MP who sits for Stoke-on-Trent North, said that stepping down as chair was not enough.

She said. Christine Shawcroft should not be on our NEC. Labour MP Ian Austin agreed: Of course she shouldnt be on our NEC.

Others went further, including John Mann, a Labour MP who tweeted: She needs expelling instantly. He added that she should also be sacked as the director of the Corbyn-backing campaign group Momentum.

Jewish groups also weighed in. Jennifer Gerber, director of the Labour Friends of Israel, said: Christine Shawcroft should be suspended from the Labour Party and kicked off the NEC.

But Miss Shawcroft received support from another member of the NEC, Peter Willsman, who called for activists to stand in support of Mr Corbyn and the unjust attacks that are being made on him and the Labour Party.

The Jewish Chronicle also said shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott insisted the anti-Semitism crisis was a smear campaign against Jeremy.

It came as Mr Corbyn revealed that 300 claims of Labour anti-Semitism had been received within the past three years, leading to 150 resignations or expulsions and Labours outgoing general secretary Ian McNicol accused the leaders office of blocking measures to get tough on anti-Semitism.

Some 2,000 activists also signed an open letter blaming the anti-Semitism row on a very powerful special interest group.

Meanwhile, the Labour leader sparked fresh fury today by refusing to apologise for talking to banned terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

And his close ally John McDonnell was slammed for trying to shift the blame for the failure to tackle anti-Semitism on Labour's outgoing General Secretary Iain McNicol.

Commenting on Ms Shawcroft, Labour MP John Mann told Mail Online: 'She should be removed from the NEC immediately and expelled from the Labour Party...

'If Jeremy Corbyn does not do this then he has demonstrated his inability to lead if he doesn't sack her.'

But shadow chancellor Mr McDonnell toured the TV studios to defend Mr Corbyn's handling of the case and say Ms Shawcroft should not be sacked from the NEC.

Labour is in meltdown over anti-Semitism after its disciplinary chief Christine Shawcroft (pictured) resigned for opposing the suspension of an apparent Holocaust denier
Consumers may be in for a shock as shopping costs could skyrocket as leading Australian supermarkets abandon the price war.

The analysis from Investment Bank UBS revealed the constant price wars between Coles, Woolworths and Aldi - which have brought consumers $1 milk and $8 roast chickens - is putting suppliers under intense pressure.

UBS analyst Ben Gilbert said price is not driving people to spend which is a positive for supermarkets to grow their profits, The Herald Sun reported.

Consumers may be in for a shock as shopping costs could skyrocket as leading Australian supermarkets abandon the price war

The constant price wars between leading supermarkets is putting suppliers under intense pressure

The constant discounting of groceries has been welcomed by shoppers but has lead to the decrease in profits

The constant discounting of groceries has been welcomed by shoppers but the feud between the leading supermarkets has lead to the decrease in profits.

UBS predicts the intense pressure on suppliers will lead to a truce between the supermarkets, which in turn will boost profits.

A UBS survey of 1100 shoppers that price was becoming less important as there was a shift in priority such as service and loyalty programs.

'Promotional fatigue is setting in , with non-price factors becoming more prominent,' Mr Gilbert said.

He revealed the supermarket giants continue to do well with more shoppers visiting Coles, Woolworths performing well because of their fresh food.

However, despite opening more stores across the country, Aldi's gains had slowed.

A UBS survey of 1100 shoppers that price was becoming less important as there was a shift in priority such as service and loyalty programs

Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst David Errington said the increase in cost of roast chickens sold by Coles and Woolworths was 'the end to an aggressive discounting cycle that had cut into profits.'

According to The Herald Sun, both Coles and Woolworths have denied they have called a truce in the supermarket wars.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Coles and Woolworths for comment.
President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner has been joking about the hawkish views of incoming National Security Advisor John Bolton to friends.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Kushner cracked a joke about how the 'Orthodox Jews,' who are working on the issue of Middle East peace, are now looking like 'the moderates,' compared to Bolton, who opposes a two-state solution in resolving the conflict.

Bolton is in favor of Egypt and Jordan absorbing the Palestinian territories.

The quip is an early sign that there could be more frayed relations between Kushner, and the officials his father-in-law has placed in positions that border on his own portfolio.

President Trump's son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner (left) was caught making jokes about incoming National Security Advisor John Bolton's (right) hawkish views on the Israeli and Palestinian conflict

Jared Kushner had a frayed relationship with ex-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (pictured) who didn't care for President Trump's son-in-law's freelancing on issue areas that tended to be worked on by officials at the Department of State

On March 13, President Trump announced that he was replacing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with his current CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

He followed up that announcement with one last Thursday, in which he chose Bolton to take over National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster's job.

Kushner, whose portfolio includes Middle East peace and dealings with Mexico, has a toxic relationship with Tillerson by the time Trump told his secretary of state it was time to go.

Tillerson didn't like Kushner doing so-called freelancing in State Department-related matters.

By the end of his tenure, the Wall Street Journal reported, the two were barely speaking.

Tillerson would complain that he was out of the loop on Kushner's Mexico dealings, which would surprise White House officials who told the Journal that Trump's son-in-law was working closely with individuals at the Department of State.

Those employees would have been in the position to alert Tillerson of any developments.

Relations between Pompeo and Kushner are expected to be better, with a source telling the Journal that Kushner has made it clear he wants to collaborate with the incoming secretary of state.

Kushner has a pre-existing relationship with Bolton, having worked with him on the Trump campaign.

The Journal reported that throughout the year, Kushner would call Bolton  a prominent Fox News talking head  for advice, especially when trying to navigate the United Nations.

Bolton was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush.

Kushner would also fill in Bolton on the White House's point of view on foreign policy issues, so he could have a better understanding of it when talking on TV, the Journal found.

But the two are poised to butt heads on issues, and unlike Tillerson  who had never worked in government before  Bolton 'will be much less deferential to the shadow secretary of state role that Kushner carved out for himself,' warned Ned Price, a national security official in the Obama administration, to the Journal.

'He is a bureaucratic knife-fighter and knows how to take a stand and win these battles,' Price said.
A serving police scenes of crime officer today denied sexually assaulting two women in the course of his duties.

Kevin Dowley, 61, appeared at Basildon Magistrates' Court in Essex to indicate not guilty pleas to two counts of sexually assaulting a woman aged 16 or over.

The two alleged sexual assaults are said to have happened between July and August 2016.

Essex Police said Dowley was suspended from his role with the force following his arrest.

Kevin Dowley, 61, (pictured) today denied two counts of sexually assaulting a woman aged 16 or over

Dressed in a dark blue suit and with short-cropped grey hair, Dowley spoke only to indicate his pleas and confirm personal details.

He was a police officer for the Metropolitan Police before joining Essex Police as a crime scenes investigator in 2013.

He gave his name, date of birth, stated his address as Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex, and gave his nationality as British.

Dowley was bailed to appear at Basildon Crown Court on April 26.
A pub at the centre of a race row after placing more than a dozen golliwogs behind the bar has been given the go ahead to keep them up.

Landlord Chris Ryley and his wife Bernice were left reeling when their local council received an anonymous complaint about the White Hart in Grays, Essex.

Thurrock Council launched an investigation after a whistleblower claimed the golliwogs were offensive and represent a racially aggravated crime.

But Mr Ryley said the dolls were 'here to stay' and his no nonsense approach paid off after the council confirmed no further action will be taken.

Chris Ryley and his wife Bernice were told by Thurrock Council that they can keep the dolls behind the bar

It said in a statement: 'Following the investigation, this issue is not a matter for the council under the Licensing Act 2003 or Public Order legislation.'

Chris, 59, welcomed the announcement, saying: 'I would like to thank the council for their time and the eventual realisation that we do not mean anything racial.

'I would also like to thank people, both locally, nationally and abroad, who contacted us and gave their support.'

Following news of the council's investigation well-wishers from around the country got in contact with the popular couple with some even sending golliwogs in a show of support.

The White Hart in Grays, Essex, has about 15 behind the bar of various sizes in full view of customers

The couple believe the anonymous complaint probably came from a council employee - located near the pub - who popped in for lunch.

The pub, just a stone's throw from the River Thames, has about 15 golliwogs of various sizes in full view behind the bar.

Chris and Benice put their first golliwog behind their bar three years ago.

Speaking after the probe was launched last month, Chris said: 'The head of licensing at the council phoned to tell me a complaint had been made and said the same person had also gone to the police.

'He asked me 'would I consider taking them down'?

'I was shocked - I told the council I would think about it but I cannot see how I have committed an offence so they are here to stay.

'Since we have had them up behind the bar in the past three years, there has only ever been two complaints.

'One was from a Canadian lady who said 'those would not be allowed back in my country' and another was from an English woman who insisted they were racist, despite no-one else in the pub agreeing with her, including a black man who was drinking in here at the time.

The couple put their first dolls behind the bar three years ago, and said there had only ever been two complaints

The couple have run the White Hart pub for the past 12 years since taking over the premises when it had become run down

'It's all about political correctness isn't it? Children can't play conkers anymore or have snowball fights in case they are hurt.

'The council has enough things to be getting on with, rather than worrying about this. The golliwogs are staying up.

'No-one has said anything to us and my message would be 'go somewhere else to drink if you don't like it - nobody is forcing you to come here'.

'If the customers start complaining, that would change my mind but it is our customers who brought most of them here for us as presents.'

The couple have run the White Hart Inn for the past 12 years after taking over when the premises had become run down.

History of the golliwog doll: How the outdated childrens toy became a symbol of bitter controversy Marmalade firm Robertson's removed its iconic golliwog logo (shown) from its preserve jars in 2002 following complaints from campaigners The issue of whether the dolls are racist or not often sparks fierce debate. The golliwog was created by Florence Kate Upton in 1895 in her book 'The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwog', where it was described as 'a horrid sight, the blackest gnome'. After the author created the golliwog, it became a favourite for collectors and was popular in the UK as the mascot of Robertson's jam. But by the 1980s, it was increasingly seen as an offensive racist caricature of black people. Some people hark back to fond childhood memories of the dolls, whereas others argue golliwogs are a racist icon of a bygone age. Marmalade firm Robertson's removed its iconic golliwog logo from its preserve jars in 2002 following complaints from campaigners. In a YouGov poll last year 53 per cent of respondents said they thought selling or displaying golliwogs was 'acceptable' compared to 27 per cent who did not. Asked if it was racist to sell or display a golliwog doll, 63 per cent of respondents said it was not, while 17 per cent did. Advertisement

Chris said he is proud of his pub's welcoming attitude to people of all races and backgrounds and said they regularly provide outside catering for Indian weddings.

Benice, 56, added: 'No-one has said they are offended by them - that is what really hurt us. The customers bring them in for us as presents - why has this person not come to see us?

'But at the end of the day, if they are offended by them - they know where the door is.

'Why go and waste council time? They have a lot of other more pressing issues to be getting on with.

'There are a lot of problems round here with drugs and anti social behaviour. There have also been a lot of stabbings in the area.

'I will stand my ground. We will stand our ground. I had a golliwog when I was a child and I wish I had kept it.

'For me the golliwogs are nothing to do with racism and we will dig our heels in and will not be taking them down.'

After the complaint was made the couple put up a printed explanation behind the bar of what they feel are the origins of golliwogs.

Essex Police said they could find no record of a complaint being made against the pub.
Three woman are killed in a single-car crash after the the driver lost control going 100mph and hit a light pole.

The crash occurred just after 2am on Thursday morning in Detroit, Michigan, police said.

The driver was reportedly driving at a high speed when she lost control of the gray KIA Optima and it rolled into a pole.

Two of the women were ejected after the crash and the third had to be retrieved from the vehicle by firefighters.

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Three women were killed in a fatal car crash after it rolled multiple times into a light pole in Detroit, Michigan

Two of the women were ejected from the vehicle while the third had to be retrieved by firefighters. Police have yet to release the victims' names as they inform family members

'I've been working fatal accidents for 11 years; this is one of the worst I've seen,' said Sgt. Duane Gregg from the Redford Police Department, Fox 2 Detroit reported.

One witness said they saw the vehicle going at a high speed before it crashed into the light pole.

The car reportedly rolled multiple times and two of the women were ejected.

Firefighters had to use the 'Jaws of Life' tool to extract the third woman from the vehicle.

Police have yet to release the victims' names as family members are still being notified about the crash.

Both sides of the road are now open after investigators closed it for a brief period to investigate the fatal crash.

Police are asking for any witnesses of the crash to call the department as they continue to investigate.
Close aides to President Trump were baffled at his selection of Dr. Ronny Jackson, his personal physician, to lead the Veterans Administration, according to reporting from Axios.

Nobody at the White House that the publication spoke with was able to answer how Jackson  known for the glowing review he gave in January of the president's health  is qualified to lead the federal government's No. 2 agency in size, as some allies are already fretting a tough confirmation fight.

'Harriet Miers,' one longtime Republican lobbyist uttered to Axios, name-dropping the White House counsel President George W. Bush nominated to the Supreme Court in 2005, whose name was withdrawn when Democrats and Republicans complained she wasn't qualified.

White House staffers aren't able to answer how Dr. Ronny Jackson (pictured), who's supposed to be the new Veterans Affairs secretary, is qualified to lead the government's second biggest agency

Twitter move: Trump used his favorite medium to dispense with David Shulkin, making him the second cabinet secretary got rid of in a tweet

President Trump announced his decision to hire Jackson via Twitter Wednesday evening, notifying the country that David Shulkin, his first Veterans Affairs secretary, was out.

'I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs,' Trump tweeted Wednesday evening. 'In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkins service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!'

Jackson is the White House physician who gave Trump a clean bill of health in January, declaring he had 'incredible genes'.

For days Shulkin looked to be on the chopping block as the president viewed the controversies surrounding the VA secretary, a holdover from the Obama administration, as a distraction.

Jackson wasn't even being mentioned as a possible replacement, though played a memorable role in the administration when he came into the briefing room January and gushed about the president's health on the heels of completing Trump's first-in-office physical.

'He has a lot of energy and a lot of stamina,' Jackson said at one point. 'He's very sharp. He's very articulate when he speaks to me,' the Navy doctor said at another.

Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin (pictured) was booted from his job after travel controversies put him in the cross-hairs of Trump, who viewed his scandals as a distraction

His only gripe was that the president was slightly overweight.

Meanwhile, Shulkin has been a headache for the president as of late.

In February the VA's internal watchdog issued a report that found that Shulkin had improperly accepted Wimbledon tickets.

Additionally, the probe found that Shulkin's staff had doctored emails to justify the secretary's wife traveling with him to Europe on the taxpayer dime.

The VA's inspector general was also looking into a complaint that Shulkin asked his security detail to come along with him to Home Depot, and cart around furniture items.

Administration officials who talked to the Associated Press last weekend, while Trump was spending time at Mar-a-Lago, said an announcement on Shulkin could come this week, with one giving it a '50-50' chance he would be ousted in the next day or two.

Instead he lasted almost through the end of the business day on Wednesday.

In a longer statement Trump said of Shulkin, 'I appreciate the work I appreciate the work of Dr. David Shulkin and the many great things we did together at Veterans Affairs, including the VA Accountability Act that he was helpful in getting passed.'

'He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service,' Trump added.

In an op-ed for the New York Times published Wednesday, Shulkin defended his service.

'I am proud of my record and know that I acted with the utmost integrity,' Shulkin said. 'Unfortunately, none of that mattered. As I prepare to leave government, I am struck by a recurring thought: It should not be this hard to serve your country.'

He also noted that the 'environment in Washington has turned so toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive that it became impossible for me to accomplish the important work that our veterans need and deserve.'

Over the weekend, a source told the AP that the White House was looking at a half-dozen candidates to fill Shulkin's job.

The president decided to put Robert Wilkie (pictured), the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, in place as acting VA secretary, instead of briefly promoting deputy VA secretary Tom Bowman

Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Pete Hegseth looked on deck to get the job, as the president has been keen to hire television personalities of late.

He brought Larry Kudlow on to be his chief economic adviser, while announcing last Thursday, again via Twitter, that Fox News contributor John Bolton would be taking over for National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.

Jackson's move to the helm of Veterans Affairs isn't entirely unexpected, however, as the president has tended to promote from within.

For instance, when Trump decided to boot Secretary of State Rex Tillerson earlier this month, he announced he wanted to put current CIA Director Mike Pompeo in Tillerson's place.

Wednesday's announcement also included the president's decision to make Robert Wilkie, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, the acting VA secretary, instead of briefly promoting deputy VA secretary Tom Bowman.

WHO IS DR. RONNY JACKSON? Dr. Ronny Jackson is currently a physician to the president for President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Trump nominated him to run Veterans Affairs. A Texas native, Jackson attended Texas A&M for undergraduate, and received his medical degree from the University of Texas' Medical Branch, graduating in 1995. That same year, Jackson began his active duty Naval service in Portsmouth, Virginia. He completed a number of medical internships and became the honor graduate of the Navys Undersea Medical Officer Program, before completing his residency at the top of his class in 2004. The next year, he became part of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an emergency medicine physician in charge of resuscitative medicine. Jackson was promoted to a White House physician while still deployed in Iraq in 2006. He's served in three administrations - those of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump - and held a variety of positions, including the physician supervisor for Camp David, before being promoted to physician to the president under Obama in 2013. Jackson has three children and lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Advertisement

Bowman had also come under criticism at the White House for being too moderate to push Trump's agenda of fixing veterans' care.

During the presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to fix the VA by expanding access to private doctors and firing bad employees, criticizing the department as 'the most corrupt.'

Last year, Trump promised to triple the number of veterans 'seeing the doctor of their choice.'

But a Trump administration plan to expand the Veterans Choice program remains in limbo after lawmakers declined last week to include it in a massive spending bill.

In response to the ethics issues, Shulkin has denied wrongdoing and complained about internal drama at the agency that has made it difficult for him to push through VA improvements, citing a half dozen or so political appointees there who were rebelling against him.

But Kelly, the White House chief of staff, recently made it clear to Shulkin that he had become weary of the VA secretary's tendency to run to the media to voice complaints and claim a White House mandate that he did not fully have, according to a person familiar with the conversations who wasn't authorized to discuss them publicly and insisted on anonymity.

The department provides medical care and other benefits to 9 million military veterans in more than 1,700 health facilities around the U.S.
On Tuesday, Cato-Meridian High School art teacher Shayna Burghdorf witnessed something she had never heard before: her sixth-period class reduced largely to silence.

Burghdorf said that apart from some subtle sniffles, no sounds came from her 12 students. A video on painted portraits the students made of Syrian refugees was the culprit.

Months earlier, the students participated in The Memory Project, a nonprofit that works with art teachers and students to create and gift portraits of young people who have dealt with challenges such as "violence, disasters, extreme poverty, neglect and loss of parents," according to the organization's website. The students at Cato-Meridian created portraits of children from Syria who are in refugee camps, Burghdorf said. She said the video was from The Memory Project.
Leah Hazelton, 15, from Nottingham was last seen at a McDonald's in the city centre around 3.50pm on March 24

The parents of a missing 15-year-old girl have made a desperate plea to see her returned home safely.

Leah Hazelton, 15, was last seen leaving McDonald's in Clumber Street, Nottingham city centre, at about 3.50pm on Saturday, March 24.

She was headed towards the Old Market Square.

Police have grown increasingly concerned for her welfare after she has been missing for a number of days.

Leah's parents, who have not been named, have issued a message through Nottinghamshire Police appealing directly to their daughter to get in touch as soon as possible.

They said: 'Leah this is a message from your mummy and daddy. We just want to know where you are, that you're safe, and that no one has hurt you.

'Please know that you are not in any trouble at all, we're all just desperate to see you. We are all, Daddy, your sisters, and me, really worried about you. Please get in touch with us as soon as you can. We all love you.'

She was last seen wearing a burgundy coat with a fur hood, a blue top and skinny jeans, and carrying a handbag.

Her parents have appealed for Leah, pictured, to make contact with police and come home

Nottinghamshire Police said Leah, pictured, was not in any trouble and should make contact

Leah is around 4ft 11ins tall with brown shoulder length hair of medium build. She often wears bright red lipstick.

She has links to the Croydon, Westminster, Charing Cross and Lewisham areas of London. She also has links to Derbyshire, West Midlands and Kent.

Sgt Ian Birkin, from the Missing From Home team, said: 'I want to reassure Leah that her welfare and safety is the priority and she is in no trouble whatsoever.

'Leah, if you are reading this, please let your parents know you are safe. Alternatively, you can call our team by calling 101 or by messaging our page to let us know you have not come to any harm.'
Apple CEO Tim Cook has lashed out while discussing Amazon's second headquarters as the search for his company's own new campus continues.

Talking in Chicago on Wednesday, he was asked about his approach to finding Apple's second headquarters, and answered: 'We're not doing the beauty contest. That's not Apple.'

At the same talk, he pulled no punches when discussing Facebook and asked what he would do if he were in CEO Mark Zuckerberg's shoes, Cook replied with a smirk: 'I wouldn't be in this situation.'

In an interview with MSNBC and Recode on Wednesday, Tim Cook (pictured) was asked what he would do if he were in Mark Zuckerberg's shoes. He replied: 'I wouldn't be in this situation'

With both tech giants on the hunt for new homes - Amazon for HQ2 and Apple for its new customer service campus - Cook said: 'We didn't want to create this contest.

'You wind up putting people through a ton of work to select one, that is a case where you have a winner and a lot of losers. I don't like that,' according to CNN.

Amazon's current headquarters is in Seattle, Washington, but it has been contemplating a second hub for months.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who is looking for a site for his company's second headquarters

Last year, it announced plans for HQ2 and asked for proposals from aspiring cities which wanted to land the bid and bring 50,000 new jobs to its residents.

The announcement sparked a bidding war across the country which saw applicants offer enormous city and state tax breaks along with other incentives such as new transport plans in exchange for being chosen.

At the end of January, Amazon narrowed the list of 238 for its $5billion new home of hopefuls down to 20.

Raleigh in North Carolina, Atlanta, Miami, Columbus in Ohio and Indianapolis are among the surprising entries on the list, with New York City, Washington DC and Chicago among the more predictable.

Also on the list is Toronto. It is the only non-US city on the list and goes against President Trump's vision for the company to reinvest money it has saved through recent business tax cuts in US jobs.

Apple is also on the hunt for a new home for its new campus based on customer support.

This base's location has also yet to be announced.

Facebook continues to deal with the fallout from its massive data scandal, after it was revealed that 50 million members' data had been harvested without their knowledge.

Cook's comments came as part of an interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes and Recode's Kara Swisher that's set to air Friday on the network.

He also criticized Facebook's well-documented data collection techniques, which involve scraping vast amounts of personal user information, using it to build detailed user profiles and selling them to advertisers.

'We could make a ton of money if we monetized our customers,' Cook explained.

'If our customers were our product. We've elected not to do that.'

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (pictured) is expected to testify on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks after US legislative officials repeatedly called for him to do so

'We're not going to traffic in your personal life,' Cook said.

'Privacy to us is a human right, a civil liberty,' he added.

Cook and Zuckerberg have sparred previously over the beliefs on privacy.

In 2015, Cook criticized Silicon Valley companies who provide a service for free 'but actually comes at a very high cost' to the user when they have to forfeit personal data.

Zuckerberg later responded saying that companies like Apple aren't actually in 'alignment' with the customers' best interests.

'If you were in alignment with them, then they'd make their products a lot cheaper,' Zuckerberg said.

Later, Cook added that he believes the kind of user profiles that Facebook has built shouldn't exist.

Those profiles of consumers could be 'abused against our democracy,' in addition to being 'abused by advertisers as well,' he said.

In the wake of Facebook's privacy woes, many experts have suggested the need for some kind of government regulation to make sure it can't happen again.

Like he has expressed previously, Cook said he believes the issues highlighted by Facebook's data scandal are 'so dire' that there must be some regulation.

'The best regulation is self regulation,' Cook explained.

'I do think that it is time for a set of people to think about what can be done here'.

Zuckerberg is expected to testify on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks after US legislative officials repeatedly called for him to do so.

Facebook also faces a probe by the Federal Trade Commission, after the agency said recent media reports highlighted 'substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook.'
GKN finally lost its fight to stay independent today after shareholders accepted a hostile takeover from Melrose.

The endorsement of the 8.1billion bid ends months of wrestling for control of the centuries-old FTSE 100 engineering company.

Melrose had accused former bosses of mismanagement as they fought to seal the biggest takeover in the UK since Kraft swooped on Cadbury in 2009.

Earlier this week Business Secretary Greg Clark tried to soothe anxiety among MPs about the wrangle, claiming to have won assurances about the takeover.

GKN expressed concerns over the future of its Driveline division under Melroses ownership (David Jones/PA)

But ministers have not categorically ruled out stepping in.

Melrose chairman Christopher Miller said: 'We are delighted and grateful to have received support from GKN shareholders for our plan to create a UK industrial powerhouse with a market capitalisation of over GBP10 billion and a tremendous future.

'Let me assure you that GKN is entering into very good hands. We would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support of the Melrose strategy thus far.'

GKN made cannonballs for the Battle of Waterloo and Spitfires for the Second World War.

The firm, which has 58,000 staff worldwide including 6,000 in the UK, makes parts for car makers and commercial aircraft. It also makes parts for the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets  among other major defence programmes.

The takeover by Melrose  which snaps up under-performing firms and sells them on  has been opposed by politicians, workers, customers and shareholders. It is feared GKN will be broken up.

On Tuesday Mr Clark appeared to suggest he had won assurances from Melrose that the GKN head office would be safe.

Mr Clark told MPs. 'I wrote to Melrose asking it to set out clearly its proposed commitments, including on maintaining the business headquartered in the UK.'

But it has been claimed that the pledge made by Melrose to keep the headquarters open referred to its own headquarters in Mayfair, centralLondon - not the GKN base in Redditch, Worcestershire.

Questions have also been raised about Melrose's 'legally binding' pledge not to sell the GKN aerospace division for five years has no basis in law.

Business Secretary Greg Clark Business called for `binding agreements over Melroses proposals for GKN (Victoria Jones/PA)

Jack Dromey, Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington, said the GKN takeover vote marked a 'bleak day for British industry'.

'Yet again, as in the Kraft takeover of Cadbury's, we have seen a jewel in the crown of British industry sold off because its shares were bought up by hedge funds,' he said.

'To let a 259-year-old British engineering icon like GKN be taken over by a short-termist, asset-stripper like Melrose is a monumental failure by ministers.

'However, the Government still has the power to intervene to block the hostile takeover takeover on defence and national security grounds. It should do so in the British national interest.'
Police have found 16 suspected illegal immigrants in the back of a truck transporting shoes from Belgium.

The 15 adults and one child were discovered at Toddington services on the M1 in Bedfordshire this morning.

The migrants were in the back of an Irish-registered truck carrying Skechers shoes.

A group of 15 adults and one child were found in the back of a truck at an M1 service station

The group were believed to have travelled from Belgium in the back of this truck, pictured.

The migrants were assessed by paramedics before taken to police stations around Bedford

Bedfordshire Police confirmed the 15 adults and one child were found in the back of the truck which had recently arrived from Belgium.

The migrants were assessed by the East of England Ambulance Service before being taken to police stations across the country.

Bedfordshire Police said the group were now being investigated by the UK Border Agency.

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for further comment.
White House insiders say that President Donald Trump is not talking about bringing Rob Porter back into the fold, even though a report this week said so.

Corey Lewandowski, the president's campaign manager in the primary election and an outside adviser to Trump, told CNN on Thursday that he was not aware of any conversations that had taken place with the former White House staff secretary.

'I don't think the president is going to be bringing Rob Porter back to the White House,' he said. 'I know that that role has since been filled, and I think the president has thanked him for his service, which has been widely reported months ago.'

Another source close to the White House told DailyMail.com that it hasn't come up in conversation, either, and that an inquiry brought the same answer.

Corey Lewandowski, the president's campaign manager in the primary election and an outside adviser to Trump, told CNN on Thursday that he was not aware of any conversations that had taken place with the former White House staff secretary

The White House said Tuesday that there are 'no plans' to rehire the former aide who was accused of domestic abuse by his two his ex-wives after Trump reportedly mulled a new position for Porter.

The men stayed in contact with Porter when he left the White House last month and phone calls between the pair have increased in recent weeks, sources told the New York Times.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders denied Tuesday that they had been in communication that often. But she did not slam the door on the possibility that Porter could return.

'There are no plans for him to come back,' she said of the report. 'They have spoken once. I am not aware of any other conversations beyond that.'

The White House said Tuesday that there are 'no plans' to rehire a former aide who was accused of domestic abuse by his two his ex-wives. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders denied Tuesday that they had been in communication that often

Porter left his White House position in early February after DailyMail.com published photos of and details about the abuse he allegedly inflicted upon his two ex-wives.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly initially defended Porter as a 'man of honesty and integrity' before backing away from him.

The senior White House official has suggested on multiple occasions since that he directed Porter to leave, even though Sanders and her deputy said numerous times from the podium that the high-ranking Trump aide was leaving of his own account.

Trump also came under scrutiny during the scandal for his deference to Porter, who he said had denied the allegations leveled against him.

'He did a very good job when he was in the White House and we hope he has a wonderful career, and hopefully he will have a great career ahead of him,' Trump said in the Oval Office of Porter's resignation.

'Now, he also, as you probably know, he says he's innocent. And I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he's innocent.'

The incident led to a broader debate about security clearances within the White House -- Porter's background check was still being processed when he departed. Kelly ultimately stripped other aides in limbo such as Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, of their top-level clearance.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders denied Tuesday that they had been in communication that often. But she did not shut the door completely on Porter's return

Sources told the Times that Trump is aware that he cannot bring Porter back for that and other reasons, although he does want the ex-staffer to return to the White House.

Trump does not like to exile his former staffers because he considers them an extension of himself in that they are often criticized, the article said, with sources telling the Times that Trump considers Porter to be one of those people.

In the phone calls they have reportedly had since Porter left, the pair is said to have discussed trade and the China tariff's Trump announced last week.

A White House official, speaking on background, told the Times that Trump misses the staff structure that Porter helped organize.

Porter was dating former White House communications director Hope Hicks when the abuse revelations surfaced.

Both of Porter's ex-wives -- Jennie Willoughby and Colbie Holderness -- came forward in February with claims that they had been abused by the White House official during their marriages.

Porter, who was dating former White House communications director Hope Hicks (above together in February) when the abuse revelations surfaced, has reportedly stayed in contact with Trump since leaving

The Times sources say Trump has told some advisers that he while he knows he cannot bring Porter back, he hoped his ex-staffer would return to the White House. They are pictured above together in January

Porter resigned after DailyMail.com published bruised photos of his first wife Colbie Holderness (left) and spoke to his second wife Jennie Willoughby (right) about abuse allegations

Porter resigned from his position as staff secretary after DailyMail.com published photos of bruises that his first wife, Holderness, said he gave her during their marriage.

Holderness claims Porter choked and punched her during their marriage, while Willoughby says he dragged her wet and naked out of the shower and was verbally abusive, calling her a f***ing b***h' on their honeymoon.

Porter denied both of the women's accusations but resigned while protesting his innocence, anyway.

The controversy embroiled the White House, where senior aides, including chief of staff John Kelly, were reportedly made aware of the allegations against Porter in November.

Holderness and Willoughby said they spoke to the FBI during its standard background check on the White House official who was seeking a government security clearance for his high-level position.

FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to Congress that he provided the White House with an update on Porter's case in November before closing the file in January.

The allegations delayed Porter's ability to get long-term clearance. He was granted interim clearance when he joined the White House in January 2017.
Courtney Hannah, 23, was arrested for possessing narcotics and child endangerment

A mother was arrested in a grocery store parking lot for allegedly smoking Oxycodone in the car while her toddler was in the back seat.

Courtney Hannah, 23, from Newnan, Georgia, is facing charges of possessing narcotics and child endangerment.

Police approached the mother in her vehicle after shoppers from the grocery store reported her parked and smoking something in the car with her two-year-old son in the back seat.

Body camera footage from the Newnan Police Department shows officers questioning Hannah on what she was doing in her vehicle.

'I swear that's all I've got is some foil and a straw. I don't have any drugs on me,' Hannah said in the video.

After consistent questioning on if she has any drugs on her, the 23-year-old later admitted to having Roxy, which is an Oxycodone tablet.

Police from Newnan, Georgia, released body camera footage of when the approached Hannah in her vehicle. She was allegedly smoking a narcotic with her two-year-old son in the back seat

Police said her two-year-old son was strapped into his car seat when they approached the vehicle on March 19.

'You're doing this stuff right here with a kid in the car,' the officer said in the video.

'No, I wasn't doing it just then, I would never do it within the car with him. I swear to god,' Hannah responded.

She allegedly threw foil at the officers and they found a half-burned Oxycodone pill inside.

Officers said her hands were also covered in soot from the burnt aluminum foil piece.

She was arrested and taken to Coweta County Jail while the child was turned over to his grandparents.

Hannah was released on Sunday on a $5,700 bail.

Hannah at first denied smoking anything before she admitted that she had some Roxy, which is an Oxycodone tablet. But she said she didn't smoke it with her son in the car
Superior Court Judge John Russo (above) allegedly make the remarks while presiding over a protective order case that the woman was asking for

A New Jersey judge is facing disciplinary action for allegedly asking a rape victim if she closed her legs to try to prevent the sexual attack.

Superior Court Judge John Russo is said to have made the comment during a 2016 restraining order court case.

She wanted a restraining order against the man and described, as part of her testimony, how they had recently had sex against her will. He was not charged with rape.

The woman was being cross-examined by the defendant's lawyer when Russo allegedly intervened.

According to a complaint filed against him by the The Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct their exchange was as follows.

'Do you know how to stop somebody from having intercourse with you?"

'Yes,' the woman responded.

'How would you do that?' Russo pushed on.

'I'd probably physically harm them somehow,' she replied. When the women said she would 'tell them to stop', short of physically harming the rapist, he asked what else she could have done to stop it, allegedly saying: 'Close your legs? Call the police?

'Did you do any of those things?'

Russo was barred from the bench last April after refusing to take a mental health evaluation which was ordered over separate claims of misconduct.

They included allegations from clerks who said he had thrown paperwork at them.

Other allegations include fits of rage and extreme immaturity - one judge said he used a 'poop emoji' in his chambers which proved his alleged childlikeness.

In a separate case, he allegedly intervened to reduce a husband's child support from $10,000 to just $300. He is said to have later admitted that he was friends with the man.

This complaint against Russo depicts his conversation with the woman during the 2016 case. He is the respondent, asking her questions, and she is the plaintiff. The board complained that he sounded more like the defendant's attorney than the judge

Russo has filed a lawsuit against Ocean County Assignment Judge Marlene Lynch Ford (right) who he says unfairly barred him from the bench when he would not agree to a psychiatric test last April

One former female clerk said he often made comments towards her which were sexist or unprofessional.

In response, Russo sued the county assignment judge who ordered the mental health exam.

He claimed he was being discriminated against because he has a mentally disabled son.

His attorney said he was looking forward to the issues being raised at a hearing next month.

'We are pleased that Judge Russo will have a public hearing regarding the allegations which have been raised against him.

'We have respect for both the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, as well as the process. Therefore, we don't believe it would be appropriate to have any further comment, pending the hearing,' his attorney told APP.
Kate Bushell, 14, had her throat cut as she walked a neighbour's dog in Exeter

The savage murder of a 14 year old schoolgirl more than 20 years ago remains unsolved - despite a fresh review and investigation by frustrated detectives.

Blonde haired Kate Bushell had her throat cut by her killer as she walked a neighbour's dog near her home in Exeter, Devon, in November 1997.

A team of ex-police officers came out of retirement, rather like the BBC show New Tricks, but the investigation is finally being wound down despite costing more than 1million.

The victim's brother Tim, now 35, spoke for the first time last November about the murder which has torn his family apart.

He also made a direct appeal to anyone who may have been protecting the brutal killer for the last two decades to come forward.

On Thursday, Devon and Cornwall police said the inquiry will stop as the killer remains undetected.

Retired Det Supt Paul Burgan, who led the review into the killing, said the offender 'could be dead'.

He said: 'Our offender could be dead. This is something that happened 20 years ago. There is no evidence to suggest that. It is possible he is in prison for other offences.

'Or he could have left the country. From a personal point of view it is massively frustrating.'

Kate's brother, Mr Bushell, said: 'My parents and I still hope that someone will come forward and that justice will be served.

'Again, we would please urge anyone who is in the position, but for whatever reason wasn't before, to come forward and contact the police.'

He thanked everyone who contacted the police and the tireless efforts of the officers involved.

A team of ex-police officers came out of retirement, rather like the BBC show New Tricks

He added: 'The 20 years of dedication, professionalism and effort put in by the police to try and solve Kate's murder is staggering.

'I have been left humbled by the support and good wishes from friends, family and the wider community.'

A Devon and Cornwall force spokesman said: 'The murder of Exwick schoolgirl Kate Bushell remains unsolved despite detectives pursuing 10 new leads from a highly successful public appeal launched for the 20th anniversary of her death.

'This week detectives finished a fresh review into the murder of the 14 year old having exhausted all new leads and completing enquiries into intelligence received.

'But they have assured the public that the case will always remain open in a bid to catch the teenager's killer.'

Tim Bushell made a public appeal last year for information to catch his sisters killer

Over the last four months, detectives from the Major Crime team have examined 204 calls and messages into the incident room identifying the ten new and significant lines of inquiry including 'the names of potential suspects'.

The squad reviewed 5,000 documents including 30 original witness statements and individuals named have been reviewed in 'significant detail by officers but eliminated from the enquiry at this time'.

Det Supt Burgan said: 'Unfortunately, despite the volume of calls, that one vital piece of information still alludes us and sadly we still do not know who is responsible for Kate's death.

'The active phase of the operation has ceased and all current enquiries have been completed, but that does not mean that the case has been closed.

'This murder enquiry will be subject to future review and any intelligence received will be assessed and investigated accordingly.'

Retired detective superintendent Paul Burgan holds a kitchen knife which is believed to be similar to the weapon used to murder Kate Bushell in 1997

Mr Bushell spoke last November as detectives came out of retirement to take another close look at one of the Britain's most notorious unsolved killings.

He said: 'How could someone kill, and so brutally kill, a 14 year old girl who was just walking a neighbour's dog?

'It has had a massive effect on the family, turning our lives upside down. I have missed having a sister growing up and my parents a daughter.'

At 7.30pm that Saturday night Kate's father Jerry found her body in a field off a country lane 300 yards from their family home in Exwick after she was late returning home with their neighbour's Jack Russell dog Gemma.

Kate Bushell's father found her body in a field yards from their family home in Exeter (pictured)

Just before 5pm that night a mother and daughter drive past and see Kate - and a blue vehicle in isolated and dark Exwick Lane stables lay by with a mystery man opening the boot - a person who has never come forward to police.

A few minutes later a young couple saw the van - but not the man or Kate.

And after 5pm a man is seen running down the field from the direction of the murder scene and into the Exwick estate - he has also never come forward.

The fresh inquiry focused on more than 100 fibres from bright orange clothing which probably came from the killer.

Kate is pictured at home in Exeter before her brutal and shocking murder that still remains unsolved

The fibres come from work clothes like boiler suits, aprons or gloves.

Detectives said the remote location of the murder - most people in Exeter do not know its whereabouts - suggest the killer lived or worked very locally or knew someone who lived on the estate.

Crimestoppers has offered a 10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer and police say any calls can be made on 101 quoting the Kate Bushell murder enquiry which will be passed on to the major incident room at police HQ in Exeter.
A judge has denied Shari Redstone's attempts to keep some evidence in the lawsuit filed by her father's ex.

Manuela Herzer is looking for $100million in damages in a complaint that accuses Shari and her son 'conspired' to seize control of Sumner Redstone's media companies CBS and Viacom.

The ruling in California means explosive emails between the mother and son, Tyler Korff, have been made public.

Sumner Redstone's daughter Shari Redstone (center) and her son Brandon Korff (left) leave a downtown courthouse in Los Angeles with their lawyer back in 2016

Sydney Holland (top left) and Manuela Herzer had served as Redstone's live-in companions, but were accused of elder abuse in 2016

Herzer, 53, claims Shari, 63, 'methodically hatched a criminal scheme' to take over the billionaire's life in a bid to gain control of CBS and Viacom. Shari, who has had an estranged relationship with her father, currently serves as the vice-chairwoman of CBS and Viacom

Sumner Redstone's ex-girlfriend Manuela Herzer (pictured) has accused the billionaire's daughter of spying on her in a bid to drive her out of his life

In documents seen by the New York Post, Shari emailed her son in October 2015, saying: '[I]t would be good if we could get him to undue [sic] all of the legal documents, letters and affidavits that he has done against me.'

In July, she had emailed him again, this time saying: 'Your grandfather says I will be chair over his dead body.'

Sumner Redstone, 94, served as the executive chairman of both media companies until 2016, when he resigned due to his health.

In court papers filed in October and obtained by DailyMail.com, Herzer accuses Shari and her two adult sons of 'aiding and abetting' with the ailing media magnate's nurses to eavesdrop on her private conversations, steal documents from her computer, and manipulate security cameras to spy on her and Redstone.

One of Shari and Tyler's lawyers Rober Kliger dismissed the new information and told he New York Post: 'It's worth noting the critical difference between unsworn allegations and under-oath testimony.

'Ms Herzer and her legion of lawyers have now brought the same fanciful claims in probate court (twice), California state court, New York state court, and federal district court [in California].

'Soon shell be left with nothing but Judge Judy and "The Peoples Court". Well save further comment for when the case is dismissed.'

The original complaint, seen by DailyMail.com, read: 'To accomplish her scheme, she knew that she needed to forcibly separate Sumner Redstone from those whom he cared about, loved, and trusted, including especially plaintiff Manuela Herzer.

'Shari and her adult children formed this illicit enterprise to destroy all of the historical relationships that Sumner Redstone had built up over the course of his career, in direct contravention of his documented wishes.'

Herzer claims Shari and her children paid monetary bribes to Redstone's caretakers, nurses Jeremy Jagiello, Joseph Octaviano, Igor Franco, and Faleolo Toia, and even his personal secretary at Viacom, to encourage them to make the false statements to Sumner.

Herzer had been the appointed co-agent in Redstone's Advance Health Care Directive with Power of Attorney, making her a 'target' for Shari.

Shari, who currently serves as vice-chairwoman of CBS and Viacom, has had a strained relationship with her father, and was snubbed from becoming his successor after the company's board of directors named Philippe Dauman as the new chairman.

Herzer has claimed that Shari has been trying to drive her out of Redstone's life, despite the fact that billionaire allegedly did not want his daughter involved in his affairs.

Court papers show an email excerpt that Shari allegedly sent to her son reading: 'why would I ever give [Sumner] his dying wish of peace when he never gave me any peace during my whole life.'

Another excerpt showed Shari allegedly telling her children: 'I have come to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing that I can do. . . . We would not win a lawsuit to get rid of S[yndey Holland] and M[anuela Herzer]. And that would not necessarily be the right thing to do. . . . [U]ltimately your grandfather made the decisions that he made. I just called . . . and all he kept saying was leave Sydney and Manuella [sic] alone. he said it 100 times'

Herzer's suit comes a year after the 94-year-old sued her and his other companion, Sydney Holland for $150million, accusing them of elder abuse.

That lawsuit alleged that both women convinced Redstone to sell his vested stocks in 2014 and then had him deposit $45million into each of their bank accounts.

She is now calling that allegation a 'flat out lie'

The lawsuit claims Shari Redstone and her son Tyler Korff (left) bribed Redstone's nurses (pictured right, nurse Jeremy Jagiello) and his personal secretary to encourage them to make the false statements about Herzer to Sumner

Herzer, who is 41 years Redstone's junior, had been living in his mansion after he reportedly invited her and her children to move in 2014, but was kicked out of the home a year and a half later.

At the time, Herzer claimed Redstone was not capable of acting in his 'own rational self-interest.'

In fact, she claims Shari took advantage of Redstone's health, by putting her scheme 'into motion' after illness affected his ability to speak.

'By using the information and knowledge that they had unlawfully obtained, beginning in September 2014 and through 2015, as Sumner's physical health began to decline, Shari Redstone and her family co-conspirators incentivized and directed the nurses to defame and discredit Herzer by presenting Sumner on a daily basis, with a litany of lies and falsehoods about her and her actions.

'Their goal was to brainwash and cause him in his weakened mental state to believe (falsely) that Herzer had lied to him,' court papers state.

After Herzer was evicted from Redstone's home, Shari became his healthcare directive and power of attorney, and removed Manuela from his estate plan and the Board of the Sumner Redstone Charitable Foundation, according to the suit.

Herzer is now asking for $100 million in damages as well as 'treble damages as provided for under RICO.'




Advisers outside the Trump White House have put a bug in the president's ear: that he doesn't need a chief of staff nor a communications director.

CNN reported Thursday that a number of the president's confidants have floated this idea  as Communications Director Hope Hicks was readying her departure  though there have been no signs that the president plans to give Chief of Staff John Kelly the boot.

Other allies of the president have cautioned him against throwing a wrench in the traditional power structure of the White House.

Outside advisers have put a bug in President Trump's ear: that he doesn't need a chief of staff nor a communications director

Chief of Staff John Kelly looked like an endangered species after the Rob Porter scandal, though he seems to be back on firm footing with President Trump

As Communications Director Hope Hicks (right) spends her last week working for President Trump (left), some advisers have suggested that she doesn't need to be replaced in the traditional sense

Hope Hicks was President Trump's campaign press secretary and was already an unconventional pick for her job, as she's just 29

But the network reports that Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Kelly's bottleneck approach, and has started to go around him on things like calls with foreign leaders, select policy-making decisions, as well as some of the staffing changes he's made in recent weeks.

That being said, it's usually Kelly who's been assigned to tell the official they're being fired.

The president, an avid consumer of television news, has also bemoaned the headlines his administration has produced, which could loan itself to a shake-up in communications strategy.

Hicks, already, had been an unconventional choice for White House communications director simply because of her age.

At 29, she held one of the top posts in government, and one of the most visible roles in the administration.

But Hicks' promotion, which became official in September, was in-character for Trump, who treated his former campaign press secretary like family.

She, along with ex-Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski, were the original members of Trump's scrappy campaign team.

Now looking forward to a Hicks-less administration  a prospect, CNN reported, that has aides fretting the president could unravel  the next communications director may play a very different role.

Currently, it looks like the job could go to two more traditional players.

The first is White House strategic communications director Mercedes Schlapp, a fixture of the conservative movement whose husband, Matt Schlapp, runs the American Conservative Union, which puts on the Conservative Political Action Conference each year.

Tony Sayegh, the top public affairs official at the Treasury Department, is also in the running, CNN said.

In the interim, Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway is expected to jump in, the network reported, though no official announcement has been made.

As for Kelly's longevity, he looked to be an endangered species in the aftermath of the Rob Porter scandal, but has since regained his footing.

However, if Kelly were to leave his post, ex-White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon said on-the-record last week that he did not believe there would be another chief of staff.

Instead Trump would choose to have 'five or six direct reports' from key advisers, Bannon floated.

'I think the president is a very hands-on manager and feels more comfortable' with that style, Bannon added.

Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci  who's blamed Kelly for low White House morale and nicknamed him 'General Jackass'  made a similar comment when talking about a forthcoming book that he's writing on the president's management style.

The book, Scaramucci told the New York Post, examines 'Trump as a strategist, as a communicator and why he probably doesn't need a chief of staff but could rely on a core group of lieutenants like he did at the Trump Organization.'

In the interview, Scaramucci also gave the president cover to keep firing aides.

'The current turnover  not only is it not bad  but should be expected from a disrupter in chief,' Scaramucci said.
A mother was arrested after a tow truck driver discovered her two-year-old daughter asleep in the back seat of the woman's car.

Yuqing Jiang told police she parked at the Fort Lee Towne Center Monday before running into the nearby Chase Bank when her car was towed.

The 46-year-old, who lives in the New Jersey town, said she left her daughter asleep in the car because she just wanted to make a quick deposit before the bank closed at 6pm.

'When Ms Jiang returned to her vehicle, she noticed that it was missing and called 911,' police Captain Matthew Hintze told NJ.com

Yuqing Jiang told police she parked at the Fort Lee Towne Center Monday before running into the nearby Chase Bank when her car was towed. She left her two-year-old daughter asleep in the car so she could make a quick deposit before it closed at 6pm

Police said the car was towed by ABC towing company because it was parked illegally and in violation of a borough ordinance.

There are signs in the lot that say it is not to be used by bank customers.

Her car was towed to ABC's facility a mile-and-a-half from the shopping center, with the child still inside.

Police noted the toddler was in the back of the car asleep and not in a car seat.

Jiang was reunited with her daughter after she was located by police, but then quickly arrested. She has been charged with abuse, abandonment, cruelty and neglect of a child.

Police said the car was towed by ABC towing company (pictured) because it was parked illegally and in violation of a borough ordinance

The young girl was taken from her mother and released into the custody of other family members, police said.

The Division of Child Protection of Permanency was also notified of the incident, and Fort Lee Police Juvenile officers are handling the investigation.

Jiang was taken to police headquarters Monday evening and released just after 9pm with a summon to appear in court April 13 to face charges.

Captain Hintze told the news outlet that it's not the responsibility of tow-truck drivers to search vehicles.
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Shocking pictures have revealed massive piles of waste that have been dumped near homes in north London.

Among the junk dumped in an area of scrap land near Angel Road station in Edmonton are old mattresses, worn and broken furniture, toy cars and even a bathtub.

It has been dubbed the 'river of rubbish' by furious residents, who say it has been there for more than a month.

Although Enfield Council urge residents to report instances of fly-tipping on council-owned land, the waste is yet to be cleared.

The council's website says dumped rubbish that is obstructing the street will be removed within four hours on working days - and otherwise, officials aim to clean it up within five days of receiving a report.

The lack of action prompted a Twitter user to contact Kate Osamor, the MP for Edmonton.

Alongside a picture, he wrote: 'This vast river of rubbish is in your constituency. Near Angel Road Station. What is being done about it?'

Shocking pictures have revealed massive piles of waste that have been dumped near homes in Edmonton, north London

Among the junk dumped in an area of scrap land near Angel Road station in Edmonton are old mattresses, worn furniture, toy cars and even a bathtub

The area has been dubbed the river of rubbish by furious residents, who say it has been there for more than a month

The piles of waste have been dumped near homes and a main road near Angel Road station in Edmonton, north London

Angry residents are campaigning for the rubbish to be cleared and say it has been on the area of scrap land for a month

Among the junk dumped in the area are broken furniture, scrap bits of woods and broken crates and window frames

Also among the dumped rubbish, located near homes and a local park, are children's playthings including a toy car

Although Enfield Council urge residents to report instances of fly-tipping on council-owned land, the waste hasn't been cleared

Also among the dumped rubbish are a number of garbage bags filled with old clothes and other waste

Some of the litter dumped in the 'river of rubbish' can be seen from a the children's playground located nearby in Edmonton

The 'river of rubbish' snakes along the scrap land in Edmonton, north London, for hundreds of yards

The vast amount of dumped rubbish is an eyesore for residents of a nearby street and visitors to a recreation park

The council's website says dumped rubbish that is obstructing the street will be removed within four hours on working days - and otherwise, officials aim to clean it up within five days of receiving a report

The lack of action prompted one resident, Don Teagle, to contact Kate Osamor, the MP for Edmonton, on Twitter

A massive amount of rubbish, including a sofa, can be seen underneath a carriageway in Edmonton, north London
Children are being told not to dig in the sand on a beauty spot beach because hundreds of tonnes of rubbish has been exposed by a storm.

Tonnes of sand and shingle were washed away during Storm Emma earlier this month dropping the level of the beach near Llanbedrog, Abersoch, North Wales by two foot.

Now large quantities of burnt metal and glass have been discovered buried on the beach, which is run by the National Trust.

The rubbish is thought to be historical - possibly dating back to the 1970s or 80s.

Some 200 to 300 tonnes of rubbish has already been removed from the beach

Children and families are being urged not to walk or dig on the sand at the beach near Llanbedrog near Abersoch, North Wales

Tonnes of burnt metal and glass have been discovered buried on the beach, which is run by the National Trust

National Trust staff are on site to alert beach-goers to the exposed metal

Now the National Trust - which has owned the site since 2000 - are warning people not to walk barefoot or let children play and dig in the sand, until further notice.

Staff are also onsite to alert beach users.

A staggering 250 to 300 tonnes of rubbish, mixed in with sand, has already been removed.

But as the Easter Holidays start, officials are urging people to be careful.

The secluded beach overlooks Snowdonia from the Llan Peninsula and is popular with families with picturesque coloured beach huts.

Experts said the level of the beach dropped by two foot after Storm Emma hit earlier this month

The National Trust said they have been working over time to try and clear the beach of rubbish

A National Trust spokesman said: 'We estimate that about 250 tonnes of rubbish (mixed in with sand) has already been removed from the beach by machinery and a further 10 tonnes by hand and we're working with relevant organisations to dispose of the waste safely.'

Andy Godber, Llan Operations Manager for the trust added: 'At first glance it may not be obvious that there's even a problem here as the rubbish is buried, but that also means it's harder to gauge the true extent of the issue.

'We have already removed a significant amount of rubbish from the beach, but despite our best efforts to resolve the issue quickly, we suspect there may still be more rubbish uncovered by tides and the weather for some time to come.

'As such, we're still urging visitors to be vigilant of the increased risk, especially of sharp edges and shards of glass.

'We hope that with time the sand will be replenished naturally by the tides.

'Unfortunately the drop in sand levels and high spring tides still to come, mean it's not safe for us to return the beach huts to the shore at Llanbedrog in time for Easter.

'We are monitoring the situation carefully and keeping beach hut occupiers informed, but the priority for us is ensuring public safety.'

Joan Smith, National Trust Visitor Experience Officer for Britain's beaches added: 'It's been a case of all hands on deck to try and collect as much litter as we can and contain the issue. We have already and will continue to carry out additional litter picks.

'We've been overwhelmed by the support from the local community and would like to take this opportunity to thank them.'

Mr Godber added: 'There is likely to be further disruption as we try and deal with the issue.

'We'd also like to thank visitors for their patience and understanding and the local community for their support with the clean-up effort.'
A 10-year-old boy who could die within months will have his 'dreams come true' as he walks out as a mascot during Crystal Palace's Premier League match with Liverpool this weekend.

Jack Lloyd has been in and out of hospital since he was diagnosed with a rare pineal tumour on his brain in September 2016.

Although this Saturday the youngster will be a mascot for Palace at Selhurst Park, something he is yet to be told about.

Jack's mother Claire, who lives on New Addington with Jack's father and three siblings, told the Croydon Advertiser that the day will mean the world to the family, especially as they were told that his condition was terminal just a fortnight ago.

Jack Lloyd has been in and out of hospital since he was diagnosed with a rare pineal tumour on his brain in September 2016

Mrs Lloyd, 41, said: 'He is going to be over the moon and he doesn't even know about it yet. It's a dream come true - there aren't even enough words to thank the people who made this happen and it's going to be a fantastic memory.

'We have had some horrific days since we were told a fortnight ago so to have something positive to think about has just been fantastic.

'People have been so kind and caring for Jack it's been amazing.'

Recalling when the family were first cold about the tumour at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley, they family said it was 'completely out of the blue'.

Mrs Lloyd said: 'The only symptoms he had was vomiting and he was still riding his bike, swimming and taking the dog out.

'I don't think anyone can ever prepare you for that.'

Jack has had numerous operations to try and get rid of his tumours although doctors told him he was terminal two weeks ago

The young Crystal Palace fan will get a chance to go out onto the pitch as a mascot for the Eagles during their game against Liverpool this weekend

Jack, who was born with autism and is home schooled, was transfered to King's College Hospital in Camberwell and had to go under the knife in October as doctors tried to remove as much of the tumour as possible.

He lost his sight temporarily for two weeks but then his vision returned, with Mrs Lloyd saying her son eventually got back to being his bubbly self.

She said: 'He was completely back to normal and back doing anything,' she said. 'He had his sense of humour back and was always laughing and smiling.'

'But he went for a scan in January 2017 and we completely thought the tumour hadn't regrown but it had. We knew there was always a possibility [it could come back] so we were never completely over it but he was feeling fantastic and had really bounced back from surgery.

'He is still yet to cry and is always so positive. When he was diagnosed he was the first to say 'right, what are we going to do to overcome this?'

Jack was referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, but the family were soon told the hospital were unable to carry out the treatment required, so he went back to King's College and underwent a 16-hour operation on June 1.

But Jack tragically experienced a bleed to his brain during surgery and remained in intensive care for 10 days afterwards.

Jack has been transferred from hospital to hospital in a bid to rid him of his disease

Following complications with some of his surgeries, Jck is unable to eat normally and has to use a PEG tube to feed

When he was moved back to his previous ward Jack was diagnosed with posterior fossa syndrome, a condition which prevented him from speaking, walking and holding his head up fully.

He is also unable to eat normally, and has to use a PEG tube to feed.

After the diagnosis, Jack stayed in King's College for seven weeks, before being transferred to The Royal Marsden Hospital, in Sutton, where he stayed for a further three weeks until radiotherapy and chemotherapy started.

But the family were left heartbroken once more when doctors found yet another tumour on Jacks brain.

This time, doctors told the family there was nothing more they could do. Mrs Lloyd said: 'He came home last summer and although he couldn't speak he was writing letters and doing signs and was doing really well.

'But when we went for a scan in February we were told there was nothing else they could do because they had found another tumour.

'Jack's post-operative history is so bad they won't operate on him again because he wouldn't survive the surgery. We asked Jack what he wanted to do as the doctors have advised up to think about Jack's quality of life, rather than quantity of time.

'He has been through a lot and he just wanted to be at home. We are trying to make him as comfortable at home and just make some memories with him.

'It's absolutely devastating but we are really close as a family and we all feel so blessed that we have had Jack. We can't start getting sad or angry and need to make sure however long is left Jack is happy and at home surrounded by love.'
Sarah Hart, here smiling in her mug shot, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic assault and malicious punishment of a child December 27, 2010

One of the lesbian mothers who were found dead on Monday alongside three of their six adopted children after plunging off a cliff in California was previously arrested for assaulting her six-year-old daughter.

Court documents exclusively obtained by the DailyMail.com show that Sarah Hart was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic assault and malicious punishment of a child December 27, 2010, when the family lived in Minnesota.

It was previously revealed that Sarah Hart and her wife Jennifer, both 39, had been reported to Child Protective Services days before their deaths for allegedly starving their children.

According to court records from 2010, Sarah Hart was arrested after her daughter went to school with bruises on her body.

The girl, identified in court documents as six-year-old AH, is believed to be now-14-year-old Abigail Hart, whose body was found at the bottom of the coastal cliff in Westport, California, alongside her mothers and two of her siblings on Monday.

Abigail told her teacher on November 15, 2010, that she had 'owies' on her stomach and backside, court records say.

Days before their bodies were found at the bottom of a cliff in California, neighbors called CPS in Washington to report Jennifer and Sarah Hart (above) for not feeding their six adopted kids. The Harts are pictured above with their children

On Monday, a passerby spotted their car at the bottom of the cliff. The two mothers' bodies were inside along with three of the children's but three other kids have not yet been found

'With the child's permission, the teacher lifted her shirt and saw that, indeed, the child had bruises on her front from her sternum to a point above her belly button, and on her back from midway down her back to the waistband of her pants,' according to court records.

Court documents continue: 'When the teacher asked AH what happened, AH responded, 'Mom hit me'.'

Douglas County Social Services social worker Nancy Weibe conducted interviews with the girl and took photos of her injuries, which the six-year-old said had happened the day before.

Detective Sergeant Larry Dailey from the Alexandria Police Department contacted Sarah and Jessica Hart and interviewed them separately about the bruises.

'Sarah immediately took responsibility for the spanking that occurred the previous day,' according to court records. 'The defendant explained that she and her partner, Jennifer, do not ordinarily use spanking as a disciplinary measure in their household.

'However, they have recently resorted to spanking to deal with AH 's behaviour. The defendant admitted that she let her anger get out of control the previous day while dealing with AH.

'The defendant explained that she took AH into the bathroom and bent A H over the edge of the bathtub. The defendant admitted that she hit AH on the backside and acknowledged that the marks on AH's stomach probably came from AH being bent over the tub.'

According to court records from 2010, Sarah Hart was arrested after her daughter went to school with bruises on her body

The injured girl, identified in court documents as six-year-old AH, is believed to be now-14-year-old Abigail Hart, whose body was found at the bottom of the coastal cliff in Mendocino, California, alongside her mothers and two of her siblings on Monday

Sarah Hart was charged with one count of malicious punishment of a child punishable by one year in jail and/or a $3,000.00 fine and one count of domestic assault punishable by 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000.00 fine

Sarah Hart pleaded guilty to one count of domestic assault-intentionally inflicts/attempts to inflict bodily harm

As part of Sarah Hart's plea deal, another charge of malicious punishment of a child was dismissed

Sarah Hart was charged with one count of malicious punishment of a child punishable by one year in jail and/or a $3,000.00 fine and one count of domestic assault punishable by 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000.00 fine.

Three months later on April 7, 2011, she pleaded guilty to one count of domestic assault-intentionally inflicts/attempts to inflict bodily harm. As part of the plea deal, another charge of malicious punishment of a child was dismissed.

She was fined $385, given a 90 days sentence, which was stayed, and placed on one year's supervised probation.

After undergoing a domestic abuse evaluation and following court orders, her probation was completed on April 4, 2012.

The DailyMail.com has also learned that the deceased couple were married in Connecticut on September 1, 2009, Jennifer was listed as the groom and Sarah was listed at the bride.

But according to Minnesota court records Sarah had legally changed her name from Sarah M Gengler to Sarah M Hart, approximately four year prior to their marriage July 2005.

On Monday, the Harts bodies were found at the bottom of a cliff in Westport, California, off Highway 1 along with three of their children, Markis, 19; Jeremiah 14; and Abigail, 14.

Hannah, 16; Devonte, 15; and Sierra, 12, have not been found.

Sarah (right) and Jennifer (left), both 39. The deceased couple were married in Connecticut on September 1, 2009, Jennifer was listed as the groom and Sarah was listed at the bride

The Harts, pictured with four of their children in 2014, were married. According to Minnesota court records Sarah had legally changed her name from Sarah M Gengler to Sarah M Hart, approximately four year prior to their marriage July 2005

Devonte, 15, made headlines in 2014 in this picture where he is seen hugging a police officer at a protest in Portland over the cop shooting of a black man. The family moved to Washington in 2017. He is the child who asked neighbors for food last week and told them that his moms were 'punishing' him

Police said the family of eight were driving a five-seater 2003 GMC Sierra truck at the time (file photo)

It is not clear yet if they drove over the cliff purposefully or by accident but police said no brake marks were found at the scene.

To reach the cliff edge at the lookout, the women would have had to have driven off the Pacific Highway and traversed 75ft of rugged dirt road.

It is not known yet if they came to a stop at the edge before falling over.

Days before the couple plunged 100ft over a coastal cliff in California, neighbors of Jennifer and Sarah Hart in Washington state called CPS to report that their son Devonte had come to their home asking for food every day for a week.

In Woodland, Washington, the Hart family lived in a $400,000 home which they bought in 2017.

Neighbors said Devonte - who made national headlines when he was pictured hugging a police officer during a 2014 protest - asked them to leave food out in a box for him and said his mothers were 'punishing' him by not feeding him.

In 2017, another of the children came to their home at 1.30am asking for their 'protection', they said.

On Friday, a CPS worker arrived at the home and knocked on the door, according to the neighbors Bruce and Dana DeKalb, but the Harts never answered.

This is an aerial view of the cliff the family plunged over in their car. It is in Mendocino, California, 600 miles away from their home in Washington. To reach the cliff's edge at a lookout point where police were basing their search, the family would have had to have turned off Pacific Highway and traversed 75ft of dirt road. The car was found slightly southbound, not directly beneath the cliff. There were no skid or brakebarks on the highway either to suggest that they suddenly turned off the road

These are the tracks left by the car when it went over the edge of the cliff. They remained at the scene on Wednesday

If traveling northbound, the family would have had to have turned left here to reach the cliff

It is not clear yet if they drove over the cliff (pictured above) purposefully or by accident but police said no brake marks were found at the scene

Police continued to search the scene on Wednesday for the three missing children

Instead, they packed up in a hurry and fled with all six kids in their 2003 GMC Sierra truck, they said. It was days later that their bodies were found at the bottom of the cliff.

Another neighbor who lived near the family in Oregon years ago said the children mostly stayed inside and were not allowed to eat sugar.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. They are asking for anyone who may have seen them in a restaurant or hotel in the days beforehand to contact them.

They are also still considering the three children who were not found as missing people and say in the best case scenario, they were not in the vehicle at the time of the crash. It is not clear what either woman did for a living.

'I can tell you it was a very confusing scene because there were no skid marks, there were no brake marks, there was no indication of why this vehicle traversed approximately over 75ft of a dirt pull out and went into the pacific ocean,' Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said on Wednesday.

He added: 'We have no reason to believe, we have no evidence, that this was an intentional act. Certainly people are wondering what caused this.

'If this was an intentional act, I truly believe we are going to come to that conclusion.'
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President Trump gave his communications director, 29-year-old Hope Hicks, a kiss on the cheek as he said a loving goodbye to her on Thursday morning at the White House.

Hicks' last official day at the complex is Friday, although she could turn in her badge and leave for good today, a Trump spokesperson said.

The president was headed to Ohio this morning for a speech on infrastructure. He'll fly to Mar-A-Lago for the Easter holiday after that, making this the last day in the near term that they'll be on the property together.

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President Trump gave his communications director, 29-year-old Hope Hicks, a kiss on the cheek as he said a loving goodbye to her on Thursday afternoon at the White House

Hicks' last official day at the complex is Friday, although she could turn in her badge and leave for good today, a Trump spokesperson said

Hicks stands outside of her apartment on Thursday morning just before 10 am, on her way into the office

Hicks' last official day at the complex is Friday, although she could turn in her badge and leave for good today, a Trump spokesperson said

President Donald Trump and Hicks went in for kisses on the cheeks as they said goodbye to one another at the White House on Thursday

President Donald Trump poses for the news media with Communications Director Hope Hicks on her last day of work at the White House before he departs

Hicks held her sunglasses in her left hand as she walked through the White House grounds with Trump on her final day at the office

Hicks sits on the edge of the desk inside her office on her last day in the White House after being one of Trump's longest-serving aides

Hicks resigned last month after an especially grueling day on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers grilled her on the Trump campaign's contacts with Russians for nearly 9 hours.

She'd also struggled with the revelation that her then-boyfriend Rob Porter, the former White House staff secretary, had allegedly beat both of his ex-wives. They told their stories to DailyMail.com and the FBI.

Then there was the special counsel investigation into accusations of collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and the Kremlin to disrupt the 2016 election.

Hicks is said to have become a person of interest in that probe after a revelation that she told the president's son that no one would find out about his emails setting up a meeting between himself and other campaign officials with a group of Russians at Trump Tower.

Hicks was Trump's fourth communications director in one year after Sean Spicer, Michael Dubke and Anthony Scaramucci departed

Trump has yet to name anyone to take Hicks' place in the White House, which means the position could remain vacant for a long period of time

THIS GAL: President Trump thought of Hicks like a daughter and would surely welcome her back with open arms if she wanted to return

Hicks got her start in public relations and worked with Trump's daughter Ivanka on her eponymous fashion line. Ivanka eventually hired her to join the company full time

Hicks resigned last month after an especially grueling day on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers grilled her on the Trump campaign's contacts with Russians for nearly 9 hours

Trump and Hicks beamed as they posed for photos outside the White House on Thursday as the former communications director left one final time

Hicks, pictured above with Trump, also struggled with the revelation that her then-boyfriend Rob Porter, the former White House staff secretary, had allegedly beat both of his ex-wives

As they said goodbye, Trump pointed at Hicks as they both smiled toward the cameras before the president boarded Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House

Hicks gave a beaming smile as she shook Trump's hand - with him pulling her toward him - during their farewell on Thursday

The pair kissed each other's cheeks while still shaking hands outside the White House before Hicks' departure on Thursday

WAIT HOPE, DON'T GO!: The departing White House aide and former model is expected to return to New York now that her stint in government is over

Hicks, a former model, has worked for Trump since before he became president. She moved over this presidential campaign to handle press operations in 2015

SHORT DAY AT THE OFFICE: Hicks was back at her home by 1:15 pm after arriving at work three hours before

Hicks, a former model, has worked for Trump since before he became president. She moved over this presidential campaign to handle press operations in 2015.

At the White House, she was among his inner circle of aides, taking on the role of communications director after his last one, Anthony Scaramucci, fizzled out 11 days after accepting the position.

A fierce battle has been waging inside the White House for the role of communications director, with press secretary Sarah Sanders' name, counselor Kellyanne Conway and strategic communications director Mercedes Schalpp all in the running. Treasury's Tony Sayegh is also said to be under consideration.

That Trump had not named anyone to the position at the time of Hicks' departure, which has been known now for weeks, suggests the position could remain vacant for some time.

Hicks was Trump's fourth communications director in one year after Sean Spicer, Michael Dubke and Anthony Scaramucci departed.

For her final day at the White House, Hicks opted for black trousers and a black jacket clasped with a large belt at the waist. She accessorized with black heels, a black tote bag and aviator sunglasses

Trump called Hicks into his office in Trump Tower in January 2015 and told her she was joining his presidential campaign. Hicks became one of Trump's closest aides, accompanying him on the road throughout his grueling presidential campaign in 2016 before moving into an office at the White House following his inauguration

Up in the hair: The 29-year-old White House Communications Director announced she was leaving her post on February 28 (March 27 on left, March 22 on right)

XOXO, Gossip Girl: 'Most importantly, the President has deep respected for her, cares about her greatly, and listens to her. That's not true of everyone. She's earned that,' said Ivanka of Hicks (above on March 1)

Thanks for the memories: The news was confirmed by a White House official who offered no further comment (March 20 above)

Pleasure principal: She is now the fourth person to exit as WH Communications Director after Michael Dubke, Sean Spicer and Anthony Scaramucci

White House deputy press secretary Lindsey Walters told reporters in an Air Force One briefing that Hicks was a 'tremendous leader' for the communications team.

'Shes someone who has been with the president since the early days. She was part of a team that was very small during the campaign,' Walters said. 'Since being in the administration she has provided countless amounts of advice and worked with all of you day in and day out.'

On Thursday morning Trump made a show of his goodbye to her, pausing outside of the Oval Office to shake her hand.

Trump gave her a kiss on the cheek during the discussion, then shook her hand again.

He also pointed at her several times as photographers and videographers stationed on the South Lawn captured their formal goodbye.

It was a picture-perfect end to Hicks' tenure at the White House for the camera-loving president.

She'd left her house just before 10 am -- a later start than normal -- and was seen re-entering her Washington, D.C. apartment at 1:15 pm.
Meghan Markle's half-brother says he still expects an invitation to her wedding  even though the official invites have already been sent, and despite admitting the pair are 'estranged' and that she did not respond to a congratulatory note he sent after her engagement to Prince Harry was announced in November.

Thomas Markle Jr, of Grants Pass, Oregon, has not seen his sister since 2011 when the pair  and Meghan's film producer ex Trevor Engleson, 41  attended the Los Angeles funeral of their grandmother, Doris.

But speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV, the 51-year-old said: 'I haven't got an invite yet but I do expect to get one. It would be really nice [to get an invitation] and it would mean a lot.

'I do expect one and I'm looking forward to going. I don't see why not. It is what it is. I am family, estranged or not.'

Of the letter mailed to Kensington Palace, Markle Jr added: 'I sent a letter. Just basically [saying] I'm really happy for you, congratulations, you're amazing, you're going to do well and congratulations.

Snubbed: Meghan's estranged half-brother Thomas Markle Jr (pictured) from Grants Pass, Oregon, told DailyMailTV he has not received an invitation but still expects to be invited to the ceremony

Royal nuptials: Invitations for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding were sent out last week to 600 guests

'No, I didn't hear back but I'm sure she's busy. She's got a lot on her plate right now  she's in a whirlwind. She's becoming a princess.

'It's probably really hard for her to think about anything else except for her wedding and everything like that.'

Meghan, 36, will marry Prince Harry, 33, at the 14th century St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19.

Along with the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, other members of the royal family, including Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will attend.

So too will Pippa Middleton. Other names likely to be on the guest list include Meghan's best friends, stylist Jessica Mulroney, nightlife consultant Markus Anderson, and New York-based designer Misha Nonoo.

Of the 36-year-old's own family, only her mother Doria Ragland, 61, of Los Angeles, California, and her reclusive father Thomas Markle Sr, 73, are likely to be part of the 600-strong congregation.

Meghan is also understood to be close to her niece Ashleigh Hale, 31, and her graphic designer half-uncle Joffrey Ragland, 34, who may also travel to England for the nuptials.

Half-sister Samantha Grant, 53, is not thought to have received an invitation while Markle Jr's ex-wife Tracey Dooley and son Tyler, 26, have already admitted to being left out.

Princess-to-be: Meghan did not respond to her half-brother's congratulatory letter, he claims

Meghan, 36, will marry Prince Harry, 33, at the 14th century St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19. The two announced their engagement in November

The stunning wedding invitations, which featured American ink on English card printed in italic writing and issued in Prince Charles's name, refer to the American actress as 'Ms' Markle

According to Markle Jr, his uncle Frederick, 76, a self-styled bishop who runs his own tiny church in Sanford, Florida, is likely to go to Windsor, whether or not he receives an invitation.

Although Meghan's brother is still hoping to make the guest list, he admitted that his and fiancee Darlene Blount's run-ins with the law could have left the former Suits star 'embarrassed'.

Markle Jr was arrested in January 2017 for drunkenly holding a gun to Blount's head while his fiancee, 37, was collared on New Year's Eve for allegedly assaulting him while in a booze-fueled rage.

Blount was released without charge two days after her arrest while the case against Markle Jr was dropped before it went to court.

He told DailyMailTV: 'I'm a private citizen - just so happens, my sister's marrying Prince Harry so all I do now is look round the corner to see if someone with a camera is following me around.

'I'm human and mistakes happen and drinking happens and fights happen and it is what it is. If she's embarrassed about that, then I'm sorry.

'But that's why I did reach out and say, hey, let's do something about this because you should want to get along anyway.'

According to Markle Jr, he contacted the Palace for help with dealing with his new-found fame late last year, only to be told that he is on his own.

Extended family: Meghan has been estranged from most of her dad's side of the family for years. Above she is pictured as a young girl with her father Thomas Markle, Thomas Markle Jr's son Thomas and Tyler Dooley, and his ex-wife Tracey Dooley

Half-sister Samantha Grant, 53, is not thought to have received an invitation. She has claimed she is planning a book or movie about her estranged half-sister

He said: 'I don't know if it [the email] ever got to her, I don't know if she ignored it, but she didn't reply back, I guess.

'It's not that it hurts, it goes with her schedule - she's extremely busy all day, all week. Her agenda is planned out weeks in advance, I'm sure of it.

'But it would be nice of her to drop a line and say hello once in a while.'

Markle Jr, whose parents are Meghan's father Thomas and his first wife Roslyn, 72, says he hopes the upcoming wedding will lead to a family reunion  and an end to the feuds that have rocked the Markle clan.

Illinois-born Markle Jr is currently estranged from his son Tyler, as well as sister Samantha and half-sister Meghan.

His mother Roslyn, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, does not speak to Samantha, who has also fallen out with her daughter Noel, 19, her ex-husband Scott Rasmussen, 57, and Meghan herself.

Like Samantha, of Ocala, Florida, Markle Jr says he is planning a book or a movie about his famous half-sister and contributed to Diana biographer Andrew Morton's upcoming book, Meghan: A Hollywood Princess.

So far it seems only her mother Doria Ragland (left) 61, of Los Angeles, California, and her reclusive father Thomas Markle Sr (right) 73, are likely to be part of the nuptials

Nonetheless, the 51-year-old says he is sure he will see Meghan again, whether on May 19 or not, and bristled at suggestions that he is a 'distant' relation.

'Gosh, I'm not that distant,' he insisted. 'But like I said before, when she took off to start her career [in Toronto], everybody becomes distant  even my father got it.

'He probably got a little upset because he wasn't needed so much anymore.'

Markle Jr added: 'She could never forget me. Her and I always got along really good, we spent a lot of time together before she left [Los Angeles in 2011].

'She knows who I am and I'm not distant, I may be distant distance wise, as in 4,000 miles, but that's it.'

And if he doesn't travel to London for Meghan and Harry's wedding, Markle Jr says he won't feel too bad about being left off the guest list because he's busy planning his own nuptials.

'I won't be heartbroken, it'll be OK,' he told DailyMailTV. 'I won't be upset. I've got my own wedding to plan. We haven't set a date yet but it's coming up pretty soon.'
Every once in a blue moon, there is a perfect Antiques Roadshow moment.

The experts hands will start to shake as they pore over a neglected painting, an apparently ugly vase or a set of musty old books that have doubled as a doorstop for the past 20 years.

The owner will try  and fail  to look nonchalant. The crowd will crane a little closer, then closer still, until finally the expert reveals the fascinating provenance of the item and announces its astonishingly high value.

It happened again, during filming of the enduringly popular BBC One show in Dudley, in the West Midlands. What looked like a sprig of apple blossom in a vase turned out to be a 1 million Faberge flower, an intricate piece of jewellery and, according to the shows expert Geoffrey Munn, one of the most significant finds in the programmes 40-year history.

The programmes experts were left reeling, the crowd were astonished  but the rest of us will have to wait until autumn, when the episode is aired.

But how does this compare with other eureka moments in the shows history? We take a look back to find out.

THE FA CUP

The FA cup appeared on the antiques roadshow in 2016

Former Leeds United player Eddie Gray bought in the trophy which was previously described by producers as a world famous piece owned by a sporting institution'.

Presenter Fiona Bruce said that the trophy had a very special place in the hearts of English football fans and silver expert Alastair Dickenson said it was the most famous cup in the country, alongside the Wimbledon trophy.

But some BBC One viewers were left feeling cheated after the item - worth more than 1million - turned out to be the FA Cup.

Furious Roadshow fanatics said they felt conned and disappointed that the mystery item was not something found in the attic as per the shows tradition.

DREAM DOLLS FIND

Pictured: Centuries-old dolls valued at 150,000

Shown a box of immaculate 300-year-old dolls in Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire, last year, the Roadshow experts were amazed. But when the anonymous owner let slip she had the whole dolls house at home, expert Fergus Gambon jumped in his car and raced off to see it.

Only a handful of dolls houses from the early 1700s had ever survived and this one was utterly exquisite.

Gambon, who valued it at 150,000, described it as one of the most important English baby houses in existence.

A WAR ARTIST'S LOVER

Pictured: A genuine painting by Sir William Orpen that was valued at 250,000

Sometimes it pays to have a second look, even on the Antiques Roadshow. For when this painting first turned up to be valued in Greenwich, it was assumed to be a copy of a painting by the World War I artist Sir William Orpen.

But further research by the shows experts revealed it was the real deal. In fact, at 250,000, it was then the most valuable painting ever on the show.

No one was more surprised than its owner, a man of modest means who had been left it by his uncle.

Im completely gobsmacked, he said. Its worth more than my house!

The picture is of Yvonne Aubicque, daughter of the Mayor of Lille  she also happened to be Sir Williams comely young mistress  whom he somehow found time to paint while in France as an official war artist supposedly recording the horrors of the trenches.

A LALIQUE 'FLOWERPOT'

Pictured: The Lalique vase, bought at a car boot sale for 1 and later sold for 32,450

A glass vase bought for 1 at a car boot sale by a lady in Ayrshire  and only because she liked the plant inside it  turned out to be a very canny investment.

When the plant withered and died, she put the vase in the attic and in 2008 was in the middle of a clearout  the vase was already in a box of junk to be dumped  when she heard the Antiques Roadshow team were in town.

Stunned experts explained that her flowerpot was actually a 1929 vase by the renowned French designer Rene Lalique and valued it at 30,000. It was sold later that year for 32,450 at a London auction.

THE LAST GOLD LEICA

Pictured: The last surviving gold Leica camera, which was valued at 1.7m before selling for 380,000

When this gold-plated Leica Luxus II camera, encased in lizard skin and complete with its original crocodile case, popped up on the show in 2001, it was thought to be the rarest camera in the world and duly valued at 5,000.

Although naturally thrilled at this news, its owner decided to hang on to it for sentimental reasons  after all, he was a keen amateur photographer who had been given it after World War II and used it throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

It was definitely a wise decision. Over the next 12 years, the value of the camera  the only surviving example of four special-edition versions made in 1932  skyrocketed to an estimated 1.7 million. Finally, the potential rewards outweighed sentimentality. Alas, when it finally came up for auction in 2013, the camera actually fetched a comparatively modest 380,000. Still, not a sum to be sniffed at.

THE SECRET SILVER

Pictured: A piece of the silver brought in by Margaret Hobbs

In 1994, Margaret Hobbs and her son turned up at the Antiques Roadshow in Sussex lugging a battered holdall full of silver she described as so dreadful she hadnt dared give it away.

In fact it was early English pieces, including a James I parcel-gilt bowl and a silver-mounted ostrich eggcup, that fetched 78,717 at auction. Pensioner Mrs Hobbs had found it in shoeboxes under a bed. Her late husband Harold, knowing that she hated ornate silver, had collected it in secret and squirreled it out of sight.

A RARE BEAST

Back in 1942, 575 was a lot to pay for an 18in bronze rhino. But Thomas Bodkin, a former director of Birminghams Barber Institute of Fine Arts, knew his stuff. The sculpture was one of only three made in 1750 to depict Miss Clara, a rhino that toured the world in the 18th century. In a 2011 Roadshow episode, it was valued at 200,000 by Clive Stewart-Lockhart.

THAT'S NO PAPERWEIGHT

For years, a paperweight sitting on the corner of the head teachers desk at St Ives School in Cornwall had caught the eye of the school librarian.

So in 2012, when the Roadshow came to Falmouth, the librarian asked if she could take it along  and was told it was an original scuplture by the leading 20th-century British artist Barbara Hepworth, worth between 60,000 and 80,000.

Even better, after it was donated to the Cornwall Arts Collection for display, the paperweight was revalued earlier this year and has shot up to a staggering 750,000.

SILVER HOARD

Pictured: A coin dating to the reign of Charles II

Brought in by the local mayor to the Arundel Roadshow in 2006, this council-owned collection of silver, including maces, a chalice and coins dating back to the reign of Charles II, was valued by expert Alastair Dickenson at 300,000, a record for the Roadshow at the time.

KING'S PLATE IN A TESCO BAG

It had been dropped, propped up on a sideboard and ignored for years. Then in 2010, when her husband was taking some books to be valued by the Roadshow in Aberglasney, Carmarthenshire, Wendy Jones grabbed the dusty oval plate, wrapped it in a Tesco carrier bag and slung it on the back seat of the car.

Expert John Axford instantly recognised it as part of an 18th-century royal dinner service specially commissioned for Frederick the Great of Prussia and valued it at 100,000.

Mrs Jones, 68, was staggered. We had no idea it was worth anything, she said. Im speechless. Tesco bags can split!

Good thing it didnt. Not least because the 22in plate, made from hard paste porcelain and decorated with the arms of the Hohenzollern family, the Order of the Black Eagle and the Maltese Cross, actually belonged to her son, Michael.

AN OLD MASTER

When Canon Jamie MacLeod happened upon what looked like an Anthony van Dyck (one of the most famous Flemish painters of the 17th century) in a Cheshire antique shop in 1992, he assumed it was a fake.

But he liked it so much that he bought it anyway  for 400  and hung it on his sitting-room wall.

Which is where it stayed, until 2014, when he took it along to the Roadshow at Newstead Abbey near Nottingham and presenter Fiona Bruce, who just happened to have made a documentary about Van Dyck, spotted something in the brushstrokes that made her think it was the real thing.

She was right. Art expert Philip Mould declared it a masterpiece and valued it at 400,000, the most valuable painting identified in the shows history.

A delighted Canon MacLeod told the programme hed sell it to pay for new church bells for his Derbyshire church.

Sadly, though, his congregation are still waiting, because when it came up for auction following restoration later that year, it failed to meet its reserve.

FA CUP REPLICA

IN 2015, an FA Cup replica trophy brought in by BBC Sports Gabby Logan and Leeds Uniteds 1972 FA Cup winner Eddie Gray became the shows most valuable item ever when expert Alastair Dickenson valued it at being worth more than 1 million.

Their trophy  the third version used in the history of the competition  was the longest-serving and was presented to Gray and his teammates in 1972.

The original was awarded at the first FA Cup final in 1872, but was stolen soon after. The second was replaced by the Football Association and is now is on display at the National Football Museum.

This trophy was used from 1911 until 1991, when it was decided it was too fragile to continue being used.

Alastair Dickenson said: This is, with the Wimbledon trophy, the most famous cup in the country. It has got to be worth well over 1million  the highest value Ive ever given on Antiques Roadshow.

THE VASE USED AS A GOALPOST

For years, the vase had stood on a stand in Terry Nurrishs dining room in Grimbsy, doubling as an indoor goal post when his children played football.

It was given to him by his mother, who bought it at a house clearance sale in 1946 in a 100 job lot of antiques. When the Antiques Roadshow was filmed locally in 1991, he took it along.

There, expert Eric Knowles declared it a French Japonisme (Japanese-influenced) ornament made by renowned jewellers and silversmiths Christofle for the Paris Exhibition in 1874 and valued it at 10,000.

Terry kept it for 23 years, finally selling it at Christies in 2014  for 668,000.

TREASURE IN GAMES ROOM

This 1805 portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson hung in a school common room for years, surviving endless near-misses with table tennis balls and was generally ignored.

Until, in 2012, the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk, took it to be valued at a Roadshow event in Wimbledon.

Expert Philip Mould valued it at 100,000. It is now in the school Heritage Centre.
A North Bay school district has introduced sexual harassment classes after receiving complaints from teachers regarding their students.

Starting April, schools in the Tamalpais Union High School District in Marin County, California will make sure sexual harassment classes are mandatory for students, according to CBS San Francisco.

Jessica Crabtree, a teacher at Redwood High School said: 'When we look on the national scene and we wonder how the Harvey Weinsteins are made  we're making them.'

Superintendent David Yoshihara announced that students will take sexual harassment classes after receiving several complaints from teachers

Eva Rieder who works at the Tamalpais Union High School District, said: 'I have been sexually harassed, stalked, intimidated, threatened, bullied and defamed by male students.'

Superintendent David Yoshihara announced the new curriculum at Tuesday night's school board meeting after receiving several complaints from teachers.

'They need to know. And I think it's our job to help them know,' he said.

Jessica Crabtree (pictured), a teacher at Redwood High School said: 'When we look on the national scene and we wonder how the Harvey Weinsteins are made  we're making them'

Eva Rieder who works at the Tamalpais Union High School District said: 'I have been sexually harassed, stalked, intimidated, threatened, bullied and defamed by male students'

Yoshihara elaborated and said students will learn the definition of sexual misconduct and also how they can report harassment to the district.

Senior students will learn about the topic of consent: 'Informed consent is essentially what it means to say no and essentially letting the other party know when you have consent,' he said.

One of the students at Redwood High School, Kevin Gann, said he was keen to learn more: 'I think it can be a good idea if they do it in the right way.'

'Im open to almost anything. If people tell me about it, want me to do it, I might go,' he said.

Yoshihara elaborated and said students will learn the definition of sexual misconduct and also how they can report harassment to the district

Russell Camden said: 'Its important because its happening to teachers and you cant feel safe in a learning environment or a teaching environment if youre getting harassed by the people you are supposed to teach'

His classmate Russell Camden agreed.

'Its important because its happening to teachers and you cant feel safe in a learning environment or a teaching environment if youre getting harassed by the people you are supposed to teach,' he said.

The district has also added a Title IX coordinator due to the allegations.

Title IX became law in the 70s and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-funded education programs.

The announcement was made at Tuesday night's school board meeting after receiving several complaints from teachers
School shooter Nikolas Cruz, 19, has built up a fan base since he killed 17 at his former Parkland high school last month

Nikolas Cruz has been receiving fan mail and love letters from all over the country since he killed 17 people at his former high school in Parkland last month.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel has obtained copies of some of the letters addressed to the gunman, which show just how much admiration and devotion he has inspired in men, women, and particularly in young girls.

Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein told the local paper there's 'piles of letters' for Cruz, 19, and he worries that 'every day boys and girls are starting to view him in an elevated way, looking up to his fame and notoriety.'

He added the letters 'shake him up' because they are mostly written by regular, 'everyday teenage girls.'

On March 15, a Texas girl wrote: 'I'm 18-years-old. I'm a senior in high school. When I saw your picture on the television, something attracted me to you.'

'Your eyes are beautiful and the freckles on your face make you so handsome,' she said before describing herself as white with big, brown eyes.

'I'm really skinny and have 34C sized breasts,' she added inside the envelope covered with hand-drawn hearts and happy faces.

The gunman's public defender said said he's worried 'every day' boys and girls are starting to view Cruz in 'an elevated way' (Cruz is pictured during a court appearance)

But that's just one of the many letters Cruz has received since he's been held at the Fort Lauderdale jail.

In one of the letters sent to Cruz, a young girl who claims she's 18 describes her physical appearance and says she finds the killer 'handsome'

'In my 40 years as public defender, I've never seen this many letters to a defendant. Everyone now and then gets a few, but nothing like this,' said Finkelstein.

'I reserve the right to care about you, Nikolas!' read a letter from a Texas woman sent six days after the mass murder that shocked the nation.

The note was written on a 'kiddie-like greeting card showing a furry bunny holding binoculars looking out at the ocean,' according to the local paper.

Inside, the sender wrote: 'Out of sight, but never out of mind.'

And it's not just young girls who have reached out to the killer: The Sun Sentinel also reviewed mail from a New York man who enclosed a photo of himself sporting a gray mustache in his white 1992 Nissan convertible.

The troubled young man, however, has not seen any of his fan mail because he is on suicide watch.

Cruz' brother Zachary had allegedly been telling the gunman about his newfound popularity before he was arrested for trespassing at the scene of the tragedy

His public defender Finkelstein said they have read a few letters with religious content to Cruz but will not read him fan letters or show him photos of 'scantily-clad teenage girls'.

Cruz has also been receiving donations to his commissary account which inmates use to buy things such as food and personal hygiene products.

According to Finkelstein, Cruz currently has $800 in his account, all of which was donated by fans.

As previously reported, Cruz' younger half-brother Zachary had been telling the killer about his newfound fame before he himself was arrested for trespassing at Marjory Stone Douglas high school.

'Probably most concerning is his contact that he has had with his brother in the jail since his incarceration,' Assistant State Attorney Sarahnell Murphy said during Zachary's first hearing.

'He has been heard and observed discussing how popular his brother is now, that his face is everywhere and his name is national.

'There is discussion of starting some sort of pen pal or fan club and how many girls he is capable of attracting, referring to his brother Nikolas.'

Public Defender Howard Finkelstein said he worries that 'every day boys and girls are starting to view Cruz in an elevated way, looking up to his fame and notoriety.'

Prosecutors in the case have stated they will ask for the death penalty (pictured is a parent outside the school on the day of the tragedy)

Indeed, Cruz, who was known as a loner before the shooting, has earned a substantial amount of support from people who see him as a victim of the system, as groups that have popped up in social media show.

One of them, the now-private Facebook group 'Nikolas Cruz  the First Victim' gathered 300 members who argued against the death penalty in the case and considered the effect bullying had in the killings.

Its description says the group is in complete support of Nikolas Cruz, who was 'failed' and deserves a fair trial 'whether or not' he committed the murders.

'I want him to see how many people love and care for him and all the beautiful faces,' a woman posted in the group as she asked people to send her photos for a collage for the killer.

Another commentator claimed Cruz was conscious of the page's support.

'Keep the letters coming because he can't wait to finally get them,' a woman wrote on March 16. 'Hate mail is filtered out so no one can upset our boy!!! Haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potate.'

A purple bracelet with the words 'Justice for Nik' is for sale on eBay for $2. Funds from the sale of the product allegedly go towards Cruz' commissary fund

'This is in support of Nikolas Cruz to have a fair trial. In hopes of life instead of death,' reads the product's description

A public Facebook group, 'Nikolas Cruz for Punishment or Apologize', has four members who say they are committed to preventing future shootings.

'If you see someone, your friends the stranger get bully please stand up,' the group's description reads.

As these online communities of Cruz fans have appeared, so has merchandise in support of the killer.

A purple bracelet with the words 'Justice for Nik' is for sale on eBay for $2. Funds from the sell of the product allegedly go towards Cruz' commissary fund.

Shirts that read 'I stand with Nikolas Cruz' and 'stop bullying' also are on sale online.

'This is in support of Nikolas Cruz to have a fair trial. In hopes of life instead of death,' reads the product's description.

Prosecutors in the case have stated they will ask for the death penalty.
But affordable Canadian paper has helped keep the printed news alive and flourishing well into the 21st century. With new tariffs, many smaller newspapers will feel their belts tightening. The combination of preliminary countervailing and antidumping duties increases the cost of imported newsprint by as much as 32 percent, and a number of newspapers have already experienced price increases and a disruption in supply. If the International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce make these tariffs permanent in the coming months, it could lead some small local publishers to cut their print product entirely  or even shut their doors.

Some, like NORPAC, may argue that by imposing duties on Canadian imports were saving American jobs and boosting our own economy, but while that may sometimes be true for other industries, the opposite is true of newsprint.

What were seeing with the newsprint tariffs is not a government acting to try to better the economy for its citizens. Instead, it is political arbitrage by one private investment group  where they are effectively looking to use the U.S. government to tax local and community newspapers across the United States in order to bolster their own bottom line.
A Maryland appeals court has upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast 'Serial.'

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park.

A three-judge panel on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling overturning the murder conviction and granting him new trial.

Syed's lawyer, C. Justin Brown, said he is pleased by the ruling.

'If the state is so confident in their case, and if they're so confident that Syed is guilty, they should just try the case. We're ready to try the case,' Brown said.

Syed's story was widely publicized in the 2014 'Serial' podcast, which cast doubt on his guilt. The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered podcast records.

A Maryland appeals court has upheld a ruling granting a new trial to Adnan Syed, whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast 'Serial.' Syed is pictured in 2016 leaving a courthouse in Baltimore

Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park

A lower court judge vacated Syed's conviction in 2016, citing his attorney's failure to cross-examine a potential key alibi witness who said she saw Syed at a public library at the time the state claimed Syed killed Hae.

In a 2-1 ruling, the three-judge appeals court panel agreed with Syed's current lawyer that his trial lawyer was ineffective. The panel said in its written decision that if testimony from Asia McClain had been presented to the jury, it would have 'directly contradicted the State's theory of when Syed had the opportunity and did murder Hae' and could have created reasonable doubt in at least one juror's mind and led to a different outcome.

Thursday's decision could still be appealed to the Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, but it was not immediately clear if prosecutors plan to do so.

He has maintained his innocence since then - gaining national attention when his case was featured on the 'Serial' podcast

If that were to happen it would tack many more more months onto the time Syed will have to wait to find out if he is granted a new trial.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh's office told the Baltimore Sun it is 'reviewing today's decision to determine next steps.'

Syed's attorney Justin Brown said he will hold a news conference Thursday afternoon - but did not specify a time.

The 36-year-old was first convicted in 2000 and sentenced to life in prison for killing Lee, whose body was found in Baltimore's Leakin Park.

He has maintained his innocence since then - gaining national attention when his case was featured on the 'Serial' podcast.

In February 2016 he was granted a retrial because his original trial attorney failed to cross-examine a state witness who presented possibly unreliable cell tower data linking Syed to Lee's burial site.

His attorneys also argue he deserved a retrial on the grounds that his original attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, did not contact Asia McClain Champan, an alibi witness who said she saw Syed at the Woodlawn library about the same time prosecutors say Lee was murdered.

The lawyers also said the cell tower linking his phone to the burial site was misleading because it was presented to jurors without a cover sheet warning that incoming call data was unreliable.

In February 2016 he was granted a retrial because his original trial attorney failed to cross-examine a state witness who presented possibly unreliable cell tower data linking Syed to Lee's burial site. Syed and Lee are pictured with friends in a high school photo

A three-judge panel on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling overturning the murder conviction and granting him new trial. He is pictured in 2016

Baltimore Circuit Judge Martin Welch would not allow Syed to be released from prison as he awaits potential retrial.

In Welch's order, he disagreed that Gutierrez erred when she failed to contact Chapman, or that prosecutors breached their duty by withholding exculpatory evidence. But Welch did agree that Syed's attorney provided 'ineffective assistance for the failure to cross-examine the state's cell tower expert about the reliability of cell tower location evidence' that placed him near the burial site.

The state had argued that because Syed didn't raise the issue of his trial attorney's failure to cross-examine the state's cell tower expert in a prior proceeding, he waived his right to make it an issue now.

But the judge ruled that Syed didn't 'intelligently or knowingly' waive his right to raise the issue, noting that he never completed his high school degree.

'Requiring a layman who lacks a complete high school education to understand the intricacies of cellular network design and the legal ramifications of trial counsel's failures to challenge the evidence would be inconsistent with the spirit of the Sixth Amendment,' the judge wrote.

The judge said the attorney's performance 'fell below the standard of reasonable professional judgment' when she failed to confront the state's expert about the reliability of the cell tower evidence.
Suzie Hardy (pictured) has written a column for The Hollywood Reporter, detailing why she decided to speak publicly about the years Ryan Seacrest sexually harassed her

The former stylist who accused Ryan Seacrest of sexual harassment has detailed why she decided to speak out against the star in a new column for The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday.

In the column, Suzie Hardy also revealed that she's been disappointed with the way Seacrest has not been held accountable for his inappropriate behavior, revealing that she recently filed a police report to insure he is properly investigated.

'Those who work with Ryan seem to hope I will just go away. Well, I'm not going away. I'm thriving in the truth and feel more inspired than ever,' Hardy writes.

In previous interviews, Hardy said she was the target of multiple unwanted sexual encounters from Seacrest when she worked as his personal stylist between 2007 and 2012.

This included Seacrest rubbing 'his erect penis against her while clad only in his underwear, groping her vagina, and ...slapping her buttock so hard that it left it a large welt still visible hours later'.

Hardy says she complained about Seacrest's behavior to her boyfriend and other close friends at the time, but ultimately decided not to complain.

But because Seacrest acted this way in front of others, she was ultimately called into E! HR in 2012, where she was asked if she was having a romantic relationship with her boss.

Hardy (right) said she was the target of multiple unwanted sexual encounters from Seacrest (left) when she worked as his personal stylist between 2007 and 2012

During this meeting, Hardy says she told her story, but soon after was let go.

When the #MeToo movement started happening this fall, she said she became empowered to address the harassment, sending Seacrest and E! a private letter complaining about her treatment.

What she got in return was parent company NBC conducting an 'incomplete investigation' which found her claims 'inconclusive,' and Seacrest trying to get ahead of the story by writing a column of his own for THR, claiming to be the victim of a false harassment complaint.

It was when Seacrest went public with the story that Hardy decided to speak out.

'I finally said "enough is enough" and went public with my name and the ugly details of what I had endured,' Hardy said.

This was right before the Oscars, which led to many actors and actresses stiffing Seacrest for interviews on the red carpet. But since then, his career has continued like nothing happened, which has left Hardy mystified and angered.

After coming forward with her story, Seacrest was rebuffed by a few actors and actresses on the red carpet of this year's Oscars

But Seacrest's (right) career has remained in tact. He even got an on-air vouch of approval from his Live! co-host Kelly Ripa (left)

'The silence since then has been deafening. Ryan continues to cheerfully co-host Live With Kelly and Ryan each morning with Kelly Ripa's full support. He's the smiling host of American Idol twice a week on ABC. And E! continues to back him.

'NBC News invited me to tell my story on the Megyn Kelly show, but after the Oscars (and an extensive pre-interview I did with her producers), that invitation disappeared. "We need to reschedule," they said. I'm still waiting for that.

'So much for "Let's believe the women," right?'

Hardy says she's going to make sure Seacrest doesn't get away with the way he treated her - which is why she filed a police report. THR was able to confirm that the report was filled out and that police are currently investigating the allegations.

Hardy (left and right) says she recently filed a police report against Seacrest, to make sure he is properly investigated

'Ryan chose to take this public, not me. But I will not stand by silently and let Ryan or the sycophants that employ him get away with this. Not when teenagers, with their voices shaking, can speak up to Congress on gun control. I can face this too! Ryan is not a victim; he is the instigator and the assaulter,' she said.

Hardy added: 'Everyone in Hollywood who stands by Ryan now is choosing not to believe me. That includes every guest on his shows, every studio and network that does business with him, every celebrity who talks to him on a red carpet. Know that this is a choice you are making.'

In statements provided to THR, Seacrest denied the 'reckless allegations'. It was also pointed out that an outside law firm cleared Seacrest of any wrongdoing on February 1, after investigating and finding 'insufficient evidence to support the claims'.

Both NBC and Seacrest say Hardy was not fired, but that her contract ended when Seacrest stopped working at E! News.
Thousands of school children in Rio de Janeiro have been left bitterly disappointed this Easter after council nutritionists replaced their traditional gift of a chocolate egg with a bag of rotting carrots following a major food ordering blunder.

Instead of buying 2,300 kilos of carrots, bungling officials mistakenly put a decimal in the wrong place and purchased a whopping 23,000 kilos, leading to a massive budget overspend of 15,860 (74,000 reais), ten times higher than the normal tab.

Staff were left in a pickle as they tried to devise ways of getting rid of the mega-supply which needed to be eaten before the vegetables went off.

Officials initially made the unpopular choice of carrots over Easter eggs - they then made the mistake of massively over-ordering the vegetables, many of which were rotting

Some children tried to put on a brave face over being given carrots instead of chocolate, while others could not hide their disappointment

Many of the carrots received by the children were severely bruised and were beginning to decompose

One school received 80 kilos of carrots for 400 children where the usual quantity is less than 25 kilos. The delivery was rejected.

In an apparent effort to disguise their gaffe, workers in the school meals department in Duque de Caxias, a metropolitan area in Rio, came up with the idea of swapping the children's Easter eggs and presenting the raw veg as a 'healthy eating Easter' kit.

More than 80,000 pupils attending the region's schools were affected. They now miss out on one of Brazil's eagerly anticipated Easter customs of distributing chocolate eggs to every school child in the country.

Stunned students received between two to three carrots each in a plastic bag this week. Many of the vitamin D packed legumes were already showing signs of decay.

Inside each pouch was a printed recipe with details of how to make a 'healthy alternative' cake using the vegetable to celebrate Easter Sunday

The gift of carrots was all the harder for children to accept given the popularity of Easter eggs in Brazil

More than 80,000 pupils attending the region's schools were affected. They now miss out on one of Brazil's eagerly anticipated Easter customs of distributing chocolate eggs to every school child in the country

Inside each pouch was a printed recipe with details of how to make a 'healthy alternative' cake using the vegetable to celebrate Easter Sunday.

Outraged parents filmed and photographed their children's disappointment, angrily voicing their criticisms on social media and blasting those responsible while saying: 'So now our children have become rabbits!''

A video filmed outside Paulo Freire Municipal College by a teacher shows a row of disgruntled students sitting on a wall.

The frustrated professional says: 'Look at these students. Today they received their Easter present. But just look at what the council sent them. A bag of carrots, all rotten and spoiled.'

According to officials the carrot error has led to a budget overspend of 10 times more than the normal allowance

Staff were left in a pickle as they tried to devise ways of getting rid of the mega-supply which needed to be eaten by schoolchildren (above) before the vegetables went off

With that the children hold up their plastic bags in disgust and unanimously agreed the 'gift' is 'horrible' and the 'worst Easter present ever'.

Talita Santos, whose 12-year-old daughter, Leticia, received the shocking gesture complained: 'I am really upset (by this) because my daughter came home on Wednesday (28) crying her eyes out. She thought she was going to get at least get two small chocolate eggs like last year.'

Once the scandal came to light, council bosses hastily opened an investigation to get to the root of the blunder.

Weeks before the holiday period, confectionary shops and supermarkets in Brazil prepare for a buying frenzy by displaying hundreds of thousands of colourfully wrapped chocolate eggs attached to metal racks that hang down from shop ceilings

Easter is an important time of the year in Brazil, the world's largest Roman Catholic country where consumers bought over 95 million chocolate eggs last year

Easter eggs and confectionery lovers are spoiled for choice in Brazil, a country that has a reputation for its high number of chocaholics

According to officials the error has led to a budget overspend of 10 times more than the normal allowance.

The cost from the public coffers should have been 1,586 (7,400 reais) but the total came to 15,860 (74,000 reais), embarrassed council bosses admitted.

The scandal comes at a time when thousands of council workers have been waiting for months for back-dated payments of late salaries.

Easter eggs are a major contributor to chocolate sales in Brazil which has the largest Roman Catholic population in the world with an estimated 130 million devotees.

In 2016, Brazilian consumers bought over 95 million chocolate eggs, according to the country's chocolate and sweet trade association ABICAB, making the South American nation the third-biggest consumer and producer of chocolate in the world after the USA and Germany.

Following the embarrassing debacle, Duque de Caxias mayor, Washington Reis, apologised to thousands of underprivileged school children, whose parents can ill-afford to buy them an Easter egg, and promised to make up for the disappointment next year.

A council spokesperson admitted: 'This action was motivated by an excessive purchase of carrots and given in error to the children as a way to avoid waste.

'Twenty-one members of staff responsible for this over purchase have been dismissed. They includes nutritionists and school meal coordinators.'
And on the third day, he tweeted.

Corey Feldman took to Twitter on Thursday to speak out for the first time since the Los Angeles Police Department appeared to discredit claims he made about a near-fatal attack on Tuesday.

'ON THIS HOLY WEEK ITS NO WONDER THAT I WAS SPARED ONCE AGAIN, IM SO LUCKY 2 B ALIVE 2DAY, I HOPE U ALL CAN APPRECIATE THIS DAY WEVE BEEN GIVEN 2DAY & USE IT 4 GOOD, GOD BLESS,' wrote Feldman.

The LAPD told DailyMail.com that Feldman was released early Wednesday morning, shortly after he shared two posts detailing an attack that he believes almost cost him his life.

The LAPD were quick to state that Feldman was not not stabbed and had no visible injuries as a result of the attack, but the actor is standing by his statement.

Perry Wander, the lawyer for Feldman, told DailyMail.com that his client filed a police report stating that three Hispanic man appeared and tried to fight him and his security guard, with one of the men then stabbing the actor with a sharp object while his guard was distracted by the others.

Fingerprints and DNA samples were both taken from the scene according to Wander, and are now being tested by the LAPD.

An officer confirmed to DailyMail.com that the department is investigating a possible assault with a deadly weapon against Feldman.

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He has spoken: Corey Feldman, 46, is speaking out for the first time since LAPD released details casting doubt on claims that he was stabbed on Tuesday (Tweet above)

Attacked: His lawyer said Wednesday that he believes he was stabbed with a syringe by a Hispanic man who tried to jump him with two friends

Checked over: He shared a shot of himself getting checked over by a medical professional as his distressed wife Courtney Anne Mitchell looked on

Getting the word out: Feldman posted on Twitter shortly after the attack on Wednesday

The actor, 46, wrote on Twitter that he was sitting in his car on Tuesday night and while his security detail was distracted by a group of men, an individual opened his door and stabbed him with 'something.'

Feldman also claimed on Twitter that this attack was the work of the 'wolfpack,' a group of powerful Hollywood players that he believes have been trying to kill him in order to get revenge after he named a number of alleged pedophiles in the movie industry.

The Los Angeles Police Department said on Wednesday that officers were called to a residence in Reseda just before midnight on Tuesday in response to an assault with a deadly weapon call.

Feldman was at the residence and suffering from a minor abdominal wound he said had been caused by an unknown sharp object.

Officer Drake Madison later stated that the actor was stopped at an intersection Tuesday night when an unknown male approached the window on the driver's side of the car, made a 'jabbing motion' and fled.

There were no visible injuries on Feldman's body according to Officer Madison.

'IM IN THE HOSPITAL! I WAS ATTACKED 2NITE! A MAN OPENED MY CAR DOOR & STABBED ME W SOMETHING! PLEASE SAY PRAYERS 4 US!' wrote Feldman on Wednesday.

'THANK GOD IT WAS ONLY MYSELF & MY SECURITY IN THE CAR, WHEN 3 MEN APPROACHED! WHILE SECURITY WAS DISTRACTED, W A GUY A CAR PULLED UP & ATTACKED! IM OK!'

The star then linked the attack to his recent decision to speak out about the rampant sexual abuse that he says has haunted his and his friends' careers.

He wrote: 'I HAVE HAD MOUNTING THREATS ON ALL SM PLATFORMS BY THIS VILE WOLFPACK & THIS IM SURE IS A RESULT OF THOSE NEGATIVE ACTIONS! I HAVE REASON 2 BELIEVE ITS ALL CONNECTED! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! HOW SICK R THESE PPL?!?' [SIC]

In one of the snapshots, Corey is wearing a patterned hospital gown as he lies on a stretcher, while another shows him getting checked over by a medical professional as his distressed wife Courtney Anne Mitchell looks on.

His wife Courtney has yet to comment but can be seen in the photos appearing forlorn while sitting next to her husband's bed.

She also had a prescient horoscope on Wednesday, which posted directly to her Twitter timeline and stated: 'Its your turn to be the chatty one of the group today.'

This comes just four months after Feldman made a shocking claim about his safety while appearing on Megyn Kelly Today.

The actor was speaking about fears for his safety in the wake of his announcement that he hoped to raise $10 million to produce a feature film that will reveal a number of powerful Hollywood pedophiles.

A good deal of that money would go towards security said Feldman, a cost he justified by claiming he had almost been killed just a few days prior.

'ON THIS HOLY WEEK ITS NO WONDER THAT I WAS SPARED ONCE AGAIN,' said Feldman

'The most important thing is that I have security. Somebody tried to kill me the other day. I've been arrested. This is no joke. I'm fearing for my life,' said Feldman.

When Megyn pressed the actor on his near-death experience, he stated: 'I had two trucks come speeding at me at the same time.'

He quickly added: 'I'm not saying they were trying to kill Corey Feldman. But they were trying to kill a group of people walking across the street.'

That $10 million project was later scrapped in favor of a $100,000 one for his 'truth campaign,' which has raised $29,000 as of Wednesday morning.

Since the recent Harvey Weinstein sex scandals sparked a surge of Hollywood heavyweights getting toppled from their positions of power, Corey's previous accounts of abuse at the hands of showbiz executives have gained new traction.

Feldman first came forward with his account in his 2013 memoir, Coreyography, claiming that both he and Corey Haim were repeatedly abused as up-and-coming actors.

Back in December, the actor was vindicated again as police in California said they had uncovered a tape in which Corey listed the names of men who had abused him in the past.

The former child actor had claimed in October that he had given the names of sexual predators in Hollywood to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office in 1993 during their investigation into Michael Jackson's molestation charges.

Then in November, the actor revealed the identities of two alleged child molesters he claims took advantage of him and other adolescent screen stars years ago.

He claimed on Dr. Oz that his former assistant and actor Jon Grissom was the first to take advantage of him in the 1980s.

Feldman also named former child talent manager and convicted sex offender Marty Weiss in a separate interview on Today.

Weiss was arrested in 2011 after one of his clients told police he had been sexually abused by the man starting when he was just 11-years-old, claiming the incidents happened 30 to 40 times over a roughly three years period.

He eventually pleaded no contest to two counts of child molestation in 2012 and was sentenced to a year in jail and five years probation however he was immediately released after entering his plea for time served.

Feldman spoke about telling police the names of these predators over two decades ago while being questioned about his friend Michael Jackson in multiple interviews last year.

'In 1993, I told the Santa Barbara Police Department, when they came to interrogate me about Michael Jackson, when they came to convince me that he was a pedophile. And I said he's not,' said Feldman while appearing on Megyn Kelly Live.

'And I said, 'I've been molested.' They said, 'by who?' I said, 'I can give you the names, here they are.' And they said, 'that's not our area. That's outside of our community.'

In November, the LAPD revealed it was investigating this rumored Hollywood pedophile ring after Feldman filed a formal police report identifying the men.

'Corey Feldman filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department. There is no further information at this time, and his report is being investigated,' a spokesperson told DaillyMail.com at the time.

Veteran: Feldman may be best known for his work in classic 1985 adventure film The Goonies

Haim was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s, with leading roles in films including 'Lucas,' 'Watchers' and the Oscar-nominated 'Murphy's Romance,' which he starred in alongside Sally Field and James Garner.

The boys first worked together on the 1987 vampire flick 'The Lost Boys,' and paired up again in the films 'License to Drive' and 'Dream a Little Dream.'

Haim was quite the ladies man too over the years, dating Alyssa Milano, Nicole Eggert, Holly Fields and even Victoria Beckham at one point.

Feldman and Haim had a chance to share the screen once more in 2007 with their reality show 'The Two Coreys,' which was cancelled after two seasons.

It was a little over a year after that last season aired that Haim died as a result of drug induced pneumonia.

Feldman detailed Haim's struggles with drugs - as well as his own - in his 2013 memoir 'Coreyography.'

In that book he revealed that the first time they tried cocaine was with two of the men who were abusing them.

Feldman also wrote in the book about Haim having sex with adult men on the set of 'Lucas' and 'The Lost Boys,' sharing a story he claims Haim told him one of the first times they met.

'At some point during the filming [of Lucas], he explained an adult male convinced him that it was perfectly normal for older men and younger boys in the business to have sexual relations, that it was what all 'guys do,' wrote Feldman.

'So they walked off to a secluded area between two trailers, during a lunch break for the cast and crew, and Haim, innocent and ambitious as he was, allowed himself to be sodomized.'

Feldman also wrote about Haim spending time with Weiss while they were filming 'The Lost Boys.'

He claimed in the book that one day on set Haim, who was 15 during filming, was aroused and wanted to have sex.

'Marty's gay? Why don't you ask him?' wrote Feldman.

'The two walked, single file, into the adjoining room. ... I heard sounds, banging, thumping. I felt my stomach flip-flop. I felt sick.'

Feldman also detailed a night when he allegedly received oral sex from a man after he was fed a cocktail of drugs.

The abuse at the hands of that man, who he called 'Ron' in the book, went on for years after that first incident.

'I don't know why I couldn't confront Ron, but I was consumed with guilt. I felt like the whole thing was my fault,' wrote Feldman.

'I desperately wanted him to stop, but I was afraid of losing my friend.'

The actor married Courtney Anne Mitchell, 28, in 2016 and shares 13-year-old son, Zen with ex-wife Susie Sprague.
President Trump doubled down on a claim that photos he shared depict sections of his wall being constructed, despite local officials saying otherwise.

'We started building our wall, I'm so proud of it,' Trump said Thursday during a trip to Ohio, where a speech about infrastructure became a free-wheeling walk-through of Trump's record.

Recalling the four photos he included with his tweet he marveled, 'what a thing of beauty,' noting also that the 'wall looks good, it's properly designed.'

'We're getting that sucker built,' the president boasted. 'I said I never give up.'

On Wednesday, Trump tweeted, 'Great briefing this afternoon on the start of our Southern Border WALL!'

Trump said he'd had a briefing on the topic just prior to sending out the photos of steel bollard fencing being put into place in an unspecified place by cranes.

But the Department of Homeland Security told CNN that the pictures depicted a section of fence being replaced in Calexico, California, which was paid for by last year's federal funding bill.

President Trump continued to boast about a section of his border wall being built, pointing to pictures he shared on Twitter yesterday, which show a section of the border local officials say is not part of the president's wall project

Recalling the four photos he included with his tweet he marveled, 'what a thing of beauty,' noting also that the 'wall looks good, it's properly designed'

'We're getting that sucker built,' the president boasted. 'I said I never give up,' the president said in Richfield, Ohio on Thursday

President Trump tweeted about 'the start of our Southern Border WALL,' though looked to include pictures from a segment of the wall that was constructed last month on funds allocated in 2017

The Department of Homeland Security told CNN that the photos President Trump used in his tweet were from a section of wall near Calexico, California, which local officials have said is not part of Trump's wall project

Here workers are seen adding new portions to the border from the area in question, located in Calexico, California

That wall, located outside of Calexico, California, was part of a 'local tactical infrastructure project,' a local official said, specifying that it wasn't part of the politically-tinged border wall that President Trump promised during the campaign

Workers are shown in early March working on a new section of wall near Calexico, California, while an older piece still stands

Additionally, as the structure was being replaced last month, local officials made sure the project wasn't mistaken for the building of the president's promised border wall.

'We just wanted to get out in front of it and let everybody know that this is a local tactical infrastructure project that was planned for quite some time,' David Kim, the assistant chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol's El Centro sector, told the Desert News.

Kim said he wanted to ensure that, 'there is no confusion about whether ... this is tied to some of the bigger immigration debates that are currently going on.'

The White House did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment on the contents of the tweet.

The president made immigration the centerpiece of his 2016 presidential campaign, calling for a wall and promising that Mexico would pay for it.

With Mexico refusing to do so, though, the president has been trying to identify alternative funding.

The president suggested last weekend that the U.S. military could carry the costs, although that idea was quickly deflated externally.

Trump suggested in a Sunday tweet that the $25 billion the administration says he needs could come from the Pentagon.

His White House press secretary did not deny in a Tuesday news conference that Trump was eyeing the defense department's massive budget for his border barrier.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders merely said she was 'not going to get into the specifics of that' as she was questioned about Trump's plan.

On Friday, the president approved an omnibus spending bill that gave the military a major boost in funds. Trump nearly vetoed the measure but put his name to it, he said, as a matter of national security.

Explaining it in a Sunday tweet, the president said, 'Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich.'

But then he said, 'Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!'

The 'M' was short-hand for military -- revealing Trump's apparent desire to tap Pentagon funds for the border structure he originally said that Mexico would pay for.

Asked to say Tuesday what Pentagon programs Trump intends to make cuts to in order to fund the wall, Trump's spokeswoman dodged.

'You know, I can't get into the specifics of that at this point. But I can tell you that the continuation of building the wall is ongoing,' she said, 'and we're going to continue moving forward in that process.'

Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection replaced a 2.25 mile section of the U.S-Mexico border wall near Calexico, California

Trump's border wall has become a wedge issue between the United States and the country it shares a southern border with. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is one of the few heads of state from an allied country that Trump has not met with since taking office.

Pena Nieto and Trump have repeatedly called off visits to the White House over the dispute.

Mexico has said unequivocally that it will not pay for the border barrier that Trump promised he'd build in the 2016 election.

Trump has said he will exact the charges through new trade regulations that the two countries and Canada are currently negotiating.

'I think he still has plans to look at potential ways for that to happen,' Sanders said Tuesday of Trump's desire to make Mexico fund the barrier.

On the front end, the president has asked the U.S. Congress to fund the border structure.

More than half of the 110 funded miles  63 in all  will look like this section, with replacement 'bollard walls' going up so weaker fencing can be torn down

Trump has said he would only need to build between 700 and 900 miles of walls to secure the border; more than half of the 1,954 miles is lined by 'natural barriers' like mountains and rivers

Legislators have steadily rejected his demands for the full amount of money, which his administration now puts at $25 billion. They granted him a $1.6 billion reprieve in the spending document he signed Friday that will buy him six months of time and materials, however.

The money covers the costs of 14 miles of secondary fencing in San Diego along the border, Fox News reported, and 25 miles of 'primary pedestrian levee fencing' in the Rio Grande sector.

The rest of the funds will go toward the 'replacement of existing primary pedestrian fencing along the southwest border, in addition to 'planning and design,' and border security technology.'

Congress approved fewer miles of new wall than the White House asked for in fiscal year 2017, authorizing repairs to existing wall instead.

'Not exactly what we wanted, where we wanted,' Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney admitted. 'Congress chose to ignore some of the suggestions that [Customs and Border Protection] made on where the best kind of wall should go and that's unfortunate.'

Lawmakers fulfilled the entire $1.6 billion request for the fiscal cycle, however, with the other money being appropriated to repairs for 63 miles of fencing that was already there.

Ordinary fencing already stretches along 650 miles of the border. An administration official said last week that a stronger wall 'would have to be replacing all of that.'

The president indicated during his campaign that the entire 1,954 miles of U.S.-Mexico border would have physical protection from illegal immigration and the drug trade, although the White House has taken the stance that mountains and other natural barriers will do the trick in many places and only 700-900 miles of border wall is necessary.
Austin's police chief has labeled parcel bomber Mark Anthony Conditt a 'domestic terrorist', a term the FBI has steered clear of since he killed two people and severely injured four by sending exploding packages around the city.

Chief Brian Manley made the comment on Thursday morning at a panel in Austin, Texas, where he and others discussed racial tension in the Texan city.

He said it had taken him so long to make the distinction because he had been focused on putting a stop to the bombings before characterizing the suspect.

'I will say through the weeks of investigation we were doing with the serial bomber unleashing this violence in our community, I was very driven and laser focused on the investigation on finding the suspect who was responsible for this and putting a stop to the violence in the community.

Austin Police Chief Brian Manley (left) said on Thursday that he now felt 'very comfortable' labeling parcel bomber Mark Anthony Conditt (right) a domestic terrorist

'When I look at what he did to our community and as your police chief, I actually agree now that he was a domestic terrorist for what he did to us.

'I sit here today and I am very comfortable saying that to our community and what he did to us, he was a domestic terrorist,' he said, according to KUT.

Until then, he had shied away from the characterization and was widely criticized for calling Conditt a 'very challenged young man'.

Chief Manley said on Thursday that he wanted to avoid using any language which could interfere with court proceedings.

Had he labeled him a terrorist too early, for example, and Conditt lived to face charges, his lawyers may have argued that he was unfairly characterized and the case against him was prejudiced.

'Knowing that it might end up in the legal system at some point, I was being very specific on legal definitions that exist under federal law because if this ended up being prosecuted.

Anthony Stephen House, 39, (left) and Draylen Mason, 17, (right) died after opening the packages

Conditt is pictured mailing one of the packages at a Fedex facility in Austin on March 18

'I was being very focused on the investigation.

'Over this past week as our investigation continues, we've dealt with the suspect in this incident.

In a videotaped confession, Conditt said he was a 'psychopath'

'I've had an opportunity to sit back and reflect on the impact that it had on our community and not be centered and focused and try to put a stop to it,' he said.

At the panel on Thursday, Chas Moore of the Austin Justice Coalition said he believed the term was not immediately applied because Conditt was white.

'Because he was white, we gave him the benefit of being a human first,' he said.

Conditt killed himself on March 21 by detonating one of his homemade explosives devices in his car as police approached him.

The two men who died were both black and one of the four injured was hispanic.

The race of the other people injured is not known.

In his confession, Conditt made no reference to why he sent the packages to the victims.

Conditt blew himself up in his car as police closed in on him on March 21 (above)
Christopher 'Tripp' Zanetis, 37, died when a helicopter carrying him and six other service men crashed near the Iraq-Syria border

A New York City firefighter who was killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq has been honored by his colleagues and loved ones at Washington Square Park.

Air Force Reserve Major and FDNY Marshal Christopher 'Tripp' Zanetis, 37, was one of seven servicemen who died on March 15 when the helicopter they were in crashed near the Iraq-Syria border, reportedly after hitting a power line.

On Thursday, those who knew him gathered at the iconic downtown Manhattan park for a memorial service in the fallen soldier's memory.

Hundreds of uniformed firefighters and members of the armed forces accompanied Zanetis' family as the firefighter was given military honors.

The memorial, hosted by the FDNY and New York University, began with a procession from Zanetis' former firehouse in the East Village to the park in Greenwich Village.

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's first lady Chirlane McCray were in attendance.

Lt. Christopher Raguso, another New York firefighter who lost his life in the crash, was also honored at the event.

On Thursday, Zaneties' colleagues and loved ones gathered at Washington Square Park in New York to pay their respects

The memorial ceremony began with a procession from Zanetis' former firehouse in the East Village to the park in Greenwich Village

His casket was draped in an American flag and moved to the park on a FDNY engine truck

Zanetis' family (pictured) honored his request that he have no funeral, but rather a 'celebration of life'

Colleagues of the firefighter-turned-serviceman carried his gear during the ceremony

Zanetis' casket was draped in an American flag and moved to the park on a FDNY engine truck.

At the end of the ceremony, his colleagues placed the NYFD's gold, white and red flag on his casket.

Zanetis, a longtime member of the city's Fire Department, graduated both NYU and Stanford Law and was currently on leave to pursue a law career and reportedly worked at a Manhattan firm.

He was reportedly inspired to join the FDNY in 2004 after 9/11, when he volunteered to help save people.

According to the New York Post, Zantis did not want a funeral but a 'celebration of life', and the ceremony was part of his loved ones' effort to fulfill his wishes.

After the ceremony another service was held at his alma mater's Kimmel Center.

Zanetis was a native of Indiana and known as a gay men who was an avid advocate of the LGBT community and veterans.

A program handed at the Kimmel Center and obtained by the Post said: 'Always true to himself, Tripp came out as gay to his family at the age of fifteen. He entered the military under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and served openly upon its repeal in 2011.'

Zaneti was on unpaid leave from the fire department at the time of his death

The memorial was hosted by the FDNY and New York University, Zanetis' alma mater

At the end of the ceremony, his colleagues placed the NYFD's gold, white and red flag on his casket

Hundreds of uniformed firefighters and members of the armed forces accompanied Zanetis' family as the firefighter was given military honors

Zanetis was a native of Indiana and known as a gay men who was an avid advocate of the LGBT community and veterans

He was one of the men rescued by Prince Harry after his crew was ambushed by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2012.

The prince co-piloted an Apache as it flew in to rescue injured servicemen who were then airlifted to safety.

The Prince is understood to have sprayed the fundamentalist forces with bullets, allowing the soldiers to escape.

Zanetis' 73-year-old father John told the Sun: 'Prince Harry came in with his protection squadron and blew the enemy to pieces.'

His 63-year-old mother described her son as 'remarkable' and said that although he did not talk about his service a lot, he did talk about Prince Harry's rescue after he had dinner with the royal.

The cause of the crash is still being investigated but officials have said that it does not appear to have been the result of enemy activity.

The crash is the deadliest incident involving U.S. soldiers abroad since May, 2013, when seven servicemen were killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's first lady Chirlane McCray were in attendance

At the end of the ceremony, Zanetis' colleagues placed the NYFD's gold, white and red flag on his casket

Zanetis was one of the men rescued by Prince Harry after his crew was ambushed by the Taliban in Afghanistan

After the ceremony another service was held at his alma mater's Kimmel Center
President Donald Trump promised his supporters today that their gun rights are safe, so long as he's appointing judges to the bench.

In an Ohio appearance that was billed as a speech on infrastructure, Trump took another swat at a retired Supreme Court justice who pressed for the repeal of the Second Amendment this week.

'We're gonna protect our Second Amendment,' Trump said Thursday. 'That's not gotta happen.'

An audience member said as Trump began his guns spiel that repeal of the constitutional protection would be 'tyranny,' to which the president laughed and replied, 'Could be right about that.'

'But your Second Amendment will always be your Second Amendment,' the Republican president pledged. 'We're not doing anything to that. Not doing anything.'

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President Donald Trump promised his supporters today that their gun rights are safe, so long as he's appointing judges to the bench

Trump said Wednesday that the constitutional right to bear arms would 'NEVER' be taken away in a tweet squarely aimed at John Paul Stevens, a former associate justice who pushed for repeal this week.

Writing in all caps on Twitter, Trump said, 'THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED! As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY.

'We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!' the president said, turning the anti-gun push into a mid-term election rallying cry.

He returned to the topic at an official White House event in Ohio, where he said he'd protect the Second Amendment while referring to 'a very important and respected in some circles, Democrat' who said 'we should get rid of our Second Amendment.'

Trump and the head of the National Rifle Association claimed last month at a national gathering of conservative activists that the left would come after Americans' gun rights if they seize power.

'Our American freedoms could be lost and our country will be changed forever,' NRA chief Wayne LaPierre said. 'The first to go will be the Second Amendment.'

A day later at the same conference, President Trump echoed LaPierre's mid-term warning, telling guests that if Democrats 'get in' to office, 'They will take away your Second Amendment, which we will never allow to happen.'

Former justice John Paul Stevens touched off on the anti-gun violence marches led by students across the country and said that true reforms would only come from a constitutional amendment ending Americans' right to bear arms. President Trump hit back at him on Wednesday

'We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!' the president said, turning the anti-gun push into a mid-term election rallying cry

Protesters hold signs and shout during the 'March for Our Lives' rally in support of gun control in Washington. Stevens' op-ed was in direct response to the marches

In an op-ed for the New York Times on Monday, Stevens urged legislators to do just that.

Touching off on the anti-gun violence marches led by students across the country over the weekend, Stevens said that true reforms would only come from a constitutional amendment ending Americans' right to bear arms.

'That simple but dramatic action would move Saturday's marchers closer to their objective than any other possible reform,' Stevens, a Republican-appointed justice, wrote.

On the court, Stevens often sided with the liberal wing, even though he was appointed by Republican President Gerald Ford. He has declined to state his political affiliation in recent years.

The 97-year-old retired in 2010 after 35 years of service, making him the third-longest serving justice.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. What the Second Amendment says

Stevens said in the Times that he'd been inspired by the student-led marches that represent a broadening level of support for gun reforms.

The marches are a clear sign that legislators should raise the minimum age for certain types of firearms from 18 to 21, he said, and introduce stricter background checks for purchasing firearms.

'But the demonstrators should seek more effective and more lasting reform. They should demand a repeal of the Second Amendment,' he said.

The concerns that led to the creation of the constitutional amendment, the need fight back against a government assault, 'is a relic of the 18th century,' Stevens wrote.

He pinpointed loose gun regulations on powerful lobbying by the National Rifle Association, calling the gun group a 'propaganda machine.'

'Overturning that decision via a constitutional amendment to get rid of the Second Amendment would be simple and would do more to weaken the N.R.A.'s ability to stymie legislative debate and block constructive gun control legislation than any other available option,' he said.

The 97-year-old retired in 2010 after 35 years of service, making him the third-longest serving justice. He's seen here with his fellow justices in 2009 in the front row, second from left

Repealing the Second Amendment, he wrote, would get rid of the only legal standing that firearms sellers have in America.

'It would make our schoolchildren safer than they have been since 2008 and honor the memories of the many, indeed far too many, victims of recent gun violence,' he stated.

A fierce debate over gun control is underway in America following a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month. Students from the high school started a nationwide movement that has taken hold and led to marches on Washington and other major cities over the weekend.

The federal government last week passed two minor measures that had bipartisan support and the backing of President Trump. Students and activists are asking legislators to do more before the conversation moves on, including the creation of a rule requiring background checks on private gun sales.

President Donald Trump has said that schools should allow teachers to carry firearms as a deterrence to violence in schools. The White House is also pressing state governments to authorize temporary restraining orders for mentally ill persons to block their access to firearms.

As a justice, Stevens led the dissent in the most significant Second Amendment case he was party to, 2008's District of Columbia v Heller, which ended with a 5-4 ruling that the right to bear arms was not connected to service in a militia.

It opened the way for 2010's decision that state regulation of them has to be in line with the 14th Amendment's Due Process clause.

Together both of them were seen as victories by the gun lobby, and Stevens' op-ed suggests that he sees no other way to regulate guns effectively than by abolishing the Second Amendment in its entirety.
Parkland survivor David Hogg has rejected an apology from Laura Ingraham because he says she was moved to walk back her tweets about his college rejections after companies decided not to advertise on her Fox News show.

I 100% agree an apology in an effort just to save your advertisers is not enough, Hogg tweeted on Thursday.

I will only accept your apology only if you denounce the way your network has treated my friends and I in this fight.

Its time to love thy neighbor, not mudsling at children.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham apologized to Parkland survivor David Hogg on Thursday after the 17-year-old called for supporters to boycott the station because she mocked his college rejections. Hogg later rejected the apology, saying it was meant to appease advertisers

I will only accept your apology only if you denounce the way your network has treated my friends and I in this fight,' Hogg tweeted

As of Thursday evening, a total of seven companies distanced themselves from Ingraham.

They include Nestle, TripAdvisor, Nutrish, Wayfair, JoS. A. Bank, Expedia, and Hulu.

Ingraham declined to address the controversy on her Fox News show on Thursday night.

Hogg was tweeting in agreement with Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jaime Guttenberg, who was among 17 people killed in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14.

Guttenberg responded on Twitter to a news story about Ingrahams apology.

An apology to save your advertisers is not enough, the bereaved father tweeted.

What you did was disgusting.

Our message for common sense gun reforms has won, and those in opposition have gone negative.

They need to pay a price for that. These kids have suffered enough.

Hogg was tweeting in agreement with Fred Guttenberg (far left), the father of Jaime Guttenberg (center), who was among 17 people killed in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14

Guttenberg responded on Twitter to a news story about Ingrahams apology

Ingraham, the conservative author who hosts the highly rated show The Ingraham Angle on Fox News Channel, apologized to Hogg on Thursday after the 17-year-old called for supporters to boycott the network because she mocked his college rejections.

Ingraham mocked Hogg as 'whining' about his rejection into UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, or UC Irvine.

'David Hogg rejected by Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it,' she tweeted on Wednesday. 'Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates).'

But after being called out for the insensitive comments, she apologized 'in the spirit of the Holy Week.'

Ingraham mocked Hogg as 'whining' about his rejection into UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, or UC Irvine

'Any student should be proud of a 4.2 GPA incl. @DavidHogg111,' she tweeted on Thursday afternoon.

'On reflection, in the spirit of Holy Week, I apologize for any upset or hurt my tweet caused him or any of the brave victims of Parkland. For the record, I believe my show was the first to feature David immediately after that horrific shooting and even noted how "poised" he was given the tragedy.

'As always, hes welcome to return to the show anytime for a productive discussion.'

The apologies came just hours after Rachel Ray's pet food brand Nutrish said it plans to distance itself from the The Ingraham Angle.

'We are in the process of removing our ads from Laura Ingraham's program,' the company tweeted at Hogg.

He responded with a simple: 'Thank you'.

After being called out for the insensitive comments, she apologized 'in the spirit of the Holy Week'

The apologies came just hours after Rachel Ray's pet food brand Nutrish said it plans to distance itself from the controversial host's show 'The Ingraham Angle.'

Hogg earlier tweeted at Ingraham directly, writing: 'Soooo what are your biggest advertisers...Asking for a friend. #BoycottIngramAdverts'.

He then tweeted a list of advertisers which included AT&T, Nutrish, Allstate, Esurance, Bayer, Liberty Mutual, Arby's, TripAdvisor, Nestle, and Hulu.

Hogg instructed his nearly 600,000 followers to pick a number between 1 and 12 and contact the company next to the number.

The teen also tweeted at each of the Twitter accounts directly, linking to Ingraham's tweet and asking 'why do you support this?'

Hogg's Twitter campaign appears to be bearing fruit.

So far, seven companies announced they would pull advertising from the show.

Hogg's Twitter campaign appears to be bearing fruit. So far, seven companies, including Hulu (whose logo is seen above), announced they would pull advertising from the show

JoS. A. Bank, the clothing retailer, distanced itself from Ingraham's show on Thursday

The logo of global online travel brand Expedia is pictured above. Expedia is also pulling its advertising from The Ingraham Angle

Travel booking site TripAdvisor, which also pulled its ads from Ingraham's show, released a statement on Thursday: 'We believe strongly in the values of our company, especially the one that says, "We are better together"

Another advertiser that joined the boycott is e-commerce site Wayfair. 'As a company, we support open dialogue and debate on issues,' the company said in a statement

Swiss chocolate maker Nestle also released a statement, saying: 'We have no plans to buy ads on the show in the future'

'We are in the process of removing our ads from Laura Ingraham's program,' Nutrish, the pet food company owned by Rachael Ray, announced on Twitter

'We are in the process of removing our ads from Laura Ingraham's program,' Nutrish, the pet food company owned by Rachael Ray, announced on Twitter.

Hulu, the popular streaming service, also released a statement saying it was pulling its advertising.

'Wed like to confirm that we are no longer advertising on Laura Ingrahams show and are monitoring all of our ad placements carefully,' the company tweeted on Thursday.

Travel booking site TripAdvisor, which also pulled its ads from Ingraham's show, released a statement on Thursday: 'We believe strongly in the values of our company, especially the one that says, "We are better together".

'We also believe Americans can disagree while still being agreeable, and that the free exchange of ideas within a community, in a peaceful manner, is the cornerstone of our democracy.'

Another advertiser that joined the boycott is e-commerce site Wayfair.

'As a company, we support open dialogue and debate on issues,' the company said in a statement.

'However, the decision of an adult to personally criticize a high school student who has lost his classmates in an unspeakable tragedy is not consistent with our values.

'We do not plan to continue advertising on this particular program.'

Swiss chocolate maker Nestle also released a statement, saying: 'We have no plans to buy ads on the show in the future.'

Hogg tweeted at Ingraham directly following the hit and encouraged his nearly 600,000 followers to help boycott her advertisers

He then tweeted a list of advertisers which included AT&T, Nutrish, Allstate, Esurance, Bayer, Liberty Mutual, Arby's, Trip Advisor, Nestle, and Hulu

The teen also tweeted at each of the twitter accounts directly, linking to Ingraham's tweet and asking 'why do you support this?'

TMZ founder Harvey Levin came to Hogg's defense, tweeting directly at Ingraham and asking if she had watched the video of the interview at all.

'David was not whining. I called him about the story,' Levin wrote. 'He was not feeling sorry for himself in the slightest.'

'It was my idea that colleges should consider applicants who are so committed. Did you watch the video?'

Hogg revealed on Tuesday that he had been rejected from the four California schools.

The teen also revealed he has a 4.2 GPA and scored a 1270 on his SAT, both of which are considered above average.

Hogg, who recently helped organize March For Our Lives, admitted that it was hard to focus on college decisions at the current moment.

TMZ founder Harvey Levin also came to Hogg's defense, tweeting directly at Ingraham and asking if she had watched the video of the interview at all

'It's been kind of annoying having to deal with that and everything else that's been going on but at this point, you know, we're changing the world,' he told TMZ.

Hogg said he was not surprised by the decision and did not attribute his rejection to his involvement in the movement, suggesting instead that he had been overlooked in a vast number of applications.

'I am not surprised at all honestly,' he said.

'I think there's a lot of amazing people that don't get to college not only that do things like I do, but because their voices just aren't heard in the tsunami of people that apply every year for college in such an economic impacted school system which we have here in America where people have to go into massive amounts of debt just to go to college and get an education.'

Hogg revealed on Tuesday that he had been rejected from the four California schools

'I think it's really sad but it's the truth.'

A number of people hit back at Ingraham on Twitter, asking how she could pick on a child who had just watched 17 of his classmates die in a mass shooting.

'Attacking a traumatized kid for a 4.1 GPA. Good on you #GOP. Keeping it classy always. Party of family values and all that,' wrote user Wenders K.

'Are you really picking on a teenager who just watched his classmates die in pools of their blood less than two months ago?' asked Brooke Binkowski.

One user pointed out that Ingraham had gotten Hogg's GPA wrong.

'She obviously didn't read it, just wanted to bully a teenager,' they added.

'Reveling in the misfortune of a child is embarrassing, even for your Laura,' tweeted author Molly Knight.

'Imagine being an adult who hates teenagers so much you pants him online for getting rejected by colleges,' tweeted Andrew Kirell.

Hogg said he has yet to decide which university he will attend, adding that it was not a priority given his ongoing activism.

Hogg, who recently helped organize March For Our Lives (pictured in Washington DC), admitted that it was hard to focus on college decisions at the current moment

Emma Gonzalez will attend the New College of Florida, a liberal arts college, Hogg revealed

'Right now, I have no clue. I haven't even thought about it, honestly. It is absolutely disappointing but at this point we're already changing the world,' he said.

'If colleges want to support us in that, great, if they don't it doesn't matter, we're still going to change the world.'

A million people around America turned out for coordinated protests against gun violence on March 24.

The largest was held in Washington DC where Hogg gave an impassioned and, some said presidential, speech on the issue of gun reform in front of 800,000 people.

Since February 15, he has been at the forefront of advocacy for tighter gun laws.

Emma Gonzalez, his classmate who stood silent on the enormous stage at Saturday's protest for as long as gunman Nikolas Cruz sprayed her school with bullets, will attend the New College of Florida, a liberal arts school, he said.
No sooner than President Trump had secured his first major trade deal, the U.S. leader said he could hold it up for awhile.

Trump told a crowd Thursday that he may wait to move ahead on a deal his administration inked with South Korea until planned nuclear talks with North Korea have concluded.

'South Korea has been wonderful,' he said, 'but we'll probably hold that deal up for a little while, see how that deal plays out.'

Trump said his thinking had shifted on the matter because the trade deal is a 'very strong card' and he wants to make sure that 'everyone is treated fairly' in the process.

No sooner than President Trump had secured his first major trade deal, the U.S. leader said he could hold it up for awhile

It was a surprise development after the Trump administration said Tuesday that the United States and South Korea had agreed on revisions to their six-year-old trade pact.

Officials said the revised deal widened US access to South Korea's car market while providing American manufacturers protection from South Korean imports.

Trump had previously called the original South Korea pact a job killer.

The new deal doubles - to 50,000 - the cars each US automaker can export annually to South Korea, reduces bureaucratic barriers to American products and extends a 25 percent US tariff on South Korean pickup trucks until 2041.

South Korea escapes the new 25 percent tariff on imported steel but must accept quotas on steel shipments to the United States.

The agreement, cobbled together quickly with only a few rounds of negotiations under Trump's threat of withdrawal, was to include a side-letter that requires South Korea to provide increased transparency of its foreign exchange interventions, with commitments to avoid won devaluations for competitive purposes.

The currency deal, final details of which are still being negotiated between the U.S. Treasury and South Korea's Ministry of Strategy and Finance, is considered a 'side letter' that will not be enforceable with trade sanctions.

Addressing the deal on Thursday at an infrastructure event in Ohio, Trump said, 'Just this week we secured a wonderful deal with South Korea.

'We're in a deal that was a horror show. It was gonna produce 200,000 jobs. And it did -- for them,' he stated. 'That was a Hillary Clinton special, I hate to say.'

Clinton was a U.S. Secretary of State under the last president. She helped to promote the final version of the agreement before she resigned to run for president opposite of Trump.

Trump said Thursday that the newly-negotiated deal would 'level the playing field for steel, and cars and trucks coming into this country.'

'And I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea,' he said in a surprise twist. 'You know why? Because it's a very strong card, and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly, and we're moving along very nicely with North Korea.'

President Trump is due to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un at some point in the next two months after accepting an invitation to negotiate from the hermit leader.

'We'll see what happens. Certainly, the rhetoric has calmed down just a little bit, would you say, would you say, and we'll see how it all turns out,' Trump told his audience on Thursday. 'Maybe it will be good, and maybe it won't, and if its no good, we're walking, and if it's good, we'll embrace it.'

The new deal doubles - to 50,000 - the cars each US automaker can export annually to South Korea. Pictured above is a crane transporting vehicles to a container ship in Oakland

A worker works at an assembly line of Hyundai Motor's plant in Asan, South Korea on Tuesday

Many U.S. lawmakers, particularly Democrats, had opposed the 2015 Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal because it had a similar currency manipulation side-agreement that could not be enforced.

Nonetheless, the revised US-South Korean Free Trade Agreement, known as KORUS, would be the first US trade deal in force with a currency side-deal, and would not need congressional approval, the officials said.

Asked whether the forex agreement would ensure that South Korea is not declared a manipulator in the US Treasury's next currency report due on April 15, the officials declined to comment, saying such assessments would be made in accordance with Treasury's normal procedures.

South Korea has been kept on a Treasury currency 'monitoring list' due to its large global current account surplus and US trade surplus. The Treasury's October report urged Korea to 'to enhance the transparency of its exchange rate intervention.'

The officials confirmed that South Korea agreed to cut its steel exports to the United States by about 30 percent in exchange for the rest being excluded from steel tariffs. Korean aluminum producers would still be subject to Trump's 10 percent tariff on aluminum.

Other countries also must agree to similar quotas to escape tariffs, but the size of the limits would vary. The United States is negotiating with Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the European Union, Australia and Argentina.

One official said it was 'not a one-size fits all kind of thing' and added that the South Korean quota was agreed due to its 'unique' position in steel exports. South Korea imports and processes significant amounts of Chinese-made steel, much of which is under anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs.

South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong listens to a reporter's question during a briefing at Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea regarding the deal

The announcement of the agreement came as Beijing confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had visited China to hold talks with President Xi Jinping, in his first foreign visit since taking power

'What will be the same for any country that is out from under the 232 tariff, like with Korea, there will be a hard quota,' the official added.

South Korea also agreed to amend a government health program that pays premium prices to domestic drug companies in order to ensure a level playing field for US pharmaceuticals producers, the US officials said.

In addition to the increased access for American vehicles that meet US but not necessarily South Korean safety standards, the US officials also said they won reductions in non-tariff barriers to US vehicle sales, including elimination of duplicate environmental testing requirements and recognition of US replacement parts standards.

Extension of the phase-out period for US pickup truck tariffs to 2041 would ensure that US pickup truck production would not migrate to South Korea as some production moved to Mexico after the North American Free Trade Agreement eliminated the tariff, the officials said.

The announcement of the agreement came as Beijing confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had visited China to hold talks with President Xi Jinping, in his first foreign visit since taking power.

During the meeting, Kim committed to denuclearisation in Korea if the United States and the South showed 'goodwill', it was reported, with China agreeing to support its neighbor if nuclear tensions could be eased.
The first duty of the state is to protect its citizens. The current administration is not doing this. In effect, it currently permits disturbed individuals with military style weapons to roam through public schools killing at random. The attitude of the administration seems to be that schools are on their own to defend themselves.
Los Angeles police are hunting a man who robbed homes while the residents were at funerals saying goodbye to loved ones.

Doorbell camera footage caught an unidentified white male attempting to burglarize multiple homes while the people were away in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.

Homeowners in these neighborhoods were able to make connections to the same culprit after they posted footage and descriptions of him on Nextdoor, a private social media website for residential areas.

There were two separate incidents when the victims went to services put on by the same funeral home and returned back to find their residences broken into.

A white male with blonde hair was seen at two different homes in LA attempting to rob them while the owners were at funerals, police say

Do you recognize this man? Police are asking anyone with information to call 800-222-8477

But detectives say the culprit is not targeting people based on the funeral home.

'This is not an employee (of the funeral home),' Detective Marc Diamond with the LAPD said to the Los Angeles Daily News. 'We talked to the people there. We know it's not an employee or a friend of an employee.'

The suspect is described as a white male with blonde hair who is between the ages of 25 and 30.

He is also said to be between five feet and 11 inches to six feet tall and weighing around 170 pounds.

The man first robbed a home on March 7 in West LA.

He was then caught again on camera on March 11 robbing another home wearing a black T-shirt, black jeans and black Nike shoes.

During the second incident, the suspect was unable to take anything because he tripped the alarm.

Instead, he was only able to kick multiple doors in before he fled the scene.

After both crimes, the suspect was seen driving off in a white Mercedes with no front plate.

Detectives believe the suspect is potentially going through obituaries to target the person's family members when they are away at the funeral.

Anyone with information about the suspect and the burglaries are asked to contact LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

The suspect was seen driving away from both homes in a white Mercedes with no front license plate
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has decided that he doesn't need to appoint a second special counsel to probe the FBI's use of the so-called 'dirty dossier' in snooping on Trump associate Carter Page.

On Thursday, Sessions said that he thought it was enough to have the Department of Justice's Inspector General looking into the bureau's use of the dossier to obtain a FISA warrant, while adding that there's already an ongoing internal department review.

Sessions' move will likely annoy President Trump, whose lawyers had called for the appointment of a second special counsel.

On top of that, the attorney general  who the president has labeled an 'idiot,' 'beleaguered' and 'disgraceful'  is currently on the cover of Time magazine.

That's something that's annoyed Trump in the past.

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions likely just doused himself in hot water, as he said Thursday he wouldn't be appointing a second special counsel, which President Trump's lawyers advocated for. He's also on the cover of Time magazine, which won't sit well with Trump

President Trump, photographed giving a speech in Richfield, Ohio, Thursday, likely won't be happy as his lawyers had requested in December that Attorney General Jeff Sessions appoint a second special counsel

Sessions has been a focus of Trump's anger for the past year, after recusing himself from the Russia investigation last March.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions may be in double trouble with President Trump, as he's also appearing on the cover of Time

That decision, coupled with the president's own idea to can FBI Director James Comey, led to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointing Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

In December, Axios reported that Trump's legal team thought Sessions and the FBI were more to blame for the Russian 'witchhunt,' as the president calls it, and recommended that Sessions name a second special counsel.

Much of the suspicions surrounded the dossier, which was compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele and financed, during the latter half of the 2016 campaign, by the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton's campaign.

That research, Republicans claimed in a controversial House Intelligence Committee memo, was used to green-light a FISA warrant to spy on Page. Democrats have countered that narrative, blasting the GOP for cherry picking the intelligence.

In the Time interview, Sessions asserted that he likes working for Trump  though defended himself from the president's attacks.

'I want to do what the president wants me to do,' Sessions told Time. 'But I do feel like we're advancing the agenda that he believes in. And what's good for me is it's what I believe in too.'

Sessions, a U.S. senator from Alabama before taking the top Department of Justice job, had been a hard-liner on immigration and crime, long before Trump started espousing those views.

He was the first sitting senator to endorse Trump during the campaign, doing so before the important set of Super Tuesday primaries.

But the camaraderie Sessions and Trump established during the campaign, hasn't transferred to their relationship since the attorney general's recusal.

'I think I did the right thing,' Sessions protested. 'I don't think the attorney general can ask everybody else in the department to follow the rules if the attorney general doesn't follow them.'

Trump has tweeted multiple times that he doesn't believe that.

He's also taken issue with aides getting too big for their britches in the past.

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon appeared on the cover of Time magazine in February, labeled 'The Great Manipulator.'

Two months later, it still annoyed Trump, as was reported in the New York Times.

'That just doesn't happen,' he reported told a White House visitor, suggesting the aide purposely tried to out-shine the president.
Footage has emerged showing the dramatic arrest of a 14-year-old boy who was caught behind the wheel of an alleged stolen vehicle in Adelaide.

The boy was driving a white Toyota Sedan on Tynte Street in Adelaide's north on Thursday morning when a parking inspector trapped him in and paved way for the police to arrest him.

With no escape route, the 14-year-old from Christie Downs, jumped out of the driver's seat and fled on foot.

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Footage has emerged showing the dramatic arrest of a 14-year-old boy who was caught behind the wheel of an alleged stolen vehicle in Adelaide (pictured fleeing on foot)

With no escape route, the 14-year-old from Christie Downs, jumped out of the driver's seat and fled on foot

The police gave chase and followed the boy into a nearby apartment complex, where he hit a dead end.

The footage shows the boy appear to struggle and reach for a cigarette on the ground, before police handcuff and arrest him.

Police probed the boy about the car, which was allegedly stolen at knife-point on Archer Street about 11.30pm on Wednesday night, Nine News reported.

Responding to police questioning, the boy could be heard saying: 'No, my mate did and gave me the keys and I didn't know it was stolen'.

The footage shows the boy appear to struggle and reach for a cigarette on the ground, before police handcuff and arrest him

Responding to police questioning, the boy could be heard saying: 'No, my mate did and gave me the keys and I didn't know it was stolen'

The boy is then seen being bundled into a police vehicle.

The 14-year-old has been charged with illegal use of a vehicle and driving unlicensed.

He was refused bail to appear at the Adelaide Youth Court at an unspecified date.

Police investigations into the knife-point robbery continue.
Derrick Dixon, 31, of Novi, Michigan was ordered to stand trial on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his 32-year-old wife

A man from Novi, Michigan was ordered to stand trial on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his 32-year-old wife.

Derrick Dixon, 31, admitted to fatally strangling his wife Heather despite changing his story several times.

Apparently Dixon and Heather were arguing during the early hours on January 4 in the home they lived in with their three children.

Novi police Detective Michael Marchetti said: 'She wanted a divorce and was taking the kids. That's what he said the argument was over.'

'I asked if he knew where Heather was and he said he did not. He said she was asleep on the bed. He had taken pills to kill himself,' he continued.

He eventually told police that he choked his wife to death with his hands, but then changed the story again, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Marchetti said: 'We pressed and he said he got a white tie from a Halloween costume and wrapped it around her throat.'

Dixon, 31, admitted to fatally strangling his wife Heather despite changing his story several times

'He had some marks on him, so we asked if he was behind her  he said he was always in front of her. He said he tightened the tie for three or four minutes. He laid her on the floor.'

According to Marchetti Dixon got unspecified pills from a locked container.

Dixon was unconscious when authorities arrived at his home and were therefore unable to interview him.

He was rushed to hospital by ambulance and firefighters.

The following day Dixon, despite being awake, was unable to speak as he was on a ventilator.

Detectives were eventually able to conduct their interview, however due to the leather straps and handcuffs restraining him he was unable to sign his Miranda warning.

He eventually told police that he choked his wife with his hands in the home they share with their three children

Dixon's mother Barbara testified that she received a call from him about 1:30 a.m. January 4. Apparently he asked her to pick up the couple's three children from their home.

Dixon had told her that his wife had broken his eyeglasses during an argument and therefore couldn't bring the children to her.

'He said Heather was flipping out  that was his expression. My husband went with me to pick up the kids,' Barbara said.

Detective Marchetti said: 'We pressed and he said he got a white tie from a Halloween costume and wrapped it around her throat'

She also said it wasn't the first time she had to pick up her grandchildren when her son and his wife were arguing.

Barbara said she went over to the house. 'I knocked and got no answer. I looked in the window and saw Derrick on the couch slumped over to the side.'

'I yelled and there was no answer. I called 9-1-1,' she said.

When police arrived at the scene she said: 'They sort of ushered me into the kitchen. I could hear them working on Derrick.'

Barbara revealed in court that her son had previously attempted suicide in July 2017. He also attempted it when he was a junior high and high school student.

She testified that the couple were upset because Heather had lost her medical insurance and the family was also being evicted from their mobile home.

Dixon is scheduled for circuit court arraignment Monday, April 9. He is currently being held without bond and is facing a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder

In a statement to police Dixon said he had strangled his wife after the children had been picked up by his parents, Marchetti revealed.

Dr. Ruben Ortiz-Reyes, deputy Oakland County medical examiner, confirmed Heather died as a result of ligature strangulation.

He said a white neck tie had been wound around her neck three times and that a 1.5-inch mark was visible after the tie was removed.

Dixon is scheduled for circuit court arraignment Monday, April 9.

He is currently being held without bond and is facing a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder.
Human remains have been found inside a burnt-out fuel tanker that exploded following a collision with a car in north west Queensland on Thursday.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Barkly Highway about 8.30am on Thursday, where a fuel tanker had become ablaze following the crash.

Huge plumes of dark smoke were seen coming from the fuel tanker, and the vehicle involved was found on its side.

Human remains have been found inside a burnt out fuel tanker after a fiery crash in north west Queensland

Police were unable to approach the tanker for hours as the fuel continued to burn, but have since discovered human remains inside.

The body will need to be forensically examined in order for formal identification of the occupant to occur.

A 48-year-old Mount Isa man, who was behind the wheel of the car, was rushed to Cloncurry Hospital in a critical condition.

The Barkly Highway was closed in both directions until Thursday night, but has now re-opened with traffic control in place.

Motorists are urged to proceed with caution.

The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.
City predators and hedge funds were branded the 'unacceptable face of capitalism' last night after defence giant GKN fell to an 8billion takeover.

Despite a chorus of criticism, asset strippers Melrose won control of the 259-year-old UK firm, which made cannonballs for the Battle of Waterloo and Spitfires for the Battle of Britain.

They took a narrow majority in a shareholder vote, but only after receiving backing from ruthless hedge funds who bought up 25 per cent of GKN shares in recent weeks.

As Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson suggested the deal could still be reversed on security grounds, those recent investors were thought to have made a quick 172million in profit when GKN's shares surged on news of the deal. They stand to make millions more.

Melrose bosses (from left) Simon Peckham, David Roper, Christopher Miller,and finance chief Geoffrey Martin could get as much as 285million personally from their takeover of the firm

Melrose bosses Simon Peckham, Christopher Miller, David Roper and finance chief Geoffrey Martin could get as much as 285million personally from their takeover of the firm.

But as they celebrate, thousands of GKN jobs are at risk, including at its head office in Redditch, Worcestershire.

The firm, one of the great names of UK engineering, makes aircraft and engine parts for Boeing, Airbus and Rolls Royce, car parts for major manufacturers, and is a supplier to the Pentagon of the F-35 Lockheed Martin fighter  destined for the UK's aircraft carrier fleet. It has been independent since 1759.

Melrose bosses, by contrast, boast of an ability to break up companies and sell off the parts to the highest bidder in a few years.

But as they celebrate, thousands of GKN jobs are at risk, including at its head office in Redditch, Worcestershire (pictured)

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson suggested the deal could still be reversed on security grounds

Last night, the Government was urged to block the deal, having intervened 12 times in takeovers since the Enterprise Act 2002. Critics rounded on ministers for letting vulture funds influence the deal. It came as:

Ministry of Defence sources raised national security concerns, piling pressure on Business Secretary Greg Clark to intervene;

It claimed that US officials could block the takeover over fears it could jeopardise a major contract with the Pentagon;

West Midlands mayor Andy Street called for an urgent meeting with Melrose over job cut concerns;

Campaigners called for reform of takeover rules to protect companies from ruthless hedge funds.

The sale has already paid off for New York hedge fund Elliott, which saw the value of its 3.85 per cent stake jump by 26million.

Elliott, which has a reputation for muscling in on global mega-deals, more than doubled its GKN shareholding after the bid was announced.

Jack Dromey MP, who has been campaigning against the takeover, said: 'These hedge funds have been described as the unacceptable face of capitalism. The idea that these super-rich investors can make a killing by selling short a 259-year-old British icon is fundamentally wrong.'

GKN, the 259-year-old firm, made cannonballs for the Battle of Waterloo and Spitfires (pictured in 1942) for the Battle of Britain

Tory MP Lucy Allan said: 'These investors, or vulture funds, came on to the GKN share register for a matter of weeks, in order to make a quick and significant profit. And it is they who have decided the future of this great British company. There are few who would condone this.'

Defence analyst Howard Wheeldon added: 'Melrose has won this by the spivs who bought in on the hope of making money, as opposed to backing them for the right or wrong reasons or backing British or indeed other jobs  we are losers all round for allowing them to buy in and to be given a vote.'

When Melrose swooped in January, GKN fought it off and put in place its own plan to restructure the business. But Melrose was undeterred and came back with a bigger offer.

Critics argued that it would make Melrose bosses hundreds of millions of pounds, would result in the firm being split up and sold to foreign investors, and see a British engineering giant lost.

It became a war of words as both sides tried to convince wavering investors. Crucially, hedge funds saw the spat as a chance to make millions by buying GKN stock and then forcing the deal through. They had full full voting rights due to Britain's takeover laws.

Earlier this week, Mr Clark said he had secured a series of promises from Melrose to keep its business in the UK until 2023. However, critics immediately claimed that these promises were not worth the paper they were written on.

There were also calls last night to protect UK jobs, as it was feared Melrose would close some of GKN's Redditch headquarters

Yesterday, Melrose claimed victory, winning 52.43 per cent of votes from shareholders.

Lord Heseltine, former deputy PM and defence secretary, said: 'This is the clash between the culture of the financial world and profits and the strategic interests of this country  and it is inevitable that the financial system wins.

'No other country of our sort would have allowed this  it's not what I think serves the national interest. I think it is wrong.'

A Whitehall source last night said the Defence Secretary had 'significant reservations', despite the assurances secured by Mr Clark.

The source said: 'It might not be a done deal just yet.' Mr Williamson is said to be concerned Melrose could sell off critical elements of GKN's business in the future.

Mr Clark has said he will take advice from the MoD before deciding whether to block it.

There were also calls last night to protect UK jobs, as it was feared Melrose would close some of GKN's Redditch headquarters.

Unite's Steve Turner said: 'The takeover is far from a done deal. National security concerns remain not just for the UK, but for the US too, where the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US is yet to approve the takeover and to whom Unite has made representations.'

Frances O'Grady of the TUC added: 'The Government has failed to protect GKN workers  Ministers got involved far too late and effectively rolled over.'

Paul Everitt, of aerospace and defence trade body ADS, said it was 'a worrying time for GKN', its employees, pensioners, suppliers and customers.'

Melrose chairman Christopher Miller said it planned to create 'a UK industrial powerhouse with a market capitalisation of over 10billion and a tremendous future'.

He added: 'Melrose has made commitments as to investment in R&D, skills and people  Let me assure you that GKN is entering into very good hands.'




Luke Pennington suffered a 'severe reaction' immediately after taking the drug at a house in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on March 17

A 14-year-old schoolboy has died after taking the drug Spice at a sleepover with a friend, an inquest has heard.

Luke Pennington, who is believed to be the youngest person to die after taking the synthetic cannabis, suffered a 'severe reaction' immediately after taking the drug at a house in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on March 17.

An inquest opening at Stockport Coroner's Court heard that Luke and a number of friends had bought the drug earlier that evening.

Luke had taken the drug first, then followed by another friend, a senior police officer told the hearing.

Paramedics rushed to the scene after Luke and his friend fell ill, and the pair were rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital.

Rita Wilkinson, a senior police officer at GMP giving evidence at the inquest opening, said: 'Luke was with some friends at a sleepover.

'They had purchased some Spice and that was taken. Luke had taken it first followed by one of his friends.

'Luke had a severe reaction immediately after and paramedics were called.'

Luke was transferred from Wythenshawe to the intensive care unit at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, but died at 1.55am on March 18.

The court heard his death is being treated as 'unascertained' until toxicology and histology reports have been completed.

The St James Catholic High School student was described by his teachers as 'popular and well-liked'

The St James Catholic High School student was described by his teachers as 'popular and well-liked'.

Earlier this month, the school's headteacher, Tim Beesley, said: 'Our thoughts, prayers and sympathy go out to his family and friends at this very difficult time.

'We are offering support for any of our students who have been affected by his death, particularly those who knew him, as he was a very popular and well-liked member of our school community.'

Greater Manchester Police arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs on March 21. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

Andrew Bridgman, assistant coroner for south Manchester, set a date for a full inquest on October 3.

MailOnline has contacted the NHS England for comment.
Arkansas teacher Jessie Lorene Goline, 26, pleaded guilty to sexual indecency with a child charges Tuesday after she was accused of having sex with four students

A married Arkansas art teacher will not face time behind bars despite being accused of having sex with four of her pupils, including two on the very same day.

Jessie Lorene Goline, 26, seduced her students via sext messages and would take them to her apartment for intercourse.

On Tuesday she was sentenced to serve 42 months of probation for inappropriate relationships with four students while she taught at Marked Tree High School.

The former art teacher allegedly had sex with three students enrolled in the Marked Tree School District and another from East Poinsett County School District.

One of those students was underage.

She was sentenced to 42 months on probation and will register as a sex offender

Goline, pictured with her husband, brought students back to her Jonesboro apartment for intercourse and allegedly had sex with two pupils on the same day

She claimed that she believed all of the students were 18 but only later learned one was 'way younger than what he had told her', according to the NY Post.

The inappropriate relationships unfolded from January to April 2016, when Goline would invite students to her Jonesboro apartment for sex.

In one rendezvous she reportedly drove home with a student from her class then brought him back to school after sex.

Speaking the authorities, the students revealed that the teacher had sex with one student the same day she took another to her apartment.

A victim speaking to authorities at the high school said Goline noted 'how good he looked in class', according to Arkansas Online.

Goline, center with the Marked Tree Tennis team, allegedly seduced students by noting how 'good they looked' in class and sending sext images

Her inappropriate relations took palce at Marked Tree High School in Arkansas from January to April 2016

The teacher also reportedly sent the student a photo of herself wearing a thong underwear.

She was arrested September 2017 when the principal learned of her relations.

When confronted by Principal Matt Wright Goline replied, 'Im not going to lose my husband,' according to WSFA12.

When he asked if she did anything inappropriate she admitted 'We had sex'.

On Tuesday she agreed to plea guilty to sexual indecency with a child charges and will face three and a half years of probation.

She will also have to register as a sex offender.

She was placed on leave at Marked Tree High School last May.
First lady Melania Trump made an unannounced visit to the Palm Beach Children's Hospital on Thursday, meeting with patients and their families, and spreading some Easter cheer.

Reporters weren't informed of her trip to the St. Mary's Medical Center campus until after the fact, with her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham confirming it in a tweet.

'FLOTUS just finished a surprise visit to @StMarysMC to deliver #Easter baskets & spend time w some of their brave patients! Wishing everyone a happy & healthy holiday weekend,' Grisham wrote.

Later Thursday, the first lady tweeted about the visit, and included some pictures.

First lady Melania Trump is seen engaging with patients at the St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday afternoon

She sent out a tweet that included four pictures from her visit. While at the children's hospital she gave out Easter treats

Melania Trump (right) is seen leaning over one young patient how is giving her a No. 1. The first lady made a surprise trip to St. Mary's Medical Center in Florida Thursday

First lady Melania Trump (left) receives a tour of the Palm Beach Children's Hospital on Thursday. She brought Easter treats to give to the kids while staying in Florida for spring break

GROUP SHOT: First lady Melania Trump poses with staff at the Palm Beach Children's Hospital, which is part of St. Mary's Medical Center located in West Palm Beach

Melania Trump (left) embraces her husband President Trump (right) as they walk to Marine One together on March 19. The couple took a trip to New Hampshire to address the opioid epidemic

'Enjoyed my visit to @StMarysMC today. So great to spend time with some of their brave patients and hard working doctors and nurses,' Mrs. Trump said.

She and the president have been apart all week.

While the president returned to Washington Sunday, an hour before the 60 Minutes program featuring porn star Stormy Daniels aired, the first lady has been at Mar-a-Lago all week for spring break.

Thursday marked the first day she was seen out publicly.

CNN reported that Trump spent approximately 45 minutes with 20 patients, delivering to them Easter tote bags that included bunny stuffed animals, playing cards, coloring books, crayons and stickers.

She's expected to return to Washington before Monday's Easter Egg Roll, one of the year's major events that the East Wing puts on.

After giving a speech in Ohio Thursday, Trump boarded Air Force One and headed to Mar-a-Lago to be with his wife, which will be the first time the couple has been together since Daniels made her claims that she had unprotected sex with Trump in 2006, a year and a half into the Trumps' marriage.

When the Wall Street Journal first broke the story of Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen paying Daniels $130,000 in hush money weeks before the 2016 election, the first lady cancelled a planned trip to Switzerland with her husband.

Grisham blamed scheduling issues.

Instead, Melania Trump toured the Holocaust Museum in D.C. and then boarded a plan to Florida for a Mar-a-Lago spa day.

She returned in advance of her husband's State of the Union address, but took a separate motorcade to Capitol Hill, which was excused as a way that she could spend more time with her guests, as newsworthy Americans are always picked to sit in the first lady's box.

More recently, Melania Trump has engaged in public displays of affection with her husband, including holding hands and sharing a photo of them standing together on the Truman Balcony  smiling  in front of D.C.'s early spring snow.

But that was all before Daniels went on television and spoke of a one-night stand with the now-president, revealing details like they didn't use protection and the flirtation started with the porn star spanking Trump with a magazine that had his face on the cover.

While Daniels said the two only had one sexual encounter, she also told 60 Minutes' Anderson Cooper that Trump wanted it to happen again.

Grisham has defended the first lady on Twitter this week.

'While I know the media is enjoying speculation & salacious gossip, Id like to remind people theres a minor child whos name should be kept out of news stories when at all possible,' she said.
A Canadian man could be forced to pay more than $17,000 after his mid-air drunken meltdown forced an airplane to make an emergency landing accompanied by two US Air Force F-15 jets.

Charalabos Nassios, 40, pleaded guilty to charges of assault, mischief and uttering threats after heckling passengers during the Sunwing flight from Montreal to Cuba in July 2017.

Prosecutors want Nassios to receive a three-year suspended sentence and pay $17,450 in damages for landing fees, wasted fuel, overtime salaries for airline staff and hotel rooms for 170 passengers.

Charalabos Nassios, 40, pleaded guilty to charges of assault, mischief and uttering threats after heckling passengers during the Sunwing flight from Montreal to Cuba on July 6 2017. He is pictured being led off the plane by police in Montreal

The incident happened on July 6 last year, when the Sunwings plane departed Pierre Trudeau International Airport in Montreal bound for the Cuban resort island of Caya CoCo.

Witnesses said Nassios started making threats and acting 'aggressively' towards other passengers, leading to aircrew ordering the flight to turn round shortly after takeoff and land back in Montreal.

He threatened to rip a fellow passenger's nose off and even claimed to be part of a Russian gang, reported the Montreal Gazette.

'The flight arrived back around 7:25 p.m. that same evening, and the disruptive customer was taken into police custody,' the Canadian airliner said shortly after the incident.

Two F-15 jets, which are armed with air-to-air missiles and can reach speeds of up to 1,656 mph, were dispatched from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts to accompany the plane as it crossed U.S. airspace.

'NORAD was monitoring the situation and responded accordingly, and provided escort back to Montreal,' an Air Force spokesman told Newsweek.

Nassios leaves a court in Montreal on Wednesday alongside his lawyer, Tom Pentefountas, who is urging the judge not to impose the crippling fine

The spokesman said escorts were provided for 'credible' threats but this was 'not a common occurrence'.

Nassios has signed up for Alcohol Anonymous and already filed for bankruptcy.

His lawyer, Tom Pentefountas, believes forcing him to pay a fine while he is already in a state of financial ruin would be 'useless and unrealistic' and added that the flight happened during a 'difficult time' in his life.

Nassios will be sentenced on April 18.

He is facing separate charges for assault, impaired driving and uttering threats, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) released a letter of rely saying that both Chinese and foreign shareholders of Changan PSA Automobiles Co., Ltd. (CAPSA) are permitted to increase a total of RMB 3.6 billion investment at the ratio of 50 to 50.

The CAPSA should actively develop the new energy vehicle (NEV) business and manufacture the products of its self-owned PV brands in accordance with the program it had submitted before.

As early as January 12 this year, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd (Changan Auto) announced that the company and its French partner PSA Groupe would add a total of RMB 3.6 billion investment in CAPSA, among which the Chinese investor will devote RMB 1.8 billion to the capital increase.

The capital increase is mainly to reduce CAPSA's debt-to-assets ratio and replenish new projects with capitals. Meanwhile, both shareholders intend to improve CAPSA's operation and financing by virtue of this capital increase, particularly the operational capability of DS brand.

Founded in November 2011, CAPSA had been a 50/50 joint venture between China Chang'an Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (CCAG) and PSA Groupe. In December, 2013, Changan Auto acquired 50% equities in CCAG which is equivalent to PSA Group.

According to the planning from both parties, CAPSA will launch at least one new model under DS brand in China, including D-class model. In addition, both companies chose Shenzhen as DS headquarters of China and the Asia Pacific (including Southeast Asia and India). CAPSA is responsible for the businesses in China's market and PSA Group takes charge of the operation in Asia Pacific.
A Tennessee teacher charged with kidnapping his 15-year-old student and sparking a nationwide 39-day manhunt has reportedly changed his mind and will plead guilty.

Tad Cummins, 51, initially pleaded not guilty last year to charges of transporting Elizabeth Thomas across state lines for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual conduct and obstruction of justice.

But his attorney filed a motion with authorities to change the plea, WTVF-TV reported on Thursday.

Cummins, who is married, and Thomas became nationwide news last year when they fled Columbia, Tennessee, and went on the run together after developing an inappropriate relationship at the school where he taught and she was a student.

The pair were found in California more than four weeks after they vanished.

Tad Cummins, 51, initially pleaded not guilty last year to charges of transporting Elizabeth Thomas, who was 15 years old at the time, across state lines for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual conduct and obstruction of justice

Cummins, who sparked a nationwide 39-day manhunt, has reportedly changed his mind and will plead guilty

During the course of the trial last year, it was learned that Cummins spent $1,500 on a two-seat kayak after he went missing with Thomas from Tennessee on March 13.

FBI Agent Utley Noble testified in a federal court in Nashville that Cummins and the student tried to use the kayak to get from San Diego to Mexico.

They allegedly adopted the aliases of a married couple - John and Joanne Castro - so they would be able to blend in once they crossed over the border from the US to Mexico.

Noble also said that Cummins purchased an iPad while on the run as he wanted to keep an eye on what was being reported in the media about them.

Cummins, who is married, and Thomas became nationwide news last year when they fled Columbia, Tennessee, and went on the run together after developing an inappropriate relationship at the school where he taught and she was a student

Cummins had allegedly thrown their phones into a river in Alabama, disabled the car's GPS device and replaced the license plates so they wouldn't be detected when they were on the run from Tennessee to California.

The teacher was arrested and the girl was found safe in a remote area of Northern California on April 20 of last year - 38 days after they disappeared - after police received a tip.

Authorities say Cummins told officers after his arrest that he thought he had been found out when he ran into a law enforcement officer while he was testing out the kayak he had bought.

But he said the officer only warned him and Thomas that the water was rough and gave them tips on the boat and then left.

From then on he slept with his gun beside him, agent Noble said.

Cummins, who is a father and grandfather, allegedly told officers he had sex with the girl most nights during the 38 days he was on the run with her.

The sexual relationship with the girl allegedly began the first night after they disappeared March 13.

Authorities admitted in court that there was no evidence that the girl was held against her will at any time on the trip from Columbia, Tennessee, to California.

Cummins left a note for his wife Jill Cummins the morning he disappeared saying he had gone to Virginia Beach to clear his head.

Cummins left a note for his wife Jill Cummins the morning he disappeared saying he had gone to Virginia Beach to clear his head

'I am so sorry!' he wrote. 'I just need to clear my mind of all this cr*p. I am not running away. I'll be back. Don't call police they'll think I ran 'cause I'm guilty and I'm not!'

'I am so sorry!' he wrote.

'I just need to clear my mind of all this cr*p. I am not running away. I'll be back. Don't call police they'll think I ran 'cause I'm guilty and I'm not!'

A federal judge told Cummins he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could receive a life sentence.

Cummins is facing a federal charge of crossing state lines to have sex with a minor.

He also faces state charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor.

After Cummins' arrest, Thomas spent time in rehab and refused to return home to her family - claiming she's 'in love' with her schoolteacher abductor who kidnapped her for 39 days.

DailyMail.com previously revealed that the 15-year-old insists she is a 'fully grown woman' who should be entitled to date the 50-year-old.

Thomas has even told friends she had the 'time of her life' during their five weeks on the run.

The teacher was arrested and the girl was found safe in a remote area of Northern California on April 20 of last year - 38 days after they disappeared - after police received a tip. The Black Bear Ranch near Cecilville, California where they stayed is seen in the above photo

She went willingly with Cummins and alluded to their relationship in social media posts in the weeks beforehand.

Because she was just 15 at the time, however, he was charged with kidnapping.

The girl's father filed a lawsuit against Cummins and the school where they met, claiming they could have prevented them from going on the run.

Police had been told about their relationship before they fled the town and despite ongoing investigations into the alleged misconduct, Cummins was allowed to remain on campus as a teacher afterwards for several days if not weeks.

Authorities and school staff were first alerted to it by other students who saw the pair kissing in his classroom.

It is not known how much money the girl's family hope to be awarded as a result of the suit.

Cummins previously claimed that he was forced into admitting that the pair had sex while on the run by authorities who told him he would be charged with rape otherwise.
An axe-wielding young man is on the run from police after storming a Sydney pharmacy and demanding drugs.

The man, who was wearing a black hooded jumper walked into the South Hurstville pharmacy on Thursday night and threatened two staff members with the axe.

An axe-wielding young man is in the run from police after storming a Sydney pharmacy and demanding drugs

The man, who was wearing a black hooded jumper walked into the South Hurstville pharmacy on Thursday night and threatened two staff members with the axe

The pharmacy workers handed over the drugs before the man, fled - making his escape in a white 4WD.

The man's face was covered and he was wearing gloves.

Police believe they are looking for a man of solid build aged between 20 and 30 years old.
A tradie who dived into the Brisbane River to save a barely conscious man believes he is not a hero.

Lincoln Sherlock, 42, came to the rescue of Shayne Wood when his ute crashed into the river.

He was honoured at the 2018 Australian Bravery Decorations with a 'Commendation for Brave Conduct Award', but he told Nine News he's not a hero.

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A tradie who dived into the Brisbane River (pictured) to save a barely conscious man believes he is not a hero

'I wouldn't really say I'm a hero or that sort of thing, I think there's a lot more people who deserve that sort of recognition,' he said.

In cold waters, Mr Sherlock jumped in and swam towards a sinking car, Nine News reported.

'I swam out, and was just praying on the way out it wasn't a family or something trying to fish them out of the vehicle,' he told the network.'

Lincoln Sherlock (pictured left) saved the life of Shayne Wood (right). The two remain great friends

When he got to the car, Mr Wood was only just conscious, as he'd suffered a medical episode.

'I had this guy at the window, sort of saying come on mate, it's fine to get out now,' Mr Wood said.

Mr Sherlock reached inside the window, wound it down, lifted Mr Wood out of the water and dragged him to safety.

The two men regularly stay in contact with each other and remain great friends.
A teacher was awarded almost a quarter of a million pounds in compensation after falling while putting up a class display, figures show.

The six-figure pay-out was among cases in which education workers were awarded settlements for accidents on school property.

They included almost 85,000 for a teacher who slipped on black ice, and 60,000 for another who fell on spilled food and liquid.

Figures showed that the NASUWT union successfully secured more than 16 million in compensation payouts for its members during the last year (file picture)

The data, released by teaching unions, shows the extent to which taxpayers money is being diverted into expensive pay-outs following incidents in schools.

Some of the payments were made for accidents while others were made to teachers who were assaulted by violent pupils.

In one case, an academy worker was awarded nearly 50,000 after being attacked by a teenage girl who had been told to stop chewing gum.

And a trainee teacher was given a 35,000 settlement following claims she had been dismissed or discriminated against because of her pregnancy.

One union boss warned they are seeing a significant increase in complaints from members about racist, ageist or anti-disabled treatment.

One of the highest pay-outs was a settlement of almost 250,000 given to a teacher in the Eastern region of England, who lost her balance and fell while using a table and chair to put up a display by her class.

The teacher suffered a fracture in the fall, which also aggravated the symptoms of her foot fibromyalgia and depressive illness, according to her union - the National Education Union (NEU).

The injuries prevented the teacher from working and her contract was terminated.

A case was brought against the local authority for failing to provide proper work equipment.

Another teacher from the Midlands also received 250,000 after being subjected to continuing incidents of violence and poor pupil behaviour over four years.

The local authority failed to put an effective system to manage behaviour in place or carry out a formal risk assessment, according to the NUT.

This led the members steadily worsening health and eventual breakdown, the union said, and a claim was brought that ended in the six-figure settlement.

A third NUT case involved an academy worker in the North West who suffered a prolonged assault by a female teenage student, who flew into a rage when the member asked her to stop chewing gum before lesson time.

Some of the payments were made for accidents while others were made to teachers who were assaulted by violent pupils (file picture)

She suffered blows to the stomach and bruises to her hand, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and was awarded compensation totalling 47,837.94.

The NASUWT union fought a discrimination case involving a 26-year-old trainee teacher from London who the teaching union said was forced out after becoming pregnant.

Her working relationship with the head teacher deteriorated after she became ill during her pregnancy and was subsequently told to choose between becoming a teaching assistant, a learning support assistant, or being dismissed, the union said.

Her employer subsequently settled with a 35,000 payout after the union claimed she was dismissed or discriminated against because of her pregnancy.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: The scale of discrimination and prejudice is deeply disturbing and it is likely that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Figures showed the union successfully secured more than 16 million in compensation payouts for its members during the last year.

The cases include a 55-year-old teacher who received a settlement just short of 85,000 when she slipped on untreated black ice at her classroom door, after her employers insurers initially refused to negotiate compensation.

Elsewhere a 53-year-old teacher from Essex was awarded 60,000 after she slipped and fell on a food and liquid spillage as she made her way from a science lab.
Motorway service stations are to face an official probe into rip-off fuel prices.

As millions of motorists prepare for the Easter getaway, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has written to competition watchdogs to ask for an investigation into sky-high motorway petrol and diesel prices.

The widening gulf in the cost of fuel means filling a family car on the motorway can cost up to 14 more than refuelling at a nearby forecourt.

Mr Grayling said drivers feel exploited and warned lives could be put at risk if motorway motorists who are reluctant to fill up run out of petrol.

As millions of motorists prepare for the Easter getaway, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has written to competition watchdogs to ask for an investigation

The latest price data shows drivers pay on average nearly 18p more per litre for petrol and nearly 17p for diesel on the motorway compared to other petrol stations. That means filling up the average car with unleaded fuel costs around 10 more. Compared to cheaper supermarket fuel, the difference is nearer to 12.

One example uncovered by the AA revealed a Shell motorway service station on the M5 charging 138.9p per litre for unleaded, while the price at an Asda less than five miles away was 112.7p. This equates to a 14.41 difference when filling a typical 55-litre family car.

Mr Grayling told the Mail: Drivers may feel exploited when they are faced with higher fuel prices on motorways.

I dont want motorists chancing it and risking running out of fuel  putting their lives and others at risk. Thats why Im calling for an investigation into motorway fuel prices, so I can be sure drivers are getting a fair deal.

Surveys suggest one in five drivers put in just enough fuel to get by on the motorway and wait for a cheaper alternative later.

This week drivers were paying an average of 137.8p per litre for petrol and 139.4p for diesel on motorways. The UK average across all petrol stations is 120.1p and 122.8p respectively while average supermarket prices are 116.7p and 119.4p.

In his letter to the Competition and Markets Authority, Mr Grayling said the problem is getting worse. Five years ago motorway prices were 7.5p per litre higher for petrol and 8.3p for diesel. That now stands at around 18p and 17p respectively.

Motorway service stations claim they have to charge more due to the cost of building forecourts and running a 24/7 operation. But Mr Grayling argued that the different prices were not fully explained and I want to be sure that drivers are getting a fair deal.

Chris Grayling says lives are being put at risk due to a reluctance on the part of motorists to fill up tanks in the face of high prices

He wrote: I am concerned that prices which are much higher than other forecourts may exploit users in a situation where there is less choice, and discourage motorists from stopping and refuelling when, for safety reasons, they should. Competition and choice should drive good service and fair prices for drivers. I am concerned that this market is not producing that outcome.

He said there are three major companies responsible for nearly all the 112 motorway service areas in the UK  Moto, Roadchef and Welcome Break.

I would welcome a view from the CMA on whether the three private companies that currently operate the majority of motorway service areas are exercising market power to the detriment of motorists, he added.

Motoring groups last night welcomed the move. Luke Bosdet of the AA said it was understandable that motorway fuel are more expensive because of the extra costs but he described the almost 20p difference as ridiculous and a clear rip-off.

A spokesman for the RAC said: This is great news for motorists and cant come soon enough. Theres nothing to justify the sky-high price.
Facebook says it is cutting a major data source that the firm uses to help advertisers target relevant users on the platform.

The company is removing a feature that allowed marketers to target adverts using information from people's lives collected outside of Facebook.

Third-party data giants have sold offline data like purchasing activity and home ownership to help marketers target Facebook ads since 2013.

The program allowed specific targeting of audiences using offline data about them in the US, Brazil, France, Germany, the UK, Australia and Japan.

Facebook's product marketing director Graham Mudd said that shutting down the feature over the next six months 'will help improve people's privacy on Facebook.'

The world's largest social media company is under pressure to improve its handling of data after disclosing that information about 50 million Facebook users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

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Facebook says it is cutting an advertising product that allowed marketers to use private data from outside the platform to help them target its users. Facebook's product marketing director Graham Mudd said shutting down the feature 'will help improve people's privacy' (stock)

The firm has for years given advertisers the option of targeting their ads based on data collected by third-party firms.

The tool has been widely used among certain categories of advertisers - such as automakers, luxury goods producers and consumer packaged goods companies - who do not sell directly to consumers and have relatively little information about who their customers are, according to Facebook.

But Facebook has little control over where and how the firms collect their data,

'While this is common industry practice, we believe this step, winding down over the next six months, will help improve people's privacy on Facebook,' Mr Mudd said in a statement.

Facebook declined to comment on how the change could affect its ad revenue.

Advertisers would still be able to use third-party data services to measure how well their ads performed by examining purchasing data, Facebook said.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is facing unprecedented scrutiny following reports a data mining firm used ill-gotten data from tens of millions of its users to try to influence elections

HOW DID FACEBOOK USE THIRD-PARTY DATA TO TARGET ADVERTS? Facebook says it will limit data it makes available to advertisers by banning the use of from third-party data aggregators. These include companies like Experian and Acxiom. Facebook previously let advertisers target users on its site using data from various sources. These included: Data from Facebook from user activity

Data from the advertiser itself, including customer emails

Data from third-party services like Experian, which can collect offline data such as purchasing activity When marketers use this data to target ads, some of the money from that sale to the third-party data provider. Advertisement

Facebook's website lists nine third-party data providers that it has worked with, including Acxiom, Experian, Oracle Data Cloud, TransUnion and WPP PLC.

Facebook on Wednesday also put all its privacy settings on one page and made it easier to stop third-party apps from using personal information.

Privacy settings had previously been spread over at least 20 screens.

Facebook said in a blog post it had been working on the updates for some time but sped things up to appease users' anger over how the company uses data and as lawmakers around the globe call for regulation.

Facebook on Wednesday also put all its privacy settings on one page (right) and made it easier to stop third-party apps from using personal information. Privacy settings had previously (left) been spread over at least 20 screens, Facebook said

WHAT IS THE CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA SCANDAL? Communications firm Cambridge Analytica has offices in London, New York, Washington, as well as Brazil and Malaysia. The company boasts it can 'find your voters and move them to action' through data-driven campaigns and a team that includes data scientists and behavioural psychologists. 'Within the United States alone, we have played a pivotal role in winning presidential races as well as congressional and state elections,' with data on more than 230 million American voters, Cambridge Analytica claims on its website. The company profited from a feature that meant apps could ask for permission to access your own data as well as the data of all your Facebook friends. The data firm suspended its chief executive, Alexander Nix (pictured), after recordings emerged of him making a series of controversial claims, including boasts that Cambridge Analytica had a pivotal role in the election of Donald Trump This meant the company was able to mine the information of 87 million Facebook users even though just 270,000 people gave them permission to do so. This was designed to help them create software that can predict and influence voters' choices at the ballot box. The data firm suspended its chief executive, Alexander Nix, after recordings emerged of him making a series of controversial claims, including boasts that Cambridge Analytica had a pivotal role in the election of Donald Trump. This information is said to have been used to help the Brexit campaign in the UK. Advertisement

Facebook's shares are down more than 17 per cent since March 16, when Facebook first acknowledged that user data had been improperly channelled in 2014 via a third-party app to Cambridge Analytica, which was later hired by Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

The data leak has raised investor concerns that any failure by big tech companies to protect privacy could deter advertisers, who are Facebook's lifeblood, and lead to tougher regulation.

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly apologised for the mistakes the company made.

He has promised to crack down on abuse of the Facebook platform and restrict developers' access to user information.

Facebook said in a blog post it had been working on updates (pictured) to its privacy settings for some time but sped things up to appease users' anger over how the company uses data and as lawmakers around the globe call for regulation

There is a new Facebook page - called Access Your Information - where users can see what they have shared and manage it.

'The biggest difference is ease of access in settings, which fulfils Mark Zuckerberg's promise to make the privacy process and permissions more transparent to users,' Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said.

It was uncertain whether the changes will satisfy lawmakers.

They were announced ahead of a stringent European Union data law which comes into force in May.

It requires companies to give people a 'right to portability' - to take their data with them - and imposes fines of up to four per cent of global revenue for companies breaking the law.

The changes won't affect Facebook's privacy policies or the types of data it gathers on users. But the company hopes its 2.2 billion users will have an easier time navigating its complex and often confusing privacy and security settings

Lawmakers in the United States and Britain are still clamouring for Zuckerberg himself to explain how users' data ended up in the hands of Cambridge Analytica.

He plans to testify before Congress, a source briefed on the matter said on Tuesday.

Facebook has said it has received invitations to testify and that it is talking to legislators.

Zuckerberg and the CEOs of Alphabet Inc and Twitter Inc have been invited to testify at an April 10 hearing on data privacy.

The US House Energy and Commerce Committee and U.S. Senate Commerce Committee have also asked Zuckerberg to appear at a hearing.

The US Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Facebook, and attorneys representing 37 states are also pressing Zuckerberg to explain what happened.
On a semiarid Patagonian landscape 85 million years ago, a formidable meat-eater called Tratayenia rosalesi reigned as the apex predator, part of an enigmatic dinosaur group that menaced South America and Australia for tens of millions of years.

Scientists on Wednesday described Tratayenia, a two-legged beast up to about 30 feet (9 meters) long, based on fossils unearthed in Argentina's Neuquen province, adding another impressive dinosaur to the list of those that inhabited Patagonia during the Cretaceous Period.

It was a member of a group called megaraptorids that lived in the Southern Hemisphere from about 105 to 85 million years ago.

Scientists on Wednesday described Tratayenia, a two-legged beast up to about 30 feet (9 meters) long, based on fossils unearthed in Argentina's Neuquen province. An artist's impression is pictured

The group was recognized by paleontologists only in the past few years, and all of its members -- including Tratayenia -- are known only from incomplete skeletons.

'Megaraptorids, although still mysterious, seem to have been a pretty badass bunch of predatory dinosaurs,' said paleontologist Matt Lamanna of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.

'Using the remains of different species, including Tratayenia, we can make something like a 'police composite' of a megaraptorid skeleton,' Lamanna added.

'Megaraptorids had long, low skulls that were crammed with lots of small but sharp and serrated teeth, bones that were riddled with air cavities, and powerful forelimbs that were tipped with absolutely ginormous, wickedly hooked claws on the innermost two fingers.'

For Tratayenia, the researchers found about half of the back vertebrae, all its hip vertebrae, some ribs and a fair bit of the pelvis, but none of the skull, limbs or tail.

Patagonia boasted some of the most impressive dinosaurs ever found, including the giant predator Giganotosaurus and the immense long-necked, four-legged plant-eaters Patagotitan, Argentinosaurus and Dreadnoughtus.

'Tratayenia was the largest-known predator about 85 million years ago in Patagonia and perhaps one of the last in its group,' said paleontologist Juan Porfiri of the National University of Comahue's Museum of Natural Sciences in Argentina.

The fossilized vertebrae and right hip bone of the new predatory dinosaur Tratayenia rosalesi are shown

The formidable meat-eater called Tratayenia rosalesi reigned as the apex predator, part of an enigmatic dinosaur group that menaced South America and Australia for tens of millions of years

WHEN WERE EARTH'S 'BIG FIVE' EXTINCTION EVENTS? Traditionally, scientists have referred to the 'Big Five' mass extinctions, including perhaps the most famous mass extinction triggered by a meteorite impact that brought about the end of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. But the other major mass extinctions were caused by phenomena originating entirely on Earth, and while they are less well known, we may learn something from exploring them that could shed light on our current environmental crises. The Late Ordovician : This ancient crisis around 445m years ago saw two major waves of extinction, both caused by climate change associated with the advance and retreat of ice sheets in the southern hemisphere. This makes it the only major extinction to be linked to global cooling. The Late Devonian : This period is now regarded as a number of 'pulses' of extinction spread over 20m years, beginning 380m years ago. This extinction has been linked to major climate change, possibly caused by an eruption of the volcanic Viluy Traps area in modern-day Siberia. A major eruption might have caused rapid fluctations in sea levels and reduced oxygen levels in the oceans. The Middle Permian : Scientists have recently discovered another event 262m years ago that rivals the 'Big Five' in size. This event coincided with the Emeishan eruption in what's now China, and is known to have caused simultaneous extinctions in the tropics and higher latitudes. The Late Permian : The Late Permian mass extinction around 252m years ago dwarfs all the other events, with about 96% of species becoming extinct. The extinction was triggered by a vast eruption of the Siberian Traps, a gigantic and prolonged volcanic event that covered much of modern day Siberia, which led to a cascade of environmental effects. The Late Triassic : The Late Triassic event, 201m years ago, shares a number of similarities with the Late Permian event. It was caused by another large-scale eruption, this time of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, which heralded the splitting of the supercontinent Pangaea and the initial opening of what would later become the Atlantic Ocean. Advertisement

It lived in an ecosystem that included smaller carnivorous dinosaurs including Viavenator, large herbivores such as Traukutitan, snakes similar to boas, crocs, turtles and birds, Porfiri added.

The best known member of Tratayenia's group is Megaraptor, which lived slightly earlier in Patagonia and wielded 16-inch (40-cm) claws.

'Megaraptorids certainly would have been terrifying to encounter in life: big, heavily armed and powerful, but also probably lighter on their feet than really giant meat-eaters such as Giganotosaurus or T. rex,' Lamanna said.

The research was published in the journal Cretaceous Research.
Elon Musk's Neuralink may be testing its 'Matrix' style computer-brain interfaces on animals, it has emerged.

Devices being developed by the firm are designed to give people advanced mental abilities, which Musk says will let humanity keep up with future 'god-like' AI systems.

City planning documents submitted by the company reveal plans for 'a small operating room for in vivo testing, and a small room to house rodents.'

It is not known what the tests involved, whether they actually took place, or if they are on-going, as Neuralink has refused to comment on the matter.

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Elon Musk's (pictured) Neuralink may be testing its 'Matrix' style computer-brain interfaces on animals, it has emerged. Devices being developed by the firm are designed to give people advanced mental abilities, which Musk says will let humanity keep up with 'godlike' AI systems

The plans, contained in a letter from Neuralink employee Jared Birchall, in San Francisco, were first reported by Gizmodo.

Unlike his prominent work with Tesla, SpaceX and Hyperloop, Musk has been unusually quiet about Neuralink.

Some suspect this may be to avoid discussing the animal testing that will be necessary to bring the firm's products to market.

What little we do know comes from public records and a few admissions from people involved in the work.

In April 2017, Neuralink also requested a permit for keeping and using laboratory animals, specifically mice and rats, from the California Department of Public Health.

It appears Neuralink did receive approval from California's state public health department to keep and use animals at its San Francisco headquarters.

However, a representative of the University of California at Davis has also confirmed that Neuralink is sponsoring research there.

The firm is also advertising for a full-time lab manager in San Francisco, for a 'state-of-the-art research in nanotechnology and microelectromechanical systems,' alongside neuroscientists and nanotechnologists.

The advert says: 'We are looking for exceptional engineers and scientists.'

City planning documents submitted by the company reveal plans for 'a small operating room for in vivo testing, and a small room to house rodents'

In April 2017, Neuralink also requested a permit for keeping and using laboratory animals, specifically mice and rats, from the California Department of Public Health

'No neuroscience experience is required: talent and drive matter far more. We expect most of our team to come from other areas and industries.

'We are primarily looking for evidence of exceptional ability and a track record of building things that work.'

Very little is known about the exact nature of the work being undertaken by the firm, beyond the fact it is attempting to develop 'ultra high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers'.

Neuralink is working to link the human brain with a machine interface by creating micron-sized devices.

Musk said creating a brain-machine interface will be vital to help humans compete with the 'god-like' robots of the future.

Neuralink was registered in California as a 'medical research' company in July 2016, and Musk plans on funding the company mostly by himself.

It will work on what he calls 'neural lace' technology, implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts.

Neuralink is working to link the human brain with a machine interface by creating micron-sized devices. They will work on what Musk calls 'neural lace' technology, implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts (stock image)

'If I were to communicate a concept to you, you would essentially engage in consensual telepathy,' Musk told Wait But Why.

Neuralink is aiming to launch a product that will help people who suffer from serious brain injuries as a result of disorders such as stroke and cancer in just four years, Musk said.

And in eight to ten years, the Matrix-style technology will be available to everyone, he added.

'There are a bunch of concepts in your head that then your brain has to try to compress into this incredibly low data rate called speech or typing,' Musk said.

'If you have two brain interfaces, you could actually do an uncompressed direct conceptual communication with another person.'

Musk's controversial startup raised over $27m (19m), SEC filings revealed in August 2017.

The US government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has reportedly poured $65m (46m) into the research.

Musk took to Twitter at the time to say the firm is no longer raising cash.

Musk said the time before the devices are released depend on regulatory approval and how well the devices work on people with disabilities.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT ELON MUSK'S COMPUTER-BRAIN INTERFACE? Elon Musk's latest company Neuralink was registered in California as a 'medical research' company in July 2016. Very little is known about the exact nature of the work being undertaken by the firm, beyond the fact it is attempting to develop 'ultra high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers'. Neuralink is working to link the human brain with a machine interface by creating micron-sized devices. They will work on what Musk calls 'neural lace' technology, implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts. Neuralink is aiming to launch a product that will help people who suffer from serious brain injuries, as a result of disorders such as stroke and cancer, in just four years. Musk says that the time before the devices are released depends on regulatory approval and how well they work on people with disabilities. At a tech conference in 2016, Musk said AI and machine learning will create computers so sophisticated and godlike that humans will need to implant 'neural laces' just to keep up, And in eight to ten years, the Matrix-style technology will be available to everyone, he believes. Musk plans on funding the company mostly by himself. Advertisement

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will create computers so sophisticated and godlike that humans will need to implant 'neural laces' in their brains to keep up, Musk said in a tech conference in 2016.

In June 2017, Musk said Neuralink is a priority after much more demanding commitments to his automotive and rocket companies.

'Boring Co. is maybe two per cent of my time; Neuralink is three per cent to five percent of my time; OpenAI is going to be a couple of per cent; and then 90-plus per cent is divided between SpaceX and Tesla,' said Musk at the electric-car maker's annual shareholder meeting.

But in a recent interview with Y Combinator, Musk explained that the 'best outcome' between humankind and machines would be a collective lifestyle where 'we are the AI.'

In eight to ten years, the Matrix-style technology will be available to everyone, Musk believes. Pictured, Keanu Reeves plugging into 'The Matrix'

Such a scenario would stamp out the possibility of an 'evil dictator AI,' Musk said, allowing anyone who wants to take part to become an 'AI-human symbiote.'

Musk likened the situation to the cooperation of the limbic system and the cortex in the human brain.

In the interview, he explained that these two systems  the primitive brain that controls your instincts, and the 'thinking part,' respectively  work well together, and it would extremely unusual to find someone who wished to get rid of one of them.

Building off of this, he told Y Combinator, 'I think if we can effectively merge with AI, like improving the neural link between the cortex and your digital extension of yourself, which already exists but just has a bandwidth issue, then effectively, you become an AI-human symbiote.'

This would also solve the 'control problem,' he went on to explain, as it could become so widespread that 'anyone who wants it can have it.'

'We don't have to worry about some evil dictator AI,' Musk told Y Combinator, 'because we are the AI collectively.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has claimed the iPhone is in fact largely made in the United States.

The 57-year-old clarified his comment to say that while the gadgets are assembled elsewhere, 'there's equipment and manufacturing' across the US.

Apple, the world's second largest smartphone maker behind Samsung, has previously been criticised for stationing manufacturing plants overseas.

Working conditions at Apple's factories in China are notoriously poor and the firm has repeatedly come under pressure to build more domestic plants, a move that could create thousands of US jobs.

The company promised in January to inject 250 billion ($350 billion) into the US economy over the next five years through taxes, capital investment and job creation.

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In a new interview with MSNBC (pictured) Apple boss Tim Cook has claimed the iPhone is in fact largely made in the United States. The 57-year-old clarified his comment to say that while the gadgets are assembled elsewhere, 'there's equipment and manufacturing' across the US

In a response to criticism about Apple's ties to China and other countries, Cook told MSNBC on Wednesday: 'It's not true that the iPhone is not made in the United States.

'We have always made the parts here. People just look at where the final product is assembled.'

He added that in a 'global world', manufacturing and assembly needs to be done in a number of different places.

A number of key iPhone components are manufactured in the United States, including its display glass, which is made by Kentucky firm Corning, and the iPhone X Face ID module, which comes from Texas.

Various microchips for Apple devices are also built in the United States, according to Cook, as is much of the equipment used to manufacture the iPhone.

Components made in the US are shipped to suppliers like Foxconn and Pegatron where the gadgets are assembled at a system of factories in China.

A number of key iPhone components are manufactured in the United States, including its display glass, which is made by Kentucky firm Corning, and the iPhone X (pictured) Face ID module, which comes from Texas

US President Donald Trump has touted Apple as one of the top American companies investing in US infrastructure.

Cook said Wednesday the firm doesn't need 'political pressure' to add American jobs, adding: 'We've already been doing that.'

'This company would not have flourished in any other country in the world. We love this country. We are patriots.

'This is our country and we want to create as many jobs as we can in the US. We don't need any political pressure for that.'

He added that the hardware giant is looking to expand operations at its main hubs in California and Texas in future.

As part of the extended interview, Cook also spoke about the current US political climate as well as Facebook's recent data scandal.

WHERE DOES APPLE MAKE THE IPHONE? A number of key iPhone components are manufactured in the United States. They include the iPad and iPhone display glass, which is made by Kentucky firm Corning, and the iPhone X Face ID module, which comes from Texas. Various microchips for Apple devices are also built in the United States, as is much of the equipment used to manufacture the iPhone. Components made in the US are shipped to suppliers like Foxconn and Pegatron where the gadgets are assembled at a system of factories in China. Apple, the world's second largest smartphone maker behind Samsung, has previously been criticised for stationing its plants overseas. Working conditions at its factories in China are notoriously poor and the firm has repeatedly come under pressure to build more domestic plants, a move that could create thousands of US jobs. The company promised in January to inject 250 billion ($350 billion) into the US economy over the next five years through taxes, capital investment and job creation. Advertisement

The firm admitted this month that information about 50 million Facebook users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Asked what he would do if he were in Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's shoes, Cook replied with a smirk: 'I wouldn't be in this situation.'

He also criticised Facebook's well-documented data collection techniques, which involve scraping vast amounts of personal user information and using it to build detailed marketing profiles that are then sold to advertisers.

As part of the extended interview, Cook also spoke about the current US political climate as well as Facebook's recent data scandal. Asked what he would do if he were in Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's shoes, Cook replied with a smirk: 'I wouldn't be in this situation'

'We could make a ton of money if we monetised our customers,' Cook said.

'If our customers were our product. We've elected not to do that.'

Cook's full interview with MSNBC will air on the US news channel on April 6 at 10:00pm BST (5:00pm ET).
Out-of-control Chinese space station, Tiangong-1, is predicted to reenter Earth's atmosphere at 11:30am BST (6:33am ET) on Easter Sunday.

The space craft is carrying highly toxic chemicals and could crash into a number of highly populated areas, researchers claim.

Areas that could be hit include New York, Barcelona, Beijing, Chicago, Istanbul, Rome and Toronto.

When the station does eventually enter the atmosphere it could unleash a 'series of fireballs' that will be seen by observers.

Scientists still do not yet know where the satellite fragments are likely to land.

The latest prediction comes from Aerospace engineering, who claims the time for reentry could be anywhere within 16 hours either side of this.

The European Space Agency (Esa) is also tracking the space stations gradual descent.

Due to its gentle descent, Tiangong-1 is now experiencing significant drag as it brushes against the planet's denser outer atmosphere and it is dropping out of orbit by about 2.5 miles a day.

When Tiangong-1, Chinese for Heavenly Place, reaches an altitude of about 43 miles above the surface, it will begin its re-entry.

Agencies around the world who have monitored an out-of-control Chinese space station's fall to Earth believe it has a higher chance of hitting parts of the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Cities at higher risk include Barcelona, Beijing, Chicago, Istanbul, Rome and Toronto

This image of the Chinese Space Station was taken over a two second exposure and from the Virtual Telescope Project live feed. The space station was travelling at 18 degrees a second across the sky

When it reaches this point, Markus Dolensky, of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, told CNN that observers on Earth will potentially see 'a series of fireballs streaking across the sky'.

'It is now nearing its fiery demise,' he added.

This will only happen if conditions are clear, however.

The dramatic reentry will be unmissable, but keen astronomers are keeping their eyes peeled for Tiangong-1 throughout its final days.

Yesterday, a live stream was set up by Virtual Telescope Project to capture Tiangong in one of its final passes across the sky.

It is visible to the naked eye and can be seen by people living in mid-latitude areas in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

Like many satellites and the ISS, Tiangong-1 looks like an unblinking white light gliding swiftly across the sky.

Predicting when and where the rogue station will reach the surface is extremely difficult as it orbits the Earth at around 18,000 mph (29,000km/h).

To track the satellite, experts are using some of the most advanced and powerful telescopes in the world.

At the Fraunhofer Institute scientists can track Tiangong-1 using radar (pictured). Radar allows the institute to watch the station regardless of the weather, or if it is day or night

At the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques, scientists were recently able to capture images of the craft using radar imaging.

Commissioned by the ESA, Fraunhofer researchers are studying the speed of the satellite and its rotation.

The tracking and imaging radar system uses signals in the Ku-band (12 to 18 gigahertz) and I-band (100  150 megahertz) radio frequencies to follow Tiangong-1.

Radar allows the institute to watch the station regardless of the weather, or if it is day or night.

Fall of Chinese space station Tiangong-1 over time and potential landing spots and times. The odds of being struck by space debris at one in 1.2 trillion. That is roughly 10 million times less likely than getting hit by lightning

In a statement, Esa aid: 'The Chinese space station Tiangong-1 will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere where it will to a large extent burn up.

'It is possible that some debris will reach the Earth's surface.'

According to experts tracking the station at the European Space Agency (ESA), it has the highest chance of crashing along a narrow strip around latitudes of 43 degrees north and south.

This includes a number of highly populated cities including New York, Barcelona, Beijing, Chicago, Istanbul, Rome and Toronto.

WHICH CITIES LIE IN THE TIANGONG-1 'DANGER ZONE'? Name of city Country Name of city Country Barcelona Spain Milwaukee USA Beijing China Monaco Monaco Bilbao Spain Naples Italy Boise USA New York USA Boston USA Nice France Boulder USA Philadelphia USA Buffalo USA Pittsburgh USA Cannes France Punta Arenas Chile Chicago USA Rochester USA Christchurch New Zealand Rome Italy Cleveland USA Salt Lake City Spain Concord USA San Sebastian Spain Des Moines USA Sapporo Japan Detroit USA Sioux Falls USA Florence Italy Sochi Russia Istanbul Turkey Stanley Falkland Islands Kushiro Japan Toronto Canada Madrid Spain Trelew Argentina Marseilles France Valladolid Spain

There is a chance parts of the station containing hazardous hydrazine could plummet into these highly-populated area.

Hydrazine is a chemical which is included in rocket fuel that causes irritation of the eyes and throat, dizziness and can lead to the growth of cancerous tumours.

The chances of human injury are small, claims Stijn Lemmens, an ESA space debris expert based in Darmstadt, Germany.

China's out-of-control space station will crash into Earth over Easter weekend, according to the European Space Agency. Pictured in blue is the craft's observed path while red shows its predicted time of impact with Earth

'Over the past 60 years of space flight, we are nearing the mark of 6,000 uncontrolled reentries of large objects, mostly satellites and upper (rocket) stages,' he told AFP.

'Only one event actually produced a fragment which hit a person, and it did not result in injury.'

Mr Lemmens says the odds of being struck by space debris are at one in 1.2 trillion.

Scientists will only know the precise date Tiangong-1 will impact and exactly where debris will fall during the finals days of its decline. Pictured is a graph showing how the window of predicted impact dates (y-axis) has changed over time (x-axis)

That is roughly 10 million times less likely than getting hit by lightning.

Although nobody has ever died from being hit by space junk falling back to Earth, one Australian region did fine Nasa $400 for littering when its Skylab crashed around the town of Esperence in 1974.

'At no time will a precise time/location prediction from ESA be possible,' the agency's Space Debris Office, based in Darmstadt, Germany, said in a previous statement.

WHAT IS THE TIANGONG-1 SPACE STATION? The vehicle is 10.4 metres long and has a main diameter of 3.35 metres. It has a liftoff mass of 8,506 kilograms and provides 15 cubic metres of pressurised volume Tiangong-1 is China's first Space Station Module. The vehicle was the nation's first step towards its ultimate goal of developing, building, and operating a large Space Station as a permanent human presence in Low Earth Orbit. The module was launched on September 29, 2012. Tiangong-1 features flight-proven components of Chinese Shenzhou Spacecraft as well as new technology. The module consists of three sections: the aft service module, a transition section and the habitable orbital module. The vehicle is 10.4 metres long and has a main diameter of 3.35 metres. It has a liftoff mass of 8,506 kilograms and provides 15 cubic metres of pressurized volume. Advertisement

The Tiangong-1 space station (artist's impression) is hurtling towards Earth carrying a 'highly toxic chemical'. The doomed 8.5-tonne craft is believed to contain dangerous hydrazine

Aerospace claims the mid-morning peace of Easter Sunday could be tainted by a firestorm from the bus-sized satellite. The engineering firm claims the time for reentry could still be 16 hours either side of this

The doomed 8.5-tonne craft has been hurtling towards Earth since Chinese scientists lost control of it in 2016.

Although far smaller than some other satellites (the ISS is 450 tons (408,000 kg) for example) it is still the size of a school bus.

WHAT IS THE 'HIGHLY TOXIC' CHEMICAL ONBOARD CHINA'S TIANGONG-1 SPACE STATION? A 'highly-toxic' corrosive chemical could land on Earth when parts of an out-of-control Chinese space station crash into our planet. The chemical, called hydrazine, is used in rocket fuel and long-term exposure is believed to cause cancer in humans. It is being carried aboard the Tiangong-1 space station which is hurtling towards Earth. The warning over exposure to the chemical came from Aerospace Corp, a non-profit corporation based in El Segundo, California, which provides technical guidance and advice on all aspects of space missions. Hydrazine is a colourless, oily liquid or sometimes white crystalline compound with a very highly reactive base. A 'highly-toxic' corrosive chemical could be spread over the planet when a Chinese space station crashes to Earth, experts have warned. The substance, called hydrazine, is used in rocket fuel and is believed to cause cancer in humans (stock image) It has a number of industrial, agricultural and military uses, including in rocket fuel. Symptoms of short-term exposure to high levels of hydrazine include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, dizziness, headache, nausea, pulmonary edema, seizures, and coma, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Long-term exposure can also damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system in humans. The liquid is corrosive and may produce dermatitis from skin contact in humans and animals. Increased incidences of lung, nasal cavity, and liver tumours have been observed in rodents exposed to hydrazine. The EPA has classified hydrazine as a Group B2, a probable human carcinogen. Advertisement

The last time people set foot on the space station was in 2013.

After completing its final life phase, the space craft became unresponsive.

The descent is difficult to predict as the conditions in space are widely unknown and unpredictable.

The orbit pattern of Tiangong-1 is also making predictions more complex.

Explaining why, Dr Hugh Lewis, senior lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Southampton, compared the geometrical processes at work to crossing the road.

The last time people set foot on the space station was in 2013. After completing its final life phase, the space craft became unresponsive

Tiangong-1 is China's first Space Station Module. The vehicle was the nation's first step towards its ultimate goal of developing, building, and operating a large Space Station and it is set to die a fiery death as it reenters the atmosphere

Speaking to MailOnline, he said: 'The spacecraft is travelling around a more or less circular orbit, which is tipped with respect to the equator at 43.

'If you plot this path on a map of the Earth, it produces a sine wave pattern, with the slower curve of the wave in northern and southern latitudes and the faster straighter sections running from east to west.

'If you imagine the green low risk area on the map is the part of the road we're trying to walk across, the quickest way is to go at 90 degrees  straight across.

The descent of the space craft is difficult to predict as the conditions in space are widely unknown and unpredictable. The orbit pattern of Tiangong-1 is also making predictions more complex and leads to 'highly variable' predictions

'When the spacecraft crosses the equator, it's crossing the road at this point, and it does so really fast.

'When it goes across the red bands further north and south, it's crossing at a steeper angle - almost parallel to the road.

'It takes longer to cross at these latitudes, which is why it has a higher risk of coming down here.'

Predictions of Tiangong-1's most likely point of impact come from Aerospace, a US research organisation based in El Segundo, California, that advises government and private enterprise on space flight.

The vehicle is 10.4 metres long and has a main diameter of 3.35 metres. It has a liftoff mass of 8,506 kilograms and provides 15 cubic metres of pressurised volume

Tiangong-1 is experiencing drag as it brushes against the planet's denser outer atmosphere and it is dropping out of orbit by about 2.5 miles a day. When Tiangong-1, Chinese for Heavenly Place, reaches an altitude of about 43 miles above the surface, it will begin its re-entry

Estimates from Aerospace say the space station will enter the Earth's atmosphere on April 1, give or take a few days, and debris will fall no further north than 42.7 N latitude or south of 42.7 S latitude.

An interactive map from SatView allows you to track the space stations's descent in real-time.

There are two maps available; the largest one shows the past path and the predicted path as a series of dots, whilst the smaller inset map shows the space station's exact location above Earth at any given moment.

The Satview map shows several different satellites in orbit, including the Hubble telescope and the International Space Station.

Tracking website SatView allows users to follow the exact movements of a range of different satellites, the Chinese Tiangong-1 is one of them. It shows a predicted time of reentry to the atmosphere as well as information on where it has been and where it is going

The larger map which shows the dots revealing the satellite's route is produced by Satview.

The second map is powered by USstratcom (United States Strategic Command) and then overlaid on to Google Maps.

As more information is garnered as to when the reentry will take place, the site updates with the most likely landing spot for the space station.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD intends to spin off its battery and photovoltaic unit and further promote the separated unit to be listed on a stock exchange, aiming to rival with CATL and trying to seize the to-be-lost strategic opportunities in battery industry. Currently, BYD had contacted with Great Wall Motor, BAIC and GAC in terms of power battery area.

Once BYD successfully spins off its battery unit and enable it be listed on a stock exchange, it is considered that BYD will commence a new business with a total market value of RMB 100 billion. Moreover, the battery business will help improve BYD's valuation.

Currently, BYD boasts world-leading battery production capacity. It is expected to reach a production capacity of 28GWh in 2018. Wang Chuanfu, president of BYD showed his great confidence in 2018. He believed that BYD will revive its sales growth in 2018. "We will actively renovate operating strategy, open up supplying and marketing system, improve marketization for all products and build an effective rivalry culture to improve operating efficiency and comprehensive competitiveness of all businesses." Wang Chuanfu added.
A Russian startup has created a realistic looking robot that's being used to interview prospective employees at several top international companies.

Called 'Vera,' the robot uses artificial intelligence technology to narrow down applicants to the top candidates based on job requirements.

Vera was developed by St. Petersburg-based startup Strafory and now counts more than 300 clients, including Pepsi, Ikea and L'Oreal, according to Bloomberg.

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Pictured is Vera, a robot created by Russian startup Strafory. She uses artificial intelligence technology to determine prospective candidates based on job requirements

Companies are mostly using Vera to recruit employees for 'high-turnover service and blue collar positions' like clerks, waiters and construction workers, Bloomberg said.

Vera selects suitable resumes from five job sites and then calls the candidates to tell them about the job.

She then interviews the best candidates either phone or via video chat.

The robot is able to narrow the field to the top 10% of candidates.

Vera can shave off the cost of recruiting by a third, as she's able to interview hundreds of applicants at the same time.

The firm's founders said they often wasted valuable time calling candidates who were no longer interested in the job or that they couldn't get in touch with.

'We felt like robots ourselves, so we figured it was better to automate the task,' Strafory co-founder Alexander Uraksin told Bloomberg.

Vera is capable of hosting both phone and video interviews. She can also conduct several interviews at once, which cuts down on a firm's typical recruiting costs by a third

Strafory equipped Vera with advanced speech recognition capabilities that allows her to complete complex tasks and hold conversations.

Specifically, they used a combination of speech recognition technologies from Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Russia's search giant Yandex.

Programmers trained Vera using 13 billion examples of language and speech from TV, Wikipedia and job listings, Bloomberg said.

As a result, Vera is able to speak in a more conversational way and understand a variety of phrases.

The firm is now teaching Vera how to recognize anger, pleasure and disappointment.

HOW DOES VERA THE ROBOT HR WOMAN WORK? A Russian startup has created a realistic looking robot that's being used to interview prospective employees at several top international companies. Called 'Vera,' the robot uses artificial intelligence technology to narrow down applicants to the top candidates based on job requirements. She can find resumes from the top five job sites, call the potential employees and hold video and phone interviews. Programmers from Strafory used a combination of speech recognition technologies from Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Russia's search giant Yandex According to Strafory, the startup behind Vera: 'For those candidates who are interested in your job offer, Vera will propose an online interview.' Strafory also describes Vera as 'the best alternative to active search of employees.' In addition to conducting interviews and narrowing down potential candidates, Vera can also delete duplicate cover letters and resumes, as well as fill different jobs at once, like cashiers and engineers. Called 'Vera,' the robot uses artificial intelligence technology to narrow down applicants to the top candidates based on job requirements. So far, Strafory counts more than 300 companies as clients for Vera, including top international firms like Pepsi, L'Oreal and Ikea The firm also says Vera can help companies reach candidates who might not be actively searching for a job or who are difficult to reach. So far, Strafory counts more than 300 companies as clients for Vera, including top international firms like Pepsi, L'Oreal and Ikea. Advertisement

While Vera is capable of handling complex situations, she can't officially hire or fire any employees just yet.

For now, human recruiters still vet the candidates.

And others say the robot shouldn't take the place of companies' traditional human resources departments.

'Final decisions on hiring are reserved for humans' Mikhail Chernomordikov told Bloomberg.

The move comes as a growing number of employers have turned to AI to make hiring and firing decisions, as well as to determine how people feel about their bosses.

One of the most popular kinds of workplace-focused AI software out there is called Xander and it can determine whether an employee feels optimistic, confused or angry, among other things.

Xander analyzes responses to open-ended questions, assigning attitudes or opinions to employees based on language and other data.
Amsterdams famous canals, clogs, cheese and windmills are incredibly easy to get to from St Pancras International if you travel by Eurostar. The journey is much easier than by plane  think speedier check-in, more room to spread out en route and a bigger luggage and liquids allowance. What are you waiting for?

When you go

With the two direct trains a day taking under four hours from London to Amsterdam, its technically possible to pop to Amsterdam for lunch. But you could take the more leisurely route  which takes a whole hour extra  and change in Brussels. The earliest slow train leaves at 0650, but the best time to travel is 1100 or 1500, when its less busy and quite a bit cheaper. If youre trying to eke out your day trip to Amsterdam, the last train to London  again, via Brussels  is just after 1700 and will get you back for 2100. But its well worth planning a longer trip to really get to grips with Amsterdam and make the journey worth it.

The Eurostars new route from London to Amsterdam takes you to the popular city with ease

How to book tickets

Booking tickets for the Eurostar couldnt be simpler. Just go to the Eurostar website, pick your dates and times, and pay with credit or debit card. You can opt to receive your tickets by email and print them out or get a confirmation code which youll use to pick up your tickets from a self-service machine at St Pancras on the day of travel. There are plenty of staff around to help you if you get stuck. Of course, you can book your tickets at the station or over the phone, too.

Expect to pay at least 100 for a return ticket, but it can be a lot more if youre travelling during peak periods, or if you book last minute.

Checking in

Forget the stress of checking in and going through security at the airport. At St Pancras International, the whole process  from the short queue to scan your paper or mobile ticket to the fuss-free passport check  takes just 30 minutes. And theres no need to check in your luggage. All checked in, you can make use of the coffee shop and comfy seats in the waiting area.

You can take two bags with no weight restriction  your carry-ons just need to fit in the racks on board. You can take liquids, too, so feel free to pack your whole toiletries bag and bring perfume or wine back with you. Youre allowed to take food, so pack a homemade lunch or stop by one of the many shops and bakeries in St Pancras.

Remember, check in closes 30 minutes before departure, unless youve invested in a Business Premier ticket, in which case you can leave it until 10 minutes before departure to board.

What's it like?

The Eurostar is a very relaxing way to travel  sit back, relax and unwind with a book or some food and drink as you watch the Kent, French, Belgian and eventually Dutch, countryside whizz by. Standard class is pretty good: the seats are really comfortable and each one has a fixed or drop-down table and plenty of legroom; its air-conditioned, and most trains have Wi-Fi. There are two buffets selling breakfast, snacks, hot drinks and wine.

Views of the famous canals double as a great lunch view.

Fancy upgrading? If youve got work to do or just want peace and quiet while you wait for your train, go Business Premier and you can use the business lounge at St Pancras. As a Business Premier or Standard Premier passenger, youll also get access to the first-class carriages and a complementary meal designed by Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc served at your seat.

Changing at Brussels

Changing trains at Brussels is easy. As you approach Brussels, the train manager on board will let you know youre getting close, then everything is clearly signposted once you disembark. Simply head to the main hall and check the departure boards for the next train to Amsterdam.

You dont need to be reserved on a specific train, just find a seat in the Comfort 1 section if you bought a Standard ticket and Comfort 2 for anything above that.

The famous Vondelpark in Amsterdam makes a great way to enjoy a lazy Sunday

Arriving in Amsterdam

Youll arrive at Amsterdam Centraal Station, in the heart of the city. Thanks to the central location, its likely youll be able to walk to your hotel or start your holiday straight away if youre travelling light. If youre staying further out, youre in the right place to hop on a train or tram to the neighbourhoods.
Fascinating maps have revealed Europe's most densely populated countries - and England, despite the perception that it's a tight squeeze there, is not one of them.

They show that both Holland and Spain are in fact the places with the most cramped urban areas, with 53,000 people living in one square kilometre alone in Barcelona.

Here Professor Alasdair Rae, who specialises in Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield and writing for The Conversation, reveals the truth about population densities in Europe.

Barcelona from above: Possibly the most densely populated square kilometre in Europe - it contains 53,000 people

It's often said that England is the most densely populated large country in Europe  typically in discussions about the nation's rising population, and the growing strain on public services. But it's not true.

With 426 people per km, as of 2016, England is densely populated when compared to most other European countries.

But it's not as densely populated as the Netherlands, where there were 505 people per km, or a much poorer country such as Bangladesh, where there were 1,252 per km.

Yet simply dividing the number of people by the land area of a country is not always the best way to understand population density. Consider a country such as Russia, where urban density is high, but there are vast swathes of empty land.

The figures will tell you density is very low (eight people per km); but this it not what most people in Russia experience in their daily lives. The same is true of Australia, Canada and other large, highly urbanised nations.

That's why I set out to understand the topic in more depth, using alternative measures of population density. I looked at 39 countries across Europe and came up with a set of statistics to help us understand settlement patterns in a more nuanced way.

If you are interested in looking at this issue globally, I recommend Duncan Smith's World Population Density interactive map, or the World Bank's data comparison tool.

To begin with, I took Eurostat's population density grid data for 2011 and mapped it. This divides Europe into areas of 1km, and then gives a population count for each area, so that we can compare like-with-like across Europe.

A map showing population density in Europe and the areas where there are more than 250 people per square kilometre

As you can see from the map, it provides a good overview of where people live, and where they don't live: notice the sparse settlement pattern in the Alps or northern Scandinavia, or indeed much of Spain.

This bird's eye view helps us to understand the wider context. For example, we can see an area of high population density extending in a rough arc from north-west England down to Milan, with a little break in the Alps. This is the so-called 'blue banana', or dorsale europeenne (European backbone), identified by French geographer Roger Brunet in 1989, and it is home to more than 110m people.

But we can get further clarity still by honing in on 'built-up' density, which takes into account only those 1km areas with people living in them. I call this figure 'lived density', since it provides a way of seeing the kinds of population densities that people experience in their day-to-day lives, within built-up areas.

A good way to understand this measure is to look at Spain. It has a population density of 93 people per km, giving the impression of a sparsely populated country. This is borne out in the map, where much of Spain appears to be empty; much more so than any other large European country.

The reasons for this date back to Medieval times, as Daniel Oto-Peralias at the University of St Andrews has explained. Yet characterising Spain as a sparsely populated country does not reflect the experience on the ground  as anyone who knows Barcelona or Madrid can tell you.

Spain contains within it more than 505,000 1km squares. But only 13% of them are lived in. This means that the 'lived density' for Spain is in fact 737 people per km, rather than 93. So even though the settlement pattern appears sparse, people are actually quite tightly packed together.

In fact, Spain could claim to be the most densely populated major European country by this measure, despite its appearance on the map. This also helps explain why Spain has the most densely populated km in Europe; more than 53,000 people inhabit a single 1km area in Barcelona. France also has an area with more than 50,000 people in a single km, in Paris.

There are 33 1km areas across Europe with a population of 40,000 or more: 23 are in Spain, and ten are in France. England's most densely populated km, in West London, has just over 20,000 people in it. Globally, the highest figure is close to 200,000, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

When we look at 'lived density' across Europe, it's fair to say that England is a densely populated country  but it still sits behind Spain and the Netherlands on the list of major European nations, and below the microstates of Monaco, Andorra and Malta. The lived density figure for the Netherlands is 546 people per km, compared to 531 for England, 204 for Wales, 200 for Scotland and 160 for Northern Ireland.

Although these population numbers are a little dated now (they are based on 2011 data), they can still demonstrate how population density figures might differ from what we experience in our day-to-day lives. Arithmetic population density measures can be useful, but on their own they don't always help inform public debate, or match up with our perceptions of urban density.

I have provided the data for all 39 countries, where available, so you can compare the figures for yourself. By using a more sophisticated measure, we can gain a more nuanced perspective of settlement patterns and relative densities and, hopefully, better capture the reality on the ground in towns and cities.
Female cabin crew on Cathay Pacific have won the right to wear trousers after the airline ended its 70-year-old rule stating they must wear skirts.

The Hong Kong flag carrier had the regulation challenged by the flight attendants' union after some staff had complained about their uniform.

And today it was revealed that the airline would be re-evaluating its cabin crew outfits.

Cathay Pacific's female flight attendants have won the right to wear trousers after the airline ended its 70-year rule on them wearing skirts

It came after the Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Flight Attendants Association said many female colleagues expressed concern over wearing short skirts.

It was claimed they were especially uncomfortable wearing the skirts when putting passengers' luggage into overhead compartments and also when taking public transport when off duty.

Pauline Mak, vice chair of the union, told AFP: 'We welcome and appreciate the company's decision on giving us an option in choosing uniforms.

'It not only provides us one more option, but also provides us with protection.'

Ms Mak said the change would take place during the next uniform refresh, which is expected to be in three year's time at the earliest.

Cathay Pacific today revealed that it would be re-evaluating its cabin crew outfits

Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon said: 'Just as we recognise it is important to provide our customers with more choice, the same is also true for our colleagues.'

It comes as the #Metoo movement on social media has empowered women to stand up against sexual harassment and encourage them to ask for proper protection in the workplace and everyday life.

In 2014, Cathay Pacific flight attendants also requested a redesign of their uniforms because they said they were too revealing and may provoke sexual harassment.

Meanwhile earlier this year, a passenger complained about the new Air Asia uniforms saying they were too short and she could see the ladies' underwear.
He's a former AFL bad boy whose troubles have been well documented.

And this week, Brendan Fevola got absolutely roasted by Hard Chat's Tom Gleeson.

Tom appeared on Brendan's Fox FM radio show and took swipes at Brendan for his past gambling addiction, his TV and media career, and for famously interviewing players and WAGs at the Brownlows in 2009 while drunk.

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From swipes about his past gambling addiction, being drunk at the Brownlows to his career: Hard Chat's Tom Gleeson ROASTS AFL bad boy Brendan Fevola (pictured)

Brendan, 37, took the roasting in good humour, laughing throughout.

'Why are you working in radio? Is it to top up your Betfair account?,' Tom said at one point, referring to Brendan's past gambling issues.

'It's actually Ladbrokes,' Brendan replied, chuckling. 'The account is going well. No need to top up yet.'

Ouch: 'Why are you working in radio? Is it to top up your Betfair account?,' Tom (pictured) said at one point, referring to Brendan's past love of gambling

Referencing Brendan's drunk appearance at the Brownlows, Tom asked: 'Last year, you turned up sober at the Logies. What was that all about?'

Brendan said he had to sign a contract to stay sober in order to be allowed into the casino.

Tom also took a swipe at Brendan being on The Footy Show.

Another swipe! Taking a dig at Brendan being drunk at the Brownlows, Tom asked: 'Last year, you turned up sober at the Logies. What was that all about?'

'You've joined Channel Nine's Footy Show, do you feel like a rat that's jumped on a sinking ship?,' Tom said, taking a jab at the program's lucklustre ratings.

Tom also joked about Brendan's stint on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and said if he 'ever considered going back into the jungle and staying there and never coming back.'

The former Carlton and Brisbane star infamously interviewed players and WAGs at the 2009 Brownlow Medal while heavily intoxicated.

Making headlines: The former Carlton and Brisbane star infamously interviewed players and WAGs at the 2009 Brownlow Medal while heavily intoxicated

Brendan, while working for The AFL Footy Show, pretended to attack then-West Coast Eagles superstar Chris Judd, made sexual jokes to his partner Bec, kissed Swans midfielder Ryan O'Keefe and snapped at the condescension of James Hird.

Brendan previously confessed to spending a night in a Brisbane jail for jaywalking on New Year's Eve in 2010.

Other controversies throughout his career include him urinating outside a nightclub in 2008.

His personal life also made headlines when he had an affair with Australian model Lara Bingle, who is now married to Sam Worthington.

Lara has said she did not know Brendan was married at the time, and told The Daily Telegraph she ended the affair when she found out he was married.

Controversial: Other controversies throughout his career include him urinating outside a nightclub in 2008, that made him be stood down from leadership at his club

Personal struggles: Brendan is seen with longtime partner, Alex (pictured)

Brendan and longtime partner Alex split in 2005 after the affair.

She has previously confirmed the betrayal ruined their marriage but, at the time, Lara denied the allegations.

In 2010, a nude image of Lara in the shower resurfaced from her relationship with Brendan.

In 2011, Brendan spent more than 60 days in rehab battling depression.

'It was a mental clinic. I went in there at 99kg and rolled out at 128kg, because of all the Seroquel and all the c**p they give you,' he said on his radio show, referring to a common medication used to treat Bipolar Disorder.
She failed to find love while appearing on Blake Garvey's 2014 season of the franchise.

But Laurina Fleure has admitted that the producers of Bachelor In Paradise offered her a 'secret deal' to ensure she does the second time around.

'Production promised me they'd find me someone to drool over,' the 34-year-old told Thursday's OK! magazine

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Love on the dotted line? Bachelor In Paradise star Laurina Fleure reveals her 'secret deal' made with producers

The brunette beauty also discussed her initial reluctance to join the spin-off, telling the publication: 'I wasn't into any previous bachelors.'

However, once on the island she was thrilled with the cast that fled to Fiji.

'I was really happy to see Michael [Turnbull]. I always thought he was very cute. And Apollo [Jackson], but he's very young.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Bachelor In Paradise for comment.

Casting: 'Production promised me they'd find me someone to drool over,' the brunette beauty told the publication

Meanwhile on Monday night's episode, it was Blake Colman who got close with the stunning brunette.

Within seconds of her arrival, Laurina whisked away the star of Sophie Monk's season of The Bachelorette, offering him a date card.

The pair frolicked in a mud bath, seen slathering each other's skin in a traditional Fijian detoxifying sludge.

Flirty: Meanwhile on Monday night's episode, it was Blake Colman, 30, who got close with the stunning brunette

When in Fiji! The pair fondled in a mud bath, seen slathering each other's skin in a traditional Fijian detoxifying sludge

Flirting up a storm, Blake asked Laurina if she was capable of love, to which she responded: 'I have fallen in love in four days before. Twice, actually,' she proudly announced.

Blake, 30, said: 'Maybe we should make a new record?,' before leaning in for a cringe-worthy kiss.

After locking lips, Laurina was quick to rate the pash.

'I'd give our kiss a 6.2 out of 10,' she announced.
DMX was sentenced to a year in jail and three more of supervised release on Wednesday in New York City in connection with tax fraud.

The 47-year-old performer appeared before Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who told DMX that his offense was 'brazen and blatant' and necessitated a stiff sentence, according to the AP. Prosecutors initially asked he spend five years in custody for the infraction, when factoring in past crimes he's been convicted of.

Rakoff permitted a request from DMX's laywer Murray Richman to play the rapper's 1998 song Slippin' in the court, in an attempt to illustrate the many adversities he's faced in his life, beginning from childhood.

Sentenced: DMX, 47, was sentenced to a year in jail and three more of supervised release on Wednesday in New York City in connection with tax fraud. The rap artist was snapped outside of an NYC court in August of 2017

The song's chorus includes lyrics like: 'Ay yo I'm slippin', I'm fallin', I gots to get up/ Get me back on my feet so I can tear s*** up.'

Richman pleaded to the court that it was better if DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was free, as he'd better be equipped to take care of his 15 kids and repay the $2 million in back taxes he's on the hook for.

The New York native, who's been in custody since January after a failed drug test while out on bond - told the judge that he 'was in a cloud' and not 'following the rules' in the time that paved the path to the tax violation, acknowledging that he's too old to be making these types of mistakes.

Rakoff said he felt the Party Up (Up in Here) artist 'is a good man' but 'his own worst enemy.'

Contrite: The performer acknowledged that he had made mistakes during Wednesday's hearing

DMX last November pleaded guilty to a count of tax evasion in a deal with officials, with TMZ reporting that he was looking at a total of 44 years behind bars on 14 counts in the case.

In late January, he was placed back in jail after a drug test revealed he'd taken cocaine and oxycodone during a time he was slated to be in a rehab program, the outlet reported.

He'd been caught on camera in St. Louis airport drinking, which was another infraction of the terms of his probation, the outlet reported.
Bachelor In Paradise's Keira Maguire has weighed in on the latest series of Married At First Sight, sharing her own theory about how the couples were matched.

The 31-year-old said she believes producers deliberately mismatch couples in the hopes that they cheat with other people's spouses.

Keira shared her thoughts on NW's Instagram page, commenting below a meme about MAFS' two 'wife-swap' couples: Tracey and Sean, and Carly and Troy.

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Do MAFS producers encourage the contestants to have affairs? Keira Maguire's has a theory that 'couples are deliberately mismatched so they cheat with other people's spouses'

The meme was captioned: 'The last two couples remain. That, er, matched themselves when their actual marriages came crashing down.'

NW posted the image of Tracey, Sean, Carly and Troy after the last remaining MAFS couple announced they had split.

Keira commented below the post: 'The whole show is based around finding actual compatible couple and then matching them with the people that they don't match with.'

Last-remaining couples: Keira shared her thoughts on NW's Instagram page, commenting below a meme about MAFS' two 'wife-swap' couples: Tracey and Sean, and Carly and Troy

'Let the drama unfold': The 31-year-old said she believes producers deliberately mismatch couples in the hopes that they cheat with other people's spouses

She added: 'So eventually through the show they feel the spark with the actual person they were suppose to be matched with... let the drama unfold.'

Another fan commenting on the meme agreed with Keira's theory.

They wrote: 'I hope they get a new set of "experts" for the next series. Clearly these ones failed, as they had the right people, but matched them wrong.'

'I hope they get a new set of "experts"' :Another fan commenting on the meme agreed with Keira's theory

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.

The only two couples still together post-MAFS were not actually 'scientifically matched' by the relationship experts.

Troy and Carly began dating after their own 'marriages' fell apart. The same was the case with Tracey and Sean.
Fans went into meltdown when former Labor senator Sam Dastyari's laugh was compared to the unique chuckle of The Hangover's Leslie Chow.

And Ken Jeong, the actor who played Mr. Chow, was also amused by the comparison as he retweeted Daily Mail Australia's story about the whole affair.

Before long, Sam replied to his tweet with: 'Hey @kenjeong - screw the naysayers, we have an excellent laugh.'

'We have an excellent laugh!' The Hangover's Ken Jeong (left, as Leslie Chow) lends his support to former Labor senator Sam Dastyari (right) after their 'ridiculously' similar cackle is exposed

Fans were delighted by Ken's apparent knowledge of Australian political figures, and several even invited him to visit the country.

The bizarre Twitter exchange comes after Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson pointed out how Mr. Chow and Sam Dastyari laugh in a remarkably similar way.

They poked fun at the former politician on Wednesday's The Kyle And Jackie O Show, likening his chuckle to the fictional gangster's.

Impressed: Ken Jeong seemed just as amused by the comparison as he retweeted the Daily Mail Australia story on it on Thursday and added a laughing face emoji

Like two peas in a pod: Cementing their bond, Sam then replied to his tweet and cheekily quipped: 'Hey @kenjeong - screw the naysayers, we have an excellent laugh'

After a caller had suggested the comparison, the KIIS FM program played both laughs back to back.

The eerily similar cackles sent the radio hosts into laughter as well, as Jackie remarked: 'Oh my God, it's insane!'

'That's ridiculously close,' Kyle Sandilands added, after playing the two sound recordings at the same time.

Shocking: The eerily similar cackles of Sam (L) and Ken (R) sent the radio hosts into laughter as well, as Jackie 'O' Henderson said: 'Oh my God, it's insane!'

'That's ridiculously close!' The amusing Twitter exchange between the unlikely pair comes after radio hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson revealed the similarity in laughs

'Good spot!' Jackie claimed the it was a 'good spot' by their listener to compare the cackle to fictional gangster Leslie Chow (actor Ken Jeong) from The Hangover Trilogy

Jackie said that it was a 'good spot' by their listener, adding: 'So good, so good.'

Sam had been on the Sydney breakfast show to discuss an array of political topics.

Jackie welcomed the former politician, by saying: 'Sam, you always dish the dirt on what's going on in politics - but in a fun way, not a boring way!'

'In a fun way, not a boring way!' Jackie commented on Sam's colourful approach to politics
She's only 19.

But it seems like Sofia Richie is more than comfortable playing mommy to beau Scott Disick's young kids.

The starlet appeared in her element Wednesday in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where she wasn't afraid to flaunt her figure as she soaked in the sun and sand with 34-year-old beau Scott and his eldest kids Mason, eight, Penelope, five.

Family vacation! Sofia Richie and beaut Scott Disick were seen sunning and swimming in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with his kids Mason and Penelope Wednesday

Sofia looked irresistible in a sporty-yet-sexy black thong swimsuit which put her perky bottom on full display.

She wore her dyed-brown locks down with a smooth center part while keeping her face hidden from the sun with dark shades.

In her arms, the daughter of Lionel Richie carried along her precious new puppy dog.

Besides her, Scott looked healthy in Kith swim trunks and a layer of winter warmth on his trunk.

Bottom's up! The model looked irresistible in a sporty-yet-sexy black thong swimsuit which put her perky bottom on full display

Dog days! In her arms, the daughter of Lionel Richie carried along her precious new puppy dog

Babysitters club! Sofia watched over her beau's daughter Penelope, who donned a yellow suit and white shawl for the day at the pool

Suit for swimming! Besides her, Scott looked healthy in Kith swim trunks and a layer of winter warmth on his trunk

Best tressed! She wore her dyed-brown locks down with a smooth center part while keeping her face hidden from the sun with dark shades

Sofia watched over her beau's daughter Penelope, who donned a yellow suit and white shawl for the day at the pool.

At the same time, Scott checked in with son Mason.

Later the group relaxed on a cluster of lounge chairs and enjoyed some snacks.

Sofia also offered her canine a refreshment, sharing video of the pup chomping on watermelon to her Instagram story.

Puppy love! The star was in full nurturing mode as she watched over Penelope and cuddled her doggy

Scooby snacks! Sofia shared video of the pup chomping on watermelon to her Instagram story

Catching Zzz's! It was a full day for the pup, who the star later captured while napping

All together now! It looked like the star was in her element while with her older love and his little ones

Abs-olute wonder! Richie's little black suit made a show of her fantastically flat middle

Relax! Later the group relaxed on a cluster of lounge chairs and enjoyed some snacks

It was a full day for the pup, who the star later captured while napping.

Yesterday the up-and-coming model boasted about going on 'Spring break' with her beau as she shared an Instagram of the couple looking loved-up while standing in front of a private jet.

She captioned the shot: 'Spring break with my [heart emoji], but later shortened her message to read just 'my [heart]' and disabled comments after getting significant blow-back from followers about her older partner.

One follower replied: 'Doesn't she know students aren't allowed to date professors', while another quoted: 'So glad you have a chaperone. Stay safe!'

Feeling flighty: Yesterday the up-and-coming model boasted about going on 'Spring break' with her beau but quickly got blow-back about the couple's 15 year age gap

Sonny boy! At the same time, Scott checked in with son Mason

Hydrated! Scott kept a bottle of water handy during the hot, sunny day

Jet set life! The couple aren't exactly homebodies, constantly seen indulging in luxe vacations together

Steady: Though many have mocked them, the couple have been going strong for close to a year

Attached at the hip! Scott and Sofia have been nearly inseparable since first going public with their relationship in May 2017

'lol more like your dad' another follower quipped.

Fans continued to badger the model about the age gap, with another writing: 'You meant your babysitter', while one follower asked: 'What do you possibly talk about he's old enough to be ur dad'.

Though many have mocked them, the couple are going strong.

Scott and Sofia have been nearly inseparable since first going public with their relationship in May 2017.

Ex factor: Prior to his romance with Sofia, Scott was in a long-term relationship with Kourtney Kardashian for almost a decade

Traveling together: Sofia first showed off her new pup on Instagram several days before the trip

Young at heart! Sofia shared a loved-up photo of the couple to her Instagram story

Model pup! Richie joked about her female pup calling her 'model b**** #1' in one photo

Furry friend! Sofia seemed enamored with her new pet, but it didn't appear like she'd revealed the dog's name yet

Prior to his romance with Sofia, Scott was in a long-term relationship with Kourtney Kardashian for almost a decade.

His three children  Mason, eight, Penelope, five and Reign  are from the couple's relationship, which was never marked with marriage.

But Scott is not the only one to have moved on with a younger flame.

Kourtney has been dating male model Younes Bendjima, 24, following her split from the father of her children.
She recently admitted she still had feelings for former flame, Dan Edgar.

But Amber Turner was seen looking happy as she embarked on an adrenaline packed date with TOWIE newbie Dean Ralph in Chelmsford on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old reality star flashed a glimpse of her stomach in a white crop top as she joined the hunk to scale a wall during a session of indoor climbing.

Fun: Amber Turner, 24, was seen looking happy as she embarked on an adrenaline packed date with TOWIE newbie Dean Ralph in Chelmsford on Wednesday

Despite the casual element to their date, Amber still managed to look a vision in the crop number and grey leggings.

She kept it super comfortable in a pair of trainers and opted for minimal accessories for a fuss-free feel.

While many would scrape their locks into a ponytail for such activities, Amber allowed her blonde tresses to run free as she made her way up the wall.

She enhanced her pretty features with a striking coat of make-up, focusing on blush infused cheek and mascara laden eyes.

Active: The reality star flashed a glimpse of her stomach in a white crop top as she joined the hunk to scale a wall during a session of indoor climbing

Stunning: Despite the casual element to their date, Amber still managed to look a vision in the crop number and grey leggings

Low-key: She kept it super comfortable in a pair of trainers and opted for minimal accessories for a fuss-free feel

She was joined by TOWIE newbie Dean Ralph who clad his muscular physique in a skintight grey top, black leggings and shorts.

Dean, who is Tommy Mallet's BFF and a former flame of Love Island star Chloe Crowhurst, looked to be having a great time on their date.

Amber proved she was a pro at indoor climbing, as she powered her way to the top.

The fun display comes Dan Edgar met with the blonde beauty in his car before she was seen breaking down in tears in an emotional display following the charged chat.

Mane attraction: While many would scrape their locks into a ponytail for such activities, Amber allowed her blonde tresses to run free as she made her way up the wall

Beauty: She enhanced her pretty features with a striking coat of make-up, focusing on blush infused cheek and mascara laden eyes

Hunk: She was joined by TOWIE newbie, Dean Ralph who clad his muscular physique in a skintight grey top, black leggings and shorts

Dan and Amber's romance has been on-going since she first joined and ditched her boyfriend of four years - Jamie Reed - for the hunk before he allegedly cheated on her in Ireland with a mystery woman.

Despite parting ways with the TOWIE lothario, Amber recently admitted she still had feelings for Dan during a recent interview on This Morning.

Speaking ahead of the new series' debut, she said: 'It's been over a year with us but I'm not going to say there aren't feelings there, but I can't do it anymore.'

Background: Dean is Tommy Mallet's BFF and a former flame of Love Island star Chloe Crowhurst

Loving it: Dean looked to be having a great time on their date

Not a hair out of place! Despite her active date, Amber was still preened to perfection when she left Jump

Ex: She recently admitted she still had feelings for former flame, Dan Edgar

Tension between the pair became so heated that she even threw a drink in his face while filming the ITVBe show in Barcelona earlier this year.

When asked about an alleged row between them at popular Essex haunt Sugar Hute, she said: 'I was having a conversation with one of the new girls and he came into the conversation and it just didn't go down well.

'Things have just got so toxic between us and I'm just so done with the situation,' before joking: 'A cup fell out of my hand and it may have had liquid in it. You think a lot of it is played for dramatics but everything I've talked about is real life.'

When's the second one? Amber's first date with Dean looked to be a success as the beauty beamed broadly as she headed to her car

Bling bling: The star gave her relaxed active wear look an opulent finish with a Louis Vuitton bag

Drama: Dan and Amber's romance has been on-going since she first joined and ditched her boyfriend of four years - Jamie Reed - for the hunk before he allegedly cheated on her in Ireland with a mystery woman
She's never been afraid to give fans a warts-and-all glimpse into her private life.

And Jackie O Henderson, 42, has now poked fun at her poor arts and crafts skills.

During a segment with Beau Ryan on KIIS FM this Thursday, Jackie spoke candidly about her poor attempt at making a bonnet for daughter Kitty to wear at school during Easter

'I am so bad at arts and crafts you have no idea!' Jackie O Henderson, 42, has titillated fans by poking at her poor attempt at making a bonnet for daughter Kitty to wear at school during Easter

'I am so bad at arts and crafts you have no idea', she sighed. '[This year's hat] is the most pathetic hat I have sent Kitty off with.'

'Like, I've basically together anything I could find. I had a little tiny straw hat, and then I found a couple of fake flowers around the house and then a few streamers,' she explained.

Beau cheekily interjected: 'Whatever you've got lying around? Bottle tops, corks?'

'Like, I've basically together anything I could find': Jackie went on to describe the haphazard creation she had whipped up at home

'I spent about $60': Conversely, Beau didn't hold back gloating about his daughter Remi's home-made Easter hat, which his wife Kara had painstakingly put together earlier in the week

Jackie played along, responding: 'Yeah corks from champagne bottles!'

She added: 'And you know those big plastic bows you put on presents? Yeah I put one of those on!'

Conversely, Beau didn't hold back gloating about his daughter Remi's home-made Easter hat, which his wife Kara had painstakingly put together from scratch.

'I spent about $60 at Hot Dollar so that's a lot of stuff. We bought everything!' he exclaimed.

Power couple! Conversely, Beau didn't hold back gloating about his daughter Remi's home-made Easter hat, which his wife Kara had painstakingly put together from scratch

He also admitted that his wife was inspired to create the extravagant headgear after viewing a selection of hats created by other parents at Remi's school.

'If Jennifer Hawkins' spring carnival hat had a baby, with willy womnka's hat. this is what the hats would be,' he mused, describing one particularly impressive specimen.

A snap of Remi's glittery rabbit-themed hat appeared on the official Kyle And Jackie O page minutes later, along with the caption: 'Check out Beau Ryan's attempt at making an Easter bonnet for his daughter! What lengths have you gone to to compete with the other parents at school?'
Earlier this month, they held a commitment ceremony to celebrate their love.

And on Wednesday, Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough were the picture of 'newlywed' bliss as they went shopping in North Sydney.

The pair wore matching skinny jeans and designer sandals as they wrapped their arms around each other.

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The honeymoon never ends! Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough wear matching skinny jeans and designer sandals as they go on a romantic shopping trip in Sydney

Jasmine looked effortlessly chic in white jeans and a monochrome camisole top, believed to be Zimmermann.

She completed the look with $293 black studded sandals from her own label Mara & Mine and carried a leather bag.

The shoe designer highlighted her youthful complexion by wearing minimal makeup and styling her blonde hair into a high bun.

Stylish: Jasmine looked effortlessly chic in white jeans and a monochrome camisole top, believed to be Zimmermann

Meanwhile, Karl wore a pair of spray-on jeans, a navy T-shirt and $260 Gucci slides, and accessorised with a Boston Red Sox cap.

Earlier this week, the Today host spoke to Triple M's Kennedy Molloy about their commitment ceremony in Palm Beach, saying it was just 'practice' for the big day.

He also confirmed it was not a legally-binding ceremony.

Fashionista: She completed the look with $293 black studded sandals from her own label Mara & Mine and carried a leather bag

Not married... yet! Earlier this week, the Today host spoke to Triple M 's Kennedy Molloy about their commitment ceremony in Palm Beach, saying it was just 'practice' for the big day

Karl previously told The Fix he and Jasmine will 'probably' get married later this year.

Fans of the couple took to the Today show's Facebook page after their commitment ceremony to speculate the low-key event was held due to Jasmine being pregnant.

'She looks pregnant? Why else hold a commitment ceremony?' asked a social media user.

'Why not just wait a decent amount of time has passed from the divorce and then get married... my money's on a baby,' they added.
He was the crowned winner of Channel Ten's Survivor last October, pocketing the grand prize of $500,000.

But unlike former reality star winners, Jericho Malabonga appeared to disappear from the spotlight shortly after the finale - returning to his job at Qantas as normal.

So just where is Jericho now?

Where is Survivor winner Jericho Malabonga now? Reality star reveals his surprising new adventure and says he still hasn't spent a cent of his $500,000 prize money

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, the 25-year-old revealed he has turned to charity work after feeling 'self-centered' from Survivor glory.

He also revealed that, surprisingly, he hasn't touched a cent of his cash prize.

'To this day I still haven't spent a cent of the prize money,' the international Qantas flight attendant confessed, adding that it helped that the 'hype' of the show had dropped off when he received the large sum.

Jericho was a clear fan favourite during his 55-day stint in Samoa, and was known for his cheeky sense of humour, mateship with fellow prankster Luke Toki and employing a secret cookie stash as a tactic to create his own alliance.

Charity work: Jericho signed up for charity missions abroad in Cambodia, with fellow Survivor stars Lee Carseldine, El Rowland and Tara Pitt in March

Using his public profile to make a difference! The fun-loving character said he was overwhelmed by his rise to stardom and the 'self-centered, self-serving life' of reality star fame and wanted to use his profile to help others

'The show teaches you things that you don't expect... you start to reflect on what's important really important': Jericho said his time on Survivor helped put things into perspective

The fun-loving character said he was overwhelmed by his rise to stardom, and the 'self-centered, self-serving life' of reality star fame.

With a desire to shift from 'me me me' to use his public platform to help others, he signed up for charity missions abroad in Cambodia with fellow Survivor stars, Lee Carseldine, El Rowland and Tara Pitt.

After sharing images of his church in Cambodia, rebuilding villages and spreading Christmas cheer last December, Lee and El asked if he'd like to join a charity project in Cambodia with them in March.

Doing it for the kids! Jericho joined forced with Poeuy's Rural School, a non profit school in the rural village of Siem Reap, which aims to help children with no parents or homes to go to school and get an education

Jericho joined forced with Poeuy's Rural School, a non profit school in the rural village of Siem Reap, which aims to help children with no parents or homes to go to school and get an education.

'I got Colgate on board to donate to our cause with boxes full of children dental kits and Crayola also donated crayons and pencils for the kids,' he explained.

Jericho says his time on Survivor helped put things into perspective.

The humble star had previously spoken to Tara about making a difference after leaving the island as they reflected on 'starving' and having nothing but the clothes on their back.

'The show teaches you things that you don't expect until you are there and you start to reflect on what's important really important,' he said.

Helping hand! Jericho said he used his public profile to receive donations from Colgate (L) and Crayola (R) to offer to the children during his charity mission

Meanwhile, Jericho, who admitted to moving in with his parents after the show's finale, said they advised him to be wise and remember there was 'no massive rush' to spend it.

Placing the money into a long-term deposit, he said he doesn't have any big plans just yet with what to do with it.

'I've told myself it's not like its gonna disappear any time soon. I have all the time in the world to decide what to do with it,' he explained.

'I didn't HAVE to but I CHOOSE to': Despite pocketing the large prize money, Jericho resumed his job as an international Qantas steward in November, to the shock of fans

Despite pocketing the large prize money, Jericho resumed his job as an international Qantas steward in November, to the shock of fans.

He wrote on Instagram at the time: 'People ask why I'm back at work STRAIGHT AWAY. I mean... I didn't HAVE to but I CHOOSE to. You can think otherwise. But to be honest- I like working. And I got a mint job.'

He added: 'Plus I worked hard to get the job I wanted and to leave it would just devalue something I really considered an accomplishment'.

Throwback! When Jericho arrived in Australia from the Philippines four years ago he was unemployed and took a job cleaning toilets for Jetstar

When Jericho arrived in Australia from the Philippines three years ago he was unemployed and took a job cleaning toilets for Jetstar.

He shared a throwback photo last year that showed him gloved up and cleaning a toilet bowl- a contrast highlighting just how far he had come in such a small space of time.

Jericho outlasted 23 other contestants to win the title of Australian Survivor 2017, after spending 55 days on the island of Upolu.

You can learn more about volunteering for or donating to Poeuy's Rural School in Cambodia via Facebook.
An ex-boyfriend of actress Rosa Salazar has successfully obtained a restraining order against her, forcing her to keep a minimum distance of 100 yards from him.

Sam Setzer claimed the Canadian entertainer, 32, has exhibited disturbing behavior toward him since they parted ways March 19 after a month of dating, according to TMZ.

The 5ft3 star, who played the role of Maria on American Horror Story's first season in 2011, was accused by Setzer of going to his house uninvited around midnight, repeatedly ringing his doorbell and yelling so loud nearby residents were alarmed, the outlet reported.

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Problem: Actress Rosa Salazar, 32, has been ordered to keep a minimum distance of 100 yards from an ex-boyfriend who obtained a restraining order against her, TMZ reported Wednesday

Setzer told the court that he felt Salazar, who's been seen in projects such as CHIPS, The Kindergarten Teacher and the TV program Parenthood, was likely under the influence of a substance during the incident.

Salazar has also bombarded Setzer with texts and phone calls, he told the court.

Setzer said in court docs that Salazar threatened she would tell police that he assaulted her, at which point he notified authorities of the issues at hand.

Earlier this year, Salazar appeared at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where she shared her thoughts on the importance of diversity in storytelling and independent film in a segment for Adobe.

Fashionista: Sanchez was snapped in January at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah

Huge role: Rosa is seen in this grab from the upcoming Robert Rodriguez film Alita: Battle Angel, in which she appears alongside Oscar winners Jennifer Connelly and Christoph Waltz

'I feel so passionately about diverse voices ... because in the past you have one viewpoint, one perspective being thrust on an audience,' she said. 'And its important because there are so many different perspectives, there are so many different kind of voices that should be heard.'

She continued: 'If you don't have those diverse stories than you have this myopic - often misogynistic or even racist - viewpoint. What we do here at Sundance is bring all of the voices, all of the viewpoints and all of the stories, so we can share that with other people like us.'

The actress appears in the forthcoming Robert Rodriguez film Alita: Battle Angel alongside Oscar winners Jennifer Connelly and Christoph Waltz. It hits theaters December 21.
She recently enjoyed a sun-soaked getaway to India to attend the Hindu festival of Holi.

But Jessica Hart didn't seem to be suffering the holiday blues as she larked around with friends on Wednesday after touching down in New York.

The Australian model, 32, looked typically chic in an Aboriginal flag emblazoned sweatshirt after enjoying dinner in the West Village.

Looking good: Jessica Hart nailed off-duty model chic in a stylish Aboriginal flag jumper and skintight jeans as she larked around with pals after dinner in New York on Wednesday

The former Victoria's Secret Angel showcased her lean limbs in a chic pair of skintight blue jeans.

Injecting an added dose of colour into the look, the blonde bombshell rocked bright red Adidas trainers and covered up in a longline black parka.

Sweeping her golden tresses into an edgy braided updo, the model showcased her striking features while appearing to go makeup-free.

Legs for days: The former Victoria's Secret Angel showcased her lean limbs in a chic pair of skintight blue jeans and bright red adidas trainers

Jessica's outing in New York comes after her recent getaway to RAAS Devigarh, India, for the festival of Holi.

The festival is celebrated around the world with people gathering around bonfires and having water fights in the streets.

Holi, also known as the Festival of Colour, celebrates the triumph of good over evil as well as the power of love and fertility and colour.

Holi moly! Jessica recently enjoyed a sun-soaked getaway to India to attend the Hindu festival of Holi, where she was pelted with colourful powder

The two-day religious event, which marks the start of spring, is most recognised for throwing coloured powder or gulal.

Jess has mended her heartache following the break-up with billionaire heir Stavros Niarchos III, who also dated 'it' girl and socialite Paris Hilton.

The former flames went their separate ways for good after seven years together as lovers.
Tracey Jewel is advertising Nerium on her personal website, a skincare brand accused of being a 'product-based pyramid scheme'.

The Married At First Sight star's site features a link in its background that takes visitors to the controversial beauty range's page.

The 34-year-old's promotion of Nerium comes after Bachelor In Paradise star Michael Turnbull strongly denied any involvement with a pyramid scheme by representing the brand.

Controversial: Tracey Jewel is advertising Nerium on her personal website, a skincare brand accused of being a 'product-based pyramid scheme'

Tracey has defended Nerium as a 'reputable company' and said she uses their products to help soothe the skin problems she suffered on Married At First Sight.

'I suffered with acne on the show due to stress - a friend recommended Nerium halfway through filming and my skins been amazing ever since,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'So Im just spreading the word about something I use. Nerium is a reputable company who is a full member of the Direct Selling Association of Australia.'

She's not the first reality star linked to the controversial brand, as Michael Turnbull is also a representative of it.

Interesting: The 34-year-old's promotion of Nerium comes after Bachelor In Paradise star Michael Turnbull (pictured) strongly denied any involvement with a pyramid scheme by representing the brand

The Bachelorette's Michael denied he is involved in a pyramid scheme by representing the brand, during a hostile interview on A Current Affair in 2016.

He seemed reluctant to confirm he was even working with the company, saying: 'I certainly wouldn't be out to rip people off and take their money.'

Michael claimed he doesn't think his fans will be ripped off by the new business venture, adding he wouldn't 'take advantage' of his their trust.

The 36-year-old previously said he was 'ambushed' by A Current Affair earlier this month over his dealings with Nerium.

Advertising: The Married At First Sight star's site features a link in its background (pictured) that takes visitors to the controversial beauty range's page

Link: Tracey has defended Nerium (pictured, its website) as a 'reputable company' and said she uses their products to help soothe the skin problems she suffered on Married At First Sight

Channel Nine's allegations appear to relate to a 'business opportunity' Michael promoted on Instagram in May.

It would seem Michael was helping to recruit an Australian sales force for Nerium. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing and claims the business is not a pyramid scheme.

'I don't support pyramid schemes in any single way, shape or form,' he said in a Facebook video posted at the time.

He also clarified that Nerium is 'a legitimate business with a proven track record that has been approved to operate in Australia.'
She was once romantically linked to Justin Bieber.

But Chantel Jeffries looked ready to start anew as she gave it her all in a double denim ensemble in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old beauty commanded attention in the revealing outfit as she enjoyed watching the L.A. Lakers game with fellow non-signed model Jocelyn Chen.

Avid sports fan: Chantel Jeffries commanded attention in a revealing outfit as she enjoyed the L.A. Lakers home game on Wednesday with fellow non-signed model Jocelyn Chen

Daring to impress, the DJ/Instagram wunderkind showcased her bountiful curves in a black White Fox skimpy top.

Her gorgeous gams were swathed in faded denim pants that matched the jacket she wore loosely falling off her shoulders.

She paired the fashion forward look with a set of high heeled black boots as her trademark raven tresses were left long and loose with a part in the middle.

Chantel's beauty regimen was clearly designed to show off her naturally stunning looks as she rocked pared-back make-up.

Nonplussed: Daring to impress, the DJ/Instagram wunderkind showcased her bountiful curves in a black White Fox skimpy top

In the jeans: Chantel gave it her all in a double denim ensemble

Her brief romance with Justin goes all the way back to 2014 when sparks first flew between the young lovers.

She was with him in his rented Lamborghini at the time of his Miami arrest for DUI, drag racing and resisting arrest in January, 2014.

Justin pleaded guilty in 2015 to careless driving and resisting arrest, and the DUI charges were dropped after he made a donation to a youth charity and agreed to attend anger management classes.

Paired: She paired the fashion forward look with a set of high heeled black boots as her trademark raven tresses were left long and loose with a part in the middle

Au natural: Chantel's beauty regimen was clearly designed to show off her naturally stunning looks as she rocked pared-back make-up

The model is currently advertising her own range of clothing which is soon to drop and her fans have been showing their love for it on her Twitter page.

Among the range is thought to be a hoodie which includes Chantel's mugshot emblazoned across the front.

She wore the item of clothing in recent weeks, as she headed out in Los Angeles, seven years after posing for her police portrait.

Leggy lady: Her gorgeous gams were swathed in faded denim pants that matched the jacket she wore loosely falling off her shoulders

Back story: Her brief romance with Justin goes all the way back to 2014 when sparks first flew between the young lovers.

Chantel, from Jacksonville, N.C., was arrested in 2011 at the tender age of 17 for misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon although the charges were later dropped.

The gorgeous model has put the drama behind her as she has gone onto carve a successful career in modelling.

She maintains a strong presence on social media with 3,500,000 Instagram followers and she treats fans to body makeovers and her tidbits on her home on her YouTube channel.

Bad news: She was with him in his rented Lamborghini at the time of his Miami arrest for DUI, drag racing and resisting arrest in January, 2014
Kanye West has split with his longtime manager Izvor 'Izzy' Zivkovic.

The 40-year-old rapper and Zivkovic have been working together since at least 2010 with the Croatian being a confidant even further back, according to an article on Wednesday by Variety.

West in May 2016 added Scooter Braun, 36, as part of his management team and he was not part of the shakeup, according to Billboard, which first reported the parting.

Management shakeup: Kanye West, shown on Sunday in Los Angeles, has parted ways with his longtime manager and confidant Izvor 'Izzy' Zivkovic

Braun likely will take on all management responsibilities for West.

Zivkovic in recent months has been expanding the client roster of his Split Second Management Company.

It recently has gained new clients Arcade Fire, Banks, Jack Garratt and Kevin Garrett.

Zivkovic joined West about the time his 2010 album My Beatiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was released.

Management responsibilities: Scooter Braun, shown in January in Utah, likely will take on all management responsibilities for Kanye

West has a new line of Yeezy 500 sneakers with Adidas coming out next month.

He revealed his Yeezy season five fashion line in February 2017 and launched a children's clothing line in May 2017 with wife Kim Kardashian, 37.

The rapper's Yeezy season six line will launch later this spring.

Old friends: Kanye and Scooter have been longtime friends and are shown in 2005 in Atlanta

West and Kardashian have been married since 2014 and have three children together.

They are the parents of four-year-old daughter North, two-year-old son Saint and daughter Chicago who they welcomed in January via surrogate.

The famous couple over the weekend were spotted with North at the March For Our Lives student-led demonstration in Washington DC.

Family affair: Kim Kardashian and Kanye took their daughter North on Saturday to the March For Our Lives rally in Washington DC

West released his seventh studio album The Life Of Pablo in February 2016.

He cancelled the remaining 21 days in his Saint Pablo Tour in November 2016 shortly before being admitted for psychiatric observation at UCLA Medical Center.

West was seen in the Wyoming mountains earlier this month working on new music.
It's no secret that one of PR queen Roxy Jacenko's many talents is capturing candid moments of her brood.

And she sure didn't disappoint on Thursday, sharing a photo of her son Hunter, three, running up to his big sister Pixie and giving her a hug during her school Easter performance.

While the six-year-old was seen holding hands with her friends, her biggest supporter couldn't help but show his love.

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Too cute! Roxy Jacenko shared a tender snap of her two children Pixie, six, and Hunter, three, hugging at school on Thursday

'The proud brother - mid show tackle,' Roxy captioned.

And although caught off guard, it appeared as though Pixie embraced the love, flashing a large smile.

The rest of the performance saw the adorable pre-schooler sit with with his mum.

Pixie's cheer squad! The rest of the performance saw hunter sit with with his mum Roxy as they watched on Pixie

'Cheer squad,' captioned Roxy on the mother-son selfie.

And not leaving Pixie out, the Sweaty Betty CEO also shared a snap with her first-born.

'Easter Parade w Pix,' she wrote while the primary school entrepreneur swapped her hair bows for a green DIY hat.

Support: 'Easter Parade w Pix,' she wrote while the primary school entrepreneur swapped her hair bows for a green DIY hat

Her choice: Roxy's posts come after the busy mother opened up about her decision not to tell Pixie of her father Oliver Curtis' 12 month incarceration

Roxy's posts come after the busy mother opened up about her decision not to tell Pixie of her father Oliver Curtis' 12 month incarceration.

Waiting for a month after his release to break the news, the blonde beauty revealed to KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O earlier in the week that she did what was best for her family.

'And, you know what, only you know what is right and when the time is right,' she said regarding her decision.

'If I had listened to everyone else, I probably would have told them on the day. And I'm glad I didn't, I'm glad I told Pixie when I told her.'

Oliver spent a year in Cooma Correctional Centre in regional New South Wales after being convicted of insider trading in June 2016.
The Fanning sisters have cemented their place as Hollywood's leading actresses.

And older sibling Dakota Fanning opened up about her plans to join forces with her sister Elle Fanning during an interview on Wednesday's edition of The One Show in London.

The Charlotte's Web actress, 24, put on a typically chic display in a fashion-forward skater dress as she promoted her latest TV series The Alienist with co-star Luke Evans.

'I'd love to work with her!': Dakota Fanning talked about her plans to join forces with her sister Elle Fanning during an interview on Wednesday's edition of The One Show, (pictured leaving the studio)

Hollywood royalty: The Charlotte's Web actress, 24, and her younger sibling Elle, 19, have cemented their place as leading actresses

In the discussion with presenters Alex Jones and Matt Baker, the former child star revealed: 'I would love to work with my sister Elle. Its something weve always wanted to do, but its about finding the right thing.'

'We dont want to be sisters in whatever we do as it would be expected, we want to do something different.'

The Brimstone star also touched on the unexpected reality of acting, and relocating to California at a young age.

Working it! The American Pastoral actress wrapped up against the chilly climes in a camel coat, and toted a stylish velvet handbag

'I love what I do, the only thing is that you're all over the place, and I love a routine!'

'I was born in Georgia, but lived in LA since I was six to try acting. My family are very southern, but I feel most connected to LA.

Dakota - who starting knitting at the tender age of eight - confessed the details of her creative habit, and revealed she often presents her colleagues and set workers with knitted gifts.

A woman with many talents: Dakota - who starting knitting at the tender age of eight - confessed the details of her habit, and revealed she often presents her colleague with gifts

'I learned to knit when at a young age, so I give knitted gifts to directors on my sets and dear friends.'

'I was like a knitting factory, I knitted 17 garments [on the set of The Alienist].'

'I've knitted for Daniel Bruhl, Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington - I can knit very quickly!'

During her time on the chat show, the blonde beauty cut a sophisticated figure in her unique frock, which was adorned with elaborate red sleeves.

Leggy star: Dakota injected a hint of glamour into her snazzy ensemble with a pair of suede strappy heels

Dakota injected a hint of glamour into her snazzy ensemble with a pair of suede strappy heels.

When spotted leaving the BBC Studios building, the American Pastoral actress wrapped up against the chilly climes in a camel coat, and toted a stylish velvet handbag.

The award-winning star ensured her natural beauty was centre stage as she opted for minimal makeup, and wore her tresses in a poker straight fashion.

Stunning: The award-winning star ensured her natural beauty was centre stage as she opted for minimal makeup, and wore her tresses in a poker straight fashion

All smiles: In promotion of her upcoming drama series The Alienist - which is set to air on Netflix on April 19 - the leggy star gave viewers an insight into the interesting plot

Sophisticated: The screen actress put on a typically chic display in a fashion-forward skater dress as she promoted her latest TV series The Alienist with co-star Luke Evans

In promotion of her upcoming drama series The Alienist - which is set to air on Netflix on April 19 - the leggy star gave viewers an insight into the interesting plot.

'Alienist was the old fashioned term people gave to early psychologists - people with mental health problems were alienated from society.'

'Set in 1896, the main character is played by Daniel Bruhl, and I play Sarah Howard - first woman to hold the position of a headstrong secretary at the NY Police Headquarters.'

Fan favourite: The blonde beauty signed signatures for her eager followers once outside

'Daniel, Luke and I develop a triangle to hunt for a serial killer that is on the loose in New York city. In this, we see the birth of psychology, as well as the corruption of the city.'

'I haven't done TV in a long time, but I liken it to working with Steven Spielberg because it really was one of the best set Ive ever worked on. The costumes and props were so grand and particular.'

'When you work with him (Steven) you feel like you're working on a major production. Even though its for TV, it feels like youre working on a movie.'
He's no stranger to dressing up and getting into character.

And Jack Whitehall's at it again, this time embodying the role of 1970s rocker Marc Bolan.

In official stills released by Sky Arts for the second series of Urban Myths, Jack, 29, looks unrecognisable as he dons a mop of curly black hair to take on the character.

Becoming Marc: Jack Whitehall looks unrecognisable as he transforms into 1970s rocker Marc Bolan for Sky Arts' Urban Myths

He stands beside co-star Luke Treadaway who is playing the role of David Bowie.

The two would-be music stars first met in 1964 as a couple of teenagers at the start of their musical careers when they were roped into painting the Soho offices of their manager, Les Conn.

The men - Davie Jones and Mark Feld - would one day become David Bowie and Marc Bolan.

Yet to hit the big time in the 1960s, their lack of success was costing Les money. Meeting on the painting job, this would end up spring-boarding a lifelong friendship between the two young men who would later become music superstars.

Spitting image: Jack, 29, dons a mop of curly black hair to take on the character

As usual: Jack presented the BRIT Awards this year, hosting the show from the 02 last month

Jack's at it again: In this role, Jack embodies the role of 1970s rocker Marc Bolan

Each instalment of Urban Myths reveals a bizarre tale from the worlds of Hollywood, music, arts and literature, described as 'fictionalised accounts of mostly true events'.

As well as the Bowie/Bolan story, the series features the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926, behind the scenes on the set of the iconic film Some Like it Hot, backstage at Live Aid and Johnny Cash and the carnage wrought by a killer ostrich.

The show will also revisit TV presenter Bill Grundy on the ill-fated day he met the Sex Pistols; fathoming the creative drug fuelled pairing of Salvador Dali and Alice Cooper; and eavesdropping on an unexpected car-share with Public Enemy.

Throwback Thursday: Bowie and Bolan first met in 1964 as a couple of teenagers at the start of their musical careers when they were roped into painting the offices of their manager, Les Conn [Ade Edmondson]

Mix and match: Co-star Luke Treadaway is playing the role of David Bowie

Would-be stars: Meeting on the painting job, this would end up spring-boarding a lifelong friendship between the two young men who would later become music superstars

Gemma Arterton, Adam Brody, Noel Fielding, Sheila Hancock, Bill Paterson, Alex Pettyfer, Frank Skinner, Dougray Scott, and David Suchet join the line up of stars.

The series also features members from the National Youth Theatre performing alongside established actors such as Daniel Mays, Steve Pemberton and Kayvan Novak.

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, said: 'We are thrilled to be bringing Urban Myths back to Sky Arts in April 2018.

'With the first season we knew wed hit comedy gold, mining the madcap worlds of urban folklore and once again viewers will get to see some of Britains most talented actors, writers and directors bring a selection of terrific tales, mostly true, to life.

'The episodes will be airing weekly on Sky Arts, but will also all be available on demand, perfect for binge-watching!'

In the role: Jack is no stranger to dressing up and getting into character [pictured in Decline And Fall and Inside No.9]
They reportedly expecting their first child together and now it's claimed that Chloe Green and Jeremy Meeks are expecting a baby boy.

TMZ have reported that the pair were pictured shopping for baby gear in February, picking up a $6k bill in Beverly Hills boutique Petit Tresor.

The site reports that Chloe's mother Tina was present and while many of the products they bought were gender neutral, they did pick up some blue items.

New addition: Chloe Green and Jeremy Meeks are thought to be expecting a baby boy together after picking up blue items at Petit Tresor in Beverly Hills

They picked up giant stuffed giraffes, a car seat and blue swaddles and onesies, which implies a son is on the way, with Jeremy picking up the tab.

While the couple have stayed silent on the baby news, multiple sources have confirmed the controversial pair's happy news to US Weekly.

Billionaire Chloe, 27, and Jeremy's romance first emerged last summer when pictures emerged of them locking lips on a yacht in Bodrum, Turkey - despite Meeks still being legally married to his now estranged wife, Melissa Meeks.

Happy family: The couple are yet to confirm they are expecting but multiple sources have confirmed the news

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Jeremy and Chloe for further comment.

The reports of them expecting their first child comes after sources told The Mail on Sunday's Charlotte Griffiths that they are keen to kick off the next step in their relationship, including moving in together and starting a family.

The apparently broody couple have reportedly received the blessing of Chloe's business mogul father Philip and mum Tina.

Sources previously told the publication: Chloe wants to get pregnant right away. Shes off the booze already.

Baby on board! Multiple sources have confirmed the controversial pair's happy news to US Weekly

Chloe wants to get pregnant right away': The news comes days after reports emerged that the Topshop heiress wanted to start a family straight away with convict-turned-model

'Her parents have recently done an unexpected U-turn on Jeremy, and are now embracing him as one of the Greens. They are resigned to the fact hell be a part of their lives forever,' it was continued.

Chloe and Jeremy are said to have first set their eyes on each other at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2017, where the Hot Felon was modelling for Phillip Plein.

Passionate pictures of the 'Hot Felon' and Green surfaced during a sun drenched luxury getaway in Turkey in July.

As he reportedly enjoys preparing for fatherhood yet again with Chloe, Jeremy is also embroiled in ongoing divorce proceedings with estranged wife Melissa Meeks.

'They are embracing him as one of the Greens': The apparently broody couple have reportedly received the blessing of Chloe's business mogul father Sir Philip Green and mum Tina Green (pictured)

Controversial: Passionate pictures of the 'Hot Felon' and Green surfaced during a sun drenched luxury getaway in Turkey in July

Shock: Jeremy was still legally married to Melissa Meeks at the time he was snapped kissing Chloe

Acceptance: Sources claim Sir Phillip (pictured with Chloe) is resigned to Jeremy being a permanent fixture in his life

According to TMZ, Jeremy agreed a child support deal with his estranged wife and he will pay her $1,000 a month for their son Jeremy Meeks Jr., aged eight, retroactive to November 1, 2017.

The website also revealed that the former lovebirds agreed to joint legal custody of their son Jeremy Jr, nine.

This comes after Melissa revealed Jeremy ditched the family for his modelling career, has only seen their son a total of 30 days in more than four months since they separated, and has not sent her any money to help take care of the boy.

Melissa's attorney Lisa Bloom told TMZ: 'We are pleased that we were able to get Melissa child support in an amount 25% above legal guidelines.'

Adding: 'And the parties have worked together to come up with a reasonable child custody and visitation schedule, as parents should.'

Estranged: Jeremy is embroiled in ongoing divorce proceedings with estranged wife Melissa

Family: Melissa is mother to his biological child Jeremy Jr as well as Robert, 11, Melissas son from a previous relationship

Dad duties: Melissa has previously said that both stepchildren consider Meeks a father figure

The website also revealed that Jeremy and Melissa are trying to settle the divorce and avoid hashing it out in court.

She is mother to his biological child Jeremy Jr as well as Robert, 11, Melissas son from a previous relationship.

Melissa also has a daughter, 16-year-old Ellie, and has previously said that both stepchildren consider Meeks a father figure.

In September, Melissa opened up about her heartbreak as she sat down for an interview with Inside Edition.

In love: Despite the controversy, Jeremy and Chloe have remained defiant in their romance

'I believed in him, I believed in us': In September, Melissa opened up about her heartbreak as she sat down for an interview with Inside Edition

So happy: Chloe and Jeremy regularly share intimate snaps with their social media followers

'I was in shock. I didn't really know what to do' she revealed. 'It wasn't an easy pill to swallow. This is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed.

'I believed in him, I believed in us. I truly though this would have a happy ending. It didn't have a happy ending for me.'

Melissa also revealed she stayed with him throughout his prison stint in 2014, before she uncovered his affair last year.

Meeks shot to fame in 2014 when his mug shot was posted by the Stockton Police Department after he was arrested on weapons charges amid a gang sweep.

The model was handed a prison sentence of 27 months in connection with the incident.
He is best known to fans as Gatins in Game of Thrones.

But Ricky Champ will be swapping Westeros for Walford later this year, as he is set to join EastEnders playing Mick Carter's childhood pal Stuart Highway.

The actor is expected to appear on screen later this year, portraying the younger brother of soldier Halfway - confirmed yesterday to be returning to the BBC One soap.

New face: Game Of Thrones star Ricky Champ is set to join EastEnders as new character Stuart Highway, the childhood friend of Mick Carter

Stuart is expected to cause carnage upon his arrival at the Queen Vic, being a bad influence on Mick (played by Danny Dyer) after the pair reunite.

Speaking about his new role Ricky said: 'Im so happy to be part of this brilliant team of people on this great show that I grew up watching.

'Look out Albert Square Stuarts coming.'

Fans may also know Ricky for his role as Paul Parker in the BBC Three comedy Him And Her opposite Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani, as well as Gatins in the sixth season of Game of Thrones.

Screen star: Ricky was confirmed on Thursday to be joining the cast of the BBC soap, after previously starring in Him And Her (pictured with co-star Camilla Coudouri)

Comedic chops: The actor starred alongside Russell Tovey (above left) in the BBC Three comedy from 2010 to 2013

Details around Stuart's arrival are being kept under wraps, but fans can expect him to make a dramatic impact when he heads to Walford later this year.

His return comes as Stuart's younger brother Halfway was also confirmed to be reprising his role on Wednesday.

Fans last saw the character on Valentine's Day when he returned to his army duties after striking up a romance with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) - though the pair have stayed in touch via. video chat.

Thrilled: Mick Carter (played by Danny Dyer) will be thrilled to see his old friend in Albert Square, but things will soon turn sour as he is set to be a bad influence

But actor Tony Clay has revealed Halfway will be returning to Albert Square very soon, so perhaps Whitney could find love at last.

He said: 'Halfway is such a lovely role to play and I'm really looking forward to exploring his story further and seeing where it takes us.'

Halfway made a dramatic arrival on EastEnders on New Year's Day as part of the chaotic heist, appearing as friend of Mick's son who accidentally shot him in the shoulder.
It was her last appearance on the E4 structured reality show.

But Frankie Gaff's final episode of Made In Chelsea was somewhat overshadowed on Mondays when fans noticed a blunder in a scene with her and Olivia Bentley.

Olivia popped round to chat through her and Frankie's recent tiff; but when she buzzed her pal's apartment, Frankie was seen speaking to her over the intercom and letting her into the building via the kitchen light switch.

U ok hun? Made In Chelsea Viewers spot hilarious blunder as Frankie Gaff buzzes Olivia Bentley into her flat using a LIGHT SWITCH

There it is! 'Frankie legit just used a light switch as her intercom' someone else wrote, tagging the 23-year-old and even getting a 'like' out of her

Fans were quick to hone in on this gaffe and comment on Twitter.

One person posted: 'Lmao did Frankie just press the light switch to let Olivia into her flat? I cannot.'

Another person wrote: 'I havent watched Made in Chelsea for years and just watched that Frankie buzz her friend into the building... using a light switch... #next.'

'Did anyone else see that Frankie spoke into the kitchen light switch as if it was an intercom to let Liv into her apartment?' typed a third.

Preoccupied: Frankie let Liv in to chat about their rift

Fuming: Liv was upset about Frankie's remarks about her boyfriend Liv

Eagle eyed: Fans were quick to hone in on this gaffe and comment on Twitter

'Frankie legit just used a light switch as her intercom' someone else wrote, tagging the 23-year-old and even getting a 'like' out of her.

Ahead of the return of Made In Chelsea this month, a source told MailOnline Frankie Gaff had quit the series.

She has now confirmed the news, posting a tweet out to her fans on Monday after her final scene had aired.

'Ciao Ciao. Onto the next adventure,' she typed.

She's done: Frankie Gaff 'CONFIRMS' she's left the show 'for the next adventure'... after tensions with Olivia Bentley reach a crescendo

She first appeared on Made In Chelsea in its 11th season - and has been around ever since [it's now in it's 15th, but has aired summer seasons in America, Ibiza and the South of France in between, which Frankie also appeared in].

Her main story-line featured her rocky relationship with Jamie Laing, which came to an end at the end of last year, but more recently she has locked horns with former pal Olivia Bentley.

It seemed Olivia's boyfriend Digby Edgley immediately took a dislike to Frankie, and the feeling was mutual.

Rumours began to circulate that he 'hated' her, with them having another argument in the most recent episode.

Rift: More recently Frankie has locked horns with former pal Olivia Bentley

'Ciao Ciao!' It seems that she has now confirmed the news, posting a tweet out to her fans on Monday after her final scene had aired.

Frankie's off: While she has appeared on season 15, it seems Frankie has made her final exit

'I don't know you well enough to hate you,' Digby insisted before Frankie and Olivia came to blows.

Frankie had told Digby that Olivia had 'the ick' over his relationship - something Olivia never said.

'I'm choosing Digby over you!' Olivia said, walking away from her former friend.

Frankie told friend Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo that she needed time away from the drama and was last seen leaving Mimi Bouchard's pajama party.

Stirring: Frankie had told Digby that Olivia had 'the ick' over his relationship - something Olivia never said

'I'm choosing Digby over you!' Olivia has turned her back on her former friend

It seemed that Frankie was losing her patience with the show anyway, recently tweeting during an episode: 'Wow how boring are we, sitting in various cafes over London talking about boring boy bulls**t, as if thats all there is to us!'

Frankie's on again/off again boyfriend Jamie managed to woo her back on numerous occasions over the last few months. But it seems the pair have split for good - with Jamie dating Clementine Cuthbertson last season and new girls Melody and Elle already this year.

After her break up with Jamie, Frankie has since attempted to get back into the dating game with James Taylor and Harry Baron, but this went nowhere.

It seemed that Frankie was losing her patience with the show anyway, recently tweeting during an episode: 'Wow how boring are we, sitting in various cafes over London talking about boring boy bulls**t, as if thats all there is to us'

Goodbye: Frankie told friend Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo that she needed time away from the drama and was last seen leaving Mimi Bouchard's pajama party

Earlier this month, a source told MailOnline: 'She wants to do modelling. And stuff on Instagram.'

Frankie boasts 368k followers on the photo sharing site; and indeed, reality stars that rack up a healthy social media following can make a decent penny from their Instagram posts.

She recently tweeted her followers asking their thoughts on her starting a YouTube channel too.

MailOnline has approached a rep for Frankie for comment.

The news comes as Frankie's pal Tiff Watson also confirmed she was leaving the show.

Tiff - who is a fitness enthusiast and a vegan activist on the side - confirmed that she is had quit via a spokesperson... but suggested it's more of an open-exit.

'Tiff has taken a break for now to concentrate on a number of exciting projects including TV as well as the opening of her vegan restaurant with her sister and her lifestyle/stationary business 365 which she launched a few months ago,' the spokesperson said.

'She also has a number of trips coming up for work and leisure as well as her best friend's wedding where she is her maid of honour so its a busy few months and seemed the right time to step back and work on all the exciting things she has coming up and give them her all,' they added.

A spokesperson for MIC added: 'Whilst shes yet to film in series 15, its never goodbye in Chelsea.'

Made In Chelsea continues on Monday at 9PM on E4.
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She's moved into the home of boyfriend Joaquin Phoenix after one year of dating.

And Rooney Mara's decision to re-list her home in Los Angeles' Los Feliz Oaks for $3.45 million could well be proof that her relationship with the Hollywood star is only going from strength to strength.

The 32-year-old actress has put her beautifully restored two bedroom, two bathroom home back on the market with a generous price drop that's just shy of $500,000, after purchasing the property from Big Little Lies star Alexander Skarsgard for $2.9 million back in 2015.

The real deal: Rooney Mara's decision to re-list her home in Los Angeles' Los Feliz Oaks for $3.45 million could well be proof that her relationship with Joaquin Phoenix is getting very serious indeed

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star originally listed her home back in May 2017 for 3.895 million, with the plush pad boasting an open plan layout and incredible views of the city's bright lights and the rolling hillsides of Los Angeles.

Measuring 2340 sq ft, the contemporary home, which was built in 1963, is tucked away on a cul-de-sac in the Oaks neighbourhood of Los Feliz.

Despite it's floor to ceiling windows flooding the airy property with light, fittings like it's stylish fireplace ensure the house maintains a warm and cosy feel.

Eager to sell? The 32-year-old actress has put her beautifully restored two bedroom, two bathroom home back on the market with a generous price drop that's just shy of $500,000

A celebrity favourite: Rooney purchased the property from Big Little Lies star Alexander Skarsgard for $2.9 million back in 2015

Very nice! The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star originally listed her home back in May 2017 for 3.895 million, with the plush pad boasting an open plan layout

Affluent part of town: Measuring 2340 sq ft, the contemporary home, which was built in 1963, is tucked away on a cul-de-sac in the Oaks neighbourhood of Los Feliz

The kitchen has a large centre island unit and unique pale, seafoam-green cabinetry, with white terrazzo floors running through the houses gathering areas, including the living room and kitchen.

Rooney has seemingly decided to list the property after moving in with her actor beau, a revelation that Joaquin made during an interview last September.

Despite the pair keeping coy about their private life, Joaquin confirmed to T Magazine that he is living with the actress, and revealed that they favour the simple life.

Modern fittings: The kitchen has a large centre island unit and unique pale, seafoam-green cabinetry, with white terrazzo floors running through the houses gathering areas, including the living room and kitchen

Tastefully done: Despite it's floor to ceiling windows flooding the airy property with light, fittings like it's stylish fireplace ensure the house maintains a warm and cosy feel

According to the Gladiator star, they are usually in bed by 9pm and up at 6am and choose to spend most of their time watching documentaries on Netflix.

The pair - who have been friends for some time - struck up a romance while shooting upcoming movie Mary Magdalene, which sees Rooney in the leading role and Joaquin star as Jesus.

Speaking about why he came aboard the project, he confessed Rooney was part of the decision, revealing: 'I was looking for something meaningful. I was looking for an experience. I was friends with Rooney.'

What a view! The property boasts incredible views of the city's bright lights and the rolling hillsides of Los Angeles

Heating up: Rooney has seemingly decided to list the property after moving in with her actor beau, a revelation that Joaquin made during an interview last September

Putting her spin on it: Rooney has ensured the home is full of character with her choice of decor, which ranges from wooden cabinets to bohemian rugs
He approached experimental marriage the same way he deals with tartar control: go hard, then go home.

But after Troy Delmege left Married At First Sight with a fake divorce, and real concerns for his oral health, the 'toothbrush tyrant' has finally called for help.

On Thursday, the 35-year-old took to Instagram from the dentist's chair, where he announced that he was 'learning how to tone down' his enthusiastic routine.

Did Carly book the appointment? MAFS' Troy Delmege FINALLY seeks medical help to fix his 'enthusiastic tooth-brushing' habit... after dentists feared he could 'get gum disease'

Earlier this year, Troy sent fans into hysterics when cameras caught him attempting to brutally murder plaque and bacteria with his vigorous tooth-brushing method.

But with a new relationship - to fellow cast member Carly Bowyer - and dentists warning he could 'get gum disease' - Troy is finally getting medical help.

He shared multiple posts from the operating chair at the Dental Hygienists Association, seen getting a one-on-one lesson in basic tooth-brushing.

It's unclear how many hours, weeks or days he spent in the chair, but eventually, his dentist picked up a mirror and allowed her pupil to brush his teeth solo.

Tone down for what! On Thursday, the 35-year-old took to Instagram from the dentist's chair, where he announced that he was 'learning how to tone down' his enthusiastic routine

Troy shared a video of the results, and they were simply remarkable, the IT professional seen slowly, patiently caressing his chompers with an electric brush.

At one point, when he switched hands, a twinkle in his eye indicated an urge to resort back to his wild and frantic past - but he kept his cool.

He's learning! It's unclear how many hours, weeks or days he spent in the chair, but eventually, his dentist picked up a mirror and allowed her pupil to brush his teeth solo

It comes after Dr Luke Cronin told Daily Mail Australia that he could suffer disease and decay due to his preference for one wild brushing session per day, as opposed to the generally accepted slow, twice a day approach.

Twitter wasn't as kind as Dr Luke, with fans voicing their disgust after footage of his crimes aired on Married At First Sight.

'Troy brushing his teeth actually makes me want to vomit', one fan wrote on Twitter, responding to the bizarre moment the groom freshened up ahead of his wedding.

He's doing it! Troy shared a video of the results, and they were simply remarkable, the IT professional seen slowly, patiently caressing his chompers with an electric brush
She's the Bachelor In Paradise star who's never shy when it comes to flaunting her ample assets on social media.

And Florence Alexandra's racy outfits became a hot topic on Thursday's Gogglebox, with Keith and Lee sharing hilarious reactions to her cleavage-baring outfit.

The couple were quick to notice that both of the 28-year-old breasts almost popped out of her bodysuit.

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Wardrobe malfunction alert! On Thursday, Gogglebox stars Keith and Lee were quick to notice that Bachelor In Paradise's Florence Alexandra's breasts almost popped out of her outfit

'Her boob's going to fall out,' proclaimed Lee.

Also unable to miss the sightly view, Keith replied with 'which one'.

And although meaning 'which girl' was suffering from the malfunction, Lee took the opportunity to take a dig at the reality star and her ensemble, replying with 'both'!

Shock:Her boob's going to fall out,' proclaimed Lee

Did she notice? Florence narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction in the revealing bodysuit

The video sees Florence sitting between Davey Lloyd and Jake Ellis while her breasts struggled to contain themselves in her low cut racy top.

The debut Bachelor In Paradise episodes have seen Florence in quite the love triangle.

Sending Davey home on Monday night, the star took to Instagram on Wednesday, hinting that she regretted her decision.

Wrong choice? Sending Davey home on Monday night, the star took to Instagram on Wednesday, hinting that she regretted her decision

'Making decisions is SO HARD in an environment like that, especially pressure and I can only hope that I was doing the right thing,' she confessed to her legions of fans.

'Nevertheless I broke my own heart a little when I sent this absolutely amazing guy home and I'd like to say a big thank you to @davey_lloyd for the time we spent together and the memories that were made.'

Continuing on, Florence had nothing but nice things to say about the reality star who rose to reality fame on Georgia Love's season of The Bachelorette.

Bachelor In Paradise continues Monday night at 7:30pm on Ten.
It's no secret that many women swoon when celebrity chef Manu Feildel speaks in a thick French accent.

But it appears as though some of the 44-year-old's fans get even more hot under the collar when he begins to yell in the kitchen.

Appearing in a clip on Gogglebox this week while yelling at My Kitchen Rules rookie contestants, reality stars Anastasia and Faye couldn't help but blush.

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'He's actually turning me on!' While it's no secret many women swoon over celebrity chef Manu Feildel when he talks with his French accent, however. on Thursday, Gogglebox star's seemed more impressed when he began to yell

I've never seen Manu like this before,' said a very impressed Anastasia.

'He's actually turning me on.'

And it wasn't just Anastasia expressing her love for the celebrity chef with newlywed Sarah also quick to agree.

Feeling hot! Anastasia (L) could be seen swooning over the French hunk

Can't take her eyes off him! 'God, I love him, he's so angry,' said Sarah while her new husband Matty sat beside her

'God, I love him, he's so angry,' she said while her new husband Matty sat beside her.

And while the TV watchers seemed to be impressed with the anger the professional outpoured in the kitchen, earlier in the month, Manu opened up about a different sort of fury.

Speaking to News Corp, he recalled the time in 2014 when he received a horrible review from food critique John Lethlean - leading to the closure of his Melbourne restaurant Le Grand Cirque.

Heartache behind the scenes: Speaking to News Corp , he recalled the time in 2014 when he received a horrible review from food critique John Lethlean - leading to the closure of his Melbourne restaurant Le Grand Cirque

'I was angry, angry, angry after I read [Lethlean's] review,' he admitted.

'And then, when my business partner turned around and said we have to close the restaurant, I was gobsmacked,' he added.

Published in The Weekend Australian, the scathing review gave the eatery just one star out of five.

Lethlean called the South Yarra restaurant 'tres ordinaire', evidently in a snarky nod to Manu's French heritage.

He also described the food as 'patchy - at best, solid; at worst, a disgrace', and accused the chef of opening the restaurant to take advantage of his celebrity.
She's married to Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney, with whom she has nine-month-old twins Ella and Alexander.

And Amal Clooney stepped away from her busy home life for a demanding day of meetings on Thursday morning, as she headed to work in New York City.

The 40-year-old human rights lawyer looked typically chic in an oatmeal tweed button-down top, which she teamed with a matching midi skirt.

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Work it: Amal Clooney was spotted heading out to work in New York City on Thursday morning

The British-Lebanese beauty complemented her ensemble with a pair of nude heels, while an oversized cream handbag added another stylish touch to her look.

With her raven tresses falling beyond her shoulders in lustrous waves, the mother-of-two shielded her eyes behind a pair of of blue tinted sunglasses, with she accessorised with a pair of glittering earrings.

Amal, who has worked on a number of high profile cases throughout her career, stepped out as it was revealed that she will represent two journalists jailed in Burma.

Stepping out in style: The 40-year-old human rights lawyer looked typically chic in an oatmeal tweed button-down top, which she teamed with a matching midi skirt

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo  reporters for the Reuters news agency  are being held in a Yangon prison after being arrested in December.

They are being held under the countrys Official Secrets Act, a statute which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Amal said in a statement released on Thursday: 'Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news.

'I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately. Yet they have been denied bail and face 14 years in prison.

On the case: Amal, who has worked on a number of high profile cases throughout her career, stepped out as it was revealed that she will represent two journalists jailed in Burma

'The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmars commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech.'

Amal's news comes amid claims she recently threw open the doors of her familys newly refurbished 10 million Berkshire mansion to renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, for an at home interview, set to be published in Vogue this year.

In the unlikely event that the A-listers nine-bedroom property isnt impressive enough, Amal also borrowed 7million of diamonds to wear for the occasion.

A source close to the Clooneys told The Mail on Sunday: This has been organised for a long while. It is Amals chance to do a sit-down interview and show the inside of her house.

Love and marriage: Amal is married to Hollywood actor George Clooney, with whom she shares nine-month-old twins Ella and Alexander. Pictured in October 2015

It will be a really special piece for her. She and George have put blood, sweat and tears into getting their house to be perfect, so its the ideal location to do this.

The choice of photographer is also significant, as Leibovitz took the pictures of Amal during the final fitting of her Oscar de la Renta wedding dress for the couples marriage in September 2014.

However, it is understood that neither George, 56, nor nine-month-old twins Alexander and Ella will appear in the new pictures.

The couple bought the 17th Century, Grade II listed mansion in the village of Sonning Eye  where neighbours include British Prime Minister Theresa May and Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page  for about 7.5 million in 2014, soon after they married.
They both became household names thanks to their roles on The Apprentice.

But that's where the similarities between Donald Trump and Mark Bouris end, with the Australian businessman saying he isn't interested in a career in politics right now.

In an interview with Stellar in The Daily Telegraph, the TV personality revealed he had been approached by an 'influential person' about heading up a new political party.

'I don't think I want to be prime minister': The Apprentice Australia host Mark Bouris rules out following in Donald Trump's footsteps by going into politics

Describing himself as 'left of Trump but right of Turnbull', Mark said he had ruled out politics for now.

'I don't think I want to be prime minister,' the successful businessman told the publication.

Mark said he had too much on his plate right now to consider politics, but wouldn't rule out going down that path later in life.

'It's possible': Mark said he had too much on his plate right now to consider politics, but wouldn't rule out going down that path later in life

'Yes it's possible. But it wouldn't just be me - it'd be collaborative,' The Apprentice host explained.

Mark hosted an Australia version of The Apprentice in 2009, followed by four seasons of The Celebrity Apprentice from 2011 to 2015.

The show was based on the successful franchise fronted by US President Donald Trump for 14 seasons from 2004.

Popular show: The show was based on the successful franchise fronted by US President Donald Trump for 14 seasons from 2004

Mark is currently filming a new series The Mentor, which is set to air on Channel Seven later this year.

Earlier this month Mark was assaulted by an unknown man out the front of a Sydney eatery.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the businessman was co-operating with police following the attack outside The Grounds of Alexandria.
Rapper Fabolous has been arrested after allegedly assaulting his on-off longtime girlfriend Emily Bustamante.

The 40-year-old reportedly turned himself in to a police station in Englewood, New Jersey - where he lives with the former Love and Hip Hop star - on Wednesday night.

TMZ reports that Emily was the one to contact police first, telling them Fabolous had hit her.

Booked: Fabolous was arrested Wednesday night for allegedly assaulting his longtime on-off girlfriend Emily B

Fabolous - - born John David Jackson - arrived at the police station with his attorney by his side.

He was not jailed but was cited for the alleged incident and given a ticket for his court appearance.

The Into You hitmaker has two sons with Emily; nine-year-old Johan and two-year-old Jonas.

The couple first got together well over 10 years ago.

Domestic incident: The couple, pictured in 2014, have two children together and live in Englewood, New Jersey where Fabolous turned himself into cops

Fabolous hasn't commented on the incident but in the early hours of Thursday morning the Can't Let You Go hitmaker posted a note to his Instagram stories.

'2018 tryna break my heart' he wrote along with a broken heart emoji.

The recording artist had five Top 6 albums in the 2000s and four songs that crossed over to the Top 10 of Billboards overall singles chart.

He has sold more than four million copies of his albums, with both 2001's Ghetto Fabolous and 2003's Street Dreams selling platinum.

According to a TMZ report Emily Bustamante - who used to star on Love and Hip Hop - called cops to report Fabolous hit her and he turned himself in later on
He was lauded for his turn in Wednesday night's The Full Monty.

So James Argent was keen to celebrate overcoming some of his body confidence issues in an incredibly niche manner, as he headed to McDonald's alongside his co-stars to enjoy a feast following his widely-discussed striptease.

The 30-year-old TOWIE star took to Instagram after the show to share a video as he was given free food while posing alongside his co-star Jordan Banjo as well as former co-star Megan McKenna, who is set to star in Thursday night's ladies' edition.

Happy days: James Argent was keen to celebrate overcoming some of his body confidence issues in an incredibly niche manner, as he headed to McDonald's alongside his co-stars to enjoy a feast following his widely-discussed striptease

James threatened to pull out of the striptease after he struggled to shed his clothes due to his 'body image' woes, yet despite this he made a triumphant appearance on stage at Sheffield's City Hall to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer.

To celebrate his victory, he headed to McDonald's with his co-stars as he filmed the group while they ordered goodies from the fast food emporium.

Filming the member of staff, he revealed they were receiving free goodies, as he said: 'So this lovely gentleman, because of what we've done tonight, The Real Full Monty, what we've achieved, he's giving us free McDonalds, FREE MCDONALDS!'

He turned the camera to Megan and said: 'Free McDonald's Megs, it was all worth it in the end wasn't it Megs, getting our kit off.'

Yum! The 30-year-old TOWIE star took to Instagram after the show to share a video as he was given free food while posing alongside his co-star Jordan Banjo as well as former co-star Megan McKenna, who is set to star in Thursday night's ladies' edition

Brave look: James threatened to pull out of the striptease after he struggled to shed his clothes due to his 'body image' woes, yet despite this he made a triumphant appearance on stage at Sheffield's City Hall to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer

In his clip with Ashley, he said: 'We did it we absolutely did it I can't believe we did it Ashley was actually trying to pull my jeans off onstage but they wouldn't come off'.

James and Ashley joined the likes of The Wanteds Tom Parker, chef Ainsley Harriot, presenter Alexander Armstrong and Jeff Brazier to proudly take his kit off for a worthwhile cause, while winning huge praise from fans and viewers on social media.

In a clip from earlier in the show, he refused to strip off during their training sessions leaving his T-shirt on and even worried about taking his kit off while showering with his fellow celebrities as he admitted the project was 'exposing some insecurities'.

Amid his admission, the reality vet shared: 'Im not gonna lie the thought of taking my kit off, the shape Im in, petrifies me. I need to make some changes.'

Stripping off: Amid his admission, the reality vet shared: 'Im not gonna lie the thought of taking my kit off, the shape Im in, petrifies me. I need to make some changes'

James, who has lost three stone since soaring to fame, overcame his fears and took part in the live performance in Sheffield, dedicating it to his grandfather Seamus Hanley, who died of prostate cancer 15 years ago.

Committing to the routine, the reality favourite paid tribute to the original 1997 film, dressed in a security guard's uniform equipped with the statement cap alongside his fellow celebrities.

The ITVBe star got into the spirit of the evening and eventually stripped to his birthday suit, carefully placing his trusty hat over his modesty to a supportive audience who cheered them all the way through.

The FULL Monty! The ITVBe star got into the spirit of the evening and eventually stripped to his birthday suit, carefully placing his trusty hat over his modesty to a supportive audience who cheered them all the way through

Applauding his efforts, his girlfriend Gemma Collins took to social media to praise him for stepping out of his comfort zone and celebrate his courage. Sharing a selfie of the pair on her Instagram, the 35-year-old gushed: 'So PROUD of you tonight #realfullmontylive.

'Your always gorgeous to me no matter what and dont like to see you so insecure about your body you must never be insecure and always own who you are all different its whats in your heart that always counts'.

She continued her tribute using the hashtags: '#supportyourman #bodyconfidence #selflove'.
She's endured her fair share of controversy.

But Tori Spelling seemed to be at ease with her family by her side as she left brunch at Blue Jam Cafe in Calabasas, Calif. on Wednesday afternoon.

The 44-year-old actress sported a crisp white blouse with a matching floral skirt while maneuvering through the parking lot with her family of six.

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Good eats! Tori Spelling seemed to be at ease with her family by her side as she left brunch at Blue Jam Cafe in Calabasas, Calif. on Wednesday afternoon

Tori showed off some spring fashion wearing a flowing maxi skirt with colorful floral embroidery across the garment.

Peeks of her shoulders peered through the cutouts of her long white Eight Tees top which featured a scooped neckline.

The Beverly Hills 90210 alum tied her platinum blonde hair back into a low ponytail and opted for thick frames before switching to a pair of mirrored sunglasses.

Walk it out: The 44-year-old actress sported a crisp white blouse with a matching floral skirt while maneuvering through the parking lot with her family of six

The mother-of-five added a western element to her ensemble with beige leather boots and carried a black backpack across her shoulders.

Husband Dean McDermott sported a light blue buttoned-down shirt paired with jeans as he carried their smallest child, Beau, in his arms.

Their children Liam, 11, Stella, nine, Hattie, six, and Finn, five, stayed close to their parents side as they left the restaurant.

Sweet: Tori showed off some spring fashion wearing a flowing maxi skirt with colorful floral embroidery across the garment

Police were forced to intervene after Tori Spelling got into a row with her husband Dean McDermott, over a family dinner on March 9 in Tarzana, Calif.

Los Angeles Police Department deputies could be seen attempting to defuse the incident, which occurred in the presence of all five of the couple's children.

The incident came just one week after police were first summoned to Dean and Tori's Woodland Hills-area home.

Spelling reportedly had heard a noise while at home and called the police, only to find it was her husband returning home.

Days later officials were once again called by Dean to check in on Tori during a doctor's appointment after she left the home with at least one of their children.

Oh no: Police were forced to intervene after Tori Spelling got into a row with her husband Dean McDermott, over a family dinner on March 9 in Tarzana, Calif.
They have caused ruptions after appearing in just one episode of TOWIE.

And new girls Clelia Theodorou and Shelby Tribble proved they have no plans to stop as they headed out in Ilford on Thursday afternoon to resume filming the 22nd series of the show alongside fellow newbies Jordan Wright and Dean Ralph.

The Plymouth-born glamour model, who is romantically involved with Dan Edgar, wowed in a skin-tight khaki dress, while her former Miss GB pal, who has entered the show as Pete Wicks' new love, wowed in a sexy scarlet number.

Strutting their stuff: TOWIE's Clelia Theodorou and Shelby Tribble proved they have no plans to stop as they headed out in Ilford on Thursday afternoon to resume filming the 22nd series

Clelia was dressed to impress in the skin-tight dress which left little to the imagination with its ribbed body and form-fitting shape.

With one of her very first scenes in Sunday night's episode showing her at the gym, she showed the results of her hard-worked labour in the sizzling ensemble.

She boosted her height in a pair of chic nude strappy heels while injecting glam into the look with a quilted Yves Saint Laurent handbag.

The stunner wore her silky smooth brunette locks in a slick style tumbling over her shoulders with bouncy waves worked into the ends.

Legs eleven: The Plymouth-born glamour model, who is romantically involved with Dan Edgar, wowed in a skin-tight khaki dress, while her former Miss GB pal, who has entered the show as Pete Wicks' new love, wowed in a sexy scarlet number

Green with envy: She boosted her height in a pair of chic nude strappy heels while injecting glam into the look with a quilted Yves Saint Laurent handbag

Hot stuff! Clelia strutted her stuff in the skin-tight dress which enhanced her curves

The new couple: The stunner has burst on to screens in a romantic situation with the show's resident hunk Dan

Going grey: Amber Turner slipped into a plunging grey figure-flaunting midi dress

Star-studded: She joined her fellow cast members in the thigh-flashing number

Shelby meanwhile sported a blood orange dress with heavily studded detailing all over while pairing her look with black versions of her pal's heels.

She too sported an Yves Saint Laurent number, while clutching her phone and allowing the statement gown to speak for itself.

The beauty queen's hair was coiffed to perfection while she proved she has the Essex girl beauty regimen down with flawless make-up.

Stunner: Shelby meanwhile sported a blood orange dress with heavily studded detailing all over while pairing her look with black versions of her pal's heels

Following suit: Shelby's new squeeze Pete Wicks joined filming

Sizzling: The stunner wore her silky smooth brunette locks in a slick style tumbling over her shoulders with bouncy waves worked into the ends

Walk this way: Chloe Meadow battled the elements in a cropped white shirt which slipped off her shoulder

Head-turning: The blonde beauty's choice of top showcased her ample cleavage in a matching crop top underneath

Sports luxe: She teamed the look with a pair of high-waisted joggers

Rain, rain go away: Courtney Green stepped out underneath an umbrella with Chloe M

Check her out: She slipped into a Clueless inspired purple plaid suit

Plaid's nice: She teamed a sheer lace body underneath

New boys and former Ex On The Beach stars Dean and Jordan were dressed to impress with the former in a bomber jacket and latter in a trench.

Clelia's romantic interest Dan was headed into the shoot as he sported a tight black top and skin-tight light wash jeans.

Spinning a convoluted web was Dean's current relationship with Amber Turner - who he took on a date hot on the heels of Dan finishing with him for good.

Myles Barnett meanwhile was seen heading in with a washbag while rocking a striped T-shirt - ahead of the row he is set to have with Jordan on Sunday.

Hunky: New boys and former Ex On The Beach stars Dean and Jordan were dressed to impress with the former in a bomber jacket and latter in a trench

Hunky! Clelia's romantic interest Dan was headed into the shoot as he sported a tight black top and skin-tight light wash jeans

Heading in: Myles Barnett meanwhile was seen heading in with a washbag while rocking a striped T-shirt - ahead of the row he is set to have with Jordan on Sunday

Jump to it: Chloe Sims made a statement in a beige jumpsuit

Eye-popping: The eye-popping look showcased her surgically enhanced assets

Wrapped up: She draped a statement fluffy jacket over her shoulders

Setting pulses racing, Amber Turner slipped into a plunging grey suede-ette mini dress which showcased her ample cleavage with its gold button detailing.

The blonde bombshell flashed her enviable pins in the saucy number as she joined her fellow castmates for filming.

Following Amber's lead, newly-single Chloe Meadows battled the elements in a cropped white shirt which slipped off her shoulder.

The blonde beauty's choice of top showcased her ample cleavage in a matching crop top underneath.

Thigh's the limit: She slipped into a pair of thigh-high boots

Those boots are made for walking: She teamed her fancy footwear with a flirty mini dress

Striking: Yazmin Oukhellou donned a crochet midi dress

Skin-flashing: Her one-shouldered knit dress accentuated her curves and flashed her nude underwear

Teetering: She teamed the look with a pair of sky-high stilettos
She recently jetted off to Australia as part of her strict work schedule.

And Gemma Atkinson was back on home turf as she arrived in Manchester's Piccadilly station with her beau Gorka Marquez on Thursday morning.

The former Hollyoaks actress, 33, opted for a low-key ensemble as she slipped her envy-inducing frame into a pair of skinny jeans, teamed with a simple hooded jumper.

Low-key: The former Hollyoaks actress, 33, was back on home turf following her trip to Australia as she arrived in Manchester with her beau Gorka Marquez on Thursday morning

The Strictly Come Dancing finalist tied in her comfy look with a distressed denim jacket and box-fresh trainers, finished off with a pair of chic sunglasses.

The blonde beauty carried her possessions in a neon green suitcase, while lugging her essentials in a black backpack.

Looking every inch the effortless beauty, Gemma opted for minimal makeup and wore her tresses in a tousled ponytail.

Casual: The former Hollyoaks actress, 33, opted for a low-key ensemble as she slipped her envy-inducing frame into a pair of skinny jeans, teamed with a simple hooded jumper

Off-duty look: The Strictly Come Dancing finalist tied in her comfy look with a distressed denim jacket and box-fresh trainers, finished off with a pair of chic sunglasses

Spanish dancer Gorka, 27, cut a trendy figure as he was clad in ripped jeans, a leather jacket, and a hooded jumper by Adidas.

The Burn The Floor star lent his girlfriend a helping hand as he lugged one of her travelling bags.

In an interview with The Sun last week, the fitness enthusiast admitted that they weren't hiding their relationship: 'It's nice to be able to say he's my boyfriend.'

Team work makes the dream work! The Burn The Floor star lent his girlfriend a helping hand as he lugged one of her travelling bags

'Australia you have been wonderful': Gemma recently jetted Down Under as part of her work schedule

'We had that awkward stage where you're dating but you haven't had "the conversation,"' she said. 'You never want to say to a guy after three coffees: "So what are we?"'

Gemma, who was partnered on the dancing series with Aljaz Skorjanec, revealed: 'We'd go for coffee together on the Sunday after the show, but had never really spent more than two hours together. So it was a gradual thing. There was no lightning-bolt moment, unfortunately. Not like in the movies.'

The pair solidified their romance as they spent New Year's Eve together and embarked on the Strictly tour - during which their co-stars urged them to confess their relationship status.

The former glamour model recently shared with her 583k Instagram followers she was working hard to maintain her gym-honed figure with the help from her boyfriend.

Alongside a video of the lovebirds giggling in the gym, she wrote: 'Taking @gorkamarquez back to Evil Steve. I have a fitness shoot in just under two weeks and I want to rock up feeling my best so we're on it! Gorka is doing the training with me and we're stepping up our clean eating too which I love (He's an insanely good cook!)'

She continued: 'Doing it together not only makes it more fun for me, it's just genuinely nice to hang out and train with my fella. Having support from loved ones as well as your trainer makes any goal you have set that bit easier.'
They are two of the most glamorous regulars on the TOWIE scene.

So of course Amber Turner, 24, and Lauren Pope, 35, ensured all eyes were well and truly on them when they headed to filming, in London on Thursday.

The blonde bombshell put her fashionable foot forward in her thigh-split grey dress, which gave onlookers an eyeful of her tremendous legs.

Leggy lady: TOWIE's Amber Turner put on a leggy display in a mini dress on way to filming with her co-stars, in London on Thursday

Golden-haired siren Amber highlighted her statuesque figure with her trendy sky-scraper perspex heels.

With her hand rested on her hip, the TOWIE star accentuated her hourglass figure thanks to her belt which wrapped around her incredibly slender waistline.

Dan Edgar's on/off girlfriend took the plunge when she went braless to best showcase her cleavage in her perilously low-cut dress.

Hot on her heels was TOWIE's Lauren, who made quite a racy appearance in her thigh-high boots which had sexy cutaway detailing to show off some serious skin.

Heading out: Hot on her heels was TOWIE's Lauren, who made quite a racy appearance in her thigh-high boots which had sexy cutaway detailing to show off some serious skin

The Only Way Is Essex favourite teamed her long boots with a thigh-grazing mini dress which made her sensational leggy frame appear endless.

As well as her stylish handbag, the reality star toted a blue umbrella to ensure her heavy make-up and perfect curls remained in tact for filming.

TOWIE regulars Amber and Lauren joined forces with the new cast members Clelia Theodorou, Shelby Tribble, Jordan Wright and Dean Ralph for the 22nd series.

Practical beauty! As well as her stylish handbag, the reality star toted a blue umbrella to ensure her heavy make-up and perfect curls remained in tact for filming

Sparks are already flying between Amber and The Only Way Is Essex newbie Dean, who is Tommy Mallet's BFF and former flame of Love Island star Chloe Crowhurst.

The pair were spotted rock climbing on their first date as Amber mends her heartache following her split from TOWIE regular Dan.

The Dan and Amber love story goes back to when she first joined the series after she ditched her boyfriend of four years Jamie Reed.

Despite parting ways with the TOWIE lothario, Amber recently admitted she still had feelings for Dan during a recent interview on This Morning.

Speaking ahead of the new series' debut, she said: 'It's been over a year with us but I'm not going to say there aren't feelings there, but I can't do it anymore.'

Tension between the pair became so heated that she even threw a drink in his face while filming the ITVBe show in Barcelona earlier this year.

When asked about an alleged row between them at popular Essex haunt Sugar Hute, she said: 'I was having a conversation with one of the new girls and he came into the conversation and it just didn't go down well.'
Her explosive argument with beau James 'Lockie' Lock on Sunday night's TOWIE left viewers up in arms on social media.

And Yazmin Oukhellou proved she's focused on moving on from the uproar as she slipped into a sizzling one-shouldered crochet ensemble arriving to Faces nightclub to film TOWIE on Thursday.

The 24-year-old ITVBe beauty showcased her sensational figure in the cream sheer midi-length garment which flashed her nude lingerie underneath.

Striking: Yazmin Oukhellou proved she's focused on moving on from the uproar as she slipped into a sizzling one-shouldered crochet ensemble arriving to Faces nightclub to film TOWIE on Thursday

The Only Way Is Essex star teased at her taut midriff in the knitted garment which also accentuated her ample bust in her bandeau-style bra.

But that wasn't all Yazmin's ensemble boasted a hip-high slit which highlighted her slender pins and golden glow as she strutted to the venue.

She added inches to her petite frame as she sported a peep-toe heel and a voluminous hairstyle.

The TOWIE star kept to her glamorous ways as she worked a dramatic smokey eye and lipgloss covered lip for the occasion.

Skin-flashing: The 24-year-old ITVBe beauty showcased her sensational figure in the cream sheer midi-length garment which flashed her nude lingerie underneath

Despite her smile, Yazmin and her beau James, 31, were involved in one of the more dramatic storyline's on Sunday night's The Only Way Is Essex.

The ITVBe favourite proved to be more explosive than ever before after James launched into a foul-mouthed tirade aimed at Yazmin while in Barcelona.

The TOWIE veteran became agitated after he was confronted for his disrespectful behaviour by his other half's pals Chloe Lewis and Chloe Meadows following a recent dinner they had all attended.

Although the girls were sticking up for their pal and attempting to calmly resolve the issue, James quickly became enraged and left Yazmin in tears as he repeatedly called her a 'spoilt brat'.

Eye-popping: The Only Way Is Essex star teased at her taut midriff in the knitted garment which also accentuated her ample bust in her bandeau-style bra

Taking a nasty turn, he shouted: 'Let me tell you something. Okay, youre gonna start doing that. Throwing that card. Listen Yaz, do not f***ing sit there and make me look like a d**k.

'Don't sit here playing the victim because you are a spoilt, f***ing brat. Alright? You're a spoilt, little f***ing brat. Do not sit here and f***ing play the victim. Dont start f***ing crying.I'm a f***ing nice boy...'

In the midst of his rage, Yazmin pleaded with him to stop: 'I don't care if you do it at home but this is embarrassing'.

But James refused to stop and tensions continued to rise as he reduced Chloe L to tears after he insinuated she went on a night out without telling her boyfriend Danny Flasher.

Pin-credible: But that wasn't all Yazmin's ensemble boasted a hip-high slit which highlighted her slender pins and golden glow as she strutted to the venue

Rant: James launched into a foul-mouthed tirade aimed at his girlfriend Yazmin while in Barcelona on Sunday night's TOWIE

The brunette fired back: 'I'm very much in love and my partner does not speak to me the way you do.' To which Lockie replied: 'Yeah, go and have a cry. Bore off...'

Shocked by his behaviour, Chloe L made her way back inside the venue screaming: 'Gentleman? You're not a gentleman! You might want to look it up in the dictionary.'

As tensions slowly started to simmer down, Yazmin said through her tears: 'It's embarrassing that they think you treat me like shit.'

Which left James angry adding: 'Me and you have a really toxic relationship. You try and wind me up, Yaz.'

Following expletive scene, viewers took to social media in their droves as they slammed the TOWIE star for his appalling behaviour while his co-star Gemma Collins and Celebs Go Dating expert Nadia Essex admitted they were outraged by his appearance.

Nasty: Taking a nasty turn, he shouted: 'Let me tell you something. Okay, youre gonna start doing that. Throwing that card. Listen Yaz, do not f***ing sit there and make me look like a d**k'
Ben Affleck has hit back after being criticized for his 'pooching' gut and 'garish' back tattoo.

The New Yorker spared no adjectives when describing the 45-year-old actor in a scathing article, titled 'The Great Sadness of Ben Affleck'.

On Thursday, the Justice League star decided to clap back after the publication promoted the article for a second time on their Twitter page.

'I'm doing fine. Thick skin bolstered by a garish tattoo,' he tweeted at the weekly.

Feel the burn: Naomi Fry of The New Yorker spared no adjectives when describing Ben Affleck's massive back tattoo in her recent article about the 45-year-old actor

'Garish': The tattoo appears to be a colorful image of a Phoenix rising from the ashes that Naomi notes is so large that the 'birds tail found itself dipping below the waistband' of his swim trunks

His use of the word 'garish' was quoted directly from the piece that described his back tattoo as both 'garish' and 'gargantuan.'

Photos had surfaced of the Batman star on the beach in Hawaii and the publication shamelessly used them as ammo against Ben whose personal life has taken center stage as of late.

The tattoo appears to be a colorful image of a Phoenix rising from the ashes that Naomi notes is so large that the 'birds tail found itself dipping below the waistband' of his swim trunks.

Fry compared Affleck to a 'shy teen at the local pool' after seeing the images of him using a blue towel to hide his 'gut pooching outward.'

Going for the gut: Photos of the Batman star on the beach in Hawaii had surfaced and the publication used them as ammo against Ben whose personal life has taken center stage as of late. Fry compared Affleck to a 'shy teen at the local pool' after seeing the images of him using a blue towel to hide his 'gut pooching outward'

Big fib: Back in 2016, Affleck told Extra's Mario Lopez that his back tattoo was fake

Relentless: On Thursday, the Justice League star decided to clap back after the publication promoted the article for a second time on their Twitter page

'I'm doing fine,' Ben said in response to the article that called him a 'great sadness'

Comical: Conan O'Brien made a joke by posting a fake image of himself with a back tattoo

She also made mention of the fact that Ben formerly lied about the tattoo being fake in an interview with Extra's Mario Lopez.

'Fake for a movie,' he said rather flustered in the 2016 chat.

Later that year, his ex-wife Jennifer Garner commented on his back ink that was apparently very real.

'You know what we would say in my hometown about that? 'Bless his heart,'' Garner said to Vanity Fair. 'Am I the ashes in this scenario?...I refuse to be the ashes.'

And just days ago, Ben's good friend Matt Damon stood up for him on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

'It's not one man's job to tell another man what he can do to his back,' he said with a laugh. 'I support him in all of his artistic expression.'

Ben's good friend Matt Damon stood up for him on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. 'It's not one man's job to tell another man what he can do to his back,' he said with a laugh. 'I support him in all of his artistic expression'

New lady: The actor, who filed for divorce from wife Jennifer Garner in April 2017, has been gallivanting around with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus, 37, after having a rumored affair with his children's nanny

Affleck, who has a history of addiction, has been spiraling for some time now.

The actor, who filed for divorce from Garner in April 2017, has been gallivanting around with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus, 37, after having a rumored affair with his children's nanny.

Ben and Jennifer are still friendly as they work to co-parent their three kidsViolet, 12, Seraphina, 9, and Samuel, five.

Splitting up together: Ben and Jennifer are still friendly as they work to co-parent their three kidsViolet, 12, Seraphina, 9, and Samuel, five




Lisa Vanderpump moved her Real Housewives of Beverly Hills co-stars to tears when she held a screening of her new documentary on Monday's episode.

Now the reality star and animal activist has released The Road to Yulin... and Beyond on Prime Video in a bid to spread awareness about her a cause close to her heart.

Emotional: Lisa Vanderpump cried while watching her documentary, The Road to Yulin... and Beyond, on Monday's episode

Tough material: Camille Grammer had to look away during the film

The team at her non-profit, The Vanderpump Dog Foundation, has made several mission trips to China to expose the torture that occurs during the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival, and the documentary chronicles their work.

Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd have long campaigned for years to end the dogmeat trade in China and their documentary was featured at LA Awareness Festival.

Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Camille Grammer, Dorit Kemsley, Erika Girardi and Teddi Mellencamp were among the stars to turn out to support her at the screening.

'Barbaric': Vanderpump's documentary exposes the torture that occurs during the annual Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China

'You can't even fathom that this is happening in our world,' said Teddi later said.

Ahead of the film's release, Vanderpump said: 'I hope to not only bring more attention to what is happening in Yulin, but also educate and inspire a new generation to fight this barbaric practice.'

The film features a song written by Diane Warren and performed by Leona Lewis called '(We All Are) Looking for Home'.

The Road To Yulin... and Beyond is available on Prime Video in the US and UK.
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She recently enjoyed a luxury girls' trip in Byron Bay with her friend and business partner, Gillian Godwin.

And it appears the party never ends for Davina Rankin, who joined her pals for a wild night out in Bulimba, Brisbane on Thursday.

The Married At First Sight star, 27, seemed to be enjoying the single life as she performed frisky dances moves with a mystery man.

What's going on here? Married At First Sight's Davina Rankin appeared to simulate a sex act with a male companion while partying at Brisbane's Oxford 152 on Thursday night

Davina and her friends were watching a musical performance and sipping cocktails at the swanky Oxford 152 venue.

Late in the evening, the model was dancing with a male friend when she appeared to simulate a sex act on the dancefloor.

Gillian Godwin recorded Davina's flirty performance and later posted it to Instagram.

Wild night out! Davina and her friends were watching a musical performance and enjoying cocktails at the swanky Oxford 152 venue

In the video, Davina seductively drops to her knees so that her head is positioned by the gentleman's crotch.

She appears to place a hand on his trousers and briskly shake her head.

Davina's wild night out comes after she celebrated her 27th birthday at the Pavilion 2 at Broken Head resort in Byron Bay.

'Asks for a drink, gets a bottle!' Davina was joined by her best friend and business partner Gillian Godwin (left)

The social media influencer, who has over 347,000 Instagram followers, reportedly received a 'special rate' for her stay.

For those paying full price, one night at the beachside destination can cost between $800 and $1330, depending on the time of year.

Davina rose to fame as a contestant on Married At First Sight 2018.
She sports highlighted brunette locks these days.

But in an old snapshot she posted to Twitter for Throwback Thursday, Sofia Vergara reminded her nearly 14 million followers she was once a blonde.

The 45-year-old beamed as she posed in a bikini on the beach for the photo, which her caption revealed was snapped in the 1990s in Miami.

Miami of the 1990s: In an old snapshot she posted to Twitter for Throwback Thursday, Sofia Vergara reminded her nearly 14 million followers she was once a blonde

Her swimsuit, which showed her cleavage to advantage, featured swirling white embroidery over a black background, as well as slender white straps.

Since 2015, she has been married to actor and sex symbol Joe Manganiello, with whom she attended the premiere of Ready Player One this week.

In a sweet Instagram photo, she lounged on her husband's lap as they sat in a DeLorean - redolent of the one that acted as a time machine in Back To The Future.

Cozying up: Since 2015, she has been married to actor and sex symbol Joe Manganiello, with whom she attended the premiere of Ready Player One this week

'Premiere night #readyplayerone @joemanganiello #timemachine,' captioned Sofia, who like her husband does not happen to actually be in Ready Player One.

The Modern Family star appeared to be drenched, and she beamed radiantly for the camera, swinging her hips to one side and putting her hand at her waist.

Sofia was named the world's top-earning TV actress for the sixth year running by Forbes after raking in an incredible $41.5 million in the 12 months since June 1, 2016.

Having a ball: In a sweet Instagram photo, she lounged on her husband's lap as they sat in a DeLorean - redolent of the one that acted as a time machine in Back To The Future

Scoop dujour: The Colombian-born actress, whose claim-to-fame sitcom is ending next year, modeled for a new DuJour interview and dished about saying farewell to the show

The Colombian-born actress, whose claim-to-fame sitcom is ending next year, modeled for a new DuJour interview and dished about saying farewell to the show.

'Its going to be very sad for all of us to finish a show that has been so good to us. Weve had the best schedule, weve had the best people working on the show, its been a dream job, I think, for all of us,' Sofia confessed.

'Its sometimes once in a lifetime for an actor to find a show as amazing as Modern Family,' continued the The Emoji Movie voice actress.
With just seconds to spare before a train arrived at a Melbourne station, Sohan Senanayake jumped onto the tracks to save a woman.

She fainted one minute before the next service was due to pull into Richmond station during peak hour in July 2013.

Mr Senanayake, who was on his way to work, decided the brief window was long enough to bring the woman to safety.

Along with fellow rescuer, Laurence Deal, 31-year-old Mr Senanayake will receive a Bravery Medal for his heroics.

"She was holding a few bags and for some reason she started to fall forward ... and then I realised she fainted," Mr Senanayake told AAP.

He yelled for other passengers on the platform to wave in a bid to slow the approaching train down before jumping onto the tracks, followed by Mr Deal.

"I tried to work it out in my head how many seconds I had ... it said one minute but sometimes it can just be 10, 15 seconds," Mr Senanayake said.

"I knew we didn't have time to revive her on the track.

"Both of us helped her get off the tracks, and another gentleman helped get he and I back onto the platform as well."

The train arrived seconds later.

"It didn't hit me until my relatives, my family were saying 'you risked your life to save someone else's'," Mr Senanayake said.

While grateful for the award, he says he just did what anyone else would have.

"Everyone's life is equally important. I thought I was able to get her out and not injure myself in the process."
In retirement, Adelaide man Ian Voysey has travelled the globe in search of adventure and excitement.

But adrenaline of a different kind kicked in on April 20, 2015, when he heroically came to the aid of a neighbour who had been the victim of an attempted murder - an act he will be rewarded for with a Bravery Medal.

Mr Voysey, now 76, was watching television and cooking dinner when another neighbour knocked on the door to tell him about a nearby home invasion.

"He actually had a broom in his hand, and he said she has been attacked and there's someone in her unit," he told AAP.

"The girl that was attacked was in (the neighbour's) unit, she escaped."

The Glenelg man went out onto the road to make sure the offender did not escape the house and jump the fence.

"While I was standing there their roller door came up and this person ran out," Mr Voysey said.

"I grabbed them and put them in a headlock and then realised it was a woman."

She was holding a knife, a scarf and a water bottle.

Mr Voysey told her to drop the knife, which he kicked away into a gutter, and held the woman until police arrived.

He has been hailed a hero for the citizen's arrest, but said he's not out for recognition - it's just what good neighbours do.

"A lot of people who do brave things only do them because they're fortunate or unfortunate enough to be in that situation," he said.

"Unless you're put in that situation you'll never know."
An Australian Super Hornet air strike last year may have killed two civilian adults and injured two children when it bombed a terrace house in west Mosul, Iraq.

Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Major General Greg Bilton, said the air strike occurred on May 3 but it wasn't until Amnesty International raised the matter in late August that the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria conducted an investigation.

The human rights organisation had a witness account, but the person was not interviewed as part of any subsequent coalition or Australian investigations.

Maj Gen Bilton told journalists at a briefing, ahead of the release of a coalition report overnight, that the civilian casualties allegations are considered "credible".

He said it's possible the people involved were a family who IS were using as human shields.

Mosul, the Iraqi capital of the so-called IS caliphate, fell in July after a nine-month campaign.

At the time of the incident, Australian and coalition aircraft were supporting Iraqi security forces carrying out clearance operations on the ground.

They were coming under fire from two IS snipers located in the second storey of a house and the Australian air strike happened within minutes.

Maj Gen Bilton insisted a thorough assessment was conducted to confirm it was a valid target.

An unmanned drone was also flying overhead providing "situational awareness" in and around the target, providing three minutes of footage of the location before the strike and several minutes of footage from the Australian aircraft, but it won't be publicly released because of operational security.

The Royal Australian Air Force fighter jet dropped a single weapon - a GPS guided bomb with a delay fuse - collapsing the second storey.

No civilian casualties were identified during the post-strike review, Maj Gen Bilton said.

The Australian Defence Force was informed about the possible civilian casualty incident in February and launched its own investigation to ensure the law of armed conflict and rules of engagement had been complied with, and to ascertain whether procedures needed changes.

"There are no specific lessons we have learned from this strike that we can apply to improve our processes," Maj Gen Bilton said.

Asked if Defence was investigating other possible civilian casualties, Maj Gen Bilton said he couldn't definitively say there weren't going to be more.

"There's none in the pipeline, we haven't been advised (by the coalition) they're doing further investigations with regards to Australian strikes," he said.

Australia's six Super Hornets returned to Queensland in January after flying their last missions after more than three years of air strike operations.
Roger Bertocci was stabbed to death just hundreds of metres from his Melbourne home while trying to protect a pregnant woman from an attacker.

The 46-year-old father-of-two was driving to the shops in the lead up to Christmas in 2014 when he saw the woman, a stranger to him, being assaulted by a man.

But after Mr Bertocci stepped out of his car to intervene, he was chased and stabbed just 250 metres from his Altona North home.

His attacker was the woman's partner and despite Mr Bertocci's attempts to calm the situation, he was grabbed by the shoulder and stabbed repeatedly with a large kitchen knife.

More than three years later, he will be honoured with a Bravery Medal for "acting as a man should," his widow Helen Bertocci said.

"I hold him on the highest pedestal for doing that," she told AAP.

"He knew what he was about to get himself involved with and he chose to go down that path.

"The way he has been brought up has been showing respect to women, and for him to see what was happening, the commotion in front of him, he had to do what he had to do."

Mr Bertocci is the recipient of one of 74 Australian Bravery decorations announced on Thursday.

Had he survived his injuries, Mrs Bertocci said her husband would have been "quite chuffed" by the medal.

"He wouldn't hesitate to help anyone in any situation," she said.

In 2016, Jonathon Sporton was jailed for 21 years for Mr Bertocci's murder.

"People look at me and say 'Helen, you're so strong' but they don't know how I've actually grieved."
Blood wanted.

That's the desperate cry from the Australian Red Cross this Easter long-weekend, when at least 1000 donations are needed to prevent a nationwide shortage.

Some 600 donors are needed on Easter Monday alone.

There is no better way to shake Mondayitis than start the week knowing you've saved three lives per donation, with platelets in high demand, Blood Service spokeswoman Erin Lagoudakis said.

"Platelets are the clotting agent of blood - vital in the treatment of many cancers and to combat life-threatening bleeding from road trauma and in other emergency situations," she said.

"Unfortunately platelets have a shelf-life of just five days which means we can't stockpile them ahead of a long weekend and need continuous donations during this time to meet demand."

She urged people across Australia to give up an hour to donate blood.
Tori Johnson could have escaped the siege at Sydney's Lindt Cafe - being the store's manager and knowing the building's exits - but he stayed in order to help his fellow hostages.

For his selflessness throughout the 17-hour stand-off in December 2014, Mr Johnson on Thursday was posthumously honoured with Australia's Star of Courage bravery decoration.

The then-34-year-old was killed along with barrister Katrina Dawson, 38, in the final moments of the siege during which self-styled sheikh Man Haron Monis held the pair, and 16 others, hostage.

Ms Dawson and survivor Jarrod Robert Morton-Hoffman, who was just 19 at the time, have also been awarded Bravery Medals for supporting others during the attack.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, one of the first commanders at the scene of the siege, says he thinks the honours are "absolutely correct" and an important means by which to remember Mr Johnson and Ms Dawson.

"We shouldn't forget about them," the top cop told reporters on Wednesday at a function to raise money for a charity founded by survivor Louisa Hope.

"We shouldn't forget about the sacrifices they made."

Ms Hope agrees the awards are "very appropriate" given Mr Johnson and Ms Dawson chose to stay when presented with opportunities to flee the cafe.

"Tori chose to stay. Katrina, she had an opportunity to go and she didn't because she wanted to take her friend with her," she told reporters on Wednesday.

Ms Hope said Mr Hoffman proved himself an "amazing young man" during the incident.

Mr Johnson, in particular, played a key role in the siege, having been directed by Monis when he entered the cafe to call triple zero and tell authorities a man armed with a shotgun and explosives had taken a group hostage.

He then attempted to maintain a rapport with Monis and pacified him without concern for his own safety.

He remained with an older and less mobile hostage and didn't heed her request to leave him when an escape opportunity arose.

A coronial inquest into the siege found that Monis ordered Mr Johnson to his knees at about 2.14am on December 16 and shot him at point-blank range.

The shooting prompted tactical officers to storm the Martin Place cafe.

Monis was shot by specialist police while Ms Dawson was fatally wounded after being hit by police bullet fragments.
For more than four decades Australia has honoured thousands of home-grown heroes with bravery awards.

Mixed in with the police, emergency workers and soldiers are ordinary Aussies who have selflessly risked their lives saving others from armed gunmen, violent assaults, burning vehicles, floodwaters, and even sharks.

Today, 74 Australians are being honoured, including Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, both of whom gave up chances to escape gunman Man Haron Monis during the 2014 Lindt Cafe siege so they could help others trapped inside, but ended up losing their own lives.

But what is it that drives ordinary people to perform acts of bravery?

The answer isn't simple.

Oxford University Press last July published a review of dozens of studies focusing on bravery and concluded that both nature and nurture play a role.

Brave people were more likely to be self-confident, risk-takers, resilient, the oldest sibling in their family, as well a have a good sense of humour and a deep sense of empathy for others, the review said.

Eugene Aidman, Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Sydney and Australian Psychological Society fellow, relates many of those traits back to childhood.

He believes how brave a person is hinges on three elements: a lack of or reduced feeling of fear; their mental attitude toward protecting others; and their "fight or flight" response to stress.

Parents who allow their children to take risks are helping them develop traits that "will ultimately lead to the big bravery acts" later in life.

"Science tells us that fear is learned," he told AAP.

"So you learn from your parents to face the challenges head-on and take them as an opportunity to grow, or be fearful.

"When you are faced with real life-threatening danger you will either flee or fight, and when you fight you might be fighting for yourself or for your mates or someone else other than yourself, and only in the latter case is it a genuine case of bravery."

Hormones may also play a role.

Yale University psychiatrist Deane Aikins found in 2009 that soldiers who stayed calm in challenging situations had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, meaning they weren't as scared.

Another study led by Peter Kirsch of the US-based National Institute of Mental Health in 2005 suggested that oxytocin - often dubbed the love hormone - can reduce feelings of fear.

Often after ordinary people have performed a brave act like rescuing someone from a house fire, they talk about how they felt compelled to do it instead of having made a conscious decision to act.

"If you talk to some people who have engaged in these acts of bravery they sometimes say 'I didn't even consider my own safety', or 'I didn't even really think about the fact whether I know CPR or not'," Dr Lisa A Williams, a senior lecturer at UNSW's School of Psychology, said.

"I've yet to see data that suggests that people weigh that up in any conscious way."

For emergency workers and soldiers, deciding to help is automatic thanks largely to their training.

"To them it's not a question of bravery it's them executing the job they are trained to do and of course they value that very highly," Dr Williams said.

However, Dr Williams said sometimes ordinary people do consider the pros and cons before going to someone's aid.

"Among the costs would be the potential personal risk and also, interestingly, the potential embarrassment or guilt of not helping," she said.

"On the benefit side you of course have the benefit of actually potentially saving someone's life or geting them out of a dicey situation, and reputational benefit like a bravery award."

Dr Williams believes Australia's annual Bravery Awards send an important message to the wider community that altruistic acts are valued.

"These types of actions we as a society hold up and admire them often because we think, 'my goodness would I have done that?'"
It's a day Senior Constable Stephen Barlow remembers often - they day he lost colleague and mate Brett Forte when he was fatally shot in the line of duty.

The senior constable is one of four officers who received Bravery Medals for attempting to save Senior Constable Forte's life after the fatal shooting in the Lockyer Valley in May last year.

For Barlow, the recognition is humbling and he admits to feeling uncomfortable in the limelight.

"It's a true honour. I couldn't believe it, and I've asked myself 'Am I worthy of it?' I was doing my job," he told AAP.

"I've realised the gravity of it, it's not an award given out to everyone."

Barlow started his career at police academy with Forte and said it was a huge shock to lose his friend.

"It was a shock, it was surreal," he said.

Following the shooting and under continued gunfire, Senior Constable Barlow began first aid before fetching another vehicle to drive Forte to a safe area.

"I was automatic. We did what we had to do."

Acting Sergeant Scott Hill, Senior Constable Catherine Nielsen and Constable Brittany Poulton stayed in place as the gunfire continued until they knew their colleagues were safely away from the scene.

Tragically Forte died from his injuries. He has been commended in memoriam for brave conduct.

"I think about that day regularly and bit by bit you get better," Sen Const Barlow said.

"You never truly get over it, but as they say, time heals wounds.

"It's bittersweet."

Another Queenslander, Norman Olsen, has been awarded posthumously with a Bravery Medal for stepping in to save a woman and her child as she was assaulted by her ex-partner James Callow in Toowoomba.

The 65-year-old had pulled his car over to help the woman in February 2016, as she lay on the ground clutching her young daughter.

He grabbed Callow's arm, allowing the woman to run away but was punched down by the offender and later died.

Callow was sentenced to jail for eight and a half years for manslaughter.
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When Samantha Rokov learnt her husband Antonio had died trying to save a teenage boy during a freak skydiving accident, she was not the least bit surprised by his selflessness.

She says the NSW skydiving instructor, who will on Thursday be awarded a Star of Courage for his bravery during the 2015 incident, had always put others before himself.

"We all just went 'of course he would've'," Ms Rokov told AAP.

"That's Tony. That's what he would do. He would make that sacrifice."

Mr Rokov was on a tandem skydive with a then 14-year-old boy near Goulburn Airport in NSW on November 21, 2015 when a freak gust of wind folded their parachute in half just 20 metres from landing.

The boy was flipped horizontally as they plummeted towards the ground, but Mr Rokov twisted his body underneath him, taking the full force of the impact.

The boy was injured but survived the fall, while Mr Rokov - who had grown to love skydiving during a career in the army - died of his injuries.

Ms Rokov said she took some comfort in knowing her husband's death had not been senseless, but allowed a young man to live the long life ahead of him.

She said she has been in regular contact with the boy's mother and been pleased to hear he is "doing really well".

"It makes a tragedy just seem a little bit easier to deal with, because it's something so positive," Ms Rokov said.

Mr Rokov is one of two Australians awarded the Star of Courage bravery decoration on Thursday, along with Lindt cafe siege victim Tori Johnson.

Ms Rokov said the recognition would help her son, who was particularly young at the time of the accident, to understand what his Dad had done.

"(He'll) be able to go, my Dad's been remembered for his bravery," she said.

"We miss him every single day. It's just really hard, with his parents especially and his family, and our family as well.

"But I'm just so proud of him. So proud of him. Right to the very end."
Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says he apologised at the time for signing an "inappropriate" homophobic letter as a student activist.

"We view your organisation with distaste and see it as a sign of a very sick society suffering from severe moral decay," read the letter from the La Trobe University Students' Representatives Council, co-signed by Mr Guy, to the Gay and Lesbian Immigration Task Force.

Mr Guy told reporters on Thursday the letter was written in 1994 and he apologised soon after "because I realised it was inappropriate".
The Health Department breached the Privacy Act when it released data about one in 10 Australians and didn't adequately protect their identities.

In August 2016 the department published data on a government website regarding a 10 per cent sample of people who had made a claim for payment of Medicare benefits since 1984.

It thought it had protected identities in the records, but a month later researchers at the University of Melbourne uncovered a weakness in the encryption method, allowing the potential for Medicare service providers to be identified.

They found there was a risk that some individuals could be identified by linking the dataset with other sources of information.

Following an investigation, the Australian Information Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim found the department breached the Privacy Act, but said it was unintentional.

"There were flaws in the process followed by the department in de-identifying the dataset, assessing the risk of re-identification and deciding to publish it," his report released on Thursday said.

"The commissioner accepts that decryption of Medicare service provider numbers per se does not mean that a provider is identified, however, the result of the decryption meant that there was potential to re-identify providers."

The commissioner accepted an enforceable undertaking from the department, acknowledging how cooperative the department had been with the investigation and the steps it has taken to minimise the privacy impact of the incident once it was notified.
A Sydney man who said he bit and shook his baby daughter for cultural reasons has been refused bail on a charge of murdering the two-month-old girl.

The 35-year-old, who cannot be identified and who was on a bridging visa at the time, has been charged with murdering his daughter, who died of catastrophic brain injury on November 13, 2015.

In the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday, Justice Natalie Adams refused him bail saying at the very least the crown case for manslaughter was strong.

She also noted he was now in protection after being stabbed in jail following the naming of him in a media report.

The man has pleaded not guilty to murder as well as to domestic violence-related charges.

He allegedly told police he had bitten and shaken the child "for cultural reasons".

His lawyer told the court the kissing, biting and shaking was done in a "misguided" attempt to assist the baby.

Referring to the crown case, the judge said a friend noticed bruising on the baby's cheek days before her death.

The father had responded by saying: "I love her too much, what can I do?"

The prosecutor on Tuesday said it was "nonsense" to say kissing a child on the cheek caused a bruise.

Authorities visited the home in October after a notification about the risk of serious harm to the baby and mother, but concluded the family was safe.

The mother reported that the baby had been giggling and responsive but started crying, and the father held the infant while she went to the kitchen to prepare a bottle.

Suddenly she heard a loud scream, then dead silence.

The father allegedly looked shocked, before they rang triple-zero and the infant was taken to hospital where she later died.

She had bruises on her body and marks that were consistent with bite marks, while the direct cause of death was a catastrophic head injury.

In relation to the baby's rib injuries, the father allegedly said that about a week before she died he had dropped her while putting her in the bath.

"The mother said she had not seen the baby completely naked for some time as (the father) would not allow her to bath the victim," the judge said.

He is due to be arraigned in the Supreme Court on April 6.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has reportedly backed down on her $2 billion-plus plan to knock down and rebuild two of Sydney's main sporting stadiums.

The state government won't proceed with a plan to completely knock down ANZ Stadium at Homebush, instead choosing to refurbish the venue to make it rectangular, News Corp Australia reported on Thursday.

The coalition will, however, still demolish and rebuild the smaller Allianz Stadium at Moore Park.

The potential backflip comes just weeks after Opposition leader Luke Foley toured the state in a big red bus emblazoned with the slogan "schools and hospitals before stadiums".

A recent opinion poll suggested more than half of NSW voters opposed the government spending more than $2 billion to demolish and rebuild both ANZ and Allianz stadiums.
Veteran Brisbane forward Sam Thaiday says he has been cleared of concussion concerns ahead of Sunday night's NRL clash with Gold Coast Titans.

Thaiday copped a head knock in last round's golden-point win over Wests Tigers but has avoided being added to a Broncos injury list that already boasts winger Corey Oates (hip) and prop Tevita Pangai (hamstring).

"I was a bit dizzy. I can't remember too much what happened but I have been through all the protocols and I will be right to play," said Thaiday after training strongly on Thursday.
A pack of South African police protecting Steve Smith from a media scrum have been powerless to stop fans booing the sacked Australian captain.

Smith, his sacked deputy David Warner and Test rookie Cameron Bancroft are due to arrive in Sydney on Thursday evening, when press conference is expected to be held.

Smith flew out of Johannesburg after crossing the terminal in the middle of a ring of local police.

Smith stayed silent as reporters fired questions.

But spectators weren't so tight-lipped.

Some booed and howled as Smith passed by while another said "cheat" repeatedly.
Labor has lashed out at the coalition for being lax on reforms to stamp out foreign bribery in Australia.

A Labor-led committee review of how Australia deals with foreign bribery made 22 recommendations in a report tabled in parliament this week.

Its chairman, Labor senator Chris Ketter, says the existing approach doesn't go far enough.

"Turnbull's piecemeal, patchwork approach will not stop foreign bribery," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"Implementing these recommendations will go a long way to addressing Australia's pathetic record when it comes to preventing and prosecuting foreign bribery."

The committee points to issues of legislative challenges, poor corporate culture, a lack of expertise, delays, and communication breakdowns between agencies.

"The time has come for Australia to improve its anti-foreign bribery compliance and enforcement response to match its international comparators," its report said.

Senator Ketter said the committee found the coalition's approach to foreign bribery in Australia committed to only the bare minimum of reform.

But government senators on the committee said some criticisms in the report were an overreach and pointed out the majority of recommendations reflected the government's stated intentions.

They also noted many of the "significant reforms" already underway were initiated by the coalition.

The report recommended abolishing the facilitation payment defence, concerned these payments "perpetuate a culture of bribery".

It calls for a review of how whistleblower protections fit with legislation and to force companies to disclose if they have been found guilty of bribery offences.

An Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development statement from December last year said Australia had buckled down on bribery in recent years but must continue to increase its level of enforcement.
Two men are being sought over a targeted shooting in Sydney's southwest a fortnight ago in which a young man was shot in the leg.

A 24-year-old man was shot and a Casula unit was sprayed with bullets by an intruder following an argument on March 15, police allege.

The injured man was found several hours later at a property in Ashcroft before being taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition.

A week later, a 24-year-old man was arrested at the unit and charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm and ammunition without a licence.

Police on Thursday released composite images of two men, described as being of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance and aged between 18- to 25-years-old, who are wanted in the investigation.
Queensland's top judge is calling on the state government to appoint more judges to ease the burden of an increasing number of cases going through the courts.

In the Supreme Court Annual Report released this week, Queensland Chief Justice Catherine Holmes said the extra workload was putting increasing strain on the existing pool of judges and a "significant addition" in the number of judges was needed.

Justice Holmes said despite Queensland's clearance rate being the highest in the country, it wasn't enough to keep pace with the cases coming into the system, which increased by 38 per cent or 650 defendants.
Seven Network newsreader Peter Mitchell has avoided being charged with contempt of court after an on-air blunder while referring to an upcoming Melbourne murder trial.

Seven's lawyer Will Houghton QC made a "sincere and genuine apology" before Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Lex Lasry earlier in March for the mistake, the content of which cannot be reported for legal reasons.

Mr Houghton said the words Mitchell used were not part of the script.

On Thursday, Justice Lasry said he would not refer the matter to the Department of Public Prosecutions for contempt.

He said he accepted the mistake was not deliberately made.

Mitchell, who appeared before the court previously, was not present in court on Thursday.
An Islamic State sympathiser who viciously murdered and mutilated his wife in front of their children in Melbourne has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The man, who cannot be named to protect his children, attacked his 27-year-old wife with a knife at their Broadmeadows home in 2016, gouging out her right eye and cutting off two of her fingers.

The 36-year-old must spend at least three decades in prison before being eligible for parole.

In sentencing the man on Thursday, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Lex Lasry said the killer, who has already spent 634 days in custody, showed "no remorse".

He said he could not be satisfied the man's jihadist ideology led to the killing or that the methylamphetamine smoker was in a drug-induced psychosis at the time.

"I would not have thought your conduct in murdering your very compliant wife could be classified as an act of Jihad," Justice Lasry said.

"What I am sure of is your conduct was grotesquely violent.

"The murder of your wife was the culmination of a long history of domestic violence."

The woman died of blood loss, with multiple wounds to her face and genitals, a gouged-out right eye, and two amputated fingers.

After the murder, the man took his children with him to dump their mother's body, later taking them to eat pastries at a bakery.

The murder came after the woman had moved to Australia from Lebanon and was cut off from the support of her family and friends.
Hundreds of properties in the NSW Hunter region lost power for more than four hours with would-be copper thieves blamed for cutting live lines.

Power company Ausgrid is working with police after authorities on Wednesday found powerlines dangling from poles with cable cutters attached.

About 150 metres of copper cable was coiled on the ground at Toronto in Lake Macquarie, Ausgrid said in a statement on Thursday.

"Luckily no-one was killed and police are now looking for those responsible."

Ausgrid made the discovery while investigating how 770 homes and businesses in the area lost power between about 3am and 7.30am on Wednesday.
Health authorities are on alert after two babies, fresh from visits to south Asia, were diagnosed with measles at a Sydney hospital.

Four people have been diagnosed in NSW this month - with all patients contracting the highly contagious disease while visiting Asia.

Pakistan, India and The Philippines have been identified as possible sources for the infections, said NSW Health on Thursday.

The infants visited Dr D Y K Tan's surgery in Fairfield on Friday, March 23, from 1pm to 3pm; Liverpool Medical Centre on Monday, March 26 from 3.30pm until 6pm; Westmead Children's Hospital emergency from 6.30pm-10pm; and the hospital's Hunter Baillie Ward from Monday night to Wednesday.

NSW Health urged all people who visited those places at those times to be aware of the symptoms and urged travellers to vaccinate.

"Families taking young infants to Asia are also urged to discuss vaccination with their GP before they travel, as the measles vaccine can be given earlier than the first birthday if they are likely to be exposed to measles while travelling," director of communicable diseases Vicky Sheppeard said in a statement on Thursday.

Measles is highly contagious and is spread in the air through coughing or sneezing by someone who is unwell with the disease.

Symptoms of measles include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and neck to the rest of the body.
The Turnbull government may have failed to get its much-heralded business tax cuts through parliament this week but signs are it will still be boasting about strong employment growth for months to come without the reductions.

New figures show demand for workers at its strongest level in seven and half years, even after the record-breaking run of 17 months of consecutive employment growth.

Commonwealth Bank economist Gareth Aird expects another decent employment run this year predicting monthly jobs growth averaging 20,000.

"Such an outcome would push the unemployment rate down towards 5.25 per cent by year-end," he said.

The jobs rate was 5.6 per cent in February.

Thursday's data shows job vacancies rose four per cent in the three months to end February for an annual rate of 18.7 per cent.

All the growth was in the private sector, with demand for public servants falling 0.1 per cent compared to three months earlier.

Despite this strength, economists do not expect the Reserve Bank will lift the cash rate anytime soon, particularly as an upbeat labour market has lured more job seekers, preventing a significant drop in the jobless rate at this stage.

The government was unable to get sufficient numbers in the Senate to back the remainder of its 10-year business tax cut plan as hoped this week, a reduction it says will promote investment, create jobs and lead to higher wages.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann hasn't given up pursuing the reduction in the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent.

"We need to get these tax cuts through. We will continue to make the case. The legislation will come back on in May," he told reporters in Canberra.

Other economic figures show there are signs of a further cooling in the housing market with growth in demand for loans by investors sinking to a record low.

"Given the current regulatory climate, the backdrop of the banking royal commission, and the cyclical downswing in property price growth, investor lending activity is likely to remain weak over the medium term," JP Morgan economist Henry St John predicted.

Reserve Bank data shows investor loans grew by a modest 0.2 per cent in February to be just 2.8 per cent up on the year.

However owner-occupier loans rose by 0.7 per cent in the month for an annual rate of 8.1 per cent, the highest in over a year.
The reality television show Border Security has been a ratings bonanza for more than a decade.

Australians are addicted to watching passengers being nabbed at the airport for smuggling drugs in sex toys or trying to slip into the country to work illegally.

If only the Seven Network cameras had been at Brisbane's International Airport on June 17, 2015 to capture the arrival of a foreign au pair and an unusual course of events that followed.

What we know so far is airport officials stopped the young lady at passport control and later uncovered evidence on her phone that she intended to work as an au pair while in Australia.

Her eVisitor visa was cancelled which rendered her in detention and an "unlawful non-citizen" under migration laws.

She made a phone call to a contact - whose identity is unknown - and within a couple of hours Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton came to her rescue.

Dutton used his ministerial discretion powers under migration laws to grant her a new tourist visa (subclass 600), claiming it was in the "public interest" to do so.

A former immigration department official told AAP it was rare passengers are detained and turned around for no good reason and suspects the au pair may have been previously working illegally in Australia and was flagged in the system.

"Border staff don't make flippant decisions and don't make mistakes generally," the source said.

"The fact she could make a call and fix things up is remarkable."

The source was aware of hundreds of cases where detained passengers had made a call and "dug a hole deeper".

"Whoever the (au pair) called clearly had influence," the source said.

It was extraordinary to have a decision made within a day because ministerial interventions can take weeks.

"It sounds to me like the phone call, the ministerial intervention, the reissuing of the visa happened quicker than you get a meal if you fly out of Sydney to London," the source said.

For the past two years, Australian Associated Press has been trying to find out more about why the minister intervened in this case, by seeking access to departmental documents under freedom of information.

Dutton's department has reluctantly released some documents but most of the information is blacked out because of privacy exemptions.

The FOI battle reached the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in early March and AAP is still awaiting an outcome.

The June au pair visa case wasn't a one off.

Despite warnings from his department, Dutton intervened on November 1, 2015 to grant a three-month visitor visa (subclass 600) to another au pair.

"There are clear indications that [name blacked out] is intending to work in Australia and thus, the grant of a visitor visa is of high risk," said a heavily redacted submission to the minister obtained by AAP under FOI.

The submission also had references to Brisbane and Queensland airports.

Australian Border Force noted the woman had been "counselled previously with respect to work restrictions," when suspicions about her intentions were aroused on a previous arrival on October 31, 2015.

The mystery of the au pairs visas cases was canvassed during question time in parliament on Monday, after AAP published the first story in its special investigation.

A fuming Home Affairs Minister insisted he didn't know the individuals involved but said it would have been inappropriate for the two young women to be deported.

"I thought if they gave an undertaking they wouldn't work I would grant the tourist visa, they would stay, which they did, they didn't overstay, they returned back home," Dutton told parliament.

In a Sky News TV interview later that night Dutton reiterated there was no personal link.

"They're not employed by me, they never have been, they're not employed by my wife, never have been. They're not employed by my extended family, anyone that I know."

During Tuesday's question time, the Greens asked him to categorically rule out any personal connection or relationship with the intended employer of either of the au pairs.

"The answer is yes, Mr Speaker. I haven't received any personal benefit. I don't know these people. They don't work for me," Dutton said.

The minister's office still refuses to answer specific questions about the identity of the au pairs' employers and how the visa cases were brought to his attention.

How the au pair saga plays out might be as gripping as next week's episode of Aussie Border.
Victorian authorities have confirmed 10 cases of measles linked to two men who returned to Melbourne on international flights carrying the infection.

Two babies are among those infected and on Thursday the state health officer said two more adults have been diagnosed after spending time at the Tullamarine Airport international baggage collection area along with one of the men who travelled on flight D7214 on March 7.

The other passenger returned to Melbourne from Denpasar on March 10 and is believed to have passed the infection on to one of the babies.
Interstate crews have been called in to help fight ongoing peat fires emitting toxic gases in southwest Victoria.

Almost a fortnight after four major blazes ravaged the region, claiming homes and sheds and more than 4000 livestock, the battle continues.

Cobrico, Elingamite, Elingamite North, Cobden and Jancourt residents have been warned of "unhealthy" smoke from the smouldering peat fires - which are created in wetlands from partially-decayed vegetation, and produce stinking gases.

The smoke can aggravate existing heart and lung conditions.

Six Tasmanian firefighters and three of the island's specialised compressed-air foam firefighting tankers are due to arrive in Victoria on Friday.

It comes after 55 Cobden aged-care residents had to be evacuated, forcing relief centres to be set up in the town and at nearby Terang.

Schools at Cobden have been relocated, until the end of the school term, as a precaution to ensure the poor air quality does not impact students.

Residents within a kilometre of the plume are being urged to get a health check at the Terang Civic Hall and to have their carbon monoxide levels regularly tested.
Malcolm Turnbull has urged all Australians to reach out to the less fortunate and spend time with loved ones over the Easter long weekend.

The prime minister said in a video message posted on Facebook on Thursday the festival of Easter was about "life and renewal".

"Jesus' example of love, sacrifice and service to others is one that inspires us all and it's a reminder that Easter is also a time to remember and reach out to those in need, the less fortunate, the homeless, the lonely and the sick," Mr Turnbull said.

He paid tribute to police, fire and ambulance workers as well as nurses and doctors working over the long weekend.

With a number of states and territories still recovering from fires, cyclones and floods, he praised the efforts of emergency service workers.

He said natural disasters had "done their worst but brought out Australian character at its very best".

"We should also remember those who are far from home this Easter, including the men and women of the Australian Defence Force.

"So over this Easter long weekend Lucy and I hope you have a safe, peaceful and inspiring holiday shared with the people you love."
Recovered smartwatch data, which indicated when a murder victim's heart stopped beating, will be key prosecution evidence in the case against a South Australian woman charged with killing her mother-in-law, a court has heard.

Caroline Nilsson has been charged with the bashing murder of Myrna Nilsson, 57, at their Adelaide home in September 2016.

At the time of the incident, the 26-year-old told police that her mother-in-law had been attacked by a group of men who had forced their way into the property after a road rage incident.

About three hours after the reported home invasion, she was found in the street by neighbours with her hands and face bound with tape.

But opposing bail on Thursday, prosecutor Carmen Matteo told Adelaide Magistrates Court that it was the crown case that the story Nilsson had concocted was demonstrably false and the home invasion crime scene had been fabricated.

Ms Matteo said a forensic expert had analysed the dead woman's smartwatch and had narrowed the time from when she was attacked to when she died to a seven-minute window.

She said the data showed a burst of heavy activity, consistent with the woman being the victim of an "ambush-type" attack followed by a period of less activity when she possibly lost consciousness.

Ms Matteo said the watch stopped recording the woman's heart rate soon after.

"The prosecution accumulates those timings and the information about energy levels, movement, heart rate, to lead to a conclusion that the deceased must have been attacked at around 6.38pm and had certainly died by 6.45pm," she said.

The prosecutor said if those timings were accepted then it contradicted statements from the accused that her mother-in-law had been involved in an argument with her attackers for about 20 minutes.

She said it was also alleged that Nilsson used her mobile phone at 7.02pm to send a text to her husband and at 7.13pm to access eBay, despite her claims that she had also been attacked and tied up by the intruders.

Defence counsel Mark Twiggs said his client would deny the offending and asked for her to be released on home detention, telling the court she had been named as a prime suspect by police more than a year ago and had not tried to flee.

But magistrate Oliver Koehn rejected the application because of the seriousness of the charge, the strength of the prosecution case and the woman's alleged efforts to conceal evidence.

Nilsson, who sobbed throughout the hearing, will return to court on June 13.
Finding the Unpopulated Oregon Coast During Spring Break's Madness

Published 03/28/2018 at 4:35 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff





(Oregon Coast)  Spring break on Oregon's coast is a double-edged sword: it's fun but it's frenzied. It's calming but chaotic.

Even more so at this time, finding a real hidden spot on the beach, with nary another soul around, is one of life's real pleasures. There are few more ecstatic experiences than stumbling upon a stretch of sand, tucked away behind some brush or squeezed between a couple of minor headlands, and finding yourself completely alone. (Above: Winema Beach, near Pacific City).

This is a tad more difficult on the Oregon coast during spring break than other times. Still, deserted beaches can be found. You just have to look a little harder during busier parts of the year. Here are a few hints.





The Cannon Beach Less Traveled. Believe it or not, there are some parts that are less populated with people, like the very northern end, near the southern face of the cliffs of Ecola State Park, essentially Chapman Point. It takes some walking, but that's why you'll find less folks there.

These basalt headlands are perhaps half a mile from the nearest beach access, which lies at the end of a private neighborhood at the end of 5th St. You can, however, reach it by a much longer walk from the last access downtown, from the park.

If you're extremely lucky, low tides may allow you brief access to the very clandestine Crescent Beach (which you can only see from the top of Ecola State Park's viewpoints). Otherwise, you can reach it via a two-mile or so hike from a gravel pullout along the road to Ecola.





Secret Side of Seaside. Oregon coast's spring break king does have a slightly unpopulated side. Head to the very northern end of town, at the 12th Ave. access, and you'll discover a section of beach with usually no one around. From these dunes to the Necanicum River's mouth, it's all calm and soft sands. You're also quite likely to find more whole sand dollars than anywhere else.





Winema Beach. It's hard to get more hidden than this. Just a few miles north of Neskowin (and even closer to Pacific City), a completely unassuming sign declares Winema Road. Follow that to the bottom and a tract of sandy beach that nearly no one knows about. There's another blob of a rock structure that looks a bit like Neskowin's Proposal Rock to the south, which features a flat stretch at the top that's perfect for lounging.

Other interesting shapes and crevices present themselves as you walk northward. Some spots in the cliffs seem to invite climbing and exploring. And there's more than one hole in the rocks to huddle from the wind and cuddle a bit.





Neskowin's Truly Hidden Section. Just south of Pacific City, Neskowin is the quiet little resort that's constantly threatening to explode into something much bigger.

Hit the beach and you'll usually find loads of people milling about. But cross the creek, walk towards mysterious Proposal Rock, and the population density gets less. You can actually walk around on top of the rock and check out the views from the top (although be extremely cautious of the tide so as not to get stuck.)

This is also where the famed 1800-year-old ghost forests lie.

For even less people, hit the very northern end. Drive the road that runs alongside the beach, where the street names turn to names of Oregon cities, and a mile past the major curve you'll find some hidden accesses. Things are starkly different here. The sand grains are much bigger and coarser, and it's completely bereft of other folks.





Bob Creek Wayside. South of Yachats, and just barely south of Strawberry Hill and Neptune State Park, you'll find this almost mystical spot. More tide pools populate this obscure but fascinating place than humans. They really emerge at lower tides, clinging to odd, mushroom-shaped rocky blobs at the southern end. At this end, there's also a small sea cave and a huge boulder that together create a sort of arch by leaning up against the cliffs here.





Behind Depoe Bay: North Point. A delightful and untamed bit of surrealistic shoreline lurks behind the neighborhood at Vista St., found at the northern tip of Depoe Bay. Head to its end and you'll encounter the secret headland of North Point, a stretch of basalt cliffs filled with odd patterns, strangely smooth chunks, but mostly craggy, pointy structures. From here, you can glimpse a different view of Depoe Bay and see what it looks like from the front.

The northern tip has a weird railroad-like shape embedded in it, coming complete with incredible views of some wild coves. Other areas seem to form natural seats, perfect for sitting and viewing the crazed tide. There's a spot that's sunken and slightly flat, like the remnants of a basement - and a stairway-like structure formed naturally - rather miraculous, even ironic.

Walk just a little bit and it won't take long to notice you can often feel the tide shake and rattle these rocks ever so slightly. Meander to the south and the rocks take on a smoother and more colorful texture, with a long arm-sort-of-rock structure stretching out into the sea. Often, fishermen can be seen on these rocky shelves so close to the ocean. Oregon Coast Hotels in these areas - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours







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Russia is in "no rush" to retaliate against Australia and other countries who kicked out Russian spies and diplomats.

Two spies now have four days to leave Australia, after they were kicked out in a show of solidarity with the UK over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow is in "no rush" to retaliate, and told the RIA Novosti state news agency that Russia is "thoughtfully and thoroughly" considering its response.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters a response would come soon and it will be "timely and will suit the interests of Russia".

The Russian ambassador to Australia Grigory Logvinov used a media conference to deny Russia was behind the Skripal poisoning and said his diplomats weren't spies.

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wasn't buying it.

"I think he'll be applying for an Oscar, don't you think? He didn't persuade anybody," Mr Turnbull told reporters on Thursday.

"It was a very lengthy performance, and all of the histrionics aside, the fact of the matter is this: chemical weapons were used in an attempt to murder a person ... on British soil."

More than 20 nations have announced the expulsion of more than 150 Russian diplomats in the dispute, including 60 from the United States.

Britain expelled 23 and Russia retaliated with the same number, but it has not responded to the other moves.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Wednesday hauled Mr Logvinov in for a "please explain" meeting, where he said Russia wants an investigation into the nerve agent attack.

But Ms Bishop said Russia had not declared its Novichok chemical weapons, which were used in the Skripal attempted assassination.

Australia believes Russia has breached the convention by its failure to declare the Novichok program.
Authorities are keeping tabs on a low-pressure system off the Queensland coast which is threatening to put a dampener on the Easter long weekend.

The remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Iris are a few hundred kilometres northeast of Fraser Island, moving slowly southwesterly towards the coast.

Forecasters are expecting this will bring increasing showers along much of the Queensland coast from Saturday, becoming very heavy from Monday.

The weather bureau says it's a waiting game to see where the system crosses the coast, anywhere between the Capricornia region in central Queensland, north to the already rain-drenched parts of the state around Cairns and Townsville.

Depending on when and where the system hits the coast, it could bring falls of hundreds of millimetres and trouble for holidaymakers returning from the Easter break, state Disaster Co-ordinator Deputy Police Commissioner Bob Gee said.

"There's a clear message for everyone that's travelling over the weekend, from Sunday night to next Wednesday, there'll be heavy rain everywhere," he said.

Authorities are urging those travelling over the long weekend to keep across any weather or flood warnings, especially as they return home on Sunday and Monday.

The clean-up from ex-tropical cyclone Nora and other rain events is continuing, with farmers to receive disaster assistance funding.

Cape York communities Aurukun, Kowanyama, Mapoon, Napranum and Pormpuraaw have also received disaster assistance after Nora hit last weekend.
Drivers are being urged to take their time on NSW roads over the Easter long weekend, as thousands of holiday-makers head out of the city.

Double demerits came into force on midnight Thursday, and will continue until Monday night.

The state's roads minister says motorists are almost 10 per cent more likely to be killed or injured in a crash on a regional road during holiday weekends.

"In the past five Easter periods, 69 per cent of fatalities and 52 per cent of serious injuries resulted from crashes on country roads," Melinda Pavey said in a statement.

While speed was the biggest killer on NSW roads in 2017, tired driving led to the deaths of 75 people - most of which occurred in country areas.

"It's a scary thought, but research shows that being awake for about 17 hours has a similar effect on your driving ability as a blood alcohol content of 0.05," she said.

Drivers are being told to expect delays on major roads out of Sydney, around Sydney airport, and in parts of regional NSW from Friday to Monday.

Heavy traffic is also tipped around the Sydney Fish Market at Pyrmont on Friday.
Steven Spielberg puts his right hand on his chin, gently scratches his thin grey beard and lets out a sigh.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker is attempting to list the three movies on his unparalleled 57-film directorial career that were the toughest to make.

After a few moments of thought he is ready to reveal.

"Jaws is number one," Spielberg says.

"Saving Private Ryan is number two.

"And ... this is clearly number three."

"This" is Spielberg's new film Ready Player One, an action-adventure film set in the year 2045 where Earth is in chaos and humans retreat to virtual environments.

It is based on Ernest Cline's bestselling novel of the same name.

Spielberg's 1975 breakthrough horror film Jaws suffered from a budget blowout, weather delays, ocean shoots and glitches with mechanical sharks and 1992's World War II epic Saving Private Ryan had its own issues, but Ready Player One delved deep into the latest developments in motion capture and computer animation.

Spielberg's view is to do all of the hard work so when audiences take their seats to watch his films, all they have to "worry about is looking at the film and being entertained".

"I always feel philosophically, if the hard work shows up on the screen, then we've failed because you're not supposed to see how hard anything was," the director said.

"You're just supposed to get the story and go along for the ride."

Ready Player One stars 21-year-old Texan actor Tye Sheridan who embarks on a virtual treasure hunt race to unlock clues to the immersive universe, the OASIS.

The winner of the hunt will take control of the OASIS and half a trillion dollars.

Australia's Ben Mendelsohn plays the film's villain Nolan Sorrento, head of a multinational corporation seeking to control and monetise the OASIS.

"We had to make a real world conventional movie with real props, real sets, real action, real good guys and bad guys, real costumes and real actors," Spielberg said.

"Then we had to make a virtual movie with the same real actors, but performing the roles of their avatars and that world took place in many different places.

"I had to be in each of those places myself and that's why it was very, very hard for me because what looks so easy was actually the hardest work I think I've ever done in the digital universe."

The 71-year-old begins to laugh about his whining.

He has built up strong friendships with other movie pioneers James Cameron and New Zealander Peter Jackson, with the trio using each other to bounce ideas off, seek solutions to their frontier filmmaking or simply just have a whinge to.

"I can sit down and talk to Jim Cameron about it because he does this with Avatar and I can talk to Peter Jackson about it," he said.

"There's not a lot of directors I can sit down and pour out my heart about what a hard movie this was, without them taking out a violin and playing something."

* Ready Player One is now playing in Australia.
A 51-year-old man has been charged with indecently assaulting two teenage girls last year on the NSW Central Coast.

Police allege the man indecently assaulted the 16-year-old girl while she was employed at a business in Erina in August and the 17-year-old after she had sought work at a business in November.

The man was arrested in Erina on Thursday afternoon and charged with aggravated indecent assault. He was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Gosford Local Court on April 3.
A man is fighting for his life following a punch-up outside a pub north of Brisbane.

Police allege two 22-year-old men got involved in an argument at the Narangba Valley Tavern at Narangba before taking the dispute outside late on Thursday night.

The subsequent brawl left one of the men with a fractured skull, while the other was taken into police custody.

Paramedics rushed the injured man to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

Police are speaking to the other man, who is expected to be charged with grievous bodily harm.
Kenyan-born Canadian lawyer and self-declared National Resistance Movement General, Miguna Miguna, stands next to a poster saying "Why I love Kenya" at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on March 26, 2018, in Nairobi

An outspoken member of the opposition alliance was Wednesday expelled from Kenya for the second time in two months, his lawyer told AFP.

Miguna Miguna, a firebrand member of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, was forced onto an international flight to Canada last month.

The High Court on February 26 ordered immigration authorities to allow him to return to the country and he arrived back on Monday.

"He has been deported," for a second time, said lawyer Cliff Ombeta by telephone.

"It is a Dubai destined flight but we don't know where they're taking him."

An airport source confirmed the new deportation after immigration refused to allow him entry -- despite one judge calling for his release and another telling the authorities to present him before a court on Friday.

Miguna's first expulsion came after he was arrested for treason for taking part in the mock swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga, who insists he is the rightful victor of last year's elections.

Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga arrives at Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi March 27, 2018, as he attempts to step in to have Kenyan-born Canadian lawyer and self-declared National Resistance Movement General Miguna Miguna allowed entry

The interior ministry said Miguna had "denounced" his Kenyan citizenship after obtaining Canadian citizenship several years ago.

Holding dual citizenship is legal in Kenya, and in August, Miguna ran for political office, with proof of Kenyan citizenship a key criteria for all candidates.

Miguna holds no elected office, but has styled himself "general" of the opposition's "National Resistance Movement" (NRM) wing, in charge of implementing a threatened programme of civil disobedience and boycotts.

Miguna's enforced exile is part of a long saga of Kenya's disputed elections which saw the Supreme Court annul the result of the initial August poll and Odinga boycott the October rerun, handing victory to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

A Human Rights Watch statement released Monday said 104 people had died at the hands of police and armed gangs during the election.
The country's High Court cleared the way for Saturday's runoff vote after resolving an electoral fraud complaint filed by the ruling party

Sierra Leone chooses a new president on Saturday following a delay caused by a ruling party-backed court case over alleged electoral fraud, spiking tensions following an already fractious campaign.

The West African nation's 3.1 million voters will choose between the ruling All Peoples' Congress (APC) candidate Samura Kamara and opposition challenger Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP).

Bio, a former junta leader, won by just 15,000 votes in the March 7 first round, but failed to attain the 55 percent of ballots needed to win outright, triggering a runoff. Turnout was over 80 percent.

The SLPP candidate has accused the APC of using police intimidation against his party and the electoral commission, and of sponsoring a court case alleging electoral fraud in order to cling to power.

Police have reported a string of attacks on candidates and supporters on both sides since the first round, making voters nervous ahead of polling day.

"I'm just pleading to the two aspirants, Julius Maada Bio and Samura Kamara, to come out and explain things so their supporters should be calm," said market vendor Emmanuel Kalokoh.

"All we need is just peaceful elections and I hope, in the name of God, everything is going to be calm on Saturday," he added.

Bio was clear that "nothing" more would get in the way of the vote after a four-day delay caused by court proceedings.

Julius Mada Bio, a former junta leader, won by just 15,000 votes in the March 7 first round but failed to attain the 55 percent of ballots needed to win outright, triggering a runoff

Sierra Leone, which emerged from a brutal civil war in 2002, has remained largely peaceful since then.

However, flare-ups occur around election time, and memories of a conflict in which more than 50,000 died remain vivid.

The country's High Court on Monday lifted an injunction imposed on Saturday that halted the runoff, as the APC alleged some ballots were tampered with.

International and domestic observers hailed the March 7 vote as fair and credible despite some organisational hitches.

Kamara has declared himself "satisfied" with the court decision, and reiterated calls for a peaceful vote.

"The safety and security of Sierra Leone is in our hands. We should not allow an election to undermine our integrity," he said.

The decade-long rule of outgoing president Ernest Bai Koroma was marked by the 2014-16 Ebola crisis, which killed almost 4,000 people, and the deadly mudslide that hit Freetown in 2017, killing at least 400 more.

"This country has gone through civil war," said voter Mohammed Alpha Bah. "We have gone through a mudslide... We don't want any fight in this country anymore. All we want is a peaceful election, a transition of democratic government."

- Ethnic divisions -

Some candidates and supporters have used ethnic slurs at campaign rallies, and the police and international observers have raised concerns over such rhetoric in recent weeks.

Kamara has presented himself as a continuity candidate who will expand the road network and build on limited improvements to health care made by outgoing president Ernest Bai Koroma

The APC broadly relies on the Temne and Limba people in its northern strongholds, while the SLPP is more popular in the south with the Mende ethnic group.

Kamara has presented himself as a continuity candidate who will expand the road network and build on limited improvements to health care instituted by Koroma.

Bio, who lost to Koroma in 2012, has meanwhile criticised the government's closeness to Beijing and has said his first priority would be universal education until the secondary level.

Depreciated prices for Sierra Leone's export goods and the flight of foreign capital following the Ebola crisis have left their mark on the economy, and poverty is deeply entrenched.
Sierra Leone presidential candidate Julius Mada Mio was one of a group of young soldiers behind a 1992 coup

Julius Maada Bio, 53, a former coup-maker who once apologised for exactions carried out by his comrades, secured his first civilian term in office Wednesday in Sierra Leone's presidential vote.

The straight-talking retired brigadier, who briefly led a junta in 1996, beat Samura Kamara to end a decade in power for the All Peoples' Congress (APC) in last month's run-off, according to official results.

A member of the Mende people who traditionally lend strong support to the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), Bio was born on May 12, 1964, in the southern town of Tihun.

After school and military training, he was sent in 1990 to neighbouring Liberia, where war had just broken out, to serve in the Sierra Leone contingent of troops sent by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He was recalled to his own nation one year later when rebel forces there began to stir, with the rumblings of Sierra Leone's own civil war on the horizon.

The former military man was one of a group of young soldiers behind a 1992 coup that would install their leader, Valentine Strasser, as the youngest head of state in the world, at age 25.

Bio ousted Strasser four years later and headed the government for three months to pave the way for democratic elections.

He agreed to step aside for the duly elected Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, allowing Sierra Leone to re-establish democracy.

He later apologised for the conduct of troops who executed more than 20 people after the 1992 coup, and is widely considered to have rehabilitated his image.

Bio, who spent time after leaving power studying in the United States, is not known to mince words.

During a February campaign debate he called Chinese infrastructure projects "a sham with no economic and development benefits to the people" of the poor west African country.

After gaining the presidential nomination for the SLPP in 2012, he lost the election to outgoing president Ernest Bai Koroma.

This time, he has promised to review mining concession agreements and to provide free universal education at the primary and secondary levels if elected.

After Bio hit out at corruption on the campaign trail, his opponent Kamara accused the SLPP candidate of stealing $18 million during his brief time at the helm, though his APC opponent faces corruption allegations of his own.

The SLPP has accused the APC of wanting to cling to power after a lawyer linked to the ruling party filed a complaint of electoral fraud which briefly delayed the vote.
Ayak, 44, survived a suicide attempt but is one of a growing number of people trying to end their own lives in a huge camp for displaced people in South Sudan, where a long and brutal civil war is leaving many feeling without hope

By the time her 19-year-old son was shot in front of her, Ayak had already lost her four brothers and witnessed countless deaths in South Sudan's brutal war.

Living alone in a miserable structure of plastic sheets and tin in a huge camp for displaced people, watching as relentless rains turned earth to mud, it all became too much to bear for the 44 year-old.

"I have seen it all. When I thought about the lives of my relatives and their deaths, I decided to take my own life, too," Ayak says, falling silent as tears fill her eyes.

She survived her suicide attempt but is only one of a growing number of people trying to end their own lives in the camp.

Some 24,000 people are holed up at the site, located a short drive from Malakal -- a once flourishing trading hub reduced to a ghost town by years of conflict.

In 2017, 31 people in the camp attempted to kill themselves -- 15 women and 16 men -- and six people died, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The previous year, four people died.

In December last year, South Sudan entered the fifth year of a civil war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced some four million people.

With no peace deal in sight, and yet another ceasefire recently crumbling within hours of its signing, many of Malakal's dispossessed have lost hope.

Their previous homes are just a few kilometres (miles) away in the nearby destroyed town.

In the camp -- known as a "Protection of Civilians" or PoC site -- there is no privacy and most families sleep on thin mats on the floor, already dreading the rainy season, due to arrive in the weeks ahead.

Movement is confined to the camp, clustered around a UN base, as many still fear insecurity on the outside.

"People entered the PoC when they were children. Children are becoming adults here and are looking at the future and feel hopeless," says the Danish Refugee Council's country director Raphael Capony.

- Hopelessness and PTSD -

In a study, the US-based National Center for Biotechnology Information found that at least 40 percent of participants asked across South Sudan showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

"A lot of problems compound before a person tries to commit suicide.

"Living conditions, a lack of food variety and the difficulty of confinement can contribute to it.

"It's a big burden to not have hope for change," says Raimund Alber, a mental health worker for Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym, MSF).

Yet Ayak and dozens of other suicide survivors have given life a second chance. Today she's plugged into a widows' group and receives regular psychological support.

"Many people have the strength to deal with hardship, they have coped with a lot. We're noticing that strength and support it," said IOM psychologist Dmytro Nersisian, who works with Ayak at the camp's support centre.

Aid agencies are filling a gap left by South Sudan's dysfunctional and war-focused government, providing what little mental and psychological support is available in Malakal.

"We've especially seen an increase in suicide attempts since July 2017, which is when we started working on a prevention campaign," Nersisian says, adding that while causes and triggers for suicide vary, people of all ages have made attempts.

James, 32, is another survivor at the centre. When his house was attacked in 2014, he took refuge in the camp with his family where he has since lived in cramped, basic conditions.

"I thought about killing myself for two years. The situation got worse and I barely had any food. I decided it was enough," he tells AFP.

"My friend found me before I could do anything. We sat on the floor together and I started crying."

- 'You are not alone' -

Having received counselling and support over the last year, James recently decided he wanted to help prevent suicide in his community and started out as a volunteer with IOM.

"I knew people here who killed themselves and I understand where they are coming from.

"I use my experience to talk to them. Dying is not a solution to your problems," James says, adding that he was surprised to find out that suicide was happening all over the world.

In the crowded camp, where people have set up small shops and are cooking sorghum in front of their tents, Ayak has found her place once again, but she says it's not easy.

She sits between a group of other widowed women, wearing a colourful beaded necklace and a black hat.

"I want to tell people to be patient. Life is difficult here, but don't think you are alone with your problems," she says.
Drag queen Vanessa performs in a show at a bar in Hanoi -- one of a vanguard of Vietnamese cross-dressers shaking up the city's nightlife and social norms

Makeup artist by day, cross-dresser by night, Betty is among a vanguard of Vietnamese drag queens shaking up Hanoi's nightlife -- and social norms -- in a city where such performances remain little known.

In a lime green barely-there mesh dress and towering silver heels, the 22-year-old hopes to bring drag into the mainstream with regular performances in Hanoi, a conservative capital better known for its colonial charm than men in sequined minis.

The drag night started as a weekly viewing party for the hit TV series 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and quickly transformed into a show of its own -- drawing a handful of men in drag to the stage for punchy lip-sync performances

"If we dare to be pioneers, soon this art will be accepted in Vietnam," Betty told AFP before a show Saturday that stirred up crowds with renditions of hits by Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys.

The drag night started as a weekly viewing party for the hit TV series "RuPaul's Drag Race" and quickly transformed into a show of its own -- drawing a handful of men in drag to the stage for punchy lip-sync performances.

Organiser Tamah Lake said it's the only event of its kind in Hanoi.

"It's brought it more into the open... I think it's becoming slightly more mainstream and slightly more well-known," said Lake, not herself a drag queen, who works as a teacher during the week.

The drag queens who turn out for the parties say they have few places to perform in a city where cross-dressing is almost unheard of, unlike in the West where starlets like RuPaul have helped to popularise it

The drag queens who turn out for her Saturday night parties say they have few places to perform in a city where cross-dressing is almost unheard of, unlike in the West where starlets like RuPaul -- the drag queen mother -- have helped to popularise it.

"In Vietnam there are drag queens that have been active for a long time but have not been acknowledged. This show helps more people know about our art," said Betty, who started the five-member drag group "Victeam" in Haiphong, east of Hanoi.

Communist Vietnam is seen as relatively progressive on LGBT issues -- the one-party state decriminalised gay marriage parties in 2015, and the government is currently drafting a transgender law to allow legal gender changes

Communist Vietnam is seen as relatively progressive on LGBT issues -- the one-party state decriminalised gay marriage celebrations in 2015, although it stopped short of full legal recognition for same-sex unions -- and the government is currently drafting a transgender law to allow legal gender changes.

But cross-dressing can help to boost tolerance, according to Vuong Kha Phong, LGBT rights programme officer at Vietnamese NGO iSEE.

"Drag queens being out there performing helps tremendously in getting people to know and be more comfortable with diversity," Vuong told AFP.

Though the drag scene is still just emerging in much of Vietnam, cross-dressing has historic roots: the centuries-old ritual of "Hau Dong" requires mediums to dress as the opposite sex to channel spirits.

Still, when it comes to modern cross-dressing, some drag queens face pushback from the community for blurring gender norms.

First-time performer Za Za Zellia hopes the drag show will help to sway conservative attitudes.

"Hanoi is really traditional, they don't hate (drag) but they don't approve of it at the same time," the 25-year-old told AFP, after debuting in a Gatsby-inspired sequined look.

"This just tells people it's alright, it's completely normal," Za Za said after the show, a huge white feather emerging from a wig of thick black curls.
The long goodbye: Botswanan President Seretse Ian Khama waves to the crowd in his village of Serowe -- the last stage of a farewell tour of the country's 57 constituencies before he stands down on Saturday

President Ian Khama of Botswana this week wrapped up a national "farewell tour" before he stands down on Saturday in a power transfer designed to stress his statesmanship and the country's stability.

Khama has visited all of Botswana's 57 constituencies since December, bidding a long goodbye to a population of just 2.2 million after serving the constitutional maximum of 10 years in office.

He will be succeeded by Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a full 18 months before elections.

Khama's two terms in power have been defined by his country's rapid development thanks to lucrative diamond and beef exports and by a reputation for good governance.

He has also become renowned for straight talking -- breaking with diplomatic convention to criticise leaders including US President Donald Trump and then-president Robert Mugabe in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

On Tuesday, his tour finished in his ancestral village of Serowe in the east of the country, with a day of songs, poems, gifts, ululation and pleading for him to remain in office.

Thousands of jubilant villagers dressed in blue, white and black, gathered in a kgotla, a traditional courtyard, to hear Khama speak.

"I was a soldier, I didn't have interest to join politics, I had future plans, away from politics," he told the crowd, adding that his predecessor Festus Mogae had to persuade him to take over in 2008.

- Son of independence leader -

Khama, 65, has cultivated a down-to-earth image -- despite his father Seretse Khama serving from 1966 to 1980 as Botswana's first president after independence from Britain.

Edna Monyena, a village elder in her 80s, lavished praise on the outgoing president, telling him that he was "an honest man, a straightforward man" who showed "real love".

Cattle gift: Khama looks at one of the 143 cows he has received as a parting present

Many elderly female villagers wore blue dresses printed with portraits of Khama's father, and some used cow bones as percussion instruments as they stood up to sing and dance.

Khama was showered with gifts including a 4x4 truck, 143 cows, hundreds of chickens, over 415,000 pula ($44,000), and a fully-equipped luxury caravan that his brother Tshekedi dubbed a "mobile state house".

The avid conservationist also received a framed picture of a rhino.

"I wanted him to be 50 years more in office, I want him to work until the Almighty calls him," unemployed Sadie Moleta, 23, told AFP in Serowe, where Khama is a chief of the Bangwato tribe.

Khama, a former pilot and military chief, demonstrated his outspoken streak when he recently accused Trump of promoting policies that encourage poaching, and summoning the US envoy over Trump's alleged slur against African countries in January.

Khama called on Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe to step down well before the nonagenarian was ousted, and his government has also urged Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila to resign after his term expired in December 2016.

The Botswana leader's on-schedule departure has made a public display of obeying the constitutional term limit.

But his own record in office has not been without its critics, who accuse him of an autocratic leadership style.

He led the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to landslide victories in two elections, although the party won less than 50 percent for the first time in the 2014 vote.

- Uneven legacy? -

Often seen as one of Africa's success stories, Botswana has recorded rising unemployment since 2009 as diamond prices fell.

The drop in revenue forced Khama to halt many planned investments in recent years.

A traditional dancer welcomed President Khama in Serowe. The president has received plaudits abroad for moral leadership, but come under criticism at home for his stewardship of the economy

"Internationally, he positioned himself as a moral leader in the region, stepping down as an example of a leader who respects laws and traditions -- and inviting both President Kabila and Mugabe to respect democracy and the rule of law," Matteo Vidiri, a BMI Research analyst, told AFP.

"(But) a slowing economy and increasing public discontent has damaged the narrative of Botswana's 'special character', of a country being able to escape the 'resource curse'."

The opposition blames Khama for creating a society of "beggars".

"He killed the spirit of self-reliance creating dependency through handouts," Kesitegile Gobotswang, deputy president of the Botswana Congress Party, told AFP.

"The economy shed jobs under his leadership."

Khama, who is unmarried, was born in Britain as his father married white British woman Ruth Williams -- a mixed-race partnership that caused widespread shock in Africa and Britain.

Incoming president Masisi, 55, will be inaugurated on Sunday.
Despite President Trump's tariffs policy, Washington did turn to the WTO with a request see China punished over intellectual property breaches

An international organisation that Donald Trump demeans, undermines and then embraces when it suits his interests: probably sounds familiar within NATO, or the UN.

Now it's time to add the World Trade Organization to the list.

The early signs of the US president's intentions towards the Geneva-based trade body all pointed towards hostility.

As a candidate he called it a "disaster" and threatened a US withdrawal. His administration's trade office then said the United States had the right to ignore any rulings from the WTO's crucial Dispute Settlement Body that violated national interests.

But that was small potatoes compared to his proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium.

For many experts, his administration's effort to portray the tariffs as legal under international trade law for national security reasons amounted to a nuclear strike against the rules-based trade system.

But then, just a day after hitting China with unilateral tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports, Washington last week turned to the WTO, asking the DSB to punish China over intellectual property breaches.

"The fact that they have brought this to a WTO dispute means it is not 'Trump versus the WTO,' it is Trump fully using the WTO, which is a completely different picture from the national security (steel and aluminium case)," said Peter Ungphakorn, who worked at the trade body for two decades.

Ungphakorn, now a writer on trade, told AFP it may be impossible to identify a "coherent" Trump trade policy, but that outlines of the American WTO strategy may be emerging.

"They are going to use any weapon that will allow them to win," he said, explaining that Washington may work within the system when it wants to and disregard the rules when it needs to.

But that raises an important question for the WTO's future: can an organisation designed to create a level-playing field in world trade survive when the world's top economy refuses to be bound by the rules?

- Weak and withered -

Edward Alden, a trade policy specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote that March 8 -- the day the steel and aluminium tariffs were announced -- was "The Day the WTO Died."

While the details surrounding the tariffs, including exemptions for US allies, remain muddy, Alden's underlying argument about the threat still applies.

Washington has argued that national security provisions in trade law are self-executing, meaning the moment security is invoked to justify a trade measure that measure automatically becomes legal.

Alden and others have noted that the WTO's dispute settlement system may not survive a case that hinges on national security.

If WTO judges agree with the US argument, it would allow any country to impose any tariff any time it wants.

If they reject the argument, then Washington will dismiss the verdict and the integrity of the system will be in tatters, Alden said.

He told AFP he does not believe Trump's trade team has a specific desire to damage the WTO.

It just refuses "to be constrained by WTO rules," he said.

"And if the WTO weakens and withers then so be it. I don't think that is their purpose, but they are prepared to live with it if that is what it comes to," he said.

- Action, reaction -

Experts have argued that the WTO's future will hinge both on Trump's moves and how other members react.

China, which has been heavily criticised as a trade manipulator by multiple WTO members in addition to the United States, has ironically emerged as the one of the institution's most forceful defenders.

In response to the steel and aluminium measures and the massive tariffs slapped on China, envoys from Beijing have repeatedly used WTO fora to call for restraint, urging Washington to safeguard the multilateral trade system.

But Alden argued that members, especially China and the European Union, will have to make concrete moves to respond to the US frustrations with the current system.

"If other countries can't adapt... (and) I think they probably can't, then I think the WTO just becomes less and less relevant," he said, while adding he does not believe the organisation will disappear any time soon.

Ungphakorn agreed that WTO would linger on as a forum for negotiations if its dispute settlements system collapsed, but cautioned against complacency regarding the organisation's long-term viability.

"The situation is dangerous," he said. "We should be clear about that."
Cardinal George Pell returned to Australia to fight the allegations which relate to incidents that allegedly occurred long ago

Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell faces a nervous wait after a hearing to determine if he will stand trial on historical sexual offence charges adjourned Thursday.

After four weeks of witness statements, and cross-examinations by Pell's lawyers, magistrate Belinda Wallington retired to decide if there is sufficient evidence for the case to go to trial.

A decision is expected some time in April.

The 76-year-old, who is a top adviser to Pope Francis, is on leave and returned to Australia to fight the allegations which relate to incidents that allegedly occurred long ago. He has regularly attended the court.

The exact details and nature of the accusations have not been made public, other than they involve "multiple complainants".

The committal hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court kicked off on March 5 and has sometimes been fiery, with Pell's lawyer on Wednesday accusing Wallington of being biased towards the prosecutors.

At one point she asked barrister Robert Richter to stop shouting during a legal argument, to which he called on her to "disqualify herself from hearing this matter on the basis of a biased view of the evidence".

Pell, a former Sydney and Melbourne archbishop, is the highest-ranking Catholic official to face historical sex offences. He denies all the charges.

The cleric has not had to enter a plea, although he instructed his lawyer from the outset to make clear he intended to plead not guilty.

During the hearing, Richter accused the police investigation of being a "get Pell operation".

When asked whether this was the case, Superintendent Paul Sheridan replied: "I wouldn't use those words but I guess you could term it the way you did."

Sheridan was one of the officers who travelled to Rome to interview Pell before he was charged.

He confirmed to the court the cardinal was the subject of a dedicated police probe for 12 months before an official complaint was made, the Herald Sun reported.

The court heard two men who made "minor" allegations against Pell had also made serious allegations against other people -- a teacher and a nun.

Sheridan said he could not say why the serious allegations were not investigated, while Pell was.

"Serious allegations ... were put on the back burner and not investigated while minor allegations against Pell were," Richter said.

During the hearing, the defence cross-examined witnesses about their interactions with Pell at several locations, including at a swimming pool, cinema and a lake in rural Victoria state, Melbourne's The Age newspaper reported.
Trouble erupted inside the prison when police conducted a sweep for drugs

Sri Lankan police Thursday arrested a top prison official over a massacre of 27 inmates that became an icon of grave rights abuses under former president Mahinda Rajapakse.

Prisons Commissioner Emil Lamahewage was arrested in connection with the November 2012 bloodbath at the Welikada high security prison in Colombo, police said.

A police inspector was arrested on Wednesday for involvement in the killings at Welikada which happened when Lamahewage was the prison superintendent.

The arrests followed a reopening of the case in July last year following media reports that the killings were ordered by senior members of the former regime.

Trouble erupted inside the prison when police conducted a sweep for drugs and allegedly faced off with inmates trying to grab their weapons.

Armed troops called in to restore order opened fire killing 27 prisoners. Witnesses have said they were killed execution-style after calling them out by name.

The killings escalated international condemnation of Rajapakse, whose regime had sanctions imposed for rights abuses in the final years of Sri Lanka's 37-year-long ethnic war that ended in 2009.

Some of the inmates killed were being held in custody over robberies at Sri Lanka's national museum and a temple, crimes allegedly linked to senior members of Rajapakse's regime.

The 2012 massacre was the worst prison violence since 50 inmates were hacked to death in a July 1983 riot.

Rajapakse lost a 2015 election to Maithripala Sirisena who made a promise to restore rule of law and ensure accountability for past abuses.
Korean Air heiress Cho Hyun-Ah erupted into a tantrum when a stewardess served her macadamia nuts in a bag rather than in a bowl on a Seoul-bound flight at New York's JFK airport

A Korean Air heiress known for her "nut rage" tantrum that sparked national uproar four years ago made a comeback to management on Thursday, a spokesman said.

At a shareholders meeting, Korean Air subsidiary KAL Hotel Network approved Cho Hyun-ah, 44, as its president, the spokesman said.

Cho, a daughter of Korean Air chief Cho Yang-ho and then the company's vice president, erupted into a tantrum when a stewardess served her macadamia nuts in a bag rather than in a bowl on a Seoul-bound flight at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.

She and the male cabin crew chief were forced to kneel and beg for forgiveness, before Cho struck the woman with a service manual and ordered the aircraft to turn back to the gate so the man could be thrown off the plane.

The incident was one of the most infamous cases involving offspring of a controlling family of one of the country's large businesses, whose arrogance and bad behaviour regularly make headlines.

It also triggered a spike in the sale of macadamia nuts in South Korea, which does not grow them but relies on imports.

Cho apologised and resigned as Korean Air vice president and CEO of KAL Hotel Network, which owns four hotels.

Seoul prosecutors charged her with offences including violating aviation security and business practices laws.

She was sentenced to a year in prison by a lower court.

After serving five months in prison, however, she was was freed when the appeals court cleared her of hampering an air route -- the most serious charge -- as the aircraft was still on the ground.

It maintained the more minor convictions, including interfering with business practices, but reduced her penalty to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.

The Supreme Court upheld that ruling in December last year.

The flight attendant she berated, Park Chang-jin, has launched a court battle against Korean Air, claiming he has been demoted and discriminated against in the company since the incident.

Park on Wednesday posted a picture of a fist-sized tumour growing on the back of his head on his Instagram account, saying it would be operated on and blaming it on years of "a hell of stress like nuclear bombs".
Cho (C) crosses the border line to attend talks held on the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjom

The two Koreas on Thursday set a date for a rare inter-Korean summit, following a high-level meeting that was held days after the nuclear-armed North's leader Kim Jong Un made his international debut with a surprise trip to China.

"According to the will of both leaders, the South and North agreed to hold the '2018 South-North summit' on April 27 at the South's Peace House in Panmunjom," said a joint press statement, read out in turn by both delegations' leaders.

The meeting between Kim Jong Un, leader of nuclear-armed North Korea, and the South's President Moon Jae-in will be only the third of its kind, and will be followed by landmark talks with US President Donald Trump which could come as early as May.

The venue will make Kim the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the end of the Korean War -- although according to Pyongyang's official accounts, during the conflict his grandfather and predecessor Kim Il Sung went several times to Seoul, which twice fell to his forces.

The two sides did not settle on the summit agenda at Thursday's meeting in the Unification Pavilion on Panmunjom's northern side, but the South's delegation leader Cho Myoung-gyon told reporters they agreed Kim and Moon should be able to hold "frank discussions on all matters".

That would include the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, Cho said.

The leader of Pyongyang's delegation Ri Son Gwon added: "What the people want is our agenda."

Another round of working-level talks next Wednesday will discuss issues including protocol and security.

Next month's meeting comes after previous inter-Korean summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, since when the North has made extensive progress in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

It has been subjected to multiple rounds of sanctions by the UN Security Council, US, South and others as a result, and tensions in the region have soared, with Kim and Trump engaging in a fiery war of words last year.

But a rapid rapprochement on the peninsula was kicked off by the Winter Olympics in the South and events have moved quickly since then, with a flurry of official visits between the two Koreas.

An advance team of Southern performers headed north on Thursday ahead of K-pop concerts in Pyongyang.

- Kim-Xi meeting -

Beijing welcomed Thursday's developments, with foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang saying improved relations between the Koreas "will help promote regional peace and stability".

"We believe it serves their mutual interests as well as the regional situation," he added.

China's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, arrived in Seoul Thursday to brief Moon and other officials on Kim's secretive visit to Beijing this week to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time.

It was the North Korean leader's first overseas trip since inheriting power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said that setting a date for the summit was a priority in the talks

China has long been the North's key diplomatic defender and provider of trade and aid, but relations have been strained by Pyongyang's weapons programmes, with Beijing showing a new willingness to implement UN sanctions against it.

Even so the two leaders hailed their nations' historic ties, with Xi accepting Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

"There is no question that my first foreign visit would be to the Chinese capital," it quoted Kim as saying, calling it a "noble obligation".

Kim pledged that he was "committed to denuclearisation" on the Korean peninsula, according to China's Xinhua news agency -- but added this would depend on South Korea and the US taking what he called "progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace".

Analysts say both sides had reason to hold the meeting -- Pyongyang to secure Beijing's backing and support, and China to protect its interests in what it considers its backyard.

Robert Kelly, a professor at Pusan National University in South Korea, said: "Xi would not grant this meeting unless the Chinese were genuinely concerned about the summits to come and wanted some kind of role to play."

The South's JoongAng Daily newspaper said in an editorial Thursday that the meeting "makes the situation more complicated because Xi stepped into the negotiation all of a sudden".

"China will not simply look on," it added.
A bridge to somewhere: The project linking Hong Kong, Macau and mainland china is 55 kilometres long and contains enough steel to build 60 Eiffel Towers

Touted as an engineering wonder, the world's longest sea bridge, which connects Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, includes a snaking road crossing and an underwater tunnel and reportedly uses enough steel to build 60 Eiffel Towers.

The big bridge to China

Nine years after construction began on the 55-kilometre (34-mile) crossing, a preview organised by the Chinese government this week offered a first peek into the megaproject.

The bridge will link Hong Kong to the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, cutting across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary.

Eyes right: Cars will have to change sides of the road when they get into Hong Kong, which drives on the left

Although the opening date has not been confirmed, officials expect the bridge to be in use for 120 years and say it will boost business by cutting travel time by 60 percent.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge was nine years in the making

The 420,000 tonnes of steel used for the project represent 60 times the amount used in the Eiffel Tower, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

Gao Xinglin, the bridge's project planning manager, said the construction of the 6.7-kilometre underwater tunnel gave him sleepless nights.

The crossing is not in use yet, but is expected to cut travel times by up to 60 percent

"There were many nights where I couldn't fall asleep, because there were too many difficulties during the construction," Gao told reporters Wednesday.

"Linking the 80,000-tonne pipes under the sea with watertight technology was the most challenging," he added.

For whom the toll booths? There will be a charge for driving from Zhuhai to Hong Kong

The total price tag for the project, which includes artificial islands, linked roads and new border-crossing facilities, is unclear but some estimates run to over 100 billion yuan ($15.1 billion), leading critics to slam it as a costly white elephant.

Opponents in Hong Kong say the project is part of Beijings drive to tighten its grip on the semi-autonomous city.

The world's longest sea bridge will not be a place for pedestrians when it finally opens

Dogged by delays, budget overruns, accusations of corruption and the deaths of construction workers, the bridge failed to open by the end of 2017 as hoped.

There have also been safety concerns after 19 lab workers were charged over faking concrete test reports, with one man jailed last December.
Malala Yousafzai was overcome with emotion as she spoke about her return to Pakistan at the Prime Minister's House

Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan Thursday, saying tearfully that it was "a dream" to come home for the first time since she was airlifted to Britain after being shot in the head by a Taliban gunman more than five years ago.

The 20-year-old was overcome with emotion as she made a televised speech from the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad, breaking down in tears as she spoke of the beauty of her native Swat valley and how she imagines the streets of Pakistan from London and New York.

"Always it has been my dream that I should go to Pakistan and there, in peace and without any fear, I can move on streets, I can meet people, I can talk to people.

"And I think that it's my old home again... so it is actually happening, and I am grateful to all of you."

She added: "I don't cry much, I don't know why today."

The activist had arrived unannounced with her parents under tight security overnight. Pakistanis awakening to the news she was back in the country flooded social media with messages of welcome -- but others accused her of a conspiracy to foment dissent.

Malala is widely respected internationally as a global icon for girls' education, but opinion is divided in Pakistan, where some conservatives view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country.

Malala Yousafzai

Residents of Swat said they were happy to see her return.

"Parents who were scared in 2012 are not scared in 2018, and Malala has played a great role in this," said Shaista Hakeem, a student at Swat University, who credited her academic career to Malala's influence over families in the region.

Malala became a global symbol for human rights after a gunman boarded her school van in Swat on October 9, 2012, asked "Who is Malala?" and shot her.

The Pakistani Taliban accused her of "anti-Islamic" activities and of "smearing" the militant group in statements released after the attack.

She was treated for her injuries in the British city of Birmingham, where she also completed her schooling.

The youngest-ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, she has continued to be a vocal advocate for girls' education while pursuing her studies at Oxford University.

- 'Charged' meeting with Pakistani feminists -

Later Thursday Malala met with top feminists from across Pakistan at an event organised by Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who called participants two days earlier and told them to come to Islamabad -- but for security reasons refused to reveal why.

"She told me, 'It'll be the highlight of your year,'" said Digital Rights Foundation founder Nighat Dad, who attended the meeting. "If Sharmeen says that, you have to go."

Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 -- the youngest laureate ever -- with Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi

The room, she said, was charged. "So much power and emotion and hope. She (Malala) said 'I'm so emotional, words can't express what I'm feeling right now'. It was the same for us... I think Malala came bringing hope."

Earlier, Malala met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and told the audience at her televised speech that the Malala Fund has already put more than $6 million into girls' education in the country.

Earlier this month, a school opened in Swat that was constructed and funded with part of her Nobel Prize money.

But among the messages of welcome are pockets of intense criticism from some Pakistanis, including hardline Islamists as well as members of the conservative middle class who support education for girls but object to airing the country's problems abroad.

The Malala Fund has invested more than $6 million into girls' education in Pakistan, the Nobel laureate says

"Dear Pakistanis! Malala is not your enemy. Your enemies were those monsters who shot her point blank on her way to school," wrote Twitter user Shahira Lashari.

Her schedule for the four-day trip is being closely guarded, with officials refusing to disclose her itinerary for security reasons.

Malala began her campaign aged just 11, when she started writing a blog -- under a pseudonym -- for the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, which they took over in 2007.

Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

But it was only after the shooting, and a subsequent near-miraculous recovery, that she became a truly global figure.

As for the militants who attacked her: the man suspected of actually firing the gun at Malala, named by officials as Ataullah Khan, has long been believed to be on the run in Afghanistan, along with Pakistani Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah, who ordered the attack.

In 2015, it was reported that eight of 10 men who had been convicted over the attack had actually been cleared.
International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach (on the right) was met at Pyongyang airport by Kim Il Guk, North Korea's Minister of Physical Culture and Sports who is also chairman of the country's Olympic committee

International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday, in the latest in a flurry of diplomacy for North Korea in the wake of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

Bach was met at the airport by Kim Il Guk, North Korea's Minister of Physical Culture and Sports, who is also chairman of the country's Olympic committee.

The IOC said Bach's trip would last until March 31, and came on the heels of an invitation extended by Pyongyang in January.

"The discussions will focus on the further development of sport in the DPRK after the successful participation of athletes at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018," the IOC said, using the abbreviation of North Korea's official name.

In a one-line dispatch Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency noted Bach had arrived with his delegation but provided no further details.

Last month's Games triggered a dramatic rapprochement with the isolated North, which sent athletes, cheerleaders and officials to take part.

Competitors from the two Koreas marched together at the opening ceremony, where South Korean President Moon Jae-in shook hands with the sister of the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

The neighbours also fielded a joint women's ice hockey team.

Pyongyang and Seoul have since agreed to hold a summit next month, and Kim made his first foreign trip as leader this week to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A summit has also been mooted between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

Bach has hailed the reconciliatory mood, saying previously that the Olympic spirit "brought two sides together" and the two neighbours sent a "powerful message of peace" to the world.
Saudi Arabia's Tadawul All-Shares Index welcomed on March 29, 2018 an announcement by FTSE Russell to include it in the FTSE Global Equity Index

The Saudi stock market dipped on Thursday, despite news the kingdom had been granted secondary emerging market status by the global FTSE Russel index.

The status is one Riyadh has long sought in order to attract needed foreign investment, as the kingdom seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy.

After rising one percent at the start of trading, Saudi Arabia's Tadawul All-Shares Index slipped into negative territory one hour after the opening.

Tadawul welcomed in a statement Thursday the announcement made by FTSE Russell to include it in the FTSE Global Equity Index after it has been on the watch-list since September 2015.

The actual procedures of joining will start in March 2019.

Tadawul, the largest Arab bourse with a capitalisation of over $460 billion, joins the stock markets of Qatar and UAE which have been accorded the status in 2014.

"FTSEs announcement today is significant for Tadawul in that it indicates growing investor confidence in the Saudi capital market and recognition that we are among the largest and most liquid emerging markets in the world," Tadawul CEO Khalid Al Hussan said.

Gaurav Shah, CEO of Saudi Al Rajhi Capital described the decision as "a watershed moment for the Kingdom".

"The decision will further improve liquidity, lower equity risk premium associated with the Saudi stock market, improve corporate governance and is an important step to further institutionalise the market," Shah said.

The decision was taken following a series of stock market reforms by Tadawul and its regulator Saudi Capital Market Authority to make it easier for foreigners to invest.

In 2015, it introduced the qualified foreign investor programme allowing large international institutions to invest on the market.

Since then, 120 international financial institutions have joined Tadawul and 180 others are in the process of joining, Tadawul said.

London-based Capital Economics said there are hopes that the upgrade by FTSE Russel would be followed later this year by a similar measure by the larger MSCI Index.

It estimated that the FTSE upgrade could attract some $5 billion of foreign investments and the expected MSCI decision may bring around $38 billion into the Saudi bourse.

Saudi authorities say they plan to sell up to five percent of oil giant Aramco within the next 12 months.

A portion of those shares will be listed domestically, and allowing foreign funds into the Saudi stock market will facilitate the sale of the planned IPO.
A performer interacts with Taiwanese artist Chou Yu-Cheng's 'Refresh, Sacrifice, New Hygiene, Infection, Clean, Robot, Air, Housekeeping, www.agentbong.com, Cigarette, Dyson, Modern People' at the annual Art Basel exhibition in Hong Kong

The gigantic bowls and chopsticks strewn across the floor at Hong Kong's Art Basel looked so squeaky clean it seemed pointless for the cleaner to keep wiping them, dwarfed by the oversized tableware.

A few metres away, a robot vacuum cleaner buzzed about as the gazes of onlookers followed its mechanical and almost playful movements.

Looking like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland, it was in fact part of a performance art piece by Taiwanese artist Chou Yu-cheng.

On the other side of the bowls stand three tall sculptures shaped like Dyson's signature air purifiers -- the robot cleaner is also provided by the technology company, which is a sponsor of the installation.

Here, a smartly dressed male performer recites a "product description" rewritten by a poet.

A performer interacts with Austrian artist Erwin Wurm's 'One Minute Sculptures' at Art Basel in Hong Kong

"I feel my work is comparatively modern, or should I say, it has a sense of cleanliness," said Chou.

The conceptual artist said his penchant and even enjoyment for "keeping things clean" had translated into his work as he meditated on a kind of division of labour between human and machine.

"There are some things that robots cannot replace. For example, in this work, the only platform the robot can clean is the floor. People are still needed for many other things," he told AFP.

"So even though there is technology and new inventions, people and humanity is still a core issue."

Hong Kong artist Kwok Mang-ho, better known as 'Frog King", sits in his booth during at Art Basel in Hong Kong

The installation attracted curious spectators this week, in a city where domestic labour is heavily dependent on migrant women from Southeast Asia who live in to perform the work.

Performance art has become more prominent at Hong Kong's edition of Art Basel this year.

Among the exhibits, local artist Kwok Mang-ho, better known as "Frog King", set up a replica of his 1992 exhibition in New York, "The Art Mall".

Sitting inside his cluttered calligraphy shop, the artist executed his whimsical calligraphy for visitors for HK$1,000 ($127) a piece during the fair's private preview on Tuesday.

A visitor walks past Danish artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen's performance piece 'Re-inventing Domesticity and the Decomposing of the Self' at Art Basel in Hong Kong

Danish artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen's performance, entitled "Re-inventing Domesticity and the Decomposing of the Self", also drew others to tread carefully around her body as she lay down in an open container.

"Now, hopefully, the performance aspect of art is coming back, because it's all about life. Because I think we are all living a virtual world now, that everything is online," Kary Kwok, an art director visiting Art Basel, told AFP.

"But it's so nice to see something real in front of you and I think it should be encouraged."
Millions of Indian high school students will have to resit their exams after the papers were leaked

India on Thursday vowed to strengthen its online security after high school exam papers were leaked ahead of crucial tests, forcing millions of students to resit their finals.

Education Minister Prakash Javadekar said an investigation was underway into how the mathematics and economics papers were accessed and spread via WhatsApp before the exam.

"The criminals who did this won't be spared. I am sure police will catch these people soon. Let me assure that we will further improve the system and make it foolproof," he told reporters Thursday.

It is another embarrassment for a government which has weathered storms around alleged cracks in its Aadhaar system, a database containing the personal details of more than one billion Indians.

It comes as Facebook reels from a scandal over user data and India's ruling and main opposition parties accuse each other of mining and sharing followers' personal information.

The row erupted this weekend after a French security researcher flagged flaws with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal app, alleging that users' data was being shared without their consent.

The main opposition Congress party's Rahul Gandhi used the exam leak to revive the attack on Modi's administration over digital security.

"2.8 million students to take exams again!! I mean is it a bloody joke? Who is accountable for this big mess?," he posted on Twitter.

The Central Board of Secondary Education papers are crucial for students hoping to secure admission to some of India's most prestigious public universities and there was widespread anger at the leak.

In 2015, relatives of students taking school exams climbed the walls of the exam building to help pass answers to questions in Vaishali, in Bihar state

Javadekar said he "understood the pain and anguish and frustration" of parents and students following the breach.

Police in Delhi investigating the leak said 25 people, including students and tutors, had been questioned as part of their inquiries but no arrests made so far.

"For now, we are trying to establish the trail of this leak. Most people we have spoken with only received it on WhatsApp," said special commissioner of police R.P Upadhyay.

Cheating in exams is common in India including paying large bribes to buy test papers, although there have been more elaborate ruses.

Hundreds of people were arrested in eastern Bihar state in 2015 for scaling the walls of schools and providing crib sheets and study materials to their relatives during exams.

School authorities also created a furore last May when a student was made to remove her bra in public before an exam to ensure she had not hidden notes inside.

India's information technology ministry last week formally requested that Cambridge Analytica -- the data analysis company at the centre of a Facebook privacy scandal -- provide clarity over its practices by the end of the month.
Welcome messages for Malala Yousafzai poured in after her return to Pakistan but there was also intense criticism of her decision to leave the country after she was attacked by the Taliban

Malala Yousafzai is almost universally lauded abroad, but her return to Pakistan for the first time since being shot by the Taliban in 2012 has spotlighted how, for many of her countrymen, it's complicated -- at best.

Welcome messages for the 20-year-old global education advocate poured in on Thursday but there was also intense criticism of her decision to leave the country after the attack, and suspicion over her motives.

Here are a few voices highlighting Malala's accolades as an international peace icon, and her precarious place in Pakistan.

- The inspired -

For much of Pakistan, waking up to Malala's return Thursday felt like the homecoming of a champion.

"I think to many, many people and in other countries, in Muslim countries, she is a hero, you know, and all that she is doing to bring up, to bring children's, girls' education, that is wonderful," Saeed Khalid, a customer in an Islamabad market, told AFP Thursday.

"[She] has brought pride to Pakistan," agreed shopkeeper Ahmed Malik, though he added more needed to be done for women in Pakistan: "We accept that what happened to her was unjust but there is not a single Malala, there are others as well."

An emotional televised address from the young Oxford student on her return unleashed a torrent of gushing tweets.

"Oh I am about to cry. This girl has gone through so much pain. Malala we are proud of you," wrote Twitter user Muhammad Akif.

"I hope that my baby girl learns to be as articulate, as courageous as @Malala," said Nisha Aftab on Twitter.

"So glad she's back home where she belongs."

- Critics at home -

But, years after the attack nearly took her life, opinions still vary widely about Malala's contribution to Pakistan, where some conservatives see her as either a willing or unwilling stooge in a plot aimed at bringing disrepute to Pakistan.

"Pakistan is her home and if she has come home we welcome her, but we think that she has come as part of international agenda to malign Pakistan and we strongly condemn that," Kashif Mirza, president of All Pakistan Private Schools Federation, an association representing some 200,000 schools, told AFP.

Others have repeatedly chided her for leaving Pakistan, when few have had the same opportunity to flee from the militant violence that has killed tens of thousands over the last decade.

"No one hates Malala We hate the mindset working behind her There are thousand of girls and boys who stayed back in Pakistan and fought out TTP unlike Malala," wrote Riz Khan hours after Malala arrived in country, referring to the Pakistani Taliban.

- The Nobel committee -

A string of international awards, appearances at the United Nations, audiences with world leaders and more than one million Twitter followers speak to the view of Malala as a peace icon abroad.

Two years after being attacked by the Pakistani Taliban, Malala was honoured with the Nobel peace prize -- making her the youngest recipient of the award for her part in advocating women's education worldwide.

"Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations," said the committee.

- The Taliban -

However, to the militants who tried to kill her, she was an obstacle, preventing them from ruling with an iron fist over the Swat valley where Malala lived and blogged about their oppressive practices.

"(The) Taliban believe that you were intentionally writing against them and running a smearing campaign to malign their efforts to establish Islamic system in Swat and your writings were provocative," wrote Taliban commander Adnan Rasheed in an open letter in 2013.

"You have said in your [UN] speech yesterday that pen is mightier than sword, so they attacked you for your sword not for your books or school."

The militant group has not yet issued any statement on her return.
Bangladesh hosts nearly a million Rohingya in camps along the border with Myanmar

A Bangladesh official said Thursday that Myanmar had approved several hundred Rohingya from a list of thousands to return to their homeland, but provided no indication of when the long-delayed process would begin.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in November to repatriate three-quarters of a million Rohingya but the deal has stalled indefinitely, with each side blaming the other for a lack of preparation.

Myanmar has so far approved fewer than 600 names from a list of more than 8,000 refugees provided by Bangladesh. The impoverished South Asian nation is housing nearly a million Rohingya in squalid camps along its southeastern border with Myanmar.

Mohammad Abul Kalam, Bangladesh's top official overseeing the repatriation deal, said Myanmar had given no details about when or if the controversial process was expected to begin.

"No date has been fixed yet," he told reporters. Asked when the process would begin, Kalam said he had "no idea".

The controversial agreement was supposed to start in January but missed the deadline and has dragged since.

It has attracted a firestorm of criticism from rights groups concerned that the persecuted Muslim minority will not be safe in Myanmar.

Under the agreement, refugees given the green light to return must do so voluntarily but many displaced in Bangladesh have rejected the prospect of returning to Myanmar's strife-torn Rakhine state.

Rohingya have been persecuted in Rakhine for generations and fear the cycle of violence that has driven them into Bangladesh could repeat.

Kalam said Bangladesh would send another list of around 10,000 refugees to Myanmar in coming weeks for verification. Officials from each country are due to meet in April to discuss the process, he added.

But there is scepticism in Bangladesh, and elsewhere, that repatriation will succeed.

Myanmar has long marginalised the Rohingya as illegal immigrants and the key infrastructure required for the huge endeavour is yet to be constructed.

Bangladesh and Myanmar had agreed to complete the huge process by November.

This month a top Bangladesh cabinet minister, A.M.A Muhith, said it was unlikely the refugees would ever return, accusing Myanmar of deliberately obstructing the process.
The Turkish army, which deployed observers to Syria's Idlib province in 2017 under a de-escalation deal, need to keep a lid on the jihadist-dominated tinderbox to prevent an explosive Russian-backed government offensive on its doorstep, analysts say

The fate of Syria's Idlib will depend on Turkey's ability to keep a lid on the jihadist-dominated tinderbox and prevent an explosive Russian-backed government offensive on its doorstep, analysts say.

Largely outside government control since 2015, the northwestern province is home to some 2.5 million people, including many rebels from other areas who were evacuated there after being defeated by government forces.

President Bashar al-"Assad's fiercest foes are being gathered in Idlib, and there would be great temptation for Russia to green light a regime offensive on the province," Syria expert Nicholas Heras said.

But "Turkey needs Idlib to serve as a buffer against the war," said Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

The war in Syria has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced more than half the population from their homes, including more than three million to neighbouring Turkey.

Already overwhelmed, Ankara is determined to prevent more Syrians from crossing into its territory and even says it wants to create conditions for mass refugee returns.

Syria

"Turkey needs Idlib to serve as a buffer against the war. If Assad tried to seize Idlib, at a bare minimum hundreds of thousands of people would be displaced, and they would have few places to run to," Heras said.

The incentive is clear for Turkey to prevent the chaos that would result from a regime assault but to do so it will have to rein in powerful jihadists in the province.

- Jihadists dominant -

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group led by Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate, has faced military setbacks in Idlib in recent months.

But unless Ankara decides otherwise, analysts say, the group will probably retain influence in the province where a myriad of jihadist and other rebels have vied for power since 2015.

Since the start of the year, HTS has lost dozens of areas to a government offensive in the southeast of the province.

In the meantime, former allies Ahrar al-Sham and Nureddine al-Zinki banded together against HTS to form the Turkey-backed Syria Liberation Front.

The new group a few weeks ago launched an assault against the jihadist alliance's positions, taking back several areas including the towns of Ariha and Maaret al-Numan.

Syria analyst Haid Haid says recent territorial losses have dented HTS's standing.

Syrian government forces press a Russian-backed offensive in Idlib province entering the village of Qasr al-Ali on February 9, 2018

They have "broken its military aura" as "a power that cannot be vanquished, which had helped it scare off the other factions", said the research fellow at King's College London.

But even as HTS control of Idlib has dwindled to around 60 percent of the province, it has retained control other key sources of political and economic power.

Sam Heller, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, said HTS still holds key assets in the province.

- Putin-Erdogan 'contest' -

"It lost areas in the southern countryside of Idlib but it retained the Bab al-Hawa border crossing (with Turkey) and control over the provincial capital Idlib city," he said.

A civilian body that acts in the jihadist-led group's interests levies taxes from shopkeepers, and has tried to impose its will on local councils in the province.

Heras said HTS "retains a social organising power that effectively makes it a first among equals in the opposition governance".

"Unless Turkey wills it and devotes the military resources to combat Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the other armed opposition groups in Idlib will not win," he said.

Since January, Turkish troops have deployed to three observation posts in Idlib province to monitor a so-called "de-escalation zone" agreed in September by Turkey, Russia and Iran.

The de-escalation is essentially a dead letter and while Russia has no forces on the ground in Idlib, its fighter jets have struck targets in support of regime forces, as they have elsewhere in Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the two main powerbrokers in Syria, meet in Ankara on December 11, 2017

The province, with its explosive cocktail of competing armed groups, is about to become the latest scene of the face-off between the two most powerful brokers in the Syrian conflict.

"Idlib is a contest between Russia and Turkey," said Heras, who argued the deciding factor would be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erogan's "determination to stare down" his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Heller agreed that Idlib's fate would likely be determined by the international powers involved in Syria's conflict.

"The province's fate will depend on what Turkish-Russian agreements are made behind the scenes," he said.
Ex-Politburo member Dinh La Thang is the most senior official to be hit by an anti-graft sweep in Vietnam

A former politburo member in Vietnam was jailed for 18 years Thursday, his second graft conviction this year as part of an aggressive anti-corruption sweep targeting senior officials, bankers and businessmen.

Dinh La Thang is already serving 13 years following a corruption conviction in January and is the most senior official to be hit by an anti-graft sweep that critics say is aimed at cleaning up party ranks -- and wiping out the communist leadership's political foes.

Thang, the former head of state-run oil giant PetroVietnam (PVN), was handed 18 years in jail Thursday for "violating state regulations on economic management".

He will also have to pay $26 million in compensation to the state.

Prosecutors had argued that Thang approved a $35-million investment of state funds into Ocean Bank in 2008, without the authorisation of PVN's board, the finance ministry or the prime minister.

"Dinh La Thang knew the status of Ocean Bank was weak, he knew the requirements of Ministry of Finance, but deliberately did not follow them and still decided to inject ($35 million) of capital into Ocean Bank," according to a report by state-run Vietnam News agency.

Thang had argued during the trial that he did in fact have the greenlight from former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, according to state media.

Ocean Bank nearly collapsed after a series of missteps by its leaders -- including dozens that were convicted for fraud last year -- and Vietnam's central bank bought it for $0 in 2014.

Four other senior officials were convicted at Thursday's trial and jailed for between 22 months and 23 years behind bars, while two other officials were sentenced to re-education out of custody, where they are expected to check in with authorities and repent for their wrongdoings.

Ninh Van Quynh, former chief accountant of PVN, was sentenced to a total of 23 years in jail, including seven years for the same charge as Thang and sixteen years for abuse of power.

Observers have said that the corruption crackdown in Vietnam -- led by a conservative leadership in charge since 2016 -- is aimed at some of Dung's allies.

But the party has consistently said it is focused on punishing graft.

Another former PVN executive, Trinh Xuan Thanh who headed up the conglomerate's construction unit, was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year as part of Thang's first trial.

Thanh's case stunned Vietnam and sparked a diplomatic dust-up after he was allegedly kidnapped from a park in Berlin by undercover Vietnamese security agents.

Hanoi insists he returned home to hand himself over voluntarily, but Germany called the case a "scandalous violation" of its sovereignty and expelled two diplomats after the incident.

Vietnam's corruption sweep has captivated a country unused to seeing senior officials and business punished so publicly.

The government has vowed to root out graft at the highest ranks of business and government, and said it will also go after day-to-day corruption.

Vietnam has been ranked one of the most corrupt countries in Southeast Asia by Transparency International, which says graft permeates across multiple sectors, from health and education to construction, land management and natural resources.
Bangladesh's telecoms regulator blames excessive use of Facebook and other popular social media platforms for distracting tens of millions of students from their studies

Bangladesh wants to limit the amount of time its young people spend on social media, an official said Thursday, flagging plans to curb access to apps it considers "digital opium".

The telecoms regulator blamed excessive use of Facebook and other popular social media platforms for distracting tens of millions of students from their studies.

"They spend hours on their smartphones," said Shahjahan Mahmood, chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission.

"It's hampering their lives socially and academically," he told AFP, likening social media use to a "digital opium addiction".

Like in other parts of the world, social media use is hugely popular among teenagers in Bangladesh, despite only half the population having access to the internet.

Facebook provides access to a limited version of its platform for free, allowing even the poorest of Bangladesh's 160 million people to log onto the social media platform.

There has been no suggestion of authorities cracking down on Facebook, but Mahmood said the regulator was planning to raise prices to access social media applications in a bid to drive down usage.

He said a distinction would be made to ensure access to academic, business and research websites was not affected.

"We've started planning at the macro level about how to implement that," he said.

"It sounds restrictive now, but in the long run it would be practically very useful for the country, especially for the young people."

He also floated the idea of introducing content filtering on young people's smartphones but admitted it would be "challenging" to police such activity.

Most Bangladeshis access the internet via smartphones. Last month, the country's internet bandwidth was raised from 3G to 4G.

Bangladesh imposed a three-week blackout on social media, including Facebook, in early 2015 amid demonstrations by opposition supporters against the government.
US authorities say Barclays "intentionally misrepresented" key facts about securities sold to investors from 2005 to 2007, and the bank has agreed to pay a large fine to resolve the fraud case

British banking giant Barclays has agreed to pay a $2 billion fine to resolve a fraud case involving mortgage derivatives sold in the run-up to the 2008 global financial crisis, the US Justice Department said Thursday.

Authorities said the loans underlying the investment vehicles "were significantly less creditworthy than Barclays represented," and the company "intentionally misrepresented" key facts about the mortgages involved.

Federal prosecutors also reached settlements with two former Barclays executives over their roles in the sale and trading of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), a type of investment derivative that bundled home loans into securities sold to investors.

Paul Menefee of Austin, Texas, the former head banker for subprime RMBS securitizations at Barclays, and John Carroll of Port Washington, New York, former head trader for subprime loan acquisitions, will pay a combined total of $2 million.

The settlement made Barclays the latest major bank to be sanctioned for crisis-era fraud nearly a decade after the collapse of major New York financial institutions dealing in mortgage-backed derivatives sparked a global recession.

Last week, Swiss bank UBS agreed to pay $230 million to New York state, also settling charges the bank had misrepresented the value of mortgages underlying securities sold before the crisis.

After a three-year investigation, federal prosecutors accused Barclays of a fraudulent scheme involving 36 deals in RMBS initially valued at $31 billion.

Barclays misled investors about the assets' quality, causing billions of dollars in losses, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The bank lied about the creditworthiness of borrowers whose loans underpinned the securities and who then defaulted at "exceptionally high rates," the statement said.

In exchange for paying the fine, the Justice Department will withdraw a civil complaint filed against the Barclays in December 2016.
Miguna Miguna was expelled from Kenya late Wednesday for the second time in two months

A Kenyan court fined the interior minister and police chief Thursday after they defied orders to produce an opposition politician in court, who was instead deported for the second time in two months.

A prominent but unelected politician with the National Super Alliance (NASA), Miguna Miguna was thrust into the spotlight after his deportation last month, and his attempted return to Kenya this week has seen the nation gripped by political theatrics.

As Miguna was held at the airport for two days over the immigration spat, the high court twice ordered Interior Minister Fred Matiangi, Police Chief Joseph Boinnet and a top immigration official to produce him in court.

Both orders were disregarded and Miguna was put on a flight to Dubai late Wednesday.

High Court Judge George Odunga fined the three men $2,000 (1,600 euros) each, saying they had "violated the constitution for failing to obey the rule of law and court orders."

A growing battle between government and the judiciary -- since the Supreme Court annulled President Uhuru Kenyatta's election victory last year -- has seen authorities ignore several court orders.

Miguna's first expulsion came after he was arrested for treason for taking part in the mock swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga, who insisted he was the rightful victor of last year's elections.

The interior ministry said Miguna had forfeited his Kenyan citizenship by obtaining Canadian citizenship several years ago -- at a time when dual citizenship was not allowed.

In February a court ordered authorities to allow Miguna's return, and issue him with a travel document or allow him to enter on his Canadian passport, pending the hearing of a petition he had filed to defend his Kenyan citizenship.

However, when Miguna arrived on Monday, he refused to apply for a six-month visa, enter on his Canadian passport or fill out forms to regularise his nationality.

"He declined to sign entry documents and tore them (up). He stayed here for two days and each time they were taken to him he shouted back that he is a Kenyan," an immigration official said on condition of anonymity.

On Monday, airport police attacked and injured several reporters covering the event in an incident captured in video footage and condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In a statement from Dubai, Miguna said he had been detained in a toilet for two days at Kenya's main international airport, and alleged officers had wrestled him to the ground and injected him with an unknown substance "until I passed out".

The incident comes some three weeks after Odinga and Kenyatta's surprise reconciliation following the bruising electoral season.

Around 100 people died, mostly at the hands of police, during the election turmoil, according to rights groups.
A deminer from Halo Trust, a UK-based non-profit organisation, uses a metal-detector at Qasr al-Yahud in the occupied West Bank, where a dozen abandoned monasteries are surrounded by landmines left over from the 1967 Six-Day War

Thousands of landmines at the site where many believe Jesus was baptised are to be removed during the next year, allowing eight churches to reclaim land sealed off since the 1970s.

The project, carried out by the international de-mining charity the Halo Trust along with the Israeli defence ministry, would cost around $3 million and reopen thousands of square metres of territory, officials said.

The site is only a few hundred metres (yards) from where, according to biblical tradition, Jesus was baptised by his cousin John and where thousands of pilgrims come every year to submerge themselves in the water.

The majority of the mines were laid by Israeli forces after the Jewish state seized control of the West Bank in 1967 from Jordanian troops.

Other unexploded ordinance from both Israel and Jordan remains lodged in the ground, including around the churches -- which were evacuated by Israel in the 1970s.

"We are looking to clear one million square metres and we estimate that in the ground we will come across 2,600 anti-tank mines and an unknown number of explosive remnants of war, which can mean mortars, shells, small arms munitions," said Ronen Shimoni, programme manager for the Halo Trust in the West Bank.

"In '67 Israel laid here the anti-tank mines as part of establishing the new border between Israel and Jordan. Monks were still living inside these churches," said Shimoni

Later Israel closed the churches, fearing they would be used by Jordanian fighters.

Israel's control of the West Bank has never been recognised by the international community, which considers the land occupied Palestinian territory.

Shimoni said the project had been "granted approval of the Israelis, the Palestinians, the eight churches, and Jordan," stressing the Halo Trust was a neutral organisation.

Work has begun in the Ethiopian church, where diggers were clearing land Thursday searching for potentially undiscovered ordinance.

The old churches at the site have already fallen into disrepair and Shimoni admitted there was a risk that setting off the mines could damage some of them further.

Shimoni said they needed a further $150,000 in funds to complete the work at the baptism site.

Britain's late Princess Diana walked through an Angolan minefield after it was cleared by the Halo Trust in 1997.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, seen here attending a UN Security Council meeting September 21, 2017, has been hired to represent two Reuters journalists detained in Myanmar

British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, wife of Hollywood A-lister George, announced Thursday she will represent two Reuters journalists detained in Myanmar in a case that has incensed global opinion.

Myanmar reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last December and have been charged under the Official Secrets Act, which could see them jailed up to 14 years.

They had been investigating the killing by security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals of 10 unarmed Rohingya Muslim men in the country's crisis-hit northern Rakhine State.

"Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately," Clooney said.

"Yet they have been denied bail and face 14 years in prison. The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmar's commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech."

Clooney's involvement will increase the global attention that has surrounded proceedings against the pair, who are being detained in a Yangon prison.

"We will pursue all avenues to secure our reporters' release. Retaining Ms Clooney greatly strengthens our international legal expertise and allows us to broaden those efforts," said Gail Gove, chief counsel of Reuters.

Former US president Bill Clinton and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are among those who have called for the journalists' release as fears grow about Myanmar's shrinking press freedoms.

Clooney, an internationally respected lawyer, has also attracted huge celebrity following since her 2014 marriage to American film star George Clooney.
An image grab from a video handed out by Huthi rebels shows what appears to be Huthi military forces launching a ballistic missile

France on Thursday accused Iran of supplying weapons to Huthi rebels waging a three-year fight against a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and rejected Tehran's denial.

"There is a problem in Yemen: it is that the political process has not begun, that Saudi Arabia feels regularly attacked by the Huthis, who are themselves supplied with arms by Iran," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio.

Iran has said it supports the Huthis' cause in Yemen but has repeatedly denied arming them, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia of evidence of weapon shipments.

Le Drian's comments come just days before an official visit to France by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose government has threatened Iran with retaliation after Huthi rebels fired seven missiles into Saudia Arabia last weekend.

Riyadh said Iran supplied the missiles which struck the capital as well as three cities close to the Yemeni border, killing one person and injuring two.

On Tuesday Iran's Revolutionary Guards rejected the accusation, saying it would be impossible to get them through the blockade imposed against Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition.

Le Drian's bolstering of Riyadh's claims could strain ties between Iran and France ahead of an expected visit by President Emmanuel Macron to Tehran in the coming months, the first by a French head of state or government since 1976.

France has resisted international pressure to stop supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the main players in the coalition which supports Yemen's pro-government forces.

Amnesty International last week said the shipments by France, along with the US and Britain, had contributed to the deaths of thousands of civilians in attacks by coalition forces.

But Le Drian insisted Thursday that the weapon sales complied with international law.

"We have a very rigorous framework on weapon exports which we adhere to with great vigilance," he said.

- Stepping up pressure -

The conflict in Yemen, which has killed an estimated 10,000 people, comes as Iran is under increasing pressure over its role in several Middle East conflicts.

Le Drian visited Tehran in early March to lay the groundwork for Macron's coming visit, and to discuss the landmark 2015 deal with international powers that curtailed Iran's nuclear programme.

An Yemeni doctor stands by the body of a child after an air strike on the northern rebel stronghold of Saada

US President Donald Trump has threatened to walk away from the deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran when it next comes up for renewal by the American president in May.

Although Macron along with other European leaders has made no secret of his desire to secure the deal, he has repeatedly criticised Tehran's ballistic missile programme.

He has also called on Tehran to rein in the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad after weeks of assaults by his forces against rebels in Eastern Ghouta, which has prompted tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Iran and Russia are Bashar's main backers in his war against a rebellion launched in 2011.

Le Drian said Thursday that Macron was still planning to visit Russia in May "for the time being", despite rapidly deteriorating relations between Moscow and the West over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain.

"We want a frank discussion with Moscow, a demanding one without any ambiguity, to ask Moscow to respect international law," he said.
Ahmad Taher, a 24-year-old senior veterinary student, feeds cats at Iraq's first ever feline hotel in the southern city of Basra

Cats in Iraq's southern city of Basra are purring with delight as the country's first feline hotel opens for guests.

In a part of the country where many struggle to make ends meet, a prime venue for cat naps may seem like a luxury.

But Mehdi Fadel, owner of Bella, a longhaired Angora, was enthusiastic when he heard about the "4Cats Pet Hotel" on social media.

"I really liked the idea because my family and I travel a lot and it's always hard to find a place where we can leave our cat," he said as he came to take Bella home.

The hotel was the brainchild of Ahmad Taher, a 24-year-old veterinary student and feline fan.

Located above a vet's clinic, it provides a comfortable place for cats to play when the owners are away.

A night's stay, including meals of pate, grooming and various other treatments, costs between 5,000 and 7,000 Iraqi dinars ($4-6).

But it's not just for fat cats -- cash-strapped clients receive a discount.

Cats are king in the hotel's two rooms.

Its three current guests are free to play with toys, relax in beds, or take a snooze on a carpet of fake grass.

Cats at Iraq's "4Cats Pet Hotel" are fed, groomed and pampered while their owners are away on holidays or business

There are even scratching posts for those who feel the urge to climb or sharpen their claws.

Fadel, 23, said the hotel regularly sent him messages and pictures via the WhatsApp messaging app while he was away, keeping him up-to-date on Bella's stay.

Mohammed Jassem, the vet who runs the clinic on the ground floor, said the idea of setting up a hotel for cats initially shocked residents of Basra, rich in oil but poor in infrastructure.

Iraqi veterinary student Ahmad Taher clips the claws of a cat staying at Iraq's first hotel for cats in the southern city of Basra

But cat lovers quickly embraced the idea, he said.

"They like it and people began leaving their animals with us when they took off on holiday," he said.

Taher said he plans to expand the hotel to host dogs and even birds.
Actress Rosanne Barr, seen here in a May 10, 2006 picture, has a ratings hit with the return sitcom "Roseanne," drawing a congratulatory call from US President Donald Trump

The return of hit sitcom "Roseanne" was a ratings triumph for its Trump-voting star and the US president is also apparently a fan, calling to congratulate the show's actress on her success.

The first two episodes, broadcast on ABC on Tuesday after a 21-year-old hiatus, averaged more than 18 million viewers, reportedly making it the highest-rated sitcom broadcast in more than three years.

Not only is it a rare depiction of working-class life on US television, but also of Trump supporters, who have been largely ignored by Hollywood.

On Thursday, actress Roseanne Barr, who has been vocal about her Trump support on and off screen, said the Republican, who is a known fan of all things television and high ratings in particular, called personally to congratulate her.

"They said, 'hold please for the president of the United States of America' and that was about the most exciting thing ever, and it was just very, very sweet of him to congratulate us," Barr told Good Morning America.

The 65-year-old, who voted previously for Barack Obama, said it had been a "private" conversation.

"He's just happy for me. I've known him for many years, and he's done a lot of nice things for me over the years. So it was just a friendly conversation about work and television and ratings," she said.

The comedy stars Barr as the eponymous blue-collar matriarch of the Conner clan, whose foil is sister Jackie, played by multiple Emmy winner Laurie Metcalf and depicted as a Hillary Clinton supporter, who ultimately voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
A shakeup announced by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pushes the onetime tech leader deeper into the internet cloud

Microsoft on Thursday announced a big managerial shakeup including the departure of the head of its Windows group as the technology pushes deeper into a future in the cloud.

Restructuring moves laid out in a memo from chief executive Satya Nadella included the departure of longtime Microsoft executive and Windows head Terry Myerson.

"With change comes transition, and one transition we have been planning for is for Terry Myerson to pursue his next chapter outside Microsoft," Nadella said in the note.

"Terry has been instrumental in helping me arrive at this new organizational structure, and I deeply appreciate his leadership and insight as we've worked through the opportunity that lies ahead."

In a post at LinkedIn, Windows and Devices Group executive vice president Myerson described it as "an emotional day" sharing news of his departure after 21 years at Microsoft.

Microsoft is creating two new engineering teams, one focused on experiences and devices, and the other devoted to artificial intelligence and computing capabilities hosted in the internet cloud, according to the note.

The US tech colossus -- which has slipped from being the world's largest company -- also established an internal committee to make sure technological advances, particularly regarding machines thinking for themselves, take into account ethical concerns.

"With all this new technology and opportunity comes a responsibility to ensure technology's benefits reach people more broadly across society," Nadella said.

"It also requires that the technologies we create are trusted by the individuals and organizations that use them."

As it has been overtaken by the likes of Google and Apple, Microsoft has been rebooting as consumers shift away from Windows-powered computers to mobile devices.

This has pushed Microsoft to focus on the internet cloud, artificial intelligence, and services for connected "internet of things" devices.
Rohingya Muslim refugees, seen here waiting to receive rice, water and oil at a refugee camp at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh November 28, 2017, are now seen as threatened by the approach of the monsoon season

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled to camps in Bangladesh from Myanmar must be relocated to avoid floods and other dangers from the monsoon, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday.

About 150,000 Rohingya are living in flood-prone areas in the crowded camps of Cox's Bazar and could be exposed to health risks such as cholera during the rainy season, expected to start in June, according to the UN.

"The monsoon is the biggest concern," Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York, adding that the Rohingya were "extremely vulnerable to the monsoon."

Guterres said he had discussed the relocation with Bangladesh's government and stressed that "higher ground is the best place for this kind of relocation."

The government in Dhaka is continuing talks with UN agencies on where to move the Rohingyas, he said. There have been reports that authorities had proposed moving them to a remote island.

Some 700,000 Rohingya have been driven into Bangladesh by a major army crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state since August.

Myanmar authorities say the operation is aimed at rooting out extremists.

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New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says Facebook is cooperating with his probe into the hijacking of personal data of millions of users of the social network

Facebook has begun to produce documents and wants to be "cooperative" with a New York investigation into the Cambridge Analytica data breach, state attorney general Eric Schneiderman said Thursday.

On March 20, Schneiderman announced that he and his Massachusetts counterpart had opened a joint investigation in the Facebook-Analytica scandal, and had written to Facebook to demand answers.

"We're digging in on this," Schneiderman told reporters Thursday.

"Thus far they have said they want to be cooperative. They've already begun to produce documents. So they're moving pretty quickly."

On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission, a US consumer protection agency, said it had opened an inquiry into Facebook's privacy practices, including whether the company violated an earlier agreement with the FTC on how it handles user data.

Facebook signed a consent decree with the consumer agency in 2011 settling charges that it deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then allowing it to be shared and made public.

The New York prosecutor, who is pressing a series of legal actions against the Trump administration, appeared to question the federal government's willingness to get involved in the Facebook saga.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen with federal inquiries if the federal government is not as anxious to do investigations of big companies as they were once," he said.

"So we're proceeding on a state level to make sure that this goes forward and that New Yorkers are protected on Facebook," Schneiderman added.

Facebook faces probes on both sides of the Atlantic over the hijacking of personal data on 50 million users by a consulting firm linked to Donald Trump's campaign.

The firestorm has raised new awareness on how personal data is stored and shared by internet platforms and marketers.
Adult film actress/director Stormy Daniels has filed a lawsuit trying to nullify a non-disclosure agreement over her alleged affair with the president

A federal judge in Los Angeles rejected a motion by adult film actress Stormy Daniels Thursday to depose President Donald Trump over an alleged affair with the performer.

Her attorney Michael Avenatti said he plans to re-file the request once attorneys for Trump and his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, file their formal response to Daniels' lawsuit trying to nullify a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) she signed last year.

Avenatti, whose motion requested two-hour depositions of Trump and Cohen, argued that both are expected to file papers forcing the case into private arbitration "to hide the facts from public view."

"We expect this any day," Avenatti tweeted in response to the ruling by US District Judge S. James Otero.

Otero noted that although Trump and Cohen had stated their intention to compel arbitration, they had not yet filed a petition.

"If such a petition were filed, a number of the questions raised in (Daniels') motion may be answered in the petition, thus limiting the need for discovery on these issues," the judge said.

"If such a petition is never filed, plaintiff's motion is moot. Accordingly, plaintiff's motion is premature and must be denied."

Daniels -- real name Stephanie Clifford -- gave a blockbuster interview to CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday, describing a brief affair she alleges she had with Trump more than a decade ago.

White House press officials have repeatedly said Trump denies having unprotected sex with Daniels in 2006 although the president himself has remained uncharacteristically silent, holding no public appearances for a fifth straight day Wednesday.

Daniels, who received $130,000 from Cohen for the NDA shortly before the 2016 presidential election, sued on March 6, alleging Trump never signed the "hush agreement," rendering it null and void.

She amended the lawsuit Monday, adding a defamation allegation against Cohen, who has accused Daniels of lying about the alleged affair and her accusation that someone physically threatened her after she went public.

Cohen has filed papers alleging he could seek as much as $20 million from the actress for breaching the NDA.

Avenatti argued in the court papers that questioning Trump is critical for resolving the issue of whether he was aware of the NDA Daniels signed.
US President Donald Trump makes his way to board Marine One on the South Lawn before departing from the White House on March 29, 2018

US President Donald Trump talked with his defense secretary on Thursday to discuss how the military budget might fund the construction of a wall on the Mexican frontier.

The United States is testing prototype sections of a 30-foot (nine-meter) high wall to be built along sections of the United States southern border to halt migrants and smugglers.

"The wall looks good. I was always very good at building. That was always my best thing. I think better than being president. I was good at building," Trump told a crowd in Ohio.

Throughout his campaign and the first year of his presidency Trump insisted the vast project would somehow be paid for by Mexico -- and idea firmly rejected by the government there.

But Trump has had no success in trying to get $25 billion in funding for the wall from Congress, so he has turned to the Pentagon in the hope of poaching funds from the defense budget.

"Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich," he tweeted on Saturday.

"Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!"

On Thursday, Department of Defense spokeswoman Dana White said Secretary Jim Mattis had discussed the idea with Trump, but offered no details on what might come of it.
US President Donald Trump made the comments on South and North Korea during a visit to a union training facility in Ohio to talk about infrastructure initiatives

US President Donald Trump warned Thursday that he may delay implementation of a renegotiated trade deal with South Korea until after planned nuclear talks with North Korea.

Trump offered no explanation for the apparent threat, which came just a day after he hailed the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) as a victory for his get-tough stance on commerce.

"I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, does everybody understand that? You know why? Because it's a very strong card," Trump said in a speech in Ohio.

"South Korea has been wonderful, but we'll probably hold that deal up for a little while, see how it plays out."

On Wednesday, Trump had seemed to be firmly behind the renegotiated trade deal, which should now give US carmakers greater access to South Korean markets.

"@USTradeRep just announced an agreement in principle with South Korea on KORUS!" he said.

"A great deal for American and Korean workers. Let's now focus on our important security relationship."

But the president's remarks in his Ohio speech appeared to suggest he is seeking to hold the deal as leverage over Washington's ally South Korea ahead of the nuclear talks.

North Korea and South Korea plan to hold a summit on April 27.

Trump is then due to meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un before the end of May for talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization.
The Maryland Court of Special Appeals found that Adnan Syed, now in his late 30s, received ineffective counsel and ordered that his 2000 conviction on charges of murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment be vacated

An appeals court in the US state of Maryland on Thursday ordered a new trial for a man convicted of his ex-girlfriend's 1999 murder, in a case that received worldwide attention thanks to the hit podcast "Serial."

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals found that Adnan Syed, 37, received ineffective counsel and ruled that his 2000 conviction on charges of murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment be vacated.

Syed was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 18-year-old Hae Min Lee, whose body was found buried in February 1999 in a shallow grave in the woods of Baltimore, Maryland. She had been strangled.

Syed has steadfastly declared his innocence and the case earned new attention when it was taken up by "Serial," a weekly podcast that saw a US journalist revisit the case and cast doubt on his guilt.

Thursday's ruling by a three-judge panel does not necessarily mean Syed will get a new trial, as the state can appeal the decision to a higher court.

But Syed's lawyer, Justin Brown, welcomed the move.

"We've been fighting for so long that it feels great to get over yet another hurdle," Brown told reporters.

"(Syed) asked me to convey his deep gratitude and thanks from the bottom of his heart for all those people who have supported him this long," he said.

"Serial has also helped build this groundswell of support for us and for Adnan and for the case, and that has really fuelled these efforts and allowed us to keep fighting on the way that we have," he said.

The podcast -- a mix of investigative journalism, first-person narrative and dramatic storytelling -- focused its first season entirely on Syed's story in 12 nail-biting episodes. They were downloaded more than 175 million times, a world record.

- 'Scorned lover' -

Both Syed and Hae were honor students and children from immigrant families who had concealed their relationship from their conservative parents.

Prosecutors said during the trial that Syed, the son of Pakistani immigrants, was a "scorned lover" who felt humiliated after Hae, whose parents came to the United States from South Korea, broke up with him.

His supporters said authorities had failed to contact a potential alibi witness who claimed she saw Syed in a public library at the time of the murder.

The appeals court cited the failure of Syed's lawyer at the time -- who has since died -- to contact the alibi witness as a reason for ordering a new trial.

"We conclude that his claim of ineffective assistance of counsel has been established," the Maryland court said in its ruling.

"Accordingly, Syed's murder conviction must be vacated, and because Syed's convictions for kidnapping, robbery, and false imprisonment are predicated on his commission of Hae's murder, these convictions must be vacated as well," it added.

The case "will be remanded for a new trial on all charges against Syed."

At his murder trial, prosecutors argued that Syed had strangled Hae Min Lee after school in the parking lot of a Best Buy electronics store, jealous that she was seeing another man after they broke up.

Jay Wilds, a small-scale cannabis dealer who knew Syed, told police the high schooler had confided to him that he had killed the young woman, and said he helped Syed bury the body.

The case received little notice beyond Maryland at the time.

But 13 years later, journalist Sarah Koenig reviewed the police documents and other materials at the urging of Syed's family.

Her podcast focused on alleged inconsistencies in the prosecutors' case and the failure to contact the alibi witness.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura following their talks in Moscow on March 29, 2018

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said Syrian forces had "nearly wiped out the terrorists" in the rebel-held enclave of Western Ghouta.

Backed by the Russian military since 2015, the Syrian regime in February launched a massive offensive against rebels in the Damascus suburb, killing more that 1,600 civilians.

"As a result of this anti-terrorism operation in Western Ghouta, terrorist elements have nearly been wiped out of this suburb of the Syrian capital," Lavrov said at press conference in Moscow after meeting UN Syrian envoy Staffan de Mistura.

"Civilian life is going to be re-established there," Lavrov said, adding that "the majority of the rebels have been evacuated".

Syrian troops have recaptured more than 90 percent of Ghouta, and are draining the last opposition pockets with negotiated pull-outs mediated by Russia.

Moscow has secured two such deals already and has been pressing Jaish al-Islam, the rebel faction in control of the third and final part of the enclave near Damascus, to leave too.

Russia's deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Thursday negotiations with Jaish al-Islam were continuing.

"There are working group contacts. They contact us, they write letters, they talk on the phone, we meet," he was quoted as saying by the Ria Novosti agency.

"There exists" some chance that the negotiations could progress, he added.

De Mistura also met with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Choigu who said over the next few days "we are going to begin to bring the people back to their homes in Western Ghouta, and they will be able to lead a normal life".

He added that "more than 130,000 refugees and more than 11,000 armed fighters" had fled Ghouta via humanitarian corridors.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Ethiopia on Wednesday was poised to welcome a young, outspoken new prime minister as many in Africa's second most populous nation hoped for an end to the most severe anti-government protests in a quarter-century.

The East African nation's ruling coalition late Tuesday named a new chairman, 42-year-old Abiy Ahmed, and a vote to install him as prime minster is expected in the coming days in parliament, where the coalition and its regional affiliates hold all of the seats.

The announcement follows months of protests that left hundreds dead and the surprise decision by outgoing Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn early this year to release prominent politicians, journalists and others from prison to free up political space.

But tensions continued and Hailemariam later announced his intention to resign, and a new state of emergency, the second in less than two years, was imposed in one of Africa's fastest-growing economies. Earlier this week, a number of recently freed politicians and journalists were re-arrested and accused of gathering without authorities' prior knowledge.

Ethiopians had eagerly awaited news of their new leader, with many hoping the development would bring calm to the nation of 100 million people. Many Ethiopians on social media at home and abroad erupted in cheers after hearing of Abiy's selection - a rare sight in the increasingly polarized political environment.

Hailemariam on Wednesday urged the nation to support the ongoing reforms and "refrain from anti-peace activities and contribute your share for the ongoing democratization in the country," the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

Abiy will be the first person from Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, the Oromo, to be prime minister since the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front came to power in 1991. The Oromo people, despite their numbers, have long felt marginalized and have played a main role in the demonstrations.

People in major towns across Oromia took to the streets Wednesday and slaughtered animals in celebration.

Ethiopia's new leader is widely seen as a fresh face in the ruling coalition, which long has been dominated by the smaller but more powerful Tigray Peoples Liberation Front. Credited with co-founding the National Intelligence and Security Service, Abiy was elected last month as chair of the Oromo People Democratic Organization, one of the ruling coalition's four core parties, paving the way for his premiership.

"A fair justice system works only when human rights are respected," he said during a recent meeting in Oromia.

"I believe that Dr. Abiy Ahmed is the answer to Ethiopia's youths' questions," Yonas Alemayehu, an activist in the restive region, told The Associated Press.

This will be the third prime minister since the current ruling coalition came to power after overthrowing the Derg military regime by force. The ruling coalition on Tuesday also decided to keep Demeke Mekonnen as deputy prime minister.

A Cabinet shuffle might be coming, the coalition's general secretary, Shiferaw Shigute, hinted Wednesday.

The outgoing prime minister, Hailemariam, at times had been labeled as weak and in the shadow of former strongman Meles Zenawi, who died in 2012. Others argued that he successfully continued the late leader's core policies: economic transformation and repression.

In a 2016 interview with the AP, Hailemariam acknowledged that good governance was in decline in Ethiopia, a key security ally of the United States.

"That is the main reason why people are protesting," he said at the time. "This is really a positive sign. I have recently apologized in front of the parliament for our mismanagement and lack of responsibility that have generated these dissents. We are now taking measures to address those grievances."

However, the protests have continued to this day.

Yilikal Getnet, a prominent opposition figure, said the declaration of two separate states of emergency and now the change in leadership showed that the tight grip that ruling elites once had over the public was now deserting them.

"This change in leadership is an indication of how unstable the government is," Yilikal told the AP. "It has got nothing to do with opening up for democratization or a peaceful transfer of power. It's time for the ruling party to admit that solving Ethiopia's current woes are beyond its capacity."

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Tens of thousands of Saudi students studying abroad will each be receiving $2,000 from the government to support their education.

King Salman approved on Wednesday a recommendation made by his son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to grant students abroad on government scholarships and those studying at their own expense the financial boost.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency also reported that the king approved another recommendation to expand the country's overseas scholarship program to include Saudi students who meet certain requirements and are studying abroad at their own expense.

In 2016, the kingdom began restricting its generous multibillion-dollar overseas scholarship program in an effort to slash government spending.

Saudi media report there are currently 90,000 Saudis studying on government scholarships abroad, compared to more than 200,000 in 2014.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles police are investigating an alleged attack on actor Corey Feldman, who tweeted that he was hospitalized after being stabbed.

Officer Drake Madison says Feldman was stopped at an intersection Tuesday night when an unknown male made a stabbing motion at his stomach and fled.

Police say Feldman drove himself to a hospital. He is in stable condition.

FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2016, file photo, Corey Feldman attends the world Premiere of "Why Him?" in Los Angeles. Los Angeles police are investigating an attack on actor Feldman. Officer Drake Madison says Feldman was stopped at an intersection with a passenger in his vehicle when an unknown male made a stabbing motion at the actor's stomach around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Police say Feldman drove himself to a hospital, where he's in stable condition. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Madison says it doesn't appear Feldman was cut in the alleged attack.

Feldman, 46, appeared in "Stand By Me" and "Gremlins" in the 1980s. He tweeted that he's had threats on social media platforms.

Feldman has alleged that he was sexually assaulted as a child. The Los Angeles Police Department said last year they were no longer investigating an assault report he filed because the statute of limitations had expired.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the fatal shooting of an unarmed man in Sacramento, California (all times local):

8:10 p.m.

The Sacramento Kings say there will be a heavy police presence to keep protesters from blocking fans from entering the team's arena for a third time.

Ticket holders unable to enter the Golden 1 Center stand outside the building after protesters forced a lockdown of the arena before the Dallas Mavericks played the Sacramento Kings in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. The demonstration was over the shooting death of Stephon Clark by Sacramento Police officers on March 18. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Demonstrators upset by the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by police in California's capital earlier this month twice prevented thousands of fans from entering Golden 1 Center. Team members and owners supported the protest at another game, with members donning warm-up T-shirts honoring 22-year-old Stephon Clark.

His funeral is Thursday at a Sacramento church.

The team warned Wednesday night that they and Sacramento police are committed to avoiding another disruption for fans at Thursday night's game with the Indiana Pacers.

That will include a significant police presence around the arena, with security and ticket checks at the outskirts of the team's property.

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4:35 p.m.

The brother of police shooting victim Stephon Clark says he doesn't want the media outside the wake.

Stevante Clark approached reporters set up outside the Bayside of South Sacramento church where the wake is being held, yelling and screaming for them to leave and saying they don't care about his family. He was picked up and carried into the church by a man.

Several minutes later Clark came back outside and was quickly carried away as he moved to approach reporters again.

A national spotlight has been on Clark's family since his March 18 shooting by two Sacramento police officers.

Stevante Clark's confrontation with reporters came a day after he disrupted a city council meeting, jumping on the platform and chanting his brother's name at Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

Members of the media were permitted to set up outside the public wake.

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2:30 p.m.

Community members are gathering to mourn 22-year-old Stephon Clark, who was killed by police, during a public wake at a south Sacramento church.

Clark was shot by police who were responding to a call about someone breaking car windows on March 18. He was unarmed.

Some attendees wore black shirts calling for justice. One woman held up a clenched fist as she exited the church while others hugged and cried.

Cynthia Brown brought her 10- and 15-year-old grandsons, who she said could have been in Clark's shoes. She says the two officers who shot Clark should be charged and that police need to stop assuming a black man is a "thug."

She says, "this feels like the '60s."

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1 a.m.

Relatives of an unarmed black man killed by Sacramento police say they're skeptical of a promised investigation into the shooting.

Twenty-two-year-old Stephon Clark was shot by two Sacramento police officers responding to a report of someone breaking car windows March 18. Police say they thought he was holding a gun. It was a cellphone.

The shooting has sparked more than a week of protests. Clark's wake is planned for Wednesday.

Clark's uncle, Curtis Gordon, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the family is skeptical that the killing will be properly investigated.

The California attorney general's office on Tuesday joined the investigation. Police Chief Daniel Hahn says he hopes that will bring transparency to the probe.

Cynthia Brown is hugged by a member of the Bayside of South Sacramento Church, known as BOSS Church, as she arrives for the wake of police shooting victim Stephon Clark, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Clark was shot by police who were responding to a call about someone breaking car windows on March 18. He was unarmed. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

A woman gets help putting on a T-shirt calling for Justice For Stephon Clark, before entering of the Bayside of South Sacramento Church, known as BOSS Church, for Clarks' wake Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Clark was shot by police who were responding to a call about someone breaking car windows on March 18. He was unarmed. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

An attendee for the wake of police shooting victim Stephon Clark carries a drawing of Clark to the Bayside of South Sacramento Church, known as BOSS Church, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Clark, who was unarmed, was shot and killed by Sacramento Police Officers, Sunday, March 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

This March 18, 2018 photo, courtesy of the family, shows Stephon Clark at 5:20 p.m. in the afternoon before he died in a hail of police gunfire in the backyard of his grandmother Sequita Thompson's home in Sacramento, Calif. On Monday, March 26, Thompson called for changes in the way police confront suspects, such as sending in a police dog, using a Taser, or aiming for an arm or leg when shots are fired. (Family courtesy photo via AP)

Stevante Clark, the brother of police shooting victim Stephon Clark, is carried into the Bayside of South Sacramento Church, known as BOSS Church, after confronting members of the media who covering Stephon's wake Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Clark, who was unarmed, was shot and killed by Sacramento Police Officers, Sunday, March 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Stevante Clark stands on a desk as he shouts the name of his brother Stephon Clark, who was fatally shot by police a week earlier, during a meeting of the Sacramento City Council, Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Stevante Clark disrupted the meeting and demanded to speak, causing the city council to adjourn for a roughly 15-minute recess as a result of the disruption. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
PAJU, South Korea (AP) - The Latest on North Korean diplomacy (all times local):

5 p.m.

Japan's government spokesman says his country has been in touch with North Korea, but refuses to say whether a possible meeting between their leaders is being discussed.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, left, shakes hands with North Korean delegation head Ri Son Gwon after their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom Thursday, March 29, 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced Thursday after the nations agreed on a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve a decades-long standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, responding to a question Thursday about reports of such talks, said Japan has all along communicated with North Korea via multiple channels. Suga declined to say if a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is being discussed.

The Asahi newspaper reported Thursday that Kim's administration has mentioned a possible summit with Abe in June following one with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Suga welcomed plans for an April 27 meeting between the leaders of the two Koreas as a sign of progress resulting from international pressure on North Korea.

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4:05 p.m.

A senior South Korean official says the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will be shaped by discussions on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said officials from both Koreas exchanged opinions on the agendas of the summit but Cho didn't provide a clear answer on whether Thursday's discussions included the nuclear issue.

Cho says both sides will continue working-level discussions while focusing on the issues surrounding the "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the stabilization of peace and the development relations between the South and North."

When asked whether such issues would shape the discussions between Kim and Moon, Cho said "yes."

North Korean official Ri Son Gwon after the meeting hailed the agreement over the summit he said provides "immense expectations and new hope for the entire nation that desires for peace on the Korean Peninsula." He called for officials from both countries to do their best to "perfectly secure the historic meeting between the leaders."

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2:40 p.m.

South Korean officials say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27.

The third summit ever between the Koreas could prove significant in the global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program.

The announcement was made after a high-level meeting Thursday between the countries at the border village of Panmunjom. Few other details were released.

The Koreas will hold another preparatory meeting April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues.

The current talks follow a surprise meeting this week between Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim may also meet with President Donald Trump.

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12:30 p.m.

South Korea's presidential office says a Chinese official is heading to Seoul to brief President Moon Jae-in about the summit this week between North Korea's and China's leaders.

The two-day trip by Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi follows talks earlier this week between Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping. Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom in a statement on Thursday called it an encouraging sign that Kim expressed firm willingness for dialogue with South Korea and the United States during his visit to Beijing.

North Korea has yet to officially confirm its interest in a summit between Kim and President Donald Trump. The North's official media omitted Kim's reported comments opening dialogue with the United States that were carried in Chinese state media.

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10:30 a.m.

The rival Koreas have begun high-level talks to prepare for an April summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program.

South Korean officials led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon on Thursday arrived for the talks at the northern side of the Panmunjom border village.

The North's delegation is led by Ri Son Gwon, chairman of an agency that deals with inter-Korean affairs.

The talks follow the summit earlier this week between Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

A summit between Kim and President Donald Trump is also anticipated by the end of May.

South Korean delegation led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, second from right, and North Korean delegation led by Ri Son Gwon, second from left, shake hands after their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom Thursday, March 29, 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced Thursday after the nations agreed on a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve a decades-long standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool Photo via AP)

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, right, and North Korean delegation head Ri Son Gwon exchange documents signed an agreement after their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom Thursday, March 29, 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced Thursday after the nations agreed on a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve a decades-long standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool via AP)

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Thursday, March 29, 2018. Bach is reported to be en route to visit Pyongyang in North Korea. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, left, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, Thursday, March 29, 2018. Bach is reported to be en route to visit Pyongyang in North Korea. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi arrives at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, Thursday, March 29, 2018. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Ha Sa-hun/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, center, shakes hands with a North Korean official as he crosses to North Korea for the meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom in North Korea, Thursday, March 29, 2018. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool via AP)

Visitors walk near the wire fence decorated with ribbons carrying messages wishing the reunification and peace of the two Koreas at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, Thursday, March 29, 2018. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korean delegation led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, second from left, and North Korean delegation led by Ri Son Gwon, second from right, attend a meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom, North Korea, Thursday, March 29, 2018. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool via AP)

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, left, poses with North Korean delegation head Ri Son Gwon for photographers before their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom, North Korea, Thursday, March 29, 2018. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool via AP)
Russia responds quid pro quo to diplomats' expulsions

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia announced the expulsion of more than 150 diplomats, including 60 Americans, on Thursday and said it was closing a U.S. consulate in retaliation for the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in Britain, a tit-for-tat response that intensified the Kremlin's rupture with the United States and Europe.

The Russian move came as a hospital treating Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in stable condition, though her father remained in critical condition.

The Skripals were found unconscious and critically ill in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Two dozen countries, including the U.S., many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain - a massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at news conference Thursday that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

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Trump warns he may freeze SKorea trade deal for NKorea talks

RICHFIELD, Ohio (AP) - President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to hold up the trade agreement his administration finalized this week with South Korea in an effort to gain more leverage in potential talks with North Korea.

Speaking on infrastructure in Ohio, Trump highlighted the recently completed renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. But he warned: "I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea." The announcement comes as the two Koreas have announced plans to hold bilateral meetings next month in advance of a possible meeting between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un by the end of May.

Trump noted the "rhetoric has calmed down" with North Korea, but added he may put a hold on the first trade agreement concluded by his administration, "because it's a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly."

Trump did not explain what leverage the U.S. would achieve by holding up the trade deal with South Korea. The South Korean embassy in Washington declined to comment.

The liberal government in Seoul wants Washington to engage with Pyongyang to help foster inter-Korean relations and reduce nuclear tensions. Trump may be suggesting that a prospective nuclear deal with North Korea is desired by South Korea, so by delaying it the U.S. could extract better trade terms with the South. But chances of a nuclear deal remain deeply uncertain.

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APNewsBreak: California Judge: Coffee needs cancer warnings

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles judge ruled that California law requires coffee companies to carry an ominous cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process.

Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle wrote in a proposed ruling Wednesday that Starbucks and other coffee companies failed to show that the threat from the chemical was insignificant.

The Council for Education and Research on Toxics, a nonprofit group, sued Starbucks and about 90 other companies, including grocery stores and retail shops, under a state law that requires warnings on a wide range of chemicals that can cause cancer. One of those chemicals is acrylamide, a carcinogen present in coffee.

"While plaintiff offered evidence that consumption of coffee increases the risk of harm to the fetus, to infants, to children and to adults, defendants' medical and epidemiology experts testified that they had no opinion on causation," Berle wrote. "Defendants failed to satisfy their burden of proving ... that consumption of coffee confers a benefit to human health."

The coffee industry claimed the chemical was present at harmless levels and should be exempt from the law because it results naturally from the cooking process necessary to make the beans flavorful.

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Emotions run high at funeral for man shot by police

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A standing-room-only crowd packed into a church Thursday to celebrate the life of a 22-year-old black man who was shot to death by Sacramento police, prompting angry protests in California's capital city and a resolve to force changes in police departments around the country.

The musical and scriptural celebration of Stephon Clark's life was interrupted by his emotional brother Stevante, who hugged and kissed the casket, led the crowd in chanting his brother's name, pounded his chest and shouted. Others on the stage attempted to calm him, with limited success.

The Rev. Al Sharpton hugged and consoled him and told the crowd not to judge how families grieve.

"This brother could be any one of us, so let them express and grieve," Sharpton said as he delivered the eulogy with Stevante Clark clutching him around the neck. "We are proud of them for standing up for justice."

Clark was killed March 18 by two Sacramento police officers responding to a report of someone breaking car windows. Video of the nighttime incident released by police shows a man later identified as Clark running into the backyard of his grandparent's home where police fired 20 rounds at him after screaming "gun, gun, gun."

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Many unknowns in SUV cliff plunge that killed family

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Nobody answered the door when a child-welfare worker went to the Washington state home of the big, free-spirited Hart family to investigate a neighbor's complaint that the youngsters were going hungry.

Three days later, the Harts' crumpled SUV was found at the bottom of a 100-foot seaside cliff in Northern California, all eight family members presumed dead in a mysterious wreck now under investigation. Five bodies have been recovered, but three children are still missing.

"There are a lot of unknowns on this," Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said. "Several of the questions that have been asked today will never be answered."

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the crash and said there is no reason so far to believe it was intentional. But they also said there were no skid marks or signs the driver braked as the GMC Yukon crossed a flat dirt pull-off area, about 75 feet wide, and went over the edge of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The case has thrown a spotlight on at least one previous run-in with the law by the Harts, along with neighbors' repeated concerns about the way the home-schooled youngsters were being treated.

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Relatives demand answers after Venezuela jail fire kills 68

VALENCIA, Venezuela (AP) - It wasn't long after Daniel Marquez's family showed up at the Venezuelan police station jail where he'd been locked up for nearly a year awaiting trial when black smoke began billowing from the building.

Guards ordered them to flee, forcing them and other inmate relatives to watch in horror from afar as the flames quickly grew.

One day later, Marquez's family took his blackened remains home in a simple wooden coffin, their despair as wide as the questions surrounding the blaze Wednesday that killed 68 people in one of Venezuela's worst jail fires.

"He didn't deserve to die like this," Sorangel Gutierrez, Marquez's sister-in-law, said as relatives wept before the casket of the 28-year-old father of two. His relatives say he was jailed because he couldn't pay a bribe to an officer who found a photo of an illegal weapon on his cell phone.

Varying versions of exactly what happened inside the police station's crowded jail cells circulated Thursday among relatives and human rights groups amid a deafening silence from officials, who have yet to provide a full account.

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Trump's VA pick draws concern over thin management record

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's selection of his White House doctor to run the massive Department of Veterans Affairs triggered concern Thursday among lawmakers and veterans groups about whether he has the experience to manage an agency paralyzed over Trump's push to expand private care.

Ronny Jackson, a Navy rear admiral entrusted with the health of the past three presidents, is a lifelong physician whose positions on privatizing operations in the second largest federal department and addressing ballooning health care costs are unknown. First named to the top White House post by President Barack Obama, he would be new to running a big bureaucracy if given leadership over a department of 360,000 employees serving 9 million veterans.

In a statement, Trump praised Jackson as "highly trained and qualified." But representatives of veterans aren't sold on the choice, or on Trump's decision a day earlier to fire VA Secretary David Shulkin.

"There is little that we know about Dr. Ronny Jackson's vision and qualifications," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "Our concern is whether President Trump was more interested in picking a secretary who would be politically loyal rather than someone who can work across the aisle to fix long standing problems of bureaucratic delay."

Similar doubts were expressed by Veterans of Foreign Wars, which praised Jackson's military background in a statement but pointed to a nominee biography devoid of "any experience working with the VA or with veterans, or managing any organization of size, much less one as multifaceted as the Department of Veterans Affairs." AMVETS echoed such sentiments.

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AP FACT CHECK: Science contradicts EPA warming memo

WASHINGTON (AP) - Climate scientists say an internal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency memo on how officials should talk to the public about global warming doesn't reflect reality.

EPA's public affairs office put out "a set of talking points about climate change" to help the agency have a consistent message, the Huffington Post reported this week.

The Associated Press, which also obtained the memo, contacted 15 climate scientists. They all said EPA wasn't accurately portraying the degree of knowledge that researchers know about climate change and humanity's role. For decades, scientists have being saying that the burning of fossil fuels increases greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which trap heat and change the planet's climate in many ways.

EPA defended the memo.

THE MEMO

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Bill Cosby judge won't step aside as lawyers target accuser

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The judge in Bill Cosby's retrial rejected demands from the comedian's defense lawyers to step aside during a Thursday hearing in which they made clear they plan to attack his accuser as a greedy liar who falsely accused him of sexually assaulting her to collect a payoff.

Judge Steven O'Neill shot down what amounted to a last-ditch effort to postpone the trial by defense lawyers who lost their bid to overturn his ruling allowing up to five additional accusers to testify against Cosby.

Lawyers argued the judge should remove himself because his wife is a social worker and advocate for assault victims, pointing to a $100 donation made in her name to an organization that gave money to a group planning a protest outside the retrial.

The judge said the donation was made 13 months ago by the department where his wife works at the University of Pennsylvania and he's "not biased or prejudiced" by her work.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday as the 80-year-old Cosby faces charges he drugged and molested former Temple University athletics administrator Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

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Kansas indictments highlight lax state rules on water parks

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Ken Martin remembers a Travel Channel episode about the world's tallest waterslide. The Richmond, Virginia-based amusement-park safety expert said he was horrified that test sandbags flew off the ride and that nylon straps with Velcro restrained multiple riders on rafts dropping 17 stories at up to 70 miles per hour.

"I am sitting on my couch and I am thinking, 'Oh my God. What are these people thinking?'" Martin recalled in an interview. "I started praying for anyone who got on that ride."

The Verruckt waterslide was a big attraction for the Schlitterbahn park in Kansas City, Kansas, from its opening in 2014- until a 10-year-old boy's decapitation in August 2016 forced it to shut down. A Kansas grand jury earlier this month indicted the Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts and Verruckt's co-designer on numerous criminal charges, including second-degree murder over Caleb Schwab's death.

As water parks prepare to open across the country for the summer season, the Kansas indictments highlight the inconsistent patchwork of state regulations that cover amusement parks.

The federal Consumer Products Safety Commission says it knows of 12 deaths at water parks and another 22 at other amusement parks since 2010, and about 40,000 emergency room visits by park patrons in 2016.
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) - A senior commander of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group blamed for bombings and kidnappings has surrendered in the southern Philippines, the defense chief said Thursday, expressing hope it would bring the "eventual collapse" of a key militant stronghold.

Nurhassan Jamiri surrendered with 13 of his men to army forces in southern Basilan province on Wednesday. They handed over 10 assault rifles and a large cache of ammunition and were undergoing questioning, military officials said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Jamiri's surrender, which came after negotiations with authorities, "will hopefully bring the eventual collapse of the Abu Sayyaf group in Basilan," the birthplace of the small but violent group, "and bring justice to the deaths of thousands of soldiers."

Emerging in the late 1980s as an offshoot of the decades-long Muslim separatist rebellion in the south, the Abu Sayyaf lost its top commanders early in combat and descended on a bloody path toward terrorism and criminality.

The United States and the Philippines have blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization.

Jamiri has been blamed for years of bloody attacks, including a 2007 ambush in largely Muslim Basilan that killed 24 Philippine marines, several of whom were beheaded. His group has given sanctuary to other Abu Sayyaf militants behind piracy and kidnappings, including of Vietnamese sailors in recent years, the military said.

His group has also carried out bombings in the Basilan cities of Isabela and Lamitan and the southern port city of Zamboanga across the Basilan Strait, along with ransom kidnappings and extortion, military officials said.

Asked if Jamiri and his men would face prosecution, Lorenzana said yes. "Nobody should go scot-free. Surrendering did not exculpate their past crimes," he said.

Last month, Malaysian security officials suspected that Jamiri was killed with two other gunmen in a firefight in a plantation in the east coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah. But Philippine military officials said the militant was in Basilan at the time.

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the military to crush the Abu Sayyaf but took a more conciliatory tone Monday when he said in a speech before Abu Sayyaf fighters who surrendered that he held no grudge against their group and understood why they took up arms. He offered houses and livelihood training to the former guerrillas.

At least 216 Abu Sayyaf fighters have surrendered in recent months. More than 300 fighters remain and government offensives will continue against them, a military official said.

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Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila contributed to this report.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - He is crisscrossing Pakistan championing a fatwa, or Islamic religious decree, forbidding militant violence inside the country. But the mere fact that Fazlur Rehman Khalil, veteran leader of an organization designated as a terror group by the U.S., is free has experts questioning Pakistan's willingness to fight extremism.

Khalil, once a close friend of the late al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, co-founded Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, a group accused by India of attacking its forces in the Kashmir region and by the U.S. of training militants and carrying out attacks in Afghanistan. The group has undergone several name changes over time and is now known as Ansar-ul Ummah.

But authorities have left him alone. At his home on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, the gates are protected by a burly, bushy bearded guard whose automatic rifle is always at his side. Khalil's madrassa, or religious school, named for Khalid bin Al-Waleed, one of the most prominent early Muslim commanders leading the conquest of Iraq and Syria in the 7th century, occupies a sprawling compound next door in the middle of a crowded market.

In this Thursday, March 22, 2018 photo, Pakistani militant leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil, left, arrives at his compound in Islamabad, Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Khalil, whose group Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, now known as Ansar-ul Ummah, is on the US designated terrorist list, tells of a fatwa he helped craft outlawing violent militancy in Pakistan. Yet just his mere presence on the outskirts of the Pakistan capital has analysts questioning Pakistan's readiness to rout militants and their followers from its territory. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

In an interview with The Associated Press, Khalil denied the accusations against his group and he applauded the fatwa, which he joined other Sunni and Shiite religious scholars in writing, denouncing militant violence in Pakistan as against Islam. The fatwa, issued in January, is the first such decree issued by such a broad range of scholars in Pakistan.

"Terrorism, suicide attacks, blasts, and killing of innocent people are forbidden in Pakistan, in accordance with Sharia (Islamic law)," Khalil said, dressed in a starched white traditional shalwar kameez and looking relaxed on the manicured lush green lawn of his compound.

"Religious scholars belonging to different schools of thought are unanimous on the issue and are against terrorism."

Afghanistan has criticized the fatwa because it is specific to Pakistan. Khalil said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani should call Islamic scholars in his country together to issue a fatwa of their own. He offered to go to Kabul to help craft the fatwa.

"If Ghani does this we will support his initiative. We wish he would do it. If Afghans sit with us we will support them," he said.

Since the beginning of the year Pakistan has come under relentless pressure from the United States to crack down on militants, particularly the Haqqani network, it says has found safe havens in Pakistan. While Islamabad denies organized havens, it says insurgents move around among the 1.5 million Afghan refugees still living in Pakistan.

U.S. President Donald Trump in a blistering New Year's day tweet accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit" and later suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid.

The 55-year-old Khalil's stature in the militant hierarchy has waned since the late 1990s, when he signed on to bin Laden's fatwa ordering the faithful to attack U.S. interests wherever they found them.

Still, his organization's publications are used to raise money and have exhorted the faithful to fight in Afghanistan, where the Afghan National Army, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, is struggling against a resurgent Taliban.

That sort of fundraising has contributed to the likelihood that Pakistan will be placed on a so called 'gray list" of countries doing too little to stop terrorism when the Financial Action Task Force, an inter-government group trying to stem terror financing, meets in June.

The U.S. State Department in 2014 said Khalil's group still runs training camps in eastern Afghanistan. In 2016, Indian security forces said they arrested five Harakat members on its side of the disputed Kashmir region, allegedly planning attacks on Indian dignitaries.

"This is someone who had close and direct ties to Osama Bin Laden, and is very plugged in to the militant networks of South Asia," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the U.S.-based Wilson Center. "Even if he's not making much noise, he shouldn't be taken lightly."

Khalil dismissed U.S. criticism of Pakistan for allowing militant leaders to roam free.

"Whether America likes it or doesn't like it makes no difference to me. I am Pakistani. We have courts. We are not U.S. slaves," he said.

"If Pakistan has any charges of terrorism they can summon us. I am ready to go to court. The U.S. is not interested in courts, it is pressing for extra-judicial actions," he said.

Khalil called U.S. policy confused and contradictory. He dismissed suggestions that the Haqqani network, which the U.S. has declared a terrorist group, is separate from the Taliban, which has not been declared a terrorist group to leave open the possibility of future negotiations.

"You can't separate the two. ... Taliban and Haqqanis are the same," he said. "Sirajuddin Haqqani is the Number 2 in the Taliban. How can you separate the two?"

Khalil, like many militants in south and southeast Asia, traces his career back to Afghanistan during the Soviet Union's occupation in the 1980s. Then he fought on the side of the United States, which backed the mujahedeen - or, as President Ronald Reagan called them, "freedom fighters." Today, many have joined the Afghan Taliban.

Khalil said U.S. intelligence trained him on the sophisticated U.S. Stinger anti-aircraft missiles that historians say turned the tide of the war. The Soviets withdrew in 1989.

"I have fought with the Americans in Afghanistan," he said. "But I haven't gone to Kashmir for a single day."

Analysts say Pakistan's policy of allowing militants their freedom is mostly motivated by its concerns about India, against whom it has fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir.

Pakistan also repeatedly reminds the United States and its critics that it has lost thousands of soldiers - more than the U.S. and NATO combined in Afghanistan __ fighting militants on its territory. It says U.S. criticism is unfair and an attempt to put its own failures in Afghanistan on the shoulders of Pakistan.

"Pakistan has certainly taken aggressive action against some militant groups" said Seth Jones, director of Transnational threats Project at the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But its intelligence agencies "continue to use some militants as a tool of foreign policy in countries like Afghanistan and India."

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In this Thursday, March 22, 2018 photo, Pakistani militant leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil, center, greets visitors at his compound in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khalil, whose group Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, now known as Ansar-ul Ummah, is on the US designated terrorist list, tells of a fatwa he helped craft outlawing violent militancy in Pakistan. Yet just his mere presence on the outskirts of the Pakistan capital has analysts questioning Pakistan's readiness to rout militants and their followers from its territory. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

In this Thursday, March 22, 2018 photo, Muslim Khan stands guard at the compound of Pakistani militant leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khalil, whose group Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, now known as Ansar-ul Ummah, is on the US designated terrorist list, tells of a fatwa he helped craft outlawing violent militancy in Pakistan. Yet just his mere presence on the outskirts of the Pakistan capital has analysts questioning Pakistan's readiness to rout militants and their followers from its territory. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

In this Thursday, March 22, 2018 photo, Pakistani militant leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil, speaks to The Associated Press, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khalil, whose group Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, now known as Ansar-ul Ummah, is on the US designated terrorist list, tells of a fatwa he helped craft outlawing violent militancy in Pakistan. Yet just his mere presence on the outskirts of the Pakistan capital has analysts questioning Pakistan's readiness to rout militants and their followers from its territory. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

In this Thursday, March 22, 2018 photo, students pose outside their madrassa or Muslim school, run by Pakistani militant leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khalil, whose group Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, now known as Ansar-ul Ummah, is on the US designated terrorist list, tells of a fatwa he helped craft outlawing violent militancy in Pakistan. Yet just his mere presence on the outskirts of the Pakistan capital has analysts questioning Pakistan's readiness to rout militants and their followers from its territory. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - The list of obstacles to a long-awaited U.S. plan for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal has grown longer in recent days.

Contentious relations between the Trump administration and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are bound to deteriorate further with incoming National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has said Palestinians would be better off being absorbed by Egypt and Jordan than having their own state. Meanwhile, U.S.-backed efforts to negotiate a deal sidelining Hamas in the Gaza Strip appear to have collapsed, raising new questions about the territory said to be at the center of any U.S. plan.

Coupled with Abbas' refusal to engage with the Trump administration, these developments exacerbate fundamental challenges to any proposals coming from Washington. Here's a look at the issues.

FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 file photo, Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill. he list of obstacles to a long-awaited U.S. plan for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal has grown longer in recent days. Contentious relations between the Trump administration and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are bound to deteriorate further with the selection of incoming National Security Adviser John Bolton, along with the apparent collapse of Gaza reconciliation efforts.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

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WHAT'S IN THE PLAN?

Palestinian officials say they haven't received anything from the White House, but have been alarmed by U.S. policy shifts. In December, President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, infuriating the Palestinians, who seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital. Abbas suspended contacts with the Trump administration and said it could no longer serve as Mideast broker.

In January, a Palestinian envoy was shown the outlines of a plan - though it was not tagged as coming from Washington - in a meeting in Saudi Arabia, according to three Palestinian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue with the media.

The outlines fell far short of Palestinian demands for a state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel from Jordan and Egypt in 1967.

The officials say the plan calls for a Palestinian entity in Gaza, the autonomous Palestinian areas of the West Bank and some of the remaining 60 percent that is under sole Israeli control.

Palestinians would get access to Jerusalem's Old City, but would have to establish their capital on the outskirts of the city. Future borders, security arrangements and the fate of dozens of Israeli settlements would be negotiated later.

U.S. officials have said such descriptions are inaccurate, but refused to discuss the plan's contents.

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WHEN WILL THE PLAN BE RELEASED?

Trump's Mideast team has not set a date, despite previous suggestions that it's close to being done. Team member Jason Greenblatt tweeted last week that "we will advance it when circumstances are right." Greenblatt and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner discussed the plan last week in Washington with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, seen as a key conduit to the Palestinians.

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WHAT IS ABBAS' STRATEGY?

Abbas believes it is best not to engage, according to Palestinian officials. He fears that if he is drawn into negotiations, this would at best lead to minor improvements in what he considers a fundamentally unacceptable proposal. He hopes to win a unanimous endorsement for traditional Palestinian demands at the annual Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia in mid-April. The meeting would signal how far, if at all, the Saudi crown prince would deviate from such positions in a nod to the White House.

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WILL BOLTON'S APPOINTMENT HAVE AN IMPACT?

The addition of the hawkish former U.N. ambassador to Trump's inner circle is bound to intensify Palestinian distrust. After leaving government service, Bolton promoted views perceived as pro-Israel as a TV commentator. He said Palestinians would be better off without a state, suggesting Gaza return to Egyptian rule again and Jordan resume a role in the West Bank.

Trump has not committed to a two-state solution. Palestinians are already suspicious of other members of Trump's Mideast team, due to their ties to the West Bank settler movement.

Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian spokeswoman, said that Palestinian-American relations are now "the worst they have been." She described Bolton as a "war-monger" and said his appointment closed the circle of control in the White House "where you have the extreme right-wing, the extreme Zionists, the fundamentalist Christians."

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WHY IS GAZA IMPORTANT?

In recent months, the Trump administration has expressed concern about a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and has backed efforts of regional ally Egypt to broker a deal between Abbas and his Islamic militant Hamas rivals.

Gaza's 2 million Palestinians have endured an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade since 2007, when Hamas seized the territory from forces loyal to Abbas. The blockade has crippled daily life in Gaza.

The Abbas government views the latest U.S. efforts with suspicion and boycotted a White House conference on aid to Gaza. It fears the U.S. is only interested in Gaza because it views the territory as the main component of a Palestinian mini-state.

"The core of the U.S. project, which is an Israeli project, is establishing a state in Gaza and dividing power in the West Bank between us and Israel," said Ahmed Majdalani, an Abbas aide.

IS A GAZA DEAL STILL POSSIBLE?

Earlier this month, a bomb hit the convoy of Abbas' prime minister and intelligence chief in Gaza. They weren't hurt, but the attack triggered mutual accusations signaling the likely end to this round of reconciliation talks, one of several failed efforts since 2007. Earlier this week, Hamas staged a military drill and plans to lead protest marches to the border with Israel on Friday, signaling a willingness to stoke tensions.

While pledging to cooperate with Western aid projects for Gaza, Abbas and his aides also view the renewed friction with Hamas as "insurance" against the unwanted U.S. plan.

U.S. officials say they want to help Gaza without shoring up Hamas rule - a goal that has eluded the international community since 2007.

CAN WASHINGTON IMPOSE A DEAL?

U.S. officials say they won't impose a solution, but haven't explained how they will bring Abbas back to the table. The U.S. ambassador to Israel was quoted by Israeli media Thursday as suggesting Abbas could become irrelevant unless he returns to negotiations. It was not clear if David Friedman's purported comments - if confirmed - represent his personal view or signal a shift in U.S. policy.

Critics say it's unlikely any plan can be advanced without a credible Palestinian partner or broad support by Arab leaders. Even if Sunni Arab leaders are eager to work with the United States and Israel as part of their strategy to contain Iran, it could be difficult to sell their populations on a plan that doesn't have Palestinians in control of major Muslim sites in Jerusalem.
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - Jordan has accepted Israel's choice of a new ambassador for the kingdom, another sign of improving ties after a months-long crisis.

Government spokesman Mohammed Momani said Thursday that the envoy, Amir Weissbrod, "can start his mission any time now."

The posting of a new Israeli ambassador would end one of the tensest episodes since the two countries signed a peace treaty in 1994.

It began last summer when a security guard at the Israeli embassy in Jordan shot and killed two Jordanians, alleging one attacked him with a screw driver. The Israeli guard and Israel's then-ambassador were given a hero's welcome by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, infuriating Jordan.

Earlier this year, the two sides said they found a way to overcome the crisis, including appointing a new Israeli ambassador.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. is testing a pilot program that allows individuals to enter with timed-entry passes on Wednesdays next month.

News outlets reported Wednesday that "Walk-Up Wednesdays" will allow museum officials to test a no-pass-required entry to the Smithsonian museum.

On April 4, 11, 18, and 25, individuals who walk up without timed-entry passes may enter the museum on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The museum's founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch III, said in a statement that the goal of the pilot program is to provide greater access for the public while maintaining the safety and security of our visitors.

The museum will still require advance timed passes for groups of 10 or more.
BRUSSELS (AP) - The sole surviving suspect in the Paris extremist attacks who was once Europe's most wanted fugitive will hear his judgment in an attempted murder case on April 23.

Salah Abdeslam is on trial for his involvement in a March 15, 2016, police shootout, four months after the Paris attacks that killed 130.

Abdeslam was close to being arrested in a hideout when he and an accomplice fled while another man sprayed gunfire toward police and was killed.

Three days later, Abdeslam and the accomplice were caught in Brussels.

Federal prosecutors are seeking 20-year prison sentences for both men, formally citing a terrorist link in the shootout.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - Kosovo police arrested six Turks working with a group of schools owned by a cleric who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago and handed them over to Turkish authorities Thursday, officials said.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said Turkish intelligence agency MIT used a private plane to take those arrested back to Turkey. They have been handed over to the judiciary.

Those sent back are said to be from a school network that belongs to Fethullah Gulen, the cleric Erdogan blames for the 2016 failed coup in Turkey. Gulen, who lives in the U.S., denies the claim.

In this photo on Thursday July 21, 2016, Mustafa Erdem, general director of the Gulistan Educational Institutions in Kosovo, stands outside the Mehmet Akif College near the town of Lipjan, Kosovo. Kosovo police have arrested five Turks, among them Mustafa Erdem, working with a group of schools owned by the cleric who Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Anadolu Agency said the six were "alleged senior Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) members" and were arrested "following operations against the terror group's branch in the Balkans."

Turkish police said they had found evidence of how they have operated in the Balkans: fundraising, allegedly recruiting terror group members, forging documents, or taking part in the conspiracy to overthrow the Turkish government.

In a statement earlier, Kosovo's Interior Ministry said those arrested had their residence permits revoked, without providing any reason why.

According to Kosovo law, the ministry can revoke residency permits for security, criminal, health, public moral or human rights threats.

Dozens of students of the Gulen-owned schools held a protest in downtown Pristina calling for the release of the six.

Kosovo's Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said in a statement that he wasn't informed of the police operation and that he was trying to understand "the constitutional and legal responsibilities of that action and the unclear things about it."

Haradinaj convened an urgent meeting of his Cabinet. He asked the heads of intelligence agencies and police departments, and the interior and justice ministers to report why authorities revoked the permits of the six Turks, and why they were arrested and deported "in urgency and in secrecy."

President Hashim Thaci, too, was "disillusioned how our relevant institutions" failed to protect foreign citizens working in Kosovo, adding that he learned about it after the arrest.

The Gulistan Education Institutions confirmed the arrests, saying the managers were taken away in "a mysterious way."

Lawyer Urim Vokshi said they were arrested after intelligence agents "identified them as dangerous, without offering any reason or proof."

Nazmi Ulus, a senior manager of the Gulistan network in Kosovo, said they all had legal residence permits.

"These are the effects of the Erdogan regime in Balkan countries or in other Asian and African countries," he told the Associated Press.

The Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms, or KMDLNJ, a human rights group in Kosovo, urged the government not to interfere in the fight between Erdogan and Gulen.

"The KMDLNj opposes the arrest of the Turkish citizens in Kosovo for political reasons and strongly opposes any effort of their extradition in the current circumstances," it said a statement.

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Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.

In this photo on Thursday July 21, 2016, Mustafa Erdem, general director of the Gulistan Educational Institutions in Kosovo, stands outside the Mehmet Akif College near the town of Lipjan, Kosovo. Kosovo police have arrested five Turks, among them Mustafa Erdem, working with a group of schools owned by the cleric who Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Students of Mehmet Akif College in Kosovo protest the arrest and deportation of their teachers in Kosovo's capital Pristina on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Kosovo police arrested five Turks working with a group of schools said to be owned by cleric Fethullah Gulen, who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, used a private plane to take those arrested back to Turkey. They have been handed over to the judiciary. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Students of Mehmet Akif College in Kosovo protest the arrest and deportation of their teachers in Kosovo's capital Pristina on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Kosovo police arrested five Turks working with a group of schools said to be owned by cleric Fethullah Gulen, who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, used a private plane to take those arrested back to Turkey. They have been handed over to the judiciary. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Students of Mehmet Akif College in Kosovo protest the arrest and deportation of their teachers in Kosovo's capital Pristina on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Kosovo police arrested five Turks working with a group of schools said to be owned by cleric Fethullah Gulen, who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, used a private plane to take those arrested back to Turkey. They have been handed over to the judiciary. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

Students of Mehmet Akif College in Kosovo protest the arrest and deportation of their teachers in Kosovo's capital Pristina on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Kosovo police arrested five Turks working with a group of schools said to be owned by cleric Fethullah Gulen, who President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for an attempted coup two years ago. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the Turkish intelligence agency, MIT, used a private plane to take those arrested back to Turkey. They have been handed over to the judiciary. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) - A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for the 2016 Labor Day weekend "mansion party" killings in Virginia.

Kendric R. Hill has pleaded guilty to murder, manslaughter and firearm charges just as his jury trial was set to begin. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports Hill entered his plea Monday as attorneys prepared to select a jury. In return, prosecutors dropped charges including participation in a criminal street gang.

The case centers on the deaths of 22-year-old Duval Turner and 24-year-old Marc Starkes, who were fatally shot at an illegal "mansion party" in Chesdin Landing in 2016.

Hill is the second of eight defendants originally charged to be convicted. Twenty-two-year-old Devin D. Taylor was convicted in January on charges including second-degree murder and will be sentenced in April.

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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.richmond.com
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia announced the expulsion of more than 150 diplomats, including 60 Americans, on Thursday and said it was closing a U.S. consulate in retaliation for the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in Britain, a tit-for-tat response that intensified the Kremlin's rupture with the United States and Europe.

The Russian move came as a hospital treating Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in stable condition, though her father remained in critical condition.

The Skripals were found unconscious and critically ill in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov prepares to speak in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 29, 2018. Russia's foreign minister says Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from the nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Two dozen countries, including the U.S., many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain - a massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at news conference Thursday that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry while Lavrov was speaking, where he was handed notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the U.S. decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

In a statement, Huntsman said there was "no justification" for the move and that it shows Moscow isn't interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters.

"Russia should not be acting like a victim," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Later, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Russia's action was "not unanticipated," but she said the retaliation by Moscow "marks a further deterioration in the United States-Russia relationship."

The Foreign Ministry said the U.S. diplomats, including 58 from the embassy in Moscow and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg, must leave Russia by April 5. It added that the U.S. must leave its consulate in St. Petersburg no later than Saturday.

The ministry warned that if the U.S. takes further "hostile actions" against Russian missions, Russia will respond in kind.

"We invite the U.S. authorities who are encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country to come back to their senses and stop thoughtless actions to destroy bilateral relations," it said.

Lavrov emphasized that the expulsions followed "brutal pressure" from the U.S. and Britain, which forced their allies to "follow the anti-Russian course."

Britain's national security adviser Mark Sedwill told reporters during a trip to Washington that the attack was part of Russia's "hybrid warfare" that operates below the level of armed conflict.

The coordinated expulsions of Russian intelligence officers, he said, were a "coherent approach by the Western alliance to a range of aggressive Russian behavior, of which the attack in Salisbury was just the latest, obviously very acute, example."

Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting Wednesday of the secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said Thursday that 33-year-old Yulia is "improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable."

"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," said Dr. Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

Sergei Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.

Lavrov said that Russia would seek consular access to Yulia Skripal now that she has regained consciousness.

Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer, was imprisoned after he sold secrets to British intelligence. He was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

Britain says he and his daughter, who was visiting from Russia, were poisoned with a nerve agent developed in Soviet times and that must have come from Russia.

Police say they were likely exposed to the poison on the door of Sergei Skripal's suburban home in Salisbury.

About 250 British counterterrorism officers are working on the investigation, retracing the Skripals' movements to uncover how the poison was delivered. They have searched a pub, a restaurant and a cemetery, and on Thursday cordoned off a children's playground near the Skripal home.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Britain's allegation of Russian involvement in the poisoning was a "swindle" and an "international provocation." She said Russia continued to demand access to investigation materials, which Britain has refused to share.

Britain and its allies have dismissed previous Russian claims that they possessed that type of nerve agent.

Despite the tensions with Washington, Russia is eager for a proposed meeting of President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump.

A prominent Russian lawmaker said Moscow's expulsion of U.S. diplomats could aid that meeting because both sides would be on an equal basis.

"It doesn't create very happy circumstances around a prospective meeting, but this shouldn't influence the meeting per se, the fact of it occurring," Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the foreign relations committee in the lower house of Russia's parliament, told the Interfax news agency.

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Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Moscow and Josh Lederman and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

The U.S. flag flies at the U.S. consulate in St.Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, March 29, 2018. The U.S. flag is flown at half-mast to mourn victims of Kemerovo fire killing 64 people. Russia said Thursday it will respond quid pro quo to the U.S. decision to expel 60 Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain, and will also retaliate to the U.S. decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

FILE - This is a file image of the daughter of former Russian Spy Sergei Skripal, Yulia Skripal taken from Yulia Skipal's Facebook account on Tuesday March 6, 2018. British health officials say the daughter of a Russian ex-spy has responded well to treatment and is no longer in critical condition after a nerve-agent attack, it was reported on Thursday, March 29, 2018. (Yulia Skripal/Facebook via AP, File)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 29, 2018. Russia's foreign minister says Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from the nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - The suspect in the Florida high school shooting that killed 17 is getting letters of support in jail including fan mail and pictures of scantily-clad women in addition to hundreds of dollars in contributions to his commissary account.

Teenage girls, women and men are sending letters and photographs of themselves and Facebook groups have been started to discuss how to help Nikolas Cruz, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Cruz is charged in the killings of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and is being held in the Broward County Jail. Prosecutors said they are seeking the death penalty.

The newspaper obtained copies of letters, including one from a woman who called Cruz "beautiful" and others with suggestive photos.

Cruz, who is on suicide watch, has not seen any of the letters, which are opened by the jail.

On March 15, a teenager sent a letter from Texas inside an envelope with happy faces and hearts.

"I'm 18-years-old. I'm a senior in high school. When I saw your picture on the television, something attracted me to you," the letter stated. "Your eyes are beautiful and the freckles on your face make you so handsome."

Another letter told Cruz to "Hang in there and keep your head up" and another mailed six days after the shooting said "I reserve the right to care about you, Nikolas!"

Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, Cruz's lawyer, told the newspaper that his client has indeed received "piles of letters."

In addition, $800 has been deposited into a commissary account which can be used by inmates to buy snacks, radios and personal hygiene products.

"In my 40 years as public defender, I've never seen this many letters to a defendant," Finkelstein said. "Everyone now and then gets a few, but nothing like this."

Finkelstein said they have read a "few religious ones to him" but will not read him any fan letters or share any photographs.

"The letters shake me up because they are written by regular, everyday teenage girls from across the nation," he said.

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Information from: Sun Sentinel , http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
ISTANBUL (AP) - A Turkish newspaper says an Italian man reported missing in Istanbul has been found dead.

Haberturk said Thursday that the body of 33-year-old Alessandro Fiori was found washed ashore in Istanbul's Sarayburnu district, two weeks after he went missing.

According to the paper, the marketing manager from Milan was identified by his father, Eligio Fiori, but DNA testing was underway to confirm his ID.

Eligio Fiori, 66, of Italy, holds a poster showing details of the disappearance of his son Alessandro Fiori reading in Turkish 'Alessandro is missing since March 14, 2018. Wanted' during an interview with The Associated Press, in Istanbul, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Turkish authorities and family members are searching for a 33-year Italian man who has disappeared nearly two weeks ago while visiting Istanbul. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Haberturk said it appeared Fiori had received a blow to the head but that it was not clear if he had been struck or had suffered a fall.

Police could not immediately confirm the report.

Fiori had flown to Istanbul on March 12 and was last spotted on a CCTV camera March 14.

His phone, wallet and other belongings were found in a hotel trash bin.

A poster with photographs of Italian Alessandro Fiori reading in Turkish: 'Alessandro is missing since March 14, 2018. Wanted' is displayed in a shop in Istanbul, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Turkish authorities and family members are searching for a 33-year Italian man who has disappeared nearly two weeks ago while visiting Istanbul. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Eligio Fiori, 66, of Italy, father of missing traveller Alessandro Fiori, walks in a street, in Istanbul, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Fiori, is looking for his 33-year-old son, living in Milan, who flew to Istanbul March 12. Turkish authorities and family members are searching for a 33-year Italian man who has disappeared nearly two weeks ago while visiting Istanbul. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on special legislative elections in Wisconsin (all times local):

9:35 a.m.

Gov. Scott Walker says former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is forcing Wisconsin to spend money on duplicative elections to fill two legislative seats.

Walker on Thursday reluctantly scheduled special elections in June to fill vacancies in the 42nd Assembly District and the 1st Senate District. He had resisted ordering the elections, saying they're a waste of taxpayer dollars since the seats will up in this fall's regular elections.

A group led by Holder sued to force the elections. A Madison judge last week ordered Walker to schedule the contests by Thursday.

Walker tweeted Thursday that "Obama Attorney General Eric Holder and his Washington, D.C.-based special interested group" were behind the push to force Wisconsin taxpayers to pay for elections for seats that would be filled in normal elections a few months later.

The seats would have remained empty until January if Walker without the special elections.

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9 a.m.

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says the state Legislature will not proceed with a bill designed to cancel two special elections for vacant seats.

The Republican Fitzgerald told WTMJ-AM on Thursday that lawmakers are "boxed in" by court rulings ordering Gov. Scott Walker to call the special elections.

Walker minutes earlier called the elections in the vacant state Senate and Assembly seats for June 12. Walker had tried to delay having to call the elections until after the Legislature could meet next week to change the law.

But Walker dropped his legal fight after a state appeals court judge rejected his request, upholding a decision by a Dane County circuit court judge.

Fitzgerald says if the Legislature passed the bill it ran the risk of another judge "slapping us down."

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8:50 a.m.

Gov. Scott Walker is scheduling special elections for June.

The governor issued an executive order Thursday setting elections to fill vacancies in the 42nd Assembly District and the 1st Senate District for June 12. Primaries for both seats will be held May 15 if needed.

Candidates can begin circulating nomination papers Thursday. They must file the papers with the state Elections Commission by 5 p.m. on April 17.

Rep. Keith Ripp and Sen. Frank Lasee resigned in December, creating the vacancies. Walker had refused to order elections to fill their seats. A Madison judge last week ordered him to schedule the elections by noon Thursday.

Republican lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit special elections after the spring elections in a year with regular fall elections. The bill would ensure that neither seat is filled until January.

___

8:15 a.m.

Gov. Scott Walker says he will schedule special elections for June 12 to fill two legislative vacancies.

Walker decided not to ask the Wisconsin Supreme Court to delay a court order to schedule those elections.

Walker told WTMJ-AM Wednesday night that he considers the special elections a waste of tax dollars because regular elections are held in the fall.

The governor had refused to order elections to fill Rep. Keith Ripp and Sen. Frank Lasee's seats. But a Madison judge last week ordered Walker to schedule the elections by noon on Thursday. Walker on Wednesday asked the 2nd District Court of Appeals to review that decision and delay the order to April 6. The appellate court refused to delay the order.

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Information from: WTMJ-AM, http://www.620wtmj.com
NEW YORK (AP) - A novel about a young scientist's personal and professional journey has won a $25,000 prize for debut fiction.

Weike (WHY-key) Wang's "Chemistry" is this year's recipient of the PEN/Hemingway Award, PEN America told The Associated Press on Thursday. Ernest Hemingway's grandson, Sean Hemingway, will present the award to Wang next month during a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. She will also have a month-long stay at an artist's retreat in Wyoming and a residency with the creative writing program at the University of Idaho. Previous winners of the Hemingway prize include Jhumpa Lahiri (JHOOM-paah L-hee-ree), Ha Jin and Marilynne Robinson.

Wang is a Harvard University graduate who has a doctorate in public health. Earlier this month, she received a $50,000 Whiting Award, given to promising new authors.
FORT LEE, N.J. (AP) - Authorities say a New Jersey mother who left her sleeping toddler alone in an illegally parked car that was later towed is now facing criminal charges.

Fort Lee police say 46-year-old Yuqing Jiang told them she had gone to her bank Monday to make a deposit before it closed. She left her sleeping 2-year-old daughter in the parked vehicle, then later returned to find it and her daughter missing.

Jiang called 911 and learned the car was towed to a facility near the bank. Police found the toddler asleep in the back of the towed vehicle, but she wasn't in a car seat.

Jiang is charged with abuse, abandonment, cruelty and neglect of a child. It's not known if she's retained an attorney.
PARIS (AP) - He did jail time for petty crime and was under French surveillance as a potential extremist, yet Radouane Lakdim slipped through the French security net.

Lakdim - who killed four people in a shooting-and-hostage rampage in southern France last week - is a prime example of the challenges that security officials face and the missteps they can make as homegrown extremists multiply.

Even before France buried his victims Thursday, angry voices asked what went wrong.

French President Emmanuel Macron posthumously awards the Legion of Honor to Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame during a ceremony Wednesday March 28, 2018 at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. The slain hero of last week's extremist attack in southern France will be posthumously awarded the Legion of Honor by French President Emmanuel Macron during a solemn day-long national homage to him. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The questions are coming from the victims' families, opposition leaders and even from Morocco's counterterrorism chief - whose country has helped France investigate dual-national extremists in the past but was never told that the French-Moroccan Lakdim was a risk.

Did an upcoming summons to meet with intelligence officials play a role in Lakdim's decision to spring into action? Was there a slip-up in surveillance?

Experts say French intelligence services are drowning in data and lacking enough analysts to interpret.

More than 20,000 names are on two lists of radicalized or potentially radicalized people in France. It takes 20 officers to survey a single person daily, experts say.

Lakdim was one of more than 15 people in France who were under surveillance as potentially dangerous and then went on to commit attacks and kill people since 2012. With soldiers in the streets, a new, tougher terrorism law and new efforts to prevent radicalization, France appears to be covering all the bases. But attacks keep coming.

Lakdim took his sister to school on March 23 then went on to kill in the name of the Islamic State group in a three-stage attack in the medieval city of Carcassonne, where he lived, and in the nearby town Trebes. The 25-year-old was shot dead later that day when police stormed a supermarket to free his hostages.

By the time he died, Lakdim had been convicted twice on drug and weapons possession charges; was suspected of belonging to a local Salafist movement; had a radicalized girlfriend who had converted to Islam and is now charged in the case; owned a saber, a handgun and knives; had done a month of prison time and was to go before a court on April 23 for possessing a knife and driving without a permit.

The profile mimics those of many small-time delinquents. But questions arise because Lakdim was on two watch lists, starting in 2014, and had been closely monitored since late 2015, according to anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins. The surveillance failed to provide "warning signs of an intention to act" or indications he planned to travel to Syria or Iraq, Molins said.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Wednesday confirmed reports that French security services were poised to reduce the surveillance on Lakdim. Yet Collomb maintained there were no "dysfunctions" in tracking him.

"This poses once again the question of the efficacy of the surveillance," said Yves Trotignon, a former intelligence official.

In 2016, one of two men who slashed a priest's throat during Mass in a small Normandy town wore an electronic bracelet after serving prison time. The man who killed a police couple in their home outside Paris a month earlier was under surveillance. A man who tried to crash his car loaded with gas canisters and weapons into gendarmes on Paris' Champs-Elysees last year was under surveillance, yet authorized to have a gun permit.

French authorities stress their successes. While 11 deadly attacks have been carried out since the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a kosher grocery were attacked in January 2015, 51 attacks have been thwarted and 17 more have failed, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told lawmakers Tuesday.

A 100 percent success rate in counter-terrorism is impossible, and the threat will last for years, authorities warn. Trotignon compares a terror attack to an industrial accident because "there is never a single cause."

Investigators look for attack triggers.

The newspaper Le Monde reported that Lakdim had recently received a written summons from French intelligence headquarters for an "administrative meeting" - a flag that he was under watch.

At the time of the failed Champs-Elysees ramming attack, Le Monde reported that the driver, Adam Djaziri, had received his third demand for an "administrative meeting" shortly before the attack, which killed no one but himself.

Across the Mediterranean, the chief of Morocco's counterterrorism agency questioned why France doesn't take more aggressive steps against suspected radicals.

Abdelhak Khiame told The Associated Press that as of Tuesday - four days after Lakdim's deadly attack - he had heard nothing from Paris, despite a policy of information sharing.

"His country of birth should have been notified that its national is wanted by French security," said Khiame, director of Morocco's Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations. Moroccans make up a large subset of Islamic State group fighters, and dual Moroccan-European citizens have taken part in past IS attacks in Europe.

Alain Bauer, a leading criminologist, maintains the attacks by Lakdim could have been thwarted. Analysis is the key, he and other experts said, along with on-the-ground tailing.

"Like almost all others that ... succeeded, it could have been avoided," said Bauer, who has written a book on French intelligence. "We rely on 'Inspector Google' to decide how to fight YouTube radicals. It doesn't work ... these tools cannot replace human intelligence."
PHOENIX (AP) - The family of an Arizona woman killed when struck by an autonomous Uber vehicle apparently has reached a settlement with the company.

Cristina Perez Hesano, an attorney for the daughter and husband of 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, responded Thursday to inquiries by The Associated Press by saying only that the matter "has been resolved."

Herzberg was killed March 18 as she walked her bike across a dark street in Tempe, a Phoenix suburb.

In this March 20, 2018, photo provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, investigators examine a driverless Uber SUV that fatally struck a woman in Tempe, Ariz. The fatality prompted Uber to suspend all road-testing of such autos in the Phoenix area, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. (National Transportation Safety Board via AP)

Uber representatives Sarah Abboud and Matthew Wing separately responded to queries from the AP about a possible settlement by saying the San Francisco-based company is declining to comment. The company previously expressed sympathy for Herzberg's family and said it would cooperate with investigators.

There was no indication that Herzberg's relatives had filed a lawsuit against Uber in connection with the crash, which Tempe police and federal agencies are investigating.

On March 21, Tempe police released a 22-second video showing Herzberg walking from a darkened area onto a street just before an Uber SUV strikes her. The Volvo was in self-driving mode with a human backup driver at the wheel when it struck Herzberg, police said.

The human backup driver appears to be looking down until just before impact.

The fatal crash in Tempe was the first pedestrian fatality involving a self-driving vehicle in the United States.

Uber suspended its autonomous vehicle testing program in Arizona, California, Pittsburgh and Toronto after the crash. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey suspended the company's testing privileges Monday.

Ducey said in a letter to CEO Dara Khosrowshahi that video footage of the crash raised concerns about the company's ability to safely test its technology in Arizona. Ducey said he expects public safety to be the top priority for those who operate self-driving cars.

"The incident that took place on March 18 is an unquestionable failure to comply with this expectation," Ducey said.

Ducey previously welcomed Uber and other autonomous vehicle companies to use Arizona as a place for testing under few, if any, regulations. In early March, he authorized self-driving vehicle companies to run tests without a person in the car to act as a safety operator.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

12:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump is bidding farewell to one of his longest-serving aides as he departs for Ohio.

President Donald Trump kisses White House communications director Hope Hicks on her last day before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 29, 2018, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The president appeared alongside outgoing communications director Hope Hicks outside the Oval Office on Hicks' last day at the White House.

Trump pointed at Hicks, waved to the cameras, and gave Hicks a handshake and a kiss on the cheek before heading to Marine One.

Hicks has been one of the president's most trusted, loyal and influential staffers. She held a portfolio that extended well beyond her job title.

She worked for the Trump organization before serving as the Trump campaign's one-woman press shop and has been working at the White House since Trump's inauguration.

A bitter fight is underway to fill the communications director role.

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12:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is emerging from relative seclusion to promote rebuilding the nation's roads and bridges.

Trump is visiting Richfield, Ohio, on Thursday to push his plan to use $200 billion in federal money to spur at least $1.5 trillion in spending on infrastructure. The president unveiled the proposal in February and cast it as able to garner bipartisan support, but it has bogged down in Congress.

Trump has kept a low profile since Sunday's "60 Minutes" interview with adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, who says the married Trump had sex with her before he was president. Trump, through his representatives, has denied the 2006 affair.

The Ohio speech will be Trump's first substantive public appearance since last Friday.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with outgoing White House Communications Director Hope Hicks on her last day before Trump boarded Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, for a trip to Ohio. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump points to outgoing White House Communications Director Hope Hicks on her last day before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

President Donald Trump waves with outgoing White House Communications Director Hope Hicks before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 29, 2018, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Cleveland. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
QUEBEC CITY (AP) - A Canadian teenager who purchased her first lottery ticket to celebrate her 18th birthday hit the jackpot and will receive $1,000 Canadian a week for the rest of her life.

Charlie Lagarde was celebrating with a bottle of champagne and a $4 scratch-off ticket earlier this month when she hit the grand prize in the Gagnant a Vie lottery. The prize would be worth just over $775 per week in American dollars.

She was joined by family and friends when she collected the first payment on Monday.

She told lottery officials that she hopes to study photography.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A Maryland appeals court on Thursday upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast "Serial."

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park. He was 17 at the time.

Syed's story was widely publicized in the 2014 "Serial" podcast, which cast doubt on his guilt and inspired armchair investigators to unearth new information.

FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2016 file photo, Adnan Syed enters Courthouse East in Baltimore prior to a hearing. A Maryland appeals court has upheld a ruling, Thursday, March 29, 2018, granting a new trial to Syed, whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast "Serial." Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park. A three-judge panel on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling granting him new trial.(Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun via AP)

The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered records for the number of times a podcast has been streamed or downloaded.

A lower court judge vacated Syed's conviction in 2016. Prosecutors appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appeals court.

Prosecutors declined to comment or to say whether they will appeal the ruling to the state's highest court.

"We are currently reviewing today's decision to determine next steps," Raquel Coombs, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, said in an email.

Syed's lawyer, C. Justin Brown, said he is ready for a new trial.

"If the state is so confident in their case, and if they're so confident that Syed is guilty, they should just try the case. We're ready to try the case," Brown said.

In a 2-1 ruling, the three-judge appeals court panel agreed with Brown that his trial lawyer was ineffective for failing to investigate a potential alibi witness who said she saw Syed at a public library in the town of Woodlawn, Maryland, around the time the state claimed Syed killed Hae.

The panel said in its written decision that if testimony from Asia McClain had been presented to the jury, it would have "directly contradicted the State's theory of when Syed had the opportunity and did murder Hae" and could have created reasonable doubt in at least one juror's mind and led to a different outcome.

"In considering the totality of the evidence at Syed's trial with the potential impact of McClain's alibi testimony, this Court holds that there is a reasonable probability that, but for trial counsel's deficient performance, the result of Syed's trial would have been different," Chief Judge Patrick Woodward wrote for the majority.

During a hearing in June, Thiru Vignarajah, a special assistant attorney general arguing on behalf of the state, said it was reasonable not to seek out McClain because Syed's lawyer was focused on an alibi placing him at Woodlawn High School, not the library.

"It's the kind of thing that the defense attorney would have to make a judgment about," he said.

Syed has been behind bars since his arrest in February 1999.

In a dissenting opinion, Judge Kathryn Grill Graeff disagreed with the majority, saying Syed had failed to overcome the presumption that his trial lawyer's failure to contact McClain was based on reasonable trial strategy. Graeff said she would have reversed the lower court's ruling granting Syed a new trial.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee is asking for new records from two current and former White House officials as part of its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein wrote a letter to a lawyer for President Donald Trump's campaign Thursday and asked for additional email records pertaining to former campaign officials Rick Dearborn and John Mashburn. Feinstein is committee's top Democrat.

Dearborn and Mashburn were in charge of policy at one point during Trump's campaign, and both followed him to the White House. Dearborn has since left.

The committee has requested similar records from other Trump aides.

In the letter, Grassley and Feinstein said information obtained in a recent committee interview "warrants expanding those searches." They did not elaborate.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The New York Police Department can use a Cold War-era legal tactic to conceal whether it put two Muslim men under surveillance, the state's highest court ruled Thursday.

The Court of Appeals, in a split 4-3 decision, ruled that the NYPD was in its rights to decline acknowledging whether records existed pertaining to possible surveillance of a Talib Abdur-Rashid, a Manhattan imam, and Samir Hashmi, a former Rutgers University student.

In 2012, the two men filed separate Freedom of Information Law requests seeking any records the NYPD had relating to surveillance or an investigation. The NYPD responded by saying it could "neither confirm nor deny" the records even existed.

The men sued the NYPD separately in lawsuits prompted by a series of Pulitzer Prize-winning stories by The Associated Press on NYPD surveillance of Muslim groups in New York and New Jersey after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. After moving through lower courts, the two cases were combined for the Court of Appeals case.

In affirming a lower court ruling, the Court of Appeals said that the NYPD properly invoked the so-called Glomar doctrine in response to state FOIL requests by neither confirming nor denying whether the records existed.

In her written opinion for the majority, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore said "the NYPD's response neither confirming nor denying the existence of the investigative or surveillance records sought is compatible with FOIL and the policy underlying those exemptions, which is to provide the public access to records without compromising a core function of government - the investigation, prevention and prosecution of crime."

"I am extremely disappointed" by the ruling, said Omar Mohammedi, the Manhattan attorney representing both men.

Mohammedi said he was still reviewing the decision Thursday and didn't know yet what his next move would be.

"I do believe New Yorkers have lost a lot of their rights and their open government," he said.

"We are pleased that the Court found that a Glomar response is permissible under FOIL and was used appropriately by the NYPD here," Sgt. Jessica McRorie, an NYPD spokeswoman, said in a written statement.

She added that the NYPD has rarely used the Glomar doctrine and "will continue to do so only on a very limited basis and where appropriate."

The Glomar doctrine is named for the Hughes Glomar Explorer, a massive salvage ship built by Howard Hughes, the eccentric industrialist who died in 1976. The CIA had used the ship in 1974 to retrieve a portion of a Soviet submarine that had sunk in the Pacific Ocean in 1968, killing everyone aboard.

The Glomar attempted to lift the sub to the surface, but most of the sub broke apart and fell back to the ocean floor.

When a journalist sought information on the Hughes-built ship in 1976, a federal court issued a ruling that allowed the CIA to "neither confirm nor deny" whether records existed on the mission. The Glomar doctrine has since been used by agencies if information falls within certain exemptions.
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) - Sloane Stephens has a simple approach to her game these days.

"Keep fighting," she said.

That was Stephens' mantra when her U.S. Open championship last year was followed by eight consecutive losses, a staggering, frustrating and almost inexplicable freefall. And those words kept popping into her head Thursday, when she shook off a very slow start to beat Victoria Azarenka 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the semifinals at the Miami Open.

Sloane Stephens, left, shakes hands with Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, after Stephens' 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win in their semifinal match in the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)

Stephens' opponent in Saturday's final will be either sixth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko or American qualifier Danielle Collins. They were scheduled to play later Thursday.

"In the first set, I was down but came back and I battled really well," said Stephens, who is looking to improve to 6-0 in finals. "So I knew if I did that in the second I'd be right in there. I ended up winning a lot of games in a row, and just tried to keep the momentum going."

Stephens dropped the first three games against Azarenka, needing only 11 minutes to get into trouble. She then won 15 of the final 21 games.

"I honestly didn't feel good at all the whole match," said Azarenka, a three-time champion at Key Biscayne whose 11-match winning streak there was snapped. "I felt like I was a little bit too slow. ... I just stopped getting to the ball, I stopped hitting the ball the way I should be hitting the ball and she's going to jump on it."

It was only the fourth tournament for Azarenka since 2016. She became a mother late that year - her son's name, Leo, is scrawled on the sneakers she wears in matches - and returned to play Mallorca and Wimbledon last year. Azarenka got a wild-card entry to play Indian Wells, another wild card into Miami, and was ousted by Stephens in both of those.

When she will play again is unclear. Azarenka has been involved in a custody dispute for several months and is headed back to Los Angeles, where she makes her home.

"I don't have any news to share with you right now," she said.

Azarenka entered this event ranked No. 186. She'll be at least No. 93 when the new WTA rankings come out next week, after getting through four seeded players on her way to the Miami semifinals.

"Overall, what I've done is not bad at all," Azarenka said, summing up her four-week return. "To make the progress from one week to another week, barely practicing and barely even eating, not too bad."

In a men's quarterfinal, 16th-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta wasted two match points on his serve in the second set before recovering - nearly two hours later - and ousting No. 6 Kevin Anderson 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (6) in a rematch of a U.S. Open semifinal from last year. It was the first win for Carreno Busta in five matches against Anderson.

Carreno Busta's semifinal opponent will be No. 4 Alex Zverev, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over No. 29 Borna Coric.

Besides the trip to the final, there are a few significant other perks for Stephens, who spent some of her youth learning the game at Key Biscayne.

She's assured the second-biggest earnings check of her career - either $654,380 or $1,340,860, depending on the outcome, a figure exceeded only by the $3.7 million she got from the U.S. Open victory. When the new rankings come out, she'll make her debut in the top 10. If that wasn't enough, she'll also become part of history.

The Miami Open isn't ending, but it's moving about a half-hour's drive north to the Miami Dolphins' stadium next year. South Florida natives Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Chris Evert are all past champions of the event and Stephens - from Plantation, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale - will have a shot at joining them in the final women's match at the facility where breezes constantly roll off the water.

"I'm like, what's going to happen to Crandon Park? What's going to be here? What's going to happen?" Stephens said. "There's so many questions. But I think it'll be cool. Obviously, to play in front of my friends and family again here for the last time, it feels kind of cool that I'll be able to close it out in style for them."

Sloane Stephens, left, shakes hands with Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, after Stephens' 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win in their semifinal match in the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)

Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, complains about a call while playing against Sloane Stephens in a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)

Sloane Stephens waves to the crowd after she defeated Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a semifinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)

Sloane Stephens returns the ball to Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, during their semifinal match in the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)

Pablo Carreno Busta, of Spain, reacts after winning a game against Kevin Anderson, of South Africa, during their quarterfinal match in the Miami Open tennis tournament, Thursday, March 29, 2018, in Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Dee Albritton remembers being spit on nearly 50 years ago when he returned home from fighting in Vietnam. That made Thursday's recognition at the South Carolina Statehouse mean so much more.

Albritton joined hundreds of other Vietnam veterans, families and politicians Thursday for the first National Vietnam War Veterans Day in South Carolina.

"We were kind of forgotten," said Albritton who was drafted at 19. "When I came home from Vietnam, I remember coming through the airport in San Francisco being spit on and being called a baby killer."

Many veterans talked about the stark difference between the immediate aftermath of the war and Thursday's ceremony.

"Our dreams are no longer night terrors anymore," chaplain Dave DeDonato said.

Patriotic sounds and cheers filled the lawn in front of the Statehouse.

Gov. Henry McMaster read a proclamation declaring the special day. It comes a year after President Donald Trump officially signed the Vietnam War Recognition Act of 2017.

Nearly 3 million people, including 58,000 Americans, died in the decades-long war in southeast Asia, which ended in 1975.

Veterans said they returned home to a troubled country with some Americans conflicted by what many deemed a senseless war.

But on Thursday, veterans proudly wore war memorabilia, reminisced and exchanged stories about serving in the war.

Vietnam war veteran Bernie Shankman said he was drafted in 1943 and served in several conflicts including World War II and Korea. Shankman said veterans are being treated better now and the Statehouse event shows it.

"They served their country well, and I think they deserve to get everything they get," the 95-year-old Army veteran said.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles judge has determined that coffee companies must carry an ominous cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process.

Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle said Wednesday that Starbucks and other companies failed to show that benefits from drinking coffee outweighed any risks. He ruled in an earlier phase of trial that companies hadn't shown the threat from the chemical was insignificant.

The Council for Education and Research on Toxics, a nonprofit group, sued Starbucks and 90 other companies under a state law that requires warnings on a wide range of chemicals that can cause cancer. One is acrylamide, a carcinogen present in coffee.

Darlington Ibekwe, a lawyer who lives in Los Angeles, poses for a photo in front of a coffee shop in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 29, 2018. A Los Angeles judge has determined that California law requires coffee companies to carry an ominous cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process. Ibekwe said a cancer warning would be annoying but wouldn't stop him from treating himself to three lattes a week. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers)

"Defendants failed to satisfy their burden of proving ... that consumption of coffee confers a benefit to human health," Berle wrote in his proposed ruling.

The coffee industry had claimed the chemical was present at harmless levels and should be exempt from the law because it results naturally from the cooking process that makes beans flavorful. It also argued coffee was good for the body.

The ruling came despite eased concerns in recent years about the possible dangers of coffee, with some studies finding health benefits. In 2016, the International Agency for Research on Cancer - the cancer agency of the World Health Organization - moved coffee off its "possible carcinogen" list.

The lawsuit was brought under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, passed by voters in 1986. It allows private citizens, advocacy groups and attorneys to sue on behalf of the state and collect a portion of civil penalties.

The law has been credited with reducing chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects, such as lead in hair dyes, mercury in nasal sprays and arsenic in bottled water. But it's also been widely criticized for abuses by lawyers shaking down businesses for quick settlements.

"Coffee has been shown, over and over again, to be a healthy beverage," said William Murray, president and CEO of the National Coffee Association, in reaction to the decision. He argued the lawsuit "does nothing to improve public health."

The lawsuit has been brewing for eight years and is still not over. A third phase of trial will determine civil penalties of up to $2,500 per person exposed each day over eight years, an astronomical figure in a state of 40 million that appears unlikely to be imposed.

Attorney Raphael Metzger, who brought the lawsuit and drinks a few cups of coffee daily, wants the industry to remove the chemical from its process. Coffee companies have said that's not feasible.

"Getting it out is better for public health than leaving it in and warning people," he said.

Metzger's client brought a similar case later taken up by the state attorney general that resulted in potato-chip makers agreeing in 2008 to pay $3 million and remove acrylamide from their products.

The chip-makers opted to do that rather than post cancer warnings like those that are found, and largely ignored, throughout California.

Parking garages have signs warning of chemical dangers that can cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm. They note carbon monoxide and gas and diesel exhaust is present and that people should not to linger longer than necessary.

Many coffee companies have already posted warnings saying acrylamide is found in coffee. However, many are posted in places not easily visible like below counters where cream and sugar are available.

The judge has given the defense a couple weeks to file objections to the proposed ruling before he makes it final. California judges can reverse their tentative rulings, but rarely do.

About a dozen of the defendants in the case have previously settled and agreed to post warnings, Metzger said. With some defendants dismissed or affiliated with larger companies about 50 defendants remain.

Among the latest to settle was 7-Eleven, which agreed to pay $900,000. BP West Coast Products, which operates gas station convenience stores, agreed to pay $675,000.

Even at Starbucks shops where the labels are posted, many coffee drinkers are unaware of them.

Afternoon coffee drinkers at one shop in Los Angeles said they might look into the warning or give drinking coffee a second thought, but the cup of joe was likely to win out.

"I just don't think it would stop me," said Jen Bitterman, a digital marketing technologist. "I love the taste, I love the ritual, I love the high, the energy, and I think I'm addicted to it."

Darlington Ibekwe, a lawyer in Los Angeles, said a cancer warning would be annoying but wouldn't stop him from treating himself to three lattes a week.

"It's like cigarettes. Like, damn, now I've got to see this?" he said. "Dude, I'm enjoying my coffee."

___

Associated Press writer Amanda Lee Myers in Los Angeles and AP Chief Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee contributed to this story.

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2017, file photo, a barista pours steamed milk in a coffee at a cafe in Los Angeles. Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle has ruled that California law requires coffee companies to carry an ominous cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process. Judge Berle wrote in a proposed ruling Wednesday, March 28, 2018, that Starbucks and other coffee companies failed to show that the threat from a chemical compound produced in the roasting process was insignificant. At the center of the dispute is acrylamide, a carcinogen found in many cooked foods, that is produced during the roasting process. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Drought is tightening its grip across a wide swath of the American Southwest as farmers, ranchers and water managers throughout the region brace for what's expected to be more warm and dry weather through the spring.

A federal drought map released Thursday shows dry conditions intensifying across northern New Mexico and into southwestern Arizona. Every square mile of Nevada and Utah also are affected by at least some level of dryness.

On the southern high plains, Oklahoma is ground zero for the worst drought conditions in the United States.

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2011 file photo, a dust storm also known as a haboob in Arabic and around Arizona hovers over Queen Creek, Ariz. Drought is tightening its grip across a wide swath of the American Southwest as farmers, ranchers and water managers throughout the region brace for what's expected to be more warm and dry weather through the spring. The federal drought map released Thursday, March 29, 2018, shows dry conditions intensifying across northern New Mexico and into southwestern Arizona. Every square mile of Nevada and Utah also are affected by at least some level of dryness. (AP Photo/Matt York,File)

The exceptional drought in the Panhandle - an area dominated by agriculture - has more than doubled in size. Many farmers rely on precipitation to help water their crops as pumping groundwater is the only other option.

"We're in the irrigation period and it really would be fantastic to get some precipitation out in those areas," said Cole Perryman of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

Crop conditions around the region are declining as extreme drought spans from Kansas and Oklahoma to California. In New Mexico, about three-quarters of the winter wheat crop is in poor to very poor condition as meaningful moisture has been scarce since last fall.

Along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, the irrigation allotment will be less than half of what farmers received last year. Water orders will begin next week and officials with the local Irrigation district are encouraging growers to use their surface water as soon as crops demand it.

"As we get later in the release season, the possibility of us running out of surface water and shutting down gets larger," Phil King, a consultant with the district, said in a notice to farmers. "So it's sort of a use it or lose it type situation."

In Arizona, there's concern for ranchers as the poor range conditions have left stock tanks dry. On the Navajo Nation, a drought emergency was declared earlier this month and residents have started hauling water for their sheep and other livestock.

"It's been one of the drier years we've had," said Arizona state climatologist Nancy Selover. She warned of the increased chance for dust storms this spring.

But officials aren't expecting any cuts to the water delivery systems that serve much of Arizona's population.

Arizona residents have been living with a continuous drought declaration for years, said Tom Buschatzke, director of the state's Department of Water Resources.

Part of that is due to the situation within the state's own boundaries but also what's happening along the Colorado River, which supplies water to about 40 million people and 6,300 square miles (16,000 square kilometers) of farmland in seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

"It's getting to the point where the debate will continue to ramp up about whether this is really a drought or whether this is the new normal, what's the expected future," Buschatzke said. "There's certainly lots of data pointing to this being the new normal."
DALLAS (AP) - An anti-corruption group says Exxon Mobil bought rights to drill in an area off the coast of West Africa despite its concerns about possible corruption.

Global Witness said Thursday that Exxon knew that the oil field, called Block 13, had been previously awarded to another company through bribery.

The group said in a 40-page report that Exxon paid $120 million in 2013 for rights to explore for oil in the block by using a Canadian company as a middleman. Global Witness said the sale was accompanied by more than $200,000 in unusual payments from Liberia's oil agency to six government officials who approved the deal.

Exxon said that all payments went to verified Liberian government accounts. A spokesman said the company is confident that the deal complied with Liberian and international anti-corruption laws.

Global Witness is a London-based group that campaigns against corruption that often involves exploitation of natural resources in developing countries.

Jonathan Gant, an investigator for Global Witness, said the group received thousands of documents from sources in Liberia who were unhappy about the deal.

A document purporting to be a 2011 Exxon Mobil PowerPoint presentation to Liberian officials in London said the company wanted to structure its acquisition of Block 13 rights in a certain way "due to ExxonMobil concern over issues regarding US anti-corruption laws".

Exxon thought some owners of the Block 13 rights, a company called Peppercoast, may have been Liberian government officials at the time of winning the rights, and that Liberia's oil agency may have paid off legislators, according to the presentation.

Irving, Texas-based Exxon structured the deal as two contracts that resulted in Exxon being the majority owner of Block 13 rights while Canadian Overseas Petroleum got a minority stake.

Exxon spokesman Scott Silvestri said the terms of the deal were ratified by Liberia's government. "The process was transparent and the terms of the contract are publicly available," he said.

Silvestri said all money was paid to verified government accounts in ways approved by the Liberian legislature and complied with local and international law. He said Exxon is committed to complying with the U.S. anti-bribery law, called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and the laws of countries where it does business.
Tesla has issued what is believed to be its largest ever recall to fix a problem with power-assisted steering.

The recall affects 123,000 Model S sedans made before April 2016 and doesn't impact either Model X or Model 3 vehicles, according to the electric car company.

Tesla said it had observed 'excessive corrosion' in the power steering bolts, though only in very cold climates where salt is used to clear snow and ice from roads.

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Tesla said it had observed 'excessive corrosion' in the Model S's (pictured) power steering bolts, though only in very cold climates where salt is used to clear snow and ice from roads

No crashes or injuries have been reported as a result of the issue.

The recall only affects less than 0.02% of models on the road, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Five bolts holding the power steering motor in place can corrode and either come loose or break, possibly causing a loss of power steering. Manual steering would still work.

Failure of the part would make it harder to steer the car, but the company said it 'does not materially effect control at high speed'.

'This primarily makes the car harder to drive at low speeds and for parallel parking, but does not materially affect control at high speed, where only small steering wheel force is needed,' Tesla wrote in an email to customers.

Even though the issue was limited to cold climates, the firm is recalling all the cars, even in warm-weather climates, just in case.

Tesla said service centers will replace the bolts with ones that are more corrosion-resistant.

Even though the issue was limited to cold climates, the electric car manufacturer is recalling all the cars, even in warm-weather climates, just in case

The recall affects 123,000 Model S sedans made before April 2016 and doesn't impact either Model X or Model 3 vehicles. It is believed to be Tesla's largest-ever recall in the firm's history

The firm added that replacement parts will be available first in cold-weather areas, then in warmer climates.

The announcement likely marks the largest-ever recall in Tesla's history.

In 2015, Tesla recalled 90,000 of the electric sedans as a result of a faulty seat belt issue.

In 2016, the firm recalled 53,000 Model S and Model X vehicles due to a parking brake fault.

It caps off a rough week for billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk's electric car firm.

Tesla's stock has been battered more than 25% in the past month, marking one of its worst-performing months in a while.

That's after Moody's Investor Service on Tuesday downgraded Tesla's credit rating to B3 from B2.

The recall comes as investors have grown increasingly concerned about the firm's ability to meet Tesla CEO Elon Musk's (pictured) ambitious Model 3 production goals

THE 'ALIEN DREADNAUGHT' MAKING TESLA'S MODEL 3 Elon Musk has likened future versions of Tesla's Model 3 production line to an 'alien dreadnaught' Musk has said the facility, which is separate from the firm's 'Gigafactory', will be 'the machine that makes the machine,' and told analysts it will stun people. 'It's like, 'What the hell is that?'' said Musk. Musk revealed the in-house term for the manufacturing advancement he hopes to introduce is 'alien dreadnought.' 'The point at which that's what the factory looks like, that's when you know you've won.' He also revealed the line will evolve in stages. 'By version 3, it won't look like anything else,' he said. 'You can't have people in the production line itself, otherwise you drop to people speed. 'So there will be no people in production process itself. 'People will maintain the machines, upgrade them, and deal with anomalies.' However, there will still be people working in the factory, though, mostly overseeing the robots and making sure everything is running at peak efficiency. A Reddit user claiming to work for robot making company Kuka posted images in April 2017 of what he said were 467 robots being delivered to the car-making firm's California HQ. The photos show a large shipment of unmounted robots that will form part of the ambitious production line. SoutheastTraders forum user Mac11FA, via the Tesla subreddit, said he is a Field Service Engineer for Kuka Robotics. The robots captured in the photos appear to be largely manufactured by Augsburg, Germany-based Kuka robotics, according to Teslarati. The robots, each costing anywhere between $50k (35k) to as much as $500k (355k) can manage multiple tasks by switching adapters and moving across multiple axes. The first 30 models were handed over to customers during a glitzy ceremony at the company's factory in California last Friday. It came two days after the environment secretary Michael Gove announced a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040 'Kuka is the world's leading provider of production systems in the automotive industry,' the firm boasts on its website. 'With years of experience, we are the master in the design of flexible and efficient production processes.' The company's desire to move beyond its current position as a niche maker of luxury cars largely rests on the Model 3. The lower-cost model, which starts at $35,000 (35,000 anticipated UK price), has now gone on sale in the US. Tesla said it is preparing its factory in Fremont, California, to produce 10,000 Model 3 sedans per week sometime in 2018, up from its current production rate of 5,000 Palo Alto, California-based Tesla is also expanding its network of stores and charging stations to meet anticipated demand. Tesla said it plans to open 100 retail and service locations worldwide in 2018, including its first stores in Dubai and South Korea. It also plans to double the number of fast-charging Supercharger stations to 10,000. Advertisement

Moody's said the rating 'reflects the significant shortfall in the production rate of the company's Model 3 electric vehicle.'

The agency also said it's likely that Tesla will have to again raise significant capital to maintain liquidity.

Tesla has looked to eleventh-hour cash injections as a way to meet its ambitious production goals.

Despite this, the firm has so far been unable to meet Musk's lofty targets -- recently lowering its weekly production goals to 2,500 Model 3 vehicles by the end of March, and 5,000 per week by the end of June.

That's down from the company's year-earlier production expectations of 5,000 per week by the end of 2017 and 10,000 by the end of 2018.

Tesla is expected to give an update on production of its affordable Model 3 sedan soon.

US investigators said Tuesday they were examining a fatal crash Friday involving a Tesla in California. The California Highway Patrol reported that a 38-year-old man died Friday after his 2017 Tesla Model X collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View

Moody's Investor Service on Tuesday downgraded Tesla's credit rating to B3 from B2. The rating 'reflects the significant shortfall in the production rate' of the Model 3.

On top of that, federal investigators said they're looking into a fatal Model X crash in California.

The news comes as Elon Musk's other company, SpaceX, has had a recent string of successes.

SpaceX launched the latest batch of Iridium satellites to orbit today atop a reused Falcon 9 rocket.

The rocket, which was previously used for the Iridium 3 launch back in October, lifted off from the SpaceX Launch Complex Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 10:13 ET.

Todays launch marks the fifth set of 10 satellites the firm has delivered to orbit, for what will eventually be a global satellite constellation of 75 craft.
An MSP has attempted to legally bar maps from putting Shetland in a box rather than accurately and proportionately representing their location.

Maps of Scotland frequently move the Northern Isles to a box in the Moray Firth to save space.

Shetland MSP Tavish Scott called for a Shetland mapping requirement to be enshrined in law, via an amendment to the Islands (Scotland) Bill, stipulating the public authorities must not take the box option.

His amendment stated: The Shetland mapping requirement is that in any map of Scotland the Shetland Islands must be displayed in a manner that accurately and proportionately represents their geographical location in relation to the rest of Scotland.

Cross party support to put Shetland on the map in Holyrood today. Grateful to @HumzaYousaf in offering to get details right. #notinabox  Tavish Scott (@tavishscott) March 28, 2018

My contention is the islands should be in the right place on the map, the Liberal Democrat told Holyroods Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee.

If I was closer to the Moray Firth or indeed in the Moray Firth I wouldnt need to spend 12 hours going home on the boat from Aberdeen overnight.

This is simply to ensure that in future that government publications and documents do reflect the reality of Scotland in terms of its geography, and not something that fits neatly on an A4 sheet of paper.

Several committee members said they were sympathetic to the proposal, with Orkney MSP Liam McArthur saying his constituency suffered similar treatment.

One of the government documents referred to by Tavish Scott, which the Minister apologised for (Scottish Government/PA)

He said: There have been number of occasions that we have found ourselves bundled in a box and stuck in the Moray Firth.

He said the concern is more than presentational or superficial as it gives rise to the misconception the islands are nearer the mainland than they are.

Conservative MSP Peter Chapman opposed the move, saying map specialists had told him it would reduce the scale of any map by about 40%.

He said the loss of detail in favour of a whole chunk of sea would be counterproductive.

Islands Minister Humza Yousaf said he would not stand for a similar situation if maps misrepresented his constituency of Glasgow Pollok.

Got nice @OrdnanceSurvey chart to help folk find maps. But where's Shetland? Ah! Used to being in box in North Sea, not so often Irish Sea! pic.twitter.com/1yv0Ryhpl0  Shetland Library (@ShetlandLibrary) January 16, 2017

He said since Mr Scott raised the issue, instructions had been issued to publishers that government documents should seek to represent all the Scottish islands accurately.

Mr Yousaf urged Mr Scott to withdraw the amendment and work with the government to bring about change through agreement rather than law, warning it could be largely unenforceable.

He offered to contact all councils to encourage them to follow the Scottish Governments lead on publishing.

Mr Scott withdrew the amendment but stressed he wanted the change enshrined in law and would work with the government on a correct drafting ahead of the final stage of the bill.

The Islands Bill is aimed at strengthening and protecting island communities across Scotland and involves a requirement to island proof future laws and policies.
A lawyer for an adult film star claiming to have had a sexual encounter with President Donald Trump has filed a motion seeking evidence from the president and his lawyer.

In documents filed in the US District Court in California, Michael Avenatti is asking for evidence from Mr Trump and his lawyer Michael Cohen about a 130,000 US dollar (92,000) payment made to Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Avenatti wants to question each for no more than two hours In the filing. He says the court hearing is needed to establish if Mr Trump knew about the payment and if he consented to it.

Michael Cohen has said he paid the 130,000 dollars out of his own pocket (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

Were looking for sworn answers from the president and Mr Cohen about what they knew, when they knew it and what they did about it, Mr Avenatti told The Associated Press.

While he noted that in every case you always have to be open to settlement, Mr Avenatti said that at this point we dont see how this case would possibly be settled.

Mr Cohen has said he paid the 130,000 dollars out of his own pocket, while asserting Mr Trump never had sex with the porn actress.

In a statement to CBS, Mr Cohens lawyer David Schwartz called the filing a reckless use of the legal system in order to continue to inflate Michael Avenattis deflated ego and keep himself relevant.

Michael Avenatti wants to question Mr Trump and Mr Cohen (Joe Frederick/AP)

A hearing before Judge S James Otero in the federal courts Central District in Los Angeles is set for April 30.

As precedent, the motion references the fact that former president Bill Clinton was deposed while in office in 1998 during the Paula Jones sexual harassment suit.

That came after the Supreme Court ruled that a sitting president was not immune from civil litigation on something that happened before taking office and was unrelated to the office.

Ms Jones case was dismissed by a judge, then appealed. The appeal was still pending when Mr Clinton agreed to pay 850,000 dollars to Ms Jones to settle the case. He did not admit wrongdoing.
A pedestrian has suffered possible life-threatening injuries after a car ploughed into a pharmacy.

Passers-by said a silver car mounted the pavement in a busy Jewish shopping district in Golders Green Road, north west London, which was packed with people doing their Passover or Pesach shopping.

The London Ambulance Service (LAS) was called to the incident at 11.46am on Wednesday and crews treated two people at the scene.

Both have been taken as a priority to a major trauma centre.

The scene in Golders Green in north London where a car crashed into a pharmacy (PA)

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: A man has been taken to a central London hospital with possible life-threatening injuries.

We await an update on the other injured persons condition.

Road closures were put in place while emergency services dealt with the incident.

No arrests have been made.

The air ambulance, three ambulance crews, an incident response officer and a hazaradous area response team were sent to the scene by the LAS.

The incident happened in a busy shopping district (PA)

Local resident Sharon Klaff, 69, who was driving to work as a yoga teacher in the aftermath of the crash, was told that a man had been trapped under a car.

She said: It is a terrible thing to see. It is quite traumatic to watch. The police and the emergency services have been doing a fantastic job in caring for people. It is troubling to see. In my heart I am hoping it was just an accident.

When I came to the shop there was people holding the shopfront up so that the debris  like the sign  did not fall and hit anyone. People were trying to help and trying to make sure that no one got injured.

Police in #Barnet are on scene and dealing with a road traffic collision at Golders Green Road. Road closure is currently in place. The public are thanked for their co-operation.  Barnet MPS | North West BCU (@MPSBarnet) March 28, 2018

Passer-by David Collier tweeted: Tragic. People holding shop front up . Certainly serious injury. People just out for pesach shopping. Heartbreaking.

CST, a charity that helps British Jews tackle antisemitism, tweeted that it appeared to be an accident.

CST has discussed with Police and can confirm that traffic incident in Golders Green Road appears to be an accident.  CST (@CST_UK) March 28, 2018

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said fire crews from Hendon, Finchley and Paddington fire stations were called out to a road traffic accident involving a car in collision with a shop front.
Melrose Industries has stressed its commitment to improving not only GKN, but the UK economy in comments that its takeover target said smacked of desperation ahead of a crucial shareholder vote.

GKNs chairman hit out at Melrose as it made last-ditch efforts to convince investors that the firm would thrive under the leadership of its own management as part of an 8.1 billion acquisition.

The UK engineering firms boss, Mike Turner, said: This mornings blizzard of announcements by Melrose, drafted in increasingly hysterical language, smacks of desperation.

Over the last three months, it has become clear to GKN that Melroses attempts to engage with a broad group of GKNs stakeholders  its customers, its employees, its pensioners, regulators such as CFIUS and most recently the UK Government  have been hurriedly conducted and demonstrate a lack of care and preparation.

Each one of these areas represents future risks that go to the value of the Melrose offer.

He hit out at what he called a costly last-minute agreement on pensions, and Melroses willingness to commit to owning GKNs Aerospace division for at least five years in order to assuage Government concerns over short-term interests.

Mr Turner said the concessions significantly limited Melroses flexibility to develop the business and ultimately impact its value, saying the unit would fare better under its own plans to be a separately quoted, pure play aerospace business which is free of the constraints that Melrose are now accepting.

He added: This is what we are offering to shareholders. We built this world class business over many years and are totally committed to developing it in a manner that maximises value for our shareholders.

It marks the latest salvo in a tit-for-tat battle over Melroses hostile bid ahead of the much anticipated shareholder vote.

GKN investors have until 1pm on March 29 to cast their ballots on the controversial deal.

The comments come after Melrose followed up on an exchange of letters with Business Secretary Greg Clark, whose calls for binding agreements over its proposals for GKN sparked a raft of assurances from Melrose a day earlier, including plans to keep the firm listed and headquartered in the UK.

Business Secretary Greg Clark called for `binding agreements over Melroses proposals for GKN (Victoria Jones/PA)

Melrose fully stands behind its plan to work for the improvement of not only GKN, but the UK economy as well, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Melrose said its constructive discussions with the Government minister and the exchange of letters demonstrated a commitment to GKN that its current board sadly lacks.

Melrose said earlier this week that it was ready to make a five-year commitment to the business, having agreed with the Takeover Panel to maintain its UK listing and headquarters and ensure that a majority of its directors are resident in the UK.

It would also make sure that the Aerospace and Driveline divisions retain the rights to the GKN name and maintain GKNs current level of research and development investments.

GKN expressed concerns over the future of its Driveline division under Melroses ownership (David Jones/PA)

That was alongside a pledge to guarantee it would not sell the Aerospace Division before April 2023.

Melroses letter responded to a number of Mr Clarks concerns, having also called for GKN to continue as a UK taxpayer, pay suppliers promptly, make arrangements for current and future pensioners, and invest in the training and development of the workforce.

He also stressed that a short-term approach would not be in the best interests of defence and national security, adding that he would like Melrose to rule out a short-term sale of the business barring Government consent.
The Bank of England has confirmed European banks and finance firms will be able to operate in the UK under existing rules until the end of the Brexit transition deal.

Following the agreement reached last week, the Bank said that lenders and clearing houses will be able to continue using existing passport rights to operate in the UK throughout the transition period until the end of 2020.

The Bank said it was reasonable for these firms to plan that they will be able to continue undertaking these activities during the implementation period in much the same way as now.

The Bank of England has confirmed that European banks and finance firms will be able to operate in the UK under existing rules until the end of the Brexit transition deal.

The Bank has made clear to relevant firms that they may plan on the assumption that UK authorisation or recognition will only be needed by the end of the implementation period, the Bank added.

A 21-month transition deal was agreed at an EU summit this month, giving firms more time to meet new rules under Brexit and prepare their contingency planning.

While it is not final, the Bank said firms should have confidence in a back-stop provided under government plans to legislate, if necessary, to create temporary permission regimes to allow relevant firms to continue their activities in the UK for a limited period after withdrawal.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also welcomed the transition deal and said it will report back with further details on the temporary permission regime later in the year.

Lobby group UK Finance said the announcements offered much-needed clarity for firms.

Stephen Jones, chief executive of UK Finance, said: The impetus is now on EU regulators to follow suit, and for both sides to work together on cross-border models of supervision that businesses on both sides of the Channel can rely on throughout the implementation period.

Without similar assurances from EU regulators, UK-based firms serving customers in the EU will be forced to continue implementing costly contingency plans.
Jared Leto has said that he broke up a fight that erupted during his bands recent Cardiff show because concerts should be a safe place for everyone.

The actor and 30 Seconds To Mars frontman, who is on tour in the UK with the rest of the band, said that he stopped mid-performance of This Is War to tell the brawling fans to just chill.

Leto (centre) with 30 Seconds To Mars (Sean Dempsey/PA)

He told Absolute Radios Dave Berry: I just think people got a little carried away, having a little too much fun and, you know, its a rock and roll show so, its not uncommon for people to get pretty passionate in the audience.

He added that its a little bit of passion but, you know, concerts should be a safe place for everyone.

He continued: I just stopped the show and took care of business.

Leto also revealed that he thinks Brad Pitt would make a great US president.

Addressing who would make the best president out of the original Fight Club trio of Leto, Pitt and Edward Norton, the actor and rocker responded that a Pitt-Norton presidency would make an interesting ticket.

Leto went on to describe his former co-star in the 1999 cult hit as just the nicest guy you could ever imagine with an incredibly warm energy.

He added that Brad is so smart. He seems to be really analytical.

30 Seconds To Mars was formed in 1998 and consists of Jared on lead vocals, his brother Shannon Leto on drums and Tomo Milicevic on lead guitar.

The band will perform in Birmingham tomorrow before continuing the European leg of their tour in Portugal.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean president Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, South Korean officials have said.

The summit, only the third ever between the Koreas, could prove significant in the global diplomatic push to resolve the stand-off over the Norths nuclear programme.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, centre, shakes hands with a North Korean official at a meeting to prepare for the April summit between their leaders (Korea Pool/AP)

The announcement was made after a high-level meeting between the two countries in the border village of Panmunjom on Thursday. Few other details were released.

The Koreas will hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues.

North Koreas Tongilgak building, the venue for the high-level talks between the two Koreas (Korea Pool/AP)

The current talks follow a surprise meeting this week between Mr Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The North Korean leader may also meet US President Donald Trump.
Bargain Booze owner Conviviality plans to appoint administrators within the next 10 business days unless circumstances change, putting 2,500 jobs at risk.

The company said it will continue trading over that period in the hope of preserving as much value as possible for its stakeholders.

It will keep working alongside advisers and said it is exploring a number of inbound enquiries regarding a potential sale of all or parts of the business.

Following discussions with its lending banks, the board has resolved to file notice of intention to appoint administrators to the company, Conviviality said in a market announcement.

Unless circumstances change, and in accordance with statutory requirements, the board intend to appoint administrators within 10 business days.

Over the past few weeks, the firm has seen its chief executive Dianna Hunter step down after issuing a string of profit warnings and revealing a 30 million tax bill.

Conviviality was forced to go cap in hand to investors to raise 125 million as a result, but it has been unable to convince them of its long-term future.

Ms Hunter, a former Waitrose director, had been chief executive since 2013 and led the group through its stock market flotation in the same year.

Toys R Us have filed for administration in a nightmare quarter for the retail sector (Yui Mok/PA)

She also oversaw a number of acquisitions, including Wine Rack, Matthew Clark and Bibendum.

Non-executive chairman David Adams has taken her place until further notice.

The companys collapse would cap a nightmare quarter for the retail sector.

Since January, Toys R Us and Maplin have filed for administration, while fashion retailers such as New Look and Select have embarked on radical store closure programmes.

Piling on the misery has been the under-pressure casual dining sector, with Prezzo, Byron and Jamies Italian all shutting restaurants and culling hundreds of jobs.
UK financial-technology firm Nex Group has agreed to a 3.9 billion takeover by US futures exchange giant CME, but the pair warned over plans to slash around 750 jobs after the deal.

The groups confirmed around 16% of the combined workforce is expected to be axed following the tie-up and said there will be potential office closures.

The combined firms operations, IT, and selling, general and administrative functions are expected to be in line for cuts in the first three years following completion of the deal, they said.

Nex Group and US futures exchange giant CME have warned over plans to slash 16% of their workforce after agreeing a 3.9 billion tie-up (PA)

They also cautioned that there may be offices shut where they both have sites in London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing and Sydney.

Nex  which employs around 2,000 staff worldwide  will see its London headquarters merged with CMEs, which is based in Chicago, although the firms said their European HQ will be based in London in a boost to the City amid Brexit talks.

Nex founder and chief executive Michael Spencer  the former treasurer of the Conservative Party  will join the CME board and will remain with the combined group as a special adviser.

He will also act as ambassador for the combined company working with key clients, regulators and officials in EMEA and Asia.

The deal, which follows weeks of talks, will create a global markets giant, combining the worlds largest futures exchange with Nexs expertise in currency and sovereign debt markets.

Nex  formerly known as Icap  also owns assets that process millions of derivatives, equities and currency deals.

The deal is expected to complete in the second quarter.

Mr Spencer said it was an industry-changing transaction.

He said: Bringing together cash and futures products and OTC services will be unique, offering clients improved access to trading, greater financial efficiencies and highly valuable data sets.

The technology and innovation opportunities will be diverse and extraordinary. Clients will be better served.

He added that CMEs decision to choose London as its European HQ was a signal of tremendous support for Britains financial services sector.

Terry Duffy, chairman and chief executive of CME, said: At a time when market participants are seeking ways to lower trading costs and manage risk more effectively, the acquisition will allow us to create significant value and efficiencies for our clients globally.

CME is hoping to make cost savings of around 200 million US dollars (142 million) a year after the Nex takeover.

Justin Bates, an analyst at Liberum, said the 10 a share cash-and-stock offer price shows CME is clearly aiming to deter any competitive threat.

But he added: This is a good price, however the 50% cash component might be a little disappointing for some and thus leaves the door ajar for a competing offer with a higher cash component.

Nexs forerunner Icap was founded by City grandee Mr Spencer in 1986 and was the worlds largest interdealer brokerage  which involves brokering deals in complex derivatives products between banks.

It then sold its brokerage arm in 2016 to rival Tullett Prebon to focus on electronic trading and financial technology, rebranding itself as Nex.

For CME, the takeover will be its biggest since it acquired New York Mercantile Exchange for around 10 billion US dollars (7.1 billion) in 2008.

CME employs around 2,800 staff worldwide.
A family of eight who gained attention in the US for an emotional photograph of an African-American boy hugging a white police officer at a 2014 protest were killed when their SUV plunged off a scenic California highway, authorities said.

We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said, appealing for tips to retrace where the siblings and two parents had been before the vehicle was found on Monday in rocky ocean.

We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy, he added.

Some friends described married couple Jennifer and Sarah Hart as loving parents who took their adopted kids to Bernie Sanders rallies, while neighbours said they called child welfare officials in their rural Washington state community over concerns about possible abuse or had noticed red flags.

The California Highway Patrol has not determined why the vehicle went off an ocean overlook on a rugged part of coastline.

A specialised team of accident investigators was trying to figure that out, Mr Allman said.

The Hart family at a Bernie Sanders rally in 2016 (Tristan Fortsch/KATU News/AP/PA)

There were no skid marks, there were no brake marks at the turnout on the Pacific Coast Highway where the vehicle went over, the sheriff said.

Investigators have no reason to believe the crash was intentional, he said.

The 100-foot (31m) drop killed the women, both 39, and their children Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14. Hannah Hart, 16; Devonte Hart, 15; and Sierra Hart, 12, have not been found.

The family got attention after Devonte Hart was photographed during a 2014 protest in Portland, Oregon, over a grand jurys decision not to indict a police officer in the shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Missouri.

The boy, holding a Free Hugs sign, stood crying. A Portland officer saw his sign and asked if he could have a hug, and an emotional Devonte embraced him in a picture that was widely shared.

At the time, Jennifer Hart wrote on social media: My son has a heart of gold, compassion beyond anything Ive ever experienced, yet struggles with living fearlessly when it comes to the police.  He wonders if someday when he no longer wears a Free Hugs sign around his neck, when hes a full-grown black male, if his life will be in danger for simply being.

The family travelled to many festivals throughout the area  including events for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders  and were known for wearing matching T-shirts.

The Harts lived in Woodland, Washington, a small city outside Portland, Oregon, and had a recent visit from Child Protective Services, Clark County sheriffs Sergeant Brent Waddell told The Associated Press.

He said the sheriffs office later entered the house and found no obvious signs of trouble or violence. It appeared the family planned a short trip because they left behind a pet, chickens and most of their belongings.

Next-door neighbours Bruce and Dana DeKalb said they called child services Friday because they were concerned that Devonte Hart, who hugged the officer at the protest, was going hungry.

They said he had been coming over to their house too often in the past week asking for food.

They also recounted that three months after the family moved into the home on two acres with a fenced pasture in May 2017, one of the girls rang their doorbell at 1:30am.

She was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her, Bruce DeKalb said. She said that they were abusing her. It haunted my wife since that day.

In 2011, Sarah Hart pleaded guilty to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota. Her plea led to the dismissal of a charge of malicious punishment of a child, online court records say.
Viewers were eager to see the US television reboot of Roseanne, with an estimated 18.4 million tuning in to its debut on ABC.

The updated sitcom starring Roseanne Barr returned on Tuesday in America, more than two decades after the original ended its hit run.

The hour-long debut episode was watched by 10 percent more viewers than saw the May 1997 finale of the original run.

NBCs Will & Grace also returned this season with its original 1998-2006 cast to a debut audience of 10.1 million viewers and was quickly renewed for a second and then a third season.

In its first year back, the NBC show is averaging 5.7 million people watching episodes on the day they air. But with the time-shifting viewership that networks are focusing on, the Will & Grace audience averages 9 million per episode over a seven-day period.

From left, Whitney Cummings, Michael Fishman, John Goodman, Jayden Rey, Roseanne Barr, Sara Gilbert, Sarah Chalke and Emma Kenney arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of "Roseanne" (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Roseannes estimated audience growth from the first half-hour (18 million) to the second (18.9 million), is a sign that viewers liked what they saw.

The revival had a coat-tail effect for the ABC shows that followed, significantly boosting viewership for Black-ish and helping to launch the new Jenna Fischer-Oliver Hudson comedy Splitting Up Together.

What's up everyone! It's past my moms bed time in NYC so I'll be live tweeting for us folks on the West Coast! I haven't seen any of the episodes yet so I am

So excited and proud of her no matter what!



P.S. Keep your eyes peeled for this handsome dude on the set!

-Buck.T pic.twitter.com/A3orUxZtaf  Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) March 28, 2018

Barr is back as the matriarch of the Conner family, with other returning cast mates including John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman and Lecy Goranson.

The family is grappling with new sets of personal issues and political realities: Roseanne embraces President Donald Trump while her sister Jackie (Metcalf) is a staunch opponent, leaving the two at odds.

Barr says she thought it was important to show how the Conners deal with the same issues that many American families currently face.

It shows peoples different opinions and how they resolve them, Barr, who counts herself as a Trump supporter, said at the shows New York premiere on Monday.

I saw it happening in all the families I know, so I thought, Well this is, you know, its good, hopefully it will get people talking to each other.
Amazon has been announced as the new broadcast sponsor for the second series of Channel 4s The Great British Bake Off in a deal reported to be worth around 5 million.

The sponsorship also extends across Bake Off: An Extra Slice, any festive episodes and Bake Off: The Professionals.

Last years sponsors were Lyles Golden Syrup and Dr Oetker, marking the first time the popular baking programme had received sponsorship following its move from the commercial-free BBC to Channel 4.

The Great British Bake Off judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood with 2017 winner Sophie Faldo (Channel 4/PA)

Channel 4s head of digital and partnership innovation, Jonathan Lewis, said: Its a great testimony to the success of Bake Offs debut on Channel 4 last year that Amazon will sponsor the Bake Off programme brands this year.

Were looking forward to working with Amazon as we build towards the launch of one of the biggest TV events of the year.

According to the Guardian, the deal is believed to be worth around 5 million.

A key focus of the sponsorship for Amazon will be promoting Amazon Echos speakers and the capabilities of voice service Alexa, a release said.

The Great British Bake Off judges and presenters (left to right) Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith, Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig (Channel 4/PA)

The shows judges, Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, will return for Channel 4s second series of the baking show, alongside hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig.

Last year the shows debut on Channel 4 delivered some of the highest ratings for the broadcaster to date.

The 2017 Bake Off final was watched by 10 million  six million down on the ratings for the 2016 final on BBC One, but the fourth biggest audience in Channel 4s 35-year history, figures from an analysis by the Press Association of the top 40 biggest audiences of 2017 show.

The eighth series of Bake Off was won by Sophie Faldo.
The funerals of some of the victims of the shopping mall fire in Russia which killed 64 people, many of them children, have taken place in the Siberian city of Kemerovo.

The city of half a million people 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) east of Moscow is paralysed by grief over the fire last Sunday that engulfed the mall, killing dozens, including some locked inside a cinema.

While families were burying their loved ones, local residents in another part of the city were taking flowers to a makeshift memorial.

The deadly fire caused an outpouring of grief and indignation against local authorities.

People stand behind the banner with the word Kemerovo, and Remember, made up of candles on the ground, in the Chechen capital Grozny, Russia (Musa Sadulayev/AP)

The Kemerovo governor never visited the site of the fire, while President Vladimir Putin did not announce a period of national mourning until days after the fire.

Many locals mistrust the investigators and fear authorities might be hiding the real scale of the disaster.

We still dont know what really happened, and no one takes the responsibility, said 37-year-old nurse Valentina Skripchenko, who brought three roses to the makeshift memorial outside the mall.

And Tatyana Stupel, whose neighbours daughter died at the mall, had a poster she placed at the memorial along with flowers taken away by an unknown individual in plain clothes.

She said she had written No-one takes the responsibility on a piece of paper because locals didnt get the answers about what happened.

While the city was mourning, the investigation into the fire was ongoing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, centre, pauses during a minute of silence to commemorate the victims of the fire (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

So far, investigators have identified a short circuit as a possible cause and said the emergency exits were locked shut, hampering any evacuation.

On Wednesday, a local court arrested one of the malls tenants, the malls technical director, two employees of a company maintaining the fire alarm system and a security guard who the investigators said turned off the fire alarm.

The family of 10-year-old Vadim Chmykhalov laid the boy to rest at a cemetery on the outskirts of town where a fresh row of graves has the marks of March 25, the date of the fire.

The graves of young children are covered with flowers and teddy bears.

The boys aunt, Irina Chumakova, dressed in black and sobbing said she feels alone with the grief.

We want to know the truth, she said. But who is going to tell us? They are washing their hands off it and shifting responsibility.
The Duke of Edinburgh missed the annual Maundy Service attended by the Queen because of a problem with his hip, it is understood.

Philip, who has effectively retired from royal duties, was hoping to join the monarch at the centuries-old event being staged this year at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle  where Prince Harry will marry Meghan Markle in May.

During the Royal Maundy Service, The Queen distributes Maundy money to people who have done great work in their local communities. pic.twitter.com/zFtA5D7k14  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2018

But it is understood the 96-year-old duke, who has traditionally accompanied the Queen at the ceremony, took the decision not to take part because he has been experiencing some trouble with his hip.

It is not thought to be a serious issue as Philip, who was named as a guest in the order of service for the Maundy Thursday event, was spotted driving in Windsor Great Park on Wednesday.

The Queen at the Royal Maundy service in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle (Steve Parsons/PA)

Buckingham Palace would not comment on the his health but said: The order of service was printed some weeks ago when it was hoped the Duke would be able to take part. His Royal Highness has since decided not to attend.

Last week, Philip pulled out of an official engagement with the Queen and Duke of York because he was unwell, according to reports.

The Queen distributes the traditional Maundy money during the Royal Maundy service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor (Steve Parsons/PA)

He was due to attend an event at Windsor Castle to mark Andrews new role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards but was unable to attend because he was feeling under the weather the Daily Mail reported.

He stepped down from his public duties last summer but on occasion does attend events with the Queen.

When it was announced last year that he would be retiring from official engagements, Buckingham Palace stressed that the decision was not health-related and he had the full support of the Queen.

The Queen seemed in good spirits during the service (Steve Parsons/PA)

The Queen appeared in good spirits during the service, which is held on Maundy Thursday every year and is a firm fixture in her calendar.

The monarch marks the occasion by offering alms to senior citizens  retired pensioners recommended by clergy and ministers of all denominations  in recognition of service to the Church and to the local community.

As she distributed the Maundy money to 92 men and 92 women  to mark the fact that she will be 92 this year  the Queen smiled warmly at the recipients who were given two purses  one red and one white.

This year the Red Purse contains a 5 coin, commemorating four Generations of Royalty and a 50p coin commemorating the Representation of the People Act 1918, which reformed the electoral system in Great Britain and Ireland, giving some women the right to vote for the first time. pic.twitter.com/P5YzS2VGMQ  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2018

This year, the red purse contains a 5 coin, commemorating four generations of royalty, and a 50p coin commemorating the Representation of the People Act 1918, which reformed the electoral system in Great Britain and Ireland, giving some women the right to vote for the first time. Both coins have been minted in 2018.

The white purse contains uniquely minted Maundy money  silver one, two, three and four penny pieces  to the value of 92p.

The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which originated in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples the day before Good Friday.

Each year, HM offers 'alms' to senior citizens recommended by clergy and ministers of all denominations, in recognition of their service to their Church and local Community.



The dishes that the Maundy money is presented on dates back to the 1660s. pic.twitter.com/JUr9owp4h1  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2018

Before leaving, the Queen posed for a picture on the steps of St Georges Chapel with the Yeomen of the Guard and the senior clergy who conducted the service.
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and senior figures of the French government are attending the funerals in southern France for the four victims of last weeks extremist gun rampage.

The ceremonies are taking place in the quiet Aude region that was the site of a deadly carjacking, gun spree and supermarket hostage-taking.

The son, second right, of victim Jean Mazieres reacts with relatives and French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, right, during a ceremony for three victims of last weeks extremist gun rampage in Trebes, southern France (Fred Lancelot/AP)

Mr Philippe spoke to families of the victims and local residents in Trebes as the funeral convoys of Herve Sosna, Christian Medves and Jean Mazieres arrived  and their coffins were put on display in a large square.

Mr Mazieres, 60, was killed by attacker Redouane Lakdim during the carjacking; Mr Medves, 50, was shot in the supermarket, where he worked as a butcher; and construction worker Mr Sosna, 65, was a customer in the supermarket.

A private religious ceremony took place afterwards for gendarme Arnaud Beltrame in nearby Carcassonne, and it will be followed by a burial later in the cemetery of Ferrals-les-Corbieres.

The funeral convoy of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame arrives outside the Carcassonne cathedral in southern France (Fred Lancelot/AP)

On Wednesday, France held a national homage to Mr Beltrame, who was given a posthumous Legion of Honour for his heroism in swapping himself for a hostage and potentially preventing further killings.
Sir David Attenboroughs next big series could involve tackling the frozen third of the planet  after the BBC revealed a new series in the works via a job advert.

The makers of Blue Planet II have been advertising for a producer on an ambitious landmark series for BBC1.

Due to air in 2021, it will reveal the wonder and majesty of the frozen third of our planet.

Sir David Attenborough (Ian West/PA)

The show will transport the audience into new worlds, from deep beneath the Arctic sea ice to the top of the Himalayas.

The new programme could be a sequel to 2011s Frozen Planet, which explored the polar regions of the planet and featuring Sir David.

If Sir David were to narrate the new show, he would be 95 when it aired.

The BBC did not comment on the advert, uncovered by The Times, which asks for a producer who will oversee filming in high altitude, ice diving and deep sea submersibles.

Blue Planet II was a huge hit last year and brought the issue of plastic pollution to mass attention.
Newlywed transgender Army officer Hannah Winterbourne and her husband are hoping to start a family.

Captain Winterbourne, 31, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, married Jake Graf, 40, who has also undergone gender reassignment having been born a woman, in London last week.

It turned out that Capt Winterbournes first date in a transgender relationship was with the person who would be her future husband.

Captain Hannah Winterbourne is a nominee for a Sun Military Award (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Mr Graf, a writer, director and actor who also describes himself as a trans advocate, jokingly told ITVs Good Morning Britain programme: It is great because she has no point of reference whatsoever.

He added: Hannah is amazing with children and we look after my niece and nephew quite a lot.

For us, kids is a definite whether that be surrogacy or adoption or however we do it  we most certainly want a family at some point and hopefully soon.

Capt Winterbourne joined the Army as a man but made the decision to begin transitioning into a woman five years ago during a tour of Afghanistan.

She told Good Morning Britain: I was really nervous about putting myself out there on the dating scene.

Dating someone who is also transgender just meant that I did not have those awkward conversations, not just with Jake but with his wider family and friends.

They were an educated group of people who knew what it meant to be transgender and that took a lot of pressure off.
Malaysias government has cut the proposed punishment in a bill prohibiting fake news from 10 to six years in prison.

The move comes after an outcry from rights groups and opposition legislators who say it aims to silence dissent ahead of a general election.

The anti-fake news bill, presented in parliament on Monday, is being debated by legislators and is expected to be approved next week.

In addition to imprisonment, it also calls for a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit (92,000).

Azalina Othman, minister in charge of law, said the government decided to reduce the prison term after considering views from several parties.

She told parliament that the government will also amend a clause to make it a crime to maliciously create fake news, instead of knowingly in the original draft.

Rights activists say the bill, which covers all media and extends even to foreigners outside Malaysia, appears aimed at shutting down discussions of a multibillion-dollar financial scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Malaysias Prime Minister Najib Razak denies any wrongdoing (Sadiq Asyraf/AP)

They also fear the bill could be used against critics of gerrymandering or other aspects of the electoral process.

On Wednesday, parliament approved controversial new constituency boundaries for national elections due in August, but widely expected in the next few weeks.

Malaysias fake news bill is a blatant attempt by the government to prevent any and all news that it doesnt like, whether about corruption or elections, said Brad Adams, Asia director for New York-based Human Rights Watch.

The proposed law uses draconian penalties and broad language in an audacious and unprecedented effort to control discussion of Malaysia worldwide.

Ms Azalina denied the bill will curb free speech and said it will stop fake news from going viral, which could hurt national security and interracial harmony.

Fake news is bad news stories that have been fabricated or changed and spread without a conscious consideration of the impact it could have on the people, she said, adding that the legislation will make people more responsible in publishing and sharing news.

Government officials have accused the opposition coalition of using fake news to win votes and warned that any news about the indebted 1MDB state fund that has not been verified by the government is fake.

Commuters use their mobile phones next to an advertisement discouraging the dissemination of fake news at a train station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Vincent Thian/AP)

The US and several other countries are investigating allegations of cross-border embezzlement and money laundering at 1MDB, which was set up and previously led by Mr Najib to promote economic development, but which accumulated billions in debt.

The US Justice Department says at least 4.5 billion US dollars (3.2 billion) was stolen from 1MDB by associates of Mr Najib, and it is working to seize 1.7 billion dollars (1,2 billion) taken from the fund to buy assets in the US, potentially its largest asset seizure ever.

Mr Najib, who denies any wrongdoing, has fired critics in his government and muzzled the media since the corruption scandal erupted three years ago.

Support for Mr Najibs ruling coalition has dwindled in the last two elections.

In 2013, it lost the popular vote for the first time to the opposition.

Yet analysts say Mr Najib is expected to win a third term due to infighting in the opposition, the unfavourable electoral boundary changes and strong support for the government among rural ethnic Malays.

Other Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore and the Philippines, have also proposed laws to clamp down on fake news.
The NHS Tayside board was misled over the state of the organisations finances, a Holyrood committee has heard.

Health chiefs faced a grilling by MSPs on the Public Audit Committee after the emergence of fresh financial irregularities at the troubled health board.

NHS chief executive Paul Gray said he was very unhappy about the situation but there had been deliberate obscuring of information from board members.

NHS chief executive Paul Gray said he was `very unhappy about the situation at NHS Tayside (Scottish Parliament/PA)

He told the committee he expected NHS Tayside to require a further loan from the government of between 9 and 12 million.

A review carried out by accountants Grant Thornton found that since 2012 the health board had misrepresented its financial performance by holding 5.3 million that had been allocated by the Scottish Government for eHealth initiatives.

The report found that in 2016/17 the health board effectively used the money that was being held to offset general expenditure, making its financial position look more favourable.

It concluded there was a lack of openness, governance and wider transparency over the transactions between 2012 and 2017.

MSPs on the committee questioned why the irregularities were not picked up by the NHS Tayside board at an earlier stage and what questions had been asked by senior figures including chief executive Lesley McLay.

Mr Gray said: I do not wish to present to the committee some analysis that says this is a good situation, it is not. It is something about which I think to call it disappointed would be putting it mildly.

These transactions were in my view carried out in a way which was intended to obscure them from the board of NHS Tayside and that is what happened.

Checks and balances will deal with it up to a point but were reliant on honesty and integrity.

Asked by SNP MSP Colin Beattie if that had been absent, he added: I have said what the Grant Thornton report says, the knowledge was contained in a particular way and wasnt passed on.

Mr Beattie said: So the board effectively was misled?

I would say so, Mr Gray replied.

NHS Tayside had already requested a 4 million loan from the Scottish Government in 2017-18  on top of previous brokerage of 33.2 million it had received the previous year.

Mr Gray added: As we close off the end of this financial year which we are now approaching my expectation is that I will provide brokerage to Tayside in the range of 9 to 12 million. That will take the overall brokerage into the 40 millions.

Will we get it back? Do I have confidence? I have a strong expectation that we will get it back, my confidence will increase over time.

Has it been detrimental to the rest of the NHS? No.

The committee heard the health boards director of finance Lindsay Bedford had been suspended and an internal investigation launched shortly before he decided to retire.

Defending her scrutiny of the boards finances, Ms McLay said: There isnt anybody more disappointed to be here in front of the committee on this issue.

There is a level of accountability, clearly I am the chief accountable officer, but I also delegate and there is a level that you have to trust.

Chairman Professor John Connell also expressed his extreme disappointment saying: We would feel we have been let down and we have let down the committee.
A father who killed his six-week-old baby son by vigorously shaking him has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years, Scotland Yard said.

Pedro Rubim, 43, was found guilty of Alejandro Rubims manslaughter at central Londons Blackfriars Crown Court on Wednesday after a trial.

The court heard he caused fatal injuries to his son while Alejandros mother, nanny Maribel Rodriguez, 40, was visiting the dentist.

Pedro Rubim, 43, was found guilty of manslaughter at central Londons Blackfriars Crown Court (Met Police/PA)

He called paramedics to the family home in Hampstead, north-west London, on the morning of February 20 2016, but the child died in hospital four days later.

Alejandro had suffered serious head and eye injuries consistent with what is often called a shaken baby, jurors were told.

Man found guilty of manslaughter following death of baby boy https://t.co/x0wA2Jq20B pic.twitter.com/GRiEEwUevR  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 29, 2018

Rubim, who worked as an administration assistant for financial firm Global Asset Management, told his partner, police and medics the baby fell from his bouncer on a sofa bed while his back was turned.

But, during the trial, police said he admitted he had shaken his baby twice  first gently, then more vigorously when he found him collapsed on the floor, in an attempt to revive his son.

Speaking after Rubim was sentenced to jail for eight-and-a-half years on Wednesday, Detective Constable David West, from the Metropolitan Police, said: Alejandro should have been safe with his father, whose duty it was to love and protect his child.

Pedro failed in that duty, his actions directly resulted in the death of Alejandro, a fact he will have to come to terms with and reconcile as time passes by.

This has been a heart-breaking case for the rest of Alejandros family, who are still struggling to come to terms with his loss.
US President Donald Trump has called Roseanne Barr after an estimated 18.4 million viewers tuned in for the reboot of Roseanne.

Speaking by telephone on ABCs Good Morning America on Thursday, Barr said Wednesday nights call was pretty exciting.

Barr said Mr Trump congratulated her and talked about television and ratings.

From left, Whitney Cummings, Michael Fishman, John Goodman, Jayden Rey, Roseanne Barr, Sara Gilbert, Sarah Chalke and Emma Kenney arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of Roseanne in Burbank, California (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

She said the Republican was happy for her, adding: Ive known him for many years and hes done a lot of nice things for me over the years.

Barr has been a Trump supporter and plays a supporter on the updated sitcom.

Roseanne returned on Tuesday, more than two decades after the original ended its hit run.

The hour-long debut episode was watched by 10% more viewers than saw the May 1997 finale of ABCs original Roseanne.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney will represent two journalists detained in Burma.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo  reporters for the Reuters news agency  are being held in a Yangon prison after being arrested in December.

They are being held under the countrys Official Secrets Act, a statute which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Amal Clooney specialises in international law and human rights (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The journalists had been working on an investigation into the massacre of 10 Rohingya men and boys in the Rakhine State.

Barrister Ms Clooney, who specialises in international law and human rights, confirmed on Thursday that she has joined their legal team.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news, she said.

I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately.

Yet they have been denied bail and face 14 years in prison.

The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmars commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech.

Gail Gove, Reuters chief counsel, added: We will pursue all avenues to secure our reporters release.

Retaining Ms Clooney greatly strengthens our international legal expertise and allows us to broaden those efforts.
A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with a failed car attack on French soldiers, a police official said.

The official said the unnamed man was arrested in his home in Grenoble on Thursday on suspicion of driving at soldiers who were out jogging near their military barracks and shouting death threats.

He said the woman was arrested in Echirolles, a suburb of Grenoble, and was the owner of the car used in the attack.

None of the soldiers, from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, was injured (Peter Byrne/PA)

The official could not say what connection the two have to one another.

They are both currently being questioned by police in Grenoble.

Colonel Benoit Brulot, a French Army spokesman, earlier told the AP that the driver circled the military barracks in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, in the south-eastern Isere region, shouting at groups of soldiers.

He returned later and tried to hit the two soldiers with his car before making a quick getaway.

Mr Brulot said that none of the soldiers, from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, was injured.

Authorities are on high alert as the incident occurred one week after an Islamic extremist shot at police returning from jogging in southern France, before taking hostages in a supermarket in an attack that claimed four lives.

Mr Brulot said several of the soldiers were questioned by gendarmes in nearby Grenoble.
Victorias Secret model Lily Aldridge has said she initially struggled to work in high fashion because casting directors did not think she was cool.

The American catwalk star, 32, said she was considered too commercial to book the jobs she wanted when she was first starting out in the industry.

She told digital magazine PorterEdit: My career has been such an evolution, it felt like such slow progress.

Lily Aldridge (Aurore Marechal/PA)

In the beginning, I was sad that people in fashion didnt think I was cool and that was tough.

We all have so many different sides to us, different dimensions, so I was typecast as commercial and therefore not fashion or edgy.

For a long time, no one would book me for those jobs and I wanted it so bad.

Aldridge said she credits British model and musician Karen Elson with changing how she was seen.

She said: Karen really helped push me in that direction, talking about me to those influential people.

The model, who is mother to five-year-old Dixie, her child with Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followill, said she has also come to accept changes in her body as she has got older.

She said: Its been a while now since I had that moment of having to get back in shape (after giving birth), but there should be no judgement, everybodys journey is different.

Of course, as I get older my body is changing, Im a woman, but I love it. I love working out and I love being healthy but I dont judge myself so much; I dont care if I have a six-pack any more.

I am inspired by all these amazing women who have fuller bodies and dont care about cellulite. I have cellulite, too, and I have stretch marks.

When I was younger I would be like, Oh, my abs need to be firmer; now I look back and Im like, You were crazy! Your abs were gorgeous!
The Prime Minister has declined to commit to visiting the Irish border before Brexit.

Theresa May suggested it was more important that she understood the issues related to the border than to see it in person.

Mrs May and senior cabinet colleagues have faced criticism for not visiting the 310-mile frontier since the Brexit referendum, despite its fate being one of the crucial issues in the UKs exit negotiations with the EU.

On the third leg of her whistle-stop tour of the UK on Thursday, Mrs May visited a farm between Bangor and Belfast in the constituency of north Down.

The Irish border near Newry, Co Down (David Young/PA)

The Jackson family farm sits more than 50 miles away from the nearest section of the border.

Mrs May was pressed on why she had not taken the opportunity to visit communities closer to the border with the Irish Republic, given the acute concern held by many in that area about Brexit.

I absolutely understand how important this issue is for people generally in Northern Ireland but obviously particularly for those who are living close to, and in some cases, may have homes that are across the border, she said.

But the Prime Minister declined to give a commitment to visit the border before the UK leaves the EU.

When asked by the Press Association whether she would be prepared to go to the border in the next 12 months and see for herself the potential issues concerning people, Mrs May replied:

My diary over the next year hasnt yet been set, but all I am saying is I understand.

I think its not a question of just whether I actually go and stand on the border, its a question of do I understand the impact that has for people?

What I am doing here today is actually listening to farmers here in Northern Ireland.

Listening to representatives of the agri-food industry, hearing what they want to see coming out of Brexit, what are the opportunities for Northern Ireland in the future.

Thats what I have been doing.

Earlier, Mrs May sat down for lunch in the Jackson familys farmhouse with representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union.

Theresa May is shown around Fairview Farm owned by Stephen and Susanne Jackson (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

She heard of concerns within the agriculture industry about Brexits potential to impact on the free flow of goods across the Irish border.

Farmers representatives also stressed that they did not want a new border created in the Irish sea, obstructing important trade links with Great Britain.

Mrs May told the farmers Brexit presented opportunities.

I think one of the things that will come out of Brexit is the opportunity for agriculture here but across the UK to really  out of the CAP (EUs Common Agricultural Policy)  to set our own way of doing things, she said.

She told fellow guests at the lunch that on a recent visit to China she had learned of potential opportunities for milk exporters in the UK.

Theres lot of opportunities to find ways of doing these things, Mrs May said.

The Prime Minister added: We are absolutely committed to ensuring there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland to ensure that free flow.
A woman has died after being hit by a pallet of bricks that fell from a building site crane.

The 29-year-old, who has not yet been named, was struck by debris while walking next to the construction site for a new housing development in east London.

She died in hospital on Thursday and a post-mortem examination will be carried out, Met Police said.

The woman was struck by falling debris in east London (Rohan Khan/Twitter)

Pedestrians on Burdett Road, Tower Hamlets, caught the aftermath of the accident on video.

Mile End building collapse on Burdett road ... pic.twitter.com/Dtrgf9bULD  Rohan (@fourthkhan) March 27, 2018

Officers attended the scene at 9.38am on Tuesday, where bystanders were helping the woman who had been spotted lying in a pile of rubble and broken wood.

A man was also treated at the scene for shock.

Investigation continues after woman critically injured after being struck by falling debris in Tower Hamlets dies from her injuries https://t.co/6EnD4gR2ra pic.twitter.com/Se02BqTTOa  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 29, 2018

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: Inspectors have attended the site and are making ongoing enquiries in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further at this time.
An MSP has called for Gaelic to be given Unesco status as she delivered an entire Holyrood speech in the language.

Kate Forbes, the member for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said she wanted to demonstrate Gaelic was a living language as MSPs used headsets to listen to a simultaneous translation.

She became just the second female MSP, and the first in the current Scottish Parliament chamber, to deliver a whole contribution in Gaelic during a plenary debate.

There have been a handful of Gaelic contributions in the parliaments history, including a full speech from SNP stalwart Winnie Ewing in 2000 and, in more recent years, from current International Development and Europe Minister Alasdair Allan; and Ms Forbes predecessor in the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch seat Dave Thompson.

Kate Forbes called for the language to be given Unesco status (Jane Barlow/PA).

Ms Forbes spoke as MSPs were considering a motion on Scotlands support for the Unesco convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

Speaking afterwards, the SNP MSP said: It was really important not only to talk about Gaelic, but to actually use the language in the Holyrood chamber, to demonstrate that it is one of Scotlands most significant cultural assets.

There is a lot of political support for the language, despite the inaccurate negativity about money spent on Gaelic and occasional politicising.

Gaelic is the key to elements of our history, culture and music. That is why I believe it should be granted Unesco status as an intangible cultural heritage.

It is a sad day for any society that forgets the rich cultural heritage of their past, and we need to protect Gaelic.
Liverpool midfielder Emre Can is a doubt for this weekends trip to Crystal Palace.

The Germany international was called up by his country for friendlies against Spain and Brazil but was released early because of a back problem sustained early in the win over Watford on March 17.

Reds' remaining internationals have now returned to Melwood ahead of this weekend's Palace tie: https://t.co/i94OaPoqlc pic.twitter.com/cVJjf5t4Al  Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 29, 2018

Can is still being assessed by Liverpool but did not take part in the first training session of the full squad at Melwood following all players return from national team duty.

Emre Can is a doubt for the Premier League match at Crystal Palace (Anthony Devlin/PA)

However, left-back Andrew Robertson, who was forced off with a suspected dead leg in Scotlands friendly with Hungary, was pictured training with the squad on Thursday.

Fellow defender Joe Gomez will miss the trip to Selhurst Park due to an ankle injury he sustained early in Englands friendly win over Holland last Friday.
Ben Affleck has joked about his garish tattoos, shortly after paparazzi photos revealed the colourful full back ink he had originally denied getting shortly after his split with Jennifer Garner.

The actor has originally said the large tattoo of a phoenix, which covered his whole back, was fake when he was first asked about it in 2016.

However, recent topless shots from the set of Triple Frontier in Hawaii showed the huge piece of body art is still present.

Ben Affleck (Matt Crossick/PA

Last Saturday, almost exactly two years after Ben Affleck denied its existence, the back tattoo returned to haunt the headlines, itself a phoenix rising from the ashes of gossip rags past. https://t.co/wItYWWlb5I  The New Yorker (@NewYorker) March 29, 2018

The Oscar winner had been absent from Twitter since December 2017 but returned to the platform to respond to an article in US magazine The New Yorker entitled The Great Sadness Of Ben Affleck.

He tweeted: @NewYorker Im doing just fine. Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos.

@NewYorker Im doing just fine. Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos.  Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) March 29, 2018

Asked about the ink in her first interview since the split, Garner told Vanity Fair in March 2016: You know what we would say in my hometown about that? Bless his heart.

A phoenix rising from the ashes. Am I the ashes in this scenario? I take umbrage. I refuse to be the ashes.

Afflecks friend Matt Damon also weighed in on the body art, telling The Daily Shows Trevor Noah: Its not one mans job to tell another man what he can do to his back.

I support him in all of his artistic expression.
Cambridge Analyticas parent company boasted that it had influenced voters across the world  including one claim that anti-election rallies had been held to discourage people from turning out at the ballot box in Nigeria.

SCL Group documents submitted by whistleblower Christopher Wylie and released by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee on Thursday revealed the company speaking of its international experience in political research, citing work on multiple foreign elections.

The political consultancy used its analysis of Nigerian voters to advise that rather than trying to motivate swing voters to vote for our clients, a more effective strategy might be to persuade opposition voters not to vote at all  an action that could be easily monitored.

This was achieved by organising anti-election rallies on the day of polling in opposition strongholds, the text said.

SCL said that it had identified ahead of Latvian elections that unspoken ethnic tensions between the indigenous Latvians and the Russian immigrant population were at the heart of the election.

The locals secretly blamed the Russians for stealing their jobs, for the crime and for the other social problems vocally attributed to the economy, the document said.

A page from the SCL Group documents, submitted by Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie.

Armed with this knowledge, SCL was able to reflect these real issues in its clients messaging, it said.

In another example, SCL said that covertly organised rallies at universities in Indonesia were used as a method to help prevent civil war in the late 1990s.

Initially the government was nervous of large rallies, fearing that the strategy might encourage widespread disobedience. But the rallies were peacefully conducted and the students became confident that their message was being heard, the case study said.

Almost immediately the civil unrest that had been escalating dissipated and no serious civil disobedience was reported throughout the election process which saw the induction of the Muslim cleric, Abdurrahman Wahid to the presidency.

The document also features claims about its work on elections in Kenya, Colombia, Italy, Romania, Trinidad and Tobago and St Kitts and Nevis, as well as a series of polls in India.

On its website, SCL Group says it has conducted behavioural change programmes in over 60 countries over the course of more than 25 years.
Former US president Bill Clinton will travel to Northern Ireland next month to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement.

Mr Clinton will also journey to the Irish Republic as part of a series of events to celebrate the historic peace accord of April 1998.

The ex-president and senator George Mitchell, the US diplomat who brokered the deal, will both receive the Freedom of Belfast on April 10.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, councillor Nuala McAllister, said: The contribution made by both president Bill Clinton and senator George J Mitchell to our peace process cannot be underestimated. Both have earned their place in our history as peacemakers, and both can be very proud of what they helped us to achieve.

Bill Clinton with then-UK prime minister Tony Blair on the steps of the Parliament Buildings, Stormont, in Belfast (Chris Bacon/PA)

On the same day the politicians will also attend a major peace building event at Queens University in Belfast along with other major protagonists in the negotiations that largely ended three decades of sectarian conflict.

Other participants include former No 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell, ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, former UUP leader and first minister Lord David Trimble and former SDLP deputy first minister Seamus Mallon.

Former DUP leader and ex first minister Peter Robinson will also attend.

Queens Universitys acting vice-chancellor, Professor James McElnay, said: We are honoured and delighted to welcome President Clinton to Queens University to mark the 20th anniversary of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.

His role and influence on the peace process in Northern Ireland was pivotal to ensuring all parties reached agreement in April 1998. To have him back in Northern Ireland for this significant anniversary is a privilege.

On April 9, both senator Mitchell and president Clinton will deliver speeches in Dublin.
The Vatican has had to seal off part of St Peters Basilica after some chunks of plaster fell during the height of the Easter holiday season.

No-one was injured by the falling plaster, which rained down on Thursday near Michelangelos famed Pieta statue to the right of the main entrance.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said repairmen are working to secure the site and the basilica remained open.

Pope Francis inside St Peters Basilica at the Vatican (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

He said it will reopen as normal on Friday.

Holy Week sees floods of pilgrims and tourists visiting St Peters, taking part in Pope Franciss ceremonies, which are capped by Easter Sunday celebrations outside in St Peters Square.
The United States has said Russia should not be acting like a victim after it announced the expulsion of more than 150 diplomats from countries around the world.

The Russian move is a tit-for-tat response to the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the UK.

It came as a hospital treating the Skripals said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in stable condition, though her father remained in critical condition.

With its regrettable, unwarranted decision today, it is clear that #Russia is not interested in dialogue about issues that matter to our two countries. #Russia is further isolating itself following the brazen chemical attack in the United Kingdom. - @statedeptspox pic.twitter.com/w4eA0I7Yvr  Department of State (@StateDept) March 29, 2018

The pair were found unconscious and critically ill in Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Two dozen countries, including the US, many EU nations and Nato, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain  a massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

US ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry while Mr Lavrov was speaking, where he was handed notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

In a statement, Mr Huntsman said there was no justification for the move and that it shows Moscow is not interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters.

Russia should not be acting like a victim, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Mr Lavrov also said Moscow will retaliate for the US decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St Petersburg.

The Foreign Ministry said the US diplomats, including 58 from the embassy in Moscow and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg, must leave Russia by April 5. It added that the US must leave the consulate in St Petersburg no later than Saturday.

The US consulate in St Petersburg (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)

The ministry warned that if the US takes further hostile actions against Russian missions, Russia will respond in kind.

We invite the US authorities who are encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country to come back to their senses and stop thoughtless actions to destroy bilateral relations, it said.

Mr Lavrov emphasised that the expulsions followed brutal pressure from the US and Britain, which forced their allies to follow the anti-Russian course.

He also noted that the job of the international chemical weapons watchdog is to determine what chemical agent was used to poison Mr Skripal and his daughter, not verify the British conclusions.

Mr Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting on Monday of the secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said that 33-year-old Yulia is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day, said Dr Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

Mr Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.
Retired Army Colonel Don Thomas Alfred Wijethunga was arrested yesterday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the investigation of the floating armoury of Avant Garde Maritime Services Ltd, Police said.

He was in charge of the floating armoury,

He was remanded till April 9 by the Galle Magistrate today. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
The Colombo Fort Magistrates Court today re-issued an arrest warrant on former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran as the prosecution is currently working on getting the red notices from Interpol.

The first arrest warrant was issued on March 15 because Mr. Mahendran failed to turn up to the CID inquiry over the Central Bank bond scam. (SCS)
Pic by Kishanie S. Fernando

This six-foot four-inch (64) mahogany sculpture shows the tortured and disfigured body of Jesus Christ after it was taken down from the cross and before it was laid to rest in the sepulcher. The image shows the almost life-like marks of the wounds made by the nails on his two hands and feet and gashes from the lances on his breast. The facial muscles with its hooded eyes and the mouth slightly open shows the agony He had undergone as he hung to death on the cross.



The image reclines in a glass case made especially for the purpose. There are few ancient images in this same style found in our churches. However these images are painted. This image is completed in the natural finish of the wood, on the most part retaining its natural colour. It is carefully chiselled to retain the tension and texture of the muscles, the growth of the hair, and the linen cloth around the waist. Only the teeth in the mouth are done in white sandalwood while the hair and the waist cloth have been stained a darker shade to add contrast.



The sculptor of this extraordinary piece of art is Raymond Fernando of Moratuwa, who also sculptured the St. Joseph Vaz statue that adorned the stage at the Canonization of the Saint at Galle Face Green in 2015. This is his 130th statue. Many of his masterpieces of the crucified Christ on the cross, Mother Mary and the Saints adorn our local churches while it was his statue of Our Lady of Madhu that was gifted to Pope Francis on his visit to Sri Lanka for the Canonization. Mr. Fernando says that the success of this image which began as a mere 6 5 log from a saw mill in Koralawella was due to prayers, perseverance and the encouragement of his wife, Shiranthi, family and friends. The image took him a full two months to complete.

This image is completed in the natural finish of the wood, on the most part retaining its natural colour



The sculpture can be seen at All Saints Church Borella and will be used for the veneration after the Good Friday Service this year.
The Leader of the House, Lakshman Kiriella was reported to have locked horns with Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala at the party leaders meeting over his participation at a press conference along with Minister S.B. Dissanayake.

At this press conference, Mr Dissanayake said it would be difficult for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to vote against the No-Confidence Motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Mr Kiriella took Mr Sumathipala to task over his participation in this meeting.

He reportedly said it was unacceptable for Mr Sumathipala do attend such a news conference organized by a party.

He called the Deputy Speaker's conduct 'unbecoming'.

He said the Deputy Speaker should have resigned if he wanted to brief the media as an SLFP member.

Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera also supported the views expressed by Mr Kiriella at this meeting. (Kelum Bandara)
NDB has been named the Best Bank in Sri Lanka by the prestigious Global Finance Magazine at the 25th Annual Best Bank Awards in the Asia Pacific.

The award is conferred by the editors of Global Finance magazine, based on the growth in assets, profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business development and innovation in products. Subjective criteria included the opinions of equity analysts, credit rating analysts, banking consultants and others involved in the industry.

Global Finance Magazine is one of the leading global publications in the banking and finance sector and many banks across the globe vie for their annual best bank awards titles.

Commenting on the award, Chief Executive Officer of NDB Mr. Dimantha Seneviratne said, We are honored to be selected as the Best Bank in Sri Lanka, given the prestige and worldwide acceptance commanded by Global Finance, USA, one of the most prestigious banking and finance publications in the world. This is the second year that NDB won this title, having won it in 2015. We are proud to have won this again in 2018.

I dedicate this award to our valued shareholders, customers, shareholders and all stakeholders and the ONE NDB TEAM who have made their respective contributions for the success of the Bank! the NDB CEO added.

Global Finance Best Bank award title is one of the most sought after titles in the Sri Lankan banking industry, with severe competition from top commercial banks.

Winning the Best Bank in Sri Lanka title affirms that NDB is on an aggressive growth path and is now challenging the bigger players in the industry as a dominant financial powerhouse. It is also testimony for the dedication of the highly capable team at NDB.

This is the twenty-fifth year that the magazine has selected top banking performers in emerging markets. The report covers best banks in Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

Winners will be honored at an Awards Ceremony held during the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Bali, Indonesia on October 13, 2018.

At a time of unprecedented change in the financial services industry, Global Finances annual Best Bank Awards continue to deliver a consistent evaluation of financial industry performance, whether in developing products to meet emerging financing needs or designing digital platforms that speed and enhance services, said Joseph D. Giarraputo, publisher and editorial director of Global Finance, in a press release, adding The winners are world-class leaders, responding adeptly to shifting political winds, new technologies and changing market conditions.

NDBs ascendance to the Best Bank in Sri Lanka comes as the backdrop of phenomenal growth in its balance sheet and profitability in 2018 and its strategic focus is growing in the commercial banking space.

NDB remains dedicated to bringing its customers one step closer to accomplishing their life long ambitions and uplifting their standards of living through the range of services that is accessible through its growing branch network. Further details on NDBs many products can be obtained from its 24 hour Call Centre, by calling 011 2448888, visiting the nearest NDB branch or by visiting NDB Banks website on www.ndbbank.com.
The leaders of the political parties of the United National Front (UNF) pledged to stand in solidarity with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday in the face of no confidence motion brought against him.

Party leaders Patali Champika Ranawaka, Palani Digambaram and Mano Ganeshan called on the Prime Minister to give him this assurance.

They said they would not support the motion because it had been brought in by the joint opposition led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

During the discussion the Prime Minister agreed to appoint a committee to look into the crash programme introduced by Minister Ranawaka. (Kelum Bandara)
THE HINDU, 28th MARCH, 2018- The United States continues to move forward on the proposed summit meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the White House has said.



White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Tuesday told reporters that preparations were on for the summit, which had been accepted by Mr. Trump at the request of Pyongyang.



We are continuing to move forward. The offer was extended and accepted, and were continuing to move forward in that process. We still dont have a set time or date on that front, Ms. Sanders said in response to a question.



State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert had more or less a similar statement to offer during a news conference.



We continue to proceed with our planning to go ahead for a summit between the United States and the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea).



This is something that President Trump and the Republic of Korea had talked about not too long ago. We are going ahead and we are planning that, she said.
The Sri Lanka Signal Corps (SLSC) of the Army will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with an international symposium, themed, 'Cyber Space; Perpetual Battlefront for Future' and the mega 'Wave' ICT Exhibition at the BMICH on November 28 and 29. A media conference was held yesterday at the Colombo Hilton Hotel in this regard under the patronage of Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana
DPA, 28th MARCH, 2018- The Wests coordinated expulsion of Russian diplomats over an alleged nerve agent attack in Britain could lead to a Cold War situation, Russias ambassador to Australia warned Wednesday.



At least two dozen countries and NATO have expelled more than 140 Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the city of Salisbury earlier

this month.



Britain alleges that the attack was ordered by Moscow and that a Russian-developed nerve toxin identified as Novichok was used.



Grigory Logvinov, the Russian ambassador to
Beneath the evening sky, the final two days of March will conclude in an artistic note, as Russian Classical Ballet will be performed at the Nelum Pokuna Performing Arts Theatre. A troupe consisting of performers from Russia, to whom the platforms of Bolshoi and Mariinsky are home, will showcase their talents to an audience so grand, in the heart of Colombo. The troupe will be led by the amazing Natalia Permyakova, head of Chamber Ballet, who has excelled in her dancing career, and possesses a Phd in Pedagogical Sciences. Her achievements and in puts to the Ballet industry of Russia have been a contributing factor for the highly professional, skilful and talented students produced under her guidance. Therefore, dancers, Pugacheva Natalia, Naletova Daria, Kozmina Ksenia, Kirilin Dmitry, Pankova Elena, Galtsova Sofia, Gavisov Ruslan, Semenov Nikolay, Nguent Trung Heo, Maksov Alexandr, Anton Maltsev and Ksenia Maximova are assured to present the audience with an unforgettable performance..



While some performances will include all dancers in their variations of dance, others will be solos and duets that express certain fragments of world renowned ballets. Heres a sneak peak as to what is in store for all readers if they are the fortunate bearers of passes to Russian Classical Ballet in Colombo.



1. Choreographic composition. Music by L. Minkus



2. Pavlova and Cecchetti. Music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by John Neumeier



3. Russian dance from the ballet Swan Lake, music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by K.Holeizovcky



4. Adagio from the ballet Swan Lake, music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by L. Ivanov



5. Waltz No. 7 from the ballet Chopiniana. Music by F.Chopin, choreography by M.Fokin



6. Gypsy dance from the ballet Don Quixote. Music by L.Minkus, choreography by Vladimir Burmeister



7.Le Spectre de la Rose. Music by Carl Maria von Weber, choreography by M.Fokin



9. Pas de deux from the ballet Giselle. Music by Adolphe Adam, choreography by Perro, Jean Coralli



10. Panaderos  dance from the ballet Raymonda. Music by Glazunov, choreography M.Petipa



11. La poule (Chicken) - short joke. Music by Jean Phillipe Rameau, choreography by A.Dorofeeva



12. Dance Gopak from the ballet Taras Bulba. Music by Soloviev Sedoy, choreography by K.Sergeeva



13. Grand Pas from the ballet Don Quixote. Music by L.Minkus, choreography by A.Gorsky



14. In honor of the dance. Music by L. Minkus



On a final note, the Russian Centre in Colombo invites all classical art lovers to witness this lavishing night of Ballet, in a grandeur atmosphere at Sri Lankas finest performing arts theatre, which could be considered as an opportunity that arises once in a blue moon for the local community. Therefore keep free the 30th and 31st of March for the Russian Classical Ballet in Colombo which promises an experience to cherish a lifetime.

Further information regarding the event can be obtained by logging onto Colombo@ruscent.com or by calling the numbers +94 11 2685429 or 2685440.

The Box Plan is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Russian Centre in Colombo, 10, Independence Avenue, Colombo 07.
If Britain can prove that Russia was responsible for the poisoning of former Russian spy and British double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the southern British city of Salisbury on March 4, then it has every reason to be furious.



That Britain has so far failed to show the evidence that Russia has demanded does not mean Russia had no role in the attack. However, the angry rhetoric and tough diplomatic measures against Russia  the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats from the United States and Europe -- have provided the US and Britain a justification to reinforce Natos presence close to Russia.



Standing by Britain, the United States on Monday ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats. The move was somewhat unexpected because it came only days after President Donald Trump spoke to Russias president Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his historic election victory at the March 18 presidential election. Perhaps, by penalising Russia, Trump seeks to send a message to US voters that he is not under obligation to Russia, in view of allegations that Russian helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election -- a matter now under investigation by a Special Counsel.



Perhaps, the US expulsion of Russian diplomats reflects the thinking of the new Trump team. Given the fact that the Trump administration is now guided by hawks such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Advisor and Iraq war architect John Bolton, and Nick Haley, Trumps hit woman at the United Nations, there is little surprise in the harsh measure against Russia.



Wednesdays media briefing at the US State Department said it all.



Russia has long arms, lots of tentacles. It is a beast from the deep sea, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, adding that Russia remains interested in meddling in other countries affairs. Perhaps, the spokeswoman knows nothing about US interference in other countries. In the current context, it is worth recalling the US-backed Ukrainian coup, which exacerbated the tension between Russia and the West, and the infamous f*** the EU words uttered by a frustrated Victoria Nuland, the then Assistant Secretary of State for Eurasian Affairs, when the EU nations were reluctant to be on board.



The new US stance contradicts what Trump had been advocating since his election to office in November 2016.



In a number of statements, Trump had called for stronger US relations with Russia. He had described the sanctions the US Congress had imposed on Russia over the annexation of Crimea in 2014 as very, very heavy and suggested that they should be lifted. Trump had said having Russia in a friendly posture as opposed to always fighting them is an asset.

The axis strategy appears to be that with the increase in the cold war type tensions, Russia would increase its military budget and this may sooner or later lead to an economic crisis which in turn would lead to the overthrow of the Putin government by a popular uprising



The Trump policy on Russia has now taken a 180-degree turn. Well unpredictability is a key feature of the Trump administration. With Trump in the White House together with hawks, none can rule out a war on Iran or even a nuclear strike against any country.



When asked whether the US had proof to penalise Russia, the State Department spokeswoman could only say that the US believed what the British Government had said.



Britains Theresa May Government has also produced no proof to back up its accusation against Russia though it claims it has shared unprecedented intelligence with allies. Joining Britain in solidarity were several European nations. They expelled a few Russian diplomats from their capitals. Britain, on March 14, expelled 23 Russian diplomats  a move that prompted Russia to retaliate by expelling 23 British diplomats.

Whether Russia did or did not poison the double agent and his daughter, assassinations and false flags are part of big power politics. Did not Joseph Stalin kill Leon Trotsky? Did not the US-backed Bolivian Army kill Che Guevera? How many times, did the CIA try to kill Fidel Castro, sometimes by poisoning? How many false flag operations -- such as the Gulf of Tonkin incident -- has the US staged to justify wars? How many lies  such as Iraqs weapons of mass destruction  have the US and Britain fabricated to start wars of aggression?



The US and Britain feel that there is an urgent need to contain Russia, which is becoming stronger by the day. The US and Britain are furious that Russia with its intervention in the Syrian conflict has bailed out the Bashar al-Assad regime and dashed the geopolitical hopes of the West and their ally Saudi Arabia, another key player in the anti-Russia axis.



The axis strategy appears to be that with the increase in the cold war type tensions, Russia would increase its military budget and this may sooner or later lead to an economic crisis which in turn would lead to the overthrow of the Putin government by a popular uprising. A similar strategy led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.



Russia is not unaware of the undercurrents of the diplomatic drama. Putin being a veteran in the spy business could smell an oncoming missile even before it is fired.



He was not so naive as not to know that the West made use of an incident similar to the Skripal saga to bolster Nato manoeuvres near Russia in 2007.



This was after the death of FSB (Russias spy agency) defector Alexander Litvinenko. He was poisoned by a Russian agent in a London cafe in November 2007. Later he died in a London hospital. The incident triggered a tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats by Moscow, London and Washington. The following year, the West wooed Georgia to sign a defence pact with Nato. Obviously, this made Russia livid. The same year, Russia sent troops into the then Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in support of the anti-government rebels.



In 2014, the US engineered a coup in Ukraine, replacing a pro-Russian president with a pro-West president. In response, an angry Russia annexed Crimea and provided military assistance to separatist rebels in the eastern regions of Ukraine.



In November, 2016 while world attention was on the US presidential election, Nato sent reinforcements  four battle groups -- to Russias borders. Britain sent tanks, drones and 800 troops to Estonia as part of this Nato build-up. In anticipation of this buildup, Russia had deployed its nuclear-weapons capable Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad near the Polish border and fortified its defences in the Black Sea region. There is not much love lost between London and Moscow. Putin sees Britain as a hostile nation, because London provides shelter to several high-profile Russian dissidents, who, Putin believes, are plotting to destabilise Russia with help from the West.



In a striking parallel, weeks before the current dispute between Britain and Russia blew up, Putin, in an apparent warning to the West, unveiled Russias latest armoury, displaying hypersonic fighter jets and smart missiles that can dodge any anti-missile system and hit a target anywhere in the world.



Putin has now been reelected to power and he knows how to stay on in power for years or decades to come, notwithstanding the constitutional restrictions on the presidential term. This has sent jitters across western capitals. They know Putins ambition of making Russia a superpower again will be a threat to the Wests global agenda. The cold war will intensify while world peace will become elusive.
Especially the senior cadres of the commission and the senior police officers seem to be frustrated over the actions and intermediation of IGP Pujith Jayasundera

During these instances the Police Commission hadnt provided redress to the grievances of those affected

Everybody was puzzled as to how it was illegal to take into custody a lorry that was transporting timber without a permit

The Constitutional Council so appointed establishes the Police Commission in accordance with clause number 155 of the Constitution

As far as the law is concerned the Commission is answerable to the Parliament and not to the Minister

Therefore the present Police Commission takes decisions regarding matters that cover grades above ASP

Law and Order has become the most controversial subject the Yahapalana Government has had to deal with for the past three years. Very recently A. Ranjith Madduma Bandara took over as Minister-Law and Order.



When handing over this Ministry, which till then came under the purview of Ranil Wickremesinghe, to Bandara the Premier gave specific instructions to the new Minister to compile a report on the National Police Commission and its working.



The Premier had stated that the commission in the past had been gearing up only when there were shortcomings, which was due to the absence of a practical methodology. This statement by the Premier had led to a dialogue among legal experts on the Constitution and the legality of the Minister concerned having power to investigate into the affairs of an independent commission.



However notwithstanding these factors there were many articles written on probing and exposing the activities of the Police Commission. Such articles on several occasions hitherto had failed to attract the attention of the commission. This revealed the lackadaisical attitude of the commission towards public complaints.



This investigation is based on the situation that has arisen regarding the internal activities of the Commission which are now challenging its existence as an independent institution.



The 19th Amendment to the Constitution empowers the Constitutional Council to appoint members to all other Commissions. The Constitutional Council chaired by the Speaker includes the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition as ex-officio members. On the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, five members (two of whom are Parliamentarians) are appointed by the President. A Member of Parliament, not belonging to the political parties or independent groups which represent the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, but accepted jointly by other parties in the Parliament and appointed by the President is also included. The Constitutional Council so appointed establishes the Police Commission in accordance with clause number 155 of the Constitution. Accordingly the Police Comm

ission consists of seven members appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.

From the members appointed, one should be a retired police officer in the rank of a Deputy Inspector General of Police. The chairman of the Police Commission is appointed from among the members of the commission by the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.

The present Chairman of the Police Commission is P.H.Manatunge. The other members include Prof. Siri Hettige, Attorney Savithri D. Wijesekera, B.A. Jeyanathan, Y.L.M. Zavahir, Thilak Collure, and Dr Frank De Silva.

The complaints that are received by the Police Commission includes Public Complaints on injustices caused to citizens by the police and injustices caused to the members of the Police Force by the Police. Even on an earlier occasion these writers had highlighted the same subject with regard to the injustices caused to the public. During these instances the Police Commission hadnt provided redress to the grievances of those affected. This time the report is on the injustice suffered by an Inspector of Police owing to a delay in the investigations regarding his appeal.

The Sub Inspector was acquitted of charges made against him. From that day the DIG concerned started taking revenge on the Sub Inspector



THE GRIEVANCE OF A 'COP'



He had joined Sri Lanka Police as a Sub- Inspector and served in a number of police stations. On being promoted as an Inspector, and while serving as the OIC of a police station in the South, he had taken into custody a lorry transporting Timber without a permit. This was following a tip-off he had received.



This incident was followed by a call from a DIG who had ordered him to release the stock of timber. As the investigations had already commenced under legal provisions, he had rejected the particular order and informed the incident to a Senior DIG, who in return instructed him to take appropriate legal action. Accordingly the suspects were produced in courts.



Just a few days passed and the Sub Inspector was arrested by a team of police officers on charges of illegally taking into custody a lorry transporting timber. Everybody was puzzled as to how it was illegal to take into custody a lorry that was transporting timber without a permit. The owner of the lorry had shown a permit later which appeared to have been obtained after the lorry was taken into custody.



The Sub Inspector was produced in courts and during the hearing the evidence proved that the Sub Inspector had taken the lorry into custody legally. The Sub Inspector had mentioned in his statement that he had obtained confirmation from the officers at the Divisional Secretariat that a permit hadnt been issued for the lorry to transport timber at the time of the arrest. The Sub Inspector was acquitted of charges made against him. From that day the DIG concerned started taking revenge on the Sub Inspector. He was deprived of promotions and under the tenure of the present IGP he was demoted to the grade of Inspector from the grade of Chief Inspector. All these maneuvres were made even without a basic inquiry. He lodged a complaint with the Police Commission and his appeal was held back for more than one and half years. The reason given for this was that the IGPs report hadnt been received. Meanwhile the IGP had taken steps to frame bogus charges and terminate his services from the department of police. The police officer concerned took steps to make an appeal. This too dragged on for more than one and half years. However he didnt give up. Despite being frustrated he continued in his pursuit of resorting to legal avenues. After two years he returned to his job and was reinstated in the post of Chief Inspector. The administrative authority had ordered that the officer be assigned the post of ASP. However he has not received the increments that he was denied of.



He had made another appeal in this regard and one year has lapsed without him receiving a reply. It is not worth when a period spanning one to two years of an individuals life is filled with anguish. Such individuals await in vain hoping for a response; something that would never see the light of day. Who is to blame in this regard? Why have commissions if the grieved parties are forced to waste time?



This is only one story, but there are many similar episodes kept in abeyance for want of space.

The Police Commission meets regularly every Thursday. The appeals taken up at the last meeting were postponed

MOTIVE DERAILED

What we are trying to infer is that the motive behind the establishment of the Police Commission appears to be derailed, humiliating the members of the police. Especially the senior cadres of the commission and the senior police officers seem to be frustrated over the actions and intermediation of IGP Pujith Jayasundera in the decision making of the Police Commission. The IGP isnt a member of this commission and therefore he has no voting power at the meetings of the commission. He has the right to attend the meetings as outlined by the Constitution Council. According to internal sources the IGP is appearing to be misusing this right to attend the meetings.



The quorum at these meetings is four. Decisions are taken based on the majority vote and at any crucial time the individual who chairs the meeting has the right of a decisive vote. Internal sources also reveal that though the IGP has no vote his behaviour underscores there was interference on his part in voting in arriving at certain decisions.



This has resulted in the delay of responding to appeals. The Police Commission meets regularly every Thursday. The appeals taken up at the last meeting were postponed. They had said that the appeals would be subject to further reconsideration. The main reason was the non-submission of reports by the IGP in relation to these appeals. Few examples are: Number 2885/91/29 June/2017 SI G. Wilfred Silva, number3367/112/09th November/2017PC 46919 H.M. Gamini. Ranasinghe, 3504/115/30th November/201/PC C.M. Ransinghe, number 2475//89/ 20th June/2017 SI S.M.S. Sisira, number 2485/89/20th June/2017 Police Inspector U.W. Senevirathne, number2574/91/ 29th June/2017 PC S. Nimal Shantha, number 2892/100/24th August/2017 Police Inspector Sivaraman Shivakumar, number 3208/107/ 04th October/2017 and 3705/119 SI K.L.G. Pushpakumara Perera.



AUTHORITY VESTED ON THE IGP

The Police Commission could confer on a committee its powers and authority on disciplinary matters and transfers or promotions of Police Officers in grades identified by the commission according to the Constitution. Therefore the present Police Commission takes decisions regarding matters that cover grades above ASP. This authority is again vested with the IGP by a Gazette notification. This limits the number of appointments and promotions that now come under the ambit of the Commission to about 3000 out of a number of above 80,000.

From among them 3000 senior police officers who are second only to the IGP made an appeal to the Commission to take over the administration of the Police Department. The Police Special Investigation Unit established to inquire into the wrong doings of police officers has now become a cats paw, used by interested parties to facilitate their own private agendas. This fact was stated before the Commission by senior DIGs themselves. Even then it appears that this Commission is yet to understand its priorities. Therefore its evident that a group of senior officers are contemplating complaining directly to the Constitutional Council shortly.

They are also getting ready to bring to the notice of the Council, the telephone calls that are being made to a senior person of the Commission, by a powerful Minister.

Meanwhile a group of permanent employees of the Police Commission had also addressed a petition to the Auditor General, requesting for a justifiable investigation on the administration and finance control of the Police Commission. They allege that the Commission appointed under the 19th amendment to the Constitution had failed to achieve its objectives and charge that the Commission has now turned into a white Elephant, devouring public funds.

The Police Special Investigation Unit established to inquire into the wrong doings of police officers has now become a cats paw, used by interested parties to facilitate their own private agendas

MONEY WASTED ON RENT

They further charge that by unnecessarily renting out a number of rooms at the BMICH, a colossal sum of money is spent monthly as rent. Some rooms obtained on rent are used only for short periods of time. At the time of the establishment of this Commission, in 2015, there were only 25 staff members. The staff now exceeds100. The appeal boards are also in an unsatisfactory state. Its apparent at a glance that most of these appeals are likely to get rejected as many have lapsed and some of the victims have left the service.



Its evident that the powers of the commission, its objectives and in setting out operations had all gone haywire. As far as the law is concerned the Commission is answerable to the Parliament and not to the Minister. The Annual Reports of its working are compiled on that basis. Our sister paper had on many occasions pointed out the serious lapses of the Commission, but they failed to wake up the authorities from deep slumber.



Its pertinent to mention that UN Activists on a recent tour to the island held a press briefing and stressed that the Police Commission is not stable. Ose Guvera, a member of the group, emphasized that arbitrary detentions and torture by the police should have drawn the attention of the Commission and they should strengthen the procedure in conducting investigations into such matters. This newspaper is only striving to depict only a single profile of the Police Commission.



The above foreign activists collected much details during their stay, which lasted 11 days, in the island, and expected to present their findings to the UNHRC at their sessions scheduled for September.



If the authorities are really keen on this matter they have another five months to pull their socks up!



IGP was summoned and instructions were given

According to Media spokesperson of the Police Commission

G.D. Liyanarachchi the delay in receiving reports from the police was a matter that has been present for some time. We directed the attention of the Police Commission to this issue. Accordingly we sent reminders from time to time. Finally we summoned the IGP and after a discussion suggested a definite date before which the relevant reports should be sent. We discussed this matter with the DIGs too. We will continue to strive in obtaining these reports from the IGP without any delay said Liyanarachchi.



NO REPLY TO THE INFORMATION SOUGHT

Many individuals claim that when requests are made to obtain information from the Police Commission that there is no reply. With the intention of obtaining veracity, we too directed a request for information from the Police Commission to which too there wasnt a reply. When an inquiry was made over the phone the reply was that the request has been received. After having waited for nearly a month, another inquiry was made, to which the reply was that if information had not been received the grieved parties should make an appeal. An information officers duty is to reveal the information and not to hide it. If they are unable to provide the information requested for they should accept this inability in writing. But it appears that it is not relevant to the Police Commission. An appeal was submitted in writing to the mentioned officer of the Police Commission, but there was no reply till this edition went to print.

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Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 1:00 pm

Deputies responded March 23 to the report of theft in the 100 block of Southwest 95th Road.

Deputies responded March 23 to the report of theft in the 0 block of Southeast 135th Road.

Deputies responded March 26 to the report of an abandoned vehicle and recovered it in the 200 block of Northwest 1051st Road, Centerview. The report states the vehicle was reported stolen from Independence.
Taxi aggregators Ola and Uber are in merger talks, brokered by Japanese SoftBank, which is a common investor in both the companies.



"Yes, the talks have started between the top executives of the firm," a source close to the development told DH.

The sources confirmed that talks between Uber and Ola have been on for the past one year, and have intensified in the past few days.

According to the sources, Ola will acquire the Indian unit of Uber. However, sources declined to add further details.

Ola, when contacted, said that they have the backing of investors. "In India's transformative digital journey, Ola will always be an active and integral part for decades to come. SoftBank and all other investors are committed in realising this ambition. Ola is always actively looking for opportunities for expansion of its footprint," an Ola spokesperson said.

Although, Uber officially denied to comment on the issue, its global CEO Dara Khosrowshahi had, on Tuesday, said "The great news about our Grab deal is that it allows us to double down to invest aggressively in our core markets - and we consider India very much as core to Uber's success. We'd, of course, look at any deals that can add value to our partners and shareholders, but we believe in controlling our own destiny in India."

A source close to Uber, on condition of anonymity told DH, "Grab was our last minority deal. We have no intention of taking a minority stake in any future merger with global competitors."

Athough both companies claim leadership in terms of market share, Ola has around 10 lakh driver-partners registered with it across 110 cities, while Uber in India 4.5 lakh driver partners across 31 cities.

According to independent analysts, Ola controls 70% of the Indian market, while Uber's market share is pegged at 26%.

"It is too early to know the size of the deal, but talks are on at an advanced stage," the source added.

The deal comes close on the heels of Uber selling its South East Asia unit to local rival Grab.

Softbank, which is said to be behind the sale of Uber's Southeast Asia unit to Grab is once again the key driver behind the reported deal. The Japanese company is the largest shareholder in both Uber and Ola, controlling 15% and 25% stakes in the two companies, respectively.

On November 13, 2017, San Francisco-based Uber's board approved a "multi-billion dollar" investment from Japanese internet group Softbank, which may invest up to $10 billion.

In case of Bengaluru-based Ola, SoftBank has pumped billions of dollars in five rounds spanning past four years. The total investment of SoftBank in Ola is pegged at $2.5 billion, with the last investment amounting to a whopping $1.1 billion in October 2017.
A 66-year-old Odissi dancer suffering from heart failure received a new lease of life when she underwent a successful heart transplant in the city on Sunday.



Alok Nandini Mishra, a retired teacher from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, suffered a heart attack last February, following which her heart failed as there was a delay in getting medical help. She was admitted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar for a month and suffered recurrent heart failures.

Her son Adhyoksaja Barun Ashirbada got her airlifted to Bengaluru and admitted her to the M S Ramaiah Narayana Heart Centre. At the hospital, she underwent Intravenous Milrinone Infusion, whereby blood was pumped through an artificial heart.

After waiting for nearly a month, Alok received a donor heart on Sunday where a team of doctors successfully performed the transplant.

"There is a notion that the patient will not be able to sustain transplants after the age of 60 or 70. People normally go for transplant surgeries if the patient is young. But irrespective of the age, if the patient is stabilised and has maintained good health, transplant is possible at any age," said Dr Nagamallesh U M, senior consultant, heart failure and transplant cardiologist. Alok is doing well after the transplant, the doctor added.

Ashirbada said his family and relatives had discouraged him from pursuing further treatment for his mother. But he is happy that he brought her to the city and that she underwent a successful heart transplant.

The heart donor was a 20-year-old man from Hirisave, Hassan district, who had suffered a grievous head injury after falling off a motorbike. He was shifted to Sparsh Hospital in Bengaluru, where doctors declared him brain-dead. While his heart was transplanted to Alok, his kidneys, liver and eyes were retrieved and transplanted, too.

NIMHANS, an organ

retrieval centre

Dr Kishore Phadke, convener of Jeevasarthakathe - the transplant authority set up by the state government - said the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences has already been identified as the non-transplant organ retrieval centre.

Since it receives the maximum number of head-injury cases, he said NIMHANS can retrieve the organs, but cannot transplant them. He said organs are retrieved in 43 centres in the state. Each of the centres has the capability to harvest a specific organ and not all of them could be taken in one centre.

Dr Phadke has 3,000 registered patients waiting for organs. Once a patient is declared brain-dead, the family is counseled regarding organ donation. After securing the family's consent, the organs of the brain-dead person are harvested and donated to a recipient who has been waiting for a longer time.

Jeevasarthakathe has coordinated 23 organ donations in the first three months of this year.
Multiple studies have found that a large proportion of microplastic particles in our oceans, lakes and rivers can be traced back to the washing of synthetic clothes. In one of the largest investigations of its kind, researchers at the State University of New York recently tested bottled water from the world's major brands sold in nine countries, including India, and found them all to contain tiny particles of plastic, each no larger than the width of human hair. The discovery that plastic pollution has become so pervasive as to contaminate even water that is specially treated and packaged in plastic bottles the world over as safe drinking water is cause for concern. According to the European Food Safety Authority, as much as 90% of ingested plastic could pass through a human body, but some of it could get lodged in the gut, the intestinal wall, or enter the blood stream and eventually get into the kidney or liver.



Over 2.1 billion people worldwide lack easy access to a source of clean water. For them, bottled water is a necessary evil. In fact, WHO and other health organisations have recommended use of bottled water in developing countries, including India. As a result, the bottled water industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing sectors. The discovery of microplastics in bottled water, therefore, raises many questions about its potential long-term implications for public health. Though the companies whose brands were tested in the latest study have claimed that their bottling plants are operated to the highest standards, the findings call for further research and a review of regulatory mechanisms in place to oversee the working of the industry.

This is most important in the case of the bottled water industry in India, where the demand for bottled water is growing at a much faster rate than that for carbonated drinks. In the last five years alone, the industry has more than doubled in worth to Rs 16,000 crore. Yet, it remains a loosely regulated industry with hundreds of big and small brands vying for a share of the metro and small-town markets. According to information made available to Parliament during its recent session, a survey of packaged water units by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) during 2016-17 revealed that three out 10 units of so-called mineral water sold in the country were not conforming to Indian safety standards. This should be a cause of concern, given the potential impact on public health. Immediate action to clean up the bottled water we drink is called for.
US President Donald Trump today fired his Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominated White House physician, Admiral Ronny Jackson as his replacement.



Trump made the announcement on Twitter and later issued a separate statement thanking Shulkin for his services.

"I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L.Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs....," Trump wrote on Twitter.

"I appreciate the work of Dr David Shulkin and the many great things we did together at Veterans Affairs, including the VA Accountability Act that he was helpful in getting passed. He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service," Trump said in a later statement.

Early this month, Trump had unceremoniously fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and nominated Mike Pompeo, the CIA Director, for the top diplomatic position in his cabinet.

Both the cabinet positions need to be confirmed by the US Senate.

"In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr David Shulkin's service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!," Trump said in another tweet.

Trump said Jackson was highly trained and qualified.

"As a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," he said in a separate statement.

Wilkie, who will serve as the Acting Secretary for the department, is currently the Undersecretary of Defence for Personnel and Readiness at the Department of Defence and overseas health affairs, welfare and quality of life for military families.

Jackson has served as the White House physician during the past three administrations of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Since arriving at the White House, he has directed the Executive Health Care for the President's Cabinet and Senior Staff, served as physician supervisor for the Camp David Presidential Retreat, held the position of physician to the White House and led the White House Medical Unit as its director.

A native of Texas, and a graduate from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology; Jackson began his active duty naval service in 1995 and went on to become the honour graduate of the Navy's Undersea Medical Officer Program in Groton, Connecticut.

The opposition Democratic Party expressed concern over the firing of Shulkin.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called Shulkin's dismissal "a troubling step in the Trump Administration's ultimate goal of VA (Veterans Affairs) privatisation".

"From day one of this administration, the president has openly encouraged and embraced Koch Brothers-led forces as they work around Congress and behind closed doors to dismantle veterans' health care," Pelosi said.

She urged the members of Congress to join hands against any effort to privatise VA.

Senator Johnny Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, said Shulkin had made a tremendous impact toward improving the lives of veterans during his time at the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

"He has been instrumental in all that we have accomplished in the last year, and I thank Dr Shulkin for his dedicated service to our country and our veterans," he said.

Concerned Veterans for America executive director Dan Caldwell said Shulkin made significant headway in reforming the department, but ultimately became a distraction from the important task of improving health care for the veterans.

"The Trump administration has made great progress over the last year reforming and fixing the VA, however, there is still much work to be done," he said.
The former Russian double agent and his daughter who were targeted with a deadly nerve agent came into contact with the poison at their Salisbury home in the UK, Scotland Yard have confirmed, noting that the "complex probe" into the attempted murders will continue for several weeks.



Specialists have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent to-date as being on the front door of the address, which was home to the former spy.

Following detailed forensic and scientific examination, the Metropolitan Police said yesterday that the detectives believed Sergei and Yulia Skripal first came into contact with the Russian-made nerve agent at their home address in Salisbury.

"At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door. We are therefore focusing much of our efforts in and around their address.

"Those living in the Skripals' neighbourhood can expect to see officers carrying out searches as part of this but I want to reassure them that the risk remains low and our searches are precautionary," said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing with the Met Police.

Thanking the local community, he said his officers were likely in the area for "several weeks and months" as the "complex investigation" into the attempted murders of Sergei and his daughter continues.

The Met Police described it as one of the largest investigations undertaken by British counter-terrorism policing.

Officers will be carrying out thorough searches in the areas surrounding the Skripals' address as part of the ongoing investigation and as a precautionary measure.

Around 250 counter-terrorism detectives continue to work around the clock on the investigation, supported by a full range of experts and partners.

Officers continue to trawl through more than 5,000 hours of CCTV and examine over 1,350 exhibits that have been seized.

Around 500 witnesses have been identified and hundreds of statements taken.

Traces of the nerve agent have been found at some of the other scenes detectives have been working at over the past few weeks, but at lower concentrations to that found at the home address.

Specialist search officers are now concluding their "meticulous work" at some of these scenes and as they do so, are handing these back to local Wiltshire Police.

"It is an extremely challenging investigation and police and partners continue to manage a number of unique and difficult issues. We thank the public for their continued support," said Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills.

The Maltings shopping centre, where the father and daughter were found slumped on March 4, is among the sites handed back to Wiltshire Police from the UK national counterterrorism investigation, Mills added.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said the chemical used in the attack was part of a group of nerve agents developed by Russia known as Novichok. Russia has denied any involvement in the attack.

As many as 27 countries have joined the UK in expelling Russian diplomats from there countries in a show of solidarity.
ABC/Andrea McCallinBefore he joined Nirvana, Dave Grohl played drums in a Washington, D.C. hardcore punk band called Scream. His first album with Scream, titled No More Censorship, was released in 1988. Twenty years later, the band is reissuing the record.

The reissue, which was remixed at Grohl's 606 Studio in California, will arrive on CD and LP on April 27.

After No More Censorship, Grohl and Scream recorded one more album, Fumble, before breaking up in 1990. Various members of Scream have reunited off an on since, and guitarist Franz Stahl briefly played with Grohl again in Foo Fighters from 1997 to 1999.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The city police has registered an offence against an unidentified person for allegedly using a fake Aadhaar card in the name of a Bollywood actor to book a room at a five-star hotel here, an official said today.



The incident came to light on Tuesday night when the actor, Urvashi Rautela, visited the plush hotel in suburban Bandra to attend an event, he said.

During the event, a staff member of the hotel approached Rautela and informed her that a room was booked there in her name, the official said.

Rautela asked her secretary who denied having made any booking at the hotel, the police official said.

Rautela, who has acted in films like "Singh Saab The Great", "Sanam Re" and "Kaabil", then immediately looked at the booking detail records of the hotel.

She found that a fake Aadhaar card in her name was used to book a room, he said.

During the investigation, the police found that the room was booked online by an unidentified person using fake Aadhaar card - carrying the wrong unique identification number, he said.

Based on the actor's complaint, the Bandra police registered an offence under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) against the unidentified person, the official said, adding that a probe was underway into the incident.

Notably, hotels generally ask for a guest's identity proof while booking the room.

The Aadhaar card, issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), carries a 12-digit unique identification number. It acts as a proof of a person's identity and address.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here was shut down and flights were diverted to other airports on Wednesday night following an incident of tyre burst while landing.



According to airport sources, the runway was opened up for regular operations after the aircraft was towed to a side.

One of the tyres of IndiGo flight 6E7117 (ATR 72), which was on its way to Hyderabad from Tirupati, burst while landing at the airport at around 10.30 pm on Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses saw sparks flying off the rim of the tyre on impact.

There were 72 passengers, including YSRC legislator Roja, on the flight at that time. The flight took off from the temple town around 8.55 pm.

After the incident, authorities diverted six incoming flights to Bangalore and Chennai airports.

All the 72 passengers and five crew members were evacuated safely and a proper inspection of the runway was carried out.

"The operations resumed after a while as we found that there was no fire and there is no damage to the runway due to the tyre burst. The aircraft has been towed and the airline is attending to its repairs," a senior officer of the RGIA said on Thursday morning.
The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to introduce "Ramji" as the middle name of the Father of the Constitution B R Ambedkar in all official correspondence and records, an order that has raised Opposition hackles ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.



A government order to this effect was issued on Wednesday night by Principal Secretary (Admin) Jitendra Kumar, an official spokesman said here on Thursday.

The order soon got mired in political controversy with the Opposition Samajwadi Party crying hoarse that the move smacked of politics ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

"The BJP government is playing politics with the name of the Dalit icon," SP leader Anurag Bhadoria said hours after the state government issued the order.

He charged the state government with politicising Ambedkar's name for attracting Dalit vote bank.

State Cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya, however, said there was no politics in the decision and no ulterior motive should be seen in it.

The campaign to write Ambedkar's name in the correct way was initiated by Governor Ram Naik in December 2017, citing the manner in which Ambedkar signed on the pages of the Constitution.

The spelling of Ambedkar in English will remain unchanged, but the Hindi it will be spelt as 'Aambedkar'.

The governor had written to the prime minister, the chief minister and also the Babasahib Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Mahasabha, expressing concerns over the prevalent "incorrect spelling" of Ambedkar.

"Ramji" was the name of the father of B R Ambedkar and as per practice in Maharashtra, father's name is used as the middle name by his son.
In a big blow to the ruling Congress, senior party legislator Malikkaiah Guttedar on Thursday decided to quit the party and join the BJP.



A six-time MLA from Afzalpur constituency in Kalaburagi district, Guttedar is upset with the party for neglecting him. He hit out at Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikharjuna Kharge and his son Priyank Kharge, accusing them of conspiring to finish his political career.

Guttedar, who met BJP State president B S Yeddyurappa at his residence at Dollars' Colony in Bengaluru, said he will soon resign as MLA and formally join the BJP.
The Congress on Thursday demanded that HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE chairperson Anita Karwal be sacked following reports that the Class X mathematics and the Class XII economics papers had been leaked.



The party is also demanding a judicial probe by a high court judge into the matter, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

The Delhi Police's crime branch is investigating the leak after registering two separate cases.

Terming the issue "unfortunate", Javadekar has said the culprits will be punished.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which has announced a retest in the two papers, will declare the re-examination date probably on Monday or Tuesday, he said.
The CBI is investigating a Bengaluru firm along with two other companies in connection with a suspected cheating of Bank of India to the tune of Rs 15.84 crore.



Earlier this week, the agency had filed a case against Jamshedpur-based Famica Press Industries Pvt Ltd, its two directors Jairam Singh and Rakesh Singh, Kolkata-based Pratham Deal Mark Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru-based Sunmas Machine Tools Pvt Ltd and unknown others.

According to the CBI, the accused entered into a conspiracy during 2013 to 2015 to cheat the bank by getting sanctioned loans to the tune of Rs 15.84 crore and misappropriating around Rs 6.90 crore by diverting it for purposes other than what was mentioned for getting the loan.

"The entire loan became NPA (non-performing asset) and the accused persons caused wrongful loss to the tune of Rs 1,584.95 lakh to Bank of India, Telko Branch, Jamshedpur," the FIR said.

The bank had sanctioned a loan to Famicia Press Industries, which is engaged in manufacturing and machining sheet metal auto components as an ancilliary of Tata Motors Ltd and TML Drive Line Ltd.

It disbursed Rs 4.90 crore to Sunmas in four instalments, while Rs 2 crore was given to Pratham Deal Mark by debiting the term loan account of Famica.

However, the FIR said, more than three and half years have passed since the disbursement was made to the suppliers (Sunmas and Pratham), but they have not supplied the machinery or Famica has returned the money.

During a probe, it came to light that Pratham Deal Mark was not dealing at all in machineries and were into real estate business.

The FIR said this itself showed the "mala-fide"" intention of the borrower.

"Further five quotations purported to be submitted by the second supplier Sunmas Machine Tools Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru bear the same date.



The said supplier also could not effect supply of machineries till date. Thus the borrowers and supplier entered in criminal conspiracy and in furtherance of that conspiracy diverted the loan amount for their own use," the FIR said.
Freecharge, one of the leading fintech platform in the country, on Thursday announced the launch of BHIM UPI (Unified Payment Interface) on its app.

Freecharge users now have the convenience to use all UPI based payment services via their @freecharge UPI ID.

This interface would provide a number of services like, send money to family and friends by entering recipient's UPI ID or account number and IFSC. Customers can also request money from friends, pay online and offline merchants, scan and pay via UPI enabled QR code.

For seamless transactions, customers can link bank accounts to a single UPI ID with an option to select any of their accounts for payment.

Speaking about the launch, Freecharge CEO Sangram Singh said the company emphasises on creating value proposition for the end users by making payment transactions smoother and faster.

"With UPI integration, we are adding one more large scale instrument that enables users to make digital transactions with ease. UPI is increasingly emerging as a mainstream payment method and will enhance the growth of digital transactions and we as a digital facilitator of payments are excited to be a part of this consumer evolution," he said.

Freecharge which used to be owned by ecommerce company Snapdeal, now has been sold off to Axis Bank.

Adoption of BHIM UPI by larger financial institutions and payment gateways has given the much-required momentum towards the government's vision of a cashless economy. An interface like the UPI has significantly empowered users with the choice of hassle free, safe and convenient mode of transaction.

UPI on Freecharge offers a friction-free and secure payment experience and instant money transfer to any bank account or payment to a merchant. Customers can register for UPI in three simple steps; verify the mobile number, link it to the bank account of choice and set the UPI PIN.

As per the UPI-based metrics for February specified by NPCI, the total transaction count by all apps stood at 171.40 million.

Given this unprecedented impetus, digital transactions are creating mammoth impact in the payment space and Freecharge with its UPI launch will fittingly contribute to the same.
Only 22% of the prime minister's Rs 80,000 crore development package for Jammu and Kashmir has been released to the state government so far, a parliamentary committee has said in a scathing report underlining the "little outcome achieved" under it.



The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha recently, said the progress on implementing the prime minister's development package had been slow and a "poor outcome" had been achieved in the past 12 months.

The committee found that out of the Rs 80,068-crore prime minister's development package for Jammu and Kashmir, projects of Rs 67,046 crore have been sanctioned and Rs 17,913 crore have been released to the state government, according to the report.

The committee noted that most of the projects, including that for creation of jobs, transit accommodations, one-time settlement of 36,384 families from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Chhamb displaced persons, and raising of India Reserve Battalions, were still under progress and "little outcome was achieved".

"Observing this pattern of poor outcome in the past twelve months, the committee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs should intensify its efforts to achieve measurable outcome under the prime minister's development package by speeding up the work in the upcoming fiscal and implement all the projects at the earliest," the panel said in its report.

The committee also desires that the ministry may apprise it about the details of expenditure incurred under various heads out of Rs 80,000 crore and the actual physical and financial achievements against the set targets under this package, the report read.

There are seven projects which are at different stages of implementation.

"In that regard, the committee would like to be informed about the total amount disbursed so far for payment of honorarium to the special police officers at the enhanced rate of Rs 6,000 per month, and the number of beneficiaries, further progress made in raising of the 5 India Reserve Battalions.

"Status of projects amounting to Rs 255.30 crore already sanctioned and remaining proposals of Rs 245 crore pertaining to the security and law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, progress achieved with regard to construction of 6,000 transit accommodation in the Kashmir Valley, implementation status of the project on creation of 3,000 jobs identified by the state government in 18 different departments," the panel said.

It also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to inform it about the latest status of the implementation of the rehabilitation package for one-time settlement of 36,384 families from PoK, Chhamb displaced persons.

"The committee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs, in tandem with the state government of Jammu and Kashmir should ensure timely implementation of undertaken projects of Rs 80,068 crore under the prime minister's development package for J&K," the report read.
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Thursday launched its latest communication satellite, GSAT-6A, which will provide mobile communication to India through multi beam coverage facility, on board GSLV-F08 from here.



The satellite, weighing 415.6 ton and measuring 49.1-metre-tall, blasted off from the second launch pad at the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre here, 110 km from Chennai, at 4.56 pm, as scientists erupted in cheer.







The satellite will be put into orbit around 17 minutes after it took from here.

Isro said the satellite will provide services for defence purposes and will not add any transponder capacity for general uses.

GSAT-6A's predecessor GSAT-6 has been in orbit providing communication services since its launch almost three years ago in August 2015.

Isro's GSLV-F08 rocket launched the satellite, marking its 12th flight sixth flight with indigenous Cryogenic upper stage.

GSAT-6A, like its predecessor GSAT-6 is a high-power S-band communication satellite built on I-2K satellite bus with a mission life of about ten years.

Another high point of the launch is the induction of high-thrust Vikas engine and electromechanical actuation system.

The launch is also crucial since Isro will be validating the high-thrust Vikas engine and other systems which would be eventually used in the future missions, including India's second moon mission, Chandrayaan-II.

The satellite will also provide a platform for developing technologies such as demonstration of 6 metre S-Band Unfurlable Antenna for communication purposes, hand-held ground terminals and network management techniques that could be useful in satellite based mobile communication applications, the space agency said.

Isro is preparing for the launch of a navigation satellite in the 2018-2019 financial year and is also planning to send its second mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-II, in October this year.
Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday ended his six-day fast at Ramlila Maidan here, saying he has been assured by the government that appointments of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states would be made soon.



Hazare said that he was giving the government six months time till August to come good on its assurance and warned that his protest will again begin in September if the demands were not met.

The 80-year-old anti-corruption activist's demands include appointment of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states and giving better prices to the farmers for their yield.

"They (government) have assured us that they will make the appointments as soon as possible. I will see till August and we will begin again in September. It should be done within a time frame. ((Though Maharashtra) Chief Minister (Devendra) Fadnavis has said that it will not even take six months, we will see," Hazare said.

"Sarkar aur janta alag nahi hoti...sarkar ka kaam hai janta ki bhalai, desh ki bhalai...aese andolan ki naubat nahi aani chahiye (the government and the public are not separate. The government's job is to do what is good for the people and the country. Things should not come to such a pass that protests are needed)," he said.

Meanwhile, a man hurled a shoe towards the stage where Hazare, Fadnavis and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were present, but it was unclear as to whom it was aimed at.

The attacker was whisked away by the police. Hazare lost over five kg weight during the fast, his aide Datta Awari had claimed earlier.
Amid a raging debate on data privacy, the state government on Thursday suspended the Siddaramaiah app - its official citizen-outreach platform - after a software professional raised an alarm that user data was being sent to a private company in Mysuru.



This comes even as the Congress and BJP are sparring over the use of personal data. The BJP has accused Congress of data theft and manipulation of voters through political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The Congress has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal app "secretly records audio, video, contacts, even tracks your location via GPS."

According to the chief minister's office (CMO), however, the Siddaramaiah app was suspended from the Google and Apple platforms in view of the election model code of conduct.

Techie Shreeharsha Perla took to Twitter to claim that Siddaramaiah's eponymous app sent his personal details - name, mobile number and date of birth - to a website owned by Mysuru-based Infopine, the company that developed the app for the government. "Can Siddaramaiah explain why data from a government app is sent to a private company and how he ensures safety of data?" he tweeted, along with screenshots to support his claim.

The Siddaramaiah app was downloaded by over 30,000 users since its launch last October. User data from the Siddaramaiah app is not encrypted and sent as 'http' and not 'https,' Perla stated.

According to another Twitter user, citizen data that is not encrypted runs the risk of inviting a 'man-in-the-middle' attack, which refers to a security threat where a malicious actor can gain access to private information between two parties.

The state BJP was quick to pounce on Perla's claim. "Congress talks about data security and data breach, while they cunningly engage with dubious Cambridge Analytica. In Karnataka itself, Siddaramaiah is routing raw user data to personal servers. Double standards to the core," BJP leader R Ashoka tweeted.

Principal secretary to the chief minister, L K Atheeq, told DH that the app's suspension had nothing to do with privacy concerns.

"The app has the chief minister's name and many of the creative content inside had his photographs. The app was taken down because of the code of conduct," he said. The government had signed an agreement with Infopine requiring the company to keep user data confidential, Atheeq stressed. "The data then gets transferred to the government's data centre."
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said that he would contest the assembly elections from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru.

"I will contest from Chamundeshwari. I will win with the blessings of people from Chamundeshwari," he told reporters in response to a question in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah was reacting to JDS state president H D Kumaraswamy expressing scepticism over his contesting from Chamundeshwari constituency.

Hitting out at Kumaraswamy, the Chief Minister said "does Kumaraswamy know how many times I have contested from Chamundeshwari constituency...seven times, I have won five times. Does he know all this?"I have complete faith and belief in my voters...they won't listen to Kumaraswamy or anyone," he said while reminding about the support he got in the toughest by-elections held in 2006.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Kumaraswamy had predicted Siddaramaiah's loss if he contests from Chamundeshwari.

"If he (Siddaramaiah) contests from Chamundeshwari, write it down today itself, when election results are declared on May 15, wherever I'm, I will come down to Mysuru to discuss with you about his defeat," he had said.

Reminding that Siddaramaiah had won with a margin of 257 votes during 2006 by-election, Kumaraswamy had even claimed that the Chief Minister was looking for safe constituencies to contest like Narasimharaja in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah in 2006 on Congress ticket had won the Chamundeshwari by-election with a wafer thin margin of 257 votes against JD(S) candidate in one of the bitterest poll battles in the state.

The results then were crucial for Siddaramaiah to score political points over his bete noire JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, after being expelled from the party.

Siddaramaiah, who represents Varuna in Mysuru after it became a constituency in 2008 following delimitation, has now expressed his intentions to contest from Chamundeshwari once again.

Making his debut in the Assembly in 1983, Siddaramaiah got elected from Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal Party ticket, from where he has won five times and tasted defeat twice.

Speculation is rife that the Chief Minister, who has already indicated that the 2018 assembly polls could "most likely" be his last election, is keen on fielding his son Dr Yatindra from Varuna.
With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah poised to create history - the first chief minister in 40 years to complete a full five-year term - he took to social media to bid farewell while batting for primacy for Kannada and the state's own flag.

"I thank the people of Karnataka for this honour...Going forward, we will work with all to strengthen and build the Karnataka model of development," he wrote in a Facebook post. "The Nava Karnataka we build together is one where the Kannada language has primacy, where the Kannada dhwaja (flag) will stand tall and proud and where Karnataka makes India proud."

He also wrote that Karnataka should become a state where all children are assured of ten years of quality education, youth get skill training, assured irrigation for farmers, free education for girls, laptops for economically weaker sections, among others. Most of these are programmes announced by his government.
Standing together with the city's sanitation workers, Whitefield residents on Thursday demanded that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike pay the wages of pourakarmikas in Mahadevapura constituency.

They claimed that pourakarmikas, along with workers of mechanical sweeping machines and dry waste collection centres, have not been paid for the past three months.

"If pourakarmikas are not paid, as many as 43,000 households in the locality will be affected. Being one of the highest tax-paying constituencies, we are given the poorest of services," said a solid waste management volunteer, who is also a member of Whitefield Rising, a residents' group.

Cold-shoulder treatment

However, BBMP zonal officers gave the residents a cold-shoulder, despite them turning up amid a busy work calendar.

"They knew we're coming today," said the volunteer. "Yet, none of them were present at the office and are giving reasons for their absence."

Despite setting up biometrics and the direct payment system to regularise pourakarmikas, the BBMP has not disbursed their wages for the third straight month. "We've followed the movement of every single file. It is now stuck with the assistant executive engineer," the volunteer said.

When contacted, Assistant Executive Engineer Narasimha Rao said the process to verify the pourakarmikas is taking time. "We're prioritising payment for pourakarmikas, according to their seniority," he said. The process is facing further delays since we have to handle both Mahadevapura and KR Puram constituencies, and are short-staffed."

Residents said mechanical sweeping machine operators in the zone are also unpaid and the dry waste collection centre is in a dreadful condition.
Thales to Demo Australian-built Armored Vehicles in France



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Lomas Santa Fe Plaza. in partnership with San Diego Blood Bank, will hold a mobile blood drive Friday, April 6, from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The event will take place in the parking lot between Vons and Starbucks (913 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, 92075).

About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood. One pint of blood, which is the amount volunteers give when they donate blood, can save up to three lives. Approximately, 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10 percent do annually. Since blood is always needed, volunteers are asked to give blood for patients, such as those going through cancer or trauma.

Donors must meet the following eligibility requirements:

 17 and older (Age 16 requires a parental consent)

114 pounds and in good health

It is recommended that donors consume an adequate meal and plenty of fluids prior to giving. A photo identification must be presented upon signing up to donate.

Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment for their convenience but walk-ins are also welcome. To schedule an appointment, please call 619-469-7322 or visit www.SanDiegoBloodBank.org.
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To meet green goals, cities must grow more strategically

Planning should focus on peoples needs, and de-emphasize prescriptive zoning and car-dependent uses.



By DOUG DEMERS and JILL JAGO

B+H Architects

Demers

Jago

Earlier this month, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a disconcerting analysis at its Cities and Climate Change Science Conference: Cities actually emit 60 percent more carbon than city planners are accounting for.

Our current focus on renewable energy and mobility solutions cannot stem the tide because the escalating emissions are generated by per capita consumption of goods and services beyond building use and transportation. In other words, we are in trouble and our current approach wont fix things.

The report finds that wealthy consumer cities like London, Paris, New York, Toronto and Sydney, despite substantial progress on todays spreadsheets, in fact rank alongside pollution-generating producer cities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh when their total per capita footprints are calculated.

This should not suggest that our steady progress in green building technology and energy efficiency or our investments in mass transit are a mere drop in the ocean.

Rather, the time has come to amplify our impact by taking a much more strategic approach to green  one that optimizes planning around people, nature and essential needs, not around prescriptive zoning and programming, function and its demands.

Meeting basic needs

The first primitive village was a response to meeting the most basic needs of people. It was founded by water, then grew to provide food and offer shelter.

Images by B+H Architecture [enlarge] This vertical campus concept has flexible community spaces that encourage people to socialize.





These basic needs have not changed in millennia. Yet once the basic needs are met, the village provided the means not just to survive but to thrive. At the heart of the community, relationships were founded; information exchanged; goods made, bartered and sold; food shared; advice given and ideas born.

Data-driven design

Most major U.S. cities have evolved to optimize use of the automobile. As we now contemplate a future where the automobile is losing its primacy we are stuck with stranded assets, natural pathways bisected by giant highways and open spaces hostile to human activity.

Our current approaches tend to work within the confines of these arbitrary constraints without considering the bigger picture  continued economic and social growth over time, supported by a healthy environment and sustainable resource management. If this is the goal, and its the only goal that promises any kind of a future worth striving for, we have to shift the focus to optimizing planning and design solutions for humans. What do they need? What do they want? Where do they go to get it?

When we map these patterns a completely different set of solutions emerges that leverages points of intersection, identifies opportunities to share resources and ultimately optimizes the human experience. Creating self-sustaining ecosystems that can evolve and adapt over time.

When we begin with people and map their needs, wants and desires, clear adjacencies and efficiencies begin to emerge. Many opportunities lie in the application of biophilic principles (which regard nature as the embodiment of efficiency). Water, energy and even waste, when balanced with human enterprise needs, will lead us to amazing new scenarios and solutions.

In our own strategic consulting practice the application of basic principles, informed by quantitative and qualitative analysis and thoughtfully balanced, typically generates 45 to 50 percent efficiencies over traditional planning process. The results to not come from elaborate design solutions, but simply by getting the bits better organized.

When you layer in advanced technology applications like artificial intelligence and smart systems, the results can double or triple the return. Given that all our economic activity is based on the consumption of natural resources, balancing our inputs and outputs within the context of the whole ecosystem is the only way to guarantee sustained economic and social prosperity in a healthy environment. Dust off your TQM and Six Sigma tools and processes and youll be reminded how this thoughtful and holistic systems approach is just logical.

[enlarge] A master plan for a sustainable mixed-use development in Chengdu, China. The aviation-themed community mixes housing, offices, retail, green space and public transit.





According to research by Dell Technologies, 85 percent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 havent even been invented yet. Far from being pessimistic, this report sees a future where work chases people rather than the other way around, with companies setting out tasks to be completed then harnessing technology to match the task to the best qualified person, anywhere in the world. The greatest fear in this scenario, according to the analysis, is social disruption.

The U.S. is littered with cities and towns that grew up around an industry base that has subsequently faded and died. The success stories rise again from the ashes by taking an inventory of what they have and rebuilding community around the bright spots, like Pittsburghs transformation from forgotten steel city to tech hub leading the world in robotics. The opportunity we have is to accept that we cannot foretell the future, but to plan strategically in the knowledge that the needs, wants and desires that fulfill people have not changed in millennia.

New opportunities

New and exciting solutions are quickly becoming reality  think of GIS, GPS, AI, autonomous cars or energy transfer. Advanced technologies, datasets and experience all afford a unique opportunity for urban planners and architects to significantly reduce the human environmental footprint by mapping and integrating human needs.

Throughout history  from da Vinci to Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier to Paolo Soleri  new town and urban planning visions have emerged, but each was weighted by a limited perspective attached to a time, technology or social evolution.

For example, Wrights Broadacre City presupposed that cars would still be at the center of our approach, while others were too focused on technology or machine centric environments. Perhaps only Soleri and his unique social architecture showcased in the Arizona desert at Arcosanti addressed the social evolution  the sharing economy that is being readily embraced by millennials and generations behind them.

But none of these noted thinkers had the advantage of integrating and optimizing the built environment as we have today. This is an exciting horizon where we can truly make 1 + 1 = 4 or more, balance the human footprint, regenerating and empowering the environment to continue to support life on earth. Doug Demers is co-founder and managing principal of B+H Architects, a strategic consulting practice. Jill Jago is communications director and senior strategist at B+H Architects.





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We designed our own net-zero office  and you can, too

The building is only the second commercial structure in Seattle to achieve that distinction, but our goal turned out to be surprisingly within reach.



By JULIAN WEBER and EMILY WALKER

JW Architects

Weber

Walker

Why does your building still use energy? Ours doesnt. Yours doesnt have to, either.

Seattle is recognized as a leader in sustainability, with groundbreaking architecture such as the Bullitt Center. The business success in Seattle has led to thousands of people moving to the city each year.

Our day-to-day work focuses on creating urban infill housing for the people living here. We work to provide higher-density living, which results in a lower carbon footprint.

JW Architects was founded in a garage in 2009 and then moved into two offices in a historic building in Columbia City. In 2014, we had the opportunity to design our new office building. We translated our experience with high-performance-energy homes into a high-performance-energy office space.

Today, we work in a zero-energy building certified by International Living Future Institute. Three years ago, we never would have thought this was possible. It surprised us at how achievable it was with hard work, collaboration, a little bit of scrappiness and a lot of passion.

Zero-energy certified

It is not hard to find someone in Seattle who wants to make an impact on climate change. We harnessed that energy in our young office, set the ambitious goal of achieving zero energy, and came together to make it happen.

Photo by Fly Drone Base [enlarge] The two-story, 3,600-square-foot building has blown-in insulation, a tight envelope and solar panels.





We began designing the building in 2014, broke ground in August 2015 and moved in the following June.

In the midst of the design process, some staff members attended 16 hours of continuing education classes offered by the American Institute of Architects about getting to zero. The case studies presented were inspiring and intriguing, but with the Bullitt Center as the only certified zero-energy office space at the time, achieving zero energy seemed like a lofty goal. However, we researched and thought about which certification best represented the direction the firm was headed.

The distinction of zero energy ended up being the best choice. Zero energy has a succinct definition: In one year, our building produces more energy than it uses.

We enjoy telling this to friends and colleagues because it's clear and people can easily identify with the measurement and values.

Zero-energy certification by International Living Future Institute requires one year of proven performance. We achieved that in September 2017 after occupying the building for 15 months. Our office on King Street is the second commercial building in Seattle to be certified, following the Bullitt Center.

Since occupying the building, we have spent time reflecting on the strategies used and some key lessons learned.

Photo by Tanner Houselog [enlarge] Even on gray days, the office is mainly illuminated by natural light.





Photo by Lara Swimmer [enlarge] The building was designed to produce more energy than it uses each year.





Photo by Lara Swimmer [enlarge] A heat-recovery ventilation system heats fresh air as it enters the building.





Design strategies

 Upgrading the building envelope. We drew on our knowledge base and created an energy model in-house. We calculated the most strategic insulation strategies and placed R-20 rigid insulation below the slab, and 2 inches of spray foam on the walls for both insulation and air infiltration.

The remainder of the 2-by-8-inch exterior wall is filled out with blown-in fiberglass insulation. The roof is underlain by CertainTeed MemBrain and insulated with two rolls of R-38 insulation and covered with a white metal roof to minimize heat gain.

 High-efficiency mechanical. Two air-to-air heat pumps provide both heating and cooling with distribution by two high air-handling units dedicated to each zone.

Indoor air is exchanged with outdoor air by a heat-recovery ventilation system. Hot water for bike and run commuters is provided by a heat pump hot water heater. We use an all-LED lighting system.

 Daylighting. At King Street, the outdoors can be experienced inside with great views of Mount Rainier on clear days. We implemented a time-tested sawtooth roof form with north-facing windows to create a balanced quality of daylighting, reducing our energy load over the year.

 Measuring plug loads. Plug loads were measured by using two $90 electricity consumption meters and creating a spreadsheet. We plugged the meter into each electrical device in the Columbia City office and measured the usage for two weeks.

Many offices that pursue zero-energy usage convert all their computing to laptops. We experimented with that, but found the reduced screen size challenging. We upgraded our desktop spec to include the most efficient CPUs and graphics cards.

Lessons learned

 Rate of heating and cooling. The building cools down efficiently from the passive ventilation strategy of night flushing. When the heat pump is producing cool air, the building gets comfortable very quickly because of the natural stratification of the air. The large volume of the interior keeps the building from getting comfortable as fast when heating.

 Daylighting. We used much less artificial lighting than expected. The energy model was based on operating our all-LED system for a building-wide average of 11 hours per day for 250 days per year.

At our office, people have individual LED task lamps they typically use for a couple hours in the early morning and later afternoon. Daylighting is the primary source of lighting even on the grayest of days.

Though our projected EUI was 20.4, our actual EUI was 17.4 after 12 months of occupancy. We attribute that to the amount of useful daylighting and limited use of artificial lighting.

 Visibility of the solar panels. Clients typically push us to make sure the solar panels are visible to the homeowner. After touring friends and family through the building, we wish the panels were more visible from inside the building.

 Night flushing. Our team was engaged with the building while experimenting with night flushing strategies. Through trial and error, we eventually achieved a strategy that is successful.

 Learning to be an intentional occupant. We are diligent about opening windows and turning on and off the heat. In the winter, we run the heat from 7:30-8:15 a.m. and then supplement throughout the day when needed. We do not have to sacrifice comfort to achieve zero energy.

New projects

Our whole team has a stake in this one statement:"In one year, our building produces more energy than it uses."

Energy conservation is embedded in our office culture and everyone contributes. Currently, we are applying many of the lessons learned from the King Street office to two residential projects targeting zero-energy certification. In the works are a compact seven-unit rowhouse project in Ballard and a single-family home in Georgetown.

We will continue pushing forward on designing for lasting sustainability through zero-energy strategies.

Julian Weber is the founding principal of JW Architects. Emily Walker is the client relations manager.





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Why we cant reach our emissions goals without tracking embodied carbon

Net-zero buildings are great, but dont forget all the carbon thats emitted to build them in the first place.



By STACY SMEDLEY

Skanska USA

Smedley

Most of us in the industry can rattle off certain accepted facts about the environmental impacts of the buildings and infrastructure we design and construct.

For example, buildings generate more than 170 million tons of construction waste annually; buildings account for almost 14 percent of all potable water use; and buildings are responsible for almost 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

We are becoming fluent in the language of construction-waste management and energy- and water-use reduction, and as an industry we are equipped with the tools and knowledge to have deep impacts across those categories. Here in Seattle, Skanska consistently sees construction waste diversion above 80 percent. And when a project is pursuing a green-building certification, teams can design to effectively reduce water by 30-40 percent or to a targeted energy use intensity in the low 30s.

But there is a metric missing from our daily conversations: embodied carbon.

An overlooked issue

A couple of years ago, I heard Ed Mazria of Architecture 2030 present on the Paris climate agreement and the commitment to a less than 2-degree Celsius temperature increase. To stay below that threshold, he said, we had to actively start reducing carbon emissions  not tomorrow, but today.

Ed also explained how on the operational side of buildings, designers and builders understand how to get to net zero through energy use reductions and renewable energy production. It is not an insurmountable stretch to get to zero emissions by 2050 for building energy consumption.

Ed then moved to embodied carbon, which encompasses the carbon emissions associated with the manufacture, transport and installation of all of the materials necessary to construct a building or infrastructure project, and how it is the missing piece of the emissions pie chart.

I knew about this from work at Skanska, based on our internal embodied-carbon tracking for the projects we ourselves commercially develop and build. But I had not expanded my thinking past our small dataset of projects that were just helping us understand where embodied carbon emissions of a building came from.

When you look at the two buckets of building emissions  operational vs. embodied  an interesting story begins to emerge. With such a focus on operational energy over the lifetime of a building, we have failed to give enough attention to the amount of carbon emissions we create in short periods to construct those buildings in the first place.

We know there is an imperative of zero carbon by 2050 to keep things on this planet from going haywire, and it's simply not enough to get to zero on the operational side of the coin if the embodied carbon emissions haven't also been reduced or offset completely.

Taking action

Thinking about things this way was a shift for Skanska, and we moved forward quickly on finding a way to approach embodied carbon similarly to how we tackle operational energy consumption, and understanding the quantitative comparisons of the two. We needed to collect any and all building carbon footprints that we could get our hands on and utilize them to set benchmarks for embodied carbon per building type, so there was at least a dart on the dartboard of where to start and what to reduce against.

We helped fund the first phase of research and data gathering for the creation of embodied carbon benchmarks across building types for the University of Washington's Carbon Leadership Forum. The outcome of this effort is open source and can be found at http://bit.ly/2pz6hFQ.

The study showed that there were a great deal of variables associated with how embodied carbon calculations are currently being completed. There is a wide spectrum of reasons why teams tackle or don't tackle this quantification based on understanding, resources or client interest. And there is a glaring need for embodied carbon to be analyzed and benchmarked so it can be better understood and tracked by the building industry. Since the Embodied Carbon Benchmark Study effort, a lot of movement has occurred in a short time, including:

 The Carbon Leadership Forum continues its work to create a life-cycle assessment practice guide as phase two of the grant.

 A national Embodied Carbon Network has been established and is growing at a rapid pace, with over 200 members across eight task forces. Skanska and a handful of others are moving forward with the expansion of datasets by benchmarking our own projects more holistically, using building material quantity and site construction data already available to us on our projects.

 Policymakers are beginning to understand materials emissions impacts, and proposing policy that would mandate that embodied carbon of materials be reported and reduced. Examples include state Rep. Beth Doglios Buy Clean Washington Act, which was proposed in the most recent legislative session.

 And we are seeing actionable examples of what thinking about embodied carbon during the early phases of a project can equate to, both in real emissions and cost reduction, through case studies such as Skanskas Interstate 5 corridor project. The project salvaged 52,569 square yards of demolished cement concrete for reuse on site as crushed surfacing base course, offsetting the emissions and cost associated with that amount of new material production, resulting in 960 fewer vehicle loads to the site.

We are also seeing how presenting the data we already have is allowing informed clients to understand their potential embodied carbon and total carbon impact, and begin to set reduction targets that we can then help them work to accomplish. When owners see a metric that their building would need to operate for more than 200 years for the operational energy emissions to equal the embodied emissions of constructing the building in the first place, its hard not to want to do something.

We currently have a project in early design that has committed to becoming a zero-carbon building through reductions and offsets, based on the client simply understanding the projects embodied carbon impact. We expect more to follow.

Stacy Smedley is sustainability director at Skanska USA, where she provides strategic guidance for local and national projects.





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BOISE, Idaho (AP)  A southeastern Idaho tribe is seeking to intervene in an Idaho utility's attempt to negate an Oregon law requiring fish passage as part of relicensing for a hydroelectric project on the Snake River.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes on Tuesday filed documents with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seeking to intervene in support of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.





. . .
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. -- Roxane Rockwell sat in the doctor's office in disbelief that faithful day in January of 2005 when she learned that she might have colon cancer.

She saw signs that something was wrong just a few months earlier while on vacation during the Thanksgiving holiday in the Great Smoky Mountains. She went to the bathroom and noticed she was bleeding.

"I was not overly concerned but it (the bleeding) kept getting worse," she said. "When I returned home from the holiday, I made an appointment with a local gastro doctor but couldn't be seen until mid-January. I took the appointment and was going to wait. The bleeding was so bad that I decided to try another doctor. I called his office during the Christmas Holidays and told them my symptoms; they scheduled me the first day they were open after the New Year."

When she went to that appointment and had a colonoscopy, she was optimistic and still not thinking it could be cancer. After all, she was a 45-year-old woman with a full, vibrant life.

Rockwell was married and raising three teenagers, two children of her own and one step son. Professionally, she was "at the top of her game."

Having worked 27 years at the Mississippi Export railroad, she was in management reporting directly to the President of the company making great money. She was also very involved in the community serving on various boards; Chamber of Commerce, United Way and March of Dimes.

Rockwell says as she sat in the doctor's office waiting for results, cancer just never crossed her mind. But then, the doctor entered the room, explained to her what he found, and told her that she would need surgery as soon as possible.

"I point blank asked him, 'do you think this is cancer?' He said yes I do," she paused. "I was totally confused; I thought surely, he had the wrong file."

That visit began her journey as a cancer survivor, and she became one of about 140,000 people diagnosed with colon cancer per year but not without a long, uncertain road ahead of her.

Less than two weeks after her doctor visit, she had a colon resection which was followed by three months of radiation and 13 rounds of chemo.

In the months and years to follow, Rockwell would endure the cancer spreading, many more rounds of chemo, and several surgeries.

"Six months later it had metastasized to my right lung, which required another major surgery," she said. "Another type of colon cancer was found in 2009 which required me to have the entire colon taken out and another 12 rounds of chemo. It metastasized to the liver in 2012 and I had to have another surgery to remove it."

During her cancer battle in 2012, she was also going through a divorce. Rockwell's life was in turmoil, but the good news was with all she had gone through, she had no sign of cancer left in her body.

However, she had a major surgery for a continent ostomy which is an internal pouch. She had the surgery previously in 2010, but had to have it again in 2014, and this time, it was life threatening.

Doctors diagnosed her as septic several times. Her kidneys were failing, and she spent the better part of 90 days in two different hospitals.

Roxane Rockwell is seeing peering out into the Grand View in Canyonlands National Park in Southern Utah, one of the many trips she took as part of a reinvigorating journey to reclaim her life. (courtesy)

"As I was sitting in the window sill of the hospital room watching everyone go about their daily chores, I wished that I was just well enough to do anything," she said. "I promised God that if he just let me live through this that I would go forward with a mindset of only a purpose for his glory. I decided then that if I got out of the hospital one more time that I would go and see the country."

Rockwell stayed true to that promise to God. She says she is a living testimony and is on a mission to share her journey with others and make a difference in her community. After getting a good bill of health in early 2015, she did something completely out of the box and moved out of her Ocean Springs home, purchased an RV, and traveled the country for two years.

"I lived in the 33-foot motorhome and traveled over 24,000 miles," she said. "I had never driven a motor home except the test drive. I needed to feel empowered, I had been so sick for so long that I needed to challenge myself, reclaim my life and figure out who I was as a single woman and an empty nester. The first trip, I traveled alone to my son's home in Seattle. The second year, I had girlfriends travel with me most of the time. I have seen over 35 National Parks, recreation areas and monuments."

Rockwell says she has taken downsizing to a new level again. In August 2016, she moved out of that motorhome for a smaller one, 25-foot this time. She now rents half a house from a friend, and she plans to travel the Great Lakes area and into Canada this year. She's made major changes in her life and understands what's really important-- people, not things.

"I have learned that life and the people you love are the most precious things that God has blessed me," she said. "The friends and family who have stood by me through all the ups and downs of my life since 2005 are truly a blessing. Chasing money and things is too stressful, wastes valuable time and takes a toll on your health. I have truly strived to learn to trust God to lead me; it has truly been a journey of discovery."

Being a grandmother is one of the many journeys of her life. She plans to continue to travel and divide her time between Ocean Springs, where she has two granddaughters, and Seattle, where she is expecting another grandchild.

Rockwell says a series of events convinced her that God wanted her to write a book about her survival and all the lessons learned along the way. She started writing two years ago and has a goal to have it finished by the end of this year. Her book will also be filled with practical advice.

"Have regular colonoscopies and immediately notify your doctor if you have any changes in bowel habits or a show of blood no matter what age you are," she said.

Rockwell says the adversities in her life have helped shape and mold her into the woman she is today, and she now lives her life differently.

"During my travels this thought came to me, and I have made this my personal quote: 'What is the point in being a miracle, if you're not going to live like one?'"
John Shepherd, Assistant Commissioner, Australian Taxation Office delves into some of the finer detail ahead of the 1 July move to Single Touch Payroll (STP), a change to the way larger employers report tax and super to the ATO.

The 1 July start for Single Touch Payroll (STP) is fast approaching, and all larger employers, that is, those with 20 or more employees, will need to get ready.

Some of the basics steps to prepare for the transition can be found here, however, wed like to offer a few clarifications and reminders to help you get ready.

Employee headcount  what is required

There have been some questions about the employee headcount were asking employers to do if youre not sure you meet the 20-plus employee mark.

While weve nominated 1 April as the date for deciding employee numbers for STP, (dont worry  we know its Easter Sunday), you can conduct the headcount any time after. If you have 20 or more employees on your payroll on 1 April 2018, you will need to report through STP. You do not need to report the results of your headcount to the ATO.

Who qualifies as an employee on 1 April

Its important to know exactly who does and does not count as an employee for STP purposes.

You do need to include the following employees in your headcount:

full-time employees

part-time employees

casual and seasonal employees who are on your payroll on 1 April and worked any time during March. However, you may be eligible for an exemption for STP reporting from 1 July 2018 if the reason you have 20 or more employees is because you have employed seasonal workers for a short-time only.

employees based overseas

any employee absent or on leave (paid or unpaid).

You do not need to include any employees who ceased work before 1 April, casual employees who did not work in March, independent contractors, staff provided by a third party labour hire organisation, company directors, office holders or religious practitioners.

What to do if your payroll software provider wont be ready by 1 July

If you need to start reporting through STP, the first thing you should do is to check in with your current payroll software provider. Your provider can let you know what you need to do to make the transition. For example, this may involve updating your existing software or finding an STP-enabled product.

We know the 22 largest payroll providers represent about 80% of employers with 20 or more employees, and we expect the majority to have STP-compliant software solutions market ready by 1 July.

However, some providers may not be STP-ready from 1 July and have asked us for more time to finalise their STP solutions. In some cases, weve issued them with a deferred start date.

Generally speaking, if youre an existing customer using a product undergoing an STP update and that product has a deferral, it will apply to you. Its important to understand that such deferrals apply only to specific products. They do not apply to all the products under one provider.

If your provider tells you they will not be STP-ready on 1 July, to be certain of your status, you should ask if they have a deferred start date for your particular payroll software product from the ATO. If they do, you should also ask them to confirm that this deferral will apply to you.

If your payroll software provider says they are not developing an STP-ready product, you will need to find a new provider that is either STP-ready now, or will be by 1 July.

What to do if you dont use payroll software

We understand that not everyone uses payroll software. Many BAS or tax agents and payroll service providers will be able to report through STP on their clients behalf. If you currently use an agent or service provider, ask if they will be able to report through STP for you.

If they say they cant, you have the option of either finding a new agent or service provider who can, or adopting a software solution that will enable you to report through STP from 1 July.

The move to STP is a significant one, involving more than 70,000 larger employers. While we are firm on the start date, the ATO has committed to a transitional year of supporting both software providers and employers. In most cases, we wont be enforcing penalties around STP. Our major focus is helping you make the transition as smooth as possible.

For larger employers, our main message is this: The ATO is up and ready to go with STP on 1 July, so its best to get ready now. You can find out more, and download our STP checklist and fact sheet on our website  ato.gov.au/stp
The brains behind QPay, a payments app for uni students, have secured $570,000 in funding to challenge banks for the millennial market.

Provided to QPay by high-profile investors including Sydney Angels and the Sydney Angels Sidecar Fund 2, the funding will enable the startup to release a student-targeted QPay MasterCard.

According to QPay CTO and co-founder Andrew Clapham, the aim with the QPay MasterCard is to capture millennial consumers at the point when theyre most likely to begin making serious financial decisions  when enrolled in tertiary education.

University is the time when life decisions start to become quite future-focused, especially regarding our finances, he said.

We might be weighing up the amount of student debt we can responsibly accrue, and what return we might expect to receive career-wise. We could be trying to save for a deposit on a property, and wondering the best place to deposit our cash. Or, we might simply be getting a handle on our first experience with budgeting outside of Mum and Dads house.

Whatever the case, university is a crucial turning point for financial decision-making. And the thousands of student transactions occurring on our app each month have allowed us to develop a financial product that perfectly suits the financial behaviour of this group.

Given that universities arguably comprise the largest cluster of millennials anywhere in Australia, we see this as our first step towards becoming the next challenger bank for millennials, said Andrew Clapham.

QPay is already used by more than 150,000 students across Australian and UK universities, including the University of Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland, and the University of Oxford and Cambridge.

Clapham, who co-founded QPay with CEO Zakaria Bouguettaya, said the QPay MasterCard will build on the financial behaviour of these students by uniquely tailoring the rewards it offers every time the card is used for a purchase.

If youre a frequent coffee drinker, expect a free coffee from your local coffee shop, or if you regularly shop from a certain store, your next purchase may come with a 50% discount, he said.

Students are always looking for affordability and convenience  the best deal for the least amount of effort  which is why QPay is being so strongly embraced across all of these universities.

QPay is backed by a Corporate Authorised Representative with an AFSL license, and the waiting list for the MasterCard has already grown to 4,305 students, far exceeding the initial goal of 2,000 cards.

This proof of concept was a key attraction for QPays lineup of investors, including the head of Royal Bank of Scotlands Australian arm, Andrew Chick, world-renowned leadership consultant, Charles Carnegie, and prominent angel investor, Rayn Ong.

Ong, who is the lead investor and non-executive director of QPay, commented: QPays viral acquisition strategies have created a high level of adoption and engagement even at this early stage. It makes sense to take it one step further by bundling relevant deals into the MasterCard offering.

QPay received $400,000 from Sydney Angels in 2016 in its first funding round and has since performed over $11 million transactions for university students  a number which is projected by the co-founders to double by the end of 2018.

The original idea came when the co-founders were students, and realised there was no single access point for student needs such as second-hand textbooks, timetabling, accommodation, student organisations, and campus events.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- In the wake of an incident involving a gun at an elementary school this week -- and with rumors and innuendo running rampant -- Ocean Springs school superintendent Bonita Coleman sent out a letter via email to all of the district's parents.

"Based on the calls we were receiving -- and we were trying to personally respond to every call -- we began to see some recurring things," Coleman explained to The Mississippi Press Thursday. "One of them was why couldn't we just go and press charges. I don't think individuals really understood how that process works.

"The goal of the letter was really to explain where we were in terms of being witnesses and that it's up to the police and DA's office to decide whether a crime was committed."

The letter, sent out Wednesday evening, came in the wake of the Tuesday incident in which a 5-year-old special needs student at Oak Park Elementary was found to have a loaded 9mm handgun in her backpack. The gun was found by a teacher during a routine backpack check.

The child's guardian -- a caregiver hired to help care for the child -- admitted responsibility for having placed the gun in the backpack while running errands with the child over the weekend and forgetting to remove it before sending it to school with the child Tuesday.

In her letter to parents, Coleman wrote the district had confirmed the backpack was not on the Oak Park campus Monday.

Charges have not been filed as yet against the caregiver, but the case has been turned over to the Jackson County Grand Jury and all pertinent documents have also been given to the Jackson County Youth Court.

"As to criminal charges, in this case the school district is in a position of a witness to a possible crime," Coleman wrote in her letter. "The teacher who found the weapon and the administrators who followed up with the police department have provided statements to the (investigators) and, of course, the school district is cooperating fully.

"The district is not in the position of a victim of a crime; therefore the district is not the appropriate party to file a criminal complaint against a parent or child in this case."

Coleman also noted that no student or employee suffered harm in the incident, adding that bringing a weapon to school is an obvious violation of school district policy and subject to disciplinary action.

Coleman said Thursday the other question she hoped her letter would address is what the district is doing to keep students and faculty safe, noting that school safety is at the top of many people's concerns in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting -- although she didn't specifically mention the Parkland incident.

"We wanted to impart upon individuals what we are doing and what we will continue to do to keep their children safe," she said. "I think that is at the forefront of everyone's minds right now -- whether you're a parent in the system or not.

"It's so unfortunate. I've been here six years and we've never had a weapon in an elementary school. But everything is based on what has just happened, so we're really trying to be responsive. We wanted to try and provide some factual information so that OS citizens and parents could understand what happened -- because there were a lot of rumors going around -- and also to help them understand what the next steps are."

Coleman also said she will have a full report on the incident at the next meeting of the school board on April 9, at which time district officials will go over school safety measures and discuss any additional measures which may be needed.

The letter closed by encouraging parents to discuss school safety with their children and to report any possible school threats immediately. The district has both a dedicated phone line (662-778-8513) and email address (ossdpd@ossdms.org) to report safety concerns.

Coleman also encouraged gun owners to practice responsible gun ownership.

"We are keenly aware that many of our community members are gun owners," she wrote, "and we ask that you also exercise an abundance of caution and keep firearms away from those who are not in a position to understand eminent danger."
Undaunted by their denial to march in Staten Island's St. Patrick's Parade, the Pride Center of Staten Island took to Fifth Avenue to march in Manhattan's St. Patrick's Parade on March 17.

Both parades are sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) is America's oldest Irish Catholic Fraternal Organization founded in 1836.

Its founding purpose was to act as guards to protect the Catholic church from anti-catholic forces in the mid 19th century. Their motto is "Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity."

The Catholic church does not approve of homosexuality, hence their opposition to us. For many years, gay Irish immigrants in Manhattan tried unsuccessfully to march in the St. Patrick's parade. Many who protested were arrested and sent to jail.

After many years of protest, a few years ago, the AOH heeded to their motto, "Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity," and allowed a gay Irish group to march with them. That group was the Lavender and Green Alliance. This year, the Lavender and Green Alliance invited the Pride Center of Staten Island to join them in their march up Fifth Avenue on St .Patrick's Day.

Carol Bullock, Pride Center's new Executive Director, started St. Patrick's Day at a reception by Mayor Bill de Blasio at Gracie Mansion. Later, Carol along with David DeRosa, and John and Rafael, stepped off on Fifth Avenue with the Lavender and Green group.

The group included Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who is gay. The Prime Minister marched with his partner Dr. Matt Barrett. After the parade the Prime Minister and the doctor visited Greenwich Village and toasted the day at the Stonewall Inn.
Repeat after me: Primaries are good. Primaries are good. Primaries are good

I used to believe that primaries were a waste of precious fundraising dollars and that they unnecessarily bloodied up our general election candidate. But in 2014, after Mark Schauer was defeated in his run for governor after facing no primary opponent, I changed my views. I came to understand that primaries sharpen our candidates and prepare them to do battle with our true ideological foes: the Republicans.

However, this is only true if the primary campaign doesnt turn ugly with one or more of the candidates and/or their supporters tearing down their Democratic rivals. In this circumstance, we find Democrats doing the work of Republicans for them by diminishing the winner of the primary.

In a year when it looks very much like a progressive tsunami may be developing, it should be pretty easy for Democrats to run clean campaigns with a focus on the despicable things Republicans are doing. However, here in Michigan, the Attorney General race has turned decidedly ugly, mainly due to the efforts of the publishers of the new progressive blog, Michigan Progressive.

How has a website that has only been around for a year and has only published 36 posts been able to almost single-handedly turn a statewide race into a one-sided mudslinging debacle? That was a question I pondered quite a bit until this past week. At first, I tipped my blogger chapeau to them for rising to prominence so quickly and being able to influence a statewide election in this way. Of their 36 published posts, five of them are about Pat Miles, one of the two candidates for Michigan Attorney General. I began to see their posts shared on social media and they even began appearing in both of my email inboxes. These guys are good! I thought.

Then I began to give it more thought. I was getting unsolicited email from their site at both of my email addresses despite never having signed up for their email list at either of them. Whats more, I received six emails from them and every single one of them was an anti-Pat Miles email. There were no emails about the other 31 posts on their site that dont mention Miles or about Miles opponent, Dana Nessel. The only thing they used their email list for was to trash Pat Miles with provocative clickbait titles. My wife began receiving them unbidden, as well.

Earlier this week, the two of us began to ask our friends on Facebook if they, too, had been signed up for the Michigan Progressive email list without their consent and, sure enough, dozens responded that they had. Many were not pleased. Its basically liberal Breitbart, one commenter wrote. I unsubscribed because I found them offensive. I was told that the sender of the emails was another candidates cousin, wrote another.

As it turns out, one of the writers at Michigan Progressive, Liano Sharon, IS a cousin of Dana Nessel. He along with Sam Pernick are responsible for much of the content on the site. Yesterday, I reached out to them and asked where they had gotten all of the emails they had added to their mailing list without consent, inquiring specifically if they had harvested then from the Voter Activation Network (VAN) database used by the Democratic Party, something that would be expressly forbidden.

We followed all proper procedures in obtaining email addresses, Pernick told me, saying that they did NOT get the email addresses from the VAN. Many organizations and political individuals shared their lists with us, as is common practice in the progressive community. Many people receive unsolicited politically-related email for various groups, campaigns, and organizations. Its a 1st amendment right. It is not spam. I would hope that a fellow publisher would sympathize with this.

In other words, Pernick admitted that they were adding emails to their list without the consent of the people being added. Whats more, he thinks that this is just fine and his 1st amendment right.

Before I go any further, I want to make if very clear that I have yet to make a decision in this race (and still have three weeks to do so before the Michigan Democratic Partys spring Endorsement Convention.) I havent found Pat Miles, a former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, to be a particularly exciting candidate and its clear that he has evolved in his political views over the years to the point where he can call himself a Democrat. Michigan Progressive rips Miles for changing positions, some of them in the course of the campaign, and this is certainly something that some folks are bothered by. I tend to be okay with people coming around to the right positions and recall that even my favorite Democrat, Barack Obama, came to support marriage equality while he was in office.

Dana Nessel, on the other hand is running a much edgier campaign and has been firm about her progressive stances on things like the legalization of cannabis. As one of the attorneys responsible for the passage of marriage equality by the U.S. Supreme Court, she has earned her place in American history. Shes running a spirited, creative campaign, and, if Im honest, the thought of replacing the bigoted Bill Schuette as our Attorney General with lesbian fills me with joy. That said, I completely disagreed with her drive to put the civil rights for transgender Michiganders up for a vote and watched as she blatantly lied to a room full of hundreds of people when she claimed Jocelyn Benson, the current candidate for Michigan Secretary of State, had helped write the ballot language she was proposing. I later learned that this was completely false from none other than Jocelyn Benson herself.

So, I am still deciding. I have friends who support both candidates and have friends who work for both candidates.

Pernick wrote to me a couple of more times yesterday, again suggesting that I was somehow attacking his First Amendment rights by asking about the source of all the emails he and his team had added to their mailing list without consent.

There are a few points to be made here. I have been blogging for almost a decade and half, and as Eclectablog for ten years. Never in that time have I ever added a single email address to our lists without the explicit consent of the person being added. I have never been asked for my email list by other progressive groups and would not share my list if they did. The same is true for the email list of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party where I am the Chair.

Despite Pernicks claim, it is decidedly NOT common practice among legitimate progressive groups to share email lists so that they can sign up people without consent. Ill concede that many political candidates do it and, like most of you, I HATE it. I am constantly unsubscribing from the email lists of candidates I never signed up for.

The idea that its a 1st amendment right to send email spam is, however, ludicrous.

Michigan Progressive should come forward and reveal which progressive groups are giving away the email addresses of progressives in Michigan. I, for one, would like to know which groups are doing this so that I can ask them to knock it off or remove me from their list.

Finally, last night I got a final email from Pernick with the Subject line Update on Michigan Progressive emailing. We take the complaints and comments of our readers seriously, he wrote. After receiving several complaints, we decided to temporarily suspend our mass emails in order to re-examine our email policy. After the review is complete, we will make any adjustments, as appropriate, moving forward.

I found this quite interesting spin and it can be characterized as nothing else but spin, quite frankly. After my wife and I posted on Facebook asking if others had been added to the Michigan Progressive email list without their consent, people began posting the email address of Michigan Progressives email mailing list provider, SendinBlue, where people could complain. I sent in a complaint to them this morning and quickly received an email back informing me that they had permanently blocked Michigan Progressive and that they will no longer be able to use SendinBlue to send their emails. In other words, the re-examination of their email policy that Pernick refers to appears to focus mainly on what other email mailing list service to use now that theyve gotten the boot from SendinBlue.

Its very clear that the publishers and contributors at Michigan Progressive want Dana Nessel to win the primary. Off the blog, many of them are active surrogates for her campaign and many of them are active in the MDPs Progressive Caucus which as endorsed Nessel. That is all well and good; many progressive sites do endorse candidates. However, using unethical methods to make your voice larger than it has earned crosses a line in my book. What first appeared to be a blog that was so good at social media and promotion that it had gained quick popularity now turns out to be a Potemkin Village. Theyve made themselves seem much larger than they actually are by signing up scads of people who never asked to be signed up and then used that list to pump exclusively anti-Pat Miles content into peoples email inboxes. Not pro-Dana Nessel content, mind you. Anti-Pat Miles content only. And much of it is, frankly, of dubious value. Theres no legitimate evidence that Miles is anti-LGBTQ, for example, and theres no evidence that hes a corporatist as the writers at Michigan Progressive claim.

Again, there are legitimate issues to be raised in this campaign. Some folks will be put off by what they see as Miles flip flopping while others will appreciate that hes open to changing his position when he becomes more knowledgeable. Some folks will see a boring campaign while others will see an understated but talented prosecutor who honed his craft as a U.S. Attorney. Both are legitimate positions and neither justifies the sort of friendly fire that the writers at Michigan Progressive are aiming at him.

Primaries are good so long as they remain civil and focus on our real opponents, the odious Republicans who are taking our country in the wrong direction. I only wish Michigan Progressive and those who buy into their modus operandi would focus just half as much energy on Republicans as they do Democrats. It takes coalitions to win elections and their approach is creating division and acrimony at a moment in time when Democrats have the most to gain.

And, if I do end up voting for Dana Nessel, it wont be because Michigan Progressive trashed her opponent, it will be despite that.

UPDATE: Sam Pernick has a post up at Michigan Progressive saying they were NOT booted from their email mailing list service. This is not true. Heres a screenshot of the email I received from SendinBlue confirming that they have been permanently blocked and will no longer be able to use SendinBlue to send their emails:



Click image for a larger version

UPDATE 2: Michigan Progressive has posted images showing that they voluntarily deleted their account at SendinBlue and were not booted off. They provide no explanation as to why they did this. Some are suggesting its akin to shouting, You cant fire me, I QUIT! I personally have no idea and can come up with no logical reason for them to do this other than to avoid having their account terminated due to violating SendinBlues terms of service which explicitly states that SendinBlue reserves the right to decline or limit service to any account that does not respect our policies, legislation governing business communications, or distributes unsolicited communications. The fact remains that they unethically added huge numbers of people to their mailing list without consent and it appears they are now backpedaling wildly.

[CC photo credit: Ville Oksanen | Flickr (adapted by Chris Savage)]
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Its almost Easter. Have you had your bath yet? If you were a reformed monk or nun and lived in England over 1,000 years ago, this was a pressing question. Everyone in their communities was supposed to wash before the elaborate church services and celebrations for Easter. Instructions for these baths were preserved in the Regularis Concordia (Unified Rule), a political manifesto and supplement to the Rule of St Benedict, probably written by Bishop thelwold of Winchester(d. 984).



Christ washing his disciples feet on Maundy Thursday, from a Psalter made in 11th-century England: Cotton MS Tiberius C VI, f. 11v

According to the Regularis Concordia, on the Saturday after Good Friday, if they can, the helpers [ministri] or boys [pueri] shall shave and bathe themselves. If there wasnt enough time for all the monks to wash on Saturday, some could bathe after Vespers on Good Friday.



Instructions for monks bathing and shaving before Easter, from the Regularis Concordia, made in Southern England (Canterbury?), mid-11th century: Cotton MS Tiberius A III, f. 20r

Washing was also a part of ceremonies before Easter. According to the Gospels, Jesus washed his disciples feet the night before he was killed. Monks re-enacted this on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday), when the monks were supposed to wash the feet and hands of poor people from the community and to offer them food and money. This ceremony was known as the Mandatum, after one of the Biblical passages quoted in music for the ceremony: 'A new commandment (mandatum novum) I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you' (John 13:34). 'Mandatum' is the root of 'Maundy', which is why the Thursday before Easter is still known as Maundy Thursday in Britain.



Detail of a monk washing three poor mens feet while a crowned figure distributes alms, from the Harley Psalter, England (Canterbury), 11th century: Harley MS 603, f. 66v

Abbots also washed the monks' feet ahead of Easter. The Regularis Concordia stipulated that after Vespers on Maundy Thursday, the brothers shall then have their meal  but they must carefully wash their feet first  [T]he abbot shall wash the feet of all [the monks] in his own basin, drying and kissing them  The monks then washed their hands. And, of course, Easter celebrations were also a time associated with the symbolic washing of baptism.





Instructions for the Mandatum on Maundy Thursday, from the Regularis Concordia: Cotton MS Tiberius A III, f. 17v

This is not to suggest that monks and nuns did not bathe at other times of year. The manuscript that contains the Regularis Concordia also includes a guide to monastic sign language with many signs related to bathing. Among these are the signs for nail-knife, comb and washing ones head. Bathing was presumably a regular occurrence, since so many specific signs were developed for it.

'When you want soap, rub your hands together': a curator demonstrates a possible interpretation of the sign for soap from the Monasteriales Indicia

Bathing was also a topic discussed in monks' school texts, as part of a dialogue that was designed to help young monks learn Latin, known as the Colloquy of lfric Bata. In this text, the teacher upbraids the boys for not having washed and for being unshaven, while the boys complain there is no one to help them bathe and they don't have soap, shears and razors. The teacher then calls for a washer immediately to arrange baths for the whole monastery. This dialogue also suggests that Saturday is a good day for baths. Incidentally, lfric Bata may have used the manuscript that is now Cotton MS Tiberius A III: his name is inscribed on one of the pages.

The Regularis Concordia is preserved in two surviving manuscripts, now contained between Cotton MS Tiberius A III and Cotton MS Faustina B III. It is not clear that all its stipulations were always followed, even by the most fervent of Bishop thelwolds students. Nevertheless, some of its details  such as the instructions for bathing before Easter  are striking. Even 1,000 years ago, it was important to look your best for a holiday.

Alison Hudson

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Chile probes dairy imports' threat to domestic industry

Chile has begun an investigation to determine whether increased imports of whole dry milk, non-fat dry milk and Gouda cheese is posing a grave threat to the domestic dairy industry.

Last November the Chilean Dairy Farmers Federation (Fedeleche) was reported to have petitioned the government to impose provisional and permanent safeguards of at least 30% for whole dry milk and non-fat dry milk imports, and 27% for Gouda cheese imports. The petition was made after Fedeleche noted a significant increase in imports of whole dry milk, non-fat dry milk and Gouda cheese.

Chilean imports of whole dry milk increased by 55.8% between September 2016 and August 2017, and of non-fat dry milk by 14.4% between July 2016 and June 2017, according to a report by the US Department of Agriculture.

In the case of Gouda cheese, Fedeleche noted that there was a "dramatic increase in imports, reaching a 122.9 percent increase in 2017 compared to the previous year", the USDA report added.

The USDA reported that the investigation will apparently determine the length and percentage of the safeguards that will be imposed.

The US would be greatly affected should safeguards be imposed as it is the largest exporter of non-fat dry milk to the country, representing 76% of Chile's market share for the dairy ingredient. US dairy companies exported $25.6 million worth of non-fat dry milk last year to Chile.

For whole dry milk, New Zealand is the top supplier. Its exports to Chile in 2017 reached $18 million.

In the case of Gouda cheese, the Netherlands is the main exporter to Chile. Exports increased by 900% in 2017 over the previous year, reaching $31.6 million.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) expects investigators to release recommended provisional measures to the president of Chile this week, it said on Thursday.
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.


By OC Register , Mar. 26, 2018





The Orange County Sheriffs Department, whose leadership opposes the new California sanctuary law that limits cooperation with federal immigration officials, announced Monday that it is now providing public information on when inmates are released from custody.





As of Monday, March 26, an existing Whos in Jail online database includes the date and time of inmates release  a move agency officials say will enhance communication with its law enforcement partners.

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The White House school safety commission chaired by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos held its first, closed-door meeting Wednesday, amid a chorus of concern about its makeup and process among educators and advocates.

The commission will make policy recommendations in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 people dead. In addition to DeVos, its membership consists includes Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, but no educators or experts.

Wednesdays meeting was not open to the public, or press. But the department has told advocates it plans to reach out to the education community, and hold forums around the country in the future. No word yet on where and when these meetings will take place.

The commission discussed staffing, coordination with state and local authorities, and plans for getting input from people impacted by school safety issues, according to a summary of the meeting released by the department.

We had a great first meeting of the school safety commission today, it was very productive, DeVos said in a video that she tweeted out after the meeting . President Trump has given us a very clear mandate and mission and we are eager to get to work on behalf of the students and teachers in this country. We are full speed ahead and are going to be traveling across the country to meet with those who have ideas and solutions [on] how to ensure our students and teachers safety.

Educatorsand their advocates in Washingtonare less than thrilled that the commission includes just four cabinet secretaries, and that its first, organizational meeting wasnt public. They raised criticism even before the meeting took place.

Amanda Karhuse, the director of advocacy for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, said the commission needs to include educator voices in order to be credible. DeVos, she said, just doesnt have the necessary hands-on experience.

Part of the issue with the secretary, and why we had opposed her nomination from the very beginning, is that she has no real practical experience working in a public school setting and she hasnt made it an effort to be out there going to schools, Karhuse said. She worries the commission is just going to develop recommendations based on the knee-jerk reaction.

She urged the commission and other policymakers to seek advice from school leaders who have successfully prevented school shootings and similar incidences.

They need to be talking to people who have been able to avert things like this, Karhuse said.

Noelle Ellerson Ng, the associate executive director of policy and advocacy at AASA, the School Superintendents Association, said, We are disappointed at the lack of local voice infusion from the early stages of the commission, as well as the closed nature of todays meeting. We note that todays meeting is unneccesarily political and partisan, composed of solely political appointees. We are cautiously optimistic that subsequent meetings will remedy all of these missteps, and we look forward to working with other education colleagues to ensure robust practitioner voice to increase the likelihood of commission success.

But Elizabeth Hill, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Education, said Tuesday that the education community is absolutely not being left out.

Like we said previously, this is an an organizational meeting for primary members to discuss staffing, timelines, scope, locations for field engagements. Advocates, parents, teachers, students, administrators, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and others with be actively engaged in the commissions work, she said.

A department official sent an email to a handful of advocacy groups Tuesday , noting that the meeting Wednesday would set the stage for future outreach to educators, advocates, parents, students, and others.

But that didnt placate some advocacy groups. Both national teachers unions blasted out statements expressing dismay with the commissions makeup and lack of transparency so far.

Teachers and parents have gotten pretty used to Education Secretary DeVos shutting us out and refusing to listen to those closest to our students, so its no surprise we werent invited to or consulted before the first meeting of her commission on how to make schools safer, said Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, in a statement. After all, what do we know? Were just the people who educate in, learn, in and send their kids to public schools.

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, the president of the National Education Association, had a similar takeand she slammed the closed-door meeting.

Given the previous actions of DeVos, were not surprised that todays meeting is closed to the media and happening away from the eyes of the public, she said in a statement. The commissions clear purpose is to push an agenda that is focused on a dangerous and misguided plan to put more guns in schools by arming teachers and other school personnel. All of this is a distraction from the real problem: Very dangerous people have very easy access to very dangerous weapons.

It isnt just inside-the-Beltway advocacy organizations that are frustrated by the commissions process and composition. Rank-and-file educators are unhappy too.

Its hard for a cabinet secretaryor anyone who isnt in a real school building day after dayto make practical recommendations about school safety, said Joe Erardi, who was the superintendent of the Newtown, Conn., from early 2014 until the summer of 2017, concurred. The district is home to Sandy Hook Elementary School, the site of another fatal mass shooting in late 2012.



Erardi already dismayed that DeVos has voiced support for arming certain teachers to help combat and prevent shootings. He considers this one of the absolute worst solutions to the gun violence problem. And he thinks the commission needs to include some educators.

Im really concerned when you take noneducators and they sit to craft policy and to craft guidelines for school leaders without having a school leader at the table, he said. If you dont have the practioner [perspeciptive], what a mess.

Michael Sheppard, the superintendent of Ohios 6,000-student Berea school district, in the Cleveland suburbs, concurred.

People who are working in schools on a daily basis have a clear understanding of the operations and daily routines and also have a lot more knowledge about their facilities and their facility needs, he said. Unless you are actively involved in a school, its hard to get a really good sense of what needs to be done.

Photo: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks at a news conference on March 7, in Coral Springs, Fla., following a visit to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Fla. (Lynne Sladky/AP)

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
Intro: One thing we are sorely lacking in the field of global education is robust data related to our programs. Thats why Im so pleased that Laura Engel , Associate Professor of International Education and International Affairs, George Washington University, has been working with DC Public Schools to gather and analyze data on student experiences and associated outcomes related to their study abroad programs.

The District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) Study Abroad Program , launched in 2016, as the nations first fully funded, districtwide, K-12 global travel program. To date, 801 middle and high school students have traveled on fully funded trips to 17 countries on 5 continents and over 500 new passports have been provided. The short-term trips take place during the summer, when students representing 38 secondary schools form groups led by DCPS educators. In the summer of 2017, 422 student travelers participated, 262 of whom were first-time travelers.

When you think of study abroad, you probably think of postsecondary programs, which are far more prevalent than K-12 study abroad. As is well noted in the study abroad literature, the majority of participants in postsecondary study abroad are white, female, and from higher income backgrounds. The DCPS Study Abroad Program stands in stark contrast, given its deliberate orientation toward equitable access to K-12 global travel. Ninety-one percent of 2017 travelers were students of color (compared to a district average of 82 percent) and 85 percent were free and reduced lunch recipients (compared to a district average of 76 percent). Student travelers also included students with 504s and IEPs, and they represented all eight of the citys wards. Most powerful in exploring early exposure to global travel, 62 percent of 2017s travelers were first-time international travelers, and 18 percent left the Washington, DC, area for the first time through the program.

Studying Study Abroad

The George Washington University (GW) has been leading research related to the DCPS Study Abroad Program since its inception. This partnership provides critical opportunities to examine the experiences of young people in global travel and the possible outcomes associated with this early exposure to global education. Each year, GW produces a case study on student experiences in study abroad and an exploration of the relationship between study abroad and student global competence, academic engagement, and social-emotional learning.

My team at GW uses a mixed-methods research design, generating annual data from interviews with 35 participating students and 8 educators, as well as administering three surveys to students: one prior to travel (n=276), one upon immediate return (n=138), and one roughly six months after students have returned from travel (n=40). Moreover, we are beginning to analyze data generated from official student records to explore college and career readiness, world language course enrollment, and overall achievement patterns.

What Have We Learned So Far?

Our research on 2017 travelers points to a range of compelling, and at times, unexpected findings. For example:



Students reported increased confidence in making friends and placed higher value on peer-to-peer relationships with other young people from across Washington, DC. Students described appreciating the experience of making friends from other DC schools, in many cases more than they expected. Ninety-three percent of surveyed students said they got to know new friends while studying abroad, and 71 percent of interviewed students mentioned greater self-confidence. As one student described, Im more outgoing now. Im more confident in just going up and speaking to people. Im not scared to approach a foreigner and start a conversation. I feel like a better person, like more of an adult. Particularly powerful in a context where schooling is marked by racial and socio-economic divides, surveyed students reported increases in forming cross-district friendships and agreeing it was easy to make friends at other DCPS schools, while interviewed students reported the positive experiences building new relationships with peers from different schools, neighborhoods, and socio-economic and race/ethnic heritage backgrounds. These relationships persisted six months later, where one out of every two respondents to the intermediate post-travel survey reported communicating with their fellow travelers often or all of the time. As one student stated six months after returning, the most powerful thing I learned on my trip was how much all the students on the trip had in common despite coming from very different parts of the city and backgrounds...It changed my perception of some of the other DC high schools and neighborhoods.



Students reported enhanced feelings of gratitude and motivation for learning. Many students felt they had learned to be more grateful and humble. Students specifically identified free and accessible education, potable water, food security, and a clean environment as things they were grateful to have. Sixty percent of interviewed students spontaneously discussed gratitude during their reflections, while 21 percent of surveyed students identified gratitude as the most important thing they learned studying abroad. Many students connected this sense of gratitude with increased motivation to work harder in school and suggested that they felt more academically engaged.



Although communication in a foreign language was a notable challenge, it was also enjoyable, rewarding, and motivated students to continue studying a world language. Thirty-six percent of students identified language or communication barriers as their biggest challenge during their time abroad; yet, students found the experience and challenge of cross-cultural communication ultimately rewarding. In fact, 17 percent of students reported that increased confidence and enjoyment of cross-cultural social interactions as the most important thing they learned from their study abroad experience. In interviews, students reflected on their motivation to learn a world language: A middle school student stated, I want to learn Spanish. I want to know what they are saying, and a high school student described the additional push the overseas experience provides him when studying French: Whenever French gets really hard...I remember how Morocco was and the fact that Im taking this class [will] allow me to have a chance of having an experience that is just as good on my own, like going to live in a Francophone country or in France. So its just a little extra motivation.



Obtaining and using a passport for the first time was a powerful experience for many students. During interviews, first-time passport holders expressed pride in their newfound access to additional travel opportunities as a result of owning a passport. As one middle school student explained, the passport feels like I have an extra pathway to go if I were to reach the world...its like extending an arm. You have more reach to the outside than you ever did before. A high school student described holding her passport for the first time as my passage to getting further in life.



Students expressed interest in studying, traveling, or working abroad in the future. Many interviewed students expressed a desire to travel abroad again and referenced their exploration of opportunities for additional travel in school or during postsecondary study. In addition, after studying abroad, 70 percent of surveyed students indicated their desire to study and work in another country in the future, an increase from 64 percent in the pre-travel survey. This was particularly powerful for the high school travelers, who stated that traveling made me want to go to college more because I want to study abroad again. and every college visit or every college that visits my school, first thing I ask them is, Do you have a study abroad program? because I know thats what I want to do.

Final Thoughts

Our research is helping narrow critical gaps between research, policy, and practice related to global education and leading to better understanding of the various associations between global experiences and student learning. These studies have already gleaned important knowledge and understanding about what going global means to young people from a wide variety of age, gender, socio-economic, race/ethnicity, and schooling backgrounds, and have opened up new avenues for continued research into short- and long-term connections between global travel and social-emotional learning, academic engagement, college access and retention, career readiness, and global competence.

Connect with Laura , GWU , Heather , and the Center for Global Education on Twitter.

Image taken by DCPS educator Carmen Jenkins-Frazier and used with permission of DC Public Schools.

* Acknowledgments: Research is often a team sport. I am grateful to the hard work and dedication of GW graduate students and alumni: Heidi Gibson, Clark Russell Boothby, Jessica Fundalinski, and Naomi Lesnewski, as well as DCPS Global Education, particularly Kate Ireland and Kayla Gatalica, DCPS educators who assisted in facilitating this research, and all participants in this research.
U.S. schools have significantly increased security measures and preparation for events like school shootings in the last 20 years, the newest federal data show.

Meanwhile, rates of student victimization at school have continued to decline, fewer students have brought weapons to school, and fewer students report fear of harm in school, according to a report released Thursday .

Fewer students report having access to an unlocked gun in the most recent data, and, contrary to popular perception, rates of violent deaths at school have not trended significantly upward in recent years.

Our nations schools should be safe havens for teaching and learning free of crime and violence, says Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2017, an annual report released by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Any instance of crime or violence at school not only aects the individuals involved but also may disrupt the educational process and aect bystanders, the school itself, and the surrounding community.

The newly released data take on particular relevance as local, state, and federal policymakers seek to improve school safety following the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla. , in which 17 students and educators were killed. Since that shooting, newly passed state and federal bills have provided increased funding for violence prevention measures, like training teachers to idenitify threatening student behavior, and physical school security measures, like metal detectors.

Schools have increased security measures

Since the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., a touchstone for school safety debates, schools have significantly stepped up security measures, the federal data show. The portion of schools that reported having a plan for school shooting response increased from 79 percent in 2003-04 to 92 percent in 2015-16.

More schools reported controlled access to buildings, the use of security cameras, and requiring staff to wear photo IDs.

The presence (and role of) police in schools

More schools have designated police, as well. Schools reporting the presence of a law enforcement officer at least once a week increased from 36.3 percent in 2005-06 to 47.7 percent in 2015-16, the data show. The presence of police in elementary schools grew more significantly during that same time period, from 21 percent to 35.8 percent.

Interest in staffing schools with law enforcement tends to increase after school shootings. But, as Education Week has reported recently, civil rights groups are concerned that school-based officers can lead to more punitive discipline, especially for black and Latino students.

Groups like the National Association of School Resource Officers, which trains school police, say that officers should not be involved in routine, non-violent disciplinary concerns. But of schools that reported on-site law enforcement in 2015-16, 43.3 percent of primary schools and 63.3 percent of secondary schools said those officers duties included maintaining school discipline.

NASRO also recommends that each school create a clear agreements with law enforcement agencies, called a memorandum of understanding, that outlines officers roles in schools . Among schools with law enforcement, 51 percent of primary schools and 70 percent of secondary schools reported such agreements.

Student behavior and safety concerns

During the 2015-16 school year, 43 percent of public school teachers agreed or strongly agreed that student misbehavior interfered with their teaching, and 38 percent agreed or strongly agreed that student tardiness and class-cutting interfered with their teaching, the data show.

But the data also show some areas of improvement in student safety and behavior.

The portion of students who reported being afraid of attack or harm at school decreased from 12 percent in 1995 to 3 percent in 2015. The percentage of students who reported being afraid of attack or harm outside of school also decreased during that time, from 6 percent to 2 percent. Reports of bullying by students and by their schools also decreased during that time period.

Rates of student victimization and violent victimization at school and away from school have also decreased since the early 1990s, the data show.

While the fear of school shootings has increased over the past two decades, the data show that deaths in schools have not trended significantly upward over that time.

Between 1992-93 and 2014-15, youth homicides occurring at school remained at less than 3 percent of the total number of youth homicides, and youth suicides at school remained at less than 1 percent of the total number of youth suicides, the report finds.

So why the perception that deaths in schools are increasing? It may be because students, and their parents, are more aware of threats to their safety. In 2015-16, 95 percent of schools reported holding lockdown drills with students.

And, in a factor not tracked by the federal data, the increased use of social media has coincided with an increase in false threats to schools that lead to lockdowns and other precautionary measures.

Photo: School-based police officers Danny Avalos, foreground, and Craig Davis, center, monitor a hallway at E.L. Furr High School in Houston in 2013. --Michael Stravato/The New York Times-File

Related reading on school safety:

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Phoenix

In the shadows of the State Capitol, thousands of Arizona teachers decked in red demanded Wednesday that their state government pump $1 billion back into the public school system and provide school workers with a 20 percent pay increase. If their demands arent met, their leaders said, theyll stage a statewide strike.

Were fed up with the funding cuts and the unreasonable expectations, Joe Thomas, the president of the Arizona Education Association, the states teachers union, shouted out over cheers, whistles, and clanging cow bells. West Virginia woke us up, he said of the recent statewide walkout there. Were taking this into our own hands now.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has in recent weeks scrambled to quell the increasingly raucous, teacher-led movement dubbed Arizona Educators United. He and the states Republican-run legislature earlier this week extended an 18-year-old sales tax thats poured tens of millions of dollars into the states public schools, and the legislature is currently pushing through a budget that provides for an incremental increase in school funding.

But Ducey has not managed to boost teacher pay, an expensive task that likely will require new taxes in this conservative state. (A 1 percent pay increase would cost the state an estimated $34 million.) Arizona requires the approval of at least two-thirds of its legislature in order to pass a new tax.

Ducey has promised to stick to his campaign promise to not raise taxes, and said through his spokesman after Wednesdays rally that several of the states local school boards have already increased their teachers salaries.

His goal [is to] pass a budget in the next few weeks that continues to increase our investment in public education, but we wont stop there, Duceys spokesman Patrick Ptak said. He meets with teachers regularly and wants to continue a dialogue about increasing our investment in Arizona schools and teachers. The state legislature wraps up business in mid-April.

Arizona teachers claim that their average pay is among the lowest in the nation, and that a decade of public school cuts amid increased performance demands have made working conditions unbeareable. Simultaneously, the states legislature has led one of the most ambitious school choice experiments in the nation, dramatically expanding charter schools and access to school vouchers.

The two-week teacher strike in West Virginia and the threatened strike in Oklahomaboth of which now have led to teacher pay increaseshave inspired Arizonas teachers, who are on average annually paid $48,000.

Arizonas teachers have rallied tens of thousands of parents and other citizens through social media, protested at Duceys press conferences, and staged other actions throughout the state.

A week ago, 350 teachers in West Valley called in sick in protest of their pay, forcing the district to shutter nine of its 12 schools for the day.

At Wednesdays rally in Phoenix, a crush of teachers carrying flamboyant signs that detailed their pay and working conditions snaked across the capitol grounds chanting their demands. They signed petitions and volunteered to organize this fall in the 2018 midterm election. Much of their ire seemed targeted at Ducey, who is up for re-election this fall.

There was a highly political tone to the days events. Several Democratic candidates for state schools chief, governor, and legislature circulated in the crowd. They included David Garcia, an education professor at Arizona State University, who is a leading Democratic hopeful for governor.

Many of the teachers slapped on top of their bright red shirts stickers that reminded the many local TV cameras that a strike is possible.

For a movement thats largely taken place on Facebook and Twitter, Wednesday also served as a sort of family reunion where teachers working in far-flung districts met each other in person for the first time.

In between the capitol grounds cacti and swaying palm trees, teachers commiserated over their low pay, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and the state governments recent antics.

Some of my former students in their first full-time job are making twice as much as I do, said Donald Sheldon, a computer coding teacher at Metro Tech High School in Phoenix who has a Ph.D, left the corporate world in 2005 to start teaching, and now makes $45,000 a year. A recent fender-bender forced him to take out a $250 loan. If I didnt have a passion for what I do, I wouldnt be doing it, especially for this kind of pay.

Leaders of the movement said at the end of the rally Wednesday that a statewide strike was a last resort. In addition to the 20 percent pay increase, they also demanded that the state institute annual ladder pay increases for all teachers and prohibit tax cuts until the states $7,500 average per pupil spending matches the nations $11,400 average per pupil spending.

The last thing we want to do is go on strike, said Dylan Wegela, a teacher who has turned into a social media icon of Arizonas movement. But if we have to, we will.

Photo: Teachers and education advocates march at the Arizona Capitol, protesting low teacher pay and school funding on March 28 in Phoenix.  Ross D. Franklin/AP

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US soldiers stand guard in Manbij

Turkish military forces put fear in US soldiers hearts that support YPG project terror organization.

Turkish troops and Free Syrian Army fighters had took control of the Afrin city center as part of Operation Olive Branch launched Jan. 20 to clear the area of YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists.

After the successful operation, President Erdogan had said that Turkeys counterterrorism fight would not end with Afrin. It will be followed by Idlib and Manbij. We dont have to be friends with everybody, but we can be allies with everybody compatible with our interests. Turkish President had stated at AK Partys district congress in Istanbul.

Expanding Turkeys military campaign into the much larger terrorist-held territory further east, which President Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to do, has US forces worried about the confrontation. US forces has tightened the security in Manbij border.
Jennifer Aniston is said to be highly upset after learning that Emma Stone had allegedly been caught flirting with her estranged husband, Justin Theroux.

According to a new report, it all went down after Theroux traveled to Paris after his split from Aniston last month and began spending time with the much younger actress as he took in the sights of the French city.

Jens been keeping a low-profile after the split, so of course it was frustrating to see Justin hanging out at Paris Fashion Week with beautiful women like Emma, an insider revealed to Radar Online on March 28.

When Did Justin Theroux And Emma Stone's Relationship Begin?

Theroux and Stone reportedly became close during the time they were working together on the television series Maniac, and Stone has reportedly been in contact with Aniston as well. As the outlet explained, the two actresses have met with each other a few times and have always gotten along well during their encounters.

So this is a tough pill to swallow, to say the least, the source continued. Jen knows that Justin is going to move on eventually, but she is crushed over the rumors.

Jennifer Aniston And Justin Theroux Split Just Over One Month Ago

Following just two years of marriage, Aniston and Theroux announced they were parting ways on Feb. 15. The couple had initially tied the knot in August 2015 at their home in Bel Air, California, after striking up a romance on the set of Wanderlust.

According to the couple's statement, their decision to end their marriage was mutual.

In the weeks since their breakup, Aniston has been keeping to herself but was spotted spending time with several of her girlfriends, including Courteney Cox, whom she starred alongside in Friends.

Justin Theroux Has Already Been Linked To Other Women

Weeks ago, rumors began swirling in regard to a possible romance between Theroux and artist Petra Collins. He's also been linked to Olivia Munn in the weeks since his split from Aniston, but as fans well know, Munn and Aniston are quite close, and it seems highly unlikely that Munn would ever betray her in such a way.

As for Aniston, she's been facing rumors of a possible reunion with her first husband, Brad Pitt. That said, those rumors have been shut down on numerous occasions.
It looks like Sofia Richie has nothing to worry about as things seem to be great between her boyfriend's ex, Kourtney Kardashian, and Younes Bendjima.

Although the couple sparked breakup rumors back in February after they both deactivated their Instagram accounts and unfollowed each other, it appears that they are still very much in love, so much that Bendjima might be popping the question soon.

Yes, the big question! On Tuesday, March 27, photos surfaced of Bendjima as he was shopping for jewelry in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old model was reportedly eyeing some expensive pieces of jewelry and was even getting some assistance from the store's employees.

If the trinket was in fact an engagment ring, this would be the first marriage for the two as the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star never married her baby daddy, Scott Disick, whom she shares three children with -- Mason, Penelope, and Reign Disick.

Kourtney And Younes

As per reports, Kardashian and Bendjima began dating in 2016 after they met during Paris Fashion Week. On an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, the mother of three told her sister, Khloe Kardashian, that Bendjima helped translate during Kim's Paris robbery.

Things seemed to get serious between the two as Bendjima eventually met Kardashian's kids, and the extended Kardashian-Jenner clan definitely likes him.

"Kourtney's family really likes him. He's the opposite of Scott. He doesn't party, he isn't flashy and really treats Kourtney with a lot of respect. It's obvious that he really cares about her," a source had said.

The couple has been inseparable since and had vacationed together in Paris, Mexico, Cannes, and Egypt.

Recently, the pair decided to get away again, but this time it wasn't too far. The duo decided to take a roadtrip somewhere on the coast of California. Their trip comes hours after Bendjima was spotted shopping for jewelry. The couple has continued to share shots from their recent trip via their Instagram stories.
The Sex and the City feuds continue. It seems like Sarah Jessica Parker may not be supporting her co-star, Cynthia Nixon's, bid for NY governor.

A Lukewarm Response

To date, Parker is the only SATC alum who hasn't publicly backed Nixon's campaign for governor of New York. Aside from just the political aspect, Parker's silence allegedly dooms any possibility of the long-rumored third movie.

Other cast members of the hit show, which spawned a hit movie in 2008 and a sequel in 2010, have rushed to endorse Nixon's challenge of Governor Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic nomination.

Parker, who played Carrie Bradshaw alongside Nixon as Miranda Hobbs, has yet to make a public endorsement of her friend and colleague.

"Cynthia has been my friend and colleague since we were little girls. I look forward to talking to her about her New York state gubernatorial bid," Parker said through her spokesperson.

Ringing Endorsements

This lukewarm non-endorsement is in stark contrast to the support of other SATC stars. Kristin Davis, who played Charlotte York, tweeted her support on the day Nixon officially announced her campaign.

"I am so proud of @CynthiaNixon, no one cares more than she does about EVERY person getting a fair change and a good education. I know that she would be an excellent Governor!" she gushed.

Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha Jones on the long-running show and accompanying spinoff movies, was less enthusiastic but just as supportive.

"I support & respect any former colleague's right to make their own career choices," she posted.

Dooming Her Chances

Parker's hesitation may come from worry on her part. Her recent falling out with Cattrall seemed to hinder any chances of a third Sex and the City movie.

If Parker also alienates Nixon, it could be catastrophic for any possible future films.

"They could maybe do it without Cattrall, but they can't do without Nixon, too," claimed a source.

The much-publicized fight between Parker and Cattrall, which has been rumored for years, came to a head in the wake of Cattrall losing her brother.

After Parker publicly offered her condolences, Cattrall took to social media to call her out for being a fake non-friend who is out to restore her good girl image.

Such public disagreements could also hurt the premise of the show, which sees four high-powered Manhattan career women standing by each other no matter what.

"HBO is afraid the fallout will hurt viewership of the reruns and hurt the franchise," claimed an insider.

A Proudly Unqualified Lesbian

Nixon's gubernatorial bid was rumored for a long time, but she finally confirmed her plans a couple of weeks ago.

She's a controversial candidate, being a celebrity and proud member of the LGBTQ.

Nixon, who has been a vocal proponent of education and the restructuring of the MTA for many years, has been discussing her chances with political experts for months.

After former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn described her as an "unqualified lesbian," Nixon quickly adopted the description and utilized it for campaign buttons.
Actress Roseanne Barr handed television talk show host Wendy Williams the ultimate clap back Wednesday.

Barr was a guest on Williamss daytime talk show amid the return of the popular sitcom Roseanne.

Roseanne Barr Wins This Round

All was well with the women at the beginning of the interview but it didnt take long for things to go left when Williams questioned Barr about her ex-husband Tom Arnold.

She asked Barr how she felt about The Hollywood Reporter hiring Arnold to review the Roseanne reboot. Barr made it clear she didnt read what Arnold had to say.

That wasnt enough for Williams as she continued to press Barr about Arnold. First, Barr in turn referenced Harvey Weinstein and Rose McGowan.

Fans might remember McGowan accused Weinstein of sexual harassment recently. Williams then asked about Arnold again. Barr was clearly ready to end the conversation when she responded with what fans have described as the best clap back ever.

I dont like talking about husbands. Right, Wendy? asked Barr.

Wendy Won't Give Up

Williams appeared to be taken aback with Barrs comment. Still, she continued to read an excerpt of Arnolds review after she said she didnt think husbands are a topic that is off-limits.

She read the part in which Arnold listed some of his worst moments with Barr such as when she took out his hair transplants just after he had an operation. Williams pointed out that Arnold said if he can watch another episode of the show, viewers should be able to tune in again, too.

While Barr said she thought Arnold was being shady, Williams said what he said wasnt bad. Willams finally switched the conversation to the controversial topics the reboot is set to address.

Does Wendy's Husband Have A Secret Life?

As for Barrs comment on not speaking about husbands, she was possibly referring to reports that Williamss husband, Kevin Hunter, has been having an affair for nearly a decade. Hunter was reportedly living with both Williams and a woman named Sharina Hudson. The two homes were said to be less than 10 miles away from each other.

Willams addressed the rumors on her show just hours after they made headlines. She played coy as she said she enjoyed being the subject of the news instead of just reporting it. She added the weird story was not true and made it clear she supported Hunter.

Be sure to keep up with Enstars for the latest news and updates on your favorite celebrities.


Teen Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry has revealed her true feelings regarding Mackenzie Edwards, whose husband, Ryan, got arrested just one day prior.

Kailyn's Twitter Fury

InTouch Weekly reported that on Wednesday, March 28, Lowry went on Twitter to express her unhappiness with the Teen Mom OG star. Lowry revealed that she knew about Ryan's struggles with substance abuse, but she also claimed that Mackenzie used his demons to her advantage. In her opinion, Mackenzie wanted money from Ryan and that getting pregnant with his child would open up the door for more financial support if they split up.

Spotting An Opportunist

The Teen Mom 2 star was not done with her judgment of Mackenzie. She unleashed her aggression on her in a new interview with US Weekly where she painted the Teen Mom OG star as a greedy woman.

"Being a part of this reality TV thing has opened my eyes to a lot of things. And anybody with their eyes open (in this industry) could see what she was doing from a mile away," said Lowry in a statement to US Weekly.

Ryan's Tragic Arrest

One day before Lowry unleashed her fury online, authorities visited the couple at their home in Tennessee on Tuesday, March 27, and arrested Ryan for allegedly violating his probation. The arrest happened one day after Mackenzie announced on a teaser for an upcoming episode of Teen Mom 2 that she is pregnant with their first child. The newest addition to the family will join Ryan's son, 9-year-old Bentley, and Mackenzie's 4-year-old son, Hudson.

Ryan's Dark Past

According to People Magazine, Ryan has had countless public battles with his demons. He checked into rehab to deal with his substance abuse incidents in 2017. Also, Mackenzie revealed to the Teen Mom OG producers during an episode that her husband spent $10,000 a week on his drug addiction. She added that Ryan did drugs three times a week.

Bonding Over Tragedy

Ryan and Mackenzie are not the only Teen Mom stars getting over tragic events. Ryan's ex and mother to his son, Bentley, Maci Bookout, recently talked to Catelynn Lowell regarding their miscarriages. On March 26, the two Teen Mom stars spoke about their struggles to carry children while Bookout visited Lowell in rehab.

Before her visit, she also talked to Lowell's husband, Tyler Baltierra, who shared her that Lowell was getting better every time he visited her. However, Baltierra added that the miscarriage brought an intense emotional pain and that Lowell would keep replaying the tragedy in her mind.
As celebrity domestic violence cases are making headlines, rapper Fabolous was taken into custody after allegations that he physically assaulted his longtime girlfriend, Emily B, on Wednesday night, March 28. Fabolous possibly already spoke out about it.

Details Of Fabolous' Arrest

Emily B reportedly called authorities with claims that Fabolous assaulted her. The nature of the incident is still unknown to the public. For now, it has been reported that Fabolous is facing two felony charges in Englewood, New Jersey, where he and Emily B reside. He turned himself in to authorities.

The two charges Fabolous is looking at are aggravated assault and making a terrorist threat. While he was released shortly after he turned himself in, and didnt have to serve jail time, he was given a court date. It's not certain if Emily B will speak on the alleged domestic violence.

Is He Heartbroken About The Incident?

Fabolous might have revealed his thoughts on the incident on Snapchat shortly after his release. He shared a photo with the words 2018 tryna break my heart

Fans got a close look at Emily B and Fabolous relationship when Emily B starred in the first season of Love & Hip Hop New York on VH1. Emily B was one of the stars to kick off the franchise that has since expanded to other major cities such as Atlanta, Hollywood, and Miami.

A Breakdown Of Fabolous And Emily B's Relationship

Fabolous made it clear back in 2011 that he wasnt a fan of Emily B being on the show. He said his first issue was that it only showed her side of their relationship. He explained that he didnt think he was being portrayed accurately or fairly.

He said that another issue he had with the show was that Emily B didnt have any ownership of it. Instead, he felt like she was working to build someone elses empire. He added he would be open to starring in a family series similar to MTVs former hit reality show, Runs House, or even E!s Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

While Emily B is no longer a part of the Love & Hip Hop franchise, she and the rapper still seem to be going back and forth when it comes to their relationship. They reportedly broke up in October 2016 before getting back together in February 2017. Fabolous went public with their relationship for Valentines Day of that year when he posted a photo of him and Emily B.

The two have been together for more than 10 years and have two children together.

Be sure to keep up with Enstars for the latest news and updates on your favorite celebrities.
Letters

COVID It is ironic the Federal Government appointees are blaming the unvaccinated U.S. citizens for the new COVID-19 explosion. When at the same time, people  900,000 so far and going up  are crossing the southern border, coming in hot with COVID in their body. Government appointees sprinkle these people into the interior of the U.S.

Safety At Rural Road Intersections Crawford County Farm Bureau Board of Directors wants to remind everyone when traveling on rural roads to slow down at intersections, especially where there is tall corn.

A plea for a plea To the Editor, Mr. Schauer and Ms. Creasman wrote a pitiful plea to their followers (Times News July 14) to be Silent No More. Their call to action for support of 

In response to the July 14 Letter to the Editor by Harrison County Chair and Vice-Chair. It was a relief to read the recent Letter to the Editor submitted by Benjamin Schauer and Jan Creasman. Their letter strongly outlined our current political climate, but did so in a respectful manner. They asked the reader to think, rather than telling the reader what to think.

Dig Deeper After my last editorial in this paper on the extreme property tax increases being forced on Harrison County taxpayers, I was tipped off to dig deeper into what really is going on with our County Assessor and Boards.

Read more letters
A case challenging New Yorks teacher-tenure laws will move to trial despite the unions attempts to dismiss it, an appellate court ruled yesterday.

The Davids-Wright lawsuit was first filed as two cases in separate courts in 2014 and then merged because they were so similar. The first case was brought by parent activist Mona Davids, who claimed that teacher dismissal and layoff policies end up sticking poor students of color with the worst teachers. Soon after, another lawsuit brought by Partnership for Educational Justice , a nonprofit headed by former TV anchor Campbell Brown, took aim at the same claims as Davids while also challenging the way tenure is granted.

Together the plaintiffs argue, among other points, that teacher job protections amount to permanent employment, even for ineffective teachers who are unable to provide students a sound basic education as promised in the states constitution. Whats more, they claim attempts to dismiss poorly performing teachers are met by dozens of hurdles including investigations, hearings, and administrative appeals. The result: an overly expensive, time-consuming process that rarely ends in the dismissal of an ineffective teacher.

The defendants, including New York Citys United Federation of Teachers, argued the lawsuit should be dismissed in light of changes made to teacher job protections in 2015 . The changes include procedures for speeding up firing decisions, and an increase in the time it takes teachers to earn tenure from three years to four.

United Federation of Teachers general counsel Adam Ross expressed disappointment over the decision. Judges around the nation have dismissed claims similar to those filed in the Davids-Wright case, and we are confident as the case goes forward that New York courts will ultimately recognize the importance to students and schools of reasonable due process for teachers, he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the Davids-Wright case, Jay Lefkowitz, underscored the reasons parents took up the case in the first place and expressed hope that they would win in the end. New Yorks constitution guarantees all children in the state a sound basic education, and the current teacher employment statutes are simply failing our children by keeping ineffective teachers in our public schools, he said in a statement. This decision will finally allow us to get the evidence from the State that will vindicate the rights of parents and children across the state.

A similar case challenging teacher-tenure rules in California , Vergara v. California, was denied a hearing in the states supreme court in 2016, effectively ending the lawsuit. While the case solely concerned the Golden States teacher-tenure laws, some of the most robust in the nation, it was widely seen as the forefront of a national movement to use the courts to bring down job protections that some education advocates contend, as the plaintiffs in the Davids-Wright case do, keep bad teachers in the classroom.

While Vergara and other cases attempting to quash teacher-tenure laws have proved unsuccessful , there have been some victories. Earlier this month, Colorados supreme court ruled that teachers dont have a basic right to tenure , upholding a state law that allows districts to put teachers on unpaid leave without a hearing. And last year a Minnesota case challenging tenure laws was revived after a judge dismissed it in 2016, ruling that such questions should be decided by the legislature and not the courts. The Minnesota lawsuit is also backed by Campbell Browns nonprofit Partnership for Educational Justice.

See also:
Oil company CEFC China Energy Co. has abandoned its plans for a major investment in Central Europe after the Shanghai-based companys CEO Ye Jianming had been sidelined amid an investigation in China. The firms Prague office said that CEFC is no longer planning to pursue plans to lift up to 50% its stake in the Czech-Slovak holding company J&T Finance Group. J&T expressed concerns about the deal last week and the companys spokeswoman described CEFCs decision as a logical step. Mr. Ye is the latest private entrepreneur being investigated in China after leading global investment efforts.

The 800 million deal was signed in 2016 but was never granted regulatory approval from the European Union for reasons that have not been properly explained. Importantly, the deal that was meant to tighten links between the two nations would have made the Chinese company the first Chinese entity to effectively control a bank in the EU. The company has major investments and interests in Central European markets. CEFC commented that the company would continue to invest in the region as a part of Chinese leader Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative.

CEFC is a private Chinese conglomerate that is among the 10 largest private companies in China. In 2014, the firm derived revenue mainly from oil and gas (60%) and financial services (25%) but it also operates in numerous sectors like transport infrastructure, asset management, hotel management, warehousing services, real estate development, forestry, and logistics service. CEFCs investments beyond Europe include oil production in the United Arab Emirates and Chad, on top of its last years deal to buy about 14% of Russias Rosneft.
The European Union sent out its representatives to Jordans capital Amman to discuss the difficulties faced by the Middle Eastern country in the context of regional instability. The refugee situation and the overall issue of integration and support were some of the major issues high on the agenda. The EU representatives acknowledged the need for international support and detailed measures as Amman has developed a comprehensive strategy to deal with the massive influx of refugees, mostly fleeing the war in Syria, over the past years.

The UN Refugee Agency reports that Jordan is home to the second highest number of refugees  89 per 1000 inhabitants  in the world. Representatives from the European and Jordanian civil society are therefore rightly concerned about the unprecedented economic and political challenges the country has to grapple with being surrounded by countries in upheaval. This does not only mean the influx of refugees  it is also about the loss of important export markets and regional trading partners, most notably Syria and Iraq. The way Jordan has opened its borders to welcome refugees, despite the difficult situation, should be an example for many countries, including EU member states, said Georges Dassis, the President of the European Economic and Social Committee.

On top of focusing on this rather obvious agenda, EU leaders also inquired about the work of civil society organizations and the government in education and vocational training. Both are seen as powerful tools that could be leveraged to combat joblessness, especially among young Jordanians. Jordans relations with the EU are currently governed by a 1997 association agreement as part of the European Neighborhood Policy. The agreement aims to progressively establish a free trade area between the EU and Jordan over a 12 year-period, in line with World Trade Organization rules. Jordan is also a member of the EUs Union for the Mediterranean.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian policy towards the Middle East has been largely inconsistent and characterized by unexpected and sudden changes in its strategic direction. This has complicated its understanding among Western policymakers as to whether Russias presence in the region is a source of cooperation or a potential conflict. On top of this uncertainty, Russias strategy in Syria and its refusal to acknowledge the threat posed in the past by Irans nuclear and missile programs are of a great concern to Western leaders.

At the same time, Russia was also de facto supporting Western involvement in the Libyan conflict in 2010-2011, helping resolve the Iranian nuclear issues in 2012-2015 and resolving the conflict in Yemen in 2011 and 2012. Still, despite the U-turns and occasional inconsistencies, the nature of Russias engagement in the Middle East has shifted since 2012. Following the re-election of Vladimir Putin for a third term in 2012, the Kremlin substantially boosted its presence in the region.

Overall, Russia became more deeply engaged when Moscow launched its airstrikes in Syria in September 2015. This was unprecedented. Before September 2015, Russia had largely been avoiding any fully-fledged involvement in military conflicts in the region. Syria also saw Russias first deployment of air force instead of ground forces  a strategy often used by the United States. Given this new dynamic, it is important for both Brussels and Washington to discern whether Moscow can be a reliable partner in stabilizing the region.

Despite the intensifying engagement, Russia is not omnipotent. Its progress in the Middle East is to a great extent a result of the policy mistakes made by the US and the EU. It could thus be argued that by adjusting Western strategies in the Middle East, Russias capacity for maneuver would be reduced. From this perspective, the election of Donald Trump as US president is an opportunity and challenge for the role of Russia in the Middle East. Donald Trumps views on Russia and its activities in the region are often unclear and so are the prospects of RussiaUS interaction in Syria and the wider region.

Moreover, Russias economic capabilities will never equal those of the US and EU. While it has a market advantage in a few industries, overall the country is failing in economic diversification as well as closing the growing technological gap with the West. This has translated into the slow progress on investment deals between Russian and Iran, as the bilateral negotiations between the two sides had not yielded any practical results for the economic relations.

A shift in the RussiaWest tensions might have an impact on the future implementation of Russias priorities in the Middle East. Major changes in relations with the US will inevitably affect Russias view on Middle Eastern issues but a complete revamp of the Russian approach is unlikely. At the same time, Western powers still have not agreed on the best consensus with regards to Russias role in the Middle East.

Yet, Americans and Europeans have no illusions: Moscow will not hesitate to exploit the situation in the Middle East to its advantage and against US and EU interests by responding to Western policies in other parts of the world if it sees them as anti-Russian. It is also crucial for the West to keep in mind that Russia is confident in the success of its Middle Eastern strategy based on the principle of keeping a delicate balance between the different regional players, though this power equilibrium is highly fragile and unstable.

Russian Policy Across the Middle East: Motivations and Methods  Research Paper by Nikolay Kozhanov  Chatham House / The Royal Institute of International Affairs.

(The Research Paper can be downloaded here)
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The Oklahoma state senate passed a historic tax increase plan that would fund pay raises for teachers, support staff, and state employees on Wednesday evening, a day after the state houses successful vote.

Gov. Mary Fallin said she would sign the bill.

The plan would fund pay raises of about $6,000 for teachers. The Oklahoma Education Association had demanded a pay raise of $10,000 over three years, along with a $200 million funding boost to public schools. Teachers would walk out of the classroom until they received that raise, the union had promised.

See also: Fed Up With Low Pay, Oklahoma Teachers Prepare to Walk Out

In a statement Wednesday evening, OEA President Alicia Priest called the bills passage historic and major progress, but added that this investment alone will not undo a decade of neglect.

Teachers will still walk out and protest at the capitol on Monday, April 2, she said.

Lawmakers have left funding on the table that could be used immediately to help Oklahoma students, she continued. There is still work to do to get this legislature to invest more in our students.

The $447 million package passed by both chambers of the legislature includes increases on taxes for cigarettes, motor fuel, hotel and motel lodging, and oil and gas production, according to Koco News 5. Its the first tax increase since 1990, local news reports. The senate passed the bill with a 36-10 vote, and the house voted 79-19both chambers need a three-fourths majority to pass a tax increase.

Its not clear how long the walkout will last, given the pay raise deal. Teachers expressed mixed emotions, with some saying this was more than the legislature has done for education in decades and others saying it wasnt enough.

In a survey of about 4,600 teachers, support staff, and administrators that was posted on the Oklahoma teacher walkout Facebook group, where much of the organizing has taken place, 70 percent said they do not support the bill passed. Over 80 percent said they would walk out anyway.

And the Oklahoma City branch of the American Federation of Teachers tweeted that according to a survey the group conducted after the senates vote, most of its members do support the legislatures planbut 79 percent of members voted to still participate in the walkout.

However, it remains to be seen how strong public support will be for a teacher walkout now. Before the teacher pay increase passed the legislature, most districts across the state had agreed to close schools to support teachers, and support was strong among parents and community members.

Image: Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, left, high-fives Sen. Mike Schulz, right, R-Altus, during a news conference following a vote on a package of tax hikes to fund teacher pay raises in Oklahoma City, on March 28. Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, is at center. Sue Ogrocki/AP
Hi All,



I contacted my college for the transcripts required for WES ( for Education Credential Assessment (ECA)).



The subject list they give me was having a minor change. Like



in my transcript it says - "Elements of Mechanical Engineering"



but in my marksheet it says - "Basic Mechanical Engineering"



There are like 5-6 subject name issues in the total 40+ subjects.



Can this work ? Will WES will ignore this change ?



Please help
I would like to know the gray area of "two or more degree/diploma/certificate" If we have a Degree(4 years), Should the other Diploma(1 Year) which we obtained from the University/Institute contains the exact wordings as in the website? or whatever Diploma obtained after Degree will be categorised as "Post Bachelor/Post undergraduate/Graduate diploma" by WES?



If the Diploma after degree not fall into that category what is the best category it will fall in?



Say, If I have Diploma awarded as "International Diploma in Information Technology" which is done after Degree, Will I be eligible for two or more/degree/diploma/certificate category?



Thank a lot for you expertise regarding this
ezhejiang.gov.cn

Wanxiang Group and MIT sign a strategic cooperation agreement in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, on March 22. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Wanxiang Group, China's leading auto parts manufacturer headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on March 22 to advance scientific and technological research and development.

A delegation of 15 senior experts led by Richard Lester, associate provost of MIT, attended an inauguration workshop in Hangzhou and held discussions with Wanxiang on the details of their cooperation. The experts, spread among eight different fields, are experienced in research and startups.

Attendees from home and abroad delivered 17 speeches, covering a variety of topics. In-depth talks on improving working mechanisms aroused strong interest among the experts.

Wanxiang Group and MIT made plans to jointly build an international scientific innovation center and an advanced institution for applied sciences in Hangzhou.

Lu Weiding, chairman and CEO of Wanxiang Group, said that establishing a pioneering scientific research institute in collaboration with MIT is of profound significance and will be a great contribution to society.

"MIT, the world leader in technology application, is active in assuming social responsibilities," said Lu. He hoped that with the combined strength of both Wanxiang and MIT, the institute would prove to be of great benefit to all of society.

Lester discussed MIT's edge in some the world's most advanced industries, such as new energy and internet of things. He also shared his expectations for the partnership with Wanxiang, saying they will work together to improve cooperation mechanisms and research systems, and jointly promote social development.

On March 23, after the workshop, the MIT delegation embarked on a field trip and observed the environment and working conditions at Wanxiang.

Attendees from Wanxiang and MIT pose for a group photo at the inauguration workshop in Hangzhou on March 22. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]
What to Know About Idaho's New 'Stand Your Ground' Law

With the recent school shootings and subsequent student protests in the news, gun legislation is getting a lot of press these days. While many activists are talking about gun control and ways to get more guns off the streets, some states are passing legislation to increase or clarify citizens' use of guns in self-defense. Idaho is one such state, and both sides of the issue have a lot to say about their new "Stand Your Ground" law.

Idaho's Stand Your Ground Law

Proponents of the new law say that it merely codifies protections that are already written in case law and jury instructions. Generally, stand your ground laws describe the circumstances under which you have no duty to retreat; when you can use deadly force instead. This bill says that not only may you do so in your home when threatened by an intruder, but you may also stand your ground at your place of employment or in an occupied car. Proponents included state Republicans and the NRA.

Bill Will Exonerate Unreasonable Killings

Opponents of the new law -- including state Democrats, the ACLU, and gun control groups -- argue that this legislation is dangerous and too broad. They point to other states that have enacted stand your ground laws where so-called 'justifiable homicides' have increased. They also argue that these laws disproportionately affect racial minorities and that they encourage impulsive use of deadly force.

Even the state's republican governor, Butch Otter, expressed concerns while allowing it to become law without his signature. He worries that the new law "will exonerate killings that otherwise would be considered unreasonable," and that it should be reviewed during the next legislative session. The law goes into effect on July 1.

If you've had to use force in self-defense, or someone injured you claiming self-defense, speak with an attorney as soon as possible to know your rights and discuss your options.

Related Resources:
New Failte Ireland festival celebrates Star Wars Day in Kerry from 4-6th May 2018

Lightsabers at the ready! Its time to dive into the Wild Atlantic Way at its most galactic with Failte Irelands new three day May the Fourth Be With You festival. Kicking off on Friday, May the 4th (the day when fans across the globe commemorate the Star Wars Universe), the festival will bring fans together to celebrate the galaxy far, far away with a host of fun events for all-ages taking place across the Kerry villages of Ballyferriter, Portmagee, Ballinskelligs and Valentia Island.



Joining Star Wars enthusiasts all over the world in celebration of Star Wars Day, fans can enjoy outdoor drive-in movie screenings, guided film location walks, childrens workshops, a special ceili for Star Wars fans (fancy dress encouraged!) and more, all set against the breath-taking backdrop of the west Kerry coast, which featured in the latest movie installation.



Failte Ireland will also be capturing the excitement of the festival to develop imagery and social media content to build on the connection Ireland has with this iconic film universe after recent Star Wars filming took place in locations across Kerry, Cork, Clare and Donegal.



Announcing the festival, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin said:



Im delighted to announce the first May the Fourth Be With You festival. I have been keen to mark May the Fourth in a meaningful way and am delighted that Failte Ireland have taken on my proposals and have developed them into a fun and enticing programme of events. The inclusion of iconic Irish landscapes in recent Star Wars films has already given the Wild Atlantic Way fantastic exposure around the world. I am delighted that events like the outdoor screenings of the film, with the actual film locations visible in the background, will provide amazing imagery for even greater exposure around the world. This festival is not only a great celebration of the Star Wars Universe for fans but a celebration of our rugged coastline, which will further promote our outstanding natural assets at home and abroad.



Commenting on the new festival, Failte Irelands CEO, Paul Kelly said:



Star Wars has created a curiosity around the Wild Atlantic Way and raised its profile amongst fans both domestically and internationally. We have worked with local tourism businesses to create a festival that not only gives fans the opportunity to visit the filming locations and take part in some fantastic themed activities but also to learn about the history and natural landscape of the area. We hope this event will both attract visitors over the May the 4th weekend and raise the profile of the region further, attracting more visitors throughout the year.



For more information and full the festival line up, please visit: www.wildatlanticway.com/may-the-fourth-festival

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Scattery Island in County Clare was amongst 18 European destinations to be officially presented with their EDEN (European Destination of Excellence) Award at a gala ceremony in Brussels last weekend.

The Irish winner of the 2017 EDEN Award was officially announced last October by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, in recognition as the destination in Ireland which has best used its local tangible cultural assets to grow visitor numbers.

The prestigious EDEN competition, which is staged every two years in each EU country along a specific shared theme, is managed in Ireland by Failte Ireland and is designed to encourage and promote a more sustainable form of tourism development. Scattery Island was the outright winner under the theme Tangible Cultural Destination. The two runner-up destinations were Ceide Coast, Co Mayo and The Norman Way, Co Wexford.



Failte Ireland manages the EDEN competition in Ireland and Paddy Mathews, Head of Attractions for Failte Ireland, today emphasised:



The EDEN Competition, which this year focused on Tangible Cultural Tourism, provides a platform for international recognition for destinations such as Scattery Island, which have a unique tourism offering. The EDEN network will provide them with the opportunity to foster links with other Irish and European destinations of excellence in a collaboration which can lead to significant economic and social benefits.



The theme focused on small, emerging, non-traditional destinations located off the beaten track that offered an authentic cultural tourism experience. This is something Ireland has in abundance which made for a close and fiercely competitive selection process.



Ian Lynch, Scattery Island Heritage and Development Group, said:



We have always recognised Scattery Island as the jewel in the crown for local tourism and its a fantastic product with a wealth of culture and history. This award is recognition of the amazing experience a trip to Scattery Island is but also an acknowledgement of what can be achieved through collaboration of community groups and state bodies such as the OPW and Clare County Council who have supported, protected and developed the Island over the years."



Accepting the award, Irene Hamilton, Scattery Island Heritage and Development Group, said:



"The award will bring international recognition to Scattery Island enhancing its profile and increasing awareness. This in turn will spring board Scattery Island and the greater area of Kilrush and West Clare as a family friendly tourist destination, providing us locally with the opportunity to manage the product in a sustainable manner, creating jobs and enhancing and development of the local economy.



Scattery Island was chosen as the winning destination following on-site assessments by a panel of expert adjudicators who were looking for a destination that could provide examples of good practice, opportunities to improve the visitors cultural experience, a platform for the development and promotion of cultural tourism, an understanding of the challenges faced in the development of such tourism and a forum for networks to share knowledge.

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THE Facey Groups annual trials presentation event was held on Thursday, March 8 at Wickepin.

The afternoon showcased the groups 2017 trials, as well as several other industry presentations covering many local farming priorities.

The Facey Groups agricultural research and extension co-ordinator Chloe Turner discussed results from the 2017 trials, which included frost research, non-wetting soils trials, perennial pasture trials for summer grazing, lime incorporation research, trifluralin on oats, wheat and barley National Variety Trials local results and the eConnected Grainbelt project.

Brayden Noble, Summit Fertilizers, presented on the effect of nitrogen timing in canola, which showed significant yield response to nitrogen rates but not to timing of applications in the 2017 season.

In wet years, this would provide growers with the flexibility to delay nitrogen decisions to late flowering with enough nitrogen upfront.

Wesley Lefroy, Rabobank, explained blockchain and how it could help the industry.

He highlighted the key benefits as transparency, provenance, reduced counter-party risk and with increased financial efficiency.

He also touched on the renowned RaboResearch podcast, that farmers can listen to while seeding this year.

The Grains and Research Development Corporation (GRDC) 2018 Seed of Light recipient Mark Seymour highlighted the importance of keeping legumes in the rotation.

His take-home messages included that lupins have returned to good prices relative to cereals, chickpeas still need some fungicide management to work, lentils have improved and are worth having another look at, early sown faba beans work well and new varieties are less risky and early sown serradella on light soils and vetch on heavier soils are good options if you have stock.

Facey Group executive officer Sarah Hyde presented on integrating spatial technologies in a mixed farming system to increase production efficiency of crop grazing, a collaborative project with the University of New England, the CRC for Spatial Innovation, Precision Agronomics Australia, AgVivo, MLA Donor Company, Landgate and WA government.

The project aimed to better understand the grazing patterns of livestock when grazing crops and link them to crop yield maps at harvest.

It also aimed to generate livestock yield maps at a sub-paddock scale, developed by integrating plant-monitoring technologies quantified by GPS-derived animal grazing patterns, therefore increasing the capacity and understanding of precision agriculture for livestock production in WA.

The annual Farmer Forum Panel was held following afternoon tea, with three Facey Group members with different farming systems, who have all been involved in previous local trial work.

The session, facilitated by Ms Hyde, was to understand the conscious change in thinking farmers have, resulting in the change of on-farm practices derived from local research.

It was an interactive session with many attendees interested in what these three farmers have got out of the trial work or how they make decisions on adopting new technologies or strategies on-farm.

Ben White and Josh Giumelli, the Kondinin Group, gave an intriguing presentation about the technology and machinery they saw at AgriTechnica in Germany last year, as well as demonstrating the results from their GRDC-project on machinery costs efficiencies.

They presented some interesting findings such as the average WA farming business has a 0.7:1 machinery to income efficiency ratio and that the higher capital cost of machinery is offset by the efficiency gains of new technology and the reduced need for additional labour.

The final speaker was Darrin Lee, Bligh-Lee Farms, Mingenew, who gave an informative presentation about his farm innovations in connectivity.

His key message to growers was that interoperability and connectivity are the most important points to make on-farm decisions with precision.

The day ended with a sundowner and networking opportunity for all, at the Wickepin Community Centre.

The Facey Group thanked event sponsors Summit Fertilizers, GRDC and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, its major sponsors  Summit Fertilizers, Rabobank and Wickepin Shire  and valued sponsors for their continued support and commitment to the groups success.
PRODUCERS showed off their goods at the Farmer on Your Plate event in Perth last week.

The event, focusing on the education of city people regarding the importance of local produce, was held at the recently-opened Yagan Square.

The sixth annual event was organised by the Farming Champions volunteer committee, with support from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Developments program Buy West Eat Best.

Farming Champions is a volunteer group of both city and country people who are passionate about raising the awareness of the important role farming families play in producing the food we eat.

Governor of Western Australia Kerry Sanderson hoped the event would encourage city people to visit the regions and learn more about farming.

Ms Sanderson opened the event and acknowledged the people who put it together.

Farmer on Your Plate aims to connect consumers to family farmers producing food for Western Australian families, as well as help to educate the city about the significant contribution farmers make to the States economy, Ms Sanderson said.

Up to 20 producers made their way to the city to showcase meats, honey, vegetable, aquaculture, grain and tourism.

We can give thanks that our State and our hard working farmers and growers provide us with exceptional local produce.

I think we are all very proud of what we can offer international visitors, she said.
CHEMICAL training and farm safety around chemical use was a topical issue for the SafeFarms WA training day at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) on Monday.

SafeFarms WA executive officer Maree Gooch led the three-hour interactive session with 15 attendees including broadacre and horticulture farmers, as well as representatives from agricultural colleges at Denmark and Narrogin.

This is the first Chemical Safety Training course and we are going to run them once a month in Perth to start with, however if an organisation would like us to come and run them, we are more than happy to do it, Ms Gooch said.

Alarming statistics were highlighted at the workshop including 800 deaths a year (90 in WA) that are linked to work-related cardiovascular disease from chemical exposure.

Ms Gooch said it was the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe workplace, train people and provide relevant information for them.

We actually need to be aware of handling hazardous substances and how it can significantly affect our health also in the long term, she said.

Currently there are 18 pieces of legislation that apply to farming organisations, particularly for occupational health and safety, which includes chemical safety on farms.

I think chemicals are often a very important part of the farming business and if we dont know what we dont know we arent protecting ourselves, our future and our health, Ms Gooch said.

Its the sins of the fathers, we all know someone who has been affected by chemicals in some way, so if we can protect ourselves just by wearing some personal protective equipment or knowing what to look for and prepare for that, we will be that step closer.

Ms Gooch said people and family were the most important thing in a farming business and SafeFarms WA wanted the industry to get up to speed as easily as possible.

She said Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) were an important part of the training with attendees learning how to navigate their way through the 16 important points about each chemical.

The information talks about handling, storage, mixing instructions, emergencies and first aid, disposal, toxicological information and ecological information.

When you use all hazardous substances you must follow the directions on the label and the SDSs, Ms Gooch said.

Central Regional TAFE Merredin lecturer, SafeFarms WA vice chairwoman and Kellerberrin farmer Judi Forsyth, said there was legislation that farming businesses needed to follow and SafeFarms WA was looking at educating business owners on the safety procedures needed on farms.

Ms Forsyth runs a two-day certified course on farm safety and chemicals, which goes through details of SDSs and how farmers can protect themselves from chemical exposure.

I think the next generation coming through is more aware of the safety aspects of farming and the matter is about looking after not only your staff but the people on the farm, so it could be your own children, Ms Forsyth said.

There are a lot of people who havent realised the legislation around occupational health and safety on farms is governed by the Health and Safety Act.

Ms Forsyth said everyone else had to abide by these rules and farming businesses were no different.

Its the chain of responsibility for your staff and yourself and to have a safe workplace and we really encourage first aid and chemical training, she said.

We use them almost 12 months (chemicals) of the year, and even with livestock, people seem to think that because they are veterinary products they are safe.

Ms Forsyth hoped people would take into consideration the priority of safety.

Chemicals are a big issue, our workplace is unique because we live and sleep at the same place where we dont get to go to work and come home from work, we are there all the time, she said.

Ms Gooch said SafeFarms WA was in the process of planning its Farm Safety Week itinerary that will be held in the third week of July.
WESTERN Australian researchers have developed a rapid DNA-based diagnostic test to aid the State in the early detection of one of the worlds most unwanted grains pest.

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) research officer Oonagh Byrne said researchers at South Perth have modified a previously published overseas method and road tested it as a high-throughput screening test for the Khapra beetle.

Khapra beetle, which is not found in Australia, is one of the most serious pests of stored grain products, Dr Byrne said.

This molecular test offers a quick first pass screen for suspect specimens  assisting our valuable grains industry in proving absence of this pest to future-proof market access, and add to our tool kit in the event of a pest incursion.

Dr Byrne said the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test took a few hours and needed only a small fragment of an insect to produce enough DNA for testing and follow-up sequencing.

The PCR test can be used on all life-stages of the beetle, and provides a quick diagnostic response, where standard methods can take days or weeks, she said.

Dr Byrne said it had been road tested against Khapra beetle samples from around the world, along with thousands of native Australian insect relatives which could be mistaken for Khapra beetle.

Australia is home to many benign relatives of the Khapra beetle and we wanted to know whether this PCR test would be able to tell them apart, she said.

Several years worth of targeted trapping around grain silos across Australia have fed into this research  providing specimens for DNA testing, sequencing, and morphological verification, resulting in a valuable legacy resource.

At last count around 15,000 individual insects have been collected and accounted for in the national trapping program.

Having PCR-screened such an extensive collection of insects, with no confirmed positives, means this simple PCR test can help reassure industry that WA isnt harbouring a concerning exotic pest.

The test will be used in the DPIRDs diagnostic laboratory at South Perth.

Dr Byrne said the molecular diagnostic protocol for Khapra beetle would be submitted to the national plant health committee for consideration as a national diagnostics protocol for use throughout Australia.

The DNA sequences of Australian native insects will be submitted to an internationally recognised genetic resource website.

This research was funded by the State governments Boosting Biosecurity Defences project.
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We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
Can You Bill Clients in 15 Minute Increments? Wyoming Court Says Yes

A recent decision of the Wyoming Supreme Court upheld a law firm's billing practice of using 15 minute increments. The court held that barring evidence of abusive practices, so long as the billing increment is reasonable and not excessive, it's all good.

However, before those attorneys that bill to the tenth of the hour consider a change, it may be worth noting that doing so may actually require more work when it comes to time-keeping. As the Wisconsin high court explained, their holding was supported by evidence from the law firm that they often didn't bill for short tasks. Also, the firm did group multiple short tasks into the same increment, rather than billing short tasks as separate billing increments.

Don't Abuse Your Billing Increment

The most significant factors the court and state bar attorney fee panel relied upon were the facts that the law firm had used the same billing practices for the same client for close to 100 cases over a 15 plus year stretch of time, and that there was no evidence of abusive practices. Notably, the firm actually had the rather rare policy of rounding their time down and squashing time for de minimis tasks.

As the American Bar Association explains, minimum time increments "can lead to inflated and unreasonable fees." The ABA further noted that many courts have found the quarter-hour billing increment to be inherently suspect. After all, if an attorney that bills in 15 minute increments receives four calls that are each a minute, and each on a different case, that attorney could end up billing an hour of time for less than five minutes of work.

Inference Alone Not Enough

During the fee dispute between the Wisconsin firm and its longtime client, the state bar fee panel did actually reduce the law firm's fees. However, the reductions were not related to the billing increment used. Rather, due to the absence of a fee agreement, interest and some costs were cut. Also, there was one instance of double billing identified, as well as some paralegal fees that should never have been charged to the client due to the work being clerical in nature. Lastly, the fees for two motions that the panel found only benefited the law firm were removed.

When it came to the dispute over the billing increment however, the state court, and state bar panel, both found that the client had only presented expert testimony that the quarter hour increment created an inference of billing abuse. The court noted that the inference testimony alone was not enough, particularly given that the law firm presented material evidence to show their billing increment was not abused.

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Posted 3/29/18

Jacob Sumner Libby, 23, Buffalo, was charged in Dallas County Circuit Court with the class D felony of tampering in the first degree. Dallas County Prosecuting Attorney Barbara J. Viets charged that 
Emily Blunt has admitted she feels the world is "unsafe" at the moment in the wake of political movements such as the UK's decision to leave the European Union (EU).

Emily Blunt

The 35-year-old actress hails from London, and has said she is "sad" about the vote that was cast in order to take the UK out of the EU in a deal know as "Brexit", as she believes it has left the world in a more "fragile" state.

Speaking about her views on Brexit, she said: "I think it's really sad. I'm really bummed about it. I just think that 'globalisation is here guys, come on!' It is an interesting time in the world because it's fragile, because it feels unsafe. It's become this sort of 'each to their own' mentality and you feel it. You feel people becoming more guarded, and more in the need to protect. It's sad."

However, despite being concerned over Brexit, the 'Edge of Tomorrow' star is equally worried about living in America with the controversial president Donald Trump.

Emily previously joked that she regretted getting a US citizenship after Trump's election which led to backlash from Americans who took offence to her comments.

Reflecting on what she said, Emily told ES magazine: "It was a fairly innocuous joke because, you know, where I'm from we poke fun at our public figures. I think I wasn't quite American enough to be able to say that. I have to be really careful now. Certain subjects, I just can't. Because I'm also someone who loathes getting in trouble. Ever since I was a kid, I've loathed getting in trouble."
Nick Gordon has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanour battery.

Nick Gordon

The 27-year-old landscaper - who is the former boyfriend of the late Bobbi Kristina Brown - was arrested for allegedly hitting his partner Laura Leal earlier this month and submitted a plea through his attorney in Seminole County, Florida, on Wednesday (28.03.18), prompting his previous arraignment date of April 6 to be waived, The Blast reports.

His plea comes after Laura wrote a letter to the judge begging him to drop a no contact order between them, but the official took no action.

She wrote: " I would like to kindly ask you to lift the no contact order that was placed against Nicholas Gordon and I. I am not in any kind of fear or danger being around him and would like to be able to contact him as soon as possible."

She also blamed whatever had happened between them on her own "severe anger issues" and insisted Nick was not responsible in any way.

She added: "I suffer from severe anger issues in which Nick has been an incredible support to get my act together.

"I am seeking help and determined to take the condition seriously as I have been diagnosed bipolar. He is not at blame, and should not be pushed into any trouble or consequences due to my actions.

"I am responsible for what happened that night and want you to know what a great person Nicholas truly is. When I have episodes, he helps to calm me down and prevents me from doing anything that could make things worse."

Nick's plea comes a week after he was arrested for violating the no contact order when Laura showed up at his home.

But he was later let go with no violation because the judge found no probable cause.

Meanwhile, Bobby Brown - who blames Nick for the death of his daughter Bobbi Kristina - has reached out to offer support to Laura.

He said in a statement: "We have been informed that Nick Gordon was arrested for domestic violence of Laura Leal in Florida. We would like to speak with Ms. Leal and offer her services through the Bobbi Kristina Brown Serenity House, a not for profit organisation designed to assist women who have been victims of domestic violence. On March, 4 2018, the Bobbi Kristina Brown Serenity House held our first event to strike back at domestic violence. I personally would like to extend my hand to Ms. Leal and offer her services through our organisation. I do not want to see any more families destroyed at the hands of domestic violence."
Tobias Menzies is set to play Prince Philip in 'The Crown'.

Tobias Menzies

The former 'Game of Thrones' star is expected take over from Matt Smith in the royal role from the forthcoming third series of the Netflix drama, and he is said to have closed a deal for the next two seasons.

According to Deadline, Paul Bettany was in early discussions about taking on the part but pulled out for "unspecified reasons".

Former 'Outlander' star Tobias - who played the dual roles of Frank Randall and Black Jack Randall in the drama series - is expected to start shooting 'The Crown' in the UK this summer.

Matt previously admitted he was "p***ed off" that he had to leave the part of Philip.

Asked if he wanted to stay, he said: "Oh God, I wish. I'm bloody p***ed off they're kicking us all out, bloody disgraceful.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed. I'm scared I'll never land as great a part again. But there's an excitement to being able to pass the baton on.

"I was cut up [on the last day]. I was sad to say goodbye to the crew - the production was just f***ing quality.

"I was sad to say goodbye to wifey, the old ball and chain. It was sad. But you know, you move on."

The cast change also sees Claire Foy replaced by Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth to allow for the fact the royals are getting older, but Matt has praised the casting of Olivia as the monarch.

He said: "Olivia Colman will be scintillating - she's a fabulous, towering icon - so hopefully, undoubtedly someone who can match her immense prowess."
Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta will host the 2018 Metal Hammer Golden God Awards.

Jamey Jasta

The metal icon will host the heaviest ceremony in music, sponsored by Monster Energy, at Indigo at The O2, London, on June 11.

Jamey Jasta, who takes over from last year's host Chris Jericho, said: "They say the third time's a charm! I am beyond honoured and excited to be hosting the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards this year! It's always been an incredible event but when they told me this year's Golden God there was no way in the world I could miss this.

"We'll be honouring some incredible talent, great bands and the Greatest Golden God of them all! See you June 11th horns high!"

This year sees eight awards categories, Marilyn Manson is set to go up against Stone Sour, Trivium, Parkway Drive and Arch Enemy for Best International Band.

Whilst Judas Priest, Asking Alexandria, Cradle Of Filth, Alestorm and Rolo Tomassi will battle it out to be crowned Best British Band.

Metal Hammer Editor, Merlin Alderslade commented;: "The Golden Gods are the only heavy music awards show that puts the fans at the heart of the action.

"This year's nominees list shows you just how strong the metal scene is in 2018, and when you see some of the names we're going to be putting on that stage on June 11, your jaw will drop. That's a promise. See you down the front and horns up!"

Voting is open now.

The nominations for 2018 Metal Hammer Golden Gods are as follows:

Best New Band

Conjurer

Lovebites

Sleep Token

Loathe

Visigoth

Best Underground

Amenra

Wolves In The Throne Room

Chelsea Wolfe

Heilung

Tribulation

Best British Band sponsored by Nuclear Blast

Asking Alexandria

Cradle Of Filth

Alestorm

Rolo Tomassi

Judas Priest

Best International Band sponsored by Century Media

Stone Sour

Trivium

Parkway Drive

Marilyn Manson

Arch Enemy

Breakthrough sponsored by Sumerian Records

Marmozets

Code Orange

Power Trip

Employed To Serve

Carpenter Brut

Best Live Band sponsored by Monster Energy

Sabaton

Lacuna Coil

Converge

Cannibal Corpse

Solstafir

Best Independent Label

Sumerian

Holy Roar

UNFD

Southern Lord

Indie Recordings

Event Of The Year

Download

Bloodstock

Tech-Fest

Chicago Open Air

Wacken
Prince Harry is being lined up for a cameo appearance in 'Neighbours'.

Prince Harry

The 33-year-old royal - who is set to marry Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19 - is wanted by the bosses of the show to make an appearance on the Australian soap later this year.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Interest in the Royal Family is huge in Australia, so getting a young royal on board is a top priority.

"Harry's Invictus Games is in Sydney in October so it would be easy for him to visit Melbourne for a role. And if his fiancee Meghan Markle joins him, they would want her too."

This comes shortly after Craig David revealed he is desperate to perform at Prince Harry's upcoming wedding.

The 'Walking Away' hitmaker admitted he would relish the chance to perform for the loved-up couple on their big day.

He said: "Listen, if I got invited to witness one of the most biggest talking points of modern history when it comes to the royal family, it would be amazing to be there.

"It's a beautiful couple, and it's great to see they found love and I just feel like it's going to grow because there's a generation who are going to discover the royal family in a slightly different way - I think this is a really good time for Meghan and for Harry."

Craig hasn't met Meghan, but he likened her to the late Princess Diana.

He explained: "[Meghan has] so much potential to bring a lot of the qualities that Princess Diana brought out because Princess Diana really fought for her causes, and she felt like she was a voice of the people and I feel that Meghan's got that and Harry's got that.

"For the new generation, they're going to see this and be like, 'Wow, you're really activists! You're really out there talking for us!' And I think that's going to be incredible, so it's only just the start of that. But more importantly, I'm just happy that they found love."
Many festivals and events take place in Turkey over the year and its disappointing to read about a festival that has already happened, especially if its one that you would have liked to have gone to.

The Datca Almond Flower Festival takes place this weekend (8-10 February). Please click on the links below for further details

Datca Almond Flower Festival (Datca Badem Cicegi Festivali)

www.bademcicegifestivalicom

Heres a selection of other Spring festivals taking place in Turkey from March to May

Bodrum Bitter Herb Festival  (9 -10 March)

Held in the town of Ortakent, Bodrums most comprehensive and delicious regional festival showcases healing local herbs and plants grown in and around the area.

The festival includes dishes prepared by local restaurants using natural local products as well as seminars, cultural activities and entertainment.

For more information visit:

www.aciotfestvali.com

www.facebook.com/aciotfestivali

International Orange Blossom Carnival  Adana (3-7 April)

The Orange Blossom Carnival is an annual celebration held every April in Adana. Its inspired by the blossom scent that fills the orange tree-lined streets during early April. While some of the carnival celebrations are organized, large-scale events, others are simply spontaneous street celebrations. Dont miss the carnival parade which takes place on 6 April.

Please click here for more information.

10th Alacat Herb Festival  Izmir (5-8 April)

The Alacat Herb Festival takes place every year in April and aims to promote nature-friendly methods in gastronomy and natural nutrition through the introduction of the areas many herb varieties. The streets are lined with stalls displaying traditional ingredients and cooking techniques are celebrated during a time when the region-specific herbs bloom. The festival also includes seminars, a parade, wild green gathering excursions, and cookery classes and competitions. The festival dedicates itself purely to herbs and vegetables so if youre a herb enthusiast, this one is for you. 11th Morel Mushroom Festival  Yesiluzumlu, Mugla (5-7 April) 23 kilometres up the mountain from Fethiye lies the sleepy village of Yesiluzumlu. Every year Yesiluzumlu holds a festival to celebrate the relatively rare and extremely delicious Morel mushroom. The festivities include a host of events; the morel mushroom hunt, drums event, activities for children, photo exhibition, marbling and painting exhibition, local food competition, a series of live music concerts and plenty of opportunities to sample the morel mushroom. Click on the link below to read about last years festival. 10th Yesiluzumlu Mushroom Festival -celebrating the marvellous Morel Floral Fest Istanbul (19-20-21 April) Floral Fest, a place where you can spend time in the lap of nature whilst being in the heart of one of the busiest and most exciting cities in the world. The flower festival, which is being held for the third time this year, will take place in Kucukciftlik Park and will include a wide range of displays and exhibitions bringing nature and creativity together.

Hdrellez Festival  Edirne (5-6 May)

Undoubtedly, Edirne is one of the most colourful and enthusiastic places of spring.

On the first day of the Hdrellez and Kakava festivals held on May 5th  6th every year, dancers in colourful clothing jump over the Kakava bonfire for good health and colourful processions take place through the town.

Sources: Festival Sepeti/edirne.bel.tr
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HONG KONG, Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - China Oceanwide International Financial Limited ("Oceanwide Financial", or the "Group", Stock Code: 952.HK) is pleased to announce that for the period from 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2017 (the "Current Year"), the Group turned profit from a previously loss-making situation and reported an after tax profit of approximately HK$43.29 million (Year ended 31 March 2017: loss of HK$57.95 million). As this is the first annual report since our change of financial year end date from March to December, the comparative figures in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income show 12-month period from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 (the "Last Year"), whereas the Current Year covers a 9-month period. The revenue of the Group has increased from HK$350 million in the Last Year to HK$352 million in the Current Year, which represents an average monthly revenue growth of 34%.FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS SUMMARY:From 1 April 2017 to 31 December 2017- The revenue of the Group has increased from HK$350 million in the Last Year to HK$352 million in the Current Year, which represents an average monthly revenue growth of 34%.- The Group turned profit from a previously loss-making situation and reported an after tax profit of approximately HK$43.29 million (Year ended 31 March 2017: loss of HK$57.95 million).- In Current Year, the Group marked a new era after the acquisition by Oceanwide Holdings Co., Ltd, the change of company name and the subsequent HK$5.1 billion rights issue in August 2017.- The Group changed its financial year end from March to December and this financial year covers a period of only nine months.- In Current Year, the Group expanded its business rapidly by taking the following approaches: to increase our margin loan portfolio significantly, to utilise our capital to support our European public fund, to invest in self-managed private equity fund, to obtain stable income by investing in corporate bonds, to diversify our loan portfolio by tapping into structured finance loan, to utilise our capital to support our DCM business and to capture short-term equity market opportunities by investing in IPOs, etc.Brokerage businessTotal revenue of HK$174 million from brokerage business was recorded in the Current Year, as compared to HK$203 million in the Last Year, representing an average monthly revenue growth of around 14%.Commission on dealing in securities of HK$61 million was recorded in the Current Year as compared to HK$53 million in the Last Year. The increase is mainly due to a significant increase in our market share of secondary market trade in Hong Kong as well as increase in the daily market turnover of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Commission on dealing in futures and options contracts of HK$98 million was recorded in the Current Year as compared to HK$136 million in the Last Year. The drop is mainly due to a decline in the number of transactions conducted by our clients.Interest Income businessTotal revenue of HK$93 million from interest income business was recorded in the Current Year, as compared to HK$55 million in the Last Year, representing an average monthly revenue growth of around 125%.Interest income of HK$57 million from loans to margin clients was recorded in the Current Year as compared to HK$49 million in the Last Year, mainly due to the increase in average loan balance. The Group had about HK$2.12 billion of margin loans outstanding (settlement date basis) as at 31 December 2017. Interest income of around HK$10 million from banks and other financial institutions was recorded in the Current Year as compared to HK$5 million in the Last Year. Such increase is mainly due to higher bank balance arising from the significant rights issue proceeds from August 2017. Interest income from other loans and receivables was HK$20 million in the Current Year as compared to HK$1 million in the Last Year. The increase arises mainly in our HK$500 million participation in the Huge Group syndicated loan in August 2017. The Group had about HK$1.23 billion (current: HK$772 million; non current: HK$458 million) loan receivables outstanding as at 31 December 2017. Interest income of HK$7 million from corporate bonds was recorded in the Current Year as compared to nil in the Last Year. The increase is mainly due to our strategic utilisation of capital in achieving stable income through purchase of corporate bonds, e.g. the acquisition of US$120 million corporate bond from a subsidiary of Oceanwide Holdings Co., Ltd in November 2017, which has been grouped under financial asset at fair value through profit or loss in the consolidated statement of financial position.Corporate Finance businessTotal revenue of HK$49 million from corporate finance business was recorded in the Current Year, as compared to HK$50 million in the Last Year, representing an average monthly growth of around 31%.Commission income (from placing, underwriting and sub-underwriting deals) was HK$3 million in the Current Year as compared to HK$28 million in the Last Year. Fee income (from sponsorship, financial advisory, compliance advisory engagements) was around HK$46 million in the Current Year as compared to HK$22 million in the Last Year. A total of 32 (Last Year: 39) mandates were signed, 14 (Last Year: 20) were placing, underwriting and sub-underwriting transactions, 3 (Last Year: 2) were IPO sponsorships, 13 (Last Year: 14) were financial advisory transactions and 2 (Last Year: 3) were other mandates.Asset Management businessTotal revenue of HK$20 million from asset management business was recorded in the Current Year, as compared to HK$16 million in the Last Year, representing an average monthly growth of around 67%.The increase is mainly arising from the increase of performance fee out of our delivery of good investment return on Oceanwide China Focus Segregated Portfolio (OCF) and discretionary accounts. Our asset management business now mainly includes managing OCF, a private fund registered in Cayman Islands, Oceanwide Greater China UCITS Fund (UCITS), a European public fund registered in Luxembourg, a private equity fund called Oceanwide Pioneer Limited Partnership and various discretionary accounts. Our assets under management was US$171 million as at 31 December 2017, which represents a rise of 60% from US$107 million as at 31 March 2017.Investment and other businessTotal revenue of HK$16 million from investment and other business was recorded in the Current Year, as compared to HK$26 million in the Last Year, representing an average monthly decline of around 18%. The decrease is mainly due to short-term stock market fluctuation in December 2017 which adversely affected our investment in seed funding in both OCF and UCITS. Financial media service fee income was around HK$9 million in the Current Year as compared to HK$14 million in the Last Year.ProspectsGiven China's promotion of the Road and Belt Initiative, the expected expansion of the scope of eligible securities under the mutual market access scheme and the upcoming regime reform of the Hong Kong stock market in the coming year, the Group is confident with business development in the future and will take advantage of a much larger share capital and adopt capital-based intermediary approach. The Group will utilise the capital to support and develop the fee-based businesses such as asset management, DCM, ECM and structured finance. Oceanwide Financial aims to increase the revenue from corporate finance, asset management and investment and other businesses and to reduce the reliance on brokerage and interest income businesses. With the rapid growth in share capital, Oceanwide Financial will find means to deliver a decent return on equity to our shareholders. An appropriate level of leverage is healthy and the Group will increase borrowings to enhance equity return. If opportunities arise, Oceanwide Financial may enter into M&A activities swiftly to bring in return in addition to organic growth as well as possible regional presences. The Group will be continuously improving the risk control mechanism on their investments which are expected to be more diversified in the near future. The Group will continue to expand its securities brokerage business and increase its market share in secondary market trading as well as the size of margin loan book. To achieve all these, recruitment and retention of high calibre staff are essential. The Group will improve staff benefits including but not limited to the adoption of stock option plan and share award schemes at the right timing.Oceanwide Financial understands shareholders are concerned about the share price performance. The Group will strive to deliver good results and to enhance the investor relations in a bid to let the market better appreciate the value of the Group.About China Oceanwide International Financial LimitedChina Oceanwide International Financial Limited is a Hong Kong-based financial services group which has been listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited since 1997 (SEHK Code: 0952). After a series of strategic acquisitions beginning in 2001, the core businesses of the Group now comprising securities brokerage, asset management, wealth management, and Quamnet.com. By utilizing the best of both its online resources and solid expertise, The Group strives to become the ideal partner for both corporate and individual investors in Hong Kong and China. The Group also offers premier one-stop financial services to its clients. In addition, The Group provides capital markets services through its representative office or the wholly-owned foreign enterprise in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Shenyang, Ningbo, Dalian, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xiamen of the PRC and through its Global Alliance Partners network in Japan, Thailand, UAE, the United States, the UK, Indonesia, Jordan and Australia.For Investors InquiriesPlease email to: ir@oceanwidefinancial.comSource: China Oceanwide International Financial LtdCopyright 2018 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Improves Core Competitiveness and Achieves a Remarkable Profit

HONG KONG, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Air China Limited ("Air China" or "the Company," together with its subsidiaries, collectively "the Group") (HKEX: 00753; LSE: AIRC; SSE: 601111: ADR OTC: AIRYY), today announced its full year results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2017 ("the Period").

Business Highlights

Turnover rose 7.71% year-on-year to RMB124.026 billion

Operating expenses increased 15.02% year-on-year to RMB112.270 billion

Profit before tax increased 12.47% year-on-year to RMB11.486 billion

Net profit increased 11.38% year-on-year to RMB8.631 billion

In 2017, China passenger aviation market continued to show strength in demand and supply while outbound travel demand continued to rise, international traffic grew steadily, and cargo business showed signs of recovery. Efficiency increased steadily against a background of aggressive capacity deployment. The Group has capitalized on market opportunities by prudently expanding its business scale, optimizing efficiency, stabilizing income level and strengthening cost management to reinforce its competitive advantage in the core business. In spite of unfavorable factors such as higher jet fuel prices, the Group has delivered solid results for the Period.

Financial Highlights

The Group recorded a turnover of RMB 124.026 billion in 2017, an increase of 7.71% from the same period last year. Air transport revenue was up 7.53% year-on year to RMB 115.380 billion. Air passenger revenue was up 6.19% while air cargo revenue was up by 23.48%. And other operating income was RMB 8.646 billion, representing an increase of 10.19% year-on-year.

Operating expenses increased by 15.02% to RMB 112.270 billion. Jet fuel cost recorded a year-on-year increase of RMB6.427 billion, up by 29.24% from the same period last year. During the period, the Group recorded an exchange gain of RMB2.938 billion.

In 2017, profit before tax was RMB11.486 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 12.47%. Net profit was RMB8.641 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 11.38%. The net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies was RMB7.244 billion, up 6.39% year-on-year.

Based on the 2017 profit distribution plan of the Company, the Board recommends the appropriation of 10% of the profit after tax as statutory surplus reserve and 10% as discretionary surplus reserve and the payment of a cash dividend of RMB1.1497 (including tax) for every ten shares for the year 2017. The relevant cash dividend plan will be submitted to the Company's 2017 Annual General Meeting for consideration.

Business Review

During the Period, the Company's capacity measured by Available Tonne Kilometers (ATK) was 35.673 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.61%. Traffic measured by Revenue Tonne Kilometers (RTK) was 25.385 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.12%.

Passengers

During the Period, the Group carried a total of 102 million passengers, a year-on-year increase of 5.15%. Passenger capacity, measured by Available Seat Kilometers (ASK), increased by 6.26% to 247.815 billion. Capacity for domestic and international routes rose by 5.88% and 7.80% respectively, while capacity for regional routes fell by 1.99%. Overall passenger traffic, measured by Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) increased by 6.87% to 210.078 billion. Traffic on domestic, international and regional routes increased by 6.16%, 8.55% and 2.79% year-on-year respectively. Passenger load factor rose by 0.46 percentage points to 81.14%. In 2017, the Group introduced 56 aircraft, and phased out 11 aircraft. The total fleet size was 655 aircraft, with an average age of 6.53 years.

Continue to expand route network and enhance airport hub construction

In view of the national development strategies including the Belt and Road Initiative and the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, 49 domestic routes such as Beijing-Maotai and 12 international and regional routes such as Beijing-Astana were newly launched in 2017. The Group has also made efforts to accelerate the consolidation of layout of the global route network covering six continents, which is connected by the nodes of Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The flight bank structure has been under continuous optimization and the number of O&D connected reached 5,918; the transfer capacity and quality continuously increased. The interlining service revenue reached RMB5.51 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.3%. Luggage checking through service is now provided to all flights from Europe, North America and Australia transferring to domestic routes via Beijing and the competitiveness of its hubs were strengthened. As of December 31, 2017,the Company's operating air passenger routes reached 420, in which 303 are mainland routes, 101 international routes, 16 regional routes, 40 navigable countries (regions) and 185 navigable cities, among which 116 are mainland cities, 66 international cities and 3 regional cities.

Steadily improve marketing capability and accelerate business model transformation

As of the end of 2017, the Group has steadily improved its marketing capability and accelerated its business model transformation. As at the end of the reporting period, the number of frequent flyer members exceeded 50 million, contributing 43.7% of the Group's total revenue, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.8%. Due to the continuous efforts devoted to improving mobile application platform, a turnover of RMB5.02 billion was recorded, representing a year-on-year increase of 39.4%. In-depth studies conducted by the Group on passenger demands has allowed Air China to increase its revenue contributed by first class and business class service to RMB13.11 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 12.7%. The revenue generated from ancillary services such as paid seat selection, prepaid luggage and boarding gate upgrade recorded a year-on-year increase of 32%.

Promote high-quality brand strategy and improve service quality.

Focusing on the concept of "Internet plus convenient transportation", the Group promoted products as self-service check-in, self-service ticket endorsement, self-print itinerary and self-service luggage check-in on all routes and established the whole-process convenient travel service mode. The Group continuously improved service hardware as infrastructure and service software such as operating codes to improve service quality. Air China has also made efforts to promote the application of big data and the construction of "mobile cabin" to realize the timely transmission of operation related information and connect the whole service information chain. As the exclusive official partner of air passenger transport for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing China, the Group took such opportunity to promote its brand in a more innovative way and to build its brand image characterized by "the leader of civil aviation industry in China" and "international network coverage".

Enhance cost control and maintain cost advantage

The Group devoted great energy to streamline and strengthen management, and to improve the quality and efficiency of services. Air China focused on the optimization of the operation of wide-body aircraft to improve cost management system, strengthen cost process management and improve performance. The Group actively carried out the policy of "Lower Leverage, Reduce Liability and Control Risk". As a result, as at 31 December 2017, the gearing ratio of the Group decreased by 6.15 percentage points to 59.75% compared with last year, which is at a relatively low level in the industry. The Group promoted special projects such as "increase direct sales and reduce distribution costs", "reduce trade receivables and inventories" and "streamline management structure". Since 2014, the percentage of the Group's passenger transport direct sales has increased from 26% to 50.9%, and the percentage of agency commission expense of the marketing revenue has decreased from 4.2% to 1.5%. Therefore, the cost competitiveness of Air China was continuously improved.

Cargo Business

In 2017, Air China Cargo has achieved positive operating results through exploring new business model, optimizing the arrangement of its routes and the structure of cargo sources, as well as focusing on the development and sale of high value-added services such as cold-chain logistics.

During the Period, the Available Freight Tonne Kilometers (AFTK) of Air China Cargo increased 4.57% year-on-year to 13.319 billion, while the Revenue Freight Tonne Kilometers (RFTK) increased by 7.97% year-on-year to 7.553 billion. The cargo and mail load factor increased by 1.78 percentage points to 56.70%.

Outlook

2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the Reform and Opening of China, and also the first year to implement the guiding principles of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The Group will fully implement the guiding principles of the 19th National Congress. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhering to the development principles of "Innovation, Coordination, Green, Openness and Sharing", Air China will focus on the reform on quality, efficiency and growth driver, carry out work in a down-to-earth manner, prevent and mitigate risks and strengthen Party building, and will take a solid step towards to strategic goal of building a world-class aviation group by achieving further spectacular performance in safety, results, service and reform.

About Air China

Air China Limited (Air China) is the national flag carrier of China and a leading provider of passenger, air cargo and airline-related services and products in China. Its operational headquarters is in Beijing, a major domestic and international hub in China. It also provides airline-related services, including aircraft maintenance, ground handling services in Beijing, Chengdu, and other locations. As of 31 December, 2017, the Group operated a fleet of 655 aircraft with an average age of 6.53 years, while the Company operated a fleet of 396 aircraft with an average age of 6.57 years. Passenger traffic routes have reached 420, including 101 international, 16 regional and 303 domestic routes. The Company's network covered 40 countries and regions globally and 185 cities, including 66 international, 3 regional and 116 domestic cities. Air China was listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange on 15 December, 2004 under codes 00753 and AIRC respectively. On August 18, 2006, Air China was listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange under code 601111. For further details, please visit Air China's website: www.airchina.com.cn.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains projections and forward-looking statements that reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These views are based on current assumptions which are subject to various risks and which may change over time. No assurance can be given that future events will occur that projections will be achieved, or that the company's assumptions are correct. Actual results may differ materially from those projected.

Investor Relations and Media Enquiry:

Air China Joyce Zhang Investor Relations

Air China Limited

Tel: (8610) 6146-2560 Email: joycezhang@airchina.com Cao Yu

Investor Relations

Air China Limited

Tel: (8610) 6146-2788

Email: caoyu@airchina.com

Investor Relations Serana Liu

Wonderful Sky Financial Group

Tel: (852) 3970 2198

Email: seranaliu@wsfg.hk Wendy Lu

Wonderful Sky Financial Group

Tel: (852) 3641 1325

Email: wendyluw@wsfg.hk

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141017/152745LOGO
TOKYO, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's production and sales results for February 2018 are summarized below.I. Production1. Domestic ProductionMazda's total domestic production volume in February 2018 increased 11.3 % year on year due to increased production of passenger vehicles.Domestic production of key models in February 2018CX-5: 36,195 units (up 81.1% year on year)Mazda3 (Axela): 12,880 units (down 16.1% year on year)CX-3: 10,427 units (down 34.5% year on year)2. Overseas ProductionMazda's overseas production volume in February 2018 decreased 13.3% year on year due to decreased production of passenger and commercial vehicles.Overseas production of key models in February 2018Mazda3: 14,257 units (down 28.4% year on year)Mazda2: 10,393 units (up 37.4% year on year)CX-4: 5,214 units (down 1.7% year on year)II. Domestic salesMazda's total domestic sales volume in February 2018 decreased 4.3 % year on year due to decreased sales of passenger and commercial vehicles. Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 4.9% (down 0.2 points year on year), with a 2.3% share of the micro mini segment (up 0.2 points year on year) and a 3.9% total market share (down 0.1 points year on year).Domestic sales of key models in February 2018Mazda2 (Demio): 5,267 units (up 6.7% year on year)CX-8: 3,018 unitsMazda3 (Axela): 2,202 units (down 4.0% year on year)III. ExportsMazda's export volume in February 2018 increased 16.9% year on year, reflecting increased shipments to North America, Europe, Oceania and other regions.Exports of key models in February 2018CX-5: 34,160 units (up 105.3% year on year)Mazda3: 10,982 units (down 2.5% year on year)CX-3: 7,545 units (down 36.8% year on year)About MazdaMazda Motor Corporation (TSE: 7261) started manufacturing tools in 1929 and soon branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. In the early 1960s, Mazda launched its first passenger car models and began developing rotary engines. Still headquartered in Hiroshima in western Japan, Mazda today ranks as one of Japan's leading automakers, and exports cars to the United States and Europe for over 30 years. For more information, please visit www.mazda.comSource: MazdaContact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.

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.
Over 9 Metres of 43.6% Zinc at Mina Grande Sur(1); Over 7 Metres of 25.3% Zinc at Bongarita(1)

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Zinc One Resources Inc. (TSXV: Z) (OTC Pink: ZZZOF) (FSE: RH33) ("Zinc One" or the "Company") has received the first drill results from the previously announced drill program at its Bongara Zinc Mine project located in north-central Peru. The drill program commenced at the Mina Grande Sur and Bongarita zones where two portable drill rigs are currently operating. The results of this drill program continue to demonstrate the potential value of the project and will provide valuable information towards advancement of the project going forward.

Initial Drill Results Highlights:

Mina Grande Sur

A total of 542.9 metres completed from 33 holes (11 platforms x 3 holes each) and results for 11 drill holes reported herein.

Mineralization at Mina Grande Sur includes zinc oxides, carbonates and silicates.

Significant intercepts include (1) : MGS18001 - 5.5 metres of 26.1% zinc, starting at 3.0 metres drill depth MGS18003 - 4 metres of 32.5% zinc, starting at surface MGS18003 - 15 metres of 21.5% zinc, starting at 15.0 metres drill depth MGS18004 - 9.1 metres of 43.6% zinc, starting at surface MGS18006 - 14.1 metres of 32.8% zinc, starting at surface



Bongarita

A total of 587.2 metres completed from 36 holes (12 platforms x 3 three holes each) in an area approximately 100 metres x 150 metres and results from 13 drill holes are reported herein.

Mineralization at Bongarita includes zinc silicates hosted exclusively by soils.

Significant intercepts include (1) : BO18005 - 11.5 metres of 16.0% zinc, starting at surface BO18005 - 5.7 metres of 29.2% zinc, starting at 5.8 metres drill depth BO18007 - 7.0 metres of 25.3% zinc, starting at surface



Jim Walchuck, President and CEO of Zinc One commented, "The results of the drill program at Bongara are very optimistic and further demonstrate the potential of this project going forward. The Mina Grande Sur drill holes confirm the high-grade nature of the Bongara project with many of these intercepts starting at or near surface. Additionally, this is the first time any drilling has been done at Bongarita and the results we have received thus far have been very encouraging.

The results from the program will also contribute to the upcoming resource estimate and PEA planned for 2018. Overall, we could not be more pleased with the drill progress and results to date."

Geology and Discussion of Results

The zinc mineralization at Bongara is hosted by carbonate rocks and is classified as a Mississippi Valley-type deposit. The mineralization is stratabound and is basically a tabular body with irregular boundaries. Hydrozincite, smithsonite, hemimorphite, and a zinc-aluminum-iron silicate, erroneously referred to as baumite in a previous press release, are the primary zinc minerals that are hosted primarily by heavily-weathered fractured dolomites and dolomite breccias. At Bongarita specifically, mineralization is exclusively hosted by soils. Overall, the mineralization is focused along the axis of a doubly-plunging anticline as well as within the eastern flank of the anticline.

Significant results, including drill-hole orientation and total depths for Mina Grande Sur and Bongarita can be found below in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Although, there was no zinc mineralization found within the carbonate rocks at Bongarita as there was elsewhere along the 1.4 kilometre long trend, much of the soil drilled provided significant high-grade zinc results. Links to two figures pertaining to the drill program are included below. The first is a link to a plan map of Mina Grande Sur showing the current and proposed drill holes and the second is a plan map of Bongarita again showing completed and proposed drill holes. Both maps also include the recent channel and pit sampling locations previously reported.

Figure 1. Bongara Project - Mina Grande Sur

https://zincone.com/projects/bongara-project/drill-program-1/

Figure 2. Bongara Project - Bongarita

https://zincone.com/projects/bongara-project/drill-program-1/

Table 1:Mina Grande Sur - Drill Results (1)

Drill Hole Easting* Northing* Azimuth Inclination Total Depth From (m)

To (m) Total (m) Zn (%)

MSG18001 171428 9367776 320 -60 20.0 3.0 8.5 5.5 26.1 MGS18002 171428 9367776 0 -90 23.6 0.0 9.3 9.3 13.3









Including 6.4 9.3 2.9 17.0 MGS18003 171431 9367778 110 -45 33.0 0.0 30.0 30.0 16.5









Including 0.0 4.0 4.0 32.5









Including 4.0 15.0 11.0 3.9









Including 15.0 30.0 15.0 21.5 MGS18004 171521 9367686 320 -60 18.0 0.0 9.1 9.1 43.6 MGS18005 171521 9367686 0 -90 20.0 0.0 4.5 4.5 7.5 MGS18006 171521 9367683 180 -45 18.5 0.0 14.1 14.1 32.8 MGS18007 171495 9367673 0 -90 10.5 No significant intercepts

MGS18008 171495 9367673 100 -45 18.0 No significant intercepts

MGS18009 171491 9367672 225 -45 12.5 No significant intercepts

MGS18010 171457 9367668 0 -90 12.8 No significant intercepts

MGS18011 171457 9367668 180 -45 15.0 No significant intercepts



*Preliminary coordinates; land survey pending

Table 2:Bongarita - Drill Results (1)

Drill Hole Easting* Northing* Azimuth Inclination Total Depth From (m) To (m) Total (m) Zn (%)

BO18001 170471 9368830

-90 25.0 0.0 4.5 4.5 12.3 BO18003 170470 9368830 225 -45 16.3 0.0 2.8 2.8 1.7 BO18004 170442 9368823

-90 19.5 0.0 4.5 4.5 4.0 BO18005 170442 9368823 315 -45 16.3 0.0 11.5 11.5 16.0









Including 5.8 11.5 5.7 29.2 BO18006 170442 9368823 225 -45 14.8 0.0 4.2 4.2 9.5 BO18007 170468 9368796

-90 17.0 0.0 7.0 7.0 25.3 BO18008 170468 9368796 225 -45 11.0 0.0 3.2 3.2 20.0 BO18010 170436 9368801 0 -90 10.5 Not sampled

BO18011 170436 9368801 90 -45 10.3 Not sampled

BO18012 170433 9368799 225 -45 17.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 9.7 BO18013 170442 9368768

-90 12.0 0.0 1.3 1.3 18.7 BO18014 170442 9368768 180 -45 15.0 0.0 4.3 4.3 18.1 BO18015 170444 9368769 90 -45 25.3 0.0 6.9 6.9 10.2

*Preliminary coordinates; land survey pending

Sampling and Analytical Protocols

Zinc One follows a systematic and rigorous Quality Control/Quality Assurance program overseen by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One.

The sample from each core run is placed in a 60 centimetre long, plastic core box that has five columns. Core recovery, rock quality designation ("RQD"), and geologic features are logged and sample intervals, which are generally <2 metres, are chosen. Each core box is photographed and then sampled with a spatula (soil and heavily-weathered rock) or cut with a core saw, 50% of which is placed in a sample bag and stored on site in a secure location. The Company independently inserts certified control standards, blanks, and duplicates, all of which comprise approximately 30% of the sample batch, to monitor sample preparation and analytical quality. The samples are stored in a secure area until such time they are shipped to ALS laboratory in Lima (ISO 9001 Certified) for preparation and assay. At the laboratory, samples are dried, crushed, pulverized and then a four-acid digestion is applied. This is followed by the ICP-AES analytical technique for 33 elements, including lead. The same method is used to assay zinc for values up to 20%. If zinc exceeds 20%, it is then analyzed using a titration method. The laboratory also inserts blanks and standards as well as including duplicate analyses.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

________

(1) Given that the strike and dip of the mineralization is not known, the intercepts do not necessarily represent true thicknesses; moreover, long intercepts, e.g., MGS18-003, most likely drilled subparallel to the dip of the tabular mineralized body.

About Zinc One Resources Inc.

Zinc One is focused on the exploration and development of prospective and advanced zinc projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's key assets are the Bongara Zinc Mine Project and the Charlotte Bongara Zinc Project in north-central Peru. The Bongara Zinc Mine Project was in production from 2007 to 2008, but was closed due to the global financial crisis and concurrent decrease in the zinc price. Past production included 20% zinc grades and recoveries over 90% from surface and near-surface zinc-oxide mineralization. High-grade, zinc-oxide mineralization is known to outcrop between the mined area and the Charlotte Bongara Project, which is nearly six kilometres to the NNW and where past drilling intercepted various near-surface zones with high-grade zinc. Zinc One is managed by a proven team of geologists and engineers who have previously constructed and operated successful mining operations.

Additional Information

Monica Hamm

VP, Investor Relations

Zinc One Resources Inc.

Phone: (604) 683-0911

Email: mhamm@zincone.com

www.zincone.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Zinc One cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Zinc One's limited operating history, its proposed exploration and development activities on the Bongara Zinc Oxide Project and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Zinc One does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The Annual General Meeting of Telia Lietuva, AB (code 121215434, registered address: Lvovo str. 25, Vilnius, Lithuania) Shareholders will be held in a room on the 23rd floor of Telia Lietuva, AB headquarters, Lvovo str. 25, Vilnius, Lithuania, at 13.00 on 25 April 2018. Registration will take place from 12.00 till 12.40. The meeting is convened by the initiative of the Board and following the decision of the Board adopted on 27 March 2018. The General Meeting of Shareholders' accounting day is 18 April 2018. The shareholders' proprietary rights accounting day is 10 May 2018. Proposed Agenda: 1. Presentation by the Company's auditor. 2. Approval of the annual consolidated and separate financial statements of the Company for the year 2017 and presentation of the consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2017. 3. Allocation of the Company's profit for the year 2017. 4. Election of the Company's auditor. 5. Regarding the approval of a new edition of the By-laws of the Company. 6. Election of the Company's Board members. 7. Regarding the implementation of decisions. Shareholders who at the end of the General Meeting of Shareholders' accounting day, i.e. 18 April 2018, are shareholders of the Company will have a right to participate and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders personally or by proxy, or to be represented by the person with whom an agreement on the transfer of voting rights is concluded. A person attending the General Meeting of Shareholders and having a voting right must bring with him/her a person's identification document. A person who is not a shareholder must additionally produce a document confirming his/her right to vote at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Each shareholder shall have a right, in the manner established by law, to authorise another (natural or legal) person on his/her behalf to attend and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders. At the General Meeting of Shareholders, an authorised person shall have the same rights as would be held by the shareholder or shareholders represented by him/her, unless the authorized person's rights are limited by the power of attorney or by law. The authorised person must provide a power of attorney certified in the manner established by law. A power of attorney issued in a foreign state must be translated into Lithuanian and legalised in the manner established by law. The Company does not establish special form of power of attorney. A shareholder or a person authorised by him/her shall have a right to vote in writing in advance by filling in the General Voting Ballot. Upon a shareholder's request, the Company, not later than 10 days before the General Meeting, shall send the General Voting Ballot by registered mail free of charge. A sample of the General Voting Ballot is also provided on the Company's website at www.telia.lt under the heading 'Investors'. The General Voting Ballot, duly filled in and signed by the shareholder or a person, having a voting right, and the document confirming the voting right (if any) must be submitted to the Company in writing not later than on the last business day before the General Meeting of Shareholders by sending them by registered mail to Telia Lietuva, AB, Lvovo str. 25, LT-03501 Vilnius, Lithuania, or by submitting them to the Company on a business day (to the aforementioned address). The Company is not providing the possibility to attend and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders through electronic means of communication. A shareholder shall have the right to authorize another person (natural or legal) to participate and vote in the General Meeting of Shareholders on the shareholder's behalf through electronic communication means. No notarisation of such authorization is required. The power of attorney issued through electronic communication means must be confirmed by the shareholder with a safe electronic signature developed by safe signature equipment and approved by a qualified certificate effective in the Republic of Lithuania. The shareholder shall inform the Company on the power of attorney issued through the means of electronic communication by e-mail Giedre.Kaminskaite-Salters@telia.lt not later than on the last business day before the General Meeting of Shareholders. The power of attorney and notification shall be issued in writing. The power of attorney and notification to the Company shall be signed with the electronic signature but not letters sent via e-mail. Persons, who at the end of the tenth business day following the General Meeting that will adopt a respective decision, i.e. on 10 May 2018, (rights accounting day) are the shareholders of the Company, shall have proprietary rights. Each shareholder holding shares that grant at least 1/20 of all votes shall have the right of proposing to supplement the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders. Draft decisions on the proposed issues shall be submitted together with the proposal or, if the decisions do not need to be approved, explanations on each proposed issue of the General Meeting of Shareholders shall be presented. A proposal to supplement the agenda must be presented in writing by sending it by registered mail to Telia Lietuva, AB, Lvovo str. 25, LT-03501 Vilnius, Lithuania, or by e-mail Giedre.Kaminskaite-Salters@telia.lt, or by submitting it to the Company on the business days (to the before mentioned address). The agenda will be supplemented if the proposal is received not later than 14 days before the General Meeting of Shareholders. Each shareholder holding shares that grant at least 1/20 of all votes shall have the right of proposing draft resolutions on the issues already included or to be included in the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders, to nominate additional candidates to the Board or to nominate an auditor. The proposed draft decisions at any time before the General Meeting of Shareholders must be presented in writing by sending them by registered mail to Telia Lietuva, AB, Lvovo str. 25, LT-03501 Vilnius, Lithuania, or by e-mail Giedre.Kaminskaite-Salters@telia.lt, or by submitting it to the Company on a business day (to the aforementioned address). The shareholders shall also be entitled to propose draft resolutions on the agenda issues of the General Meeting of Shareholders in writing during the Meeting. The shareholders shall have the right to present questions related to issues on the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders to the Company in advance in writing, by providing the shareholder's (natural or legal person's) personal identification number, the natural person's consent to process personal data - personal identification number, in a letter sent by registered mail. The Company undertakes to respond if the questions are received not later than 3 business days before the General Meeting of Shareholders. Generic responses shall be posted on the Company's website www.telia.lt under the heading 'Investors'. The Company will not respond personally to the shareholder if the respective information is posted on the Company's website. The shareholders could get familiarised with the documents possessed by the Company related to the agenda of the Meeting, including draft resolutions, and other documents to be submitted to the General Meeting of Shareholders as well as get information regarding execution of the shareholders' rights at the headquarters of Telia Lietuva, AB, Lvovo str. 25, Vilnius, Lithuania, or on the Company's website at www.telia.lt under the heading 'Investors'. The total number of the Company's shares and the number of shares granting voting rights during the General Meeting of Shareholders is the same and amounts to 582,613,138. ISIN code of the Company's shares is LT0000123911. Additional information is provided by tel.: +370 5 236 7878 and on the web site www.telia.lt. Darius Dziaugys, Head of Investor Relations, tel.: +370 5 236 7878, e-mail: darius.dziaugys@telia.lt
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - CME Group Inc. (CME) announced Thursday that it has reached an agreement to acquire NEX Group plc (NXG.L) for 10 pounds per share. The per share price consists of 500 pence in cash and 0.0444 CME Group shares, based on CME's closing share price of $158.84 on March 28. Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter, that CME Group was in advanced talks to buy NEX for about 4 billion pounds or $5.7 billion. The proposed transaction has been approved unanimously by the board of directors of both companies and is expected to close, pending approvals by regulators and NEX shareholders, in the second half of 2018. The acquisition would create a major client-centric, global markets company that will deliver better ways to trade and manage risk across futures, cash and OTC products. The deal produces $200 million in run-rate cost synergies annually by end of 2021. Following completion of the acquisition, NEX CEO Michael Spencer will join the CME Group Board of Directors. He will remain with the combined company as a Special Adviser. J.P. Morgan is acting as lead financial advisor and Barclays is acting as financial advisor to CME Group, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is acting as CME Group's legal advisor. 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.
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.
Next-Gen Software Solutions Feature Smart Interactions and End User-Driven Enhancements

AUCH, France, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --TEKLYNX International, the world's leading barcode and RFID labeling software developer and solutions provider, today announced its 2018 launch of CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, LABEL MATRIX, LABEL ARCHIVE, and SENTINEL. Featuring smart interactions designed to enhance the end user experience, the TEKLYNX 2018 barcode labeling software solutions are built to improve labeling efficiency, accuracy and automation for manufacturers of all sizes.

According to a recent TEKLYNX survey, an overwhelming percentage of barcode labeling software end users indicated an opportunity to improve labeling efficiency, accuracy and automation.

45% of end users do not have a standardized labeling environment

60% of end users said they have manual steps in their label printing process that could be eliminated with the use of labeling print automation

70% of end users spend more than 30 seconds generating a single print request

"Today's manufacturing environment demands reliability, stability and ease-of-use as companies of all sizes look to succeed in an increasingly competitive global marketplace," states TEKLYNX General Manager Doug Niemeyer. "It's the driving force behind TEKLYNX' 2018 product launch as we introduce our most-intuitive, feature-rich barcode labeling solutions to date to better support our customers' growing demands."

The TEKLYNX 2018 barcode labeling software solutions offer compatibility with Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016. Some additional highlights by product offering include:

CODESOFT and LABELVIEW 2018:

Updated GS1 barcode creation wizard with added search function, enabling continued GS1 compliance

Platform foundation has been completely updated to help companies label smarter, print faster and operate more efficiently

Brand new user interface that's easier to understand and use

Enhanced formula creation tool makes writing formulas easier and faster than ever before

Native drivers added and updated for easy install and a continued seamless "What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG) printing experience (also available in LABEL MATRIX 2018)

Smart interactions make enhanced variables easier to see and use

Print colors can now be defined in CMYK format to support more accurate color printing

SENTINEL 2018:

User interface features increased flexibility to better support organization-level needs

Users can now set priority levels for print requests

Users can now specify a unique label directory for each watch making it easier to serve a decentralized business from a centralized location

Interface and documentation is now available in Spanish

In addition to feature-rich end user driven enhancements, TEKLYNX' 2018 product launch is historic because several of its product platforms have been completely updated, paving the way for future innovations in barcode labeling. "Our approach to product development and innovation is both thoughtful and pragmatic," comments TEKLYNX Vice President Alex Guderzo. "We've invested heavily in product development resulting in barcode labeling solutions that will not only benefit end users today, but well into the future."

Click here to download a free 30-day demo of TEKLYNX' 2018 CODESOFT, LABELVIEW, LABEL MATRIX, SENTINEL or LABEL ARCHIVE.

To learn more about TEKLYNX' 2018 products, download the TEKLYNX 2018 - What's New fact sheet.

TEKLYNX offers tiered solutions to meet the needs of companies of all sizes and industries and is uniquely designed to grow with companies over time. Today, TEKLYNX is the only barcode labeling solution provider to offer subscription licensing, allowing companies to start using TEKLYNX at a low cost of entry. Learn more at teklynx.com.

Note: Support for TEKLYNX 2012 products will no longer be available after 31st December 2018.

About TEKLYNX International

TEKLYNX International is the world's leading barcode and RFID labeling software developer and solutions provider. An industry innovator for over 30 years, TEKLYNX helps companies operate smoothly and efficiently by implementing labeling solutions that streamline operations while staying ahead of industry-specific compliance and emerging regulations. TEKLYNX is world-renowned for its customer service; offering flexible purchase options, unparalleled service and support, and a comprehensive product offering that grows with companies over time. With operations in the United States, Europe, Japan, Latin America, China and Singapore, more than 630,000 companies in over 120 countries look to TEKLYNX integrated software solutions for their standard of success. Learn more by visiting teklynx.com, LinkedIn, Twitter @Teklynx, and Facebook.com/TEKLYNXInternational or contact TEKLYNX in your region.
IRVINE, California, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Inari Medical, Inc., announced today the close of a Series C financing totaling $27.0 million. The financing was led by new investor Gilde Healthcare and was joined by all of Inari's existing investors including Versant Ventures and U.S. Venture Partners. Geoff Pardo of Gilde Healthcare will join Inari's Board of Directors.

The financing provides Inari with capital to commercialize its innovative catheter-based technologies for the treatment of venous thromboembolism ("VTE"), a leading cause of death and disability worldwide affecting over 10 million patients annually1. To date, Inari has developed the FlowTriever and ClotTriever Systems, both of which are designed to enable the safe removal of large clot volumes from big vessels without the use of thrombolytic drugs.

"We are fortunate to have the support of a strong consortium of life sciences venture capital firms and would like to welcome both Gilde Healthcare as an investor in Inari and Geoff Pardo as a Board member," said Bill Hoffman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We will use these funds to support and accelerate our commercial, clinical and technology development programs."

"There is a significant need to improve outcomes for the millions of patients suffering from VTE," added Geoff Pardo of Gilde Healthcare. "We have been impressed by the Inari team, the progress they've made to date and their vision to transform the treatment of VTE."

About Inari Medical, Inc.

Inari Medical, Inc. is a privately held venture backed medical device company dedicated to the development of innovative catheter-based technologies for the treatment of venous thromboembolism ("VTE"). Inari is focused on solutions that enable the safe removal of large clot volumes from big vessels without the use of thrombolytic drugs. Inari has developed two novel mechanical thrombectomy technology platforms, the FlowTriever and ClotTriever Systems. Both Systems are 510(k) cleared by the U.S. FDA for thrombectomy in the peripheral vessels and have also received the CE mark. Inari was founded in 2013 as a spin-out of Inceptus Medical, a medical device incubator. The company is backed by Gilde Healthcare, Versant Ventures, U.S. Venture Partners, the founders, and other private investors. For more information, please visit www.inarimedical.com.

About Gilde Healthcare

Gilde Healthcare is a specialized European healthcare investor managing two business lines: a venture & growth capital fund and a lower mid-market buy-out fund. Gilde Healthcare's venture & growth capital fund invests in medtech, diagnostics, digital health and therapeutics. The portfolio companies are based in Europe and North America. Gilde Healthcare's lower mid-market buy-out fund invests in profitable European healthcare services companies with a focus on the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. The portfolio consists of healthcare providers, suppliers of medical products and other service providers in the healthcare market. Since 2001 Gilde Healthcare has raised EUR 800 million (USD 1 billion) for its specialized funds. Gilde is currently investing out of Gilde Healthcare IV which is financed, in part, by the European Recovery Program-European Investment Fund Facility. For more information, visit the company's website atwww.gildehealthcare.com.

1. http://www.worldthrombosisday.org

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Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

TOKYO, Mar 29, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Taiwan Limited, and Taiwan FamilyMart Co., Ltd., which operates over 3,000 FamilyMart stores in Taiwan, today announced that they will begin a field trial at the Chongqing South Road FamilyMart location in collaboration with local venture capital companies and other partners. The field trial aims to attract customers to the store while reducing the burden on staff using digital technologies including robots and blockchain.In this field trial, Fujitsu Limited and Fujitsu Taiwan will deliver a unique customer experience that includes store guidance using the communication robot, Robopin(1), a content delivery service, FlowSign Light(2), which utilizes visible light communications, and the video communication solution FlowSign Video(3). A "stamp rally" promotion will also be conducted that makes use of blockchain technology(4). Additionally, the three companies will evaluate the effectiveness of work process optimizations and operational cost reduction measures in the store during the trial, including through the use of a store entrance counter equipped with a 3D camera to count the number of store visitors, and electronic price tags that interact with POS registers to update automatically.Summary of the Operational Trial1. Start date:March 29, 2018 (Thursday)2. Trial location:FamilyMart store located at No. 58, Section 1, Chonqing South Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan.3. Trial DetailsA Fujitsu Robopin communication robot installed at the entrance will introduce products on sale and events being conducted in-store to visitors, while also putting on performances such as the "Famimai," a specially choreographed FamilyMart dance.The companies will also be conducting a "stamp rally" promotion, utilizing Fujitsu's FlowSign Light to allow customers to earn stamps by simply pointing their smartphone, with the dedicated FlowSign app installed, toward different target items throughout the store, including Robopin. FamilyMart will issue coupons that can be used in FamilyMart locations based on the number of stamps collected, with Fujitsu Blockchain technology managing customer information, including details about the history of stamps earned and coupons used.In conjunction with this, video content relating to products in the refrigerators will be projected onto their doors, which have been fitted with transparent displays made by LWO Technology Co., Ltd. This not only promises to offer customers a new shopping experience, but will also enable them to collect stamps by pointing their smartphone at the projected video content on the refrigerator doors using the dedicated app for Fujitsu's FlowSign Video service(3).Electronic price tags, made by SES-imagotag SA, will be installed on the product display shelving, interacting with POS registers to enable flexible changes to prices. Information such as production history and ongoing promotions will be available through QR codes and NFC(5) functionality built into the electronic price tags.A store entrance counter equipped with a 3D camera, made by FLIR Systems, Inc., will be installed at the entrance of the store, and will collect and aggregate information on the number of visitors. This data can then be used for tasks like analyzing store sales and optimizing the deployment of staff.Future PlansBased on the results of this field trial, the three companies will consider enhancing the functionality of the solutions at this location and expanding them to other FamilyMart stores. In addition, the companies involved in this trial will together promote the creation of a model for next-generation retail stores that take advantage of digital technologies, while considering new initiatives going forward, including those that use technologies like AI and palm vein authentication.(1) RobopinA communication robot developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. Motors are installed in the neck, each arm, and at the base of the body, enabling dynamic movement using its entire body, which can also express emotion in conjunction with the color of the LEDs in the face.(2) FlowSign LightA service in which information is embedded in LED light or video data using LED information transmission technology from Fujitsu Laboratories, which can then be read by a user by pointing a smart device at the video, or at an object the light is shining on. By pointing a smart device, onto which a dedicated app has been downloaded, at a target object, users can intuitively obtain relevant information.(3) FlowSign VideoA service that embeds link information into video using video-intermediated communication technology from Fujitsu Laboratories, which can direct users to related links when they point a smart device at the video. By pointing a smart device, onto which a dedicated app has been downloaded, at video on TV or on digital signage, users can intuitively obtain related information.(4) Blockchain TechnologyA system where multiple computers connected to a network share and mutually confirm information such as exchange records. Because it lacks a specific manager, it is resistant to tampering and attack.(5) NFCShort for Near Field Communication. A short-distance wireless communication technology for communication distances of about 10 cm, using a 13.56 MHz frequency.About Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
TPS Protect Now Allows Users to File Complaints Directly to Regulators About Cryptocurrency Scams

LONDON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Due to the dramatic rise of public interest in cryptocurrencies, some unfriendlyorganisations are trying to capitalise on this opportunity to scam people out of their hard-earned money. To combat this, the DMA and First Orion today announced they will be launching an update to the TPS Protect app (launched last August) which will include cryptocurrencies as a category for users to fill out reports and complain directly to regulators.

Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, said that crimes linked toBitcoinincreased to 999 in 2017, compared to just 320 in the previous year.In recent months, the warnings about cryptocurrency scams appearing on social media and online ads has prompted major companies such as Facebook and Google to ban any ads relating to cryptocurrency. However, it seems that this has not stopped the spread of these scams from social media to phone calls, raising concerns among regulators.

The majority of reported cases involve callers posing as financial advisors with the promise of astronomical returns on investments, but these tend to be easier to spot. Other reported frauds that are harder to detect involve fraudsters claiming to be from reputable utilities companies claiming they can reduce the monthly cost of said persons bill in return for an annual payment, by credit card, over the phone. The details are then used to purchase cryptocurrency (via online exchanges such as Coinify) and transfer the cryptocurrency purchased to another wallet making it extremely difficult, and in some cases impossible, for the funds to be recovered.

By using TPS Protect, users can protect themselves and help others avoid nuisance or scam calls. The app is powered by its users, with every nuisance and scam call that is blocked, reported or complained about in the app helping to determine the Trust Score for that number. This means that every user's feedback helps TPS Protect to work better for all its users. Now feedback about cryptocurrency-related scams will be accepted and will help prevent future scams.

As part of the app's sign-up process users can ensure their mobile number is registered with the TPS, the official central opt-out register on which consumers can record their preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls. It is a legal requirement that all organisations - including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties - do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so.

Consumers are able to see the Trust Score for incoming calls, look-up a number, as well as report and file complaints for nuisance or scam calls. For an additional 99p per month, users gain greater call filtering customization: they can effectively block any unwanted calls by diverting them direct to voicemail and create a custom Approved List and Blocked List.

Users can add numbers to their personal Blocked List to ensure they no longer receive unwanted calls and can add numbers to the Approved List for those calls they never want to miss. Custom Settings allow users to tailor the types of call they are happy to receive, for example blocking the majority of unwanted calls by setting your Trust Score to 5, but still receiving calls from specific groups, such as 'Charities'.

John Mitchison, Director of Policy and Compliance at the DMA recommends consumer caution, "Criminals are constantly looking for new opportunities, and the emergence of cryptocurrency investment is being exploited. If you don't recognise the number, we recommend being cautious and not sharing any personal information."

Mitchison continues, "Nuisance and scam calls are incredibly annoying, but there is a way to help put an end to this irritation. You can download the TPS Protect app, which allows you to quickly report these types of call to the relevant body, like Action Fraud or the Information Commissioner's Office. It's only with this complaint information that these bodies can investigate and potentially fine companies or even prosecute those that are breaking the rules."

Robert Baker, European MD at First Orion said,"It's important for us to react quickly to changes in the way fraudsters operate and with the rise in exposure of cryptocurrencies to the public, we've noticed an increase in users reporting harassment and fraud from unregistered businesses exploiting uninformed consumers. In response to this, we have added a new category to the complaint form which will allow users to report such offenders directly within the TPS Protect mobile app."

Those who operate legitimately within the cryptocurrency field are concerned about the impact on their businesses and want consumers to follow some simple guidelines before giving any form of payment details over the phone.

Adam Norrie, Portfolio Manager at BitStocks, one of the UK's largest cryptocurrency focused funds, advises consumers that, "If someone calls you out of the blue, offering a guaranteed investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, then, it probably is."

Despite the lack of regulation on cryptocurrencies, those who are registered businesses aiming to comply with any future regulation are opting to use Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks regardless. These are the standard checks associated with setting up any financial account. You will be asked to provide a proof of address (within 3 months of date) and a recognised form of identification before they are able to accept any form of investment from the individual.

"There are no guaranteesin any investments," Norrie said. "Something you can do as an individual is due diligence. Make sure you are investigating every company you are sending money too and ensure they are being compliant with industry standard AML and KYC procedures."

What's a Trust Score?

The TPS Protect app's Trust Score is an indicator created to help users work out who is calling and whether they should pick up or not. The information provided by users helps TPS Protect to better understand whether callers are legitimate businesses, nuisance callers or scammers, allocating an appropriate score according to all the information available.

Once enabled on their phone, users can immediately start to see the Trust Score for any incoming call, enabling them to decide whether they want to pick up or not. Users are able to set their Trust Score from 1 to 5, enabling them to control the overall level of protection they receive. A score of 5 is the highest level of protection, allowing calls only from numbers in their Approved List, a score of 3 will allow calls from most call centres, and a score of 1 will allow all calls, including those from suspected scammers.

Note to editors: We have an array of images and infographics that are available on request. Please contact abaines@privacystar.com.

For further information contact the DMA Press Office: Ed Owen, PR & Content Manager Tim Bond, Head of PR & Insight T: 020 7291 3324 T: 020 7291 3328 E: ed.owen@dma.org.uk E: tim.bond@dma.org.uk

About TPS Protect

TPS Protect is an app developed by the DMA in partnership with First Orion. The app is available for free to Apple (iOS 10.1 or above) and Android (4.4 and above) devices, including a free 60 day trial of additional features for new users. For an additional 99p per month, users can effectively block any unwanted calls by diverting them direct to voicemail, utilise greater call filtering customisation, and have the ability to create a custom approve and block list.

About the DMA

The DMA is a UK trade association for the one-to-one marketing industry - those companies that speak directly to their customers and those companies that help them achieve this. The DMA provides best-practice guidelines and legal services for its members, who are typically marketing, advertising and data-driven organisations. The DMA also runs the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) on behalf of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

More than 1,000 companies in the UK are DMA members. The DMA also holds industry events, conducts research and publishes reports, lobbies for legislation to support its members' business practices and has a close working relationship with the Information Commissioner's Office. All DMA members must comply with the DMA code, which is available to read here: http://dma.org.uk/the-dma-code.
Sirius Minerals updated the market on progress at the Woodsmith Mine during the last quarter on Thursday, saying the project remained on track to deliver first polyhalite and commercial production on time and on budget. The FTSE 250 company signed a tunnelling contract during the period with STRABAG, for drive one of the mineral transport system from Wilton to Lockwood Beck. A shaft sinking contract was signed with DMC as well, and the contractor handover process was now said to be largely ...

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.
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French stocks rose slightly on Thursday as the easing of geopolitical and trade tensions prompted investors to cherry-pick shares ahead of the Easter break. The benchmark CAC 40 was up 15 points or 0.31 percent at 5,146 in opening deals after closing 0.3 percent higher the previous day. Luxury group Kering advanced 0.7 percent after Stella McCartney decided to buy back the French giant's 50 percent stake in her brand. Automaker Renault jumped 4.5 percent on a Bloomberg report that it is in talks to merge with Japan's Nissan Motor. Rival Peugeot added 2.6 percent. Poultry group LDC climbed nearly 3 percent after submitting a takeover bid for Doux. Sanofi inched up 0.3 percent. The company said the European Medicines Agency has accepted for review its regulatory submission for sotagliflozin. If approved, the oral treatment would be used as an addition to insulin therapy to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Outsourcing group Sodexo slumped 14 percent after cutting guidance for fiscal 2018. 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.
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Ceramic Inks Marketby Type (Decorative and Functional), Technology (Digital and Analog), Application (Ceramic Tiles, Glass Printing, and Food Container Printing), and Region (APAC, Europe, North America, and South America) - Global Forecast to 2022" published by MarketsandMarkets',the Ceramic Inks Market is projected to grow from USD 1.83 Billion in 2017 to USD 2.59 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2017 to 2022. The growth of the Ceramic Inks Market can be attributed to the rising demand for decorated ceramic tiles from the construction industry. Increased awareness among consumers about international premium interior design products and improved aesthetic appeal of tiles are the factors driving the demand for ceramic tiles from the construction industry, thereby leading to the growth of the Ceramic Inks Market across the globe.

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Browse 64 market data Tables and16 Figures spread through 108 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Ceramic Inks Market"

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The ceramic tiles application segment is projected to lead the Ceramic Inks Market during the forecast period.

The ceramic tiles application segment accounted for the largest share of the Ceramic Inks Market in 2017. The growth of the ceramic tiles application segment of the Ceramic Inks Market can be attributed to the increased use of decorated ceramic tiles in various commercial and residential infrastructures. In addition, ongoing urbanization is another major driver for the increased number of construction projects across world. Thus, the rising number of construction projects in the emerging economies such as India, Brazil, and China, among others is expected to lead to the growth of the ceramic tiles application of the Ceramic Inks Market across the globe.

Get PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=55193405

The digital printingtechnology segment of the Ceramic Inks Market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The digital printing technology segment of the Ceramic Inks Market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2017 and 2022. This segment is also expected to lead the Ceramic Inks Market during the forecast period. The growth of the digital printing technology segment of the Ceramic Inks Market can be attributed to low costs involved in using this technology for manufacturing ceramic tiles, thereby enabling increased production of printed ceramic tiles with improved design offerings.

The decorative inkstype segment of the Ceramic Inks Market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The decorative inks type segment of the Ceramic Inks Market is projected to grow at a highest CAGR between 2017 and 2022. The growth of this segment of the market can be attributed to the increased use of ceramic inks in the decoration of ceramic tiles. Decorative inks improve the aesthetic appeal of ceramic tiles, thereby making them an integral part of the interior decoration for the construction industry. Moreover, the increased use of decorated glass products is also expected to create the demand for decorative ceramic inks across the globe, thereby leading to the growth of the decorative inks type segment of the Ceramic Inks Market.

The Asia Pacific region is the largest consumer of ceramic inks across the globe.

The Asia Pacific region is a key market for ceramic inks. The growth of the Asia Pacific Ceramic Inks Market can be attributed to the increased production and demand for ceramic tiles from emerging economies such as Vietnam, China, and India, among others. Moreover, the increased use of decorated ceramic tiles and glass in residential, public, and commercial infrastructures is also expected to drive the growth of the Asia Pacific Ceramic Inks Market during the forecast period.

Most active players in the Ceramic Inks Market

Ferro Corporation (US), Zschimmer & Schwarz (Germany), Esmalglass - Itaca Grupo (Spain), Torrecid Group (Spain), Fritta (Spain), Colorbbia S.p.A. (Italy), Sicer S.p.A (Italy), Kao Chimigraf (Spain), Sun Chemical (US), and Tecglass (Spain), among others are the leading players operating in the Ceramic Inks Market.

This research report categorizes the Ceramic Inks Market based on type, application, technology, and region. Based on type, the Ceramic Inks Market has been segmented into functional inks and decorative inks. Based on technology, the Ceramic Inks Market has been segmented into analog printing and digital printing. Based on application, the market has been segmented into ceramic tiles, glass printing, food container printing, and others. The Ceramic Inks Market has been analyzed and studied in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

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https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/ceramic-inks-market-55193405.html



About MarketsandMarkets'

MarketsandMarkets' provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets' for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets' are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets' now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets' is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares were modestly higher on Thursday after the ONS's third estimate of growth showed U.K. GDP grew by 0.4 percent in the final quarter of 2017, unchanged from the second reading in February. The annual growth has been revised up to 1.8 percent from a previous reading of 1.7 percent. U.K. consumer sentiment strengthened to the highest level in ten months in March, while U.K .house prices increased at a slower pace in March, separate reports showed. The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 24 points or 0.34 percent at 7,068 in late opening deals after rising 0.6 percent in the previous session. Higher base metal prices helped lift miners, with Glencore up 1.3 percent and Anglo American rising 2.7 percent. NEX Group shares were marginally lower after U.S. exchange operator CME Group agreed a 3.9bn deal to buy Michael Spencer's interbroker dealer NEX. Shire lost 2 percent, a day after Japan's Takeda Pharma said it is considering a possible offer for the Irish drugmaker. 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.
AMARILLO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / March 29, 2018 / Amazing Energy Oil and Gas Co. (OTCQX: AMAZ) ("Amazing," "Amazing Energy," or the "Company") today announced that management will present at the following investor conferences.

Sidoti & Company Spring 2018 Conference

Presentation: 4:25 p.m. ET in Track 7

Dates: Thursday, March 29, 2018

Location: The New York Marriott Marquis

Oil & Gas Investment Symposium (OGIS)

Presentation: 2:35 p.m. ET

Dates: Monday, April 9, 2018

Location: Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel

Webcast: Link provided on Conference and Company website

The MicroCap Conference New York 2018

Presentation: 11:00 a.m. ET in Track 4

Dates: Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Location: The Essex House

Conference participation is by invitation only and registration is mandatory. For more information on the conferences or to schedule a one-on-one meeting, please contact Derek Gradwell at dgradwell@mzgroup.us.

About Amazing Energy Oil and Gas:

Amazing Energy Oil and Gas, Co. is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company based in Amarillo, TX. The Company operates leaseholds in the Permian Basin of West Texas, where it has rights within a 70,000-acre leasehold in Pecos County, TX. The Company primarily engages in the acquisition and exploitation of oil and natural gas properties with a focus on well-defined plays containing stacked pay zones. More information may be found on Amazing Energy's website at www.amazingenergy.com.

About Sidoti & Company, LLC

Founded in 1999, Sidoti & Company has become the leading provider of equity research focused on publicly-traded companies with market capitalizations of generally less than $3 billion. Our coverage universe comprises nearly 300 equities across a broad array of industries. Most of these companies have a history of profitability and balance sheet strength. Our clients are the leading institutional investors in the small- and micro-cap markets in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Our approach affords institutional investor clients a combination of high-quality research, a small- and micro-cap company focused nationwide sales effort, broad access to corporate management teams, and extensive trading support. For more information, please refer to www.sidoti.com.

About The Oil & Gas Investment Symposium (OGIS)

Since 1929, IPAA has brought together America's upstream independent oil and gas industry from across the country at its Oil & Gas Investment Symposiums. Investors will hear presentations from oil and gas leaders and how they are creating value in their companies in 2018 and meet with energy management teams during breakout sessions and in one-on-one meetings. For more information, please visit http://www.ipaa.org/events/.

About The MicroCap Conference

The MicroCap Conference is an exclusive event dedicated to connecting small and micro-cap companies with high-level, institutional and retail investors. This event will bring together over 120 presenting companies across sectors, and north of 600 attendees from the micro-cap investment community. For more information on The MicroCap Conference, please visit www.microcapconf.com/.

Notice Regarding Forward-looking statements:

This news release contains forward-looking information including statements that include the words "believes", "expects", "anticipate" or similar expressions. Such forward looking-statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, description of anyone's past success, either financial or strategic, is no guarantee of future success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof. Information concerning these and other factors can be found in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, which can be obtained on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.

Investor Relations Contact:

Derek Gradwell

MZ Group

SVP Natural Resources

Phone: 512-270-6990

Email: dgradwell@mzgroup.us

Web: www.mzgroup.us

SOURCE: Amazing Energy Oil and Gas Co.
Oil and gas explorer Alba Mineral Resources confirmed on Thursday that it has successfully raised 750,000 through the issue of 250m new shares at 0.3p each. The company will use the proceeds to advance its interests across its existing portfolio of UK oil and gas assets at Horse Hill and Brockham, its mining projects in Greenland and Wales, and for working capital purposes. Following admission of the shares, the total number of shares in issue will be 2,581,948,268. Meanwhile, Alba Mineral ...

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.
Airbnb will have to start sending information to the Chinese government on Friday about the people booking accomodation in China. The customers will have their details passed on by the platform to the government as soon as they accept the booking. The details shared include passport information and the dates of the bookings. The platform, which has around 140,000 listings in China, has been forced to comply with local laws and regulations. Hotels in China are already required to share their ...

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.
ISTANBUL, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Forbes Middle East will front their first conference for medical professionals in Dubai this weekend, Healthcare. Ahead of the event, leading cosmetic surgery practice, Turkeyana Clinic has been announced as one of its sponsors.

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In collaboration with Forbes Magazine, Turkeyana Clinic is excited to reveal they will be participating at this significant Healthcare event on March 31st as a Supporting Partner. The day will be a platform for regulators, senior leaders, experts and investors to discuss the challenges they face during this transformational phase and share lessons from the best practices across the world.

Cosmetic surgery is a growing industry all over the world, including in Turkey where Turkeyana Clinic was formed. In the competitive and global market, therapeutic institutions are continuously considering how to improve services. This conference in Dubai will be an ample opportunity for companies and industry experts to discuss this.

Turkeyana Clinic aims to be the number one choice for clients in its region for cosmetic surgery, including hair transplant. The clinic incorporates the latest techniques for this procedure, such as FUE, DHI and the ARTAS System. The latter is a robotic hair restorer which has advanced this sector to new heights, technologies such as this will be discussed during the Forbes Healthcare event.

This is the second event this month in Dubai for Turkeyana Clinic. Earlier in March, they represented Turkey within the field of hair transplantation for the World Live Surgery Workshop, organised by ISHRS - The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery.

About Forbes Middle East Healthcare Event

Innovation and investment. The right medicine

The inaugural Healthcare Event takes place on March 31st at Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights. Panels with healthcare figures will focus on industry trends, including innovations and new technologies. Find out more here: https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/en/healthcare/

About Turkeyana Clinic

Turkeyana Clinic has more than five years of experience in Hair Transplant, Cosmetic Surgery and Cosmetic Dentistry procedures in Istanbul, Turkey. Equipped with the latest technologies and led by an experienced medical team, Turkeyana vows to achieve the best results for their patients and is committed to changing its client's lives professionally and honestly.
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. (CSE: PKK) ("Peak" or the "Company") today announced that the Company and senior executives from Jiu Dong Ltd. ("Jiu Dong"), its Chinese partners in the creation of Asia Synergy Financial Capital ("ASFC"), have been advised by the Wuxi Municipal Financial Affairs Office ("WMFAO") to prepare to transfer 100M RMB to a specific trust account for the purpose of validating that ASFC will meet the minimum financial requirements to operate as a licensed financial services company.

Earlier this week, Peak began the process to transfer funds from its Hong Kong based holding subsidiary to its recently established Wuxi based holding subsidiary, which will then transfer Peak's 51M RMB (approximately $10.2M CAD) contribution to the trust account. Jiu Dong's senior executives will collectively transfer 49M RMB (approximately $9.8M CAD) to the account to make up the required 100M RMB.

As per the WMFAO's instructions, the funds are to remain in the trust account until ASFC is registered and opens its own bank account, at which point the funds will then be transferred to ASFC's bank account so that it may begin its operations.

Peak and its partners have been advised by the WMFAO that if the required funds are received in the trust account within the prescribed delay provided by the WMFAO, ASFC can expect to be registered and conduct its first transactions by the end of April 2018. Peak plans to provide an update to that effect as soon as the transfer of the 100M RMB to the trust account has been completed and to make a formal announcement shortly thereafter on the official arrival of ASFC.

About Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.:

Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. is an IT portfolio management company whose mission is to assemble, finance and manage a portfolio of promising companies and assets in some of the fastest-growing tech sectors in China, including fintech, e-commerce and cloud-computing. Peak provides a bridge for North American investors who wish to participate in the continued digitization of China's industrial sectors through the latest advancements in technology. For more information: http://www.peakpositioning.com

Contact information:

Cathy Hume

CEO

CHF Capital Markets

Phone: 416-868-1079 ext.: 231

Email: cathy@chfir.com

Or

Johnson Joseph

President and CEO

Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.

Phone: 514-340-7775 ext.: 501

Email: investors@peakpositioning.com

Forward-Looking Statements / Information:

This news release may include certain forward-looking information, including statements relating to business and operating strategies, plans and prospects for revenue growth, using words including "anticipate", "believe", "could", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "potential", "project", "seek", "should", "will", "would" and similar expressions, which are intended to identify a number of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information reflects current views with respect to current events and is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as may be required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating any forward-looking information.
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Connexions Loyalty, an Affinion Group company and leading global full-service provider of loyalty programs, had a strong year in 2017, driven by over 50% year-over-year growth in gross loyalty redemption transactional volume, which grew from $2.1 billion to $3.2 billion. The momentum has continued, as 2018 is already setting up to be a breakthrough year for the company.

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In February 2018, Affinion Group, through its Connexions Loyalty subsidiary, acquired one of its top technology partners, Tavisca Solutions Pvt. Ltd, an India-based travel technology solutions company that works with leisure travel companies to support and grow their online travel business. The acquisition aims to help Connexions Loyalty fully leverage their high-quality technology platforms, which will cater to specific customer requests and promote healthy customer retention, acquisition, and loyalty.

For future growth, Connexions Loyalty understands the need to adapt to frictionless omni-channel interactions at every phase of the customer journey and deliver on personalization with a human touch. To do this, Tavisca Solutions is concentrating on talent acquisition and plans to double their workforce before the end of 2019 by recruiting individuals with proven proficiency and multi-disciplinary expertise in domains like Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, chatbot developments, mobile technology and omni-channel delivery.

Tavisca Solutions will be the primary hub for the company's loyalty platform and cloud technology development. This will not only create new job opportunities in the region, but will also help establish Pune as a key travel technology hub in India.

Tavisca Solutions and Connexions Loyalty partnership will create the premier online travel loyalty programs. The impact of this development will raise standards all across the online travel sector in terms of both customer satisfaction and efficient technology.

About Us

Tavisca Solutions, an Affinion Group company, through its subsidiary Connexions Loyalty, is a leading Travel Technology Products & Solutions Company that powers over 4.8 million (2017) travel bookings for leading B2C, membership-based travel and B2B travel companies globally. Tavisca Solutions has helped travel brands transform themselves into technology-centric market leaders in travel, empower their vision, and scale their businesses. Established in 2008, taviscahas emerged into a team of travel technology specialists with over 300 dedicated personnel. A state-of-the-art development center in India, and a sales and marketing office in the USA. For more information, visit http://www.tavisca.com.

About Connexions Loyalty

As experts in customer loyalty for more than 35 years, Connexions Loyalty helps organizations motivate, reward and retain their customers and partners. The world's top brands turn to us for loyalty management, consumer rewards, rewards fulfilment and card benefits. Our loyalty programs are available to more than 200 million people in North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Connexions Loyalty, an Affinion

Group company, employs more than 900 talented team members with offices in the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore. For more information, visit cxloyalty.com

About Affinion Group

Affinion Group is one of the world's leading loyalty and customer engagement solutions companies servicing over 250 million consumers with more than 5,500 client partner relationships and over 40 years of experience.We design, administer and fulfill loyalty and customer engagement programs that strengthen and expand the value of relationships for our leading clients around the globe, including many of the largest and most respected companies in the financial services, retail, travel, and internet commerce sectors. Based in Stamford, CT, the Company has over 3,000 employees located in 20 countries across the globe. For more information, visit http://www.affinion.com.

Media Contact :

beacon@tavisca.com


PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new market research report on the "Alarm Monitoring Market by Offering (Systems Hardware, Services), Input Signal (Discrete, Protocol), Communication Technology (Wired, Cellular, IP), Application (Building, Equipment, Vehicle Alarm Monitoring), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets', this market is expected to be valued at USD 45.70 Billion in 2018 and is likely to reach USD 59.83 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR 5.5% between 2018 and 2023. The major factors driving the growth of the alarm monitoring market include attractive insurance policy discounts for installing security systems and increasing popularity of smart homes and home automation systems.

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Browse 64 market data Tables and47 Figures spread through 132 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Alarm Monitoring Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alarm-monitoring-market-110120052.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report



Wired telecommunication network held the largest share of the alarm monitoring market in 2017

Wired telecommunication network or PSTN is the most commonly used communication technology in the existing alarm monitoring systems; its reliability is a major reason of its dominating presence. PSTN, being a legacy system, is widely used in major regions. Most old alarm monitoring systems make use of PSTN, and are not likely to switch to newer technologies due to the high cost and complexity involved.

Residential buildings to hold a larger share of the market for building alarm monitoring throughout the forecast period

Residential buildings are expected to hold a larger share of the alarm monitoring market for building alarm monitoring throughout the forecast period as the demand for home security systems is increasing due to the rise in crime rates. Monitoring of residential buildings is growing at a high rate owing to the rising penetration of security systems in the residential sector. Increasing income, rising demand for security, and discounts on home insurance policies are some of the major factors boosting the adoption of alarm monitoring systems in the residential sector.

Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=110120052

North America to hold the largest share of the alarm monitoring market during the forecast period

North America is in the forefront in the evolution and development of alarm monitoring technology as this region is home to some of the largest multinational corporations in the world. Most leading players operating in the global alarm monitoring market are based in this region. Increased R&D in the field of remote monitoring, home automation systems, and Internet of Things, in terms of new and improved technologies, is a major factor driving market growth in North America. The emerging R&D activities at the academic and industry levels are broadening the application areas of alarm monitoring to include equipment monitoring, building alarm monitoring, environment monitoring, and medical equipment monitoring in North America.

The report also profiles the most promising players in the alarm monitoring market. The competitive landscape provides a picture of the strategies adopted by a large number of the players in the market. The key players in the alarm monitoring market include ADT (US), Moni (US), Honeywell (US), Securitas (Sweden), UTC (US), Schneider (France), Johnson Controls (US), Vivint (US), Vector Security (US), and Bosch (Germany).

Know more about the Alarm Monitoring Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alarm-monitoring-market-110120052.html



About MarketsandMarkets'

MarketsandMarkets' provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets' for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets' are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets' now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets' is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets' INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com



Visit Our Blog@ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets
Results enhance existing evidence base showing Spiolto Respimatimproves symptom reduction and quality of life over Spiriva Respimat2,3,4,5,6

For media excluding the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced data from the landmark 52-week DYNAGITO trial which show that in people with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Spiolto Respimat(tiotropium/olodaterol 5/5g) lowers the rate of moderate-to-severe exacerbations compared with Spiriva Respimat (tiotropium). The pre-specified significance level of p<0.01 for the primary endpoint of DYNAGITO was not met.1 Treatment with tiotropium/olodaterol resulted in a 7% lower rate of moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbations compared with tiotropium alone (p=0.0498).1 This study, involving more than 7,800 people with COPD over 1 year, was published today in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.1

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005455/en/

Importance of Preventing COPD Exacerbations (Infographic: Business Wire)

"The results of DYNAGITO are of value, as they show that tiotropium/olodaterol can lower the rate of moderate-to-severe exacerbations in many patients compared to tiotropium a tough comparator which has consistently demonstrated exacerbation risk reduction through long-term, real-world experience," said study investigator Professor Peter M.A. Calverley, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Liverpool, UK. "These data support evidence-based expert recommendations that dual bronchodilator LAMA/LABA therapy has a central role in the management of people with COPD, in terms of symptom improvement and exacerbation risk reduction."7

COPD is a progressive, yet treatable condition that significantly impacts patients' lives, restricting their daily activities from early on in the disease.8,9,10 COPD exacerbations, or flare-ups, are sudden episodes of increased breathlessness, cough and mucus production that can last for several days or even weeks.11 These episodes can be seriously disabling, resulting in a need for urgent medical care, including hospitalisation, and sometimes lead to death.11

Further DYNAGITO data demonstrated that tiotropium/olodaterol was associated with fewer moderate-to-severe exacerbations that needed intervention with a systemic corticosteroid, with or without antibiotics, compared with tiotropium:1*

A 20% lower rate of moderate-to-severe exacerbations that required treatment with a systemic corticosteroid (p=0.0068). 1*

A 9% lower rate of exacerbations where the use of both a systemic corticosteroid and antibiotics were needed (p=0.0447). 1*

No difference was observed in the rate of exacerbations that required treatment with antibiotics only (p=0.2062).1*

No new side effects or safety concerns were identified in the DYNAGITO study.1 These data also show that tiotropium/olodaterol has a similar safety profile to tiotropium.1

Reducing symptoms and the future risk of exacerbations are key treatment goals for COPD.7 According to the international GOLD 2018 Strategy recommendations, LAMA/LABA treatments such as tiotropium/olodaterol play a central role in the management of COPD and help to achieve these treatment goals.7

Intended audiences:

This press release is issued from our Corporate Headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved products may vary from country to country, and a country-specific press release on this topic may have been issued in the countries where we do business.

For references and notes to editors, please visit: http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/results-landmark-dynagito-trial

The pre-specified significance level of p<0.01 for the primary endpoint of DYNAGITO was not met

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005455/en/

Contacts:

Boehringer Ingelheim

Corporate Communications

Media + PR

Dr. Carolin Grob

Email: carolin.grob@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Phone: +49 (6132) 77-182603

Fax: +49 (6132) 77-6601

or

Email: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
YVERDON-LES-BAINS, Switzerland, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Dr. Joaquin Azpilicueta, M.D., EP Solutions CEO reports the outcome of the meetings with the Scientific Advisory Board and the Mathematics Advisory Board celebrated in February and March 2018 respectively.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660521/EP_Solutions_SA_Logo.jpg )



The Scientific Advisory Board, with members that hold prominent positions in the cardiac electrophysiology community like Prof. Dr. Claudio Tondo, Prof. Dr. Dipen Shah and Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schotten, Prof. Karl-Heinz Kuck and Prof. Erik Wissner, among others, met in Prague and have endorsed the strategic orientation of the company and the scientific and technologic development plans. EP Solutions' scientific development efforts are focused at delivering value in the management of 3 key cardiac conditions: Atrial and Ventricular arrhythmias and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

Prof. Erik Wissner, as a first author, recently published, together with EP Solutions staff members, the article "Noninvasive Phase Mapping of AtrialFlutter in Humans - Comparison with Invasive Mapping" in the EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ARRHYTHMIA & ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, concluding that "Noninvasive phase mapping can accurately delineate the activation pattern of cavo-tricuspid isthmus dependent atrial flutter and may be useful in other types of macro-reentrant tachycardias." (Click here to read the article)

The recently constituted Mathematics Advisory Board, formed by Prof. Olaf Doessel, Prof. Alfio Quarteroni and Prof. Diego Liberati, met at the KIT in Karlsruhe for the first time to review the algorithmic continuous development that keeps improving the cardiac mapping modalities and precision of the EP Solutions product. The board confirmed the solid algorithmic and mathematical foundation of EP Solutions, identified and initiated the future development planning and set the grounds for cooperation between EP Solutions and the 3 prestigious academic institutions represented: the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, the EPFL in Switzerland and the Politecnico di Milano in Italy.

EP Solutions SA is a Swiss company based in Yverdon-les-Bains that produces a non-invasive electrocardiographic endo and epicardial imaging compatible with CT-Scan and MRI for the decision support and workflow improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.

http://www.ep-solutions.ch
STAMFORD, Conn. and LUCCA, Italy, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Report focuses on PM products and solutions in the DACH region; Positioning is based on portfolio capabilities and market execution

CCH Tagetik, part of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting and a leader in global performance management software solutions, today announced that it is ranked as a market leader in financial performance management by BARC, a CXP Company.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/492891/Tagetik_Logo.jpg )



A research and consulting firm focused on enterprise software, BARC evaluated 13 vendor portfolios prevalent in the DACH region for the report. Criteria included product capabilities, architecture, sales and marketing strategy, customer feedback, and financial performance. CCH Tagetik is one of only four vendors to be ranked as a market leader.

The report's overall description of CCH Tagetik called out the following strengths:

Its integrated solution for all aspects of financial planning, including balance sheets, P&L reporting, and liquidity.

CPM functionality for financial consolidation, risk management, and disclosure management.

Comprehensive, pre-defined business rules for financial corporate management and selected operational plans.

Web-based workflow management with transparent status monitoring.

User-friendly Excel add-in and web-based forms for data entry.

"We are delighted to be recognized as a leading solution for the German speaking market," said Andreas Drescher, managing director, CCH Tagetik DACH. "Over recent years, we've gained significant traction in the D-A-CH market, thanks to the robust functionality of our CPM solution and the success we've had in helping companies meet rigorous new compliance requirements or to optimize their planning- or consolidation processes."

"To be named a market leader is a significant accomplishment," said Dr. Christian Fuchs, head of BARC's Analytics and Data Management Practice. "In today's business environment, PM must provide transparency into all financial processes. It also must go beyond analysis and reporting on the past and anticipate future developments and explore how they may impact an organization's business goals."

To download a copy of the report, "BARC Financial Performance Management DACH", click here.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).

CCH Tagetik a part of the Tax and Accounting division, provide solutions to CFOS for Corporate Performance Management.

For more information about our solutions and organization, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Media Contacts:

Greta Bartoli

CCH Tagetik

+39-058396811 office

gretabartoli@tagetik.com

Linda Galloway

insidHR Communications

+1-303-863-8620 office

+1-203-733-7446 mobile

lgalloway@insidhr.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - ALX Uranium Corp. (TSXV: AL) (FSE: 6LLN) (OTC: ALXEF) ("ALX" or the "Company) announced today initial results from the Hook-Carter Uranium Project ("Hook-Carter", or the "Project") drilling program which began in mid-February 2018 (see ALX news release dated February 13, 2018). The drilling program is being operated by Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison") (TSX: DML, NYSE MKT: DNN) and was originally estimated to include 10,000 metres of diamond drilling.

To date, four holes totaling 2,656.7 metres have been completed, and a fifth hole was lost at 405 metres due to unstable ground conditions. The drill holes completed so far have each exhibited hallmarks of a wide-spread alteration system, with features such as intense desilification of the sandstone with significant core loss associated as well as altered and faulted graphitic metasediments, pervasive bleaching, strong local silicification and hematization, and smoky quartz observed in the basement rocks. Elevated radioactivity was noted in two holes ranging up to 184 counts per second measured on a Mount Sopris 2GHF-1000 - Triple Gamma downhole probe. Analytical results are pending. To view photographs of selected core samples please click here.

Due to the early onset of warm weather conditions the drilling program has been temporarily suspended, with operations set to resume in May 2018. The hiatus in operations will be utilized to conduct a detailed interpretation of geochemical, spectral clay and structural data in order to assist prioritization of targets.

"Interpretation of the preliminary drill results indicate that we have confirmed the footprint of the Patterson Lake Corridor at Hook-Carter, " said Sierd Eriks, President and Chief Geologist of ALX. "Denison will continue to explore this highly-prospective trend with a helicopter-assisted program later in the 2018 spring season."

About Hook-Carter

Exploration at Hook-Carter is operated by Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison") (TSX: DML, NYSE MKT: DNN). The Project is owned 80% by Denison and 20% by ALX, and is located along the prolific Patterson Lake Corridor - host to the Triple R uranium deposit (Fission Uranium Corp.), the Arrow uranium deposit, Harpoon, Bow and South Arrow uranium discoveries (NexGen Energy Ltd.), and the Spitfire, Hornet and Dragon uranium discoveries (a joint venture of Purepoint Uranium Group Inc., Cameco Corp., and Orano Canada Inc.). Denison has agreed to fund the first $12.0 million of expenditures at Hook-Carter (see ALX news releases dated October 13, 2016 and November 7, 2016).

ALX believes Hook-Carter is significantly underexplored, with only five historical drill holes located along the 15 kilometres of interpreted strike length of the Patterson Lake Corridor that lies within the Project.

To view maps of Hook-Carter's location along the Patterson Lake Corridor and the 2018 drilling plan, please click here.

Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Sierd Eriks, P.Geo., President and Chief Geologist of the Company, who is a Qualified Person, in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in National Instrument 43-101.

About ALX

ALX's mandate is to provide shareholders with multiple opportunities for discovery by exploring a portfolio of prospective uranium properties in the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company executes well-designed exploration programs using the latest technologies and has interests in over 200,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin, which hosts the richest uranium deposits in the world. ALX is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and its common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "AL", on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "6LLN" and in the United States OTC market under the symbol "ALXEF". Technical reports are available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) for several of the Company's active properties.

For more information about the Company, please visit the ALX corporate website at www.alxuranium.com or contact Roger Leschuk, Manager, Corporate Communications at Ph: 604.629.0293 or Toll-Free: 1.866.629.8368, or by email: rleschuk@alxuranium.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of ALX Uranium Corp.

"Warren Stanyer"

Warren Stanyer, Chairman and CEO

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Forward looking statements in this news release for example include and are not limited to the 2018 drilling program by Denison at Hook-Carter, and the anticipated benefits of the planned program. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include economic, competitive, governmental, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially may include misinterpretation of data; that we may not be able to get equipment or labour as we need it; that we may not be able to raise sufficient funds to complete our intended acquisitions, exploration or development; that our applications to drill may be denied; that weather, logistical problems or hazards may prevent us from exploration; that equipment may not work as well as expected; that analysis of data may not be possible accurately and at depth; that results which we or others have found in any particular location are not necessarily indicative of larger areas of our properties; that we may not complete environmental programs in a timely manner or at all; that market prices may not justify commercial production costs; and that despite encouraging data there may be no commercially exploitable mineralization on our properties.

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.
Panevezys, 2018-03-29 15:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 28 March 2018 AB Linas Agro Group received decision No 241-50 of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania (hereinafter in the text - the decision), by which it is bound to publish such a notification: "3. To require AB Linas Agro Group to immediately publish the notification about the material event, i.e. about this decision of the director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania indicating: 3.1. That by the decision of the director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania AB Linas Agro Group was warned about the infringement of Article 22 of the Law on Securities of the Republic of Lithuania; 3.2. That the consolidated annual financial statements of AB Linas Agro Group for financial year 2016-2017 ending on 30 June 2017 do not comply with the requirements of IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment; 3.3. The impact of the infringements on financial statements: the application of useful life of the non-current tangible assets shorter than required by IAS 16 has reduced the value of the tangible non-current assets and increased costs; therefore, the annual consolidated financial statements of AB Linas Agro Group failed to reflect a true and fair view: if longer periods of depreciation of the tangible non-current assets were applied, the tangible non-current assets and non-allocated result of 30 June 2017 would increase." Based on the foregoing, the Company publishes this notification about the material event. Comments of Finance Director of AB "Linas Agro Group": Bank of Lithuania survey has took place for three months and included the Group's accounting policies and principles of consolidation of financial statements, valuation of biological assets, accounting of inventories, accounts receivable, loans granted to subsidiaries and accounting of property, plant and equipment. The Bank of Lithuania expressed the opinion that the Group did not review the useful lives and residual values of non-current tangible assets when compiling consolidated annual financial statements for the financial year 2016/2017. In principle, this relates to long-term tangible assets of agricultural companies that have been purchased long time ago. During the investigation, the deliberate activities of AB Linas Agro Group were not identified, for which the financial information does not meet the requirements of the IAS. Taking into account the decision of the Bank of Lithuania, we initiate the review of the useful lives and residual values of the Group's property, plant and equipment from July 1st 2018 onwards. - Tomas Tumenas, Financial Director of AB Linas Agro Group, commented on the conclusions of the study of the Bank of Lithuania. In accordance with the criteria of transparency and availability of information, the Company, if needed, will in future inform about its further actions regarding the decision of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania. Investor relations specialist Greta Vaitkeviciene +370 45 507 346 g.vaitkeviciene@linasagro.lt
NEW YORK, NY/ ACCESSWIRE / March 29, 2018 / SeeThruEquity, a leading independent equity research and corporate access firm focused on small-cap and micro-cap public companies, today announced it has issued an update on Generation Next Franchise Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: VEND) and raised its target price to $2.85.

The report is available here: March 2018 Update.

We are updating coverage of Generation Next Franchise Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: VEND). Located in San Diego, CA, VEND was founded in 2016 and is the parent company to 1) Fresh Healthy Vending LLC, a leading healthy-choice vending machine franchise, and 2) Reis and Irvy's, Inc., a robotic frozen yogurt vending kiosk. The company also operates 19 Degrees, a corporate-focused frozen yogurt robot brand, and Generation Next Vending Robots, Inc. We see several catalysts ahead for VEND as it prepares for a nationwide rollout of its Froyo Robots, in partnership with manufacturing leader Flex, Inc., which was responsible for manufacturing the first 45,000 Redbox units, as well as Dannon YoCream, Stoelting Food Service, and Pitney Bowes, which will provide national installation and servicing.

Upcoming Rollout of Froyo Robots in April 2018

Through Reis & Irvy's, VEND is seeking to reinvent the frozen yogurt business with its Froyo Robot, a self-serve, frozen yogurt vending machine, which offers seven flavors of frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbets and gelatos, and up to six custom toppings. The Froyo Robot can serve up to 60 servings per hour and only occupies a 15-foot space. Combining the company's experience in healthy vending with new technology, VEND launched its flagship Reis & Irvy's froyo robots in 2016 and has pre-sold more than 1,000 units representing a $40mn backlog across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

Bookings Traction Taking Shape as VEND Prepares for Rollout

As highlighted by recent announcements and aggressive sales targets by the company for calendar 2018 and 2019, VEND appears to be gaining traction in the market. Management articulated a goal of surpassing $90mn in revenues in calendar 2018, including $45mn of new franchise sales. Most recently, on March 21, 2018, VEND announced a record $23mn franchise contract for the Los Angeles and Orange County markets. The deal was with local investor and entrepreneur, Nassim Bayat, and includes the purchase of 588 patented automated retail frozen yogurt robots, with exclusive rights to Reis & Irvy's locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange County.

VEND had deferred revenues of $32.7mn on its balance sheet as of December 2017 and reported a backlog of more than $40mn as of March 21, 2018. The company has scheduled a mass rollout to take place beginning in April 2018 with manufacturing partner Flex, Inc., which should be an event that allows it to record revenue. In addition to revenue from new franchise sales, the Froyo Robot business also includes franchise agreements that call for ongoing revenue sharing on gross sales, providing an annuity like future revenue stream on its installed base.

Raising Target to $2.85

We are updating our price target to reflect recent momentum in the business, as disclosed by management in recent announcements and its investor presentation, which calls for robust growth in 2018 and 2019. VEND appears to be gaining traction quickly in the frozen yogurt market with its strategy of emerging as a form of Redbox for frozen yogurt. We will revisit our target and forecast as initial installations proceed.

Please review important disclosures on our website at www.seethruequity.com.

About Generation Next Franchise Brands, Inc.

Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc., based in San Diego, California, is a publicly traded company on the OTC Markets trading under the symbol: VEND. Generation NEXT Franchise Brands is parent company to Fresh Healthy Vending LLC, the market's leading healthy-choice vending machine franchise, Reis and Irvy's, Inc., the world's first robotic frozen yogurt vending kiosk, 19 Degrees, a corporate-focused frozen yogurt robot brand and Generation NEXT Vending Robots, our newly established owner/operator model. The Company has sold over 600 franchises throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, and continually looks to partner with like-minded entrepreneurs who share its vision.

About Reis & Irvy's, Inc.

Reis & Irvy's, Inc. is a subsidiary franchise concept of Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc. (VEND). Launched in early 2016, the revolutionary Reis & Irvy's Froyo Robot vending machine serves seven different flavors of frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbets and gelato's, a choice of up to six custom toppings and to customers within 60 seconds or less at the point of sale. The unique franchise opportunity has since established itself as a high-demand product and currently showcases a franchise network both domestically as well as internationally.

About SeeThruEquity

Since its founding in 2011, SeeThruEquity has been committed to its core mission: providing impactful, high quality research on underfollowed smallcap and microcap equities. SeeThruEquity has pioneered an innovative business model for equity research that is not paid for and is unbiased. SeeThruEquity is the host of acclaimed investor conferences that are the ultimate event for publicly traded companies with market capitalizations less than $1 billion.

SeeThruEquity is approved to contribute its research reports and estimates to Thomson One Analytics (First Call), the leading estimates platform on Wall Street, as well as Capital IQ and FactSet. SeeThruEquity maintains one of the industry's most extensive databases of opt-in institutional and high net worth investors. The firm is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

For more information visit www.seethruequity.com.

Contact:

SeeThruEquity

info@seethruequity.com

SOURCE: SeeThruEquity
Survey Also Reveals Americans Would Give Up Sex, Chocolate and Social Media for a Good Night's Sleep

A new survey from Sleep Cycle, the best-selling alarm clock application, reveals that Americans turn to a number of foods, drinks, herbs and bedtime rituals to get a good night's sleep.

The national survey of 1,004 U.S. adults was conducted online by Propeller Insights on behalf of Sleep Cycle in January 2018.

I Get Shut-Eye With a Little Help From My Friends

Americans are not shy about using foods, beverages or substances that might enhance their sleep quality. Perhaps surprisingly, herbal sleep aids-like tea and melatonin-top the list of favorites. And foods rich in calcium and magnesium-like bananas and ice cream-rank higher than pharmaceutical sleep aids like Ambien. Marijuana is also a popular nightcap:

Tea 21 percent

Melatonin 15 percent

Marijuana 14 percent

Milk and cookies 14 percent

Nyquil or Tylenol PM 12 percent

Bananas 12 percent

Soup 11 percent

Alcohol 10 percent

Ice cream 10 percent

Ambien, Xanax or other sleeping pills nine percent

Americans also perform all kinds of rituals to get a good night's sleep. Top rituals include: sleeping with a fan or white noise machine (28 percent), taking a hot bath or shower before bed (26 percent) and reading a relaxing book (21 percent). One in 10 also put away their phone or computer at least an hour before bed, but 28 percent sleep with their TV on all night.

(Don't) Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

A full half of Americans (51 percent) say they wake up on their own each morning.

Another third (37 percent) rely on an alarm clock app and a quarter (24 percent) get woken up by pets or kids. Almost 1 in 10 Americans (9 percent) say they don't have a specific wake-up time.

A lucky two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans say they rarely or never have nightmares, while the remaining third (34 percent) have nightmares often or nightly.

Factoring in politics, 23 percent of Americans would sleep better if former President Obama were back in the Oval Office, but 19 percent are not losing sleep over President Trump. About half as many (nine percent) would sleep more soundly if Bernie Sanders were running the show, but only a minority would get more rest if Hillary Clinton (six percent), Oprah (five percent) or J.K. Rowling (three percent) were in office.

About a third of Americans (32 percent) say their sleep would not improve regardless of who is in the White House.

I Would Do Anything to Snooze (But I Won't Do That)

It turns out Americans would give up quite a lot for a full, uninterrupted eight hours of quality sleep. Social media would be first to go (27 percent). This is followed by:

Chocolate 21 percent

Streaming services or cable TV 13 percent

Sex 11 percent

Their fitness routine 10 percent

A minority of Americans would even be willing to give up their job (eight percent), spouse (seven percent), pet (seven percent) or kids (five percent). In all, almost three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) would be willing to give up something.

More than half of Americans (59 percent) would give up their favorite food if it made them sleep poorly. Just as many (59 percent) have lied in order to sneak additional sleep time. And more than a third (35 percent) have feigned illness for the sake of a good lie-in. Lastly, 12 percent have put off sex by claiming a headache to get to bed earlier.

"Our data shows that Americans really value their sleep and are willing to make extreme sacrifices for a good night's rest," said Carl Johan Hederoth, CEO Northcube, the creators of Sleep Cycle. "Luckily, that's not necessary. Sleep Cycle is the app to help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day."

About Northcube

Northcube is a leading Swedish game and health app developer studio, founded in 2008 by industry veterans and headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Engaging some of the most talented programmers in Europe, Northcube promotes a passionate company culture where play and business are equally important.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005317/en/

Contacts:

for Sleep Cycle

Hannah Ruark, 540-599-7887

hannah@bospar.com
Hana Zhang, Co-founder of DAEX Clearing Foundation, was invited to share her insights on the blockchain development at Congress BlockchainRF 2018, the largest and highest-level blockchain conference in Russia committed to "detecting the most prospective projects of Digital Economy and integrating them into commercial and state economies".

From top-class economists, up- and down-stream entrepreneurs, to leading financiers, blockchain technical experts and journalists, more than 175 top-level speakers and 2,000 industry specialists attended the conference. They were also joined by government officials like Igor Shuvalov, First Deputy Prime Minister, and Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, reflecting the strong support of the Russian Federation for this event. Focusing on multiple topics including RACIB, government, blockchain, CRYPTO investments, ICO and mining, it aims to promote experience exchange and fuel the industry development.

Hana Zhang noted that as Russia's official bill for cryptocurrency will be introduced in July 2018, it will be a good opportunity to establish relationships with Russian government, universities and related entities. She looked forward to sealing a deal in blockchain ecosystem including cryptocurrency mines, industry summits, exchanges, ICO standard, and training.

Establishing a blockchain ecosystem however, requires a credible and secured mechanism. That's why DAEX, a new-generation distributed cryptocurrency clearing system, stepped in to provide decentralized technology-based secure assets storage system and service for cryptocurrency developers and investors. By separating clearing process from the centralized trading platforms, DAEX can help exchanges to focus on trade matchmaking, while guaranteeing the transparency and security of the traders' assets.

With intensifying supervision over blockchain worldwide in 2018, DAEX, a perfect example of blockchain3.0 committed to underlying architecture optimization, will help specify independent clearing standards and accelerate the construction of a mature financial market for cryptocurrency.

At the congress, DAEX gained high attention from media and social platforms like Washington business journal, yahoo finance, and 4-traders.

Roadmap for DAEX as below:

April 2018: Token release in Exchanges;

Late June 2018: First DAEX Wallet Product Launch

Late December 2018: Beta Version Release

2019: Main Chain Release

DAEX Official Website whitepaper download: www.daex.io.

Twitter: DAEX@DaexBlockchain

Telegram Group:https://t.me/daexofficialgroup_en

YouTube: DAEX Blockchain

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005592/en/

Contacts:

DAEX

Lois Shen, 8613127781508

lois.shen@daex.io
Penticton, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd. ("Green Mountain" or the "Company") has announced that Dr. David Chartrand has joined its board of Directors. The large scale, low cost, quality cannabis wholesaler made the announcement at its annual general meeting on Friday. - Visuals attached, video and photographs.





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNZMpbTHYfs

"Dr. David Chartrand is successful in both public and private sector management. He has a strong belief in traditional values of family and community and served his people as six term President of the Manitoba Metis Federation, making him the organizations longest serving President. He has built his staff from 7 in 1996 to over 750 today, establishing and delivering programs and services for the advancement of the Metis people. On the national stage, President Chartrand is actively engaged in the fight for Metis rights and in pursuing the goal of a strong relationship with the federal government. His business track record and his support for Indigenous economic development is aligned with the Green Mountain mandate, and we are pleased he has come onto the board," said Wade Attwood, President, Co-Founder and fellow Director of Green Mountain.

Dr. Chartrand responded, "Looking across Canada, Green Mountain has brought in expertise from business, science, medicine, Indigenous, environmental and engineering perspectives. Wade said to me he was going to build and invest in something he wants to be the best, and I believe he has achieved it. We want to produce the best product we possibly can, sustainably, with respect to the planet and to benefit all our partners and shareholders, including sharing value with the Penticton Indian Band directly."

Dr. Chartrand went on to say, "On behalf of Green Mountain, we express our appreciation to the Penticton Indian Band for their support for this prime location. By sharing revenue with the Penticton Band, Green Mountain will be an economic growth engine for Penticton and the municipality. There is real cohesion between the Metis Nation in Manitoba. It is a wise investment in Green Mountain, as Pimicikamak Okimawin in Manitoba have already made, to benefit our communities too, a win-win."

Friday morning, Dr. David Chartrand was part of the team that broke ground on Green Mountain's 200,000 square foot facility, on a company-owned 16 acre lot near Kaleden, BC.

Green Mountain's initial test facility is scheduled to be complete by the Fall, ready for the first test harvest before the end of 2018. Over the next thirty months, three facilities will be completed, bringing the company to over 1,000,000 square feet for production, testing, R&D, processing, training and office space.

Green Mountain is currently in the mid stages of Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) process.

About Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd.: Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd (GMHA) is a capacity wholesale cannabis company developing large scale, low cost production facilities in the Okanagan, B.C.. The Company has submitted an application to become a licensed cultivator, processor and distributor of cannabis within Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR")

As a wholesale producer, GMHA aims to fill a gap in the Canadian cannabis market, including the emerging recreational cannabis market, upon legalisation in Canada. This business model effectively eliminates retail risk. The company has secured over 140 acres with the potential for over 1,000,000 square feet of growing space. The first site will be an 200,000 square foot facility on a 16 acre parcel, located in Canada's best growing area, the Okanagan.

Green Mountain's experienced team and strong partnerships are focused on cost effective and efficient production of medical cannabis. The company is committed to best in class practices for low energy and sustainable production.

Grow Green.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

For further information:

John King

Chief Executive Officer

jking@greenmountainhealthalliance.com



Dave Coolidge

VP Business Development

dcoolidge@greenmountainhealthalliance.com

Tel: (250) 486-5454

www.greenmountainhealthalliance.com
Studio City, California--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSXV: PQE) (OTC: PQEFF) (FSE: PQCF) ("Petroteq" or the "Company"), a company focused on the development and implementation of proprietary technologies for the energy industry, announced today that it will be presenting at the MicroCap Conference, being held on April 9-10 at the Essex House, New York City. David Sealock, Chief Executive Officer, will be presenting the corporate overview, focusing on the Company's proprietary technology for oil extraction and PetroBLOQ, the blockchain based platform being developed by the Company exclusively for the supply chain needs of the oil and gas sector. Mr. Sealock will also be hosting a Q&A session with investors and conducting one-on-one meetings. The Company's presentation will be on April 9th at 1:00pm.

The MicroCap Conference is an exclusive event for investors who specialize in small and microcap stocks. It is an opportunity to be introduced to and speak with management at some of the most attractive small companies, learn from various expert panels, and mingle with other microcap investors.

The MicroCap Conference will take place in New York City at the Essex House on April 9th and 10th. Registration will begin on Monday at 7:00am and will last until the evening. These days will be jam-packed with company presentations, 1-on-1 meetings, roundtables, expert panel discussions, and plenty of time to network with other investors over food and drinks.

The Company also announces that, further to its news release of March 2, 2018, it has closed (i) a private placement of 107,525 common shares of the Company for gross proceeds of US$100,000, and (ii) a private placement of 114,678 common share units of the Company for gross proceeds of US$125,000, with each unit consisting of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant, with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at an exercise price of US$1.50 per share until March 9, 2020. The private placements are subject to final approval from the TSXV. All of the securities issued are subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance. The net proceeds from the financings will be used by the Company for general corporate purposes and working capital. Including the foregoing issuances of shares, there are 59,490,765 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding.

About Petroteq Energy Inc.

Petroteq is a fully integrated oil and gas company focused on the development and implementation of a new proprietary technology for oil extraction. The Company has an environmentally safe and sustainable technology for the extraction of heavy oils from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits. Petroteq is engaged in the development and implementation of its patented environmentally friendly heavy oil processing and extraction technologies. Our proprietary process produces zero greenhouse gas, zero waste and requires no high temperatures. Petroteq is currently focused on developing its oil sands resources and expanding production capacity at its Asphalt Ridge heavy oil extraction facility located near Vernal, Utah. The Company also owns a minority stake in an exploration and production play located in southwest Texas held by Accord GR Energy Inc. In addition, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary PetroBLOQ, LLC, is seeking to develop the first blockchain based platform created exclusively for the supply chain needs of the oil & gas sector. For more information, visit www.Petroteq.energy and PetroBLOQ.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. and Canadian securities laws. Words such as "may," "would," "could," "should," "potential," "will," "seek," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, including TSXV final approval of the private placements, are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, based on information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information, including the TSXV providing final approval of the private placements. While forward-looking statements are based on data, assumptions and analyses that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results, performance or developments will meet the Company's expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition of the Company to differ materially from its expectations. Certain of the "risk factors" that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation: the TSXV not providing final approval of the private placements; PetroBLOQ not having the expertise and/or funds necessary to develop and implement a blockchain-based supply chain management system; PetroBLOQ not being able to develop the blockchain technology or other applications to completion; blockchain technology not being adopted by the oil and gas industry; changes in laws or regulations; the ability to implement business strategies or to pursue business opportunities, whether for economic or other reasons; status of the world oil markets, oil prices and price volatility; oil pricing; state of capital markets and ability by the Company to raise capital; litigation; the commercial and economic viability of the Company's oil sands hydrocarbon extraction technology, the SWEPT technology, the S-BRPT technology, and other proprietary technologies developed or licensed by the Company or by Accord, which are of experimental nature and have not been used at full capacity for an extended period of time; reliance on suppliers, contractors, consultants and key personnel; the ability of the Company and Accord to maintain their respective mineral lease holdings; potential failure of the Company's business plans or model; the nature of oil and gas production and oil sands mining, extraction and production; uncertainties in exploration and drilling for oil, gas and other hydrocarbon-bearing substances; unanticipated costs and expenses, availability of financing and other capital; potential damage to or destruction of property, loss of life and environmental damage; risks associated with compliance with environmental protection laws and regulations; uninsurable or uninsured risks; potential conflicts of interest of officers and directors; and other general economic, market and business conditions and factors, including the risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's disclosure documents, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.

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.

CONTACT INFORMATION



Petroteq Energy Inc.

Alex Blyumkin

Chairman

Tel: (800) 979-1897
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Unit Corp. (UNT) said it has agreed to sell a 50 percent equity interest in its wholly owned subsidiary, Superior Pipeline Company, LLC for cash proceeds of $300 million. The purchaser, SP Investor Holdings, LLC or Superior Holdings, is jointly owned by OPTrust and funds managed and/or advised by Partners Group, a global private markets investment manager. Unit Corp. expects the sale to close April 3, 2018. Before closing, Superior's employees will become employees of Superior Midstream Operating LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Unit, and will operate Superior after the closing. Unit Corp. will use proceeds from the sale to accelerate the drilling program of its upstream subsidiary, Unit Petroleum Company; make additional capital investments in the jointly owned Superior; to reduce corporate debt; and for general working capital purposes. Superior buys, sells and treats natural gas for third parties and Unit. It operates three natural gas treatment plants, 13 processing plants, 22 active gathering systems, and about 1,455 miles of pipeline. Its processing capacity is 340 million cubic feet per day. Superior and its subsidiaries operate in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Larry Pinkston, CEO and President of Unit Corp., said, 'We are very pleased to announce this transaction with OPTrust and Partners Group. The transaction, which implies a value for the midstream segment of $600 million, not only recognizes the significant value that Unit has already created with Superior but gives our partners and Unit the opportunity to continue to expand Superior.' 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.
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research report "Mobile Device Management (MDM) Market by Type (Solution (Device Management, Application Management, & Security Management), and Service), Deployment Type (Cloud & On-Premises), Organization Size, Industry Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets', the Mobile Device Management (MDM) Market size is expected to grow from USD 2.81 Billion in 2018 to USD 7.86 Billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.8% during the forecast period.

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Browse 75 market data Tables and 43 Figures spread through 146 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Mobile Device Management (MDM) Market"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobile-device-management-market-105562389.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The propagation of smartphones and tablets, the growing security concerns to protect corporate data, and the increasing need for MDM solutions to manage and synchronize different platforms through a single console are expected to be the major factors in driving the Mobile Device Management Market.

MDM solutions segment is expected to hold a larger market size during the forecast period

Among the solutions and services segment, the MDM solutions segment is expected to hold a larger market size during the forecast period. The uptake of corporate-owned devices and advancements in business applications and technologies are expected to have driven the adoption of MDM solutions across businesses. However, the MDM solution providers have been developing and delivering a range of solutions, such as device management, application management, security management, and email management, in the MDM suite, so that these solutions can match up to the business needs of enterprises.

Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=105562389

Cloud deployment type is expected to witness a faster growth rate during the forecast period

Under the deployment types, the cloud deployment type is expected to hold the larger market size. It is also expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Most of the industry verticals, such as telecom, manufacturing and automotive, education, transportation, logistics, utilities, and retail, prefer cloud-based MDM solutions. In addition to this, the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are also rapidly moving toward the cloud deployment type, due to budget constraints and the ease of accessibility of cloud-based MDM solutions.

Healthcare industry vertical is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

In the industry vertical segment, the healthcare industry vertical is expected to be one of the fastest growing in the Mobile Device Management Market. The increasing world population, changing lifestyle, and the increasing awareness of health-related issues are expected to have collectively contributed to the massive growth of the healthcare industry vertical. Furthermore, the wide use of mobile devices among patients, doctors, nurses, and other supporting staff has increased across the globe. This is expected to drive the adoption of MDM solutions in this industry vertical.

North America is expected to hold the largest market size, whereas Asia Pacific (APAC) to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Among regions, North America is expected to hold the largest market size in the market during the forecast period, followed by the European region. The North American region has been receptive toward adopting MDM solutions within organizations to safeguard its content from piracy and data breaches, web and network threat security, cyber-attacks, and severe data losses. The US and Canada are expected to be the major contributing countries to this region; almost all major companies of the Mobile Device Management Market are located in these 2 countries.

In terms of the growth rate, the APAC region is expected to experience a strong growth in the coming years, as organizations in this region are looking forward to adopting enterprise mobility solutions for meeting their demands of a dynamic mobile workforce. Economic growth, young population, cloud-based solutions for SMEs, use of local brand tablets and smartphones for business purposes, and the growing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend are expected to be some of the factors that are driving the overall market in this region.

The key players in the Mobile Device Management Market include BlackBerry (Canada), IBM (US), Microsoft (US), MobileIron (US), VMware (US), Citrix Systems (US), ManageEngine (US), SAP (Germany), Sophos (UK), and SOTI (Canada). The key innovators include Mitsogo (US) and 42Gears Mobility Systems (India).

Know more about the Mobile Device Management Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobile-device-management-market-105562389.html

About MarketsandMarkets'

MarketsandMarkets' provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets' for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets' are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets' now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets' is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



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Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) today informs its shareholders that it is holding the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of PMI at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at the Empire State Ballroom, Grand Hyatt New York, 109 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, U.S.A., for the following purpose:

Only shareholders of record on March 16, 2018 are entitled to vote at the meeting, or at adjournments or postponements of the meeting.

To obtain copies of PMI's proxy statement for its 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the necessary documents to vote your shares, please consult PMI's website at www.pmi.com/investors.

Philip Morris International: Who We Are

We are a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the United States of America. We're building our future on smoke-free products that are a much better consumer choice than continuing to smoke cigarettes. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, we aim to ensure that our smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. Our vision is that these products ultimately replace cigarettes to the benefit of adult smokers, society, our company and our shareholders. For more information, see www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005661/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

New York: +1 (917) 663 2233

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

or

Media:

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Malala Yousafzai Returns To Pakistan For First Time Since Being Shot: Link Roundup

Malala Visits Pakistan

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Malala Yousafzai has returned to Pakistan for the first time since 2012, when she was shot in the head while campaigning for girls education. Details of the trip are being kept secret for obvious reasons, so it is unclear whether shell be able to visit her familys home region of Swat on the four-day trip. Read more on BBC.

Washington Governor Bans Conversion Therapy

The Seattle Times reports that Washington governor Jay Inslee has signed into law a bill that bans therapists from using sexual orientation conversion therapy on minors. Chad Griffin, the president of Human Rights Campaign and the sponsor of the bill, has called conversion therapy debunked science that can cause long-lasting physical and mental harm to youth. Washington is the 11th state (plus the District of Columbia) to ban conversion therapy. Please note that it is 2018 and conversion therapy is still legal in 39 other states.

Police Officers Who Murdered Stephon Clark Muted Their Body Cams

CNN reports that the police officers who fatally shot Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man, muted their body cams after the shooting. Footage released by the Sacramento Police Department on Wednesday shows one of the officers saying Hey, mute about seven minutes after Clark was shot, and then the footage goes silent as the officers talk amongst themselves.

Jacob Tobia Asks If Gay Hollywood Has Room For Queer Kids

LGBTQ writer and activist Jacob Tobia published an op-ed in the New York Times about the Love, Simon and the lack of inclusivity of feminine or gender-nonconforming gay men in Hollywood. With regards to the article, Tobia wrote on their Instagram: Hollywood needs to know that they cant treat us like this anymore. @lovesimonmovie we deserve to be celebrated too.

Murdered Holocaust Survivor Honored In Paris

The New York Times reports that thousands of people gathered in Paris yesterday to honor the life of Mireille Knoll, a Holocaust survivor who was murdered in her apartment last week in an anti-Semitic hate crime. Various French government officials showed up, including Marine Le Pen, the head of the far-right National Front. She was booed.

Was Deadpool Cancelled Because Of Racism?

Donald Glover posted a spoof Deadpool script on Twitter, in which Deadpool asks the viewer whether racism played a part in the shows recent cancellation. Glover had been working with FX to turn Marvels beloved character Deadpool into an animated series until Saturday, when it was announced the project was cancelled. Read more at the New York Times.

Indian Brothel Owners Given Life Sentence

Reuters reports that two owners of a brothel in India have been given a life sentence for the trafficking, rape and sexual abuse of children. Four of the nine girls who were rescued from the brothel in 2015 gave testimonies before court. This is a landmark case for India, where less than two in five trafficking cases end with a conviction.

Michigan State Paid $500,000 To Surveil Nassar's Victims

NPR reports that Michigan State University paid a PR firm over $500,000 to track the online activity of Larry Nassars victims and certain journalists involved with the case during the month of January. Kim Dixon, head of the PR firms global corporate communications, says the firm was hired to provide communications support.

Parkland Shooting Survivor Responds To #WalkUpNotOut Proponents

Isabelle Robinson, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, published an impassioned op-ed in the New York Times in response to #WalkUpNotOut, shutting down the sentiment common among right-wing internet trolls that simply befriending the disturbed young man at school will prevent him from murdering your classmates. She writes, No amount of kindness or compassion alone would have changed the person that Nikolas Cruz is and was, or the horrendous actions he perpetrated. That is a weak excuse for the failures of our school system, our government and our gun laws.

top photo via Malala Fund

More from BUST

Malala Yousafzai Is Now The UN's Youngest-Ever Messenger Of Peace

Meet The Judge Who Just Sentenced Larry Nassar To 100+ Years In Prison

Artist Sheida Soleimani Creates Petroleum Pin-Ups To Fetishize The World's Reliance On Oil: BUST Interview

Elizabeth F. Olson is an editorial intern at BUST. She mostly writes about her experience with mental illness through a feminist lens, and sometimes she writes fiction. Find her on Instagram and Twitter.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Prospero Silver Corp. (TSXV: PSL) ("Company" or "Prospero") is pleased to announce the results of the third hole of a 3-hole drill program at the Pachuca SE project close to the historic mining city of Pachua in Hidalgo State, Mexico. Prospero announced earlier this month that it had discovered a new gold and silver-bearing epithermal vein system with holes 1 and 2 of the program. Drilling has confirmed the presence of highly anomalous silver values hosted by blind epithermal veining in 3 widely separated zones hosted by 7km of structures on the property.

Hole 3 tested the east-west striking Aguayutla structure to the north of holes 1 and 2 and cut multiple zones of anomalous silver values hosted by structures in altered volcanics, including 121.3g/t Ag + 0.37g/t Au over 1.5m from 407.4m downhole. This intercept included a high-grade sample with abundant argentite which assayed 870ppm Ag over 20cm.

Drilling of the Pachuca targets continues drilling the third of three initial projects funded by Fortuna Silver in early stage "proof of concept" programs. Under the terms of a strategic investment from Fortuna Silver Mines Inc (NYSE: FSM, TSX: FVI) made in May 2017, phase one funding of $1,500,000 was applied of which 80% was to be allocated to drilling and 20% to new project generation. Prospero was the operator of all three drill projects. At Pachuca SE, an 1,800m drill program tested 3 targets with deep, angled holes. Drill collar maps and draft sections for the Pachuca drill holes are available on Prospero's website at: http://www.prosperosilver.com/s/Pachuca-SE.asp. The results published here are from initial priority assays. Additional samples are being processed for additional argillic alteration zones in all three holes.

Tawn Albinson, the President of Prospero said: "The limited program we've just finished demonstrates that the Pachua SE property hosts a number of blind epithermal veins with silver and gold mineralization; exactly what we'd hoped to see at the property. The discovery validates the science-based strategy we've applied to our exploration for blind epithermal targets; a strategy which we've implemented in the drilling and generative work with Fortuna. The next step at Pachuca will be additional drilling program to extend mineralization in the veins. "

Hole PSE-18-03

Hole PSE-18-03 was drilled to a total downhole depth of 453.1m from north to south at an inclination of -47. To test beneath structures exposed in clay pits along the Aguayutla structure. The hole cut a bimodal volcanic series of dacites and andesites. From surface to approximately 120m the hole cut dacites. Below 120m it cut predominantly andesites to the end of hole. The structures exposed in the pits were intersected roughly 245m downhole, or 170-200m vertically below surface. The main structures and a series of minor quartz  calcite  sulphide veins were cut with the highest assays as follows:

From (m) To (m) Downhole Interval (m)* Au ppm Ag ppm 201.00 201.30 0.30 0.08 18.0 353.45 355.35 1.90 0.07 17.3 407.35 408.85 1.50 0.37 121.3

including 0.20 1.74 870.0

*True thickness estimated at approximately 85% of the downhole interval.

These intersections and values are significantly higher and wider at depth when compared with centimetric-sized veinlets sampled in the surface pits which carried maximum silver values in the 1-5 ppm range. At 249.1 to 253.0m a flow banded rhyolite dike was intersected which was not observed at surface.

About the Pachuca SE Property

The 7,256 hectare Pachuca SE concession is 24km SE of the city of Pachuca, Hidalgo. Infrastructure is excellent. Major power lines and the Pachuca-Tulancingo freeway cross the middle of the property. Pachuca SE is on strike from the Pachuca-Real del Monte epithermal vein camp, one of the world's largest epithermal precious metal deposits and the local geology is typical of a high-level epithermal environment. The concession covers multiple kilometres of structurally controlled alteration at surface which Prospero's team believe is the surface expression of blind low-sulfidation epithermal-style veining.

Qualified Person

Tawn Albinson, M.Sc., President of the Company, is a Qualified Person, as defined in NI 43-101, and is responsible for the technical content of this news release. Mr. Albinson is a Member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) No. 11368.

About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.

Fortuna is a growth-oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. The company's primary assets are the Caylloma silver mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold mine in Mexico and the fully-permitted Lindero gold project in Argentina.

About Prospero Silver Corp.

Prospero is a Mexico-focused project generator listed on the TSX.V under the symbol PSL.V. Prospero's aim is to discover world-class precious metal projects in the major mineral belts of Mexico. The Company applies a unique blend of practical exploration experience, cutting-edge mineral deposit science, and an extensive knowledge of Mexico's geology to find new gold and silver systems. Our exploration programs are run by a small but highly-focused geological team based in Mexico.

For further information please contact:

Ralph Rushton

Exec VP Business Development

Tel: 604 307 0055

William Murray

Chairman

Tel: 604 288 2553

Forward-Looking Statement Cautions:

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, the Company's drill results. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, possible, accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise the additional funds in the future to continue to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Aleafia Health Inc. (TSXV: ALEF) ("Aleafia Health") or (the "Company", formerly, Canabo Medical Inc.) is pleased to provide further information subsequent to the completion of its completed business combination with Aleafia Inc. ("Aleafia") and Canabo Medical Inc.

As the combined entity moves forward, the Company has entered an accelerated growth phase on multiple fronts. Building on the foundation of a nationwide clinic network with a large active patient base and an aggressive expansion strategy for cultivation of medicinal cannabis. The Company believes that it is poised for unprecedented growth.

The network of 23 nationwide clinics currently supports over 24,000 active medical cannabis patients and is receiving upwards of 2000 physician patient referrals per month. The Company's patient centric focus from condition to strain produces unparalleled patient care. The Company plans to add additional clinics in strategic locations across Canada in the near term.

Aleafia received its ACMPR cultivation license in October of 2017. The company began cultivation at the facility in late February and expects to complete its first harvest in the next few weeks in preparation of the anticipated receipt of the ACMPR sales and distribution license.

Aleafia has begun an expansion strategy to increase cultivation capacity from its current abilities. Initial expansion of up to 150,000 square feet growing space at the Scugog location is in the permit stage and once permits are received, it is expected that construction will commence immediately.

Aleafia is also pursuing additional separate locations for cannabis cultivation to further expedite its expansion plans.

"The last little while has been a whirlwind," said Julian Fantino, Executive Chairman. "And we have come a long way in a very short amount of time. We continue to be in a position of strong and rapid growth and look forward to continuing to deliver on our plan."

For more information, please go to http://www.aleafiainc.com.

Overview of Aleafia

Aleafia Health Inc. operates the Aleafia Total Health Network (the "Aleafia Network") in Vaughan, Ontario. Aleafia Health seeks to make a difference in cannabinoid therapy delivery by providing an interconnected medical service model. While most clinical programs are geared primarily towards post injury rehabilitation, the Aleafia Network is focused on the strong link between early intervention and successful treatment. The intent is to manage health through a patient focused, assessment based and interdisciplinary resourced organization.

Aleafia Health also now wholly owns and operates Cannabinoid Medical Clinics (CMClinics) which is Canada's largest physician led referral-only clinics for medical cannabis. Established in 2014, Aleafia Helath now has 23 clinics across Canada with additional locations planned to open in 2018. Aleafia Health operates referral-only medical clinics dedicated to evaluate the suitability of prescribing and monitoring cannabinoid treatments for patients suffering from chronic disabling illnesses. Clinics operated by Aleafia Health are staffed by physicians and qualified health care practitioners specifically trained to assess patient suitability for cannabinoid treatment, recommend treatment regimes and monitor treatment progress.

Aleafia Inc. owns 100% of Aleafia Farms Inc., a licensed producer under the Health Canada Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), as well as the land and building in Scugog, Ontario where the facility operates. Aleafia acquired Aleafia Farms to directly support the Aleafia Network as a vertically integrated business model.

For More Information:

For more information about Aleafia Health Inc., please contact:

Bob Santos, Aleafia Health Inc., Corporate Affairs

Telephone: (416) 860-5665

Email: bob.santos@aleafiainc.com

Neither Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the implementation of Aleafia Health's business plan. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with the implementation of Aleafia Health's business plan and matters relating thereto, risks associated with the cannabis industry, competition, regulatory change, the need for additional financing, reliance on key personnel, the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors, and the volatility of the Company's common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to Aleafia Health's proposed business, such as failure of the business strategy and government regulation; risks related to Aleafia Health's operations, such as additional financing requirements and access to capital, reliance on key and qualified personnel, insurance, competition, intellectual property and reliable supply chains; risks related to Aleafia and its business generally. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, today announces its presence at Seamless Middle East 2018, the Middle East's largest exhibition covering the world of Payments and Fintech in Dubai, on 15th and 16th April 2018.

Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, IDEMIA guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions for clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors.

At Seamless Middle East 2018, IDEMIA invites you to experience its solutions to reinvent the way we "Transact" and "Identify", through dedicated demonstration areas.

A wide range of innovations will be showcased on the IDEMIA booth:

Know Your Customer solutions for digital customer onboarding

3D face and iris recognition for mobile phones

Digital customer experience and adaptive authentication for Financial Institutions

IDEMIA's next generation of payment powered cards (F-Code, Blink, Motion Code)

Mobile payment services

Biometric data capture

Blockchain and much more to discover!

"This is the first time we will be present under the IDEMIA banner at Seamless Middle East since Oberthur Technologies and Safran Identity Security (Morpho) joined forces to form our new group in 2017", said Muzaffar Khokhar, President Middle East Africa of IDEMIA. "At a time when the world is facing crucial challenges relating to the identification and protection of devices, objects and individuals, we are looking forward to meeting you on our stand and showing how IDEMIA supports the digital transformation of Financial institutions, providing clients and consumers with new generation seamless solutions and ground breaking frictionless technologies, but always without any compromise on security."

Take a tour of our stand in Hall 6 Booth J10

to discover the world of Augmented Identity.

IDEMIA speakers and demonstrators are looking forward to welcoming you!

Want to know more? Join us for speaking events on April 15:

- Panel with Gurcan Altiparmak (VP Sales Financial Institutions MEA):

"Boosting digital banking in MENA" (15:40)

- Round table with Guillaume Yribarren (VP Marketing):

"Implementing biometric technologies" (16:10)

About IDEMIA

OT-Morpho is now IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, with the ambition to provide a secure environment enabling citizens and consumers alike to perform their daily critical activities (such as pay, connect, travel and vote), in the physical as well as digital space.

Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect this asset, whether for individuals or for objects. We ensure privacy and trust as well as guarantee secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors.

OT (Oberthur Technologies) and Safran Identity Security (Morpho) have joined forces to form IDEMIA. With close to $3 billion in revenues and 14,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries.

For more information, visit www.idemia.com / Follow @IdemiaGroup on Twitter

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005713/en/

Contacts:

Press contacts:

Havas Paris PR Agency

Hanna SEBBAH 06 63 73 30 30

Email: idemia@havas.com


MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/29/18 -- Relevium Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RLV)(OTCQB: RLLVF)(FRANKFURT: 6BX) (the "Company" or "Relevium"), is pleased to announce it has completed the re-positioning of its Bioganix brand. The new re-positioning enhances Bioganix around the key branding points of Credibility, Quality and Trust. The Company will be rolling out its new brand and new packaging immediately.

The Company is also launching its new website in the first week of April and all new product launches will adopt the guidelines of the new brand architecture that lays out a roadmap to our continued and future success.

Highlights

-- Relevium launches new Bioganix brand -- The elevated brand will be catered around Credibility, Quality and Trust -- New Bioganix website launched first week of April

Impact on the Business

-- Key differentiation in a very competitive market -- Elevated new brand with premium and exclusive products -- Increased brand equity and recognition

Impact on Shareholders

-- Incremental value to the Bioganix assets -- Higher brand recognition = Increased public company awareness -- Steady building of shareholder value for future dividends

Aurelio Useche, CEO of Relevium, stated: "Our team has been working diligently over the last couple of months to launch the newly designed, more recognizable and elevated Bioganix brand," Mr. Useche stated further: "We are positioning the brand as a recognizable and trusted source of goodness."

About Relevium Technologies

Relevium is a TSXV-listed company focused on growth through the acquisition of businesses, products and/or technologies with a focus on e-commerce in the growing health and wellness sector. Relevium Technologies Inc. also holds patented intellectual property for the use of static magnetic fields for application on wearable devices.

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding future estimates, plans, objectives, assumptions or expectations of future performance, including the timing and completion of the proposed acquisitions, are forward-looking statements and contain forward-looking information. Generally, forward- looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". Forward-looking statements are based on certain material assumptions and analysis made by the Company and the opinions and estimates of management as of the date of this press release, including the assumptions that the Company will obtain stock exchange approval of the Offering, the proposed acquisition will occur as anticipated, that the Company will raise sufficient funds, and that the Company will obtain all requisite approvals of the acquisition. These forward- looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Important factors that may cause actual results to vary, include, without limitation, the risk that the proposed acquisitions may not occur as planned; the timing and receipt of requisite approvals and failure to raise sufficient funds under the Offering. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

RELEVIUM TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Aurelio Useche

President and CEO

RELEVIUM TECHNOLOGIES INC

Email: investors@releviumcorp.com

Website: www.releviumtechnologies.com

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us on LinkedIn

Contacts:

Relevium Technologies Inc.

Aurelio Useche

President and CEO

+1.888.528.8687




DETROIT, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Stratview Research announces the launch of a new market research report on Space Electronics Market by Platform Type (Satellite, Launch Vehicle, and Others), by Component Type (Discrete Semiconductors, Optoelectronics, Integrated Circuits, and Others), by Subsystem Type (Electrical Power Subsystem, Attitude & Orbital Control Subsystem, Telemetry, Tracking & Command Subsystem, Communication Subsystem, and Others), by Product Type (Radiation-Hardened and Radiation-Tolerant), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018-2023.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660595/Stratview_Research_Logo.jpg )



This market report, from Stratview Research, studies the space electronics market over the trend period of 2012 to 2017 and forecast period of 2018 to 2023. The research report provides detailed insights on the market dynamics to enable informed business decision making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market.

The Space Electronics Market: Highlights

As per Stratview Research, the next five years for the space electronics market are going to be resilient with having sizeable growth opportunities for both the existing as well as new players. The global space electronics market is projected to reach an estimated value of US$ 1,557.9 million in 2023. Increasing production of satellites, especially small satellites; market entry of commercial space companies; increasing involvement of several countries in the space community; an increased demand for reducing the cost of electronic components; and the technological advancements are some of the major factors that are burgeoning the demand for electronics in the space industry.

The research's findings suggest that satellite segment is expected to remain the growth engine of the global space electronics market during the forecast period of 2018 to 2023. Increasing participation of commercial space companies, such as Space X, OneWeb Satellites, and Sky and Space Global Ltd, and an expected launch of more than 4,000 satellites during 2018-2023 would propel the demand for electronics in the satellite segment in years to come.

In terms of component type, integrated circuits are expected to remain the most dominant component type in the total space electronics market during the forecast period. Increasing demand for electronics that are smaller in size, lighter in weight and consume lesser power (reduced SWaP), is the driving force of integrated circuits in the total space electronics market

Register Here and Ask for a Free Sample on the Report

Based on the product type, radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant electronic segments are likely to grow at healthy growth rates over the next five years; however, the radiation-tolerant segment is likely to witness a higher growth during the same period. Increasing demand for COTS (Commercial-off-the-Shelf) components, drastically lowering launch cost from commercial space companies, and growing demand for small satellites, especially for earth observation, communication, and networking applications are the key whys and wherefores behind the higher growth of the radiation-tolerant space electronics market.

As per the study, North America is expected to remain the largest space electronics market during the forecast period and is also expected to experience the highest growth in the same period. NASA, the largest space agency in the world, which is largely involved in space-related activities is in the USA. Furthermore, the market entry of commercial space companies, such as Space X, propel the region's demand for space electronics in the coming years.

The key space electronic component manufacturers are BAE Systems Plc., Cobham Plc., Honeywell International Inc., Microsemi Corporation, and Texas Instruments. Development of low-cost electronics, regional expansion, and mergers & acquisitions are the key strategies adopted by the major players to gain a competitive edge in the market.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors

This report studies the global space electronics market and has segmented the market in five ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. The following are the five ways in which the market is segmented:

Global Space Electronics Market, By Platform Type

Satellite (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Launch Vehicle (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Others(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Global Space Electronics Market, By Component Type

Discrete Semiconductors ( Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Optoelectronics (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Integrated Circuits (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Others(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Global Space Electronics Market, By Subsystem Type

Electrical Power Subsystem ( Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Attitude & Velocity Control Subsystem (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Telemetry, Tracking & Command Subsystem (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Communication Subsystem (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Others(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Global Space Electronics Market, By Product Type

Radiation-Hardened Electronics ( Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Radiation-Tolerant Electronics(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW)

Global Space Electronics Market, By Region

North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico )

Europe (Country Analysis: ESA, Russia , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Japan , India and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the World(Country Analysis: Latin America , The Middle East , and Others)

Stratview Research has number of high value market reports in the global aerospace & defense industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Aerospace & Defense Industry

About Stratview Research

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

For enquiries,

Contact:

RiteshGandecha

Stratview Research

E-mail:sales@stratviewresearch.com

Direct: +1-313-307-4176




PANAMA (dpa-AFX) - Carnival Cruise Line has officially taken delivery of its 26th ship, Carnival Horizon. A traditional maritime handover ceremony of the 133,500-ton ship was held at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy on Wednesday.



The 3,954-passenger ship, a sister ship to Carnival Vista, will reposition to Barcelona, Spain. It will depart on April 2 on an inaugural 13-day voyage in the first of four sailings from the European port.



Carnival Horizon will then operate a trans-Atlantic crossing before arriving in New York on May 23, 2018, for a naming ceremony featuring the ship's godmother, Grammy award-winning musical artist and acclaimed actress Queen Latifah.



After a summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean sailings from New York, Carnival Horizon will reposition to Miami to begin a year-round schedule of six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises starting September 22, 2018.



Carnival Horizon offers several unique features, including a WaterWorks aqua park that has a Dr. Seuss theme as part of the line's exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.



The ship also features the line's first teppanyaki restaurant, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse|Brewhouse serving up barbecue favorites created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, along with four new craft beers brewed on board the ship.



Carnival Horizon also offers fun innovations like the SkyRide, a suspended bike track attraction, and an IMAX Theatre. It has two special cabin areas on board - the Havana section with tropics-inspired staterooms and its own pool, and Family Harbor area featuring extra-roomy accommodations and the Family Harbor Lounge.



Further, Carnival Horizon includes food and beverage outlets with both indoor and al fresco seating options at venues such as Bonsai Sushi, Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and Library Bar.



Less than a week ago, Royal Caribbean Cruises had taken delivery of the world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, at STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazare, France. The 228,081 ton-ship measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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The tobacco farmers from Azerbaijan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam gather in the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) forum to declare their commitments on Good Agricultural Practice (GAP)



Lombok, INDONESIA, Mar 29, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Members of the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) in Asia held a conference in Lombok, Indonesia to discuss the ever-increasing challenges facing tobacco agriculture and the tobacco industry.The Tobacco Growers emphasized their commitment to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in an effort to produce an agricultural commodity that meets legal market standards for the over 900 million consumers spread across the world and ensures that the agricultural activity provides a proper livelihood for millions of the world's farmers, farm workers and their families.During the conference, delegates from countries such as Azerbaijan, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as representatives of other stakeholders, government officials and delegates from the United Nations, discussed several important issues related to tobacco agriculture and the industry.ITGA Chief Executive Officer Antonio Abrunhosa said the tobacco market has changed its direction. Therefore, this transition to the future must become the industry's main agenda."It will be difficult to implement this strategy if we refuse to become part of the programs initiated by UN agencies such as UNDP and FAO. Therefore, ITGA and its members are committed to demonstrating our commitment to becoming involved in these initiatives and we will do whatever we can to produce tangible evidence of our intentions."In the opening speech, the chairman of the Indonesian Tobacco Community Alliance (AMTI), Budidoyo, said that tobacco farmers have implemented agricultural practices in line with a number of objectives specified in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)."For example, the number one objective of the SDG is Eradicating poverty. It has been proven everywhere that tobacco is a very profitable commodity that supports the economic stability of the farmers and their families," conveyed Budidoyo. "The tobacco sector is also aware of the importance of fulfilling our social-economic responsibilities. Therefore, we take various measures each year to improve our agricultural techniques so they become more sustainable and environmentally-friendly."In addition to making declarations, the Indonesian tobacco farmers also continued to push for the Draft Tobacco Bill because it is the realization of efforts to protect tobacco farmers. The Draft Tobacco Bill regulates the management of tobacco, partnership programs between business owners and farmers, DBHCHT allocation, and health protection -management of advertisements, promotions, sponsorship, cigarette packs and Smoke-Free Areas (KTR).Farmers must also remain alert to Draft Tobacco Bill rules that could potentially threaten the Tobacco Product Industry (IHT), such as:- Restrictions on tobacco usage (80% domestic and 20% imported tobacco) and the implementation of quotas- Implementation of an import excise tariff for imported tobacco of 60-200 percent (on processed tobacco)- Restriction of foreign investment ownership (30 percent)The tobacco sector has been the target of much pressure that results in decreasing tobacco product demand and exacerbates the situation of the tobacco farmers.These challenges have never successfully discouraged us from cultivating tobacco, but have instead provided us with greater motivation to achieve better and more sustainable tobacco production.ABOUT THE AMTIThe Indonesian Tobacco Community Alliance (AMTI) was formed on 25 January, 2010 by a joint declaration by tobacco industry stakeholders as a way to organize the efforts of tobacco and clove farmers and cigarette workers, consumers, retailers, associations and manufacturers to preserve Indonesia's quality tobacco industry.The purpose of the alliance is to provide a forum for organizing the efforts of tobacco and clove farmers and cigarette workers, consumers, retailers, associations and manufacturers. In addition, it establishes a united front for preserving the quality of the Indonesian tobacco industry and principles for the nation, considering the Tobacco Industry as a prioritized national industry comparable to other industries, participating in formulating balanced and comprehensive concepts for tobacco regulations acceptable to legislators, and preserving the existence of the cigarette industry, especially kretek cigarettes as a national cultural heritage product, so that this industry may receive full rights in its own country, and become a global commodity.The AMTI also wants to maintain and develop the local tobacco industry and seeks to develop Virginia, Oriental and White Burley tobacco as raw materials for the cigarette industry and import substitutes, and strives to uphold transparency in accordance with the applicable legislation. http://amti.idABOUT THE ITGAThe International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA) is a non-profit organization representing the interests of millions of tobacco farmers around the world. The ITGA encourages the involvement of tobacco farmers in global discussions and supports farmers on the international scene, protecting their continued existence and their families. The ITGA Forum was held in Lombok, Indonesia on March 26-27. http://www.tobaccoleaf.orgSource: AMTICopyright 2018 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
29 March, 2018



U.S. Oil & Gas Plc.



("US Oil" or the "Company")



Operations Update

U.S. Oil & Gas Plc, ("USOIL" or the "Company"), the oil and gas exploration company with assets in Nevada, ispleased to announce it has signed a rig contract for the Rig 330 with Capstar drilling, an Oil States International company. The agreement is for up to two wells, Eblana-3 and Eblana-6, to be drilled on its Hot Creek Valley concession in Nevada, USA. The rig is will be released and mobilised to Hot Creek Valley starting 6 April. Details of spudding in will be announced in due course.

Operations will target the intervals discovered by the Eblana-1 well in 2013 and surveyed by Halliburton in a 2016 VSP study. Subsequent structural modelling was by Baker Hughes.

CEO Brian McDonnell said: "We are pleased to have secured a state-of-the-art drilling rig for our upcoming campaign in Nevada. On behalf of the Board, I would like to express our sincere appreciation of shareholders' support for the rigorously systematic approach the Company has taken to the exploration process in a pioneer region of complex geology. We believe our extensive and thorough programme of data collection has reduced risk as far as possible as we explore what we hope will prove a major oil field in Hot Creek Valley."

AboutOil States International

Oil States International, Inc.is a global oilfield products and services company serving the drilling, completion, subsea, production and infrastructure sectors of the oil and gas industry. The Company's manufactured products include highly engineered capital equipment as well as products consumed in the drilling, well construction and production of oil and gas. The Company is also a leading provider of completion services to the industry. Through its recent acquisition ofGEODynamics, Inc., the Company is also a leading researcher, developer and manufacturer of engineered solutions to connect the wellbore with the formation in oil and gas well completions.Oil Statesis headquartered inHouston, Texaswith manufacturing and service facilities strategically located across the globe.Oil Statesis publicly traded on theNew York Stock Exchangeunder the symbol "OIS".

Capstar drilling is headquartered in Texas and currently operates in seven states, including Utah and New Mexico.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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.

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 and 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 and 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 and 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



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
The Bluegrass State May Be Next to Legalize the "Green Grass"Senator Mitch McConnell is about to table a bill to legalize hemp in the United States. The bill, if passed, could lay the groundwork for marijuana legalization at the federal level and usher in a golden era for marijuana stock investors.The Kentucky senator is of the view that the federal government should remove hemp from the list of controlled drugs and instead list it as an agricultural commodity.McConnell obviously has an incentive to get the crop legalized. Hemp produced in Kentucky makes money for farmers and boosts the state's agricultural economy.Just to make it clear, this green plant has.

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.
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new research report "MRO Software Market in aviation by Solution (Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solution, Point Solution), Deployment (Cloud Based, On Premises), End User (Airlines, MROs, OEMs), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets', the market in aviation is estimated at USD 4.08 Billion in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 4.93 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 3.85% from 2017 to 2022. This growth can be attributed to the increasing use of software by small and medium airlines and MROs.

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Browse 107 market data Tables and32 Figures spread through 164 Pages and in-depth TOC on"MRO Software Market in aviation - Global Forecast to 2022"



https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/aviation-mro-software-market-215684414.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

The ERP solution segment is projected to be the largest solution segment of the aviation maintenance software market

Based on solution, the aviation maintenance software market has been segmented into ERP and point solutions, which have been further segmented into different MRO software modules. The ERP solution segment is divided into maintenance management, operation management, and business management, mainly driven by the increase in the adoption of integrated ERP software solutions by Tier 1 MROs and airlines.Increasing demand for digitalization of MRO services is one of the key factors driving the maintenance management modules of the ERP solution segment, which, in turn, is expected to drive the demand in aviation maintenance software.

The cloud based solution deployment of the MRO software market in aviation is projected to grow at a higher CAGR as compared to the on premises solution during the forecast period

Based on deployment, the MRO software market in aviation has been segmented into on premises and cloud based solutions. The on premises solution is the most adopted by Tier 1 and Tier 2 MROs and airlines in the MRO software market in aviation, as the number of employees using this software in Tier 1 and Tier 2 organizations requiring access to MRO software is high as compared to Tier 3 MROs and small airlines. The increase in demand for onsite MRO software by Tier 3 MROs is one of the key factors projected to drive the growth of the MRO software in aviation market in the cloud based solution deployment segment.

Ask for PDF Brochure : https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=215684414

Asia Pacific is estimated to be the largest market for MRO software in aviation in 2017

Asia Pacific is estimated to account for the largest share of the MRO software market in aviation in 2017. Countries considered for market analysis in this region include Singapore, China, India, and Japan and rest of the countries in the Asia Pacific region. China is projected to be the leading market for MRO software in aviation in the Asia Pacific region during the forecast period. Increasing deliveries of commercial aircraft and maintenance and repair facilities in China are contributing to the high demand for MRO software in aviation in the Asia Pacific region. In addition, the presence of key MROs and airline maintenance facilities in China is another significant factor influencing the growth of the MRO software market in aviation in the Asia Pacific region.

Key companies profiled in the aviation maintenance software market, include AerData (A Boeing subsidiary) (US), HCL Technologies (India), IBM Corporation (US), IFS (Sweden), Oracle Corporation (US), Ramco Systems (India), Rusada (Switzerland), SAP (Germany), Swiss AviationSoftware (Switzerland), and Trax (US), among others. These companies are focusing on the adoption of various growth strategies to enhance their presence in emerging economies worldwide.

Know more about the MRO Software Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/aviation-mro-software-market-215684414.html

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Shell Brasil Petroleo, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc ("Shell"), today won four additional deep-water, exploration blocks in the Campos and Potiguar basins, bringing its total operated presence offshore Brazil to 18 blocks. In the 15th deep-water bid round organized by the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP), Shell secured one exploration block on its own and three in joint-bids with Chevron Brazil, Petrobras, and Petrogal Brasil. Of the newly acquired blocks today, Shell will operate two.

Shell will pay its share of the total signing bonuses, equating for all bids to approximately USD $70-million (R$ 235-million).

"We continue to demonstrate our commitment to growing our production in Brazil and our strong belief in the value deep-water resources brings to our global portfolio," said Andy Brown, Upstream Director, Shell. "This bid round offers significant potential for additional deep-water discoveries.These lease commitments fall within our agreed capital ceiling and are consistent with our value-based approach."

Globally, Shell plans to invest $5-6 billion each year through 2020 into its deep water business to strategically grow production and returns for the company. The business is on track to deliver annual, free cash flow of $6-7-billion by 2020 (at $60/barrel Brent RT 2016).

NEW ACREAGE ADDED TO SHELL BRASIL'S PORTFOLIO

Campos Basin:

C-M-791 - Shell Brasil (40% - operator), Petrogal Brasil (20%), Chevron Brazil (40%)

Potiguar Basin:

POT-M-948 - Shell Brasil (100%)

POT-M-859 - Petrobras (60%), Shell Brasil (40%)

POT-M-952 - Petrobras (60%), Shell Brasil (40%)

EDITORS NOTE

Today's win further reinforces our commitment to Brazil , from which approximately 10% of our global oil and gas production originates.

, from which approximately 10% of our global oil and gas production originates. Shell has operated Upstream and Downstream businesses in Brazil for 105-years and was the first international oil company to commercially produce oil after the state monopoly eased in the late 1990s.

Cautionary Note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release "Shell", "Shell group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. 'Subsidiaries', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this release refer to companies over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to "joint ventures" and "joint operations" respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as 'anticipate', 'believe', 'could', 'estimate', 'expect', 'goals', 'intend', 'may', 'objectives', 'outlook', 'plan', 'probably', 'project', 'risks', "schedule", 'seek', 'should', 'target', 'will' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov ). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this release, March 29, 2018. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this release that United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

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CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple Inc. (AAPL) is revamping privacy controls for its devices and cloud services to comply with strict new European rules. Apple noted that the introduction of ARKit with iOS 11 put augmented reality into the hands of hundreds of millions of iPhone and iPad users, making iOS the world's biggest AR platform. With iOS 11.3, apps can now deliver AR experiences that use vertical surfaces like walls and doors, in addition to horizontal surfaces like tables and chairs, and more accurately map to irregularly shaped surfaces like circular tables. iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 introduce updated data and privacy information that makes it easier than ever for users to understand how their personal data may be used. A new privacy icon and detailed privacy information will appear whenever Apple asks for access to personal information to enable features, secure Apple services or personalize an iOS experience. Four all-new Animoji bring iPhone X users' expressions to life as a lion, bear, dragon or skull. The A11 Bionic chip and TrueDepth camera give users the ability to record and send Animoji messages (and even create Animoji karaoke videos) using their voice and more than 50 different facial muscle movements. Business Chat is launching today in Beta in the US and Canada. This new messaging feature provides users with a new way to communicate directly with businesses, reach a live person to ask a question or make a purchase using Apple Pay, on the go or at home. The new Health Records feature helps patients of more than 40 health systems including Duke, NYU Langone, Stanford and Yale view their medical records from multiple institutions right from their iPhone. Health Records data is encrypted and protected with a passcode. iOS 11.3 adds new features to show battery health of an iPhone and recommend if a battery needs to be serviced. These can be found in Settings -> Battery and are available for iPhone 6 and later. Additionally, users can now see if the power management feature that dynamically manages maximum performance to prevent unexpected shutdowns, first introduced in iOS 10.2.1, is on and can choose to turn it off. This feature can be found in Settings -> Battery and is available for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. 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.
Acceleration of the Antibiotics program: 14.6m of funding by Bpifrance (including 10.4m for the DEINOVE Group) and structuring of the product portfolio

Successful production on an industrial scale: a world first for Deinococcus fermentation

Imminent commercial launch of a first carotenoid for cosmetics following the confirmed success of the DEINOCHEM program, supported by ADEME

Two other cosmetic active ingredients in co-development

2017 net income of the Group: -7.3m versus -6.3m in 2016, mainly due to the full consolidation of the subsidiary DEINOBIOTICS in the consolidated financial statements

Regulatory News:

DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI) (Paris:ALDEI), a biotech company that discovers, develops, and produces high-value compounds from rare bacteria, notably from the Deinococcus genus, announces today that its Board of Directors has approved the 2017 annual accounts. Following the 100% integration of its subsidiary DEINOBIOTICS on January 5, 2017, DEINOVE presents for the first time annual consolidated accounts.

Charles WOLER, President of DEINOVE's Board of Directors, said: "The year 2017 was marked by several events that validate the strategic choices made in 2016. The AGIR antibiotic project received significant support from the 'Investments for the Future' Program, and new developments are expected after the latest announcements. Progress in carotenoid industrial production and cosmetic partnerships are also exciting prospects in the short term."

"Our teams are very involved towards the success of the various programs. We are proud to launch imminently our first active ingredient for cosmetics and are already thinking about the future. In parallel, we continue our commitment in the fight against antibiotic resistance; the collaborations set up in recent weeks will contribute to the acceleration of this project," added Emmanuel PETIOT, CEO of DEINOVE.

________________

The 2017 net result of the Group is a loss of 7,335k. The full consolidation of DEINOBIOTICS SAS from January 2017 onwards makes it however difficult to compare with the loss of 6,258k last year.

The net cash position amounted to +4.9m as of December 31 2017. During the 2017 financial year, the DEINOVE Group received 1.4m of 2016 R&D tax credit. The Company also raised 2.8m via the equity line funding implemented with KEPLER CHEUVREUX at the end of 2014.

Operationally, the year 2017 was marked by two major advances:

Structuring and progress of the Antibiotic program

After the announcement in 2016 of the 100% takeover of DEINOBIOTICS, which was formally adopted on January 5, 2017, the operational and legal integration was quickly carried out. Furthermore, two patents relating to an innovative antibiotic structure were filed, and the human and technological resources dedicated to this activity were strengthened. The AGIR program (Antibiotics against Resistant Infectious Germs) was selected by the Investments for the Future Program (PIA), which granted funding to it of 14.6m over 5 years.

At the beginning of 2018, DEINOVE concluded two collaborative agreements allowing it to accelerate its developments and strengthen its product portfolio:

A research license to explore the potential of the rare bacterial strains of the Italian company NAICONS, as part of the AGIR program;

An option to acquire a first-in-class anti-infective program targeting Gram-negative infections originally developed by the British company REDX PHARMA.

Production and upcoming commercial launch of the first innovative carotenoid resulting from the DEINOCHEM program

All milestones were achieved during 2017, culminating in the production of the first industrial batch of this carotenoid in early 2018. A cosmetic active ingredient with anti-aging properties, it will be launched commercially in April at the In-Cosmetics Trade Show in Amsterdam. The DEINOCHEM program was therefore closed successfully while controlling expenditures, which proved to be less than the original budget.

The development of cosmetics activities also resulted in the signing of two partnerships with GREENTECH and OLEOS for the development of natural cosmetic active ingredients from the DEINOVE bacterial strain bank.

Corporate changes

The strategic progress of the Company was accompanied by a renewal of the Board of Directors, now more oriented toward development of drug candidates for antibiotic therapy, as well as the strengthening of teams in this area. DEINOVE also continued its investments to expand and automate the activities of its technological platform, particularly in the fields of bioextraction and cell biology, the latter have largely contributed to the development of said carotenoid.

SYNTHETIC FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Following the 100% takeover of DEINOBIOTICS, the DEINOVE Group produces for the first time annual fully consolidated accounts.

The situation as of December 31, 2017 is that of the Group, while in prior data as of December 31, 2016, DEINOBIOTICS was accounted for using the equity method. Comparing the figures is therefore irrelevant.

DEINOVE's consolidated accounts as of December 31, 2017 were certified by the Group's Statutory Auditors, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers).

(in k of euros) 2017* 2016 ** Total operating revenues 214 793 Total operating costs 9,895 8,469 o/w Research and Development costs 7,440 6,567 o/w Administrative and General costs 2,455 1,902 Operating profit/loss -9,681 - 7,676 Financial result - 5 - 31 Current pre-tax profit/loss - 9,686 - 7,707 Profit/loss from non-recurring items 296 639 Income tax (R&D Tax Credit) and deferred taxes -2,430 - 115 Goodwill amortization 376 Results from equity affiliates -305 CONSOLIDATED PROFIT/LOSS - 7,335 - 6,258 Minority interests NET PROFIT/LOSS GROUP SHARE -7,335 - 6,258 * DEINOBIOTICS subsidiary fully consolidated DEINOBIOTICS subsidiary consolidated by equity method at 28.33% (in k of euros) Dec. 31, 2017 Dec. 31, 2016 Term deposit 2,000 6,708 Provision for impairment of marketable securities Cash on hands 2,876 2,608 ICNE and bank overdrafts CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 4,876 9,316 Treasury position of the Group ** Treasury position of the DEINOVE company

FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE 2017 FINANCIAL YEAR

Operating loss

The Group observed 214k in operating revenue over the year, mainly consisting of grants and partner payments corresponding to their contribution to research costs (AVRIL and FLINT HILLS RESOURCES). In 2016, operating revenues, which amounted to 793k, included grants for several milestone payments, as well as 191k of invoices to DEINOBIOTICS. These intra-group invoices are neutralized in the consolidated accounts in 2017.

Over the same period, the Group's operating expenses reached 9.9m, of which 75% was in R&D activities. The net change in operating expenses between 2016 and 2017 amounted to +1,426k (+17%) partly from the integration of the operating costs of the subsidiary, i.e. +1,724k, and partly from the -4% decrease in the operational costs of DEINOVE, i.e. -298k. This decrease results in particular from the renegotiation of the duration of the leasing agreements established at the end of 2015 to finance the acquisition of scientific equipment. Administrative General expenses increased due to the occasional recourse to external consultants (in communication, legal finance), who came to accompany the strategic reorientation.

In 2017, the Group's average workforce was 56.4 FTE, compared to 53.5 FTE in 2016 for the same scope.

Net loss

The consolidated net loss for the year amounts to 7.3m. It includes a profit from non-recurring items of +296k, mainly consisting of a net gain of 357k due to the sale on the market of CARBIOS shares by DEINOVE, and a net loss of 62k for the subsidiary. The financial result is insignificant (-5k).

The tax on profits exclusively includes the R&D Tax Credit. The Group's claim for the 2017 financial year was estimated 2,430k (namely 1,787k for DEINOVE and 643k for DEINOBIOTICS).

FINANCIAL POSITION

Financial requirements for the year mainly concerned operating expenses, 8.1 m (excluding depreciation and amortization), plus investments in laboratory equipment (including leasing rents) for 8.1m. Over the same period, the Group received 1.4m of R&D Tax Credit and 0.1m of public aid (Bpifrance). In addition, DEINOVE raised 2.8m (net of commissions) through the equity line funding signed in December 2014 with KEPLER CHEUVREUX, and proceeded to the sale of the balance of its stake in CARBIOS for 0.5m. Added to this is the integration of the cash of the subsidiary DEINOBIOTICS, for an amount of 0.6m. In February 2018 (subsequent to closing), the Group received 2.6m for the first payment relating to the support of the 'Investments for the Future Program' (PIA) for the AGIR antibiotic project, as well as 95k for ADEME for the balance of funding granted to the DEINOCHEM program in 2013.

As of December 31, 2017, the Group's net financial position amounted to +4.9 m. The Group considers that it has the resources to finance its activities, in the current configuration of its projects, until the end of the first quarter of 2019, without recourse to the fourth Tranche of the equity line funding established with KEPLER CHEVREUX.

OPERATIONAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR AND AFTER THE END OF THE PERIOD

During the year, DEINOVE made significant progress on its two main programs: the carotenoids project was a first major success with the industrialization of the first molecule developed. As for the antibiotics project, DEINOVE strengthened its platform and the screening of its strains, and created many valuable contacts. In addition, DEINOVE continues to promote its biodiversity through collaborations, particularly in cosmetics: two other compounds from the DEINOVE strains will be launched on the market in 2018.

Proprietary programs

Antibiotics program

Publication of two patent applications on the discovery of a new innovative structure1

DEINOVE announced on January 4, 2017 the publication of two patent applications on its first antibiotic candidate, which presents a new antibiotic structure confirming the potential of the platform and constituting a basis for development. These patents are the first step in building a robust intellectual property portfolio in the field of antibiotics.

The AGIR Antibiotics program receives support from the PIA of 14.6m over 5 years2

The AGIR project "Antibiotics against Resistant Infectious Germs", headed by the DEINOVE Group and the Charles Viollette Institute, was selected by the PIA, led by the Commissariat-General for investment and operated by Bpifrance. It will be funded to the tune of 14.6m out of a total estimated budget of 25m. The DEINOVE Group will receive 10.4m while the Institute Charles Viollette will receive 4.2m.

This funding will accelerate the ramp-up of the platform, enrich the portfolio of molecules, and contribute to the development of new antibiotics responding to a major medical emergency.

POST-CLOSURE: Exclusive research license agreement with NAICONS, with a view to broadening its current strain library and increasing opportunities for the discovery of new antibiotics3

NAICONS is an Italian biopharmaceutical company specialized in the research of innovative antibiotics. As part of its AGIR program, DEINOVE will have access to 400 of their strains, carefully selected for their potential, and will use the power of its own robotic technology platform to detect and characterize the antibiotic activities of these strains. In case of discovery of a strain of interest, DEINOVE will be able to acquire it (under conditions stipulated in the agreement) either via a commercial license or in full ownership, in order to initiate the development of drug candidates.

POST-CLOSURE: license option agreement with UK-based Redx Pharma to acquire a first-in-class anti-infective program4

DEINOVE has signed a license option agreement with UK-based REDX PHARMA (AIM: REDX) for the acquisition of their first-in-class, Novel Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitor (NBTI) anti-infective program, targeting Gram-negative infections, of which the resistant forms are among the most lethal and therefore a global public health priority. This program was subject to prior extensive optimization and evaluation in vivo confirming its potential in terms of efficiency and safety. DEINOVE will continue the optimization and selection work for a possible regulatory preclinical entry of one or more molecules. The agreement is for an exclusive option to license, with DEINOVE having 9 months to confirm its interest in this series of molecules and exercise the option. The transaction provides for an upfront payment and a supplement to the exercise of the option.

Carotenoids program DEINOCHEM

Industrialization of the Carotenoids program

The Carotenoids program aims to produce and market carotenoids which originate from a biological process. DEINOVE communicated throughout the year 2017 and the beginning of the year 2018 on the progress of this program:

In July 5 , DEINOVE confirmed that it had selected a first molecule for its innovative character. Its antioxidant and healing properties position it particularly favorably for cosmetic and especially anti-aging applications, a sector that accounts for half of the facial care market. The fermentation production process was developed on a laboratory scale (20 liters).

, DEINOVE confirmed that it had selected a first molecule for its innovative character. Its antioxidant and healing properties position it particularly favorably for cosmetic and especially anti-aging applications, a sector that accounts for half of the facial care market. The fermentation production process was developed on a laboratory scale (20 liters). In October 6 , DEINOVE indicated that it had validated the carotenoid extraction and purification process as well as its formulation in a selected vegetable oil that will be its commercial form, i.e. the active solution that will be integrated into the final cosmetic products. The stability of the finished product was also confirmed.

, DEINOVE indicated that it had validated the carotenoid extraction and purification process as well as its formulation in a selected vegetable oil that will be its commercial form, i.e. the active solution that will be integrated into the final cosmetic products. The stability of the finished product was also confirmed. In December7, DEINOVE announced having started the production of the first industrial batches of this innovative carotenoid, entrusted to BIOGIS Center, the technological platform of SASPIVERT. The technology transfer was carried out in December 2017 for a start of production on the scale of several cubic meters in the first quarter of 2018.

POST-CLOSURE: successful industrialization of the first carotenoid for cosmetics8

The scaling of the fermentation production process was successfully carried out on the SAS PIVERT BIOGIS Center technology platform. Extraction, purification, and formulation were carried out by VEG'EXTRA through an original and environmentally friendly process. The commercial launch of this active ingredient with anti-aging properties will take place at the In-Cosmetics Trade Fair (April 17-19, 2018, Amsterdam).

Partnership programs

Cosmetic programs

A catalog of active extracts qualified for cosmetic applications9

The strain screening program (DEINOSCREEN), conducted in collaboration with the FLUOFARMA cell test laboratory, identified several tens of strains that could be selected for use in cosmetics, nutrition, and health: antioxidant, anti- inflammatory and healing properties, as well as molecules active on lipid metabolism. DEINOVE has a catalog of strains with identified and varied properties to support ongoing discussions and open up new opportunities for collaboration with industry players.

Cosmetic partnership with GREENTECH10

Based on the results of the screening operation of its extremophilic strains, DEINOVE concluded a first partnership with GREENTECH to co-develop and commercialize new active ingredients for skin care. The goal is to put on the market a first active ingredient by the end of 2018. In November 2017, the partners drafted a progress report11: from the screening of DEINOVE's extremophilic strains, six strains were preselected for test phases in order to validate the final choice of the active ingredient that will be marketed.

GREENTECH today markets around 100 active ingredients to cosmetics manufacturers in more than 30 countries. This major player in the production and distribution of active ingredients from biotechnology has technical-commercial teams that will be valuable assets for the success of the project.

POST-CLOSURE: Cosmetic partnership with HALLSTAR-OLEOS12

DEINOVE initiated a collaboration with HALLSTAR-OLEOS to develop a new 100% natural cosmetic active ingredient combining the exclusive properties of DEINOVE bacteria and the patented Oleo-eco-extraction technology developed by OLEOS. The objective is to obtain a stable oily active ingredient with clinically proven efficacy that is easy to formulate and meets the requirements of the cosmetic market. The commercial launch of this active ingredient, which will be DEINOVE's third cosmetic active ingredient, is planned for the end of 2018.

OLEOS, which belongs to the American group HALLSTAR, has developed, from its proprietary process, 20 active ingredients marketed to cosmetic brands in France and internationally, and continues to expand its range.

Nutrition programs

Validation of the second step of the COLOR2B program in partnership with AVRIL13

The COLOR2B program aims to develop a process for the production of natural additives for animal feed in collaboration with the AVRIL group. The second phase of the project validated the efficacy and bioavailability of the compounds produced from the seven strains selected by DEINOVE in the first phase. The compounds produced by these strains, added to the feed of farm animals at the experimental station, have been assimilated by their organisms and have produced the desired effects.

The COLOR2B project has entered its last phase, which aims to:

Select and optimize 1 or 2 particularly effective strains;

Optimize fermentation production conditions and active ingredient preparation processes;

Define the most profitable techno-economic production conditions; and

Drive regulatory steps to engage the marketing of these active ingredients.

Second step of the partnership with FLINT HILLS RESOURCES in animal feed14

Initiated in 2015, this program, funded entirely by FHR, aims to develop a nutritional additive for animal feed. The first phase of the project resulted in the selection by FLINT HILLS RESOURCES of several strains meeting their criteria. The second phase is under way. It aims to:

Produce the additives in sufficient quantity to test their beneficial effect on the targeted animal species and analyze the results obtained;

Optimize fermentation parameters;

Define the techno-economic conditions for the development of the production process.

Issuance of a first patent covering the use of Deinococcus for animal nutrition15

DEINOVE has been working since 2014 to develop applications for its biotechnologies in the animal nutrition market. The goal is to enhance the capabilities of some strains of its bacterial collection to produce compounds with nutritional or organoleptic benefits. This first patent, originally issued in China, the world leader in livestock breeding, protects the progress made in this area: it focuses on the use of Deinococcus as a source of ingredients for animal nutrition.

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Strengthening the Board of Directors in connection with the strategic focus

In 2017, five international directors and experts from the pharmaceutical and antibiotics industry joined the Board of Directors of the Company: Dr. Herve BRAILLY, Mr. Bernard FANGET, Prof. Vincent JARLIER, Dr. Yannick PLETAN and Dr. Charles WOLER 16

Philippe POULETTY, Christian PIERRET (representing Truffle Capital), and Michael CARLOS (former President of Givaudan Fragrance Division) remain directors for the remaining term of their respective terms of office. On the proposal of Mr. Philippe POULETTY, Mr. Charles WOLER has been appointed new Chairman of the Board at the Board meeting on January 20, 2017. This new governance brings DEINOVE invaluable medical, pharmaceutical, and management resources, more specifically focused on drug development, including antibiotics.

Strengthening management in antibiotic activities

During the year, DEINOVE has recruited:

Dr. Georges GAUDRIAULT 17 , PhD in molecular pharmacology, expert in the development of new molecules and their formulation, as Scientific Director. He replaces Jean-Paul LEONETTI who returned to the CNRS after 6 years of absence.

, PhD in molecular pharmacology, expert in the development of new molecules and their formulation, as Scientific Director. He replaces Jean-Paul LEONETTI who returned to the CNRS after 6 years of absence. Sebastien ENAULT18, as Director of Business Development, with proven experience in setting up collaborations in the pharmaceutical field and in particular, in the field of anti-infectives.

Breakdown of capital as of December 31, 2017

As of December 31, 2017, the Company's capital consisted of 11,618,334 common shares with a par value of 0.40, of which 13,704 (or 0.12% of the capital) were held by the Company under the liquidity contract entrusted to Kepler Cheuvreux.

Breakdown of capital as of December 31, 2017 non-diluted basis

Shareholders Number of

stocks Percentage held Voting rights Percentage Funds managed by Truffle Capital 1,380,595 11.88% 1,893,760 15.40% Scientific founders 20,000 0.17% 40,000 0.33% Management and administrators 70,990 0.61% 111,291 0.90% Floating 10,146,749 87.33% 10,255,627 83.37% TOTAL 11,618,334 100.00% 12 300 678 100.00%

Evolution of the share capital

During the 2017 financial year, the Board of Directors recorded the issue of 1,595,810 new shares following BSA exercises, including 1,585,000 under the Kepler Cheuvreux19 equity line funding and 10,810 under the BSA-B plan.

The Extraordinary General Meeting of January 5, 2017 also led to the issue of 1,001,437 new shares in exchange for the acquisition by DEINOVE of the total of the DEINOBIOTICS shares not yet held.

A total of 2,597,247 new shares were issued during the 2017 financial year, representing an increase of the share capital of 1,038,898.80.

The 2017 annual financial report will be available at the following address:

http://www.deinove.com/en/investor-room/documentation-center/financial-reports

ABOUT DEINOVE

DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI) is a biotech company that discovers, develops and produces high added-value compounds from rare microorganisms for use in the fields of health, nutrition and cosmetic markets. To do so, DEINOVE draws on two key assets:

a unique library of 6,000 rare or unexploited bacterial strains;

a genetic, metabolic and fermentation engineering platform capable of customizing these natural "micro-factories" to transform them into new industrial standards.

www.deinove.com

twitter.com/Deinove

linkedin.com/company/deinove

Based in Montpellier, DEINOVE employs approximately 55 employees and has nearly 130 international patents. The Company has been listed on Euronext Growth since April 2010.

1 Press release of January 4, 2017

2 Press release of September 12, 2017

3 Press release of March 8, 2018

4 Press release of March 22, 2018

5 Press release of July 5, 2017

6 Press release of October 23, 2017

7 Press release of December 18, 2017

8 Press release of February 26, 2018

9 Press release of March 23, 2017

10 Press release of March 27, 2017

11 Press release of November 20, 2017

12 Press release of January 30, 2018

13 Press release of April 19, 2017

14 Press release of May 31, 2017

15 Press release of May 10, 2017

16 Press Releases of January 23 and May 16, 2017

17 Press release of May 23, 2017

18 Press release of July 24, 2017

19 Press releases of December 1, 2014 and June 15, 2015

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329006079/en/

Contacts:

DEINOVE

Emmanuel Petiot, +33 (0)4 48 19 01 28

Chief Executive Officer

emmanuel.petiot@deinove.com

or

Coralie Martin, +33 (0)4 48 19 01 60

Communication, Marketing and Investor Relations

coralie.martin@deinove.com

or

Julien Coste, +33 (0)4 48 19 01 00

CFO

julien.coste@deinove.com

or

ALIZE RP, Press Relations

Caroline Carmagnol Aurore Gangloff

+33 (0)1 44 54 36 66

deinove@alizerp.com


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures rose Thursday after a surprising decline in the U.S. oil rig count. That's after Baker Hughes said that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil fell by seven to 797 this week. This may be hinting that the U.S. shale oil boom is slowing after strong production earlier in the year. Meanwhile, Reuters reports Saudi Arabia and Russia are considering a plan that would have them coordinate on supply quotas for up to 20 years in hopes of boosting oil prices. May WTI oil gained 56 cents, or 0.9%, to settle at $64.94/bbl. Prices were down this week, but higher for the month and quarter. First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly edged lower in the week ended March 24th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said initial jobless claims dipped to 215,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's revised level of 227,000. 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.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 29, 2018 / NOVICIUS CORP. (OTCQB: NVSIF, CSE: NVS) ("Novicius" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update to the Company's previously announced non-binding letter of intent with Grown Rogue Unlimited, LLC, an Oregon limited liability company ("Grown Rogue").

The non-binding letter of intent has been amended and restated according to which it is contemplated that the Company may combine its business operations with Grown Rogue by way of a three-cornered amalgamation (the "Transaction"). The Transaction as now proposed would result in a reverse take-over of the Company by Grown Rogue and the listing for trading of the shares of the resulting issuer on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange").

It is expected that prior to the completion of the Transaction, all of the unitholders of Grown Rogue will exchange their units of Grown Rogue for common shares in Grown Rogue Canada Inc. ("Grown Rogue Canada"), a company incorporated under the laws of Ontario, which will result in Grown Rogue Canada owning all of the units in Grown Rogue (the "Grown Rogue Securities Exchange"). Upon completion of the Grown Rogue Securities Exchange, Grown Rogue Canada will amalgamate with a subsidiary of Novicius and the shareholders of Grown Rogue Canada that participated in the Grown Rogue Securities Exchange will receive 55,500,000 common shares of Novicius at a deemed price of $0.65 per share.

The Transaction will be completed contemporaneously with a brokered equity offering by Grown Rogue Canada (the "Brokered Offering") of up to $10,000,000. M Partners Inc. has executed an engagement agreement, which is subject to satisfactory due diligence and the completion of a formal agency agreement, to act as agent for and on behalf of Grown Rogue Canada pursuant to the Brokered Offering to raise up to $10,000,000 from the sale of subscription receipts in Grown Rogue Canada (the "Subscription Receipts") at a price of $0.65 per Subscription Receipt.

No representation is given that the Transaction will close however if closed as contemplated it is expected that each Subscription Receipt will be automatically converted into one unit of Grown Rogue Canada (the "GRC Units") upon the satisfaction of the following conditions, among others: (a) the completion of the Grown Rogue Securities Exchange and (b) requisite shareholder and regulatory approvals for the Transaction including, but not limited to, conditional approval of the Exchange. Each GRC Unit will consist of one share in the capital of Grown Rogue Canada (the "GRC Shares") and one Grown Rogue Canada common share purchase warrant (the "GRC Warrants"). Each GRC Warrant is exercisable into one GRC Share at an exercise price of $0.80 per GRC Share for 24 months. On closing of the Transaction, the GRC Shares and GRC Warrants issued upon conversion of the Subscription Receipts will be exchanged for the same common shares and warrants of Novicius.

It is also expected that prior to the completion of the Transaction, Novicius will reduce its outstanding debt to approximately C$250,000 (excluding Transaction costs) as certain creditors of Novicius assign existing debt to a subsidiary of Novicius in exchange for Novicius securities issued on the same terms as the GRC Units.

The completion of the Transaction is contingent on a number of conditions precedent including, but not limited to, (i) receipt of all requisite corporate, shareholder and regulatory approvals, (ii) completion of satisfactory due diligence by each of the parties, (iii) completion of the Grown Rogue Securities Exchange, (iv) completion of the Brokered Offering, (v) completion of the Company's anticipated consolidation of two (2) pre-consolidated common shares for one (1) post-consolidated common share, (vi) the reduction of Novicius debt, and (vii) the execution of a definitive agreement between the parties. Further details relating to the Transaction will be announced upon the execution of the definitive agreement.

About Grown Rogue

Grown Rogue is a fully licensed, adult-use, seed to sale, cannabis company. Grown Rogue operates approximately 100,000 square feet of cultivation facilities with an emphasis on product quality from the original genetic selection to the final consumer products. Our team has over 50 years of combined cannabis expertise with significant operational history through the asset purchase of a former medical marijuana operator who provided quality medicine to Oregon patients for 10 years. Grown Rogues's goal is to bring a professional and sustainable business model to the industry coupling the historical track record of cannabis success with extensive private sector experience in natural resources, technology, finance, and marketing. To learn more, please visit us at www.grownrogue.com.

About Novicius Corp.

Novicius Corp is an emergent Media and Internet company that focuses on the experience of the website user. The Company's strategy is to drive revenue through technologies and services that deliver Content, Social and Digital Media, eCommerce and Advertising.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Ritwik Uban

President

Novicius Corp.

Email: NVSCorpIR@gmail.com

Certain information regarding the Company in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements or future oriented financial information under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information includes, without limitation, successful completion of the proposed transaction, projections or estimates made by us and our management in connection with our business operations. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the forecasts and projections contained in the forward-looking information contained in this press release, which assumptions are based on management's analysis of historical trends, experience, current conditions and expected future developments pertaining to the Company and the industry in which it operates as well as certain assumptions as specifically outlined in the release above. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks, which could cause actual results to vary and in some instances to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of performance and is subject to a number of risks or uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive. Forward-looking information is based on the estimates and opinions of the Company's management at the time the information is released and the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as expressly required by applicable securities law.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) the company's financing plans; (ii) trends affecting the company's financial condition or results of operations; (iii) the company's growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) the declaration and payment of dividends. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including the risk disclosed in the Company's Form 20-F and 6-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: Novicius Corp.
Hint's Automated Payment Follow-Ups Recovered More Than $1.9 Million in Revenue for Physicians

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 29, 2018 / Hint Health, a pioneer in automated back office and plan administration for Direct Primary Care physicians, has reported that for the year 2017, it saved its clients an astounding 25.7 years of cumulative staff time. Thanks to Hint's workflow automation, rules enforcement, failed payment follow-ups and advanced financial reporting, DPC practices are able to significantly trim overhead expenses and improve their profit margins. In fact, a total of over $1.9 million in bounced payments and overdue bills was recovered by doctors utilizing Hint's software.

Based in San Francisco, Hint has emerged as the leader in the rapidly expanding Direct Primary Care movement. Hint provides complete 360-degree support for medical practices converting to a Direct Primary Care model. They have positioned themselves as partners in launching new direct care initiatives, offering years of experience and practical insight garnered across hundreds of organizations. Understanding that each DPC business is unique, Hint Health works from the ground-up with each client to customize their enrollment, billing and eligibility management engines, enabling groups to operate complex provider-sponsored plans with extremely low overhead.

An ongoing health industry revolution, Direct Primary Care has been rapidly adopted by thousands of doctors nationwide who prefer not to deal with insurance companies and instead spend more time with their patients. The DPC model is typically built as a subscription service of approximately $75 per month paid directly to the physician which gives patients full access to their primary doctor whenever needed - even in some cases, video conferencing and house calls. DPC patients also get wholesale pricing for drugs and lab work.

With Hint Health's unique position as the backend resource for the majority of Direct Primary Care providers, the company has been able to compile some of the most detailed operational data on all aspects of the DPC industry such as growth trends, pricing trends, payment trends and key demographic information. Journalists, doctors and others interested to learn more about the Direct Primary Care industry are encouraged to download a copy of Hint's "2017 Direct Primary Care Trends Report."

Doctors interested in exploring the advantages of DPC are encouraged to take advantage of Hint's free consultation.

About Hint Health

Founded with an exclusive focus on the direct primary care movement, Hint has been working with trail blazing physicians to automate their administration workflows since 2013, making it easy to operate and scale-up this new practice model while efficiently managing overhead costs.

CONTACT:

Matt Kalinowski

(415) 854-6366 x019

press@hint.com

Hint Health
Credit Karma, a San Francisco, CA-based personal finance tech company, will receive a secondary investment from Silver Lake.

Silver Lake will acquire a significant minority stake in the company worth approximately $500 million from existing equity holders through an organized secondary process. In addition to the investment, Silver Lake Managing Partner Mike Bingle will join Credit Karmas board of directors.

Following the deal, Founder and CEO Kenneth Lin will remain the largest shareholder, and together with co-founders Nichole Mustard and Ryan Graciano and the rest of the companys existing management team will continue to drive its growth strategy and future expansion.

Credit Karma is a personal finance technology company offering a suite of products for members to monitor and improve credit health, prepare and file income taxes, monitor their identities, and track and manage vehicle information and financing solutions. In addition, Credit Karma leverages advanced data modeling to analyze and identify the best financial products available for its members and has originated more than $40 billion in credit products including credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, automotive financing, and student loan refinancing.

It has more than 80 million members in North America, including almost half of all millennials.

FinSMEs

29/03/2018
Life360, a San Francisco-based provider of a location and driving safety service for families available for Android and iPhone in a convenient and secure mobile app, has acquihired PathSense, a provider of precise positioning software development kit (SDK) for location-based mobile apps.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

PathSenses employees will join the Life360 team, and Life360 has licensed the PathSense IP. While most GPS apps are notorious for draining smartphone batteries, the combination of Life360 and PathSenses low battery location and sensor code technologies will provide an advanced, battery efficient crash detection system.

Together, the combined company plans to grow the sensors team leveraging San Diegos talent pool. PathSense will continue to operate as its own corporation, servicing existing and looking to bring on new clients in the San Diego office.

Life360 provides a crash response system that automatically detects when a car accident occurs and calls the person involved. If they need immediate assistance, Life360 will dispatch emergency services to their exact location and stay on the line until help arrives. Life360 also notifies emergency contacts so that  even in the worst situation  everyone is notified in real-time. This feature is part of the Driver Protect subscription service that also includes information on driving habits such as speed and phone usage.

PathSense, which offers a software developer kit available for both iOS and Android, provides location accuracy through sensor fusion and internal navigation.

FinSMEs

29/03/2018
Script, a Tampa, FL-based local educational technology company, received an additional equity funding from Ark Applications, LLC.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The company will use the resources to pursue market expansion.

Co-founded in 2016 by Aaron White and Patrick Cahill, Script provides an app to help foster more effective communication between the major stakeholders of schools (teachers and managers at schools, parents and others).

Over the past year, Ark Applications, a private equity and consulting firm located in the Tampa Bay area founded in 2015, has actively worked with Script to refine the core product and develop an overall scaling strategy.

FinSMEs

29/03/2019
True Gault, a NYC-based 3-D imaging shoe brand, raised an undisclosed amount of funding.

Venture capitalist Tim Draper made the investment via an equity crowdfunding campaign launched by the company through Republic.

Led by CEO & Founder Sandra Gault, True Gault is a 3-D imaging shoe brand that uses a series of photos from an individuals iPhone to create custom womens shoes, guaranteed to fit precisely. It uses 3D imaging software and patent-pending fit formula to create custom-fit shoes, hand made in Spain. A customer takes three pictures of each foot via the True Gault iPhone app, and the smart technology generates her unique size and a 3D model of each foot. They can customize their shoes from a selection of 20+ styles, 40+ leathers colors, and two heel heights (2 or 4 at present).

The custom pair of heels, made to order, are delivered in less than four weeks and backed by a 100% Fit Guarantee.

The company recently announced that ELLE Magazine Editor in Chief and Project Runway judge Nina Garcia joined the team as an Advisor and was invited to join the Google Accelerated Growth Program.

FinSMEs

29/03/2018
Are you looking for more information on a particular for-profit company? A simple Google search might not cut it. At least, not if youre hoping to do anything else with your day.

Whether youre compiling a research report on your firms closest competitors, preparing for a job interview with an unfamiliar organization, or doing your due diligence before purchasing company shares, you have every right and expectation to find accurate, up-to-date information.

The question is, where should you turn first?

These 10 websites, apps, and public-domain resources can all help. Give each a try and see which best fits your needs.

1. Bloomberg Private Company Snapshots

Bloomberg is a vast information broker that defies easy categorization. Its not really fair to call it a media company; theres just too much else going on under the hood.

One of Bloombergs least sexy verticals is its private company snapshot database. This is a great resource for folks researching for-profit companies that arent publicly listed on U.S. or overseas stock exchanges. Private firms arent subject to the same onerous disclosure requirements as public companies, but Bloomberg nevertheless does a great job of collecting and synthesizing whatever information is available from public sources.

As you can see from this example, Bloombergs private company snapshots feature a comprehensive look at each firms C suite, a brief description of its operations, detailed contact information, and a roundup of recent news headlines (some from Bloomberg itself).

2. S&P Global Market Intelligence

S&P Global Market Intelligence isnt as user-friendly as Bloomberg, but its perhaps even more information-rich. In fact, S&P provides the raw data for most Bloomberg profiles, so researchers not overly concerned about presentation can go straight to the source here. S&P gets bonus points for including an impressive roster of companies headquartered outside the United States.

3. Yahoo Finance

Yahoo Finance has been around since the dawn of time  or, at least, since the dawn of the Internet. Like Bloomberg, its a great place to find parseable profiles packed with detailed information about company officers, functions, financials, and news. This well-known media companys profile highlights its most recent stock price, a slew of financial details for potential investors performing due diligence, and relevant news headlines from around the world.

Yahoo Finance isnt as strong as some resources on the private company front, but its fantastic for public company research. Plan accordingly.

4. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is best known as a social network for professionals, and that remains its core function. But its also a legitimate platform for lesser-known companies to advertise  and, by extension, for people who want to know more about those companies to find the information they need.

Use LinkedIns search function to find public and private companies, or browse by industry. Each company page includes key employees, links out to rank-and-file employees personal profiles, contact information, company descriptions, and more.

5. CNBC

CNBC is among the most popular financial media properties in the United States. Like Yahoo Finance, its a great place to find detailed financial and biographical information about publicly traded companies. CNBC has an extensive news vertical, too, with tons of wire stories  so it should be at or near the top of your list for company news searches.

As you can see from this telecom companys profile, CNBC also has fantastic charts. Outside the brokerage world, its hard to find a better set of free performance analysis tools.

6. FactSet

FactSet is a research platform built by and for financial professionals. Its not just for company research, of course: its comprehensive reports tease out hidden trends, secular shifts, and arbitrage opportunities the world over. If youre seeking information on otherwise opaque organizations or their activities, and you dont mind paying for access to its powerful tools, FactSet is worth a closer look.

7. Crunchbase

Crunchbase is arguably the best place to find detailed information about early-stage companies, individual entrepreneurs, investors, and others involved in the startup ecosystem. It hews to a freemium model, which means its best features are hidden behind a users-only wall. If youre looking for quick answers, like who runs a particular startup or which hot new companies comprise a particular VCs portfolio, you wont need to pay.

8. LexisNexis

LexisNexis is a digital research pioneer. Back in the 1970s, when the Internet was still just a gleam in the U.S. militarys eye, LexisNexis was quietly compiling databases of legal and financial documents for easy scanning and review. For years, the company had a near-monopoly on such information, and while its obviously no longer in pole position, it remains a great resource for hard-to-find information about private companies  including regulatory filings, court documents, patents, and more.

9. University Archives

When did you last spend time in your local universitys archives building?

Unless youre an academic or dedicated private researcher, you probably cant answer that question. Nor should you have to. Thanks to the magic of the Internet, whose consumer face grew in large part out of a need to systematize the untold terabytes of information owned or supervised by U.S. research institutions, a lot of what you can pore through by hand is also available online.

Great news for allergy sufferers and homebodies, if no one else.

10. Angel.co

Like Crunchbase, Angel.co is a great resource for people researching early stage companies and their investors. If the main thrust of your research is to determine whether a particular organization would make a suitable employer, angel.co doubles as a job board for techies and other knowledge economy workers  so it might just help you kill two birds with one stone.

The Truth Is Out There

These arent the only places to find information about public and private for-profit entities. Depending on the nature and prominence of the company youre researching and the type of information you seek, you can likely find what youre looking for in dozens of other places.

Of course, time is money. When youve got a million other things on your plate, it helps to know exactly what youre looking for  and exactly where to find. Heres to an efficient search!
Ducati Monster 821 to return to India. The naked offering was discontinued from the country last year as it did not meet the BS-IV/Euro-IV emissions norms.

Ducati India has confirmed that it will be bringing four all-new models to the country this year. We believe these upcoming launches by Ducati in India will include the Multistrada 1260 and the Scrambler 1100. Ducati India has also rolled out the Ducati Ever Red programme that includes extended warranty, 24/7 roadside assistance and Ducati Financial services with 0 percent ROI. The Italian motorcycle manufacturer has also scheduled multiple rider training and customer engagement programmes this year.

Coming to the most important part of the news - the four all-new Ducati models for India. The Ducati Scrambler 1100 will be positioned above the Scrambler sold in India. The Scramble 1100 will be powered by an oil and air cooled , 1079 cc, L-twin motor that also powered Monster 1100. Besides the engine, the Ducati Scrambler 1100 also gets a slightly tweaked styling. There are three variants on offer, with the top-spec Sport variant sporting Ohlins suspension and a different handlebar design.

The other offering in India will be the Multistrada 1260. This one gets a larger engine displacement of 1,262cc due to a slightly longer 71.5 mm stroke than the current Ducati Multistrada, and it also features Desmodromic Variable Timing (DVT). The DVT on the Ducati Multistrada 1260 combines variable timing with desmo valve actuation which delivers an ideal combination of horsepower, low-rpm torque as well as meets Euro-4 emission norms. The Multistrada 1260 DVT engine is now capable of 160 PS at 9,500 rpm and 129.4 Nm at 7,500 rpm. However, it now gets a very flat torque curve, delivering 85 percent of peak torque from as low as 3,500 rpm, something ADV riders will greatly appreciate. We have already ridden the Ducati Multistrada 1260 and here are our initial impressions of it.

We expect the Ducati Monster 821 to return to India this year. The naked offering was discontinued from the country last year as it did not meet the BS-IV/Euro-IV emissions norms. The refreshed Monster 821 features a new headlamp, redesigned fuel tank and tail section that harks back to the 1992 version of the Monster 900. Other changes includes a new dual silencer. The 2018 Monster 821 also gets a brand new colour TFT instrument cluster that also displays the selected gear as well as a fuel indicator. Powered the motorcycle is a 821 cc, liquid-cooled Testaretta L-Twin motor that develops 110 PS at 9,250 and 86 Nm at 7,750 rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission.

The fourth model that Ducati plans to launch in the country will be the 959 Pannigale Corse edition. It gets a new paint job, suspension and exhaust, making the bike as close to a proper track ready motorcycle. There, however, are no changes to the 955 cc, Superquadro motor that produces 150 PS at 10,500 rpm and 102 Nm at 9,000 rpm. Doing suspension duties are the upfront are 43 mm Ohlins NIX30 forks and a TTX46 monoshock at the rear. The suspension, as expected, is fully adjustable. Ducati has also added a new Ohlins steering damper, while the incorporation of a lightweight, lithium ion racing battery helps reduce weight. The Ducati 959 Panigale Corse is 2.26 kg lighter than the standard 959 Panigale. The new, Akarapovic Titanium exhausts, replete with the race bike style gauze at the tip, looks beautiful and has been homologated for road use, as well.
Mamata Banerjee strongly opposed the Centre's move to disinvest its stake in Air India

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday strongly opposed the Centre's move to disinvest its stake in Air India and TMC leader Derek OBrien questioned the decision, saying a parliamentary panel was still examining the issue.

Hours after the government released the preliminary information memorandum on strategic disinvestment of the national carrier, Banerjee took to Twitter to express her objection over the decision.

"I'm sorry to read in the media about the government inviting expression of interest for selling Air India, the jewel of our nation. We strongly oppose this and want this order to be withdrawn immediately," the TMC chief said. "This government must not be allowed to sell our country," she claimed.

I am sorry to read in the media about the Govt inviting expression of interest for selling Air India, the jewel of our nation. We strongly oppose this and want this order to be withdrawn immediately. This Govt must not be allowed to sell our country  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 28, 2018

O'Brien also slammed the government's move. "The proposed disinvestment of Air India is being examined by the panel. Stakeholders are being called. Views heard. Report still some time away. How come these moves from government?," he tweeted.

The proposed disinvestment of Air India is still being examined by the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Transport Tourism & Culture. Stakeholders are being called. Views heard. Report still some time away. How come these moves from Govt? https://t.co/mnUYBEMyNf  Derek O'Brien (@derekobrienmp) March 28, 2018

O'Brien heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Transport, Tourism and Culture.

In January, during a meeting of the panel, most members had sought the withdrawal of the draft report which said that it was not appropriate time to divest stake in Air India and that the airline should be given at least five years to revive.

O'Brien, however, had remained absent from that particular meeting.

Out of the 31-member panel, 16 had given in writing their opposition to adopting the draft report. The majority of the members, in favour of selling the government's stake in the national carrier, were from the ruling BJP.
CBI has registered three fresh cases to look into Rs 743 crore of fishy loans issued by an IDBI bank for pisciculture and Kisan credit cards

New Delhi: The CBI has registered three fresh cases to look into Rs 743 crore of fishy loans issued by an IDBI bank branch in West Godavari district for pisciculture and Kisan credit cards which have became non performing assets, the officials said on Thursday.

The agency has named three accused persons-B K Sahoo, retired DGM of the bank R Damodaran and the then DGM Battu Rama Rao-who are common in all the three FIRs. There are a total of 41 others accused in these three separate FIRs, they said.

The agency has said the cases pertain to the loans of Rs 394 crore, Rs 160 crore and Rs 189 crore-issued between 2009 and 2012 from IDBI's Palangi branch in West Godavari district on the pretext of availing kisan credit cards and pisciculture -fish farming-- loans.

It is alleged that the loans were issued without proper loan documents, without conducting pre sanction and post sanction inspections and without ascertaining the end use of the loan.

It is alleged that as per procedure laid down for sanctioning KCC loans, the maximum limit with regard to operation of primary activity or fish tank activity is 50 kms from the branch location, however, Damodaran and Rao instructed the branch officials to ignore the condition, they said.

Damodaran and Rao allegedly abused their official position breached the sanction limit of Rs 25 lakh for KCC loan and bypassed agri-processing centre and directed for the issuance of loans on the basis of intentionally overvalued collateral properties and furnished inflated net worth certificates in respect of borrowers, the FIR alleged.
The finance ministry has asked RBI to look into problems being faced by industry and banks by abrupt ban on LoUs, and provide some breathing space to them

New Delhi: The finance ministry has asked RBI to look into the problems being faced by industry and banks by the abrupt ban on LoUs, and provide some breathing space to them, sources said.

Reserve Bank of India this month banned issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Letters of Comfort (LoC), used extensively for trade finance, following the unearthing of Nirav Modi fraud case.

Nirav Modi and associates in connivance with some officials of Punjab National Bank (PNB) used LoUs to defrauded the lender of over Rs 13,000 crore.

The sources said the ministry has received representations from various corporates and banks against the abrupt banning of LoUs asking the RBI to provide some breathing space to them.

They feel that the sudden banning of LoUs has caused some disruption, the sources said, adding that the ministry has forwarded those representations to the central bank to take a final call.

According to the representations, the sudden discontinuation of LoUs has hit small and medium enterprises, they said.

So, on their behalf, the ministry has requested RBI to look this issue favourably, the sources added.

The cost for trade finance has also gone up because of shift to letters of credit, as per the representations. These instruments involve a commission fee along with a so called acceptance charge which is not the case with LoUs as they only involve a guarantee fee.

Earlier this month, RBI barred banks from issuing guarantees in the form of letters of undertaking (LoU) as it clamped down on the import financing route used by fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi for allegedly committing India's biggest bank fraud.

RBI also banned with immediate effect issuance of LoCs which, like LoUs, are used by importers to fund their overseas purchases.

However, letters of credit and bank guarantees will continue upon meeting certain conditions.
Keeping over Rs 33,000 crore debt on the books of the two airlines on offer could be the biggest hurdle to this stake sale.

The government on Wednesday put out an expression of interest (EoI) document detailing the strategic disinvestment of Air India. On offer is a 76 percent stake to a potential bidder with 24 percent being retained by the government, for the time being.

The Narendra Modi government needs to be commended for having bitten the divestment bullet despite insurmountable opposition from within, apprehensions of other stakeholders and stringent opposition from, well, the Opposition on any move to sell off the Maharaja. This is the second attempt by the government at divesting its stake in Air India and many thought there would be last-minute hesitation, and insufficient political will to actually start the process. By putting out the EoI, the naysayers have been silenced.

But having said that, the terms and conditions of the sale make one a bit sceptical of its success. Keeping over Rs 33,000 crore debt on the books of the two airlines which are on offer could be the biggest hitch. And there's more to spoil the party. Not only is there a strict net worth criterion for bidders which rules out almost all Indian airlines by themselves - they may have to mandatorily align with other well-endowed parties to bid - the government has also introduced a three-year lock-in.

This means once a bidder consortium wins the bid for Air India, it cannot selloff its controlling stake in the airline to another buyer for three years. Then, there is a requirement for Air India to list after sometime, to enable the government to offload its remaining stake and exit completely.

Kapil Kaul, CEO & Director at CAPA South Asia said he sees significant investor interest in the Air India sale process while flagging twin concerns: the debt pile and the fact that meeting the December 2018 deadline for completing the disinvestment may be challenging.

What is on offer is a 76 percent stake each in Air India and Air India Express and 50 percent in AISATS. AI Express is the low-cost international subsidiary of Air India and AISATS is a 50:50 JV so the government plans to retain 24 percent each in AI and AI Express but exit the ground holding joint venture completely.

By retaining just a 24 percent stake, the government has signaled that it will cede management control to the successful bidder. From all available indications, the government will also not be eligible for a seat on the divested airlines' Board. The government has also said that it intends to offload the remaining 24 percent stake at a later stage.

But by retaining a toehold in the airline business, the government has most likely already reduced bid value. It may not have a Board seat and may assure potential bidders of non-interference, but the reality on the ground may be quite different. Air India has long suffered from political interference and bureaucratic apathy. Disinvestment was the one chance for the government to hand over the entire airline business to a competent buyer to turn around the airline, in one go.

Here is a summary of the conditions bidders will have to abide by:

Net worth: A minimum net worth of Rs 5000 crore is mandatory for any bidder's interest to be considered. Besides, the bidder must also have been reported positive profit after tax (PAT) in at least three of the immediately preceding five financial years from the EoI deadline.

Three-year lock-in: The bidder will have to commit to a lock-in of its entire shareholding in AI and in the special purpose vehicle (in case investment in AI is made through a special purpose vehicle by a consortium or otherwise) for three years from acquisition. The bidder cannot cede management control of AI and of the special purpose vehicle for these three years.

Keep the brand: The bidder will have to continue using the 'Air India' brand for a minimum specified number of years, which will be explained at the request for proposal (RFP) stage.

Government exit: The EOI states that the government intends to divest its residual 24 percent shareholding through the process of dispersed disinvestment (i.e. would not be sold as a block) on such terms as may be prescribed in the RFP. But the important point to note is that the bidder may be required to list Air India.

Debt: The government proposes to leave Rs 33,392 crore of liabilities with Air India and AI Express. The existing debt and liabilities of AI and AIXL as on 31 March, 2017, are being reallocated and it is expected that debt and liabilities, including net current liabilities of Rs 88,160 million, aggregating to Rs 33,392 crore will remain with AI and AIXL (no change for AI-SATS except in normal course of business). This number shall be further adjusted to account for material business developments post 31 March, 2017 for instance purchases/delivery of aircrafts etc. The remaining combined debt and liabilities of the two airlines are being transferred to an SPV called Air India Asset Holding Limited, which will be 100 percent owned by the government.

Already, the Centre has relaxed the cap on foreign investment in Air India to 49 percent, including all investments by foreign airlines and other entities. This opens up the possibility of any interested foreign airline partnering with an Indian carrier to table a bid for the ailing national carrier.
Merger of Fortis Healthcare and Manipal Hospital Enterprises is expected to be completed in 10-12 months

New Delhi: The value of the entity resulting from the merger of Fortis Healthcare and Manipal Hospital Enterprises will be Rs 15,000 crore, a top Fortis official said on Wednesday. The merger is expected to be completed in 10-12 months, he added.

"When you look at value of Fortis, when you look at value of Manipal and when you look at money being infused that is Rs 3,900 crore, that adds up to Rs 15,000 crore," Fortis Healthcare CEO Bhavdeep Singh said in a conference call on Wednesday. The value of the resulting entity thus will be Rs 15,000 crore, he added.

The company's board had on Tuesday approved the demerger of Fortis hospitals business, which will be acquired by Manipal Hospitals and TPG Capital, along with the sale of 20 percent stake in diagnostics chain SRL Ltd.

Ranjan Pai and TPG will invest Rs 3,900 crore into Manipal Hospitals. The funds will be utilised for financing the acquisition of 50.9 percent stake in SRL (20.0 percent from FHL and 30.9 percent from other investors for which discussions are currently underway), Fortis Healthcare had said on Tuesday in a statement. In addition, the investment will support the proposed acquisition of hospital assets owned by RHT Health Trust and the growth of the hospitals and the diagnostics businesses, it added.

"The merger will take time. The merging of Fortis into Manipal will take between 10 to 12 months," Singh said. When asked about the investigations by Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in the company over alleged financial irregularities in the company involving its promoters, Singh brothers, Bhavdeep Singh said: "We are cooperating with the ongoing SFIO investigations."

However, the completion of the deal is not contingent upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigations, he added.

The sale of the hospital business of Fortis to Manipal-TPG combine comes at a time when the Singh brothers -- Malvinder and Shivinder -- are facing intense pressure over alleged financial irregularities at Fortis and Religare, which the SFIO is investigating. Both Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh had quit from the boards of Fortis and Religare last month.

The Delhi High Court had on January 31 upheld an international arbitral award of Rs 3,500 crore passed in favour of Japanese pharma major Daiichi Sankyo, which had alleged that the former promoters of erstwhile Ranbaxy Laboratories had concealed information about proceedings against them by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Moreover, on 15 February, the Supreme Court lifted its stay on sale of shares of Fortis Healthcare Ltd. pledged with banks by the Singh brothers before August 31, allowing financial institutions, including Axis Bank and Yes Bank, to sell the pledged shares. The stake of the Singh brothers in Fortis currently is less than 1 percent.

On Wednesday, the Fortis Healthcare stock fell sharply by 13.37 percent to Rs 123.40 per on BSE.
On the seventh day of his sit-in protest in New Delhi, social activist Anna Hazare ended his hunger strike after the Centre promised to act on his demands on Thursday.

On the seventh day of his sit-in protest in New Delhi, social activist Anna Hazare ended his hunger strike after the Centre promised to act on his demands on Thursday.

Hazare's decision came after he held talks with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

BJP national executive member Priti Gandhi tweeted visuals of Hazare breaking his fast:

Anna Hazare ends hunger strike after talks with Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis & Union Minister of State for Agriculture @gssjodhpur. pic.twitter.com/YWOQzng5CM  Priti Gandhi (@MrsGandhi) March 29, 2018

"The Centre has decided to raise MSP by 1.5 times of the expenses incurred by farmers. It has also said it will soon decide on the Lokpal appointment," Hazare said.

"I will wait for six months. If the government fails to act, then we'll start this protest again," he said.

Hazare stressed the Centre should fulfil the promises on time. "It's government's duty to work towards the welfare of the public and the country. There should be no chance of such a movement," he said.

Hazare has been pressing for setting up Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, besides implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which suggested ways to address agrarian distress.

He started an indefinite hunger strike on 23 March to press for his demand to appoint a Lokpal at the Centre, nearly seven years after his anti-corruption movement caught the imagination of millions of Indians and shook the then UPA government. He sat on hunger strike at the iconic Ramlila Maidan, the same venue of his protest in 2011.

The Centre reached out to Hazare on Monday with its emissary and Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan, who assured most of his demands "will be taken care of".

Mahajan, who is Minister for Water Resources and Medical Education in Maharashtra, said that 7 to 8 of the 11 main demands put forth by Hazare were agreed upon.

"Fadnavis is in the loop. Even the central leadership (of the BJP), including party president Amit Shah, is looking into the matter," Mahajan said.

With inputs from PTI
Supporters of Sambhaji Bhide, one of the main accused in the Koregaon-Bhima caste violence, on Wednesday held a protest in Pune demanding withdrawal of an attempt to murder case registered against him

Pune: Supporters of Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide, one of the main accused in the Koregaon-Bhima caste violence, on Wednesday held a protest in Pune demanding withdrawal of an attempt to murder case registered against him.

Members of various right-wing organisations assembled near the river bed near the historic Shaniwarwada for the protest, a day after the police denied them permission to hold a march from the Shaniwarwada to the district collectorate.

"Over 5,000 supporters gathered near the riverbed and staged a protest for withdrawal of a case against Bhinde," said Sanjay Jadhar, Pune district president of the Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, founded by Bhide.

He said the administration allowed some representatives to hand over a memorandum of their demands to district collector Saurabh Rao.

The mother of Rahul Phatangade, who was killed during the clashes between Dalits and Marathas on 1 January, also took part in the protest in Pune and sought stringent action against the culprits.

Bhide (85) and another Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote were booked on 2 January, a day after the violence, under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and under various sections of the IPC including attempt to murder as one person was killed in the clashes.

Ekbote was already arrested by the police after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Supreme Court.

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar had alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi and the Shiv Pratishthan were responsible for the caste clashes.

The violence had occurred at an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon in which the British Army comprising Dalits had defeated the Peshwas.

A large section of Dalits view the historical battle as the defeat of the 'casteism' of upper-caste Peshwas.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday told the Assembly that there was no proof of the involvement of Bhide in connection with the violence.

Bhide, who hails from Sangli district in western Maharashtra, has been maintaining that he was not present at the spot on the day of the incident and was away to attend MLA Jayant Patil's mother's rituals.
Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday termed the CBSE examination paper leak issue unfortunate and said the culprits would not go scot-free.

New Delhi: Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday termed the CBSE examination paper leak issue unfortunate and said the culprits would not go scot-free, a day after the board announced re-examination in a Class 10 and a Class 12 subject.

The CBSE, in a circular on Wednesday, had announced re-examination in the Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics subjects in the wake of reports of paper leaks.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will declare the date of re-examination on Monday or Tuesday, he said.

This (paper leak) has been a breach by the culprits and we will not let any culprit go scot-free. The police is on the job and I am very sure, they will nab the culprits as they have done in case of the SSC exam leak case. We have also instituted an internal inquiry, he told reporters.

Terming the incident unfortunate, Javadekar said he could understand the pain, anguish and frustrations of students and parents because we are one with them.

The CBSE has earned a name for conducting good examinations and was therefore, assigned the task of conducting medical entrance examination by the Supreme Court, he said.

Javadekar said being a sensible parent, he could not sleep last night.

He said all efforts would be made to improve the system and to make it foolproof.
There is no respite for students appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) Class X and Class XII examinations. In the wake of news reports claiming that Mathematics and Economics papers were leaked on WhatsApp, the CBSE has decided to re-conduct the exams for Class X Mathematics and Class XII Economics paper

There is no respite for students appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) Class X and Class XII examinations. In the wake of news reports claiming that Mathematics and Economics papers were leaked on WhatsApp, the CBSE has decided to re-conduct the exams for Class X Mathematics and Class XII Economics paper. The new dates for the examinations and other details regarding the re-examination will be hosted on the CBSE website within a week.

In an official order, the CBSE said that it has taken cognisance "of certain happenings in the conduct of certain examinations". It further said that the dates for the fresh examinations and other details will be published on CBSE's website, cbse.nic.in. The reason for the decision was not revealed in the CBSE order. There was panic among students after the reports claiming paper leak surfaced on social media. The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has also begun investigating the alleged leak of the CBSE's Class XII economics paper and registered a separate case in connection with the alleged leak of the Class 10 mathematics paper. Top police officials, on Wednesday evening, also discussed the further line of investigation.

On 15 March, social media was abuzz with reports that the Class 12 accountancy paper had been leaked, with the Delhi government saying it had received complaints about it. This came after the CBSE had denied the claims, saying, "We have checked with all examination centres and the paper was not leaked."

"The source of the circulation of this information is not known yet," the board had said.

Meanwhile, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that a new "leak-proof system would be put in place from coming Monday onwards for conducting CBSE exams. "It seems some kind of gang is behind this and it is doing it deliberately. A special team is already investigating the matter and the guilty will not spared, the minister told reporters as he faced a barrage of questions about the repeated leaks.

Here are the top developments

What the CBSE notice said

The CBSE has taken cognisance of certain happenings in the conduct of certain examinations as are being reported. With the view to uphold the sanctity of the Board Examinations and in the interest of the fairness to the students, the Board has decided to re-conduct the examinations. Dates for fresh examinations and the other details shall be hosted on the CBSE website within a week, a CBSE notice said.

Delhi Police carrying out raids over CBSE paper leak

The Delhi Police Crime Branch is conducting raids at various locations across Delhi, ANI reported on Wednesday. The crime branch set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged leak. The SIT has been formed after the CBSE registered two cases with the Crime Branch. According to media reports, Special Commissioner of Police RP Upadhayay said that the SIT team will be headed by by Joint Commissioner Alok Kumar and will also have other rank officers in the probe.

The SIT team comprising two deputy commissioners of police, four assistant commissioners of police and five inspectors has been set up to investigate the matter. The team will be directly supervised by the joint commissioner of police (crime), PTI reported.

In a statement, the Delhi Police said that they have registered two cases. The first case in connection with the leak of economics paper was lodged yesterday while the case pertaining to mathematics paper was lodged today, following a complaint by the regional director of CBSE. The cases were registered on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

"We have received snapshots of the handwritten paper circulated through Whatsapp from the complainant. We are trying to ascertain the source of these messages. Since Whatsapp messages are end-to-end encrypted, we are facing a bit of difficulty in tracing the source," said an officer privy to the probe. The officer said they have not questioned any official from any of the examination centres or from the board. The questioning will happen once the source of messages is traced.

What Prakash Javadekar said

"We will ensure no injustice is caused. I just want to tell the parents and children that it is extremely unfortunate that this incident(s) happened, Javadekar said. He said that the "with the help of technology, put in place a system which is so foolproof that there is no leak".

"We have also decided to tighten security for the time when papers are being distributed in the examination centres, the minister said but did not elaborate the details of the proposed new system.

Javadekar said a new "foolproof" system would be in place from Monday for CBSE board exams. Javadekar said an internal probe was initiated into reports claiming that the papers were leaked. The minister said he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him about the developments. "It seems some kind of gang is behind this and is doing it deliberately. A special team is already probing the matter and the guilty will not spared," he told reporters as he faced a barrage of questions about the repeated leaks.

Aam Aadmi Party launches attack on Centre

At least 2.8 million students have been affected due to the CBSE paper leak. Lashing out at the Centre for not taking the issue seriously, the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "gave big lectures to the students on the examination" but the students were "suffering as they will have to reappear". Business Standard quoted party member Alka Lamba as saying that the Centre was "answerable for this". Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia too reacted and called the Centre a 'leakage government'. "First SSC, now CBSE, they also leaked the dates of polls before the Election Commission's official announcement. I am not raising any questions against CBSE's efficiency but the recent leakage is unfortunate...," Sisodia said.

Twitterati erupts

Twitter users went berserk, with some of them venting their anger and displeasure over the CBSE paper leak. Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken tweeted about how his son and many other students have been left dejected because of these reports.

My son Aujaswi studied really hard for #CBSE Class X Board Math Exams held today His joy of finishing Board Exams was short lived. He is extremely dejected as the Math paper got leaked& this #LeakingGovt will hold the Exam again I feel sorry for him as lakhs of other students!  Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) March 28, 2018

Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan questioned whether any exam or selection is "scam-proof" in India.

#Vyapam,AIIMS, #SSC & now #CBSE exam leak through WhatsApp. Is there any exam or selection which is safe&scam proof in India? Even after PM's app leaks our personal data to US firm, our govt tells us that Aadhar data is safe behind thick walls! Incredible!https://t.co/WqWIe8DP6b  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) March 28, 2018

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala attacked the Modi government and said that it should be renamed as 'Paper Leak Government'.
The Delhi Police's crime branch has begun investigating the alleged leak of CBSE Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers after registering two separate cases in the matter

New Delhi: The Delhi Police's crime branch has begun investigating the alleged leak of Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers after registering two separate cases in the matter, an official said on Wednesday.

In the wake of reports claiming paper leaks, the CBSE on Wednesday announced re-examination in the two papers.

On Monday, panic had gripped students of Class 12 following claims on social media that the economics paper had been leaked even though the Central Board of Secondary Education denied there was any slip up.

Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) RP Upadhyay and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Alok Kumar also held a meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik in the evening to discuss the future course of investigation.

In a statement, the Delhi Police said that they have registered two cases. The first case in connection with the leak of economics paper was lodged on Tuesday while the case pertaining to mathematics paper was lodged on Wednesday, following a complaint by the regional director of CBSE.

The cases were registered on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

A special investigation team comprising two deputy commissioners of police, four assistant commissioners of police and five inspectors has been set up to investigate the matter. The team will be directly supervised by the joint commissioner of police (crime).

"We have received snapshots of the handwritten paper circulated through Whatsapp from the complainant. We are trying to ascertain the source of these messages. Since Whatsapp messages are end-to-end encrypted, we are facing a bit of difficulty in tracing the source," said an officer privy to the probe.

The officer said they have not questioned any official from any of the examination centres or from the board. The questioning will happen once the source of messages is traced.

Reports about the economics paper being leaked had circulated on social media, including on WhatsApp, several hours before the paper commenced on Monday.

The CBSE, however, denied any leak and urged students and parents not to panic.

"We have checked with all exam centres and the paper was not leaked. The source of circulation of this information is not known yet. We want to urge the students and parents to not panic and assure them that the board is doing its best to ensure sanctity of the examination," a senior CBSE official had said.

A similar incident occurred on 15 March, when the Delhi government had said that it had received complaints of the Class 12 CBSE accountancy paper being leaked. A probe was later ordered even though the board had denied any leak.

"There has been no leakage of the question paper. All the seals have been found intact at all exam centres. However, at local level, some miscreants may have circulated messages through WhatsApp and other social media platforms to hurt the sanctity of the exam," the board had said then.
A section of students of Delhi University (DU) on Thursday staged a demonstration on the campus, demanding expulsion of the head of the Chemistry department

New Delhi: A section of students of Delhi University (DU) on Thursday staged a demonstration on the campus, demanding expulsion of the head of the Chemistry department over complaints of alleged sexual harassment against the professor.

The professor denied the allegations as "baseless". He told PTI that it was part of efforts to ruin his professional life.

"I had questioned (many) teachers for their absence. My colleagues have their aspirations and they are levelling baseless allegations. How can you run a department if they do not turn up to work. They do not inform about leaves, neither do they pick up calls," the professor said.

"I have all documents pertaining to my questions put to the teachers. They want to create a situation like JNU. This is such a sensitive issue that even those are not related to the issue will join hands to protest because everyone has a woman in their family," he said.

According to the protesters, complaints were recently filed in the varsity's Internal Complaints Committee against the professor and they have also written to the Vice Chancellor.

"The professor had passed derogatory and sexually-coloured remarks against students," one of the protesting students said.

A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor was recently arrested for alleged sexual harassment of students. The JNU professor was later granted bail.
PNB had alleged that its officials mainly Gokulnath Shetty and Manoj Karat of Brady House branch in Mumbai fraudulently issued LoUs without following banks prescribed procedures of obtaining required request applications, documents, approval of the authorities.

New Delhi: A week after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed the first case against Nirav Modi for defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB), the diamantaire withdrew huge sums from a government-owned bank in Antwerp, Belgium. Top officials in the investigating agencies said the transaction was shocking as all overseas centres of Indian banks were alerted on 31 January, the day premier investigating agency had filed the FIR against Nirav Modi his brother Neeshal Modi, wife Ami Modi and uncle Mehul Choksi. Although officials refused to divulge the name of the public sector bank, they said several accounts were frozen only days after Nirav Modi had managed to extract the money.

"We have also received reliable information that Nirav Modi was in the US when the transaction took place. His pugmarks were spotted and reported to us. But, we lost the trail in the first week of March," officials said.

After the Rs 13,000 crore bank fraud, the agencies had sought information on overseas centres of Indian banks that were doing business with the companies floated by Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi. The CBI had said Nirav Modi-led Firestar Group companies were sanctioned credit limits under consortium. In the case of Firestar International Limited, PNB was the leading bank and in the account of Firestar Diamonds International Private Limited, Union Bank of India was the lead bank.

"The bank officials have also been quizzed over local auditors of overseas centres of Indian banks with exposure to the Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi case. They have not been able to produce all the requisite documents to ascertain Nostro account reconciliation and whether red flags were raised about the transactions with the corresponding banks. We had asked for the documents related to two Indian banks operating in Hong Kong, however, they are yet to respond. The auditors role in the overseas centre also needs to be probed once we receive the information required for the immediate investigation," officials pointed out.

PNB had alleged that its officials mainly Gokulnath Shetty and Manoj Karat of Brady House branch in Mumbai fraudulently issued LoUs without following banks prescribed procedures of obtaining required request applications, documents, approval of the authorities. And, these officials without making entries in the banking system, transmitted SWIFT instructions to the overseas branches of the Indian bank under buyers credit. The PNB officers also issued Foreign Letter of Credit (FLCs) by entering a smaller amount in trade finance module of CBS system and got the reference number generated. Subsequently, SWIFT message was sent for the amount. Without making any change in trade finance module of CBS system the conniving officers sent modified SWIFT message for an enhanced amount under the same reference to the beneficiary bank.

The Reserve of India prescribes that credit for import of ski-precious and precious stones including pearls should not be more than 90 days. However, in most cases, the credit allowed under LoUs was much beyond the limit. This should have evoked suspicion in the minds of overseas centres of Indian banks extending buyers credit but these banks never raised an alarm on the violation and continued to provide funding against fraudulent LoUs.

A CBI note said: "These LoUs were knowingly issued without any sanctioned limit and without 100 percent cash margin, causing huge liability to PNB to the tune of over Rs 6,500 crore. The modus operandi adopted by the accused persons that transpired in the investigation is that, for settling the earlier LoUs/buyers credit, fresh LoUs were opened and funds generated thereof from foreign banks were utilized for settling the outstanding LoUs/buyers credit. PNB is not in possession of the documents related to the said LoUs. It transpired that the same were being returned to the accused firms by Gokulnath Shetty, in order to avoid the detection of the fraud. Most of these documents are yet to be recovered."

A senior officer in the agency on the condition of anonymity confirmed that a local auditor in Hong Kong is under the scanner. The single auditor was apparently involved in auditing books of several state-owned banks. Total nine public sector banks with 13 centres are operating in Hong Kong. On the question, whether they will quiz the Indian bank officers posted abroad, the investigator said the agencies need to get transaction details and audit reports before planning next step.

"There is a suspicion that overseas centres are trying to cover up the lapses and it could be a matter of separate enquiry," he said.

Investigation status

The CBI said it was the responsibility of manager (forex) and branch head to monitor the activities carried out by the Gokulnath Shetty, then deputy manager. The agency said it was also the duty of the internal chief auditors of the branch to keep a track of all the transactions of the branch on a daily basis and report the same immediately.

"Therefore, their failure to detect the fraud facilitated the illegal activities carried out right under their nose. This also points towards their connivance in the entire scam," CBI said.

The investigating agency has argued that the main beneficiaries of the fraudNirav Modi, Ami Modi, Neeshal Modi and otherswho are highly resourceful and influential, are evading the process of law.

The CBI note further said: "While the magnitude of this case is being fathomed, all the perpetrators of the fraud including known and unknown officials of PNB, employees of Nirav Modi Group, other private persons and unknown officials of other banks, within and out of India are yet to be ascertained and brought to justice. This scam by Nirav Modi Group was allowed to go unchecked for more than 8 years which is highly unusual."
Local fishermen and environmentalists got a rude shock on Tuesday, 27 March, when naval warships resumed shelling the ecologically sensitive Netrani Island.

Mangalore: Local fishermen and environmentalists got a rude shock on Tuesday, 27 March, when naval warships resumed shelling the ecologically sensitive Netrani Island off the Bhatkal coast of Karnataka. In September 2012, the Indian Navy had promised the Karnataka High Court that they would suspend target practice on the scenic island and, for the past five years, had kept their word.

But the Indian Navy is dogged, and the resumption of target practice suggests that they have secured clearance from the government. "They have gone for an out-of-court settlement with the Karnataka government, which a number of politicians of Uttara Kannada and top officials have helped broker," says Dr VN Nayak, former director of the Uttara Kannada science centre.

"I do not know how valid it is and, in a proverbial bolt from the blue, one of the judges has ruled that national security is more important than protecting the environment of a small island. It was a one-line judgment," he adds.

Confirms, SS Nakul, deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada, "All precautions have been taken to ensure trouble-free target practice of the Indian Navy in the area, as the navy has all the clearances to this effect."

Netrani Island had been used as a firing range for over a decade when, in April 2011, Karnatakas former additional director general of police (forests), KSN Chikkerur had visited the island with experts from the local science centre, forest officials and ecological scientists.

He recorded extensive damage to the island's vegetation due to shelling and found it littered with shells and explosive residues. Chikkerur wrote to the head of the Indian Navys Western Command, seeking his help to stop the wanton destruction of the island.

In 2012, environmental activists petitioned the Karnataka High Court to restrain the navy from bombing Netrani Island. That September, the navy appeared before a two-judge bench, comprising Justices Vikramjit Sen and Nagarathna, and gave the court an undertaking not to use Netrani for gunnery and target practice thereafter.

Netrani island is the last remaining island of the Western Ghats archipelago, the rest of the chain having long been submerged. It's situated 12.5 nautical miles (19 kilometres) from the mainland. The Karnataka Biodiversity Board has since declared the island a biodiversity-heritage site.

At the direction of the court, the district administration mapped the area and determined that Netrani Island fell within the jurisdiction of the Bhatkal taluk panchayat. The panchayat lost no time in claiming it legally and sought to establish its jurisdiction over all activities related to the island, including scuba-diving expeditions.

After the high court intervention, the navy launched a massive clean-up of the island, which was widely appreciated. As a former president of the Bhatkal taluk panchayat said, "It is our navy and they are our protectors, we cannot just ask them to go away. Instead, the government and the high court should have given them an alternative area for their gunnery practice".

Several Karnataka forest officials have stood up against the destruction of Netrani Island. "It is the last of the Western Ghats archipelago islands that survived along with some of the wildlife mentioned in the Schedule I of the Wildlife Act, including the white-breasted eagle, edible-nest swiftlets, corals and few of endangered varieties of sharks. All these were under the protection of the Biodiversity Board," says an official, who had helped prepare some of the reports that were submitted to the court.

As Chikkerur, whose visit to Netrani brought the issue to a head, remembers, "I had found at least three creatures that demand Schedule I-type protection in the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. The white-breasted eagle, Olive Ridley sea turtles, a number of corals and sea cucumbers which had been damaged along with sensitive wildlife on both the island and the peripheral waters."

Nayak told this correspondent that Netrani island also has many other features like water-level openings that lead into the interior of the island, where different varieties of sharks shelter to deliver their young. "But the interior walls of the openings are degenerating and if the shelling continues, I am afraid the walls to the opening may collapse."

Other marine life in the seas around Netrani Island include nine grouper fish species, the endangered Cheilinus undulates (hump head wrasse) and Rhincodon typus (the whale shark). "The island boasts of two types of coral reefs, seven seaweed species, 12 jellyfish species, six sponge species, 92 finfish species, 17 crab species, four lobster species and three sea-snake species, among others," says Nayak.

"Elsewhere along the same coast, a rare octopus species, a rare lingula species, a species of hermit crab, five species of starfish, two species of sea urchins, one species of sea cucumber, a sunfish species (called mola mola), three species of endangered sea turtles, three species of sea snakes, three species of dolphins and four species of whales have been found," he adds.

This stretch of coast is also known for the dolphin-sighting tours operated by local fishermen. It sees a steady flow of foreign tourists who come for the snorkelling and scuba diving as the coral reef around the island is exquisite. But tour operators say they have no problem with the navy's live-ammunition practice.

A forest official says that, in any case, the navy has asked permission to use only a small portion of the island for target practice. "They have even promised to clean up the debris after every target-practice session," he says reassuringly.

The author is a Mangaluru-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.
Around 124,000 students in Kerala had not reported either caste or religious affiliation in admission forms. This is a great leap forward in the current climate.

Keralas education minister C Raveendranath told the state Assembly earlier this week that around 124,000 students in the state had not reported either caste or religious affiliation in their admission forms for 2017-18. Of them, around 123,000 were in classes I to X, while the rest were higher secondary students.

Before getting to the larger point, it must be noted that a significant number of these students must have enrolled, say, around a decade back, which indicates that changing attitudes to religion and caste go back at least that far; and, though the total number works out to about 3 percent of all school students, in absolute terms this is a positive development.

It should also be noted that this phenomenon need not be automatically tied to the fact that Kerala has been the most literate state in India for decades. Literacy, formal or substantive, and educational attainments have no direct proportionality with social attitudes. The web of caste and religious consciousness (and considerations) constrain the rich and educated as much as they do the poor and poorly educated. Anyone who lives in this country and has his or her eyes and ears open will attest to this.

Attitudes to caste and religion are shaped only partly by formal education, or in the sphere of formal education. A huge role in shaping them is played by the family, the neighbourhood  the social context. Political and social education also has a big role to play through other institutions. It must, then, be concluded, that there is some trajectory of a broad social and political change involving informal agencies that has made this possible.

It would be useful to note the contrast with West Bengal, so often hyphenated with Kerala. In Bengal, caste and religion have not played a major role in politics thus far, which is an important caveat. However, in other spheres of life, public or private, both play seminal roles, though casual observers or outsiders often conclude that caste and religion have lost much of their salience in the state.

The major point is that this is a great leap forward both in general terms  or from a long-term perspective  but especially in the current climate of public debate, mobilisation and other forms of involvement in which caste and religion are so frequently referenced as the definitive registers of opinion and activity. From a purely formal political perspective, almost all parties and many agencies of the state have contributed to the perpetuation of caste considerations in ideological debates or electoral mobilisation, while the Bharatiya Janata Party has played a decisive role in keeping the issue of religion, in a majoritarian incarnation, at the forefront.

Thus, for instance, without any doubt there is an almost unprecedented sense of fear and insecurity among many minority groups (mainly Muslims, of course, but Christians substantially, as well). But the question of caste is more complicated. It is by no means evident that the rise of a Dalit party or an OBC party will automatically lead to an empowerment of these groups, while the rise (or fall) of, say the BJP or Congress, will make things worse.

Take the BJP, since it rules at the Centre and a raft of states across the country (save the southern part). There can be little doubt that under the current dispensation, Dalits have been taking a beating, both literally and metaphorically. There is a necessary and an intrinsic logic to this, because, despite having electorally mobilised Dalit and OBC groups with significant success, especially in north India, the partys ideological position (and that of the Sangh parivar) maintains a fundamental upper-caste perspective on society and politics.

This is largely because a single-party majority in the Lok Sabha, and a string of successes in state elections, has given the BJP the ground to proceed towards a particularly muscular form of Hindutva. It must be noted that between 1998 and 2004, the BJPs approach to social and political issues was far more relaxed and rational, partly because it was dependent on allies, and, perhaps, partly because the prime minister at that time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had a more moderate and inclusive temperament.

In a limited sense, however, Keralas example shows us that without the qualifications of social profile, people will have the space to make choices, individually or in association, about quotidian social practice or exceptional political pathways.

If the citizenry chooses individual liberty over communal obscurantism, political parties and the agencies of the state will have to follow. There is enough evidence that the Indian political formation can become more people-led, rather than led by parties and the state. Undoubtedly, the latter will have a major role as will formal education, but people like, say, Jignesh Mevani have begun to chart new directions.
A discussion on 'Military Occupation in Kashmir  Sexual Violence on Kashmiri Women' was cancelled after the issue was raised in the Maharashtra Assembly.

Mumbai: A discussion organised by the Dr Ambedkar Centre For Social Justice of Mumbai University on 'Military Occupation in Kashmir  Sexual Violence on Kashmiri Women' was cancelled after the issue was raised in the Maharashtra Assembly.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar raised this issue in the Assembly, and Education Minister Vinod Tawde announced that the government would ask the Governor, who is the chancellor of the university, to direct the vice-chancellor to hold an inquiry into the issue.

Bhatkhalkar said the seminar on 'Disparity, Discrimination, Deprivation and the Idea of Social Justice' had an afternoon session on Wednesday on the topic "Military Occupation in Kashmir: Sexual Violence on Kashmiri Women".

Criticising the theme of the discussion, he said Kashmir belongs to India and the Army is there to protect the country's interests. "This theme is serious and anti-national," he said, demanding its cancellation.

Tawde said the university is autonomous and the Ambedkar Centre is independent. "If government interferes, these organisations allege that it is a breach of freedom of speech. Some people malign the Army in the garb of human rights. But this is an important issue, and the government will ask the governor to look into it and direct the vice-chancellor to take necessary action," he said.

The session was subsequently cancelled, government sources said.
Nearly 300 people, including 111 in 2017 alone, were killed in various incidents of communal violence in last three years across India, the Rajya Sabha was informed.

New Delhi: Nearly 300 people, including 111 in 2017 alone, were killed in various incidents of communal violence in last three years across India, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said 111 people were killed and 2,384 others were injured in 822 communal incidents in the country in 2017.

In 2017, the highest 44 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh in 195 communal incidents, followed by 12 deaths in 91 such incidents in Rajasthan.

In 2016, 86 people were killed and 2,321 others were injured in 703 communal incidents in the country. That year, among all the states, Uttar Pradesh had seen 162 communal incidents in which 29 people were killed. As many as 12 people were killed in 101 communal incidents in Karnataka in 2016.

In 2015, 97 people were killed and 2,264 others were injured in 751 communal incidents in the country. In 2015, among all the states, the highest 22 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh in such incidents, followed by 20 in Bihar and 14 in Maharashtra.
Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said she cannot reveal the price of the Rafale fighter jets in the interest of national security

Mumbai: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said she cannot reveal the price of the Rafale fighter jets in the interest of national security.

Sitharaman's remark comes after Congress president Rahul Gandhi's asked the government to reveal the amount, alleging irregularities in the deal for 36 fighter jets from France.

"Rahul Gandhi is searching for ammunition against the government but hasn't found anything. So he's fishing," Sitharaman said at the India Economic Conclave here organised by Times Network.

"Rafale is a classic example of inter-governmental agreement to help our air forces. In every way we have got a good deal, both in terms of preparedness as well as on the price.

"But revealing the price would mean compromising national security. I don't want to satisfy Rahul Gandhi's ego and reveal details of avionics, ammunitions and the changes made as per the country conditions to this sophisticated aircraft," she said.

India and France signed an agreement this month on the Exchange and Reciprocal Protection of Classified or Protected Information during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, replacing an earlier pact signed in 2008.

It defines the common security regulations applicable to any exchange of classified and protected information between the two countries.

The government maintains that it cannot reveal the price because of the confidentiality agreement signed by the two countries in 2008 under the UPA government.

In reply to a query on India spending a lower proportion of GDP on defence as compared to some neighbouring countries, Sitharaman said "India poses a threat to no one" and that there had already been over 100 per cent utilisation of funds for defence procurement during the current financial year that ends this week.
The signature drive for impeaching CJI Dipak Misra may not have come as a shock. However, what is happening is regrettable for the judiciary and the country.

Nearly three months ago, on 11 January, four of the senior-most judges of the Supreme Court gathered on the lawns of a brother judges residence to address the media in a press conference. They publicly expressed distress over the manner in which the Chief Justice was handling the administrative matters of the higher judiciary. They justified the unusual move of bringing out their angst to the people by saying that there was a grave danger to democracy.

Curiously, in this presser called at a very short notice, many non-journalists showed up, including some familiar faces of the Bar, who were known for their propensity to bait the government. Though the dissenting judges did not spell out specific grievances against the Chief Justice, at the prodding of one such bystander, Justice Ranjan Gogoi admitted that, the controversial judge Loya case might have been a trigger for the outburst.

Opinion was divided among the legal fraternity about this unprecedented development. Many eminent jurists questioned the need and propriety of bringing out the dirty linen of the bench in public. Family disputes are best resolved within the family, they said. However, a battery of high-profile lawyers  considered close to the Congress  came out with all guns blazing in support of the mutiny. Not surprisingly some politicians, adept at fishing in turbulent waters, jumped in. Most noticeably among them was Rahul Gandhi, who clearly exceeded his brief by opining that the senior most judge after the CJI (that is Justice Chelameswar) should hear the judge Loya matter.

At that time, this writer had stuck his neck out to suggest that this could be part of a larger game plan to impeach the Chief Justice. Call it a conjecture or a hypothesis, it was based on a distinct impression of the Opposition trying to derail many of the constitutional institutions and government agencies. The Supreme Court, Election Commission, Army, tax authorities, RBI, investigation agencies - including the ED, CBI, IB and even R&AW, came on the anti-BJP lobbys line of fire.

However, much to the relief of many, the crisis appeared to blow over with some deft handling by the venerable Attorney General and, perhaps, a few other good jurist Samaritans working offline. The peeved judges got back to work and the residual rancour, if any, went back into the chamber closets.

What continued though was the unrestrained belligerence of some stalwarts of the Bar in the CJIs court while appearing in some sensitive cases. These senior counsels made little effort to hide their disrespect for the CJI, often descending into effrontery. This was particularly on display in the Loya case both inside and outside the courtrooms. In return, it invited some sharp responses and reprimands from the CJI and some other judges. This only aggravated the tension between the Bar and the bench.

After being on the back foot for a while, the government got a chance to up the ante after the elections in three northeastern states and signs of green shoots on the economic front. However, the BJPs relief was short-lived, with reverses in the Lok Sabha bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Although these were relatively minor setbacks, they constituted a major jolt in the political perception game.

To the credit of the back room strategists in the Opposition  whether they are political war veterans or some election consultants, as many suspect  they were quick to seize the moment and launch a fresh multi-pronged offensive on the government. Chandrababu Naidus withdrawal from the NDA came as a shot in the arm, which was quickly followed by the no confidence motion moved in the Parliament by several parties in choreographed sequence. That the Opposition allowed the Finance Bill to be passed without debate and disrupted Parliament with a new cause each day, showing little urgency to even have discussions on the no-confidence motion made their intention clear  to waylay governance, reducing the NDA to a lame-duck administration in its final year.

Meanwhile, efforts at cobbling up a federal front on the one hand and a Coromandel coalition among Chandrababu Naidu, Jagan Mohan Reddy and K Chandrashekar Rao on the other, have gained momentum. It is still early days to predict how these will pan out and a lot will depend on the outcome of the Karnataka elections. Rahul Gandhi is going around the country as a loose cannon and getting cheekier by the day on social media. In fact, the first sign that there might be some new move against the CJI came from him a few days ago when he alleged that the judiciarys independence is being threatened, referring to the outburst of the four judges. Through this statement, he appeared to question the professional integrity of the CJI.

Therefore, the signature drive for an impeachment motion may not have come as a shock. That the motive is political is for all to see. Prashant Bhushan bared the cards by meeting Mamata Banerjee and seeking her support. If the Opposition manages to collect 50 MPs' signatures in the Rajya Sabha or 100 MPs' signatures in the Lok Sabha, it would be difficult for the Chairman or the Speaker not to admit the motion. It is quite possible that, just like the no-confidence motion, the Opposition may not be in a great hurry to discuss the impeachment plea in the House. But, the fact that it is pending before Parliament is enough to put huge moral pressure on the CJI, which in turn is bound to cast its shadow over some very important cases that are before the Supreme Court  notably Aadhaar, Babri Masjid and, of course, judge Loya.

Some other CJI may have recused himself or herself from the controversial cases or even considered stepping down. However, Justice Dipak Misra is no pushover.

However, what is happening is entirely regrettable for the judiciary and the country at large. One can understand that the Opposition, in particular the Congress, is impatient to see the Narendra Modi dispensation go. But their action betrays a degree of desperation, which can only be explained by some latent anxiety at not knowing the next move of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Even if the Opposition succeeds in stopping the Modi-Shah combine in its tracks, they would end up causing irreparable damage to a fundamental pillar of democracy. The effects of this will be felt by generations to come.
One Indian soldier was injured as Indian and Pakistan armies traded heavy fire on Thursday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts

Jammu: One Indian soldier was injured as Indian and Pakistan armies traded heavy fire on Thursday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts, police said.

Police sources said Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions on the LoC in Laam area of Nowshera sector of Rajouri on Thursday evening.

"Pakistan firing started around 6 pm. One soldier was injured in Pakistan firing. He has been shifted to hospital for treatment.

"Indian positions retaliated effectively and strongly," a police source said.

Sources also said Pakistan Army started unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Kerni, Kasba, and Shahpur areas of Poonch.

"Heavy firing exchanges were going on between the two sides when reports last came in," a source said.
A large part of the workforce in Dubai and other Persian Gulf countries comes from Punjab, where they work on hazardous sites and live in poor conditions.

Editor's note: On 20 March, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told Parliament that 39 Indian workers, most of them from Punjab, were killed by the Islamic State in Iraq last year. Given the state's massive unemployment problem, thousands of marginalised and poor youths continue to ignore the risks and seek prospects in the Middle East. This is the third of a four-part series analysing the plight of Indian workers in the region.

Ludhiana: Satnam Singh, 36, moved to Dubai two years ago to earn enough to educate his two children, a son (11) and daughter (eight). A skilled carpenter, Satnam had been unable to support his family in his home district of Pathankot in Punjab.

He now works on a multistorey residential building in the Al Barsha area of Dubai and lives along with hundreds of other workers in what resembles a squatter's camp nearby. "Three to five people live in a single room. They are workers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and other South Asian countries who work for nearly 12-14 hours a day on construction sites," says Satnam over the phone.

He says that the pay is irregular, but a more serious problem is the poor living conditions and lack of sanitation. "When you visit the Gulf nations, high-rise buildings and ultra-modern technology welcome you. But the reality is that workers sometimes sacrifice their lives to construct all this," he adds.

Like Satnam, a large part of the workforce in Dubai and other Persian Gulf countries comes from Punjab. They are poorly educated but are skilled, so most get work on often dangerous construction sites.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, an international NGO, the Dubai government's claim that 34 construction workers had died on the job in 2004 was a gross underestimate saying, "the number of work-site deaths of Indian workers alone was certainly higher".

As the report notes, "In most other places, a worker faced with hazardous working conditions and unpaid wages in a free market economy that has an extreme shortage of labour would move to a different job. But this is not an option for the migrant construction workers of the UAE who, like all other migrant workers in the country, are contracted to work only for a specific employer. A worker seeking to move to a different employer is eligible to do so only after working for two years for the present employer and obtaining his or her consent for the move."

Arshdeep Singh, 29, who works as a mason in Al Faisaliya city of Saudi Arabia says over the phone that they have to work on high-rise buildings in temperatures as high as even 48 Celsius. "In Punjab, we do not even move out of our homes when the temperature is 42. But here, I have to work even in such high temperatures. It has affected my health, I have developed skin and other problems and am planning to return to India this year," he says.

Gulf-job aspirants in Punjab pay as much as Rs 1.5 lakh to agents for the opportunity and they raise money mostly through loans.

So, even when the job turns out quite different from what was promised, they have no choice but to stick with it till the loan is repaid. In fact, their passports are often confiscated by the contractors so that they do not return before their job contract expires.

The plight of women workers is not much better. Kuldeep Kaur, 46, from Ludhiana sent a video message to her daughter last December complaining that she was trapped in Saudi Arabia and forced to work as a servant. Kaur said her living conditions were miserable and was being forced to work for inhumanly long hours.

In another video, in October last year, a young girl pleaded with Bhagwant Mann, the MP from Sangrur, to rescue her from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The girl is seen crying in the video and saying she has been tortured for the past year.

On 21 March, another MP, Dr Kirti P Solanki, said Indian workers in Qatar were being denied wages and asked the minister of external affairs, Sushma Swaraj, what steps were being taken to ensure the safety and protection of rights of Indians working in the gulf.

She said that 162 workers had not received their salaries and were denied an exit permit. "The (Indian embassy) arranged the air tickets from the Indian Community Welfare Fund and repatriated 160 Indian emigrant workers while the remaining two opted to continue working in the company," she said.

As the Human Rights Watch report states, "While UAE law governing issues such as workplace health and safety, workers' compensation, child labour, hours of work and leave time are admirable when taken at face value, there is little evidence of its enforcement in favour of workers' rights. What is also apparent in the cases examined by Human Rights Watch, as well as those documented in news reports, is that recourse to the government or the judiciary is of limited use to workers."

Indian embassies in the Gulf nations provide relief to the workers in distress and as the minister for external affairs explained, "Indian Workers Resource Centres have been set up at Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to provide guidance and counselling on all matters pertaining to overseas Indian workers."

Dharminder Singh, 33, from Dakha village near Ludhiana had returned from Bahrain in 2016 after working there for two years. He says he's planning to go back. "I had returned after I faced many difficulties including harassment by the contractor where I worked as a construction worker. But here in Punjab, there are no opportunities for work. So, I have again applied for a visa through a travel agent for Bahrain," he says.

He has plenty of company. Between 2014 and 2016, the number of Indian workers emigrating to the Gulf countries totalled 17.86 lakh.

Read Part 1: Lack of opportunities makes state's youth ignore life-threatening risks

Read Part 2: Travel agents who sent Indians to work in Iraq under probe

The author is a Ludhiana-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters. With inputs by Jagjit Dhanju from Kapurthala
Four men were arrested for their alleged involvement in an organised racket of cheating in online examinations being conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC)

New Delhi: Four men were arrested for their alleged involvement in an organised racket of cheating in online examinations being conducted by the Staff Selection Commission, police said on Wednesday.

In a joint operation conducted by Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force and Special Staff, North District, Paramjeet Singh (24), Ajay Kumar (30), Sonu Kumar (31) and Gaurav Nayyar (24) were arrested on Tuesday, they added.

On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh STF Meerut informed their counterparts in north district that they had information that one person named Harpal, apparently working in the Delhi government's Sales Tax Department was running a cheating racket from his residence in Gandhi Vihar, Timarpur, the police said.

Subsequently, a team of officials of Uttar Pradesh STF and north district conducted a raid at the given address. Ajay, Sonu, Gaurav and Paramjeet were found working on laptops and phones.

It was found that they were assisting candidates through a remote access application, namely Team Viewer, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Jatin Narwal.

Three laptops, 10 mobile phones, an external hard disk, a white colour tender router, four pen drives, a wi-fi device, five blue tooth devices were seized from the spot, he added.

Some loose papers with names and roll numbers of candidates were also seized besides Rs 51,83,700, that had been collected from the students.

During interrogation, it was found that the cheating racket was being run in an organised manner. The gang members had hacked into the online system and would assist students taking the exams.

The prospective candidates were lured and charged anywhere between Rs five to 10 lakh and get to know about their respective centres of examination.

This gang was alleged to have network with the centres of the examination and computer labs across various cities.

These labs were outsourced by the SSC for conducting the examination. Harpal and the other accused were also running labs in different parts of the city which are further hired by the outsourced labs for conducting the examinations, the officer said.

Harpal is yet to be arrested.

The accused, Paramjeet Singh, is a resident of Bahadurgarh, Haryana and is a BE in computers from PDM College, Haryana. Ajay Kumar is a resident of Vats Colony, Bahadurgarh and has a masters degree in Hindi. Sonu Kumar, a resident of Bhopure, Uttar Pradesh, is a graduate. Gaurav Nayyar, a resident of Timarpur, has completed his bachelors in computer application.
SC called for considering whether there is need for setting up a body of full-time experts to assist in 'identifying, scrutinising and evaluating' the candidates to be appointed judges.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday called for considering whether there is need for setting up a body of full-time experts to assist in "identifying, scrutinising and evaluating" the candidates to be appointed judges of Supreme Court and the high courts at the pre-appointment stage.

"There is need to consider ... whether there should be a body of full time experts, without affecting the independence of judiciary, to assist in identifying, scrutinising and evaluating candidates at pre-appointment stage and evaluating the performance post appointment," said the bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit in their judgement.

Pending consideration of issue of All India Judicial Service, the court said that there was need to consider the proposal for "central selection mechanism" for filling up vacancies in courts other than the Constitutional Courts and also to "consider as to how to supplement inadequacies in the present system of appointment of judges to the Constitutional Courts at all levels".

It further said that the "government may also consider what changes are required in the process of evaluation of candidates at its level so that no wrong candidate is appointed". "What steps are required for ensuring righteous conduct of judges at later stage is also an issue for consideration," the court said in its conclusions.

This court said this in its conclusions focusing on de-clogging the courts of pending cases including arrears, curbing frequent strikes by lawyers and other issues. It said that the authorities concerned "may examine whether there is need for any changes in the judicial structure by creating appropriate fora to decongest the Constitutional Courts so as to realistically achieve the constitutional goal of speedy justice".

Taking a strong view on the "frequent" strikes by lawyers, the court said that pending "legislative measures to check the malady of frequent uncalled for strikes obstructing access to justice, the Ministry of Law and Justice may compile information and present a quarterly report on strikes/abstaining from work, loss caused and action proposed".

It further said that the matter can thereafter be considered in the "contempt or inherent jurisdiction of this court."

It said that the Court may direct having regard to a fact situation, that the "office bearers of the Bar Association/Bar Council who passed the resolution for strikes or abstaining from work or took other steps in that direction are liable to be restrained from appearing before any court for a specified period or till they purge themselves of contempt to the satisfaction of the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court based on an appropriate undertaking/conditions." It also said that the "frequent uncalled for strikes by the lawyers" seriously affects access to justice as even cases of persons languishing in custody are delayed on that account.

"Tax payers' money is lost on account of judicial and public time being lost. Nobody is accountable for such loss and harassment," said the court, as it asked the central government to file an affidavit in the light of its observations within three months.

The matter, the court said, may be listed for consideration of the above affidavit on Wednesday, 4 July before the appropriate Bench. The top court said this in its judgment on an appeal by Krishnakant Tamrakar challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejecting his bail twice in life sentence for murder despite his being in custody for more than ten years.
Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter # 203 and the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR will host a memorial service at the Chattanooga National Cemeterys Armed Forces Pavilion at noon on Friday. The public is invited to attend and a special invitation is extended to families with young children who may choose to participate in the flag placement.

The brief ceremony will conclude with the placement of an individual United States flag on each of the 35 graves of the men who died in the Republic of South Vietnam.

Each flag will be marked with the specific information of a Vietnam veteran: the photograph, dates of birth and death, age at death and grave site location and attendees will be asked to select a flag and place it at the appropriate grave.

Bill Norton, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter # 203, noted that, while March 29 is officially recognized as Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day, holding the commemorative ceremony on Good Friday serves as a strong reminder of the valor and sacrifice of those Tennessee Valley men who gave their lives in service to their nation and community.



Jessica M. Dumitru, Regent of the Chief John Ross Chapter, added, The members of the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR, believe that it is important that we remember the cost of our freedom and that we, on this 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, honor not only the men who died in that war but their families who shared in that ultimate sacrifice.

"With the passage of time, it could be easy to forget. Instead, as we place each flag and said aloud the name of the Vietnam veteran, we are pledging to never forget. The Chattanooga National Cemetery is a sacred site, made sacred by the men and women who share this hallowed ground.


Upon her arrival at Tokyo, she was received by Indian Ambassador in Japan Sujan Chinoy and Ambassador Hideaki Hoshi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Tokyo: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday arrived in Japan for a three-day visit during which she will co-chair the strategic dialogue with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono and review the entire gamut of bilateral ties.

The 9th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue will take place on Thursday.

Upon her arrival at Tokyo, she was received by Indian Ambassador in Japan Sujan Chinoy and Ambassador Hideaki Hoshi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

"Yokoso! Upon her arrival at Tokyo, EAM @SushmaSwaraj was warmly received by Indian Ambassador @SujanChinoy and Ambassador Hideaki Hoshi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. #KonnichiwaNamaste," the Embassy of India in Japan said in a tweet.

During the visit, "the two sides will review all aspects of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest," Ministry of External Affairs had said in a statement in New Delhi on Tuesday.

India and Japan concluded a Special Strategic and Global Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan in 2014. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe had also visited India in September 2017.

Bilateral relations have been strengthened in diverse sectors in recent years. India and Japan have a strong cooperation in the areas of nuclear energy, defence and science and technology.

The Mumbai to Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project will be based on the Shinkansen super speed trains in Japan.

Japan is today one of the largest investors in India, with a growing presence in infrastructure projects, manufacturing, financial markets and capacity-building, among others.

According to official figures, Japanese FDI in India during 2016-17 was $4.7 billion, an increase of 80 percent over the last year.

In 2016-17, India-Japan trade reached $13.61 billion, showing a decrease of 6.21 percent over 2015-16, when the total bilateral trade was $14.51 billion.

India's export to Japan for 2016-17 was $3.86 billion, whereas India's import from the East Asian country for 2016-17 was $9.76 billion.
The 'Federal Front' may not be able to unseat Narendra Modi from the throne in 2019 unless the Congress manages to beat BJP in its own backyard.

Mamata Banerjee rounded up her three-day visit to New Delhi by meeting Arvind Kejriwal and Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, in efforts to put up a 'Grand Alliance' against the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She has given the formula of 'one-to-one', implying there should be one united Opposition candidate against the BJP in each seat to put up a tough fight.

Mamata has been leading the talks with regional parties  including NCP, SP, BSP, TRS, RJD etc  to try and repeat a 1977-like experiment, where a majority Opposition contested under one common banner of the Janata Party to oust Indira Gandhi from power.

But the 'Federal Front' may not be able to unseat Narendra Modi from the throne in 2019, as some parties may keep out of it, like the Biju Janata Dal. Also because both YSRCP and TDP cannot join the front at the same time and some parties may still stick with the NDA, like the Akali Dal, Lok Janshakti Party and even Shiv Sena. It is the, thus, the Congress which needs to beat the BJP in its own backyard to achieve this ambitious goal.

Historically, BJP plus Congress have received 51 percent and regional parties 49 percent vote share in the Lok Sabha elections from 1951-2014, as shown in the graph below. Regional parties recorded their best performance in 2004, with a 52.6 percent vote share.

Regional parties came into prominence in the 1989 elections, which gave rise to the coalition era from 1989-2014. The tally of BJP plus Congress has been in the range of 280-320 and the tally of the regional parties in the range of 220-260.

BJP and Congress have been eating into each other's vote share and seat tally and the performance of regional parties has remained largely consistent. For example, Congress (206) and BJP (116) together won 322 seats in 2009. In 2014, they together won 326 but switched roles, with BJP on 282 and Congress on 44.

The majority of seats (147/282) which BJP won were in a direct contest with the Congress  in states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Assam, Karnataka, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territories. These accounted for 52 percent of BJPs total tally.

Additionally, in Maharashtra, where it was predominantly a BJP+ versus Congress+ contest, BJP won another 23 seats, taking its tally to 60 percent in direct contests. Congress finished runner-up in 224 seats in 2014, approximately two-thirds of these losses were against BJP candidates.

While there is a lot of talk about how BJP has reached its peak in many states, regional parties, not part of the BJP-led NDA, also have already maxed out in their respective states, namely, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala etc, as shown in table below.

Only in two states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, can regional parties gain through this proposed unity efforts. Regional parties won 217 seats in 2014. They can gain at best 50-60 seats, in these two states, if all goes in their favour, taking their tally to 270-280 odd seats, close to their peak of 260 in 1989. Regional parties could also lose a few seats in Odisha, Bengal and Kerala.

This could reduce BJP's tally to 230, with Congress at 50 and regional parties at 260 (historical best performance). Note of caution, the tally of regional parties will also include NDA partners and parties which may not join the Federal Front in the range of 40-60 seats.

This will not be enough, as BJP plus regional parties in the NDA fold could just fall short of the majority (a 20-30 seat shortfall) and gain first mover advantage. There is a risk of parties from the Federal Front jumping ship in that scenario.

Congress needs to ensure that BJP's tally falls to around 150 seats to prevent it from having a shot at government formation and be on the safe side. The proposed Grand Alliance of Congress plus Federal Front cannot form a government at the Centre unless the Congress itself touches 130-150 seats.

In 2004, Congress won 145 seats and went on to lead a government with regional parties. So, essentially, Congress needs another 80-100 seats and all of them it needs to snatch from BJP in direct contest states like Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka etc, which have close to 180 seats. The proposed Federal Front partners have almost nil presence in these seats, except for BSP in a couple of states. The Congress needs to achieve this on a standalone basis.

BJP recorded big wins in 2014, its average margin being 1.83 lakh votes or 18 percent in terms of vote share. BJP enjoys a huge lead over Congress in each of these seats and such big swings are seldom witnessed, except in 1977 and in 1980. While it is difficult, it's not impossible as we have witnessed in the recent bypolls in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Congress and Rahul Gandhi need to perform exceptionally well, beating BJP in its own den to oust Modi in 2019.

The author is a former corporate and investment banker turned political strategist, consultant and commentator. He is the author of e-book 'Battle of Karnataka and tweets at @politicalbaaba
The board which had been fending off allegations of a paper leak since days, finally accepted that the two papers were leaked on Tuesday and announced a retest. Media reports claimed that the CBSE officials received a tip off on 23 March,

The chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) broke her silence on Thursday evening, three days after panic gripped Class X and XII students following news that maths and economics papers were leaked.

Speaking to media personnel, Karwal gave a carefully crafted statement saying the board will take a decision in favour of the students and the fairness of the exam system. "We have taken decision in favour of the students. We are working for their benefit. Dates for re-examination will be announced soon," Karwal said.

Karwal also reportedly met Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday morning defore the latter addressed the press.

Meanwhile, some angry parents and the Opposition demanded Karwal be dismissed and Javadekar be sacked.

The Congress released a press statement questioning Karwal's appointment and her conduct as the CBSE chairperson, especially as media reports said that the board was intimated of a leak on the eve of the exam.

"Complete apathy and deliberate negligence marred the leakage of CBSE papers. Since the Modi government came power, for almost two years, the post of the CBSE chairperson was kept vacant under the then HRD minister Smriti Irani," a Congress press release stated.

The party said RK Chaturvedi was appointed after continued criticism but his term was abruptly terminated in September 2017 after which Karwal was appointed.

"Anita Karwal, earlier chief election officer Gujarat, was appointed as the CBSE Chairperson on 8 September, 2017. Instead of taking extreme care in conducting the examinations, Ms Karwal was busy camping in Ahmedabad, promoting her book on mountaineering. Astonishingly, a news report also claims that the CBSE chairperson, Ms Karwal received a copy of the leaked mathematics paper a day before the exam was to be conducted," Congress press release alleged.

The board, which had been fending off allegations of a paper leak since days, finally accepted that the two papers were leaked on Tuesday and announced a retest. Media reports claimed that CBSE officials received a tip off on 23 March, two days before the economics exam. However, it is unclear why the board went ahead and allowed the exam to be held.

Speaking to the press afterwards, Javadekar termed the event as "unfortunate". He said that he understood the pain and anguish of both parents and students. He insisted that CBSE has earned a name for conducting exams well. He pointed out that when NEET was being implemented, CBSE was chosen as the body to helm it and did so even while being overloaded with work.

Javadekar further insisted that the authorities will not let anyone go scot-free. The police is on the case and he has faith in them, he added. He stated he has instituted an internal inquiry into the matter as well. He added that he will make all efforts to ensure that exams continue without any breach and will work to make the system foolproof.

The Delhi Police's crime branch is investigating the alleged leak after registering two separate cases. The police has, so far, interrogated 25 people, including 18 students and five tutors.

Special CP (crime branch) RP Upadhyay said: "We have no information that this leakage is pan-India but if such a thing emerges, we will send teams outside Delhi." He said the police is trying to find the origin of the leakage and how it was transmitted and the beneficiaries.

He said the person whose name was mentioned in the CBSE complaint to the police had also received the paper, which was circulated through WhatsApp. Meanwhile, students in Delhi took to the streets on Thursday to protest the CBSE's decision to hold re-examination of Class X mathematics and Class XII economics papers.

The Delhi unit of All India Democratic Students' Organisation demanded a high-level probe into the alleged paper leak case, and said it showed the board's "utter negligence" in conducting examinations fairly. The students' body staged a demonstration on Parliament Street and accused the Centre of making false claims in providing good governance.

"We demand high-level inquiry into the leaks and appeal to the students and parents to initiate a movement till all the demands are met," AIDSO vice-president Rahul Sarkar said.

A large number of students from various schools participated in the protest and raised slogans against CBSE and Ministry of Human Resource Development over the way they handled the examination process.

"It has shocked lakhs of students who had prepared day and night for exams. This system has failed to stop corrupt practices and few people including high officials who are busy in making money at the cost of future of students," Sarkar said.

Several students even threatened to boycott the retest and questioned why they should face the repercussions of government and departmental lapses.

Class 12 students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Naraina, who also participated in the protest, told Firstpost they will boycott the exam. They asked why the exam was held if the CBSE had a fair idea about the paper leak around 9 am on the day of the exam and wondered what the government could do if 28 lakh students boycotted the re-examination.

After the board's decision to conduct a retest, nearly two million students will have to retake their examinations. More than 28 lakh candidates appeared for the Class X and XII examinations conducted by the CBSE from 5 March. A total of 16,38,428 candidates had registered for the Class X examination, while 11,86,306 candidates had registered for Class XII examination.

With inputs from agencies
Union Minister Babul Supriyo and a senior West Bengal BJP leader were on Thursday stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area

An FIR has been registered against Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo for assaulting an IPS officer and violating Section 144 of the CrPC at the violence-hit Asansol-Raniganj area in West Bengal.

FIR had been lodged against Union Minister Babul Supriyo at North Asansol police station for violation of section 144 and assaulting one IPS officer.  ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2018

Earlier in the day, the Union minister and a senior West Bengal BJP leader were on stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area, where the situation continued to remain tense after violence erupted over a Ram Navami procession.

Internet services were suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were clamped in the area, following clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over a Ram Navami rally at Raniganj.

However, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since last night, police said.

Supriyo, also the MP from Asansol, tried to enter the Railpar area in Paschim Bardhaman district, where police stopped his car, citing security reasons.

Reportedly, a group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area.

West Bengal BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee, who was en route to Raniganj, was also stopped by police at Durgapur. In protest, the actress-turned-politician staged a sit-in.

Supriyo claimed that only the deployment of central forces can bring back peace in the area as locals don not have faith in the police.

News channels showed him engaged in a verbal duel with police personnel, who had surrounded his vehicle.

"As a public representative I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty. But the police is saying I won't be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," Supriyo said.

He said that he would inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the incident.

The minister, earlier this week, had blamed inaction on part of the police for Sunday's violence over Ram Navami celebrations in Raniganj, neighbouring Asansol.

Reacting to both the incidents, West Bengal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee alleged that the BJP was trying destroy the communal peace and harmony in the state.

"When the police is patrolling the area why do they want to visit Raniganj? Are they not satisfied after unleashing violence for the last two days," he said.

Senior TMC leader and Mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation, Jitendra Tiwari, accused Supriyo of trying to disturb peace in the area.

A senior district police official said a huge contingent of the police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) is patrolling the area.

"There have been no fresh incidents of violence, although Section 144 is still imposed in the area," he said, adding, the situation is still tense.

One person was killed and two police officers were injured in the violence on Sunday and Monday.

Senior IPS officers Jawed Shamim, Siddhinath Gupta and Vineet Goyal have been deputed on special duty to bring the situation under control.

Governor KN Tripathi has also been advised not to visit Durgapur to see a police officer injured in the violence in Raniganj in view of deployment of police in the area, an official release said yesterday.

With inputs from PTI
Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the most solemn day in the Christian calendar.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

This verse from John 3:16 practically sums up what Good Friday means to Christians.

Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the most solemn day in the Christian calendar and is the pinnacle of the 'holy week' observed by Christians.

In 2018, Good Friday falls on 30 March and paves the way for the Easter long weekend. Christians of varied denominations from Anglican to Reformed, honour Good Friday with church service and fasting as the day observes mourning over the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Readings from the Book of Psalms and gospels along with praises of the Son of God commemorate the tragic event at churches across the globe.

It is this day when the Royal soldiers arrested Jesus on the betrayal of his disciple  Judas. Judas had told the soldiers, who were on the look out for Jesus, to arrest the man whom hell kiss.

Jesus was arrested for charges of misleading the people. Although Roman governor Pontius Pilate declared Jesus as innocent, he succumbed to pressure from the high priests and handed Jesus for crucifixion.

Jesus was sentenced to death and crucified with two criminals. Three days later, Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, which is now remembered as Easter Sunday.

Good Friday rituals and traditions

Good Friday rituals and traditions vary across churches around the globe. The ceremony is somber as candles remain unlit in churches and the altars wear a bare look. The purpose behind it is to create an awareness of grief over the sacrifice of God's only begotten Son. Some churches also hold special services on Good Friday evening to commemorate the day.

Starting anytime between midnight and 3 am, priests and other clerics begin to recite specific prayers. At the morning ceremony, the priest or church officials recites lessons from the scriptures. Afterward, there is a succession of prayers asking for God's mercy and forgiveness on all mankind. The ceremony concludes around 3 pm with a procession, which is followed by evening prayers.

In many Protestant churches, Good Friday observances begin at noon and last until 3 pm. According to Mark 15:33, this was around the time that Jesus hung on the cross and "darkness came over the whole land". These services in the Protestant churches often highlight the last seven phrases that Jesus spoke while being crucified. Traditional hot cross buns are often served following the the services.

Many Christians see Good Friday as a day of sorrow and joy. The day is a time to grieve over the sin of man and to meditate and rejoice upon God's love in giving His only Son for the redemption of sin.
Following West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's recent visit to New Delhi, where she held meetings with several opposition leaders, Telegu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is set to visit the national capital and interact with the opposition parties next week

Following West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's recent visit to New Delhi, where she held meetings with several Opposition leaders, Telegu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is set to visit the National Capital and interact with the Opposition parties next week.

Naidu's Delhi visit and the plan to meet Opposition leaders comes weeks after the TDP decided to walk out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Naidu and his cabinet ministers were miffed when the Union Budget 2018 made no mention of Andhra Pradesh. Angry over the injustice meted out to state, ruling TDP planned to mount pressure on the BJP and in a few days time decided to snap ties with the saffron party.

Speaking at the Andhra Assembly, Naidu had said, "I took the decision not for selfish reasons but for the interests of Andhra Pradesh. For four years I made all efforts, went to Delhi 29 times, asked many times. This was the Centre's last Budget and there was no mention of Andhra Pradesh." Naidu had also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he was "responsible for injustice to Andhra Pradesh".

According to a report in The Times of India, Naidu will be in Delhi on 2 and 3 April, where he will hold meetings with leaders of various Opposition parties to garner support for the TDP with the aim of participating in the anti-BJP platform ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP became the first major party (in terms of seats) to exit the NDA, which had stormed to power in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Chandrababu Naidu's agenda for Delhi visit

Naidu's hopes of a no-confidence motion against the NDA in the Lok Sabha were dashed on Wednesday after the Lower House was adjourned till 2 April. Naidu, reports quoted sources as saying, hopes to garner support for the TDP in Andhra Pradesh. This will be the Andhra chief minister's first visit to New Delhi since the TDP split from the NDA. On Wednesday, Naidu also informed the Andhra Assembly of his visit to the National Capital. "I will go to Delhi. I will garner support from all parties and fight for justice. Will seek their support and cooperation for our rightful demands."

Naidu aims to gather support for the party at the national level and negotiate new alliances with an eye on the 2019 elections. Naidu has also been in regular touch with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, since he quit the Centre. During Mamata's visit to New Delhi on Tuesday, she met TDP MPs led by parliamentary party leader YS Chowdary at the Parliament House. MPs from TDP had thanked the West Bengal chief minister for backing the party's no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, while Mamata had assured the TDP members of "being with Babu."

Mamata's Delhi visit

Mamata's recent four-day trip to Delhi was aimed at forging an united Opposition front to take on the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Mamata had met several Opposition leaders, including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, during her visit. There is still no clarity on which leaders Naidu plans to meet, but the timing of the visit is curious.

The West Bengal chief minister met Pawar at the NCP's Parliament office on Tuesday, where the two leaders engaged in a politically-charged discussion. Mamata and Pawar had agreed that a coalition of an united Opposition was a strategic requirement to ensure the BJP-led NDA's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, according to The Economic Times.

Mamata also held a meeting with Sonia Gandhi where she invited the Congress to join the united "Third Front". "I told Soniaji that we want the Congress to be a part of the united opposition," she had told reporters. The Trinamool Congress leader suggested a state-wise, one-on-one fight with the BJP as an approach to defeat the saffron party, where a party strongest in a given state contests against the BJP in that state.

The West Bengal chief minister also met MP Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena, an ally of the NDA, where the latter expressed his support towards Banerjee, Times Now had reported.

The TMC leader also met Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. BJP rebels Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie expressed their support for Banerjee's efforts to forge a coalition of forces to fight against the BJP. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha met Banerjee along with BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha and said they came to meet her as there was a need to save the country.

Banerjee also held discussions with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha and Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti besides MPs from Biju Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

With inputs from agencies
Close on the heels of TMC chief and the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee holding hectic parleys with various Opposition parties, now it is the turn of another regional stalwart, TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to reach New Delhi.

Close on the heels of TMC chief and the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee holding hectic parleys with various Opposition parties, now it is the turn of another regional stalwart, TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to reach New Delhi.

Though it is purportedly aimed at taking the Andhra special status battle to national stage, none can deny the fact that Naidu, who was instrumental in the formation of United Front, would be seen as someone galvanising the Opposition forces.

The obvious question doing rounds in the political circles is how is Naidu's initiative different from that of Mamata. Will Naidu supplement Mamata's efforts to unite all anti-BJP forces? Or will he compete for the political space in the national Opposition?

There is a fundamental difference between the approach of Mamata and Naidu, though both would like to fight BJP.

Congress is a friend to Mamata. TMC needs Congress in the battle for West Bengal. In fact, Mamata proposed a tie-up with the Congress in Tripura elections. It did not materialise because of Congress intransigence. However, notwithstanding this experience, Mamata still wants to rope in Congress for her own political ends.

BJP and CPM are her main rivals. With CPM taking a strident position not to ally with Congress, thanks to its ideological divide, TMC finds Congress as its natural ally. TMC is locking horns with BJP and any surge in the saffron party would prove to be lethal for Mamata in the Assembly elections that follow 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Therefore, more than the national political ambitions, Mamata would not like to lose West Bengal and shall leave no stone unturned to frustrate BJP. Any incremental addition in the form of Congress would prove to be extremely useful for TMC in the electoral arena of West Bengal.

The political picture is quite contrary for Naidu. TDP still believes that Congress, at least in the pre-poll scenario, is a liability rather than an asset. The people of Andhra Pradesh are not yet ready to forgive Congress. TDP sources told Firstpost the survey conducted by the party and the feedback from party grassroots cadre also testified to this antipathy towards Congress in the electorate.

Naidu's political strategy since bifurcation is centred around the narrative that Congress has arbitrarily divided the state. The doomsday fears generated by Naidu's relentless campaign helped him to win in 2014 and TDP hopes to continue its narrative around bifurcation. The only addition to the narrative will be how the other national party, BJP too ditched the state.

Given this political milieu it is difficult for TDP to deal with Congress, at least at this time.

The TMC chief could meet Congress leaders in her efforts to arrive at broad unity among anti-BJP forces. But, YS Chowdary, former minister and TDP parliamentary party leader told Firstpost Naidu cannot meet Congress and there is no itinerary to this effect when TDP supremo arrives in Delhi.

This takes the shine off Naidu's efforts as not only TMC, but many other parties such as RJD, NCP, DMK, SP, BSP and even the CPM are not averse to joining hands with Congress. Only parties like TRS, which are in direct fight with Congress would like to toe Naidu's line. But, due to home ground problems, Naidu cannot rope in KCR.

Mamata has 34 seats and is expecting an increase with the support of Congress in 2019 whereas Naidu has fewer seats in the truncated Andhra Pradesh. In politics, numbers do matter. Even more than experience and contacts. The decline of the Left's political esteem is a clear indication of this. Senior leaders want Naidu to be wary of these limitations compared to his innings in united Andhra Pradesh.

Besides, any fight with BJP at the national level would be politically useful for Mamata as it is her direct rival in the state. On the contrary, BJP is not a force to reckon with in Andhra Pradesh. Naidu has to fight a much stronger Opposition in the form of YSR Congress. Naidu has many more challenges and therefore cannot afford to divert his attention by shifting his political action to Delhi, that too on election eve. For Mamata, the fight in Delhi is a continuation of fight in Calcutta.

Sources close to Naidu also informed Firstpost the chief minister's advisors cautioned him not to antagonise Modi dispensation too much.

The state needs support from the Centre. Compared to West Bengal, the people in Andhra Pradesh have far higher expectations. Naidu sold a nightmare and titillating dream during his 2014 campaign and continues to do so. Thus, polemics alone will not help him. He needs to perform on the ground as per the expectations of the people.

Naidu won the 2014 mandate with a slender margin of two percent. TDP sources told Firstpost the surveys conducted by the party also revealed not much change in the correlation of political forces. Meanwhile, BJP and Pawan Kalyan moved away from TDP. The outcome in 2019 is therefore unpredictable. Naidu cannot afford to fritter away his energies.

Yet, Naidu needs to go to Delhi for the reasons of perception and political optics. Therefore, the party sources call Naidu's voyage to Delhi as an effort to garner greater national political support for Andhra Pradesh cause rather than anything to do with Third Front or Federal Front. This is essential to bring his anti-Centre crusade to a logical end to derive maximum political and electoral dividend.

The writer is former MLC in Telangana, former editor The Hans India and professor, journalism, Osmania University
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thurday demanded strict action against people involved in the alleged leak of CBSE examination papers.

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thurday demanded strict action against people involved in the alleged leak of CBSE examination papers, and said he feels "sorry and sad" for students who will have to re-appear for the exams.

Kejriwal said responsibility should be fixed in the matter, a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced re-examination in Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics papers in the wake of reports of papers being leaked.

"I really feel sorry and sad for the students who have to give their exams again for no fault of theirs. Responsibility should be fixed and strict action should be taken against those responsible (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted.

Earlier on Thursday, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar termed the CBSE paper leak issue "unfortunate" and said culprits would not go scot-free.

The Delhi Police's crime branch is investigating the alleged leak after registering two separate cases in the matter.

The police has received phone numbers from which WhatsApp messages containing the papers were circulated and it is trying to identify the users of these numbers.

The investigators have also asked the Board to share the details of how the papers were sent to examination centres.

On 15 March, the Delhi government had said it has received complaints of the Class 12 CBSE accountancy paper being leaked. A probe was later ordered even though the Board denied any leak.
The Congress on Thursday demanded that HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal be sacked in the wake of board paper leaks.

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday demanded that HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal be sacked in the wake of board paper leaks and a probe by a High Court judge be ordered into the matter.

Alleging that the 'exam mafia' was being encouraged under the Modi government, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that exam leaks destroy the hopes and future of millions of students and warned that "this is just a beginning".

He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying there are a number of "leaks" under this government, which show that "the 'chowkidar' is weak", an apparent reference to Modi's poll refrain that he would work as a watchman and stop wrongdoings.

"Time to fix accountability and sack HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal," Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

Addressing a press conference, he said it is "shocking" that the future of 24 lakh students is in "severe jeopardy" as the government has officially admitted that two papers of CBSE Class 10 and 12 were leaked.

"This has exposed the capture of the highest academic institutions by the 'exam mafia' under the watch of Modi government, as also absolute abdication of authority by the HRD minister and the CBSE chairperson," he said.

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said, "The Congress always protected our institutions. This is what happens when institutions are destroyed by the RSS/BJP."

Surjewala said that as the "exam mafia is running amok", the HRD minister, instead of accepting responsibility, is busy targeting political opponents in West Bengal.

"It may just turn out to be the tip of the iceberg as multiple news reports and social media stories on how Biology, Chemistry and English papers have also been leaked are also surfacing now," he said.

The Delhi Police's crime branch is investigating the alleged leak after registering two separate cases.

Terming the issue "unfortunate", Javadekar has said the culprits will be punished.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which has announced a retest in the two papers  Class 10 Mathematics and Class 12 Economics, will declare the re-examination date on Monday or Tuesday, he said.
It remains to be seen if son Mohammed Nalapad Haris's drunken brawl will prove to be a stumbling block for Congress MLA NA Haris or will his political clout outweigh the anger against the MLA during this upcoming Karnakata Assembly election

Bengaluru: As Karnataka goes to polls on 12 May, the ruling party Congress is battling a host of issues among its top leaders. One of them being the recent arrest of the son of Shantinagars MLA NA Haris in an assault case.

Mohammed Nalapad Haris, the former general secretary of the Bengaluru citys Youth Congress, was arrested last month for brutally assaulting 24-year-old Vidvat, son of a prominent businessman on 17 February. Nalapad's bail was rejected multiple times by a Bengaluru court.

While NA Haris rivals are cashing in on the opportunity to bring down his chances of getting re-elected in the upcoming Assembly elections, the voters have mixed voices.

Will the sons misdeeds cast no effects on fathers candidature?

The Karnataka Congress party officially reacted by removing Nalapad from his post of general secretary of Youth Congress. But this has in no way damaged two-time MLA NA Haris chance of contesting again from Shantinagar constituency, says party cadres.

Squashing rumours surrounding his prospects of contesting in the upcoming elections NA Haris said, As far as election is considered, I am contesting from Congress (sic).

Responding to a question on his opposition, the MLA stated that he shouldnt be targeted and added that there are several other people in politics whose children, family, and even themselves are embroiled in worse cases. Confidently expressing his constituencys belief in him, NA Haris said, My people are with me. I am working 24x7 for them.

This belief partly stands supported by a certain section of Shantinagar residents who dont seem perturbed by the recent turn of events involving his son. But there are a few who believe that there is a lot that needs improvement in the area and they are looking for a change. These residents believe that due to corruption, empty promises and use of muscle power, NA Haris does not deserve the post.

Dr Ronak Raheja, a resident of Shantinagar, expressing his disapproval, said, Shantinagar is one of the most centralised constituencies located in Bengaluru and NA Haris has already ruled over it for two terms. His son was always aggressive and we have known him personally. Although his son's activities shouldn't be linked to him, I honestly feel Shantinagar can be developed much more. And, if the opposition party can promise a better development, it would be great. NA Haris is portrayed as a very kind and nice individual, and I'm not sure if we should blame his associates or expect him to man up and take responsibility for them."

The awareness level amongst the constituency's voters is very high. And even the youth and labourers from the area have expressed their disappointment towards NA Haris and his work.

Aamir Khan, a final year MBA student, said, Firstly, a leader primarily must take control of his constituencys problems from day one of taking charge and not according to their convenience. NA Haris has undertaken development work, but there are many areas that still require immediate attention.

When elections are around the corner, suddenly those (ignored) areas start getting repairs. As an MLA of the constituency, isnt it his job to ensure uniformity and a deadline for the work? Roads, drains or potholes, why to make a gimmick when headed towards elections? asks Khan.

Will past victories repeat history again?

Appreciation for NA Haris' work in the Shantinagar Assembly constituency is not just flummery, especially given his two-time victory in the 2008 and 2013 Karnataka state Assembly elections. NA Haris defeated his opponent Vasudev Murthy of the JD(S) during the 2013 state elections by a staggering 20,205 votes. This was a repeat of his 2008 Assembly Elections when he had defeated BJPs DU Mallikarjuna by 13,797 votes.

Year Constituency Winner Party Votes Trailing candidate Party Votes 2013 Shantinagar NA Haris INC 54,342 K. Vasudeva Murthy JD(S) 34,137 2008 Shantinagar NA Haris INC 42,423 D.U Mallikarjuna BJP 28,626 Source: www.electionsindia.com

Analysis of the two victories and the victory margins reflect that NA Haris share a much deeper relationship with the people of his constituency. His popularity as a two- time MLA is a factor that cannot be ignored or understated regardless of his sons tactics. His past victories spell a great deal of confidence that exists amongst the people of Shantinagar regarding their MLA and his capabilities.

Whether he will recreate the magic of the past two terms during this election is tough to say, but it will still be interesting to see if JD(S) candidate Vasudev Murthy be able to give MLA NA Haris a tougher fight than 2013, or will Haris hit a hattrick with a third win. Besides, AAP also has fielded a candidate from Shantinagar, former IAS officer Renuka Vishwanathan, who has left no stone unturned in the past few months to reach out to the people of the constituency.

Viswanathan is of the opinion that the assault incident involving Nalapad has many disturbing aspects.

The media has reported that this is not the first occasion when such an incident has happened. This is, however, the first time that the police has acted. Voters of the constituency are beginning to ask: Why inaction earlier and why action now? Does this have anything to do with his father's powerful position?

Don't the elected representatives have a responsibility to ensure that laws passed in a state Assembly and the Parliament by legislators like him are always enforced strictly and without fear or favour for all citizens? Has the Shantinagar MLA met these requirements? she questions.

As the elections are nearing, it remains to be seen is if the Nalapad incident will prove to be a stumbling block for NA Haris or will his political clout outweigh the anger against the MLA during this upcoming state election?

The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup
Joseph Brooks was one of the earliest settlers at Sale Creek when it was part of Rhea County. Three of his nieces along with their husbands were Hamilton County pioneers.

Joseph Brooks and his brother, Moses Brooks, were sons of John Brooks, who was born in Ireland about 1730. He made his way to Philadelphia and lived a short time in Pennsylvania before going with the tide of emigration into the valley of Virginia.

John Brooks was at Augusta County at the time of the Revolution. It was there he married Ann Irwin, and their children included John Jr., Moses, Ann who married William Kerr, and Joseph. John Brooks was a private in a Virginia regiment during the war and he saw action at Guilford Courthouse and King's Mountain. For his war service, he received a grant of land in Washington County, Va. He moved to the vicinity of Abingdon.

Researcher Penelope Allen said John Brooks "was a genuine pioneer and settlers crowded him much too closely in that locality, so he moved farther west and crossed the state line into the western part of North Carolina, which later became the state of Tennessee.'' Brooks was said to have been very just and fair in his dealings with the Indians who still held the future Tennessee. He "selected the piece of land he wanted and made his deal directly with the Cherokees for it. This tract was known for many years to the early settlers of that part of Knox County as the "Brooks Black Horse Tract.'

"In his agreement with the Indians they were to have the privilege of hunting and fishing during the fall season on the land, and for many years they availed themselves of this privilege. So true and faithful was John Brooks in carrying out his terms of the bargain that the Indians never disturbed him and he never had to leave his home on account of Indian raids, as many of his neighbors were forced to do.''

Brooks in 1789 bought 300 acres on the north side of the Holston River from Stockley Donelson for 70 pounds. This was in the future Knox County. When John Brooks died in 1793, he was buried on his farm that was four miles northeast of Knoxville.

Moses Brooks was born in 1760 at Augusta County. He was old enough to fight for the colonists and was also at Guilford Courthouse and King's Mountain. At the former battle, he was seriously wounded and underwent a long period of recuperation near Greensboro, N.C. He lived with Tennessee's earliest pioneers on the Nolachucky River, then moved in 1787 to the Holston. At about that date he married Agnes Gamble Fowler, widow of Robert Fowler Jr., who died at Washington County, Tn., in 1784. She was the daughter of Robert and Mary McElroy Gamble. The marriage took place "in the old fort across the river that stood on the old Parsons' place at the time when the inhabitants of the country had fled there for protection against the Indians.''

Moses Brooks was present at the making of a treaty with the Indians at Knoxville about 1791. His wife "was greatly horrified at an Indian man taking up her little boy by the leg and carrying him around to show to the other Indians. However, the youngster himself did not seem to object.'' Moses Brooks was an elder in the Lebanon Presbyterian Church that was built at the "forks of the river'' in Knox County. He was also in the War of 1812.

Joseph Brooks, brother of Moses Brooks, came on down from Knox County to Rhea and was on its first county court. He was Rhea County's first trustee and was named to take the list of taxable properties for the south end of the county in 1808 and 1809. He died about the latter year. He had married Mary Gamble - sister of his brother's wife - about 1796 at Knox County. She stayed on at Sale Creek and was listed as owning 160 acres there the year Hamilton County was formed in 1819. Charles Gamble, brother of the Gamble sisters, also lived in North Hamilton County and was the county's first sheriff.

The widow of Joseph Brooks was joined in North Hamilton County by several nieces - daughters of Moses Brooks. One of these was the eldest daughter, Mary, who married Samuel Haney in 1815. The others were Nancy who married William Clift and Jane who married Robert McRee. Clift and McRee became prominent citizens and holders of extensive property in the Soddy area.

At the time of the 1850 census, the Clifts and McRees were living side by side and Mary Haney was residing with the McRees. She died in 1854 and Jane Brooks McRee died in 1856. Nancy Brooks Clift had died in 1847. Other children of Moses Brooks were John who married Mary Armstrong, Elizabeth who died at age 16, Margaret who married James Stephenson in 1823, Joseph A. who married Margaret Almeda McMillan in 1828, and Cynthia Kerr who married Benjamin Stephenson Boyd in 1826. Joseph A. Brooks stayed on the family farm in Knox County and died there in 1879 shortly after celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary. Another son of Moses Brooks, Robert Brooks, lost his life in the Seminole War.
You now approach Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa with abundant caution, just in case you get scorched in the fire that they breathe at each other with a frequency that makes their own aides squirm in embarrassment.

There was a time when Karnataka was known for its gentlemanly politics, even if that phrase sounds like an oxymoron. The sobriety of elections always reflected the relative civility of its politics. Booth-capturing of the brazen kind you saw in Bihar and West Bengal, for instance, wasand still isa rarity in Karnataka.

Pre-poll riots and killings you see in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh? Dog-eat-dog rivalry between the two Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu? No, thank you. Not for Karnataka. By and large, the states politicians prided themselves on propriety and decorum even when election campaigns peaked to something bordering on madness.

Both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, who is now desperate to replace him after the 12 May election to the state Assembly, were once Mr Nice Guys, or at least thats what their outward appearances showed them to be. Both were indeed capable of making polite political conversations without their tongues getting the better of their brains.

Siddaramaiah never spoke ill of his political rivals whenever I met him in his early days in politics during 1980s, usually under a tree outside the home of his mentor HD Deve Gowda on Crescent Road in Bengaluru. Did he use harsh words? No, perish the thought. He lacked fluency in English, but more than made up for it with a rich baritone voice that could make Amitabh Bachchan envious.

And Yeddyurappa, with a smile never leaving his face, was humility personified. He allowed only one thing to trouble his mind: The growth of BJP in Karnataka, a fledgling of a party in the state till the 1994 Assembly election when its performance shot up to 40 seats and 17 percent vote share. Even if you didnt agree with whatever Yeddyurappa said, you felt compelled to listen to him; such a fine man he was.

Now, forget all that. It was in the past. Welcome to 2018.

You now approach Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa with abundant caution, just in case you get scorched in the fire that they breathe at each other with a frequency that makes their own aides squirm in embarrassment.

The gloves are off, ok?

The desperateness of modern day politics is bad enough to turn even a gentleman-politician (another oxymoron?) into a nasty specimen spewing venom. Whats perhaps even worse is the way establishments such as Cambridge Analytica actually train politicians to take off those velvet gloves and throw a punch where it hurts most.

There is no conclusive evidence yetand will probably never beto prove whether it was the Congress or the BJP or both which hired the firm. But mind you, there are many outfits prowling the Indian political market like eagles over a carcass in the jungle, promising to teach parties and leaders how to win friends and influence elections through means fair and foul, usually more foul than fair.

How else do you explain the below-the-belt punches that followed a simple slip of the tongue by BJP president Amit Shah?

Oops. Amit Shah just called BJP's Yeddyurappa 'most corrupt' in a slip https://t.co/9vvsyAwN3w pic.twitter.com/ah5BFb4rUc  NDTV (@ndtv) March 27, 2018

And the taunt below by the BJP about Siddaramaiahs Kannada spelling was no better. To call it childish is to insult children.

Sir, lectures of inclusivity from the known 'divider' is a bit too rich! Let's talk about inclusive and exclusive ideologies a bit later. But first things first. Before you speak on Kannada pride, first get your Kannada spellings right. It's not , its . https://t.co/bsaqV7hJ13  BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 27, 2018



The trainers toss at the leaders reports of cherry-picked psychological studies which claim that swear words are the best ones to use against political rivals if you want to sweep audiences off their feet and grab their votes.

Abuse, abuse and abuse

So get this right: Abuse is better than a metaphor as a rhetorical tool; and expletives and adjectives are superior to nouns and verbs to convince the unconvinced. How about being nice? Ah, thats a virtue of the weak. Didnt you know that when the going gets tough in elections, the tough get going by hurling a nasty tweet soaked in vitriol?

In case of Siddaramaiah, the Twitter terror unleashed from his handle, replete with direct personal attacks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi reeks of cheap humour and breaks all rules of decorum.

The nastiness of the words Siddaramaiah utters in his public speeches or are tweeted in his name neither matches his innate geniality nor his staccato syntax as his friends know it. But thats not the concern of the makeover artistes.

Nor does it bother Siddaramaiah, who is happy that his new style has turned him into an unchallenged mascot of the Congress in Karnataka.

Modi-baiters are thrilled over Siddaramaiah's new avatar. Even the Congress-supporting and Left-leaning intellectuals of Lutyens Delhi, who were earlier reluctant to accept that civilisation exists south of the Vindhyas, now hail Siddaramaiah as a politician nonpareil, born to fight communalism.

Siddaramaiahs backroom boys and keyboard warriors are one up, so far. No doubt, Yeddyurappas own bunch will try to catch up. So, the verbal diarrhoea in both parties, which has been going on for some time, is just hotting up. Brace yourself for the worst.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi and stressed the need for the Congress to join a united opposition front against the BJP.

New Delhi: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi and stressed the need for the Congress to join a united opposition front against the BJP.

Banerjee said the two leaders discussed the current political scenario and strategies to oust the BJP in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections at the 20-minute meeting at Gandhi's residence. "I told Soniaji that we want the Congress to be a part of the united opposition," she told reporters later.

The Trinamool Congress leader said she stressed that the opposition had to come together to fight the BJP in the states. "I told her what the country wants is that there should be a state-wise, one-on-one fight with the BJP. The party that is the strongest in the state should contest against the BJP there," she said.

"We want the Congress to win Karnataka because the Congress is strong there," she added.

Banerjee said she also discussed the talks that she has been holding with the leaders of regional parties with Gandhi. "We are trying to work together...We want the Congress also to be part of that," she said.

The chief minister's meeting with Gandhi was supposed to be held on Tuesday, but had to be postponed because the UPA chairperson was indisposed.

The TMC leader had met several opposition leaders on Tuesday, but did not hold talks with anyone from the Congress.

The West Bengal chief minister said the Congress should also help the "one-on-one fight" in the states and added that parties which have an alliance with the Congress would carry on with the tie-ups.

"Lalu (Yadav) ji and Sharad (Yadav) ji have an alliance with the Congress. Their alliance will continue," she said, adding that the opposition party which was the strongest in a state should be supported by the others to oust the BJP.

She also lashed out against the BJP while talking to reporters. "To finish democracy in the country, the BJP is committing atrocities. Apart from political vendetta, the BJP does not do anything," she said.

Banerjee added, "I am 100 percent sure that when there is one fight, the BJP will go".

The chief minister is in Delhi to hold talks with various parties in a bid to form a united front against the BJP and bring together opposition parties on one platform.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said West Bengal is burning due to violence during Ram Navami while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is busy playing politics in Delhi.

New Delhi: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said West Bengal is burning due to violence during Ram Navami while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is busy playing politics in Delhi.

"The whole of Bengal is burning and Mamata ji is busy doing politics in Delhi. We strongly deplore this," Javadekar said at a press meeting called by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Mamata Banerjee is enacting 'Nero fiddled while Rome burned' in Delhi. You may play politics if you so wish, but first douse the fire in Bengal, which the goons of your own Trinamool Congress (TMC) have ignited," the senior BJP leader said after making a presentation using the images of violence from the state.

A clash broke out between two groups over a Ram Navami procession at Raniganj in Asansol on Monday. A person was allegedly hacked to death, while a Deputy Commissioner of Police lost a hand after being hit by a bomb. Several shops and houses were vandalised and set ablaze during the procession.

Javadekar blamed the Mamata-led TMC for the attacks on 'Ram bhakts'.

"People had come out in large numbers for the procession and this did not go down well with TMC goons. Police could not take any action and instead were attacked by the TMC workers," the Union Minister said.

"Law and order has failed in West Bengal. (General) Election is next year. First go to Bengal and bring the situation under control and then do whatever politics you want to do. We will surely reply to that politics," said Javadekar.

BJP's Bengal leader Rupa Ganguly claimed that Mamata Banerjee had come to Delhi after telling reporters in Bengal that she would go there and seek Central help and meet ministers, but once in the national capital, she is busy playing politics for the Third Front. "She is not able to handle her work," Ganguly said.

Ganguly, a former TV actress, said the violence in Bengal was pre-planned and it began with an official ban order on carrying of firearms/weapons during the Ram Navami procession, which was resented by many.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked the West Bengal government for a report on the violence.
The Congress government in Karnataka has written to the Centre recommending it to consider representations of the Lingayat and Veerashaiva community to recognise them as a religious minority.

Bengaluru: Stepping up pressure ahead of the 12 May Assembly polls, the Congress government in Karnataka has written to the Centre recommending it to consider representations of the Lingayat and Veerashaiva community to recognise them as a religious minority.

The letter comes days after the state cabinet decided to recommend to the Centre grant of religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats.

It was seen by the BJP and other political opponents as a move by the Siddaramaiah government to cut into the vote bank of BJP, which banks significantly on their support.

The BJP has seen the government decision as an attempt to divide Hindus.

BJP president Amit Shah was on a two-day visit to Karnataka from Monday and met several Lingayat pontiffs.

In a letter to the Secretary of Ministry of Minority Affairs, Secretary to Karnataka government, Minority Welfare Department, has sought recognition of Lingayats and Veerashaivas who follow 12th century social reformer Basavanna's philosophy and teachings as a religious minority Under Section 2(c) of National Commission of Minorities Act, 1992.

"..the State Government recommends that the Government of India may consider representations of the Lingayat community and Veerashaiva community who believes in Basavanna's teachings and recognise them as a religious minority," the letter listing the chronology of events said.

"Upon such recognition may take necessary action to notify the Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayats who believe in Basavanna's philosophy, Basavanna's vachanas and teachings as a religious minority under Section 2(c) of the National Commission of Minorities Act,1992," it further said.

The letter dated 23 March was released to the media on Wednesday.

The state cabinet on 19 March had decided to recommend to the Centre to grant religious minority tag to the dominant Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community, based on the recommendation of the Karnataka State Minority Commission.

As per the decision of the cabinet, the state government had recently issued a notification under Section 2(d) of the Karnataka State Minorities Act,1994, notifying Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats as religious minority.

The notification had a rider that it would come into effect from the date the central government notifies the communities as a minority.

The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numerically strong and politically-influential community, amid resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same.

One section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status, asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same.

The other group wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaivas are one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.

Of late, some Lingayats have also stated that they were open to having the Veerashaivas under their umbrella, but the Lingayat nomenclature was non-negotiable.

The cabinet decision has been vehemently opposed by the Veerashaivas who have accused the Siddaramaiah government of dividing the community.
Smriti Irani on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Congress senior leader Kapil Sibal, alleging that he had been involved in a land scam.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday launched a scathing attack against Congress senior leader Kapil Sibal, alleging that he had been involved in a land scam during his tenure as law minister in 2013.

Irani alleged at a press conference, quoting from media reports, that in November 2013, Sibal and his wife had secured the ownership of a company named Grand Castello from a person who was being probed by the CBI for bribery allegations at the time and against whom South African journalists had levelled charges of money laundering.

Sibal, meanwhile, dismissed the reports saying that he had bought the company legally with his taxed income. "Yes, I bought a company. Why does anyone have an objection? I paid income tax and all my records are in order,"

"If you have a problem, ask me. Why are you asking Rahul Gandhi?" Sibal said.

He added, "Today, a minister came out as a party worker to address a press conference. The BJP should've spoken on the CBSE issue and addressed the problems of the students. Instead, Irani started deflecting the real issues."

Irani, in her press conference, had quoted from an OpIndia report, alleging that Sibal had acquired a piece of land valued at 89 crore rupees in the New Delhi municipal area during his tenure, by paying much less than the amount for acquiring the holding company.

"The companys auditor also qualified his audit report to this extent, stating that subject to this revaluation, the financial statements gave a 'true and fair' view of the state of affairs of the company," she read out from the report.

Irani had also alleged that Sibal had lied when South African journalists enquired details about his ownership in the company. "He may have a right to be associated with a money launderer, but the question that I ask is this: Is this politically acceptable to Rahul Gandhi?"

Given that he was the law minister at the time, how could he associate with such an individual, Irani asked. "Sibal must answer this question," she said.

Watch the full press conference here:
While the ostensible motive is to move a motion in the Parliament against the CJI for alleged improprieties, the real motive is to create a situation where CJI Misra comes under pressure and refrains from passing verdicts on crucial cases.

The bubbling cauldron of Indian politics has thrown up many dirty tricks over the years. Few moves, however, can match the diabolical nature of the Congress-led attempt to remove the Supreme Court Chief Justice from office. It is a bid to politicise the highest seat of Indian judiciary and a cynical ploy to influence the outcome of a few politically sensitive cases.

What makes this stratagem particularly devious is the way the discord within Supreme Court is being harnessed to meet political ends. The draft 'impeachment note' indicates that the judges' rebellion is being used as a smokescreen.

While the ostensible motive is to move a motion in the Parliament against the Chief Justice of India for alleged improprieties, the real motive is to create a situation where CJI Misra comes under pressure and refrains from passing verdicts on cases such as the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute, judge Loya and Aadhaar before he bows out of office in October, or presides over judgments that can't be deemed as favourable to BJP.

Congress' legal eagles, Opposition parties and a powerful lawyer-activist lobby  initiators of the move  are evidently apprehensive that if Supreme Court verdict in any of these cases goes BJP's way, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah might be able to build tremendous political momentum in the middle of a crucial election season.

According to media reports, a posse of Opposition parties led by the Congress are stirring the impeachment pot. Three senior Congress leaders  Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal and Ahmed Patel  have signed the petition while sincere effort is afoot to bring as many Opposition parties on board as possible.

"The Congress as the largest Opposition party has belatedly initiated the proceedings for impeachment of the Chief Justice of India," NCP leader Majid Memon, one of the signatories, was quoted as saying on Tuesday. His colleague DP Tripathi, another signatory, told reporters that the CPM and CPI have also signed the petition.

For such a motion to be moved in Parliament, the Opposition needs 50 signatures in Rajya Sabha and 100 in Lok Sabha. Around 20 have already been collected. According to The Economic Times, Congress leaders Azad and Anand Sharma "have started approaching various leaders belonging to TMC, NCP, Left, SP, DMK, IUML to sign up. A formal notice to move the motion could be filed within days."

Mamata Banerjee, who was recently in Delhi to forge an anti-BJP coalition of Opposition forces, seems to have got over her initial reluctance. After a meeting with activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday, the West Bengal chief minister said TMC "will go with whatever decision the other parties take on the impeachment of the CJI. After all, one cannot ignore what the four judges had to say.

Bhushan has crossed swords with CJI Misra on multiple occasions in the past. His grudge against the chief justice is well documented.

The moot question is whether this best-laid plan will succeed. The answer depends on the targeted outcome. If we take the "removal of CJI Misra" as the outcome, then the Opposition will likely fail. The draft impeachment note does not pass the smell test. Impeachment of a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court cannot be done lightly. Unless there are instances of proven misbehavior or misuse of office, such a move is ill-advised and will likely backfire. It also raises grave questions on the separation of powers in democracy.

The weight of opinion is against the move. Former attorney general Soli Sorabjee has called the attempt "ill-conceived", insisting that there is "no ground for impeachment." In an interview to ANI, he said: "Impeachment can be for serious misbehaviour or incapacity which neither exist in the CJI's case It will affect the public perception of the independence and neutrality of the judiciary. I am totally against it."

Adish C Aggarwala, president of The International Council of Jurists (ICJ), has called it Congress' attempt at blackmail and vendetta. The ICJ, incidentally, had earlier objected to Justice Misra's elevation as CJI on charges of corruption. However, as a Catchnews article quotes Aggarwala as saying, "When we had objected to his appointment as CJI then the Congress did not bother, but now after suffering series of legal setbacks they have come with this This impeachment motion by the Congress reeks of its intent to settle score with Misra and blackmail the judiciary."

Apart from a bad case, the Opposition will find it difficult to move the motion simply because it lacks the numbers to guide it through a complex, time-consuming process. Though motions for removal have been initiated against a few high court judges, no one has ever been forced out of office. The process, which will be stricter in the case of Supreme Court judges, has never been brought against any CJI in the past.

Even if the Opposition gathers the requisite signatures, the motion can be defeated by the Lok Sabha Speaker or the Rajya Sabha Chairman. If admitted, it will be subject to probe from a three-member committee. If misbehavior or incapacity is proven, the House in which the motion was introduced, can take up the consideration of the motion. Each House must pass it with special majority before it goes for Presidential assent.

It is fair to say that the Opposition has zero chance of forcing the removal of CJI Misra. If that's the case, what is the larger game behind the motion?

The initiators are not looking for actual removal of the CJI. That is not the targeted outcome. Their purpose will be served if the move creates enough noise for the CJI to come under duress and verdicts in the politically sensitive cases are either influenced, or delayed.

As Supreme Court advocate Virag Gupta tells The Print, "It was the Congress government that appointed Dipak Misra as a high court judge and elevated him to the Supreme Court. How can it now question his capacity as a judge?... The CJI is currently hearing important cases like Aadhaar and Ayodhya, decisions that may benefit the BJP. It looks like the Opposition is finding itself unable to counter the political force of the Modi government and thus is dragging the judiciary into the political domain."

It is evident that if the BJP gets a favourable verdict in the Ayodhya dispute and a go-ahead for a Ram temple is received, it may result in a consolidation of the Hindu votes and upset the caste calculations of the Opposition. Even if the verdict is unfavourable for the BJP, it may attempt a reverse polarization and again benefit from a consolidation of Hindu votes. In both scenarios, the consolidation may prevent the fragmentation of majority votes along caste lines and make it difficult for the Opposition to tackle the BJP.

The best case scenario for the Congress, therefore, is in ensuring that the verdict is delayed at least till after the completion of Lok Sabha polls next year. This motion is well-timed to suit that purpose.

The grand old party is predictably operating under a veneer of deniability. Busy working behind the scenes to formally initiate proceedings, none of its leaders have gone public yet. It is being said that some within the party are apprehensive about seeing the motion through. These are likely red herrings. The "impeachment motion" is of dual use to the Congress. On the one hand it helps maintain pressure on the CJI, on the other hand it serves as a touchstone for Opposition unity.

What the Congress might not realise (or care about) at this stage is that in its attempt to subvert judiciary for political ends, it may not just weaken Indian democracy but perhaps irrevocably damage its position as a national party that seeks power at the Centre. The relationship between the executive and judiciary is not to be trifled with.
Union minister and BJP leader Vijay Goel accused the Congress of disrupting proceedings in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, and said it stood exposed.

New Delhi: Union minister and BJP leader Vijay Goel accused the Congress of disrupting proceedings in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, and said it stood exposed.

"There were no AIADMK members in the Well. When the House could have taken up legislative business and discussion on banking scam, Congress members rushed to the Well raising slogans...They accuse others of disrupting proceedings. Now, they stand exposed," he said in New Delhi.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Wednesday after bidding farewell to retiring members amid protests by Congress members demanding that a discussion on the banking fraud should be held under a rule that entails voting.

The Rajya Sabha has not been able to transact any serious business for the 17th day in a row due to protests over several issues. However on Wednesday, it took up the process of bidding farewell to about 60 members whose tenure would end in the next few weeks.
tech2 News Staff

As a part of the ongoing battle between petitioners and the UIDAI, documents recently submitted by Aadhaar CEO, Ajay Bhushan Pandey have an interesting revelation that could pose a problem for the organisation's case in the Supreme Court.

A report by The Quint, tells us how the document submitted by the Aadhaar CEO indicate how his own attempts at authentication have failed 19 percent of the time.

The records submitted include supporting documents, including a record of all the attempts to authenticate his own Aadhaar identity between 1 November 2017 till March 2018.

According to the proofs submitted, there were 26 authentication attempts in all (as per the log) during the above mentioned time frame. One came from a telecom company, 8 others from two different banks where the remaining 17 were related to the UIDAI EKYC for internal monitoring and services.

Five out of the above mentioned 26 attempts resulted in failure which amounts to 19.2 percent of the all attempts during this period, which is not very assuring.

Adding fuel to the fire, the documents also reveal that only one of those 26 authentication attempts was done using the much talked about biometric authentication mode. The same request according to those records also failed with an error code 330, which according to the UIDAI's website reads as "Biometrics locked by Aadhaar holder."

The knowledge that the CEO of UIDAI keeps his biometric details locked (they cannot be used by anyone for Aadhaar authentication) does raise doubts about the ongoing case by petitioners against the Aadhaar biometric authentication system.

It points one too many fingers at a system that appears to be a violation of privacy, and risks involved if the authentication fails because it results in the exclusion of benefits for many.

With that said, the submitted documents also reveal that authentication requests made by Pandey at the same private sector bank using the OTP route also failed showing an error code 400 which reads "OTP validation failed" as per the UIDAI website.

The UIDAI mentions that the problem with OTP validation was due to an incorrectly entered PIN.

According to the UIDAI, the claims aren't really an issue since alternative forms of verification can be used if biometrics do not work.

Click here to read about the ongoing Aadhaar Hearings in the Supreme Court.
Reuters

US short-term rental service Airbnb Inc said it would start disclosing host information to Chinese government agencies starting on Friday, as the San Francisco-based company complies with regulations in China.

Chinas strict regulations on residency require citizens and tourists to register their addresses with the police when they arrive in the country or stay at a hotel, within 24 hours.

The changes come after Airbnb shuttered its service for a month in Beijing while the countrys annual parliament was in session, a time of increased surveillance targeting dissidents and migrants.

Airbnb China said in an email to hosts reviewed by Reuters that the decision is similar to other hospitality companies that do business in China, and users with concerns can deactivate their listings.

Airbnb China must comply with local laws and regulations, including privacy and information disclosure laws, it said.

Airbnb did not respond to a request for comment on the specific disclosures, but a spokesman said that it complies with Chinas laws.

In late 2016, Airbnb moved to store its data in China to meet the countrys requirements, sparking concern that user data would be compromised. It also launched a separate Chinese business to comply with the law.

China introduced a strict new cybersecurity law last year that requires foreign and local tech firms to store Chinese data locally and offer technical support to authorities who wish to access it.

Airbnb is expanding in China amid stiff competition from Chinese rivals Tujia.com and Xiaozhu.com, which also comply with the strict regulations and shutter their services during politically sensitive events.
AP

A federal appeals court has overturned a decision in a long-running legal battle over whether Google infringed on Oracles Java programming language to build its hugely popular mobile operating system, Android.

The court said Googles use of Java was not fair and sent the case back to trial to determine damages.

Oracle had originally sought $9 billion. The court said Android helped Google earn $42 billion in advertising revenue since the first Android phone went on sale in 2008.

Oracle hailed Tuesdays ruling, saying the opinion by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal District upholds fundamental principles of copyright law.

A Google spokesman said the ruling was disappointing and that it will make apps and online services more expensive for users. The company said it is considering its options.

The court weighed whether Googles copying of 11,500 lines of Java code at the core of its Android operating system amounted to fair use and found it did not.

Judge Kathleen OMalley, writing for the three judges hearing the case, rejected Googles argument that use of the code was non-commercial; found it wasnt transformative since the copied code performed exactly as Oracle intended; and that Googles development of Android robbed Oracle of the ability to make money from its Java SE platform for mobile devices.

In fact, Java SE had already been in phones from companies like BlackBerry and Nokia. The court said that Amazon used the fact that Android was given out free to manufacturers to negotiate a steep discount on Java SE for use in an early Kindle tablet. Amazon later switched to using a modified version of Android.

There is nothing fair about taking a copyrighted work verbatim and using it for the same purpose and function as the original in a competing platform, OMalley wrote.

Its the second time this appeals court has dealt with the case.

US District Court Judge William Alsup sided with Google in 2012, ruling that so-called application programming interfaces (APIs) werent protected by copyright. The appeals court overturned Alsups ruling and sent the case back for a second trial, in which a jury also found in Googles favor in May 2016. Both companies appealed that decision.

Shares of Google parent Alphabet fell 4.5 percent Tuesday to close at $1,006.94, while Oracle shares also fell 2.4 percent to close at $45.38.
Many of us are anticipating two central days on the Christian calendar, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Both represent pivotal events; in the absence of either there would be no Christianity, and wed not designate our years according to B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini).

We know that the curiously named Good Friday marks the day of Jesus crucifixion, good because His death served as the atoning sacrifice to cover the sins of mankind. And Easter celebrates His resurrection, signifying Christs triumph over death and the demonstration that He was who He claimed to be  the Son of God  not just another dead prophet or religious leader.

But what about the day between Good Friday and Easter? It was Saturday, a day virtually ignored by Christian tradition that author Philip Yancey in his book, Grace Notes, calls the day with no name. For many of us, its merely a business-as-usual day, useful for household chores, working in the yard, or some form of recreation. Nothing more.

Typically we dismiss it from having any spiritual import. In fact, S.M. Lockridge presented a classic sermon called, Its FridayBut Sundays Comin'. Author Tony Campolo drew from a similar message to write a book by the same name. Lockridge eloquently described the devastation of Friday and contrasted it with the delirious news of Sundaysempty tomb and Christs return from the dead. But there is no mention of Saturday.

Consider, however, what that silent Saturday must have been like for Jesus followers. It would have been a day of despair, disillusionment and confusion. The wondrous, inspirational, often mysterious leader theyd followed for three years was dead, taking their hopes and aspirations with Him. How had it come to this? What would they do now?

The Bible says little about the in-between day, but as Yancey observes, much of human existence today is like that Saturday. Human history grinds on, he writes, between the time of promise and fulfillment. Its Saturday on planet Earth; will Sunday ever come?

This questions nags at many of us. Even as were preparing to pause for a marvelous day of rejoicing  Christ is risen  He is risen indeed!  we find ourselves immersed in a world of pain and suffering. Disease, poverty, violence, natural disasters, hatred and strife, everyday realities that remain with us on Saturday, and the days after Easter.

Despite this, we can cope, because we have hope  earnest expectation, confident assurance  that the often dismal present will one day be replaced by a future that exceeds comprehension. As the apostle Paul wrote, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently (Romans 8:18-25).

So as we prepare to ponder the somber message of Good Friday, soon followed by the glorious report of Easter, lets all take heart as we stumble through the challenges of Saturday, the day with no name. We do so while looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus (Titus 2:13).

- - - -Robert J. Tamasy is a veteran journalist, former newspaper editor and magazine editor. Bob has written hundreds of magazine articles, and authored, co-authored and edited more than 15 books. These include the newly re-published, Business At Its Best, Tufting Legacies, The Heart of Mentoring, and Pursuing Life With a Shepherds Heart. He edits a weekly business meditation, Monday Manna, which is translated into more than 20 languages and distributed via email around the world by CBMC International. To read more of Bob Tamasys writings, you can visit his blog, www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com , or his website (now being completed), www.bobtamasy-readywriterink.com . He can be emailed at btamasy@comcast.net.
tech2 News Staff

In order to assert that personal data of Indian voters and users had not been compromised in the recent Cambridge Analytica fiasco, the government has issued a notice to Facebook on Wednesday, asking into details of whether there was a possible leak of information in India as well.

According to a report by the Economic Times, in the letter addressed to Facebook by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the government also asked the social media giant whether the data has been used to manipulate the Indian electoral process in any way.

Facebook has been given time till 7 April 2018 to respond to the letter.

The letter also attempts to find out whether Facebook has any safeguards in place to check if any data was shared earlier in case of a leak and what are the current steps being taken up to ensure that personal user data is safe.

"Facebook today has its largest footprint in India in terms of its user base and therefore what proactive measures are being taken to ensure the safety, security and privacy of such large user data and to prevent its misuse by any third party?" said the letter.

The notice to Facebook comes on the back a notice issued to Cambridge Analytica on Friday. In the letter, the government had sought details on whether the British data firm had been engaged in any assignment to utilise data in India.

Cambridge Analytica was given time until 31 March to respond, however, a response is yet to be lodged.
tech2 News Staff

While Huawei still appears to be on a launching spree with the launch of the Enjoy 8 in China today, another smartphone expected to be called as Honor 10 has been spotted online. The smartphone comes with the iPhone X-like notch, which was also seen on the recently launched P20 series of smartphones.

The images of the Honor 10 spotted on Playfuldroid! show that the smartphone will feature a fingerprint on the front face of the device, at the bottom chin below the display. The fingerprint will also be used as the home button on the device.

The display of the Huawei Honor 10 shows the EMUI like skin and the rear side of the device shows a dual-camera setup. An LED flash sits beside the horizontally placed dual-camera on the rear side of the device. The website suggests that the images of the smartphone might be of another device as well so do take this information with a pinch of salt.

A report on Gizmochina suggests that the smartphone will come with a Kirin 970 SoC. It is expected to be the next version of Honor 9 and will come in two RAM and storage variants, with 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM or 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage.

Huawei launched three smartphones in Paris Huawei P20, P20 Pro and the Porsche Design Mate RS. One of the smartphones, the Huawei P20 Pro is expected to come in India as teasers of the device have been spotted on the official website of the company. The P20 Pro comes with a triple rear camera setup which includes a 40 MP f/1.7 primary sensor, along with a 20 MP monochrome sensor as well as an 8 MP telephoto sensor. The Huawei P20 Pro also gets a 24 MP f/2.0 front-facing camera for selfies. It is priced at 899 Euros in Europe (approximately Rs 72,300) for a 6 GB RAM with 128 GB of storage.
tech2 News Staff

Microsoft is going to through a phase of reorganisation as old teams are being merged, responsibilities are being reshuffled and new leaders are appointed to various teams. Satya Nadella, the company CEO has announced new positions and teams that are expected to make the Microsoft accelerate innovation and better serve the needs of its customers.

In a mail to employees the CEO informed about the departure of Terry Myerson, Microsofts Windows chief who has been working with the company for quite some time now and will complete 21 years in few months. Rajesh Jha, will lead a new team called 'experiences and devices' responsible for "unifying product ethos" across end-user experiences and devices.

Panos Panay has been handed the command of Chief Product Officer for devices. Joe Belfiore, Kudo Tsunoda and Brad Anderson will continue leading the Windows, 'new experiences and technology' team and the 'enterprise mobility and management' team at the company.

Scott Guthrie will head a team that will be focused on Cloud + AI Platform.

Jason Zander who has been promoted as the executive vice president of Azure will join Harv Bhela, Henry Sanders and Michael Fortin from the Windows team "to accelerate our efforts to build a unified distributed computing infrastructure and application model."

A new team called 'AI perception and mixed reality' will be headed by Alex Kipman. The team will combine speech, vision, MR and additional perception capabilities into one team. This team will work closely with the 'AI + research' team.

Another new team called 'AI cognitive services and platform' will be led by Eric Boyd and will drive the AI platform, AI fundamentals, Azure ML, AI tools and cognitive services. This new team will also work closely with the 'AI + research' team which is headed by Harry Shum.

Nadella in the email mentioned that the company is "investing in strategies and tools for detecting and addressing bias in AI systems." He ended the mail saying "Its amazing what we have been able to accomplish together, and yet I still believe we are in the very early days of what is possible."

Here's the full text of the letter by Satya Nadella forwarded it to its employees containing all the changes brought in the company:

From: Satya Nadella

Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2018 7:29 AM

To: Microsoft  All Employees; All MS Store Employees FTE

Subject: Embracing our future: Intelligent Cloud and Intelligent Edge

Team,

Today, Im announcing the formation of two new engineering teams to accelerate our innovation and better serve the needs of our customers and partners long into the future.

Over the past year, we have shared our vision for how the intelligent cloud and intelligent edge will shape the next phase of innovation. First, computing is more powerful and ubiquitous from the cloud to the edge. Second, AI capabilities are rapidly advancing across perception and cognition fueled by data and knowledge of the world. Third, physical and virtual worlds are coming together to create richer experiences that understand the context surrounding people, the things they use, the places they go, and their activities and relationships.

These technological changes represent a tremendous opportunity for our customers, our partners  everyone. With all this new technology and opportunity comes a responsibility to ensure technologys benefits reach people more broadly across society. It also requires that the technologies we create are trusted by the individuals and organizations that use them.

Todays announcement enables us to step up to this opportunity and responsibility across all our Solution Areas.

With change comes transition, and one transition we have been planning for is for Terry Myerson to pursue his next chapter outside Microsoft. Terry has been instrumental in helping me arrive at this new organizational structure, and I deeply appreciate his leadership and insight as weve worked through the opportunity that lies ahead. Over the past several years, Terry and the WDG team transformed Windows to create a secure, always up-to-date, modern OS. His strong contributions to Microsoft over 21 years from leading Exchange to leading Windows 10 leave a real legacy. I want to thank Terry for his leadership on my team and across Microsoft. He will work with me on the transition over the coming months.

Moving forward, Rajesh Jha will expand his existing responsibilities to lead a new team focused on Experiences & Devices. The purpose of this team is to instill a unifying product ethos across our end-user experiences and devices. Computing experiences are evolving to include multiple senses and are no longer bound to one device at a time but increasingly spanning many as we move from home to work and on the go. These modern needs, habits and expectations of our customers are motivating us to bring Windows, Office, and third-party applications and devices into a more cohesive Microsoft 365 experience. To further this vision, we are making the following leadership changes:

Devices: Panos Panay will now serve as our Chief Product Officer and will lead our devices vision and further our product ethos across hardware and software boundaries for our first-party devices, while creating new categories and opportunities for the entire ecosystem. He will be the key leader ensuring end-to-end devices business execution excellence.

Windows: Joe Belfiore will continue leading our Windows experiences and will drive Windows innovation in partnership with the PC and device ecosystem. The future of Windows is bright as we continue to innovate across new scenarios and device form factors, and more deeply connect to our Microsoft 365 offerings. Joe will share more about the Windows roadmap at Build.

New Experiences and Technology: Kudo Tsunoda will continue to lead this team to define how we engage users with high-value experiences to help them achieve more.

Enterprise Mobility and Management: Brad Anderson will continue to lead our Windows Enterprise deployment and management efforts with even tighter alignment across Microsoft 365 and will partner closely with the EMS teams within Cloud + AI Platform.

Second, Scott Guthrie will expand his existing responsibilities to lead a new team focused on Cloud + AI Platform. The purpose of this team is to drive platform coherence and compelling value across all layers of the tech stack starting with the distributed computing fabric (cloud and edge) to AI (infrastructure, runtimes, frameworks, tools and higher-level services around perception, knowledge and cognition). To facilitate these new capabilities, we are making the following leadership changes:

Azure: Jason Zander is being promoted to executive vice president, Azure, and will lead this team. The Windows platform team led by Harv Bhela, Henry Sanders and Michael Fortin will join Jasons team. Windows platform is already a core part of Azure across both the cloud and edge, and this shift will enable us to accelerate our efforts to build a unified distributed computing infrastructure and application model. Roanne Sones will continue to lead our technical engagement with OEMs, ODMs and silicon vendors, and her team will also join Jasons team.

Business AI: The Customer Service, Marketing and Sales Insights teams, previously led by Gurdeep Singh Pall, will join James Phillips Business Applications Group. I am thankful for Gurdeeps leadership in building these new AI solutions that are going to help differentiate Microsoft in this area. This is a notable example of taking research breakthroughs to start new product efforts grounded in customer needs and then mainstreaming them.

Universal Store and Commerce Platform: Eric Lockard and his team will also join the Cloud + AI Platform team to both help with our own digital transformation and add new capabilities to our business application efforts.

AI Perception & Mixed Reality (MR): Alex Kipman will lead this new team, which brings together all our speech, vision, MR and additional perception capabilities into one team. This team will continue to build first-party products and the core building block cloud services for third parties on Azure. XD Huang, Yu-Ting Kuo and their teams will join this group, as well as Gurdeeps Ambient Intelligence team. Alex and team will take guidance on all AI-related areas from Harry Shum and work very closely with AI + Research (AI+R).

AI Cognitive Services & Platform: Eric Boyd will lead this new team and drive our AI Platform, AI Fundamentals, Azure ML, AI Tools and Cognitive Services. Joseph Sirosh and team will join this new group. Eric and team will take guidance on all AI-related areas from Harry Shum and work very closely with AI+R.

Harry Shum will continue to lead our third engineering team, AI + Research, which is instrumental in the key technology advances required across all our product teams. When we established AI+R nearly two years ago, our primary goal was to accelerate the adoption of AI innovations from research into product, and the changes we are making today reflect our strong progress. In fact, just yesterday I spent time at TechFest and came away inspired by all the innovations and most importantly how quickly they were making their way into our products. We will continue to drive investments in AI+R across research and AI breakthroughs that are key to our long-term success.

As we make technological progress we need to ensure that we are doing so responsibly. To this end, Harry and Brad Smith have established Microsofts AI and Ethics in Engineering and Research (AETHER) Committee, bringing together senior leaders from across the company to focus on proactive formulation of internal policies and how to respond to specific issues in a responsible way. AETHER will ensure our AI platform and experience efforts are deeply grounded within Microsofts core values and principles and benefit the broader society. Among other steps, we are investing in strategies and tools for detecting and addressing bias in AI systems and implementing new requirements established by the GDPR. While there is great opportunity, ensuring we always act responsibly for our customers and partners will continue to be a hallmark of our work.

To truly get the best impact from our efforts, we will have to push ourselves to transcend Conways law. Having a deep sense of customers unmet and unarticulated needs must drive our innovation. We cant let any organizational boundaries get in the way of innovation for our customers. This is why a growth mindset culture matters. Each one of us needs to push on what technology can do for people and for our world. It will take courage to keep learning and growing together  encouraging one anothers individual strengths, building more diversity and inclusion across our teams, and collaborating as One Microsoft. Its amazing what we have been able to accomplish together, and yet I still believe we are in the very early days of what is possible.

Well talk more about these changes at the Q&A next week and the important work ahead.

Satya
Reuters

New Zealands privacy commissioner joined international criticism against Facebook Inc, saying on Wednesday it has broken the law by declining a citizen access to personal information held on the accounts of other users. In a statement, the commissioner said that after being notified of its complaint, Facebook responded that it did not have to comply with the bodys demand for the information.

The commissioner considers it necessary to publicly identify Facebook in order to highlight its demonstrated unwillingness to comply with the law, and to inform the New Zealand public of Facebooks position, the statement said. The commissioners statement said the social media company said the Privacy Act did not apply to it and it did not have to comply with the Commissioners request to review the information requested by the complainant.

The commissioner said its powers beyond demanding information were limited. A spokeswoman for Facebook said the company had investigated the complaint but had not been provided enough detail to fully resolve it. We are disappointed that the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner asked us to provide access to a years worth of private data belonging to several people and then criticised us for protecting their privacy, she said.

We scrutinise all requests to disclose personal data, particularly the contents of private messages, and will challenge those that are overly broad...Instead, the Commissioner has made a broad and intrusive request for private data.

Facebook has come into the spotlight over the past week over its handling of data from millions of users. Lawmakers in the United States and Europe are demanding to know more about the companys privacy practices after a whistleblower said consultancy Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data to target U.S. and British voters in elections.

Cambridge Analytica has said it did not use Facebook data in U.S. President Donald Trumps campaign, and that it had deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party app in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules.
tech2 News Staff

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi seems to be on the path of success in its journey to becoming a global company. And one indicator of that is more than 50 percent of its patents filed by Xiaomi are used in countries across the world.

According to a report on GSMArena, Lei Jun, the company CEO said Xiaomi has 6,324 patents under its name and 53 percent of it is trademarked outside of China. The CEO mentioned that the patents were filed in Europe, Japan, US, UK, Russia, India, Mexico, Australia and South Korea.

The report mentions about the recently unveiled Vivo APEX smartphone which features a futuristic looking retractable front camera. It goes on to say that a similar patent was approved by Xiaomi in 2015, but emerged only when the Vivo APEX was trending. The Vivo smartphone with retractable selfie camera was unveiled at MWC and is expected to go into production this year.

Xiaomi, according to Jun has improved on the number of patents over the last one year. The report states that at the launch of Mi 5X/MIUI 9, Jun had mentioned about 4,806 patents obtained by Xiaomi. The latest number shows that Xiaomi has filed around 1,518 more patents since.

Xiaomi signed an agreement with Nokia to acquire key patent assets from it in July 2017. It has also partnered with Microsoft and is going to bring AI-powered smart speakers and smartphones in the market.

These efforts are being taken to change the image of the company of not having a strong patent portfolio.

Xiaomi recently launched the Mi Gaming Laptop and Mi AI speaker along with the bezel-less Mi Mix 2S.
A Belgian court said it will give its verdict on 23 April in the trial of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam over a shootout in Brussels that led to his capture.

Brussels: A Belgian court said on Thursday it will give its verdict on 23 April in the trial of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam over a shootout in Brussels that led to his capture.

The court made the announcement after hearing an application from terror victims to be named as civil parties in the case against Abdeslam over the March 2016 gun battle.

"The verdict will be handed down on 23 April," presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen told the court.

Islamist gunman Radouane Lakdim, who shot dead four people last week in southern France, including a heroic policeman killed after taking the place of a hostage, said during the siege he was acting on behalf of the Islamic State group and demanded the release of Abdeslam.

Prosecutors have recommended a maximum of 20 years in prison for Abdeslam, 28, and Soufiane Ayari, his 24-year-old co-defendant in the gun battle nearly two years ago that led to their capture in the Belgian capital.

Seven days later, suicide bombers from a cell linked to the Paris attacks killed 32 people and injured hundreds more at Brussels airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital.

The pair are being tried on terrorist-related charges of attempted murder and possession of banned weapons over the shootout on 15 March, 2016 in which three police officers were wounded.

Neither defendant appeared in court on Thursday.

During the second day of his trial on 8 February, Abdeslam refused to come to the Brussels court, after accusing judges on the first day of the trial four days earlier of being anti-Muslim and proclaiming he would only put his "trust in Allah".

In Abdeslam's absence, lawyer Sven Mary sought the case's dismissal over a technicality over how the judges were named to investigate the gun battle.

Abdeslam, who is being held in a prison near Paris, is the last surviving suspect from the Islamic State group cell behind the November 2015 Paris gun and suicide bomb attacks, The Belgian trial is a prelude to a bigger one that Abdeslam will face in France at a later date over the 13 November, 2015, Paris attacks claimed by Islamic State group, in which 130 people were killed. Abdeslam's brother Brahim was one of the suicide bombers.

Investigators say the same cell carried out the Brussels attacks on March 22, 2016, alleging the arrest of Abdeslam precipitated the suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a metro station
A committee of British lawmakers on Thursday published written evidence provided by a whistleblower who says information about 50 million Facebook users ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

London: A committee of British lawmakers on Thursday published written evidence provided by a whistleblower who says information about 50 million Facebook users ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Christopher Wylie, who worked for Cambridge Analytica, alleges that the data was used to help to build profiles on American voters and build support for Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

He also claims that Canadian firm AggregateIQ (AIQ) was involved in the development of the software used to target voters.

Wylie appeared before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the British Parliament on Tuesday. The committee said Wylie provided it with documents including a services agreement between AIQ and SCL Elections, Cambridge Analyticas parent company, dated September 2014.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the documents made public by the committee.

AIQ did not respond to Reuters request for comment after Tuesdays committee hearing, but in an earlier statement said it had never entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica and had never been part of the firm.

Cambridge Analytica has said it did not share the Facebook profile data with AggregateIQ, did not use it in the campaign to elect Donald Trump, and has deleted the data.
The move to cut off Assange came after he used Twitter on Monday to challenge Britain's accusation that Russia was responsible for the 4 March nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent

Quito (Ecuador): Ecuador on Wednesday said it has stopped Julian Assange's ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up since 2012.

The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries' affairs while in the mission, an Ecuadoran government statement said without elaborating.

Under that deal, Assange had pledged "to not send messages that could be seen as interference in relations with other countries," the statement said, adding that it could take other, unspecified measures if he persisted.

The move to cut off Assange came after he used Twitter on Monday to challenge Britain's accusation that Russia was responsible for the 4 March nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent in the English city of Salisbury.

Assange also questioned the decision by Britain and more than 20 countries to retaliate against the poisoning by expelling Russian diplomats deemed spies.

The comments prompted a British Foreign Office minister, Alan Duncan, to brand Assange a "miserable little worm" who should leave the embassy to turn himself over to British authorities.

In another tweetstorm on Tuesday, Assange attacked the arrest in Germany of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont under an EU warrant issued by Spain over Puigdemont's failed bid last year to declare independence for his Spanish region.

Assange's "behavior, with his messages on social networks, puts at risk our good relations" with Britain and the European Union, the Ecuadoran government text said.

Online activity

Assange, 46, has spent much of his time in his small room in the embassy tweeting and at times contributing to RT, a Russian state-owned television channel that broadcasts Kremlin messaging, as well as taking part in media conferences via video link.

In 2016, Ecuador briefly suspended his internet connection for posting documents online that were seen as having an impact on the US presidential election from which Donald Trump emerged the victor.

In May 2017, Ecuadoran president Lenin Moreno asked Assange to refrain from commenting on the separatist crisis in Spain's Catalonia region, after he tweeted that Madrid was guilty of "repression."

An analyst, Michel Levi of the Simon Bolivar Andean University, said he believed the decision to render Assange incommunicado "isn't a change of policy in terms of his asylum, but rather to keep him to his conditions" of staying in the embassy.

Extradition fear

Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there.

Assange claims the accusations were politically motivated and could lead to him being extradited to the United States to face imprisonment over WikiLeaks' publication of secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Sweden dropped its investigation last year, but British authorities say they still want to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions.

Ecuador in December made Assange an Ecuadoran citizen and unsuccessfully tried to register him as a diplomat with immunity as part of its efforts to have the WikiLeaks founder leave the embassy without risk of being detained.

Ecuador's foreign minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said Wednesday that a delegation would meet with Assange's lawyers in London next week "to explore what alternatives" existed to have Assange be able to leave the embassy.

"We continue to hold dialogue with the United Kingdom to seek a definitive and durable solution to this situation," she added.
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with a sweeping majority, garnering nearly 92 percent of the total votes, media reports said.

Cairo: Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected for a second term with a sweeping majority, garnering nearly 92 percent of the total votes, media reports said. According to early estimates, more than 23 million Egyptians voted for the 63-year-old Field Marshal in the three-day presidential election.

His sole challenger, the little-known centrist politician and al Ghad party chief Moussa Mostafa Moussa, is estimated to have obtained 3 percent of the vote. Vote counting started after polling stations closed Wednesday. According to non-official figures, 21,088,295 people voted for Sisi in polling stations across Egypt. The official results will be announced on 2 April.

Sisi posted photos of voters participating in the polls and praised them on Facebook for the huge turnout late Wednesday. "The voice of the masses of Egyptians will remain a witness - no doubt - that the will of our nation is prevailing with a force that does not know weakness," Sisi said. "The scenes of the Egyptians outside the polling stations will remain a matter of honour and pride for me and hard evidence of the greatness of our nation," he added.

According to the official results of the vote count released by the general election committee in Aswan governorate, Sisi received 254,940 votes against Moussa's 9,563 votes. In Sidi Gaber in Alexandria governorate, Sisi won 83,631 votes against 2,474 votes for his rival. The number of eligible voters who cast their ballots stood at 95,486, with 86,112 valid votes registered, it said. Alexandria governorate has more than 3.8 million eligible voters.

In the Nile Delta governorate of Gharbiya, Sisi obtained 90 per cent of votes, with a turnout of more than 50 per cent, state news agency MENA reported, citing preliminary results. About 60 million people were eligible to vote in the election which was held in 13,687 polling stations across the country and under the supervision of 18,678 judges from various judicial bodies and authorities.

Police and army personnel maintained a tight vigil near the polling stations to ensure that no untoward incident happens. Sisi overthrew Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against his rule. He was elected for a four-year presidential term in 2014.
Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, officials said, in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman six years ago for advocating education for girls.

Islamabad: Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, officials said, in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman six years ago for advocating education for girls.

Malala is widely respected internationally for her bravery and activism, but opinion is divided in Pakistan, where some conservatives view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country.

Malala is expected to meet with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during the four-day trip but further details have been "kept secret in view of the sensitivity surrounding the visit," a government official said.

Accompanied by her parents, the 20-year-old student was escorted through Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security, according to photographs broadcast on local television.

Malala became a global symbol for human rights after a gunman boarded her school bus in the Swat valley on 9 October, 2012, asked "Who is Malala?" and shot her.

She was treated for her injuries in the British city of Birmingham, where she also completed her schooling.

The youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, she has continued to be a vocal advocate for girls' education while pursuing her studies at Oxford University.

Many Pakistanis took to Twitter to express delight that the campaigner had returned for the visit, despite ongoing security fears.

"I welcome #MalalaYousafzai the brave and resilient daughter of Pakistan back to her country," politician Syed Ali Raza Abidi wrote.

But she faces intense criticism from some Pakistanis, including hardline Islamists as well as members of the conservative middle class who support education for girls but object to airing the country's problems abroad.

One leading Pakistani journalist, Hamid Mir, issued a plea for opposition politicians and commentators to exercise restraint when talking about the visit.

"International media is highly focused on her return and this (bad language) will damage Pakistan's image," he said.

'Change the world'

Malala began her campaign aged just 11, when she started writing a blogunder a pseudonymfor the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls' education.

In 2007, the Islamist militants had taken over the area, which Malala affectionately called "My Swat", and imposed a brutal, bloody rule.

Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

But, it was only after the shooting, and a subsequent near-miraculous recovery, that she became a truly global figure.

She opened a Twitter account on her last day of school in July 2017 and now has more than a million followers.

"I know that millions of girls around the world are out of school and may never get the opportunity to complete their education," Malala wrote at the time.

During a recent appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the feminist campaigner urged women to "change the world" without waiting for the help of men.

"We won't ask men to change the world, we're going to do it ourselves," Malala said.

"We're going to stand up for ourselves, we're going to raise our voices and we're going to change the world," she added.
Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Dalton posted a strong February as critical job measures trended in the right direction.

Mr. Butler noted jobs, employed residents, and labor force all increased in February. At the same time, the unemployment rate fell and unemployment claims dropped.

Its good to see we picked up this year right where we left off from 2017, Commissioner Butler said. I expect Georgia will have a very good 2018. And, its great to see so many of our local communities have gotten off to a good start.

In February, the number of employed residents in the Dalton area, at 58,877, was up by 748 over the month and 1,402 for the year.

Jobs climbed by 400 to 67,000 in February. They increased by 100 over the past 12 months.

The Dalton labor force ended February at 62,306. That number is up four over the month and 880 over the past 12 months. The areas labor force includes the total number of residents with jobs and those unemployed but looking for work.

At the same time, the jobless rate fell from 6.7 percent to 5.5 percent over the past month. A year ago, the jobless rate was 6.4 percent. Georgias 14 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) had unemployment rates that varied from a low of 3.6 percent in Gainesville to Daltons 5.5 percent.

Initial claims for unemployment were down about 75 percent for the month and up about 8 percent for the year.

Employ Georgia, the GDOLs online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 440 new active job postings in metro Dalton for February.

The MSA includes Murray and Whitfield counties.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers.
Sri Lankan police Thursday arrested a top prison official over a massacre of 27 inmates that became an icon of grave rights abuses under former president Mahinda Rajapakse

Colombo: Sri Lanka police Thursday arrested a top prison official over a massacre of 27 inmates that became an icon of grave rights abuses under former president Mahinda Rajapakse.

Prisons Commissioner Emil Lamahewage was arrested in connection with the November 2012 bloodbath at the Welikada high-security prison in Colombo, police said.

A police inspector was arrested on Wednesday for involvement in the killings at Welikada which happened when Lamahewage was the prison superintendent.

The arrests followed a reopening of the case in July last year following media reports that the killings were ordered by senior members of the former regime.

Trouble erupted inside the prison when police conducted a sweep for drugs and allegedly faced off with inmates trying to grab their weapons.

Armed troops called in to restore order opened fire killing 27 prisoners. Witnesses have said they were killed execution-style after calling them out by name.

The killings escalated international condemnation of Rajapakse, whose regime had sanctions imposed for rights abuses in the final years of Sri Lanka's 37-year-long ethnic war that ended in 2009.

Some of the inmates killed were being held in custody over robberies at Sri Lanka's national museum and a temple, crimes allegedly linked to senior members of Rajapakse's regime.

The 2012 massacre was the worst prison violence since 50 inmates were hacked to death in a July 1983 riot.

Rajapakse lost a 2015 election to Maithripala Sirisena who made a promise to restore rule of law and ensure accountability for past abuses.
Adult film star Stormy Daniels lawyer asked a federal judge for permission to question US President Donald Trump under oath over an agreement to keep Daniels quiet before the 2016 election about their alleged sexual relationship

Adult film star Stormy Daniels lawyer asked a federal judge for permission to question US President Donald Trump under oath over an agreement to keep Daniels quiet before the 2016 election about their alleged sexual relationship.

The White House has denied that Trump had sex with Daniels. She sued Trump on 6 March saying he had not signed a $130,000 agreement for her to stay silent, so it was invalid. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, and her lawyer have also said the payment was an illegal campaign contribution.

Lawyer Michael Avenatti filed a motion in US District Court in Los Angeles asking the court to allow depositions of Trump and Trumps personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

Neither lawyers for Trump and Cohen nor the White House responded to requests for comment on Wednesday about the request for depositions.

Avenatti said in the motion that he would need no more than two hours to question Trump and Cohen. A hearing is scheduled for 30 April in federal court in Los Angeles on the matter. Avenatti also is seeking an expedited jury trial.

Avenatti said the depositions and documents were necessary to resolve whether Trump was aware of any agreement, was a party to it, or ever consented to it, as well as whether he had any relationship with Daniels.

She said they had sex once in 2006 but that they kept in touch for a period of time.

A former Playboy model Karen McDougal has described having a 10-month affair with Trump starting the same year, which the White House has said Trump denies. Trump was married to his wife Melania at the time.

In Avenattis court filing, he cited the 1997 Supreme Court case Clinton v Jones stemming from Arkansas employee Paula Jones sexual harassment suit against President Bill Clinton.

In that case, the high court ruled that a sitting president is not granted significant protection from civil litigation, paving the way for Clinton to be questioned about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

On Monday, after Daniels appeared on CBS News '60 Minutes' on Sunday night, Avenatti amended the lawsuit to claim that Cohen had defamed his client by suggesting she was a liar. Cohen said Daniels made defamatory statements about him in the TV interview.
Prime Minister Theresa May promised Britain bright prospects outside the European Union as she toured a country still profoundly divided about its future as the countdown to Brexit enters its final 12 months.

London: Prime Minister Theresa May promised Britain bright prospects outside the European Union on Thursday as she toured a country still profoundly divided about its future as the countdown to Brexit enters its final 12 months.

Britain is on course to leave the European Union at 2300 GMT on 29 March, 2019, severing ties that helped define its national identity, its laws, and its international stature over 46 years of integration with European neighbours.

The people of Britain, the worlds sixth-largest economy, caused a major global shock in 2016 by voting narrowly to quit the European Union after a fevered referendum campaign that sharpened regional divisions, pitted young against old and exposed a deep distrust between voters and the political establishment.

In the 21 months since the referendum, May, who became prime minister in the resulting political chaos, has struggled to unite the country behind a single vision of Brexit.

Voters disparate views on leaving are entrenched, and few have any certainty about Britains long-term future.

May will meet voters in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on a whirlwind tour designed as a rallying cry for the union between the four nations of the United Kingdom, and to paint a positive post-Brexit vision.

I am determined that our future will be a bright one, she said ahead of the roughly 800-mile (1,280 km) trip ending in London.

Starting her tour in Scotland, May met workers in a textile factory, focussing on the future benefits she said Brexit could bring for trade.

I believe that we can negotiate a good agreement which is tariff-free and as friction-less trade as possible, so we maintain those markets in the European Union, but also that we open up market around the rest of the world. Brexit provides us with opportunities, she told broadcasters.

The European Union maintains that by leaving its single market and customs union, Britain will be making trade more difficult.

European Union Council president Donald Tusk has remarked that any trade deal with Britain would be the first in history to loosen economic links rather than strengthen them.

Long way to go

May, 61, has 12 months to plot a successful course through difficult political and economic terrain.

Brexiteers fret that the European Union divorce is taking too long and could be reversed. Pro-European Union campaigners still push for a less radical exit or a second referendum.

A ComRes opinion poll published on Thursday showed 44 percent of people thought the governments handling of the negotiations had been a total shambles. Only 29 percent were optimistic their households would be better off after Brexit.

Britains economy has defied pre-referendum predictions of a swift plunge into recession, buoyed in part by stronger global growth. But longer term forecasts show growth grinding lower over the next five years and lagging international rivals.

At home, May only has a small majority in parliament and must find a way to corral her Conservative Party, which is still split over the best Brexit plan, into backing legislation that will prepare Britain for life outside the bloc.

That task has so far swamped her government and its administrative machine, leading to accusations she has taken the eye off the ball on domestic policy and given the socialist-led Labour Party a chance to build support ahead of a 2022 election.

In Brussels, Mays ministers have won little in the way of concessions from the European Union negotiating team, setting a difficult tone for upcoming talks on long-term trading ties - particularly when it comes to the future of Britains economic engine: its financial services sector.

But, a transitional deal that effectively keeps Britain inside the European Union single market until the end of 2020, agreed in principle last week with Brussels, has calmed anxious businesses and bought May time to work out the details of post-Brexit policy.

Among those challenges will be holding together the United Kingdom, made up of four nations which diverged at the referendum: Wales and England voted to leave the European Union, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain.

Scotland and Wales are drawing up contingency plans to protect their own interests in case they cannot reach agreement with May on how powers regained from Brussels are redistributed.

Northern Ireland is into a second year of a political crisis that has left it without a devolved administration, and the future management of its land border with European Union-member Ireland is one of the thorniest issues outstanding in talks with Brussels.

Against that backdrop, Mays tour is focussed on meeting a cross-section of voters to reassure them that she is working to tear down the barriers thrown up by the referendum, and that whether they voted leave or remain, they will be better off after Brexit.

I am determined that as we leave the European Union, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the worlds most successful union, she said in her statement.
Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was frisked at an airport in the US as he was on a private visit to that country, a US official said here on Thursday.

New Delhi: Pakistan prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was frisked at an airport in the US as he was on a private visit to that country, a US official said here on Thursday.

"My understanding is that if the head of state chooses to travel privately without diplomatic passport, then they are travelling as a private citizen, then he would have to go through the same security screening that you and I will have to go," Alexander McLaren, deputy spokesperson of the US Embassy, said during a media interaction.

"Obviously, an official visit is a different story," he said.

A video that went viral on social media showed a casually-dressed Abbasi being frisked at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York earlier this week.

He was seen putting on his belt after clearing security, picking up his coat and bag and walking away moments later.

According to Pakistani media reports, Abbasi travelled to the US to visit his ailing sister.
A fire allegedly set during an attempted jailbreak from Venezuelan police holding cells killed 68 people on Wednesday, the country's top prosecutor and an inmates' rights group said.

Caracas: A fire allegedly set during an attempted jailbreak from Venezuelan police holding cells killed 68 people on Wednesday, the country's top prosecutor and an inmates' rights group said.

The blaze at the detention facility in Carabobo state is the latest in a series of deadly incidents in Venezuela's overcrowded jails.

"In light of the terrible events that took place in the Carabobo state police headquarters, where 68 people died in a presumed fire, we have appointed four prosecutors... to clarify these dramatic events," chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab said on Twitter.

Carlos Nieto, head of Una Ventana a la Libertad (A Window on Freedom), said that "some burned to death and others asphyxiated" after setting fire to mattresses and stealing a guard's gun in an attempt to break out.

The dead included two women thought to have been visiting the jail at the time of the incident, Nieto said.

Rafael Lacava, the governor of Carabobo state, expressed his "consternation" over the events but did not provide a toll.

"A serious and profound investigation has been initiated to find the causes and those responsible for these regrettable events," he said on Twitter, expressing solidarity with relatives of those who died.

Relatives of those being kept in the detention center tried to force their way into Carabobo state police headquarters. After one officer was injured by a stone, the crowd was dispersed by police firing tear gas.

A video posted on Twitter showed dozens of people demanding information in front of police guarding the site.

"I am a desperate mother. My son has been here a week. They have not given any information," Dora Blanco told local media.

Dire prison conditions

Venezuela's prisons suffer from dire overcrowding and a shortage of basic supplies, struggling under the deepening economic crisis that is gripping the once-wealthy oil-producing country.

Because of the lack of space in penitentiaries, convicts are often sent to police holding cells like the ones in Carabobo, meant to be used as temporary pens for suspects facing charges or court hearings, where detainees are supposed to spend a maximum of 48 hours.

Nieto's association estimated that the temporary detention centers were overfilled by five times their capacity.

"All the police stations in Venezuela are facing similar or worse conditions of overcrowding, lack of food and disease," he said.

The association said 65 people died last year in the holding cells due to violence, malnutrition or tuberculosis.

Two weeks ago, 58 detainees escaped holding cells on Margarita Island, a favoured tourist spot, when a hole opened up in their facility's wall. They were all soon recaptured.

In August 2017, a riot left 37 dead and 14 wounded in police cells in the southern state of Amazonas, while an April 2017 clash between rival gangs left 12 dead and 11 injured in the Puente Ayala prison in the eastern city of Barcelona.

A month before that, the remains of 14 people were found in a mass grave in the General Penitentiary of Venezuela, in San Juan de Los Morros in the country's center.
Silverdale Baptist Academy in Chattanooga is among the 87 faith-based organizations honored today by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute as Certified Best Christian Workplaces.



These remarkable churches, parachurch ministries, Christian schools, higher education and businesses represent triple the number of Certified organizations since 2012. The increase speaks to the growing trend of ministry organizations building a healthy-to-flourishing culture which, in turn, leads to organizational impact, says BCWI President Al Lopus.

Certified status is based on the eight key benchmarks of BCWIs FLOURISH Model: fantastic teams, life-giving work, outstanding talent, uplifting growth, rewarding compensation, inspirational leadership, sustainable strategy and healthy communication.



Each of the 87 Certified Best Christian Workplaces completed BCWIs Employee Engagement Survey from July to December 2017. Overall, 58 percent were certified out of 150 organizations surveyed. Developed in 2002, the survey has been completed by more than 300,000 employees from 925 organizations, churches and Christian-owned businesses in the U.S., Australia, Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe and Central America.



"The groundbreaking online survey is the only available resource of its kind that offers a faith-based organization a true, objective quantifiable measure of its organizational health. All survey participants are ensured complete anonymity," officials said.
Lookout Valleys most recognizable citizen, Haley Forstner, celebrated her 107th birthday on Wednesday, March 28, surrounded by the friends who are her family. A previous birthday party had been held on Sunday at the Lookout Valley Presbyterian Church, organized by her pastor and adopted grandson, Grady Davidson.

As a part of the celebration, the Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR, recognized Ms. Haley as a Tennessee Treasure, a special designation created by the Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution to honor community members over the age of 90 who have made lasting contributions and improvements to their communities. Ms. Forstner was pinned by Chief John Ross Chapter Vice-Regent Linda Moss Mines, who also serves as the TSDAR Historian.



Born in 1911, Ms. Forstner voted for the first time in the 1932 presidential election and she is as actively engaged in community and world events today as she was eighty-six years ago. Until recently, Ms. Forstner drove herself on short errands throughout the valley. She credits her mental and physical agility to a life based on faith and tasty treats from Wendys.



Born on Sand Mountain, the young Haley moved, with her parents Garrett and Minnie Gass, to Chattanooga where she later attended Lookout Valley Junior High and graduated from Chattanooga High School, Class of 1930. When the Great Depression made her dreams of college impossible, Haley joined the Tennessee Valley Authority as one of their first employees and later worked at Chattanooga Medicine Company (Chattem). Widowed since 1990 when her husband, Charles, died, Mrs. Forstner remains fiercely independent and, while gentle with a soft, melodic voice, she is a strong force for good, a woman treasured by her Lookout Valley friends.



Ms. Forstner is the first woman from Southeast Tennessee to be awarded the designation, Tennessee Treasure.


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UTC made a big splash an international competition for business students and also hit a milestone for the university.At the College Finance Association Investment Research Challenge, held in Boston, UTCs five-member teamthe only all-undergraduate team in the competitionmade it into the finals in the Americas Regionals. The students are all members of the College of Business SMILE Fund.The competition matches college students from across the world against each other, all with the goal of creating the best in-depth and results-oriented research on a specific company.With information in hand, each team creates a report with a buy, sell or hold recommendation, then presents and defends its choice to a panel of industry professionals.To make it to the finals, the UTC team won the Americas Regional semifinals by beating five other colleges: University of Waterloo, Seattle University, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Brigham Young University-Idaho and California Polytechnic State University. The University of Waterloo won the America Regionals finals in 2016.This is the first time a UTC team has made it to the Americas Regional finals in the CFA regional competition. They made it to the 2017 regionals, but didnt advance.In this years Americas Regional finals, the UTC team faced Jacksonville University, Marquette University, Universidad del Pacifico and Tufts University.It was truly a team effort to make it as far as we did. As the only all-undergraduate team that made it to the final round, it was amazing. I could not be more proud of the team, says team member Shane Cortiss. It also helps us students see how much we can learn when applying everything from our classes and the SMILE Fund. It also shows we are getting a great education in the College of Business when we can compete with MBA students and beat them.The Global Finals for the CFA competition are in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and start April 27.More than 5,000 students representing over 1,000 teams from universities in more than 80 countries took part in the 2018 CFA competition. In the Americas Regional, 440 universities competed with 54 making it to the semifinals.To reach the Boston competition, the UTC team won the Greater Tennessee Regional Challenge. Seven teams were in the Tennessee Regional, including Belmont University, Eastern Tennessee State University, University of Evansville, Austin Peay State University and the University of Tennessee Challenge.
Xiaomi introduced the Mi MIX 2S, its latest flagship smartphone in the MIX series in China earlier this week. We got to check out the smartphone, here is a quick look at the phone in the form of photo gallery.

The Mi MIX 2S has 5.99-inch (2160  1080 pixels) Full HD+ 18:9 display with DCI-P3 color gamut, same as the predecessor. There is a small earpiece on the top along with an hidden ultrasonic proximity sensor. It is powered by the latest Snapdragon 845 with 6GB / 8GB RAM and runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI 9.5.

There is a 5-megapixel camera on the bottom right with support for AI portrait selfies with real-time background blur and face unlock.

The power button and the volume rockers are present on the right side and the dual SIM slot is present on the left side. At the event the company said that it will support Dual 4G VoLTE.

The primary microphone, USB Type-C port and loudspeaker grill. You can also see the antenna lines. The secondary microphone is present on the top, but the phone doesnt have an infrared sensor. It measures 150.8674.9x 8.1 mm and weighs 189 grams.

Even though the front doesnt see any change, the back is where the Mix 2S has changed a lot. It has a 12-megapixel rear camera with with 26mm wide-angle lens, 1/2.6 Sony IMX363 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, 1.4m pixel size, dual-tone LED flash, 4-axis OIS, Optical zoom, 4K video recording and secondary 12MP rear camera with 46mm telephoto lens, 1/3.4 sensor size, f/2.4 aperture, 2X zoom, AI portraits and has AI scene recognition that can detect 25 categories and 206 kinds of scenes.

It has a ceramic back and the phone also comes in Black color, in addition to White. It has a fingerprint sensor below the camera. It has a 3400mAh built-in battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging, same as the predecessor, but the company has also added 7.5W Qi wireless charging.

It is priced at 3299 yuan (US$ 527 / Rs. 34,170 approx.) for the 6GB RAM with 64GB storage version, 3599 yuan (US$ 575 / Rs. 37,280 approx.) for the 128GB version and the 8GB RAM with 256GB storage version costs 3999 yuan (US$ 639 / Rs. 41,420 approx.). The phone goes on sale in China from April 3rd, but we dont have any details about the India launch yet.

Images by Dhruv Bhutani
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Istanbul, 30 March 2018 - With the grand opening celebration between March 29th  31st, Biesse Group welcomes the brand new Biesse Istanbul Campus, a 1.500 sqm area filled with both Biesse and Technology Partners machinery ready for demostration and making it the first and only working Showroom in Wood Working Machinery Industry in Turkey.

Biesse Groups

New Showroom

Grand Opening

in Istanbul

The new showroom is an investment of over 500.000 , totaling up to 5 million  of investment for Biesse Turkey, where more than 20 state-of-the-art machines will be permanently on display with product demos, trainings and various events taking place through out the year.The new facility hosts the most cutting edge technology available for processing wood panels, solid wood and advanced materials all in one convenient location. It houses 2 sytlish meeting rooms, 1 seminar room and 1 software room where business partners and industry personnel will host workshops and trainings. Moreover, Sophia, the innovative Biesse IoT platform that will enable our customers to achieve maximum efficiency will also be on display for our visitors.

On Friday, March 30th, at 15:30, there will be the official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to which local associations, sectoral journalists, industry influencers and VIP business partners are invited. This will allow everyone to see for themselves the result of this unique investment in the area and to live the Biesse Group Experience first hand.

We are honoured and proud to inaugurate the first, only and largest working showroom and training centre in Turkey which will enable us to immediately provide our business partners with excellent local service and support. To date, we have 21 Turkish-based professionals engaged in the Service Team, capable of guaranteeing a high quality Service to our numerous customers in the region.

With this investment to open the first ever state-of-the-art showroom in Turkey, our Service Team now has, even more so, an undeniably stronger advantage compared to our competitors as it will be able to guarantee the ultimate Biesse experience and a first-class service to all of our customers. said Federico Broccoli, Biesse Group Subsidiaries Division Director.We invite everyone to see first hand the result of our significant investment, demonstrating our group's commitment towards our business partners and their satisfaction. Mr.Broccoli added that, Due to the strategic location and promising potential of Turkeys wood working industry, Biesse Group will continue to invest in the business and plan for further growth through the new Showroom that will have positive effects on its sales and marketing strategies.

For more information, please contact: serav.altinok@biesse.com
Breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant First Watch on Thursday announced that it will open its second Chattanooga-area First Watch eatery on Monday at 300 Cherokee Blvd. The new eatery will be the seventh First Watch location opened by Capstone Concepts, a Knoxville-based franchise group that currently owns and operates First Watch restaurants in Knoxville, Johnson City and Chattanooga in addition to two Mr. Gattis Pizza restaurants and one The Egg & I restaurant in Knoxville.

In conjunction with the opening, First Watch will donate all money raised from a pre-opening event to Northside Neighborhood House in an effort to help promote the independents of residents north of the river by providing a hand up through education and assistance.

We have had our eye on the Northshore market for quite some time and could not be more excited about how this has turned out, said James Geib, chief operating officer for Capstone Concepts, LLC. We know this is a tight knit community, and we love having the opportunity to become a part of what is going on here.

He said, "First Watchs curated menu takes an elevated approach to traditional and innovative offerings made to order using farm fresh ingredients. It includes crave-able items such as Avocado Toast, Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The new restaurant will offer healthy, flavorful favorites like house-made granola and pico de gallo, organic greens, house-roasted vegetables and cage-free eggs as well as more indulgent, traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch offerings."

The new First Watch will also serve the restaurants new Project Sunrise coffee, grown by an independent group of female farmers in Huila, Colombia, called Mujeres en Cafe. The restaurant will also offer options from its Juice Bar  including the best-selling Kale Tonic  juiced in-house daily using only the highest quality fruits and vegetables.



First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The restaurant also offers customers complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access.
Uber Technologies has reportedly settled with the family of the woman killed in an autonomous vehicle accident earlier this month.

Cristina Perez Hesano, an attorney in Glendale, Ariz., told Reuters that the matter has been resolved with Elaine Herzbergs daughter and husband.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The report did not identify the family members, but the law firm representing them said there will be no further comment.

Uber did not immediately respond to Fox News for comment.

On the night of March 18 an Uber autonomous Volvo SUV struck and killed the 49-year-old, who was walking a bicycle across a darkened boulevard in Tempe, near Phoenix.

Experts have told The Associated Press that the SUVs laser and radar sensors should have spotted Herzberg, and the vehicle should have stopped. In addition, the SUVs human backup driver appeared to be looking down before the crash and had a stunned look when it happened, according to dash camera video released by police.

Immediately after the crash, Uber voluntarily suspended its autonomous vehicle testing in Arizona, as well as California, Pittsburgh and Toronto. The company said in a statement that it decided not to reapply for the California permit with the understanding that our self-driving vehicles would not operate in the state in the immediate future.

The Uber crash is being investigated by Tempe police, as well as the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It has caused angst across the tech and auto businesses, with companies such as Toyota and NVIDIA suspending their autonomous vehicle tests on public roads. NVIDIAs fleet is small in California.

John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo, which is Googles self-driving car unit, has expressed confidence in his companys system and its ability to interact with pedestrians.

Mobileye, an Israeli unit of Intel that makes software brains that interpret what sensors are seeing, has called for the industry to discuss a framework to validate the safety of autonomous vehicles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Tobias Menzies will officially replace Matt Smith on Netflixs The Crown in Season 3 as Prince Philip following controversy about the latter stars pay.

Deadline reports that the former Game of Thrones actor has closed a deal to appear in the next season of the show. Avengers star Paul Bettany was reportedly in talks, but had to abdicate the role for unspecified reasons.

The role, which has been played by Smith in the past, was always designed to include a new actor. Creator Peter Morgan told the outlet that the casting chances were always planned in an effort to show the characters as they aged in different periods of their lives. However, the role has been maligned lately when it was revealed that Smith was paid significantly more than his co star, Claire Foy.

Menzies is expected to begin filming in the U.K. this summer. Fans of the HBO hit may remember him as Edmure Tully. Hes also had sizeable roles on Rome as well as Outlander.
Just five months after comedian Chelsea Handler ended her Netflix talk show to focus on activism, shes returning to show business at NBC.

The network has reportedly given the star a first-look deal that will allow her to create and develop both scripted and unscripted programming for NBC Universal Television. The contract will last for multiple years, giving her time to develop new content in addition to the slew of new shows that shes already hard at work on.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Handler i s currently acting as an executive producer for the comedy/drama Unspeakable for Hulu. In addition, shes developing I Hate the Internet for TNT and also maintains her relationship with Netflix, reportedly working on an upcoming docuseries exploring the notion of white privilege.

As previously reported, Handlers Netflix talk show ended a rocky run in 2017 after just two seasons. At the time, the star said that she was stepping away from the project in an effort to commit herself to focusing on activism. However, it seems that only lasted about five months.

Chelsea's singular voice has long stood out among a crowded TV landscape, and we're excited that she is bringing her unbridled creativity and energy to our studio," Universal Television president Pearlena Igbokwe said in a press statement. "We look forward to the many projects to come with Chelsea's signature flair."

Chelsea has the rare ability of making you truly think while making you laugh, added Meredith Ahr, president of Universal Television Alternative Studio. She is bursting with ideas, and we cant wait to tap into the unscripted side of Chelseas imagination.

Handlers deal with NBC marks her return to the company after more than four years away. Prior to her run at Netflix, the star ran an incredibly successful E! series, Chelsea Lately.

Ive spent most of my life telling personal stories about myself. Whether its been through comedy or books, everything has been about my life, Handler said in a statement. Im excited to have this opportunity to work with NBCUniversal and put my focus and energy into telling other peoples stories and developing entertaining content all around.
Heather Locklear has reportedly returned home from rehab and is back together with her boyfriend Chris Heisser after the former "Melrose Place" star was arrested on a domestic violence charge in February involving Heisser.

"They are like oil and water, fighting nonstop," a source close to Locklear told ETonline.com.

The source continued, "Her family wants to see her focus on her health and sobriety and once that's in place, she can then start fresh with a new man. Right now, Heather is sober and she is in therapy. She is taking it one day at a time."

Locklear was arrested on February 25 and charged with domestic violence, which is a felony, and three counts of battery against an officer.

Locklear, 56, told deputies she would "shoot them if they ever came to her house again." However, police did not find the gun registered in Locklear's name at her residence.

Sheriff's Capt. Garo Kuredjian told Fox News at the time of the actress' arrest that the alleged victim of the domestic violence count was Locklear's boyfriend.

Heisser, 56, was arrested a day after Locklear  California Highway Patrol pulled him over for speeding and he blew a .19 and a .20 when given a field sobriety test, according to TMZ.

In 2011, Heisser was convicted of theft and fraud and served two years in prison, The New York Post reported.

The former "Melrose Place" star has struggled with substance abuse in the past and most recently entered rehab last year.

She was arrested in 2008 on suspicion of driving under the influence but the charges were later dismissed. She was sentenced to three years of informal probation and ordered to pay a $700 fine and take a driver safety class.

In the same year, authorities were called to Locklear's home following a 911 call from her doctor, who feared she overdosed on prescription medication but the warning turned out to be a false alarm.

According to TMZ, police went to the home of Locklear's then-boyfriend Jack Wagner in 2011 after a fight turned physical between the couple. A law enforcement source told TMZ at the time that Locklear "lost it on him and he retaliated."

Locklear's troubles continued in 2012 when her sister called 911 after fearing Locklear "was going to harm herself."

TMZ reported at the time that the actress had ingested a "dangerous mix" of a prescription drug, said to be Xanax, and alcohol.
The Chickamauga Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) has won first place in the Tennessee State DAR competition of the societys annual American Heritage Contest. The first-place award is in the Needlework category and will advance to the national contest. The American Heritage Competition was established by the NSDAR to preserve Americas rich heritage in the fields of art and sculpture, crafts, drama and literature, fiber arts, and music.

Chapter Chairman of the American Heritage Committee, Tamara D. Davenport, reports that their first-place entry, Flower Power, is a collaborative design of wearable art: a silk duster, appliqued with miniature paintings of each state flower on faille silk and worn over a complementary silk dress. As the project advances to the national level, the Chattanooga community and DAR chapters throughout Tennessee are hopeful that this museum quality piece brings home national first place recognition!

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), a society of women who are direct descendants of Revolutionary War patriots, supports Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism. The Chickamauga Chapter, organized in 1895, was the first DAR chapter in Chattanooga.
Kathy Griffin is returning to television and taking on one of her most political roles yet.

On April 3, Griffin will portray President Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway on the Comedy Central series The President Show."

The comedian made the announcement via Twitter on Thursday afternoon.

The President Show is a sketch series where Anthony Atamanuik, who plays President Trump, hosts his own satirical version of a late-night show from a makeshift Oval Office.

Griffin's appearance will be the comedian's first time back on television since last May, when the star posed in a controversial photograph of her holding a bloodied version of Trumps head.

After the gory photo was released and the image went viral, Griffin faced public backlash for the stunt and later apologized in a video which she shared on Twitter, insisting she went way too far.

In the video, Griffin said, "Hey, everybody, it's me, Kathy Griffin. I sincerely apologize. I am just now seeing the reaction to these images. I'm a comic. I crossed the line. I move the line. Then I cross it. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people. It wasn't funny."

But Griffin's sorry didn't last too long. Several months later, the comedian retracted her apology in an interview with Australia's "Sunrise."

"I am no longer sorry, the whole outrage was B.S., the whole thing got so blown out of proportion and I lost everybody," Griffin said. "Like, I had Chelsea Clinton tweeting against me. I had friends, Debra Messing from 'Will and Grace,' tweeting against me. I mean, I lost everybody."

Almost a year after the incident, Griffin is taking strides forward working on her North American tour and has plans to attend the White House Correspondents Dinner, according to The New York Times. But the comedian still refuses to shy away from politics despite her past controversy.

I am kicking the hornets nest, as much as I can, Ms. Griffin told the Times. I think its important to lean into the controversy because I know so much more about it now. I think now enough time has passed where people are starting to see the ridiculousness of what happened to me, and theyre seeing other people that Trump has done it [too].
Sarah Jessica Parker is speaking out about her former Sex and the City co-star running for New York governor. Although the 53-year-old actress dragged her feet, she's officially endorsed Cynthia Nixon's campaign.

Initially, Parker told the New York Posts Page Six she wants to learn more about her TV pals campaign.

Cynthia has been my friend and colleague since we were little girls. I look forward to talking to her about her New York state gubernatorial bid, she said in a statement.

Nixon is going up against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

Nixon said recently she had the support of all of her former co-stars from the sex-filled HBO show, but many took Parker's statement as noncommittal. However, on Thursday, Parker took to Instagram to give her full support to Nixon's run.

"A mother, an activist, an advocate, a fighter, a NY'er, a dear friend," Parker wrote in the caption to a picture of Nixon. "Running for Governor of our great state. My sister on and off screen, you have my love, support and vote."

Nixon, 51, said fans of the show have been very excited about her political run.

Im grateful for all of the support Ive received from my Sex and the City community, Nixon said, according to People. We worked on an incredible series for many years together, and my colleagues ongoing support for my years of activism, and now my campaign, means a lot to me.

Kristin Davis, who played Charlotte on the show, was direct in her endorsement of Nixon.

She tweeted after Nixon revealed she was running, I am so proud of @cynthiaNixon, no one cares more than she does about EVERY person getting a fair change and a good education. I know she would be an excellent Governor!

Meanwhile, Kim Cattrall, who has had some drama with Parker in recent months, was less enthusiastic.

She wrote on social media, I support & respect any former colleagues right to make their own career choices.

While Nixon has strong political connections and name recognition in the city that was the backdrop for her Emmy Award-winning role as lawyer Miranda Hobbes in the HBO comedy "Sex and the City," her star power among upstate voters is less certain.

Nixon, a Manhattan mother of three, is a longtime advocate for fairness in public school funding and fervent supporter of Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has frequently clashed with Cuomo on a range of issues. Her campaign video showed her with her young son Max as she talks about being a proud public school parent.

New York is my home. Ive never lived anywhere else, Nixon said in the video. New York is where I was raised and where Im raising my kids. Im a proud public school graduate and a prouder public school parent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


As beautiful young co-stars in the long-running, Superman-prequel TV series Smallville, their biggest problem was dealing with their odd young pal, Clark Kent.

Then Kristin Kreuk and Allison Mack signed up for an upstate seminar run by self-help guru Keith Raniere, and they met a real-life super villain.

Raniere was arrested while on the lam in his $10,000-a-week Mexican villa this week, charged by federal prosecutors with running a violent sex-slave cult called NXIVM (pronounced nexium).

Brunette Kreuk, who portrayed the young Supermans love interest, Lana Lang, signed up, but got out before female acolytes began getting forcibly branded with cauterizing pens.

Kreuk had come first, sometime around late 2005, early 2006, said Frank Parlato, who first broke the story, in June, of women being forcibly branded as part of the NXIVM sorority.

Kreuk brought in Allison soon afterward, said Parlato, who worked as the groups publicist in 2007 and 2008.

Mack played Clark Kents starry-eyed blond pursuer, Chloe Sullivan.

Lana and Chloe went from starring in the popular, sugar sweet CW series to starring as Ranieres top sex-slave recruiters, said Parlato.

Allison was used, as was Kristen, as a lure to bring in other women because of their celebrity status, he said.

Kreuk severed ties with the group in 2012, soon after the Albany Times Union wrote of allegations that Raniere had sex with underage girls.

But Mack stayed on and, according to Parlato, helped come up with the idea of sizzling the brand into initiates skin, near their groins, as they were held down. About 2-by-2-inches, the mark combined Ranieres initials, KR, with Macks, AM.

Kreuk was also in the inner circle, but branding was a later addition to Ranieres abuse of women, Parlato said.

An emaciated and frenzied-looking Mack can be seen in cellphone footage, obtained by Parlato, of Ranieres arrest.

Allison Mack expected to be arrested next, he wrote Tuesday in artvoice.com, saying she is an unnamed co-conspirator in the Raniere case.

She started as a slave and she became a slave master, Parlato claims. Her nickname among defectors is Pimp Mack.

Spokespeople for Kreuk and Mack did not respond to requests for comment.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post.
Steve Zahn says hes best-known for his reliably goofy roles in films like That Thing You Do! and Saving Silverman, but hes taking on a more serious gig for ABCs upcoming drama The Crossing.

The show is about refugees from the future that turn up in a small town of Port Canaan, Oregon.

Zahn, 50, takes on the role of Sheriff Jude Ellis.

The star said getting offered a more serious character is something thats finally come his way as hes gotten older in show business.

When I was younger you get pigeonholed in parts, which is understandable You dont look any different and youre still the stoner [character], he told reporters at the Television Critics Associations Winter Press Tour. But as you age and you get older in the business it becomes more interesting.

He said when he was offered the role of the town sheriff he thought, Oh I reached that point [in my career now].

When he isnt filming the series in Vancouver, Zahn is rarely in Los Angeles. He lives on a farm outside of Midway, Kentucky, where he raises children. He also owns a cabin in Minnesota.

He said he spends his free time in a tractor.

For me, its just where I want to live, he said of Kentucky. I like it dark at night.

I never wanted the business to dictate my life. Im sure Ive sacrificed and missed out on a lot of stuff, but I dont know what that stuff is, so I just raised kids, and I wanted to be around for that. And now theyre about the venture off into their own worlds in a couple years and then Ill go back to theater [and other roles]. I didnt do those jobs because of the commitment.

He said spending time in Kentucky and in Minnesota, where he grew up, has allowed him to separate his work life from his personal life.

I think its important [to be in touch with those parts of America], he said. I go away from work, I punch out, and I just go back to a normal, regular life where its not [work].

Zahn added that a lot of people who live in Los Angeles and other big cities spend time networking when they arent working, and thats just not for him. He prefers to disconnect and be with his family.

I came from the farm to here yesterday and it was a shock, he said of California.

Zahn is excited to the show air on the small screen.

He said he generally prefers Western scripts, and he isnt attracted to high-concept sci-fi, but he thinks The Crossing is a great mix of drama with a touch of sci-fi thrown in.

When I read this script it was a small town and thats what I loved about this script.

The Crossing premieres on ABC on April 2.
Ever since Walt Disney cast Bobby Driscol to star in The Song of the South waaay back in 1946, the studios roster of juvenile talent has always had an unusual knack for getting into trouble. Whether it was bitter rivalries, nude photo scandals, drugs, homelessnessor just being a plain, big ol mess, the Disney kids have seen and done it all. Here are some of the big scandals that made Mickey Mouse blush:

1. Bobby Driscol

A prolific child actor, Bobby Driscol was considered Disneys first child star and headlined classics like Treasure Island and Peter Pan. He even received a Juvenile Oscar in 1950 for an outstanding performance in feature films. By the mid-'50s, Bobby had become addicted to drugs and his contract with Disney was terminated. In 1956, he was arrested on a felony narcotic charge. "I was 17 when I first experimented with the stuff, Bobby explained to the LA Times. In no time I was using whatever was available... mostly heroin, because I had the money to pay for it. He was found dead at the age of 31 in an abandoned apartment building on New Yorks Lower East Side in 1968. Bobbys body wasnt claimed for almost two years.

2. Annette Funicello

Annette Funicello was actually a good girl in a body born to be bad. Viewers across America instantly fell in love with the Italian-American tween, whose obvious onset of puberty troubled Walt Disneyand delighted countless teen-age boys. Well past the age of consent, Walt Disney insisted that Annette cover up her navel in 1963s Beach Party, wearing what may be the most modest two-piece ever designed. By 1964s Muscle Beach Party, Annette had thrown caution to the wind, her belly button finally liberated for the world to see.

3. Johnny Crawford

While Annette may have been forced to keep her not-so-naughty bits covered-up by Uncle Walt, another original Mouseketeer, Johnny Crawford, had no qualms about taking it ALL off in front of the cameras in the 1973 quasi-porn flick, The Naked Ape. Produced by Hugh Hefner and co-starring Victoria Principal, The Naked Ape is described by Turner Classic Movies as the evolution of mankind, with a primary focus on sexuality examined through various stories, sketches, and animated sequences. Johnny also holds the dubious honor of being the first man to be appear 100 percent buck-naked in Playboy magazine.

4. Monet Monico



With a promising singing career and stints on The Suite Life with Zach and Cody, teenaged Monet Monico appeared to be living the Disney dream. But by her 21st birthday, Monet had become a homeless heroin addict. Youre living in a park, bathing in a public bathroom, Dr. Phil chided her during an appearance on his show. But Monet was unmoved. All I care about is getting high. Monets mother, who hadnt seen her in six months, broke down in tears as she watched a videotape of her daughter smoking and shooting up heroin in the backseat of a car.

5. Lindsay Lohan

Once one of the brightest stars to ever come out of the Disney roster, Lindsay Lohan has spent much of the past decade in and out of jail, rehab, and bad movies. With at least six mug shots to her credit, and hoping to get her life back on track, the Mean Girls star has finallydesperatelyreached out to Oprah Winfrey for help. But even Oprah has her limits. You need to cut the bullsh-t, you really do, Oprah told a drawn-looking Lindsay after she failed to cooperate with the documentarys production crew. Just cut the f--king bullsh-t.

6. Joe Jonas

Taylor Swift has (allegedly) written at least three songs about Joe Jonas caddish behavior, but thats the least worrisome of his misdeeds. He ratted-- or moused-- out fellow Disney stars Demi Lavato and Miley Cyrus for smoking marijuana with him when he was 17 or 18. Joe made the pot-puffing declaration in an interview with New York magazine, where he also blamed the Disney marketing machine for insisting on perfection and purity. We didnt want to disappoint anyoneour parents, our fans, our employersso we put incredible pressure on ourselves, the kind of pressure that no teenager should be under.

7. Demi Lovato

One of Disneys busiest stars, Demi Lovato starred in both Camp Rock and her own sitcom, Sunny with a Chance, and has sold over 8 million albums worldwide. Yet in 2010, she withdrew from her tour with the Jonas Brothers, citing physical and emotional issues. She later admitted to a host of problems, including bulimia, cutting, self-medicating, and a nervous breakdown. But Demi, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has rebounded nicely. Since getting treatment, she landed a gig as a contributing editor of Seventeen and served as a judge on X Factor."

8. Dylan Sprouse

Dylan Sprouse, a self-described laid-back kind of guy, went from being best known as one half of the towheaded twin tweens on the wildly popular Suite Life of Zack and Cody, to nude selfie king overnight. But Dylan took the scandal in stride, tweeting fans, Whoops, guess Im not 14 and fat anymore. Dylan, whose Twitter bio notes that hes a child actor who didn't do meth and a n00d pic dealer, quickly apologized for his overexposure back in December. I messed upbut Id be a fool not to own up to it.

9. Miley Cyrus

In previous years, we have seen Miley Cyrus pose topless for Terry Richardson, smoke salvia on videotape and shamelessly twerk on Robin Thicke. But back in 2008, when she was just 15 and at the height of her Hanna Montana fame, Miley told Barbara Walters that she would avoid the same troubles that had plagued fellow mousers Lindsay, Britney Spears and her sister, Jamie-Lynn. I feel pretty confident that I wont end up like that, Miley declared. I can go out there and be more a light to them and make them want to live the way that I long to live. We see how that worked out for her.
Millennials, or guacamole lovers, may not like what Chip Gaines has to say.

Beloved Fixer Upper patriarch Chip Gaines has sparked a debate on social media over millennial superfood, avocado toast. Apparently, hes not a fan of the snack. An opinion he made known on the second-to-last episode of Fixer Upper.

Thats disgusting, babe. Nobody wants avocado on their toast, Chip says at breakfast with Joanna.

Joanna, an apparent advocate of the food, responds Im done, before leaving Chip to finish his pancakes  and her leftover bacon.

JOANNA GAINES REOPENS FIRST-EVER HOME GOODS SHOP

But the conversation did not end there. As the couple forged ahead with construction on their now-finished restaurant, Magnolia Table, Chip polled the public with the eaterys marquee:

Avocado toast? Honk once for yes, twice for no.

After the episode aired, those on social media weighed in on the matter, choosing either Chip or Jo.

If you want avocado on your toast youre not welcome! Im actually Chip Gaines, an anti-avocado toast Twitter user wrote.

I love Chip's use of the marquee sign to ask if people want avocado toast. #FixerUpper ...I'd vote no, another person against the fatty fruit tweeted.

While one pro-avocado user wrote, #AvocadoToast is a food group in heaven.

And another backed her up, writing, LOVE avocado toast!! Sorry Chip.

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Avocado toast enthusiasts can rejoice, though.

Avocado toast made it on the final Magnolia Table menu. The brunch item is made with wheat-berry toast and garlic aioli, fresh avocado and topped with red pepper flakes, salt and a lemon wedge on the side, along with a micro greens salad.
What a saucy mess.

Two New Jersey police officers have been suspended without pay after roughhousing a Domino's manager because their pizza didnt get delivered on time.

On March 28, Jersey City Police Officers Rodney Clark and Courtney Solomon placed an online complaint to the Communipaw Avenue Dominos location over a delivery issue, The Jersey Journal reports. According to the outlet, the officers marched into the restaurant in uniform, and one pushed manager Mena Kirolos up against a wall  an altercation Kirolos claims was sparked because of a missed pizza delivery that evening.

FIGHT BREAKS OUT BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AT WENDY'S IN MILWAUKEE: 'IT WAS WILD IN THERE'

Kirolos told NBC 4 that when the driver arrived to deliver the order, his calls were not answered by Clark and Solomon. Shortly after, one of the officers called Kirolos, upset over the missed order.

He said he was coming to my store, so I waited 10, 15 minutes, no one showed up, he said.

Soon after, the pair marched into the pizza chain in uniform, pushed manager Kirolos up against a wall, and questioned why their pizza had not been delivered, according to video footage recorded by Dominos employees.

Kirolos claims that one of the officers told him Ill lock you up, as the footage shows the manager holding his hands up, saying, Please do it!

TORONTO CHEF ANGERS ANIMAL RIGHTS PROTESTERS BY BUTCHERING MEAT IN RESTAURANT'S WINDOW

I am trying to have a conversation with you, the calmer of the two police officers states while trying to separate the men, suggesting that the three of them go outside to have a friendly conversation. Initially refusing, the manager joins the two officers as they walk out of the Dominos to convene outside.

(I was thinking) What can I do?, Kirolos recalled. Hes a police officer. I cant do anything back.

"We confront customers every day who fight with us, but he's using his police powers," Dominos employee and witness Marina Elsamina told the Journal of the altercation. She added that Kirolos later called 911 and the officers left.

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Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez further confirmed to the Journal that both Clark and Solomon are being charged with disorderly conduct, harassment and making terroristic threats. Both officers, who joined the force in 2015, are now due to appear in court regarding the charges on April 10.

"The prosecutor's office will fully investigate the allegations against these officers and prosecute in accordance with the law to ensure that justice is served," Suarez said. "Officers who abuse their power and break the law must be held accountable for their actions."

For his part, Kirolos is already moving forward.

I dont like being cursed at, being touched. I only demanded an apology, he said. Thats it.

The Jersey City Police Department and Dominos did not immediately return Fox News request for comment.
The state of Colorado has seen whats been described as an unprecedented increase in rabid skunks.

So far in 2018, 23 skunks have tested positive for rabies across El Paso County, with similar problems elsewhere in the state, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported.

Denver has seen 45 rabid skunks this year, the newspaper reported.

It's kind of a cyclic thing that occurs; we happen to be in an up-cycle," Robyn Weber, an El Paso County Public Health epidemiologist, told the newspaper. One of the big concerns is that we have a lot of people and a lot of pets in these areas where we're testing positive.

Warmer-than-average winter weather and a rising skunk population in the state are considered to be factors, state and county health officials say.

They advise pet owners to vaccinate their animals and to report any encounters with creatures that might be rabid.

The spread of rabies has arrived ahead of Colorados typical rabies season, which runs from April through October  when bats travel to the state from Central America.

Click here for more from the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Madden Humphreys and his newly-adopted rescue cat, Moon, were destined to be friends. The cat, which has the same rare eye condition and a cleft lip just like Humphreys, is a source of comfort for the 7-year-old boy who lives "in a world full of bullies."

Humphreys' mom, Christina, said classmates frequently pointed out his cleft palate and heterochromia iridum -- a rare condition that causes the iris to be multicolored, which Christina says affects just one percent of the world's population. When she found out a bully on the school bus was poking fun of him last year, she took action.

"The only thing we can do is try to change our perception on bullies, and try to change the way it affects us," Christina told her son. "Unfortunately, there will probably always be an unkind person that well encounter. It will always sting and hurt, but we cant control other peoples behavior, so we will just try our best to change our own mindset."

She encouraged him to create a video to explain his unique qualities and remind friends to be kind. The June 2017 video was popular, garnering more than 220,000 views and 3,500 shares. Humphreys was happy to make a difference. But Christina still wasn't convinced her son was back to his normal, spunky self.

So when she heard a kitten with a cleft palate and two different colored eyes was up for adoption last week, she knew the animal had to be part of their family.

"Funny how a pet can make you feel less alone," Christina wrote in a post for blogging site Love What Matters, explaining she heard about the cat on a Facebook support group for cleft lips. "Moon helps Madden realize that being born unique is an incredible thing; that he is magic."

With financial help from friends, the Oklahoma family took a roadtrip to Minnesota over the weekend to pick the kitten up from a rescue group.

"Were usually not spontaneous people, but we knew that we were meant to love this kitty," Christina said. "Moon, the kitty, and Madden are the perfect companions for each other."

The pair has been inseparable ever since.

"Funny how a pet can make you feel less alone."  Christina Humphries

"It sounds silly, but fate willed these two together. Theres no other explanation," Christina said. "Everyone needs a friend, and everyone needs to feel understood. Im so thankful Madden has Moon."

Love What Matters shared Humphreys' story on Facebook Tuesday, receiving more than 25,000 likes on the post and thousands of comments.

"I see no reason why anyone would bully Madden because of his eyes, in my opinion his eyes are unique and absolutely beautiful," one Facebook user commented. "I believe his confidence will soar as he grows up and more and more people will appreciate and compliment his eyes."

"Be proud to be part of the 1% - and blue/green combo is the most unusual," a woman with heterochromia iridum wrote. "When I was your age I didn't appreciate the attention - but people remember you!"

"My son with autism (9 years old) looked at the photos, smiled widely and said: 'See, wonders do exist,'" another added.

Christina said she never expected her son's story to go viral, but now she's hoping to keep the trend going by starting an Instagram for the best friends called "Madden and Moon."

"It started out as fun for the family and friends who knew Maddens story, but if it can raise awareness for clefts, and maybe even spread a bit of kindness and positivity, we think thats a good thing," she told Fox News.
A man in need of a kidney may find a new organ thanks to a recent shopping trip to Costco, Yahoo Lifestyle is reporting.

Robert Duran, who has been looking for a donor for the last four years, was wearing a T-shirt that read "Kidney donor needed. Type B+. Ask me how  and now a curious teenager has taken up his cause.

An 18-year-old girl saw him in the pet food aisle at the Costco in Phoenix, Ariz. and is helping him crowdsource an organ through social media.

NEW JERSEY MAN RECEIVES KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AFTER VIRAL

T-SHIRT PLEA

The teenager posted photos of Duran and tweeted about how they met and his story. She wrote in her post, Please do me a favor and RT this, she urged. For more info about him DM me.

As a result of the teens efforts, 150 people replied within one day, identifying themselves as having a B positive blood type and willing to determine if theyre a match.

The girl has been able to screen and pull together those who seem legitimately interested, and is in touch with them privately.

FORMER YANKEES GM REFUSES KIDNEY DONATION OFFERS FROM HIS CHILDREN

Others in recent years have taken to social media to find organ donors. Jennen Johnson, a 42-year-old mother who advertised for a kidney transplant on Facebook, succeeed in her quest.

Johnsons case got the attention of the National Kidney Foundation. We want people to consider social media as another option, in addition to getting on the donor list, the foundation's Vice President Jen Martin told Yahoo Lifestyle.

As for Duran's case, the 18-year-old Good Samaritan is encouraging people who may not be a match, but want to help, to visit a gofundme page she created to help with his medical expenses and dialysis treatment.
A massive crowd filled Bridgestone Arena Wednesday night to catch Demi Lovato on her Tell Me You Love Me North American tour. Supporting artists Kehlani and DJ Khaled warmed up the fans leading into the 18-song headlining set.

Kehlani kicked things off with a thirty minute performance of hip hop and R&B. After a short intermission, DJ Khaled turned things up a notch, bringing the entire arena to its feet.



Most DJ warmup acts seem to fall short, but Khaled engaged his fans for nearly an hour. Half disc-jockey, half motivational speaker, DJ Khaled split his time speaking from the heart and encouraging the crowd and sampling pop radio hits. He told the Nashville crowd his goal was to be there, representing love, peace and unity.



Lovatos stage entrance was fitting for a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum diva. She dramatically rose from below the stage into the spotlight singing her powerful ballad You Dont Do It For Me Anymore.



The energetic crowd, mostly younger females, was piercingly loud, especially after the announcement that the concert was being filmed.



The stage setup was sparse compared to other pop tours, lacking most of the props and elaborate lighting seen at other shows. However, Lovato and her scantily-clad backup dancers made up for it.



Transforming from a childhood Disney star into seductive pop queen isnt a new twist. Weve seen it with Britney, Miley, and now Demi. In fact, her set was full of suggestive and seductive material throughout the night, some of which probably left a few parents feeling awkward. Lovatos racy Cool For The Summer went over the top, featuring Lovato and her dancing troupe grinding and touching each other while simulating sex acts.



While Lovatos set was heavily sexualized, she took moments to share her stories of battling social stigmas and pressure. The 25 year-old has faced her own demons while climbing the ladder to stardom, but is now six years sober. Lovato has became an icon of empowerment and inspiration.



Lovatos North American tour was announced following the release of her most recent album, Tell Me You Love Me, and has been selling out large venues across the country in support of her sixth studio album. With just three more U.S. dates left, Lovato will be taking her tour to South America and then Europe later in the year.


Twin brothers in Michigan had an unexpected surprise on Tuesday when both of their wives gave birth on the same day.

Joshua Thorington and his wife, Denise, welcomed a baby boy named Jack at 4:18 a.m. on March 27. Just an hour later, WPBN reported, Justin Thorington and his wife, Alex, arrived at the same hospital -- Munson Medical Center in Traverse City -- because she was in labor.

After the couple announced Jack had been born, family members starting asking when they could come see the newborn. Everyone except for Alex and Justin, that is.

We didnt hear from them [Alex and Justin] right away so I thought something was up," Joshua told Fox News on Friday.

Thats when Joshuas brother, Justin, told him that his wife Alex was in labor. Just before midnight that same day, Alex gave birth to a baby girl named Lucy.

It was kind of destined to be, Joshua told WPBN.

Initially, the babies were due roughly two weeks apart from each other, Joshua said. The entire pregnancy we joked about how it could happen."

Both families are ecstatic the cousins will now share the same birthday.

Its been crazy how much attention is been getting. At first it didnt really hit me how unique this was, (maybe because Im a twin), but the more I think about it the more I realize how special it is, Justin told Fox News.

The aspect that Justin thinks is the most special, he said, is that Lucy and Jack will always have someone in life to have fun with, and someone that can be there to lean on or provide support to through difficult times. They will always have a friend.

Lisa Thorington, Joshua and Justins mother, told Fox News the family is over the top about the births.

The twins are extremely close so on some level it just makes perfect sense, she said.

Justin said he's thankful the two couples will have each other to go through this experience as parents together and learn from each other."

"I think it will bring us even closer together," he added.
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Georgia lawmakers are investigating what they call systematic bias against conservative and Christian students at Kennesaw State University.

They are threatened. They are retaliated against all because of their viewpoint, State. Rep. Earl Ehrhart said Wednesday on the Todd Starnes Radio Show.

The taxpayer-funded university is already facing two federal lawsuits alleging bias against conservatives.

Its a scary thing on campuses today, the state lawmaker told Starnes.

He went on to say that some students were forced as a condition of their grades to confess their white privilege in a video.

Click for more from ToddStarnes.com.
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What is the connection between personal freedom and rising from the dead?

When America was in its infancy and struggling to find a culture and frustrated at governance from Great Britain, the word most frequently uttered in speeches and pamphlets and editorials was not safety or taxes or peace; it was freedom. Two acts of Parliament assaulted freedom and broke the bonds with the mother country irreparably.

The first was the Stamp Act, which was enforced by British soldiers, who used general warrants issued by a secret court in London to rummage through the personal possessions of any colonists they chose, ostensibly looking to see whether they had purchased the governments stamps.

These general warrants, like the ones the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court issues in America today, did not specifically describe the place to be searched or the person or thing to be seized -- which our Constitution requires. Rather, they granted authority for the bearer to search wherever he pleased and seize whatever he wanted -- as FISC warrants do today, in contravention of our Constitution.

The second intolerable act was the imposition of a tax to pay for the Church of England, which all adult male property-owning colonists were forced to pay, no matter their religious beliefs.

The Stamp Act assaulted the right to be left alone in the home, and the Church of England tax assaulted the free exercise of religion. These two laws caused many colonists to realize they needed to secede from Great Britain and form their own country, in which freedom would be protected by the government, not assaulted by it.

They did that, of course, yet today the loss of freedom still comes in many forms.

Sometimes it is direct, as when Congress tells us how to live and the courts permit it to do so. Sometimes it is subtle, as when the government borrows or prints money to pay its bills and, as a result, all the money and assets we already have lose much of their value and our descendants will be taxed to repay the loans. Sometimes the government lies about its assaults, as when the National Security Agency reads our email and text messages and listens to our phone calls without a search warrant based on constitutional norms and denies it.

Freedom is the ability of every person to exercise free will without a government permission slip or watchdog. Free will is a natural characteristic we share in common with God. He created us in His image and likeness. As He is perfectly free, so are we.

When the government takes away free will, whether by fiat or by majority vote, it steals a gift we received from God; it violates the natural law; it prevents us from having and utilizing the means to seek the truth. Because the exercise of free will to seek the truth is a natural right, the only time it is moral for the government to interfere with it is when one has been fairly convicted by a jury of using fraud or force to interfere with the exercise of someone elses natural rights.

We know, from events 2,000 years ago that Christians commemorate this week, that freedom is the essential means to discover and unite with the truth. To Christians, the personification, the incarnation and the perfect manifestation of truth is Jesus -- who is the Christ, the Son of God and the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On the first Holy Thursday, Jesus attended a traditional Jewish Passover Seder. Catholics believe that at His last supper, Jesus performed two miracles so that we could stay united to Him. He transformed ordinary bread and wine into His own body, blood, soul and divinity, and He empowered His disciples and their successors to do the same.

On the first Good Friday, the Roman government executed Jesus because it was convinced that by claiming to be the Son of God, He might foment a revolution. He did foment a revolution, but it was in the hearts and minds of men and women. The Roman government had not heard of a revolution of hearts and minds, so when it crucified Him, it thought it had triumphed over Him.

Jesus had the freedom to reject this horrific event, but He exercised His free will to accept it so that we might know the truth. The truth is that He would rise from the dead.

On Easter, three days after He died, He did rise from the dead. By doing that, He demonstrated to us that while living, we can liberate our souls from the slavery of sin and our free will from the oppression of the government. And after death, we can rise to be with Him.

Easter, which manifests human immortality, is the linchpin of human existence. With it, life is worth living, no matter its costs or pains. Without it, life is meaningless, no matter its fleeting joys or triumphs. Easter has a meaning that is both incomprehensible and simple. It is incomprehensible that a human being had the freedom to rise from the dead. It is simple because that human being was and is God.

Jesus is the hypostatic union -- not half God and half man and not just a godly good man and not God connected to a man but truly and fully God and, at the same time, truly and fully man. When the Roman government killed the man Jesus, it killed God. When the man Jesus rose from His tomb, God rose from the dead.

What does Easter mean? Easter means that theres hope for the dead. If theres hope for the dead, theres hope for the living. But like the colonists who fought the oppression of the king, we the living can achieve our hopes only if we have freedom. And that requires a government that protects freedom, not one that assaults it.

Happy Easter.
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The American people are now finding out that the Deep State is very real. They see now that it is not an outlandish idea of conspiracy theorists, but unfortunately, exists in different segments of our Government and has been around a long time.

Interestingly though, the Deep State doesnt know sovereign boundaries. Recently, I was watching the movie "Darkest Hour," the story of how Great Britain turned to Winston Churchill in its darkest hour, when all the odds were stacked against Englands very survival.

What struck me was that from the very minute Churchill became Prime Minister he had to fight against elite forces within the media, the British Government and yes even his own party.

As Nazi fascism was on the march throughout Europe and on the United Kingdoms doorstep, the British Bulldog had to fight on two fronts  against Hitler and against elite elements within his own government. Lord Halifax, a member of Churchills own party and a member of the war cabinet was even trying to force Churchill to cut a deal with Hitler through Mussolini.

Just who are members of the Deep State? Elitists and establishment types who believe they know better than the people. It is that arrogance  that their thoughts and beliefs should govern over the will of the people and duly elected officials  that makes them a real threat to democracy.

Amazingly, his fellow elites in the government supported such a move and thought Churchill to be delusional and really lacking the proper understanding and temperament to deal with such complex foreign policy matters.

Fortunately, Churchill was different than previous prime ministers. He escaped his security detail and went on Londons underground train to talk with everyday working Brits who reinforced his instincts to never give up and fight on all fronts. Well, we all know how the story ends.

After the movie though, I realized that Winston Churchill had a Deep State of his own to deal with. They were against him succeeding from the very beginning. They would do whatever it took to try and bring him down, because after all they knew better and were smarter than Churchill and the ordinary people.

But just who are members of the Deep State? They tend to be elitists and establishment types who believe they know better than the people.

In fact, it is that arrogance  that their thoughts and beliefs should govern over the will of the people and duly elected officials  that makes them a real threat to democracy.

Some leak classified information and commit other crimes. And yes, some are traitors.

In fact, the first member of the Deep State in America was Benedict Arnold. Arnold, an arrogant elitist, knew better than General George Washington and the American people, and in the end sold his country out.

President Trump has now found out that the Deep State is very real. Fusion GPS, massive leaks, fake dossiers and rogue FBI counter-intelligence agents have shown us all that the Deep State is real in its attempt to circumvent the will of the people.

Fortunately, President Trump has a number of unused tools to fight back effectively against the Deep State. There are media reports that he is close to exercising one of these and thats good news. He should do so quickly and implement the others as soon as possible.

Heres what President Trump can do now to fight back against the Deep State, defeat it and get on with implementing his agenda that he was elected to do:

1. Appoint the Presidents Intelligence Advisory Board

Started by President Eisenhower, the Presidents Intelligence Advisory Board is another tool at President Trumps disposal that he hasnt used. Speculation is that he is getting close to naming a chairman. It could help big time in reducing leaks in the government. Its important to have a strong chairman and other members who understand intelligence, cant be co-opted by federal bureaucrats and who are outside the box thinkers and can come up with real needed reforms in the intelligence community.

2. Offer Cash Rewards to Apprehend Members of the Deep State Involved in Criminal Activity

The Trump administration should consider offering substantial cash rewards to loyal Government employees with information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of Deep State employees who violate the espionage laws of the United States by leaking sensitive classified information and committing other crimes. This would yield immediate investigatory results and more importantly would have a chilling impact on members of the Deep State inclined to participate in criminal behavior.

3. Appoint Inspectors General at the Departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security Now

Presently, there have been no nominees from President Trump for the Inspectors General positions at the Departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security. One in fact is an Obama appointee holdover. Good IGs in each of these Departments can help ensure they function appropriately, carry out the will of the people and limit mischief.

4. Appoint Trump Loyalists Throughout the Government ASAP

President Reagan said it best, personnel is policy. President Trump still doesnt have all of his team in place in key government departments and agencies. There are still too many Obama holdovers in the government and we wonder where the leaks are coming from. There are many good, qualified competent people out there who were early Trump supporters. Get them into the government fast and theyll have President Trumps back.

Bottom line: The Deep State is real. Its members do significant harm to the will of the American people and the institutions which constitute the very fabric of our democracy.

The president has significant tools at his disposal to fight back right now and deal a real blow to the Deep State and their shenanigans.

The victors will be the American people who will then have a president who can get on with the business they elected him to do.
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My constituents did not send me to represent them in the U.S. House in Washington to grow the size of government. We are bankrupting our country and placing a tremendous financial burden on our children. How big? A total of $21 trillion  $21,000,000,000,000.

Yes, that big.

The omnibus spending bill we just passed increases spending by over $400 billion over the next two years. I voted no. Why? Congress is adding to the $21 trillion debt we already have by creating new trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. By contrast, our tax cut bill pays for itself if the economy grows at 3 percent.

Back in 2016, voters asked us to Drain the Swamp. The American people made it clear that they are fed up with the status quo in Washington. They wanted us to put their interests ahead of the special interests that are constantly clamoring for more pork projects from the federal government.

The result of this bipartisan compromise is the largest spending bill since the Obama stimulus. Worse than the massive spending was the failure to secure promises made by Republican candidates from President Trump on down.

The GOP had a plan. We were going to keep spending constant  the only exception was a small increase in defense spending to get our military back to normal after the Obama years of leading from behind. On the House side, we had enough Republicans to pass a bill that would help our men and women in uniform without breaking the bank.

In the Senate, it takes 60 votes to avoid a filibuster. That means we had to work across party lines, since we need nine Democrats to endorse any spending deal. Unfortunately, there are not even nine fiscally conservative Democrats over there. Not one Democrat voted for tax cuts. In order to pass this budget our leadership caved to nine votes, and the results were terrible. Compromise is fine, but bankruptcy is not.

Why does every budget process come down to the wire? To a shutdown scenario? When the same process unfolds 10 times in a row, it might not be a coincidence. It might be intentional. The Swamp has it down to a science. Cronies won again.

The result of this bipartisan compromise is the largest spending bill since the Obama stimulus. Worse than the massive spending was the failure to secure promises made by Republican candidates from President Trump on down.

The bill lacks any funding for a wall. It actually forbids funding any walls made out of concrete, so all of President Trumps prototypes are out of consideration. The money allocated for border security will go towards fixing a few fences. You heard that right  fences. No rational option like that a bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. No end to sanctuary cities. Chaos remains in place.

While Americans are being denied wall funding, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will get millions in federal taxpayer money for an earmark called the Gateway Tunnel  a tunnel thatll connect New Jersey and New York. Why does the average American taxpayer have to pay for a special- interest project for the financial capital of the world?

The bill also continues to fund Planned Parenthood in opposition to our own values and platform. Taxpayers are paying for a group that spends millions of dollars to run political advertisements against Republicans. Why should we fund our political opposition?

We thought we had the opportunity to end unconstitutional sanctuary cities with this bill. Right now, the federal government provides millions of dollars in subsidies to cities like New York and San Francisco that refuse to enforce the law. Congress has the power of the purse. This is not acceptable. We are a nation of laws. Period.

Many of my conservative colleagues and I could not support this bill because it violated the principles and promises we made to the people. We voted no.

We can still win. The Senate actually said it will not do a budget at all next year. The president and the House can insist that we change course next week. Please engage in the process and make sure we hear the voice of the silent majority who do not accept national bankruptcy. Silence is not an option. Lets win.
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Jews all over the world will sit down for Passover Seders this weekend to celebrate the emergence of our people from bondage to freedom in ancient Egypt. But for many, Mireille Knoll  who escaped the Nazis but fell victim to an anti-Semitic murder in Paris just days ago  will be in our thoughts as well.

Much of our conversations during Passover should be focused on Israels upcoming 70th birthday  a remarkable (some say miraculous) milestone for the age-old startup nation. But we should not forget Mireille Knoll.

In 1942, just six years before Israel gained its independence, Knoll miraculously escaped the roundup and deportation of 13,000 French Jews  among them 4,000 other Jewish children from Vichy France  to the Auschwitz concentration camp in what is now Poland. Only 100 of those children survived.

After WWII, Knoll resumed her life in France and became a wife, mother and grandmother. But just last week, the 85-year-old widow was brutally stabbed 11 times and her body burned in her modest Paris apartment.

The failure of France to deal forthrightly, quickly and justly against anti-Semitic hate has enraged and scared French Jews as much as these unspeakable crimes have. It also explains why thousands see no future in their native land and have left for Israel and beyond.

Police are investigating two men in their 20s on formal charges of murder with an anti-Semitic motive. One of them was a neighbor who had known Knoll since he was a child.

The New York Times reported: An official close to the investigation, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said that the friend had told investigators that he had heard Ms. Knolls neighbor say God is great in Arabic during the killing.

French authorities were quick to admit that religious-fueled (read Islamist) hatred of Jews was the likely motivation behind Knolls murder.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who attended Knolls funeral Wednesday, said her killer assassinated an innocent and vulnerable woman because she was Jewish.

This terrible anti-Semitic murder caps off a horrific 12-year cycle of shame in the City of Lights. It started in January 2006 when Ilan Halimi, a 23-year-old telephone salesman  French-born of Moroccan-Jewish ancestry  was found naked, tortured and burned south of Paris after being kidnapped and held for three weeks.

Halimi died of his injuries shortly afterwards. French police arrested a dozen members of the self-proclaimed Gang of Barbarians Believing that all Jews were rich, the gang made repeated extortion attempts aimed at Halimis modest family.

In 2014, a young couple in suburban Paris  targeted because they were Jews  were assaulted, beaten and robbed in their apartment. The 19-year-old Jewish woman was gang raped. At the 2017 trial however, the judge refused to treat the crime as anti-Semitic.

And amidst the attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris in 2015, along with threats against synagogues and seemingly unending hate crimes against individual Jews, came the August 2017 brutal murder in Paris of a 66-year-old retired doctor and Orthodox Jew. She was beaten to death and thrown out the window by a Muslim neighbor who was screaming Allahu Akbar (God is great) in Arabic.

Despite witnesses testimonies and the protests of French Jewish leaders, authorities dismissed the murder as a mere isolated incident and wouldnt acknowledge the anti-Semitic nature of the crime until President Macron recently promised to establish clarity on the death of another Jewish victim.

The failure of France to deal forthrightly, quickly and justly against anti-Semitic hate has enraged and scared French Jews as much as these unspeakable crimes have. It also explains why thousands see no future in their native land and have left for Israel and beyond.

A few weeks ago, along with my Simon Wiesenthal Center Paris-based colleague Dr. Shimon Samuels, I spent two fruitless days of meetings at both the French Justice Ministry and Ministry of Interior, trying to learn who ordered the sudden release of an accused terrorist implicated in the deadly bombing of Paris Rue Copernic Synagogue and allowed him to fly to Canada.

Officials were polite enough, but clearly uncomfortable with the issue at hand. They had no answers as to failure of police and intelligence agencies to take more aggressive measures against extremist imams inciting violent anti-Semitic acts, nor could they explain why French judges basically refuse to throw the book at anti-Semitic thugs when arrests are made.

At Mireille Knolls funeral, President Macron was joined by thousands of people  including many interfaith leaders, and even far-right and far-left figures  who marched silently against anti-Semitism.

But silence wont stop anti-Semitism in France. Only action and accountability will. Unless and until French Jews have equal protection under the law from the police, politicians and judges in the country once known as the cradle of democracy, 21st century anti-Semites could ultimately succeed where Hitler failed and eventually make France Jew-free.

During the Passover Seder, as we recite the story of how the Jewish people were freed from persecution and bondage in ancient times, its important to remember that anti-Semitism and other equally poisonous forms of religious hatred and prejudice live on in our own time. We must all dedicate ourselves to eliminating such hatred.
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The absurd and exaggerated outrage by Democrats and some in the media over President Trumps selection of former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton to become his next national security adviser has reached ridiculous proportions. This prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to engage in a bit of wry humor Thursday on meeting Bolton.

Its good to finally meet you, Mattis joked when Bolton arrived to see him at the Pentagon. I heard that youre actually the devil incarnate and I wanted to meet you.

Mattis was clearly kidding. Unfortunately, former President Jimmy Carter wasnt when he launched a hyperbolic attack on Bolton earlier this week.

In an interview with CBS This Morning, President Carter said: I think his (President Trumps) last choice for national security adviser was very ill-advised. I think John Bolton has been the worst mistake he's made."

Well, at least President Carter is consistent. Hes been consistently wrong time and time again over the decades, and he seems determined to keep his record of misjudgments intact.

I dont know if President Carter has ever met John Bolton or how much he knows about the former ambassador. Ive known John Bolton for 17 years. We served together at the State Department from 2001 until 2005, and then at the United Nations when he was the U.S. ambassador and I was the U.N.s undersecretary general for management.

Throughout our time working together, I saw a man of terrific courage, uncommon integrity, indefatigable intensity, and singleness of mind to advance an agenda of good government and the safety of our citizens. To those like President Carter who decry his appointment, I would say: We need more John Boltons, not fewer.

At the U.N., with Bolton on the outside of the Secretariat and me on the inside, we tag-teamed to cajole, urge, advocate for, push, and pass some of the most sweeping reforms in a generation.

Together, we worked to bring accountability, governance and ethics training to the U.N. We succeeded in getting the U.N. to create an ethics office, write and implement whistleblower protection and new rules against sexual harassment.

In addition, we led the effort that got the U.N. to implement new audit standards and a new audit and accounting system. And our work resulted in the U.N. adopting the transparency that we have come to take for granted in democracies.

Previously, as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, Bolton personally led the effort to draft and implement the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a critical component of making sure terrorists could not slip missiles or weapons of mass destruction into our country or any other country.

Born from the U.S.s inability in 2002 to stop North Korea from shipping Scud missiles to Yemen, Bolton led the effort to rally key European allies and adopt the PSI so that never again would we be unable to stop and search commercial vessels suspected of being fronts for rogue nations.

The key to his success was Boltons idea to do this not by a multilateral treaty taking years to adopt, but by negotiating agreements with the nations that flag most of the commercial vessels that ply the oceans.

You can thank John Bolton for keeping our ports, and those of our allies, safe as a result  and at least slowing down the destabilizing efforts of the North Korean regime.

Perhaps one of the most laughable sore points of the left came when Bolton said almost 25 years ago: The (U.N.) Secretariat building in New York has 38 stories. If it lost ten stories, it wouldnt make a bit of difference.

At that time, the U.N. was caught in a time-warp of 1950  ineffective and inefficient, and at times tragically feckless. Does anyone on the left need any more evidence than the slaughter  two months after Bolton made that remark  of over 800,000 men, women and children in the minority Tutsi community in Rwanda? There is not a worse moment in the history of the U.N. than 1994.

Contrary to the hyperbole coming out of the left and media commentators, Bolton is not a hawk determined to push the U.S. into war. But he certainly understands that peace was never achieved and maintained through weakness.

For example, after 32 years of meeting and talking on and on, Democratic and Republican U.S. administrations have made zero progress in their quest to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

But now President Trump has a chance to actually get something done with his policy of firmness and strength. Bolton has the opportunity to play a major role supporting the president.

Bolton correctly understands that only through concerted pressure  not only economic and diplomatic, but also military  will North Korea be stopped. And he knows the goal is to never to have to use military power.

If anyone can achieve the goal of the nuclear disarmament of North Korea (and it may well be out of reach after all these years) the team of President Trump and John Bolton can. Bolton will be the most experienced national security adviser in decades  from his service to our country at the U.S. Agency for International Development, at the Department of Justice, at the State Department and at the United Nations.

If the left wants to blame Bolton for something, blame him for being too intensely dedicated to keeping America safe and strong. Blame him for always putting the American people first. Blame him for being a great American patriot.

As a Marine combat veteran of the First Gulf War, I say with total confidence that there is no better friend to have in your foxhole than John Bolton, and no fiercer foe if you are the enemy. President Trump has made a wise choice to be his national security adviser.
The California Department of Justice issued new guidelines Wednesday that sought to clarify the extent to which state and local law enforcement agencies may cooperate with federal immigration officials.

The 10-page guideline document states that information regarding illegal immigrants can and should be shared with the federal Department of Homeland Security, the Washington Post reported.

Californias Senate Bill 54, implemented earlier this year, effectively legalized non-cooperation between state law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officials. In early March, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against California, challenging SB54.

State Sen. Kevin de Leon said the new guidelines should remedy criticisms of SB54 and insisted that it offers further evidence that SB54 is consistent with federal law.

President Donald Trump, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other members of the Trump administration have criticized California's attitude toward enforcement of federal immigration laws. The state has been the site of several immigration sweeps in recent months, targeting illegal immigrants and businesses that employ them.

Under the new guidelines, police and sheriffs departments are prohibited from inquiring about a persons immigration status, but are permitted to share information regarding an immigrants legal status when they have information, the Washington Times reported.

The new guidelines further state that state and local cops may assist federal immigration officials as long as state law is being enforced.

But cooperation between federal immigration authorities and state and local law enforcement is still mostly discouraged -- including joint task forces as well as identifying and ousting illegal immigrants.
A first-time candidate is launch a quixotic bid to unseat Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin in which he also intends to fundamentally realign party politics by taking aim at the recent March for Our Lives rallies and the powerful AIPAC lobby group -- while also trying to make a deal with the NRA.

Candidate Jerome Jerry Segal -- who has dubbed his long-shot Senate bid Ben or Jerry? -- was initially moved by the rallies, saying he cried like a baby over the Florida high school shooting last month in which 17 people died and that became a driving force behind the march.

The 74-year-old put $50,000 of savings into renting a U-Haul and making t-shirts and 500,000 leaflets that he and helpers handed out Saturday at the Washington rally. However, Segal said he left the march feeling frustrated about the events myopic message and after trying unsuccessfully for weeks to contact organizers.

I totally get the students point, but this is a defining moment against gun violence. We missed an opportunity, Segal said Monday while returning the U-Haul.

In what hes calling a friendly critique of the march, Segal thinks the focus should have gone beyond the fear of mostly white middle-class students, after recent school and concert shootings, to address the daily fears of gun violence of children living in inner cities, like Baltimore or Chicago.

"I wanted people to leave the march with a broader understanding of what they were marching for, said Segal, a semi-retired college researcher with a combine 14 years on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch.

Hes proposing a July and August sleep-away camp for inner-city children from the 10 most dangerous U.S. cities -- with the National Rifle Association paying the bill.

"They would love to be on the right side of this, so long as you don't touch their guns, said Segal, who argues that the summer getaways would at least take those children off the streets for 16 percent of the year. Here's one policy step (the NRA) can run with."



As a Democratic incumbent in a state that hasnt elected a Republican senator since 1980, Cardin, 74, is the likely frontrunner in the party primary and general election.

The Democratic field right now has at least eight candidates including Chelsea Manning, the former Army solider convicted in 2013 by a military court of espionage and other offenses in connection with disclosing government-related documents to WikiLeaks.

Former President Barack Obama commuted Manning sentence in 2017, after she served roughly seven years in confinement, following her 2010 arrest.

Siegel has no path to victory, Jennifer Duffy, who analyzes Senate races for the Cook Political Report, said Wednesday. Even if there is any anti-Cardin sentiment out there, there are too many other candidates in the primary.

Segal, nevertheless, has decided upon a campaign that goes directly at Cardin and his connections to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and its related pro-Israel political action committees and other, similar contributors to political campaigns and candidates.

Cardin has raised $3.4 million so far this election cycle, with the so-called pro-Israel groups listed among his biggest industry contributors, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. One such group, NorPAC, has since Cardin first became a senator, in 2013, been his top contributor, the site shows.

Segal, a philosopher who in the late-1980s founded the Jewish Peace Lobby as a counterpoint to AIPAC, said hes going to end Cardins career over his connection to AIPAC, while changing the institution forever.

He argues that even a good showing will give future candidates hope they can win against big money in politics.

Israel is not a voting issue for a vast majority of primary voters, also said Duffy, whose non-partisan firm lists Cardins seat as solid Democrat.

Cardin campaign spokesman Sue Walitsky said Wednesday that the two-term senator and former House member is confident about winning reelection based on conversations with voters across the state.

She also said there is a great enthusiasm among voters, especially Democrats, this election cycle to have their voices heard.

Senator Cardin is talking about what hes accomplished and the work that still needs to be done, also said Walitsky, citing the senators efforts to restore and preserve funding for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed as well as continuing to close the gap between those who have and those who have less.
President Donald Trumps upcoming Iran nuclear agreement deadline also is an opportunity, according to Hua Qu.

Her husband, Xiyue Wang, is a Princeton graduate student, an American citizen, and is imprisoned in Iran.

This is a crisis, Qu told Fox News. This hostage crisis I hope that can be evaluated on the same level with other security issues, to be categorized as a security issue against an American citizen.

Qu said she wants the Trump administration to use its negotiations on Iran policy to help free her husband.

Trump set a deadline of May 12 for the European countries involved in the Iran nuclear agreement to support stricter penalties on Irans ballistic missile program, stronger inspections of its facilities and address the sunset clauses in the deal.

Iranian authorities arrested Xiyue Wang in August 2016. His family said he was in Iran conducting research on its history for his Ph.D.

Iran sentenced Wang to 10 years in prison for spying under the cover of research.

Im so scared he will go back to hunger strike again which he did twice during the past two years, said Qu. I hope our government and Mr. Trump can give him hope and can make our family whole again.

Wang and Qus son is now five years old.

Brian Hook, the State Departments Director of Policy Planning, is leading U.S. negotiations. Earlier this month, he traveled to Europe for discussions, and said he requested a meeting with Iranian officials.

The only purpose in requesting it was to demand the release of the Americans that theyve detained, said Hook. Given the sensitivity of that subject, I dont want to go beyond what I said, that I requested the meeting, and I did have a discussion with them, and thats as much as I can say on it.

A State Department official calls for the return of all unjustly detained and missing U.S. citizens in Iran, including Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, Xiyue Wang, and Robert Levinson.

The U.S. government raises with Iran at every opportunity the cases of U.S. citizens missing and unjustly detained in Iran, the official said. We will continue to do so until their cases are resolved.

In a direct appeal to the president, Qu said: I hope my husband can be home before your next announcement on May 12. I put a lot of hope in May, and we are counting on you.
Bad Daddys Burger Bar, a Denver-based brand, is introducing its burgers to Chattanooga on Monday.

Located at 1924 Gunbarrel Road, Bad Daddys will host its official grand opening the following day at 10:30 a.m. with a ceremonial burger and ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Bad Daddys CEO Boyd Hoback, Director of Operations Mike Maloney, and the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.





This is a huge moment for the entire Bad Daddys family, to break into the Tennessee market and introduce the people of Chattanooga  and all across South East Tennessee  to our insanely delicious, award-winning burgers, said District Manager Nick Leach. Weve earned a distinctive reputation in the burger world for the unique culinary passion we put into our hamburgers, and we cant wait to share this passion with the everyone in the area. We have assembled an awesome team and were all looking forward to becoming an integral part of the local community.

Prior to Mondays opening, Chattanoogas new Bad Daddys will host an invitation-only VIP dinner on Saturday during which donations will be collected for the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. A check presentation will be made to the Partnership during Tuesdays ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Bad Daddys Burger Bar "is committed to sourcing local and fresh ingredients whenever possible, supporting nearby businesses with interests in the local culinary marketplace. The Denver-based restaurant is renowned for its signature gourmet burgers, such as the Bacon Cheeseburger on Steroids and the Bad Ass Burger. The flavorful menu also features giant chopped salads, specialty sides, appetizers and handspun milkshakes. The restaurant offers a full gluten-friendly menu and regional chef specials that incorporate local flavors and ingredients, along with a full bar offering an array of craft microbrew beers from regional breweries."

When the Chattanooga restaurant opens, it will be the 28th Bad Daddys system-wide, with other locations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia and Colorado.
An Atlanta-based prosecutor with a doctorate in medieval history will now reportedly play a key role in President Donald Trump's legal team.

Andrew Ekonomou, 69, who has been assisting Trump attorney Jay Sekulow since June, will now assume a more prominent role in the president's legal team following the recent departure of Washington lawyer John Dowd, according to Reuters.

Ekonomous elevation comes as Trumps team is negotiating the terms under which the president may be interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Sekulow told Reuters that Ekonomou is a brilliant strategist who has handled complex investigations for decades.

Ive been tested plenty of times, said Ekonomou, who works under contract as an assistant district attorney in Brunswick, Ga. Just because youre not a Beltway lawyer doesnt mean you dont know what youre doing.

Now a member of the Lambros Firm LLC in Atlanta, Ekonomou briefly served as acting U.S. attorney in 1982 in Atlanta.

In 1996, he was embroiled in controversy for charging state taxpayers $120,000 a year for part-time work, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Also working with Sekulow in the Trump defense team is another Atlantan and Emory law school lecturer, Mark Goldfeder, according to Politico. Both Ekonomou and Goldfeder have ties to Sekulows nonprofit, the American Center for Law & Justice.
When former national security adviser Susan Rice was named to the Netflix board of directors Wednesday, she became at least the third high-ranking official under former President Barack Obama to receive a top post at a tech giant after leaving the White House.

In announcing Rice's appointment, Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings said the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. had "tackled difficult, complex global issues with intelligence, integrity and insight."

Rice's appointment was met with outrage from some conservatives. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said Netflix had "[doubled] down in support of Obama corruption" by hiring Rice, a controversial figure in the aftermath of the 2012 Benghazi attack, as well as the "unmasking" controversy surrounding members of the Trump campaign.

National Rifle Association spokesman Dana Loesch said Netflix was "[t]he perfect place for a former staffer who blamed a terror attack on a poorly-made short film released long before said attack took place," a reference to Rice initially blaming the Benghazi attack on an anti-Muslim YouTube video.

But Rice isn't the only Obama alum benefiting here. David Plouffe, a former senior adviser to Obama, was hired by ridesharing company Uber in August 2014 to be its senior vice president of policy and strategy. This past January, Plouffe was lured away from Uber by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to help run his Chan Zuckerberg social advocacy organization.

Former White House press secretary Jay Carney has settled down at another titan, Amazon. Carney, who departed the West Wing in June 2014 and spent six months as a political analyst at CNN, joined Amazon in March 2015 as senior vice president for corporate affairs.

Amazon is a particular thorn in the side of President Trump, who attacked the company on Twitter Thursday for "[paying] little or no taxes to state & local governments, [using] our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and ... putting many thousands of retailers out of business!"

Conservatives have long criticized tech companies for disregarding and shunning their viewpoints. During a recent debate at Stanford University, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel described Silicon Valley as "a one-party state."

"The other side doesnt care for you," Thiel said, "and your side doesnt care for you because they dont need to."
Donald Trump Jr. is unloading on former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for saying this week he has kids who actually love me  a comment interpreted as a jab at the president.

Jeb! I love everything about my father, Trump Jr. tweeted Thursday. I love that hes a fighter, I love that he has guts, I love that hes President (all those things youre not).

The presidents oldest son also said of his father: Also love that he learned enough about politics in a few weeks to dismantle you piece by piece despite it being your lifes work.

The Yale Daily News published a story Wednesday about Bushs appearance on campus this week where, according to the student newspaper, Bush said he returned home to children who actually love me after a disappointing finish in the 2016 primary in South Carolina.

It was after that primary that Bush dropped out of the race.

After Trump Jr. lashed out, a spokesman for Bush said the former Florida governor wasn't taking aim at the Trumps.

Governor Bush's comments were reported incorrectly. His comments were unrelated to the president or his family, Bush spokesman Kristy Campbell told Fox News.

The Yale Daily News, though, reported that the comment was met with raucous laughter from the crowd and several audience members said they interpreted Bushs comment as a jab at Trump.

Another Trump son, Eric Trump, also tweeted at Bush: .@JebBush I actually love my father very much. #PleaseClap.

The please clap dig is in reference to video that went viral during the campaign of Bush asking a New Hampshire audience to applaud him  something critics used to illustrate the less-than-enthusiastic response his campaign received.

Trump and Bush famously sparred during the campaign, with the then-New York businessman dismissing Bush as low energy. Bush argued Trump would be a chaos president. Bush did not endorse or support Trump in the general election.

TRUMP BACKS GEORGE P. BUSH, JEBS SON, IN TEXAS POLITICAL RACE

Both Bush and Trump are the patriarchs of large families.

Bush has three children - George P. Bush, 41; Jeb Bush Jr., 34; and Noelle Bush, 40. Just last month, the president endorsed George P. Bush  the only prominent member of the family to support him in the general election  in his race for Texas land commissioner.

Trump has five children. In addition to 40-year-old Don Jr. and 34-year-old Eric, theres Ivanka Trump, 36; Tiffany Trump, 24, and Barron Trump, 12. Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner, both work as White House advisers.
A black former FBI agent in Minneapolis, seeking to expose what his attorneys called "systemic biases" at the agency, was charged this week with illegally disseminating classified information, according to a report.

Terry J. Albury, who joined the FBI in 2000, allegedly sent two classified documents to a reporter at an unspecified national media organization, according to charging documents obtained by the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.

Albury's prosecution comes months after Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration promised to cut down on leaks in the federal government.

The former agent was charged with two counts of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information. Prosecutors filed a felony information, which signals that Albury is expected to plead guilty.

One of the leaked documents reportedly pertains to the agency's methods for assessing confidential informants, while the other relates to "threats posed by certain individuals from a particular Middle Eastern country," according to the information.

GOWDY: WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF SOMEONE AT FBI WAS LEAKING TO MEDIA

Albury shared the documents sometime between February 2016 and Jan. 31, 2017, prosecutors allege. He had most recently been assigned to counterterrorism operations at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Albury's attorneys, JaneAnne Murray and Joshua Dratel, said in a statement that Albury served the U.S. with distinction domestically and in Iraq and "accepts full responsibility for the conduct set forth in the Information.

"We would like to add that as the only African-American FBI field agent in Minnesota, Mr. Alburys actions were driven by a conscientious commitment to long-term national security and addressing the well-documented systemic biases within the FBI," the attorneys added.



FBI'S McCABE SUSPECTED IN LEAK AGAINST WHITE HOUSE

Prosecutors don't name a reporter or news organization, but on Jan. 31 of last year, the Intercept posted a story about how the FBI assesses and manages informants.

"The use of the Espionage Act to prosecute whistleblowers seeking to shed light on matters of vital public concern is an outrage."  The Intercept editor-in-chief Betsy Reed

The story references a secret document dated Aug. 17, 2011, that deals with assessing informants and recruiting them by identifying their "motivations and vulnerabilities."

In a statement, the Intercept editor-in-chief Betsy Reed sharply criticized whistleblower prosecutions without specifically discussing Albury's alleged involvement.

We do not discuss anonymous sources," Reed said. "The use of the Espionage Act to prosecute whistleblowers seeking to shed light on matters of vital public concern is an outrage, and all journalists have the right under the First Amendment to report these stories.

The Trump administration has made prosecuting government employees who leak sensitive information to the media a high priority.

Last year, Sessions pledged to clamp down on leaks, noting that the Justice Department had more than tripled the number of active leak investigations since President Barack Obama left office and that the FBI had created a new counterintelligence unit to focus on such cases.

He told members of Congress in November that the department was conducting 27 investigations into leaks of classified information.

The local FBI office referred questions to the Justice Department, which is handling the case. A spokesman with the Justice Department declined to comment beyond the charging documents.

The search warrant applications say the FBI linked references to secret documents in data requests filed by the Intercept to Albury's activity on the bureau's information systems.

The FBI also later identified 27 documents  16 marked classified  that the Intercept published, and found that Albury had accessed more than two-thirds of them.

The charges filed Tuesday also allege that from April 7, 2017, to Aug. 28, 2017, Albury willfully kept a document about an online platform used by a specific terrorist group for recruitment, and failed to give it to an officer and federal employee who was entitled to it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., claims she's not beholden to the Democratic Party "establishment." But the second-term incumbent -- who's seeking a third term later this year -- will mingle with plenty of the establishment at her Beverly Hills fundraiser in May.

Topping the guest list: former President Barack Obama.

McCaskill faces a tough battle in November in a state that President Donald Trump carried by nearly 19 points in 2016. Her Republican opponent is Missouri state Attorney General Josh Hawley, whose new ad calls out "hypocrite" McCaskill for hobnobbing in Hollywood.

In addition to Obama, McCaskill's May 6 event will feature filmmaker Steven Spielberg, movie studio executive Jeffrey Katzenberg and other Los Angeles-area stars, Politico reported. It will be Obamas first post-presidential fundraiser for an individual candidate.

Hawleys ad features clips of the incumbent Missouri senator saying I fought the establishment almost every step of the way in my career, and I could care less what the national party thinks.

But, as the ad claims, McCaskill is the top recipient from lobbyists and lawyers in all of Congress. The ad concludes with a dire message against the Democrat: Fighting  all the way to Beverly Hills. Hypocrite Claire McCaskill.

Republicans have pointed out that Missouri never voted for Obama and the deep-red state may not be too keen on a Hollywood-bankrolled campaign.

GOP SEN CANDIDATE RIPS CLAIRE McCASKILLS ATROCIOUS RECORD, SUPPORT FOR HILLARY

Question for every red-state Democrat today: Will they welcome Obama to their states and remind folks that they voted for his disastrous policies? Katie Martin, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

McCaskill fired back against the criticism Wednesday, telling union members at the state Capitol that Hawley also has out-of-state donors and is supported by the states megadonor, David Humphreys. She also said the event will be held in Beverly Hills because of Obamas schedule.

A fake populist is a guy with an Ivy League education that rides into office on the back of one of the richest men in Missouri, who has made it his lifes work to destroy labor unions, McCaskill said of Hawley, according to the newspaper.

The Republicans spokeswoman, Kelli Ford, told the paper that the Democratic senator has sold Missouris vote to Hollywood and shes taking Barack Obama out there with her to pick up the cash.

She added: Only an arrogant liberal who thinks Missourians are backward and stupid would go get a boatload of money in Beverly Hills while accusing her opponent of being an elitist.

Attacks charging McCaskill with being complacent toward voters in Missouri have intensified in recent months. State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr., a Democrat, slammed the senator in February for ignoring the Black community but still asking them to vote so Republicans dont gain another Senate seat.

They come in and they say, Listen, we could lose a Senate seat. And theyre telling us that we can lose a senator that we never knew existed because this person hasnt shown up in our community. This person hasnt spoken to our needs, Franks Jr. said during a town hall meeting.

Im going to vote for Claire, but Claire is going to have to bring her a-- to St. Louis. Period. Shes going to have to show up, and its not just about talking. You have made some folks upset and if there is a reason why you voted this way, then you need to effectively communicate that, he added.

McCaskill, in response, asked elected African-American leaders in Missouri to sign a letter pushing back against the criticism that she takes the votes for granted.

None of the leaders signed the letter, the Kansas City Star reported.
Former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon is the latest politician to turn a critics derogatory slam into a rallying cry for supporters.

Nixons Democratic campaign for governor of New York is now selling buttons online that say Unqualified Lesbian.

This comes after Christine Quinn, the former speaker of the New York City Council and a supporter of incumbent Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, used the phrase to criticize Nixon earlier this month.

Quinn, who is openly gay, eventually walked back the remarks. But Nixon is now trying to capitalize on the dig.

Unqualified lesbian is an oxymoron, Nixon posted on Instagram on Wednesday. Get your button to support our campaign today.

Nixon is hardly the first politician to employ this strategy.

During the 2016 campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump and his supporters began referring to themselves as deplorables after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Trumps base a basket full of deplorables.

QUINN WALKS BACK UNQUALIFIED LESBIAN SLAM OF NIXON

Likewise, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and her feminist supporters co-opted the expression nevertheless, she persisted after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell used the phrase to complain about her behavior on the Senate floor during Attorney General Jeff Sessions confirmation battle.

In New York, Nixon's challenge to Cuomo sets up an intriguing September Democratic primary race pitting an actor and liberal activist against a two-term incumbent with a $30 million war chest and possible presidential ambitions.

"We want our government to work again," Nixon said in a video announcing her candidacy. "On health care, ending massive incarceration, fixing our broken subway."

She added, "We are sick of politicians who care more about headlines and power than they do about us."

Nixon has in recent months given speeches and interviews calling on Democrats nationally to run "bluer" in 2018 and carve out a strong, progressive liberal identity rather than just being "the anti-Trump party."

Fox News Alex Pappas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump gave Dr. Ronny Jackson a clean bill of health in March  to run the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But the White House physician has pulled himself from consideration for the job after controversies from his past came to light, Fox News has learned.

Jackson was accused of providing prescriptions without paperwork, often being drunk on the job and wrecking a government vehicle while intoxicated, according to a review of his colleagues by Democrats.

Johnson denied the allegations but said he is still withdrawing his name from consideration because the accusations "have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing  how we give the best care to our nations heroes."

A Navy rear admiral, Jackson is the presidents personal physician who rose to prominence after he addressed the press from the White House briefing room in January to discuss Trumps health. While Jackson said the president needs to lose some weight, he said the physical exam he conducted showed overall that Trump was in good physical and mental health.

Trump fired Secretary David Shulkin on March 28, and Robert Wilkie was supposed to serve as interim secretary until Jackson's confirmation.

Read on for a look at three things to know about the physician.

He has a marine biology degree

From Texas, Jackson, 50, graduated from Texas A&M University in 1991 with a degree in marine biology, according to his Navy biography. He graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch with his medical degree in 1995.

That same year, Jackson joined the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center  located just outside Chesapeake, Virginia  which kicked off his active duty military career. It was there that he finished an internship in transitional medicine.

Later, he would return to the naval center to complete his residency in emergency medicine, graduating at the top of his class in 2004.

Jackson is a veteran

Jackson was deployed to Iraq after he joined the 2nd Marines in 2005, according to his Navy biography.

He served as the emergency medicine physician in charge of resuscitative medicine for a forward deployed Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon.

Hes been a White House physician since Bush

While still in Iraq, Jackson was tapped as a White House physician in 2006. He has overseen the physicians for Camp David presidential retreats, led the White House Medical Unit and directed the executive health care for the Cabinet and senior staff members, according to his biography.

It was former President Barack Obama who selected Jackson to fill the position of physician to the president.

Fox News' John Roberts, Joseph Weber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A federal judge in Los Angeles denied Stormy Daniels motion seeking to depose President Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen over a $130,000 payment made to the adult film star days before the 2016 presidential election.

U.S. District Judge James Otero on Thursday denied the motion, stating that it was procedurally premature.

Daniels has publicly claimed a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. She recently appeared on CBS' "60 Minutes" and claimed Cohen orchestrated a payment to keep her quiet during the election.

The White House has repeatedly denied the claims. At issue is whether the non-disclosure agreement that was signed by Daniels but not by Trumpis valid.

Otero ruled Friday that such a demand is untimely.

The parties are advised that the instant litigation is not the most important matter on the Courts docket, Otero wrote. Requests for expedited proceedings, hearings, and discovery not clearly supported by the record and law are discouraged.

The judge, a former President George W. Bush appointee, has set a hearing for April 30.

Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti said he would refile the motion.

We will refile the motion as soon as DT, MC and EC, LLC file their motion to compel arbitration seeking to hide the facts from public view. We expect this any day, Avenatti tweeted Thursday.

If the motion had been approved, it would have been the first deposition of a sitting U.S. president since former President Bill Clinton in 1998 when he had to answer questions about his encounter with Paula Jones.

The White House blasted Daniels earlier this week as being inconsistent.

"The president has spoken about it previously, Sarah [Sanders] has addressed this multiple times at the podium and we do not have further comment at this time," a White House spokesman said Thursday afternoon.

Fox News Lee Ross and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 election continues, two former members of his team are under scrutiny for text messages they exchanged about President Trump and the probe.

In the messages, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who were romantically involved, bashed Trump and discussed concerns about being too tough on Hillary Clinton during an investigation into the use of her private email server.

Overall, the pair exchanged some 50,000 text messages throughout the presidential election and first year of the Trump administration, many of them with anti-Trump sentiments.

In one particular message, when Page asked if Trump would ever become president, Strzok reportedly replied, No. No he won't. We'll stop it.

Other text messages showed an allegiance for fired FBI Director James Comey.

The messages have not gone unnoticed by GOP lawmakers or Trump. Republicans have argued that their messages color the outcome of the Clinton email investigation and undercut the FBIs ongoing investigation into Russian election interference. The president has often tweeted personal attacks at Page and Strzok and called the texts hate filled and biased.

The Justice Department's inspector general has criticized Strzok and Page for creating the appearance of impropriety through the texts. But the report said it found no evidence of political bias in the FBI's decision to not pursue criminal charges against Clinton.

Heres a look at who exchanged the text messages  and who would eventually leave the FBI.

Peter Strzok

A veteran counterintelligence agent, Peter Strzok was assigned to both the investigation into Clintons personal email server and the special counsels probe into potential collusion between Trump officials and Russia during the election.

Strzok was removed from the Russia investigation after it was revealed that he exchanged anti-Trump text messages with Page, then a senior FBI lawyer.

Months later, in August 2018, Strzok was fired from the FBI, his attorney said.

According to the text messages, Strzok was hesitant to join Muellers investigation because of his gut sense that there was no big there there.

MUELLER PROBE ONE YEAR LATER: HOW THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION BECAME DCS BIGGEST POLITICAL FOOTBALL

Strzok previously worked on investigations pertaining to Chinese and Russian espionage, according to The New York Times. ABC first reported that Strzok left the probe and was reassigned to the human resources division in August 2017.

After he was fired, Trump said "finally" and again criticized the legitimacy of the Russia investigation.

Lisa Page

A lawyer for the FBI, Lisa Page was only temporarily on Muellers team, but she discussed the investigation with Strzok.

Page warned Strzok via text about the FBIs investigation into Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, saying in February 2016 that she might be our next president.

The last thing you need [is] going in there loaded for bear, Page continued. You think shes going to remember or care that it was more [DOJ] than [FBI]?

Page, who has "deep experience [in] money laundering and organized crime cases," was removed from the investigation in September 2017. She left the FBI in May.

House lawmakers subpoenaed her to appear for a private interview in July. They said she was "cooperative" and "credible" in her closed-door interview that lasted for hours.

Andrew McCabe

A controversial figure at the FBI, deputy director Andrew McCabe was seemingly referenced by Page and Strzok in their text messages.

I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andys office - that theres no way he gets elected - but Im afraid we cant take that risk, Strzok texted in August 2016. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before youre 40.

US MARSHALS SERVED SUBPOENA ON FBI LAWYER LISA PAGE, LAWMAKER SAYS

Some lawmakers believed Andy to be a reference to McCabe.

In another text that same month, Strzok told Page that McCabe was concerned with information control about the investigation into Trumps campaign.

McCabe, whose wife ran as a Democrat for a Virginia Senate seat with financial assistance from a group tied to Clinton, repeatedly faced criticism from Trump.

How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin' James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation? Trump asked in a December 2017 tweet.

In January, McCabe was removed from his post, taking terminal leave until his planned retirement in March. However, he was ultimately fired before he was set to leave his post.

Robert Mueller

Special Counsel Robert Mueller was tasked with overseeing the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself.

A LOOK AT TRUMPS LAWYERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION

Mueller led the FBI through the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and served under presidential administrations of both parties.

His Russia probe has led to charges for four former Trump campaign officials, although none of the charges directly stem from misconduct during the election.

Fox News Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Starting in October, some food stamp recipients in West Virginia will have to meet certain work requirements to benefit from the states Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Gov. Jim Justice signed the bill Tuesday, according to the Charleston-Gazette Mail, which noted there was no news conference or public statement after the bill was signed.

A spokesperson for Gov. Justice did not immediately return Fox News request for comment Thursday.

The bill applies to any able-bodied adults ages 18 to 49 who aren't pregnant, have no dependents and are not disabled or military veterans. To receive SNAP benefits, those recipients will have to either work, volunteer or participate in workforce training for at least 20 hours a week.

The bill would allow recipients in certain counties to receive a work requirement waiver until October 2022. After that point, no able-bodied working adults in the state can receive waivers from the work requirement, the paper reported.

Currently, 46 of West Virginia's 55 counties have the work requirement waivers.

Alabama and Georgia, among other states, have similar work requirements for food stamp recipients.

Supporters of the new bill say it will prevent some recipients from abusing the system and will help people get back to work, even if it's only volunteer work. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that the new bill will push struggling poor people out of the food stamps program.

The maximum possible benefit is $192 a month or about $6.40 a day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

According to data released by the USDA last month, roughly 14.9 percent of households in West Virginia faced food insecurity from 2014 to 2016. Thats a 5.6 percent increase from 2004 to 2006, according to the data.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Young artists from Hamilton County Schools were honored Thursday at the eighth annual Hamilton Place Mall art competition awards held on the upper level of the mall. The student artwork is displayed near Sears on the upper level and will be there for the public to enjoy until September. The winners in the competition, their families, and teachers gathered to receive their awards.

The competition divided students into three categories with winners in elementary, middle and high divisions. Each first-place winner received a $50 gift card from Barnes and Noble; second-place winners a $35 Barnes and Noble gift card and third-place winners a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card. The competition included Honorable mention awards in each category for this years competition.



The theme for this year was At the Movies.

Winners included:

Elementary School

1st Place: Tyler Gordon, Wolftever Elementary

2nd Place: Cambria Paris, Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts

3rd Place: Alex Guo, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences

Honorable Mention: Isabella Greene, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences

Middle School

1st Place: Shayanne Gaines, Red Bank Middle

2nd Place: Camy Hodge, Red Bank Middle

3rd Place: Shelby Massengale, Red Bank Middle

Honorable Mention: Melody Drymon and Gracie Sanders, Red Bank Middle



High School

1st Place: Katherine Poole, Sale Creek High

2nd Place: Alex McElhone, Sale Creek High

3rd Place: Makayla Pritchett, Soddy-Daisy High

Honorable Mention: Natalie Holt, Soddy-Daisy High; and Chandler Turner, Sale Creek High
No, this isn't a joke. China's runaway space lab, Tiangong-1, is set to fall to Earth sometime on Sunday, which is April Fool's Day, or by early Monday.



In an update posted on April 1, the European Space Agency (ESA) said it expects the current estimated reentry window runs from "stabilised and shrunk further to a time frame running from the night of 1 April to the early morning of 2 April (in UTC time)."

The Virtual Telescope Project also has a live, real-time look at the space lab as it makes its descent towards Earth.

CHINA'S SPACE STATION EXPECTED TO HIT EARTH SOON -- POSSIBLY IN EUROPE

"The Tiangong-1 Chinese space station is re-entering our atmosphere soon," representatives for the project wrote in a statement obtained by Space.com. "The Virtual Telescope Project and Tenagra Observatories offer you the unique chance to see it during one of its very last passages across the skies. You can join us online, via the internet, from the comfort of your home."

In a post on its website, Holger Krag, Head of ESAs Space Debris Office, said that the craft could fall anywhere across a vast swathe of the globe, encompassing much of North America and most of South America.

Owing to the geometry of the stations orbit, we can already exclude the possibility that any fragments will fall over any spot further north than 43N or further south than 43S, Krag said.

This means that reentry may take place over any spot on Earth between these latitudes, which includes several European countries, for example," Krag added. Tiangong-1 could also re-enter Earth's atmosphere over Africa, much of Asia, most of Australia and part of New Zealand.

Reuters, citing statements from the ESA, reports that the probability of someone being hit by a piece of debris from Tiangong-1 is 10 million times smaller than the chance of getting hit by a bolt of lightning. This is due to the fact that approximately 71 percent of the Earth is covered by water.

Tiangong-1 stopped responding to Chinas commands 2016, according to Space.com. Scientists have since anticipated the space station returning to Earth as a sort of manmade 'meteorite,' but are unsure where it will land.

METERORITE HUNTERS: SCIENTISTS SET TO SCOUR ANTARCTICA FOR RARE SPACE ROCKS



In recent months, scientists have had a better approximation of where the station may land. According to the Washington Post, theyve warned that Spain, Portugal, France and Greece may see the 19,000-pound meteorite plummet within their borders.



Scientists say the Tiangong-1 is currently spinning around Earth at 17,500 mph, which amounts to a trip around the planet every 90 minutes. As the station descends closer to Earth and gains momentum, the thicker air will cause friction to surround the craft in superheated plasma, the Post reported.



Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report. Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia
Humanity's brutal and bellicose past provides ample justification for pursuing settlements on the moon and Mars, Elon Musk says.

The billionaire entrepreneur has long stressed that he founded SpaceX in 2002 primarily to help make humanity a multiplanet species  a giant leap that would render us much less vulnerable to extinction.

Human civilization faces many grave threats over the long haul, from asteroid strikes and climate change to artificial intelligence run amok, Musk has said over the years. And he recently highlighted our well-documented inability to get along with each other as another frightening factor. [The BFR: SpaceX's Mars Colony Plan in Images]

"Last century, we had two massive world wars  three if you count the Cold War," Musk said earlier this month at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. "I think it's unlikely that we'll never have another world war again."

He emphasized that he's not predicting an imminent global conflict, only that one is likely to occur at some point in the future, given humanity's track record. If and when that next big war occurs, Musk added, it could usher in a planet-wide "dark ages."

"Then we want to make sure that there's enough of a seed of human civilization somewhere else to bring civilization back and perhaps shorten the length of the dark ages," he said. "I think a moon base and a Mars base that could perhaps help regenerate life back here on Earth would be really important, and to get that done before a possible World War III."

A Mars base would be a sturdier civilization bulwark than a moon settlement because the Red Planet is farther from Earth, Musk added. But it's worth setting up shop on both worlds, as each outpost would thin our risk, he said.

Musk isn't all talk on this topic; SpaceX is developing a huge, reusable rocket-spaceship combo called the BFR, with the chief aim of making Mars colonization economically feasible. Musk unveiled the latest plans for this transportation system at a conference in Australia last September, and he gave a brief progress update at SXSW.

"We're actually building that ship right now," he said, referring to a BFR spaceship prototype. "I think we'll probably be able to do short flights, short sort of up-and-down flights, probably sometime in the first half of next year."

Musk has previously said that, if everything goes well with the BFR's development, the first crewed flights to Mars could lift off in the 2020s.

And getting back to existential threats: A global war and accompanying dark ages aren't at the top of Musk's list of concerns. At SXSW, he sounded the alarm once again about artificial intelligence (AI) and called for some form of public regulation of the rapidly advancing technology.

"The danger of AI is much greater than the danger of nuclear warheads, by a lot, and nobody would suggest that we allow anyone to just build nuclear warheads if they want. That would be insane," he said.

"If humanity collectively decides that creating digital superintelligence is the right move, then we should do so very, very carefully  very, very carefully," Musk added. "This is the most important thing that we can possibly do."

Originally published on Space.com.
Part of a centuries-old old sailing ship washed ashore on Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida overnight Tuesday, local officials said.

Julie Turner and her 8-year-old son Patrick first came across the ship early Wednesday, Tonya Creamer of the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum told Fox News. Initially, the two thought it was a part of a fence, but realized soon after it was a historical piece of an artifact," Turner told CBS47.

"Theyve been so fantastic -- theyve been watching it all unfold, Creamer said of Turner and her son.

Archaeologists with the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, along with other organizations, have been investigating the wreckage and suspect that it is a well-preserved section of a wooden ship's hull, Creamer said.

Researchers with the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum have been documenting the artifact. Creamer said archaeologists on her team believe the ship could date back as far as the 1700s, but statistics show that it might be from the 1800s, because of the amount of ship traffic around St. Augustine during that time.

As of now, archaeologists dont have a definitive date and are continuously working to find out where the ship is from originally, Creamer said. Finding a piece of wreckage like the one on Ponte Vedra beach is unprecedented," she said, adding that it is one of the largest to wash up in the area in a little over a decade.

"To actually see this survive and come ashore. This is very, very rare. This is the holy grail of shipwrecks," Marc Anthony, the owner of Spanish Main Antiques in St. Augustine, told CBS47.

Anthony, who has spent more than 20 years searching for shipwreck artifacts and treasure coins, among other historical items, said the wreckage appeared to be from the 18th century.

What will happen to the wreckage next is not entirely clear.

Creamer said the ship washed ashore on state land, so Florida officials will ultimately decide what to do with the artifact. And while researchers made a valiant effort earlier this week to move the wreckage out of the way of the high-tide, they were unsuccessful. As a last resort, they used rope and stakes to try to keep the ship in place so they can continue to study it. For now, that method seems to be working, she said.

However, theres still a chance the sea could reclaim the 48-foot section of the ship. That's part of the reason why researchers from the museum and the Florida Public Archaeology Network have taken photos and measured the vessel to create a 3D model of it, Creamer said.

Creamer said she's encouraging members of the public to check out the ship's remains.

We want the public to come take pictures, see it and talk about it because sometimes archaeology is done in areas that people can't see," she said. We are all collectively excited about this.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Researchers on Wednesday published details of the discovery of footprints determined to be 13,000 years old. The prints were found on the shoreline of an island north of Vancouver, and the scientists said they are the oldest ever found in North America.

LiveScience reported that the footprints  29 in all -- appear to have been made by two barefoot adults and a child. They left the prints in the wet clay near the waters edge on Calvert Island.

The age of the site is also remarkable, scientists said, and suggests an early entrance into the Americas, Michael Petraglia, an archaeologist, said.

The LiveScience report said archeologists were amazed at how well-preserved the footprints were. Scientists were able to determine the sizes of the feet: the child was a junior size 1; while one of the adults wore a womans size 3 and the other wore a mans size 7.

The island today is dense with forests and can be reached only by boat.

Duncan McLaren, an anthropologist at the Hakai Institute and University of Victoria in British Columbia, said in an interview that the find provides evidence that people were inhabiting the region at the end of the last ice age.

It is possible that the coast was one of the means by which people entered the Americas at the time, he said, according to the New York Times.

Scientists determined the age of the footprints by using radiocarbon.

"Ultimately, the data seem to show indisputable evidence for human presence along the Pacific Coast of Canada," Kevin Hatala, an assistant professor of biology at Chatham University, told Live Science. "This is important because archaeological sites from this time and place have been quite rare."
Paleontologists in Montana have unearthed a fossil that may be the remains of a baby Tyrannosaurus rex.

Researchers and students from the University of Kansas recently excavated the fossil from the Hell Creek Formation in central Montana. The remains include a complete section of the upper jaw with all of the teeth intact, as well as parts of the dinosaurs skull, foot, hips and backbones, according to the University of Kansas.

The remains likely belong to a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex that lived 66.5 million years ago, according to researchers, but could also belong to another species of small, carnivorous dinosaur.

150M YEAR-OLD DINOSAUR COULD PROBABLY FLY, NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS

The teeth suggest its a Tyrannosaurus rex; however, there is still more work to be done, said David Burnham, preparator of vertebrate paleontology at Kansas Universitys Biodiversity Institute. Because a young T. rex is so rare, there are only a few that have been found over the years, so its difficult to discern what are changes due to growth or if the differences in the bones reflect different species.

Burnham noted that the University of Kansas is fortunate that it has an older T. rex to use as comparison with the latest find, as well another young T. rex on loan.

University of Kansas paleontologists are now analyzing their find and are planning to return to Hell Creek Formation. Were going to go back out this summer  were going right to that spot, said Burnham. We think and hope theres more there.

INCREDIBLE DINOSAUR 'ROAD' DISCOVERY: 'MOTHER LODE' OF DINO TRACKS FOUND AT NASA SITE

The researchers hope to publish their results in the coming months.

Paleontologists are shedding new light on the time of the dinosaurs. An incredible dinosaur path, for example, which even shows the tracks of a baby dinosaur, has been discovered at NASAs Space Flight Center. Experts also recently announced the discovery of a new species of dinosaur in Egypt, marking an important prehistoric link between prehistoric Africa and Europe. The fossilized remains of Mansourasaurus shahinae, a school-bus sized dinosaur, were found in the Sahara desert.

Other finds include the fossilized remains of a tiny duck-sized dinosaur with rainbow feathers were recently discovered in China. Experts also found the remains of a turkey-sized dinosaur in south Eastern Australia, while the 150-million-year-old fossil remains of a bird-like dinosaur were found in Germany.

OLDEST FOSSIL OF 'MISSING LINK' DINOSAUR DISCOVERED IN GERMANY

Last year, vandals wrecked a dinosaur footprint in rock at a renowned paleontology site in Australia.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Two pilots claim a UFO flew near them while they were traveling over Arizona last month, newly released audio recordings revealed.

The Federal Aviation Administration released the radio broadcast of the event, in which two pilots from separate flights can be heard asking air traffic control in Albuquerque Center if anybody was flying above them, The Phoenix Times reported.

The first pilot was flying a Learjet for Phoenix Air and reported that something flew over the aircraft around 3:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 24.

AMAZING AMAZON DISCOVERY: UNINHABITED AREAS WERE ONCE HOME TO A MILLION PEOPLE

"Was anybody above us that passed us like 30 seconds ago?" the pilot asked the operators, audio revealed. The FAA replied with a negative.

Following the conversation, the Albuquerque Center warned a nearby American Airlines plane to watch for a rogue object. Moments after the warning, the pilot of American Airlines Flight 1095 radioed in that something flew over the plane.

"Yeah, something just passed over us," the pilot said. "I don't know what it was, but it was at least two-three thousand feet above us. Yeah, it passed right over the top of us."

The pilots indicated they were not sure if the UFO was hovering or flying in a direction, but the American Airlines pilot reported the object had a big reflection and doubted it was a Google balloon, CBS News reported.

"Other than the brief conversation between two aircraft, the controller was unable to verify that any other aircraft was in the area," Lynn Lunsford of the FAA told The Phoenix New Times.

The strange object passed near the aircraft just 500 miles from Roswell, N.M., a city famous for an alleged UFO crash in 1947 and for inspiring a host of conspiracy theories.

The FAA told Fox News an air traffic controller was unable to verify that any other aircraft was in the area.

OLDEST HUMAN FOOTPRINTS IN NORTH AMERICA SUGGEST EARLY ENTRANCE INTO THE AMERICAS

"We have a close working relationship with a number of other agencies and safely handle military aircraft and civilian aircraft of all types in that area every day, including high-altitude weather balloons," the FAA told Fox News in a statement.



The odd encounters come just three months after reports from The New York Times and Politico claimed the Defense Department secretly set up a program 10 years ago to investigate UFOs. Former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly helped steer money under the program to a donors aerospace research company.

Fox News' Alex Pappas contributed to this report.
A camera that washed up on a beach in Taiwan will be returned to its owner more than two years after the device was dropped during a scuba diving excursion off a Japanese island.

Park Lee was with his class of elementary school students cleaning up a beach in Taiwan when an 11-year-old picked up an item covered with barnacles and shells, the BBC reported on Thursday. Lee looked at the item and discovered it was a camera with a waterproof case.

"An 11-year old boy found the camera," Lee told the BBC. "We thought it was broken but then by chance, knocked off a barnacle on the casing and found a button to open the case."

The case did its job, protecting the camera from the seawater. The boy pressed the power button and the camera turned on, revealing dozens of images on the device.

DECADES-OLD CAMERA REVEALS FORGOTTEN IMAGES OF MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTION

Lee said he and the students contemplated what to do with the camera.

"Some children thought we had earned the camera and could keep for ourselves. Others suggested we should try to find the owner -- and so we all sat down to think about how to do that, Lee said.

Lee posted a lengthy message on Facebook in Chinese and Japanese after seeing several photos were taken in Japan. He said clues indicated the camera was owned by young people and posted several of the photos to help identify the owner. Within a day his post received more than 10,000 shares and a response from the owner, Serina Tsubakihara.

"I couldn't believe it," Tsubakihara told the BBC. "I was super surprised when my friends told me about this and sent me the post with those pictures."

Tsubakihara said she lost the camera in 2015 while she was on vacation on the island of Ishigaki, Okinawa, about 155 miles east of Taiwan. The camera then drifted hundreds of miles, eventually washing ashore the beach in Taiwan.

"I was scuba diving and I lost the camera when one of my friends ran out of air and needed my help, Tsubakihara said. "I am so lucky and happy to have this miracle opportunity to feel kindness of people in my life.

Tsubakihara said she is planning to visit Taiwan in June to pick up her camera and personally thank the teacher and students for finding it.

"Those pictures remind me of old memories and brought me back to those," she said.
Some of the data that Cambridge Analytica harvested from Facebook is still circulating, despite what both companies have said, according to a British investigative report.

Channel 4 News viewed a small portion of a data set dating from 2014 that was mined from the Facebook profiles of 50 million users. They saw information on 136,000 residents of Colorado, which included their personality and psychological profile.

As the data scandal has continued to metastasize, and Facebook faces U.S. and U.K. inquiries into how it allowed the data to be mishandled, the Channel 4 report raises new questions about who is in possession of the information now.

TRUMP GOES AFTER AMAZON AGAIN, SAYS IT'S CAUSING 'TREMENDOUS LOSS TO US'

Not surprisingly, when the British news outlet tracked down some Facebook users who had their data harvested, they werent happy.

Janice, a nurse whose data is included in the cache, told Channel 4: Its a manipulation of our society by people who dont really care about our society. They care about their business. They care about their bottom line and they arent here for all of us, other than they want to manipulate all of us because were either a voter or a consumer. And thats how they look at me, they dont look at how safe I am, or how good my schools are.

Debra, a local resident, said: Its personal information, and just to have strangers be able to make an assessment about who we are and what our views are whether its accurate or inaccurate Its unnerving to think that someone has and is keeping track of that information.

A similar data set reportedly exists for Oregon residents. All of the data was used for the firm's election targeting efforts.

A spokesman for Cambridge Analytica told Fox News that the company "never passed any data from GSR [Global Science Research] to an external party" and that the firm deleted all the GSR data and took measures to make sure that copies of the data were also deleted.



"This includes our lawyers taking action in late 2014 against a number of former staff members who had stolen data and intellectual property from the company," the spokesman said. "These former staff members each signed an undertaking promising that they had deleted all such material. It is untrue that we failed to take appropriate measures to ensure that GSR data were deleted."

Global Science Research is the company co-founded by Aleksandr Kogan that harvested Facebook's data using a personality app and later shared the data with Cambridge Analytica.

WHAT? FACEBOOK KEEPS VIDEOS THAT YOU NEVER POSTED

Despite Facebook taking out full-page apology ads in multiple newspapers, a revamp of its privacy settings and promises of more changes to come, the Cambridge Analytica data scandal has prompted a backlash from some of its users and scolding from tech industry leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook.

In related news, Facebook made a brief announcement that its phasing out a form of advertising known as Partner Categories, which allowed third-party data aggregators like Experian to provide clients with offline data such as purchasing activity to inform targeted ads.

Although this specific program is not what led to the current Cambridge Analytica situation, the social network said it believes this change will help improve peoples privacy on Facebook.
Armed to the teeth with an array of powerful, destructive weapons, an incredible thinking drone may soon hit the skies to keep Marines safe.

The Marine Corps is aiming to build a revolutionary drone called MUX (Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System-Expeditionary).

The MUX will terrify enemies of the United States, and with good reason. The aircraft won't be just big and powerful: it will also be ultra-smart. This could be a heavily armed drone that takes off, flies, avoids obstacles, adapts and lands by itself  all without a human piloting it.

AMAZING MILITARY ATVS ARMED WITH LASER WEAPONS WILL BLAST DRONES OUT OF THE SKY

If goals are met, the MUX will be a drone that can truly run vital missions all by itself. Sure, it can be an eye in the sky, but it could carry all the same weapons as the F-35B  a variant of the sophisticated fifth generation stealth fighter jet, the F-35.

Earlier this month, Marines threw down the gauntlet to the industry to build the MUX, providing a detailed wish list of remarkable capabilities. Heres a look at what the Marine Corps expects for the MUX.

Groundbreaking Basic Capabilities

The goal is for MUX to fit on a ship with a similar footprint to a UH-1Y Venom helicopter. When it is launched for a mission, it will be able to take off vertically, fly a radius of up to 700 nautical miles and carry 9,500 pounds.

To expand the time in the air, the MUX will be able to be refueled in the air by another aircraft. In the air, it can reach heights of 30,000 feet.

The MUX will not need a formal runway or landing zone to land. This will give the Marine Corps a lot more flexibility. For example, if the MUX has been sent to provide critical resupply of ammunition, food and medical supplies to a hard-to-reach forward operating base with tough ground conditions, the MUX will still be able to land to deliver the supplies.

PODCAST: INSIDE HOW ELITE COMMANDO COMBAT DIVERS BATTLE THREATS DEEP UNDERWATER WITH MARINE FORCE RECON RUDY REYES

Armed With a Devastating Arsenal

The Marine Corps is looking for MUX to carry a staggering array of weapons.

For strikes against ground targets, the MUX could carry AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles; the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS) laser-guided rocket and the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM).

US MILITARY EYES FUTURISTIC 'BIONIC ARM' FOR TROOPS

To eliminate enemy aircraft threats, the MUX could carry AIM-9X air-to-air missiles and the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

MUXes may also carry small-diameter bombs and even another, much smaller drone onboard. Potentially, this little drone could be deployed as an electronic warfare weapon, loaded up with explosive capabilities as another precision strike option  or be deployed to provide additional in-depth collection of data on the enemy.

PODCAST: HEAR THIS BRAVE NAVY SEALS LESSONS FROM THE BATTLEFIELD THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Strike Missions

So how would the MUX use that hardcore arsenal of weapons?

Bear in mind, these are super smart drones that can think for themselves. Crucially, the MUXes will be able to fly as armed escorts to the MV-22 Ospreys as they transport Marines from ship to battlespace.

The iconic-looking Osprey helicopter is often used to transport troops. It can carry about 22 Marines and two air crew fully loaded up with their combat gear. Thanks to their revolutionary design, Ospreys can shift from a helicopter style vertical lift to flying like an aircraft, which enables them to hit speeds of 270 knots.

ARMY SETS SIGHTS ON NEW SNIPER RIFLE

We can expect the MUXes will be able to hit at least those Osprey fast speeds.

They will also be able to provide armed escorts to help protect other aircraft, vessels  and even aircraft carriers from threats.

With most likely a human in the loop in the near term, the MUX will be able to run offensive air support missions too, such as targeting and launching strikes against enemy combatants, strongholds and arsenal.

Scouting, Recon, Surveillance and Intel Missions

In more of a scout role, the MUX could deliver early warnings to American forces. Traveling in advance of the force, the MUX can spot threats, gather data and relay the information back. Early warnings can spoil an enemys plan to surprise and kill American troops on the ground.

Drones are often associated with a spying mission. MUXes will also be able to deliver an eye in the sky providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance or ISR.

MUX Teams

If the Marine Corps were mounting an assault, then one MUX could travel out ahead to the target and loiter to provide a constant real-time picture back to the Marines.

US ARMY TANKS GET FUTURISTIC SHIELDS TO DESTROY INCOMING THREATS

Another MUX could then provide armed escort to protect the Ospreys flying the Marines from the ship or base to the target area. If Marines become wounded and need to be MEDEVACed to care, then this MUX could also provide armed protection for a safe return.

Both MUXes can also utilize their deep arsenal to provide close air support to the Marines on the ground.

Electronic Warfare Missions

The MUX will also be able to conduct electronic warfare missions. One example would be flying out in advance of U.S. forces and jamming all the enemy devices so, by the time human forces arrive, the enemy cannot communicate with each other.

MUX could also perform more mundane but valuable roles, like communications relay and transporting cargo.

What Will MUX Look Like?

The Marine Corps has yet to choose a winning design. But we can take a look at a few companies with advanced capabilities that might be adapted to fit the specific MUX requirements to get an idea.

US SOLDIERS SET TO RECEIVE NEW SPECIAL OPERATIONS-STYLE NIGHT VISION GOGGLES

Three of the most remarkable are Vigilant, ARES and TERN. All three feature very futuristic looks: Bells V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor aircraft, Lockheed Martins ARES has a twin-ducted design, and Northrop Grummans TERN combines stubby wings and propellers on the nose.

When Will MUX be Fielded?

Currently, the Marine Corps aims to have the first MUX operational in about seven years. This first version would be land-based. The hope is that the sea-based MUX that can vertically take off from and land on vessels will be ready before 2028  within 10 years.

A fully operational fleet of these armed-to-the-teeth flying giants is expected by 2034.
U.S. cities, states and companies increasingly find themselves at risk for cyberattacks and breaches involving so-called ransomware, which place them at the mercy of hackers demanding money.

Recent examples have taken place in computer networks serving the cities of Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, and the operations of Boeing.

Atlantas computer systems were hit with a ransomware attack March 22, locking important city data behind an encrypted wall that can be unlocked only if the city pays the hackers $51,000 in the form of Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

The ransom note left by hackers said that refusing to pay the figure by a deadline this week would lead to wiping up the information.

It was unclear late Wednesday if the city had paid off the hackers, with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms not ruling out such action.

The hackers were believed to be a known group that uses the so-called SamSam ransomware against targets that have weak security and would be willing to pay to regain control. The group has collected nearly $850,000 since 2017, according to CSO. The city of Leeds, Ala., paid the hackers $12,000 last month to release the captured data.

The city of Atlanta continued to operate after the attack, but some services have been suspended and others have been slow as they had to be done manually. City officials said an investigation into the attack was completed and they were working round the clock to restore the systems.

It took more than six days to recover only some parts of the information. The citys employees were told Tuesday to turn on their computers for the first time since the hack, though some will continue to experience issues related to the attack.

911 shutdown in Baltimore

"We were able to successfully isolate the threat and ensure that no harm was done to other servers or systems across the city's network."  Chief information officer Frank Johnson

But Atlanta isnt alone in being barraged with cyberattacks. Baltimore officials admitted Wednesday that a ransomware attack targeted the city's 911 dispatch system over the weekend, leading to a 17-hour shutdown of the emergency dispatching system.

Frank Johnson, chief information officer in the Mayors Office of Information Technology, confirmed that the outage was caused by ransomware perpetrators. The hackers managed to breach the citys network after an internal change to the firewall made by a technician who was working on another issue related to the automated dispatch system.

"We were able to successfully isolate the threat and ensure that no harm was done to other servers or systems across the city's network," Johnson said, describing the incident as a "limited breach."

Baltimore officials said they weren't aware of any ransom demands made by the hackers responsible for the attack.

Alarm at Boeing

The world's largest aerospace company, Boeing, was the target of a cyberattack Wednesday via the notorious WannaCry ransomware -- the same tool that crippled the health care services in Britain last year, the Seattle Times reported.

News of the Boeing attack was met with widespread alarm, with officials fearing the hackers may have brought down the company's production equipment. But Boeing urged for calm, saying the cyberattack breached only a few machines.

Weve done a final assessment, Linda Mills, head of communications for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told the publication. The vulnerability was limited to a few machines. We deployed software patches. There was no interruption to the 777 jet program or any of our programs.

Denver also hit

A suspicious outage also happened in Denver, where key websites such as denvergov.org and pocketgov.org and online services stopped working Wednesday afternoon. Numerous government computers and phone systems, including the text-to-911 system, were down, the Denverite reported.

Some city staff reportedly lost access to email and other digital systems. Officials said they believe the shutdown was caused by a software bug.

But the alleged software issue in Denver comes just weeks after the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) was targeted twice  in the space of seven days last month  with SamSam ransomware, paralyzing the department of 2,000 people and demanding Bitcoins in exchange for giving back the information, Denver7 reported.

David McCurdy, chief technology officer, said the department had no intention of paying ransomware. The damage to CDOTs computer systems was reportedly mitigated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Students who have earned an associate of applied science in health information management technology from Georgia Northwestern Technical College can transfer seamlessly into Dalton States bachelor of science in health information management program, thanks to an articulation agreement signed between the two schools Thursday.



This articulation agreement creates a bridge for graduates from GNTCs program to continue here at Dalton State, said Dr. Gina Kertulis-Tartar, dean of the School of Health Professions. GNTC has a strong health information management technology program. Students who graduate from their program are well-prepared, and the program is respected in the community. Now we can easily be the next step for those graduates.



Lisa Hunt, an assistant professor of health information management at Dalton State, worked closely with Donna Estes, GNTCs program director for health information management technology, to develop this pathway.



"The program at Dalton State is completed online, so it is ideal for working professionals who want to further their career," said Deborah Gilbert, health information management program director at Dalton State.

This four-year degree will provide students with the knowledge to work in hospitals, insurance companies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other reputable healthcare agencies, Ms. Gilbert said. This program fills a need in the area and beyond.



"Health information management professionals work with data management, information policy, information systems and administrative and clinical workflow. The program is interdisciplinary, combining health sciences with technology and business," officials said.



Were very excited to have this articulation agreement with Dalton State, said Pete McDonald, president of GNTC. This gives our students a chance to progress in their education and ultimately help them advance their careers.



The first bachelor degree candidates of the health information management program at Dalton State will walk across the stage this spring. They were first accepted into the program in the fall of 2016.
President Donald Trump has gone after Amazon again, tweeting it is "causing tremendous loss to the U.S." after a Wednesday media report suggested the President was "obsessed" with the Jeff Bezos-led company.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election," Trump wrote on Twitter, one of his favored methods of expressing policy and opinion. "Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!"

The tweet comes after a report from Axios's Jonathan Swan that Trump has talked about changing Amazon's tax treatment.

AMAZON MIGHT BUY TARGET, BUT COULD TRUMP STAND IN THE WAY?

Citing a source who had spoken to Trump, Swan wrote that Trump has "wondered aloud" if there could be a way "to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law." The report adds that Trump does not yet have a plan to make that happen.

Following the Axios report, Amazon shares fell sharply on Wednesday, closing at $1,431.42, down more than 4 percent.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders responded to the report, telling Reuters: The president has said many times before hes always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses and this is no different. Hes always going to look at different ways, but there arent any specific policies on the table at this time.

After an op-ed from director of policy at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance Ross Marchand criticizing the deal the U.S. Postal Service has with Amazon, David Partenheimer, the USPS's public relations manager called the op-ed "a misinformed and misleading rant," according to Linn's.

In 2013, the USPS signed a deal with Amazon that allowed it to ship its packages to customers on Sunday.

AMAZON'S LACK OF INCOME TAX PAID HAS BECOME AN 'UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTION'

Continued attacks

Thursday's tweet from Trump continues his attack on Amazon, which Axios said is due to Amazon's deal with the U.S. Postal Service, as well as Jeff Bezos' ownership of The Washington Post, which Axios said Trump "views as Bezos political weapon."

In June 2017, Trump accused Amazon of not paying "Internet taxes" and called the #AmazonWashingtonPost "Fake News."

It is not clear what "internet taxes" the President was referring to at the time, but the company does collect sales tax (where applicable) on items it sells on its platform.

Two months later, Trump continued the attack, tweeting, "Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt - many jobs being lost!"

TRUMP ATTACK SAMAZON ON TWITTER AGAIN, SAYS IT'S 'DOING GREAT DAMAGE' TO RETAILERS

According to an April 2017 report from Bloomberg, which cited investment bank Credit Suisse, the number of retail stores estimated to close in 2017 was on pace to reach nearly 8,000. In 2016, that number was around 2,000 stores.

Fox Business has compiled a list of the other brick-and-mortar retailers who have announced store closings in recent months.

Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia


This is a rush transcript from "The Story," March 27, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MARTHA MACCALLUM, FOX NEWS CHANNEL HOST: They'll both going to have to beat Villanova. Thank you, Bret. Good to see you tonight. So, questions this evening about whether the reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have made a secret trip to China ahead of his planned talks with President Trump. The South China Post and other reports site this 'mysterious armored train' rolled out of Beijing on Tuesday, apparently bound for Pyongyang. The 21-car train got yellow stripes which reportedly was noticed because it looks a lot like the one that Kim Jong Un's father took when he went to China from Pyongyang back in 2011. So, if President Trump and Kim meets, it would be the first between the United States president and the so-called dear leader of the hermit nation. Representatives from North and South Korea and the United States met last week in Finland to discuss the parameters of this possible would-be historic summit.

This as we watch the markets roller coaster on a looming trade war with China and rally in recent sessions on the possibility that China might be coming to the table to potentially renegotiate some of their deals. Today, the president was on the phone with Prime Minister Angela Merkel of Germany and President Macron of France. He was urging these two allies to join forces in pressing China for better terms and to halt the theft of intellectual property. All of this as Russia continues to react, somewhat mutedly to the largest expulsion of intelligence operatives in the U.S. and around the globe in history. All of that with a back drop, the president's approval numbers have been inching upward to their highest approval numbers in months. The latest Fox News poll finds 45 percent of voters approve, that is up two points since February. A new CNN poll shows 42 percent approve. That's the highest it's been since his 100th day in office. Joining me now is Senator Lindsey Graham South Carolina Republican Senator. Good evening, Senator Graham, good to see you tonight.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-SOUTH CAROLINA: Good. Lots to talk about.

MACCALUM: There is a lot to talk about, isn't there? First of all, your thoughts on the possible meeting that happened in China and what might've provoked the dear leader to take that train, to spend a little time with the leadership in Beijing.

GRAHAM: Donald J. Trump, for the last 30 years, we've had kind of an appeasement mentality with North Korea. The president told North Korean regime, I don't want a war but will stop you from building an ICBM with a nuclear missile or nuclear weapon on top to hit the American homeland. If I have to go to war to stop you, I will. I think he has got North Korea's attention. He's convinced China that he's serious. And he's gotten them to the table, no nobody else was able to do it. Jimmy Carter is upset with Jim Bolton. We've tried it the Jimmy Carter way for about 30 years. Let's try it the Donald Trump and John Bolton way. I'm very excited about what could happen.

MACCALLUM: You know, and it is interesting to hear about these phone conversations between Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron --

GRAHAM: Yes.

MACCALLUM: You know, because whenever President Trump even raised these notions, there was this, you know, sort of hysterical backlash. You can't do that! Nobody does that. You can't possibly do that. It's going to end up with such a terrible impact on your own country's economy. But this is sort of classic, you know, if you read the, you know, 30-year-old book 'Art of the Deal'. You know, it's throw out that sort of dramatic first marker and then kind of work your way back from there and something is better than nothing.

GRAHAM: Well, fire and fury worked when it came to North Korea. We've got the best chance in the last 30 years to end the North Korean nuclear program and maybe sign a peace treaty with North Korea, China, and South Korea to end the Korean War. If I were President Trump, I would think big. In terms of pushing bank against China's cheating, they still own an intellectual property. Now, what do we mean by that? If you open up a business in China, they require you to have a Chinese business partner. Once you get up running, about two years later, all your intellectual property is used by somebody across the street, fully owned Chinese company to steal everything you bring to China. They manipulate the currency. They dump steel below market value into the world economy. And Trump said during the campaign he was going to push back, he has. And if the French and the Germans were smart, they would join President Trump to change Chinese business practices.

MACCALLUM: All right. So, what about the push back against Russia, the expulsion of all of these diplomats, you have several other countries that came onboard with this move today. The president has been accused since he was elected of being too soft on Russia. What do you make of this move?

GRAHAM: I think when the president decided to expel the Russian spies and diplomats, the world followed. It shows what happens when America leads from the front, the rest of the world follows. I've never seen so many nations pushing back against Russia. I just went to a national security conference in Munich. NATO is alive and well again because Putin is just creating so much havoc throughout the world. So, I think what President Trump did, the rest of the world followed. And it's going to make a difference. But clearly, we haven't done enough to change Russia's behavior. They're still very brazen, very emboldened, but what President Trump did with expelling these people, I think, is going to pay dividends overtime.

MACCALLUM: You know, when you look at the Russian reaction, you know, they're sort of scoffing about it. The representative, you know, it's no big deal. But you know, in terms of their intelligence, their ability to gather information around the world, has that been curtailed dramatically by this move?

GRAHAM: They're beginning to be isolated. They have an economy, the size of Italy. If the president could rally the world to push back against Russian aggression, and really hit them economically, have sanctions that hit really hard, then Putin is basically going to gas station masquerading as a country. People are going to get tired of him stealing them blind within Russia itself. So, we've got a magic moment in time here to get North Korea to the table, to do something no other president has been able to do, which is to give up their nuclear program. If President Trump will pour on the pressure to Russia, I think we can Change their behavior, because they're basically a very weak economy.

MACCALLUM: The president is also going to meet with leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. That's also something that's going to get Putin's attention, and he's probably not going to be too happy about it.

GRAHAM: Well, so we're putting American troops in the Baltic. These are the frontline states on the border of Russia, who are NATO members, who are all democracies. The countries you just named -- we're going to send troops over there to help train their military. We're going to fly the NATO- American flag right in Putin's face. So, the more we can do to push back on Russia, the better the dividends because Putin will never respond to weakness; he will only respond to strength. And the one thing I can tell the American people after eight years of weakness and appeasement by Obama, I am really pleased to see a president leading from the front, John Bolton is going to be a great National Security Advisor. And the only reason North Korea is talking to us is because they're afraid of Donald Trump. And I think the way you change Russia's behavior is just poured on.

MACCALLUM: Yes. We're going to talk to Gordon Chang in a moment. So, more on North Korea and China. But I want to get your thoughts on a couple of domestic issues before I let you go tonight, senator. The first is this, you know, sort of buzz that the president is going to try to find a way to use the Pentagon budget, the defense budget to pay for the wall; that there are certain, you know, old rules that might allow him to kind of divert some of that domestic money and get it to help pay for the wall. Is that true?

GRAHAM: I don't know. But I wouldn't advise that. We need that $650 billion to repair the damage done during the Obama administration to our military. Going into the North Korea negotiations, rebuilding our military is going to make North Korea look differently at Donald Trump. Russia is looking differently to us as we build up our military. The best way to get the wall money is to do the deal the president talked about. The $25 billion for the wall in return will do a deal for the DACA recipients. That's the deal to be done. And if he would announce that any time soon, the Democrats would be in a box. Because I want them to say no to the DACA recipients because they don't want to fund the wall that America needs.

MACCALLUM: Didn't they essentially do that with this last spending bill.

GRAHAM: Not really, because it was wrapped up into the spending bill. There's a lot of issues going on at the same time. If President Trump came out tomorrow and said listen, I want my wall money because we need to protect America, we need a wall. I will be more than fair to the DACA recipients, Democrats would be in a terrible box politically.

MACCALLUM: I know you were sorry about the way that went the last time around. And we'll see if they can get somewhere with it this time around. Last question for you: interesting editorial this morning from a former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stephens. He said that, we really should just do away with the second amendment. We're going to take about this more with the panel coming up, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on it tonight, senator.

GRAHAM: Don't run for Senate in South Carolina. I'm up here to defend the second amendment rights of my citizens. My constituents, not take them away. I hope every Democrat will be asked what you asked me, is it a good idea to repeal the second amendment? Because I want every Democrat to answer that question. This is a very bad idea. I'm glad he's retired. He has a right to his opinion like every other American. But I'm up here to protect the second amendment and not repeal it, and I can't wait to hear what Nancy Pelosi says and every other liberal Democrat. See if they will stand with Justice Stephens or they'll stand with the constitution. I'm dying to know.

MACCALLUM: We'll see. They'll be asked. Senator, great to see you. Thank you very much for being here tonight.

GRAHAM: Thank you.

MACCALLUM: So, here with more perspective on all of this: Gordon Chang, an Asian Analyst with expertise on both North Korea and China, and the author of the book 'Coming Collapse of China.' Gordon, always good to see you. Thanks for coming on 'The Story' tonight. First of all, your thoughts on this train that looks very similar to the one that carried Kim Jong Un's father on his visit to Beijing. Do you think that's what happened here?

GORDON CHANG, ASIAN ANALYST WITH EXPERTISE ON BOTH NORTH KOREA AND CHINA AND AUTHOR: Yes, I certainly think so. I think what Xi Jinping, the Chinese ruler did was he told Kim Jong Un, the North Korea ruler, you got to come to Beijing. Because I think the Chinese were feeling that Trump had cut actually out China from the denuclearization process. And the Chinese wanted to make themselves relevant again. We got to remember that Kim, his first foreign trip was going to be to South Korea. His second foreign trip was to meet President Trump. The Chinese felt that the first foreign trip from North Korea should be to China. Because the Chinese look at the North Koreans as vassals. And they don't want their vassals dealing with South Korea or the United States.

MACCALLUM: So, why would they hide it then? Why wouldn't they publicize it?

CHANG: Well, it's traditional that the Chinese do not publicize that a North Korean leader has been in Beijing until that North Korean leader has returned to the north. And the reason is, the North Koreans are very, very concerned about, you know, the generals in North Korea, back in North Korea, you know, launching a coup if they think that Kim is out of the country.

MACCALLUM: I mean, it's fascinating. He's never been to China, according to reports since he became leader in 2011, which makes me wonder, well, we're never ever been out of the country. It's not unlikely, right?

CHANG: Well, as leader he has not been out of the country, and we're pretty sure about that. Because people do track his movements and there is no indication he has left the country before Monday.

MACCALLUM: Let me take a look -- let me show you this and put this up on the screen, this tweet from President Trump back on March the 2nd. He said when a country, USA is losing many billions of dollars of trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good and easy to win. Example, when we're down 100 billion with a certain country, I can insert China into that, and they get cute, don't trade anymore. We win big. It's easy. Your thoughts on that, Gordon?

CHANG: Yes, economists are going to be horrified but Trump is actually right. You know, we can win this trade war. Last year, 88.8 percent of China's overall merchandise trade surplus, related to sales to the United States. That was up from 2016. So, the Chinese are really dependents on the U.S. And you know, we as Americans know that trade surplus countries are vulnerable because in the last great trade war, which was the great depression, we got hurt the most because we were the trade surplus country. For other countries around the world, the great depression was not so great.

MACCALLUM: What about the input from Merkel today and Macron in those conversations? How powerful would it be if we could get some of our largest allies to join us in this effort?

CHANG: Yes, I think that's extremely powerful and we should congratulate the president on this. You know, I think that the Germans and the French and everybody else are going to be joining the United States in this. You know, Trump is the one to act first. The problem is that there is now a trade outlaw at the center of global commerce, that's China. We got to do something, and President Trump moved first. We are going to see the French and Germans, and everyone around them also join the United States in this because they have no choice. The Chinese are giving everybody else no choice.

MACCALLUM: I mean, there are big tectonic plates moving around here in all of this, are there not? Is that an overestimation of what's happening?

CHANG: It's not an overestimation because what we've had for four decades, really, has been the United States trying to get China to join the international system. We have seen it to be in our interest to support the Communist Party of China up until now. And now, we're starting to understand the dimensions of the mistake that we made for those decades and we're trying to reverse it. This is the fight of our lives, Martha.

MACCALLUM: I want to play this sound from President Trump on intellectual property because I think it's a discussion and a topic that, you know, sometimes gets lost in the shuffle and I want you to help us understand what's really at stake here. Here's President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If China does not stop its illegal activities, including its theft of American trade secrets, and intellectual properties, I will apply countervailing duties until China ceases and desist. The theft of intellectual property by foreign countries costs our nation millions of jobs and billions and billions of dollars each and every year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: How are they stealing all of this from us, Gordon?

CHANG: Well, they're doing it in a way that Senator Graham mentioned. There's also just cyberattacks. If you want to do business in China, you've got a joint venture with the Chinese company and you lose your intellectual property. And now, they have what they call national security laws and regulations that require U.S. tech companies to divulge all sorts of secrets like source code, and this is absolutely critical because innovation is the heart of the American economy right now. And if President Trump doesn't defend it, there's no more economy left. So, he's doing what he has to do to protect the United States.

MACCALLUM: It's going to be really interesting to watch how this plays out in the coming weeks and months. Gordon, great to see you. Thank you so much for coming on tonight.

CHANG: Thanks, Martha.

MACCALLUM: You bet. So, coming up, the first American to escape Al Qaeda, breaks his silence. Why he says the FBI failed him, specifically Mueller and Comey? We're going to talk about that. We have a statement from the FBI that we're going to read tonight with regard to that as well. Matt Schrier here exclusively this hour. And should the 2020 census ask if you're a citizen? And, if it does, which party stands to benefit from the outcome? Marc Thiessen and Juan Williams debate when they join us in just a moment. And those rumors that the president might borrow from the massive defense budget to build his big beautiful wall, we get their thoughts on that too when we comeback.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have $1.6 billion for the wall that will start immediately. This is a short-term funding but it's immediate, starts immediately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The purpose is to determine individuals that are here. It also helps to comply with the Voting Rights Act. Without that information, it's hard to make determinations, and that information needs to be gathered and it has been part of the United States census every time we've had a census since 1965 with the one exception of the 2010 census.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: So, the Trump administration is sparking some outrage today over a proposal to include a question on the 2020 census, asking participants: are you a legal United States citizen? Democratic attorney general in several states fired back almost immediately, Javier Becerra in California, also the New York attorney general has now joined in that saying that they will sue the administration to prevent that question from being asked arguing that it could lead to serious undercounts that could hurt Democrats' chances of getting re-elected. So, are they right? And how does all of this play out. Here now, Marc Thiessen, American Enterprise Institute Scholar and Fox News contributor; and Juan Williams, co-host of 'The Five' and a Fox News political analyst. Gentlemen, thank you for being here tonight. So, Marc, you know, in history, up until about 1950, this question was routinely included on this census. So, why would it be wrong, illegal, potentially unconstitutional to include it now?

MARC THIESSEN, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR AND AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE SCHOLAR: It's a ridiculous charge by the California attorney general. It's not illegal. It was asked for 130 years. It was asked as part of the long form which is the question that goes out to about one sixth of census people. It was asked until Obama took it off in 2010 and it's still asked as part of the annual survey the census bureau does. So, why are the Democrats so upset about this? And the answer is two things: money and power. They are afraid that illegal immigrants, if they are asked this question, will not participate in the survey and that will reduce their population numbers, because illegal immigrants are concentrated in about 20 metropolitan areas that are predominantly democratic. So, why would they be upset about that is because the census numbers are used to apportion money, the $675 billion that goes out in federal funds to these cities. And, two, they are used to decide how many seats each state gets in Congress. So, you know --

MACCALLUM: But that representation, Marc, is based on citizens, right?

THIESSEN: Yes. Well, it's supposed to be.

MACCALLUM: Right. So, what -- I mean, the numbers, the representation numbers are based on representing American citizens in congress, because as a citizen, you have the right to have your voice be heard in the capital and the congress and in the Senate, Juan. So why, I mean, I can understanding politically, Juan, why this is a sensitive issue in terms of numbers, but isn't it a pretty tough argument to argue against?

JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS CHANNEL POLITICAL ANALYST AND HOST: No. In fact, James Madison, when he wrote the federalist papers said we need an accurate census in order to properly apportion not only members to the House of Representatives, to the Congress, but we also need it because it impacts an allocation of federal funds, spending on programs, federal programs for people. So, that if you are a citizen of this country, Martha, but you live in New York or D.C., or any of the big cities, your services will be impacted if there is an undercount. And what we know right now is that this will depress the count of people who are intimidated -- legal immigrants who are intimidated from participating. And we also know quite clearly that six former people who ran the census, six former directors have said this is a bad idea Wilbur Ross, the current Commerce Secretary, don't do it. It will, in fact, discourage people from participating and all of America, not only the politicians but the businesses rely on an accurate count of how many people are in the country. That's what this is about.

MACCALLUM: I mean, it's pretty crafty political move. It's also something that's pretty easy to back up based on the fact that it was until 1950, Marc.

THIESSEN: Well, yes. No, absolutely. It's been done -- it was done for 130 years, and it still was done until Obama stopped it. So, if Juan wants an accurate count, then let's get an accurate count, let's get an accurate count of citizens and noncitizens. I mean, Juan, you agree with me that illegal immigrants shouldn't be counted in deciding how many congressional districts a state gets, right? You agree with that don't you?

WILLIAMS: No, I disagree with you, because --

THIESSEN: You think they can't vote, how can they -- why should they have any say in how many congressional districts the state of New York or the State of California have?

WILLIAMS: Well, remember, Marc, there was a time in our country's history slaves were counted as three-fifths for this purpose.

THIESSEN: Oh, come on, you're not comparing illegal immigrants with slaves.

WILLIAMS: No, what I'm saying to you is, shouldn't we have counted slaves at that time because --

THIESSEN: Of course, we should have.

WILLIAMS: -- the southern states wanted the slaves included because it pumped up their numbers in terms --

THIESSEN: That has nothing to do with slavery, Juan, that's ridiculous.

WILLIAMS: Why?

THIESSEN: Noncitizens can't vote. So, why should noncitizens be counted in deciding congressional districts?

WILLIAMS: Well, let me respond to your question? Let me respond to you.

THIESSEN: And why should sanctuary cities be rewarded with more federal funds because they turn themselves into magnets for illegal immigrants? Because that's what you're basically arguing. They should be able to get more money, they're going to lose money because illegal immigrants won't participate in the census, that means they should get more money because they packed it with illegal immigrants.

MACCALLUM: But Juan is also saying that he feels bad for all the people in New York and California because they happen to live in a state where there are so many illegal people in those state, that they might lose some of their own services.

WILLIAMS: Correct. It impacts all of us as American citizens. But it impacts the way that we live in this country. We have 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country. And the question is should you as an American citizen be punished if you live in a community that has a high percentage of illegal immigrants?

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: This has become politicized to the point that the Trump re-election campaign has directed its fundraisers to raise this and say, isn't this good news? Let's cheer this on!

MACCALLUM: I mean, that's the politically cynical take on it, and there may be some merit to it. But, Marc, so is that being done to balance out the gerrymandering issues around the country that look like they're going to benefit Democrat districts.

THIESSEN: I think it's being done to get an accurate census.

WILLIAMS: No, this would not be accurate.

THIESSEN: Juan, if you're an American citizen, you're not getting punished because you have the illegal immigrants. Because they shouldn't be counted towards how much money your state gets anyway.

WILLIAMS: Why is that?

THIESSEN: I mean, you're not being punished, you're getting an accurate count.

WILLIAMS: Remember, the founding fathers, Marc, wanted an accurate count. They wanted an accurate account. That's what James Madison spoke about.

THIESSEN: Hold on. My turn, Juan.

MACCALLUM: Last thought.

THIESSEN: Do you believe that these should be counted and rewarded for making themselves the magnets for illegal immigrants.

WILLIAMS: No, you're politicizing by saying magnets.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: Sanctuary city, you're a magnet for illegal residents.

WILLIAMS: No, I think that you have a different attitude towards how illegals are treated because you care about them communicating with law enforcement. It's not necessarily it.

MACCALLUM: Well, established that you both have different attitudes when it comes to this.

(LAUGHTER)

MACCALLUM: Juan and Marc, thank you guys. Great to see you.

MACCALLUM: So, still ahead tonight, we started this story last night. He escaped al-Qaeda only to be betrayed, he believes, by his own government. Matt Schrier in an exclusive interview on set with me next. And a former Supreme Court justice says students marching in the street are not going far enough. What they should be demanding, he says, is the total repeal of the Second Amendment. Mollie Hemingway and Mark Glaze debate next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATY TUR, MSNBC: So, I have a question today is can you protect the Second Amendment while still protecting innocent lives?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They'll take away your Second Amendment, which we will never allow to happen. They'll take away your Second Amendment.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARTHA MACCALLUM, THE STORY HOST: President Trump has long made the prediction, and now with a push from the Parkland survivors and others across the country for a 21 for gun law, tighten background checks and an assault ban -- a rifle ban. A former Supreme Court justice says the problem with the movement today is that it doesn't go far enough. In a New York Times' op-ed, Justice John Paul Stephens says he believes the second amendment was written during a time when militias were needed, and that he has always been against it. He says, quote, the demonstrators should seek more effective and more lasting reform. They should demand a repeal of the second amendment. Here now, Mollie Hemingway, senior editor at the Federalist and a Fox News contributor, and Mark Glaze, gun control advocate and co-founder of Guns Down. Good to see both of you tonight. Just first your reaction to Justice Stephens' editorial today, Mark. Are you in favor of banning the Second Amendment?

MARK GLAZE, GIN CONTROL ADVOCATE: I actually think it's an interesting argument and it's one the country ought to have. I don't think we need to repeal the Second Amendment to do all the regulation we need to do and here's why. The Heller decision interpreted the Second Amendment to mean these rights to have a gun in the home for self-defense. But Justice Scalia said there's plenty that we can and should do to regulate guns as long as we leave that right intact. And under that ruling, states have done a number of things including going as far as banning assault rifles, and some pretty conservative courts of appeal have upheld those regulations.

MACCALLUM: I want to talk about how difficult that would be to do. But, Mollie, first, I want to get your reaction to the editorial from Justice Stephens this morning.

MOLLIE HEMINGWAY, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, it's absolutely chilling to see that people who advocate gun control are opposing the Constitution and the foundational right to keep and bear arms that defines who we are as a people. It's also good that they're being honest about what their end game is that it's not just something that maybe a lot of people can agree with, but they're actually taking their attack directly to the Constitution and its Bill of Rights and even beyond that. I mean, this is something that is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. That's how foundational it is, our understanding of who we are as a people and our right to have redress against a government that might become despotic.

MACCALLUM: Mark, do you disagree with that? I mean, it is foundational in terms of who we are. It's a freedom that is enjoyed and exercised by millions of Americans across this country, who feels that they have a right to protect themselves, and feel that they're safer, especially, in this current environment if they have the ability to protect themselves.

GLAZE: Well, I think the question we have to ask ourselves is whether the people who wrote the constitution intended for the Second Amendment to be a suicide pact, which is a way that many folks on the other side are basically treating it today. You know, every day in this country, a hundred Americans are killed at the barrel of a gun. And, yet, gun right advocates like Mollie continue to say there's nothing we should be doing beyond what we're now doing to solve this problem. What we're doing now isn't working. So let's have a robust debate.

MACCALLUM: But is that true, Mollie? Is there nothing that we could do to make the country safer?

HEMINGWAY: Take, for example, why we're talking about this now, which relates to the Parkland shooting, where you had massive governmental failure at the federal, state and local level of citizens trying to have their government help protect against a person that they've identified as a dangerous individual. And you had nobody taking these citizens up on their arguments. The Second Amendment is not just a guarantor of liberty. It's also -- I mean, it doesn't just protect our right to keep arms. It's also a guarantor of liberty in the case of catastrophic governmental failure, which what we saw in Florida.

MACCALLUM: Where is the outrage, Mark, about the FBI? Where's the outrage about Sheriff Israel? Where's the outrage about the 27 times that this man's house was visited by officers? You know, it's really something that we did not hear at these marches at all. And it is, perhaps, the one thing that actually might have stopped this tragedy.

GLAZE: Well, you know, Mollie is reciting from NRA talking points that are about making the fact that the Broward County sheriff's department fell down on the job, somehow mean that gun regulation doesn't work. The fact is, we know from a lot of different data that states that have stricter gun control laws actually have fewer people who die or as shot as a result of gun.

MACCALLUM: What about Chicago? What about Washington, D.C.? What about places that have very strict gun laws where you see rampant killings in the street with guns?

GLAZE: Let me tell you what the problem with Chicago is. Chicago, actually, does have a quite tight gun laws, but the jurisdiction surrounding it including places like Indiana, do not. So people who want guns in Chicago just go to Indiana to get them. That's why we need federal laws.

MACCALLUM: Mollie. Last thought, Mollie.

HEMINGWAY: It's good to see that progressives are being more open about how oppositional they are to the Constitution and our freedoms as acceded in the bill of rights.

MACCALLUM: Thanks, guys. Good to see you tonight.

GLAZE: Thanks, Martha.

MACCALLUM: All right. So, for seven months he was held captive by some of the world's most evil men. But when he returned home, his troubles were far from over. Matthew Schrier says the American government turned its back on him when he needed their help the most. He is here live with his exclusive interview, next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW SCHRIER, HELD HOSTAGE IN SYRIA: They caught me trying to escape. And they flip you over, so your feet is in the air, and you're handcuffed. And they take a cable, about this thick, as thick as a nightstick, and they whack your feet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: So last night on 'The Story,' we brought you the exclusive story of Matthew Schrier, an American held hostage by Al Qaeda affiliate for more than seven months before he made an incredible escape. He came home to little fanfare. In fact, he alleges that the treatment he got from his own government was dreadful, suggesting that the FBI not only lied to his family, but essentially used him as a pawn in a sick terrorist game of chess.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHERINE HERRIDGE, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You're saying the FBI sacrificed your safety in order to track Al Qaeda?

MATTHEW SCHRIER, HELD HOSTAGE IN SYRIA: Yes.

HERRIDGE: Former intelligence officials told Fox, Schrier's theory is more than plausible.

HERRIDGE: It's a big allegation to make.

SCHRIER: I can prove it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACCALLUM: Now he's ready to tell his story in a new book, 'The Dawn Prayer,' as using what he learned to help our men and women in uniform. Matthew Schrier, welcome. Good to see you tonight.

SCHRIER: Thank you.

MACCALLUM: You know there're so many different angles to this story. But, first of all, can you just explain to everybody how you got out? You're locked in a cell with walls as high as you can see with another guy, another American, and your first thought is, I'm going to get out of here.

SCHRIER: I saw that the window was flawed. Once upon a time, somebody clipped the wires. They're very thick wires cemented into the foundation of the building. Somebody clipped them and then they welded them on, but they didn't do a good job. So, I tried pulling them off. I tried praying them off. It didn't work. So I studied them, and I realized that they were welded on on one side and held together by tension, so if I unweave the verticals I can bend back the horizontals on the side where they weren't wielded and create the opening.

MACCALLUM: How did you stay OK? You know, I said to you before we sat down, you know, you were tortured, right?

SCHRIER: Right.

MACCALLUM: You're beaten.

SCHRIER: Right.

MACCALLUM: You're dragged?

SCHRIER: No.

MACCALLUM: Mistreated?

SCHRIER: Yeah.

MACCALLUM: And you say, you know, few days after you got back, you bounced back.

SCHRIER: Yeah. I mean, you got to stay as positive as possible. I know it sounds crazy, but I tried to keep my sense of humor, I tried to keep my mind clear. And as a Jewish guy in Al Qaeda prison, the way I thought of things are, you know, the only thing worse than -- the only thing almost as bad as getting your head cut off and saying and waiting for it to happen, so I didn't do that. I just used the time to my advantage by trying to figure out a way out of there, and other exercises.

MACCALLUM: It worked. I want to talk to you about the FBI. How do you believe that they wronged you?

SCHRIER: I know that they've wronged me. At first, I thought it was incompetence, but after I started really investigating everything and looking at the financial records and the documentation between my mother and the agent, Lindsey Perotti, who is on the case.

MACCALLUM: So your parents were trying to get you back.

SCHRIER: Well, actually, my mother was. The FBI never told my father that I was kidnapped. And they've convinced my mother I was OK, so that she wouldn't tell him, because my father would have probably demanded answers a lot more, so it was easier for them to not have him involved. So once I started really investigating everything, I realized that she was lying about a lot of things. Like in an email after I came home, I said, you know, they've drained my bank accounts. You told me that you froze them with $8,000 left. And she says, yeah, I did freeze them in an email and they must have called with your security questions. Meanwhile, Citibank sends me an email saying they never froze your bank account, we froze them because of an overdraft in your personal savings, and then they moved on to your business account.

MACCALLUM: Because they were using your computer to keep tracking these guys.

SCHRIER: No, no, no. They were using my money. They took all my financial information and they were hacking into my accounts and buying computers with that money. And the FBI was monitoring all of my finances. We know this, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they were monitoring my finances before they ever spoke to my mother. And this is because the agent told me she thought I joined Al Qaeda, because they paid off my Discover Card. That's what it takes to fool the FBI. So, because they thought I joined, and I was basically judged guilty until proven innocent, they started monitoring everything and they saw they were buying laptops, ten at once, tablets on eBay. And you got to think, this is a dream come true. We intercept the laptops. We get the I.P. addresses, maybe put some GPS's, microphones in, and we deliver them right into the hands of Al Qaeda. And they spy. And me, well, I'm not coming home anyway, so, no harm, no foul. As long as you're not me.

MACCALLUM: Essentially, as Catherine said in the piece that we just saw. This is a statement from the FBI that they put out today. They knew we were going to be speaking with you and they sent it here. It says, 'the FBI fully supports the work of agents and victim specialists who have remained consummate professionals in working with Mr. Schrier. It goes on to say, since his returned home, we have work with our partners in the U.S. government to provide Mr. Schrier with a full range of services and guidance to help him rebuild his life. We do this for all victims. However, it is at the discretion of the victim to accept and implement these resources.' So they're suggesting that they've offered you help and to work with you and that you haven't taken it.

SCHRIER: They gave me health benefits that were the same things given to illegal aliens. And when I went to this doctor, he refused to prescribe me something to help me sleep because he said it was narcotic and he doesn't believe in it. FDA approved drug. That's why I stopped seeing him. They gave me a shrink who cancelled five appointments my first two months home. Within 10 minutes of my first appointment, she tried to put me on lithium. They won't give me a new social security number even though Al Qaeda stole my identity, they have my social security number. They can do whatever they want with it.

MACCALLUM: The United States government denies you a social security number.

SCHRIER: Right. Agent Perotti would be like, I can't help you with that. I can't do it. What is the Witness Protection Program for? Only the criminals?

MACCALLUM: And you believe that you gave them a wealth of information that they could use?

SCHRIER: I gave them a ton of information. I gave them two Skype names. One of them had 287 contacts on it. That's 287 terrorists and all of their contacts, and all of their contacts. I memorized serial numbers on brand new windows in the cells. So that they can hack into the company's account, figured out who paid for them and is funding them. Where they were delivered. Who they were delivered to. I kept track of the dates, every date -- every significant event that happened when I met Bin Laden's commander, the top guy, --, I know what day it was. I gave them everything. They didn't even know that the rebel groups were fighting each other. For months it was going on and they were like, they're fighting? I'm like, yeah, right outside my window. Right outside the car when we were being transferred. I mean, they thought it was like one big happy family out there and they were shocked when they heard the truth. And now, excuse me, it's protocol. It's like everyone knows that ISIS fights Al Qaeda.

MACCALLUM: You gave them the information that you gave them.

SCHRIER: Absolutely.

MACCALLUM: Matt, thank you. It's a fascinating story and it's called, 'The Dawn Prayer,' because that was the time of day that you determined after they went to prayer in the morning that they would take a nap, that was your window and, literally, your window.

SCHRIER: Right.

MACCALLUM: To get out and to run for your life and to be released. It's an amazing story, Matt, thank you very much.

SCHRIER: Thank you so much for having me.

MACCALLUM: Good to see you tonight.

SCHRIER: Thanks.

MACCALLUM: So you have likely heard from skeptics that the world is basically in free fall. Progress is moving backward. But we're going to talk to a Harvard psychologist who argues that actually what's going on in the world is the opposite. Steven Pinker here to explain why now is actually the best time to be alive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: So from the massacres in Parkland and Las Vegas, to the protests against the president and the Second Amendment, sometimes it seems like we live in a very contentious and bitter and divided time. But my next guest says once you push the doom and gloom headlines aside and you actually look at the data, you begin to realize that now is actually a pretty great time to be alive. Here now to make his case, Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, the author of Enlightenment Now, the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress. Dr. Pinker, great to have you with us tonight. I was fascinated when I first started to look at these charts a little while back, that backed up your new book. So when I jump right in, you say -- you know, despite the fact there's so much talk about divisiveness, we're actually less prejudiced as a people now than we were in the past. True?

STEVEN PINKER, HARVARD PSYCHOLOGIST: That's right. I think it's easier for racists and other bigots to find each other. But if you look at surveys, number of people who have bigoted opinions has been steadily falling. If you ask would you be upset if an African-American family moved in next door? The proportion is going down. Do you think someone should be fired from their job because they're gay? The percentage is going down. Do you think women should return to their traditional roles in the kitchen? Proportion is going down. So you might say, and I worried about this, well, maybe people still have bigoted opinions, but they know that it's kind of socially unacceptable so you don't blurt it out to a pollster over the phone. But even if you look at more subtle measures like how often do people search on Google for racist jokes, that's been going down, and no one is watching, so it's just a private guilty pleasure.

MACCALLUM: Except Facebook, I guess, because they're watching everything apparently. But what about are we safer, are we safer as a society?

PINKER: We're safer in just about every way. We're about 95 percent less likely to die in a car accident, a plane accident, to be killed on the sidewalk by a motorist. We're less likely to drown. We're less likely to burn to death. Everything except dying by opioids, that's going up. Everything else has gone down.

(CROSSTALK)

MACCALLUM: I want to point out to everybody that the one piece that they see going up there is death by poison, as you point out. And it is the tragic result of the increase of deaths in the country by opioids.

PINKER: That's right. But the homicide rate is down, the rate of domestic violence, the rate of bullying of children, the rate of rape and sexual assault, all of them have declined from statistics we've first kept in the 1970's,.

MACCALLUM: You know, in terms of being freer, let's put up those numbers just in terms of spreading democracy around the world. This fascinated me because you say of all the people living in the 60 nondemocratic countries that are left today, 4/5ths of them reside in China?

PINKER: That's right. And there're definitely is back sliding from democracy in countries like Russia and Venezuela and Turkey. But, still, the overall trend is towards democracy. And even when I was a student in the 1970's, there were maybe 31 democracies, now there are more than 100.

MACCALLUM: Yeah.

PINKER: And countries like Spain and Portugal were fascist dictatorships. Greece was ruled by the military colonels. Latin America, South Korea, Taiwan, all of the military dictatorships, now they're all democratic.

MACCALLUM: It's a big picture to look at, very interesting. Thank you so much, Dr. Pinker. I hope we'll have you back because there's a lot more to talk about and we're short on time, but it's really good to see you tonight. Thank you so much.

PINKER: Thanks for having me on.

MACCALLUM: Quick break. More story when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACCALLUM: So, going back to where we started tonight, we can now confirm that North Korean state media is saying that Kim Jong Un, indeed, was in Beijing for a meeting with President Xi. That is our story for tonight. We'll see you back here tomorrow night at seven. Let's go to D.C., check in with Tucker Carlson, coming up next.

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This is a rush transcript from "Your World," March 29, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

TRISH REGAN, GUEST HOST: The president wants veto power on spending bills. So, now one lawmaker is trying to make it happen.

Florida Republican Congressman Ron DeSantis is trying to amend the Constitution and allow a line item veto. He joins me right now.

Welcome.

And I understand congratulations are in order.

REP. RON DESANTIS, R-FLORIDA: Oh, yes. Thank you. We had our second child, a little healthy baby boy named Mason. He is doing great. Mom is doing great.

REGAN: Aww. And, now, this is your second child. You have a little girl at home already?

DESANTIS: That's right. Her name is Madison. And she's a pistol and a very good little girl.

REGAN: Well, I'm sure she will be a very good big sister for your new son, Mason. Congratulations to you and to your wife and your daughter, your whole family.

Congressman, let's get to this plan you have to basically allow the president the ability to go through a budget and say, uh-uh, don't like this and veto it. Explain it to us.

DESANTIS: Well, you saw last week there was a 2,300-page spending bill that Congress passed within 24 hours of it being unveiled to the public.

No member read the bill.

So, there's all kinds of stuff packed into that. And the president under current law is left with the decision, do I veto the entire thing and then fund nothing, or do I sign it, knowing that I'm signing spending into law that really isn't in the best interest of taxpayers?

I mean, for example, there was over $200 million in the omnibus for promoting democracy in Europe. Now, Europe is the birthplace of democracy. I don't know why we need to be spending that kind of money. And there were all kind of other examples.

So, if you had a line item veto, the president would get a spending bill. What he could do is, yes, he could sign the overall bill, but in the process of doing that, veto individual line item appropriations within that bill.

And then what would happen is, if you vetoed a number of line items that would go back to the Congress. Congress would have the ability to override the president with two-thirds votes, just like a normal veto.

But what it would do is, it would provide a backstop against the excessive spending. I mean, right now, all the incentives are to continue to spend. A line item veto, that really gives the president the ability to make sure that our tax dollars are being spent wisely.

REGAN: Congressman, my question was going to be, does this somehow hurt Congress' ability to have the kind of authority that they want, that they need? And you basically answered that question by saying that, if the president vetoes it, it would then get kicked back to Congress. So there's another opportunity. Yes?

DESANTIS: Just liked any other bill.

But I would say, Trish, when you're talking about the power of the purse, the real bite to the power of the purse constitutionally and what the founders believed was the ability to withhold funds.

So, if the executive branch is acting in a certain way, then Congress would simply not fund those activities that it found disagreeable. And the line item veto, the president cannot demand more spending with it. It only can be used to reduce spending.



REGAN: We haven't we done anything like this before?

DESANTIS: Well, they actually passed a version in the '90s under Newt Gingrich with the Contract with America. It got over two-thirds of both houses of Congress. But it was done statutorily, so it ended up being challenged in the court, and the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in 1999 that it violated the Presentment Clause of the Constitution.

I think that was a wrong decision. I think that what they did in the '90s was totally proper. But, nevertheless, that's where we find ourselves.

REGAN: Yes.

DESANTIS: So, any proposal going forward is going to have to reckon with that decision and make sure that we're either working around it statutorily or just making the constitutional change, so that the courts won't even get involved at that point.

REGAN: OK. And I know you're introducing it next week, so you will have your work cut out for you on many fronts.

Congratulations, again, on the beautiful little boy.

DESANTIS: Thank you.

REGAN: Congressman, thanks.

END

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A Canadian man may be charged $17,450 after his drunken and disorderly behavior caused the airplane to make an emergency return to the airport while accompanied by two F-15 U.S. Air Force jets.

Charalabos Nassios pleaded guilty to charges of assault, mischief and uttering threats during the Cuba-bound Sunwing flight last summer.

WOMEN KICKED OFF EASYJET FLIGHT FOLLOWING VULGAR MIDAIR RANT

The 40-year-old man will be sentenced April 18 and prosecutors are requesting Nassios pay damages and serve three years probation, according to court documents, CTV News reported.

The nearly $18,000 fine factors in airplane fuel, landing fees, overtimes salaries for Sunwing employees and hotel costs for the 170 stranded passengers.

The incident happened July 6, 2017, when the Sunwing flight left Pierre Trudeau International Airport in Montreal for Cuba. Nassios allegedly began making threats and acting aggressively on board, CTV News reported. For the safety of the passengers the flight turned around shortly after takeoff and returned to the airport.

"The flight arrived back around 7:25 p.m. that same evening, and the disruptive customer was taken into police custody," the Canadian airliner said in a news release at the time, CTV reported.

The airline also contacted the FAA for assistance. Two U.S. Air Force jets accompanied the plane back to the airport.

"If a threat is determined to be credible, the FAA may offer an escort," a North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) spokesperson told Newsweek. "But, no, that's not a common occurrence."

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His lawyer, Tom Pentefountas, is arguing against Nassio having to foot the airliners bill, saying it will put obstacles in his future path.

According to Newsweek, Nassio has filed for bankruptcy and entered Alcoholics Anonymous. Giving up alcohol was part of Nassios' plea deal, CTV reported.
A worker on the ground at Londons Gatwick Airport was reportedly run over by a plane on Wednesday evening, suffering injuries to his ankle and foot.

The man, who was directing traffic on the runway, was airlifted to a London hospital after he was injured by the Rossiya Airlines airplane, the BBC reports.

Immediately following the incident, passengers aboard the Rossiya aircraft reported that the flight crew told them the plane rolled over a crew members foot.

SEE IT: PLANES COLLIDE AT ISRAEL AIRPORT; NO INJURIES REPORTED

The airport has since issued a statement regarding the unfortunate accident.

"We can confirm that an incident took place on the airfield at 1710 where a Dnata employee was unfortunately injured and the emergency services were required to attend," a Gatwick spokesperson told The Sun.

AUTO CRASH AT OAKLAND AIRPORT INJURES PEDESTRIANS

A representative for Aeroflot, the airline which owns Rossiya, issued a statement to Fox News confirming an injury to the man's leg, claiming it was due to a "serious infringement of safety regulations" on his part.

"As the A319 operating flight FV6620 from London Gatwick to St. Petersburg on 28 March was pushing back before takeoff, there was a serious infringement of safety regulations by an employee of Dnata, the local ground service company. As a result, the Dnata employees leg became trapped under the moving wheel of the aircraft, causing him an injury.

"The trapped employee was freed using non-standard equipment, and as a result the aircraft suffered light damage requiring additional repair work. The aircraft was temporarily removed from operations."

The airline went on to suggest that Gatwick's staff may have acted inappropriately by removing "the on-board equipment for recording conversations between the crew of the aircraft and ground crews" without "first obtaining permission for this from Aeroflots technical service team."

The company that employed the man, meanwhile, has confirmed he his no longer in the hospital.

"The employee has now been discharged from hospital and we will continue to provide them with the necessary support as they recover," said Dnata, per the BBC.

Passengers on the Rossiya flight were held aboard the aircraft for two hours before being allowed to deplane, News.com.au reported.

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Aeroflot added in its statement that the travelers were provided with accommodations at local hotels while a reserve plane was flown in to transport them to St. Petersburg on Thursday.
The woman dubbed the Serial Stowaway for her history of sneaking onto flights without having tickets was deemed unfit to stand trial by a judge on Thursday.

Marilyn Hartman appeared in court, facing several charges stemming from two January arrests  her successful boarding a flight to London without a ticket, and her subsequent refusal to leave Chicago OHare Airport after being ordered to stay away from the facility.

The judge ordered the 66-year-old to be sent to a mental health facility in Elgin after two psychologists provided an evaluation of Hartman, The Chicago Sun Times reported. The psychologists recommended Hartman receive mental health treatment.

'SERIAL STOWAWAY' HAS OUTBURST DURING COURT APPEARANCE AFTER LATEST ARREST AT CHICAGO AIRPORT

Dr. Christopher Cooper, a prosecution psychologist, noted that Hartmans mental stability was intermittent and appears to fluctuate day to day, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The evaluations by the psychologists also stated that Hartman was an intelligent woman, but suffered from delusions and had a preoccupation with media attention.

Hartman was being held with no bond after she allegedly refused to leave the airport in late January, just two days after she was released from jail. She was arrested earlier in January when she bypassed Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the O'Hare airport and boarded a British Airways flight without a ticket or boarding pass. She was caught in London.

She faced a felony theft charge for that trip to Britain. The charge carried a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. She was also charged with felony criminal trespassing.

The 66-year-old has made international news for her ability to duck past TSA checkpoints and board flights multiple times. She pulled similar stunts at least eight times in 2014. In one incident, she slipped past TSA agents and boarded a flight at Mineta San Jose International Airport to Los Angeles, according to WLS. She was eventually caught after landing in Los Angeles.

She was also arrested two times in 2015 within two months at OHare and Chicagos Midway Airport.

Hartman, who is described as pleasant by those whove met her, had a brief outburst during a court appearance in February, screaming out twice when the judge spoke.

"Does your client have any family?" the judge asked, to which Hartmans lawyer, Parle Roe-Taylor, answered that she did.

But then Hartman screamed, "No I dont!"

'SERIAL STOWAWAY' ARRESTED FOR 10TH TIME AFTER SLIPPING PAST AIRPORT SECURITY IN CHICAGO, POLICE SAY

Hartman was previously found mentally fit, though troubled, by Cook County mental health professionals in 2015. The psychiatric summary include a diagnosis of "Major Depressive Disorder in full remission, and Unspecified Personality disorder with Anti-Social Traits" along with "Adjustment Disorder," according to a probation department letter that also noted she was taking an anti-depressant.

She never married, has no children and it's unclear why in the 1980s she changed her last name from Stall to Hartman. She has at least two brothers in the Chicago area.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The mother of Ethan Couch, the infamous "affluenza" teen who was jailed for a fatal drunk driving accident, was arrested Wednesday for violating the terms of her probation.

Tonya Couch, 50, was booked into the Tarrant County Jail in Texas for failing a urinalysis test, a county official told Fox News. It wasn't immediately clear what substance caused her to fail the test.

'AFFLUENZA' TEEN, ETHAN COUCH, NOW 20, NEARS PRISON RELEASE AFTER DUI CRASH THAT KILLED 4

Prosecutors alleged in June 2017 that Couch had violated her bond by drinking alcohol.

Couch is currently facing charges of money laundering and hindering the apprehension of a fugitive for helping her son, Ethan, escape the country in 2015 while he was on probation.

The two fled to Mexico, after Ethan, now 20, was filmed drinking alcohol at a party, which was a violation of his probation.

They were tracked down and arrested in Puerto Vallarta after police traced their cell phone after they tried to order a Domino's pizza. The two were sent back to the U.S.

Tonya's arrest came just days before Ethan was scheduled to be released from jail on April 2, after spending two years behind bars.

Ethan was sentenced in April 2016 to 720 days in jail  180 days for each of the four people he killed when he was drunk driving in 2013 at the age of 16. His blood alcohol level was found to be three times the legal limit for adult drivers.

He was originally sentenced to probation for his actions, but it was revoked for drinking alcohol.

A psychologist at his manslaughter trial blamed Ethan's actions on "affluenza," or irresponsibility due to family wealth.



He'll serve several years of probation upon release from jail. Fox 4 reported Ethan will be required to wear an ankle monitor from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. and drive with a camera-equipped ignition interlock device, and submit to daily drug and alcohol tests.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Outrage is building over the deadly police shooting of an 22-year-old black man who was in his grandparents backyard, unarmed, earlier this month. Police had said officers were fearing for their safety, but critics have questioned why they chose not to resolve the situation with something significantly less lethal than a barrage of 20 bullets.

Stephon Clark was shot and killed March 18 after two Sacramento police officers were responding to a report of somebody breaking car windows. Police said they believed Clark was the suspect and he ran when a police helicopter responded, then failed to obey officers orders.

Police said they thought Clark was holding a gun when he moved toward them, but he was found only with a cellphone.

The shooting has moved the Black Lives Matter movement back into the forefront. Two of the officers have been identified in media reports, which say one is white and one is black.

Sgt. Vance Chandler of the Sacramento Police Department told Fox News, At this point, the investigation is ongoing. Our department is committed to providing the facts of this case and conducting a thorough, comprehensive and fair investigation. We will continue to be transparent and update our community as we have updated information.

It is rare for police officers to be charged following a shooting and rarer still for them to be convicted. Oftentimes its because of the doctrine of reasonable fear: if prosecutors or jurors believe that officers have a reason to fear for their safety, they can use force up to and including lethal force.

Clarks relatives have said they're not expecting a resolution in their favor.

We appreciate the conversation, but conversation without implementation of some true reformation means nothing, Clarks uncle, Curtis Gordon, told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. It brought us to this moment, but what about tomorrow? What about next week?

He added, You know, sadly, I have no confidence in America and the fact that I will probably hear another story sometime this year of an innocent life lost over excessive police force. Its so common, youre numb to it.

Demonstrations in California have been growing since Clarks death. Protestors were there Wednesday for Clarks wake, and were expected on Thursday when the Rev. Al Sharpton plans to deliver the eulogy at Clarks funeral.

This feels like the 60s, it doesnt feel like 2018, said Cynthia Brown, who said she knows Clarks grandfather, at the Wednesday public wake. Weve definitely regressed.

Protestors disrupted a Sacramento City Council meeting Tuesday night amid calls for justice, as Fox News previously reported. Clarks brother, Stevante, along with other demonstrators, attended the early-evening meeting, which opened with a moment of silence for Clark and was intended to address his death.

Chaos erupted as protesters banged on windows and yelled Stephon Clark! throughout the city hall chambers  and at one point, Stevante Clark jumped on the dais and shouted, Shut the f--- up, at Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the Sacramento Bee reported.

In tears, 10-year-old Terrell Wilson addressed the City Council about why he feared the police.

All he had was a cellphone, the boy said, according to The Los Angeles Times. Twenty shots over a cellphone.

Protesters soon marched from City Hall to the Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings, and blocked the entrance to Tuesday nights game against the Dallas Mavericks. Most fans were prevented from entering and the team later released a statement saying refunds would be given. Some fans who arrived early were let in and allowed to move down into the lower bowl of the arena. Although no official attendance was given, the crowd was estimated at around 4,000.

That was twice the number of people who were allowed in last Thursday when activists from Black Lives Matter similarly protested, forming a human chain around the arena and delaying the start of the Kings game against the Atlanta Hawks.

The California attorney generals office Tuesday joined the investigation, a move Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn said he hoped would bring faith and transparency to a case that he said has sparked extremely high emotions, anger and hurt in our city.

Attorney General Xavier Becerras office announced it would provide oversight of the investigation and conduct a review of the police departments policies and use-of-force training. The decision of whether to bring criminal charges against the officers involved remains with District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, although Becerra said his office could also bring charges.

Black Lives Matter Sacramento said protesters have called for criminal charges against the officers who killed Clark.

Players from the Kings and the Boston Celtics on Sunday wore T-shirts with Clarks name, along with the phrase: Accountability. We are one.

For that accountability, Clarks kin are leaving that to their faith.

We trust in a spiritual realm, in our Creator, to give us undiscovered strength, Gordon said.

We will make it through this. And thats the thing, cause its bigger than us and we have to accept that. We carry that torch for Stephon.

The NAACP and the National Action Network said a two-hour funeral for Clark is set to begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at Bayside of South Sacramento Church. The Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, is set to speak along with other clergy.

The NAACP said a wake is set from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bayside of South Sacramento Church.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A school bus driver in Missouri was suspended after stranding a first-grader on a school bus for eight hours by accident Tuesday, Fox 2 Now reported.

Elisha Foster, mother of the 6-year-old Flynn Park Elementary School student, told the outlet that every day, she dropped off and picked up her son from the bus stop. However on Tuesday, she said she learned that not only was her son not on the bus, but he also was marked absent from school that day. She told the outlet that she started panicking and reported him missing.

The University City School District told Fox 2 Now that the child fell asleep after getting on the bus that morning and didnt get off with the other students. The driver reportedly didn't see that he was still there.

In a statement to the outlet, the district said its transportation provider, Missouri Central School Bus Company, has safety procedures in place to guard against this type of situation.

However, it appears that those procedures were not followed, the statement said. The sleeping student was not seen by the driver and was inadvertently transported back to the bus terminal.

The unidentified driver was suspended, according to the report. School district officials will reportedly review policies regarding safety and security.
A ticket was issued to a person traveling in a self-driving car in San Francisco on Monday, police told Fox News. The vehicle allegedly did not stop for a person in the crosswalk. However, Cruise, the car company involved, according to KPIX, maintained that the vehicle was in compliance with California state law.

A motorcycle officer issued the ticket after seeing the car not stop for a woman going through a crosswalk in the South of Market area, San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman Officer Giselle Linnane told Fox News on Wednesday. The car cut the pedestrian off, she said.

UBER SUSPENDED FROM TESTING SELF-DRIVING CARS IN ARIZONA

The ticketing officer believed that the car was in self-driving mode, however the person inside was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian, Linnane said. That individual, whether they were driving or not, is still responsible for the vehicle, she added.

The person in the crosswalk was not injured, KPIX reported.

Cruise, the company behind the autonomous vehicle, reportedly believes that neither the car nor the person inside broke any laws. Data from the company, according to KPIX, showed that the car was 10.8 feet away from the pedestrian during the incident.

"We don't look at or work with that data," Linnane told Business Insider. "It's whatever the officer observed at the scene and from his observation, there was a violation."

SELF-DRIVING UBER CAR KILLS ARIZONA PEDESTRIAN, POLICE SAY

In a statement to Fox News, Cruise said safety is the company's "priority in testing our self-driving vehicles.

California law requires the vehicle to yield the right of way to pedestrians, allowing them to proceed undisturbed and unhurried without fear of interference of their safe passage through an intersection," the statement continued. "Our data indicates thats what happened here.

The encounter follows an incident in Arizona earlier this month in which a self-driving Uber car fatally struck a woman. The governor has since suspended the company from testing its autonomous vehicles in the state.
Lee University will host the Social Innovation Conference, a social media training event for local businesses and nonprofit organizations, on Friday, April 13, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Edney Innovation Center in Chattanooga.According to Mark Vermilion, assistant professor of public relations at Lee, the Social Innovation Conference is primarily designed for the hundreds of small businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Chattanooga and surrounding communities struggling to leverage the power of social media to reach their customers and various other public.Most small businesses and nonprofits have some kind of social media presence these days, said Mr.Vermilion. Not many of them are leveraging social medias power to build their brands and engage their various public audiences. [The Social Innovation Conference] is designed to help them understand what social media does well and how they can use it effectively.The registration price of the conference is $69, but there is a discounted price of $49 for those who work at nonprofit organizations or are active members of AAF, PRSA or CMA. The price is $29 for university students. Space is limited.The conference will include two keynote sessions and five breakout sessions covering topics applicable for both novice and professional social media expertise.Ocean Banks digital media strategist, Claudia Sandino, will serve as a keynote speaker. Ms. Sandino has worked for nearly a decade to help companies such as Hilton Hotels and Resorts to humanize their brands and develop greater human connection with their customers through social media.Dr. Jonah Berger, marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author, will also present. Dr. Berger has spent more than 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. Hes taught Whartons top ranked online course, published dozens of articles in academic journals and consulted for a variety of Fortune 500 companies.VaynerMedia has joined Lee University as a lead sponsor for the event. Other Chattanooga professionals, advertising and digital agencies are involved as sponsors or trainers in the conference as well, including Whiteboard, SocialLion, True North Custom and the Johnson Group. Cleveland-based social media company, SocialJoey, is also involved as a sponsor and trainer.Several professional organizations are helping present the conference, including American Advertising Federation of Chattanooga, Public Relations Society of America, Lookout Region and the Cleveland Media Association.At first, we wanted to bring in many outside speakers who work for large corporations and nationally-known organizations. However, we realized we have all the expertise we need working for companies and agencies right here in the Chattanooga area, said Mr. Vermilion. Chattanooga has a deep pool of social media professionals, and so many have jumped on board with the conference to help us train local business and nonprofit leaders and communicators.InnovaXD was formed from Vermilions Advanced Event Management class and continues to use PR, social media and other communication skills to serve nonprofit organizations and small businesses in the Cleveland and Chattanooga area for little or no cost.For more information or to register for the conference, visit www.innovaxd.org . For questions, email contact@innovaxd.org.
Investigators made a grim announcement Wednesday in the hunt for relatives after an SUV plummeted off a cliff in Northern California: six children were feared dead, along with two women.

Crews earlier said three children had died and three were missing. The SUV plunged 100 feet from an ocean overlook on the Pacific Coast Highway about 150 miles north of San Francisco on Monday.

It's unclear what caused the SUV to drop off the cliff.

Jennifer and Sarah Hart, both 39, were confirmed dead earlier Wednesday, along with their children Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14.

Later, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman told reporters that investigators believed the couple's three other children -- Hannah Hart, 16; Devonte Hart, 15; and Sierra Hart, 12 -- were inside the vehicle and also died. Only three of the children's bodies were found in the area so far, Allman said.

Devonte made news after he was photographed at a 2014 protest in Portland, Ore., following a grand jury's decison not to indict a police officer in the shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Missouri.

Devonte, who is black, was holding a sign that read, "Free Hugs," when a white officer asked him for one. The photo showed an emotional Devonte embracing the officer.

"We have every indication to believe that all six children were in [the SUV]," Allman said. "We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy."

The sheriff said that nothing at this point indicates that the crash was intentional however investigators on the scene didn't find any skid or brake marks in the road where the car went over.

Allman pleaded for the public's help in piecing together the family's whereabouts in the days before the crash. He added that a witness called 911 about the incident but it wasn't clear when the SUV actually plunged over the ledge.

Appearances at the home indicated that the Harts were on a short road trip, as they left behind several personal belongings as well as chickens and their pet, California investigators said.

California Highway Patrol previously said the family was from West Linn, Ore., but they recently lived in Woodland, Wash., Clark County sheriff's Sgt. Brent Waddell told The Associated Press.

Child welfare officials made a recent visit to the residence, Waddell said. However, when the sheriff's department later went to the home, they reportedly didn't see any signs indicating trouble or violence. Investigators did not elaborate on that.

Neighbors of the family told The Associated Press they called child welfare officials as recently as this past Friday, fearing that one of the children was going hungry. Over the past week, Bruce and Dana DeKalb said Devonte Hart had been coming to their house asking for food.

The neighbors also recounted a night three months after the family moved in when one of the girls rang their doorbell at 1:30 a.m. Bruce DeKalb said she "was at our door in a blanket saying we need to protect her. She said they were abusing her."

Online court records obtained by The Associated Press showed that Sarah Hart pleaded guilty in 2011 to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota. Following her plea, a charge for malicious punishment of a child reportedly was dismissed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Saudi Arabias attempt to shut down lawsuits alleging it was involved in the planning of the September 11 attacks has been denied by a U.S. judge on Wednesday.

Hundreds of victims, insurance companies and businesses sued the Saudi government after they said the government knowingly assisted hijackers who carried out the attacks.

The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks strongly.

The government was accused of helping two hijackers acclimate themselves in the U.S. to begin preparing for the attacks, but the defendants argued that there was no proof of any government official or employee involvement, Reuters reported.

Fifteen of the 19 attackers were Saudis.

U.S. District Judge George Daniels said in Wednesdays ruling that the plaintiffs' allegations met the requirements for the court to assume jurisdiction under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.

He did, however, dismiss claims that two Saudi banks and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family, were involved in the attacks by providing funds and financial services on grounds that he lacked jurisdiction, Reuters reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An Arizona mother attempted to blame someone else for the death of her toddler son and infant daughter after their bodies were found cold to the touch in a vehicle, still strapped into their car seats, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Brittany Velasquez, 20, said she found her 2-year-old son and 10-month-old daughter inside a car parked outside her home in Superior on Monday. She reported the children were not breathing and they had blood coming from their mouths.

"It is known that the kids spent several hours in the vehicle as there was condensation on the inside windows of the vehicle and the children were cold to the touch, court documents stated.

The children were pronounced dead at the scene and Velasquez was charged with first-degree murder, according to authorities.

KENTUCKY MOM FORCED DAUGHTER, 14, TO GET 'EXTREMELY' DRUNK, RECORDED INCIDENT, POLICE SAY

While being questioned by investigators, Velasquez said she dropped the children off with someone who was supposed to care for them. She reportedly attempted to blame her childrens death on her grandparents, who denied knowing any arrangement about caring for the children, FOX10 Phoenix reported. She also told police she dropped the children off at a babysitter before heading to work.

[The unidentified person] stated she had no idea what was happening and did not know what Brittany was talking about," the document stated, blocking out the identify of the person.

Vincent Velasquez, the womans brother, told FOX10 Phoenix: What my grandparents could only do is let Brittany stay at their house. Really, that was all they could do for the kids."

Velasquez was the last person to see the children alive and had placed them in the vehicle around 9:30 a.m. Monday before heading to work, officials said. She allegedly returned to find their bodies nearly 14 hours later. The children were found wearing the same clothes they had been wearing that morning.

Autopsies are being conducted to determine the cause of death.

Police received past calls related to Velasquez. An unidentified relative told police in January that Velasquez left the toddler and infant with relatives days at a time. Two other reports were made to Arizona Department of Child Safety about the children.

Velasquez is being held on $2 million bond.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Authorities in Massachusetts said Thursday that remains found off Interstate 95 south of Boston have been identified as a Marine recruit who had been missing since November.

Joseph Brancato, 21, was identified through dental records, a family member told Boston 25 News. The remains were spotted Wednesday afternoon by a motorist who had pulled to the side of the highway in Canton to help another driver.

"An autopsy performed today did not immediately establish cause or manner of death. Norfolk District Attorney's Office spokesman David Traub told the Boston Herald. "Cause and manner of death remain undetermined and under investigation pending further testing."

"I'm lost. I'm completely broken," Brancatos mother, Kim, told Boston 25 News. "That kid was my whole life."

At the time of his disappearance, Brancato was living in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston with his recruiter, Frank Lipka. On Monday, a prosecutor described the 39-year-old Lipka as a person of interest in Brancato's disappearance.

Lipka was in court Monday on an unrelated charge of assault with a dangerous weapon charge. Prosecutors say Lipka pulled a gun on a food delivery man who came to the Roslindale home he and Brancato shared in September.

Lipka was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail and ordered to surrender his passport. The judge in the case also ordered that a GPS monitor be placed on Lipka if he posts bail.

Click for more from Fox25Boston.com.
A California man who wanted to arrange a sexual encounter with a 4-year-old girl was arrested Wednesday, police said.

Nicolas Castillo, 29, told undercover detectives he was looking to have sex with a 4-year-old girl and was willing to pay up to $700 for two sessions with the girl or $500 to have the child spend the night, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Castillo claimed he had done it in the past and wanted to speak to the mother of the child he was trying to have sex with, Bertanga said.

Castillos communication with undercover officers triggered a month-long investigation that led to his arrest in Anaheim, Bertanga said.

Detectives served search warrants at Castillos home in Anaheim and his parents home in nearby Yorba Linda and determined they had enough to arrest him, Bertanga said.

Police believe there could be more victims, according to Fox Los Angeles. Castillo lived next door to a day care and his parents lived across the street from an elementary school, Bertanga said.

Castillo also worked as a security guard at Allied Universal in Dana Point, which may be near a school, according to KTLA-TV.

The company said in a statement it was shocked and concerned to hear about Castillos alleged crime. The company said he was no longer employed.
An attempted robbery of a Tennessee home Wednesday night turned deadly when the homeowner fatally shot one of the alleged robbers, who was a convicted felon.

Terry Adams, Jr., 27, died Wednesday night in Nashville during a home invasion, the Metro Nashville Police Department said in a news release.

MAN SAYS PRAYER BEFORE BREAKING INTO NYC STORE, POLICE SAY

Adams, along with another robber who remains at large, allegedly entered the home of 43-year-old Brent Bishop through a back door and hit his wife in the face.

Bishop, according to police, saw the rear door was open and went to the kitchen, before then being "struck on the head with a blunt object." The man was ordered to hand over "three long guns and a pistol" from a safe, which the robbers left with.

Looking for his wife -- who had fled to a neighbor's house -- Bishop got a pistol from another room and went outside to look for her when he once again met Adams and his partner.

Police said that Bishop fired shots at the two, "fatally wounding Adams." The second robber "dropped the long guns and the pistol that had been taken from the safe and ran away."

Adams, who's had convictions of auto burglary, attempted burglary, felony theft and aggravated assault, is a suspect in a Feb. 6 burglary at Bishop's home, in which a flat screen TV was stolen.

GUN-TOTING WOMAN SHOT BY NYPD OFFICERS AFTER ALLEGED CRIME SPREE, REPORTS SAY

The now-deceased robber had been arrested in July 2017 for felony meth possession for resale and unlawful gun possession by a convicted felon and was being sought by authorities for two probation violation warrants.

Bishop was hospitalized with a skull fracture from the incident. The second robber who fled the scene remains at large.
Drought is tightening its grip across a wide swath of the American Southwest as farmers, ranchers and water managers throughout the region brace for what's expected to be more warm and dry weather through the spring.

A federal drought map released Thursday shows dry conditions intensifying across northern New Mexico and into southwestern Arizona. Every square mile of Nevada and Utah also are affected by at least some level of dryness.

On the southern high plains, Oklahoma is ground zero for the worst drought conditions in the United States.

The exceptional drought in the Panhandle  an area dominated by agriculture  has more than doubled in size. Many farmers rely on precipitation to help water their crops as pumping groundwater is the only other option.

"We're in the irrigation period and it really would be fantastic to get some precipitation out in those areas," said Cole Perryman of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

Crop conditions around the region are declining as extreme drought spans from Kansas and Oklahoma to California. In New Mexico, about three-quarters of the winter wheat crop is in poor to very poor condition as meaningful moisture has been scarce since last fall.

Along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, the irrigation allotment will be less than half of what farmers received last year. Water orders will begin next week and officials with the local Irrigation district are encouraging growers to use their surface water as soon as crops demand it.

"As we get later in the release season, the possibility of us running out of surface water and shutting down gets larger," Phil King, a consultant with the district, said in a notice to farmers. "So it's sort of a use it or lose it type situation."

In Arizona, there's concern for ranchers as the poor range conditions have left stock tanks dry. On the Navajo Nation, a drought emergency was declared earlier this month and residents have started hauling water for their sheep and other livestock.

"It's been one of the drier years we've had," said Arizona state climatologist Nancy Selover. She warned of the increased chance for dust storms this spring.

But officials aren't expecting any cuts to the water delivery systems that serve much of Arizona's population.

Arizona residents have been living with a continuous drought declaration for years, said Tom Buschatzke, director of the state's Department of Water Resources.

Part of that is due to the situation within the state's own boundaries but also what's happening along the Colorado River, which supplies water to about 40 million people and 6,300 square miles (16,000 square kilometers) of farmland in seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

"It's getting to the point where the debate will continue to ramp up about whether this is really a drought or whether this is the new normal, what's the expected future," Buschatzke said. "There's certainly lots of data pointing to this being the new normal."
The Florida sheriff who's dodged the media amid heavy criticism of his departments handling of the Parkland school shooting appeared agitated this week when a reporter asked if he will ever take responsibility.

In the hours following the Valentines Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel frequently appeared on television channels and news websites, as he criticized everyone from local politicians to the NRA to one of his own officers for failing to respond.

But after calls to resign from lawmakers due to a failure to notice warning signs regarding the shooter, a rocky interview on CNN in late February and the subsequent release of a video showing Broward Deputy Scot Peterson standing idle outside the high school as the attack unfolded, Israel has kept away from the media -- until he was tracked down earlier this week by WPLG Local 10 News reporter Bob Norman.

How do you have time to politick when you got all these problems? Norman asks Israel as he's seen leaving a meeting of the Weston Democratic Club.

As Ive said before, your stories have never been balanced, Israel responds, adding he is very disappointed with the reporter.

This isnt about me sheriff, Norman says, cutting Israel off. Im sorry this isnt about me. No. Theres 17 dead peopleYou havent heard about the country being disappointed in you and the BSO?

Later on in the heated exchange, Israel says he wants to wait for an investigative report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement  ordered by Gov. Rick Scott  before commenting on his agencys handling of the attack.

Are you ever going to take responsibility for what happened at Stoneman Douglas? Norman asks.

When the report is in we will have that conversation, Bob, and you seem to be getting right angry now, Israel responds, before slamming his police cruiser door shut.

The confrontation came just a week after Jeff Bell, president of the Broward County Sheriff's Deputies Association, told the station the rank-and-file is considering a vote of no-confidence against Israel.

The FDLE told Fox News on Wednesday that its investigation of how police handled the school shooting is in the early stages and that it cannot provide a timetable of when it may be completed.

Gov. Scott called for the probe in February after receiving two letters, one from State Rep. Bill Hager and the other from Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran  cosigned by 73 Republican colleagues  that demanded Israels removal.

In Corcorans letter, he wrote that in the years leading up to this unspeakable tragedy, Sheriff Israel, his deputies, and staff ignored repeated warning signs about the violent, erratic, threatening and antisocial behavior of Nikolas Jacob Cruz.

Scott said in February that he "asked for FDLE to immediately investigate the law enforcement response and will continue to review this matter as more facts come out.

"There must be an independent investigation and that is why I asked the FDLE Commissioner to immediately start this process," he added. "I have spoken to Speaker Corcoran about his request and I understand his concerns."

Scott's deputy communications director, McKinley P. Lewis, told Fox News on Thursday that the governor still stands by that statement.

Cororcans office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News.

But local and state Democrats say the facts need to come out before a fair opinion can be made about Israel, and that Republicans are merely trying to shift the focus away from other hot-button topics such as gun control, the Miami Herald reported.

Its just a distraction, Cynthia Busch, chairwoman of the Broward Democratic Party, told the newspaper in late February.

While Bob Norman was able to track down Israel on Monday, other reporters were left in the dark a few weeks ago.

During a prayer meeting held in his support on March 1 at a Pompano Beach church, Israel sneaked in and out of the facility through a side door to avoid the media, who were barred from covering the event, according to the Miami Herald.

We dont want you in the church, Pastor John Mohorn, a former member of the BSOs chaplain office, was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

An attendee there said Israel went inside for about a half hour before quietly making his way out.

A pastor who spoke to reporters after the event, said theres been an attack against [Israel] by elected officials.

Former colleagues and associates of Israel who spoke to the New Yorker in mid-March have called him a hothead who never talked in detail about crime and appeared more concerned with putting his picture on the side of trucks. But Israels public information officer told the magazine the claims were shameful, baseless and patently false.

Police department sources told WPLG Local 10 News that Israel privately has vowed to not go anywhere and will run again for the sheriffs position in 2020  even if Scott removes him from his post.
A burial ceremony for the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War was held at the Cemetery of Revolutionary Martyrs in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, on Thursday.

A burial ceremony for the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War is held at the Cemetery of Revolutionary Martyrs in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, on March 29, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

More than 300 people including government and military officials, Korean War veterans, and members of the public, attended the ceremony.

"I'm so glad my comrades are finally home, but it is a great pity they cannot witness the prosperity of our country now," said Li Weibo, 87, a Korean War veteran.

Some 197,653 Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers are confirmed to have died during the war, most of whom were buried on the Korean Peninsula.

According to an agreement between China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), the two sides arrange an annual hand-over of remains of Chinese soldiers found in ROK, which usually occurs before the Tomb-Sweeping Day.

The remains of 569 soldiers were returned to China from ROK between 2014 and 2017.
Authorities in Palo Alto, Calif., conducted a massive manhunt Wednesday in response to a report of a sexual assault of a female jogger by an armed assailant in broad daylight near Teslas headquarters.

The victim was running on a pedestrian path around 1:45 p.m. when the suspect appeared from an adjacent greenbelt, police said. The suspect pulled the victim off the path, brandished a gun and placed it against the woman's head. Police said he went on to sexually assault her and then took off on foot.

The victim was able to flag down help after the attack, police said. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and was listed in stable condition.

Palo Alto Online reported that students at nearby Gunn High School were dismissed at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday. Terman Middle School released students at 1:40 p.m., the normal time, the report said.

The police response to the assault was massive and swift.

Palo Alto Police were joined by deputies from the Stanford Department of Public Safety and canines from the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. A helicopter was provided by the California Highway Patrol.

The armed suspect has not been located. It was unclear if the suspect had a car parked nearby.

The suspect was described as a male in his 30s. Authorities said he was possibly of Filipino descent and about 510. He wore a black sweatshirt with a bear logo and wore baggy gray pants.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the police 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.
An ICE detainee who escaped from immigration agents at a New York City airport late Tuesday made his move while his handcuffs were off during a meal break, according to media reports.

Mohamadou Lamine Mbacke, a 31-year-old Senegalese native described as a violent felon by law enforcement sources that spoke to the New York Post, was scheduled to get on a flight to Dakar at John F. Kennedy International Airports Terminal 4.

Mbackes handcuffs were removed by ICE officers before his escape as he was going through a security checkpoint, the sources added.

ABC 7 reported the officers got Mbacke something to eat as they waited for the flight to leave, and he vanished when they turned their backs for a few moments.

Instead of immediately notifying police that oversee the airport, the agents went around the terminal themselves, showing airport employees pictures of Mbacke and asking if they had seen anything, the station added.

Police werent tipped off until nearly two hours later, and surveillance video showed Mbacke leaving the busy airport in a taxi around 9 p.m. local time, ICE said.

We were notified between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. a Port Authority Police Department spokesman told the New York Post.

The apparent mistakes made while trying to find Mbacke drew a sharp rebuke Wednesday from the president of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association.

The delay in notifying the Port Authority Police Department about the prisoners escape is yet another example of the lack of coordinated communications between all law enforcement agencies at our nations airports, Paul Nunziato said, according to the New York Daily News.

Mbacke, who has been held by ICE since 2015, used to live in New York City and was arrested there 10 times dating back to 2006, a New York Police Department source told the New York,

The source added Mbacke entered the U.S. illegally in 2005 and had been arrested twice in Michigan in 2012 and 2013 on concealed firearm, open container and weapons possession charges. Mbacke reportedly pleaded guilty to the 2013 charges and spent two years in prison before ICE started deportation proceedings.

Mbacke entered the country lawfully in 2005 before violating the terms of his status. He was ordered deported in September 2015 by an immigration judge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Wednesday. Mbacke has previous criminal convictions for multiple weapons and firearms offenses.
Jared Fogle, the former Subway sandwich pitchman, is reportedly hoping to be released from federal prison because he claims his guilty plea in his child pornography case should be thrown out.

Reuters reported Wednesday that Fogle contends his plea in 2015 was based on an illegal conspiracy charge. Fogle claims the plea was unlawful, arguing the charge of conspiracy was not covered in the federal law regarding sexual misconduct involving minors.

The 40-year-old Fogle became Subways spokesman after losing 200 pounds as a college student, partly by eating Subway sandwiches. The company ended its relationship with Fogle after authorities raided his suburban Indianapolis home in July 2015.

Hes serving a 15-year sentence at a federal prison in Littleton, Colo.

Reuters reported that Fogles habeas application names his prison warden, sentencing judge and President Donald Trump as defendants.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Kentucky mom was arrested Wednesday after forcing her 14-year-old daughter to get drunk -- to teach her a lesson about alcohol, police said.

Miranda Polston, 34, was charged with criminal abuse in the incident, which allegedly occurred after she caught her daughter drinking alcohol on March 10, the Somerset Police Department told WKYT.

Polston decided to punish the teen, by forcing her to drink alcohol to the point of "extreme intoxication to get her sick," police said.

"Ms. Polston told our detective that she was trying to prove to her daughter that alcohol was bad by forcing her to drink more alcohol," spokesman Capt. Mike Correll told LEX 18.

Polston told WKYT from jail that she plans to fight the charge and the incident is being "perceived in an unfair manner."

Authorities were tipped off to the incident after a video was posted on social media, Correll told the Lexington Herald Leader.

In the video, the 14-year-old girl appeared to be held in a chair by two male juveniles so she wouldn't fall over. One male juvenile was holding her up, while another was offering her more alcohol, with the girl making a "gurgling sound" before eventually tumbling to the floor.

INTOXICATED OHIO WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER MAKING LEWD COMMENTS TO EASTER BUNNY, POLICE SAY

Polston can also be heard on the video saying they could get $1 million from MTV for the video, officials said.

When she falls out of the chair, you can hear her groan, Correll told the Lexington Herald Leader. It is a sad story, really.
A family friend credited with rescuing a missing 15-year-old Georgia girl after spotting her in a Snapchat photo says he helped police catch the suspect  who previously had been accused of rape  by posing as a woman online.

Dakota Moss told 11 Alive he noticed the picture of Amber Austin on the social media app Wednesday morning following her disappearance from her grandmothers home in Gordon County on Saturday.

The 27-year-old says he pretended to be a woman to lure the person Austin was found with, Dayton Koop, to his home.

When he had pulled in, he went around to the back," Moss told the station. "I had my roommate go out the back, and I called the sheriff's department knowing he was there.

Moss said Austin was found in the back seat of Koops SUV and she seemed real scared."

"She had tears in her eyes. I prayed so hard that God would help me find this girl, and it all worked out for the best," Moss told 11 Alive.

Koop, 34, was arrested on charges of unruliness of a minor and police found meth on him, the station reported.

It is not Koops first run-in with the law.

In 2014, a woman in Dalton filed a police report accusing Koop of rape in August 2011, WRCB reported.

The report said Koop allegedly broke into the victims home and forced himself on her. He later left but told her next time it would be worse, the victim had told police.

The woman was granted a protection order against Koop by a judge. Dalton police told Fox News on Thursday that a grand jury had looked at the allegations but didnt pursue them any further, and Koop was not indicted.
A Missouri woman was arrested after allegedly trying to sneak a Bible filled with drugs into a county jail Monday.

The Vernon County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that Ashley A. Despain went to the jail in Nevada, Mo. asking to give the Bible to an inmate.

When a jail official went to inspect the Bible, marijuana and methamphetamine were found hidden inside the book's binding.

"Usually (a Bible) is something you bring to help somebody through situations," Sheriff Jason Mosher told the Kansas City Star. "Thats probably the wrong kind of help, putting drugs in it."

SUSPECTED MEXICAN CARTEL LEADER SMUGGLED 44 POUNDS OF FENTANYL INTO NYC, OFFICIALS SAY

Officials said while they have caught people trying to smuggle in contraband and drugs before, they've never seen a Bible used to hide illicit materials.

Despain is now being held in the Vernon County Jail on a $5,000 bond, the sheriff's office said.
Amid a tsunami of negative press following Michigan State Universitys Larry Nassar sex scandal, documents show the public university spied on the victims of the gymnastics doctor.

A New York-based public relations firm, Weber Shandwick, billed MSU more than $500,000 for tracking social media activity surrounding the Nassar case, including the accounts of victims and their families, the Lansing State Journal reported after obtaining public records.

Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Nassar of sexual abuse and the last of more than 150 women to confront him in court during his sentencing hearing for criminal sexual conduct, told Fox News she is disgusted by how MSU spent its time and resources amid the largest sexual assault scandal in campus history.

As we were literally in court facing our abuser, MSU was paying a firm to monitor us, Denhollander said. The only other person that monitored my social media profiles in an effort to discredit me, was my abuser, Larry Nassar.

She added: When MSU uses the same tactics, and prioritizes the same things as a pedophile, its clear where their priorities lie.

Denhollander said its telling that Michigan State missed the porn on the computer of Nassar's boss, former Dean William Strampel, and the reports of Strampels own sexual harassment right in his personnel file, all while making it a priority to track her husbands tweets.

They say they want to support the survivors and work for justice, but, at the same time as they utter these words, they have attacked our character and motivations, accused us of being ambulance chasers looking for a payday, lied about our legislative package, lied about why mediation was stalled, and paid exorbitant amounts of money to monitor our social media activity, she said. Actions speak louder than words, and MSUs actions leave no doubt about what they really care about, and it isnt stopping sexual assault.

The firm charged for more than 1,440 hours of work, done by 18 employees, whose hourly rates ranged from $200 to $600 per hour, the Lansing State Journal reported.

The majority of our work involved crisis counsel to address the tragedy. We were not hired to monitor victims social media accounts. As with any assignment, we forwarded to our clients traditional media and publicly available social media pertaining to the horrible tragedy at MSU, including statements made online by the victims, Weber Shandwick responded to Fox News. The victims were and continue to be the most important voices in the conversation. Our work began in late December 2017 and ended in early March 2018 after we resigned the account.

Michigan State University hired Weber Shandwick in December 2017 to provide crisis communications counsel as well as additional media staffing to handle the high volume of communications tasks related to the Larry Nassar matter, MSU spokesperson Emily Gerkin Guerrant told Fox News. The relationship ended in early March and we are no long working together.

California attorney John Manly said it was shocking that Michigan State used $500,000 in taxpayer money to spy on the 150 alleged Nassar victims he is representing, calling it further evidence of MSUs continuing campaign to punish and revictimize these brave young women and girls.

Manly says more action needs to be taken at the Lansing-based public university.

We were already aware that MSU has hired private investigators to dig up dirt on Nassars victims and this is one more indication that John Engler and the MSU Board of Trustees continues to treat survivors as the enemy, he said. They need to be replaced by educators who are ready to reform the culture of sexual abuse at MSU, treat survivors with compassion and rebuild the tarnished reputation of this great University.
The brother of the suspected Florida high school gunman was sentenced to time served and six months of probation Thursday after he was arrested for trespassing onto the grounds of the school where his sibling killed 17 people.

Zachary Cruz, 18, pleaded no contest to a trespassing charge. Along with probation, Judge Melinda Kirsch Brown also ordered Cruz to enroll in therapy, wear an ankle bracelet and said he cannot possess firearms or ammunition.

Cruz was arrested March 19 after police found him skateboarding at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after class let out.

Cruz was ordered to stay away from the campus, but officials said he still went through locked doors and gates on the property. The incident was captured on security footage that was released last week.

Cruz wanted to reflect on the school shooting and to soak it in," according to an arrest report.

He was held on $500,000 bail, which his attorneys were expected to argue is excessive. His bond was originally $25, typical for such a case.

Cruz is the younger brother of Nikolas Cruz, who allegedly opened fire inside the high school, killing 17 students and staff members on Valentine's day.

The Cruz brothers attended Stoneman Douglas but didn't graduate.

Nikolas, 19, was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.

Fox News Elizabeth Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Lovestruck groupies from around the country are showering the Parkland, Fla., gunman Nikolas Cruz with fan mail, including sexually provocative photos and donations, according to a Wednesday report.

One 18-year-old from Texas purportedly professed her love to Cruz in a March 15 letter adorned with smiley faces and hand-drawn hearts, South Florida's Sun-Sentinel reported.

"When I saw your picture on the television, something attracted me to you," the letter said. "Your eyes are beautiful and the freckles on your face make you so handsome."

The missive flatly concludes: Im really skinny and have 34C sized breasts.

Another Texas woman reportedly sent a bizzare handwritten love note less than a week after Cruz gunned down 17 people Feb. 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

"I reserve the right to care about you, Nikolas!" read the unsolicited declaration.

PROSECUTORS: NIKOLAS CRUZ'S BROTHER BRAGGED ABOUT THEIR POPULARITY

A Chicago woman reportedly sent Cruz numerous suggestive photos, including one in which she slurps a Popsicle while wearing a bikini, and another in which she shows off her backside for the camera.

Cruz, who jail officials say has received nearly $800 in donations to his prison commissary account since the shooting, has also caught the eye of some members of his own sex.

A New Yorker with a bushy moustache sent Cruz a card featuring a cat and a photo of himself sitting in a white 1992 Nissan convertible, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

At least for now, though, the mass murderer's suitors are pining at the wind. Jail officials, who screen all letters to inmates, said Cruz has not seen the letters, and remains on suicide watch.

"Im really skinny and have 34C sized breasts.  Letter sent to Nikolas Cruz by admirer

As a matter of policy, authorities seize letters that contain obscene material, privileged communications, or threats to public safety.

We read a few religious ones to him that extended wishes for his soul and to come to God, Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein told the Sun-Sentinel, but we have not and will not read him the fan letters or share the photos of scantily-clad teenage girls.

Finkelstein added that he's "never seen this many letters to a defendant" in his 40 years as a public defender.

FLASHBACK: ROLLING STONE COVER FEATURES 'BAD BOY' BOSTON BOMBER

But dozens of admirers have also flooded social media, where some have claimed that they've gotten through to Cruz.

I want you all to know that Nikolas knows about us and he had the biggest smile on his face when he was told that we all support him, one Facebook user wrote on a pro-Cruz group.

When Zachary Cruz, Nikolas' younger brother, visited Nikolas in jail, the two discussed their popularity, according to prosecutors.

Zachary's attorneys are expected to argue in court Thursday that his $500,000 bail on a trespassing charge is excessive. The 18-year-old was arrested Mar. 19 after authorities found him skateboarding at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The unseemly interest in Cruz may stem from women with poor parental relationships, or a strong desire to save an apparently lonely and vulnerable figure, mental health experts told the paper.
When Michael Robidoux saw two kids struggling to swim in the rough surf at Navarre Beach in Florida's Panhandle Saturday, the Air Force veteran and pilot didn't hesitate to jump in after them. But the strong current took Robidoux under and he later died.

"He died as he lived -- a hero," Robidoux's cousin, Annette, told Fox News.

Santa Rosa County Sheriff's officials said two surfers rescued children, who have not yet been identified, as a team from the sheriff's office searched for Robidoux. They pulled him to shore and deputies performed CPR. Robidoux was critically injured and airlifted to a local hospital, where he later died.

"[He was] a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, an honored airman and a wonderful family man," Annette said.

The veteran was also an Eagle Scout and current pilot for Delta Airlines. Close friends and family described him as a "great military hero" and "very respected family man," who was always willing to lend a helping hand.

Robidoux's daughter, Kaela, agreed that her dad was a hero for trying to save others.

"He was my best friend," she told Fox News, declining to comment further.

Navarre Fire Chief Danny Fureigh told WEAR that Robidoux got "caught in an undertow" as he attempted to reach the children who were flailing their arms for help. The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened just after 6 p.m.

A Santa Rosa County spokesperson told the local news station there are currently nine lifeguards on staff, but they're looking to hire more.

"It is spread thin and everybody isn't full time," lifeguard Riley Tilghman told WEAR. "It's definitely stressful, even simple tasks like going to the bathroom creates scenarios where we don't have much coverage as we would like to have."

Whether there were more lifeguards present that day or not, Annette believes Robidoux still would have tried to help those kids.

"[It's] no surprise that he gave his life to save someone elses," said Annette, who plans to nominate Robidoux for the Carnegie Hero Award -- an honor given to individuals "who risk their lives saving or attempting to save others," according to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.

After the incident, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office reminded swimmers to "exercise caution when swimming in the Gulf and observe all safety flag warnings."
Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will visit China from April 2 to 4, at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Thursday.

Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. [File Photo: IC]

While in Beijing, Cassis will hold the first round of foreign ministerial strategic talks between China and Switzerland, Lu said.
Adnan Syed, the convicted murderer whose case was detailed in the popular podcast Serial, was granted a new trial on Thursday by a Maryland appeals court.

Syed was convicted in 2000 in the murder of Hae Min Lee, his high school sweetheart, whose body was found buried in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park the year before. Syed was sentenced to life in prison.

His case made international headlines in 2014 when the Serial podcast, created by Sarah Koenig, profiled his conviction and cast doubt on his guilt. The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered podcast records.

Syed has maintained his innocence throughout the years. He filed an appeal in 2012 but was denied.

A lower court judge vacated Syed's conviction in 2016, citing his attorney's failure to ask key witness Asia McClain Chapman about her claim she saw Syed at the time when prosecutors said Lee was killed. Prosecutors appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appeals court.

Chapman said she was in the library next to their high school when she saw Syed at the time Lee was said to have been murdered. However, Syeds original defense attorney never contacted Chapman about her claims during the murder trial.

Chapmans claims came to light when Koenig interviewed her for the podcast.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A South Carolina boy was hailed as a hero after he used a car jack to save a man from being completely crushed by his Mustang convertible.

On March 10, Malachi Coffey, 9, of Sumter, was playing in his aunts yard when he heard a cry for help. Running toward the screams, Malachi found 65-year-old Allen Clemmons pinned underneath his car.

Clemmons was underneath his car for over an hour after the vehicle slipped off the jack that was holding it up while he was attempting to remove the transmission, Sumter County Sheriffs Office Ken Bell told Fox News. Bell said Clemmons was close to giving up because his cries for help went unanswered  until Malachi showed up.

Malachi used a car jack to crank the vehicle off of Clemmons before running to get help.

He [Clemmons] was able to get one arm out to help Malachi position the jack just right, Bell said.

Shortly after, Malachi's aunt called 911. Bell said Clemmons was airlifted from the scene to a nearby hospital. His injuries including a fractured pelvis and a few broken ribs. Some of his internal organs were also bruised.

He was in pretty bad shape, Bell said.

Recalling the experience, Malachi told Fox News on Wednesday that he was really scared but knowing that he helped Clemmons makes him feel good. He added that he knew how to use a car jack because his great-uncle had shown him how.

"Thats who Malachi is. Hes soft-hearted and just wants to help everyone.  April Coffey

Im in shock he was able to use the jack, said April Coffey, the boys mother.

April was working the day of the incident, she said, which is why Malachi was at his aunts house in the first place. When she first got the call about Malachis noble act, she was initially worried for her sons safety. As the story unfolded, however, she said she was nothing but proud -- and not all that surprised.

Im absolutely floored. Im so proud of him, she said. Thats who Malachi is -- hes soft-hearted and just wants to help everyone.

Clemmons hailed Malachi a guardian angel. He told WIS-TV that he wouldn't have survived another 30 minutes if it hadn't been for Malachi.

It was getting really hard to breathe. He is truly my guardian angel, Clemmons told the news station.

The wider Sunter community has also praised Malachi for his quick action.

Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis presented Malachi with a plaque. Dennis also named him as the sheriff offices honorary employee of the month and an honorary deputy.

The county council also issued a proclamation which designated March 28 as Malachi Coffey Day, Bell said, adding that he overheard Malachi ask his mother if he had to go school that day because it was his day.

Malachi did have to go to school, April said, but only for part of the day. The afternoon was spent with fun activities like going to lunch, shopping and karate lessons.

He keeps saying: I dont understand why Im getting all of this attention. All I did was the right thing,' April said. But Ive told him that not everyone does the right thing, not everyone does something to save someones life.
Take a walk through the West Hill Cemetery in northwest Georgia and youll find towering monuments and carefully etched granite, dating back to the Civil War. The cemetery sexton calls it a historical gem. But those elaborate stones fall short in one corner of the 75-acre graveyard  the corner holding its youngest burials.

The childrens paupers section at West Hill Cemetery is for families who cant afford a burial. It holds the bodies of 160 infants laid to rest on Dalton Countys dime.

Half of those graves are without headstones.

If it wasnt for records, we wouldnt know whom was where on some of these, said Terrell Stallings, West Hill Cemetery sexton.

The county does not cover the cost of tombstones, so the small paper or metal markers  which wash away or become faded after several months  from the funeral home are all that stand at many of the childrens graves.

Now, there is a local effort to replace the slapdash markers memorializing the children with sturdier, permanent graves.

Stallings said with the current markers, after six months there is nothing but patches of dirt marking the burials.

It just doesnt seem permanent enough because the memories of them are permanent but their grave markers werent, Amanda Jones said.

A college student, Amanda Jones, said she came up with the idea to replace the headstones after walking through the cemetery last year to pick up trash, a longtime tradition for her and her grandmother.

She suddenly was struck by the unimpressive graves of the children and wondered if she could do something more.

"Its something that shouldve been done a long time ago."  Terrell Stallings, West Hill Cemetery sexton

I just looked at it and I said: These babies deserve better than this, Jones told Fox News.

A quick letter from Jones to the local paper launched a fundraising campaign to replace the quickly fading signs with long-lasting stones.

Her newspaper blurb transformed into fast-growing community effort.

Now at $7,600 dollars in donations, the county has more than enough to cover the stones, which cost $65 a pop.

I think it touched the hearts of a lot of folks, said Benny Dunn, director of the Department of Public Works. The community stepped up really well.

A local monument-making company was the next to step up, taking care of the stones design, etching, and implementation  for free.

Co-owner of D&S Monuments, Mark Howard, said each stone requires about one-and-a-half hours of work, so 80 stones means 120 hours of volunteered labor on his companys behalf.

Typically, D&S Monuments charges $75 for the labor on each stone, which means Howard is turning away $6,000 in payment.

The family has suffered enough loss with losing a child, and some multiple children, Howard told Fox News. It just makes your heart feel right, and it just makes it right to put a permanent marker there that will be there from now on.

Howard started installing the new headstones earlier this month and expects to get through all 80 by the end of April.

David Satterwhite, president of the Georgia Municipal Cemetery Association, called this a one-of-a-kind initiative, adding he is not aware of another headstone fundraiser in Georgias history. Although, he pointed out that there are numerous non-profits across the state with goals of improving and preserving cemeteries.

He said state law requires every county to be responsible for indigents, but contributions to funeral homes may vary, depending on the area.

In Dalton County, the contribution is $450 per funeral, which now includes an engraved headstone.

These are people too and they need the recognition that everybody else gets, Stallings said. Its something that shouldve been done a long time ago.
President Danilo Medina says he is open to running for re-election  now that the congress has approved a constitutional reform allowing the Dominican Republic's presidents to serve two consecutive terms.

Medina previously said he would not support any reform that would allow for his re-election.

But in a public address late Wednesday, about a week after the legal change, Medina said he has changed his mind in light of what he calls public support for the reform.

The measure was approved 181-39 last Friday, despite some protests. It also bars a two-term president from running for vice president in the future.
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Authorities were investigating a riot and fire at a Venezuelan police station Wednesday where relatives said dozens of detainees were being kept in squalid conditions and were feared dead.

Officials offered no information on what happened or whether there were any casualties, and police clashed with relatives who gathered outside the station demanding information on their loved ones.

Officers in riot gear formed a line with plastic shields blocking access to the brick building and at one point launched tear gas to disperse the crowd of screaming men and women in Valencia, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Caracas.

"I don't know if my son is dead or alive!" cried Aida Parra, who said she last saw her son a day before, when she went to deliver him food. "They haven't told me anything."

A Window to Freedom, a nonprofit group that monitors conditions at Venezuela's jails, said preliminary but unconfirmed information indicated the riot began when an armed detainee shot an officer in the leg. Shortly after that a fire broke out, with flames growing quickly as the blaze spread to mattresses in the cells, it said. Rescuers apparently had to break a hole through a wall to free some of the prisoners inside.

Photos shared by the group showed prisoners being taken out on stretchers, their limbs frozen in awkward positions as skin peeled off.

A Window to Freedom's director, Carlos Nieto Palma, said officials should be held accountable for failing to address deteriorating conditions in police station jails. The group said overcrowding has become common throughout the country as detainees are kept long past customary brief holding periods before being sent to other larger jails before trial or freed.

"It's grave and alarming," Nieto Palma said. "What happened today in Carabobo (state) is a sign of that."

Outside the police station, some relatives buried their hands in their faces as tears streamed down their cheeks. Others had to be held up with the support of friends and family as they collapsed in despair. Still others wept quietly and clutched their hands in prayer.

Nearby, National Guard troops wearing bullet-proof vests and carrying rifles across their backs walked in and out of the station. Fire trucks and ambulances stood outside, and unused stretchers leaned against a wall.

Opposition lawmaker Juan Miguel Matheus demanded that the pro-government leader of Carabobo state inform relatives about what had happened.

"The desperation of relatives should not be played with," he said.

Clashes between prisoners and guards are not uncommon in Venezuela. Inmates are frequently able to obtain weapons and drugs with the help of corrupt guards and heavily armed groups control cellblock fiefdoms.
Two people were arrested after a driver attempted to run over several French soldiers who were out for a morning jog near their military barracks Thursday, officials said.

A man and a woman were arrested after a brief police manhunt in the southern part of the country, a police official told the Associated Press. Their relationship wasn't immediately clear.

The man was driving the car that unsuccessfully tried to run over French soldiers and was arrested at his home in Grenoble on suspicion of threatening and charging at soldiers, a police official said.

He first circled the military barracks in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, located 10 miles south of Grenoble, shouting at various groups of soldiers before later returning and trying to hit four of them, French Col. Benout Brulot told the Associated Press.

The soldiers from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade managed to dodge the vehicle and were not injured.

The woman was arrested in Echirolles and is the owner of the car used in the attempted attack, a police official said.

Both the man and woman were not immediately identified. Both of them were being questioned by authorities.

The incident comes nearly a week after an Islamic extremist shot at police in southern France and took hostages in a supermarket. Four people died before the attacker was gunned down.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The daughter of a former Russian spy who was poisoned with a nerve agent earlier this month is now in stable condition, British authorities said Thursday.

Yulia Skripal, 33, is improving rapidly and is no longer in critical condition, Dr. Christine Blanshard of Salisbury District Hospital said. Yulia's father, Sergei Skripal, 66, was also poisoned in the incident and remains in critical condition.

"I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal," Blanshard said. "She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day."

POISONED RUSSIAN EX-SPY, DAUGHTER HAVE SLIM CHANCE OF SURVIVING, NIECE SAYS

Sergei, a former Russian spy, and Yulia were poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury, Britain. The father and daughter were found unconscious on a park bench in the town. A police officer exposed to the substance during the investigation was hospitalized and released last week.

Following the incident, countries across the world joined the U.K. in blaming Russia for the attack. Many, including the United States, have taken diplomatic action against Moscow. At least 21 countries have expelled more than 135 Russian diplomats they suspect of being spies.

Russia has adamantly denied any involvement in the attack.

POISONED EX-SPY LIKELY LATEST VICTIM IN LONG LINE OF KREMLIN-ORDERED HITS



Officials believe Russia is behind the attack partly because the nerve agent used was developed by the Soviet Union. Russian officials complain that Britain hasn't presented evidence to back up the accusation.

Skripal was imprisoned in Russia after he sold secrets to British intelligence, but was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

On Monday, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sergei and Yulia may never recover from the attack. Viktoria Skripal, Sergeis niece, said there was a slim chance the two would survive.

Out of 99 percent, I have maybe 1 percent hope, she told the BBC. Whatever [nerve agent] was used, it has given them a very small chance of survival. But theyre going to be invalids for the rest of their lives.

Fox News' Lucia Suarez Sang and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Latest on North Korean diplomacy (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

South Korea's presidential office says a Chinese official is heading to Seoul to brief President Moon Jae-in about the summit this week between North Korea's and China's leaders.

The two-day trip by Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi follows talks earlier this week between Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping. Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom in a statement on Thursday called it an encouraging sign that Kim expressed firm willingness for dialogue with South Korea and the United States during his visit to Beijing.

North Korea has yet to officially confirm its interest in a summit between Kim and President Donald Trump. The North's official media omitted Kim's reported comments opening dialogue with the United States that were carried in Chinese state media.

___

10:30 a.m.

The rival Koreas have begun high-level talks to prepare for an April summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program.

South Korean officials led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon on Thursday arrived for the talks at the northern side of the Panmunjom border village.

The North's delegation is led by Ri Son Gwon, chairman of an agency that deals with inter-Korean affairs.

The talks follow the summit earlier this week between Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

A summit between Kim and President Donald Trump is also anticipated by the end of May.
North Korea's Kim Jung Un will meet next month with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village in a high-profile meeting that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve a decades-long standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear program.

The announcement was made after officials met at the border village of Panmunjom. The Koreas plan to hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues during the April 27 meeting, according to a joint statement released by the countries.

Few other details were released.

The leaders of the two Koreas have held talks only twice since the 1950-53 Korean War, in 2000 and 2007, under previous liberal governments in Seoul.

A top South Korean official told reporters that setting up dialogue to eliminate Kim's nuclear weapons program would be a critical point of the meeting.

Ri Son Gwon, chairman of a state agency that deals with inter-Korean affairs, led the Norths three delegates, saying the past 80 days have been filled with "unprecedented historic events between the rivals, referring to the Koreas renewed talks before the Winter Olympics and the agreement on the summit.

He also expressed hopes for an outcome that would meet the "hope and desire of the nation."

Thursdays announcement comes after a surprise meeting between Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, which goal appeared to seek improving relations ahead of the Norths planned talks with Moon and President Donald Trump.

In setting up separate talks with Beijing, Seoul, Washington, and potentially with Moscow and Tokyo, North Korea may be moving to disrupt any united front among its negotiating counterparts. By reintroducing China, which is the North's only major ally, as a major player, North Korea also gains leverage against South Korea and the United States, analysts say.

Washington and Seoul have said Kim previously told South Korean envoys that he was willing to put his nukes up for negotiation in his talks with President Donald Trump. However, the North has yet to officially confirm its interest in a summit between Kim and Trump.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Prince Charles has released a videotaped Easter message offering support for persecuted Christians around the world.

The message released Friday was recorded earlier this month at Charles' Clarence House residence in central London.

He expresses sympathy for people who have "had to flee for their faith and for their life" and says he has been deeply moved by their courage and ability to forgive.

He says all three Abrahamic faiths have endured persecution when religion "has fallen into the barbaric grip of those who distort and misrepresent faith."

Charles is heir to the British throne. He has spoken out in the past on the need for religious tolerance.
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A Turkish newspaper says an Italian man reported missing in Istanbul has been found dead.

Haberturk said Thursday that the body of 33-year-old Alessandro Fiori was found washed ashore in Istanbul's Sarayburnu district, two weeks after he went missing.

According to the paper, the marketing manager from Milan was identified by his father, Eligio Fiori, but DNA testing was underway to confirm his ID.

Haberturk said it appeared Fiori had received a blow to the head but that it was not clear if he had been struck or had suffered a fall.

Police could not immediately confirm the report.

Fiori had flown to Istanbul on March 12 and was last spotted on a CCTV camera March 14.

His phone, wallet and other belongings were found in a hotel trash bin.
Russia announced Thursday it will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and close the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in retaliation for U.S. measures taken in response to the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy and his daughter in Britain -- but the White House vowed to "deal with it."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, where he was given notice Russia was responding quid pro quo to the U.S. decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out and close the Russian consulate in Seattle.

EX-RUSSIAN SPYS DAUGHTER, POISONED WITH NERVE AGENT IN UK, HAS CONDITION UPGRADED

Huntsman later Thursday said there was "no justification" for Russia's move, arguing it showed Moscow wasn't interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters.

"Russias response was not unanticipated, and the United States will deal with it," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, "Russia should not be acting like a victim." She called Russia's actions "regrettable" and "unwarranted."

The United State's decision to close the Russian consulate in Seattle prompted the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to tweet a poll asking social media users which U.S. consulate should be closed in Russia, USA Today reported. St. Petersburg appeared to get the most votes in the poll.

Lavrov said like the U.S, other countries that also expelled Russian diplomats will also be on the chopping block. Two dozen countries, including the U.S., many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.

Russia has adamantly denied any involvement in the attack.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, 33, were both poisoned with a nerve agent on March 4, 2018, in Salisbury, Britain. The father and daughter were found unconscious on a park bench in the town. A police officer exposed to the substance during the investigation was hospitalized and released last week.

The former Russian spy is in critical condition while Yulia has been upgraded Thursday to stable condition.

POISONED EX-SPY LIKELY LATEST VICTIM IN LONG LINE OF KREMLIN-ORDERED HITS

Skripal was imprisoned in Russia after he sold secrets to British intelligence, but was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

Officials believe Russia is behind the attack partly because novichok, the nerve agent used in the incident, was developed by the Soviet Union. Russian officials complain that Britain hasn't presented evidence to back up the accusation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has tried to place the blame for the attack on the U.S., Ukraine and the Czech Republic.

Fox News' Lucia I. Suarez Sang and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A Fujitsu Robopin communication robot installed at the entrance will introduce products on sale and events being conducted in-store to visitors, while also putting on performances such as the "Famimai," a specially choreographed FamilyMart dance.

The companies will also be conducting a "stamp rally" promotion, utilizing Fujitsu's FlowSign Light to allow customers to earn stamps by simply pointing their smartphone, with the dedicated FlowSign app installed, toward different target items throughout the store, including Robopin. FamilyMart will issue coupons that can be used in FamilyMart locations based on the number of stamps collected, with Fujitsu Blockchain technology managing customer information, including details about the history of stamps earned and coupons used.

In conjunction with this, video content relating to products in the refrigerators will be projected onto their doors, which have been fitted with transparent displays made by LWO Technology Co., Ltd. This not only promises to offer customers a new shopping experience, but will also enable them to collect stamps by pointing their smartphone at the projected video content on the refrigerator doors using the dedicated app for Fujitsu's FlowSign Video service(3).

Electronic price tags, made by SES-imagotag SA, will be installed on the product display shelving, interacting with POS registers to enable flexible changes to prices. Information such as production history and ongoing promotions will be available through QR codes and NFC(5) functionality built into the electronic price tags.

A store entrance counter equipped with a 3D camera, made by FLIR Systems, Inc., will be installed at the entrance of the store, and will collect and aggregate information on the number of visitors. This data can then be used for tasks like analyzing store sales and optimizing the deployment of staff.
Free

'Systemic failure' led to clinic infection scare

kelseywalling / KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News BEN RAIMER kelseywalling / KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Dr. Patrick J. McGinnis asks Dr. Philip Keiser a question about the investigation during a United Board of Health meeting on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. kelseywalling / KELSEY WALLING/ The Daily News Dr. Philip Keiser, the Galveston County local health authority, discusses the investigation by the Galveston County Health District related to Coastal Health & Wellness Joint Commission Site Survey Report to the United Board of Health on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. This was the first meeting of the board since it was announced that patients of the dental clinic could have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. kelseywalling / KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News Jason D. Lawrence listens as Dr. Philip Keiser answers his question during the United Board of Health meeting on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Keiser said that the health district has tested 500 people. kelseywalling / KELSEY WALLING/The Daily News The United Board of Health meets for the first time since Galveston County Health District announced that patients of Coastal Health & Wellness were potentially exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

Citing systemic failures in the way a Texas City dental clinic managed its infection control procedures, Galveston Countys top health official said Wednesday the facility would not reopen until its managers could show competency in keeping patients safe.

Dr. Philip Keiser, the Galveston County local health authority, delivered that message to the Galveston County United Board of Health at its regular meeting Wednesday evening. The board oversees the Galveston County Health District.

Keiser gave the board an update on his investigation into the Coastal Health & Wellness clinic in Texas City, whose questionable practices in cleaning dental tools prompted a warning to 9,500 county residents urging them to be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

The concerns were announced Friday. In the time since, the health district has received more than 1,500 calls from people concerned about infection, and has taken blood samples from about 500 people, Keiser said.

Of those 500, tests of 116 people already had been returned and none had been diagnosed with an infection, he said.

Keiser also elaborated on what prompted the Coastal Health & Wellness clinics in Texas City and Galveston to be shut down after an accreditation inspection on Feb 12.

During the Joint Commissions inspection, officials found dirty brushes that were used to clean dental instruments and supposedly sanitized instruments that were rusted and dirty, Keiser said. The Joint Commission is an independent not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Inspectors looked at a machine that uses fluid to sterilize instruments and asked clinic staff when the last time the fluid had been changed.

The staff didnt know, Keiser said.

Inspectors found problems they deemed to be immediate threats to life, he said.

The commission also cited lapses in training and documentation.

There has been a failure of oversight, Keiser said. There was no infection control plan in place. There was no one who was keeping up to joint commission standards.

The quality control measures that were in place were not being followed. I think this is a real systemic failure.

The inspection was Feb. 12 at the clinic in Texas City, but officials immediately closed both that dental clinic and a sister clinic in Galveston. Neither has been reopened.

It took officials 38 days to make a public announcement that patients had been put at risk of exposure to communicable diseases by dentists using unclean tools.

In that time, the health district reviewed health records of former patients and identified those who may have been treated while infected with one of the diseases, and those who might have become infected.

Using state health records, district investigators identified more than 300 former patients who had been positively diagnosed with hepatitis C, and six whose diagnoses were made at some time after they visited the clinic, Keiser said.

Investigators had determined to a high degree of certainty that two of the six had not been infected at the clinic, Keiser said. But the health district had not been able to determine whether four other people had been infected at the clinic or elsewhere.

Keiser had previously said the health district became concerned because of similarities in the times and places where those four people were treated.

Keiser revealed Wednesday that two of those patients had been treated by the same dentist on the same day  a fact that neither the district nor the clinic had revealed in previous news conferences about the infection warnings.

People should be held responsible for the lapses, Keiser said. But on Wednesday night officials were still working to explain who that would be.

Coastal Health & Wellness was once officially under the oversight of the chief executive officer of the Galveston County Health District, officials said at Wednesdays meeting.

But in 2015, the leadership of the groups were split at the urging of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency that provides funding to community based health care providers like Coastal Health & Wellness.

Since that time, oversight of the clinic has been left totally to its administrators and its governing board, officials said.

Dr. Ben Raimer, chairman of the United Board of Health, said it could not discipline the clinic nor its leadership.

We cannot, Raimer said. That has be be done by their board. Its their responsibility to identify a bad actor.

The Galveston County Commissioners Court, which provides a majority of the clinics funding, could also demand changes or empower the health board to have more oversight, Raimer said.

While the Coastal Health & Wellness governing boards bylaws allow the United Health Board of Health to nominate board members  one of the few tangible connections the groups still have  Raimer said he could not recall the health board ever actually making a nomination.

The Coastal Health & Wellness governing board is scheduled to meet at noon Thursday for the first time since the public announcement of the problems.
Reporter

Before coming to work for The Daily News as a staff reporter, Connor worked for us as a freelance correspondent throughout 2017. He has written for other publications such as the Washington Post.
More Information

The Galveston County Health District is urging people who received dental procedures at Coastal Health & Wellness clinics between March 1, 2015, and Feb. 13, 2018, to be tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.

The district has set up a hotline for people to receive information about potential exposure and to schedule appointments. The hotline number is 409-938-2397.

The hotline is available from 7:30 a.m. until 7 p.m Monday through Thursdays. And from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday.

Testing appointments can also be made at gchd.org.

Free testing services will be offered until April 13.

HIV is a virus spread through body fluids including blood that attacks the immune system. Over time, HIV can degrade a persons immune system to the point the body cant fight off infections and disease and opportunistic infections or cancers take advantage of a very weak immune system and signal that the person has AIDS.

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis B virus and transmitted by blood or another body fluid. For some people, hepatitis B is an acute, or short-term, illness but for others, it can become a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis B can lead to serious health issues, like cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness but for as many as 85 percent of people who become infected with Hepatitis C, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. The majority of infected people might not be aware of their infection because they are not clinically ill.

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The 951-foot Grand Princess will department from the Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center Berth 93 about a month after the 1,060-foot Carnival Panorama marked the return of cruises out of the Port of Long Beach. The return of...
Imagine a year in Africa that summer never arrives. The sky takes on a gray hue during the day and glows red at night. Flowers do not bloom. Trees die in the winter. Large mammals like antelope become thin, starve and provide little fat to the predators (carnivores and human hunters) that depend on them. Then, this same disheartening cycle repeats itself, year after year. This is a picture of life on earth after the eruption of the super-volcano, Mount Toba in Indonesia, about 74,000 years ago. In a paper published this week in Nature, scientists show that early modern humans on the coast of South Africa thrived through this event.

An eruption a hundred times smaller than Mount Toba  that of Mount Tambora, also in Indonesia, in 1815  is thought to have been responsible for a year without summer in 1816. The impact on the human population was dire  crop failures in Eurasia and North America, famine and mass migrations. The effect of Mount Toba, a super-volcano that dwarfs even the massive Yellowstone eruptions of the deeper past, would have had a much larger, and longer-felt, impact on people around the globe.

The scale of the ash-fall alone attests to the magnitude of the environmental disaster. Huge quantities of aerosols injected high into the atmosphere would have severely diminished sunlight  with estimates ranging from a 25 to 90 percent reduction in light. Under these conditions, plant die-off is predictable, and there is evidence of significant drying, wildfires and plant community change in East Africa just after the Toba eruption.

If Mount Tambora created such devastation over a full year  and Tambora was a hiccup compared to Toba  we can imagine a worldwide catastrophe with the Toba eruption, an event lasting several years and pushing life to the brink of extinctions.

In Indonesia, the source of the destruction would have been evident to terrified witnesses  just before they died. However, as a family of hunter-gatherers in Africa 74,000 years ago, you would have had no clue as to the reason for the sudden and devastating change in the weather. Famine sets in and the very young and old die. Your social groups are devastated, and your society is on the brink of collapse.

The effect of the Toba eruption would have certainly impacted some ecosystems more than others, possibly creating areas  called refugia  in which some human groups did better than others throughout the event. Whether or not your group lived in such a refuge would have largely depended on the type of resources available. Coastal resources, like shellfish, are highly nutritious and less susceptible to the eruption than the plants and animals of inland areas.

When the column of fire, smoke and debris blasted out the top of Mount Toba, it spewed rock, gas and tiny microscopic pieces (cryptotephra) of glass that, under a microscope, have a characteristic hook shape produced when the glass fractures across a bubble. Pumped into the atmosphere, these invisible fragments spread across the world.

Panagiotis (Takis) Karkanas, director of the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science, American School of Classical Studies, Greece, saw a single shard of this explosion under a microscope in a slice of archaeological sediment encased in resin.

It was one shard particle out of millions of other mineral particles that I was investigating. But it was there, and it couldnt be anything else, says Karkanas.

The shard came from an archaeological site in a rockshelter called Pinnacle Point 5-6, on the south coast of South Africa near the town of Mossel Bay. The sediments dated to about 74,000 years ago.

Takis and I had discussed the potential of finding the Toba shards in the sediments of our archaeological site, and with his eagle eye, he found one, explains Curtis W. Marean, project director of the Pinnacle Point excavations. Marean is the associate director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University and honorary professor at the Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience at Nelson Mandela University, South Africa.

Marean showed the shard image to Eugene Smith, a volcanologist with the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, and Smith confirmed it was a volcanic shard.

The Pinnacle Point study brought me back to the study of glass shards from my masters thesis 40 years earlier, says Smith.

Early in the study, the team brought in expert cryptotephra scientist Christine Lane who trained graduate student Amber Ciravolo in the needed techniques. Racheal Johnsen later joined Ciravalo as lab manager and developed new techniques.

From scratch, with National Science Foundation support, they developed the Cryptotephra Laboratory for Archaeological and Geological Research, which is now involved in projects not only in Africa, but in Italy, Nevada and Utah.

Encased in that shard of volcanic glass is a distinct chemical signature, a fingerprint that scientists can use to trace to the killer eruption. In their paper in Nature, the team describes finding these shards in two archaeological sites in coastal South Africa, tracing those shards to Toba through chemical fingerprinting and documenting a continuous human occupation across the volcanic event.

Many previous studies have tried to test the hypothesis that Toba devastated human populations, Marean notes. But they have failed because they have been unable to present definitive evidence linking a human occupation to the exact moment of the event.

Most studies have looked at whether or not Toba caused environmental change. It did, but such studies lack the archaeological data needed to show how Toba affected humans.

The Pinnacle Point team has been at the forefront of development and application of highly advanced archaeological techniques. They measure everything on site to millimetric accuracy with a total station, a laser-measurement device integrated to handheld computers for precise and error-free recording.

Naomi Cleghorn with the University of Texas at Arlington, recorded the Pinnacle Point samples as they were removed.

Cleghorn explains, We collected a long column of samples  digging out a small amount of sediment from the wall of our previous excavation. Each time we collected a sample, we shot its position with the total station. We could then precisely compare the position of the sample to our excavated cultural remains  the trash ancient humans left at the site. We could also compare our cryptotephra sample position with that of samples taken for dating and environmental analyses.

In addition to understanding how Toba affected humans in this region, the study has other important implications for archaeological dating techniques. Archaeological dates at these age ranges are imprecise  10 percent (or 1000s of years) error is typical. Toba ash-fall, however, was a very quick event that has been precisely dated. The time of shard deposition was likely about two weeks in duration  instantaneous in geological terms.

We found the shards at two sites, explains Marean. The Pinnacle Point rockshelter (where people lived, ate, worked and slept) and an open air site about 10 kilometers away called Vleesbaai. This latter site is where a group of people, possibly members of the same group as those at Pinnacle Point, sat in a small circle and made stone tools. Finding the shards at both sites allows us to link these two records at almost the same moment in time.

Not only that, but the shard location allows the scientists to provide an independent test of the age of the site estimated by other techniques. People lived at the Pinnacle Point 5-6 site from 90,000 to 50,000 years ago. Zenobia Jacobs with the University of Wollongong, Australia, used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) to date 90 samples and develop a model of the age of all the layers. OSL dates the last time individual sand grains were exposed to light.

There has been some debate over the accuracy of OSL dating, but Jacobs age model dated the layers where we found the Toba shards to about 74,000 years ago  right on the money, says Marean. This lends very strong support to Jacobs cutting-edge approach to OSL dating, which she has applied to sites across southern Africa and the world.

OSL dating is the workhorse method for construction of timelines for a large part of our own history. Testing whether the clock ticks at the correct rate is important. So getting this degree of confirmation is pleasing, says Jacobs.

In the 1990s, scientists began arguing that this eruption of Mount Toba, the most powerful in the last two million years, caused a long-lived volcanic winter that may have devastated the ecosystems of the world and caused widespread population crashes, perhaps even a near-extinction event in our own lineage, a so-called bottleneck.

This study shows that along the food-rich coastline of southern Africa, people thrived through this mega-eruption, perhaps because of the uniquely rich food regime on this coastline. Now other research teams can take the new and advanced methods developed in this study and apply them to their sites elsewhere in Africa so researchers can see if this was the only population that made it through these devastating times.

Reference:

Eugene I. Smith, Zenobia Jacobs, Racheal Johnsen, Minghua Ren, Erich C. Fisher, Simen Oestmo, Jayne Wilkins, Jacob A. Harris, Panagiotis Karkanas, Shelby Fitch, Amber Ciravolo, Deborah Keenan, Naomi Cleghorn, Christine S. Lane, Thalassa Matthews, Curtis W. Marean. Humans thrived in South Africa through the Toba eruption about 74,000 years ago. Nature, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/nature25967

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Arizona State University.
OAKVILLE, Ontario, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (Saint Jean or the Company) (TSX-V:SJL) (OTCQB:TORVF), a carbon science company engaged in the design and build of green energy storage, green energy creation and green re-creation through the use of carbon materials is pleased to announce the Company has signed a term sheet with the land owner (4300351 Canada Inc.) of the Montpelier mining claims the company announced on March 27 2018 located in South Western Quebec. The agreement is for 25 years and gives the Company the right to work the property and full access. The terms of the agreement are; the Company will make a onetime payment of $500,000.00 payable in the capital stock of the Company upon completion of the surface rights agreement(s). An issuance of a further 2,500,000 options to be at market price for three years, if the infill drill program is complete and a resource estimate of 10,000,000 tons of mineralized material is defined. Pay a yearly 5% Net Production Royalty (NPR) and a yearly 1.5% Gross Sales Royalty (GSR). A further 1,000,000 bonus shares will be issued, should Company receive the bulk sampling permits by December 15th, 2018. The transaction is subject to TSX Venture approval.

Paul Ogilvie, CEO, commented: Our goal to hold the best properties in south western Quebec continues to grow, with the surface rights agreement, we can now file application to mine the property. We will work very closely with the land owner and start the process right away, this relationship with the landowner helps the company move forward towards future production of graphite for lithium-ion battery anodes.

The landowner group will do the contract mining of the property; primary crush, secondary crush and air classification (under licence from the Company). As there is no milling needed on the properties, the classified material will be shipped to the milling facility. Without the need for a mill on the property, this eliminates the need for tailings ponds, water usage, structures, fixed equipment, etc. The system was designed to be environmentally friendly, no blasting, no dust, no noise and will initially serve as the model for how the Company could run hundreds of small pits, instead of how traditionally massive pits are used.

The Company anticipates a late spring/early summer drill program of an estimated nine witness holes twined with the pervious historical holes. As an update to the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) announced on October 15th 2016; the Company expected to be completed by the end of January/February 2018 but due to the recent acquisitions, and the time needed to add the new property information into the PEA, the report will be further delayed with an estimated completion of up to 8 weeks.

Dr. Christian Derosier, P.Geo., President of C.D.G.C. Inc., is the qualified person (QP) as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and, acting on behalf of Saint Jean Carbon, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

About Saint Jean Carbon

Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining and lithium claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jeans properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Saint Jean Carbon Inc.

Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director

Information Contact :

Email: info@saintjeancarbon.com

Tel: (905) 844-1200

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, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jeans business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, intends budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved.

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Transaction, including regulatory and shareholder approvals, if necessary, will be met.

Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct.

Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
English Lithuanian

Panevezys, 2018-03-29 15:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

On 28 March 2018 AB Linas Agro Group received decision No 241-50 of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania (hereinafter in the text  the decision), by which it is bound to publish such a notification:

3. To require AB Linas Agro Group to immediately publish the notification about the material event, i.e. about this decision of the director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania indicating:

3.1. That by the decision of the director of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania AB Linas Agro Group was warned about the infringement of Article 22 of the Law on Securities of the Republic of Lithuania;

3.2. That the consolidated annual financial statements of AB Linas Agro Group for financial year 2016-2017 ending on 30 June 2017 do not comply with the requirements of IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment;

3.3. The impact of the infringements on financial statements: the application of useful life of the non-current tangible assets shorter than required by IAS 16 has reduced the value of the tangible non-current assets and increased costs; therefore, the annual consolidated financial statements of AB Linas Agro Group failed to reflect a true and fair view: if longer periods of depreciation of the tangible non-current assets were applied, the tangible non-current assets and non-allocated result of 30 June 2017 would increase.

Based on the foregoing, the Company publishes this notification about the material event.

Comments of Finance Director of AB Linas Agro Group:

Bank of Lithuania survey has took place for three months and included the Group's accounting policies and principles of consolidation of financial statements, valuation of biological assets, accounting of inventories, accounts receivable, loans granted to subsidiaries and accounting of property, plant and equipment. The Bank of Lithuania expressed the opinion that the Group did not review the useful lives and residual values of non-current tangible assets when compiling consolidated annual financial statements for the financial year 2016/2017. In principle, this relates to long-term tangible assets of agricultural companies that have been purchased long time ago. During the investigation, the deliberate activities of AB Linas Agro Group were not identified, for which the financial information does not meet the requirements of the IAS. Taking into account the decision of the Bank of Lithuania, we initiate the review of the useful lives and residual values of the Group's property, plant and equipment from July 1st 2018 onwards. - Tomas Tumenas, Financial Director of AB Linas Agro Group, commented on the conclusions of the study of the Bank of Lithuania.

In accordance with the criteria of transparency and availability of information, the Company, if needed, will in future inform about its further actions regarding the decision of the Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania.

Investor relations specialist

Greta Vaitkeviciene

+370 45 507 346

g.vaitkeviciene@linasagro.lt
California Lawmakers: Faith Practices can be Punished as Fraud Contact: Brad Dacus, Pacific Justice Institute, 916-616-4126



SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 29, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- The battle over religious freedom has reached a fever pitch in California, where lawmakers are taking a new approach to punish traditional beliefs about sex and gender.



Assembly Bill (AB) 2943 declares acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) status and behavior to be a matter of science. From that opening premise, the bill proceeds to subject skeptics to the full weight of the State's anti-fraud and consumer protection regime for "sexual orientation change efforts" (SOCE) when "goods and services" are involved.



Unlike prior legislation targeting SOCE, sometimes known as reparative or conversion therapy, this bill is not limited to minors or licensed counselors. It also does not include any religious exemptions for churches or non-profit ministries. On its face, the targeted "goods and services" could include the sale of books on the power of the Gospel to heal sexual brokenness, or conferences addressing the same topics.



The Pacific Justice InstituteCenter for Public Policy (PJI) sent a letter last week to lawmakers explaining many of the legal problems with the bill. Brad Dacus, President of PJI, commented, "Compassion demands that churches and ministries offer hope to those who want to voluntarily leave the LGBT subculture. The State cannot outlaw this compassion by calling it fraud. This is a diabolical attempt to stifle real debate and limit personal choices."



PJI challenged the predecessor of AB 2943, SB 1172, initially halting its enforcement with a federal injunction. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals eventually upheld SB 1172 by emphasizing its limited focus on minors and licensed professionals. AB 2943 applies to adults and is not styled as a professional regulation.



AB 2943 is scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection on April 3 at 1:30 p.m. Californians should contact their Assembly members to express their concerns.



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Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  The cover and text colors are based on the blue-greenish tone of the actual tattoos, says photographer Jake Verzosa in an interview about his book, The Last Tattooed Women of Kalinga, consisting of portraits of the women of Kalinga showing off their tattooed upper bodies. These women, which includes Fang-Od, have continued the tradition of wearing these lace-like patterns or batok on their skin as symbols of beauty, wealth, and stature.

The project took about three years of sporadic trips to the mountains of Kalinga to complete, and was an exercise in revisiting some old memories of home and exploring them further, as the photographer, who grew up in Tuguegarao, would often see tattooed people visit their town in his childhood.

The book, which was first published in 2014, was one of the eight handpicked by publisher Gerhard Steidl for the Steidl Book Award Asia. Winning the award meant getting to design and print their books alongside Steidl himself, who was once regarded by The New Yorker as the printer the worlds best photographers trust most for not only his craftsmanship, but particularly for his attention to detail. This is evident in the way Verzosa describes how each detail was meticulously chosen to enhance the readers experience, such as in the covers color.

As one of the eight artists chosen for the Steidl Book Award Asia, Verzosa flew to Gottingen, Germany to design and print his book alongside publisher Gerhard Steidl (center). Photo courtesy of STEIDL

For example, in the first edition of the book (which Verzosa had self-published), the first part contained text and illustrations describing the history of tattooing in Kalinga, and the names and meanings behind each symbol. The Steidl version, which is a bigger, heavier book, has the intro in a separate booklet, and comprises only of the portraits, save for the first few pages containing a foreword and a poem.

I separated the texts in a booklet so readers could have the experience of viewing the photographs devoid of text and also refer to the index of tattoo designs on one hand while viewing the portraits, says Verzosa. Apart from the visual, the texture and smell were also taken into account. These subtle refinements make reading the book a totally different experience.

***

With the help of Natividad Sugguiyao, the provincial director of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in Kalinga, whom he considers his co-author and collaborator, Verzosa planned his trips to Kalinga in between shoots in Manila. Due to the mountainous terrain and lack of electricity in most areas, Verzosa chose a simple set up  something mechanical and portable. He would bring along an old medium format camera, a few rolls of black and white film, a white curtain, and lots of tape.

In the Steidl eidition, text and illustrations describing the history of tattooing in Kalinga can be found in a separate booklet, a conscious decision made by Verzosa so that readers could have the experience of viewing the photographs devoid of text and also refer to the index of tattoo designs on one hand while viewing the portraits." Photo courtesy of STEIDL

My goal was focused solely on creating an objective record of the tattoos and the people wearing them, says Verzosa. A translator or Sugguiyao herself would help explain this to the women. Some of them had never encountered a camera until then.

When he had decided the project was complete, Verzosa had no initial plans of turning the photographs into a book. In 2014, he printed the whole set of portraits during his residency at Musee Nicephore Niepce in Chalon-sur-Saone in France. Upon returning to Manila, he brought the set to Silverlens Galleries for safekeeping. As they were preparing to go to the international photography fair, Paris Photo, they decided to bring the portraits to the fair as a book.

***

What I like about collaborating with [Gerhard Steidl] is that he makes you realize your vision for the book," says Verzosa. "Unlike other publishers, the design, sequencing and content is left to us. This just shows how much he trusts the artists. Photo by YUKARI CHIKURA

In 2016, Verzosa exhibited his book at the Steidl Book Award Asia, where it was chosen among seven others. The eight chosen photographers would then go on to Steidl in Gottingen, Germany to work hand in hand with the publisher. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I would be standing next to Gerhard Steidl and making my book! says Verzosa.

What I like about collaborating with [Gerhard Steidl] is that he makes you realize your vision for the book. Unlike other publishers, the design, sequencing and content is left to us. This just shows how much he trusts the artists.

His expertise on papers, end papers, inks, paper and ink combinations, and all the other small details takes the book as an object to the next level. There are even paper stocks exclusively made for him, he says. Having all these options at your disposal just opens up a lot of ideas and possibilities in book making. In the end, we both want the best possible book for the work, and Gerhard enables photographers and artists to achieve that.

Witnessing the whole process of book making for me added another dimension on how to tell your stories, Verzosa adds.

[Steidl's] expertise on papers, end papers, inks, paper and ink combinations, and all the other small details takes the book as an object to the next level. There are even paper stocks exclusively made for him, says Verzosa. Having all these options at your disposal just opens up a lot of ideas and possibilities in book making. In the end, we both want the best possible book for the work, and Gerhard enables photographers and artists to achieve that. Photo courtesy of STEIDL

***

At the beginning of the book, there is a poem from a traditional Kalinga chant. According to Verzosa, it describes how women perceived their tattoos during that time  a symbol of beauty and pride  something that he and Sugguiyao hoped could be brought back.

At the time I took portraits, most locals say they don't want it. They see it as archaic, barbaric and a stigma, says Verzosa. Today, there is a renewed interest in the tradition. Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing is another story.

***

"The Last Tattooed Women of Kalinga" is available online through Steidl Books.
Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer and Christian Zhang Kai fears that he may face a second imprisonment -- a plight he fears he "may not be able to endure" -- due to his legal defense of churches that faced cross demolition.



According to persecution watchdog China Aid, a prosecutor from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, summoned Zhang from his home in Inner Mongolia to the city for interrogation earlier this month. In a series of Facebook posts, Zhang expressed fear he will not be able to endure another prison sentence.



"I admit that my body is weak. If I am arrested again, I may not be able to endure the detention," he wrote, according to a translation provided by China Aid. "All interviews and videos taped after my detention cannot represent my real opinions. I will try to hold on."



He later wrote, "I did not commit any crime. The only reason I am persecuted is that I helped the churches to safeguard their legal rights during the cross demolition movement in Wenzhou. I hope the (Christian) brothers and sisters from the church can take care of my parents and visit them frequently (in the event of my arrest)."



Zhang was originally apprehended last August for legally representing about 100 churches affected by an ongoing cross demolition campaign in Zhejiang province. At the time of his arrest, Zhang was advising a church in Wenzhou, a region known as China's "Jerusalem" due to its large Christian population.



Last February, Zhang reappeared on state television, and confessed to his "crimes," apparently under coercion. He admitted to encouraging Christians to come together to "protect their rights" after the authorities removed crosses from churches.



"I really regret doing these things, I feel very remorseful," Zhang said. "These things violated China's law and violated my personal integrity as a lawyer, and they harmed societal structure and national security."



Shortly thereafter, he received a criminal detention sentence, which was cut short when he was released on bail on March 23. In a statement on March 24, 2018, Zhang said that the torture in jail was unbearable, and "Like rats, criminals had no dignity, and I almost died."



Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a desire to "Sinicize" religion, meaning the country should promote and guide religion that is Chinese in orientation.



In recent years, hundreds of Christians, including pastors, lawyers, and activists, have been arrested for speaking out against the ongoing persecution, and many of them are still detained. Human rights attorneys who provide legal support to churches in China have also been subjected to police brutality and coerced into confessing on television that they have disturbed the peace, and jeopardized national security.



Last week, a Chinese Christian woman, Zhou Jinxia, was arrested after she traveled from Liaoning province to Beijing and attempted to preach to President Jinping, holding a sign that read, "God loves the people of the world and is calling out to Xi Jinping."



Earlier this month, Father Francis Liu, a Chinese priest, shared a video showing local officials tearing down crosses from the Shangqiu Catholic Church South Cathedral during a major raid in Henan -- even though the cathedral was sanctioned by the government.



China ranks 43rd on Open Door USA's World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most persecution.


Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation.
Multiple courts around the country have determined this year that redistricting efforts can be so partisan that they violate the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court doesn't appear to be in a hurry to issue such a finding.The court has now heard two partisan gerrymandering cases this term, with a third waiting in the wings. Although the first case, involving Assembly maps in Wisconsin, was heard in October, the court has yet to issue a ruling. The court heard an oral argument in the second case, which involves Maryland's congressional map, on Wednesday. The court may also consider North Carolina's congressional map.The Maryland case, known as Benisek v. Lamone, turns on the question of whether Maryland's redistricting process, which eliminated the Republican advantage in one of the two congressional seats the party had controlled, violated the First Amendment rights of GOP voters who were being discriminated against because of their past voting history.The Wisconsin case, known as Gill V. Whitford, pursued a different theory, known as the efficiency gap, which measures how many votes are "wasted." According to this argument, all votes cast for a losing candidate and any votes for the winner beyond the 50 percent-plus-one needed to win are considered wasted.Wednesday's argument suggested that a number of justices -- perhaps a majority -- would like to set a standard for when partisan gerrymandering crosses the constitutional line."However much you think is too much partisanship, this case is too much," Justice Elena Kagan said.But the series of hypothetical scenarios the justices presented to lawyers arguing the case made it clear there was no ready consensus about how to define what an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander would look like."It seems like a pretty clear violation of the Constitution to have deliberate extreme gerrymandering," said Justice Stephen Breyer, "but is there a practical remedy that won't get judges involved in dozens and dozens and dozens of very important political situations?"Justice Samuel Alito suggested that it would be impossible to set a legal standard for determining how much politics would be too much in a process that is itself inherently political."I really don't see how any legislature will ever be able to redistrict," Alito said. "Hasn't this court said time and again you can't take all consideration of partisan advantage out of districting?Justice Anthony Kennedy is widely considered to be the swing vote in these cases. As happened in the Wisconsin argument, he asked Maryland Solicitor General Steven Sullivan whether it would be unconstitutional to have a provision explicitly calling for party to be the predominant consideration in redistricting. Sullivan conceded that would be discriminatory. Kennedy then asked if that was the intent, then why would stopping shy of stating that outright make it legal?"So, if you hide the evidence of what you're doing, then you're going to prevail?" Kennedy said.Kennedy set the stage for the current legal fights with an opinion in Vieth v. Jubelirer, a 2004 Pennsylvania case. Back then, Kennedy wrote that there could be such a thing as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander, but only if the courts had a "workable standard" for determining when mapmakers had crossed that line.While the political world waits to see whether the Supreme Court can agree on such a test, other courts have begun striking down maps as unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders. In January, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the commonwealth's congressional map, producing a new map itself when the legislature and the governor were unable to reach agreement. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider blocking the state court's decision.Also in January, a federal panel threw out the congressional map in North Carolina, finding that it violated the equal protection clause under the 14th Amendment."We agree with plaintiffs that a wealth of evidence proves the General Assembly's intent to 'subordinate' the interests of non-Republican voters and 'entrench' Republican domination of the state's congressional delegation," wrote Judge James Wynn.The U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay, blocking the lower court's ruling from taking effect and keeping the state's congressional map in play for this year's elections. The Supreme Court is expected to decide next month whether it will hear the case.On Wednesday, Justice Breyer suggested rolling up the three cases -- involving the Maryland, Wisconsin and North Carolina maps -- into a fresh oral argument to be heard next term. That way, all the different legal theories and potential standards for partisan gerrymandering could be considered together, he said. None of the other justices jumped at that suggestion.The question remains about exactly how far partisan mapmakers would have to go in pressing an advantage for their side before they violated the Constitution. In both Maryland and North Carolina, politicians involved in the effort made their intentions pretty clear."As the elected governor, I did my duty within the metes and bounds of Maryland law, former Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, said in a deposition last year. He added that if the district in question "would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican, yes, this was clearly my intent."North Carolina state Rep. David Lewis, a Republican who chaired the state House redistricting committee, said at a hearing in 2016 that he drawn a "political gerrymander," which he contended was legal."I think electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats, so I drew this map to help foster what I think it better for the country."Asked why he created a map that created a 10-3 Republican advantage in the congressional delegation of a state that is fairly evenly divided, Lewis said, "because I do not believe it's possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats."Not all mapmakers are so candid. That's why the Supreme Court is still looking for a way to measure when partisan gerrymanders are unconstitutional."We'll never have such a record again," Justice Breyer said Wednesday. "I mean, the people who do the gerrymandering are not stupid."
Outside of Dane County

Public hearing on bill

Gov. Scott Walker won't appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court an appellate decision denying his request for eight more days to call a special election in two vacant legislative seats.Instead, he plans to call a special election for June 12, he told the audience at an event Wednesday night in Pewaukee sponsored by conservative radio station WTMJ 620 AM, the radio station reported.The decision not to appeal was revealed in a high court filing by the Department of Justice, which represents Walker, Wednesday evening stating the governor would not ask the Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court decision. In an earlier court filing, DOJ indicated Walker planned to call the special elections for June 12 if his appeal was unsuccessful, but there was no official statement about the date of the elections late Wednesday.Earlier Wednesday, 2nd District Appellate Court Judge Paul F. Reilly dismissed Walker's argument that the court should allow time for the Legislature to rewrite state law that would effectively block the special elections. Reilly issued the one-page ruling hours after DOJ appealed two Dane County judges' decisions ordering Walker to call the special elections."Representative government and the election of our representatives are never 'unnecessary,' never a 'waste of taxpayer resources,' and the calling of the special elections are as the Governor acknowledges his 'obligation' to follow," Reilly wrote.Last week Dane County Judge Josann Reynolds ruled that state law compelled Walker to call the elections and set the Thursday deadline. On Tuesday another Dane County judge, Richard Niess, denied Walker's request for a stay in Reynolds' order.The lawsuit was filed by a national Democratic group led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Democrats have argued that Walker delayed calling the elections over fear Republicans would lose them; Walker has said he is saving taxpayers money.The Wisconsin Elections Commission said Wednesday the cost to administer the last spring and fall elections was $235,000 and $389,000 in Senate District 1 and cost $72,000 and $122,000 in Assembly District 42.The commission doesn't have an estimate for how much a separate special election in January cost. Spokesman Reid Magney said the commission stopped tracking costs last year after commissioners discontinued the practice because state law doesn't require it to do so.Meanwhile Wednesday, lawmakers moved forward on legislation to change when a governor must call a special election. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, who has pushed the legislation, could not be reached late Wednesday after Walker's decision not to seek Supreme Court relief.DOJ had filed Walker's appeal in the 2nd District Court of Appeals, which covers the conservative Milwaukee suburbs and the Fox Valley, rather than the 4th District, which covers liberal Dane County.A 2011 change to state law required the appeal be heard outside the 4th District. Under that law, any action in which the sole defendant is the state of Wisconsin or certain state officers must be filed in an appeals court district other than the one that made the initial decision in the case.Supporters of the change in the law said at the time that it would prevent cronyism by allowing appeals to be heard by judges from appeals courts outside the district where the case was originally heard, who would be more removed from the case. Parts of both affected legislative districts are located in the 2nd District.Also Wednesday, a Senate committee held a public hearing on an amended bill that seeks to preempt the court case by prohibiting the governor from calling a special election after the spring election in an election year. This year's spring election is on Tuesday; the Legislature plans to convene on Wednesday to pass the bill.It's unclear what steps the Senate will take now that Walker has said he will call the special elections. It's also unclear if legislation can cancel a previously called election.The issue involves vacancies in Assembly District 42, which includes the town of Dane, and Senate District 1, which covers the Door County peninsula. The vacancies were created in late December when Rep. Keith Ripp, R-Lodi, and Sen. Frank Lasee, R-De Pere, took jobs in Walker's administration.Fitzgerald testified Wednesday that anywhere from 85 to 150 overseas voters, including some in the military, could be disenfranchised if the special elections proceed under the timeline set by current state law. He noted there were no overseas ballots cast in the Senate District 10 special election in January, which was called 10 weeks in advance of that election."This is a real group that could be disenfranchised if this bill doesn't pass," Fitzgerald said.Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, challenged Fitzgerald's concern about military voters, noting the Senate had a chance to pass a bill that would make absentee voting easier for military voters but didn't during the regular session."The concern for military voters did not seem to be high on your radar and you're a former military man yourself," Miller said. "The election could have been scheduled for the spring election and there would have been none of this confusion you're talking about."The absentee voting bill, which had been requested by the state Elections Commission and was passed by the Assembly, is being amended to include the changes Republicans want to make to the state's special election law. Those changes include adding two months to the time between when a governor calls a special election to when the election is held, and expands the time between a primary and a general special election from four to eight weeks.The bill strips away statutory language that requires the governor to call an election "as promptly as possible," which prompted Reynolds' order. Fitzgerald said he is open to a Democratic proposal that would require the governor to call an election within 60 days of a vacancy.Fitzgerald argued that there would be potential confusion because the special election would overlap with the start of the fall election cycle with nomination papers circulating at the same time. But Michael Haas, a lawyer for the elections commission, said if Walker calls the special elections Thursday as ordered, the election could take place as early as June 5 with nominating petitions due April 10, five days before the petitions begin circulating for the fall election. A June 12 election means the nominating petitions will be due April 17, overlapping with the fall election period.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday, March 27 to join a Trump administration lawsuit against California's controversial sanctuary law.The board's vote may mark the biggest maneuver yet in a nascent local movement against California's law to protect people residing illegally in the country. The board announced its unanimous decision after discussing the matter during a closed session Tuesday.Orange County, they said, plans to join a lawsuit filed earlier this month by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that alleges three of California's laws are unconstitutional.The supervisors' vote follows a move by the Los Alamitos City Council last week to adopt an ordinance that would exempt the small northern Orange County city from SB-54, a California law that limits cooperation between local and state agencies.Yorba Linda's council, meanwhile, agreed last week to file an amicus brief to the federal lawsuit, and several other cities are considering taking some kind of action to voice opposition to California measures that protect residents living in the country illegally.Supervisor Shawn Nelson, who proposed joining the federal lawsuit, on Tuesday told a contentious crowd that cheered and booed throughout the hearing that the goal is "not to go rogue" but to offer perspective on how state laws are affecting citizens of Orange County."Our duty always has to be first and foremost to the citizens," Nelson said.Nelson proposed the action after Supervisor Michelle Steel introduced a resolution to condemn SB-54, dubbed the California Values Act, which took effect in January."We cannot let the state begin cherry-picking which federal laws it decides to follow. As supervisors of this county, we all took oaths to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States and bear true faith and allegiance to it against all enemies," Steel said in a statement after the vote.Supervisors initially voted 3-0 during closed session on Nelson's request but Supervisor Todd Spitzer later added his support to make it 4-0. Supervisor Andrew Do was absent. The board then voted unanimously on the resolution.More than 60 speakers spoke for and against the anti-sanctuary move, an issue that was dwarfed Tuesday by the county's proposed handling of the homeless. As many as 2,000 residents, most from Irvine, Laguna Niguel and Huntington Beach, protested a plan to move to their cities homeless people who previously lived in a tent city by the Santa Ana River. Others arrived to argue compassion and demand a permanent solution. The board voted to rescind their homeless plan.The immigration showdown attracted a much smaller number, but still, tempers sometimes flared and passions were high."We condemn this hateful and violent action against all our immigrant communities. These actions seek to create fear and anxiety and only serve one purpose, to fulfill your political agenda and ambitions," said Carlos Perea, a spokesman for Resilience OC, which advocates for immigrant rights."You are scapegoating our communities and this is shameful," Perea told the board members.Many of those gathered for the board meeting praised the elected leaders and urged them to proceed against California's laws.Those laws include SB-54, which limits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. The California Legislature passed that law in reaction to the Trump administration's stance on immigration. The other laws in question are: the Workplace Raid law, or AB-450, which forbids employers from cooperating with federal immigration officials and can fine them if they fail to comply; and the Detention Review law, or AB-103, which allows state officials to inspect federal facilities in California that house people on immigration detentions.Betty Robinson, a Tustin resident and long-time opponent of illegal immigration, thanked the board and recalled the death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco. The 32-year-old woman died when an accidental shot ricocheted off concrete while she was walking in the Embarcadero district. The case often has been cited because the man responsible for her death had been deported five times and had seven felony convictions.Comparing the incident to an oft-used refrain by immigrant rights advocates who complain that deportations separate immigrant families, Robinson told the board: "Kate's family is forever separated from her."Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, chastised Orange County leaders in a statement Tuesday: "This kind of obsessive immigrant bashing is embarrassing to the county and its residents, and seems designed to court the approval of a racist President and his cronies."De Leon recalled that Orange County was at the forefront of a move more than two decades ago to restrict benefits to those living here illegally through a state ballot measure, Prop. 187. California voters passed Prop. 187 but it ultimately did not survive court challenges."The county that gave us Prop 187 more than two decades ago is at it again with another unconstitutional attack on our immigrant communities. I am confident the courts will reject this challenge to SB-54, just as they roundly rejected Prop 187," De Leon said.
Seattle's law requiring landlords to choose among qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis violates the state constitution, a judge ruled Wednesday.Adopted by the City Council in 2016 and in effect since last year, the groundbreaking law "has a laudable goal of eliminating the role of implicit bias in tenancy decisions," King County Superior Court Judge Suzanne Parisien said in a written ruling.But choosing a tenant "is a fundamental attribute of property ownership," Parisien said in striking down the law.The decision is a victory for landlords represented by an attorney from the Bellevue office of the Pacific Legal Foundation.The law allows initial screening of applicants based on standards such as credit scores.But the plaintiffs claimed forcing landlords to accept the first qualified applicant violated their property, due-process and free-speech rights, and the judge sided with them on each point."While landlords are permitted to set their own rental criteria," Parisien said, "this preliminary, general rental criteria does not substitute for the discretion to choose a specific tenant."Chris Benis, a plaintiff in the case whose family owns a small apartment building in Magnolia, said getting to know prospective tenants is important."The idea of the city preventing us from making a judgment call to protect our property and other tenants is just wrong," Benis said.And MariLyn Yim, another of the property owners who sued, said she resented being lumped in with landlords the council considers "evil and greedy." She called the judge's ruling "a smackdown."Ethan Blevins, the plaintiffs' attorney, said the ruling means Seattle must immediately stop enforcing the first-come, first-served law."We're especially gratified she was willing to uphold the key precedent we relied on," he said, referring to a case related to trailer-park tenants.Blevins said he expects Seattle to appeal."We disagree with the court's ruling, and we're studying it to determine our next steps," Deputy City Attorney John Schochet said.Councilmember Lisa Herbold championed the first-come, first-served law in 2016, saying her goal was to ensure all renters were treated equally. At the time, officials said they were unaware of any other U.S. city with such a law.When landlords are allowed to choose among multiple qualified applicants, their biases -- conscious or unconscious -- may come into play, Herbold and other proponents said.Existing laws already prohibited landlords from choosing renters based on characteristics such as race, gender and sexual orientation. But discrimination by landlords can be hard to prove when they are allowed to exercise discretion.In 2015 and 2016, sting operations by the city led to allegations against landlords of bias based on race, sexual orientation and other characteristics."We know landlords skip people all the time, and often the people they skip are people of color, people with vouchers and families with children," Shanna Smith of the National Fair Housing Alliance said after the law passed.On Wednesday, Herbold said she wants the city to appeal."If landlords won't screen tenants in a way that intentionally addresses bias," Seattle will have no choice but to increase enforcement, she said."The reality is that, intentionally or not, far too many landlords are discriminating in the practices they use to select renters."Seattle's law exempts landlords renting out rooms in their own homes, plus granny flats and backyard cottages. It doesn't exempt landlords renting out apartments in duplexes and triplexes where they also live.When the law was adopted, some landlords saw no problem, saying they already were operating on a first-come, first-served basis -- for efficiency's sake and to avoid discrimination claims based on the existing fair-housing laws.Others had said they planned to work around the law, predicting enforcement would be difficult. And critics warned of unintended consequences, saying people with the time and ability to respond quickly to apartment listings would gain an advantage.Since last year, Benis has been trying to comply. The law is overly complicated and stops landlords from making exceptions to help people, he said."When you take discretion away, what we do is raise our criteria," Benis said, mentioning a man with a criminal record he rented to years ago after a conversation."The city's only concern is a landlord using discretion to do harm, but the law prevents us from using discretion to do good," the landlord said."The idea of unconscious bias has some validity, but I think the answer is education and enforcement of our existing laws."For now at least, the city's effort to go further than that to address discrimination has been blocked.
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GIS 29 March, 2018: The Central Water Authority (CWA) has embarked on an ambitious project of replacing 32 km of water pipes in Rose Hill to the tune of Rs 325 million. Once the project is completed, inhabitants of this town will be guaranteed a 24/7 supply of water with adequate pressure. The Central Water Authority (CWA) has embarked on an ambitious project of replacing 32 km of water pipes in Rose Hill to the tune of Rs 325 million. Once the project is completed, inhabitants of this town will be guaranteed a 24/7 supply of water with adequate pressure.

This statement was made yesterday by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Ivan Collendavelloo, during the launching ceremony of the Rose Hill Water Supply Projects (Rose Hill 1 and Rose Hill 2) held at Soopramanien Street in Rose Hill. The Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands, Mrs Fazila

Jeewa-Daureeawoo, and the Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, Mr Eddy Boissezon, as well as other eminent personalities were present.

The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that the actual water network has reached the end of its lifespan. The existing water network, he said, dates far back before independence and is vulnerable to the present traffic loads and the pipes are subject to frequent breakage representing 50% loss of water.

Mr Collendavelloo highlighted that Government is working on a major water reform which will further enhance the water distribution system. Several projects to the tune of around Rs 8 billion are currently being implemented in the water sector, he added. They include: replacement of old and defective pipelines across the island; increase in storage capacity of service reservoirs; and increase in treatment capacity. As at date, around 220 000 out of 330 000 households are getting water round the clock and in Port Louis, 98% of the population is benefitting from 24/7 water supply, he said.

Speaking about the revision of water tariffs, the Deputy Prime Minister said that a fair and reasonable increase will be applicable and the measure will soon come into force. Government, he stated, will also engage a private operator for the privatisation of the CWA while adding that the partnership shall be in place before the end of the year.

For her part, the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, emphasised that the water problem in Rose Hill has not been addressed since several years. She added that the new project will ensure a better distribution of water to all inhabitants.

As regards the developments being undertaken in the town of Rose Hill, Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo recalled that Rs 100 million will be injected for the development of a new parc in Ebene over an area of eight arpents. Government, she underlined, will also proceed with the construction of a Community Centre, a Social Welfare Centre and a mediclinic in Rose Hill. The objective, she pointed out, is to enhance the quality of life of the inhabitants in Rose Hill.

The Chairperson of the Central Water Board, Mr Gaston Francois Desmarais, stated that the pipe replacement works in Rose Hill will be carried out in a phased manner so as to decrease the inconvenience caused to the inhabitants. He pointed out that the CWA is working towards ensuring supply of water of good quality round the clock at improved regular pressure. The institution, he highlighted, is implementing several projects aimed at increasing treated water, rehabilitating and expanding treatment plants, replacing pipe network to decrease Non Revenue Water and enhancing storage capacity.

The Rose Hill Water Supply Project

The town of Rose Hill which is the 3rd most densely populated region in Mauritius has experienced rapid demographic growth over the last four decades. Rose Hill has a water supply of four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon with poor pressure.

The objective of the project is to improve pressure and provide uninterruptible water supply round the clock. With the commissioning of the Bagatelle Water Treatment Plant, additional water will be made available to improve water supply not only in Rose Hill areas but also in other adjoining regions. The Treatment Plant will produce 60 000 m3 per day and 30 000 m3 will be injected in Rose Hill and adjoining areas and the rest will be sent to Moka, Soreze, Pailles and Port Louis.

Works are expected to be completed in 2019.
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GIS  29 March 2018: The Conservatoire National de Musique Francois Mitterrand will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, with the aim of enabling the two institutions to work together to enhance the educational, cultural, and academic links between them.

Both institutions will, among others, exchange teachers or researchers to give lectures or do research, convene a series of exchange concerts on promoting Sino-Mauritius cultural exchange and work on an Undergraduate Collaboration Project

The Conservatoire National de Musique Francois-Mitterrand is a parastatal body under the aegis of the Ministry of Arts and Culture. It runs music courses, including courses of music technology at all levels. The objectives of the Conservatoire are to promote music and the Mauritian musical heritage.
Description

GIS - 29 March, 2018: The decision of Government to come up with a legislation of Gender Equality demonstrates clearly that we are set to leave no stone unturned to create further change for a gender-inclusive society as well as attaining the set targets of Agenda 2030, in particular, Goal 5 that speaks about 50-50 parity, said the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus, yesterday at the Gold Crest Hotel, in Quatre-Bornes. The Minister was speaking at the opening of a consultative meeting on the elaboration of the Gender Equality Bill which will make provision for the attainment of equality between women and men as well as boys and girls. This legislation is meant to tackle structural and systematic issues that have acted and continue to act as barriers to womens inclusion and participation in the social, economic and political domains of Mauritius, she said. The Minister was speaking at the opening of a consultative meeting on the elaboration of the Gender Equality Bill which will make provision for the attainment of equality between women and men as well as boys and girls.This legislation is meant to tackle structural and systematic issues that have acted and continue to act as barriers to womens inclusion and participation in the social, economic and political domains of Mauritius, she said.

In her address Minister Jadoo-Jaunbocus recalled that legal remedies remain a sine qua non condition to ensure that womens human rights are adhered to in toto and must be applied if the protection of womens rights is to be improved. A number of countries have had recourse to Gender Equality Acts to ensure that both men and women enjoy fully their fundamental rights and Mauritius cannot afford to lag behind, she pointed out.

When we speak of gender equality, we are not talking of only the absence of non-discrimination, but it is above all, the equal enjoyment of rights, responsibilities and opportunities by men and women. It is about de facto equality which means substantive equality, she observed.

The Minister admitted that gender gaps still prevail in the social, economic and political spheres. She cited examples prevailing where the high unemployment rates for women compared to that of men; under-representation of women in boardrooms; women still having to balance their family responsibilities with their professional life; and, gender-based violence as a violation of womens rights. On that score, Government has therefore deemed it necessary to come up with a legal framework on gender equality to address these issues, she added.

She listed out a number of landmarks, including legislations and policy measures that have contributed significantly in bringing about socio-economic reforms that uplifted the status of women in Mauritius. The far-sightedness and political will of successive Governments in place have yielded positive gains pertaining to womens empowerment, she concluded.

Consultative Meeting

The meeting was conducted by Mrs Winfred Luchima, European Union consultant, who has wide experience and expertise on gender-related legislative frameworks. She has been actively engaged in organising meetings and Focus Group discussions with a number of stakeholders so as to have inputs, views and recommendations for the drafting of the Gender Equality Bill.

During the meeting the consultant made presentations focused on the review of international and regional framework on gender equality; the legislative framework in Mauritius; and identified key gender equality issues.
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GIS  29 March, 2018: The signature of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) with India, and, a Free Trade Agreement with China, will clearly demonstrate that Mauritius is accelerating its regional integration process on the African continent, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, today at the Le Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel in Port-Louis.

The Minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 169th Annual General Meeting of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI). The Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Kumar Gungah, MCCIs President, Mr Azim Currimjee, and other personalities were present.

In his address, Minister Lutchmeenaraidoo pointed out that once these Agreements are signed, Mauritiuss economic space will significantly open up, and, the country will be ideally positioned as a trade hub in the Asia-Africa region. Trade Agreements will also offer substantial business opportunities to the Mauritian economy by opening new market access as well as eliminating trade barriers, he indicated.

As regards public private partnership (PPP), the Minister said that PPP bears testimony to the strong synergies which exist between both sectors and has undeniably contributed to the success of Mauritiuss economic model since Independence. He lauded the role of MCCI as a valuable partner and for its contributions in various sectors such as commerce, industry, financial services, tourism and education.

The Minister called upon the private sector to work in close collaboration with the public sector to further diversify the economy and expand businesses. He also spoke about the development of air access and opening up of new and regular routes in order to facilitate trade and movement to Mauritius and in transforming the country into a strategic Air Corridor Hub.

On the topic of the Blue Economy, the Minister stated that there is a need to harness oceans and maritime resources to further boost economic growth, job creation and innovation, while safeguarding the environment.

For his part, Minister Bholah stated that 2018 marks yet another step further in nurturing the special collaborative relationship that both the public and private sectors share. He announced that further discussions with the MCCI Business School and the Institut de la Francophonie, an international reference point in the field of entrepreneurship education and training, are envisaged to allow Mauritian entrepreneurs benefit from the active educational model of the Institut de la Francophonie pour LEntrepreneuriat.

Speaking about Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), Mr Bholah highlighted that the setting up of the Economic Development Board and SME Mauritius Ltd and the introduction of the Business Facilitation Act 2017 are good examples of Governments efforts in making informed decisions and planning strategically and in boosting SMEs growth.

In his speech, Minister Gungah highlighted the different economic phases which Mauritius has gone through over the years, adding that now both public and private sectors should embark on new and smart-driven activities with focus on modernisation and diversification to further ensure the advancement of the country.

With regards to the Business Facilitation Act 2017, the Minister pointed out that it enables enterprises to capitalise on the single Window Portal, and also indicated that additional changes will be brought this year to ease business operations. A Committee on Business Process Re-engineering has been set up in this context under the Economic Development Board, he stated.

In his address, MCCIs President, Mr Currimjee, observed that the Mauritian economy has shown signs of renewed resilience with a growth rate attaining 3.9% in 2017, its highest level since 2010. Consumption expenditure rate stood at 3.1% whilst investment grew by 5%, he remarked. Both the public and private sectors have been able to reduce numerous administrative barriers and Mauritius is presently ranked 25th in the World Bank Doing Business Report and 1st in African region, he observed.

Additionally, Mr Currimjee emphasised the need to focus on some strategic thrusts in order to transform the country as a high-income and innovation-driven economy based on a sustainable economic growth model. These include: demographics; industrialisation; connectivity; environment and climate change; public infrastructure; doing business environment and strategic economic planning and innovation.
(CNN Money)  What's better than one camera to take one picture? Three cameras!

Chinese tech firm Huawei has outdone its rivals with a new smartphone that use three cameras to snap a single photo.

Huawei, which trails only Apple and Samsung in global smartphone production, said this week that its new P20 and P20 Pro phones will sell for 649 ($804) and 899 ($1,115).

There are a trio of cameras located on the back of the flagship P20 Pro, with one designed to work exclusively as a zoom function. A fourth camera, located on the front of the phone, can be used for selfies.

Both phones come equipped with a special feature called "night mode" that allows users to take photos in dark light. Normally, a tripod would be needed to ensure the photos don't blur.

Huawei is trying to make up for a lack of name recognition in certain markets with technological advancements and eye-catching camera features.

The front of both new phones look similar to Apple's iPhone X, with the screen engulfing nearly the entire phone.

The P20 and P20 Pro take another page out of Apple's playbook by not including a dedicated headphone port. Earbuds instead connect through the charging port, which Huawei says will allow for a slimmer phone and longer battery life.

However, the phones may be difficult for Americans to buy.

News broke last week that Best Buy has stopped ordering new phones from Huawei. The retailer is expected to stop selling products made by the Chinese company within weeks.

in February, US intelligence agencies warned Americans that they should not buy smartphones made by Huawei or its Chinese rival ZTE.

Top officials from the CIA, NSA, FBI and the Defense Intelligence Agency testified that the Chinese smartphone makers pose a security threat to American customers, though they did not offer any specific evidence.

Huawei insisted that it "has never been asked to provide access to our technology, or provide any data or information on any citizen or organization to any government, or their agencies."

The company does sell some through smaller US carriers and retail carriers like Walmart.
(TNS)  One of Columbia County, Ga.'s cities is stepping up its tech.The Harlem City Council voted Monday night to enter into an agreement with another legal-document publisher to electronically recodify the city's laws, and to redesign, host and support the city's website.Harlem currently uses American Legal Publishing to organize and update its ordinances."American Legal does not have a lot of clients within Georgia, and over time that's obviously affected the product," City Manager Brett Cook said.Actually, the city is the company's only client in Georgia, according to Harlem City Attorney Adam Nelson. He said American Legal's only other Georgia client, Dade County in the state's northwest corner, has stopped using it in favor of Municipal Code Corp., based in Tallahassee, Fla.Cook said that after talking with Nelson and fellow City Attorney Barry Fleming, "I think everybody is on the same page" that Harlem should start working with Municode."You probably should recodify your codes every 10 to 15 years, because what happens over time is you're constantly amending codes and you just miss things," Cook said. "Our codes now are very cobbled together, and we've got a lot of things that probably conflict with other areas and not cross-referenced appropriately."Municode has done this so much, he said, "they've got it down to a science."One of the services Municode would provide is to make Harlem's code accessible online. Municode also sets up websites for local governments, and city officials have been looking for ways to make Harlem's online presence more intuitive for visitors and more useful for residents."So for us, for $20,000 we can recodify and get a brand-new website, which I think is very much worth the money," Cook said.Mayor Pro Tem John Thigpen said he recently visited the Municode-hosted website for Senoia, a city in Coweta County that's about the same size as Harlem, and found the site to be "very user-friendly  better than what we have now by far."Cook said Municode might spend up to a year working with the city to recodify its laws  changing the numbering and styling of ordinances, and suggesting changes to rectify conflicts with other laws or to make the code more uniform.But a new website, if work began immediately, could be up and running in just a couple months, he said.Council members agreed that would be a bonus as more people worldwide start paying attention to Harlem  often visiting the city's website  ahead of its annual Oliver Hardy Festival. The film comedian was born in Harlem in 1892.The council voted unanimously to work with Municode.
They can verify that their vote was recorded by looking at the blockchain.

They can vote from anywhere in the world, provided they have an Internet connection.

Theres no reason for an election official to miscount or misunderstand their vote.

West Virginia has become the first state to allow Internet voting by blockchain, offering the technology to deployed and overseas military service members and their families in two counties.The pilot test is in place for the states May 8 primary elections and is very limited in scope  West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner said maybe a couple dozen voters will participate. But if it goes well, the state wants to try allowing all eligible military voters statewide to use it during the November general elections.Im really not concerned about numbers, Warner said. Were really just looking at the technology.West Virginia is using Voatz , a Boston startup that recently raised $2.2 million in venture capital funding, for the pilot.Its by far the most high-profile use of the technology in the U.S. so far. There have been several elections in the country run on blockchain, but theyve been for much smaller events like town meetings, student government elections and state political party conventions.Should online voting ever reach the mainstream, many believe it would boost turnout and make elections more representative.Voatz technology works by recording votes on a blockchain, a cryptographic concept popularized with cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. A voters identity is verified using biometric tools like a thumbprint scan, then they vote using a mobile device. Their vote is recorded on a chain containing all the votes cast, where each vote is mathematically proven by a third-party participant.That means several things, from a voter perspective:Carye Blaney, the Monongalia County clerk whose office will be one of two involved in the pilot process, sees several reasons to use the technology. Military members get deployed all across the world and often cant vote in person, and the process can be difficult.If the military or their family or other Americans working overseas are in an area [where] they may or may not have access to any kind of computer technology [or] scanner, they may not have access to regular postal service, Blaney said. And from a jurisdictional perspective, we cant help them get that ballot back to us.It also takes a long time for ballots to get back from overseas.Ive had voters who have overnighted to our jurisdiction and paid over $50 to do so, and it still didnt get back to us by voting day, she said.Call it a cruel irony.We want to make sure that everyone fighting for our freedoms, for our democratic way of life, has an opportunity to participate in that democratic process, Warner said.Warner knows the process well  he is a military veteran and his children have all served as well. In fact, his son was the first to use the Voatz app to vote. His verdict : Pretty slick!That is, he was able to use it to vote quickly. He did it between airborne jumps. That speed is important, the secretary of state said.If youre fortunate enough to think about a vote back home, you want to do it right then, Warner said.One more advantage of the system is that it gives deployed military voters privacy they wouldnt otherwise have.It protects the anonymity of the voter, Blaney said. Normally when a military person submits an absentee ballot, they have to sign a waiver that they recognize that theyre giving up their right to a secret ballot because they have to send it back to us by email or fax.Theres considerable skepticism , including from renowned elections and cryptography experts, about whether blockchain is the right technology to accomplish online voting  or whether online voting is the right way to go at all. With concerns swirling about foreign interference in Americas elections, many are calling on a return to paper ballots that cant be manipulated en masse.Some see blockchain as unnecessarily complicated and possibly open to abuse. The building of the blockchain relies on third parties, who essentially compete against each other by using computer processing power. If one person gains a majority of processing power, they are in control of what gets recorded, which means that theoretically they could put down the result they want instead of the actual result.Nimit Sawhney, chief executive officer of Voatz, said that such manipulation would be easy to spot since the blockchain is publicly accessible. Any person who did such a thing would be kicked out of the pool of people allowed to validate votes.Warner isnt concerned either.To date Im not aware of anybody whos been able to hack blockchain, he said.From a state perspective, the ability to do instant audits of the voting record is also important. In fact, manual counting of paper ballots became an issue just next door to West Virginia last year. In Virginias November elections, one state legislative seat race came down to a single vote where the intent of the voter wasnt entirely clear because the voter drew lines through some of their choices. That ballot was the difference between a Democrat winning the seat and a tied race. When the ballot was accepted, the state had to break the tie by drawing names out of a bowl  and the Republican candidate was chosen.The expenses of the pilot are being covered by venture capitalist and philanthropist Bradley Tusk Whether the state continues the pilot past the primary elections will rest largely on the feedback from the voters and officials with the two participating counties. Right now, Warner said, there are no plans to expand it to the general voting population.But that doesnt mean there wont be even larger uses of the technology.I think others will follow our example, Warner said.
Its Killing Us

Finally Getting Support

Tucked away in the massive $1.3 trillion spending bill President Donald Trump signed last week is a nugget of funding that local election officials have desperately needed. Unfortunately, they say, it isnt nearly enough.Congress set aside $380 million that will be divvied up among states to shore up election security, including new software, cybersecurity staff and other protections for state registration databases and aging voting equipment. But while the funding is certainly welcomed by local election officials, many of them warn it falls far short of what they need to deal with the potential security challenges of the midterm elections in November.Its only a drop in the bucket of what is really needed, said Jeff Greenburg, the director of elections in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania is one of 41 states where some counties and cities use election equipment that is more than a decade old, according to the New York University School of Laws Brennan Center for Justice. Older machines are more likely to malfunction or break down on Election Day, causing long lines and potentially dissuading some people from casting their ballots. Some older machines also are susceptible to wireless malware attacks, even if they are not directly connected to the internet, or have removable memory devices a hacker might manipulate.Pennsylvania is also one of 13 states where some counties use voting machines that lack a paper record. Paper records are essential to having a secure election, said Larry Norden, the deputy director of the Brennan Centers democracy program. They can ensure an accurate audit if electronic records of vote tallies are compromised.During the 2016 presidential election, Russian hackers targeted election systems in Pennsylvania and 20 other states, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Those officials fear that, during the 2018 midterms, hackers may target state voter registration databases , county websites and official social media accounts to spread misinformation and sow doubt in the U.S. election system.In February, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, directed all counties that are planning to update aging election equipment to buy machines that create a paper trail . However, the directive from Wolf, aimed at machines used by 83 percent of the states voters, did not come with funding attached, placing the financial burden on federal or local budgets.It could cost as much as $79 million to replace paperless machines in Pennsylvania , the Brennan Center estimates. With the Trump-signed spending bill, the state is only expected to receive $13.5 million, covering just 17 percent of the estimated costs. Barring a new proposal at the state level, counties would have to foot the rest of the bill.If they want to make any real dent in the cost to replace an election system, Greenburg said, this is woefully insufficient.His county of 72,000 mostly middle-class registered voters in eastern Pennsylvania uses paperless voting machines, which officials there purchased in 2006. Replacing its current voting machines would cost between $750,000 and $2.5 million, depending on the type of equipment  a hefty bill for a county like his, Greenburg said.Kim McKiernan, the registrar of voters in Rappahannock County, Virginia, knows all too well the burden of replacing election equipment in a very small county without state and federal support.With just two months left in the 2017 gubernatorial race, Virginias Board of Elections in September ordered all counties that use touchscreen voting machines to replace them with paper ballots and optical scanners before Election Day. The state provided no financial assistance.Rappahannock County was one of the 22 local jurisdictions in the state that used a paperless voting system. The small community with 5,600 registered voters, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, quickly set aside $53,000 to purchase eight new machines, calibrate the equipment and train poll workers.McKiernan and her assistant  the only two election officials in the county  pulled off the quick transition, but it was a struggle.Its killing us, she said. Mentally and physically, its killing us.In California, Debbie Bautista, Tuolumne Countys clerk and auditor-controller, is worried her 13-year-old voting machines wont last much longer. The ones that still do work often require repairs.It would cost about $200,000 for the small county to update its voting equipment, Bautista said. But the county, which has 32,000 mostly lower-income registered voters, seems unwilling to make that investment, she said, preferring instead to spend money on a new jail and juvenile center.We dont have the money, she said. Even though people believe elections are important, they have a hard time justifying the money to run them.Bautista is hopeful some funds may trickle down from the state level in the coming months. In his budget, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown allocated $134 million to help pay for new voting equipment  about half of what counties need statewide. The state Legislature has until June to reach a budget agreement.Theres just no finish line in this race, said Neal Kelley, the registrar of voters for Orange County, California.With the investment from the state, Kelley said his county of 1.6 million registered voters may get new equipment in 2019. Though it is wealthy, the county has been using the same 11,000 voting machines since 2004.Joe Gloria, the registrar of voters for Clark County, Nevada, started seeing some of his voting machines break down around five years ago. If the problems continued, he feared, the public might lose confidence in statewide elections.So, in 2015, he began lobbying the state to help fund updated election equipment. His county, the largest in the state, encompasses Las Vegas and has more than one million registered voters.Soon, election officials from all 17 counties in Nevada joined the fight, and in 2017 the state enacted a law setting aside $8 million to update election equipment ahead of the June 2018 primaries.Not every county has the resources that we do, Gloria said. And I only got a small portion of it.Clark County received $4.5 million in a state grant. New election equipment, including 5,000 new voting machines, would cost an additional $12.5 million, for a total of $17 million.Douglas County, which hugs the southeastern shore of Lake Tahoe, received $250,000 in grant funding from Nevada, which paid for nearly half of the countys 147 new voting machines. The new machines, which will replace units that have been in service since 2004, produce a secure paper trail.The state grant means a lot, said Kathy Lewis, the clerk-treasurer, even if the county of 37,000 registered voters is one of the more affluent counties in Nevada. It means even more, she said, to the many rural counties who may not have been able to afford upgrades. Esmeralda County, the smallest county in Nevada, has just 600 registered voters.Elections arent in a vacuum, she said. We have some very small counties. If they fail, the whole state fails. Its something we all have to work together to make sure the integrity is there.States such as Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Utah also enacted legislation in 2017 that allocated money for new election equipment.Norden, at the Brennan Center, recently lauded the Trump-signed spending bill as an important down payment, but said it provided only a fraction of the necessary funds for states. The reality is that in a U.S. election system with more than 10,000 separate jurisdictions , local election officials are working on limited funding to make sure their polls are secure.Just because a county might be small, it doesnt mean they dont matter, he said in an interview. When the election system in this country is so decentralized, youre only as strong as your weakest link.
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(TNS)  Davidson County now has a newly redesigned government website, according to a news release.The new site, which launches Thursday, can be found at www.co.davidson.nc.us According to the release, the modernization of the county's website was a vision of the Davidson County Board of Commissioners."We are excited to offer our citizens a more professional website utilizing better technology to enhance civic engagement and provide a mobile website for easier accessibility and use," said Joel Hartley, the county's chief information officer.The new site features intuitive navigation and quickly directs visitors to relevant information. County departments are listed in the "Government" navigation menu, commonly used services by residents and businesses are located under each respective navigation menu and the most commonly asked questions and sought-after information are located under the "How Do I" menu.Some of the enhanced functionality includes:Davidson County partnered with government website specialist CivicPlus to create the new site. CivicPlus has developed more than 2,000 government websites across the country, and its content management system allows staff to quickly and easily update the website.
Concerns include:

Safety: Fire hazards and other issues from big electric loads running through lightweight household wiring.

Zoning: Commercial computing installations in residential neighborhoods.

Aesthetics: Cargo containers full of crypto servers becoming weather-beaten eyesores along commercial and industrial roadways.

Noise: Heat-dispersal fans whirring at high speeds to disrupt quiet neighborhoods.

Power rates: If fulfilled, electric demands from bitcoin operations could affect the low cost of power in Chelan and Douglas counties.

(TNS)  WENATCHEE, Wash.  Squeezed by unexpected demands of bitcoin mining, city and county governments in Chelan and Douglas counties are slowing the influx of digital currency startups in order to step back, take a breath and weigh the industrys effects.Local leaders have put in place moratoriums or temporary zoning controls to allow city codes, zoning laws and power infrastructure to catch up with a cryptocurrency technology thats hungry for the regions cheap hydropower.City councils in Leavenworth and East Wenatchee unanimously approved crypto zoning controls Tuesday night. In February, the city of Chelan approved a six-month moratorium on bitcoin mining projects and, more recently, Wenatchee OKd a 12-month moratorium.Both Chelan and Douglas county commissioners are expected to address crypto issues and possible controls at their regular meetings next week.Municipal restrictions and those being considered by Chelan and Douglas counties follow moratoriums at the two counties PUDs, where managers have warned that high-load power requests from dozens of bitcoin miners threaten to soak up surplus hydropower sold to help keep local rates low.In recent weeks, Chelan PUD officials visited with city councils and county commissioners to give details of their growing concerns for safety and crypto power consumption, said Andy Wendell, the Chelan PUDs director of customer service.What we learned from the PUD, said Leavenworth Mayor Cheri Farivar, is that these moratoriums and controls are needed to put the brakes on cryptocurrency until the PUDs, cities and counties figure out how to handle this new technology. If were not careful, these operations could hurt our power grid.Farivar also pointed out that PUD and city officials have been in discussions for two years about building a new substation to provide power for a growing Leavenworth. Were already at near-capacity with our current substation, she said. Were already wanting for power here, so issues around cryptocurrency definitely need to be addressed.East Wenatchees new interim zoning controls will restrict crypto operations to the citys central business district  along Grant Road and Valley Mall Parkway  and a light industrial zone called general commercial along some peripheral business streets.Lori Barnett, the city of East Wenatchees community development director, also added to the interim controls a prohibition of cargo and shipping containers for any commercial operation except as tool storage units on construction sites. Theyre out, she said, at least until we come up with some design guidelines that can work for everyone.In Chelan County, planning staff on Tuesday encouraged commissioners to place a six-month moratorium on allowing cryptocurrency mining in residential zones.Youre going to have high-voltage lines running into homes, sometimes enough to run a whole neighborhood, assistant planning director Mike Wojtowicz told commissioners.  I think you probably want to take a half a step back and examine the issues.County Senior Planner Lilith Vespier said imposing a temporary moratorium or zoning controls would give Chelan County time to get on the same page with other municipalities and agencies.The mining and the power levels are also related to our long term growth  how much power does the PUD have to meet our population projections, and meet those needs for future housing? she said.At the Chelan County PUD, Wendell said, What this amounts to is a new type of commerce coming into our area. We have to figure out the path that will take us to a win-win outcome for everyone involved. I think we all agree, its a challenge.
OPTIMIZATION: USING BETTER INFORMATION AND LESS ENERGY

TOP DOWN INNOVATION: SPOTTING POLLUTION WITH AIR QUALITY SENSORS

BOTTOM UP REFORM: DRIVING ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE THROUGH TRANSPARENCY

Improving sustainability is one of the core promises of the smart city revolution. Cities and vendors alike have heralded optimization as an environmental panacea: by using data to make everything from transportation to service delivery faster and more efficient, cities can ensure more responsible use of energy.Optimizing existing systems, however, is only one way of realizing sustainability in data-driven cities. Better and more widely accessible environmental data is also a tool for inspiring change, both from the top down and the bottom up. For one, better data allows governments to better understand environmental challenges and address them at their focal points. And, accessible data can galvanize residents to take actionas both citizens and consumersto improve their cities environment.Adjusting energy use throughout the day has been common practice for at least as long as thermostats have been around. When you get home, you turn the thermostat up, using more energy, and when you leave you turn it down, conserving energy. Now many buildings allow users to program presets, setting automated patterns for when the heat (or A/C) turns on and off. This is energy optimization in its most basic form: use more energy when you need it, and less energy when you dont. The City of Boston has sought to take this model and apply it to energy use in city buildings. The city has deployed an energy management system (EMS) in City Hall and the public library at Copley that provides building engineers with real-time energy use data, allowing them to adjust operational settings throughout the day in order to reduce energy and maximize efficiency.This monitoring tool complements the common-sense energy efficiency work Boston has long pursued. Like many other organizations, Boston uses a building management system (BMS) that automatically makes predetermined changes in energy use throughout the day. For instance, the system is programmed to turn on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) as well as lights during working hours between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and then turn them down during other hours.Buildings engineers now also use the monitoring tool to configure buildings so that they adjust energy use based on fluctuations in energy delivery prices throughout the day. Bostons utility provider, Eversource, charges the city a higher rate for delivering electricity during periods of peak energy demand during a given billing cycle. As a result, the city has an incentive to balance its energy use throughout any given day to ensure its peaks are not as high and therefore that buildings arent running up a massive tab during high-demand periods. Buildings engineers use the real-time monitoring tool to track energy use throughout the day, ensure that there are no major spikes, and adjust operations if they need to balance usage rates. Working to reduce our monthly peak demand is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce utility costs, explained Adam Jacobs, the citys energy manager. Having real-time data allows us to proactively manage our buildings, rather than reacting at the end of the month when we get our bill.Boston also uses the tool to manage a demand response program, in which grid operator ISO New England compensates the city for reducing energy during high-demand times. Boston works with a private company called CPower that coordinates pre-planned load reductions across its customers to reduce the burden on the grid at peak times, and then they split the payments from grid operator ISO New England. Boston agrees to be on call at certain times, during which CPower can dispatch city building engineers to reduce their load. These engineers rely on the real-time monitoring tool to ensure they reduce energy to the requisite level.With access to a visualization of this data, Jacobs can also monitor building activity remotely and look for anomalies. During a snowstorm in 2017 when all city buildings were closed, Jacobs checked the tool and noticed that the library was still using energy as if were open. With one text to the building engineer, Jacobs was able to ensure the building reduced its energy consumption.Curbing pollution starts with determining where its coming from. As of 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had set up more than 10,000 air quality sensors across the United States in an effort to spot polluted areas and drive change. These sensors are immensely sophisticated, with the ability to detect a single particle of any given pollutant within a billion particles of air.Unfortunately, because theyre so sophisticated, the EPAs sensors are also prohibitively expensive. With prices at thousands of dollars per additional sensor, purchasing one is an investment, let alone an entire network. And while 10,000 sensors may seem like a lot, when spread across 50 statesespecially those like Texas and California with huge landmasses and hundreds of citiesthese sensors are not adequate to gather detailed air quality data. With this limited infrastructure, cities are not able to visualize differences in pollution across neighborhoods, which makes identifying the largest polluters nearly impossible.Rising to this challenge, cities, non-profits, and research institutions have begun working together to pursue a lower-cost, more ubiquitous solution that allows jurisdictions to gather fine-grained environmental data and combat the root causes of pollution. The City of Baltimore in particular has benefited from collaborations to support more detailed air quality sensing. In January of 2017, researchers from Johns Hopkins University won the EPAs Smart City Air Challenge, which awarded $40,000 to fund the installation of hundreds of low-cost air quality sensors and help cities share the data with the public. The team developed durable sensor housing and a scalable cloud platform for data management to deploy sensors in Baltimore.The following summer, thanks to the EPA funding and help from local nonprofit CivicWorks, the Johns Hopkins team launched Baltimore Open Air. With assistance from volunteers, the team built and has begun deploying 250 simple, solar-powered sensors called WeatherCubes that measure temperature, relative humidity, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide and send information to the cloud in near-real time. These cubes will eventually cover the city fully, and the data they collect will be publicly available online.The total cost of the project was $70,000 for an entire network of sensors, making it far less expensive than the EPAs more sophisticated system. Although the sensors are not nearly as precise as those the EPA deploys, measuring exact quantities of each particle is not the goal of the project. Rather, project leaders want to create a map that will identify more and less polluted areas in Baltimore, and allow researchers to understand the causes of more polluted neighborhoods. Armed with this information, the city will be able to tackle the root causes of pollution, hold polluters accountable, and change practices in smoggier neighborhoods.Often, the most effective civic change starts not with political leaders, but with inspired residents who galvanize reform among their fellow citizens or in the government.By equipping its residents with accessible sustainability data, the City of Austin has sought to tap the power of the public to realize environmental reform. In 2016, Austin released an open dataset and public dashboard on sustainability in order to increase awareness of the issue among residents. The dashboard tracks the citys progress on a number of performance indicators, including emissions, energy use, renewable energy supply, percentage of waste recycled, number of trees planted, and more.The city has presented this project as a call to action for residents. Beyond guiding City actions, we also hope that the community will use this information to consider how they can support sustainability goals for Austin, the city said in the press release announcing the dashboard. Lewis Leff, Senior Business Process Consultant with the Office of Sustainability, echoed these sentiments: Transparency is one of our core values as an organization, and we wanted to promote trust and encourage civic engagement, he explained.Residents have responded to the citys call, using the dashboard as a tool for pursuing sustainability. According to Leff, the dashboard has seen more than 7,500 views in its first 18 months.And, more importantly, engaging with the dashboard has spurred visible action. For example, the dashboard is used by a citizen commission that helps us make progress towards our emissions goals, said Leff. With access to data on the citys progress towards sustainability, advocacy groups are able to hold the city accountable. And, local civic tech groups have begun using the published data and requesting more. Weve been able to understand where the public wants more detailed information by holding meetings with local civic tech groups like the local Code for America Brigade Open Austin, Leff explained. Its all within the sustainability ecosystem. The data is out there and people are using it.Through optimization, better-targeted interventions, and transparency-driven action, cities can leverage data and technology to improve their efforts towards sustainability. This multi-faceted potential is a reminder of the need for cities to think about data as a versatile resource requiring a flexible strategy. By using data creatively across different entry points, cities can cull the most value from the information they collect.
(TNS) - Getting emergency medical care to victims of active violence situations means the difference in life and death and substantially decreases the number of fatalities.With this thought in mind, emergency responders, police, firefighters and others gathered at Shenandoah Valley High School on Wednesday night for a class titled Life in the Warm Zone: Medical Response to Active Violence.Mark Wiekrykas, a paramedic with Shenandoah EMS, criminal justice instructor at McCann School of Business & Technology and former Mahanoy City police chief, coordinated the class to stress the dramatic changes in the way of thinking for emergency services that came about following several incidents of active violence including mass shootings, bombings and acts of terrorism.Wiekrykas said that prior to the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, it was standard practice for police to set up a perimeter outside incidents and wait for a SWAT team to assemble, make entry and deem the scene safe before the injured were treated and removed.The incident at Columbine led to a new line of thinking and the development of the active shooter response concept where the first arriving police make immediate entry to try to locate the suspect, neutralize the threat and allow quicker access to the victims.The longer we wait, the more people are going to die, he said.Wiekrykas said that by looking at the history of such events from the medical standpoint, it was determined that the shooting or whatever type of violence is usually over quickly, in many cases before police arrive. But many patients worsen or even die during the time medical personnel are held back because the scene has not been determined to be completely safe.Wiekrykas said the shift in thinking is that a certain amount of risk must be assumed and that patients must be accessed and receive intervention quickly.This thinking led to the development of the concept of Rescue Task Force that was initially developed by the Arlington County, Va., fire department and has since become a national best-practices model.Wiekrykas explained that in the Rescue Task Force concept, the police still make the initial entry through the scene toward the threat but then additional teams of police officers and EMS providers follow.The police provide the protection and the EMTs and paramedics access each victim and initiate immediately necessary care following lessons learned from the military in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, he said.Wiekrykas, along with tactical response medics Stephen Bobella, paramedic, and Jody Heckman, RN, west leader and assistant west leader respectively of the Region 2 Tactical Response Team, explained that tourniquets and wound packing are used to stem serious bleeding and simple airway management can allow a significant number of patients to remain stable or even improve until they can be removed to more definitive care.With these simple life-saving tools, we can substantially cut back on the number of fatalities, Bobella said.Both Bobella and Heckman are part of the team that is frequently called to assist the Pennsylvania State Police Special Emergency Response Team and other tactical units in Schuylkill, Berks and Lehigh counties.All three men stressed the importance of getting to the injured victims as soon as possible, but only those in areas that have been deemed, at that time, free of threats of the ongoing violence.That area, Wiekrykas said, is termed the warm zone. He said that only law enforcement officers will enter what is called the hot zone where the actual threat is.The hot zone is only for law enforcement, our goal is to get to the warm zone because the majority of dying happens between when the violence happens and the scene is secure, Wiekrykas said.If we have to wait for SWAT to get there, were going to have a lot more people dying, he said.Wednesdays session was the first step in getting people  EMS, firefighters, police, educators and others  familiar with the Rescue Task Force thinking and hopefully the formation of a local Rescue Task Force.Wiekrykas said several Shenandoah Ambulance employees and volunteers have already participated in a more advanced tactical emergency casualty care course that expands on the Rescue Task Force concept and also plans to host the instructor of that program for a local course in the near future.He said that all emergency responders need to change their thinking from totally securing a situation to getting emergency care to victims as quickly and safely as possible.A coordinated response, good communication and a good command structure is all needed, Heckman said. Working together safely will not only neutralize a situation but substantially reduce the number of deaths.Contact the writer: fandruscavage@republicanherald.com; 570-628-60132018 the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.)Visit the Republican & Herald (Pottsville, Pa.) at republicanherald.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) - Western U.S. residents could endure two more lethal wildfire seasons before the implementation of a widely praised fix to how the federal government funds fighting and preventing wildfires.The fix, included in federal budget legislation approved last week, was hailed as a long-sought antidote to funding troubles that have plagued the regions firefighting efforts for years.Wildfires killed a record 46 people in California and destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 structures in the state last year. Officials have warned without proper prevention 2018 could be even worse.But the fix that was supposed to provide lots of help wont kick in until fall of 2019.Cal Fire, the state arm of preventing and fighting wildfires that works with the U.S. Forest Service, reported a record 129 million dead trees on 8.9 million acres in the state in December, an additional 27 million from a year before.Randy Moore, Forest Service regional forester in the Pacific Southwest Region, said in December without more prevention efforts and what is referred to as forest management  typically thinning forests of trees and underbrush that are particularly prone to fires  wildfire risks would continue to rise.We havent had a major wildfire in the tree mortality area yet, said Mike Mohler, deputy director of Cal Fire, referring to concentrated areas of dead trees spread throughout the state. But its not a matter of if that happens, its when.He declined to comment on the effect of waiting two more seasons for the funding fix, and said any new money was a massive step forward.Congress last week finally managed to pass an additional $2 billion per year to the Forest Service starting in 2020 that will allow the agency to focus more money on preventing wildfires, rather than continuing the practice known as fire borrowing, or cutting significantly into the fire prevention budget to cover the underfunded costs of fighting them.The budget does include some additional money this year  an additional $500 million for fighting fires as well as $40 million more in forest management, according to Steven Brink, vice president of public resources at the California Forestry Association, which represents commercial forest landowners and companies dealing with wood products.Thats helpful for the firefighting efforts, but battling wildfires cost the federal government more than $2.6 billion in 2017. And theres no guarantee for that additional funding in fiscal year 2019, as Congress will have to pass another budget for that time period.Its a good chunk of money  were glad they did something in the short-term as well as long-term, Brink said, adding well see if the $500 million would be enough.A provision pushed by Republicans also allowed forest management requests of up to 3,000 acres in wildfire-affected regions to bypass certain environmental regulations, which critics complained had tied up some forest management projects for years.The delay on full funding was triggered by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who wanted the funding to stay within the 2018-2019 discretionary spending caps Congress set in February, according to a senior House Republican aide, because spending cap levels were already high. He was fine with allocating funds that stayed within those caps, but all parties eventually agreed to start the full level of funding in fiscal year 2020, according to the aide.The fix was widely praised by members of both political parties from the West. Many have been trying to get this sort of funding on wildfires for years but repeatedly failed to get congressional action.Ryan has publicly spoken against creating new funding for fighting wildfires in the past, warning members not to approve a bill that would have had similar fixes to wildfire funding when he was Budget Committee Chairman in 2014.He cited the prospect of increasing federal spending too rapidly, and advocated for instead fully funding the way wildfire fighting was already handled in the federal budget, called the FLAME account.That account provided the U.S. Forest Service with a fund calculated by taking the 10-year average cost of fighting wildfires. That was the method that resulted in the underfunding and necessary fire borrowing from wildfire prevention funding.Research shows for every $1 spent on wildfire prevention, taxpayers save $6 to $8, Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., chairman of the a House emergency management subcommittee, said at a hearing on wildfire impacts earlier in March.2018 McClatchy Washington BureauVisit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at www.mcclatchydc.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  The recent fatal accident involving an Uber self-driving car that hit a pedestrian in Tempe is not expected to affect the operations of TuSimple, a Chinese company that is developing self-driving commercial trucks in Tucson.Gov. Doug Ducey this week suspended Ubers Arizona self-driving car test program pending an investigation of the March 18 fatality, in which an Uber test car plowed into a woman walking her bike while a human monitor in the car was distracted.Chuck Price, partner and vice president of product at TuSimple, said company officials met with the governors staff two days after the Uber incident and they remain very supportive of the companys efforts.TuSimple is testing autonomous trucks out of a new facility on Tucsons southeast side and plans to send a commercial load using the self-driving technology from Tucson to Phoenix in the next few months.We do not think this will affect our schedule, Price said in an email. We consider safety to be our highest priority.Price said TuSimples systems use a completely different architecture than Uber, from sensors to software.While we will await the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) report before drawing an official conclusion, our own analysis of released information leads us to be very concerned about Ubers system performance and human performance, he said.Price noted that all of its test drivers are professionally trained Class A commercial drivers license holders, with additional in-house training by TuSimple.Each vehicle is manned by one of these drivers plus an engineer, who monitors the system as well as the driver, Price said.
(TNS)  The federal spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law Friday includes major increases for railway projects that affect Anniston and the Gulf Coast.The final bill represents the largest single year increase for Amtraks budget, according to a news release from the Southern Rail Commission.Knox Ross, vice chairman of the commission, said railway officials did have concerns about federal commitment to the national railway system. But with the budgets passage, Congress has made a very clear statement that they expect that national system to run and be run well, he said.More than $1 billion will go toward the national rail network. That network includes the Crescent Line, which connects New York and New Orleans via Atlanta, Anniston and Birmingham.Ross said it remains to be seen exactly how Amtrak management will spend the money earmarked for the national network.Of the almost $600 million set aside for infrastructure and safety improvement, more than $35 million is to restore lost passenger rail service on the Gulf Coast to provide a route from New Orleans to Orlando. Much of the route has been out of service since Hurricane Katrina hit the coast.According to the release, a 2015 study found the estimated annual operating cost for long-distance trains from New Orleans to Orlando is $5.48 million and adding a state-supported route from New Orleans to Mobile would cost an additional $4 million per year.Ross said the commission is very optimistic about state and local support for the New Orleans to Mobile route. Louisiana has committed to its matching money, and the commission is in talks with Mississippi and Alabama officials.Nearly $300 million of the safety and infrastructure appropriations will go toward technology called positive train control, a system that better controls the movement of trains to prevent collisions and derailments.Amtrak applauds Congress for providing increased funding for intercity passenger rail, including grants to Amtrak, in the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Amtrak thanks Congress for recognizing the importance of intercity passenger rail and the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak President & CEO Richard Anderson said in a written statement.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 29)  Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana says the surrender of a notorious Abu Sayyaf leader and his entire group may signal the eventual collapse of the terror group, and usher in peace and order in Basilan province.

Abu Sayyaf leader Nhurhassan Jamiri and 13 of his followers surrendered to Armed Forces officers in Hadji Muhammad Ajul in Basilan on Wednesday. They also surrendered high-powered firearms, ammunition, and a grenade.

"The surrender of notorious Abu Sayyaf leader Nhurhassan Jamiri and his entire group after successful negotiations and military operations, will hopefully bring the eventual collapse of the ASG in Basilan," Lorenzana said in a statement on Thursday.

The defense chief added that Jamiri unit's surrender was also facilitated by the strong support of local government units.

Jamiri is the overall Abu Sayyaf group commander operating in Tuburan, Albarka, Tipo-tipo, Akbar, Mohamad Adjul, and Lamitan City.

Western Mindanao Command Chief Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government's diplomatic approach and relentless offensives on the ground has been effective in their pursuit to defeat the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

"Following Jamiri's surrender, we expect the other top leaders of the Abu Sayyaf to do the same in the upcoming days," he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has emphasized he will give the Abu Sayyaf who surrender the chance at a new life.

"I don't abhor you (Abu Sayyaf members) because I understand the situation. As the president, I want to help you, but first, help me bring peace for the Moros in Mindanao. I am the only president that has a heart for the Muslims. All those who want to surrender are welcome but those who want to fight, know that the government is ready," Duterte said in his visit to Patukul, Sulu on March 26.

This development brings the total number of Abu Sayyaf surrenderers to 216 since January 2018, said Wesmincom.
A Los Angeles councilmember has introduced a motion to study the feasibility of a municipal broadband network that would provide at-cost high-speed Internet to the city's local businesses and residents.This motion, introduced earlier this month by Councilmember Paul Krekorian, called for a study into the creation of a new public department to oversee what is essentially an effort to improve the citys broadband capabilities. If successful when it goes up for a vote in the coming months, the motion would make Los Angeles one of a growing number of state and local governments across the country that is exploring the feasibility of municipal broadband efforts with an eye toward potentially turning high-speed Internet access into a utility akin to electricity, water or gas.In announcing the motion, Krekorian emphasized that providing at-cost access to high-speed Internet was increasingly important, citing developing factors such as a lack of competition among Internet service providers, as well as the Federal Communications Commissions decision last year to repeal protections for net neutrality . Krekorian also noted that Los Angeles already owns a network of fiber-optic cable that runs through every part of the city, and his intention is to see if the local government can tap this to provide equitable access to fast Internet connections.If we can move forward with this, Los Angeles would be the biggest city to take on creating a broadband utility, but we would not be the first, Krekorian said. In this process, I want to make sure we look at any existing models that are being used or tested elsewhere in the country and evaluate how effective they are at delivering cost-effective broadband service to residents. Cities like Chattanooga, Tenn., have a robust system in place where they have been able to increase Internet speeds without increasing the cost to consumers. Other cities and towns are broadband providers as well.Krekorian also pointed out that Los Angeles has many residents who are struggling to afford Internet access for their homes, pointing to a recent study by the University of Southern California that found there was little head-to-head competition among service providers in the jurisdiction, resulting in high prices for consumers and little pressure for companies to upgrade their networks for better service. The study also reported that there is only one option for broadband in about two-thirds of the city.Elsewhere in California, San Francisco recently moved to start choosing private-sector partners capable of helping it build its own broadband network at the lowest possible cost. This comes after roughly three years of determining what a city-owned network might look like. As part of these efforts, San Francisco is mandating its potential partner adhere to net neutrality principles. It is also requiring subsidies for low-income residents, as well as privacy protections for consumer data.As in Los Angeles, city leaders in San Francisco have also described a municipal broadband network as vital to fostering inclusion efforts for digital equity.
(TNS)  PHILADELPHIA, Pa.  When Wi-Fi kiosks first appeared on New York City streets, homeless men huddled to gawk at pornography, privacy protesters taped over the machines security cameras, and digital libertarians feared that the provider was harvesting data from unsuspecting users.As soon as September, 100 of the kiosks are coming to Philadelphia.Each kiosk, called a Link and provided by the Intersection media company, comes equipped with 55-inch high definition screens for advertising and art, an encrypted Wi-Fi network, charging ports, and a tablet for calls  all free. Theyve already replaced thousands of telephone booths across New York City and the United Kingdom.Links also come with three cameras, which the firm says will record passersby to discourage vandalism and which users could activate for video calls. Intersection is also testing environmental sensors in New York that could be used to track air quality and traffic.Supporters see these kiosks as just one facet of the communication technology that will build future smart cities. A Link, they say, can share local news and information within neighborhoods, guide tourists, and help close the digital divide.But privacy advocates say they worry about giving so much power and personal data to a private firm thats less accountable than city governments.Eighty of the initial 100 kiosks will be placed in Center City and University City. The goal, said Ruth Fasoldt, a spokeswoman for the New York-based Intersection, is to build corridors of Wi-Fi for a person to be able to walk down a given street and to be connected to the Wi-Fi for however many blocks.The city and Intersection are to evenly split the advertising revenues  which should pay for kiosks and then some. Philadelphia is guaranteed at least $450,000 annually, but officials could give no estimate for the ad revenue since the location of each Link hasnt been determined.In New York and abroad, the rollout hasnt always been smooth.Notably, the kiosk providers had to drop a key feature  web browsing  once they realized the X-rated content that users were watching. No web browsing will be offered in Philadelphia, just apps that send users to specific sites.Last year, vision-assistance tools were added after the National Federation of the Blind sued New York City and the Link program, arguing that the kiosk tablets lacked basic accessibility features such as speech synthesizing.In Philadelphia, the push for such kiosks began in 2014 after Titan, a transit advertising firm, won a 20-year contract from the city. Titan has since merged with another firm to form Intersection, whose investors include Alphabets Sidewalk Labs.In New York City, where more than 1,300 kiosks have already been installed, there are plans for at least 6,000 more. The city estimates earning about $540 million in advertising revenues by 2026.In March 2016, the New York Civil Liberties Union criticized LinkNYC for being unclear about the user information that would be retained.At a New York hacking conference in 2016, Benjamin Dean, a technology policy analyst, cautioned those who might view the kiosks as merely a public and free Wi-Fi service.As we know, he said, when youre not paying, youre not the customer  youre the product.Two privacy groups concerned about LinkNYC, called ReThinkLink and NYC Privacy, sprung from that conference. A fringe group that has also seized on the issue is Cryptome, which maintains a controversial website that claimed to have published the identity of the CIA analyst who found Osama bin Laden.The group has been video-recording crews as they install the kiosks and posting the videos online.Intersection says police and other government agencies made valid requests for kiosk data only eight times  and it provided information after two of those requests  both in 2017.The firm also says it does not keep video records for more than seven days, and that it does not track users viewing histories. Only some cameras are turned on, though LinkNYC would not specify how many. Fasoldt said that the video is primarily used to investigate damage to the devices. Recently, We had a garbage truck back into a Link, she said.Philadelphia has not yet released its privacy policy, but Mike Dunn, spokesman for the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure, said that will happen before the first kiosk is installed. The city has also adopted New Yorks Internet of Things guidelines on how municipalities can responsibly use technology. In a 2006 referendum, Philadelphia residents approved the use of public surveillance cameras.LinkNYCs privacy policy says personal information wont be shared with other companies or third parties beyond those hired to help it provide services. LinkNYC also commits to not using face-recognition technology, and that it will not use our cameras to track you throughout the city.We are trying to be extremely transparent, Fasoldt said. We have an office in Philadelphia, and an office in New York. We are the users, and we want to protect ourselves and our friends.Fasoldt said Intersection wants to work with residents on their privacy policy, but observed that not only do your phones know more about you, but so does the bodega across the street.Amul Kalia, an analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights nonprofit, said that cities working with Links need build a way for people to have a voice in the process.The citys priority is to be able to say, Hey, we brought you internet. Intersections is to be making money, Kalia said. People also need to seriously ask the question if theyre OK with being recorded as theyre walking down the street.
Force India says it is still working on its 2018 car, after a difficult start in Melbourne.

Despite finishing fourth overall in 2016 and 2017, the Silverstone based team has fallen behind the highly competitive midfield this year.

But technical boss Andy Green told Auto Motor und Sport: "Not everything has arrived yet.

"We still have a problem from the apex to the corner exit right now."

Deputy boss Bob Fernley agrees that Force India is still working to improve the new car.

"It will take two to three races to understand the package. We will have a new wing in Bahrain."

And driver Sergio Perez said: "We will soon be back in a position to fight for points."

Explaining the difficult start, Fernley said one factor is engine power.

"Compared to Melbourne 2017, the Mercedes teams improved by an average of 1.1 seconds. Unfortunately, the Renault teams have improved by 1.6 seconds. And that's exactly who are opponents are."

He is referring to McLaren but also the Renault works team, adding: "They not only have more money and people than us, but also excellent drivers.

"That makes it all the more important that we show the same qualities as last year -- consistency, reliability, and good strategy. In 2017 we had the fourth fastest car in very few races and nevertheless finished fourth," said Fernley.

(GMM)
Gunther Steiner has hit back with fury at suggestions Haas is using a carbon copy of last year's Ferrari in 2018.

Force India is calling for an investigation into whether what the small American team is doing is or should be legal.

"They're using last year's Ferrari," said deputy boss Bob Fernley.

Technical boss Andy Green agrees, but says it is the exchange of information between Haas and Ferrari that is more worrying.

"Nobody can tell me that they don't communicate with each other to develop and solve problems faster," he said.

Force India is not the only concerned team.

"Under the bodywork of the Haas car, it's 100 per cent a Ferrari," team boss Eric Boullier told France's Auto Hebdo.

"They don't build a car, they buy one. And when you buy from Maranello, it can't be bad."

McLaren executive Zak Brown is quoted by The Sun: "We all know they have a very close alliance with Ferrari. We need to make sure it's not too close."

Force India sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer agrees: "All the aerodynamic surfaces have to be your own. If they're not, I don't know how you can tell unless you start investigating."

Haas team boss Steiner reacted furiously, saying rival teams are talking "without knowledge and without intelligence".

"I invite them to file a complaint if they see ghosts and have problems," he is quoted by Marca. "I can very clearly show them the way to the FIA."

Explaining the similarities between the 2017 Ferrari and this year's Haas, he said: "We have the same wheelbase as Ferrari, but we share the suspension. So it's logical."

As for the complaints, he insisted: "If you have to justify your incompetence, attack is the best defence.

"When someone has twice the money and is behind us, whoever owns the team should ask 'What are we doing here?'. But when you speak you need to have an argument, not just assumptions," Steiner added.

(GMM)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 29)  On Maundy Thursday, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle enjoined everyone to stop the spread of fake news in the country.

During his message at the Chrism Mass at the Manila Cathedral, Cardinal Tagle said communication in the country has been reduced to strategies which can manipulate the truth.

"True communication happens in the context of a covenant relationship. Manipulation thrives in the context of disrespect. That's why fake news proliferates," Tagle said.

Tagle also explained that fake news runs counter to evangelization or the sharing of good news.

"'I can deliberately deceive people because I have no covenant relationship with them. I don't care. I only want to manipulate the truth so I get what I ought.' That is not evangelization," he said.

He then reminded everyone to live with integrity, by putting thoughts into actions and good deeds instead of spreading fake news.

"Madaling magsalita, isinasabuhay ba natin? Madaling magsalita, ginagawa ba natin? " Tagle said.

[Translation: It's easy to say something, but do we stick to our word? Do we act upon the things we say?]

The Chrism Mass, a religious practice in Catholicism, is a mass held every Holy Thursday manifesting the unity of priests to their bishop. During the mass, the bishop blesses three oils used in the administration of the sacraments for the year.

A Senate panel has been looking into the spread of fake news in the country. Senator Grace Poe has filed a bill, Senate Bill 1680, which seeks to penalize public officials for peddling fake news. Senator Joel Villanueva also filed Senate Bill 1492 which proposes to sanction false news.

"Fake news creates impression and beliefs based on false premises leading to division, misunderstanding and further exacerbating otherwise tenuous relations," Villanueva said in his proposed measure.

Poe, in her proposed law, said government officials bear the seal of being "officials" which carries a presumption of "truthfulness, reliability and accuracy."

"It is logical and necessary that government officials, particularly those charged with the duty and/or mandate to disseminate information in their respective offices, agencies and/or departments, must be subjected to higher standards of proper conduct particularly in their usage of social media and other platforms of information dissemination," she said.

CNN Philippines' Correspondent Joyce Ilas contributed to this report.
At the New York International Auto Show, Nissan revealed the 2019 Altima. The sixth-generation of the best-selling mid-size sedan features two new powerplants, including the advanced variable compression unit first introduced in the Infinit QX50 (earlier post); the first available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive in a Nissan sedan in the US; and advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility features, including ProPILOT Assist. The 2019 Altima goes on sale in the US in the fall, followed by other global markets at later dates.

Variable Compression Turbo engine. Replacing the previous-generation Altimas 3.5-liter V6 engine is the worlds first production-ready variable compression turbo inline 4-cylinder (earlier post)which generates the performance of some V6 gasoline engines but with 4-cylinder level fuel economy.

Designated as the VC-Turbo, the new technology continuously transforms the engine characteristics, providing both dynamic and efficient performance.

The VC-Turbo has been in development for 20 years. It seamlessly changes its compression ratio between 8:1 (for high performance) and 14:1 (for high efficiency) by means of an advanced multi-link system continuously raising or lowering the pistons reach to transform the compression ratio. A high compression ratio gives greater efficiency, but in certain applications poses the risk of premature combustion (knocking). A low compression ratio allows for greater power and torque, and avoids knocking.

The VC-Turbo engine offers any compression ratio between 8:1 (for high performance, left in red) and 14:1 (for high efficiency, right in blue). As a result, the engine capacity varies between 1,997 cc and 1,970 cc.

The multi-link components are manufactured in high-carbon steel alloy. Compared with the previous 3.5-liter V6 engine, the 2.0-liter VC-Turbo requires less space in the engine bay. The engine delivers 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) of torque (premium fuel).

As the angle of the multi-link arm rotates, the top-dead-center position of the pistonsand the compression ratiochanges.

The VC-Turbo engine utilizes both multi-point injection and direct injection to balance efficiency and power in all conditions. The Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG) system improves combustion efficiency and performance, and enables the engine to avoid knocking at higher compression ratios, while the multi-point injection mixes fuel and air earlier, enabling complete combustion in the chamber for greater efficiency at low engine loads. The engine also contributes to lower NVH and improved emissions (versus the previous 3.5-liter V6). The VC-Turbo engine is assembled in Japan.

Altimas equipped with the VC-Turbo (SR VC-Turbo and Platinum VC-Turbo grades) include a meter in the standard 7.0-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display so the driver can see, as well as feel, the control state of this world-first technology while driving.

In terms of fuel economy, the new 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine is projected to have a double-digit percentage increase in highway mpg for the front-wheel drive models.

With the VC-Turbo, the driver balances the engine character through acceleration pedal operation alone. This two engines in one is another way Altima stands far apart from all other vehicles in the segment. Jose Munoz, chief performance officer, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

New standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. Reflecting the Altimas importance to the Nissan brand, the company is also making its biggest investment ever in a new model powertrain developmentintroducing for the first time two completely new engines for one model change.

Standard on all grade levels is the new 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder direct injection engine, which is rated at 188 horsepower (versus the previous 2.5-liters 179 hp) and 180 lb-ft (244 Nm) of torque (versus the previous 177 lb-ft) and features 80% new or redesigned parts.

More than just the gains in horsepower and torque, the new engine offers improvements in noise, vibration and harshness, along with enhanced fuel economy and cleaner emissions. It also has a lower profile through adoption of a reverse cylinder head with integrated exhaust manifold and low engine mounting into the new platforms engine bay for quieter operation.

Key changes to the engines design include a thermal-insulated resin intake port, Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG) system, variable tumble control valve, mirror bore cylinder coating, variable displacement oil pump, intake e-VTC and cooled external EGR. The new 2.5-liter engine is assembled in Decherd, Tennessee.

All 2019 Altima models, including both engine configurations, come equipped with a standard Xtronic transmission. For 2019, the Xtronic transmission receives an expanded lock-up area for improved efficiency. Paddle shifters are available with the Altima SR grade.

Altima AWD. In response to the desires of buyers in key northern U.S. market regions, Intelligent All-Wheel Drive will be offered for the first time on the Altima. The new AWD models are projected to account for a significant share of Altima US sales in these regions.

The AWD system is available in all trim levels equipped with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The system uses an advanced torque split control strategy that automatically redistributes torque to the wheels (0:100 front up to 50:50 front-to-rear) according to road and driving conditions.

In addition, cooperative control between the AWD torque distribution, brake limited slip differential and Hill Start Assist optimizes performance on hills starts and rough roadsadding to the sense of confidence and driving pleasure under a range of driving scenarios.

Enhanced dynamic performance and chassis control. Along with the all-weather traction offered by the new all-wheel-drive system, all 2019 Altimas benefit from a range of enhanced suspension, steering and chassis control systems. Key suspension changes include the first Altima application of monotube rear shocks, added suspension reinforcements to improve vehicle response without impacting harshness, and suspension geometry adjustments to improve steering feedback.

The steering system has been upgraded to a new dual-pinion electric power steering design (DP-EPS), which enhances steering feel performance and reduces steering system noise. Steering effort is reduced at low speeds for ease of driving, and effort is increased at higher speeds for improved feedback and control.

The 2019 Altima includes a new, advanced Integrated Dynamics Module (IDM). It includes three unique systemsIntelligent Ride Control, Intelligent Trace Control and Vehicle Dynamics Controlsimilar to those found on the flagship Nissan Maxima sedan.

Three wheel and tire size combinations are available: 16-inch, 17-inch and, for the first time, 19-inch. The Altima SR grade, as in the previous generation Altima, features unique suspension and chassis tuning for a sportier ride and handling.

ProPILOT Assist. ProPILOT Assist eases driver workload by reducing the amount of driver acceleration, steering and braking input under certain driving conditions, such as single-lane highway driving.

ProPILOT Assist is the foundation for the autonomous vehicles of the future, helping drivers stay centered in the lane, navigate stop-and-go traffic, maintain a set vehicle speed and maintain a set distance to the vehicle ahead. To activate the system, the driver simply pushes the blue ProPILOT Assist ON button, then sets the Intelligent Cruise Control when the desired speed is reached, as with a normal advanced cruise control system.

ProPILOT Assist utilizes a forward-facing camera, forward-facing radar, sensors and an electronic control module to help the driver stay in the center of the driving lane and to maintain vehicle speed (set by the driver) or help maintain a gap to the preceding vehicle if the vehicle speed drops below the driver-set speed. It also can slow the vehicle to a complete stop and hold the vehicle during traffic jam conditions.

ProPILOT Assist is standard on the 2019 Altima SV, SL and Platinum grades.

Along with ProPILOT Assist, also new for 2019 is Rear Automatic Braking (RR-AB), which helps the driver detect stationary objects when backing up, and if necessary applies the brakes to help avoid a collision. When an object is detected while driving the vehicle in reverse at low speed, the system warns the driver with visual and audible warnings.

If the drivers braking is not sufficient and there is still a risk of a collision, the system issues second visual and audible warnings and applies harder braking immediately before the potential collision. The new Rear Automatic Braking system is standard on Altima SV, SL and Platinum grades.

The range of safety and convenience features includes standard Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Intelligent Forward Collision Warning (I-FCW) and Intelligent Driver Alertness (I-DA) on all grades. Intelligent Around View Monitor (I-AVM) is standard on the Altima Platinum.

The addition of Rear Automatic Braking to Nissan Safety Shield creates Safety Shield 360, which provides front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies, under the umbrella of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy. Safety Shield 360 includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), radar-based Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and High Beam Assist (HBA).

A new Traffic Sign Recognition system provides Altima drivers with the most recent speed limit information detected by a camera unit located on the windshield in front of the inside rearview mirror. The information from detected signs is displayed in the Advanced Drive Assist Display. In vehicles equipped with navigation, the speed limit display is based on a combination of navigation system data and camera recognition.

The all-new Altimas design was inspired by the award-winning Nissan Vmotion 2.0 concept. The new Altima is lower, longer and wider than the previous generation with a highly balanced, aggressive stance that includes available 19-inch wheels and tires. Inside, the all-new premium interior features a wide gliding wing instrument panel, which accentuates the exterior's low cowl and hood, helping create an open, airy environment.
JSW USA plans to invest up to $500 million to install the most technologically advanced and eco-friendly hot-end facility in the world, setting a new industry standard. The announcement marks the second and larger phase of a plate mill modernization and expansion project that began in June 2017. This is the first equipment installation and upgrade to the facility since it was built by US Steel in 1968, and will have a major impact on many levels.

Once the hot-end project launches, JSW USA will begin what will be a $5.8-billion economic impact on the Texas economy, and is expected to create 500 new high-wage American jobs before it becomes operational 18 to 24 months later. The addition of the hot end will make JSW USA the worlds only plate mill with a contiguous large-diameter pipe mill, enabling it to be considered a melt and manufacture facility in the US, with a new ability to produce its own slabs to feed the mills, instead of needing to buy foreign slabs.

With Best Available Control Technology (BACT), the hot ends electric arc furnace was designed to generate the lowest emissions possible for steel production, setting a new worldwide industry environmental standard. Further, JSW USA will be the only entity of its kind (for the products it makes in North America) blending scrap with direct-reduced iron (DRI)/hot briquetted iron (HBI), which is more energy efficient and more economical.

This overall broader production capability will increase JSW USAs product offerings, as well as allow expansion into new, significant markets, including defense, energy, pipeline, renewable energy, and infrastructure. The facility will also provide strong support to regional business, OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), and value-added manufacturing for steel-making and associated industries, and opens the door for producing new propriety steels with R & D firms, the company said.

JSW USA contracted with Danieli for the first modernization stage of the project, and has awarded the hot end construction based on technological capabilities. The hot end will be built on 111 acres at JSW USAs 700-acre Baytown campus.

Currently, with one of the widest mills in North America, the JSW plate division rolls hot-rolled plate widths up to 160 inches (4.1m) and thicknesses up to six inches (152.4mm). It services shipyards, oilfield fabricators, heavy equipment producers, windtower, railcar, storage tanks, and many other end users and distributors who need high quality carbon plate.

Using quality plate from JSW, the pipe division produces DSAW (Double Submerged Arc Welded) pipe (Including large diameter pipe from 24" to 48") to service energy and petrochemical markets, including large diameter line pipe for onshore and offshore use, heavy duty casing, and piling. The Pipe division also provides OD coating (Fusion Bond Epoxy, Abrasion Resistant Outer) and ID Flow Liner coating.

JSW USA, based in Baytown, Texas, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Group, a $13-billion conglomerate headquartered in India with a strong hold across core economic sectors: Steel, Energy, Infrastructure, Cement, Ventures and Sports. JSW operates a uniquely integrated plate/pipe mill complex with a strategic location for North American export markets.
SimpleFuel, winner of the US Department of Energy (DOE) $1-million H2 Refuel H-Prize, is exporting one of its first hydrogen refueling appliances to Japan.

The initial SimpleFuel product line is designed to target several small-scale hydrogen dispensing markets, including home and local/distributed refueling of consumer FCEVs, refueling for fuel cell vehicle fleets, and industrial fuel cell vehicle refueling.





SimpleFuel is an on-site hydrogen generation and dispensing appliance that uses water and electricity to produce high purity fuel cell-grade hydrogen via electrolysis. SimpleFuel can dispense fast opportunity fills or full fills to 700 bar automotive pressures.

SimpleFuel is a collaboration of three companies: IVYS Energy Solutions (Massachusetts), McPhy Energy N.A. (Massachusetts), and PDC Machines (Pennsylvania). This approach complements the conventional retail fueling stations currently being funded by states and the private sector.

With support from the Japanese Environmental Ministry of the Central Government, the SimpleFuel appliance will run on solar or grid electricity for use with a Toyota Industries fuel-cell forklift truck at the Kesen Precut Cooperative. Kesen Precut manufactures high quality wood and wood chip products for the Japanese market with two production facilities in Sumida Town and Rikuzentakata, Japan.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 29)  A global group of parliaments said it is "deeply concerned" that Senator Leila de Lima remains in pre-trial detention a year after she was arrested.

The Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) adopted a resolution March 28 following its 138th General Assembly where they reiterated the call to release De Lima immediately and drop all charges relating to her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade "unless serious evidence is rapidly forthcoming."

It claimed De Lima has been subjected to intimidation and denigration, including by President Rodrigo Duterte. The IPU said the continued vilification of the Senator is shocking, as it portrays her as an "immoral woman" and guilty when a trial has yet to happen.

Despite spending more than a year in detention, the IPU said the senator has not been arraigned for any of the charges against her.

Should the charges against De Lima proceed, the IPU said it would send an observer to monitor on "respect for fair trail standards in the cases."

De Lima, a staunch critic of President Duterte, is facing charges for her alleged involvement in the New Bilibid Prisons illegal drug trade. She was arrested February 2017 and remains in detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo refuted the IPU's claim of the Duterte administration being unfair to the lawmaker.

In a statement Thursday, Panelo said the group was ignorant on how the country's justice system worked.

"A Judge of a court of competent jurisdiction issued a warrant for her arrest after a judicious determination of the existence of a probable cause for a drug related case filed against her. No one is above the law. Her being a Senator cannot shield her from the majesty of the law," he said.

Panelo also described IPU's call to have the Senate allow De Lima to participate in Senate deliberations "an outright and outrageous intrusion into the internal affairs of the state as well as an affront to our sovereignty."

This was not the first time the Geneva-based group commented on the detained senator's case.

The Senator was visited by members of the IPU's human rights committee in May and said it would send an observer to her trial.

This did not sit well with Malacanang and called it a "classic example of bullying."

CNN Philippines' Pia Garcia and Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
A woman accused of child abuse after allegedly choking a child under 16 years of age could face prison time.

Joanna Stephenson, 28, of Green River, appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at an arraignment to one felony count of child abuse where she pleaded not guilty.

If found guilty, Stephenson could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. A jury trial has been scheduled to take place June 11 at 9 a.m.

According to court documents, on Jan. 1, 2018, a Green River Police officer was informed of a possible assault. After arriving at the residence, the officer spoke with two juvenile females, NE and HV. NE told the officer she had allegedly been strangled and scratched by Stephenson. HV told the officer she had allegedly been grabbed and possibly scratched by Stephenson.

The girls told the officer Stephenson was a friend of their mother and she had been at the house.

NE said while at the house, Stephenson and some male she didnt know were messing around in the bathroom next to her room. NE said she went to the bathroom door and told them to stop because she could hear them in her room.

It was at this point when Stephenson came out of the bathroom and was upset at NE. She then started to yell at NE and allegedly grabbed her by the arm leaving scratches. Stephenson then allegedly grabbed NE by the throat so hard that NE was unable to breathe. NE thought Stephenson allegedly had her hands around her throat for about a minute.

After Stephenson let her go, NE said she ran downstairs to the bathroom where she proceeded to lock herself in. NE then went to talk to Stephenson again after a few minutes, and Stephenson got upset and allegedly choked NE again. This time it was only for 30 seconds.

NE told the officer she had difficulty breathing during and after each incident. HV told the officer Stephenson allegedly grabbed her shoulder and by the back of her neck. She said it hurt when she was grabbed, but she wasnt sure if there were scratches or not.

The officer noticed a large red mark on NEs neck over the center of her throat, he also noticed two scratches on her right arm. He took photos of the injuries.
When Republican state legislators caucus, they convene the numbers and the power to determine Wyoming law, and they do so behind closed doors.

That is a choice. They could, if they wanted, allow the public to observe the deliberations that de facto determine the publics business. But, in my 40-year career as a Wyoming journalist, I cant recall a single instance of them opting to caucus anywhere other than the proverbial smoke-filled backroom.

And their penchant for privacy is getting worse.

Im probably the outsider who has come the closest to observing a GOP caucus without actually entering the room.

It was on a long night in 1978 in the Capitol  the real one. Legislators were deciding the fate of a proposed University of Wyoming medical college. Before the idea met its end, Republicans called break after interminable break to caucus late into the evening.

I was one of three reporters who decided to break the monotony of waiting in the hallway. The head of the Associated Press bureau in Cheyenne offered me $50 if I could get a useable photo of the caucus.

The only way was to shoot through a glass-covered transom several feet above the door and well out of reach. The AP chief and another reporter boosted me up on their shoulders so I could snap the shot.

We lost the element of surprise by bumping, banging and probably muttering a few choice words in the process. When legislators saw me finally appear in the window their mixed reaction was well represented by the two faces in my viewfinder  House Speaker Nels J. Smith and Rep. Warren Morton, who would succeed Smith the next year.

Smith had a huge grin. Morton looked like he wanted to exercise his Second Amendment rights in my direction.

This story does not have a happy ending. I did not get my $50 because my photo was distorted by the transom glass. But I did get to see what the inside of a party caucus room looks like in use. From what I could tell it was pretty boring until I arrived with my camera.

I was reminded of this incident during the recently completed budget session as I tried to think of the last time Republicans caucused so many times. The medical school debate was likely the last session in which GOP lawmakers relied so heavily on the shut things down and huddle strategy.

At one point contentious budget negotiations moved out of the official conference committee  and public view  for three days. The smart money had Senate President Eli Bebout (R-Riverton) and House Speaker Steve Harshman (R-Casper) horse trading in Gov. Matt Meads office, but thats only speculation. The public never learned more than snippets of how the deal to spend their billions got done.

Wyomings Democrats, in contrast, always open their caucuses to anyone who wants to come. Granted, some years their numbers have been so few they could have met in the janitors closet and still had room to spare. But, powerful or no, at least the party has always given the public the opportunity to see how the laws that govern them are made. Thats what open government is all about.

To make certain I wasnt off-base about the unusually high number of caucuses this year, I checked with Marguerite Herman, a veteran lobbyist who was an AP reporter before she started representing the League of Women Voters and the Parent-Teacher Association. She also serves on the school board in Cheyenne.

In Hermans view some progress has been made on transparency issues. In response to public demand, the Management Council and Legislative Service Office will now start streaming, recording and archiving interim committee meetings. These joint panels that meet between sessions are often where much of the Legislatures preparation for the next session takes place. Now people can learn what happened without having to spend the time or money to travel to meetings throughout Wyoming.

She noted the Legislature responded to the LWVs request and installed cameras in front of the temporary House chamber in the Jonah Center this session so people in the gallery can now see standing division votes. Prior to that, standing members blocked the view, making it impossible for citizens to see how their representatives voted.

For legislative junkies who cant get their news fast enough, the Senate and House calendars on the new LSO website now post action on bills within minutes of decisive action. The website is still a work in progress, but it has the potential to offer much more information to the public faster than the current one.

But Herman said the most glaring transparency problem remains the number of meetings behind closed doors  party caucuses, whole chamber caucuses and some of the most contentious conference committee meetings.

I was advised that the chamber caucuses were just procedural housekeeping  not to worry, Herman said. Then why not admit the media and public? Those used to be so rare as to cause great comment when the whole House walked off the floor about 10 years ago to strategize rejection of a conference committee report on a major education bill. Now, they are routine.

Routine enough that theyre even emboldened to pull the entire chamber off the floor for a private conversation without feeling compelled to justify their secrecy. That happened this year when, after standing at ease for four days, they returned to Cheyenne to complete the session, only to immediately call a caucus.

Frustrated reporters who questioned Harshman were told that the meeting was just about scheduling and there was no need to worry.

In a less obvious, but no less impactful, bit of opacity, the members of conference committees assigned to hammer out compromises between chambers arent always named in floor announcements. Likewise, their meeting places arent consistently announced. This leaves journalists and others to sleuth out who is on a committee and then track them  physically follow a lawmaker around wherever he or she goes  until a meeting is located.

To be clear, this legislative shell-game is all completely legal. The Legislature exempted itself from the states open meetings law it passed in 1973. So no one is breaking the law by making people play hide and seek to find out whats happening at critical junctures in the process. But that doesnt mean its necessary, nice or in the public interest.

The cloak of confidentiality afforded to lawmakers correspondence with lobbyists and others who propose legislation is also legal but ill-advised.

Yes, as many proponents argue, mandated disclosure could have a chilling effect on lobbyists and others who write to legislators with their ideas. But the publics knowledge of how our lawmakers are influenced to support legislation, or even where legislation comes from, is more important than protecting the privacy of such proposals.

If what you write about government business in an email or letter isnt something you are willing to be made public, then dont write it. And dont infringe on the publics right to know how their laws are being written and influenced. Dont constantly deliberate behind closed doors.

A public audience can make some legislators self-conscious, reluctant to give a point, fearful of being out-debated or seeming too willing to compromise, especially for take-no-prisoner constituents back home, Herman said. Maybe it was the only way to come to consensus.

But the problem, she added, is that the Legislature is doing the publics business out of the publics ability to watch and hear them.

Where is the accountability or understanding of how decisions were arrived at? Herman said. I would settle for a transcript after the fact, so I could know how my representative and senator spoke and to explain some of the horse-trading that seemed to happen as this session progressed.

Its a poor way to run a Legislature. The body should be subject to the open meetings law. They repeatedly refuse to make it so.

What does it say about lawmakers who dont want to make an argument or exchange informed opinions within the sight and hearing of the public? Herman said. What does it say about their constituents?
Her name is Samantha and lived in New York in 1904.

Samantha is the fourth American Girl doll on loan in the Sweetwater County Library's collection, joining Kaya, Kit and Josephina. The American Girl dolls are constructed to reflect multiple ethnicities and time periods throughout American history. Josephina is from New Mexico in 1824, Kaya is a Native American from 1764 and Kit lived during the Great Depression in 1934. There's also a line of dolls offered reflecting contemporary life.

According to Becky Iwen, youth services director for the library, the dolls are on loan for a week and contain a set of pajamas, a sleeping bag, a brush, some care instructions and a journal for the child to write about what they did with the doll. The doll also comes with a book written about the doll's character and some historical information pertaining Sweetwater County during the character's time period. For Samantha, information about the Woman's Sufferage movement in Wyoming and New York is included. Iwen said the historical information comes from the Sweetwater County Historical Museum through a partnership between the library and museum.

Iwen said many libraries are pioneering a more interactive lending system, with some developing American Girl doll lending libraries to help educate and inspire girls. Iwen said the dolls are taken on vacations and other activities.

"It's fun to see what they do when they're checked out for the week," she said.

For far, the American Doll lending library has proven to be popular since the library debuted the program with Kit in 2016. Iwen said the library is looking to expand the program to include dolls aimed at boys.
Paula Carter laughs as she shows the others the afghan she was making for home-bound residents and senior citizens.

Focusing on new humanitarian projects is something the sewing group at the Golden Hour Senior Center makes a priority.

Every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a break for lunch, the sewing group meets at the GHSC. The group varies from week to week. Some enjoy coming in the morning, while others prefer the afternoon. Regardless of what time they come in, they are ready to create items for others. The items they sew for others have been come to be known as their humanitarian projects.

Shirley Okerson, who says she is not a teacher of the class, but someone who shows others how to m...
Mike and Aly Bond try to see which one of them is holding the most powerful tool. Despite being silly, the couple is appreciative of the tools donated to help start a chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

When Mike Bond was watching a Facebook series he never thought it would translate into him wanting to start a nonprofit organization, but it did.

The show Mike was watching was called "Returning the Favor" with Mike Rowe. During Season 2: Episode 9's Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Rowe visits Luke Mickelson who started Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization whose mission is to ensure no child in their town has to sleep on the floor. This organization is based out of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Mike said he recalled how Mickelson's small project for a family in need quickly turned into something big. In...
Alexandria Callahan, on left and Kymani Reid, on right, work on staying on beat with teacher James Themig.

Tap, tap, tap, tap. This was the sound coming from one of Harrison Elementary School's rooms Thursday afternoon.

The students in music teacher James Themig's class were playing on beat buckets, which looked like they were made from old coffee cans.

"The coffee-can drums are called 'beat buckets,' which were introduced to me by Artie Almeida, who has published several music education books," Themig said.

Themig said Almeida led the elementary sessions at the Wyoming Music Educator's Conference this year in Evanston.

"Our school district is very supportive in letting us attend this conference...
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 29)  Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is urging members of the New People's Army to lay down their arms and "rejoin society."

In his message on the NPA's 49th anniversary, the Defense chief told members of the militant group it's not too late to surrender and stop fighting with the government.

"As a fellow Filipino, I am calling on all CPP-NPA members to lay down your arms and re-join society," he said.

"Do not continue to be blinded by the propaganda of your selfish leaders who live in luxury, away in a foreign land, with their families and loved ones by their side, at your expense and at our people's expense, especially those from vulnerable communities," he added.

Lorenzana's message comes as the NPA, the Communist Party of the Philippines' armed wing, celebrates on Thursday almost five decades of existence.

The CPP's nearly half a century-long insurgency is dubbed Asia's longest running armed struggle.

The period has been marked by on and off peace talks between the government and the rebel group.

While relations between the Duterte administration and the rebel group started on a good note, ties between the two parties later soured after President Rodrigo Duterte terminated peace talks with the CPP's negotiation arm, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), due to continuing attacks by the NPA.

Lorenzana, however, stressed there's still hope for reformed members of the militant group.

"Mga kababayan, hindi pa huli ang lahat. Tapusin na natin ang karahasan laban sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino," he said. "Bukas ang kamay ng pamahalaan upang kayo ay tanggapin, kupkupin at kalingain."

[Translation: My countrymen, it's not too late. Let's finish this violence against our fellow Filipinos. The government is open to accepting and accommodating you.]

He said many former rebels who surrendered are now living peacefully with their families.

He also reminded the rebels they had failed to overthrow the government despite 49 years of fighting.

"What makes you now think that you can succeed even in the next 50 years given your dwindling number, degraded capability and lack of people's support?" he said.

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, about 600 New People's Army (NPA) combatants have surrendered since December 2017.

CPP founder Jose Maria Sison has branded the surrenders as mere government propaganda.

READ: AFP belies Joma Sison's claims of 'fake' rebel surrenders

Lorenzana: AFP on heightened alert

In the meantime, however, Lorenzana said the military will be on heightened alert as the NPA marks it 49th year.

He warned the public to be more vigilant as he claimed the rebels are expected to show off their "force" with a string of "celebratory attacks."

"The purported declaration of a unilateral ceasefire by the CPP-NPA for the observance of Lenten season is obviously a trick to convince the government to resume the peace talks, but its purpose is actually to deceive our ground forces," he said.

While Duterte said in February he would consult the military regarding the resumption of peace talks, Lorenzana has said he believes the talks should be halted for good.

READ: Defense chief wants to halt peace talks for good

Aside from Lorenzana, Philippine National Chief Ronald Dela Rosa has also reminded policemen to fortify their community defenses in anticipation of possible attacks by the NPA.

He said historically, the NPA carries out attacks during its anniversary week.

CPP was founded in 1968 by then student activist Jose Ma. Sison. The group has taken up arms, believing it can change what it calls an oppressive regime through the years.

Last March 22, more than 60 members of the House of Representatives asked Duterte to resume peace talks with rebels through House Resolution 1803.

READ: More than 60 reps call on Duterte to resume peace talks
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 29)  The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has lowered the alert status of Mayon Volcano to Level 2.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin Thursday, PHIVOLCS recorded a general decline in the volcano's unrest, which began in January.

"However, the lowering of the alert level status should not be interpreted to mean that the volcano's unrest has ceased, considering that the edifice is still inflated relative to its baseline level," PHIVOLCS said.

PHIVOLCS warned the public to avoid entering the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) around the volcano to prevent hazards caused by rockfall and ash puffs. They also warned against possible lahar and sediment-laden stream flow in river systems near the volcano.

The state volcanology bureau said that for the past two weeks, volcanic earthquake activity has gone down from 82 to 10 rockfall events.

The bureau added lava flow has begun to stabilize, and the last recorded pyroclastic density current happened on March 27.

"Since the last observation of lava effusion on 18 March 2018, no new lava has been detected on Mayon's summit crater," it added.

The Mayon Volcano in Albay had a steam-driven ash eruption on January 13, which prompted the immediate evacuation of residents within the PDZ. Alert level 4 was raised on January 22.

On March 6, the volcano's alert status was lowered to level 3.

President Rodrigo Duterte on January 29 handed over P20 million in initial funding to Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara to help the evacuees.
(CNN)  The date for their meeting is still not set, but when President Donald Trump finally meets North Korea's Kim Jong Un, the specter of China will also be in the room, a potent signal to the American President that the young reclusive leader has support for his cause from the region's most formidable presence.

Along with shoring up a rocky alliance, the two-day visit by Kim to Beijing was also designed to show Washington and Seoul that Kim wasn't without his own diplomatic arsenal as he attempts to push for sanctions relief and recognition of North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power.

South Korea admitted on Wednesday that it hadn't been involved in Kim's trip to Beijing. Senior presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan told reporters: "What is happening now is beyond what the (government) has been predicting and (Seoul) will need to keep an eye on the situation with all possibilities in mind."

"The very fact of this meeting alone, and certainly the tenor of the Chinese statement about it, really does increase Kim Jong Un's leverage in the upcoming talks. It shows that Kim has a friend in Beijing," said Adam Mount, a senior fellow and director of the Defense Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists, where he covers U.S. nuclear strategy, deterrence and North Korea.

"It means the Trump team is going to be navigating really narrow straits here. It's hard to overstate how dramatic this development is," Mount said.

China 'will continue to play a constructive role'

"We speak highly of this visit," Chinese President Xi Jinping told Kim, according to Xinhua, China's state-run news agency, which reported on the visit after Kim departed Beijing. Xi added that China "appreciates the important efforts made by the DPRK (Democratic Republic of Korea)" regarding "positive changes" that have occurred on the Korean Peninsula this year, Xinhua reported.

The messages out of both Beijing and Pyongyang following the visit are meant to emphasize to all parties that there can be no deal with North Korea without China's involvement.

Xi noted that "China will continue to play a constructive role on the issue (of talks) and work with all parties, including the DPRK, toward the thaw of the situation on the Peninsula," Xinhua reported.

The "situation on the Peninsula" refers to not only the tension over North Korea's nuclear program, but the presence of US troops to the south and the outlying waters where US and South Korean militaries regularly conduct naval exercises.

"To the U.S., denuclearization is denuclearization of North Korea. To Kim Jong Un, denuclearization applies to the whole peninsula, which includes the South," said David Maxwell, retired US Army Special Forces Colonel and a fellow at the Institute of Korean American Studies.

"When the regime talks denuclearization, they require the South Korea-U.S. alliance to be ended, U.S. troops removed from the peninsula and an end to extended deterrence and the nuclear umbrella. Once that condition is met, then the North will begin the process of denuclearization," he said.

Trump himself tweeted Wednesday that he'd heard from Xi about Kim's visit, saying: "For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula was not even a small possibility. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!"

'Our greatest asset'

The China visit has added a layer of complication for Trump that had long been dormant because of years of estrangement between Pyongyang and Beijing.

Now that ties are seemingly mended, that bodes ill for the White House, said Mount.

"The division between Beijing and Pyongyang was really our greatest asset with respect to North Korea," he told CNN. "If that narrows even slightly, that's a sea change. It changes the outlook for negotiations that we have to adjust for very rapidly. It's clear both Pyongyang and Beijing won't be dictated to by Seoul and Washington, but also develop their own agenda. We should be aware that it might be a coordinated agenda," Mount said.

The notion that might have held sway until this week, that North Korea was prepared to meet with Trump and put "nukes" on the table, is no longer the case, said Mike Chinoy, a former CNN correspondent and author of "Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis," who has made regular visits to North Korea in the past.

"This didn't look to me like a browbeating summit, that is not the dynamic at all," Chinoy remarked. Rather, it appears that Kim has been shoring up his alliances in anticipation of the meeting with Trump.

Daniel Russel, who helped formulate President Barack Obama's Asia Pacific policy, agrees.

"We might be seeing success in the North Korean effort to divide the five countries that have been involved in the effort. It's a standard gambit for North Korea to try to undermine the unity of the international community," he told CNN, referring to the U.S., South Korea, Japan, China and Russia, which have historically been engaged in talks involving North Korea.

He said it was "critically important" for the U.S. to communicate and cooperate with China.

"China might want a more modest settlement than the U.S. wants, or can live with," Russel said. "It's on us, the U.S. I think, to continue to find common cause, not only with China, but also with South Korea and Japan, and although difficult, with Russia."

The John Bolton approach

Trump's newest national security adviser, John Bolton, a past U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and noted hawk, has discounted North Korea's sincerity, believing that the Kim regime's appeal for talks masks a ploy to bide time until its nuclear program is up and running.

Incoming Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has in the past advocated for regime change in North Korea.

"There'll be very sharp battles in Washington between people who want to test North Korea and those who have been itching to pick a fight with North Korea, and may finally hope that this is their chance," said Chinoy.

Some of that will depend on how large a role Beijing will play, and how much Chinese influence Washington is prepared to stomach.

"We should not agree to allow China to host the summit or even be present at the summit," said David Maxwell. "That said, the best outcome for this summit is simply a meet and greet between Trump and Kim Jong Un, an exchange of positions and an agreement to allow the diplomatic experts to begin the process of negotiating an agreement," he told CNN. "We should not expect any breakthroughs."

And while the White House recalibrates its approach to the summit following the Xi-Kim meeting, it may have to brace itself for the entrance of another world power keen on not being left out of future gatherings: Russia.

On Wednesday, Russia signaled its approval of the Xi-Kim dialogue in Beijing. The Foreign Ministry added that Russia aimed to continue close cooperation with China to resolve tensions on the peninsula by "purely diplomatic means."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "China throws Trump a curveball ahead of his meeting with Kim."
Duck-frites at Frenchette. Photo: Melissa Hom

Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr will officially open Frenchette in Tribeca for dinner next Monday, five years after they left Keith McNallys employ to plan their first solo restaurant. But the place has been in the works much longer than that. You could say the seeds were planted way back in the early 90s, when the two cooks were working at Daniel. Their professional partnership gave rise to Balthazar, Pastis, Schillers Liquor Bar, and Minetta Tavern, which means that much of what you think of when you think of hip, fun, consistently reliable New York brasserie and bistro cooking can be traced back to them.

Lee Hanson, at left, and Riad Nasr. Photo: Melissa Hom

With Frenchette, though, the partners would rather look into French cuisines vibrant present than its romantic past. They took inspiration from Pariss flourishing bistronomy movement, a modern approach to dining that is looser and more improvisatory, unfussy and often bare-bones. With dark-wood panels as sleek and luminous as a vintage Chris Craft cruiser, creamy wainscoting, and expanses of red-leather banquettes and booths, Frenchette isnt exactly the Corner Bistro. But the tabletops are bare, the wine will be poured into the squat stemmed water glasses that are so popular in many of Pariss buzzing bars a vin, and the menu will be printed daily to indicate the co-chefs desire to wing it like a couple of post-bop jazzbos rather than play their greatest hits the same way night after night.

Youll always be able to find certain things, though: charcuterie, oysters, and offal; a petite steak of the day, depending on which cut is currently on hand; a whole lobster cooked in a basket on the rotisserie and served with curry beurre fondue; duck-frites.

Yes, there will be frites  how could there not, from these masters of the form?  but the Frenchette fry will be slightly thicker than the standard set at Balthazar two decades ago, a happy accident on receiving equipment with the wrong-size die. (Its a touch meatier, and you get a little bit more of the creaminess of the potato, says Nasr.) Also, a veal-tongue-mackerel tonnato of sorts; and a cote de boeuf for two, but unlike the chefs Minetta Tavern signature, this one is cooked over a Japanese robata grill.

White asparagus with leeks, sauce gribiche, and black truffles. Photo: Melissa Hom

Raw scallops with apple, porcini, and Marcona almonds. Photo: Melissa Hom

Gnocchi Parisienne with ham and Comte. Photo: Melissa Hom

Nasr and Hanson have reunited quite a few of their old Balthazar crew for this venture: Jorge Riera, most recently of Wildair and Contra, is overseeing the beverage program, which is heavy on aperitifs and natural wines, including those made in the Loire Valley by onetime front-of-the-house man Laurent Saillard. And for those who remember the seminal 360 in Red Hook, its proprietor Arnaud Erhart has returned to New York after running a scuba school in Vieques to serve as captain and share his palpable enthusiasm for le vin naturel.

Roger Gural, who worked at Balthazar Bakery in its early days, will provide mini-baguettes for the table and morning pastries from his nearby Arcade Bakery. You can also credit Gural indirectly for Frenchettes burger, a simple tavern-style model that Hanson and Nasr were on the fence about adding to their repertoire, as all self-respecting chefs are at one point or another in their careers, until they tried Gurals proposed hamburger holder, a hybrid brioche-potato-milk bun that ended the debate.

Once dinner is up and running, Hanson and Nasr plan to serve straight through, like any good brasserie, from 8 a.m. to midnight.

The bar was partly inspired by Viennas Adolf Loosdesigned American Bar. Photo: Melissa Hom

A Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc made by former Brooklyn restaurateur Laurent Saillard. Photo: Melissa Hom

The Rose Piscine spritz combines a Catalonian rose, vodka, St-Germain, grapefruit liqueur, and soda. Photo: Melissa Hom

The dining room. Photo: Melissa Hom

241 West Broadway, nr. Beach St., no phone
MSFs Newest Project In South Sudan Brings Medical Care To Remote Locations

Its 8AM, and the MSF compound in Akobo, South Sudan is a hive of activity. In front of the logistics tent, staff carefully load tables, chairs, floor mats, septic boxes, medicines and other supplies into the back of a vehicle.

JUBA, 29 March 2018 [Gurtong]-Nearby, the Project Coordinator manages to simultaneously gulp down a cup of coffee while mumbling into a dusty handset radio. With still-unbuttoned life jackets resting squarely on their shoulders, a team of clinical officers, nurses, and community health workers discuss the days strategy.



By the time the South Sudanese sun manages to break through Akobos final layer of foliage, the compound is quiet and the MSF mobile team is already cruising up the Pibor River. Their destination: a remote village where no other health services exist.



Since December 2013, millions have been, and continue to be, displaced as a result of South Sudans current conflict. In Akobo, people fleeing from nearby conflict zones arrive on an almost daily basis. Some of our patients tell us how they make the several-day journey by foot and only walk at night when the fighting temporarily subsides.



Women and children make up much of the displaced community. While some manage to settle in with family or friends, others have no other option but to stay at the nearby primary school, where they have little access to food or water. Many are mentally traumatized after seeing their husbands, fathers, and brothers killed amid the insecurity.



Because of the ongoing conflict and resulting displacement, the medical and humanitarian needs in the region are enormous. It is in this context that MSF launched its newest project in South Sudan. Responding to the needs of both the host community and displaced population, MSF is now conducting mobile clinics that travel by boat or by car to provide basic healthcare where it is most needed.



Akobo and the nearby villages are almost entirely cut-off from reliable, quality healthcare, says Raphael Veicht, MSFs Head of Mission in South Sudan. Because medical facilities in the area have been abandoned or repurposed for other uses, this already highly vulnerable population has nowhere to turn to for basic treatment, he adds.



The medical team that left early in the morning has now arrived in Kier, an hours boat journey away. As usual, they bring their equipment to rest under the shade of few favorably positioned trees. Within minutes, the place is transformed into a basic healthcare clinic with a waiting area and makeshift tents used as private consultation spaces. Patients arrive and sit quietly on mats as they prepare to have their vitals taken, while nurse assistants ready medicines prescribed by clinical officers. After only two and a half hours, nearly 30 patients have been seen.



Well usually see between 50 and 60 patients a day, says Tut Kuang Ler, MSF clinical officer. Today, six patients tested positive for malaria, five young children have diarrhea, and we have one case of fungal infection.



With mobile clinics now being held in seven different locations throughout former Akobo and Ulang counties, MSF medical teams are treating over 2,000 patients per month. Meanwhile, MSF has begun building a more permanent structure in Kier; a primary healthcare facility that will be able to provide more advanced care. But for now, the teams remain mobile.



At 2:30 in the afternoon, the last of the patients have passed through the clinic. Tut Kuang Ler pauses and gives one more glance around the adjacent field, scanning for any late arrivals. None. Time to pack up and head back to Akobo, he says.










Japan Donates US $1,000,000 To Mine Action In South Sudan

The Government of Japan has contributed US $1,000,000 for the mine actions project Enhancing the Humanitarian Mine Action Programme in South Sudan.

Juba, 27 March 2018 [Gurtong]  Over the past six years, Japan has contributed over US $14 million to mine action operations in South Sudan, enabling the clearance of 3,034,713 sqm of land, the removal of 20,180 explosive hazards and the delivery of Mine Risk Education to 140,800 people, including 91,144 children.



Decades of civil war and continued conflict has littered vast areas of South Sudan with explosive hazards.



Despite the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities signed by the Government of South Sudan and opposition parties in December 2017, armed violence and clashes have continued throughout the country.



The continued use of explosive weapons, such as rockets, grenades and mortars, has hindered the safe movement of the civilian population as well as the delivery of critical humanitarian assistance. An estimated 6.3 million people in South Sudan  half the population  now live in counties where their safety is threatened by the presence of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). While approximately 150 new hazardous areas are discovered every month, the full extent of contamination is unknown with large areas of the country requiring survey.



Continued funding from the people of Japan will support four Field Assessment Teams (FATs) to mitigate the impact of explosive hazards, through survey and clearance as well as the provision of Mine Risk Education for conflict-affected populations. The teams will provide national coverage from their bases in Bentiu, Bor, Malakal, and Wau, to facilitate response in areas prioritized by humanitarian and development partners. In South Sudan, mine action is a critical enabler of humanitarian aid, a key driver of socioeconomic development, and a strong promoter of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



The Ambassador of Japan to South Sudan, H.E. Mr. Seiji Okada stated, the Government of Japan is committed to providing humanitarian, capacity building, and development assistance to South Sudanese people. The US $1,000,000 assistance announced recently is part of the US $34 million assistance package to South Sudan. We trust UNMAS, together with its partners, will continue its important work of clearing land for people to go back to that land, so that they can engage in livelihood activities such as agriculture.



Mr. Tim Lardner, UNMAS South Sudan Programme Manager, stressed the importance of Japans support.



We admire Japans strong initiative and vital support for global mine action activities and for UNMAS. The Japanese peoples US $9.3 million donations to UNMAS for this year will benefit mine action programmes in six countries, including Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Sudan, Syria as well as South Sudan. Japan has continued to be a supportive partner in mine action to South Sudan. Last year alone, Japan supported risk mitigation of explosive hazards through survey and clearance, as well as risk education, but also maintained an important role in allowing UNMAS to work with the government of South Sudan, through the National Mine Action Authority. It is great to have such a steady and reliable partner.






Haiti - FLASH : Sectoral General States of the Nation, installation of the members of the Steering Committee





Wednesday at the National Palace, President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by his wife Martine and Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, in the presence of, among others, the Speaker of the Senate, Joseph Lambert, the Speaker of the Lower House, Gary Bodeau and the President of the Court of Cassation, Me Jules Cantave, proceeded to the ceremony of installation of the members of the Steering Committee and the technical secretariat of organization of the Sectoral General States of the Nation (Etats Generaux Sectoriels de la Natio - EGSN).



List of the members of the Steering Committee :



Made up of 18 men (78%) and 5 women (22%) chosen according to their social, political or economic commitment.



- Mgr. Louis Kebreau, President

- Jean Claude Desgranges, Vice-President

- Jacques Edouard Alexis, Special Advisor

- Ms. Michele Duvivier Pierre-Louis, Special Advisor

- Paul Evans, Special Advisor

- Rony Desroches, Rapporteur

- Amary Joseph Noel, Spokesperson

- Paul Gustave Magloire, Member

- Rene Julien, Member

- Guerdy Lissade, Member

- Jean Emmanuel Eloi, Member

- Frantz Bernard Craan, Member

- Pierre Richard Casimir, Member

- Guy Michel Vincent, Member

- Mrs. Marie Carmelle Mentor, Member

- Mrs Eugenia Romain, Member

- Mrs Mimerose Pierre Beaubrun, Member

- Jean Lavaux Frederic, Member

- Franklin Armand, Member

- Yrvelt Chery, Member

- Claude Moise, Member

- Mrs Rosanne Auguste, Member

- Amos Durosier, Member



After a long process of consultation and dialogue in order to gather the opinions of all the sectors, the Head of State set up these two structures of piloting and organization of the EGSN which have for mission to produce a "Pact for stability and economic and social progress" to be submitted for validation to the President within 6 months from 28 March.



In his speech Moise pointed out to the chosen personalities "You have a historical responsibility to take part in the realization of a colossal work of transformation of our society" convinced that of the organization the EGSN arises from the necessity of bearing with the considerable number of missed acts and unfinished works concluded despite the great efforts made by successive governments over the last thirty years.



"This situation is no longer sustainable in the longer term. We need to focus our efforts on strengthening individual and collective capacities to deal with these repeated failures and create the conditions for all citizens to approach the future with confidence and determination," said the Head of State. While recalling that the reforms implied by the desired changes will not be cold, but that they will be the result of the voluntary membership of the entire population.



"To sustainably change our living conditions, we must not only do something else, we must do it differently. It's about our ability to achieve our legitimate ambitions of progress for all and shared prosperity," said Moise who believes that change can only happen through dialogue and voluntary adhesion of all citizens principles and values that make it possible.



The President of the Republic believes that the "Pact for the stability and the economic and social progress" marries that of Arcahaie in 1803 which proved itself by making possible the synergy and the mobilization of various insurrectional forces under a single command, that of Dessalines "The purpose of this new pact is to create the conditions to make possible major changes in various fields covering the four major sectors of activity: political, economic, social and cultural," stressed the Head of State.



The main areas identified and which will each be the subject of a workshop are: political governance; local governance; economic governance; environmental governance and land use planning; governance of the public and media space; governance of the education system; health system governance; cultural identity and social integration; order and public safety; Haiti's place on the international scene.



Download the Head of State's full speech : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/disours-EGSN.pdf (in french)



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Case Legagneur : Bones of a body without head found in Grand Ravine





Wednesday as part of the investigation into the disappearance on March 14 of the young journalist Vladjimir Legagneur, the Police looking for clues discovered on a vacant lot located in Sillon in the locality of Palema (Grand Ravine), the bones of a decapitated body and a hat.



These items were sealed and handed over to the scientific police. DNA analysis will be done to verify whether or not it is the journalist Vladjimir Legagneur said Berson Soljour the West Departmental Director of the National Police of Haiti (PNH). The hat will be presented to the missing journalist's wife for identification.



The police are still looking for the driver of the motorcycle accompanying the journalist.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23931-haiti-security-the-mystery-remains-around-the-disappearance-of-journalist-legagneur.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23928-haiti-news-zapping.html



TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Bahamas : 89 Haitian boat people intercepted southwest of Eleuthera





Local authorities in Eleuthera (a small island in the Bahamas) report that on Tuesday at around 3:20 pm, a man contacted by telephone the police station of Governor's Harbor (small town in the center of Eleuthera), claiming to be aboard a boat carrying Haitian migrants, who took water off the south coast of the island.



Following this information, Chief Superintendent Stephen Adderley and a team of police officers, as well as the Chief Immigration Officer, Shema Darling, traveled to the south of the island where they conducted in vain research activities. The HMBS Royal Bahamas Defense Force was requested to conduct aerial and maritime searches.



Tuesday night around 9pm the US Coast Guard aircraft finally located the boat. The HMBS "Cascarilla" vessel went into the area and intercepted the boat in the night, about 16 nautical miles southwest of "Governor's Harbor", 89 undocumented Haitian immigrants were on board.



The Defense Forces reported that they have intensified their surveillance and patrol efforts in the South Bahamas as a gateway for most illegal activities. Since the beginning of the year, 201 migrants have been apprehended in two consecutive interceptions near Inagua on March 11 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23821-haiti-bahamas-201-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-and-repatriated-to-the-country.html 70 others were arrested off Long Island in January and more than 20 were arrested after arriving at Marshall Road.



Eleuthera's immigration authorities also reported that Wednesday morning, a small boat in distress near Half Moon Cay, was intercepted with two Haitian nationals aboard.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23821-haiti-bahamas-201-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-and-repatriated-to-the-country.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23661-haiti-politic-fruitful-conversation-between-president-moise-and-the-prime-minister-of-the-bahamas.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23364-haiti-bahamas-70-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-off-long-island.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23141-haiti-bahamas-76-haitian-boat-people-intercepted-at-sea.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-23124-icihaiti-bahamas-114-haitians-repatriated-at-the-cost-of-$40-000.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23112-haiti-social-interception-of-87-haitian-migrants-off-the-bahamas.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22417-haiti-flash-tens-of-thousands-of-haitians-threatened-with-deportation-in-the-bahamas.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - USA : Trump approves a Congressional Law that includes $10M for Haiti





In the current political climate, Democrats and Republicans don't often agree on much, but in a rare act of bipartisanship, Congress has passed an omnibus package that rejected many of the White House's harsh budget cuts. The legislation, signed by President Donald Trump before lawmakers left Washington for a two-week recess, included $10 million to help Haiti combat cholera.



During the appropriations process, 36 House lawmakers, led by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), sent letters to the chairs and ranking members of the State, Foreign Operations committees in both chambers, urging them to authorize $11.7 million in the FY 2018 omnibus funding bill for this purpose. Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and New York Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-17), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, have long championed this issue.



"To allow Haiti, which has had to deal with more than its fair share of natural disasters, to continue to struggle under the weight of a human-made crisis is both inhumane and anathema to our American values. I am extremely pleased that Democrats and Republicans were able to join forces and do the right thing. It is my sincere hope that other nations will follow our example," said Congresswoman Wilson (FL-24).



"As a long-time friend of Haiti, I have been profoundly disappointed by the international community's failure to respond appropriately to the cholera epidemic, which was introduced into Haiti by United Nations peacekeepers. I strongly supported the inclusion of funds in the Omnibus Appropriations Act to stop the spread of this devastating disease in Haiti," said Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), who co-chairs the Congressional Caribbean Caucus.



"The people of Haiti have faced enormous challenges over the past eight years that are not of their making, and we should do everything in our power to help them rebuild and recover," said Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09). "I'm pleased to see this Congress include funding to help Haitians recover from the cholera outbreak and stop the spread of this disease."



"The United States should devote the resources necessary to end the cholera epidemic in Haiti and address the needless and preventable suffering. I'm pleased that Congress included funding to help Haitians recover from the cholera outbreak and stop the spread of this disease," said Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22).



"It's critical that we continue to fund effective public health interventions to vigorously address the prevalence of cholera throughout Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Caribbean," said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "There are immediate and long-term solutions to control cholera, and we must mobilize and remain vigilant in our efforts to support economic development, universal access to clean drinking water, and proper sanitation throughout the region to curb the rising incidence of infection and death from this treatable disease."



"I am proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to help fight cholera in Haiti. A cholera outbreak has killed 10,000 and infected hundreds of thousands of Haitians, and we cannot sit idly by. We stand in solidarity with our Haitian-American community in Philadelphia and their worldwide diaspora. We have a humanitarian duty to stand with them and support the multinational effort to eradicate cholera in Haiti because it is a matter of conscience," said Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-02).



"I have long championed the cause of the Haitian Diaspora and those who remain in Haiti as they face mounting challenges in creating a stable and productive democracy," said Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20). "I was happy to join my colleagues in our effort to ensure that Haiti received much-needed funding in its fight against the cholera epidemic that has been devastating the country for nearly a decade. I look forward to continuing my work on behalf of the Haitian Diaspora and assisting those in Haiti, as we all work to strengthen the country's democratic institutions and address the effects of the many natural disasters Haiti has had to confront over the years."



"As a former member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, I have fought for years to help Haiti recover from the 2010 earthquake, countless devastating hurricane seasons, and multiple public health crises. I am very pleased that Congress was able to work in a bipartisan way to pass this critical funding to fight the ongoing cholera crisis. The U.S. contributions to this U.N. fund are essential to giving Haiti the aid necessary to rebuild and recover," said Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13).



"America cannot turn its back on those suffering through the humanitarian crisis and cholera epidemic that the Haitian people have had to confront. As an appropriator, I'm extremely proud that I was able to team with Congressional Democrats, especially Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Frederica Wilson, who fought to secure this vital funding over the refusal of the Trump Administration to address this public health threat," said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23).



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8693-haiti-cholera-19-us-members-of-congress-militate-in-favor-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8947-haiti-cholera-ban-ki-moon-responded-the-letter-of-congresswoman-maxine-waters.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















(CNN)  In a move surely intended to put Washington on notice China's military has put on a show of force in the South China Sea, new satellite images show, with drills at sea and in the air to reinforce its claims in the contested region.

Analysts said the images, provided by Planet Labs Inc and date-stamped March 26, showed China's only operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, accompanied by dozens of other vessels in the South China Sea, just south of the Chinese island province of Hainan.

While the aircraft carrier has visited the South China Sea before, it was unusual to see such a large number of Chinese naval vessels training together in the area, Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies' Maritime Security Program, told CNN.

"I would say this is the new normal and this will not be a one-off show of force," he said.

China said Friday that it would conduct live-fire military drills in the South China Sea at an undisclosed future date, adding they weren't "targeted toward any specific country or aim," state media reported. The Global Times, a state-run tabloid, said the Liaoning would likely take part.

However, it wasn't clear if the photos were of the drills announced last week. The Chinese military has not released any official information on the Liaoning's movements.

The carrier group is only the latest in a series of military maneuvers by the Chinese government in March.

Images on Chinese state media showed armored amphibious vehicles training in the waters of the South China Sea on Monday and Tuesday. On Sunday, China's state media announced air force exercises had been carried out over the South China Sea and the West Pacific.

On March 21, the Liaoning aircraft carrier sailed through the Taiwan Strait towards the South China Sea, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry.

A U.S. State Department official told CNN the United States was concerned about China's lack of transparency around its military exercises and "associated strategic intentions."

Koh said the flurry of military activity was the result of a newly-empowered Chinese President Xi Jinping following through on his plans for the country's armed forces.

"This show of force is not just to symbolize that China is ready to fight ... There is a lot more resolute determination on the part of China to push the military to much greater degrees of readiness," he said.

Drills possibly in response to U.S. action

The United States conducts regular Freedom of Navigation operations (FONOP) in the South China Sea to reinforce their rights to sail unimpeded through the area.

On Friday, the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin sailed within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese artificial island at Mischief Reef, provoking a stern reaction from China's Foreign Ministry, which called it a "military provocation."

Ian Storey, senior fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, told CNN that while there was likely no connection between China's drills and the U.S.' most recent FONOP, the Trump administration had increased the number of operations since it came to power.

"It may be in response to this series of Freedom of Navigation operations, rather than just one," he said.

In the past week, a group of Chinese H-6K bombers, Su-35 fighter jets and other aircraft conducted a series of aerial maneuvers and strike tactics in the South China Sea, state media announced on Sunday.

They also conducted drills with bombers and fighter jets over Japan's Miyako Strait.

Koh said many of the navy vessels captured on satellite photos were difficult to identify individually due to the low resolution of the images.

"These 40 plus vehicles we see in the pictures all belong to a carrier strike group, mostly comprised of the major surface combatants like the frigates and destroyers, possibly one or two submarines, but the remaining vessels (are hard to determine)," he said.

China's naval might growing

The South China Sea is one of the most disputed regions in the world  the Chinese government has laid down claims to a large swathe of territory in the region, which overlaps with the territory of Vietnam and the Philippines, among others.

To strengthen its position in the region, Beijing has built and militarized artificial islands in the Paracel and Spratly island chains. A 2016 international court ruling found the Chinese government had no legal basis to its claims of historic rights.

Storey said in the past 18 months the Chinese government had achieved a number of victories in the South China Sea.

"They've been successful in getting southeast Asian countries to forget about the tribunal ruling, and they've applied pressure on Vietnam to stop oil drilling in certain blocks," he said.

In addition, their military capabilities at sea are only continuing to grow, according to Koh, with at least 40 new ships commissioned in the past year.

The Chinese Navy is preparing to take their second, but first domestically built, aircraft carrier, on its first sea trial, possibly as early as April.

The US State Department official said China's actions to militarize the South China Sea threatened to "undermine regional stability."

"We urge all claimants, including China, to manage and resolve disputes peacefully, without resort to threats, coercion, or intimidation," he said.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US challenged by China's navy in South China Sea."




Haiti - News : Zapping...





 Boss Francky  a powerful narco-traffickers arrested

Gary Desrosiers Deputy Spokesperson of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) announced that agents of the Central Directorate of Judicial Police (DCPJ) have arrested Frantz Mombrun aka "boss Francky", one the most powerful narco-traffickers who raged in the South and actively sought after since 2005.



Nearly 20,000 Haitians have crossed the Quebec border illegally

"About 20,000 Haitians crossed the border illegally between Quebec and the United States in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle in 2017. Part of them were fleeing the policy of Donald Trump, others were coming from Haiti to the United States. looking for a better life."



List of disappeared of sinking

Following the sinking Saturday, March 24 of a boat carrying 16 people on board in the Canal de la Tortue https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23919-haiti-flash-sinking-in-turtle-island-12-missing.html 11 people have disappeared, 5 have been rescued. Official list of the missing: Berlanda Manda (21). Elcie Placide (Madame Martino), Evenande Fenelus (35), Lorden Genele (22), Luckmane Monnestime, Metelus Anaika (17 years old), Pierre Rood kerby (16), Releine Belhomme (30), Reverend father Tanis Charles Wesnel Augustin (37) and Zephiren Esperance (23).



Artists and craftsmen : National contest

Wednesday at the village of Noailles, First Lady Martine Moise officially launched a contest for artists and craftsmen nationwide. This great competition, held under the leadership of the First Lady, Honorary President of the "Klere Ayiti" Foundation, will be spread over two months around the theme "Ayiti Klere jodi la miyo demen". The top 5 winners of this competition will travel to France for a month of training and make twinnings with other professionals to perfect their knowledge. "Through this contest we want to frame and strengthen the potential of our artists and craftsmen to maximize their profits for the good of the country," said the First Lady.



4 MENFP executives in prison

The 4 executives of the Ministry of National Education (MENFP) accused of embezzlement of subsidy checks for the benefit of 8,000 children, auditioned Monday by the Commissioner of the Government, Ocnam Clame Dameus https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23938-haiti-news-zapping.html have been imprisoned, they are Jacques Junior Divers, Cheriza Lunick, Harisson Matthieu and Jonas Metellus.



The PNH wants to empty Grand Ravine of its bandits

"No lawless area for the police. In the coming days Grand Ravine will be emptied of its bandits and accessible to all. We are asking for the cooperation of all the people living in this area," announced Michel-Ange Gedeon, the Director General (DG) of the National Police of Haiti (PNH).



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Vinventions and Alplast announce screwcap deal

By Michelle Perrett

Wine closures specialist Vinventions has acquired the 30 x 60 wine screwcap business of Alplast S.r.l.

The partnership, which takes effect 1 May, 2018, will see Vinventions add more than 200 million 30 x 60 wine screwcaps to its growing closure portfolio.

As part of the deal, which Vinventions claimed would position it as the third largest supplier of wine screwcaps worldwide, Alplast will continue to produce the 30 x 60 wine screwcaps exclusively for Vinventions, with the latter taking over sales, marketing and order fulfillment for 30 x 60 wine screwcaps.

Dr. Heino Freudenberg, president and CEO at Vinventions, said he was very proud to welcome the Goria Family and their Alplast wine screwcaps to the Vinventions Group.

As we further accelerate our growth in wine screwcaps and inner-seal wine closures, this is the perfect moment for us to expand our wine screwcap collection and to add Alplast to our well-established House of Brands, he said.

Francesco Goria, president at Alplast said the alliance would enable Alplast to focus on the production of more high-quality, cost-effective wine screwcaps.

We will accelerate our investments into the innovation and production capacity for 30 x 60 wine screwcaps in Italy and delight our customers with even better screwcap closures, which are produced by Alplast and marketed globally by Vinventions, he said.

Founded in 1953, Alplast S.r.l. also produces a wide range of aluminium caps for the spirits industry as well as for olive oils, vinegar, mineral water and soft drinks.
The week that was

By Jo Gilbert

In case you missed some of the headlines this week on harpers.co.uk, we have put together a review of the top online news, Q&As, and opinion stories.



Top Stories: The trade was dealt a major blow last night as it emerged Convivialitys bid to raise 125m in emergency funds failed, leading to its probable demise.

The news follows a tumultuous month of profit warnings and the departure of CEO Diana Hunter, leading many to speculate that administrators would soon been brought in to manage the breakup of the wholesaling giant, which spans everything from leading on-trade supplier Matthew Clark and Bibendum PLB to retailers Bargain Booze and Wine Rack.

With jobs and supply hanging in the balance, Harpers will be following what happens closely as well covering it in depth in our April issue, looking at not only how it all went so badly wrong, but what the future could hold for its products, customers, and staff.

We also bring you more from our shorter than usual, but news-packed Easter week on the links below.







Analysis and Insights: With International Women's Day 2018 falling on March 8, Harpers took a look at the outlets championing the trades female winemakers.

We also headed to mainland Europe for a bit of an Iberian focus, with features on both Portugal and Spain.



People and Opinion: What have Kevin the Carrot, a wine called Sex, and Anything But Chardonnay got in common asks Jerry Lockspeiser in this months column on the effect of trading under auspices of a nanny state.

And we heard from Robin Davis, owners and wine director at online retailer Swig.
Lunch And 15 Minutes: Federal Jury Finds State Land Use Commission Liable For Lucas And Penn Central Taking

by Robert Thomas, InverseCondemnation, March 28, 2018

As we reported here , the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii just finished a jury trial in a regulatory takings case (removed by the defendant State of Hawaii from Hawaii courts) involving a stalled development on the Big Island.

The jury has returned a verdict after 8 days of trial, concluding the State is liable under both Lucas and Penn Central theories, after only 15 minutes of deliberation after their lunch break.

But there's more to this story, because here's the buried lede. The court yesterday made this entry in the docket:

EO: The court proposes to enter an order awarding nominal damages of $1 to the plaintiff and then to enter judgment in this case. This will start the running of the clock not only for appeal but also for requests for fees and costs under Local Rule 54.3. If the parties have concerns about this timeframe, they should notify the court by letter no later than March 29, 2018. (JUDGE SUSAN OKI MOLLWAY)

Well, that's a drag.

Why nominal damages? The court's earlier order granting the State judgment as a matter of law on the just compensation issue ("Granted as to just compensation portion of the motion. Denied as to the rest of the motion.") doesn't give us a clue. The State's motion and its later bench memo tell us: "No just compensation evidence was admitted." Why? The court excluded the property owners' expert witnesses, concluding the opinions of the plaintiff's damages were either irrelevant or didn't pass the Daubert test.

The jury was not informed that the court had already decided that the most the owner could recover as just compensation was $1. As the State noted :

The jurys knowledge or belief that the whole case is about $1 will almost certainly affect its decision-making process. The jury sat through two weeks of (lets face it) boring and confusing testimony. They will be disappointed and perhaps angry that two weeks of their valuable time is wasted. They will not understand that their decision remains very important (and any attempt to explain why will be disputed and possibly prejudicial in itself). Effect on decision-making is unpredictable. Maybe the jury will just shrug their shoulders and say  Why bother for a dollar? Lets just find no taking and get done before lunch. Or maybe the jury will say or think: Bridge is only getting a dollar so it wont hurt anyone for us to find a taking. Either way the $1 introduces a wild card into the process and diminishes the chance of getting a true verdict.

Cheeky! The property owner agreed , and the jury was not informed of the court's $1 just comp judgment.

So here we are: a jury verdict that the State took property, yet a court-ordered judgment that the owner gets a dollar as compensation.

We're guessing both the State and the property owner will likely be taking this case up the chain to the Ninth Circuit.

This case came about after a property owner -- the developer of the Aina Lea project on the Big Island -- challenged the State Land Use Commission's reclassification of Aina Lea's land, just north of the Waikoloa beach area , from urban to agriculture. The owner also challenged the imposition of an affordable housing requirement. In the words of an order by the court last year, "Plaintiff Bridge Aina Lea, LLC ('Bridge'), the owner of the parcel, claims that, in reclassifying the land, the Commission and certain commissioners violated Bridge's rights under the United States Constitution, the Hawaii Constitution, and various Hawaii laws." Order at 1-2. For more detail on the claims, see this post, "Guest Post: Federal Courts Flashback - Takings And Vested Rights Challenge To Land Use Commission.

The litigation began as two lawsuits originally filed in state court in the Third Circuit. The first was an original jurisdiction civil rights lawsuit against the State Land Use Commission which originally sought, among other things, just compensation for the taking of the right to develop its property. The other case was an administrative appeal under the Administrative Procedures Act from the LUC's decision.

The State removed the civil rights lawsuit to U.S. District Court in Honolulu and promptly moved to dismiss , and this portion of the case nearly caused us to flash back to our Federal Courts class in law school, since it raised a host of procedural questions such as the effect of removal, whether certain defendants are "persons" under 42 U.S.C.  1983, whether the federal court must have abstained from addressing the federal takings claim, whether there is a state damage remedy for deprivation of constitutional rights, and zoning estoppel under Hawaii law, among others. The federal courts (District and Ninth Circuit) delayed making any decisions pending the outcome of the administrative appeal as it wound it way up through the state court appeals process.

Eventually, the Hawaii Supreme Court held the Commission was wrong when it reverted the land to its previous agricultural classification, but only because it did not comply with the requirements of state law (the Commission did not make specific findings of fact as required by statute). The court also rejected owner's state constitutional claims, and in a footnote, it arguably decided the federal constitutional claims, which had been reserved for the federal lawsuit, when it held the conditions were "valid."

The federal case, which by then was in the Ninth Circuit -- which had held off its decision pending the ruling by the Hawaii Supreme Court -- was sent back to the District Court, which in late 2015 in this order , got rid of most of the federal case. The only claims left unresolved were the property owners claim for just compensation and damages for the temporary taking of its right to develop the property, and a claim for damages for the owner's vested rights claim.

And as the District Court just concluded, all that amounted to was $1.

Ninth Circuit, here they come.

---30---

PDF: Verdict Form, Bridge Aina Lea, LLC v. State of Hawaii Land Use Comm'n, Civ. No. 11-00414 (D. Haw. Mar. 23,...
Louise Pagotto recommended to be next Kapiolani Community College chancellor

News Release from Kapiolani Community College Apr 18, 2018

HONOLULU, Hawaii - University of Hawaii Vice President for Community Colleges John Morton has recommended to UH President David Lassner the appointment of Louise Pagotto as the next chancellor for Kapiolani Community College. The effective date of the appointment is June 8, 2018.

Under Dr. Louise Pagottos leadership, Kapiolani Community College will continue its pursuit to achieve excellence as an innovative and successful model community college. Throughout her lengthy career at Kapiolani, Pagotto has inspired faculty, staff and students to be fully engaged in their journey to reach their goals, Morton said.

I'm honored and excited to have this opportunity to lead the college and focus the many strengths and creativity of the faculty and staff of Kapiolani Community College on a singular purpose: to inspire our students to change the world," said Pagotto.

Pagotto currently serves as the interim chancellor for Kapiolani CC in Honolulu, Hawaii. She began her 30-year career at UH in 1988 at Leeward Community College as an English and English as a second language lecturer and instructor. Since 1989 at Kapiolani CC, Pagotto has served as assistant dean for vocational and distance education, department chair of language arts and assistant dean for arts and sciences and the Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Technology. She then served as vice chancellor for academic affairs for 12 years until her appointment as interim chancellor in 2016.

Pagotto has more than 36 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator, as well as in lower education in Papua New Guinea. Pagottos long-term connection with UH began when she was an international student at UH Manoa in 1980. Her doctorate in linguistics was awarded in December 1987, with her dissertation on the verb morphology of Marshallese, a Micronesian language spoken in the Marshall Islands. She earned a master of arts in linguistics from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1981, a teaching English as a second language diploma from the University of Papua New Guinea, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in 1976, and a bachelor of arts in English with concentration in applied linguistics from Marianopolis College, Universite de Montreal in Quebec, Canada in 1971.

Pagottos role as an educator extends to the community beyond the campus as a coordinator for the Wo Learning Champions, a professional development initiative for faculty and staff. Her support for leadership included serving as a board member of the Community Colleges Leadership Development Initiatives Foundation. She has chaired the UH Commission on the Status of Women and the Women Leaders in Higher Education.

* * * * *

Kapi'olani Community College announces final three candidates for chancellor

Public invited to meet candidates and participate in open forums on April 6, 2018

News Release from University of Hawaii Mar 28, 2018

HONOLULU, Hawaii  The Kapiolani Community College Chancellor Search Advisory Committee has identified three finalists for the position of chancellor and has invited them to participate in a final round of interviews.

The public is invited on Friday, April 6, 2018 to meet candidates at open forums held at Kapiolani Community College.

Open Forum Schedule:

Friday, April 6, 2018, Kapiolani Community College, Ohia Auditorium

11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.  Jeffery Thomas

12:451:45 p.m.  Micheal Glisson

23 p.m.  Louise Pagotto

CANDIDATES

Micheal Glisson currently serves as the vice chancellor for strategic initiatives, and previously was the vice chancellor for academic affairs at South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, Louisiana, part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. He was the dean of allied health and nursing at Gateway Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, part of the Maricopa County Community College District. Glisson was interim dean of health sciences and department chair and professor of radiologic technology at Massachusetts Bay Community College in Framingham, Massachusetts. He has 35 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator at both two-year and four-year institutions, domestically and internationally, including Monash University and Charles Sturt University, both in Australia. Glisson holds a doctorate of philosophy in epidemiology and a master of applied science in physics from Monash University in Victoria, Australia. He received a diploma of applied science in medical radiography from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Victoria, Australia.

Louise Pagotto currently serves as the interim chancellor for Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii. She previously served as vice chancellor for academic affairs, interim assistant dean of arts and sciences, associate professor and language arts department chair, interim assistant dean of instruction, and assistant professor at Kapiolani Community College. Pagotto began her career at the University of Hawaii System at Leeward Community College as an instructor. She has more than 36 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator, as well as in lower education in Papua New Guinea. Pagotto holds a doctorate of linguistics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and master of arts in linguistics from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She earned a teaching English as a second language diploma from the University of Papua New Guinea, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and a bachelor of arts in English with concentration in applied linguistics from Marianopolis College, Universite de Montreal in Quebec, Canada.

Jeffery Thomas is currently dean of academic affairs at the North Campus and West Hills Center of the Community Colleges of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was formerly dean of academic and student affairs at the Miami Dade College Homestead Campus, part of the Miami Dade College System. Thomas served as dean of academic affairs at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. He was chair of social and behavioral sciences at Northland Pioneer College in Holbrook, Arizona. Thomas has more than 22 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator at both two-year and four-year institutions. Thomas holds a doctorate of philosophy in history from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. He earned a master of arts in history from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor in American studies with a minor in philosophy from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.

---30---

SA: Finalists for KCC chancellor announced
A HENLEY councillor is set to become mayor just a year after being elected.

Glen Lambert was made mayor-elect at a town council meeting on Tuesday.

Councillor Lambert, of Greys Road, is a father-of-two who works in IT and is a member of the ruling Henley Residents Group.

He said: Im very grateful to the town councillors who proposed me and all those who voted for me.

Its quite an honour and Im amazed  I didnt think Id be in this position a year ago. Im pretty nervous but Im looking forward to it. The deputy mayor-elect is his HRG colleague Ken Arlett, who was also elected in May but has previously served as mayor.

The mayor-making ceremony will take place on May 14. Cllr Lambert was proposed by Councillor Sarah Miller and seconded by Councillor Ian Reissmann.

Cllr Miller said: Many people probably dont know Glen very well. He doesnt seek the limelight but hes very active under the radar and behind the scenes.

This council has elected a number of different mayors and all have worked hard for the town and brought their own particular skills to the table.

Glen is passionate about Henley, is a strong community player and, above all, does the right thing.

Cllr Reissmann said: Glen is perhaps less well-known than many people around this table but its obvious hes passionate about the town.

He would like to put something back.

Cllr Arlett, who was a founder member of HRG, previously served as mayor in 1991 before standing down in 2007 to concentrate on his work as a builder.

He then joined the UK Independence Party and stood for election to Oxfordshire County Council in 2012 but was unsuccessful.

He was chairman of UKIPs Henley branch from 2013 until February last year when he resigned in order to rejoin HRG.

Cllr Arlett was proposed by Councillor Jane Smewing, who said: Ken has a wealth of experience as a former mayor and councillor at both town and district. He and Glen will make a great team.

Both councillors received six votes with none against and four abstentions.

Last years mayor-making ceremony was marred by controversy as HRG councillor Kellie Hinton took the top job despite Conservative Will Hamilton being mayor-elect and having served as deputy mayor for the previous year.

This followed two by-elections where Cllrs Lambert and Arlett were elected.

Cllr Hinton was voted in by eight votes to seven after former mayor Lorraine Hillier, a Conservative, abstained.

About 20 Conservative supporters walked out of the ceremony in protest.
Kennebunk Post

Extensive work on the steeple, the Aaron Willard Jr. clock and the weathervane of the 1824 building is complete.
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It wasnt long after Kitty Hawk that intrepid birdmen sought to overcome the challenges imposed by large bodies of water, beginning with Louis Bleriots English Channel crossing in 1909. Before World War I, bold aviators had already traversed the Mediterranean, North and Norwegian seas. By wars end, the development of large, increasingly powerful multiengine planes offered the possibility of spanning the oceans. Even casual observers anticipated that the British Daily Mails prize purse of 10,000 (later 13,000), offered for the first transatlantic flight between Britain and America in 72 hours or less, would not long remain unclaimed.

Journalists obsessively reported every move of the aviators gathering in Newfoundland, the launching pad for attempts to span the Atlantic. (Most missed the irony of aircraft being shipped westward across the Atlantic to take advantage of favorable winds if flown eastward back to Britain.) Keep absolutely quiet, cautioned one British fliers wife in discussing a planned attempt, as they want to get through before the Yanks have time to find out. Despite Britains hopes, in May 1919 the United States made the first crossing when a Navy-Curtiss NC-4 flying boat skippered by Lt. Cmdr. Albert C. Putty Read hopped from Newfoundland to the Azores, Portugal and then to England.

Within weeks, British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown had flown nonstop from Newfoundland to Ireland in a modified Vickers Vimy twin-engine bomber, braving appalling conditions and justly garnering the Daily Mail prize. Then, in July, the British dirigible R34 completed a round trip between Scotland and Long Is land, signaling the coming revolution in transoceanic transport.

But interest in pushing the barriers of flight was by no means confined to the Northern Hemisphere. In March 1919, Australias government had announced its own 10,000 prize for the first England-to-Australia flight, allowing 30 days for the voyage. Compared to the Daily Mails Atlantic challenge, however, it attracted relatively little interest, in part because eligibility for the prize was limited to Australians, but also because Australia was roughly six times farther from Europe than America. Even so, several teams began prepping for the challenge, including one headed by two remarkable brothers, Ross and Keith Smith.

The Smiths had been born in Adelaide, the sons of a station manager. Ross had fought with the Australian Light Horse at Gallipoli and in Egypt, then transferred to the Australian Flying Corps, first training as an observer and then as a pilot. Delayed by medical problems, his brother Keith paid his own way to England, joined the Royal Flying Corps (later the Royal Air Force) and served as a flight instructor.

While he was stationed in the Middle East, Ross Smiths aggressive flying impressed even the not-easily-awed Colonel T.E. Lawrence, who recalled how the pilot climbed like a cat up the sky to shoot down a prowling German reconnaissance plane. Scoring 12 aerial victories flying Bristol F.2B fighters, Ross twice received the Military Cross (the first for having landed and rescued a downed aviator), and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross three times.

Surprisingly, Smiths favorite wartime mount was not his speedy fighter but a lumbering bomber, the twin-engine Handley Page O/400. In August 1918, RAF Brig. Gen. Amyas Biffy Borton had flown an O/400 from England to Egypt, to support General Sir Edmund Allenbys upcoming offensive against the Turks and their German allies. Bortons flight gained widespread attention despite wartime press censorship, and Lawrence noted that the huge plane left Bedouins gaping in admiration as it stood majestic on the grass, with [other airplanes] like fledglings beneath its spread of wings. Piloting the bomber a month later, Smith attacked Turkish forces on the west bank of the Jordan. He later recalled that the big Handley Page opened his eyes to the possibilities of modern aeroplanes and their application to commercial uses.

In late 1918, Maj. Gen. Sir Geoffrey Salmond, Britains Middle East air commander, borrowed the O/400, together with Borton, Smith and two mechanics, Sergeants James Bennett and Walter Shiers, to fly to India. Eager to explore the feasibility of air routes to India and be  yond, Salmond ordered Borton and Smith to establish fuel depots throughout Southeast Asia for a proving flight to Australia. They sailed from Chittagong on the Royal Indian Marine Service ship Sphinx, carrying 7,000 gallons of aviation fuel. Two days out, while crossing the Bay of Bengal, the vessel exploded in flames, but Borton and Smith survived. Aboard another vessel (sans the fuel cargo), they undertook a three-month cruise as far as the Netherlands East Indies, evaluating possible landing sites.

News of Australias 10,000 prize whetted their appetite, and Borton asked if Vickers could supply a Vimy for an attempt, since while they were away another crew had crashed their O/400. Vickers, which was then competing with Handley Page for the emerging airline market, swiftly assented, undoubtedly realizing the potential value of such a triumph after Alcock and Browns success. Although Borton could not go along, Ross Smith could. Sergeants Bennett and Shiers were ideal candidates, and when Ross reunited with his instructor brother Keith, he both found his copilot and completed his team.

By that time, they were not alone; others had entered the competition, including a remarkable, too-little-remembered French flier, Lieu  tenant Etienne Poulet, who competed for a very personal reason. Poulet had been a close friend of Jules Vedrines, a noted prewar air racer, politician and combat flier from a working class background. Vedrines large family meant that he always needed money, and he came to specialize in attention-getting, financially rewarding stunts. In the spring of 1919, Vedrines became captivated with the prospect of flying to Australia, but first he and a mechanic entered a Paris-to-Rome rally that April. En route both perished when their fuel-laden plane crashed into a vineyard in the Rhone Valley. Thousands gathered at Paris Pantin cemetery for their funeral.

Though ineligible for the prize because of his nationality, Poulet was determined to fulfill Vedrines quest, hoping to raise money for the fallen aviators widow and children by putting on aerial exhibitions along the way. He purchased a twin-engine Caudron G-4 still emblazoned with its wartime markings and, along with mechanic Jean Benoist, left Villacoublay airfield, on the outskirts of Paris, on October 14, 1919.

The Smiths concern over Poulets departure turned to alarm a week later when another rival team, this one Australian and headed by Captain George C. Matthews, left from England flying a powerful new single-engine Sopwith Wallaby. But Matthews team soon ran into a combination of problems that thwarted their attempt. Not Poulet: By November, flying a rattletrap craft rooted in prewar design (it was powered by two obsolescent Le Rhone rotary engines and used wing-warping rather than ailerons for banking and turning), the French avia tor and his mechanic were already nearing Karachi.

Poulets journey had been far from trouble free, but the pilot and his mechanic managed to escape serious harm. Engine problems forced the Caudron down in the Persian desert, where the crew was quickly surrounded by brigands, but the fliers succeeded in standing them off long enough to fix their ailing power plant and take off again. The French team clearly possessed sufficient courage to belie its pilots marvelously inappropriate name.

Facing steadily deteriorating weather, the Smith team decided to launch on November 14, ferrying their Vimy from the Vickers plant at Brooklands to Hounslow aerodrome (now the site of Londons Heathrow) the day before. But November 11 dawned so fair that the team impulsively decided to fly to Hounslow, and the following morning they took off for France. That leg ominously foretold what the team would confront over the rest of the journey: The Aussies battled fog, clouds, snow and bitter cold before reaching Lyons. They left for Rome the next morning, however, soaring over the Alps and circling Monte Carlo amid clear, crisp conditions. When winds slowed them and darkness approached, they prudently landed at Pisa.

Rain and mud delayed their departure from Pisa, and a faulty oil gauge subsequently forced another precautionary landing at Venturina. They finally reached Romes Centocelle aerodrome on November 15, but extreme turbulence plagued their hop to Taranto, and cloud, mist and rain complicated the leg to Crete. They landed at Suda Bay, on the north shore of Crete, spending the night in a lice-infested British hospital.

The next day, November 18, dawned miserable and wet. Following a hasty departure, the poorly rested Smiths had to thread their way through a mountain pass, risking being trapped between layers of thickening clouds. Once they reached the southern side, the clouds turned the normally turquoise Med a dull, lifeless gray. Eventually the Egyptian coast appeared, and they passed the Pyramids and Cairo, then throttled back in a powered glide to land gently at Heliopolis, the largest of the RAFs Middle East airfields. A rousing welcome took the edge off their fatigue, but the team soon learned they had no time to relax: Poulet and his mechanic had already reached India.

The Smiths decided to forgo further delays, even at the expense of getting sufficient rest. On November 19, they left for Damascus, arriving slightly over four hours later after a veritable tour of Biblical sites. The mud was so bad in Damascus that they greased the Vimys tires lest the wheels become stuck in the boggy morass. On takeoff, Ross Smith later wrote, the propellers sucked up water and mud, whirling it in all directions, fouling the plane and crew. Nevertheless, they got off the ground, dirty but relieved, and flew eastward. Strong headwinds forced a landing at Ramadi, where Indian army lancers were thoroughly pleased to see us [and prepared] an excellent dinner.

That night heavy winds nearly overturned the Vimy. Gusts blasted the ailerons so violently that the control wires all stretched or broke, forcing Bennett and Shiers to make emergency repairs. Afterward, however, fortune smiled upon them: Excellent weather and following winds sped them on to Baghdad and beyond to the tiny port of Basra. There, the team took a day off to work on the hard-flogged engines.

On Sunday, November 23, they left for Bandar Abbas, on the Persian coast. Ross recalled that sunlight sparkled on our varnished wings, and the polished propellers became halos of shimmering light while the engines sang away merrily. Even so, the team was relieved to land at Bandar, having noted the chaos of scarred mountains and gouged valleys and the placid deceptiveness of the shark-filled gulf. The next day took the Aussies fully 730 miles over a treacherous landscape to Karachia flight made more risky by their growing fatigue.

At Karachi they learned the Frenchmen had reached Delhi. The local RAF contingent threw a dining-in, dashing hopes for a good sleep, and the fliers tumbled into bed late. After just 3 hours rest they resumed their trek. As they flew on, bleary-eyed, desert vistas gave way to lush foliage. Then, from a haziness of green plain appeared Delhi. Nine hours after takeoff they landed, too deafened by engine noise to hear the cheers of well-wishers. Little over 75 years earlier, it had taken Biffy Bortons grandfather 130 days to reach India from England; the Smith team had covered the 5,870 miles from London to Delhi in just 13 days.

Poulet, however, was still ahead, having already reached Allahabad. Despite that, the exhausted Vimy fliers rested for a day, fearing that fatigue might otherwise lead to tragedy. After an early departure on November 27, a defective oil gauge forced an emergency landing at Muttra, but then they were off to Allahabad. Again they found that Poulet had gone ahead, to Calcutta. Nothing, it seemed, could go right for the Smiths: As they tried to leave Allahabad the next morning, a belligerent bull delayed their departureuntil a brave boy distracted the animal long enough for the Vimy to take off, leaving the bull in sole possession of the aerodrome.

The flight to Calcutta was without incident, but upon the teams arrival at its racecourse, enthusiastic crowds nearly damaged the Vimy, forcing police to form a protective line. They soon learned that the resolute Poulet had once more leapt ahead, to Akyab, Burma.

Early the next morning, they were off again, narrowly avoiding disaster when two large hawks collided with the plane just after takeoff. It was the most dangerous moment of their flight. One raptor hit a wing, while the second shredded itself passing through the port propeller, which fortunately held together. Had it disintegrated, the unbalanced prop could have torn the engine from its mounts and sent the heavily laden Vimy crashing to earth. Despite the bird strike, the team flew on, passing over the Burma coast and eventually reaching Akyab, where a pleasant sight awaited: Poulets Caudron! The chase was finally over.

With the camaraderie characteristic of the time, Poulet and Benoist cheerily greeted the Australians, who warmly responded. The two teams agreed to launch simultaneously for Rangoon, but the next morning, November 30, the Aussies had to delay their departure. With their blessing, the Frenchmen left first. The Vimys greater power and speed, however, ensured that they still reached Rangoon first, by more than an hour.

The British lieutenant governor of Burma and his wife diplomatically cheered on both teams. The next morning engine trouble de  layed Poulet, so the Smith team departed alone for Bangkok, narrowly missing disaster again when the Vimy brushed treetops as they climbed away. Back in Rangoon, the two Frenchmen discovered the Caudrons engine had a cracked piston. Poulet fixed it, and they continued on. Then, over Thailand, an aggressive vulture dived straight down to attack the Caudron, shattering its right propeller, a twobladed version less robust than the Vimys four-bladed prop. Poulet pulled off a harrowing emergency landing on a mountain plateau.

The French team was out of the race. After repairing the Caudron, they returned home, having added considerable luster to the already impressive reputation of Frances hardy pioneer airmen.

Following their departure from Rangoon, the Aussies flew on to Bangkok, where they heard about Poulets problems. From this point on, only bad luck or mistakes could keep the Smiths from winning. Within a matter of hours, events would drive that home. First the Vimys undercarriage again brushed treetops as they took off, fortunately without snagging any branches. Then, climbing toward a thickening bank of monsoon clouds, they narrowly avoided being trapped in a box canyon. At 11,000 feet the wall of cloud remained and they could fly no higher. With no other recourse, they plunged into a moist, dark world, uncertain of both direction and attitude. As their disorientation grew, the Smiths lost control of the Vimy, which plunged earthward. Fortunately, it did not spin, and Ross Smith regained control. The team eventually broke out into full view of a glorious world, carpeted with trees, 1,500 feet below, as Ross later wrote. They followed the rich brown Mekong River to Bangkoks Don Muang airport, which the air-minded Siamese government had built five years before.

The team enjoyed the locals warm hospitality, and did not depart until late the next day, heading for Singora, roughly half the distance between Bangkok and Singapore. Escorted by four planes, the Aussies turned south and droned on down the Malay Peninsula as drenching rains turned the flight into a sodden nightmare. Wind buffeted the Vimy, and hail pummeled its fabric covering. Visibility de creased to such an extent that Ross nearly flew into a hill. For five hours the Aussies battled the elements before they broke into open skies.

An hour later they reached Singora, where Ross made a daunting landing, somehow avoiding flooded areas of the field and skirting drier sections festooned with rough-cut stumpsone of which ripped out the Vimys tailskid, the only serious damage the plane sustained on the entire journey. Repairs, locating fuel and stump clearingby convictstook nearly two days, delaying their departure until December 4. Even then, the takeoff proved to be a near thing; the muddy field slowed the Vimy, and crew and onlookers alike wondered if it could get airborne before plunging into the jungle. Their luck held, however, and they climbed away between low clouds. Smith dodged limestone ridges and outcrops, some hundreds of feet high, passing over Kuala Lumpur and Malacca before arriving at Singapore.

Surprisingly, Singapore lacked any sort of developed airfield. As a precaution, just as the Vimy touched down on the citys racecourse Sergeant Bennett shinnied down to the tailplane, using his weight to keep the aircraft from nosing over, which had happened when Alcock and Brown landed their Vimy on soft ground in Ireland.

So far the Vimy had proven very reliable, even winning over Ross Smith from his previous love, the Handley Page. But now his team had only eight days left to reach Darwin, still more than 2,300 miles away. They might run out of time, weather might ground them, the engines might irredeemably pack up or fatigue might lead to a fatal error.

At 7 a.m. on December 6, the team took off on a grueling 640-mile leg to Kalidjati, Java. Again the Vimys landing gear brushed the treetops as they lifted off, once again without any dire consequences. On this leg they crossed the equator, and as if welcoming them to the Southern Hemisphere, the weather improved dramatically.

Nearing Java, the Vimy overflew a sea ringed by beautiful islets and filled with the sails of fishing smacks. Smith next headed for Batavia, turning along a railway line and following it to an airfield at Kaledjati, where nine hours after takeoff the Vimy came to earth. The fliers were given a cheery reception by the Dutch governor-general and his staff.

Early the next day, December 7, they were off again, landing 350 miles further on, at Soerabaya, where the Vimy promptly sank in thick mud up to its axles. Thanks to order-shouting colonial officials and the backbreaking labor of conscripted natives, the plane was eventually extricated and set on bamboo matting. But as Smith attempted to taxi, the Vimy dug itself in once more. Locals again dug out the plane and maneuvered it across bamboo mats, gradually bringing it to the edge of the field.

But how would they get off the ground the next day? The Smith brothers determined that they would need nothing less than a whole runway fashioned from bamboo mats! Officials had the native population provide sheets of mattingactually the roofs off their own homesand then laid them end-to-end to create a runway. During the first takeoff attempt, prop wash blew some of the mats away, and a few wrapped themselves around the horizontal tail, another dangerous moment for the team. The plane also bogged down due to a punctured tire. For the third time the native work force dug them out, this time interweaving and securely pegging the mats into position. At noon, the fliers climbed into the Vimy, officials huzzahed and it took to the airwith the mats flying in all directions, Ross remembered. One can only sympathize with the natives, left to pick up the torn, scattered remnants of their roofs as they watched this symbol of European technology finally wing its way out of their lives.

The Vimys journey from Soerabaya to Bima went smoothly. Oddly enough, though, a mysterious intruder attempted to break into Ross Smiths quarters that night, scared off only when the flier fired his Very flare pistol. The next morning the crew left for Timor. They skirted an erupting volcano, landing without incident at an airfield that the Dutch had just finished building the day before. Then the two mechanics prepped the Vimy for its last great testthe 470-mile haul from Timor to Darwin. On the morning of December 10, the Smith team took off for Australia, scraping trees yet again after liftoff. Halfway across the Timor Sea they spotted HMAS Sydney, and buzzed the cruiser before continuing on to Darwin. Within an hour Bathurst lighthouse came into view, then the mainland, Darwin and the aerodrome at Fanny Bay. At 3 p.m., Ross recalled, we settled on Terra Australis on December 10th, 27 days 20 hours after taking off from Hounslow.

The Smiths had won the Australian prize, finishing the race with a margin of just two days and four hours. Slightly over a week later, Ross and Keith Smith were knighted by King George V, while James Bennett and Walter Shiers received commissions.

The team flew around Australia during the next three months, raising the morale of a country that had experienced, for its size, enormous losses in the Great War. In one of many congratulatory messages to the aviators, Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes proclaimed: This is an epoch in the history of Australia and aviation. Although you may not realize it, we have this day overcomethose geographical disabilities that hedge us about.It is a great thing that an Australian has been the first to get here.What did he do it for? Not for the 10,000.He has done it for the honor of Australia.

The Smiths Vimy still survives, at Adelaide. In March 1920, Vickers gave it to Prime Minister Hughes, and it thereafter became the only officially registered Vimy in the Royal Australian Air Force. Partially destroyed by fire when it was being transferred to a permanent home at the Adelaide/West Beach Airport, it was rebuilt and remains on display there in a shelter near the passenger terminal.

Sadly, Sir Ross Smith and James Bennett perished in England in 1922, when a Vickers Viking amphibian they had hoped to fly around the world spun to earth during a final test flight. Keith Smith, who worked as an Australian agent for Vickers, remained active in aviation until his death in December 1955. By that time global-ranging aircraft routinely traversed Australian skies, fulfilling the promise inherent in the Smiths harrowing passage from Britain to Australia nearly four decades earlier.

Richard P. Hallion served as the U.S. Air Force historian at the Pentagon from 1991 to 2002, and was the 2007-2008 Verville Fellow of the National Air and Space Museum. He writes frequently on aviation-related topics. For additional reading, he recommends: 14,000 Miles Through the Air, by Ross Smith; Farther and Faster: Aviations Adventuring Years, 1909-1939, by Terry Gwynn-Jones; and The Pathfinders, by David Nevin. Also see National Geographic Videos The Greatest Flight.

Originally published in the November 2009 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here.
It was business as usual even after the bison all but vanished.

Probably no late 19th-century American business venture affected Western settlement as profoundly as the buffalo trade. Even the railroads owed much to the ragged hide hunters; without them it would have been impossible to crisscross the Great Plains with tracks, let alone run trainson time, anywayupon them. Yet the bison-hunting business didnt start with any such ambitions.

For decades white hunters, like the Indians before them, shot the wooly beasts for what they could use or trade: meat for sustenance, tallow for cooking and candles, and hides for the heavy robes that fended off hard prairie winters. The great enterprise buffalo hunting becamethe colorful pursuit that made fortunes, spawned legends and all but exterminated a species thought nearly infinite began almost by chance.

Josiah Wright Mooar left his

native Vermont in his teens. In the fall of 1870, he found work in Kansas, shooting the plentiful Plains buffalo for meatfirst to feed soldiers stationed at Fort Hays, and then to supply the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe crews laying track westward toward Fort Dodge and the ragtag civilian outpost known as Buffalo City.

Mooars fortunes, and the buffalos, changed forever in late 1871. Though conventional wisdom considered the buffalos heavy, tough skin unsuitable for boot or harness leather, an English tannery had decided to give it a go and engaged Leavenworth, Kan., hide and fur dealer William C. Lobenstein to supply 500 hides. Lobenstein turned to hunter-merchants Charles Rath and A.C. Charlie Myers, who in turn contracted Mooar and several others to help fill the order.

When Mooar fulfilled his commission, he had 57 leftover hides. Reasoning that American tanneries could make leather as easily as English ones, he shipped the extra skins to his older brother, John Wesley Mooar, in New York City. Josiah sent instructions that John should try to interest the tanners of New England in the hides.

He neednt have bothered; advance word of the novel cargo reached New York, and John was beset by curious onlookersincluding several fur traders. He sold the hides nearly on the spot and soon sent his brother an order for 2,000 more. The tanners had discovered that buffalo hide made ideal machinery belting, crucial in the midst of a burgeoning Industrial Age.

The moment it became known that here was a new industry promising great returns, Josiah Mooar later said, all manner of men took up the hunters profession. What had been mainly a winter trade now became a year-round occupation. Depending on condition, hides brought the hunter anywhere from 50 cents to $1.25 apiece. The boom attracted many whose namesCody, Tilghman, Masterson, Earpwould later be famous for other exploits. By the fall of 1872, the railroad had reached Buffalo City, by then the hub of the buffalo trade andthanks to its military neighborrenamed Dodge City. By winter a chain of camps stretched from Dodge westward into Colorado Territory, each filled with adventurers seeking buffalo gold. Among the most successful hunters was Frank H. Mayer, who one day fired his Sharps .40-90 just 62 times to kill 59 buffalo and for the years 1872 and 73 netted $6,000 in hides.

Hide hunting wasnt glamorous. In the beginning, wrote Colonel Richard Dodge, then commander of Fort Dodge, every man wanted to shoot. No man wanted to do the other work. But successful buffalo running, as the hunters called it, required an organized approach. The typical outfit comprised one or more freight wagons with teamsters to drive and tend stock, one or two hunters for the actual shooting, skinners to strip hides and stake them out to dry, and a cook. Skinners or cooks also carved meat from the kills and packed it in salt. Contrary to the stereotype, hunters seldom left whole carcasses to rot; millions of pounds of buffalo meat went east with the hides, sold by the hunters for a penny to 3 cents a pound.

Jobs might overlap, but an outfit seldom set out with fewer than a half-dozen men. This was as much for safety as efficiency; the Plains tribes, whose livelihood depended on the bison, naturally took a dim view of what they considered poaching. Resentment increased when, having thinned out the herds roaming Kansas, hunters began moving south and operating in the off-limits Indian Territory.

This practice sparked the June 1874 Second Battle of Adobe Walls, in which a confederation of Plains Indians besieged the Texas Panhandle trading post, hoping to deal a death blow to the white mans buffalo trade on their lands. The scheme backfired; not only did the Indians lose the fight, their actions mobilized the U.S. Army. Expeditions were mounted, new military posts established, and the hunters now enjoyed limited protection from the U.S. military.

Thus the situation remained, more or less, for the next several years, as the toll on the buffalo continued. By one estimate, their number shrank from more than 12 million in 1871 to fewer than 400,000 by 1880. By 1889 the estimate dropped to a shocking 150. According to Colonel Dodge, The buffalo melted away like snow before a summer sun.

Buffalo hunters began looking to other means of support. Many, already invested in wagons and teams, became freighters. Earps and Mastersons became lawmen and gamblers. Still others took up another trade borne of the great slaughter.

It might seem the buffalo had already given the frontier economy its all. But, as The New York Times put it, Here commerce steps in again to ask for something else; the very last remnant there is left of an annihilated race. Fields of bones blanketed the prairie, mute evidence of the herds former vastness. These forlorn skeletons became a new cash crop. Eastern markets ground them for fertilizer or made buttons from them. Factories refined the calcium phosphate from them to whiten sugar or to make bone china.

Bone pickers earned from $2 to $8 a ton; a large wagon could tote several tons. Railroad sidings once piled with buffalo pelts now became sepulchers of bonemounds often 15 feet high and twice as wide, stretching as far as a mile. During the peak buffalo hunting years of 187274, more than 1,600 tons of bones went east by railroad. By 1883 Dodge City alone had shipped 4,000 tons.

Homesteaders picked bones to make ends meet, providing the perfect return-trip cargo for freighters making remote deliveries. Farmers and ranchmen, said The New York Times when they have nothing else to do, harness up their teams and go to gathering buffalo bones. Though not as lucrative as buffalo running, bone picking was easier, cleaner and less risky. The enterprise continued into the early decades of the 20th century, though by then many of the bones were no longer of bison, but of Longhorns and other cattle.

The twin buffalo trades were crucial elements to the American economy and westward settlement. The buffalo hunter, perhaps the Wests most colorful entrepreneur, has remained an American icon from the days of the thundering herds. In September 1877 the Dodge City Times published a poetic tribute under the byline Vox Buffalorem. It concludes:

Thank heaven, my boys, for a land which is blest,

With a frontier so boundless and free.

So drink to the hunter and drink to the West,

And pass the red liquor to me.

Originally published in the February 2009 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.
Fast, agile and futuristic, the RAFs Avro Vulcan nuclear bomber left an indelible impression on the crewmen who flew it during the Cold War.

The sleek, delta-wing bomber lands in the ocean, then slowly sinks to the bottompart of a plan by a menacing villain intent on recovering the stolen aircrafts nuclear weapons. The premise of the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball might seem far-fetched, but the starring plane played a very real role in the Royal Air Force during its more than quarter-century of operational service. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Avro Vulcan, which was designed at the height of the Cold War as a nuclear deterrent, is that in the only conflict in which the Tin Triangle saw service, it carried conventional weapons.

In January 1947, the British Air Ministry took the first step toward developing the Vulcan when it directed the Ministry of Supply to issue specification B.35/46 for an aircraft weighing no more than 100,000 pounds and capable of carrying a 10,000- pound bombload for 3,350 nautical miles while cruising at 50,000 feet at 500 knots. Since the RAFs primary bombers at the time were the piston-engine Avro Lancaster and its descendent, the Lincoln, that was a pretty tall order. Three of the seven companies that submitted proposals for the new bomber received the go-ahead to develop prototypes: Vickers, Handley Page and A.V. Roe (Avro).

Vickers Type 660 was viewed as an insurance program, since its design was much less radical than Handley Pages or Avros proposals. Considering the state of large jet aircraft design and construction in the United Kingdom, that wasnt a bad idea. The first flight by a Valiant, as the Vickers bomber was named, took place in 1951. It entered operational service in 1954, proving the worth of big jets to RAF bomber personnel.

A Valiant dropped the first British-designed atomic bomb in a 1956 test. Valiants also saw action that same year as conventionally armed bombers during the Suez Crisis, striking Egyptian airfields. By 1960, however, the Valiant was largely obsolete as a bomber, though it served as a tanker until 1965.

The second competition entry, Handley Pages HP.80 Victor, first flew in 1952. Featuring swept wings that incorporated four turbojet engines in the roots and a large T-tail configuration, the Victor had the largest payload capacity of any of the three designs. It was introduced to squadron service in 1956 and turned out to be a fine performer in its intended role: as a high-altitude bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

However, the Soviet Unions increasingly effective air defense system, particularly its high-flying surface-to-air missile capability, forced a change in tactics so that 1960s aircrews would have a reasonable chance of hitting their targets. Instead of flying at high altitude, RAF bomberslike their American counterpart in Strategic Air Command, the Boeing B-52were switched to low-level, high-speed ingress routes. The theory was that if the Soviets couldnt see the bombers on radar, then no matter how good the SAMs were, the bombers could get through.

Unfortunately, the Victors thin wing couldnt take the sustained pounding inherent in flying fast and low. After several aircraft and crews were lost due to structural failures, Victors were converted to aerial tankers, a role they continued into the 1990s.



The straight-wing VX770 Vulcan prototype first flew in August 1952. (Courtesy of BAE Systems) The straight-wing VX770 Vulcan prototype first flew in August 1952. (Courtesy of BAE Systems)

A.V. Roe and Company put forth the third and most radical of the jet bomber designs. Using newly acquired research from the Germans, Avros designers took an unusual approach. High-speed operations required a sweptwing design, but the desired specs for wing loading translated into a prohibitively long and structurally complex wing. The designers eventually hit upon the idea of increasing wing area by filling in the area between the trailing edge of the swept wings and the fuselage. This design soon became a flying wing, eliminating the need for a conventional tail. Control surfaces in the wings trailing edge, called elevons, served as both elevators and ailerons. Thus the Type 698 was born, soon to be christened the Vulcan.

Britains triumvirate of bombers came to be called the V-Force. It was the UK equivalent of Americas SAC while it operated. At its peak in 1962, the V-Force had 22 operational squadrons. A portion of each squadron, sometimes as many as four aircraft, sat on nuclear-armed alert at RAF bases, waiting for an order that no one wanted to hear.

Given the Vulcans radical design, Avro opted to build several single-seat concept demonstrators, dubbed the Type 707, which used a single turbojet and as many off-the-shelf components as possible to reduce costs. For example, they used the nosewheel and cockpit canopy from the Gloster Meteor fighter. Completed in 1949, the first 707 flew well with no real vices save one: At high speeds, the wings straight leading edge caused an alarming vibration. Designers added a kink to the outboard third of the wing, curing the problem. The kink would also be used on the full-size production Vulcan.

As the 707 tests progressed, initial construction continued on the Vulcan prototype. The first one was rolled out in August 1952. Serial number VX770 was far from an operational bomber, but it did yeoman service as an aerodynamic demonstrator, flying low- and high-speed tests plus high-altitude and handling-quality checks. Initially fitted with one pilots seat, toward the end of the year this first Vulcan had a second pilots ejection seat crammed into it. The resulting extremely cramped flight deck would be a constant complaint of Vulcan crews.

Once they had wormed their way into their seats, the pilots used fighter-type joysticks to maneuver the surprisingly nimble aircraft. The throttles for the B.2 models four Rolls-Royce Olympus201 (later 301) turbojets were located on a pedestal between the two pilots. Despite the B.2s huge wingspan of more than 100 feet, the Vulcan was often rolled at airshows, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

John Reeve, an RAF Vulcan pilot with many hours in the cockpit, recalled: At high altitude, it was a delight to fly. She needed strange handling techniqueslots of rudder and very little aileronbut with a low wing loading she could outturn all the current UK fighters if you could determine when to turn by using our radar threat receivers.

In the Vulcan as well as the other two V bombers, only the pilots positions were ever fitted with ejection seats. The remaining three Vulcan crew members, who sat about three feet behind the pilots seats facing aft, were supposed to bail out via the same nose hatch that they used to enter the bomber.

Looking aft from the nose, the leftmost crewman was the navigator-radar, who also served as the bombardier. He planned the target attack details and primary radar fix points, and took celestial shots when necessary for navigating. In the center sat the navigator-plotter, who worked in conjunction with the nav-radar to get the bomber to its target on time. On the right was the air electronics officer, or AEO, responsible for the Vulcans complex electrical system. The AEO also took on the role of electronic warfare officer as the Vulcans electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite was developed and improved throughout the jets career.

Roy Brocklebank, a long-serving nav-radar, shared a revealing anecdote about the jets cramped interior: To take a pee, the pilots had to unstrap from their parachute and bang seat, fiddle around under g-pants, fish inside long johns and underwear and extract ones equipment. Then, in a sitting position, open the chrome top of the pee-tube, and right next to the other pilot, let fly. After checking, of course, that the pee-tube was plugged in tightly at the base of the cockpit. For the rear crew, at least we could stand up.

One problem all Vulcan crew members shared was atrocious visibility. The pilots had only narrow, sloping windows to the front that left them essentially blind for 30 yards directly ahead, in addition to a circular window on each side, configured so that unless they contorted themselves like a tortoise with its head forward, they couldnt even see their own wingtips. The rear-facing crewmen had no view at all save that gained from a periscope the AEO could use to scan the jets underside. As Reeve said, Flying the Vulcan has been compared to flying a post box by looking through the letter slit.



An Avro Vulcan B.2 of the RAFs Scampton Wing, armed with a Blue Steel training missile, banks over Niagara Falls in 1965. (IWM RAF-T 5887) An Avro Vulcan B.2 of the RAFs Scampton Wing, armed with a Blue Steel training missile, banks over Niagara Falls in 1965. (IWM RAF-T 5887)

When the aircraft was first envisioned, its 50,000-foot-plus ceiling was thought to be the perfect defense against Soviet interceptors. The Vulcan was a superb aircraft and weapons system for the late 1950s and 1960s, Reeve pointed out. It could fly above the heights that Soviet aircraft could reach. We expected to be at about 54,000, and the MiG-19 stopped well before that. The addition of goodish ECM also helped, and what the kit lacked in subtletyno range gates stealing for us [a method of tricking the search radar via subtle desensitizing of the radars receiver], just noise jammingit made up for in sheer electrical power output. We could fry target radars.

Confidence in the Vulcans invulnerability at high altitudes declined over time, however. The downing of CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers Lockheed U-2 by a Soviet SAM, from an altitude more than 20,000 feet higher than the Vulcans ceiling, came as a rude shock. RAF tacticians brought the Vulcan down from the stratosphere to the deck after that, and crew training changed accordingly.

Reeve remembered the transition: We went low-level, which was fun, but the aircraft was never designed for this, and she was out of her element. Lots of basic things were now wrong, and there was never enough money to put them right. For example, the lack of ejection seats for the rear crew was never remedied. The Martin-Baker Company developed a system that could have been retrofitted to the Vulcan, but the RAF decided against installing it, anticipating that the delta-wing bomber would be in service only a few more years. New bomber designs on the drawing board would correct the problem, so why bother? They never imagined that all those new projects would be canceled, leaving the Vulcan to soldier on alone.

When it came to handling the Tin Triangle down on the deck, Reeve said: I first saw the inside of a Vulcan in 1969 when I joined 27 Squadron at RAF Scampton. They had just got rid of the Blue Steel standoff nuclear missile and reverted to the free-fall role with both nuclear and conventional weapons. Training consisted of about six trips a month, each about 4 hours. We had a problem because we had to do about 25 hours a month to meet the NATO target for operational proficiency, but the aircraft suffered terribly from metal fatigue at low levelhardly surprising, as it had not been designed for this.

As strong as the Vulcans delta wing was, Reeve continued, there were limits. As a result, we could only do about 30 minutes over land at low level, and low level for us was 500 feet. Even worse, being designed for high level, where the IAS [indicated airspeed] is low, the Vulcan had a low IAS limit, and we flew low level at 240 knots. Basic training aircraft with low-hours solo students would overtake us. For war we flew 375 knots with a one-off speed of 415 knots, which was the guesstimated speed a Vulcan was doing when it broke up at an air display.

We thus had to find another four hours of low-fatigue flying to meet the NATO requirement, so we spent the first three hours at 43,000 feet doing navigation practice. This was totally valueless for the pilots, and the navigators could have gotten better practice in the simulator. Add in some 30 minutes circuit pounding and 15 minutes taxi time, and you had a typical Vulcan sortie. But we met the NATO standard.

Although the SAC crews spent a week at a time on alert, waiting for the klaxon to sound, RAF bomber crews did it a bit differently. Roy Brocklebank recalled that most of the RAF bomber squadrons had one crew on alert for each 24-hour period. His unit, No. 12 (B) Squadron, held a crew on alert for 48 hours from Monday through Thursday, and another crew drew a longer 72-hour alert from Friday through Sunday.

During QRA [quick reaction alert], Brocklebank remembered, during the day we studied our wartime targets, or we might be preparing for an overseas deployment or a training sortie after release from alert. Or we might just be at the squadron waiting. We played hours upon hours of uckers, Risk or cards.

Unlike SACs scramble from a cold start, where the alert crews could be unaware of an impending exercise, we didnt launch the QRA crew unless it was an actual mission. Instead, we had constant exercise EDOM alerts [scrambling the crew to the jet without actually launching] about every 36 hours. If one had not been called during the previous crews time, we stayed ready because we knew it would happen during our shift.



An underside view shows the cavernous bomb bay with doors open. (MoD Crown Copyright) An underside view shows the cavernous bomb bay with doors open. (MoD Crown Copyright)

For EDOMs, the crew was brought to varying states of readiness. We maintained a 15-minute state, which meant we were to be airborne within that time should the launch order be given. We could then be called to 05 [cockpit readiness], 02 [taxi to the runway] or start engines.

We made it a point of professional pride to beat these times, and many incidents occurred as a result. The exercise would begin thusly over the tannoy, Attention, attention, exercise EDOM, and that was usually all the crew ever heard because we would have run like hell to the staff car to get to the aircraft. The tower would fire a flare, which told us what the alert state was. Usually the pilot drove as we hurtled down the taxiway. One crew I was on opened the inside rear door, and the right-hand and center occupants leaned out, held by the left-hand occupant. The open door and displaced weight acted as an airbrake as the driver whirled the car through a 180 turn to head toward the aircraft at about 85 miles an hour.

In the dispersal, it was slammed to a halt near, but usually not in, the assigned parking bay. The RAF police security guard simply let the crew through, no time for the SAC-style indoctrination identification protocol. The policeman then parked the car. One time the crew drove to its assigned parking bay, but the spot was already filled by a large fire extinguisher. Both car and extinguisher were write-offs, but we made the alert time.

Even though we knew an alert would be called during our QRA, we still had to attend to ordinary functions like showering and the like. It was not that uncommon to see a naked copilot racing down the corridor, holding a flying suit and covered in soapsuds.

Another incident occurred when our AEOs wife was pregnant. He couldnt sleep, so he left the caravan and went into the ops block to shower. Naturally, we got the alarm and reacted but couldnt find the AEO. At the aircraft, we grabbed the startled crew chief and sat him in the AEOs seat. If it had been an actual launch, hed have gotten a crash course in wartime SOPs!

Another difference between Americas SAC bombers and the V-Force was their ingress routes. The majority of SACs aircraft were based in the continental United States and would fly over the North Pole on their way to Soviet targets. RAF crews instead would penetrate from the European side of the Soviet Union. Most of the V-Force planned to enter via Norway or Sweden, where the Soviet air defense system was considered weaker. As time went on, however, even this area became a crapshoot for survival.

When I joined the V-Force in the 1960s, Reeve said, the red line on our charts was solid down the Baltic, but at least it was a thin line. The last look I had during the 1980s, it looked like somebody had had a nosebleed over the East German and Baltic coastlines. Whatever else the V-Force was, it was a marvelous economic weapon against the Soviet Union, because all of this was largely for our benefit; bombers coming from the U.S. would come over the Pole, not the Baltic.

The first line of their defense would be elements of the Soviet fleet thrown forward in the Baltic to provide an early warning line. They would have to operate their radars to be of any use, and we hoped to detect their emissions and aim between the gaps. Of course, if they spotted us visually, there wasnt much we could do during the day to prevent them seeing a large triangular aircraft trailing a long line of black smoke, so we hoped to fly by night. The main line of defense was at the coast, mainly their search and height-finding radars. Although we could try and jam them, we probably would have given ourselves away by our active transmissions, so we felt we had a better chance of getting through if we maintained EMCON [emission control].

If a fighter did find us, we did have a chance of evading, but it was always a near thing. In practice against our own fighters, remember I couldnt see him to judge the avoiding turnI had to rely on my crew and our antique tail radar warning receiver and ECM gear to judge the turn. If it was daylight and he could see us, we would eventually be dead meat, but at night we might have gotten away with it.

Both Reeve and Brocklebank related stories about simulated bomber-versus-fighter encounters in which Vulcan crews relied on ingenuity to defeat the hunter. Brocklebank recalled two such incidents: We were flying out of RAF Akroteri [on Cyprus]. We were to go to low level and try to simulate an attack on the base, and the [English Electric] Lightnings were to stop us. We ran in at low level from the Cairo FIR [flight identification region] and heard a threat call being made to the patrolling fighter on the intercept frequency. We turned. The target turned according to the GCI [ground controlled intercept] controller. He had spotted us on his radar and was directing the fighter on to us.

The intercept patter continued until we assessed the fighter had to be close-ish. Then our AEO transmitted, Judy, Judy [a call from a fighter to a GCI controller that means Ive got it]. Naturally, the controller is expecting this call, so he shuts up. The fighter jock would normally make the call, and he was not expecting it. In the confusion, we pressed in. By the time theyd sorted themselves out, the fighter was bingo fuel and had to either land or face a ditching.



Ground crewmen prepare the RAF display team B.2 at a 1985 airshow. (U.S. Department of Defense) Ground crewmen prepare the RAF display team B.2 at a 1985 airshow. (U.S. Department of Defense)

On another flight, again in the Mediterranean, we were caught between two Fleet Air Arm Sea Vixen fighters. They had us sandwiched between them on radar and would take turns closing in, for as we approached one, the other would fly closer to our tail. If we turned into the second chap, the first would close. It was only a matter of time until they were close enough to employ [simulated] weapons at us. Fortunately for us, their R/T was crap. Instead of call signs, they used each others first names. As we weaved towards them, they casually swapped eyeball and shooter roles back and forth.

At the critical moment, the AEO transmitted in a lazy drawl, No, Claude, Ive got it. We weaved merrily on our way while the Sea Vixens each broke off, thinking the other was administering the coup de grace.

Reeve admitted that in daylight the Vulcans size and smoky engines made it vulnerable, but he recalled one night training sortie against a McDonnell Douglas F-4 where the Vulcan gave a modern fighter the slip: During 40 minutes, he never got close. We probably weighed about 130,000 pounds, but our Olympus engines had some 80,000 pounds of thrust, and many fighters of the day couldnt boast that kind of power-to-weight ratio. Starting at 1,000 feet at 375 knots, I could be at 20,000 feet in less than one minuteadmittedly trading speed for altitude. Id only be at 200 knots, but the fighter could just not follow us on his radar. We did this three times, and he never got a lock on us.

Throughout the Vulcans career, it was always supposed to be replaced by something better and newer. It never was. Fortunately, it also was never called upon to carry out its doomsday mission, but it did see combat long after its designers would have consigned it to a museum.

In April 1982, Argentina invaded the remote Falkland Islands, an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom lying some 300 miles off Argentinas coast. Britain dispatched an amphibious task force nearly 8,000 miles to retake the isles. As part of their military campaign, the British launched several conventional bombing missions, code-named Black Buck, from Ascension Island, the nearest British territory that was suitable for Vulcan operations.

In a series of attacksas much a political statement as a militarily significant move the Black Buck raids struck radar and communication sites as well as the Port Stanley airfield, where the Argentine air force based some of its fixed-wing ground attack aircraft. The extremely long-distance raids required 11 Victor tankers to refuel just one Vulcan bomber, but given that it was an eight-hour flight to the Falklands, this complex plan was the only option. Thanks to brave and ingenious crews, the nearly 8,000-mile round-trip raids were successful, and no aircraft were lost. More important, the damage one Vulcan inflicted in the middle of Port Stanleys runway forced Argentine jets to attack the British task force from bases on the mainland, with the consequent disadvantages of operating at maximum range.

Even before the Falklands conflict, the Vulcan and Britains airborne nuclear arsenal were being phased out in favor of nuclear-armed submarines. The Vulcan entered its last phase of service when it was converted to the K.2 tanker. But even this role lasted barely two years. The last operational Vulcan squadron was disbanded in 1984.

An RAF display team flew the last Vulcan in service, XH558, until 1993, when it was sold to C. Walton Ltd., a private family firm that purchased the aircraft in hopes it would one day be returned to flying status. With the help of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, after 14 years and an expenditure of more than 7 million, XH558 took to the air once again on October 18, 2007. Today the last surviving Vulcan still thrills crowds at airshows throughout Great Britain.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Braxton Brick Eisel is the author of numerous aviation articles as well as the books 417th Night Fighter Squadron in World War II and Magnum! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm. Further reading: Avro Vulcan, by Robert Jackson; The Vulcan B.Mk2 From a Different Angle, by Craig Bulman; and Vulcan Units of the Cold War, by Andrew Brookes. For more on the last flying Vulcan, see vulcantothesky.org

Time to build your own Vulcan? Click here!

Originally published in the November 2009 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here.
The Texas Ranger was El Pasos first real lawman.

Before he arrived in El Paso, Mark Ludwick had been a farmhand, artist, harness maker and boiler operator. Standing 5-foot-6, with brown hair, hazel eyes and an unassuming countenance, he looked like the furniture dealer he would later become. But in 1879 he was the hard-riding, sharpshooting Texas Ranger who brought law to the Texas border town.

Ludwick was born on October 31, 1847, in Bates County, Mo., a battlefield in the bloody civil war waged along the Kansas-Missouri border. His family raised him amid a conflict marked by escalating butchery and savage reprisal among proslavery bushwhackers, Free Soil jayhawkers, Union troops, local militia, provost marshals, revenge-seeking Radicals and unreconstructed ex-Confederates. The Ludwicks were Confederates, although Mark wore a blue militia uniform in the wars last months, perhaps to establish the familys loyalty to the winning side.

After the war, Ludwick tried to make a go of various trades in war-ravaged Missouri, the Texas Hill Country and Arizona Territory, but no place or occupation held him. He was in Silver City, New Mexico Territory, in January 1878 when he heard talk of rioting Mexicans in El Paso County. For reasons unknown, he decided to join the fray. The so-called Salt War was nearly over when he reached the border city of El Paso, the Tejano insurgents having already fled across the Rio Grande. But a sheriffs posse of New Mexico outlaws, free to commit murder and mayhem against the citizenry, filled the power vacuum in El Paso County. Into this anarchy stepped Mark Ludwick. On January 10, he enlisted in the Texas Rangers.

Lieutenant James A. Tays commanded Ludwicks outfit, the Detachment of Company C. Tays older brother was Lieutenant John B. Tays, whose men had surrendered to the Tejano insurgent army, the only such event in Texas Ranger history. The units misfortune did not stop there. During the ensuing year, one sergeant brutally killed another, three Rangers deserted, one went AWOL to fight in the Lincoln County War in New Mexico Territory and another was discharged for drunkenness. One Ranger was shot dead when anothers revolver fell from his pocket at a dance. James Tays questionable leadership in an Indian skirmish got another man killed and endangered the lives of several more. Five prisoners in custody escaped, including future Arizona badman Curly Bill Brocius.

El Paso had long been a favorite spot for badmen. Sandwiched between Old and New Mexico, it attracted killers and thieves seeking to elude the law. Its notoriety as a criminal haven would grow after the railroad arrived in 1881. But in 1878, criminality reached the level of racketeering due to an unholy alliance between Sheriff Charles Kerber and New Mexico Territorys rustling kingpin, John Kinney. While the sheriff and his deputies looked the other way, and Tays Texas Rangers bumbled about, Kinney men became proto-racketeers, adding intimidation and extortion of El Pasos merchants to their usual routine of rustling and murder. Hampering the Rangers effectiveness was the presence of rustler moles, giving the Kinney band an edge in any war on crime.

The tide began to turn on Election Day 1878. Kinneys lawless bunch first attempted to intimidate voters into reelecting Kerber and then tried the same tactics on Ludwick (now a first sergeant, having succeeded Tom Zickefoose) when he showed up with 10 Rangers. But the lawman had grown up in a world dominated by lawlessness. Hed lived among those who were expert at doing their worst. Thus, the threats failed to cow him, and it was Kinneys men who backed down, giving El Paso its first honest election since the Civil War. Kerber was soundly defeated, and Kinney left town, undermining the remaining outlaws position in the county.

In December 1878, budget cutbacks prompted Tays resignation, leaving Sergeant Ludwick and just 15 men to keep a lid on El Paso, where desperadoes had fostered a siege mentality. On January 11, the lawman met with local merchants, promising to break up the outlaw gang. For starters, he obtained warrants against three rustler-racketeers, including former Texas Rangers Fred Northcutt and Red Cartledge. The problem, Ludwick reported to Major John B. Jones, was that the desperadoes never show themselves in daylight, but make their raids at night when unsuspecting parties are un armed. Ludwick promptly assigned five men to watch El Paso overnight.

Then, on January 16, in broad daylight, Northcutt and Cartledge opened fire on the Ranger quarters. This was not the mindless hurrah of rowdies, but an expression of contempt by men who had taken the measure of their former comrades. As bullets pinged against the door and zipped through the windows, Sergeant Ludwick ordered Rocky Mathews, George Loyd and Calisto Benevides to saddle up. Spotting the Rangers movement, the outlaws spurred their horses south. Undeterred by danger, and in violation of orders, Ludwick and his men chased their former companions across the Rio Grande and several miles toward Paso del Norte (modern Juarez, Mexico). The pursuit brought the Rangers to a large house, where the sergeant spotted Red Cartledge dismounting. The outlaw was the first to pull the trigger, but his shots missed. With the rustlers about to gain the safety of the house, Ludwick rapidly returned fire. The first round from his Winchester passed through Cartledges saddle horn into his head. In an instant, Ludwick turned his aim on the dismounting Northcutt. The sergeants second shot struck the former Rangers body, doubling the number of dead desperadoes.

The excitement was not over, as outraged Mexicans quickly surrounded the Rangers. Local authorities allowed Ludwicks men to return to Texas but tossed the sergeant in jail until merchant Solomon Schutz paid the bail. Once released, Ludwick renewed his pressure, sweeping through the rustlers hideouts and arresting suspects.

Ludwicks audacity and accuracy under fire proved a turning point for El Pasos Texas Rangers and the countys future. Seventeen leading citizens recognized this when they advised Major Jones: For several months, our town and surroundings [have] been infested by a band of thieves so strong as to defy all authority up to the present time. They have been permitted to exercise their infernal profession without molestation until last week 1st Sergeant Ludwig [sic]determined to put a stop to these marauders.

The citizens petitioned Jones to appoint Ludwick to permanent command, but Jones wanted a new man, George W. Baylor. Disappointed, the sergeant resigned in September and headed back to Hill Country, where he married Molly Howard. He stayed out of law enforcement, living a normal life until his death in San Antonio at age 89.

Under Mark Ludwick, El Pasos Texas Rangers stopped being more dangerous to themselves than to desperadoes. Times in El Paso remained squally, as Ludwick put it, but something had changed. Citizens understood it, as did criminals. No longer would outlaws hide behind the sheriff. And no longer would they openly defy the Rangers without fear of retribution. With firmness, courage and two shots, Ludwick had declared that laws, not outlaws, would ultimately prevail in El Paso.

Originally published in the February 2009 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.
In an interview, to be published in Hot Press magazine, she also reveals that shes received death threats, and was forced to take herself off social media, because of the abuse she was subjected to. She says that she would welcome a public apology for what happened in Jobstown from Paul Murphy TD, who was at the centre of the events which led to the controversial court case.

The former Labour Leader also criticises Leo Varadkars for not appointing enough women to his Cabinet.

She also says that shes believes we should introduce the so-called Portuguese Model to allow for the possession of all types of drugs  be it marijuana or cocaine  for personal usage without fear of being arrested. I just think the overall war on drugs has failed, she tells Hot Press
If you dont love where youre from, where youre from wont love you. And thats the essence of hip hop says Dublin rapper Mango. In essence, thats what the documentary The Truth about Irish Hip Hop attempts to address.

Directed by Gavin Fitzgerald and Mark Hayes, the documentary tracks the relatively brief history of Irish hip hop, meeting some of its rising stars along the way. Offering their own experiences and opinions are 2017 RTE Choice Music Prize winners The Rusangano Family, as well as This Side Up, Fifth Element, Doublescreen, Jafaris, Kojaque, and Mango, among others.

The doc follows a path from 90s musical group ScaryEire, to modern faces such as Rubberbandits, with Blindboy himself making a quick appearance, in which he compares Come Out Ye Black n Tans to NWAs F*ck the Police.

Watch the captivating documentary below
Just as as the global response to this raging war dwindles, this month marks the seventh anniversary of the outbreak of war in Syria.

Since 2011 close to half a million people have been killed there. And over 13 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance, while almost 6 million Syrians have been displaced, most forced to flee to neighbouring countries.

This violent conflict and unrest has led to one of the greatest humanitarian crises in modern times and the global response has repeatedly fallen short.

Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Foreign and Trade, Darragh OBrien TD has now criticised the international response to the brutal conflict in Syria.

The Deputy raised his concerns regarding the response of the international community and the United Nations Security Council to the ongoing Syrian War, with the Tanaiste yesterday.

Ireland is currently seeking a seat on the UN Security Council and with that in mind I have raised the use of the Russian veto which is obstructing the enforcement of a sustainable period of ceasefire," he said.

Our Government must continue to strongly press international counterparts to pursue a full diplomatic resolution to the Syrian conflict and recommit to providing long-term humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Syrians.

Speaking in Dail Eireann he said, It is particularly harrowing that in recent weeks we have witnessed the unfolding of further atrocities in Eastern Ghouta, where once again it is understood that war crimes have been committed.

The grim reality is that the international community and the UN Security Council, which is hamstrung by the use of its veto, have been ineffective in mediating a ceasefire.

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International diplomacy has done little if anything to protect those caught in this conflict to date and aid conveys to besieged areas continue to be blocked."

He concluded: "The steady outflow of refugees, the dangerous threat of the proliferation of nuclear weapons combined with the deepening sectarian divide have fuelled fears that this war may engulf farther regions; affecting more and more innocent Syrians"
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With Spotify Deeply Linked To Facebook, How Safe Is Your Streaming Data?

Recent major reveals that Facebook has been violating account holders' privacy has some Spotify users with accounts linked to the spcial network spooked and concerned for the safety of their streaming data.

________________________________

Guest post by David Lowery of The Trichordist

The public has woken up to the fact that Facebook is a spying and privacy violating machine. Governments in half a dozen countries have announced some sort of investigation into the company. What most people dont realize is that Facebook is not unique. Virtually every free digital app is spying on you and sharing that data with 3rd parties. This includes the music streaming service Spotify.

However Spotify is unique. More than most other services Spotify and the Facebook platform are heavily integrated. When you sign up for Spotify from a web browser, you are encouraged to sign up using your Facebook login so they can associate your account with your profile. To illustrate just how integrated the companies are when I was offered a free premium account by Spotify (a sort of peace offering) somehow linking it to my email address reactivated my deleted Facebook account! I am not kidding.

And over the years many other people have complained about the tight integration between Facebook and Spotify. Particularly bothersome to many folks is that they often ended up sharing playlists, or songs they didnt really intend to share.

There are probably two reasons for this. The first is probably relatively harmless. Major Facebook and Spotify shareholders overlap. Most notable are funds connected to Sean Parker (of Napster fame) and U2s Bono (Elevation Partners and TPG). But less famous names and funds share investments in the company.

Screenshot from Facebook Open Music Graph Developers Page.

But the more important reason they are so tightly integrated is to harvest data. Folks who think Spotify is just a music platform are mistaken. The overwhelming number of streams on Spotify are on the ad supported tier. It is here that Spotify trades OUR songs for YOUR Data. And much of this data goes straight into the Facebook data mining machine. As far as I can tell this has been going since Spotify first launched in the US.

"in some countries

if certain private information becomes public

you could die"

Most people are sophisticated enough to understand the difference between a public and private post. We live in a relatively free country where political dissent is tolerated; religious persecution is largely unknown and people do not need to hide their sexual preferences from the police. But in some countries if certain private information becomes public you could die.

That is why I dont understand why Spotify for Brands would brag about data harvesting of this kind:

Paging Chairman Xi, youve got some cultists.

Or perhaps worse?

What about countries that punish/criminalize anything

but super normative heterosexuality?

(From advertising campaign image by Spotify)

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Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo, Ward 1 Councilor Helen Moon, and resident Edward Carmel are petitioning for a restart of the Committee for the Homeless.

Pittsfield Council Looks to Restart Committee on Homelessness

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The City Council is looking to re-establish a committee to address homelessness.

City Councilors Melissa Mazzeo, Helen Moon, and former council candidate Edward Carmel have petitioned to update the rules establishing such a committee for the homeless in 1989.

On Tuesday, Mazzeo and Moon both said the committee would be aimed to combat what is a problem in the city. Specifically, Mazzeo cited a state budget issue earlier this winter that nearly left shelters unfunded as topics the committee can keep an eye on.

"I really think this is something we really should think about getting up and running again," Mazzeo said.

Mazzeo said she was approached by Carmel, who at one point was homeless. Just last year, he ran for a council at-large seat and had voiced particular concerns about an array of housing issues.

Moon said the issue of homeless is often overlooked by many, but there are a number of people facing the issue throughout the city.

"I think this is most definitely a valuable addition," Moon said.

Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi agreed, saying of the committee, "we can have blinders on or we can look out and see that we have a problem."

Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell added that the group could also be helped by bringing in representatives from local organizations that currently try to address the issues to serve on it. Meanwhile, Councilor at Large Peter White said the city does have funds directed toward homelessness through the federal Community Development Block Grant program and that such a committee would provide another avenue to help address it.

"The city is committed to helping with this and this is just one more tool in the toolbox," White said.

In other business, Morandi has petitioned the mayor to craft a backup plan should Covanta opt to halt operations. In 2016, the waste-to-energy plant announced it would close because the cost of implementing state-required upgrades wasn't feasible to continue operations. The city provided the company $562,000 to stay open because a closure would have significantly raised its costs for trash disposal.

The agreement had a clause requiring the company to stay open for at least four years. That would mean by 2021, with proper notice, the plant could decide to shut down.

"I don't think we want to put ourselves in this position again," Morandi said. "We have to have a backup plan."

Mayor Linda Tyer said she'd ask the Resource Recovery Commission to handle that task of developing the plan.

The City Council also filed a petition from resident Craig Gaetani calling for a Civilian Police Oversight Committee, but by only a one-vote margin.

Gaetani's petition read, "a petition to the council to reconvene the Civilian Police Oversight Committee. There is no checks and balances in the Police Department. With such poor management as exists at the Police Department, it is imperative that this board not be made up of has-beens and political hacks and this board be given real power to initiate real changes to make the Police Department more accountable to the taxpayers who pay all the city's bills."

Council Vice President John Krol said a Civilian Police Oversight Commission is different and that he has been in discussions with a group looking to start one. He motioned to file the petition because he feels it would be duplicating efforts already under way.

Meanwhile, White, who chairs the Ordinance & Rules Committee that would handle the petition, objected to its accusatory language that alleges that the department is mismanaged.

"I'm not going to support the language in this petition as currently worded," White said.

Councilor at Large Earl Persip shared the same view.,

"I won't support any petition that has name calling and personal attacks," Persip said.

Connell amended the petition, cutting off everything but the first sentence, in hopes that it could ultimately revive a committee. While his amendment was approved, the entire petition was voted down by a 6-5 margin. Those rejecting the petition were Krol, White, Moon, Persip, Council President Peter Marchetti, and Ward 3 Councilor Nicholas Caccamo.

That conversation did, however, trigger some talk about the number of committees that have been disbanded or approved and never created. Connell had asked for a commission to oversee water and wastewater operations, which was never formed. Morandi had asked to bring the Cable Commission back into action to no avail.

Morandi added that there Youth Commission had also been disbanded.
A diagram used to explain the new phasing plan. Area C, the last area planned for completion, is depicted in blue.

Mount Greylock Confident of Keeping Timeline, Planning for the Worst



Turner Construction's Mike Giso addresses the Mount Greylock Transition Committee and School Building Committee on Tuesday. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The construction manager for the $64 million addition/renovation project at Mount Greylock Regional School expressed confidence Tuesday that the building will be ready in time for the start of the 2018-19 academic year.

The elected and appointed residents who serve as committee members in the district still want to start planning ahead for what happens if it is not.

Mike Giso of Turner Construction addressed a joint meeting of the school district's Transition Committee and the Mount Greylock School Building Committee to explain the revised phasing plan for the building project.

As discussed by the School Building Committee this winter , that plan changed from the original target of moving classes into a three-story academic wing over the upcoming April vacation. The new timeline has all operations moving into the new and renovated spaces this summer.

But it is an admittedly tight timeline.

As laid out Tuesday by Giso, the last section of the building slated for completion is what is being called Area C, the new school's central core that ties together the academic wing, cafeteria and renovated spaces like the auditorium and gym and which includes the new library.

That space, at the center of the new school, is scheduled to be finished "early August," Giso said.

Everything else, except for the school's renovated auditorium, should be wrapped up by the end of July. The auditorium likely will be the last element to be completed because it backs up on the 1960 school building that is slated to be abated and demolished immediately after the conclusion of the current academic year.

"We have a high level of confidence," Giso said of the building's availability for the start of school this fall. "The fact that we're finishing a lot of these areas months before we have to have the certificate of occupancy in hand obviously helps with that  even though you could suggest we're pushing the envelope [in Area C]."

School Building Committee member Hugh Daley said he has confidence in the revised phasing plan but, joking that he is a pessimist by nature, encouraged the district to consider its "Plan B" if Area C falls behind schedule.

"We have a trigger point in there," Daley said. "At some point in about May or early June, you guys are going to have to make a decision on pulling down the back building. You have to have a timeline, and if you haven't hit dates by a certain point, you guys have to say, 'Don't touch that building.' "

Interim Superintendent Kimberley Grady told the committee that the district has just two options: have a new building or delay demolition of the old one.

"Typically, when you miss a mark, you have the opportunity to bus kids to an abandoned building," Grady said. "The only one in the area is [Adams Memorial Middle School], but their boiler system is decommissioned, so it's not an option. The other option would be bringing in trailers  If we needed that number of trailers, we'd need to know we need that now [in order to order enough]."

In the end, the School Building Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Transition Committee approve a contract revision that reflects the new phasing plan for the project after the district has consulted with its attorney to make sure the contract amendment preserves the district's rights as an owner.

But first, it heard from a Williamstown resident and parent in the district, Chris Kapiloff, who also is the chief executive officer of a glass company that is a subcontractor on school projects around the commonwealth. Kapiloff, who said he has worked with both the district's owner's project manager, Dore & Whittier, and its architect, Boston's Perkins Eastman, was less sanguine about Turner's revised timeline.

"I've literally worked in hundreds of buildings like this," Kapiloff said. "Honestly, I would give you guys a coin flip at best of finishing on time. You're admittedly razor thin on your schedule. If anything goes wrong  if a piece of equipment breaks, if there's a sprinkler system without the right pressure, I can give you dozens of things that have happened that are outside of everyone's control  especially when your schedule only give you one shot at the end to get everything right "

"I have no idea what's led you guys to this point, but if it can be four months late, it can be five months late. It's not hard to imagine [the timeline] moving into October."

School Building Committee and Transition Committee member Carolyn Greene clarified that the building project is "not four or five months late." Rather, the phasing of the project has shifted; the overall end date for the project, in December 2018, has not changed.

Giso told the committees his firm has "never not delivered."

"[Turner Vice President and General Manager] Carl Stewart made it clear when he was here last week that this is not going to be the first," Giso said.
Imperial Valley News Center

FTC Confirms Its Probe of Facebook

Washington, DC - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has confirmed it will investigate whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent decree after concerning reports about how it handled the personal data of 50 million users and how that data was transmitted to data firm Cambridge Analytica without those users' knowledge, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The FTCs statement reads in part: The FTC is firmly and fully committed to using all of its tools to protect the privacy of consumers. Foremost among these tools is enforcement action against companies that fail to honor their privacy promises. Companies who have settled previous FTC actions must also comply with FTC order provisions imposing privacy and data security requirements. Accordingly, the FTC takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook. Today, the FTC is confirming that it has an open non-public investigation into these practices.

In the 2011 settlement, Facebook agreed to obtain user consent for certain privacy setting changes after a complaint that the company changed user settings without notifying people.

In this latest case, widely reported by national media due to its possible links to the Trump-Russia investigation, users Facebook profiles were harvested by an app for data, which then passed the information to Cambridge Analytica, which has ties to Donald Trump's presidential campaign. This heightened concerns over whether such data were used to try to influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit vote.

Bay City News Service in San Francisco is reporting that Facebook users and shareholders filed four lawsuits in federal court in San Francisco and San Jose related to the data breach.

One suit claims the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company acted with "absolute disregard" for her personal information after allegedly representing that it wouldn't disclose the data without permission or notice. The suit says that during the 2016 election, the user was "frequently targeted with political ads while using Facebook."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has since apologized via several full-page ads in U.S. and U.K. newspapers for the breach of trust and said the company would investigate all apps that had access to large amounts of data.

Some companies, including Commerzbank and Mozilla, have suspended ad campaigns on Facebook.

"We are pausing our campaign on Facebook. Brand safety and data security are very important to us," Uwe Hellmann, Commerzbank's head of brand strategy, told Handelsblatt newspaper Thursday, according to Reuters.

Mozilla published a blog saying it will suspend its advertising until Facebook takes action to strengthen its default privacy settings. "Mozilla is pressing pause on our Facebook advertising," it said. "While we believe there is still more to learn, we found that its current default settings leave access open to a lot of data  particularly with respect to settings for third-party apps."

Some predict Facebook will emerge from the issue stronger. Analyst Brad Gerstner, CEO and founder of Altimeter Capital Management, told CNBC last week that Facebook hasn't even scratched that surface. There are tremendous pools of advertising dollars that will flow to Facebook in the years ahead."

In the meantime, lawmakers are calling on Zuckerberg to testify about the fiasco.

Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), chairman and ranking member of the House Commerce Committee, wrote in a statement that many questions "were left unanswered" after a briefing last week with Facebook officials. And Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) is also asking Zuckerberg whether the company attempted to notify the 50 million users who were impacted by the data harvesting.

Carolyn Everson, Facebooks vice president of global marketing solutions, told Adweek the company is taking unconditional responsibility for the breach. Were putting in very, very strong changes to our platform policy and to ensure, at the end of the day, the most important thing that we need to do is protect consumer data and to ensure and restore consumer trust in that we are really protecting their privacy.
Farmers for America a movie about the present and the future

Sacramento, California - On Ag Day last week, the Center for Land Based Learning hosted a screening of a wonderful film, Farmers for America, created by Graham Meriwether and narrated by the excellent Mike Rowe. Its a film I hope more organizations will bring to their local communities because it is such an important topic, and it poses some essential questions. Who will our farmers be? How can we support new and beginning farmers?

It was an honor to meet Graham and two California farmers in the film  Paul Grieve of Primal Pastures in Murietta and Megan Brown of Table Mountain Ranch in Butte County. The film captures the goodness of farmers and rural people  their connection to the land and love of community. It also addresses the challenges of farming and the stark reality of how dependent small towns across the rural landscape are on local farmers supporting local businesses, churches and schools.

The film shows hope and opportunity through the heartfelt desire of young people and returning veterans. They have a passion for farming and growing healthy food. Many of them are intent on building in their communities by selling directly to consumers through farmers markets and social media connections that will allow them to develop relationships with their customers and neighbors.

Please check out the film at: http://www.leaveitbetter.com/farmers-for-america/

I hope youll consider hosting a screening in your area soon.
Attorney General Becerra Calls on Facebook to Protect Users' Data

Sacramento, California - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, joining a bipartisan coalition of 37 Attorneys General, Monday sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calling for answers to reports that millions of Facebook users personal data was provided to third parties without their knowledge or informed consent. In the letter, the Attorneys General demand to know about Facebooks role in the manipulation of users data by Cambridge Analytica without those users knowledge, as well as Facebooks policies and procedures for protecting users private data.

Facebook left millions of Californians personal information vulnerable. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to fight to make sure that consumers personal information is kept private and secure, said Attorney General Becerra. My fellow Attorneys General and I demand answers on behalf of all those whose trust and personal data has been compromised.

The letter requests that Facebook produce information regarding their business practices and safeguards to protect users privacy. The Attorneys General raise a number of pressing questions regarding the recent news of Facebooks actions, including whether users were properly notified of how their personal data would be utilized, and whether Facebook had protective safeguards in place to ensure that data were not misused.

According to recent reports, information from at least 50 million Facebook profiles was given to third-party software developers without users knowledge or informed consent. Reports also allege that Facebooks previous policies allowed developers to pull the personal data of the friends of users who accessed third-party applications on Facebook.

Since he assumed office, Attorney General Becerra has made protecting consumers a top priority. Among other actions, he secured a record $18.5 million multistate settlement against Target over data security failures that contributed to the compromise of 40 million customers' payment card information and a $3.5 million multi-state settlement against Lenovo to resolve allegations that it illegally pre-installed ad-injecting software that compromised the security of its computers. He furthermore reached a settlement with Cottage Health System and its affiliated hospitals in California over their failure to implement basic, reasonable safeguards to protect patient medical information. Attorney General Becerra also opened an investigation on the Equifax data breach that affected 148 million Americans and over 15.5 million Californians.
California Department of Justice Steps in to Provide Independent Oversight of Investigation into the Shooting Death of Stephon Clark

Sacramento, California - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) will be stepping in to provide independent oversight of the investigation into the shooting death of Stephon Alonzo Clark. During a press conference with Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and Sacramento community leaders, Attorney General Becerra pledged that the California DOJ will lend its experience to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. The California DOJ will also evaluate law enforcement policies, procedures, and practices to identify ways to achieve safer outcomes.

I stand together with Sacramento law enforcement, city and community leaders to announce that the California Department of Justice will lend our experience to ensure the investigation into the tragic death of Stephon Clark is fair, thorough, and impartial, said Attorney General Becerra. We take on this responsibility in full recognition of the importance of getting it right  because there is nothing more important than respect and trust between law enforcement and the communities that they are sworn to protect as we work to keep all Californians safe.

While investigations of this kind are generally handled by local District Attorneys, the California DOJ is entering this investigation at the request of Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn. As part of the agreement with the Sacramento Police Department, the California DOJ will also evaluate police department policies, procedures, and practices to help identify ways to achieve safer outcomes for community members and officers.
Man Wanted for Sexual Assault and Indecency with a Child Turned Himself in at the Hidalgo Port of Entry

Hidalgo, Texas - A man wanted out of Mission, Texas for sexual assault and indecency with a child, both 2nd degree felonies, is now in custody after turning himself in to Customs and Border Protection officers at the Hidalgo Port of Entry.

Our officers commitment to keep our community safe includes the apprehension of felons with outstanding warrants, said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzaludas Port of Entry.

On March 22, CBP officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge encountered 48-year-old Luis Enrique Beltran Pena, a Mexican citizen from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico as he arrived as a pedestrian. Beltran advised officers that he had a warrant for his arrest and was turning himself in. Although the man did not have any documents to enter the country, officers were able to consult the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) database and found that the man was wanted for sexual assault and indecency with a child charges in Mission, Texas.

The man was immediately taken into custody and turned over to the Mission Police Department for further processing.

Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.
U.S. DOE Hydrogen Prize Winner Exports Innovative Small-Scale Hydrogen Refueling Appliance to Japan

Rikuzentakata, Japan - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) recently announced a collaboration on hydrogen and fuel cell safety research and development (R&D) data sharing to accelerate progress in hydrogen technologies with mutual goals of energy security, resilience, and economic growth. In the spirit of this collaboration, DOE's Fuel Cell Technologies Office is proud to announce that SimpleFuel, winner of the $1 million H2 Refuel H-Prize, is exporting one of the world's first hydrogen refueling appliances to Japan.

With this first U.S. export of cutting-edge technology innovation to our long-time hydrogen collaborator, Japan, the H-Prize showcases how federal prizes can be used to incentivize American entrepreneurs to accelerate technology advancement. The H2 Refuel H-Prize competition successfully challenged America's innovators to deploy an on-site hydrogen generation system to fuel hydrogen vehicles, which can be used in homes, community centers, small businesses, or similar locations. SimpleFuel's home scale refueling appliance can provide a 1-kilogram fill to vehicles in 15 minutes or less at 700 bar using hydrogen produced via electrolysis, with a cost-effective design that minimizes setback distances and reduces the physical footprint of the system. SimpleFuel is a collaboration of three companies: IVYS Energy Solutions (Massachusetts), McPhy Energy N.A. (Massachusetts), and PDC Machines (Pennsylvania). This approach complements the conventional retail fueling stations currently being funded by states and the private sector.

With support from the Japanese Environmental Ministry of the Central Government, the SimpleFuel appliance will run on solar or grid electricity for use with a Toyota Industries fuel-cell forklift truck at the Kesen Precut Cooperative. Kesen Precut manufactures high quality wood and wood chip products for the Japanese market with two production facilities in Sumida Town and Rikuzentakata, Japan.
United States and Poland Sign Patriot Deal

Warsaw, Poland - The United States welcomes todays signing in Warsaw of an agreement concluding Phase I of Polands purchase of the Patriot missile defense system, worth $4.6 billion. This includes a brand new, state-of-the-art command and control system for Polands air and missile defense. The signing of this agreement will strengthen the security and capabilities of the United States, Poland, and NATO along the Alliances Eastern Flank.

It reflects Polands investment in sharing the burden of collective defense through its ongoing defense modernization program, to which Poland devotes more than 20% of its defense budget, and is the culmination of commitments made in conjunction with the meeting between Presidents Trump and Duda in Warsaw in July 2017. It also creates jobs in both the United States and Poland.

We look forward to working with Poland to finalize Phase II of this acquisition.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) issued an alert this week to warn residents of an increase in opioid overdose activity throughout the state. The alert comes on the heels of the state recording 48 reports of opioid overdoses from hospital emergency departments from September 12-18. Have you or your family been personally affected by the opioid epidemic in Rhode Island? Let us know in this week's poll question below.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was anything but a passive dreamer.

Anyone who believes this narrative about King needs to revisit history.

Passive dreamers arent murdered. Activists are. On April 4, 1968, one bullet entered Kings face  his right jaw to be exact. That bullet traveled throughhis neck, severed his spine and stopped in his shoulder blade, killing him.

He had a dream, Indiana University history professor Alex Lichtenstein said. Its just that I think we as a society, whites in particular, have sanitized that dream into a dream that were all comfortable with. His dream was far more challenging and radical than that.

While he used nonviolent resistance as his weapon of choice, King was a fighter. He fought for civil rights, human rights, and economic and social justice.

He used nonviolence to expose the hypocrisy, said Jakobi Williams, an associate professor of history at Indiana University. In doing so, you get sympathy. People forget this is the Cold War at this particular time, and America is presenting itself as the beacon of freedom and equality for all. He used nonviolence to advertise this contradiction throughout all of the world.

More than a dream

Those who often invoke Kings I Have a Dream speech recall his hope for a colorblind society where people are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. However, those same people conveniently forget I Have a Dream was but one speech  and there was much more in that speech. King called out America for not living up to its promise of freedom and justice for all. King spoke to the urgency of now, calling out white liberals  and Blacks  who believed that progress will happen one day, little by little; just be patient.

In Kings speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence, given exactly one year before his assassination, he called the U.S. government to task as a purveyor of violence, much to the chagrin of his supporters and President Lyndon B. Johnson, considered an ally of the civil rights movement.

Johnson and the rest of the Democratic establishment said, What are you doing? Lichtenstein said. Even people in the civil rights establishment said, What are you doing? And he said, I have to speak out on this.

On August 31, 1967, King delivered the speech The Three Evils of Society, naming racism, excessive materialism and militarism as the plaque of Western civilization. At his death, he was in Memphis to advocate for Black sanitation workers. Its not lost on those who study history and King that his death happened at a time when he broadened his focus to economic injustice with the Poor Peoples Campaign.

Hes advocating for equitable distribution of wealth, Williams said. Those who make more money pay more taxes. Those who make less money pay less taxes. King might still be alive if he wasnt an anti-capitalist.

King, the intellectual

Another often overlooked fact is King was only 39 years old at his death. He accomplished a lot in very little time. He was just 25 years old when he became pastor of Dexter Avenue Church. King came from a middle class family, and though people today eschew intellectuals as being out-of-touch elitists, King was highly educated, said Terri Jett, associate professor of political science at Butler University.

He was a brilliant young man, Jett said. He skipped two grades in high school. He was 15 years old when he started college. We position the intellectual as someone whos not connected to the community. We think of them in the ivory tower, of their head in books. He was studying ethics, and he had a degree in sociology. He knew how to understand statistics.

King, the radical

King was nothing short of a revolutionary.

A radical.

Over the years weve sort of slapped this term radical on groups that we see as being negative when it comes to change, said Stephanie Mahin, a professor of communications at University of Indianapolis. So to use the word radical in the same sentence as it relates to Dr. King messes with our minds  it sort of distorts the more palatable narrative and framing thats been placed around him.

Again, Martin Luther King Jr. was a radical.

When we talk about radical Dr. King, really what were talking about is the revolutionary, Mahin added. Were talking about the progressive, and were talking about the reformist.

Contact Editor Oseye Boyd at 317-762-7850. Follow her on Twitter @oseye_boyd.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. telephones aides during a stopover on the afternoon of August 14, 1965 in Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Bourdier)
When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, riots broke out in major cities across the U.S. These demonstrations, later known as the Holy Week Uprising, caused 39 deaths, 21,000 arrests and were thought to be the largest show of social unrest experienced in the U.S. since the Civil War.

In Indianapolis, however, the Black community stayed eerily silent. The city credits a moving speech made by presidential candidate Robert Kennedy for the peace, but many Indianapolis residents feel there is more to the story. The Recorder spoke with a local historian to learn more about that noteworthy night and to dig up the real reason that Indianapolis stayed quiet.

On April 4, 1968, about 2,500 Indianapolis residents gathered at 17th and Broadway streets to hear Kennedy give a campaign speech. When Kennedy arrived he announced to the crowd that Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed. (Photo/Wikipedia)

Kennedys speech

On April 4, 1968, 2,500 Indianapolis residents, Black and white, young and old, gathered at 17th and Broadway streets to hear Kennedy give a campaign speech. As the group waited for Kennedys arrival, speculations regarding the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. began to spread throughout the crowd. It was all hearsay, of course  in the 60s confirming breaking news was a little harder than pulling out a smartphone. When Kennedy arrived and announced to the crowd that King had been killed, he confirmed their greatest fears before calling for the diverse crowd to remain unified while working toward love and justice for all.

The vast majority of white people and the vast majority of Black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life and want justice for all human beings who abide in our land, Kennedy said during his speech. Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.

Many residents felt Kennedys speech was the reason Indianapolis stayed peaceful. However, the entire Black community wasnt there to hear him speak. Richard Pierce, a historian of twentieth-century American history who specializes in the urban experience of African-Americans, feels there is more to the story.

Richard Pierce is a historian of twentieth-century American history who specializes in the urban experience of African-Americans.

Indianapolis Response

I know the common interpretation is that (Kennedy), through his speech, calmed people, but thats just so patronizing, Pierce said. Indianapolis African-Americans never had a history of violence, or outburst or large protest. That just had not been their experience. So, for them to act atypical of their history, that seems unlikely.

Pierce is the author of Polite Protest: The Political Economy of Race in Indianapolis. In his book, he explores how Indianapolis differs from other Midwestern cities when it comes to racerelations in the public and cultural spheres.

Pierce says many factors played into the reasons Black Hoosiers did not riot that night. One reason was that the Black community in Indianapolis was spread out, making it harder to come together for unified protests.

Indianapolis has never really had a large central core, there are places like Martindale-Brightwood, Butler-Tarkington, the Canal and the Near Westside, Pierce said. There have been multiple spots where there were Black neighborhoods, but there was not one Black neighborhood.

Beyond being spread out, Pierce feels the political and socioeconomic structure of the citys Black community was the main reason the city stayed quiet.

Up until 1950, he explained, Indianapolis had the largest Black community of all northern cities.Larger cities such as Chicago and Detroit may have had a greater raw number of Black people, but they had a lower percentage overall.

Indianapolis had to deal with African-Americans in a way that other cities did not, Pierce said. African-Americans were more integrated into the business operation of the city. There was a more diverse African-American population in terms of socio-economic background. They had a higher rate of home ownership, a higher level of income than similar communities in the Midwest, so this was not an impoverished community, they had tendrils of economic success.

In other words, Black people in Indianapolis had more to lose by rioting. They were forced to ask themselves if negotiating with city leaders would get more results.

They (Black people) chose to negotiate, form committees and that type of thing rather than violent outbursts or large-scale demonstrations, said Pierce. They were in negotiation mode rather than active protest mode.

To negotiate or demonstrate?

The most recent large-scale race riot in Indianapolis took place in July of 1995 after Danny Sales, a Black man, was allegedly handcuffed and then beaten by white officers. Protesters broke into a drug store and a pawn shop on College Avenue, and police officers used armored vehicles and tear gas to disrupt the crowd.

Community members gathered at the City-County Building in Indianapolis hours after learning the two officers who fatally shot Aaron Bailey would not face criminal charges. The event was peaceful despite demonstrators overwhelming emotions. (Photo/Ebony Marie Chappel)

Recent local demonstrations have been much more peaceful and include National Walkout Day, March for Our Lives and the Womens March. Black activists, in particular, came out in full force after the shooting death of Aaron Bailey by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer.

When asked if Blacks in Indianapolis are becoming more apt to protest, Pierce said its hard to know for certain.

Indianapolis African-American community was always active, historically, Pierce said. Its just that their work was done quietly and non-assertively. I see more African-Americans in Indianapolis willing to participate, but I would hasten to add that more people of every orientation are more willing to act than they were in the past.

Pierce feels both negotiations and demonstrations are important, and that activists should be prepared to use multiple techniques.

Demonstrations garner attention but the application of goals often come through negotiations and agreement, said Pierce. In the battle, the hunter needs many arrows in his quiver.

Contact reporter Keshia McEntire at 317-762-7853. Follow her on Twitter @Keshiamc12.

Ethel Kennedy shakes hands with Martin Luther King III after she and her husband Robert F. Kennedy, center, visited his mother Coretta Scott King at her Atlanta home, April 8, 1968. (AP Photo)
On April 4, 1968, Robert Kennedy, the younger brother of John F. Kennedy, stood on a podium in what is now Kennedy-King Park at 17th and Broadway streets. His face was stern, his eyes filled with tears, his demeanor calm. He looked out to the predominantly black crowd and shared the disturbing news. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated outside of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. The crowd was silent, in a state of shock. What was originally planned to be a campaign rally for Kennedys presidential run became a time of mourning. Kennedy did not give a campaign speech that evening. Five people in attendance shared their thoughts on the day, what Dr. King and Kennedy meant to them and where race relations are now  50 years later.

Loran Morris

At the time of Kennedys speech, Loran Morris was a high school senior, attending school just a block and a half from where the speech took place. We had gotten out of school early, it was a nice sunny day, she recalled. I was familiar with [Roberts] brother and his policies, so I was eager to hear him speak.

Morris did not expect what happened when Kennedy stood to address the crowd. Once the crowd was told King was assassinated she says all you could hear were people mourning. We were shocked, she said. People fell on their knees. I was close to a tree and just clung to the tree. We all hollered out, screamed, cried. It was a loss. We were scared, we thought Whats going to happen now?

Kennedys speech that evening was short. Morris says she remembers going home and feeling numb. She couldnt imagine how things would improve for Black people in America. To this day, she still feels that way and is disheartened by the amount of progress weve made as a society. I think things are worse, she said. Weve just gone backwards with our beliefs and values. Weve lost so many lives that shouldnt have been lost. Im just keeping my faith and praying all the time for peace all over the United States and for people to know that they are cared about. Im hurting for all people going through something and hoping that things will change.

Michael Riley

As president of the Young State Democrats in 1968, Michael Riley wanted to hear Kennedy speak because he felt Kennedy was the most promising candidate in the upcoming presidential election. He wanted to be part of Kennedys campaign and help get him elected.

Riley did not hear a political speech that day, but what he did hear still sticks with him. [Kennedy] was an extremely compassionate and kind man and I always felt like he was saying were all in this together, Riley said. He had experienced losing his brother who was also assassinated and so he didnt want the assassination of Dr. King to destroy what we could build as a country. He was a voice of reason in a very emotional time.

Jim Trulock

Jim Trulock decided to attend Kennedys campaign speech to hear his plans for automobile workers. At the time, he worked in a Chrysler electrical plant and was a member of the United Auto Workers union. When he arrived to the park where Kennedy was set to speak, not many people were present yet. He wasnt there long before a friend ran up to him and alerted him King had been shot. A few minutes later, she returned and said he had died. It was the strangest feeling of anger, shock and grief all mixed together and I think everyone felt that, he said.

As Trulock turned his attention to Kennedys speech, he was glad to hear him focus on uniting the people in the crowd. What we heard from Kennedy that night had nothing to do with any prepared speech, Trulock said. He spoke from the heart. At the time a good half of the crowd hadnt heard of Dr. Kings assassination, so when he made that announcement you could hear this gasps amongst the crowd. Ive heard a lot of speeches in my life, Im 80 years old, but it was the best speech Ive heard to this date.

As far as the progress society has made in the last 50 years, Trulock is optimistic. He likes to borrow a saying from a mentor of his: Anything worth doing is worth doing imperfectly. In other words, just because we wont do things right all the time doesnt mean we shouldnt try. Things have changed for the better, but we still have a long way to go. Its not like theres a finish line, well always have to keep working on this as best as we can, he said. I think what we need to do is listen to each other. Hear what people want and need and try to address those needs in a positive way.

Abie Robinson

Abie Robinsons life has truly come full circle. Not only was he present for Kennedys speech 50 years ago, but he now manages the park where it occurred. Hes a senior program coordinator for Indy Parks and helps develop and implement health and wellness programs for senior citizens.

Robinson admits his reason for attending the rally had nothing to do with politics. I was a 24-year-old young man, I was hoping to meet some girls there, he said. I wasnt thinking itd be such a historical moment. He may have come for different reasons, but he says he left truly changed.

No rioting, looting or violence occurred in Indianapolis the night of Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination. However, there were dozens of other cities where these things did take place. Many, including Robinson, believe Kennedys speech and temperament changed the mindset of those who were angry. I was thinking revenge right away, he said. But then the words (Kennedy) used and his calmness made me understand the right response in the face of Dr. Kings assassination. His speech made me reflect back on what Dr. King stood for and that was peace and getting together and creating change. It made me realize one person could make a difference.

Billie Breaux

Former IPS educator and state senator Billie Breaux made plans to attend Kennedys speech because she was looking for solace during what had felt like a turbulent time for her. She had grown up in the civil rights era and seen a man she admired, John F. Kennedy assassinated and thought his brother may be the right man to pick up where JFK left off.

Unfortunately, Robert Kennedy also was assassinated before he could continue his brothers legacy. Still, he left an impression on Breaux. The thing I will always remember about that night is that he was very small in stature, but he had a calmness and coolness about him that set the stage, she recalls. I will always remember how he spoke to us as individual people, not as black, or poor, but people who were suffering just as he was suffering. I thought that was so unique; for him to speak to us and let us know that he felt our pain and that it mattered.

Upon leaving Kennedys speech, Breaux says she was in a state of shock. She noted that while many in the crowd were angry and ready to cause harm, Kennedys speech gave those hurting a chance to stop and process before doing something theyd regret.

Once the initial shock faded, Breaux got to work. She was an active member of the teachers association, which was one of the first groups to negotiate a holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. The association also started a MLK dinner for people in the community who had the same goals and aspirations as Dr. King. To this day, the dinner still takes place and often sells out every year.

Abie Robinson witnessed Robert Kennedys speech after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. (Photo/Curtis Gyunn)
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Several memorials have been held for Sherin Mathews, a toddler adopted from India who was found dead in a culvert near her Richardson, Texas, home last October. Sherin Mathews Indian American adoptive father Wesley has told law enforcement that the little girl choked on her milk; he has been charged with capital murder. (Twitter photo)
Texas Governor Greg Abbott met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi March 28 in New Delhi. The governor also toured the Wipro campus in Bengaluru; the Indian company is creating a new hub for cyber-security and advanced technology applications in Plano, Texas. (PMO India photo via Twitter)
We now offer lithium prices and coverage free for reference. Click here to read all about it. Join our growing community of participants who want to learn more about electrification and how this market is developing.
Join us at

SME's 6th annual Current Trends in Mining Finance (CTMF) Conference

Connecting Mining, Finance and Engineering Executives TM

Sunday April 29 - Wednesday May 2, 2018

We encourage all to register early to attend the conference, any of the workshops and receptions. Space is limited. The focus of the CTMF Conference is about the outlook, trends and issues that affect capital raising in the global mining industry.

Speakers at the conference and workshops present case studies about how management and investors can employ best practices and technology to anticipate, track, manage and reduce technical and non-technical risks associated with mining projects.
Adesua Etomi was the Celebrity guest at the Bi Broter Naija house earlier today. The housemates were so surprised to see her  she spoke with them on a lot of things including managing anger. Mrs Wellington is really one celeb a lot of fans love as they started pouring encomium on her on social media saying Banky W married a beautiful and intelligent woman. See what they had to say below

Adesua is a big lesson to guys. Those always looking for big yansh and big boobs.

This woman is beautiful in and out, intelligent, brilliant and full of morals. Ladies, work on your personality. Not using creams for big yansh and boobs. #BBNaija  BBNaija Updator (@Iam_Misola) March 29, 2018

Not Bankys kinda love obviously, I love Adesua mehn! Never saw her speak this way. She is so sound and grounded! No wonder Banky had to work hard for it! Would make a solid mentor for many people looking to find their feet.  JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) March 29, 2018

Im I the only one paying this much attention to Adesua smiling cheek to cheek and nodding like a lizard!  Adesua is beauty and brains God bless the woman that raised her  #bbnaija  Pam (@ellatweetz) March 29, 2018

Now i know why banky w waited so long before he got marriedadesua was definitely worth the wait.#bbnaija  Coco_la_hott (@Cocolahott1) March 29, 2018

So Adesua just moved to Nigeria in 2012 and we can hear her clearly. You that went to UK for just 1year masters we nor dey hear una again  nwxnnx (@DiKachii) March 29, 2018

It was nice seeing Adesua at #BBNaija today, its good to marry a woman who has something upstairs, nd that u will be proud off, unlike some that will will carry big ass nd big front up nd down forming  Mayowa olanipekun (@solo_coke) March 29, 2018

So this is what Banky wake up to everyday. Adesua, Baby girl be like honey and butter with a dash of condensed milk biko Nu.  LBX (@Laurasboxx) March 29, 2018

Adesuas complexion is so lovely. So creamy. Like pawpaw that got ripe on the tree not the one they plucked and hid inside a cupboard so it can get ripe quickly.  Princess Pepisko Pepeye (@MissIgho) March 29, 2018

Take away from Adesuas conversation with the housemates

Anger is the biggest killer. You cant speak and act on impulse, anger shouldnt control you. Nothing should have that kind of power over you. Not every criticism is an attack, Thrive in whatever environment you find yourself in.
President Buhari is already in Lagos City to commission the bus terminal and also to attend the 10th Bola Tinubus Colloquium. The Government of Lagos State had declared today, March 29, 2018 as a public holiday to enable Lagosians come out enmasse to welcome Mr President.

According to Akinwunmi Ambod, the Governor of Lagos, The Ikeja Bus Terminal as already been officially commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Terminal is one of our flagship transport infrastructure under the State Bus Reform Initiative.

Meanwhile Lagosians have employed the services of their legs to take them to their repective destinations because major roads in Lagos have been blocked and no vehicular movement allowed.
The police in Abuja have arrested a car wash attendant with the name, Mohammed Chado, for allegedly selling a year 2000 model of Toyota Camry that a client had asked him to wash.

The 29 year old suspect who was working at a car wash outlet in Apo, Abuja, allegedly made away with the car and sold it for N450,000, which he reportedly used to marry a wife.

The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, Sadiq Bello, said:

Chado was arrested at Batafe village in Niger State where he was hiding after he sold a Toyota Camry 2000 model that was given to him for washing.

The stolen car has been recovered.

Chado, in an interview with newsmen, explained that he spent N300,000 on his wedding and expended the balance on feeding and other needs.

The suspect said:

I gave the money to my family to buy the needed wedding items, then I spent the balance on feeding myself for one year.
After his lavish wedding in Uyo back in December 2017, an oil and gas man was sentenced to 7-years imprisonment yesterday, for the rape of an 18-year-old student in Aberdeen.

The man identified as Kufre Umoh Uwem, 34, of 6 Waterton Lawn, Stoneywood, Aberdeen, reportedly held the woman down against her will in his flat before going ahead to rape her.

Uwem was also convicted of a second as he reportedly tried to rape another woman in her flat. The offences were committed on October 18, 2012, and October 30, 2016, at flats in Aberdeen.

Judge Lord Arthurson told Uwem: This was a course of violent and predatory sexual offending, notwithstanding the four years between the two offenses.

Uwems first victim was a first-year student whom he met by chance and invited to his flat where he raped her and according to the young lady the rape had a monumental impact on her life. Uwems second victim was attacked in her own home whom he removed her lower clothing with intent to rape her.

Lord Arthurson told him: The consequences are truly catastrophic for you. Uwem, has an MSc in pipe engineering and has been placed on the sex offenders register.

Source  Misspetite
Leader of the worldwide Catholic Church, Pope Francis has revealed that hellfire does not exist.

According to Pope Francis, the evil doers will disappear from the world.

There is no hell where the souls of sinners suffer in eternity, Pope Francis he told Eugenio Scalfari, a 93-year-old atheist philosopher, today, during a conversation in the Vatican.

Francis said:

after death, the souls of people who repent are pardoned by God and join in his contemplation, but those who do not repent, and therefore cannot be pardoned, disappear.

Hell does not exist  what exists is the disappearance of sinful souls, he added

The pope was interviewed by Eugenio Scalfari, a veteran Italian journalist and atheist who regularly muses about faith and religion, and enjoys access to the leader of the Catholic Church.

In the past, the veracity of quotes he attributed to the pope has been called into question, especially after the 93-year-old Scalfari admitted to never using a tape recorder during interviews.

However, the Vatican has never complained about Scalfaris work, and Francis has continued giving interviews to him.

NAN
Punch

Following the escape from custody of six suspects involved in the arms case against Senator Dino Melaye, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Wednesday ordered the immediate removal of the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Ali Janga.

Vanguard

THE Senate has summoned the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to appear before the Senator Aliyu Wamakko, APC, Sokoto North-led Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) to

The Sun

Opposition party Action Democratic Party (ADP) on Wednesday said that President Buharis public rejection of a tenure extension to the John Odigie-Oyegun Chairmanship of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was an indictment on the competency of the President.

Guardian

Thisday Aisha Buhari Kicks against Medical Tourism Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has stated that she does not believe in spending the nations resources on treatment abroad as all that was needed for proper and successful medication can be derived from Nigeria. Daily Times Shehu Sani reacts to Buharis call for reversal of Oyeguns tenure extension Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani has commended President Muhammadu Buharis decision to go against the tenure extension for the APCs national chairman, John Oyegun and other elected party officials.

Tribune

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the contract for the rehabilitation of Ikorodu-Shagamu road in Lagos at the cost of N20, 845,336. 214.

Leadership

Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered the temporary forfeiture of two properties located in the Lekki area of the state, belonging to two Naval officers, Captain Olotu Olumuyiwa Morakinyo and Captain Ebony Emmanuel Aneke to the federal government.

The Authority

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday asked Fulani leaders in the state to uphold peace and ensure that their children are educated.
A young teenage boy who was on Thursday, sentenced to prison for stealing by a court sitting in Minna, the Niger state capital, has revealed what drove him to crime.

A 19-year-old labourer, Umar Aliyu, on Thursday told a Minna Magistrates Court that extreme hunger forced him to steal a tecno phone valued at N27,000.

Aliyu, who was arraigned on a one-count charge of theft, said he stole the phone with an intention to sell it and buy food.

He begged the court for leniency, saying that he had learnt his lesson.

The magistrate, Mariam Kings, after listening to Aliyus plea, sentenced him to one month imprisonment with a fine option of N10,000.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mr Moses Emberga, had told the court that one Dahiru Rabiu of Chachanga village, reported the matter at the Minna Police Station on March 22.

Emberga quoted the complainant as saying that he was eating lunch on the said date when the accused person stole the phone.

According to Emberga, the accused person confessed to stealing the phone which he (accused), claimed to have handed over to one Musa, for safe keeping.

The prosecutor said that the offence was contrary to section 287 of the penal code law, and prayed the court to try Aliyu summarily in line with section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

(NAN)
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his 66th birthday celebration, marked by his colloquium on Thursday, March 29, has slammed detractors and critics of the Buhari-led administration.

Tinubu said that Nigerians should be patient with the president and cooperate with his government to effect the change it promised. He made this comment on Thursday, March 29, At the Expo Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.

At the event, attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, governors, ministers, members of the National Assembly, and other dignitaries, the celebrant gave some incisive remarks on the state of the nation and the sincere intention of the presidency to move Nigeria forward.

Tinubu sends a message to Obasanjo, citing bad belle letters pic.twitter.com/9gRlXecAod  JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) March 29, 2018

He condemned those who see nothing good in the leadership and criticise it through different means. He stated: Be patient with us. There is a clear understanding here; there is a difference between us and them, night and day. I am happy the president has changed the course of the ship of this country. We are reinventing and redirecting Nigeria.

Source  Naij
SPC Regional Director Mia Rimon giving the keynote address at the opening of the workshop on Maritime Safe, governance and energy efficiency.
This content is from: Portfolio

China is pushing investors out of real estate and software companies and into sectors it believes are more valuable in the countrys rivalry with the U.S., according to Clocktower Group.
This content is from: South Africa

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has been rocked by scandals over allegations of corruption, leaving the future of Commissioner Tom Moyane and the credibility of the tax authority hanging in the balance. Experts wonder if taxpayers can still trust the SARS.
TORONTO, ON - March 29, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Patriot One Technologies Inc., (TSX.V: PAT) (OTCQB: PTOTF) (FRANKFURT: 0PL, makers of the award-winning PATSCAN CMR (Cognitive Microwave Radar) concealed weapons detection system, spent the month of March updating its development center rollout with Canadian, U.S. and U.K reseller partners. In addition, outreach to U.S. Congressional leaders facilitated introductions and information sharing about the Company and its PATSCAN CMR solution. The information sessions were favorably met and will help ensure that current and future safe-school legislation remains open to all forms of detection technologies.

As outlined by Patriot One's CEO and President Martin Cronin during several recent interviews with CNET and other media outlets, the Company has advanced to Stage-3 active testing and research of the PATSCAN CMR concealed weapons detection solution in real world environments. By the end of April 2018, Patriot One will have five (5) client locations where Company engineers will be able to test and conduct further research on the radar device and software solution. In addition to the recently opened location within the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, the next four (4) development locations are scheduled to include a Southeast U.S high school, a Midwest U.S. university, a business location in the U.K. and a law enforcement establishment in Canada. Each location offers a unique environment to support advanced testing. As confidentiality is critical to the Company's covert technology testing regime, further details about new locations will be released when deemed appropriate.

Active PATSCAN CMR technology testing has continued to advance employing a staged approach: Stage 1 encompassed years of academic research. Stage 2 combined advances in software development, radar performance studies and equipment form factor enhancements culminating in equipment certifications and advancement to Stage 3. Today our focus on extensive research involves background signal subtraction designed to capture a variety of human body types and environmental background signatures as well as feature extraction testing and research. This involves capturing signatures of a variety of weapons including guns, knives and bombs. We are amassing extraordinary amounts of data from our extensive and ongoing studies in active environments. Ultimately, it is through the concerted application of technology and diligent effort that we will achieve Stage 4, a safe and practical commercial application designed to solve the issue of random acts of public violence.

In related news, this past week saw several key members of Patriot One's Marketing, Public Policy and Business Development teams visit with members of Congress in Washington D.C. to share information about the Company, and its PATSCAN CMR concealed weapon detection solution. The team outlined and advised on current Stage-3 progress, and also asked Congressional staff members to ensure that existing and prospective "safe-school" legislation remain open to all forms of weapons detection technology.

The U.S. Congressional offices visited included:

S. Representative Stephanie Murphy (D-Florida),

S. Representative Val Demings (D-Florida),

S. Senator and U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Diane Feinstein (D  California),

S. Representative Tom Rooney (R-Florida),

S. Representative Ted Deutsch (D-Florida),

S. Representative Dina Titus (D-Nevada),

S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida),

S. Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada),

S. Representative Jackie Rosen (D-Nevada), and

S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada).

Immediately following an upcoming Congressional recess, the Patriot One team will return to Washington D.C. during the week of April 16th to continue efforts to introduce Patriot One, its PATSCAN CMR solution to additional Congressional staff and secure support for technology agnostic safe-school legislation.

On Behalf of the Board,

"Martin Cronin"

Martin Cronin, President, CEO & Director

About Patriot One Technologies, Inc. (TSX.V:PAT) (OTCQX: PTOTF) (FRA: 0PL):

Patriot One has developed PATSCAN CMR the next generation of its award-winning radar device and software solution. PATSCAN CMR is a first-of-its-kind Cognitive Microwave Radar concealed weapons detection system, designed as an effective tool to combat active shooter threats before they occur. Built for cost-effective deployment in weapon-restricted buildings and facilities, the Patriot One software solution and related hardware can be installed in key access points to covertly identify weapons and to alert security of an active threat. Owner/operators of private and certain public facilities can now prominently post anti-weapons policies with compliance assured. The Company's motto Deter, Detect and Defend is based on the belief that widespread use of its technology will act as an effective deterrent, thereby diminishing the epidemic phenomena of active shooters across the globe. For more information, visit: www.patriot1tech.com. Patriot One Technologies are proud winners of the 2017 Anti-Terrorism / Force Protection category of the Security Industry Association's New Product Showcase at ISC West.

For further information, please contact:

Patriot One Inquiries

info@patriot1tech.com

John Martin, Investor Relations

+1 (888) 728-1832

johnm@patriot1tech.com

www.patriot1tech.com

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:

No Securities Exchange has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to product development, licensing, commercialization and regulatory compliance issues and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects"," believes," and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the relevant securities exchange(s) and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law.

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.

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire  News that Inspires big ideas Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. More disclaimer info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp. Disclosure this news is a paid for news release on the Investorideas.com newswire by Patriot One Technologies Inc., (TSX.V: PAT) Learn more about costs and our newswire service http://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/

Additional info regarding BC Residents and global Investors: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country.
Vancouver, British Columbia - March 28, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Ely Gold Royalties Inc. (TSXV: ELY) (OTC Pink: ELYGF) ("Ely Gold") through its wholly owned subsidiary, Nevada Select Royalty, Inc ("Nevada Select") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive option agreement with Monitor Gold Corporation ("Monitor"), a Nevada corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary corporation of Orla Mining Ltd. ("Orla"), an Ontario corporation listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, whereby Monitor has the option to acquire a 100% interest in four unpatented mining claims (the "Monitor Claims") within Orla's Monitor Gold Project, located in Nye County, Nevada (the "Option Agreement"). The total Option consideration (if exercised by Monitor) is US$677,000 and Nevada Select will retain a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR").

The Monitor Claims are surrounded by a larger claim package previously leased by Orla. The Monitor Project is hosted by silicic volcanic rocks and is 45 km east of the Round Mountain deposit with gold production over a 20-year period. It is also 45 km southeast of the sediment-hosted Northumberland Carlin-like gold deposit. Sample results from historic exploration work throughout the Monitor Project area show zones of variable silicification with anomalous gold along the west side of a northerly-trending range-front fault. Nevada Select acquired the Monitor Claims as part of the Platoro West acquisition announced in a June 23, 2017 news release.

The Option

Under the terms of the Option Agreement, Monitor can acquire a 100% interest in the Monitor Claims by making an initial payment of US$2,000 followed by:

$5,000 on the 1st anniversary of the Effective Date;

$10,000 on the 2nd anniversary of the Effective Date;

$15,000 on the 3rd anniversary of the Effective Date;

$20,000 on the 4th anniversary of the Effective Date;

$25,000 on the 5th anniversary of the Effective Date;

$50,000 on each of the 6th thru 9th anniversaries of the Effective Date; and

$400,000 on the 10th anniversary of the Effective Date

Monitor may terminate the Option Agreement at any time without further liability for future Option payments. There are no share issuance obligations, work commitments or additional expenditures required other than the obligation to maintain the claim maintenance fees. If the Option is exercised, Nevada Select will retain a 2.5 % NSR on the Monitor Claims. There is no area of interest associated with the NSR. Monitor will have the right to buy-down 1% of the NSR for an aggregate purchase price of $1,000,000.

Trey Wasser, President and CEO of Ely Gold stated, "We are very pleased to assist Orla in the consolidation of the Monitor Project. Our continued efforts to consolidate claim packages, identified using our proprietary data base, continues to generate fresh under-explored projects in Nevada. This Option adds another exciting exploration property, with an excellent exploration partner, to our growing Nevada asset portfolio."

Stephen Kenwood, P. Geo, is director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Kenwood has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

About Ely Gold Royalties Inc.

Ely Gold Royalties is an emerging royalty company with interests in 71 precious metal properties, primarily in Nevada. 41 of these properties are being explored by majors, producing mid-tiers and high quality junior exploration companies. 21 properties are in the Company's royalty portfolio and 20 properties are being purchased under option contracts. All the Company's option properties will produce royalties, if exercised. Ely Gold is also actively purchasing existing third-party royalties. Ely Gold maintains a strong cash position and a gold stock equity portfolio. Ely Gold is well positioned with its current portfolio of 30 available properties to generate operating revenue and royalties through additional option and sale transactions. The Company has a proven track record of maximizing the value of its properties through claim consolidation and advancement using its extensive, proprietary data base.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Signed "Trey Wasser"

Trey Wasser, President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Trey Wasser, President & CEO

trey@elygoldinc.com

972-803-3087

Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer

jjobin@elygoldinc.com

604-488-1104

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 may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

More Info:

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Vancouver, British Columbia - March 29, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Prospero Silver Corp. (TSXV: PSL) ("Company" or "Prospero") is pleased to announce the results of the third hole of a 3-hole drill program at the Pachuca SE project close to the historic mining city of Pachua in Hidalgo State, Mexico. Prospero announced earlier this month that it had discovered a new gold and silver-bearing epithermal vein system with holes 1 and 2 of the program. Drilling has confirmed the presence of highly anomalous silver values hosted by blind epithermal veining in 3 widely separated zones hosted by 7km of structures on the property.

Hole 3 tested the east-west striking Aguayutla structure to the north of holes 1 and 2 and cut multiple zones of anomalous silver values hosted by structures in altered volcanics, including 121.3g/t Ag + 0.37g/t Au over 1.5m from 407.4m downhole. This intercept included a high-grade sample with abundant argentite which assayed 870ppm Ag over 20cm.

Drilling of the Pachuca targets continues drilling the third of three initial projects funded by Fortuna Silver in early stage "proof of concept" programs. Under the terms of a strategic investment from Fortuna Silver Mines Inc (NYSE: FSM, TSX: FVI) made in May 2017, phase one funding of $1,500,000 was applied of which 80% was to be allocated to drilling and 20% to new project generation. Prospero was the operator of all three drill projects. At Pachuca SE, an 1,800m drill program tested 3 targets with deep, angled holes. Drill collar maps and draft sections for the Pachuca drill holes are available on Prospero's website at: http://www.prosperosilver.com/s/Pachuca-SE.asp. The results published here are from initial priority assays. Additional samples are being processed for additional argillic alteration zones in all three holes.

Tawn Albinson, the President of Prospero said: "The limited program we've just finished demonstrates that the Pachua SE property hosts a number of blind epithermal veins with silver and gold mineralization; exactly what we'd hoped to see at the property. The discovery validates the science-based strategy we've applied to our exploration for blind epithermal targets; a strategy which we've implemented in the drilling and generative work with Fortuna. The next step at Pachuca will be additional drilling program to extend mineralization in the veins."

Hole PSE-18-03

Hole PSE-18-03 was drilled to a total downhole depth of 453.1m from north to south at an inclination of -47. To test beneath structures exposed in clay pits along the Aguayutla structure. The hole cut a bimodal volcanic series of dacites and andesites. From surface to approximately 120m the hole cut dacites. Below 120m it cut predominantly andesites to the end of hole. The structures exposed in the pits were intersected roughly 245m downhole, or 170-200m vertically below surface. The main structures and a series of minor quartz  calcite  sulphide veins were cut with the highest assays as follows:

*True thickness estimated at approximately 85% of the downhole interval.

These intersections and values are significantly higher and wider at depth when compared with centimetric-sized veinlets sampled in the surface pits which carried maximum silver values in the 1-5 ppm range. At 249.1 to 253.0m a flow banded rhyolite dike was intersected which was not observed at surface.

About the Pachuca SE Property

The 7,256 hectare Pachuca SE concession is 24km SE of the city of Pachuca, Hidalgo. Infrastructure is excellent. Major power lines and the Pachuca-Tulancingo freeway cross the middle of the property. Pachuca SE is on strike from the Pachuca-Real del Monte epithermal vein camp, one of the world's largest epithermal precious metal deposits and the local geology is typical of a high-level epithermal environment. The concession covers multiple kilometres of structurally controlled alteration at surface which Prospero's team believe is the surface expression of blind low-sulfidation epithermal-style veining.

Qualified Person

Tawn Albinson, M.Sc., President of the Company, is a Qualified Person, as defined in NI 43-101, and is responsible for the technical content of this news release. Mr. Albinson is a Member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) No. 11368.

About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.

Fortuna is a growth-oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. The company's primary assets are the Caylloma silver mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold mine in Mexico and the fullypermitted Lindero gold project in Argentina.

About Prospero Silver Corp.

Prospero is a Mexico-focused project generator listed on the TSX.V under the symbol PSL.V. Prospero's aim is to discover world-class precious metal projects in the major mineral belts of Mexico. The Company applies a unique blend of practical exploration experience, cutting-edge mineral deposit science, and an extensive knowledge of Mexicos geology to find new gold and silver systems. Our exploration programs are run by a small but highly-focused geological team based in Mexico.

For further information please contact:

Ralph Rushton

Exec VP Business Development

Tel: 604 307 0055

William Murray

Chairman

Tel: 604 288 2553

Forward-Looking Statement Cautions:

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, the Company's drill results. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, possible, accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise the additional funds in the future to continue to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

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Vancouver, British Columbia - March 29, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Fjordland Exploration Inc. (TSXV: FEX) ("Fjordland") announces a Letter of Intent has been signed with Unity Resources Inc. ("Unity") granting Fjordland the option to acquire a 65% interest in one mining claim located in the South Voisey's area, Labrador. Under the terms of the agreement, Fjordland has the option to pay to Unity $36,000 and incur $75,000 in exploration expenditures over a period of three years. If the option is exercised a joint venture will be formed whereby Unity will be carried for 100% of its joint venture expenditures on the claims until Fjordland earns its full interest from Commander Resources Ltd. ("Commander") on surrounding contiguous lands or a minimum expenditure of $7 million on those lands.

The property is contiguous to mineral tenure held by Fjordland and Commander Resources Ltd. as part of their South Voisey's Bay nickel-copper-cobalt Project ("SVB Project"). Fjordland's strategic investor, High Power Exploration Inc., has notified Fjordland that they intend to fund a minimum of $1.2 million of the proposed 2018 summer drilling program on the SVB Project.

About Fjordland Exploration Inc.

Fjordland Exploration Inc. is a mineral exploration company that is focused on the discovery of large scale potentially economic deposits located in Canada. For further information visit Fjordland's website at www.fjordlandex.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Richard C. Atkinson"

Richard C. Atkinson, P.Eng.

President & CEO

For further information, please call:

FJORDLAND EXPLORATION INC.

Richard C. Atkinson, President and CEO

1-604-805-3232

info@fjordlandex.com

www.fjordlandex.com

Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule and the success of exploration programs.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

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Metals / Green Energy Stock News: Defense Metals (TSX-V: $DEFN.V) (OTCQB: $DFMTF) Revaluates Its Athabasca Basin Uranium Projects

Vancouver, British Columbia - September 23, 2021 (Investorideas.com Newswire, MiningSectorStocks.com and RenewableEnergyStocks.com) Mining / Metals / Green Energy Stock News - Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF/ FSE:35D) is pleased to announce that in light of renewed and sustained uranium interest which has driven uranium spot prices to multi-year highs, it has commenced an updated internal technical review of its Athabasca Basin uranium project holdings.

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Cryptocurrency Stock News - Metrospaces (OTC: $MSPC) Selects Cryptobucks as Preferred Cryptocurrency Partner

NEW YORK, NY - September 22, 2021 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Cryptocurrency stock news from Investorideas.com Newswire Metrospaces, Inc. (OTC: MSPC), a PropTech company powered by Shokworks, has signed an agreement to integrate Cryptobucks, the blockchain technology payment app developed by South Florida's Aliant Payments and Dallas-based Shokworks, into all of its platforms to allow cryptocurrency payments.

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Renewable Energy Stock News - Solar Integrated Roofing (OTC: $SIRC) Announces Partnership with SVG to Expand Nationwide Contractor Network

EL CAJON, CA - September 22, 2021 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Solar stock news from Investorideas.com Newswire and RenewableEnergyStocks.com - Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. (OTC: SIRC), an integrated, single-source solar power and roofing systems installation company, today announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with Storm Ventures Group ("SVG") and SVG University to educate contractors within the SVG network on the benefits of adding solar to their service offering via USA Solar Networks, a member of the SIRC family of companies.

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Mining Stock News: O2Gold (TSXV:OTGO.V) Intercepts 20 g/t Au at the Main Aurora Vein, Which Has a Projected Extension of at Least 700 Meters, at Only 97 Meters of Depth

TORONTO - September 21, 2021 (Investorideas.com Newswire) O2Gold Inc. ("O2Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV:OTGO) is pleased to report high-grade gold-silver intercepts from its first drill hole at the Aurora Tunnel in Colombia, where the Company has exploitation and production permits.

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As she spoke, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds focused on the recent statistic that Iowa is the #1 state in the nation, a position she committed to maintain. She became governor in May 2017 after then governor Terry Branstad was appointed the United States Ambassador to China.
Yes. I will do my part to conserve household energy usage, even if I'm uncomfortable in my home.

No. It is too hot to conserve household energy usage.

I already conserve, even before ERCOT requested it.

Maybe, depending on the reason ERCOT provides and whether or not I am home during that time.

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To my understanding (and I would be happy to be corrected if wrong), there was no unifying policy vision promoted by the protests. It is difficult to imagine how the situation would change at all unless gun regulations on the public went down to either single shot or revolvers, with limitations on how many guns one can buy also to a minimum (say 2)--which would clearly be a much bigger conversation (as it would be highly restrictive). In my view, it displays clouded thinking (or possibly even dishonest, in some cases). Semi-automatic handguns, etc. are clearly capable of the same scenario if used improperly.



Also, there is no real discussion about the root causes aside from platitudes such as 'mental health problem', etc. If the root causes are unable to be isolated in any specific manner, there is little to no real hope in changing such violent acts from occurring.
HOLLYWOOD CALLING The cast of Out of the Blue was out on the town earlier this month as actors, cameramen, producers and directors set up shop to film scenes at Simpatico Jamestown....

Proposal would allow dogs off leashes Dogs will be able to run free during the offseason at seven publicly owned recreational facilities, including Fort Getty, if a proposed ordinance written by Councilman Randy White is approved....

Council seeks input on future of parking lot The town council wants to hear from residents about what to do with the municipal lot on Narragansett Avenue that was turned into an outdoor dining room to support restaurants...
guy39 said: The reality is that each year Congress is supposed to pass 12 separate spending bills, not one big "omnibus" bill, that provide funding to specific agencies and programs within the limits set by the annual budget resolution. Each of those 12 bills is supposed to get a hearing, then a subcommittee markup where the bill can be amended line by line, and then a full committee markup before it finally comes before the House or Senate, where it can then be amended again. That is called"regular order," and it is months long process that allows everyone time to read, understand, and get a vote on changes they want made to each bill.



The House did that. The Senate on the other hand did not. It takes 60 votes in the Senate. The Republicans have a slight majority with 51. The bottom line is that both parties in the Senate failed the American people. That is why we ended up with this pork omnibus bill that President Trump vowed (we will see) to never sign again. Click to expand...

RNG said: A whole bunch of people way more intelligent and knowledgeable than you don not share your interpretation. Click to expand...

Annual appropriations are divided into 12 separate pieces of legislation:



Agriculture,

Commerce, Justice, and Science,

Defense,

Energy and Water,

Financial Services,

Homeland Security,

Interior and Environment,

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education,

Legislative,

Military and Veterans,

State and Foreign Operations,

Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Click to expand...

Omnibus Appropriations

Congress has traditionally considered and approved each regular appropriations bill separately, but Congress has also combined several bills together into a single legislative vehicle prior to

enactment. These packages are referred to as omnibus appropriation measures. Click to expand...

If you was not such a partisan prick and felt the need to do nothing by shout out smart ass little quips towards anyone who you feel does not meed your political leanings in the USA (like a fucking Canadian counts anyway), you might actually learn or be able to participate in a conversation.Unfortunately you are not able to. All you can do is run your mouth without knowing what the hell you are talking about. Had you used your decrepit little hands and done a bit of research you would have found that I did know what the hell I was talking about. Instead, you ran your little Canadian mouth and let it over load your little Canadian ass. So, you smart ass little prick, here it is for you. Now, if you do not understand any of it feel free to ask. I will be glad to oblige you in a civics lesson on US government. Or you can get mad and run to the queen.Now, if the Queen allows it, does this satisfy the Canadian on matters of US government? By the way, have you checked to see if you have to register as a foreign agent?
Planning Commission Government of Pakistan Jobs

Latest Planning Commission Management Posts Islamabad 2021 Consultant / Advisors on Macro Finance having MA Economics are required in Planning Commission Ministry of Planning, development and Reforms Government of Pakistan in Islamabad.

How to Apply on Planning Commission Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
Tralla Drivers Job in Saudi Arabia Famous Company

Latest Ahtizaz Enterprises Overseas Employment Promotors Driving Posts Saudi Arabia 2021 HTV Tralla Drivers having Valid HTV Driving License are required in Saudi Arabia Famous Company in Saudi Arabia Through Ahtizaz Enterprises Overseas Employment Promotors.

How to Apply on Ahtizaz Enterprises Overseas Employment Promotors Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.
Russia Will Expel 150 Diplomats, as Tensions With West Reach Fever Pitch

Intensifying Russias clash with Europe and the United States, the Kremlin on Thursday announced that it would expel 150 Western diplomats and close the United States Consulate in St. Petersburg.

Source: New York TimesLONDON The action was in retaliation for the expulsion of more than 150 Russian officials from other countries  which was itself a reaction to a nerve-agent attack on British soil that Britain and its allies have blamed on Moscow.The United States ambassador to Russia, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., was summoned to the Kremlin, Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov announced. Sixty American diplomats will be expelled from Russia  the same as the number of Russian diplomats whom Washington has expelled.The crisis over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter has driven tensions between the Kremlin and the West to their highest pitch in decades. The tit-for-tat responses raise the prospect of further, more serious escalations, either public or clandestine.Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/29/world/europe/russia-expels-diplomats.html
Florida School Shooting Suspect Nikolas Cruz Has Been Getting Piles of Fan Mail

Just when I think this country can't POSSIBLY get anymore sickening...this bit of news pops up on CNN.The suspect in the Florida high school shooting that killed 17 is getting letters of support in jail including fan mail and pictures of scantily-clad women in addition to hundreds of dollars in contributions to his commissary account.Teenage girls, women and men are sending letters and photographs of themselves and Facebook groups have been started to discuss how to help Nikolas Cruz, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.Cruz is charged in the killings of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and is being held in the Broward County Jail. Prosecutors said they are seeking the death penalty.Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, Cruzs lawyer, told the newspaper that his client has indeed received piles of letters.In addition, $800 has been deposited into a commissary account which can be used by inmates to buy snacks, radios and personal hygiene products.In my 40 years as public defender, Ive never seen this many letters to a defendant, Finkelstein said. Everyone now and then gets a few, but nothing like this.Meanwhile, the survivors and family members of the murdered victims are condemned, denounced, ridiculed and pummeled about their convictions, their protests and even their grade point average/college admission.....BY adults of influence.So this is what we've become--a nation who rewards mass murderers with love letters (some sexual in nature) and money and trashes good, decent kids and their families.Our shame continues. Our perversion knows NO BOUNDS. God help us.


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The Wisconsin Court of Appeals [official website] on Wednesday denied [opinion, PDF] Governor Scott Walkers [official website] attempt to delay special elections for two vacant seats in the states legislature [official website].

Walker had appealed after a county court ruled [opinion, PDF] that he must allow the seats to be filled [JURIST report]. The decision comes one day before the courts deadline to call the elections.

One seat in the house and one in the senate were vacated in December when the lawmakers joined the Walker administration. Both districts voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, but Democrats recently won a special election in a similarly red district.

The law [text] in question states: Any vacancy in the office of state senator or representative to the assembly occurring before the 2nd Tuesday in May in the year in which a regular election is held to fill that seat shall be filled as promptly as possible by special election.

The government says that the election would waste taxpayer money because the legislative session is over and the next session is not until after the November election which will fill the open seats. In response to the county court order, a special legislative session was called to change the law and make the courts decision moot. Walker does not plan to appeal to the states Supreme Court but will call an election for June 12.
A federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland [official website] on Wednesday partially granted [order, PDF] President Donald Trumps motions to dismiss an emoluments challenge [materials], allowing the remainder of the claims to proceed.

The District of Columbia and Maryland brought suit [JURIST report] in June 2017 alleging that the President is in violation of both the foreignand domestic [texts] Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution, which bar payments to the President from individual states and foreign governments, due to his interest in the Trump Organization [corporate website]. The suit contends that Trump continues to derive financial benefit from the global business empire, including its hotels, restaurants, and event spaces in DC, and that this leads to a substantial detriment to DC-Maryland-area competitors.

DC and Maryland are seeking declaratory relief establishing a violation of the Emoluments Clauses, as well as injunctive relief prohibiting him from accepting future emoluments.

The Court denied Trumps motion to dismiss with respect to the Trump International Hotel in DC, and granted his motion for those outside of the DC area. US District Judge Peter J. Messitte [official profile] found validity [opinion, PDF] in the challengers arguments that Trump continues to unfairly profit from business at the downtown DC hotel. Messitte notes that several government clients have patronized Trumps Washington property, including Kuwait and Bahrain.

Since his taking office, numerous lawsuits have challenged Trumps alleged violations of the Emoluments Clause. A federal judge in New York dismissed [JURIST report] a similar suit in December, saying that it was an issue for Congress to address.
The Kentucky House of Representatives [official website] on Tuesday approved one of the strictest abortion bills in the US, which bans a termination procedure after the eleventh week of pregnancy.

The procedure dilation and evacuation accounts for about 16 percent of Kentuckys abortions [Reuters report]. HB 454 [text, PDF] deems it illegal to perform the procedure after the eleventh week of the gestation period. A physician who knowingly performs an abortion in violation of the bill can be found guilty of a class D felony. The bill does include an exception for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest.

The bill originated in the House but came back for a vote after it was amended and approved [JURIST report] in the Senate last week. The bill passed in the House with a vote [bill history] of 75-13 and will now go to Governor Matt Bevin for approval.

Abortion laws continue to be a source of legal challenges in the US. Last week a court blocked [JURIST report] a Mississippi law that would outlaw all abortions after a 15-week gestation period. The Supreme Court also heard a case last week regarding a California law that requires [JURIST report] licensed clinics that list their primary purpose as providing family planning or pregnancy-related services to notify and inform all clients concerning the availability of free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services, prenatal care and abortion for eligible women.
A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York [official website] on Wednesday denied [order, PDF] Saudi Arabias motion to dismiss a lawsuit for involvement in the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Victims and families of victims originally brought suit against Saudi Arabia and the Saudi High Commission for Relief in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SHC). The claim against Saudi Arabia alleged responsibility for its agents who directly and knowingly assisted the hijackers and plotters who carried out the attacks. The claim against the SHC was that charity organizations under its control gave financial and operational support to al Qaeda, allowing the group to conduct the attacks.

During the original suit, defendants Saudi Arabia and the SHC moved to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1) [text] of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The defendants based the dismissal on the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), 28 USC 1602 [text], claiming that there was no evidence that an official of either Saudi Arabia or the SHC committed a tortious act entirely within the United States as part of their employment. The district court had previously granted the motions and the plaintiffs appealed.

While on appeal, Congress passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), 28 USC 1605B [text], that allows the court jurisdiction over foreign powers in actions brought for injury in the United States caused by an act of terrorism. The case was remanded to the district court to consider the defendants immunity in light of the new legislation.

Saudi Arabia and the SHC moved to dismiss under rule 12(b)(1) again claiming that JASTA did not affect their immunity and additionally asserting that JASTA was unconstitutional for interfering with the courts power to decide cases and controversies free from congressional control.

Presiding judge George Daniels determined that JASTAs purpose of giving litigants relief against foreign countries that have supported organizations that committed acts of terror against the US, creates an exception to the FSIA. This exception has four elements: (1) physical injury/death in the US; (2) an act of international terrorism in the US and a tortious act by a foreign state or official, agent, etc acting within their employment; (3) causation; and (4) damages.

The court dismissed the suit against the SHC as plaintiffs claims did not make specific allegations that the SHC or its agents acting within their employment, provided support to al Qaeda in planning the 9/11 attacks. All of the factual allegations relating to SHC support of al Qaeda were far removed, both in time and place, from the 9/11 attacks.

The court found that allegations on the four elements for two of the eight individuals mentioned as agents in the lawsuit were sufficient to create a reasonable basis  to exercise jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia.
goober said:

Leaving Trump with the B Team, to face Mueller's A-Team lawyers.



https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/28/politics/donald-trump-lawyer/index.html Top legal firms are declining to represent the President (apparently they like to get paid)Leaving Trump with the B Team, to face Mueller's A-Team lawyers. Click to expand...

Speaking from experience, Trump should ask his Saloon Keeper for a good lawyer. A saloon keeper recommended a lawyer for me who was a retired Superior Court Judge and the Judge of that trial shook my hand and I got off easy. Years earlier from that a saloon keeper recommended a lawyer who was the brother of the County Commissioner who got the evidence quashed in Magistrate Court. When I went to trial, no evidence and the case was dismissed. The prosecutor sneered at me but I could not have cared less.edit: There is more than one way to skin a cat!
Paul Manafort on Tuesday filed [text, PDF] a motion to dismiss in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia requesting that Special Counsel Robert Muellers indictment [text, PDF] against him be struck due to the criminal charges exceeding the authority of Muellers appointment as they occurred several years prior to Donald Trumps 2016 campaign.

The charges allege that the former campaign chairman for Trump secretly paid former European politicians to lobby on behalf of Ukraine. Manafort previously pleaded not guilty [JURIST report] to a similar indictment filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia in late February.

When there is a potential conflict of interest in investigating misconduct by the president or other high officials in the Executive Branch, Department of Justice regulations provide the mechanism to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate these areas. Commonly referred to as the Special Counsel Regulations [statute], these restrictions impose limits on the authority to appoint special counsel to the Attorney General or Acting Attorney General, and then the jurisdictional bounds that they have authority to investigate.

Under the Special Counsel Regulations, the grant of original jurisdiction to special counsel must provide a specific factual statement of the matter to be investigated. This statement must indicate the purpose and scope of the investigation and shall  include authority to investigate and prosecute obstruction effortsi.e., crimes committed in the course of, and with intent to interfere with, the Special Counsels investigation.

Additionally, the Special Counsel Regulations indicate that to obtain jurisdiction to investigate or prosecute any other matter that exceeds what was indicated in the factual statement must be separately approved by the Attorney General or Acting Attorney General.

It is on this basis that Manafort claims his role in the alleged coordination between the Russian government and the Trump campaign during the 2016 election exceeds the scope of Muellers investigation as he asserts the indictment cites unrelated charges to the 2016 election and focuses instead on his consulting work in Ukraine, tax filings from 2006 to 2014, and personal finances. These issues, Mueller claims, were not approved by the Acting Attorney General and have no connection to any relationship between the Russian government and the Trump campaign.

The motion states:

The appointment order purports to empower the Special Counsel to investigate and prosecute matters that arise directly from the investigation. But the charges in the superseding indictment go well beyond that scope, covering alleged acts that politically accountable prosecutors already knew about and had not prosecuted for years. That old news could not have arise[n] directly from the Special Counsels investigation. Because the Acting Attorney General lacked power to grant the Special Counsel jurisdiction to bring the charges now before this Court, the Special Counsel lacks authority to bring them. And the charges exceed any authority the appointment order purports to grant. Because the Special Counsel lacks authority, the Court lacks jurisdiction. The superseding indictment must be dismissed.

Manaforts trials before juries are set to begin in July and September and could result in a 15-20 year sentence.
The NAACP filed a lawsuit [complaint, pdf] Wednesday in the US District Court for the District of Maryland against the US Census Bureau [official websites] and President Donald Trump, arguing that the federal governments unpreparedness for the 2020 Census is a violation of the Constitution.

According to the complaint, the Bureau faces insufficient staffing, funding and preparation, including the lack of both a permanent director and a deputy director, and limited capacity to fill routine staff vacancies due to a presidential hiring freeze. The Bureau has also canceled two of three dress rehearsal field tests.

Because of this lack of preparedness, the 2020 Census will substantially undercount African Americans and other people of color in communities throughout the US, causing inequalities in political representation and deficiencies in federal funding of those communities, said an NAACP statement [press release].

The US Constitution requires the federal government conduct an actual enumeration of the US population every 10 years. These results inform and produce congressional apportionment and district line drawing, and federal funding.

Despite this duty, the complaint states, the United States has undercounted people of color since the nations founding, starting with the decision to treat African American slaves as only three-fifths of a person.

The NAACP suit seeks to compel the Bureau of the Census, which falls under the Department of Commerce, to prepare for and conduct a full and fair Census in 2020.

The NAACP Connecticut Conference and NAACP Boston Branch also filed suit [complaint, PDF] in October under the Freedom of Information of Act [official website] to compel the Commerce Department to produce documents about preparations for the 2020 Census.

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced [text, PDF] Monday that the 2020 census will include a question regarding citizenship status, a measure the Justice Department said will better aid enforcement of the Voting Rights Act [materials]. The California Attorney General Xavier Becerra immediately filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] challenging the decision, arguing the question would discourage non-citizens from participating in the census, which would disproportionately affect California over other states.
The US Supreme Court [official website] heard oral arguments on Wednesday in Benisek v. Lamone [SCOTUS blog], a high-profile partisan-gerrymandering case out of Maryland.

The case involves the 6th congressional district in Maryland, which was predominantly Republican for two decades. However, in 2011, during the redistricting, the 6th district political designation shifted. According to the petitioner, this redistricting resulted in the Democrats win. The petitioners, residents of the 6th district, allege Democrats engaged in partisan gerrymandering, redrawing the map to favor one political party over another, to retaliate against them for their past and continuance support of Republicans.

Petitioners argue that the redistricting of the 6th district is a violation of their First Amendment [text] rights to free speech and assembly, by prejudicing citizens for their political views. Maryland officials, however, denied the gerrymandering allegations, and provide that even it they did there is no legal standard available to determine when partisan gerrymandering exceeds the permissible threshold.

Petitioner is seeking for the redistricting of the 6th district to be invalidateda move that could finally result in the Supreme Court ruling against or setting a standard for gerrymandering.

The case was originally put on hold in the lower courts, awaiting the Supreme Court to decide on a Wisconsin gerrymandering case [JURIST report].
Matt Baron/ShutterstockNot long ago, Elton John canceled his May 19 concert in Las Vegas, leading many to speculate that he did it so he'd be free to attend Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle on that day. But on Thursday, the Rocket Man denied receiving an invite to the nuptials.

While 600 invitations to the wedding have gone out, Elton told BBC Radio 2, "I can't tell you [if I'm going]; we haven't had an invitation yet." However, the pop-rock legend says if he does go, it'll be an easy commute from his home in Windsor, England, to St. George's Chapel, where the couple will wed.

"I'm on a hill, so I could just roll down there," he said. "It's rolling distance."

When asked by BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans if he'd be performing at the wedding "along with The Spice Girls and The Rolling Stones," Elton scoffed, "Oh probably, yes, along with [rap superstars] Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar."

Elton also discussed his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, and seemingly referred to his friend Rod Stewart's comments last week that all so-called "farewell" tours "stink of selling tickets" and aren't "rock and roll."

When asked by Evans just how "farewell" the tour will be, Elton insisted, "It's very farewell, to touring. When I say it's my farewell tour -- and a lot of people have made comments, I'm not gonna say who -- by the time we finish, I'll be 74. I really wanna spend the rest of my life with my boys...I don't want to travel anymore. This is the final tour."

However, Elton did say he'd "probably do a show here and there," and continue to write and record music.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
MEDFORD, Ore.  As part of their 'Teachers on Public Lands' program, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be offering further education to teachers at the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The application period starts on April 2, and will close on April 20.

The opportunity is open to any teacher, K-12. The teacher selected for the 2018 program will learn more about the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the BLM, including conservation efforts on public lands.

An educational stipend of $2000 will be granted to the selected teacher after the completion of 160 hours of service. They will also receive 3 graduate-level credits, valid as continuing education credits through the University of Colorado. Fees and tuition for the program are covered by 'Teachers on Public Lands' in Oregon.

There will be a final project that includes "development of curriculum-based learning," meeting both resource management and educational teaching objectives, according to a BLM statement.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America's public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

The application form can be found below, or at this location on the web. Applications are due by April 20, 2018.
MEDFORD, Ore.  Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) officials are open to dropping a fee increase for fishing and hunting licenses that are scheduled to take effect in 2020, according to a statement from the agency.

In spite of their openness to changing those fee increases, ODFW does not anticipate making any major changes to their proposed budget. However, they are open to public comment.

There will be a public hearing in Klamath Falls on Wednesday, April 4 at the Oregon Institute of Technology College Union Building, and another one in Medford on Thursday, April 5 at the Jackson County Library.

Public comments will be used to help refine the budget before it is presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on June 7 in Baker City, according to an ODFW statement.

This is a great opportunity for us to meet with our constituents and get their feedback, said Curt Melcher, ODFW director. I encourage folks to attend, meet with our staff and learn more about our funding proposals to manage Oregons fish and wildlife.

Once a proposed budget is approved by the Commission, it will be submitted to the Governor for her consideration. The budget will ultimately be determined by the 2019 Legislature.
GRANTS PASS, Ore.  An armed robbery at New Hope Market in Josephine County led police officers on a trail to two previous robberies, according to Oregon State Police (OSP).

The robbery at New Hope Market occurred on March 24, but OSP troopers found the suspects gone when they arrived. Detectives investigating the New Hope robbery caught wind of a similar armed robbery at Levi's Market on March 7th.

Daniel Anderson (left) and Kenneth Frankel (right). Brendan Shapiro's mugshot is not yet available. Daniel Anderson (left) and Kenneth Frankel (right). Brendan Shapiro's mugshot is not yet available.

Investigators also learned of a cash theft that occurred at the Williams County Store, and they found that third incident to be related to the first two.

Over a period of three days, officers arrested three suspects in connection with the robberiesstarting with 18-year-old Kenneth Frankel on March 27. Frankel has been lodged in the Josephine County Jail for two counts of 1st Degree Robbery, three counts of 1st Degree Theft, Unlawful Use of a Dangerous Weapon, and Unlawful Use of Stun Gun, Tear Gas, or Mace.

18-year-old Daniel Anderson was arrested on March 28. He has been lodged in the Josephine County Jail for two counts of 1st Degree Robbery, three counts of 1st Degree Theft, Unlawful Use of a Dangerous Weapon, and Unlawful Use of Stun Gun, Tear Gas, or Mace.

18-year-old Brendan Shapiro was arrested on March 29. He has been lodged in the Josephine County Jail for two counts of 1st Degree Robbery, two counts of 1st Degree Theft, Unlawful Use of a Dangerous Weapon, and Unlawful Use of Stun Gun, Tear Gas, or Mace.

OSP was assisted by the Josephine County Sheriffs Office, The Grants Pass Department of Public Safety and Josephine County District Attorneys Office. During the course of the investigation the OSP Criminal Division also received several investigative tips from alert citizens, which ultimately assisted in the identification and apprehension of the suspects.


UPDATE: The suspect in an attempted home-invasion where he was shot in the leg has now been released from the hospital, according to Oregon State Police (OSP). Kristopher Nelson was immediately taken into custody by OSP, and then lodged at the Josephine County Jail.

Nelson has been charged with Attempted Murder, Burglary 1, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Dangerous Weapon, and a felony warrant for Failure to Appear on a weapon offense in Josephine County.

(Updated as of 3:10 p.m. on Monday, April 2)

CAVE JUNCTION, Ore.  A Cave Junction man faces prosecution after getting shot in an attempted burglary, according to Oregon State Police (OSP). This happened early Wednesday morning, at 4:00 a.m.

OSP says that they were alerted to an attempted burglary at a residence near Cave Junction. The caller (and resident) admitted that he had shot a man who had tried to force entry.

When OSP patrol and detectives arrived at the scene, they found 28-year-old Kristopher Nelson laying in the yard of the house he had apparently attempted to burglarize, with a gunshot wound to the leg.

The homeowner claimed that he had fired warning shots, but drew a bead on Nelson when the man did not break off his attacks. That's when the homeowner fired, hitting Nelson in the leg, according to OSP.

OSP claims that the investigation is still ongoing, but the homeowner has been cooperating with detectives. Charges are pending for Nelson, and OSP does not anticipate charging the homeowner with a crime at this time.

Nelson was treated for his injuries at Three Rivers Medical Center. An OSP press release did not specify whether Nelson is currently in custody, or where he may be lodged at this time.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A Maryland appeals court has upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast "Serial."

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park. A three-judge panel on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling granting him new trial.

Syed's story was widely publicized in the 2014 "Serial" podcast, which cast doubt on his guilt. The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered podcast records.

A lower court judge vacated Syed's conviction in 2016, citing his attorney's failure to cross-examine a key witness. Prosecutors appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appeals court.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

3/29/2018 10:16:17 AM (GMT -7:00)
LAPINE, Ore.  Two drivers were rushed to the hospital after a broadside collision near Lapine in Klamath County on Thursday. The crash occurred on US 97, at the junction with Highway 31, according to Oregon State Police (OSP).

OSP reports that one driver in a black 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup was traveling south on US 97, and tried to make a left turn onto Highway 31. Another driver in a white 2007 Hyundai Accent 4-door was traveling northbound.

The driver of the black pickup turned directly into the path of the driver in the white 4-door, resulting in a broadside collision. The two vehicles came to an "uncontrolled rest" in the northbound lane, according to OSP.

Both drivers were men, and both were alone in their vehicles at the time of the crash. The driver of the pickup was brought to St. Charles in Bend. The driver of the white 4-door had to be taken by air ambulance, also to St. Charles in Bend. There is no word yet on the extent of their injuries.

Highways 97 and 31 were blocked for about an hour, according to OSP.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Airlink, Lapine Fire District and the Crescent Fire Medics.

The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
A house in Torrington, Alta. is shown in a Wednesday, Aug.10, 2016 handout photo. A class-action lawsuit against the creators of Pokemon Go has been dropped after the company took steps to deal with what the plaintiff said was an invasion of privacy. Calgary lawyer Clint Docken filed legal action against California-based Niantic Inc. in August 2016 on behalf of Barbra-Lyn Schaeffer from Torrington, Alta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Barbra-Lyn Schaeffer MANDATORY CREDIT
Activist Sumaya Dalmar holds a photograph taken by Ryerson documentary media graduate and multidisciplinary artist Abdi Osman in this undated handout photo. A Toronto university has launched a scholarship to help support racialized transgender students in honour of a young woman who died several years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Abdi Osman *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, March 1, 2018. Ginette Petitpas Taylor says the federal government has reached millions of young Canadians through various, intensive public education campaigns aimed at informing them about the health and safety risks of using cannabis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
In this August 2017 photo, DMX, the rapper also known as Earl Simmons, has a cigarette after leaving Manhattan federal court in New York following an appearance in his tax fraud case. DMX could get up to five years in prison when he is sentenced, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, for trying to dodge $1.7 million in taxes. (AP Photo/Larry Neumeister)
A woman carries a poster reading "I am a jew" as she attends a silent march to honor an 85-year-old woman who escaped the Nazis 76 years ago but was stabbed to death last week in her Paris apartment, apparently targeted because she was Jewish, and to denounce racism, in Paris, France, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, left, poses with North Korean delegation head Ri Son Gwon for photographers before their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom, North Korea, Thursday, March 29, 2018. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (Korea Pool via AP)
FILE Ai In this March 13, 2015 file photo, Lise-Lotte Lublin, who says Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her in 1989, testifies during a hearing at the Legislative Building in Carson City, Nev. With jury selection set to begin Monday, April 2, 2018, in Cosby's retrial on charges he drugged and sexually assaulted Andrea Constand at his home near Philadelphia, prosecutors have selected Lublin as one of five additional accusers they plan to call to the witness stand, listed in a letter to Judge Steven O'Neill made public on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they are sexual assault victims, but Lise-Lotte Lublin has spoken out publicly. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison, File)
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BUFFALO CENTER, Iowa  Police say a sizable amount of marijuana was found in a vehicle in the parking lot of North Iowa Community School.

Ramiro Tiverio Resendiz, 19 of Rake, is charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana. Buffalo Center Police went to the school on March 8 and say a K9 indicated a controlled substance in a parked vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, Resendiz was brought out by school staff and admitted it was his vehicle.

Police say a search of the vehicle found the marijuana in a book bag in the backseat, along with a small scale, a marijuana grinder, and rolling papers. Officers say Resendiz confessed that the marijuana belonged to him.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  A water park company co-owner accused of rushing the world's tallest waterslide into service and a designer accused of shoddy planning have been charged in the decapitation of a 10-year-old boy on the ride in 2016.

With the latest charges unsealed Tuesday, three men connected with Texas-based Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts and its park in Kansas City, Kansas, have been indicted by a Kansas grand jury, along with the park and the construction company that built the ride. Caleb Schwab died on the 17-story ride when the raft he was riding went airborne and hit an overhead loop.

The Kansas attorney general's office said Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeffrey Henry, 62, and designer John Schooley were charged with reckless second-degree murder, along with Henry & Sons Construction Co., which is described as the private construction company of Schlitterbahn. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of 9 years to 41 years in prison.

They also were charged with 17 other felonies, including aggravated battery and aggravated endangerment of a child counts tied to injuries other riders sustained on the giant slide, called Verruckt, which is German for "insane." The indictment accuses Henry of making a "spur of the moment" decision to build the ride, and that he and Schooley lacked technical or engineering expertise in amusement park rides.

Henry was ordered held in a Texas jail without bond Tuesday, pending extradition to Kansas. The attorney general's office said Schooley is not in custody. Schooley didn't have a listed phone number and no one answered the phone at Henry & Sons Construction Co. Eric B Terry, who represented the company in an earlier unrelated case, didn't immediately return a phone or email message.

The same grand jury last week indicted the Kansas City park and Tyler Austin Miles, its former operations manager, on 20 felony charges. The charges include a single count of involuntary manslaughter in Caleb's death. Miles has been released on $50,000 bond, according to one of his attorneys, Tricia Bath.

The company has promised to aggressively fight the criminal charges. After Miles and the park were charged, it said it would respond to the allegations in the 47-page indictment "point by point."

After Henry's arrest in Texas, Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said in an emailed statement: "We as a company and as a family will fight these allegations and have confidence that once the facts are presented it will be clear that what happened on the ride was an unforeseeable accident."

According to the indictments, Henry decided in 2012 to build the world's tallest water slide to impress the producers of a Travel Channel show. Henry's desire to "rush the project" and a lack of expertise caused the company to "skip fundamental steps in the design process."

The indictment said, "not a single engineer was directly involved in Verruckt's dynamic engineering or slide path design." The indictment said that in 2014, when there were news reports emerging about airborne rafts, a company spokesperson "discredited" them and Henry and his designer began "secretly testing at night to avoid scrutiny."

The indictment listed 13 injuries during the 182 days the ride was in operation, including two concussions. In one of those cases, a 15-year-old girl went temporarily blind while riding.

Caleb, the son of Kansas Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab, was decapitated after the raft on which he was riding went airborne on a day when admission was free for state legislators and their families.

The family reached settlements of nearly $20 million with Schlitterbahn and various companies associated with the design and construction of the waterslide. The two women who rode on the same raft with Caleb suffered serious injuries and settled claims with Schlitterbahn for an undisclosed amount.

"Clearly the issues with Schlitterbahn go far beyond Caleb's incident, and we know the attorney general will take appropriate steps in the interest of public safety," the family said in a statement released Monday through their attorneys.

The indictment said Schooley was responsible for doing "the math" that went into the slide's design and signed an operations manual claiming the ride met all American Society for Testing and Materials standards. But the indictment lists a dozen instances in which the design violated those standards and says investigators could find no evidence that so-called dynamic engineering calculations were made to determine the physics a passenger would experience. The indictment said Schooley lacked the technical expertise to properly design a complex amusement ride such as Verruckt.

The indictment said Schooley admitted, "If we actually knew how to do this, and it could be done that easily, it wouldn't be that spectacular."

Prosapio said Schlitterbahn does not expect any changes to the Kansas City park's season, which is set to open May 25 and runs through Labor Day. The Verruckt slide has been closed since Caleb died.

Mike Taylor, a spokesman for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, says it does not believe it has the legal authority to shut down a business, other than for an epidemic or contagious disease outbreak.

The company also operates water parks in Galveston, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island and New Braunfels, Texas, according to its website.
MASON CITY, Iowa- The Iowa Department of Transportation unveiled its plan to update Highway 122 in Mason City from S. Monroe to S. Carolina. It left many people with questions on how they will get around.

Barb Gasaway, of Mason City, lives near where the project is set to take place. A DOT Spokesman said the project starts Thursday and parts of 5th St. will be closed within a couple of weeks.

The DOT said they will be making a number of updates: repaving, softening the turn at Massachusetts Ave., adding new sidewalks and a bike lane.

But Gasaway believes this project isnt worth the headaches.

I don't know that it was necessary, but Im more interested in learning how the flow of traffic is going to go while they are doing construction, she said.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  A family that gained attention for an emotional photograph of an African-American boy hugging a white police officer at a 2014 protest was killed when their SUV plunged off a scenic California highway, authorities said Wednesday as they asked for help figuring out what happened.

"We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there," Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said, appealing for tips to retrace where the siblings and two parents had been before the vehicle was found Monday in rocky ocean. "We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy."

Family killed in cliff plunge: free spirits or troubled? By PHUONG LE and TOM JAMES , Associated Press WOODLAND, Wash. (AP)  The two women and their six adopted children traveled to festivals and events, offering free hugs and promoting unity, friends said. They raised animals and grew vegetables and last year moved onto a piece of land in rural southwest Washington, a dream of theirs. The Hart Tribe, as they were known, also took spontaneous road trips to hike or camp, and friends believe they may have been on one of those adventures when their SUV plunged off a scenic California highway. "We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy," said Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman on Wednesday as he appealed for help retracing where the family had been before the vehicle was found Monday. Friends described married couple Jennifer and Sarah Hart as loving, inspiring parents who promoted social justice and exposed their "remarkable children" to art, music and nature. But neighbors said they saw signs that caused them to worry about how the homeschooled children were being cared for. The California Highway Patrol has not determined why the vehicle went off an ocean overlook on a rugged part of coastline. A specialized team of accident investigators was trying to figure that out, Allman said. "We have no evidence and no reason to believe that this was an intentional act," he said, adding that the scene was confusing because "there were no skid marks, there were no brake marks" at the roadside turnout where the vehicle went over. Authorities believe six children were in the vehicle with their parents, though three siblings haven't been found. The 100-foot (31-meter) drop killed both women, both 39, and their children Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14. Hannah Hart, 16; Devonte Hart, 15; and Sierra Hart, 12, have not been found. "This is a tragic accident of a magnitude that cannot be measured," said Zippy Lomax, a photographer who knew the Harts. "They were really radiant, warm, adventurous inspiring people. They were always on some grand adventure, and the kids were living this life that was kind of like this dream," Lomax told The Associated Press. "The family was this very self-supporting unit that was impossible to miss. When they showed up to an event, they made an impression. They shattered a lot of norms and they did not shy away from controversy or adversity."

Some friends described married couple Jennifer and Sarah Hart as loving parents who took their adopted kids to Bernie Sanders rallies, while some neighbors said they called child welfare officials in their rural Washington state community over concerns about possible abuse or had noticed red flags.

The California Highway Patrol has not determined why the vehicle went off an ocean overlook on a rugged part of coastline. A specialized team of accident investigators was trying to figure that out, Allman said.

"There were no skid marks, there were no brake marks" at the turnout on the Pacific Coast Highway where the vehicle went over, the sheriff said. Investigators have no reason to believe the crash was intentional, he said.

The 100-foot (31-meter) drop killed the women, both 39, and their children Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14. Hannah Hart, 16; Devonte Hart, 15; and Sierra Hart, 12, have not been found.

The Harts lived in Woodland, Washington, a small city outside Portland, Oregon, and had a recent visit from Child Protective Services, Clark County sheriff's Sgt. Brent Waddell told The Associated Press.

He said the sheriff's office later entered the house and found no obvious signs of trouble or violence. It appeared the family planned a short trip because they left behind a pet, chickens and most of their belongings.

Next-door neighbors Bruce and Dana DeKalb said they called child services Friday because they were concerned that Devonte Hart, who hugged the officer at the protest, was going hungry. They said he had been coming over to their house too often in the past week asking for food.

The DeKalbs also recounted that three months after the family moved into the home on 2 acres with a fenced pasture in May 2017, one of the girls rang their doorbell at 1:30 a.m.

She "was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her," Bruce DeKalb said. "She said that they were abusing her. It haunted my wife since that day."

In 2011, Sarah Hart pleaded guilty to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota. Her plea led to the dismissal of a charge of malicious punishment of a child, online court records say.

Bill Groener, 67, was a next-door neighbor of the family when they lived in West Linn, Oregon, and said the kids were home-schooled.

"They stayed indoors most of the time, even in really nice weather," Groener said.

He said the family didn't eat sugar, raised their own vegetables, had animals and went on camping trips.

"There was enough positive there to kind of counteract the feeling that something maybe wasn't quite right," Groener said.

He said they were neighbors for about two years and that "privacy was a big thing for them."

The family got attention after Devonte Hart was photographed during a 2014 protest in Portland, Oregon, over a grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Missouri.

The boy, holding a "Free Hugs" sign, stood crying. A Portland officer saw his sign and asked if he could have a hug, and an emotional Hart embraced him in a picture that was widely shared.

At the time, Jennifer Hart wrote on social media: "My son has a heart of gold, compassion beyond anything I've ever experienced, yet struggles with living fearlessly when it comes to the police. ... He wonders if someday when he no longer wears a 'Free Hugs' sign around his neck, when he's a full-grown black male, if his life will be in danger for simply being."

The family traveled to many festivals throughout the area  including events for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders  and were known for wearing matching T-shirts.

Zippy Lomax, a Portland photographer who knew the Harts, told the Oregonian/Oregonlive.com that the reaction to the 2014 photo overwhelmed them, with negative attention focused on the multiracial family with lesbian parents.

"They kind of closed off for a while, honestly," Lomax told the newspaper. But she added that "Jen and Sarah were the kind of parents this world desperately needs."
CHARLES CITY, Iowa - Gavin Connell is about to graduate high school and head to college, but when it comes to being an adult, he didn't know how much work or money it would take.

"I didn't know anything about mortgaging houses, I didn't know anything about credit scores, I didn't know any of that stuff until I sat down and we got to talking about it," Connell says.

That's where the 'Adulting 101' class comes in. The one day experience had seniors thinking of their future, and their budget. They ventured around town to learn about everything from buying groceries, to qualifying for a home loan, even writing a check.

Bailee Bortz is planning on attending Iowa State to major in biology with an eventual goal of becoming a veterinarian. And after learning what she knows now, Bortz is wondering if she should have handled money a little better early on.

"It got me in the sense that I need to start saving now when I should've started saving earlier so that I had extra money for college. I had things to pay for like my books and everything else," Bortz says.

Veronica Litterer is with Stewart Realty Co. in Charles City, and says your future is all dependent on choice you make in your younger years.

"This is the second year we've participated in this program. And we've gotten really positive feedback from the students, and they're having some really eye opening moments about their future life, and maybe their parents' lives," Litterer says.

Students constructed their budget based on the career they are working towards.

As for what Connell took away from the event?

"I learned that a lot of the stuff that I was gonna be able to do when I was really young, that I'm probably not gonna be able to afford after I get out of college," Connell adds.
ROCHESTER, Minn.- One in foun women and 1 in 7 men ages 18 and older in America have fallen victim to physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to The National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The Womens Shelter and Community Center in Rochester held an event in the Olmsted County building to raise awareness against domestic violence.

Terri Allred, director of community engagement for the shelter, said she wants to raise awareness to help shine a light on domestic violence.

Women today still going to abusive relationships, we want people to have tools to deal with these issues,she said.

Another who attended the event was Kyler Steffe. She tells KIMT News 3 that she isn't a victim of domestic violence but knows a lot more victims than she would like to know. She said this is a call to action.

There are women dying from the hands of their husbands, boyfriends, whatever and that shouldn't be the case. This is a problem.

The attendees signed cards that were mailed to their local officials to create a task force for murdered and missing women and a sexual harassment in Minnesota.

You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7/365

1-800-799-7233

1-800-787-3224 (TTY for Deaf/hard of hearing)



To visit the website, Click here.
ALBERT LEA, Minn. - Over the Christmas holiday, some Mayo employees picketed in front of Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea because they were unhappy with the status of the contract negotiation process with Mayo.

Workers say in response, Mayo blocked the protesters from coming to work for seven days and hired temporary workers.

SEIU Healthcare, a healthcare union, filed a complaint against Mayo and says the National Labor Relations Board scheduled a hearing for July 30.

RELATED: SEIU Healthcare

On Wednesday, SEIU sent out a press release titled "Mayo's Christmas Lockout of Albert Lea Workers Deemed Illegal By Region 18 of the National Labor Relations Board."

Mayo Health System responded with its own statement: "The statement from SEIU is deliberately misleading. The notice issued by the local office of the National Labor Relations Board does not make any judgment about Mayo's handling of the December strike."

Mayo utilities worker Justin Yost and housekeeper Marlene Baseman were affected by the lockout. They call the negotiation process between Mayo and its employees thus far "one-sided," and the lockout a "retaliation" against employees for picketing. They hope the NLRB's decision to hear the case will help them move along with settling contracts employees are satisfied with. "We just want a contract they can't tear up whenever they feel like it," says Baseman, who has been with the company for 27 years.

The next contract negotiation meeting between Mayo and union workers is April 23. The NLRB encourages both sides to come to an agreement before the trial. If they do, the trial will be called off. If they don't,a hearing will be held July 30th in Minneapolis in front of an administrative law judge. SEIU Healthcare Minnesota President Jamie Gulley says they hope Mayo will return to the table to negotiate so that neither side has to spend more time fighting the issue. In Mayo's statement, they comment that they anticipate the NLRB will dismiss the SEIU's claims.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trumps top trade envoy said on Wednesday he will give China a 60-day window before tariffs on Chinese goods take effect, but added that it would take years to bring the two countries trading relationship to a good place.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, speaking on CNBC television, said the soon-to-be revealed tariff list totaling more than $50 billion would include largely high-technology things.

Well announce them before very long and then well go through a 60-day period where well give the public a chance to comment on the good and the bad things in there, Lighthizer said.

The tariff list is expected in the next several days.

A USTR spokeswoman said that USTR would accept written comments on the tariff list for 30 days, followed by another 30-day period during which a public hearing and post-hearing briefs would be considered.

Asked on CNBC whether negotiations with Beijing could avoid tariffs, Lighthizer said: I think there is hope.

He said the two countries had different economic systems with different tensions, with the U.S. version market economy-driven and China driven by state capitalism.

Theres going to be a certain amount of tension between the two, Lighthizer added. But I think its very possible that we can end up, over many years and over a series of difficulties, working our way to a good place and this is the beginning of that process.

The trade ambassador made no mention of discussions between senior Trump cabinet officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and their Chinese counterparts in recent days to discuss potential solutions to avoid tariffs.

Mnuchin spoke last weekend with Liu He, Chinas new vice premier for economic policy, and said they discussed the trade deficit between our two countries and committed to continuing the dialogue to find a mutually agreeable way to reduce it.

A person familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the list of U.S. demands included a reduction in Chinas 25 percent tariff on autos and greater access for U.S. firms to Chinas financial sector.
(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.) By Neil Unmack LONDON, March 29 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Melrose has won the battle for GKN , but dealmaking in Britain may be the loser. The UK takeover specialists 8 billion pound hostile bid for the British engineering group has prevailed. It now needs a turnaround plan that squares with pledges that were made to placate politicians. And potential bidders for other UK companies know they face a more interventionist government.

The battle over GKN, which began at the start of the year, involved two adversaries that each had their weakness. The engineering group had in recent years missed or barely hit its operating targets, and just lost its incoming chief executive. Melrose came with a good track record of improving and selling companies, but had little experience of running a company the size of GKN, no detailed plans for improvement and was paying mostly with expensive stock.

GKNs defence was better than expected. It laid out ambitious targets, and arranged to merge its car-engineering business with U.S. peer Dana . Yet in the end, investors wanted something new. Melrose secured support from those with 52.43 percent of shares, just above its minimum level of 50 percent plus one share.

But the significance of the battle goes beyond who won or lost. Public debate has raged over whether Melroses model of buying and breaking up companies was appropriate for a group with 6,000 employees and government contracts. And politicians from both the major parties urged Prime Minister Theresa Mays government to intervene.

The government responded by extracting commitments that Melrose would refrain from selling GKN quickly, and that it would maintain research-and-development spending at current levels. The company now has to balance those commitments against plans to more than double its money.

The intervention showed that even a centre-right, pro-business government cannot leave the fate of companies completely up to markets. It came late and was criticized as insufficient and legally dubious. Melroses narrow margin of victory will spark calls to toughen up takeover rules. Britain is becoming a less friendly place for would-be dealmakers, even those who are local. On Twitter CONTEXT NEWS - Melrose Industries said on March 29 that 52.43 percent of GKN shareholders had accepted its 8 billion pound offer as of 1300 BST. That was above its minimum threshold of anything over 50 percent. - Melrose Industries offered 81 pence in cash and 1.69 of its own shares for each GKN share, valuing the group at 4.71 pence per share. - GKN shares were up 9.5 percent at 463 pence on March 29 after the announcement. - For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on - SIGN UP FOR BREAKINGVIEWS EMAIL ALERTS <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Melrose wins UK engineer GKN with $11 bln hostile bid Melrose statement BREAKINGVIEWS-Dana keeps GKN defence hopes alive BREAKINGVIEWS-GKN owners should stick with the devil they know BREAKINGVIEWS-Melrose shows cool head in battle for GKN BREAKINGVIEWS-GKN turbocharges defence with $5 bln auto sale ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Editing by Swaha Pattanaik and Liam Proud)

neil.unmack.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
By Hilary Russ NEW YORK, March 29 (Reuters) - Connecticut, one of the lowest rated U.S. states, cut the size of its general obligation bond deal this week by 15 percent to $526.4 million, according to final pricing information on Thursday. The Connecticut Treasurer's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment on why the deal shrank from $620 million. Typically, a deal can be reduced because investors wanted more yield than the issuer could pay, or because demand for the bonds was lower than expected. Final prices on the deal did not change from preliminary levels. The state's spread over top-rated municipal bonds widened since it last issued similar debt a year ago. That means that the state, which has budget problems and high debt levels despite being one of the wealthiest in the country, had to pay more to borrow in part because of its credit woes. (Reporting by Hilary Russ; editing by Diane Craft) Messaging: hilary.russ.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
ACCRA, March 29 (Reuters) - The Bank of Ghana said the yield on its weekly 91-day bill eased to 13.31 percent at an auction on Thursday, compared to 13.36 percent at the last sale on March 23. The bank said it had accepted all 250.8 million cedis ($56.78 mln) worth of bids tendered for the paper, which will be issued on Tuesday. Ghana's treasury bill yields have steadied around 13 percent since August after falling from 23 percent a year earlier as the government embarked on debt refinancing under a $918 million IMF-sponsored fiscal consolidation programme. For full details, click here: ($1 = 4.4170 Ghanaian cedis) (Reporting by Kwasi Kpodo; Editing by Adrian Croft) Messaging: Kwasi.Kpodo.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
By Susan Taylor TORONTO, March 29 (Reuters) - Goldcorp Inc made the first gold deposit on Tradewind Markets' new digitized trading platform, the companies said on Thursday, with 3,000 ounces of bullion from its Red Lake mine complex in Ontario. As old-school gold trading increasingly moves into the digital era, the deposit represents a "milestone" as the genesis block, or first step in the blockchain on Tradewind's newly launched VaultChain, the companies said. "The combination of blockchain and gold is really the first way for investors to directly own gold in a financial instrument with no ongoing administration and storage costs...that eat away at the value of the gold that you own," Goldcorp vice president, David Stephens, told Reuters.

"We think that can have a big impact on the institutional market for gold investment." New York-based Tradewind uses blockchain, a tamper-proof shared ledger that can automatically process and settle transactions using computer algorithms, as part of a system tailored to precious metals that securely identifies participants, registers gold and settles transactions.

Financially backed and spun off from U.S. stock exchange operator IEX Group, Tradewind says the current gold market takes too long to settle trades, gives an opaque ownership record and has potential for errors that require manual reconciliation. Other gold blockchain services for trade and supply chain tracking have been developed, including the recent partnership of California's Emergent Technology Holdings with Canadian miner Yamana Gold . Goldcorp said its deposit is the first to use blockchain in the recording and managing of gold in an institution. The Vancouver-based company said it will use VaultChain to directly sell gold to dealers and banks and work with Tradewind to add new services.

"There's now a base from which gold is digitized and that creates all kinds of opportunities for increases in the usage of gold," Stephens said. "Anything that gives gold more utility has to be beneficial for the price."

Tradewind, whose investors include Goldcorp and investment firm Sprott Inc , will store gold at the Royal Canadian Mint. "We believe that our technology will enable gold producers like Goldcorp to overcome existing limitations and move into the electronic age," said Tradewind President Matt Trudeau in a statement. Blockchain is currently used in the diamond industry and planned for cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Diamonds get digital fingerprints that are tracked by blockchain as gems are sold, providing a forgery-proof record of the gems' origin. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ How blockchain works ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Susan Taylor; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Messaging: susan.taylor1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
(Kitco News) - In its continued bid to bring innovation to the precious-metals sector, one of the worlds biggest gold miners has embraced a new blockchain-based digital marketplace.

Goldcorp (NYSE: GG, TSX: G) announced Thursday that it placed 3,000 ounces of gold, valued at $4 million, in Tradewind Inc.'s newly launched digital market, VaultChain. Tradewind described the investment as the genesis block, the first block in a blockchain, representing a tremendous milestone for the technology and the sector.

Goldcorp will be able to sell gold directly to dealers and banks using the Tradewind platform, expanding access to a new market structure and a highly efficient, electronic pricing and liquidity venue, the company said in a press release.

We are excited to be an investor in Tradewind and participate in the launch of VaultChain, a cutting-edge technology that integrates physical gold into a blockchain, said David Garofalo, president and chief executive officer at Goldcorp. We believe physical gold stored on a blockchain will increase the utility of the commodity and, ultimately, drive value in the price of gold. We are thrilled to be an early adopter of this 21st century platform and deposit its first bar of gold.

Garofalo added that blockchain technology and the new VaultChain exchange has the potential to revolutionize the gold market in the same way exchange-traded products did more than 10 years ago.

Matthew Trudeau, president and co-founder of Tradewind, said that Goldcorps investment in VaultChain demonstrates the miners leadership and vision as an innovator within the gold market. He has said that he also expects that the technology has the potential to revitalize an industry that is seen by many as outdated.

Over the years, the mining sector has struggled to attract investor attention. Many market analysts have noted investors have ignored the mining sector in recent years, turning to more exciting markets like cryptocurrencies.

Our platform enables the digitization of precious metals, beginning with gold. We believe this creates a modern, technology-driven means to own and trade physical gold that will be attractive to a new generation of investors that are digital natives, said Trudeau in an email to Kitco News. We believe that our technology will enable gold producers like Goldcorp to overcome existing limitations and move into the electronic age.

Goldcorp was an early backer of Tradewind, which has been developing its digital exchange for nearly two years. Tradewind won investment capital from the mining giant in 2017 when it was a finalist in the inaugural #Disruptmining showcase.

The exchange has also received support from another gold-market heavyweight. According to reports, Sprott Inc. owns about 20% of the exchange and is expected to be an authorized dealer on the platform.

Tradewind was created as a spinoff company from IEX Group, which made headlines in mid-2016 after it launched a new equity exchange that incorporated delay in its platform for all trades. The concept behind the speed bump, was to level the playing field between high-speed trading algorithms and average investors.

The gold that is now on the exchange came from Goldcorps Red Lake Gold Mines complex. The gold trading on the new exchange will be vaulted with the Royal Canadian Mint.
By Zandi Shabalala LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - Kore Potash plans to tap the market in 2019 for $600 million to help fund its $1.86 billion mine project in Congo Republic, its chief executive said on Thursday. The miner, listed in Australia, raised $13 million in its stock market debut on Thursday in London and Johannesburg. The proceeds from the listing will contribute towards the cost of running the business until the investor cash call next year. CEO Sean Bennett told Reuters Kore hopes to raise $600 million in London and Johannesburg for its Kola project, with the balance obtained through debt funding. "By early next year we are seeking to raise that equity so bringing the listing to the market at this time made sense because it gives us time to get investors comfortable and ready to participate in a big placement," Bennett said. Bennett said Australian capital markets lacked the appetite to fund a large project in Africa. Global prices of potash, a fertiliser ingredient, are slowly perking up as plant closures ease oversupply in the roughly 65 million tonne market.

The Kola project is expected to begin production at the end of 2022, the company said. It is awaiting the completion of a definitive feasibility study that will be ready in the third quarter of 2018. Kore plans to produce potash at the relatively low cost of $100 per tonne for delivery to top consumer Brazil due to the shallow nature of the mine, the ease of processing the product and the mine's proximity to ports, Bennett said. The Kola project will produce 2 million tonnes per year. Kore's main investors include Oman's sovereign wealth fund SGRF, which owns 19 percent, and Chilean lithium and potash miner SQM , with 17.6 percent.

Kore is awaiting parliamentary approval of a convention that will protect the company against any changes to Congo Republic's mining code. Meanwhile, mining companies operating in Democratic Republic of Congo are negotiating over the implementation of a strict new set of laws that include a 50 percent tax on windfall profits. (Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by Dale Hudson)

zandi.shabalala.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
UTIA Professor earns SAEAs Lifetime Achievement Award





Kimberly L. Jensen, professor and agricultural economist at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, has received the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association. Photo by T. Johnson, courtesy UTIA



KNOXVILLE  Kimberly L. Jensen, a professor at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has received the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association.



The award is given in recognition of her considerable contributions to the agricultural economics profession and to Southern agriculture. Jensen accepted the award at the 2018 SAEA annual meeting, which was held recently in Jacksonville, Florida.



Dr. Jensen is a highly respected faculty member and leader within the UT Institute of Agriculture, said Bill Brown, UTIA dean of AgResearch. In addition to being an excellent collaborator, teacher and mentor, she also has an uncanny ability to process a complex issue, synthesize information and make the issue understandable. She is very deserving of this award.



Jensen conducts research and teaches economic analysis of agricultural markets and marketing functions in the Department of Agricultural and Research Economics. Her research interests include bioenergy economics; agribusiness; analysis of value-added agricultural markets; consumer preference and demand for food and fiber products; and environmental labeling.



She is also a founding member of both the Agri-Industry Modeling and Analysis Group (AIM-AG), and the Biobased Energy Analysis Group (BEAG). AIM-AGs mission is to assess and project the impacts of agri-industry development on the Tennessee economy, while the mission of BEAG is to provide decision makers in government and industry with up-to-date economic and environmental analyses of the biobased industry at the firm, state, regional and national levels.



Her research has received more than $4 million in grant and contract funding. Jensens research client base includes producer organizations; USDA; U.S. Department of Energy; EPA; Tennessee Department of Agriculture; Tennessee Valley Authority; Tennessee Department of Tourist Development; Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; U.S. Forest Service; and local economic development agencies. She has developed more than 300 publications and presentations, including 65 peer-reviewed journal articles, and continues serving as a mentor to future agricultural economists.



Jensen earned her Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University; a masters in agribusiness from Arizona State University; and a bachelors in bioagricultural science from Arizona State University. She joined the ARE faculty in 1986 and currently teaches Microeconomic Applications to Agricultural and Resource Markets and The Food and Agricultural Marketing System.



The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrates 50 years of excellence in providing Real. Life. Solutions. through teaching, discovery and service. ag.tennessee.edu. Published March 28, 2018










Gerdau Knoxville names David Moore Employee of the Year





David Moore, Gerdau Knoxville

KNOXVILLE -- Gerdaus Knoxville mill has named heavy equipment operator David Moore as Employee of the Year for 2017.



Moore was recognized because of his willingness to help and commitment to his coworkers. He was nominated by fellow employees at the Knoxville mill and selected for the honor by mill administration from among those named Employee of the Month during the year.



David is the type of employee that a company has to have to succeed - strong work ethic, genuine caring for his coworkers and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done, said Johnny Miller, vice president and general manager of Gerdaus Knoxville mill. Im proud of all 12 of our Employee of the Month winners, and I especially want to acknowledge David for this well-deserved recognition.



During the nomination process, coworkers praised Moore as someone who is a jack of all trades and can run any piece of heavy equipment east of the Mississippi.



Moore resides in Halls and has been with Gerdau since 1979.



Gerdau (pronounced "Grr-DOW) is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. Each year, Gerdau recycles millions of tons of scrap metals into steel products, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. Gerdau's North American long steel division manufactures products for the construction, automotive, agricultural and energy markets. Learn more about Gerdau in North America by visiting



In 2016, Gerdau won the Knoxville Chamber Impact Award in recognition of its broad community support of its Lonsdale neighbors.





KNOXVILLE -- Gerdaus Knoxville mill has named heavy equipment operator David Moore as Employee of the Year for 2017.Moore was recognized because of his willingness to help and commitment to his coworkers. He was nominated by fellow employees at the Knoxville mill and selected for the honor by mill administration from among those named Employee of the Month during the year.David is the type of employee that a company has to have to succeed - strong work ethic, genuine caring for his coworkers and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done, said Johnny Miller, vice president and general manager of Gerdaus Knoxville mill. Im proud of all 12 of our Employee of the Month winners, and I especially want to acknowledge David for this well-deserved recognition.During the nomination process, coworkers praised Moore as someone who is a jack of all trades and can run any piece of heavy equipment east of the Mississippi.Moore resides in Halls and has been with Gerdau since 1979.Gerdau (pronounced "Grr-DOW) is a leading producer of long steel in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steel in the world. Each year, Gerdau recycles millions of tons of scrap metals into steel products, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development in the regions where it operates. Gerdau's North American long steel division manufactures products for the construction, automotive, agricultural and energy markets. Learn more about Gerdau in North America by visiting www.gerdau.com/northamerica In 2016, Gerdau won the Knoxville Chamber Impact Award in recognition of its broad community support of its Lonsdale neighbors. Published March 29, 2018
















TBI reports 120 law enforcement-related deaths in Tennessee, 2017



NASHVILLE  Today, for the first time, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) released a comprehensive study detailing law enforcement-related deaths in the state. According to the study, there were 120 law enforcement-related deaths reported in 2017.



The report was released in accordance to the requirements set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated  38-10-102. The study uses established definitions and methodology and provides information on qualifying incidents submitted by the states law enforcement agencies. Data has been divided into three categories: Deadly Use-of-Force incidents, Arrest-Related Non-Forcible Deaths, and Deaths in Custody.



Among the reports findings:

 In 2017, 53 law enforcement agencies reported a total of 120 law enforcement-related deaths. Of those, 24 deaths met the reporting criteria, established in state law, of deadly use of force by a law enforcement officer.

 The most predominate time frame for a deadly use-of-force incident in 2017 was between the hours of 6:00 PM and 11:59 PM.

 Of the 24 reported deadly use-of-force incidents in 2017, Whites accounted 87.5% of decedents, compared to Black or African-American, at 12.5%. Data did not identify any other races in these reported incidents. Males accounted for 96.0% of those killed in these incidents.

 Of the 120 law enforcement-related deaths reported in 2017, nine met the Arrest-Related Non-Forcible Death (ARNDF) reporting criteria. The 2017 data indicated six of these deaths were reported as Suicide.

 In 2017, 87 deaths were reported in local jails or state prisons. 92.0% of these deaths were male and most were above the age of 55. Illness accounted for the leading cause of these deaths.



I am very proud of the efforts of all participating law enforcement agencies in the state to provide the data necessary to produce this report, said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. Our combined efforts have resulted in a successful reporting program and the relationships necessary to produce a report of this nature.



Published March 29, 2018














Tennessee program is nations first accredited wildlife, fisheries management concentration





KNOXVILLE - The Society of American Foresters has granted accreditation to the wildlife and fisheries management concentration of study within the wildlife and fisheries science major in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. This historic achievement represents the first and only time, nationwide, that a concentration of a wildlife and fisheries major has been accredited by a professional organization.



Students in the University of Tennessee Wildlife and Fisheries Program get hands-on experience. At the 2017 Fall Camp students gather around Chris Ogle, a wildlife survey manager with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), to inspect a deer mouse caught at the Buffalo Springs Wildlife Management Area. Photo courtesy UTIA.





Faculty overseeing the program are part of the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries. The accreditation was granted by SAF under their Natural Resources and Ecosystem Management Standards.



Normally, wildlife and fisheries programs may provide an opportunity for their graduates to become a Certified Wildlife Biologist by completing a specified number of credit hours within a range of academic subject areas, combined with a minimum amount of professional experience. However, degree programs themselves are not certified, only the graduates of those programs.



Accreditation, on the other hand, involves rigorous evaluation of the entire program based on standards that examine a programs mission, goals and objectives; organization and administration; students; parent institution support; curriculum; and faculty. A peer review process is conducted on site by a selected visiting team, followed by review and deliberations of the SAF Committee on Accreditation. The end result, if successful, is assurance that professional quality standards are attained by the degree program that is reviewed and approved.



The FWF curricula, including the Wildlife and Fisheries Management concentration, focus on a mastery learning approach that emphasizes practical, hands-on experiences. FWFs faculty, staff, and students conduct research and educational outreach that advances the science and sustainable management of our natural resources.



FWF Department head and professor Keith Belli noted, Reaching our goal of accreditation for our Wildlife and Fisheries Management concentration sets us apart from all of the other wildlife programs in the country. Although other universities may follow our lead in the future, we will always be recognized as the first to reach this milestone. I couldnt be more proud of the faculty, students and staff in our department.



Tim Cross, UTIA Chancellor, echoes Bellis sentiments. The Wildlife and Fisheries Management Program is among the many outstanding programs in our College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The Institute is always striving to provide real life solutions to our clientele, and I am delighted that this program has received this recognition for its excellent service to our students and to the communities and industries that our students will serve upon graduation.



In their report, the SAF site visit team noted, We heard nothing but strong praise from students about the passion, dedication, and consistent willingness of FWF faculty to help students succeed during our visit. We commend the faculty for their dedication to the success of the students in these programs.



Graduates of FWFs Wildlife and Fisheries Management concentration are the only students in the world that can claim they have completed a wildlife and fisheries major that is both accredited and that allows them to become a certified wildlife biologist.



For more information about the FWF curricula at the University of Tennessee, please visit fwf.tennessee.edu.



The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrates 50 years of excellence in providing Real. Life. Solutions. through teaching, discovery and service. ag.tennessee.edu.




Finance ministry says currency deal is separate from FTA



By Yoon Ja-young



After Korea and the United States agreed to improve the transparency of Seoul's foreign exchange market, concern is mounting that the country might lose sovereignty over its exchange policies. The finance ministry stressed that the discussion on foreign exchange policy was not related to revisions of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).



"The foreign exchange rate is a multilateral issue and it should not be dealt with in bilateral talks. The United States had tried to link it with the KORUS FTA revision talks, but we rejected this. The talks about foreign exchange have been going on separately from the FTA," a ranking official at the ministry said.



The two countries reached an agreement in principle for amending the KORUS FTA, following President Donald Trump's claim that it was costing jobs in the United States on top of widening its trade deficit with Korea. The amendment includes the further opening of the local market to U.S. automobile manufacturers.



The agreement, however, caused controversy following a U.S. report that Korea also agreed to amend "unfair currency practices."



"On a separate track, the Treasury Department is finalizing an understanding with South Korea to avoid practices that provide an unfair competitive advantage," the White House noted on its Website.



"The provisions of the understanding include strong commitments on exchange rate practices, robust transparency and reporting, and a mechanism for accountability," it added.



The United States Trade Representative (USTR) also said in a media release, "An agreement (memorandum of understanding) is being finalized on robust provisions to prohibit competitive devaluation and exchange rate manipulation in order to promote a level playing field for trade and investment. Strong commitments on transparency and accountability are included in the provisions."







Smoothing operations



The government and central bank have been engaged in "smoothing operations" on the foreign exchange market, to decrease fluctuations by selling or buying dollars on the market. However, they have not disclosed such interventions since the opening of the foreign exchange market.



The finance ministry official pointed out that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also recommends disclosing intervention.



"In the context of the strong commitment to exchange rate flexibility, policymakers should clarify their foreign exchange intervention policy," the IMF noted in its 2017 annual consultation with Korea, though it added that the foreign exchange intervention appeared limited.



"The key measure to enhance transparency is to disclose intervention in the foreign exchange market. Korea is one of the few major countries not disclosing it, along with India, Saudi Arabia and Turkey," the ministry official said.



Such a measure can also help Korea avoid designation by the United States as a foreign exchange rate manipulator in April. In its semiannual report, the U.S. Treasury Department designates a nation a currency manipulator if it meets three criteria: a current account surplus larger than 3 percent of GDP, more than a $20 billion annual trade surplus with the U.S., and the purchase of dollars amounting to over 2 percent of GDP. Korea was on the monitoring list in the October report as it met the first two of the three conditions. The April report is likely to be similar as Korea continues to meet these two.



However, there is concern that Korea will lose sovereignty in foreign exchange policies due to the negotiations. "For small, open economies such as Korea, foreign exchange policy makes a big difference. The government should note that other emerging countries don't reveal their interventions since they have to stabilize the market," an economist said.




Choi Hee-nam

By Park Jae-hyuk



A Korean executive board member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will lead the nation's sovereign wealth fund managing assets worth $130 billion, according to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Thursday.



Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon has recommended Choi Hee-nam as a nominee for CEO of the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), a state-run enterprise established in 2005. The KIC preserves and enhances the long-term purchasing power of the country's sovereign wealth through efficient management of public funds in international financial markets.



If the finance minister recommends the nominee for KIC CEO, and the recommendation committee accepts and he passes by the operating committee's examination, the President should finally decide whether to appoint the nominee.



According to the law related to the KIC, the corporation's chief executive has to have built up a career in the field of finance or investment for more than 10 years, because the person who directs the company's overall investments needs expertise in international finance and asset management.



After majoring I economics at Hanyang University, Choi took a master's degree in business administration at Hanyang University and received Ph.D. in economics at the University of Pittsburgh.



The 59-year-old has served as a civil servant at the finance ministry for 26 years.



An expert in international finance and macroeconomics, Choi was an executive director of the World Bank from February 2016 to October 2016, and was elected as a member of the IMF's executive board later that year.



He has represented a group of 16 countries, including Korea, Australia and New Zealand on the IMF executive board since November 2016.



His term will end in November this year, but another Korean representative can serve as IMF executive board member until the expiration date of Choi's term.



"Based on his experience and expertise in the international finance market, Choi is expected to efficiently manage Korea's sovereign wealth fund," a finance ministry official said.



As of last year, the KIC has managed assets worth $134.1 billion, including $75 billion entrusted to it by the finance ministry and $25 billion from the Bank of Korea.



It has annually posted a 4.45 percent accumulative rate of return.



The public enterprise has faced a leadership vacuum over the past half year, since former CEO Eun Sung-soo was appointed as Eximbank CEO last September.


Jesaengdongcheon-gil / courtesy of Seoul City



By Park Jin-hai



Spring invites people to take a nice stroll in breeze. Walking the city streets, visitors bump into historic places nestled alongside skyscrapers and modern buildings.



Designated as the capital of Korea during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom, Seoul has many old streets and alleys that still hold the secrets of the 600-year-old capital. They serve as a great portal inviting visitors back to Joseon Seoul.



The Seoul Metropolitan Government recently announced it found 620 old streets that retain their original course dating back to the Joseon era.



Most of the city's street grid, which had not changed much until the early 20th century, has seen drastic changes after going through the 1910-45 Japanese occupation and the 1950-53 Korean War, as well as rapid industrialization and urbanization over the past century.



The capital moved here in 1394 after the dawn of Joseon, and Gyeongbok Palace was built the following year. Much of the palace was destroyed during the Japanese occupation, and rebuilding continues.



Those streets preserved nearly intact offer invaluable assets and provide a glimpse of the people and culture of Joseon.



"You may be surprised to know you have so many streets near you that date back to Joseon," a city government official said. "Seoul's old roads developed along streams that joined and ran to Cheonggye Stream. The streets were formed after covering over the streams, resulting in winding paths. Following those winding roads, you can time travel back to Joseon."



After two years of research, comparing "The Great Map of Seoul" drawn in the 18th century and a 2016 modern map, the city revealed 620 streets that can bring people closer to the Joseon era.

Among those, the city picked the 12 best ones to visit.



"The 12 places are like recommended walking courses developed for those who want to trace Seoul's history. The street courses include parts of intact old streets and others nearby. Although the surroundings might have changed a lot, those old roads stand still, telling history itself," the official said.





Ongnyudongcheon-gil





Streets for nobles



Ongnyudongcheon-gil seated at the foot of Inwang Mountain has been famous for its scenic views, which attracted many Joeseon scholars. The street runs through an area called Seochon, which translates as "west village" as it is west of Gyeongbok Palace.



The area lined with old hanok houses and shops is one of the oldest neighborhoods within the city walls of Seoul. In modern-day Korea, many renowned artists such as poets Yun Dong-ju and No Cheon-myeong, poet-novelist Lee Sang, and painters Park No-su and Lee Sang-beom have also lived in the neighborhood.



Samcheongdongcheon-gil and Angukdongcheon-gil, also famous for their scenery, ran through the residential quarter of high-ranking government officials and nobility which was the center of Joseon culture and art.



Jesaengdongcheon-gil, running through Bukchon Hanok Village, is where Jesaengwon, a health care center for commoners, used to be. Bukchon translates to "north village" as it is located north of Cheonggye Stream, which once divided traditional Seoul right through the middle, just as the Han River does now. It is a favorite tourist destination as it has beautiful hanok houses, small alleys and Choong Ang High School, founded in 1908 by patriots at the end of the Korean Empire, March 1 Memorial Hall to commemorate the pro-independence movement during the Japanese occupation and also known as the filming sites for hit dramas "Winter Sonata" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God."



Bukyeongcheon-gil is where Joseon's capital defense command center was, running along the western wall of Changdeok Palace. Heungdeokdongcheon-gil, near Sungkyunkwan University, is where Sungkyunkwan, the highest education institution of Joseon, stands.





Gurigae-gil
South Korea and North Korea are holding high-level talks Thursday to discuss details about preparations for an inter-Korean summit slated for late April.

The meeting started at 10:00 a.m. at the Tongilgak building on the northern side of the border truce village Panmunjom, according to Seoul's unification ministry.



"We will closely consult with the North to make the summit a success," Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, the South's chief delegate, told reporters before leaving for Panmunjom.

The minister said that the South is anticipating that the date for the summit could be set during Thursday's talks.



The meeting comes as South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un plan to hold a summit in April at Panmunjom after more than a year of tensions sparked by the North's nuclear and missile programs.

Kim made a surprise visit to China earlier this week ahead of the planned summits with Moon and U.S. President Donald Trump. The North's ruler met with Chinese President Xi Jinping Tuesday during their first summit.

His trip to Beijing was seen aimed at securing more bargaining chips ahead of his meeting with Trump, which will take place by May.
Jack Hajinyan, a member of the City Council of Montebello, California, who was chosen to be the Mayor of the city in 2014, responded to the questions of Voice of America on Montebello, his roots and Armenia-Diaspora relations. "Ethnic diversity is a good opportunity for the development of the city," said Jack Hajinyan, a member of the City Council of Montebello, one of the most ethically diverse cities in the United States. This city in California is distinguished by its ethnic diversity. He said that many ethnic groups lived there. He emphasized that as a member of the city council, he had obligations not only to Armenians, but to all residents of the city. "Montebello is an ethnically diverse city. Here live Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Armenians, Italians, Russians, Indians living in the United States. There are also many Filipinos. I am extremely proud of this fact and such diversity,"Hajinyan said. About 11 per cent of the 70,000 population of Montebello are Armenian. It is one of California's oldest Armenian communities. And Jack Hajinyan is the first US-born member of the Montebello City Council elected in 2011. He is a representative of the third generation of Montebello. His grandfather Senekerm immigrated to the United States in 1949. Sennacherib family, who survived the Genocide and Sardarabad battle, moved to Montebello in 1957. His successor, Jack Hajinyan, took over the leadership of Montebello in 2014, becoming the Mayor of the city. One of the oldest monuments dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide was built in 1968. Every April, events in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide are taking place in the city. "In fact, I view April events as a testimony to our existence, as they point out that the Turkish government's destruction program did not succeed," Hajinyan said. Despite his busy working routine, Hajinyan is always interested in Armenia. He has visited Armenia several times. "In the period from 2004 to 2015, I noticed dramatic changes in the country, but unfortunately, during these years, I have not heard about the change of people's attitude towards the country's governance. Hopefully in time, there will be changes," he said. In his opinion, unemployment was one of the most important social problems all over the worl, including Armenia. According to the former mayor, it had a significant impact on people's moods, but it needed hard work, time and patience to reduce it. "I hope the government will take measures to reduce unemployment. This will solve many problems. Unemployment is a major problem not only in Armenia, but also in the United States and everywhere," Hajinyan said. He underlines that the Diaspora was an important factor for the further development of Armenia, as there were many successful figures who had appropriate means and opportunity to help Armenia. As a Diaspora Armenian, Hajinyan was concerned about the outflow of Armenia's population and socio-economic issues, but he thought criticism should also be cautious and moderate. "Of course, everybody has the right to express and criticize a free opinion, but it is necessary to carefully select the critical words and material in order not to dismiss people from the country," Hajinyan said. Hajinian is going to visit Armenia again in the near future. "I love America, love Armenia and my roots," he concluded.
South Korea and North Korea may set the date for a scheduled meeting for their leaders Thursday when their high-level officials meet to also discuss topics for the rare summit, an official from South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.

The remarks came hours before high-level officials from the divided Koreas were set to meet over the proposed inter-Korean summit.

"They will mainly discuss three issues today. First, when the South-North summit will be held will likely emerge," the official told reporters, stressing the possibility seemed "highly likely."

"The second is the agenda. How they will begin to discuss issues. And another issue is working-level talks," the official added.

So far, the countries have only agreed to hold a meeting of their leaders in late April.












Shinzo Abe and Kim Jong-un / Korea Times file



Japan has sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit, and Pyongyang has discussed the possibility of a leaders' meeting with Japan, Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Thursday.

The government of Kim Jong Un has informed leaders of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers Party of the possibility of a summit with Japan, the newspaper said, citing an unidentified North Korean source and briefing papers.

"The Japanese government has expressed a wish to host a leaders meeting, via the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan," or Chongryon, Pyongyang's de facto embassy in Japan, the Asahi quoted the briefing papers as saying.

The Japanese government said it had been in touch with the North but declined to offer specific comment on the report.

"We have been communicating with North Korea through various occasions and means such as a route via our embassy in Beijing, but I would like to refrain from going into specifics," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference. A Chongryon spokesman in Tokyo declined to comment on the Asahi report.












A potential meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is not under discussion now, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.



"The issue of a Russian-North Korean summit is not on the agenda so far, Russian President has no such plans," he said, adding that "currently a summit like this is not being discussed."



The North Korean leader visited Beijing on March 25-28. It was his first foreign visit since taking the reins of power after his father's death in 2011. The North Korean leader's wife Ri Sol-ju accompanied him during the visit.



During the trip, Kim Jong-un held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un's visit shows the great importance that the North Korean leader attaches to the development of relations with China.













Russia's Foreign Ministry said later that Moscow views the visit of North Korean leader to Beijing as an important step towards consolidating progress in the situation around the Korean Peninsula.



The ministry also confirmed readiness to continue close cooperation with Chinese partners and "make active efforts" to contribute to settling regional problems by peaceful political and diplomatic means through "a direct dialogue between all parties involved." (TASS)
Chinese official to brief Moon on summit result



By Kim Rahn





Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi
Courtesy of Lockheed Martin



The first F-35A stealth fighter aircraft for South Korea has made its public debut at a sensitive time for diplomacy on North Korea.

South Korea and the United States held a joint rollout ceremony for the jet at Lockheed Martin's assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas, on Wednesday (local time).

Defense officials said the production of the fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II jet for South Korea is significant in its combat readiness.

"Today is a truly meaningful day as we celebrate the rollout of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force's first F-35A, the world's best fighter jet, which will secure the sovereign airspace of the ROK," South Korea's Defense Song Young-moo said in a video message. "The deployment of the F-35 will serve as momentum to enhance the combined operations of the ROK-U.S. Air Forces and advance ROK Air Force's support capabilities for ground operations."

On behalf of Song, Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk attended the event, along with Lt. Gen. Lee Seong-yong, vice chief of staff of the nation's Air Force.

Also on hand was a group of U.S. defense officials, including Ellen Lord, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, and Vice Adm. Mat Winter, program executive officer for the F-35.

"This is a major step forward for our F-35 enterprise and our ROKAF partners as we deliver Korea's first F-35, the first of six F-35 aircraft that will be delivered this year," Winter said. "The F-35A is a game-changing capability that will enable the South Korean forces to operate side-by-side with our U.S. forces in protecting your nation's homeland."












Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il speaks at a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap



By Kim Se-jeong



Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il said Thursday that the prosecution should retain the sole right to apply for arrest warrants for criminal suspects, opposing Cheong Wa Dae's drive to have it share the right with police.



Speaking at a press briefing for local journalists, Moon said, "The debate over investigative rights is not only between the prosecution and police. It also involves citizens who will be the subject of investigations."



Under the current system, the police can investigate but cannot seek an arrest warrant _ this must be done only through the prosecution. President Moon Jae-in and his officials believe this further corrupts what is already a powerful body that is seen as corruption-ridden by many.



In making his case against Cheong Wa Dae's initiative, the top prosecutor said: "That could mean the police will not report to the prosecution cases which they dropped. It is hard to imagine. I am not sure if that is possible in principle."



He also emphasized the importance of the balance of power within the police agency.



"Korea is the only country in the world in which police work under a single line of command. This was inherited from Japan but that country changed its own policy. We also need to disperse power so that regional police agencies can have autonomy. With that in place, I believe the issue of investigative rights will be sorted out automatically."



Dispersing the prosecution's power was one of President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledges as part of large-scale judicial reform promised in response to growing public outrage over corrupt high-ranking government officials and their family members escaping punishment.



Incumbent prosecutors were also found to have embroiled in corruption scandals and actively curried favor with the political elite when investigating them.



A case in point was Woo Byung-woo, a former prosecutor who served as a presidential secretary for civil affairs under former President Park Geun-hye. Working outside his mandate, he actively sought to hide President Park and her friend Choi Soon-sil's corruption. His wife and mother-in-law allegedly received bribes from people who knew Woo's powerful connections.



At Thursday's press conference, Moon said he supported the idea of creating a body dedicated to investigating corruption among high-profile government officials, politicians and their families, including the prosecution itself.



"I don't oppose the creation of the new investigative body," he said.



It was the first time Prosecutor General Moon, tapped by President Moon, was so direct in criticizing Cheong Wa Dae's drive. Local news outlets said he complained that the prosecution should not be part of reform negotiations with other stakeholders.



The reform drive is spearheaded by Cho Kuk, the presidential secretary for civil affairs, along with Justice Minister Park Sang-ki and Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyum. Moon's comments came two weeks after he promised reform to lawmakers at the National Assembly, and will continue to draw public criticism of his agency.




Lee Kyo-seong's flat in Seoul/Courtesy of Lee Kyo-seong



By Kim Se-jeong



Lee Kyo-seong, 68, had his luckiest day in years last November.



"I won the right to move into a public housing unit in the middle of Seoul," Lee said, Wednesday. He said he felt he won the lottery. "I was so happy."



He moved into the 29.7-square-meter flat in January. It may not be a big space for some, but he said he couldn't be happier.



"It's perfectly enough for me  two rooms, a bathroom, a tiny kitchen and a corridor. My son moved out and only comes to visit once or twice a month to spend some time with me."



His monthly rent on this new apartment in Haengdang-dong is 146,800 won.



That is a significant improvement for a taxi driver who earns 1.3 million won per month on average  he can get a little more if he works really hard but not much.



His previous flat in Seongsu-dong cost him 550,000 won a month with a deposit of 10 million won. With the extra money, he is trying to save all he can as he has debts to pay and wants the spare money for his future spending.



His exuberance reflects the fierce competition for getting public housing.



Out of roughly 10 million people in Seoul, the proportion of those with their own homes is less than half. There are less than 300,000 public housing units across the city.



Spending on housing is notorious in Seoul.



Average rents and key money deposits, called jeonse, are also soaring so rapidly in the city that people have to spare a significant portion of their salary to pay for their housing. Those who have nothing to spare end up leaving Seoul or taking loans to cover their expenses.



The government acknowledges the importance of affordable public housing to improve quality of life. It came out with measures to help the people, the most recent of which came last month with the announcement it will build 240,000 more public housing flats by 2022. But the city's approach has its limits because the city has little land to spare for big housing projects, and there are also financial constraints.



Lee expressed his gratitude to the city government.



"I am forever grateful for having this flat. I've always wanted my own home but I never thought it would be possible. I knew about the public housing policy but I didn't think I would be eligible because I am heavily in debt to the government," Lee said.



Before driving a taxi, he ran an interior design business for 10 years.



When he declared bankruptcy in 2007, he had nothing but overdue taxes and credit card debts worth more than 100 million won.



"It wasn't only about me owing so much money that I couldn't do any financial activity. The whole situation made me feel like I was a loser. I totally lost self-esteem. When I visited the Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation (which implements the city government's public housing policies), they encouraged me to apply and decided to give me a flat despite my failing duty as a citizen. That gave me new hope for life," Lee said.



He finishes work around 6 p.m. and spends more evening time at home now.



That was unthinkable in his previous rented flats. In many homes where he lived, he explained, he had neighbors, even landlords, in the next room.



"I had no privacy. I didn't feel comfortable at all. Now I am all alone in this entire flat. I don't have to worry about other people."



He cooks more often at home now too. "Tonight, I am cooking soybean soup. I bought tofu on my way home."


The South Korean Air Force's first F-35A Lightning II stealth jet is put through an aerial demonstration at Lockheed Martin's manufacturing plant in Texas, Thursday (local time). / Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



North Korea has vented its anger over the South's plan to deploy 40 F-35A stealth jets by 2021, saying the move "gets in the way of the ongoing peace momentum" on the Korean Peninsula.



"Dialogue and confrontation can never co-exist at the same time," the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said Wednesday.



The criticism came after South Korea held a ceremony in the U.S. to mark the delivery of the first F-35A jet fighter to South Korea's Air Force. Lockheed Martin, the U.S.-based aerospace giant, plans to complete the first F-35A Lightning II delivery to the Republic of Korea Air Force next year, and will supply a total of 40 aircraft by 2021.






By Lee Min-hyung





With North Korean leader Kim Jong-un making a surprise visit to China, chances are that the dictator will also hold dialogue with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.







The possibility has risen after Kim ended his four-day state visit to Beijing on Wednesday. Kim, accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.







The meeting between the two leaders came at a time when the North Korean leader plans to hold dialogue with President Moon Jae-in and United States President Donald Trump in April and May, respectively.







Kim's unprecedented active determination for dialogue also raises hopes for a possible meeting with the Russian leader.







The Kremlin dismissed the possibility for a potential summit between Kim and Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that no schedule for the summit has been arranged and is not under review at the moment.







But chances are that Pyongyang and Moscow could join hands, as Russia also apparently hopes to play a part in the ongoing North Korea nuclear issues.







"It is too early to expect Kim to visit Moscow and hold a summit with Putin," said Lee Jin-gon, a former professor of political science at Kyung Hee University. "Kim has to deal with scheduled summits with President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump."







"Kim may signal a gesture for dialogue, but it remains to be seen whether the two leaders will hold a summit in the next few months," he added. "My view is that we need to wait and see the results of Kim's summits with Moon and Trump, before discussing the possibility of his meeting with Putin."







The last summit between Russia and North Korea came in August 2011 when Kim Jong-il, the late father of Kim Jong-un, met with Putin in Russia.




By Lee Suh-yoon







The government has taken an extra step to encourage parents of foreign spouses married to Koreans to stay longer and care for their grandchildren.







According to the Justice Ministry, from April 2 these visiting grandparents will be able to apply for a long-term visa  which is good for up to four years and 10 months  until their grandchildren turn seven.





Currently, visiting grandparents can apply for the special visa until the child turns six.





The one-year extension can make a difference because children enter elementary school at seven, requiring less care. At six, the gap year imposes an extra financial burden on the internationally married couples.





Under the new rule, the foreign grandparents will be able to seek an extension on their stay until the children turn seven.





For one-parent families, or families with more than three children, the foreign grandparents can apply for a long-term visa regardless of the age of their grandchild.





A petition to ease visa restrictions for the parents of marriage-based immigrants attracted over 10,000 supporters on the Cheong Wa Dae website in January.





The ministry also stated that foreign grandparents can be deported for illegal employment.


Alexander Ghazaryan: This is my office and I diecide who may enter it and who may not (video)

Shortly before the cabinet rally was launched in front of the Government building. Participants of the action protest against the recently established concept of the Ministry of Transport and Communication, which envisages compulsory licensing of taxi drivers and taxi services for more than 6 years. The Head of the Governmental Citizens' Letters Reception Office, Alexander Ghazaryan, spoke to drivers. But he forbade journalists to participate in the discussion with the protesters, reasoning that they would hinder the negotiation process. To the reporters 'observation that this step hinders journalists' professional activities, the official said, "This is my office and I diecide who may enter it and who may not." Journalists asked the drivers whether they agreed them to leave, taxi drivers start screaming. "Let them stay, they are with us." However, Alexander Ghazaryan remained indifferent and forbade journalists to enter the building. The discussion is currently underway.
Taiwanese Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung



By Kim Ji-soo



Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) program can serve as a global benchmark in universal coverage and provide valuable lessons in delivering high-quality, cost-effective medical care for all, said Chen Shih-chung,

Taiwanese minister of health and welfare.



The NHI Administration falls under the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

As the NHI marks its 23rd anniversary, Chen said Taiwan's abundant experience can help the World Health Organization (WHO) realize its top priority of achieving universal health care around the world.



Chen said Taiwan looks forward to sharing its expertise when it takes part in the 71st World Health Assembly held May 21 to 26 in Geneva. The Assembly is the decision-making body of the WHO. "The NHI is based on the principle of leaving no one behind. All citizens and foreign residents are enrolled," Chen said.



Taiwan has consistently expanded coverage over the years, in 2013 extending to all 60,000 prison inmates and then in 2017 to babies born in Taiwan to foreign residents.



The NHI users can access not only Western medicine, but dental care and traditional Chinese treatments as well.

The NHI also regularly introduces cutting-edge medications and treatments, including the addition of antiviral hepatitis C drugs for patients with advanced forms of the disease in 2017.



The NHI also adopted changes to deal with the rapidly aging population. A major step in this regard happened in 2013 with the launch of the second-generation NHI which included, among other changes, levying a 2 percent charge _ lowered to 1.91 percent in 2016 _ on supplementary income such as bonuses and stock earnings. The measure expanded the program's premium base while reflecting an individual's full income.



"While no national health insurance program in the world is perfect, Taiwan's model has been a resounding success and can serve as a reference for other nations," Chen said.

janee@ktimes.com


By Nam Sang-so





There was an email sent to me from Warsaw, Poland, last November. It read, "We at the Poland's Public Broadcaster have read your article published by The Korea Times on July 11, 2013, 'Two villages in DMZ' and would very much like to film the story. We would like to know if you could appear on camera and talk about the two villages in the Korean Demilitarized Zone."



I was amazed to hear people on the other side of the globe read a Korean story published by an English paper four years ago and wanted to collect field information now. "I would be pleased to help you." I replied, and the TVP crew came to Seoul.



Much earlier, in the winter of 1959 while civilians were not allowed to visit the Panmunjeom neutral area, I had a rare chance to survey the Joint Security Area and Daeseong-dong village, as a member of a topographic and field investigation engineering team under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District.



One of the missions was to find a permanent underground water source for the facilities of the U.N. Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC) in the Joint Security Area. We found a permanent water table under a stream running in the dense forest of the DMZ. Then I saw two thatched farm villages in the neutral zone detached from civilization.



A digest version of the story published in this column went like this: "Casting long shadows, after the day's work, the farmers with A-frames on their back silently returned with their cows to their homes in Daeseong-dong and Kijong-dong where wood burning smoke lingered under the evening glow. They loved the serene farm fields and were happy, until one day in June 1950. Men and women were transplanting rice saplings in the muddy paddy when they saw heavily armed soldiers wearing brown fatigues running toward south on their levees.



"A few months later the villagers noticed different soldiers this time in greenish uniforms chasing after the retreating brown soldiers. The farmers realized they are fighting when they charged and retreated. And one day in the summer of 1953, the two villagers were told by tall American army officers of the UNCMAC that their homes were in the middle of the Demilitarized Zone with an invisible armistice line running on their levee separating Daeseong village to the south and Kijong village to the north of the demarcation line. The two villagers were told not to meet with or talk to each other."



The Polish camera crew had repeatedly attempted to get permission to visit Daeseong-dong village in order to film the bizarre fate of the village but the UNCMAC had not given approval. So, I had to speak in front of their camera in Seoul. And the camera crew visited some Korean folk villages and covered the PyeongChang Olympics.



"It's been 65 years since the demarcation line was drawn separating the two neighboring farm villages, yet we couldn't even visit Daeseong-dong. How much longer must the two same Korean villages be separated?" asked Madam Szubert-Kotomska, the reporter of the public broadcaster.





The writer (sangsonam@gmail.com) is a retired architect/engineer.


By Ricardo Hausmann







CAMBRIDGE  If you are flying a plane, it is useful to know how to keep it level. To do so, you must be able to read the instruments. If the plane is flying level, but you think it is heading down, you may pull back on the yoke and put the plane into a stall. This is what may be happening today with U.S. trade policy.







At the core of the problem are two questions: Whether the United States has a trade deficit, and, if so, what to do about it. The Trump administration says the U.S. does have a deficit, and that the solution is an easy-to-win trade war.







Economists tend to dispute Trump's answer to the second question. They argue that external imbalances are the reflection of domestic imbalances. In every transaction, what one party calls spending, the other calls earning. So, the sum of all market participants' earnings must equal their total spending.







But if you divide the world into two types of people  residents and non-residents  then the only way that non-residents can earn more than they spend in your country is if the residents are spending more than they earn. So external deficits reflect residents' spending in excess of income  in which case the problem will not go away through a trade war, unless it forces residents to spend less, by, say, taxing them with tariffs. But the government is doing everything it can to achieve the opposite: It is lowering taxes and increasing spending by record amounts, thus aggravating the imbalance. Trade policy is not the answer to trade deficits.







But the first question remains: Is there a trade deficit to begin with? Is the plane heading down, requiring action? This ends up being a tricky question. Once upon a time, most international transactions involved trade in goods, which are bulky, so it was easy for customs agents at ports, airports, and land borders to report them to the statistical office. In the year to September 2017, the U.S. balance of goods exported and imported recorded a deficit of $789 billion, or about 4 percent of GDP.







But the problem is that international trade today does not comprise only goods. It also includes services, such as travel, tourism, telecommunications, transportation, insurance, and others. In the same period, the U.S. ran a services surplus of $242 billion, implying that, when added to the deficit in goods, the U.S. is in the red by $547 billion, or 2.8 percent of GDP. In the case of the bilateral relationship with Canada, including services turns the deficit into a surplus.







There are other corrections as well, like interest and dividends paid and earned, as well as labor remittances. When all of these are included in what is known as the current-account balance, the U.S. had an external deficit in 2017 of $450 billion, or 2.3 percent of GDP.







The accounting implication of this deficit is that it must be paid either by running down financial assets or by increasing liabilities  that is, by increasing net debt (net of assets). And as the debt increases, interest on it must be paid, leaving less money to spend. If unchecked, the accumulation of debt will sooner or later force an end to the deficit.







From 1999 to 2017, the sum of all the official current-account deficits has amounted to $9.4 trillion. In 1999, the net interest and dividend income of the U.S. amounted to $11 billion. That would be the income generated by a net asset position of $275 billion if we assume a rate of return of 4 percent. But since then, given the estimated current-account deficit, the U.S. should have borrowed, in net terms, $9.4 trillion. Added to the initial positive net asset position of $275 billion, the U.S. should be in the red for $9.1 trillion. And if we assume that the U.S. borrowed the money at 4 percent, then it should be paying out $364 billion a year, in net terms, to its foreign creditors.







But the amount the U.S. pays for its supposed $9.1 trillion in net debt is nothing. Instead, it made $208 billion in the year to September 2017, a difference of $572 billion. If that were the consequence of owning some kind of asset that yields 4 percent a year, it means that instead of owing $9.1 trillion, the U.S. accumulated an asset worth $5.2 trillion. The difference is a whopping $14.3 trillion.







What is going on? Why can the U.S. run a deficit, borrow from the rest of the world, not pay for it, and make out like bandits instead? And what is this weird asset that is worth 73 percent of GDP?







In a 2005 joint paper with Federico Sturzenegger, the current governor of the Central Bank of Argentina, we called this weird asset "dark matter." Like its cosmic equivalent, it cannot be directly observed, but its effects can be felt, not through its gravitational force, but through its financial return.







Our work showed that it is mostly coming from the international value of each country's technology, in ways that are poorly captured by the way the statistics are put together, but it is real. We can see it in the extraordinary value coming from the international activities of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Hollywood, and Uber, which are poorly captured as exports of either goods or services. It is a financial return to the deployment of technology abroad, a return that other countries actually pay.







Once dark matter is taken into account, there is no U.S. external deficit. If the current position is maintained, there will be no real accumulation of debt that would require an increase in net future payments to the rest of the world. Ignoring the reality of dark matter implies acting as if the plane was nose-diving when it is actually flying high.







Donald Trump has argued that trade wars are easily won by the country with the deficit, because the other party has more to lose. Think again. There is no deficit. Just as trade has moved from goods to services and on to knowledge, so may trade wars. A tariff on steel may be answered by a tax on Amazon or Google. In fact, the European Union, for other reasons, is already moving in that direction. Being in the dark about the dark matter of trade may lead the world to a truly dark place.











Ricardo Hausmann, a former minister of planning of Venezuela and former chief economist of the Inter-American Development Bank, is director of the Center for International Development at Harvard University and a professor of economics at the Harvard Kennedy School. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate ( www.project-syndicate.org ).
If you had any doubt about the power of young people to change the world, consider the turnout for Saturday's March for Our Lives events in Washington, D.C., Parkland, and cities across the globe.



For anyone who's wondered whether the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School could sustain their push for common-sense gun laws, Saturday proved their movement is no fleeting moment.



In fact, their cause has only grown since senior Emma Gonzalez called "B.S." at a downtown Fort Lauderdale rally, three days after a gunman entered the Parkland school and killed 17 people and wounded 17 others.



The rally was followed by a riveting CNN town hall. Then, a round of Sunday morning talk shows, newspaper interviews, a national school walkout, a "60 Minutes" segment, the cover of Time magazine and more attention every day.



And Saturday in D.C., hundreds of thousands of people of all ages, races and creeds joined them in calling for laws to curb the scourge of mass shootings.



"This is not the end. This is just the beginning," student David Hogg told a CNN interviewer.



This isn't the first time young people have set about creating the change they wanted to see. During the 1960s, anti-war protests on college campuses helped bring about an end to the Vietnam War. And the murder of three young civil rights workers  killed for trying to register African-Americans to vote  sparked a national outrage that helped Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others gain passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.



But who would have thought today's youth  who call themselves the "mass shooting generation"  would have to take to the streets to demand protection from the firearms industry?



Make no mistake, these young people and their army are focused on politicians who've sworn blind allegiance to the NRA and refuse to pass common-sense gun laws.



Their message is clear: enough is enough.



Their demands are simple:

Ban AR-15s and similar military-style assault rifles that make mass killings so easy.



Outlaw the sale of high-capacity magazines, which let killers shoot 20 or 30 people before having to reload. And require universal background checks on all gun purchases, including those from private dealers in homes, online and at gun shows.



This movement has nothing to do with taking away everybody's guns, as the NRA would have you believe. It's about keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of people intent on doing harm.



It's what a majority of Americans want. Sixty-nine percent of Americans support tougher gun-control laws, according a recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. So do 54 percent of gun owners, the poll says.



Cynics say Saturday's marches were a feel-good moment that will do nothing to break the NRA's stranglehold on Congress. They will remind you that Congress did nothing after a Washington march for gun control five years ago, after 20 elementary school children and six adults were killed in Newtown, Connecticut.



But this time is different. After hiding in closets or under desks, these students are making themselves impossible to ignore, not just on television and in the press, but on Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.



Just a few weeks after the massacre, they scored an early victory. With their parents, they shamed the Florida Legislature into passing the state's first gun regulations in decades.



The new law raises the minimum age to buy any firearm to 21 and extends the waiting period to three days. It also banned bump stocks, a deadly accessory that allows rapid-fire rifles to shoot even faster. And it allows some school staffers to carry guns if they volunteer and undergo training  a misguided response that could put more children at risk of accidental shootings.



But the law failed to address the single biggest denominator in mass shootings: assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.



With Stoneman Douglas shooting in mind, Broward students register to vote. Still, give the students and their parents their due. They created a political seismic shift in Tallahassee. And they are not done.



Sadly, the people who control Congress refuse to listen. Neither Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell nor House Speaker Paul Ryan found the time to meet with the students during their visit to the Capitol this week.



But those who refuse to listen will pay a price. Yes, the NRA contributes a lot of money to political campaigns and its members are single-issue voters, which makes it a force to be reckoned with.



"Politicians, represent the people or get out of the way," student Cameron Kasky said as the march began in D.C. "Stand for us or beware. The voters are coming."



A more than 1-mile-long line of demonstrators in West Palm Beach marched within shouting distance of Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, making sure President Trump didn't miss the gun-control message during his weekend getaway.



"We need change," said Nicole Garro, a 17-year-old junior at Seminole Ridge High School in Loxahatchee. "Kids need to feel safe in their schools."



The president and Congress would do well to listen. Because the young marchers who filled the streets Saturday have a lifetime of Election Day marches to the voting booth still to come.



As one of the signs on the march to Mar-a-Lago said: "Remember in November."





The above editorial appeared in the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Former president was in bedroom during Sewol tragedy



The prosecution released Wednesday the outcome of its investigation into former President Park Geun-hye's actions on the day of the ferry Sewol sinking on April 16, 2014.



Park has maintained she carried out her duties in a regular manner on the day of the sinking and she was sufficiently briefed about it and gave the necessary orders. But the prosecution's findings contradict such claims.



Prosecutors concluded the impeached former leader's office fabricated reports on the ferry sinking that took more than 300 lives to cover up Park's mishandling of the incident.



The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office indicted some of her key aides, including former chief-of-staff Kim Ki-choon, for document fabrication and power abuse.



The prosecution's findings confirm the ex-leader's negligence as well as her dependence on her jailed confidant Choi Soon-sil.



Prosecutors said she was briefed on the incident while she was in her bedroom at the presidential residence. It is incomprehensible that the president was not at her office in Cheong Wa Dae, but remained in her private quarters on a Wednesday morning. She apparently took Wednesdays off regularly for rest and did not appear at her office unless she had public events. This is enough to give the impression she did not carry out her duties normally.



Her office made various fabrications to make it seem like Park's reaction was faultless. It had claimed she was briefed 11 times about the incident, but actually she was briefed just twice. She was first briefed about the incident around 10:20 a.m., while the ferry had started to sink around 8:50 a.m. The report was delayed because she was unreachable. When she gave her first instructions about the incident to rescue every passenger at around 10:22 a.m., the ferry had already capsized.



It is also incomprehensible that she did not take urgent action until Choi arrived at Cheong Wa Dae at 2:15 p.m. Her office had claimed no outsider was admitted to the presidential residence on that day except for a hairdresser and a nurse. But Choi, who had no official title in Park's administration, had been called in to the residence to discuss ways to deal with the incident, such as Park's visit to the central disaster and safety countermeasures headquarters later in the afternoon. Even at such an urgent moment, Park made time for her hair to be done before visiting the headquarters.



Many people are at a loss for words to find the country had been led by someone who had no idea how to do her job as president.



Despite the prosecution's findings, it is still unclear exactly what she was doing in her residence that kept her from responding more swiftly. Park and her aides should be held accountable for their mishandling of the nation's worst maritime disaster.




By Donald Kirk





There is a certain inevitability about China's need for North Korea and the North's need for China. The two may intuitively hate one another, but they can hardly stay apart in the regional tug of war. It's been that way ever since Chinese forces poured into North Korea to stave off the Americans who had reached the Yalu River line between the two, several months after the North Koreans invaded South Korea in June 1950.



Now, as the Chinese and Americans again face one another in a standoff that seems likely to worsen, President Xi Jinping has received Kim Jong-un on an historic mission from North Korea despite misgivings about Kim's nuclear program. Xi may have hitherto ignored Kim as a supplicant anxious to see him, but ugly realities dictated a change of heart.



One reality is that America under President Donald Trump is raising the specter of a trade war with new tariffs aimed largely against China on top of military confrontation all around China's rim. Could it be coincidental that a special North Korean train, not seen in Beijing since Kim Jong-un's late father Kim Jong-il bowed before China's leaders in several visits to the Chinese capital, arrived in Beijing so soon after Trump announced his tariffs?



And why would President Xi receive any delegation from North Korea if he were not also interested in shoring up China's defenses along a vulnerable frontier that remains a barrier to U.S. power as it did during the Korean War? U.S. forces again teaming up with the South Koreans in annual war games is just one annoyance. China also has to consider Japan's moves to the right under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has advocated revising Japan's post-war "peace" constitution banning Japanese forces from joining in foreign wars.



China's concerns, all around its periphery, are most clearly acute in the South China Sea to which the Chinese steadfastly claim rights of ownership. The Chinese media issued taunts as the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson showed the American flag in those waters after calling at Danang, the port city in central Vietnam where U.S. marines were headquartered during the Vietnam War.



Xi, by inviting Kim to Beijing, clearly felt the need to make sure he's on the same wave length as the North Koreans. Kim had to have intimated what he plans to say when he meets South Korea's President Moon Jae-in in the truce village of Panmunjeom next month and maybe Trump the month after.



As he did to a South Korean delegation that called on him in Pyongyang after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Kim expressed to Xi his "willingness" to abandon his nuclear program. North Korea's nuclear and missile tests may not set off alarm in Beijing as loudly they do in Washington, but Xi pointedly stressed the need for "denuclearization" as indeed have both the American and South Korean presidents.



But why did it seem necessary for Kim to go to Beijing to hear all that from Xi when previously Xi was accustomed to sending emissaries to Pyongyang to register his discontent and try and bring the North Koreans into line? On his first trip outside North Korea since taking over after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in 2011, Kim clearly had another priority. He has to get out from under onerous sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council, with China's consent, after Kim ordered more nuclear tests and tests of long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying warheads to targets in the U.S.



Xi in turn might lavish gifts on the North Koreans. Just imagine how much the North has been hurting while China abides by sanctions, curtailing the flow of oil that North Korea needs to fuel its decrepit economy and cutting off the import of North Korean coal. China has hitherto made a show of going along with sanctions, but Trump's tariffs may be more worrisome to the Chinese than North Korea's nukes.



Having slowed the oil flow in conformance with sanctions, Chinese bureaucrats at Xi's behest should suddenly be able to provide the aid, comfort and oil the North Koreans need while the Americans and South Koreans play their annual war games close to the line with North Korea  and not all that far from Chinese territory too.





Donald Kirk (wwwdonaldkirk.com) has been covering war and peace in Asia for decades


By Nam Hyun-woo





Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun


By Ko Dong-hwan







China's rising young business leaders met their South Korean counterparts in their first official meeting in Seoul on Thursday and shared ideas about improving businesses and possible joint partnerships.







Thirty Chinese representatives aged 40 or under and 50 South Korean business people, including those from the Korea Venture Business Association, were at the South Korea-China young leaders' forum. South Korea's National Assembly, foreign affairs ministry, commerce, industry and energy ministry, SMEs and startups ministry sponsored the meeting.







It was designed to discuss a future dominated by the 4th Industrial Revolution. The 50 business operators involved in bilateral trade and leaders from South Korea's political, social and government circles also joined the meeting at the Shilla Seoul Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.







The Chinese participants, according to the association of South Korean and Chinese young leaders, have proven their managerial skills in fields like private equity funds, urban development, pharmaceuticals, clothing, senior welfare, online games and blockchain.







Among them is former Premier of the People's Republic of China Li Peng's granddaughter Melody Li, who is president of Next Generation Collaborative China.







Sally Guo, another guest representing EFunders Pte that bridges investors and startups, is the eldest daughter of Digital China Holdings' chairman Guo Wei. The chairman was selected in 2011 and 2012 by Fortune Magazine's Chinese version as one of the 50 most-powerful businessmen in the country.







Rui Pan from real estate investor Oufang Group also attended the forum. He is the eldest son of Soho China's chairman Pan Shiyi, the 111th richest man in China, selected by Fortune Magazine China in 2017.


Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 54F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

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UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

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Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden.

"The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer

Generation A 13  your chance to be the change

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev

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For more than 3 hours, 50 or more Azerbaijani servicemen have blocked the interstate road

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Transformation and trust are important for success in modern banking. Artak Hanesyan

UCOMS LEVEL UP 1700 REGIONAL TARIFF PLAN USERS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN THOSE IN YEREVAN

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Action in defense of Asya Khachatryan

Today a group of people with blue hair and posters moved in protest actions towards the building of the permanent representation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in Armenia, in defense of Asya Khachatryan, according to which, she was subjected to violence by the police for her blue hair. "I think that this raised problem concerns not only for Asya Khachatryan, but any citizen of Armenia. We are dealing with the illegitimacy of employees of the legal system. There would be no problems if there were no legal illiteracy," said Taguhi Ghazaryan, one of the participants action. Asya Khachatryan said that when the latter demanded from the police to act according to the law, they answered, act according to the law in your Armenia. "A good policeman is good in Africa, a bad policeman is bad in Armenia. I met Asya, her rights were grossly violated. This is not the first time that policemen demonstrate such behavior and I am more than sure that there are many such cases. Of course, an investigation will be carried out, but I doubt very much whether the guilty will be found and punished," said attorney Nina Karapetyants. One of the organizers of the action Karpis Pashoyan also personally does not know Asya Khachatryan, despite the fact that he informed her of the action. After the complaint, Asya Khachatryan, the police of the Artsakh Republic issued a statement today. According to this statement, on the instructions of the President of Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan and on the orders of Chief of Police Major General Kamo Aghajanyan an official investigation was appointed.
The former deputy leader of the opposition Al-Wefaq bloc is appealing a ten-year prison sentence. His next hearing has been scheduled April 11.



(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Jailed Bahraini opposition figure Sheikh Hassan Issa had his appeal hearing postponed yet again on Tuesday.



The former deputy leader of the opposition Al-Wefaq bloc is appealing a ten-year prison sentence. His next hearing has been scheduled April 11.



Sheikh Issa was found guilty of funding terrorism in connection with a 2015 bombing on Bahrains Sitra Island.



Rights groups have labeled the conviction as politically motivated.





/257
Al-Mousawi was initially convicted in November 2015 on terrorism related charges after being subjected to torture, more than a year of arbitrary detention and other forms of mistreatment.



(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Award-winning Bahraini photojournalist Sayed Ahmed al-Mousawi had his 10-year prison sentence upheld on Wednesday by Manamas court of appeals. The court also ruled to uphold his citizenship revocation.



Al-Mousawi was initially convicted in November 2015 on terrorism related charges after being subjected to torture, more than a year of arbitrary detention and other forms of mistreatment.



He was arrested in February 2014 after covering a series of anti-regime protests that year.



Last year, 16 non-governmental organizations including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described Al-Mousawis case as representative of the Bahraini governments growing repression against basic civil rights.



According to the RSF, 14 journalists and citizen-journalists are currently detained in Bahrain for broaching sensitive subjects.







/257
Speaking at the Business Forum of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan on Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani said: In this visit, we made strategic and historic decisions and the great achievements of this visit will bear fruit in the future.



(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The President referred to the love of Imam Ali (AS) and celebrating Nowruz as the symbol of closeness between the two Iranian and Azerbaijani nations and said: Today, we are witnessing Iran-Azerbaijan relations in its best condition and its achievements will be beneficial for the entire region and the world.



Speaking at the Business Forum of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan on Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani said: In this visit, we made strategic and historic decisions and the great achievements of this visit will bear fruit in the future.



The President added: We took the best advantage of the historical, untapped potentials with the resolve and decision of the two governments.



Stating that a win-win approach stabilises relations, Dr Rouhani added: The views of the two countries are identical in many regional and international issues.



With the wisdom of the heads of the two countries, we will witness further growing of relations, added Rouhani saying: Joint manufacturing of high-quality cars is a source of honour for the two nations.



He also went on to say: We are witnessing the efflorescence of relations between the two countries in the spring.



Tehran-Baku relations and their achievements will benefit the entire region and the world, continued the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying: We are happy about the advancement and prosperity of Azerbaijan and efflorescence of relations with Iran.



He continued saying: In this visit, we made strategic, historic decisions and the great achievements of this visit will bear fruit in the future.



Stating that Rasht-Astara railway project will make faster, safer and cheaper shipment from China to Europe, he said: Tehran and Baku governments will pave the way for relations between businesspeople and the private sector.



He added: There are various opportunities for investment, including energy, industries, health, technology and agriculture.



Dr Rouhani also went on to state that friendship and paying attention to each other are more important than economic interests, and continued: Religion, beliefs and culture of the nations of the region have one origin and we must stand with and for each other.



Deepening of bilateral and multilateral relations will stabilise cooperation, he continued, saying: Our neighbouring provinces and peoples must be able to have each access to each other.



Stressing that in banking relations, we have not yet been able to achieve the optimal level, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran said: We need free trade and the joint commission must remove the obstacles.



Our Islam is the religion of mercy, said Rouhani adding: There is no threatening and terror in Islam and we follow the path of the Prophet and the Ahl ul-Bayt (AS).







/257
Beijing, March 29 - Negotiations between China and the Vatican are in their "final stages" and a deal could be signed by the end of the month, a Chinese bishop has said. Bishop Guo Jincai, secretary-general of the Bishops Conference of the Catholic Church in China, recognized by Beijing, said the deal is expected to address the controversial issue of the appointment of bishops, in an interview to the government-backed Global Times. "If everything goes right, the deal could be signed as early as the end of this month", he was quoted as saying. "The timing depends on details of the deal or technical issues". The report published by the Global Times also quoted the bishop as saying that both sides are making "positive efforts" to promote the essential deal. Ties between China and the Vatican have long been strained by disputes over who can appoint bishops in the country. China broke off diplomatic ties with the Holy See in 1951, and many Catholics were forced to go underground under former communist leader Mao Zedong's rule. Religious practices were tolerated again starting from the 1980s. Catholics in China can currently attend state-approved churches or have be part of underground congregations.
Vatican City, March 29 - Pope Francis on Thursday gave advice to priests including to look people in the eye. Speaking to a Holy Thursday gathering of priests, the pope said "looking others in the eye is not against the law". He also said they should watch out for "idol truths". The street priest has never gone away, the pontiff added.
Rome, March 29 - Rome prosecutors on Thursday opened a probe into the death of 33-year-old Italian manager Alessandro Fiori, missing in Turkey for two weeks and found Thursday with his skull caved in in the port area of Istanbul, judicial sources said. Prosecutors are awaiting a first report on the case, the sources said. Fiori, form near Cremona, went missing on March 14 after leaving for Turkey on March 12. His documents, phone and empty wallet were found in his Istanbul hotel room.
Rome, March 28 - An Italo-Moroccan accused of belonging to the Islamic State Islamist terror group was arrested in Turin on Wednesday. Elmahdi Halili, 23, the author of the first ISIS propaganda message in Italian, was captured at the end of a probe by anti-terrorism police in the northwestern Italian city. Police carried out searches across northern Italy - in Milan, Modena, Bergamo and Reggio Emilia - and also in Naples against individuals suspected of links to extremist Islamist circles, police said. A number of Italians who have converted to Islam are also involved in the probe, as well as citizens of foreign origin, police said. Charges against them include waging a campaign of radicalization and proselytism via the Interet, judicial sources said. On Tuesday in Foggia an Italo-Egyptian was arrested on charges of teaching children to kill for jihad. In an interview with La Stampa newspaper, caretaker INterior Minister Marco Minniti said "The picture of the ISIS threat remains unchanged. "May the new government continue with the deportation of those who have been radicalised".
Speaking on Wednesday in a press conference after signing of 8 Tehran-Baku pacts, Dr Hassan Rouhani said: Nowruz is one of the best cultural bonds between the two Iranian and Azerbaijani nations, and other peoples of the region.



(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan referred to the ample opportunities to deepen ties between the two countries in various fields.



Speaking on Wednesday in a press conference after signing of 8 Tehran-Baku pacts, Dr Hassan Rouhani said: Nowruz is one of the best cultural bonds between the two Iranian and Azerbaijani nations, and other peoples of the region.



The important documents that were signed today, are based on good will, mutual respect and attention to common interests and good neighbourliness, he added.



The President also stressed that potentials and opportunities for development of relations between the two countries must be taken advantage of, adding: In recent years, trust between the two governments and mutual respect have increased.



The historic documents that were signed today will benefit both nations, the peoples of the region and even the world, said Rouhani stating that the two countries are determined to further deepen relations.



On cooperation between the two countries in transit, he said: In transit, southern waters of Iran and roads and railways will be linked to Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia and Eastern Europe and this indicates that the North-South Corridor is very important.



Stressing that Iran and Azerbaijan have common interests in the Caspian Sea, President Rouhani said: We must be able to take the best advantage of the potentials of the Caspian Sea through boosting cooperation in science, economy, technical fields, trade, shipping, fishing and tourism.



Joint ventures in car manufacture and construction of Astara-Astara Railway means that the two countries are determined to further develop their relations, Rouhani added.



He also went on to say: Cooperation in the field of health, pharmaceuticals, energy and tourism indicates that the two countries can take new steps to serve mutual interests.



The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasised the need to deepen banking relations, adding: Fortunately, good steps have been taken in the field of tourism and today, hundreds of thousands of people can travel to and from the two countries.



"We believe that the problems of the region can only be resolved through political dialogue," Dr Rouhani said, emphasising that Iran and Azerbaijan are determined to develop political, scientific, technological and regional cooperation with each other.



"We believe that the issues of Yemen and Syria must be resolved through political means, and that it never has a military solution, and Iran and Azerbaijan have common views on many of these issues," the president noted.



Dr Rouhani emphasised that the issue of Karabakh must be resolved through political solutions and dialogue in order to witness more regional stability, adding: "We are glad that today political talks have been formed in this direction.



The president noted: We believe that the territorial integrity and the geographical boundaries of the countries of the region should be preserved.



Dr Rouhani added: "We are determined to establish closer relations between the governments and peoples of Iran and Azerbaijan to serve the common interests of the peoples of the region and the world".



President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan offered congratulations on Nowruz and said: Nowruz is a common celebration between the people of the two countries and indicates that our people have close bonds.



Common history and culture connects Iran and Azerbaijan and our relations will be built upon this base, he continued.



Aliyev also stressed that Iran and Azerbaijan have always stood together in international stages, supporting each other, saying: Iran and Azerbaijan support each other within the framework of international regulations.



Referring to the cooperation documents signed between the two countries, he said: The documents that were signed during this visit will definitely further develop relations and affect regional relations.



He also went on to refer to multilateral cooperation of Iran and Azerbaijan with other countries, including Russia, Turkey and Georgia, and said: Development of these relations will contribute to the development of stability in the region.







/257
Milan, March 29 - Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala was cleared Thursday of abuse of office over the Service Platform at the 2015 Universal Expo in the northern Italian city, when he was commissioner there. Sala was charged with having given the contract to supply 6,000 trees for the platform directly to the Mantovani company without putting it out to tender. The first citizen is still in the dock in another tranche of the case on charges of false representation. Thursday's ruling was handed down by a preliminary hearings judge. The judges said "a crime was not committed", clearing Sala of all wrongdoing.
Rome, March 29 - There is an extremely slim chance that parts of the Chinese space station will hit Italy as it disintegrates on returning to the Earth's atmosphere this weekend, Italian experts said Thursday. The chance is currently 0.02%, they said.
LAHAINA  The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) plans to shift traffic from Honoapiilani Highway at Olowalu/Cut Mountain to the southern terminus of the realigned roadway by May 1  possibly as early as next month.

Following the change, access to the existing Honoapiilani Highway will be maintained via connector roads.

Connector roads for the Honoapiilani Highway Realignment, once called the Lahaina Bypass project, heading north are Kai Hele Ku Street, Hokiokio Place, Lahainaluna Road and Keawe Street.

For motorists traveling south, the connectors are the same, as well as the new Southern Connector Road from Honoapiilani Highway to the new roadway near Olowalu that will open a week after the traffic shift.

At the northern terminus of the realigned roadway, Keawe Street, a county road, will be modified to have a free right turn onto Honoapiilani Highway to accommodate the additional northbound traffic.

The project will eliminate an existing northbound lane on Honoapiilani Highway toward Kaanapali to add a continuous right turn lane onto the bypass.

An additional left turn lane off of Honoapiilani Highway onto Keawe Street will also be established.

The realignment will provide benefits by separating beach and Lahaina Town traffic from those heading to and from Kaanapali, said HDOT Deputy Director for Highways Ed Sniffen of the heavily criticized plan.

Moving the main route to West Maui inland, away from coastal flooding, is another big benefit to this project. We have been taking traffic counts and monitoring traffic movements so that we can make improvements to increase the efficiency of the route once the southern terminus is opened.

Approximately 200 feet of the coastal roadway  at the intersection of the existing highway in Olowalu and the realigned highway at the southern terminus  will be accessible to pedestrians and recreational users only.

HDOT is installing a gate at this location so it can be used in emergencies.

The state is continuing to work on the Honoapiilani Highway Improvements-Keawe Street to Kapunakea Street project, meant to account for the anticipated volume of cars at the interim northern terminus, and an associated project to modernize 80 traffic signals on Maui.

Planned lane closure notices for these projects will be posted on a weekly basis at hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork/.

Joe Pluta of the West Maui Taxpayers Association was among a small group of invitees who met with Gov. David Ige earlier this month at Lahaina Intermediate School. The realigned highway was discussed.

WMTAs primary concerns are closing an existing section of Honoapiilani Highway at Olowalu and the routing of 70 percent of northbound traffic down Keawe Street at the northern terminus of the project.

Pluta wrote that there are clear and present dangers ahead there at the crossings between Lahaina Gateway and Walgreens/Lahaina Business Center entries.

That Keawe connector was never designed to be a North Terminus for the bypass and is physically/infrastructurally restricted to adequately be modified with state highway changes at the right of way areas.

In an update on road projects to Sixth District State Sen. Roz Baker, Sniffen reported that HDOT is installing flashing LED lights on the speed limit sign as motorists approach the curve at the Keawe Street Extension.

A speed indicator just after the curve sign will collect speed data that we can provide to MPD (Maui Police Department) for enforcement, according to the memo.

At the Keawe Street/Honoapiilani Highway intersection, underground conduit installation has been completed, and reconstruction of the sidewalk (for motorists to take a free right turn onto the highway) is done.

Upcoming work includes drilling new foundations for traffic signals, cold planing and resurfacing (night work), striping and installation of a new traffic signal.

The free right turn and restriping of the through mauka lane at the Keawe Street intersection will be done at the time of traffic switchover on the bypass.
NAPILI  In celebration of Earth Day, a community storm drain stenciling event will be held in Napili on Saturday, April 14.

Napili Plaza businesses Maui Tacos, The Coffee Store and Napili Market will donate breakfast, coffee and water, respectively; Maui Ocean Center will give participants two 1-Day Journey passes each; and the West Maui Kumuwai campaign will be giving out T-shirts to those who join a team to make a mark in the surrounding Napili neighborhoods.

Training in the method and all materials required for this simple and fun activity will be provided by organizers.

This event follows a successful stenciling outing in Honokowai coordinated by the West Maui Kumuwai campaign in early March, when a team of ten people were able to mark nearly 50 drains along Lower Honoapiilani Road and within the properties of Maui Kai, Aston Mahana at Kaanapali, Aston at Papakea Resort, Maui Lani Terraces, Lokelani condominiums, and 5A Rent a Spaces location.

Liz May, owner of 5A Rent a Space, was one of the volunteers participating in the Honokowai event; afterwards, she noted, our visitors thanked us for doing this and appreciated our efforts.

Amy Fonarow of Maui Ocean Center, a partner in the stenciling initiative, also volunteered and shared the following story and invitation: Ive felt the ocean to be family since before I can remember. The last time I dealt with storm drains, Id followed a trail of milky water running down the gutter to a person standing in their front yard, rinsing off their paint roller with a hose. I asked them to please stop, and I explained that those chemicals were going straight into the sea. The person kindly stopped, and then said that they hadnt even thought about it.

In Honokowai this March, West Maui Kumuwai taught us volunteers to stencil storm drains with a clear message: Dont Dump/Drains To Ocean. The new signs will help people think about that connection more often and lead to a healthier ocean for us all. What a gift! I hope youll join up for the next stenciling on Maui!

The County of Mauis storm drain stencils feature an image of Hawaiis state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapuaa (reef triggerfish) in addition to the no dumping message.

Storm drain stenciling is a great way to raise awareness that Mauis storm drains empty directly to the ocean, bringing with them all the pollutants that accumulate on land and run off during storm events or as a result of irrigation practices.

These pollutants range from oil leaking from poorly-maintained vehicles, excess fertilizer from landscaping activities, sediments loosened due to erosion and other forms of land-based pollutants carrying substances that ultimately harm Mauis nearshore reef ecosystem.

Participants should meet at 9 a.m. in the Napili Plaza parking lot (5095 Napilihau St.). Bring a water bottle and sun protection; other necessary materials will be provided in addition to refreshments.

Volunteers ages 12 and up are sought; all youth must be accompanied by an adult. To sign up or ask any questions about the event, contact Liz Foote at (808) 283-1631 or WestMauiKumuwai@gmail.com.

More on this and other events can be found on the West Maui Kumuwai Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WestMauiKumuwai. To learn more about stormwater management on Maui, visit www.mauicounty.gov/2129/Storm-Water-Management-Program.

This effort is supported by the County of Maui Department of Public Works, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources-Division of Aquatic Resources and Maui Ocean Center.
Got some good news that Apple is finally coming out with an iPad that has facial recognition. My iPhone X has it, and now I dont have to remember all the passwords for my bank account, e-mail, Amazon, eBay, Schwab and credit card accounts. I just hold the phone up in front of my face, and Im instantly logged on.

Although if youre walking down Front Street and get thrown into one of the 18 cosmetics stores by a guy standing in the middle of the sidewalk, who pastes your face with an overpriced, $300, smelly cream that instantly vaporizes your 65 years of puffed eye wrinkles, face recognition might not work and could lock you out of your iPad for good.

My daughter said her iPhone battery changed color to yellow. Keeping her up at night, she finally figured out that when the battery changes to yellow, that means your iPhone is in Low Power Mode, which reduces or turns off background apps, Siri, Mail and some visual effects. You can change it back in the Settings by scrolling down to battery and unchecking the box.

I dont text a lot, but I sometimes see people texting while driving, nearly missing skateboarders in the middle of the road. Well, I found this new app that allows you to talk and record your messages  instead of typing them  and the best part is that they can be translated into 27 or more languages. This could be of great value if traveling to Bhubaneswar, India, and you need to communicate with the local elephant tamer. The software to download is SMS ++, and you can find it in the App Store.

Apple plans to make all their iPhone and iPad Apps that are available at the App Store to work with and be compatible with all Mac laptops. Thats fantastic!

There are a couple new tricks using Dictation on the Mac laptops that have the High Sierra operating system. Once set-up, you can say, SHOW DICTATION, and a menu pops up displaying all the commands like COPY, PASTE, REDO THAT.

To set up Dictation, first go to System Preferences. Click on Keyboard, then click on Dictation. Click on the ON box, then click on Use Enhanced Dictation. For the shortcut, select Press Fn Function key twice. Thats it! Now youre ready to go, and by pressing the function key twice, you could use it with a program like Microsoft Word.

You ask, why would I need to use this feature? Well, if you broke your finger signing divorce papers  and cant use a keyboard to type her a goodbye letter  then dictation is your best option.

Send your computer-related questions to mauimist8669@yahoo.com.
The last day of Womens History Month 2018 is March 31  a fine time for Carlsbads New Village Arts Theatre to open Men On Boats, a gender-bent historical adventure comedy about John Wesley Powells 10-man 1869 expedition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon ... with women playing all the roles.

The reason theres an all-female cast is: thats the way playwright Jacklyn Backhaus wrote it. Its part of the current effort to incorporate women, non-white men and the full range of gender-benders into the traditionally white-male-driven narratives onstage, onscreen and in the real world. (Think Hamilton.)

First staged in New York in 2015, Men On Boats received great reviews there and has gone on to successful productions around the country. A good part of the shows excitement comes from the sound design and projections, which bring the raging river waters to life onstage.

We have to create the Grand Canyon in a 99-seat theater, said AJ Knox, NVAs Connectivity Director.

I connected with Men On Boats sound and projections designer, Melanie Chen Cole, who has a B.A. in Music and an M.F.A. in Sound Design from UC San Diego, and does soundscapes for theaters all over the county.

Describing her current project, Cole said: We have men on boats, but no men, and no boats. The director, Melissa Coleman-Reed, works a lot with expressive movement, and each boat ' there are four of them  has its own signature moves. My job is to layer on top of what the actors are doing and saying, to enhance the urgency and energy of their voices with water sounds and music.

She started out listening to the music of the mid-to-late 1800s and collecting bits of country-sounding fiddle and guitar music, then adding electronic beats to imitate waves. There are speakers in the back of the theater, like surround sound, Cole said. So the audience will feel engulfed by the water, and the projections will add the visual element, a sense that theres really a moving river these people are navigating.

Kristianne Kurner, an award-winning actor-director who also happens to be NVAs founder and artistic director, plays John Wesley Powell, the charismatic, one-armed adventurer who spearheads the expedition. All in all, Men On Boats promises to be a wild ride for performers and audiences alike.

About John Wesley Powell

John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) was born in upstate New York, but his family moved to Illinois, where he attended (but never graduated from) college. A veteran of the Civil War, where he lost most of his right arm, he was always interested in exploration. As a young man, he had walked across Wisconsin and rowed down the Mississippi from Minnesota to the sea, among other adventures.

After the war, he became a professor of geology and a curator at the Illinois State Museum of Natural History, whose collections he helped expand. In 1869, after leading expeditions into Colorado and the Rocky Mountains, he put together a team to explore the Colorado River and Grand Canyon. The 930-mile trip took almost three months, with several of the men dropping out along the way. He retraced part of the journey in 1871, wrote a book about it and, in 1891, was appointed director of the U.S. Geological Society.

An early anthropologist and conservationist, he has a mountain peak, a mineral, and several public buildings named for him, as well as the popular, man-made Lake Powell, a reservoir on the Colorado River.

 IF YOU GO: Men on Boats is on stage March 31-April 22, 2018 at New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St., in Carlsbad. Tickets: $25-$36. (760) 433-3245. newvillagearts.org
Middle schoolers in San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) will have a rare opportunity to express themselves through the JumpStart Theatre Program, sponsored by La Jolla Playhouse.

The Playhouse was selected by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) to be one of two regional theaters to expand the successful program it was running in Ohio.

EdTA believed we had the right skill set to launch their program on the West Coast, said Steve McCormick, Playhouses director of education and outreach. The Stages Theatre Company in St. Louis was the other company chosen for the JumpStart Theatre expansion.

Only three middle schools will be selected for the program, which lasts three years and is a fully funded musical theater experience. The application window has closed, so Playhouse officials are in the interview stage of selecting the schools.

Like the Playhouse, participants will be traveling down new roads and exploring the power of storytelling through theater, McCormick stressed. And, as students celebrate the great joy and hard work that it takes to put on a production, they will have the opportunity to be seen and heard by their family and friends in a new light. It can be an amazing thing to witness and to experience.

Each of the schools will receive a Playhouse Teaching Artist as a mentor while they navigate their way through the program. There are a series of boot camps that teachers from the schools will attend. In the first year, the boot camps are taught by staff from iTheatrics, a New York-based organization that developed the JumpStart curriculum. Playhouse Teaching Artists will learn the material and become the boot camp leaders in subsequent years.

Each school will work toward a final performance of a junior version of a Broadway musical. Schools get to choose from an extensive catalogue of titles ranging from Annie Jr. to Xanadu Jr. The list also includes many Disney titles such as The Lion King Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr. and Beauty and the Beast Jr.

At the end of the year, there will be a celebration where the schools come together and perform a song or two from their production for each other.

SDUSD Superintendent Cindy Marten said: We are thrilled to have JumpStart Theatre come to San Diego Unified. What a terrific opportunity for our middle-school students to not only have an arts experience, but to develop their 21st century skills. We know JumpStart Theatre will continue our vision to transform lives through the arts. Thank you to our great community partner, La Jolla Playhouse, and to the Educational Theatre Association.

The program comes at a time when SDUSD has been ramping up a stronger arts education program with additional funding. Its a promising trend, given that, historically, district officials have often cut funding for arts programs.

Playhouse managing director Michael Rosenberg opined: Its so important to include the arts in any schools curriculum. The arts teach life skills including leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking. These skills will help students find success in whatever field they choose to pursue in the future.

More details at lajollaplayhouse.org/jumpstart-theatre
Imagine its four years from now and youre taking the Mid-Coast Trolley downtown to avoid traffic and parking problems. Where do you see yourself leaving from? The La Jolla stops at UC San Diego, the VA Medical Center or Nobel Drive?

Former La Jolla Coastal Access Parking Fund chair Dan Allen brought up a potentially game-changing point at the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation board (T&T) on Wednesday, March 21 at the Rec Center. Until now, most people had considered a shuttle bus going north to connect with the trolley.

But why would you travel two miles north on Torrey Pines Road  either by car or in public transit  just to travel that same two miles south again toward downtown on the trolley? How is that avoiding traffic?

People who want to go downtown want to go south, not north, Allen said. Its faster to get to La Jolla from the Balboa trolley stop to the south. Youre going in that direction.

Allens comments came during a proposal he made to create a subcommittee on the trolleys impact on La Jolla and possible new uses for the $244,000 collected by the City in the 1970s and 80s for a free or low-cost shuttle around The Village. Allen made the same proposal at last months T&T meeting, but there wasnt a quorum to take any action.

Former La Jolla Coastal Access Parking Fund chair Dan Allen addresses the La Jolla Traffic and Transportation Board on March 21. (Corey Levitan )

T&T chair Dave Abrams liked the idea of a subcommittee to address this and other important questions about connecting to the trolley, but wondered where the subcomittee should go. He formed an organizing group (himself, Allen, and T&T members Tom Brady and Erik Gantzel) to brainstorm a bit, then bring it back here and decide if were the group to do it or kick it up to CPA.

We really need to address the issue, Brady said, because if we dont, its going to be passed over at worst and at best itll be mis-planned by the City.

Hillside subcommittee formed

Also at T&T, tireless Hillside Drive construction restriction advocate Diane Kane finally got a La Jolla Community Planning Association (CPA) committee with which to develop a traffic management plan for Hillside Drive. The unanimous vote came after Kane presented at her third consecutive T&T meeting on the issue.

The board deliberated for 20 minutes on the litany of the problems with the street  the size of the approved new homes, the condition of the roads, the amount and speed of the traffic  but could not agree on any solutions. For instance, Allen informed the board that the installation of a traffic light at Hillside Drive has been studied and studied for 30 or 40 years but that, recently, City engineers have looked at that intersection and determined that its terribly non-standard, because theres a change in slope  so it opens the City to liability.

Diane Kane discusses Hillside Drive construction issues at the Traffic and Transportation board meeting on March 21, 2018. (Corey Levitan )

Kane admitted that she had hit an impasse in trying to gain signatures for a petition to study the size and weight of construction trucks. She said that 30 percent of the parcels are owned by people who dont live in La Jolla, and another 20 percent by developers.

However, she recently learned that City council members can initiate studies. (Barbara Bry representative Mauricio Medina, in attendance, told Kane he believes Bry would agree to initiate such a study, although he would need to ask her first.)

Abrams noted that these problems have all been festering for quite a while, and said that a new committee would be a good idea to get this thing rolling.

After the vote, Kane asked the committee for volunteers and was told by Abrams: Well come up with some people.

Also at T&T

The board also voted unanimously to recommend to CPA the construction of a pedestrian refuge island at La Jolla Boulevard and Mira Monte, brought to the meeting by La Jolla resident Zoe Kleinbub.

I think this is very important to have traffic-calming on La Jolla Boulevard, and that is a particularly dangerous intersection, Brady said.

Medina advised Kleinbub that road ahead was long and that the project would need to show overwhelming community support.

As hard as we push, they do compete with other projects across the City, so it can take anything up to a year, considering the scope of the project, he said.

Hopefully, well live long enough to see them, Abrams said.

 La Jolla Traffic & Transportation board next meets Wednesday, April 18 at 4 p.m. at the La Jolla Recreation Center, 615 Prospect St.
Barclays Plc agreed to pay $2 billion in civil penalties to settle a U.S. investigation into its marketing of residential mortgage-backed securities between 2005 and 2007 that were backed by subprime loans that went into default.

The probe resolves a rare Justice Department lawsuit that the bank has battled since the waning days of the Obama administration. The suit was also unusual in targeting two former executives at the bank, Paul Menefee and John Carroll, who also settled Thursday and agreed to pay $2 million to resolve claims without admitting wrongdoing.

The actions of Barclays and the two individual defendants resulted in enormous losses to the investors who purchased the residential mortgage-backed securities backed by defective loans, Laura Wertheimer, the inspector general for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, said in a statement Thursday. Todays settlement holds accountable those who waste, steal or abuse funds in connection with FHFA or any of the entities it regulates.

The U.S. probe targeted 36 residential mortgage-backed securities deals involving $31 billion worth of loans, more than half of which defaulted. The Justice Department claimed that borrowers whose loans backed subprime mortgage deals were significantly less creditworthy than Barclays represented. The bank denied the allegations.

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Waiting to resolve the case paid off for the London-based bank, which reportedly sought in 2016 to keep any settlement to $2 billion. The Justice Department balked and sued that December. It was a rare move as big banks typically negotiate a settlement before a case reaches that point, risking a courtroom showdown with U.S. lawyers.

Most other big banks that reached settlements with the Justice Department over crisis-era mortgage cases paid substantially more. Bank of America tops the list with its $16.6-billion deal, and six other banks paid at least twice as much, including Goldman Sachs at $4.2 billion. Wells Fargo & Co., the only California bank in the group, paid $1.4 billion.

Barclays Chief Executive Jes Staley welcomed the deal in a statement and called it a fair and proportionate settlement. The bank will recognize the fine in its first-quarter earnings.

The settlement came at the bottom end of expectations and much sooner than expected, said Ian Gordon, an analyst at Investec Plc, who called it a clear positive.

Menefee, who was the head banker on Barclays subprime securitizations, has always maintained that the governments  lawsuit against him was baseless, his lawyers said in a statement. Solely to put this matter behind him, Mr. Menefee has agreed to a settlement in which he has not admitted any wrongdoing.

Carroll is pleased the government relented in its efforts to prove wrongdoing where none exists, lawyer Glen McGorty said in an emailed statement. He looks forward to putting this experience behind him.
Apple Inc. is revamping privacy controls for its devices and cloud services to comply with strict new European rules as Facebook Inc. faces a user privacy backlash.

The iPhone maker said it would update its web page for managing Apple IDs in coming months to let users download a copy of all their data stored with the company. The site will also let customers correct personal information, temporarily deactivate their account, and completely delete it.

The new privacy controls are designed to comply with the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation, which takes effect May 25, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company said.

Apple also updated operating systems for iPhones and iPads, Macs and Apple TVs on Thursday. The new versions have a splash screen detailing Apples privacy stance and how data is used in individual applications.

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The iOS 11.3 update for phones and tablets also includes a toggle to disable a controversial feature that slowed down iPhones with older batteries to avoid random shutdowns. It also offers the ability to view health records, and new animated emojis for iPhone X users.

While Apple first previewed the software changes in January, the new privacy features come while Facebook is facing criticism over unauthorized use of its users data. Consumers, regulators and investors are raising more questions about what large technology companies know about their customers.

Apple regularly promotes the privacy of its devices. It makes money by selling hardware, while internet companies like Facebook and Google rely on detailed user data for their advertising businesses.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook called for user privacy regulation at a recent summit in China.

This certain situation is so dire and has become so large that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary, Cook said after being asked if the use of data should be restricted in light of the Facebook incident.

The ability of anyone to know what youve been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life  from my own point of view, it shouldnt exist.

Apples new web-based privacy options will be released for users in Europe in early May, while the features will come to other countries later.

Previously, users could download their data, correct their information and delete accounts by contacting Apple directly. This is the first time the company is offering these capabilities in a single location online.

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The web page will let users download data stored across individual apps and services. For instance, they will be able to download all information stored in Apples Contacts and Calendar apps and media like photos, as well as preferences like songs they stream via Apple Music.
Facebook Inc. is conducting a broad review of all its data practices and taking a much more conservative stance on some policies, moves that could limit advertisers ability to target users on the social network, according to people familiar with the matter.

As part of the changes that will be rolled out over the next few weeks, Facebook said it would no longer let advertisers use information from third-party data brokers, like Acxiom Corp. and Epsilon Data Management LLC, in targeting of ads on its system.

We believe this step, winding down over the next six months, will help improve peoples privacy on Facebook, Graham Mudd, Facebook product marketing director, said in a statement about the change in policy on data brokers on Wednesday. The company declined to give details on the larger review of its practices.

The social media giant has been taking steps to rebuild consumer trust in its data privacy practices after reports that political advertising firm Cambridge Analytica had improperly obtained personal information on as many as 50 million users, and then failed to delete it when the leak was detected. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is poised to appear before U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill to answer questions in the coming weeks.

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Since the scandal, Zuckerberg has asked all of Facebooks teams to scrutinize their use of data and figure out whether they can explain why they need to access that information, and whether it makes the quality of Facebook better for the user, people familiar with the company said. If the access is not necessary or explainable, it may be changed.

Information from third-party data brokers is most useful to advertisers that dont directly own the relationships with their customers, including big companies in the automotive, finance and consumer packaged-goods industries.

The data companies get customer information from loyalty cards and other methods, and then sell it to the advertisers themselves for use in targeting.

Facebook used to make those transactions between brands and third-party marketing firms possible on its own advertising site, but the social network will be making that relationship less convenient over the next six months.

It could adversely affect advertisers ability to target, said Matt McGowan, president of marketing firm Adestra Ltd. The third-party data integration made it easy and lucrative to spend ad dollars on Facebook, and gave marketers the ability to target users based on their intent to buy something  a key feature of Googles rival ad business.

Theoretically, that could drive Facebook advertisers back to Google, he said.

Facebook will still be working with the data companies to provide third-party measurement of their ads effectiveness, the company said.

Earlier in the day, the Menlo Park-based company said it was redesigning a menu of privacy settings on its network, giving people more control over the amount of personal information the company keeps on them, like political preferences and interests. Users will be able to delete things theyve already shared and manage the information the company uses to show ads.

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Facebook last week also pledged to investigate and audit all apps that were allowed to get information on users and their friends before the company changed its policies in 2014.
The family of an Arizona woman killed when she was struck by an autonomous Uber vehicle apparently has reached a financial settlement with the company.

Cristina Perez Hesano, an attorney for the daughter and husband of 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, responded Thursday to inquiries by the Associated Press by saying only that the matter has been resolved.

Herzberg was killed March 18 as she walked her bike across a dark street in Tempe, a Phoenix suburb.

Uber representatives Sarah Abboud and Matthew Wing separately declined to comment in response to queries from the AP about a possible settlement. The San Francisco-based company previously expressed sympathy for Herzbergs family and said it would cooperate with investigators.

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There was no indication that Herzbergs relatives had filed a lawsuit against Uber in connection with the crash, which Tempe police and federal agencies are investigating.

On March 21, Tempe police released a 22-second video showing Herzberg walking from a darkened area onto a street just before an Uber SUV strikes her. The Volvo was in self-driving mode with a human backup driver at the wheel when it struck Herzberg, police said.

The human backup driver appears to be looking down until just before impact.

The fatal crash in Tempe was the first pedestrian fatality involving a self-driving vehicle in the United States.

Uber suspended its autonomous vehicle testing program in Arizona, California, Pittsburgh and Toronto after the crash. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey suspended the companys testing privileges Monday.

Ducey said in a letter to Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi that video footage of the crash raised concerns about the companys ability to safely test its technology in Arizona. Ducey said he expects public safety to be the top priority for those who operate self-driving cars.

The incident that took place on March 18 is an unquestionable failure to comply with this expectation, Ducey said.

Ducey previously welcomed Uber and other autonomous vehicle companies to use Arizona as a place for testing under few, if any, regulations. In early March, he authorized self-driving vehicle companies to run tests without a person in the car to act as a safety operator.
Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein has quietly sold a brick town house in New York Citys Greenwich Village for $25.6 million, the New York Times reports.

Located on Bank Street, the four-story residence spans roughly 5,000 square feet.

Records show Weinstein purchased the property through the limited liability company Thirban Realty Holdings in 2006 for $14.95 million. Public records identify the new owner as Cheget LLC.

The sale comes a few days after Weinstein Co., the film studio Weinstein co-founded in 2005, filed for bankruptcy in Delaware.

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The company dismissed Weinstein in October following a bevy of reports accusing the embattled producer of decades of sexual misconduct.

Since the news of the allegations broke, the 66-year-old filmmaker has sold off a number of his real estate holdings including a $10-million house in Amagansett, N.Y., according to Newsday. Another of his holdings, a vacation home Westport, Conn., sold last year for $1.65 million.

jack.flemming@latimes.com

Twitter: @jflem94
Three years ago when Facebook Messengers users opened the app on an Android device, they were greeted by an adorable cartoon yeti. It was shown texting a big pink heart. Below it, a prompt read: Text anyone in your phone.

The design seemed innocuous  friendly, even. Customers were given two choices: Tap the highlighted turn on button, which would give Facebook access to contacts, call and text history, or press the grayed-out not now button.

Millions tapped turn on.

This week, those users learned that Facebook not only collected their call and text histories, it allegedly held on to that information. The revelation led to panic among some customers, adding to the growing consumer distrust of the social network now facing congressional inquiries and an FTC probe over the mishandling of the personal information of 50 million customers.

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Facebook said over the weekend that customers had to opt into the texting feature and, therefore, knew they were handing over their data. What it didnt say was that those users were all subject to a sophisticated design strategy common in the technology industry  one that nudges users to do what companies want them to do.

In digital products, every action the users perform is always being driven toward some type of goal, said Caspar Lam, an assistant professor of communication design at Parsons School of Design at the New School in New York.

For a shopping website, the goal could be to complete a transaction. On a news website, it might be to get people to sign up for a newsletter or subscribe. And on social networks, its to sign up, log in, like, share, poke or comment  each offering the company more data that can be used to sell targeted advertising.

By now, most consumers understand that data collection is a core part of advertising-based businesses such as Facebook, Google and Snapchat. The practice can often be a boon to consumers: The more people share with the companies, the better they are able to serve up ads, search results, product recommendations and music and movie suggestions tailored to an individuals liking.

Yet many remain unaware of the type of data collected and what companies ultimately do with it. While the answers often lie in privacy policies and terms of service agreements, few take the time to look them over. A 2017 Deloitte survey found that more than 90% of people agree to terms and conditions without reading them.

The problem isnt that Facebook and other companies are failing to get users consent or that theyre not disclosing details on the data they collect, according to design critics. Its that when the companies ask for consent, they use interfaces designed to get users to opt in without second thought.

Facebooks yeti campaign is just one of many design strategies the social network has used to guide users to click or tap on a certain button.

Its no accident, for example, that Facebook notifications are bright red  a color that commands attention.

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Its also no accident that the company dressed up a prompt asking for long-term access to users entire call and text message history with a friendly, disarming cartoon yeti.

Even the language used  turn on and not yet, as opposed to yes or no  plays on user psychology.

In this case, declining to hand over data was framed simply as delaying the inevitable, said Mayo Nissen, an associate creative director at design agency frog.

Its clear from those options that Facebook was trying to encourage users to turn on the feature in question, and essentially frame the question as only having one correct answer, Nissen said.

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These design tactics are so effective that consumers often dont realize theyre at play. Lam compared it to the way delicious-looking food operates on our subconscious: When we look at an appealing dish, our minds dont break down the individual components that make it appetizing. Rather, its the whole package that works on our senses. The same goes for the software and websites we use. Designers use color, images, shapes, button size, placement and language to herd users toward certain actions.

These design decisions can often be helpful: In a banking app, consumers might want designers to make it as easy as possible for them to pay their bills. In an email program, consumers dont want to spend all day searching for the compose button.

Where sophisticated, behavior-controlling design becomes a problem is when designers dont consider the broader consequences of their work, industry experts say.

In the technology industry, design teams are often hyper-focused on achieving a particular goal, according to Sara Wachter-Boettcher, author of Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech. Such teams are often asking, What are we trying to get people to do with this product? How do we get people to do that thing? Wachter-Boettcher said. When people get hyper-focused on that goal, they lose sight of the potential negative consequences.

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This is how Sophie Xie, a designer at Facebook from 2012 to 2013, described her experience working on the controversial texting feature. At a company as large and stratified as Facebook, designers such as herself were often briefed on a goal but given little time to understand the broader scope.

On the one hand, your top-level goal is to get the project done, to do your job well, said Xie, who was responsible for art direction of stickers  including the yeti  that Facebook later used across its security and privacy messaging. Then theres the ambient goal, which is, are you doing the right thing?

If you pull at that thread, it causes you to question every objective that is pitched to you. And then youre at an impasse where its hard to find a path forward if every product objective causes you to really question and dig.

Xie left Facebook after a year and is now a freelance designer, a move she made because she said she wanted more control over the kinds of projects she works on. The work she did for Facebook continues to weigh on her, though.

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Facebook did not respond to a request for comment.

A common refrain by Silicon Valley critics is that engineers often ask themselves whether they can do something but forget to ask whether they should. Designers could ask themselves a similar question, said Erika Hall, a philosopher and co-founder of design agency Mule. They should also ask themselves: What am I serving? Who is my master? Who gets paid by whom?

Designers were meant to be the people best able to make good choices, said Hall. But you cant do good design if youre working in service of a bad business model.

If a companys goal is to increase sign-ups so it can collect user data so it can sell ads so it can meet Wall Streets expectations so it can appease shareholders so it can increase its stock price, a designer working within those confines will inevitably push for company growth, Hall said.

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Making matters more difficult, the intangible nature of software and web design means its hard to critique, and even harder to call out a company when it has committed unethical design. In a field such as architecture, critics can talk about a physical buildings aesthetic, function and social impact, Hall said. If a building is bad for the community, its hard to ignore. In software, however, problems often arent evident until much later when the damage has already been done.

The solution to this, according to Hall and Wachter-Boettcher, is three-pronged.

The first place to start is raising consciousness among designers, Hall said.

Halls business partner, designer Mike Monteiro, warned designers at a conference five years ago that it doesnt take malice to bring bad design into the world, he said. All it takes it carelessness.

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Today, he argues that designers have to wake up to their responsibility as professionals who are designing the rules of the digital world.

The problem with designers and ethics is they see it as something to possibly strive for and maybe incorporate into their work, but they dont see it as core to what they do, Monteiro said. We as designers should see this as part of the job.

The second is having companies reevaluate their culture and valuing ethical design as much as they value profit.

If you can kill every conversation about ethics by just mentioning your profit margins, then you dont have ethics, Wachter-Boettcher said. They dont exist.

The third is tougher external regulation, which companies such as Facebook could potentially face after its recent string of consumer trust violations. (Facebook in 2011 agreed to an FTC consent decree in which it promised to be transparent with users about the data it collected.)

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As pressure mounted, the social network announced Wednesday that it will make it easier for customers to find and manage their privacy settings. The new privacy page is decorated with pastel-colored cartoon humans. There are big, clear buttons encouraging users to manage security and manage privacy. Facebook said in its announcement that it wants to give users control of their information. Its calling the changes a redesign.

tracey.lien@latimes.com

Twitter: @traceylien
The Hollywood invasion of Broadway, and theater in general, continues with grand entrances by Ryan Murphy, Tina Fey and more television stars than we can count. Here is some of the most notable casting news and more.

The Boys in the Band: TV producer Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck, American Horror Story, American Crime Story) is behind the 50th anniversary production of Mart Crowleys play. The cast includes Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells and Matt Bomer in a story examining the nuances and complications of the lives of gay men at a party on the Upper East Side. Previews begin April 30 at the Booth Theatre, with opening night scheduled for May 31.

Children of a Lesser God: Joshua Jackson (The Affair, Fringe, Dawsons Creek) stars alongside newcomer (and former Miss Deaf America) Lauren Ridloff and Anthony Edwards (ER) in a revival of this Tony Award-winning 1980 drama by Mark Medoff. Kenny Leon directs the production about the anguished romance between a hearing teacher at a school for the deaf and a deaf custodian. Opening night is April 11 at Studio 54.

Escape to Margaritaville: File under inevitable. A Jimmy Buffett musical opened recently on Broadway with a book by TV writers Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl, Yes, Dear) and Mike OMalley (Shameless). The jukebox musical directed by Christopher Ashley features Parrothead favorites including Cheeseburger in Paradise, Its Five OClock Somewhere and License to Chill, as well as a lobby full of blended cocktails. (You can read Times theater critic Charles McNultys review of the world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse last year.)

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Mean Girls: Tina Feys bitingly funny 2004 teen film has been transformed into a musical with a book by Fey and music by her husband, Jeff Richmond, and Nell Benjamin. The show, opening April 8 at the August Wilson Theatre, revisits the reign of the hyper-popular, super-snarky crew of Plastics who make life miserable for normals at North Shore High School.

Straight White Men: Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name, The Social Network) will make his Broadway debut in Young Jean Lees play, which begins previews at the Helen Hayes Theater on June 29, with opening night scheduled for July 23. The play, a critical success at the Public Theatre in 2014, explores the difficult relationships among three brothers visiting their widowed father in the Midwest over the holidays. (You can read McNultys review of a 2015 run at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.)

Mary Page Marlowe: Emmy Award-winning actress Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) will star in an Off-Broadway production of Tracy Letts portrait of a woman during various stages of her life. Maslany will be one of five actors playing the title role at Tony Kiser Theater, beginning previews on June 19, with a July 12 opening night. The production is directed by Obie and Drama Desk Award winner Lila Neugebauer.

Lobby Hero: The reviews are in, and they are largely positive for the revival of Kenneth Lonergans critically acclaimed play, which opened this week at Helen Hayes Theatre and stars Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Superbad) and Chris Evans (Captain America and Avengers movies).

jessica.gelt@latimes.com

@jessicagelt

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Its my first time in Cannes. That may not sound like a funny line on paper, but some in the audience may find themselves chuckling when Isabelle Huppert says it in Claires Camera.

Huppert, the grande dame of contemporary French cinema and an oft-cited candidate for the mantle of Worlds Greatest Living Actress, is of course as much a fixture of the Cannes Film Festival as sunlight, rose and cinema itself. She has twice won the festivals best actress prize, once served as president of its competition jury and last year took the stage to sing Happy Birthday to Cannes on the occasion of its 70th anniversary.

Audiences attending that particular edition of the festival might also have seen Huppert in Claires Camera, a delightful, teasing wisp of a tale from the tirelessly prolific writer-director Hong Sang-soo. Hong and Huppert have worked together before, in their 2012 triptych, In Another Country. (That film, aptly titled, was set in Hongs native South Korea.) Their latest collaboration has the tossed-off ease of a happy if unplanned reunion.

Claire (Huppert), a music teacher from Paris, has accompanied her filmmaker friend to Cannes for the festival, though Claires Camera carefully avoids any hint of flash and glamour, lingering instead on the towns quiet, underpopulated beaches and hotel rooftops. Shortly after her arrival, Claire strikes up a conversation with a man named So Wan-soo (Jung Jin-young), who turns out to be a Korean film director. And like most of the Korean film directors who crop up in Hongs playfully self-reflexive movies, So is a font of friendly, charming conversation but will eventually reveal himself to be a drunken, pathetic lout.

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Jung Jin-young, left, and Isabelle Huppert in Claires Camera. (Cinema Guild )

Around the same time, Claire befriends a pretty young Korean woman named Man-hee (Kim Min-hee), who is (or was) attending the festival in her capacity as a film sales agent. At this point, we already know what Claire doesnt yet, which is that Man-hee and So worked together and recently had a one-night stand. Shortly afterward, Man-hee was dismissed by her boss, Yang-hye (a smiling, ruthless Chang Mi-hee), who inconveniently happens to be dating So.

The firing scene, set at an outdoor cafe, is a small, simple master class in Hongian technique. Shooting in a single take that frames Man-hee and Yang-hye at a careful distance, Hong draws out their polite, evasive conversation to squirm-inducing effect. You shouldnt have made that kind of mistake, Yang-hye tells Man-hee, never explaining what the mistake was.

It ends with an incongruous stab of humor: How about we take a photo together to remember our parting? Man-hee says brightly, jumping up and snapping a selfie.

The photography motif will be resumed by Hupperts Claire, who uses her Polaroid camera to take pictures of everyone she meets. When she meets them and in what order, however, is one of the movies quieter mysteries. Hong, a sly master of repetition and variation, likes to tell simple stories in not-so-simple ways, and he unravels this one in casually nonlinear order; you never know if a scene might suddenly reveal itself to be a flashback or a flash-forward.

Huppert is happy to serve as the polite trigger for all this temporal chaos. You might find yourself studying Claires wardrobe for continuity clues, though it might be more useful to admire the salutary brightness of her yellow shirt and blue handbag, in contrast with the darker attire of So and Man-hee. For Huppert, most celebrated for her uncompromising severity in films like Elle and The Piano Teacher, the movie is an opportunity to cut gloriously loose; no less than Claire herself, she seems to be enjoying her holiday.

And its a pleasure to watch her simply hang out and connect with Kim, Hongs most frequent on-screen collaborator of late. (Check out her brilliant work in the directors Right Now, Wrong Then and On the Beach at Night Alone.) Claire and Man-hee have to converse in English, neither ones first language, and their gently halting rhythms add a charming layer of awkward authenticity to their conversation. The Korean dialogue may flow more freely among So, Man-hee and Yang-hye, but it achieves far less in terms of honest communication.

If I take a photo of you, you are not the same person anymore, Claire tells So, introducing but not answering the movies central philosophical riddle. Photography, like cinema, achieves an approximation of reality, an imitation of life. The discrepancies between truth and fiction can be easy to overlook, just as the lingering effects of a work of art can be difficult to gauge. Claires Camera runs 68 minutes and is as slender and unassuming, in its own way, as a Polaroid. But you may emerge from it not feeling like quite the same person, either.

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Claires Camera

In Korean, English and French dialogue with English subtitles

Not rated

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Running time: 1 hour, 8 minutes

Playing: Laemmles Music Hall 3, Beverly Hills

ALSO

Review: Hong Sang-soo turns personal scandal on its head in On the Beach at Night Alone

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Review: Hong Sang-soos Right Now, Wrong Then an incisive tale of romantic possibility

Review: Isabelle Huppert enthralls in Paul Verhoevens masterful rape-revenge thriller Elle

Review: Isabelle Huppert stuns as the formidable woman at the heart of Things to Come

Review: Imagine Isabelle Huppert as a Euro American Idol star turned factory worker. Its Souvenir

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justin.chang@latimes.com

@JustinCChang
The old debate over nature versus nurture is played for (sporadic) laughs in Birthmarked, a satire thats unable to deliver on a promising hypothesis.

Taking their work home with them, married university professors Ben (Matthew Goode) and Catherine (Toni Collette) set out to prove through the rearing of their three children that no one is a prisoner of genetic heritage.

In addition to their biological son, Luke (Jordan Poole), who theyve raised to be an artist despite his science-minded lineage, theyve adopted Maya (Megan OKelly) whom they cultivate to be brainy, despite her coming from, as the narrator explains, a long line of dimwitted individuals.

Rounding out their family of lab rats is Maurice (Anton Gillis-Adelman), adopted from a violent family but brought up as a pacifist. Along the way Ben and Catherine end up discovering a thing or two about the true nature of families.

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Although theres some amusing stuff at the core of Marc Tulins screenplay, which has comedic traces of Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach in its DNA, this Canadian-Irish co-production, directed by Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais, loses its way and, in the process, all three kids and both parents end up sharing the same undesirable trait: The filmmakers neglected to make them likable.

If the soulful Collette and Downton Abbeys Henry Talbot cant engender audience affection, Birthmarked would have to be considered a failed experiment.

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Birthmarked

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Playing: Galaxy Mission Grove, Riverside; also available VOD

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One of the bittersweet recurring images we see in Outside In, Lynn Sheltons sharp and stirring new drama, is of a man riding his bicycle. Chris (Jay Duplass), a scruffily handsome 38-year-old, has just returned to his sleepy Pacific Northwest hometown after two decades in prison, having received a mandatory minimum sentence for a crime he didnt commit. Riding his bike feels like both a blissful assertion of his newfound freedom and something of a sad throwback to his teenage years, a more innocent time before his life was so cruelly derailed.

We never learn the exact details of the felony for which Chris wound up taking the rap; indeed, a brief, explosive verbal flashback to that fateful night is one of the few missteps in this otherwise beautifully assured movie. The past may weigh heavily on Chris and the few people who are still in his life, but what concerns Shelton, who directed the film from a script she wrote with Duplass, is how her characters adjust to the difficulties of the present.

For Chris, those difficulties come in all shapes and sizes: Hes mystified by the weirdly ubiquitous phenomenon that is texting, and his criminal record makes it all but impossible to find work. Now stuck living with his estranged brother, Ted (Ben Schwartz), he feels alienated from old friends and new acquaintances alike. The only person hes genuinely excited to see, and as often as possible, is his old high-school English teacher and longtime advocate Carol (an unsurprisingly superb Edie Falco).

Carol, we learn, spent years calling Chris every week, keeping him busy with regular homework assignments and doing the legal research that helped ensure his early release. The two manage to downplay their mutual affection at an awkward welcome-home party for Chris, but the first time they meet in private, the intensity of their bond shines through: its there in the smile that suddenly lights up Carols careworn features, in the infectious laughter that suffuses their conversation, and in the quiet determination with which Carol at one point gently pulls her hand away from Chris.

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Edie Falco in a scene from Outside In. (Nathan M. Miller / The Orchard )

In nearly every respect, their relationship made more sense when one of them was behind bars, and Outside In charts the emotional confusion that sets in as they try to adapt. Their once-frequent phone calls suddenly take on an air of secrecy, as do their occasional in-person meetings. At home, Carol struggles to connect with her lumpen, incommunicative husband (Charles Leggett) and their moody teenage daughter, Hildy (Kaitlyn Dever). These domestic troubles explain both Carols deep sense of attachment to Chris and her reluctance to act on that attachment, despite his own heartbreakingly sincere declarations of love.

When Carol draws a temporary line in the sand, Chris naturally gravitates toward Hildy and begins hanging out with her. The film, aware of the potentially icky implications of this development, makes clear that theres no prurient interest on Chris part; its simply a way for him to be close to Carol when he isnt actually able to spend time with her. As for Hildy, played by Dever with acute sensitivity and a persuasive air of ordinary teenage recklessness, she feels an instinctive sympathy for Chris, as well as a certain curiosity about a selfless, determined side of her mother she doesnt often see.

As evidenced by her earlier independent comedies like Humpday, Your Sisters Sister and Laggies, Shelton has a knack for three-way relationship studies; she knows exactly how to braid together two characters in a way that comments insightfully on a third. Working with her cinematographer, Nathan M. Miller, she keeps the camera close to her actors, sometimes making expressive use of the gray overcast skies stretching overhead, but for the most part letting the characters speak for themselves.

Duplass puppy-dog affect may seem softer than youd expect for a character who spent 20 years behind bars, but the actors quietly wrenching performance gives the lie to any easy assumptions about the experience of the incarcerated. And Falco, whose Carol at times seems positively dazed by her sheer capacity for feeling, gives a performance of aching depth and subtlety; this could be the finest work shes done in a movie since 2002s Sunshine State.

Shelton doesnt neglect the unmistakable erotic dimension of Carol and Chris bond, but she doesnt make it the fulcrum of the drama, either. To some extent, Outside In is a love story about two people whose age difference matters less, in the end, than the realization that they may be headed in different directions. By the end you may flash back to that image of Chris on his bicycle, but its to the credit of this tender, moving film that he isnt the only one whos found a reason to keep going.

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Outside In

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Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 49 minutes

Playing: Laemmles NoHo 7, North Hollywood

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justin.chang@latimes.com

@JustinCChang
On the heels of their recent showings as part of an extensive Al Pacino retrospective at New York Citys Quad Cinemas comes the long-delayed theatrical premiere of a pair of Pacino-helmed, stage-centric films, Wilde Salome and its follow-up, Salome.

This nichey, experimental duo are companion pieces for sure, so they are best seen  and discussed  in tandem and in order, even if that wasnt necessarily Pacinos original raison detre when he cobbled these projects together more than a decade ago. But what exactly was his purpose?

Pacinos way into this ambitious endeavor was, at least initially, a fascination with Victorian-era poet and playwright Oscar Wilde and his provocative play Salome, a Biblically-inspired tragedy that was banned in Britain just before its 1892 debut. The play eventually premiered in Paris in 1896, at which time Wilde, who was gay, was serving a two-year prison sentence for gross indecency. (Sunset Boulevard fans will remember Salome as the unlikely basis for Norma Desmonds would-be comeback picture.)

Its gonna look a lot like I dont know what Im doing  because I dont, says Pacino at the start of Wilde Salome, a captivating, enjoyable, often edifying documentary written and directed by Pacino that proves the Serpico and Scent of a Woman star is perhaps more creatively strategic and capable here than he may have thought.

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The film largely tracks a period in 2006 when Pacino performed in a production  actually a developed staged-reading in modern dress  of Salome (directed by veteran actress and theater director Estelle Parsons) at UCLAs Wadsworth Theatre, while he was also making a movie documenting the mounting of said show, concurrently shooting a narrative film version of the play and exploring the fraught life and career of Oscar Wilde.

Pacino bites off an awful lot here, yet, as our puckish, ebullient and, later, prickly guide on this kaleidoscopic journey, he manages to present an intriguing and passionate view of artistic risk and reward.

Make that potential reward as it turned out that the Wadsworth run of Salome, in which Pacino played Herod, king of Judea, opposite then-newcomer Jessica Chastain in the title role (Kevin Anderson and Roxanne Hart also appeared) earned mixed reviews  in his pan, Times theater critic Charles McNulty dubbed Pacinos turn wacky and loopy  and incurred the wrath of some theatergoers for its spartan, interpretative approach. (Steep ticket prices apparently didnt help.)

Meanwhile, Pacino is plagued by budget-conscious producers and a stingy shooting schedule as he films an adaptation of the Salome play. Behind-the-scenes tensions and bits of on-set urgency compellingly evoke Project Greenlight-like tumult with Pacino, ever the showman here, unafraid to present himself as a producers semi-worst nightmare.

Pacino schlepping cast and crew members out to the Mojave Desert to shoot a series of emblematic bits (theres a camel!) to conjure up the mood and setting of Salome, has a near-satirical sense; you can practically feel the eye rolls.

Still, theres clearly a method to Pacinos madness. For better or worse, its called vision.

Not unlike his approach to examining William Shakespeare in his 1996 documentary Looking for Richard, Pacino hops the globe (London, Dublin, Paris, New York) to enlighten himself  and the viewer  about the world of Oscar Wilde and gain a deeper understanding of how Salome came to be.

There are also brief chats with such notables as Tom Stoppard, the late Gore Vidal, Tony Kushner, Bono and Wildes grandson, Merlin Holland, who all astutely weigh in on Wilde and his work.

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Pacinos second film, simply titled Salome, is the result of his efforts portrayed in Wilde Salome to transfer Parsons stage version of the play to the screen. And, despite bits of duplication, youll be better off for having seen the documentary first, based on the insight, context and history it provides about Wildes often dazzling piece.

That cinematically, Pacinos Salome is ultimately little more than a well-shot and edited theater piece  stagebound and focused on the casts compelling faces and Wildes vivid text  is as much a practical matter (time, money) as, it turns out, a creative plus.

The features visual simplicity ends up countering the plays more florid, flamboyant elements, keeping the lean but intense story more centered and accessible. To quote the Bard, The plays the thing.

Chastain, in what was then her first feature film, shows the radiance and star power she would soon exhibit on a regular basis. With her ruby lips, translucent skin and mane of flame-red hair, she plays the petulant and privileged young seductress Salome with great vigor and fearsome self-possession. Her Dance of the Seven Veils, performed at the behest of her smitten stepfather, King Herod (Pacino), is mesmerizing.

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Pacinos Herod, whos married to Herodias (a steely Hart), Salomes mother and the widow of the kings brother, is a singular creation: playful, taunting, persuasive, a bit fey. Lets just say, Pacinos trying stuff and hes fun to watch.

hroughout, Pacino and Hart remain mostly seated in plush red chairs  thrones?  as the story of Herods creepy infatuation with Salome; Salomes unrequited attraction to an imprisoned Jokanaan, a.k.a. John the Baptist (Anderson, fierce); and her bloody revenge against him, unfolds almost entirely on a muted, spare, yet eminently workable set.

The Salome film proves a chilling and watchable look at lust, power, reprisal and decadence that, along with Wilde Salome, validates Pacinos obsessive interest in Wildes still-resonant play while also giving movie and theatre lovers a candid and involving window into the artistic process.

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Wilde Salome

Rating: R, for some language, nudity and violent images

Running time: 1 hour, 28 minutes

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Salome

Rating: R, for some nudity and disturbing bloody images.

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Running time: 1 hour, 21 minutes

Playing: Both films at Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica

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A Los Angeles jury deadlocked on nearly all the counts in the case of three suspected Mara Salvatrucha gang members charged in the 2001 rape, kidnapping and killing of a teenage runaway from Whittier.

Despite deliberating for nearly two weeks, the panel on Thursday told a judge they hadnt reached a unanimous verdict regarding Melvin Sandoval, 38, and Santos Grimaldi, 35, who each faced one count of special circumstance murder along with one count of kidnapping in the killing of 13-year-old Jacqueline Piazza. The teenager ran away from home in May 2001 and ended up in the Westlake area of Los Angeles.

A third defendant, Rogelio Contreras, 40, was acquitted of a kidnapping charge, but jurors deadlocked on his murder count.

The judge asked jurors  who sat through a five-month trial  whether there was anything he could do to help them reach a verdict. He offered, for example, to let prosecutors and defense attorneys make further arguments.

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The answer is no, we dont believe theres anything else that can be done, the foreman said, telling the judge that on most of the counts, the panel was split either 8-4 or 9-3.

As the judge declared a mistrial on all remaining counts, the defendants stared ahead with little expression. A family member of the victim dabbed at her nose with a tissue.

The judge then turned to Deputy Dist. Atty. Dayan Mathai, asking if the district attorneys office planned to retry the case.

Yes, the prosecutor said, nodding.

On June 27, 2001, a drug dealer for the MS-13 street gang, Jorge Palacios, along with his common-law wife, beat Jacqueline near West 8th Street and Magnolia Avenue, then directed others, including Sandoval, Grimaldi, and Contreras, to get rid of the girl, whom for reasons unknown he perceived as a threat, prosecutors said.

That night, prosecutors alleged, Sandoval, Grimaldi and Contreras, along with two others, drove Jacqueline to Elysian Park. She was put in the trunk so she couldnt be seen.

The teenager was taken to a remote area, where prosecutors said that two men  Sandoval and Grimaldi  sexually assaulted the girl. Investigators found DNA matching Grimaldi and Sandoval on the victim, according to testimony.

After the assault, the girl, who was seated on the ground nude, holding her hands up in protest, was shot in the head twice, prosecutors said.

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In closing arguments, Mathai said the brutal crime defies logic.

But on that day and on that time, there was a motive, there was logic, he said. They took her there for the purpose that no one would witness the dastardly deeds that they were going to do.

They took her there so you would never hear what happened, he said.

The investigation into the girls killing stalled until a member of MS-13 who was working as an informant told authorities what she knew about the crime. The woman took investigators to the area in Elysian Park where the killing occurred and described the events.

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You heard from an eyewitness  because somebody broke free, Mathai said.

Another gang member also later told authorities that Sandoval and Contreras each told him separately about the crime, and corroborated other evidence, including the people involved and the vehicle that was used. The man also said that Sandoval and Grimaldi wanted a piece of the victim.

According to court testimony, Contreras told that gang member years later that he could still see her ghost in my car.

Defense attorneys questioned the reliability of the two main witnesses, particularly the female gang member. Victor Salerno, Sandovals attorney, told jurors that the woman had been in a relationship with Sandoval and was jealous of the teenager.

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Salerno argued that Sandoval had consensual sex with the teenager in the days before the killing. Salerno pointed to the lengthy criminal record of the female gang member and said she shouldnt be trusted.

Rick LaPan, Contreras attorney, said his client was not a gang member and was in the area on the day of the killing for a church event. During the trial, friends and family testified to Contreras character, LaPan said.

Hes a good father to his three kids, he said.

In closing arguments, LaPan suggested the prosecutions two main witnesses might be framing Contreras.

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Mr. Contreras is telling the truth. Hes a victim. He has been sitting here for six years because of these lies, he said. LaPan also said that no testimony pinned Contreras as a gang member named Whisper until 2004, three years after the killing.

Robin Yanes, Grimaldis attorney, also questioned the veracity of the female gang member, asserting she changed her story after speaking with investigators.

But Mathai told jurors the DNA evidence is powerful and cant be denied, adding that the killing only made sense in the eyes of the gang.

All of these things work together, he said, to do a bad thing to a young girl.

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On March 2, a jury convicted Palacios, 39, of special circumstance murder and one count of kidnapping to commit another crime. Palacios, who is scheduled to be sentenced April 11, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

nicole.santacruz@latimes.com

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

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The guns were kept in a 1920s-era vault in a municipal building on North Alameda.

Compton officials struggled for months to say where they came from, and now where a load of them have gone.

The city dismantled its police force 18 years ago. Were they left over from the old department? Were they sidearms removed four years ago from code enforcement officers who had taken to arming themselves? Were they purchased as part of a failed push to revive the police force in 2010?

Those were the questions last year when a new city manager, Cecil Rhambo Jr., learned about the stash in the old City Hall building from a code enforcement officer. He ordered them to be inventoried and turned over to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

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Deputies counted 198 weapons in March. When they went back to retrieve the guns in August, there were 167.

Now Rhambo, the Sheriffs Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are asking: Who stole 31 of them?

Thieves made off with 23 Beretta .40-caliber pistols and eight Glock .40-caliber pistols.

Sheriffs Department and Compton city officials notified the ATF, which opened an investigation in September and is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

None of them have shown up at crime scenes, said Ginger Colbrun, an ATF spokeswoman in Los Angeles. Thats in part why we decided to put out the reward.

Colbrun said agents have the serial numbers of the missing weapons to aid with identifying them once they are located. A ballistics review revealed that none of the remaining weapons have been used in a crime, according to a Sheriffs Department spokeswoman.

The mystery of the missing guns is the second troubling revelation to hit city leaders this month.

On March 15, the California state controller released an audit revealing that Compton officials overpaid themselves, charged dubious trips on city-issued credit cards and failed to safeguard taxpayer money. In one instance, a staffer stole millions of dollars over years, according to the audit.

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Within just three years, the citys lush spending and weak oversight converted a general fund surplus of $22.4 million a decade ago into a deficit of $42.7 million. The state review gave the city failing marks in 71 out of the 79 measures assessing internal accounting and administrative controls, a score that ranks Comptons accountability as nonexistent, state Controller Betty Yee said.

And the gun theft wasnt the first bout of faulty weapons oversight in the citys history. Most infamously, a handgun booked into evidence at the Compton Police Department in 1986 was later used to shoot a Long Beach police officer in the head.

This is the latest in a series of fiascoes in Comptons history when it comes to law enforcement, said Charles Sid Heal, a retired L.A. County sheriffs commander and weapons expert. It is fair to say it was likely an inside job.

Its likely that few people knew about the storage of the firearms and had the vaults combination.

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City insiders question whether the guns were stashed in expectation that the police force would be reinstated. The departments closure was acrimonious and never fully accepted, with opponents claiming the decision was payback for police officers trying to recall then-Mayor Omar Bradley. Proponents argued that contracting with the Sheriffs Department would be more affordable and effective in fighting crime.

In 2010, under then-Mayor Eric Perrodin, a former Compton police officer and staunch supporter of bringing back the municipal department, the City Council voted to revive the force. City officials bought $1.1 million in radio and communications equipment for the Police Department. But a year later, a budget deficit killed that plan. Some of the devices were stolen and sold, while others were lost in an arson fire started by a former Compton firefighter.

Rhambo, the city manager, said there are no plans to resurrect the police force. To do so would require a vote of the people. Plus, it would cost millions of dollars to build a new facility, recruit officers and purchase equipment, he said, and the liability alone with law enforcement agencies is just cost prohibitive. I dont see how cities can afford it quite frankly.

He said he even recalled, as a sheriffs captain in the Compton station over a decade ago, seeing leftover police weapons.

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Theres stuff a little too loosey-goosey around here, he said. I wanted to make sure we could account for those kind of things.

Rhambo said he assumed guns were purchased with the radio equipment in 2010 and might have accounted for some or all of the stash. Perrodin said that any such expenditures would have been illegal and that he didnt know of any, or of the stash at the old City Hall.

It makes no sense that those guns were kept in an unsecured building in known gang territory, Perrodin told The Times on Wednesday.

One city official, who asked to remain anonymous, said after the police force disbanded a number of code enforcement officers began carrying guns and became a quasi-police department.

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In 2014, the city official alerted superiors that they were carrying firearms under the security guard permit, a classification that only allowed permit-holders to patrol a location, not drive around with a weapon. At the time, the city official said, there were about 15 gun-carrying code enforcement officers. Some were even taking their guns home.

Code enforcement is about weeds and abatement, the city official said. They are not law enforcement officers, but they were driving around with guns on their hips like patrol officers.

Compton code enforcers wore dark-colored uniforms, bulletproof vests, pepper spray, a baton and handcuffs and badges that resembled those of the Los Angeles Police Department, the city official said.

You could not distinguish between them and LAPD from 20 feet away, the city official said.

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Then-City Manager G. Harold Duffey ordered the code enforcement officers to disarm and tasked the city official with collecting the weapons and taking inventory of them. The city official was directed to take them to the vault in the old City Hall.

That required a code and a unique key that only three departments were known to have access to  building and safety, the city attorneys office and code enforcement, the official said. The official went inside for the first time and realized there were already guns there.

In white paper boxes on metal shelves, Berettas and Glocks were stacked in their original cases. Hunting rifles and beanbag guns were hung on the opposite wall.

I was shocked because I thought the equipment went to other police agencies, as is the common practice when a police department shutters, the city official said.

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Revelations of missing guns and financial mismanagement come as Compton is, in some ways, in the midst of a makeover. Crime is down from more than a decade ago, when the city recorded 70 killings in a single year. Property values have increased almost 11% over the last year.

Councilman Isaac Galvan said there are no security cameras or metal detectors in the building and blamed poor choices we made back then.

I hope those guns are not on the streets and no lives were lost with those guns, said Galvan, whose younger brother was shot and killed in East Los Angeles two years ago.

Joyce Kelly, a longtime resident, said the previous administrations should have gotten rid of all the guns.

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There have been different entities, different people and different organizations who have used that building, she said. Somebody shouldve called the ATF or FBI to confiscate the guns.

We have too many guns in Compton. We have too many killings. We need to get the guns out of the city.

angel.jennings@latimes.com

joe.mozingo@latimes.com

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richard.winton@latimes.com
In another blow to the effort to find emergency shelter for Orange Countys homeless population, Costa Mesa City Council members voiced unanimous disapproval of using the local Fairview Developmental Center as an emergency homeless shelter.

In front of a fuming crowd of more than 300 on Wednesday evening at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, council members said that they think the city is already doing more than its fair share to provide services and resources to the homeless, and that other cities  as well as the county  need to step up to the plate.

Its time for our supervisors, our county, our federal and state officials to demand that the rest of the county cities start participating in taking care of the homeless that live in their communities and not taking them to Santa Ana or to Costa Mesa or to Tustin, Councilwoman Katrina Foley said. It is important that we all participate and, if we all participate and we do our fair share, its a lot less of a burden and impact on every community.

Of the dozens of residents who spoke at the special council meeting, most opposed the idea, saying they were concerned that developing a shelter at Fairview would jeopardize public safety, reduce property values and unduly burden the city.

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Not everyone was against the concept, however. Some said the 114-acre property at 2501 Harbor Blvd. could be an important cog in a regional strategy to tackle homelessness.

On Friday, Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson issued a news release announcing that he and state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) were looking into the potential for using the state-owned Fairview site as an emergency homeless shelter.

The release also raised the possibility of centralizing temporary housing and basic services for the homeless at the developmental center, which opened in 1959. It provides services and housing to 133 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to the California Department of Developmental Services.

But in its resolution of opposition, the City Council called that a regrettably rushed idea proposed without any public input or concern for local impacts.

This is land in the middle of the city; its governed by our general plan, Mayor Sandy Genis said. Its our police that are going to be responding  its our paramedics that are going to be responding. Its our residents, its our businesses that are going to be affected, and we cant have the county just throwing that out there.

Neither Nelson nor anyone from his office appeared to be at Wednesdays meeting  a fact that didnt go unnoticed among those in attendance.

I hope that all of you will collectively address this spineless supervisor that essentially threw this grenade into a crowded room and couldnt even bother to show up to defend what hes proposing, resident Sue Lester said.

Orange County Executive Officer Frank Kim told the council that he spoke with Nelsons office Wednesday and was told they do not support the use of the site without the cooperation of the council and input from the community.

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Nelsons office could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday morning.

Kim also conveyed a message to the council from county Supervisor Michelle Steel  whose district includes Costa Mesa  that her office absolutely does not support the use of Fairview for [a] homeless shelter and that the long-term use of that site should be discussed and worked out in collaboration with the city.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer said during Wednesdays meeting that he was dismayed that somebody would put this into the public arena in such an irresponsible fashion and is terribly, terribly sorry that any respectable elected official would put something this derelict and dangerous into the community ... without any input whatsoever.

To combine that in light of what happened last week in Orange County was beyond the pale to me, he said, referring to the Board of Supervisors vote to develop temporary homeless shelters on county land in Huntington Beach, Irvine and Laguna Niguel. Supervisors scuttled that plan Tuesday in the face of opposition from residents and threats of litigation from the cities.

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Like similar facilities around California, Fairview is scheduled to close as part of an effort to transition people out of institutional-style centers and into smaller accommodations that are more integrated into communities.

The goal is to move the centers remaining residents to other living options by 2019, according to the state.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
Officials at Los Angeles Unified will tell you that the nations second-largest school system is doing well or at least has shown strong signs of improvement. Others are not so sure.

A task force examining the district wants a clear way to find out and has two suggestions: school report cards and a new commission aimed at making such assessments.

The L.A. Unified Advisory Task Force already has weighed in on what to do about students who miss a lot of classes and how to manage the school systems real estate holdings.

Its latest report, released Thursday, says that the district compiles a great deal of information that could be useful to parents, the community and public officials, but unfortunately, most of it is buried in obscure filings and byzantine forms that are inaccessible to the average person.

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Austin Beutner, the panels co-chair and a former L.A. Times publisher, said the report did not imply that officials were trying to hide things or failing to comply with disclosure requirements.

But there is a big gap between compliance and that extra step you take to make sure that information is received and understood, he said.

Interim L.A. schools Supt. Vivian Ekchian insists that L.A. Unified already is headed in the right direction. Future plans, which have been approved, include a smartphone app for parents, a simplified enrollment system and an open data portal that is meant to make a lot of information publicly available.

We want to be the most transparent organization in the state as it relates to student learning, student outcomes and the safety of our students, Ekchian said.

School report cards are not new. L.A. Unified produced them as recently as two years ago, when they fell victim to staff reductions after budget cuts. Ekchian agreed that relevant data about campuses should be more easily available.

Most other large schools systems have something along the lines of school report cards, but theyre not always considered meaningful successes. Giving schools simple letter grades, for example, can be misleading and may say more about students economic circumstances or the formulas used for the grading than they do about how good or bad an individual campus is.

California has a complex dashboard with multiple color-coded ratings for each school that critics have characterized as both overly complicated and not sufficiently revealing.

At Tuesdays meeting, three school board members  Kelly Gonez, Nick Melvoin and George McKenna  will introduce a resolution calling for senior administrators to develop a school performance framework that is holistic, reliable, accurate and consistent across all school models. One outcome is supposed to be a rating for each school.

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Board members would vote on the resolution at a later meeting.

The task forces newer idea is a commission with seven members, each appointed by a member of the school board. The report suggests that appointees serve three-year terms for up to six years.

The envisioned commission would employ a small professional staff and be given unfettered access to district data. It could be funded, the report suggests, with money that currently goes to something called an independent analysis unit, which the district describes as the school boards independent research arm.

The unit  which was revived last year after being cut from the budget nearly a decade ago  has posted reports online about topics including the current and future costs of employee health benefits, improving student outcomes in the middle grades, and early evidence of the positive effects of letting younger students into kindergarten.

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Board member Gonez said she appreciated the task force, but also described the work of the existing research unit as substantive and helpful.

Beutner said the current unit may be worth preserving but that it is no substitute for an outside group, which would be less subject to bureaucratic and political interference.

The report cites the Congressional Budget Office, the California Legislative Analyst and New York Citys Independent Budget Office as models.

One issue an independent group could tackle, Beutner said, is a review of the districts credit recovery options, which give students ways to get credit for courses they initially failed. Credit recovery has contributed to record graduation rates, but some question whether passing grades are being handed out too easily.

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Board members have never asked for such a review, which could undermine the graduation success story.

Board member Melvoin said the recommendations were along lines that make sense for the district.

Transparency is both an end in itself and the means to a higher-performing district and higher-performing schools, he said. It is the first step in building trust with the public.

howard.blume@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

2:40 pm: This article was updated to include a description of an expected school board resolution on creating a rating system for L.A. schools.

This article was originally published at 5 a.m.
Huntington Beach leaders expressed thanks to the Orange County Board of Supervisors for its vote Tuesday to scrap a plan to have county staff study moving hundreds of homeless people to temporary shelters in Huntington, Laguna Niguel and Irvine.

In its 4-0 vote, the board opted to come up with a new plan under the watchful eye of a federal judge overseeing a civil rights lawsuit by seven homeless people and their advocates over the countys recent clearing of encampments along the Santa Ana River trail.

Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey on Tuesday thanked Supervisors Michelle Steel and Lisa Bartlett for rescinding their support for the previous plan, a move he called courageous.

On March 19, the board directed staff to study relocating homeless people who recently were moved from the Santa Ana River trail into motels for 30 days. They would have been housed in temporary shelters on county land, first in Irvine near the Great Park, then at a former landfill in Huntington Beach and eventually near City Hall in Laguna Niguel.

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The plan prompted significant backlash, with the Huntington Beach City Council authorizing the city attorney to take any necessary legal action to stop it. Huntington Beach officials said the 33-acre former landfill on Gothard Street, which the county operated from 1947 to 1982, is contaminated with methane and isnt safe for a shelter.

The Irvine and Laguna Niguel city councils voted to sue the county over the plans for their cities.

In an interview Wednesday, Posey pointed to the citys homeless task force, created in 2015 to connect the homeless population with housing and other services, as an example of how Huntington Beach is working to solve homelessness. He said the city remains opposed to creation of a local tent city.

Were doing our fair share, he said.

More than 1,000 people attended Tuesdays supervisors meeting to protest the shelter plans. Some said they shouldnt have to worry about where to put the homeless.

Angela Liu of Irvine said she didnt know where the homeless should go but it shouldnt be her city.

They need to put them somewhere, maybe somewhere else in California, said Liu, who owns a legal services company. I really dont know where they can go. But Irvine is beautiful and we dont want it to get destroyed.

Others suggested the government should do nothing. U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) criticized the spectacle of county-financed homeless compounds setting up shop in our local communities.

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As a parent who owns a modest home in an Orange County neighborhood, I join the outrage that we are assuming responsibility for homeless people, taking care of their basic needs and elongating their agony by removing the necessity to make fundamental decisions about the way they live their lives, Rohrabacher said in a statement.

The political drama began in January when Orange County officials began clearing the sprawling river encampments in response to complaints from nearby residents about crime and blight. But the countys existing homeless shelters are already at capacity, and U.S. District Judge David Carter has ordered local governments to find places for the evicted people to live.

According to County Supervisor Shawn Nelson, we were not given time to go on a tour to talk to cities about where temporary shelters would be located.

Of course, youre criticized on having created a plan but with limitations, Nelson said. We did the best we could.

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Nelson said county and city officials will meet with Carter on Tuesday. Nelson said he expects the judge to push a lot of cities to see if we can come up with a host of emergency shelter beds.

Fry writes for Times Community News
A three-judge panel has handed a defeat to historic preservationists in Los Angeles, upholding the citys plan for demolishing a 1960 bank building on the site of a planned Frank Gehry-designed mixed-use complex.

In a ruling issued last week, Californias 2nd District Court of Appeal overturned a Los Angeles County Superior Court ruling blocking the city from razing the Lytton Savings building in Hollywood, which is considered a strong example of the angular Googie design style.

However, the appellate court also found that the city mishandled another aspect of the project  closure of a right-turn lane from Sunset Boulevard onto southbound Crescent Heights Boulevard. The court sent the project, known as 8150 Sunset, back to the city so that a hearing can be conducted on that lane closure.

A representative of City Atty. Mike Feuer called the ruling a significant victory for the city, which had argued that its environmental review was prepared correctly. The court confirmed the City Councils decision to approve a project that meets the citys objectives, Feuer spokesman Rob Wilcox said.

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One of the projects opponents also declared victory, however, saying the ruling will force the council to rescind its November 2016 decision to approve the project  and then carry out a formal review of the planned lane closure.

Having all your approvals revoked is hardly a win for the city, said Laura Lake, board member of the nonprofit advocacy group Fix the City, one of the groups that sued over the project.

Under the state Streets and Highways Code, the city must present evidence showing that a street is unnecessary for public use before vacating it. Lake contends that the city cannot make that finding because that section of Sunset is heavily used.

Wilcox said the city is evaluating its next steps. Preparation of a street vacation report for the council takes six to nine months on average, according to information posted on the Bureau of Engineering website. That process can last an additional six months if an environmental determination is required, the site states.

Any street vacation hearing would be conducted by the council, Wilcox said.

Councilman David Ryu, whose district includes the 8150 Sunset site, had no comment on the ruling, saying through a spokesman that his office is still reviewing it. Historic preservationists, for their part, were discouraged by the decision.

The Los Angeles Conservancy, which sued over the 229-unit project, had argued that 8150 Sunset could be designed in a way that preserves the bank building, known for its zigzag roof and other features. The court, on the other hand, concluded that design alternatives aimed at retaining the structure would have rendered the Gehry-designed project infeasible.

The Lytton Savings building in Hollywood, occupied in recent years by a Chase Bank branch, is a city historic-cultural monument. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

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Were very disappointed with the ruling, said Linda Dishman, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Conservancy. We were heartened by the decision at the Superior Court level and felt that it was a good case.

Dishman said her organization is looking at its legal options. A representative of Townscape Partners, the projects developer, declined to comment.

The 8150 Sunset project calls for five structures, one of them reaching 15 stories, as well as 65,000 square feet of commercial space. The project, approved by the council in November 2016, would be designed by Gehry, known for his work on Walt Disney Concert Hall and other landmarks.

Gov. Jerry Brown made 8150 Sunset one of the states projects entitled to an accelerated legal review if challenged in court. Foes of the project lodged multiple legal arguments against the development.

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Fix the City had argued that the project sits too close to an earthquake fault and does not comply with the citys planning, zoning and housing ordinances. The court rejected those arguments, agreeing with the group only on the question of the right-turn lane, which would be converted into a portion of an outdoor plaza.

The citys lawyers argued that a street vacation hearing was unnecessary because the land would be converted from vehicular space to pedestrian use. The court, in an 80-page ruling, said the street segment would be merged into a public-private project, which will be essentially a private development.

We hold that the complete removal of a street in favor of a plaza that is linked economically and spatially to a private development constitutes a vacation of that street, the ruling states.

The court also took note of concerns expressed by officials in Los Angeles and nearby West Hollywood over the loss of the lane.

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Eliminating the right-turn lane promises to generate significant community reaction, the ruling states. In fact it already has.

david.zahniser@latimes.com

Twitter: @DavidZahniser
Authorities are searching for three children whose parents and siblings died when their car plunged off a cliff and into the ocean along the Mendocino Coast.

Investigators believe the whole family of eight  Jennifer and Sarah Hart and their six children  was visiting the area from Woodland, Wash. The bodies of the two adults and three of the children were recovered from the wreckage.

An entire family vanished, and perished during this tragedy, said Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman. We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there.

One of the missing children is Devonte Hart, who drew widespread media attention in 2014 after he was photographed hugging a Portland, Ore., police sergeant at a protest related to unrest in Ferguson, Mo., according to the Sheriffs Office.

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Police Sgt. Bret Barnum and Devonte Hart hug at a November 2014 rally in Portland, Ore., where people had gathered in support of protests in Ferguson, Mo. (Johnny Huu Nguyen via Associated Press )

Portland police told the Sheriffs Office this week that the family may have moved from their former home in West Linn, Ore., due to the intense media coverage.

When investigators searched the Harts home in Woodland, they found family belongings, pets and some chickens, but the three missing children were not there.

The deadly crash was reported Monday afternoon off Highway 1, at Juan Creek in the small town of Westport. A passerby called authorities after noticing the wreckage from a pullout along the road.

About 100 feet down, a car was overturned along the oceans rocky shoreline. The parents bodies were found inside the car, while the bodies of three children were outside the vehicle. The cars engine was cold, and the water that had seeped into the car was warmer than the ocean, indicating that the vehicle had been there for several hours, Allman said.

It was a very confusing scene because there was no skid marks, there were no brake marks, he said. There was no indication of why this vehicle traversed approximately over 75 feet of a dirt pullout and went into the Pacific Ocean.

Even so, he said, We have no evidence and no reason to believe that this was an intentional act.

Recovery efforts on the first day lasted until after midnight. The children pulled from the wreckage were identified as Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14.

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CHP investigators work at the scene where a familys car plunged off a cliff near Highway 1. (Chris Calder / Associated Press )

Search crews still are looking in the ocean waters near the crash site for Devonte, 15; Hannah Hart, 16; and Sierra Hart, 12. The U.S. Coast Guard searched by rescue boat, the California Highway Patrol used a fixed-wing airplane and helicopter, and the Sheriffs Office scoured the beach along the highway.

Investigators also are trying to piece together the 24 hours before the crash, and have asked that any witnesses who saw the family at a hotel, restaurants or gas stations come forward.

Anyone with information can call authorities at (707) 463-4086.

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alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek
A Maryland appeals court on Thursday upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast Serial.

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 and sentenced to life in prison for the killing of Hae Min Lee, whose body was found in Baltimores Leakin Park.

Syed maintained his innocence and in 2014 his case attracted international attention when it was featured on the Serial podcast, which was downloaded millions of times and prompted legions of listeners to scrutinize the case online.

Thursdays decision remands the case back to Circuit Court, granting Syed a new trial there.

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The ruling could be appealed to the Court of Appeals, the states highest court, which would mean many more months before Syed finds out whether his conviction will remain or if he will get a new trial.

Maryland Atty. Gen. Brian Froshs office said it is currently reviewing todays decision to determine next steps.

Baltimore States Atty. Marilyn J. Mosbys office would be tasked with prosecuting Syed were a retrial to move forward. Her office said it was reviewing the appeals courts opinion on Thursday, but otherwise declined to comment.

In writing the Court of Special Appeals opinion, which was released Thursday, Chief Judge Patrick L. Woodward wrote that a deficient performance by Syeds attorney during his initial trial  namely, her failure to call a witness named Asia McClain  prejudiced Syeds defense.

Syed was granted a post-conviction hearing in February 2016, during which his new attorneys argued that his original counsel had failed to call McClain  now McClain Chapman  as an alibi witness. They also questioned the reliability of cellphone evidence used to place Syed at the spot where Lees body was found.

Four months later, retired Judge Martin Welch, who had denied Syeds previous request for a new trial, vacated his conviction and ordered a new trial. The judge said questions about the cellphone evidence should have been raised by Syeds original team.

The state appealed a lower-court judges ruling last year that vacated Syeds conviction and ordered a new trial. Syeds attorneys then filed a separate conditional appeal, asking the court to look at the alibi issue.

In the opinion Thursday, Woodward found that, there is a reasonable probability that McClains alibi testimony would have raised a reasonable doubt in the mind of at least one juror about Syeds involvement [in] Haes murder, and thus the result of the proceedings would have been different.

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The Court of Special Appeals had considered the case during a hearing last June.

There, judges had focused more on the alibi witness angle, questioning attorneys for Syed and the state attorney generals office about what weight they should give to McClain Chapman, who claimed to have seen Syed at the Woodlawn Library when prosecutors said Lee was killed.

How can you possibly evaluate an alibi witness without speaking to her? Woodward asked during the states presentation by Thiru Vignarajah, a special assistant attorney general. Vignarajah referred questions to Froshs office on Thursday.

The judges asked C. Justin Brown, Syeds current attorney, whether there was any case law that would establish that Syeds attorney, the late M. Cristina Gutierrez, provided ineffective counsel to Syed because she did not speak to McClain.

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Judge Kathryn Grill Graeff asked Brown whether it is a defense attorneys responsibility to speak to any possible alibi witness  to which Brown said yes.

In a dissent published alongside the courts majority opinion issued Thursday, Graeff seemed to adopt the argument of the state that Gutierrez had good reason not to call McClain as a witness. Graeff noted records in the case, including a detectives notes on communications between McClain and Syed, indicate potential cause for concern regarding the trustworthiness of Ms. McClains alibi, and therefore, the reasonableness of counsels decision not to contact Ms. McClain or pursue her alibi.

Graeff wrote, To the extent that Ms. McClains potential alibi could give the prosecution ammunition to argue that Syed and Ms. McClain were working together to falsify an alibi, it would be a reasonable decision not to contact Ms. McClain to pursue that alibi.

Fenton and Rector are reporters with the Baltimore Sun. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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jfenton@baltsun.com

Twitter: justin_fenton
Earlier this month, Melissa Abdo visited a class of future schoolteachers  education majors at Oklahoma State University.

How many of you are considering teaching in Oklahoma? she asked them.

Of the roughly 20 students in the class, a single hand went into the air.

I dont think Oklahoma wants me, one student told Abdo, a board member for Jenks Public Schools in suburban Tulsa.

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Abdo said this week that she was embarrassed for Oklahoma, where teachers havent had an across-the-board raise in 10 years, leaving them with some of the lowest pay in the nation.

So she and members of other school boards across the state have taken a highly unusual step: Theyre helping their workers go on strike.

When teachers  or for that matter, workers in any field  strike, its usually a showdown with the bosses. Thats what happened when teachers in Chicago went on strike in 2012 to force better contract terms from the nations third-largest school district.

But in Oklahoma  as with the recent nine-day teachers strike in West Virginia  the traditional battle lines between workers and management have gotten blurred as both sides take aim at a bigger target: the state Legislature.

Across the state, teachers are getting a boost from superintendents and school boards as they prepare to walk off the job Monday unless the Legislature significantly raises their pay.

At school board meetings, superintendents have given presentations to board members and curious parents about how a teacher walkout would work  and how they could support, and not oppose, a strike that would affect hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma students.

It is unusual for any kind of strike, but it points to just how awful the situation is, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, one of the nations largest public-sector unions. What you are seeing right now is a fight for public education, because the school boards are saying, How are we going to get teachers for this and the next generation of kids?

At least 172 Oklahoma school districts, with 500,000 students, are prepared to close for at least a day if teachers go on strike, according to a survey released this week by the Oklahoma State School Boards Assn. and other state education groups. A total of 48 school districts, with more than 230,000 students, said they were prepared to close indefinitely.

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Shawn Hime, executive director of the school board association, said that among the states 513 districts, he had not heard of a school board that had rejected the idea of a walkout.

Our board members, while theyre not leading the strike ... they understand the frustration of our teachers, Hime said, noting that Oklahomas low property taxes force schools to rely more heavily on state funding than their counterparts in neighboring states.

Starting pay for a teacher in Oklahoma with a bachelors degree is $31,600  a figure set by the Legislature. The states average salary for public school teachers is $45,276, lower than in any state except Mississippi and South Dakota, according to the most recently available data from the National Education Assn.

The Oklahoma Education Assn. has said a strike will begin unless lawmakers guarantee $10,000 raises over the next three years. The last teachers strike in the state occurred in 1990 and prompted a conservative backlash against new taxes.

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I feel like Im in Back to the Future, Janet Dunlop, the superintendent of Broken Arrow Public Schools, said at a March 12 meeting of the suburban Tulsa district, which gets more than 40% of its funding from the state.

Dunlop recalled how she joined in as a student-teacher during the 1990 strike. I remember the angst I felt, and I felt like I was almost betraying what I fought so hard to do.

Now, even with a job that would normally place her on the other side of the table during labor negotiations, she still sounded like a teacher ready to march on the state Capitol in Oklahoma City and demand legislators raise pay.

I think that we all would agree: No one wants this to happen, Dunlop said of a strike, according to a video recording of the meeting. But you also get to a point where you dont believe the promises [from state lawmakers] anymore and you need it to happen.

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That day, Broken Arrows five school board members unanimously approved a plan to suspend school for up to 25 days to support the teachers plans to go on strike.

Weve exhausted every single effort. Weve tried negotiation, weve tried conversations, board clerk Jerry Denton said at the meeting, referring to lobbying state legislators. Every single thing has been done to try and alleviate these issues.

While state law forbids teachers from going on strike when collectively bargaining with school boards, it says nothing about striking to pressure the state Legislature.

If the situation gets dire, it will be difficult for the state to bring in replacement teachers.

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As of last December, Oklahoma had issued more than 1,800 emergency certifications to new teachers who lacked the usual qualifications to get hired, a figure that has soared over the last five years but still pales in comparison to Oklahomas 41,000 teachers.

There arent teachers to replace our current teachers, Hime said.

But the teachers, and the districts, also face a tough climb at the Capitol, where even a traditional supermajority of lawmaker support wouldnt be enough.

Following the 1990 strike, conservative forces tried but failed to repeal the education bill won by teachers, which boosted pay, increased funding for schools and capped class sizes.

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However, conservatives later succeeded in passing a statewide ballot measure that required 75% of lawmakers voting in favor to pass any future tax increases  the toughest such requirement in the nation.

That means any bill that increases taxes to fund teacher raises will probably need support from both sides of the aisle in the Legislature, where Republicans outnumber Democrats 3 to 1.

Its not that Oklahomas political establishment doesnt want to boost teacher pay. But recent proposals to spend more on education, including raising pay, have foundered as lawmakers failed to assemble massive-enough majorities.

A $581-million plan embraced by state business leaders and Republican lawmakers was defeated in the state House of Representatives in February, with 63 lawmakers voting yes and 35 voting no  falling well below the threshold needed to raise taxes.

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This week, lawmakers tried again, with the House voting 79 to 19 on Monday and the Senate voting 36 to 10 on Thursday to approve a tax bill that would raise average teacher pay by about $6,000  still short of what teachers are demanding.

It would mark the first time the state Legislature has raised taxes since the 75% voting threshold was implemented in 1992.

Republican Gov. Mary Fallin has said she will sign, adding, Those voting yes answered the call from the public by voting teachers a pay raise and putting the state on a solid foundation for the future.

The response from teachers?

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We are walking, the Oklahoma City American Federation of Teachers union tweeted, citing poll numbers showing that 79% of members still supported a walkout.

Statewide polling numbers from the Oklahoma Teacher Walkout  The Time Is Now! Facebook group, which has more than 70,000 members, showed 81% support for a strike.

Teachers and school districts are now preparing for how to feed and care for students if classes are halted. In Jenks, the district published information on how community members could donate to a local food bank to support teacher-organized meals for students.

The Clinton school district, in rural western Oklahoma, recommended parents form co-ops or contact local churches for child-care options, with the district planning to provide limited child care and free breakfast and lunch at a few schools.

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Floyd Simon Jr., a member of the Clinton Public Schools board, recalled losing several standout teachers to school districts in Texas that boosted their pay by $10,000 to $20,000.

I would not normally be a person that would support striking, because our entire goal as a school board is to do whats best for kids and the schools, and in most cases youd think having school is the best thing for them, Simon said. But sometimes drastic times mean drastic measures.

matt.pearce@latimes.com

Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce.

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In a concession to conservatives clamoring for new investigations into Hillary Clintons emails and the Justice Departments actions in the Russia investigation, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions on Thursday named a federal prosecutor from Utah to head the review.

But he once again stopped short of naming a second special counsel, a move that many Republicans have been demanding for months. The latest move is unlikely to quiet the rising tide of anger on the right, a campaign fueled by the bitter Twitter messages of President Trump.

In a letter to the leaders of House and Senate committees, Sessions said he had named John W. Huber, the U.S. attorney for Utah, to lead the inquiry of the departments handling of the probe into Clinton and the secret surveillance of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide.

Huber, a veteran prosecutor who once headed the national security section for the Justice Department, has been working on the case since November. Sessions said Huber would recommend whether to reopen or launch any new criminal investigations, and whether a second special counsel was warranted.

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We understand that the department is not above criticism and it can never be that the department conceals errors where they occur, Sessions wrote.

Sessions letter was immediately criticized by Democrats as a political stunt meant to soothe Trump and to distract attention from the investigation into the Trump campaigns dealings with Russia led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

Hes throwing meat out there to appease the president, Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, told CNN.

The calls for a second counsel investigation have intensified as Republicans have begun to attack the FBIs handling of the early days of the Russia investigation. The House Intelligence Committee has criticized the department for how it obtained a secret warrant to use spying tools on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign advisor under scrutiny for his ties to Russians.

Republicans have questioned the departments use of material in a dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent doing research funded by Democrats.

And the departments inspector general has released text messages between two FBI employees involved in the Clinton and Trump investigations, in which they shared their low opinions about Trump and their horror at the prospect he could make it to the White House.

Last November, Assistant Atty. Gen. Stephen Boyd disclosed that prosecutors were reexamining the Clinton Foundation, Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of State, and the announcement by former FBI Director James B. Comey that criminal charges against Clinton were not justified.

Sessions, in his letter Thursday, repeated that a special counsel is supposed to be appointed only under extraordinary circumstances.

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The departments inspector general, Michael Horowitz, announced Wednesday that he would begin a review of the allegations regarding the Page warrant; he is nearing completion on an investigation of the departments actions during the Clinton inquiry. Trump was dissatisfied with that decision, calling for Sessions to put prosecutors on the case.

Sessions said he is working with Horowitz on the case.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

UPDATES:

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3:25 p.m.: The article was updated with more background.

The article was originally published at 2:50 p.m.
When Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced Monday that he was adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 census, he offered this dubious explanation: that the information would somehow make it easier for the Justice Department to root out violations of the Voting Rights Act. But lawyers who have been arguing voting rights cases since the law was adopted in 1965 begged to differ, saying that the government already collects sufficient data to determine where voting rights have been violated.

But heres what will happen when the question is added: Immigrant communities  and especially people who are living in the United States illegally  will be less likely to cooperate with the census, for fear that any acknowledgment of non-citizenship status will be used against them or their families. It doesnt take a cynic to see this for what it is: an effort by the Republican administration to reduce the population count in immigrant-heavy communities, which tend to be in Democratic-heavy urban areas.

It doesnt take a cynic to see this for what it is  an effort by Republicans to reduce the the population count in immigrant-heavy communities.

A lower count, in turn, will lead to less representation of those communities in Congress and less federal aid. Thats why four former census directors who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations filed an amicus brief in a voting rights case three years ago arguing that because a one-by-one citizenship inquiry would invariably lead to a lower response rate to the census in general, such an inquiry would seriously frustrate the Census Bureaus ability to conduct the only count the Constitution expressly requires.

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The census, conducted every 10 years, is required by the U.S. Constitution to count every single resident of the country, including non-citizens.

The citizenship question isnt the only hurdle the nation faces in getting the most accurate census count possible. Critics say the Trump administration and Congress have woefully underfunded the Census Bureau as it prepares for the 2020 count, which will include, for the first time, a website through which people will be able to fill out their questionnaires. Budget constraints led the Census Bureau to cancel two of three test runs of that online system, and critics say the only test being held, beginning April 1 in Providence, Rhode Island, may not be sufficient to find and fix bugs.

A prime reason for that is to reduce staffing costs. The more people who fill out an online form, the fewer people are needed to conduct the paper census. But a planned reduction in the number of temporary workers to be hired for the 2020 count means fewer multilingual census takers to try to track down people in immigrant communities who skip filling out the form, and fewer bodies to travel to remote rural areas.

The Constitution doesnt specify the questions that must be asked in the census. Thats left to Congress and the president, who have sought information on a range of issues  including, for instance, how many households had radios in 1930.

A citizenship question was first added in the 1890 census, during a period of intense political debate over immigration, and it was removed after the 1950 census. But the question resurfaced in 1970 in the new long form questionnaire, which was sent to one in 38 households. The long form was discontinued after the 2000 Census in part because the annual American Community Survey, which began in 1996, asked similar questions with higher utility, since it gave more regular snapshots of the nations population.

Its too late to think that the Trump administration will do the right thing and voluntarily drop the citizenship question. So a dozen states, including California, have filed suit, arguing that asking about citizenship unconstitutionally jeopardizes an accurate count. California and New York  home to large settlements of immigrants  stand to lose congressional seats through an undercount. But so, too, do Texas and Florida, traditional Republican strongholds. It is in the nations interest to get this count right, and Republican Congressional leaders must look beyond the administrations narrow view of America to ensure that the constitutional mandate is met, and that people across the country  regardless of citizenship, immigration status or political party  receive the congressional representation and federal aid to which they are constitutionally entitled.

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On Wednesday the Supreme Court heard arguments in the second of two lawsuits it will decide this term that challenge partisan gerrymandering  the time-dishonored practice of drawing legislative district lines to give one political party an unfair advantage. Wednesdays argument involved a map engineered by Maryland Democrats to unseat a long-serving Republican congressman. In October, the court heard a challenge to a Wisconsin legislative map engineered by Republicans to disadvantage Democrats.

Now that the second act of this legal drama has been played out, the justices should move toward the denouement: a decision holding that the Constitution prohibits congressional and legislative maps that are clearly designed to entrench one party and dilute the votes of the other. Such a ruling would strike a blow for representative government and put both political parties on notice that the sort of undemocratic mapmaking they have engaged in is no longer permissible.

For the court to reach that result, it needs to keep its collective eye on the big picture and not be waylaid by the sort of quibbles and qualms featured in Wednesdays argument, including the concern expressed by some justices that the imminence of the 2018 congressional election might make it impossible for the plaintiffs to obtain the judgment they are seeking from a lower court.

The court has been agonizing about how to manage partisan gerrymanders for two decades. It should stop its dithering.

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Nor should the court agonize unduly about whether its practical for federal courts to supervise inquiries into partisan gerrymandering. As Justice Elena Kagan noted, the courts already investigate claims of racial gerrymandering: We look to what legislators say. We look to what mapmakers say. We look to a variety of pieces of circumstantial evidence about how the districting turned out, about what was done. Courts can conduct similar inquiries when partisanship rather than race warps the drawing of district lines.

It has been almost 32 years since the court recognized that partisan gerrymandering could be challenged as a violation of the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause if it intentionally and effectively discriminated against an identifiable political group. Then, in a 2004 case, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy suggested that gerrymanders might also violate the 1st Amendments free-speech protections because they penalize certain voters for their voting history, their association with a political party, or their expression of political views.

Yet despite these hints and suggestions, the court has yet to invalidate a map on the grounds that its a partisan gerrymander. Meanwhile, the parties that control state legislatures have become more adept at manipulating maps to their own advantage, aided by increasingly sophisticated computer software.

For example, Republican voters challenging the Maryland congressional map claim that its designers used big data and cutting-edge redistricting software to reconfigure a district that had been represented for nearly two decades by Republican Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. After the redistricting, Bartlett lost his 2012 reelection bid to a Democrat.

On Wednesday the lawyer for the Republicans, channeling Kennedy, cited the 1st Amendment, telling the court: Government officials may not single out particular individuals for disfavored treatment on the basis of the views that they have expressed at the ballot box in prior elections. In the case involving a pro-Republican Wisconsin legislative map, a lower court cited both the 1st Amendment and 14th Amendment in concluding that a redistricting plan violates the Constitution if it is (1) intended to place a severe impediment on the effectiveness of the votes of individual citizens on the basis of their political affiliation, (2) has that effect and (3) cannot be justified on other, legitimate legislative grounds.

That is the sort of standard the Supreme Court should embrace. The danger is that a majority of the court will once again fail to cohere around a clear constitutional holding and a road map about how lower courts should evaluate gerrymanders.

There was a clarifying moment in Wednesdays often technical argument when Justice Stephen G. Breyer succinctly stated the issue in this case. It seems like a pretty clear violation of the Constitution in some form to have deliberate, extreme gerrymandering.

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Unfortunately, Breyer then went into worry mode and wondered whether there was a practical solution that wont get judges involved in dozens and dozens and dozens of very important political decisions. Finally, he suggested that because of the complexity of the issue the court might want to put off a decision and schedule new arguments on the Maryland and Wisconsin cases and address a redistricting dispute in North Carolina at the same time.

That would be a mistake. The court has been agonizing about how to manage partisan gerrymanders for two decades. It should stop its dithering and deal a death blow to the gerrymander.

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When Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor, they both benefited from celebrity. Who in the voting booth didnt recognize their names?

This California primary season, none of the eight remaining candidates for governor is a movie star. Still, right from the start, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was mayor of San Francisco, and Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles, enjoyed a clear advantage in terms of having a high profile.

That isnt a strike against them. But as we are all living with the fallout of having a reality TV star crush his Republican rivals in the 2016 presidential primaries, I resolved this primary cycle to look closely at candidates whose qualifications didnt include already being famous.

I began asking the keenest observers I could find: Who has experience, a good reputation and incisive thoughts on how to improve California? Who would most improve primary season debates if only their voice was more prominent?

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I intended to identify one Republican and one Democrat. Id tell you about the Republican from the South Bay who impressed me over lunch, but he dropped out two weeks after officially entering the race. Oh well. Republicans cant win at the state level here anyway.

California is wildly diverse. It deserves leaders who acknowledge all the good-faith disagreements among us.

Among Democrats, the name that kept coming up was John Chiang. A Public Policy Institute of California poll earlier this month has him stuck at 6% of voters, behind not only Newsom (28%) and Villaraigosa (12%), but also Republicans John Cox (14%) and Travis Allen (10%).

The son of immigrants from Taiwan, Chiang, 56, is more experienced in state government than his better-known Democratic rivals, and refreshingly inexperienced in the kinds of scandals that they have endured. If he is relatively unknown, that is in part because his successive stints as state controller and state treasurer unfolded without any misconduct or incompetence. Isnt that boring?

On one of his many stops on his campaign tour around the state, I met Chiang for coffee in Long Beach. I was impressed. He possessed a quality Id never encountered in years of talking to state and local politicians. Asked for their position on a given topic, candidates typically deliver a more-or-less polished statement of their poll-tested position. Occasionally theyll attack a rival.

But when I asked Chiang about Californias housing crisis, its transportation infrastructure and its energy needs, thats not what I got. Instead, he presented a sophisticated summary of the concerns of different stakeholders. Then he acknowledged the trade-offs inherent to different solutions. Only after all that did he declare where he came down and why, emphasizing that compromising on any meaningful improvement would be better than doing nothing while a crisis worsened.

I agreed with some of his positions and disagreed with others. But I was uniformly confident that he had worked to consider the beliefs of all the constituents he seeks to represent. Thats a rare quality. California is wildly diverse. It deserves leaders who acknowledge all the good-faith disagreements among us. Too often, politicians talk as if their own position is held by all good people.

In short, he didnt rely on smoothness or charisma or bluster. Instead, hed done his homework, an approach that comes across in his record in office and in longer conversations, but that might be lost in TV sound-bites or campaign commercials.

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That doesnt mean he has won my vote, fond as I am of his instinct to spend so little time playing the talking head game on cable news. Im still studying the issues and watching the campaign play out. But in a lifetime of observing Golden State politics, I have never seen a bigger gulf between the amount of attention a candidate warrants and what Chiang is getting. Whether youre a Republican, a Democrat, or an independent like me, youre simply not informed about all of the strongest options for the June 5 open primary until youve studied the candidate whose biggest weakness is his lack of fame.

Indeed, one gets the feeling that hed be the anti-Donald Trump in the governors mansion: Wed rarely have cause to think of him, because he aspires to do the work of governing rather than gratifying himself by getting our attention. Is vanity now necessary for victory? I hope not. Never has low-key sounded nicer.

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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The election for Alameda County district attorney heated up this month when one candidate, civil rights attorney Pamela Price, criticized the incumbent, Dist. Atty. Nancy OMalley, for accepting a controversial campaign contribution.

The donation in question: $10,000 from the Fremont police union that OMalley accepted in November, when her office was investigating three members of the union for their roles in two separate fatal shootings. OMalleys office cleared one of the police officers of wrongdoing the following month. The other two officers, including the unions president, were then cleared in February for their role in the fatal shooting of a pregnant teenager. They were never charged.

Price called OMalleys decision to take the contribution disturbing, saying it created an appearance of impropriety.

Regardless of whether there was an actual conflict of interest, the story illustrates why the public needs access to campaign finance data for prosecutors.

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District attorneys are arguably the most powerful actors in the criminal justice system. Their decisions  which crimes to prioritize, what charges to bring, whether to offer plea bargains  are essentially unreviewable. The only real check on their power is the ballot box.

So if a district attorney is receiving campaign contributions from people who are under criminal investigation, it is important that voters know.

It should be easy for all voters to find out who is donating to the political campaigns of their prosecutors.

But Californians are at a disadvantage when it comes to holding their district attorneys accountable. Although state law requires candidates to file campaign finance reports, it leaves the dissemination of that information up to individual counties. Many California counties dont make the reports readily available.

Most other states do. In fact, California is one of only 11 states that does not make the information available on a central, state-run website.

New York, for example, has put all campaign finance information for its candidates in a searchable database available to the public. Journalists have made good use of it. Reports surfaced late last year that the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., accepted contributions from lawyers for the Trump Organization while his office was investigating Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. for fraud. Vance decided not to bring charges against them, and he since has faced considerable criticism for that decision.

Some California counties have made campaign finance reports available, including Alameda, Fresno, San Diego and San Francisco. Indeed, it is likely that the police unions donation to OMalley came to light because the information is readily available in Alameda County. (In Los Angeles, campaign finance information is available only on the county clerks website.)

Many other counties havent. Campaign finance records for more than half of the district attorneys up for reelection in California this year are only partially available online or not at all. The websites for Glenn County and Sutter County, where district attorneys have been accused of misconduct in recent years, do not even tell voters whether they can obtain campaign finance information.

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It should be easy for all voters to find out who is donating to the political campaigns of their prosecutors. California should follow the lead of New York and other states and make this information available on a state-run website.

We certainly hope that Californias district attorneys do not have any unsavory information in their campaign finance reports. We hope, for instance, that no defense attorneys have made contributions to prosecutors in order to gain access and negotiate better outcomes for their clients.

Either way, Californians deserve to know. As the race in Alameda County makes clear, its not safe to assume that all contributions are beyond reproach. Only with full access to campaign finance information can Californians hold their district attorneys accountable and preserve the legitimacy of their criminal justice system.

Carissa Byrne Hessick is a professor of law at the University of North Carolina and director of the Prosecutors and Politics Project. Alison Rossi is a law student at the University of North Carolina and a researcher at the Prosecutors and Politics Project.

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Gavin Newsom releases ad that highlights his push to allow same-sex couples to marry By Phil Willon A new ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom features Phyllis Lyon, who with her partner, Del Martin, received the first marriage license after Newsom vowed to allow same-sex couples to marry when he was mayor of San Francisco in 2004. The current lieutenant governors push for marriage equality thrust him into the national spotlight and he has emphasized that effort to portray himself as a bold, progressive leader. Facebook

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Failed California housing bill was not a bad idea, Gov. Jerry Brown says By Liam Dillon Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Earlier this month, high-profile housing legislation that would have allowed for four- to five-story apartments and condominiums near transit stops failed to advance in the state Legislature. But had it reached his desk, would Gov. Jerry Brown have signed it? Maybe. I think that was not a bad idea, Brown said of Senate Bill 827 at a meeting with business leaders from the Bay Area Council on Monday afternoon. The bill, written by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), attracted national attention and a maelstrom of opposition in part because it would have eliminated single-family zoning near transit stops in favor of apartments or condominiums. Brown said that a relative of his who lives in West Portal, a low-density neighborhood in San Francisco, told the governor he was horrified by the bill. Brown also lamented dramatically rising housing costs. He said he bought his first house in Los Angeles in 1973 for $75,000 at a time when his salary as secretary of state was $35,000. Now, he said, buying a house for a little over twice ones annual salary is virtually impossible anywhere in the state. FOR THE RECORD

May 1, 9:32 a.m.: This post originally misstated the year Brown purchased his house as 1970. It was 1973. Facebook

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John Cox begins California barnstorm with the delivery of gas tax repeal signatures By Javier Panzar Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, left, and Assembly candidate Bill Essayli load boxes of signatures for the gas tax repeal initiative. (Francine Orr) GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox strolled up to the stack of 12 boxes in front of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorders offices in Norwalk on Monday and placed his hands on top of his partys hope for success in 2018. The boxes, stacked four across and three high, contained 211,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees. Cox says the effort has gathered more than 940,000 signatures from registered voters to put the measure on the ballot  far more than the 585,407 signatures that are required. The aim: to bring out the partys base to the polls this November and help candidates in tough congressional and legislative races down the ticket. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll in November found 54.2% of registered voters surveyed said they would repeal the tax and fee hike, but a survey a month earlier by another group said a majority would vote to keep the higher taxes. Cox was flanked by Bill Essayli, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside in the June primary. Cervantes voted for the gas tax and Essayli plans to use that vote against her. He even launched his campaign at a 76 gas station in Norco. This is a central issue in my campaign, he said. Cox also submitted signatures in San Diego on Monday and is headed to Bakersfield, Fresno and Sacramento, as well as Shasta and Butte counties in coming days. We are going all across the state, Cox said. The whole state is paying this tax and the whole state wants it gone. Facebook

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All Californians would be able to serve on state boards  even people in the U.S. illegally  under new bill By Jazmine Ulloa Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation that would allow all Californians to serve on state boards and commissions regardless of immigration status. Senate Bill 174, by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), comes as the state is locked in a broader legal battle with the Trump administration over state immigration laws and his call for mass deportations. Lawmakers point to what they say is the states own discriminatory history as their basis for introducing the legislation. The proposal would amend an 1872 provision that was first adopted to exclude Chinese immigrants and other transient aliens from holding appointed civil positions. At the time, antipathy toward the Chinese had been building in California, though, Chinese immigrants opened hundreds of businesses across the state and would play a critical role in building the transcontinental railroad. The Senate bill would delete the phrase transient aliens from the government code and make clear that any person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, can hold an appointed civil office if they are at least 18 years old and a resident of the state. That would allow any Californian to serve on hundreds of boards and commissions that advice in an array of policy areas, including farm labor, history and employment development. Californias two million undocumented immigrants are a source of energy for our state, Lara said in a statement. It is shocking to read the words of fear and exclusion that are still in California law but belong in historys trash can. Facebook

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Tony Mendozas fundraising dries up after resignation amid harassment inquiry By Patrick McGreevy Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). (Steve Yeater / Associated Press) Political contributions to Tony Mendoza, who resigned from the state Senate under pressure amid sexual harassment allegations, have nearly dried up. New documents he filed with the state in his bid to reclaim the seat he once held show that his support has eroded. As a result, five other candidates for the 32nd District senate seat in the June 5 election have raised more than Mendoza so far this year. With the June 5 election approaching, Mendoza has reported raising just $7,750 in cash from six supporters during the nearly four-month period from Jan. 1 to April 21. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, went on a leave of absence from the Senate Jan. 3 and resigned a month later under the threat of expulsion from colleagues. An investigation ordered by the Senate found a pattern of unwanted flirtatious or sexually suggestive behavior based on testimony from six women. Mendoza has denied wrongdoing. Last year, Mendozas reelection campaign raised $412,600, or an average of about $34,000 per month, from more than 350 supporters. Most of Mendozas 2018 total was contributed by the political arm of the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 on Jan. 22, a month before Mendoza resigned. Mendoza also reported that his campaign loaned $125,000 this year to his legal defense fund. That left him with $446,600 in his campaign account at the end of April. Mendoza is running against eight Democrats and two Republicans. Democrat Bob J. Archuleta, a Pico Rivera city councilman, raised the most, $210,000, during the period. On Monday, Mendoza suffered another setback when the State Legislative Womens Caucus endorsed Democrat Vicky Santana, a member of the Rio Hondo College Board. Facebook

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Newsom and Villaraigosa affairs coming to TV ads in California By Phil Willon An independent political committee backing Republican John Cox for governor released an ad blasting both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their past sexual affairs. The California Deserves Better ad, which was first reported by Politico, criticizes Newsom for having an affair with a woman on his staff in 2005 while he served as mayor of San Francisco. It also goes after Villaraigosa for having an extramarital affair with a television reporter in 2007 while he was mayor of Los Angeles. The ad, which begins airing on Fox stations in the states top media markets Monday, links Newsom and Villaraigosa to the men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo movement, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and disgraced Today show veteran Matt Lauer. Powerful men are finally being held to account, punished for inappropriate sexual conduct with women over whom they exercise power, the ad begins. Newsom and Villaraigosa think the rules shouldnt apply to them. The independent campaign committee, called Restore Our Values, already has raised more than $100,000, said Leigh Teece of Emeryville in Northern California, co-founder of the group. Teece, the CEO of a nonprofit that helps line up students with professional mentors, said the campaign will actively support Cox. She called him a true conservative and noted that he supports cutting taxes and opposes Californias sanctuary state policy. John is a business person who has demonstrated integrity, Teece said. Facebook

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Was that Cisneros in the voicemail? Dispute is latest espisode of Democratic infighting in crowded primary races By Christine Mai-Duc Gil Cisneros speaks during a forum at Fullerton College in January. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) With less than five weeks to go before Californias primary, insults and accusations are flying with abandon in the most crowded races Democrats hope to ultimately win. The latest example of this is in the 39th Congressional District, where a half dozen Democrats are vying for a chance to replace Rep. Ed Royce, whos retiring. Its one of several California contests where Democratic leaders are already worried that divisions could ultimately split votes and shut Democrats out of key pickup opportunities. In that race, millionaires Gil Cisneros and Andy Thorburn are going negative  about going negative. Cisneros was recently elevated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees Red to Blue program in hopes it would serve as a signal to Democratic activists and donors that his campaign was the most viable. But both Cisneros and Thorburn have poured millions into the race, which promises to be a knock down, drag out fight through June 5. At the center of the latest controversy is a voicemail, allegedly left by Cisneros on Thorburns home answering machine earlier this month. The recording, which the Thorburn campaign turned over to media outlet The Intercept, lasts less than 10 seconds. Hi Andy, its Gil Cisneros. Im gonna go negative on you, a mans voice is heard saying. Cisneros campaign manager Orrin Evans denied the candidate made the call, posting a cease and desist letter to The Intercept on Twitter. The letter, sent by a Cisneros campaign attorney, called the voicemail fabricated and demanded that the story be taken down, calling it defamatory. It gave the publication until 3 p.m. Friday to take down the story before they pursue all legal rights and remedies. An attorney for The Intercept, in a letter to Cisneros, said the publication confirmed with multiple sources familiar with Mr. Cisneros that his voice was on the recording, and that it stands by its reporting. Thorburns camp says it flatly rejects Cisneros denial, and that the timing of a negative website filled with unflattering background on Thorburn, released three days later, suggests it was him. Track the California races that could flip the House According to The Intercepts report, Cisneros campaign manager did not respond to initial inquiries about the voicemail, calling its questions ridiculous. In a follow-up statement Friday, Evans said called the episode a dirty, desperate trick by the Thorburn campaign and said they are readying to pursue legal action for defamation and false light against both him and the publication. It sounded like him to me! said Thorburns wife, Karen, in a statement released by the campaign. She was the one who first heard the voicemail, they said. Thorburn campaign manager Nancy Leeds called Cisneros threats Trump-like tactics and accused the candidate of trying to harass and intimidate anyone who stands in his way. Its not the first time candidates from the same party have clashed in the lead-up to the June 5 primary, and its all but certain to not be the last. Cisneros sued two of his opponents, Thorburn and Sam Jammal, over their ballot descriptions until they had to change them. Earlier this month, Democrat Bryan Caforio asked his opponent, Katie Hill, to sign a pledge rejecting the use of independent expenditure committees, entities that neither of them can legally coordinate with, in the race to unseat Rep. Steve Knight (R-Lancaster). Hill refused and called the attempt hollow and likened it to political theater, while Caforio accused her of empty campaign promises. Facebook

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California Politics Podcast: The money raised in the race for governor hints at a race thats now red hot By John Myers With less than six weeks before election day, the cash raised in the California governors race mirrors the overall dynamics: one major front-runner and a heated race for second place. This weeks podcast episode offers a glimpse into those cash reports and how the Republican field seems more settled in a new statewide poll than the battle between Democrats. We also examine the reasons why a nationally talked-about housing bill in Sacramento was killed by the Democratic authors own allies. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher. Facebook

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L.A. County politician sexually assaulted woman when she was 16, lawsuit claims By Dakota Smith A woman sued an unnamed politician in Los Angeles County on Friday, alleging the man sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager after he gave her an unusual-tasting drink. The politician, identified as John Doe, was in his early 40s and a public figure at the time of the 2007 assault, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The man is an elected official today and lives in Los Angeles, said attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing the woman identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe. Bloom declined to say what branch of government the man represents. Read More Facebook

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Villaraigosa touts his working-class upbringing, accomplishments as mayor in first TV ad By Phil Willon Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa released his first TV ad in the governors race Friday, touting his record and accomplishments as mayor of Los Angeles when up against the economic downturn during the recession. The 30-second television spot opens with a sweeping shot of Los Angeles and cuts to Villaraigosa sitting on a bus. In kindergarten, my sister and I took three buses to get to school. As mayor, I remembered that, Villaraigosa says into the camera. And despite the recession, we built more new schools and rail lines than any city in America, added 200,000 living wage jobs, built 20,000 units of affordable housing and nearly doubled graduation rates. Campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said the ad will air statewide over the next week at a cost of approximately $1 million. The commercial will being airing Saturday. Two Democratic rivals in Californias race for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Treasurer John Chiang, also launched ads this week, signaling the biggest ramp-up of the campaign as the June 5 primary approaches. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican John Cox. One recent poll has Villaraigosa trailing both Cox and Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach. Chiang has been stuck in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. Last week, an independent expenditure group called Families and Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor, funded largely by a trio of wealthy charter school backers, launched a spot in support of the former mayor of Los Angeles. That ad campaign is focused on increasing Villaraigosas chances of coming in second in the June 5 primary and moving on to the general election. Villaraigosas ad, titled Three Buses, emphasizes the struggles he faced growing up in East Los Angeles and addresses one of his central campaign themes  that hes the candidate best suited to help working-class Californians. I know how far a bus can take you, Villaraigosa says in the ad. Facebook

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein wont participate in pre-primary debate By Sarah D. Wire (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call) California Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not participate in a proposed pre-primary debate because there are too many candidates in the race, her campaign spokesman said Thursday. Political activists with the group Indivisible Los Angeles said they had a venue and date  May 5  reserved for a debate with four of the Senate candidates. But they said if Feinstein does not participate, it will be canceled. Feinstein faces 31 primary opponents in her bid for a fifth full term representing California in the Senate. Feinstein staffers initially said she had a prior commitment on May 5 in San Francisco. When organizers offered to let her campaign pick another date, her campaign said it wasnt fair for the group to invite only some of the candidates when there is such a big field, said Tudor Popescu, volunteer community organizer with Indivisible Los Angeles. The invited candidates, all Democrats, were Feinstein, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, political action committee director Alison Hartson and lawyer Pat Harris. They were selected based on fundraising and poll numbers. There are 11 Republicans, 10 Democrats, nine independents and 2 third-party candidates running for Senate on the June ballot. Indivisible Los Angeles is still hoping Feinstein will pick another date, Popescu said. Feinstein spokesman Jeff Millman pointed to a San Francisco Chronicle endorsement of Feinstein, which indicates that she told the editorial board she would be willing to have a debate ahead of Novembers general election. Senator Feinstein looks forward to debating her opponent in the general election, Millman said in an email. Feinstein holds a substantial lead in both fundraising and in the polls. Front-runners in statewide races have routinely declined to debate their challengers, knowing that its free publicity for candidates who dont have the cash to increase their name recognition on their own. De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the state senator has done candidate forums before, but planned to attend the May 5 debate only if Feinstein did. We basically said well clear his calendar 100%, well clear his calendar if Feinstein shows up, Underland said. Wed love to make it happen, but we want her to be there. Facebook

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NRA, Olympic shooter sue California over its restrictions on ammunition sales By Patrick McGreevy Olympian Kim Rhode is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NRA and its state affiliate against California. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The National Rifle Assn. and its state affiliate have filed a fourth lawsuit against California over its gun control laws, this time challenging new restrictions on the sale and transfer of ammunition. The NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Assn. filed a challenge in federal court to a requirement that ammunition sales and transfers be conducted face to face with California firearms dealers or licensed vendors, ending purchases made directly from out-of-state sellers on the internet. The lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California also challenged a requirement starting next year for background checks for people buying ammunition. The lawsuit was filed in the name of Kim Rhode, a six-time Olympic medal-winning shooter, and others. It challenges Californias new ammunition sales restrictions as a violation of the 2nd Amendment and the commerce clause of the United States Constitution. Restrictions on ammunition purchases were included in Proposition 63, approved by voters in 2016, and in bills approved by the Legislature. As a result of these laws, millions of constitutionally protected ammunition transfers are banned in California, Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. Californias law-abiding gun owners are sick of being treated like criminals and the NRA is proud to assist in this fight. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor, defended his initiative and vowed to fight the NRA lawsuit. We wrote Proposition 63 on solid legal ground and principle: If youre a felon banned from possessing guns in California, then you should not be able to purchase the ammunition that makes a firearm deadly, Newsom said in a statement. California voters said loudly and clearly that guns and ammunition do not belong in the hands of dangerous individuals  but once again, the NRA has prioritized gun industry profits over the lives of law-abiding Californians. Facebook

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Republicans hope to ride a gas-tax repeal to victory By Patrick McGreevy In a Central Valley barn decked out in red, white and blue, dairyman and state Senate candidate Johnny Tacherra drew cheers from a crowd of fellow farmers when he said he opposes the California Legislatures hike on gas taxes and vehicle fees. I would not have voted for that. It is not the time to be voting on (raising) the gas tax, said Tacherra, a Republican running against Democratic Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, who voted for the tax increase last year. Three hundred miles away the same week, a campaign mailer arrived at homes in Orange County from an Assembly candidate with a message blaring from the cover in bold type: Republican Greg Haskin  tough enough to stand up to Jerry Brown and repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook

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Treasurer John Chiang launches ad in governors race touting his record as a fiscal steward By Seema Mehta In his first television ad in the governors race, state Treasurer John Chiang touts his record on fiscal issues as California faced the recession. Some thought we were done, Chiang says in a voiceover in the 30-second spot he released Thursday, with images of him standing seriously at a lectern and complimentary headlines about his work as controller and treasurer. But I knew better. I made the tough calls. And brought California back from the brink of financial disaster because you trusted me to manage our economy. Chiangs campaign is spending about $500,000 to air the ad in Los Angeles and San Diego in coming days. That buy is dwarfed by seven-figure purchases for ads supporting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican businessman John Cox. Chiang has been mired in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. His ad, called Quiet Storm, tries to portray Chiang as a progressive who is effective and can move policy in Sacramento. Chiang points to his work challenging Wells Fargo before arguing that he could accomplish what doubters say is impossible to improve the states healthcare, housing and schools. I say, we got this, Chiang concludes. Facebook

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Been ignoring the race for California governor? Thats OK, in some ways its just starting By Mark Z. Barabak On a recent trip to Iowa, Eric Garcetti  the mayor of Los Angeles and a possible 2020 White House contestant  raised eyebrows with a bit of exuberant outreach. Los Angeles and Iowa, Garcetti insisted, have a ton in common, and he didnt simply mean both are inhabited by carbon-based life forms needing oxygen to survive. Urban or rural, farmer or fashion plate, all of us harbor the same hopes and dreams, the mayor suggested, and if it wasnt a terribly original thought it also wasnt the most egregious sort of political pandering  like, say, ordering that every home in Los Angeles be powered by Iowa-produced ethanol. Read More Facebook

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California voters should expect to decide on an $8.9-billion water bond in November By Liam Dillon (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A proposal to borrow $8.9 billion for improvements to Californias water quality systems and watersheds and protection of natural habitats is eligible for the statewide ballot in November, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced in a press release Wednesday. Padilla said the measure, which is backed by agricultural interests, had exceeded the 365,800 valid signatures it needed to qualify for the general election ballot. The bond measure will appear on the ballot unless proponents withdraw it by June 28, the release said. The bond is one of many voters could decide on in 2018. A $4-billion bond for parks and water infrastructure improvements will appear on the June 5 ballot. State lawmakers approved it last year. Facebook

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They came for Darrell Issa. They stayed with their inflatable chicken, blue wall and signs for political therapy By Christine Mai-Duc (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) A mother of two turned ringleader of the resistance and more than a hundred of her faithful followers gathered on Tuesday morning outside Rep. Darrell Issas office in a northern San Diego County suburb. Across the street was her foil, a wedding DJ in a red Make American Great Again cap, setting up hefty speakers for an upcoming war of words. For about 65 weeks the deep divide in America played out along this 100-yard stretch of road in Vista. Here, at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, passersby found signs, chants, songs and, if they were lucky, sometimes a 20-foot-tall inflatable chicken with a Trump-esque coif. Theyd also glimpse the state of the body politic in 2018, a time when shock has turned to anger and post-2016 calls for reconciliation have morphed into grudging acceptance that each side might be better off in their respective corners. Or in this case, their sides of the street. On Tuesday, the anti-Issa, anti-Trump contingent fought this particular battle for the last time, declaring it their final protest at the congressmans office. They said they planned to use their energy to knock on doors and get out the vote, with an occasional protest on the side. Their pro-Trump rivals vowed to show up wherever they do. Read More Facebook

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Efforts to regulate bail companies have some unlikely allies: bail agents By Jazmine Ulloa Jane Un, chief executive and founder of Abba Bail Bonds, works with a client. ( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In recent years, the seriousness and number of official complaints related to the bail industry in California have significantly increased while bail agents and bounty hunters face limited oversight, putting vulnerable communities at risk of fraud, embezzlement and other forms of victimization. This year, as Gov. Jerry Brown has pledged to work with lawmakers in a push to overhaul how courts assign defendants bail and to better regulate bail agencies, even some who profit from the court practice admit its time for regulation. These bail and bail-recovery agents could become unlikely allies, saying they advocate for change because theyve seen the system abuse the poor. Read More Facebook

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California voters: Get ready for an onslaught of television ads By Seema Mehta After a sleepy campaign, California voters are now being bombarded with television advertisements in the governors race, an onslaught that is expected to ramp up in coming weeks. The ads most frequently seen on television are those promoting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the front-runner in the race, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is trying to secure the second spot in the June primary. Newsoms campaign and an outside group backing Villaraigosa are spending seven figures weekly on these efforts, according to filings with the California secretary of states office and a media buyer who asked not to be identified in order to freely discuss the ads. Other gubernatorial candidates are expected to hit the airwaves soon, the media buyer said. State Treasurer John Chiang has reserved a half-million dollars in the coming days in the Los Angeles and San Diego markets, and Villaraigosas campaign has requested availability in at least five of the states biggest TV markets. The GOP candidates in the race, who will be seeking the state Republican Partys endorsement at its convention next weekend, have been much less active. Businessman John Cox in recent weeks has been spending about $90,000 per week, but doubled that this week in Los Angeles and added small buys on KFI-AM radio and cable in markets including Fresno, Bakersfield and Salinas. State Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach, who has been scooping up Republican Party endorsements across the state, has yet to make a notable television or radio buy, though he and Cox have received some attention as commentators on Fox News. Facebook

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Republicans ready to turn in signatures for ballot measure to repeal California gas-tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican activists said Tuesday that they have collected at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees, more than enough to qualify the measure for the November ballot. The activists need 585,407 signatures of registered voters to qualify the ballot measure. Because signatures are still being processed and counted by the campaign, backers hope to have 900,000 by the time they begin turning them in to the counties on Friday, according to Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member and organizer of the drive. The breadth and depth of voter anger over the car and gas tax hikes is just amazing, said DeMaio, who hosts a radio talk show. We are seeing Democrats, independents and Republicans sign the petition and volunteering to carry the petition, people from all walks of life. The initiative targets a law approved in April 2017 by the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that is expected to raise $5.4 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and improvements to mass transit. The money comes from a recent 12-cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax, a 20-cent increase in the diesel fuel excise tax and a new annual vehicle fee ranging from $25 for cars valued at under $5,000, to $175 for cars worth $60,000 or more. The petition drive raised more than $2 million with significant contributions from the California Republican Party and Republican members of Congress from California, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Reps. Ken Calvert of Corona and Mimi Walters of Irvine. Republicans hope the issue will help their candidates for office in this years election and hurt Democrats who support the higher taxes. I think this is going to put Democrats in real bad spot, DeMaio said. A spokesman for Brown declined to comment until the signatures are filed. DeMaio said there were approximately 20,000 volunteer petition circulators who brought in more than 250,000 signatures, with the rest collected by paid circulators who received $1 to $2.50 per signature. Its a pretty comfortable margin [of signatures] that we have been able to hit here, DeMaio said. Opposition will grow, he said, as more Californians get their annual vehicle registration notice. The repeal campaign hopes to raise $5 million for the campaign to pass the constitutional amendment, which would not only repeal the increase in the gas tax and vehicle fees but require future increases to be submitted to voters. We know that Gov. Brown and his cohorts are going to spend an amazing amount of money to mislead voters, DeMaio said. But I feel pretty confident that we will repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook

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Rep. Duncan Hunter sets up trust to raise money for legal expenses amid ongoing criminal investigation By Morgan Cook Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has filed paperwork to establish a legal expense fund amid an ongoing federal criminal investigation into misused campaign cash. Hunter filed the required paperwork March 27, seeking a rarely granted Legal Expense Fund through which members of Congress under investigation or being sued in connection with doing their jobs or running for office can raise money for their legal expenses. Such funds are administered by an independent trustee and allow donors to give above the maximum amount they can contribute a candidates campaign. Hunter has spent more than $600,000 of campaign money on lawyers. Read More Facebook

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Kamala Harris says she wont take corporate donations anymore By Sarah D. Wire (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press) California Sen. Kamala Harris says she will no longer accept money from corporate political action committees. In an interview with WWPM-FMs The Breakfast Club, in New York that aired Monday, the senator said she wasnt expecting a question at a town hall this month about whether she would accept money for corporations or corporate lobbyists. At the time, Harris said it depends, but she said on Monday that she had reflected on the matter and changed her mind. Money has had such an outside influence on politics, and especially with the Supreme Court determining Citizens United, which basically means that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing a campaign, right? Harris said. Were all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So Ive actually made a decision since I had that conversation that Im not going to accept corporate PAC checks. I just  Im not. You can watch the video of the interview here. (Harris corporate money comments come about 30 minutes in.) Harris wouldnt be on the ballot for a second Senate term until 2022, though its widely believed that she is planning a presidential bid in 2020. Other potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have also ruled out taking corporate PAC money. Soon after Mondays show aired, Harris campaign sent out a fundraising request noting her new stance. As corporate PACs continue to corrupt our politics and twist Congress priorities at your expense, were going to focus on raising money from small-dollar, individual donors like you, the email says. Facebook

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With money tied up in court, California lawmakers try again with new plan to spend $2 billion on homeless housing By Liam Dillon A man sleeps on the sidewalk in front of the Union Rescue Mission in the skid row neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) A measure to spend $2 billion on housing homeless Californians could be on the November statewide ballot. State Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is pushing the idea to deal with what he said was a burgeoning humanitarian crisis whose epicenter is here in California. De Leons new measure is a do-over for a 2016 plan passed by the Legislature to redirect $2 billion toward building homeless housing from a voter-approved 1% income tax surcharge on millionaires that funds mental health services. A Sacramento attorney sued over that decision, arguing that the move violated constitutional rules on approving loans without a public vote and that lawmakers shouldnt take money away from mental health treatment. The case remains active in Sacramento Superior Court and its unclear when, or if, the state will be able to spend the $2 billion. De Leons Senate Bill 1206 would put the $2-billion loan on the ballot in November, freeing up the money if voters approve the measure. De Leon said had he been able to predict the 2016 plan would end up in court, he would have sought a ballot measure at the time. We thought this was like apple pie and baseball and puppies, De Leon said. Who would oppose the idea of repurposing the dollars to build immediate housing as a permanent solution for homelessness? Obviously with a crystal ball, had I anticipated the litigation, I would have worked to place it on the ballot. De Leon noted that the 2016 plan had bipartisan supermajority support in the Legislature, something his new bill also will need to get on the ballot. Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) is a coauthor of the plan. SB 1206 is scheduled for its first hearing in the Legislature on Wednesday. Should De Leons measure be approved, it will join a crowded list of housing issues before voters in November. Californians will decide on a separate $4-billion bond to help finance new low-income housing and home loans for veterans. De Leon said hes not worried those two measures will compete against each other because voters are aware of the scale of the states housing problems and the proposed homeless housing bond redirects existing dollars instead of raising taxes. Once [voters] know that the impact on their pocketbook is not existent, Im confident that theyll join me and my colleague John Moorlach in support of this measure, De Leon said. Facebook

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California lawmakers say too many former felons are being denied professional licenses By John Myers Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) along with supporters of bills to allow more former felons to receive professional licenses. (John Myers/Los Angeles Times) A trio of California Assembly members urged colleagues on Monday to pass legislation that would prohibit state commissions and agencies from rejecting a professional license for those who were once convicted of less serious crimes. We cant say we want to rehabilitate people, and then block them from getting the jobs that they need when theyre released, said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). That leads to more recidivism and to more crime. The bills, scheduled to be heard in Assembly committees Tuesday, would ban the use of arrest or conviction records as the reason for denying a professional license. The bill would not apply to Californians who served time for any of the offenses on the states list of violent crimes. The authors, all Democrats, said that a government-issued professional license is required for some 30% of all jobs in the state. Their bills would change the licensing process at the California departments of Consumer Affairs and Social Services and agencies that certify emergency medical technicians. The bills would block prior convictions from leading to the delay or denial of a license unless that crime is directly related to the profession the person intends to pursue. Two of the bills also specifically say convictions less than 5 years old could continue to play a role in licensing decisions. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that keeps private sector employers from inquiring about a job applicants conviction history prior to an offer of employment. Advocates joined the lawmakers at a press conference in Sacramento to point out that limits on awarding licenses should focus only on those whose prior criminal activity could pose a threat to consumers. Continuing to hold people back for crimes that are 6, 7, 8, 10, 20 years old does not actually make sense if youre looking at public safety, said Jael Myrick of the East Bay Community Law Center. One of the proposals, Assembly Bill 2293, seeks to make it easier for ex-felons to get a license allowing a job with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection  the same agency that often uses prison inmates to battle blazes around the state. If a person is good enough to risk their life fighting fires for the state of California as an inmate, said Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace), their previous actions should not prevent from having a job utilizing the skill set that they learned. Facebook

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Assembly speaker rebukes building trades union after it targets Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia By John Myers ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) The decision by a politically powerful labor group to openly campaign against an embattled Los Angeles-area lawmaker drew a sharp rebuke on Friday from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The Lakewood Democrat lashed out hours after the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California filed paperwork for a political action committee to defeat Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). Garcia, whos seeking her fourth term, took an unpaid leave of absence in February following allegations of sexual misconduct. She has denied the reports and an Assembly investigation remains underway. Rendon didnt criticize the labor group by name, insisting instead that the decision was driven by oil and gas industry interests. This is a thinly veiled attempt by Big Oil and polluters to intimidate me and my members. It is an affront to my speakership, Rendon said in a statement. We are proud of the work that the Assembly has done to increase jobs and wages while defending our environment. We will vigorously defend the members of our caucus from any ill-advised political attack. A statement from the labor group, which sparred with Garcia last year on her effort to link new climate change policies with a crackdown on air pollution, said it had decided to reverse past support for her. The Trades have thousands of hard working members in Garcias district, and we look forward to lifting up another Democrat in the 58th Assembly to better represent them and their families, said the statement. The political action committees campaign finance filing on Friday listed nonmonetary in kind contributions from Erin Lehane, a public affairs consultant aligned with the building labor group. Lehane said she had begun researching Garcia in November. In January, a former legislative staffer accused her of groping him in 2014. Lehane, who identified herself as a spokesperson for the labor groups political action committee, said on Friday that she believed Garcias hypocrisy threatened a movement that will dictate how much harassment and abuse my daughter will face in her work life. Garcia, who has been an outspoken advocate for women in the #MeToo movement, has complained that her political opponents helped fan the flames of the accusations. Through a campaign consultant, she declined to comment on Friday. Rendons critique came on the heels of a full-page ad in The Times on Friday, partly paid for by the Trades Council, that criticized well-funded ivory tower elites who push proposals that hurt the oil and gas industry. We are the real jobs that fuel the real California economy, read the advertisement. Facebook

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Legal tiff breaks out over independent committees ad backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor By Phil Willon An attorney representing Gavin Newsoms campaign for governor is demanding that California television stations cease airing an ad by an independent political committee supporting his Democratic rival Antonio Villaraigosa. Attorney Thomas A. Willis, in a letter to the stations, said the ad is false and misleading and violates California law because it uses snippets of video footage from Villaraigosas own campaign ads. Willis called that illegal coordination between the campaign and PAC. Under California law, advertisements made by entities other than a candidate are presumed to be coordinated  and thus not independent expenditures  when the advertisement replicates, reproduces or disseminates substantial parts of a communication, including video footage, created and paid for by the candidate, the letter states. A representative for the independent expenditure committee  Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor  fired back. Attorney Brian T. Hildreth says those allegations have no merit and accused the Newsom campaign of being misleading. Hildreth sent a letter to the television stations in response, urging them to ignore the Newsom campaigns accusations. He said the Newsom camp appears to intentionally misrepresent the law and that the video use was permissible. He said only six seconds of video from Villaraigosas campaign ads was used, which is well within the legal limits. The independent committee is sponsored by the group California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The ad is airing on broadcast and cable stations statewide. The committees ad is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and as mayor of Los Angeles when there was a drop in crime. Facebook

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Governors race snapshot: Californians are generally upbeat but not focused on the campaign By Mark Z. Barabak Armand Werden, a 29-year-old community college student who works the taps at Dust Bowl Brewery in Turlock, said the state is on the upswing. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) As California chooses a new governor  one of just a handful in the last 40 years not named Jerry Brown  the state seems to be enjoying something unusual in these tumultuous political times: a feeling of relative contentment. Not to say things are perfect. Still, more than 100 random interviews conducted over the length and breadth of the state  from Redding in the north to Santee in the south, from the Pacific coastline to the edge of the Sierra Nevada  found most saying things are looking up, at least so far as Californias direction is concerned. Read More Facebook

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Sierra Club backs Gavin Newsom for California governor By Phil Willon Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with members of the public following a debate at USC in January. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The Sierra Club endorsed Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in the race for California governor, with officials in the established environmental group praising the Democrats record on climate change and clean energy. He has a proven record for leading on environmental protection, public health and clean energy, Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California, said in a statement released by the Newsom campaign. He understands that we are feeling the effects of climate change and that California must reduce carbon emissions and reach 100% renewable energy to achieve our climate goals. Phillips said the Sierra Clubs extensive network of volunteers will campaign for Newsom as the June 5 primary approaches. Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also praised the Democrat, saying he will protect California from Donald Trumps attacks on our clean air and water. The Sierra Club joins a series of other influential groups in California that have backed Newsom. The California Medical Assn., the powerful state doctors lobby, announced its endorsement of Newsom on Thursday. The California Nurses Assn. and the Service Employees International Union, one of the most powerful labor unions in the state, also support Newsom. Newsom is the races front-runner in polls and fundraising. A poll released earlier this month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 26% of likely voters backed Newsom. John Cox, a Republican from Rancho Santa Fe, was favored by 15% of likely voters and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, by 13%. Facebook

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Californias GOP House members are taking their challengers more seriously and the numbers show it By Christine Mai-Duc For much of last year, consultants and campaign managers for some of Californias most vulnerable Republican incumbents maintained a bullish tone on the prospect that the GOP would hold the House in this years midterms. The National Republican Congressional Committee insisted that longtime Republican incumbents in California had built up reputations as effective champions of local issues that would help them weather a flood of Democratic enthusiasm. Since then Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) have decided not to seek reelection and the NRCC has opened a West Coast headquarters in Orange County. Read More Facebook

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California officials say Pentagon has confirmed National Guard funding despite Trump threat By John Myers (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The awkward dance between Gov. Jerry Brown and the federal government over the National Guard jerked back toward discord on Thursday, when Trump said he would refuse to pay for a new deployment of troops  just hours after his administration said otherwise. And a few hours later, California officials said they had received written confirmation from the Pentagon that the mission would indeed be funded. Trump had earlier called Browns decision to approve 400 troops for a mission focused on combating transnational crime and drug smuggling a charade in a tweet. We need border security and action, not words! the president wrote. Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy up to 400 National Guard Troops to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Browns charade. We need border security and action, not words!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 A spokesman for Brown pointed to a tweet written Wednesday night by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, thanking the California governor for his efforts. Trump was meeting on Thursday with Nielsen at his Mar-a-Lago estate not long after his tweet was posted. A tweet later posted by the California National Guard said that almost three hours after Trumps comment, the state received written confirmation from the Pentagon to fund the mission as outlined by Brown the day before. In short, nothing has changed today, said a subsequent Guard tweet. Just spoke w @JerryBrownGov about deploying the @USNationalGuard in California. Final details are being worked out but we are looking forward to the support. Thank you Gov Brown!  Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) April 19, 2018 Brown was the last of the nations border governors to respond to Trumps insistence earlier this month that National Guard troops were needed to assist with immigration-related duties at the U.S.-Mexico border. And he has consistently refused to allow California troops to engage in any mission related to federal immigration law. This will not be a mission to build a new wall, Brown wrote last week to Nielsen and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. Exactly what the California operations will cost remains unclear, as state officials have said it will depend on decisions made once the mission begins. The funds would not be transferred to the state, but instead would be paid directly by the Department of Defense. Trump has critiqued California several times over the past few days, often writing tweets that embrace the actions by some cities and counties to join his administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary immigration law. He made similar comments to reporters on Thursday afternoon. If you look at whats happening in California with sanctuary cities  people are really going the opposite way, Trump said. They dont want sanctuary cities. Theres a little bit of a revolution going on in California. 2:26 p.m.:This article was updated with additional information from the California National Guard and with remarks from Trump. This article was originally published at 9:51 a.m. Facebook

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Gay conversion therapy services would be banned under measure advancing in California By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The California Assembly voted Thursday to add gay conversion therapy to the states list of deceptive business practices, following a debate that focused on the personal experiences of several lawmakers and hinted at potential lawsuits to come. It is harmful and it is unnecessary, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), the bills author and one of the Legislatures most vocal LGBTQ members, said of the practice. Low, who told Assembly members that he explored conversion therapy as a teenager and suffered depression over his sexual orientation, insisted that the bill would be limited to efforts that involve the exchange of money. Theres nothing wrong with me, he said in an emotional speech on the Assembly floor. Theres nothing that needs to be changed. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, has become the focal point of intense debate on social media. Some religious groups have said that such a law would be a violation of their constitutional rights, while advocates insist the provisions are narrow and theres no credible evidence that the services work. One key part of the debate centers on whether Assembly Bill 2943 would stretch beyond businesses that charge for these programs and extend to printed documents, even Bibles. An analysis by the Assembly Judiciary Committee says the bill would apply only to services that purport to change a persons sexual orientation and offered on a commercial basis, as well as the advertising and offering of such services. Lawmakers who spoke in support of AB 2943 also made clear that they believe those kinds of services have been discredited. This is fraudulent, it should not be occurring, said Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton). But you can still try to pray the gay away, if you like. Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who said the bill addresses a difficult issue, nonetheless said that its important to ensure laws dont tamper with religious freedom. We have to think about the legitimate experience of people who have gone through conversion therapy and said this was a good thing for them, Gallagher told his colleagues. California law already bans the use of conversion therapy by mental health professionals on those under age 18. Lows bill would expand the states efforts beyond minors. It would join a list of commercial activities deemed unfair or deceptive acts or practices and therefore banned under state law. Facebook

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Gavin Newsom gets backing from doctors group, despite differences over single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Gavin Newsom speaks at the California Democrats State Convention in San Diego on Feb. 24. (Kent Nishimura) Californias doctors are siding with Gavin Newsom in the governors race, even though they dont see eye-to-eye on a defining issue of the campaign: single-payer healthcare. The California Medical Assn., the state doctors lobby and a political heavyweight, announced its endorsement of the lieutenant governor on Thursday. Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our states physician shortage, CMA President Theodore M. Mazer said in a statement. Newsom has made his support for state-financed healthcare a centerpiece of his campaign, and he earned the early backing of the most ardent single-payer supporters, the state nurses union. The doctors, meanwhile, oppose the nurses bill, SB 562, which emerged as a flashpoint in the healthcare debate last year. The CMA said the bill would dismantle the healthcare marketplace and destabilize Californias economy. Newsom has said SB 562 should advance in the Legislature, but also said it has open-ended issues that still need to be addressed. The doctors group is also battling with another prominent Newsom endorser, the Service Employees International Union, over a new measure that would impose price caps on an array of medical services paid for by commercial health insurers in the state. The SEIU is a leading sponsor of the proposal; the doctors fiercely oppose it. Newsom and the physicians group have a history of political alignment. Newsom was the first statewide official to support Proposition 56, a 2016 tobacco tax pushed by the CMA that raised revenue in part to increase money for doctors who saw Medi-Cal patients. That year, the association also endorsed two initiatives championed by Newsom: Proposition 63, which imposed new gun control measures, and Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana. Facebook

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Independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor hits the airwaves with first ad By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the 2018 California Democratic Party Convention in San Diego in February.. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) A well-financed independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosas bid to be Californias next governor released its first television ad Thursday, praising his record for working with Republicans and as a candidate for all of California. The ad, which is to air statewide on broadcast and cable stations, is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and mayor of Los Angeles, including on education and a drop in crime while he was at City Hall. To move California forward, we need to help more Californians get ahead, the ad says. Thats why Antonio Villaraigosa brought both parties together to balance the state budget with record investments in public schools and new career training programs. The independent expenditure committee behind the ad campaign, Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, is sponsored by the California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The committee is spending seven figures per week on the ad buy, said Josh Pulliam, a political consultant for the committee. As mayor of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa clashed with teachers unions, starting with his failed attempt to take political control of the Los Angeles Unified School District. His fight with those unions continued after he left office in 2013. Money has poured into the committee this month from wealthy charter schools supporters: Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, donated $7 million, and Los Angeles billionaire and philanthropist Eli Broad donated $1.5 million. On Wednesday, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan donated $1 million. The independent expenditure committee is expected to provide a boost to Villaraigosas campaign. Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a major advantage in fundraising over all other candidates in the race and has received the backing of the California Teachers Assn. and other education unions. A recent Public Policy Institute of California poll also showed Villaraigosa lagging in third place in the race, trailing Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox. The candidates who finish in the top two in the June 5 primary will advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation. Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown says Trump administration will fund his National Guard mission  without immigration duties By John Myers (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown formally mobilized 400 California National Guard members Wednesday for transnational crime-fighting duties, thus preventing any effort by President Trump to have the troops focus on immigration enforcement on the Mexican border. The governor announced that federal officials have agreed to fund the plan he announced last week  a mission to combat criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers in locations around California, including near the border. The order Brown signed makes clear that the troops will not be allowed to perform a broader set of duties as envisioned by Trumps recent comments. California National Guard service members shall not engage in any direct law enforcement role nor enforce immigration laws, arrest people for immigration law violations, guard people taken into custody for alleged immigration violations, or support immigration law enforcement activities, the order read. The cost of the mission, a spokesman for Brown said, will be paid directly by the federal government. No initial estimate has been made, as the exact amount will depend on exactly how the troops will be used. Though the duties of California Guard members were outlined last week, the state had been waiting for an agreement by federal officials to pay for the operations. Since that time, the president has taken Brown and the state to task over its decision to avoid any immigration-related duties at the border. On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! There is a Revolution going on in California. Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept. Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018 Looks like Jerry Brown and California are not looking for safety and security along their very porous Border. He cannot come to terms for the National Guard to patrol and protect the Border, Trump tweeted Tuesday. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to Browns announcement. On Tuesday, Brown told reporters in Washington that his plan was consistent with a safer border. That sounds to me like fighting crime, the governor said. Trying to catch some desperate mothers and children, or unaccompanied minors coming from Central America, that sounds like something else. The order Brown issued Wednesday after returning from a brief trip to talk climate change in Toronto and to speak to a national trade union and visit with reporters in Washington is set to expire at the end of September. It specifically says no Guard service member may participate in a mission that would exceed the mission scope and limitations related to transnational crime activity. It also says troops cannot help build any new border barrier. 5:27 p.m.: This article was updated with information related to the cost of the Guard mission and Browns trip to Washington. This article was originally published at 5:13 p.m. Facebook

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California bill aims to end practice that keeps workplace misconduct cases out of court By Melanie Mason A California bill would prohibit employers from requiring workers to use private arbitration to settle disputes, a practice that critics say shields improper workplace conduct from public view. The bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) would bar businesses from making employees, when they are hired, waive their future rights to take any harassment, discrimination or other claims to court. Arbitration can be a highly effective dispute resolution method when both parties can choose it freely, when both parties are equal, Gonzalez Fletcher said at a news conference on Wednesday. It is far less successful when the more powerful party forces the other to accept those terms, especially as a condition of employment. Forced arbitration has come under increasing scrutiny since the #MeToo movement, with high-profile figures such as former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson pointing to the practice as shielding workplace abusers from public disclosure because arbitration resolutions often include nondisclosure agreements. Last year, a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to end mandatory arbitration in employment agreements. Gonzalez Fletcher said she was pursuing an unusual tool to draw attention to the issue  a subpoena issued by the Legislature to compel testimony from a worker bound by a nondisclosure agreement as a result of arbitration. The Legislature has subpoena power but it is rarely used. The bills sponsors believe lawmakers last issued a subpoena in 2001 while investigating price manipulation by Enron. Gonzalez Fletcher said she has requested Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) to issue the subpoena to require Tara Zoumer, who sued the company WeWork in 2016 for overtime pay, to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee next week. Zoumers suit was moved to arbitration and resolved. She is now subject to a nondisclosure agreement and could face a financial penalty for speaking publicly about her case. A spokesman for Rendon said the subpoena request is under consideration. Business groups oppose the bill, AB 3080. The California Chamber of Commerce has dubbed it a job biller, claiming it would dramatically increase legal costs for businesses. Banning such agreements benefits the trial attorneys, not the employer or employee, the group said. The bill must first advance from the Assembly Labor Committee on Wednesday. Facebook

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At least 240 House lawmakers want a vote on immigration. California supporters say they arent ready to force one By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), flanked by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) speak about DACA legislation (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Rep. Jeff Denham says at least 240 of the 430 current House members have signed onto his resolution to hold votes on four immigration bills, and he hopes House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and President Trump are paying attention to the show of support. But, the Republican from Turlock and his allies said Wednesday that they are not yet willing to commit to forcing Ryans hand through a little-used procedural move called a discharge petition; they acknowledged theres no guarantee that all of 47 Republicans and 193 Democrats House co-signers will back them up if they try to force the issue. Im sure that it is something that will be discussed in the coming weeks. You should not need a discharge petition. When you can show the overwhelming majority of the House, the support of it, you should not need a discharge petition, but it is something we would talk about in the future, Denham said. It is far too early to talk about next steps. Ryan said last week that he opposes Denhams effort, saying its a waste of time for the House to vote on bills the president might veto. Denhams resolution would prompt debate and votes on four very different immigration bills: one favored by the Trump administration, one preferred by Democrats, one bipartisan proposal and another immigration bill of Ryans choice. Whichever got the most votes would move forward to the Senate. All four bills would help Dreamers to differing degrees and include varying levels of border security or immigration enforcement. For example, the Trump-backed bill would also dramatically reduce legal immigration, while the Democrats would only deal with legal status for Dreamers. Democrats say they dont expect the show of support will sway Ryan. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said Tuesday night she expects Ryan will have to be forced into allowing a vote. It doesnt matter how many signatures we get. We could have every signature, technically, except his, on the floor of the House and... if he doesnt want to, it doesnt happen, Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), who gathered the Democratic co-sponsors for Denham, also wouldnt give a deadline for House leaders to act, but said the co-sponsors are only willing to wait weeks not months. We do want to give them an opportunity to bring up the rule and to use whatever process they want, Aguilar said. They do have options, but I think they need to understand that we have options too. Facebook

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Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer endorses Kevin de Leon in his insurgent bid against Sen. Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta Tom Steyer, left, and California state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). (Getty Images; Los Angeles Times) Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer is endorsing state Sen. Kevin de Leon in his insurgent challenge to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and did not rule out funding an outside effort to boost De Leons chances. I think hes the kind of young progressive that reflects California and would be a very strong advocate for our state nationally, Steyer said in an interview on Tuesday, pointing to De Leons efforts on issues such as immigration, climate change and gun control while he was the state Senate leader. I know him well and hes a friend. We share a lot of values. Steyer, who flirted with running for the Senate seat, did not criticize Feinstein as he has in the past. Sen. Feinstein has been an outstanding public servant who has dedicated the bulk of her adult life to the service of our state and the country, he said. These are two strong, very good Democrats. I just believe Kevin is the true progressive and he reflects something we need representing California going forward. I have nothing bad to say about Dianne Feinstein. I have a lot of good to say about Kevin de Leon. De Leon faces enormous odds as he tries to oust Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, is well known to the states voters and has daunting leads in polls and fundraising. But De Leon has gained notable endorsements, most recently from the 2.1-million-member California Labor Federation last week. Campaign finance reports released this week show that Feinstein has more than $10 million in the bank, while De Leon has just more than $670,000. Feinstein, a multimillionaire and one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, has already lent her campaign $5 million and could easily write another check. But Steyer, a billionaire former hedge fund manager, could write a larger one. He is among the largest Democratic donors in the nation and has already committed more than $50 million to push for the impeachment of President Trump and to register young voters. He was noncommittal when asked if he would fund an independent expenditure group on behalf of De Leon. I dont have any concrete plans for that, he said. Read More Facebook

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Californias largest pension fund sends next years invoice to state government: $6.3 billion By John Myers The California Public Employees Retirement System building (Max Whittaker / Getty Images) As part of a shift toward less optimistic expectations for investment returns to pay for government worker pensions, board members of the California Public Employees Retirement System voted Tuesday to require an almost $6.3-billion payment from the state budget in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The action, which could receive final approval on Wednesday, reflects a gradually higher annual contribution to public employee pensions by the state and from local governments across California. In 2016, CalPERS approved a half-percentage point decrease in its official estimate of the long-term investment return on its $353.3-billion portfolio. That shift was designed to happen over several years, in hopes it would lessen the financial shock of shifting more of the costs onto government employers. The highest costs are also, in part, a reflection of increases in the size of the states payroll. The states CalPERS payment will be about $450 million more than the total paid in the current fiscal year and more than double what it was only a decade ago. CalPERS board members voted on Tuesdays staff proposal with little discussion, save for a question about the increase in contributions also required from workers hired after a pension overhaul that took effect in June. It seems like it will be a ding on peoples salaries, said Theresa Taylor, the chairwoman of CalPERS finance committee and a member of SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents some 96,000 state employees. The $6.299-billion payment required from Californias state government must now be factored into the budget crafted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in late June. Brown had already assumed a similarly sized payment in his budget proposal unveiled in January. In February, a coalition representing city governments warned about the effects of rising pension costs under the expectations of less money from Wall Street investments. The report issued by the League of California Cities projected an average increase of more than 50% in annual pension payments made by the states largest cities over the next seven years. A CalPERS staff report notes that the net return on all of the funds investments for the fiscal year that ended in July was 11.2%. But expectations on profits over the next 30 years remain significantly more modest, and theres long been a robust debate about how to properly set those future expectations. The lower the rate of projected investment return, the larger the share of pension costs that must be covered by taxpayers and some employees. Overall, CalPERS officials believe the system has assets to cover 71% of its long-term obligations. Facebook

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California warns legal pot sellers not to participate in unlicensed 4/20 events By Patrick McGreevy Marijuana on display at a dispensary in Los Angeles. ( (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)) The state issued a warning Tuesday that businesses holding licenses to sell marijuana could face penalties if they participate in unlicensed temporary events away from their stores, including on Friday, April 20, which has become an annual celebration for counterculture groups. The warning was issued ahead of 4/20 by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. Since Jan. 1, the bureau has issued more than 700 state licenses to sell marijuana for medical or recreational use. The bureau has issued 47 temporary event licenses to groups that are limited to holding the marijuana celebrations on county fairgrounds that have authorized such events with city approval. Any bureau licensee participating in an unlicensed cannabis event may be subject to disciplinary action, the warning said, adding that lawful participation by bureau licensees in any temporary cannabis event that allows sales and/or consumption is dependent upon issuance of the appropriate licenses from the bureau. While many Californians have been issued medical approval to sell or use marijuana, the law does not allow them to participate in unlicensed events, also referred to as Proposition 215 events after the ballot measure that legalized medical pot two decades ago in the state. Participation in such events may lead to civil penalties for unlicensed commercial cannabis activity, the warning said. Meanwhile, a survey of some 1,000 marijuana users that was released Tuesday by the firm LendEDU found that the average 4/20 participant plans to spend $71 on marijuana to celebrate the unofficial holiday, and about 35% of respondents are planning to take off work Friday. Facebook

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California police groups shift position on officer discipline records, now consider support for making some of them public By Liam Dillon Los Angeles Police Department recruits at a graduation ceremony in April (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Some major law enforcement groups signaled Tuesday they are willing to support making part of police officer disciplinary records public, a dramatic departure from their past positions. Local and national attention on police shootings and misconduct has led law enforcement organizations to reconsider their blanket opposition to proposals that would give public access to some internal disciplinary investigations of officers. Were going to be open to supporting efforts that would allow for some records to be released, said Ryan Sherman, a lobbyist with the Riverside Sheriffs Assn. Debate over secrecy provisions in officer disciplinary files came during a legislative hearing on Senate Bill 1421 from Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Skinners bill, which advanced out of the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, would require public disclosure of all internal officer shooting investigations and confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. Currently, all police discipline information is confidential outside of a courtroom in California, which has some of the nations strictest standards against public disclosure. Unfortunately, the fact that we have such strict restrictions on any access to public records has affected certain communities trust towards our law enforcement, Skinner said during the hearing. Prior to Skinners effort, other have tried to loosen these rules, some of which date back 40 years. Most recently in 2016, a bid by then-Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) failed in a Senate committee. In debate two years ago, no major law enforcement groups indicated they would accept changes to state laws that would make individual internal investigations public, saying they were essential to protect officer privacy and safety. But Tuesday, Sherman and other lobbyists including those representing the states largest police labor organization, signaled they might be willing to entertain changes. They said they were negotiating with Skinner on the bills details. Law enforcement groups still have major concerns about SB 1421 as written. Ed Fishman, an attorney for the Police Officers Research Assn., told legislators that the bill would wrongfully expose police officers who acted within departmental policy to invasions of their privacy. It has unintended consequences that are extreme and will hurt the public, Fishman said. Tuesdays hearing featured testimony from many who have had relatives killed by police officers in recent years advocating for the bill. Senators on the Public Safety Committee also gave public rebukes to law enforcement lobbyists, criticizing them for a lack of diversity and insensitivity to concerns raised by communities of color. I think that you are completely and utterly out of touch with the realities of how those you are representing are perceived by major segments of California, said Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles). You are not going to be able to continue to lobby your way out of it. The bill faces at least one more committee hearing in the Senate before reaching the floor. It will have to pass both houses of the Legislature by the end of August. Facebook

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Newest member of the California Assembly arrives ready to work on criminal justice issues By John Myers Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove prepares for the oath of office from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon with her husband, Austin Dove. (California Assembly Democrats) Two weeks after winning a Los Angeles special election, the newest member of the California Assembly says she hopes to focus on reforms to the states criminal justice system during her time in Sacramento. Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) took the oath of office on Monday, filling one of three vacant seats representing Los Angeles County in the lower house. The Democrat, a former community college trustee and legislative staffer, thanked her mentors in remarks from the Assembly rostrum. So many women, and in my life so many black women, have paid in giving me the kind of morals and integrity and grit that is required to fight on behalf of people that you know, and people that you dont know, she said. Kamlager-Dove won handily on April 3, receiving 70% of the votes cast in the 54th Assembly District which encompasses communities west of downtown Los Angeles, from Crenshaw to Culver City and as far north as Westwood. She will serve the remaining eight months of the term of former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who resigned last year citing health concerns. She has said she hopes to focus her attention on poverty issues and on reform of the states criminal justice system. I think we have an opportunity to really push the needle in terms of how we look at rehabilitation, how we look at incarceration, and how we look at changing the lives oftentimes of poor men and women of color, Kamalager-Dove said on Monday in a video released by Assembly Democrats. Facebook

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Survivors of violent crime raise their voices in California to call for a new approach to criminal justice By Jazmine Ulloa Aaliyah Smith marches with her cousins. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Her father, uncle, a cousin and two older brothers. Those are some of the family members 16-year-old Aaliyah Smith has lost to gun violence. Then there are her friends. Jermaine Jackson Jr., 27, was shot and killed in 2016 while he painted over graffiti in San Francisco. Toriano Tito Adger, 18, was shot there a year later at a bus stop. He called Smith, who was nearby, and warned her to run. She made it inside a library moments before the crack of gunfire. Last week, Smith was among hundreds who gathered in Sacramento for annual National Crime Victims Rights Week events, where calls were issued for a new approach to criminal justice and public safety in California, one that puts survivors at the center of policy. But a debate is brewing over what that entails. Read More Facebook

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California expects $14 billion in tax payments this month By John Myers State workers handle income tax returns at the California Franchise Tax Board offices. (Laura Morton / For The Times) Gov. Jerry Browns proposed state budget is built on what taxpayers might find an audacious assumption: almost $14 billion in tax payments in the month of April, an average of $83 million collected per hour on every business day of the month. Most of that money will come from the taxes Californians pay in advance of Tuesday nights filing deadline for income tax returns. If history is any guide, the rate of payment could quadruple by weeks end. While tax rules have shifted some of the payment schedules to other months, April remains a vitally important month to the fiscal health of state government. The state controllers office reports more than 15% of all personal income tax revenues in 2017 were collected in April. In the recession years of a decade ago, tax revenue predictions were frequently off the mark by hundreds of millions of dollars. The last two state budgets have seen significant windfalls of personal income tax revenue, thanks in part both to an improving economy and to the continuation of a temporary surcharge on the wealthiest taxpayers  extended by voters in 2016. In the budget plan he sent to lawmakers in January, Brown projected a $6.1-billion windfall and proposed using a sizable amount to top off Californias rainy-day fund ahead of schedule. The independent Legislative Analysts Office reports that through the end of last week, the months income tax tally stood at $3 billion, slightly ahead of projections. By the end of the current week, a single days total could be almost that large. Lawmakers began reviewing the governors $190.3-billion spending plan during the winter, but few decisions are made until they get a look at Aprils tax revenues. The governor will release a revised plan based on the new data next month; lawmakers are required to send him a completed budget no later than June 15. Facebook

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Feinstein war chest tops $10 million while Kevin de Leon struggles to keep pace By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein widened her already-massive fundraising advantage in the run-up to Junes primary, raising twice as much in the first quarter than her strongest Senate challenger has sitting in the bank. Feinstein raised $1.3 million between January and March, bringing her war chest to just over $10 million as Californias U.S. Senate race begins in earnest, according Federal Election Commission reports. Former state Senate leader Kevin De Leon, the best known of the more than 30 people who will appear with Feinstein on the June primary ballot, raised just $575,991 in that same period, bringing his cash on hand to $672,331, according to his quarterly FEC report. Read More Facebook

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Trump has met his match, says Gov. Jerry Brown in promoting climate action on a quick trip to Canada By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown told a Canadian audience Monday that he believes President Trumps efforts to reverse course on climate change policy are a momentary deviation as others in the United States seek limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Thats very temporary, I can assure you, Brown said at a joint event in Toronto with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The governors quick international trip, announced only late last week, comes as Wynnes Liberal Party faces a stiff challenge in Junes election from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its leader, Doug Ford. Critics of Wynnes party have called for Ontario to pull out of the Western Climate Initiative, a cooperative agreement between three Canadian provinces and California on efforts to limit greenhouse gases. Brown sought to link the efforts of Canadian conservatives with Republicans in the United States who oppose existing climate change programs. In contrast, he told the audience, several GOP lawmakers voted last summer to renew Californias cap-and-trade program. I would say to the conservatives of Canada, wake up and see what your friends in California are doing, he said. The Democrat took particular notice of Trumps efforts to shift away from climate change policies from the administration of former President Obama, as well as a push by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel Californias strict limits on automobile emissions. If Trump tries to change that, well have litigation well beyond his term in office, Brown said while also noting Chinese government efforts to produce more low-emissions vehicles. Between California and China, Trump has met his match. What hes saying is not going to happen. Many of the governors remarks, though, were aimed at the tough political situation in which Wynne finds herself with seven weeks to go before Ontarios parliamentary elections. Dangers abound, but success is right in our hands, Brown said. So dont blow it! Facebook

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California voters are getting to know the states attorney general through his aggressive stance challenging Trump By Patrick McGreevy Less than two months from his first statewide election, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has become adept not only at challenging President Trump but at using the bully pulpit of his office to raise his profile with voters. The aggressive effort may help boost the former Los Angeles congressmans chances at winning a full term in office this fall, almost two years after he was appointed to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in 2017. Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Becerra took office as attorney general four days after Trumps inauguration. Thats afforded him an opportunity to get in front of Californians  and potential voters  on an array of issues including immigration, healthcare and the environment. Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown forms commission for 2020 census outreach By Melanie Mason In an effort to make sure California has a strong showing in the next national census, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday established a state commission to prepare outreach for the decennial count. It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census, Brown said in a prepared statement. The commissions formation comes on the heels of a Trump administration plan to ask about citizenship status as a part of the census. State officials fear that such a question, which has not been asked in a census since 1950, could chill participation among California residents. That could result in the state losing billions of dollars in federal funds and a seat in Congress. The 23-member panel, appointed largely by Brown as well as picks by legislative leaders, comes from private- and public-sector backgrounds, including civil rights groups, religious institutions and educational institutions. Facebook

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Garcetti kicks off Iowa visit with 2020 on his mind and a hardhat on his head LA Mayor - and 2020 prospect - Eric Garcetti makes his Iowa debut at the Carpenters Union Training Center. Fearlessly flaunts the never be photographed in head gear/safety glasses rule. pic.twitter.com/14bUOPXMvF  Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) April 13, 2018 Facebook

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Asm. Rocky Chavez takes the lead in race to replace Issa, while Doug Applegate slips By Joshua Stewart A new poll shows that Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chavez has taken a clear lead over 15 other candidates running to replace Rep. Darrell Issa in Congress and has overtaken Democrat Doug Applegate, the previous frontrunner. In a SurveyUSA poll by 10News and The San Diego Union-Tribune, Chavez, R-Oceanside, has support of 16 percent of likely voters, putting him ahead of Applegate, a lawyer, who was favored by 12 percent of voters and is in second place. The top two vote-getters in June, regardless of party, will proceed to a November runoff election. Competing with Applegate for the No. 2 spot is Democrat Mike Levin, also a lawyer, with support of 9 percent of voters. Several other candidates were right at his heels. Democratic Businessman Paul Kerr and Board of Equalization Member Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point, were tied for fourth at 8 percent each. Read More Facebook

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Pro-Kevin de Leon group launches ad castigating Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta A group that is supporting Kevin de Leons bid for the U.S. Senate launched a blistering ad against Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, questioning her progressive principles and tying her to President Trump. The ad buy from A Progressive California is minuscule  $10,000 to air it in Los Angeles for one day on CNN and MSNBC during programming such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper 360. The minute-long ad features news clips about Feinstein not getting the California Democratic Party endorsement earlier this year, as well as footage of Feinstein saying that Trump can be a good president and appearing to share a laugh with Trump. That moment actually came during a White House meeting in the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting when the president suggested an assault weapons ban should be included in a bipartisan bill to expand gun background checks. It also features extensive clips of de Leons speech at the state partys convention. De Leon, who just ended his final term as leader of the state Senate, announced last year he would run against fellow Democrat Feinstein as she seeks her fifth full term. Feinsteins longtime political advisor dismissed the ad, noting the size of the buy. Its not really a buy, said Bill Carrick. Ten thousand dollars in cable in L.A. Poof, its gone. Still, he said he planned to have the campaigns lawyers review the ad to see if it violates campaign law that limits what outside groups like A Progressive California can do. Such groups cannot coordinate with campaigns or candidates, and are limited in how much their messages can support a candidate. Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Election Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said if the ad was in a state race, she is certain that the state commission would open an investigation into potential coordination with de Leons campaign because of the messaging and the types of footage in the ad. But the bipartisan federal commission cant agree on how to enforce the federal regulations, she said. The problem is [outside groups] understand that given the lack of very strong enforcement at the federal level, theres the ability to stretch the law, she said. A spokeswoman for the FEC declined to comment. Dave Jacobson, a spokesman for A Progressive California, disputed the suggestion that the ad violated campaign law. This frivolous allegation shows that Sen. Feinstein is afraid of the public seeing an ad which showcases her own words, that Donald Trump can be a good president, he said. Facebook

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Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal Californias gas tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to Californias gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governors race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress. Then last week, the committee Allen formed to finance his ballot measure reported a $300,000 contribution from PISF Inc., a Novato, Calif., real estate firm. Now, an organizer of the still active Give Voters a Voice committee is urging the Allen committee to immediately donate their funds in support of the ongoing signature gathering efforts. There is only one gas tax repeal measure currently in circulation and that is the measure sponsored by the Give Voters a Voice Committee, said Dave Gilliard, a consultant to the group. PISF Inc., he said, gave to repeal taxes a
The U.S. Senates top leader wants to bring hemp production back into the mainstream by removing it from the list of controlled substances.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that he would introduce legislation to legalize hemp as an agricultural commodity.

The Republican made the announcement in his home state of Kentucky, which has been at the forefront of hemps comeback.

Growing hemp without a federal permit has long been banned because of its classification as a controlled substance related to marijuana. Hemp and marijuana are the same species, but hemp has a negligible amount of THC, the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana users a high.

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Hemp got a limited reprieve with the 2014 federal Farm Bill, which allows state agriculture departments to designate hemp projects for research and development. So far, more than 30 states have authorized hemp research.
Allies balk at Trump administration bid to block Chinese firm from cutting-edge telecom markets By David S. Cloud Britain and Germany are balking at the Trump administrations call for a ban on equipment from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, threatening a global U.S. campaign to thwart Chinas involvement in future mobile networks. Both countries are expected to limit Huawei and other Chinese companies from providing core components including routers. But other types of Chinese equipment for next-generation, high-speed communications could still be installed on British and German networks, officials and analysts say. The U.S. push to ban Huawei has provoked a global dispute in recent weeks, with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, publicly urging NATO allies in Europe to exclude the company and warning that the United States might limit its military presence in countries that did not do so. Read More Facebook

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Confucius Institutes: Do they improve U.S.-China ties or harbor spies? By Don Lee Hanging red lanterns welcome visitors to the University of Marylands Confucius Institute, the oldest of about 100 Chinese language and cultural centers that have popped up over the last 15 years on American campuses, subsidized by millions of dollars from Chinas central government. But last fall, when four U.S. Senate investigators walked into the Confucius offices in Maryland and spent hours questioning staff, they werent looking for an educational exchange. The committee has been seeking detailed information from the university about the program, including contracts, email exchanges and financial arrangements that school administrators have kept under wraps since it started in 2004. American colleges once viewed these jointly funded institutes as an economical way to expand their language offerings  one that could also bring warmer ties with China and, importantly, an influx of Chinese international students paying full tuition. Read More Facebook

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Watch Live: White House holds surprise news briefing amid government shutdown Facebook

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U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation By David S. Cloud For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. Read More Facebook

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Mnuchins attempt to calm markets backfires as Trump takes another shot at the Federal Reserve By Jim Puzzanghera An attempt by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to calm plunging financial markets backfired Monday, further rattling investors with new fears about whether major U.S. banks have enough cash on top of worries about interest rates, political instability in Washington and a slowing global economy. Adding to the volatile mix was a fresh attack on the Federal Reserve by President Trump, who declared that the central bank was the U.S. economys only problem and that it didnt have a feel for the market. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who cant score because he has no touch -- he cant putt! Trump said on Twitter. Read More Facebook

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He speaks to Democratic hearts. But is Beto ORourke a serious White House contender? By Mark Z. Barabak Hes a failed U.S. Senate candidate with an undistinguished congressional record who, for the moment, is a blazing-hot 2020 presidential prospect  despite the fact that he may not run and faces long odds if he does. Beto ORourke suggests the will-he-or-wont-he speculation is something he himself cant quite fathom. I think thats a great question, he responded in a Dallas Morning News interview when asked whether his unsuccessful November Senate bid merited a promotion to the White House. I ask that question myself. Read More Facebook

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Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate By Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Associated Press) Months after President Trump took office, Russias disinformation teams trained their sites on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there. The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram  which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal  claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with radical Islamic groups. Such tactics exemplified how Russian teams ranged nimbly across social media platforms in a shrewd online influence operation aimed squarely at American voters. The effort started earlier than commonly understood and lasted longer while relying on the strengths of different sites to manipulate distinct slices of the electorate, according to a pair of comprehensive new reports prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee and released Monday. Read more Timberg, Romm and Dwoskin report for the Washington Post. Facebook

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President Trump announces Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff By Associated Press President Trump says budget director Mick Mulvaney will serve as acting chief of staff, replacing John F. Kelly in the new year. I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018 Facebook

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It aint over when its over: In Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere, losers seek to undermine election results By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Gavin Newsom has yet to become California governor, but already a candidate for state Republican Party chairman is promoting a recall effort. In Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers have rushed through legislation to thwart their incoming Democratic governors and hamper others in the opposing party from doing the jobs voters chose them to do. In Congress, GOP leaders have echoed President Trump and sought to undermine the legitimacy of Democrats strong midterm performance, raising unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and political malfeasance. Read More Facebook

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New CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger says she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. Read More Facebook

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Trumps pick for chief of staff, Nick Ayers, out of running By Associated Press Nick Ayers, right, with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, at the funeral service for George H.W. Bush on Dec. 3. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Associated Press) President Trumps top pick to replace John F. Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role. Thats according to a White House official who is not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ayers is Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers length of service. The father of young children, Ayers had agreed to serve in an interim capacity though the spring, but Trump wanted a two-year commitment. The official says that Ayers will instead assist the president from outside the administration. Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would be departing the White House around the end of the year. Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause.  #Georgia  Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018 Facebook

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U.S. hiring slows to 155,000 jobs, unemployment rate holds at 3.7% By Jim Puzzanghera Job growth slowed significantly in November but still was solid, indicating the economy remains in good shape but not expanding so quickly that it will lead to sharply higher interest rates. U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs last month, well below analyst expectations and a steep decline from Octobers strong 237,000 figure, the Labor Department reported Friday. Still, monthly job gains are averaging 206,000 this year, the best since 2015. Even the slower pace of 170,000 over the last three months is close to last years average of 182,000 and well above the amount needed to keep up with population growth. Read More Facebook

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Trump is expected to pick State Department spokeswoman for U.N. ambassador By Associated Press Heather Nauert at a briefing at the State Department on Aug. 9, 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump is expected to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Two administration officials confirmed Trumps plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trumps announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. Trump has been known to change course on staffing decisions in the past. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former Secretary Rex Tillerson. Facebook

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Senate confirms new consumer financial protection chief: Kathy Kraninger, protege of industry-friendly Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera The Senate, in a party-line vote Thursday, confirmed White House aide Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and experts predicted a continuation of the industry-friendly shift it has taken since President Trump installed an acting director last year. Kraninger is a protege of acting director and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the agency that was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. Democrats and consumer advocates have denounced him for sharply departing from the aggressive watchdog role the bureau had pursued under its first director, Obama-appointee Richard Cordray, including scaling back enforcement and moving to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and narrow the definition of abusive practices by banks and other firms. Read More Facebook

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Shutdown postponed by two weeks under plan approved by Congress By Erik Wasson Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), shown at the Capitol on Tuesday, says President Trumps border wall is a waste of money. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. The House and Senate passed the measure Thursday without dissent, and Trump has indicated hell sign the bill before the current shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. Negotiations were delayed by memorial services this week for former President George H.W. Bush. The temporary measure gives Democrats and Republicans more time to find a resolution to their biggest hurdle: funding a wall on the U.S. Mexico border wall. Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesnt get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for border security, because the wall is a waste of money. The presidents demands for wall funding from Congress come after he said during the campaign that Mexico would pay for it. This week he said on Twitter that a $25 billion border wall would pay for itself in two months, without providing evidence. Most of the U.S. governments $1.2 trillion discretionary budget has been appropriated already by Congress for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Departments at a risk of a partial shutdown late this month include the departments of State, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Talks to resolve the differences have been on hold since a meeting among Trump, Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California originally slated for Dec. 4 was postponed due to Bush memorial events. The three are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama told reporters the rest of the seven-bill spending package being negotiated is basically done. Shelby in recent weeks had tried to broker a compromise in which Trumps $5 billion request would be split over two years, but Schumer has rejected that. Some Democrats have been willing to trade border wall funding for deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Pelosi ruled out such a deal in remarks to reporters Thursday. The stopgap government funding measure also would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized coverage for homes in flood-prone areas, to Dec. 21. Facebook

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Bipartisan Senate group wants to formally blame Saudi crown prince for journalists killing By Karoun Demirjian Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. (Associated Press) A bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution Wednesday condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, directly challenging President Trump to do the same. This resolution -- without equivocation -- definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardizing our national security interests on multiple fronts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement accompanying the release of the resolution. It will be up to Saudi Arabia as to how to deal with this matter. But it is up to the United States to firmly stand for who we are and what we believe. The resolution put forward by Graham and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who are expected to lead the Judiciary Committee together next year, comes just one day after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leading senators about the details of the agencys assessment that Mohammed ordered and monitored the killing and dismemberment of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Senators emerged from that closed-door briefing furious not only with Saudi Arabia, but Trump as well for dismissing the heft of the CIAs findings. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi, Graham said following the briefing, referring to Mohammed by his initials. He added that Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who briefed senators last week, were at best being good soldiers and at worst were in the pocket of Saudi Arabia for presenting the evidence of Mohammeds involvement as inconclusive. The release of the resolution condemning Mohammed also comes as the Senate is preparing to move ahead with debate on a resolution to curtail U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Though the Yemen resolution does not directly address Khashoggis murder, its popularity is a sign of how strained the United States patience with Saudi Arabia is on multiple fronts, including its role in worsening the civilian cost of the war in Yemen, cited by the United Nations as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Last week, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to advance the Yemen resolution past an opening procedural hurdle. But Graham and Feinsteins resolution on the crown prince has the potential of drawing broader support, especially from Republicans, who are deeply divided about how fiercely to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and is seen as one of the more influential foreign policy voices in the GOP, did not vote for the Yemen resolution last week or sign on to a bipartisan measure last month to sanction Saudi officials and cease weapons transfers to the kingdom. But he is an original co-sponsor of the resolution condemning Mohammed over Khashoggis death. So is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who represents the other end of the GOP spectrum in terms of recent Saudi-related votes and endorsements. Young was an initial co-sponsor of the bill Graham wrote with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to sanction Saudi officials deemed responsible for Khashoggis killing and stop the sale of anything but exclusively defensive weapons to the kingdom until it ceased hostilities in Yemen. Young also voted to advance the Yemen resolution  something Graham did as well, though Graham has signaled he will not be lending any similar support to the measure, fearing it may establish a precedent of invoking the War Powers Act too broadly. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution condemning Mohammed, which also urges Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Houthi rebels to end the Yemen war, work out a political solution to its standoff with Qatar and release political prisoners. But how much sway the resolution has probably comes down to how forcefully the administration decides to heed it -- and thus far, Trump has not shown any interest in condemning the crown prince the way the senators hope he will. Demirjian reports for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Los Angeles County offices and U.S. Postal Service closed Wednesday in honor of George H.W. Bush By Brian Park The Honor Guard carries the casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush following his funeral on Dec. 5 in Washington, DC. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images) The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery Wednesday, which President Trump has declared a national day of mourning in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. All retail postal outlets will be closed, and package delivery will be limited. In Los Angeles, all nonessential county departments, offices and libraries will be closed for the day, L.A. County officials said. The Los Angeles County Library said no overdue fines will be assessed for books, and due dates will be moved forward one week. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offices also are closed Wednesday. The Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, clinics and hospitals will continue to operate, the county said. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinics are being operated with reduced staffing, and the department asked patients to confirm or reschedule any appointments. All county courts and the disaster recovery centers for the Woolsey fire in Malibu and Agoura Hills will remain open. Larger federal government operations will be closed Wednesday. To honor the life and legacy of President Bush, the Postal Service will observe the National Day of Mourning. Learn how Postal operations will be affected. https://t.co/Mffch7bPCh pic.twitter.com/vG46BsIOpm  U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) December 4, 2018 L.A. County offices and libraries will be closed tomorrow (Dec 5) in observance of the #NationalDayOfMourning for President George H. W. Bush.



The Countys Disaster Recovery Centers in Malibu & Agoura Hills will remain open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Sv1J7GoJ7T  Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) December 4, 2018 @LAPublicHealth offices will be closed tomorrow December 5 in observance of the national Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. Essential Services including clinics and other services will remain open: https://t.co/tZGoGGHRlg pic.twitter.com/ypXsV6vlYY  LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 4, 2018 Facebook

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Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to skip 2020 White House race, sources say By Associated Press Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during an interview in Boston on Dec. 15, 2014. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will soon announce he wont launch a 2020 presidential campaign, according to three sources familiar with his plans. They did not say why the Democrat decided against a run. A formal announcement was delayed as the country observed a day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush, one source said. News of Patricks plans was first reported by Politico. Patrick, 62, served two terms as governor, from 2007 to 2015, was assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration and since leaving the governors office has been a managing director for Bain Capital. Patrick traveled the country in support of Democratic candidates in the recent midterm election. Earlier this year, some of Patricks supporters and close advisors started the Reason to Believe political action committee, a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing a positive, progressive vision for our nation in 2018 and 2020. Reason to Believe PAC had been holding meetups across the country, including in early presidential primary states. While Patrick is opting against a 2020 run, dozens of Democrats are considering jumping in, including nearly a half-dozen members of the Senate, several House members, and other Massachusetts politicians. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels and a vocal critic of President Trump, said in a statement that he would run. Patrick had previously expressed some concerns about breaking through if he sought the nomination, telling David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Obama, that he wasnt sure he could stand out in such a large field. Its hard to see how you even get noticed in such a big, broad field without being shrill, sensational or a celebrity, and Im none of those things and Im never going to be any of those things, Patrick said in a September interview with Axelrod. Facebook

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Former Trump adviser Roger Stone invokes 5th Amendment right and wont testify before Senate Judiciary Committee By Associated Press Roger Stone in 2017. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Roger Stone, an associate of President Trump, says he wont provide testimony or documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An attorney for Stone said in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, that Stone was invoking his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to produce documents or appear for an interview. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks plans. In the letter to Feinstein, Stone said the committees requests were far too overbroad, far too overreaching and far too wide-ranging. Facebook

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Watch live: Vice President Pence and lawmakers honor George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Capitol before he lies in state Facebook

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Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure has bipartisan support. But who gets to pay for it? By Jim Puzzanghera The grades for major U.S. infrastructure would give any parent indigestion if they were on a childs report card. Roads: D; bridges: C+; dams: D; ports: C+: railways: B; airports: D; schools: D+; public transit: D-. The nations overall grade: D+, which translates to being in fair to poor condition and mostly below standards with significant deterioration and a strong risk of failure, according to an evaluation last year by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More Facebook

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Trump calls former lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person who is lying By Associated Press President Trump says his former lawyer Michael Cohen is lying to get a reduced sentence. The president is reacting to Cohens guilty plea Thursday to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. During a surprise court hearing, Cohen admitted to lying in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen in his guilty plea said he made the false statements to be consistent with Trumps political message. Cohens lawyer says he continues to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates. Facebook

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As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Mark Z. Barabak When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook

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As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Sarah D. Wire When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook

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Michael Cohen, President Trumps ex-lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to Congress about Trump real estate project in Russia By Associated Press Michael Cohen, President Trumps former personal lawyer, pursued a Russian real estate project on candidate Trumps behalf well into the 2016 campaign, he said Thursday while pleading guilty to lying to Congress. Cohen had previously said that the project was abandoned in January 2016, but he now admits he continued to pursue a deal and says he updated Trump and members of his family about the negotiations, according to a new court document. Read More Facebook

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James Comey says acting Atty. Gen. Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer By John Wagner Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker speaks at the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Former FBI Director James B. Comey apparently isnt too impressed with the mental prowess of President Trumps acting attorney general. Matthew Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, Comey said during a radio interview on Monday night in which he sized up the man Trump installed this month to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Comey was asked by WGBH News in Boston if he thinks Whitaker could derail the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has spoken critically of the probe, and Trump  as recently as Tuesday  continues to call it a witch hunt. I think its a worry, but to my mind not a serious worry, Comey said. The institution is too strong, and [Whitaker], frankly, is not strong enough to have that kind of impact. He may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, but he can see his future and knows that if he acted in an extralegal way, he would go down in history for the wrong reasons, and Im sure he doesnt want that, added Comey, who was fired by Trump last year and later wrote a book that portrays the president as an ego-driven congenital liar. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, was Sessions chief of staff before being picked by Trump to lead the Justice Department. Trump has called Whitaker a very smart man. Earlier this year, Trump called Comey an untruthful slime ball. Wagner writes for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Interior Department watchdog clears Zinke in investigation of Utah national monument By Juliet Eilperin Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, third from the left, and Gov. Jerry Brown tour fire damage in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 14. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Interior Departments Office of Inspector General has cleared Secretary Ryan Zinke in a probe of whether he redrew boundaries of a national monument in Utah to aid the financial interests of a Republican state lawmaker and stalwart supporter of President Trump. In a Nov. 21 letter to Zinkes deputy, David Bernhardt, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote that her office found no evidence that the secretary or his aides changed the boundaries of Utahs Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in an effort to help former Utah state representative Mike Noel, who serves as executive director of the Kane County Water Conservancy District. Last December, Trump shrank the monument, first established by President Clinton in 1996, by 46% based on Zinkes recommendation. Noel owns 40 acres that had been surrounded by the monument, but now lies outside its boundaries. The new boundaries also would make it easier to construct the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, which would deliver water to sites in Kane County that include Noels property. Earlier this year, the Interior Department had proposed selling off 120 acres of federal land from the former monument that lay adjacent to some of Noels land holdings, but later reversed the plan. We found no evidence that Noel influenced the DOIs proposed revisions to the [monuments] boundaries, that Zinke or other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noels financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries, Kendall wrote. Neither the Interior Department nor the inspector generals office would release the actual investigative report. In the letter, Kendall writes that her office will provide the report to Congress no sooner than 31 days from Nov. 21, when it is provided it to Zinkes office. The Associated Press first reported the inspector generals conclusions Monday night, but did not provide details from the report itself. Noel emailed Zinke about the effort to alter Grand Staircase-Escalante, according to emails released by Interior under the Freedom of Informational Act. But those emails do not make references to Noels land holdings. Noel also pushed to rename a Utah highway in honor of Trump, but abandoned that effort in March after some of his fellow Republicans objected to the idea. Noel did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The inspector generals office still has at least two ongoing probes of the secretary, including one focused on his real estate dealings in Whitefish, Mont., and another regarding his decision to deny a permit to two Connecticut tribes who were hoping to jointly run a casino after MGM Resorts International lobbied against it. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift welcomed the watchdogs conclusions. The report shows exactly what the secretarys office has known all along  that the monument boundaries were adjusted in accordance with all rules, regulations and laws, she said in an email. This report is also the latest example of opponents and special interest groups ginning up fake and misleading stories, only to be proven false after expensive and time consuming inquiries by the IGs office. But Kendalls spokeswoman, Nancy DiPaolo, defended the inquiry, even though she said the report has not been publicly released and we will not be speaking specifically about the matter at this time. The OIG opens investigations based on credible allegations and reports our findings objectively and independently, DiPaolo added. Any time or resources spent investigating conduct or activity that may be a violation of law, regulation or policy is a service to the public, Congress and the Department. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he still intended to investigate the way Zinke and his colleague redrew the boundaries for Grand Staircase-Escalante and another Utah national monument, Bears Ears, next year. I have great respect for the inspector general, and I accept these findings, but Secretary Zinke should have known the people he listened to while destroying our national monuments had disqualifying conflicts of interest, he said. Should I chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, the process he and President Trump used to destroy Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante will be front and center in our oversight and investigations efforts. We need to know why they ignored overwhelming public expressions of support for both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, why they ignored Native American tribes throughout their decision-making, and why they removed protections on parcels of land with known mineral deposits. Eilperin and Rein report for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says China must do more to end trade war By Jim Puzzanghera Larry Kudlow, President Trumps top economic advisor, said Tuesday that Chinas response to U.S. efforts to rework the two economic superpowers trade relationship has been extremely disappointing but the planned meeting this weekend between the nations leaders is an opportunity for a breakthrough. They have to do more. They must do more, Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters ahead of a Saturday dinner between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit in Argentina. I think the president is exactly right  to show strong backbone when prior administrations did not, to break through these Chinese walls, Kudlow said. Theyre so resistant to change. We have to protect the country. We have to protect our technology, our inventiveness, our innovation. Read More Facebook

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Watch live: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a media briefing amid tensions at the border By Los Angeles Times Staff Facebook

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Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nations last remaining undecided House race By Maya Sweedler Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the countrys sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide. Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the states recent voting history. On Monday, he pulled ahead by 438 votes after Kern County updated its results. Read More Facebook

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Former CIA director Michael Hayden hospitalized after suffering a stroke By Deanna Paul Then-CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies before a Senate committee in 2008. (Saul Loeb / Getty Images) Former CIA Director and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his family said Friday. He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful, according to a statement issued by his namesake organization. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters. Hayden, 73, served as director of the CIA and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired from the CIA in 2009. Hayden has been a vocal critic of Donald Trumps campaign and presidency. Earlier this year, after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, Hayden was one of several former intelligence leaders who signed a statement in opposition. Criticizing the president for crossing a line, he quickly became one of the individuals whose security clearance Trump threatened to review. Deanna Paul writes for the Washington Post. Facebook

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Trump tells troops hes thankful for what hes done for the U.S. and rails against courts and migrants By Associated Press President Trump talks with troops via teleconference from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Thanksgiving. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump used his Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trumps call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays. Its a disgrace, Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas. Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost control on its side. The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops  You really are our heroes, he said  as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. It was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics. You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: I dont have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who were letting in. Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was a very big subject for him personally. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied, Mr. President, from our perspective on the water  we dont see any issues in terms of trade right now. And throughout, Trump congratulated himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. I hope that youll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well, he said. The nations doing well economically, better than anybody in the world. He later told reporters, Nobodys done more for the military than me. Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his great family as well as himself. I made a tremendous difference in this country, he said. Facebook

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Trump contradicts CIA assessment that Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing By Josh Dawsey | Washington Post (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump on Thursday contradicted the CIAs assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the agency had feelings but did not firmly place blame for the death. Trump, in defiant remarks to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, defended his continued support for Mohammed in the face of a CIA assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing. He denies it vehemently, Trump said. He said his own conclusion was that maybe he did, maybe he didnt. I hate the crime .... I hate the cover-up. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do, Trump said. Asked who should be held accountable for the death of Khashoggi, who was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, Trump refused to place blame. Maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place, the president said. He also seemed to suggest that all U.S. allies were guilty of the same behavior, declaring that if the others were held to the standard that critics have held Saudi Arabia to in recent days, we wouldnt be able to have anyone for an ally. Trumps remarks came after he held a conference call with U.S. military officers overseas, during which he repeatedly praised his administration and sought to draw the officers into discussions of domestic policy. Facebook

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Former FBI Director James Comey gets subpoena from House Republicans By Bloomberg Former FBI Director James B. Comey said he has received a subpoena from House Republicans, according to a Twitter post on Thursday. Bloomberg News reported last week that Comey would be receiving a subpoena alongside former Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch as part of continuing probes into their handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton and Russian election meddling, according to a top House Democrat. Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. Im still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a closed door thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see.  James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018 Read More Facebook

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Republican David Valadaos lead slips to 447 votes over Democrat TJ Cox in still-undecided Central Valley House race By Mark Z. Barabak Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), right, finds himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) On election night, it looked like Rep. David Valadao had survived a close shave and was destined to return to Washington for his fourth term. But on Wednesday, when Fresno County announced its latest vote totals, the Hanford Republican found himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox, with his lead in the Central Valley district shrunken to 447 votes. Thousands remain to be counted. Valadao, a repeated Democratic target, finished election night with a lead of nearly 4,440 votes. Cox, an engineer and a business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2006, has steadily gained ground in the 21st Congressional District ever since. The trend is consistent with historic patterns showing Republicans in California tend to vote early and Democrats later, meaning their mail ballots continue to stream in past election day. Under California law, ballots postmarked up to midnight on Nov. 6 will be counted. Democrats have already picked up six House seats in California. They ousted Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters, Steve Knight and Jeff Denham and won the seats of retiring Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa. All six represented districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. Valadao was the seventh California Republican in a district Clinton won, though his previous successes  he last won reelection by a 14-point margin  suggested his ouster was a longer shot for Democrats. If Cox prevails, it would give Democrats a 40-seat gain nationwide, far more than the 23 seats needed to take control when Congress reconvenes in January. Facebook

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Trump says no new punishments against Saudi Arabia in Jamal Khashoggi murder By Eli Stokols In this Oct. 25 photo, candles are lit in front of a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Lefteris Pitarakis) President Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he does not intend to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an American resident killed by Saudi officials in Turkey in October. In a remarkable statement replete with exclamation points, Trump cast doubt on the CIAs reported conclusions that it has a high degree of confidence that the crown prince ordered Khashoggis murder and sent his closest allies to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul to carry it out. Read MoreThis article has been updated with staff. Facebook

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Sixteen House Democrats vow to oppose Nancy Pelosi as next speaker By Mike DeBonis | Washington Post House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Sixteen House Democrats said Monday that they will vote to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi another stint as House speaker, a show of defiance that puts her opponents on the cusp of forcing a seismic leadership shake-up as their party prepares to take the majority. Their pledge to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco), both in an internal caucus election and a Jan. 3 floor vote, delivered in a letter sent to Democratic colleagues, comes as Pelosi has marshaled a legion of supporters on and off Capitol Hill to make her case. But her opponents said Monday they are convinced it is time to select a new leader. We are thankful to Leader Pelosi for her years of service to our Country and to our Caucus, they wrote. However, we also recognize that in this recent election, Democrats ran on and won on a message of change. Pelosi has expressed complete confidence that she will retake the speakers gavel in January  eight years after she lost it following massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms and 16 years after she was first elevated to the top Democratic leadership post in the House. Come on in, the waters fine, she said Friday about a potential leadership challenge. The signers might not be able to force Pelosi out themselves. The size of the Democratic majority remains in flux, but Democrats have already won 232 seats, according to the Associated Press, with five races still undecided. All those races have Republican incumbents, but the Democratic challenger is ahead in only one of them. If the leads hold in the uncalled races, Democrats would have won 233 seats, a 16-seat majority. That means Pelosi could lose as many as 15 Democratic votes when she stands for election as speaker on Jan. 3. Read More Facebook

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Democratic senators sue over Whitakers appointment as acting attorney general By Associated Press Acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) Three Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to remove him. The suit, filed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, argues that Whitakers appointment violates the Constitution because he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Whitaker was chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and was elevated to the top job after Sessions was ousted by President Trump on Nov. 7. The Constitutions Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm all principal officials before they can serve in their office. The Justice Department released a legal opinion last week that said Whitakers appointment would not violate the clause because he is serving in an acting capacity. The opinion concluded that Whitaker, even without Senate confirmation, may serve in an acting capacity because he has been at the department for more than a year at a sufficiently senior pay level. President Trump is denying senators our constitutional obligation and opportunity to do our job: scrutinizing the nomination of our nations top law enforcement official, Blumenthal said in a statement. The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test. In selecting a so-called constitutional nobody and thwarting every senators constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. The lawsuit comes days after a Washington lawyer challenged Whitakers appointment in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights. The attorney, Thomas Goldstein, asked the high court to find that Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and replace him with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, has been confirmed by the Senate and had been overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker is now overseeing the investigation. The Justice Department issued a statement Monday defending Whitakers appointment as lawful and said it comports with the Appointments Clause, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legal precedent. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a temporary basis, the duties of a Senate-confirmed position, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent. Facebook

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Gov. Rick Scott says Sen. Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race By Associated Press Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott speaks with his wife, Ann, by his side at an election watch party in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 7. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott says incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson called him to concede defeat in their extremely tight race. Scott issued a statement Sunday saying Nelson graciously conceded their Senate race shortly after the states recount ended. The final results show Scott defeated Nelson by just over 10,000 votes out of 8 million cast. Nelson is scheduled to release a videotaped statement later Sunday. The defeat ends Nelsons lengthy political career. The three-term incumbent was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Before that he served six terms in the U.S. House and as state treasurer and insurance commissioner for six years. Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scotts ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Trump. Facebook

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Orange County goes blue, as Democrats complete historic sweep of its seven congressional seats By Michael Finnegan Gil Cisneros defeated Republican Young Kim on Saturday in the last of Orange Countys undecided House races, giving Democrats a clean sweep of the states six most fiercely fought congressional contests and marking an epochal shift in a region long synonymous with political conservatism. With Cisneros victory, Democrats will constitute the entirety of Orange Countys seven-member congressional delegation, the first time since the 1930s that the birthplace of Richard Nixon, home of John Wayne and spiritual center of the Republican Party will have no GOP representative in the House. Sitting back in the 1960s, I would never have believed this would happen, said Stuart K. Spencer, a party strategist who spent more than half a century ushering Republicans, including President Reagan, into office. Read More Facebook

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Going, going ... with midterm wipeout, California Republican Party drifts closer to irrelevance By Michael Finnegan For a party in freefall the last two decades, California Republicans learned that its possible to plunge even further. The GOP not only lost every statewide office in the midterm election  again, in blowout fashion  but Democrats reestablished their supermajority in Sacramento, allowing them to legislate however they see fit After major defeats in Orange County and the Central Valley, two longtime strongholds, Republicans will have a significantly smaller footprint on Capitol Hill. (Democrats hold both Senate seats.) When the vote-counting is finished, the GOP may not even have enough lawmakers in Californias 53-member House delegation to field a nine-person softball team. Read More Facebook

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Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter says she will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaker By Maya Sweedler Democratic Rep.-elect Katie Porter is congratulated by volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter said she plans to support Rep. Nancy Pelosis bid for speaker of the House and will make campaign finance reform her top priority when she enters the chamber in January. Im going to continue to have conversations, but so far I feel like Leader Pelosi is definitely making the things that were a priority to the families that elected me her priorities, including announcing her support for campaign finance reform and anti-corruption as HR1, Porter said in her first public appearance since being declared the winner in Californias 45th Congressional District on Thursday evening. It means a lot to me that she is a Californian. She understands our state, Porter added. When we talk about environmental protections, this is a person who understands as a Californian how fragile our environment is and whats at risk in things like drilling off our coasts. Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The 45th District, covering inland Orange County, has never been represented by a Democrat. Porter became the third Democrat to claim a Republican-held seat in Orange County, following the victories of Harley Rouda in the 48th District and Mike Levin in the 49th. A fourth, Gil Cisneros, is running slightly ahead of his Republican opponent in the race for the open seat in the 39th District, which extends into Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Porter attributed the massive political shift in the county, for decades a conservative stronghold, to increased levels of political engagement. Folks here care about education, they care about the environment, they believe climate change is real, they want healthcare that protects preexisting conditions, they want a tax system that doesnt punish California, they want our schools and places of worship to be safe from gun violence, she said. Those are the issues we campaigned on, and to the extent that Donald Trump and Mimi Walters were on the wrong side of those issues, the voters have made clear what direction they want us to go. Porter was flying back from the East Coast when her race was called, she said. She turned on her phone to find 167 text messages from friends and supporters. Among them was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was one of Porters teachers in law school and with whom she has remained close. The pair spoke via FaceTime this morning, she said. Facebook

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Bitter battle for Senate seat in Florida goes to hand recount By Associated Press Employees look through damaged ballots during a recount Thursday in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas acrimonious battle for the U.S. Senate headed Thursday to a legally required hand recount after an initial review by ballot-counting machines showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson separated by less than 13,000 votes. But the highly watched contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race. Gillum, who conceded the contest on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted. The recount so far has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida was unable to finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline due to machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. We gave a heroic effort, said Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Meanwhile, election officials in another urban county in the Tampa Bay area decided against turning in the results of their machine recount, which came up with 846 fewer votes than originally counted. Media in South Florida reported that Broward County finished its machine recount but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Counties were ordered last weekend to do a machine recount of three statewide races because the margins were so tight. The next stage is a manual review of ballots that were not counted by machines to see whether there is a way to figure out voter intent. Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle. Its time for Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end rather than proceed with yet another count of the votes  which will yield the same result and bring more embarrassment to the state that we both love and have served, the governor said in a statement. The recount has triggered multiple lawsuits, many of them filed by Nelson and Democrats. The legal battles drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, Walker said during a morning hearing. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he could not extend the recount deadline because he did not know when Palm Beach County would finish its work. This court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, Walker wrote in his ruling turning down the request from Democrats. It cannot do so on this record. This court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision by locking in procedures that do not allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee as well at least one lawsuit filed in state court. Walker also ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they have not been counted due to mismatched signatures. Republicans appealed the ruling, but an appeals court turned down the request. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Walker was asked by Democrats to require local officials to provide a list of people whose ballots were rejected. But the judge appointed by President Obama refused the request, calling it inappropriate. Under state law, a hand review is required with races that have a margin of 0.25 percentage points or less. A state website put the unofficial results showing Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points. The margin between DeSantis and Gillum was at 0.41 points. The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelsons campaign. But he said that he expected the vote tally to shrink due to the hand recount and the ruling on signatures. The developments fueled frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP. Facebook

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Democrat Gil Cisneros pulls ahead of Republican Young Kim as more votes are tallied in Orange and San Bernardino counties By Michael Finnegan Congressional candidate Gil Cisneros (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Democrat Gil Cisneros pulled ahead of Republican Young Kim in one of Californias undecided congressional races Thursday, an ominous sign for a GOP already reeling from its loss of four House seats in the state. In updated vote counts released by the registrars for Orange and San Bernardino counties, Kim fell 941 votes behind Cisneros in the contest to succeed Republican Rep. Ed Royce in Californias 39th Congressional District. The 39th straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties. In another unresolved House race, Democrat Katie Porter pulled further ahead of Republican incumbent Mimi Walters in the 45th District, which includes Mission Viejo, Tustin, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills. Porter, a consumer attorney and UC Irvine law professor, is now 6,203 votes ahead. The Nov. 6 midterm election has been devastating to Republicans in California. If Cisneros and Porter win, the party will have lost six of its 14 House seats in the state, essentially a wipeout in every contest that both parties spent heavily to win. The three Republicans already bounced from Congress are Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Jeff Denham of Turlock in the San Joaquin Valley. Democrat Mike Levin won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista in the fourth district flipped so far. Facebook

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Florida Senate race likely headed to second recount By Associated Press A Palm Beach County Sheriffs deputy walks past boxes of ballots before a recount on Nov. 15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee) Unofficial Florida election results show that the governors race seems to be settled after a machine recount but the U.S. Senate race is likely headed to a hand recount. Republican Ron DeSantis is virtually assured of winning the nationally watched governors race over Democrat Andrew Gillum. Florida finished a machine recount Thursday that showed Gillum without enough votes to force a manual recount. Unofficial results posted on a state website show the margin between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott is still thin enough to trigger a second review. State law requires a hand recount of races with a margin of 0.25 percentage point or less. Counties have until Sunday to inspect the ballots that did not record a vote when put through the machines. Those ballots are re-examined to see whether the voter skipped the race or marked the ballot in a way that the machines cannot read but can be deciphered. The election will be certified Tuesday. Read More Facebook

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Pelosi says she has the votes to become the next House speaker By John Wagner Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 14. (Susan Walsh) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Thursday that she has the votes to become the chambers speaker despite solid opposition from more than a dozen Democrats who want fresh leadership when the party takes control next year. I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House, the San Francisco lawmaker told reporters. I happen to think at this point, Im the best person for that. A vote within the Democratic caucus is scheduled for Nov. 28. The full House votes on Jan. 3 to elect a new speaker. During her remarks, Pelosi touted the size of the Democratic victory in the midterms, which she called almost a tsunami. With a few races still to be decided, Democrats are poised to pick up close to 40 seats in the chamber. Pelosi called that the biggest victory for the Democrats since 1974, when the Watergate babies came in. Pelosis comments come as she faces solid opposition from at least 17 Democrats, setting the stage for a battle over who will ascend to one of the most powerful positions in Washington. After a campaign in which some Democrats prevailed in competitive districts by promising to oppose her, a coalition of incumbents and newly elected members has denied her a smooth path to the speakership. The defections, if they stand, would leave Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for more than 15 years, several votes short of the 218 she would need when the full House votes for speaker Jan. 3. However, no Democrat has stepped forward to run against her for a job she held from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that shes being encouraged to stand for speaker if Pelosi doesnt have the votes. In an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday, she said she has been overwhelmed by the support from many of her colleagues for her possible entry into the race for House speaker. Over the last 12 hours, Ive been overwhelmed by the amount of support Ive received, Fudge said, adding that there are probably closer to 30" Democrats who have privately signaled that they are willing to oppose Pelosi. Things could change rapidly, Fudge said. Fudge, 66, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is building a diverse coalition as she mulls a speaker run, talking with allies in the caucus, moderate Democrats and newly elected members. To this point, Pelosi has enjoyed the strong backing of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Thursday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), one of its members, wrote a letter to colleagues praising her insight, fortitude and strategic thinking and urging support for her speakership bid. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., an African American who is contemplating a 2020 presidential bid, also voiced support for Pelosi, praising her in a tweet as an architect of the recent midterm success. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a leader of the resistance to Pelosi, said during an interview on CNN on Thursday that Fudge is the kind of new leader that we need in this party. Shes in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. Shes a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, Thats the future of our party, thats the future of our country, and thats exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker. Wagner reports for the Washington Post. The Posts Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis, Paul Kane and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report. Facebook

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GOP Rep. Jeff Denham concedes to Democrat Josh Harder in Central Valley race By Maya Sweedler Rep. Jeff Denham (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has conceded to Democrat Josh Harder in the race to represent Californias 10th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. It has been an absolute honor to serve our community and represent the Central Valley in Congress over the past eight years, the 51-year-old congressman said. The enormity of the responsibility was never lost on me. My wife Sonia and I look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives. Harder said he had spoken with Denham and the two were committed to a productive transition. Denham, an Air Force veteran, previously represented the region in the state Senate for eight years and founded a company specializing in plastic packaging used in agriculture. While a member of Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture committees. First-time candidate Harder was born and raised in the district. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Since moving back, he has been teaching at Modesto Junior College. Denhams House seat is one of four in California that Republicans lost in the Nov. 6 election, with two contests in Orange County still undecided as of Thursday morning. Jeff Denham called me this morning and we had a very productive conversation. I'm honored that I've been chosen to serve our community in Congress, and we're both looking forward to a productive transition that best serves the people of District 10.  Josh Harder (@JoshHarder) November 14, 2018 Facebook

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Democrat Katie Porter now nearly 3,800 votes ahead of GOP Rep. Mimi Walters By Maya Sweedler Rep. Mimi Walters thanks all of her supporters as she watches election results in Irvine on Nov. 7, 2018. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press) Democrat Katie Porter opened a 3,797-vote lead Wednesday over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange Countys 45th Congressional District. In the neighboring 39th, Democrat Gil Cisneros has nearly tied the race against Republican Young Kim. Cisneros now trails Kim by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. The 39th District straddles Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties; Wednesdays updated ballot counts came from the latter two. There are more than 202,000 ballots left to count in Orange County, which includes parts of seven congressional districts. The 45th is entirely in inland Orange County. In California, the ballots counted first tend to lean Republican and those tallied later skew Democratic. In the Central Valleys 21st Congressional District, Democratic challenger TJ Cox has pulled within 2 percentage points of Rep. David Valadao, who is serving his third term. The Associated Press had projected a win for Valadao on election night, but his 4,839-vote advantage has shrunk to 2,090. Back in CA-21, Valadao (R) wins a batch of ballots from his stronghold in Kings Co., but by a considerably smaller margin (14 points) than his previous ~30-point margin in the county. We're moving to Lean R from Likely R; today a bit scary for Valadao.https://t.co/WqJVUVkqGW  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 15, 2018 A spokesman for Valadao told the Fresno Bee that the changes were expected and that [s]tatistically, David Valadao has won this race. Democrats in California have already flipped four House seats, defeating three Republican incumbents and claiming an open seat previously held by the GOP. Reps. Steve Knight of Palmdale, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Jeff Denham of Turlock have already lost their races, and retiring Rep. Darrell Issas San Diego County seat was claimed by Democrat Mike Levin. Facebook

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Trump aide departs West Wing after rebuke from Melania Trump By Associated Press First Lady Melania Trump. (Alain Jocard / AFP-Getty Images) Deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after First Lady Melania Trumps office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first ladys staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the presidents national security staff. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel would have a new role in the administration. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement saying, It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. President Trumps White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump. An ally of national security advisor John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year. Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence. Facebook

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Race for House Minority Leader is Kevin McCarthys to lose By Associated Press (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is running to take over next years shrunken caucus in closed-door elections that will set the tone for the new Congress. The race for minority leader is McCarthys to lose Wednesday. But the California Republican, who is an ally of President Trump, must fend off a challenge from conservative Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan is a leader of the House Freedom Caucus. The two encountered questions and finger-pointing during a private meeting with lawmakers Tuesday night as the GOP sorted through the midterm defeat that put Democrats in the majority next year. Elections Wednesday will also determine party leadership in the Senate. Voting for the biggest race, Nancy Pelosis bid to return as the Democrats nominee for speaker, is later this month. Read More Facebook

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Melania Trump calls for the firing of deputy national security advisor By Justin Sink First Lady Melania Trump arrives at the Chateau de Versailles outside Paris on Nov. 11. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images ) First Lady Melania Trumps office said she wants Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, ousted from the White House. It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Trumps spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement in response to a question about reports the first lady had sought Ricardels removal. Ricardel is the top deputy to national security advisor John Bolton. She drew the first ladys wrath after threatening to withhold National Security Council resources during Melania Trumps trip to Africa last month unless Ricardel was included in her entourage, one person familiar with the matter said. Grishams statement comes as several media outlets have reported that President Trump is considering a broader shakeup of his administration, including ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Sink and Jacobs report for Bloomberg. Read More Facebook

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CNN sues Trump over the suspension of Jim Acostas White House press credentials By Jim Puzzanghera CNN said Tuesday that it is suing President Trump and other administration officials over the decision to suspend the White House press credentials of correspondent Jim Acosta after a conflict at a news conference last week. The suit, to be filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the cable news outlet that he frequently accuses of disseminating fake news for its aggressive coverage of him and his administration. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acostas 1st Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their 5th Amendment rights to due process, CNN said in a written statement. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials. Read More Facebook

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Maxine Waters to take aim at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank as new head of House Financial Services Committee By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Maxine Waters plans to zero in on two big banks  Wells Fargo & Co. and Deutsche Bank  when she becomes head of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. The Los Angeles congresswoman, now the committees top Democrat, is widely expected to gain the gavel after her party won control of the House in last weeks elections. While Waters has outlined a wide-ranging agenda, she said her focus on bank oversight will target two large institutions she has been tangling with for a while  including one, Deutsche Bank, that spills into her bitter feud with President Trump. With Trump in the White House, I know that our fight for Americas consumers and investors will continue to be challenging. But I am more than up to that fight, Waters wrote in a letter last week to her Democratic colleagues on the committee that was obtained by The Times. Read More Facebook

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Heres how a controversial voting system will decide a congressional race in Maine By Kurtis Lee For the first time in U.S. history, a controversial voting system known as ranked choice is being used to decide a federal election. Its happening in Maine, which adopted the system in 2016. Rather than marking a single candidate, each voter ranks them all, assigning a first-place vote, a second-place vote and so on down the ballot. Read More Facebook

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ACLU files suit to stop Trumps new asylum limits By Associated Press A group of Central American migrants march to the office of the U.N.'s humans rights body in Mexico City on Nov. 8. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a legal challenge to President Trumps order denying asylum to migrants if they cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco and argues the new rules are against the law. Attorney Lee Gelernt said the regulations will put families in danger. The suit seeks to declare the regulations invalid and wants a judge to stop the rules from going into effect while the litigation is pending. The new rules were spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants slowly moving north on foot, but officials say they will apply to anyone caught crossing illegally. Officials say about 70,000 people who enter the country illegally claim asylum. The order invoked the same national security powers Trump used to push through his travel ban. Read More Facebook

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Trump on new acting AG: I dont know Matt Whitaker By Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 9. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump is moving to distance himself from Matthew Whitaker as he faces criticism over his choice for acting attorney general. Trump told reporters Friday that I dont know Matt Whitaker and said he didnt speak with Whitaker about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker has made public comments critical of Muellers investigation, and critics have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight of the inquiry. Under former Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the investigation was overseen by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Of the scrutiny Whitaker is facing, Trump said: Its a shame that no matter who I put in they go after. He also called Whitaker a very highly respected man. Whitaker was Sessions chief of staff before Trump made him Sessions interim replacement. Facebook

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of hospital after fall By Associated Press The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is home after being released from the hospital. She had been admitted for treatment and observation after fracturing three ribs in a fall. The court said Ginsburg was released Friday. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says she is doing well and working from home. The court had previously said the justice fell in her office at the court on Wednesday evening and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook

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Gun-control activist Lucy McBath defeats GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia By Associated Press Lucy McBath speaks during a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 2 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Democratic gun-control activist Lucy McBath has defeated Republican Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia in a suburban congressional district long considered safe for the GOP. Handel had to seek reelection after winning her seat last year in a close special election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff. McBath became an advocate for stricter gun laws after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a man angry over loud music the teenager and his friends were playing in a car. McBaths margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded. Handel conceded in a statement Thursday morning, stating that after reviewing all of the election data, its clear she came up a bit short in Tuesdays vote. Handel congratulated McBath, offering good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her. McBath, who is African American, declared victory Wednesday. Facebook

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing 3 ribs in fall By Associated Press Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook

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White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump By Associated Press The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, Thats enough! and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, calling it absolutely unacceptable. The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders statement that he put his hands on the aide was a lie. CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acostas press pass in retaliation for his challenging questions Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acostas actions. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters...  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Sanders provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better, CNN said. Jim Acosta has our full support. Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. Facebook

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Trump spars with reporters at post-election news briefing, ordering several to sit down By Associated Press  President Trump assails CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. President Trump sparred with reporters at his post-election news conference, ordering several to sit down and telling another hes a rude, terrible person. He told another reporter hes not a fan of yours, either. The presidents mood turned sour Wednesday after reporters pressed him on why he referred to a migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. on foot through Mexico as an invasion. Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric against the caravan in the final days of the midterm elections. Trump was also pressed on why his campaign aired an ad featuring a Mexican immigrant convicted of killing American police officers and linking the mans actions to the caravan. Several television networks pulled the ad after airing it or declined to air it at all. Facebook

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Im living one hour at a time at this point By Christine Mai-Duc Republican congressional candidate Young Kim and gubernatorial candidate John Cox campaign in Rowland Heights. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Republican congressional candidate Young Kim greeted gubernatorial candidate John Coxs giant campaign bus, the words HELP IS ON THE WAY emblazoned across it, as it rolled into the parking lot outside her Rowland Heights field office. Standing beside Cox on Saturday, Kim predicted that a string of GOP victories Tuesday would start with voters repealing the gas tax hike. Can you imagine Gavin Newsom being our governor? Can you imagine Gil Cisneros being your representative? Kim asked the crowd, to loud boos and cries of Nooo! The former state assemblywoman who worked for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) is vying for his seat with Democrat Gil Cisneros. She led the crowd in chants of Enough is enough! and, though short-lived, Drain the swamp! Ive served you in Sacramento and Ive seen dysfunction personally, Kim continued. We cannot continue that route. She urged her supporters to stay and help make phone calls or walk neighborhoods. Lets get out there  the 72 hours is really critical. Its all going to come down to a few votes, it could be your vote, she said pointing to her left, then pivoting right, it could be your vote. So dont sit back and do nothing. Every night I go to sleep thinking, OK, how many more votes can I get or how many more people can I call tomorrow? Kim said. It can be physically exhausting but Im mentally, emotionally very energized. She listed off her events so far that day  and the next one she was heading to. Thats just what I can remember, she said. Im living one hour at a time at this point. Kims campaign invited press to two of her events on Saturday. After she was whisked away to her next event  a high tea fundraiser in Walnut, a couple dozen volunteers remained. John Freeman, a statewide field manager for the state Republican Party, tried to pump them up. This is the Super Bowl. Were not in an NFL stadium, were not getting paid millions of dollars, but you know what? Freeman said. Were walking on the field right now. This is that high-stakes-level game. Facebook

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Its going to be tough out there Democratic candidate Katie Porter speaks to volunteers in Mission Viejo. Jon Bauman, Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na, is in the background. (Victoria Kim / Los Angeles Times ) Judging from the cheers in the crowd, about half those assembled at Katie Porters campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo Sunday morning were old enough to remember 70s rock n roll star Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na. Jon Bauman, as Bowzer is known off stage, said it was her position on senior issues including retirement and social security that has him out supporting Porter over her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters. I want you to make sure every phone is called and every door is knocked, he told the crowd of about 80 volunteers. There has never been a more important election. Both Bauman and his nephew, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, were interrupted by yells from Trump supporters coming from an adjoining hillside. We love Trump, the voice cried out. We love him too, he makes great fodder, the younger Bauman retorted, before introducing Porter. Porter, a UC Irvine law professor and first-time candidate, acknowledged the uphill battle some of her canvassers might face in this more conservative end of the long-red Orange County district. I know its going to be tough out there, she said, motioning to the hillside. But she said the attacks meant the other side viewed her campaign as a significant threat. This election is going to be close, she said. If we dont fight all the way to the finish line, until 8 oclock on Tuesday, this could slip away. Bowzer then took to a keyboard piano to lead the crowd in a reworded rendition of the song Good Night Sweetheart: Good night, Mimi Walters, he crooned. A woman in a black tank top, jeans and flip flops holding a cup of coffee later joined the crowd with her two sons, 17 and 14, the younger one wearing a Trump 2016 T-shirt. She declined to give her name, saying she was concerned about being attacked, but said she lived up the hill and said she had been the one yelling. She said she was encouraging her sons to talk to people on both sides and make up their own minds. We need to have a government that runs the way government teachers are telling kids its supposed to be run, said the woman, a retired registered dental assistant who voted early for Mimi Walters. Referring to Democrats, she said: Theyve had control over all these years and Californias gone to crap. Among those canvassing was Stacie Campbell, 37, who was at the launch with her husband Jerome and three children, the youngest of whom was 2 months old. Campbell, a Mission Viejo resident who runs a business, had never canvassed or volunteered for campaigns before, and her husband is a French citizen and unable to vote. She said they had been talking to their children  the older ones are 5 and 2  about the presidency and the government since Trumps election. Together, they worked on homemade Katie Porter lawn signs and put them up around town. This is the first time its felt like a big deal and there isnt a president up for election, she said. Because her city is a mix of conservatives and liberals  her next-door neighbor is an NRA-supporting Republican  she the race felt m
President Trump has taken aim at many targets over time and often says hes just counter-punching his critics. Yet theres one perceived foil he goes after time and again without provocation or much threat of a backlash  his predecessor, Barack Obama.

Great timeline on all of the failures the Obama administration had, he tweeted to congratulate his favorite Fox News show recently. Obama did nothing about Russia! he tweeted days later. Repeatedly he has said Obama is the one who should be investigated, not him, because Russias interference in the 2016 campaign happened on Obamas watch.

Trump has slammed Obama about healthcare, the Iran nuclear deal, the economy, gun and immigration policy and even (falsely) for the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in London  and thats just in the 80-plus tweets hes fired off against his predecessor, not counting his public remarks. In his most memorable attack of all, a year ago Trump charged, without evidence, that Obama ordered the wires tapped in Trump Tower, adding, This is McCarthyism!

Obama is no shrinking violet, and relished the occasional sharp retort. Youre likable enough, Hillary, was an early, memorable one. But in the post-presidency, Obama mostly is mute. When he does speak out, he never explicitly mentions the president.

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The same goes for the other four living ex-presidents back to Jimmy Carter. Obama, as Trumps immediate predecessor and the one especially reviled among the presidents white working-class base, is the more frequent target. Yet the other three presidents of the past quarter-century  both George Bushes, father and son, and Bill Clinton  have taken frequent hits, often collectively, as Trump indicts them all for some perceived failure.

Turning the other cheek is a new phenomenon for an elite group known as The Presidents Club for their experiential bond that transcends partisanship. Until now, cheek-turning wasnt necessary: By longstanding tradition, past presidents didnt publicly attack their predecessors, or vice versa, once the campaigns ended.

George W. Bush kept his thoughts to himself during the Obama years, just as his predecessor, Clinton, did for Bush and as President George H.W. Bush did for Clinton, though Clinton had ousted him from office. Like them, Obama heeds the old customs even as the newest member of the club -- Trump  flouts them.

Obama certainly had critical things to say about Trump when he was running, and both of the Bushes said they werent going to vote for Trump, said James Thurber, a presidential scholar.

But we havent heard from them since he became president, and the reasoning is that they have respect for the office of the presidency, Thurber said. We have one president at a time and they respect that.

By contrast, Trump recently showed again that he doesnt return the respect, tweeting that George W. Bush didnt have the smarts to get along with Russia, while Clinton and Obama didnt have the energy or chemistry.

After last summers solar eclipse, Trump singled out Obama, retweeting a series of photos of Obama and himself in which his face moved to cover Obamas. The caption: THE BEST ECLIPSE EVER!

Most presidents and ex-presidents have criticized each other gently, if at all, said Joanne Freeman, an early American history scholar at Yale University.

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That isnt to say that presidents havent ever critiqued each others policies. They occasionally have, she said. But they usually focus on policies, rather than tossing around insults and accusations.

The tradition of new presidents not assailing their predecessors dates to the countrys start. As the second man to hold the office, John Adams was so concerned about honoring the service of the first, George Washington, that he didnt even replace Washingtons Cabinet appointees.

The third president, Thomas Jefferson, assumed the office after a particularly nasty campaign and yet, despite his deep disapproval of the Federalist policies of the two preceding administrations, he did not attack Adams record.

Presidents and ex-presidents have criticized each other before, but not with Trumps regularity. For example, Carter attacked George W. Bush, especially after the invasion of Iraq, calling his foreign policy the worst in history and his faith-based social program quite disturbing.

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Bush, who left office highly unpopular, amid two wars and the worst recession and financial crisis since the Great Depression, kept quiet when Obama occasionally complained of the big mess hed inherited. Yet Obama avoided using Bushs name.

In recent days, Obama has told friends how wise he thinks Bushs silence was. As Obama was preparing to leave office, aides said, he talked with them about how he wanted to carry himself through what promised to be a brash and bombastic Trump presidency.

Obama expected Trump to keep up his campaign rhetoric and to use Obama as a foil to galvanize his base, especially in moments when Trump felt the need to boost his political standing, said Josh Earnest, Obamas former press secretary and a close advisor. For Obama to return fire would make it a bigger story.

Obama engaging Trump has a measurable upside for Trump, said Earnest. But theres no obvious benefit for the country or, of course, Obama.

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Obama was also concerned about overshadowing the next generation of Democratic leaders he thought should be finding their voices in the new era, Earnest said.

But Obama told aides that he would weigh in if the stakes were high enough. The example he cited: If the Trump administration began systematically deporting dreamers, the young immigrants who came to the country illegally as children and who had received temporary legal status under an Obama program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

Obama did speak up when Trump ended the DACA program. These Dreamers are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper, he wrote in a Facebook post.

As Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress tried to repeal Obamas signature domestic achievement, the Affordable Care Act, Obama posted on Facebook an appeal urging people to call their members of Congress in protest. Let them know, he wrote, what this means for you and your family.

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In neither case did Obama mention Trump by name. In both cases it was clear whose actions he was criticizing.

Some of Obamas former aides tend to try to match his subtlety. The most cutting commentary of Trump comes in the Instagram feed of Obamas White House photographer, Pete Souza, who lets his old pictures do the talking.

When Trump proposed a travel ban on Muslims, for example, Souza posted a picture of Obama laughing with a girl wearing a headscarf. On the day that Trump refused to shake the hand of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Souza posted a photo of Obama hugging her.

Other former Obama officials are more explicit, challenging Trump policies on television, with podcasts and in print. Three advisors from Obamas national security team recently formed an organization specifically to oppose Trumps foreign policy.

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One, Ben Rhodes, said of Obama, He has taken the view that he doesnt need to speak out on every issue every day. If Trump is going to provoke North Korea and refuse to condemn American neo-Nazis, however, others have to speak out, Rhodes said.

Well be holding Trump accountable, he said, and lifting up an alternative, affirmative vision of the world. 

To read this article in Spanish click here

FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump talks with former President Barack Obama on Capitol Hill in Washington, prior to Obamas departure to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Trump relentlessly congratulates himself for the healthy state of the U.S. economy. But in the year since Trumpas inauguration, most analysts tend to agree on this: The economy remains essentially the same sturdy one he inherited from Obama. (Rob Carr/Pool Photo via AP, File) (Rob Carr / AP)

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christi.parsons@latimes.com

Twitter: @cparsons
President Trump renewed his call for more spending on Americas infrastructure on Thursday in a meandering speech that, by his frequent departures from the topic, helped explain why he hasnt gotten his party in Congress behind him for an extensive rebuilding of the nations public works.

In remarks at a job training site in Ohio against a backdrop of union workers in hard hats, Trump boasted of the $21 billion for infrastructure in the recently enacted government spending bill  money he had ignored when he grudgingly signed the measure on Friday. He then hopscotched across a host of unrelated issues and set pieces of his campaign speeches, with partisan asides against the Democrats whose votes hed need for any infrastructure legislation.

Were going to get this infrastructure going, Trump said at one point, a passage bracketed by mentions of his proposed border wall, North Korea, ISIS and the gift from heaven of finding so many vacant federal judgeships to fill.

At one point, the president insisted that Democrats so far had blocked his proposed $1.5-trillion infrastructure spending initiative because they didnt want to give him any more wins. Yet in the same sentence, he said further action would have to wait until after the November election, though even Republicans expect that more Democrats will be elected to Congress, not fewer.

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Trumps glancing references did little to suggest that infrastructure ranks high on his list of desired accomplishments, just as his haphazard treatment of the issue in his first year did.

As a candidate, Trump made talk of a bold building program a signature issue, to help him reach blue-collar workers with promises of restoring industries, particularly in Midwestern states like Ohio. He spoke of federal funds for transportation, broadband internet access and water and electrical programs. He varied on how he would pay for it, suggesting a higher gas tax, energy production revenue or savings in the tax plan.

But as president, he has said  and he restated at the Cleveland-area facility  that he advocates minimal federal spending, and offsetting the cost with cuts to existing infrastructure programs. He also is pushing for cash-strapped state and local governments to put up the vast majority of the $1.5-trillion cost, and suggested private businesses would invest. Most analysts consider that impractical.

Trumps appearance in Ohio was his first public event since he reluctantly signed the $1.3-trillion government spending plan at the White House on Friday, a period during which news was dominated by accusations leveled by two women who claim past sexual relationships with him.

While Trump at the Friday event warned Congress that he would never sign another bill like this again, and blamed much of its nonmilitary spending on wasteful Democrats, lawmakers from both parties embraced the infrastructure spending and claimed credit for it. Congress tripled a $500-million program of transportation grants to state and local governments, which Trump had proposed canceling.

Still, Trump administration officials also bragged about the bills total $21 billion for infrastructure in a telephone call Wednesday with reporters, casting it as a down payment on Trumps own proposals.

The reality is that few in either party, or among interest groups, are predicting any big infrastructure push this year.

His plan is going nowhere. I dont think anybody thinks were going to get anything between now and the election, said a person steeped in the infrastructure negotiations, who requested anonymity in order to avoid angering the parties involved.

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Ironically for Trump, a Democratic takeover of the House in Novembers election would boost the odds of more infrastructure funding, the person said  although not necessarily in the ways the president has proposed.

Others suggested that Republicans as well as Democrats recognize the appeal of infrastructure spending, although they disagree on the details. The big problem: Congress and the president in recent months have signed off on adding an estimated $2.8 trillion over 10 years to the already high federal debt, counting the tax cut plan and the fiscal 2018 government spending measure.

The biggest problem right now is theres no money left, said Marcia Hale, president of Building Americas Future, a bipartisan group advocating for infrastructure spending, who once worked in the Clinton administration.

Trumps proposal to shift the costs to local and state governments is seen as unworkable because they already are overwhelmed by day-to-day needs. (The Trump-approved tax plan also provided a disincentive to raising taxes, since sharp limits were placed on how much could be deducted from federal tax returns for residents state and local taxes.)

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Cities and states dont have that money. Its just not there, Hale said. You can talk about it all you want, but until someone figures out how were going to pay for this 

Earlier efforts by the White House to highlight Trumps infrastructure plan have been repeatedly overshadowed, so much so that infrastructure week has become a sardonic punchline for any period in which the administration is convulsed by unrelated chaos.

Over the last year, weeks in which the administration planned to highlight infrastructure have been upended by controversies including Trumps response to the white supremacists protests in Charlottesville, Va., in which he blamed civil rights protesters and neo-Nazis equally for the deadly violence; the Florida school shooting last month; the resignation of an aide accused of marital abuse; and the ongoing Russia investigation.

Trump administration officials maintain a public optimism. A senior administration official, speaking to reporters, said: We never anticipated this was going to be a quick or easy process. And the president just absolutely is in this for the long haul.

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The odds of pieces of Trumps plan passing this year are very, very high, the official added. Will we get the entire bill through this year? That is more of a stretch.

Republican leaders in the Senate, however, are signaling that they dont have any intention of putting an infrastructure bill on the floor this year.

Theres an acknowledgment of the need here, said Jacob Leibenluft, a former Obama administration official. The problem is that the need hasnt been met by any of the policy details that come from the administration or from Congress. It doesnt match up with this big national need.

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For more on politics from Cathleen Decker 

cathleen.decker@latimes.com

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Those young people who marched for gun control all over the country showed this: The unyielding firearms lobby is in deep trouble with the next generation.

No one can be sure how many marched Saturday  hundreds of thousands, millions? There were more than 800 rallies.

It was an amazing day, longtime gun control advocate Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told reporters. Ive never seen anything like it.

It seems inevitable: Pit a growing youth movement for sensible national firearms regulation against an aging gun lobby with hardened arteries and the kids ultimately win.

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That is, if the National Rifle Assn. continues to be hard-line and refuses to compromise on such basic things as banning assault weapons, an increasingly popular idea among Americans. Congress, intimidated by the NRA, cant even bring itself to impose nationwide background checks for all gun purchases, which practically every citizen supports.

Creatures that refuse to adapt ultimately perish.

I wrote this 25 years ago: A gun lobby paranoid about losing the right to bear arms  ultimately could [lose the right] in the next century  unless it becomes more compromising and realistic about societal needs in an increasingly violent urban America.

Were now in that next century. No group is advocating the seizure of all guns in America, despite the NRAs disingenuous claims designed to fatten its membership and shill for the firearms industry. Get em now while you still can.

But theres initial talk in important places about repealing the 2nd Amendment. John Paul Stevens, retired U.S Supreme Court associate justice, wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times on Wednesday advocating repeal.

Rarely in my lifetime have I seen the type of civic engagement school children and their supporters demonstrated in Washington and other major cities throughout the country this past Saturday, he wrote. They reveal the broad public support for legislation to minimize the risk of mass killings of school children and others in our society.

Stevens said it was a clear sign to lawmakers they should ban civilian ownership of semiautomatic weapons, increase the legal gun-buying age to 21 and impose comprehensive background checks.

More from George Skelton 

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But the demonstrators should seek more effective and more lasting reform, he continued. They should demand a repeal of the 2nd Amendment.

Doing that, Stevens concluded, would be simple and would do more to weaken the NRAs ability to stymie legislative debate and block constructive gun control legislation than any other available option.

Simple? Hardly. Not procedurally or politically. And repealing the 2nd Amendment right now is definitely not an available option.

Heres why: Amending the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of each congressional house and ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures. Right now you couldnt get close to a majority for either. Or a constitutional convention could be called, which is even less practical.

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But in another generation or two, after many more mass shootings of children, anythings possible.

We dont need to repeal the 2nd Amendment anyway. Theres plenty of flexibility within its awkwardly punctuated single sentence  although gun addicts stubbornly deny it  to ban certain types of firearms and control use. But that would require realism and compromise.

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Emerging generations probably will force it. New generations tend to be game-changers.

Not many years ago, most of us would not have envisioned gay marriage, legal marijuana, public smoking bans or  two or three generations back  racial desegregation across America. When enough voters demand change in a democracy, they get it.

Mark Baldassare, president and pollster of the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, calls the teen marches a new and defining moment.

I see it as having a lot of political potential, he says. Theyre voices that havent been heard before in this debate. Theyre not just going to be dismissed. They represent the victims.

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The institute released a poll last week showing that 70% of this states likely voters believe gun laws should be stricter. And thats in California, which already has the strictest gun laws in America.

Baldassare says the figure was up 13 percentage points since last May and is the highest it has been since he began asking the question. Even a plurality of Republicans, 48%, think gun control should be stricter.

Nationally, a recent Quinnipiac University poll found 97% of Americans  including 97% of gun owners  favor universal background checks for all firearms purchases. Two-thirds support banning the sale of assault weapons.

California has outlawed assault weapons and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The state began seriously controlling guns 28 years ago and it has paid off. The firearms death rate here has declined significantly and is substantially lower than the national average.

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Amanda Wilcox, a longtime advocate for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, whose daughter was shot to death by a mentally ill man, says, These students are saying things like, Youre supposed to be keeping us safe. Youre not doing your job. It is marginalizing the hard-liners, the extremists. Young people drive culture changes. And many of them will be voting by next fall.

Democratic pollster Ben Tulchin says, These teenagers are amazing. They dont say, Nothing we can do about it. They say, Were going to change it.

He adds, I think theyll help Democrats take back the [U.S.] House.

Maybe. I am sure about this: Unless the gun lobby gets off its high horse, a future generation will shoot it down.

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george.skelton@latimes.com

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Shortly after learning hed won the Nobel Prize in physics, Richard Taylor stared at his reflection in a mirror.

Murray Gell-Mann is smart. Dick Garwin is smart, he told himself, referring to two pioneering 20th-century physicists. You are lucky.

The self-effacing Taylor, a Stanford University professor emeritus of physics who shared the Nobel in 1990 for his role in the discovery of quarks, died at his home on the Stanford campus last month. He was 88.

Taylors experiments with the university-operated SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in its early days revealed the existence of quarks, the elusive building blocks of the proton, neutron and other subatomic particles.

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The discovery set the foundations for the Standard Model, which describes the elementary particles and forces that govern our existence.

Taylor, a strict experimentalist, never saw himself as the discoverer of quarks.

My job was to measure things and make sure that the measurements that I made were right, he told an interviewer for the Nobel Prize website in 2008. Its the job of the theoretical community to understand why things are the way I see them when I do the experiments. So I was not running around saying, I have discovered quarks.

Richard Edward Taylor was born Nov. 2, 1929, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, to a Scottish American mother and Northern Irish father. World War II radically transformed the small town, as the British Royal Air Force set up camp to train soldiers and later housed German and other Axis prisoners of war there.

Scientists arrived in Medicine Hat ready to work on chemical and biological weapons. They brought with them a completely different culture, Taylor said  one that fed his already-growing love for science.

The wartime glamour of the military, the sudden infusion of groups of sophisticated and highly-educated people, and new cultural opportunities (the first live symphonic music I ever heard was played by German prisoners of war) all transformed our town and widened the horizons of the young people there, Taylor wrote.

As a child he sought out science books; in high school he blew three fingers off his left hand when a chemistry experiment at home went explosively wrong. (Hed wanted to go into surgery, he told an interviewer for the Nobel Prize website, but a friend informed him that no one would want a surgeon with missing fingers.)

By his own account, Taylor was not a good student  he failed Latin and never graduated from high school  but he had a gift for physics. He enrolled at the University of Alberta, completing his masters degree there before heading to Stanford to pursue a Ph.D. in 1952.

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He soon started working on accelerators at the universitys High-Energy Physics Lab, and delayed his thesis for a few years to help build an accelerator in France. After less than a year at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, he returned to Stanford in 1962 to work at the nascent Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (or SLAC for short) and complete his dissertation.

Scientists who had been smashing subatomic particles together had already discovered a menagerie of what were called hadrons, a class that includes protons and neutrons as well as more exotic particles, said SLAC experimental physicist Martin Breidenbach, who participated in the experiments as a graduate student at MIT.

There was this great particle zoo of mesons and other hadrons which people didnt understand, he said, ticking off a few: pions, kaons, excited nucleons.

Physicists wanted to know what these hadrons  particularly the buildings blocks of the atoms nucleus, the proton and neutron  were made of. Was the proton a fundamental particle, with no smaller fragments within it? Or did it have some infinitesimal inner structure?

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To find out, SLAC physicists used an accelerator that shot a beam of high-energy electrons at a target of protons and neutrons. Then they studied the subatomic shrapnel that resulted from these collisions. (The two-mile-long accelerator, which cost $114 million, was the longest linear accelerator ever built when it began operating in 1966.)

At the time, many other accelerators were shooting beams of protons at targets. But scientists at SLAC shot beams of electrons instead, hoping that the smaller, simpler particles would provide a cleaner result. Taylor was instrumental in building the beam switchyard, which allowed multiple experiments to run at the same time, as well as its giant spectrometer.

The experiment that earned Taylor and his MIT-based colleagues Jerome I. Friedman and Henry W. Kendall the Nobel Prize was not expected to produce scientific fireworks: Scientists had already shot electrons at lower energies and not found anything unusual.

But to the trios surprise, these higher-energy electron beams scattered at wide angles once they hit their target. This told them there was something hard and discrete at the center of the proton. And that meant the proton was not a fundamental, indivisible unit of matter.

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Those tiny components were soon identified as quarks, whose existence had been predicted by Caltech physicist Murray Gell-Mann. Later discoveries revealed that they came in six flavors, and different combinations of these flavors could explain the behavior of protons and neutrons as well as the more exotic hadrons that scientists had been discovering.

The discovery of quarks led scientists to develop the Standard Model, which simplified everything, Breidenbach said.

With the beginning of the Standard Model, all of these particles were understandable as collections of two or three quarks, he added.

On the day the Nobel Prize was announced, Taylor thanked about 30 people and said, Im here because Im probably the oldest and loudest of the group, according to a Stanford University remembrance.

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Taylor was indeed quick to share credit. He insisted that all of the people who worked on the experiment come to Stockholm for the Nobel Prize ceremony, Breidenbach recalled. A photo of the entire group in Norway, dressed in white ties and tails, sat for years on his desk.

Leaders often have the option to delegate less appealing work. Not Taylor, said Les Cottrell, SLACs manager of computer networking, who started working with Taylor in 1967.

During active experiments, Taylor regularly took the unpopular early-morning shifts when the machinery had to be monitored around the clock, relieving junior members of the team from that burden. He also stayed late to keep the labs director abreast of developments.

He was very much a person who led from the front, Cottrell said.

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And at the end of these projects, he and his wife would throw large parties for the staff at their house with a pool  not just for the scientists, but also the programmers, engineers and others involved in the experiments infrastructure, Cottrell recalled.

A consummate team player, Taylor felt that for experiments such as his, the Nobel Prize should be awarded to groups rather than one to three individuals.

Itll acknowledge that its not the work of an individual person but a huge group of people, he said in 2008. Theres no way to do it fairly with three.

Taylor passed away on Feb. 22. He is survived by his wife, Rita, and their son, Ted.

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The would-be developer of Banning Ranch will pay the Banning Ranch Conservancy $1.25 million in attorneys fees in a settlement of a lawsuit the conservancy filed over the now-shelved Newport Beach housing, hotel and retail development.

We consider this matter closed, Steve Ray, the conservancys executive director, said in a statement. We are looking forward to putting the contentiousness of the past 10 years behind us and creating a new dialogue with the city and the landowner.

The California Supreme Court sided with the Banning Ranch Conservancy last year in its argument against the adequacy of the projects environmental impact report, ultimately leading to the citys revocation of approvals to build on part of the 401-acre swath of coastal scrub and grasslands at Newports western edge. Much of the site has been occupied by oil operations for decades.

Michael Mohler, project manager for developer Newport Banning Ranch LLC, said the company will continue to evaluate all options that could lead to accelerated cleanup of the oilfield and public access to the property. Banning Ranch Conservancy will be included in those discussions.

Conservancy President Terry Welsh said in a statement that the group will continue its efforts to buy the property for permanent open space.

The conservancys legal case kicked off in 2012, when the Newport Beach City Council certified the Banning Ranch environmental impact report and approved general plan and code amendments, a development agreement and several other related plans for the project, which at the time included 1,375 homes, a 75-room resort hotel and a 75,000-square-foot retail complex on about 95 acres.

The project was later whittled to 895 homes, a 75-room hotel, a 20-bed hostel and 45,100 square feet of retail space on 62 acres.

The case reached the state Supreme Court, which ruled a year ago that Newport Beach had improperly approved the development by not considering the areas environmentally sensitive wildlife habitat.

Except for the environmental report and the development agreement, all other approvals were not to take effect until the California Coastal Commission granted the project a coastal development permit, among other actions. The Coastal Commission, the state agency tasked with coastal management and planning, rejected the permit application in 2016 and affirmed the rejection in 2017.

Ray said in an interview Thursday that the conservancy isnt crowing about the settlement and is instead committed to working with Newport Banning Ranch.

Were heading in that direction, he said.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD
Less than a week after a proposal from an Orange County supervisor and a state senator sent shock waves through the community, Costa Mesa City Council members voiced unanimous disapproval of using the local Fairview Developmental Center as an emergency homeless shelter.

In front of a fuming crowd of more than 300 on Wednesday evening at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, council members said they think the city is already doing more than its fair share to provide services and resources to the homeless and that other cities  as well as the county  need to step up to the plate.

Its time for our supervisors, our county, our federal and state officials to demand that the rest of the county cities start participating in taking care of the homeless that live in their communities and not taking them to Santa Ana or to Costa Mesa or to Tustin, Councilwoman Katrina Foley said. It is important that we all participate and, if we all participate and we do our fair share, its a lot less of a burden and impact on every community.

Costa Mesas efforts include the Network for Homeless Solutions  a collaboration among city staff, local churches, nonprofits, private organizations and volunteers to identify and provide resources to the homeless  and allocating more than $1 million annually to tackle homelessness issues, according to officials.

Of the dozens of residents who spoke at the special council meeting, most opposed the Fairview idea, saying they were concerned that developing a shelter there would jeopardize public safety, reduce property values and unduly burden the city.

Others supported the concept, saying the 114-acre property at 2501 Harbor Blvd. could be an important cog in a regional strategy to tackle homelessness.

Not everyone that is homeless is an alcoholic or a drug addict  some just have fallen on very hard times, said Westside Costa Mesa resident Shirley McDaniels.

But Councilman Jim Righeimer said the city has already helped enough.

Thirty-plus years ago, somebody thought that homeless needed to eat and we got a soup kitchen, he said. You know what we got? More homeless. You bring services in, you get more.  Im compassionate. Im trying to do everything I can, but my No. 1 responsibility on this council is safety for the community.

People in the crowd of more than 300 who gathered at the Costa Mesa Senior Center await Wednesdays special City Council meeting. (Photo by Luke Money )

On Friday, county Supervisor Shawn Nelson issued a news release announcing that he and state Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) were looking into the potential for using the state-owned Fairview site as an emergency homeless shelter.

The release also raised the possibility of centralizing temporary housing and basic services for the homeless at the developmental center, which opened in 1959. It currently provides services and housing to 133 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to the California Department of Developmental Services.

But in its resolution of opposition, the City Council called that a regrettably rushed idea proposed without any public input or concern for local impacts.

This is land in the middle of the city; its governed by our general plan, Mayor Sandy Genis said. Its our police that are going to be responding  its our paramedics that are going to be responding. Its our residents, its our businesses that are going to be affected, and we cant have the county just throwing that out there.

Costa Mesa resident Steven Chan speaks during Wednesdays special City Council meeting about a proposal to use the Fairview Developmental Center in Costa Mesa as an emergency homeless shelter. (Photo by Luke Money )

In an interview Thursday, Moorlach said he thought the City Council overreacted to a press release and that the idea wasnt to put all of the homeless at Fairview.

I think theres a stretch here, he said. Theres a hysteria and its sad to watch because leadership dictates that you have conversations and you start working on solutions and thats all that occurred.

There is no imminent or concrete plan, he added, and any legislative action regarding Fairview would likely take months to move forward.

In the background of all this is U.S. District Judge David Carter, who is presiding over a federal lawsuit that homeless advocates filed in response to the countys move to clear encampments along the Santa Ana River. Moorlach said the judge has mentioned Fairview during those proceedings.

I would think the residents of Costa Mesa would rather have the homeless in a facility thats closed up at night ... a place thats safe and has security, than to have them in their backyard or at their businesses or on their porches, Moorlach said.

Neither Nelson nor anyone from his office appeared to be at Wednesdays meeting  a fact that didnt go unnoticed among those in attendance.

I hope that all of you will collectively address this spineless supervisor that essentially threw this grenade into a crowded room and couldnt even bothered to show up to defend what hes proposing, resident Sue Lester said.

However, county Executive Officer Frank Kim told the council that he spoke with Nelsons office Wednesday and was told they do not support the use of the site without the cooperation of the council and input from the community.

Nelsons office could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday.

Kim also conveyed a message to the council from Supervisor Michelle Steel  whose district includes Costa Mesa  that her office absolutely does not support the use of Fairview for [a] homeless shelter and the long-term use of that site should be discussed and worked out in collaboration with the city.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer said during Wednesdays meeting that he was dismayed that somebody would put this into the public arena in such an irresponsible fashion and is terribly, terribly sorry that any respectable elected official would put something this derelict and dangerous into the community ... without any input whatsoever.

To combine that in light of what happened last week in Orange County was beyond the pale to me, he said, referring to the Board of Supervisors vote to develop temporary homeless shelters on county land in Huntington Beach, Irvine and Laguna Niguel. Supervisors scuttled that plan Tuesday in the face of opposition from residents and threats of litigation from the cities.

Like similar facilities around California, Fairview is scheduled to close as part of an effort to transition people out of institutional-style centers and into smaller accommodations that are more integrated into communities.

The goal is to move the centers remaining residents to other living options by 2019, according to the state.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney

UPDATES:

2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from John Moorlach and Jim Righeimer and additional details.

This article was originally published at 9:10 a.m.
Newport Beach residents lined up Tuesday to praise longtime City Manager Dave Kiff on the heels of his retirement announcement  and, in many cases, also excoriate the City Council with accusations that a faction had secretly worked to force out Kiff sooner than he would have liked.

Kiff, who announced his impending departure on Sunday after 20 years with the city, and nine as its top administrator, started Tuesdays City Council meeting by saying the council would likely discuss amending his contract at its April 10 meeting.

He plans to leave toward the end of the year. He noted in his weekend announcement that he first mentioned to the City Council more than a year ago he intended to eventually step down and move to Northern California to be closer to his family, and that he and the council have repeatedly denied accusations of a cabal forming to push him out.

Kiffs departure was not on Tuesdays agenda, limiting how much the council could discuss the next steps.

Residents, including former mayors, however, took to the public comment period to share their support for Kiff and criticism of the City Council.

Former Mayor Mike Henn told Kiff, as he sat in his usual place at a table to the councils side, that one of the foremost blessings of my life (was) the opportunity to work with you for the betterment of the city of Newport Beach.

And he said during his eight years on council, from 2006 to 2014, that no rogue council members ever skirted due process or authority.

This action, if true, is a terrible affront and is deeply disrespectful to fellow council members and to the voters who elected them, he said.

Henn said Councilmen Scott Peotter and Kevin Muldoon, Mayor Pro Tem Will ONeill and Mayor Marshall Duffy Duffield owed residents explanations.

He said Duffield must ensure due process and proper treatment of colleagues and must have known that alleged machinations were afoot.

How could you be so feckless as to stand by and allow this disrespectful and insulting action to occur? Henn said. Or worse yet, did you encourage it?

Joy Brenner, who is running for council this fall and was a leader in the unsuccessful effort to recall Peotter, said she regrets that she didnt do more to remove him because shes convinced Kiff wouldnt have resigned early if Peotter was recalled.

I dont think you understand how much this community respects Dave Kiff, Brenner said. If I were in one of those seats this would not be happening because a majority of us would be giving Dave every acknowledgment and appreciation for the work hes done for us.

Former Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer flatly accused Peotter, Muldoon, ONeill and Duffield of violating open meetings laws

Its not time for Dave Kiff to go, she said, calling Kiff one of Orange Countys finest public servants. Its time for the four of you to go. You have embarrassed yourself, and you have disgraced one of Orange Countys finest cities. I call upon you, based on your recent behavior, to step down from the office you hold and save this city from further embarrassment.

ONeill broke in to address Kiff, who had been silent until then. Mr. Kiff, did any such meeting 

Oh, give it up, Brewer said over him.

 that she just referenced, ONeill continued, as the audience murmured and jeered. Did   Hang on. If you believe Mr. Kiff to be truthful, let me ask the question  did any such meeting ever happen that she just described?

No, Kiff replied.

Muldoon said many accounts of Kiffs situation circulating around town are untrue, including allegations from speakers that members of the council violated the states opening meeting law, the Brown Act.

You come here and make many statements that are unfounded, and you do it in a very disrespectful way, and I think its inappropriate, he told Brewer. As a former elected official I would assume of everyone here you, especially, would know better.

Muldoon later called the accusations of secret meetings offensive, and asked Kiff if they ever met about ending Kiffs employment. Kiff again denied it.

Jim Warren, who lives across from City Hall, said Kiff was responsive to neighbors when the at-times controversial complex was being built between 2010 and 2013.

Im hearing rumors, but I dont like it. Its not class. Were a first-class city, and Im not seeing class, and it really, really bugs me, Warren said. So lets get out of the gutter. Treat him right. Treat him first-class. If he wants to retire, let him retire a hero. Hes a hero in this neighborhood. You all are unknowns. You dont exist. So help us out. Do it right.

Kiff joined Newport Beach as assistant to the city manager in 1998, according to his city bio. He became the city manager in September 2009, working on water quality, Newport Bay dredging, the annexations of Newport Coast and Santa Ana Heights, the extension of the citys noise agreement with John Wayne Airport, pension reform and construction of the Civic Center complex and library.

In his weekend announcement, he said he wants a smooth transition and will work with city leadership on key issues before he departs.

Addressing previous public statements on Kiffs employment, Councilman Jeff Herdman said he had no prior knowledge of a scheme to push Kiff out.

I want to say for the public record that I was not aware of any effort to oust the city manager, to negotiate an exit or assert there were four votes to accomplish this act by the council majority, Herdman said.

Former Mayor Evelyn Hart made a measured request for more information.

We all know that we have to hear all the evidence before we totally make up our minds on something, Hart said. So hopefully the City Council, the four people (who) have been accused of very serious things tonight, maybe you can give us a little explanation on some of this. Itd really be appreciated.

As she stepped away from the microphone she sunnily called out, as if waving farewell from the front porch, Love you, Dave.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD
A music promoter at Don the Beachcomber in Sunset Beach has taken his acts to other venues in the belief that the iconic tiki bar and concert venue is about to close.

The restaurants owner, however, has denied that the Pacific Coast Highway institution is closing for good.

Were not closing, Delia Wu Snyder told the Orange County Register on Tuesday. We will have an announcement soon. Its really premature. Theres nothing to say right now.

Snyder, who opened the location at 16278 Pacific Coast Hwy. with her husband in 2009, did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Pilot.

However, promoter Christopher Burkhardt of Stellar Shows told the Pilot that Don the Beachcomber is closing and he has moved his acts to other sites in Orange County and Long Beach.

Its the music people follow, not necessarily the venue, although Dons was a very unique, iconic space and will be missed, Burkhardt said in an email.

Don the Beachcomber has not indicated on its website or Facebook page that it is going away. Throughout the week, the Facebook page has been promoting upcoming shows, including the 10th-anniversary ohana gathering on Friday and Saturday, which is sold out.

Beyond Saturday, Don the Beachcombers website lists no in-house shows.

Online rumors have claimed the 15,000-square-foot restaurant will be torn down and replaced with condominiums.

In 2015, city officials considered rezoning the 10.7-acre lot that includes Don the Beachcomber to potentially allow condos but ultimately decided against it.

The first Don the Beachcomber opened in Los Angeles in 1937. Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, who later changed his name to Donn Beach, founded the chain. Aside from Sunset Beach, the only other Don the Beachcomber is in Hawaii.

Beach, who died in 1989 at age 81, was credited with introducing Polynesian restaurants and tiki bars to America.

bradley.zint@latimes.com

Twitter: @BradleyZint
Huntington Beach leaders expressed thanks to the Orange County Board of Supervisors for its vote Tuesday to scrap a plan to have county staff study moving hundreds of homeless people to temporary shelters in Huntington, Laguna Niguel and Irvine after receiving pushback from those communities.

In its 4-0 vote, the board opted to come up with a new plan under the watchful eye of a federal judge overseeing a civil-rights lawsuit by seven homeless people and their advocates over the countys recent clearing of encampments along the Santa Ana River trail.

It isnt clear what the new plan will include.

Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey on Tuesday thanked Supervisors Michelle Steel and Lisa Bartlett for rescinding their support for the previous plan, a move he called courageous.

On March 19, the board directed staff to study relocating homeless people who recently were moved from the Santa Ana River trail into motels for 30 days. They would have been housed in temporary shelters on county land, first in Irvine near the Great Park, then at a former landfill in Huntington Beach and eventually near City Hall in Laguna Niguel.

The plan prompted significant backlash, with the Huntington Beach City Council authorizing the city attorney to take any necessary legal action to stop it. Huntington Beach officials said the 33-acre former landfill on Gothard Street, which the county operated from 1947 to 1982, is contaminated with methane and isnt safe for a shelter.

The Irvine and Laguna Niguel city councils voted to sue the county over the plans for their cities.

In an interview Wednesday, Posey pointed to the citys homeless task force, created in 2015 to connect the homeless population with housing and other services, as an example of how Huntington Beach is working to solve homelessness. He said the city remains opposed to creation of a local tent city.

Were doing our fair share, he said.

More than 1,000 people attended Tuesdays supervisors meeting to protest the shelter plans. Some said they shouldnt have to worry about where to put the homeless.

Angela Liu of Irvine said she didnt know where the homeless should go but it shouldnt be her city.

They need to put them somewhere, maybe somewhere else in California, said Liu, who owns a legal services company. I really dont know where they can go. But Irvine is beautiful and we dont want it to get destroyed.

Others suggested the government should do nothing. U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) criticized the spectacle of county-financed homeless compounds setting up shop in our local communities.

As a parent who owns a modest home in an Orange County neighborhood, I join the outrage that we are assuming responsibility for homeless people, taking care of their basic needs and elongating their agony by removing the necessity to make fundamental decisions about the way they live their lives, Rohrabacher said in a statement.

The political drama began in January when Orange County officials began clearing the sprawling river encampments in response to complaints from nearby residents about crime and blight. But the countys existing homeless shelters are already at capacity, and U.S. District Judge David Carter has ordered local governments to find places for the evicted people to live.

According to county Supervisor Shawn Nelson, we were not given time to go on a tour to talk to cities about where temporary shelters would be located.

Of course, youre criticized on having created a plan but with limitations, Nelson said. We did the best we could.

Nelson said county and city officials will meet with Carter on Tuesday. Nelson said he expects the judge to push a lot of cities to see if we can come up with a host of emergency shelter beds.

Fry is a Daily Pilot staff writer. Do and Carcamo write for the Los Angeles Times.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
More than a dozen Newport Beach police employees took center stage Thursday at the 47th annual Police Appreciation Breakfast to receive accolades for their work in 2017.

City staff, local officials and members of the business community attended the event, presented by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, we recognize our exemplary employees for who they are and what they do. This year, we also wanted to focus on why they do it. These public servants are just that  servants at heart, Police Chief Jon Lewis said in a statement.

Their actions and their lives show that their sense of service is something they bring with them into this profession, something that guides them toward this profession and not something that begins and ends with their duty shift, Lewis said.

The honorees are:

Sgt. Jason Blakely: Officer of the Year

Sgt. Brandon Rodriguez: Sworn Supervisor of the Year

Records supervisor Connie Frink: Civilian Supervisor of the Year

Dispatcher Lauren Wyse: Civilian of the Year

Marc Spiegel: Volunteer of the Year

Volunteer of the Year Officers Rachel Cox, Bill Hume, Mark Fasano and Ricardo Adame: Lifesaving Awards for acts of heroism in the field

Sgt. Josh Comte, Sgt. Brad Miller and Officers Jeremy Duenas, Jon Jarema, Chris Kimble, Dennis Maisano and Steve Oberon: Awards of Merit for their work in rescuing a kidnapping victim

Officer Troy Zeeman: Medal of Valor for helping more than 20 concert-goers to safety in October during the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas, despite being wounded by gunfire

Margaret Peg Peterson, an Orange County Health Care Agency employee: Chiefs citation for her work helping the citys homeless population

Reserve Officer Steve Schogel: Chiefs citation for implementing the Police Departments use of Naloxone, a medication used to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
Newport-Mesa Unified staff assured parents and teachers of the school districts safety procedures amid concerns over a drawing by a student at California Elementary School in Costa Mesa.

Several people who attended Tuesdays school board meeting called on the district to quickly ramp up security measures.

Some said the drawing depicted the student harming a teacher, though district spokeswoman Annette Franco denied that Thursday. She would not say what the drawing depicted.

Its unclear when the incident took place, and Newport-Mesa officials said privacy rights limit the details they can share.

Some parents said they werent satisfied with what they considered a lack of answers from district and school staff after seeing a recent heightened police presence at the campus.

Im angry and frustrated and Im not being told the truth, said Son Vu, a room mom for two kindergarten classes at California Elementary.

Lance Yurada, another parent at the school, said parents and teachers are nervous after being told by school staff to sit tight.

District Supt. Fred Navarro called on his staff Tuesday to give an overview of safety protocols.

Since the incident, teachers at California Elementary are equipped with radios to give them direct contact with office staff, according to Leona Olson, district director of certificated personnel.

All school sites and other district facilities have safety plans that are updated yearly and as needed. School administrators and school site councils, which include certificated, classified, parent and student representatives, review the plans before they are sent to the school board for approval.

Navarro recently emailed parents an overview of the districts partnership with local agencies and community members, and a meeting is scheduled for this week with two teams of employee representatives for further discussion, said Russell Lee-Sung, district deputy superintendent and chief academic officer.

Trustees Charlene Metoyer and Martha Fluor said staff should have given parents a clearer response to their concerns about the Costa Mesa incident. Both supported creating a parent advisory committee to give recommendations for updating school site safety plans.

Yurada urged district staff to create a safety council in which parents, teachers and administrators could collaborate on California Elementarys safety plan.

Work with us, Yurada said. Im ready to jump in and lets figure it out.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella

UPDATES:

12:15 p.m. March 29: This article was updated with Annette Francos comment.

This article was originally published at 4:40 p.m. March 28.
Eighty motorists were given speeding citations in Glendale on Monday as part of a traffic-enforcement operation conducted by the police department.

The operation was held from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. along several streets, including South Brand Boulevard, Camino San Rafael and South Glendale Avenue. A total of 95 citations were issued, with 104 cars being stopped, according to the Glendale Police Department.

In addition to speeding, officers issued six citations for illegal U-turns, two for cellphone use, four for running a red light and two for failing to yield to a pedestrian. Citations were also given for having a tinted window, being an unlicensed driver and possession of heroin.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Six area students were named semifinalists in the Music Centers 30th annual Spotlight program, a scholarship and arts training program for teens.

The students were selected in seven categories: acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental.

Glendale students who were selected were:

Ethan Moffitt, who attends Verdugo Academy, for jazz instrumental;

Caleb Ossmann, who attends Los Angeles County School for the Arts, for jazz instrumental;

Anoush Pogossian, who attends Verdugo Academy, for classical instrumental;

Moira Rogers, who attends Los Angeles County School for the Arts, for acting.

Burbank students who were selected were:



Cheyenne Arroyo, who attends John Burroughs High School, for non-classical voice;

Khalil Powell, who also attends John Burroughs High School, for acting.

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam

mark.kellam@latimes.com

Twitter: @lamarkkellam
Ken Fuller had a fairly satisfying academic life until he got to La Canada High School 7/8.

Thats when the bright, accomplished student known for asking a lot of questions in his elementary private school classes and arguing both sides of an issue hit a roadblock  the academic rigor at La Canadas public middle school was just too much.

It was an entirely different ballgame, he recalled. It was like jumping onto a treadmill. There was no coddling. You really had to get organized.

Not wanting the transition to public school to start a downward spiral, Fuller took summer school classes to get up to speed. He found his legs and graduated from LCHS in 1998, going on to major in film production and political science at USC before graduating from USCs Gould School of Law in 2005.

Today the Los Angeles County deputy district attorney and U.S. Air Force reserve captain credits La Canada High School, and the lesson in perseverance it provided, as a touchstone in a career he hopes will take him all the way to the judges bench.

Fuller is running for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, Seat No. 126 in the June 5 election. Its a tricky proposition, since getting candidate statements into the sample ballot can be costly for countywide races like judgeships.

The 37-year-old Fullerton resident and father of three hopes his track record and willingness to overcome challenges will make an impression on anyone inclined to Google him or look at his campaign page, fullerforjudge.com.

A youth who enjoyed the limelight  whether in speeches, debates or improv and stand-up comedy  Fuller discovered his true calling was the courtroom.

When Im up there, I guess my brain is operating at a different level, he said of trying cases. Its exhausting sometimes, but its very exhilarating.

In 2004, drawn to the district attorneys office because there your only job is the truth, Fuller volunteered as a law clerk. After finishing law school, he became a deputy district attorney in 2006 and tried cases in Torrance, Compton, Norwalk and Long Beach before landing in Downtown Los Angeles.

There, he prosecuted abuse and sex crimes in the Victim Impact Program before seeking out the high caseloads associated with the offices Central Bureau and then moving onto the Hardcore Gang and Environmental Crime units. He credits wife and fellow Deputy District Atty. Roshni Gandhi for helping him maintain equilibrium through especially intense cases.

Despite his success, Fuller looked for new challenges and opportunities to grow. In 2012, he entered the U.S. Air Forces Judge Advocate Generals Corps and once again experienced a learning curve.

At first I kind of struggled a little bit, similar to La Canada, getting my bearings, he said. But failing in the beginning was the impetus, just like junior high was. It was a kick in the rear to say, youve seen the bottom, now its time to really push the gas.

Fuller graduated at the top of his class and today volunteers about 15% to 20% of his overall work hours representing servicemen and women in the military. Though his schedule is busy, hes excited to once again reach beyond his comfort zone in the June 5 election.

I always wanted to run for office in some capacity and found myself at the Registrars door with my wife and figured, youve just got to jump in the pool, he said of his filing. Its a different skill set, but Im ready to do that.

sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine
Since longtime Lanterman House Executive Director Melissa Patton announced her retirement last spring, the museums board has been searching for someone who could fill her shoes while charting a new course for La Canadas nonprofit historic house.

After a thorough search, the board recently reported their selection: Pasadena Museum of History Director of Collections Laura Verlaque will start her new role in La Canada on April 9.

Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation Board President Mary Lou Langedyke said in an interview earlier this month the selection committee hoped to find a candidate with an interest in historic house museums who could also play an active role in the community.

We were looking for someone who could revitalize current programs and provide some life and energy through social media and outreach, Langedyke said. More than anything, we wanted someone who could build on the solid foundation Melissa had built for us and who could move on with the same graciousness she had.

The part-time position, listed at 24 hours per week, pays an annual salary of $46,800.

A Santa Clarita resident and mother of three, Verlaque comes to Lanterman House after 12 years with the Pasadena Museum of History, where she previously served as collections manager from 2005 to 2010.

As director of collections, she planned gallery exhibits, developed educational programs and was a founding member of the Pasadena Digital History Collaboration  an effort by PMH, Pasadena City College and the Pasadena Public Library, among others, to make historical photos and documents more accessible to the public.

Before that, Verlaque was a research volunteer at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and rose through the ranks at Christies Fine Arts Auctioneers from 1998 to 2003, starting as a junior specialist and eventually becoming vice president of the silver department.

If youre a geek, lying on the floor looking at the underside of a chair is an incredible education, she said recalled her time there. I got to see the unseen side of things. It was fascinating, like a detective story.

Despite her varied experience, Verlaque confessed a childhood fascination with historic houses in her native state of Delaware sparked her interest in local history.

At age 8, she began compiling a scrapbook filled with brochures and pictures of the many homes shed visit. An internship at Wilmingtons Rockwood Museum, a mid-19th century Gothic Revival mansion, the summer after her freshman year at Virginias James Madison University sealed the deal.

A historic house museum is the total package  you can take in the art or the decorative architecture, but overall its telling the story of a family, and I find that compelling, she said.

Bob Moses, a former board member and longtime Lanterman House docent, served as interim director after Pattons departure last August. On Tuesday, he said he hoped Verlaque would continue to build bridges into the wider community.

Im really happy to see Laura coming on board, said Moses, who will stay on as facilities manager. I think shes got all the right preparation for this and can take Lanterman House into its next phase.

Verlaque said shes impressed by how well-known the museum is in the La Canada community and called the immense preservation undertaken by Patton, staff and volunteers over the past 25 years a success story upon which she hopes to build.

I commend them for getting that done and the city for sticking with this for so long, she added. Now I can help tell the story and spread that, and maybe discover a few more hidden things in there.

sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine
Forget stars homes. These tours visit pot growers and bong makers By Hugo Martin In Napa and Sonoma, tour bus operators ferry oenophiles between tasting rooms and vineyards. In Hollywood and environs, they shepherd the starstruck past the homes of the rich and famous. Now theyre giving customers a mind-expanding look at one of Los Angeles burgeoning industries: pot. Since recreational use of marijuana became legal a year ago, a pot tourism business has emerged, taking visitors behind the scenes of Californias estimated $7-billion cannabis industry. Read More Facebook

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Plans for a state-backed pot bank arent feasible, a study says By Sam Dean Hopes that California might create a public bank to serve the states legal marijuana industry are nothing but a pipe dream, the authors of a new feasibility study told state officials Thursday. In the end we were not able to find any approach to doing this that makes any sense whatsoever, said William Roetzheim, founder and chief executive of Level 4 Ventures, the consulting firm hired to carry out the study for the State Treasurers Cannabis Banking Working Group. California voters approved Proposition 64 in 2016 to legalize growing, possessing and selling marijuana for recreational use. But since cannabis remains illegal under federal law, most banks which are federally chartered and insured by the FDIC  refuse to hold weed money. Read More Facebook

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Santa Cruz marijuana company fined $50,000 for explosion that badly burned employee By Hannah Fry A Santa Cruz-based marijuana manufacturing company is being fined more than $50,000 by state regulators for safety violations after an employee was severely burned in a propane explosion, officials have announced. An employee at Future2 Labs Health Services was working alone inside a 128-square-foot portable storage container in Watsonville on June 19, extracting oil from cannabis leaves with propane, when a spark ignited the tank and it exploded. The worker was hospitalized with severe burns, according to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The process of using a highly flammable gas to extract oil from cannabis leaves is dangerous, Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum said Thursday in a prepared statement. Read More Facebook

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FDA casts shadow on hemp win, calling CBD products illegal By Associated Press The hemp industry still has work ahead to win legal status for hemp-derived cannabidiol, or CBD oil, as an ingredient in food or dietary supplements despite the big farm bill President Trump signed this week designating hemp as an agricultural crop. CBD oils have become increasingly popular in lotions, tinctures and foods, but their legal status has been murky and the Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to some companies making health claims for CBD. In a statement following Thursdays bill signing in Washington, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb restated his agencys stance that CBD is a drug ingredient and therefore illegal to add to food or health products without approval from his agency. Read More Facebook

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One year of legal pot sales and California doesnt have the bustling industry it expected. Heres why By Patrick McGreevy When Californians voted in 2016 to allow the sale of recreational marijuana, advocates of the move envisioned thousands of pot shops and cannabis farms obtaining state licenses, making the drug easily available to all adults within a short drive. But as the first year of licensed sales comes to a close, Californias legal market hasnt performed as state officials and the cannabis industry had hoped. Retailers and growers say theyve been stunted by complex regulations, high taxes and decisions by most cities to ban cannabis shops. At the same time, many residents are going to city halls and courts to fight pot businesses they see as nuisances, and police chiefs are raising concerns about crime triggered by the marijuana trade. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, who played a large role in the legalization of cannabis, will inherit the numerous challenges when he takes office in January as legislators hope to send him a raft of bills next year to provide banking for the pot industry, ease the tax burden on retailers and crack down on sales to minors. Read More Facebook

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Hemp is about to be legal under the 2018 farm bill. You cant get high from it  but you can wear it By Kurtis Lee Hemp  a close relative of marijuana that can be used to make textiles and other products  has long been classified as a Schedule I drug by the federal government. Thats set to change. President Trump is soon expected to sign a farm bill that includes a section that legalizes the commercial cultivation of hemp nationwide. The bill, years in the making, comes as public support for cannabis legalization has increased over the years, offering a cover of sorts to politicians who see the potential for boosting state tax revenue. Read More Facebook

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Students sent home after Marysville middle schooler brings pot brownies for class to eat By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Several students at a middle school in Marysville, Calif., were sent home this week after eating marijuana-laced brownies, officials said. Staff at Anna McKenney Intermediate School called police Wednesday morning after learning that a 13-year-old girl had passed out the brownies to her classmates, said Marysville Police Sgt. Jason Garringer. Nine students were sent home, Garringer said, but no one who ate the brownies showed obvious signs of being under the influence. Read More Facebook

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Mistletoke, luxe vape cases and other gift suggestions for the cannabis enthusiast on your nice list By Adam Tschorn Now that some form of cannabis use is legal in 33 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and Californias era of legal adult-use weed is almost a year old (though it remains illegal under federal law), its easier than ever to find a little something special for the cannabis consumer on your nice list. Below are a few items that  with the exception of the first item which is available in L.A. only  are legal, widely available and, if ordered soon, can still be under the tree in the U.S. by Christmas Day. For those who want to do good while feeling good  and score a little holiday decor at the same time  L.A.-based Zoma Cannabis is prepared to send some lucky L.A. residents a limited-edition floral-meets-cannabis Mistletoke arrangement that intertwines sprigs of mistletoe with three trimmed buds (roughly five grams total) of its Santa Cruz-grown True OG and/or Gelato strain cannabis flower all tied up in a big red Santa-worthy bow. No purchase is necessary, but recipients are highly encouraged to make a donation to the charity reforestation group One Tree Planted to aid in the recovery efforts from the 2017 and 2018 California fires. Zoma will match donations dollar for dollar. Each dollar donated means one tree gets planted, and that means the green you donate for its green means a greener Golden State moving forward. Zoma is set to deliver the decor right to your door if you live in L.A., are over the age of 21 and are one of the first 50 folks to fire off an email to info@zomacannabis.com with the word Mistletoke in the subject line. Supplies willing, orders placed as late as Dec. 20 will arrive in time to make your Christmas very merry indeed. Read More Facebook

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3 marijuana businesses win OK in Costa Mesa as another is put on hold By Bradley Zint The Costa Mesa Planning Commission this week approved three new marijuana facilities but postponed a decision on a fourth due to the absence of one commissioner, whose vote likely will decide the fate of the business. After two commissioners expressed support and two expressed opposition for Triiads proposal for a marijuana distribution facility, the panel voted 3-1 on Monday night, with Commissioner Jeffrey Harlan absent, to hold a special meeting Monday to reexamine the matter. Commissioner Carla Navarro Woods dissented. The proposed location at 3525 Hyland Ave., Suite 265, is in Hyland Plaza, north of South Coast Collection in an area identified under city law as permissible for marijuana uses. Read More Facebook

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Marlboro cigarette maker places a $2.4-billion bet on marijuana By Associated Press Altria Group Inc., one of the worlds biggest tobacco companies, is diving into the cannabis market with a $2.4 billion buy-in. The Marlboro cigarette maker is taking a 45% stake in Cronos Group Inc., the Canadian medical and recreational marijuana provider said Friday. Altria will pay an additional $1.4 billion for warrants that, if exercised, would give Altria a 55% ownership stake in the Toronto company. Read More Facebook

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Utah voters approved medical marijuana in November. State lawmakers just passed big changes to the ballot measure By Associated Press Lawmakers in Utah passed sweeping changes Monday to a voter-approved medical marijuana ballot measure under a planned compromise that secured the support of the influential Mormon Church but sparked a backlash from pot advocates. Supporters of the compromise cheered the vote, saying it would help suffering patients while creating safeguards against broader recreational use. I believe this agreement was a landmark day for our state, and we are helping people, said outgoing Republican House Speaker Greg Hughes, who sponsored the legislation and helped bring together the players for talks. Read More Facebook

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Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy, two others arrested on drug charges after heist at pot warehouse By Maya Lau The Los Angeles sheriffs deputy pulled up to the pot-filled warehouse just after three in the morning. He held up an official-looking document to a guard, who promptly unlocked a gate. The deputy and two other men, each of them armed and dressed in sheriffs jackets, got out. After locking the guard and two other employees in the back of the deputys SUV, the men went to work lugging bags of marijuana from the warehouse. Read More Facebook

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Cannary West dispensary to host Higher Standards pop-up shop Saturday through Feb. 28 By Adam Tschorn The Higher Standards X Cannary West pop-up is slated to run from Saturday through Feb. 28. (Higher Standards) Following its successful (and still running) pop-up space inside the Pottery dispensary in L.A.s Mid-City, purveyor of luxury-level cannabis accoutrements Higher Standards has announced plans to take up temporary residence inside the Cannary West dispensary in the Rancho Park neighborhood just in time for the holidays. On track to pop-up on Saturday (with a 20% opening day discount) and run through the end of February, itll serve up a similar curated mix of high-end smoking tools and accessories from brands like Marley Naturals, Grav Labs, Dr. Dabber and Puffco (makers of the futuristic-looking Peak dab rig) as well as home goods for the discerning head by Jonathan Adler, Malin+Goetz and Forestry Wool. Higher Standards X Cannary West Where: 2435 Military Ave., Los Angeles. Entry is restricted to those 21 and older. Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Saturday through Feb. 28. Info: cannarywest.com, higherstandards.com Facebook

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I fell off the way. A charismatic pastor-turned-marijuana smuggler heads to prison By Kristina Davis On Easter Sunday 2007, Pastor John Lee Bishop drew about 15,000 worshipers to a sports arena in Portland, Ore. With a flair for showmanship, Bishop  a jeans-clad minister sporting a youthful, moppish haircut  relished building buzz around his Living Hope Church, based in Vancouver, Wash., on the north bank of the Columbia River. One time, it was bringing a Bengal tiger onstage. Another, according to an account in the Columbian newspaper, it was advertising a sermon series with the word sex prominently facing a busy street. Read More Facebook

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For all your weed needs, theres now a pot superstore in Las Vegas By David Montero The employee in the red shirt counseled the two men on what  or what not  to buy. Now, if you start thinking dolphins are talking to you, that might be too much, she explained. The two young men nodded slowly. One stroked his beard. Neither had ever talked to dolphins before. Or even yelled at them on Sundays when they play against the New England Patriots. Above them, the continuous light show on the ceiling was like an electric lava lamp  orbs expanding and dividing in an endless trip. Then it was gone and replaced by flowers and a Saturn-like planet floating in the sky. Read More Facebook

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4 more marijuana permit applications await Costa Mesa Planning Commission review By Luke Money The recent parade of permit applications from marijuana manufacturing and distribution businesses looking to open in Costa Mesa will continue next week, when the city Planning Commission is scheduled to review four more. All the requests on Mondays agenda are for conditional use permits, which are among several approvals required to open a cannabis company in the city. Here is the latest lineup of applicants: Read More Facebook

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With Jeff Sessions out at the Justice Dept., the marijuana movement exhales By Kurtis Lee He described marijuana as a very real danger and has said its effects are only slightly less awful than those of heroin. Once, during a drug hearing when he was a Senator, he said he wanted to send a clear message: Good people dont smoke marijuana. So when Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions was ousted recently, a collective sigh of relief rose up from proponents of legalized pot  activists, politicians, investors  who felt targeted by the nations top law enforcement officer. Sessionss departure has translated into spiking stocks for cannabis companies and a reset of sorts for the legalization movement which, since 2012, has seen nearly a dozen states pass recreational pot measures. Read More Facebook

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This is what a cannabis executives party pad looks like By Kavita Daswani Dont expect to find bongs, water pipes and empty packets of Funyuns at the Los Angeles-area home of Will Htun. When we asked to look inside the home of the CEO of cannabis brand Sherbinskis, we found a sleek and minimal space where he could host chef-catered, cannabis-paired dinners on the rooftop and take meetings in a high-ceilinged front room. Htun, 34, moved into the 2,700-square-foot townhouse in July 2016, after he and brand founder Mario Sherbinski, who is based in San Francisco, decided it would make an ideal live/work space. With its three en-suite bedrooms, Htun opens up the home to associates in town for business instead of housing them in a serviced apartment. Read More Facebook

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First recreational pot shops in Eastern U.S. to open in Massachusetts By Associated Press Two marijuana stores in Massachusetts have been given the green light to begin selling to recreational customers, making them the first commercial pot shops in the eastern United States. Both stores, one located in Northampton and the other in Leicester, said they would open Tuesday morning after the Cannabis Control Commission, the states marijuana regulatory agency, on Friday authorized them to begin operations. The announcement ended a long wait for commercial sales to begin in Massachusetts. The states voters legalized the use of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older in 2016, but its taken more than two years for state legislators and regulators to reach the point where the first stores can finally open. Read More Facebook

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Heres whats behind Mexicos radical move toward legalizing marijuana during its war on drugs By Kate Linthicum Mexico may soon legalize marijuana, a radical shift for a country whose prohibition on narcotics has been at the heart of its long and violent war against drug traffickers. Legislation submitted to Congress last week by the party of leftist President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would regulate cannabis, allowing it to be grown, sold and consumed for recreational use. Proponents of legalization say it would reduce bloodshed in Mexico by weakening drug cartels and freeing up police officers and prosecutors to focus on more serious crimes. But the proposal has critics, including the Catholic Church, which holds significant sway in Mexican politics. A poll in Mexico last year showed a majority of respondents opposed legalizing marijuana. Read More Facebook

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Curious about all the CBD-infused products you see? By Kavita Daswani Some chew it, or place a few drops under the tongue or let it soak in through the skin. There are numerous ways to consume cannabidiol  better known as CBD. Its touted for its therapeutic effects, but, unlike its better-known cousin THC, does not get you high. Hemp-derived CBD is increasingly in the limelight these days, at natural products stores and even fashion boutiques, catering to widening demand from consumers who find it helps them with pain, anxiety and insomnia. Despite Californias marijuana-friendly laws, however, the state announced earlier this year it is waiting for the federal government to rule on the use of CBD oils and products before giving the green light to sales. Critics, meanwhile, have been asking for clarity, to help consumers who want options. Read More Facebook

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6 cannabis cookbooks with recipes from basic to gourmet By Amy Scattergood As cannabis is legalized  although it remains illegal under federal law and goes mainstream in California and other states, the cookbook industry has churned into high gear with books on what ways to use jazz cabbage beyond the bong. What to look for? A lot depends on your level of expertise  not just in the kitchen but with cannabis itself. If youve been making batches of pot brownies and want to expand your repertoire to, say, French macarons, there are cookbooks to help you out. Many books have lengthy introductions that outline the specifics of cooking with cannabis, so find one that fits with what you know  or dont know. Bong Appetit: Mastering the Art of Cooking With Weed by the editors of Munchies (Ten Speed Press, $30) This book, based on the Munchies and Viceland television series Bong Appetit, was published in October by Ten Speed Press. (This is in itself notable, as Ten Speed is one of the best cookbook publishers around, and continues the legitimate trajectory of the cannabis cooking genre.) The book has a comprehensive introduction that includes topics such as dosing, techniques, methods of decarboxylation and infusion, cannabis pairing tips, questions to ask your dispensary, tips on equipment and more. The recipes are sourced from the Munchies test kitchen and from many well-known chefs, whose recipes are recalibrated to add cannabis. Thus: Korean fried chicken from Deuki Hong of San Franciscos Sunday Bird; fried soft-shell crab with shishito pepper mole from Daniela Soto-Innes of Cosme and Atla; and (my favorite) Joan Nathans preserved lemons. The Munchies test kitchen also has some fun ones, including herb focaccia with, well, herb; and confit octopus, in which a whole octopus is poached in cannabis-infused olive oil. If that sounds too aspirational, there are instructions for making an apple bong  a hollowed-out apple filled with weed-infused mezcal  at the end of the drinks chapter. Read More Facebook

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Sativa or indica? CBD or THC? What to know before cooking with cannabis By Brette Warshaw Dont know the difference between MSG and THC? Heres a guide to the terminology youll encounter. Cannabis sativa and cannabis indica are two of the three species of cannabis. (The third species, cannabis ruderalis, is less attractive due to its smaller stature and low concentration of THC.) Sativa is a warm-weather species characterized by tall plants and thin leaves. The plant takes 10 to 15 weeks to mature and is known for a cerebral, energetic and invigorating high thats particularly suited for daytime use. Medically, it can be used to help people with depression and chronic pain. Read More Facebook

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California pot tax revenue improves but is still short of projections (Mathew Sumner / Associated Press) The amount of money collected by the state from taxes on cannabis grown and sold legally in California continues to increase but is still falling short of budget estimates, according to figures released Wednesday. Tax revenue reported from the cannabis industry totaled $93.1 million for the three months ending Sept. 30, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. That is an increase from the $80.2 million collected during the second quarter of the year. If revenue continues to grow by the same 16% per quarter, pot taxes will bring in $471 million during the fiscal year that began July 1, while the budget approved by the governor and Legislature estimates the taxes would bring in $630 million during the fiscal year. Read More Facebook

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Eaze launches (nearly) nationwide delivery of hemp-derived CBD products By Adam Tschorn Eaze Wellness offers non-psychoactive CBD products derived from hemp. (Eaze) Eaze, the San Francisco-based technology platform thats been coordinating dispensary-to-consumer home deliveries of cannabis in Los Angeles since April, has expanded its reach  for CBD-containing products, that is  to most of the United States. (CBD, a.k.a cannabidiol, is a cannabis compound said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties but none of the high associated with THC. These claims have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.) Through the just-launched Eaze Wellness website, consumers over the age of 21 in 41 states and the District of Columbia can order a range of hemp-derived CBD tinctures, tablets, balms, bath bombs, patches, vape pens and pet products for delivery within four to six days. (Shipping is free for orders $50 and up; otherwise, itll cost you $5.) Much like its in-state marijuana-delivery service, which coordinates deliveries with local dispensaries, Eaze isnt doing the shipping itself, but rather working with a third-party partner to get goods from brands such as Plant People, Cannuka, BeTru Wellness and Vital Leaf from point A to point B. Although the laws surrounding the legality of CBD are murky at best (a loophole in federal law has been widely interpreted as making CBD derived from hemp grown for research purposes legal), one point B that Eaze Wellness wont be coordinating shipping to is its home state of California. (The company cites state regulations as the reason.) Yes, California, where cannabis  even the kind that gets you high  has been legal under state law since the beginning of the year. Additional information is available at www.eazewellness.com. Facebook

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What THC-infused edibles are most popular? Fruit-flavored gummies and chocolate-covered coffee beans for starters By Adam Tschorn Nearly a year in to the state-legal cannabis scene, theres no shortage of THC-infused items on the market for 21-and-older consumers, from sachets of herbal tea and cans of citrus-flavored soda to honey mustard pretzels, with analysts and dispensary owners seeing it as a growing side of the business. Since recreational use was legalized in January, edibles have seen a 20%-30% hike in sales, said Nick Danias, managing partner of the Pottery and Cannary West dispensaries in Los Angeles, who added that edibles have proved particularly popular with new cannabis users who might be reluctant to start experimenting by smoking cannabis flower. Edibles companies have been able to offer consumers micro dosing that allows for a controlled amount of THC to be ingested, he said. (State law requires that edibles be portioned or scored into servings that contain no more than 10 milligrams of THC per piece and no more than 100 milligrams of THC per package.) Read More Facebook

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5 more marijuana permit applications await Costa Mesa Planning Commission By Luke Money The torrent of applications from marijuana manufacturing and distribution facilities looking to open in Costa Mesa continues Thursday, when city planning commissioners will review five more during a special meeting. Should the commission grant all the requested conditional use permits, it would bring the total number of marijuana facilities with such approvals to 22  including nine in the past month. The applications up for review this time are: Read More Facebook

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Two shot and killed in Koreatown marijuana dispensary By James Queally Two people were shot and killed early Monday morning after gunfire erupted inside a Koreatown marijuana dispensary, authorities said. Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 400 block of Western Avenue in Koreatown around 4:20 a.m. Monday, according to a statement issued by the Los Angeles Police Department. There, they found a locked and sealed marijuana dispensary, according to the statement. A female employee told police she and several customers were inside the dispensary when they heard gunshots in the waiting room. They fled through the back of the building, and when officers gained entry, they found two people who were pronounced dead at the scene. Read More Facebook

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Party of Mexicos president-elect wants to legalize marijuana By Associated Press The party of Mexicos president-elect submitted legislation Thursday that would legalize marijuana possession, public use, growing and sales. Sen. Olga Sanchez Cordero presented the measure, saying that everyone should have the right to carry up to 30 grams [1 ounce] of cannabis. People could carry more than an ounce if they obtained a permit to do so under the proposal. From the point of view of negative effects, there is no reason why marijuana should not be legal, if alcohol and tobacco are, according to the bill. Read More Facebook

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Want to grow your own marijuana? This class will show you how By Jeanette Marantos California law lets anyone over 21 grow up to six marijuana plants in their yard or home, as long as the plants are not accessible to the public. (Check your City Hall for any additional local rules.) Unsure how to start? Check out Fig Earth Supplys two-hour workshops, Cannabis Cultivation for the Home Grower, on Nov. 10 or Nov. 17, taught by professional cannabis growers. Attendees must be at least 21. No plants or seeds will be sold. Workshops cost $95 and start at 5 p.m. at 3577 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. More info: figearthsupply.com Read More Facebook

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Whats that smell? Survey asks Venice Beach denizens if theyre vexed by odor of marijuana By Joseph Serna They descended on free-wheeling Venice Beach with clipboards and questions in hand. Their goal: to gauge humanitys tolerance for the smell and sight of public pot smoking. Akbar Karriem considered them ridiculous. Everybody be smoking, Karriem said as he sat on the boardwalk and lit a marijuana pipe. Its part of the culture here. Its like a religion. Read More Facebook

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Las Vegas newest and biggest pot shop aims to entertain By Jay Jones Prepare to be entertained at Las Vegas newest and biggest cannabis store a mile west of the Strip. Planet 13 combines light shows and fog-making fountains to wow visitors at the shop, which sells recreational pot, cannabis extracts and cannabis-infused products. The idea is to meld a cannabis shop with an entertainment complex. Visitors, who must be at least 21, can change the colors of 13 giant LED-lighted lotus flowers blooming on the roof of the building. Read More Facebook

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CBD-infused products are being sold everywhere in California  but are they legal? By Laura Newberry Greg and Gary Avetisyan make no secret of it: They proudly sell all manner of products infused with CBD, from essential oils to bath bombs to fruity tea-like beverages that promise calming relief in a frantic world. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a molecule derived from cannabis. But unlike its chemical cousin THC, it wont get you high. What it might do, according to some research, is alleviate anxiety, seizures, chronic pain and dozens of other ailments. The Avetisyan brothers belief in the alleged benefits of the extract is so steadfast that they opened Californias first CBD-only store, Topikal, in Tarzana last year and opened a second along the Venice Beach boardwalk in April. Read More Facebook

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Review: Documentary Weed the People looks at cannabis and pediatric cancer By Kimber Myers An urgent cry for help, Weed the People explores the effects of cannabis on pediatric cancer, as well as the establishments disinterest in researching its efficacy. With the lack of scientific studies available, Abby Epsteins moving documentary primarily devotes its time to five children and their families who are trying to survive using the alternative treatment. Weed the People doesnt ease into its multi-story narrative, wasting no time in sharing the stories of these kids with cancer. With parents desperate for their children to feel better, they turn to medical marijuana to ease the pain, as well as directly addressing the cancer cells. Without studies and lack of nationwide legalization, there is little regulation in the industry. Enter Mara Gordon, a former process engineer who brings precision and rigor to her medical cannabis company, offering the families hope for healing. Read More Facebook

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Denver verdict on pot odor and property values could discourage homeowners from filing RICO lawsuits By Associated Press A Colorado jury likely threw cold water on future legal challenges against cannabis companies by homeowners who consider filing racketeering lawsuits alleging that proximity to pot operations hurts their property values, analysts and industry lawyers said Thursday. A federal jury in Denver on Wednesday rejected claims involving the odor from a pot farm made in a case that was closely watched by the marijuana industry. It was the first such lawsuit to reach a jury. Three others are pending in California, Massachusetts and Oregon. Read More Facebook

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Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office makes its largest seizure of illegal marijuana plants By Joseph Serna An estimated 400,000 marijuana plants were destroyed by Santa Barbara County sheriffs investigators this week in what authorities are calling the countys largest seizure of pot plants at one site. The plants were hidden among farmland in Santa Maria and discovered by sheriffs investigators on Monday, the sheriffs office said in a statement. The crop belonged to a resident who, authorities said, had applied for a temporary state cannabis license using false information and did not have a valid cannabis license. Investigators found the 400,000 plants in various levels of maturity and tapped state Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel to help in the case. Read More Facebook

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Is Rohrabacher trying to lose Republican voters by caving on marijuana policy? To the editor: I was disappointed to read in a column on voters trying to flip an Orange County congressional district that Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) wants to weaken federal laws against marijuana. Recently-approved state laws legalizing marijuana have not been beneficial. In Colorado, following the legalization of recreational marijuana, the number of traffic fatalities involving marijuana-impaired drivers more than doubled. Surveys have found a majority of marijuana users in Colorado do not believe driving high is dangerous, leading some to get behind the wheel impaired. As a retired law enforcement officer who has had the opportunity to work with people impacted by drug addiction, and as a lifelong Republican, I feel Rohrabacher is making a mistake. Read More Facebook

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Berners Melrose birthday bash celebrates a new dispensary  and a collaboration with the G Pen Gio By Adam Tschorn The Cookies dispensary at 8360 Melrose Ave. celebrated its grand opening on Saturday. (Grenco Science) On Saturday morning, the lines were stretching around the corner and down the block outside the bright blue Beverly Grove storefront with the word Cookies above the door. The enthusiastic members of the crowd werent queued up for baked goods, though. They were waiting to get into a new cannabis dispensary  and to help celebrate the birthday of its founding partner, Bay Area rapper and entrepreneur Berner (born Gilbert Millam Jr.). Minimalist, awash in natural light and appointed in the brands blue and white color scheme and emblazoned with the cookie-with-a-bite-missing logo, it marks the second Cookies dispensary in Los Angeles County; the first, Cookies Los Angeles, is located in Maywood. Like that one, its stocked with a wide variety of cannabis flower, oils, edibles and the like, with a particular emphasis on the proprietary strains from the Cookie Family collective (the growers who originated the strain formerly known as Girl Scout Cookies as well as other dessert-named strains such as Gelato and Sunset Sherbet). It also stocks three different Cookies-logoed colors (blue, white and black) of the new G Pen Gio ($29.95), a vaporizer pen that uses cannabis concentrate cartridges for a super-simple, draw-activated plug-and-puff experience. The Cookies G Pen Gio from Grenco Science x Berner collaboration officially launched at the Saturday Berner bash, and includes Gio cannabis-oil cartridges filled with Gelato, London Poundcake, Sunset Sherbet or Snowman strains ($60 for 500 mg, which Tim Patenaude, Grencos vice president of marketing, says marks the first time those Cookie strains have been commercially available as concentrates. (Gio pod cartridges are now available at 500 dispensaries across 12 states, according to Patenaude, including MedMen, BARC and the Pottery locally, as well as through the Eaze delivery service.) Shown are Berners blue-and-white birthday cake, left, and vape pens and cartridges from his Cookies G Pen Gio collaboration. (Grenco Science) Patenaude says the partnership with Berner has its roots in Grencos 2014 partnership with another rapper  Wiz Khalifa (Wiz Khalifas weed guy was Berner, Patenaude said, and thats how we first met him.). He calls Berner the most important person in cannabis today, citing not only Berner and his partners wildly successful strains, but the rapper/entrepreneurs brand-building abilities outside of the cannabis space. His Cookies clothing label is sold in every Zumiez in every mall in America, Patenaude said. In a chat with the Los Angeles Times Rolling Paper, Berner said that the Cookies SF streetwear label he launched out of his garage less than a decade ago saw $12.8 million in revenue in 2017 and that hes aiming to open a store next door to the dispensary  hopefully in time for the Black Friday shopping season. (Theres currently a single flagship store in San Francisco.) He also said the dispensary opening bash was a good way to usher in his 35th year on the planet. Man, I couldnt be happier, he said. Were turning [over] customers left and right, theres no holdup anywhere, everyone is super-juiced and there was a line down the block and wrapped around [the corner] at 6 a.m. You cant ask for anything else. Cookies Melrose, 8360 Melrose Ave. (at North Kings Road), Los Angeles. Additional information on the G Pen Gio (including local availability) is at gpen.com. Facebook

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2 Chainz wants to put a THC tiger in your tank with his new cannabis brand Gas By Adam Tschorn Rapper 2 Chainz attends the launch party for Gas, his fuel-themed cannabis line now available in flower and pre-rolled joints. (Adam Tschorn / Los Angeles Times) Rolling into the Friday launch party for his new cannabis brand Gas, the first thing Grammy-winning rapper 2 Chainz did was brandish a joint in one hand and a smartphone in the other to record the rows of boldly packaged cannabis flower and pre-rolled joints in a video to share with his 5.7 million Instagram followers. The second thing he did was stand back and take in the moment. I cant believe it, thats why I was over here just trying to take it all in, 2 Chainz said about seeing all the green, yellow and black plastic pouches filled with marijuana, and a jerrycan converted into a display tray overflowing with green buds. Ive been told for over a year that we were doing this line, so now Im just trying to live in the moment. I dont do that a lot. The launch party took place at the Mid-Wilshire offices of Green Street Agency, a cannabis-focused branding and licensing company that is one of the rappers two Southern California partners in the venture. The other is L.A.-based Mazel Management Group (owners of the Westside Station dispensary in Van Nuys). Before joining the throng of well-wishers, industry friends and employees dressed in logo-emblazoned overalls, 2 Chainz (born Tauheed Epps), chatted with the Los Angeles Times Rolling Paper about his new project, how cannabis branding is like music and what took so long for the project to come to fruition. (Hint: There was lots of taste-testing). The Rolling Paper: Where does the name of your line  Gas  come from and what does it mean? 2 Chainz: Its Atlanta lingo that we use that basically signifies that this is a stronger type of flower  a stronger cannabis. Ive been saying it since I came into the rap game and Ive used it in a few verses of a few songs. At first people were like: What do you mean by [the line] gas in the ashtray? After it caught on and basically went mainstream, I figured why veer off from what got me here? So we started a legal line of cannabis called Gas. TRP: Ive heard that you were pretty picky in the development process. 2C: It took months and months and about 30 different kinds of [cannabis] flower. I think I was looking for that first impression  that first pull  how it made me feel. Were there fireworks or no fireworks? What kind of memory did it create? Thats what I was looking for. TRP: The three different types of flower youre launching with dont have names but numbers  87, 89 and 93  are those supposed to be kind of like octane ratings but for marijuana? 2C: Thats a great way of describing it. The 87, for example [a Petrol OG hybrid, with a THC content of 14%] is for functioning throughout the day, [and for] people who are on the go [or] at work and cant get that whole indica sleepy feeling during the middle of the day. I think 87 will be sufficient. The 89 [a Sour Gas hybrid, 17% THC] is for when people go out for cocktails after work, when they want to get ready for the wind-down  it signifies the medium [strength]. And the 93 [an indica called Gods Fuel No. 2 with a THC level of 20%] Id definitely say is the strongest. Thats for night-night. TRP: How did the fuel theme and octane ratings and all that evolve from the name? 2C: I approached this the way I do in my music  which was come up with the concept and follow all the way through with it. So, when you have Gas, you have to have the gas cans and the imagery that actually represents the gas pumps and things that tie in to the brand itself. I think that gives it legs  gives it a little more substance and sustainability. And I used these colors because I knew they would be very catching and appealing to the eye and I know that I will kind of have to muscle my way in as far as getting where I need to be on [dispensary] shelves these days. I figure I could be on the back of the shelf and you could still see this green, this yellow and this black packaging. Gas prices range from $12 to $14 (for 1-gram pre-rolled joints) and $36 to $48 for 3.5 gram packages of flower. Currently available at Westside Station, 7022 Valjean Ave., Van Nuys. Facebook

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A chemical found in liverwort has surprising similarities to the THC in marijuana By Noga Tarnopolsky Its an amazing plant that produces hypnotic effects, according to online testimonials. Some people who have ingested it or inhaled its smoke say it gave them a mild, marijuana-like high. Now scientists have weighed in. In experiments with more than 100 mice, they found that chemicals in the liverwort plant produced four of the same key effects as THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. An hour after being injected with the experimental chemicals, the mice entered a trance-like state, lost some of their ability to move, became less responsive to pain and experienced a drop in body temperature, according to a study published this week in the journal Science Advances. Read More Facebook

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Hours-long standoff at Tarzana weed dispensary ends after police learn building is empty By Hailey Branson-Potts The police standoff lasted more than six hours, shutting down a busy six-lane stretch of Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana for most of the evening. An armed robbery suspect, authorities said, had barricaded himself inside an illegal marijuana dispensary in a strip mall in the 18300 block of Ventura Boulevard. He was believed to be one of four suspects and was thought to have a female hostage. But when officers searched the building after 8:20 p.m., there was no one inside, said Officer Mike Lopez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department. Read More Facebook

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State officials decline to drop plan to allow home deliveries of pot in California cities that ban marijuana stores Cities and law enforcement leaders say a state proposal to allow pot delivery to homes would increase crime. (Mathew Sumner / Associated Press) Despite objections from cities and police chiefs, state officials on Friday declined to drop a proposal allowing marijuana firms to deliver to homes everywhere in California, including in areas that have banned pot shops. The proposed rule, which was made public in July, was opposed by the League of California Cities, which represents the states 482 municipalities, and the California Police Chiefs Assn., which said it would jeopardize public safety. But the state Bureau of Cannabis Control announced Friday that it is moving forward with the proposed rule after a series of public hearings and after weighing hundreds of comments from residents and interested parties. Read More Facebook

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San Diego plans to crack down on marijuana ads, especially billboards By David Garrick San Diego officials say they plan to crack down on marijuana advertising, particularly the billboard ads that have become increasingly common with recreational use of the drug now legal in California. Legislation proposed by City Councilman Chris Cate aims to keep marijuana billboard ads out of areas where young people congregate and to prevent illegal marijuana businesses from advertising anywhere. The proposal, which would go beyond relatively new state laws that govern marijuana advertising, will be included in a series of city code updates that Mayor Kevin Faulconers staff plans to present to the City Council next year. Read More Facebook

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Drinking before a flight is common. Now some fliers are turning to pot before takeoff By Hugo Martin Commercial flights can be so stressful  cramped seats, delays, turbulence, loud seatmates  that more than 60% of travelers in a recent survey said they down a drink or two before heading to the airport. But the survey by a drug treatment organization found that nearly as many fliers are now turning to marijuana to relax before getting on a plane. The online survey of 1,137 people who have flown in the past year was taken by Florida-based Delphi Behavioral Health Group. It found that nearly 30% of respondents said they had smoked marijuana and another 25% had consumed pot-infused snacks before arriving at an airport. Read More Facebook

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Marijuana issues dominate Costa Mesa Planning Commission agenda By Luke Money Cannabis-related companies will be front and center in Costa Mesa again Monday, when city planning commissioners will consider four applications for proposed marijuana manufacturing and distribution facilities. Should the Planning Commission OK all the requests, it would bring the number of marijuana businesses with city-approved conditional use permits to 17. First up will be Aureus LLC, which is looking to open in a 5,556-square-foot industrial space at 3505 Cadillac Ave., Building A. The company proposes to manufacture cannabis concentrates, particularly oils intended for use in vaporizer cartridges, according to city planning documents. Read More Facebook

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Canada is now the worlds largest legal marijuana marketplace By Associated Press Ian Power was among the first to buy legal recreational marijuana in Canada but he has no plans to smoke it. He plans to frame it. Canada became the largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace as sales began early Wednesday in Newfoundland. Power was first in line at a store in St. Johns, Newfoundland. I am going to frame it and hang it on my wall. Im not even going to smoke it. Im just going to save it forever, Power said. Read More Facebook

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Bloom Farms doubles its meal donations on Oct. 16 in observance of World Food Day By Adam Tschorn Bloom Farms Pineapple Single Origin vape cartridge is a World Food Day exclusive that will be available only in October. (Bloom Farms) In recognition of the United Nations designation of Oct. 16 as World Food Day 2018, Oakland-based cannabis company Bloom Farms is doubling its usual meal-donation-per-sale for purchase made through the Eaze delivery service (which is doing its part by offering a day-long 20% discount on all Bloom Farms products) as well as participating dispensaries statewide (including Buds & Roses, Urban Treez and Green Dot locally). The company says that since 2014 it has donated about 1.4 million meals to food banks statewide through its one-for-one program, with a goal of donating 5 million meals. World Harvest Food Bank in Los Angeles and the San Diego Food Bank are among the SoCal beneficiaries of the Bloom Farm donations. Although the double-down on meal donations lasts only one day, Bloom Farms has a couple of slightly less time-sensitive promotions to raise awareness and drive donations in furtherance of the U.N.s mission of a zero-hunger world by 2030. One is a partnership with vaporizer maker Pax  which has pledged $10,000 to fund meal donations  that includes a free Pax Era vape pen (custom-engraved on-site) with the purchase of two Bloom Farms Pax pods at special dispensary events throughout the month, the second is an exclusive, October-only Pineapple Single Origin vape cartridge that, after the purchase of any two Bloom Farms products  can be purchased for just a penny. Additional information  and a calendar of dispensary events and demonstrations  can be found at getbloomfarms.com/events. Facebook

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Screened at U.S. border, Canadians who are honest about using marijuana could be banned from the U.S. By Kurtis Lee Bill Powers flipped through the sworn statement he gave to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the printed pages taking him back to that August afternoon  back to the border checkpoint into Washington state where agents asked if he had ever smoked marijuana. Yes, he answered, not initially thinking much of the question. The 57-year-old Canadian has a license for medical marijuana, and pot had been legal in Washington for six years. Like that, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents turned him away with an extreme decree: He had been banned from the United States. Its absolutely out of control. Here I am being honest with the United States and I get the boot, Powers said on a recent afternoon as he stood in his driveway in this farming town an hour east of Vancouver. I have a license  yet theyre turning people away for pot? It makes not a single bit of sense. Read More Facebook

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Newport mayor says he wants to sell his boat factory site, not grow marijuana on it By Hillary Davis Despite having local and state approvals to cultivate or distribute medical marijuana on the site of his boat factory in San Bernardino County, Newport Beach Mayor Marshall Duffy Duffield says he isnt a pot farmer. Rather, he says, he sought the entitlements to make the property more attractive to buyers so he can move his factory to Utah. Duffield said in a statement emailed to the Daily Pilot on Sunday that he split his 4.7-acre property in Adelanto into thirds and sought a cannabis distribution permit from the California Bureau of Cannabis Control to take advantage of increased property values that followed Adelantos passage of a medicinal cultivation ordinance in 2015 and creation of a cultivation zone in 2016 that later expanded to include the factory site. As a property owner, I am trying to maximize the value to sell the land, not grow pot, Duffield said. I am actively manufacturing electric boats at the plant and there is no room to be growing pot. Read More Facebook

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NHL: Legal pot in Canada wont affect league policy By Associated Press Now a handful of years into retirement from more than a decade of junior and pro hockey, former enforcer Riley Cote is a proponent of cannabis and its oils as an alternative to more addictive drugs commonly used by athletes to play through pain. Marijuana can be detected in a persons system for more than 30 days, is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency without a specific therapeutic use exemption and is illegal in much of the United States. Canada on Wednesday will become the largest country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana. That means it will be available under the law in seven more NHL cities (its been legal to adults in Denver since 2012). The move is a step forward for those who, like Cote, believe marijuana has been stigmatized and should be accepted as a form of treatment. It was so tainted for a long time, Ottawa Senators forward Matt Duchene said. And now people are starting to learn a little bit more about it and there is definitely some positive uses to different elements of it. Read More Facebook

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Costa Mesa council to review marijuana permit decision By Luke Money Costa Mesas review process for marijuana-related businesses will enter uncharted territory Tuesday when the City Council takes a second look at an earlier decision to award a required permit. So far, whats separated this particular application by Pivot Naturals LLC from the dozen other marijuana manufacturing and distribution facilities that previously sailed through City Hall isnt so much the question of whether the business should be allowed to open, but when. City planning commissioners decided last month to grant the business a conditional use permit to operate within a 5,283-square-foot industrial space in Suite 101 at 3595 Cadillac Ave. However, they added a new wrinkle by restricting hours to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Read More Facebook

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Business linked to Newport mayor paid councilman to help create marijuana facility in Inland Empire, records show By Hillary Davis A business linked to Newport Beach Mayor Marshall Duffy Duffield paid his City Council colleague Scott Peotter to help convert part of Duffields boat manufacturing facility in San Bernardino County to a medical marijuana cultivation or distribution hub, records show. Peotter made at least $10,000 from DC Developments, a Duffield-associated company, according to Peotters state-required statement of economic interest forms. A string of corporations that financially tie the two together appears to answer a question  has Peotter ever worked for Duffield?  that has dogged them for weeks as they seek reelection in November. Read More Facebook

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Following California, pot legalization campaigns across the U.S. aim to throw out old convictions By Kurtis Lee Rob Jenkins tried for four years to find a job, scouring the internet for anything that seemed at all appealing  a maintenance position at a Chevron refinery, a counselor for foster kids, a clerk at Hertz. Some employers seemed interested, until they found out about his 2008 misdemeanor conviction for growing marijuana. I was stuck, recalled the 37-year-old college graduate. No job opportunities were coming in. Read More Facebook

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Canada is about to legalize marijuana. How did that happen? Justin Trudeau, for starters By Kurtis Lee Politicians herald it as transformative. Residents offer resounding support in the polls. Investors see billions of dollars on the horizon. When Canada legalizes marijuana on Oct. 17, it will join Uruguay as the only countries to allow recreational cannabis nationwide. The South American country became the first in 2013. The effort, years in the making, is unlike the piecemeal approaches to marijuana legalization that have been passed in the United States and the Netherlands. For pot proponents around the world, Canadas implementation of legal marijuana is being closely watched. Read More Facebook

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Can you carry marijuana in LAX? Yes, but its more complicated than that By Chris Erskine LAX wants you to know this about the marijuana you may be taking with you on your trip: Whats legal on the street is also legal in the terminals. Up to a point. Travelers can carry the legal amount of marijuana in California  up to 28.5 grams through the airport areas that are under city supervision, that is up to pre-security checkpoints. Read More Facebook

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Dont you dare light up at Las Vegas new cannabis museum By Jay Jones Inhale  we mean through your nose  in the new marijuana museum in Las Vegas. You wont smell a thing, even though recreational pot is legal in Nevada. Signs in the elevators at Neonopolis, the downtown entertainment, dining and retail center thats home to the immersive Cannabition museum, make it clear that consumption in public is still against the law. Just steps away, a colorful mural covering the museums exterior depicts the changing attitudes toward marijuana, from the scare tactics of the 1930s to strict law enforcement in the 80s to growing tolerance today. That history is depicted in greater detail once youre inside. Read More Facebook

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Costa Mesa Planning Commission awards permit to 13th marijuana business By Luke Money A 13th marijuana manufacturing and distribution facility took a step closer to opening in Costa Mesa after the city Planning Commission decided Monday to grant it a required permit. The 3-2 vote, with Chairman Stephan Andranian and Vice Chairman Byron de Arakal opposed, awards a conditional use permit to Pivot Naturals LLC to operate in an existing 5,283-square-foot industrial space in Suite 101 at 3595 Cadillac Ave. Pivot Naturals intends to process cannabis oils into a powder for use in a variety of products, including tablets, food and beverages. Read More Facebook

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Kindergartner can take cannabis drug to school, judge says By Associated Press A kindergartner can keep bringing a cannabis-based drug used for emergency treatment of a rare form of epilepsy to her public school, a judge ruled Friday. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that a judge sided with the family of 5-year-old Brooke Adams. The Rincon Valley Union School District in Santa Rosa sought to ban the ointment from school grounds because it contains the active ingredient in marijuana. Read More Facebook

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Glendale police seize hundreds of marijuana plants after reportedly discovering elaborate grow operation By Andy Nguyen What started as a routine wellness check by Glendale police officers on Monday led to the alleged discovery of an illegal marijuana grow operation and the seizure of more than 600 plants. Officers with the Glendale Police Department were in the 100 block of Wonderview Drive at around 12:40 a.m. after receiving a call about a person yelling for help from one of the homes in the neighborhood. After speaking with the homes occupant, 38-year-old Rui Yun Guan, officers entered the residence and discovered it had been converted into an elaborate marijuana grow operation, according to Tahnee Lightfoot, a spokeswoman for the department. Read More Facebook

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Tilrays wild ride shows how hyped pot stocks are catching up to the crypto craze By Craig Giammona Tilray Inc. investors could probably use a bit of the companys products right now. The Canadian maker of medicinal cannabis extracts finished a whipsaw session Wednesday with its share price 38% higher. But Tilray was up as much as 94% earlier in the day, peaking at $300. Fifty-three minutes and four trading halts later, it was in negative territory. The closing flourish that added $63 to the share price  it finished up $59.08 to $214.06  took just six minutes. It left a sea of bodies, both longs and shorts, behind in its wake, said Dave Lutz, managing director at JonesTrading. Read More Facebook

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Marijuana industry fights stoner, pot and other words that stigmatizes people By Gary Robbins Theres a badge on her uniform, possibly a gun on her hip, and her arms are spread a little, suggesting shes ready for anything. You might think that youre looking at a police officer walking a beat. But what youve seen on billboards and, more recently, the internet is an effort by MedMen Enterprises of Culver City to remind you that marijuana users come from all walks of life. They can be cops, nurses, teachers, scientists, construction foremen and grandmothers. Read More Facebook

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Police arrest eight people after searching illegal cannabis store in San Fernando Valley By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Los Angeles police arrested eight people at an illegal cannabis store in the San Fernando Valley after serving a search warrant, officials said Wednesday. About 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Departments Mission Area Narcotics Unit searched a cannabis retail shop in the 15400 block of Devonshire Street and confiscated several items of evidence and contraband, police said in a news release. The store was operating without proper permits and was considered a nuisance location, authorities said. Read More Facebook

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More than 2 million U.S. middle and high school students have vaped marijuana, study finds By Karen Kaplan Electronic cigarettes are the most popular tobacco product among U.S. teens, but tobacco isnt the only thing theyre vaping. A new report from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that more than 2 million middle and high school students have used an e-cigarette to vape marijuana. That figure is based on survey results from the 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey, which polls a representative sample of American students in grades 6 through 12. Among the questions the 20,675 participants were asked in 2016 was, Have you ever used an e-cigarette device with a substance besides nicotine? One of the possible answers was this: Yes, I have used an e-cigarette device with marijuana, THC or hash oil, or THC wax. (THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the mind-altering chemical that produces marijuanas high.) Read More Facebook

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Police chiefs warn of increased crime if California allows pot deliveries statewide By Patrick McGreevy The prospect of vans loaded with pot delivering to homes in quiet Morgan Hill makes Police Chief David Swing uneasy. Like most cities in the state, the upscale San Jose suburb has banned pot shops. But now, as California considers a proposal to allow marijuana businesses to send home-delivery vans into communities where retail stores are prohibited, Swing and others in law enforcement say they are preparing for the worst. This will make it easier and more lucrative to rob a delivery person than a liquor store, said Swing, who is president of the California Police Chiefs Assn. He notes drivers would be allowed to carry up to $10,000 in cash. Robberies are the tip of the iceberg. They can lead to other crimes, including aggravated assaults and homicides. Read More Facebook

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Tesla erupts in chaos after senior executives leave and Elon Musk tokes up By Dana Hull The turmoil at Tesla Inc. reached a fever pitch Friday, as news emerged that two senior executives will leave Elon Musks electric-car maker a matter of hours after he smoked marijuana during an hours-long interview with a comedian. Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton gave notice Tuesday that he was resigning less than a month into the job, according to a filing. Teslas stock plunged, then extended declines after Gabrielle Toledano, the head of human resources whos been on a leave of absence, told Bloomberg News that she wont rejoin the company. Morton, a former chief financial officer for computer-drive maker Seagate Technology Plc, joined Tesla the day before Chief Executive Musk tweeted that he was considering buying out some investors at $420 a share and taking the company private. Musk abandoned that take-private effort 17 days later, and in the process drew a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission and a series of lawsuits alleging market manipulation. Read More Facebook

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Elon Musk smokes a blunt live on YouTube with podcaster Joe Rogan By Russ Mitchell Elon Musk apparently smoked dope with comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan live on YouTube late Thursday night, then giggled about turning Mars into a big Jamaica. I mean, its legal, right? Musk said, accepting a lit blunt from Rogan in the Los Angeles studio, where The Joe Rogan Experience is webcast live. Rogan told Musk hed rolled marijuana in tobacco leaves. Musk took a single deep toke. If the pair were joking about what they were smoking, they didnt say so. Read More Facebook

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L.A. launches crackdown on unlicensed marijuana businesses; more than 500 people are charged By Joseph Serna A police crackdown on local unlicensed marijuana businesses has ended with misdemeanor charges against more than 500 people in Los Angeles, the city attorneys office said. In 120 criminal cases filed since May, City Atty. Mike Feuer has charged 515 people in connection with 105 illegal marijuana businesses, grow sites, extraction labs and delivery companies located throughout the city, his office announced Friday. All of the defendants were charged with unlicensed commercial cannabis activity within the city, which carries a potential sentence of six months in jail and $1,000 in fines. Local judges have been hearing the cases since May with arraignments scheduled through the end of October, Feuers office said. Read More Facebook

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12th marijuana business wins permit approval in Costa Mesa By Luke Money Costa Mesa planning commissioners Monday evening gave their blessing to another local marijuana manufacturing and distribution facility, bringing the total number of approvals to 12. On a 4-0 vote  with Chairman Stephan Andranian absent  the commission awarded a conditional use permit to Pure Labs Inc., which is looking to open in a 2,025-square-foot space in Unit M-103 at 3505 Cadillac Ave. The decision is final unless appealed to the City Council within seven days. Read More Facebook

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Former L.A. mayor Villaraigosa joins board of local cannabis firm MedMen By James Rufus Koren Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is joining the board of publicly traded cannabis company MedMen, marking his return to the business world following a resounding defeat in Junes Democratic gubernatorial primary. MedMen, a Culver City company that operates high-end cannabis shops in California, Nevada and New York and has aggressive expansion plans, announced Villaraigosas appointment Wednesday morning. Villaraigosa adds political and governmental experience to a board made up of branding, entertainment and accounting executives. Other recent additions to the companys board include Stacey Hallerman, a former executive at the conglomerate that owns luxury brands Montblanc and Cartier, and Jay Brown, the chief executive of of RocNation, the entertainment company co-founded by Shawn Jay Z Carter. Read More Facebook

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Newport man accused of operating illegal marijuana dispensary in Costa Mesa By Luke Money A Newport Beach man is accused of operating an illegal marijuana dispensary in Costa Mesa, according to authorities. Omid Delkash, 47, was charged Monday with four misdemeanor counts of unlawful transportation, sale and furnishing of marijuana. He pleaded not guilty and is in custody at Orange County Jail, records show. He is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a pretrial hearing. Costa Mesa law prohibits the retail sale of marijuana or marijuana products anywhere in the city. Read More Facebook

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California lawmakers want the state to collect data on drivers under the influence of pot By Patrick McGreevy After she was injured in a car accident allegedly caused by a driver impaired by pot, state Controller Betty Yee is backing a bill approved Monday by the Legislature that aims to begin addressing the problem of drugged driving on California roads. The measure sent to Gov. Jerry Brown would require the California Highway Patrol to report on how many motorists stopped for impaired driving are allegedly under the influence of marijuana. Its what other states have done  like Colorado and Washington  to at least start collecting state-level data, Yee said. They just want to understand the extent of cannabis-impaired driving. Read More Facebook

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Marijuana use is rising among pregnant patients. Not so fast, doctors warn By Jenny Gold Marijuana may be losing its image as a dangerous drug, but mounting research suggests women should steer clear of it if they are pregnant or breastfeeding, according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The advice comes as more than half of the states, including California, have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use. Growing acceptance of the drug has made it seem harmless, or even beneficial. As a result, doctors fret that more and more babies are being exposed to the drug. The march toward legalization has outpaced scientific research about marijuanas health effects. Because it is a Schedule 1 drug  one with potential for abuse and no approved medical use  studies have been limited by federal law. Read More Facebook

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Mormon Church ramps up opposition to medical marijuana effort in Utah, speaking out publicly By Kurtis Lee The Mormon Church has played a quiet role in the fight against an effort to legalize medical marijuana in Utah, releasing measured statements and helping to bankroll lawsuits. But on Thursday, leaders of the powerful Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came out from behind the scenes. We are deeply concerned by the history of other states that have allowed medical and recreational use of this drug  and have experienced serious consequences to the health of its citizens, Elder Jack N. Gerard, flanked by politicians, medical professionals and other church leaders, said at a news conference at the state Capitol. Read More Facebook

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California lawmakers move to help expunge pot-related convictions California lawmakers voted Wednesday to ease the process for clearing the records of those convicted in the past of marijuana offenses. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) With recreational marijuana legalized by the states voters, Californians with past convictions for cannabis-related offenses would get state help in expunging their records under a bill sent by lawmakers to the governor on Wednesday. Proposition 64, which state voters approved in 2016, legalized the sale and use of marijuana for recreational use and permitted those with past convictions for the activity to petition the courts to clear their records. But state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) told his colleagues Wednesday that the process is complicated, and many with pot convictions do not know about the opportunity. Read More Facebook

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By next year, you can buy medical marijuana in Hawaii, but youll still have to jump through some hoops By Jay Jones Out-of-state medical marijuana users next year will be able to buy cannabis products at dispensaries in Hawaii. The only hitches: Visitors will need to apply online and pay $45 (plus a $4.50 processing fee) for a temporary Hawaii medical marijuana card thats valid for 60 days. Weve been fielding a lot of calls daily about reciprocity, said George Bullock, director of the Cure Oahu marijuana dispensary in Waikiki. We really look forward to being able to serve them in the future. The Hawaii Department of Health plans to allow medical marijuana cardholders from other states to make purchases at dispensaries on Oahu, Maui and Kauai. But state officials are not using the word reciprocity because those out-of-state cards wont work. Read More Facebook

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Teen sold weed from her bedroom, with her parents as suppliers, Merced County officials say By Joseph Serna A teenage girl who sold marijuana out of her bedroom was using her gun-toting parents as her suppliers, the Merced County Sheriffs Office said. On Friday, deputies served a search warrant on the home of Jose Reyes Martinez, 44, and his wife in Delhi, Calif., where they found 80 pounds of packaged marijuana and a dozen large plants along with two firearms, officials said on Facebook. The packaged weed was found in the master bedroom closet alongside a loaded AK-47, deputies said. A makeshift greenhouse in the backyard held a dozen large plants, authorities said. Read More Facebook

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Newport Beach sues to halt what city calls a marijuana dispensary at Church of the Holy Grail By Hannah Fry Newport Beach officials are asking an Orange County Superior Court judge to block an operation that identifies itself as a church but the city says is a marijuana dispensary violating local law. Brick-and-mortar marijuana dispensaries are prohibited in Newport Beach under municipal code. Cultivation, processing, distribution and delivery of cannabis have been banned in the city since 2016. A civil lawsuit Newport filed June 25 seeks an injunction to forbid the organization known as Church of the Holy Grail from operating at 2072 Bristol St. It isnt clear how long it has been operating, though the lawsuit states the location has been running without a business license since at least Jan. 24. Read More Facebook

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Proposal to create state-chartered banks for California marijuana industry fails to advance Virgil Grant arranges containers of various strains of medical marijuana in a display case at a dispensary he runs in Los Angeles. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images) California lawmakers on Thursday shelved a proposal to allow the state to license private banks to handle the billions of dollars expected to be generated by the states legal marijuana industry amid questions about the plans feasibility. Voters approved Proposition 64 in 2016 to legalize growing, possessing and selling marijuana for recreational use, but newly licensed pot shops and farms say they cannot put their money in federally chartered banks because cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) proposed that the state could license special privately financed banks that would issue checks to the businesses to pay rent and state and local taxes and fees, and to compensate vendors for goods and services provided to their businesses. Read More Facebook

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Parent of Corona beer bets $3.8 billion on U.S. love of marijuana By Bloomberg Constellation Brands Inc., which for seven decades has made its money off beer, wine and whiskey, sees its future in a marijuana leaf. In the biggest (legal) marijuana deal, the Victor, N.Y., beverage company will spend about $3.8 billion to boost its stake in Canadian grower Canopy Growth Corp., betting legalization will gain traction around the world and especially in the United States. This is rocket fuel, Canopy Chief Executive Bruce Linton said on the companys earnings call Wednesday. Were going to be way more global. Read More Facebook

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Marijuana is not really legal in California if residents dont have a reasonable way to buy it By The Times Editorial Board California law allows adults to buy marijuana. It allows licensed businesses to deliver marijuana to customers, and it says specifically that cities and counties cannot prevent delivery services from traveling on public roads. Yet even though cities cant stop deliveries traveling through their jurisdiction, many cities currently ban deliveries to their jurisdiction. That means that unlike deliveries of virtually every other legal, adult-use product  including alcohol and cigarettes, which can be ordered over the internet in California  marijuana deliveries are barred. The practical effect is that residents in some places have little to no access to legal medical or recreational cannabis products because of local regulations  which seems contrary to the intent of Proposition 64. Roughly half of Californians live in cities or counties that prohibit marijuana stores and delivery services form opening in their jurisdictions. An analysis by the Sacramento Bee earlier this year found residents in 40% of the state had to drive 60 miles or more to find a licensed dispensary to buy legal marijuana  medical or recreational. Read More Facebook

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California cities oppose plan to allow pot delivery in areas where sales are banned California cities are objecting to changes in the states rules on marijuana that they say undermine local control. (Mathew Sumner / Associated Press) California cities on Monday objected to a state proposal that would allow marijuana delivery to homes in areas where storefront pot sales have been banned locally. The changes, which are being considered by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control, will undermine a citys ability to effectively regulate cannabis at the local level, Charles Harvey, a legislative representative for the League of California Cities, said in a letter to the bureau. The cities group, which represents the states 482 municipalities, supports other changes to clarify the rules of Proposition 64, which was approved by voters in 2016 and allows the growing and sale of marijuana for recreational use. Read More Facebook

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Cypress Hills B-Real set to open a Sylmar dispensary, as Cannary West takes flight Saturday By Adam Tschorn B-Real, from left, Kenji Fujishima and Rojo Desantis in front of the soon-to-open Dr. Greenthumbs dispensary in Sylmar. (Dr. Greenthumbs) Rapper and marijuana entrepreneur Louis Freese, better known as Cypress Hill frontman B-Real, plans to celebrate the grand opening of his flagship dispensary in Sylmar with a day-long bash next Wednesday. Called Dr. Greenthumbs  a name music fans will recognize as the title of a 1998 Cypress Hill song  the Foothill Boulevard dispensary will be heavy on strains from B-Reals Insane brand of cannabis as well his Phuncky Feel Tips product line (glass tips designed to fit the business end of a hand-rolled joint). It will also serve as the home base for the rappers online BReal.TV network. According to todays announcement, the Wednesday event will be open to the public (though youll need to be at least 21  or 18 with a medical marijuana card) and feature a line-up of BRealTVs DJs as well as a slew of surprise guests [making] appearances throughout the day. A second Dr. Greenthumbs is expected to open in Cathedral City later this year. Dr. Greenthumbs grand-opening party, Aug. 15 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 12751 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar (just west of the 210 freeway between Arroyo and Vaughn streets). Cannary West In other dispensary-opening news, a rebooted and relocated Cannary West (this version by the folks behind the stylish, upscale Venice Blvd. dispensary the Pottery), officially opens its doors Saturday. Although parts of the space in the Rancho Park neighborhood are still under construction, its only because plans include adding sustainable on-site cultivation (a process also underway at the Pottery), it does already have one of Los Angeles real estates most enviable features  a dedicated off-street parking lot for customers around back. To mark the grand opening, the first 200 customers who spend $30 or more after the dispensary opens for business at 10 a.m. will receive a little something special for their efforts. Cannary West, grand opening, Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 2435 Military Avenue, Los Angeles (just south of Pico and two blocks east of Sepulveda). Facebook

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As budget remedies, Huntington Beach may explore marijuana-related revenue and boosting fines for illegal short-term rentals By Priscella Vega With general-fund revenue increases projected to taper off in coming years, the Huntington Beach Finance Commission this week recommended several potential budget-tightening and revenue-generating solutions. Among them are increasing fines for illegal short-term rentals, reducing city staff and exploring opportunities for marijuana-related revenue. Some recommendations will be unpopular with employees, but at the same time we hope they realize implementing some recommendations may make funding available for salary increases, Finance Commission Chairman Nouha Hreish told the City Council during a study session Monday. Read More Facebook

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High Times rolls out new online video network By Adam Tschorn High Times, which launched as a print magazine in 1974, has added a streaming video service to its offerings. (High Times TV) Los Angeles-based cannabis media brand High Times, which launched as a print magazine in 1974, has added a streaming video service to its offerings. Announced Thursday, the ad-supported web channel High Times TV is both a showcase for the brands own content (behind-the-scenes videos from its Cannabis Cup events, for example, and how-to videos for ganja guacamole) as well as a platform for an assortment of independent cannabis-content creators like the Stoner Mom (a Colorado mother with a family of six who focuses on living a responsible cannabis lifestyle), StrainCentral (a strain review site founded by Joshua Young) and That High Couple (Hollywood-based couple Alice and Clark who chronicle their THC-infused life via social media). While High Times newest venture is hardly a unique move- there isnt a legacy media brand out there that isnt trying to capitalize on streaming video  it could end up being a lifeline for the independents in the stoner space who have seen their traditional social media channels (particularly YouTube) threatened, restricted or suspended in a cannabis-content crackdown that began earlier this year. High Times TV is now available as an app on Android, Roku and Apple TV as well as online at tv.hightimes.com. Facebook

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Newport Beach lawsuit seeks to ban marijuana business that operated in residential neighborhoods By Hannah Fry Newport Beach officials are asking an Orange County Superior Court judge to block a marijuana business from operating in two homes in violation of city law. A civil lawsuit filed May 4 seeks an injunction to forbid the business  known as OC Healing House, Bud Man OC and Bud Man Newport Beach  from operating at a home on Drakes Bay Drive in Corona del Mar and a home on Promontory Drive in Newports Promontory Point community. The city attorneys office says the business was using the homes for marijuana delivery and distribution. The lawsuit calls the business a public nuisance. Read More Facebook

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Marijuana is a gift from God. A battle over pot pits the Mormon Church against an unlikely group: other Mormons By Kurtis Lee Brian Stoll faced a dilemma as his wedding day approached. For more than a year, he had been smoking marijuana to treat severe back pain, but to remain in good standing with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and get married in the temple, he had to stop using pot. Since marijuana was illegal under Utah law, church leaders told him, it was forbidden. Stoll turned to an opioid painkiller and has continued using it since his marriage three years ago, despite unpleasant side effects and its inability to match the soothing qualities of marijuana. This was devastating ... I had to choose between my health and my fiancee, Stoll said recently. It seemed asinine that if I lived in another state, I wouldnt have to make such a difficult decision. Read More Facebook

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Roommates were unaware of drug lab operation in Glendale home, police say By Andy Nguyen Authorities arrested a man on Friday suspected of operating an illegal butane honey-oil lab out of a Glendale home. John Kelly, 52, was taken into custody after the Glendale Police Department received a tip about the suspected manufacturing operation in the 1400 block of Randall Street. The information was derived from an ongoing narcotics investigation, according to Sgt. Dan Suttles, a spokesman for the department. Butane honey oil is a type of concentrated cannabis product made when marijuana is soaked in butane in order to extract the plants essential oils. The process can lead to explosions if the butane gas builds up in an enclosed area and ignites from a spark. Read More Facebook

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Rams guard Jamon Brown says marijuana is reason for suspension By Gary Klein Rams starting right guard Jamon Brown, suspended for the first two games of the season for violating the NFLs substance-abuse policy, said Thursday that the suspension stemmed from a 2017 incident in Kentucky that involved marijuana. Brown still worked with the first-team offense Thursday as the Rams held their first training camp practice at UC Irvine. Brown, a fourth-year pro from Louisville, said that before last season he was pulled over for speeding and that police found marijuana in the car. Read More Facebook

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Democrats still havent figured out that legal weed is a winning issue By Tom Angell Every Democratic U.S. senator rumored to be considering a 2020 presidential run supports marijuana legalization. So do 77% of Democratic voters. The partys 2016 national platform backs states rights on cannabis and calls for a reasoned pathway for future legalization. So why is the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee  the entity charged with winning back control of the U.S. House  attacking a Republican congressman over his support for marijuana reform? And why is it citing a right-wing magazine to make the case? Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) has a cult-like fixation on marijuana, said a National Review article excerpt the Democratic committee highlighted in a tweet posted Monday. The party organ said the GOP congressmans cannabis advocacy is one reason why [Democratic nominee] @HarleyRouda needs your help flipping this seat...from #RedToBlue. Read More Facebook

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They worked at Apple, Amazon and Lyft. Now theyre working to get you stoned By Tracey Lien For much of her career, Natasha Pecor followed a path well-worn by tech workers. She built her reputation with her first employer in the industry, earning the title head of platform at Yelp. Then she jumped to one of the giants, Amazon, where she worked as a product manager. Most recently she parlayed that experience into a leadership role at a smaller start-up  a common move among techies willing to take a risk for a new challenge and perhaps a big payday. But this start-up wasnt exactly a tech company. Read More Facebook

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Fountain Valley man sentenced to life in prison in kidnapping and torture of marijuana dispensary owner By Hannah Fry A Fountain Valley man was sentenced Friday to spend the rest of his life behind bars for kidnapping a medical marijuana dispensary owner and his roommate in 2012 and torturing the dispensary owner as part of a plot to extort money. Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregg Prickett gave Kyle Shirakawa Handley, 39, the maximum sentence of life in state prison. A Superior Court jury in January swiftly found Handley guilty of of kidnapping, aggravated mayhem and torture, all felonies. Prosecutors contended that Handley, a marijuana grower who supplied the victims dispensary, and three other defendants kidnapped the man and his female roommate from their 25th Street home on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach on Oct. 2, 2012. Read More Facebook

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More California kids are having pot-related health scares, poison control officials warn By Patrick McGreevy State and local officials say they are alarmed by a spike in calls they have received to report children and teenagers ingesting marijuana products since California legalized cannabis for recreational use by adults in 2016. The number of calls to poison control centers involving people 19 and younger who were exposed to marijuana has steadily risen from 347 three years ago to 588 last year. In the first six months of this year, there have been 386 calls to poison control centers involving marijuana exposure by underage people. If that trend continues, there could be more than double the reports in 2018 as there were 2015. Nearly half of the calls received last year  256  involved children 5 and younger, including 38 children under 12 months old, and 64 toddlers who were a year old, according to Stuart E. Heard, executive director of the California Poison Control System. Read More Facebook

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With marijuana legal, California flooded with dubious health claims about the drug By Gary Robbins Spend a few minutes surfing Twitter and youre likely to encounter a startling claim that comes without proof: Cannabis cures cancer. The online world is awash with such posts, startling scientists and physicians who are urging weeds proselytizers to tap the brakes. Read More Facebook

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Gov. Jerry Brown appoints members to new cannabis permit appeals panel Marijuana on display at the Harborside dispensary in Oakland. (Mathew Sumner / Associated Press) Six months after California began licensing growing and selling marijuana, Gov. Jerry Brown on July 3 appointed the first members of a new Cannabis Control Appeals Panel to consider objections from those denied permits or those facing penalties for violating regulations. The governor gets to name three of the five members of the panel and appointed county prosecutor Sabrina D. Ashjian of Fresno, college lecturer Diandra Bremond of Los Angeles, and a staff attorney for the governor, Adrian Carpenter of Plumas Lake. The other two appointments will be made by the Senate Rules Committee and the speaker of the Assembly. Read More Facebook

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Federal law? State law? Which takes precedence when you want to travel with cannabis? By Catharine Hamm You cant take it with you. Actually, you can. But its not a good idea when youre traveling, especially for the risk-averse. We speak, of course, of cannabis; its use was approved by 57% of California voters in November 2016. Proposition 64, known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, allows the recreational use of marijuana in the Golden State; medical marijuana had been legal for about a decade before that. Legal, it should be noted, in California. Not legal according to federal law, although President Trump has signaled his willingness to support legislation that, according to an L.A. Times article, would end the federal ban on marijuana. Read More Facebook

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Negotiators from North and South Korea set a date  April 27  and a location in the demilitarized zone along their border for a summit between their two leaders, which could foreshadow a meeting between the Norths Kim Jong Un and President Trump.

The summit between Kim and the Souths president, Moon Jae-in, would be only the third top-level summit between the nations since an armistice ended hostilities in the Korean War in 1953  and the first held on South Korea soil. The meeting location is the Peace House, a building just over the border on the south in the diplomatic outpost of Panmunjom, presenting the prospect of historic images showing Kim crossing the line.

But it remains unclear precisely how the negotiators, meeting Thursday, set the summit framework for any top-level discussion of the Norths nuclear and ballistic missile programs, seen as a key issue in any deal for long-term peace on the peninsula.

The negotiations over the date and location of the summit opened with a recent history lesson.

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Cho Myoung-gyon, the Souths chief negotiator, reminded his counterparts from the North about talks in January over cooperation between the two Koreas at the Winter Olympics  dialogue that sparked the recent torrent of diplomatic activity that holds the promise of resolving decades of tension on the Korean peninsula.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, Cho, the Souths unification minister, recalled telling the group then and now. Those talks led to the last-minute participation of North Korean athletes in the Olympics, including as part of a unified Korean womens hockey team.

Thursdays deal represented another step, among many, in the recent thaw between the two countries. But plenty remain.

Experts watching the developments are mindful of how past agreements or potential diplomatic breakthroughs fell short.

Two key agreements in recent decades between Washington and Pyongyang over nuclear development eventually collapsed, and that work continued despite top-level talks between the North and South in 2000 and 2007 under previous leaders.

Kim Byoung-joo, who teaches foreign studies at Hankuk University in Seoul, said the United States and South Korea would seek to avoid the failings of previous agreements.

This is a first step, but its not the same first step of the past, since its based on past experiences and lessons, he said in reference to Chos opening remarks. Its a different kind of first step.

The parties, who met on the North Korean side of the diplomatic complex to discuss the summit, plan to convene again early next month to discuss protocol, security and media coverage of the event, according to a joint statement.

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South Korean officials said after the meeting that the summit would in principle focus on the Norths nuclear program, which sparked international condemnation last year over numerous ballistic missile tests and the underground detonation of a hydrogen bomb.

The North has boasted that it is now capable of striking the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-armed missile.

The parties also agreed that a peace agreement between the North and South, which are still technically at war, remained a goal.

North and South agreed on the historical significance of the summit in denuclearization and settlement of peace on the Korean peninsula, and the improvement of inter-Korean relationship, Cho said after the negotiations.

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Ri Son Gwon, Chos counterpart on inter-Korean issues from the North, said a number of working-level issues remain before the summit next month.

But if we acknowledge the historical significance and importance of the upcoming summit and make sincere efforts, we will be able to solve all problems promptly and smoothly, said Ri, who helped negotiate the Olympics deal and traveled to the South during the Games.

Heather Nauert, the spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, welcomed the announcement of the meeting. The summit moves us closer to the point where the United States can sit down with North Korea and have a meeting.

Were realistic about that overall. The State Department is planning for that meeting. Were going ahead in full faith and good faith.

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She said the Trump administration believes overall that the pressure campaign is working.... Were proud of that pressure campaign, and so many countries joining the United States in recognizing [these] destabilizing elements within North Korea and the North Korean regime, in terms of its ballistic missile and nuclear testing.

As one result of the North Korea talks, Trump said he may put a hold on a new trade deal with South Korea that would lift U.S. steel tariffs in exchange for greater access to the South Korean auto market.

I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, Trump said during a speech in Ohio that was ostensibly about roads and bridges. Because its a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly and were moving along very nicely with North Korea.

The remarks surprised and confused many, because they appeared to draw a link between the trade deal with South Korea and the joint effort by the U.S. and South Korea to enter into talks with North Korea.

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Trump agreed in early March to meet Kim, the totalitarian states third-generation leader, in May. The details for those potential talks remain unclear.

The agreement Thursday on the North-South summit details was an incremental step in a rapid diplomatic process that began with the election of Moon, who came to power in May promising a more dialogue-focused plan in dealing with the North after a decade of hard-line policies by previous South Korean presidents.

Last summer, Moon first floated the idea of a combined Korean hockey team at the Winter Olympics, held in February in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Koreas unified womens hockey team exposed a key difference between South and North  their language 

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It wasnt until Kims own conciliatory speech on New Years Day that the idea gained traction.

After negotiations, the two nations fielded the joint team  the first truly Korean team in Olympics history  but also marched together during the opening ceremony under a neutral unification flag. The North sent numerous athletes and hundreds of others for cheerleading and cultural exchanges.

That then led to more dialogue and then the upcoming inter-Korean summit  and perhaps one with Trump, which would be a first for a sitting United States president and a North Korean leader.

The negotiations in Panmunjom came a day after revelations about the surprise trip Kim took to Beijing this week to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

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The two countries, historically allies, have had a tense relationship in recent years amid the Norths nuclear provocations and international pressure on China to add teeth to economic sanctions.

Its those sanctions that might have prompted Pyongyang to talk  or the fact that the nation feels comfortable that its nuclear development allows its leader to negotiate on the world stage in stronger position, said Kim Byoung-joo, the Hankuk University professor.

Either way, he said, they have made a decision.

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A velvet fist in an iron glove? China talks tough about Taiwan, but shows signs of a softer policy

Summits would expose North Koreas Kim Jong Un to scrutiny hes never experienced

With Xi in office for the long haul, China touts its stability  the opposite of Washington, D.C.

Stiles is a special correspondent.

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UPDATES:

3:24 p.m.: This article has been updated with Trump administration reaction.

9 a.m, March 29.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting, including additional details of the summit.

11:45 p.m, March 28.: This article was updated with additional details about the planned meeting, as well as context.

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This article was originally published at Wednesday, March 28, at 11:15 p.m.
With Sri Lanka under a state of emergency after a spasm of anti-Muslim bloodshed, lawyer Jeevanee Kariyawasam went on Facebook to complain. The company hadnt blocked users inciting violence, she wrote, and the government hadnt arrested those sending out the offending posts.

Facebooks response was swift: It suspended Kariyawasams account.

The company restored her account within 24 hours, but the incident this month highlighted how Facebook has become a powerful vehicle for hate speech worldwide, and how the Silicon Valley giants efforts to police incendiary rhetoric in distant countries have often fallen short.

As Facebook confronts a scandal over data privacy in the United States and Britain, it faces widening criticism in Asia for stoking discord in countries with few legal protections for religious, ethnic and political minorities.

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When a Sri Lankan Facebook user complained this month of a post that said, Kill all Muslims, dont let even one child of the dogs escape, it took the company six days to respond. Then it said the post did not meet its definition of hate speech.

In Myanmar, United Nations investigators said this month that Facebook had turned into a beast by propelling racism and calls to violence against Rohingya Muslims. In Cambodia and the Philippines, authoritarian leaders have used Facebook to disseminate propaganda and whip up animosity toward journalists and political opponents.

In Sri Lanka the government accused Facebook of failing to take down posts and videos that encouraged the violence in Kandy in early March. As extremists from the island nations Buddhist majority torched Muslim-owned houses and businesses, authorities directed internet providers to block Facebook and its two popular apps, WhatsApp and Instagram, along with other social media platforms.

The ban was lifted a week later, after officials from Facebooks regional office in India flew down to meet with government representatives in Colombo, Sri Lankas capital. Over a two-hour meeting at the seafront presidential offices, company officials pledged to act more swiftly to remove hate speech in Sri Lankas native languages.

We wanted them to be concerned about the fact that if you go on like this, you will create bloodshed unnecessarily, said Austin Fernando, a senior aide to Sri Lankas president.

A computer screen showing a blocked Facebook window is seen in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on March 7, 2018. (Eranga Jayawardena / Associated Press )

Facebook has been shaken by the criticism across Asia, the companys fastest growing regional market with half a billion daily users, nearly three times the number in the United States. In emerging economies where internet access is expanding and space for public expression is often limited, Facebooks popularity has grown faster than its ability to monitor what its users are saying.

Company officials say they have invested heavily in technology to more quickly identify and remove content that violates its community standards barring racist and discriminatory posts. Over the last year, Facebook says, it has also doubled its number of content monitors, with about 14,000 people now checking posts and reviewing complaints in more than 40 languages.

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But that is less than half of the more than 100 languages Facebook supports.

In Sri Lanka  with an estimated 6 million users  Facebook said it increased its capacity to monitor posts in Sinhala, the language spoken by the Buddhist majority, and ran notices atop users news feeds about how to report hate speech.

It took down some accounts, including one belonging to Amith Weerasinghe, a Buddhist radical with more than 150,000 followers, who was seen on a video prodding Sinhalese to attack Muslims in Kandy. Weerasinghe and several suspected associates were arrested, among dozens jailed in connection with the violence.

We have clear rules against such content and will remove it when were made aware of it, Facebook said in a statement. We have been working with the government and nongovernment organizations in Sri Lanka to identify and remove hate speech.

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Still, the company has privately acknowledged mistakes.

During the violence in Kandy, which left three people dead and caused millions of dollars in damage, Kariyawasam emerged as one of the most prolific online activists reporting accounts with names such as Sinhala Racist, which claimed that Sri Lanka was the exclusive domain of the Sinhalese race. But Facebook chose to not block that and many other accounts, she said, while hers was peppered with death threats.

It makes you think that Facebook is either under capacity to monitor whats happening in Sinhala, or that some of their Sinhala-speaking monitors share the same biases as the people that are being reported, said Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, an author and internet researcher in Colombo.

For decades, Sri Lanka has been riven by violence between Sinhalese Buddhists, who make up about 70% of the countrys 21 million people, and minorities including Muslims and Tamil-speaking Hindus. Since a long civil war against Tamil rebels ended a decade ago, Buddhist extremists have periodically led attacks against Muslims, who account for about 10% of the population.

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Under then-President Mahinda Rajapaksas authoritarian, Buddhist nationalist government, hard-line monks enjoyed virtual impunity, stoking fears of terrorism and forced conversions to Islam. The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has documented several hundred incidents of violence and intimidation, nearly all at the hands of Buddhist groups.

People were searching for another other, and Muslims were an easy target, said Mario Gomez, director of the International Center for Ethnic Studies, a Colombo think tank. There was always some animosity, but not this level of venom. The manipulation of social media enabled a lot of myths to spread.

In 2014, the independent Center for Policy Alternatives produced a lengthy study of anti-Muslim hate speech on 20 Sri Lankan Facebook groups. Coauthor Sanjana Hattotuwa said the posts, which clearly violated Facebook standards, remained online for months because the company had zero capacity to monitor Sinhala.

In Myanmar, Facebook has acknowledged the long-term challenge of determining when certain words  such as kalar, a slur for Rohingya Muslims that the company said had benign roots  are being used to encourage violence. The posts that Hattotuwa studied were so vile, he recalled, that he advised his coauthor to seek counseling.

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It didnt require a nuanced understanding of language, Hattotuwa said, adding, It was blatant. If you translate it directly into German or French, it would still be obnoxious.

In January 2015 elections, minority voters, including Muslims, helped unseat Rajapaksa. But his successor, Maithripala Sirisena, has sought to accommodate Buddhist hard-liners.

Days after the violence in Kandy, Sirisena made an official visit to Japan, where he addressed a group of saffron-robed monks. Among them was Galagodatte Gnanasara, founder of an extremist group called Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Power Force, who has been charged with inciting pogroms in 2014 that left four people dead.

The group has used Facebook to spread false information about Muslims  including that one Muslim-owned shop was selling candy that would turn Buddhist women infertile.

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Buddhist monk Galagodatte Gnanasara arrives at a court in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in June 2017. (Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP/Getty Images )

Sirisenas office denied that Gnanasara  who is free on bail and reportedly visited Kandy the day the attacks broke out  was part of the government delegation. But officials acknowledged that a top aide to the notorious monk had traveled with the president.

A government that we expected to protect us has totally failed, said Hilmy Ahamed, vice president of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka.

Ahamed said the group has collected examples of hate speech and incendiary videos, and last year provided a DVD to the governments cybercrimes unit. Officers there directed them to another police agency, which took the disc but never acted on it, Ahamed said.

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If the government wants to stop this hate they can do it within weeks, Ahamed said. But we as a community do not get justice when it comes to communal issues.

Critics said the Sri Lankan government has used Facebook as a scapegoat for its inability to rein in hard-liners. Its policies were further questioned when Sirisena and top officials continued to post on Facebook throughout the ban, using proxy networks.

The government has proposed a new law targeting online hate speech, but Rohan Samarajiva, chairman of LIRNEasia, a telecommunications policy think tank, said existing laws are tough enough. In March, prosecutors charged three Buddhist teenagers from Colombo with spreading hate messages on WhatsApp. They could face up to 10 years in prison, Samarajiva said.

The most important thing the government can do is punish these people and send a message, he said.

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Some activists see a connection to the widening scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, the British company that harvested the personal information of 50 million Facebook users and used it to target U.S. voters. In a documentary by Britains Channel 4 that exposed the practice, reporters approached Cambridge Analytica representatives posing as potential clients: a wealthy family with political connections from Sri Lanka.

Its very revealing if CA thinks Sri Lanka is good enough for them to engage with, Hattotuwa said. It means that the landscape and nature of politics as its conducted online here is ripe for weaponization or manipulation. This is a very interesting insight  and a worrying one.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Shashank Bengali is the South Asia correspondent for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged this month to punish self-ruled Taiwan for any moves toward legal independence from China. The next day a Chinese aircraft carrier passed through the Taiwan Strait that separates the two sides.

You might expect this thunder from a leader in Beijing who can rule for life and says Taiwan must unify with China. The Communist leadership has sworn for seven decades to unify, somehow, with democratic Taiwan. China also commands the worlds third strongest military.

But people who follow Chinese politics expect Xi to use the luxury of multiple terms in office to explore a softer and possibly more persuasive approach to the unification goal. On March 12 the National Peoples Congress confirmed that Chinese presidents can serve an unlimited number of five-year terms, not just two. Xi, 64, began his first in 2013.

Xi could use tax breaks, free rent, quick approvals for initial public offerings, and unique investment opportunities to make common Taiwanese try life in China. He may figure that those who live for a time in China will be more receptive to political unification, scholars in Taiwan say. Xi could sit back to see which measures work. Hes supported by a fast-growing $12-trillion economy.

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For sure they will carry on this policy, said Liu Yih-jiun, public affairs professor at Fo Guang University in Taiwan. Economic sweeteners, he said, will have a very serious positive impact on relations between Taiwanese people and the Chinese government.

China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, when Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists lost to the Communists and fled to the island. Polls in Taipei show most Taiwanese now prefer autonomy over unification.

The softer approach to Taiwan has already started. On Feb. 28, Beijing announced a list of measures that make it easier for Taiwanese to work, study and invest in China. Those incentives in effect treat Taiwanese as Chinese citizens, not as outsiders. Tax breaks and special land-use rights are among the 31 measures.

The Chinese governments Taiwan Affairs Office suggested the same day that Taiwanese investors join infrastructure projects that are part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. That term refers to the $900-billion plan for ports, roads and railways in up to 65 Eurasian countries where China hopes to increase trade.

China also plans to set up cross-strait industrial cooperation zones, the office added. Separately, a startup incubator near the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai is offering rent subsidies and free office space for Taiwanese entrepreneurs.

The Chinese securities regulator showed in a March 19 case it can fast-track applications from Taiwanese companies that want to be listed on stock exchanges in Shanghai or Shenzhen. Foxconn Industrial Internet Co., which is based in Taiwan, won permission for an IPO the same day it applied, Taiwans Central News Agency said. Thats down from the usual wait time of six to 12 months.

Mainland Chinas soft approach has become more sophisticated than before, said Yun Sun, senior associate with the Stimson Centers East Asia Program in the United States. Xi will continue to provide economic incentives to Taiwan.

Economic incentives stand to work because Taiwans economy is growing between 2% and 3% per year compared to nearly 7% in China. Taiwanese who have worked in China already say they see more chances for promotions and career change. Recruiting firm ManpowerGroup says skilled Taiwanese workers can earn 1.2 to 1.3 times more money in China than at home.

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At least 1 million Taiwanese already invest in China. Government incentives could motivate them to expand in China rather than in cheaper places such as Vietnam.

About half the Taiwanese between 18 and 29 are willing to make the move, said Andy Chang, China studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan. China might hold up a few early arrivals as propaganda to entice others, he said.

Esther Yeh, a 23-year-old Taiwanese worker at a Japanese pet apparel firm in Taipei, might be on the front line. She attended an exhibition in Shanghai last year and met a local woman who placed a series of orders with her company over seven hours.

The market scale is not only large, but most of Chinese people are willing to buy, Yeh said. If I got a chance to work in China, I wouldnt hesitate for long.

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An exodus of people around Yehs age would undercut support for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan, said William Sharp, host of the Asia in Review TV program in Honolulu. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen drew support for her 2016 election from younger people who opposed the previous governments friendly relations with Beijing.

Tsai rejects Beijings demand that she see both sides as part of a single China, and the two governments have not spoken since she took office. Chinas direct appeals to the Taiwanese people let it bypass their government.

Some ordinary Taiwanese still plan to stay home, possibly out of concern that Chinas legal system will not honor their copyrights and contracts. Taiwanese Vice Premier Shih Jun-ji said at a March 16 news conference that Taiwanese should cherish the local rule of law.

Soldiers hoist Taiwans national flag at Liberty Square in Taipei, the capital, on March 25, 2018. (David Chang / EPA/Shutterstock )

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Who knows what would happen when you get to China? They can retract whatever offer they were planning to give, said Catta Chou, 29, a worker at a nongovernmental organization in Taiwan. She has never considered moving to China. Its about what government wants, she said. If they like you, you survive.

Taiwanese investments on the 5-year-old Belt and Road Initiative would need to pass a few tests before a lot of others would want to participate, Chang said.

In case economic incentives fail, experts say, the Xi government will keep up the warnings that Taiwan has seen since 2016. The hard prong will stay, but the soft prong will expand and become more agile, said Lin Chong-pin, a retired professor of strategic studies in Taiwan.

Harder measures so far include military aircraft flybys, at least 10 of which have been recorded to date, and pressure on countries that recognize Taiwan to back Beijing instead. (Beijing will not allow countries to recognize both.) Chinese leaders hope to warn Taiwanese politicians against trying to declare constitutional independence for the island, Lin said.

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Any actions and tricks to split China are doomed to failure and will meet with the peoples condemnation and the punishment of history, Xi said March 20 at the closing of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas legislative body.

In October the Chinese president called 2049 a soft final deadline for unification with Taiwan, said Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in an online commentary.

Xi would need that time to shore up the Peoples Liberation Army in case his soft power fails and he chooses to pursue unification by force, some scholars say.

China believes that by waiting it will not only gain a military advantage, but that Taiwans economy is likely to experience little expansion and there will be limited growth in job opportunities, which will push the young towards China, Sharp said.

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ALSO

Chinas new pitch to win over Taiwan: Our jobs are better

It took a deadly earthquake to get Taiwans attention, but now its demanding safer buildings

China and North Korea perform diplomatic high-wire act at historic summit

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Jennings is a special correspondent. Special correspondent Jessica Meyers in Beijing contributed to this report.
The daughter of a Russian ex-spy who was poisoned in a nerve agent attack along with her father is improving rapidly and is no longer in critical condition, the hospital treating the pair said Thursday.

Yulia Skripals 66-year-old father Sergei remains in critical condition.

Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said 33-year-old Yulia is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day, said Dr. Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

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The Skripals were found unconscious in the English city of Salisbury on March 4, and British authorities say they were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

Police say they were likely exposed to it at the door of Sergei Skripals suburban house in Salisbury, where the highest concentration of the chemical has been found by investigators.

About 250 counterterrorism officers are working on the investigation, retracing the Skripals movements to uncover how the poison was delivered. They have searched a pub, a restaurant and a cemetery, and on Thursday cordoned off a childrens playground near the Skripal home.

Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer, was imprisoned after he was caught selling secrets to British intelligence. He was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

Britain says he and his daughter, who was visiting from Russia, were poisoned with a nerve agent developed in Soviet times and that it must have come from Russia.

Moscow vehemently denies involvement in the attack, which has sparked a diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Britains allegation was a swindle and an international provocation.

More than two dozen countries have expelled more than 150 Russian diplomats, including 60 kicked out by the U.S. The former Soviet republic of Georgia joined the list Thursday, saying it would expel one Russian diplomat in solidarity with Britain.

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The announcement follows the expulsion of Russian diplomats by European Union nations, the U.S., NATO members and other countries.

Georgias Foreign Ministry condemned the poisoning, calling it a serious challenge to common security.

Georgia severed diplomatic ties with Russia following a brief war in the breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Russian diplomats have been operating out of the special interests section of the Swiss Embassy in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, since 2009.

Russian spokeswoman Zakharova said the expulsions came after colossal pressure from Washington and London, adding that the nations that succumbed to it made a grave mistake.

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She said Russia would respond soon.
French judges have ordered former President Nicolas Sarkozy, long the subject of multiple criminal investigations, to stand trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling.

The case centers on claims that Sarkozy attempted to obtain inside information from a senior judge in 2014 about a fraud investigation involving him. The judges order Thursday comes just a week after Sarkozy was detained and questioned in connection with a separate corruption scandal involving the late Libyan dictator Moammar Kadafi.

For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that Sarkozy was ordered to stand trial on accusations that he took illegal campaign financing from then-Libyan dictator Moammar Kadafi. The order came in a separate case. Also, an earlier version of this article suggested that Sarkozy approached a judge to obtain information about an investigation. Prosecutors allege that Sarkozy and his attorney discussed making a job offer to the judge in return for information.

In the case concerning the judge, prosecutors say Sarkozy offered to pull strings to get the judge a privileged post in Monaco, the tiny but rich sovereign principality on the French Riviera. In return, it is alleged, the judge was supposed to provide confidential details about the inquiry into alleged irregularities in the funding of his successful 2007 election campaign.

Police were investigating allegations that Sarkozy had illegally accepted campaign donations from the late LOreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, Frances richest woman at the time, without declaring them.

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As part of the so-called Bettencourt affair, investigators put wiretaps on several cellphones used by Sarkozy, who used the alias Paul Bismuth to obtain a second cellphone, and his entourage. Although the Bettencourt case was later dropped, prosecutors say police wiretaps picked up a conversation between Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog in which they discussed making the job offer to a senior judge, Gilbert Azibert, in return for information.

Sarkozys defense team argued the tapes were illegal, broke lawyer-client confidentiality and were inadmissible in legal proceedings, but judges rejected that argument in 2016.

Prosecutors decided there was enough evidence to put Sarkozy on trial on corruption and influence peddling charges in another case with yet another nickname, the Bismuth affair. The case dates to 2015 and has been repeatedly delayed by defense appeals. Sarkozys lawyers issued a statement saying they would also appeal Thursdays decision to send this case to court.

Sarkozy, Herzog and Azibert are being sent to trial on the corruption and influence peddling charges; all three deny the allegations.

Thursdays development came days after Sarkozy was officially put under investigation in a case involving claims he received millions in illegal campaign funds from Kadafi for his 2007 election.

Sarkozy is also being investigated over the funding of his unsuccessful reelection bid in 2012; this case, known as the Bygmalion affair, involves claims he fraudulently hid campaign costs after they exceeded the legal limit using an established communications company called Bygmalion as a front. The public prosecutor has called for this case to also go to trial.

Sarkozy has vigorously denied all the accusations in all the cases against him. Last week he went on prime-time television to say the Kadafi claims were crazy and monstrous.

Sarkozy, a conservative, served just one term from 2007 to 2012, when he lost to socialist Francois Holland.

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3:30 p.m.: This article was updated with staff reporting throughout.

This article was originally published at 10:30 am.
The migrants rose before dawn to prepare a breakfast of bean burritos and champurrado, a Mexican cinnamon-chocolate drink whose scent filled the dining hall of their temporary shelter in this heavily trafficked border town across the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas.

The number of migrants apprehended at the southern border has dipped since President Trump took office, but hundreds still arrive each week at Casa Migrante, a haven in this border city still haunted by drug cartel violence that scared off U.S. tourists and businesses during the last decade. The surrounding state of Tamaulipas, which hugs the border, is still one of the most violent in Mexico, and the State Department this year warned Americans against traveling there. Few migrants want to linger in Nuevo Laredo.

The free shelter run by Catholic priests has space for 100 at a time in a white concrete building beside the river. On this recent morning, the migrants, most of them men, ate breakfast at plastic tables next to a map of the U.S., a picture of Jesus with his disciples and Spanish banners proclaiming, Justice for migrants and If the migrant is not your brother, God is not your father.

Some of the migrants were Central Americans  first-time visitors to Nuevo Laredo. Others were recently deported from the U.S. The deportees, in particular, had a difficult decision: Should they admit defeat and give up, or risk prison by trying to cross illegally again?

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Sandy Veracruz Santiago, 21, had been deported the day before just hours after she and a cousin crossed the Rio Grande into Texas, bound for Houston, where they have relatives. They had paid a total of $4,500 to cross the border, hoping to find work to support their two children.

Before they were deported, Border Patrol agents warned the pair that if they were caught crossing again, they could be detained for months. In the past, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement routinely placed migrants in deportation proceedings, but now officials often pursue criminal charges, which can mean prison time for repeat offenders. The agents warning scared Veracruz, who planned to head home to Mexico City. But her cousin said he would cross the border illegally again soon.

We will see what happens, said Pablo Botello Garcia, 20, a baby-faced house painter with unfinished braces on his teeth and a 9-month-old daughter at home.

Two other migrants sat facing each other at the end of another table. They were tired, unshaven and uncertain about their futures. Luis Duran said he was stopped by police in tiny Alton, Utah, days before and swiftly deported. He had lived in the U.S. since 2001 and left behind three sons  ages 7, 3 and 2  and he missed them.

Duran, 36, framed houses for a living in Utah and knew he would be paid far less for such work in his hometown of Puebla, Mexico. But he wasnt sure he could cross the border again without ending up in detention long term.

I cant make money here in Mexico, Duran said. But I have three deportations. Thats enough.

Heriberto Garcia, a 32-year-old construction worker sitting across from him, agreed they were in a bind.

Garcia, who had been deported the day before, had a 10-year-old son in Houston, where he was stopped and detained for driving without a license. He also had been deported before, in 2013.

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We cant work in Mexico, he said. In his home state of Guanajuato, it took family connections to find work. Garcia had friend who had started robbing cars for a living.

When they deport us, they force us into a life of crime. I might have to do it, he said.

In the shelter kitchen, deportee Carlos Villareal said he had given up on ever returning to the U.S.

Villareal, 40, a slim construction worker from rural western Mexico, first crossed to the U.S. illegally in 1995. He worked across the South, made good money rebuilding homes in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, married and had two sons, ages 7 and 1.

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He was earning up to $150 a day when he was deported this year. In his native Nayarit state, he said, he could find only farm work that paid $20 a day. So Villareal had paid $2,500 to cross the border illegally the day before.

He was caught by Border Patrol and swiftly returned to Mexico.

My time working in the U.S. has ended Carlos Villareal

My time working in the U.S. has ended. I have to think of my sons. This was my last chance to go back and make money, but I couldnt do it, Villareal said.

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At a neighboring table, cleanshaven Julian Calleja finished his burrito and prepared to leave for work at a factory.

Calleja, 27, had been deported after he was charged with driving under the influence after drinking a few beers and some tequila on his way home from work one night in Wayne, Neb. There he has earned $150 a day at a Mexican restaurant. In Nuevo Laredo he earned 200 pesos a day, about $11, soldering metal chairs.

Calleja sent much of what he earned back to Acapulco to support his 12-year-old daughter. Unlike Villareal, he was willing to risk a prison sentence. He planned to pay smugglers, likely several thousand dollars, to cross the border illegally once more.

Its tougher now, but my family has to eat. Its more difficult here in Mexico than in jail, he said.

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Sitting nearby, Miguel Nogues said he also planned to return to the U.S. illegally. He had settled years before in Texas, found work in the oil fields earning $25 an hour and married a U.S. citizen. He sent money back to his father in Mexico City to pay for his cancer medication.

Now Nogues, 40, looked and felt out of place at the shelter in his Old Navy fleece, Polo cap and blue Nike sneakers. He wanted to return to his adopted small town of Alice in south Texas.

I love living with U.S. citizens. Theyre my second family, he said.

After breakfast, Juan Olivares, 71, hobbled with a metal cane to an outside courtyard. Hed been deported from San Antonio in December by ICE after living as a legal resident in the U.S. for 59 years. Bearded with thick glasses, he was still wearing the slip-on shoes he had been issued at the U.S. detention center where he was held for three months.

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Olivares wasnt sure why ICE came to his house and deported him. He said he had been convicted of assaulting his wife in 1996, a felony, but received 10 years of probation that ended after four years because of good behavior. His wife died in 2007. His adult children were U.S. citizens living in Texas. He couldnt afford to hire an attorney. He had no family left in his native Coahuila state, but he said he might move to a shelter there that had offered him assistance.

We are Mexicans without a country, he said of the deportees.

Walking out the other door of the dining hall toward the shelter office was a small man in a gray Dave & Busters sweatshirt and with an unbandaged scrape on his head.

Jovan, a Guatemalan farmer, had spent weeks migrating north on foot to find work to support his two children, ages 6 and 1. He hopped a cargo train in Mexico north known as La Bestia, the Beast, a notoriously dangerous route to the U.S. border. Ten days earlier, Mexican police had forced him and a group of about 100 migrants off the train. He bumped his head, which still hurt. Others died, he said.

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Jovan, 24, had arrived in Nuevo Laredo a few days before and didnt want to share his last name for fear he might be deported. Walking down the street with fellow migrants, he said, he got chased by Mexican men in a black SUV. Some darted out, grabbed a Honduran migrant he knew and sped off. The man had not been heard from since, Jovan said.

He asked staff members in the shelter office whether he could leave with other migrants for work. They explained that Jovan did not have the necessary paperwork yet to work in Mexico. He didnt have money to pay a smuggler, but he was determined to reach the U.S. on his own if he had to.

Today or tomorrow I will cross, he said. These are the risks we take.

Earlier that morning, a few miles away at the border bridge, several men had boarded a red inflated rubber raft and tried to cross the river. They were desperate and also conspicuous, and half a dozen Border Patrol agents ran to apprehend them.

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To read this article in Spanish click here

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

@mollyhf
Russia has landed a heavy diplomatic counterpunch in the case of the poisoned spy, declaring Thursday that it would toss out 60 American diplomats and scores of other Western envoys in response to a massive coordinated expulsion of Russians announced this week by Britain and its allies, including the United States.

The Russian retaliation, which also included the closing of the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, sent Moscows relations with the West into a deep chill that was almost reminiscent of Cold War days.

But it also left unanswered the question hanging over the entire spy-poisoning affair: This time, had the self-confident Vladimir V. Putin overreached?

Nearly a month after a turncoat former Russian intelligence operative and his daughter were poisoned in the British city of Salisbury with a military-grade nerve agent bearing Moscows Soviet-era signature, the ultimate cost to Russia remains unclear.

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Thats partly because the episode is still playing out. Recriminations continue to fly daily between Moscow and Western capitals, and a complex inquiry involving hundreds of British anti-terrorism investigators is pressing ahead.

British health officials said Thursday that whereas Sergei Skripal  the 66-year-old Russian ex-spy who was poisoned  remained in critical condition, his 33-year-old daughter Yulia was improving. Previously, a family member in Russia had told the BBC that doctors had all but ruled out a full recovery for either father or daughter.

Skripal has been living in Britain since being handed over in a large-scale 2010 spy swap. He confessed to his Russian masters that he had spied on Britains behalf.

The latest act in the ongoing diplomatic drama came when the U.S. ambassador to Moscow, Jon Huntsman Jr., was summoned to the Moscows imposing Foreign Ministry on Thursday to be informed of the reciprocal expulsions, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a briefing carried by official Russian media.

Lavrov said that more than 90 expulsions of Russians by other Western countries would be met in kind, on a country-by-country basis.

The U.S. State Department, calling the action regrettable and unwarranted, said additional U.S. actions had not been ruled out.

It is clear that Russia is not interested in dialogue about issues that matter to our two countries, spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. Russia is further isolating itself following the brazen chemical attack in the United Kingdom.

Nauert said the 60 U.S. diplomats were declared persona non grata and ordered to leave within seven days. The St. Petersburg consulate was given 48 hours to close, she said.

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Russian official media said the Americans in question consisted of 58 from the Moscow embassy and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg. A U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, in Russias Far East, was apparently unaffected.

Analysts noted that with Thursdays precisely equivalent expulsions, Russia was making a point of not upping the ante  at least for now. The earlier moves by Western governments also allowed them some room to maneuver, said Rosa Balfour, a Brussels-based analyst with the German Marshall Fund.

Its a spectrum, she said. There is room for an increased level of condemnation, but with de-escalation also an option.

Tension could quickly intensify if the West takes economic aim at Putins oligarch-heavy inner circle. London is a nexus of foreign capital holdings by many wealthy Russians. Britain has indicated it is looking carefully at those holdings.

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Huntsman said Wednesday that the United States and its allies had not ruled out that Russias assets abroad could be seized.

That warning apparently struck a raw nerve. On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Huntsman that any bid to seize Russian assets would bring further serious degradation in relations and was fraught with grave consequences for global stability.

In Russia, the poisoning episode has not only failed to dent Putins domestic popularity, but also probably has bolstered it. Many ordinary Russians profess faith in the official narrative that Moscow was the victim, or back one of the many dark conspiracy theories Russias Foreign Ministry has spun to explain how and why the ex-spy and his daughter were felled.

A March phone poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, which is closely connected to the government, found that 81% of respondents believed Britains leadership deliberately exacerbated the crisis in relations with Russia. Only 5% believed Britain had any grounds for blaming Russia for anything related to the Skripal case.

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Most Russians really see obvious Russo-phobic motives in the actions of British politicians, said Stepan Lvov, the polling agencys head of research.

But some saw miscalculation on the part of Putin, who this month overwhelmingly won reelection in a vote widely criticized in the West as unfair because it excluded his main opponent.

Is Russia guilty? You know, were used to seeing how poor and innocent Russia is never at fault, said Pyotr Maslov, 55, a Moscow artist. Using a sardonic nickname for Putin and an expletive to describe his actions, Maslov said the Russian leader might have taken matters a step too far with the poison attack.

Uncle Vova [messed] up this time, he said. Thats obvious.

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Russia shrugged off an initial burst of anger on Londons part, but Putin and his circle may have been caught by surprise by the show of solidarity that Britain was able to elicit from its allies, analysts said.

In the days after the poisoning incident, Russia issued a series of statements that amounted to trolling Britain over its perceived isolation amid the stress and strain of the Brexit negotiations. Nonetheless, those same European Union negotiating partners, led by Germany and France, counted themselves in Britains corner when it came to an attack carried out on European soil, the first known offensive use of a nerve agent since World War II.

Ten days after the attack, London ordered the expulsions of 23 Russian diplomats, after Moscow ignored a demand to explain why Novichok, a nerve agent developed during the Soviet era, was found at the scene.

Those expulsions were a relatively light blow to Moscow, and some analysts suggested Putin thought the retaliation would go no further. Mark Galeotti, a senior researcher and Prague-based head of the Center for European Security at the Institute of International Relations, said his sense was that Russian diplomats did not think Britains allies would offer much beyond thoughts and prayers  meaning anodyne condemnation of the attack, without significant action.

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But the subsequent coordinated response from the United States and European allies  with nearly 30 nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization joining in  was an unexpectedly emphatic echo of Britains position.

That might leave Moscow looking for ways to respond outside the arena of diplomatic tit-for-tat, Galeotti said.

Where the scope is, is for the Russians to determine whether they escalate or tone it down, he said. In, shall we say, alternative fields of activity  for example, in Syria, Libya or the Balkans, they could suddenly get much more aggressive. Or they could actually become more emollient.

Even if Putin was taken aback by the Western response, there are rifts within Europe, and within the NATO alliance, for him to exploit.

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NATO ally Turkey pointedly refused to join in any move to punish Russia. And in Europe, the move to expel Russian diplomats set off internal debate in Italy and other countries. Austria also declined to join in the expulsions.

President Trump, under a cloud as special counsel Robert S. Mueller III continues his wide-ranging investigation of whether the Trump campaign cooperated with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, has left it to surrogates to condemn Moscows actions.

But the White House readout of conversations the president had this week with British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron voiced common outrage over the Skripal attack.

Russias Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, warned that fresh measures were possible in the case of continuing hostile actions against Russian diplomatic and consular institutions in the United States.

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The U.S. authorities, encouraging and fanning the campaign of slander against our country, are invited to think again and stop reckless actions to destroy bilateral relations, the ministry said.

Special correspondent Ayres reported from Moscow and Times staff writer King from Washington. Staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report.

laura.king@latimes.com

UPDATES:

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3:50 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with details of the expulsion, political analysis and background.

11:50 a.m.: This article has been updated with a statement from the Russian foreign ministry.

11:35 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with Times staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 10:15 a.m.
In a result that was never in doubt, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi appears headed to a second term at the helm of the Arab worlds most populous nation after any serious challengers were prevented from running against him.

The resounding election victory  in which Sisi garnered more than 90% of the vote, according to unofficial tallies published Thursday by state-run media  was dampened by a lower turnout than four years ago.

Sisis lone opponent  Moussa Mostafa Moussa, an ardent supporter of the president whose last-minute candidacy was widely seen as an attempt to give the election a veneer of legitimacy  was reported to have received about 3% of the ballots cast over three days this week.

Official results are expected Monday. But Moussa conceded his likely defeat shortly after polls closed Wednesday, telling a local television station,I am very happy with the experience, whatever the result.

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The government and its supporters made a concerted effort to entice and coerce voters to the polls to achieve a turnout that would shore up Sisis mandate in the face of critics who labeled the election a farce.

Some voters told local reporters they were promised boxes of food, small cash payments and other inducements to take part.

Officials in some governorates  the Egyptian equivalent of states  pledged to prioritize towns with high turnouts for upgrades to services such as water and sanitation, according to news reports. In another governorate, residents were told they could take part in a raffle for free religious pilgrimages to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia if local turnout reached 40%.

Voting is a legal requirement in Egypt, and the National Election Authority on Wednesday reminded citizens who did not take part that they could face fines of about $30. That would be a considerable sum for many here, although such fines have not been enforced in the past.

There were also reports of employers threatening to dock pay from their workers or report their names to the authorities if they didnt vote. Voting was extended by an hour Wednesday to give people a final chance to cast ballots.

The state-run newspaper Al Ahram reported on its website Thursday that about 25 million of the countrys nearly 60 million eligible voters, or 42%, cast ballots. The official turnout in 2014 was more than 47%, though analysts questioned the accuracy of both figures based on the short or nonexistent lines observed at many polling stations.

Sisi was leading with about 92% of the vote, the newspaper said without specifying the number of ballots counted. The votes for Moussa were outnumbered by invalid ballots, according to figures provided by another daily, Al Youm Al Sabea .

In a tweet late Wednesday, Sisi said: The scenes of Egyptians at polling stations will remain my source of pride and honor and a compelling proof of the greatness of our nation.

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The voice of the Egyptian masses will undoubtedly remain a witness that the will of our nation is imposing itself with a force that knows no weakness, he added.

Many Egyptians see the president as a bulwark of stability after years of political and economic turbulence after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings that swept the region and toppled the countrys longtime strongman, Hosni Mubarak. Sisi, a former military chief, seized power in 2013 amid massive street protests against the countrys first democratically elected president, the Islamist Mohamed Morsi.

People are so tired, said Massoud Shafiq, a 50-year-old Cairo hairdresser who recalled a time when he could not run his blow-dryer because of constant power outages and didnt feel safe in the streets after dark.

With Sisi in charge, he believes that the countrys problems are finally being addressed. We want to see a continuation of what we have seen for the past four years, he said.

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To Sisis critics, however, this weeks vote was a meaningless referendum on the presidents rule. Any serious challengers were arrested or intimidated into withdrawing from the race.

There is no election, declared a 28-year-old Cairo street vendor, who said he didnt bother to vote. Sisi was going to win anyway.

He did not want his name published in case of retribution.

Analysts said Sisi appeared to have decided that any political opening could lead to the kind of popular upheaval that toppled Mubarak. Sisis predecessor, Morsi, is in jail along with thousands of his followers from the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. Hundreds of websites deemed critical of the government have been blocked, and journalists arrested or deported.

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Khaled Dawoud, leader of the liberal Dostour party and a noted critic of Sisi, said he did not expect any reprieve now that the president has secured a second term.

We are going to get four more years of the same, if not worse, he said.

Though Sisi has said he has no intention of running again, many of his critics expect supporters to begin pressing for constitutional amendments that would allow the president to remain in office beyond the current two-term limit.

His pattern to date does not show that he will be enthusiastic about simply stepping down and handing over to someone he doesnt view as sufficiently fit for the task, said H.A. Hellyer, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank. So either he will find someone whom he can groom, or he will want to extend his time.

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Whether that is for one term or multiple terms, its unclear  but I think that will be a discussion fairly soon in his second term, Hellyer added.

Experts warned, however, that even the governments most ardent supporters will be looking to Sisi to provide relief from painful austerity measures required to secure a $12-billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. Although there are signs that the economy is improving, soaring prices and the elimination of subsidies have hurt many Egyptians.

Most seem to have accepted the argument that short-term pain is a necessary price to pay for long-term economic gain, but their patience may not be infinite, said Amy Hawthorne, deputy director of research at the Project on Middle East Democracy, a Washington think tank.

Sisi will also have to contend with Islamist extremists, including a group known as Sinai Province, an affiliate of Islamic State based in the Sinai Peninsula that has staged deadly attacks.

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So far I think theyve been managed or contained and havent spread, Hawthorne said. But she said recent attacks on churches in major cities of mainland Egypt could be warning signs that some groups are seeking to expand their presence into more heavily populated areas.

Analysts also point to another potential threat: a massive hydroelectric dam Ethiopia is building on the Nile River.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, expected to be completed this year, has become a point of contention among Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, which gets 90% of its water supply from the Nile.

Egypt is already facing water shortages blamed in part on the effects of climate change and a burgeoning population. The government fears that Ethiopias dam will reduce the flow to Egypt  a concern that the Ethiopian government says is misplaced.

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Special correspondent Islam reported from Cairo and staff writer Zavis from Beirut.

alexandra.zavis@latimes.com

Twitter: @alexzavis
Grabbing a snack or a pick-me-up is about to get much more convenient for all of the employees at Bethlehem's City Hall.

Church Street Market, 1 E. Church St., is opening Friday across the street, serving up coffee, espresso, breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Saturday. It is the only market and cafe of its kind in Bethlehem's Historic District.

Stocked with wares from local producers, the market will offer customers a variety of convenience items, like bread and rice, as well as prepared meals-to-go that are made in-house from scratch.

"If you come in at 7:30 for your coffee, you can pick up your dinner for that night," said Genevieve Marcon, owner and a Historic District resident.

After living in Philadelphia and New York City, where local markets can be found all over, Marcon was inspired to bring that sort of convenience to Bethlehem and convert the storefront at Church and New streets into a market and cafe. She bought the property in 2016.

Customers will find a menu of locally sourced food and baked goods coming from local producers, like Bread Box and Bakery in Perkasie, Pa., and Sweet Doe Bakery, which specializes in vegan treats. The cheeses comes from Valley Milkhouse and the Granola Factory is stocked as well.

"Everything is made in-house," Marcon said. "We don't use anything canned or jarred or pre-made."

The market held a soft opening March 23-24 and plans to open its doors for business Friday at 7:30 a.m.

Its regular hours will be Tuesday through Friday 7:30 until 3:30 p.m. and, for now, Saturdays hours are set at 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The weekend hours may change subject to demand.

"I want this to be a convenient option, but high quality," Marcon said.

The storefront has undergone a full renovation transforming it from its former life as an antique store and, most recently, a hair salon.

There's now a full commercial kitchen in the back and an expansive, subway tile covered serving counter in the front. The two, large front windows are flanked with long quartz counters and stools with oversized pendant lights hanging overhead.

The stand-up circular bar at the center of the market has already become a gathering place, Marcon said. There's also a refrigerator case, for local produce from Wild Fox Farm and prepared foods, and shelving for grocery staples.

The cafe is serving La Colombe dark roast and espresso and Monocacy Coffee Co.'s medium roast.

"We want to support local producers. We want to be a reliable source for these items," Marcon said. "We have a lot of great food producers in the Lehigh Valley and I think it's nice to have one place to go where you can get it, rather than hopping farmers market to farmers market."

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
UPDATE: Suspect shot first in trooper-involved shooting outside Wal-Mart, troopers say

Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting Wednesday night at a Walmart Supercenter in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania State Police at Fogelsvillle report.

The Lehigh County District Attorney's Office is working with state police in the probe.

"No further information will be released tonight," police said in a news release.

Authorities and on-scene reports said the store was closed and the Lehigh County Coroner's Office was there. The coroner only responds in the case of a death.

Coroner Scott Grim on Thursday morning said the investigation was continuing but he couldn't immediately provide more information. He did confirm someone died and he had been at the scene with investigators.

The coroner will determine the cause and manner of the person's death.

The Morning Call, citing store employees, said state police chased a "suspected shoplifter" in the store and he was shot outside. The newspaper said there were reports of an "exchange of gunfire between the suspected shoplifter and a trooper." WFMZ reports the man was "cornered in a white van in the parking lot" and the "van windows can be seen blown out."

A white van could be seen with a door open after the shooting. A state police car was parked nearby.

The store is at 1091 Mill Creek Road and the incident began at 9:05 p.m., police said.

Customers were in there store during the incident, reports said. The parking lot was sealed off after the shooting.

A news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at the state police Bethlehem barracks.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Industries New, cost saving control system for conveyor systems

Avancon's conveyor system

29.03.2018 10:17:19 - The Swiss company Avancon SA has launched a conveyor system, which allows customers to save costs for controlling and programming. It controls itself, even very large and complex material handling systems in logistics centers. The key economic advantages are that a control cabinet or cable ducts are not necessary. Integration into a higher bus / IT topology is incredibly easy.



(live-PR.com) - Automation is related to DIN V 19233 Equipping a facility so that it operates as intended in full or in part without human involvement (from: Wikipedia/German)



Thus, an automatic conveyor system operating without human intervention is the epitome of "automation" and that is what has been implemented quite simply with the new ZPC system from Avancon.



It is universally applicable and for - Automation is related to DIN V 19233 Equipping a facility so that it operates as intended in full or in part without human involvement (from: Wikipedia/German)Thus, an automatic conveyor system operating without human intervention is the epitome of "automation" and that is what has been implemented quite simply with the new ZPC system from Avancon.It is universally applicable and for the operator energy and cost saving. This system is manufactured solely as a ZPC concept (ZPC = Zone Powered Conveyor). This means everything refers to a single zone, the control system, the photo-sensors and the brushless DC-Motor. The great thing is that no cables are pulled on the construction site and additional control cabinets and cable ducts are omitted. This reduces the investment costs.



"We want to save our customers work and costs. That's why we're building this ZPC concept, a zoned propulsion system. The advantages are obvious, both for the conveyor manufacturer and for the system integrator. This concerns the planning, the realization, the maintenance and last but not least the energy savings. It is very simple and controls itself, so it works completely autonomously." Says Dr. Daniele Gambetta, the technical manager of Avancon SA. "Generally speaking, a huge ZPC-conveyor system can be operated, without a higher bus or IT infrastructure. Since we only use this concept, it does not cost more, because these ZPC systems are already pre-programmed. This means that no further programming effort and no central control cabinet, as well as no cable ducts on the construction site are necessary. However, the ZPC controller can communicate with almost any higher bus/IT architecture."



Externally everything is smooth, closed and with a modern design. You dont see whether a motor nor a control system or cables. Everything is hidden, safe and clean installed within the profile frame, even the power supply and in the future also the brushless DC motors.



However, if one still wants to intervene into the system, make processes visible or wants to receive a warning signal when an element fails out or a motor is overloaded, Avancon has a ready made solution for this.



But not only, if further devices such as lifts, stacker-cranes and retrieval machines, packaging and palletizing machines or robots have to be integrated, this is also possible, provided that other bus systems for this purpose have already ben foreseen.



"OK, that's easy," says Denis Ratz, CEO of Avancon SA, "Our control system is equipped with the necessary intelligence and is able to communicate with nearly any higher bus and IT architecture. That can be done very easily and without big expenses, too. That's our advantage. For large systems we are usually very economical, provided that the integrator has understood the system philosophy and follows our guidelines."



Well, why is Avancon's ZPC system so easy?

First of all, from a mechanical point of view, all control elements can be mounted without tools, without screws and without cable fixings. This simplifies the assembly and also the maintenance can be carried out quickly and at very low cost.



For the customer, everything in the firmware is already pre-programmed, even for crossings and switches and sorting lines. In the lower level, the globally known and hard-coded AS-interface fieldbus is used, which already performs many functions. By the way, if you want to know more about AS-interface, you can visit the website 



A maximum of 31 zones of the ZPC system are controlled and monitored by an AS-interface master. If required, the internal ZPC network can also be equipped with an MCC (Main Control Center), which has a preprogrammed processing unit (PLC) and a modular gateway to almost all higher bus/IT systems. Generally, Avancon recommends the MCC for larger and more complex systems. It includes all master units of the ZPC network and can also take on a lot of other functions, so there are no limits to the size of a material flow system.



If you accept the ZPC system as it is, you save a lot of additional programming time and cost. However, the MCC can continuously provide all data through the gateway to higher levels. Each ASi master has the current status of all its managed and controlled up to 31 zones (62 slaves) - every 10 meters.

Furthermore, the MCC can also receive and process commands of a higher level via the integrated gateway. You only need two 'bits', as move to the right (01), left out (10) and straight ahead (00). Everything else is done by the ZPC network independently.



There is even an easier way. Take the following example: a higher-level bus or IT system is connected to the barcode readers, attached to the conveyor system. After evaluating the read barcode of a unit to be conveyed, the higher-level system issues the instruction to the ZPC network to move it in the determined direction. ASi diverts. - Finished.

Thus, the higher level system knows in which side line of this unit is and - if it is then detected at another barcode reader again, it can be further directed as described. So it is tracked to its destination. That's easy, right?



Machines and operations integrated in the conveyor system, such as strapping machines, label dispensers, scales, palletizers, robots, etc., can be easily integrated in various manners.



Albert Einstein said: "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." Here one should add: "but not more complicated, please!"



It is absolutely not necessary to repeat and program all commands at a higher level, because ASi automatically executes anyway.



If you are interested in this simple and very reliable ZPC-control system, you can find out more on

or just call the experts of Avancon.



As a specialty, a simple ZPC-control profile is now offered to those manufacturers, who still have an older construction of their conveyors, but understandably like the ZPC concept. This makes it possible to mount all the controls without tools and to use completely the patented ZPC concept as described above. The ZPC-control profile can effortless be attached anywhere with just a few self-tapping screws.



Do you want to get it even simpler?

the operator energy and cost saving. This system is manufactured solely as a ZPC concept (ZPC = Zone Powered Conveyor). This means everything refers to a single zone, the control system, the photo-sensors and the brushless DC-Motor. The great thing is that no cables are pulled on the construction site and additional control cabinets and cable ducts are omitted. This reduces the investment costs."We want to save our customers work and costs. That's why we're building this ZPC concept, a zoned propulsion system. The advantages are obvious, both for the conveyor manufacturer and for the system integrator. This concerns the planning, the realization, the maintenance and last but not least the energy savings. It is very simple and controls itself, so it works completely autonomously." Says Dr. Daniele Gambetta, the technical manager of Avancon SA. "Generally speaking, a huge ZPC-conveyor system can be operated, without a higher bus or IT infrastructure. Since we only use this concept, it does not cost more, because these ZPC systems are already pre-programmed. This means that no further programming effort and no central control cabinet, as well as no cable ducts on the construction site are necessary. However, the ZPC controller can communicate with almost any higher bus/IT architecture."Externally everything is smooth, closed and with a modern design. You dont see whether a motor nor a control system or cables. Everything is hidden, safe and clean installed within the profile frame, even the power supply and in the future also the brushless DC motors.However, if one still wants to intervene into the system, make processes visible or wants to receive a warning signal when an element fails out or a motor is overloaded, Avancon has a ready made solution for this.But not only, if further devices such as lifts, stacker-cranes and retrieval machines, packaging and palletizing machines or robots have to be integrated, this is also possible, provided that other bus systems for this purpose have already ben foreseen."OK, that's easy," says Denis Ratz, CEO of Avancon SA, "Our control system is equipped with the necessary intelligence and is able to communicate with nearly any higher bus and IT architecture. That can be done very easily and without big expenses, too. That's our advantage. For large systems we are usually very economical, provided that the integrator has understood the system philosophy and follows our guidelines."Well, why is Avancon's ZPC system so easy?First of all, from a mechanical point of view, all control elements can be mounted without tools, without screws and without cable fixings. This simplifies the assembly and also the maintenance can be carried out quickly and at very low cost.For the customer, everything in the firmware is already pre-programmed, even for crossings and switches and sorting lines. In the lower level, the globally known and hard-coded AS-interface fieldbus is used, which already performs many functions. By the way, if you want to know more about AS-interface, you can visit the website  www.as-interface.net and even download the user manual to your mobile phone. - Apart from that, there are no DIP-switches to operate and no commands for stopping and starting need to be programmed.A maximum of 31 zones of the ZPC system are controlled and monitored by an AS-interface master. If required, the internal ZPC network can also be equipped with an MCC (Main Control Center), which has a preprogrammed processing unit (PLC) and a modular gateway to almost all higher bus/IT systems. Generally, Avancon recommends the MCC for larger and more complex systems. It includes all master units of the ZPC network and can also take on a lot of other functions, so there are no limits to the size of a material flow system.If you accept the ZPC system as it is, you save a lot of additional programming time and cost. However, the MCC can continuously provide all data through the gateway to higher levels. Each ASi master has the current status of all its managed and controlled up to 31 zones (62 slaves) - every 10 meters.Furthermore, the MCC can also receive and process commands of a higher level via the integrated gateway. You only need two 'bits', as move to the right (01), left out (10) and straight ahead (00). Everything else is done by the ZPC network independently.There is even an easier way. Take the following example: a higher-level bus or IT system is connected to the barcode readers, attached to the conveyor system. After evaluating the read barcode of a unit to be conveyed, the higher-level system issues the instruction to the ZPC network to move it in the determined direction. ASi diverts. - Finished.Thus, the higher level system knows in which side line of this unit is and - if it is then detected at another barcode reader again, it can be further directed as described. So it is tracked to its destination. That's easy, right?Machines and operations integrated in the conveyor system, such as strapping machines, label dispensers, scales, palletizers, robots, etc., can be easily integrated in various manners.Albert Einstein said: "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." Here one should add: "but not more complicated, please!"It is absolutely not necessary to repeat and program all commands at a higher level, because ASi automatically executes anyway.If you are interested in this simple and very reliable ZPC-control system, you can find out more on www.avancon.com/controls.html or just call the experts of Avancon.As a specialty, a simple ZPC-control profile is now offered to those manufacturers, who still have an older construction of their conveyors, but understandably like the ZPC concept. This makes it possible to mount all the controls without tools and to use completely the patented ZPC concept as described above. The ZPC-control profile can effortless be attached anywhere with just a few self-tapping screws.Do you want to get it even simpler? Press Information:

Avancon SA







Contact Person:

Denis Ratz

CEO

Phone: 0041912221010

eMail: eMail



Web: http://www.avancon.com





29.03.2018 10:17:19 -

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Airbnb to start sharing customer data with Chinese government 29-03-2018 09:44



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Alba Mineral Resources raises 750,000 as production resumed at Brockham 29-03-2018 10:16



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Barclays settles with DoJ ahead of schedule, shares spike higher 29-03-2018 14:42



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Consumer and business borrowing accelerate, BoE figures show 29-03-2018 09:42



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Renault revs up on report of possible merger with Nissan 29-03-2018 08:49



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Solid portfolio management continues as 3i Infrastructure pays special dividend 29-03-2018 08:12



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Trump 'goes after' Amazon on Twitter 29-03-2018 13:17



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Dr. Jessica Munson (left) and project co-director Lorena Paiz contemplate the archaeology at Altar de Sacrificios. Photo credit: Kayla Everett 19. Download Image: Web

Jessica Munson, assistant professor of archaeology and anthropology at Lycoming College, received the 2018 Best Poster Award from the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) at their annual meeting held Jan. 4-7, in Boston. Each year, the AIA presents awards to archaeologists, authors, educators and others whose work has positively affected the field of archaeology. The awards recognize the excellence of individuals and groups engaged in the pursuit of knowledge through archaeology or other related disciplines.

The poster, entitled Measuring Quality of Life Changes in an Ancient Maya Community: Longitudinal Perspectives from Altar de Sacrificios, Guatemala, tracks changes in wealth inequality over a 2000 year period by examining burial data from previous research and the 2016 and 2017 field seasons. Jonathan Scholnick, part time instructor of archaeology and anthropology at Lycoming College and a co-author on the poster, contributed to the statistical analysis. Lycoming students Jackie Croteau 17, Jazmin Jones 20 and Michaela Thode 20 assisted with the data collection for the project.

The Altar de Sacrificios Archaeological Project is an international team of researchers, students and local community members working together to better understand the everyday experiences of ancient Maya people. Support for the project is provided by the AIA, the Rust Family Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation and Lycoming College.

It is a great honor to receive this award from the AIA, stated Munson. We are just starting to generate some preliminary results from our first two field seasons at Altar de Sacrificios, so this recognition is very encouraging for our future research.

The Lycoming College archaeology program allows students to analyze the physical remains of the past in pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of human culture. Students majoring in archaeology receive a solid foundation in the theories, methods, and diverse approaches that archaeologists use to answer important questions about cultural diversity and social change through time and across vast geographic regions. For more information on the archaeology program, please visit: https://www.lycoming.edu /archaeology/
Lucha de Clases (section of the International Marxist Tendency in the Spanish state) opposes the arrest of Carles Puigdemont in Germany and demands his immediate release. We also demand the release of five Catalan independence leaders arrested on Friday, including the last candidate for the presidency of the Generalitat, Jordi Turull; along with all Catalan political prisoners. Original statement in Spanish here.

Our support and sympathy lies entirely with the tens-of-thousands of young people, workers and citizens who bravely took to the streets of Catalonia last weekend and, above all, on Sunday. They were demanding the release of all Catalan political prisoners, and standing up in defence of the national-democratic rights of the Catalan people, beginning with the right of the Parliament of Catalonia to elect the President of the Generalitat [Catalan Government], without interference by the Spanish State.

Their struggle is an inspiration to all workers, young people, women, pensioners and unemployed citizens in the rest of the state suffering the repressive and antisocial policies of the Spanish right, and its reactionary state apparatus.

Yesterday, there were demonstrations, roadblocks and clashes with the [Catalan Police] Mossos d'Esquadra, leaving 100 injured and resulting in several detainees. As in previous mobilizations, the Committees for the Defense of the Republic have played the most active role in the protests. Significantly, there were also demonstrations and protests in Euskadi and Pamplona.

Tens-of-thousands of young people took to the streets of Catalonia to defend democratic rights / Image: Lucha de Clases

The arrest of Puigdemont comes just after the arrest on Friday of Turull, former Catalan consellers [Ministers] Josep Rull, Raul Romeva and Dolors Bassa; and Carme Forcadell, former president of the Catalan Parliament. It seems clear that the reactionary Supreme Court judge, Pablo Llarena, reactivated the international detention order against Puigdemont and the other exiled independence leaders. He did this as Puigdemont traveled from Belgium to Finland, knowing that on his way back he would pass through countries with more repressive penal codes. In Germany, there is no sensitivity to the national question (unlike in Belgium), and the country recognises a crime similar to rebellion in its penal code.

Above all, the Spanish regime trusts in the close relationship that exists between the German and Spanish bourgeoisie and their respective state apparatuses, and are assured the request for extradition will be met. Certainly, there must be pressure at the highest level for this to happen.

The trampling of democratic rights in Catalonia and its parliament, elected by the Catalan people, is scandalous. Puigdemont, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Turull were democratically elected as deputies of the parliament, and were within their political rights to be elected presidents of the Generalitat. Llarena and the Constitutional Court, encouraged by the regime, have trampled all these rights by twisting bourgeois law to prevent the investiture of these three candidates, and other hypothetical candidates who have also been indicted (and are also elected members of the Parliament), including Rull and Romeva.

The Spanish State thus intensifies its siege on the Catalan independence movement, wanting to humiliate it and exact revenge, so that its challenge does not go unpunished and serves as a lesson for all those dare to challenge the regime. As the president of the Catalan Parliament, Roger Torrent, correctly stated last night:

"The state is attacking the heart of democracy, making a general cause against its political adversaries and acting fiercely against Catalonia, turning it into a test case of measures which will be used to pursue dissent everywhere.

There is another element in the situation that explains this new repressive onslaught. After months of reactionary Spanish nationalist poison, the atmosphere in the Spanish state has undergone a sudden change, with the irruption of the social protest of millions of pensioners, women and workers, who have flooded the streets of the country this March. There is a clear reactivation of the trade union struggle, the latest example of which has been the magnificent 48-hour strike of Amazon workers in Madrid.

Just a few days ago, the General Secretary of the UGT, Pepe Alvarez, spoke for the first time, after years of silence from the union leaders, about the possibility of calling a general strike. While we are skeptical about the real will of these leaders to carry this out immediately, it is very significant that they begin to mention a general strike in words, feeling the pressure from below.

There is fury over working conditions and against rents that hundreds-of-thousands of working families find impossible to pay due to real estate speculation. The PP government has lost all its credibility, tainted by corruption and the shamelessness of its representatives. It only stays in power through the active support of Ciudadanos and the passive support of the PSOE leadership.

Nationalism is being used to divert workers' struggles in the Spanish state / Image: Lucha de Clases

The latest affair concerning the fake Masters Degree obtained by the Madrid region president, Cristina Cifuentes, has been the last straw. They need to divert the attention of working class families away from their crippling problems. Just as, in the recent past, the Basque national question and ETA were used to distract from social problems, the Catalan national question is now being used to divert the struggle that millions have undertaken and to form a false front of national unity against the democratic-national rights of Catalonia.

The Spanish left can not stand idly by in this situation. It must go public and denounce, loudly and clearly, the repression of democratic rights in Catalonia. And, consequently, it must take to the streets and mobilise. It is necessary to follow the example of United Left - Madrid that has clearly demanded the freedom of the Catalan political prisoners, and of United Left MEP Marina Albiol, who has publicly called for mobilizations.

The leaders of Unidos Podemos must abandon their pusillanimity and stop calculating about their interests and the impact on their electoral chances in 2019. It is false that the defense of Catalonia's right to self-determination diverts attention from social conflicts, as they argue. It is exactly the other way around. With the excuse of "fighting Catalan separatism" the Spanish and Catalan bourgeoisie seek to silence and numb social and labor demands. They say:

"Do not demand an increase in pensions, do not demand work and decent wages, do not demand equal wages for men and women, do not demand social and affordable rents for working-class families. Everything must stop, because our main enemy is Catalan separatism. Let's all unite, Spaniards, do not you see we're in the same boat? To hell with your social and labor demands. Your wages, pensions and social rights have to wait, because Spain comes first."

Yes, the fabulous benefits of the big businessmen and bankers, their corruption and their unbridled exploitation against the working class come first: for them! It is here that Marx's phrase finds its fullest expression: "A people that oppresses another can not be free".

Supporting the actions of the state, or letting them pass with impunity, strengthens that repressive apparatus and its moral authority to attack the democratic rights of all. They have installed a repressive state that allows them to imprison Twitter users and rap artists. They use hate crimes to indict all those who shout their indignation to the powerful, while corrupt politicians and business people; and the monarch's relatives, laugh at us all. All the while, they remain free and unpunished.

Supporting or belittling the repression of the State against the majority of the Catalan people disunites, divides and increases the distance between the Spanish working class and the Catalan workers. What unites us are collective struggles and mobilizations, like those of March 8 and those of the pensioners. And to this we add: support for the exercise of the democratic rights of the Catalan people, starting with the right to self-determination, as in the referendum of 1 October.

What has become clear is that any possibility of exercising the right of self-determination through bourgeois-democratic channels has been obliterated by the Spanish State. Catalan autonomy has been removed, the parliament was dissolved from Madrid, those who promoted the referendum have been detained or exiled, dozens more face charges of rebellion, sedition and so on. Clearly, only by revolutionary means can this right be put into practice effectively.

The struggle for the Catalan Republic is part of the fight against the 1978 regime / Image: Lucha de Clases

Undoubtedly, most of the Catalan youth and a significant part of the working class ardently desire a Catalan Republic: they expressed it in the referendum of 1 October and are now defending it in the streets. They want to establish a truly democratic regime, free themselves from an oppressive state that imprisons those who express themselves in social networks or through artistic expressions, and that humiliates the Catalan national sentiment. They despise a state apparatus (judiciary and police) full of Franco supporters and reactionaries, and see how an unelected Head of State, whose legitimacy goes back to the Franco regime, dodges all accountability to the population and puts itself at the forefront of repression against the people. They want to free themselves from a parasitic oligarchy of bankers and big businessmen who amass fortunes from the sweat of the workers. All these aspirations are democratic and have a clear revolutionary content, and deserve our support and sympathy.

The Catalan bourgeoisie has shown its true face and has aligned itself completely with Madrid, blackmailing the workers with the closure of companies if progress is made towards independence. This means that a consistent struggle for the Catalan Republic can only be an anti-capitalist struggle.

[Catalan nationalist parties] ERC and JxCat have bet everything on institutional measures, and have accepted all the impositions of the Spanish state in the investiture of the President of the Generalitat: not investing Puigdemont, not investing Sanchez, not investing Turull and so on. They are satisfied with having simply proclaimed a symbolic republic without real content, and trust that this is the legal basis for getting prisoners out of jail. They do not propose a real solution.

From our point of view, the [anti-capitalist, pro-independence] CUP, the CDRs [Committees for the Defence of the Republic], the confederate republicans like Albano Dante and others, who all represent the left wing of the movement, must deepen their position of linking the struggle for the Catalan Republic with socialism, shaking off the ERC and JxCat, and fighting to conquer the leadership of the movement.

Of course, we agree with the initiatives proclaimed in Catalonia to form a united front against the repression of the state, to which ERC, JxCat, the CUP and the Commons have committed themselves, although this has not yet gone beyond the parliamentary level. The President of the Parliament, Torrent, has declared that he will try to join forces with sovereignty, social and trade union organisations to give a strong response to the repression.

In the streets of Catalonia protesters shouted "General Strike" and for the right of parliament to elect the President of the Generalitat. We agree with all that and we support it. However, we do not support that the objective of this parliamentary front, as the leaders of the ERC, of the Commons and of a sector of JxCat argue, is to ensure an "effective" Government of the Generalitat within the framework of article 155 intervention, accepting the anti-democratic limitations imposed by the state. We agree that Puigdemont (or any other prosecuted leader) can be invested, if that is the desire and the will of the majority of the parliament, and that this be defended in the streets through popular mobilization.

We have already made clear our criticism of the leadership of Unidos Podemos for not calling to actively mobilize against repression. But in spite of that, the pro-independence left must take the initiative and make an appeal to Unidos Podemos and the Spanish working class, beginning with its most advanced layer. It must make every effort to interest them in the struggle and create points of support in their ranks, making them see that the struggle for the Catalan Republic is part of the fight against the monarchical 1978 regime and against the capitalist system in the Spanish state as a whole.

Moreover, this would be the best way to find a favorable echo in that sector of the anti-independence, Catalan working class. They must be convinced that their incorporation into the struggle will serve to extend the movement among their class brothers and sisters in the rest of the state. If the Spanish bourgeoisie draws its strength from the false national unity between the classes: it is the task of the revolutionary socialists to try to break this falsehood, incorporating demands that unite all exploited layers and show the irreconcilable interests between the bourgeoisie and the working class.

We must combine the spirit of solidarity born within the Catalan independence movement with (for example) the struggle by residents of Murcia, who are fighting for the high-speed AVE train to be taken underground, and who have been brutally repressed by the police.

Without renouncing their own objectives and program, the Catalan pro-independence left, the Spanish left, and all the progressives and democrats across the state, must organize a united front of struggle against repression and in defense of the democratic rights on the basis of the following points:

Immediate withdrawal of article 155 intervention in Catalonia.

Freedom for political prisoners, Catalan and others. Withdrawal of all charges and indictments against activists and members of the CDRs accumulated throughout these months of struggle.

That the Parliament of Catalonia freely chooses the President of the Generalitat desired by the majority. Down with the intervention of the judicial apparatus in the Catalan institutions!

Down with the gag law and the other reactionary laws of the Spanish penal code.

Down with the 1978 regime! A republic for Catalonia and Spain!

Mobilizations throughout the state in defense of democratic rights!

This should be complemented with the social and labor demands felt most strongly by the working class:

Repeal of the labor counter-reform.

No to the pension reform. For pensions should be indexed to match the rising cost of living.

Equal wage for equal work.

Minimum wage of 1,000 euros a month.

For a general strike!

Down with the government of PP-Citizens!

In the course of the struggle, without imposing on the movement, and appealing to it respectfully, we submit the proposal of setting up Committees of Defense of the Republic throughout the state: in the districts, towns, universities and, where it is possible, in workplaces, as bodies that can organize the fight against the 1978 regime and its monarchy.

For a Republican Anti-Repression Front in Catalonia and the Spanish state! Down with the PP-Citizens government! Down with the monarchical regime of 1978 and its state apparatus! General strike!
Hieronymus Bosch was one of the most remarkable and original painters of all time. His works were painted five hundred years ago, yet they seem astonishingly modern, anticipating surrealism. This is the art of a world in a state of turbulence, torn by contradictory tendencies  a world in which the light of reason has been extinguished and where animal passions have gained the upper hand. A world of terror, violence and plague: a living nightmare. In short  a world very like our own, particularly given the current pandemic. Alan Woods examines Hieronymus Bosch from the standpoint of historical materialism. Originally published 23 December 2010.
After placing hefty tariffs on solar panels, washing machines, steel and aluminium, Trump is now picking a fight with China. His latest proposals target $60bn worth of Chinese exports, and threaten a trade war between two of the largest economies in the world.

Trump likes to play a game of chicken when negotiating. He brings everything to the brink of a serious conflict, before backing off and signing a deal. He did it with Russia over Syria (in private) and he did it with North Korea. The latest, major diplomatic spat was over steel and aluminium tariffs. After threatening major US allies with tariffs, he pulled back, at least for the moment. The EU has now offered to join Trump in a joint effort against China.

Now, China is quite firmly in Trumps crosshairs. The president is trying to reduce the trade deficit with China, and in his latest efforts hes joined by both Republicans and Democrats. The issue, unlike steel tariffs (the US hardly imports any steel from China), runs much deeper than Trumps America First agenda. Trumps predecessor, Obama, as well as the European Union and Canada, have all taken measures over the past couple of years against China.

The European and US ruling classes are getting increasingly apprehensive about Chinese competition. It is one thing for China to be producing textiles and furniture and assemble electronics, its quite another for China to be moving to the most high-tech, cutting-edge industries. Already, Chinese corporations are quite capable of producing trains and telecoms at global standards, partly through copying and stealing technology from Western companies. This has resulted in bans for national security reasons from the US and Europe. Now, the Chinese are looking to expand into more markets.

China seeks to develop its high-tech industries / Image: Robert Scoble

In a document produced last year, Made in China 2025, the Chinese set their sights on producing new energy vehicles and equipment, high-tech ship components, industrial robots, medical devices, agricultural machinery, mobile phone chips and aircraft. They also take an interest in artificial intelligence and bio-technology. The policy is quite explicitly attempting to develop these industries, where China up to this point has been forced to rely on imports. This is an attempt to move into markets where China has been weaker, and where the most advanced countries have a distinct advantage.

The other big imperialist powers are not keen on losing their advantage. They are already under pressure from China in a range of industries. Chinas comparatively cheap labour force has so far not been as productive, but the country is pushing to change that through automation. This is a serious threat to European and US businesses.

A number of deals have already been blocked, the latest one being Broadcoms takeover of Qualcomm, which was blocked by Trump on national security grounds. Chinese companies have been very aggressively buying up smaller European and US companies in order to acquire their technology. ChemChina bought Swiss seed and fertiliser company Syngenta, Geely bought Swedish car-maker Volvo. Zoomlion acquired equipment manufacturer Terex Corp. However, the spate of foreign acquisitions has slowed down following concerns that companies were getting to indebted.

The US is also accusing the Chinese of stealing secrets using spying and hacking, which is probably correct. Furthermore, the Chinese government has for a long time forced foreign companies investing in China to share technology with partner Chinese companies.

The consequence of this is that China is catching up in technological terms, although its average integration of, for example, robotics is far lower than the West. The US has 189 industrial robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing sector, whereas China only has 68. South Korea, which manufactures a lot of the parts that are assembled in China, has 631 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers and Japan has 303. So, it is clear that China has some way to go.

Trump's 'tough' stance on China has achieved a broad consensus amongst the ruling class / Image: Gage Skidmore

What is striking about this particular measure is the unity that Trump has been able to achieve. Democrats, Republicans and the EU all have signed up to this more aggressive stance on China. This is hardly because of Trumps great skill as a diplomat, but rather there is a common front developing. China has been copying Western technologies for years, and, for a long time, the European and US ruling class let them. Relations were even at a reasonable level during the beginning of the 2008 crisis when the world capitalist class was hoping that China might provide the consumption power that was lacking in the West, helping to pull Europe and the US out of the crisis. It became clear, however, that in spite of Chinas shift to increasing indebtedness and spending, this is not going to solve the crisis. Instead, the ruling classes of the US and Europe are worried that the Chinese will grab some of their shrinking markets.

The Chinese government, for its part, is under increasing pressure from a restive working class, a national question in the west of the country and a looming economic crisis. They are attempting to alleviate some of the social pressure by improving productivity, giving them more room for manoeuvre, and allowing them to develop new industries. They are preparing to grab a bigger share of the world market, which is precisely what the other powers are determined to prevent.

The crisis is pushing the big powers into increasing contradictions. Trump is playing a high-stakes game. A trade war would have disastrous effects on the world economy. Even if the major players manage to patch up a deal this time, it is only a matter of time before the issue resurfaces again.
SPRINGFIELD -- While the Italian Cultural Center of Western Massachusetts recovers from a devastating flood that rendered its building unusable, the 400-member club is still hosting dinners and running its scholarship program.

Board member Lucille Brindisi said the Italian Cultural Center, based at 56 Margaret St., is offering scholarships to high school seniors who are pursuing higher education.

Eligible for the scholarships are:

Children of ICC members with a family membership

Grandchildren of ICC members

Children of non-ICC members who are of Italian descent, attending a high school in Western Massachusetts, and are sponsored by a member of the ICC.

One additional scholarship, the Dante Alighieri Scholarship, will be awarded to a student studying Italian.

Italian Cultural Center Scholarship applications are available at www.iccwm.org, along with additional information on our scholarship. More information is available via email at iccscholarship@comcast.net or 413-784-1492 and leaving a message with contact information.

Applications must be postmarked by April 7.

The Center is also looking for donors interested in funding scholarships.

The Italian Cultural Center's annual Fish Dinner is April 13 at 6 p.m. at the Mt. Carmel Society of Enfield, 93 Park Ave., Enfield, Connecticut.

The cost is $18 for members and $21 for non-members and must be paid for in advance. Call 413-827-9350 to make reservations.

In January, a water pipe gave way under a sink on the second floor. It was days before club members learned of the problem, and by that time water was raining down through the floor into the first floor below.

Members worked to dry the building, but they are still dealing with an insurance claim. Restoration work has yet to begin.
Elaine Wynn, ex-wife of Steve Wynn, listens during a hearing Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Elaine Wynn, the ex-wife of embattled casino mogul Steve Wynn, said during a court hearing Wednesday that she told the company's general counsel in 2009 that she had received information alleging her ex-husband had raped an employee in 2005. The general counsel later denied receiving any information about a rape allegation.

The revelation came during testimony in a special hearing in a years long civil case in state court in Las Vegas involving her, her ex-husband and the casino-operating company they founded. It was the first time she testified in open court regarding the sexual misconduct allegation against Steve Wynn.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

Don't Edit

Elaine Wynn, ex-wife of Steve Wynn, at a hearing Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Elaine Wynn said she did not report the information to anyone else in the company other than general counsel Kimmarie Sinatra. She acknowledged under questioning from the attorneys representing Wynn Resorts that she did not share the information with the company's board of directors of which she was a member at the time.

"I told Ms. Sinatra that I had received information alleging that Mr. Wynn had raped an employee of the hotel in 2005," she testified. She said Sinatra later told her the accusation "had been discussed by attorneys and that it was deemed not to have been an issue of concern for the company, that it had been handled personally, and therefore, it had been resolved."

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Elaine Wynn, ex-wife of Steve Wynn, at a hearing Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Elaine Wynn has argued she was not re-nominated the company's board of directors in 2015 in retaliation for her inquiries into company activities.

The two-day hearing that ended Wednesday was meant for her attorneys to show that she reported to the company bad acts she has alleged against her ex-husband and others. Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez ruled the jury in the trial scheduled to begin in April can hear about the settlement and the alleged illegal gambling activities of two company executives.

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AP file photo of Steve Wynn

Steve Wynn resigned last month as chairman and CEO of the casino-operating company amid sexual misconduct allegations that were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reported two months ago that several women said the billionaire harassed or assaulted them and that one case led to a $7.5 million settlement in 2005 with a manicurist formerly employed by the company. Other allegations and a settlement with a different employee have since surfaced.

Steve Wynn, 76, has vehemently denied the allegations and attributed them to Elaine Wynn, whose attorney has denied that she instigated the news report.

Wynn Resorts has established a committee to investigate the allegations and to review internal policies and procedures.

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Casino developer Steve Wynn, right, his wife Elaine Wynn, center and Kazuo Okada, left, attend a Nevada Gaming Commission Meeting in Las Vegas, Thursday, March 24, 2005. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Attorneys for Wynn Resorts on Tuesday formally acknowledged that an employee accused Steve Wynn of sexual misconduct in the workplace in 2005 and that the dispute was settled. On Wednesday, however, they disputed that Elaine Wynn reported the information as a corporate governance matter, but instead did it to gain leverage in her divorce.

"Notice that there was zero evidence presented, none, that anyone on the nominating committee (of the board of directors) knew anything about this 2009 incident," Todd Bice, an attorney for Wynn Resorts, said. "... We fundamentally dispute that Ms. Wynn was reporting this matter to the company as part of a governance issue as opposed to seeking information from Ms. Sinatra and sharing information with Ms. Sinatra as part of Ms. Wynn's divorce case."

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Elaine Wynn, ex-wife of Steve Wynn, at a hearing Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Sinatra after the hearing issued a statement saying Elaine Wynn at no point told her that "an allegation of rape" had been leveled against Steve Wynn.

"In the relevant conversation in which she promised to destroy Steve Wynn and said she didn't care if that reduced the company's stock price to zero in the process, Elaine Wynn made an oblique reference to a settlement, and nothing more," Sinatra said.

Elaine Wynn owns 9.5 million shares in Wynn Resorts, which she founded with her ex-husband in 2002. Steve Wynn last week sold all his stock in the company.

A larger portion of the long-running case was settled earlier this month when Wynn Resorts agreed to pay a Tokyo-based company $2.4 billion by the end of March.
Calling itself "Big City," a pirate radio station was shut down Monday after authorities warned the operators numerous times it was operating illegally and interfering with licensed radio stations.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said federal marshals moved in at the station's Blue Hills Avenue in Dorchester and seized broadcast equipment used to operate the unlicensed station. Programming for the station originated from a Roxbury studio, authorities said.

The station operated on various frequencies over its time on the air and racked up numerous complaints from the Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau. Finally, the U.S. Attorney's office said it used forfeiture statutes to confiscate the equipment.

Over the course of its lifetime, the station operated on at least four different frequencies

and at least one of those frequencies was used by a licensed station.
A Randolph man was sentenced for his part in a scheme to move more than a ton of marijuana from California to the Boston area and to launder millions of dollars in proceeds.

Michael Gordon, 48, was ordered to serve 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release, forfeit more than $5 million, give up interest in his Randolph home and two houses he owned in Florida, and forfeit $371,239 authorities found in his house. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Boston Monday.

Gordon, along with co-conspirator Daphne Jean, was convicted after a trial in federal court for his part in bringing more than a ton of marijuana to the east coast through the U.S. Mail and Fed-X shipments. He was formally charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms (2200 pounds) of marijuana as well as laundering the proceeds through a series of real estate transactions.

Jean is expected to be sentenced April 6.
WEST SPRINGFIELD- The Springfield Vet Center paid tribute to the more than 3 million Americans who served during the Vietnam War era during a recognition ceremony on Thursday.

The public was invited to attend the ceremony at the Vet Center at which Vietnam veterans from Western Massachusetts were honored and thanked for their service. Veterans and active-duty military service members presented the Vietnam veterans with the nation's official Vietnam Veteran lapel pin.

Any veteran who served on active-duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the period of Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 regardless of location, is eligible to receive the lapel pin.

Remarks were delivered by West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt and state Rep. John Velis, D-Westfield, to the several hundred in attendance.

After the ceremony, a showing of the documentary, "In the Shadow of the Blade," was shown. The documentary was produced in 2004 and earned the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award for Outstanding Documentary. The film follows a restored UH-1 "Huey" helicopter on a flight to reunite Vietnam veterans and families.

Veteran outreach specialists with the Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits Administration were also in attendance to assist veterans with connecting to VA services and programs.

"We are very proud to have the opportunity to also present 'In the Shadow of the Blade,' which Vietnam veterans have described to us as a tremendously important film that brings the heritage of their experience to the public," said Joe Crego, Springfield Vet Center director.

The Vet Center Program was established by Congress in 1979 out of the recognition that a significant number of Vietnam era vets were still experiencing readjustment problems. Vet Centers are community based and part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

In April 1991, in response to the Persian Gulf War, Congress extended the eligibility to veterans who served during other periods of armed hostilities after the Vietnam era.

The Springfield Vet Center offers readjustment and bereavement counseling for military families and substance abuse services as well as treatment for military-related sexual assault and trauma.

More than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their lives in Vietnam and more than 300,000 members of the Armed Forces were wounded; and more than 9 million Americans served on active duty during the Vietnam era.

On March 30, 2009, the Congress of the United States proclaimed a "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day" and encouraged the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promoted awareness of the contributions of veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam and the importance of helping such veterans readjust to civilian life.
Minutes after news broke about a grand jury's indictment of his husband, Massachusetts Sen. Stan Rosenberg issued a three-sentence statement.

"These are serious charges," Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said in the statement. "They are now being handled by the judicial system. I have faith in that system and trust that it will adjudicate this case fairly."

Rosenberg separated from Bryon Hefner and stepped down from the presidency of the Massachusetts Senate, a powerful post, after the Boston Globe reported four men alleged sexual misconduct against Hefner and claimed he meddled in state Senate matters. Rosenberg remains a state senator and is running for re-election as the allegations rocked the Massachusetts State House.

The indictment is in connection with allegations of sexual assault and distribution of nude photos without consent. The charges were announced by the offices of Attorney General Maura Healey and Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley.

Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, took over as the temporary Senate president after Rosenberg stepped down.

"These charges are deeply disturbing, and I thank the victims for their tremendous bravery in coming forward," Chandler said in a statement after the indictments were announced late Thursday afternoon. "Clearly, the actions described will not be tolerated, and the Senate will cooperate fully with the District Attorney and Attorney General's Office."

Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, who is expected to eventually take the reins of the presidency from Chandler, said the indictments are part of the "toughest periods in the history" of the state Senate.

"My colleagues and I are heartsick for the victims of these alleged crimes - there is simply no place for assault and harassment of any kind," she said in her own statement. "While this and other investigations continue, it is important for all potential victims to feel safe to come forward to investigators so that the full truth can be known and addressed."

Senators have tapped a law firm to act as a special investigator and look into whether Rosenberg broke any rules amid the actions alleged against his husband. The Senate Ethics Committee and the law firm, Hogan Lovells, have not recently provided an update on their investigation.

This post has been updated with additional information.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker offered praise for the victims for stepping forward after Sen. Stan Rosenberg's husband, Bryon Hefner, was indicted on sexual assault charges and allegations of distributing nude photos without consent.

"Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor [Karyn] Polito commend those who came forward to report these despicable actions and believe those who engage in crimes and sexual harassment of any kind must be held accountable," Baker administration spokeswoman Lizzy Guyton said in an email.

Rosenberg, once one of the three most powerful people in state government, stepped down from the Massachusetts Senate presidency after the Boston Globe last year reported that four men accused Hefner of sexual misconduct.

Rosenberg, D-Amherst, remains a senator and is running for re-election. He is separated from Hefner.

But this week Chelsea Kline, a Northampton resident, said she plans to challenge Rosenberg in the Democratic primary set for Tuesday, September 4.

"I believe the survivors," she said in an emailed statement. "Today is about them, and I applaud their courage in coming forward."

Rosenberg put out a statement calling the charges "serious" and expressing faith in the state's judicial system to handle the case in a fair manner.
AMHERST -- The new charter Amherst voters approved Tuesday was still a topic of debate Wednesday.

While some residents were impressed with voter turnout, others weren't. And the merits of the new form of government continued to be extolled by supporters and criticized by opponents.

No matter what, Amherst's 240-member representative Town Meeting / five-member Select Board form of government is in its finals months and will be replaced by a 13-member Town Council.

Twenty-eight percent voted on the fate of the town's government, down from the 30 percent who considered a charter change in 2003 and 2005 and the 32 percent -- the largest turnout in the last decade in a town election -- in 2010 when voters were asked to approve a $1.6 million Proposition 21/2 override.

Town election turnout has been as low as 6 percent.

Those who lobbied for the change were pleased with the turnout and 3,476 to 2,468 margin of victory, a 58 percent to 42 percent spread.

"Turnout was very strong for a municipal-only election," said Jerry Guidera, who worked on the Amherst for All campaign to push for the change, in an email. "We usually see 7% to 10% for this type of election.

"I think the strong turnout underscores the importance of the vote. We tapped into the frustration that a lot of people feel about how Town Meeting addresses our short- and long-term challenges - people clearly want more directly accountable leadership," Guidera wrote.

But Gerry Weiss, one of three charter commissioners who opposed the proposal, said "(72 percent) of the voters don't care what kind of government we have." He said that means that 16.5 percent of the eligible voters voted yes and 11.7 voted no.

"I'm glad it received this kind of decisiveness. I'm not glad it won," Weiss said.

Weiss said that he has always believed that people are busy, and thinking about governance is not a high priority.

"I hope the things (proponents) hope for come true. I hope our fears don't come true," he said.

Andy Churchill, who chaired the Charter Commission and supported the proposal said in an email the town with its 37,000 residents and an $88 million budget "has outgrown its 1930s-era form of government."

"Amherst has big challenges and opportunities ahead. We need a government that can keep up with them year-round, and make sure everyone's voice is heard when big decisions are made," Churchill wrote.

Weiss does not think the town had outgrown its form of government, but people wanted change. He and others maintain Town Meeting is more democratic.

Weiss worries that this is the beginning of Amherst for All as political party and that the campaign spending for this is an indication of what's going to come. Opponents of the charter fear big money in politics.

"I don't see any reason for that not to continue in (council) elections," Weiss said. "Amherst For All raised more than $21,000 over the campaign, and the three groups opposing the charter spent nearly $20,000.

Weiss worries about what happens next.

When Amherst for All began collecting signatures to bring a request to create a charter commission to voters, it "brought out the rivalries in town," he said.

While the town is not divided as a whole, "there is a split among the passionate," Weiss said. "That got hotter in the last few years."

Weiss and charter supporter Nick Grabbe planned to meet with a clinical and organizational psychologist Wednesday to talk about how to heal the divisions.

Town Meeting will continue for the spring and fall. And the Select Board will continue until the council replaces it.

If a special act outlined in the new charter is approved by the state Legislature, the first town council election will be Nov. 6, with the council taking over Dec. 3. If the special act authorizing an election in November is not enacted, the initial town council election will take place Jan. 24 and the council would be sworn in Feb. 4.
AMHERST - Police are investigating after a member of an Amherst College grounds crew found a body on campus between Morris Pratt and Arms Music Center early Thursday morning.

According to Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan's office, Amherst College Police, Amherst Police, and Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the DA's office are jointly investigating.

"Amherst College police immediately contacted town and state officials. An investigation is underway," the college stated in a campus-wide alert emailed on Thursday.

"Until the authorities have advanced their work, we will not know the identity of the person or the cause of death. Based on the information currently available to them, the Amherst College police does not believe there is a danger to the community."

The college says the Student Affairs and the Counseling Center is making resources available at the Keefe Campus Center to anyone who needs support.

"The president will keep the community informed as information is made available to her," the college said.

This is a developing story that will be updated as the reporting continues. The map below shows the approxamate location of the discovery Thursday morning.
The Connecticut State Police announced Thursday at a state trooper was killed in the line of duty in a collision on Interstate 84 in the town of Tolland, Connecticut.

The trooper was identified as Trooper First Class Kevin Miller, a 19-year veteran of the Connecticut State Police.

Miller was assigned to Troop C in Tolland, having previously served at the Colchester and Montville barracks.

"We are grateful for his dedicated service to the Connecticut State Police and the residents of Connecticut, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time," the Connecticut State Police said in a statement to the media.

According to the Hartford Courant, Miller was killed in a collission with a tractor-trailer in I-84. Details about the accident were not being released Thursday afternoon.

Gov. Dannel Malloy ordered all flags in Connecticut to be flown at half staff. In a statement issued by his office, Malloy said "We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the tragic loss of Trooper First Class Miller - a man who dedicated his life to serving the people of Connecticut."

"State troopers and members of law enforcement put their lives on the line each and every day in order to selflessly protect the people of our state, and they deserve our utmost respect for the service they provide. As they protect us from harm, these brave men and women personify what it means to be a public servant. On behalf of the entire State of Connecticut, I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and State Police colleagues," he said. "I ask the people of Connecticut to keep Trooper First Class Miller and his family in their prayers."

According to the Courant, Miller's death is the first in the line of duty death of a state trooper since 2010 when Trooper First Class Kenneth Hall was hit and killed by a driver while he was giving a summons on I-91.
NORTHAMPTON - Democratic gubernatorial candidates Jay Gonzalez, Bob Massie, and Setti Warren participated in a forum at Northampton High School Wednesday night.

The event, which was moderated by former Northampton Mayor Claire Higgins, saw around two hundred people pack into the school's auditorium to hear the candidates speak. The forum was co-sponsored by the Democratic city and town committees of Amherst, Easthampton, Holyoke, Northampton, South Hadley, and Southampton.

Candidates answered questions from a panel made up of local journalists and academics, and also answered questions that had been submitted from several local non-profits and members of the public.

"The jobs in this state suck," said Massie at one point, going on to decry the state of opportunity for young people across Massachusetts. Much of the evening's discussions were in that spirit, and centered around struggling middle class families, income inequality, the opioid crisis, the poor state of public transportation and current Gov. Charlie Baker's failure to properly mitigate any of these problems for everyday people.

Massie, who has worked as an activist and founder for numerous non-profits and organizations including the New Economy Coalition and Ceres, reiterated throughout the night that he felt Baker's policies were literally bankrupting the state and the people in it.

Gonzalez, who formerly served as the Deputy Secretary of Administration and Finance in Gov. Deval Patrick's administration, called Baker a "state quo, wait-and-see Governor," and criticized him for not taking action where it was needed.

Warren, who served two terms as the Mayor of the city of Newton, and held positions in campaigns for Bill Clinton and John Kerry, called income inequality the "defining issue of our time" and said he believed that the key to fixing the middle class was asking wealthier Massachusetts residents "to contribute more."

Warren, who also formerly served as a naval intelligence specialist during the Iraq War and worked in the Clinton White House for several years, further stated he believed state revenue could be raised by closing tax loopholes for special interests.

With the issue of housing, all candidates agreed that something should be done to make sure that working families were not left behind or edged out of their neighborhoods.

Massie advocated a consideration of rent control, remarking that housing could not be left up to markets because "markets build expensive housing for rich people, so you have to have the government step in."

Gonzalez called the price of housing in Massachusetts a "crisis," commenting "our economy is dependent on the fact that the work force can afford to live where they work, and we don't have that right now."

Warren said that Massachusetts shouldn't allow "developers to run the process" for housing. "We need to subsidize housing, folks," he said, commenting that state and federal funding was necessary.

On the issue of sanctuary cities, all candidates were also in agreement: immigrants need to be protected.

Warren said that he supported immigrants and believed in sanctuary cities.

Gonzalez said he supported immigrants, bringing up the current controversy in Springfield surrounding Mayor Domenic Sarno's comments about a church providing sanctuary to an undocumented immigrant. Gonzalez called Sarno's rhetoric "outrageous."

Massie said that he felt Massachusetts and the country should be welcoming to immigrants. "This is a nation built on immigrants," he said, while also calling Trump a "vicious" and "cruel" President that didn't understand America's core values.
EASTHAMPTON -- City councilors soldiered through a three-and-a-half-hour work session Wednesday night, engaged in vigorous debate, and emerged with a recreational marijuana zoning ordinance.

After seven months of public hearings, the ordinance passed 7-1-1, with at-large councilor Daniel Carey voting "no" and Precinct 5 councilor Daniel Rist abstaining.

The measure maintains a 350-foot school buffer zone advanced in an earlier compromise. An amendment from Precinct 1 Councilor James "J.P." Kwiecinski to increase the buffer to 500 feet narrowly failed, and a subsequent try for 400 feet also failed.

Carey said the failure of the 500-foot buffer was a deal-breaker for him, and Rist abstained after saying he would not support a bill with less than a 400-foot school buffer. Both councilors, however, thanked their colleagues and said the overall ordinance was thoughtfully crafted.

The measure caps the total number of retail licenses at six. It requires a 200-foot space between marijuana retailers, except in the mill industrial zone. It contains language around signage, odor, visual impact, security, and nuisance conditions.

Cannabis retailers would be able to operate from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., a consistent standard in the highway business, downtown business, industrial, and mill industrial zones. No marijuana "home occupations" would be allowed.

Two innovative measures made the cut.

"Industrial hemp" cultivation, to the extent it is allowed by state agriculture regulators, would be allowed with site plan approval.

As for onsite consumption, "no marijuana shall be smoked, eaten, or otherwise consumed or ingested on the premises," except as may be allowed in a cannabis membership club or other entity allowed by state law.

The caveat keeps the door open for allowing "cannabis cafes" and other such entities if the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission crafts rules to allow them.

"This is historic," said Karima Rizk, who would like to open a cannabis coffee shop known as Cafe Vert. "We saw months of thoughtful debate resulting in one of the most progressive cannabis ordinances in the state."

In a series of hearings that began in August before the Planning Board, school officials and some parents argued for tight restrictions, and others -- including members of the business community and those opposed to state-sponsored "prohibition" -- said the city should welcome the budding legal cannabis industry.

Precinct 4 councilor Salem Derby, chairman of the Ordinance Subcommittee, had been a driving force in crafting rules to support the industry in Easthampton. Councilors Owen Zaret, Margaret "Peg" Conniff, and Thomas Peake had also argued for progressive cannabis regulations.

Kwiecinski, whose wife Cynthia Kwiecinski is chairwoman of the School Committee, was vocal in urging caution and a slow approach.

Rist said his thoughts on the matter had evolved significantly over time, and thanked Derby for helping to dispel some of his earlier fears about legalization.

One piece that did not immediately advance Wednesday was a proposal to require 500 feet between cultivation facilities.

The amendment had been requested by Stephen M. Reilly, Jr., a lawyer for INSA, the newly-opened medical marijuana facility at the Keystone Mill on Pleasant Street. Reilly had argued that contamination of INSA's crop could occur if a poorly-run dispensary were allowed nearby, and if spores, mold, or pesticides made it into the building's ventilation system.

The request was sent to the Ordinance Subcommittee for further research. Rist said the provision could block any other marijuana grower from locating in the mill district. He said any perception that the City Council was acting to support a single business or monopoly could raise legal questions.

Derby said he understands why INSA would want the buffer, because if its crop was contaminated it would be a "catastrophic business event."

INSA announced this week it will apply to establish an adult recreational cannabis shop and cultivation enterprise at its current MMJ growroom and retail space at 122 Pleasant St.

The council enacted its ordinance three days before the Cannabis Control Commission plans to accept its first license applications, and Easthampton officials had pushed to beat the April 1 deadline.

Councilors thanked City Planner Jeffrey Bagg for supporting their effort with his expertise and research. The 6 p.m. meeting adjourned at around 9:30 p.m.

Bagg said the ordinance, as passed, will be posted on the city's website.
GREENFIELD -- An Easthampton man is facing charges after police discovered a homemade explosive device outside an asphalt and paving business in Deerfield yesterday, according to Western Mass News.

Nelson LaCaprucia, 46, appeared in Greenfield District Court Thursday, pleading not guilty to a number of charges including manufacturing an explosive, incendiary, or destructive device.

In court documents obtained by The Recorder, Deerfield Police Chief John Paciorek Jr. described the device as having "nails and metal pointed plates strapped to the exterior of the explosive device, so when the device is detonated, substantial damage to any surrounding property and person would be devastating."

According to the documents, Lacaprucia told police he didn't want to hurt anyone, and that he'd built the device to see what would happen if it exploded under water. Meanwhile, co-workers at Trew Stone told police Lacaprucia was involved in a workplace argument Tuesday over his job performance.

Members of the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad, assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, were called to the business at 901 River Road Wednesday morning.

They discovered what looked like a homemade "pipe bomb" near one of the business's buildings. State police collected the device as evidence.

"The State Police Bomb Squad responded and confirmed that it was an explosive device and rendered it safe," Paciorek said.

No injuries resulted as a consequence of the incident Wednesday.

LaCaprucia was subsequently arrested as a suspect in the case. He is currently being held and is scheduled to return to court for a dangerousness hearing on April 2.
SPRINGFIELD - A man fatally shot on Knox Street Wednesday afternoon has been identified as 20-year-old Christopher Montgomery.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni identified Montgomery as the victim Thursday morning.

Montgomery was one of two males shot during the incident, Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said. The second victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have since arrested two adult males and a juvenile on firearm charges, Walsh said. Two firearms were also confiscated.

The investigation is being conducted by the Springfield Police Department Major Crimes Unit and the Hampden District Attorney's Office's Murder Unit.

Montgomery was well-known by city police and the court system.

Last December he pleaded guilty to assault and battery on a family member in a case in which the victim was the mother of his 3-year-old son.

Charges of strangulation and armed robbery, with the same woman named as victim in all three charges, were dropped against him in Hampden Superior Court.

Judge David Ricciardone sentenced Montgomery to time served while awaiting trial, in this case, 186 days.

In August 2016, prosecutors dropped charges against Montgomery in the March 2015 fatal shooting of Rakeem Nixon, 22, on a side street off Boston Road.

The case was dismissed after a juvenile witness recanted grand jury testimony that he saw Montgomery shoot Nixon. The witness initially told investigators Montgomery was upset because the victim had looked at him funny when they passed on the street.
The Trump administration's decision to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 US Census set off threats of a lawsuit from Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and caused the state's elections chief to accuse federal officials of attempting to "sabotage" the census.

Bill Galvin, the elections chief who also serves as the US Census' liaison in Massachusetts, called the question "completely irrelevant" to the federal process.

"This is nothing but a blatant attempt by the Trump Administration to frighten minority groups away from being counted and to sabotage the 2020 Census," Galvin said in a statement.

But Massachusetts state law has long required cities and towns to ask residents for their nationality if they're not US citizens, as part of a local census, also known as a resident listing, Galvin's office acknowledges.

The origins of the state requirement are unclear, but it's something that concerns advocates who say asking a citizenship question in any context is "inappropriate."

For example, in Boston officials are calling on people to fill out the "Annual Resident Census," noting that the city is "required by law to conduct a census of all residents 17 years of age or older."

A flyer handed out by the Boston Elections Department adds, "The information collected is used to protect your voting rights and provide better City services."

The paper form mailed out to residents asks adults to list whether they're a citizen, voter, or veteran. And on the city of Boston's official website, answering the citizenship question is mandatory when filling out the form.

"Every resident of Boston matters and it is important every resident be counted!" the Boston Elections Department flyer says.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's office referred questions about the city census to Galvin.

A spokeswoman for Galvin's office said the city census is "merely an information gathering tool" used for voter rolls and jury lists, things the federal census don't have anything to do with.

The results of not responding to the federal census and city census also vary, Debra O'Malley, the Galvin spokeswoman, added. If you don't respond to the city census, you're given inactive voter status or you're omitted from the jury pool, and you need to be a US citizen to participate in either activity anyway.

"The results of someone not being included in the federal census include less representation in Congress, less representation in the Electoral College, and less financial support from the federal government in communities that are often the most vulnerable," she wrote.

But Oren Nimni, an attorney for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, said for someone having to answer the citizenship question on the federal census and the city census, "it is kind of a distinction without a difference."

"We believe that asking citizenship questions on a census is inappropriate in any context," he told MassLive.

The citizenship question on the federal census has more of an impact, since it reaches more people and there are increased fears that the data could be used for immigration enforcement, he said.

But as far as the "chilling effect" those questions could have on immigrants, his group advises states and cities to take a "hard look" at their own citizenship question policies and recommends they should be abandoned. States already have access to much of the immigration data through federal sources, Nimni added, and any need for the information is outweighed by the "chilling effect" brought about by asking the question.

Healey's office said they're challenging the Trump administration's addition of the citizenship question because it hinders the constitutional purpose of the federal census, which is to provide an accurate count of the entire population.

"We believe it is important that similar processes in Massachusetts take proactive steps to ensure full participation and accuracy," a Healey spokeswoman said in a statement.
Massachusetts officials shouldn't be asking for citizenship status on local census forms, particularly as they call for the Trump administration to drop plans to include the same question on the 2020 US Census, a Boston city councilor says.

Josh Zakim, who is running against Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the state's official Census Bureau liaison, said Galvin should work with state lawmakers to drop the citizenship question from the local census.

A state law that has been on the books for years requires cities and towns to ask residents as part of a local census about their nationality if they're not US citizens. The local census is also known as a resident listing, and the origin of the requirement isn't clear.

While the federal census and the city census have different impacts and aren't the same thing, an attorney for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice noted that that for some it can be "distinction without a difference." Citizenship questions on a census are "inappropriate in any context," the attorney told MassLive.

Galvin has said the Trump administration is seeking to "sabotage" the 2020 Census through the addition of the citizenship status question, since asking it will "frighten minority groups away from being counted." He has also enlisted Attorney General Maura Healey to bring legal action against the administration.

"On one hand, Secretary Galvin is accusing the federal government of sabotaging the 2020 census, and on the other hand, he oversees a system that is doing the exact same thing," said Zakim, who is challenging Galvin in the Democratic primary for secretary of state.

Galvin has held the job of Massachusetts secretary of state since 1995. The duties include serving as the official Census liaison and the state's elections chief.

"He acknowledges that significant portions of immigrant and minority populations are scared and intimidated to detail their status," Zakim said. "We know it results in a lower count, yet Galvin is in charge of a system that is doing exactly what Donald Trump wants done."

Galvin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The primary is Tuesday, September 4. The winner will likely face Anthony Amore, a Republican who has served as security chief of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

Earlier this week, a spokeswoman for his office outlined the distinction between federal census and the city census. The city version is "merely an information gathering tool" used for voter rolls and jury lists, spokeswoman Debra O'Malley said.

Not responding to the city census leads to inactive voter status or omission from jury pools, while not responding to the federal census leads to "less representation" in Congress and the Electoral College, and "less financial support" from Washington, D.C., according to Galvin's office.

The Boston City Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution calling on federal lawmakers to resist the Trump administration's addition of the citizenship question to the US Census. Zakim sponsored the resolution.

"I don't see any good reason to have it on there," Zakim said.

The councilor added that now is a good time to look at other parts of the federal census and city census for potential updates. Along with the citizenship question, the city census also asks for gender, and in the online version, the options are limited to male or female.

"I think it's a good opportunity to look at our forms and how we're asking people to categorize themselves," Zakim said. "We want to be as inclusive as possible, whether it's immigration status or gender."
CHICOPEE -- Some of those attending a dinner and speaking program about medical marijuana Wednesday night at the Munich Haus said it was very helpful as they look for an innovative, legal means of relief from their acute and chronic illnesses.

The program was presented by INSA, a company that has a medical marijuana dispensary in Easthampton and expects to open a dispensary in Springfield in April.

Approximately 125 people attended the event, many raising their hands as likely customers of the dispensaries.

One Hampshire County woman, not wanting her name used, said she is a metastatic breast cancer patient who has some side effects from her medication.

"The future, because I'm Stage 4, is pretty scary," she said. "I expect a couple of good years, or maybe a little more. I got my (patient ID) card, and I'm going to give it a whirl. But I think it's a crap shoot. I'm here to learn. I think you have to keep trying different levels and different types. It is scary."

Dr. Denise Cantin, of Canna Care Docs in Northampton, was the keynote speaker, giving information and advice on cannabis treatment including how to register, her thoughts on the benefits of cannabis and some words of caution. She and other speakers described the characteristics of marijuana, options available and details about how the facilities operate.

In November 2012, Massachusetts voters approved a law to allow medical marijuana dispensaries, permitting no more than five facilities in each county. The Springfield City Council approved the city's first dispensary in 2016, granted to INSA, then known as Hampden Care Facility.

In 2016, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question that allows the cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana.

Julie Lukasik, of Springfield, said the INSA speaking program was very helpful. She said she suffers from migraine headaches that have been debilitating.

She said the presentation was "very informative," and will help people who are trying to get themselves into "appropriate channels" for relief and trying to learn more about cannabis and the various types being offered.

"I have tried conventional help and found nothing but more frustration and more headaches," Lukasik said. "I'm trying all my options."

She said she will do more research before making any decision.

Cantin said her presentation was designed to educate people about the use of cannabis and some of the ways it can be used, and to get rid of some of the fears. She suggested that people initially talk to a doctor certified in Massachusetts for cannabis and also keep a journal.

They should also talk to their doctor about how cannabis reacts with other medications, she said.

On another topic, Cantin said she knows of no research that shows marijuana is a gateway drug.

Richard Nadolny, of Easthampton, said he too thought the presentation was very informative as he seeks chronic pain relief. He has arthritis and "a lot of discomfort from it," and believes it is likely he will become a customer, he said.

"I'm very impressed with the information they gave," Nadolny said. "It was very enlightening."

The speakers gave information about state registration, patient ID cards, and options for marijuana products.
On Saturday, The Springfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police C3 Units hosted their annual Easter Party in the Forest Park Neighborhood.

The family friendly event drew more than 100 children to the Holy Name Social center on Alderman Street. "It's another opportunity for kids in our community to interact with our Springfield police officers," said police spokesman Ryan Walsh. There was an Easter egg hunt, face painting, breakfast, hot chocolate, a DJ and dancing.

The C3 policing program was first launched in the city's North End in 2009 as a joint effort by Springfield and state police. It adopted many of the same tactics used by the military during the occupation of Iraq, specifically forming friendships with law-abiding people in the neighborhoods and using those relations to identify the troublemakers.

Its success has brought it much acclaim, and made it a model for similar efforts nationwide.

The success of C3 in the North End led to Police Commissioner John Barbieri, appointed police commissioner in June 2014, expanding it to other frequent hot spots in the city, including the Forest Park neighborhood.
SPRINGFIELD -- A 73-year-old city man wrote in a victim impact statement he hopes the jail experience for the 21-year-old who stole his car at knifepoint "will have scared him straight" -- but also asked for a "compassionate sentence."

Joshua Ortiz of Springfield pleaded guilty Thursday to armed carjacking and larceny under $250 in one case. In another case he pleaded guilty to assault and battery on a correctional officer and disturbing a correctional officer.

The carjacking victim wrote, "My thoughts are to request a somewhat compassionate sentence -- not so easy he thinks he can get away with what he is being charged for except for time served; but also not so harsh that he cannot find employment or educational/training opportunities to help him re-enter society with suitable employment."

At the end of his impact statement the victim wrote, "I have heard on news media and at the church of several people who have been incarcerated for their crimes, and then have gone on to be productive citizens."

Hampden Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Ford sentenced Ortiz to a total of three and one half years in jail, to be served at the Worcester County Correctional Center. That will be followed by two years probation.

Ortiz had been at the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow. After the episode which led to the charges for assaulting a correctional officer he was transferred to Worcester.

Prosecutor details carjacking, jail brawl

Assistant District Attorney James M. Forsyth said the victim was at home in East Forest Park at about 3:15 p.m. on June 12, 2016 when a man later identified as Ortiz stopped on a bicycle and asked for directions.

Ortiz asked to use the man's phone before pulling out a knife, grabbing the man's keys and threatening him, then driving the man's car away and backing over the bicycle.

Forsyth said the car was put on a stolen car list and was found in Enfield, Connecticut. Fingerprints on the vehicle matched Ortiz's, he said.

In the other case, Ortiz grabbed a correctional officer during an altercation on Dec. 27, 2016, Forsyth said.

Ford noted Ortiz has never been in jail before. He said he was hesitant to send someone that young to state prison, which is what Forsyth requested.

Ortiz has credit for 634 days spent in jail awaiting trial. George J. Welch, who represented Ortiz in the carjacking case, said he had concerns about Ortiz's mental competency, but he was found competent.

Ortiz is bipolar and has post-traumatic stress disorder. He also suffered serious learning disabilities from lead poisoning when he was young, Welch said.

Asked by Ford why Ortiz committed the carjacking, Welch said it was a symptom of Ortiz's lack of mental stability at the time.
SPRINGFIELD -- City councilors have proposed an order that would prevent city employees from taking any action to stop South Congregational Church from providing sanctuary for a Peruvian woman facing of deportation.

At a press conference on Thursday, six city councilors said they back the order. It is intended to block Mayor Domenic J. Sarno's crackdown on the church, which has provided housing and basic needs to Gisella Collazo and her two children since Monday.

"No public dollars shall be allocated for the purpose of interfering with the religious freedoms of South Church in accordance to our Constitution," the order states in part.

The proposed order will be considered by the full council at a special meeting called by council President Orlando Ramos at 4:30 p.m. April 3 at City Hall.

Sarno has sharply criticized the sanctuary, and has called on several city departments to inspect the church on Maple Street, identify any housing code violations, and begin the process of revoking the church's exemption from property taxes.

The council states within the proposed order that "no member of the City of Springfield including all employees and agents shall take any step, measure or act to interfere with, restrain, intimidate or prevent South Church and the Springfield Interfaith Coalition in its mission of providing sanctuary to Gisella Collazo or any other individual."

Sarno said there is no change in his own order.

"My administration will continue to move forward to make sure these laws are adhered to -- our city employees and officials are only doing their jobs, which is what our taxpayers expect," Sarno said in a statement.

Councilor Timothy Ryan was the lead sponsor of the order, and was joined by Councilors Jesse Lederman, Adam Gomez, Timothy Allen, Michael Fenton and Ramos.

Ryan said the sanctuary effort is "intrinsically part" of the church's mission and part of religious freedom.



As elected officials, the City Council has "an obligation to respond and reflect that this is part of their religious mission and not to try to interfere, not try to intimidate these churches, these clergy people in the performance of their religious duties," Ryan said.

Under city charter, Sarno is the chief executive and the council is the legislative body of the city. Councilors did not say what would happen if the order is rejected by Sarno, saying it would be addressed at that time.

Lederman said the church is offering sanctuary to a mother who is a 17-year resident of the United State, has no criminal record, and is attempting to legally resolve her immigration status and remain with her family.

"South Congregational Church is continuing a long tradition of religious institutions in our United States going beyond politics to stand up for what is truly just and morally right," Lederman said.

Ramos said the state and U.S. constitutions protect "everyone's freedom of religion and I believe that the words and the actions that have been made against South Congregational Church are intended to interfere with that religious practice and I believe that that is unjust, unfair and constitutional."

Ramos said he hopes the council's action sends a very clear message to the mayor that his approach "will not be tolerated, and that we here in the city of Springfield are a welcoming city."

Sarno said he fully believes in and supports legal immigration.

"Again, or city's stance is based on the law and local, state and federal regulations and statutes on public health, safety, housing and property tax assessment," Sarno said.

He said his administration has a fiduciary responsibility not to jeopardize potentially millions of dollars in federal funding by becoming a sanctuary city. President Donald Trump has threatened to cut federal funding for cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Some councilors and representatives of the immigration sanctuary coalition said there is no validity to the mayor's stated concern of losing millions of dollars. Setting up a church sanctuary is not the same as formally declaring Springfield a sanctuary city, a coalition representative said.

On Wednesday, the Rev. Tom Gerstenlauer of South Congregational Church said he was afraid for Sarno's soul in response to the mayor's words and actions regarding the sanctuary.

"To say that I am appalled by the behavior of the mayor of Springfield regarding the sanctuary provisions of our church would be inaccurate," Gerstenlauer said. "I am afraid. I am afraid of the message his words and actions delivers to the citizens of this city. I am afraid of the effect that his representation of elected government has on the honest members of the immigrant community in our midst. And I am afraid for the soul of our mayor as well."
HADLEY -- Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School officials are not giving up even though the state education board has turned down their expansion request for the second time.

The school wants to add 452 slots for students to its state-allowed 584, which would boost maximum enrollment to 1,036.

Despite the late Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester's recommendation to grant the expansion last year, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education rejected it by a 7-2 vote.

PVCICS reapplied in August, but acting Commissioner Jeff Wulfson did not give his recommendation, saying the school did not address concerns the board raised when it rejected the first request. On Tuesday, the state board affirmed Wulfson's decision not to recommend expansion.

But officials at PVCICS see room for negotiation. In an email, Richard Alcorn, the school's executive director, wrote: "We had some moving public comment supporting the school's expansion from two 11th grade PVCICS students from Springfield and a PVCICS parent from Holyoke. I think their comments changed the Board's perception of the school."

He said the "board did not overrule the Commissioner's decision, but they did open the door to negotiating an expansion. We will be speaking with DESE staff to work out an agreement."

Alcorn said one board member expressed concern about the demand for seats, "despite the fact we have a wait list of students wishing to attend the school next year." He said the school as of March 15 had the "maximum authorized pre-enrollment number of 550 students" and has a waiting list of 144.

The board member questioned whether the school was asking for too many seats and "what number of seats might be authorized? The Chair did not want that resolved at the BESE meeting, but encouraged us to work out a number with DESE and come back. We intend to take him up on the offer."

Wulfson wrote in a letter to PVCICS earlier this year that he "strongly encouraged the school to delay re-submission in order to identify methods to address the specific reasons individual Board members declined to support the school's request."

Among the reasons:

The school had not yet reached its maximum enrollment of 584 students.

The school's waitlist demonstrated insufficient demand for the proposed increase to 1,036 students.

The school's enrollment and attrition data indicated the need for enhancement of its recruitment and retention efforts for specific subgroups.

School officials asked for the expansion because they want to build a new high school. They've said they need to be able to expand to apply for and secure a mortgage.

Officials at area tradition schools have opposed the expansion request, saying the charter school takes money away from public school districts.
Two men, one from Springfield and the second from South Hadley, were added to the State Police list of most wanted fugitives Wednesday, the Massachusetts State Police announced.

Ramon Torres of Springfield and Wilson Clay of South Hadley joined Daniel Escalante on the list.

Torres, 59, is wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting a young child over a period of time in the City of Springfield, police said. Authorities have not been able to locate him and they now believe he is actively avoiding law enforcement officials.

Torres is described as a Hispanic male standing about 5-foot, 10-inches tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds. He has brown and grey hair and brown eyes.

He was last known to be driving a blue Dodge Ram pickup truck with a Mass. Registration of 431-VE3.

Wilson Clay, 27, is also known as Wilson Leavell Clay and X Bleau Davinci. He is wanted in connection with a February 4, 2018, shooting at Anthony's Gentlemen's Club in South Hadley, during which a man was shot once in the chest. The victim survived.

Police said Clay is a member of the Sycamore Street Posse and has an extensive criminal history, including assault with firearms and with knives, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. He should be considered armed and dangerous, police said.

Clay is an African American male standing five-foot, eight inches tall and weighing approximately 195 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

The third man added to the fugitive list is Daniel Escalante who is wanted for multiple sexual assaults on children in and around the Marlboro area.

Escalante, 42, is also known as Daniel Escalante-Sanchez, Daniel Sanchez Escalante, Gaerlen Escalante Sanchez, Gaerlen Daniel Escalante, Daniel Escalanto, and Daniel Gaerlen Escalante.

He is described as a Hispanic male standing approximately five-foot, six-inches tall and weighing approximately 140 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and numerous tattoos all over his body, including neck, arms and forearms. He also has a mole on his left cheek.

Escalante is known to have ties to Marlboro, Hudson and Worcester, and is originally from Peru.
Christopher Slavinskas admitted to hiding a black toolbox containing more than $300,000 of Kevin A. Perry's drug money in a church and using $20,000 of the funds to pay for a vacation to Atlantic City.

Slavinskas is one of multiple Worcester restauranteurs implicated in connection with Perry's money laundering case, which has lead to the closure and possible forfeiture of two restaurants. He has pleaded guilty in federal court.

Kevin A. Perry Jr. -- the former owner of The Usual on Shrewsbury Street and The Blackstone Tap on Water Street -- was indicted in March 2017 on money laundering and drug charges.

Slavinskas pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester on Thursday to a charge of false statements, where he admitted to removing about $80,000 of Perry's drug money from the black toolbox.

Slavinskas was first interviewed by federal investigators in August and asked about Perry's drug money. He told the investigators that Perry's wife, Stacey Gala, gave him the black toolbox containing about $200,000 of drug proceeds and that he hid it in a church on Lincoln Street.

But eventually, Slavinskas got nervous and gave the toolbox back to Gala at her office at The Blackstone Tap. He told investigators that he did not tamper with any of the money inside.

However, when Slavinskas was summoned to a grand jury in September, his story changed.

He testified that Joseph Herman, who was one of his business partners and was the manager of The Usual, was the one who dropped off the toolbox full of Perry's drug money to the church. Additionally, Slavinskas said that Herman took $80,000 from the toolbox.

But then in October, Slavinskas voluntarily returned to the grand jury to recant some of his statements.

Slavinskas was charged last month with lying to the Drug Enforcement Administration about Perry's drug money.

In court Thursday, prosecutor Greg A. Friedholm explained to Judge Timothy S. Hillman that Slavinskas did, in fact, remove about $80,000 in drug money from the toolbox.

About $20,000 of that money was used so Slavinskas and Herman could take two women on a vacation to Atlantic City, Friedholm said.

Another $20,000 was given to a third party.

In October, Slavinskas forfeited $10,000 in drug money that he had not used to the government.

Upwards of $330,000 in drug money -- more than the government initially thought -- was hidden in the toolbox.

Slavinskas admitted to the facts in the case and pleaded guilty. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June and was released from court on Thursday with various conditions, including that he not travel outside of Massachusetts and not contact Perry, Gala or Herman.

Slavinskas used to be an owner of The Hangover Pub on Green Street, but since the charges against him came forward, the restaurant has cut ties with him.

"In regards to Christopher Slavinskas we are currently in the process of removing Chris from our liquor license and are working with the city of Worcester to expedite this process," Jay Grey of The Hangover Pub said Thursday. "As soon as the transfer is complete, this information will be made public record. Chris is no longer affiliated with The Hangover Pub and once removed from our liquor license will have no involvement in our business moving forward."

Both Herman and Gala were indicted for money laundering last month, also accused of taking the more than $200,000 of Perry's drug money from the storage locker. That money was reportedly used to open The Chameleon.

Herman and Gala were co-owners of the Chameleon. That restaurant opened at the same Shrewsbury Street location as The Usual after Perry's arrest.

Additionally, Herman is also facing charges of making false statements to federal investigators and attempting to tamper with a witness.

The Chameleon closed in November, three months after federal investigators first interviewed Herman about Perry's drug money.

Federal investigators learned about the alleged scheme through a witness, identified in indictments against Herman and Gala only as "C.S." -- Slavinskas' initials.

C.S. was accused of working with Herman to retrieve the more than $200,000 from the storage locker. C.S. was later summoned to testify to a grand jury about the case. Herman is accused of attempting to tamper with his testimony.

Perry pleaded guilty to money laundering and fentanyl distribution in October and is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
UPDATE: MassLive has now confirmed the identities of 23 of the troopers involved in the overtime scandal.

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The group of Massachusetts State Police troopers accused of getting paid overtime for skipping shifts working a specialized patrol on the Massachusetts Turnpike range in rank from trooper to lieutenant.

MassLive has learned the names of 23 of the 30 troopers who have been implicated in the overtime scandal. Twenty-one of the troopers have either been suspended or retired in the overtime investigation.

An additional 8 troopers are under investigation, but seven remain on duty and another retired, State Police confirmed. Those names are not yet publicly known.

A total of 23 troopers were investigated during an initial audit of the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort Patrols, known as AIRE patrols, on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Officials have not released the names publicly.

The AIRE patrol was a MassDOT program intended to increase patrols along the Massachusetts Turnpike to deter traffic violators. Troopers worked four or six-hour shifts and were paid time and a half to catch violations and issue warnings and tickets. The program was open to any Troop E trooper who wanted to work it.

One trooper retired last year before the results of the AIRE audit were announced earlier this month. Another trooper would have faced a duty status hearing, but had already been suspended for another matter.

MassLive confirmed through sources the already suspended trooper is Matthew Sheehan.

Nine of the troopers under investigation resigned after Col. Kerry Gilpin detailed some of the audit results and just before they were scheduled to face duty status hearings. Another nine troopers were subject to the March 23 hearings and were suspended without pay as a result.

One trooper was allowed to stay on duty.

Following are the troopers we know were suspended or retired as part of the overtime investigation as well as how much they made in regular and overtime pay. The overtime pay totals may include money from shifts other than from the AIRE patrols.

MassLive released a list of 12 names on March 29. WCVB News released more names on April 3. MassLive has independently confirmed the additional names and their work status.

Trooper Matthew Sheehan

In late February, Sheehan shot an ATV driver during a police confrontation on Interstate 93 in Boston. He was first placed on paid leave after the shooting, but days later he was suspended without pay following an investigation into racist messages he posted online.

Authorities said one of the troopers involved in the overtime pay investigation was already suspended. Sources confirmed to MassLive that Sheehan is the trooper.

A report from the Boston Globe said Sheehan used the name "Big Irish" on the MassCops website.

In 2016, Sheehan made $233,351 with $100,401 coming from overtime. The following year, in 2017, Sheehan earned $237,467 with $87,804 in overtime pay.

Lt. David Keefe

The lieutenant was one of several troopers scrutinized for his work on the AIRE patrols. Public records show he logged 59 AIRE patrols from March to December 2016. Records released by the state's retirement board show Keefe retired on March 20, 2018.

Keefe earned $207,878 with $55,960 in overtime pay in 2016. He earned $210,598 with $61,943 in overtime pay in 2017.

Trooper Tom Glidden.

Trooper Todd Glidden

Records show Glidden made $247,580 with $90,968 of that in overtime pay in 2016. The following year, 2017, he made $243,343 with $89,167 of that in overtime pay.

Lt. John Giulino

Records show Giulino logged 55 radar shifts from March to December 2016, but issued no citations during the shifts for Troop E. The majority of his overtime shifts were 4-hour blocks. Giulino has retired.

In 2016, Giulino earned $212,504 with $53,073 in overtime. In 2017, Giulino made $249,600 with $55,984 in overtime.

Lt. Jack O'Grady

In 2016, O'Grady made $271,959 with $111,928 in overtime pay. The following year, in 2017, he made $307,903 with $83,259 in overtime pay. O'Grady has now retired.

Trooper Kevin Maple

Maple retired on March 23, 2018, the same day troopers were called to the State Police headquarters to have duty status hearings, according to Retirement board records.

Maple worked 116 AIRE patrol shifts from March to December 2016, public records show. WCVB News reports seven tickets filed by Maple during one overtime patrol did not match the dates filed with the state Registry of Motor Vehicles.

In 2016, Maple made $199,994 with $81,379 in overtime pay. In 2017, he made $197,295 with $74,694 in overtime pay.

Trooper Greg Rafferty.

Trooper Greg Raftery

Raftery retired on March 23, Retirement Board records show. Raftery made $219,670 in 2016 with $87,608 in overtime pay. He made $165,507 in 2017 with $32,305 coming from overtime.

Lt. James Canty

Records show Canty retired on March 12, 2018. He worked 32 AIRE patrol shifts from March to December 2016, according to State Police records.

In 2016, the lieutenant made $180,633 with $45,445 of it in overtime pay. Canty made $179,476 in 2017 with $38,878 in overtime pay.

Trooper Keith Sweeney

In 2016, Sweeney earned $168,851 with $30,581 of it in overtime pay. The following year, in 2017, the trooper made $199,970 with $69,819 of that number in overtime pay.

Trooper Paul E. Cesan

Cesan retired on March 23, 2018, Retirement Board records show. The trooper earned $163,534 in 2016, with $50,866 of his total earnings in overtime pay. Cesan earned $172,797 in 2017 with $35,271 of it in overtime pay.

Trooper Daren DeJong

Retirement Board records show DeJong retired on March 22, 2018. DeJong earned $200,417 in 2016 with $68,394 in overtime pay. In 2017, DeJong earned $190,266 with $53,407 in of it in overtime pay.

Trooper Kevin M. O'Brien

O'Brien retired on March 23, 2018. In 2016, O'Brien made $206,492 with $75,994 in overtime pay. Records show he made $210,278 in 2017 with $84,567 in of it in overtime pay.

Lt. David Wilson

Wilson retired on March 15, 2018, Retirement Board records confirmed. In 2016, he made $259,476 with $103,447 of that in overtime pay. in 2017, Wilson earned $240,179 with $82,358 in overtime pay.

Trooper Anthony Boszko

Boszko is suspended without pay. He earned $260,873 in 2016 with $79,427 in that in overtime pay. In 2017, he made $280,713 with $69,587 in ovetime pay.

Trooper Gary Herman

Currently suspended without pay. Herman made $227,827 in 2016 with $63,053 of that in overtime. In 2017, he made $244,059 with $59,657 in overtime.

Trooper Sean Hoye

Hoye was suspended without pay. He earned $246,135 in 2016 with $92,375 of that in overtime. The following year, in 2017, Hoye earned $171,218 with $33,666 in overtime.

Trooper Heath McAuliffe

He is currently suspended without pay. McAuliffe made $164,681 in 2016 with $60,908 in overtime. In 2017, he made $156,646 with $23,160 in overtime.

Trooper Chris Kudlay

Currently suspended without pay. Kudlay made $191,519 in 2016 with $58,840 of that in overtime. He made $188,376 in 2017 with $19,260 in overtime.

Trooper Stephen Mihalek

Mihalek retired on March 23. He made $139,391 in 2016 with $37,033 of that in overtime. In 2017, he made $121,779 with $20,150 in overtime.

Trooper John Wosny

Currently suspended without pay. He made $135,117 in 2016 with $37,569 in overtime pay. Wosny made $157,578 in 2017 with $30,604 in overtime.

Trooper David Perreault

Still on active duty. He made $194,123 in 2016 with $71,678 of that in overtime pay. In 2017, Perreault made $197,025 with $70,824 in overtime.

Trooper Kevin Sweeney

Currently suspended without pay. Sweeney made $218,513 in 2016 with $97,677 in overtime pay. He made $225,882 in 2017 with $75,031 in overtime.

Trooper Eric Chin

Currently suspended without pay.

While not flagged in the audit, Chin was investigated for getting paid for no-show shifts. Sources said the investigation into Chin led to the audit of the AIRE patrols. He was suspended in April 2017.

Payroll records show he pulled in a total of $302,401 in pay in 2016 with $131,654. In 2017 he made $58,970 with $16,026. It is important to note he was suspended in April 2017.
If you're in Worcester, peer-to-peer ride-sharing company Uber will now deliver a hamburger, Greek tapas and more to your door.

Uber Eats launched in Worcester Thursday, joining a growing number of food delivery services in the city, including FoodSquire and GrubHub. The on-demand food delivery app has partnered with local restaurants such as O'Conners restaurant, Worcester Sandwich Hut, Compass Tavern, Meze Greek Tapas, El Basha, Berry Fusion and the Vegan Nest.

"We're thrilled to launch Uber Eats in Worcester, bringing a convenient and reliable way for people to get the food they love, opening up new economic opportunities for delivery partners, and enabling restaurants and chefs to connect with more customers," said Heath Pendleton, Uber Eat's head of Launch and Expansion in New England, in a news release.

Uber Eats operates similarly to GrubHub and FoodSquire - both of which already serve Worcester. Users download a smartphone app that they can use to order food, pay with a credit card, select a delivery location and track where their driver is. Uber takes a percentage of proceeds from the restaurant.

FoodSquire, based in Marshfield, delivers food from 25 restaurants in Worcester, including Brew on the Grid, The Boynton, Smokestack Urban BBQ, Nancy Cheng's, Plaza Azteca, Baba Sushi and more. The app charges a $5 delivery fee.

Rob Simon, director of business development at FoodSquire, said the app sets itself apart by delivering food from restaurants that have never delivered before, like Wonder Bar or Kenmore Diner.

GrubHub does not have delivery drivers, but instead allows users to type in an address and locate nearby restaurants that deliver or offer pickup.
Update at 5:42 p.m.: Lydia Davis and her mother were located and are in good health.

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The Webster Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police are searching for a missing 10-year-old girl they believe is with her mother, who does not have custody of her.

The girl, Lydia M. Davis, has not been to school in days and was reported missing by her father, State Police said.

It appears that Lydia was picked up by her mother, Theresa A. Beaudette, 35, from a relative's home on Boyden Street in Webster around midnight on Tuesday.

Webster police learned Thursday that Beaudette, Lydia and another relative were seen at a shelter in Milford.

But, the family abruptly left the shelter in a light blue, four-door 2008 Hyundai Sonata bearing the Massachusetts license plate 795TVO.

Police want to locate Lydia to make sure she is safe.

Lydia is white, about 4 feet, 10 inches tall and 105 pounds, State Police said. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

Theresa Beaudette is white, about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 110 to 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone who sees or has information about the location of Beaudette or Lydia Davis, or who sees the Hyundai Sonata is asked to immediately call Webster Police at 508-943-1212.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called on members of Congress Thursday to "show the same political courage on the opioid crisis" that lawmakers did in taking action to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic by passing a modern version of the Ryan White CARE Act.

Comparing the deaths and stigmas associated with opioid abuse to those that surrounded HIV/AIDs in the 1980s, Warren and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, penned a USA Today Op-Ed urging their congressional colleagues to stop treating the current public health emergency like a "novel, intractable problem."

They further took issue with the Trump administration's response to the opioid epidemic -- particularly the president's recent call to give the death penalty to some drug dealers.

The Democrats asked that federal lawmakers support their comprehensive plan to address opioid abuse, which, like the 1990 Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, looks to address the current crisis by investing in science and providing local communities significant funding to treat those with addictions.

Although they acknowledged that the 1990 law did not end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Warren and Cummings argued that it helped provide vital services to more than half a million Americans each year, led to life-saving medications, reduced the number of new infections and ensured science, not stigma, guided medical care.

The lawmakers said their bill would acknowledge opioid addiction as a disease and look to address the epidemic through treatment and research. It would further make it easier to hold drug companies accountable for their role in fueling opioid addictions.

"American families -- not just in Maryland or in Massachusetts, but all across this country -- desperately need us to take action against an epidemic terrorizing every single community. Urban, suburban and rural; poor, middle-class and wealthy; red, blue and purple," they wrote. "We urge our colleagues to join us in this effort, to show courage, to combat ignorance and ill-informed stigmas and to step up with significant new resources."

"This isn't about politics. This is about saving lives," they added.

Opioids, including prescription drugs, heroin and fentanyl, killed more than 42,000 Americans in 2016 -- more than any year on record, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Democrats' Op-Ed was published just one week after President Donald Trump unveiled his new plan to tackle the opioid epidemic during a stop at Manchester Community College in New Hampshire.

Trump said his plan, among many things, would look to cut down on the number of legal opioid prescriptions and illegal drugs, expand access to addiction treatment services, launch a new website to help Americans struggling with opioid addictions and equip schools with overdose reversal drugs.

The president also said he would allow the Department of Justice to seek the death penalty for some drug dealers -- a provision which drew criticism from Massachusetts lawmakers and others.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions later issued a memo to federal prosecutors asking them to step up their response to the public health emergency by designating an opioid coordinator in every district, utilizing the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit's data analysis and using federal criminal and civil remedies to hold opioid manufacturers and distributers accountable.
President Trump has reportedly suggested using the U.S. military budget to fund construction of his border wall. Trump also tweeted that the border wall is "all about National Defense" and is directly related to the military. Many believe this is a terrible idea and the border wall is a waste of money as it is. But others argue the border wall is essential to national security, and the U.S. spends too much on the military as it is. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Trump has reportedly had private conversations with Republican leadership in which he's suggested the U.S. military budget be used to fund his border wall.

Trump also tweeted about the border wall, arguing it is an issue of "national defense" and is therefore directly related to the military.

Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich. Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 25, 2018

Many find Trump's idea insulting. Veterans struggle enough as it is, asking the military to foot the bill for his expensive and unnecessary border wall is ridiculous.

Military families are on food stamps but @realDonaldTrump wants to use $25 billion for his stupid, useless border wall.  Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) March 27, 2018

Apparently, Donald Trump is looking to the substantial military budget to find funds for the border wall.



RT if you would rather that budget be used to put more money in the pockets of our soldiers and vets.  Devin Duke (@sirDukeDevin) March 27, 2018

Instead of spending billions of dollars from our military budget to pay for a big dumb border wall: why not use that money to fix the VA so our veterans get the care and resources they deserve? https://t.co/z7aBAtuBbz  Molly Knight (@molly_knight) March 27, 2018

But others have defended Trump, arguing the border wall is a matter of national defense and it is totally reasonable to appropriate military funds to build it.

https://t.co/59OwRQHAHn Love her or hate her, the truth remainsPresident Trump has the authority to use money for national defense which includes a border wall. His first duty as President is to keep us safe! The Corps of Engineers can build the wall! #MAGA  Angel (@36Angeldb) March 27, 2018

Thanks to @realDonaldTrump the border wall WILL be built. Its imperative to our National Security, as well as #MAGA#KatesWall  REDVIRGO ~ Stacy  (@stacy_redvirgo) March 25, 2018

President Trump suggests military may build border wall. He knows that walls work, and for whatever reason the Dems are against border security #MAGA #RedWaveRising #MondayMotivationpic.twitter.com/k7wIUe8VAW     {} (@PatriotLexi) March 26, 2018

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In the US, your taxes fund academic research at public universities. Why then do you need to pay expensive, for-profit journals for the results of that research? Erica Stone advocates for a new, open-access relationship between the public and scholars, making the case that academics should publish in more accessible media. "A functioning democracy requires that the public be well-educated and well-informed," Stone says. "Instead of research happening behind paywalls and bureaucracy, wouldnt it be better if it was unfolding right in front of us?"

Watch now https://ted.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=07487d1456302a286cf9c4ccc&id=4766d9858b&e=d3135666a2
Automakers around the U.S. really, really want you to drive an electric car.

A group of car companies and state governments launched a campaign Wednesday to convince consumers to consider electric cars. Its called "Drive Change. Drive Electric."

Partners include BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo along with New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Jersey.

BY MONICA CHIN

https://mashable.com/2018/03/28/drive-change-drive-electric-campaign/?utm_cid=hp-r-2#4a83Y0jMSPqi
Legion awards presented at annual banquet Audio Article Sorry! An active online subscription is required to access this content. Please login below or Subscribe today! Username or E-mail Password Remember Me Forgot Password Login

HINDSIGHT 2021 Audio Article 10 Years Ago (2011)  Barb and Charles Kangas observed their 50th Anniversary with a small family dinner party. The couple was married on September 30, 1961, at the First Baptist Church of Zanesville by Russell Purdy, D.D. She is the daughter of the late Ula and Carl Lynch of...

Man disrupts school board meeting; masks mandates and critical race theory lead parental concerns Audio Article The regular monthly meeting of the Morgan Local School Board was held on Monday, Sept. 13, as the board covered issues relating to the recent mask mandate and different courses that are being offered to students this year. Each member of the board was present except for Carl Raines. After...

IT report to Commissioners August 2021 Audio Article This is the August 2021 report from Jeff Babcock, IT Director On July 28, 2021, the IT Director virtually attended the Zanesville-Muskingum Safety Council meeting. The topic of discussion was drug screenings and company policy around the drug testing of employees. AEP notified the county that they will be replacing...

Morgan County Sheriffs Office Daily Call Reports Audio Article Editors Note: The following are initial incident reports from callers to a Morgan County Sheriffs Office Dispatcher. Any details, charges or situations may have been distorted by the caller, or perhaps may have been found to be different after the officer further investigated the incident. Friday, June 25, 2021 ...

HINDSIGHT 2021 Audio Article 10 Years Ago (2011)  Three members of Waterfords FFA joined students from across the nation in Washington D.C. for the 2011 Washington Leadership Conference. Allison Adams, Katrina Ford and James Whalin spent a week in the nations capital developing leadership skills through workshops, seminars and other hands-on activities. The...
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko (Source: VNA)



He made the remarks in Hanoi on March 29th at a reception for visiting Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko.

The PM described the visit by the Belarusian guest as marking a milestone, ushering in new prospects for cooperation between Vietnam and its important partner Belarus, stressing that Vietnam always respects and wishes to continue maintaining and fostering the sustainable friendship and cooperation with Belarus.

High-level visits in recent years created an impetus for the two countries to broaden their cooperation across politics, economy, and people-to-people exchange. The free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union that took effect in late 2016 in particular opened up many new opportunities and prospects for the two sides economic-trade partnership, he said.

The Belarusian Deputy PM briefed his host of the fruitful outcomes of his working session with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, referring to their review on bilateral cooperation after one year and a half of implementing the Vietnam-EEU free trade agreement and their work together to unlock difficulties and hindrances.

He suggested boosting bilateral cooperation in Belaruss strong fields like the production of dairy, mechanical engineering and industrial products.

PM Phuc hailed the working session his guest participated in, expressing his hope that the two sides would increase the provision of information and organize regular exchanges between businesses for marketing their products and cooperative fields in service of the effort to raise the trade value.

Vietnam is ready to provide best possible conditions for Belarusian businesses to cooperate, invest, and do productive, stable, and long-term business that is associated with Vietnams sustainable development, the leader said.

He pledged that the country will work to facilitate the entry of Belaruss industrial, mechanical engineering, energy, and mining products in its market.

Referring to the East Sea, the PM asked Belarus to support the just stance of Vietnam and ASEAN on addressing the disputes in the waters by peaceful means basing on international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).

On March 28th, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko was received by President Tran Dai Quang./.
Photo for illustration. (Source: CPV)

Specifically, from April 1, 2018, Chinese enterprises importing fruits from Vietnam should provide the image of packaging with product traceability information as they carry out procedures for import quarantine permits.

The information should include name of fruit products, origins, and name or packing code in Chinese or English. Enterprises can add labels, bar codes, QR codes or anti-counterfeit stamp to be able to check at any time.

The department has also informed Vietnamese fruit traders to actively associate with Chinese importers to follow the regulation./.
Esteban Lazo Hernandez (R), Politburo member and President of Cuba's National Assembly, welcomes CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at Jose Marti International Airport (Photo: VNA)



The visit from March 28th-31st is made at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cubas Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.

He was welcomed at Jose Marti International Airport by Esteban Lazo Hernandez, Politburo member and President of the National Assembly, and other high-level Party and Government Party officials of Cuba. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen Trung Thanh and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Cuba were also present at the airport to welcome the Party General Secretary.

During his stay in Cuba, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is scheduled to have talks and meetings with leaders of the Party and State of Cuba, discussing measures to boost cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.

The visit demonstrates the importance Vietnam attaches to enhancing its relations with the Latin-American region, as well as the countrys efforts to consolidate and advance its position.

It also reflects solidarity and friendship between the Party, State and people of Vietnam and Cuban Party, State and people.

This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passing away of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and also the Vietnamese Party chiefs first visit to Latin-America following the 12th National Congress of the CPV the same year.

The Vietnam-Cuba solidarity and fraternal relationship, which were fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro, have developed across spheres, becoming a valuable asset and a source of great encouragement for the revolutionary cause of each country.

Since the two countries set up diplomatic ties in December 1960, their solidarity, mutual support and comprehensive cooperation have been strengthened.

The bilateral political ties have been reflected through the regular exchange of visits between the two countries Party, State and Government leaders.

Apart from intensifying delegation exchange between agencies of the Parties, ministries, agencies and businesses, the two countries have regularly and effectively implemented cooperation mechanisms.

Along with the political ties, Vietnam and Cuba have also paid heed to economic and trade bonds through a range of programmes and projects.

In 2016, two-way trade reached USD235 million, which expanded to USD224.3 million in 2017. The two sides are striving to raise the bilateral trade to USD500 million by 2020.

Vietnam mainly exports rice to Cuba, along with coal, chemicals, garments-textiles and computers, while importing pharmaceutical products.

The Vietnamese Government always encourages and creates the best possible conditions for businesses of the two sides to expand cooperation in order to make the economic and trade ties on par with bilateral political relations as well as the special time-honoured friendship.

The Cuban side has also called for Vietnamese investments in food production, oil and gas exploration and exploitation, industry, tourism, bio-technology, and other priority areas in the Mariel Special Economic Development Zone.

Vietnam and Cuba still have substantial potential for cooperation. Vietnam has strength in agriculture, telecommunications, electronics, computer science, electricity, consumption goods, and construction and building materials. Meanwhile, Cuba has advantages in education, training, health care, bio-technology, pharmaceutical products and tourism./.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong lays a wreath at President Ho Chi Minh Statue. (Photo: VNA)



The President Ho Chi Minh statue campus, built on an area of 5,600 square metres in Nuevo Vedado district in the centre of La Habana, was completed on May 19th, 2003, marking the 113th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh. A Cuba - Vietnam Friendship Sub-committee has been established to protect and care for this construction of great significance. On the occasion of Vietnamese big events or Vietnamese delegations visiting Cuba, the Cuban side and Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba often lay wreaths to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh at the statute.

On the same day, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong met with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba and the Vietnamese community in Cuba.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong talks with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba and representatives of overseas Vietnamese in Cuba. (Photo: VNA)



During the meeting, the Party General Secretary informed them of the socio-economic development in Vietnam, the countrys achievements, as well as Party and State targets in boosting rapid and sustainable national development, and building a pure and strong Party and political system.

He praised the embassys staff members for promoting solidarity and responsibility to realize assigned tasks, adding that they had made active contributions to effectively carrying out cooperation deals between the two countries, and further deepening the Vietnam - Cuba special relationship./.
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover
EAST LANSING, MI - Michigan State University on Wednesday responded to social media fervor regarding a student who repeatedly used a racial epithet in various widely shared social media posts.

There were calls to expel the student, who captioned a Snapchat photo of a large drink to her mouth with the phrase "bottoms up n-----." She also is pictured with the word written on a sticky note attached to her forehead.

Accounts for both the woman who made the derogatory remarks and the person who reportedly first shared them on Twitter could not be located by Wednesday night. They appeared to be deleted.

"One of the university's core values is inclusion, to have a campus environment that fosters free speech and the sharing of ideas and beliefs. However, we do not condone racial harassment or bullying," Emily Guerrant, MSU spokesperson, wrote in a statement.

"The university is aware of the recent social media posts connected to an MSU student. As a public institution, we do not get to control what every member of our community says. What was said is clearly not aligned with our Spartan values."

According to the website The Tab, a Tweet that read: "Let's play a game... it's called 'How many retweets does this girl need before MSU kicks her out..." was retweeted more than 11,000 times.

MSU is addressing the situation "through multiple channels" and using the situation as an opportunity to maintain an ongoing conversation about race and inclusion, Guerrant wrote.

One of MSU's core values is inclusion, to have a campus environment that fosters free speech and the sharing of ideas and beliefs. However, we do not condone racial harassment or bullying. Full statement: https://t.co/iOIJfjIAD6  MSU (@michiganstateu) March 28, 2018

Others called the student intolerant, a racist and a bigot. One woman Tweeted: "@michiganstateu if you don't expel (the woman), you condone racism."

Another said: "Reported. Hopefully this girl gets kicked out because this is horrifying."

A Snapchat picture of the student in a bikini is accompanied by the text "2 quotes outta her 'I used to bully re-----' and 'that black guy just heard me call him a n-----.'"

One user went as far as to unearth older Tweets dating back as far as 2012 of the woman using the word "n-----."

"God bless American and f--- the blacks," reads a shared 2013 Tweet.

The university pridese itself on diversity, "well then, address the... situation," a woman Tweeted.

A man noted on Twitter the reaction was moving him to leave East Lansing: "So we have lowkey racists at MSU attacking and harassing the black students who brought the issue with (the student) to the public.

"Let me go ahead and fill out these transfer apps."
Our Blueberry Ambassadors were busy doing good in their community this week. These Blueberry Ambassadors took random acts of kindness to new levels by starting new foundations and raising funds for charitable causes. Some donated warm clothes to the homeless and others started a fundraiser to donate money to children's hospitals. Regardless of how big or small their acts are, these Blueberry Ambassadors make their communities proud!

This week's Ambassadors included Jeanine Strickert's group from Clio Lacure Elementary, Jodi Halverson's group from Davison Hill Elementary, Christy MacWebb's group from Flushing community schools, Debbie Alderson and Leigh Anne Draper's group from Davison Hill Elementary, Sarah Bearbower's group from Flushing Springview Elementary, and Brooke Good's group from Flushing Seymour Elementary.

Below is an excerpt of just some of the Blueberry Moments from each of the classes moments.

Being a Blueberry Ambassador means students are obligated to do at least three random acts of kindness -- to look for three ways to go out of their way to positively impact someone or the community. The actual number of good deeds is immeasurable actually much higher than that because each Blueberry Ambassador also asks those they help to pay it forward.

Through a partnership with MLive, the students' stories are published online. Below is an excerpt of just some of the Blueberry Moments. Check out all the teams' good work at http://topics.mlive.com/tag/flint-blueberries/.

To find out more about "I'm Concerned About the Blueberries," email BlueberryAmbassador@gmail.com.



Clio Lacure Elementary, coordinator Jeanine Strickert

Read all the Blueberry Moments from Strickert's group at Lacure Elementary

The Lacure Blueberry Ambassadors, with the help of the school community, initiated the "Knock, Knock, Give a Sock," campaign. The Blueberry Ambassadors designed flyers and posters to advertise their efforts. Together, students collected over 275 pairs of socks! The socks will be donated to local charities and will be distributed to both the homeless and those in need. Many thanks to those who helped us "March On" with new socks!!

Lanie Reiff

On one of our snow days, my mom took me to Sky Zone. She bought tickets online and didn't realize that it was buy one get one free tickets, so we have three extra tickets. Once we got there, my brother and I suggested to my mom that we give the extra tickets to the mother and two sons behind us in line. Mom said that was a good idea. My brother and I gave the tickets to the mother. She was very happy and said thank you a lot. I hope she does something nice for someone else!

Olivia Collick

Last Saturday my mom and I went to the store. I was making a choice of candy bars but I noticed a woman that couldn't pay for all her food. I asked mom if my candy bar money could help the woman pay for some of her food. I gave her my candy bar money to the woman and she said thank you. It made me feel good to help her.



Davison Hill Elementary, coordinator Jodi Halverson

Read all the Blueberry Moments from Halverson's group at Hill Elementary

Alia Puzjak

My First Blueberry Moment was going to dance at Richfield Academy's brand new after school club. We got to bring traditional Mexican treats in for all the boys and girls. There were 20 boys and girls in all. My sister, Isla, and I got to say our Blueberry introduction speeches and inspire people to do things for others and join the Blueberry Ambassador tradition. We helped the girls learn their dances and we learned how to be good peer mentors.

Emilia Luna

Blueberry Moment 12195

My first random act of kindness was sending clothes to Puerto Rico. A good friend has family that lives there and they need clothes. My whole family gathered clothes for them and I put a Blueberry Card in the box. I felt really good that I did something nice and I hope they spread the kindness in Puerto Rico and not only in Davison.

Isaac Luna

I decided to make cookies for my neighbor. I knew that he had had surgery and wasn't feeling well. I walked up to his house and said, "I am a Blueberry Ambassador, and I know you are going through some rough times, so I thought cookies might cheer you up". He said, "Oh, thank you, I really appreciate it." I felt happy because he needed someone to cheer him up and it felt good to be that person.



Flushing community schools, coordinator Christy MacWebb

Read all the Blueberry Moments from MacWebb's group at Flushing community schools

Kenzington Kranzo



Blueberry Moment 11589

The other day I went to Hyde Park Assisted Living and I handed out Valentine cards to the elderly. They were so thankful and appreciative. We made 15 different Valentines cards and each one had an inspiring message. It made me feel so joyful inside. I hope this passage will inspire other people to just be even a little kinder to people.

Olivia Holt

Blueberry Moment 11599

One day, my grandma asked me and my sister if we wanted to stuff plush animals and make blankets for the foster kids who don't have any. We both said yes. Then, that weekend we all went to a library in Clio that had a sign that said, Welcome. We went inside and a girl told us to go to that table and pick up a plush animal and stuff it. There was a ton of four different plush animals to choose from. There was one other kid there to help me and my sister. While we were doing that, about fifteen adults made blankets. When we were finally done, me and my sister helped our grandma with a blanket. When all of us were done, the same girl gave us a certificate of appreciation and participation. At the same time, I gave her a Blueberry Card and told her what she had to do.



Davison Hill Elementary, coordinator Debbie Alderson and Leigh Anne Draper

Read all the Blueberry Moments from Alderson and Draper's group at Hill Elementary

Autumn Bell

My first act of kindness was when we went to go see the movie Wonder. I paid for my grandma's ticket. I decided to do this because I felt bad that I invited her but she would have to pay for her ticket. My grandma was very surprised and thought it was very nice.

Brooklynn Riley

For my first random act of kindness as a Blueberry Ambassador, I decided to take Donuts to my uncle's work. My uncle works at the Macomb County Sheriff's Department as a 911 Dispatcher. I decided to do this because if you think about it Dispatchers have a lot of work to do and a lot of stress. They have to answer calls from people who call 911 for an emergency. They often don't know the outcome. When we went into the Dispatch Center, we had to be very quiet. Everyone was very grateful for the donuts. This made me feel thankful that we have these people to be there for when we are in an emergency.

Liam Ward

Blueberry Moment 12163

My first act of kindness was to make care packages for the homeless. My mom and I came up with the idea when we were brainstorming and remembered how many homeless families came into the soup kitchen we volunteered at. We added different things like soap, shampoo and baby wipes, also hand and foot warmers for when they're out in the cold and some first aid items. We put in granola bars and small bottles of water and some small toys for the kids. We haven't actually had a chance to hand them out yet but we're on the schedule to volunteer later this month and will do it then. I'm hoping that they will be happy about our care packages and that they will be very useful to them.



Flushing Springview Elementary, coordinator Sarah Bearbower

Read all the Blueberry Moments from Bearbower's group at Springview Elementary

De'zaria Isom

Blueberry Moment 14249

I helped an older lady get to her car and carried her groceries to the car. I also gave her a Blueberry Card and talked about kindness to her. I did it because I'm very kind and she was all alone. She was smiling saying thank you. I felt so happy that it made my day!

Weston Adkinson

My last good deed was when I helped someone at the mall and carried their bags to the checkout line and waited there with the bags until it was the ladies turn. She was surprised and said thank you.



Flushing Seymour Elementary, coordinator Brooke Good

See all the Blueberry Moments from Good's group at Seymour Elementary

Kaycie Torbet

My second Blueberry Moment was in November when I was on the bus watching all the crazy kids on the bus go wild, while that was happening I was in the back shoving my face in my backpack and I noticed that my bus driver was so calm and looked like she didn't even here the noise. And I saw that she was really nice about it when she was telling them to chill. If I was in her position, I think I would explode. And when I got home that day, I thought about that and how she didn't get enough appreciation for how she handled the situation. The next week, I organized a gift bag for her with a bunch of chocolate, a Starbucks gift card and a card to tell her why I gave it to her. When I gave It to her she looked very surprised and happy. It felt great to give it to her. And the best part of it was giving it to her was when she said, "How did you know it is my birthday this weekend!?" It made the whole thing feel even more special!

Kate

For my first Blueberry act, my class made cards for one of the youngest survivors of the November 2017 church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The little boy's name was Ryland Ward, and in the shooting, he had lost members of his family, and was injured himself. I had heard on the news about people sending cards to Ryland, and thought that would be a really kind thing to do if I got my class to write letters to him. After I mailed the cards out, it made me feel good that soon, many miles away, a little boy in Texas would be reading our cards.

Macy Freeman

For my third Blueberry Moment, I made care packages for hurricane victims. One day my mom took me and my brother up to the church we go to. We got bags and we went down almost like an assembly line and we put items in our bags. We put items in like toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, combs etc. We went through the line until there was nothing left. We then sent the bags down to Florida for the hurricane victims. Doing this made me feel good because even though I wasn't there to see them open it, I knew they would and they would have a few necessities that would last them a while.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A new Ypsilanti Township commuter express bus service into downtown Ann Arbor is off to a slow start, with only about four or five riders using the service most days.

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, which operates the new Route 81 along Interstate 94, is hoping that ridership will increase as more people become aware of the service.

It launched two months ago on Jan. 29 with a promotional fare of $1.50 each way between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Township.

It's intended to be a faster way for Ypsilanti area residents to commute by bus to and from work in Ann Arbor without many intermediate stops.

The total budgeted cost for the service is $95,920, and the cost for an annual parking agreement for it is $5,000.

As of March 26, the 41st weekday since the service launched, a total of 360 rides had been clocked, the AAATA reported.

That amounts to between eight and nine rides per day on average, counting trips both ways.

The bus takes commuters into Ann Arbor in the morning and back to Ypsilanti Township at the end of the work day, making two trips.

An AAATA bus driver on the route said she typically has four regular riders who commute to and from work in Ann Arbor. Most get off in the morning at the stop by the University of Michigan's medical campus, where they hop back onboard in the afternoon to go home.

On Thursday morning, March 29, a handful of people got off the bus there and it was empty by the time it stopped at the Central Campus Transit Center and then continued to the Blake Transit Center.

After a little more than a month in operation, the AAATA reported on March 8 the highest ridership day so far was on March 2 when there were 18 rides. Since each way is counted as a ride, that could mean nine people used the service that day, or possibly more if some only used it one way, said AAATA spokeswoman Mary Stasiak.

Commenting on the ridership earlier this month, Stasiak said it was premature to draw any conclusions about the success of the route.

The AAATA has said it's open to considering using smaller vans instead of full-size buses on routes with low ridership. At the moment, a full-size bus is still being used for the new express route.

"It takes time to build awareness and ridership with new services," Stasiak said, indicating the AAATA will continue to monitor use. "As with all services, adjustments are made as needed."

Figures released by the AAATA show there were 21 rides during three days the new service operated in January, or seven rides per day on average, counting trips both ways.

There were 181 rides over 20 weekdays in February, or nine rides per day on average, counting trips both ways.

And this month, through March 26, there were 158 rides over 18 weekdays, so between eight and nine rides per day on average, counting trips both ways.

According to the AAATA website, free parking for those using the service is available off Joe Hall Drive near Huron Street, which is just south of Interstate 94 in Ypsilanti Township.

Overflow parking is available on Joe Hall Drive. People can leave their cars there and take the new express bus into Ann Arbor, avoiding the hassle of driving in congested traffic and parking in Ann Arbor.

The service operates Monday through Friday, starting at the Joe Hall and Huron parking location, with two trips leaving at 6:18 a.m. and 7:16 a.m. The buses travel along I-94 into Ann Arbor and stop near the UM medical center (Mott) at 6:38 a.m. and 7:40 a.m., respectively, before stopping at the CCTC at 6:44 a.m. and 7:46 a.m. and finally the BTC in downtown Ann Arbor at 6:50 a.m. and 7:52 a.m.

The 6:50 a.m. stop at the BTC provides an opportunity for people to travel to Ypsilanti Township from Ann Arbor in the morning.

The two afternoon return trips to Ypsilanti Township leave from the UM medical center (Mott) at 3:51 p.m. and 5:08 p.m., stopping at the CCTC at 3:56 p.m. and 5:14 p.m., respectively, and the BTC at 4:02 p.m. and 5:20 p.m., before arriving back at the Joe Hall and Huron area at 4:22 p.m. and 5:42 p.m.

The 4:22 p.m. end stop in Ypsilanti Township provides an opportunity for people to travel to Ann Arbor from the Joe Hall and Huron area in the afternoon. Call 734-996-0400 for more info.

The AAATA continues to operate its normal fixed-route bus services between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti along the Ellsworth, Packard, Washtenaw and Huron River Drive corridors. Those services include more frequent stops and take longer.

Working with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the AAATA is seeking grant funding to launch another commuter express bus service on U.S. 23 between Ann Arbor and Whitmore Lake.

The AAATA also operates commuter express bus services from Chelsea and Canton into Ann Arbor.
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI - Police are urging Dearborn Heights residents to be on the lookout for a fake K-9 police officer.

The Dearborn Heights Police Department posted on its Facebook page Wednesday, March 28 that a man has been impersonating a K-9 officer in several cities across Michigan, including the downriver suburbs of Detroit.

ATTENTION ALL DEARBORN HEIGHTS CITIZENS!!!! Keep your eyes open for this guy! He is NOT a real Police Officer, let alone... Posted by Dearborn Heights Police Department on Wednesday, March 28, 2018

The man, who is seen wearing a black shirt with "K-9 Blake" written on it, has pending charges with other local departments, police say.

Anyone who sees this man is asked to call 313-277-6770. Do not stop for him if he tries to pull you over, police say.

He has not shown tendencies toward violence, police say.

Tips on his potential whereabouts can be made to Crime Prevention at 313-277-7414.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The risk of getting Lyme disease from ticks has increased in several Michigan counties, according to a new map from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Livingston County, just north of Washtenaw County, is now considered in the red zone, moving from being a county with a potential risk to a county with a known risk of Lyme disease.

The red zone includes counties with at least two confirmed cases of local exposure and/or ticks/animals with Lyme bacteria. Washtenaw and Ingham counties were added to the red zone in 2016.

The latest map shows Alpena, Bay, Genesee, Huron and St. Clair counties have been added to the list of counties with a potential risk of Lyme disease, meaning they're either adjacent to a county with confirmed cases or blacklegged ticks are present.

The Humane Society of Huron Valley near Ann Arbor shared the new map on Facebook this week with a warning to pet owners.

"The emergence of warmer weather in Michigan brings with it spring flowers, green leaves, and TICKS," the HSHV wrote.

"Our beautiful great lakes have long provided us a moat of protection from these little invaders in the Lower Peninsula. However, since the first population of blacklegged ticks carrying Lyme disease were detected in 2002 along the coast of Lake Michigan, they have continued to spread across several portions of the Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula has had known infected populations longer due to their close association with Wisconsin."

The Human Society warns that both humans and pets are at risk for exposure.

"While ticks most commonly reside in wooded or rural areas, they are quickly spreading into more suburban areas," the HSHV wrote. "Pet owners should regularly check their furred family members for intruders and consult their veterinarian to discuss safe and effective preventatives that can be used to help protect them."

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is spread by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick. The more common dog tick does not carry Lyme disease.

Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, aching muscles or joints and a skin rash at the site of the tick bite that may look like a bull's eye or target.

Untreated infections can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics.

Infections are diagnosed based on symptoms and the possibility of contact with infected ticks.

Health care providers must be ready to diagnose cases and provide early, appropriate treatment, public health officials advise.

Washtenaw County public health officials have been tracking cases as Lyme disease has spread into the region in recent years.

For at least the past decade or more, there have been known cases of Lyme disease in Washtenaw County residents every year. But until the summer of 2016, all local cases were considered likely to be related to travel to western Michigan or other states where infested tick populations are present.

But in summer 2016, a resident in a rural area in the western part of Washtenaw County contracted Lyme disease, apparently without leaving the county, Washtenaw County Public Health reported.

Overall, there were 17 total cases of Lyme disease in Washtenaw County residents in 2016, and four were likely exposed within the county, according to the health department.

WCPH spokeswoman Susan Cerniglia said there were 10 more confirmed cases of Lyme disease among Washtenaw County residents in 2017, two of which were likely exposed here.

Transmission season for Lyme disease in Michigan typically occurs from May through August, with a peak in June, according to the county. Frequent tick checks are important during this time of year, as prompt removal of ticks can prevent infection, the county advises.

While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, the county advises people to be extra vigilant in warmer months from April through September when ticks are most active.

Cerniglia said one of the four residents believed to have contracted Lyme disease in Washtenaw County in 2016 was infected in the western part of the county. She said blacklegged ticks were found and tested in and around the Waterloo and Pinckney state recreation areas and some tested positive for Lyme.

Washtenaw County Public Health continues to warn that there are infected tick populations in the western part of the county, specifically around the Waterloo Recreation Area near Chelsea.

"Helping to identify where infected tick populations might be is one of the reasons that we recommend residents use a test kit to submit ticks to the state for identification and testing," Cerniglia said. "This helps us know where the populations may be within the county."

More information about Lyme disease and tick-borne disease prevention is available on the WCPH website.

The state also has a program to identify ticks, and if it is a live blacklegged tick, test for Lyme disease. Information is available on the state's website.
UPDATE: One person was transported in stable condition to the University of Michigan hospital, Huron Valley Ambulance spokesman Matt Rose said.

ANN ARBOR, MI - One person was injured in a two-vehicle crash in Ann Arbor the morning of Thursday, March 29.

Police were dispatched about 10:40 a.m. Thursday for a reported crash on Packard Street near King George Boulevard, Ann Arbor Police Department Sgt. Bonnie Theil said.

One person and was injured and was looked at by paramedics from HVA, Theil said. Their condition currently is unknown.

The crash occurred in front of the Ponds at Georgetown apartment complex.

The crash did not block traffic. Police were still on scene but were preparing to leave as of 11:30 a.m., Theil said.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A homicide charge remains under consideration in the New Year's Eve shooting death of an Ypsilanti Township man.

Gregory James, 26, of Ypsilanti Township currently faces three weapons charges and one count of lying to a peace officer in the shooting death of 50-year-old Kevin Hughbanks.

The Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office may make a decision within the next week or two on the additional charge, Assistant Washtenaw County Prosecutor Nimish Ganatra said at a pretrial hearing Wednesday, March 28 in circuit court as he asked for an adjournment in the case.

The delay, however, caused James' attorney Michael Vincent to question his client's $50,000 bond.

"We've been told this before that it's around the corner," Vincent said of the homicide charge, noting it's been more than three months since his client was charged.

He requested that James be released on personal recognizance with a tether at his home.

Ganatra argued, however, that James has a criminal history and may face additional charges related to delivery of crack cocaine in November and December 2017.

Ganatra also said James admitted to carrying the weapon in the altercation with Hughbanks and to buying the gun illegally. Vincent argued his client had just gotten out of the hospital and was "doped up" when he made the statements.

Ultimately, Washtenaw County Trial Judge Archie Brown ruled that the bond be continued as is.

Ganatra also submitted a change of information for the count of lying to police James faces - downgrading it from a four-year felony to a two-year misdemeanor.

The four-year felony is applied when someone lies during investigation into certain crimes, including first- or second-degree murder, according to Michigan law. The two-year misdemeanor is applied when someone lies about a felony punishable by four or more years in prison.

Police say James left a trail of blood in the Cliffs Communities housing complex in Ypsilanti Township and was later found at the hospital with stab wounds after an altercation left Hughbanks dead in a carport.

James is now scheduled for an April 18 pretrial.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A Saginaw man is expected to testify in his own defense in the stabbing death of his brother-in-law in Ypsilanti Township.

Though plea negotiations were underway for Gerald Kariem, 40, he is now expected to proceed to trial on April 16, according to statements made Wednesday, March 28 during a final pretrial at the Washtenaw County Trial Court.

Kariem's Lansing-based attorney, Mike Maddaloni, said Kariem would be the only witness brought by the defense.

Kariem is accused of fatally stabbing Marcus Coney, 40 after an argument over a vehicle escalated April 29, 2017, in the basement of Coney's home at 1412 Jeff Ave. in Ypsilanti Township. Kariem was arrested several days later in Oak Park, Illinois.

Kariem was previously convicted of manslaughter in 2002.

He was released on parole in 2009 and discharged from the department in 2011, Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz previously said.

Kariem now faces one count of open murder and up to life in prison in Coney's death.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan Board of Regents approved requests to rescind and remove names from two of its buildings - the Clarence Cook Little Science Building and Alexander Winchell House - during its meeting Thursday, March 29.

The board voted unanimously to remove the names of both Little, a former UM president from 1925 to 1929 and avowed eugenicist; and Winchell, a former faculty member whose book "Preadamites, or a Demonstration of the Existence of Men before Adam," was "unambiguously racist," according to an action request to the board from UM President Mark Schlissel.

This was the first case of building names being rescinded at UM after the university announced in January 2017 that it defined a new set of principles and process for renaming buildings and spaces on campus in conjunction with its bicentennial.

President's Advisory Committee on University History Chair Terry McDonald, who reviewed the proposals to remove both the Winchell and Little names, said removing names from the building reverses a previous decision to commemorate an individual, without erasing university history.

"We believe equally that historical memory and historical commemoration are not the same thing," McDonald said. "Changing the name of a space does not change or erase our history. It revises a previous decision to commemorate something in that history."

Regent Andrea Fischer Newman commended McDonald and the committee for its "thorough review of history" while agreeing with their findings.

"Changing historical names should be difficult," Newman said. "Doing the right thing, though, shouldn't be difficult."

Nicholas Fadanelli, LSA Student Government president, said Little's position on the Board of the American Eugenics Society, his presiding over the "Third Race Betterment Conference" of 1927 and the use of his position as president of UM to advance his eugenicist agenda provided a convincing case to rename the building when LSA Student Government passed a resolution to rename the building in September.

Fadanelli credited the voices of students, faculty and members of the community, as well as the faculty and student who wrote the proposal to the President's Advisory Committee on University History for carefully considering the request to remove Little's name from UM's campus.

"It is one thing to remember our history, both its dark moments and its finer ones, and a completely separate notion to put on top of a pedestal those whose actions and views not only go against the fabric of the values the University community holds dear, but actively undermined the positions of authority they were entrusted with - and I am glad the university has decided to no longer put C.C. Little on such a pedestal," Fadanelli said Thursday.

The university will now undergo two different processes for renaming each of the buildings. In the case of the Winchell House, Schlissel said he will request that the vice president for student life engage a process to bring forward a recommendation for renaming the house.

The C.C. Little building, on the other hand, would be renamed in accordance with the 2008 "Policy for Naming of Facilities, Spaces and Streets." Until it is renamed, a functional designation for the space would be determined by the associate vice president for facilities and operations.

Regent Andrew Richner said it is important to keep in mind the historical context of the votes by previous UM Boards of Regents, who ended Little's tenure as president in 1929, and who named a building after him in 1968.

"I think when we're entertaining these decisions that we should be careful to give deference to the board at the time," Richner said. "In the case of C.C. Little, it was the Board of Regents in 1968 - 40 years after Little served his short stint as president, who named the building. The board who knew him best in the 1920s sent Little on his way without bestowing any such fanfare or honor."

The new principles instituted by the university allow any member of the UM community to submit a proposal to the president's office for review and possible reconsideration of the current name of an officially named space.

Proposals are now considered through a set of guiding principles, outlined by the advisory committee, including pedagogy, interpretation, due diligence, commitment, revision, historical and institutional context and consistency.

In the case of Little, Schlissel noted that "The central tenet is that in the areas of eugenics and tobacco smoking."

"[Little] lent his scientific (and University) prestige to public policy campaigns supposedly based in science ... whose scientific foundations were minimal, exaggerated, or actually contradicted by mainstream scientists or the contemporary scientific consensus," the action request states.

The committee emphasized that Little's support and participation in these campaigns had serious negative consequences noting that "his 1920s campaign for eugenic measures while University President - immigration restriction, sterilization of the 'unfit,' anti-miscegenation laws - and the 1950s campaign sowing doubt about the links between smoking and cancer negatively affected the lives of millions."

UM student Joshua Hasler, who was a part of the group who submitted the request against Little, said the former UM president's support of eugenics are relevant in modern contexts.

"Little was no tepid supporter of American eugenics," Hasler said. "He believed it was an essential part of human progress.

White nationalists and members of the alt-right such as Richard Spencer, who advocate for the establishment of an 'ethno-state' reinforce and build upon the eugenic ideas promoted by C.C. Little and the American Eugenics Society," he added.

In the case of the Winchell House in the West Quad Residence Hall, a UM undergraduate student submitted a request that the name of the house be changed in February 2017. The President's Advisory Committee on University History unanimously recommended to Schlissel in September 2017 that the name be rescinded and removed.

In doing so, the committee independently considered "the content of Winchell's work, the trajectory of his life and career and the most recent findings of historians on the history of his period and his science," according to the action request.

According to the committee, portions of Winchell's book "Preadamites, or a Demonstration of the Existence of Men before Adam," continue to be used today to support white supremacist views, thereby amplifying the negative contemporary effect of the Winchell naming, especially on "the actual building of communities" that we should aspire to in our residential housing.
GLADWIN, MI -- A 19-year-old man is in jail after reportedly threatening to shoot up a Michigan courthouse.

Gladwin County Sheriff Michael Shea said that on Wednesday, March 28, authorities issued a personal protection order against the man, who already had one PPO against him.

"He made some, what we felt, were pretty credible threats about shooting up the place based on his dismay," Shea said. The man was not present at the Gladwin County Courthouse, 401 W. Cedar Ave., at the time, but made his threats via phone calls, Shea said.

Deputies locked down the courthouse around noon. Over the next few hours, they used all available resources to locate the man. They also urged him via social media to visit the sheriff's office to make a complaint about his PPO.

The man ended up taking the bait and arrived at the sheriff's office. Deputies arrested him in the front yard before he entered the building, Shea said. He did not have a gun on him at the time, the sheriff added.

In all, the courthouse was locked down for about three hours, Shea said.

The man is expected to be arraigned on criminal charges in Gladwin County District Court Thursday morning.
GLADWIN, MI -- A teenager who allegedly threatened to shoot up a Michigan courthouse has been charged with a felony.

Anthony B. Ostrander, 19, on Thursday, March 29, appeared in Gladwin County District Court for arraignment on one count of making a terrorist threat. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine.

The arraigning judge set Ostrander's bond at $1 million and he remains in custody in the Gladwin County Jail.

Sheriff Michael Shea previously said Ostrander on Wednesday made threats to enter the courthouse at 401 W. Cedar Ave. and shoot people. Ostrander made his threats via phone calls, Shea has said.

Ostrander made the threats after authorities issued a personal protection order against him, the sheriff has said. At the time, Ostrander already had a prior PPO against him.

Shea did not specify who the orders were meant to keep Ostrander away from.

Deputies at around noon placed the courthouse on lockdown as they investigated the matter. Ostrander was contacted by social media and was urged to visit the sheriff's office to make a complaint regarding the PPO.

At about 2:30 p.m., Ostrander visited the sheriff's office. Deputies arrested him without incident in the office's front yard, before he had the chance to enter the building, Shea has said.

Ostrander did not have a gun on him at the time.

Ostrander's next court date is pending.
FLINT TWP., MI -- A construction company has been fined by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration in connection to worksite accidents, including one that led to an employee's death.

RSB Construction Services, LLC has been fined $154,000 following a MIOSHA investigation involving two employees who fell on separate days from the same pole barn roof in Goodrich, according to a statement from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

The company, at 4520 Linden Creek Parkway in Flint Township, had one employee who died a few weeks later because of the fall and another who was seriously injured, the statement said.

RSB Construction received four violations for not providing fall protection for an employee who was working on a low-sloped roof, not training employees in fall protection and not coordinating an accident prevention program.

The statement did not say when or where the accident took place. The names of the employees who fell also were not released.

The fines cover the penalty for the fatality investigation and companion inspection, LARA said.

RSB Construction has 15 business days to contest the violations and penalties.

MLive-The Flint Journal could not reach RSB Construction or LARA for comment.
CLIO, MI -- Cassidy Fortney is hopeful the school safety roundtable discussion that took place Thursday afternoon with her fellow Clio High students and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Twp., will lead to change.

In the wake of the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the 16-year-old junior said the mood in her school was tense.

"Everyone here was very shaken. We didn't really know what to think. We had several threats after that as well," she said. "I mean you never know what's going to happen. You can't predict when a shooting is going to happen.

The district has made the move since the shooting to add on a full-time school resource officer in the district, in addition to a part-time officer, and held a discussion with parents on what can be done to make their buildings safer.

Several of the roughly two dozen students gathered in the high school's media center for the March 29 round table did not see staff armed with firearms as a solution to the issue.

Nik Calugaru, 18, a Clio High senior, said the types of weapons available today are entirely different from when the U.S. Constitution was created and it doesn't make sense to him for some high-powered weapons to be in the hands of residents that have been used in some mass shootings.

"Their guns are for having fun in their backyard, shooting at their targets," he said. "I don't know why they wouldn't sacrifice that for American lives."

The idea of allowing staff members to carry concealed weapons, which Kildee said he was opposed to, is one that has been brought by some parents to Clio schools Superintendent Fletcher Spears III after the Florida shooting.

But sophomore Blake Amy didn't see the issue as one of the weapons and questioned Kildee on whether the lawmaker saw an AR-15 as a weapon of war.

"I don't think it's truly guns that are bad. I think it's people," said Amy following the roundtable. "I think if we can address such things such as bullying and anything along those lines as in mental illness."

Amy argued any item, from a pencil to a knife, can be used as a weapon and blaming the issue on guns "is the easy way out and that's what people are trying to take."

Kildee agreed that part of the solution is to address mental health, but he also spoke on legislation to ban the bump stock and not allow for designs on weapons used in a war zone that can be purchased at a gun shop.

Senior Garrett Nyswaner saw a lack of stiff punishments as another factor at play, with some students not being afraid to get into trouble due to minimal repercussions.

"I feel nowadays kids feel like they can get away with more and they just keep stepping over the line," he said. "Parents are now more afraid of stepping over that line of discipline to the point of where they'll get in trouble."

Fortney said she has felt safer with the additional resource officer being paid for in a partnership with the district and Vienna Township through the end of the year but would also like to see increased mental health services.

"I think that there needs to be more resources that students can reach out and get more help when they really need it, more counselors, more social workers in school," she said.

In addition to mental health resources, 15-year-old freshman Sarah Falardeau is hoping students can be kinder to one another, choosing to take part in a walking up to people and saying hello or ask how they are doing and not walk out during a recent gun violence protest.

"That's what I've been trying to bring to the school, bring to my classmates," she said. "I think it's just a better opportunity to start change."

Fortney is optimistic some change will occur through the continued dialogue, face to face and through online channels.

"I think in this time period social media has really helped as a platform for young people to get their voices out," she said. "Whenever I log on Twitter, that's the first thing I see is people wanting to walk out, to cause a change, so I really feel like now as a whole body of people, of young people, we're getting our voices out. I don't think that anyone is going to stop us."

Kildee said he'd like to hold a large-scale roundtable with students from across the district he represents to pressure his fellow lawmakers into taking a vote on gun reform legislation.
FLINT, MI -- One Flint water researcher has turned his issues with another into a license complaint with the state of Michigan.

Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards has filed a statement of complaint against the professional engineering license of Shawn McElmurry, the Wayne State University researcher who led an investigation into Legionnaires' disease in Flint during the city's water crisis.

"Dr. McElmurry appropriated ideas that were not his for a (National Institutes of Health) research proposal," the complaint says. "He also repeatedly claimed that he had been working on Flint water problems since 2010."

Edwards claims McElmurry "leveraged those falsifications" into leading the Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership, Legionnaires' research funded by $3.35 million in state funds.

FACHEP ended its relationship with the state at the end of last year without discovering a certain cause of outbreaks of Legionnaires', but it published studies saying 80 percent of cases in Genesee County between 2014 and 2015 can be linked to the city's drinking water supply.

Edwards and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have called FACHEP's worked flawed, and the complaint says McElmurry's "lack of competence and expertise" led to the criminal prosecution of the director and chief medical executive at DHHS.

Attorneys for both Nick Lyon and Dr. Eden Wells called Edwards to testify during their preliminary examinations in Genesee District this week, combating earlier testimony by McElmurry.

McElmurry claimed his research team encountered resistance from DHHS as it attempted to determine a link between Flint water and the Legionnaires' outbreaks.

The Wayne State professor said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal that he stands by FACHEP's work.

"It is very unfortunate when individuals who are unable to defend their work on the scientific merits resort to personal attacks," the email says. "Personal attacks do not help advance our understanding or help the people of Flint."

"Our work has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication in some of the most prestigious scientific journals in the nation. I stand by the quality of our science and the integrity of our work in Flint."

Edwards said the complaint is a matter of public record and said in the complaint that he is willing to testify at any hearing on the subject.

"We have expressed serious concerns about the ethical conduct of FACHEP's leader," Edwards said.

Pardeep Toor, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, confirmed the department is investigating the complaint against McElmurry.

Once a complaint is filed, the agency may investigate to determine whether allegations are a violation of the state's Occupational Code, Toor said in an email to The Journal.

LARA may issue a formal complaint against the licensee, who can request a compliance conference to potentially settle the formal complaint prior to any case hearing.

If there is a case hearing, an administrative law judge presides and determines if a violation has occurred. A licensing board or agency official issues any final order.

Possible penalties include license limitation, suspension, revocation, fine or probation, Toor said.
FLINT, MI -- Flint resident and retired school teacher Lessie Fields, 70, was shocked when she learned about the price change of her cholesterol medication. Within two months of taking it, the copay for a pack of 30 pills went from $1.50 to $8.00.

"I couldn't believe it," Fields said. "Next year they might go up to $16."

That's why Fields along with nearly 30 people, the majority who were seniors, attended U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow's press conference to announce her new legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs at a press conference at the Brennan Senior Center in Flint Wednesday, March 28.

"We are in a situation where pharmaceutical drug companies see prescription drugs as a commodity," Stabenow said. "If you really need it you will pay more, which is exactly the opposite of what should be happening in medicine."

According to the American Association of Retired Persons, since 2008, there has been a 200 percent increase in prescription drug prices.

These increase in prices influenced Stabenow to announce three different bills.

The first is called the "Know the Lowest Price Act," which would allow consumers to know the lowest price they can pay for their medication over the counter at the pharmacy.

According to Stabenow, pharmacists are not allowed to tell consumers about cheaper alternatives to medication they are buying due to contracts between pharmacy benefit managers and insurance companies. What prevents pharmacists from disclosing cheaper options to consumers is a widely used tactic known as a "gag clause" or a non-disclosure clause.

The second bill is called "Empowering Medicare Senior to Negotiate Drug Prices Act," which would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to directly negotiate with drug companies for price discounts for their drugs. The bill would also eliminate the "non-interference" clause that banned Medicare from negotiating the best possible prices for seniors.

Finally the "Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act" would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to permit wholesalers, licensed U.S. pharmacies and individuals to import drugs from licensed Canadian sellers that are manufactured at facilities approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

"There is an average 40 percent less in price if you cross the bridge," Sabenow said. "These aren't things that are just frills for people this may be the difference in someone living or not and medicine should be a basic human right, it shouldn't be treated like any other commodity."

The cost of increasing drug prices is something Medical Director, Huda Elhwairis, of Hamilton Community Health Network deals with every day, especially with seniors.

It's not uncommon for her to see a senior patient who has a lifetime condition tell her they can't take the medication because they can't afford it. Or they alternate how they take the medication to prolong its use.

"They stretch it out and take it every other day," Elhwairis said.

She uses an example of a patient stretching their insulin over a few days.

"It's unfair for our seniors in this time in their lives to have to suffer and complain about prices of medication," she said.

Flint resident Glemon Allmon, 77, takes medication for diabetes, enlarged prostate and glaucoma. He also takes another medication to prevent infection but struggles with the copayments.

"Hopefully it (the bills) would lower my copay, which would reduce the total cost especially the ones I will be on for a lifetime," Allmon said.

He adds that while he is hopeful the bills would help him he stresses the importance of passing laws that help the entire community including the young and old.
WALKER, MI -- A 15-year-old former student of the West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science is accused of making an email threat that caused the school to dismiss early, police said.

Walker police late Wednesday, March 28 said they identified the 15-year-old through their investigation and he was taken to the Kent County juvenile detention facility for allegedly making a false threat.

Police do not believe the threat was credible.

Walker police initially responded to the school, 4463 Leonard St. NW, just before noon because of the email threat.

The school was first placed under lockdown, then later school administrators dismissed classes early as Walker police stood by.

Police said a report will be submitted to the Kent County Prosecutor's office for review to determine the exact charges, if any, to be filed against the teen.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A Grand Rapids Police Department sergeant with 18 years of experience has earned a statewide honor.

Sgt. David Gillem is the 2017 American Legion Department Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the state of Michigan, the department announced Thursday, March 29.

"He is an exceptional and professional police officer, highly self-motivated and productive, and a catalyst to success for every team that he has ever been assigned to," said Capt. Curt Vanderkooi in a statement.

The award recognizes contributions to the community, and takes into account professional career history, commendations by the agency and general public, community service involvement, and professional development.

Gillem, who joined the police department in 2000, is a supervisor in the police department's vice unit. He has previously served as a patrol officer, community policing specialist, and investigative and technical support officer.

He was promoted to sergeant in 2015.

In his 18 year-career, he's been nominated for this award three other times.

Gillem's name will now be submitted for the National Department Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award, which is presented at the annual American Legion National Convention.

Last year, Michigan State Police Sgt. Joseph Rowley earned the national award for his service at the Tri-City Post.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Rapids Community College is mourning the death of alumnus and longtime supporter Armen Oumedian, who died on Wendesday, March 28.

Oumedian combined his generosity with a firm belief that education is the way to improve lives and the community, according to a GRCC press release.

"Mr. Oumedian didn't just improve lives, he transformed them," GRCC President Bill Pink said. "He cared deeply about this community and this institution. But most importantly, he cared about the people who learn here and who teach here. He pushed us to strive for excellence, always, knowing the impact that would have on the people we serve."

Oumedian created several scholarships through the GRCC Foundation, including opportunities for first-generation students and students going into healthcare.

Related: Retiree donates funds to purchase iPads for first grade pilot at Harrison Park School

Just this past week, Oumedian sponsored SCHOLARfest, GRCC Foundation's annual benefit to assist students.

In the past, GRCC's Armen Awards, held from 2012 to 2016 and later renamed the Armen Innovation Grants, reflected Oumedian's commitment to innovative thinking. The purpose of the grants is to support faculty members led students in designing and completing service projects for community organizations.

"Armen always challenged all of us to think about the big picture," said Kathryn Mullins, vice president of College Advancement and GRCC Foundation executive director. "He always wanted to make sure everyone knew about how special GRCC is, and the important role it plays in our community and for our students' educational journey."

Oumedian attended what was then Grand Rapids Junior College from 1941 to 1943, along with his late wife, Pat, and their three children.

Related: What is an engineer? High schoolers should know they're in short supply and great demand

After graduating in 1949 from Kettering University, then known as the GM Institute, he worked for General Motors for 10 years. Afterward he worked for 32 years at Rapistan Inc., retiring as a senior vice president in 2000.

He was named GRCC's Distinguished Alumnus in 1996.
ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI -- Authorities have released the name of the 30-year-old Holland woman killed in a two-vehicle crash in Fillmore Township of Allegan County.

Police said Julie Ann Shaffer died after being involved in a two-vehicle crash with a semi-truck shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday, March 29, on M-40 at 140th Avenue.

Shaffer was driving a Ford Escape west on 140th Avenue when a southbound semi-truck, traveling on M-40, struck the SUV in the passenger side. Police believe Shaffer might have failed to stop at the intersection.

The collision occurred in the intersection, and sent the semi-truck and trailer into a field southwest of the intersection. Shaffer's vehicle ended up on the east shoulder of the roadway.

Police said the semi-truck driver -- a 60-year-old South Haven-area man -- suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation. Deputies on scene were assisted by the Oversiel Township Fire Department, Hamilton Fire Department, and AMR ambulance.

Both northbound and southbound lanes of M-40 were shutdown while the crash was being investigated. It reopened later that morning.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI - Police say two masked men broke into an apartment, assaulted a man and stole a small amount of his medical marijuana, sheriff's deputies say.

The robbery happened early Thursday, March 29, at The Lakes of Holland Apartments on 136th Avenue in Holland Township.

A 911 caller reported what sounded like a domestic disturbance. When police responded, the victim told police that he had been assaulted by two men who broke into his apartment and demanded money.

When they could not find any cash, they stole a small amount of the victim's medical marijuana.

Police said the robbers were armed with an unspecified weapon. A sheriff's tracking dog followed the robbers' trail to a neighboring apartment complex but no one has been arrested.
LANSING, MI -- Advocates for stricter limits on unregulated drinking water contaminants called PFAS are concerned that formal legislative input aims to predispose a new safety threshold by limiting public input and the data a science panel would consider.

Language to encourage a review of human studies in addition to those performed on lab animals by the state's PFAS Scientific Advisory Committee is not included in a concurrent resolution pending in the state Senate appropriations committee.

Amendments to support public interest group expert representation on the panel and input from people and businesses impacted by PFAS contamination were also not adopted when the state House passed its resolution by voice vote in early February.

Although resolutions do not carry the force of law, once passed they are considered the legislature's formal statement of opinion on policy.

Rep. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, proposed the amendments.

Amendments by @WinnieBrinks not included in HCR 18 highlighted in pink. They would encourage state #PFAS science panel to include public interest experts and consider human epidemiological data when making recommendation on future state standards: https://t.co/wWQ9O4hg2z pic.twitter.com/9GgU9gTBlO  Garret M. Ellison (@garretellison) March 29, 2018

Brinks, who sponsored a bill to give Michigan the nation's toughest PFAS drinking water standard, said she's concerned that leaving the public's voice off the science panel removes a counterweight to industry experts participating in the review.

Although creation of the science committee was announced in January, no members beyond chair David Savitz, a Brown University epidemiologist, have been announced. The committee will advise Gov. Rick Snyder's PFAS response team (MPART).

"It seems, anecdotally, that there are some people who think if they keep saying 'science' enough, it all sounds like were doing this objectively and scientifically," she said.

"If you establish a scientific panel with equal representation for industry and no representation for impacted people or business, they could still end up with a very subjective thing."

Snyder's office said panel members will be announced this week.

"We are working on finding some of the top people nationally and determining if they are willing and available to join the team," said Snyder spokesman Ari Adler. "That is taking longer than we initially anticipated but we are making progress."

UPDATE: PFAS science panel members announced

Fifteen communities in Michigan are currently dealing with known PFAS contamination sites, according to the state. Those sites include military bases and Wolverine World Wide tannery waste dumps near Grand Rapids.

Ingestion of PFAS has been linked in human studies to some cancers, thyroid disorders, elevated cholesterol and other diseases.

Anthony Spaniola, a Troy attorney who owns a cottage on Van Etten Lake, which is polluted with PFAS from the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, said the reticence of legislators to consider Brinks' amendments reveals a "troubling mindset" in which people impacted and exposed to pollution are cut from decision making.

Spaniola sees a process controlled by "a group of bureaucrats and apparently some powerful industry types who seem to be lurking in the background but aren't totally identified -- the 'stakeholders,'" he said. "It appears like a continuation of what's been going on, which, in Oscoda, has left us with a situation where contamination is bleeding from all directions on the Air Force base and there's no action plan."

Spaniola criticized state officials for their reluctance to consider a PFAS drinking water standard lower than the Environmental Protection Agency health advisory level of 70-parts-per-trillion (ppt) for PFOS and PFOA -- a benchmark which some academic researchers who have studied humans exposed to the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS or PFCs consider inadequate.

Also included in Brinks' resolution amendments was language to use "a much more precautionary drinking water limit for PFOS and PFOA than 70-ppt," like those in Vermont, Minnesota and New Jersey" for interim cleanup or response actions.

States like New Jersey which have considered human studies as part of their development of PFAS drinking water standards have adopted stricter limits, Spaniola said.

New Jersey's limit on PFOA in drinking water is 14-ppt.

Richard Clapp at University of Massachusetts Lowell and Philippe Grandjean at Harvard estimated 1 ppt as the safe PFAS level in drinking water based on research in the Faroe Islands, where exposure through whale meat consumption by indigenous mothers was linked to a 50 percent decline in the effectiveness of vaccinations among breastfed 1-year-olds.

Grandjean was tapped as an expert by the Minnesota attorney general's office for a lawsuit brought against 3M alleging Scotchgard waste disposal was harmful to human health and the environment. The case was settled in February for $850 million.

"The lab animal studies have been called into question," Spaniola said. "Animals get rid of PFAS much faster than humans do. The human studies all point to lower limits."

"New Jersey has been studying this for years and we're just ignoring all that," he said. "Grandjean has been studying this for years and we're just ignoring all that."

Savitz, who will lead the PFAS Scientific Advisory Committee, said that human data will be part of the panel's review, which aims to "distill" dozens of studies and examine the medical and environmental health literature before making recommendations on what types of standards, if any, the state should set for PFAS contamination.

"We're not going to pick out individual studies," he said.

"Each of these lines of evidence has distinctive strengths and limitations," he said. "In lab studies, you can have very tight control. Exposure is known and measured precisely. Epidemiological studies are forced to rely on what we can observe in the real world."

"A comprehensive assessment needs to take into account all of these threads," Savitz said.

Savitz said the EPA advisory level, which public health watchdog organizations like the Environmental Working Group call inadequate, is "intended to be conservative."

"Our group will look at the evidence and see if (EPA) erred on side of caution or of they haven't been cautious enough," he said. "Maybe they're right. Maybe they are wrong. We will do the best we can with the information that's available right now."

It's unclear when or if the Senate appropriations committee may consider the House PFAS resolution after it returns from recess. Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell, who chairs the committee, did not respond to calls for comment.

Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Allegan, said she didn't include Brinks amendments because she didn't receive them with enough time before a vote. She declined to comment on whether she supports the amendments now that's had more time to read them or whether she might have included the language had she gotten it earlier.

"I felt like my resolution covered the intent of what we wanted," Whiteford said.

Although initially skeptical, Sen. Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford, said "I don't see anything in here that's a problem" after being shown a copy of the resolution by MLive. MacGregor is vice chair of the appropriations committee and said he'd talk with Whiteford and Hildenbrand about reinserting Brinks' amendments into the resolution.

"Not being a scientist, I have to put my trust behind 70-ppt until a group of scientists say it's not the right number," MacGregor said. "But, it's the number we're using right now and I've got to go with what the science says."
UPDATE: Chinese space station will fall to Earth on Easter, space agency predicts

Gov. Rick Snyder has activated the state's Emergency Operations Center to monitor the reentry of China's Tiangong-1 space station, which is expected to reenter the Earth's atmosphere between today and Monday, April 2.

The southern part of Michigan is in the path where debris could fall, experts say.

"While most of the space station is expected to burn up during reentry, there is concern that debris could make landfall," a press release from Snyder's office said.

The 8.5-ton space station could land along a strip of the United States from northern California to Pennsylvania, which includes the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, according to the Aerospace Corp.

"While the chances are slim that any of the debris will land in Michigan, we are monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond quickly if it does," said Capt. Chris A. Kelenske, deputy state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. "The state will rely on its existing satellite reentry response and recovery plan for any necessary response protocols."

Debris could contain hydrazine, which is highly toxic and corrosive.

Anyone who suspects they have encountered space station debris should stay at least 150 away and call 911, the press release said.

Both the ESA and U.S.-funded Aerospace Corporation identify northern China, central Italy, northern Spain, the Middle East, New Zealand, Tasmania, South America, southern Africa and northern states in the U.S. as regions with higher chances of seeing debris.

Even with a higher chance than other regions, the likelihood of a piece of debris hitting someone or something is very unlikely. The interest surrounding the free-falling doomed space station is the fact that scientists and researchers truly can't nail down when and where it will enter.
Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that two businesses, Roots Dispensaries and 3389 S. Huron LLC, were inadvertently included on the list of affected businesses provided by the state. Those businesses do not belong on the list or map and have not been issued cease and desist letters.

LANSING, MI -- The state Bureau of Medical Marihuana Regulation has delivered more than 200 letters demanding existing marijuana businesses cease operations, it announced Thursday.

Michigan legalized medical marijuana in a 2008 ballot measure. That law was silent on dispensaries, which often operate as storefronts where patients can purchase medical marijuana. But some sprang up, operating in a legal gray area until the legislature decided to officially allow and regulate medical marijuana businesses.

The BMMR and Medical Marihuana Licensing Board created in the 2016 law are in the process of licensing the state's first medical marijuana dispensaries under the new regulatory system.

At the same time, the bureau is seeking to address existing medical marijuana facilities. It sent more than 200 facilities that hadn't complied with its rules letters demanding they cease and desist operations.

Under an emergency rule, the bureau allowed some existing medical marijuana businesses to continue as they pursued a license, provided they submit an application by Feb. 15.

More than 200 businesses did not meet that Feb. 15 deadline, according to the BMMR, and thus were asked to cease operations.

Here's where they're located:

Failure to comply with the notice may result in the denial of a license or referral to law enforcement, BMMR warned the businesses it sent cease and desist letters to.

"In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed legislation that moved the medical marihuana industry into a regulated market in order to provide safe access to medicine for Michigan's 277,000 medical marihuana cardholders," said BMMR spokesman David Harns.

"This is a regulatory action intended to help make sure that businesses who are providing medical marihuana to Michigan's citizens are doing so safely and within the law."

More coverage of the implementation of the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act:

MLive Data Reporter Scott Levin contributed to this report.
LANSING, MI -- Michigan has named five university scientists and one federal government toxicologist to a science review panel that will recommend possible regulatory measures for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS or PFCs.

Two members of the PFAS Scientific Advisory Committee are researchers at Michigan State University and another is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientist whose work was heavily cited in development of federal PFAS health guidelines.

Another worked on the C8 Study in West Virginia.

The state announced the names on Thursday, March 18.

Jennifer Field of Oregon State University

Scott Bartell of the University of California, Irvine

Christopher Lau of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Susan Masten of Michigan State University

Dan Jones of Michigan State University

David Savitz of Brown University will chair the panel.

The panelists were selected based on their expertise in the areas of epidemiology, toxicology, water quality, biochemistry and molecular biology, the state said.

"The science surrounding potential health effects from these contaminants is evolving rapidly, and we need to ensure we're taking action based on the latest possible discoveries and scientific reviews," said Carol Isaacs, director of the Michigan PFAS team (MPART).

All panelist are volunteers, according to the state news release. They will "focus on all chemicals in the PFAS family."

"They have agreed to objectively assess the scientific information surrounding the issue of health advisory levels, health outcomes, remediation and mitigation, and environmental pathways."

Tom Bruton of the Green Science Policy Institute, praised the panel membership as a "solid team of advisors."

"Several of them have been leaders in various areas of PFAS research for years," said Bruton, a chemist at the Berkley-based think tank.

Isaacs said Michigan aims to be a leader in addressing PFAS contamination, which is being found in ever more areas around the state and country.

Fifteen Michigan communities currently have known PFAS contamination sites, according to the state. Those sites include military bases, wastewater treatment plants, crash sites, landfills and Wolverine World Wide tannery waste dumps.

Ingestion of PFAS has been linked in human studies to some cancers, thyroid disorders, elevated cholesterol and other diseases.

According to MPART-issued bios:

Savitz, who is already the state's chief consultant on PFAS, is an epidemiology professor at the Brown University School of Public Health who has studied environmental hazards in the workplace and community, reproductive health outcomes, environmental influences on cancer and the health effects of nonionizing radiation, pesticides, drinking water treatment by-products, and perfluorinated compounds.

Bartell is a public health, statistics and epidemiology professor at the University of California, Irvine. His research emphasis is environmental epidemiology, exposure science, and risk assessment. Bartell's work was used by the C8 Science Panel in West Virginia and he has served on scientific advisory committees for the EPA, National Research Council, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Energy, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Lau is chief of the developmental toxicology branch in the EPA Office of Research and Development. He is also a professor at Duke University and North Carolina State University and serves as associate editor the PPAR Research journal. His research focuses on characterizing the chemically induced developmental toxicity during embryonic and perinatal life stages, understanding their modes of action, and applying such information to human health risk assessment. He has led a team of investigators on PFAS toxicological research for over a decade, and published extensively on this topic. He is presently engaged in developing a federal science policy on these chemicals.

Field is an environmental and molecular ecology professor at Oregon State University. She is a pioneer in research on fluorochemical occurrence and behavior with a focus on groundwater contaminated by fire-fighting foams, municipal wastewater treatment systems, and in municipal landfill leachates. She currently studies the use of large-volume injections with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to analyze liquid environmental samples of, among other things, fluorochemicals in groundwater and landfill leachate. She is an associate editor for Environmental Science and Technology journal.

Masten, a water quality treatment engineer at Michigan State University, studies chemical oxidants for cleaning up soils, water, and leachates contaminated with hazardous organic chemicals. She is currently researching underground use of gaseous ozone to oxidize residual contaminants in saturated soils using ozone sparging and in unsaturated soils using soil venting. The focus of her work is to identify byproducts formed by ozonation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and to assess their toxicity.

Jones, a biochemistry and molecular biology, professor at Michigan State University, studies the influence of genetics and environment on rates of biosynthesis and degradation of metabolites by using mass spectrometry. The information can be used to assess stress, toxicity, and disease. His areas of expertise include mass spectrometry, separations, and analytical chemistry.
MARSHALL, MI - Up until Tuesday evening, Chris Walden has organized an annual class on how to assemble an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with no problems.

That ended when about 30 protesters gathered outside the Marshall Veterans of Foreign Wars post, 800 E. Michigan Ave., on March 27, vilifying the creation and sale of the rifle after the February 14 mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla. high school, he said.

Walden is owner of Walden Arms in Battle Creek, a licensed firearm retailer. He has been offering the class every spring for three years at the VFW post for those who sign up months in advance and are eligible to own a rifle, he said.

"This is the first time I've gotten protesters at the event," Walden said. "The AR-15 gets a lot of negative attention because it looks scary, but a lot of people are unfamiliar with firearms and they don't understand the process of buying one."

Walden, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, invited the protesters inside the event in an attempt to educate them on what was going on, he said. Two took him up on the offer, he said.

"I believe a lot of them thought we were just cranking out AR-15s from scratch inside and that's not accurate," he said.

Attendees paid $75 in advance for the four-week class, which Walden said will continue at the post, and about $800 for the weapon parts. Like an already assembled rifle, the weapon has a registered serial number and the person buying it goes though all the standard background checks, Walden said.

Aside from assembling the weapon in the class, Walden teaches attendees about the history of the AR-15, how the weapon works, basic firearm safety and how to properly care and maintain the weapon, he said.

Walden reiterated that every person attending the class meets the legal requirements to own and possess a firearm in Michigan.

"About 90 percent of the people attending the class were concealed pistol license holders, which means they've had background checks well beyond what is required to purchase a rifle," Walden said.

An assembled AR-15 costs about $2,000 whereas assembling the rifle from about 200 parts costs $800, enticing those with patience to take the class and save money, Walden said.

One of the protesters, W. Jeffrey Wilson, is an Albion College professor of psychological science who learned of the class three years ago when it was first offered.

Wilson was compelled to show his dislike for the rifle this year in light of the shooting in Florida last month, where Nikolas Cruz used an AR-15 to kill 17 students and school staff members, he said.

"I'm not opposed to the Second Amendment, I just wish we could follow the 'well regulated militia' part a little better," Wilson said. "I know what they are doing is legal and I'm not attempting to stop them, I just don't think we need any more AR-15s."

Wilson said he didn't organize the protest, but he went there in silent protest and others chose to join him.

Both Wilson and Walden said they share an interest in protecting against another mass shooting, though their views on how to accomplish that differ.

"I find it ironic the people who say guns are bad are the same people who are protected by those with guns," Walden said. "We all want the same thing and telling someone they can't protect themselves with their own firearm doesn't make sense."

Walden intends to continue offering classes on assembling the weapon and safely using it in the future.
MUSKEGON, MI - A plan to improve use of the Muskegon Lake shoreline and better connect it to downtown and city neighborhoods is poised to move from the imagination stage to action.

Muskegon city leaders will be asked to incorporate the citizen-driven Imagine Muskegon Lake plan into the city's overall master plan.

The final draft of the plan includes new public priorities, new maps with suggested amenities and recommendations for how the city might achieve greater access to the Muskegon lakeshore.

"We're excited to start working," Muskegon City Planner Mike Franzak told city commissioners Tuesday. "We will take this plan to the planning commission to put it in the master plan and later bring it to the city commission. There will be about a two month review period before putting the plan into motion."

A first draft of the plan was created using public input collected in October 2017. Consultants continued to collect public input until late February of this year.

Among the top priorities were improved crosswalks, land-based waterfront activity, a new paddle boat launch, stronger development opportunities, connected bike paths and maintaining a deep-water port near the northeast shoreline.

Some of those plans have been expanded on in the final draft. Those include a new emphasis on using Veterans Memorial Park as a Lakeshore trailhead, more recreation at Heritage Landing and creating bike facilities that connect back to each neighborhood, said Lynee Wells of Williams & Works, one of two consultants hired to develop the plan.

The plan also includes a mention of connecting Muskegon State Park to Pere Marquette Park, creating a water taxi spot at the southwest shoreline, bike connections to PJ Hoffmaster State Park in Norton Shores and more music and art venues at one of three new waterfront districts.

Wells added that there could be opportunities to play off a proposed convention center, which could be located between the LC Walker Arena and the downtown Holiday Inn, knitting the new facility into the plan.

Here's a snapshot of suggestions and what residents said they wanted to see in the plan:

"Build transient boat docks and fuel tanks downtown and at Hartshorn (marina)."

"We need a downtown waterfront to facilitate boats visiting the downtown area."

"Several other lakeshore communities have multiple fish cleaning spots. Why only one here?"

"We've put so much time into cleaning up Muskegon Lake; let's use it!"

"More kayak launches need to be more

"We can't have more of the same development in Muskegon. Time for something new and innovative."

Franzak and representatives from two consulting firms presented the plan to commissioners on Tuesday during their regular meeting. At the end of the presentation, Franzak recommended that the commission adopt Imagine Muskegon Lake into the city's overall master plan.

Mayor Stephen Gawron said the final plan shows the true potential of Muskegon Lake eventually connecting to each of Muskegon's downtown neighborhoods.

"I see the same focus of natural and designed connections for each of the neighborhoods to the harborfront and the channel," Gawron said. "I'm very excited with what I see and the potential of tying all of our citizens to our water."

Commissioner Willie German said he was encouraged to see an emphasis put on the Jackson Hill neighborhood on the northeast side of the shoreline.

"That's something I've advocated for, and putting something like this in would be a gateway for getting something started (in that neighbhorhood)," German said.

Finally, Commissioner Ken Johnson shared some concerns he heard about overcoming crosswalk barriers and calming motorized traffic to make it safer to cross Shoreline Drive and the Moses J. Jones Parkway.

The plan aims to improve crosswalks throughout the corridor without a pedestrian bridge or overpass to avoid funneling walking to a specific junction, Wells said. She also said crosswalks would help train motorists to understand that area is now a "people space," which could help calm traffic.

Adding trees or other natural barriers along both highways as incremental and cost effective ways to help calm traffic, said Mark Miller, from the Nederveld consulting firm.

"It's a physical barrier, but a perceptual barrier as well," Miller said. "When you're standing one side of the road, you can see the city from the other side of the street, but it seems like you're 100 miles away. We've heard the bridge idea ... but the reality of the situation is that it's a costly (option), and one that may or may not have a good impact on the city."

In the plan, the shoreline is split into six sections: the channel district; the Bluffton district; the Lakeside district; Western waterfront district; central waterfront district; and port innovation district. Priorities are organized into "convene" (activity centers), "sustain" (green space), "connect" (linking areas together) and "advance" (development).

Each section includes 3-year implementation strategies, such as adopting ordinances, forming committees, amending master plans and timelines for completion of certain projects.

The entire plan will remain on the city's website throughout the duration of the review period, Wells said.

If adopted, Wells said the city will receive a $20,000 Michigan Economic Development Corporation grant to help achieve some of the goals outlined in the plan. The city has also received a $10,000 Community Foundation for Muskegon County grant and a $10,000 donation from Mart Dock owner Max McKee to further the Imagine Muskegon Lake plan.
MONTAGUE, MI - La Fiesta Chip Co., which has exploded onto the market in the past three years, is moving its manufacturing and headquarters from Ludington to Montague.

La Fiesta chips are sold at hundreds of retailers across Michigan, including Montague Foods, Meijer, Oleson's Food Stores, McCormick's gas stations, Busch's Fresh Food Market and D&W Fresh Market.

(Courtesy of La Fiesta Chip Co.)

"Last summer was a huge push for us," said AJ VanBoxel, general manager. "We saw sales like we had never seen before. We got to the end of August and were like, 'Woah, we need a bigger boat.' Demand for the product was through the roof."

Since moving into the retail industry about three years ago, La Fiesta has manufactured out of a 4,000-square-foot facility in Ludington, he said. About 2,000 square feet of that was dedicated to offices.

The new building, 8155 Cook St. in Montague, has 11,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 4,000 square feet for offices, giving the company room to grow, VanBoxel said. In addition, the facility is on a 4-acre parcel, which leaves room for building expansion.

"We hope to be there for a long time," he said.

The long-vacant building is being renovated, and equipment will arrive soon, VanBoxel said. The hope is to be operational by mid-June.

La Fiesta started as a restaurant in Hart in 1987. The restaurant still operates, and makes the exact same chips found in the La Fiesta bags at the grocery store.
SAGINAW, MI -- Federal agents intercepted a duffle bag full of cocaine in Illinois that was headed from California to Saginaw earlier this week.

On March 25 about 11:40 p.m. the Will County Sheriff's Department of Will County, Ill., conducted a traffic stop on a 2014 Nissan Versa with an Arizona license plate, according to a federal complaint.

Police searched the vehicle and found 10 kilograms of suspected cocaine inside of a duffle bag in the trunk.

Field tests confirmed the substance was cocaine, according to the complaint.

The driver cooperated with police, informing them that the drugs were picked up in Ontario, Calif., on March 22 and it was to be delivered to Saginaw. Police were given consent to search the driver's cell phone, where they found the telephone number of the person who the drugs were to be delivered.

On March 26, the driver, while in the presence of police, called the male who the drugs were to be delivered to confirm the delivery.

While on the way to Saginaw, the driver received a text with instructions to deliver the duffle bag of drugs to 714 S. 12th, the complaint said.

The driver, in connection with the DEA, drove to the address with packages of imitation cocaine and was instructed by cellphone to place the duffle bag of cocaine into a gray vehicle parked in the driveway.

The driver was also instructed by cellphone to return the next day to pick up the money, according to the complaint.

After the driver left, DEA surveillance observed two males approach the residence. One man walked to the passenger side of the gray Ford vehicle that was parked in the driveway with the fake drugs and opened the passenger-side door.

The same man, along with the other, walked to the side door of the residence and entered, according to the complaint.

Both males exited the residence, according to the complaint.

The same male repositioned the gray Ford and walked across the street and got into the passenger seat of a red SUV that was parked in a vacant lot.

Agents from the DEA executed a search warrant at the residence and detained the SUV. Inside the residence, federal agents found the duffle bag with the imitation cocaine.

Inside the SUV agents found three adult males and one juvenile male. The back-seat passenger, identified as Martin Ruiz-Espitias, claimed the residence as his address, according to the complaint.

The driver was identified as Jesus Manuel Valles and the passenger was identified as Jesus Ernesto Lugo.

Police seized a set of keys that fit the gray Ford inside of Lugo's pocket. They found the target cell phone on the dashboard inside the SUV.

In lieu of a court hearing, each of the three men signed written acknowledgments of the charges against them in U.S. District Court in Bay City. They are being charged as part of a conspiracy to distribute 10 kilograms of cocaine, according to court records.
SAGINAW, MI -- The Real Talk 2018 event will take place from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 29 at Saginaw High School, 3100 Webber.

Great Lakes Bay Health Centers along with Saginaw Public School District's Safe School Healthy Students Initiative will host the annual youth event that features workshops for students about sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, bullying, interacting with law enforcement, human trafficking and sexting.

The Real Families of Saginaw event will provide parents with information and skills to help students make healthy life choices. Featured in the workshop will be the Talk Early, Talk Often parent training.

The event is open to those 13-18 years old.

For information, contact Amanda Forsmark at 989-399-6125 or aforsmark@glbhealth.org by March 29. Registration is limited to the first 200 youths and is available at the door.

Youths must have parental consent.
SAGINAW, MI -- Saginaw City Council member Annie Boensch has filed a lawsuit against her former boss and employer claiming she was wrongfully terminated after she reported an incident of alleged eavesdropping to law enforcement.

Boensch, who has served on the city council since 2011, was employed as the marketing director and director of Christian education at First Congregational Church in Saginaw. She was fired on Feb. 1, 2018. According to the lawsuit she filed on March 12 with Manda Danielski Law Offices, Boensch claims she was "terminated in retaliation for reporting a violation or suspected violation of Michigan law."

She claims that Pastor Janice Thomas eavesdropped on and recorded a conversation between herself, a church employee and church member.

In a statement contained in the lawsuit, Thomas said she happened upon the conversation in the "legally defined public." Thomas said the conversation was negative toward her and another church employee.

"I reacted by recording an audio file on my phone of the conversation," Thomas said.

Thomas allegedly brought up the conversation during a meeting with the church employee and church member. In a statement contained in the suit, Thomas said she shared the recording of the conversation with two church employees.

Boensch caught wind of that meeting and in October 2017, sent an email to the church board saying she intended to file a police report about the eavesdropping incident. Days later, she made a police report to the Saginaw Police Department.

The Saginaw County Prosecuting Attorney's office, however, suggested the matter would be best handled within the church rather than criminally, according to the suit.

In February, Boensch was terminated from her position by Thomas.

She is seeking at least $25,000 in damages.

Boensch declined to provide comment on the matter because the case is ongoing.

Thomas, with First Congregational Church, was unable to be reached for comment.
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It's a good time to be an investor. There is an ever-increasing array of low-cost investing options, high-quality data, and a range of vehicles investors can use to pursue their strategies: from plain-vanilla indexes, to targeted sustainable funds, to strategic beta investments. The result is a proliferation of choice accompanied by a steady decrease in costs. And in the U.S., investors are also experiencing the second-longest bull market in history.

However, there is still significant work to be done: both in terms of participation among non-investors, and in terms of challenges current investors can face in reaching their goals. Morningstar is bringing together its existing work on investor success and adding a series of new research papers to ask a straightforward, but important question: What can we do to help investors succeed, beyond the markets?
Soldiers carry coffins containing remains of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) killed in the Korean War, at the Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 28, 2018. The remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) Wednesday. A ceremony was held at the airport to welcome back the remains. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

SHENYANG, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) Wednesday.

Two Chinese fighter jets escorted a plane carrying the remains and the belongings of the fallen soldiers. They landed at an airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, at around 11:20 a.m.

A ceremony was held at the airport to welcome back the remains.

More than 200 representatives from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Liaoning provincial government and the military attended the ceremony.

The remains will be buried in a "martyrs' park" in Shenyang, where the remains of 569 soldiers were sent back from the ROK between 2014 and 2017.

The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought side by side with the army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the Korean War against the South Korean army and U.S.-led UN forces.

Tens of thousands of CPV soldiers died on the Korean Peninsula during the war, which ended in 1953.

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Performers stage a folk dance during a performance to mark Tibet's Serfs' Emancipation Day in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2018. Wednesday marks the 59th anniversary of the emancipation of Tibetan serfs. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorgi)

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CHICAGO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Gender differences in vocational interests increase drastically during puberty but tend to decrease across the lifespan, a study posted Tuesday on the website of the University of Illinois (UI) shows.

Involving more than 20,000 people ranging in age from 11 to 42, UI researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 49 longitudinal studies on vocational interests to explore when gender disparities emerge and how they change across different developmental periods from early adolescence to middle adulthood.

The researchers found that gender differences in these vocational interests widened significantly during early adolescence.

During middle school, both boys' and girls' interest in realistic vocations declined, but girls' interest declined much more steeply than boys' during that time.

Conversely, girls' interest in social-oriented vocations increased slightly during middle school while boys' interest dropped off sharply.

Then, the researchers found that these patterns began to reverse as youths entered late adolescence. Girls' interest in such realistic vocational activities as those that involved using tools or manipulating objects began to increase around age 14 and continued to rise throughout their young and middle adult years.

By contrast, men's interest in realistic work activities remained constant from late adolescence through their early 40s.

Similar trends were found with social interests. Women's interest in people-oriented occupations remained relatively constant from early adolescence onward, while males' interest in working with people increased significantly.

"Vocational interests associated with the opposite gender increased during young adulthood, while interests stereotypically associated with their same gender remained constant," said Kevin A. Hoff, a doctoral student in industrial-organizational psychology at UI.

"Men's interest in people-oriented activities may be influenced by the roles they take on during adulthood, as marital partners, parents and professionals," said co-author James Rounds, a professor of psychology and of educational psychology at UI.

Schools often begin assessing children's interests and aptitudes during middle school. But the study found that might not be the optimal time.

"Children's interests in basically everything plummets during early adolescence," Hoff said. "If we want to spark kids' interest in careers, it may be best to wait until late adolescence when they're in high school, and their interest levels increase again."

The same might be true for gender-diversity programs seeking to attract females to male-dominated fields, Hoff said. These programs might have greater success if their outreach and recruitment efforts targeted females in late adolescence, when girls' interest in realistic activities begins to rise.

The study has been published in the American Psychological Association's journal Psychological Bulletin.

[ Editor: WPY ]
In Focus with Allison Walker is a 30-minute public affairs program, featuring a roundtable of newsmakers representing a range of perspectives, including local officials and expert analysts as they tackle topical issues of importance to Floridians.

In Focus airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., right after Political Connections.
LOS ANGELES, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has delayed the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope until no earlier than May 2020 due to the need for more time to "ensure a successful mission," the space agency announced on Wednesday.

After an independent assessment of remaining tasks for the NASA's next highly complex space observatory, Webb's previously revised 2019 launch window is now targeted for approximately May 2020, nearly a year later than planned.

"Webb is the highest priority project for the agency's Science Mission Directorate, and the largest international space science project in U.S. history," NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot said in a statement.

"All the observatory's flight hardware is now complete, however, the issues brought to light with the spacecraft element are prompting us to take the necessary steps to refocus our efforts on the completion of this ambitious and complex observatory."

NASA said it will work with its partner the European Space Agency (ESA) on a new launch readiness date for the Ariane 5 rocket that will launch Webb into space.

Because of the launch delay, the telescope's 8.7 billion U.S. dollars price tag could rise. Once a new launch readiness date is determined, NASA said it will provide a cost estimate that may exceed the projected development cost to complete the final phase of testing and prepare for launch.

Additional steps to address project challenges include increasing NASA engineering oversight, personnel changes, and new management reporting structures.

Webb was considered the successor to NASA's 26-year-old Hubble Space Telescope. According to NASA, the space telescope will be the world's premier infrared space observatory and the biggest astronomical space science telescope ever built.

Once launched, it will complement the scientific discoveries of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and other science missions. It may solve mysteries of our solar system, look beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probe the mysterious structures and origins of the universe and the Earth's place in it, said NASA.

[ Editor: WPY ]
Originally posted at: 10:35 p.m., Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Orange County deputies are searching for a man accused of trying to kidnap a female student at her bus stop Wednesday.

Deputies search for man accused of attempted kidnapping

14-year-old reported the suspect tried to grab her at her bus stop

The incident happened around Corena Drive and Satel Drive. According the deputies, a 14-year-old Lockhart Middle School student was walking to her bus stop around 8:20 a.m. and was approached by a man who grabbed her.

The teen broke free and reported the incident to her school resource officer at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Deputies say the student was shaken but is in good condition.

Detectives released a composite sketch of the suspect, who is described as a slender, white male, between 30 to 40 years old, about 5-foot-10 inches to 6 feet tall. He also reportedly has a gray, stubbly beard.

Deputies will also have extra patrols in the area Thursday.

The investigation is active and ongoing.
Florida's attorney general is joining the call of other states in demanding answers on user privacy from Facebook.

Florida attorney general's office sends letter to Facebook

Letter demands answers to questions on user privacy

Meeting requested with Facebook representatives for answers

AG Pam Bondi's office sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg this week. Recent news reports show some software developers were able to gain access to Facebook users' personal information without informed consent.

Patrice Malloy, the head of the Multi-State and Privacy Bureau, demanded answers to several questions, and requested an in-person meeting with Facebook representatives.

Among the questions:

Was Facebook paid for access to user data?

What data was collected and disseminated by any and all third-party applications?

What type of data is collected and logged by Facebook applications?

Did Facebook notify users when it learned that third party groups accessed data in violation of privacy policies?

You can read the full letter here. It's a PDF file.

Malloy is urging a response from Facebook regarding a meeting by Friday.

Attorneys general in 37 other states and territories sent a similar letter earlier this week, demanding answers on what developers did witht he data and how Facebook was updating its privacy system for users.

Cambridge Analytica, a political data-mining firm, is accused of taking data from up to 50 million Facebook users as part of its campaign work in the 2016 election.

Facebook announced Wednesday that it was issuing new privacy changes to make it easier for users to see and access data.

In a blog post by the social media network's chief privacy officer, Facebook announced it was redesigning the settings menu on mobile devices to make it esasier to find and change the information. It includes a new privacy shortcuts menu and new tools to find and delete Facebook data. These tools will be rolled out over the next few weeks.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. multinational tech leader Microsoft said Tuesday that it has agreed to extend its partnership with a Chinese Internet data center service provider to offer world-class public cloud services to Chinese customers.

Microsoft's global technological leadership combined with the local operations expertise of 21Vianet, the Chinese leading carrier-neutral Internet data center services provider in China, as well as Microsoft Azure and Office 365 operated by 21Vianet, have achieved unprecedented, robust three-digit growth for nearly four consecutive years in the world's second largest economy, Microsoft wrote in its official blog post Wednesday.

The cooperation model pioneered by Microsoft and 21Vianet has been recognized as an effective and successful method for a legal and compliant operation of international cloud services in China, it said.

Microsoft was the first international public cloud provider to bring its cloud technology to China in partnership with 21Vianet after it officially launched the Azure service, a cloud computing platform in March 2014.

Azure public cloud services have served more than 100,000 Chinese enterprise customers, attracting over 1,300 cloud partners and over 100,000 active Azure DevOps developers, 21Vianet said in a statement Wednesday.

The customers of Microsoft Azure include almost all of China's big names, ranging from established Chinese brands such as China's top home appliances manufacturer Haier, the primary Chinese computer leader Lenovo, and China's telecom giant Huawei, to emerging powerhouses such as smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi, bike-share company Mobike, and automobile manufacturer BYD.

About 1.2 million Chinese enterprise users and 20 million educational users are currently conducting their daily work using Office 365, the brand name that Microsoft uses for a group of subscriptions that provide productivity software and related services.

Office 365 operated by 21Vianet was launched in China in April 2014 and now ranks top place in China's SaaS market.

Huawei, Tencent, and Pactera currently use Office 365 operated by 21Vianet to empower their employees and optimize their daily business operations.

Since its establishment in 2013, 21Vianet's cloud operation and maintenance group for Azure and Office 365 in China has grown from dozens of people to one of the largest professional cloud operation and maintenance teams in China, 21Vianet said.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced in November 2017 that Microsoft Azure operated by 21Vianet will triple its capacity in China in the beginning of 2018.

Azure's enlarged capacity will make it easier for multinational companies to meet the needs of Chinese customers through the scale, power, and secure infrastructure of the Azure cloud, Microsoft said.

21Vianet operates in more than 30 cities throughout China, serving more than 4,000 hosting enterprise customers that range from Internet companies to government entities, and from blue-chip enterprises to small- to medium-sized enterprises.

[ Editor: WPY ]
By Peter Mertz

DENVER, the United States, March 28 (Xinhua) -- From America's heartland to Coastal California and even the deep, steamy south, American conservatives and liberals alike voiced alarm at President Donald Trump's recent hardline trade tactics.

"Almost unanimous concern," said Andrew Jerome from the National Farmers Union (NFU) that represents more than 200,000 family farms and ranches across the country and has chapters in 33 states.

NFU members supported Trump's "America First" trade stance in the 2016 presidential elections and were hoping the new president would offer relief to an industry reeling from a quarter-century of declining profits.

They were wrong.

VOICES OF OPPOSITION

"(Trump) doesn't have a well-disciplined, thoughtful, or remotely consistent trade policy," said John K. Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, which represents over 4,000 family farm and ranch families in the vast Midwestern.

Hansen, who worked for the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations as a trade adviser, told Xinhua that "the way (Trump) is going about correcting the trade imbalance with China is unfortunate."

Despite strong warnings from business groups and trade experts, Trump signed a memorandum last week that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and place restrictions on Chinese investments in the United States.

Calling these measures "a very bad precedent," China's Ministry of Commerce issued a warning the following day, saying that such a move would be against "the interests of China, the United States and the world at large."

It also announced a plan for reciprocal tariffs on imported U.S. products worth about 3 billion dollars to balance losses caused by U.S. metal restrictions on China signed by Trump early this month.

The measures, or the suspension of tariff concessions, will target 128 U.S. products, including pork, wine and seamless steel tubes.

Trump's proposed 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum caused stocks to tumble, American economic allies to object, and U.S. farmers to look toward the heavens for relief.

"At least Clinton, Obama and Bush were pretty consistent and worked with a unified voice," Hansen said. "That's the opposite of this administration."

Bucking the president's plan, Republican U.S. Senator Ben Sasse told the conservative World-Herald newspaper last week that "My message on trade wars is simple. This is going to hurt Nebraskans, it's going to hurt farmers and ranchers, and it's going to kill jobs," Sasse said.

Nebraska, nicknamed the "Cornhusker State," is one of America's top four states in agricultural production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Family farmers and ranchers are always the first to be hit by retaliatory tariffs, and in the case of China, significant export markets are likely to be the first casualty," said Jerome, who called Trump's pending trade moves "dangerous."

Despite both political parities shouting "no," White House officials staunchly defend the brash plan, saying it will be enacted this week,

"The president must have a plan in place to protect family farmers before seeking to remedy unfair trade practices," Hansen said.

More than 90 percent of America's 2.1 million farms are small, family operations that produce nearly half of the industry's 140 billion dollars export trade to the U.S. economy, according to the USDA.

BEARING THE BRUNT

Jerome likened America's 45th president's trade policy to a "bull in a china shop," saying that "I don't think Trump would have proposed these tariffs if he had known what the Chinese might do in retaliation."

Jerome told Xinhua that his industry is on the front line of a retaliatory strike and the hardest hit will be grain, wine, fruit and pork sectors.

With East coast state North Carolina being America's No. 2 pork producer, and California harvesting more grapes for wine than the rest of the country combined, China's proposed retaliatory tariff has shocked farmers from coast to coast.

"Farming is historically the backbone of America, and in colonial times 90 percent of all Americans were farmers," said California businessman Glenn Nemhauser.

But the income of farms has not kept pace with the cost of living and is comparable to 1973 income levels, since the controversial 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), according to Hansen.

"The average farm family doesn't make enough money to feed their own family," Hansen said.

Following guidelines imposed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), NAFTA, which sought to create an even playing field for farmers in America, Canada and Mexico, has caused "economic suicide" in America, said Hansen, a sixth generation Nebraska farmer and Washington trade insider.

"We are an economic driver," said Hansen, whose Norwegian ancestors moved to Nebraska in 1905 and started a family farm that has endured for 113 years.

"We are the producers on the ground. We create jobs, and we create new wealth," he said, adding that "We are not happy now."

California's 45-billion-dollar agricultural industry, which includes nuts, dairy products, fruits, produce, livestock feed and wine, may be hardest hit overall by the possible retaliatory tariffs.

"California has become a major rice producing state, which we export to China and other Asian countries. That may stop as well," said San Francisco businessman Glenn Nemhauser.

[ Editor: Xueying ]
KATHMANDU, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Nepal aims to welcome 1.5 million tourists in 2020 with one third of them coming from China and India, Nepal's Tourism Ministry has said.

The Himalayan country is set to organize the year 2020 as Visit Nepal Year. It will be the third national level initiative to promote Nepal's tourism sector since the country first celebrated Visit Nepal Year in 1998 followed by the Nepal Tourism Year in 2011.

In 2017, Nepal welcomed 940,218 foreign tourists. It expects a growth of foreign tourists by 30 percent every year since 2018 to meet the target of 1.5 million tourists by 2020.

"China and India are two largest source markets for Nepal. But, there is still huge scope of more tourist arrivals from these two neighbours. So, our main focus of promotional activities will be China and India for Visit Nepal Year," Krishna Prasad Devkota, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation told Xinhua on Tuesday.

"We have not set any target of tourist arrivals from China and India for the Visit Nepal Year 2020 so far. But, our tentative estimate is that there will be arrivals of 250,000 each from the two neighboring giants. In 2017, Nepal welcomed 104,664 Chinese and 160,832 Indian tourists."

Other traditional source markets of Nepal's tourism are North America and the Europe. However, the country is also planning to explore new source markets including South East Asia and Eastern Europe.

"We see great scope of attracting large number of tourists from these new source markets," said Deepak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of Nepal Tourism Board, the main tourism promotion body.

As the tourism sector is recovering from the twin disasters - deadly earthquake in 2015 and subsequent Indian economic blockade for nearly five months in 2015 and 2016, Nepali government has expected the Visit Nepal Year would be helpful to heavily boost the country's tourism sector.

As a part of preparation for the Visit Nepal Year, the Nepali government has planned to organize road shows, promoting Nepal in three major cities of China and India in collaboration with tour operators of the two countries.

On the other hand, Nepali government has planned to keep Nepal's only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, open for more than 20 hours a day from current 17 hours a day in the next three months.

The target is expected to be aided by the possible completion of another international airport, known as Gautam Buddha International Airport which is expected to be completed by 2019, in Bhairahawa, a southwestern town.

[ Editor: Xueying ]
The opening ceremony of the 12th Inner Mongolia Dairy Expo & Summit is held in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on March 26. [Photo/saibeinews]

The 12th Inner Mongolia Dairy Expo & Summit was held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on March 26, attracting some 257 dairy enterprises to exchange ideas and exhibit their products.

The two-day event was mainly organized by the Dairy Association of Inner Mongolia, Mengniu and the Yili Dairy Group, and the Dairy Times.

Leading dairy experts from home and abroad, representatives of dairy companies, pasture operators and suppliers and leaders of dairy associations were invited to attend the event.

During the expo, experts and scholars will discuss hot topics including the application of big data, ranch management, dairy farming and the development of the dairy industry. And there will be more than 15 lectures on upgrading of China's dairy industry.

The dairy expo is now in its 12th year. It was first held in 2007, and continues to be one of the most influential gatherings of the dairy industry.

An exhibitor (L) introduces the monitoring system during the expo in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on March 26. [Photo/saibeinews]
Nearly four times a day. Thats how frequently underground natural gas pipelines were damaged by digging or excavating in Colorado in 2015, The Denver Post reported last year. That might sound like a lot, but in Pennsylvania the rate is more than twice as high.

Continue >
Fine under Stockholm arbitration tribunal's award soon to be enforced from Gazprom

Justice Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Petrenko predicts that in the near term the fine under an award issued by the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce would be enforced from Russia's Gazprom.

"I am sure that Gazprom has no chances to avoid responsibility. The amount of debt approved by the tribunal award will only increase. It will be fully recovered in the near future," the justice minister told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday.

According to him, the attempts of Russia to ignore the decision of the arbitration tribunal will not succeed.

"Ostriches hide their heads in the sand, but the other part of the body remains on top. This "other part of the body" is assets, property that is owned by Gazprom around the world," Petrenko said.

He also said that the Ministry of Justice is actively working on the arrest and recovery of these assets.

As reported, at the end of February, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce satisfied Naftogaz Ukrainy's lawsuits against Gazprom over the breach of contractual obligations for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. The tribunal ruled to pay compensation for the volumes that were not supplied, but Gazprom does not comply with the tribunal's award.

The Stockholm arbitration tribunal ordered Gazprom to pay $4.63 billion to Naftogaz for the shortage of the agreed volumes of gas for transit.

Thus, following the results of two arbitration litigations between the companies for the supply and transit of gas, Gazprom is obliged to pay $2.56 billion to Naftogaz.
By IANS

VALENCIA: Venezuela's chief prosecutor reported late Wednesday that 68 people died in a fire that swept through the cell area inside a police station, which townspeople said followed a disturbance by detainees being held there.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on his official Twitter account that nearly all the dead were prisoners. He said two women who were staying overnight at the station were also killed, but didn't provide any further details.

Saab said four prosecutors had been named to determine what happened at the state police headquarters in Valencia, a town in Carabobo state about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Caracas.

It was one of the worst jail disasters in a country where human rights groups complain about bad prison conditions. A fire at a prison in the western state of Zulia killed more than 100 inmates in 1994.

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO

Local authorities in Valencia had confirmed earlier only that there were fatalities, and said they were working to determine an exact number. They said they were not providing any estimates "out of respect for the families."

Angry relatives who gathered outside the station said dozens of detainees had been kept in squalid conditions at the station and expressed fear that their loved ones were dead.

Dozens of men and women demanding to know if their loved ones had survived clashed with police officers in riot gear. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

"I don't know if my son is dead or alive!" cried Aida Parra, who said she last saw her son a day before, when she went to deliver him food. "They haven't told me anything."

A Window to Freedom, a nonprofit group that monitors conditions at Venezuela's jails, said preliminary but unconfirmed information indicated the riot began when an armed detainee shot an officer in the leg. Shortly after that a fire broke out, with flames growing quickly as the blaze spread to mattresses in the cells, it said. Rescuers apparently had to break a hole through a wall to free some of the prisoners inside.

Photos shared by the group showed prisoners being taken out on stretchers, their limbs frozen in awkward positions as skin peeled off.

A Window to Freedom's director, Carlos Nieto Palma, said officials should be held accountable for failing to address deteriorating conditions in police station jails. The group said overcrowding has become common throughout the country as detainees are kept long past customary brief holding periods before being sent to other larger jails before trial or freed.

"It's grave and alarming," Nieto Palma said. "What happened today in Carabobo is a sign of that."

Outside the police station, some relatives buried their hands in their faces as tears streamed down their cheeks. Others had to be held up with the support of friends and family as they collapsed in despair. Still others wept quietly and clutched their hands in prayer.

Nearby, National Guard troops wearing bullet-proof vests and carrying rifles across their backs walked in and out of the station. Fire trucks and ambulances stood outside, and unused stretchers leaned against a wall.

Opposition lawmaker Juan Miguel Matheus demanded that the pro-government leader of Carabobo state inform relatives about what had happened.

"The desperation of relatives should not be played with," he said.

Clashes between prisoners and guards are not uncommon in Venezuela. Inmates are frequently able to obtain weapons and drugs with the help of corrupt guards and heavily armed groups control cellblock fiefdoms.
Trade between Ukraine and India in 2017 grew by 18.8%, reaching $2.8 billion, Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Mr. Kumar Bharti Manoj said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

"Here two important moments should be pointed out. India became the fifth country in the volume of the export from Ukraine abroad. In addition, India is the second country with which Ukraine has the surplus in trade. Only Ukraine and Egypt have bigger surplus in trade - $1.75 billion, while between Ukraine and India it is $1.65 billion," he said.

The ambassador said that these indicators fuel confidence that the growth of trade turnover in 2018-2019 could be 20% and 25%, respectively.

Commenting on trade relations between the countries, he said that India was the first country in terms of export of Ukrainian sunflower oil. Last year India exported $2 billion worth of oil. In addition, in 2017, for the first time, a lot of beans were exported from Ukraine to India.

"Another very important factor is that the largest share of the total number of foreign students in Ukraine last year was made up of Indian students, a figure we reached for the first time in 15 years," the Indian diplomat said.

So, according to him, today more than 10,800 Indian students are studying in Ukraine, which is 80% more than in 2015.

"I am pleased to say that in almost two years we have increased the number of Indian students from 6,000 to almost 11,000. Taking into account the fact that each Indian student spends about $5,000 a year for education, living and personal expenses, Ukraine already earns $55 million only through the provision of education to Indian students," he said.

The ambassador said that India plans to increase the number of its citizens studying in Ukrainian universities to 40,000 in the coming years, which in turn will give Ukraine about $200 million a year.

He also said that the inclusion of India in the list of countries, which citizens receive the Ukrainian visa upon their arrival to the airport, had a positive impact on the tourist flow. The number of Indian citizens, who visited Ukraine last year, increased more than 50%, to 29,400 people.

The ambassador said that one of the leading sectors where Ukraine could expect investment from India is pharmaceutical production.

President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association (IPMA) Dr. Ramanan Unni Parambath Menon pointed out the growth of the pharmaceutical market in Ukraine in 2017 and positive changes in the regulatory field in this sphere.

"We see positive steps from regulators, in particular, changes are made to regulations and resolutions, among which there are a lot of democratic norms," he said.

Head of the Representative Office of Dia Pharma Limited Ukraine Mr. Pandian Thamarai said that at the present, preparations made in India occupy in kind 3% of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market, in money terms  4.5%.

"There is a great potential for Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers," he said.

At the same time, representative of EuroLifeCare Sanjeev Bhagat said that for the growth of the volume of Indian medicines on the Ukrainian market, transparent legal regulations, as well as transitional periods in implementing changes, are required to enable manufacturers to properly prepare for the new standards.

The IPMA (the Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association) brings together Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing companies that meet high international standards, including US FDA (the United States), UK MHRA (Britain), MCC (South Africa), TGA (Australia), WHO GMP (WHO), GMP (Ukraine), which have representative offices in Ukraine.
When your favorite Aquidneck Island favorites close for the season

Fall is officially here and that means some of our favorites places to grab a bite are getting ready to close up for the winter.
Polish border guards are strengthening control at the border checkpoints on the eastern border of the country in connection with the spread of the African swine fever virus (ASF) in Poland, the Polish Radio online edition informs.

"Tightened control is needed especially now, when the number of people crossing the eastern border of Poland is increasing. This is due to the pre-holiday period," Piotr Pogorzelski, an officer from the customs department of the State Tax Administration of Poland, said.

According to him, during the past year Polish border guards had detained nearly 200 tonnes of illegally transported products of animal origin.

"They are seized and destroyed near the border checkpoint. Most often we conduct such procedures at the border checkpoints with Ukraine, Belarus, as well as with Kaliningrad region," the official said.

According to the chief veterinary inspectorate, products that are illegally imported to Poland from outside the EU can influence the development of the ASF virus in the vicinity of Warsaw. The last case of the disease was recorded there a week ago.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 49F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 49F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine demands that Russia release Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh who was imprisoned in Crimea and declared a hunger strike.

"We demand that the Russian Federation immediately release political prisoner Balukh from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea who has beenon a hunger strike since March 19. The case was fabricated," spokesperson of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Mariana Betsa said on Twitter.

As reported, Ukrainian farmer Balukh was arrested on December 8, 2016 in his house in the village of Serebrianka of Rozdolne district of Crimea temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. Russian authorities charged him with possession of ammunition.

In January 2018, Crimea's Rozdolne District Court sentenced Balukh to three years and seven months of imprisonment in a low-security penal colony and to a fine of 10,000 Russian rubles.

The Supreme Court in the occupied Crimea at a session on Wednesday, March 14, changed the verdict against Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh, excluding from the charges the point that he acquired ammunition. Therefore, the verdict was changed to three years and five months of imprisonment in a low-security penal colony.
Ukraine's Annual National Program, adopted under the aegis of the Ukraine-NATO Commission for 2018 and endorsed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Wednesday, stipulates the beginning of a dialogue with NATO member states with regard to the introduction of a Membership Action Plan for Kyiv this year.

"Begin a dialogue with the alliance's member countries about the introduction of the Membership Action Plan for Ukraine," the Annual National Program read in the section titled "Priority Tasks for Current Year."
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree "On the approval of the Annual National Program under the auspices of the Ukraine-NATO Commission for 2018."

The annual national program should ensure the fulfillment of the priority tasks of the Ukraine-NATO cooperation and relevant decisions taken at the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the level of the heads of state and governments on July 9, 2016 in Warsaw, according to the official website of the head of state on Wednesday.

The annual national program is a systemic strategic document that defines priority tasks for 2018 and medium-term goals to be achieved by 2020. The document also defines practical measures in the framework of implementing the policy of Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, reforming the security and defense sector of the country in line with the standards and recommendations of the Alliance.

The program is aimed at attracting and using the potential and practical and advisory assistance of NATO and the Allies with a view to enhancing Ukraine's defense capability in the context of Russia's armed aggression, as well as the introduction of targeted and systematic measures to prepare the state for joining the Alliance.

The coordination of work on the implementation of the Annual National Program is entrusted to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

According to Annex 2 to this program, a tentative plan of activities for the current year envisages a number of meetings of the Ukraine-NATO Commission and the NATO Partnerships and Cooperative Security Committee (in the format of the above commission).

In April, it is planned to hold a meeting of the NATO Partnerships and Cooperative Security Committee (in the format of the Ukraine-NATO Commission) regarding the security situation in the Black Sea region, a meeting of this committee (in the format of the Planning and Review Process), the joint Ukraine-NATO working group on high-level military reform, as well as a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the level of foreign ministers.

In May, it is planned to hold a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission, with the participation of Naftogaz Ukrainy's chief executive, on energy security issues regarding the latest decisions of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.

In June, it is planned to hold a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the level of defense ministers. In July, this commission is expected to meet at a high level as part of the NATO summit.

In September, it is planned to hold a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the level of deputy permanent representatives regarding the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

A number of other meetings are scheduled for October, November, and December.
State-owned enterprise Pivdenmash (Yuzhmash, Dnipro) has said that the report of the UN Panel of Experts regarding sanctions imposed on North Korea does not contain evidence that engines of North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) contained elements made in Ukraine and consider statements of Russian officials as new information manipulation.

"The UN report on sanctions against North Korea, mentioned by Russian officials, does not contain evidence of the presence of elements of Ukrainian production in the rocket engines of North Korean ICBMs: the report says that there could have been some elements of the Soviet RD-250 rocket engine in North Korean missiles. Such statements are another information manipulation, which aims at linking Ukraine to the North Korean missile program," a representative of Pivdenmash's managers told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.

"At the same time, when analyzing this UN report, Russian officials ignore the U.S. intelligence report's opinion on the possible presence of own rocket engine production facilities in North Korea," Pivdenmash said.

The representative of the company also recalled that the allegations about the transfer of missile technologies to North Korea by Pivdenmash in August 2017 in the U.S. The New York Times were the subject of a special meeting of the UN Security Council initiated by Ukraine.

"There was not any evidence proving the allegations announced in the publication of NYT presented at the special meeting of the UN Security Council," the representative of Pivdenmash said.
Zimbabwe should bury behind its past, move forward and focus on creating a bright future for all and sundry, President Mnangwagwa has said.



Addressing Zanu-PF supporters at Nyamhunga Stadium in Kariba yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Zanu-PF does not live in the past.



If there is anything we can learn from the past, we will but we say the past is gone. We must live for the future. We must prepare for the future. We want a better future than we lived in the past.





This is our motto, this is the direction we will take as Zanu-PF.Let us be united and live peacefully.Wherever we have gone be it the AU and other such meetings, they wish us better lives. They wish us to be united, he said.





The President said Zimbabwe was saluted by the whole of Africa for peaceful managing a transition that could have turned nasty.





I thank you all. I thank our people at home, our people in the urban areas that you managed a transition that could have easily exploded into a huge disastrous conflict but it was a transition with the blessings of the All Mighty, with the blessings of our ancestors, he said.





And we should say let us remain united. Let us love each other. Let us move forward and I plead all political parties to commit themselves to non-violence. As a result of that I have said our elections are going to be free, transparent and credible because we are united.





President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had no reason to bar foreign election observers as the polls will be transparent.

We know that some people come to Zimbabwe with fixed minds just because they have been spoiled by some renegade people with adverse agenda against their mother country.





That should not bar us from being correct. We are correct in ourselves to make sure we embrace the international community. We are correct when we keep our friends like China. We are also correct when we take on board new friendships across the board.



We are correct when we say we must again be part of the international community and that is the mantra Zimbabwe is open for business.





President Mnangwagwa said the country had handled foreign direct investments and commitments worth over US$7 billion since last November.





President Mnangagwa arrived in the country yesterday morning from Cote dIvoire and immediately flew to Kariba for the commissioning of Kariba South Hydro-power Station Extension Project.





I arrived this morning (yesterday) from Cote dIvoire where I was accompanied by various men and women from industry and commerce. We met representatives of several European and US banks and corporate world.





President Mnangagwa said he had planned meeting all political leaders in Zimbabwe but there are too many. Herald
FORMER Oxford University scholar and one of the countrys finest academics, Professor Arthur Mutambara, is accused of defrauding the Global Fund of US$191 000 after his Mutambara Science and Technology Foundation submitted a heavily plagiarised consultancy assignment.





Mutambara, who was the countrys deputy Prime Minister during the inclusive government era between 2009 and 2013, was awarded two contracts by the Global Fund, a non-profit organisation, whose headquarters are in Switzerland, for consultancy work.





In an investigation report titled Supplier Wrongdoing and Global Fund Non-Compliance with Procurement Regulations, The Mutambara Foundation and the Global Fund Sourcing Department, the Global Fund accuses the foundation and Mutambara of misrepresenting plagiarised work as its own original work product.





The report, dated December 16, 2016, reveals that for Contract 1, the Mutambara Foundation was paid US$115 000 in consultancy fees for four written documents.





The Office of the Inspector-Generals (OIG) review of these documents determined that a substantial portion of the written work was not the original work of the Mutambara Foundation and that the original sources of the work were not credited.





Contacted for a comment yesterday, Mutambara said the issues raised in the report were resolved internally.





This is a three-year-old false and malicious report which was internally resolved with the Global Fund CEO Mark Dybul. I was not even involved in the performance of the work. The report is being brought up and circulated three years later by political opponents to tarnish my image, in this election year, Mutambara said.





According to the report, the sourcing department of the Global Fund in December 2013, entered into Contract 1 with the Mutambara Foundation for a project entitled, A Technology Solution to Tackle Thefts, Diversion and Counterfeit Health Products in Africa.





A manager in the Global Fund Sourcing Department is accused of awarding the contract to the Mutambara Foundation without going through a competitive tender process. The total value of Contract 1 was US$155 000, which constituted consultancy fees of US$115 000 and US$40 000 in travel expenses.





Under Contract 1, Mutambara submitted four written documents for which he was paid for and they include: an interim report titled An Overview of Detection Technology Platforms, August 6, 2014; a PowerPoint interim report presentation titled An Overview of Detection Technology Platforms, August 7, 2014; a final project report, A Technology Solution to Tackle, [sic] Thefts, Diversions, and Counterfeit Health Products in Africa, December 10, 2014; and a PowerPoint document titled The Detection Technology, Deployment Algorithm, December 10, 2014 (Deployment Algorithm).





The investigation report states that a manager in the sourcing department had told the OIG that they questioned whether the Mutambara Foundation were authors of the submitted reports under the contract, after which the OIG ran both the interim and final report through plagiarism detection software.





The software showed that 56% of the text in the interim report and 43% of the text in the final report had been plagiarised from sources publically available on the internet. In addition, the OIG checked both the interim report and the final report against sources publically available on the internet and the information that was provided by the sourcing department to the Director of the Mutambara Foundation as background for this project, reads the investigations report.





This additional manual check confirmed the findings of the plagiarism software. The same finding also applied to the Participant Slides and the Deployment Algorithm. The text, charts and images in 46 of the 80 substantive slides in the participant slides and 22 of the 75 slides in the Deployment Algorithm were copied directly from other sources without credit . . . The vast majority of the plagiarised material was taken wholesale from a 2013 copyright-protected book that covers issues related to the global problem of substandard and falsified medicines.

The book is available for free download on the internet.

The Global Fund further says that although given the opportunity to respond, the Mutambara Foundation refused to cooperate with the OIG investigation. The Mutambara Foundation also did not respond to the OIGs finding that the work product submitted under Contract 1 was plagiarised.





The investigation report also states that in June 2015, approximately six months after the completion of Contract 1, the sourcing department awarded Contract 2 without a competitive process to the director of the Mutambara Foundation personally rather than to the Mutambara Foundation.





The objective of the consultancy Contract 2 was to provide support services to the Global Steering Committee for Quality Assurance of Health Products, says the report.





Mutambara is said to have received a pre-payment of US$11 500 and a travel advance of US$40 000 for Contract 2. An additional US$50 000 was paid after the interim report in August 2014. The final installment of US$53 500 was paid after submission of the final report and the deployment algorithm in December 2014.





The OIG also ran this report through plagiarism detection software and found that 25% of the report was copied from sources publically available on the internet. In addition, the OIG manually checked the final project report against sources available on the internet, which confirmed the findings of the plagiarism software, reads the report.





The investigation noted that high consultancy rates were paid for the plagiarised work, meaning the Global Fund did not get value for money. Zimbabwe Independent
They Tried to Flee

the Kroger Gunman.

He Followed Them
(Newser)  Much like a child caught blowing off his math homework, Julian Assange has lost his internet privileges. USA Today reports Ecuador announced Wednesday it had cut off the WikiLeaks founder's internet access. Assange has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, avoiding alternately extradition to Sweden on sex crime allegations and the US for the activities of WikiLeaks, according to the BBC. Engadget reports Assange had a written agreement with Ecuador to not get involved in the affairs of other countries. Ecuador apparently feels Assange violated that agreement this week.

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A document from the Ecuadorian government says Assange's recent Twitter activity "puts at risk the good relations that the country maintains with the United Kingdom." Assange had questioned if Russia was in fact responsible for poisoning an ex-spy and his daughter earlier this month and criticized the UK and other countries for retaliatory moves against Moscow. That led a British minister to call Assange a "miserable little worm" and Assange to respond that it's better to be a worm "than a snake." Assange briefly lost his internet access in 2016 after he published hacked emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign. (Read more Julian Assange stories.)
(Newser)  The military-grade nerve agent that left former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter near death appears to have been left on his front door in Salisbury, England, police say. Investigators say the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent at Skripal's home, and the highest concentration of it was found on the door, the Guardian reports. Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found unconscious on a bench at an outdoor shopping complex on March 4. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was hospitalized for more than two weeks after the incident, is believed to have become sick after visiting the Skripal house, where he was one of the first on the scene, reports the Telegraph.

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Police say residents of Skripal's neighborhood can expect more searches in the area, but "the risk remains low." Britain blames Russia for the attack. It has expelled 23 Russian diplomats and numerous other countries, including the US, have followed suit. In a speech late Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson thanked Britain's allies "from the bottom of his heart," CNN reports. "I believe that these expulsions represent a moment when a feeling has suddenly crystallized, when years of vexation and provocation have worn collective patience to (the) breaking point, and when across the worldacross three continentsthere are countries who are willing to say enough is enough," he said. (A relative says there is almost no chance the Skripals will survive.)
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has appointed Deputy Director General for Strategic Development at Isida-IVF LLC Oleh Petrenko Head of the National Health Service.

An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that the decision was made at a government meeting on Wednesday.

"Petrenko was appointed Head of the National Health Service," Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko told Interfax-Ukraine.

Petrenko won the tender.

Before his appointment, Petrenko presented a concept for the operation of the National Health Service and its participation in the healthcare reform.
(Newser)  The Justice Department's internal watchdog is going to investigate reports of alleged FBI misconduct in the Russia investigationbut it's not a move that goes far enough for Republicans, who accuse the department of abusing its powers because of anti-Trump bias. Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz says his office will investigate alleged abuses of surveillance powers in the wiretapping of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, the AP reports. The alleged abuses, which involved a Russia dossier compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele, were outlined in a controversial House Intelligence Committee memo on the FBI released last month.

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House Republicans say that while they are glad the matter is being investigated, what they really wanted was a second special counsel, the New York Times reports. "This is not a substitute for a special counsel to investigate this and other matters," said House Judiciary Committee Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, noting that Horowitz's office doesn't have the power to "compel witness interviews." Democrats, meanwhile, say the probe is an attempt to undermine Robert Mueller's investigation, but they are confident the FBI will be cleared. President Trump complained last month about Jeff Sessions asking the DOJ watchdog to investigate, saying it would be too slow, CNN reports. "Isnt the I.G. an Obama guy?" he tweeted. "Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL." (Read more Justice Department stories.)
(Newser)  Learning you have gonorrhea is bad; learning officials consider your case of gonorrhea the "worst ever" is something else entirely. The Press Association reports a man in the UK was diagnosed earlier this year with what is believed to be the first strain of gonorrhea to be resistant to the main antibiotic treatment. Public Health England says the man contracted this super-gonorrhea during a sexual encounter with a woman in Southeast Asia. His symptoms appeared about a month later, according to CNN. As is usual with gonorrhea, doctors attempted to treat it with the antibiotics azithromycin and ceftriaxone. Unusually, the antibiotics didn't work.

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"This is the first time a case has displayed such high-level resistance to both of these drugs and to most other commonly used antibiotics," Dr. Gwenda Hughes with PHE says. The World Health Organization and the European Centres for Disease Control agree that it's a global first, the BBC reports. The man's antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea is a major concern for experts, who fear the STD becoming untreatable. "The bacteria that cause gonorrhea are particularly smart," Teodora Wi at WHO said last year. "Every time we use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacteria evolve to resist them." Health officials are going back through the man's sexual history to keep the gonorrhea from spreading. So far no other cases have appeared, including in the man's regular female partner in the UK. Doctors are trying a final antibiotic on the man and will know if it worked next month. (Read more gonorrhea stories.)
(Newser)  Police in Pennsylvania say he was building an arsenal and plotting to attack his high school. His attorney says he is an aspiring police officer with an interest in military equipmentand a terrible sense of humor that got him in trouble. An Tso Sun, an 18-year-old exchange student from Taiwan, was arrested Tuesday night in Upper Darby on a charge of making a terroristic threat, CBS reports. Police say Sun, who has been in the US for five months, was reported after telling a classmate at his suburban Philadelphia high school: "Don't come to school on May 1, because I'm going to shoot up the school." Sun also allegedly asked the same student where he could buy a gun, and police say he researched assault rifles online.

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Police didn't discover any guns in Sun's room with a host family, though they displayed items that they said showed the teen was plotting something "horrible," the Washington Post reports. The items included a crossbow, a tactical vest, ammunition, a ski mask, and what police said were gun-making materials. "When you're able to amass these types of items and you're not even a citizen of the United States  somethings wrong somewhere," said Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. Defense attorney Enrique Latoison acknowledged that it "looks bad," but said everything in Sun's room was legal and some of the items were part of a Halloween costume. "He was just thinking hes being funny. And he wasn't," Latoison tells the Post. Sun is being held on $100,000 bail. (Read more Pennsylvania stories.)
(Newser)  Malala Yousafzai has returned to the country where she was shot and almost killed six years ago for campaigning for girls' educationand where Taliban militants have vowed to finish the job if she ever comes back. The 20-year-old activist, who was 15 when she was shot along with two classmates on a school bus in 2012, has arrived in Islamabad under tight security for what is expected to be a four-day visit, the BBC reports. Malala, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, has lived in Britain with her family since she was taken there for medical treatment after the attack, in which she was shot in the head and neck.

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Malala is now an Oxford University student and this is her first visit to her homeland since the attack. It's not clear whether Malala will visit her family's hometown of Mingora in the Swat valley, 150 miles north of Islamabad, though residents say she would be very welcome. "She should have come back much earlier, we welcome her, she is the pride of the world, why wouldn't she be ours as well?" family friend Niaz Ahmed tells CNN. "Her courage is an example for education in a place called Swat. She defeated fear in Swat." Malala told David Letterman earlier this month that she longed to return. "People want to see change in their country," she said. "I am already doing work there but I want my feet to touch that land." (Read more Malala Yousafzai stories.)
(Newser)  At least 68 people were killed when fire swept through the cells of a police station in Venezuela early Wednesdayand relatives demanding answers later in the day were given tear gas instead. Tarek William Saab, chief prosecutor in the city of Valencia, says 68 people66 men and two female visitorsdied in "dramatic events" at the police command and detention center, and four prosecutors have been appointed to investigate the incident, CNN reports. "We will deepen the investigations to immediately clarify these painful events that has dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning," Saab says.

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Desperate families waiting for news outside the police station were tear-gassed and dispersed after fights with police, Sky News reports. The nonprofit group A Window to Freedom, which monitors conditions at detention facilities in Venezuela, says there are unconfirmed reports that the fire broke out during unrest that began when an armed detainee shot a guard in the leg, the AP reports. Inmates, some of them badly burned, had to be rescued through a hole made in the station wall. The group says severe overcrowding in police station jails is common in Venezuela. "It's grave and alarming," says Carlos Nieto Palma, the group's director. (Read more Venezuela stories.)
(Newser)  President Trump's lawyer, John Dowd, discussed pardons for Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort with their lawyers as special counsel Robert Mueller was building cases against them, three people with knowledge of the conversations tell the New York Times. If true, the Times points out the timing would be significant, in that the conversations would have come as the men were deciding how to plead. Dowdwho was hired to defend Trump in the Mueller investigation and resigned last weeksays the report isn't true. "There were no discussions. Period. As far as I know, no discussions." Other members of Trump's legal team have also denied such conversations took place. White House counsel Ty Cobb says he has "only been asked about pardons by the press."

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White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders adds pardons are "not currently" under consideration, per CNN. But sources say Dowd privately stated he was unsure why Flynn accepted a plea deal when he'd told Flynn's lawyer, Robert Kelner, that the president was willing to offer a pardon. It isn't clear if Dowd ever discussed pardons with Trump. In the case of Manafort, sources say Dowd broached the topic of a pardon with lawyer Reginald Brown before Manafort was indicted on charges including money laundering in October. The suggestion of an attempt to thwart Mueller's investigation has raised questions about whether this would qualify as obstruction of justice; at Bloomberg, Noah Feldman breaks down why Trump wouldn't likely end up in any kind of trouble. (Read more John Dowd stories.)
(Newser)  Jeb Bush spoke at Yale about conservatism Tuesday, and part of his speech included a longing to return to more civil dialogue. But that wasn't before he got a barb, maybe two, of his own in. The Yale Daily News reports the former GOP presidential candidateoften skewered during the campaign by President Trump, who called him "low energy" and "not electable"didn't get too much into the election specifically in his speech, though he did joke he was "still in therapy" over it. But he did call the commander in chief "Republican in basically name only," and he did make a reference to a 2016 primary in South Carolina that many in attendance Tuesday took to be a Trump burnand that brought some of the Trump kids to their father's defense.

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Bush said that after that particular primary, he was able to go home to children "who actually love me," bringing laughter from the audience. The Washington Post reports that comment raised the ire of Donald Trump Jr., who tweeted at Bush late Wednesday. "Jeb! I love everything about my father," he posted. "I love that he's a fighter, I love that he has guts, I love that he's President (all those things you're not). Also love that he learned enough about politics in a few weeks to dismantle you piece by piece despite it being your life's work." Eric Trump, who usually isn't as vocal on Twitter as his brother, had weighed in earlier, tweeting to Bush, "I actually love my father very much. #PleaseClap"a reference to when Bush had to instruct a crowd at an early 2016 New Hampshire town hall to applaud for him after he spoke. (Read more Jeb Bush stories.)
(Newser)  A former FBI agent who allegedly shared secret documents with a national media organization has been charged months after Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed to crack down on government leaks. Terry J. Albury, who was an agent in Minnesota, faces two counts of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information. He was charged Tuesday by felony information, which typically indicates a defendant will plead guilty, per the AP. The charges allege Albury shared two documents with a reporter, including one dated Aug. 17, 2011, that relates to how the FBI assesses confidential informants. The other document, which is undated, pertains to "threats posed by certain individuals from a particular Middle Eastern country," according to the information.

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The charges say Albury shared the documents sometime between February 2016 and Jan. 31, 2017. Prosecutors don't name a reporter or news organization, but on Jan. 31 of last year, The Intercept posted a story about how the FBI assesses and manages informants. The story references a secret document dated Aug. 17, 2011, that deals with assessing informants and recruiting them by identifying their "motivations and vulnerabilities." Albury's attorneys, JaneAnne Murray and Joshua Dratel, said in a statement that Albury "accepts full responsibility for the conduct set forth in the Information." They also said that as the only African-American FBI field agent in Minnesota, his actions were driven by a "conscientious commitment to long-term national security and addressing the well-documented systemic biases within the FBI."

(Read more FBI stories.)
(Newser)  In what would make for a pretty solid cold open on The X-Files, pilots in two different planes spotted a UFO thousands of feet above the Sonoran Desert last month in Arizona, Live Science reports. "Was anybody above us that passed us like 30 seconds ago?" the Phoenix New Times quotes the pilot of a Learjet flying toward California as asking air traffic controllers around 3:30pm Feb. 24. When officials at the FAA's Albuquerque Center say no, the pilot responds, "OK. Something did." Minutes later, an official asks the pilot of an American Airlines Airbus in the area to "let me know if you see anything pass over you here in the next 15 miles." The pilot was initially confused"Over us?"but later relayed, "Yeah, something just passed over us. Uh, like aI don't know what it was, but it was at least two-three thousand feet above us. Yeah, it passed right over the top of us."

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The Airbus pilot couldn't tell if the UFO was in motion or hovering in place but said it had a "big reflection" and "wasn't an airplane," KOB 4 reports. It would have been about 40,000 feet above the desert below. The FAA, which released the flight-control recording, didn't see anything on its radar, couldn't verify the presence of any other aircraft, and still doesn't know what the mysterious object was. It says it probably wasn't a weather balloon, military craft, or "Google balloon." "We have a close working relationship with a number of other agencies and safely handle military aircraft and civilian aircraft of all types in that area every day," says Lynn Lunsford at the FAA. According to CNN, joking references to UFOs can be heard on the FAA recording. (The Pentagon never admitted having a secret UFO program. Until now.)
(Newser)  A former drummer for The Offspring (who apparently has a bad habit of saving people) now has time to relax because it'll be a long time before his medical malpractice trial after he prevented a potential juror in cardiac arrest from reaching the end of the line, Law360 reports. According to the Mercury News, Dr. James Lilja, who played with the punk band from 1984 to 1987 before deciding to leave it behind and find his meaning of life as a certified ob-gyn, is being sued by a couple for negligent mistreatment (prompting this writer to wonder, "What happened to you?"). A juror was waiting to be called back into the courtroom during the second day of jury selection Tuesday in Oakland (a 13-hour drive from Walla Walla), when he collapsed, had his head smash on the floor, and lost consciousness. (All I want is for jury duty to come with a health disclaimer.)

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Giving bystanders something to believe in, Lilja took an intermission from court proceedings and did something to change the world of the unconscious juror, delivering CPR and shocks with a defibrillator. But he wasn't so alone, his nursing assistant helped. The juror was not the one to die that day and had a pulse when paramedics arrived. Lilja's actions surely left other potential jurors amazed, which is why the judge declared a mistrial, arguing their good feelings toward Lilja would be "incurable," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. "No good deed goes unpunished," Lilja quipped. And while Lilja now has gotta get away from potential jurors since the judge decided he has to keep 'em separated, Lilja's heroics were still pretty fly (for an ob-gyn guy). And that's got to be good for his self esteem. (Read more obstetrician-gynecologists stories.)
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze says that Hungary's decision to block the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the ministerial level creates a dangerous precedent in NATO's cooperation with partner countries, the government portal has reported.

"By making Ukraine-NATO relations hostage to bilateral issues with Ukraine, the Hungarian government opens the Pandora's box and creates a threatening precedent for the future cooperation of the Alliance with partners," Klympush-Tsintsadze noted during a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary-General Rose Gottemoeller at the NATO headquarters, touching upon the issue of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations and Hungary's decision.

The deputy premier said that by developing the mechanisms for the implementation of the Law "On Education", the Ukrainian side will comply with the previously stated commitments to implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission, and is open for consultations with the Hungarian minority in Ukraine and with the Hungarian government.

It was reported that on February 12, 2018, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that NATO planned to hold a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine defense ministers on February 14-15, but Hungary vetoed it and the Alliance secretary general told the member states the meeting will not take place.

As was reported, the Ukrainian law on education came into force on September 28, 2017. Among other things, the law stipulates that the state language is a language of learning at educational institutions, but one or several subjects in two or more languages, namely, the state language, English and other European Union official languages can be taught in compliance with the educational program. People who belong to ethnic minorities are guaranteed the right for learning in the native language along with the Ukrainian language in separate groups of municipal pre-school and primary school institutions.

On September 26, Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced it would block Ukraine's rapprochement with the European Union because of the law on education. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry sent the law to the Venice Commission for vetting. On December 8, the Ukrainian Education and Science Ministry reported that the Venice Commission had not supported Hungary's accusation of narrowing the rights of national minorities in the article on the language of instruction in Ukraine's law on education. Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science declared its readiness to implement the recommendations of the commission and developed three models for the implementation of the language article in the law "On General Secondary Education."
(Newser)  Nikolas Cruz's brother wanted to start a fan club for the Parkland shooting suspect, but it looks like someone beat him to it. Stacks of fan mail, including love letters and suggestive photographs, have been arriving for Cruz at the Broward County Jail, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel, which obtained copies of some of the notes. In one sent from Texas, the writer identifies herself as an 18-year-old high school senior before sharing her breast size. "Your eyes are beautiful and the freckles on your face make you so handsome," she writes. A letter sent by a woman in Chicago was accompanied by nine photos. One showed cleavage, another showed a bikini-clad woman eating a Popsicle. Other letters provide words of encouragement, offers of friendship, or money to be added to Cruz's commissary account, hovering around $800.

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"I've never seen this many letters to a defendant," says Howard Finkelstein, Broward County's public defender. As Cruz remains on suicide watch, he has yet to receive any mail, which is screened by jail officials. "We read a few religious ones to him that extended wishes for his soul and to come to God," Finkelstein says. But "we have not and will not read him the fan letters or share the photos of scantily clad teenage girls." It's that "perverted" mail that "scares" Finkelstein, and a case out of central Florida might explain why: According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, a 13-year-old boy who idolized and collected photos of Cruz admitted Saturday that he wanted to be "the next school shooter" and "kill a lot of kids," per the New York Post. The teen was arrested on suspicion of felony aggravated stalking. (Read more Nikolas Cruz stories.)
(Newser)  Parkland survivor David Hogg, one of the leaders of the teen activists calling for gun control in the wake of the Florida school shooting, is asking supporters to boycott sponsors of Laura Ingraham's Fox News show after Ingraham mocked himand at least one is pulling its ads from the show. It started with an interview Hogg gave to TMZ in which he revealed he'd been rejected from four University of California colleges. While Hogg acknowledged it's been "disappointing" for him and other leaders of the movement dealing with college rejections, he told TMZ's Harvey Levin he wasn't surprised: "I think there's a lot of amazing people that don't get into college." Ingraham's Twitter take on the interview: "David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA ... totally predictable given acceptance rates.)"

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Both Hogg and Levin were quick to respond, CNBC reports. "David was not whining," Levin tweeted to Ingraham. "I called him about the story. He was not feeling sorry for himself in the slightest. It was my idea that colleges should consider applicants who are so committed. Did you watch the video???" Hogg tweeted, "Soooo @IngrahamAngle what are your biggest advertisers ... Asking for a friend." He followed that up with a list of what he says are the 12 biggest advertisers on Ingraham's show, asking his more than 600,000 followers to pick one and get in touch. Hogg's 14-year-old sister and fellow Parkland survivor, Lauren, simply told Ingraham to "grow up." The Washington Post, which rounds up other outraged responses to Ingraham, reports that Rachael Ray's Nutrish replied directly to Hogg as well as to others on Twitter that it's in the process of removing its ads from Ingraham's show. (Read more Parkland school shooting stories.)
(Newser)  Doctors say Yulia Skripal, daughter of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, is "improving rapidly" and is no longer in critical condition after being poisoned with a nerve agent alongside her father, the BBC reports. "Im pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal. She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," said the medical director for Salisbury district hospital Thursday. The 33-year-old is now listed as being in stable condition, the Guardian reports. Her father, 66, is still in critical but stable condition. Just this week, a relative said the father and daughter likely wouldn't survive.

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Authorities revealed Wednesday that the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent at Sergei Skripal's home, where it was found on the front door. It was also found in lower concentrations in other areas around town. Now, Scotland Yard says police have cordoned off a children's play area near the home, but they say it's simply a precautionary measure. "I would like to reiterate Public Health Englands advice that the risk to the public is low," said deputy assistant commissioner Dean Haydon, noting that officers would be searching the play area. The chemical has been identified as part of a group of nerve agents developed by Russia that are known as Novichok. (Read more Sergei Skripal stories.)
(Newser)  Another member of America's infamous "affluenza" family is behind bars after Tonya Couch failed a drug test, the Star-Telegram reports. The mother of Ethan Couch was jailed Wednesday for violating the conditions of her bond, which prohibit controlled substances, marijuana, and alcohol. Tonya Couch had been free on bond while awaiting trial in May for allegedly taking $30,000 and her son to Mexico to hide after he missed a probation appointment. She's been charged with money laundering and hindering the apprehension of a felon.

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Ethan Couch was a teenager in 2013 when he killed four people while driving drunk. It was claimed during trial that his affluent upbringing kept him from telling right from wrong, and he was sentenced to 10 years probation. The now-20-year-old is set to be released from jailfor violating that probationon April 2. (Read more affluenza stories.)
(Newser)  Russia's foreign minister says Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from the nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain, the AP reports. Sergey Lavrov said US Ambassador Jon Huntsman has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, where he was given notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

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Lavrov said Moscow will also retaliate to the US decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St. Petersburg. Lavrov said the same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week. Two dozen countries, including the US, many EU nations, and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.

(Read more Russia stories.)
(Newser)  A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California law requires coffee companies to carry a cancer warning label, the AP reports. Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle said in a proposed decision Wednesday that Starbucks and other coffee companies failed to show the threat from a chemical compound produced in the coffee roasting process was insignificant. A nonprofit group had sued coffee roasters, distributors, and retailers under a state law that requires warnings on a wide range of chemicals that can cause cancer. One is acrylamide, a carcinogen present in coffee.

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The coffee industry had claimed the chemical was present at harmless levels and should be exempt from the law because it results naturally from the cooking process to make the beans flavorful. Proposed California judicial decisions can be reversed but are reversed rarely.

(Read more coffee stories.)
(Newser)  Jeff Sessions will not be appointingat the momenta second special counsel to investigate Republican allegations against the FBI and Justice Department, CNN reports. He did, however, announce Thursday that US Attorney John Huber is investigating those claims, which focus on the FBI allegedly abusing its power when it conducted surveillance on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, as well as Hillary Clinton's connection to a Russian nuclear energy agency. "We understand that the department is not above criticism and it can never be that the department conceals errors where they occur," the Los Angeles Times quotes Sessions as writing in a letter to three Republican lawmakers. He says he will use Huber's review to determine if a special counsel is needed.

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That's unlikely to satisfy Republicans. Over a dozen GOP lawmakers have called for a second special counsel to investigate the above matters, as well as Clinton's use of a private email server and the decision to launch a criminal inquiry into Russian election interference, USA Today reports. Republicans are also likely to be upset with what amounts to the Justice Department investigating itself. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats are accusing Sessions of trying to pacify President Trump while distracting from the allegations against his associates and the ongoing Mueller investigation. (Read more Jeff Sessions stories.)
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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a bill amending some Ukrainian laws on reforming the parking sphere passed by the Verkhovna Rada on December 21, 2017, according to a Wednesday posting on the website of the head of state.

The law provides for the creation of a legislative mechanism for the inevitability of liability for violation of the rules for stopping and parking of vehicles by introducing photo and video surveillance of violations.

It also provides for the extension of the mechanism for bringing to the administrative responsibility the person for whom the vehicle is registered, for violations of traffic rules registered in automatic mode, for cases of violation of the rules for stopping and parking of vehicles, including for failure to pay parking fees or parking in the places intended for persons with disabilities.

Parking inspectors are authorized to consider cases of administrative violations and impoundment, according to the document.

Fines for violation of parking rules have been reviewed. There is a 50% discount in payment of fines for violations recorded in the mode of photography/video surveillance if they are paid within 10 banking days.

The law establishes all cases of significant obstruction to traffic movement or the creation of a threat to traffic safety, especially if the vehicle is parked on the traffic way in two or more rows, if it is located in places prohibited for stopping or parking, on a public transport lane of or the bike lane, if it makes the movement of other vehicles impossible or creates obstacles for the movement of pedestrians, interferes with the work of the snow-removing and other municipal vehicles in case of emergency.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Scattered snow showers during the evening. Then partly to mostly cloudy overnight. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%..

Tonight

Scattered snow showers during the evening. Then partly to mostly cloudy overnight. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%.
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Justice Ministry plans to launch register of debtor companies on wages

The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine intends to launch a register of debtor companies on wages, Justice Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Petrenko has said.

"We announce the opening of a public register of the biggest debtors on wages," he told journalists in Kyiv on Thursday.

Petrenko also informed that in the current year about UAH 100 million of wage arrears have already been collected.
New Delhi:

The Finance Ministry has asked the RBI to look into the problems being faced by industry and banks following the ban on LoUs, sources said.

Following the Nirav Modi fraud case, the Reserve Bank of India recently banned issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Letters of Comfort (LoC), used extensively for trade finance.

Nirav Modi and associates along with some Punjab National Bank officials used LoUs to defraud the lender of over Rs.13,000 crore.

The sources said the Finance Ministry received representations from various corporates and banks against the abrupt banning of LoUs, asking the RBI to provide some breathing space to them.

The ministry has forwarded those representations to the central bank to take a final call, the sources said.

Also Read | Paper leak case: Congress demands sacking of HRD Minister Javadekar, CBSE chairperson Karwal

According to the representations, the sudden discontinuation of LoUs has affected small and medium enterprises. So, on their behalf, the ministry has requested RBI to look into the matter, the sources added.

The cost for trade finance has also gone up because of shift to letters of credit, as per the representations. These instruments involve a commission fee along with a so-called acceptance charge which is not the case with LoUs as they only involve a guarantee fee.

Earlier in March, RBI barred banks from issuing guarantees in the form of LoUs as it clamped down on the import financing route used by fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi for allegedly committing Indias biggest bank fraud.

RBI also banned with immediate effect issuance of LoCs which, like LoUs, are used by importers to fund their overseas purchases. However, letters of credit and bank guarantees will continue upon meeting certain conditions.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

A technical snag in the baggage handling system at New Delhias Indira Gandhi airport on Thursday evening led to inordinate flight delays. Thousands of bags were misplaced due to the system failure, reported news agency ANI.

No luggage could be boarded to the flight due to the technical glitch which proved to a be nightmare for the passengers. Some of them took to social media to complain against the inconvenience.

A Delhi International Airport (P) Limited ( DIAL) spokesperson said that the increase in the level of dangerous goods in the luggage was the reason behind the system breakdown.

"With onset of the holiday weekend, Delhi Airport experienced an increased level of dangerous goods, particularly power banks and lighters, in luggage. Incident rate was 30 per cent higher than average. It impacted baggage handling due to the manual reconciliation of the suspect baggageaa said, the spokesperson.

Vistara airlines issued a statement on Twitter to notify the customers about the inconvenience caused to them due to the system failure.
New Delhi:

Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javedekar on Thursday said that the NCERT published textbooks will carry QR codes from 2019. He said that the this would help the students to understand the chapters better by watching a movie or reading additional content on their laptops.

Quick Response (QR) code is a machine-readable code which consists of an array of black and white squares. These barcodes are essentially the web links which can be read by the smartphone cameras.

Javadekar, while addressing the reporters, said that students who take educations loans will not be required to pay the interest for the duration of the course plus one year.

He added the government has made a provision of Rs 6,600 crore for bearing the interest component on the education loans.

Read- Internal probe into CBSE leaks, new system from Monday, says Prakash Javadekar

About 10 lakh students would avail the benefits from 2017-18 to 2019-20, said the minister. He added that the government would bear about Rs 2,200 crore per year towards the interest costs on the loans.

The BJP leader also stated that the government will bear the interest cost on the education loans up to Rs 7.50 lakh for students from families with less than Rs 4.5 lakh annual income.

Prakash Javadekar, while briefing the reporters about the Cabinets decisions, also said that the government had spent Rs 800 crore per year from 2009 to 2014 under the said scheme. He informed that the spending had increased to Rs 1,800 crore per year from 2014 to 2017.

On the NCERT text books, the union minister said that they would be energised, carrying QR codes, allowing the students access additional material to supplement the chapter.

The HRD minister also informed that the government had decided to merge the three existing schemes on improving public education-the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the Teacher Education (TE).

He also said that a committee was formed to look into the issue of promoting digital board by replacing the blackboard to improve the quality of education in the country. He added that the committee will give the report in a months time.

(With PTI Inputs)
New Delhi:

Four men were arrested for their alleged involvement in an organised racket of cheating in online examinations being conducted by the Staff Selection Commission, police said on Wednesday.

In a joint operation conducted by Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force and Special Staff, North District, Paramjeet Singh (24), Ajay Kumar (30), Sonu Kumar (31) and Gaurav Nayyar (24) were arrested yesterday, they added.

On Tuesday, UP STF Meerut informed their counterparts in north district that they had information that one person named Harpal, apparently working in the Delhi government's Sales Tax Department was running a cheating racket from his residence in Gandhi Vihar, Timarpur, the police said.

Subsequently, a team of officials of UP STF and north district conducted a raid at the given address. There Ajay, Sonu, Gaurav and Paramjeet were found working on laptops and phones.

It was found that they were assisting candidates through a remote access application, namely Team Viewer, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North)Jatin Narwal.

Three laptops, 10 mobile phones, an external hard disk, a white colour tender router, four pen drives, a wi-fi device, five blue tooth devices were seized from the spot, he added.

Some loose papers with names and roll numbers of candidates were also seized besides Rs 51,83,700, that had been collected from the students.

During interrogation, it was found that the cheating racket was being run in an organised manner. The gang members had hacked into the online system and would assist students taking the exams.

The prospective candidates were lured and charged anywhere between Rs five to 10 lakh and get to know about their respective centres of examination.

This gang was alleged to have network with the centres of the examination and computer labs across various cities.

These labs were outsourced by the SSC for conducting the examination. Harpal and the other accused were also running labs in different parts of the city which are further hired by the outsourced labs for conducting the examinations, the officer said.

Harpal is yet to be arrested.

The accused, Paramjeet Singh, is a resident of Bahadurgarh, Haryana and is a BE in computers from PDM College, Haryana. Ajay Kumar is a resident of Vats Colony, Bahadurgarh and has a masters degree in Hindi. Sonu Kumar, a resident of Bhopure, UP, is a graduate. Gaurav Nayyar, a resident of Timarpur, has completed his bachelors in computer application.

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New Delhi:

Jennifer Winget and Harshad Chopra starrer Bepannaah has become the talk of the town, all thanks to its intriguing storyline. The romantic drama which hit the airwaves on March 19 has opened with a massive response, as per the recent TRP ratings.

The Colors show which also stars Namita Dubey and Sehban Azim has opened with a TRP of 2.6, making it the most successful show of the year. Interestingly, it has also emerged as the number one show for the channel.

For the uninitiated, another recent launch Ishq Subahanallah had fetched a rating of 2.4 in its opening week.

Read- BARC TRP ratings week 12: Bepannaah makes SPLASHING entry in top five, Kundali Bhagya remains UNBEATEN

Bepannaah has been making waves ever since the first promo was unveiled by the makers. The star cast of the show had shot their initial episodes in the beautiful hill station of Mussoorie.

Talking about the characters, Jennifer plays the role of Zoya, a progressive Muslim woman who is happily married to Yash Arora (Sehban Azim). Harshad plays the role of Aditya Hooda who is a pilot by profession and married to his childhood friend Pooja (Namita Dubey).

Bepannaah portrays the journey of Zoya and Aditya, two strangers who come together because of fate. It will showcase how the two will develop feelings for each other.

Jennifer Winget and Harshad Chopra have managed to impress the viewers with their sizzling chemistry. Fans have been showering the actors with praises on social media ever since the first episode went on air.

We hope the show continues to entertain the audience with its interesting storyline and avoid the tried and tested formula that makers resort to.
New Delhi:

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday called Uttar Pradesh governments move to use Ramji as the middle name of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar a "cheap popularity" stunt.

This step is just for raking fake and cheap kind of popularity, while on the contrary Baba Sahebs followers are being inflicted with atrocities, Mayawati said.

The Yogi Adityanath Government on Thursday ordered all the documents and records with the name of Bhimrao Ambedkar to be corrected to Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. Asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mayawati asked whether he writes his name as Narendra Damodardas Modi

Mayawati said the government has done nothing in edifying Ambedkars following and asked whether the prime minister also write his name as Narendra Damodardas Modi. Ramaji and Damodardas is the name of the father of Ambedkar and PM Modi, respectively.

ALSO READ: Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo to make Old Trafford return?

Mayawati emphasised on BJP by stating that the saffron party tends to use BR Ambedkars name to gain the confidence of the Dalits.

The Opposition Samajwadi Party also accused Yogi-led UP government of misusing the name of the man who drafted the Indian Constitution, just to express that they are pro-Dalit.

BJP and Yogi Government are afraid of the Samajwadi-Mayawati alliance. BJP always comes up with new issues as soon as they realise their failure, said Samajwadi Party leader Sunil Sajan.

Mayawati-led BSPs ideology has always been circled by the teachings of the iconic leader and he continues to remain a tug of war for the political parties.

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New Delhi:

A Delhi man threw a shoe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while he was addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday. The shoe, however, missed Fadnavis, and later the man was whisked away by police.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister was addressing the gathering in New Delhi where social activist Anna Hazare was on a hunger strike since March 23. Anna ended the hunger strike on Thursday, after 7 days, after meeting Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Singh was also present on the stage at the time when shoe was hurled at Fadnavis. Annas doctor had said on Wednesday that his blood pressure was high and sugar levels dipped low which made him feel tired and exhausted. Anna had lost certain kilos because of the strike.

#WATCH Shoe hurled at stage while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis addressed farmers' protest lead by Anna Hazare at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan pic.twitter.com/BmYVWPKazG  ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2018

Anna launched an indefinite hunger strike against the Centre demanding the setting up of Lokpal.

Also Read: Anna Hazare ends hunger strike after meeting Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Anna said, They (government) have assured us that they will make the appointments as soon as possible. I will see till August and we will begin again in September. It should be done within a time frame. ((Though Maharashtra) Chief Minister (Devendra) Fadnavis has said that it will not even take six months, we will see. The government and the public are not separate. The governments job is to do what is good for the people and the country. Things should not come to such a pass that protests are needed.

Anna had sat on a similar hunger strike in 2011 to demand the then UPA government for setting up a Lokpal to investigate corruption and the cases related to it.

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New Delhi:

BJP MP and Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo has been booked for rioting and assaulting an IPS officer in West Bengals Asansol, where violence erupted over Ram Navami procession.

He (Babul Supriyo) has been booked under section of Rioting and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), the Indian Express quoted a senior police official as saying.

Inspector-in-Charge of Asansol North Police station IC Debojyoti Saha filed suo-moto FIR against Supriyo for violating Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in Asansol and assaulting a senior IPS officer Rupesh Kumar.

Earlier in the day, the BJP MP was barred from entering the violence-hit Asansol. He then entered into a scuffle with a senior police officer and asked him to stay. The minister then also hit a policeman who was trying to stop his car, according to reports.

A group of people shouted slogans against the minister and demanded that he immediately leave the area, reported news agency PTI.

Also Read | Anna Hazare ends hunger strike after meeting Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

As local MP, it is my responsibility to stand by people who are in trouble but police without any reason stopped me to meet people. As a minister, if police tells me not to enter a area citing prohibitory orders I will not break that rule. Law and order is a state subject. I respect that but this is not acceptable, the English daily quoted Supriyo as saying.

Reacting to the incident, TMC leader and state minister Subrata Mukherjee said that people trying to create trouble will not get any benefit from the provocation related politics.

Police is doing their work, provocation related politics will be of no help to people and they should understand that. Those who are creating trouble for the state and people will not get any benefit out of it, Mukherjee said.

Meanwhile, the situation in Raniganj and Asansol remained tensed and internet services were suspended till March 30 following communal clashes between two groups on Sunday and Monday over Ram Navami procession.

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New Delhi:

Under attack over board paper leaks, CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal on Thursday broke her silence and said that the decision to conduct re-examination had been taken in favour of the students.

We have taken the decision in favour of the students. We are working for their good. Dates for re-examination will be announced soon, CBSE Chief Anita Karwal said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in a circular on Wednesday, had informed that students would have to take the re-test for the two subjects after their papers got allegedly leaked on WhatsApp.

Union HRD Minister terms incident "unfortunate"

Terming the incident unfortunate, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said, We will not let any culprit go scot-free. The police is on the job and I am very sure, they will nab the culprits as they have done in case of the SSC exam leak case.

The HRD minister said that the dates for re-examination of Class-X mathematics and Class-XII economics papers will be announced by Monday or Tuesday.

The CBSE will declare what will be the next step in a couple of days, probably on Monday or Tuesday, Javadekar told reporters in New Delhi.

Also Read | Too many leaks, the 'chowkidar' is weak, says Rahul Gandhi

Delhi Police begins investigation

The Delhi Police has started an investigation into the alleged CBSE paper leak case. A team of Crime Branch on Thursday questioned 25 people, including 18 students and five tutors in connection with the case.

Children of various Delhi schools shared question papers on Whatsapp before exams. 11 school children, seven college, five tutors and two private persons have been questioned till now, Special Commissioner of Police RP Upadhyay said.

Upadhyay said that the police is also investigating if the alleged CBSE paper leak took place elsewhere in the country.

We have no information that CBSE paper leak is pan-India, but if such a thing emerges, we will send teams outside Delhi, he said.

Also Read | Kejriwal feels sad for students, demands strict action in CBSE paper leak case

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The Ukrainian army is ready to observe the Easter truce starting at midnight on March 30, 2018, the headquarters of the Ukrainian military operation in Donbas said on Facebook on Thursday.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces' units stationed in the military operation zone in Donetsk and Luhansk region, which are fully committed to the Minsk Agreements, are ready to implement a comprehensive, sustainable, and unlimited ceasefire alongside the entire contact line at 12:01 a.m. Kyiv time on March 30, 2018," the staff said.

The Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine (TCG) has agreed to observe an Easter truce starting March 30.

"The Trilateral Contact Group, with the participation of the representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions [...] reaffirm their full commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting from March 30, 2018 at 00:01 (Kyiv time)," the TCG said in a statement posted on the OSCE website on Monday.
New Delhi:

The Congress party on Thursday demanded sacking of Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE chairperson Anita Karwal and called for investigation by a high court judge into the paper leak case.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday announced reconduct of Class-X mathematics and Class-XII economics papers following reports of the papers being leaked.

Two separate cases were registered in the matter by the regional director of CBSE. The first case in connection with the leak of economics paper was lodged on March 27 and the case involving mathematics paper was lodged on March 28.

The cases were registered on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Following the registration of the cases, the Delhi Police crime branch on Thursday announced a special investigation team (SIT) comprising two deputy commissioners of police, four assistant commissioners of police and five inspectors to investigate the matter.

As investigations are being carried out, the team will be directly supervised by the joint commissioner of police (crime).

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New Delhi:

Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday played down Union Minister Smriti Iranis allegations of striking a deal with a man accused of money laundering in South Africa.

Terming the allegations as an attempt to divert public attention from CBSE paper and data leak, Sibal threatened to sue Irani and the website she cited for levelling the charges.

It is sad that in this country, economics and maths exam papers are leaked which never happened in the past. I have also been the HRD minister. If you talk about Election Commission, election dates are leaked. If you look at Aadhaar, data is leaked. But when they have to protect their own degrees, the information never leaks. So the government knows how to protect information, what they dont want to be leaked is not leaked, the Congress leader said.

Earlier in the day, citing a media report, Irani alleged that Sibal and his wife bought a company called Grand Castilo in 2017 from a businessman named Piyoosh Goyal.

Also Read | Asansol Violence: FIR against Union Minister Babul Supriyo for rioting, assaulting cope

She claimed that Goral was involved in money laundering and was investigated by the CBI in 2013 for alleged bribery.

She also demanded an explanation from Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over the alleged land dealing.

People might say that Mr Sibal has a right to buy and engage with the so-called alleged money launderer, the question I pose is - is it politically acceptable to Sri Rahul Gandhi, Irani told reporters in New Delhi.

Is it so natural for the Congress leadership today to embrace the money launderer, to shake hand with those that they had investigated for bribery, she asked.

The Congress leader, however, admitted that he had purchased the land from his own money and said the transaction was also listed in his and his companys income tax filings.

Yes, I brought the company. Does anyone have objections? I gave the money from my income, which is tax paid and the income tax returns are filed up to date, he told reporters.

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New Delhi:

Dalit icon and father of the Indian Constitution Bhimrao Ambedkar will now be written as Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar in all the official documents and records in Uttar Pradesh, a state government order stated.

The order to insert Ramji as the middle name of Ambedkar was passed by the Yogi Adityanath government on the recommendations of Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik.

I am a Marathi and so was he (Ambedkar). Hindi speaking states have been writing his name incorrectly. Most importantly his name is written as Bhim Rao as two words, however, the correct way to write is Bhimrao, the UP governor said.

Ramji was the name of Ambedkars father and adding the father's name in the middle is a practice in Maharashtra.

The order to change the Dalit icons name didnt go down well with the Opposition parties and the Samajwadi Party accused the Yogi Adityanath government of indulging in vote bank politics.

The BJP government is playing politics with the name of the Dalit icon, SP leader Anurag Bhadoria said.

The decision was not even welcomed by some of the BJPs own leaders and partys MP from Delhi Udit Raj termed the move unnecessary.

I dont find any reason to change his name, its an individuals freedom to decide how he wants to be known. Why create a controversy unnecessarily? The Dalit community has expressed its displeasure, the BJP MP said.

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Savchenko asks for prosecutor's recusal at hearing of appeal of her arrest

Ukrainian parliamentarian Nadiya Savchenko and her lawyers have filed a request that Prosecutor Oleksandr Klymovych of the Ukrainian Chief Military Prosecutor's Office be recused at the hearing of Savchenko's appeal against the Shevchenkivsky District Court's ruling that she be taken into pretrial custody.

Savchenko said at the hearing at the Kyiv Appeals Court on Thursday that Prosecutor Klymovych is biased. "This prosecutor said at the previous hearing that Russian servicemen are better than Ukrainian servicemen," she said.

Savchenko also claimed that Prosecutor Klymovych violated the principle of the presumption of innocence by accusing her of committing a crime before this was proven in court and that he personally dislikes her.

Savchenko's lawyers supported her stance and said they would file a complaint concerning Klymovych with the prosecutorial disciplinary commission.

Klymovych objected to the request, saying it was unwarranted, and pointed out that he had said that the Russian servicemen Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov, who were swapped for Savchenko in May 2016, are better than Ukrainian citizens who plot to commit a crime against their own country.

The court has retired for deliberations.
State Auditor General of Vietnam Ho Duc Phoc said the event is an important politic and diplomatic event of Vietnam, contributing to the implementation of its foreign policy.

Through the event, Vietnam also hopes to gain knowledge and experience from the ASOSAI members and attract resources to enhance the capacity of the Vietnam State Audit (VSA), he noted.

The theme of the 14th congress is Environmental Audit for Sustainable Development, which was proposed by the VSA and has been supported by the member institutions.

Also at the press briefing, the VSA introduced the brand identity for the congress which includes a logo and other visual information and communication tools.

The ASOSAI Congress is held every three years, gathering delegates of the supreme audit institutions from the member countries, regional audit organisations, development partners and sponsors.

Established in 1979, the ASOSAI initially had 11 founding members and its current membership reaches 46. The organisation aims to promote cooperation and friendship among its members to improve the quality and effectiveness in public auditing, while connecting regional audit institutions with those in other regions across the globe.
The ceremony was attended by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong, who is paying a State visit to France, and leaders from the two countries.

The logo features the image of a Vietnamese woman wearing a Non La (palm-leaf conical hat) and a red Ao Dai (traditional silk dress) holding hands with a French woman wearing a beret and a blue-white plaid dress.

Speaking at the ceremony, VietJet Air Managing Director Luu Duc Khanh said that the aircraft was in recognition of VietJet Airs contributions to promoting Vietnams image to the international community. Standing high from the profoundly comprehensive collaborations among Vietjet and French partners, we will contribute more to the development of economic-cultural-trade cooperation between the two countries, he added.

The ceremony was attended by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong, who is paying a State visit to France, and leaders from the two countries.

The newly added A321 aircraft is the 43rd of a total of 121 aircraft that Vietjet ordered from Airbus.

The aircraft will allow the airline to pursue its strategy of improving its services and expanding its operations to farther destinations in the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Australia and other destinations in the Asia - Pacific region.

Earlier, Vietjet also signed a comprehensive agreement with Safran-CFM on supplying 321 engines to power the airlines 148 aircraft, as well as on fleet management services, training, R&D programmes and technical management.
A US$60 million deal on supplying trucks and specialised cars and memorandum of understanding on establishing a dairy plant in the province were signed on the day.

Joining in free trade agreements has opened up opportunities for collaboration between the two countries, Deputy PM Semashko said, recommending that Belarus and Vietnam should set up more joint ventures based on the principal of mutual benefits.

The Belarusian Government chose Hung Yen as the location for MAZ Asia joint venture to manufacture and assembly automobiles and the dairy plant, he said, adding that it is considering the construction of a bus assembling factory in the province.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Do Tien Sy lauded Belaruss socio-economic achievements, especially in automobile industry, agriculture and dairy and farm produce processing, expressing his hope that Belarus will land more high-tech projects in the province to boost its development.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Nguyen Van Phong said that the province is focusing on developing infrastructure and industrial parks to lure more investments.

Currently, the province is home to 11 industrial parks, accommodating over 1,700 domestic and foreign projects, he said.

Phong suggested the Belarusian side invest in a fertiliser plant in the province while creating favourable conditions for Hung Yen to ship its agricultural products to the nation.

Hung Yen will create optimal conditions and adopt preferential policies so that Belarusian projects can become operational soon, he stressed.

On the occasion, Deputy PM Semashko and his working delegation visited the factory of MAZ Asia joint venture, which is under construction in Kim Dong district.
After three years of negotiations, public hearings, threats of lawsuits, and a lot of changes, the Brighton Town Board finally gave major approval to the Whole Foods project.

The Town Board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the project's environmental impact study and the incentive zoning application.

The project, proposed by the Daniele Family Cos., is to build an 83,000 square-foot development that will include a Whole Foods Market and additional retail space in a Monroe Avenue plaza that formerly housed Mario's Restaurant and Clover Lanes bowling alley.

Recent revisions reduced the overall size of the project by 6,300 square-feet. The original proposal was at 90,000 square-foot.

Residents who opposed the project said they were upset that the Town Board added items to the agenda less than 24 hours before the meeting began, according to the Democrat & Chronicle.

The Clover/Allens Creek Neighborhood Association protested the increased traffic and size of the project. They filed a lawsuit this year involving the section of the Auburn Trail that runs behind the property.

Save Monroe Avenue, a business advocacy group, decried the project's size and potential traffic volume. They believe it would negatively impact the quality of life and other businesses within the Brighton community.

Anthony Daniele speaks on behalf of the project following the Incentive Zoning approval @DandC #ROC pic.twitter.com/TJ9ZFJpp1u  Lauren Peace (@LaurenMPeace) March 29, 2018

The developers have committed to not seek any tax breaks from the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency, according to WHEC. Anthony Daniele says it's a win for everybody, although they could still face a possible lawsuit from competing businesses.

"I think it would be a mistake to try to file a lawsuit at this point. I think this community is well aware of the fact that competition is good. Choices are good. We're committed to making this thing happen," said Daniele. "The town has said 'yes,' we need the community to say 'yes' so that we can move forward with this project."

The project now goes to the Town Planning Board for site approval.

Last year, Whole Foods Market opened its first store in western New York in Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo.
Granma, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Cuba and the biggest daily in the country, ran an article by Marta Rojas Rodriguez featuring the past struggle for national liberation of the Vietnamese people and the role of late President Ho Chi Minh in the worlds progressive movements.

Rodriguez, a retired reporter who worked in Vietnam and visited the southern battlefield, also recalled the sentiments of Cuban national hero Jose Marti towards Vietnam, and her fond memories of President Ho Chi Minh.

Meanwhile, the Prensa Latina News Agency featured interviews with Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen Trung Thanh and Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres.

The diplomats agreed that Party General Secretary Trongs visit will be a historical milestone in the relationship between Vietnam and Cuba.

The visit helps to carry forward relations while opening up new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries, especially in the economy, the ambassadors said.

Additionally, Prensa Latina published several articles by its correspondents in Vietnams capital Hanoi, highlighting the achievements Vietnam has recorded in the Doi Moi (Renewal) process.

Vietnam and Party General Secretary Trongs Cuba visit also made headlines on major television and radio channels, dailies, and e-newspapers of Cuba.

The Vietnamese leaders visit is made at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cubas Central Committee and President of the Councils of State and Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.

This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passing of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and the Vietnamese Party chiefs first visit to Latin-America following the 12th National Congress of the CPV the same year.
Force India says it is still working on its 2018 car, after a difficult start in Melbourne.

Despite finishing fourth overall in 2016 and 2017, the Silverstone based team has fallen behind the highly competitive midfield this year.

But technical boss Andy Green told Auto Motor und Sport: "Not everything has arrived yet.

"We still have a problem from the apex to the corner exit right now."

Deputy boss Bob Fernley agrees that Force India is still working to improve the new car.

"It will take two to three races to understand the package. We will have a new wing in Bahrain."

And driver Sergio Perez said: "We will soon be back in a position to fight for points."

Explaining the difficult start, Fernley said one factor is engine power.

"Compared to Melbourne 2017, the Mercedes teams improved by an average of 1.1 seconds. Unfortunately, the Renault teams have improved by 1.6 seconds. And thats exactly who are opponents are."

He is referring to McLaren but also the Renault works team, adding: "They not only have more money and people than us, but also excellent drivers.

"That makes it all the more important that we show the same qualities as last year  consistency, reliability, and good strategy. In 2017 we had the fourth fastest car in very few races and nevertheless finished fourth," said Fernley.
A wait of 245 million years, then 80 more

The Mandasuchus fossils were first discovered in the 1930s as part of a major palaeontological expedition to East Africa, which included work on a geological formation in Tanzania called the Manda Beds.

The fossils in these beds date from the Middle Triassic period, around 247-242 million years ago. This was a time when the archosaurs - a reptile group containing dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and their crocodilian relatives like Mandasuchus - began their rise to dominance.

Alan Charig (1927-1997) proposed the name Mandasuchus for this species in the 1950s, when he studied the Tanzanian fossils as part of his PhD thesis. Charig continued his career in palaeontology and subsequently became a curator at the Museum, but never completed his work on Mandasuchus.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Katsina State have arrested a 19-year-old girl, Zakiya Abdukarim, with ...

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Katsina State have arrested a 19-year-old girl, Zakiya Abdukarim, with illicit drugs stocked in her brassiere and other parts of her body.Also a Geophysics graduate , Mr. Iredia Austin, was arrested by officials of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for being in possession of 82 bags of Indian hemp weighing over 762kgs.The Katsina State Commander, NDLEA, Mrs. Maryam Sani, who confirmed the arrest of the 19-year-old girl, said she was arrested in Sokoto Rima River Basin area of the state with the drugs meant for sale to her clients.Sani added that the girl ran away from her village to stay with her boyfriend under the pretext that her step-father and mother wanted to give her out in marriage without her consent.The NDLEA boss gave the quantity of illicit drugs found in possession of the teenage girl to be 14.4grams of Tramadol, 14.8grams of Exol-5 and 2.4grams of D5.Interacting with the teenage girl, she said her boyfriend, Abdulsalam, asked her to keep the drugs in her possession that he forgot something at home and he needed to pick it up.The drugs are for my boyfriend, Abdulsalam. I met him around the motor park here in Katsina where he sells the drugs.I am from Tantagaria village on your way to Bakiya. I sell rice and beans.On that day, he (my boyfriend) told me to keep the drugs that he forgot something that he needed to pick up at home. He fled the house after I was arrested. They found three drugs with me. I dont know the names of the drugs. I dont take it, the teenage girl, Zakiya Abdulkarim stated.On the arrest of the graduate, Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Buba Wakawa, in a statement in Benin, disclosed that the hard drug was discovered inside the ceiling of his house at Ohiomah Street, Iyeu Otuo in Owan East Local Government Area of the state.Meanwhile, the suspect in his statement said that he bought the drugs for sale in order to get enough money to sponsor his Masters Degree programme.The suspect during interrogation claimed ownership of the drugs saying that this is the largest quantity of drugs he has purchased in a single transaction.He said: I studied Geophysics at Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma and completed my National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in January 2018. I started selling cannabis in 2011 when I gained admission into the university. This is because I have no one to help me financially.After my graduation, I stopped selling cannabis but the temptation arose when I purchased form for my Masters Degree programme at the University of Port Harcourt.
The Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Thursday that a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Robert Azibaola, had a case to answer in respect of two charges involving $40m which he was accused of receiving fraudulently from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014.The judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, ordered him and his company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, to enter their defence in respect of the two counts.Ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defendants, Justice Dimgba, however, struck out the name of Azibaolas wife, Stella, from the two charges.The court upheld the no-case submission in relation to Counts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.In striking out the seven counts, the court ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to warrant defendants to enter their defence against the seven counts.However, the court ruled that while the EFCC had led sufficient evidence linking Azibaola and the company to counts 2 and 3, it failed to connect the wife, Stella to the two charges.He said, On the strength of the evidence adduced, I see no sufficient evidence linking the 2nd defendant (Stella) to counts 2 and 3.I therefore accordingly discharge and acquit the 2nd defendant of counts 2 and 3.I hold that there is sufficient prima facie case against the 1st and the 3rd defendants.The no case-submission on these counts fails in relation to them and I therefore accordingly direct the 1st and 3rd defendants (Azibaola and One Plus to open their defence to counts 2 and 3.
President Muhammdau Buhari has arrived Lagos for a two day working visit. According to Bashir Ahmad, the Special Adviser to President Buhari on New Media, the presidents visit is official and he will spend two days in Lagos.He equally stated that the president will commission some projects and attend the Bola Tinubus Colloquium #PMBinLagos #BTC10.Bashir also disclosed the arrival of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Lekki, to flag-off the Deep Sea Port project. This port will service heavier vessels & ease congestion @ Apapa Port & compliment the port. Its a public private sector partnership that will take the Nigerian maritime industry to the next level, he said.
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has described the planned two -day working visit of President Muhamma...

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has described the planned two -day working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos as ill-timed. In a release by the Director of Social Communications, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, Archbishop Martins wondered why the President chose to make the visit to Lagos at a time that coincided with the most important days of the year for Christians when they celebrate the events of the salvation of the world.According to him, in view of the large population and clustered road networks in the state, the closure of roads coupled with the ban of Okada on many routes, Christians who will be taking part in the Holy Thursday and Good Friday celebrations would be subjected to untold hardships.In addition, Christians who would also like to welcome their President have been put in a difficult situation of deciding whether to fulfill their religious obligations or go out to welcome the President. The timing does not take into consideration Christians in government'
Some travelers and commuters were on Thursday, forced to walk long distances to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to catch their flights, following restriction of movement around the airport vicinity by security operatives.The movement restriction around the airport is due to the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos.The President is expected to inaugurate the newly constructed Ikeja Bus Terminus among other engagements.As early as 5 a.m, commercial buses and other unauthorised vehicles were restricted from plying the Agege Motor Road, Airport Road, Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way and other link roads.Activities of shuttle buses and taxis within the airport were also restricted, forcing commuters and travelers going to the airport, to walk long distances to their destinations.The situation had also affected flight operations by domestic airlines, which had to delay their 7 a.m flights for about an hour to enable stranded passengers catch up with fights.Air Peace, in a statement posted on its Facebook page empathised with its guests over the situation.We empathise with our esteemed guests who are having a challenge accessing the airport to catch their flights due to the diversion of traffic at various points In Lagos.This is currently affecting flights out of our base in Lagos despite the availability and readiness of our crew to operate their flights.We urge our valued guests to remain calm, while we monitor the development and take steps to minimise the impact of the resulting flight disruptions, the airline said.Similarly, Arik Air, in continuous public announcements, appealed to passengers already checked in on its 8 a.m Lagos-Port Harcourt flight to exercise patience with other passengers yet to arrive due to the movement restriction.However, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs,Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), explained that the restriction on commercial vehicles was to allow smooth movement during the presidents visit.An aviation expert and a member of the Aviation Round Table, Retired Capt. John Ojikutu , faulted the early closure of the access way to the airport which caused discomfort to travelers.Knowing that most flights outbound Lagos are between 7 a.m/7.30 a.m, the closure of the airport that is built within urban developed area like MMA should not have come before 7.30 a.m.Access control for vehicular movement should have been limited not beyond the roundabout near the Forte Oil and the roundabout near the Bisam Police Station.The experience of passengers into the airport today should not be on the president as most people would want.Rather, on the state government and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) mainly and FAAN which could have jointly assess the impact of the visit to the airport on the public, he said.Two travelers, Mr Ejike Agu and Mr Augustine Iweh, told NAN that advanced notices should have been sent to travelers to enable them prepare for the inconveniences caused by the restriction.Agu said some of us are going home for the Easter holidays and it is not good that we are treated this way. It took me hours to get to the airport as I had to trek from Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.Iweh said he was lucky to get a cab driver who was able to navigate his way to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the airport in spite of the restriction.But it cost me N5, 000; At least, I got here without too much stress unlike some other people, he said.A number of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority personnel, the Nigeria Air Force, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have been deployed around the airport to beef up security ahead of the presidents visit.
The Vietnamese State leader recalled his memories of his visit to Belarus in June last year, while extending an invitation to visit Vietnam to President Alexander Lukashenko.

He expressed his pleasure at the effective implementation of agreements reached during his visit, especially the Vietnam-Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement that became effective in late 2016, eliminating 90 percent of tariffs and opening up new prospects in economic and trade ties between the two countries.

He lauded the Belarusian Deputy PMs bilateral working sessions with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities, suggesting that the two sides should maintain exchange of delegations at all levels, strengthen links in value chain as well as cooperation in production and exports, thus boosting two-way trade, cultural collaboration as well as people-to-people exchange.

President Quang stressed that Vietnam hopes to receive more investments from Belarus, especially in automobile and automobile spare part production, chemicals, and industrial equipment.

Vietnam will back Belarusian firms to engage in urban railway construction projects and create conditions for Belaruss industrial and engineering products to access Vietnam, he pledges, showing his hope that the two sides will foster collaboration in defence, security, and criminal prevention and fight.

He proposed that the two sides work closely in dealing with problems arising during cooperation in a flexible manner.

The Vietnamese leader said he hopes the two countries will continue supporting each other at regional and international forums.

For his part, Belarusian Deputy PM Semashko said that his visit aims to evaluate outcomes of the bilateral affiliation since the Vietnam- Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement took effect. He noted that he had working sessions with leaders of Hanoi, ministries, sectors and localities to discuss ways to promote cooperation projects in transportation, food and pharmaceuticals.

The Vietnamese and Belarusian economies can supplement each other, which will contribute to the growth of both countries, he added.

He agreed with President Quangs proposal on the settlement of arising matters during cooperation, especially the implementation of the Vietnam-Eurasia Economic Union free trade agreement.
The Parish Priest of St Christopher Catholic Church, Oke Odo, Lagos, Rev. Fr. Anthony Okoro, has faulted the planned visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos state on Thursday, noting that the timing was wrong.Holy Thursday and Good Friday are special days for Christians to reflect the Paschal mysteries. The organizers didnt take into account the nature of the days. I humbly conclude that such ignorance is not excusable and should not repeat itself lest, it gives room for interpretation, he said.The parish priest made this known via his official facebook handle on Wednesday.According to him, As a Lagosian by birth and as one who has spent all his life in Lagos, it is a thing of joy that our President will be visiting.This visit will draw federal attention to Lagos and will bring many more benefits to Lagos. On like Jonathans visit that was more of a campaign than a working visit.However, the visit was not well timed and should not take place on the most holy week of Christians. I am very sure the president, an ardent Muslim will not go on a working visit to any state on two of the most important days of Muslims.This visit has led to diversion of traffic, restrictions of movement, and other security measures put in place. In addition, the president will arrive on Thursday (Holy Thursday) and conclude the visit on Friday (Good Friday).These are special days for Christians to reflect the Paschal mysteries. The organizers didnt take into account the nature of the days. I humbly conclude that such ignorance is not excusable and should not repeat itself lest, it gives room for interpretation.I wish the president and Lagosians the best but I will be in church fulfilling my religious obligations. God bless Nigeria. Happy Holy week to all Christians
The Christian Association of Nigeria has called on all churches in the country to pray for the freedom of Leah Sharibu from the captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists on this years Good Friday, March 30.The organisation also reminded the Federal Government and the security agencies of the need to free Leah and other captives from the captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists.The President of CAN, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, in a statement by his Special Assistant, (Media & Communications), Deacon Adebayo Oladeji said the call for prayer for the release of Leah was in line with the Passion Week when Jesus Christ, with passion, willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of the world.CAN also called on all Christians to use the Passion Week to pray for the country to be free from all forces of darkness and for those who have lost their relations or property during the recent terror and herdsmen attacks.He said, Following the trials, Jesus Christ, though sinless, was scourged by the Roman soldiers, and then forced to carry His own instrument of execution (the Cross) through the streets of Jerusalem along what is known as the Way of Sorrow.Jesus was then crucified at Golgotha on the day before the Sabbath, was buried and remained in the tomb until Sunday, the day after the Sabbath, and then gloriously resurrected. It is referred to as the Passion Week because in that time, Jesus Christ truly revealed His passion for us in the suffering He willingly went through on our behalf.What should our attitude be during the Passion Week? We should be passionate in our worship of Jesus and in our proclamation of His Gospel! As He suffered for us, so should we be willing to suffer for the cause of following Him and proclaiming the message of His death and resurrection.It is in the light of this, that the leadership of CAN is calling on every Christian nationwide to stand in the gap for that innocent girl, Leah Sharibu, at 12 noon on Good Friday, asking God to send His angels to deliver her from captivity as He did for Apostle Peter who was jailed unjustly.Ayokunle said, It is high time security operatives lived up to the expectations of the people.They should stop all the terrorist abductions and the Fulani herdsmen killings or resign from their offices to give room for those who could guarantee our security and safety.Sharibu was among the 105 female students of Government Science Technical School, Dapchi, Yobe State who were kidnapped on February 19.CAN also called on the Federal Government to put every measure in place to facilitate Leahs release.The organisation also demanded that Nigerians should apologise to its former President and Founder of World of Life Bible Church in Warri, Delta State, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, over wrong accusation.Also, the Secretary of CAN (North West Zone), Sunday Oibe, in an interview with newsmen, on Tuesday, backed the demand by a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, that Nigerian should defend themselves against terrorists and insurgents because the military had been compromised.He said, The testimony from the parents of this lady (Leah Sharibu) and her colleagues was that her captors told her to renounce Jesus Christ and she refused. That was why they held her back; now, if that is the case, the question that we need to ask the government is why is it that it is only her that was held back.The duty and responsibility of any responsible government is to protect the lives of the citizenry. That is why we are asking the government that whatever they have spent to bring back the other girls, even if it means spending times 10 of that amount to bring her back, they should do that because failure to do that will give us the opportunity to read different interpretations and dimensions to it.If out of 105 girls and one of them is being held back because she is a Christian, then, we have every reason to be worried and the government too must be worried. The international community is also worried because there is no reason why this one and only girl should be held back.We salute the courage of the girl, congratulate her parents and the Church for giving her the correct teachings about our Lord, Jesus Christ. CAN advises that she should hold on to her belief. But the people who have held her captive should remember that Jesus Christ has never been a weak man.According to Oibe, who is also the Public Relations Officer of the Northern Elders Christian Elders Forum, Nigerians should apologise to Oritsejafor, the spiritual lens of God, who has been vindicated by T.Y. Danjuma.CAN said, Right there at the St. Theresas Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, when Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor told Nigerians to defend themselves, with the agreement of church leaders in Nigeria, he was using the lenses of God. Being a spiritual man that he is, Oritsejafor saw the danger facing Nigeria if terrorism and insurgency were not nipped in the bud. And that is why Nigeria is where it is for now. I cant sleep but Im still proud of my daughter, says Leahs mumParents of the released Dapchi schoolgirls have called on the Federal Government to step up action and ensure the timely release of Leah Sharibu, the only girl still being held by Boko Haram days after the insurgents returned the abducted girls.Also, Leahs mother, Mrs. Rebecca Sharibu, in a telephone interview with our correspondent said she had lost sleep since her daughter was abducted, adding that she almost developed a heart attack the day 107 girls were released, but Leah was not among them. Its not been easy but the grace of God is there for us. I cannot sleep since February 19 that they were abducted but I nearly had a heart attack the day the other girls were released and I discovered that my daughter was not released because she refused to renounce her faith. But that gives me some comfort, she said.On how she felt when she was told that Leahs refusal to convert to Islam was the reason she is still being held by the insurgents, Rebecca said she was proud of Leahs faith.She said, We gave Leah a sound Christian teaching which cannot just be swept away. She grew up in ECWA and she assimilated the teachings of the Church. So, I have no problem with her refusal to convert. I am proud of her.While praying to God for the release of her daughter, Rebecca appealed to the security agents and President Muhammadu Buhari to help in the release of her daughter.Buhari should come to my aid and not abandon Leah. He should do everything possible to ensure her safe and timely release, Rebecca added.Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Dapchi Girls Parents Association, Mallam Bukar Kachalla, told our correspondent on the telephone that the parents had sent a strong message to President Buhari demanding Leahs release.According to him, the parents are not demanding monetary compensation for the abduction and release of their daughters, but want the Federal Government to deploy the intelligence and negotiation it employed in the release of the other 107 girls and a boy for Leahs release.If the Federal Government can facilitate the release of 107 of our girls, it will take them less energy to secure the release of Leah Sharibu.We condemn the religious colouration being painted in the issue of Leah. We are all united as parents and our association is still intact and our message is bring back Leah to us.This is not an issue of religion. We are all concerned that Leah is still being held by Boko Haram. We are not concerned about religion here. Our primary goal is the safe and timely release of Leah Sharibu, he said.
Former governor of Lagos state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians not to accept the apology of the Peoples Democratic Party, likening it to the case of a thief who is only begging because he was caught in the act.He made the call while speaking at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium- an event organised to celebrate his 66th birthday.He said: "You looted, you wasted our money."Recall that PDP through its National chairman, Uche Secondus had earlier in the week asked Nigerians to forgive his partys misdeeds.
One of the suspects accused of importing 661 pump action rifles, Mahmud Hassan, on Wednesday alleged that Department of State Services (...

One of the suspects accused of importing 661 pump action rifles, Mahmud Hassan, on Wednesday alleged that Department of State Services (DSS) operatives threatened to shoot and waste him if he did not write a statement dictated to him.Hassan said he became traumatised and afraid and did as he was asked for fear of being shot.He said five fully armed operatives surrounded him when he wrote statements at the DSS detention.The suspect said he slept with his hands and legs chained, while he was blindfolded all through his detention except when writing statements.He was testifying in a trial-within-trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos to determine the truthfulness of statements he made at the DSS.Justice Ayokunle Faji ordered the trial-within-trial after defence counsel, Yakubu Galadima, objected to the prosecutions move to tender Hassans statement on the basis that it was not made voluntarily.The Federal Government arraigned Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Hassan, Mathew Okoye (at large) and Salihu Danjuma for illegally importing double barrel shortguns, pump action rifles and single barrel shotguns (firearms) without authorisation.Hassan, who said he went into clearing business after retirement from Nigeria Customs Service, claimed that Okafor asked him to clear a container containing steel doors as stated in the bill of laden, and that he did not know that the container was loaded with arms.
The presidency says the award given to President Muhammadu Buhari by the family of Martin Luther King, late American human rights activist, ...

The presidency says the award given to President Muhammadu Buhari by the family of Martin Luther King, late American human rights activist, was a commemorative plaque.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, senior special assistant to the president on foreign affairs and diaspora, said the award was not given on behalf of The King Center.





On Tuesday, pictures of the president being presented the award surfaced on social media. The award was given to him by Naomi Barbara King, a matriarch of the King family.





But commenting on the pictures, Nigerians claimed that the president was scammed into receiving a fake award.





The King Center further fuelled the speculations by denying any involvement in the award given to Buhari.





The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing, the centre wrote on Twitter.





@MrFixNigeria The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing March 28, 2018 AWARD GIVEN IN PERSONAL CAPACITY

Reacting, Dabiri-Erewa on Thursday said the award was given by Naomi in a personal capacity and not on behalf of The King Centre.





According to a statement by Abdulrahman Balogun, her spokesman, Dabiri-Erewa said Naomi gave the plaque to Buhari in recognition of his fight against corruption.





The members, led by the matriarch of MLK, Naomi Barbara King, were in Nigeria as part of the activities initiated to celebrate a low- key Black History Month in Nigeria as part of deepening partnership between Africa and its Diaspora, the statement read.





As part of the activities, they visited President Muhammadu Buhari and gave him a commemorative plaque for his fight against corruption and what they termed from the Africania Diaspora a term for Africans in Diaspora for which the oldest of them all Naomi.





Barbara King was selected to present on behalf of the family (NOT MLK CENTER) as a sign of appreciation to the Nigerian President.





LINK OF AWARD TO THE KING CENTRE

Dabiri-Erewa said the controversy started when Newton Farris, a member of The King Centre board, made a political statement.





Farris, who is a nephew to Luther King, was quoted to have asked Nigerians to be patient with Buhari, whom he said would make Nigeria a better place.





My advice to Nigeria is this, I know that a lot of Nigerians feel a little displeasure with President Buhari moving too slow on some of his reforms. I will counsel Nigerians to say give this man the time he needs to do the job that he is doing, Farris had said.





He is one of the most legitimate leaders that the continent has produced. And he would if you all just stick to him I assure you he is going to make Nigeria a better place.





According to Dabiri-Erewa, Farris was subsequently asked to refute the statement but he declined, arguing that he made it in a personal capacity.





As a non political group, he was asked to refute the statement , which he refused to, insisting that was how he felt, and it was his personal opinion, not that of the family nor the centre, of which he is a board member and was the Chief Operating Officer for over five years, Dabiri-Erewa said.





This may have led to some arguments among them, which they have said they will resolve when they get back to the US, which apparently led to the tweet being circulated.




On his part Mafindi Danburam gave a press conference in Jalingo, Taraba state on Sunday 18th March in which he complained that 54 Fula...





On his part Mafindi Danburam gave a press conference in Jalingo, Taraba state on Sunday 18th March in which he complained that 54 Fulani herdsmen, who were all members of Miyetti Allah, had been arrested by the police and that his Fulani people were being subjected to persecution

by the security agencies and indigenous political leaders in Taraba state simply because they were Fulani herdsmen and members of Miyetti Allah.





If the herdsmen were not Fulani and members of Miyetti Allah I doubt he would have bothered to say a word.





Not only was he arrogant and defiant but he also refused to express regret or offer any apology for the slaughter of thousands of Jukuns and members of the other local and indigenous ethnic groups that his Fulani kinsmen and fellow cattle-rearers have slaughtered all over Taraba state in the last few weeks, months and years.





Finally in his contribution, Garus Gololo said that his Fulani people and members of his organisation Miyetti Allah in Benue were responsible for the carnage and slaughter in the state and that they had unleashed the terror because some of their cows were stolen and because the state had passed an Anti-Grazing Law against their counsel and advice.





He warned that if that law was not scrapped that his Fulani people and members of Miyetti Allah organisation in Benue state would organise themselves for the second time and slaughter the people of Benue state yet again.





These are the type of people and the sort of mindset that some useful idiots are attempting to defend. And when these Fulani leaders not only confirmed that the murderers and genocidal maniacs were their people but aso attempted to rationalise and defend their shameless actions people like Omokri, Momoh and all the other useful idiots and accursed slaves remained silent because they had heard their masters voice.





It was only after Atiku Abubakar attempted to deceive Nigerians by weaving the self-serving lie that the terrorist herdsmen are not Fulani and when others, including yours truly, challenged him and told him to stop being economical with the truth that they crawled out of their woodwok and started complaining, whining and opening their big mouths.





They popped out of nowhere like the shameless cheerleders that they are and, like clowns in a paupers circus, started spouting rubbish.





I can understand the attempt to deceive us about the true identity of the terrorists coming from a Fulani like Atiku Abubakar who is clearly ashamed of what his people are doing and who understands its implications for the Fulani race and for his own presidential ambitions.





I cannot however understand, appreciate or abide such deceit coming from non-Fulanis like Reno Omokri and Tony Momoh? This is made even worse given the fact that the former claims to be a Pastor. It is shameful and it is evil. Both of them are desperately trying to be more Fulani than the Fulani themselves and the truth is that that they deserve to be pitied.





Did they not glean anything from the inspiring and courgeous words of General T.Y. Danjuma. On March 24th he said,





There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course some rural areas in Nigeria. We must resist it. We must stop it. Everyone of us must rise!





He then said The Armed Forces are not neutral. They collude with the armed bandits that kill Nigerians! If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings you will all die one by one. They will every single one of us! The army facilitates their movements: they cover them!





He went on to say, The ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba and it must stop in all the states of Nigeria otherwise Somalia will be a childs play. I ask every one of you to be alert and to defend your country.





And finally he said Defend your country, defend your territory, defend your state! You wont have anywhere else to go!





Can anyone dispute all that this great and courageous man has said? What Christians and non-Fulani Muslims are suffering at the hands of the Fulani in Nigeria today is similar to what the Jews suffered in Hitlers Nazi Germany.





Danjuma is one of the most powerful, fearless, consistent, reverred and respected military officers in the history of our country and he has finally spoken. What we are going to do about it is now left to the rest of us.





We either stand up like lions and resist the evil in the land with all our strength or we sit down, crawl, beg, hope against hope and die like cowardly dogs with our tail between our legs!





The truth is that there is nothing that Danjuma has said that I and others have not said before. Nnamdi Kanu said it as far back as 2014 and I said it in 2015. Many insulted us, called us alarmists and laughed at us at the time. They are not laughing anymore!





In the light of all this some questions need to be put to the useful idiots in our midst and those questions are as follows:





Do we resist it and defend our land, territory and country by bending over, touching our toes with our heads, putting our fingers on our buttocks and spreading them wide open for the enemy to have his wicked way? Is that how to rise up and resist?





Do we resist by capitulating and behaving like slavish cowards? Do we resist by refusing to say who they are and where they come from and by failing to let the world know their true identity, race and mission? I think not.





And if any useful idiot and accursed slave is still in any doubt about who the killers that are carrying out these horrendous acts and this ethnic cleansing are and where they are from I challenge them to seek private audience with General T.Y. Danjuma and ask him. He is a man of wisdom and knowledge and there is very little that he does not know about this matter.





Those that secretly and covertly support genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder and that seek to hide the true racial identities of the animals that indulge in such cruel barbarity deserve worse than curses. They deserve to be hung, drawn and quartered.





And they have much to learn from the counsel of the great writer and veteran journalist Mr. Simon Musa Reef who said,





when you betray your people, you render yourself untrustworthy before the very people you seek to impress.





This is wisdom but sadly the useful idiots, blinded by their greed and their lust for favour, power, money and fleeting fame from their Fulani masters will not heed it.





They should visualise and imagine the killer herdsmen visiting their homes and as they are doing one corner with their wives, slitting open the throats of their daughters, sodomising their sons and hacking off the body parts and vital organs of members of their household they should ask them in Fufude whether they are Fulani or whether they are Chinese.





The fact of the matter is that these Fulani terrorists have slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocent and defenceless people all over the country over the last three years and these imbeciles and shameless fools are still trying to defend them, rationalise their actions, hide their identities and cover their tracks?





And they call themselves Christians? They are not Christians but slaves and useful idiots to the Fulani terrorists.





Worse still I suspect that they are under a spell. If Fulani herdsmen rape their mother in their prescence, slit open her throat, drain all her blood in the gutter and gut her with a 12 inch Bowie knife before their very eyes they will simply say thank you sir and still defend them. That is how depraved, debased and self-hating these misguided creatures are.





On March 22nd, one day after the return of the Dapchi girls and in reference to the biggest, most repugnant, most nauseating, most stomach-wrenching, most repulsive, most cowardly and most chicken-hearted turncoats and useful idiots in the nation, I tweeted the following:





Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and all the other useful idiots and accursed slaves have much to learn from a deeply courageous 15 year old Christian girl from Dapchi by the name of Liya Sharibu about what it means to be loyal to your faith and to be faithful to your God even in the face of death!





I believe that each and every one of the useful idiots and accursed slaves that I have mentioned in this essay and all those that think like them, including that fat, ugly, frog-like, pamper-wearing polyglot from Imo state, that poisonous little midget and bearded dwarf from Anambra and that corrupt, lying, pot-bellied, mentally-unstable eyeball-rolling creek Haramite from Rivers, also need to learn the same lesson.





God will surely judge them for betraying their faith, for supporting the evil, for attempting to deceive the Nigerian people and for defending the indefensible.





Every drop of innocent blood that the Fulani terrorists have shed over the last three years will not only speak against the physical perpertrators of the crime but will also speak against accomplices like them too.





We live in perilious times and we are in a dire situation. Yet regardless of the dangers we owe it to the people that we love to stand up for what we believe in.





Our saving grace is that for every foolish southern and Middle Belt slave and useful idiot there are hundreds of thousands of clear-thinking, courageous, sensible, rational and inspiring ones that know the score, that are servants of truth, that are prepared to call a spade a spade, that speak truth to power, that are blessed with a brave heart, that are imbued with an excellent spirit and that are as constant as the northern star.





Nnamdi Kanu, Asari Dokubo, Gani Adams, Charles Ogbue, Government Ekpemupolo (AKA Tompolo), Bosun Emmanuel, Aniko Briggs, Ayo Fayose, Tony Nnandi, Matthew Hassan Kukah, Musa Asake, David Oyedepo, Paul Enenche, Johnson Suleiman, Isa El Buba, T.B. Joshua, Solomon Musa, Daniel Wilson, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Tony Nyiam, Ayo Adebanjo, Ben Nwabueze, Pastor Chris Okafor and so many others are worthy of mention in this respect.





As an example permit me to share the words of my friend and brother Nnamdi Kanu which he spoke in February 2014 and which have proved to be prophetic.





He said,





As they campaign vigorously for elections you would think they are coming to grow the economy, enthrone justice, breed unity and tolerance and love for one another. No! They are coming to enthrone Hausa/Fulani supremacy, to reposition the security agencies by sacking all competent hands and replace them with their kinsmen in order to drive their ethnic domination of the south. The Fulani herdsmen will be armed and encouraged to slaughter us with impurity and their masters will protect them. They are coming to ensure that my people are enslaved forever. Those who do not believe me will soon see it happen before their eyes. The Fulani will take over the entire south as a continuation of their age-long agenda to Islamise Eastern Nigeria. They will brazenly seize our land in pretence of creating grazing fields for the Fulani. Then the conquest will be complete and we will become their serfs forever.




The Family of Late Martin Luther King Jrs Family has denied giving President Muhammadu Buhari a reportedly merit award on Tuesday, 27 March.According to Coretta Scott King, an American author, activist, Civil Rights leader, and the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. the award given to President Buhari was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of Martin Luther King Jr.Recall that Presidency on Tuesday disclosed that President Buhari received the family of the late African American civil rights activist, Martin Luther King (Jr), at the State House, Abuja and was also conferred with the 1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018.Eventually, all Nigeria local media carried the story, gripping on the presidencies report.But on its official tweeter handle, @TheKingCenter, the official living memorial to #MLK, founded by #CorettaScottKing to educate on nonviolence and build the #BelovedCommunity. #Nonviolence365. #Atlanta, it said The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing. @MrFixNigeria, it tweeted.Conversely, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the senior special assistant to the president on foreign affairs and diaspora on Thursday submitted that the award was given by Naomi in a personal capacity and not on behalf of The King Centre.In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday Dabiris spokesman, Abdulrahman Balogun, said that the award was a commemorative plaque to appreciate Buharis fight against corruption in Nigeria.Read the statement below:The members, led by the matriarch of MLK, Naomi Barbara King, were in Nigeria as part of the activities initiated to celebrate a low- key Black History Month in Nigeria as part of deepening partnership between Africa and its Diaspora.As part of the activities, they visited President Muhammadu Buhari and gave him a commemorative plaque for his fight against corruption and what they termed from the Africania Diaspora a term for Africans in Diaspora for which the oldest of them all Naomi.Barbara King was selected to present on behalf of the family (NOT MLK CENTER) as a sign of appreciation to the Nigerian President, part of the statement read.
Some parts of Nigerias commercial city, Lagos, have been shut down by the authorities due to President Muhammadu Buharis visit. Thou...

Some parts of Nigerias commercial city, Lagos, have been shut down by the authorities due to President Muhammadu Buharis visit.

Thousands of residents of the state are stranded.





Air travelers are also being delayed over the presidential movement.





Many now trek several kilometers to various destinations as major roads in the metropolis are blocked by military men and the police.





Buhari would attend the 66th Birthday of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, and also be at the official flag-off ceremony for the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Project in Epe.







He would also tour the Eko Atlantic City and inaugurate the Ikeja Bus Terminal, among other engagements.





Later, there would be State Banquet in his honour at the Lagos House.





Affected by road closure and diversions are Ikeja, Maryland, Agege Motor Road, Victoria Island and Ikoyi axis.





The Lekki area is also affected.

Lekki Toll Gate was blocked and commenters had to use the alternative route inward Oniru as well as the Lekki Ikoyi link bridge.
The Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, has congratulated Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) as he clocks 66 years.In a congratulatory message on Wednesday in Abuja, Dogara commended Tinubu over what he described as relentless commitment and sacrifice for democracy and track records of service, mentoring and outstanding accomplishments.Dogara described Tinubu as a dogged and rare breed politician who mentored new generation leaders for future challenges.He said you (Tinubu) is indeed an astute politician, patriotic leader and democrat of high repute who has track records of mentoring and supporting upcoming leaders to accomplish their dreams.I commend your courage in leadership and abiding faith in the ideals of democracy and the Nigerian project.On behalf of the entire membership of the House of Representatives, I congratulate you on this milestone and pray God Almighty to continue to strengthen you and bless you with good health and long life for service to the nation and humanity.Born on March 29, 1952 in the city of Lagos, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended St. Johns Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos and Childrens Home School in Ibadan, South West Nigeria.Tinubu then went to the U.S. in 1975, where he studied first at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, in Illinois, and then at Chicago State University, where he graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting in 1979.He worked for the American companies Arthur Andersen, Deloitte Haskins & Sells GTE Services Corporation and when he returned to Nigeria in 1983, he joined Mobil Oil Nigeria and later became an executive of the company.He was elected Senator for Lagos West constituency in Lagos state in 1993 and became governor of Lagos State from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007.He is the Asiwaju of Lagos State and the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, as well as national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday took a subtle swipe at former president, ...

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday took a subtle swipe at former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, over his letter criticizing the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.





Speaking during the colloquium in honour of his 66th birthday in Lagos, Tinubu insinuated the letter from Obasanjo to Buhari is bad belle letter.





According to the former Lagos governor, Somebody whos writing a letter these days, a letter of politics. As if theyve never been there before. Bad belle letters, dont worry. I dont want to address that today.





Recall that Obasanjo had, in a special press statement entitled, The Way Out: A Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement, came hard on the Buharis administration.





Obasanjo had faulted Buhari for been nepotic in his dealings as the nations president and dividing the country.




Speaking at the session, Agriterra Managing Director Kees Blokland introduced the centres activities and horticulture cooperation model between Vietnam and the Netherlands.

He said Agriterra gathers the involvement of manufacturers, researchers, businesses and government in flower production and trade, adding that it offers consultancy-training, experience sharing, access to bank loans and improvement of services for farmers organisations, as well as facilitates dialogues among farmers, government and businesses.

According to him, Agriterra sent experts to Vietnam and welcomed a Vietnam Farmers Union delegation to the Netherlands for training. It also signed an action programme on cooperation with the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance which was approved by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam.

The centres flower transaction floor now boasts 4,000 member cooperatives, including 450 international ones, attracts 2,000 consumers and earns EUR4.7 billion (US$5.8 billion) annually from export to 140 countries worldwide.

The floor records roughly 110,000 transactions per day and sells 12.4 billion branches of 20,000 different flower species.
Ex-Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has hinged his decision to run for the presidency once again on the need to rescue Nigeria fro...

Ex-Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has hinged his decision to run for the presidency once again on the need to rescue Nigeria from the destructive path the All Progressives Congress, APC, has set it.We all know what we have gone through in this country in the last three years. I can tell you throughout the whole of today that where the APC left us in the last three years whether in the education sector, health, or in the economy, we have been going down in every statistics. That is why I have offered myself to run for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019, he said.Alhaji Abubakar, who is aspiring on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was in Rivers on Tuesday where he declared his aspiration and sought the support of the Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike. He had said: Since 2015, we have not seen a 100 kilometres of road constructed by the APC Federal Government anywhere in the country.I have never seen Nigeria so divided along religious, ethnic and regional lines as a result of the mismanagement of the APC, adding that he is offering himself to set the country on the path of growth, after the serial failure of the APC.He stated that since 2015, the APC-led Federal Government has destroyed the education, health and infrastructural sectors through poor budgetary allocations and releases. The former vice president was accompanied by former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Enugu State Governor and National Chairman of the PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa and Senator Abdul Ningi.Welcoming Atiku, Governor Wike urged PDP members, irrespective of their status, to ensure that the march to the Presidential Villa was not truncated by disunity. He urged PDP presidential aspirants to contest within acceptable limits, as the race was not a do-or-die affair but a movement to oust the APC.
Sung Han died alone in his Burlington Township bedroom.

The 35-year-old South Korean immigrant and U.S. armed services veteran became one of the ever-growing number of heroin deaths in the state -- and was among 141 overdose deaths in Burlington County in 2017, a 70 percent increase over the 83 in 2016.

A judge on Thursday held Han's drug dealer liable for his death by sending him to prison for 12 years.

Jose LaPorte, 25, of Camden, must serve more than 10 years of the sentence before he's eligible for parole.

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina, who himself handled the sentencing, told Judge Jeanne T. Covert that it's necessary to "increase the cost of doing business for ... drug dealers."

And to "send a message that there will be severe consequences for carelessly dealing poison that is causing so many to die."

LaPorte was convicted by a jury in January of strict liability for a drug-induced death, and drug possession and dealing charges. He was facing 10 to 20 years in prison.

Covert said at the sentencing that she took into consideration that LaPorte did not have a criminal record.

Coffina, who was sworn in nearly a year ago as the county prosecutor, pledged to combat the opiod epidemic and has warned dealers that he will aggressively go after "purveyors of poison."

Also, a Burlington County grand jury on Thursday indicted Jimmy Flakes, 40, of Lawnside for strict liability in a drug-induced death in the heroin overdose death of a Marlton man in September 2017.

Flakes was also indicted on distribution and possession of heroin charges.

And this week, Leonard Hicks, 37, of Sicklerville, pleaded guilty to strict liability for a drug induced death in exchange for 10 years in prison. He sold fentanyl-laced heroin to a Marlton man who died from an overdose in November 2015.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Authorities have already said Raul "Omar" Quinones chased his girlfriend Elaine Jimenez down and stabbed her to death on a street in her Camden neighborhood Sunday.

On Thursday, in a tense, packed courtroom, prosecutors revealed she'd been knifed 22 times.

Quinones also confessed to the slaying, officials said.

At the appearance, Camden County Judge Edward McBride ruled to detain Quinones pending trial.

Quinones, 29, visited Jimenez at her Garfield Avenue home Sunday under the guise of picking up some belongings. But when he arrived, he allegedly attacked Jimenez, 37, and her 20-year-old son with a black pocket knife.

Elaine Jimenez. (Instagram)

Jimenez fled the house despite her injury, and Quinones turned his weapon on her son. Quinones stabbed the son repeatedly before following Jimenez out into the street where he continued to stab her, authorities said Monday.

Witnesses called the police, identified Quinones and said he fled on a white motorcycle.

Police found Jimenez at the intersection of North 29th Street and Arthur Avenue, bleeding from her mouth and neck, Assistant Prosecutor Peter Crawford said in court Thursday. Officers transported her to Cooper University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead minutes after.

Jimenez's son was also taken to Cooper University Hospital, and as of Thursday morning, had received multiple surgeries and was in a more stable condition, Crawford added.

U.S. Marshals found and arrested Quinones at his home late Sunday where he waived his Miranda rights and confessed to the slaying, Crawford said.

"This is a case where we have very, very violent accusations that the defendant has admitted to and confessed to," Crawford said in arguing for Quinones' detention.

Crawford also argued that detaining Quinones would further protect Jimenez's son, who is still recovering from his injuries. He added that the state had already collected strong evidence against him including witness statements, video showing Quinone entering and exiting Jimenez's apartment and his confession.

Quinones' public defender, Meg Butler, said that while the murder and attempted murder charges are serious, Quinones' entire family and his two children reside in Camden, which lowers his likeliness of fleeing.

She added that he only had one other criminal charge, from 2007 -- a third-degree weapons charge for which he completed a probation sentence.

McBride said that despite Quinones' connections to the community, the "extreme violence" of the crimes made him a threat to the public.

Another factor that may cause him to flee, McBride said, is the minimum of 38 years in prison, and possibility of a life sentence he would face if found guilty.

"For all those reasons, I find the state proving by clear and convincing evidence that there's nothing short of detention to ensure the protection and safety of others," McBride said.

As Quinones was led back toward a cell, a large group of his family, and a group supporting Jimenez became emotional.

They filed out of the court room separately, a security guard between them.

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Gun sales in New Jersey slumped after the election of President Donald Trump but are rising again in the wake of recent mass shootings, a sign that gun owners may again be concerned about tightening regulations, according to the latest data from the FBI.

Background checks for gun sales increased dramatically during President Barack Obama's tenure in office, but fell to a 21-month low after Trump's election, according to the FBI, which tracks the number of background checks performed by licensed gun dealers.

Since then, however, they have again been rising, most notably after the Las Vegas shooting in October that left 58 people dead and injured hundreds more. They remain at relatively high levels compared to the pre-Obama years.

"There's definitely a correlation between people's perception of gun regulation and their likelihood and desire to buy guns," said Joseph Blocher, a professor of law at Duke University who specializes in Second Amendment issues.

Blocher added, "There was a Trump-slump after the election last fall. People's fear of tighter gun regulations went away."

Federal law requires licensed firearms dealers to run a background check to see if a prospective buyer is eligible. The system doesn't accurately tally most private transactions, which can account for a big percentage of sales. Still, the data is a useful way of estimating total gun sales.

The state Assembly passed legislation Monday that would restrict the number of bullets allowed in a magazine, ban armor-piercing bullets and expand the use of background checks in private sales. The state Senate now must pass the bills before they head to Gov. Phil Murphy's desk.

The measures were met with protests by an estimated 2,000 gun-rights advocates.

"When gun owners see the clamor and hear the rhetoric, of course it makes them concerned," said Scott Bach, executive director of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and and Pistol Clubs.

That may be part of the reason gun sales have begun to rise again in New Jersey and nationally, as politicians in Washington, D.C. debated banning bump stocks or implementing other gun control measures. For his part, Trump briefly entertained the idea of some modest measures, but then appeared to walk back his support.

The push for greater gun control has gained steam after the mass shooting last month at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead. Since then, students from across the country have demanded action, most recently in a nationwide "March for Our Lives" demonstration. It's too early to detect the full effect the tragedy has had on gun sales.

Bach said that while sales and membership in gun organizations tend to ebb and flow with the gun control conversation, there may be a more steady and permanent interest coming soon because of the political uncertainty.

"Certainly now that there's a full-on press to repeal, it's gonna drive purchasing through the ceiling," he said.

Rev. Robert Moore -- executive director of Coalition for Peace Action, a pro-gun control advocacy group based in New Jersey -- said the gun control measures being debated were only about "keeping guns away from people that shouldn't have them."

"Unfortunately, I'm not in control of what people perceive," Moore said.

He said he was just as concerned about the daily epidemic of gun violence as he was about mass shootings. Gun violence deaths rose in 2016 after years of little change, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It's been extremely hard -- we once in a while get a success," Moore said. "The last big legislation was in 1994 ... the stranglehold of the [National Rifle Association] has dominated since then."

But Bach argued that the debate about mass shootings was a reaction to the actions of criminals that would have a negative impact on law-abiding gun owners.

"When politicians make proposals that target the wrong people, like restricting magazine capacity, they're under the mistaken premise that criminals will follow it," he said. "But the only people that will be affected by it are law-abiding citizens."

A note about the data: The National Instant Criminal Background Check System has published background check data dating to 1998 that includes background checks on gun sales and concealed-carry permits. The data here was scraped and parsed from PDF by Buzzfeed News.

Erin Petenko may be reached at epetenko@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @EPetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Rapper Fabolous turned himself in to police in Englewood on Wednesday after he was reported for an alleged incident involving domestic violence, the Associated Press reports.

Fabolous, whose real name is John Jackson, lives in the Bergen County city with his longtime girlfriend, stylist Emily B, whose full name is Emily Bustamante. She is a former star of the VH1 reality series "Love & Hip Hop: New York."

The 40-year-old rapper was charged with aggravated assault and making terroristic threats and released the same night.

Jackson posted a message on Instagram, accompanied by a broken heart emoji: "2018 tryna break my heart."

In 2011, on the reality series (see clip below), Bustamante, has who worked with her significant other as a stylist, spoke about her relationship with Jackson, saying she had issues with him not acknowledging her publicly or talking about her as the mother of his child. She said they had been together since 2002.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
A community's relentless push to preserve their affordable homes has drawn the support -- and a rare visit -- from a high-ranking official at the federal housing agency.

Lynne Patton, appointed by President Donald Trump to lead the New Jersey and New York regional offices for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, toured Newark's Millard E. Terrell Homes on Wednesday vowing that under her watch, the state is "no longer going to be the red-headed stepchild" of the region.

"There's no question that there's an affordable housing crisis in this country," Patton told NJ Advance Media as she walked the 275-unit complex nestled along the Passaic River. "I want to make it clear to the residents that every option is on the table and I'm here to listen to what they want to do."

For years, a group of residents at Terrell Homes have fought off efforts by the Newark Housing Authority to close the federally-funded public housing property.

Their fight has been at the center of Newark's debate over affordability and displacement. How can cities sustain its affordable yet aging housing stock amid shrinking budgets?

The long-neglected complex needs at least $26 million in repairs -- money the Newark Housing Authority says it doesn't have.

But there's new hope Terrell Homes will be saved.

The housing authority's new director, Victor Cirilo, is working on a plan to redevelop the property -- likely adding market-rate units -- so that residents who want to stay, can.

Of the 275 units, 196 are occupied.

"The preservation of our existing housing stock is without question one of HUD's greatest priorities," Patton told NJ Advance Media. "Affordable housing, mixed-income properties are really the future of the affordable housing space."

On Wednesday, tenant leaders led Patton in and out of the three-story buildings showing her the old clothing lines in the courtyards, the bushes that were plucked to deter crime and the newly renovated Riverfront Park, just a few steps away.

"Before the park was here, this whole area was nothing but desolate ... nothing but rats, crazy debris," said longtime resident Rosemary Horsely. "When the park opened up, oh my God, it was so beautiful."

Horsely reminisced about the parties and cookouts neighbors held before the buildings began deteriorating.

"I bet those were good," Patton told residents. "We need to figure out how to bring that sense of community and neighborhood back."

But many of the residents want to leave. Cirilo said of those who responded to a door-to-door survey, only 38 families want to stay. Another 56 want to transfer to another housing authority property and 83 want Section 8 vouchers.

Cirilo said the housing authority will relocate those residents and give them priority should they want to return after the site is redeveloped.

"This building by no means is perfect, the tour today is not a panacea, I think this is a step," said Bill Good of the Greater Newark HUD Tenants Coalition. "It's important to know and feel and see this community is worth preserving."

Hours after Patton's visit, Cirilo and a team of hired professionals presented a preliminary concept for Terrell Homes dubbed "The Village" that would add more than 75 new units of mixed-income housing.

The proposal, drafted with residents' input, would be phased in and include a senior citizen building and townhouses. The finances for the project are still being developed.

"We're all in this together," Cirilo said. "Attention from HUD absolutely brings a high level of hopes to the folks that are up here and to the redevelopment team as far as financing to whatever plan we come up with."

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY  Today's sentencing of a man convicted of strangling the mother of his child was pushed back to allow more time for the defense's motion for a new trial to move forward.

Nathan Williams III, 36, was convicted in September of the June 17, 2014 aggravated manslaughter of Marilyn Albizu, 33, who was found dead inside the Old Bergen Road apartment they shared, although they were no longer a couple.

Some family members of the victim had come from Puerto Rico for the sentencing and Hudson County Superior Court Judge Vincent Militello allowed them to speak at today's hearing.

Things got tense when the victim's brother, Angel Bonilla, said "I want him to look at me," as he eyed Williams who was shaking his head while sitting at defense table in handcuffs.

With anger welling up, the brother added: "We were bros for a long time. I want him to look at me."

As Bonilla continued to become enraged, a sheriff's officer stood between him and the defense table. Defense attorney Jim Lisa, who was closest to Bonilla, took off his glasses. "Don't put your hand on me," Bonilla told the officer.

"I know your anger and your pain but you can't address him (Williams)," Militello said.

After a few more words, Bonilla took his seat again in the courtroom gallery and apologized to the officer.

The victim's mother, Madeline Ramirez, cried as a letter wrote about her loss was read.

"She was fighting for her life, a life I helped bring into this world," the mother's letter said. "My daughter didn't deserve to be taken from us by a coward... He has no idea of the pain he has caused this family."

Ramirez said Williams was homeless when her daughter took him in.

The day of the murder began with Albizu telling Lenisha Murray, who also has a child with Williams, that Williams was with a third woman. Murray testified she went to the Old Bergen Road home that morning and found Williams in bed with Alicia Santana. Both Murray and Santana testified during the trial.

According to authorities and court testimony, Williams struck Albizu and then left the apartment. Responding officers issued a warrant for Williams' arrest and took a picture of Albizu that showed a bump on her forehead.

That evening Murray called Albizu's phone and a man answered, saying "Ain't no need to call this number anymore. That b---- is dead." The phone was on speaker and Tenyel Manning dialed 911 after hearing the man answer.

Officers responded to the apartment again around 6:30 p.m. for a welfare check and found Albizu dead. Police broadcast an advisory to be on the lookout for Williams' vehicle, which it was spotted in Newark around 11 p.m. that night, according to testimony.

Following a high-speed pursuit, Williams crashed, took off on foot and jumped from an overpass along Route 280 in Newark. Williams broke both legs and a hip in the fall. A gun fell from his pocket as he plummeted, officials said.

That night police searched the Old Bergen Road home and found two shotguns and a rifle. The Hudson County gun charges were severed from the homicide trial but Williams has since pleaded guilty to the charges and will face up to 10 years when sentenced.

The defense's motion for a new trial has been delayed as a transcript of the trial is being made. Militello set April 27 for a hearing to check on the progress. The judge said that if he rules against the motion for a new trial, he would consider the victim impact statements heard today when deciding what Williams' sentence will be.

Williams is already serving an eight-year sentence on federal weapons charges and offenses out of Essex County related to the pursuit.
He stole nearly a half a million dollars from a trust fund set up to benefit the young son of a man who died in 2001.

He ripped off elderly clients, stealing hundreds of thousands from investment accounts and estates.

When all was said and done, Joseph J. Talafous made off with $1.5 million in money he pilfered from clients, both young and old, over a 10-year span.

But the former Jersey City lawyer answered for his crimes today when he was sentenced to 26 years in state prison and ordered to pay full restitution, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced.

Talafous, 55, of Toms River, was convicted in January on 17 counts, which ranged from theft by unlawful taking to misapplication of entrusted property. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mirtha Ospina imposed the sentence today.

Between October 2004 and May 2015, Talafous stole from five different clients, including the boy who was only an infant when his father died. Talafous raided a trust set up to benefit the boy following his father's death, stealing approximately $461,000 from the account.

In a separate scheme, Talafous stole approximately $300,000 from the estate of an elderly Jersey City woman who died in 2009 without any immediate family. She had hired him to prepare her will and had named him executor of her estate.

Authorities also discovered he stole some $400,000 from the estate of a Jersey City man who died in 2012 and whose family hired Talafous as attorney for the estate, which included several life insurance policies worth a total of more than $870,000.

"Lawyers have a duty to uphold the law and defend the interests of their clients," Grewal said in a statement. "This prison sentence sends a strong message of deterrence that lawyers like Talafous who violate their duty and steal from their clients will be aggressively prosecuted."

During the course of their investigation authorities learned that between 2012 and 2015, Talafous stole $330,000 that was entrusted to him as counsel for the estate of a Jersey City woman who owned property in New York.

He also used power of attorney to make unauthorized withdrawals of thousands of dollars from the investment account of an elderly client who lived in Jersey City and from the estate after the client died in 2010.

Talafous failed to report the monies he allegedly misappropriated from his clients in state income tax returns that he filed for the tax years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The Supreme Court of New Jersey revoked Talafous' license to practice law in August 2015.

"Talafous stole huge sums from multiple clients, but he revealed the true depth of his depravity when he stole nearly half a million dollars that had been placed in trust to provide for a child who lost his father," said Elie Honig, director of the Division of Criminal Justice.

"This prison sentence is just punishment for his callous betrayal."
JERSEY CITY  While serving as the Archbishop of Indianapolis, Cardinal Joseph Tobin remembers a town in eastern Indiana that saw 24 overdoses in 20 days.

Then there was a small town with a population of 2,200 where 10 percent of its residents were HIV positive because of the needles they were using the inject their drugs.

Tobin, whose has served at the Archbishop of Newark since 2016, shared candidly some of the issues caused by substance at the annual prisoner re-entry conference organized by ex-Gov. Jim McGreevey at Saint Peter's University.

This year's discussion centered around the opioid and fentanyl crisis plaguing the nation. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates 116 people die each day from opioid related overdoses.

Tobin touched on his own struggle with alcoholism decades ago and how he "wrestled" with God's will. He beat his addiction "one day at a time" and carries a 30-year coin in his pocket next to his rosary beads. He also shared a story of a teen in his parish who he noticed was dealing drugs. The man is now serving a life sentence in jail with no chance at parole.

"The message I want to bring to you today and to our world is that we're connected," Tobin said. "We're connected not simply in our concern for others, we're connected in our suffering, and we're connected in despair, and finally we're connected in hope because we realize what God intends for us."

Some of the other speakers included N.J. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who said everyone needs to work together to find a solution to crisis that kills upwards of 2,000 New Jerseyans each year and requires 10,000 Narcan deployments annually, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and New Jersey's first lady, Tammy Murphy, wife of Gov. Phil Murphy.

Tammy Murphy said President Donald Trump's call for tougher penalties for drug offenses "draconian" and he should be focusing on options for care and rehabilitation.

McGreevey joked with the first lady when thanking her for attending, saying there were issues with her husband's budget. NJ Advance Media reported earlier this week the proposed budget has no funding for McGreevey's re-entry program.

"She could have ducked but she didn't," he said.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- The Tuesday evening altercation that led to charges against two city police officers was caught on camera at a local Domino's.

Video obtained by NBC New York shows officers Rodney Clark and Courtney Solomon enter the Communipaw Avenue take-out and approach the counter before a manager emerges from the kitchen area.

One of the officers walks up to the manager, who NBC identified as Mena Kirolos, and gets in his face. The second officer then grabs Kirolos and pushes him toward the wall, the security camera footage shows.

In separate video filmed by employees at the store, Kirolos is seen holding a pen in his hand and telling the officers not to touch him. The officers tell him to calm down because they are just trying to have a conversation with him and the dispute moves outside the building.

It's unclear how long after the dispute began that employees started filming.

The officers, who were on duty at the time of the incident, were charged with making terroristic threats, disorderly persons, and harassment.

Both officers have been suspended without pay. City officials did not return a request for comment and the police union said it would not comment on the incident.

Clark and Solomon are due in court April 10.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
They shared the view that since the establishment of bilateral strategic partnership in 2013, Vietnam and Singapore have witnessed the effective development of bilateral ties in a range of fields from politics, defence-security, to economy, trade, investment, education and people-to-people exchange.

Singapore is the third largest investor in Vietnam with nearly 2,000 projects worth US$42 billion, nearly two-fold increase from that recorded since the upgrade of bilateral ties to strategic partnership level, mostly contributed by eight Vietnam  Singapore Industrial Parks based in Vietnam.

New progresses have been seen in defence-security ties, especially in the exchange of naval vessels, counter-terrorism and cyber security. Increasing cultural collaboration and people-to-people exchange have contributed to raising mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The two officials vowed to continue maintaining trustworthy political ties between the two countries, jointly celebrate the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the fifth anniversary of strategic partnership, with a focus on cultural activities and people-to-people exchange, increasing the exchange of high-level delegations via the Party, Government, State, National Assembly channels.

They underscored the need to make new highlights in the fields of defence-security, trade-investment, education-training, labour and science-technology, and boost coordination between naval and air forces, army medical corps, in search and rescue and defence technology.

Singapore committed to increasing investment in Vietnam in energy, urban development and building a network of smart cities.

Both sides pledged to work closely together at regional and global forums, especially at ASEAN. The Vietnamese side spoke highly of Singapores efforts and initiatives in its position as ASEAN Chair 2018 and supported ASEANs theme of resilience and innovation.

They agreed that ASEAN needs to uphold the spirit of resilience in every aspect on the back of its common principles and commitments, maintain solidarity and central role in regional strategic issues.

Singapore promised to continue promoting cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region in its role as ASEAN Chair and help Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam narrow development gap during integration.

The same day, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung hosted a reception for Chee Wee Kiong and discussed issues of shared concern.

The next political consultation is scheduled to be held in Singapore in 2019.
BAYONNE -- Large swaths of the city have been designated as "opportunity zones," which officials hope will spur investment in the city through federal tax incentives.

Mayor Jimmy Davis announced in a Facebook post last week that portions of each of Bayonne's three wards have been designated as "opportunity zones," a community development program established as a provision in the federal tax law passed last year. The program uses tax incentives to steer investment into these designated tracts of land.

The provision was included in the tax law by South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and was sponsored by Sen. Cory Booker.

"Thank you Senator Cory Booker for getting this inserted in Trump's Tax plan! This is a potential big benefit to Bayonne!" Davis said in the post.

Through this tax provision, investors like banks or hedge funds can create opportunity funds to develop new business in these designated areas, or expand existing commercial or real estate development by tapping into unrealized capital gains.

According to The New York Times, there are more than $2 trillion in unrealized capital gains on individual and corporate balance sheets in the United States.

While profits from the sale of mutual funds or stocks are normally taxed as capital gains and incur a 20 percent federal tax plus a 3.8 percent surtax, the new law offers investors the chance to roll those unrealized gains into an Opportunity Fund and defer the federal taxes, "at least temporarily," the Times reported.

The longer an investor retains funds, the more tax benefits they are eligible for. The areas were selected and inserted into the bill from a pool of low-income and high-poverty census tracts, or areas that have median household income levels and poverty rates sitting below the national average.

The city has not yet received word of which areas will officially receive this designation, but did confirm that areas of the city will be included in the tax provision.

"What you hope for is to get developers to come into these low-income areas," Davis told The Jersey Journal.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Former Vice President Joe Biden decried "naked nationalism and senseless populism" but steered away from singling out President Donald Trump by name during his speech Wednesday night in Madison.

One week after Biden drew widespread attention -- and a rebuttal tweet from Trump -- upon declaring he would have "beat the hell" out of Trump in high school, the ex-veep was more subtly critical in his remarks at Drew University.

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at Drew University on March 28, 2018.

Biden said he intended not to comment on Trump during his first year as president, but changed his mind last August after Trump avoided blaming neo-Nazis and white nationalists for violence at a rally in Charlottesville, Va., in which a woman who showed up at a counter-demonstration was killed.

"Some national voices -- our most important voice, allegedly -- drawing a moral equivalency between those dark forces and those who protested their vile actions, quote, 'very fine people on both sides,'" Biden said in alluding to Trump's initial response.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our children are listening -- our children are listening -- and silence is complicity," Biden said, drawing applause from many in attendance.

Drew officials said the sold-out event drew up to 2,800 to the campus, including former Gov. Thomas Kean, the university's president from 1990 to 2005.

Rosalind Marks, a resident of Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sitting in the third row with her daughter. When asked, both she and Lois Marks said they would support Biden for president in 2020.

Biden, while responding to questions from Drew president MaryAnn Baenninger after his speech, said he is not planning to run but hasn't ruled out the possibility of changing his mind.

"The honest to God truth, folks, is, at this moment, no," Biden said, explaining that he and his family are still recovering from the death of his oldest son, Beau Biden, in 2015.

Biden, 75, sought the Democratic nomination for president in 1988 and 2008. He was vice president under President Obama, who left office in January 2017.

Former Gov. Tom Kean arriving for the speech by ex-Vice President Joe Biden at Drew University in Madison, March 28, 2018.

In his remarks at Drew, Biden outlined his vision for the U.S. while drawing a contrast with Trump.

"We are living through a battle for the soul of this nation," Biden said in taking issue -- again without naming Trump -- on efforts to undermine the nation's judiciary, independent news reporting and federal law enforcement.

Biden offered support for high school students who organized nationwide rallies against gun violence last Saturday.

"These young people are going to change the culture of how we look at violence in America," he said.

Biden also addressed the #MeToo movement, stating that he looks forward to a time "when not a single women who is abused asks herself, 'What did I do.'"

He did not bring up his March 20 visit to the University of Miami, during which Biden referenced Trump's remarks in 2005, caught on tape, in which the future president boasted that his celebrity status enabled him to grope women.

In a video of his remarks posted to Facebook by the University of Miami College Democrats, Biden said that if he was in high school with Trump he would "take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him."

Trump, who is 71, tweeted afterward that Biden "would go down hard and fast" if they were to fight.

Earlier Wednesday, Biden appeared on the "Pod Save America" podcast and expressed regret for what he said in Florida.

Biden lauded his hosts at Drew, at one point praising the university for cutting tuition by 20 percent.

In an apparent reference to two-year community colleges, Biden said, "I am one who believes there should be at least 15 years of free education and we can afford it."

"We have to understand what built the county, and that's an aspirational middle class -- which is getting crushed," Biden said.

He concluded with a directive to the supportive crowd.

"America owns the finish line, so get the hell up, and take it back, now."

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The owner of a Lakewood business was sentenced Wednesday to 21 months in prison for running an unlicensed money transfer business that moved more than $6 million illegally over three years.

Yisroel Malamud, 54, of Lakewood, will be subject to three years of supervised release after leaving prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. The former owner of Beepers Plus will also have to pay a still-to-be-determined amount in restitution.

Beepers Plus accepted money from customers and deposited it into various bank accounts he controlled between from 2010 and 2013, authorities said. Malamud then transmitted the money to third-parties within the United States in accordance with their instructions and kept a fee for his service, authorities said.

Federal law requires businesses that transmit money to register with the U.S. Treasury.

Malamud pleaded guilty in February 2017 to running an unlicensed money transmitting business.

The punishment was handed out in federal court in Trenton by U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson.

In June, a law enforcement official told NJ Advance Media that some of the defendants in a benefits fraud case that resulted in 26 arrests transferred money through Malamud's business

Earlier this week, 159 Ocean County residents who improperly accepted Medicaid agreed to repay $2.2 million.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
By Edward Thomson

Would you take your kids to Disney World if you were behind on mortgage payments?

That's exactly what Gov. Phil Murphy is asking the Legislature to do in his budget proposal. He ignores the reality that the state is behind on its bills and in the middle of a pension-funding crisis. Yet, he wants to add more than $2.7 billion in new spending for his wish-list budget.

The governor laid out an ambitious and costly agenda in his recent budget address that includes expanding access to pre-K programs, increasing funding for notoriously unreliable NJ Transit and offering free-to-attend community college. While these are all worthy goals, spending $2.7 billion while foregoing his promised full pension payment and other debt obligations is certainly not the way out of the state's budget hole.

Crucially, the budget will only exacerbate our very serious financial woes, including our ever-growing pension crisis. And even though this wish-list budget raises taxes by $1.7 billion, none of that goes toward making a full payment. Our pension crisis remains the 800-pound gorilla in the room and must be a part of any honest discussion about our state's finances.

The governor's budget proposes to continue former Gov. Chris Christie's payment schedule to our chronically underfunded pension system. Instead of fully funding pensions as he promised, Murphy is only contributing 60 percent of a full payment this year. The other 40 percent just so happens to be about $1.7 billion.

The scheduled payment does nothing to stop our pension systems from creeping closer to insolvency; it only adds to our nation-high debt.

In fact, at more than $120 billion in debt, New Jersey's pension system is the worst-funded in the country. The problem is getting worse as more public employees are added to the system and accounting gimmicks, such as an overestimated rate of return, make the system seem better than it is. In a few years, pension and health benefits will consume nearly a quarter of our state budget, leaving no room for the governor's wish list of new spending.

Because Murphy served as the head of the 2005 panel on pension and benefit reform, he knows how bad the crisis was more than a decade ago. Clearly, he is very aware that 13 years later, our pension crisis has worsened and now threatens the financial health of our entire state.

He even recognized some of the other challenges facing our state in his budget remarks. Our nation-high property taxes are forcing residents to flee in droves for more affordable locations. The opioid crisis continues to ensnare too many of our families, friends and neighbors. School districts throughout the state, especially suburban schools, are being forced to do more with less while receiving meager amounts of state aid under a failed and inequitable funding formula.

Each of these important issues warrants thorough consideration and substantial investment. But these issues will receive scant attention -- and minimal financial support -- in the future as a result of the governor's focus on new spending items rather than fixing the pension crisis.

The budget message was a great opportunity for the governor to demonstrate his priorities for the upcoming year and show he is truly committed to tackling the many problems that plague our state and deserve our full attention. Unfortunately, the message delivered was that our governor is more committed to new initiatives than fully meeting the financial obligations that threaten New Jersey's fiscal health for years to come.

The governor isn't going to pay the mortgage, but he will try to take the state to Disney World.

Assemblyman Edward Thomson, R-Monmouth, represents the 30th Legislative District. A federally approved pension actuary since 1987, Thomson administers more than 500 pension plans nationwide.

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There was never any point in creating a medical marijuana program in which the chief aim was to prevent it from serving the chronically ill and those who didn't fit inside some bureaucrat's arbitrary box of maladies.

But that's what New Jersey has had for eight years, so Gov. Murphy kept a campaign promise Tuesday, taking the shackles off the MMP and converting it from a cruel tease to an embrace of humanity.

"We will have a medical marijuana program that is compassionate," the governor said, "that, at long last, meets the needs of patients."

Amen. For eight years, his predecessor tried to smother the program in its crib, setting up barriers that "stifled the law's ability to help and imparted a stigma on those who sought to use medical marijuana and the doctors willing to prescribe it," as Murphy put it.

It was perhaps the most inscrutable part of Chris Christie's legacy - even when he was gripped by presidential ambition - and now it is buried like a shameful lie.

With the stroke of a pen, Murphy is bringing relief to perhaps hundreds of thousands more people who had endured ceaseless pain because their government had used the MMP like a political weapon.

And the extraordinary thing about this expansion is that every component is common sense.

Five more qualifying conditions have been added to the program, including migraines, anxiety, Tourette's syndrome and chronic pain from joints and limbs and internal organs. Patients can register for $100 instead of $200, with fees as low as $20 for veterans and seniors. Our six state dispensaries will be allowed to add satellite locations to meet growing demand. And doctors will no longer have to put their names on a registry unless they choose to.

The Legislature, meanwhile, must tackle its own procession of no-brainers.

The monthly limit must be increased, and there should be no limit for patients in hospice care. There should be access to edibles, which has been provided only to children but never before to seniors who can't tolerate smoke, an absurd inconsistency. Lawmakers should also get behind one of two bills authored by Sen. Joe Vitale, D-Middlesex, which allows dispensaries to become for-profit establishments and facilitate expansion.

There is much more, and it all adds up to unfettered access for people whose doctors believe can be treated with cannabis.

No one claims this to be a panacea, but there are controlled trials stretching from here to Geneva that show marijuana's benefits on pain and nausea and anxiety. This is not in dispute. Marijuana can deliver a form of relief that mainstream, billion-dollar health systems cannot, and as Roseanne Scotti of Drug Policy Alliance put it, "It is going to make all the difference in the world to those who need it."

The real difference, as any palliative care professional would tell you, is that it gives patients their best chance at controlling their illness. It enables them to manage their health - and their lives - by managing dosage and frequency, allowing them to step off the dreadful treadmill of doctors, pharmacists, and specialists.

Anyone with chronic illnesses knows what this means. Most of us will face some devastating moment when our bodies betray us, and the power to claw back some control will be the difference between going on with our lives and giving up.

Our government has granted that power to a few more of us, some of them near the end of life. If you live in New Jersey, you just received a dose of humanity this week.

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President Donald Trump should meet with Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, National Security Adviser John Bolton and Army generals to discuss plans for military action on the Mexican border. The Eisenhower house at Gettysburg would be excellent location for this conference.

Mexico is a country where drug gangs murder elected officials, police, journalists and judges. Mexico would probably be better off under our supervision. The people there would be safer and they seem to want to be in America, anyway. We could liberate them from the drug gangs.

Also, there's a lot of oil in Mexico.

In the new federal budget, there is a significant increase in military spending and a pay raise for the military. It's smart for Trump to get the military on his side. He will need the military's support when he fires Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating the Trump campaign and administration.

If Congress should impeach Trump, I would view this a as a coup d'etat. If this happens, the military should go to Capitol Hill to arrest congressional leaders. I would consider the nullification of a presidential election result as high treason.

The idea of a military intervention into Mexico would rally the generals around the president. This could suffice as a motivation to fire members of the so-called "deep state."

The date of Mueller's firing should be a surprise. I recommend June 21, the longest day of the year. It could be like the summer solstice ritual in Britain, when crowds celebrate at Stonehenge.

Lee Lucas, Gibbstown

N.J. road cost data have big asterisk

Luis Perez's recent letter ("How much did pols pad Gateway project cost?") referenced a 2014 Reason Foundation study that lists the average the cost of building a mile of road in New Jersey as the nation's highest, at $2 million.

Our state is actually growing into the bad reputation that this statistic has given us, but maybe is not deserved. The cost of a road mile of construction is extremely high in New Jersey, but the way that number was calculated is not clear to all who see it.

The biggest part of that $2 million is for carried debt that we must pay every year, which can be as high as 60 percent. Although the cost of labor is high, the number of projects under construction has fallen in the past five years, and we are finding more and more roadway and bridge failures.

Without the last gasoline tax increase in 2016, the state would have been out of income sufficient to run its roadway and bridge programs. I hope that better planning and staging is able to happen, so we never borrow money again for 30 years, for work that has a construction lifetime of 15 years!

George M. Lobman, Toms River

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

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A Passaic County jury on Wednesday convicted a man of murder in the shooting deaths of two men found in a burning car belonging to a "Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast member.

Gerry Thomas

In addition to two counts of murder, Gerry Thomas was convicted of aggravated arson and attempted robbery. He faces 30 years to life in prison for each murder charge.

Another suspect, Clarence Williams, 27, is expected to stand trial later this year.

Aaron Anderson, 27, and Antonio Vega Jr., 25, both of Paterson, were killed in the shooting.

Anderson and Vega were both shot once in the head during what authorities said was a drug deal gone bad in the early hours of March 17, 2017, authorities said.

The victims were found inside a 2015 Audi that had been set ablaze in a residential neighborhood on 28th Street in Paterson. The Audi was owned by Kim DePaola, a member of the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast.

Prosecutors believe Thomas was the driver while Williams was the shooter, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.

Police said the fire was set in an effort to cover up the crime.

Clarence Williams

The car was registered to DePaola and was driven mostly by her son, Chris Camiscioli, who had loaned the keys to one of the victims the day before the murders, according to previous reports.

Camiscioli had nothing to do with the murders, authorities have said.

DePaola, also known as "Kim D," has made frequent appearances on the Bravo series.

Speaking to TMZ in Los Angeles last year, DePaola expressed grief and shock about the murders, describing herself as "brokenhearted."

"These people have to be savages. I hope they catch them, and I hope they rot. You know, they will rot in hell. No matter what anyone does, they don't deserve to die like that."

DePaola added: "It's just a horrible, horrible situation. I'm brokenhearted, my son's brokenhearted. I spoke to the mother today, of one of the boys, and they're just devastated."

The victims were found in a car registered to Kim DePaola, who makes frequent appearances on "Rhonj." DePaola's son gave the keys to one of the victims the day before the murders in Paterson. (File photo)

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
New Jersey's trade unions stand to benefit from Gov. Phil Murphy's first budget to the tune of $10 million, the governor announced Thursday.

That's because the new governor wants to spend $10 million to help support union apprenticeship programs and other partnerships the administration has yet to detail.

Murphy announced his plans at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Edison for a new training facility for the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters.

"As you flip the switch on this new apprenticeship facility," Murphy said. "Please sign me up as your partner."

The governor unveiled his $37.4 billion state budget proposal, which calls for some $1.6 billion in new taxes, on March 13. Now it's time for Murphy to sell his blueprint to his base as he works behind the scenes with lawmakers to craft a final budget ahead of the state's June 30 deadline.

He was doing just that among some 200 carpenters and other officials on Thursday.

"New Jersey was built by union hands and by working together we will see that union hands rebuild it," Murphy said.

"We will provide support for apprenticeship programs like this one right here," he said, "Along with other union-led apprenticeship programs."

Some of the $10 million Murphy wants to spend on trade unions would go to the newly established New Jersey Apprenticeship Network, which would include the training facility he visited.

The funding would come from the $34.5 million in his budget designated for the Workforce Development Partnership Program.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday replaced Dr. David Shulkin, the former Morristown Medical Center president, as secretary of veterans affairs.

The action capped weeks of rumors about Shulkin's future in the Trump administration, especially after the agency's inspector general questioned a $122,334 taxpayer-financed trip to Europe last July.

Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, the White House physician, was nominated to succeed Shulkin, he only Trump Cabinet secretary to be confirmed unanimously by the Senate, and the only holdover from President Barack Obama's administration.

"Admiral Jackson is highly trained and qualified and as a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," Trump said in a statement.

"I appreciate the work of Dr. David Shulkin and the many great things we did together at Veterans Affairs," Trump said. "He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service."

I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018

....In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkins service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018

Until Jackson is confirmed, Robert Wilkie, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, will lead the Veterans Affairs, Trump said.

The executive director of Concerned Veterans of America, an advocacy group backed by billionaire energy executives Charles and David Koch, said Shulkin had become a "distraction."

"We are hopeful that this change will end the recent distractions at the VA and put the focus back on advancing policy that will ensure veterans get the health care and other benefits they have earned," said Dan Caldwell, executive director of the group, which favors increasing the ability of veterans to seek private medical care paid by taxpayers.

Other veterans groups oppose a rush to privatization. One of them, Vietnam Veterans of America, praised Shulkin.

"We will miss Dr. Shulkin," said Rick Weidman, executive director for policy and goernment affairs. "His commitment to veterans is quite genuine. If the same group of malcontents thart caused all the problems to begin with are left in place, there will be more turmoil."

Several Trump Cabinet officers have faced criticism for taxpayer-financed travel, and Shulkin was added to the list after the Veterans Affairs inspector general questioned the European trip.

The itinerary included Wimbleton tickets and plenty of sightseeing. The government watchdog also reported that misrepresentations were made to allow Shulkin's wife to travel at taxpayer expense, and recommended that certain individuals face "appropriate administrative action."

Shulkin offered a different take on last summer's march of white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville. One counter-protester was killed. Trump said there was "blame on both sides."

"It is a dishonor to our country's veterans to allow the Nazis and the white supremacists to go unchallenged," Shulkin, who is Jewish, said in Bedminister, where he earlier had watched Trump sign legislation making it easier for veterans to use their educational benefits under the GI Bill.

"We all have to speak up as Americans," he said. "We know that staying silent on these issues is simply not acceptable."

Obama had brought in Shulkin as undersecretary for health to clean up the scandal-scarred veterans' health system, which included reports that extra-long wait times at Phoenix VA hospitals were covered up while veterans were dying waiting for appointments.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
New Jersey has dumped its pension investment in a semi-automatic rifle manufacturer as the debate over guns swirls across the nation.

The $76.7 billion pension fund for government workers last week sold a $1.9 million stake in Vista Outdoor, the State Investment Council disclosed Wednesday.

Public pension investments in gunmakers have come under new scrutiny after a gunman used a semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle to kill 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine's Day.

It was quickly reported that the pension fund for teachers in that state held more than 40,000 shares in American Outdoor Brands, Co., formerly Smith & Wesson Holding company.

New Jersey's Division of Investment since identified $35 million worth of holdings in publicly traded firearm and ammunition manufacturers, investment officials announced at the State Investment Council's meeting. But the $1.9 million stake in Vista Outdoor is the only holding related to automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

In addition to manufacturing rifles and shotguns, Vista Outdoor produces Savage MSR semi-automatic rifles.

"We originally received our position in this company through a spinoff from another company we owned, and we had been selling that position down over time," said Christopher McDonough, director of the Division of Investment. "We've since fully exited that position, and it's no longer in the portfolio."

Officials did not announce plans for the remaining firearm and ammunition manufacturers, but lawmakers have shown interest in forcing the pension fund to shed those, as well.

Legislation introduced in the state Senate and Assembly would ban investments with companies that manufacture firearms or ammunition and would require the fund to divest any existing holdings within two years.

Bill sponsors said the state should not being enriching these companies "at the expense of the lives of many innocent people who are being murdered with firearms."

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
President Keita showed his warm sentiments to Vietnam as well as his admiration towards President Ho Chi Minh.

He said that he hopes Ambassador Tru will work to contribute to the growth of the Vietnam-Mali relations.

For his part, Ambassador Tru conveyed President Tran Dai Quangs invitation to visit Vietnam to the host.

He affirmed Vietnams wish and determination to further bolster partnership with Mali in all areas.

Earlier on March 26, the diplomat had a meeting with Malian Foreign Minister Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, during which the two sides discussed measures to boost the development of cooperation between the two countries in the future, especially in economy.

They agreed on the need to increase the exchange of delegations, and the completion of legal framework to facilitate bilateral cooperation. They concurred to resume meetings of the Inter-Governmental Committee, while strengthening collaboration between the two Chambers of Commerce and Industry in connecting businesses of both sides and promoting trade and investment activities.

The two countries will coordinate with and support each other at international forums.

Vietnam and Mali established diplomatic relations in October 10, 1960, just one month after Mali declared its independence.
Reports of hate crimes are on the rise in New Jersey after years of steady decline, according to new data released by the State Police.

The state's top law enforcement official alluded to President Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric in a statement announcing the new stats, but acknowledged the rise could also be attributed to improved reporting practices in an area that has long suffered from a lack of reliable data.

There were 417 bias incident offenses reported by police agencies across the state in 2016, according to the new report, up 14 percent from the 367 reported in 2015.

State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal told NJ Advance Media the 2017 numbers, which are still being reviewed, are expected to climb even higher.

"It's sad that we see bias incidents trending upward, but it's not surprising, given that we have political leaders in this country who encourage the expression of intolerance and hatred, or in other cases, ignore or countenance it," Grewal said in a statement accompanying the annual bias incident report.

Most troublingly, Grewal said, schools were the most frequent location of such crimes, representing 27 percent of the total.

"What we need to do, as individuals and as a society, is to push back against this prejudice," he said.

The newest report, which contains data through the end of 2016, found the groups most frequently targeted by bias crimes were black and Jewish New Jerseyans, who each represent about 30 percent of the total reported victims.

But it's difficult to attribute any single factor to the rise in reported incidents -- which mirrors a national spike reported by the FBI last year -- because of flaws in how such data is collected, experts say. While New Jersey has one of the better systems in the nation for tracking hate crimes, the data across the country is inconsistent and poorly vetted.

In an interview, the attorney general said there are likely several factors driving up New Jersey's numbers.

"The uptick, certainly, is reflective of increased incidents as we see this behavior become normalized and some of the rhetoric we're seeing nationally," Grewal said in an interview. "But it's also reflective of us better capturing data and encouraging reporting."

Officials similarly attributed a 43 percent spike in reported sex crimes in New Jersey in recent years to improvements in how police departments collected and reported data for such incidents.

Still, the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics has said hate crimes are vastly underreported across the country.

State officials in New Jersey have been collecting such data since 1988.

NJ Advance Media has teamed up with ProPublica and dozens of other media partners on the Documenting Hate project, a bid to fill in the gaps in bias-crime reporting that exist across the nation.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TORONTO -- Don't look back. Never look back.

That was essentially Giancarlo Stanton's advice to Aaron Judge following Judge's spectacular, historic rookie season.

"I would say not try to be better than he was last year," Stanton said Wednesday, a day before the Yankees faced the Blue Jays on Opening Day.

Stanton, preparing for his first game in pinstripes, spoke for about seven minutes to reporters during a press conference before the team worked out at the Rogers Centre.

"Don't try to compare numbers or compare where you were at this point last year," Stanton said he'd tell Judge, who finished with a rookie-recored 52 homers, second in the American League MVP vote and tops in the Rookie of the Year race.

"Just build off (of it). Trust yourself. Trust your preparation. Know you're going to do well and that you set yourself up to do well. Not worry about those side expectations or the sophomore slump or whatever you want to call it. It only exists if you put it in your mind."

Stanton, traded from the Marlins, is coming off a huge season, too.

The 28-year-old hit a league-high 59 homers and drove in 132 RBI while winning the National League MVP award.

Is it hard to just not think about the past?

"It just depends," Stanton said. "If you have the mental strength to have a season like he did last year, then it shouldn't be too difficult. But at the same time, a guy like that wants to be the best and pull the best out of himself. It's a happy medium there."

Stanton said he's going to try to take it day to day.

"You don't worry about the negativity," Stanton said. "You don't worry about, what if I do this? What if this guy throws me this? What if I have a bad series here? All of those what ifs are basically concrete. You've got to have a positive mindset to know it doesn't matter what he's doing. If I've done my homework, if I have the right preparation, it should speak for itself. There will be times but you don't worry about that."

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
The New Orleans Police Department is on the lookout for a woman suspected of stabbing a 17-year-old woman during an argument Wednesday afternoon (March 28), according to police.

Around 6:54 p.m., the unknown woman began arguing with a group of women in the 2900 block of General Taylor Street in Milan. During the argument, the woman pulled out a knife and cut the 17-year-old multiple times. The victim was taken to the hospital and the woman fled the scene, according to a police news release Thursday (March 29).

Police did not indicate how severe the victim's injuries were.

Anyone with information on the pictured subject or this incident is asked to contact Second District detectives at 504-658-6020.
An Ohio woman ended up in handcuffs after she inappropriately touched an Easter Bunny at a local mall and made lewd comments in front of the children waiting to have their picture taken, according to WJW-TV.

Police in Mansfield, Ohio, accused Ladonna Hughett, 54, of being intoxicated when she took her turn with the bunny at Richland Carrousel Park Shopping Center on Saturday (March 24).

A cell phone camera was recording video when she inappropriately grabbed the Easter Bunny and engaged in some "lewd acts," according to Mansfield Police Assistant Chief Keith Porch.

One of the witnesses called police. When officers arrived, Hughett was taking a spin on the nearby carousel. She had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol, authorities said.

Hughett was booked with public drunkenness.
A man accused in an early Saturday (March 24) carjacking on Frenchmen Street is also suspected in an armed robbery reported minutes later at a nearby intersection, according to New Orleans police.

Investigators on Wednesday said the carjacker, who was armed when he stole a black Nissan Altima in the 1000 block of Frenchmen Street, is "believed to be involved" in an armed robbery at Royal and Touro Streets.

The crimes occurred about five blocks apart, in the same area of the Marigny, and were reported within five minutes--the carjacking at 5:01 a.m. and the armed robbery at 5:04 a.m., according to the NOPD's major offense log.

Investigators revealed the possible connection between the crimes as police continue searching for the carjacker and the stolen Altima, as well as a woman considered a person of interest in the carjacking. Police have released video of the woman, who is not a suspect and is just wanted for questioning.

Earlier this week, investigators released surveillance video showing the suspected carjacker as he approached the victim, a 22-year-old Lyft driver waiting on passengers. See that video here.

As the victim waited, a blue SUV stopped in the middle of Frenchmen and a man got out and approached the victim's car. According to the NOPD, the man then asked for the time before demanding the victim get out of the car.

Spotting the handle of a black handgun in the man's waistband, the victim complied, police said. The man then drove off in the victim's car, headed onto St. Claude Avenue, police said.

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The victim's credit cards and driver's license were in the car, a black 2014 Nissan Altima with Louisiana license plate 762AKD.

In the armed robbery at Royal and Touro streets, police said a 26-year-old woman was in her car with her boyfriend when a man approached the driver's door. The robber pointed a gun in the boyfriend's chest.

The woman ran with her keys, but the robber took her bag with her phone and tablet and then drove away in "his vehicle," police said in a preliminary report.

The carjacking and robbery were among six robberies reported within about 19 hours in New Orleans, police said Saturday.

Anyone with information on the stolen car, pictured suspect or person of interest is asked to call NOPD's 8th District Investigative Unit (DIU) at 504-658-6080 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-STOP.

NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune's Hanna Krueger contributed to this report.
Sieur de Bienville built the first Orleans Parish Prison in 1721 at the current site of Jackson Square. And in the nearly 300 years since then, a nonprofit research organization's new report concludes, "the jail has imposed inhumane conditions on the people detained there" -- conditions that the report states have disproportionately affected black people.

Archeological investigations revealed the "fetid conditions" of the city's first jail, a Data Center report states, where "extensive rat skeletons" were found and where slave owners could house "recalcitrant slaves" to receive corporal punishment "at their master's request." Slave owners were also able to lease their slaves to the city, sometimes for an entire year, when they were housed at the jail and used "for work on drainage repair, levee construction, street cleaning, etc," states the report.

The Data Center report, released Thursday (March 29) links the jail's current poor conditions - conditions that prompted a federal consent decree aimed at bringing the facility into compliance with the U.S. Constitution -- "to the jail's historical role in New Orleans to explore the extent to which detention in the New Orleans jail has contributed to racial inequality" in the city today. The report titled, "The impact of 300 years of jail conditions," was authored by Loyola University New Orleans Professor Andrea Armstrong. It's the first in a series of reports the Data Center plans to release in connection with New Orleans' tricentennial.

Nearly three centuries since the city's first jail was used to house leased slaves along with pretrial and convicted inmates, U.S. District Judge Lance Africk, who currently oversees the jail's federal consent decree, described conditions at the former Orleans Parish prison as "an indelible stain on the community," the report points out. As recently as January of this year, corrections experts assigned to monitor the jail for Africk described drug overdoses, inmate deaths and disturbances there, concluding in a monitor's report filed in federal court that the jail remained "critically unsafe for inmates and staff."

The Data Center report, citing 95 research sources, details the history of detention in New Orleans, including the ballooning and shrinking inmate population, and the conditions at the many facilities. It explains that the first jail, detailed above, housed both pretrial inmates and those who were convicted, possibly explaining the origins of the misnomer, "Orleans Parish Prison." The term "prison" was used until 2015 when a new jail, dubbed the "Orleans Justice Center," opened. "Jail" is the term that typically refers to local detention facilities housing pretrial inmates, like the New Orleans facility, while "prison" typically refers to facilities housing convicted prisoners serving out a sentence.

Historical accounts such as the jail's origins as a facility where the city housed leased slaves are important, the report argues, "to understand the centuries of inhumane conditions imposed overwhelmingly on African American members of our community."

Citing last year's report on the New Orleans jail population from the Vera Institute of Justice, the Data Center's report notes that in May 2016, "Despite comprising only 26 percent of the New Orleans population ages 15-84, African American men were 81 percent of the jail population."

Jailers two centuries ago were given financial incentives to abuse inmates in accordance with 1807 Regulations for the Police Prison, the report says. It describes "mass whippings," that occurred at the facility then.

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It also details the jail's first federal consent decree, which went into effect in 1969, when a federal judge said conditions "so shock the conscience as a matter of elemental decency and are so much more cruel than is necessary to achieve a legitimate penal aim that such confinement constitutes cruel and unusual punishment."

Around that time, in the 1970s, the report states, the Orleans Parish Prison, housed up to 900 people though it was only designed for up to 450. Cells designed for two people "often held six to eight people." The report details the growth of the inmate population and expansion of jail buildings under former Orleans Parish Sheriff Charles Foti, noting that in 2005, 90 percent of the jail population was African American, "despite constituting only 66 percent of the city's population."

Impacts of jail conditions detailed in the report include increased exposure to infectious diseases, such as HIV; psychological effects, which studies have shown can surface "at even 72 hours of incarceration;" and loss of jobs or child custody. Those impacts, the report states, go beyond the incarcerated person to negatively affect families.

While city, state and federal legislation has focused on reducing the jail population, legislative reforms "have focused on the drivers and outputs of incarceration," the report notes. Those laws and ordinances "have largely ignored the conditions of confinement themselves."

The Data Center suggests a citizen oversight board, such as one that serves as a watchdog group for the Los Angeles County Sheriff, might better hold city leaders accountable for conditions at the jail and foster transparency. "Jail reform, whether through new buildings or judicial consent decrees, simply has not worked," the report claims.

The group, which describes its mission as using data analysis "to build prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable communities by making informed decisions," says improving conditions at jail "is a pre-requisite for eradicating inequity in our city."

Read The Data Center's full report here.
A man convicted of manslaughter in a 2015 shooting in St. Claude that left his 17-year-old friend dead was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

A jury convicted Albert Myles, 24, in February after a one-day trial before Criminal District Judge Karen Herman. He also was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to serve 20 years on that charge, court records show.

Herman ordered Myles' sentences to be served concurrently.

Myles was convicted of fatally shooting 17-year-old Kimante Washington in the 1900 block of Port Street on Feb. 12, 2015. Washington was a student at George Washington Carver High School, and was identified as Myles' friend at his trial.

Myles testified in his own defense at the trial. He told the jury that right before the shooting, he, Washington and their friend William London were leaving a convenience store when Washington saw men who had shot him in the hand the week before, in a car nearby.

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Washington handed Myles a gun, which Washington couldn't use because of his injured hand, according to court testimony. Myles said he and his friends needed to be armed because they all "feared for their lives."

Myles testified that the men who shot Washington in the hand cut them off with their car. Myles said the men then shot at him and his friends, and Myles fired back over his shoulder as he ran away, but struck his friend.

Washington ultimately bled to death from a gunshot wound to the neck.

Prosecutors argued at the trial that Myles should be convicted of second-degree murder: A video from the scene showed Myles firing but did not show the men in the car, and detectives only recovered one type of casing at the scene, which prosecutors said cast doubt on Myles' story.

London pleaded guilty earlier this month to being an accessory to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to serve two years in prison.
A man who escaped an Orleans Parish courtroom in the midst of his trial on domestic-abuse charges has surrendered to authorities after two weeks on the lam, according to the Orleans Parish DA's office.

Alan Boner Jr., 46, who was ultimately convicted of various charges, including assault and battery, turned himself in Tuesday (March 27) accompanied by his attorney, the DA's office said. He was booked about 12:30 p.m. into the Orleans Justice Center jail.

The court issued an arrest warrant for Boner on March 14, the day after he failed to return to Orleans Criminal District Judge Paul Bonin's Section D courtroom following a recess in his trial.

"The court took notice that after the state rested the defendant left the courtroom and never returned on this date," reads a March 13 entry in court records for Boner's case.

Bonin recessed the trial until the next morning, when proceedings resumed without Boner, who "failed to appear for trial," court records show.

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Boner's attorney objected to resuming the trial without his client, but Bonin opted to resume the proceedings under a law which allows trials to continue under such circumstances.

The jury deliberated less than 40 minutes before finding Boner guilty as charged of aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated assault involving child endangerment and second-degree battery.

Following the jury's verdict, Bonin in a separate bench trial also found Boner guilty of domestic-abuse battery involving child endangerment.

The charges stemmed from a March 4, 2017, incident inside a home in the 400 block of South Lopez Street, in Mid-City, according to the DA's office.

Boner's next court appearance is scheduled for April 2.
New Orleans police are searching for 27-year-old Anthony Terrell Simms in connection with an assault on Wednesday (March 28) in Algiers.

Simms and a woman got into an argument around 4 p.m. in a home in the 10 block of Westpark Court, New Orleans police said.

Simms left the home, but returned when he discovered that the woman was no longer there, police said. The woman's children told her that Simms had returned and was trying to break in.

By the time the woman returned to the house, Simms had broken a rear window with his firearm, police said. Upon noticing the woman, he began choking her, while pointing his gun at her and demanding a duffle bag from inside, according to police.

She told him where to find the bag and he fled with it, police said.

Anyone with any information regarding the whereabouts of Anthony Simms should contact any Fourth District detective at 504-658-6040.
>>> Party chief begins State visit to Cuba

The President Ho Chi Minh Monument is located in the 5,600 square-metres Hoa Binh Park on Avenue 26, Nuevo Vedado, in the downtown of Havana. It was inaugurated on May 19, 2003 to mark the 113th birthday of the late President.

Lazara Mecerdes Lospes Acea, Vice President of the Council of State and First Secretary of the Havana city Party Committee, staff and local residents in the Nuevo Vedado area, Revolution Square district were also present at the event.

Later the same day, Party General Secretary Trong met with the officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Cuba.

He updated the participants on Vietnams socio-economic development and achievements over the past year, as well as the goals and measures the Party and State are implementing to ensure the nations rapid and sustainable growth, and build a strong and transparent Party and political system.

The Party leader hailed the efforts made by the officials and staff of the embassy for overcoming difficulties and promoting solidarity and a sense of responsibility to fulfil their tasks, including their thorough preparations for his four-day State visit to Cuba from March 28.

They have made active contribution to effectively implementing the cooperation agreements signed between the senior leaders of the two countries, thus further deepening the Vietnam  Cuba special relations.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is on a State visit to Cuba at the invitation of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro Ruz.

This is the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the passing away of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz in 2016, and also the Vietnamese Party chiefs first visit to Latin-America following the 12th National Congress of the CPV in the same year.

Since the two countries first set up diplomatic ties in December 1960, their solidarity, mutual support and comprehensive cooperation have been continuously strengthened.
A man who was arrested Wednesday (March 28) in connection with a fatal 2016 shooting was identified by a witness one week after the incident, according to an arrest warrant.

Brice George, 29, was booked on charges of second-degree murder and with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court records show he previously pleaded guilty to drug-related charges.

George is accused in a June 16, 2016, shooting that occurred in the 6800 block of Tara Lane in the West Lake Forest area of New Orleans East.

David Williams, 30, was shot multiple times, police have said. He celebrated his birthday just days before his death, according to his family.

An arrest warrant for George says NOPD Detectives Robert Barrere and Daniel Hiatt interviewed a witness to the shooting on Nov. 23, 2016. The witness told the detectives he was outside conversing with Williams, "at which time 'Brice' emerged from an apartment and began arguing with the victim, according to the warrant.

The witness told police "Brice" then pulled out a gun, shot the victim several times, and fled on foot, according to the warrant.

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Barrere showed the witness a photographic lineup that included a photo of George and five others, the warrant states. The witness immediately identified George as the gunman, according to the warrant.

According to Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office records, George was arrested Wednesday in the 7800 block of Pyramid St. in New Orleans East. Arrest paperwork says he was employed as a baker at Gambino's.

At the time of his arrest, NOPD homicide detectives executed a search warrant at his house where they found a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun in his bedroom, according to court records.

George's bond was set at $250,000, court records show.

It was unclear if George had an attorney.
Three major Lake Charles-area petrochemical companies have agreed to pay $11 million to federal and Louisiana government agencies to settle charges that they illegally disposed of hazardous waste that damaged natural resources in part of the Calcasieu River estuary for decades, according to a notice in the Thursday (March 29) edition of the Federal Register.

Federal and state officials have been attempting to deal with hazardous wastes found in different water bodies connected to the Calcasieu River that were believed to come from the chemical plants for decades, according to a civil complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Lake Charles on March 22.

In early 1999, the federal Environmental Protection Agency formally opened a remedial investigation aimed at identifying the source of contamination that had been found in Bayou Verdine, Bayou d'Inde, Coon Island Loop, Clooney Island Loop, Prien Lake, Lake Charles and the Calcasieu River, and ways to limit its toxic effects to natural resources.

That investigation identified four areas of concern, including what became to be known as the Bayou d'Inde Area of Concern. The settlement addresses the contamination in that area.

According to the settlement agreement filed in federal court in Lake Charles on March 22, Citgo Petroleum Corp., Occidential Chemical Corp., Oxy USA Inc., and PPG Industries Inc. will pay $7.96 million of the settlement money into a special Bayou d'Inde Area of Concern Site Restoration Account. The money will be used on projects "that restore, rehabilitate, replace and/or acquire the equivalent of the natural resources alleged to be injured" as a result of the wastes released or that could still be released by the companies.

The companies also will provide $1.3 million to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and $1.7 million to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to reimburse the agencies for past assessment costs. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will be paid $62,914, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries will be paid $290 for their past assessment costs.

As part of the settlement, the state of Louisiana agreed not to press additional civil charges or administrative actions against the companies to recover any additional natural resource damages.

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According to the civil complaint filed with court at the same time as the settlement agreement, all of the companies or predecessor companies that originally owned their chemical facilities were found to have either improperly discharged waste into local rivers and bayous that feed Bayou d'Inde, or discharged into the waterways through permitted points at rates higher than allowed by then-existing permits. In some cases, wastes stored in unlined pits or landfills washed into the waterways or moved through groundwater into the waterways.

The wastes included a variety of toxic heavy metals, including chromium, zinc and mercury; a variety of toxic chemicals, including PCBs, hexachorobutadiene and hexachlorobenzene; and dioxin compounds.

"The releases of hazardous substances at or from the defendants' facilities in the (Bayou d'Inde Area of Concern) caused injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources within Calcasieu Estuary," the complaint said.

As part of the damage assessment process, in 2011 the state Department of Environmental Quality conducted a remedial action on four segments of Bayou d'Inde that included capping and removal of some contaminated sediments in parts of the bayou channel, and the capping of contaminated sediments in the Lockport Marsh area and in some fringe marsh areas. PPG, Citgo, Occidental, Oxy USA and by Axiall Corp. assisted in that action.

The public can send comments to the U.S. Justice Department on the proposed settlement for 30 days by email at pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov, or by mail to Assistant Attorney General, U.S. DOJ-ENRD, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, D.C., 20044-7611.

The comments will be presented to a federal judge in Lake Charles for consideration before the settlement agreement is approved.

The consent decree is available online at the Justice Department web site. A paper copy of the consent decree is available by sending a request and a check or money order for $9.75 to Consent Decree Library, U.S. DOJ-ENRD, P.O. Box 7611, Washington, D.C., 20044-7611.
The fight against an insect invasion that's killing coastal wetlands is receiving long sought-after help from the federal government.

Congress plans to contribute $500,000 to help control or eradicate the tiny Asian insect, known as a scale, that's been destroying roseau cane, a sturdy, erosion-resistant reed that holds much of the lower Mississippi River Delta together. The money was approved as part of the $1.3-trillion omnibus spending deal President Donald Trump signed Friday.

State agencies and university scientists have spent more than a year trying to find a way to halt the insect's spread and minimize its impact on wetlands already hard-hit by erosion, sea level rise, subsidence and other threats. The $500,000 nearly doubles the money spent on or committed to the research and response effort.

"This expands the scope and expedites our ability to obtain resources and do the research we're already conducting," said Hampton Grunewald, government relations director for the Louisiana State University AgCenter.

The money is earmarked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, also known as APHIS. Much or all of the money will be transferred to the AgCenter, Grunewald said.

The funding was inserted into the spending deal at the request of Sens. John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy and Rep. Garrett Graves. The appropriation specifies that the money should be used "to control or eradicate pests destroying roseau cane in wetlands near the Mississippi River Delta."

It's unclear how or when the scale, a native of Japan and China, arrived in Louisiana. It is blamed for damaging more than 225,000 acres of roseau cane marsh, and has spread to at least 11 parishes and crossed state lines into Mississippi and Texas. Large areas of dead roseau marsh in southern Plaquemines Parish are eroding or have already converted to open water.

State officials say the Mississippi River's busy shipping channels could be imperiled as river banks held together by roseau begin to erode.

"That impacts not just Louisiana but everywhere up the river into the Midwest," Grunewald said.

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There are also worries that the delta's vast network of oil and gas infrastructure will be exposed to waves and storms.

The state declared an emergency quarantine Tuesday for roseau cane and scale. The quarantine is aimed at limiting the scale's spread in wetlands as well as agricultural areas, where it is feared the insect may infest sugar cane, sorghum and rice crops. The AgCenter is is conducting research to determine whether any crops are at risk.

AgCenter scientists have been leading the effort to halt the roseau cane die-off. A large part of their work has been searching for funding to support their research and response plan. They've cobbled together about $300,000 in contributions from state agencies and money made available by the federally-managed Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act. The AgCenter has spent $250,000 of its own money on the effort. About $150,000 is sought from coastal parishes.

In July, Congress backed an appropriations bill that directed federal agencies to help Louisiana develop a scale insect eradication plan, but it came with no direct funding. Last week's appropriation is the first direct money from Congress.

The $500,000 "isn't the end" of the state's funding needs, Grunewald said. More money will be required to restore damaged areas and investigate other potential causes for the die-off. Flooding, pollution and disease may be weakening roseau, making the plant more susceptible to infestation.

It's unclear how the scale can be stopped. Insecticides would damage fragile wetlands and coastal fisheries, and burning the cane might put oil and gas infrastructure at risk.

Scale had been dormant during the winter, but scientists expect a population boom this spring and increasing damage across the coast's marshlands through the summer and fall.

------

Tristan Baurick covers Louisiana's coastal environment for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: tbaurick@nola.com * Twitter: @tristanbaurick * Facebook: Tristan Baurick and Louisiana Coastal Watch.
When Arthur Banks, 47, first heard a radio ad about a pill that could prevent HIV, he thought it was a scam.

When taken once a day consistently, the pill -- marketed as PrEP -- could prevent HIV in more than 90 percent of cases, the ad told him.

"I couldn't believe it. I went in and found out it wasn't a scam," said Banks, who has now been on PrEP for the past year. "For me, it made sense. I have an active sex life and I thought, why not protect myself? You never know what your partner has done in the past."

In a city that has consistently been in the top five in the country for its HIV diagnosis rate, health workers in New Orleans are pushing to expand access to PrEP, believing it's the key to preventing the new infections that have kept the city at the epidemic's forefront for too long.

In recent years there has been a strong marketing push for PrEP in billboard ads across the city and the state. At the state level, DeAnn Gruber, the STD/HIV Program Director for the Louisiana Department of Health, recently spoke about the state's marketing efforts of the preventative medication through social media apps as well. Additionally, the department is set to launch a program called TelePrEP this spring that will allow potential candidates to talk to a provider through an online platform so that they can get a PrEP prescription remotely.

"If there is an area of the state where the individual may not be familiar with the provider, or able to find a provider who is comfortable prescribing PrEP, it may save them from having to travel," explained Gruber.

Health workers say this multi-layered effort is necessary, especially in the South. PrEP adoption has lagged here compared to other parts of the country, even though southern states accounted for 44 percent of diagnosed HIV cases in the U.S., according to the CDC.

PrEP has been available since 2012, when the Food and Drug Administration approved use of the anti-HIV medication to lower the risk of someone getting infected with the virus. Taken on a daily basis, the medicine can reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90 percent. Among people who inject drugs, it can reduce the risk by more than 70 percent. It works by blocking the ability of the HIV virus to attach to T-Cells.

The use of anti-retrovirals as a preventative measure against HIV is well-known within the LGBT community, to whom PrEP has been traditionally marketed. In larger markets such as New York City, where PrEP has been made more widely available since 2012, the number of new HIV cases has steadily declined in recent years. Data showed that new HIV cases declined by about 2,000 in New York City between 2012 and 2016, coinciding with the approval of PrEP and other preventative measures such as routine HIV screenings being made more available.

Efforts to match those numbers in Louisiana are hindered by several factors including poverty, access to care, poorer health outcomes, stigma, racism, homophobia and lack of sexual education. Louisiana has been in the top five states for the highest HIV rates compared to other states for a number of years. Last year, New Orleans came in second and Baton Rouge third in the U.S. for high case rates compared to other large cities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health care providers have focused on getting PrEP to high-risk groups including men who have sex with men, people engaging in high-risk sexual behavior such as condom-less sex with multiple partners, those who have a history of sexually transmitted diseases, or are having sex with a partner diagnosed with HIV who is not being effectively treated.

Bruce Hinton, a physician assistant with CrescentCare, adds to that list that living in a high-prevalence HIV area like New Orleans should also be considered a major risk factor.

He recalled how in one day in February three newly diagnosed patients were put on HIV medication in one day at the clinic.

"New Orleans has such a casual attitude about sex that we have seen HIV rates explode. When you have three people in one day put on HIV medication it's an epidemic," he said.

According to the state's health department current estimates of diagnosed HIV cases in New Orleans, approximately 2.338 percent of the population living in the 70119 ZIP code where CrescentCare's testing site is located at 3308 Tulane Avenue are infected with HIV.

"I tell my patients if you fall under at least of the risk factors you are a candidate for PrEP. By living in New Orleans, you automatically fall under one of those risk factors," Hinton said.

Traditional marketing of PrEP has been geared primarily towards men who have sex with other men (MSM). The use of the prevention pill has increased in the United States but health providers still have their work cut out to increase its use among minorities.

Although the number of patients on PrEP has grown to approximately 77,000 in 2016, almost 75 percent of those patients were white. Only 10 percent were African-American, and 23 percent were women, according to data provided by the drug manufacturer Gilead.

That's despite the fact that minorities are seeing soaring rates of HIV diagnoses: A 2016 CDC report noted that if current HIV diagnoses rates persist, about one in two black men who have sex with men and one in four Latino MSM will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetime.

"We need to make sure that the people on PrEP mirror the people most at risk of being infected," Hinton said.

In New Orleans this includes even individuals who wouldn't traditionally be considered high risk, such as heterosexual women.

"Women represent about 25 percent of the HIV epidemic, with African-American women being disproportionately affected," explained Catrina Coleman, a health educator and one of the people leading outreach efforts about PrEP for CrescentCare in New Orleans. "This is the only HIV prevention that is completely in control of the woman. If I could stand outside handing out information about PrEP all day I would."

Her main marketing tool is word of mouth. She has visited beauty salons to talk to stylists about it in the hopes they will spread the word to their clients.

The reaction from the women has been a combination of shock and dismay.

"They tell me, "Why weren't we informed? Why wasn't this communicated to us before?" she described.

Yet another barrier to HIV prevention is the primary care doctor who is uninformed about PrEP and what it can do, according to Dr. Stacy Greene, the associate medical director and infectious disease specialist with St. Thomas Community Health Clinic.

Patients who might benefit from PrEP are not likely seeing infectious disease specialists, he explained.

"Primary care providers are the first point of contact with this patient population, but they aren't having these conversations. There is so much fear surrounding HIV, people are afraid to go to the doctor and ask about PrEP," Greene said. "They need to start breaking down these doubts."

He estimates that about 33 percent of primary care providers are not knowledgeable about PrEP. There are also providers who know about the medication but aren't comfortable prescribing it because they feel like it is out of their scope of practice to prescribe it, he added.

The clinic held a PrEP symposium in New Orleans in March for primary care providers across the state to discuss the HIV epidemic and prevention efforts geared to primary care providers.

"If more family physicians and other primary care providers feel comfortable prescribing PrEP, this strategy for reducing HIV pervasiveness may reach more people who are vulnerable to infection," Greene said.

For another patient who is prescribed PrEP through CrescentCare, the pill has meant consistent access to healthcare, because patients have to be screened for STI's four times a year to be on PrEP. The 29-year-old woman chose not to be identified for this article because she has not spoken to her family about her work in the sex industry over the past four and a half years.

"Sex isn't this thing where I have to worry about hurting myself," she said. "I think I have a much healthier capacity for being sexually active. I still use condoms, I have sexual health conversations, I am still careful and guarding my health. This is something where I feel I have a safety net."

Correction: This story has been updated to show that New Orleans is in the top five metropolitan areas in the U.S. for new HIV diagnosis rates and that the southern states account for 44 percent of all diagnosed HIV cases.

HIV prevalence in the zip code 70119 is 2.338 percent no six percent as previously stated.

Maria Clark covers healthcare and immigration for NOLA.com | The Times Picayune and NOLA Mundo. Reach her at mclark@nola.com or 504.258.5306. Follow her on Twitter at @MariaPClark1.
Actor Tom Hardy, who is in New Orleans working on the Al Capone biopic "Fonzo," gave fans a first look at himself in costume as the noted gangster, sending out a series of behind-the-scenes images via his Instagram account. Principal photography is set to begin April 2 on the film, which has been in pre-production in New Orleans for several weeks.

Hardy, a frequent user of the photo-sharing platform, attached the words "Chasing Fonzo" to the most revealing photo, shot artfully in black and white -- as many of Hardy's Instagram photos are -- and showing him with a shaved head, holding a fedora and wearing what appear to be prison clothes.

Another photo showed Hardy and fellow English actor Steven Graham with what appears to be cigar smoke billowing out of their mouths. It is titled "Stevie Graham and Tommy NOLA oh yeah 2018." It's unclear what role Graham will play in the film, although the fact that he played a young Capone in the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire" has prompted speculation that he might do the same in flashback sequences in "Fonzo."

Another shot showed a close-up of Hardy's face, cigar clenched in jaw and featuring the scar that gave Al Capone his famous "Scarface" nickname.

"Fonzo" will reportedly detail the last year of Capone's life, as he reflects on his violent past through a haze of syphilis-related mental decline. The synopsis:

"Once a ruthless businessman and bootlegger who ruled Chicago with an iron fist, Alfonse Capone was the most infamous and feared gangster of American lore. At the age of 47, following nearly a decade of imprisonment, dementia rots Alfonse's mind and his past becomes present as harrowing memories of his violent and brutal origins melt into his waking life."

"Fonzo" is being written and directed by Josh Trank, who previously spent time in Louisiana on the 2015 superhero film "Fantastic Four." Lawrence Bender, a longtime collaborator of Quentin Tarantino's, is producing through his eponymous shingle.

Co-stars include Linda Cardellini, Matt Dillon, Kyle MacLachlan, and Kathrine Narducci. No release date has been set.
The $1.3 trillion Congress recently passed to keep the federal government working has some money tucked inside that could spur the return of passenger rail travel along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Mobile, Ala., the Sun Herald in Biloxi reports.

The story said there is $20 million in that legislation to help restore passenger rail service, and quoted supporters saying that money could be targeted for the Gulf Coast passenger rail effort. The story called it a "parting gift'' from U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, who is retiring from the Senate on Sunday.

Supporters have pushed for the return of rail service linking New Orleans and Orlando, with stops along the Gulf Coast. That Amtrak rail service was discontinued after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Knox Ross, vice chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, told the Sun Herald that the latest plan is to have rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, with trains leaving Gulfport each day.

"That would let people from South Mississippi ride the train to New Orleans for a day of shopping, go to the museums in Mobile or take a train rather than a car to one of the local festivals. And residents and visitors from New Orleans and Mobile could ride to South Mississippi to visit the casinos, the aquarium or watch a Biloxi Shuckers game,'' the story quotes Ross saying.
The Covington Police Department has received the Pro Patria Award, which recognizes employers for their support of National Guard and Reserve military units. The department was selected as the state's Public Sector Business of the Year by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve - ESGR.

The award was presented to Police Chief Tim Lentz and Mayor Mike Cooper Wednesday (March 28). Lance Benjamin, a Covington Police sergeant who is currently on a 400-day tour with the Army National Guard in Afghanistan, nominated the department for the award.

Benjamin participated in the award ceremony Wednesday morning via video conference from Afghanistan. The department was the only public sector agency in Louisiana to receive the honor, Lentz said in a news release.

ESGR, a Department of Defense program, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve and National Guard members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.

Lentz and Cooper accepted the award on behalf of Benjamin. "We have, and always will, support our employees that have also dedicated their efforts to not only projecting our city, but protecting our country as well," the two city leaders said in the news release.

"We are so proud of Sgt. Benjamin and the sacrifices he and his family have made for our country," Lentz said. "It was great to see his smiling face today and to know he is doing well."
The last time Mary Mayo participated in the Crescent City Classic, she and some friends pulled a wagon that carted foamy refreshments for the group to consume on the 6.2-mile trek.

When she takes to the streets of New Orleans on Saturday (March 31) for the 40th anniversary of one of the region's most popular road races, Mayo will again put wheels into use - this time in the form of her push-assisted wheelchair.

Mayo, a former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputy who was paralyzed in a freak 2007 accident, hopes to complete the event with a little help from her friends. "I just hope I can make it to the finish line," she said Wednesday (March 28). "I'm psyched."

The 2006 Classic was the last one for Mayo before she was critically injured when a tree toppled onto a patrol car she and Sgt. Beau Raimer were riding in on June 13, 2007, as part of a funeral procession for a fellow deputy. Raimer, her fiance who was 35 at the time, was killed instantly.

Mayo's injuries included four destroyed vertebrae, a fractured breastbone, fractured sternum, and lung and pulmonary contusions, among other things. The years that followed have presented numerous challenges for Mayo, who had to learn how to live with constant pain and without the use of her legs.

After clearing many hurdles over the past decade, Mayo was confronted with yet another one recently when she broke her femur while trying to get into a vehicle. She has surgery scheduled for Tuesday to address the injury, which won't keep her out of the race or from participating in the Crescent City Classic Health and Fitness Expo Thursday and Friday.

Ryan Mast, a local firefighter who works with Mayo selling water purification systems and is a regular CCC participant, said he is amazed at her grit and determination. He said she is an inspiration to all.

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"Against medical advice for her broken leg, she insists on working the expo followed by crossing the finish line Saturday before she goes to surgery," Mast said. "We have a real trooper on our hands."

Mayo said she will be joined in the race by Mast and two members of the Concerns of Police Survivors, a national organization formed in 1984 to support spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty.

If the 37-year-old North Shore resident completes the Classic, it will give her yet another mobility-related victory this month. She was recently handed the keys to a new, specially designed 2017 Ford Explorer. Equipped with a special cockpit and a pulley system that attaches to her wheel chair, the vehicle allows Mayo to get around independently for the first time since before the accident.

The purchase of the vehicle was made possible by $60,000 in donations raised primarily through a GoFundMe account.

"This (vehicle) has changed my life," Mayo said. "It's amazing. I can't thank the people who donated the money enough for what they did."

The new vehicle will allow Mayo to better handle her job as a sales representative for Louisiana Pure, which sells in-home water purification systems. She is now able to make sales calls at area residences and businesses.

"I've got a vehicle that will allow me to do my job with Louisiana Pure," Mayo said. "It's amazing."
The sentencing of a Ponchatoula woman who was recently convicted of DWI for the fifth time has been postponed until May 30.

Hollie Ramirez-Power, 37, was set to be sentenced Thursday (March 29) by Judge William Burris of the 22nd Judicial District but the case was deferred to allow for pre-sentencing motions, court officials said.

Ramirez-Power was found guilty on March 21 of DWI in an incident on Dec. 30, 2016, when the vehicle she was driving swerved while on Louisiana 22 in Madisonville and nearly struck several parked cars. She then swerved into oncoming traffic, North Shore District Attorney Warren Montgomery's office said in a news release following the woman's conviction.

She has four prior convictions for DWI, two prior convictions for vehicular negligent injury and two prior convictions for possession of illegal drugs. She also has a separate pending DWI case, according to the District Attorney's news release.

The DWI conviction carries a prison sentence of 10 to 30 years. Under the state's habitual offender law, Ramirez-Power could face a sentence of 20 to 60 years, Montgomery's office reported.

Assistant District Attorneys William Macke and Roy Burns III prosecuted the case.
This is an important political event creating momentum for solidarity, the time-honoured friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples.

Situated in the Caribbean, Cuba has a population of more than 11 million and comprises of more than 1,600 islands with a total land area of around 114,000 square kilometres. The country is rich in natural resources and its fertile land is suitable for farming and large animal husbandry. Cuba also possesses many natural and cultural assets conducive to the development of tourism. The political and security situation in Cuba is stable. The updating of the socio-economic model has continued to be widely deployed, initially achieving positive results. The economic structure has witnessed a positive shift with many measures having been deployed to encourage self-employment and motivated people to actively participate in production, improving the supply of goods. The Peoples standard of living has also been improved. Cuba successfully organised the elections of the People's Councils at all levels in November 2017 and the Parliamentary elections in March, 2018.

Despite facing economic difficulties due to the long-standing US sanctions and heavy losses caused by natural disasters, the Cuban economy still maintains its momentum for growth, reaching 1.6% in 2017. Services exports and tourism continue to be the key drivers of growth. Tourist arrivals set a new record in 2017, recording around 4.7 million in 2017, an annual increase of over 20%. Remittances also hit more than US$3.4 billion in the past year.

The Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party in 2011 was a significant milestone, as it saw the adoption of a new direction for Party policy with a focus on updating the countrys economic model to maintain and build upon the achievements of the Cuban revolution, stimulating growth and improving the peoples standard of living. In April 2016, the Seventh Party Congress conceptualised Cubas socialist socioeconomic model of development and affirmed the continuation of the process of updating the economic model.

Cuba pursues a peaceful and independent foreign policy, expanding its international cooperation and contributing to the worlds development in an active and proactive manner. Despite facing economic difficulties, Cuba still upholds the spirit of proletarian internationalism, standing ready to support its sister countries, especially in the fields of healthcare and education. Cuba has restored its diplomatic relations and maintained dialogue with the US. However, the normalisation process remains difficult given that the USs economic embargo on Cuba is still in place. The UN General Assemblys adoption of resolutions calling for the end of the US embargo on Cuba for the past 26 consecutive years indicates the international communitys broad support for Cuba, giving more strength to the Caribbean country on its path of development.

The Vietnam-Cuba relationship is a time-honoured friendship between two peoples who are both comrades and brothers, sharing the same revolutionary ideals that originated from the lofty thoughts of President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban national hero Jos Marti. The Vietnamese people have always treasured, allied with and supported the Cuban people during the past half-century of the glorious history of the Cuban revolution under the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party, headed by Fidel Castro and President Raul Castro. The Vietnamese people will always remember the wholehearted support of Cuba, the pioneer of the progressive worlds movement to support Vietnams struggle for national independence. Cuba also pays heed to fostering a multifaceted cooperative relationship with Vietnam. To Vietnam, Cuba is a bright example of revolutionary heroism and the aspiration for freedom and social justice. Vietnam always looks to Cuba with tremendous admiration and empathy.

Since Vietnam and Cuba first established diplomatic relations on December 2, 1960, their relationship of solidarity, mutual support and comprehensive cooperation has been continually strengthened, expressing the sentiment and steadfast stance of the two Parties, States and peoples towards the revolutionary cause and socialist construction in each country. The two sides frequently exchange delegations and maintain cooperative mechanisms such as the Vietnam-Cuba Joint Committee, the deputy-ministerial defence policy dialogue and political consultation. Vietnams projects to assist Cuba in agriculture and aquaculture have yielded positive results. Trade and investment cooperation is going in the right direction. The two countries Governments encourage and facilitate the operations of enterprises in order to expand cooperation to bring their economic relationship to the same level as their political ties. The two countries also work closely and support each other at international organisations and multilateral forums.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs State visit to Cuba is an opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to exchange opinions and reach an agreement on the specific plans to foster bilateral cooperation in a new stage of development in each country. The visit once again affirms that Vietnam is determined to work with Cuba to further strengthen the brotherly solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples, contributing to world peace and development.
The state will soon be pushing the locally elected officials of Powhatan out of the way to administer the finances of the northwest Louisiana village that in mid-July had only $105 in its general fund and is hiring a cop to drum up some money from
Chester Kimbrough went to the Opening regional in Atlanta on Sunday (March 25) and did what he always does -- dominated 1-on-1s.

The 2019 Easton cornerback earned the camp's defensive back MVP award and an invitation to The Opening Finals in Dallas this summer.

LSU commitment Kardell Thomas was the only other Louisiana prospect invited to the prestigious event.

Watch the video above to hear Kimbrough talk about his performance and update the status of his recruitment.
A Metairie man died when he was thrown from a sport utility vehicle that crashed on Interstate 10 in Gonzales early Thursday morning (March 29), according to State Police.

The rolling SUV also ejected four other occupants, leaving them with serious injuries, according to authorities.

Jefferson Andino, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred just west of the Highway 30 exit in Gonzales about 1 a.m., according to Trooper Bryan Lee, spokesman for the Louisiana State Police.

Andino was riding in a westbound 2004 Ford Explorer driven by a 32-year-old Terrytown man. A 40-year-old New Orleans man driving a 2011 Porsche Cayenne was also driving west on I-10 when he hit the back of the SUV, according to authorities.

Troopers aren't sure why the Porsche crashed into the back of the Explorer, but investigators suspect impairment played a role, Lee said.

The force of the contact pushed the SUV into the median where it overturned, throwing all five, unrestrained occupants out, authorities said. They were taken to local hospitals. No condition information was available on Thursday afternoon.

The driver of the Porsche was treated for minor injuries. The crash is still under investigation, and charges are pending.
Talking to the press on March 28, Ambassador Dung stressed "The Press Release shows these human rights experts' unprofessional manner, their lack of good will and impartiality, and their failure to comply with the Code of Conduct and the Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures Mandate Holders as it relies on non-credible information, raised unfounded concerns and makes pre-emptive judgment on the exchange between authorities and relevant individuals on a particular issue".

He affirmed dialogues between Governments and concerned individuals and organisations as well as those between Governments and human rights mechanisms are fundamental in the promotion and protection of human rights, saying that the Vietnamese Government regrets the lack of constructive attitude of these experts.

Ambassador Dung reiterated that the Vietnamese Government always does its utmost to promote and protect human rights and has consistently demonstrated its good will and willingness in dialogue and cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms.

Previously, two non-governmental organisations, the Research Centre for Gender, Family, and Environment in Development (CGFED) in Hanoi and Sweden-based IPEN, released a document in November 2017 stating that female labourers working in Samsung factories in Vietnam suffered adverse health impacts associated with inappropriate working conditions.

Samsung refuted the document's content, which was based on interviews with 45 out of more than 100,000 Samsung workers, while raising concerns about its objectivity and unscientific methodology.

After the release of the document, the management board of industrial parks in Vietnams Bac Ninh province in November 2017 invited representatives of Bac Ninh-based Samsung Electronics Vietnam and CGFED, IPEN twice to a meeting to exchange information concerning this document. The two NGOs refused to attend the meeting.

Last year, the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, in coordination with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, conducted on-site inspections of 216 enterprises in electronics sector, including Samsung factories in Bac Ninh (September 2017) and those in Thai Nguyen (July 2017). The inspection results have been reported on the mass media.

A report on the result of working environment monitoring published in October 2017 by the Hanoi-based Service Centre of Science and Technology for Health and Environment indicates that indicators of working condition at Samsung factories in Bac Ninh are within the permissible limits, and recommends measures to improve working conditions and transparency.
The Vietnam  France Joint Statement stated that the two sides welcomed the development of their bilateral relations over the past 45 years and wished to further develop and deepen the strategic partnership in all fields. They reiterated their determination to enhance their cooperation in politics, diplomacy, defence, security, economy, trade, investment, adaptation to climate change, sustainable development, science-technology, education-training, Francophone issues, law and judiciary, health care, locality cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, culture and tourism.

Taking place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties (1973-2018) and five years of the strategic partnership (2013-2018), the Vietnamese Party leaders official visit was a special event that had an important historical significance for both Vietnam and France. The two leaders agreement of developing the strategic partnership showed a deep strategic vision, meeting the interests and aspirations of the two peoples in the new era.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong conducted effective activities during his stay in France, particularly the talks and meetings with the senior French leaders: President Emmanuel Macron, PM Edouard Phillipe, National Assembly (NA) President Francois de Rugy, President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher; as well as hosting receptions for the leaders of French political parties, attending a ceremony to mark the 45th anniversary of Vietnam  France diplomatic ties and meetings with the representatives of leading French enterprises, the France-Vietnam Friendship Association and several French friends who supported Vietnam during negotiations on the Paris Agreement.

The talks, meetings and receptions took place in a friendly and sincere atmosphere and mutual trust, with plentiful contents on their bilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of mutual concern. The French leaders and people gave a sincere and warn welcome to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation.

The General Secretary and French leaders expressed their pleasure at the fine development of the two countries relations with their comprehensive, abundant and effective cooperation. The two sides affirmed their aspirations to deepen the strategic partnership in the new era, as well as agreeing to strengthen the exchanges and meetings, especially at a high level, improve the efficiency of dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in all fields, particularly in economics, and promote close coordination in regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The two sides also emphasised that economics has always played a crucial role in the overall relationship between the two countries, showing their determination to further develop their economic, trade and investment cooperation. The French leaders expressed their delight at the signing of many cooperation documents during the visit. They also pledged that the French Government would accelerate the effective implementation of the joint projects and agreements, as well as encouraging localities and enterprises to expand their mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam. For his part, the senior Vietnamese leader said that Vietnam will create favourable condition for French businesses to invest in the country and is willing to serve as a bridge for them to access the ASEAN market and the member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The two sides expressed their wish for the signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in 2018, creating a new driving force for the economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam, France and the EU. General Secretary Trong suggested that the French Government strenghens their support and cooperation in training, as well as creating favourable condition for the Overseas Vietnamese in the country.

Leaders of the two countries applauded ASEANs role in peacefully promoting international maritime cooperation, while stressing the importance of respecting the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and resolving disputes by peaceful measures. They also noted the importance of maintaining security and aviation and navigation freedom in all waters and oceans, as well as supporting the efforts of ASEAN and China in implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and promptly completing a practical and international law-complied Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

At the ceremony to mark 45th anniversary of Vietnam  France diplomatic ties, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said the history has connected the two nations in all aspects, from political relations and economic cooperation to culture and humanity. The idea Men are born and remain free and equal in rights in the France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen in 1789 touched the hearts of millions of Vietnamese people and was endorsed by President Ho Chi Minh in the Declaration of Independence that gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945.

Five years ago, the two countries established a strategic partnership framework, demonstrating the upgrading of political credibility and new depths in their bilateral cooperation.

The important results during the official visit to France made by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong have created a solid foundation to consolidate and deepen the strategic partnership between the two nations, while affirming their determination to forcefully boost the Vietnam  France relations in all fields, commensurate with the two countries' potential and in line with the two peoples aspirations, as well as for the two sides benefits and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
Lee County government has received a national award for its work before, during and after Hurricane Irma.

Lee County officials accepted the 2018 National Hurricane Conference Outstanding Achievement Award on Wednesday at the NHC Conference at the Hilton Orlando Hotel. The award recognizes the county for serving as a model for other organizations in its handling of hurricane-related activities.

NHC officials recognized Lee Countys achievement in hurricane-related preparedness in past years as well as 2017, including legislation, public awareness programs, financing mechanisms, sheltering plans, engineering research, warning notification systems and prediction techniques.

The key word for this award is innovation. Were looking for individuals or organizations who are doing things in a new or better way and who are worthy of emulation by others around the country. The award is not for someone who is simply doing his or her job well, the NHC said in a statement.

Accepting the award on behalf of the county was Emergency Management Director Lee Mayfield, Public Safety Director Ben Abes and Assistant County Manager Christine Brady.

It takes the whole community to respond and recover effectively, Mayfield said. No one entity can do it all. Public and private sectors, nonprofits and most importantly the individual citizen and family. Irma was unprecedented in its size and threat, and it was not your typical hurricane.

Under the direction of the Lee Board of County Commissioners, the Department of Public Safety/Emergency Operations Center, in coordination with municipalities and partner agencies, coordinated the response to Irma one of the largest hurricanes in Southwest Floridas history. Irma hit Lee County on Sept. 10, 2017.

Earlier this month, Mayfield and the county received state recognition for Irma-related efforts. The Florida Emergency Preparedness Association invited Mayfield to Tallahassee and presented him with the Chad Reed Emergency Manager of the Year Award, which is awarded to those who show excellence in their profession.

During Irma, more than 100 individuals worked in the EOC, providing support to responders in the field and determining protective actions, including evacuations and sheltering operations. Based on the significant threat from Irma, about 300,000 people in Lee County were ordered to evacuate, prompting the largest sheltering operation the countys history about 35,000 individuals in 14 shelters. This was the largest of any of Floridas 67 counties. The county also sheltered about 3,550 pets of evacuees. There was no loss of life.

After response operations came to a close, recovery from Hurricane Irma began.

Long-Term Recovery efforts continue today by leveraging partnerships with agencies such as the United Way and many other human services agencies throughout Lee County. Contractors and Solid Waste workers have collected 1.75 million cubic yards of horticultural waste and nearly 67,000 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris. The county has undertaken an effort, in coordination with partners, to remove impediments from waterways to reduce future flooding.

Source: Lee County
A Lehigh Acres teen, accused of threatening a school shooting in Alabama, was taken into custody here in Lee County Tuesday.

Anthony Kessler, 19, of 1509 Sara Ave. S., made terrorist threats to conduct a shooting at a Fort Payne, Alabama school, a release from the Lee County Sheriffs Office states.

The arrest on an out-of-state fugitive from justice warrant issued out of DeKalb County was made in unison with the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Kessler was taken into custody at a restaurant on Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers where he was employed, and then booked into the Lee County jail.

We take every threat seriously, said Eric W. Sporre, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division, in a prepared statement. The FBI Tampa Field Office continues to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in assessing any and all threats. As always, we will work with our law enforcement partners to gather, share and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention.

The Lee County Sheriffs Office provided a similar statement.

We have been, and continue to be, committed to ensuring a safe environment for our children and for our residents, said Undersheriff Carmine Marceno. In addition to our own security operations, we are committed to work closely with any and all federal and state agencies in need of our assistance.

Source: Lee County Sheriffs Office
The meeting was co-chaired by the Head of the Vietnamese Delegation and representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with the participation of representatives from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The meeting was held in preparation for GMS-6, scheduled to take place in Hanoi on March 31.

The meeting focused on reviewing the preparation and finalising the draft documents to be submitted to the GMS leaders. The participating countries appreciated the coordination and preparation of the host country. The meeting also reviewed the content of the sectorial cooperation strategies on transport, tourism, agriculture and the environment, and reported on the results of 25 years of GMS cooperation.

Speaking at the meeting, the Head of the Vietnamese delegation thanked the close cooperation and coordination of the GMS member countries with Vietnam, as well as the effective support of the ADB during the preparation for GMS-6.

High-ranking officials from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand highly appreciated the careful preparations, as well as initiatives undertaken by Vietnam, and expressed their confidence in the event's success.

The sixth Greater Mekong Sub-region Summit, themed Leveraging 25 years of cooperation, building an integrated, sustainable and prosperous GMS aims to celebrate the 25th founding anniversary of the GMS Programme and define the cooperation orientations to build a region of prosperity, integration and sustainable development.
Mar 29, 2018 NR

Young Tiger NTR is roped in as the Brand Ambassador of IPL Telugu Channel which will be launched by Star Group for the upcoming season. The channel will go live with Telugu Commentary, Telugu Text Graphics etc.

Star is shooting an ad starring NTR from today in Hyderabad. Trivikram is directing this ad while PC Sreeram is cranking the camera. This edition of IPL will begin from 7th April with a match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Click the Movie button below for more info:

Aravindha Sametha
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Maury Phillips/Getty ImagesFabolous was arrested Wednesday night in Englewood, New Jersey, the Englewood PD tells ABC News.

The 40-year-old rapper, born John Jackson, turned in himself in to Englewood detectives, with his attorney present, on criminal charges relating to an alleged domestic incident that occurred earlier in the day.

Jackson was charged with third-degree aggravated assault and third-degree terroristic threats.

The alleged victim's identity wasn't released by police, but TMZ claims that Jackson's girlfriend, former Love and Hip Hop star Emily Bustamante, aka Emily B, is the injured party.

he and Fabolous have two children together: sons Jonas and Johan Jackson.

Jackson was released and his charges will be referred to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office for further disposition, police said.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Chongqing is a centrally-run city and an economic hub in Chinas western region as it is strong in infrastructure, high technology and information technology.

In 2017, economic, trade, investment and tourism between Vietnam and the city reached about US$2 billion, accounting for roughly 2% of the total trade between Vietnam and China. Of the figure, Vietnams exports to the city were nearly US$1 billion.

Lauding the socio-economic achievements of China and Chongqing in 2017, and in first months of 2018, Deputy PM Dung affirmed that Vietnam attaches significant importance to strengthening the cooperation among localities of the two countries.

He suggested that, in the near future, Chongqing city and Vietnamese localities should strengthen their connectivity and exchanges to share experience in socio-economic development.

They should promote economic, trade and investment cooperation, he stated, expressing his hope that more Vietnamese goods, especially agro-forestry-fishery products, would be exported to China, thus contributing to boosting the Vietnam-China trade ties in a balanced and sustainable manner.

He also proposed that the localities of both sides hold diverse people-to-people exchange activities, especially among younger generations, while increasing cultural and tourism promotion.

For his part, Liu declared that Chongqing city pays great attention to the friendship and cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities.

The city is willing to coordinate with localities in Vietnam in implementing the shared perspectives reached by the senior leaders of both sides, while strengthening friendship exchanges, thus deepening cooperation and contributing to reinforcing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
She made the statement while visiting the Royal HaskoningDHVs Netherlands Airport Consultants (NACO) on March 29 (local time) in the framework of her official visit to the Netherlands.

NA Chairwoman Ngan highlighted that aviation solutions provided by the Dutch side for Vietnam under the Partners for International Business Programme Dutch Aviation Vietnam aim to set up bilateral business ties and recommend training activities between aviation agencies from both sides.

She spoke highly of NACO with the participation in 550 aviation projects in 100 countries worldwide, and expressed her belief that NACO will be successful in its role as a coordinator and representative for eight companies, universities and research institute involved in this programme.

The aviation sector has played an important part in Vietnams economic development, she affirmed, adding that the country is working to develop aviation infrastructure to become a passenger and cargo transport centre in the region.

Priority will be given to the expansion of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, construction of Long Thanh International Airport and opening of new airports, she told the company executives.

After NACO visit, the top legislator and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation left the Netherlands, wrapping up their visit to the European country.
He made the remarks in Hanoi on March 29 at a reception for visiting Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko.

The PM described the visit by the Belarusian guest as marking a milestone, ushering in new prospects for cooperation between Vietnam and its important partner Belarus, stressing that Vietnam always respects and wishes to continue maintaining and fostering the sustainable friendship and cooperation with Belarus.

High-level visits in recent years created an impetus for the two countries to broaden their cooperation across politics, economy, and people-to-people exchange. The free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union that took effect in late 2016 in particular opened up many new opportunities and prospects for the two sides economic-trade partnership, he said.

The Belarusian Deputy PM briefed his host of the fruitful outcomes of his working session with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, referring to their review on bilateral cooperation after one year and a half of implementing the Vietnam-EEU free trade agreement and their work together to unlock difficulties and hindrances.

He suggested boosting bilateral cooperation in Belaruss strong fields like the production of dairy, mechanical engineering and industrial products.



PM Phuc hailed the working session his guest participated in, expressing his hope that the two sides would increase the provision of information and organise regular exchanges between businesses for marketing their products and cooperative fields in service of the effort to raise the trade value.

Vietnam is ready to provide best possible conditions for Belarusian businesses to cooperate, invest, and do productive, stable, and long-term business that is associated with Vietnams sustainable development, the leader said.

He pledged that the country will work to facilitate the entry of Belaruss industrial, mechanical engineering, energy, and mining products in its market.

Referring to the East Sea, the PM asked Belarus to support the just stance of Vietnam and ASEAN on addressing the disputes in the waters by peaceful means basing on international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).

On March 28, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko was received by President Tran Dai Quang.
At least 30 research scientists from across the globe are currently in Kampala for a three-day workshop to discuss the control of pests and diseases of bananas using biologically based methods.

The conference organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in collaboration with National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Real IPM and International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe) with support from the European Union is focusing on how to reduce on farm banana loss.

The researchers visiting a banana farm at NARO

Bananas are a major staple food and a source of income for millions of people in East Africa, with 120 varieties of East African highland bananas (matooke) being grown.

The workshop is organized under the microbial uptakes for sustainable management of major banana pests and diseases (MUSA) project funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 with an objective whose principal aim is to achieve sustainable intensification of bananas and ensete crops (in Ethiopia), through identification, development and implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) based on naturally occurring beneficial microorganisms.

The workshop was opened by the head of National Banana Research Program of NARO, Dr Jerome Kubiriba who said that more efforts needs to be put in ensuring improved banana production.

Kubiriba said Uganda would be earning more $400m from banana production but the plant especially the desert banana [sweet banana, and bogoya] have been plagued by weevils and nematodes yet they are the one that fetch the most income at the international market.

The international market of desert bananas earns as much as $4bn but as Uganda we are not participating in that market because of low production due to diseases that affect those particular species, Kubiriba said.

Researchers from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Cuba talked about their experiences, lessons and approaches to tackle the problem of banana diseases.

The participants noted that pesticides no longer represent a sustainable option for control of pests, and many have been progressively withdrawn from use in the European Union or are highly restricted, due to harmful effects on the environment and toxic residues.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, where phytosanitary policies and regulations are often less effective, such pesticides are still being misused, posing a significant threat to vulnerable farmers and consumers of bananas.

They added that with the influence of changing climates in tropical and sub-tropical regions, the banana crops are becoming more exposed to pathogens and pests due to higher multiplication rates and prevalence induced by temperatures and rainfall patterns.

bakerbatte@observer.ug
Being that most of the national parks are far from Kampala, mostly lying at Ugandas borders with her neighbours, accommodation facilities that give the comfort one would need are not easy to come by at pocket-friendly rates.

This may soon be a case of the past, after Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) embarked on a campaign of making tourism more affordable to Ugandans. In Queen Elizabeth national park, Ugandas second largest and second most-visited national park, the conservation body has opened low-cost accommodation facilities.

For Shs 52,000, one can get a single-bed, self-contained cottage for a night or a twin-bed cottage at Shs 82,000.

A double-bed cottage is priced at Shs 102,000. In 2010, a decision was made to take the park headquarters out of the park to Katunguru in order to create space and the buildings that housed the park headquarters were supposed to be demolished, outgoing UWA executive director Dr Andrew Seguya said.

UWA decided to renovate and upgrade the buildings into low-cost accommodation facilities, instead.

FAMILY UNITS

With your family, you can now choose to sleep in the self-catering family houses with a scenic view of Lake Edward and the Kazinga channel.

The family units can take up to eight people at Shs 308,000.

The family units are made of three bedrooms including a master bedroom, dining and sitting rooms plus a kitchen that is stocked with cooking gas, sugar, tea and coffee.

Family tour has been made easy; you only need to come here with your food and enjoy with your family, State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda said.

For schools, UWA has also opened a 100-bed students hostel where a student pays Shs 5,000 per night, and their teachers Shs 25,000 each.

We are doing all this to build capacity for the parks to host Ugandans, Kiwanda said.

Plans to construct a second hostel are underway, so that female and male students can sleep in different blocks. According to Seguya, all the money used in putting up the facilities is internally raised by UWA.

EASTER PACKAGE

Ugandans planning to visit the park over the Easter holidays may not have to pay for accommodation. At Shs 500,000 per person, a Ugandan can hook a ride to the park in UWAs recently-acquired executive tourism buses.

Executive tour boat

The package covers accommodation for three nights, game drives, a two-hour boat cruise on Kazinga channel and lakes Edward and George, plus meals.

Alongside the buses, UWA acquired three executive boats each for Lake Mburo, Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth  the three national parks with water bodies  to improve Ugandas tourism experience.

But the Easter promotion is limited to Queen Elizabeth national park, and tourists will be driven from Uganda museum in Kampala on Good Friday.

According to Kiwanda, the trip will go through Mubende, Fort Portal and finally Kasese with stops at the various tourism sites along the road such as Nakayima shrine in Mubende and Kibaale national park, among others.

They will return to Kampala on Easter Monday.

sadabkk@observer.ug
Baby Nabasa needs Shs 150m to correct his speech, hearing impairment

EMILY MASIKO has had little time to rest in the five years since she gave birth to a deaf and dumb child, writes Yudaya Nangonzi.

I have cried for five years and awaiting a miracle to see my baby [Nabasa] say his first word, Masiko says with a sad face. Her sons troubles started on his first day on earth. Masiko had a normal nine-month pregnancy but when she was due for delivery, she had no contractions to push the baby, leading to suffocation of his brain. After two days in labour, she was induced and finally delivered what she describes as a very normal baby.

Emily Masiko (L) and her son

However, little Nabasa could not cry for close to ten minutes despite endless tapping of his toes by midwives. When the midwife handed me the baby, I wasnt filled with happiness but sheer terror. My babys brain was suffocated but shockingly, he later cried on his own, she recalls.

This was a sigh of relief. Masiko was later discharged and happily bonded with her baby for about five months before she detected unusual growth in him.

While every baby is different and will do things at their own pace and time, Masiko was shocked that Nabasa could not do the little things at six months. He could not sit, crawl on his arms, roll about or shuffle on his bottom and vice versa.

Her consultation with doctors at Kabale hospital did not yield any fruit as they proposed that she holds on until the baby makes one year for them to recommend a CT scan.

In 2013, Masiko received a report that her baby could be having a brain damage but the hospital did not have a CT scanner, thus referring her to Mulago hospital. Unfortunately, a one Doctor Justus Byarugaba, who would work on her babys condition, had long retired at Mulago.

She was instead referred to his private facility; Childrens Medical Centre Bugolobi in Kampala where a CT scan was recommended at Kampala Imaging Centre. According to Masiko, Dr Byarugaba said my sons brain is imbalanced; one side has lower cells than the other.

ABANDONS WORK

Whenever we would make him sit at one year, he would fall on one side. His neck would also swing in all directions and [we] always supported it with a piece of cloth, she added, saying there was no medication for her baby apart from taking him for physiotherapy sessions at Dawn Childrens Centre in Bukoto. Here, every 45-minute session cost her Shs 30,000 for about six and a half months.

Also an English language and Literature teacher at Kigata High School in Kabale, Masiko abandoned her job in quest for the best service for her son.

She joined her uncle in Kampala to save on transport costs as her husband, also a secondary teacher, toiled to send the little he could afford for their childs health. Masiko also visited various rehabilitation centres like Corsu in Entebbe and Ours rehabilitation centre in Mbarara where she was given a walker to train Nabasa to walk at two and half years. Then, he gained 18kg and got too heavy to be carried by her weak mother.

Eventually, he started walking while staggering without assistance at three years but he could not speak or hear. Her visit to Kampala audiology and speech centre comfirmed that Nabasa was deaf and nothing could be done to help him.

It was Dr Hussein Senyonjo, a neurosurgeon at Mulago hospital, who slightly brought some life into her son. Although Senyonjo said one side of the brain did not have enough blood supply due to blockage of some veins, he recommended drugs to correct it.

Every month, we were spending Shs 400,000 on drugs and I started noticing some change, she says, displaying copies of hospital review reports.

CALLS FOR SUPPORT

Initially, she thought her child was cursed, had cerebral palsy and would never walk. In order to correct his hearing, Masiko was referred to Kisenyi Health Centre where her son was found to be profoundly deaf and hearing aids would not help him at all.

Edward Turitwenka, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at Tays consultation clinic, said if a cochlear implant is done as soon as possible [before seven years], Nabasa stands a chance of hearing and developing speech although fluency may not be guaranteed.

According to www.healthyhearing.com, a cochlear implant comprises tiny, complex medical devices that work differently from hearing aids. Rather than amplifying sound, a cochlear provides the sense of sound by stimulating the auditory nerve directly.

Cochlear implants do not cure hearing loss or restore hearing, but they do provide an opportunity for the severely hard of hearing or deaf to perceive the sensation of sound by bypassing the damaged inner ear, says the website.

Quotations from Nairobi X-ray Supplies Ltd show that Nabasa needs about Shs 150m to cover surgery, rehabilitation and flight costs to the US to correct his speech and hearing. Now aged five but doing things of a typical three-year-old, Nabasa has no meaningful words and does not respond to ordinary sounds  with exception of car noise. Currently, in top class at Peace primary school in Kabale, he goes there just for the sake of socializing with other children.

Masikos joy in motherhood has been a hard and frustrating one but amid the challenges, she recounts one shining moment of joy and satisfaction. I am proud of being a mother. When Raymond Nabasa first giggled at around eight months, I felt loved. Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks because my son couldnt walk and talk but Im happy that God had blessed me with a baby.

In case of any assistance, you can send her mobile money on 0782613019/0700216066 or bank accounts: Masiko Emily ITO Nabaasa Raymond 01541065650590 DFCU bank and Masiko Emily ITF Nabaasa Raymond 3201721183 Centenary bank.

nangonzi@observer.ug
The state minister for Higher Education, Dr John C Muyingo, has implored more females to enroll for technical and vocational education programmes as the surest way for social economic transformation of the countrys economy.

Muyingo said while he was impressed with the ever-growing number of females in vocational education institutions, there is stillroom to increase on their intake.

State minister for Higher Education Dr John C Muyingo sign a dummy of the newly launched UBTEB skills magazine

I note the increase in female students with a lot of appreciation but I am saying that we are not yet where we want to be. I urge parents and employers to guarantee equal opportunities to females in the technical and vocation field, Muyingo said.

The minister made the remarks today while releasing the November/December end of programme examination results conducted by the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB) at its secretariat in Ntinda.

UBTEB statistics indicate that there is an 18 per cent increase in the number of female candidates from 6,191 in 2016 to 7,318 in 2017 compared to that of males which is by 16 per cent.

Muyingo said with this trend, government is committed to ensure that the ideals of the skilling Uganda strategy are fulfilled in addition to being guaranteed of quality and skilled workforce.

While presenting the results, Ubteb executive secretary Onesmus Oyesigye also noted that females are continuing to bridge the gap in male dominated courses although the gender parity margin remains wide.

Generally, male candidates performed better than females in most programmes but the number of registered female candidates were more across the programmes, Oyesigye said.

I am optimistic that our girls will close up the gap as long as they have the right attitude towards their studies.

At least 30,180 candidates registered for the 11th series of final year examinations from November 10 to December 15, 2017 in 429 accredited examination centres across the country. Of the 30,180 candidates, 22,862 were female and 7,318 male.

Candidates sat for their examinations in three programmes; business diploma and certificate, technical national certificates and technical advanced craft programmes. Out of the 30,180 registered candidates, only 22,398 sat for these examinations with 16,674 (74%) successfully completing their programmes while 5,724 (26%) have one or more subjects to improve upon their competencies before completing their various programmes.

Overall, Oyesigye said the performance has remained very good with over 75 per cent of the candidates completing their studies in record time.

PERFORMANCE BY PROGRAMME

On the Technical Advanced Craft Certificate programme, 4,575 candidates sat for the examinations and 3,823 (84%) successfully passed while 752 (16%) need to improve upon their competencies.

Here, male candidates outperformed females in all programmes with exception of certificate in radio, television and electronics and certificate in tailoring and garment cutting where females edged them. Under the technical national certificate which registered its first cohort of candidates under the revised post O-level technical education curriculum, 14,631 candidates sat for the exams.

Of these, 10,517 passed and will be joining the world of work or directly enrolling for relevant nation diploma programmes without first pursuing the previously mandatory one year advanced certificate programmes.

In Business diploma programmes, of the 196 who sat 143 passed with females constituting 81 and males 62. The business in certificate programme registered the highest number of candidates at 2,997.

Some 2,194 candidates successfully completed while 803 have more subjects to improve upon their competencies. Oyesigye said the board did not register any leakage of examination papers, attributing it to high levels of professionalism and integrity by the UBTEB secretariat staff and examiners.

Muyingo commended the board saying that: For an appropriate workforce, Uganda needs professionals that are abreast with integrity, dynamism and commitment to quality and excellent work.

He added that the ministry will not tolerate any form of malpractice and committed to stamp out such vices at all examination levels. Meanwhile, UBTEB chairperson Prof Venansius Baryamureeba said that since January 2018, 11 universities and other tertiary institutions have so far been accredited for national assessment at certificate and diploma levels.

All institutions offering post O-level programmes that allow vertical progression and have not sought accreditation from Ubteb have up to June 30, 2018 to do so [as directed by the ministry of education last year], Baryamureeba said, urging heads of institutions to as well present their candidates for national assessment by UBTEB.

Education ministrys permanent secretary Alex Kakooza ordered that all post O-level programmes shall take a minimum teaching duration of two years  instead of one year or less  effective 2018/19 academic year.

nangonzi@observer.ug
At 17-years-old and suffering from kidney failure, Stanley the cat was on the last of his nine lives. Luckily, his owner decided to gift him a tenth, by shelling out $19,000 for a kidney transplant.

Betsy Boyd earns just $46,000 a year, working as a part-time writing professor, and her husband Michael is a freelance journalist and a stay-at-home dad for their 3-year-old twin boys. Theyre not exactly rolling in dough, but when presented with the chance to save their favorite cats life in exchange for $19,000, they didnt hesitate. They even agreed to adopt his donor after the transplant, just so they could have Stanley a little longer.

Photo: Betsy Boyd

Stanley loves me as much as any human being has ever loved me and I love him the same way, I want him around, Betsy recently told PEOPLE Magazine. I love all my cats, but Stanley is the only one who acts like a human being trapped in a cats body. Hes so vocal and communicative. He maintains eye contact better than any cat Ive ever known. When Im at work, he waits at the window or front door for me to come home, just like a dog.

Boyd, from Baltimore, in Maryland, learned about Stanleys renal insufficiency in November 2016, when a specialist gave the cat only three months to live. But Stanley outlived that dire prognosis, which only made his owner want to help him even more. So when her veterinarian mentioned that a former colleague performed kidney transplants on cats, she decided to investigate.

At first, Betsy experienced some pushback from family and friends, who kept telling her that it wasnt worth spending a small fortune on a cat as old as Stanley, and that the money could go toward college savings for her twins. But she considered Stanley family as well, so using the money she and her husband had been saving for a new car to save his life was more than worth it.

Doctors at Ryan Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia, where Stanley was supposed to undergo the transplant, didnt exactly encourage Betsy Boyd to go ahead with the surgery either. They had serious concerns that the cat could pull through it, due to his advanced age, but upon examining the cat, they reconsidered. Apart from his kidneys, he was in good health, ate well and was on medication.

After finding a suitable donor, Stanley the cat was ready to undergo the transplant. It was conducted by a team of vets at Ryan Veterinary Hospital, and everything went according to plan. After a one-month confinement to a dog crate, Stanley was back to his own self again, playing with cat friends, going outside and spending time with Betsy.



Stanley is not out of the woods yet, as things sometimes go wrong in the first few months after a transplant, but Boyd is happy and grateful for every extra day she spends around her favorite cat.

Hes on immunosuppressant drugs, so he could get an infection, Boyd told the Baltimore Sun. Anything could happen. If Stan did pass away sooner rather than later, Id know I had done what I could for him. Weve already had a few really good weeks. Hes really happy, and that alone is worth the price.

Betsy Boyd is counting the days to May 28, when Stanley will pass the six-month post-surgical milestone, but shes confident hes going to make it.

Knowing Stanley as I do, I think hes one of those cats who could make it to age 25, she said.

According to the ASPCA, indoor cats live on average between 13 and 17 years, but this wouldnt be the first time Stanley beat the odds.
NA Vice Chairman Luu made the statement while receiving a delegation of the Romania-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group led by its Chairman Simion Lucian-Eduard in Hanoi on March 29.

He reiterated that Vietnam always wants to consolidate and develop the friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Romania. Vietnam appreciated Romanias support for Vietnams past struggle for national independence and reunification as well as the current process of national construction and development, he noted.

The legislator lauded Romanias initiative to form partnership between Ben Tre province and the Romanian province of Tulcea within the framework of the Mekong-Danube Initiative, a key part of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). He also thanked Romania for its assistance in training about 4,000 Vietnamese specialists in different fields, thereby promoting education-culture ties between the two countries.

The NA Vice Chairman hoped that Romania would support Vietnams candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council in the 2020-2021 term and suggested the increased exchange of visits between the two parliaments and their agencies. He also wanted the two sides would continue to coordinate and back each other in multilateral parliamentary forums.

Lucian-Eduard said Vietnam remains Romanias key traditional partner in the past years. He vowed to spare no effort in his position to push for the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EUs full recognition of market economy status of Vietnam.
Cosmopolitan magazine is losing its place on the checkout lines of Walmart stores following a campaign from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. A March 27 press release from NCOSE claimed that it had successfully pressured the retailer to make the decision. Cosmo sends the same messages about female sexuality as Playboy, a statement from NCOSE said, noting that the placement of the magazine near store checkouts results in all customers being bombarded daily with sexually objectifying and explicit materials. One NCOSE ally and a major supporter of the checkout-line ban on the magazine is Victoria Hearst, part of the family whose Hearst Corp. is Cosmos publisher. Hearsts CosmoHurtsKids has put up billboards in Salt Lake City, Memphis and Nashville claiming that Cosmopolitan Magazine Contains Porn. While Walmart will continue to sell Cosmopolitan, it will only place the publication in its regular magazine racks, away from checkout lines. The company called the move primarily a business decision, though it noted that the concerns voiced by NCOSE were heard.



Susan Rice

Former Obama administration official Susan Rice has been named to the Netflix board of directors. Rice was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 2009-2013 and then served as President Barack Obama's national security advisor until January 2017. She was a central player in the controversy that followed the 2012 attack on Benghazi, in which four Americans lost their lives. During the Clinton administration, Rice was assistant secretary of state for African affairs. We are delighted to welcome Ambassador Rice to the Netflix board, said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. For decades, she has tackled difficult, complex global issues with intelligence, integrity and insight and we look forward to benefiting from her experience and wisdom. Netflix has nearly 120M subscribers worldwide.

TV ad spending is expected to remain flat in 2018, according to eMarketers most recent U.S. advertising forecast. The forecast says that spending on TV ads will dip 0.5 percent this year to $69.87 billion, down from $70.22 billion in 2017 and $71.29 billion in 2016. The drop comes as viewers keep moving to internet-based platforms. Overall, digital ad spend will rise 18.7 percent to $107.30 billion. Rokus U.S. ad revenues are expected to top $293 million in 2018 (up 93 percent over its 2017 total), while Hulu should see a 13 percent jump in its ad revenues to $1.12 billion. While the report says there should be a slight uptick in TV ad revenues in 2020 (due to the Tokyo Summer Olympics and the U.S. presidential election), it predicts that the general trend will be downward. As ratings for TV programming continue to decline, advertiser spending will also continue to see declines, said eMarketer senior forecasting director Monica Pearl.


Vikki Spruill

Vikki Spruill, one-time senior VP at Ruder Finn, will become CEO of the New England Aquarium, a major marine animal conservation, research and education center, on July 30.

An accomplished advocate for marine conservation and ocean protection, Spruill will join an institution which attracted 1.4M visitors in 2017, the most in 15 years, and is in the midst of planning the Blueway expansion on Bostons Central Wharf.

Spruill will succeed CEO Nigella Hillgarth, who announced plans in January to return to the University of Washington (Seattle) to teach biology after a three-year stint in Boston.

She began her career at Burson-Marsteller and moved to Ruder Finn in 1990 with its acquisition of Peabody Fitzpatrick Communications, where Spruill was a principal.

Spruill exited RF in 1994 to launch SeaWeb, a nonprofit dedicated to using strategic communications tools to champion healthy oceans, promote eco-friendly seafood and improve presentation skills of scientists.

Following SeaWeb, she helped launch FoundationWorks to counsel the philanthropic sector on how to apply PR to improve their effectiveness, served as Ocean Conservancy president and led the Council of Foundations.

Donna Hazard, Aquarium chair, said in a statement that Spruills extraordinary experience and leadership in both marine conservation and philanthropy make her uniquely qualified to lead the Aquariums mission to protect and advocate for vital and vibrant oceans.


Scott Pruitt

Hey EPA chief, Scott Pruitt! The good guys won the debate on whether humans contribute to global warming, which is not exactly hot news.

In 2014, the US National Academy of Sciences and UKs Royal Society issued a report called Climate Change: Evidence and Causes, which stated: Scientists know that recent climate change is largely caused by human activities from an understanding of basic physics, comparing observations with models and fingerprinting the detailed patterns of climate change caused by different human and natural influences.

And how about: All major climate changes, including natural ones, are disruptive. Past climate changes led to extinction of many species, population migrations, and pronounced changes in the land surface and ocean circulation. The speed of the current climate change is faster than most of the past events, making it more difficult for human societies and the natural world to adapt.

Wait, theres more: Earths lower atmosphere is becoming warmer and moister as a result of human-emitted greenhouse gases. This gives the potential for more energy for storms and certain severe weather events. Consistent with theoretical expectations, heavy rainfalls and snowfall events (which increase flooding) and heatwaves are generally becoming more frequent."

Let's shift to EPA fantasyland, in which the emaciated federal environmental watchdog ignores science and spreads misinformation about the jury being out on global warming.

On March 27, EPAs public affairs shop distributed eight talking points for guidance on global warming. Its purpose was to have its communicators spread a consistent message. A consistent but flat out wrong message.

Among talking point gems:

Human activity impacts our changing climate in some manner. The ability to measure with precision the degree and extent of that impact, and what to do about it, are subject to continuing debate and dialogue.

While there has been extensive research and a host of published reports on climate change, clear gaps remain including our understanding of the role of human activity and what we can do about it.

And the whopper: Administrator Pruitt encourages an open, transparent debate on climate science.

The April 2 New Yorker profiles Pruitt as a man on a mission to please Donald Trump, who, of course, says climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese to Keep America from Becoming Great Again.

In the short-term, Pruitt, who was Attorney General of Oklahoma, is keeping on Trumps good guy list in the hope of succeeding Jeff Sessions, once he is bounced from the AG job.

TNY reports Pruitts longer-term goal is to succeed Trump as president in 2024.

God help both us and Mother Earth.
Mississippi Elementary School Named After Confederate President To Be Renamed After Barack Obama

The incident took place on Monday at North Jones Elementary School in Jones County, Mississippi, during one of the childs classes. The 11-year-old was called to the office without reason, and the principal cut off portions of his hair hanging in front of his face, according to a report from WDAM 7.

Following the incident, the childs mother withdrew him from the school and has pressed charges against the schools principal and the schools counselor.

I was highly upset, Lattrice Averette said. I needed something to be done, and I wanted some justice for my son. He is autistic, suffers from ADHD and post-traumatic stress because of this school. I needed some helpI have been to the superintendents office and Im waiting for them to complete their investigation.

Averette shared pictures of her sons hair on Facebook, where the post became viral on social media.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2153688071584227&id=100008291644855

Jones County school officials have concluded their investigation on the incident, with district superintendent Tommy Parker saying that theres no evidence to support the accusation. The investigation included interviewing students and faculty, as well as reviewing surveillance footage from the school.

Based on what we found, we found absolutely no evidence that there is any proof what so ever that his allegations of having his hair cut at school exist, Parker said. I spent two hours watching minute by minute video today to see if their was an occasion that the student thats made the accusations against the schools principal was at or near the school office. In the time frame he said he was at the school office, there is no video evidence that he was at or near the school office at any time.

This story appears to be a total fabrication by this student, Parker added.

Source: WDAM 7
Financial and environmental experts gathered at an international workshop on the theme of Sustainable Finance on Climate and Energy, which opened in Hanoi on March 29, to discuss measures to boost the financial sectors activities in promoting Vietnams tangible results on environmental and sustainable policy goals.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnam Banking Association, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the worlds leading conservation organisation, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Vietnam.

According to experts, climate change will have a profound impact on humans and eco-systems during the coming decades with adverse effects on the economy, cultures and livelihoods. The situation is particularly alarming for Vietnam. Extreme weather and snow in the north, with drought and salinity intrusion in the South Central and Mekong Delta regions, has seriously affected production and the daily activities of millions of people.

Undeterred by such challenges, more than 180 countries gathered in Paris, France, to sign a landmark climate agreement to keep global temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius, reaffirming the worlds commitment to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With domestic resources, Vietnam has pledged to reduce GHG emissions by 8% by 2030. This contribution could be increased to 25% with international support.

The aforementioned goal requires an increasingly critical role of the financial sector in managing climate-related risks and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. Its contribution is expected to be an important instrument to Vietnams accomplishment of commitments to the Paris Agreement, as well as the UNs Sustainable Development Goals.

VCCI Secretary General Nguyen Quang Vinh said that Vietnam and its neighbouring countries will find the goals pledged during the ratification of the Paris Agreement unattainable if the financial sector fails to fulfill its duty. It is imperative that banks begin adopting a dismissive attitude towards investment projects that pose an inherent risk towards the environment and society. Only then, can the nation start working towards a sustainable economy, he stated.

VCCI Secretary General Nguyen Quang Vinh states that a dismissive attitude from financial institutions towards investment projects poses inherent risks towards the environment and that society helps to boost a sustainable economy. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung)



Naomin Tan, Sustainable Finance Engagement Manager of WWF-Singapore, agreed that the financial sector plays a pivotal role in the transition to a low-carbon economy by shifting capital away from unsustainable activities. Particularly in developing countries like Vietnam, financial institutions such as banks hold the key to turbo-charging sustainable development through the adoption of more stringent Environmental Social and Governance policies and by allocating capital to sustainable activities.

With 25 years of implementing sustainable development, including nearly six years of delivering the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy, Vietnam has been taking advantage of an established foundation for low carbon development. During the same period, the financial sector has made great strides in term of policies to measure up to global standards. This was exemplified by the IFC partnership with the State Bank of Vietnam in which an environmental and social risk assessment handbook across ten sectors was drafted.

Vietnam has implemented policies for delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the lack of policy enforcement remains a key challenge, Naomin Tan said, adding that in the near future, WWF will collaborate with local banks, regulators and associations to promote sustainable finance though capacity building and the development of tools and guidelines.

At the event, leading financial and environmental experts shared their knowledge and experience in low carbon development, risk assessment for environmental and social projects, and sustainable finance products.

According to the Sustainable Scenario for the Vietnamese Power Sector until 2050 report by WWF-Vietnam and Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance, 100% of Vietnams power can be generated by renewable energy technologies by 2050, whilst significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions linked to climate change. For that reason, the financial sector should make the transition towards investing in renewable energy while gradually divesting from unsustainable thermal power plants.
The requirement was made by Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Communications and Education Vo Van Thuong during a working session with the VTV staff in Hanoi on March 28.

At the meeting, Politburo member Thuong acknowledged the active contributions made by VTV to national development and defence, external relations, Party building work and the construction of the political system.

In the remaining months of 2018, the station should focus on disseminating the Party and States resolutions on the issues related to Party building and the fight against political and moral degradation, Thuong said.

It also needs to raise the responsibility of its leaders and improve the capacity of its reporters and editors through offering them training, while ensuring information safety, the senior Party official added.

VTV General Director Tran Binh Minh reported that his station is broadcasting on nine channels from VTV1 to VTV9 with a total broadcast time of about 205 hours a day, comprehensively informing the public on all important events. It has also developed paid channels as VTCcab, SCTV and K + with increasingly improved quality and coverage.

VTV has focused on implementing a roadmap for converting technologies towards high definition TV programming and digital terrestrial television during 2015-2020, while continuing to improve its digital content quality strategy to adapt in the internet era.

Minh also suggested that the Central Commission for Communications and Education and the Ministry of Information and Communications take stronger measures to prevent the violation of TV programmes copyright, as well as strengthening the management and control of information activities on social networks to prevent fake news.
Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra on March 27 ratified the Summit of the Americas is to be held in Lima in April.

He also explained that the withdrawal of the invitation to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was up to his Foreign Ministry.

Vizcarra, who took office on March 23 after the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, said he had received phone calls from several leaders in the region ratifying their participation in the summit on April 13 and 14.

The established schedule is ratified, I have received calls from various representatives ratifying their commitment to this important meeting to be held here in Peru, he explained during his first press conference as president.

The first call I received was from Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, said Vizcarra, who was serving as a Peruvian ambassador to Canada when he was summoned to take up his new post.

US President Donald Trump is also expected to attend in what would be his first presidential trip to Latin America.
Soldiers carry coffins containing remains of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) killed in the Korean War, at the Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 28, 2018. The remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) Wednesday. A ceremony was held at the airport to welcome back the remains. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

SHENYANG, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) Wednesday.

Two Chinese fighter jets escorted a plane carrying the remains and the belongings of the fallen soldiers. They landed at an airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, at around 11:20 a.m.

A ceremony was held at the airport to welcome back the remains.

More than 200 representatives from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Liaoning provincial government and the military attended the ceremony.

The remains will be buried in a "martyrs' park" in Shenyang, where the remains of 569 soldiers were sent back from the ROK between 2014 and 2017.

The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought side by side with the army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the Korean War against the South Korean army and U.S.-led UN forces.

Tens of thousands of CPV soldiers died on the Korean Peninsula during the war, which ended in 1953.
Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York for New Managers:

New York-based Oval Capital Management is in market with a new distressed real estate and non-performing loans strategy. The firm looks for non-performing mortgage notes backed by commercial and residential real estate.

Oval Capital managing partner Oleg Langbort tells Opalesque New Managers that the firm is targeting $25-50 million for its first fund and has already done approximately $8 million in transactions over the past six years.

The management team, which includes Langbort and managing director Igor Vidrevich has experience with real estate debt investing, property management and renovation as well as buying and selling properties. Vidrevich joined the firm from Morgan Stanley, where he worked in the Securitized Products Group. Langbort previously worked in alternative investments for Banco Santander.

Oval takes a high touch approach buying non-performing debt and rehabilitating the underlying asset. In some cases, that could mean fully renovating a property in order to sell at a profit. The portfolio can hold a mix of commercial and residential real estate with the proportion of each varying based on the market environment. "For most private equity and hedge funds, owning the asset would be their worst nightmare. We think that you can't manage from afar, often our best case scenario is to own the asset and ......................

To view our full article Click here
Opalesque Industry Update - Quant Insight, the London-based macro analytics firm, and Predata, the New York-based predictive analytics platform, today announced a new strategic partnership whereby Predata will add its global geopolitical risk signals to Quant Insight's quantitative macro analyses framework and processes to give institutional investors and traders anticipatory insight to help optimize investments and quantify trades on assets that incorporate political risk. Together, Quant Insight and Predata will give investors, hedge fund portfolio managers and wealth managers a more complete framework for trading today's complex financial markets. The joint solution will help investors to better grasp the political, financial and economic factors driving asset prices via two complementary and now integrated analytic platforms. "Having the expertise to know which data is relevant, how to interpret that data and translate it into actionable investment ideas is crucial in today's trading environment. We are delighted to partner with Predata to ensure all financial market participants have access to our combined analytics capabilities and evaluate both economic and geopolitical factors when choosing a trade expression that best suits their macro view," said Mahmood Noorani, Founder and CEO at Quant Insight. "Collaborating with Quant Insight provides a perfect application for our predictive intelligence, risk and geopolitical signals to create an anticipatory view into popular risk topics and events that investors can then translate into actionable ideas. Together, we're delivering a powerful source of analysis to financial professionals looking for alpha strategies using alternative data, machine learning and innovative quantitative techniques," says Hazem Dawani, CEO of Predata. Quant Insight is a macro research firm that provides actionable quantitative analysis to hedge funds, asset managers, pension funds and wealth managers. Whether a macro money manager needs to understand what drives their FX trade or duration position, or an equity long-short fund whose bottom-up investment process needs greater insight on potential exogenous shocks, QI can help provide clear insight into the most important macro issues in global markets at any point in time. Predata builds models of human behavior online using alternative data and machine learning techniques to identify and map patterns that precede major market and political events. The data and models are then transformed into risk signals, market indicators, and political and economic event predictions. Predata's global risk intelligence has helped hedge fund portfolio managers and global macro strategists discover and quantify risk around geopolitical and market events such as attacks on UN Peacekeepers in Mali, PKK violence in Turkey, and flare-ups in tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Also, in February Predata used its platform to predict a move in Japanese Yen one week in advance of the actual USD/JPY increase.
WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that White House doctor Ronny Jackson will replace embattled David Shulkin to be the next Veteran Affairs (VA) secretary.

A rear admiral of the U.S. Navy, Jackson has served as the White House physician since the George W. Bush administration, and has monitored Trump's health since he took office.

"Admiral Jackson is highly trained and qualified and as a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," Trump said in a statement.

Trump also said that he appreciates the work of Shulkin, including his effort to help pass the VA Accountability Act.

"He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service," the president said of Shulkin, who has come under scrutiny after a February report from VA's inspector general office concluded that his European trip last July amounts to a "misuse of VA resources."

Robert Wilkie, an undersecretary at the Department of Defense, will serve as the acting VA secretary, according to Trump.
Updated at 7:08 p.m.

A high-powered investment manager in Portland is on administrative leave after news reports chronicled a long history of domestic violence allegations made by a series of ex-wives and significant others.

Over 15 years, four women claimed they were stalked or abused by Douglas E. Greenberg, a Morgan Stanley wealth adviser. The claims were included in a lengthy story published Wednesday by The New York Times.

Traci Williams, who filed for divorce from Greenberg in 2013, made some of the first allegations in a series of Facebook posts in 2015. Portland lawyer Sean Riddell said he is preparing to file a claim on Williams' behalf against Morgan Stanley, which he suspects knew about Greenberg's history and did little.

"The key questions are what did Morgan Stanley know and when did they know it," Riddell said. Greenberg "used computers, phones and other company assets to harass, stalk and abuse my client."

Greenberg could not be reached. Calls and emails to his attorney were not returned. George Kane, head of Morgan Stanley's local office, refused to comment.

It's a #MeToo moment for Portland's small, insular financial services industry and for Lake Oswego, the wealthy suburb where Greenberg and the four alleged victims were from. The Times report makes the case that Morgan Stanley knew about Greenberg's history and did little beyond send an investigator out to Portland to check out the claims.

Greenberg managed tens of millions of dollars for Morgan Stanley. His clients included wealthy former Nike managers and some of the largest corporations in the area. Morgan Stanley is the largest stock brokerage in the city with 180 employees.

He ran the Greenberg Group, a three-person operation within Morgan Stanley specializing in serving clients that "have had considerable success in their professional lives."

But along with Greenberg's business success came failed marriages and allegations of violence. Four women in Lake Oswego have sought restraining orders against him. All were either ex-wives or girlfriends, and none work for Morgan Stanley.

"He threatened to burn down my house with me in it," one woman wrote in her application for a restraining order, The Times reported. "I don't know what he's going to do next," a second wrote. "He choked me so hard it left a mark on my throat," wrote another.

Morgan Stanley received a federal subpoena related to one abuse allegation, a lawyer for one of the women told The Times. Another time, a bank manager alerted his supervisor when Greenberg was charged with violating a restraining order, The Times said, citing three former employees. Another manager at the firm liked and replied to a Facebook post by one of Greenberg's ex-wives in which she described his abuse. On another occasion, an official from the bank's New York headquarters flew to Portland to investigate, two former employees told the newspaper.

Despite this information, Morgan Stanley apparently took no action against Greenberg, who is in the top 2 percent of brokers at the firm by revenue produced. Last month, he made a Forbes list of Oregon's top wealth managers, The Times reported.

Morgan Stanley placed Greenberg on administrative leave pending a review, The Times reported. Reached by The Times this week, Greenberg said he had no comment. "It's interesting that a reporter from New York would somehow have all this information just on her own," he said.

-- Jeff Manning
Devonte Hart became famous for one moment in Portland, when a photographer captured a cop hugging the boy at a downtown rally protesting police violence. The officer was responding to a sign the boy was wearing, offering "Free Hugs."

The moment in the fall of 2014 was emblematic of the Hart family's life  but also a distortion of it, friends said Wednesday. Devonte often wore that "Free Hugs" sign, and it attracted many memorable embraces with strangers.

But the media attention cast a harsh glare on a multiracial family with same-sex parents and a troubled history  including one parent's prior conviction for child abuse. The Harts moved from suburban West Linn to rural Woodland, Washington, and backed away from the civic activism they felt drawn to. The family reported emailed death threats.

"It put Devonte in the crosshairs of a lot of people, so to speak," said Samantha Sinclair, a retired nurse in Portland who met the Hart family through mutual friends. "It was such a beautiful photo, but not everyone saw it that way."

An outpouring of grief erupted on social media Wednesday as news spread that at least five members of the Hart family died when their SUV plunged off a coastal highway in Northern California and onto the Pacific Ocean shoreline. A passer-by discovered the wreckage Monday morning.

Law enforcement said the Hart parents, Sarah and Jen, both 38, are dead, as are three teenage Hart children. The fate of three siblings  including Devonte, now 15  remained unclear, but a search was launched at the crash site for them.

Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman says they have "every indication" all six kids were in the vehicle when it went off the cliff. He said investigators have no reason to believe the wreck was intentional.

"The children were some of the most joyful, beautiful children I have ever known," Sinclair said. "Jen and Sara wanted to provide a stable life for them."

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said the Hart parents were married, and that all six children were adopted. In a Facebook post earlier this month, Jen Hart celebrated the ninth anniversary of the adoption of three of the children.

"I am a better human in every possible way for knowing these children. They have been my greatest teachers," she wrote. "Contrary to the common notion that we can't choose our family, we absolutely can. We choose by loving  and that's worth celebrating every damn day."

The Hart family was a regular at Oregon's earthy festivals and shows, according to Zippy Lomax, who met them in 2012 at the annual Beloved festival in Tidewater that celebrates art, mysticism, music and yoga.

The children attracted immediate attention, Lomax said, "shining examples of what it means to be truly cared for."

"They weren't plugged into the technology," she said. "They preferred to lay (around) and read books and hang out with their chickens."

Some neighbors remembered a less idyllic scene.

In Woodland, neighbors Bruce and Dana DeKalb said Devonte came to their house several times asking for food. She said Devonte told them his parents had withheld it as a form of punishment and asked the DeKalbs to leave it by the fence they shared so his parents wouldn't know.

Bill Groener, who used to live next door to the family in West Linn, said the Hart family kept to themselves and kept the kids indoors, even in good weather. Groener said the only contact he had with the family is when they went out to get the mail.

"Something just didn't seem right. They were very isolated in the home," Groener told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday. He said he feels "guilty he never called (children's) services."

In Woodland, Cowlitz County Child Protective Services had sought to visit the family Friday after complaints from neighbors there, but no one answered the door, according to the sheriff's office. (Woodland is split between the two counties.)

Court records in Minnesota show that Sarah Hart received a 90-day, suspended jail sentence and a year of probation after her 6-year-old daughter arrived at school in 2010 with bruises on her stomach and back. The girl told a teacher, "Mom hit me," according to records.

"Sarah immediately took responsibility for the spanking that occurred the previous day," the criminal court complaint said. Sarah told investigators they normally do not spank their children, according to court records, but said she let her anger get out of control and bent the girl over the edge of a bathtub to spank her, which likely caused the marks on her back and front.

Jen and Sarah Hart apparently moved to West Linn sometime after that, moving again to Woodland about 10 months ago.

Family friends were incredulous Wednesday at reports of past abuse and the recent visit by social workers to the Hart family home in Washington.

"There were no clues anywhere that something was wrong," Lomax said.

"Jen and Sarah were the kinds of parents this world desperately needs," Lomax said. "They loved their kids more than anything else."

The family frequently traveled together, she said, taking scenic routes to explore new places and new vistas. She imagines that's what they were doing Monday, when their SUV plunged off the coastal highway in Northern California.

"I'm sure they were going somewhere special and fun," Lomax said, "as they often did."

Oregonian staffers Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, Eder Campuzano, Jim Ryan, Randy Mishler, Everton Bailey Jr., Molly Young and Tom Hallman Jr. contributed to this report.

-- Mike Rogoway
The 18-year-old son of a Lane County parole officer found his father's loaded gun unattended on a living room desk and used it to kill himself a short time later last year, a wrongful death lawsuit alleges.

The suit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Eugene by the estate of William Han Manstrom-Greening, names the father, Glenn Greening, and his employer, Lane County Parole and Probation, among others.

The teenager, a student at Eugene's Marist High School, killed himself in the early morning hours of Valentine's Day 2017.

William Han Manstrom-Greening, 18, a student at Marist High School in Eugene, killed himself with his father's loaded and unattended duty gun last year, a wrongful death lawsuit says.

The lawsuit alleges Lane County Parole and Probation shouldn't have allowed the teen's father to carry a gun. The agency had twice suspended Greening from carrying a firearm, in 2001 and 2004, after Greening harassed and threatened violence against co-workers and his wife, the suit says.

He also had a history of mental health diagnoses, including severe depression and bipolar disorder, the suit says.

In June 2012, the county reauthorized Greening to carry a firearm on duty.

On Feb. 13, 2017, Greening returned home from work and went to bed, leaving his duty Glock 19 loaded and unsecured on a living room desk though he had a gun safe at home and should have known that was the appropriate place to keep it, the suit alleges.

The suit cites Lane County's policy that directs employees never to leave their guns unsecure or unattended.

After the 18-year-old's death, the county took no disciplinary action against Greening, the suit says.

Greening had adopted the child. He and the adoptive mother, Carol Manstrom, a plaintiff in the suit, separated and divorced in 2001.

A month before the shooting, the 18-year-old's serious relationship with a girlfriend had ended, the suit says. The day before the shooting, the teen stayed home from school, complaining of flu-like symptoms, according to the suit.

The suit alleges that the teen's death resulted from Lane County's negligence and seeks unspecified economic and noneconomic damages.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
A 15-year-old boy featured in a widely shared photo of him hugging a Portland police officer in 2014 is one of two children still missing after an SUV with their family inside plunged off a Northern California cliff.

Devonte Hart and his sister Hannah, 16, have yet to be found since the wreckage was discovered March 26 by a passer-by off Route 1 near Westport, California. The crash killed Jennifer Hart and Sarah Hart, both 38, and their children, Markis Hart, 19; Abigail Hart, 14; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Sierra Hart, 12. Sierra Hart's legal name is "Ciera."

Here's a timeline of what we know so far:

March 2004: Earliest known public record that shows Jennifer Hart and Sarah Gengler, both from South Dakota, residing in Alexandria, Minnesota.

April 2005: The couple is licensed to provide child foster care in Douglas County, Minnesota, for almost two years beginning April 1, 2005.

May 2005: Sarah Hart petitions to change her last name from Gengler to Hart.

August 2006: A Harris County District Court (Texas) judge orders the parental rights of the biological parents of Devonte, Jeremiah, Sierra and a fourth child terminated.

September 2006: Jennifer and Sarah Hart adopt siblings Markis, Abigail and Hannah.

December 2006: The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services removes Devonte, Jeremiah, Sierra and a fourth child from the care of an aunt, Priscilla Celestine, after a caseworker visit. The children are then placed in foster care.

May 2007: The aunt, Celestine, files a petition to adopt all four children while they are being cared for by the state of Texas. The petition is denied in Harris County District Court the next year. The aunt files a motion for a new trial, and that is denied as well.

September 2008: According to a police report from Alexandria, Minnesota, Hannah, then 6, tells authorities that one of her mothers bruised her with a belt. Asked about the beating, Jennifer and Sarah Hart tell a police investigator and social worker the girl had fallen down the stairs.

October 2008: Celestine appeals to a Texas appeals court to overturn the adoption petition and new trial dismissals.

February 2009: Jennifer and Sarah adopt Devonte and two of his siblings  bringing their number of children to six. An article from Paper Trail, a New Zealand-based news outlet, describes his adoption. The article said by age 4, the boy had been abused, neglected, shot at and had endured other traumas. The fourth child, Dontay Davis, is not adopted by the Harts.

July 2010: A Texas appeals court turns down Celestine's attempt to adopt Devonte Hart and three of his siblings, court records show.

November 2010: Police in Alexandria, Minnesota interview Abigail Hart, 6 at the time, after a teacher discovers bruises stretching from her sternum to her navel. The girl says Jennifer Hart hit her with a closed fist, put her head in a cold bath, then hit her again, court records show. She was then grounded, the girl told police, which meant she had to stay in bed and miss lunch.

April 2011: Sarah Hart pleads guilty to abusing Abigail Hart and is sentenced to a year of probation for misdemeanor domestic assault, court records show. Sarah told police she was the one who hit Abigail, even though the girl told authorities her mother Jennifer had done it. The next day, all six of the Hart children are taken out of public schools. They never attend public school again.

October 2011: The family lives in Alexandria, Minnesota, for a time and takes part in local activism. Hart family members including Devonte and Jennifer Hart participate in an Occupy Minneapolis demonstration.

2012: According to friends in Oregon, Sarah Hart travels to Portland to look for work. Jennifer Hart and their children later join her.

2013: After the family moves to West Linn, family friend Alexandra Argyropoulos tells Oregon child welfare officials that the Hart parents have been depriving their kids of food as punishment, she says. The Harts break off contact with her when they learn of it. Argyropoulos says she was told the Hart children had been interviewed by Oregon officials; it was apparent that each child had been coached by their mothers on what to say; and nothing more could be done by the Oregon Department of Human Services.

July 2013: The police department responds to a call to the Hart's house.

November 2014: Family members participate in a Portland protest of a Missouri grand jury declining to indict a Ferguson police officer in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. Devonte and a Portland police officer hug, and the photo of the moment goes viral.

March 2016: Family members join U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont onstage during a presidential campaign rally in Vancouver.

May 2017: Jennifer and Sarah Hart buy a two-story, 3-bedroom home on 2 acres of land in the Woodland area of Clark County, Washington, property records show.

November 2017: Steve Frkovich, a relative of the Harts' neighbors, tells a dispatcher that he is concerned about the children. He says he feels the kids are "being highly abused" and recounts Hannah Hart jumping out a window and seeking help. The incident happened a few months prior to his call to authorities, and a neighbor  Frkovich's daughter  says there have been no other issues since that one.

March 23, 2018: The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services opens a Child Protective Services investigation in which the Hart children are "identified as potential victims of alleged abuse or neglect."

March 23, 2018: The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services attempts without success to make contact with the Hart family.

March 24, 2018: Sarah Hart sends a 3 a.m. text message to a friend, saying she's so sick she might have to go to the hospital. The friend, Cheryl Hart, never hears from Sarah again.

March 24, 2018: The family is in or around Newport, Oregon, around 8:14 a.m., police say. It's believed they continue south on Route 101 until they reach State Route 1 in Leggett, California.

March 24, 2018: The Harts travel south on State Route 1 until they reach the Fort Bragg area in Mendocino around 8 p.m.. The family stays there until about 9 p.m. March 25, 2018.

March 26, 2018: Cheryl Hart calls a Clark County emergency dispatcher at at 1:15 p.m., asking the Clark County Sheriff's Office to do a welfare check at the family's Woodland, Washington, home.

March 26, 2018: The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services again unsuccessfully attempts to make contact with the Hart family.

March 26, 2018: A passer-by along Highway 1 in Westport, California, calls 911 after looking down a 100-foot embankment and seeing an SUV upside down on the rocky shoreline. Five people are found dead: three children outside the SUV and two women inside.

March 27, 2018: The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services makes a third unsuccessful attempt to contact the Hart family.

March 28, 2018: The women are identified by the Mendocino County's Sheriff's Office as Jennifer and Sarah Hart and their children as Markis, Jeremiah and Abigail. Three of their other children: Devonte, Hannah and Sierra, remain missing. Sheriff Tom Allman said a search is ongoing for the remaining three children.

March 29, 2018: Police continue to search for the three missing children, including Devonte, and to investigate why the SUV plunged off the California cliff. Authorities don't know if the kids were also in the car, but are basing their search on the assumption that they were thrown from the car into the cliffs or the surf.

March 31, 2018: Officials reveal the speedometer on the Harts' wrecked SUV was "pinned" at 90 mph.

April 2, 2018: Officials say the crash may have been intentional, saying data taken from the family's SUV shows the vehicle came to a complete stop at the Route 1 pullout before speeding off the cliff. The search for the missing children becomes a "recovery effort."

April 2, 2018: "I'm to the point where I'm no longer calling this an accident, I'm calling it a crime," Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman tells HLN's Ashleigh Banfield.

April 7, 2018: An unidentified body, believed to be that of a black female, is found in the ocean near the site of the crash. Officials say an identification could take weeks.

April 13, 2018: California Highway Patrol officials tell reporters Jennifer Hart had a blood alcohol level of .102 when she drove the SUV off the cliff the previous month. Capt. Bruce Carpenter also told reporters toxicology reports indicated Sarah Hart had "a significant amount of the ingredient primarily in Benadryl in her system." Two of the three children also had "Benadryl-type of substances in their system."

April 17, 2018: Authorities announce that the body found in the Pacific Ocean surf near the crash site April 7 belongs to Sierra Hart, 12. Her legal name is "Ciera."

Two of her siblings, Devonte and Hannah Hart, remain missing. They are presumed dead. The FBI has posted missing person fliers for both children on its website.

 The Oregonian/OregonLive
WESTPORT, California  The California coastline scene where a crash killed at least five members of a Northwest family was quiet Thursday morning, as investigators headed back to the area to determine why an SUV plunged off a cliff 100 feet down to the shoreline below.



A line of traffic cones blocked access to the turnout on Route 1 north of the Northern California town of Westport on the rugged Mendocino coast. Deep ruts marked the spot where a tow truck days earlier had winched the battered SUV up from the surf and over the edge of the cliff.



The crash killed Jennifer Jean Hart, the driver, and Sarah Margaret Hart, both 38, of Woodland, Washington. The Hart children killed were Markis, 19, Abigail, 14, and Jeremiah, 14.



Three of the Hart's other children are still missing, including Devonte Hart, a boy who in 2014 was at the center of a viral photo showing his tender embrace with a Portland policeman. Authorities say it remains unclear if those three were also in the vehicle, though the search has focused on whether they were possibly thrown into the cliffs or surf.



The 2003 GMC Yukon was pulled up from the bottom of the cliff soon after it was discovered Monday by a passerby, said Lieutenant Shannon Barney of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.



But the investigation has yielded more questions than answers since the grim discovery. The crash occurred as authorities in Washington tried multiple times to visit the family home after receiving reports of abuse and neglect concerning the children.



The Harts and their children, former West Linn residents, left their Woodland home Friday shortly after no one answered the door for a visit by children's services authorities, according to neighbors and the Clark County Sheriff's Office.



Also, court records in Minnesota, where the family previously lived, show Sarah Hart received a 90-day suspended jail sentence and a year of probation in 2011 after her six-year-old daughter arrived at school with bruises on her stomach and back.

The girl told a teacher, "Mom hit me," according to court records. Sarah Hart later told police she had "let her anger get out of control" and had bent her daughter over a bathtub and spanked her repeatedly the day before, records show.

Former Alexandria Police Department Det. Sgt. Larry Dailey, who investigated the case, recalled the girl's injuries weren't severe compared with other incidents involving children he'd seen in his 31-year law enforcement career. Nor had there had been signs of other abused or injured siblings in the home.

What struck Dailey, however, was how the girl's parents bristled at him and a state social worker who were contacted by the school, he said.

"From what I recall, they were very anti-system folks." Dailey, who retired in 2014, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Thursday. "They didn't like the school or that the police intervened, and they certainly didn't like the outcome."

Dailey also said Sarah and Jennifer Hart, two white women, and their six adopted children, who were all black, stood out in Alexandria, a small city of 13,000 about 130 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

"I think they had faced a lot [of] problems and were leaning in the direction to move out of town," Dailey said.

Shortly after, the family moved to the West Linn area and began to homeschool their children. Sarah and Jennifer Hart also became estranged from their immediate families in the Midwest, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation said.

Those records and interviews contrast with an outpouring of love and community support the family has received since the Devonte photo went viral.



"Jen and Sarah were the kinds of parents this world desperately needs," said Portland photographer Zippy Lomax, who had known the family since 2012. "They loved their kids more than anything else."



The Hart family was a regular at Oregon festivals and shows, Lomax said, including the Beloved festival in Tidewater. They also joined presidential candidate Bernie Sanders onstage during a 2016 rally in Vancouver.



But the reaction to that 2014 moment overwhelmed the family, Lomax said, with much negative attention focused on the multiracial family with lesbian parents.



"They got a lot of negativity from that, and they kind of closed off for a while, honestly," Lomax said.

In Mendocino County on Thursday, a crew of eight search and rescue workers from the Sheriff's Office arrived at the crash scene just after 10 a.m. and fanned out across the top of the cliff.

Deputy Bill Holcomb led the team as they trained high-powered telescopes on the surf below and looked for any sign of the missing children.



The tide was one of the highest Holcomb had seen all week. The high water was both a blessing and a curse, he said: It prevented searchers from accessing the beach, but it also stirred up anything that may have come to rest on the sea floor.



Holcomb said the team would start at the crash site and work south. Close to shore, the currents tend to move that direction, he said, but about a half mile out they turn north again.



The all-volunteer crew had its work cut out for it.



"That's the thing about the ocean, it's so dynamic," Holcomb said, as he peered over the cliff. "It can change in a second."



Footage of the coast, captured by drone Wednesday, was being reviewed for any sign of the missing children.

At the same time, Barney said, the California Highway Patrol is working to reconstruct the couple's travels in the 24-hour period before the crash. Investigators were working backward from the crash to retrace their movements from Clark County, where the Sheriff's Office and count officials are also probing the family's background and recent activities.



Barney said this case in particular, involving the deaths of multiple children, has been taxing for his small agency.



"Most of our guys are fathers themselves, so it's been difficult," he said. "It has definitely taken a toll."



Barney confirmed next of kin has been notified of the deaths.

Authorities were also investigating at the family's home Thursday afternoon.



An investigator could be seen taking photos of a white coupe parked near the multistory house, but most of the activity appeared to be taking place inside the home, which is situated off a winding, wooded road in rural Woodland.



In 2014, a photograph of a tear-streaked Devonte hugging Sgt. Bret Barnum during a tense "Black Lives Matter" demonstration in downtown Portland garnered global attention.

The photo, originally published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, was featured in national media, reached No. 1 on the social-sharing website Reddit and drew widespread Facebook attention.

This continues to be a developing story. Check back throughout the day for more updates.

Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, Everton Bailey, Jim Ryan and Mike Rogoway contributed to this report.

-- Kale Williams

The Oregonian/OregonLive
A deadly crash on the northern coast of California has brought renewed attention to a 2014 photo of a tearful embrace between a Portland police officer and a then-12-year-old boy, who is now missing after the wreck that killed his parents and at least some of his siblings.

The photo shows Devonte Hart and Sgt. Bret Barnum hugging during a protest in Portland after a Missouri grand jury declined to indict a Ferguson police officer in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. Devonte is crying in the photo.

The picture, taken by freelance photographer Johnny Nguyen, was taken Nov. 25 toward the beginning of the downtown Portland demonstration. Barnum told The Oregonian/OregonLive he saw Hart holding a sign that said "Free Hugs," called him over to talk, and they shook hands.

The boy said he was crying because he was sad about national events, Barnum recalled. He said he told the boy, "I'm sorry." The two continued to talk, and Barnum said he pointed at Hart's sign and asked, "Hey, can I have one of those?"

Nguyen, who also hugged Devonte that day, said he initially thought of putting the photo of Devonte and Barnum on Instagram two days after the protest. He then decided to see if The Oregonian/OregonLive would be interested in publishing it to a wider audience. The outlet paid Nguyen for the right to publish the picture.

By Nov. 28, the photo had been shared by more than 150,000 users on Facebook and would later go on to be featured on Reddit, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, NBC's "Today" show and other outlets. "Saturday Night Live" even mentioned the picture during a sketch.

Nguyen told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Nov. 29 that he felt the photo resonated because it showed "humanity, hope and positivity."

"I think, deep down, that's how every human being wants to be," he said at the time. "It's a reflection of where (we) want to go. The photo shows there is humanity left  there is hope."

The attention from the photo was overwhelming, the Hart family said, and not all of it was positive.

People emailed them death threats and Jennifer Hart, the boy's mother told The Oregonian/OregonLive that they avoided going out in public for fear that Devonte would be recognized and threatened.

The family later moved from Oregon to Washington because of the attention, according to the Mendocino Sheriff's Office, which is aiding in the crash investigation.

"I was trying to show peace, that there was a different way to handle it," Devonte told The Oregonian/OregonLive when asked why he was giving hugs during the 2014 Portland protest.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
Oregon has always been a fairly low-key state when it comes to its elected officials. There's not a lot of pomp, formality or the need for personal attendants. When they have a meeting outside the office, for the most part, they hop in their Priuses and go.

Secretary of State Dennis Richardson, however, is looking to add his own driver and security when traveling on official or personal business around the state. Now his staff is working to overcome his conflict of interest in adding that benefit to his pay package.

It's a move that requires some administrative maneuvering. State ethics watchdogs have already informed his office that he can't simply add the driver/security person himself. It's a conflict of interest, because he'd be using his own office for personal gain.

Instead, Richardson is recusing himself and delegating the decision to his deputy. He's declared his conflict of interest and tied the decision to the pay equity review going on in all state agencies.

Richardson's staff offers a variety of rationales for the move: potential threats to his safety; efficiency; and his role as second in command to the governor, ready to take over at a moment's notice.

They stress that they are not considering 24/7 protection from the state police, which would be prohibitively expensive. Rather, they are interested in using an existing staffer or a contractor who is already certified as a private security professional, and only while Richardson is traveling to state or personal meetings outside his state offices.

Richardson's spokeswoman, Debra Royal, could not immediately say how much the addition would cost. She also said Richardson has not received any specific threats.

"We are just taking precautions because of the environment we are living in," she said, citing "an alarming increase in tension and polarization in the nation. Some of that is in Oregon too, so were taking precautions. He is a high-profile state official, and we would just feel good if he were to have that support."

Gov. Kate Brown has a round-the-clock security detail and driver from the Dignitary Protection Unit of the Oregon State Police. But neither the treasurer, nor the attorney general rate such staff. And Richardson's immediate predecessors didn't either. The last serious threats to the secretary of state may have come from the Rajneeshee religious sect to Norma Paulus in the mid-'80s, said Pacific University professor Jim Moore.

"The political culture in Oregon has not supported this in the past," Moore said. "He has to show there's a real reason for this to avoid this looking like he's just asking for a chauffeur."

Bill Bradbury, the Secretary of State from 1999 to 2009, said he typically switched off driving with staffers when on a long trip, say, to Eastern Oregon.

"I absolutely never felt the need for something like this, but I'm not the current incumbent," he said. "I never had a person whose job description was driver, and in my nine years, I never received anything I felt was a threat on my life," he said.

Deputy Secretary of State Leslie Cummings wrote to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission two weeks ago seeking guidance on the move. In the letter, she said that while the position's salary and benefits package are set in statute, the secretary has "inherent constitutional authority" to set compensation for everyone in the agency under a different statute that gives him the authority to set rules, policies and procedure necessary for personnel administration in the agency.

The response from Ron Bersin, the executive director of the ethics commission, was fairly straightforward: It's a personal financial benefit, as it would allow Richardson to avoid the financial burden of paying for his own transportation and security. And public officials have a conflict of interest when they take decisions that have a direct financial impact on themselves.

That doesn't stop the office from adding the driver/security staffer. But Bersin said Richardson would have to declare the conflict, avoid participation in the decision, and the agency would have to specifically approve the additional compensation "in a formal manner."

The agency took the first step Monday. Staff put a statement from Richardson on its website indicating that "due to new pay equity laws," the agency was performing a review of all staff positions, salaries and benefits "to ensure equity and fairness."

The statement made no mention of the driver or security question, but it appeared to directly address Bersin's concerns.

"Although as Secretary of State my salary and a portion of my benefits package is set by statute, I will not participate in any discussions or decisions related to those Secretary of State benefits not set by statute.

"In short, I am recusing myself from such discussions to avoid a conflict of interest, and I am providing this public notice to ensure full transparency, integrity, and accountability to the Oregon people."

- Ted Sickinger

503-221-8505; @tedsickinger
Multnomah Village in Southwest Portland was temporarily shut down Wednesday as firefighters worked to put out a two-alarm fire at a bar in the area.

The fire was reported around 6:50 p.m. at Renner's Grill along Southwest Capitol Highway. No one was injured.

The cause is still under investigation, but the blaze damaged at least the roof, Portland Fire & Rescue said. Multnomah Village was reopened by 9:30 p.m.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
The last defendant in what prosecutors called a vast conspiracy to sell hundreds of pounds of black tar heroin in Portland was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to more than 12 years in prison.

Misraim Israel Briones Pasos, also known as Mario Ozuna, 36, of Tepic in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, was among 22 people convicted in the case and one of two with the longest sentence: 151 months.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions used the occasion to highlight the country's "porous southern border."

"Traffickers from Nayarit, like these defendants, have become notorious across the United States for their effectiveness in dispensing cheap and powerful heroin," Sessions said in a statement. "We will never know the full extent of the consequences of their actions. The sentences handed down in this case, though they cannot compare with the damage done to our nation by the defendants, will help keep the people of this country safe."

This network of traffickers brought up to 10 pounds of heroin into metro Portland every week at its peak, said Billy Williams, U.S. attorney for Oregon.

The investigation began in fall 2014 after an informant provided a tip that a man was selling heroin and oxycodone from his Southwest Portland home, according to court documents. A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment in February 2015 implicating 22 people. Investigators searched 24 locations in four states, government officials said.

In addition to convicting the principal players, the court also ordered more than $1.4 million in forfeitures, officials said.

The 22 defendants included 12 from Mexico and five from Oregon. The others were from California, Utah and Montana.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
LONDON -- The Russian ex-spy and his daughter left critically ill in a nerve agent attack three weeks ago were probably poisoned at the front door of their home in southwestern England, British police said Wednesday.

It was the first time police have said where they thought Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia might have been poisoned.

The highest concentration of nerve agent found so far was on the Skripals' front door in Salisbury, and detectives plan to focus their investigation in the surrounding area, London's Metropolitan Police force said in a statement.

"At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came in contact with the nerve agent from their front door," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon said in the statement.

Police have also searched a variety of sites around Salisbury, including a pub, a restaurant and a cemetery.

Britain has blamed Russia for the attack, triggering the expulsion of about 150 Russian diplomats from the U.K., U.S. and their Western allies. Russia has vowed to respond, but a senior diplomat said Wednesday there is no hurry to retaliate.

Russia vehemently denies Britain's accusation that it was behind the March 4 attack.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA Novosti state news agency that Moscow is "thoughtfully and thoroughly" considering its response. Separately, he was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying the expulsions were directed by London and Washington, adding that other nations succumbed to their pressure. He added that "all options are on the table" regarding Russia's response.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters that Russia's response "will suit the interests of Russia."

President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Theresa May about the coordinated effort by Western allies to expel Russian intelligence operatives. The White House said the leaders agreed Wednesday that dismantling Russian spy rings is a priority to "curtail Russian clandestine activities and prevent future chemical weapons attacks on either country's soil."

Skripal was imprisoned in Russia after he sold secrets to British intelligence. He was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

Britain says the Skripals were poisoned with a nerve agent developed in Soviet times and that it must have come from Russia. Russian officials complain that Britain hasn't presented evidence to back up the accusation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that British special services could have been behind the poisoning. British officials have previously rejected such Russian claims as nonsense.

-- Danica Kirka and Jim Heintz
BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Tuesday joined 25 governments around the world to expel Russian diplomats over a nerve-agent attack on a former spy in Britain, an unprecedented collective action which London labeled as a "turning point" in the West's relations with Moscow.

However, underneath the moment of unity between the United States and its European allies, there are longstanding discord and distrust between the two sides of the Atlantic on strategies, interests and policies.

A RARE SHOW OF UNITY

The United States announced Monday that it would expel 60 Russian diplomats and close the Russian Consulate in Seattle to retaliate for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter in London earlier in March.

On March 15, the United States, Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement condemning Russia over the incident, which was followed by the European Union (EU). The EU said last week it was recalling its ambassador to Russia.

At least 24 nations, including the United States and 17 EU members, have pledged to expel Russian diplomats.

On Tuesday NATO joined the alliance, declaring it would withdraw the accreditation of seven staff members at the Russian Mission to NATO and to deny pending accreditation requests for three other Russian diplomats following the "attack in Salisbury" against Skripal and his daughter.

"Those consultations have resulted so far in the expulsion of over 140 Russian officials by over 25 NATO Allies and partners," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.

"This is a broad, strong and coordinated international response. And as part of that response, NATO is unified in taking further steps," the statement added.

Despite NATO's support of Britain and its urge for Russia to address Britain's questions on March 14 and 15, Stoltenberg said that the alliance remained committed to a dual-track approach of strong defense and openness to dialogue, including by working to prepare the next meeting of the NATO-Russia Council.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury earlier this month.

They remain in critical condition after exposure to a nerve agent, which, according to the British authorities, could have originated from Russia.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the incident.

After European Council President Donald Tusk's announcement that a total of 14 EU countries would be teaming up with fellow member Britain in ordering out Russian diplomats, British Prime Minister Theresa May praised the "great solidarity" with Britain shown by the EU, North America, NATO and beyond.

She also warned that the West needs to develop a long-term response to the "renewed Russian threat."

DISCORD UNDERNEATH

In spite of the seemingly unified confrontational stance on Russia, there have been voices within these countries calling for dialogue.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said "we remain open to constructive dialogue with Russia, which remains necessary on many international issues."

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Monday that resources should be now focused on mending the widening rift between the East and the West. Meanwhile, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila told a separate press conference on the same day that the decision to expel a Russian diplomat was not easy for the country.

The coordinated actions were not merely a response to the poisoning attack, U.S. officials said. "It's also part of a broader set of actions that the Russians have taken for quite some time internationally: a steady drumbeat of destabilizing any aggressive actions."

Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, a U.S. think tank, told Xinhua that the number of Russian agents has been viewed with growing concern in the United States and allied countries.

The U.S. moves "are far more than symbolic as they are an attempt to hinder Russian intelligence gathering in these countries," he said.

Moscow has denied the accusation, calling the deportation of its diplomats "a provocative gesture."

The Trump administration has been under pressure from inside the country and the West. The mid-term elections urge it to "play tough" against Moscow, and Western allies have been disheartened by its reluctance to attack Moscow directly over the poisoning attack, as required by the NATO treaties, observers said.

The White House's ambiguity in dealing with Russia has also sparked rage and dissatisfaction inside the United States, where doubts of Trump' s "collusion" with Russia in the 2016 elections still linger.

Mahaffee said that it will continue to be a challenge for Trump to deal with Russia.

END OF TRANSATLANTICISM?

Since Trump took office, his "America First" policy has frequently collided with those of his European partners. He called NATO "obsolete," opposed the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, withdrew from the Paris Agreement on climate change, threatened to scrap the Iranian nuclear deal and announced moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

There has been increasing dissatisfaction in Europe towards the United States, with European mainstream media holding the view that even staunch Atlanticists can no longer deny the crisis in transatlantic relations and blaming Washington for posing threats to the common values shared across the Atlantic.

In the wake of Trump's announcement to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum imports amid global opposition, the European Union (EU) planned "a whole arsenal" of countermeasures.

Europe "wants to avoid escalation" but "must keep the multilateral framework" because "protectionism is never the answer: protectionism is nationalism, nationalism is war and the war only makes losers," European Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici told a French television news channel earlier this month.

Trump has torn the mask off the U.S. face and shown the true face of an unscrupulous and self-reliant world power, German politician Rolf Mutzenich wrote in his article entitled "End of Transatlanticism?"

The apparent solidarity between the United States and its European allies in expelling Russian diplomats could not cover up their differences on strategies, interests and policies which has been tearing the two sides apart.

The poisoning incident is just a small issue Washington is taking advantage of to show solidarity with its allies amid the escalating rift, analysts said.
Former deputy mayor of North China city sentenced to immediate death

Punishment showcases Party determination to crack down on corruption

A former deputy mayor of a North China city was sentenced to immediate death for accepting bribes worth 1.04 billion yuan ($166 million) by a court in Shanxi Province on Wednesday.

All death penalties by a lower court must be reported to the Supreme People's Court in Beijing for approval before they can be carried out.

Zhang Zhongsheng, ex-deputy mayor of Luliang, was sentenced to death for accepting bribes and seeking illegal benefits for others with a severe impact on the local economy, according to the Intermediate People's Court in the nearby city of Linfen, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Few Party officials have received an immediate death sentence since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012.

After considering the scale of the crime and the harm to society, the court ruled immediate execution, according to a statement issued on the website of Shanxi High People's Court.

Among Zhang's 18 bribery cases, two involved more than 200 million yuan. Zhang also demanded others pay bribes to him of 88.68 million yuan, the statement said.

Zhang was "extremely greedy," it said. He "crazily took bribes from 1997 to 2013 and did not restrain himself after the 18th National Party Congress and caused extraordinarily great losses to the nation and its people and should be punished severely by law."

This ruling would deter corrupt officials as China was usually "very cautious about imposing a death penalty," Xie Zhiyong, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The decision was made not only because of the unusually sizeable amount of money Zhang had received, but also as his actions had an extremely bad influence on society and the local economy, damaging people's interests, Xie believed.

"And it is in accordance with China's law," he added.

In 2016, Bai Enpei, a former senior lawmaker with the National People's Congress, was sentenced to death - with a two-year reprieve - for taking 246.7 million yuan and holding excessive assets from unidentified sources, Xinhua reported.

Bai later received a life sentence, the standard practice for most such sentences, the Xinhua report said.

This showed China's determination to strengthen its crackdown on corruption, said Xie.

More than 159,000 people were punished for corruption and violating the Party code of conduct in China in 2017, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC.

Since the start of 2017, a total 1,300 fugitives have returned to China, including 347 Party members and State functionaries as well as 14 others listed on a red notice of corruption suspects.
China may soon release own tariffs on US goods

China hopes for best, expects worst in possible trade war with US: expert

China is ready to talk to the US about trade frictions while preparing countermeasures for the forthcoming list of tariffs on Chinese imports, Chinese experts said.

China has nearly completed its list of retaliatory tariffs on US products and may release it soon, the Global Times has learned.

US President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum on March 22 proposing tariffs on up to $60 billion of Chinese goods. The tariffs would follow a 30-day consultation period that starts once a list of goods is published, Reuters reported.

The US measures follow a so-called 301 investigation led by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Lighthizer's office will publish a list of targeted products within 15 days from the signing of the memorandum, and there will be a 30-day period for public comment.

"The 301 investigation and imposition of tariffs are unilateral, and violate the most fundamental values and principles of the WTO. And according to WTO rules and the US commitment, the US shall by no means take unilateral measures to other members based on a 301 investigation," Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Li said that what the US did will affect the international trade order and set a bad example to countries which might follow its protectionist policies.

Chinese officials have raised the US move at a meeting of the WTO's disputes settlement body and indicated that China strongly opposes the unilateral action. On Monday, China's Ambassador to the WTO Zhang Xiangchen called on other WTO members to oppose the Section 301 tariffs and "lock this beast back into the cage of the WTO rules," Reuters reported.

"China is preparing its list of retaliatory tariffs on US exports to China in accordance with WTO rules. The longer the US list, the greater the backlash from China. And once China takes countermeasures, the US will feel the pain," Li further noted.

Tu Xinquan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Wednesday that limiting China's exports to the US would affect US domestic customers and retailers, and if the US list includes production equipment, US downstream enterprises would be affected.

"A trade war will not solve the China-US trade imbalance, a point that many US politicians understand. But instead of fixing the problems in the US economy, the Trump administration insists on imposing tariffs to please supporters," Tu said.

All systems go

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Sunday said Trump had no intention of backing down and was not worried about a trade war. "We are going to proceed with our tariffs. We're working on that," Mnuchin told Fox News Sunday.

China is fearless in the face of a trade war with the US and has various countermeasures if Washington keeps the current peremptory attitude, experts said.

"There will be no winner in a trade war. China is hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. The US should show sincerity at negotiations, and not pin its hopes on China giving up," Li said.
Aliyun, Alibaba's Cloud computing subsidiary, has launched a cooperation program with a Chinese university to cultivate talent in the fields of Cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence.

People visit the booth of Aliyun.com, the online cloud computing unit of Alibaba Group, during an exhibition in Shanghai on September 19, 2017. [File photo: China Business News/IC]

Aliyun and Shenzhen University will set up a "Big Data College" and offer courses on Cloud computing, data science and artificial intelligence. Aliyun will also provide internship opportunities to students from the university.

The cooperation is expected to cultivate 1,000 people in three years.

As of March, Aliyun has launched cooperation with 310 Chinese universities and established big data colleges in 15 universities.
The United States has launched a trade war with China recently for the reason of having a large trade deficit and also over concerns regarding Chinas good momentum in the aspect of hi-tech development.

Washington announced a higher tax levy on imported steel, aluminum products and even products in Chinas national manufacturing plans, causing global trade tensions.

China is presenting a comprehensive challenge to the US core technologies, claimed a former politician in a recent speech, adding that the challenge mainly comes from the nations Made in China 2025 initiative and the fast development of 5G technology.

The US does feel challenged by the Made in China 2025 plan. A small number of Americans assume that Chinas high-tech industry is not developed independently but rather by relying on technologies stolen from the US. Therefore, the US wants to put a brake on Chinas core technology development by raising tariffs so as to keep the monopoly position.

The Chinese government has stressed many times that the Made in China 2025 is open to all and provides equal treatment for both domestic and overseas-funded enterprises. The US is also welcomed to participate in the plan, but the country pursues hegemony in the regard of technologies and rules, showing an unwillingness to accept the challenges from China.

The Section 301 investigation specifically targets the science and technology field, noted Robert Lighthizer, United States Trade Representative, before President Donald Trump signed the related presidential memorandum.

Competition between countries in the future falls on science and technology, for example competition in the regard of core technologies, industrial voices and even establishment of new international standards. Competition between China and the US in this field mainly focuses on three parts, namely the domestic market, core technologies and future international rules.

China has enhanced its overall capacity in chips and artificial intelligence in recent years, surpassing the US in the scale of digital economy and ranking only second to the US in the regard of AI technology. All of these facts make a context for the trade war targeting China.

For the aim of hindering the technological progress in China, the US decided to prohibit Chinese commodities from entering the US market under the excuse of intellectual property protection, and limits hi-tech product exports to China considering national security.

Taking the chips as an example, once China breaks the monopoly of chips, imports from the US and the original market share of the monopolist are both very likely to decrease.

President Donald Trump wishfully thought that a trade war may damage the good momentum of the Made in China 2025 initiative and curb Chinas rapid technological development. However, the policy, which also serves for purposes related to the mid-term election this year, will not work for sure, and will even lead to a strong response from China.

On the other hand, the administration showed its selfishness again by curbing China at the cost of its own peoples interests. It has caused very negative impacts, disrupted the normal international trade order and added difficulties to backward countries.

Some countries usually attribute their own problems to the faults of other countries and make fundamental errors within strategic judgments. Any act that will be detrimental to both sides will never win peoples support around the world.

Note: The author is a senior fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China and member of the expert committee of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
New Jersey Senate Passes Oroho Bill Eliminating User Fee on Corrugated Box Producers A corrugated packaging producer in Andover, NJ, reported being required to pay a user fee for manufacturing a "litter generating product," despite the fact that corrugated containers are often recycled or made from recyclable materials. March 29, 2018  The New Jersey Senate has passed Senator Steve Oroho's bill to protect box manufacturers from paying unfair user fees, by modifying the definition of litter generating products under the Clean Communities Program Act to exclude corrugated containers, which are principally made from recyclable materials. New Jersey's box manufacturers create good-paying jobs, not litter, Senator Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) said. They shouldn't be punished because of an oversight in state tax law. I hope that cutting this red tape will keep these hardworking business owners from leaving our state. Senator Oroho drafted S-534 after a box maker in his district, Sutherland Packaging in Andover Township, reported being required to pay a user fee for manufacturing a litter generating product, despite the fact that corrugated containers are often recycled or made from recyclable materials. S-534 would modify the definition of litter-generating products under the Clean Communities Program Act to exclude corrugated containers. This would protect box makers in New Jersey from paying the user fees imposed on businesses who manufacture commonly-littered items, such as glass containers, paper products and disposable packaging. Corrugated containers are fiberboard boxes often used for shipping merchandise, or as pop-up product displays in grocery and retail stores. 47 percent of all corrugated containers are made of recyclable materials. More than 92 percent are recovered and reprocessed into fresh packaging by the very manufacturers who initially sold the products. Corrugated containers clearly do not contribute to New Jersey's ongoing litter problem, but because they are not specifically excluded from the Clean Communities Program Act, box makers are still required to pay burdensome user fees, Senator Oroho added. My bill is a commonsense solution that will protect these environmentally-conscious manufacturers from being unfairly penalized. SOURCE: Senator Steven Oroho ( oroho.senatenj.com )
Jacob Tobia is often skeptical of brands rolling out gender neutral collections. The genderqueer influencer  an activist, writer, producer, performer, speaker, and more  points out that all too often, the community isn't even involved in the making of the products. Unsurprisingly, the results aren't usually representative of what the community truly wants  often, Tobia says, it's a "gender neutral, grey sweatshirt hoodie future, like some 1984 bullshit."

But Fluide, a new cruelty-free makeup brand created with all gender identities and skin tones in mind, is inherently not that. Opening the initial samples, which came with postcards of folks systemically underrepresented in the beauty industry, Tobia says, the line felt "celebratory, and glam, and vibrant and engaging and beautiful. And it feels like my community; it feels like the people I know."

Immediately they took up the invitation to collaborate, and soon after Tobia became the face of the Uncuffed Collection, featuring three liquid lipsticks in shades of red, pink, and orange. Gushing about the line on social media  none of it they're paid to say, Tobia stresses  came as natural as the photoshoot felt.

"We did it at [co-founder] Laura [Kraber's] home in Brooklyn, and I got there and it just felt like doing a shoot at a family friend's house," Tobia says. "And that is something that, even in terms of how fashion shoots are supposed to feel  fashion shoots are notorious for being awful and abusive and not considerate to people involved  and this was just the opposite of that. So everything through and through just felt really good." Tobia describes Kraber as "an allied mom who knows how to do the business side of things," and the other half of Fluide, Isabella Giancarlo, as "a gender nonconforming, cool Brooklyn kid" who's very much a part of the community. The partnership is especially exciting, they add, because it's a stellar example of allyship for non-binary, GNC, and trans people in the beauty industry. "There are trans business people out there, but in terms of the beauty space, I think that what's really important is for allies who have the wherewithal and the know-how to step up and help us actualize our visions, and that totally is the vibe with Fluide," Tobia says. "It's really like, we want to create something that will work for the community, and they sort of stepped up and did it."

And kicking off with glitter, nail polish, and lipstick is telling  Tobia says (and who doesn't agree?) that those the "hottest and most adored things within GNC and genderqueer beauty trends." Additionally, Fluide names its items for queer spaces around the world, and five percent of profits are donated to a rotating roster of LGBTQIA community organizations. Right now, that's New York's Callen Lorde health center and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project. "I really do feel like the heart of this collection is so good, and it's such a step forward, and I just want them to be a rocketship to huge success. And I want them to do a giant campaign with billboards one day and give everyone else a run for their money, because I think Fluide is doing something that no one else has figured out how to do," Tobia says.

Photography: Morgan T. Stuart for Fluide








New York-based brand iRi prides itself on creating polarizing shoes, previously telling PAPER you'll either "love or hate" their footwear (We love). With this gallant approach, which is admirable in an industry that's grown to fear risks and lean on appropriation, iRi has positioned itself with some of fashion's most fearless influencers, including rising model Jazzelle Zanaughtti (aka @uglyworldwide on Instagram).

Related | iRi: The Breakout Shoe Brand You'll Either Love or Hate

Their new campaign stars Zanaughtti in the nude with stacks of colorful dreads and wigs, putting extra emphasis on iRi's bold shoes (Those squiggle heels are instantly iconic). They've asked the model to think about self-love, prompting her to pen an original poem titled UGLY (U Gotta Love Yourself).

"Yourself is your wealth, and it's up to you to be rich," Zanaughtti writes, her powerful words spoken in an accompanying short film by Jordan Hemingway that you can watch below. "Don't let no one hold you down. Take the crown, and tell the world to bow the f**k down," she continues.

Click through iRi's full campaign, and keep scrolling for Zanaughtti's handwritten poem and UGLY film.

Model: Jazzelle Zanaughtti

Photography and Director: Jordan Hemingway

Stylist: Andreas Aresti

Hair: Sean Bennet

Makeup: Grace Ahn
Meadham Kirchhoff, we miss you dearly, but all wonderful things come to an end at some point. It was one of our favorite London Fashion week shows to look forward to each season; design duo Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff created dazzling demi-couture clothing in kaleidoscopic colors, with the spirit of RiotGrrl infused into every stitch of lace. Their references ranged from Courtney Love to Elizabethan lacework to Lydia Deetz. In the Meadham Kirchhoff world, clothes were as fun as dancing to old David Bowie records. They carved out a place for the fashion industry rejects, the '90s-nostalgia obsessives, and people who just like wearing extravagant clothing.

Luckily, Meadham Kirchhoff still lives on in the hearts of its fans, and Edward Meadham himself. This week, Meadham posted a series of images and videos on Instagram of the cult label's archives, dating back to their first shows in London. It's a journey through photos of their fanciful clothes and makeup, design sketches and moodboard images, as well as Meadham's current solo work with his Blue Roses label. Remember the tinsel and jelly bracelets? The Chanel-inspired witches? The Bikini Kill fairies? It's all there, with Meadham's signature sketches for context.

In one of fashion's saddest tragedies, Meadham Kirchhoff's entire archive was sold off against their consent in 2015  but their ideas, their creativity, and their passion still thrives today. We can't overstate how much we miss this label. But looking through their archives reminds us of how much fashion today is influenced by their work. Long live Meadham Kirchhoff's memory.













Photo via Getty
The intricacy of the flowers on her face alone implies thoughtful consideration; that Korean artist MLMA pairs the delicate blooms with blurred lips and messy brows suggests strategy. While immediately striking, there is a rawness in that particular image, too  and it's because it wasn't totally planned. "When an idea comes to mind, I do it. I never squeeze my head too hard to get my art," MLMA tells us.

While there's little calculating in her visuals, there is a goal beneath it all. "I just enjoy making viral posts to be honest," she admits. And they do go viral  the wavy brows, for one. Yes, she invented that, and whether or not you're down for the wavy brow, thousands upon thousands of new followers were.

The fact that she's amassed nearly 150K followers while churning out visually striking, incredibly innovative art is a genuine product of MLMA's genius. These images can be unsettling, especially when moving parts are involved  like the profile shot with hand, middle finger up, slowly extends from her open mouth, and MLMA is eerily looking right into the lens. You get the feeling she could jump out of your screen, but it also feels like a nice f**k you to beauty standards, art standards  all standards. Her caption reads, "R u upset?"

She also rolls out trippy repetitions, like overlapped MLMA multiplicity, or just doubles herself for a two-headed MLMA, one of them on a platter. Her Instagram is rife with abstract neon overloads too, and body modification style looks with split tongues and shoulder horns. Outside her Instagram mastery, MLMA is also the main designer at SKOOT, a Korean streetwear brand who discovered her at a solo exhibit in Toronto. (She lives in Canada half the time). MLMA also has a hand in other aspects at SKOOT, and maintains another Instagram for another, less clearly digital artistic output. This summer she's got a collaborative exhibit lined up with @postofficesound. It's been a while, but she also makes pretty slick hip-hop tracks. PAPER got into those details with MLMA, and learned a bit more about her background, her aesthetic, working with SKOOT, where she's at in music-making  and more. At 22, you left your job as a fashion designer to make art full time. Can you tell us more about that? I quit my designing job in 2014 to pursue my career as an artist. The job was terrible. I only worked there to learn the on goings behind the scenes. Obviously this wasn't my dream job and I always had aspirations of designing for a proper designer brand with a more artistic aesthetic. The job was absolutely mind numbing. It required no thought, with no flexibility in design. True story: One time I designed a shirt that said "FANCY" in an elegant font and it sold like crazy. Then someone mistranslated it using Naver (a Korean search engine that actually never works for anything in the history of anything), and claimed, "Fancy meant whore." I nearly lost my job over it. That was the day I was done working in the industry.

What was it like to transition from that into art? The transition was difficult, of course, financially. Luckily I found a good support group that helped me through it. They saw my talent and really encouraged me. I was then found by a new brand looking for a designer and the rest is history. SKOOT has been very supportive of my vision and have given me complete freedom alongside their team. What made you decide to return to fashion design? The decision was easy! They believed in me. I was actually allowed to make the quirky things I could never make for any Korean brand.

What perspective do you bring to SKOOT as a designer? Are you designing only, or also directing others and managing the general selection? They approached me to design for them after a solo art exhibit I held in Toronto. They were stunned with the concept and employed me immediately. I have complete control over the products. From how and where they're produced, right down to the buttons. I do other various things for them, like model and styling. They've been like a family to me so it's no longer work. In some looks, you have letters on your face that Can you tell us about those, and point out what some of them mean? It's Chinese. It's on my ID card and thought it looked cool! I actually don't know any Chinese at all. I've been called out saying it's written backwards. That's because I write it in the mirror so naturally it would be [laughs]. Your work resonates widely  the jaw-drop reaction to seeing your visuals is pretty universal. Do you have any thoughts on why your work is so mesmerizing? I think most people are mesmerized because no one is doing it. No one really brings the sort of look I do. They're always overproduced or over-edited it looks like an advertisement or something.

Can you go into some of your influences as an artist? How would you describe the work that's posted separately on @mlma_art? My life and situations influence me. I don't get influenced by art that's been done before. The work on @mlma_art is 100 percent me. That's what I would describe as the purest art I do. What are your plans for your music going forward? I want to continue making music. I'd be open to the idea of finding a proper producer or DJ that would like to do shows and travel around with the SKOOT team. "I don't do art because it's a means to success. I do it because I have to  it's that itch."

What are your plans for your music going forward? I want to continue making music. I'd be open to the idea of finding a proper producer or DJ that would like to do shows and travel around with the SKOOT team. In your Vogue interview, you mentioned growing up very poor. What would you say to someone who comes from a similar background who might consider that position a hurdle too difficult to overcome as an artist? Let's get real. I had no going back  no degree and no options. But that made no difference to me. I knew art was my ticket in this life. I'd fail at every other thing and would rather die than do anything else because I can't do anything else. I don't do art because it's a means to success. I do it because I have to  it's that itch. It's the only thing that makes me happy. So my advice is do what makes you happy no matter what your circumstances are. But if you're born rich, then you go Glen Coco.

Photos via Instagram
At the height of the '90s, the Spice Girls were a cultural tour de force, influencing our catch phrases ("Girl Power!"), films (Spice World predicted fake reality TV), music (hello Fifth Harmony!) and of course, fashion. Now more than ever, '90s fashion is back in style, transformed from an ironic statement about nostalgia to a full-on revival that's taken over our closets and Instagram feeds. So it makes sense that the ludicrously tall platform Buffalo London shoes the women of the Spice Girls made famous have been re-launched  and be available for the first time ever in the United States.

"We are seeing such a distinct revival of everything that was cool in the '90s  from footwear to swimwear and athleisure, even the influential models of the 90's seem to be making a comeback," Alexandra Preusche, Global Marketing Director of Buffalo said. "Buffalo London was a premiere classic brand in that era, and with market demand at an all time high globally, re-introducing our limited iconic platform sneakers in this moment feels right."

First founded in 1979, Buffalo released its first sneaker in the early '80s and dropped the first Buffalo Classics platform sneaker (aka "sole 14") in 1995, a golden era for sneakerheads. The Buffalo "Hightower" and classic platform quickly became a signature look for the Spice Girls, and while more outrageous fashionistas may have rocked the look, platforms were largely relegated to the underground worlds of goths and ravers. Importantly, in the '90s Buffalos were only available in Europe, and eventually they were withdrawn from the market altogether (though a pair was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York).



Recognizing the resurgent popularity in platforms (and the piles of knockoffs littering our Instagram feeds), Buffalo's global re-introduction will be celebrated with a series of special edition drops of their classic sneakers, including the iconic platform.

Getty Images

"Style is an evolving form of art that borrows concepts and requires inspiration, so trends are almost always recycled from decades past," Preusche said. "Buffalo London was the original platform sneaker, and with major fashion brands like Balenciaga and Alexander Wang interpreting the trend we created in the '90s in their latest collections, I think we still own the trend."



Related | Spice World Was Peak Pop Culture Fandom

Recently, the brand has collaborated with the likes of Junya Watanabe and Comme des Garcons for Paris Fashion Week, Opening Ceremony and Patrick Mohr. The new special edition sneakers will drop each month in limited quantities and won't be re-stocked once they're sold out, so get yours soon at FarFetch, Luisa Via Roma and Opening Ceremony.

You can also check out this short film shot by Brian Scully in the NYC subway, starring Ruby Aldridge and Alieli May:

Photography by Soraya Zaman


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Apple engineer Walter Huang died on Friday after his new Tesla Model X he was driving crashed into a barrier in Mountain View, California. Though investigations into what caused the crash are ongoing, ABC7 News is reporting that Huang had previously complained to the dealer he bought the Tesla from that the car's autopilot software veered toward that same barrier on multiple occasions.



As Huangs brother told ABC7: "Before the crash, Walter complained 7-10 times the car would swivel toward that same exact barrier during autopilot. Walter took it into dealership addressing the issue, but they couldn't duplicate it there."

The ABC reporter noted that "The family is telling me they provided an invoice to investigators, that the victim took the car in because it kept veering at the same barrier."

NTSB Spokesman Christopher O'Neil said, "We're going to work with CHP and Tesla to download the information from those modules and then see what data is available to us that might give insights into what was going on during the accident sequence."

Walter Huang, 38 years old, had a wife and two kids, lived in Foster City, worked for 13 years as a programmer at Electronic Arts. This past November, he got a job as an Apple engineer and bought his new Tesla, posting a picture on his Facebook page.

For more on this, read the full ABC news report here.

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Periods of rain. Thunder possible. Low 48F. SW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Op-ed: US must take all the consequences of inciting a trade war

Despite of strong warnings from all sides, US President Donald Trump incited a trade war by signing a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States on Thursday.

The memorandum is based on the so-called Section 301 investigation into alleged Chinese intellectual property and technology transfer practices, launched by the Trump administration in August 2017.

What the US did, in disregard of China's strengthened protection for intellectual property rights, the WTO rules and the calls from the business communities, is a typical act of unilateralism and trade protectionism.

The whole world is now saying no to this unreasonable decision as it damages the stability of China-US economic and trade ties, undermines global trade order, and jeopardizes the recovery of world economy.

A backfire is what the US side deserves for its reckless move. Under no circumstances will China sit idly and allow its legitimate rights and interests to be undermined.

Chinas Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it is considering higher tariffs for imported US products worth about $3 billion to balance losses caused by the US tariffs on steel and aluminum.

According to the announcement, the measures, or the suspension of tariff concessions, will target 128 US products, including pork, wine, and seamless steel tubes.

China does not hope to have a trade war with anyone, but is never afraid of it. China is fully prepared to firmly defend its legitimate interests, and also has the confidence and capability to cope with any challenge.

It must be figured out that the US side has to take all the consequences if the economic and trade ties between the two countries finally trapped in danger because of its own wilful actions.

As a major propeller of and contributor to an open global economy, as well as a guarder of free trade, China, even when dealing with the deliberate provocation from the US, has made a lot of efforts, showed great sincerity and put forward reasonable suggestions based on a principle of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

However, Washington inclines to hasty and arbitrary choice, which will definitely result in Chinas follow-up backfire to safeguard its legitimate interests.

There is, indeed, a political force in US who completely turned a blind eye to the interests of US businesses and consumers, insisted that it can be a piece of cake for their country to win the trade war.

Such argument was strongly resisted by the academia, business, social organizations and the public of the US, who believe that the administrations unilateral move is not helpful in settling the problems of China-US trade, but hurts the US itself, since the US consumers and retailers will ultimately pay the bill for the chain reaction triggered by the tariff plan.

A trade war will not only drag down the US employment and disrupt its manufacturing sector, but also add uncertainties to the market and cost the livelihoods of US exporters.

In recent days, the US rash but complacent move has drawn mounting blames from the whole world. Finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20, in their recent-concluded ministerial meeting, voiced concerns that the US latest decision may incite a global trade war, and as a result hinder economic growth of the whole globe.

Taken together, Mr. Trumps actions demonstrate his resolve to turn away from a decades-long move toward open markets and integrated world economies and toward a more starkly protectionist approach that erects barriers around a Fortress America, the New York Times commented in a recent article.

The financial market voted no confidence to the wrong policies and moves of the US side as the US stock indexes have fallen following the signing of the memorandum.

It is predicable that the US latest move at the cost of shared interests of all countries will pose a series of threats to global trade order and world economy.

On one hand, the US irresponsible actions have shaken the market expectations and confidence, which can be evidenced by the sell-off in stock markets of Australian and Asian countries. On the other hand, its deviation from multilateralism will pose a threat to global economic governance.

Taking both China-US economic and trade ties as well as global landscape into consideration, the trade protectionism advocated by the US brings nothing but harm, and will never been accepted by the world. Those who lift a rock to attack others will only have their own toes squashed at last.

China urges the US to pull back the decision before it is too late and make a prudent and cautious decision, so as to avoid dragging bilateral economic and trade ties, global trade and world economy into crisis. The US should never underestimate Chinas resolution and capability to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
Looming US Showdown With Iran Puts Ankara in Tight Spot

03/29/18

By Dorian Jones, VOA



Iranian President (L) with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara

(April 2016 file photo by Islamic Republic News Agency)



ISTANBUL - Top diplomats from Turkey and the United States are working hard to bridge the deep gulf between the two NATO allies.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Tina Kaidanow is in Ankara for talks this week, while Turkey's top diplomat, Umit Yalcin, will visit Washington this weekend.

However, the effort may be complicated, as Ankara improves ties with neighboring Iran while America prepares a tougher approach to that nation.

Turkish analysts say U.S. President Donald Trump's nomination of CIA chief Mike Pompeo as secretary of state and John Bolton's appointment as national security adviser show that the administration is taking a hard-line view toward Iran.

Aydin Selcen, a former senior Turkish diplomat who served in Washington and Iraq, said Pompeo is already focused on Iran, and he noted that disagreements with Trump over Iran policy were a key reason Rex Tillerson was fired as secretary of state. Selcen said a hawkish new policy might force Ankara to choose between Iran and the United States.

Washington has been wondering about Turkey's commitment to Western allies since Ankara bought the powerful, long-range Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system. The deal prompted calls in Congress for Turkish sanctions.

Fresh start

But a more confrontational approach by Washington toward Tehran offers the opportunity of a reset in Turkish-U.S. ties.

"I think the United States does not want to punish Turkey. I think the American establishment would love to befriend Turkey," said analyst Atilla Yesilada of GlobalSource Partners, a markets research and analysis firm. "But they need someone on the ground as insurance against Iranian expansion, and Turkey is simply not ready to assume that role. Until Ankara changes its view and decides to adopt a more robust or antagonistic approach to Tehran, Americans cannot consider Turkey a strategic ally, and I don't know if that change will come."

Observers point out that with Turkey bordering Iran and being a key Iranian trading partner, Ankara would be an important if not vital ally for Washington as it confronted Tehran.

Iran and Turkey have always competed for power and influence in the region but have tempered such competition with cooperation. Syria has become a focal point of this balancing act. Turkey's expanding military operation into Syria against a Kurdish militia is reportedly causing growing unease in Tehran. At the same time, the two countries are cooperating with Moscow to try to resolve the civil war, in what has been dubbed the Astana process.

"Ankara is not on the best of terms [with Iran] at the moment," said political columnist Semih Idiz of the Al Monitor website, "but they are trying to maintain this appearance of cohabitation within this Astana process relating to Syria. Turkey would want to tread very cautiously, in terms of whether to align itself with America against Iran."

Some Turkish analysts have suggested that Ankara's price for backing Washington against Tehran could be an end to U.S. support of the Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, in its war against Islamic State.

Ankara accuses the militia of being linked to the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey. With the YPG controlling a large part of Syria, it is also widely seen as important to Washington's efforts to curtail Tehran's influence in Syria.

Tehran offers

But Tehran has also been courting Ankara with offers of expanding bilateral trade. The two countries also recently found common ground in opposing Iraqi Kurdish aspirations for independence.

Such cooperation also has raised hopes in Ankara of getting help against the PKK, which has its headquarters in the mountainous Iraqi Qandil region that borders Iran.

"Ankara thinks by befriending Iran, they can get PKK out of Qandil," Yesilada said. "Of course, there is the economic angle. Russia does the same thing to Turkey. They [Iran] dangle these massive economic projects or trade benefits, and Ankara gets fooled by those projects, even though Tehran hasn't done us any favors recently."

Ankara has in the past insisted it's bound to enforce only U.N. sanctions against Iran, not Western allies' measures against Iran.

Next month, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a senior state Turkish banker, is due to be sentenced by a U.S. court for having violated U.S.-Iranian sanctions. The case continues to sour Turkish-U.S. relations, with Ankara calling the case politically motivated.

But Ankara could yet pay a far higher price for sitting on the sidelines in any future U.S. showdown with Iran.

Possible sanctions would give the United States "a very effective means to deter Turkey," Yesilada said. And "it's not just the Atilla case. There is the S-400, and the U.S. local consular employees under arrest."

The United States could "shame and blame Turkey" for any number of reasons, he said. "Given the Turkish lira is already extremely fragile, just the threat of imposing sanctions could have a serious impact."
Even If US Doesn't Exit Iran Nuclear Deal, Risk Of War Remains

03/29/18

By Shireen T. Hunter (source: LobeLog)

When the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany signed a deal that effectively prevents Iran from developing nuclear weapons, those in Iran and in other signatory states who did not want to see another war erupt in the Middle East sighed with relief.

This sense of relief was short-lived. When Donald Trump became president, anxieties about a potential war with Iran reemerged. Now with the appointment of two hardline figures who believe in the use of force against Iran, possibly as a prelude to regime change-Mike Pompeo to the position of secretary of state and John Bolton to national security adviser-the risk of war has risen substantially.

Those who anxiously follow the evolution of the Trump administration's Iran policy are looking to its decision on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) this May. If the U.S. decides to exit the agreement, they believe it would indicate that the administration is moving much closer to a possible military confrontation with Iran. By contrast, if the U.S. remains within the Iran nuclear deal, America will continue for the time being its current policy of containment to weaken the Iranian government in the hope that Iranians themselves will engineer a regime change.

However, those who do not want another Middle East war should not grow complaisant should America stay in the JCPOA. Iran's nuclear program, although a major issue, was not the real cause of its troubles with the United States or Europe. The nuclear issue was the symptom of a much bigger malady, and the post-JCPOA developments support this contention.

As soon as the deal was signed, hawks in America and hardliners in Iran tried to undermine it. Very shortly after the signing of the agreement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps tested a new missile, thus showing its anger at Iranian moderates who had negotiated the deal as well as thumbing its nose at the Obama administration. Then there was the case of the American sailors who strayed into Iranian territorial waters. They were captured, handcuffed. and displayed in the media, which was not exactly the action of countries trying to reconcile.

Meanwhile, the United States was very slow in providing the sanctions relief that the deal had promised and was not very forceful in encouraging economic and financial dealings with Iran. And, of course, U.S. hardliners vastly exaggerated the benefits that Iran was drawing from the deal, focusing instead on Iran's missiles and its so-called destructive behavior in the Middle East.

The real issue, therefore, is not the symptoms of Iran's problems with the United States and its regional allies, be they nuclear capacity, missiles, or vague insinuations about destabilizing behavior. The real issue is the challenge that Iran's very existence, irrespective of the nature of its regime, poses to great powers, especially the United States and its regional allies.

What Do with Iran?

The issue of what to with Iran goes back to the nineteenth century and the British domination of the Persian Gulf and India. Britain did not consider Iran worthy of colonization. But the country was too close to India, and it bordered the Persian Gulf. In short, it was on the way to India. Hence it could not be ceded to competing European powers such as the Russian Czars or continental potentates like Napoleon Bonaparte.

Thus, the British decided to nibble on Iran's frontiers, especially in the east bordering Afghanistan in what is now Pakistan. The separation of Herat from Iran in 1856-7 occurred because of British intervention. In the Persian Gulf the same policy was applied.

In the north, the Russians pursued a similar policy and acquired Iran's trans-Caucasian territories. By 1907, Britain and Russia had decided to divide Iran between themselves, However, the 1917 Bolshevik revolution prevented this scheme from being realized. Meanwhile, both powers prevented Iran's development lest its results benefit their rival. Their opposition to building railroads in Iran is a good illustration.

After the Bolshevik revolution, faced with a new threat, Britain concluded that it was better to keep Iran whole as a buffer. Therefore, it helped Iran consolidate its central government and subdue rebellious tribes. But by the late 1930s, Iran got ambitious and wanted independence and a better deal on oil. Therefore, after the allied invasion, the ruling monarch was deposed and his 22-year-old son was put on the throne.

The Cold War bought Iran another 30 years of precarious independence. But the United States, which had replaced Britain as the dominant power, was equally ambivalent about Iran. It never fully supported Iran as it did Turkey or Saudi Arabia. Its approach towards Iran was a combination of neglect or dangerous experimentation. John F. Kennedy's administration forced reforms on Iran that contributed to the Islamic revolution two decades later.

By the 1970s, however, America was fed up with the Shah and his ambitions and pretensions. Thus, the Carter administration experimented with regime change, which served as a catalyst for the Islamic revolution. While the USSR existed, the idea of an attack on Iran was not in play. After the Soviet collapse, America saw a chance to establish its global hegemony and reshape the world, especially the Middle East.

Post-Cold War US Policy

The George W. Bush administration shifted U.S. policy in the Middle East in the direction of more robust, military approaches. The 2003 Iraq invasion was the first step, which was to be followed by attacks on Iran, Syria, and Libya. The U.S. and allies attacked Libya in 2008. Syria thus far has escaped a full- scale attack, but the West, including the United States, has supported its rebellious groups. Iran risked being attacked several times but somehow was spared.

Since Syria as a viable country no longer exists, the remaining country on the elimination list is Iran. As one US official instrumental in the Iraq War decision told me in answer to my question at a conference in 1988 just after the Iran-Iraq cease fire, U.S. has unfinished business with Iran.

The goal of U.S. regime-change policy toward Iran is to cripple it economically and militarily-and possibly partition it like Syria-with the Mojahedin-e Khalq as the group to effect that change. Although this is no easy task, if Iran becomes mired in a civil war as a result of a military strike promoted and aided by its neighbors, it will be out of the Middle East power equation.

If Iran escapes this worst-case scenario, the United States and the regional countries must decide what kind of Iran they can live with. For better or for worse, Iran is part of the region. Constantly denying its legitimate interest in regional affairs, either by accusing it of imperial ambitions or Islamist expansionism, will not solve the problem. Attacking it will open a can of worms and cause much damage all round. A policy of accommodation through talks and security-building measures is the better way to handle the Iran issue. Needless to say, Iran must do its share by abandoning the worst aspects of its ideology and the policies driven by it. If it does so, Iran can become a constructive and important player in the region and also secure its vital interests.





About the Author:



Shireen T. Hunter is a Research Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Her latest publication is God On Our Side: Religion, Foreign Policy and International Affairs (Rowman & Littlefield, December 2016).
Three Cases Provide Glimpse Into Ongoing Denial of Medical Care to Political Prisoners in Iran

03/29/18

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Dozens of prisoners in Iran held on politically motivated charges are being denied medical treatmentand leave despite visible symptoms of their deteriorating health, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned.

Political prisoners in Iran, including elderly inmates, are singled out for harsh treatment, which often includes denial of medical care. The threat of withheld medical care has also been used as an intimidation tool against prisoners who have challenged the authorities or filed complaints.

Following are three cases of prisoners in Iran being subjected to unnecessary suffering as a result of the authorities' refusal to allow them to receive medical treatment outside prison.

CHRI's reviews of dozens of cases show that these are not isolated instances, but rather a few among many in a pattern of systematic state denial of full and timely medical care to prisoners.

Vahed Kholousi

Education rights' activist Vahed Kholousi has been in Rajaee Shahr Prison in the city of Karaj since September 13, 2015, after the Appeals Court upheld his five-year prison sentence for "assembly and collusion against national security" and "propaganda against the state."

Kholoosi was a member of the Iranian Society Against Education Discrimination, created in 2009 by Baha'i students who were denied entry into Iranian universities because of their faith.

"Vahed has become very weak and thin," his mother, Vahideh Eghdamian, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on March 22, 2018. "He has lost 26 kilos (57.3 lbs.) and we were hoping the authorities would at least let him go on medical leave so we could get him some treatment but unfortunately, they have not given permission."

"They said the Revolutionary Guards are in charge of the case and they won't approve it," she added.

Furlough, temporary leave typically granted to prisoners in Iran for a variety of familial, holiday, and medical reasons, is routinely denied to political prisoners as a form of additional punishment.

In December 2017, a source told CHRI that Kholousi had fallen unconscious in his cell.

"In Vahed's own words, he was dizzy when he woke up in the morning [on December 23, 2017]," said the source who requested anonymity for security reasons. "He drank some fruit juice and lied down and could not remember anything after that. This had never happened to him. He was completely healthy before going to prison."

Added the source: "After Vahed became very ill and lost consciousness, he was first taken to the prison clinic where he was attached to a serum and then transferred to Imam Khomeini Hospital [in Tehran]. He was given a CAT Scan and blood test but the doctors could not tell what had happened to him. We don't know how long he was unconscious or for what reason."

Alireza Golipour

Held in Tehran's Evin Prison since September 2012, Alireza Golipour, 31, is serving a 12-year prison sentence for the charges of "spying for foreigners," "sympathizing" with the banned Mojahedin-e Khalgh (MEK) organization, "insulting the supreme leader," "disturbing public order" and "acting against national security."

On February 27, 2018, he suffered a seizure amid ongoing heart problems, according to his lawyer, attorney Azita Gharehbeyglou.

"Mr. Golipour's condition is getting worse day by day," Gharehbeyglou told CHRI on March 23, 2018. "About a week ago, the family and I pressed the supervising judicial official, Mr. Rostami, and he agreed to send their own trusted doctor to examine him inside prison."

In his report, the doctor said Mr. Golipour must come under special care since he's unable to handle prison with his illnesses," she said. "Mr. Rostami sent the doctor's report to the Tehran prosecutor but he has not agreed to grant him medical leave."

Arrested by Iran's Intelligence Ministry in September 2012, Golipour, 31, is serving a 12-year prison sentence for the charges of "spying for foreigners," "sympathizing" with the banned Mojahedin-e Khalgh (MEK) organization, "insulting the supreme leader," "disturbing public order" and "acting against national security."

"After his seizure, and what the prison doctor described as a brush with a heart attack, we asked for his hospitalization and medical leave but they were going to send him to Taleghani Hospital, which specializes in digestive diseases rather than heart problems," Gharehbeyglou told CHRI. "So Mr. Golipour refused to go there. We said, give him medical leave and we will take him to the hospital ourselves, but the authorities have not responded yet."

"When Mr. Golipour called me on Thursday, March 22, he sounded very weak and really didn't have the strength to talk. That's how bad his condition is," she added. "His cellmates have said that if something happens to Golipour, that would be testimony that the state killed him."

Mohammad Saber Malek-Raeisi

A Baluchi Sunni Muslim imprisoned in 2009 for alleged crimes committed by his brother, Mohammad Saber Malek-Raeisi is suffering from serious injuries as a result of repeated beatings by guards during the four years he has been held in Ardabil Prison.

"My child's health is in critical condition," his mother, Golbibi Malek-Raeisi, told CHRI on March 23, 2018. "But the authorities say he can go on medical leave only if his brother turns himself in."

Mohammad Saber's older brother, Obeidolrahman Malek-Raeisi, is wanted by Iran's Intelligence Ministry for allegedly cooperating with the militant group, Jundallah (Army of God).

Claiming to fight for the rights of Baluchi Sunni Muslims in southeastern Iran, Jundallah has claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks on Iranian soil including a suicide bombing in October 2009 that killed several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the city of Sarbaz, Sistan and Baluchistan Province.

"Saber's father is paralyzed and I'm old and sick," Golbibi said. "I haven't been able to visit him (in Ardabil Central Prison) for years. He was 15 when they took him to prison and he's 24 now... He's sick and doesn't feel well but they are still keeping him in prison."

"We don't know what to do," she added. "He was beaten in December [2017] when he went on a hunger strike and since then he can't see from one eye. He was tortured a lot. He's sick."

Past Cases and Fatalities

The case of former political prisoner Alireza Rajaee, who lost part of his face in August 2017 due to sinus cancer that was left untreated in Evin Prison, put the spotlight on the ongoing denial of medical care to political prisoners in Iran.

Three months later, in October 2017, labor activist Mohammad Jarrahi died from thyroid cancer that was left untreated while he was held as a political prisoner in Tabriz Prison. Fellow labor activist Shahrokh Zamani had also died of a heart attack in September 2015 after being denied medical care in Rajaee Shahr Prison.

Political prisoner Omid Kokabee was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer in 2016 after years of repeatedly being denied treatment for his symptoms in Evin Prison.
Iran-Azerbaijan relations beneficial to entire world: President Rouhani

03/29/18

Source: Press TV

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has hailed amicable ties between Iran and Azerbaijan, saying cooperation between the two neighbors is beneficial to the entire world. Addressing an Iran-Azerbaijan business forum in Baku on Thursday, Rouhani said, "We are today witnessing the best of ties between the two nations and governments." The outcome of such bilateral relations, Rouhani added, will be "in the interest of the region and the whole world."





The Iranian president said the two sides reached "strategic and historic" decisions during his visit to Baku, including connecting the two countries' railway networks for transport of goods from the Sea of Oman to Eastern Europe as well as attracting investment for oil and gas exploration in the Caspian Sea.



Rouhani pointed to Iran and Azerbaijan's joint venture to manufacture automobile and expressed hope for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in other sectors, including in tourism, agriculture, electricity productions, health, pharmaceuticals and new technologies.



Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, who was also attending the forum, said, in turn, that the two sides should work to promote their trade cooperation in proportion to political relations.



He called for more interactions between Iranian and Azeri business sectors to help increase bilateral trade and exports.



The Azeri leader also emphasized the need for closer cooperation in other areas, including energy, tourism, transportation, security and politics.



"Iran-Azerbaijan cooperation in the Caspian Sea is of great significance, and an important document was signed by the two presidents in this area," he added.

The Iranian president is in Baku on the second leg of his regional tour after visiting Turkmenistan.



During the visits, Rouhani met with his Turkmen and Azeri opposite numbers as well as other high ranking officials and signed several MoUs with the two countries.
South Africas Gold Fields and Canadas Asanko Gold are pleased to announce a 50:50 joint venture partnership with regards to Ghanas newest gold mine, the Asanko Gold Mine (AGM), which is located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.



Gold Fields will pay Asanko Gold a total consideration of US$185 million to buy a 50% interest in Asankos 90% holding of the AGM, which comprises two main deposits, Nkran and Esaase, nine known satellite deposits, a 5 million tonne per annum Carbon-in-Leach plant and a number of highly prospective exploration targets.



As part of the joint venture agreement, Asanko will continue to manage and operate the AGM. A management committee, comprising representatives from Asanko and Gold Fields, will be formed to oversee operation of the mine. Upon completion, expected in Q3 2018, Gold Fields and Asanko will each hold a 45% interest in the AGM. The Government of Ghanas ownership of 10% (through a free carried interest) will remain unchanged.



Benefits of the Joint Venture for Gold Fields



The joint venture will provide Gold Fields with immediate access to low-cost production ounces, increasing the quality of Gold Fields portfolio of mines around the world. The transaction is also in line with Gold Fields growth strategy of focusing on jurisdictions in which it already has an established footprint. As the AGM is located in Ghana, about 100km from Gold Fields Damang and Tarkwa mines, the company is adding an asset in a country where it has operated for over 20 years.



Nick Holland, CEO of Gold Fields, commented: Portfolio management is one of Gold Fields strategic objectives, as we continually seek to improve the quality of our portfolio to enhance the Groups cash generation. This joint venture will provide us with additional quality production in a country that we know well, having operated in Ghana for more than 20 years.



Benefits of the Joint Venture for Asanko Gold



This joint venture partnership with Gold Fields provides a unique opportunity for Asanko to progress its expansion and project development program in a timely manner, bringing the Esaase deposit into production in 2019. Importantly, the Asanko team will continue to operate and manage the AGM, with access to Gold Fields technical and exploration expertise. This JV will impact positively on Asankos debt structure and free up cash flow for further growth in line with our vision of becoming a mid-tier gold producer. It is further an endorsement by one of the worlds largest gold producers of the AGM as a quality asset.



Peter Breese, CEO of Asanko, commented: This is a great outcome for our employees and contractors as we will continue to manage and operate the AGM. We will now move forward with our plans to develop the large-scale Esaase deposit and increase gold production, thereby securing a sustainable future for the mine, its employees and all stakeholders. Gold Fields brings significant technical and exploration expertise which will be accessible to the Asanko team as we continue to build the AGM into one of the largest mines in Ghana.



Key Facts about the Asanko Gold Mine



 The Asanko Gold Mine is predominantly operated and managed by Ghanaians

 The mine supports over 200 Ghanaian businesses with the procurement of goods and services

 Two of the mines three mining contractors are indigenous Ghanaian mining contractors

 The mine supports a number of corporate social responsibility projects through The Asanko Opportunity Cycle including the award-winning Obotan Co-operative Credit Union, which is bringing access to finance to the mines catchment area.

 In 2017, the Asanko Gold Mine produced 205,047 ounces

 In 2018, the Asanko Gold Mine is targeting 200,000-220,000 ounces



About Asanko Gold Inc.



Asanko Gold Inc. is a Canadian-based gold producer (listed on the TSX and NYSE) with operations in Ghana.



Asankos vision is to become a mid-tier gold mining company that maximizes value for all its stakeholders. The Companys flagship project is the multi-million ounce Asanko Gold Mine located in Ghana, West Africa.



Asanko is the major operator on the largely unexplored Asankrangwa gold belt of Ghana with significant project development opportunities. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities.



About Gold Fields



Gold Fields Limited is a globally diversified producer of gold with seven operating mines in Australia, Ghana, Peru and South Africa with attributable annual gold-equivalent production of approximately 2.2 million ounces.



It has attributable gold Mineral Reserves of around 49 million ounces and gold Mineral Resources of around 104 million ounces. Attributable copper Mineral Reserves total 764 million pounds and Mineral Resources 5,813 million pounds. Gold Fields has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Limited, with secondary listings on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Swiss Exchange (SWX).





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Egypt's National Election Authority has warned that eligible voters who do not vote in the ongoing presidential election will be fined 500 Egyptian pounds ($28; 20), the state-run Channel One TV reports.



More than 59 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the three-day presidential election that began on 26 March.



The country's incumbent president, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, is widely expected to win a second term in the controversial polls.



His sole opponent is little-known head of the liberal Al-Ghad Party, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, who has previously said he supports Mr Sisi.



Two opposition candidates withdrew from the race amid allegations of intimidation while a third, General Sami Anan, was arrested.



Mr Sisi led the military's overthrow of then President Mohammed Morsi in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.



Since then, he has overseen what human rights group say is an unprecedented crackdown on dissent that has led to the detention of tens of thousands of people.



He has also faced an insurgency by jihadist militants based in the Sinai Peninsula, who have killed hundreds of security personnel and civilians in attacks.



Results of this year's vote are expected on 2 April.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Migrant Labour General Workers Union (MLGWU) has urged government to as a matter of urgency, initiate moves to arrest Ghanaian immigrant syndicate engaged in slavery activities against other Ghanaians in the Sahel region en route Libya.



A statement signed and issued by Justice Baako Ntarmah, General Secretary of MLGWU, on the back of the Unions National Executive Committee, condemned the action of the Ghanaian immigrants, and called for immediate actions to deter others from engaging in such inhumane practice.



It commended government for collaborating with other organisations in evacuating Ghanaian immigrants from Libya and United States of America (USA), and providing cash relief to cover their immediate needs.



The MLGWU expressed its profound gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for initiating peaceful talks aimed at solving political crisis in Togo.



The statement called for an apology from authorities who were responsible for the arrest of Bernard Monah, National Chairman of Peoples National Convention (PNC), who staged a solidarity action on behalf of the people of Togo, in Accra.



It said the MLGWU would not stand aloof for politicians to cause disturbances on the labour market in Africa that leads to migrant labour job seekers, youth and students becoming preys to employers.



The MLGWU, therefore, urged Togolese labour immigrant workers as well as other nationals to insist on their rights, to better conditions of services, and called on employers to treat immigrant labour workers as regular workers and pay them accordingly.



The statement advised government and concerned ministries and agencies to involve the MLGWU in evacuation and deportation exercises of immigrants since migration was mostly caused by the need for employment.



It appealed to the government to consider issuance of national health insurance cards to both irregular and regular immigrant workers and their families for at least 90 days each year, while Ghanaian deportees should be granted free registration and issuance on full premium basis.



The statement further appealed to Members of Parliament to use one per cent of their funds to support deportees in their constituencies to help in reintegration.

Source: GNA









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Dr Kwabena Duffour II, Chief Executive Officer of Unibank heads a list of nine high-profile directors of the bank who have lost their jobs following the take-over by the Bank of Ghana.



The Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Ernest Addison at a press briefing on Tuesday, March 20 said the entire executive management including Duffour II will give way to a new KPMG-led team.



Per the BoG directive, Executives of Unibank including Duffuor II, Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis (Chief Operating Officer), Owusu-Ansah Awere (Executive Director), Clifford Duke Mettle (Executive Director), Sylvia Assimeng-Archer (Executive Secretary) and John Collins Arthur (Executive Head of Treasury and Global Trade) will lose their jobs.



The rest are Kwesi Nkrumah Pimpah (Director of Risk Management), Elsie Dansoa Kyereh (Executive Head of Corporate Banking) and Florence Ohene (Executive Head of Innovations and Business Execution).



Meet all the Unibank Executives who will lose their jobs below;





Dr Kwabena Duffour II (CEO)



Duffuor II replaced Felix Nyarko-Pong as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of uniBank on June 1, 2017.



Until that elevation, he served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the multiple award-winning indigenous bank  a position he had held since June 2013.



The son of the former Bank of Ghana Governor holds a PhD in Finance, an Msc Banking and International Finance from Cass Business School, City of London, UK, and a degree in Economics and Mathematics from the University of Southampton.



He has over Nine years banking experience both locally and internationally. He worked with Ghana International Bank Plc, uniBank (Ghana) Limited and Standard Chartered Bank in various departments including, Retail Banking, Treasury Operations and Credit Risk Management. Before his appointment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), he was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the bank.



Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis (Chief Operating Officer)



Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis has an impressive background in Banking and Finance. Having worked for over 20 years in this field, Ekow has attained high-quality work experience and good managerial exposure. Ekow worked at Standard Chartered Bank for 13 years and through hard work and selfless devotion to duty, attained working knowledge in credit administration, global markets and treasury sales and services.



He left Standard Chartered Bank, Ghana, for the United Kingdom in 2003 to pursue MSc in International Banking and Finance at Southampton University and completed in 2005. He is also a professional member of Ghana Institute of Bankers and Institute of Financial Services U.K. and holds BSc in Financial Services.



Ekow has been a resource material for both the Institute of Bankers, Ghana and the Banking College, for the past ten (10) years; He is also amongst the best resource materials for APEX Bank Ghana Ltd and African Leasing Association (AFRO Lease). His expertise in Leasing and Assets Financing is excellent and has on many occasions been used by International Financial Corporation (IFC) as a resource person in its numerous advocacy and training programs in and out of Ghana.

Owusu-Ansah Awere (Executive Director)



From 1990 to 1993, Owusu-Ansah worked at John Young and Associates, a private Management Consultancy firm, where he was instrumental in the collection and analysis of survey data. He was active in the execution of technical feasibilities to ascertain commercial viability of projects before implementation in Manufacturing and the Sales and Marketing value chain.



Mr Awere started his banking career twenty-one (21) years ago with Ecobank Ghana. He played various roles and rose to the position of Branch Manager.



In 2001, he joined uniBank (Ghana) Limited as the First Manager of its flagship branch. Thereafter, he held Head of department roles in International Trade, Retail Banking and Central Operations. He has an excellent appreciation of Client Relationship Management and a passion for delivering excellent customer experience. He has depth of knowledge in Consumer, SME, Corporate Banking and Treasury and has been the driving force behind the banks Electronic banking services and strong Information Technology leverage. He has cutting-edge competencies in leadership, strategy formulation and business goal management, having been General Manager, Operations and then Executive Director with a wide range of responsibilities.



Mr Awere holds a BA degree in Social Science from the University of Ghana, Legon and a Masters in Business Administration, (Finance option), from the Wisconsin International University College, Ghana.



Clifford Duke Mettle (Executive Director)



Clifford Mettle has over 30 years of banking experience, having worked with the Ghana Commercial Bank, UT Bank and the National Investment Bank. He has had banking stints with Ghana International Bank, London; BHF Bank, Frankfurt and Citibank, New York. He is a Chartered Banker from the Institute of Financial Services, United Kingdom. He holds an MBA from the University of Ghana Business School and he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana. He lectures at the National Banking College, the Chartered Institute of Bankers and the University of Ghana Business School. Currently, he is the President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.



Kwesi Nkrumah Pimpah (Director Risk Management)



Kwesi Nkrumah Pimpah Director (Risk Management) Kwesi Nkrumah Pimpah has a B.A degree in Economics and Statistics and an MBA from the University of Ghana. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers. He has 16 years experience in Banking Supervision, covering Commercial, Development and Merchant banks. He was the Head of Examination Unit seven of the Banking supervision Department and Head of the Operational Risk Management Technical Team as well as a member of Basel II implementation Technical Committee of the Bank of Ghana. He has also worked on various committees and projects at the Bank of Ghana.



Sylvia Assimeng-Archer (Company Secretary)



Sylvia holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Oil and Gas and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons), from the University of Ghana and was admitted as a Member of the Ghana Bar Association in 2000. Sylvia further holds a Diploma in Public Private Partnership from the University of Reading, UK. She is a Notary Public.



Sylvia has immense experience in all facets of law with particular specialization in Corporate/Business law, Insurance, Banking and Litigation. Before joining uniBank in June 2004, Sylvia worked as a private legal practitioner.



Sylvia is the Company Secretary of uniBank and uniSecurities (Ghana) Limited.



John Collins Arthur - Executive Head (Treasury & Global Trade)



Mr. John Collins Arthur has over 16 years working experience in the banking sector of Ghana. He served as the Treasurer for International Commercial Bank, Intercontinental Bank Ghana Limited, Access Bank Ghana Limited before joining uniBank Ghana Limited as the Treasurer. He has been in the banking industry since 1997. He began his banking career as the Money Market Dealer at National Investment Bank. Thereafter, he joined International Commercial Bank as the Chief Dealer and rose through the ranks to become the Treasurer in December 2004.



He later joined Intercontinental Bank as the pioneer Treasurer and rose to become the Divisional Head, Treasury and Investment Banking. He was appointed as the Country Treasurer for Access Bank Ghana Limited after the merger with Intercontinental Bank Ghana limited in March, 2012.He assumed his current position as the Treasurer for uniBank Ghana in June, 2012.



He has gained enormous wealth of knowledge and experience over the years and his key strengths are in the areas of Investment Analysis, Security and Foreign Exchange market, Risk Management, Structured Trade and Corresponding Banking relationship.



Mr. Arthur is a Chartered Accountant by profession and holds a B.A (Hons) Economics Degree from the University of Ghana. He also holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (Finance option) from the University of Ghana Business School, Legon. He is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified AccountantsUK and a member of ICA (Ghana). He has also attended various international and local courses and seminars.



He is married with four children.



Elsie Dansoa Kyereh (Executive Head, Corporate Banking)



Elsie Dansoa Kyereh is the Executive Head of the Corporate Banking department. She oversees four specialized business units which are; Energy Banking, Institutional Banking, Commodities Banking and the Business Banking units.



Elsie has had over 20 years extensive banking experience working with SSB Bank, Merban Investment Holdings, Merchant Bank and Intercontinental Bank now Access Bank.



Elsie holds a Bachelors Degree in B.Sc. Administration (Banking & Finance) from the University of Ghana, Legon and an Executive MBA from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).



Elsie strategically leads the Corporate Banking team to ensure that set performance targets in deposit mobilisation, assets, contingent liabilities, risk management, profit and general housekeeping are met.



Florence Adei Ohene (Executive Head, Innovations & Business Execution)



Mrs. Florence Adei Ohene is an experienced international business development and strategic planner with more than 15 years of expertise. She holds an MBA from Georgetown University, Washington D.C., a Masters in Economic Development from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Cum Laude and a Bachelors degree also from UCLA. Mrs. Ohene holds the series 7,63 & 66 securities license with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) as well as the Life and Variable Insurance License.



Mrs. Ohene joined uniBank Ghana in 2014. She began her banking career in 2000 at JPMorgan Private Bank in New York where she served as Private Banker to clients with over $10 MM in liquidity or $20 MM in overall net worth.



While at JP Morgan, she spent time with various divisions; portfolio management, fixed income, structured products, FX, equity derivatives, etc. She later joined the Wealth and Investment Management group at SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, GA as a Private Client Advisor and went on to other positions in Strategy and Project Management.



Between 2006 and 2013 she held various roles in retail and corporate banking at PNC Bank (formerly Royal Bank of Canada  RBC, USA). Mrs. Ohene also worked for Africare Inc. at the company's headquarters in Washington D.C. for 1 year before joining their Uganda operations for 3 years.

Source: graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Op-ed: US swims against tide of trade globalization (File Photo)

The US is flowing against the tide of globalization by advocating protectionism to seek its own profits, and that will leave itself less room for development.

Recently, the US government has been threatening to increase tariffs on imported goods as an act of trade protectionism and imposing its unreasonable will on other countries.

US President Donald Trump holds that his country, the worlds largest economy, is a victim of free trade, and has been treated unfairly in the global trade system. Taking such an allegation as a banner, the US sees itself as standing on a moral high ground.

But as a matter of fact, the countrys excuses and its bullying policies have drawn mounting criticism around the world.

Any imposition of tariffs, without going first to the World Trade Organization (WTO), is sure to prompt a chorus of criticism not just from Beijing but from US industry, the Wall Street Journal warned before Trump signed the memorandum that could impose tariffs on imports from China based on the so-called Section 301 investigation into alleged Chinese intellectual property and technology transfer practices.

Even if it is permitted under WTO rules, it would upend the practice of bringing disputes first to the Geneva trade body, said another article published by the Wall Street Journal.

Trade frictions should be solved based on the rules and within the framework of the WTO, German newspaper Handelsblatt pointed out.

The US has inappropriately adopted trade protectionism, only to find that its way of solving trade frictions is supported by nobody, even its allies.

After the US announced it would impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum products based on the Section 232 investigations, the European Council denounced that the excuse of national security taken by the US is untenable.

At the meeting of the WTO Council for Trade in Goods, the EU, Japan, South Korea and Australia warned that the trade barriers set up by the US will threaten the rules-based multilateral trade system.

British International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told BBC that Britain is a firm supporter of the WTO, and the country will abide by international trade rules.

All these clear responses are undoubtedly a strong blow to the US.

The so-called Section 301 and Section 232 investigations, which were derived from the trade law of the US in the Cold War era, is inevitably unfair as the country itself acts not only as police, prosecutor, but also judge of international trade.

Bypassing the mature rules of the WTO accumulated in more than 20 years of existence, the US rash choice goes against international rules and the times, making the world turn its back on it.

More importantly, the US excuse for eliciting trade barriers is groundless. Take its steel industry for example. Statistics show that between 2011 and 2017, the countrys steel output dropped by 2.6 percent, while the industry created thousands of new jobs since 2009.

Obviously, the national security excuse is invalid. The purpose of the US is to nakedly protect its industry through increasing tariffs, which is sabotaging the rules for fair trade.

The US fanaticism for and blind confidence in trade war reveals its opportunistic approach of holding high international law when it sees fit and discarding international law when it sees otherwise.

When dealing with trade issues, the country acts like a bull that rushes into a porcelain shop, recklessly trampling on the rules at the cost of the current global trade system.

It is due to the US overbearing obstruction that new members of the WTOs appellate body are unable to be timely appointed, severely weakening the organizations efficacy.

More evidence proves that the fair trade demanded by the US is in essence to let the US benefit, regardless of other countries. That conduct could barely earn the country any support in the 21st century when globalization is the prevalence.

Without rules, there will be no order. As one of the major makers of international trade rules, the US has become an obvious breaker of them judging from what it is doing. Its move has put the world under the threat of being in disorder, and made the entire world disappointed and anxious.

International trade should be established upon rules, not strength or power, said former WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, pointing out that the rules-based multilateral trade system might need some adjustments, but the prerequisite is to first consolidate it.

In the era of globalization, protectionism, which flows against the tide, is at most a lonely and arbitrary move, which only narrows the development space of the executor and widens the scope of choice for others.
A closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Camera, installed in a lawyers chamber exposed his driver when he entered his office to steal an amount of GH28,650.00 from his safe.



Musah Addo, 43, had been employed by Lawyer Sam Seth Woode for six years.



Musah was seen in the video removing and pocketing part of an amount of GH40,000.00, which had been kept in two separate envelopes, leading to his prosecution.



Edward Yartey, 50, security man and Kwabena Boateng, 49, a driver, whom Musah gave out some of the money, were all remanded into prison custody by an Accra Circuit Court to reappear on April 9.



Musah and Yartey denied acting together to steal. In addition, Musah has been charged with stealing.



Boateng, however, admitted receiving GH400.00 each, from Musah and Yartey and has since refunded the money to the police.



Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr Man-Anit Sampana, told the Court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh that Lawyer Woode has his Chambers located at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra.



Both Musah and Boateng lived at Madina whilst Lartey resides at Adabraka in Accra.



On March 9, the complainant put two envelopes, each containing GH20,000.00 in a safe in his office.



The next day, Mr Woode reported to work only to find his safe had been broken into and one of the envelopes taken whilst the other was opened with only GH11,440.00 left in it.



With the assistance of his secretary, an inventory was taken and when the CCTV footage was played in the presence of other witnesses, it revealed Musah stealing the money.



This led to his arrest and in his caution statement, he admitted stealing only GH1,000.00 and mentioned his accomplices for receiving part of the stolen money.



Upon his arrest, Yartey told the police he did not take part in the act but was given GH500.00 by Musah to settle his funeral debt.



It also came out that Musah and Yartey gave GH800.00 to Boateng to be given to the lawyer (complainant) through one Joseph Kofi Quansah but Boateng kept the money to himself.



After further probing, they were charged and put before court.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Five persons on board a Ghanaian fishing vessel which was reported missing on Monday in an alleged hijack by pirates, have been taken hostage, but the abandoned vessel has been rescued by the Ghana Navy.



The five, including three Koreans, one Ghanaian and a Greek national, are believed to have been taken hostage by some alleged Nigerian hijackers, who attempted to seize the tuna vessel, Marine 711 on the Keta high seas on Monday.



However, one of the crew members who was found together with the abandoned vessel, is currently receiving medical treatment as a result of the traumatic experience.



The vessel, Marine 711, with official No. 316694, and registration No. AFT28 has successfully rescued and is currently at berth 10 at the Tema Port.



Jelly cans, ropes and some live bullets were retrieved from the vessel, after the navy successfully took over the abandoned vessel.



Briefing the media at the Tema Port, the Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Commodore James Kontoh said although the Ghana Navy was taken unaware in this instance, they will intensify their surveillance to forestall any such occurrence.



Narrating the incident, he noted that the Ghana Navy on Monday dawn received series of information about vessels under attack, which placed them on high alert.



For the past 48 hours, we have had series of attacks which we tried to unravel. It all happened Monday dawn about 03:30 when a speed boat came to the Tema anchorage area and forcefully took over a vessel and started heading towards the Togolese waters until the vessel complained of not having enough fuel to continue the journey.



He said the hijackers, abandoned the first vessel and hijacked another tanker vessel where they carried three personnel from the first vessel unto the second hijacked vessel.



They then asked them to head towards Bayelsa in Nigeria. However, the lack of fuel compelled the hijackers to again abandon the second vessel for a fishing vessel.



They again took two crew members in addition to the first three into a newly hijacked fishing vessel and headed towards the Benin waters.



The hijackers in the night took the five kidnapped persons in their speed boats and absconded to an unknown location.



He said the fishing vessel then sent a signal after the hijackers had left, and a dispatch team was immediately sent to the area to save the crew members.



The Ghana Navy has always been on high alert and we have been able to deter pirates from our waters on several occasions, but this very current hijack took us unaware.



He advised vessel owners and crew members at anchorage to always keep in touch with the Police and the Navy at all times.



Commodore Kontoh said collaboration has started between Ghana and its Nigerian counterparts to ensure the hijackers are arrested, and the five sailors who have been taken hostage freed.



Some of the crew members who were left off the hook say they were severely beaten by the pirates before being freed.

Source: citifmonline.com









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Director of Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), William Akwasi Appiah has been sacked, Peacefmonline.com understands.



Sources say he has been replaced by the Head of Research at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, named Seidu Inusah. Though not officially confirm, reports suggest that there are some ongoing national security changes. Reliable sources told Peacefmonline that the decision was taken at a meeting held at the BNI headquarters in Accra, Thursday afternoon.



It is unclear the reasons behind the changes at the fortified investigative edifice.



However, some speculate it may be linked to the arrest of Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho and how some opposition officials including former President John Mahama had access to him while he was behind bars.



Former President, John Mahama yesterday visited the embattled deputy general secretary of the NDC at the Bureau of National Investigations headquarters. This was a day after Mr. Anyidoho was detained for making treasonable comments.



in a picture gone viral, Mr. Mahama was pictured with Anyidoho, along with Julius Debrah, who served as his Chief of Staff; the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and former Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu, at the BNI headquarters



An official statement is yet to be released.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu - [email protected]/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Koku Anyidoho has been granted bail after spending two nights at the cells of the Bureau of National Investigation.



He was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department during an organised press conference in Accra on Tuesday for making comments which the police say could be pass for treason.



Koku Anyidoho had in a radio interview suggested that President Akufo-Addo could be ousted through coup just as it happened to his father in 1972.



Somebody should tell Nana Akufo- Addo, [massa], history has a very interesting way of repeating itself, on the 13th of January 1972, a certain Colonel Ignatius Kuntu Achampong led an insurrection that removed the progress party from power, Busia was the prime minister, Akufo-Addos father was the ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has an interesting way of repeating itself,  he told an Accra-based Happy FM on Monday.



He was subsequently picked up and detained a day after the utterance leading to anarchy at the precincts of the National Police Headquarters in Accra where police fired teargas, rubber bullets and sprayed hot water to disperse the crowd.



Some protesters as well as journalists were injured by what many described as police high-handedness in handling the situation, an action condemned by former presidents Mahama and Rawlings.



Meanwhile, the police says it will follow due process in handling the case involving the NDC firebrand after charging him for causing alarm and fear and treason felony.



An Accra High Court has since granted permission for his electronic gadgets including laptops, iphones and ipads believed to be storage of information related to treason in the premises of Koku Anyidoho and his agents to be seized to aid police investigation.



Some family members including Kofi Anyidoho, a professor of literature, some leadership of the NDC and his lawyers were at BNIs office Thursday afternoon to secure his release.



Though he has been granted bail, he was still at detention as of 12 noon as his father and lawyer run around clock to meet his bail requirements.



The sureties to be justice were not known at the time of this publication.







Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Peacefmonline.com can confirm that the Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) William Akwasi Appiah has only been "reassigned" and not sacked as is being speculated.



Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, who disclosed this a short while ago to the media, said Mr Akwasi Appiah has been reassigned to the National Security Ministry.



According to him, the move was part of a number of changes at the BNI and the National Security Ministry.



We havent sacked the man. There is nothing like sacking, we didnt talk about the sacking. Yes, he has been changed. There have been some changes at the Research department and also at the BNI and the National Security Ministry. Weve moved people around....Hes been moved from BNI to the Ministry of National Security, Kan-Dapaah said in an interview with CitiFM.



Peacefmonline.com can however confirm that Ambassador Rasheed Seidu Inusah, Director-General of the Research Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, is now the Director of the BNI.



Earlier reports suggested that Mr Appiah was sacked after a security meeting held on Thursday.



According to the earlier grapevine report, Mr Appiah "sacking" could be linked to the arrest of Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho and how some opposition officials including former President John Mahama had access to him while he was behind bars.



Former President, John Mahama on Wednesday visited the embattled deputy general secretary of the NDC at the Bureau of National Investigations headquarters. This was a day after Mr. Anyidoho was detained for making treasonable comments.



in a picture gone viral, Mr. Mahama was pictured with Anyidoho, along with Julius Debrah, who served as his Chief of Staff; the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and former Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu, at the BNI headquarters





More soon.....

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Here were the damning words from a judge in eastern Pennsylvania to a former teacher's aide he just sentenced to prison for sexual contact with two teen boys: "You don't want to grow up. You have Peter Pan syndrome."

This, after Delcotimes.com reports the aide, Sheri Maufort, was sentenced to 11.5 to 23 months in Chester County Prison for performing oral sex on one 17-year-old boy at Unionville High School and kissing and fondling another male student who was 18 at the time.

"I want to apologize to the two boys for whatever pain my actions may have caused them and their families," Maufort said in her pre-sentencing statement, Delcotimes.com reports.

Yet she denied any actual wrongdoing in the case, which dates to 2016, serving to anger the judge.

As a result, Common Pleas Court Judge Patrick Carmody said he threw out the original sentence he planned to impose in favor of a longer one.

From Delcotimes.com:

In addition to the prison time that she was led away to begin serving, Maufort will be on probation for three years and can have no unsupervised contact with minors outside of her own children.

She must also register as a sex offender for 15 years.

Maufort was found guilty in November of two counts of institutional sexual assault, a third-degree felony that deals with sexual contact that school officials have with children they supervise. She was also found guilty of one count each of unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors.

Maufort, 43, of Birmingham, Pa., was acquitted on two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors.
Lebanon police say the death of a 35-year-old woman is under investigation.

At around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, police were called to the 300 block of North Fifth Street to assist first responders for a medical incident. Police did not disclose the time of the woman's or the nature of the woman's death.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. Anyone with information about the woman's death is asked to contact Lebanon police at 717-272-2054 or call Lebanon County Crime Stoppers at 717-270-9800.
Saying the negatives outweigh the too-vague positives, a state administrative law judge is advising the Public Utility Commission to deny a fuel pipeline firm's plan to reverse the flow on part of its Pennsylvania system.

Proponents of the proposal to reverse the Laurel Pipeline's flow between Pittsburgh and Altoona claim the move could cut gas prices for some Keystone State customers.

However, opponents of the $200 million plan, including a coalition of major eastern Pennsylvania refinery operators, are celebrating Judge Eranda Vero's denial recommendation.

Laurel's pipeline currently transports petroleum products east to west across Pennsylvania. Laurel proposes to maintain the east-west flow from Philadelphia to the pipeline's Eldorado terminal near Altoona, but to switch to a west-east flow from the Pittsburgh area to Eldorado.

The pipeline owner, Buckeye Partners, claims state consumers would benefit because the switch would allow cheaper gas processed in the Midwest to flow through the pipeline to Pennsylvania.

In Vero's 212-page opinion, the judge found Buckeye failed to provide any witnesses or studies to support that assertion. Eastern refineries now have access to crude oil at prices competitive with the Midwest refineries, the judge noted.

"Laurel has not shown that its proposed reversal will decrease prices that consumers pay for gasoline at the pump," Vero wrote.

The reversal would, however, play havoc with eastern refineries that would be deprived of a major western distribution route, the judge concluded.

The Laurel proposal's primary opponent, the Deny Buckeye coalition, praised Vero's recommendation as "well-reasoned." Coalition members are Giant Eagle Get Go, Gulf, Guttman Energy, Monroe Energy, Philadelphia Energy Solutions and Sheetz.

"The only winners of a Laurel reversal would be Buckeye and out-of-state refineries," the coalition contended in a statement issued Thursday.

"Midwest refineries already have access to Pennsylvania markets, but they don't want competition. Pennsylvania refineries have supplied fuel throughout our commonwealth for over a half-century. It is stunning to think that a Texas-based pipeline company wants to block our own refineries from serving Pennsylvania. A reversal would send fuel prices skyrocketing and put thousands of Pennsylvania jobs in jeopardy," the group insisted.

PUC spokesman Nils Frederiksen said Vero's recommendation is only advisory. The PUC can accept, reject or modify it, he said. Both sides in the pipeline dispute will have opportunities to weigh in.

"While we are still reviewing the decision, and we appreciate the administrative law judge's consideration of our proposal which will create important benefits for Pennsylvania consumers, we respectfully disagree with her conclusion," said Buckeye Senior Vice President Bill Hollis.

"The facts clearly demonstrate that our market-driven project will enhance competition and lead to lower fuel prices for families and communities while improving energy security, all wins for the commonwealth," Hollis added. "These facts continue to be broadly echoed by business and labor organizations, elected officials as well as independent experts and academics. We believe the (PUC's) objective review of these facts should lead to the approval of the project, which will benefit Pennsylvania consumers and move the commonwealth forward."

This story has been updated with comment from Buckeye Partners.
For Jim Piazza, the disappointment of seeing involuntary manslaughter charges filed for the February 2017 death of his son dismissed on Wednesday was just as hard the second time around.

But the shock factor seemed a little diminished.

"I'm disappointed in the judge's ruling," Timothy Piazza's father told PennLive Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after Magisterial District Judge Allen Sinclair's mixed bag ruling came down.

"But I'm still optimistic there are going to be a large number of convictions at the end of this process, and I'm optimistic that I am going to have the opportunity to speak (to Tim's would-be fraternity brothers) in front of the court."

Timothy Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore from Lebanon, N.J., died on Feb. 4, 2017, a little more than 24 hours hours after he suffered fatal internal injuries in a series of drunken falls following his acceptance of a bid to join the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State.

The case, and Piazza's family's anti-hazing advocacy in its wake, has refocused national attention on hazing issues and prompted a major reordering of the rules for Greek life at Penn State.

But the central question in court this week was whether the death itself - which a forensic pathologist testified might have been avoided had Piazza received early medical treatment for severe internal injuries - was a tragic accident, or a crime.

Wednesday morning's headline was that Sinclair, for the second time in six months, dismissed the involuntary manslaughter counts against five former Beta brothers.

But the reality is that 14 of them still face trial on a battery of reckless endangerment, hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors and other counts stemming from that night.

Defense attorneys and parents expressed relief that, once again, the most serious count against their clients - and the one carrying the greatest risk of significant jail time - was dropped.

"No one has lost sight of the scope and horror of this tragedy. Tim Piazza should be alive and with his family today," said Frank Fina, lawyer for former fraternity president Brendan Young.

"But that's a different issue from whether or not his death was because of a crime."

Young's parents, Patrick and Robin Young, spoke to the mixed-bag of feelings the remain for the defendants' families.

"We are relieved that all the major charges have been dropped. We certainly are concerned now that the Attorney General's office is handling the case and they have unlimited resources to invest into the prosecution of our son."

Sinclair, who issued his decision outside of court, did not respond to a request for an interview made by Pennlive.

Wednesday's decision seemed to hit Stacy Parks Miller, the former Centre County District Attorney who steered the case through a grand jury inquiry last year, the hardest.

Parks Miller kept the manslaughter counts alive by refiling the charges late last year. She then had to leave the case at the end of 2017 after losing her bid for a new term in office.

She called Wednesday's result "a disgrace," but one she believed was foreordained when Centre County Judge Pamela Ruest reassigned the refiled case to Sinclair, who had already thrown out manslaughter and aggravated assault counts last year.

The most serious counts left on the docket at present are reckless endangerment, a second-degree misdemeanor that typically carries punishments of fines and probation for first-time offenders.

"That's tragic to see a case that is so much more be stuck at that level because a new judge wasn't assigned, and I think everyone knows that," Parks Miller said.

Prosecutors do have the option of refiling the dropped counts again.

But in order to get them heard by someone other than Sinclair they would have to convince a court that Sinclair had made errors of law in his ruling, something Ruest did not find in her review this winter.

Sinclair's latest decision also muddies what may happen with a separate batch of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault counts filed last fall against five other former Beta brothers after once-deleted surveillance camera footage from the fraternity's basement was recovered.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office inherited the prosecution from Parks Miller this winter, didn't address either of those points specifically Wednesday.

In a statement, Shapiro said he was disappointed by Sinclair's decision to throw out the manslaughter charges, "and we are assessing our legal options."

Shapiro said his team will move forward with the charges that have been orderded to trial in the name of "seeking for Timothy Piazza and his family and holding responsible individuals accountable for their actions."

To be clear, none of the defendants are completely out of the woods, legally speaking.

With a conviction on reckless endangerment, a judge in this case could go beyond standard sentencing guidelines because there was a death involved. The maximum term for that grade misdemeanor is two years in prison.

Hazing and furnishing alcohol are third-degree misdemeanors with maximum sentences of up to one year.

The defense, meanwhile, said they were ready for the next round, too.

Steve Trialonas, the attorney for Daniel Casey, the Beta house's pledge master, said he expects to vigorously contest the remaining charges, as did others from the defense bar this week.

Before the cases for the original Beta 14 hit trial, however, prosecutors must turn their immediate attention to the second group of students charged by Parks Miller in November, after a review of the basement tapes.

A preliminary hearing on those counts is set for May 2.

Jim Piazza, meanwhile, went back to the beginning of this month's four-day hearing for a closing thought.

He said Sinclair's struggle with classifying his son's death as a criminal act drives home the need for stronger laws that specifically address serious injuries or deaths caused by hazing, like that proposed Friday by Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre County this month.

"It absolutely reinforces the need for laws like this," Jim Piazza said.
By G. Terry Madonna and Michael L. Young



Impeachment is the nuclear option undergirding the separation of powers framework of American government.

An antique vestige borrowed from British tradition, it was incorporated into the American constitution in 1787 - and migrated from there into most state constitutions.

Fundamentally, impeachment in a bicameral legislature is a political indictment voted by the lower house, precipitating a formal trial in the upper house. Possible conviction and removal from office can result.



The federal constitution established "high crimes and misdemeanors" as a justification for impeachment. State constitutions range from similar language to very specific acts.





Conceived as a procedure to keep the executive branch accountable, it has ironically been used or threatened most frequently against sitting judges.



In the federal system altogether, nineteen officials have been impeached - including two presidents, neither of which was convicted or removed from office. Perhaps some three dozen state and territorial officials have been impeached or removed from office.



The rarity combined with the gravity of impeachment explains the considerable consternation emanating from Pennsylvania's political community as a result of the effort by 12 Republican state lawmakers to impeach four justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for allegedly overstepping their constitutional prerogatives.





The issue at hand is the court's imposition of a remedial congressional map that the justices adopted after ruling the 2011 map violated the state constitution. Republicans appealed that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court and lost, failing to get even a hearing on a lawsuit aimed at suppressing the new map.



The pushback was both speedy and bi-partisan. Perhaps the most notable came from Chief Justice Thomas Saylor, himself a Republican opposed to the new map.

Saylor minced no words in condemning the actions from his GOP colleagues in the state house: "Threats of impeachment directed against Justices because of their decision in a particular case are an attack upon an independent judiciary, which is an essential component of our constitutional plan of government."



The lead Republican in the impeachment effort is Rep. Cris Dush (Jefferson and Indiana counties), who argues that the court usurped the authority of the legislature and executive branches:

"This is basically 7th grade civics class all over again, the separation of powers and the authority of the legislature and ... the courts basically are there to interpret when there's conflict in the law, and they don't have any sovereignty."



Some unkind observers have suggested that Dush might have missed one or two of his seventh grade civics classes.

However, at least 11 of his Republican colleagues have agreed to co-sponsor his impeachment resolution.

Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Pat Toomey seems supportive while leading GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott Wagner has embraced the idea.



The state constitution contains a general cause encapsulating the cause for impeachment: "for any misbehavior in office." In practice, however, an impeachable act is whatever a majority of the lower house says it is. An impeachable offense is the ultimate political crime.



Following a House impeachment a trial takes place in the Senate; if adjudged guilty the ultimate punishment is the forfeiture of office and a ban from holding public office in the future.



Impeachment is often proposed, but rarely imposed. In fact, the process is so difficult that there have been only four impeachments in the state's history - and one close call.



The close call occurred in 1811 and also involved a jurist, one Thomas Cooper, a Northumberland county judge. On a recommendation from the legislature, the governor removed Cooper, eliminating any need for impeachment.



Before that in 1802 three justices of the state Supreme Court were impeached by the House, essentially for political reasons, but not convicted in the Senate.



The other impeachment involved Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen in 1994. Larsen was controversial while widely perceived as difficult and contentious among his colleagues.

The House impeached him by the nail-biting margin of 199 to 0, on seven charges of various types of misbehavior. He was convicted in the Senate on one count of improper behavior. The vote was an equally close 49 to 0. The impeachment itself followed Larsen's separate conviction in Allegheny County court of two counts of criminal conspiracy.



Larsen was the poster child for what it takes to actually trigger impeachment. And that was a lot. Nothing like this is going on with the current impeachment talk - which is mostly saber rattling, and not that many sabers.



Moreover, there is no widespread support for impeachment among the Republican leadership in the legislature.

Both House Speaker Mike Turzai and Majority Leader Dave Reed have distanced themselves from the proposal. Republicans may have the votes to both impeach and convict but that's simply not going to happen. And it should not.



That's good for democracy, good for Pennsylvania and good for Republicans.

G. Terry Madonna is a professor of Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College and runs the Keystone Poll. Michael L. Young is a speaker, pollster, author, and a former was professor of politics and public affairs at Penn State Harrisburg.
SEOUL, March 29 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday agreed to hold a summit on April 27 in the truce village of Panmunjom, the first meeting between the leaders of the two sides in 11 years.

The agreement was reached during a high-level dialogue between the two sides, which were held earlier in the day at Tongilgak, a DPRK building in Panmunjom.

A joint statement from the high-level talks said Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to hold their third summit on April 27 at Peace House, a South Korean building in Panmunjom.

If held as agreed upon, top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un would become the country's first leader to set foot on the South Korean territory since the 1950-53 Korean war ended in armistice.

The first and second inter-Korean summits were held in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, respectively.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, who led the three-member South Korean delegation to the high-level talks, told a press briefing that the two sides sufficiently exchanged views on the summit agenda.

If necessary, the two sides will hold another senior-level dialogue on the summit agenda in April, Cho said, noting that the two sides shared a view on preparations for the inter-Korean summit that is sincere and candid.

Based on a shared view that the April summit will have a significant, historical meaning in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, settling peace on the peninsula and developing inter-Korean relations, South Korea and the DPRK agreed to make joint efforts for the successful summit, the unification minister noted.

The two sides also agreed to hold working-level talks at the South Korean side in Panmunjom on April 4 to discuss protocol, security service and press report. A separate dialogue on communications will also be held, according to the joint statement.

Other practical issues, which can be raised, will be discussed in the form of letter exchange, the joint statement said.

The inter-Korean summit would be followed by a summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he would meet the DPRK leader by the end of May.

For Thursday's high-level dialogue, the South Korean delegation included Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon,

Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung, and senior presidential secretary for public relations Yoon Young-chan.

From the DPRK side, the chief delegate was Ri Son Gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF). Two other delegates were CPRF vice chairman Jon Jong Su and CPRF director Kim Myong Il.
A Commonwealth Court judge on Wednesday ruled that Lt. Gov. Stack continues to maintain his primary residence in Philadelphia.

Per a story on philly.com, Commonwealth Court President Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt wrote in her opinion that Philadelphia "is the place where he votes, collects mail, pays taxes, stores personal effects and spends occasional nights."

A petition filed March 13 in Commonwealth Court said the address Stack listed on his nominating petition was inaccurate. Stack and his wife sold their Philadelphia house in 2016 after moving into the lieutenant governor's mansion in Lebanon County. Since then, he has claimed his mother's house in Northeast Philadelphia was his residence.

According to philly.com, Stack claims that he has renewed his driver's license using his mother's address and paid the city's wage tax in 2016 and 2017.

Marty Marks, who is Stack's campaign manager, called the petition "politically motivated" in a Wednesday evening press release, adding that "one of Lt. Governor Stack's primary election opponents sought to deceive Pennsylvania voters through a spurious election challenge, asserting that the Lt. Governor's state address in Lebanon County should be listed as his primary home."

Instead, the release said, "the Commonwealth Court, through a strongly worded 16-page opinion authored by President Judge Hannah Leavitt, rejected that assertion. The court's decision reflected the substantial evidence that Lt. Gov. Stack, who spent his childhood and attended college in Philadelphia and served for 14 years as a state senator from Philadelphia, was truly a Philadelphian."

READ MORE: Reforming the way Pa. elects a lieutenant governor wins Senate approval

Marks: "With this attack behind him, Lt. Governor Stack said that he now 'looks forward to continuing his discussion with voters throughout the Commonwealth about the progressive policies he has helped to implement' while 'addressing the issues and concerns that truly matter to working class Pennsylvanians.' "

The state's Democratic Party failed to endorse Stack at its winter meeting Feb. 10, indicative of the ongoing friction between Gov. Tom Wolf and Stack. In Pennsylvania, governors and lieutenant governors are nominated independently and then run as a ticket in general election.

Wolf, a businessman from York County, has never really embraced the former state senator who comes from the world of Philadelphia ward politics, PennLive writer Charles Thompson noted in his story after the winter meeting ended.

Besides Stack, the field on the Democratic side includes the following:

Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone;

Former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Nina Ahmad

Braddock Mayor John Fetterman; and

Ray Sosa, 51, a banker/insurance broker from Montgomery County.

The primary is May 15.

*This post has been updated to correct the candidates still in the race for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Laura Ellsworth says it's more than her gender that distinguishes her from her two opponents vying to be their party's nominee to take on Gov. Tom Wolf in the fall.

But she told the crowd gathered for the Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon on Wednesday that she does see her gender as a way to put an end to the "#MeToo stuff that is going on in Harrisburg."

She said she believes the culture in Harrisburg would change by electing a woman as governor.

"People behave differently" when a woman is in a leadership position, said the 59-year-old Pittsburgh lawyer who said she experienced that firsthand in her work as a partner in the international law firm Jones Day.

In her remarks, Ellsworth tried to sell herself as the best candidate in the GOP field by discussing her track record of community involvement, her ability to bring public and private sector together to solve problems, and her leadership style and experience in "leading complex organizations filled with very ego-rich people" that her GOP opponents Scott Wagner and Paul Mango lack.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Laura Ellsworth said her experience and leadership style make her better suited to be the next governor of Pennsylvania than her two primary opponents.

"I plan to win this race and I believe we will," she said.

Thus far, Ellsworth has been seen as a darkhorse in the GOP gubernatorial contest and has been virtually ignored by her two opponents.

Unlike Wagner and Mango, she hasn't yet run ads on TV but said she plans to as the May 15 primary draws closer. She didn't seek the GOP's endorsement because she said she didn't care for the back-room deals and refused to kowtow to the process used to determine which candidate the party would back.

While she has not engaged in the attack ad war that her opponents have waged, Ellsworth took aim at her opponents in describing how their leadership styles differ from hers and aren't suitable for being governor.

She described Wagner, a state senator from York County and owner of Penn Waste trash hauling service, as a "very incendiary, bombastic person" who has a management style that can work in a company he owns but wouldn't work as governor.

Mango, a retired health care executive who claims to be the only person with leadership experience to be governor, failed to demonstrate that in his own Allegheny County community. She said he had "zero" participation in the work she immersed herself in with organizations to leverage private sources and work with the public sector to help transform Pittsburgh from being "dead in the water" in the 1980s into one of the nation's most livable cities.

"If I look at the other two folks, I look at their track record in leadership. I look at their track record in whether they have in fact been able to achieve anything in Harrisburg," she said. "I think what I see is consistent with my view, which is that those leadership styles and those backgrounds do not produce the kind of change that we need to connect the dots in Pennsylvania."
Mugs and other souvenir items for the upcoming wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are displayed for sale in a shop in London, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The wedding takes place on Saturday May 19 in Windsor Castle, England. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
[File photo]

Chinas recent navy combat drills in the South China Sea may help the country build more aircraft carrier battle groups in the future, experts said, who added that the unprecedentedly large-scale naval exercises were quite rare even by international standards.

According to images provided by the Earth imaging company Planet Labs Inc., at least 40 ships and submarines were flanking Chinas only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, on March 26 in the South China Sea, just south of the Chinese island province of Hainan.

If the images are authentic, then Chinas naval exercises held this time are extremely rare even by world standards, as the British Navy only sent around 40 vessels to join the Falklands War in 1982, an expert who asked for anonymity told Global Times on Wednesday.

According to the expert, Chinas aircraft carrier formation is constituted by the countrys third or fourth generation combat vessels, which are the most advanced of their kind and possess extraordinary combat capabilities. He further noted that the drills may be used to test Chinas aircraft carrier formation, gathering data and experience for the countrys future construction of carrier combat groups.

Chinas unusual actions in the South China Sea have interested foreign media and experts.

Foreign media should not make a fuss about the drills, which are common practice for the Chinese navy. There is no doubt that the Chinese navy will conduct even larger-scale drills in the future, a source close to the PLA navy told Global Times.

The Chinese military has been strengthening real combat drills and joint operations since President Xi Jinping, who is also Chairman of the Central Military Commission, took office. As a result, all of the Navy's combat vessels now spend about eight months each year on the sea, carrying out patrols, drills and training operations, much longer than before, according to Chinas Ministry of National Defense.

The international communitys response to Chinas recent drills show that they are yet to get used to Chinas military rise. Its possible that the most powerful military forces in the future will be China and the U.S., though China would not promote hegemony worldwide like the U.S., the source further noted.
The sign at the Calgary Courts Centre in Calgary, is shown on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The Alberta Court of Appeal upheld the sentence of a man who argued he was fending off an attempted sex assault when he stabbed his new neighbour 37 times.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland
In this photo released by the Press Information Department, Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, second from left, receives a souvenir from Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, center, Prime Minister of Pakistan with her family members in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, March 29, 2018. Yousafzai on Thursday said she was excited to be back in Pakistan for the first time since she was shot in 2012 by Taliban militants angered at her championing of education for girls. (Press Information Department, via AP)
The number of Przewalskii gazelles, a critically endangered species dwelling only in northwest Chinas Qinghai Province, has quadrupled to about 2,057 in the past three decades, according to the administration bureau of the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve, China News Service reported on March 28.

The Przewalskii gazelle was enlisted in the Red List of Threatened Species of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the worlds largest global environmental network. Statistics indicate that only 500 were left in the grasslands around the Qinghai Lake in 1988, and 529 in 2003.

The number of the species almost quadrupled in the past three decades, said He Yubang, director at the bureau, adding that the rise is mainly attributed to the local governments great efforts in protecting the species.

He introduced that in recent years, the local government has tried to protect the creature through multiple approaches, including building designated watering places for the gazelles and dismantling a total of 515,000 meters of barbed wire fences used by local herdsmen to secure pastureland for their own livestock.

The number of the gazelles is now, therefore, stabilizing after surpassing the population mark of 2,000, he noted.
FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2016 file photo, Adnan Syed enters Courthouse East in Baltimore prior to a hearing. A Maryland appeals court has upheld a ruling, Thursday, March 29, 2018, granting a new trial to Syed, whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast "Serial." Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park. A three-judge panel on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling granting him new trial.(Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun via AP)
Former Maryland state Sen. Larry Young, left, talks with Sen. Nathaniel Oaks, right, in the Senate lounge shortly before Oaks submitted a resignation letter to Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 in Annapolis, Md. Oaks was indicted last year in a federal bribery case. (AP Photo/Brian Witte)
This February 2018 photo released by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court shows an oil painting of an unidentified former court justice painted by an unknown artist, which hangs in the court's collection of images of retired justices in Boston. Seven weeks after Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants sought the help of the public to identify the unnamed justice in a portrait hanging outside of his chambers, the court has announced that it has received credible information that the unidentified justice is the Honorable Lemuel Shaw (b. 1781 - d. 1861), who was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court as Chief Justice on Aug. 31, 1830, retiring on Aug. 21, 1860. (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court via AP)
FILE - In this March 15, 2010, file photo, copies of the 2010 Census forms in Phoenix. The 2020 U.S. Census will add a question about citizenship status, a move that brought swift condemnation from Democrats who said it would intimidate immigrants and discourage them from participating. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Pope Francis leads a mass during his visit to the Regina Coeli detention center in Rome, Thursday, March 29, 2018, where he celebrated the "Missa in Coena Domini" and washed the feet of some inmates. Pope Francis visit to a prison on Holy Thursday to wash the feet of some inmates, stresses in a pre-Easter ritual that a pope must serve society's marginalized and give them hope. (Vatican Media via AP)
FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, file photo, North Carolina concert promoter Marc Hubbard walks to federal court in Honolulu. Nearly a year and a half after pleading guilty to scamming the University of Hawaii out of $200,000, the man who said he lied about being able to bring Stevie Wonder to the school for a concert is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, March 28, 2018. (Dennis Oda/The Star-Advertiser via AP, File)
Pirates play to win against Blackcats Perryville football has had a flair for the dramatic this season. This past week was no different as they held on late for a 21-14 victory over Fredericktown on Friday at Pirate Stadium. Perryville 

St. Vincent keeps foot on the gas in victory St. Vincent made quick work of Herculaneum in week four. The Indians got off to a quick start and kept it rolling as they dispatched of the Blackcats 49-0 on Friday at Herculaneum High School. That 
Ten civilians and a Ugandan militant died when Congolese troops clashed with rebels in the flashpoint town of Beni in Democratic Republic of Congo's troubled east, an army spokesman said Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday evening when rebels attacked military positions around Beni in North Kivu, Captain Mak Hazukay told AFP.

"We listed 10 dead civilians so far," he said.

A rebel from Uganda's Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia was also killed, he said, adding that fighting was ongoing.

Michel Kakule, the lead physician at Beni hospital, told AFP some of the victims "had gunshot wounds while others had been attacked with machetes."

The violence sparked an angry backlash among locals "who blocked off several main roads in the town in protest over the murder of 10 civilians," said Gilbert Kambale, who works for a civil society organisation.

Since January, Congolese troops have been engaged in a major military operation against the ADF but it has not managed to stop the bloodshed in and around Beni.

The ADF "is now conducting an asymmetrical war -- when we attack them in one area, they get around it by attacking elsewhere," said Hazukay.

The ADF is one of a number of armed groups that hold territory in the eastern DR Congo and are battling for control of the region's rich mineral resources.

The militia group, which was created by Muslim radicals to oppose the rule of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has been present in the North Kivu area since 1995 where it stands accused of killing several hundred civilians in the past three-and-a-half years.

It has also been accused of killing 15 UN peacekeepers from Tanzania in a deadly attack in the Beni area in December.

DR Congo's restive east has been wracked by violence for the past 20 years.

On Tuesday, the UN Security Council renewed the mandate of its huge MONUSCO peacekeeping mission in the country for another year, tasking it with helping prepare for December elections aimed at ending the rule of President Joseph Kabila.

With more than 16,000 troops on the ground, it is the UN's biggest peacekeeping mission and has been present in the country since 1999.

But the DRC's ambassador to the UN, Ignace Gata Mavita, said the mission's focus should be fighting rebel groups rather than supporting elections.

Its role should be "to combat armed groups to protect civilians and restore peace and security in the east of our country," he said

The ambassador also renewed calls for MONUSCO's exit from the DRC. The origins of the UN peacekeeping mission go back nearly 20 years

Short link:


Superior Court Judge William Carey ordered Petersburg Attorney Fred Triem to pay $99,159.02 to Alaska Airlines counsel Davis, Wright, Tremaine LLP to settle claims sought by the law firm for costs, attorney fees and a $10,000 sanction for his misconduct in continuing a lawsuit against Alaska Airlines after his client Helen Lingley died.

Triem represented Lingley who was fired from her position with Alaska Airlines for taking ear buds from an airline storage area.

Lingley died on June 24, 2016 while the Airlines and Triem were actively pursuing settlement of the case in the amount of $20,000...
Guyana's Civil Defense conducts consultation on draft National Oil Spill Contingency Plan

By Kiana Wilburg



GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld 03 29 2018



Conscious of the need to protect human life and the environment, the Government, through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), has made moves towards developing a national oil spill contingency plan.



The first draft, which was put together by a small team of locals mostly from the CDC, has been handed over to Government. This is according by Captain John R. Flores, Director of Maritime Safety. He was at the time, delivering remarks at the stakeholders' consultation on the draft contingency plan. The event was held at the CDC's Thomas Lands office.



Flores started his presentation with a short video that highlighted the devastating effects that oil spills can have on the environment. The video made reference to some of the world's most horrifying oil spills such as the ExxonMobil Valdez and the Deepwater Horizon.



Along with considering the inherent risks of drilling for oil, Flores said that Guyana is a member to several organizations, which mandate that it has a contingency oil spill plan. He said that these organizations include the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).



The official also noted that Guyana is a signatory to the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.



The Director of Maritime Safety said that several documents were used as a reference point for the creation of the framework. He said that these included the IMO's manual on guidelines to be followed in the creation of an oil spill plan, draft procedures that Guyana's authorities had from years ago, and oil spill plans by other nations such as Trinidad and Tobago.



Flores also noted that the framework speaks to some key positions, which would require appointments. In this regard, he noted that there would be a need for someone to oversee how dispersants would be used during an oil spill cleanup.



Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman was quick to congratulate the Civil Defence Commission for their efforts in moving preparations forward to finalize the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.



The Minister said, When one engages Guyanese on the Coast or in the interior locations, two issues are often raised, jobs and our preparation for a potential oil spill. This tells us that the topic is a high priority for Guyanese, so no effort must be spared in ensuring that we are prepared for any eventualities.



Trotman continued, As you are aware, on May 15, 2015, Guyanese woke up to the reality that we have large quantities of Petroleum in the Liza 1 well located approximately 123 miles offshore Guyana. Six successful wells later, those initial reserves have now grown considerably from the initial reserves estimate of 800 million barrels of oil equivalent to 3.2 billion barrels and counting.



The Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) added, With every new find, the importance of a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan takes on an even more important role. While as a government, we are cognizant of the potential risks which come with developing this newfound petroleum resource, we are equally committed to the protection of our environment and Guyana continues to be a fierce proponent for its protection internationally.



As the lead agency tasked with completing the process of creating a comprehensive National Oil Spill Contingency Plan to guide national response, Trotman said that the Civil Defence Commission can be assured of the full support of the Government, through the Ministry of Natural Resources.



He noted that support mobilization has already begun since 2017 with the procurement of four containers of oil spill response equipment and accessories including booms, skimmers, dispersants, etc.



Trotman said that these are presently stored at the CDC's Alternate National Emergency Operations Centre (ANEOC) at Timehri, and will soon be pre-positioned at various locations to facilitate ease in deployment should the need arise.



Also in 2017, Trotman reminded that the Ministry of Natural Resources held a Public Lecture on Oil Spill Response Readiness in collaboration with ExxonMobil and the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) to promote awareness and address concerns surrounding this very important topic.



Further, the Natural Resources Minister said that capacity building is forthcoming through training for stakeholder representatives in the areas of Incident Command Systems (ICS) and Fundamentals of Oil Spill Management. He said that these training exercises will be held between April 23-28, 2018 at the CDC's Emergency Operations Centre at Timehri and Splashmin's Resort respectively.



Trotman noted that stakeholder involvement at all levels is also critical to the development of a robust plan that can hold its own internationally and protect the country in the event of an oil spill.



The politician said, I am happy to see that the CDC has taken a truly collaborative approach to the development of the plan by involving important stakeholders (Guyana Energy Agency, Maritime Administration Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Guyana Defence Force) in the process. The plan will also be reviewed by Cabinet after consultations are completed.



He added, As you begin your collective deliberations on the form and substance of the national Oil Spill Contingency Plan, I charge you to see your work here as important, and craft a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan that can efficiently and effectively keep our offshore waters free of pollution and our beautiful coastlines pristine for the enjoyment of future generations.



Also offering remarks at the stakeholders' consultation was the CDC's Director General, Kester Craig,



On an occasion such as this, we should take time to reflect on the voluminous natural resources our country possesses, which can contribute significantly to positive social and economic growth and development. At the same time, we should also reflect on how proactive and targeted Disaster Risk Reduction and Management measures can play an integral role in reducing negative environmental impacts during the utilization and exploitation of these resources.



Craig noted that the consultation is yet another step in the right direction, where key stakeholders were able to critically review the first draft of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan.



Craig explained that the intent of this Plan is to implement a framework, which would cater for coordinated response action to potential onshore and offshore oil spills. As such, he said that the plan needs to be simple but comprehensive, accessible, readily updatable, and reflective of not only the working culture of Guyana, but also in line with international standards and best practices.



The CDC Director General said, Without preparation, no amount of expertise, manpower or equipment can be effectively organized on the spot in the chaotic situation that prevails after an oil spill. The scope of this contingency plan is based on what is known as a tiered response' framework.



Craig said that this helps to ensure that the planned response reflects the scale of the particular spill. He noted that the mere existence of a plan is not sufficient to ensure preparedness for responding to an oil spill. He said that the planning process itself is as important, as it serves to raise issues that will likely arise in response, while raising awareness on roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder.



Further, Craig said that responders and coordinators have to be trained, the plan has to be tested and resources put in place to achieve the intended purpose and objective.

Story by Kiana Wilburg from Kaieter News



Kaieteurnewsonline.com 03 29 2018

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Guyana's PSA with oil companies not in norm, but it's in Guyana's best interest - Minister Trotman

By Kaieter News



GEORGETOWN

Petroleumworld 03 29 2018



In most Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs), governments negotiate with oil operators for fiscal terms that are fair, favourable, and in keeping with international best practices.



In fact, one of the fiscal terms a country would ask for is royalty. This money comes out first from the oil profits. No matter the economic circumstances, this tax remains unchanged and it must be paid by the contractor. This tax would be in addition to the terms agreed upon by the contractor and government as it relates to sharing or splitting the remaining profit oil.



But Guyana's PSAs with at least four oil operators show a different arrangement for royalty. According to the oil deals with Tullow Oil and Eco Atlantic, Ratio Oil and CGX, Guyana is getting a one percent royalty that is being lumped with its share of the profit oil.



Some commentators, who Kaieteur News consulted, explained that not only is this bizarre but also criminal, since lumping it with the 50 or 60 percent share of the profit oil that belongs to the country is essentially robbing it of the royalty it deserves.



Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman was questioned about this peculiar arrangement yesterday. The politician said that he does not find anything unusual about it.



No, as I said, there are different models of PSAs, and so there is no norm.



Things have changed, but each country determines what is in its best interest, so I wouldn't accept the word bizarre.



Asked if he believes that such an arrangement would be in the nation's best interest, Trotman responded, It was in our best interest to attract investors to Guyana, yes. The previous administration did it and this administration is bringing investors as well.



While Trotman holds the aforementioned view, there are hundreds of other contracts signed by the Governments of nations, which do not bear such an arrangement.



Nations such as Chad, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Uganda all ensure that royalty is paid separately; off the top and not lumped with its share of the profit oil, be it 60 or 50 percent.



Story from Kaieter News



Kaieteurnewsonline.com 03 29 2018

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Copa Airways expand Trinidad - Panama service to 14 flights a week by end of year





By Carla Bridglal



PORT SPAIN

Petroleumworld 03 29 2018

Trinidad has been good to Copa Airways over the last decade. The airline of the Americas, based out of Tocumen Airport, on the outskirts of Panama City started servicing the Trinidad-Panama route ten years ago this past week, and, as the airline's vice president for sales Christophe Didier describes it, the relationship has been win-win.

So much so, that by the end of the year the airline is hoping to bring its schedule from 12 flights a week to 14. Didier admitted the recession in TT has been of concern for the airline, but latest statistics suggest a rebound, and the airline is happy to grow in this market  especially since flights are usually well-booked.

We have to travel in economy on our way back because there's no space in Business Class, Didier quipped, referring to himself and regional sales manager for the Caribbean and Central America, Bernardo Ordas. Both men are based in Panama.

Copa will also be launching a new route in Barbados this year, so the Caribbean is seen as a market with potential.

We want to develop new products for people in the region, allowing them to enjoy new destinations. Not many people (in Trinidad) travel to South America, because there aren't as many natural ties to the continent as say, the US or Canada or the UK. Copa is here to forge these partnerships, Didier said.

For the last few years the company has held up on its plans for expansion based on the economies in its various routes. Now that they are comfortable, they plan to bring back up their purchase orders with aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. The fleet currently has 100 planes; by the end of the year the aim is to increase that to 105 or 106.

The airline is a single-hub airline, so all flights connect through Panama and from Panama, everywhere in the Americas. Copa flies to 75 destinations, including all major cities in Latin America and North America, and some of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean.

We want to connect people, economies, friends and leisure, Didier said.

Tobago is not, however, for the time being, on its list of new destinations. It's a risky destination, Didier said, because it's not one of the top spots for Latin American tourists, and it would need significant marketing to build the island.

In addition to Trinidad, in the Caribbean the airline flies to Guyana, Aruba, Curacao, Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba, as well as most major Caribbean cities on the mainland of Central and South America.

The airline is also one of the few to still give its customers perks many of its competitors have cut  including free food and drinks on all flights, and the first checked bag is free. We are also the best performing airline in the Americas in terms of being on time, and we are nice people, Didier said, on what makes the airline stand out competitively.

And while safety and security are paramount, the airline works religiously to cut all extraneous costs without compromising on the customer experience.

You can still offer good product with lower cost. What's important is what the customer sees, so you eliminate all the costs the customer can't see  except security and safety, of course. So, you have to really work every day.

I had a boss who told me costs are like nails: you have to cut them, or they keep growing. You have to have initiatives to cut costs every day but don't do this to affect customers. That's our basic. We don't serve lobster or caviar, but a good rum or wine  the basics. And most of the time the customer is happy, Didier said.








Pemex raises hand in final oil auction blocks before election

By David Alire Garcia and Marianna Parraga



MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 03 29 2018

Mexico awarded nearly half of the 35 oil and gas blocks tendered on Tuesday, in an auction where state-run Pemex took advantage of growing political risk ahead of a presidential election to consolidate its predominance in the Gulf's shallow waters.

The bidding round is the last before the July 1 election in Mexico, which has been directly competing with Brazil for foreign investment in recent years. The Mexican presidential frontrunner has said he will review contracts awarded under a historic energy opening if he wins.

Either or alone or in consortia, Pemex won seven blocks of the 16 areas awarded by Mexico's CNH oil regulator.

What we're seeing in Mexico is very interesting. In some cases, these companies are our competition. In others they're our allies. This is the new game; we've been getting ready to play it, Pemex's exploration chief, Jose Antonio Escalera, told Reuters.

Foreign firms including France's Total, Spain's Cepsa and Repsol, Germany's DEA Deutsche Erdoel and Britain's Premier Oil were also big winners.

These (awarded areas) are not bad, but there's no doubt that the best ones are in Pemex's hands, Juan Carlos Zepeda, head of the CNH, said in a news conference.

A final, competitive round of bidding in the Southeast Basins improved what started patchily, with little interest in fields believed to contain high volumes of natural gas.

There was a good result overall ... but the political risk definitely was an issue for some companies, said Pablo Medina from consultancy Welligence.

About $8.6 billion in investment is expected from the projects to be developed in the awarded blocks, Mexico's Energy Minister Pedro Joaquin Coldwell said.

Early production would start in 2022 with a crude output potential of 280,000 barrels per day (bpd) and a gas output target of 220 million cubic feet per day.

Presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has a comfortable lead in most polls, says that if he is elected, he will review over 100 contracts signed since Mexico passed legislation in 2013 ending Pemex's monopoly, looking for signs of corruption.

Lopez Obrador has also said he would hold a referendum on the future of the reform and ask President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel two auctions planned for the second half of the year.

Mexico's next president takes office in December. Joaquin Coldwell said auctions scheduled for July-September will not be changed according to electoral cycles. A fifth auction this year for heavy oil areas is also under consideration.

Mexico's oil production has been declining since peaking in 2004. Even though Pemex's output was expected to grow slightly this year, a senior official said on Tuesday he does not expect a major change in crude output before 2025.

A DIVERSE MIX

Oil firms of varying sizes and provenance won blocks in the auction, which received bids over the minimum royalty. The expected government take from these projects is 72-78 percent, higher than in the most recent deepwater auction in January.

Repsol and Premier Oil individually claimed two areas each in the shallow-water blocks offered in the Burgos basin, where less than a third of areas were awarded. Premier won another block in a consortium with DEA and Sapura Energy.

Consortia made up of Pemex, Mexico's Citla Energy, Cepsa , Britain's Capricorn Energy and DEA won four blocks in the Tampico-Misantla-Veracruz basin further south along the Gulf. There, around a third of blocks were awarded.

In the final Southeast Basins tender, competition was higher, and the oil regulator awarded all eight of the shallow-water blocks it tendered to consortia including Total, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell and Pemex.

Mexico collected $124 million in cash payments from the auction, below the $525 million raised in January's auction.

The Southeast Basins areas are located in a portion of the Gulf where many of the companies that won blocks on Tuesday had already secured areas in earlier rounds, which would allow them to build clusters to reduce infrastructure costs.

Others are looking for sub-salt reserves, an attractive option as projects with similar geology have been successful on the U.S. side of the Gulf, said Welligence's Medina.

Mexico's Deputy Energy Minister Aldo Flores blamed weaker early interest in the auction on the quantity of natural gas areas, saying companies were more interested in finding crude.

This will continue to be a challenge for us given the abundance of natural gas in Texas at very low prices, he told Reuters on the sidelines of the auction.






Brazil 15th pre-salt oil bidding round, big expectations with a late minute shadow over

ANP



The ANP to hold Thursday, march 29, 2018, the 15th Round of Bids for the Exploration and Production of Oil and Natural Gas, under the concession regime.

By Petroleumworld



CARACAS

Petroleumworld 03 29 2018

All eyes will be on Brazil this Thursday going into Concession Round 15.



Brazil will hold what could be one of its last oil and gas licensing round before presidential elections. The country will offer Thursday some of the most potentially lucrative acreage in the Pre-Salt area.

Brazilian ANP oil regulator (Agencia Nacional do Petroleo) will auction on March 29 some 70 blocks for exploration and production.

The 15th round will offer 70 blocks in the Parana and Parnaiba basins.

49 blocks in the offshore basins of Ceara, Potiguar, Sergipe-Alagoas, Campos and Santos and 21 blocks in the onshore basins of Parnaiba and Parana, totaling 95,5 thousand km of area.

Some 21 companies, including oil super majors Chevron, BP, Shell, Statoil, Total and ExxonMobil have registered to bid in Brazil.



However, a late Brazilian court decision has blocked the inclusion of top quality blocks in the oil auction on Thursday, the mining and oil ministry said on Wednesday, adding that it plans to include the areas in future auctions this year.

The two blocks withdrawn are located in the offshore Santos basin and were to be auctioned on Thursday with minimum signing bonuses of 1.65 billion reais ($494.34 million) and 1.9 billion reias each, according to Reuters report.

The move casts a big shadow over the concession-style auction by removing some of its most sought-after acreage.

Both areas were thought to include geology from Brazil's coveted pre-salt play, where billions of barrels of oil are buried under thousands of feet of salt beneath the ocean floor. The blocks also lie close to the Saturno block which is slated to be auctioned in June.

By law, blocks within the pre-salt polygon must be auctioned through so-called production-sharing agreements, where companies compete to offer the government the biggest share of so-called profit oil after costs.

Oil Secretary Marcio Felix said the government would seek to undo the decision, without providing details. But he said success was unlikely before the round on Thursday, which will grant companies concessions to explore and produce in the areas.

Felix said the court's rationale was centered on the fact that the government could make more money if it auctioned off the two areas through production sharing arrangements instead of concessions.

Leftist presidential candidate

Another bump in the round will be the leftist contender for the December presidential elections, Ciro Gomes who has pledged to reverse or slow the process in the country.

Gomes, has warned off potential oil company bidders, saying he would expropriate energy assets bought by private investors if he wins the October election. Gomes, a former governor, is trailing rightist candidate Jair Bolsonaro in polls where former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has vowed to run but is likely to be barred due to a corruption investigation, is not offered as a candidate, Reuters reported.

15th round potential

The competition for Brazil's pre-salt rounds is heating up

According to a report from Wood Mackenzie, Brazil's record oil auctions last year were very successful companies winning some of the most prospective pre-salt offshore acreage.

Brazil's pre-salt is one of the most relevant of those deepwater plays and strong competition here could ultimately make some of the world's most coveted prospects uneconomic. Horacio Cuenca, Research Director for Upstream Latin America

What happened last time?



In Concession Round 14 held in September 2017, the average winning bid for most offshore blocks was 2.6 times the minimum, while one of the pre-salt prone Campos basin blocks received a bid 90 times the minimum required. The competition seen in that round had a knock-on effect  pushing government profit-share bids in the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Rounds 2 and 3 in October last year to record highs. While minimums were set between 10-20% by the government and bids were expected to stay under 50%, winning bids averaged 65% with some reaching 77%.

Will the pre-salt rounds see the same overpayment on blocks?



Heated pre-salt competition is expected again this year at Brazil's two bid rounds closing in late March (Concession Round 15) and early June (PSC Round 4). The two rounds put more than 40,000 square kilometers of prime offshore acreage on the auction block, including 22 pre-salt prone blocks. According to Brazil's regulatory agency, more than 35 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) of prospective in-place resources have been identified in the Campos and Santos acreage alone.

As with last year's bid rounds, the results of the concession round will likely influence bidding strategies in the following PSC round. With round rules placing no caps on profit-share bids, aggressive bidding for a few key blocks in Concession Round 15 could drive up PSC profit-share rates to new record highs, permanently impacting development economics and putting at risk future rates of return and value creation.

This could lead to blocks being relinquished or discoveries left undeveloped

Blocks at these profit share levels will require extremely optimistic assumptions to break even in full-cycle terms. This would erode profit margins and also set high government profit oil rates as the new norm for future pre-salt projects; something the Brazilian government will want to avoid along with undeveloped projects which would make the country miss out out on their long-term economic benefits.

So how will the government avoid those scenarios?



Brazil could adopt measures used in Mexico's recent deepwater rounds to address the threat of overbidding. In Mexico's Round 2.4 a cap was set on royalty bids with a cash payment acting as a tie-breaker. This cap limited the likelihood of intense competition making contracts uneconomic. The tiebreaker cash payment ensured the government still captured the full value of a block from the keenest bidders in the form of an up front payment that will later become a sunk cost for operators.



However, with the long-term success of its coveted pre-salt play at stake, Brazil should be cautious of calling the round a success purely on a revenue-collection basis if the bidding concentrates once again around the pre-salt blocks only.

Source: Reuters/Wood Mackenzie/ANP






Oil companies raise issue with contaminated crude from U.S. SPR reserve

Reuters/Richard Carson



A sign listing contents of an oil storage tank seen during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, U.S. June 9, 2016.

By Catherine Ngai



NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 03 29 2018

Three firms that bought crude oil last year from U.S. emergency stockpiles raised concerns about dangerous levels of a poisonous chemical in the cargoes, according to internal Energy Department emails and shipping documents reviewed by Reuters.

Problems with crude quality would make the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) less useful in an emergency because refiners would need to spend time and money removing contamination before producing fuel. The reserve is the world's largest government stockpile, currently holding 665 million barrels.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) occurs naturally in crude and natural gas, but oil producers typically decontaminate such products before delivery to buyers. High levels of H2S can corrode refinery parts and pipelines - and can be lethal to humans in gas form.

Authorities in all major consuming countries keep oil in reserve to ensure that they do not run out of crude to refine into fuels if a natural disaster or war disrupts global supplies. The U.S. government established its reserve in 1975 following the Arab oil embargo.

The U.S. Department of Energy oversees the reserve and periodically sells some of its oil at times when there are no emergencies, as it did with the sales that sparked contamination concerns.

Department Spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes declined to comment about the contamination complaints uncovered by Reuters.

The three firms that raised concerns about high H2S levels were Royal Dutch Shell Co ( RDSa.L ), Australian bank Macquarie Group and PetroChina International America, the U.S. trading arm of state-owned energy firm PetroChina Co Ltd [601857.SS], according to the shipping documents, emails provided by the Energy Department in response to a public records request, and a department official who declined to be identified.

The department took responsibility for cleaning the shipment to PetroChina with an additive after it determined in May of last year that levels of H2S were too high, according to the department official. The department disputes tests showing levels were too high in the other two cargoes, the official said.

All three firms bought cargoes of SPR oil stored in an underground salt cavern in Bryan Mound, Texas last year. The oil was pumped from Bryan Mound through pipelines to the nearest oil terminal at Freeport, Texas before being loaded onto ships, according to records reviewed by Reuters and the department official.

The Freeport facility is owned by Houston-based Enterprise Products Partners LP ( EPD.N ). Enterprise knew about higher levels of H2S in a small number of cargoes traded between private firms that passed through its terminal, Enterprise Senior Vice President Brent Secrest told Reuters in an interview.

Of the hundreds of cargoes we've loaded across Freeport and other Enterprise terminals, we've only had a handful of customers give us feedback regarding high levels of H2S, he said.

UNPLEASANT SURPRISE

In March, Shell complained to the Energy Department after finding high levels of H2S in a cargo the company bought as part of a 6.2 million-barrel purchase from the U.S. government in January, according to emails provided by the department in response to the Reuters public records request.

The firm was unpleasantly surprised to find the high levels, Shell oil trader Steve Sellers wrote to the department, adding that the issue caused concern at Shell about the quality of SPR crude for future purchases.

Shell declined to comment on its complaint to the government.

The oil firm's emails said an initial test sample detected H2S gas at levels of less than five parts per million (ppm). But a later test by Shell - after it shipped the crude by boat to another U.S. location - showed H2S levels of 600 parts per million, according to Shell's emails to the department.

Exposure to vapors containing 500-700 ppm of H2S could cause a person to collapse in five minutes and die within an hour, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

SAFETY CONCERNS

In November, Australian bank Macquarie Group bought the third shipment from the SPR and sold it to PetroChina, according to the shipping documents reviewed by Reuters.

The cargo was loaded at Freeport onto a ship called the Stena Sunrise, the documents show.

A testing company named Inspectorate tested a sample from the SPR cargo purchased by Macquarie, according to the documents, and found H2S levels of up to 9,000 ppm.

Inspectorate declined to comment and referred questions to the Energy Department. Macquarie declined to comment.

After the Inspectorate testing, the terminal operator refused to allow workers to perform additional tests out of concern about violating safety regulations, according to the shipping documents.

It is unclear if PetroChina or Macquarie decontaminated the cargo. PetroChina shipped the oil to China, where it arrived on Jan. 18, according to Thomson Reuters shipping data.

RARE INCIDENTS

Reuters was not able to determine how often high levels of H2S are detected across the industry, but industry experts and chemical petroleum engineers said such incidents are rare.

Some crude grades can have H2S levels as high as 1000 ppm when produced, said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, chief energy officer and a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Houston. But producers remove most of that before transporting crude to customers.

Contamination could result from blending different crude grades, for example when one grade of crude is stored in a tank that previously contained a different grade, Krishnamoorti said.

There has to be some concentrated source of it, Krishnamoorti said. It's just very odd.






Text of Statement

Chairman of the State Information Service Mr. Diaa Rashwan has made direct contacts since yesterday afternoon with regional officials in the British Reuters News Agency following the flawed reports it published on 28-29 March regarding the progress of the electoral process in Egypt.

Subsequently, Mr. Rashwan received a reply from Reuters management officials that the Agency management in London and New York had decided to retract the reports referred to and publish the retract decision through all the media outlets affiliated to the Agency worldwide, which is considered an acknowledgment by the Agency of the invalidity of the content of the reports.

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Philadelphia's efforts to ease the pressure from Mayor Kenney's underfunded budget by collecting more taxes, without raising a lot more new ones, includes outreach to the high-priced visiting lawyers who come to press and defend drug companies and other firms in the city's courtrooms.

The Revenue Department is "working to improve" tax collection from out-of-town lawyers, says spokeswoman Kelly Colafrancisco. "Conversations are ongoing," she added, "to improve discovery processes involving lawyers who work in Philadelphia but are not based in Philadelphia."

Tax officers in Philadelphia were among the nation's pioneers in targeting visiting athletes and entertainers:

They checked game and show schedules at the Spectrum and went after the stars.

But visiting lawyers often escape. In orders admitting out-of-town lawyers to work in Philadelphia's Complex Litigation courtrooms, judges have routinely advised those visiting lawyers that they are liable for city business and wage taxes, though "I don't know about compliance with those orders," says Philadelphia-based Shanin Specter, personal-injury and medical-malpractice lawyer.

The taxes aren't always paid, and there's a lot the city can do to enforce tax compliance on out-of-town lawyers, if it really wants to, says Judge Mark I. Bernstein. He retired in 2016 after a long career that included Complex Litigation cases, in which he found it easier to force Walmart, J&J and other firms to pay what they owed workers or patients than to get city officials to enforce tax collection on the companies' out-of-town lawyers.

In the mid-2000s, with plaintiff's lawyers ramping up class-action suits against big drug companies, Bernstein says, the city was hosting two or three major trials a month featuring national firms and their expensive out-of-town law firms.

"One case I presided over lasted four weeks. Four plaintiff's attorneys were from Texas, two defense attorneys were from Baltimore and the other two from Cincinnati."

Legal wages could run into the millions of dollars a month for each case. But Bernstein says he expects "that not one of those eight attorneys who spent one-twelfth of their working life in Philadelphia and earned one-twelfth of their [yearly pay] in Philadelphia ever paid a penny in wage tax."

The judge says he occasionally ruined an out-of-town lawyer's day by asking if they'd made sure to pay their city taxes. On at least one occasion, the lawyer quickly did so.

Bernstein argues for a more systematic approach. He says "several judges, myself included, tried to interest the Revenue Department in this issue." Some City Council members seconded the appeal, "but to no avail," says Bernstein, who says he was "infuriated" that the city let so much out-of-town lawyer pay leave town untaxed. (Colafrancisco says the department has been talking to judges and suggesting improved lawyer tax collection procedures for "the past decade.")

Bernstein says visiting lawyers are even easier to track than athletes: Every out-of-town lawyer appearing in a city court "requires a court order permitting them to practice law in Philadelphia," he notes. "The court orders we issued had not only the name of the case for which they were being admitted but also the lawyer's name, firm name and address, together with the order that they pay all taxes as required." It's a road map right into the lawyer's wallet.

And tax collectors have extra leverage over lawyers, the judge added: "These attorneys are all subject to Pennsylvania lawyer disciplinary rules. Failure to obey the court order to pay all taxes can result in a complaint to the Disciplinary Board."

He added: "Why would out-of-town lawyers who practice nationally care about a 'local' disciplinary complaint? Because when they apply to be admitted to practice in a state, they have to reveal whether they have ever been the subject of a disciplinary complaint  any such complaint could directly impact their ability to practice nationally."

So even lawyers who don't enjoy a stay in Center City will feel obligated to pay Philadelphia its almost 4 percent if they have reason to believe they'll be caught trying to skip out untaxed, Bernstein told me. It can be an extra jackpot for the city if the lawyer wins a multimillion-dollar settlement and pockets a taxable chunk as his or her fee.

Won't strict enforcement drive lawyers away from Philly, as high-taxed factory owners were before them?

"No way," said Bernstein. "Plaintiff's lawyers like Philadelphia for two reasons: Our juries are sympathetic," though not pushovers as in some "hellhole" jurisdictions, he said. (The American Tort Reform Association, a pro-corporate-defendant group, calls Philadelphia the "City of Unbrotherly Torts" but ranks it as less of a "Judicial Hellhole" than courts in Florida, California or New York.)

Plus, Bernstein concludes, "while cases can linger forever  and I mean it literally  in Federal (Multi-District Litigation), in Philadelphia we bring cases to trial."
The FirstEnergy Corp. Beaver Valley nuclear power station stands next to the Shippingport Bridge in Shippingport, Pa. Read more

In the latest blow to the struggling U.S. nuclear industry, a subsidiary of the large Ohio-based utility firm FirstEnergy announced plans Wednesday to shut down three nuclear plants, one in Pennsylvania, which collectively produce a steady stream of 4 billion watts of electricity.

The company, FirstEnergy Solutions, cited "market challenges" to the plants, which are being undercut by cheap natural gas and a growing wave of renewable energy installations, according to the nuclear energy industry.

But the company then went a step further, filing an emergency request with the Energy Department that asks for help to keep the plants, as well as a number of its coal plants, open.

The move reignited debate over prior attempts by Energy Secretary Rick Perry's department to subsidize struggling coal and nuclear plants on the grounds that they provide crucial security and stability to the electric grid.

Perry previously tried to give favorable financial treatment to coal and nuclear plants in grid compensation decisions due to the resiliency they provide, as the plants run more or less continually. But the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which regulates the interstate transmission and wholesale sales of electricity, rejected that effort.

But now FirstEnergy Solutions appears to be seeking a similar result through other means, arguing in its request that due to the emergency that plant failures could pose, Perry should order grid operators to "promptly compensate at-risk merchant nuclear and coal-fired power plants for the full benefits they provide to energy markets and the public at large, including fuel security and diversity."

Environmental groups reacted strongly to FirstEnergy's effort. The Sierra Club called it "clearly illegal," because the Federal Power Act, under which the request was filed, is reserved for situations of emergency.

FirstEnergy "is desperate to pad its bottom line at the expense of its customers," said John Moore, director of the Sustainable FERC Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

"The region is awash in cleaner and cheaper resources, and [FirstEnergy] can't compete in the market," said Moore. "This move is stunning given that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, and the state of Ohio have all rejected these bailouts."

FirstEnergy, the parent company, has also resisted renewable energy mandates in Ohio.

The natural gas industry  which is largely responsible for the economic challenges that nuclear plants are facing  was also dismissive of the request.

"Competitive markets have a long track record of delivering affordable power to customers," Dena Wiggins, chief executive of the Natural Gas Supply Association, said in a statement. "It would be counterproductive and send the wrong signal to the market for DOE to grant this request."

FirstEnergy Solutions generates electricity in parts of Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Its three aging nuclear plants, Perry, Davis Bessie and Beaver Valley (the largest plant with two nuclear reactors), are located in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

FirstEnergy Solutions saw its credit rating downgraded by Moody's in January, citing an "increased likelihood of a default occurring within the next few months," although the parent company, FirstEnergy, was rated stable.

One part of the argument advanced by FirstEnergy Solutions to Perry is that the company "likely will file for bankruptcy by the end of March 2018."

The company argues that the recent cold spells in the Northeast proved the value of its assets to the grid.

"If not for the over-performing nuclear and coal-fired generating plants . . . the eastern portion of the country would likely have seen grid reliability impacts, as natural gas plants significantly underperformed in large part due to natural gas price spikes and supply interruptions," the document states. It also cites a recent Energy Department report on the recent "bomb cyclone" in late December and early January, finding that coal and nuclear played a key role in keeping the lights on during that extreme cold event.

But it's not entirely clear just how much the grid depends on the company's nuclear plants for stability of service, several experts suggested.

Nora Brownell, a FERC commissioner between 2001 and 2006, says an "independent" assessment is needed in light of Perry's prior support for subsidizing coal and nuclear plants.

"I think we need to make sure these aren't political decisions, but they're economic decisions," she said.

"What people forget is these plants are fully depreciated. They all earned buckets of money before shale gas became the more economic choice. So maybe it's time for them to retire," Brownell continued. "So barring any independent validation of the need, for reliability purposes, I'd say, time to shut them down."

From an environmental perspective, meanwhile, the struggling state of FirstEnergy's nuclear plants is a complex matter  whatever the remedy may be.

Although the company didn't cite the climate change benefits of its plants in its letter to Perry, those are substantial, said Sue Tierney, a former Energy Department official and an expert with the Analysis Group. That's especially because unlike wind and solar installations, nuclear plants produce energy continually with little stoppage, and unlike natural gas plants, they don't emit greenhouse gas emissions.

"The loss of 4,000 megawatts of power plants with 90 percent capacity factors is a lot of greenhouse gas emissions reduction that would have to come from, at the moment, the combination of energy efficiency, wind, solar, biofuels and storage," Tierney said. "That would be expensive and hard to replace immediately."

Moreover, she added, once nuclear plants are shut down it is "not practical" to bring them back online later. "So these are lost forever, and difficult to replace at this scale quickly from a greenhouse gas point of view."

Under the Obama administration, then-Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz highlighted a pattern: As nuclear plants closed in a number of areas, greenhouse gas emissions rose.

In 2017, the United States got about 20 percent of its electricity generated at large facilities from the country's 61 operating nuclear plants, a number of which have more than one nuclear reactor as part of their design. But the U.S. nuclear industry has been racked by announced plant closures in recent years, including the planned closing of California's last nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon.

Adding the four FirstEnergy Solutions reactors, 18 reactors in total have either been shut down or set on a path to shutdown in recent years, said John Kotek, vice president of policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group.

And with FirstEnergy Solutions's plants, "if they go away, the generation is going to be overwhelmingly replaced by power from fossil fuel plants," Kotek said.
Pictured in 2015, the former Embreeville state hospital site has continued to deteriorate in West Bradford Township, Chester County. According to the developer who purchased the land on which the complex sits, the psychiatric facility suffers from asbestos, mold, and possible soil contamination. Read more

Developers and community residents are hardly ever on the same page when it comes to large-scale real estate projects.

Which makes at least part of what is happening in West Bradford Township a tiny miracle: Residents, officials, and a developer agree that the deteriorating, shuttered Embreeville State School and Hospital complex should be demolished.

Their rare harmony, however, falls apart when it comes to deciding what should happen next to the controversial psychiatric site in this affluent Chester County town. For years, developers, residents, and officials have squabbled and litigated what should replace the hospital and the land that encircles it. Finally, on Wednesday, a key zoning decision may offer some clarity.

If Embreeville Redevelopment LP  the group that purchased the property in 2013  has its way, the 225-acre property would be transformed into a sprawling residential and commercial complex, erasing the crumbling 16-building hospital site, plus dozens of acres of open land, to build 1,100 residential units and more than 50,000 square feet of commercial space.

But many West Bradford area residents want those largely untouched fields and forests to stay just as they are. Others, meanwhile, acknowledge that development is eventually likely and are arguing now  before it's too late, they say  for a more modest project, such as a retirement home, that would less severely affect roads and schools.

The fierce debate over the fate of this West Bradford swath  soon entering its fifth year  is the latest example of the land-use feuds in the Pennsylvania suburbs. As with the fight to preserve Crebilly Farm in Westtown Township, or the argument over the Archdiocese of Philadelphia land in Delaware County, the conflict brewing in West Bradford underscores the tensions that townships face as they plot future growth.

Yet the West Bradford property is different from other suburban fights, mostly because it consists of more than just untouched land. Beyond determining the fate of hills and woodlands, a decision on the Embreeville site requires figuring out what to do with a 900,000-square-foot former psychiatric facility  one not only steeped in a dubious past, but also an expensive future. The estimated bill for demolishing the buildings and removing the asbestos, mold, and possible soil contamination on the site is more than $13 million.

On Wednesday, the West Bradford Zoning Hearing Board will decide on the developer's challenges to the zoning ordinance, thereby green-lighting or derailing Embreeville Redevelopment's path toward ultimate approval. Residents and the developer are expected to appeal if it does not go their way.

"We cannot expect an automatic victory to come from whatever decision is made," said State Sen. Andy Dinniman (D., Chester). "My experience in Chester County is that our citizens are bright, they know to organize, and they understand the law very well. So the developer will not be in" for an easy time.

A model hospital gone awry

The psychiatric facility and its surrounding land had been the subject of attention even before Embreeville Redevelopment purchased it from the state for slightly more than $1 million in 2013.

Starting in 1798 as land for the Chester County poorhouse  Pennsylvania's first  the rolling West Bradford hills eventually became home to the county's insane asylum, too. In the early 1900s, the state took control, forming a network of public hospitals serving Pennsylvania's mentally ill.

In many ways, the Embreeville psychiatric hospital was initially a standout, according to news accounts. Lauded in the mid-1900s for its "open hospital" policy  meaning that wards were unlocked and patients could travel in and out at will  the Embreeville complex was known for its low return rates, efficient discharges, and "model hospital" designation. In 1968, a reporter for the Gettysburg (Pa.) Times wrote that "the image of the mental hospital as a dark and festering dungeon where mentally ill struggle to merely survive  is being offset by hospitals like Embryville."

By the 1990s, however, the situation at Embreeville had shifted. More than a decade earlier, the state psychiatric hospital had closed, and a smaller state-run institution for the intellectually disabled had replaced it. There, abuse allegations began to surface  reports of rape, drugging, and assault. In 1994, a year after the U.S. Department of Justice sued Pennsylvania over the allegations, a settlement came: Embreeville would close.

The Embreeville center was not the lone target of allegations  or closure. In the late 20th century, public mental institutions were shuttered nationwide amid a deinstitutionalization wave. From a mental-health standpoint, the policy meant moving patients out of state "insane asylums" and into centers where they could get better care.

For savvy real estate developers, it meant available  albeit complicated  land.

In the drivers seat

Even before Embreeville closed in the 1990s, officials were exploring what to do with the complex and its surrounding acres. Fearing the space could become a "dumping ground" for unwanted uses, said Jack M. Hines Jr., township manager at the time, officials looked at a variety of ideas: a park, community college, or fire training center, for example. One even suggested offering the facility to production companies for horror-film sets.

Amid the planning and evaluating, the Embreeville facilities deteriorated. Outside, weeds and tall grass sprouted. Inside, paint chipped, windows caved, and asbestos coated the floors.

A few yards away, though, pristine open space  fields, forests, creeks, and wetlands  flourished, supporting recreational fields and an Indian gravesite memorial.

State and local politicians knew even a decade ago that development pressure was mounting. Situated in the center of Chester County, West Bradford had already experienced a shift away from its rural landscape and toward a residential one. Between 1990 and 2005, the township's population spiked 12 percent, nearing 12,000 residents. Much of Chester County was experiencing the same.

So Dinniman, with Republican Chris Ross, a state representative at the time, arranged for the township to buy the 200-plus acres from the state for less than $1 million.

"We knew there were controversies around other pieces of state property, such as the Haverford State Hospital, so we said, 'Let's avoid all that; let's get the land to the township at a very reasonable price,' " Dinniman said. "Then, the township could develop a portion if they thought a portion should be developed, but the township was going to be in the driver's seat."

Ultimately, however, West Bradford Township backed out, citing a declining real estate market, high cleanup costs, and an unfair taxpayer burden. In 2012, the township wrote that the acres had been appraised, and its value "determined to be negative $6.87 million."

The lone bidder

A few months later, the state moved to sell the property  zoned as institutional and mixed use  in a public bid. The lone bidder: developer Ken Hellings, who, in partnership with Conrad Muhly, the CEO of Terra, an environmental remediation company, and a member of the Brandywine Valley SPCA's board of directors, formed Embreeville Redevelopment LP with a third unidentified backer.

Hellings declined to comment. His lawyer could not be reached. But according to Hellings' most recent public plans, the developer hopes to build multifamily units, single-family homes, and commercial space on the site. In a 2013 memo, Hellings' team said the development would be "compact" to "maximize open space and minimize land disturbance." It also planned for "active recreation" and a dog park.

Hellings has said in the past that the scale of his design is necessary to account for the demolition and cleanup costs. To make his plan work, Hellings originally asked the township to approve an amendment to the zoning ordinance allowing for residential use on the site. Since, however, Hellings has challenged West Bradford's entire zoning ordinance as invalid, alleging that it does not meet the township's obligation to provide enough multifamily housing.

If West Bradford's zoning board rules for Hellings, that does not automatically give him the go-ahead, said Justin Yaich, West Bradford's township manager. "He would still have to go through the planning process, the permitting process  there are still a lot of things that go into play  than a simple vote of the board."

Even so, dozens of residents are expected to attend Wednesday's decision.

"We're saying, why would we put high-destiny building in the furthest corner of the township  away from grocery stores and public transportation?" said township resident Eric Bennett, 38. "1,200 units easily equates to 2,500 extra cars. Roads already have traffic congestion problems.  And the builder's profits come at the expense of residents who will have to pay for the infrastructure to support it."
Wills Eye Hospital on Thursday regained its status as a hospital under Medicare, a major gain for the Center City institution that will enable it to perform complex surgeries that take more than four hours and to receive higher Medicare rates than it could as an ambulatory surgery center.

The decision by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services came two months after the nonprofit, which is owned by Philadelphia's Board of Directors of City Trusts, lost a legal fight over its status in federal court in Philadelphia.

"We are pleased to learn of the CMS decision," Wills said in a statement. "We very much appreciate the tireless efforts of our senators and the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to advocate for the patients of Wills Eye Hospital. We are grateful to CMS to have the opportunity to move forward, and we remain committed to providing the highest level hospital care to our patients."

The financial implications are significant. According to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association in 2016, Medicare pays hospitals $1,745 for an outpatient cataract surgery while paying surgery centers only $976 for the same surgery. Wills had an operating loss of $9.1 million on revenue of $64.6 million in the year ended June 30.

Pennsylvania's U.S. senators praised the agency's action.

"The decision by CMS will help preserve access to high-quality, complex eye care for patients in the Philadelphia region and beyond at this respected institution," said U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.).

Wills' predicament dates to July 2006, when it sold its inpatient business to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, operating instead as an ambulatory surgery center at Eighth and Walnut Streets. But it was not long before Wills management changed course and undertook a $6.5 million renovation in 2013 that included a four-bed inpatient unit.

Medicare officials, however, rejected Wills' bid to regain certification as a hospital, finding that it treated too few inpatients relative to its number of outpatients to qualify as a hospital.

Wills repeatedly argued that CMS officials made an arbitrary decision that, if applied broadly, would prevent many high-profile hospitals from participating in Medicare.

Between 2013 and 2016, Medicare certified at least 30 hospitals with 10 or fewer beds, including a one-bed hospital in Minnesota, according to agency data.

Wills' major East Coast competitors  Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, part of the University of Miami Health System; the Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore; Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston  all had very low percentages of inpatient care and were still certified as hospitals.

But Wills lost at every level of appeal, including in October 2016 at the final stage within CMS. After that decision, Wills had to stop keeping patients for more than 24 hours. Such patients started going to Jefferson.

Wills last week took its legal fight to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, all the while hoping for relief from a September change in regulatory guidance on what qualifies as a hospital.

The guidance said that "hospitals are not required to have a specific inpatient-to-outpatient ratio" to meet the criteria as a hospital.
Composer Tod Machover at Pats King of Steaks, where he sampled the sound of sizzling cheesesteaks for his new piece, Philadelphia Voices. Read more

Suffering for art took on frigid new meaning for composer Tod Machover while creating his new symphony for the Philadelphia Orchestra.

His Philadelphia Voices couldn't possibly live up to its name without Machover experiencing the Mummers, so there he was at the parade on New Year's Day. Remember how cold it was? "My butt was frozen to the metal bleachers at the viewing stand," said the brainy, bushy-haired Machover.

He pursued the very soul of the city for his new choral/orchestral work, the eighth "crowd-sourced symphony" the MIT-based composer and inventor has written or mentored in cities from Detroit to Perth. It will be presented at the Kimmel Center this week (and on April 10 at Carnegie Hall).

In addition, the music will incorporate field recordings of real-life Philadelphia that will spring from 30 loudspeakers in Verizon Hall.

Sizzling cheesesteaks would have to be in there somewhere. But for a while, they were not. Initially, Machover concluded the sound was too subtle.

Subtle? Cheesesteaks?

He went back to Pat's King of Steaks with microphones almost touching the stove. So cheesesteaks will have a solo  a little one  "accompanied by three 'cooking' percussionists," he said.

History, Philly kids, SEPTA

The symphony's creation coincided with a guest professorship at the Curtis Institute of Music, allowing Machover numerous visits to Philadelphia, with local historian Jack McCarthy pointing him toward various nerve centers.

He visited obvious sites, like the Franklin Institute, the National Constitution Center, and the Museum of the American Revolution, and also held a summer workshop for middle school students at Drexel University. "We broke them into groups and each made a list of their favorite sounds in Philadelphia, which was fabulous," he said. "Lots of them were nature sounds, like mosquitos and bees. Also SEPTA  sounds of the doors opening."

Mighty Writers, which mentors young writers ages 7 to 17, was also part of the mix. And they didn't pull any punches. Jayda Hepburn, a 16-year-old Academy of Notre Dame student, contributed extensively to the texts in Philadelphia Voices, about praying "for the night to end, for mom to dry her tears and for someone to f-ing listen."

"I wouldn't want anybody to get anything fake  or just, 'I love this city because it's so great,' " she said. "Every city has genuine problems. If I'm showing only the good of the city, I'm not doing it justice."

Where zoo birds meet sopranos

Meanwhile, Machover and the orchestra put out the word over the internet inviting everybody and anybody  via an app developed with Hyperscore software  to send in sound contributions that typify their Philadelphia. Roughly 7,000 came in, often sung. The finished piece, one imagines, would have to be something of a mosaic. Or what?

"For Toronto, I created a kind of dialogue between city and orchestra with materials passed back and forth . For Perth, I created sonic hybrids where music and nature  including swarms of the loudest, densest flies I've ever heard  blend to form extended hybrids," Machover said.

"In Philadelphia Voices, I created a kind of counterpoint between collected sounds, instruments and voices." Mostly, they'll be heard in distinct layers, though at one point, birds from the Philadelphia Zoo take over a vocal line from the sopranos.

Such feats are possible because Machover has spent much of his life in the technological vanguard of electronic music composition. Having spent formative years at Paris' famous avant-garde institute IRCAM, the 64-year-old composer now runs the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab's Opera of the Future group.

His 55 major compositions include any number of "unplugged" pieces with a relatively minimal electronic element, including Schoenberg in Hollywood, which premieres later this year at Boston Lyric Opera. His biggest success, perhaps, is the opera Death and the Powers, about a dying billionaire who seeks immortality by downloading himself into his possessions.

High tech with a human touch

Machover's electronic music revolution has been a friendly one that has included collaboration with mainstream musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma. Often, his considerable MIT resources take ideas already out there and make them better.

Philadelphia Orchestra audiences have encountered works by Chinese composer Tan Dun that similarly incorporate field recordings and videos but are presented in a low-tech manner that's easily derailed by performance circumstances. Machover makes such ideas work dependably in the real world.

The starting point  after making recordings at places like Pat's Steaks  is a converted barn alongside his Boston-area home whose rusticity charmingly contrasts with high-tech control panels that offer Machover a range of possibilities that would've made Beethoven apoplectic. You might sum up his life by what's on his piano: a book of Debussy pieces plus a disc titled Dick Clark All Time Hits Volume 3.

"This is more like writing an opera than a symphony, with all of the voices and then a chorus," he said. "An orchestra is one way to represent a society, but in some ways, voices are better. But I've always thought of this project not just as a portrait of Philadelphia, but an opportunity for Philadelphia to make a statement to others  on what democracy means  and what's at stake."

Come into my lab 

Technology that allows the piece to speak as clearly as possible is still being developed at Media Lab, whose hallways are a journey into the future. Just inside the doorway, Machover bumps into a friend who has engineered a breakthrough with "smart pills" that target often-fatal conditions. In Machover's lab, there's a white cube that may be the concert hall of the 22nd century. Its undulating walls are a canvas for sight and sound, allowing the auditorium itself to be the instrument that composers write for.

The priority of the moment, though, is a sound design that makes the recorded voices from Philadelphia equally audible in every corner of the acoustically variable Verizon Hall  without losing sight of the essential goal: "We're thinking of how music is always present in the voice, this primordial instrument that most of us possess," said graduate student Rebecca Kleinberger.

Watching such focused, committed students, you have to wonder if a piece so specific to Philadelphia will have a life beyond the forthcoming flurry of performances. Local composer Robert Maggio wrote a conceptually similar piece enshrining the scenic town of Lambertville, N.J. His composition, At the River, included church bells and geese and hasn't been performed since its 2005 premiere. Some have called the piece "zip-code specific."

"I found that disheartening," said Maggio, "but I'd do it all over again." How often do usually solitary composers enjoy this kind of community involvement?

And such projects may have a different kind of legacy. "The Detroit piece mobilized a huge amount of people and changed things for the orchestra," Machover said. "Philadelphia is also about society and what democracy means. And that should have a universal audience."

One Detroit critic said the money spent on one of Machover's city symphonies could finance three or four conventional works for orchestra. The actual cost is hard to pinpoint in a project with so many components, though a ballpark figure for Philadelphia Voices would be a relatively low $200,000.

This is where Machover's usual good humor temporarily evaporates. "I'm not taking that criticism for this [piece]," he said. "I've been borrowing from other budgets to do this. You can make other criticisms of this piece. But not that."
The weaknesses of Philadelphias preservation law can be seen in Wills Eye Hospitals treatment of a row of 19th-century houses on Ninth Street. Wills has badly neglected all five houses, including three listed on the historic register. The demolition of the two at the end (which are not designated) seems to be the first step in creating a site for a new building. Read more

Of all the sleight-of-hand maneuvers available to modern politicians, nothing requires so little effort, or offers so much in return, as the task force. Convene a group to study an issue, and difficult policy questions will vanish before your constituents' very eyes.

So it goes with historic preservation in Philadelphia.

Having campaigned as a committed preservationist, Mayor Kenney came into office in 2016 promising to step up protections for the city's stock of old buildings. But it wasn't long before the demolitions started piling up: Mount Sinai Hospital. Society Hill Playhouse. The old Please Touch Museum. Then Toll Bros. announced a plan to erase a chunk of Jewelers Row and insert a generic glass tower into that handsome and intact 19th-century block. Kenney tried at first to publicly shame the developer. When that didn't work, he formed a task force.

Ten months into its 18-month assignment, the group appears to be stuck in neutral. Based on interviews with a dozen people who sit on the task force, or who have closely followed its plodding course, the group began to flounder early, after its paid facilitator, Karen Black, clashed with the representative from the Department of Planning and Development. The task force chairman, Harris Steinberg, has often been absent from meetings because of health issues, leaving the group without a strong manager.

The lack of leadership has been compounded by the group's unwieldy size  33 members  and the ideological differences among its diverse membership. The divide between the ardent preservationists and the pro-development faction is so deep that the members have been unable to agree on the problem that they are supposed to fix, according to several people interviewed.

The result of the disarray can be seen in the task force's recent "white paper," the first of three that it plans to issue. It is as weak and colorless as the name suggests.

The report barely acknowledges that Philadelphia's traditional redbrick fabric and fine institutional buildings are experiencing an unprecedented wave of destruction, induced by a decadelong building boom. Instead, its 18 pages are devoted to a matter-of-fact recitation of the existing laws and programs related to preservation in Philadelphia.

"I could have had two interns compile this in two weeks," complained one pro-preservation task force member. (Like most people I interviewed, he asked not to be identified because task force members are not authorized to speak to the press.) "I'm getting the feeling that the task force was organized to provide political cover, not effective recommendations." At the group's most recent meeting, he noted, each member was asked to state what preservation means to them. That's the kind of team-building exercise that usually occurs on Day One, not 10 months in.

The absence of a clear point of view in the white paper is striking. After slogging through its bureaucratic description of the current preservation process, I had a small epiphany: The report never once mentions by name an actual building that has been destroyed, threatened, or saved in the last few years. You never get a sense of what is happening on the ground, in the neighborhoods that struggle daily with the loss of familiar touchstones as the city undergoes what feels like a warp-speed reinvention.

The report is also strikingly naive about why preservation is such a mess. The authors repeatedly praise Philadelphia's preservation ordinance as a model, without ever acknowledging that politics and implementation failures are the real cause of the dysfunction.

Take the matter of historic districts, which the report notes have long been considered an effective means to protect neighborhoods from random destruction. Philadelphia was once a leader in using such districts to stabilize historic neighborhoods, but for more than a decade, City Council has blocked the creation of districts in Spruce Hill, Washington Square West, and elsewhere. Had the Washington Square district been in place, Toll's proposed condo tower would be subject to full Historical Commission oversight, rather than a nonbinding review by the Civic Design board.

The report also blithely asserts that Philadelphia's "affirmative maintenance" program helps prevent "demolition by neglect." Maybe the task force should make a field trip to Ninth and Locust where Wills Eye Hospital  run by a city-owned trust  has cynically allowed a row of historically certified 19th-century buildings to deteriorate. Wills is demolishing the two noncertified houses at the end of the row, with the aim of creating a large building site. It seems only a matter of time before the hospital cites the preservation law's hardship clause and claims that the three listed buildings are too far gone to salvage. Whether this row deserves to be preserved is a question worth asking, but clearly the Historical Commission has not been effective at staving off willful neglect.

It wasn't just the threatened destruction of Jewelers Row that prompted Kenney to form the task force. As a result of several high-profile losses, one of the city's best known preservation activists, Oscar Beisert, nominated the city for the National Trust's annual list of 11 Most Endangered Places. Philadelphia officials responded by inviting the National Trust to be part of the process of rethinking the city's approach to preservation.

The trust's representative, Seri Worden, acknowledged that some task force members were disappointed with the white paper, but she said she was confident that the next two reports will have more meat. "I'm hopeful that we will have implementable recommendations and not just 10 bullet points," Worden said.

Paul Chrystie, a spokesman for the city, also defended the decision to use the first white paper as a way of laying out the basics for the task force. "In a city as diverse and complex as Philadelphia, bringing all views to the table by definition requires a large group," he wrote in an email. "We are pleased that we are obtaining a diversity of opinions, and we believe that those diverse opinions will strengthen the upcoming review of best practices and ultimately the task force's final recommendations."

Several members of the task force  both preservationists and development advocates  also told me they remain hopeful that the task force will come up with meaningful reforms, such as a tiered system of designation and new financial incentives to encourage preservation. Most seem to agree there needs to be a citywide building survey so the Historical Commission can establish a priority list. Overall, however, the pro-development faction seemed far happier with the white paper than the preservationists.

There is no doubt that the task force has a tough job. Philadelphia has more structures built before 1945 than any U.S. city besides New York. Deciding which ones should be saved is highly subjective. No one would dispute that Philadelphia needs to create modern buildings in order to grow and prosper.

But maintaining the eclectic rhythms and textures of Philadelphia's neighborhoods is crucial to maintaining our identity as a city. This is especially true now that developer architecture is making so many American cities look alike. Philadelphia, by sheer luck, has managed to retain its authenticity and unique appearance in a homogenizing world. No matter how many new projects go up here, the buildings from Philadelphia's past are the reason it has a future.
A 250-square-foot, 3-D sidewalk mural has popped up at Fourth and Market Streets depicting a Google Maps pin and currents of electricity "under" the sidewalk. It was commissioned by Deardorff, a branding studio, to mark its move to Philadelphia from Delaware.

Despite the occasional shower, the artists worked diligently to fill the mural in with 75 different colors of chalk with the help of a tarp. They started before dawn, projecting the design onto the sidewalk and tracing it with white chalk to make sure that the 3-D effect would be captured.

"We really want the mural to show us tapping into the energy of the city," Wes Richards, associate creative director of Deardorff, said. "We're trying to electrify the block."

The mural will be visible for as long as the elements allow. With the drizzle Wednesday, the artists believe it can be seen until noon Thursday.

Richards, who designed the artwork, reached out to Alysia Mackenzie, a graduate of the University of the Arts, to help fine-tune the design. They extended it on a computer and angled it into a grid before taking to the sidewalk. After chalking the design, the two artists began filling it in with a mixture of chalk and paint, adding dimension.

This project, which cost $5,000, was not without its challenges. The damp weather made it hard for the artists to work on the sidewalk for long stretches of time, and they had to take occasional breaks and cover the artwork to prevent it from being ruined.

"Peco showed up this morning, just when we were starting, and told us that they had a permit to dig up this section of the sidewalk," Richards said. "But after talking to us, they were nice enough to say that they'll just come back tomorrow. I totally thought we were done after that."

Jill Deardorff, president and CEO of Deardorff, said that it was important to her to bring something artistic and engaging to the community the firm was moving into.

"People walking by get to see art in the making, and we wanted to mark our new location with the mural," Deardorff said.

Although no one on the team had completed a chalk mural before, they powered forward with the idea, hoping to complete it by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

"It's not easy," Richards said. "But we're going to go big or go home."
This just in: Watch your wallet, because if you're not careful somebody on Wall Street may pick your pocket.

One of the latest schemes is revealed  with the help of Skippack businessman Dan David  in The China Hustle, which details how fraudulent Chinese companies and U.S. investment banks used loopholes in U.S. securities laws to scam investors out of billions.

The film examines the practice of reverse mergers  a sleazy Chinese company buys the legal shell of a dead or moribund U.S. firm (often a bankrupt mining company), and begins to list on a U.S. stock exchange. This means the company does not need to submit the rigorous financials that accompany an IPO.

>> Read more: Philly investor is a documentary film star on 'The China Hustle'

Also, the merged entity can use Chinese accounting standards (invoking the brand names of respected U.S. firms), which is to say, it can lie  inflating revenue and earnings and profiting from the inflated stock price, and relying on U.S. banks to hype the stocks.

In the early days of the run-up (not long after 2007 financial crisis), the dimensions of the scam were unknown, and David  featured prominently in the film  and his firm GeoInvesting profited from the early gains. He was also one of the first to suspect that companies were fraudulently overstating their financial health. So David and others became short sellers  that is, they began to make bets that the prices of these phony firms would fall, and they made sure that happened by publicizing the scathing results of their own research into the actual financial condition of these firms.

David went further  he tried to interest his elected representatives (specifically U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey) in the nature and scope of the fraud, with the goal of tightening U.S. securities laws to prevent abuses in the reverse-merger process.

No such luck. In fact, legislators and regulators are rolling back regulations designed to protect investors, who in this case are estimated to have lost $100 billion to phony Chinese firms.

China Hustle estimates the cost to retirees' pensions alone is $14 billion, and wonders, along with David: Where's the outrage?

Certainly $14 billion is a disgraceful sum, but it's actually less than the $17 billion a year Wall Street firms legally divert from retirement accounts simply because most investors don't understand compound interest, expense ratios, or the fee structures used by firms hired to manage their retirement accounts.

David was unable to make that case to his elected representatives. So he's trying to become one  running for Congress as the GOP candidate in the new Fourth Congressional District in Montgomery County.
St. Charles Borromeo Church in Washington Township in Gloucester County, N.J. now has a uniformed officer on patrol on church grounds during Mass. The church has also banned backpacks and duffel bags as added security in the wake of recent mass shootings. Read more

A South Jersey church has hired police officers to patrol the grounds during weekend Mass, tightened security, and put parishioners on alert to keep them from harm while they worship.

St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church in Washington Township brought in officers from the local police department as a precaution, said the church's pastor, the Rev. Michael J. Matveenko. The move was a reaction to the mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Fla, last month that left 17 dead and sparked a wave of protests led by young people seeking gun control reform, he said.

"We just thought an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," Matveenko said. The pastor and his staff at the parish, which is part of the Diocese of Camden, made the decision to add the patrols, he said.

Across the region, some religious leaders recently have hired armed officers, developed emergency preparedness plans, and attended classes on how to respond to a crisis in sacred places where many never believed such precautions would be necessary. Massacres in churches in Texas and South Carolina led clergy to the reality that their places of worship could be vulnerable.

In Washington Township, the police patrols began March 4 and have continued every Saturday evening and Sunday morning during Mass. A marked police cruiser is parked outside the church, which is on a busy street in the suburban community of 48,500, the largest municipality in Gloucester County. The officer also directs traffic. Matveenko said he could not provide the cost for the patrols, which are being paid for by the church.

Matveenko said the heightened security has been well received by the congregation and no incidents have been reported. There are no plans to station an armed officer inside the sanctuary, he said. The church made headlines last year when a life-size cutout of Pope Francis was stolen and later returned intact.

While other places of worship have increased security, St. Charles Borromeo stands out in its use of armed police patrols.

Some parishes in the Camden Diocese request police presence during weekend Mass, usually to assist with pedestrians and traffic, said spokesman Michael Walsh. When requested by the local pastor, active-shooter training workshops have been held at some parishes, he said.

Ken Gavin, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said he was unaware of similar actions by any of its 216 parishes in the five-county Pennsylvania region. "We certainly would take any threat to the safety of parishioners seriously and work in conjunction with appropriate authorities to ensure a safe environment," he said, adding, "There is no such threat at this time."

According to the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, there are 16,000 houses of worship statewide, including religious schools, day-care centers and community centers. Between 2006 and 2016, there were 147 shootings across the country at churches, the office said.

"We shouldn't have to feel like we have to defend these places," said Edwin Moore, a facilities security officer and trainer with the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. But, religious institutions must be prepared for a worst-case scenario, he said.

In a weekly bulletin to parishioners this month, Matveenko announced the plan to increase safety measures, adding security cameras and holding meetings with current or retired law enforcement officers to enlist their help in the event of an emergency in the church. The church has also banned backpacks and duffel bags. Ushers and greeters have been told to ask parishioners to leave those items in their cars. Exceptions will be made for diaper bags, but those must be inspected by a minister.

"Anyone refusing to abide by these directions will be asked to leave and the police will be summoned if anyone refuses to do so," the pastor wrote. "The possibility of a serious incident is very, very remote. Still, we must always be on alert and prepared to act because unfortunately, this is the world in which we now live."

Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik said two other churches in the township  Gloucester County Community Church and SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church  have hired the department for traffic control. St. Charles went a step further with a security detail, he said. The chief could not provide the cost of the services.

"It seems like it is a new trend," Gurcsik said Thursday. "Everyone is becoming much more cognizant of security concerns in our schools and places of worship."

Meanwhile, the Deptford Police Department is holding an active-shooter training workshop for clergy on April 9 to teach church leaders what to do in a crisis. There are about 100 churches located within a three- to five-mile radius of Deptford.

"Because of the hatred spewing out of leadership and people feeling that they have the freedom to do whatever they want, it is incumbent on us to make sure our parishioners are safe," said the Rev. Derek Gatling of First Baptist Church of Jericho, who helped organize the workshop. "The environment has become so toxic."

About 50 people attended a similar workshop on Saturday at Bethel AME Church in Woodbury, sponsored by the Gloucester County branch of the NAACP. Experts advised attendees to consider one of three steps in the event of an active shooter: run, hide or fight.

"This is a fight you cannot lose," Moore told the crowd. "The Lord is not going to condemn you. We are allowed to defend ourselves."

Juvencio Gonzalez, a special assistant to Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Mike Stack who attended the training, said he planned to share what he had learned with officials on the other side of the river. "This is the time to prepare. We grew up in churches where we never had to think twice about that."

Moore urged church leaders to assess their buildings for security gaps and to develop an emergency action plan and hold practice drills to evacuate the building. He drew laughter when he suggested locking the door after service begins and admitting latecomers with a buzzer. That would force parishioners to arrive on time and secure the church, he said.

"Our goal is not to make our places of worship a jail or prison," said John J. Paige, a lieutenant in the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.

In June 2015, nine black worshipers were killed after they welcomed a stranger to join their Bible study at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C. The gunman, Dylann Roof, who opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun he smuggled into the church, was convicted on federal hate crime charges and sentenced to death.

Gatling said his church, which has about 500 members, recently got a grant from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to increase security. The money will be used to install cameras and video surveillance, new doors and fire alarm systems, he said.

"We will still show love for everybody, as Jesus has commanded us," he said. "We're just being cautious and vigilant in all that we do."
Initial results of Egypt's presidential elections show that incumbent President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is securing an overwhelming majority, with a vote share of around 90 percent, Ahram Arabic and state news agency MENA reported.

El-Sisi's sole rival, Ghad Party head Moussa Mostafa Moussa, appears to have obtained a meager 2-3 percent in most parts across the country.

Preliminary results also suggest that an average of 7 percent of electors have invalidated their votes in the overall election.

In Egypt's second city of Alexandria, El-Sisi received around 88 percent of the vote, with a turnout of about 39 percent, Egypt's state news agency MENA said. His rival Moussa gained less than 3 percent of the vote and some 9 percent of voters had invalidated their ballots there.

In Daqahliya, one of the country's most populated governorates, El-Sisi received 85 percent of the vote and Moussa polled just 2 percent, with almost 47 percent of eligible voters casting their ballots, according to Ahram Arabic.

In the Nile Delta governorate of Gharbiya, El-Sisi obtained 90 percent of the vote, with a turnout of more than 50 percent, Egypt's state news agency MENA said.

In Beheira, another governorate with a large population, El-Sisi garnered 87.5 percent of the vote while Moussa obtained 2.5 percent. Around 7 percent of voters there had invalidated their votes.

El-Sisi late on Wednesday expressed pride at Egyptians who had headed to the polls.

"The voice of the Egyptian masses will undoubtedly remain a witness that the will of our nation is imposing itself with a force that knows no weakness," he wrote on Twitter.

"The scenes of Egyptians at polling stations will remain my source of pride and honour and a compelling proof of the greatness of our nation, whose most precious sons have offered [their] blood so that we can move together towards the future," he added.

Hours before polls closed on Wednesday, the country's electoral authority extended the vote by one hour.

There are around 59 million eligible voters in Egypt.

Official results are due on April 2.

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HUD Secretary Ben Carson, left, speaks to Norma Cuevas, right, a Pathways to Housing participant who found housing through the organization, during a roundtable discussion on March 29, 2018 at the organizations offices. Read more

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson smiled Wednesday as he listened to a woman tell of how she escaped homelessness after two years on the streets  thanks to a HUD-funded Philadelphia program designed to rapidly house people with opioid addiction.

"What's really encouraging," he said, "is to see how many people are willing to reach out and extend a helping hand. If we just learn how to help each other, my goodness, I can't even begin to imagine how wonderful things could be. We just have to learn how to do it."

It was the kind of upbeat message he would repeat throughout a round-table session with participants and staffers from Pathways to Housing, which follows a housing-first model. It does not require that its participants enter treatment or get sober before they can move into an apartment. Pathways will help residents get into treatment if they want, as well as assisting them with their finances, obtaining health care, getting therapy, and integrating into the community.

Carson's remarks were light on policy  he spoke mostly about the importance of community ties and working together  but full of praise for the program. He said housing security was one of his agency's major priorities: "We're starting to learn it costs less to society to take care of people than not to take care of people." After a tour of Pathways' offices in Logan, he spoke for about 20 minutes with participants and left without taking questions from reporters.

Matt Tice, Pathways' clinical service director, said the staff had been pleasantly surprised when Carson's team asked for a tour. They welcomed the opportunity to show off a program that they say is one of just a few like it in the United States.

In the year that it's been in operation, about half of program participants have entered treatment or abstained from using drugs. The city is hoping to expand the program as part of a plan to address the four heroin encampments along Lehigh Avenue in Kensington, the epicenter of Philadelphia's opioid crisis.

"If it wasn't for them, I might be dead," Norma Cuevas told Carson on Wednesday. She had been homeless for two years, and got her key to a new apartment on the day she finished a prison sentence. "What a feeling, when they showed me that key," she said, and spoke of the pride, security, and hope her apartment has given her. She's been in treatment for opioid addiction for a year, and said she was beginning to feel like "her old self" again.

Carson's visit is his second to the city in the last six months; during his September trip to an elementary school in Sharswood and a veterans' housing program in Center City, he also touted housing-first practices. Though President Trump's proposed budget includes deep cuts to HUD, it called for a slight increase in funding to the grant program that funds Pathways to Housing for fiscal year 2019. The spending bill Congress passed last week, which funds the government through September, also increased that line item.

Carson praised Trump for declaring the opioid crisis a national emergency. But city officials have said the declaration hasn't meant additional funding on the local level. Trump's plan to fight the epidemic, released this month, doesn't mention housing-first programs. The president has largely focused on addressing the crisis through harsher sentencing laws, including the death penalty for some drug dealers.

Tice said he hopes housing-first policies become part of the wider conversation on addressing the opioid epidemic.

"Having something that is inclusive and thoughtful and supportive is going to be a really important way to counter the crisis. If we're restricting people, if we're eliminating things, if we're throwing out people that are stigmatized, it's only going to push people to the margins," he said.
Anyone who complains about the crazy pace of the news cycle in the Trump era wasn't around for the week that started on March 31, 1968  seven days that shook America to its foundation. It started with President Lyndon Johnson's shock announcement on that Sunday night that, rattled by the Vietnam War, he wouldn't run for re-election. On Thursday, April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated on a motel balcony in Memphis, and his death triggered major riots in a slew of American cities. But one other remarkable thing about that grim week can get lost: There were delivered, within a 24-hour span, two of the greatest speeches in modern American history.

The first came on the night of April 3 by Dr. King, the so-called Mountaintop speech in a church in Memphis, where he was fighting on behalf of striking sanitation workers. The civil rights icon was chillingly prescient about his unfinished mission and the enormous risks he was taking. These were the very final words he would ever speak in public:

Like anybody, I would like to live a long lifelongevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.  And Hes allowed me to go up to the mountain. And Ive looked over, and Ive seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And so Im happy tonight; Im not worried about anything; Im not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

It was less than a day later, just after 6 p.m. on April 4, that King lay dying on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. The news broke just as Sen. Robert F. Kennedy  whose presidential campaign was soaring upon word of LBJ's withdrawal  was about to speak at a park in a mostly black neighborhood in Indianapolis. There were scattered reports of violence and street demonstrations in numerous cities as word of MLK's murder spread; aides begged Kennedy to cancel, but instead he spoke to a gathered crowd (who apparently mostly hadn't heard of the assassination yet) from the back of a truckand from the heart.

For those of you who are black and are tempted to fill with  be filled with hatred and mistrust of the injustice of such an act, against all white people, I would only say that I can also feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man.What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another; and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.

Unfortunately, there were many cities and only one RFK. Indianapolis remained calm, but the uprisings that occurred in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Baltimore and other U.S. cities claimed several dozen lives and caused tens of millions of dollars in property damage. Many African-Americans  and others  had a hard time seeing any way forward in a nation where a beacon such as Martin Luther King could be silenced. Cleophus Smith was a striking Memphis sanitation worker who'd been in the audience to hear MLK's stirring Mountaintop speech. But when King was killed, he recalled, "The only thing I could think of was that all hope was gone."

Those fears were somewhat realized. When the wider America finally moved to formally recognize the amazing things that King had done  with Ronald Reagan signing the bill to create a national holiday around his birthday in 1983  it seemed part of a broader deal to also whitewash the large radical piece of his legacy, to "pull quote" his beautiful and heartfelt words about brotherhood but also hope folks would forget about his unfinished battles, against social injustice  and much more.

In the last years of his life  feted with a Nobel Peace Prize for helping expand civil and voting rights, but stung by the riots that broke out in the second half of the 1960s  King turned toward of much broader critique of what was (and still is) wrong in America. He fought against the military-industrial complex, opposing the war in Vietnam as immoral even after his closest advisers begged him not to, and against economic unfairness and inequality.

"True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar," King said in 1967, as he stepped up his criticism of American-style capitalism. "It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring." At the time of his death, King was immersed in his plan for a Poor People's March on Washington to demand an end to poverty. Forces with the U.S. government began to see this new King as more of a threat, at a time when FBI director J. Edgar Hoover's greatest fear was that a "black Messiah" would spark revolutionary change. That fear may or may not explain why King died in Memphis  but it undoubtedly explains the decades of backlash that followed.

Some of the most powerful and enduring words ever spoken by King, adapted from 19th-Century abolitionists, were that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." The reality of the five decades that followed April 4, 1968, have been more complicated  less of an arc and more of a twisted pretzel. The concrete results of what King and many other civil rights fighters, the famous and the forgotten, won in the 1960s were seen in a surge of elected black officials, culminating in a black president, and real gains for non-whites in the workplace, college campuses and elsewhere, at least when compared to the nadir of segregation. But those developments  along with the hijacking of Dr. King's most hopeful words by politicians who surely would have called King "a commie" during the 1960s, or by big corporations selling pick-up trucks  have obscured a lot of backwards bending when it comes to that moral arc.

A "war on drugs" fought largely on black turf, the cornerstone of a mass-incarceration regime unlike anywhere in the world. A rollback in voting rights that would have been unthinkable in the heady days after Selma. Public schools that are both ridiculously unequal and, increasingly, re-segregated. And a blind refusal to confront the annual killing of 1,000 U.S. citizens by police, including disturbing numbers of non-whites, the unarmed, or both. Sure, some Republicans still love to fantasize that the MLK of their Dodge Ram-driving dreams would have condemned the Black Lives Matter movement, but the real King would be marching right now in Sacramento, seeking justice for Stephon Clark  maybe even calling out the white moderates who sat on the sidelines.

And yet as time does its thing, King's words about the arc of the moral universe are looking more and more like most of the other things that the pastor said during his lifetime: Prophetic. It turns out that it would take a new generation  unburdened by all the chaos of the 1960s and all of the nonsense that followed, trained to venerate MLK and what he stood for  to pick up the torch that was nearly extinguished in the gloaming of Memphis. The hundreds of thousands who flocked to Washington for the March for Our Lives emerged from the granite shadow of justice's drum major on the National Mall to become the spiritual heir to the Poor People's March that was denied Dr. King.

If the unbroken arc wasn't clear enough for all to see, King's granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, was there to drive it home. "I have a dream that enough is enough," the 9-year-old said, as the D.C. multitude roared. "And that this should be a gun-free world, period."

What's remarkable about the new youth movement is how quickly a new generation has absorbed the things that MLK and his generation developed over a lifetime  forging a diverse coalition between city and suburb, non-white and white, and across many other lines. And seeing the interconnectivity of all these issues  how gun violence is related to the underfunding of education, for example  much as King revealed the links between war, poverty and injustice.

Is it any wonder that even those of us from the most jaded generation  those of us who were kids and young adults when King was assassinated  are feeling stirrings of optimism, even with the current mess at the White House? Cleophus Smith, the Memphis sanitation worker (still, at age 75) who was so stung by King's murder, is feeling it, "' cause we can fight," he said the other day. "We're going to keep the dream alive and we're going to move forward."

Martin Luther King knew he probably wouldn't get over the mountaintop. Frankly, that's going to be a hard climb for a lot of us. But that didn't make it any less exhilarating to watch Yolanda Renee King, the kids from Parkland, Florida, and their incredible peers finally begin the final assault on that summit, re-lighting a lamp that's barely smoldered for the last 50 years.
Mondelez International Inc. is a multi-billion-dollar snack giant that manufactures and markets big consumer food brands, among them Chips Ahoy, Oreos, and Ritz. This month, a federal jury awarded a Pennsylvania woman $200,000 in compensatory damages in her discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the company. Read more

In the summer of 2013, manager Joan Konsavage, then in her early 50s, began hearing from her Mondelez International boss that she should step aside and let younger employees shine. The multibillion-dollar snack-food giant had recently split off from Kraft Foods and was building a new team at its Wilkes-Barre distribution center.

But Konsavage, of Wilkes-Barre  who had been hired at Mondelez's predecessor company Nabisco in 1983  wasn't keen on those suggestions and had developed other concerns.

She was told not to speak in weekly staff meetings, according to a lawsuit she later filed. One area of the warehouse came to be called "Deadwood" because of the older employees working there, she said.

And she was told, according to her deposition, "You have no potential at your age. You lack learning ability. You lack agility. You have been here too long."

Konsavage, now 57, complained to Mondelez's top management in Wilkes-Barre in August 2013. The company manufactures and markets Oreos, Ritz, Chips Ahoy, and other consumer treats.

The supervisors didn't help, court documents say. Instead, they demoted Konsavage, an inventory manager, and cut her pay, she claimed.

Months later, Mondelez's human resources department investigated whether she improperly influenced a management survey so that she received good reviews, and then lied about that in an interview with HR  a violation of company policy and the reason for firing her, Mondelez claimed in court documents.

Konsavage denied doing anything wrong and in June 2015 filed a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

This month, an eight-member jury in Scranton returned its verdict, agreeing that Konsavage was fired in retaliation for complaining about age discrimination and awarding her $200,000 in compensatory damages. The jury did not award Konsavage lost wages or conclude that she had been discriminated against for being a woman.

Konsavage felt "relieved to be vindicated. It was the only place she ever worked, and she felt like she was clearing her name," her lawyer, Christine E. Burke, of the Bensalem firm Karpf, Karpf & Cerutti, said Wednesday.

Burke added the Konsavage case was "truly the little guy against this big company."

Mondelez's lawyer, Leslie Miller Greenspan, with the Tucker Group in Philadelphia, said that "while we disagree with the verdict, we accept the jury's findings as the final step in this protracted litigation. In the end, the jury rejected seven out of eight claims by the plaintiff and awarded her less than one fourth of her pretrial demand and less than we offered to resolve the case a year ago to avoid the trial."

Konsavage never put into writing her discrimination complaints, only telling her superiors and human resources department in person about them, Burke said.

A former Mondelez assistant manager in human resources confirmed in an affidavit that Konsavage had complained about discrimination to her, giving credence to Konsavage's account, Burke said.

The former assistant manager also said that supervisors spoke disparagingly of older employees, with one calling them "steady Eddies" and "one-trick ponies" because they had worked for so long in one place.

"If you have a valid complaint, it is good to put in an email or an internal memo," said Burke, who specializes in employment cases. "The law does not require it, but it helps to show it to the jury. They like to see a paper trail."
Restaurant Attico on the rooftop of the Cambria Hotel on Broad Street. Read more

Philly has been ever-so-gradually moving up, in terms of rooftop experiences.

Seasonally, anyway, we have Bok Bar in South Philly, Assembly Bar at the Logan on the Parkway, Stratus Rooftop Lounge in Old City, among others.

At least two more are in the hopper. Restaurant Attico, opening late April in the brand-new Cambria Hotel (219 S. Broad St.), will include views from its setting above the 14th floor. Most seating will be inside, though a substantial portion of the restaurant will be on deck. Chef Tony Sindaco plans a contemporary American-Mediterranean menu.

We'll have to wait till September 2019 for the second one. It will be perched atop the forthcoming 11-story Pod Philly hotel, due to begin arising soon at 19th and Ludlow Streets. As my colleague Jacob Adelman described, the property will include a ground-floor coffee shop and a roof deck, with retractable canopy, run by restaurateurs Greg Root and Nick Kennedy, behind Fishtown's Root and Suraya restaurants.

Root said the name is TBA but added that the look and feel would be fun and exciting.
Laura Ellsworth, a Pittsburgh-area lawyer and community leader, is one of three candidates running for the Republican nomination for governor. Read more

HARRISBURG  When Laura Ellsworth stepped to the microphone Wednesday at a Press Club luncheon here, she said she hoped to talk about policies, economic development and compromise in more detail than she could at recent Republican gubernatorial debates.

In a race where her opponents  State Sen. Scott Wagner (R., York) and former healthcare consultant Paul Mango of Allegheny County  have drawn attention for their boisterous jabs at one another or at Democratic Gov. Wolf, Ellsworth has consciously decided to strike a different tone.

"I don't believe in it," she said Wednesday, noting that she thinks voters want "decency, candor [and] honesty" rather than "30-second attack ads."

And Ellsworth thinks that's one reason she'd have the best shot at winning the November general election, though even she acknowledges some don't agree with that assessment. Recent polls have shown Ellsworth trailing the other candidates but also suggest a large number of Republican voters are still undecided ahead of the May 15 primary.

Ellsworth, an attorney who lives in the Pittsburgh suburbs, said she believes Philadelphia  which came in 73rd out of 75 in one recent ranking of the economic health of major cities  has room to grow and develop. She cited Pittsburgh as an example of a city that transformed to become among the most "livable," according to some rankings. Asked about criticism by advocates who argue that gentrification has kept that growth from benefiting people equally, Ellsworth said she believes in programs that encourage developers to create a range of housing options that could work for people of differing income levels.

She said she thinks that if a woman were elected governor "all the #MeToo stuff that is going on in Harrisburg will stop." Afterward, she explained that the state's sexual harassment policies should be reviewed and updated, with one clear process for handling such allegations across state government. Currently, the processes vary.

But Ellsworth also said Wednesday that she doesn't want being a woman to be the deciding factor when people are mulling whether to support her.

"Absolutely no one should vote for me because I'm a woman any more than they should vote for those guys because they're guys," she said.
Under Ronald Rubin's watch, PREIT acquire the Gallery at Market East shopping mall and invested in the Cherry Hill Mall. Read more

Ronald Rubin plans to step down as a trustee of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, severing his formal link to the company that he's helped define since it acquired his Rubin Organization in 1997.

PREIT said in a statement Wednesday that Rubin has opted not to stand for reelection at the retail landlord's next annual shareholders' meeting on May 31.

Rubin, 86, said in an interview that he was leaving PREIT's board to focus on his family real estate holdings, such as the historic Bellevue hotel and office building on South Broad Street.

Rubin became chief executive of what had initially been called PREIT-Rubin following the acquisition of his Rubin Organization real estate firm. PREIT's current chief executive, Joseph Coradino, took over the role in 2012, when Rubin became executive chairman, a position he held until January 2016.

It was under Rubin's leadership that PREIT purchased the Gallery at Market East shopping mall, which is in the process of being redeveloped into a new retail destination to he called Fashion District Philadelphia.

The company also spent extensively on renovations to Cherry Hill Mall under Rubin's watch, cementing its place as a regional retail powerhouse and the crown jewel of the company's suburban shopping-center empire, which also includes Willow Grove Park, Moorestown, and Plymouth Meeting Malls.

"I want to thank Ron for his many years leading the company and on the board," Coradino said in the Wednesday statement. "As a mentor to me, personally, I learned a lot from Ron and know the lessons will stay with me for life. We wish Ron continued to success in future endeavors."
Firefighters work to put out a fire that erupted at the Original Apostolic Faith Church of the Lord Jesus on North Broad Street on Thursday afternoon, March 29, 2018. Read more

Billowing plumes of smoke from a stubborn three-alarm blaze Thursday afternoon at a church near Temple University forced the evacuation of nearby residents and caused major disruptions to SEPTA's Broad Street Line.

SEPTA had to temporarily close the subway's Cecil B. Moore Station and operate shuttle buses between the Walnut-Locust and Erie Stations until around 9 p.m., officials said.

The fire in the 1500 block of North Broad Street was first reported at 2:28 p.m. and was declared under control shortly before 4:15. No injuries were reported.

Fire officials said about 50 apparatus and 120 firefighters responded to the fire, which also resulted in the closure of Cecil B. Moore Avenue and Thompson Street.

Temple spokesman Ray Betzner said some students living in off-campus housing on Carlisle Street behind the church had been evacuated because of the smoke but had returned home Thursday night.

Traffic was snarled in the area and officials advised motorists to seek alternate routes.

SEPTA said smoke was reported in the subway area at the Cecil B. Moore Station and directed passengers to surface bus routes. The transit agency operated shuttle buses between the Walnut-Locust Station in Center City and the Erie Station in Tioga until shortly after 9 p.m., when subway service resumed with residual delays.

Service on the Ridge Spur also resumed Thursday night after being suspended earlier because of the fire.

Hidden City Philadelphia, an architecture website, reported that the art deco structure at 1512 N. Broad St. was built in 1933 and was placed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places in 1985.

The building, formerly used as a funeral home, most recently has been a house of worship for the Original Apostolic Faith Church of the Lord Jesus.

A worship service was held there Tuesday night and that was the last time people were in the church, according to Frederick Tookes, son of the church's Bishop Ernest Tookes.

Another worship service had been scheduled for Thursday night, Tookes, 59, told the student newspaper at Temple University.

"As for now, we have nowhere," Frederick Tookes said. "So we're outdoors. As you can see, [firefighters] tried to save it, but whatever happened started in the back and worked its way. So that's the nature of it. At this time, we hope that the fire marshals will do a thorough investigation."
Philadelphia City Councilman David Oh is shown as he was recuperating at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia after he was stabbed near his home May 31, 2017, in an attempted robbery. With him are his wife, Heesun; their son, Daniel, and daughter, Sarah. Read more

After spending the last 10 months in jail awaiting trial, Shawn Yarbray was found not guilty Thursday afternoon of trying to rob and kill Philadelphia City Councilman David Oh in front of the councilman's Southwest Philadelphia home.

The verdict, on the first day of jury deliberations in Common Pleas Court, resulted from the failure of the District Attorney's Office to present evidence corroborating Oh's testimony that pointed to Yarbray as his attacker, said juror Kathleen Taintor.

"I was holding out for a guilty verdict because I believed the councilman, but then there was no corroborating evidence," said Taintor, a paralegal. "So basically, if there was some corroborating evidence  the knife was found, there was DNA, or a bloody shirt or something  that would have established it more clearly. But without that corroborating evidence, the only thing to go on was the testimony of Councilman Oh."

The jury also included two city corrections officers, two accountants, a makeup artist, a teacher's aide, a registered nurse, retirees, and several customer service employees.

The jury forewoman, who would not give her name and declined to comment, was overheard telling Yarbray's relatives and friends on the courthouse sidewalk, "He's a good-looking guy, he don't need to be in jail."

During the conversation, the forewoman gave Yarbray's father, Karif Roberts, a pamphlet from her church.

Yarbray, 25, of the Kingsessing section of the city, showed no outward emotion when the verdict was read, but his family and friends appeared relieved, grateful to his defense attorney, Samuel C. Stretton, and respectful toward Oh, who was not in court when the verdict was read.

"For Councilman Oh, I'm sorry that an ordeal did happen to him, but like I said, it was not my child. It was not my son. Maybe someday the police will find the person who did do it," said Roberts, who testified as a character witness for his son.

Reached by phone, Oh, an at-large Republican, said he respects the verdict but stands by his belief that Yarbray attacked him, puncturing his right lung and slashing an arm.

"I'm not disappointed. [The verdict] is the result of having due process and a system of justice that we put our faith in, but which is not perfect," said Oh, who added that he's hopeful Yarbray has changed for the better since the attack.

In court, Stretton hammered away at the fact that the prosecution's only evidence was Oh's identification of Yarbray in a police file photo two days after the May 31, 2017, attack. The lawyer told the jury that eyewitness testimony has been proven unreliable, especially when the witness and the accused are of different races. Oh is Asian American; Yarbray is African American.

The racially diverse jury included no black men.

Stretton argued that if Oh had gotten such a good look at his attacker, it was hard to understand why he failed to notice  and to tell police  that the man had two moles on his nose and a tattoo on his right hand, which held the knife. Yarbray showed the jury that he has two moles and a hand tattoo.

Stretton took aim at Oh's description to police that the attacker resembled the drug-addict character portrayed by Chris Rock in the 1991 film New Jack City. During his closing argument Wednesday, the lawyer held up a photo of his client and a photo of Rock's movie character. "This is not what my client looked like," he told the jury.

"I truly believed that my client was innocent," Stretton said after leaving the courthouse. "I think the jury struggled with that issue in terms of the strong identification that Councilman Oh made, but they came to recognize the argument that we made of the inherent unreliability of identification without other corroboration. So I think justice was done."

Assistant District Attorney Lori Edelman-Orem, who tried the case, could not be reached for comment afterward. Ben Waxman, a spokesman for the office, said: "We feel that we had a strong case. We felt that our witnesses performed extremely well on the witness stand. But we respect the process and the findings of the jury."
Penn seniors Lianne Menkes and Noah Klayman wait for their food at the Goldie in the new, mostly cashless Franklins Table at 34th and Walnut Read more

For the last two weeks, Ivy Leaguers have lined up by the hundreds around lunchtime, plastic in hand, for cured salmon tartines, shrimp tempuras and mint chocolate tahina shakes at the newly renovated and rechristened Franklin's Table food hall across from the University of Pennsylvania.

It's hard to spend any Benjamins at Franklin's Table. Four of the five lunch spots won't take cash.

Goldie, High Street Provisions, DK Sushi and KQ Burger have all ditched paper currency in favor of credit and debit cards to simplify purchases and speed up lines.

Testing out new approaches to payment at universities is ideal, says Goldie partner Steve Cook, because "students have less experience with cash and more [with] noncash forms of payment."

Nationally, Starbucks and Amazon are experimenting with cashless in-store shopping, while Chicago's City Council is considering an ordinance to ban the practice altogether, contending that it excludes people who cannot afford them.

At Goldie, where queues for falafel can stretch the food hall's width, not accepting paper money, though slightly more costly for the restaurant, saves the "headache" of not having to count and distribute cash, said Cook. The Goldie booth at the Pennsylvania Avenue Whole Foods is also cashless.

A malfunctioning payment tablet was enough to briefly stop business on opening day for the High Street spin-off High Street Provisions. Still, being cashless helps make the "steps of service as lean as they possibly can [be]," said founder Ellen Yin. She wants her food ready within four minutes of ordering.

Ninety-five percent of diners at her Fork restaurant pay by credit card, she said. At High Street on Market, just a fourth of customers still pay in cash.

At the hall, only Pitruco Pizza, and branches of Little Baby's Ice Cream and the Juice Merchant, will take paper money or coins.

Little Baby's co-owner Peter Angevine says the credit card processing fees don't make sense, considering that his smallest scoop goes for $3. But also, he says, "Not everybody should need a credit card to buy ice cream." Without lunch offerings, the ice cream shop can accommodate a slower checkout.

Only a handful of people have been turned away because they had only bills, according to proprietors of the cashless businesses. Also card-only in the city are four Sweetgreen salad bars and an outpost of the Australian-style coffee shop Bluestone Lane.

There are other payoffs for merchants: Cashless payments also make calculating taxes, payroll and inventory numbers easier, and provide valuable customer data.

With the proliferation of such services as Venmo, ApplePay and Square, some companies are eager to proclaim the death of cash.

"Empirically, it's not happening," said Bill Maurer, a University of California-Irvine anthropologist who studies currency. "We've seen this before." For instance, in 1963, Diners Club, the first credit card company, launched an experiment, asking the citizens of Winsted, Conn., to use plastic-payment only for just one day. "Cash died today," the city's paper declared.

On Wednesday, Visa announced that five Philadelphia-area small businesses had won $10,000 to improve their cash-free payment technology. One winner, Really Reel Ginger at Reading Terminal Market, recently switched from Square's headphone-jack card reader for phones to a free-standing point-of-service tablet from the company Clover.

"People were kind of funny about you taking their card to swipe it on your telephone," said Iliyaas Muhammad, 36, who runs the business with his wife, Hadia, 33.

Maurer added that it's not uncommon for new payments to be tested out at universities and theme parks, where there are "lots of customers in a contained space."

He cautioned, however, that "anytime you start putting restrictions on payment, you start shutting people out, and can create new forms of hierarchy."

Businesses' going cashless would hurt the 7 percent of Americans who often have neither credit nor debit cards, according to 2015 FDIC data.

Mindful of that economic divide, Massachusetts has required all businesses to take cash since 1978.

While Franklin's Table is usually packed, several Penn students who described themselves as low income said the restaurants in the food hall are not as affordable as the previous tenants at Moravian Food Court, which included Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. At Penn, about half of students are expected to pay the estimated $73,000 cost of attendance without financial aid.

"We already have Sweetgreen on campus, where salads are $10," said Lyndsi Burcham, 21, a first-generation student from Kansas City. As a freshman, she used to go to the old food court regularly.

Some students just miss their favorite lunch spot.

"With that Taco Bell location gone, I need to walk to 30th Street Station to get a Quesarito," groused John Holmes, 21, a senior from Erie. "And I think that's outrageous."
Alita and Haashim Johnson were killed in the fire at 1855 North 21st Street in North Philadelphia this week. Read more

As they probe the fatal fire last week that killed four tenants of an unlicensed North Philadelphia boarding house, city officials have pledged to fully investigate  and potentially prosecute  the building's owner, whose mismanagement they blame for contributing to the tragedy.

They won't be the first to do so.

Since 2006, Granite Hill Properties, a small California firm, has bought up a vast portfolio of distressed buildings in poverty-stricken neighborhoods across the city. But despite regularly drawing the scrutiny of code inspectors, tax authorities, and even the U.S. Justice Department over the last 12 years, the business and its owner, Tyrone Duren, have rented their properties unhindered to dozens of low-income tenants  often without a license to do so, an Inquirer and Daily News analysis of court records and city regulatory actions shows.

In 2016, federal prosecutors in California indicted Duren  a 47-year-old former agent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security  alleging he used Granite Hill as a money-laundering front to hide thousands of dollars in cash he stole from drug traffickers along the Mexican border. Some of those proceeds, investigators claim, were used to finance Duren's property purchases in Philadelphia.

Two years earlier, the Department of Licenses and Inspections sued Granite Hill for running a boarding house at 1855 N. 21st St. without proper authorizations. As part of the settlement in that suit, Duren agreed to stop renting the building to tenants. And yet, when fire broke out March 20 on that building's second floor, fire investigators say, six to 10 people were living inside.

One of those tenants, whom officials have not identified, died jumping from a window to escape the flames. Three others  Alita Johnson, 25; her father, Horace McOuellem, 64; and her 3-year-old son, Haashim  were suffocated by smoke, their bodies discovered three days later in a third-floor bathroom.

Speaking at a news conference earlier this week, David Perri, commissioner of L&I, said investigators believe Granite Hill failed to install the required smoke detectors that might have saved lives in the blaze. His agency has since launched a full review of about 30 other buildings that Granite Hill owns in neighborhoods across North and Southwest Philadelphia.

Still, William Sanders, Duren's former business partner, can't help feeling that last week's tragedy might have been avoided.

For years, Sanders, of Hemet, Calif., has repeatedly tried to alert authorities in Philadelphia and California to what he described in a 2011 lawsuit as Duren's mismanagement of the properties they co-owned before their partnership dissolved.

"I'm glad they're doing something now," he said this week. "It's just a shame that it took a fire and the deaths of these people to get their attention."

Four years ago, Sanders sent an email to Philadelphia city code inspectors identifying potentially dangerous violations at 34 of Granite Hill's properties. Many, he warned, appeared to be stealing utilities or operating as unlicensed boarding houses. At others, work by unlicensed contractors threatened to put tenants at risk, his message alleged.

At 1855 N. 21st, Sanders warned then, tenants appeared to be living in the house despite the earlier court settlement that it be vacated.

City records show that L&I followed up on some of those complaints, filing enforcement actions piecemeal for various violations, and at times taking Granite Hill to court.

But the company's business continued unabated.

"We've been watching this for years," Sanders said. "It's absolutely unbelievable."

I am tied into Philadelphia

Neither Duren nor his lawyer, John Kirby, responded to multiple requests for comment this week.

But court filings in California and Pennsylvania paint a portrait of the former federal agent as an aggressive and short-tempered businessman, as likely to pull a gun on a contractor during a payment dispute  a claim detailed in a 2011 deposition  as he was to liberally quote the ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu in missives threatening his business partners.

"My family is vast and controls a large section of the city," he once warned Sanders in an email. In another, he boasted: "I am tied into Philadelphia. Nothing happens there without my knowledge."

Despite his holdings in Philadelphia, his hometown, Duren lives full time in a luxuriously furnished $700,000 house outside San Diego and frequently travels to Canada, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Cayman Islands, Russia, Israel, and Europe, court records show.

When federal agents confronted him in 2014 with their belief that he was funding that lavish lifestyle with stolen drug proceeds, Duren lashed out.

"I'm a fing millionaire," he said, according to a transcript included in court filings in that case. "I move anywhere between $7 and $800,000 in cash every year, OK? I don't need to f with some little dirtbag's money."

Although he has been charged only with one 2013 theft,. from a car he stopped near San Ysidro, Calif., prosecutors have said in court papers that they suspect him of taking far greater sums during his six-year career with Homeland Security.

Duren, free on bail but confined under court order to California, has denied the allegations and is scheduled for trial in June. But as the case has played out in federal court in San Diego, investigators have frequently thrown up their hands while trying to untangle the web of holding companies, multiple LLCs, and more than 25 bank accounts through which Duren and Granite Hill have moved their assets over the last several years  including one opened in Croatia after Duren learned of the federal probe.

"Agents discovered numerous suspicious hard-money loans, payments, rental agreements and other business practices that are inconsistent with what would be expected with a property management company," Homeland Security Special Agent Thomas Miller wrote in an affidavit last year. "A legitimate company would not need numerous [burner] phones and over 25 bank accounts. Duren's business practice  and his general banking activities are indicative of criminal activity."

While it's clear that somehow Duren has access to hundreds of thousands of dollars  which he is charged with depositing in small increments in his accounts to avoid federal reporting requirements  prosecutors say they can find no legitimate source for that income.

Granite Hill's tax returns suggest the company is barely breaking even, and Duren has not filed personal income tax returns for several years.

The company's tangled finances and corporate structure may explain why efforts by local investigators to probe the company in the past have produced few results.

But in the wake of last week's fire, city officials are pledging they won't be deterred this time.

"Landlords and developers don't always like it, but government rules and regulations regarding housing exist in order to keep people safe  period," City Council President Darrell L. Clarke said in a statement Tuesday. "Those who flout the law to make a quick buck must be held accountable."
Feasterville businessman Mohammad N. Ali outside the federal courthouse in Philadelphia in 2017. Read more

Mohammad N. Ali  Seth Williams' jet-setting, Bentley-driving, energy-drink-peddling benefactor  was sentenced to 18 months in prison Thursday for bribes he paid Philadelphia's former district attorney in exchange for assistance with his legal woes.

But if the man whose testimony helped cement the case against Williams was looking for any sympathy from U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond, he left grossly disappointed.

"I don't know what to say. I'm sorry for what I did," the soft-spoken Ali said when it was his turn to address the judge.

Diamond snapped back with an apology of his own: "I'm sorry, sir, I don't believe you. I think you're sorry you got caught."

And when Ali, citing a seriously ill child, asked that Diamond give him 45 days to turn himself in, the judge ordered that he be taken away in handcuffs instead.

That might have been expected from a judge who  in a surprise turn last summer  ordered Williams imprisoned immediately after he pleaded guilty to charges including bribery and honest services fraud.

But Ali's wife, seated in the courtroom's front row, gasped and began weeping.

Her husband rushed to her side as soon as the judge left the bench, only to have court marshals later interrupt their embrace. He hurriedly stripped himself of his belt, watch, and wallet to hand to his wife.

Prosecutors had pushed to get Ali a break, although they insisted that he should serve some time in prison.

"Clearly, Mr. Ali's cooperation was in his own self-interest," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Vineet Gauri. "But the information and testimony that he provided in a significant public corruption case was vital here."

And Ali's lawyer, Mark Cedrone, said he hoped that cooperation would buy Ali leniency  although he was careful to note that he was not seeking to "diminish the seriousness of bribing a public official."

Diamond had an answer for that, too, interrupting the defense lawyer to say:

"[It was] not just any public official. He didn't bribe the register of wills."

Throughout Williams' trial, Ali, 41, of Feasterville, emerged as one of its more colorful characters.

A slickly dressed Jordanian native who made millions selling prepaid cellphone cards and energy drinks, he testified during those proceedings last summer that he kept a framed picture of Williams on his desk  one of the few photos in his office.

And prosecutors showed videos of the two cavorting beachside in T-shirts and floral-print swim trunks during a 2012 couples trip they took to the Caribbean with their respective partners.

But despite sharing what appeared to be an authentic bromance, their relationship lay at the heart of the charges that Williams faced.

Ali had admitted that he showered the district attorney with gifts including designer accessories, pricey dinners, and an all-expenses-paid trip to a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic.

In exchange, he routinely called on Williams for aid when faced with legal problems, such as the persistent secondary screenings he endured nearly every time he returned to Philadelphia International Airport from overseas trips.

At Ali's request, Williams offered to use his position to help his friend avoid those security efforts. Neither man knew it at the time, but federal agents had flagged Ali for special attention while they investigated him in an international money-laundering probe, which never resulted in charges.

Ali, while pleading guilty to bribery and tax fraud charges last year, also admitted that he asked Williams in 2012 to intervene in a criminal case filed against a nightclub DJ with whom he was friendly.

Often, though, the relationship between Ali and Williams appeared to be one-sided. Ali paid for everything and Williams rarely followed through on his promises to his friend.

"Mr. Ali was almost a victim of Mr. Williams," Cedrone said Thursday. "He did almost nothing for him."

Diamond was disinclined to see it that way

"Corrupt public officials like Mr. Williams can't accept bribes from corrupt individuals like Mr. Ali unless Mr. Ali offers the bribe," he said , as he handed down his sentence. "It's a symbiotic criminal relationship, and I believe that others in this town need to be deterred from seeking to corrupt the officials who are elected to serve us."

In addition to his prison term, Ali also was ordered to serve three years' probation upon his release and to pay more than $163,400 in fines and restitution.

Williams remains incarcerated at a federal prison in West Virginia, nine months into a five-year sentence.
This morning, the foreign service of Egypt lamented the sad loss of prominent Egyptian diplomat Ambassador Mohamed Shaker, who passed away at the age of 85.

Shaker graduated from Cairo Universitys Faculty of Law in the early 1950s, and joined the foreign ministry soon after. He pursued his diplomatic career in parallel with his political science studies.

Shaker served in some of Egypts most influential overseas diplomatic missions, including at the UN headquarters in New York, as the Egyptian ambassador to Austria, and the permanent representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

These positions made Shaker one of the most prominent experts at the Egyptian foreign ministry on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, especially in the Middle East.

Shakers name is most associated with the cause of defending regional and international security and the promotion of the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Shaker is also well-remembered at the ministry for his role as ambassador of Egypt to the UK from 1988 to 1997; a historic phase marked by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the sole global superpower.

Many diplomats who served with Shaker, especially during his time in London, have always spoken favourably of his distinguished professionalism and sincere dedication to serving his country.

By the end of his service in the late 1990s, Shaker continued to contribute to the foreign policy debate when he, along with other prominent diplomats and political scientists, established in 1999 the Egyptian Council on Foreign Relations, which he chaired for its first five years.

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Former Philadelphia Sheriff John Green arrives at U.S. District Court in Philadelphia for one day of his bribery and corruption trial on Friday, March 23. Read more

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday portrayed John Green  Philadelphia's sheriff for two decades  as a corrupt politician who sold his office to his "money man," steering lucrative and secret contracts to codefendant James Davis in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions, massive "loans" he never had to pay back, and even a bargain-priced house.

Defense lawyers for Green and Davis dismissed this as an unfair caricature. They described Green, 70, and Davis, 67, as close friends who worked tirelessly together to shake up an inept, underfunded, understaffed Sheriff's Office to rescue homeowners from predatory banks. With a handshake deal, Green saw to it that Davis' businesses were paid more than $35 million over a decade, essentially to run a program overseeing foreclosure sales for unpaid mortgages and taxes.

In his closing argument before the jury began deliberations, Peter Scuderi, Green's attorney, derided prosecutors for repeatedly urging the 12-member panel to use its common sense to connect the dots between the benefits bestowed on the sheriff and the contracts given to Davis. Scuderi told the jurors this advice was a dodge to obscure the government's lack of more powerful evidence, such as a tape catching Green admitting wrongdoing.

Lewis Small, one of Davis' lawyers, made the same point in directing fire at prosecutors. "They have no direct evidence of a bribe," Small said. "Everything here is circumstantial, and they draw the wrong inferences."

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Diviny and his two fellow prosecutors have relied on court precedent establishing that proof of a "stream of benefits" can be enough for conviction, even if investigators can't tie a particular gift to a particular act of a corrupt official. And Diviny told the jury Wednesday that Green had received no mere stream, but "a torrent of benefits."

During the five-week, document-filled bribery-and-corruption trial, prosecutors detailed case after case in which Davis had helped Green financially, both personally and when he ran as a Democrat in numerous citywide campaigns. Bluntly calling the generosity "bribes and kickbacks," Diviny cited as examples:

Paying for $145,000 in campaign ads for Green  despite city law that limited donors to a $2,500 contribution per race. Most of this spending was never disclosed on Green's campaign-finance reports.

Pumping another $65,000 into the campaign fund, mostly for use as "street money" to pay campaign workers on Election Day. This far exceeded donation limits and went mostly undisclosed.

Providing Green with a $258,000 no-interest loan to close on a retirement home near Orlando, Fla. Although prosecutors say Green has left behind a trail of unpaid loans, he repaid this loan after three months, and after he received a $386,000 payment from the city's DROP retirement program.

For the jurors, Diviny cited documents and testimony to unravel the often-convoluted path of the money to Green. He said the circuitous path revealed the true intent of Green and Davis.

"It's the strongest evidence that the defendants knew what they were doing was wrong  that's why you conceal things," the prosecutor said.

In one instance, when a Green campaign was nearly broke on the eve of a primary, prosecutors said, Davis arranged for a relative to lend Green $50,000 on the premise that it was a construction loan. In fact, the money was put into the campaign fund. It was never disclosed on a campaign-finance report. Green has not repaid the relative.

But Small argued that the government had overreached in finding a sinister motivation for Davis' help for Green. Small noted that prosecutors had even raised questions about a $10,000 loan Davis gave Green in 2011  months after Green had quit office midterm and after Davis' contracts had been suddenly cut off.

That loan, Small said, "is just where a friend helps a friend."
New Jersey is getting closer to putting down the carrot and rightly picking up the stick to force its hundreds of municipalities to shrink government costs and ultimately cut, or at least slow, the growth of property taxes.

For several years, Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) has pushed a shared-services bill, which would fine towns a share of their state aid if they don't go along with cost-cutting measures. Previous bills have stalled in the Assembly, but the lower house has new leadership now and Sweeney has a good chance to pass his legislation.

Gov. Murphy also seems interested in stopping the expensive duplication of services, and has talked about having a "shared services czar" who could prod towns to become leaner.

Sweeney's bill would fund the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission, which hopefully isn't as cumbersome as its title. It would study the ways towns could merge services such as purchasing, trash pickup, and police and fire service, and figure out how much money would be saved.

Any towns that don't want to become more efficient and rely less on taxing property owners would be free to lose an amount of state aid equal to what they would have saved had they merged services. The bill also would make it easier for towns to terminate employees who aren't needed when services are merged.

Directly in the crosshairs of Sweeney's bill are the about 210 of the state's 565 municipalities that haven't even tried to share services. That's exactly where they belong.

The tough stance makes a lot of sense. Too many New Jersey politicians give lip service to sharing services, but haven't done much to force it. That's because shared services run against the political culture of New Jersey's hundreds of towns, where the most active voters have municipal jobs  or have friends and relatives who do. Their sympathizers have been effective in shutting down efforts to streamline government.

For example, although the consolidation commission was created in 2007, it was never funded. In many ways, letting the enforcer gather dust for more than a decade is emblematic of the state political class' twisted messages about shared services. It sounds good to voters who aren't connected to a government job in some way, and awful to people who work inside a municipal building.

More awful is that taxpayers finance 565 governments; from Newark, with a population of 277,000, to tiny Walpack Township in Sussex County, with fewer than 20 residents.

It's not as though New Jersey is some sprawling state with huge mountains and wide rivers isolating towns so much that each one needs its own police force and public works department. It is the most densely populated state in the nation. Towns seamlessly abut one another, making them perfect for shared services.

Sweeney's bill is so long overdue that the Assembly and Murphy would be well advised to push it along before New Jersey voters open up their next tax bills. When they're done with shared services, state leaders should start consolidating the state's more than 600 school districts.
In this March 23, 2018, file photo, President Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Read more

WASHINGTON  President Trump once again lashed out at Amazon.com, the online retailing giant, on Thursday morning, saying he has long had concerns about the company's business practices.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!," he tweeted.

Trump has periodically criticized Amazon before and since becoming president. Jeff Bezos, the founder and chief executive of Amazon, also owns The Washington Post.

Trump's latest critique comes after Amazon's stock took a hit Wednesday following the publication of a report in Axios that Trump was "obsessed" with the retail giant, according to a person interviewed by the publication. Shares fell more than 4 percent on Wednesday, and continued their tumble Thursday, falling more than 3.8 percent in morning trading.

Some of Trump's claims about Amazon have not been based on complete information. Amazon, for example, does collect taxes on products it sells to customers in the 45 states with a sales tax. Items sold by third-party vendors, however, may have different arrangements. The company has also said it supports legislation that would require other online retailers to pay state and local sales taxes.

>>READ MORE: Amazon reps pay visit to Philadelphia to scout HQ2 sites

Amazon declined to comment on Trump's tweet Thursday.

Trumps use of social media to call out individual people and companies has been unprecedented for a president. His other Twitter targets have included Apple, Boeing and General Motors, as well as media outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times and CNN.

The president has long been vocal with his disapproval of Amazon. In December, Trump attacked the company's arrangement with the U.S. Postal Service and called on the agency to raise the shipping rates it charges Amazon.

"Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer?," he tweeted. "Should be charging MUCH MORE!"

His tweets about the USPS reflect a debate about whether the Postal Service is charging Amazon and other retailers enough to deliver packages. Parcel delivery has become an increasingly important part of the Postal Service's business as first-class mail has been on a long-running decline.

Earlier in his presidency, Trump tweeted that "Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt  many jobs being lost!"

He has also suggested that The Post is "a lobbyist weapon against Congress to keep Politicians from looking into Amazon no-tax monopoly."

The Post's editors and Bezos have declared that Bezos is not involved in any journalistic decisions. The Post is owned by Bezos personally, not by Amazon.
In this March 25, 2018, file photo, President Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington after returning from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Read more

President Trump's lawyer told attorneys representing Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn last year that the president might be willing to pardon his former aides if they faced criminal charges stemming from an investigation into Russia's election interference, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

The president's lead lawyer at the time, John Dowd, was described as floating the idea of a pardon for Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, and Flynn, the former national security adviser, at a vulnerable moment for the two men. Both Flynn and Manafort had contacts with Russians while advising Trump and were under investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, but neither had been charged at that point.

Mueller indicted Manafort on charges of tax fraud and money laundering in late October. Flynn pleaded guilty in December to lying to investigators and agreed to cooperate with the Mueller probe.

Dowd insisted Wednesday that he did not raise the idea of pardons with lawyers representing the two men.

"I had no such discussions with them," Dowd said in a phone interview. "We never talked about pardons. There was no reason to talk about pardons. No, ma'am."

A spokesman, Jason Maloni, and a former lawyer, Reginald Brown, for Manafort declined to comment. Robert Kelner, an attorney for Flynn, also declined to comment. The outreach from Dowd was first reported by the New York Times.

The allegation that Dowd offered two key witnesses in the Russia investigation a legal safety net comes amid Mueller's increasing focus on whether the president obstructed justice by seeking to blunt or shut down the inquiry.

Legal experts said prosecutors could view floating the idea of a presidential pardon to people under investigation as a criminal effort to obstruct justice. Raising such a possibility could be considered an incentive for witnesses not to cooperate with investigators.

"I've only been asked about pardons by the press, and have routinely responded on the record that no pardons are under discussion or under consideration at the White House," Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer working on the Russia investigation, said in a statement.

Trump, however, did express a keen interest last spring and summer in his power to pardon, according to people familiar with the situation. While interviewing lawyers as possible candidates to represent him in the probe, aides said, Trump asked his team whether he could pardon his advisers, his family members and even himself.

One person familiar with the outreach to Manafort's team said Dowd over the summer relayed to the former campaign chief's lawyers that a pardon was a possibility. A person familiar with the Flynn discussions said Dowd called Kelner sometime last year to tell him Trump believed there was no merit to the case against Flynn and the "president would consider a pardon."

White House aides and Trump's legal advisers privately expressed concern Wednesday about the situation and said Dowd may have mentioned pardons off the cuff and failed to recognize the intense sensitivity of the subject at that moment.

"I hope he didn't do it," said one Trump aide. "It would be just awful  a terrible end to his good career."

What specifically Dowd offered  and whether Trump approved the idea  could now become part of Mueller's investigation of Russian interference with the 2016 election and whether there was any coordination with the Trump campaign. His inquiry has focused on several potential pillars of obstruction, including Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey in May 2017 and his campaign to pressure Attorney General Jeff Sessions to quit. Trump was angry that Sessions had recused himself from the probe, which led to the appointment of a special counsel, and hoped a new attorney general would remove the need for Mueller.

Legal experts are split about whether the president can commit obstruction of justice while exercising powers that are constitutionally afforded to him, such as the pardon power.

"It's an open question about which there's been a great deal of debate," said Paul Rosenzweig, a lawyer who served on the team of Independent Counsel Ken Starr that investigated President Clinton.

But, he added, "given the openness of both the legal and factual questions, it would be irresponsible of Mueller not to add this to his inquiry."

"The full truth is that it's stone-cold stupidity on his part if he actually did it," Rosenzweig added.

The possibility of a pardon raises new questions about why Manafort has repeatedly refused to cooperate with Mueller's team. He faces a raft of serious felony charges and, if convicted, faces decades in prison. Manafort has pleaded not guilty and has told associates he believes he can win in court.

Manafort has been under intense pressure from the special counsel's office.

In July, FBI agents raided his condominium in Alexandria, Virginia, rousting Manafort and his wife from bed with a search a warrant  a tactic rarely employed in white-collar criminal cases. Mueller's prosecutors also required one of Manafort's lawyers to testify before the grand jury, also a step rarely taken. And they have now indicted him on money laundering, conspiracy, and bank and tax fraud charges related to political consulting work he conducted in Ukraine before joining Trump's campaign.

On Tuesday, prosecutors filed new documents in court revealing that the FBI has assessed that a longtime Manafort business associate had ties to Russian intelligence during the 2016 campaign. The documents did not name the associate, but the description offered by prosecutors matched Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian national who had worked as Manafort's translator and office manager in Kiev.

Manafort has acknowledged having extensive contact with Kilimnik during the five months he served as Trump's campaign chairman in 2016, including holding two in-person meetings with him. Emails that have been read to The Washington Post also show that Manafort asked Kilimnik to offer "private briefings" about the campaign to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian business magnate who is close to the Kremlin. Deripaska's spokeswoman has said he was never offered such briefings.

The new information underscores why Mueller has been so focused on obtaining Manafort's cooperation. Manafort's deputy, Rick Gates, who was also in contact with Kilimnik while working for Trump, has already agreed to plead guilty.

Flynn's family and advocates have indicated publicly that they are hoping Trump will pardon Flynn.

Just after Christmas, Joseph Flynn tweeted at the president to urge him to pardon his brother Michael.

"About time you pardoned General Flynn who has taken the biggest fall for all of you given the illegitimacy of this confessed crime in the wake of all this corruption," he wrote.

Joseph Flynn deleted the tweet and later issued a new one with a more collegial tone: "Mr. President, I personally believe that a pardon is due to General Flynn, given the apparent and obvious illegitimacy of the manner in which the so called 'crimes' he plead guilty to were extracted from him. I ask for quick action on this. Thank you and keep up the good work!"

In December, after Flynn pleaded guilty, Trump was asked by reporters if he would be willing to pardon Flynn, and Trump replied he wasn't ready to discuss it  "yet."

"We'll see what happens," he told reporters before a speech he was giving at the FBI's National Academy. "Let's see, I can say this: When you look at what's gone on with the FBI and the Justice Department, people are very, very angry."
A Commonwealth Court judge sided with Lt. Gov. Mike Stack in a legal challenge to his ability to claim on the upcoming Democratic primary ballot that Philadelphia is his home county.

After moving into the lieutenant governor's mansion in Lebanon County, Stack and his wife sold their Philadelphia house in early 2016. Since then, Stack has claimed his mother's home in Northeast Philadelphia as his residence. Stack said he has renewed his driver's license using his mother's address and paid the city's wage tax in 2016 and 2017.

Commonwealth Court President Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt wrote in her opinion: "It is the place where he votes, collects mail, pays taxes, stores personal effects and spends occasional nights."

Stack faces a crowded field of challengers in the primary: Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, Craig Lehman of Lancaster County, Montgomery County's Raymond Sosa, Chester County's Kathleen Cozzone, and Philadelphia's Nina Ahmad.

In the 2014 primary, Stack received 83.2 percent of the vote in the city.
April marks the beginning of when 1.8 million college-bound high school seniors will decide on which college to attend in the fall, followed promptly by their parents proudly telling their friends, family, and co-workers of their child's decision, and ending with their high school publishing the list of elite institutions attended by the Class of 2018.

Left virtually out of the conversation, with little fanfare or public recognition, are the 150,000 high school seniors nationwide who are not college-bound, but rather military-bound immediately after graduation.

These young adults  who represent less than 1 percent of all high school graduates  and their parents are often overlooked by school officials, or even worse are often made to defend their decision, as was the case last month at El Rancho High School in California, where a teacher of a Marine Corps-bound senior verbally humiliated him in class, stating that "only dummies go into the military."

It is no wonder why the parents of military-bound seniors may go "underground" at this time of year. They are tired of defending their child's decision to serve our nation. This happens especially in suburban communities, where nearly all the parents have college degrees and where 90 percent or more of the graduates go on to four-year colleges.

But here are a few facts that educators and parents, including those of military-bound seniors, should know:

Less than 30 percent of all high school seniors could even qualify to serve in the military. Most (sadly) couldn't meet the physical fitness requirements, couldn't pass a drug test, and/or couldn't score high enough on the military examination (ASVAB) to enlist.

Nearly 75 percent of all new enlistees out of high school will only serve one tour of duty; normally 48 to 60 months. So, before many of their fellow classmates graduate from college (six years, on average), these young adults will be separating from the military, entering college with academic credits earned for their military service, and using their earned GI Bill educational benefits to attend college at no or very low cost. Furthermore, their GI Bill benefits will also provide them with a $1,000- to $1,500-a-month living allowance for an apartment or home near campus.

Students who are veterans have already learned how to work in teams, are more likely to graduate from college, tend to have higher GPAs, and earn more academically rigorous college degrees than their non-veteran counterparts.

Military-bound high school seniors will not only typically graduate from college debt-free, but will enter the workforce with four or more years of meaningful work experience, and some will possess security clearance credentials that may put them at the head of the line for careers with companies doing work with the federal government.

Nearly 80 percent of all military occupational specialties are non-combat-arms related. In other words, most military jobs are far from the battlefield and on secured installations that are statistically less dangerous than many college campuses.

So, this month, when you meet high school seniors who plan to enlist into the military after graduation, or their parents, please say thank you for their selfless decision to serve our nation. For without their willingness and desire to stand guard for the next few years, other children wouldn't have the freedom and privilege to pursue their dreams, including attending college this fall.

Kenneth E. Hartman, a former Army officer, is the founder and president of Our Community Salutes (OCS), a national nonprofit organization that honors military-bound high school seniors. OCS ceremonies are conducted throughout the country, including Philadelphia (May 3), Bucks and Montgomery County (May 7), Camden County (May 15), Gloucester County (May 3), Burlington County (May 23), and Wilmington (May 23).
One of the militants killed in a U.S. air strike in Libya over the weekend was a "high-ranking" official in al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

The strike on Saturday, the first against al Qaeda militants in Libya, killed "two terrorists" as part of efforts to deny militants a safe haven in the country's vast desert.

The military had previously acknowledged the weekend strike, but had not until now said who the target of the strike was.

In a statement, the U.S. military said Musa Abu Dawud, the senior al Qaeda militant, had trained recruits in Libya to carry out attacks in the region.

"He provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack U.S. and Western interests in the region," U.S. Africa Command said.

The Saturday strike had hit on the outskirts of the city of Ubari and was carried out in coordination with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord in Tripoli.

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Melvin E. Waterman was born December 24, 1945 in Stronghurst, Illinois. He is one of ten children. Of the six boys, he is the only one to have served in the U. S. Navy. Two brothers, however, have served in the U. S. Army.

Waterman's father and grandfather, while being extremely patriotic, were unable to serve during war time due to having such large families. His grandfather had 16 children.

Upon graduation from high school in Media, Illinois in 1964, Waterman and a high school friend, Donald Pendry enlisted in the U. S. Navy Reserves in the "buddy system". When their basic training was finished, Waterman headed to Chicago for training and Pendry headed to San Diego, California and then out to sea on a PT boat in Viet Nam. "So much for the buddy system!" Waterman said with a laugh.

While in Chicago, Waterman would receive his training in radar. His career would take him to run the coast of Viet Nam aboard the USS O'Hare. Waterman would be active duty in the U.S. Navy for 1 year. His tour encompassed the coastal area from Laos to the Gulf of Tonkin. "I remember being so close we could hear the bullets bouncing off the ship! We could see the beach easy, and it was a scary time." Waterman stated.

"I had other jobs while aboard ship," he said with a smile. "Our ship was on the gun line more than any other boat there, and during this time I also cooked for the officers." Waterman added.

"My main job during the time aboard ship was a radarman. I would report up to the bridge on any activity seen on my radar screen." he said. "Many things I remember, and they will always be with me." he reflected.

When his tour was over, Waterman returned home with the rank of Radarman 3rd Class. For about six months he worked for the U. S. Navy as a "Brig Chaser". He went on to explain the job as a supervisor/escort to U. S. Navy inmates heading to a federal penitentiary.

After his time serving as a "Brig Chaser, he went to work driving trucks. It was this career that lead him to his wife, Karen. He proposed to his wife on New Years eve. They would move to Colorado, and that would eventually lead the Watermans back to Karen Waterman's hometown of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming.

He went to work for High Plains Cooperative as a truck driver in 1995. After 41 years of driving, Waterman retired. "I have had a good life, and I love my town." he said.

Courtesy of Mel Waterman Mel Waterman, today.

Waterman believes in the military, and the life, training and experience it gives one. "I think every high schooler upon graduation should serve at least two years." he stated firmly. "I believe it gives them direction, experience, training and teaches them respect!" Waterman added.

Things were different for Waterman when he first came home. "We didn't travel in our uniforms, as people would throw things at us or spit on us. The Viet Nam war was a rough time in our history. I am proud to have been able to serve, and I would do it again without hesitation."he said with strong conviction.

Waterman is proud to say his son Rob, served on the USS Forrestal, and the USS Eisenhower. Also serving is his granddaughter, Kennedy Todd is in the U. S. Air Force, and upon high school graduation, her brother Tanner Todd will go in under delayed enlistment.

Thank you for serving, Mel Waterman.
Coca Cola Stevia Is Officially Launched in Malaysia

Finally, Coca-Cola Stevia is officially launched in Malaysia. The event was held at the Center Court, Mid Valley Megamall this morning. For those who never heard of Stevia, it is a no-calorie sweetener, derived from the leaf of the Stevia plant. It is used in combination with sugar or other sweeteners in many foods and drinks to provide people with a low or reduced calorie alternative.

During the event, there are real Stevia plants given to the members of the media and I got to taste the Stevia leaf. You can watch it on the video below as well as the official launch of Coca-Cola Stevia this morning. I was at the event with Bella Leong from http://www.beautivencheer.com (go follow her blog)

Coca-Cola Stevia, a lower-sugar option sweetened from natural sources, is the latest addition to the Coca-Cola family which currently includes Coca-Cola Classic, Light, Zero Sugar, and Vanilla. Available nationwide at all retailers, Coca-Cola Stevia delivers the same great taste you would expect from Coca-Cola Classic but with 35% less sugar, achieved by using a combination of sugar and the sweetness of Stevia.







To emphasis on its same great taste as Coca-Cola Classic, Coca-Cola is challenging Malaysians to take the Coca-Cola Taste Challenge at its two roadshows in Klang Valley. At the Taste Challenge Machine, the public will be provided with a cup filled with either Coca-Cola Classic or Stevia. Upon tasting, they will discover the great taste of Coca-Cola Classic, the worlds most popular and biggest-selling soft drink in history with the same great Coca-Cola taste since 1886 or Coca-Cola Stevia, for people looking for a great tasting Coca-Cola but with less sugar and sweetened from natural sources.

I took the challenge and I cant really tell whether it is Coca-Cola Classic or Coca-Cola Stevia. The taste of the Coca-Cola Stevia is slightly different than the Coca-Cola Classic. It is almost 98% similar so it is really hard to differentiate the taste. The good news is it is the same taste and Coca-Cola Stevia is 35% less sugar. Lesser is better.







Apart from the Taste Challenge, the public will also be able to discover the source of Coca-Cola Stevias natural sweetness up close by examining the stevia plant at the Stevia Experience Booth, and even taste the leaves from the stevia plant. And to complete the experience, the public can snap a selfie with the stevia plants and print out a photo immediately from their smartphone with onsite printers.

We know that consumers are asking for more choice and with stevia growing in popularity as a sweetener both locally and globally, Coca-Cola Stevia is our latest innovation that provides consumers with a lower sugar option that gives them the same great taste they would expect from Coca-Cola Classic. To date, 3 of 5 Coca-Cola products in Malaysia are certified with the Healthier Choice Logo (HCL) include Coca-Cola Stevia, recognized by the Ministry of Health (MOH) as lower sugar options for consumers within the sparkling beverages category. We are ensuring these lower and no sugar options are widely available across the country, said Ahmed Yehia, Country Manager for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, The Coca-Cola Company.

The two roadshows will be held at the following shopping malls with exciting promotions throughout the roadshow period:

Centre Court, Ground Floor Mid Valley Megamall from Thursday 29 th March to Sunday 1 st April Purchase 1 x Coca-Cola Stevia 320mL can at only RM 1 Note: Only valid for purchase from 29th Mar  1st Apr (THU  SUN) at AEON BIG Mid Valley Megamall and Taste Challenge (Cabaran Rasa) promotion counter located at Centre Court, Ground Floor Mid Valley Megamall

March to Sunday 1 April

Old Wing Concourse Area, One Utama Shopping Centre from Wednesday 18 th April to Sunday 22 nd April Purchase 4 x Coca-Cola Stevia 320mL can at only RM4 Purchase 1 x Coca-Cola Stevia 500mL PET bottle at only RM1.80 Note: Only valid for purchase from 18th Apr  22nd Apr (WED  SUN) at AEON One Utama and Taste Challenge (Cabaran Rasa) promotion counter located at One Utama Old Wing Concourse.

April to Sunday 22 April

Honestly, it is a fun event and do take the Coca-Cola Taste Challenge and see whether you can differentiate the taste of Coca-Cola Classic or Coca-Cola Stevia. No harm trying right. Lastly, the good news is Coca-Cola Stevia is available at outlets nationwide from March 2018. We hope everyone enjoyed the challenge like I did.







Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S21 Ultra. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two.

I travel around 17 International trips per year. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For ads or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts
Cross-contamination, aaaaaaaaah!

I'm going to begin with the session's final talk because it's the one that has caused the most controversy. A week ago Adam Mann posted an article at Science provocatively titled "NASA clean room is contaminated with fungus". The article is fine but apparently NASA Headquarters was unprepared for the media response to the title and now some of the poor astromaterials curators at Johnson Space Center (JSC) are feeling the heat. Let me reassure you that what Aaron Regberg reported at LPSC is (a) entirely unsurprising and (b) actually part of a responsible and diligent approach to avoiding future problems with the precious samples they will be receiving from asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. This will be longish but I want to set the record straight by paraphrasing Regberg's talk from my notes. [Abstract #2056]

JSC maintains seven extraterrestrial sample collections. From "dirtiest" to "cleanest", as far as I understand it, they are: meteorites collected on Earth; cosmic dust collected at high altitude; microparticle impacts on ISS; lunar samples; and the super-tiny and precious collections from each of Hayabusa, Stardust, and Genesis. Each of these seven collections has its own separate clean lab to avoid cross-contamination.

It may surprise you to find out that JSC is "generally not worried" about microbial contamination above and beyond the usual, stringent clean-room standards. Consider meteorites collected on Earth. These are 100% certain to be contaminated with microbes. At the other end of the spectrum, consider things like solar wind atoms (from Genesis), where microbes would be much larger than the samples and so are "not an issue." But they now have to consider microbial contamination more specifically, Regberg said, because with OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 soon to be bringing back pristine samples from carbon-rich asteroids, and future plans to bring samples back from Mars, we want to maintain sterility of all of those samples.

How clean does a lab have to be? Regberg explained International Standards Organization (ISO) clean room standards. The standard is a measure of how many particles are in a cubic meter of air; it's a little complicated because particles come in different sizes. But the gist is that the lower the ISO number, the cleaner the air, and it's a logarithmic scale: an ISO 5 clean room can have 10 times more particles in its air than an ISO 4 clean room can. (Read more about ISO clean room standards on this industry website.)
Not all of California opposes President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

Los Alamitos, a small city in Orange County, voted last week to oppose California's "sanctuary" law. And now the county government is joining the backlash against the state policy, which prohibits local law enforcement from some cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, reports CNN.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday in a closed-door session to join the federal government in a lawsuit against California over the state law that went into effect in January.

Earlier this month, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a lawsuit over California's sanctuary policies in an escalating battle between the Trump administration and the Golden State. The lawsuit is over parts of three California laws that are intended to protect undocumented immigrants from federal immigration officials.
The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it had pledged 1.84 billion dirhams ($500 million), to support the United Nations' humanitarian response plan in Yemen, state news agency WAM reported.

The UAE, which is part of the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen, said the donation was part of the coalition's plan to provide $1.5 billion to support UN operations in Yemen.

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Mark43, a leading cloud-based public safety software platform, today announced $38M in Series C funding led by General Catalyst and Jim Breyer of Breyer Capital. The round will bring Mark43s total funding to $77.8 million, with returning investments from Spark Capital, Ashton Kutchers Sound Ventures, Bezos Expeditions, Goldman Sachs, General David Petraeus, Sheel Tyles Amplo, Innovation Endeavors, Govtech Fund, SV Angel, and others.

The round of funding follows a stellar 2017 for Mark43, with 550% client growth, new executive hires from Google, and the opening of new offices in Los Angeles and Charlotte. Mark43 plans to use the funding to accelerate software development, sales, and deployments, and further its mission of empowering public safety with a unified platform to share and analyze critical data in the cloud.

Founded in 2012, Mark43 has already deployed its core software applications, Mark43 Records Management System and Mark43 Computer Aided Dispatch, to thirteen public safety agencies across the U.S., with over 30 more expected to launch this year. Mark43s technology is used by departments of all sizesfrom the Richmond (CA) Police Department to the Seattle Police Departmentfor reducing report writing times and allowing officers to spend significantly more time on the street. As public safety agencies also look to improve criminal justice information sharing across jurisdictions, Mark43s cloud-based platform provides secure, reliable, and cost-effective hosting for multi-agency environments.

After years on the ground with officers, reimagining and perfecting the fundamentals of public safety software, its really gratifying to have the kind of year we had in 2017, said Scott Crouch, CEO and co-founder of Mark43. This latest round of funding, coupled with new growth hires, perfectly positions Mark43 to capitalize on the momentum we were able to generate following our Series B and bring new products like digital evidence management to market.

From the beginning, Mark43 has been laser-focused on reinventing a market plagued by legacy software and solving the most pressing issues that our public safety agencies face, said Larry Bohn, repeat investor at General Catalyst. Since then, weve seen Mark43 execute on that vision with incredible precision. They are developing solutions that have the potential to improve department technology operations nationwide. Were honored to continue what has already been an extremely rewarding partnership.

Were honored to support the Mark43 entrepreneurs and team, and very excited to invest, said Jim Breyer, Founder and CEO of Breyer Capital based in Menlo Park, California. Mark43 is tackling a significant market opportunity, and as importantly, their products can make the world safer.
A Suffolk County, MA, jury has awarded more than $2 million to a veteran female police officer in Winthrop, finding that the town sexually discriminated and retaliated against her, according to court records.

Judy A. Racow, a police officer for more than 20 years, claimed she was wrongly removed from the detective unit, passed over for other jobs, excluded from training sessions and falsely investigated, according to the complaint, the Boston Globe reports.

Last week, a Superior Court jury agreed, awarding Racow $676,000 for emotional damages, plus $1,352,000 in punitive damages, according to court records.

Police Chief Terence M. Delehanty, who is also serving as the interim town manager, said that an appeal is likely.
Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve toxin that had been left on the front door of their home in England, British counter-terrorism police said.

After the first known offensive use of a chemical weapon on European soil since World War Two, Britain blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attempted assassination and the West has expelled around 130 Russian diplomats.

Russia has denied using Novichok, a nerve agent first developed by the Soviet military, to attack Skripal, and Moscow has said it suspects the British secret services are trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

"We believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door," said Dean Haydon, Britain's' senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing.

"Specialists have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent, to date, as being on the front door of the address," Scotland Yard said in a statement.

Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, have been in a critical condition since being found unconscious on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. A British judge has said they may have suffered permanent brain damage.

The attempted murder of Skripal, a 66-year-old former colonel in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain's MI6 spy service, has plunged Moscow's relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low.

After Britain expelled 23 Russians it said were spies working under diplomatic cover, Russia followed by throwing out 23 British diplomats. The United States and other Western countries, including most member states of the European Union and NATO, expelled over 100 diplomats.

British lawmakers launched a new inquiry into money-laundering, sanctions and economic crime on Thursday, with a particular focus on properties bought with so-called "dirty money".

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the Kremlin had underestimated the Western response to the attack, which also injured a British policeman.

Johnson told an audience of ambassadors in London that 27 countries had now moved to expel Russian diplomats over Moscow's suspected involvement, which it denies.

"These expulsions represent a moment when a feeling has suddenly crystallised, when years of vexation and provocation have worn the collective patience to breaking point, and when across the world  across three continents  there are countries who are willing to say enough is enough," Johnson said.

"If they (Russia) believed that we had become so morally weakened, so dependent on hydrocarbons, so chronically risk-averse and so fearful of Russia that we would not dare to respond, then this is their answer."

Putin, who has been dealing with a deadly shopping centre fire in Siberia, has yet to respond, though Moscow has threatened to take retaliatory action against the West.

"An analysis of all the circumstances ... leads us to think of the possible involvement in it (the poisoning) of the British intelligence services," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday before the announcement by British police.

"If convincing evidence to the contrary is not presented to the Russian side we will consider that we are dealing with an attempt on the lives of our citizens as a result of a massive political provocation."

A London court last week gave permission for blood samples to be taken from the Skripals for examination by chemical weapons inspectors to confirm a conclusion by Britain that the military nerve agent had been used.

An unidentified doctor who is treating the Skripals said they were both heavily sedated and unable to communicate, and that it was not possible to assess when or to what extent either may regain mental capacity, according to the court's ruling.

Skripal, who was recruited by British spies while in Spain, ended up in Britain after a Cold War-style spy swap that brought 10 Russian spies captured in the United States back to Moscow in exchange for those accused by Moscow of spying for the West.

Since emerging from the world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in the cathedral city of Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on March 4.

His house, which featured a good-luck horseshoe on the front door, was bought for 260,000 pounds ($360,000) in 2011. Skripal was listed at living there under his own name.

In the years since he found refuge in Britain, he lost both a wife and son.

The attack on Skripal has been likened in Britain to the killing of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko, a critic of Putin, who died in London in 2006 after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium 210.

Russia denied any involvement in that killing.

An inquiry led by senior British judge Robert Owen found that former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoy and another Russian, Dmitry Kovtun, carried out the killing as part of an operation probably directed by Russias Federal Security Service.

British police said they would continue to focus their enquiries around Skripal's home address as the investigation continued.



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Eric Bunge and his friends from theater grad school in Denver had big plans for the future.

"We were going to go to New York and Los Angeles," Bunge recalled.

Before that, though, came the opportunity to stage a play in Lanesboro, where the local arts organization had recently purchased the St. Mane Theatre. "They just called me out of the blue and asked if I was interested in coming back," said Bunge, who is originally from Preston.

So in the summer of 1989, Bunge, Scott Putnam, and Scott Olsen put New York and L.A. on the back burner and instead launched the Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro with a production of "Crimes of the Heart."

Tickets were $7.50. "We didnt even know if people would show up," Bunge said. "But in the first eight weeks we had 3,000 people attend and we paid all of our bills. We said, Maybe we should come back."

The Commonweal has been back every year since then, and now performs in its own theater that opened in 2007. Bunge, meanwhile, is now executive director of Northern Stage, a professional theater in White River Junction, Vt. where a new performance hall opened two years ago. New downtown development has followed.

"In many, many ways, it reminds me of what happened in Lanesboro," Bunge said. "The arts and culture became the cornerstone of the community."

There have been changes in Lanesboro since 1989, with restaurants and shops opening and closing, inns coming and going, but through it all, the Commonweal has survived and thrived.

"Its truly breathtaking," said Hal Cropp, executive director of the Commonweal, "to think that that this region enables a core of 15 artists to make their living doing theater in a community that is microscopic in comparison to others."

Bunge said an early lesson for the Commonweal came with the staging of classical and serious dramas, rather than popular plays. "We learned we could do serious work and fill the theater," he said. "We learned we can trust the audience to be smarter than we were."

Reflecting on three decades of the Commonweal, Bunge said, "Im pretty proud of it, watching the community develop around the arts and culture. That cant be a bad thing. It has to be a good thing."

, 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Reservations required at 800-657-7025. 1 p.m. Larry Mascotti explains how thinking about the universe changed following Leavitts discoveries. 2:30 p.m. Documentary film. 3 p.m. Hal Cropp looks back at highlights and landmarks of the Commonweals history. 7:30 p.m., followed by an opening night celebration with the cast at 9:30 p.m.
The daughter of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal is getting better after spending three weeks in critical condition due to a nerve toxin attack at his home in England, the hospital where she is being treated said on Thursday.

After the first known use of a military-grade nerve agent on European soil since World War II, Britain blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attempted murder, and the West has expelled around 130 Russian diplomats.

Russia has denied using Novichok, a nerve agent first developed by the Soviet military, to attack Skripal. Moscow has said it suspects the British secret services are trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

British counter-terrorism police said they now believe Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia were poisoned with a nerve toxin that had been left on the front door of their home in the genteel English cathedral city of Salisbury.

Im pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal," Christine Blanshard, Medical Director for Salisbury District Hospital, said in a statement.

"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," she said.

Her father remained in a critical but stable condition, the hospital said. Last week, a British judge said the Skripals might have suffered permanent brain damage as a result of the attack.

Police said on Thursday they had placed a cordon around a childrens play area near the Skripal's modest house as a precaution.

Yulia and her 66-year-old father were found slumped on a bench outside a shopping centre in Salisbury on March 4.

Britain has blamed the attempted murder on Russia, and expelled 23 Russians it said were spies working under diplomatic cover in retaliation.

Russia, which denies carrying out the attack, responded by throwing out 23 British diplomats. Moscow has since accused the British secret services of trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

"Enough is Enough"

The attack on Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain's MI6 spy service, has plunged Moscow's relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said late on Wednesday the Kremlin had underestimated the Western response to the attack, which also injured a British policeman.

Johnson told an audience of ambassadors in London that 27 countries had now moved to expel Russian diplomats over Moscow's suspected involvement.

"These expulsions represent a moment when a feeling has suddenly crystallised, when years of vexation and provocation have worn the collective patience to breaking point, and when across the world  across three continents  there are countries who are willing to say enough is enough," Johnson said.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Moscow on Thursday Britain was breaking international law by refusing to provide information on Yulia Skripal despite the fact she was a Russian citizen.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was watching closely a media report that Britain might limit London's role in marketing Russian debt to investors.

Skripal, recruited by British spies while in Spain, ended up in Britain after a Cold War-style spy swap that brought 10 Russian spies captured in the United States back to Moscow in exchange for those accused by Moscow of spying for the West.

His house, which featured a good-luck horseshoe on the front door, was bought for 260,000 pounds ($360,000) in 2011. Skripal was listed as living there under his own name.

Since emerging from the world of high espionage and betrayal, he has lived modestly in the cathedral city of Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he and his daughter were found unconscious on March 4.

In the years since he found refuge in Britain, he lost both a wife and son.

The attack on Skripal has been likened to the killing of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in Britain. Litvinenko, a critic of Putin, died in London in 2006 after drinking green tea laced with radioactive polonium 210.

Russia denied any involvement in that killing.

An inquiry led by senior British judge Robert Owen found that former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoy and another Russian, Dmitry Kovtun, carried out the murder of Litvinenko as part of an operation probably directed by Russias Federal Security Service.

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Yesterday, writing about the Commerce Departments decision to ask about peoples citizenship in the 2020 census, I wrote: Any country, especially one in which immigration is hotly debated, ought to have a good idea of how many citizens and how many non-citizens make up its population. But do other countries ask about citizenship when they take a census?

The answer, apparently, is: yes. Hans von Spakovsky writes:

[E]ven the United Nations recommends that its member countries ask a citizenship question on their census surveys, and countries ranging from Australia to Germany to Indonesia all ask this question. Only in the U.S. is this considered at all controversial  and it shouldnt be.

Throughout nearly all of our history, we too have asked about citizenship:

President Thomas Jefferson first proposed a citizenship question in 1800. It was added to the census in 1820 with a question that asked for the number of foreigners not naturalized in the household. . .[D]ecennial census surveys consistently asked citizenship questions up until 1950.

Nor, contrary to the impression the mainstream media has tried to convey, did 1950 mark the end of Census Department inquiries into citizenship:

When the census switched to sending out two different census forms, the short form and the long form, the long form (which went to one out of every six households) contained a citizenship question. The long form was discontinued after the 2000 census and replaced with the American Community Survey (ACS).

Even after that, the Census Bureau continued to ask a citizenship question in the ACS, but only of a small percentage of households. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra never complained and Eric Holder, as U.S. Attorney General, never tried to stop use of the citizenship question. If the question is unlawful, presumably they would have.

The addition of the question to the 2020 census is an attempt to get better data by asking universally a question other countries ask of everyone and that, for most of our history, we did too. The left, for opportunistic reasons, would prefer to hide the ball on the citizen/noncitizen population of our country. The Trump administration deserves credit for following in Thomas Jeffersons footsteps by seeking an accurate picture of how many citizens and non-citizens make up our democratic republic.
The omnibus bill Congress passed and President Trump signed last week is a disaster. However, one positive thing to come out of it, in addition of course to the increase in military spending, was the defunding of President Obamas Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing regulation (AFFH). This is a move weve been advocating for some time. Finally, the Republican Congress pulled the trigger.

AFFH enables the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to order more than 1,200 cities and counties that accepted any part of annual community development block grants to rezone neighborhoods along income and racial criteria. I have written frequently about this rule  e.g., here and here.

The omnibus provides:

None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to direct a grantee to undertake specific changes to existing zoning laws as part of carrying out the final rule entitled Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing  or the notice entitled Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Assessment Tool. . .

Theres somewhat less to this than meets the eye. HUD Secretary Ben Carson has already delayed AFFH until 2020. So even without the omnibus, HUD would not be using funds to promote AFFH this year or next. But as long as the regulation remains on the books, it might spring back into play after 2020.

Heres what really needs to happen: Ben Carson needs to rescind AFFH. He has been reluctant to do so. Now that Congress has defunded the program, maybe he will take his cue and kill this federal hijacking of local governments.

Robert Romano of Americans for Limited Government argues that the AFFH defund facilitates this move. He explains:

Without Congress acting, simply rescinding this regulation would have been far riskier for Carson and Trump. In 1983, the Supreme Court decided [in] Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association v. State Farm Mutual that [when] rescinding any regulation issued, an agency is obligated to supply a reasoned analysis for the change beyond that which may be required when an agency does not act in the first instance. The outcome was that it is much more difficult to rescind an existing regulation than it is to either modify it or never have issued it in the first place, leaving every single regulatory rescission subject to judicial review. Ultimately, the rescinding agency has to argue not only that rescinding the regulation in question is rational based on the statutory scheme, but prove that enacting it was irrational to begin with. Carson and Trump will now have no problems on that count if they choose to rescind or roll back most of the HUD zoning regulation. The regulation, which absolutely affects zoning, no longer rationally rests within the statutory scheme. Its now illegal to spend money on implementing it as it was written.

However:

Realistically, that will remain true [only] so long as Congress keeps carrying forward the defund language in every single omnibus spending bill going forward. Republicans will have to fight to defund this provision every year so long as the regulation remains in place. Should Democrats win the midterm elections in November, they might seek to strip this language out of next years HUD appropriations bill. To avert this possibility, Carson must begin the regulatory rescission process immediately. There is not a moment to lose. . . . Congress has done its job. Now it is up to the Trump administration with Carson in the lead to rescind this regulation with the window of opportunity Congress has given, so that no administration ever again attempts to take over local governments across the country.

(Emphasis added)
Been a while since we checked in with the world of energy. So hows that whole energiewende (energy revolution) going over in Deutschland? Yupits still phony. From Politico:

Germanys green energy shift is more fizzle than sizzle By Germanys enormously expensive Energiewende green energy transformation is sputtering. The numbers tell the story. Despite spending about 150 billion and years of political effort to scrap nuclear and fossil fuels and switch to renewables like wind and solar, Germany is expected to fall short on pretty much all its national and EU emission reduction and clean energy targets for 2020. High power prices, continued coal dependency and a poor CO2 emissions record mean Germany is falling behind other countries in shifting away from fossil fuels, according to McKinseys new global Energy Transition Index. In Europe, 11 countries including Sweden, Austria, Denmark, the U.K. and France do better in cutting coal dependency and greening their energy systems. Renewable power last year surged to 36 percent of the countrys electricity use, according to the Agora Energiewende think tank. But while renewables grew in the power sector, they didnt make major strides in transport or heating, so they account for just over 13 percent of energy use. Germany as a pioneering country is on the brink of failure, Patrick Graichen, the head of Agora Energiewende, said in a January assessment. The European Commissions latest country assessment, published earlier this month, found that Germany is at considerable risk of missing its national energy efficiency target of 20 percent by 2020. . . Germany, as far as energy policy is concerned, is the biggest fraud globally, said an EU official. The public image of German energy policy is very green, but if you check the data, its a different story.

Theres more epic fail in the complete story. I especially like this line: Germany missed bringing electric cars on to roads, said Claudia Kemfert, who runs the energy and transport section at the German Institute of Economic Research. Umjust where does Ms. Kemfert think the electric car batteries get their electrons from?

Meanwhile, oil prices have been slowly edging up in world markets, to around $70 a barrel or so. Is this the result of OPEC holding to its production discipline? Partly perhaps, but the real reason oil prices are edging up is . . . socialism! In particular, Venezuelan socialism. Check out this chart of Venezuelan oil production from the Daily Shot folks:

Reminds me of the old Cold War era joke about what happens if the Soviet Union took over Saudi Arabia? Pretty soon thered be a shortage of sand. Or Ronald Reagans joke about the two Russians talking: Is this full Communism at last? Oh nothings are going to have to get a lot worse! Behold Venezuelan socialism: an oil rich country that cant extract its most valuable resource; a tropical country where they cant produce enough food to feed its people. Now I hear the Venezuelan government wants to launch its own cryptocurrency. Kleptocurrency would be more accurate.

Meanwhile, guess what else is showing staying power in energy: Coal! Even in the United States!

And everyone said Trump was crazy to talk about a coal comeback.
Court Rejects Romanian's Legal Claim of Being Alive

A man returned to his native country to find that the authorities no longer believed in his existence upon this mortal plane. Constantin Reliu, 63, returned to Romania after a 20-year-stay in Turkey to find that the Romanian government, at his wife's urging, had previously declared him deceased.

Unable to corroborate any details with his wife, the Associated Press conducted ...
By the time this article is published, Egypts presidential elections will be over. The headlines in the newspapers about the importance of voting will have stopped.

Religious leaders who had been preaching about the necessity of going to the polls will have started preaching about other matters.

The guides to the elections and the instructions on how to find designated polling locations that have been broadcast on TV will be over.

So, too, will the arguments between those who believe that casting a vote is a responsibility no matter what and those who are opposed to doing so no matter what.

What will be interesting to watch in the aftermath of the 2018 presidential elections is what the Western and some of the regional media have to say.

Gone will be the headlines that question or even ridicule the whole process. New ones will have started appearing on the expected results and hopes for democracy in Egypt.

However, in Egypt itself during and after the 2018 elections different concerns have been at the front of peoples minds.

The Egyptian people, whether they turned up at the polling stations or not, live in a different world to that of the media.

It is so different that neither the local media, private or semi-official, nor that of the region or beyond, are able to reflect upon it genuinely and professionally.

The presidential election campaign was far from being perfect.

This was true as much of the seemingly sudden arrival of the elections, which seemed to take even those responsible by surprise, as of the recovery of the political parties and the sometimes extraordinary electoral campaigning.

But who said life was ever perfect? Perfection is an ongoing process. It is our duty to try things out and to involve ourselves fully in various actions in order to improve the situation, hoping for minimal errors and blunders.

One major blunder lies in the political scene at large. It is obvious that millions of people became politicised, or at least developed a new interest in politics, in the aftermath of the 25 January Revolution.

This was an extremely positive sign. However, what was not so positive was to confine this interest to virtual platforms where minorities can easily turn into majorities, opinions gain the status of facts, and fake news become credible news.

If I were president of Egypt, I would of course listen to what the various political parties had to say regarding the problems the country faces.

I would help to facilitate their coming back to life, and I would send out a message of hope to the millions of young men and women who may feel deprived or excluded, assuring them of the existence of a genuine and competitive political scene.

The political scene after the 2018 elections will need a lot of work and goodwill to make it work. If I were president, I would thank all those who had supported me, and I would of course stand up for my actions and decisions.

On the other hand, I would also encourage those who had opposed me and adhered to different points of view, asking them to express themselves and present alternative plans for the years ahead.

Ahead of giving the political parties and the whole political scene the kiss of life, one wonders if our media needs a similar kiss.

Kisses come in all shapes and sizes, but the media needs an autogenic kiss.

It needs to rethink and re-judge its role among the Egyptian people. Is the media playing its role as a watchdog, safeguarding the public interest against corruption and malpractice? Is it an arm of democracy, fairness, and human rights? Is it balancing its own interests with the interests of people at large?

Is it giving in to interference from outside and attempts at dominance? Or is it doing its best to strike a realistic balance? In terms of its role in shaping public opinion, is it doing this smartly and shrewdly or recklessly and superficially? Is it presenting professional and realistic coverage that offers alternative explanations and analyses to those offered in Western media outlets?

A few weeks ago, the US magazine Foreign Policy published an article entitled Egypts Undemocratic Elections that claimed that the March vote will in no way confirm President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis popularity among the Egyptian people.

This election campaign is merely an extension of the internal power struggle among the military and the regimes security services, and it has nothing to do with democratic mechanisms worthy of the name.

A few days later, the US news agency Bloomberg published an article entitled In Egypts Presidential Elections, the Real Drama is on the Sidelines.

The writer described the arrest of ex-Muslim Brotherhood figure Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh, saying that Abul-Fotouh joins a growing list of people detained in the run-up to the March race. Al-Sisi, who was elected in 2014, is seeking a second term and has made it clear that he wont tolerate dissent that he and his officials say could derail the gains the country has made over the past four years.

His re-election, in what critics say is a hostile campaign climate, seems all but assured.

Dozens of articles in the western media have adopted the same tone. A recent article in the mass-circulation US newspaper USA Today said that ahead of Al-Sisis election, youths feel that Egypt has lost its way and talked to angry people dreaming of a new revolution.

The article concluded by quoting one of its interviewees as saying that I will not participate in the elections. And dont be surprised if after a while people take to the streets in sudden protests.

Protesting against such misrepresentations of the truth in the foreign media should not be done by boycotting these media outlets, or by expelling foreign journalists, or by questioning Egyptian correspondents working for these outlets.

The latter should not be accused of conspiring against Egypt, unless this can be proven.

The way to a better Egypt runs through a healthy political scene, a professional, balanced and informative media, and above all through people who believe in themselves, have hope for a better tomorrow based on a fair and promising today, trust in their leadership, and have the ability to make up their minds based on reliable information and transparency.

By the time this article is published, the Egyptian people will have made their choice.

Those who chose to cast their votes will have done so. And those who chose to stay at home will have done so too.

The local media will probably run stories about how well the process went, and the western media will probably run stories about how the farce proceeded.

The regional media antagonistic to Egypt will continue to mix hate with journalism and judge the electoral process according to its well-known agendas, despite the fact that much of this media comes from countries that have never experienced democratic elections.

What we need to do is to look forward while learning from our past and to look at ourselves in the mirror without adhering to easy justifications ranging from bad luck to a difficult past, a horrible present or a bleak future.

The writer is a journalist at Al-Hayat newspaper.

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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At times, the Libyan conflict may seem to be the result of a political blockage between diverse actors or a military contention between warring parties.

However, in fact it is an extreme case of an institutional vacuum within the state structure.

Egypts concern with the situation in Libya originates primarily from its national security interests. Libya has great significance to Egyptian national security at a time when the government is developing a new and comprehensive national security strategy.

Undoubtedly, the lack of institutional structures within the Libyan state is one of Egypts most crucial concerns, specifically from a military perspective.

To Egypt, Libya is both a neighbouring country and a current source of security threats because it is a potential hub for radicalisation and terrorism due to its ongoing political conflict and weak state structure.

As a result, it is perfectly understandable for Egypt to be sincerely concerned with building security institutions in Libya. Institutional capacity-building in Libya is a task that Egypt might have liked to have avoided, since both the Libyan national army and the Egyptian armed forces are providing a sufficient level of border security within the context of a conflict-dominated scene.

However, such capacity-building is necessary as are the efforts that Egypt is making in the negotiations to unify the Libyan national army because of Egypts long-term interests in Libya.

The political divisions Libya has suffered from since 2014 have had negative implications from a military perspective.

Libya suffers from multiple sources of sovereignty, both politically and militarily, which in turn harm long-term Egyptian interests in the country. The core of the pre-Revolution Libyan armed forces is split between military formations in the east and west of the country.

While there is a high degree of institutionalisation in the east, clearly exhibited through the various military academies and attempts to create an institutional structure within the ranks of the national army, the west has been experiencing a completely different process of military re-shaping.

Since the political division in 2014, the west of the country has not seen an institutionally organised military entity.

The main military force in the west has been the militia alliance called Fajr Libya or the Libya Dawn.

Because of the shifting political alliances within the context of the conflict in the west, the Libya Dawn militia alliance has suffered from repeated and even systematic fragmentation.

One entity that has been left behind is the force known as Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous, a former militia alliance that is currently recognised by the Libyan Presidential Council as a legitimate state force and the main military entity that helped to drive the Islamic State (IS) group out of the Libyan city of Sirte with the aid of American airstrikes.

At such a crucial conjuncture within the course of the conflict, when a political settlement is under negotiation and military alliances are being re-shaped, there are multiple possible gains for Egyptian interests behind Egypts attempts to re-unify the Libyan military elite into a single, legitimate and institutional entity.

On the one hand, Egypt seeks the development of state institutions in Libya that Egyptian state institutions can communicate with.

On the other hand, Egypt realises that re-building Libyan state institutions, primarily security ones, is a process that requires Libyan-Libyan dialogue and a process of capacity-building for institutionalising Libyan military entities that enjoy international legitimacy.

Egypts vision in this regard has been built on arriving at a Libyan consensus on re-unifying the Libyan national army.

An important aspect within this has been establishing proper criteria for those who may be allowed back into national army corps.

Negotiations have been on-going on allowing officers who received military training during the period of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi back into the armed forces. The goal is to re-instate former personnel who have military experience.

While this intersects with initiatives for national reconciliation in Libya, it also has significant implications for the ongoing conflict in the country.

Re-unifying the Libyan National Army will cause non-legitimate military entities in the west of the country to lose some experienced figures.

At the same time, a military entity composed of staff who have had professional training is very different from one composed of unskilled militia men.

Re-unifying the Libyan National Army will thus establish a security institution having clear policies and not temporary and shifting interests.

At the same time, a legitimate military entity in the east of the country should change the balance of military power within the conflict.

Since the political divisions began in Libya in 2014, Egypt has managed to develop a set of institutional interests in Libya, with re-unifying the Libyan armed forces coming at the top of this list.

During President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis second term in office, these institutional interests are expected to materialise into Egyptian efforts to implement a political settlement in Libya that should lead to a fair and mutually acceptable resolution of the Libyan conflict.

The writer is a senior researcher at the Egyptian Studies Unit of Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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HYDERABAD, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Having positively impacted the lives of over 50,000 farmers across in 14 remote districts across 7 States of India , MITRA is seeking support to multiply the effect through its online crowdfunding channel http://www.bemitra.org

MITRA, an initiative by Dr. Reddy's Foundation, aims to improve the lives of 10 million farmers through the funds generated

100% proceeds pledged towar ds training marginal farmers of India to help them decrease input costs and achieve better yields and economic returns

MITRA is spreading awareness across social channels through its campaign #HumSabHai that resonates with their belief that a billion strong voices today can spark a better tomorrow

The small and marginal farmers of India are facing multitude of issues and it is not just the unpredicted monsoon behaviour. Below figures suggest how the state of agri-farmers is in bad shape.

Avg yield of major crops is less than world's average (Paddy - 25%, Maize - 66%, cotton - 37%, oil seeds - 55%)

India uses 2-4 times more water for major crops as compared to major countries like China , USA and Brazil

It is nothing less than a challenge for Indian farmers to adapt and respond to advances in technology while competing against intangible factors such as lack of exposure, resources and penetration of agro-development policies.

This help can best be delivered by someone within the farmers' peer group who understands the challenges first-hand. MITRA by Dr. Reddy's Foundation is trying to do just that by identifying and training lead farmers on best agricultural practices and allowing them to disseminate the same to fellow farmers.

MITRA is trying to bring in a positive difference by helping farmers access and adopt improved practices which can help them reduce the cost of cultivation and improve the productivity.

"Unfortunately many small marginal farmers, in their anxiety to quickly produce whatever little they can to repay their debts, tend to get myopic and do not even want to seek new information. As a result, they struggle with old methodologies and tools when they can actually reap almost double with half the effort and investment. This is where MITRA steps in. Our lead farmers take the initiative to teach others and the response has been amazing," says Suman Saraswathibatla, Program Manager, MITRA.

MITRA is spreading awareness across social channels through its campaign #HumSabHai that resonates with their belief that a billion strong voices today can spark a better tomorrow.

In order to nudge all small and marginal farmers to keep pace with the development, MITRA banks on peer teaching and has trained a core group of Lead Farmers in each of the 14 villages and encourages them to mentor others. The process has triggered a change and several farmers have reported better crop yields and reduced cultivation costs.

"With MITRA's support, I attended a KVK training in rice cultivation, after which I cultivated rice under their supervision and achieved a 192 kgs extra yield with lesser effort," exclaims Nageshwar Singh, a resident of Khapura village whose only source of livelihood is his three-acre farm.

MITRA is training farmers on

Irrigation and Water Management

Technology Dissemination

Input Services and Supplies

Financial and Digital Literacy

The differentiator of the program is that over 70% of such lead farmers are active on their own and serving the fellow farmers voluntarily.

MITRA seeks to multiply this effect and improve the lives of 10 million such marginal farmers in India with support received through its crowdfunding channel http://www.bemitra.org.

About MITRA:

MITRA is an agriculture initiative launched by Dr. Reddy's Foundation. It is an innovative program based the foundation's experience in the agriculture sector for the last eight years. The project focuses on addressing the gaps in the last-mile delivery channel for farmers in addition to enhancing linkages for improved extension services.

About Dr.Reddy's Foundation:

Dr Reddys Foundation (DRF) is a not-for-profit organization set up in 1996 to enable socially and economically vulnerable groups to take control of their lives. We develop and test innovative solutions to address complex social problems and promote scaling up of impact by leveraging partnerships. We work with Children, Youth (including Persons with Disabilities) Women and Households across 20 States in India.

For more information visit: https://drreddysfoundation.org

Media Contact:

Aboli Akbari

[email protected]

+91-9849692866

Head - Partnerships

Dr. Reddy's Foundation



SOURCE Dr. Reddy's Foundation
Improves Core Competitiveness and Achieves a Remarkable Profit

HONG KONG, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Air China Limited ("Air China" or "the Company," together with its subsidiaries, collectively "the Group") (HKEX: 00753; LSE: AIRC; SSE: 601111: ADR OTC: AIRYY), today announced its full year results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2017 ("the Period").

Business Highlights

Turnover rose 7.71% year-on-year to RMB124.026 billion

Operating expenses increased 15.02% year-on-year to RMB112.270 billion

Profit before tax increased 12.47% year-on-year to RMB11.486 billion

Net profit increased 11.38% year-on-year to RMB8.631 billion

In 2017, China passenger aviation market continued to show strength in demand and supply while outbound travel demand continued to rise, international traffic grew steadily, and cargo business showed signs of recovery. Efficiency increased steadily against a background of aggressive capacity deployment. The Group has capitalized on market opportunities by prudently expanding its business scale, optimizing efficiency, stabilizing income level and strengthening cost management to reinforce its competitive advantage in the core business. In spite of unfavorable factors such as higher jet fuel prices, the Group has delivered solid results for the Period.

Financial Highlights

The Group recorded a turnover of RMB 124.026 billion in 2017, an increase of 7.71% from the same period last year. Air transport revenue was up 7.53% year-on year to RMB 115.380 billion. Air passenger revenue was up 6.19% while air cargo revenue was up by 23.48%. And other operating income was RMB 8.646 billion, representing an increase of 10.19% year-on-year.

Operating expenses increased by 15.02% to RMB 112.270 billion. Jet fuel cost recorded a year-on-year increase of RMB6.427 billion, up by 29.24% from the same period last year. During the period, the Group recorded an exchange gain of RMB2.938 billion.

In 2017, profit before tax was RMB11.486 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 12.47%. Net profit was RMB8.641 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 11.38%. The net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies was RMB7.244 billion, up 6.39% year-on-year.

Based on the 2017 profit distribution plan of the Company, the Board recommends the appropriation of 10% of the profit after tax as statutory surplus reserve and 10% as discretionary surplus reserve and the payment of a cash dividend of RMB1.1497 (including tax) for every ten shares for the year 2017. The relevant cash dividend plan will be submitted to the Company's 2017 Annual General Meeting for consideration.

Business Review

During the Period, the Company's capacity measured by Available Tonne Kilometers (ATK) was 35.673 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.61%. Traffic measured by Revenue Tonne Kilometers (RTK) was 25.385 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.12%.

Passengers

During the Period, the Group carried a total of 102 million passengers, a year-on-year increase of 5.15%. Passenger capacity, measured by Available Seat Kilometers (ASK), increased by 6.26% to 247.815 billion. Capacity for domestic and international routes rose by 5.88% and 7.80% respectively, while capacity for regional routes fell by 1.99%. Overall passenger traffic, measured by Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) increased by 6.87% to 210.078 billion. Traffic on domestic, international and regional routes increased by 6.16%, 8.55% and 2.79% year-on-year respectively. Passenger load factor rose by 0.46 percentage points to 81.14%. In 2017, the Group introduced 56 aircraft, and phased out 11 aircraft. The total fleet size was 655 aircraft, with an average age of 6.53 years.

Continue to expand route network and enhance airport hub construction

In view of the national development strategies including the Belt and Road Initiative and the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, 49 domestic routes such as Beijing-Maotai and 12 international and regional routes such as Beijing-Astana were newly launched in 2017. The Group has also made efforts to accelerate the consolidation of layout of the global route network covering six continents, which is connected by the nodes of Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The flight bank structure has been under continuous optimization and the number of O&D connected reached 5,918; the transfer capacity and quality continuously increased. The interlining service revenue reached RMB5.51 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 15.3%. Luggage checking through service is now provided to all flights from Europe, North America and Australia transferring to domestic routes via Beijing and the competitiveness of its hubs were strengthened. As of December 31, 2017,the Company's operating air passenger routes reached 420, in which 303 are mainland routes, 101 international routes, 16 regional routes, 40 navigable countries (regions) and 185 navigable cities, among which 116 are mainland cities, 66 international cities and 3 regional cities.

Steadily improve marketing capability and accelerate business model transformation

As of the end of 2017, the Group has steadily improved its marketing capability and accelerated its business model transformation. As at the end of the reporting period, the number of frequent flyer members exceeded 50 million, contributing 43.7% of the Group's total revenue, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.8%. Due to the continuous efforts devoted to improving mobile application platform, a turnover of RMB5.02 billion was recorded, representing a year-on-year increase of 39.4%. In-depth studies conducted by the Group on passenger demands has allowed Air China to increase its revenue contributed by first class and business class service to RMB13.11 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 12.7%. The revenue generated from ancillary services such as paid seat selection, prepaid luggage and boarding gate upgrade recorded a year-on-year increase of 32%.

Promote high-quality brand strategy and improve service quality.

Focusing on the concept of "Internet plus convenient transportation", the Group promoted products as self-service check-in, self-service ticket endorsement, self-print itinerary and self-service luggage check-in on all routes and established the whole-process convenient travel service mode. The Group continuously improved service hardware as infrastructure and service software such as operating codes to improve service quality. Air China has also made efforts to promote the application of big data and the construction of "mobile cabin" to realize the timely transmission of operation related information and connect the whole service information chain. As the exclusive official partner of air passenger transport for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing China, the Group took such opportunity to promote its brand in a more innovative way and to build its brand image characterized by "the leader of civil aviation industry in China" and "international network coverage".

Enhance cost control and maintain cost advantage

The Group devoted great energy to streamline and strengthen management, and to improve the quality and efficiency of services. Air China focused on the optimization of the operation of wide-body aircraft to improve cost management system, strengthen cost process management and improve performance. The Group actively carried out the policy of "Lower Leverage, Reduce Liability and Control Risk". As a result, as at 31 December 2017, the gearing ratio of the Group decreased by 6.15 percentage points to 59.75% compared with last year, which is at a relatively low level in the industry. The Group promoted special projects such as "increase direct sales and reduce distribution costs", "reduce trade receivables and inventories" and "streamline management structure". Since 2014, the percentage of the Group's passenger transport direct sales has increased from 26% to 50.9%, and the percentage of agency commission expense of the marketing revenue has decreased from 4.2% to 1.5%. Therefore, the cost competitiveness of Air China was continuously improved.

Cargo Business

In 2017, Air China Cargo has achieved positive operating results through exploring new business model, optimizing the arrangement of its routes and the structure of cargo sources, as well as focusing on the development and sale of high value-added services such as cold-chain logistics.

During the Period, the Available Freight Tonne Kilometers (AFTK) of Air China Cargo increased 4.57% year-on-year to 13.319 billion, while the Revenue Freight Tonne Kilometers (RFTK) increased by 7.97% year-on-year to 7.553 billion. The cargo and mail load factor increased by 1.78 percentage points to 56.70%.

Outlook

2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the Reform and Opening of China, and also the first year to implement the guiding principles of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The Group will fully implement the guiding principles of the 19th National Congress. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhering to the development principles of "Innovation, Coordination, Green, Openness and Sharing", Air China will focus on the reform on quality, efficiency and growth driver, carry out work in a down-to-earth manner, prevent and mitigate risks and strengthen Party building, and will take a solid step towards to strategic goal of building a world-class aviation group by achieving further spectacular performance in safety, results, service and reform.

About Air China

Air China Limited (Air China) is the national flag carrier of China and a leading provider of passenger, air cargo and airline-related services and products in China. Its operational headquarters is in Beijing, a major domestic and international hub in China. It also provides airline-related services, including aircraft maintenance, ground handling services in Beijing, Chengdu, and other locations. As of 31 December, 2017, the Group operated a fleet of 655 aircraft with an average age of 6.53 years, while the Company operated a fleet of 396 aircraft with an average age of 6.57 years. Passenger traffic routes have reached 420, including 101 international, 16 regional and 303 domestic routes. The Company's network covered 40 countries and regions globally and 185 cities, including 66 international, 3 regional and 116 domestic cities. Air China was listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange on 15 December, 2004 under codes 00753 and AIRC respectively. On August 18, 2006, Air China was listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange under code 601111. For further details, please visit Air China's website: www.airchina.com.cn.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains projections and forward-looking statements that reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These views are based on current assumptions which are subject to various risks and which may change over time. No assurance can be given that future events will occur that projections will be achieved, or that the company's assumptions are correct. Actual results may differ materially from those projected.

Investor Relations and Media Enquiry:

Air China Joyce Zhang Investor Relations

Air China Limited

Tel: (8610) 6146-2560 Email: [email protected] Cao Yu

Investor Relations

Air China Limited

Tel: (8610) 6146-2788

Email: [email protected]

Investor Relations Serana Liu

Wonderful Sky Financial Group

Tel: (852) 3970 2198

Email: [email protected] Wendy Lu

Wonderful Sky Financial Group

Tel: (852) 3641 1325

Email: [email protected]

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Related Links

HTTP://www.airchina.com/



SOURCE Air China
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new market research report on the "Alarm Monitoring Market by Offering (Systems Hardware, Services), Input Signal (Discrete, Protocol), Communication Technology (Wired, Cellular, IP), Application (Building, Equipment, Vehicle Alarm Monitoring), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, this market is expected to be valued at USD 45.70 Billion in 2018 and is likely to reach USD 59.83 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR 5.5% between 2018 and 2023. The major factors driving the growth of the alarm monitoring market include attractive insurance policy discounts for installing security systems and increasing popularity of smart homes and home automation systems.

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Browse 64 market data Tables and 47 Figures spread through 132 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Alarm Monitoring Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alarm-monitoring-market-110120052.html

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Wired telecommunication network held the largest share of the alarm monitoring market in 2017

Wired telecommunication network or PSTN is the most commonly used communication technology in the existing alarm monitoring systems; its reliability is a major reason of its dominating presence. PSTN, being a legacy system, is widely used in major regions. Most old alarm monitoring systems make use of PSTN, and are not likely to switch to newer technologies due to the high cost and complexity involved.

Residential buildings to hold a larger share of the market for building alarm monitoring throughout the forecast period

Residential buildings are expected to hold a larger share of the alarm monitoring market for building alarm monitoring throughout the forecast period as the demand for home security systems is increasing due to the rise in crime rates. Monitoring of residential buildings is growing at a high rate owing to the rising penetration of security systems in the residential sector. Increasing income, rising demand for security, and discounts on home insurance policies are some of the major factors boosting the adoption of alarm monitoring systems in the residential sector.

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North America to hold the largest share of the alarm monitoring market during the forecast period

North America is in the forefront in the evolution and development of alarm monitoring technology as this region is home to some of the largest multinational corporations in the world. Most leading players operating in the global alarm monitoring market are based in this region. Increased R&D in the field of remote monitoring, home automation systems, and Internet of Things, in terms of new and improved technologies, is a major factor driving market growth in North America. The emerging R&D activities at the academic and industry levels are broadening the application areas of alarm monitoring to include equipment monitoring, building alarm monitoring, environment monitoring, and medical equipment monitoring in North America.

The report also profiles the most promising players in the alarm monitoring market. The competitive landscape provides a picture of the strategies adopted by a large number of the players in the market. The key players in the alarm monitoring market include ADT (US), Moni (US), Honeywell (US), Securitas (Sweden), UTC (US), Schneider (France), Johnson Controls (US), Vivint (US), Vector Security (US), and Bosch (Germany).

Know more about the Alarm Monitoring Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alarm-monitoring-market-110120052.html



About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

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Email: [email protected]



Visit Our [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new market research report "Battery Energy Storage System Market by Element (Battery, Hardware), Battery Type (Lithium-Ion, Advanced Lead Acid, Flow Batteries, Sodium Sulfur), Connection Type (On-Grid And Off-Grid), Ownership, Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from USD 1.98 Billion in 2018 to reach USD 8.54 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 33.9% between 2018 and 2023. Factors that are driving the growth of the market include the increasing demand for grid-connected solutions, high demand for the lithium-ion technology in the renewable energy industry, and declining prices of lithium-ion batteries.

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Browse 83 market data Tables and 79 Figures spread through 195 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Battery Energy Storage System Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/battery-energy-storage-system-market-112809494.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report



Lithium-ion batteries to hold largest size of the battery energy storage system market throughout the forecast period

The lithium-ion batteries have a long lifespan of 5-15 years, and up to 98% efficiency (i.e., only 2% of electrical charge is lost during use). The lithium-ion batteries have very high energy and power densities, which leads to lower weight with low standby losses, and high life expectancy. Lithium-ion batteries continue to hold a large size of the battery energy storage system market owing to its features such as high energy density, self-discharge capability, low maintenance requirement, less weight, and high life expectancy.

Utility-owned battery energy storage system held a major share of the market in 2017

The utility-owned ownership type held the major share of the battery energy storage system market in 2017. The ability of the utility-owned battery energy storage systems to manage large energy requirements during peak hours is supporting the adoption of these systems. According to the Energy Storage Association, US, the utility-based battery storage installed capacity grew by 221 MW in 2016. This shows the high dependence of the customers on the utility-owned battery storage systems for their energy requirements.

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Utilities to hold largest size of the battery energy storage system market during the forecast period

Battery energy storage system is well suited for smoothing the variable output of renewables and controlling the rapid ramping up and down of solar as well as wind generation. The grid operators and regulators are aware of the importance of battery energy storage systems and their ability to cater through multiple services. The utility operators are using these systems in their resource planning processes, which reduces the system costs and increases storage capacity.

Battery energy storage system market in APAC to grow at the highest CAGR between 2018 and 2023

APAC comprises China, Japan, India, South Korea, and the Rest of APAC (RoAPAC). APAC is gradually becoming a hub for the battery energy storage system industry. The demand for battery energy storage systems from China, India, and Japan is gradually increasing. The electricity demand in China is on rise due to the rapid population growth in the country. To fulfill the increasing demand from this population, the state-owned State Grid Corporation of China, the world's largest utility, has deployed battery energy storage systems to provide ancillary services throughout its grid.

The major players operating in the battery energy storage system market are ABB (Switzerland), LG Chem (South Korea), NEC (Japan), Panasonic (Japan), Samsung SDI (South Korea), AEG Power Solutions (Netherlands), General Electric (US), Hitachi (Japan), Siemens (Germany), and Tesla (US).

Know more about the Battery Energy Storage System Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/battery-energy-storage-system-market-112809494.html



About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Salgarkar

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Visit Our [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled from Libya since the civil war broke out in 2011, threatening the safety and livelihoods of Libyans and foreigners alike.

Egypt has been particularly affected by the instability in Libya, as millions of Egyptians used to work in the country and have consequently had to flee the war to Egypt or other neighbouring countries.

Because of the geographical proximity of Libya, it has traditionally been easy for Egyptians to cross the border to seek jobs in the country even without prior permits or contracts.

Illegal migrants have long constituted a significant part of the Egyptian labour force in Libya, and this makes identifying the specific numbers, trends, and characteristics of the Egyptian labour force there a difficult task.

However, in 2010 the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimated that right before the Libyan Revolution and civil war between one and 1.5 million Egyptians were working in Libya, most of them illegally.

Egyptians also constituted the majority of foreign workers in Libya, estimated at a total of some 2.5 million.

When the war broke out, some 770,000 foreign workers fled the violence during its early stages. In the first two months of the war, 148,000 Egyptians returned from Libya either directly or through Tunisia, and the outflow continued in the following years as the conflict intensified.

By the middle of 2017, the number of foreign workers in Libya had shrunk to a mere 400,000, of whom nearly 70,000 were Egyptians.

However, since then the number of foreign workers has gone up again, and by early 2018 there were some 704,000 foreign workers in Libya, some 121,000 of whom were Egyptians.

As the country having the largest number of workers in Libya before 2011, Egypt has suffered from heavy economic losses as a result of the return of its workers during the civil war.

It is estimated that 99 per cent of Egyptian workers in Libya before the war were men of between 20 and 30 years of age. 93.7 per cent of these sent remittances home, and 77.8 per cent were the sole breadwinners of their respective families.

Some 85 per cent of the Egyptian workers in Libya were from rural areas, 28 per cent were illiterate, 33 per cent had received primary or preparatory education, 15 per cent had received vocational secondary education, and four per cent general secondary education.

Nine per cent of them had attended a post-secondary institute, and 11 per cent had a university degree or higher qualification.

Thus, some 80 per cent of the Egyptian workers in Libya had received an intermediate education (general or vocational secondary degree) or no education at all, according to an IOM survey.

Central Authority for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) data indicating the latest poverty rates in Egypt by level of education and geographical distribution show that poverty decreases with education and that a large proportion of the population in Egypts rural areas lives in poverty compared to the population in urban ones.

From this poverty and unemployment data, it can be concluded that the Libyan market has been absorbing many people from the unemployed and poorer sections of the labour force in Egypt, predominantly unskilled workers, providing them with job opportunities and an income to send to their families back home.

The war in Libya thus cost at least one million of the most vulnerable Egyptians their jobs and cost their families an indispensable source of income.

Even if Egypts efforts to bring about stability and security in Libya were not necessary for humanitarian, national security and political purposes, they would be more than justified by the necessity of helping Egypts poor, giving them back the employment opportunities that were so cruelly cut short by the Libyan civil war.

The World Bank estimates that it could cost as much as $200 billion to restore Libyas infrastructure, a process that might extend over the next 10 years provided that the armed conflict halts and a political settlement is reached in the country.

This reconstruction could provide hundreds of thousands of job opportunities for Libyans and foreigners alike and could absorb far more Egyptian workers than the countrys labour market did even before the present crisis, especially as construction was already the main sector of employment for Egyptians in Libya with 37 per cent of all Egyptian labour in the country working in the sector.

Reconstruction would also create opportunities for other groups in Egypt besides the unskilled labour that constitutes the majority of the countrys workers in Libya.

Reconstruction contracts could provide business opportunities for Egyptian companies in various sectors and could expand the market for Egyptian goods and services during the decade of reconstruction.

It could also create opportunities for highly skilled labour during the process, in order to build and improve Libyan human capital and assist the country in recovering from the damage of the war and decades of inefficient government.

Economic coordination between Egypt and Libya could bring about many mutual benefits over the next few years. Libya would have a flexible, affordable, and diversified labour supply just across its border, in addition to a commodity market and business community that could satisfy a large part of the Libyan economys needs during the reconstruction process.

On the other side, Egypt would benefit from having a much-needed market for its goods, services and labour, which might also help to ease the pressure of the current economic reform programme.

The writer is a researcher in economics at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

Short link:


MUMBAI, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

EuroKids International, India's leading pre-school network was awarded as the 'Best Education Brand of 2018: Pre-School & Nursery Category, at the 2nd edition of the ET Best Education Brands Award ceremony held on Saturday March 24th 2018, by The Economic Times at The Taj Vivanta, Mumbai. Honorable Minister of Education, State of Maharashtra, Mr. Vinod Tawade, who was the guest of honour at the event, presented the award to Mr. Prajodh Rajan, Co-founder & Group CEO, EuroKids International.

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Receiving the award, Mr. Prajodh Rajan, said, "We are delighted to receive the award, which recognises our initiatives towards providing the highest quality of pre-school education. All our efforts are directed keeping in mind our 'Child First' ideology which is at the core of our pedagogy, ensuring that a child's development, safety and engagement needs are met in a home-like environment, as we make learning fun for young children at our pre-schools."

He further added, "The learnings at our pre-schools have been refined periodically, to keep the pre-school curriculum contemporary and balanced. In a digital age, we ensure our curriculum gives the best of both worlds to the child, by striking a balance between tech-enabled learnings and conventional educator driven pre-school engagements."

The event also featured a panel discussion where Mr. Prajodh Rajan shared his views on the changing trends in the education industry, usage of technology in the domain, and game-changers to look towards. He also spoke of the positive impact of new-age learning curriculum, unconventional course content, and helping educators be prepared for the dynamics of a rapidly changing environment.

The award is one more addition to the recognition that EuroKids has received from the industry, testament to the years of expertise put in by its team towards shaping young children for the journey ahead.

About EuroKids International

EuroKids International is one of the leading education service providers in the country. Launched in 2001, EuroKids pre-schools have over 16 years of expertise, with 1000+ pre-schools across 3 countries, 350 cities, having nurtured over 300,000 children.

The success of the pre-school network inspired the group to commence EuroSchool, a network of K-12 institutions. The schools, modelled on the philosophy of self-discovery, showcase a 'Balanced Schooling' proposition which ensures the holistic growth of students. EuroSchool has a presence of 10 K-12 schools spread across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Surat.

The recent initiative of the group comprises of EuroKids Daycare which are daycare facilities at the corporate workplace and franchisee centers. Additionally, the group has a business vertical, EuroVarsity, an online diploma program in Early Childhood Care & Education for women aiming to become teachers professionally.

With over 20 awards in the education segment and awarded as one of the Best Education Brands 2018, Early Child Playschool Chain 2017, Innovation in Early Learning 2016 and Indian Power Brand 2016, EuroKids is setting new benchmarks by Reinventing Education in the country.

SOURCE EuroKids International Pvt Ltd
BANGKOK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Transformation in the wake of convergence and unprecedented disruptions continue to have a significant impact on businesses in Thailand.

Continuing the journey to visionary innovation, Rhenu Bhuller, Partner, Frost & Sullivan presented a thought provoking keynote session on Leading and Winning in an Era of Unprecedented Change.

"Against a rapidly evolving global landscape, enterprises today are facing an era of unprecedented change marked by challenges and opportunities, necessitating a fundamental shift across processes, functions, customer engagement and many other aspects of business. To capitalize on the next wave of growth opportunities, organizations today will need to leverage technology as a key differentiator whilst offering value in delivery of outcomes. Most importantly, Business Model Innovation will remain critical for the long term success of businesses today," noted Bhuller.

Simultaneously, the upcoming development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a pilot project for the economic development of Thailand's Eastern Seaboard is expected to have wide-ranging implications for Thailand, especially on the economic front. Richard Wong, Vice President, Public Sector, Frost & Sullivan moderated a panel discussion on how the EEC project is likely to impact the public and private sector moving forward.

With Fintech's rapid rise in popularity and its status as a key disruptor, Frost & Sullivan also examined lessons from Fintech that could benefit other industries.

Other highlights from the Congress included a session on the evolution of the Digital Customer Experience as well as the Technologies accelerating Innovation, a factor essential in driving non-linear growth.

Frost & Sullivan's key analysts also shared their latest research findings in the GIL Bytes Presentation, a rapid-fire session. Topics presented include:

Digital Retailing in Automotive Industry Energy Transformation and its impact on Thailand Account-based Marketing (ABM): Is it the next BIG thing? The Internet of Medical Things IoT as a Strategic Tool to Build Your Business Model

Asia Research News was the official media partner whilst BoogarLists, CEOWORLD Magazine and Conference Guru were strategic global media partners.

In its fifth year, Frost & Sullivan's Growth Innovation and Leadership (GIL) 2018: Thailand global congress took place on 28 March 2018 at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, Thailand.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact Us: Start the discussion

Media Contact

Melissa Tan

Corporate Communications  Asia Pacific

Phone: +65 6890 0926

Email: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.frost.com



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
Enabled through new partnership with CoinPayments

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Etherparty Smart Contracts Inc., a blockchain technology company providing smart contract solutions for enterprise and everyday use on the world's most popular blockchains, is excited to announce a new partnership with cryptocurrency payment gateway provider, CoinPayments.

Etherparty's digital token, FUEL, is now integrated into CoinPayments' system and its global network, according to CoinPayments COO, Jason Butcher.

This means FUEL will be accepted for payment of goods and services at over 760,000 merchants worldwide, stretching across 182 countries. Users will also be able to use over 55 cryptocurrency varieties currently supported by CoinPayments to purchase FUEL.

"This partnership is another example of working with a great technology partner in the blockchain space," said Etherparty CEO, Kevin Hobbs. "Working with CoinPayments will help us expand our offerings and make it easier to use cryptocurrency, FUEL and our platform."

FUEL tokens are required to purchase all services on Etherparty and its associated products, like the soon-to-launch Rocket, a cryptocurrency crowdfunding platform designed for the everyday Internet user.

Etherparty's crowdfunding application is the first product in a line of blockchain solutions to be deployed by the Vancouver-based technology company.

The FUEL token is a transferable ERC-20 compliant digital token deployed on the Ethereum network and will serve as a method of validating a user's transactions on the Etherparty platform and its related products.

For more information, visit etherparty.com and subscribe to the company mailing list. You can also join the Etherparty conversation via our community Telegram channel, or on Facebook, Twitter and BitcoinTalk.

About Etherparty

Etherparty is a blockchain platform working to enable a connected and inclusive world by building easy-to-use, versatile and intuitive smart contract solutions. Visit: etherparty.com.

About CoinPayments

Founded in 2013, CoinPayments is a Canadian payment processor of over 310 cryptocurrencies. Visit: coinpayments.net.

Media Inquiries: Brandon Kostinuk, Creative Director // Etherparty, [email protected]

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Related Links

http://www.etherparty.com



SOURCE Etherparty
BANGALORE, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

 Plans to setup over 500 banking outlets by 2019

 Focuses on new banking outlets in unbanked rural areas and existing base of over 4.5 million customers

Jana Small Finance Bank (formerly Janalakshmi Financial Services, India's leading micro-finance company), today announced commencement of its banking operations. To cover its extensive customer base, Jana Bank will initially open 19 branches across 18 states and expand to 200 banking outlets including the 25% unbanked rural branches by June 2018.

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Jana Bank, which is digitally enabled across majority of its offerings with expanded customer base, will continue to keep its fundamental focus on financial inclusion as its core strategy. Adding to it, Mr. Ramesh Ramanathan, Chairman, Jana Group, said, "Financial inclusion has been the primary vision of Jana Group. We see the commencement of banking operations duly supported by the digital capabilities to scale quickly and presents powerful opportunities to bridge the overall financial inclusion gap. Standing up to our brand promise of 'Likho Apni Kahaani', we have helped and will continue to help millions of Indians evolve, grow financially and have a better financial future."

Jana Bank will also convert majority of its MFI branches into full-fledged bank branches and will have over 500 banking outlets by end of 2019, as it continues to serve its customers across India.

Commenting on this landmark occasion, Mr. Ajay Kanwal, MD & CEO, Jana Small Finance Bank, said, "On behalf of over 14,000 Jana employee families, I would like to thank our customers, investors and regulators for their support. We have the talent, systems and products to create a strong and differentiated franchise to serve the underserved with world-class governance and execution."

About Jana Small Finance Bank:

Jana Small Finance Bank's vision is to be the leading digitized bank serving all customer segments and communities of an aspirational India. The bank has well-capitalized balance sheet and a proven track record to raise equity from investors. The company has successfully raised Rs. 1,636 Cr. in FY18 and have a robust liquidity position as it transitions to a bank.

In 2017, Jana was also featured in 'Fortune - The Top 500' largest corporations in India and was recently awarded India's Distinctive Goodwill Brand for 2017.

http://www.janabank.com | https://www.facebook.com/janabankonline/ |https://twitter.com/janabank

#LikhoApniKahaani #JanaBank #JanaSmallFinanceBank #JanaBank #PaiseKiKadar #AjayKanwal #RameshRamanathan #FinancialInclusion #SmallFinanceBank #SFB

Media Contact:

Kajri Mathur

[email protected]

+91-7045733698

Genesis Burson Marsteller

SOURCE Jana Small Finance Bank
First Platform To Connect Mobile Attribution With Marketing Automation

SANDPOINT, Idaho, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kochava Inc., the industry leader providing holistic measurement solutions for mobile and connected devices, announces the addition of customized, behavior-driven push notifications to their platform. With Engagement push notifications, marketers can target specially selected audiences based on user behavior, trigger automated personalized push messages, visualize campaign lift at scale and attribute push campaigns, all within the same Kochava platform.

Tyler McKinley, VP of Marketing Automation Platforms at Kochava said: "This is the first platform of its kind that directly connects mobile advertising attribution and measurement with marketing automation in a single unified dashboard."

Today, marketers face fierce competition in vying for user attention. With millions of apps available to a user at any given time, app churn is all but guaranteed. Mobile users are distractedbrowsing while commuting, watching television or while at workand will only click, on average, half the number of times on mobile compared to desktop to find what they want before they abandon the search. The current approach to user engagement with mass communications, whether as push notifications or emails, has lost its potency.

"The number of apps and the sheer number of digital messages bombarding users across all channels has created a problem in getting the attention of customers. How do you as an app owner separate yourself from the pack with all this message pollution?" McKinley said. "Digital marketers are realizing that they have to actively engage their customers with customized, relevant, and timely content, at scale. The Engagement dashboard will maximize customer lifetime value for their brand."

Engagement is the next generation of push notifications, giving marketers the ability to send contextualized, personalized messaging based on valuable customer data, such as in-app user behavior. Marketers can automatically trigger customized messaging based on where customers left off in a funnel.

For example, a marketer can create a behavioral funnel within the app for users who add an item to their cart but do not complete the purchase. The marketer can then automatically send a push notification to each user when this series of events occurs. Via deep link, the push message can deliver the user back into the shopping cart for a rapid, seamless purchase. Kochava then attributes this purchase to the push message which is the marketer's "owned" media, giving them substantial savings over having to pay their ad programmatic or social partners for the conversion.

This next generation push messaging capability creates a full cycle loop for prospect targeting, customer acquisition, customer engagement, advertising attribution and budget optimization, all within the same Kochava dashboard.

"Marketers have to go beyond the idea of simply reaching customers at the right time. They must extend that notion to marketing the right products and services based on expanded real-time data categories and they can now do this within a seamless toolset," McKinley said.

How Engagement works

Engagement enables marketers to target the type of in-app behavior they choose and segment audiences by language, geo, device type and operating system. For example, one streaming company targets users who have completed three free video views but whose subscription to the service has lapsed.

Marketers can leverage this audience data to create dynamic, contextual messaging; use A/B testing to determine which messaging is most effective; anticipate and automatically react to leading indicators of churn; and visualize lift from these campaigns directly within the Analytics dashboard.

"Typically, with commodity push messaging, you'll see low open rates. But once you start adding data to the mix, invariably your open rates and conversions increase. In our experience, marketers see notable improvement in their push campaign success," McKinley said. "Our job is to help marketers activate data about their customers and add that into their mobile marketing initiatives to maximize the lifetime value of each customer."

Dynamic, contextual push messaging via Engagement push notifications gives marketers a more refined tool to keep their app fresh, timely and relevant to their customers. They can define specific audiences and craft custom messaging to engage those customers with the products and services they care about.

McKinley said, "With Engagement, marketers are deploying their money where it has the most impact to drive their key performance indicators, typically mobile-driven revenue."

About Kochava

Kochava Inc. (www.kochava.com) offers a unique, holistic and unbiased analytics platform to plan, target, engage, measure and optimize media spend. The Kochava platform for mobile and connected devices combines potent features and global coverage with thousands of network and publisher integrations, allowing advertisers to target audiences and measure campaign performance with precision. Real-time customizable visualizations give users fluid access to a full spectrum of data points, providing robust segmentation capabilities and real-time actionability. Yielding the most powerful tools in the ecosystem, Kochava is chosen by brands across industry verticals to measure the largest and most sophisticated ad campaigns.

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VP of Marketing

[email protected]

1-855-562-4282

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SOURCE Kochava Inc.
The marketplace of high-end craftsmanship will use the money raised to expand its assortment and global distribution

MILAN, Italy, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Artemest, the e-commerce for handmade luxury products, has raised $ 5M in Series A funding, led by the Investment Holding NUO Capital, backed by the Hong Kong PAO - Cheng family, IAG (Italian Angels for Growth) and Bagheera Holding.

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The company based in Milan is the first marketplace to showcase and sell globally an assortment of unique contemporary products handcrafted by the largest network of luxury independent producers. Artemest was launched by the jewelry designer and entrepreneur Ippolita Rostagno (Chief Creative Director) and Marco Credendino (Chief Executive Officer).

"The new funding will be used to accelerate our growth and to increase the number of suppliers on Artemest. We want to strengthen our position as the fastest growing marketplace of luxury independent manufacturers expanding the overall assortment", said the Co-Founder and CEO Marco Credendino.

Artemest was launched in October 2015 from an idea of the Italian-American luxury entrepreneur Ippolita Rostagno, known for her eponymous jewelry brand Ippolita. Ippolita and Marco Credendino launched Artemest with the purpose of helping Italian artisans and small luxury companies compete in the global marketplace.

Currently, Artemest connects a curated network of 400+ independent Italian craftsmen and designers with an international audience of art and design lovers. The average spending of $ 2,000 makes Artemest one of the e-commerce sites with the highest average ticket online. The product assortment includes customizable furniture pieces, home decor, tableware and a selection of handmade gifts. The majority of the products is distributed exclusively by Artemest.

Artemest intends to open a trade version of the platform in order to further strengthen its relationship with interior designers and architects that already use the site as a go-to platform for the supply of home decor products.

CB Insights recently included Artemest in its annual Luxury Tech Market Map: 60 startups changing the way we buy, sell, and perceive luxury. The list includes popular companies like: Farfetch, ModaOperandi, Matches Fashion, The Real Real and Rent the Runaway. Artemest also participated to ScaleIT, the event that showcases the best 14 South European startups.

"NUO Capital is honored to join Artemest, by far the most promising Italian luxury design online platform, with a strong management team and passionate shareholders. With our investments we aim to create a bridge between Italian excellence and Asian society, which is ready for true quality and keen to get it also online." Tommaso Paoli CEO of NUO Capital.

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MUMBAI, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Medikabazaar, an online marketplace for purchase of medical products and medical supplies by hospitals and medical establishments, today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the prestigious Kalam Institute of Health Technology (KIHT) based in Vishakhapatnam, India. The MoU states that Medikabazaar will showcase innovative technologies ready to be purchased for industrial manufacturing by medical products manufacturers. This will be the first ever e-auction where medical technology can be bought or auctioned. This partnership will help support MedTech transfers and facilitate rapid industrial promotion.

Kalam Institute of Health Technology has collaborated with Medikabazaar for the e-auction of technologies related to medical devices developed by members of the cluster. In a major knowledge transfer boost, KIHT will assist members of Medikabazaar with appropriate information on important domain expertise and available facilities for focused R&D on medical devices.

Medikabazaar will work with KIHT towards technology transfers and improving technology market access, production and competitiveness from their members. It will also actively promote the e-auction portal of KIHT on its website for enabling medical product manufacturers to participate in the online bidding of technology transfer.

Mr. Vivek Tiwari, Founder and CEO of Medikabazaar stated, "I am proud to be associated with Kalam Institute of Health Technology and would like to announce that we are the first portal in healthcare space to facilitate e-auction for technology transfer. Now anyone looking at buying or bidding for innovative medical technology in medical devices can do so simply through the website ."

Dr. Jitendar Sharma, Managing Director & CEO, Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone, stated, "Partnership between Medikabazaar and KIHT brings the academia one step closer to the medical industry. Medikabazaar has an impressive list of medical devices manufacturers on-board and they can explore acquiring these innovative medical technologies developed in research labs funded by Government of India. By acquiring license of technologies, manufacturers can significantly save time on R&D and go-to-market."

About Medikabazaar:

Medikabazaar is India's largest online marketplace of medical products and medical supplies. It offers a host of services beyond product procurement to hospital and medical establishments. Medikabazaar is a one-stop destination for all medical products and supplies needs. It helps its customers in choosing the right medical products, ensuring seamless and timely supply and post-sales services to help them start using products instantly. Medikabazaar brings vast experience in providing medical product consultation and supply. Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics across India and beyond can conveniently browse through and purchase from the website. Medikabazaar is owned and operated by Boston Ivy Healthcare Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.

About KIHT:

Kalam Institute of Health Technology aims to facilitate focused research on critical components relating to medical devices by supporting institutions involved with R&D, industry, policy makers and knowledge repositories. Their cell for technology transfer aims to support MedTech transfers (e-auction) and facilitate rapid industrial promotion and setting up of scientific facilities for developing and pre-market approvals and bring about improved access to affordable health technologies.

Media Contact:

Dipankar Chatterjee

[email protected]

+91-7710003240

Medikabazaar



SOURCE Medikabazaar
PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research report "Microfluidics Market by Application (Genomics, Proteomics, Capillary Electrophoresis, IVD (POC, Clinical Diagnostics), Drug Delivery, Microreactor, Lab Tests), Component (Chips, Pump, Needle), Material (Polymer, Glass, Silicon) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to reach USD 27.91 Billion by 2023 from an estimated USD 10.06 Billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 22.6%. The growing use of polymers is expected to lower the price of microfluidic products. This, in turn, will increase the adoption of microfluidic technologies, and thereby support the growth of the market during the forecast period. In addition to this, growing investments, favorable regulatory policies, and growth in healthcare and biotechnology industries in emerging Asian markets are expected to provide potential growth opportunities for players operating in the Microfluidics Market. Furthermore, growing application of microfluidic technology in personalized medicine, organ-on-a-chip, and liquid biopsies; expanding application of microfluidics in drug delivery systems such as insulin pumps and inhalers is further expected to drive the market during the forecast period.

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Browse 166 market data Tables and 51 Figures spread through 228 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Microfluidics Market"

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By application, the in vitro diagnostic segment accounted for the largest share of the Microfluidics Market in 2017

On the basis of application, the Microfluidics Market is broadly segmented into in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceutical and lifescience research, drug delivery, and laboratory testing. In 2017, the in vitro diagnostics segment accounted for the largest share of this market. Microfluidic technologies are used in in vitro diagnostics for clinical diagnostics and POC testing. Rising incidence of chronic diseases, aging population, increasing healthcare spending in emerging countries, growing demand for point-of-care testing, and rapid technological changes in molecular diagnostics are some of the major factors supporting the growth of the Microfluidics Market for IVD applications during the forecast period. IVD embedded with microfluidic technologies such as POC diagnostics, PCR systems, analyzers, and electrophoretic systems are increasingly being used in diagnostics, agriculture, forensics, water testing, and environmental screening. These devices provide various advantages such as portability due to reduced size of the device, increased frequency of testing and accurate & quick analysis.

By type, microfluidic chips segment accounted for the largest share of the microfluidics components market in 2017

Based on the type, the microfluidic components market is further segmented into microfluidic chips, microfluidic sensors, micropumps, microneedles, and others. In 2017, microfluidic chips segment accounted for the largest share of this market. Factors such as the growing demand for point-of-care testing, increasing use of personalized medicine for the treatment of various chronic diseases, rising number of drug discovery and life sciences research activities, growing need for high-speed diagnostics, and increased government funding are attributed to the large share of the microfluidic chips market.

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North America dominated the market in 2017

North America accounted for the largest share of the Microfluidics Market in 2017, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The largest share of the North American region is mainly attributed to the higher incidence rate of chronic diseases, availability of insurance coverage for laboratory testing procedures, sufficient reimbursements for medical devices, and presence of well-structured distribution channels in the region. In addition, high demand for self-administration and home healthcare devices, and increasing applications of micropumps, inhalers, and transdermal microneedles for chronic conditions such as migraine, diabetes, cancer pain, and asthma have further resulted in the large share of this market.

The key players in the global Microfluidics Market are Danaher (US), Thermo Fisher (US), PerkinElmer (US), Agilent (US), Bio-Rad (US), Becton, Dickinson and Company (US), Roche (Switzerland), Illumina (US), Fluidigm Microfluidics (US), and QIAGEN (Netherlands). Other key players include Dolomite Microfluidics (UK), GYROS PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES AB (Sweden), Sphere Fluidics (UK), OPKO Health (US), Waters (US), thinXXS Microtechnology (Germany), Abaxis (US), BioMerieux (France), Abbott (US), Dolomite Microfluidics (UK), Microfluidic ChipShop (Germany), Elveflow (France), Cellix (Ireland), Micronit Microtechnologies (Netherlands), MicroLiquid (Spain), MiniFAB (Australia), uFluidix (Canada), Micralyne (US), and Fluigent (France).

Know more about the Microfluidics Market:

https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/microfluidics-market-1305.html

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

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PUNE, India, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Connexions Loyalty, an Affinion Group company and leading global full-service provider of loyalty programs, had a strong year in 2017, driven by over 50% year-over-year growth in gross loyalty redemption transactional volume, which grew from $2.1 billion to $3.2 billion. The momentum has continued, as 2018 is already setting up to be a breakthrough year for the company.

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In February 2018, Affinion Group, through its Connexions Loyalty subsidiary, acquired one of its top technology partners, Tavisca Solutions Pvt. Ltd, an India-based travel technology solutions company that works with leisure travel companies to support and grow their online travel business. The acquisition aims to help Connexions Loyalty fully leverage their high-quality technology platforms, which will cater to specific customer requests and promote healthy customer retention, acquisition, and loyalty.

For future growth, Connexions Loyalty understands the need to adapt to frictionless omni-channel interactions at every phase of the customer journey and deliver on personalization with a human touch. To do this, Tavisca Solutions is concentrating on talent acquisition and plans to double their workforce before the end of 2019 by recruiting individuals with proven proficiency and multi-disciplinary expertise in domains like Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, chatbot developments, mobile technology and omni-channel delivery.

Tavisca Solutions will be the primary hub for the company's loyalty platform and cloud technology development. This will not only create new job opportunities in the region, but will also help establish Pune as a key travel technology hub in India.

Tavisca Solutions and Connexions Loyalty partnership will create the premier online travel loyalty programs. The impact of this development will raise standards all across the online travel sector in terms of both customer satisfaction and efficient technology.

About Us

Tavisca Solutions, an Affinion Group company, through its subsidiary Connexions Loyalty, is a leading Travel Technology Products & Solutions Company that powers over 4.8 million (2017) travel bookings for leading B2C, membership-based travel and B2B travel companies globally. Tavisca Solutions has helped travel brands transform themselves into technology-centric market leaders in travel, empower their vision, and scale their businesses. Established in 2008, tavisca has emerged into a team of travel technology specialists with over 300 dedicated personnel. A state-of-the-art development center in India, and a sales and marketing office in the USA. For more information, visit http://www.tavisca.com.

About Connexions Loyalty

As experts in customer loyalty for more than 35 years, Connexions Loyalty helps organizations motivate, reward and retain their customers and partners. The world's top brands turn to us for loyalty management, consumer rewards, rewards fulfilment and card benefits. Our loyalty programs are available to more than 200 million people in North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Connexions Loyalty, an Affinion

Group company, employs more than 900 talented team members with offices in the United States, Hong Kong and Singapore. For more information, visit cxloyalty.com

About Affinion Group

Affinion Group is one of the world's leading loyalty and customer engagement solutions companies servicing over 250 million consumers with more than 5,500 client partner relationships and over 40 years of experience. We design, administer and fulfill loyalty and customer engagement programs that strengthen and expand the value of relationships for our leading clients around the globe, including many of the largest and most respected companies in the financial services, retail, travel, and internet commerce sectors. Based in Stamford, CT, the Company has over 3,000 employees located in 20 countries across the globe. For more information, visit http://www.affinion.com.

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Integrated mobility management platforms and data monetisation key to future success, finds Frost & Sullivan

LONDON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Telematics, e-commerce and 3D printing will form key foundations in the evolution of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) aftersales channel, with OEMs attempting to integrate all aftersales services into a single, digital platform. Frost & Sullivan expects global automotive aftermarket demand to increase by 4.4% during 2018, with a slowdown anticipated in some developed markets. Participants in the OEM aftermarket who embrace potential data monetisation opportunities that can be optimised by enhanced customer accessibility, widening B2B networks, and expanding product and service portfolios, will capitalise on current value-add opportunities and ensure future success.

"The development of applications to leverage data collection from on-road vehicles will open up opportunities for data monetisation with service providers aiming to deliver innovative predictive maintenance solutions around this trend," said Vasudevan Rajesh, Mobility Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018, identifies the size of the global automotive parts and services aftermarket and its growth opportunities in 2018. Analysis of vehicles in operation and replacement rates, industry trends, challenges, market size potential, the impact of Mega Trends, and major benchmarks are assessed across America, Europe, China, Latin America, and India.

For further information on this analysis, please click here.

Five ways to leverage growth opportunities in the global automotive aftermarket sector:

Develop localised offerings for repair and maintenance solutions in emerging high-growth markets; Adopt original equipment service channel engagement by developing e-retailing to boost online sales; Build innovative business models and solutions to leverage the potential of data monetisation; Invest in manufacturing newer replacement parts to tap into the popularity of alternate powertrain vehicles; and Manage global supply chains to maximise the incentives of globalisation.

"A slowdown in replacement demand in some developed markets, including the United States and Western Europe, will impact overall aftermarket growth," noted Rajesh. "This trend has forced the automotive aftermarket to look toward expanding in emerging markets like China, India and Eastern Europe."

Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018 is part of Frost & Sullivan's Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018

K248_18

Contact

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Corporate Communications  Frost & Sullivan, Europe

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
Related Libya and the Egyptian economy

Egypt attaches high priority to the Libyan crisis in view of its direct impact on Egyptian national security and because Egypt is well placed as a major regional power and one neighbouring Libya to help reach a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Egypts approach to the Libyan question has been to lend its support to initiatives seeking stability, among them the Libyan Political Accord (LPA) signed in Skhirat, Morocco.

In December 2015, the efforts of the UN special envoy for Libya to broker amendments to the LPA, the holding of legislative and presidential elections in Libya before September, and the promotion of dialogue among Libyas Arab and African neighbours in the interests of finding a solution.

Egypts regional initiatives in connection with the crisis have increased and intensified over the past two years as the Egyptian role has grown more distinct in both its diplomatic and military aspects.

One landmark was the Cairo Declaration of February 2017, which laid out a framework for a settlement process capable of ending the Libyan conflict and conforming to the relations among regional stakeholders.

It should be borne in mind that the internal dimensions of the Libyan conflict are intrinsically connected to the relations between Libyas immediate neighbours, among them Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria.

The latter two countries at one point voiced objections to the track that Egypt had initiated, making it necessary for Cairo to coordinate with Tunis and Algiers in the hope of advancing a viable solution.

Egypt has used its regional influence to promote capacity-building among the Libyan political authorities, while its military influence has helped achieve significant stability in the country.

It has also been able to overcome many of the negative impacts resulting from divergences of opinion with Libyas other neighbours, predominantly Algeria.

Egypts support for Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar has been controversial regionally and internationally.

For Egypt, Haftar has an important role to play in restoring stability and security in Libya and in safeguarding Egypts national security interests along the Egyptian-Libyan border.

Egyptian diplomacy has succeeded in convincing other regional and international parties of Haftars importance, and this has led the international powers to agree to the introduction of amendments into the Skhirat Accord and to accept the Egyptian view of the relationship between the Libyan military establishment and government structures.

The international powers and the UN had at first refused to include Haftar in the negotiations over the Libyan conflict.

Today, thanks to Egyptian efforts the field marshal has been accepted as a key player in them and in the current UN-brokered LPA amendment negotiations which should stimulate the process.

Egypt believes that a broader degree of consensus is needed in order to ensure the success of the amendment process, and it has been working to achieve this.

Algeria and Tunisia are coordinating their actions more closely with Egypt, now that Cairo has convinced them of the necessity of there being a united national army in Libya.

However, Egypt also believes that the scope of consensus should extend beyond Libyas immediate neighbours in North Africa to include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France and the US, as well as Libyas neighbours to the south, especially Sudan, Chad and Niger.

Cairo has succeeded in reaching understandings on the Libyan question with these other parties.

In July 2017, France launched an initiative to resolve the Libyan crisis that secured Haftars international recognition as a key player in the political process.

The French initiative followed through on a series of Egyptian ones aimed at bringing the chairman of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord, Fayez Al-Sarraj, together with commander of the Libyan national army Haftar.

These efforts, which began in Cairo, culminated in the face-to-face meeting brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron between the two men on the outskirts of Paris.

Some analysts have described the Egyptian moves to seek an international framework for its mediation drive as amounting to a division of labour between Cairo and Paris.

However, Cairos purpose was to secure powerful international backing for Haftar on the part of a country, France, that possesses veto power in the UN Security Council.

It may seem that the scope for regional players has been narrowed now that the way has been cleared for international sponsorship of the negotiations on the Libyan crisis.

However, the conformity of view between Egypt and France has worked to sustain the politically and military influential role that Egypt has to play.

Egypt is acutely aware that developments in the Libyan conflict are critically important for Egyptian national security.

They have informed Egypts regional and international actions, and they have strongly influenced the course of the conflict and the manner in which the regional and international powers have handled it.

It is for these reasons that Egypt must now continue to develop its comprehensive vision of how to handle the Libyan crisis, so that it is able to contribute further at both the regional and international levels to finding a solution that is consistent with its national principles and interests.

The writer is a senior researcher at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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BANGKOK, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan today honored more than 40 companies in Thailand at its annual Excellence Awards banquet, held at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel.

Top companies recognized at the awards banquet include Advanced Info Service PLC, BMW Group (Thailand) Ltd, JITTA, Philips Electronics (Thailand) Ltd and True Move H Universal Communication Co Ltd.

Mr. Koh Eng Lok, Country Head, Frost & Sullivan Thailand said that the Awards seek to recognize best practices and outstanding performance by Thai companies in the Automotive, Healthcare, Energy & Environment, Automation & Electronics and ICT sectors.

He added that the award recipients were identified based on in-depth research conducted by Frost & Sullivan analysts. The award categories offered each year are carefully reviewed and evaluated to reflect the current market landscape and include new emerging trends.

"We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of these truly innovative and well-deserving companies in Thailand whom have continually demonstrated outstanding leadership in their respective market segments," he said.

The shortlisted companies for the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Thailand Excellence Awards were evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy.

The short-listed companies for the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Thailand Excellence Awards were evaluated on a variety of actual market performance indicators which include revenue growth; market share and growth in market share; leadership in product innovation; marketing strategy and business development strategy.

Visit our awards website at http://frost-apac.com/thailandawards/ or connect with us via social media  Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin for the latest news and updates. We also invite you to join the conversation using #FrostAwards.

Frost & Sullivan congratulates all the recipients of the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Thailand Excellence Awards

Company Title aCommerce Co., Ltd. 2018 Thailand E-commerce Logistics Provider of the Year Advanced Info Service PLC 2018 Thailand Cloud Services Innovative Company of the Year Advanced Info Service PLC 2018 Thailand IoT Solutions Provider of the Year AP (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd 2018 Thailand Property Development Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership Award Asia Biogas (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 2018 Thailand Biogas Power Company of the Year Azbil (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 2018 Thailand Building Management System Company of the Year BCPG Public Company Limited 2018 Thailand Energy Sector Visionary Innovation Leadership Award Betagro Group 2018 Thailand Livestock and Food Technology Innovation Award BMW group (Thailand) Ltd. 2018 Thailand Luxury Car Brand of The Year Boon Rawd Brewery Co. Ltd 2018 Thailand Bottled Water Company of the Year CAT Telecom 2018 Thailand Smart City Service Provider of the Year CBRE (Thailand) Co. Ltd 2018 Thailand Facilities Management Competitive Strategy Innovation & Leadership Award Cellennium (Thailand) Company Limited 2018 Thailand Secondary Battery Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Chevalier Networks Solutions Thai Limited 2018 Thailand Contact Center System Integrator of the Year Cryoviva (Thailand) Co., Ltd 2018 Thailand Stem Cell Banking Growth Excellence Leadership Award Dimension Data (Thailand) Limited 2018 Thailand Enterprise Systems Integrator of the Year DP Cleantech (Thailand) Co. Ltd 2018 Thailand Biomass Power Competitive Strategy Innovation & Leadership Award Ford Thailand for Ford Ranger 2018 Thailand Pick-Up Model of The Year Fortinet 2018 Thailand Network Security Vendor of the Year Genesys 2018 Thailand Contact Center Applications Vendor of the Year Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for Honda CRV 2018 Thailand Car of The Year I-Secure 2018 Thailand Managed Security Services Provider of the Year Jitta 2018 Thailand Companies to Action (Wealth Management) JLL 2018 Thailand Facilities Management Growth Excellence Leadership Award JWD InfoLogistics Public Company Limited 2018 Thailand Logistics Service Provider of the Year Kiattana Transport Public Company Limited 2018 Thailand Chemicals and Dangerous Goods Logistics Service Provider of the Year MEDEZE 2018 Thailand Stem Cell Banking Company of the Year Mitsubishi Elevator (Thailand) Co. Ltd. 2018 Thailand Elevator Company of The Year Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Company Ltd. For Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2018 Thailand Value-for-Money Car of the Year MON Logistics Group Co., Ltd. 2018 Thailand Road Transportation Service Provider of the Year NEC Corporation (Thailand) Ltd 2018 Thailand Enterprise Voice Solution Provider of the Year One to One Contacts 2018 Thailand Outsourced Contact Center Service Provider of the Year PCS Security and Facilities Services Limited 2018 Thailand Facilities Management Company of the Year Peer Power Company Limited 2018 Thailand Companies to Action (Peer to Peer Financing) Philips Electronics (Thailand) Ltd. 2018 Thailand Lighting Company of the Year Polycom 2018 Thailand Enterprise Video Collaboration Solution Provider of the Year SCG Nichirei Logistics Co., Ltd. 2018 Thailand Emerging Cold Chain Logistics Service Provider of the Year Block MD by SmartContract (Thailand) Co., Ltd 2018 Thailand Health Information Exchange Technology Innovation Award Thai Summit Automotive Company 2018 Thailand Automotive Component of The Year Toyota Motor (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for Toyota Ativ 2018 Thailand Debut Car of The Year True Corporation PCL 2018 Thailand Telecom Service provider of the Year True IDC 2018 Thailand Data Centre Service Provider of the Year True IDC 2018 Thailand Cloud Service Provider of the Year True Move H Universal Communication Co Ltd 2018 Thailand Mobile Data Service Provider of the Year True Move H Universal Communication Co Ltd 2018 Thailand Mobile Service Provider of the Year WOG Technologies 2018 Thailand Water Infrastructure Growth Excellence Leadership Award

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies? Contact us: Start the discussion

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Los Angeles, March 26 : Actor Hugh Jackman has warned his fans of his online impersonators, who con people by misusing personal information.

Jackman tweeted: "I am aware that people are pretending to be me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Please do not respond, give money or your personal information"

"My official handle, on each site, has a blue check mark. I am working from my end to stop these folks as best as possible. Thank you to those who have sent me messages on this. It's really helpful."
New Delhi, March 27 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will leave for Japan on Wednesday on a three-day visit during which she will co-chair the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, it was announced on Tuesday.

According to External Affairs Ministry, India and Japan will review all aspects of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest during the March 29 Strategic Dialogue.

India-Japan ties have been on the upswing after the bilateral relationship was elevated to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan in 2014.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India in September last year for the annual bilateral summit gave fresh impetus to the ties. During that visit, the ground breaking ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, to be built with Japanese aid, was also held.

"Japan is today one of the largest investors in India, with a growing presence in infrastructure projects, manufacturing, financial markets and capacity-building, among others," an External Affairs Ministry statement said.

India-Japan trade stood at $13.61 billion in fiscal 2016-17, showing a decrease of 6.21 per cent over fiscal 2015-16, when the total trade was $14.51 billion. The bilateral trade during April-August 2017 was $6.183 billion.

The two countries are also part of the recently revived quad that also includes the US and Australia.
Aden, March 29 : At least 11 Yemeni soldiers were killed after Al Qaeda gunmen ambushed a military convoy in the southeastern province of Hadramout on Wednesday evening, a security official told Xinhua.

The deadly attack was carried out by a group of Al Qaeda gunmen in Hajar Valley of Hadramout province and targeted a military convoy composed of three vehicles, the security source said on condition of anonymity.

Most of the killed soldiers were belonging to the newly-recruited Yemeni forces backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and some members of the Special Operations Forces in Hadramout, the source said.

He added that additional UAE-backed Yemeni forces were dispatched to the attack site in Hajar Valley just a few hours after the terrorist attack.

A tribal source in the area confirmed to Xinhua that a number of soldiers went missing after the attack.

"The Al Qaeda attackers rained the convoy with a barrage of heavy gunfire from different directions and soldiers couldn't survive," the tribal source said anonymously.

During the past two years, the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and other terrorist groups including the Islamic State had an active presence in Yemen's southern part.

Both the Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants often launch suicide and roadside bombings against Yemeni security forces based in several provinces of the country.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including capital Sanaa, in 2014.

Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced him into exile.

The United Nations has listed Yemen as the world's number one humanitarian crisis, with seven million Yemenis on the brink of famine and cholera causing more than 2,000 deaths.
Kharagpur (West Bengal), March 29 : The US-based IIT KGP Alumni Foundation has announced internship scholarships for 14 students who received internship offers for 2018 at top global universities, it announced in a statement on Thursday.

The students from various disciplines and at different levels of study at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur have been awarded the scholarships to pursue research or internships at renowned academic institutions abroad.

The grants were made available as part of the IIT KGP Foundation's "Award Program for International Internships", which was launched earlier this month.

Under the scheme, IITKGPF, a non-profit organisation headquartered at Nebraska, offers up to $3,000 as monetary support to exceedingly meritorious students who wish to pursue high quality international research and professional internships.

The scholarship is disbursed through direct payments for eligible expenses like airfare and stay. Partially funded students are also eligible for the scholarship.

Students of IIT Kharagpur have welcomed the initiative.

Kaustav Brahma, B.Tech student at the Department of Electronics and Electrical Communications Engineering, who has received the scholarship for his internship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) this year, says: "Internships are expensive and stipends given by foreign laboratories or universities are often not enough to cover living and travel costs.

"Many are unable to pursue internships not because their projects are not good, but because there are so few grants available and the competition for them is intense."

All the applications for the programme were received and screened by the IIT KGP Office of International Relations. A committee constituted of five IIT KGP deans together with the President of the Foundation, makes the final awards.

The selection process takes into account the reputation of the host institution, the quality of the proposed research or professional internship and the academic standing of the candidate.

Among the institutions where the IIT KGP students have received invitation to pursue their internships this year are the University of Cambridge, UK; University of Columbia; MIT; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany; Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg, Germany; Carnegie-Mellon; University of Chicago and the California Institute of Technology.
Mumbai, March 29 : Film director Ali Abbas Zafar says his Instagram account has been hacked and also informed that he was not on Snapchat.

"Hack alert, someone hacked my Instagram account, sorting it out also I am not on Snapchat, so if someone uses Snapchat under my name is the hacker. Have a good day," Zafar tweeted.

On the work front, Zafar is busy with superstar Salman Khan starrer "Bharat", which is slated to release on Eid 2019.

The film is an official adaptation of 2014 South Korean film "Ode to My Father", which depicted modern Korean history from the 1950s to the present day through the life of an ordinary man.

It showcased events such as the Hungnam Evacuation during the 1950 Korean War, the government's decision to dispatch nurses and miners to West Germany in the 1960s and the Vietnam War.
Tokyo, March 29 : A Japanese military helicopter made an emergency landing at an airport in Tottori prefecture on Thursday.

The Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) UH-1 chopper made the landing at around 8.15 a.m., at Yonago airport in Sakaiminato, Xinhua news agency reported.

None of the crew members sustained any injuries, according to the operator's latest assessment.

The runway had to be closed for around two hours due to the incident.

According to authorities, the helicopter was on its way to help put out a fire in nearby Shimane prefecture when it was forced to halt its mission and make the emergency landing.
Washington, March 29 : US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer said that "there's hope" that trade talks between the US and China could lead to a fruitful outcome.

In an interview with CNBC, Lighthizer on Wednesday said the the USTR's Office would announce a list of Chinese goods subject to potential tariffs "before very long", based on the so-called Section 301 investigation against alleged Chinese technology transfer practices, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Then we'll go through a 60-day period where we'll give the public a chance to comment on the good and the bad things in there," he said, signalling that President Donald Trump's administration wa unlikely to impose tariffs on Chinese goods until early June.

Trump last week signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the US.

Asked on CNBC whether US negotiations with China could lead to the avoidance of tariffs or a fruitful outcome similar to the recent trade deal between the US and South Korea, Lighthizer said: "I think there is hope".

While the US and China have two "very different" economic systems, Lighthizer said "it's very possible" that the US-China trade relationship could end up in "a good place" after overcoming "a series of difficulties" over many years.

Business groups from China and the US have warned the Trump administration not to move forward with its tariff plan as it would raise the costs for American consumers and companies as well as having a negative impact on the financial markets.
London, March 29 : British Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to keep the UK "strong and united" after Brexit as she marks a year to go until Britain's departure from the European Union.

On March 29, 2019, the UK will formally leave the EU. May is set to visit England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, appealing to those for and against Brexit, the BBC reported on Thursday.

Only a few months are left to strike a deal on the future UK-EU relationship. Britain is due to enter a 21-month transition period during which much of the current arrangements will continue, before the final permanent post-membership relationship kicks in.

But first, May has to agree a deal in Parliament, with a vote expected in October.

With the Irish border remaining a sticking point, May said she will promise to ensure "no new barriers are created within our common domestic market".

Since formal negotiations began between the two sides last June, an agreement was struck on a Brexit "divorce bill" -- but the crucial issue of how they will trade together was yet to be settled.

On Wednesday, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry faced criticism from within her own party for saying Labour MPs would probably approve the government's "blah, blah, blah" deal that would pass Labour's six tests -- which included maintaining the benefits of the single market and customs union.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell defended Thornberry's comments, emphasising her "sarcasm" in response to a journalist's question.

On Thursday, May will visit a textile factory in Ayrshire, a parent and toddler group in Newcastle, have lunch with farmers near Belfast before meeting businessmen in Barry, south Wales.

Speaking ahead of her trip, she vowed to regain control of "our laws, our borders and our money" and that the UK will "thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain".

May has been accused of a power grab by the Scottish and Welsh governments over plans to repatriate some powers from Brussels to Westminster rather than to the devolved administrations.

She insisted each of the devolved administrations would see "an increase in their decision-making powers" and that her government remained "absolutely committed" to the devolution settlements.
Mumbai, March 29 : Ruling NDA ally Shiv Sena on Thursday questioned the "neutral or unbiased" functioning of the Election Commission after the Karnataka Assembly elections date allegedly leaked out before the official announcement.

"It was felt the ECI would remain neutral or unbiased. The country had already lost faith in ECI following the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) controversy. After the Karnataka episode, the bare minimum trust in ECI has vanished," the Sena said.

An editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana' said: "Some Amit Malaviya of the BJP IT Cell announced the Karnataka poll dates (May 12) and punctured the ECI's scheduled press conference where it was to be officially declared. What does this mean?"

When T.N. Seshan was the Chief Election Commissioner, he had shown that the poll panel had a 'spine'. But before and after him, that backbone was missing, it said.

The reason for this is the persons heading the Election Commission were joining politics, were appointed to to Rajya Sabha, become ministers or Governors. Ditto was the case with judges of the Supreme Court or High Court chief justices.

"This is no sign of neutrality. These are the rewards for 'tilting the scales' when in authority. Right from the ECI to the courts now, suspicions are being raised on people who are appointed, with preference being given to candidates from a particular state. Its detrimental to the country's integrity," the Sena said.

"After this government has taken over, it has been imposing like-minded persons without capabilities on the country's legal machinery, education sector and the election departments, playing havoc with their credibility," the Sena pointed out.

"Demonetisation was a total flop as it failed to unearth black money and the Reserve Bank Of India Governor's credibility was finished. But as the (demonetization) news had already leaked out, industrialists and politicians managed to successfully convert several tonnes of Rs 500-Rs 1,000 bundles to white while the common man suffered," the Sena said.
Beijing, March 29 : China on Thursday said its ties with India have been on an upswing recently and both sides have seen new achievements in political cooperation and various other fields.

Beijing said it wants to work with New Delhi to sort out their disputes to keep the bilateral ties on the right track.

"Recently, thanks to the concerted efforts from the two sides, China-India relations have been developing with a sound momentum. We have seen new achievements in political cooperation and various fields," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

He was responding to questions about India's attempt to improve ties with China, including shifting the event of the Dalai Lama, who Beijing calls a "splitist", from New Delhi.

"We attach importance to developing ties with India. We would like to work with India under the guidance of our two leaders, to maintain our exchanges at all levels, enhance our trust and properly manage our differences and ensure that bilateral relations could move forward along the right track," Lu said.

A sort of bonhomie seems to have returned between the two countries whose armies almost came to blows along their disputed border last year.

Both sides have stepped up bilateral talks, with a host of high profile visits lined-up between them.

Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan was in India to discuss the yawning trade deficit between the two countries.

India's Defence and External Affairs Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Sushma Swaraj are due to visit China in April.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in June in China.

(Gaurav Sharma is the IANS correspondent in Beijing. He can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in)
New York, March 29 : Indian chef Aarthi Sampath, who had earlier won the American reality-based cooking show "Chopped", has now emerged as the winner of "Beat Bobby Flay".

Chef Bobby Flay is no stranger to culinary competitions. He is known for hosting "Bobby's Dinner Battle" and competing on "Throwdown! With Bobby Flay". In "Beat Bobby Flay", he does both.

Each half-hour episode of "Beat Bobby Flay", an American cooking competition show, begins with two chefs competing to create a dish using an ingredient chosen by Flay.

The winner of that challenge -- as determined by a special guest judge -- goes to the second round, in which he or she battles against Flay.

Sampath, whose winning dish was Biryani, said in a statement to IANS: "I feel elated for the opportunity to represent Indian culture in the western market. Biryani although is nostalgia to others, it's still not very known, rather the complexity of making it."

"I am super happy to win the competition and this is just an additional feather in my cap," added the Indian chef, who is currently residing in Seattle.

Sampath's foray into the culinary world began with an exploration of flavours found in the diverse kitchens of Mumbai and eventually led to her current position as Chef De Cuisine at Junoon, a Michelin starred Indian restaurant in New York.
New Delhi, March 29 : Amid reports of Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi being frisked at an airport in the US, an official at the US Embassy here said on Thursday that he could not confirm this but stated that leaders of countries while on private visits are subject to normal security procedures.

"Obviously we cannot speak about some specific case," Alexander McLaren, deputy spokesperson of the US Embassy here, said in response to a question during a media interaction.

"My understanding is that if a head of state chooses to travel privately without diplomatic passport, then they are travelling as a private citizen, then he would have to go through the same security screening that you and I will have to go," he said.

"Obviously, an official visit is a different story."

A video that has gone viral on social media shows a casually-dressed Abbasi being frisked at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York earlier this week.

He was seen putting on his belt after clearing security, picking up his coat and bag and walking away moments later.

According to Pakistani media reports, Abbasi travelled to the US to visit his ailing sister.
Tokyo, March 29 : Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday met former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and discussed ways to take the India-Japan relationship forward.

Kishida is Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council.

"Fruitful discussion on taking relationship forward across diverse sectors," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"Kishida's role in strengthening our ties are invaluable," Kumar said.

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj addressed the Indian community at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre here during which she lauded the contribution of the diaspora in strengthening India's relations with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

She said India's relations with Japan had strengthened under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

Sushma Swaraj arrived here on Wednesday to co-chair with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue to be held later on Thursday.
Patna, March 29 : Two BJP leaders were arrested on Thursday in Bihar's Samastipur district on the charge of disturbing communal harmony that resulted in clashes during the Ram Navami procession, police said.

Dinesh Jha and Mohan Patwa were arrested on the basis of a video footage of the incident in Rosera town of Samastipur.

Samastipur Superintendent of Police Dipak Ranjan said the two were arrested along with 10 others. He said they were questioned on the clashes.

After the arrests, workers and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party -- which is part of the ruling alliance along with the Janata Dal-United in Bihar -- held a protest against the police action on Thursday and termed the action "one-sided".

BJP's Samastipur district President Ramsumran Singh demanded the release of the two leaders without delay.

Communal tension again gripped Rosera town in Samastipur three days after communal clashes on Monday night. More than 60 persons, including policemen, were injured and dozens of shops and vehicles were torched in Rosera during the clashes.

Hundreds of additional securitymen, including two battalions of the Rapid Action Force, have been deployed in sensitive areas in Rosera, with senior police officials keeping an eye on the situation.

Police is patrolling the town and Internet services have been suspended to check the spread of rumours.

Reports of communal tension in districts like Bhagalpur, Aurangabad, Munger, Nalanda, Sheikhpura and Jaamui were also received.

The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for allegedly failing to prevent communal disharmony.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has demanded the arrest of Union Minister Ashwani Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat for allegedly stoking communal passion in Bhagalpur.

Last week, a case was lodged against BJP leader Shashwat for taking out a procession without prior permission, inciting communal sentiments and roaming on the streets with weapons.

A BJP MP from Bihar, Ashwani Choubey is a Minister of State in the Modi government.
London, March 29 : Detectives with London's Metropolitan Police investigating the attempted murders of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia have said that they believe the pair first came into contact with a nerve agent at the front door of his Salisbury home.

Specialists found the "highest concentration" of the nerve agent on the front door of Skripal's home in Salisbury, police said on Wednesday.

The pair were poisoned March 4 after being exposed to what British police believe was a military-grade nerve agent. They are still in hospital in stable but serious condition.

Skripal and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in an outdoor shopping complex in Salisbury. They had no visible injuries, according to police.

Detectives now plan to focus their investigation around Skripal's home for the coming weeks and possibly months, the Met Police was cited as saying in the Guardian. Yulia Skripal was visiting her father.

Police also plan to search the surrounding area. The police have retaken control of the Maltings shopping centre, where the Skripals were first discovered and London Road cemetery from counter-terrorism detectives, where officers focused their investigation into the nerve agent attack in previous weeks.

More than 130 people could have been exposed to the chemical weapon in the aftermath of the poisoning, which the UK government claimed was carried out by Russia.

In response to the poisoning, over 150 Russian officials were expelled from more than 25 countries, and the UK government was considering further measures to punish Russia, including a ban on the City of London from selling Russian sovereign debt.

Public health experts were still working to establish whether the nerve agent attack presented a long term risk to Salisbury's residents, which will receive a 1 million pound support package from the central government to help recover.

About 250 counter-terrorism detectives continue to work around the clock on the investigation, supported by a full range of experts and partners. Officers were trawling through more than 5,000 hours of CCTV footage and examining over 1,350 exhibits that were seized.
Mumbai, March 29 : Director Karthik Subbaraj says iconic dancer-actor-filmmaker Prabhudheva will not be seen dancing in their film "Mercury".

"Though I cast Prabhudheva, there is no dance sequence in the film. Perhaps that is why he must have found the film interesting and agreed to do it because he is known for his dance and gets offers of dance films every now and then. I went to him with the story where he is playing the antagonist. It is a very different kind of Prabhudheva that the audience will get to see," Subbaraj told IANS.

While the song "Mercury" is getting appreciation from people online, the director mentioned: "That is a promotional video because we are releasing the film pan India. That's the only time when Prabhu Sir danced, but it is not a part of the film."

The silent thriller has an element of mystery and the darker side of industrial development.

"The film deals with corporate exploitation in small towns and mother nature. There are many examples that we have seen in the past also like the Bhopal gas tragedy. One of the reasons why I wanted to make it a silent film was to address an issue that is universal, that has no language barrier.

"I think silence could also be a louder voice if expressed correctly. Cinema is a visual medium. So, I treated the story with visuals," shared the director about "Mercury", which is releasing on April 13.

Born and brought up in a traditional south Indian family, Subbaraj started his career as a software engineer before joining the film industry.

"I would say my parents were really supportive after a point. I had to prove to them that I am not just dreaming, I can really make it. I started learning filmmaking by joining a weekend film school in Bengaluru. I made some amateur short films that got appreciation from people around me," he said.

Subbaraj has made short films like "Kaatchipizhai", "Who's the Indian", "Petty Case", "Broken Gods" and "Raavanam".

"I think that... to an extent gave my parents some amount of confidence before I told them that I want to quit my job," said the director.

"I have also started my production house for creating and supporting good content. We have produced a Tamil web series that will soon stream on ZEE5 OTT platform. It is titled 'Kallachiruppu'," he shared.

He is also excited about his next directorial venture.

"I am working on my next with our all-time favourite Rajinikanth Sir. There is a mixed feeling of pressure and excitement. I am a huge Rajinikanth fan and this is a dream that is coming true. Now I am working on its pre-production so, I cannot talk much about it. But yes, we are working together," said the 35-year-old director.
Kolkata, March 29 : HealthCare atHome (HCAH), backed by Dabur promoters Burman family, is looking at a Rs 1,000 crore revenue by 2020 with increasing demand for home healthcare services in India.

"Our revenue has grown by 70 times since 2014 till date. We started in NCR region and have now expanded our services in Punjab, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and many other cities and towns. We are targeting about Rs 1,000 revenue by 2020," company's co-founder and CEO Vivek Srivastava said.

The company has witnessed a significant growth in ICU space. Since inception in September 2012, it has done over 25,000 oncology or immunology procedures and more than 20,000 ICU days at home and served over 4 lakh patients across 40 cities.

"For our hospital at home services business, about 40 per cent of it comes from the ICU space and while in terms of total revenue, the ICU services contribute about 20 per cent. Our integrated pharma business which has also grown rapidly contributes a sizeable share in total revenue," Srivastava said.

Currently, the company has been doing about 500 oncology procedures a month and it is expected to grow manifold, he said.

Depending on the services, the prices vary from as low as Rs 500 for injection administration, wound dressing and others to Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000 a day for high-end services including ICU care, he said.

Entering into the Kolkata market, the home healthcare service provided is looking to make the metropolis a base to cater to other eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand and northeastern states, he added.
New Delhi, March 29 : State-run lender IDBI Bank on Thursday said that it has made 100 per cent provision for old Pisciculture loans given during 2009-13.

"The bank would like to reiterate that all the Pisciculture loans identified as fraudulent have been fully provided for and there will be no further impact on the profitability or balance sheet of the bank," the lender said in a statement.

The statement comes after some reports surfaced on the Rs 772 crore Pisciculture loan fraud.

"The bank would like to reiterate that the Pisciculture loans fraud is not a new case. It was detected and disclosed in 2013. It was reported to and duly filed with Reserve Bank of India through fraud monitoring report in 2013," the statement said.

In addition, the bank said that it "continues to pursue all legal actions to recover dues from the borrowers and has taken action against the erring officers".
New Delhi, March 29 : Delhi Police on Thursday said it is investigating the leak of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) question papers by trying to reach the "point of origin" of the papers circulated through WhatsApp ahead of the examinations.

Delhi Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) R.P. Upadhyay told a media conference that 25 people had been interrogated so far. "Of these 25, 18 were students, five tutors and two were private persons.

"None of them has been arrested or given a clean chit," he added.

Of the 18 students, five are college students who were in one way or the other linked to the students who received the leaked papers.

"The investigation is focussing on three questions -- how it was transmitted, what was the point of origin and who all were the beneficiaries."

The complaint of the paper leak, Upadhyay said, was made after the CBSE received information from an unnamed source. "Later, it was found that the papers being circulated through WhatsApp were the same as the ones distributed in the examination hall."

He said the teams would also be sent outside Delhi to investigate the case if required.
United Nations, March 29 : In a sign of the Indian diaspora's growing influence, two cabinet-level officials of Indian-descent represented the biggest superpower, the US, and its neighbour, Canada, at the UN Security Council's ministerial-level meeting on peacekeeping on Wednesday.

And they are both Sikhs -- US Permanent Representative Nikki Haley, a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet, and Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan.

They were among the ten ministers and a deputy minister from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas at the meeting presided over by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

But there was no minister from India, which was represented by Tanmaya Lal, the Deputy Permanent Representative.

The changing demographics of Europe was on display, too.

Britain was represented by Tariq Ahmad, the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN, and Sweden by Ibrahim Baylan, the Policy Coordination Minister.

Ahmad is an Ahmadiyya Muslim of Pakistani origin, while Baylan is an Assyrian born in Turkey.

Nikki, or Nimrata Nikki Randhawa, is the daughter of Ajit Singh and Raj Kaur Randhawa, who immigrated from Punjab's Amritsar district. She was born in South Carolina state and was elected its Governor.

She came to the meeting with the Trump administration's policy of cutting back on international contributions.

She said the US will not pay more than 25 percent of the peacekeeping budget and there should be a more equitable sharing of the burden.

Peacekeeping was a shared responsibility of all the nations and "One country should not shoulder more than one quarter of the UN peacekeeping budget," she said.

Washington now foots about 28.5 percent of the $7.3 billion peacekeeping budget.

Haley said that peacekeeping missions need to support political solutions and the mandates set by the Council "must be realistic and achievable".

"We need to be willing to change mandates when things aren't working," she added.

Sajjan, who was born in Punjab's Hoshiarpur District and immigrated to Canada when he was five years old, spoke on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security and held more women should be deployed in peacekeeping operations.

Creative thinking was required to meet this challenge and the UN department dealing with peacekeeping should devise a gender strategy.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Chennai, March 29 : With the Supreme Court deadline to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) approaching, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the next course of action on the river water sharing issue.

Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and other senior Ministers participated in the meeting held at the Secretariat here.

Later, Palaniswami held another meeting with some ruling AIADMK MPs, who said they were willing to resign if directed by the party high command.

There were reports that the central government was toying with the idea of filing a petition in the Supreme Court for seeking clarification on term 'scheme' mentioned in its February 16 order wherein the government was directed to set up the CMB and the CWRC within six weeks.

Asked about AIADMK MP A. Navaneethakrishnan's remarks in Parliament on Wednesday that his party MPs were ready to commit suicide if the Centre did not set up the CMB and the CWRC, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said: "If my resignation helps in constitution of the CMB and CWRC, I am ready to do it."

He said that the coming Assembly polls in Karnataka had nothing to do with the delay in action on the Cauvery issue.

Radhakrishnan also promised the BJP's full support to the Tamil Nadu government in securing the state's rights in the Cauvery water issue.

DMK leader and former PWD Minister Duraimurugan said both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam should meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ask him to set up the CMB and the CWRC.

"The AIADMK could have staged a protest outside Modi's office in Delhi. It is not enough if we just pass resolutions. We have to exert pressure on the central government," he added.

He questioned why the Chief Minister had convened a high-level meeting on the day the deadline was to end as well as the central government's action to seek clarificaion on the 'scheme' word just before the last date.

Actor Rajinikanth said setting up the CMB and the CWRC alone could help resolve the Cauvery issue.

PMK Founder Dr S. Ramadoss also flayed the Centre for allegedly not abiding by the Supreme Court order and said the Tamil Nadu people will not pardon it for betraying the state's interests.

"The Union government, instead of filing a clarification plea in the Supreme Court, should set up the CMB and the CWRC as the deadline ends tonight," he said in a statement.
Islamabad, March 29 : Nobel peace laureate and young education activist Malala Yousafzai made a tearful return to Pakistan on Thursday in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for campaigning for female education.

Malala Yousafzai, 20, arrived at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security early morning accompanied by her parents and the CEO of the Malala Fund. She is here on a four-day visit, Dawn online reported.

In an emotional speech at the Prime Minister's Office, where she held a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi earlier, the activist said it had been her dream to return "without any fear".

"Always it has been my dream that I should go to Pakistan and there, in peace and without any fear, I can move on streets, I can meet people, I can talk to people," Malala said in the televised address.

"It's the happiest day of my life. I still can't believe it's happening," she said, wiping away tears. I don't normally cry A I'm still 20 years old but I've seen so many things in life."

In October 2012, Malala Yousafzai -- then 15 years old -- was shot in the head at point-blank range by Taliban gunmen as she was returning from her school in Swat valley. She was later flown to London for medical treatment.

The Oxford University student has been living in the UK since then.

Malala spoke of the importance of education and about the efforts of her charitable foundation to help girls. She said that the Malala Fund invested $6 million for girls' education in Pakistan.

"We need to invest in kids' education. The Malala Fund is already working on this... I hope we can all join hands in this mission for the betterment of Pakistan, so that our future generation can receive the right education and women can become empowered, do jobs, stand on their own two feet and earn for themselves.

Speaking of Swat, Malala stated: "It is just like a paradise on Earth." She said she "did not realise how beautiful Swat was" until she moved to the UK.

Abbasi, who also addressed the gathering after Malala Yousafzai, said he was happy that a "daughter of the nation has returned to her homeland". He called her "the most famous personality of Pakistan". "The world has given her respect, Pakistan will as well."

Earlier in the day, Malala met State minister for information Marriyum Aurangzeb, Senator Mussadiq Malik, Anusha Rehman and Marvi Memon.

The activist was also expected to meet Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa later. She will also participate in the "Meet the Malala" programme during her stay.

In 2014, she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17. Last April, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres selected her to be a UN messenger of peace.
Karachi, March 29 : An anti-corruption court here on Thursday indicted former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and 25 others in a corruption case pertaining to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

All the accused, however, pleaded not guilty against the charges. The former Prime Minister called the allegations "baseless", Dawn online reported.

Gilani and some former and serving senior TDAP officials, along with a few others, were accused of causing a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer through the approval and disbursement of fake and trade subsidies during the previous PPP government.

The Federal Investigation Agency had chargesheeted Gilani in around 25 out of over 70 cases pertaining to the trade subsidy scam.

The former Prime Minister's counsel Barrister Farooq H. Naek stated that his client was charged with corruption of Rs 4.9 million in 26 cases, but maintained that all the allegations were "untrue" and that the cases were "political revenge".

The others indicted include Tariq Iqbal Puri, who headed TDAP from October 1, 2010 to July 7, 2012; Ex-TDAP Director General (facilitation) Abdul Karim Daudpota and other TDAP employees.

Ten of the 25 indicted were proclaimed offenders.
Tokyo, March 29 : India and Japan on Thursday called for a peaceful, stable and free Indo-Pacific region following the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here.

"We are both democratic countries who respect openness, rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Sushma Swaraj said while addressing the media with Kono following the talks.

"The Special Strategic and Global Partnership we share is extremely important in the context of today's world," she said. "Both our countries seek a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region."

On his part, Kono said India was Japan's most important partner in its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

"Our Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy and India's Act East Policy should be further merged," he said.

The remarks assume significance given China's belligerence in the South China Sea and attempts to increase its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.

India and Japan, along with the US and Australia, are also part of the recently revived quad that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

In her address, Sushma Swaraj said that in Thursday's Strategic Dialogue, she and Kono discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Stating that India had emerged as one of the fastest growing economies, she said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country had risen in the rankings of ease of doing business.

"During our discussions, I told Foreign Minister Kono that India has embarked on the path of change and in this we regard Japan as an important partner," she stated.

"We welcome Japan's role in our flagship programmes like Smart Cities, Digital India and Start-up India."

Sushma Swaraj said she and Kono also discussed cooperation in the areas of information and communication, space research, health services and food security besides new areas.

She said that both sides appreciated the growing people-to-people ties between the two countries and called for relationships to be established between the states of India and the prefectures of Japan.

Both sides also strongly condemned terrorism and those providing safe havens to terrorists and agreed to unitedly fight climate change.

Sushma Swaraj said the Strategic Dialogue had laid the groundwork for the annual bilateral summit between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to be held later this year.

Following the talks, the two sides signed loan agreements on projects being implemented in India with Japanese aid, including on connectivity in northeastern India, Mumbai Metro Line 3, construction of Chennai Sea Water Desalination Plant and Himachal Pradesh forest ecosystem management.

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj addressed the Indian community at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre here during which she lauded the contribution of the diaspora in strengthening India's relations with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

She met former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and discussed ways to take the India-Japan relationship forward.

Kishida is Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council.
New Delhi, March 29 : In a new step to solve issues related to women's safety, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has decided to organise 'Rape Roko Mahila Adalats' which will provide an opportunity to women to address their concerns directly to DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal.

For the initiative, DCW has joined hands with the Delhi Government, the Delhi Police and the Municipal Corporation.

According to the DCW, the meetings will be headed by Maliwal and will be attended by women and officials from the police and Delhi Government. The Adalat is an attempt of the Commission to elicit accountability of the system towards women and girls.

"The sessions will be conducted frequently across all the places in Delhi. During the Adalats, women and girls will be encouraged to raise issues concerning their safety and the officers present shall address them on the spot," said a statement by DCW.

"Through the Rape Roko movement, we strongly demand stringent action against child rapists in six months via strong law, increased police resources and accountability and fast-track courts. We are now starting the Rape Roko Mahila Adalats to fix problems on the ground which promote sexual harassment," Maliwal said.
New Delhi, March 29 : The BJP on Thursday accused former Law Minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal of being involved in a "land scam" claiming that he bought a piece of land in Delhi worth crores for a "very small price" from an accused in a money laundering case.

Referring to a report by a website alleging that Sibal acquired the land by paying just Rs 1 lakh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said Sibal and his wife got the ownership of a company, Grande Castello, from a Piyoosh Goyal, a businessman.

She said some details about Sibal's acquisition of the company and his dealings with Goyal were first published in January by some investigative journalists based in South Africa. Irani also said the UPA government had ordered a probe against Goyal then.

Quoting the newsreport, Irani said, "Grande Castello, with no business in Financial Year 2013-14, commenced purchase of a piece of land, which eventually cost Rs 45.21 crores. To fund, this, the company raised interest-free loans and book overdrafts.

"Once the land was registered in the company's name in 2014-15, the company decided to revalue the aforesaid land based on the 'Market Value' as per valuation report obtained from the Government Registered valuer, thus raising the value of the land by Rs 43.79 crores to Rs 89 crore, almost doubling the value," she said.

Firing salvos at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Irani said, "If Sibal wants do to a business deal with a man accused of money laundering is his choice... But is it acceptable to Rahul Gandhi?"

Reacting to her statement, Sibal rejected the charges saying the Minister, who does not know the definition of money laundering, was making an allegation.

"I bought a company, paid for it, paid from my income... I earn well. My Income Tax return is upto date, I have also filed corporate tax returns. You do not want to see records and allege money laundering," he said.

Sibal also slammed Irani for dragging Rahul Gandhi into the issue.

"It is sad that in this country economics and maths exam papers are leaked which never happened in the past. I have also been the HRD minister. If you talk about Election Commission, election dates are leaked. If you look at Aadhaar, data is leaked. But when they have to protect their own degrees, the information never leaks. So the government knows how to protect information, what they don't want leaked is not leaked.

"I am surprised she did a press conference and did not ask why the Prime Minister has close relations with Nirav Modi. BJP leaders should tell us about their relations with Lalit Modi," he said.

Asked if he would file a defamation case, Sibal said yes.
Kolkata, March 29 : Amid the prevailing tension in parts of Raniganj and adjoining areas in West Bengal's Paschim Burdwan district following clashes over Ram Navami rallies, Union Minister Babul Supriyo was on Thursday not allowed to enter the area.

An FIR against the minister was also lodged for violation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc, L.N. Meena, Commissioner of Asansol-Durgapur Police, told IANS over phone.

Citing security reasons, police stopped the car of the Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises as he tried to enter the Railpar area in the district.

"As a public representative, it is my duty to be with the people when they are in trouble and I have every right to visit my constituency. Police was saying that I would not be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area.

"Being a minister, I cannot violate rules," said Asansol MP Supriyo who also engaged in a verbal duel with police personnel surrounding his car.

Incidentally, a group of people raised slogans against the minister demanding that he should leave the area.

"People of Ranigunj are attacked, police force is outnumbered and severely injured. And the Mamata government could only muster cutting off internet connectivity for 2 days? Because goons on the streets have been downloading weapons and bombs off the internet, is it now," Supriyo tweeted later.

Actress-turned politician Locket Chatterjee, who is the state BJP Mahila Morcha President, was supposed to visit Raniganj but was also stopped by police at Durgapur.

Criticising the BJP leaders' attempt to enter the area, West Bengal Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee blamed the ruling party at the Centre for the unrest.

"The immediate task is to restore peace and bring normalcy in the area. When the police and the state government are trying to take confidence building measures, why do they want to visit Raniganj?," he said.

Several shops and houses were vandalised and set ablaze over the Ram Navami related clashes in parts of the district and 19 people have been arrested for fomenting trouble.

A clash also broke out between two groups around a Ram Navami procession in Raniganj on Monday. A person was allegedly hacked to death while a Deputy Commissioner of Police lost a hand after getting hit by a bomb.

According to police, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since last night.

A special team comprising senior police officers Siddhinath Gupta, Jawed Shamim and Vineet Goyal was dispatched to prevent any more untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, there was intense police patrolling on Thursday in the area, especially in the Dhadka area, where a police vehicle was vandalised and two Trinamool offices were set on fire in violence on Tuesday.

The BJP, which is trying to pitchfork itself as the main challenger to the Trinamool in the state, has been using the Ram Navami celebrations since last year to appeal to the sentiments of the majority Hindu population.

Sensing the BJP's motive, the ruling Trinamool Congress also celebrated the occasion massively on its own this year.
Imphal, March 29 : A 48-hour general strike called by a tribal students organisation in Manipur's Tengnoupal district crippled normal life on Thursday in the border areas and hit NH-2, the state's lifeline.

Hundreds of vehicles were parked in Moreh and along National Highway-2 with the stranded tourists and traders finding it difficult to even get water and food.

The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) called the shutdown from Wednesday midnight which also affected the legal border trade at Moreh and Myanmar's Namphalong.

KSO activists told IANS on Thursday that it called the strike as the government has not been releasing subsidised rice for the people of the district for the last three months.

A short meeting with the district administration was held on Thursday with sources saying the talks were not fruitful.

The district police are patrolling all-trouble prone areas to maintain law and order.

The distribution of rice during Congress rule was erratic and unreliable, said several women activists.

Activist Purnishashi Yengkhom said the people thought things will improve under the Bharatiya Janata Party's rule.

"However people are getting just three kg of rice in a month at the rate of Rs 3 per kg," she added.

There are similar complaints from below poverty line villagers in some other areas.

KSO activists threatened other forms of agitation if not given their due share.

Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Karam Shyam has called for a report since the rice stock for the district is said to have been lifted on time.

Meanwhile, highly placed sources said on Thursday that Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's appeal to armed militant outfits for holding negotiations for durable peace have got no response.

Biren Singh, however, said that over 70 militants had come overground to join the national mainstream after the formation of the BJP-led government in 2017.

Police sources said counter-insurgency operations have been intensified in the vulnerable areas.

A police spokesman said a Lance Corporal of the Manipur Naga People's Front was arrested on Monday near Imphal while a woman insurgent was held on Tuesday.
Paris, March 29 : A man was arrested by the police for shouting death threats in Arabic and trying to ram a car into a group of soldiers outside an Army base in southeastern France on Thursday.

The incident happened when the soldiers of the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment were jogging near their barracks in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near the southern city of Grenoble. They managed to avoid the oncoming vehicle by diving into a ditch, the BBC reported.

The driver shouted in Arabic at the soldiers before the attack and sped off afterwards in what reports said was a stolen Peugeot 208. Reports suggested a woman was also in the car. No one was harmed.

Army spokesman Colonel Benoit Brulon, said: "At around 8.15 a.m. today, a man verbally threatened six or seven soldiers who were out jogging. Then he did the same thing to a second group of runners.

"When they returned to speak to him, he tried to ram them," he said.

An investigating official said: "They had to throw themselves away from the car to avoid being hurt. All are unhurt, but very shocked." He said that the driver had "made it clear" he wanted to injure the soldiers.

Police tweeted to say a man had been detained in a Grenoble market after a search operation.

France remains on edge after 25-year-old gunman Radouane Lakdim went on a killing spree at a supermarket in Trebes on March 23, leaving four dead.

President Emmanuel Macron said France was locked in a fight against "clandestine Islamic fundamentalism".
Paris, March 29 : French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Russia in May despite differences revolving around a former Russian agent's poisoning, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday.

"For the moment, the trip is planned," Le Drian told RTL radio.

At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Macron is scheduled to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum being held from May 24-26, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We must have a frank dialogue with Russia. We want to maintain it, but it is a dialogue on which we need a lot of clarity," Le Drian said.

Earlier this week, France asked four Russian diplomats to leave the country within a week in response to former Russian agent Sergei Skripal's poisoning in Britain.

On March 4, Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in a shopping centre in the southern city of Salisbury.

Macron's office said on March 15 that France agreed with Britain that Russia was responsible for the poisoning. Russia, however, has denied any involvement in the poisoning incident.
Panaji, March 29 : Slamming those spreading lies about Manohar Parrikar's medical condition, Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni on Thursday said he was doing fine and urged people not to believe fake stories about the Goa Chief Minister's health.

"The Chief Minister's health is fine. He is undergoing treatment abroad and doing extremely well. In fact, it is most unfortunate that some people have started sending out wrong messages. Some are virtually fabricated and said these are sent by Parrikar. These are all nasty messages. It is very unfortunate," Nadkarni, a key Parrikar aide, told reporters here.

"My only request is that when it is somebody's health, one should leave the person and the family (alone) to handle the situation... though he is a public figure and lakhs of people are praying for him and his health," he said.

Asked if action should be taken against those circulating fake messages on the social media, Nadkarni said: "Circulating false news by itself is an offence... he is a public figure, so nobody is going to file cases in such matters and waste time. The best thing is that such things have to be ignored."

Parrikar is undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer in a New York hospital.

Police have already questioned journalist Harish Volvoikar, running a WhatsApp-based news service, after a senior BJP functionary complained to police that he had circulated a fake story about Parrikar's death.

Volvoikar has denied the charge, claiming unknown persons had fabricated the news and falsely credited him as its author on the social media.

The Chief Minister's Office issued a denial last week, after a letter of repentance and introspection purportedly written by Parrikar went viral on the social media.
Colombo, March 29 : Sri Lankan Police on Thursday arrested the country's prison chief Emil Ranjan Lamahewa over a massacre of 27 inmates during a jail riot in 2012.

Lamahewa was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department from his residence in Colombo, Police Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

On Wednesday, an inspector attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau was also arrested over the prison riot.

The riot at the highly-guarded Welikada Prison in Colombo broke out on November 9, 2012, during a search for illegal arms within the prison premises.

The riot had left 27 inmates dead and 40 injured.

The Sri Lankan government led by President Maithripala Sirisena had appointed a committee to investigate the riot and a report was compiled on the incident.

The 2012 massacre was the worst prison violence in the country since 50 inmates were hacked to death in a 1983 riot.
Jammu, March 29 : One Indian soldier was injured as Indian and Pakistan armies traded heavy fire on Thursday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts, police said.

Police sources said Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions on the LoC in Laam area of Nowshera sector of Rajouri on Thursday evening.

"Pakistan firing started around 6 p.m. One soldier was injured in Pakistan firing. He has been shifted to hospital for treatment.

"Indian positions retaliated effectively and strongly," a police source said.

Sources also said Pakistan army started unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Kerni, Kasba, and Shahpur areas of Poonch.

"Heavy firing exchanges were going on between the two sides when reports last came in," a source said.
Mumbai, March 29 : Toyota Motor Corporation on Thursday said that it has concluded a 'basic agreement' with Suzuki Motor Corporation toward the mutual supply of hybrid and other vehicles between the two companies for the Indian market.

"Specifically, Suzuki will supply the Baleno and Vitara Brezza vehicle models to Toyota, while Toyota will supply the Corolla vehicle model to Suzuki," the company said in a statement.

"Details on each model, such as the schedule of the start of supply, number of supplied units, vehicle specifications, and supply pricing, will be considered at a later stage."

According to the statement, the vehicles will be sold by respective subsidiaries of Toyota and Suzuki based in India through their sales networks.

"By challenging and competing with each other with the goal of mutual improvement, Toyota and Suzuki aim to invigorate the Indian automotive market to further enhance their respective products and services to be offered to customers," the statement said.

Since February 6, 2017, when Toyota and Suzuki concluded a memorandum toward business partnership, the two companies have been "exploring concrete projects for collaboration in areas including environmental technology, safety technology, information technology, and the mutual supply of products and components".

In addition, the November 2017 announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the two to consider a cooperative structure for introducing battery electric vehicles in the Indian market in around 2020 was one outcome of the joint exploration into the partnership.

"Today's announcement is another outcome and underscores the progress Toyota and Suzuki have together made, and it aims to bolster both companies' product lineups and encourage competition in the Indian automotive market," the statement added.
New Delhi, March 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Interpol to locate diamantaire Nirav Modi and his family accused in multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, said informed sources.

According to the sources, the agency sent the request to the Interpol last week aimed at locate and arrest Modi who left the country along with his family in January first week, weeks before the scam was reported to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating criminal misconduct in the case.

The move is part of money trail probe by the ED and the CBI after cases were registered against Modi and his business partner and uncle Mehul Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Group, for defrauding PNB.

Modi, a regular on the lists of rich and famous Indians since 2013, along with his group companies -- Diamond R US, Stellar Diamond and Solar Exports -- and others have been implicated in the Rs 13,500 crore scam which was admitted by the PNB in February, leading to a massive upheaval in the country's banking system.

The CBI in February also approached the Interpol with a request of issuing a Diffusion Notice against Modi to locate him.

Modi's wife Ami, a US citizen, left on January 6 and his uncle Choksi left on January 4.

The PNB has claimed in different complaints to the CBI that several Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) were fraudulently issued by its officials in connivance with Modi and the other accused in the case causing it huge loss.

A LoU is a letter of comfort issued by one bank to branches of other banks, based on which foreign branches offer credit to buyers.

In its ongoing investigation in the case, the ED on Tuesday arrested Modi's Firestar Group Vice President Shyam Sunder Wadhwa and it has so far carried out searches at 251 properties across the country and seized diamonds, gold, pearls and precious and semi-precious stones.

The ED has also claimed to have attached immovable properties belonging to their business groups to the tune of Rs 7,638 crore.
New Delhi, March 29 : India will export 65-70 lakh bales of cotton in the ongoing cotton season 2017-18 (October-September) amid aggressive demands from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and China, said an official on Thursday.

Atul Ganatra, President, Cotton Association of India (CAI), said that apart from the neighbouring countries, India has also been receiving demands for cotton from several other countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey.

According to the CAI, India had exported 63 lakh bales of cotton last year. Each bale has nearly 170 kg of cotton.

Foreign buyers are interested in sourcing cotton from India as they find it cost effective and less expensive in comparison to other countries, said Ganatra.

India has already shipped nearly 53-55 lakh bales in the current season and contracts have been signed for another 8-10 lakh bales scheduled for shipment in April-May.

According to him, Indian cotton exports would reach 65 lakh bales by May-end as Bangladesh, the world's largest cotton importer, does not have much of its own production and its spinning mills largely depend on imports.

"In the early six months of this cotton production and marketing season 2017-18 (October-March), India has sold 55 lakh bales of cotton, of which 17 lakh bales have been shipped to Bangladesh followed by 11 lakh bales to Pakistan, 10 lakh to Vietnam, seven lakh to China, 7 lakh to Indonesia and Taiwan, and 3 lakh to other countries including Sri Lanka, Turkey and Thailand, among others," the CAI chief told IANS.

In case China's demand shifts from the US to India, its largest supplier, it will be a win-win situation for both cotton growers and suppliers as the prices of Indian cotton will move up, he said.

"But at present China has huge stocks in its government vault for current year's consumption, therefore, it will not source much. However, by the end of season, India's cotton exports to China may touch 10 lakh bales," Ganatra added.

The CAI had pegged India's cotton crop at 362 lakh bales for 2017-18 in its monthly report on March 9, 2018, down five lakh bales from the previous month as pink ball worms infestation and dry weather caused severe damage to the cotton crop this year in the Maharashtra and Telangana regions -- the two key cotton producers in India.

As per the Association estimates, the consumption of local mills is 330 lakh bales. Taking into account the export figure of 65-70 lakh bales, the aggregate demand works out to nearly 400 lakh bales.

As for the supplies, it is pegged at 412 lakh bales, with 362 lakh bales of the current year's production and 30 lakh carry-forward bales, while imports are expected to be around 20 lakh bales. Hence, the closing stocks would be around 12 lakh bales.

As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures, India is the largest producer of cotton in the world with 365 lakh bales this year, followed by China (353 lakh bales), the U.S. (273 lakh bales), Pakistan (105 lakh bales) and Brazil (103 lakh bales).

The five largest exporters of cotton are the U.S. (186 lakh bales), Australia (56 lakh bales), Brazil (54 lakh bales), India (54 lakh bales) and Uzbekistan (15 lakh bales).

As per the US agency, five major consumers of cotton are China (513 lakh bales), India (314 lakh bales), Pakistan (134 lakh bales), Bangladesh, (92 lakh bales) and Turkey (90 lakh bales).

The five major importers are Bangladesh (93 lakh bales), China (64 lakh bales), Vietnam (54 lakh bales), Indonesia (45 lakh bales) and Turkey (45 lakh bales).
Shimla, March 29 : After the CBI filed another status report in its probe into the gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl and the custodial death of an accused, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday amended its order issed a day earlier to summon the agency Director.

The court deferred his appearance till May 9.

Raising questions pertaining to the CBI probe, a Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma on Wednesday had directed the CBI chief to personally appear in the court and file an affidavit on the probe status on April 18.

After hearing CBI counsel's plea on Thursday, the bench said: "If the status report (of the CBI) to be filed on April 25 is not satisfactory and didn't contain sufficient evidence, the CBI Director is supposed to appear in the court on May 9."

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) counsel Anshul Bansal said here: "Our investigations are scientific. Yesterday (Wednesday), after the court hearing, we received some leads into the crime and this morning we apprised the High Court through an additional status report."

He said the case could be cracked by the CBI any time now.

"We have in the status report said that hopefully by the next date (on April 25) we will present the accused before the court. On the basis of the status report, the High Court modified its order," he added.

The bench observed on Wednesday: "It has been more than eight months that this court entrusted the investigation to the CBI... We are only reminded of the fact that the crime relates to the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl child which evoked great anger and pain.

"Are we to understand that CBI officers are not competent enough to unearth the crime of such nature within eight months?"

Both the gang rape and the murder case and that pertaining to the subsequent custodial death of an accused are being monitored by the High Court and are being investigated by the CBI.

Police said the schoolgirl was offered a lift in a vehicle by the accused on July 4 last year while she was returning home from school in Kotkhai town, 56 km from here.

On the way, the accused and his associates raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her naked body with injury marks was found two days later.

The arrested accused were prime accused Rajinder Singh, who offered her the lift, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Suraj Singh (since deceased) and Lokjan. Currently, all the accused are on bail.

However, there was a new twist in the case after Rajinder Singh allegedly murdered Suraj Singh in the police lock-up on July 19.

After the CBI took over, nine policemen, including Inspector General of Police Z.H. Zaidi and former Shimla Superintendent of Police D.W. Negi, were arrested on the charge of custodial death. They are in judicial custody.

Zaidi was head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe the case before the CBI took over.
New Delhi, March 29 : The Congress on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the CBSE paper leak and sought sacking of Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar as he expressed his determination to bring the guilty to book.

The Delhi Police, which has interrogated 25 people, said it was trying to reach the "point of origin" of the leak of the mathematics and economics papers for Class X and Class XII circulated through WhatsApp ahead of the examinations.

Students lodged their protest at Jantar Mantar against the Central Board of Secondary Education over the exam leak by carrying placards and raising slogans.

Breaking her silence on the paper leak, CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal assured students that the board will soon announce fresh dates for mathematics and economics examination.

"We have taken the decision in favour of the students. Very soon we will tell them the dates (of rescheduled exams), please don't worry," Karwal told reporters.

Javadekar, who faced a volley of questions at a news conference, said that people behind the CBSE paper leak will not be spared and an internal inquiry besides the police investigation was being conducted to get to the root of the matter.

The Congress' stepped up attack on the government was led by party President Rahul Gandhi who accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being a "weak watchman" as there were leaks in everything.

"How many leaks? Data leak! Aadhaar leak! SSC exam leak! Election date leak! CBSE papers leak! There is leak in everything. The watchman (Narendra Modi) is weak," Gandhi said in a tweet.

He also accused the BJP of destroying institutions and said the CBSE paper leak had destroyed the hopes and future of millions of students.

"The exam leaks destroy the hopes and futures of millions of students. The Congress always protected our institutions. This is what happens when institutions are destroyed by the RSS/BJP. Believe me when I say, this is only the beginning," Gandhi said in another tweet.

Congress Communications incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala demanded that Javadekar and Karwal should be sacked for the leak of Class 10 and Class 12 question papers and sought an independent probe by a sitting high court judge into the issue.

He alleged that an "exam mafia" was running amok and the HRD Minister was busy targeting political opponents in West Bengal.

"Multiple instances of bungling and malfeasance have marred the CBSE under the Modi government," Surjewala alleged.

He said the officials in key positions at both the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the CBSE were "handpicked IAS officers of the Prime Minister from the time he was Gujarat Chief Minister".

"This has exposed the capture of highest academic institutions by the 'exam mafia' under the watch of (Narendra) Modi government as also absolute abdication of authority by the HRD Minister and CBSE Chairperson," he said.

He said a news report had claimed that Karwal had received a copy of the leaked Mathematics paper a day before the exam was to be conducted.

"Instead of taking extreme care in conducting the examinations, Karwal was busy camping in Ahmedabad, promoting her book on mountaineering," Surjewala alleged.

The Congress leader also alleged that the CBSE had deliberately given up the established practice of three sets of paper for students in each examination to prevent cheating, duplications and paper leaks.

"Should there not be an independent investigation in the 'Paper Leak' Scam of CBSE? Time to fix accountability and sack HRD Minister and the CBSE Chairperson," he said.

Javadekar said police were already on the job and hoped that the case will be cracked soon.

"Just like they nabbed four people in the SSC scam, I am sure it will soon catch the culprits in this case, too. Besides, we have also constituted an internal inquiry to find out who leaked the papers," the Minister said.

Javadekar said he would ensure that no "injustice" is meted out to around 16 lakh innocent students who would have to rewrite their examinations now.

"Being a parent myself, I can understand the concerns and anxiety of other parents as well as that of students. Not just the students, even I could not sleep the whole night yesterday," Javadekar said.
Panaji, March 29 : In a development which indicates further delay in ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's return to Goa, state Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, through an office memorandum on Thursday, extended the tenure of a three-minister committee appointed by Parrikar to govern the state in his absence.

The office memorandum by Sharma extended the tenure of the committee, which was originally scheduled to expire on March 31 to April 30.

"The Chief Minister is pleased to direct that the arrangement made for the transaction of business of the government in his absence on medical grounds shall be continued for a further period to April 30," Sharma said in the memorandum.

The memorandum also enhances the project expenditure limit of the three member cabinet committee from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore, while the cap for individual minister has been incresed from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore.A

Parrikar is currently undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer in a New York hospital. He has been hospitalised on three occasions in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital and the Goa Medical College here, ever since he complained of stomach pain on February 15 and was subsequently diagnosed for pancreatic cancer.

Before he left for the US on March 8, Parrikar had designated a three-member committee of ministers namely Francis D'Souza (BJP), Sudin Dhavalikar (MGP) and Vijai Sardesai (Goa Forward) to oversee day-to-day administration in his absence.

Soon after his departure, top BJP leaders in the state had said that he would be returning to Goa in April.
Kabul, March 29 : A US Congress delegation led by Minority Leader of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has met Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah, officials said on Thursday.

The delegation arrived in Kabul on Wednesday night. During the meeting, Pelosi assured the Afghan leaders of Washington's commitment to Kabul in fighting insurgency, a statement by the President's office said.

According to the statement cited by Tolo News, Ghani told the delegation that US President Donald Trump's new policy for South Asia and Afghanistan brought a "positive mood" and brought Kabul and Washington closer to their goals.

Abdullah, meanwhile, said at the meeting that US' cooperation over destroying the "common enemies" of Kabul and Washington was "helpful".

No further details were provided about Pelosi's visit or how long she was expected to stay in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, another senior US official Alice G. Wells, the principal deputy assistant secretary for South and Central Asia at the US State Department, was in Pakistan on an official visit, Geo News reported.

Wells met Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and the two officials discussed the US-Pakistan ties, the Afghanistan peace process as well as regional and global affairs.
New Delhi, March 29 : The government will be spending Rs 6,600 crore in the next three years in the form of loan interest subsidy to help needy students, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Thursday.

The scheme, which was started in 2009, was extended at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) -- chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday -- for the next three years.

"It's a great equity initiative of the Narendra Modi government that in next three years, more than 10 lakh students...who don't have means, whose income is below Rs 4.5 lakh per year will be eligible for the education loan and interest subsidy," Javadekar told reporters here.

Under the scheme, the eligible students can get loans without any collateral or guarantee, while the interest on them is paid by the government for the duration of the course plus one year after its completion, during which time a student is expected to get a job.

The students can take loans up to a maximum of Rs 7.5 lakh under the scheme.

The Minister said that the central government has spent a total of Rs 5,400 crore in the last three years on this scheme, which it would increase to Rs. 6,600 crore for the next three years.

This budget is higher than the one spent by the previous government, he said. Between 2009-2014, the UPA government had spent Rs 4,000 crore on the scheme.

Javadekar also announced the initiative under which the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and teacher training will be integrated under a single scheme. The proposal to formulate the scheme for this was given approval on Wednesday by the Cabinet.

"Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan was started by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998. For the last 20 years, the scheme is operating with little changes made here and there. But now after consulting the states, we have come to decide that from Class 1 to Class 12 there will be one scheme," Javadekar said.

The Minister said that in five years the government will bring digital blackboards for classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 in all its schools.

To bolster the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" initiative -- the current government's flagship scheme for women, the minister announced financial aid of Rs 200 every month for girls with special needs and extension of the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya to Class 12, from Class 8 earlier.
New Delhi, March 29 : The Congress on Thursday demanded the sacking of HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal after the leak of two Class 10 and Class 12 question papers and sought a probe by a sitting High Court Judge.

The party said encouraging the 'exam mafia' has become the bedrock of the ruling BJP's policies.

An exam mafia is running amok and the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister was busy targeting political opponents in West Bengal, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a statement here.

"Multiple instances of bungling and malfeasance have marred the Central Bureau of Secondary Education under the Modi government," Surjewala said.

He said the government had systematically denigrated the country's institutions one by one.

The opposition party said the CBSE Chairperson's post lay vacant for two years under the then HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

R.K. Chaturvedi was appointed to the post in July 2017, whereas Anita Karwal, who earlier served as the Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat, was appointed to the post in August last year.

Surjewala accused Karwal of not taking proper care in the conduct of CBSE examinations and said a news report had claimed that she had received a copy of the leaked Mathematics paper a day before the exam was held.

"Instead of taking extreme care in conducting the examinations, Karwal was busy camping in Ahmedabad, promoting her book on mountaineering," Surjewala said.

He said officials in key positions at both the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and CBSE were "handpicked IAS officers of the Prime Minister from the time he was the Gujarat Chief Minister".

"This has exposed the capture of highest academic institutions by the 'exam mafia' under the watch of the Modi government as also absolute abdication of authority by the HRD Minister and CBSE Chairperson," he said.

The Congress leader claimed the CBSE had deliberately given up the established practice of preparing three sets of question paper for each examination to prevent cheating, duplications and paper leaks.

"Should there not be an independent investigation in the paper leak scam? Time to fix accountability and sack the HRD Minister and the CBSE Chairperson," he said.

The CBSE on Wednesday said it will re-conduct examination in maths and economics papers for Class 10 and Class 12 respectively following the leak.

The Congress also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has written a book "Exam Warriors".

"As many as 16.38 lakh students took the Class 10 exams, while almost 8 lakh took the Class 12 exams. Are they now 'Re-Exam Warriors' for Modi?" the statement added.

"Except for the degree of then HRD Minister (Irani), everything else is leaking in this country. PM Modi is compromising the future of exam warriors and our students.
Tokyo, March 29 : India and Japan on Thursday called for a peaceful, stable, free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region following the Ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here.

"Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership has acquired a broader significance in the current global context," Sushma Swaraj said while jointly addressing the media with Kono.

"Our growing convergence on economic and strategic issues is important for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," she said.

Kono said India was Japan's most important partner in its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

"Our Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy and India's Act East Policy should be further merged," he said.

The remarks assume significance given China's belligerence in the South China Sea and attempts to increase its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.

India and Japan, along with the US and Australia, are also part of the recently revived quad that seeks to work for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

In her address, Sushma Swaraj said that in Thursday's Strategic Dialogue, she and Kono discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Stating that India has emerged as the fastest-growing large economy in the world, she said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is strongly committed to improving the "ease of doing business" and has "set into motion many far-reaching changes to build infrastructure, reform the business environment and promote education, skills and economic development".

"In my discussions with Foreign Minister Kono, I emphasized that in India's transformational journey, we regard Japan as a natural partner."

Sushma Swaraj said that India welcomes Japanese entrepreneurs with new opportunities in flagship initiatives such as Smart City, Digital India, Start-Up India and many others.

"Foreign Minister Kono and I had very productive discussions on how India and Japan are today working closely to build robust ties in high speed rail, information and communications technology, innovation, space science, healthcare and food processing, to name just a few.

"We also exchanged views on some new areas of focus in our engagement, such as skills development, Japanese language training in India and the possibility of Indian professionals working in Japan under the Technical Intern Training Programme."

She said that both sides appreciated the growing people-to-people ties between the two countries and "also expressed our satisfaction over growing role of states in India and prefectures in Japan as active stake-holders in our partnership".

Stating that both sides exchanged views on some important global issues where India and Japan have growing convergences, she said: "We shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that requires global action in the spirit of azero tolerance', including by rooting out terrorist safe havens, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists."

Sushma Swaraj also said that both sides emphasised the need for concerted global action to deal with other common challenges such as climate change.

She said she believed the Strategic Dialogue has laid a sound foundation for the annual bilateral summit between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to be held later this year.

Following the talks, the two sides signed loan agreements on projects being implemented in India with Japanese aid, including on connectivity in northeastern India, Mumbai Metro Line 3, construction of Chennai Sea Water Desalination Plant and Himachal Pradesh forest ecosystem management.

Earlier, Sushma Swaraj addressed the Indian community at the Vivekanand Cultural Centre here during which she lauded the contribution of the diaspora in strengthening India's relations with Japan and creating a positive image about India in Japan.

She met former Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who is Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, and discussed ways to take the bilateral relationship forward.
New Delhi, March 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets totalling Rs 2,381 crore of the Rose Valley group of companies which is under investigation for fraudulent collection of money from the public and laundering it, an official said on Thursday.

The seized assets includes 400 immovable properties, including more than 200 acres of land and 15 hotels and resorts located at Mondarmani, Lataguri, Durgapur, Midnapur and Falakata in West Bengal.

The book value of the property attached so far is Rs 1,233 crore (more than Rs 4,200 crore in market value).

This is the biggest single attachment by the ED which is investigating cases against the Rose Valley Group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The group is accused of collecting Rs 17,000 crore in deposits from people illegally on the pretext of exorbitant returns and then routing this money through a complex maze of a large number of companies and accounts under the guise of loans and advances.

The Rose Valley Group, owned by Gautam Kundu, is accused of collecting deposits without complying with the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

The group has since repaid Rs 10,857 crore, including interest of Rs 2,430 crore, though around Rs 8,600 crore was still outstanding, an ED statement said.

"The group did not run any profitable business or did not have any other operational activities to generate revenue and all expenses incurred by them were sourced from the money fraudulently collected from the public.

Arrested by the ED on March 25, 2015, Kundu is in judicial custody. His bail petition has been rejected by the Supreme Court.
Srinagar, March 29 : A Special Police Officer was shot dead by militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Thursday, police said.

According to a police officer, a group of militants entered the house of Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh in Bijbehara area of Anantnag in the evening and opened fire at him.

While Sheikh was killed on the spot, his wife was critically injured.
New Delhi, March 29 : India can move to higher rates of economic growth if it can resolve its "twin balance sheet" problem of high corporate debt and non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, accumulated in the banking system, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian said on Thursday.

In his address at the India Economic Conclave here organised by Times Network, Subramanian said that having overcome the short-term consequences of demonetisation and of implementing the Goods and Services tax (GST) last year, India can now propel itself onto a higher growth trajectory.

"If we can solve this twin balance sheet challenge given the new developments, and if we put the short term consequences of GST and demonetisation behind us, I think that could itself propel us to higher rates of growth than we have seen recently," the CEA said.

"After we put behind some of the major structural reform, growth has started to revive. In some ways there are two or three big reform actions that don't necessarily involve new stuff that we have to do," he added.

Subramanian also said policymakers need to re-evaluate whether more has to be done to deal with the NPAs of public sector banks, which have crossed the staggering level of Rs 8.5 lakh crore.

The government has embarked on a two-pronged strategy on bad loans.

On the one hand, it has brought in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) which provides for a six-month time-bound insolvency resolution process. On the other hand, it has approved a Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation plan for state-run banks.

In June last year, the Reserve Bank of India referred 12 accounts, totalling about 25 per cent of the gross NPAs, for resolution under the IBC.
New Delhi, March 29 : A day after the CBSE paper leak surfaced, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar faced a barrage of questions from the media, which was not satisfied with the comforting words of the Minister.

"I can assure you that the culprits behind the leak won't be spared. The police is already on the job and just like it nabbed four people in the SSC scam, I am sure it will soon catch the culprits in this case, too," he said.

"Besides, we have also constituted an internal inquiry to find out who leaked the papers," the Minister told the reporters before he was charged with another volley of questions.

"I think the honourable minister has given a comprehensive statement...," intervened Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was also addressing the press on Cabinet's decision taken on Wednesday, but he too was cut short for questions on students' protest across the city.

Even as the the Minister responded to the media queries, students in considerable numbers exhibited their anger in the form of protest at Jantar Mantar and raised slogans against CBSE. One carried a placard reading "CBSE: Complete Bull**** System of Education".

"This is not right, CBSE should think of the students who didn't have anything to do with the leak, before conducting a re-examination," Aman, a Class 12 student of a government school at Gandhi Nagar, told IANS.

"Not just on social media, people were seen selling the question paper outside a school at Kailash Nagar (Gandhi Nagar) for Rs 8,000," he said.

Another student of Class 12 said paper were leaked for other subjects also.

"Biology and Chemistry papers were also leaked. I got to know of people who were offering question papers for Rs 16,000 if you wanted it a night before and for Rs 3,000 if you wanted it on the morning of the examination day," the student of KIIT World School in Pitampura said.

"CBSE chief should be sacked. Why is my money, a taxpayer's money, being spent on the re-examination? Is this the only way to make it just for all? There should be some other way. Let's not make it easy for the politicians," a furious mother of two girl students said at the protest.

It is said that question papers for Maths of Class 10 and Economics of Class 12 -- examinations for which were conducted on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, this week -- were in circulation for days before they came to be acknowledged as "leaks" by the board.

A flagrant act of recklessness on the part of board was also observed when it went ahead with Class 10 Maths examination on Wednesday despite being aware of the leak of Economics paper and even filed an FIR on Tuesday.

An Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on Wednesday after the CBSE registered two cases with the Crime Branch.

The first case was registered on Tuesday evening about Class 12 Economics question paper leak and the second related to the leak of Class 10 Maths paper was filed on Wednesday.
New Delhi, March 29 : Union Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Thursday said the government expects to generate nearly one crore new jobs by bearing the entire contribution of employers towards the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) of new employees in the informal sector for the first three years.

"Yesterday, it was decided that the entire 12 per cent will be bored by the government... It is a major step and we expect it to create nearly 1 crore new employment opportunities," he said at the briefing on cabinet decisions.

The minister said that government will increase budgetary provisioning of the scheme -- Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) -- by around Rs 6,500-Rs 10,000 crore.

On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval for enhancing the scope of PMRPY.

According to the CCEA decision, the government "will now contribute the employer's full admissible contribution for the first three years from the date of registration of the new employee for all the sectors including existing beneficiaries for their remaining period of three years".

"The informal sector workers would get social safety net and there would be more job creation," a statement from the CCEA.

"Till now, the scheme has produced quite encouraging results and have added about 31 lakhs beneficiaries to the formal employment involving an expenditure of more than Rs 500 crore."

The scheme has been in operation since August, 2016, under which the government till now was paying the 8.33 per cent contribution of employers to the EPS in respect of new employees, who have joined on or after April 1, 2016, having a new Universal Account Number (UAN), with salary up to Rs 15,000 per month.

As per the scheme, the employers are incentivised for increasing the employment base of workers in the establishments, and on the other hand a large number of workers will find jobs in such establishments.

"A direct benefit is that these workers will have access to social security benefits of the organised sector," the statement said.
New Delhi, March 29 : Prominent editors and media figures from a media rights network across South Asia on Thursday condemned the killing of journalists in the region and said there is a pattern of violence against media workers.

The South Asia Media Defenders Network (SAMDEN) -- which includes India, Bangladesh and Pakistan -- said it condemned the killing of journalist Sandeep Sharma, in Madhya Pradesh, two journalists in Bihar and one in Pakistan.

It called upon governments and political parties across the spectrum to ensure protection of journalists.

"The alarming pattern of attacks against journalists, without successful investigations or convictions, points towards shrinking freedom of expression and anti-media tendencies in democratic nations, and concerns the very right to life itself," said a statement signed by Sanjoy Hazarika, the International Director of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).

Sharma, a television channel stringer, was run over by a truck on Tuesday. He had conducted a sting operation exposing a police official in the area which showed the latter accepting a monthly bribe of Rs 25,000 in exchange for allowing sand mining in a protected crocodile sanctuary.

In another incident, a correspondent of the Daily Nawa-I-Waqt, Zeeshan Ashraf Butt, was allegedly shot dead by a local political figure in Pakistan's Punjab province. Butt apparently had a quarrel with the Chairman of the Begowala Union Council and was reportedly shot by the latter, according to the police, quoted the Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP).

The RMNP said it was second killing of a journalist in Pakistan this year.

"These come two days after the alleged murders of two journalists in Bihar -- Navin Nischal and Vijay Singh, who were chillingly run over by a man driving a local leader's car, and represent a burst of attacks on media workers in one week in India."

"They are demonstrative of the increasing violence being directed towards media persons. Impunity recognizes no borders. Reporters in rural and areas (where) vernacular media appear (are) particularly vulnerable to arbitrariness and threatening conduct," the statement said.

Others signing the statement include Tarun Basu, Director and former Chief Editor, IANS and President, Society for Policy Studies (SPS); Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor, The Wire; and television personalities Karan Thapar, Rajdeep Sardesai and Nidhi Razdan.
Mumbai, March 29 : A day after RTI documents pointed to an alleged 'Tea scam' in Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's Office (CMO), Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam demanded an internal inquiry on the entire issue.

In a letter to Fadnavis on Thursday, Nirupam plugged holes into the CMO's denial to the RTI response.

"The response of the CMO is full of loopholes and lies. They claim that this is the overall expense that has been spent on bouquets, shawls, coconuts which were given during felicitations, whereas the RTI was specifically for tea and snacks. So why is the CMO clubbing all other expenses now?" he asked.

Referring to the comments by former Union Minister and four-time Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, saying he was never aware that such huge expenses could be incurred on serving tea, Nirupam said that even other ex-CMs have said that the tea and snacks expenses of the CMO have always been in lakhs.

"Then how did the expenses suddenly rise to Rs 3.4 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 57, 99,150 in 2015-16? The CMO statement lacks authenticity and seems a desperate attempt just to cover up the truth because the expense has increased by 577 per cent which equals to more than 18,500 cups of tea consumed every single day," he said.

Dismissing the CMO's reply, Nirupam asked Fadnavis to provide a breakdown of the number of cups of tea served at various other locations like Sahyadri Guest House, Hyderabad House, Varsha Bungalow, Nagpur Office.

"If there is transparency and if the CMO is saying that we are making misleading claims, then give us a break-up if there's nothing to hide," he said.

On Wednesday, Nirupam brewed up a storm by furnishing RTI documents showing that in the past three years, the tea consumption in the CMO has increased by a staggering 577 per cent.
New Delhi, March 29 : For the first time in the appointment of High Court judges, the Supreme Court collegium - comprising the apex court's top three judges including Chief Justice of India - conducted interviews of the recommended candidate before finalising and recommending their names for appointment to Calcutta and Madhya Pradesh High Courts.

The three judge collegium includes Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice J.Chelameswar and Justice Ranjan Gogoi. The collegium meeting took place on March 26.

This is another step in making the appointment process transparent after the top court collegium had last year decided to put on its website the names of the candidates recommended for appointment as judges to the High Courts along with the reasons.

Apart from "assessing merit and suitability" of recommended candidates for elevation to the High Court, "we invited all the recommendees with a view to have an interaction with them.", said the collegium resolution put on the top court website.

This was "over and above" the material placed in the file which included the views of the Chief Minister forwarded by the Governor of West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh respectively reports of the Intelligence Bureau, and other relevant criteria including the observations by the Department of Justice.

The court adopted the new procedure of interviewing the recommended candidates for appointment to Calcutta High Court and Madhya Pradesh High Court.

In all, the collegium had received seven names for appointment as judges to Calcutta High Court and cleared five of them. In one case, it felt it needed further information to assess his suitabiity and in another case it deferred the decision for his elevation.

The five people cleared for appointment as judges of the Calcutta High Court included Biswajit Basu, Amrita Sinha, Sutanu Kumar Patra, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, and Jay Sengupta.

In the case of Madhya Pradesh High Court all the five names that were recommended by the High Court and forwarded by the Madhya Pradesh government were cleared.

The five are Sanjay Dwivedi, Akhil Kumar Shrivastava, Brij Kishore Shrivastava, Rajendra Kumar Shrivastava, and Mohd. Fahim Anwar.

Except for Dwivedi who is a practising advocate, rest four are judicial officers in subordinate judiciary.
New Delhi, March 29 : A man has been arrested for murdering a Delhi University student following an altercation, police said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Ishtiaq Ali, 25, a resident of Uttam Nagar in west Delhi, was arrested after long investigation, police said.

"Ishtiaq Ali works as a sampling manager for various export houses and is an ex-student of a fashion institute. He confessed to killing Ayush Nautiyal, a B.com Honours student of a South Campus college after an altercation," said Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Chaudhary.

The incident occurred on March 22 and Ali, after killing Nautiyal, pretended that the latter had been kidnapped and sent a message, from the deceased's mobile, to his father demanding ransom of Rs 50 lakh to release him, he said.

While Ali sent the message to mislead the police, Nautiyal's father approached police and a case was registered, he added.

"After Nautiyal's phone was switched off, Ali started using Whatsapp messages. He on March 26 sent message to deliver ransom amount near Uttam Nagar but did not come to collect the money.

"Nautiyal's body was recovered from a drain in Dwarka Sector 13. Ali was arrested with the help of technical surveillance and CCTV footage collected from various locations," said Chaudhary.

"Ali told police he disposed off the body the next day with the help of a friend. The vehicle used to dispose off the body has also been recovered. A manhunt is on to nab his friend," he added.
Bengaluru, March 30 : The ruling Congress on late Thursday expelled its senior Karnataka legislator M.V. Guttedar from the party for deciding to join its rival BJP ahead of the May 12 state assembly election.

"Afzalpur MLA and Karnataka Housing Board Chairman M.V. Guttedar has been expelled from the party for six years, for his anti-party stand," said the party's state unit in a statement here, quoting Parameshwara.

A six-time legislator from the state's northern Kalaburgi district, Guttedar met BJP's state unit President B.S. Yeddyurappa in the city earlier in the day and told the media later that he had decided to quit the Congress as he was ignored by its leadership and was denied ministership despite his seniority.

"I have decided to join the BJP under the leadership of Yeddyurappa, quitting Congress," Guttedar told reporters here later.

Singling out Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge for the raw deal meted to him by the party, Guttedar said some leaders have been treating the party as their family property.

"Only sycophancy is rewarded in the Congress. A six-time MLA like me got nothing from the party, whereas a first-time MLA like Priyank, son of Kharge, was made minister with two-three portfolios,a lamented Guttedar.

Guttedar is likely to join the BJP in the presence of its national president Amit Shah at Mysuru on Friday or Saturday.

"Many of my supporters will also be joining the BJP with me," he added.
Moscow, March 30 : Russia announced on Thursday the expulsion of 60 US diplomats and the closure of the American consulate in St. Petersburg in retaliation for Washington's decision to boot an equal number of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of double-agent Sergei Skripal.

"Based on the reciprocity principle, as a retaliatory measure, 58 employees of the US Embassy in Moscow and two staff members of the Consulate-General in Yekaterinburg have been declared personae non gratae for the activities incompatible with their diplomatic status," Russia's foreign ministry said.

The expelled diplomats have until April 5 to leave Russian soil, while personnel at the US Consulate-General in St. Petersburg must abandon the premises no later than Saturday, Efe reported.

"US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman has been summoned to our ministry, where my deputy Sergei Ryabkov is briefing him on the tit-for-tat steps against the US," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday at a press conference in Moscow.

Russia's action came three days after Washington ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats - including 12 working at the United Nations - and the closure of the Russian Consulate in Seattle.

The United States is among more than two-dozen countries that have ordered upwards of 150 Russian diplomats to leave as a gesture in support of the United Kingdom, which accuses Moscow of being behind the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.

On March 4, the Skripals were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury, England, where 66-year-old Sergei settled after being released from a Russian prison in a spy swap.

Both father and daughter remain hospitalized, but doctors said Thursday that Yulia, 33, is "improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable."

The British government said the Skripals were poisoned using a nerve agent of "a type developed by Russia."

Moscow denies any responsibility for the poisoning and Lavrov on Thursday accused Washington and London of "encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country."

Russia plans to carry out proportionate expulsions of diplomats from every country that has ordered Russian diplomats to get out, Lavrov said.
The Governors Center for Local Government Services (GCLGS) announced the launch of the Pennsylvania Municipal Internship Program (PA MIP). The program, which was developed in partnership with Pennsylvania Municipal League (PML), will benefit municipalities by providing them with skilled, knowledgeable college students that can address vital projects. PA MIP provides an opportunity for college-level interns from across Pennsylvania to actively engage in handling municipal operations, projects and decision-making, thereby preparing them for a career in municipal government.

PA MIP serves all municipalities within Pennsylvania, providing resources for municipalities to address essential projects. Special consideration will be given to Act 47 and Early Intervention Program communities.

To participate in the program, municipalities must first register with PA MIP at https://www.pamip.org/municipality-registration. Once a municipality has registered to participate in the program, they can submit municipal internship opportunities that are available. The internship opportunities will be publicized on the PA MIP website, social media, online internship job postings and through participating educational institutions internship offices.

The Pennsylvania Municipal Internship Program connects college students with municipalities through on-the-job training to prepare students for a career in municipal government. A collaboration of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and the Governors Center for Local Government Services, PA MIP provides interns with valuable experience that benefits municipalities by having additional resources to tackle vital projects. For more information, visit http://www.pamip.org.
There is so much excitement happening in the restaurant scene in Baltimore. There are many young, talented chefs, and smart, sophisticated diners who appreciate innovative food concepts. Its really going to be a fantastic place to work. -Chef Ashish Alfred

Southern Living magazine named Bethesdas Duck Duck Goose (DDG) as Marylands best restaurant. Now, Maryland's own acclaimed chef Ashish Alfred is bringing the popular French-style brasserie to Fells Point. DDG is scheduled to arrive at 814 South Broadway in time for summer.

The new Duck Duck Goose will bring its fresh take on the classic French brasserie, focusing on seasonal ingredients prepared through simple, time-honored cooking methods. Guests will savour delicious, expertly-prepared cuisine spanning classical to modern Parisian influences. Chef Alfred has a simple description of his creations: good food, done well. As in Bethesda, guests will be treated to an unparalleled standard of service from the moment they arrive. But Alfred is adamant that the new Baltimore location isnt going to be a clone  no Duck Duck Goose, The Deuce here. Instead, he says it will have its own unique personality and flair.

The location and layout offer so many new opportunities, says Alfred of the 2,200 square foot location, next to the Admiral Fell Hotel, now occupied by 8 Ball Meatball. Terms were not disclosed.

Unique to Baltimore: the facilitys front and rear private outdoor patios, large centralized bar, and busy Fells Point locale, perfect for catering to locals and tourists. Chef Alfred plans to offer more small plate options than in Bethesda. The average entree is expected to cost less than $24. In peak times, Duck Duck Goose will accommodate about 85 people at 22 tables and the bar, plus more at the outdoor cafes. With its five-star location near the water and posh atmosphere, Alfred plans to tap into Fells Point sophisticated nightlife scene and serve food and cocktails late into the night. It will be the ideal place to start, enjoy and/or end the evening.

Chef Alfred, who lives nearby in Canton and plans to bike to work, is looking forward to joining what is already an acclaimed local food scene. There is so much excitement happening in the restaurant scene in Baltimore. There are many young, talented chefs, and smart, sophisticated diners who appreciate innovative food concepts. Its really going to be a fantastic place to work.

Alfred is already considered a rising culinary star in his own right. He has competed on Food Networks Cutthroat Kitchen and Chopped. Chef Al, as hes often called, trained at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, and sharpened his skills in some of best kitchens in NYC. He is the chef and owner of the Alfred Restaurant Groups three restaurants (Georges Chophouse, also in Bethesda, is the third). Alfred opened Duck Duck Goose in Bethesda in 2016, and it quickly became the destination for casually elegant dining, fine wine tastings, weekend brunches and intimate, late-night cocktails. Georges recently opened in late 2017.

Chef Alfred is available for interviews and questions.

Media contact: Marc Silverstein, phone: (202) 716-9123, email: marc(at)onthemarcmedia(dot)com
Not everyone has the resources to attend Advocacy Day, so Texas Fertility Center and Ovation Fertility have teamed up to help one deserving person attend this special event and make his or her voice heard on Capitol Hill.Kaylen Silverberg, MD, Texas Fertility Center

Texas Fertility Center (TFC) and Ovation Fertility have announced that they are co-sponsoring a grant of up to $1500 for a TFC/Ovation patient to attend RESOLVE Advocacy Day 2018. This grant will cover airfare, hotel and incidental expenses for one TFC patient and a guest to attend and lobby with the Texas delegation in Washington, D.C. Kaylen Silverberg, MD, an Austin-based reproductive endocrinologist and longtime champion of increasing patient access to affordable fertility care, will lead the Central Texas delegation.

RESOLVE Advocacy Day 2018 will take place on May 23. Dr. Silverberg regularly attends the annual event, which provides an opportunity for the infertility community to speak to members of Congress about important issues in reproductive care, including increased insurance coverage for infertility.

Every member of Texas Fertility Center shares a commitment to providing exceptional fertility care that is as accessible as possible to every person suffering from infertility, Dr. Silverberg says. We realize that it can be difficult for many hopeful parents to afford the fertility testing and treatment they need to become parents, so we lobby corporate executives, as well as our elected representatives at the local, state and national levels, for increased infertility awareness and insurance coverage.

Because fertility patients understand the struggles of infertility firsthand, the event encourages them to attend and speak with members of Congress. The event includes lobbying workshops in which Dr. Silverberg and other experienced advocates teach attendees how to effectively lobby their members of Congress.

Not everyone has the resources or skills to attend Advocacy Day, so Texas Fertility Center and Ovation Fertility have teamed up to help one interested person attend this special event and make his or her voice heard on Capitol Hill, Dr. Silverberg said.

To apply for the grant, applicants must submit their fertility stories in written, video or photo-collage format to TFC by April 15, 2018, at 5 p.m. CST. Men and women in all stages of the fertility treatment process are encouraged to submit a story. All patient stories received will be collected and shared with elected representatives in Washington, D.C.

Visit the RESOLVE Advocacy Day website for additional information about this nationwide advocacy effort.

About Texas Fertility Center

Texas Fertility Center (TFC), one of the nations leading full-service infertility practices, provides advanced infertility and reproductive endocrinology services to patients throughout Texas, the southwestern United States and the Americas. Since 1980, TFC has been recognized nationally and internationally for outstanding pregnancy rates, leading-edge laboratory procedures and innovative research programs. For more information, please visit http://www.txfertility.com.
Dr. Howard Abrahams, Prosthodontist in Miami Beach, FL Offers Dental Implants As the only prosthodontist in Miami Beach, FL, Dr. Abrahams specializes in the aesthetic outcome of dental prostheses, including the placement and restoration of dental implants.

Dr. Howard Abrahams welcomes new patients for dental implants at his practice, Dental Implants Miami Beach. As the only prosthodontist in Miami Beach, FL, Dr. Abrahams specializes in the aesthetic outcome of dental prostheses, including the placement and restoration of dental implants. He shares his dedication to implant dentistry and cosmetic rehabilitation by providing patients with custom and beautiful smiles.

Considered the gold standard for the replacement of missing teeth, dental implants mimic the function and appearance of natural teeth. An implant post is inserted into the jaw bone to firmly secure the dental implant in the mouth and provide stimulation to the bone for continued support and growth, just as a tooth root would. The crown of the tooth is securely attached to the implant post by an abutment piece and gives biting and chewing function as well as an aesthetic appeal. As a prosthodontist, Dr. Abrahams is skilled at designing and creating beautiful and natural dental crown restorations.

My extensive training and experience allows me to treat the most complex dental situations with confidence and attention to detail, says Dr. Abrahams. A very important reason why you should choose a prosthodontist for your restorative needs is because they not only have an excellent understanding of all aspects of dentistry, but they are also better equipped to handle situations that may arise.

With proper oral care, a dental implant is a long-term solution to missing teeth. Most patients experience an overall increase to their quality of life and self-confidence. Dental implants offer many benefits, including:



Restore self-confidence

Able to eat most foods

Speech improvements

Increase confidence to build intimacy

Natural look, feel and function

Improved oral and overall health

Dr. Abrahams provides customized, specialized treatment for every dental implant case, taking into consideration the patients oral and overall health, cosmetic goals and functional ability. Dr. Abrahams is also well known to be extremely innovative when it comes to offering patients creative solutions that other clinicians may have never even heard of.

Patients interested in dental implants from the only prosthodontist in Miami Beach, FL, can contact Dr. Abrahams at his office, Dental Implants Miami Beach, by calling 305-921-0082 or visiting http://www.dentalimplantsmiamibeach.com.

About the Doctor

Dr. Howard Abrahams is an esteemed prosthodontist who specializes in a wide variety of dental concerns, from simple to the most complex. After achieving his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, he completed an additional three-year specialty program in advanced prosthodontics with a focus on dental implant and cosmetic rehabilitation. He then spent an additional year at New York Citys prestigious Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where he provided oral prosthetic services for patients ravaged by cancer and trauma. Dr. Abrahams is a member of the American College of Prosthodontists, Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, South Florida District Dental Association and American Dental Association. To learn more about Dr. Abrahams or the services he offers, please visit his website at http://www.dentalimplantsmiamibeach.com or call 305-921-0082 to schedule an appointment.
A Pyrrhic Victory, Volumes I and II Dr. Crouch succeeds splendidly in conveying a compelling interpretation of the lives and loves, the achievements and aspirations, of great men in a great age.  Dr. Eoghan Maloney, lecturer in ancient history at the University of Adelaide

A Pyrrhic Victory refers to a win that comes at such a high cost that it may well destroy the victor. Written by history buff Dr. Ian Crouch, "A Pyrrhic Victory: Volume I, The Shaping of Destiny" has been racking up awards since it was first published. So has the authors sequel, "A Pyrrhic Victory: Volume II, Destiny Unfolds."

In 301 BC, about twenty years after the death of Alexander the Great, a young king named Pyrrhus of Epirus begins his career on the world stage in a battle that will change history. Hannibal later calls Pyrrhus the finest commander the world has ever seen, after Alexander.

This first book in a trilogy was a finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Awards in the category of Faction (fiction based on fact). It also won the 2012 NABE Pinnacle Award in Historical Fiction, and the 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) Gold Medal in Historical Fiction  Military/War category. The book also received a glowing review from the U.S. Review of Books, which bestowed a Recommended Rating. It was shortlisted for the Grand Prize in the 2017 Eric Hoffer Awards, was a First Horizon Award Finalist, and won Honourable Mention in Legacy Fiction.

The second volume of Ian Crouchs historical trilogy, "A Pyrrhic Victory: Volume II, Destiny Unfolds," begins in 295 BC and finishes with the Battle of Asculum in 279 BC. It is also a multiple award winner.

It won the Spring 2015 NABE Pinnacle Awards in the category of historical fiction, and was a 2015 Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year finalist in war and military. The book was a finalist in the 2016 Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards for faction (fiction based on fact) and military fiction, which wrote: Your book truly embodies the excellence that this award was created to celebrate, and we salute you and your fine work. "Destiny Unfolds" was also named a finalist in historical fiction for the CIPA EVVY Awards.

Ptolemy, Pharaoh of Egypt. reinstates Pyrrhus as king of Epirus, making him a powerful figure in Macedonia as well as Epirus. Pyrrhus invades Italy and Sicily, disputing power with the Romans and the Carthaginians. He thus began the struggle between the Greeks and the Romans for dominance of the eastern Mediterranean. It was after his second victory against the Romans in 279 BC, where with heavy losses, he gave rise to the expression, A Pyrrhic victory.

Dr. Crouch succeeds splendidly in conveying a compelling interpretation of the lives and loves, the achievements and aspirations, of great men in a great age.  Dr. Eoghan Maloney, lecturer in ancient history at the University of Adelaide

About the Author: Dr. Ian Crouch is a medical practitioner in Adelaide, South Australia. Since his early days in medical school, his abiding interest has been Greek and Roman history. He is currently writing the third and final volume of "A Pyrrhic Victory," subtitled, "Fate."

These two books in the award-winning series bring to life the ancient world in a way that will enthrall readers. We are proud to be the publisher.  Robert Fletcher, CEO of Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Agency

Watch the video book trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dDhFx46-OI

A PYRRHIC VICTORY: VOLUME I, THE SHAPING OF DESTINY (ISBN: 978-1-60911-914-0) is available for $19.50. A PYRRHIC VICTORY: VOLUME II, DESTINY UNFOLDS (ISBN: 978-1-63135-646-9) is available for $30. eBook versions are available for $9.99. All books can be ordered through the publishers website:

http://sbprabooks.com/IanCrouch or at Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com.

WHOLESALERS: These books are distributed by Ingram Books and other wholesale distributors. Contact your representative with the ISBN for purchase. Wholesale purchase for retailers, universities, libraries, and other organizations is also available through the publisher; please email bookorder@sbpra.net.
Outstanding technology students, emerging programming in public health, and significant contributions to teaching, learning, and leadership were recognized at the League for Innovation in the Community Colleges annual Innovations Conference, held March 18-21 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Riegelman Awards for Public Health Education

At the opening session on Sunday, March 18, Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), Montgomery County Community College (MCCC), and Palo Alto College (PAC) in the Alamo College District received the Riegelman Award for Excellence in Public Health and Health Navigation Education, sponsored by Richard and Linda Riegelman and Jones and Bartlett Learning. The Riegelman Awards are bestowed upon colleges that have demonstrated excellence in programming in public health education.

AACC was honored for Health Foundations enhancement to an existing associate degree program in public health; MCCC expanded an existing associate degree in public health to include first respondersemergency medical technicians; and PAC, received the award for development of an associate of arts in public health.

Debbie Hammond, Assistant Professor of Health, Fitness, and Exercise Studies at AACC; Natasha A. Patterson, Interim Dean for Health Sciences at MCCC; and Alexis Lowe, Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Health at PAC, received the awards on behalf of their institutions.

Terry OBanion Student Technology Awards

Three community college technology students were presented with Terry OBanion Student Technology Awards, which include Student Developer Champion and Student Technology Champion awards, at the plenary session on Monday, March 19. Each of the students received a plaque and a $2,500 scholarship in acknowledgement of their achievements.

The Student Developer Champion award, presented annually to a student preparing for a career in software development, went to Ethan P. Pawelski, who is enrolled in the Application Development program at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, Michigan. Ethan is intelligent, ambitious, driven, and extremely creative. He can MacGyver all sorts of innovative contraptions and goes above and beyond to exceed my expectations, stated Professor Christine Stiles in nominating Pawelski for the award.

The Student Technology Champion award was presented to two students seeking careers in other areas of technology: Emilie C. Robertson, a student at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) in Arnold, Maryland, and Michael Vazquez, a student at Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) in Palos Hills, Illinois.

Robertson is enrolled in AACCs Web Design and Small Business degree program. Overcoming challenging circumstances, she is working her way through college and maintains a 4.0 GPA; she is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Her instructor, Erik Dunham, explained in his nomination letter, Web design gives her a chance to help others communicate their messages to millions of other people in ways that are creative and new. He stated that he is continually impressed with her observations and desire to make the Web a useful space for everyone.

Vazquez, a student in MVCCs Information Management Systems program, was recommended for this award based on his outstanding academic performance and perseverance to overcome family and cultural barriers to higher education. In nominating him, Department Chair Michelle August said, In my seventeen years of teaching, few students have matched him in kindness, genuineness, and positivity. Michael has technical skills and people skills in equal abundance; a rare find!

The Terry OBanion Student Technology Awards are sponsored by Innovative Educators.

ETS OBanion Prize

Josh Wyner, founder and Executive Director of the College Excellence Program and Vice President at the Aspen Institute, was presented with the ETS OBanion Prize for his contributions to teaching and learning. Wyners work has centered around advancing college practices, policies, and leadership that significantly improve student outcomes, with a focus on students who are historically underserved in higher education. Victoria Monaghan, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Educational Testing Service, the award sponsor, made the presentation to Wyner during the Innovations Conference plenary session on Tuesday, March 20.

John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Awards

Recipients of the Roueche Excellence Awards were celebrated throughout the Innovations Conference. The awards are presented annually for excellence in teaching and leadership, and 458 community college faculty, staff, and administrators received the awards in 2017. Recipients who attended the conference were presented with their medallions when they picked up their conference credentials and wore them throughout the event. Award winners were honored with a champagne toast at a reception on Monday evening and with a donning ceremony during the conferences closing session on Wednesday, March 21, which was keynoted by John Roueche, president of the Roueche Graduate Center, National American University. The Excellence Awards Program, which includes names of the award recipients, is available at http://www.league.org/node/18164.

For more information about these awards, visit http://www.league.org/awards.

About the League for Innovation in the Community College

The League for Innovation in the Community College (League) is an international nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. The League hosts conferences and institutes, develops print and digital resources, and leads projects and initiatives with almost 500 member colleges, 100 corporate partners, and a host of other government and nonprofit agencies in a continuing effort to advance the community college field and make a positive difference for students and communities. Founded in 1968 by B. Lamar Johnson and a dozen U.S. community and technical college presidents, the League has proudly served community college institutions for five decades and celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2018. Information about the League and its activities is available at http://www.league.org.
Monique Boyd, a senior executive assistant, mother, and grandmother who lives in Kansas, has completed her book Jasmine: A Woman of Color: a riveting drama introducing a woman who rediscovers her inner strength after a life-changing series of events.

Executive Assistant Jasmine Moores world turns upside down after the loss of her husband. Then, finding out about his affairs, she seeks revenge. To Jasmines surprise, she finds love instead with Dr. Jason and lets go of her revenge, only to find out someone is trying to kill her.

Whos trying to kill Jasmine? And why? Just when she finds love and happiness, will she survive to enjoy it?

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Monique Boyds novel offers suspense and intrigue until the very end.

Readers who wish to experience this gripping and potent work can purchaseJasmine: A Woman of Color at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York-based full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and the like. Its roster of accomplished authors and publishing professionals allows writers to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Karen Corra has completed her book Rascals Rules: a lighthearted and amusing feline autobiography.

Karen shares, Imagine a world with Rascals rules. This hilarious talking cat captures your imagination and heart by allowing you to see life through his eyes. Rascal manipulates humans to get what he wants through mischief. The only rule that applies is to go for it.

In the end, a familys love is all that is required. The result is laughter, humility, and a deeper compassion for all things furry.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Karen Corras story, written in the charming voice of a happy-go-lucky cat, is a must-read for any animal lover.

Readers who wish to experience this heartwarming work can purchase Rascals Rules at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York-based full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and the like. Its roster of accomplished authors and publishing professionals allows writers to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Pictured from Left to Right: Chelsey Gaudet Parks, Susan Calegari (Spaulding Youth Center CEO 2007-2014), Susan C. Ryan (Spaulding Youth Center CEO & President), Donna Gaudet Hosmer, Dennis Gaudet, Ca "AutoServ exemplifies how corporate social responsibility can positively impact their community and state," said Susan C. Ryan, CEO & President of Spaulding Youth Center. Past News Releases RSS Spaulding Youth Center Honored with...

Spaulding Youth Center Honored with...

Spaulding Youth Center Honored with...

Spaulding Youth Center is honored to announce it was presented with a $50,000 pledge from AutoServ of Tilton. The funds will go directly to benefit Spauldings programs and services.

This generous pledge became a reality thanks to the long-term support of AutoServ Chief Executive Officer Dennis J. Gaudet, who served on the Board of Trustees for Spaulding Youth Center from 1997-2002. Though no longer serving on the board, Mr. Gaudet is a passionate supporter of the organization. He credits former Spaulding Youth Center Trustee Richard Dick Smart for introducing him to the organization and encouraging him to get involved. In 1958, Mr. Smart served as a chairman of a unifying committee that merged the Golden Rule Farm in Northfield with the Daniel Webster Home for Children in Franklin to establish Spaulding Youth Center in Northfield, where he served as a trustee.

Dick Smart introduced me to Spaulding Youth Center thirty years ago. I instantly fell in love with the organization and became a trustee and supporter, said Dennis J. Gaudet, Chief Executive Officer of AutoServ. AutoServ makes this latest donation in Dick Smarts memory in hope of inspiring others to learn about the special place Spaulding Youth Center is and all of the wonderful opportunities it provides to the children enrolled in its programs.

The funds donated will be used to support Spaulding Youth Centers many programs and services, including Academic, Clinical, Community-Based and Residential programs.

I am honored to acknowledge this donation from AutoServ, said Susan C. Ryan, CEO & President of Spaulding Youth Center. Spaulding is deeply appreciative of the unwavering support Mr. Gaudet and his family has provided throughout the years. Generous corporate sponsors like AutoServ provide the necessary resources to continue providing exceptional learning and living environments for the children we serve. AutoServ exemplifies how corporate social responsibility can positively impact their community and state.

AutoServ is located in Tilton, New Hampshire. With over 100,000 vehicles sold and hundreds more in our new and used car inventories, AutoServ is one of the largest and most successful car dealerships in the state of New Hampshire.

ABOUT SPAULDING YOUTH CENTER

Spaulding Youth Center is a leading provider of services for children and youth with neurological, emotional, behavioral, learning and/or developmental challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorder. Services include academic, behavioral health, residential, foster care, health and wellness and family support. Spaulding Youth Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For information or to provide a donation, visit Spaulding Youth Center online at http://www.spauldingyouthcenter.org.

ABOUT AUTOSERV

AutoServ, a family-owned and operated multi-line franchise automotive dealership in NHs Lakes Region, has proudly been serving customers for nearly 30 years. With its deep roots in the community, exceptional customer satisfaction and loyalty ratings, and owners always on-site, running day-to-day operations; AutoServs reach continues to grow. AutoServ offers 8 new vehicle lines: Ford, Nissan, VW, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Kia; as well as a Used Vehicle and Commercial Truck Center, Quicklane and Collision Service Centers. AutoServ sells and services every make and model and offers AutoServ for Life customer guarantees. AutoServ was honored to be named Time Magazine Dealer of the Year for New Hampshire, a national honor, as well as voted Best of the Lakes Region for Used Vehicle Sales. For more info please contact Donna Gaudet Hosmer at HosmerD(at)AutoServ(dot)com or call (603) 286-3141.
This award confirms our commitment to customer service excellence is more than merely a motto at LECMPA, its ingrained into our companys DNA

LECMPA, provider of wage loss protection for railroad and transportation workers, announced today that it has won the Gold 2018 Stevie Award for Sales & Customer Service.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service recognize the achievements of contact center, customer service, business development and sales professionals worldwide. This years awards are the 12th annual celebration for sales and customer service. Winners were announced at the awards banquet which was held February 23 in Las Vegas.

LECMPA has protected union transportation workers with wage loss insurance protection since its founding in 1910. Enabling compensation to continue while workers are out of service due to job discipline, it brings confidence and fiscal certitude to workers and their families.

We are delighted to be named a winner of 2018 Stevie Sales & Customer Service Gold Award, said LECMPA President Susan Tukel. Our mission is to serve our member clients to the best of our ability. This award confirms our commitment to customer service excellence is more than merely a motto at LECMPA, its ingrained into our companys DNA.

2018 Stevie Sales & Customer Service Award winners are available here.

About LECMPA

LECMPA, founded in 1910 as a cooperative assessment insurer for railroad workers, provides wage loss protection to unionized transportation workers in all crafts and industries throughout the United States. LECMPA is a nonprofit, member-owned company with approximately 27,000 members nationwide. LECMPA headquarters are in in Southfield, Michigan. More information is available at http://www.lecmpa.org.

About the Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring the people behind organizations of all sizes, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.
San Francisco Sexual Harassment Attorney We wanted to make sure that San Franciscans realized that we are very active in their community when it comes to sexual harassment issues.

California Civil Rights Law Group, a San Francisco Bay Area law firm specializing in sexual harassment and discrimination law at http://www.civilrightsca.com/, is proud to announce new updates to its informational page for San Francisco residents on sexual harassment and other issues. The newly updated page clarifies procedures by which persons who live and/or work in San Francisco can request a confidential consultation with an attorney on sexual harassment issues.

"While we have not yet opened our San Francisco law firm office, we wanted to make sure that San Franciscans realized that we are very active in their community when it comes to sexual harassment issues," explained Larry Organ, principal attorney at the Bay Area-based law firm. "Accordingly, the newly updated page clearly explains that we offer both in-person and over-the-phone, confidential consultations for potential clients. This is helpful as many San Francisco residents may mistakenly believe that to be represented they need a law firm with a physical location in the city."

To view the newly updated informational page on San Francisco sexual harassment issues, visit http://www.civilrightsca.com/san-francisco/. That page focuses on city-specific issues, such as how to request a phone consultation vs. an in-person consultation. In addition, it has driving directions from San Francisco to the firm's Oakland law office in case an in-person meeting is desired. Finally, it overviews particular legal areas of interest ranging from sexual harassment to pregnancy discrimination to race, workplace, or LGTBQ discrimination issues. Indeed, the law firm even represents persons who are "whistleblowers" and feel like their employers may be retaliating against them for that activity. As for the page specifically on sexual harassment, that page is a deeper explanation of this issue. But in all cases, anyone who feels that they are facing workplace harassment and/or discrimination, should reach out for an attorney consultation. With physical offices in both San Anselmo and Oakland, the firm is convenient to much of the Bay Area. For those seeking an even easier option, phone consultations with an attorney are available.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAW GROUP

Headed by renowned trial lawyer Larry Organ, California Civil Rights Law Group (http://www.civilrightsca.com/), is a leading employment law firm with San Francisco Bay Area offices in Oakland, Alameda County and San Anselmo, Marin County, California. Employees experiencing sexual harassment, race harassment, disability discrimination, LGTBQ discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, whistleblower retaliation and/or wrongful termination should reach out for an attorney consultation in either our Oakland/East Bay or San Anselmo/Marin County office.

Media Relations.

Tel. 415-453-4740
Nikon 100th Anniversary Crystal Creation the Nikon Model I Grays of Westminster represents a unique part of Nikons heritage and we are deeply grateful to you for all you have done over the years.

On Monday 5th March, Gray Levett, the founder of Grays of Westminster, the multi-award-winning Nikon-only store was presented with a beautiful Nikon 100th Anniversary Crystal Creation the Nikon Model I by the President of Nikon Europe Mr. Toru Iwaoka. The presentation took place at Grays of Westminster in London before its senior executives and representatives from the Nikon Corporation.

On behalf of the Nikon Corporation and in commemoration of our 100th Anniversary, I am delighted to present you with this exclusive gift as a token of our appreciation for your years of outstanding service to Nikon.

Grays of Westminster represents a unique part of Nikons heritage and we are deeply grateful to you for all you have done over the years.

We wish you many more successful years to come.

Toru Iwaoka, President Nikon Europe

The Nikon Model I was the very first Nikon camera and is the first word in Nikons history. The original Nikon camera was developed in 1948. The 100th Anniversary Crystal Creation of the Nikon Model I brings this iconic camera back to life, using high-quality crystal by renowned crystal maker Swarovski.

Gray Levett said:

This unique gift came as a complete surprise to me. I am deeply moved by the generosity and thoughtfulness of this magnificent gift from Mr. Iwaoka and the Nikon Corporation.

Nikon has recently celebrated its 100th Anniversary. A Centennial is a very significant event in the history of any company. Nikon has created products that have captured some of the most amazing moments in time. It was Nikon, for instance, that was chosen by NASA to go into space in 1971; since then, Nikon cameras and lenses have been used on all subsequent missions. There has always been a passion and commitment to excellence and innovation within Nikon itself, passed on through the years as part of the corporations DNA. I am proud and honoured to have been a small part of this illustrious company.

About Grays of Westminster

Grays of Westminster, the legendary multi-award-winning Nikon-only shop, was founded over thirty years ago by Gray Levett upon returning to London from working in Hollywood, with the idea of creating a world-class camera store, offering a service that is second to none.

Grays of Westminster is not simply a famous Nikon camera shop; it is to many photographers around the world an institution. It can trace back its beginnings from a modest mail order company to its present, highly-respected position in the photographic industry worldwide.

It has won numerous awards and distinctions and is the first camera shop in the world to be granted a Coat of Arms by Her Majesty's College of Arms.

Grays of Westminster remains a favourite address for Nikon photographers seeking out that impeccably English camera store in the centre of London.

An Unparalleled Reputation for Good Service: Grays of Westminster won the Amateur Photographer Gold Good Service Award in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2017, Grays of Westminster became the first-ever winner of the newly inaugurated Amateur Photographer Good Service Platinum Award which was established to recognise and reward not only outstanding service but to acknowledge the most popular store calculated by the largest number of votes by readers of Amateur Photographer and customers of Grays of Westminster. In February 2018, Grays of Westminster won this award for the second year in a row.

For more information, please contact:

Gray Levett

Grays of Westminster

40 Churton Street

Pimlico, London

SW1V 2LP England

+44 20 7828 4925

info@graysofwestminster.co.uk

http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/graysofwestminster
Curl Keeper Infographic The sampling program was designed to empower young curlies to make informed choices about their hair care routine. That, and, what better way to celebrate than sharing our tried and true products with curly consumers near and far!

Curly Hair Solutions is thrilled to celebrate what will be the companys 20th anniversary this year. To kick off festivities and, of course, celebrate in style, Curly Hair Solutions will launch a complimentary sampling program across a number of colleges and universities both in Canada and the US. The sampling program was designed to empower young curlies to make informed choices about their hair care routine. That, and, what better way to celebrate than sharing our tried and true products with curly consumers near and far! says Jonathan Torch, Curly Hair Solutions founder. And the festivities dont stop there. For the entire month year, Curly Hair Solutions will offer unprecedented online discounts on many of their favourite products; it is birthday time after all and those tresses deserve something special.

After 20 years of serving the curly hair community both within Canada and internationally, Curly Hair Solutions recognizes much of their success stems from loyal clientele. Curly Hair Solutions truly provides solutions for those with unmanageable manes using water-soluble ingredients - innovative approaches that were simply unfounded twenty years ago. Often referred to as a pioneer within the hair care industry, Jonathan Torch, CHS founder, is so pleased to be a Canadian brand that is recognized, and, lauded on an international scale. Simply put, the formulas work, says Jonathan.

Always on the front lines attending exclusive industry events and trade shows, Curly Hair Solutions is a dynamo brand with the awards to prove it. This auspicious occasion is true cause for celebration - 20 years of cutting-edge hair care, countless features in beauty magazines, and exclusive online media coverage throughout the years. The entire team at CHS is absolutely honoured to celebrate this exciting occasion with curlies everywhere. Let the celebration begin!

For more information about Curly Hair Solutions full line of hair care products including the Curl Keeper collection, visit http://www.frizzoff.com.

About Curly Hair Solutions: Curly Hair Solutions curly hair products perform 100% of the time, on every curly head, in all weather conditions, without the use of silicones. Our ingredients are natural, biodegradable and are not tested on animals. Our products have been perfectly pH balanced to match our environment to our bodies resulting in healthier, shinier, and a more controllable result every time. For more information, visit http://www.frizzoff.com.
CleanTech Alliance is now accepting applications to present at the 2018 CleanTech Innovation Showcase. Twenty-four presenting companies each have 20 minutes at the podium to share their latest innovation, idea or initiative. Presenting company applications close May 1, 2018.

Apply now: CleanTech Innovation Showcase Presenting Company Application

Held June 25, 2018, at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle, the CleanTech Innovation Showcase is the regions premier full day conference focused on technology and business innovation. The 2017 event attracted international industry leaders, investors, policymakers and media to experience what lies ahead in clean technology, renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

The CleanTech Innovation Showcase continues to celebrate the ingenuity of regional companies and research institutions, and their impact on our economy and environment said J. Thomas Ranken, President and CEO of the CleanTech Alliance. The growing event is a great environment for building partnerships, talking with investors, and learning something new."

Past presenting companies include world-leaders like Boeing; leading research institutions like Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; emerging companies like Helion Energy; and early-stage startups like Beta Hatch. Dont miss your opportunity to grab the spotlight. Keynote speakers, panels, interactive exhibits and the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator Pavilion will highlight even more technologies, services and ideas.

In addition to the Presenting Company applications (apply here!), sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are also available. Contact Sharon Schierle if you are interested in either at sharon@cleantechalliance.org. General registration for the event will open soon.

About the CleanTech Alliance

CleanTech Alliance represents more than 300 member companies and organizations across the greater Northwest region. Founded in 2007 by business leaders, the organization facilitates the generation and growth of cleantech companies, jobs, products and services to advance the cleantech economy. CleanTech Alliance offers a range of business services and benefits uniquely designed to help businesses gain visibility, access services at a lower cost and benefit from public policy. Learn more at http://www.CleanTechAlliance.org.

For the latest CleanTech Alliance news and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
This should not be complicated and Church guidelines should be crystal clear. There should be no place in the LDS Church for sexually-explicit conversations between male Church elders and young boys and girls, and that policy should be in writing. Full stop."

In response to growing criticism and new reports of sexual abuse by Church leaders, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced yesterday that for the first time parents of minors may be allowed in one-on-one meetings between children and Church elders, but the founder of a national grassroots movement aimed at protecting LDS children said today these new guidelines do not go nearly far enough and leave key issues unresolved. Notably, the new LDS Church guidelines do not mandate a parent or guardian be present, but rather, leave it up to the children to decide, and also do not address the issue of sexually-explicit questions and conversations between male church leaders and minors.

This announcement is a small step forward but its concerning that LDS Church leaders still dont seem to understand the seriousness of this issue, said Sam Young, a Houston business owner, father of six daughters, and active LDS Church member. This should not be complicated and Church guidelines should be crystal clear. There should be no place in the LDS Church for sexually-explicit conversations between male Church elders and young boys and girls, and that policy should be in writing. Full stop. Further, either a parent or a guardian should always be present when male Church leaders are interviewing children which is for the physical and emotional protection of the child and legal protection for the Church.

Young last year founded the Protect-LDS-Children Initiative which to date has helped gather over 55,000 petition signatures from LDS Church members calling on Church leaders to end a decades-long practice in which Church elders conduct one-on-one meetings with children, without their parents present, and which often involve discussions and questions of a sexual nature. Their organization is planning a rally in Salt Lake City this Friday, March 30th, where Young and more than 1,000 fellow Mormons and others will formally deliver the signed petitions to Church headquarters. This effort has gathered nationwide support, as more survivors and families have come forward to share their stories of how one-on-one interviews by LDS Bishops negatively impacted their self-esteem, self-worth, and emotional well-being. You can read the petition by clicking here.

Young also penned an op-ed published in The Daily Beast on Monday, titled, The Mormon Church Must Learn from #MeToo, writing: [A]s Mormons and non-Mormons alike raise their voices to bring this issue into the light, the Church has a unique opportunity to stop and condemn this practice that has no place in our mission or our community.

Mondays announcement by the LDS Church also comes in the wake of yet another documented report of abuse by a Church leader has become public this week. As the Salt Lake City Tribune and other news outlets recently reported: A former president of the LDS Missionary Training Center has admitted that he took a young woman into a small room at the Provo campus in 1984 and asked to see her breasts, according to a report released Wednesday by Brigham Young University police. The release comes three days after MormonLeaks published an explosive, taped conversation between the woman and Joseph L. Bishop, whom she accuses of attempting to rape her.

All institutional churches in America have already implemented a certain policy to curb abuse and protect children except the LDS Church. Our Church is lagging behind and its time to catch up and protect our children, Young said.
3dcart, the best eCommerce platform for SEO, has selected Payoneer, a leading online payments company, to transform the way they send cross-border payments to their eCommerce merchants around the world. This partnership will allow 3dcart to send payments to over 200 countries and territories and distribute funds in over 150 currencies through Payoneers robust and flexible payment platform.

3dcart's full-featured, all-in-one eCommerce platform powers thousands of online stores, providing businesses of all sizes with a powerful eCommerce website. With an eye on the future and the worldwide economy, 3dcart sought a new payment method that would allow their merchants to easily accept payments globally. Payoneer's cross-border functionality, prompt payment processing, and flexible payouts made it an ideal choice for 3dcart.

"We're excited to include Payoneer as an integrated payment method in the 3dcart platform, especially because we have sellers all over the world," said Jimmy Rodriguez, 3dcart COO, "Our clients need a reliable, flexible means of accepting international payments, and Payoneer aligns perfectly with that."

3dcart joins Payoneers vast ecosystem of over 4 million users and thousands of corporate clients, including industry giants like Airbnb, Amazon, Getty Images, Google and Upwork. Through Payoneers innovative payments platform, 3dcart will now be able to deliver fast, low-cost, flexible payment options to its eCommerce merchants around the world. Payoneer users will now have the ability to get paid in real-time from their 3dcart stores and access the funds in their local currency.

We are thrilled to add 3dcart to our roster of valued clients and expand the Payoneer network for our users, stated Scott Galit, CEO, Payoneer. Our mission is to empower businesses to grow globally by enabling them to easily and digitally send payments to their payees all over the world, without having to worry about the complexities and regulations of executing cross-border payments. We look forward to working with 3dcart to open up new global opportunities for their business.

About 3dcart

3dcart (http://www.3dcart.com), located in Tamarac, Florida, is the most SEO-friendly eCommerce platform for retailers and internet marketers to grow their online stores' traffic and sales. 3dcart includes 24x7 Technical Support, 100+ Mobile-Ready Themes, order management software, built-in blog, email marketing tools and more. Since 1997, the company has been a leader in the eCommerce market, building online stores for businesses of all sizes. Today, 3dcart is Visa PCI Certified and a Google Partner.
Electric is pioneering IT support for the modern office

Electric, the first platform to provide an automated, intelligent IT support solution for small and midsized corporate customers announces today that the company has raised an additional $9.3 million dollars. The Series A round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners and includes significant participation from Bowery Capital and Primary Venture Partners. Bob Goodman from Bessemer will be joining Electric's board of directors.

Electric is pioneering IT support for the modern office, said Bob Goodman, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. The multi-billion-dollar IT support industry has remained largely unchanged even as the number of devices and technology we use daily has increased exponentially. Electric founder and CEO, Ryan Denehy, has proven to be highly skilled at executing on his vision and we are extremely excited to partner with him and the rest of the team.

Founded in October 2016, Electric allows small and midsize offices to get fast, efficient IT support across their organizations directly through Slack. Significantly reducing day-to-day IT time spend and providing intelligent recommendations for software and system upgrades. Since inception, Electric has signed over 130 customers and expanded service from their home market in New York to include an ever-growing list of US cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

Our team has done a phenomenal job delivering on the original promise of the company. Whether its sales, product and engineering, or the support team weve successfully met or beat our objectives. Most importantly, customers love it, says CEO and Founder Ryan Denehy.

Central to Electric is the real-time chat interface, which provides users with the ability to get assistance for their day-to-day software, tools and applications. Electric also provides additional system monitoring, management, and insights. Were building technology that allows us to flip the current support model on its head, offering prescriptive solutions to our customers. The long-term vision of getting in front of core technology requests and problems before you have them is extremely exciting, and weve made extraordinary headway getting there, says Chad W Pry, Vice President of Product and Engineering.

Electric plans to use the new capital to develop a national sales footprint, and to achieve significant levels of task automation for the core technology platforms they are supporting.

For more information about Electric please visit http://www.electric.ai
This acknowledgement of the deal at 714 Market by the Philadelphia Business Journal is an honor. It represents the commitment of the building ownership and our CVA Commercial Group team to make this location a premier place to do business in Philadelphia.

CVA Commercial Group announced today that it was honored at the Philadelphia Business Journals Best Real Estate Deals of 2017 Awards for its successful efforts to bring the First Judicial District (FJD) to 714 Market last year. CVA Commercial Groups involvement with 714 Market began in 2008 when they brokered the purchase of the building and secured the financing for Liberty Resources.

In 2017, CVA Commercial Group finalized the deal to lease a total of 120,000 square feet of space to First Judicial District. This deal was one of the largest commercial leases signed in Philadelphia during that calendar year.

According to a philly.com article about the deal, senior vice president Michael Kane of real estate firm CRBEwho helped arrange the agencies movestated The First Judicial District now has the opportunity to vacate a building that was functionally obsolete for their purposes and custom-design new space in a location that is accessible to the courts, their clients, and employees.

This acknowledgement of the deal at 714 Market by the Philadelphia Business Journal is an honor. It represents the commitment of the building ownership and our CVA Commercial Group team to make this location a premier place to do business in Philadelphia said Vince Jolly, head of CVA Commercial Group. We are looking forward to celebrating with the other honorees and the 300 professionals in commercial real estate and construction who will be attending the event.

About CVA Commercial Group

Founded in 2010, CVA Commercial Group is a 100% minority-owned, MBE Certified, full service commercial real estate firm founded by Vincent Jolly and headquartered in Philadelphia. CVA provides Brokerage & Leasing, Consulting Services, Valuation Services, Development and Property Management services regionally.

About the Philadelphia Business Journals Best Real Estate Deals of 2017 Awards

On Thursday, March 22, the Philadelphia Business Journal honored the top real estate deals and projects of 2017 that are shaping the Philadelphia region. In addition to naming the Deals of the Year, they announced superlative awards for projects that demonstrated high levels of excellence for perseverance, innovation, and community impact.
The first Beyond Our Boundaries Virtual Tour Vacation Box takes you on an exciting trip to Pittsburgh. We created the Virtual Tour Vacation Box as a way to extend travel experiences to those who have difficulty taking conventional vacations due to limitations physically, monetarily or geographically.

The Beyond Our Boundaries Virtual Tours Vacation Box is an affordable and educational way for people with developmental disabilities to encounter thrilling travel experiences firsthand. It is the first subscription-based box dedicated to creating travel experiences for people with disabilities.

The Virtual Tours Vacation Box includes an engaging 30-minute video hosted by a self-advocate, travel souvenirs and interactive materials to spark discussion with a caregiver or family member.

Beyond Our Boundaries Founder Debra Shumard, explained the inspiration for the box, We created the Virtual Tour Vacation Box as a way to extend travel experiences to those who have difficulty taking conventional vacations due to limitations physically, monetarily or geographically.

The first location for the Virtual Tours Vacation Box is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Individuals will be guided through the Steel City through the eyes of travel guide and self-advocate, Bob. Viewers will experience the breathtaking Pittsburgh incline, set sail on the Gateway Clipper and discover new facts at the Carnegie Science Center, all through the eyes of someone with a developmental disability.

Beyond Our Boundaries also focuses on bringing the joy of travel to individuals with developmental disabilities through chaperoned trips of a lifetime to destinations like California, the Grand Canyon, Boston and London. The trips include a 1:3 chaperone supervision ratio, meals, lodging, transportation, activities and a personalized photo book mailed after the trip. Caregivers and family members can rest easy knowing their loved ones are in capable hands.

When discussing the future of the company, Shumard added, Over the next few years, we hope to provide a variety of boxes from exciting locations all around the country. We believe one of the greatest benefits of traveling is the connection you make with fellow travelers. We also hope to help people who purchase the vacation boxes to connect to one another to create meaningful experiences and friendships that will last a lifetime.

About Beyond Our Boundaries

Beyond Our Boundaries has been committed to creating travel experiences for people with developmental disabilities since 2001. The company was founded by Debra Shumard, a certified therapeutic recreation specialist who serves as a guardian for her adult brother with autism. Beyond Our Boundaries offers chaperoned trips of a lifetime for developmentally disabled adults to national and international locations in hopes of bringing individuals with disabilities together for friendships and to set the stage for creating an active social life.

https://bobvirtualtours.com/
Our clients will benefit greatly from the insights and experience he brings to the table.

Structure Law Group, LLP is pleased to announce the addition of attorney, Da Zhuang, to its San Jose transactional team. Da Zhuangs practice primarily focuses on corporate transactional matters and complex business and commercial litigation. Mr. Zhuang represents clients in a wide variety of transactional matters including, but not limited to, technology agreements, software licensing, commercial contracts, and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Zhuang is also involved in litigation and dispute resolution, from pre-lawsuit advice, to managing discovery, to motion practice, as well as mediation and arbitration.

Prior to joining Structure Law Group, Mr. Zhuang was a practicing attorney with national law firms Perkins Coie LLP and Dechert LLP, where he focused on high-profile IP litigation as well as technology transactions. Most recently, Mr. Zhuang was in-house counsel at a Chinese technology company where he worked on various IP and technology deals. While in law school, Mr. Zhuang was an associate editor with the Santa Clara Law Review and High Technology Law Journal. Mr. Zhuang also externed for the Honorable Otis Wright II of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, where he assisted adjudicating federal court cases including securities class actions, medical device liability disputes, patent infringement cases, mortgage banking disputes, etc.

Mr. Zhuang received his J.D. from Santa Clara Universitys School of Law, with Deans List and Emery Scholar honors. Prior to entering law school, Mr. Zhuang worked as a semi-conductor engineer and holds undergraduate and Masters degrees in electrical engineering, which gives him a keen understanding when helping clients with technology-related matters. Born and raised in Mainland China, Mr. Zhuang is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and frequently helps clients from China and Taiwan.

Das electrical engineering background adds a new dimension to our technology transactions practice. He embodies the technical sophistication we want in our team, and our clients will benefit greatly from the insights and experience he brings to the table, said SLG attorney, Clint Webb.

Mr. Zhuang can be reached at:

dzhuang(at)structurelaw.com or (408) 441-7500

About Structure Law Group, LLP

Structure Law Group, LLP is committed to providing an exceptional client experience through innovative and cost-effective legal services and solutions. Located in Silicon Valley, SLG assists domestic and international clients of all sizes. SLGs practice broadly encompasses all areas of business law including, but not limited to, intellectual property disputes, technology agreements, business litigation transactions, employment law, and construction and real estate matters. SLGs attorneys are a dedicated team of experienced legal professionals who have a solid understanding of companies of all sizes.

Practice areas include, but are not limited to:



Business Litigation

Business Transactions

Construction Contracting & Payment Claims

Corporations

Debtor & Creditor Rights

E-Commerce

Employment

Limited Liability Companies

Mergers & Acquisitions

Partnerships

Real Estate

Start-Ups & Financing

Technology Licensing & Protection of Intellectual Property

For more information about the firm please go to http://www.structurelaw.com, or contact us at:

Krystle Warren

Structure Law Group, LLP

(408) 441-7500

kwarren(at)structurelaw.com
International Travel Security Experts It's a good time for a reminder on basic principles of personal security.

IMG GlobalSecur, a leading international corporate security consulting firm at http://www.theimg.com/, is announcing a new alert to its blog reminding its clients and others of the "Run, Hide, Fight" method of responding to an active shooter. The "Run, Hide, Fight" method was first popularized by the US FBI, but the post explains that it is relevant to events in any country, including countries such as France which have also had recent mass shooter events.

"Our post has nothing revolutionary about surviving an attack," explained Chris Hagon, CEO of IMG GlobalSecur. "However, it is important for corporations, employees, and business travelers to remind themselves of 'Run, Hide, Fight' in the event that they confront an active shooter here in the United States, in Europe, and elsewhere."

To read the post, visit http://www.theimg.com/blog/2018/03/armed-shooters/. Those seeking to learn more about worldwide employee and executive travel security consulting services can visit http://www.theimg.com/security-services/worldwide-employee-and-executive-travel-security.php and click up to the 'consultation' button to request a consult. Journalists, bloggers, and others looking to speak to experts in international security are encouraged to visit the website and contact the firm's security experts for interview opportunities. It should also be noted that the firm produces the FoneTrac, travel safety app, at https://www.fonetrac-go.com/. This app allows for "push" notifications to employees and executives in the event of known security threat, plus communication between the app holder and the background security center.

THE DANGER OF ACTIVE SHOOTERS AND THE RUN, HIDE, FIGHT METHOD

While politicians and citizens can, and should, debate the correct societal response to recent active shooters, in the short term, persons need to be armed with basic knowledge of how to respond. There is no guarantee of success, of course, but the FBI has popularized a method of 'Run, Hide, Fight' as an easy-to-remember mnemonic. First, if at all possible, one should 'run' to escape. Second, if one can't run, one should 'hide.' And finally if one can't hide, one should 'fight.' The blog post fleshes this out in more detail, and links it as well to recent terrorism problems in Europe, especially France. Just as when boarding an airplane, basic security checks should be followed.

ABOUT THE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT GROUP (IMG)

Incident Management Group is a leading international security consulting firm. Corporate or business organizations concerned about their need for robust travel security solutions can reach out to the IMG Group for assistance. The companys experts provide services such as executive, employee, VIP, and expatriate travel security, workplace safety, duty of care management, risk and threat assessments, workplace violence prevention, crisis management planning, and more.

Web. http://www.theimg.com

Tel. (877) 887-9914
Beaming Books is pleased to announce "Maybe God Is Like That Too" by Jennifer Grant, illustrated by Benjamin Schipper, has been recognized as a finalist in the 20th annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.

As part of its mission to discover, review, and share the best books from university and independent publishers (and authors), independent media company Foreword Magazine, Inc. hosts its annual awards program each year. Finalists represent the best books published in 2017. After more than 2,000 individual titles spread across 65 genres were submitted for consideration, the list of finalists was determined by Forewords editorial team. Winners will be decided by an expert team of booksellers and librariansrepresenting Forewords readershipfrom across the country.

The complete list of finalists can be found at:

https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/finalists/2017/

Choosing finalists for the INDIES is always the highlight of our year, but the job is very difficult due to the high quality of submissions, said Victoria Sutherland, founder/publisher of Foreword Reviews. Each new book award season proves again how independent publishers are the real innovators in the industry.

"We are honored to be recognized as a finalist for the 2017 Foreword INDIES Book fo the Year Awards, says Andrew DeYoung, managing editor for Beaming Books. We know all the great things Foreword does to support Independent Publishers, like ourselves. We are particularly proud to earn this award for 'Maybe God Is Like That Too,' a beautiful illustrated story in which a young boy witnesses the fruits of Gods spirit at work in his everyday life.

Winners in each genrealong with Editors Choice Prize winners and Forewords INDIE Publisher of the Yearwill be announced June 15, 2018.

About Foreword

Founded in 1998, Foreword Magazine, Inc. is the only media company completely devoted to independent publishing. Publishers of a Folio: award-winning bi-monthly print review journal, special interest products, and daily online content feeds, Foreword exclusively covers university and independent (non Big 5) publishers, the books they publish, and their authors. Foreword is based in Traverse City, Michigan, USA, with staff based around the world.

About Beaming Books

Beaming Books publishes high-quality childrens books that help kids thrive emotionally, socially, and spiritually. With topics ranging from self-esteem to kindness, ethics, and faith, our books are designed to spark the imagination and equip kids and families to live full and flourishing lives, together. More details about the award-winning books for children and Beaming Books can be found at http://www.beamingbooks.com.
"We look forward to implementing our industry proven methodology and delivering world-class service to all of our partners in the southeast," explained Juan Jose Chaves, Vice President of Sales and Operations South Region.

Planned Companies, the fastest growing real estate service provider, is expanding its Northeast network through their strategic development of the southern area of the United States. With headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey, Planned has extended to the southeast region with a presence in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

With a variety of commercial and residential real estate offerings, Planned now supplies all of the same industry leading janitorial, maintenance, concierge/front desk and security services to a superior market. All services provide added value to both small and large-scale properties by providing clients with meaningful solutions and powerful management tools to drive communication and raise productivity.

We look forward to implementing our industry proven methodology and delivering world-class service to all of our partners in the southeast," explained Juan Jose Chaves, Vice President of Sales and Operations South Region. "Our combined approach of adding value to each asset, while promoting a customer service culture, has been the cornerstone of our success. There is no secret that our product is our people.

Planned Companies initiated the development of the southern territory at the start of the year and is looking to continue growth across the United States.

"We can attribute our advancement to the immense passion that each one of our employees exudes," stated Robert Francis, CEO of Planned Companies. "Our fervor for delivering professional and accountable real estate service has lead us to be an industry leader and we look forward to enhancing the quality of life for even more clientele and guests."

About Planned Companies

With more than 100 years and four generations of experience, Planned Companies has become one of the fastest growing and most respected real estate service providers within the industry. Planned provides industry leading janitorial, maintenance, concierge/front desk and security services to a wide array of clients across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and San Francisco regions to over 1,000+ residential, corporate, commercial and retail properties.

For more information please visit http://www.plannedcompanies.com.

###

CONTACT

Lauren Reilly

973-476-3080

Lauren(at)knockoutcommunications(dot)com
We are so incredibly honored and excited to be a finalist for this award, especially in the Innovation category. The Oasis team works hard to be the best in all we do and this recognition of our innovative efforts is spectacular, said Annette Manias, President & Co-Founder of Oasis Solutions.

Oasis Solutions has been selected as one of 26 companies in the running for the 2018 Inc.Credible Awards. The annual awards celebrate small businesses within the Greater Louisville region and are bestowed each year by Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI), the Metro Chamber of Commerce and presented by Citizens Union Bank.

We are so incredibly honored and excited to be a finalist for this award, especially in the Innovation category. The Oasis team works hard to be the best in all we do and this recognition of our innovative efforts is spectacular, said Annette Manias, President and Co-Founder of Oasis Solutions.

Oasis Solutions is one of three finalists for the Innovation Award category, presented by Middleton Reutlinger. This award recognizes a business that provides innovative products or services. Innovative solutions can include technologies, programming, processes, systems, etc. All finalists are also eligible for the Peoples Choice award, which is open for online voting.

Founded in 1991, Oasis Solutions has been serving businesses throughout North America with software consulting, development, training, and support. Oasis is an award-winning business management software partner for Sage, NetSuite and Adaptive Insights.

Our team of talented software consultants provide Oasis clients with over 250 years of combined experience, assisting clients in assessing, implementing and supporting their core business management software. Oasis Solutions is headquartered in Louisville with offices in Lexington, KY, and Nashville, TN. We firmly believe, Its Not Just What We Bring To The Table, Its Who.

Since 2000, the Inc.credible Awards have recognized more than 100 small, local businesses for their ongoing contributions to our communitys economic vitality. The awards will be presented at the Inc.credible Awards Celebration on May 8 at 4:30 p.m. at the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts. Tickets for the awards celebration are available online.
Ken Leonard, President and CEO of ACU said of CU RateReset Intelligent innovation is the bridge to tomorrows success and your company is our passage to future victory.

CU RateReset, the industrys leading provider of award winning, reset, recapture, pre-approval new loan and CD digital solutions officially announced today that it has launched a new Member Engagement tool  the patent pending Knocknock. Knocknock was first debuted earlier in this month at the 2018 CUNA Government Affairs Conference in Washington, DC. Americas Credit Union (ACU), headquartered in DuPont, Washington partnered with the CUSO to be the first credit union to offer Knocknock to its members. ACU, has been an early adopter of CU RateResets products and piloted Knocknock before bringing it to market.

Ken Leonard, President and CEO of ACU said of CU RateReset, Intelligent innovation is the bridge to tomorrows success and your company is our passage to future victory.

Knocknock is a web application and the first bilateral communication solution that provides members with just in time offers from the credit union. The application also provides a means for credit union members to request loan and CD resets, new loans and CDs, balance transfers, or additional cash from the credit union. The financial transactions executed through Knocknock are completed in minutes at the members convenience.

For many decades, financial institutions have delivered just in case offers hoping the member is going to buy or refinance a car or home, or needs or wants a new credit card, for example. said Joe Brancucci, President of CU RateReset. Now all that has changed and Knocknock will help credit unions to remain relevant in the digital financial services marketplace with just in time offers.

Our sole focus is to ensure our credit union clients receive solutions that best fit their needs and the needs of their members using our extensive industry knowledge, understanding of the digital movement and innovative technical resources. said Keith Kelly, CU RateReset Co-founder and CEO. Knocknock is the future and the future is available to credit unions now.

Knocknock finally realizes the potential of the financial futurists who predicted that in order to evolve to serve a new generation of members, the financial services industry would need to provide the member the ability to see what they have, how it is performing, their options to improve that performance, and a digital means to actually execute the option. Brancucci continued. A vision unattainable at the end of the last century, is now available today with Knocknock!

About Americas Credit Union:

Americas Credit Union is a member controlled, not-for-profit financial cooperative where earnings are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, lower fees and higher interest earned. Americas Credit Union, headquartered in DuPont, WA was established in 1954 and was founded at Joint Base Lewis McChord as Fort Lewis Credit Union in Washington state. For more information about Americas Credit Union, visit http://www.youracu.org.

About CU RateReset:

CU RateReset is a CUSO that offers award winning products that allow the member to be in control of what have historically been routine administrative tasks that are time consuming for both front line and support staff. Both Reset Auto and Reset Mortgage, products successfully tested and adopted in the market, allow a member to reset the term of an existing auto loan, personal loan or mortgage based on credit union criteria. The software promotes loan retention at a very low cost, and provides a member with a favorable view of the member advocacy of the credit union. The Digital Pre-Approval Solutions make it simple and fast for a credit union to acquire or recapture member automobile loans, mortgage loans, personal loans and credit cards. For more information on CU RateReset visit http://www.CURateReset.com.
Belize has chosen a future free from plastic shopping bags Belize has gained a global reputation for sustainable tourism

The Belize governments recent cabinet approval to phase out plastic shopping bags, plastic utensils and Styrofoam takeaway containers has won praise across Belize and throughout the little Caribbean countrys tourism industry, according to The Lodge at Chaa Creek.

On March 20, 2018, the Belize government issued a media release announcing that plastic shopping bags and similar products are to be phased out by April 22, 2019.

The phasing out of plastic shopping bags and Styrofoam and plastic food utensils, such as clamshells, flat plates and cups, is a necessary pollution control measure to protect the terrestrial and marine environment from harmful plastic contamination, the release stated.

Lucy Fleming, who with her husband Mick opened Belizes first eco-resort in 1981 at their farm at Chaa Creek, praised the decision as another positive move towards a sustainable future for Belize and the planet.

All of us at Chaa Creek; owners, managers, naturalist guides and staff members, want to express our appreciation to the Belize government ministries and individuals involved in getting this far reaching, visionary proposal through cabinet, Ms Fleming said.

Those of us working in eco-tourism have a deep appreciation of both the beauty and the fragility of Belizes famously diverse natural environment.

We also understand that Belizes future lies in protecting our natural resources. From the inland rainforests to the Caribbean coast and the Belize Great Barrier Reef, Belizes natural resources are our greatest asset, and they must be protected for our children and their childrens futures, she said.

Oceana, the worlds largest ocean conservation and advocacy organisation, also praised the decision.

This policy will once again place Belize among the world leaders in the safeguarding of our natural resources from the harmful effects of single use plastic and Styrofoam, Oceana vice-president Janelle Chanona said.

With a board of directors that includes actors Ted Danson and Sam Waterston, and numerous high-profile supporters such as James Cameron, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Mary Steenburgen, Pierce Brosnan, Jeff Goldblum, Kate Walsh, Barbra Streisand, Sting and other celebrities, Oceana has played an active role in protecting Belizes maritime resources, including the worlds second largest reef system, the Belize Great Barrier Reef.

With The Lodge at Chaa Creek offering a number of all-inclusive Belize vacation packages that include stays at partner resorts on Belizes Caribbean coast, cayes and Belize Great Barrier Reef, and Chaa Creek Belize Expeditions conducting tours throughout the country, Chaa Creek staff and naturalist guides have been in a position to monitor the health of Belizes terrestrial and maritime environment for decades, Ms Fleming said.

For years now weve had a birds eye view, if you will, of Belizes environment, from the inland jungles out to the Caribbean coast, cayes and reef. Weve also seen the growing popularity of Belize as a travel destination, and are keenly aware of the impact that increased visitors will have on the country.

Also, as Belizes economy grows, so does consumerism, which invariably leads to more waste being generated. As the government pointed out in their recent press release, plastic and Styrofoam now make up some nineteen percent of the volume in Belizes municipal waste system.

Fortunately, the concepts of responsible travel and sustainable tourism have really taken hold in Belize, and theres now nationwide awareness of the need for environmental protection. Its being taught in schools and promoted though programs like the Eco-Kids free environmental education summer camp we run each year, and by initiatives such as the annual Walk for A Green Belize that in October 2017 saw 650 volunteers collect over five tons of roadside rubbish, Ms Fleming explained.

With manmade environmental disasters such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch attracting global attention, more people are aware of the need to reduce unnecessary waste, she added.

When you see floating patches of rubbish many times larger than the size of Belize, it really makes you stop and think. These are problems we humans have created, and we have the responsibility as well as the ability to fix them.

The good news is that, if a small, developing country like Belize can make the effort to tackle these problems with decisive, common-sense measures, so can larger, better resourced countries.

Belize has gained a global reputation for sustainable tourism, and if initiatives such as this phasing out of plastic bags encourage others to do the same, thats something everyone can be proud of, Ms Fleming said.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek is a multi-award winning eco resort set within a 400-acre private nature reserve along the banks of the Macal River in Belize. It was recognised by National Geographic with first place honours at the 2017 World Legacy Awards held in Berlin.
SC HBCU presidents

South Carolina HBCU presidents, in collaboration with UNCF and the White House Initiative on HBCUs, hope to change the narrative on the impact of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as discussed at the South Carolina HBCU Economic Impact Conference held on March 19 at Benedict College. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, a trustee at Benedict college, joined eight South Carolina HBCU presidents in examining the recently released landmark study commissioned by UNCF, HBCUs Make America Strong: The Positive Economic Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The study analyzes the power of HBCUs in being economic engines in their communities and beyond. In South Carolina in particular, HBCUs generate a total economic impact of $463 million, 4,985 jobs and lifetime earnings of $5.2 billion.

The conference included presentations by Jonathan M. Holifield, executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs; Cynthia Bennett, vice president of education for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce; Jay Wolf, budget and policy adviser for South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster; and Mr. Edward Smith-Lewis, UNCF director of the Career Pathways Initiative (CPI). Benedict College, Claflin University and Voorhees College are currently working together to improve job outcomes as participants in the CPI program, which was created with a $6 million grant funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Hear, hear for South Carolina leadership, Holifield says. This is the first convening of this kind to align around the state and regions [economic] competitiveness thrust. You in South Carolina are pursuing an exciting agenda. HBCUs can help and make great contributions to the economy and bring more South Carolinians into the best opportunities the state has to offer.

The studys key findings for participating conference HBCUs (based on 2014 data)

Allen University

Allen University generates $22 million in total economic impact for its local and regional economies. This estimate includes direct spending by Allen University on faculty, employees, academic programs and operationsand by students attending the institution, as well as the follow-on effects of that spending.

Weve always known that HBCUs mattered. Roughly 70% of the human brain is used in processing what we see, and UNCF has produced a document for people to see the impact, said Dr. Ernest McNealey. It provides the first step for those who have not traditionally valued us and starts the process of seeing these institutions differently.

Benedict College

Benedict College is a valuable economic engine in its community, generating substantial economic returns year after year, contributing $130 million and 1,218 jobs in total economic impact. A Benedict graduate working full time throughout his or her working life can expect to earn $1.1 million in additional income because of their Benedict College degree.

I am pleased to join my South Carolina HBCU colleagues in collaborating with the UNCF and the White House Initiative on HBCUs in an intentional effort to articulate, enhance and amplify the criticality, capacity and competitiveness of HBCUs in the state and across the country, said Dr. Rosslyn Artis, president, Benedict College. Today marks a transformative first step in the evolution of our HBCUs as we partner with public and private industry to develop a comprehensive strategy to enhance our ability to educate the next generation of professionals and researchers in this country and across the globe.

Claflin University

Claflin University plays a major role in the economic success of its graduates by enhancing their education, training and leadership skills. Generating $79 million in total economic impact and 835 jobs for its local and regional economies, a college degree opens the door to economic prosperity through greater employment and earnings potential.

HBCUs like Claflin University are vibrant institutions that play a critical role in the economic development of our respective communities, said Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president, Claflin University. I applaud UNCF for its extensive research, which attempts to quantify the contributions of HBCUs, not only in knowledge creation and research, but in workforce development, increasing employment opportunities and providing substantial revenue to the region. We also believe that UNCFs Career Pathway Initiative (CPI) is a game-changer for our institutions. The goals of the grant are consistent with our mission of preparing graduates for the 21st century workforce. The future prosperity of South Carolina will require that institutions of higher education collaborate, and that institutions of higher education and members of the business community collaborate.

Clinton College

Every dollar spent by Clinton College and its students produces positive economic benefits, generating $8 million in total economic impact and 107 jobs for the local and regional economies. Every dollar spent by Clinton College and its students produces positive economic benefits, generating $1.67 in initial and subsequent spending for its local and regional economies. Communities and regions hoping to foster a more robust and diversified economic climate find HBCU-connected spending a critical component of that effort.

The (South Carolina HBCU Economic Impact and Competitiveness) conference was a shining example of the collective power of HBCUs, said Dr. Lester McCorn, president, Clinton College. The combined talent, intellect, wisdom, innovation and influence represented in the room reflects the time-tested tradition of lifting as we climb, in our pursuit of ethical responsibility, educational excellence and meaningful employment for all of our people. Clinton College has been inspired to diligently seek more ways to collaborate with our sister institutions to further our shared vision. Our goal is to improve prospects for our students careers and, thus, significantly improve the viability of our respective communities, as well as South Carolinas competitiveness in the global society.

Denmark Technical College

Ninety-five percent of our students are South Carolina residents and choose to live and work in this state after completing their education and training. Generating $32 million in total economic impact for its local and regional economies in rural South Carolina, the vast majority of our graduates are placed in a job related to their field of study or are continuing their studies and furthering their education.

The economic benefits of HBCUs extend far beyond the students they educate. South Carolina's HBCUs have an immense impact on South Carolina's economy and strongly influences our state's future regarding access and equity, said Dr. Christopher J. Hall, interim president, Denmark Technical College. If South Carolina is to succeed as a global competitor, these institutions must be encouraged and supported.

Morris College

Morris College generates $29 million in total economic impact for its local and regional communities. Morris College also generates 6,389 jobs for its local and regional economies. Of this total, 221 are on-campus jobs and 168 are off-campus jobs. For each job created on campus, approximately one job is created off campus in the private or public sector because of college related spending. With every million dollars annually spent by Morris College and its students, 15 jobs are created for the local and regional economy.

Morris College is located in Sumter, South Carolina, an area thriving in business and industry as explained by the Sumter Economic Development, sumteredge.com website. HBCUs like Morris College consistently produce competitive members of the workforce. As the UNCF Economic Impact report shows, Morris College is positively impacting the job market in Sumter, South Carolina. Morris College students, faculty and staff are integral parts of the economic fabric in Sumter, South Carolina, said Dr. Leroy Staggers, president, Morris College.

South Carolina State University

South Carolina State University is the leading contributor to the jobs in the Orangeburg Community, generating $145 million and 1,546 jobs in total economic impact and producing world-class graduates that assist with innovation and business development for Orangeburg and the surrounding region.

SC State, a producer of leaders, (the most African American generals of any university ROTC program) and the university with the only undergraduate nuclear engineering program, is moving to the next level of excellence through its Transformation Through Collaboration Initiative, said president James E. Clark. As we partner with other academic institutions, along with business entities and the communities we serve, we anticipate that our significant to-date impact will see a tremendous growth.

Voorhees College

Communities and regions hoping to foster a more robust and diversified economic climate find HBCU-connected spending a critical component of that effort. Every dollar spent by Voorhees College and its students produces positive economic benefits, generating $17 million in total economic impact and 287 jobs.

Voorhees College is located in rural Denmark, South Carolina in Bamberg County and is situated in one of the nations promise zones, classifying the community as among the most underserved and economically distressed in the country with 35 percent of our citizens living below the poverty line, said W. Franklin Evans, president, Voorhees College. As the HBCU Economic Impact Report confirms, Voorhees College is vital to the very existence of our town and serves as a valuable economic engine for our community, generating substantial economic returns year after year.

To view the entire HBCU Economic Impact report, visit: uncf.org/HBCUsMakeAmericaStrong.

To learn more about South Carolina HBCUs, please visit:

http://www.allenuniversity.edu/

http://www.benedict.edu/

http://claflin.edu/

https://clintoncollege.edu/

http://www.dtu.dk/english

http://www.morris.edu/

https://www.scsu.edu/

https://www.voorhees.edu/

###

About UNCF

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37-member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.

About Benedict College

Founded in 1870, Benedict College is a private, co-educational liberal arts institution and home to over 2,100 students in its 32 baccalaureate degree programs. The College, affiliated with the Baptist Church, is located on 220 acres nestled in the heart of Columbia, SC. Over the last six years, Benedict College has been ranked as one of the top baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly for creating social mobility, producing cutting-edge scholarship and research. Benedict has high-quality programs of teaching, research, and public service. Benedict recently received the National Civic Engagement Award from The Washington Center for encouraging students to give back to the community. Benedict has over 17,000 proud alumni throughout the nation. The College has been a power for good in the community for over 148 years and is a major economic contributor to the region and South Carolina, with a local annual economic impact of over $130 million.
NetStandard Proudly Supports Upcoming performance of Comedy-magic Duo, PENN & TELLER NetStandard is elated to continue our relationship with the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. When the opportunity was presented to support a top-level performance with Penn & Teller we simply could not pass.

NetStandard Inc. (NetStandard), a leading provider of strategic technology solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses, announced today its sponsorship of the upcoming performance of comedy-magic duo Penn & Teller who will close out the 2017-2018 Kauffman Center Presents season on June 22.

For more than 40 years, Penn & Teller have defied labels  and at times physics and good taste  by redefining the genre of magic and inventing their own niche in comedy. With sold-out runs on Broadway, Emmy Award-winning television specials, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and hundreds of TV appearances, comedys most enduring team shows no signs of slowing down. Tickets for their June 22 performance range from $39 to $89 plus applicable fees and go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, April 6.

NetStandard is elated to continue our relationship with the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, said Jeff Melcher, CEO of NetStandard. When the opportunity was presented to support a top-level performance with Penn & Teller along with other generous supporters, we simply could not pass. The Kauffman Center delivers extraordinary performing arts experiences to Kansas City and we couldnt be more proud to have the Kauffman Center as friends and customers.

About NetStandard Inc.

NetStandard is a leading provider of strategic technology solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses. Clarity managed technology, the flagship product of NetStandard, is a comprehensive technology partnership which is designed first to identify whats possible and then aggressively provide a business strategy through technology. As a Microsoft partner, NetStandard is the area leader in business-focused software solutions and implementation. NetStandard hosts data and virtual machines as well as collocates in its private SSAE16 Type 2 audited data center. Learn more at netstandard.com.

About Penn & Teller

With an amazing eight wins as Las Vegas Magicians of the Year, Penn & Tellers 17-year run at The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino makes them one of the longest-running headline acts in Las Vegas history. Their acclaimed Showtime series, Penn & Teller: BS! was nominated for 13 Emmy awards. They currently host the hit series Penn & Teller: Fool Us! for The CW Network.

Penn & Teller have written New York Times bestsellers; hosted an Emmy-nominated variety show for FX; starred in their own specials for ABC, NBC and Comedy Central; produced the critically lauded feature film documentary The Aristocrats; and produced the acclaimed documentary Tims Vermeer. Penn & Teller recently returned to Broadway in a triumphant six-week engagement that USA Today called, deliciously unsettling. Learn more about Penn & Teller at pennandteller.com.

About the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts  a major not-for-profit center for music, opera, theater and dance designed by Moshe Safdie  opened in 2011. Serving as a cultural cornerstone for Kansas City and the region, the Kauffman Center delivers extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences. Honored as one of the Worlds 15 Most Beautiful Concert Halls, the Kauffman Center attracts some of the worlds most renowned performers and entertainers.

Through educational outreach programs and community enrichment, the Kauffman Center supports Kansas City as a cultural destination. More information on the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is available at kauffmancenter.org.

Thanks to Kauffman Center Presents series sponsors for their generous support of the 2017-2018 season: Saint Lukes Health System, PNC Bank, and Aristocrat Motors and Mercedes-Benz of Kansas City.

Visit the Kauffman Centers online press room for media resources, multimedia library, press release archive and more: kauffmancenter.org/about/press-room/
Red Spot Interactive Elective healthcare is an extremely competitive industry, but these practices put their patients interests firstconstantly exceeding their patients expectationscreating great success for their practices!

Red Spot Interactive announced the most recent recipients of the Excellence in Patient Engagement & Practice Management AwardThe Body Sculpting Center of Scottsdale, Arizona and Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center of Dallas, Texas.

Jason Tuschman, the CEO and Founder of Red Spot Interactive, expresses his elation, We are very excited for these practices achievements; they have proven themselves to be industry leaders! Elective healthcare is an extremely competitive industry, but these practices put their patients interests firstconstantly exceeding their patients expectationscreating great success for their practices!

Our team has always strived to provide the best experience possible for our patients. From the scheduling of their initial appointments to post-treatment, our practice is dedicated to making sure the patient is satisfied. Working with Red Spot Interactive has helped us to not only acquire more new patients but to also retain and measure the satisfaction of our patients, stated Dr. Ethan Philpott of The Body Sculpting Center.

Our goal is to provide plastic surgery services in a professional, caring, and personal environment, and working with RSI has allowed us to successfully achieve this goal. Being able to measure our marketing return on investment and other key practice performance metrics with RSIs automated platform has allowed our team to be able to fully focus on our patients needs and wants, commented Dr. Robert Wilcox of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center of Texas.

Red Spot Interactives medical marketing platform was built with elective healthcare practices in mind. The companys technology allows for automated plastic surgery marketing and reporting that assists in relieving many of the day-to-day responsibilities of a practices staff, so that they can focus on the patient experience. Patient engagement and satisfaction is the top priority in the competitive elective healthcare market, and RSIs automated surveys help practices to measure this in order to maintain a high standard.

About The Body Sculpting Center

Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, The Body Sculpting Center is a fully accredited cosmetic and plastic surgery facility that has been in practice for over 27 years. The board-certified plastic surgeons of The Body Sculpting Center specialize in everything from breast augmentation to tummy tucks. To learn more about the procedures and services offered by the practice, visit the website: http://www.bodynew.com.

About Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center of Texas

The board-certified plastic surgeons of Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center of Texas, Robert D. Wilcox, M.D. and J. Michael Morrissey, M.D, are dedicated to providing their patients with affordable, personalized care. Located in Plano, Texas, the practice offers a wide range of cosmetic procedures and treatments, plus reconstructive hand surgery. To learn more, visit: http://www.drwilcox.com.

About Red Spot Interactive

Red Spot Interactive is a marketing agency with a comprehensive platform focused on patient acquisition and retention. RSI uses proprietary software to track and measure the key performance indicators (KPIs) essential to elective healthcare practices in order to provide a positive return on investment from practice marketing efforts.
Fuji Chemical Industries USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Fuji Chemical Industries Japan, has announced the promotion of Yasuko Kuroda to President from her former role as Vice President, effective April 1, 2018. Kuroda takes the position vacated by Charles DePrince, who has been positioned as Chairman of the company.

Kuroda joined Fuji Japan in 1997. In that same year, she transferred to the US to establish its US headquarters. Fuji Chemical specializes in high-performance excipients such as Fujicalin, Neusilin and F-MELT, as well as innovative spray drying solutions (open and closed) to industries in North and South America.

Kuroda is responsible for leading continued market penetration and growth of the company and its brands. She recently was assigned to oversee sales and marketing of Fuji Chemicals products and services in Europe.

Kuroda said she is honored and excited to accept the new role. I have been marketing Fujis excipients for 20 years. It is so wonderful to see the business grow every year. I see tremendous potential for our business and I look forward to leading the company with Mr. DePrinces guidance.

DePrince commented, The choice for the new President of Fuji USA could not be better than that of Yasuko Kuroda. She has the depth of knowledge and experience needed for our excipients. As Chairman, I give her my fullest support.

For more details, visit http://www.fujichemicalusa.com and http://www.fujichemical.co.jp/english

About Fuji

About Fuji Chemical Industries, Co. Ltd.

Fuji Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. is engaged in the production and sale of pharmaceutical products/synthesis and bulk pharmaceutical products. It offers contract manufacturing services that include API manufacturing; functional APIs, such as drug intermediates; and drug products manufacturing. The company also provides excipients and drug delivery systems. AstaReal, the leading astaxanthin producer is a part of Fuji Holding company.
Earning the distinction of accreditation from AdvancED is a wonderful validation of our approach to online teaching and learning.

Massachusetts Mayflower Academy, a nonprofit full-time online private high school powered The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.), has received accreditation from AdvancED, a global leader in providing continuous improvement and accreditation services. An AdvancED external review team recommended the academy for accreditation after reviewing the school on May 31 - June 2, 2017.

The AdvancED review team determined that Massachusetts Mayflower Academy provides a state of the art technology platform, including a multifaceted LMS and SIS that support teacher effectiveness and student success. Upon evaluating the academys offering of more than 200 courses, the team reported that the Massachusetts Mayflower Academy proprietary curriculum is designed to promote high learning expectations that lead to student achievement and preparation for the next level.

Additionally, the review team analyzed the academys institutional purpose and direction. It found that Massachusetts Mayflower Academy leadership and staff at all levels have cultivated a culture that promotes high-quality standards in the digital leaning environment.

Founded in 2006, AdvancED is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site reviews of a variety of educational institutions and systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential. The organization serves as a trusted partner to 34,000 educational institutions  employing more than four million educators and enrolling more than 20 million students  across the United States and 70 other nations.

Earning the distinction of accreditation from AdvancED is a wonderful validation of our approach to online teaching and learning, said Carol Ribeiro, President & CEO of The Virtual High School (VHS). VHS has more than twenty years of experience designing and delivering teacher-led online courses to students around the world. Were pleased that students who need a full-time online school option, can now enroll in Massachusetts Mayflower Academy and benefit from our experience and expertise.

Students, with the assistance of their parents or guardians, can apply for the academy by going to MassachusettsMayflowerAcademy.org. Accepted students will learn in an online class environment and work with students from all over the United States and around the world. Classes have low student-teacher ratios and high student-teacher interaction, with an average class size of 21 students.

About AdvancED

AdvancED is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site school quality reviews of Pre-K through 12 schools and school systems to help educators and their communities ensure that all learners realize their full potential. While their expertise is grounded in more than a hundred years of work in accreditation, AdvancED is also committed to help schools improve. Combining the knowledge and expertise of a research institute, the skills of a management consulting firm and the passion of a grassroots movement for educational change, we serve as a trusted partner to over 34,000 schools and school systemsemploying more than four million educators and enrolling more than 20 million studentsacross the United States and 71 other nations.

About The Virtual High School Inc.

The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.) is an online learning pioneer. Since 1996, the nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts has set the standard for quality online education. VHS provides courses taught in global online classrooms for secondary school students and online professional development for educators. The organization also meets the unique educational needs of schools through custom course development and individualized course offerings. VHS design and delivery standards are the model used by the National Education Association in their recommended standards for online learning. The organization has won numerous awards, including the Stockholm Challenge Award for Global Excellence in Information Technology, and is a three-time winner of the United States Distance Learning Associations (USDLA) award for Excellence in Programming and Excellence in Best Practices. For more information, visit http://www.vhslearning.org or call (978) 897-1900.

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Being singled out for recognition is humbling and makes us all want to work harder.

Poswall, White & Brelsfords founding attorney R. Parker White was recently recognized as one of Americas Best Attorneys in Redwood Medias Top 100 Magazine. Being singled out for recognition is humbling and makes us all want to work harder, said White, who focuses on personal injury and is a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent-rated attorney, which is the highest possible rating.

During the course of his distinguished legal career, White has received numerous awards and recognitions. In 2011, he was honored by the American Board of Trial Advocates as Trial Lawyer of the Year. In the same year, White was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to the top 500 trial lawyers in the country.

White has also been inducted as a Fellow into the International Society of Barristers, which is another extremely limited, invitational-only organization of top trial lawyers. He was also singled out as the only lawyer in Sacramento to be honored as a Northern California Super Lawyer in the field of plaintiff Medical Malpractice.

White is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers of Northern California, Top 25, and National Trial Lawyers, Top 100. Furthermore, Poswall, White & Brelsford for three consecutive years has been selected by US News and World Report as Best Law Firms in America. The Princeton Review named the firm as Best in America.

In addition to law, White is passionate about photography. He taught a course in photography at Humboldt State University, earned a five star award in the Canon Masters Photography Program and has had three shows of his work locally. White utilizes photography extensively in his law practice.

About Poswall, White & Brelsford

Poswall, White & Brelsford focuses on personal injury law. Attorneys at the firm represent the injured and wronged, and are leaders in personal injury litigation. Practice areas include auto accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, catastrophic injuries, sexual harassment, birth defects and medical malpractice. For more information, please call (916) 449-1300, or visit http://www.pwb-attorneys.com. The law office is located at 1001 G Street, Suite 301, Sacramento, CA 95814.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. The information and content in this article are not in conjunction with the views of the NALA. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
She put her life on the line for our country, now is time to PAY IT FORWARD back to her by supporting this cause. Theres No Place Like HOME.

A, (former U. S. ARMY) COMBAT Purple Heart & Disabled Veteran  Aurita Maldonado who was injured by a 200 pounds Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast while on patrol during her tour in Wardak Province, Afghanistan in 2009 has been struggling with building a place to call home post Hurricane Maria. Serving in the U.S. ARMY from 2001-2010 and left with nerve damage in half of her body, she also suffers from other serious and chronic health conditions to include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As of today, 6 months after Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico and totally displaced Aurita, the 7 months pregnant Veteran who resides on the small island of Vieques, PR lives and faces a race against time to vacate temporary housing on (April 22, 2018) and in preparing for the arrival of her baby David due (May 28, 2018).

A Virginia-Puerto Rico based 501(c)(3) non-profit Home of Miracles and Embraces (H.O.M.E.) in collaboration with the American Veterans Ball (AVB), other organizations, and individual Goodwill Samaritans are dedicated in assisting this American HERO from homelessness. An official YouCaring fundraiser called the "Pay It Forward Housing Campaign", on behalf of Aurita Maldonado was created to help raise the level of awareness and funds required for this effort. The committed group have tasked themselves to raise a total of $43,000 in order to take two donated shipping containers and convert them into a permanent and ecological home solution that will be placed on Auritas land for her and her family to live in. Their collective vision is to energize a total of 10,000 people to make a minimum micro donation of $4.30 towards this cause.

The group is also seeking for business and individual partners to join efforts in making this genuine and most random act of kindness a reality for her. Become an Ambassador! No American Veteran HERO should be homeless!

For more information on Aurita Maldonado's story or to support this American HERO, Contact Ozzy Ramos 540-288-3868 and visit: https://www.youcaring.com/auritamaldonaldo-1132086

Please view our original first encounter video with Aurita Maldonado here. https://www.facebook.com/ozzy.ramos.10/videos/1515480525187838/

SHARE: Please consider being a VOICE and ADVOCATE for Aurita by SHARING her story throughout your personal contacts and professional networks. We thank you in advance. #SupportAuritaMaldonado
Kathryn Raaker's World is a new TV venture recently added. WWNL has a great community reach and has the audience that listens to, and appreciates, the family-friendly content that Lets Just Talk provides.

Kathryn Raaker announced this week an expansion of her media world to include Pittsburghs 50,000 watt channel, 1080 AM. WWNL, a Wilkins Radio Network Station that has been in broadcasting since 1990. This Wilkins Radio station serves the greater Pittsburgh, PA area, plus reaches into 19 counties in Pennsylvania, and three other states, West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio. It is one of the largest single radio stations for Raaker; she is syndicated on five other Wilkins stations and also on her home station in Cincinnati, Ohio WCVX 1160 AM as well as Fairfax Radio and W4CY and W4Vet both large internet stations.

I am delighted to be part of this station, Raaker said. WWNL has a great community reach and has the audience that listens to, and appreciates, the family-friendly content that Lets Just Talk provides. I know it will be a great partnership.

Over the last year, Raaker has continued to expand her media reach, adding Kathryn Raakers World, (TV) a 30 minute show, which features a wide variety of topics and guests from all walks of life. Her Lets Just Talk Radio program has been doing the same thing for 15 years. This is a perfect platform for her type of magazine-interview commentary. She has a new app for radio called Lets Just Talk which can be downloaded on iPhones.

Raaker has made a deliberate attempt to reach the masses with her witty sense of humor and her lively discussions with guests. She has had a variety of programming in the past and continues to refine and expand on the ones that have been the most popular with her listeners and viewers.

I believe that we all need to look at how we do things; the content we provide should be what the viewers and listeners want. I listen to them and have been able to adapt to the changes in our society, offering timely content. I think that is one of the features my audience appreciates, Raaker said.

Last year she launched the first of a mini-novella series, Elizabeth Bromwell, Chronicles of an Expat Spy. She is currently working on the second in the series. Adding author to her repertoire, rounds out her multi-faceted talents reaching nearly every type of media available.

Her Lets Just Talk TV program and The Chef You and I shows are on weekly on cable, and Network TV across the US and Canada. Recently she signed on with Dash Media on the MyTVto go.net which streams in 50 plus countries. She appears on Dash Media regular networks, with all of her programming. Kathryn is featured with her TV Programming on Spectrum, Comcast, Hulu, Roku as well as Kathryn Raaker You tube.

Just recently Raaker filmed several movie scenes which will be included in upcoming productions. She has appeared in three movies over the last three years and hopes to continue acting in the future. She also is the CEO of The Tri-State Connection, a Multi-Media and PR Company.

For more information about Kathryn Raaker, or to schedule an interview, contact her at:

Kathryn Raaker

The Tri-State Connection

513-616-6986

Kraaker123(at)gmail(dot)com
Justin Hall, VP of Marketing and Strategic Alliances Understanding the solutions that we offer our clients is tantamount to being able to provide them with the ideal technology for their particular needs.

Corus360, a Converge company, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Corus360 to its 2018 Tech Elite 250 list. This annual list honors an exclusive group of North American IT solution providers that have earned the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading technology suppliers, scaled to their company size.

To compile the annual list, The Channel Companys research group and CRN editors work together to identify the most customer-beneficial technical certifications in the North American IT channel. Companies who have obtained these elite designations which enable solution providers to deliver premium products, services and customer supportare then selected from a pool of online applicants.

Corus360 is in the Tech Elite 250 because they continue to assist their clients with the adoption of new and disruptive technologies. The organization focuses on driving relevant innovations by listening to their peoples ideas, talking to emerging technology partners, and broadening their existing skills sets with their partners. Corus360 leverages this approach and drives desired outcomes for clients through the right people, ideal technologies, and seamless resilience. Its a flywheel model and its the reason behind the companys sustained, year-over-year growth.

Being named to CRNs Tech Elite 250 list is no small feat, said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. These companies have distinguished themselves with multiple, top-level IT certifications, specializations and partner program designations from the industrys most prestigious technology providers. Their pursuit of deep expertise and broader skill sets in a wide range of technologies and IT practices demonstrates an impressive commitment to elevating their businessesand to providing the best possible customer experience.

Understanding the solutions that we offer our clients is tantamount to being able to provide them with the ideal technology for their particular needs, said Justin Hall, VP of Marketing and Strategic Alliances at Corus360. By continuing to earn certifications from our partners and give our people access to information about whats out there, we can target our clients specific problems with solutions designed to alleviate them.

Coverage of the Tech Elite 250 will be featured in the April issue of CRN, and online at http://www.crn.com/techelite250.

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

Tweet This:

@TheChannelCo names @Corus360 to @CRN 2018 Tech Elite 250 list #CRNTechElite250 http://www.crn.com/techelite250

About Corus360, a Converge Company

Corus360 is an innovative solutions company that empowers organizations to build, transition, and ultimately transform their environments to reach desired outcomes through seamless resilience, selecting the right people, and implementing ideal technologies. For more information, visit http://www.corus360.com

About the Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelco.com

The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.
"Carbon dioxide is not a control knob that can fine tune climate" - Judith Curry, Atmospheric Scientist, Georgia Tech if all the Paris Agreement signatory countries met their targets through 2100, the likely reduction in warming might be 0.17Celsius (seventeen one hundredths of a degree Celsius)  an undetectable amount Past News Releases RSS

Huffington Post reported on March 27, 2018, that Canada would miss Paris Agreement climate change targets to reduce greenhouse gases, according to a new report by Canadas federal environment commission auditor and several provincial auditors general. Friends of Science says that this outcome is self-evident to anyone with basic maths skills, referring the public to Can Canada Survive Climate Change Policy? the work of Robert Lyman, an Ottawa energy policy consultant who is a former public servant of 27 years, diplomat for 10 years. Indeed, based on performance to date, few countries will meet targets and global emissions will continue to grow.

The US government has pulled out of the Paris Agreement and appears to be basing new climate and energy policies on recent findings by Dr. John Christy (among others) which indicate that most of the recent warming was almost entirely due to natural factors, not human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, as presented in his May 29, 2017 testimony to the US House Committee on Space, Science and Technology.

On March 27, 2018, Canadian commentator Brian Lilley, reported that Canadas Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Hon. Catherine McKenna, was unable to answer a simple question regarding the reduction in global warming that would result from the federal governments $50/tonne carbon tax. McKenna has consistently touted price on carbon and price on pollution as the most effective means of stopping climate change. Carbon dioxide is not classified as a pollutant in Canada.

Canadians see carbon taxes as destructive to the economy. Numerous provincial and federal leaders are challenging the policy. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe threatens to take the matter to court, as reported by Global News, Mar. 4, 2018.

Friends of Science Society says a commentary by Robert Lyman entitled COP21 Agreement, Just the Facts, Please, notes that if all the Paris Agreement signatory countries met their targets through 2100, the likely reduction in warming might be 0.17Celsius (seventeen one hundredths of a degree Celsius)  an undetectable amount. Canada represents only 2% of global emissions and would thus account for an infinitesimal impact on climate, but the resource-based Canadian economy would be turned to ashes.

According to Friends of Science, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has exaggerated projected warming and the effect of human-caused carbon dioxide by about three times what observed data shows. As reported by Lawrence Solomon in the Financial Post on May 30th, 2009, Enron funded environmental groups to push its carbon trading Kyoto agenda, falsely based on claims of climate catastrophe. Offshore funded environmental groups are rife in Canada; many key environmental activists participated in writing IPCC reports, according to the book "The Delinquent Teenager.." by author Donna Laframboise.

Friends of Science says claiming that climate catastrophe can be prevented by carbon taxes is false and misleading. They are calling for a halt to further Canadian carbon pricing, carbon taxes, renewables contracts, or climate initiatives until a public review of recent scientific findings is complete.

About

Friends of Science Society is an independent group of earth, atmospheric and solar scientists, engineers, and citizens who are celebrating its 16th year of offering climate science insights. After a thorough review of a broad spectrum of literature on climate change, Friends of Science Society has concluded that the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2).

Friends of Science Society

P.O. Box 23167, Mission P.O.

Calgary, Alberta

Canada T2S 3B1

Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597

Web: friendsofscience.org

E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)org

Web: climatechange101.ca
As the next generation of young people grows up under the embrace of 24/7 social media feeds, one study has concluded that there is a link between the prevalence of social media and the increase of mental health issues on a global level.

The American Journal of Epistemology has recently released their study that draws a connection between the development of mental health in young people and their experiences on social media. This connection is most notably drawn through their interactions, or essentially the lack thereof. Generation Z, the group born between the mid 1990s and early 2000s, conducts the majority of their communication through social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Musical.ly, and the most widely criticized for fostering negative self-esteem, Instagram. Its through these social channels that Gen Z communicates through likes, photos, videos, and other features built into the app, thus increasing their exposure to the images on these apps.

Many of these sites do not require parental consent to use the app. In fact, the legal age to search the web without the consent of a parent is 13, as set by Congress in the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act. With this in place, many children are exposed to a variety of content across all age groups, but specifically within their peer group, without the guidance of their parents. While online predators are the most perceived threat from online social interactions, another growing threat on the internet is the content generated by other users. Viral photos, videos, blog posts, and games that promote self-harm and substance abuse are forms of user-generated content that are often used in cyber bullying, whether directly or indirectly. This can affect the mental health of their victims. Teens exposed to this increase their chances of participating in unhealthy activities, including eating disorders, self-harm, aggressive behavior, and unhealthy sexual practices.

Another form of user-generated content that contributes to the increase of mental health problems as cited by the Royal Society of Public Health is that image-based social media platforms cause the most harm to an individuals mental health state, i.e. Instagram. As a result of these online interactions, the suicide rates amongst young people have increased significantly over the past few years from 2007-2015. The number of suicides in young, teenage girls almost doubled in 2015, after hitting a relative low in the previous years. Psychologists and researchers have linked this spike in suicide rates amongst young girls to the prevalence of perfection standards that social media sites create.

Kids and teens are still developing, lacking the emotional maturity to form a healthy sense of self. Teens who are most affected by social media either have an extremely low self-esteem or are hard on themselves with unrealistic standards for performance. Both hold unrealistic expectations of perfection. These feelings are often fostered in full by unrealistic highlight reels of perfect social media photos and posts. The idea is that this is the image of perfection that must be attained. On the other hand, these same social sites are grounds for disparaging content from their peer groups. Ever emotion, whether negative or positive, is tracked on social media for all to see. This creates the feeling of, Either I need to be perfect or I need to be punished. Once the concept of failure or lacking the status to meet those standards is introduced and internalized, teens who suffer from these ideas of perfectionism are quick to detach themselves from the outside world, often threatening suicide or other forms of harm. This behavior continues until the perfect image is attained or suicide has taken their life.

Mabel Yiu, licensed marriage, and family therapist, is the founder of the Womens Therapy Institute, a therapy center dedicated to helping women and young girls deal with the pressures associated with life. During her teen counseling sessions which start as young as 12, she has witnessed firsthand the damage that social media standards and cyber-bullying can have on the ever-developing self-esteem of young girls.

About:

Mabel Yiu, MFT, has been a therapist for nearly a decade. She is a certified suicide and crisis counselor, sexual assault counselor, parenting instructor, and more. Mabel is also an adjunct professor with the University of San Francisco and a clinical supervisor at a community mental health clinic in San Jose. She opened the Womens Therapy Institute in Palo Alto, California as a means to help young girls and women cope with the emotional and mental pressures that occur in everyday life.
Lucas Group Landing top talent in a competitive market can be done- it just takes a willingness to be candid about employer brand and hiring process shortcomings.

Lucas Group, the leader in North American executive search and IT hiring, announced the publication of its newest white paper, The New Rules for Hiring IT Talent: Identifying and Correcting 4 Common Hiring Mistakes, authored by San Diego, CA-based Managing Partner Laura Kesler.

Nearly two out of three technology leaders say hiring challenges are hurting their industry, according to KPMGs annual CIO Survey of 3,000 technology leaders.

While its easy to blame the competitive talent market for IT recruitment woes, theres more to this equation, says Kesler. Landing top talent in a competitive market can be done it just takes a willingness to be candid about employer branding and hiring process shortcomings.

Keslers white paper focuses on the four common mistakes companies make when recruiting and hiring IT talent. These challenges include a weak employer brand, a lengthy interview process that scares away potential hires, and the failure to sell candidates on unique opportunities aligned with candidate career goals. Finally, Kesler discusses the fourth mistake: the danger of making a generic job offer that is not aligned with a candidates specific needs.

Identifying and correcting missteps with employer branding, the interview process, and the final offer can make the difference between hearing a yes or a no from your first-choice hire, says Kesler.

Kesler also discusses how a recruiter can help companies address these challenges.

As a recruiter, its my job to work closely with companies to identify roadblocks in the interview process that are hurting employer branding and causing qualified candidates to lose interest, says Kesler. When its time to make an offer, a recruiter can serve as a behind-the-scenes negotiator, helping your business craft an irresistible offer for your top choice candidate.

Kesler, who has more than 20 years of experience in IT staffing and consulting, joined Lucas Group in 2016. She works closely with Fortune 100/500 companies throughout San Diego, Irvine, Los Angeles, The Bay Area, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Lucas Group recruiters provide consultative recruiting services across seven practice areas: Accounting & Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal, Manufacturing, Military Transition and Sales & Marketing. With offices located throughout the U.S., Lucas Group recruiters use broad, national reach, together with expert, localized search methods to fill critical roles for mid-tier to Fortune 500 corporations.

About Lucas Group

Lucas Group is North Americas premier executive search firm. Since 1970, our culture and methodologies have driven superior results. We assist clients ranging in size from small to medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 companies to find transcendent, executive talent; candidates fully realize their ambitions; and associates find professional success. To learn more, please visit Lucas Group at http://www.lucasgroup.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
Palomar Modular Buildings has released man camp building floor plans available to preview on their website at no cost to the individual. Palomar Modular Buildings has spent the last few years working with man camp operators across North America to gain the in-the-trenches insight needed to refine their man camp building designs.

Palomar Modular Buildings man camp designs start with the advantages offered by modular buildings; versatile, cost-effective, rapid deployment structures, which are further augmented by all the amenities needed to keep the workforce happy and productive while maintaining a home away from home atmosphere. Palomars engineers have fine-tuned their advanced building floor plans based on feedback from camp operators from the Bakken to the Permian Basin. In addition to their library of floor plans, Palomar has a dedicated team of engineers that can develop a layout to meet a clients specifications.

Whether the need is for temporary extra housing capacity, an expansion project or a completely new facility from the ground up, the Palomar Modular Building advantage provides operations with an environmentally-friendly, low waste, healthy, cost-effective structure in a fraction of the time it takes with conventional construction.

About Palomar Modular Buildings

Palomar Modular Buildings manufactures advanced modular buildings for a range of industries including office, retail, healthcare, education and workforce housing. The companys state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in DeSoto, Texas, is staffed with a dedicated full-time workforce of skilled tradesmen and production managers has produced hundreds of modular projects from simple additions to complex new facilities.

If you would like further information about this press release or to schedule an interview with John Martin, please contact John Martin at jmartin(at)palomarmodular(dot)com or call 1-866-312-4032.
Join us for this evenings event and learn how to protect your business! To learn more, reach out to DDC OS USA at www.ddcusa.com.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), that goes into effect May 2018, will set a new precedent for consumer rights and data privacy by bolstering protections for personal data and business transactions across the European Union (EU). This directly impacts American companies who do business in the EU. Is your business ready for what may unfold?

The BritishAmerican Business will be hosting a panel discussion this evening at 5:30pm at A.T. Kearney, located in 7 Times Square, as GDPR industry experts including DDC Outsourcing Solutions (OS) USA explore:



Cost of compliance to meet and/or exceed regulations.

What to expect for foreign companies operating in the EU.

Systems and processes in place to ensure compliance.

Business Process Outsourcer & GDPR industry expert, DDC OS USA will provide insight at this panel discussion into the intricacies of GDPR, the important effects the new law will have for American businesses and potential solutions for how to effectively become compliant.

Join us for this evenings event and learn how to protect your business! To learn more, reach out to DDC OS USA at http://www.ddcusa.com.

---------

About DDC OS USA: DDC OS USA is a division of The DDC Group, a worldwide network of business process outsourcing (BPO) experts since 1989, who specialize in custom-designed innovative back office solutions from data analytic tools for GDPR compliance to IT outsourcing solutions. Learn more at http://www.ddcusa.com.
Americas Wild And Domestic Horses Had A Big Victory Last Week When An Omnibus Bill Was Filed That Upholds The Federal Ban On U.S. Horse Slaughter. While this is a major victory for our horse nation, habitats & humanity, our fight continues, said Manda Kalimian, CANA Founder. We must continue to look toward more permanent solutions to save our wild horses; which simultaneously protects public lands from the ever present land grab we face."

To thank the Members of Congress who voted to uphold protections for wild horses and burros, CANA Foundation took out a major advertisement in The Hill, one of the top Political newspapers. The advertisement thanks these Members of Congress for upholding language protecting wild horses and burros in the Interior Appropriations Bill and for prohibiting USDA inspection funds for domestic horse slaughter plants in the Agriculture Appropriations Bill.

Washington leaders heard loud and clear that they needed to uphold protections for horses through to the end of 2018. 80% of Americans that agree with their decision; they know it makes no sense to spend over $80 million taxpayer dollars to roundup and warehouse wild horses in holding pens. They also know that if unregulated horse meat enters our food supply, our public health is gravely at risk. These citizens also know that wild horses play a crucial role in rewilding our dwindling public lands.

While this is a major victory for our horse nation, habitats & humanity, our fight continues, said Manda Kalimian, CANA Founder. We must continue to look toward more permanent solutions to save our wild horse populations; which simultaneously protects public lands from the ever present land grab we are facing. At CANA Foundation, we believe that work begins with rewilding, says Kalimian.

Americas wild horses are placeholders; protecting our nations public lands and the little open space we still have left against exploitative special interests. Without them we risk losing everything; the rights to our public land, the stability of our environment and our American values of life, liberty and freedom.

Our job is not done until Americas wild horses can live wild and free; fulfilling their natural role of rewilding our habitats and humanity!

We couldnt attain victories like upholding these Federal protections, or placing these major advertisements without supporters like you. Thank you, CANA Supporters, for your continued commitment to the movement to save Americas Wild Horses so they can in turn, help to rewild our world.
West Shore Plaza presents the Healthy Neighbors Fest, a first-ever community health day, on Saturday, April 14, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We have a large physical spacean entire Plazathat can support community health. Im thrilled to see our Plaza used as a driver for health education, fitness, and well-being.

Smith Land & Improvement Corporation, owner of the West Shore Plaza, presents the Healthy Neighbors Fest, a community health day, on Saturday, April 14, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the West Shore Plaza, 1200 Market Street, Lemoyne.

We have a large physical spacean entire Plazathat can support community health. Im thrilled to see our Plaza used as a driver for health education, fitness, and well-being, says Richard E. Jordan III, President & CEO of Smith Land & Improvement Corporation. Shoppers will be treated to store specials, free health screenings, fitness workshops, giveaways, and a Walk to Health. Take the First Step postcards will be distributed as an easy reference to start your own walking routefrom 500 steps to a 3Kstarting at the Plaza.

The Plaza-wide event begins at the Goodwill store at 10:00 a.m. with a formal presentation of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) by the Peyton Walker Foundation to Goodwill Keystone Area President & CEO John McHenry. Goodwill store personnel will receive AED training and the AED will be installed for public use to check heart rhythm and treat for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

Meet a family medicine provider at the UPMC Pinnacle booth at 10:30 a.m. to join in a West Shore Plaza Walk to Health. Daniel Chege, CRNP, Heritage Family Practice, in Lemoyne, will lead a series of 15-minute strolls at the Plaza to give people an opportunity to ask health and wellness questions and talk to a medical provider while walking.

#HEALTHYNEIGHBORSFEST partners include UPMC Pinnacle, American Heart Association, Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank Bloodmobile, The Peyton Walker Foundation, BOB 94.9, Thrive Fit Co., Feel Your Boobies, Girls on the Run, and Susquehanna Style.

UPMC Pinnacle is deeply rooted in our commitment to improve the health and quality of life in central Pennsylvania, says Doug Dyer, senior vice president, planning and business development. When we join together to provide health education, screenings and wellness opportunities, we can make our communities healthy places to live, work, and play.

West Shore Plaza tenants will feature specials and giveaways, including:



200 pedometers and swag bags on a first-come, first-served basis, donated by M&T Bank;

Handmade dark chocolate samples, plus Seven Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate from Macris Chocolates;

25% discount on all Safety Works products in stocksafety glasses, safety vests, hearing protection, first-aid kits, dust masks, and hard hats from Ritters True Value;

Free apples from Toigo Orchards, and silicon jewelry bands to U.S. military veterans and emergency responders while supplies last from K Novinger Jewelry;

Free chair massages and heart-healthy essential drinks from Polished Salon, Spa, & Wellness;

Balloons and stress balls handed out by Good Dog, the Goodwill Keystone Area mascot.

We applaud Smith Land & Improvement Corporation and the West Shore Plaza for joining our lifesaving efforts to protect the health and well-being of our families throughout central Pennsylvania, says Julie Walker, founder and director of The Peyton Walker Foundation. Following the AED presentation, we will also provide on-site demonstrations for CPR and defibrillatorslifesaving skills that are needed when someone is experiencing cardiac arrest. Through events like Healthy Neighbors Fest, we are able to increase awareness and survival rates for cardiac arrest.

With more people shopping local in our brick-and-mortar stores, community relationships are strengthened, small business grows, and walkability increases with people on the move, says Jordan III.

Join the conversation online by following the hashtag #HEALTHYNEIGHBORSFEST and learn more about this community event on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

ABOUT SMITH LAND & IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION

Founded in 1961, the company has a 57-year history of responsible and responsive commercial real estate development and land ownership. With a portfolio of nearly 50 properties and over 1 million SF throughout the Mid-Atlantic, the Smith Land team has chosen to concentrate 80 percent of its real estate investments in their own front yard of central Pennsylvania. We do not outsource our eyes, says Richard E. Jordan II, CEO. When Smith Land & Improvement Corporation is the developer, business builders and investors can expect a productive working relationship, high-caliber site selection, and easy access to business expansion.

ABOUT WEST SHORE PLAZA

Celebrating 64 years of retail services to the community, this landmark center sits on two high-traffic corridors connecting Harrisburg to the West Shore. With an attractive facade, easy access, and a striking digital sign, the West Shore Plaza continues to maintain high shopper volume and be a recognized shopping destination. The 22-store property features local and national retailers, as well as family businesses.
"With innovative technology and service strategies such as in-depth claims data analytics, alternative funding arrangements, and employee communication initiatives, clients of The Gaudreau Group stay ahead of trends and have better insight into their biggest cost drivers." ~Jules Gaudreau, President

Several of New Englands foremost enterprises have recently awarded The Gaudreau Group their Insurance and Employee Benefits consulting business. Some of those companies include:



Berkshire Blanket & Home Co.

Bridgeport National Bindery

Dixon Ticonderoga

Freedom Credit Union

PeoplesBank

Roberts Energy

Springfield College

Square One

YWCA of Western MA

The Gaudreau Group helps companies control costs while offering robust benefits to attract and maintain the best employees. With innovative technology and service strategies such as in-depth claims data analytics, alternative funding arrangements, and employee communication initiatives, clients of The Gaudreau Group stay ahead of trends and have better insight into their biggest cost drivers, says Jules Gaudreau, President. This knowledge empowers them to make proactive decisions instead of just reacting to unmitigated rate increases.

Founded in 1921 and headquartered in Wilbraham, The Gaudreau Group is a fourth generation, family owned independent Insurance, Employee Benefits and Financial Services firm which insures over 6,000 businesses and families in 14 states. Their team is comprised of 30 professionals, including one of the largest Employee Benefits divisions in the region.
On Monday, March 19, more than 100 students from Southeastern Michigan competed at the first-ever Michigan Invention Convention at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Winners moving on to the National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurial Expo (NICEE) at The Henry Ford on June 1 include, the Parkview Elementary team of Brady Doyle, Daniel Keck and Jaxson Oliver for iSleep Smart, Skyline High School students Tej Bergin and Chase Colligan for their portable water source, and grand-prize winners from Skyline High School, Akhil Arora and Sara Whybark, for their wristband for the deaf and law enforcement.

The projects the students presented were incredibly inspiring, offering solutions to problems they have faced or overall challenges we see every day, said Lucie Howell, director of learning and engagement at The Henry Ford. We are looking forward to growing this program and giving more students across the state a chance to show their innovations.

The Michigan Invention Convention provided a live, interactive opportunity for youth inventors and entrepreneurs, 3rd-12th grade, to display their critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills. Students had the chance to showcase their inventions/products and pitch directly to a group of judges. Competition was broken down into age brackets based on the national competition rules, with one grand prize winner selected. Judges selected winners based on the projects process, solution, impact and presentation. Based on this years entries, two high school teams and one elementary school team will be moving on to the national competition.

Akhil Arora and Sara Whybarks grand-prize winning wristband was designed as a communication device between deaf and hard of hearing individuals and law enforcement. Through vibrations and flashing lights, the wristband would allow the individual to know that police or emergency vehicles are nearby and indicate to first responders that the wearer is a person who is deaf or a hard of hearing. Skyline High Schools Teg Bergin and Chase Colligan were inspired to create their portable water source after a hiking trip when they ran out of water and created a prototype of a backpack that works as a re-humidifier and filtration system. Their invention pulls moisture from the air (like a dehumidifier) and then filters the water to make it drinkable. Parkview Elementary school winners, Brady Doyle, Daniel Keck and Jaxson Oliver created the smart pillow, iSleep Smart, that contains heating and cooling elements, soothing lavender scents along with connectivity to your phone to ask questions like what time is it? or whats the weather like?.

The Michigan Invention Convention is a space for the Michigan STEM community to celebrate and be inspired by inventors and entrepreneurs of all ages, backgrounds and disciplines. The event was supported by a Comerica Charitable Foundation grant.

About The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized history destination that explores the American experience of innovation, resourcefulness, and ingenuity that helped shape America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled Archive of American Innovation, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrows innovators. More than 1.77 million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates over 500 students a year on the institutions campus. In 2014, The Henry Ford premiered its first-ever national television series, The Henry Fords Innovation Nation, showcasing present-day change-makers and The Henry Fords artifacts and unique visitor experiences. Hosted by news correspondent and humorist, Mo Rocca, this Emmy-winning weekly half-hour show airs Saturday mornings on CBS. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org.
Kasey brings valuable industry experience and is sure to be a strong asset to our team and clients," says COO of Worldwide Facilities, Cameron Kelly.

Worldwide Facilities announces the opening of a new location in Morehead City, North Carolina. Kasey Vaughn will be joining the office as Senior Vice President.

Vaughn brings 17 years of experience in wholesale Personal and Commercial lines practice. She started her career at Burns & Wilcox as an Underwriter / Producer. In 2008, she was named top producer of the whole company. Vaughn was later promoted to Managing Director and Vice President. Her areas of expertise include personal lines, flood, wind and commercial property.

Were excited to welcome Kasey, says COO of Worldwide Facilities, Cameron Kelly. She brings valuable industry experience and is sure to be a strong asset to our team and clients.

Vaughn graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in Business Finance.

About Worldwide Facilities, LLC

Worldwide Facilities is a national wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent that has been in business since 1970. Its brokers and underwriters are industry leaders providing expertise in a wide range of specialty lines, as well as extensive contacts with carriers domestically and overseas. For more information, please visit wwfi.com.
Intrinsic ID At RSA we will show our commitment to enabling customers to deploy security anywhere, any time. This is key in delivering on our mission to Authenticate Everything. - Pim Tuyls, CEO, Intrinsic ID

Intrinsic ID, the worlds leading provider of digital authentication technology for Internet of Things security and embedded applications, today announced it will exhibit at the RSA Conference, April 16-20 in San Francisco. In support of the companys Authenticate Everything mission, Intrinsic ID will show how creation of unclonable identities can secure any IoT-connected device. Intrinsic ID will be exhibiting in Booth #2613, in the South Hall of Moscone Center.

The reliability of our BROADKEY and QUIDDIKEY products has driven strong traction with our customers, which include some of the worlds top technology companies, said Pim Tuyls, chief executive officer of Intrinsic ID. At RSA we will show our commitment to enabling customers to deploy security anywhere, any time. This is key in delivering on our mission to Authenticate Everything.

Activity in the Intrinsic ID booth will include:



Device-to-Cloud Authentication: Chip-based device-to-cloud authentication, demonstrating end-to-end security.

Smart Meter Authentication: Secure smart meter solution for utilities and meter manufacturers.

Key Intrinsic ID products include BROADKEY, a hardware root of trust software family for creating, wrapping and managing secure keys for IoT security, and which enables security deployment at any point in an IoT-connected products lifecycle; and QUIDDIKEY, hardware IP which delivers hardware root-of-trust for IoT security.

WHEN:

RSA exhibits will be open April 17-19, 2018



April 17: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT

April 18: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT

April 19: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT

WHERE:

Moscone Center

747 Howard Street

San Francisco, Calif. 94103

Intrinsic ID is exhibiting in Booth #2613, in Moscone Centers South Hall.

RSA Conference conducts information security events around the world, as well as delivering insights via blogs, webcasts and newsletters on cyber threats.

About Intrinsic ID

Intrinsic ID is the worlds leading digital authentication company, providing the Internet of Things with hardware-based root-of-trust security via unclonable identities for any IoT-connected device. Based on Intrinsic IDs patented SRAM PUF technology, the companys security solutions can be implemented in hardware or software. Intrinsic ID security, which can be deployed at any stage of a products lifecycle, is used to validate payment systems, secure connectivity, authenticate sensors, and protect sensitive government and military systems. Award recognition includes the Frost & Sullivan Technology Leadership Award and the EU Innovation Radar Prize. Intrinsic ID security has been proven in millions of devices certified by Common Criteria, EMVCo, Visa and multiple governments. Intrinsic IDs mission: Authenticate Everything. Visit Intrinsic ID online at http://www.Intrinsic-ID.com.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/intrinsic-id

Twitter: twitter.com/intrinsicid

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Intrinsic-ID-367721959973148/

GooglePlus: plus.google.com/100457819932721237291

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrinsicID

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/intrinsic_id/

Intrinsic ID, the Intrinsic ID logo, BROADKEY and QUIDDIKEY are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intrinsic ID, Inc., and are protected by trademark laws of the United States and other jurisdictions. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity data analytics platform including endpoint detection and response, next-generation antivirus, and active monitoring services, today announced that its newest customer is Flybe, Europes largest regional airline.

Flybe operates more domestic flights than any other airline, operating from 31 UK and 48 European airports and is the largest scheduled airline measured by air traffic movements at nine UK airports.

Cybereasons award-winning platform will enable us to gain the visibility and usability across our entire environment. The companys platform is built to scale and will enable us to make decisions in real-time on cybersecurity threats, said Luke Weatherburn-Bird, Cyber Security Officer, Flybe. The visibility and speed of threat detection will help drive our GDPR compliance. We are also planning for active threat hunting as the next stage of our proactive security posture.

We are thrilled that Flybe is our newest customer and look forward to giving them the visibility they need across their network because traditional security approaches no longer work against cyber adversaries, said Lior Div, CEO and co-founder, Cybereason. The proprietary architecture of our platform, including our in-memory, graph database, allows us to analyse more data than all other solutions on the market. Hundreds of blue-chip corporations today see tremendous value in Cybereason.

About Cybereason

Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity data analytics platform, gives the advantage back to the defender through a completely new approach to cybersecurity. Cybereason offers endpoint detection and response (EDR), next-generation antivirus (NGAV), and active monitoring services, all powered by its proprietary data analytics platform. The Cybereason suite of products provides unmatched visibility, increases analyst efficiency and effectiveness, and reduces security risk. Cybereason is privately held, having raised $189 million from top-tier VCs, and is headquartered in Boston, with offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.

Learn more: https://www.cybereason.com/

Follow us: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Media Contact:

Bill Keeler

Director, Public Relations

Cybereason

bill.keeler(at)cybereason.com

(929) 259-3261
Our team celebrates this achievement and we will continue our efforts to bring a superior solution to NetSuite OpenAir customers.

TOP Step Consulting, a leading provider of NetSuite OpenAir consulting services, is excited to announce the company was recently named one of the most promising NetSuite Solution Providers 2018 by CIOReview. The technology magazine, long respected for its history in identifying and highlighting innovative entrepreneurs, recognized TOP Step Consulting for its ability to provide high-quality solutions to NetSuite OpenAir customers through its expertise and offerings of business efficiency assessment, implementation, system integration and virtual administration services.

"We are extremely honored to receive this recognition by CIO Review. Our team celebrates this achievement, and we will continue our efforts to bring a superior solution to NetSuite OpenAir customers. Our customers benefit from our years of professional services business experience combined with our deep expertise of OpenAir," said Ronn Breaux, President and CEO, TOP Step Consulting.

More and more professional services firms are implementing PSA solutions to help achieve operational efficiency and gain real-time visibility into crucial business processes. PSA solutions are uniquely designed for professional services organizations to manage projects, resources, and finances all in one integrated service management application. TOP Step Consulting has been a long-time advocate of Oracle NetSuites PSA solution due to its robust capabilities and features. CIO Review highlighted TOP Step Consultings ability to drive customer success through their unique workshop approach which takes an agnostic view to provide the best solution each the customer. A core tenet of the TOP Step approach is understanding each customers business model and process improvements first and then aligning those needs to the PSA tool. This approach provides the customer with superior results and has rewarded TOP Step with a nearly 100% customer referenceability rate.

TOP Step Consulting will be showcasing their services for NetSuite OpenAir at the upcoming SuiteWorld18 conference at the Sands Expo & Convention Center Las Vegas, April 23-26, as a Silver sponsor of the event. They will present Mining your data with Dashboards and Reports in OpenAir and can be found on the expo floor at booth #939.

Read more about what CIOReview has to say about TOP Step Consulting

About TOP Step Consulting

TOP Step Consulting improves business efficiency and productivity for Professional Services business operations. They help clients achieve their profitability goals allowing them to focus on building their business. Their team has extensive experience in professional services business operations, professional services automation (PSA), and project management. They have served over 300 organizations across the globe and have been awarded Best of the Best by SPI Research and named as one of the fastest-growing private companies by Consulting Magazine and Inc. 5000. To learn how TOP Step Consulting brings operational efficiency to Professional Services visit http://www.topstepconsulting.com.
FACTS was proud to partner with NCEA for this years event, offering our new fundraising product to promote and process donations,

FACTS partnership with The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) for this years Many Gifts, One Nation: A Day of Giving to Catholic Schools resulted in $859,000 in donations to support Catholic schools around the country.

This years event was held on Jan. 30 during National Catholic Schools Week. FACTS partnered with NCEA to provide a new donation platform  FACTS Giving  to accept and process donations for the national day of giving. FACTS Giving was used to process 6,948 donations during this day-long event.

With FACTS Giving, donors were able to interact with and give directly to schools, dioceses, and NCEA. Schools and dioceses also had the opportunity to participate by customizing their giving pages. By being able to interact within the platform, schools could develop new donor connections and foster existing relationships.

FACTS was proud to partner with NCEA for this years event, offering our new fundraising product to promote and process donations, FACTS CEO Tim Tewes said. We were honored to be a part of a day focused around helping schools succeed and look forward to next years national day of giving.

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, Georgia received more than $26,000 in donations during this years day of giving. Their school found success through not only marketing the event ahead of schedule, but in providing live updates during the event.

Throughout the day, we sent out videos from various areas of the school encouraging others to give, Director of Institutional Advancement Chuck Oliver said. Each time we published a video, we saw a spike in donations. By featuring different people from our school, we reached more people in our community.

Blessed Trinity Catholic High School was one of 539 schools that benefited from this years day of giving to Catholic schools. The schools that received donations were a part of 136 different Catholic dioceses.

The Day of Giving was a huge success. For an inaugural campaign, we are thrilled at the number of donors and that Catholic schools were able to have this opportunity to test a new fundraising idea and benefit from it, NCEA President/CEO Dr. Thomas Burnford said. Our partnership with FACTS helped make this idea a reality for Catholic schools. What a terrific example of the strength of Catholic schools and the generosity of the people who were impacted by them.

For more information about this years event, visit NCEAs website. Next years day of giving will take place January 29-30, 2019. Additional information about FACTS Giving can be found here.

#####

About FACTS

FACTS, a Nelnet company (NYSE: NNI), is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is committed to making educational dreams possible for families and students, as well as enhancing the financial stability and affordability of educational institutions. FACTS serves more than three million students and families at over 11,500 schools, and manages $9 billion in tuition funds annually. FACTS offers a comprehensive suite of services, including tuition management, payment administration and processing, financial needs assessment, online application and enrollment, online payment forms, RenWeb student administration software and learning management system. For more information, visit FACTSmgt.com.

About The National Catholic Educational Association

Rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is a professional membership organization that assists its members to fulfill their teaching mission of the Church and to lead, learn and proclaim the good news of Catholic school education. For more information, visit: NCEA.org.
"Facil de usar, precio bajo y buenas llamadas." (Antonio P. on Trustpilot.com)

LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com, the platform serving Dominican expats worldwide, prepared a double surprise: $2 free calling credit on every $15 Voice Credit purchase made until March 31, 2018, using coupon 3STRX2. Plus, a generous Facebook prize of $10, which will bring someone up to 333 international minutes to call Republica Dominicana.

Existing customers know the drill to benefit of the $2 bonus. They need to log in and make a $15 minimum purchase (up to 500 minutes to call the Dominican Republic) until March 31, 2018 (23:59 EST), using coupon 3STRX2. The Bonus adds instantly in one's account. The promo helps save big on the international phone bill, besides the regular low rates: only 3 cents/minute for calls to landlines in the Dominican Republic and 8.5 cents/minute to mobile phones there.

New customers on LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com need to open an account first to apply the Easter coupon. It takes seconds only and it costs nothing. Plus, one gets 24/7 Support in Spanish and English, as well as plenty of extras:



Free calling features like Speed Dial, PINless, Auto Recharge, Voice Prompts

Loyalty points for each Voice Credit and Mobile Recharge purchase

Regular bonuses and discounts by email

Full access to one's activity and transactions

Flexible payment with any currency, as well as Paypal besides Visa and Mastercard.

Facebook community of Dominicans abroad, that hosts deals and giveaways on regular basis: https://www.facebook.com/LlamaRepublicaDominicana

The Easter Facebook contest is open the week before the Catholic Easter and gives away a $10 Voice Credit prize for one of the people who has left a comment to the official contest post. The challenge this year is to share one's favorite Easter tradition to enter the race. The winner will be randomly selected on Friday, March 30. This action is part of LlamaRepublicaDominicana's campaign to preserve the ethnic traditions and identity within a multicultural environment.

Over 10% of the Dominican population is now living abroad according to the International Organization for Migration. And almost 80% of them are baptised as Catholics and are celebrating Easter, according to Wikipedia. So, basically, it comes naturally for LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com to offer Dominicans Easter gifts, especially calling credit that would help them keep in touch easier with families back home.

Calling balance with LamaRepublicaDominicana.com can be used in 2 different ways:

-Using KeepCalling app is free-to-install on Android and iOS devices and imports phone contacts for direct calls.

-Using an access number in the area one lives; this option allows calls from any payphone, landline, old school mobile or smartphone, and requires no cellular data or WiFi connection.

LlamaRepublicaDominicana.com is a platform dedicated to Dominicans in the diaspora. It is also a brand of KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling was listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years.
"Easy to order and recharge. Easy to use and generous amount of minutes for my money." (Marie Joseph on Trustpilot.com)

SalutHaiti.com, the platform serving Haitian expats worldwide, offers an Easter gift at the end of March. Any order of minimum $15 Voice Credit (up to 88 minutes to Haiti) receives automatically an extra $2 balance. The bonus applies with coupon code 3STRX2, for orders placed on SalutHaiti.com before March 30, 2018. Plus, a Facebook contest is open the same week for all those who are willing to leave a simple comment about Haiti to enter the race for $10 Voice Credit prize: https://www.facebook.com/SalutHaiti/

The Easter coupon adds $2 worth extra minutes to someone's purchase on SalutHaiti.com. The condition is to make a minimum $15 Voice Credit purchase on the website using coupon code 3STRX2 in the checkout, until Saturday, March 30, 2018. The great part about this promo is that both the main Voice Credit balance as well as the Bonus can be used to call other destinations as well, besides Haiti. Plus, the credit never expires. It is available in one's account and can be used whenever necessary. The balance rolls over from month to month until spent entirely.

The Facebook contest is open the week before the Catholic Easter and gives away a $10 Voice Credit prize (almost 60 minutes to call Haiti) for one of the people who has left a comment to the official contest post. The challenge this year is to share what they find "eggcellent" (reading excellent) about Haiti, their native country. This action is part of SalutHaiti.com campaign to upgrade the image of Haiti in the international media.

There are over 1,560,000 Haitians living outside their motherland borders according to the International Organization for Migration. And about 80% of them are Roman Catholics celebrating Easter, according to the 2015 CIA World Factbook. So, basically, it was inevitable for SalutHaiti.com not to offer them Easter gifts.

For Haitians who are not familiar with the calling service from SalutHaiti.com, it is important to understand there are 2 ways to use the balance:



Calls from KeepCalling app, which can be installed for free on Android and iOS devices.

Calls from any payphone, landline, old school mobile or smartphone using an access number in the area one lives; this option requires no cellular data or WiFi access.

Loyal customers on SalutHaiti.com point out on Trustpilot.com several benefits that makes the calling service trustworthy and competitive with the rest of the providers on the global market:



On every purchase, one gets loyalty points that can be later converted into Voice Credit.

Payment is possible in any currency, according to the buyer's residence country; but the account will display transactions and rates in one of the a popular currency at one's choice.

There are free features to make international calling feel like local calling.

The Support team is kind and highly responsive, and available 24/7 in English, French and Spanish. Haitians in the USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Italy, France and Spain can contact the reps directly on the phone: https://saluthaiti.com/contact

The regular rate to call landlines in Haiti is 16.9 cents/minute, while to call mobile phones it 24.5 cents/minute, which is competitive on the global market.

SalutHaiti.com is a mobile friendly website for Haitians in the diaspora, and a brand of KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling was listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years.
"Never have any issues with calling our son in Africa." (Rita Peddle on Trustpilot.com)

TelephoneKenya.com, the expat platform serving Kenyans worldwide, offers anyone placing an order of minimum $15 Voice Credit for international calls, a $2 bonus instantly. The main balance, as well as the bonus never expires. The condition for the bonus to apply is to use coupon code 3STRX2 before March 31, 2018 (23:59 EST), on TelephoneKenya.com.

This Easter promo is a good occasion to save big on one's international phone bill. The bonus brings someone 20 international minutes to call Kenya landlines or 16 minutes to call mobile phones, except Airtel Kenya, which is less. Or a different amount if one calls both landlines and mobiles in Kenya.

Existing customers are well familiar with the drill. To get the $2 Voice Credit bonus before Easter, one needs to log into the free account on TelepheonKenya.com, and purchase at least $10 Voice Credit, and use coupon 3STRX2 in the checkout before proceeding to payment. This is possible in any currency and can be made with any major credit card or Paypal.

TelephoneKenya.com calling balance can be used in 2 different ways, at a rate of 9.9 cents / minute to call landlines, and 11.9 cents / minute to call mobiles in Kenya:

-KeepCalling app is free to install on any Android or iOS device, and has all the phone Contacts imported for easy-to-make calls.

-An access number is the solution when one does not need to make calls depending on the Internet connection.

This Easter promo is no exception on TelephoneKenya.com. There are frequent offers on TelephoneKenya.com, both the website and the Facebook community page. On major Kenyan holidays those customers subscribed to "Get Offers" (button down the homepage) from TelephoneKenya.com receives deals and coupons by email. Plus, on every purchase that does not involve a coupon, customers receive loyalty points that can be later converted into free Voice Credit for international calls.

The Kenyan Facebook community hosts giveaways and contests too. It is almost every month that extra calling credit or mobile credit transfers are offered to Kenyans who join these Facebook challenges. Following the page is also an alternative to the Newsletter, since the community also announces the big offers on the website.

Besides the calling credit for international use, the website facilitates top ups of mobiles in Kenya from abroad. At present, one can send credit to relatives subscribed to Safaricom or Airtel.

TelephoneKenya.com specialty is telecom and expats its niche, so it came natural to offer Kenyan expats extra calling minutes around Easter to call Kenya or other destination of their choice and reconnect with their loved ones.

TelephoneKenya.com is a platform serving the Kenyans in the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe. It is a brand of KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA, who launched International Homesickness Day for the first time in history in 2016. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling was listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years.
Several hundred industry professionals will convene in April in Atlanta to analyze and discuss the Southeast natural gas market, and conduct business. The 18th Annual LDC Gas Forum Southeast takes place April 9 - 11 in Buckhead. This is the premier gathering for natural gas industry professionals, which is much more than simply a conference in that business transactions actually take place.

The Southeast U.S. is a natural gas market in transition. Natural gas fired power generation is growing substantially, LNG export facilities have come on stream, and historical pipeline transportation paths are being re-plumbed in response to supply growth in non-traditional basins.

BP Energy Company's Michael Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, North American Gas and Power will offer expert insight into Southeast market dynamics from the perspective of one of the industry's largest natural gas suppliers. The program also includes three other Keynote presentations from S&P Global Platts, ConocoPhillips, and Mexico Energy Report - ICIS, as well as four panels on a variety of topics with a total of fifteen presentations. This Forum focuses on the Southeast U.S. market, while four other Forums throughout the year address other key regions across the continent.

Participants at the Forum include market leaders, decision makers and subject matter experts. Industry segments represented include utilities, industrial gas consumers, producers, pipelines, marketers, regulators and analysts. The 2 1/2 day format is carefully structured for participants to hear from industry authorities about market developments, network with existing and new colleagues, and ultimately conclude transactions involving purchase, sale and transportation of natural gas.

Even in today's digital age, natural gas market participants appreciate a venue that facilitates face-to-face interaction. The LDC Gas Forum is uniquely structured to meet this requirement and has been the venue of choice for decades. Registration is still available at http://www.ldcgasforums.com/se/

The LDC Gas Forums and the US-Mexico Natural Gas Forum are the premiere regional events where the Natural Gas Industry meets. This is where buyers and sellers meet and do business. Thousands of attendees attend one or more of the five regional Forums across the continent to discuss vital regional and national issues affecting all aspects of the natural gas marketplace. Timely panel discussions featuring key industry authorities focus on important questions facing buyers, sellers transport operators and other market stakeholders in the competitive energy markets. Topics include: Supply & Demand, Financial Outlook, Pipeline, Storage and Infrastructure Projects, LNG markets, Gas/Electric coordination, Regulatory Updates, Gas Buyer Insights, Industry Transformations, Risk Analysis and Hedging Strategies, International perspectives, and Energy Geopolitics.

Vast networking opportunities give you access to your clients, prospects, and peers to further explore relevant issues in your region.

The LDC Gas Forums: Southeast, Northeast, Mid-Continent, Rockies & West and the US-Mexico Natural Gas Forum

Where the Natural Gas Industry Gathers: Networking - Insights - Deal-Making

http://www.ldcgasforums.com
Were excited to add American Range to our diverse, best-in-class offerings of premium brands, nationwide, said Steve Terry, Vice President and COO for Almo Premium Appliances. He continued, American Range has a history of stellar manufacturing and craftsmanship, immeasurable style and a firm comm

Effective April 15, 2018, Almo Premium Appliances, the nations largest distributor of professional-grade luxury home appliances, will be the authorized distributor of record for American Range in the 36 of 50 U.S. states. As part of its launch and partnership announcement, American Range highlighted two of its popular ranges in Almos exhibition at the industry leading Architectural Digest Design Show, March 22-25, 2018, at Pier 92 & 94 in New York City.

American Range is a luxury commercial and home appliance manufacturer with more than 30 years experience perfecting its line of gas ranges, French-door wall ovens, slide-in rangetops and cooktops. Its professional cooking products have the soul and performance of commercial ranges; blended with style and built to withstand the challenges of the most demanding chefs and kitchens.

Were excited to add American Range to our diverse, best-in-class offerings of premium brands, nationwide, said Steve Terry, Vice President and COO for Almo Premium Appliances. He continued, American Range has a history of stellar manufacturing and craftsmanship, immeasurable style and a firm commitment to delivering value to our customers. The companys leadership and focus on growth aligns well with Almos approach, and we look forward to many years of successful business.

About Almo Premium Appliances

Almo Premium Appliances, distributor of Premium Products for Indoor & Outdoor Living, is a division of Almo Corporation, the nations leading independent distributor of Major Appliances, Housewares, Consumer Electronics and Professional A/V equipment.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Almo Premium partners with key brands  Alfresco Open Air Culinary Systems, American Range, Artisan, Capital Cooking, Faber, Heat, Liebherr, SUPERIORE, Sharp Insights, U-Line and Zephyr  to bring premium, innovative appliances and lifestyle products to dealers, designers and consumers across the U.S. Visit premium.almo.com for further information.

http://www.facebook.com\almopremiumappliances
Having the support of Frederick area businesses like Stauffers is vital in getting this story completed and delivered on time for our September premiere plans." Conrad Weaver, Executive Producer/Director

Stauffer Funeral Homes of Frederick, Maryland has made a $10,000 donation to the Up and Out Foundation in support of the Heroins Grip documentary thats currently in production. Deaths from heroin (and opioids) have risen sharply the past few years. Unfortunately, we see what it does to families firsthand, and it's heartbreaking. We cannot sit on the sidelines any longer and let this epidemic take over our community. - George and Courtney Stauffer, Stauffer Funeral Homes.

This donation comes at a critical time for the film, says Director, Conrad Weaver. Having the support of Frederick area businesses like Stauffers is vital in getting this story completed and delivered on time for our September premiere plans. Were so thankful to the Stauffer family and organization for their commitment and dedication to helping us get this story out to the public. This is our communitys story, and were thankful for all the organizations, companies, and individuals who have made donations in support of this film. Weaver states that he will make additional funding announcements soon, as several other companies and organizations have recently made commitments in support of the film.

Weavers company, ConjoStudios, LLC, and the Up and Out Foundation led by Korey Shorb and Sean Nicholson recently announced a partnership in the film project. A percentage of the proceeds generated by the film will be given back to the Up and Out Foundation to assist in their efforts to provide resources for those in the community who are seeking recovery.

Heroins Grip is a documentary film that will tell the story about the heroin and opioid epidemic in Frederick County, Maryland. The film is has been in production for more than a year, and producers are planning on a September premiere in Frederick, MD. For more information about the film, or for sponsorship information visit http://www.HeroinsGrip.com or send an email to Conrad Weaver at conrad@conjostudios.com. You can also follow the progress of the film project on Facebook.

For media requests, please contact Executive Producer/Director, Conrad Weaver
34 students at five Stratford School locations achieved Honors Status at the 2017 AMC 8 examination, placing students in the top 5 percent nationally.

Each year, thousands of students across the nation apply their problem-solving skills in the annual Mathematical Association of America (MAA)'s American Mathematics Competition 8 (AMC 8). This year, 34 students at five Stratford School locations achieved Honors Status at the 2017 AMC 8 examination, placing students in the top 5 percent nationally. The AMC 8 is the nation's leading mathematics competition for middle schoolers and is designed to cultivate the mathematical capabilities of the next generation of problem solvers.

The sum of the top three scores ranked students at Stratford Sunnyvale Raynor Middle School, Fremont Middle School, San Francisco Middle School, San Jose Middle School, and Milpitas Middle School in the Honors category. A total of 28 students from all five schools qualified in the Honors category. Additionally, five students from Stratford Sunnyvale Raynor Middle School and one from Stratford Fremont Middle school scored in the Distinguished Honor Roll category, placing these honored students in the top 1 percent nationally.

It is immensely heartwarming to congratulate our students on their recent AMC 8 achievements, said Sherry Adams, Founder of Stratford School. Our students make us proud! This is a testament to their strength of mind, spirit, and character. We commend them on their success as they continue on to the next level of competition.

The Mathematical Association of America created the American Mathematics Competition over 60 years ago. The MAA is the nations largest professional society focusing on making mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. The main goal of the MAA is to advance the mathematical sciences, especially at the collegiate level.

The American Mathematics Competition encourages and challenges students to continue their future mathematics education beyond the high school level. This approach ties directly to Stratford Schools goal of encouraging a childs natural curiosity through a balanced curriculum emphasizing problem solving and critical thinking skills through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education.

About Stratford School

Established in 1999, Stratford School is a leading independent private school, founded with a vision of creating a unique, multi-dimensional, educational foundation for children. Stratford offers an accelerated yet balanced curriculum from preschool through eighth grade, with an emphasis on the areas of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and incorporates music, physical education, foreign language, and social skills development. Stratfords goal is to prepare and mentor students for admission to competitive high schools and colleges. All students are provided the necessary tools to excel and are encouraged to participate actively in leadership, community service, and extracurricular activities. Visit https://www.stratfordschools.com for more information.

About the MAA AMC 8

The AMC 8 is an annual competition sponsored by the MAA, located in Washington, DC. The MAA American Mathematics Competitions receives support from The Akamai Foundation, American Mathematical Society, American Statistical Association, Ansatz Capital, Army Educational Outreach Program, Art of Problem Solving, Casualty Actuarial Society, Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences, The D. E. Shaw Group, Jane Street Capital, MathWorks, Mu Alpha Theta, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Susquehanna International Group, Tudor Investment Corporation, and Two Sigma. Details about the 2017-2018 AMC competitions for middle schools and high schools are available on the MAA AMC website: maa.org/amc.
Thailand is ready to embrace its future as the most significant aerospace hub in the ASEAN region.

A recently approved $45 billion investment in Thailands Eastern Economic Corridor is set to solidify the countrys position as ASEANs regional aerospace hub. The Eastern Economic Corridor bill will earmark these funds for the general development of the region, including, most notably, U-Tapaos future Aeropolis  an entire city infrastructure built around said airport  and will likely help Thailand surpass the USD $9.3 billion of foreign investment the country drew in 2017 for the EEC. The earmarked funds will also cover the construction of a motorway, deep sea ports, a high-speed railway linking the countrys three major airports (Suvarnabhumi, U-Tapao, and Don Mueang), and other infrastructural developments.

As one of the most visited countries in the world year after year, Thailand is ready to embrace its future as the most significant aerospace hub in the ASEAN region, says Mr. Chokedee Kaewsang, Deputy Secretary General of Thailand Board of Investment. The EEC bill passing is an exciting development, and we look forward to our countrys aerospace sector continuing its meteoric growth in the coming years.

Thailands aerospace industry is growing exponentially. Currently, its air traffic is rising at a rate three times faster than the global market, doubling every 15 years since the early 1980s. The EEC Aeropolis, projected to be in place by 2023, will relieve some of the swell of tourists expected to continue traveling through Thailands main airports. Anchored by U-Tapao Airport, it will also include free trade, logistics, and airport industry areas, as well as an MRO center and several other features to ameliorate the anticipated volume of travelers. An inner ring, extending 10 kilometers out from U-Tapao Airport, will host the Aeropolis city infrastructure, while the outer ring is where logistics activity will take place and connect resident companies with logistics infrastructure in Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Rayong.

The EEC Aeropolis project also strengthens Thailands already significant maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities. Thailands total MRO expenditure is expected to reach a total of USD $10.6 billion through 2024, and the top five components produced in Thailand (wheels and brakes, APU, IFE components, engine-fuel and control, and landing gear) is forecasted to generate more than USD $1.7 billion through the same time period. Major aerospace companies already present in Thailands EEC include Chromalloy, which supports commercial aviation engine manufacturers, and TurbineAero, which was chosen in February by Boeing to provide aftermarket support in the Asia Pacific region.

In March, the Thai government hosted a group of international journalists and investors to attend a seminar titled Thailand Taking Off to New Heights, which draw over 3,000 participants, including Thai and foreign investors, international press and government agencies, and guided them on a visit to the EEC area and U-Tapao soon-to-be Aeropolis site. A delegation from the Thailand Board of Investment, led by Mr. Salil Wisalswadi, Acting Executive Advisor of Thailand Board of Investment, will also be attending the MRO Americas trade show in April 2018 to provide more information on investment opportunities in aerospace and MRO sector in Thailand.

Considering our countrys strengths in maintenance, repair and overhaul services, we look forward to attending MRO Americas next month and speaking with industry professionals about the numerous opportunities available to North American aerospace companies in Thailand, added Mr. Kaewsang.

As has been the trend for the last several years, major foreign investment activity into Thailands Eastern Economic Corridor continues to expand, and February was a particularly busy month for the Thai aviation sector. In February, Rolls Royce signed an agreement with Thai Airways to offer testbed capacity for the airline, a move the company described as a crucial building block to their growth in the ASEAN region. That same month, Airbus announced a partnership with Thai Aviation Industries in which Airbus will support all of Thailands law enforcement and military helicopters for the next two years. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, also announced that Thai Aviation Services would serve as its Customer Support Center.

Recently ranked the least miserable country in the world by Bloomberg, Thailand offers international aerospace companies a high quality of life, access to a skilled and talented workforce, and a business-friendly climate, concluded Mr. Kaewsang. We look forward to seeing our peers at MRO Americas in April and sharing the strengths of our aviation sector with them in person.

About BOI

The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) is the investment promotion agency for Thailand that facilitates foreign direct investment. BOIs services are free of charge and customized to help business succeed in Thailand. For more information, please visit http://www.boi.go.th and http://www.thinkasiainvestthailand.com.
Red Bank, New Jersey residents have been graced with the ever-indulging B2 Bistro + Bar since the restaurant opened on Shrewsbury Avenue three years ago. Fans of the popular eatery are now gearing up for their second location opening its doors in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey this spring. Co-owner and Executive Chef, Cesare Chez De Chellis provides details on what to expect from the new hotspot.

Continuing to operate as 709, while in the process of transitioning to B2 Bistro + Bar, the Point Pleasant Beach facility serves a wide variety of dishes prepared by Executive Chef Meg Lamanna, whos family opened the restaurant in 2012. Lamanna will continue as Executive Chef Lamanna after the transition to B2 Bistro + Bar, with guidance from De Chellis, along with operating partner Stephen Valentine. As for the overall design of the restaurant, there will be major changes to the property that differ from the Red Bank location  which he operates with business partner Russell DAnton - including plans to update the entranceway and complete renovation of all dining areas.

De Chellis is no stranger to the restaurant industry, with an impressive background of his own. I always knew I wanted to cook, said De Chellis who developed much of his cooking skills from his family. My dad always supported me. I remember being mesmerized watching my dad cook in the kitchen. The young chef even took a year off from high school to pursue his love for cooking, helping out at his aunts restaurant in Italy, where he has dual citizenship. Italy was the best experience that I ever had, said De Chellis. It really solidified what I wanted to do; I learned a lot. Graduating at the top of his class at the Culinary Institute of America in 2004, De Chellis cultivated his skills in the kitchen working with Executive Chef Don Pintabona (formerly of Tribeca Grill, New York) and Chef Jimmy Canora (formerly of Delmonicos, New York) at Valentinos on the Green in New York. As a sous chef, you start running the restaurant, taking the chefs job and essentially running them out of the kitchen a little bit, said De Chellis about what he learned working alongside top ranked chefs. I want to see B2 Bistro + Bar continue to be successful and grow!

De Chellis has a lot of plans up his chefs coat in the culinary department for Red Bank and Point Pleasant Beach guests. He regularly updates the menu four times a year. I am constantly changing the menu because we get bored, said De Chellis. I want to keep it fun, innovative, and new for the repeat customers. To keep each dish fresh and unique, the New Jersey native creates a base B2 Bistro + Bar menu including restaurant favorites. He then has free range to add whatever else he would like. Mentoring is a big part of what I do here. I want to give back to the younger community so they can grow as well, said De Chellis. We are all learning constantly from each other. The moment you stop learning is when you got to hang it up.

De Chellis is especially particular in the ingredients used in his recipes making sure that they are the freshest for his customers. I want people to know that when they come to see me, they are getting the highest quality food at the lowest quality price, said De Chellis. Im always in search for the best quality ingredients trying to create sustainability as well. The duo agrees that the Point Pleasant Beach menu will be based on whatever is in season, with plans of introducing fresh farmto-table ingredients, a wood burning oven and localized pork and meats to the menu. All of my recipes are based on my travels, said De Chellis. Youve got to cook from the heart and food has to make you feel something. As construction is about to begin at the Point Pleasant Beach location, the partners also plan to open another B2 Bistro + Bar in West Reading, Pennsylvania. I want to build something that feels like home, or like guests are dining at their friends home, said De Chellis about his vision for the restaurants.

B2 Bistro + Bar is located at 141 Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank, New Jersey. Guests can visit 709 at 709 Arnold Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey until the last week of April/early May when it is scheduled to relaunch to B2 Bistro + Bar. Go to their website for more information at http://www.b2bistro.com/.

About Bielat Santore & Company Bielat Santore & Company is an established commercial real estate firm. The companys expertise lies chiefly within the restaurant and hospitality industry, specializing in the sale of restaurants and other food and beverage real estate businesses. Since 1978, the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry Bielat and Richard Santore, have sold more restaurants and similar type properties in New Jersey than any other real estate company. Furthermore, the firm has secured in excess of $500,000,000 in financing to facilitate these transactions. Visit the companys website, http://www.123bsc.com for the latest in new listings, property searches, available land, market data, financing trends, RSS feeds, press releases and more.
RLDAM Members meet with Maine's elected officials at the State Capitol on Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine (RLDAM) announced its 2018 legislative priorities during its annual breakfast at the Maine State House, on Thursday, March 29. RLDAMs three priorities include: changing the States direct initiative process, standardizing and simplifying substance use policies and testing, and establishing training and youth minimum wage policies.

The legislature exists for the purpose of creating laws, and more importantly, having public hearings to address the concerns and technicalities of proposals; direct initiatives circumvent this process, stated Rod Wiles, chair of RLDAMs Legislative Committee. The unintended consequences of passing marijuana legalization through a ballot initiative in 2016 are now being felt by the legislature and employers across the state.

Ashley Ranslow, manager of government affairs for the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association, said, The legalization of marijuana has unintentionally complicated substance use policies and testing for small businesses whose employees work in safety sensitive positions.

Due to those complications RLDAM supports utilizing the same substance use testing policy for CDL and non-CDL employees, streamlines the current substance use testing policy approval process by the Dept. of Labor, and allows for employees to pay their own expense for treatment.

Ranslow added, A streamlined substance use testing policy and approval process is a step in the right direction for employers to provide a safer and drug-free environment for all of its employees.

Finally, the RLDAM strongly supports passage of legislation that enacts a training and youth wage, which would establish a training minimum wage for employees 18-20 years of age for the first 90 days of employment, and youth minimum wage for employees under 18 years of age. As Wiles explained, This common-sense proposal will ensure RLDAM members get the help they need during their busy times and provides young workers and students the opportunity to receive the training and on-the-job experience they need to have successful careers later in life.

RLDAM has 103 member companies and represents independent lumber and building material dealers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and other associated businesses in the state of Maine. The lumber and building materials industry employs nearly 23,000 Maine residents, and has an annual payroll of $931 million.

For more information contact Ashley Ranslow, Manager of Government Affairs, at aranslow@nrla.org or 518-880-6350.

About RLDAM

Founded in 1933, RLDAM is one of fourteen state and local associations across the Northeast associated with the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA). The NRLA was established in New York in 1894 by a small group of pioneering lumbermen who recognized the value of cooperation. Today, the NRLA is an 1,100-member association representing independent lumber and building material suppliers and associated businesses in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
That is when a company is actually revolutionary -- when the enterprise is your mission.

University of San Francisco (USF)s School of Management will host its third annual social entrepreneurship and innovation conference at The Commonwealth Club (110 The Embarcadero) on Wednesday, April 4, 2018. The conference, titled Innovate for Good, will bring together inspirational business leaders at the forefront of social impact to discuss various topics around social entrepreneurship, brand building, and business.

University of San Francisco is proud to partner with The Commonwealth Club to host such an impactful day of events meant to motivate and build the next generation of Bay Area business and thought leaders, said Elizabeth B. Davis, Dean, USF School of Management. We hope attendees will learn from these notable community and business leaders and be inspired to change the world.

The conference will feature keynote addresses from Jolstein Solheim, CEO, Ben & Jerrys; Damian Bradfield, Founder & President, WeTransfer; and Sarah Heck, Head of Entrepreneurship, Stripe. Panels will cover a range of timely subjects for aspiring socially conscious entrepreneurs, including Social Impact and Profitability, The Impact of Enabling Entrepreneurship Globally, Closing the Funding Gaps, Hardwiring a Cause Into Your Business, and Building a Brand on a Small Budget. Attendees can also sample products from participating companies during an afternoon tasting session.

The kind of leaders youll find at this conference are building companies that are super profitable and financially viable, and at the same time, creating products that are changing the people who are the producers and planet thats affected by the supply chain, said David Batstone, social entrepreneur and co-founder of Not For Sale, REBBL and Z Shoes Organic. That is when a company is actually revolutionary -- when the enterprise is your mission.

To date, confirmed speakers and social impact companies include:

-Jolstein Solheim, CEO, Ben & Jerrys

-Denis Ring, Founder, Ocho Bar; Co-Creator, 365 Everyday Value Brand, Whole Foods Market

-Sarah Heck, Head of Entrepreneurship, Stripe; former Director of Global Engagement, The White House

-Mark Wexler, Co-founder, Just Business Fund

-Lisa Curtis, Founder & CEO, KuliKuli

-Damian Bradfield, Founder & President, WeTransfer

-Klaus Siegelmann, Founder & CEO, Relocity

-Sarah Gordon, Co-founder, Square Organics

-Zachary Batstone, Co-founder, Z Shoes Organic

-Rusti Porter, Sr. VP of Marketing, REBBL

-Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J., President of USF

-David Batstone, USF Professor; Co-founder of Not for Sale, REBBL, Z Organic Shoes

-Elizabeth B. Davis, Dean, USF School of Management

Tickets for general admission are $35; USF alumni and Commonwealth Club members are $25; and students are $10. For the full schedule and to register, please visit: http://rsvp.usfca.edu/innovate.

Journalists interested in covering the conference or who would like to interview any featured panelists or organizers should contact Kellie Samson at (415) 422-2697 or ksamson(at)usfca(dot)edu.

About the University of San Francisco

The University of San Francisco is located in the heart of one of the worlds most innovative and diverse cities and is home to a vibrant academic community of students and faculty who achieve excellence in their fields. Its diverse student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small classes, and outstanding opportunities in the city itself. USF is San Franciscos first university, and its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a students passion for social justice and a desire to Change the World from Here. For more information, please visit usfca.edu.

About The Commonwealth Club

The Commonwealth Club is the leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation. Bringing more than 450 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy to more than 25,000 members and the public, both in-person and via an extensive online and on-air listenership and viewership. Learn more at http://www.commonwealthclub.org.
Mobiveils fully synchronous PCIe Gen4 Controller adheres to standard synthesis, test insertion and physical design practices.

WHO: Mobiveil, Inc., a fast growing supplier of silicon intellectual property (IP), platforms and IP-enabled design services will present and exhibit at the 2018 Design & Reuse IP SoC Conference.

WHAT: VP of Engineering Amit Saxena will present PCIGen 4-based Configurable NVMe SSD Platform at 4:40 PM during the Design & Reuse IP SoC Conference. Product demonstrations at the Mobiveil booth in the exhibit area will highlight the companys FPGA-based solid state drive (SSD) Development Platform and its LDPC-based Flash Characterization system targeting 3D NAND described in the presentation. Join Mobiveil for refreshments after the program in the exhibit area.

WHEN: Thursday, April 5th, 2018, 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.

WHERE: Hyatt Regency Hotel Santa Clara, 5101 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, Calif.

About Mobiveil

Mobiveil is a fastgrowing technology company that specializes in the development of Silicon Intellectual Property (SIP), platforms and solutions for the storage, IoT and networking markets. It leverages decades of experience in delivering highquality, productionproven, high-speed serial interconnect SIP cores, and custom and standard form factor hardware boards to leading semiconductor companies worldwide. For the PCI Express-based Flash Storage market, Mobiveil developed an FPGA based NVMe SSD subsystem comprised of GPEX, the PCI Express Controller, NVM Express Controller (UNEX), Universal Memory Controller (UMMC), Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) Encoder/Decoder and Flash Memory Controller. Mobiveil is headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., with engineering development centers located in Chennai and Bangalore, India, and sales offices and representatives located in U.S., Europe, Israel, Japan, Taiwan and China.

Engage with Mobiveil at:

Website: http://www.mobiveil.com

Email: info@mobiveil.com

Twitter: @Mobiveil

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/2725746/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mobiveil
Shares of Facebook gained more than 4%, breaching $160, on Thursday as Wall Street eyes a turnaround for the embattled social media stock amid the ongoing Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

Facebook has received a number of new buy ratings from Wall Street analysts this week, who now have an average price target of $220  38% above where shares were trading Thursday.

Before today, the stock had lost as much as 20% since news of the company's practices with data brokers like Cambridge Analytica first broke. Now, however, Wall Street sees a potential buying opportunity.

"We believe the sell-off is overdone and are reiterating our Buy/$225 price target for five key reasons," SunTrust analyst Youssef Squali said in a note to clients Thursday. Here are his reasons, per the note:

Reporting from Business Insider's Tanya Dua confirms SunTrust's thesis that advertisers are sticking with the embattled social network, despite the fiasco. Roughly a dozen prominent ad media buyers told Business Insider that none of their clients are planning to cut spending on Facebook in light of the mishap.

Other price targets are as high as $260, according to analysts polled by Bloomberg, despite remaining questions around potential regulation and testimonies from Facebook executives in front of both US and UK lawmakers.
The embassy says it is rather seeking a joint security exercise with Ghana which will allow US military get access to Ghanas military facilities.

Ghanaians have expressed shock over a confidential document indicating that cabinet had approved a Memorandum of Understanding for defence cooperation with the United States of America.

Scores of discontent Ghanaians today 28th March hit the principal streets of Ghana's capital, Accra to protest the controversial defence pact between Ghana and the United States.

This the U.S. Embassy has released a statement saying reports alleging a permanent US military base in Ghana are inaccurate and misleading.

The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between the governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Ghana is not a base agreement, the embassy clarified.

It further explained "it is the legal framework to govern the ongoing security cooperation between our two sovereign countries; our security cooperation spans more than 20 years and has included numerous bilateral and multilateral training activities in Ghana.The United States has a significant number of DCAs with countries around the world, including European, Asian and African partners".

The statement also said the pact does not give the U.S. military the right to enter Ghana without permission from the Government of Ghana.

Instead, the DCA addresses the rights and responsibilities of both nations when the U.S. military is present in Ghana, with permission from the Government of Ghana, and for purposes that the Government of Ghana decides are appropriate.

Furthermore, the principle of reciprocity observed between our two nations applies to provisions such as immunity and shipments.
The first space station China ever launched is about to return to Earth as a mess of ultra-hot, supersonic space junk.

China launched Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace," in 2011. After six successful missions to Tiangong-1  three of which were crewed  China abandoned the spacecraft in June 2013.

Since then, the two-room, 9.4-ton vessel has orbited the planet without any Chinese astronauts aboard. But in May, China told the United Nations that it'd lost contact with Tiangong-1 in March 2016 after it "fully fulfilled its historic mission."

Tiangong-1 may reenter Earth's atmosphere at 3:15 a.m. EDT on Sunday, April 1, give or take 20 hours, according to the latest prediction by the Aerospace Corporation, a nonprofit spaceflight-research company.

When that happens, chunks of the space station are likely to rain down over our planet's surface. Some of the gear left inside the vessel may even reach the ground intact.

No one knows when or where Tiangong-1's debris will land, but the good news is that the garbage will most likely fall into the ocean. You're about 1 million times as likely to win the Powerball jackpot as you are to get hit by any piece of Tiangong-1.

It seems as if the brightest minds on Earth should be able to pinpoint when and where giant spacecraft will reenter Earth's atmosphere, but it's not so simple. Here's why.

Skipping off the atmosphere

To circle Earth from about 250 miles up, a spacecraft must reach a blistering speed of 17,500 mph, meaning it orbits the planet once every 90 minutes.

Even that high up, however, the outer fringes of Earth's atmosphere drag on spacecraft like Tiangong-1. If a vessel isn't sped up every so often to correct its orbit, it will eventually slow down and fall from the sky.

"You often hear space starts at 100 kilometers  that's based on where aerodynamic forces start having an effect to where you can actually control your [craft] with wings," Jesse Gossner, an orbital-mechanics engineer who teaches at the US Air Force's Advanced Space Operations School, told Business Insider.

"Above 100 kilometers"  or 62 miles  "it's a lot, lot, lot thinner than down here, and you certainly wouldn't be able to survive," Gossner said. "But it's thick enough to slow you down."

"It's really just a guessing game ... There's just no way to tell where it's going to land."

That's what has been happening to Tiangong-1  and the reason it will soon fall. But even now, about 80 hours from the space station's expected crash, the timing estimate has a 20-hour window of uncertainty on either end. It could come down as early as Saturday morning or as late as Sunday night.

"The 21st Space Wing, using its global Space Surveillance Network of ground- and space-based radar and optical sensors, is tracking Tiangong-1," Diana McKissock, a flight lead with the US Air Force's 18th Space Control Squadron, told Business Insider in an email.

Gossner said the uncertainty was due to the nature of Earth's atmosphere and how high-speed objects behave in it.

"You'd be surprised just how inaccurate and random it is because of the atmosphere," Gossner said. "Have you ever skipped a stone on a lake?" he added. "It bounces a few times, then eventually goes into the water."

A hypothetical out-of-control spacecraft like Tiangong-1, Gossner said, may behave like that stone.

"This thing can bounce off the atmosphere because it's going so fast," he said. "If it hits on its smooth side, sort of like a rock skipping on a lake, it'll bounce. But if it hits on a pointy end, or on one end of a cylinder, in the direction of the velocity, it could dig in."

Any large spacecraft that dips below an altitude of about 125 miles has just a few days left in orbit, Gossner said  and that's roughly where Tiangong-1 is drifting. Once it's about 80 miles up, it'll be within one orbit (about 90 minutes) of crashing.

"Even if you knew exactly where it hits in the atmosphere, the debris and stuff can spread out to a pretty big area," Gossner said.

"It's really just a guessing game," he said, adding: "There's just no way to tell where it's going to land."

How Tiangong-1 will die  and which pieces may survive

When space stations come down, "a funny thing" happens that helps doom the spacecraft, Gossner said.

"You start going really, really fast," he said. "Then you get slowed down really, really fast."

That's because the spacecraft is losing its forward speed, allowing gravity to accelerate the space station toward Earth. The air is still too thin to slow it down much, so it plummets faster and faster.

As the spacecraft falls into thicker air, the drag begins to rip off solar panels, antennas, and other loosely attached pieces. Superheated plasma heats the vessel to thousands of degrees, melting and disintegrating it.

Only a few types of materials can withstand such punishment.

"Titanium is a good one," Gossner said.

But there is a chance that some gear and hardware left aboard could survive intact all the way to the ground, according to Bill Ailor, an aerospace engineer who specializes in atmospheric reentry. That durability is thanks to Tiangong-1's onion-like layers of protective material.

"The thing about a space station is that it's typically got things on the inside," Ailor, who works for the Aerospace Corporation, previously told Business Insider. "So basically, the heating will just strip these various layers off.

"If you've got enough layers, a lot of the energy is gone before a particular object falls out, it doesn't get hot, and it lands on the ground."

For example, he said, after NASA's Columbia space shuttle broke up over the US in 2003, investigators recovered a working flight computer  an artifact that ultimately helped explain how the deadly incident happened.

The most likely place Tiangong-1 will fall

Tiangong-1 is likely to crash over the ocean, as water covers about 71% of Earth's surface. In fact, space agencies try to de-orbit large spacecraft over the Pacific Ocean "graveyard" since it's such a huge and innocuous target.

"So much of it lands in the ocean  that's our saving grace," Gossner said.

But some pieces of the Chinese space station may strike land, as the crash will leave a long, thin footprint of debris.

"The whole footprint length for something like this could be 1,000 miles or so," Ailor said, with heavier pieces at the front and lighter ones toward the back.

If anyone is lucky enough to witness Tiangong-1's atmospheric breakup from an airplane, it may look similar to the destruction of the European Space Agency's 14-ton Automated Transfer Vehicle, which used to resupply the International Space Station. Once astronauts and cosmonauts unloaded the vehicle's supplies, it was filled with garbage and sent careening back to Earth.

Ailor says pieces of China's space station are "really unlikely" to hit any people on Earth though.

"It's not impossible, but since the beginning of the Space Age ... a woman who was brushed on the shoulder in Oklahoma is the only one we're aware of who's been touched by a piece of space debris," he said.

Should a hunk of titanium, a computer, or another piece smash through a roof or windshield, however, international space law covers compensation for victims.
Ghanas president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo turned 74 today, March 29 and perhaps, the most important person in his life, his wife, Rebecca Akufo-Addo was one of the fastest fingers to pen him a simple birthday wish on social media.

The first lady in an Instagram post made her admiration for her husbands bespoke qualities known. She wrote: Happy birthday my dear Monsieur and attached a red rose emoji which is mostly used to signify love.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo has been by her husbands side through thick and thin for close to 3 decades and continues to inspire young couples on the need to stay true to themselves and those they love.
From the look of things, the lady is bitter after the reality has dawned on her that she has lost the man to another woman, while she should have been the one he is getting married to.

Sharing her feelings on Facebook, the lady identified as Shom Grace Mlumun Ward wrote:

XO all men are scum. My ex is getting married. We broke up not up to three months and apparently his wife to b is three months pregnant. Chai I forgive him but it hurts. I have been crying in Hebrews. Shay I made it to semi finals. And he still has the throat to still blame me. Abeg house I want to attend his weeding ooo, but I dont want to go n start crying.

What actually embittered her more was the fact that she had just finished a sex video call with the ex-boyfriend at his request when he confirmed the bad news to her.
Before her unfortunate death, Ebor Lovina was a graduate of Ambrose Alli University located in Ekpoma.

A report by yabaleftpnline.ng indicated that she had also worked at the Sun-Ray Hotel & Suites along Benin-Sapele, Oghoghobi Town, Benin City.

The alleged perpetrator had reportedly been worrying the deceased with sex advances, but the lady declined to kowtow to his diabolical demands, hence his atrocious act.

It is unclear whether the perpetrator has been arrested and what charges have been proffered against him.

Friends of the deceased lady have been eulogizing her on Facebook.
According to UPI.com, a video of the dramatic incident was captured by one Peter Heistein on the Grand Ruaha Safari in Tanzania.

Apparently, Britton Hayes was not the only man on the tour.

Narrating their experience after the frightening incident, he said in an interview with KOMO that: "We started to notice the cheetahs became curious of the vehicle. But it was too late to drive quickly away or anything like that because you don't want to startle the animals, because that's when things usually go wrong.

"One of the cheetahs hopped onto the hood and was sniffing around, so we were all focused on the cheetah on the hood that was looking around," Hayes said. "While we were all watching the cheetah in the front, one of the brothers had flanked around the back and hopped in back of the vehicle to try and sniff us and make sure that we weren't a threat."

As a matter of fact, Britton Hayes and his co tourists would probably have been in a fatal state now if they had no tour guide with them.

He said: "Alex [the guide] kept me calm and made sure I never made eye contact nor startled the cheetah allowing the animal to see that it could trust us.

He admitted that: "Honestly, it was probably one of the scariest moments of my life while it was happening. I felt like I had to clear my mind of any thoughts because from everything you're told about predators like that, they can sense fear and any sort of discomfort you're feeling and they'll react accordingly. I wanted to be as calm and as still as possible to avoid a bad outcome.
Rashida Nakabugo was reportedly married to 25-year-old Joseph Baseka Sengendo from Nakirebe in Mpigi district, but for some reasons was also in love with 30-year-old Patrick Ssegane from Nakasozi, Buddo in Wakiso district.

According to Tuko.co.ke, three years after the birth of the twins, argument erupted between the two men, both of whom claimed ownership of the twins, Immaculate Babirye and Leticia Nakato.

The disagreement prompted a DNA test which was conducted at Health Viber Diagnostics Centre in Wandegeya at Ham Towers, Kampala.

Health workers at the facility were shocked to the marrow when it came to light that the twins actually were sired by two different men.

One of the health workers, Nelson Mwesige was quoted as having said: This confused us, so we asked him to bring the mother of the babies so that we confirm if they are both from the same mother, as one of the twins, Babirye, was Ssegane's baby, while Nakato belonged to Sengendo.

Baseka Sengendo and Patrick Ssegane were also invited to the hospital subsequently and when the DNA result was announced to them, Baseka Sengendo rejected it claiming: I dont want to waste your time. Even that child you claim to be mine, I have given her to you.

However, the other man, Patrick Ssegane agreed to take full responsibility of the children.
According to Accra-based Citi FM, the hijack occurred on Monday (March 26, 2018).

Confirming this the Deputy Director of Environment and Safety Standards at the Ghana Maritime Authority, Captain Inusah Abdul-Nasir, the incident was reported to the Ghana Navy around 6:00 pm on Monday.

This incident was reported at about 6:00 pm on Monday. We have a system at the Ghana Maritime Authority which we use to track vessels in the Maritime domain so during this monitoring system at about 1800 hours of Monday, there was a call from the vessel.

Actually these vessels do not call but they were calling the navy, and there was no response so we intercepted the call and called back, but unfortunately the vessel did not respond. The operator subsequently called to say a fishing vessel was purportedly hijacked, he added.

Mr Abdul Nasir said he did not have further details as to where the vessel was coming from or heading to. However, he clarified that it was registered under the Ghanaian flag with the Ghana Maritime Authority.

READ ALSO: FPSO Kwame Nkrumah to shut down for repairs

According to him, recent reports indicate that the vessel had sailed into Togolese waters after being hijacked, adding that the Togolese Navy had been informed of the development, and are working frantically to rescue the vessel.
Speaking to Kumasi-based Abusua FM, some of those affected by the fire said they have lost all their capital in the fire. They said they have to start life again since all they ever owned has gone down.

According to them, the situation would have been different if the fire service personnel had arrived at the scene on time.

The situation is very disheartening because we have lost all our properties. We dont have money to start a new business. Fire Service personnel too slow to solve fire situations. We are appealing to authorities to come to our aid, he said.

The Chairman of Ghana National Association of Garages of Zone 18 Kwame Z said the fire service couldnt save the situation because all the roads leading to the place have been blocked by vehicles and containers.

However, he urged workers at Suame Magazine to desist from setting up shops in the middle of roads.

He also called on the Ghana National Fire Service to set up fire stations at Suame Magazine to help reduce the properties that get destroyed during fire outbreaks.
Briefing the media, the Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy, Commodore James O. Kontoh said the pirates in a speed boat approached and boarded a ship at anchorage in the Tema Port area.

The vessel, Marine 711, with official No. 316694, and registration No. AFT28 has also been successfully rescued and is currently at berth 10 at the Tema Port.

Commodore Kontoh said the pirates now in control of a second captured vessel, asked the crew to head towards Bayelsa in Nigeria. However, operators of also said they had inadequate fuel to make the journey.
According to him, the integrity of truth must prevail, therefore, all party supporters must approach the issue with cool-headedness and devoid of emotions.

READ ALSO:

In a tweet, the ex-flight lieutenant also urged the Police to enforce the law with a human face devoid of excessive force.

Rawlings tweeted: Lets comport ourselves with maturity and cool-headedness to allow an investigative process devoid of emotions. The Police must be seen to enforce the law with a human face devoid of excessive force.

Lets not be victims of political-media circus. At the end of the day whatever happens must be based on integrity of the truth.

The NDCs deputy General Secretary claimed in an interview last week that President Akufo-Addo could be overthrown through a coup due to the ratification of the US-Ghana military agreement.

In an interview with Accra-based Happy FM, Mr. Anyidoho said: On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addos father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself.

He then added: Therell be a civilian coup detat; therell be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency.

Mr. Anyidoho was subsequently picked up by the Police at the International Press Centre Tuesday afternoon, and has subsequently been charged with treason.

His arrest has led to mix reactions from the public, with some supporting the move by the Police whiles others believe the Police did not act appropriately.
In his view, the controversial Ghana-US military pact could set the tone for the US military to have relationships with Ghanaian ladies.

According to him, the only benefit the nation stands to gain is the US military sleeping with Ghanaian ladies to produce half-caste babies.

Last Friday Parliament ratified the controversial military deal after days of deliberations and counter arguments between the Minority and Majority.

However, the House went on to ratify the deal despite protests from large section of the public.

As part of the agreement, Ghana will receive $20million per year from America for hosting the US military.

Also the Ghana is obliged to grant the US military unfiltered access to military installations in the country.

The pact also grants the US tax waivers for any military equipment that they import to Ghana.

This, Mr. Quansah insists is not a good deal for the nation. According to him, the only benefits Ghana stands to gain is $20million, whiles suggesting the US military would engage in relationships with Ghanaian ladies to produce babies of mixed races.

READ ALSO:

Those of us who have had the chance to be close to the military know a lot about our military. At the end of the day, what will the US military teach us, the former Minister said on Adom TVs Badwam show.

Maybe what we will gain is that in the next 10 to 15 years, we will have half-caste babies or black American babies and I think that is the only thing that Ghana stands to gain aside that huge money.

He further accused the Majority of using their numbers to impose the agreement on the House and Ghanaians in general.

In his view, the right procedure was not used in ratifying the Ghana-US military agreement in Parliament.
The vote was boycotted by the opposition National Democratic Congress because according to them it was not "in our national interest."

Find my concerns below

ARTICLE 2: Purpose and Scope

United States forces may undertake the following types of activities in Ghana: training; transit: support and related activities; refueling of aircraft; landing and recovery of aircraft, accommodation of personnel; communications; staging and deploying of forces and materiel: exercises; humanitarian and disaster relief; and other activities as mutually agreed.

Opinion: I have been asking myself why Ghana did not ask the United States to be specific on the staging and deploying of forces and material. The other activities were also not stated in any part of the agreement. This gives the US liberty to operate at will

ARTICLE 5: Access to and Use of Agreed Facilities and Areas

Ghana hereby provides unimpeded access to and use of agreed facilities and areas to United State forces, United States contractors, and others as mutually agreed. Such agreed facilities and area: or portions thereof, provided by Ghana shall be designated as either for exclusive use by United States forces or to be jointly used by United States forces and Ghana.

United States forces shall be responsible for the operation and maintenance, construction, and development costs of agreed facilities and areas provided for the exclusive use of United State forces unless otherwise agreed. The Parties shall be responsible on the basis of their proportionate use for the operation and maintenance costs of agreed facilities and areas provided for joint use by United States forces and Ghana. Ghana shall furnish, without rental or similar costs to United States, all agreed facilities and areas, including those jointly used by United States forces and Ghana.

Opinion: Ghana is giving facilities with unimpeded access to the US Force and at no rental costs.

This means we cannot even walk in there for an inspection if anything comes up. The other thing is who gives land for free in this era? We are not charging for any rental cost.

The unbelievable thing is that the agreement says if we use their facilities jointly, we will pay. Meanwhile, they do not they do not owe us anything.

ARTICLE 7: Prepositioning and Storage of Equipment, Supplies, and Materiel

United States forces are hereby authorized to preposition and store defence equipment, supplies, and material (hereinafter referred to as prepositioned materiel) at agreed facilities and areas. The prepositioned materiel of United States forces and the agreed facilities and areas or portions thereof designated for storage of such prepositioned materiel shall be for the exclusive use of United States forces. United States forces shall retain title to and control over the use of prepositioned material and shall have the right to remove such items from the territory of Ghana.

Opinion: No specific equipment was mentioned. It means any equipment can be brought in. How? We need to go back to the negotiating table.

ARTICLE 8: Security

Ghana shall take such measures as are necessary to ensure the protection, safety, and security of United States forces and United States contractors and the protection and security of United States property and official United States information. In furtherance of this responsibility, Ghana and United States forces shall cooperate closely to ensure that such security, safety, and protection are provided.

Opinion: What will the US forces do for us as we guarantee their security? How do we give too much and get nothing in return?

ARTICLE 14: Use of Radio Spectrum

Ghana recognizes that it may be necessary for United States forces to use the radio spectrum. United States forces shall be allowed to operate its' own telecommunication systems (as telecommunication is defined in the 1992 Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union). This shall include the right to utilize such means and services as required to ensure full ability to operate telecommunication systems, and the right to use all necessary radio spectrum for this purpose. Use of the radio spectrum shall be free of cost to United States forces.

Opinion: This is where I have the biggest headache. In a country where we sell our radio spectrum at very high cost, why do we give it for zero Ghana Cedis to the US Force?

ARTICLE 15: Claims

1, Other than contractual claims, the Parties waive any and all claims against each other for damage to or loss or destruction of property owned by the Party, or death or injury to any military personnel and civilian employees of either Party arising out of the performance of their official duties in Ghana.

2 Claims by third parties for damages or losses caused by military personnel and civilian personnel shall be resolved by the United States Government in accordance with United States laws and regulations.

Opinion: But why eh, why? How is this a cooperation? Something happens in Ghana and claims are resolved only by the United States Government in accordance with United States laws and regulations.

Why dont we demand that claims are made in accordance with regulations and laws from both parties?

My final opinion

I think the politicians must learn how to negotiate. We cannot sign deals that do not favour our country.

Meanwhile, we should also get our technocrats involved. The politicians should step aside and allow the technocrat review such agreements on behalf of Ghana.
READ MORE: Anita Desosoo threatens to beat Kennedy Agyapong as her child

"He will be released today by 1:00 PM this afternoon. .. the 24 hour elapse today and we hope him release this afternoon...all NDC members in Greater Accra will converge to give him a rousing welcome," he said.

Koku's arrest

He was arrested and detained by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) pending investigations into his statement that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was likely to suffer the fate of his father who was overthrown as President by a military coup in 1972.

"Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself," he said.

"On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo's father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. There'll be a civil revolt. There'll be a people's movement. During President John Mahama's tenure didn't we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana," he added.

Koku Anyidoho noted: "There'll be a civilian coup d'etat; therell be a social revolution and the movement is starting on Wednesday. He [Akufo-Addo] will be fed up at the Presidency."

Court warrant

The police has secured a warrant from the Accra High Court to confiscate phones and other electronic devices belonging to Koku Anyidoho, who has been charged with causing fear and alarm, as well as treason felony.
Chris Ackumey said the police secured the court warrant to find "any evidence with the intention to overthrow Nana Akufo-Addo".

The police has secured a warrant from the Accra High Court to confiscate phones and other electronic devices belonging to Koku Anyidoho, who has been charged with causing fear and alarm, as well as treason felony.

"It is hereby ordered that electronic gadgets including laptops, iphones and ipads believed to be storage of information related to treason in the premises of Koku Anyidoho and his agents are to be seized to aid police investigation on the said Koku Anyidoho," the search warrant by the police read.

Chris Ackumey in an interview on Accra-based Peace FM said, "They [police] wanted to have access to his [Koku] phone to find out whether he was in contact with mercenaries from South Africa or Hungary to come and train forces, whether visible or invisible to topple the regime of Nana Akufo-Addo and that kind of thing.

"there was a password on the phone and there was nothing they could have done, so they came back and wanted Koku to give them the password so that they can go and have access to the phone. So I, as the lawyer of Koku, convinced that, there is nothing untoward on the phone, that, that phone does not have guns, it does not have ammunitions, it does not have bombs, it does not have any evidence with the intention of toppling Nana Akufo-Addo, that if anything at all, it is his [Akufo-Addo] own bad governance which will topple him, I advised my client to give them the password, which he did."

Koku's arrest

He was arrested and detained by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) pending investigations into his statement that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was likely to suffer the fate of his father who was overthrown as President by a military coup in 1972.

"Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself," he said.

"On the January 13, 1972 a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo's father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. There'll be a civil revolt. There'll be a people's movement. During President John Mahama's tenure didn't we receive similar threats from the likes of Let My Vote Count and OccupyGhana," he added.
Nana Addo was born on March 29, 1944, to Edward Akufo-Addo and Madam Adeline Akufo-Addo and hail from Kyebi in the Eastern Region.

He served most of his youth at Swalaba and Nima in Accra.

READ ALSO: 4 major campaign promises Nana Addo is yet to fulfill

He was also the 3-term member of Parliament for the Abuakwa North Constituency in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Nana Akufo-Addo received his primary education at the Government Boys School and went to Orielly Secondary School, and later at the Rowe Road School (now Kimbu), both in Accra Central. He went to England to study for his O Level and A Level examinations at Lancing College, Sussex. He returned to Ghana in 1962 to teach at the Accra Academy before going to read Economics at the University of Ghana, Legon, in 1964, earning a BSc(Econ) degree in 1967.

Nana Akufo-Addo resigned from the Kufuor government in July 2007 to contest for the position of Presidential candidate of his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the then ruling party of Ghana, for the 2008 elections. Competing against 16 others, he won 48% of the votes in the first round of that election, but was given a unanimous endorsement in the second round, making him the partys presidential candidate.

READ ALSO: Here are the top 7 placards against Nana Addo at the US military base demo
The security analyst believes the President has violated the fundamental principles of good governance and must therefore be shown the exit door.

Last Friday, Parliament put the finishing touches to the defence cooperation agreement by ratifying the deal.

The agreement will see the US government spend $20million in training and supplying equipment for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

In exchange, Ghana is obliged to grant the US military unfiltered access to military installations in the country.

The pact also grants the US tax waivers for any military equipment that they import to Ghana.

The clauses in the defence cooperation agreement have led to huge protests from the majority of Ghanaians, with a demonstration against the deal taking place on Wednesday.

Mr. Agbee believes President Akufo-Addos approval of the military pact is a clear deviation from the oat he swore to protect citizens of the country.

According to him, the President should be impeached because he has shown his allegiance lies elsewhere, rather than protecting the country.

The president wants to sell the sovereignty of this country, which is not good at all. The president should have known better. The Ghana-U.S. military agreement he is entering into, he has given so much concession to the United States of America, the security analyst told Class FM.

I think that the president should have been impeached because he is violating the fundamental principles of good governance and he is violating the oath that he has sworn that he will protect and own a certain allegiance to this country but as we speak now, we have seen that the president is owing double allegiance, that he is not ready to protect all of us.

He further described the defence cooperation agreement as a terrible mistake which puts the entire nation in jeopardy.
President Akufo-Addo announced that the name has been changed to Jubilee House in a communique to the press this morning.

The official seat of government was built by the NPP government under former President Kuffour and named Jubilee House. But upon winning power in 2009, the NDC government under the late Professor Evans Mills changed the name to Flagstaff House, the original name of place.
It was the first press screening of 'Love Birds,' a Nigerian movie shot in the United State of America by famous filmmaker, Lancelot Imasuen. The cinema was one of the viewing halls in FilmOne Cinemas situated in Surulere, Lagos Nigeria.

Lancelot wants to showcase his new achievement believing it will not only break barriers but further enlighten Nigerian parents in diaspora on the need to allow love prevail at all time. And the movie opens with popular Nollywood actress, Stella Damasus dragging her 20-year-old daughter to meet with the fiance arranged for her by her parents.

The movie

One thing you can't miss in this movie is the display of the rich Benin culture as enshrined by Lancelot, who himself is quick to flaunt his Edo background. From the names of the prominent characters to the television programme and accent, the rich Benin culture was not evident but passed in full dose.

The American-induced character of Jim Iyke, one of Nigeria's evergreen actor, not only sits well on him but his ability to bring out the Nigerian accent when in fear gives the movie an edge. One of the longest and last scenes in the movie will leave you reeling out with laughter.

Stella Damasus, who acted out a middle aged woman from the ancient Benin that relocated to the USA, keeps refreshing viewers memories with her display of the rich Nigerian culture without hesitation.

Stella is paired with Joseph Benjamin as the lovely husband and wife who relocated to the US and bore a beautiful daughter that has fallen in love with the son of her father's late friend.

Stella had insisted that Jim should marry her daughter despite their difference in social status. Jim plays the role of an arrogant son of a billionaire, who is the heir to a large empire built in Atlanta.

What brings about the movie title is how far Sarail and Felix went in expressing their love in the face of denials, cultural norms, pettiness, envy and jealousy.

asked for the age rating for the movie and Lancelot was quick to relish in his ability to make a movie that all age can watch.

The cast

'Love Birds' parades a cast of interesting characters portrayed by three of the best in the Nigerian movie industry. Stella Damasus, who returns to the screen after a brief hiatus since her relocation to the US; Joseph Benjamin, who has been in and out of Nigeria for the last four years and Jim Iyke, Nollywood's bad boy who has found himself a new home in Atlanta Georgia.

The trio were adequately placed in their characters to help put a fine blend with the newly introduced actors, who played the role of love birds. Felix Omozusi and Saraii Captca are two young Nigerians that Lancelot gave an opportunity to make a name for themselves in the new movie that is billed for Nigerian release on Friday, April 13, 2018.
Within the period of 'pause' mode, Mavrodians (participants) will not be able to provide and get help.

Mavrodi died at the age of 62 on March 26, 2018. His death came as shock to millions of its global participants as the future of the financial pyramid scheme hangs in limbo.

A Moscow-based daily newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets had reported that Mavrodi died in the Russian capital, Moscow after he felt weakness and pain in the chest area.

In a statement to its participants announcing Mavrodi's death, released by an Administrator, on its platform, MMM said the system has been shifted to a pause mode.

It is impossible to provide and get help; Mavros dont grow. In the near future, Administration will take a decision concerning MMMs future and report on it officially. Hoping for your understanding.

 devoted his life to serving other people. He abstained from conveniences and material benefits, communication with his family and friends in order that no one could influence him and the System. Sergey Mavrodi worked until his dying day: without holidays and vacations. Mr Mavrody always felt his responsibility for the participants and the System. He never pursued any self-interest.

Sergey Mavrodi is a great man who managed to unite a huge number of people worldwide in the struggle for a single purpose. MMM was his lifes work; he dreamed of changing the world. Sergey Mavrodi, you will always be in our hearts! the statement reads.

When Business Insider Sub Sahara Africa contacted the MMM faceless official in Nigeria, Danny, a consultant and Agent via a chat said the pause mode is temporary and it is a worldwide agreement to honour the late Mavrodi.

On the fear of participants and the future of the scheme, the Agent said the system will soon come back but did not specify a date.

It's normal for everyone to observe the pause for the founder. the agent said.

On the Facebook page of MMM Nigeria, a participant wrote: ....that the system is now on pause mode in honour of your departure "worldwide" is a welcome idea.

The global "pause mode" serves as a perfect time for the Admin to resume with the creation of "MMM COIN" for easy exchange. ....adieu great man Mavrodi.....

In 2016, the Central Bank of Nigeria, as well as the Nation's legislative arms had issued strong warnings to Nigerians to desist from MMM and other Ponzi Schemes. It was the same period the country's economy contracted by 2.06 percent witnessing its worst economic recession in over 20 years.
So, I thought.

Maybe it was because I have been celibate for six months and probably needed to stir up the sexual steam burning inside of me.

However, I approached things with him subtly. Thereafter, we started engaging in occasional chatting on different social media platforms, and I hoped eagerly for the desires to keep burning.

Gbenga is a nice and dashing young man, a little bit pompous if I may add, but it didnt really matter so much because most of our men are raised to be entitled.

Our First Date

Few weeks after Easter, Gbenga decided to create time for us to meet. It was a very hot Saturday, I was so lazy to go out because I didnt have enough money to get a taxi. Gbenga kept on buzzing my phone and then, it struck me; if he really needs to see me, why the hell shouldnt he assist with transportation.

So, I decided to write him up on WhatsApp to let him decide whether or not he was going to pay the cab driver when I arrive his location. Fortunately, he agreed even though deep down he may have had his reservations about paying a girls transport fare. It is like a norm in Lagos, especially when the guy knows how hard the economy is, they still shame girls who ask for assistance once in a while for minor things.

Unlike most girls, I didnt care. I understood quite well, the difference between a good girl and a naive one. I needed to lay down the rules, it wasnt easy, but I embraced a huge amount of courage and I was able to pull off whatever deal I had in mind. I was really audacious, and as youll know, most men see brave girls as disrespectful and mean.

Gbengas House

A few hours later, I arrived his place. He descended from the balcony, from where he has been watching our car drive in. After paying the driver, he pulled me a little closer, leaned forward for a hug. His little boy was somewhat excited down there, and of course, Gbenga couldnt hide it from the protruding bump bulging out of his blue pants.

Meanwhile, before agreeing to visit him that day, Id already known that it wasnt going to be an ordinary visit. And so, I laid down a few rules;

He must have a condom. Even though I had a spare in my handbag, as always.

There must be power supply, not minding the source. At least, if one must have sex, there should be some sort of comfort to make the act worthwhile.

He mustnt have any friends in his place while were together. It is not a good thing because, it creates a sort of discomfort for a girl, especially after being behind closed doors for hours. Walking out of the room with some inquisitive eyes staring at you, is a deal breaker.

Phones must be put on silence mode. No distraction required, its supposed to be a bonding time for two adults.

And there should be water and beverages in the fridge

All these few rules, plus he has to get me a cab to take me home afterwards, because a girl needs to be treated like a queen.

So, we proceeded into the living room, it was a beautiful apartment with exquisite interior decor. He obviously had good taste and a knack for good music, and slowly I found myself imagining things way beyond this date.

I felt the need to explore in my mind, there was so much to imagine and I just let myself breath in the fresh lavender fragrance that buzzed through the little eyelet of the bathroom door. It felt like a place I could rest my head, and that one place I could recreate the picture I once drew about friendship. And like a burst of bubbles, I was awaken by his warm grip on my naked shoulder, and then, he whispered faintly like we were playing hide and seek. I made something small for us to chew on, while we talk.

The Supposed Talk

Please, come with me! And without doubts, I followed him like a sheep who has just found its way back to safety. We talked endlessly, and I must say, it was a good talk. I realised we hadnt even touched the Small Chops and Asun, we were just busy sipping on the Chapman juice served on the rock. It was so chilled that my nipples attested to it. They became round, and as hard as a gumball revealing themselves without hesitation to the erected image seated before me.

Are you cold? He asked with penetrable eye contact, I shrugged a bit and replied! The snacks are getting cold, we should probably pounce on them before they lose their value. Gbenga looked firmly into my eyes and said with a smile these lips that Im yet to sip on, has a lifetime value Its better we focus on getting them warmed up.. Oh! Come closer baby, youre so damn beautiful.

The Romance

I felt his lips gently caressing mine, like the slow motion used in erotic movies. I started to feel as though Id been sedated? But on the contrary, that was just me trying to get out of my own head in order to get in the moment. His touches were mild and breath-taking, his tender hands fondled my breasts and without a second thought, he unhooked my bra.

I didnt ask him to stop, in fact it was something Id envisaged for weeks. It had to be done, at least, I needed to convince myself that hed be as good in bed as his appearance revealed. I was having it, without hesitation my tongue toured the walls of his amazing cavity. As a good kisser, youd probably give me that, I would be the go-to girl should you ever want to sponsor a kissing competition. Lol

Bulk wild

It was finally happening..he laid me down gently as he took off the last piece of cloth left on his body. He let his tongue travel my entire body until he finally let it settle on my pussy. Oh wow, I was dripping wet, my juice was all over. And I could hear the juicy flicky-flick-sound of my pussy as his fingers thrusted, it was an overwhelming pleasure, so much that I moaned gently with his name on my lips.

I could wait no longer! I was ready to welcome him home, so I pulled up his half covered face of pussyjuice onto my boobs. And i let him suckle on them for a bit, I was literally in the clouds by this time. Part of me was already making plans for another round, when I flipped him over and walked my mouth to his dick.

Wawu!! It turned out, his little G down there had a lot of muscles. I mouthed him a little bit more before riding him. Oh boy! I was mad with pleasure, Gbenga decided to change position by laying me face down. And like Usain Bolt, he thrusted ideally from behind my two huge protruding butt, and I went gaga in ecstasy.

I climaxed just about the same time he did, and we just laid there like two exhausted adults panting with smiley faces. It was just what I needed to check off my bucket list..Ah, I finally found the sex partner for me. I smacked his face warmly and whispered to him erotically.. Mehn!! Gbenga, youve got a-good-bad-boy-down-there. Oh yea? We should probably engage in more of this! He replied.

Thank you for reading my story

Written byJoyous Akhivbareme
Two of the students, Gbenga Oloruniran, a 400 level student of Geography and Jimoh Oladipupo, 300 level student of Biochemistry were reportedly released on Thursday, March 29, 2018.

Meanwhile, three of them, Olajide Ademola, a 500 level student of Electrical Electronics; Oyedeji Samson, 300 level student of Pharmacy; and Adeniji John, 300 level student of Electrical Electronics Engineering were released earlier on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

Recall that the five students were arraigned on Thursday, March 22, at the Ife Magistrate Court 24 hours after the university management reportedly handed them over to the police following the accusation the university management levied against them.

The school authorities on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, accused the students of assaulting university officials, who were instructed to clean and evict female students from Moremi hall, which was said to have been marked for renovation.

According to reports, while the university workers were carrying out the instructions, a confrontation erupted between the students and the university officials and that led to the students' arrest.

However, as part of their bail condition, the students were asked to pay N500,000 bond and provision of two sureties, who must be civil servants of level 11 and above as well as taxpayers.

Meanwhile, OAU management has been widely criticised by civil groups and staff of the university for prosecuting its own students.

A group, Education Rights Campaign (ERC) on Sunday, March 25, 2018, criticised OAU authorities and demanded an unconditional release of five students.
According to Vanguard, the 186 rooms hostel complex was constructed in 2013, by the management of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the medical students.

According to Trends44, a student said Rooms are being given to students from other faculties, and medical students have been asked to evacuate the temporary inadequate hostels provided latest by Friday.

ALSO READ: Recalled UNIBEN students and management at loggerheads again

Medical students who have their professional exams to write, next month, don't have a place to stay.
The resignation according to Ogbidi became necessary because of the alleged naked injustice the university management visited on him and his cabinet for protesting against a proposed an increment in tuition fee in November 2017.

The ex-SUG president in his resignation letter, obtained by Pulse accused UNIBEN authorities of 'flagrant abuse' by locking him out of office and hostel.

Ogbidi in his resignation letter also accused the university management of restraining him from performing the function of his office after his reinstatement.

ALSO READ: UNIBEN VC explains why suspended students were recalled

The letter reads in part:

''We are to humbly tender our resignation as executive members of Students Union Government, University of Benin on the basis of the naked injustice visited on us and entire students of the university and the attendant silence by the parliament.

''We recall with certainty that in November 2017, the union on the strength of the decisions of the general assembly and the acquiescence of the parliament embarked on a very peaceful protest against hike in fees by the management of the university at the end of which the union was suspended and the suspension was lifted after the undersigned were fingered for victimisation and accordingly rusticated.

We were later recalled after a but were strenuously restrained from performing the function of our offices. We were forcefully locked out of our offices and hostel accommodations in flagrant abuse of the rule of law and mandate given to us by the students''.

Student Union members reject VC's recall offer

Recall that UNIBEN management before recalling Ogbidi, the SUG president, Justus Aidenagnon, Secretary-General, Innocent Momodu, Assistant Secretary-General and Goodnews Ehiabhi, Public Relations Officer asked them to apologise as a condition for their recall.
The Ruff Ryder rapper whose real name is Earl Simmons was brought before a judge, Jed Rakoff who delivered the sentencing.

It is reported that DMX didn't pay tax on income earned from 2002 to 2005, and from 2010 to 2015. On top of the prison sentence, Simmons must pay $2.29M back to the US government.

Simmons had pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion but disputed the prosecutions claim that he deliberately avoided tax by living a cash lifestyle, and by concealing his wealth during a bankruptcy hearing. He said he did not steal the money like a criminal in a comic book, and acknowledged that the tax should be paid.

The sentence was a long way below the five years recommended by the prosecution. Sentencing judge Jed Rakoff acknowledged Simmons was a good man, a very far from perfect man, but said he had committed a brazen and blatant crime.

The high point of the court hearing was when DMX' lawyer played one of his songs citing that the song speaks to everyone. That didn't change the heart of the Judge who already had his judgment ready for the accused

ALSO READ:DMX pleads guilty to tax fraud

DMX is the second rapper who will be facing jail terms in the last one year. We all remember that back in 2017, Meek Mill was sentenced to at least two years in prison for violating probation.

Meek appeared in a Philadelphia court on Monday, November 8, 2017, where the judge reportedly ruled that the rapper violated probation from his 2009 drug and weapons case. In March, Meek, 30, was arrested in St. Louis and charged with misdemeanor assault for an altercation with two airport employees.
In the new episode, Faa finally has a serious conversation with Tare about protection. She advises her to always use a condom and if necessary, double protection - pills.

Tare is angry at her for thinking that she is already having sex. Faa tries to explain that sex isn't bad, but must only happen when she is ready.

After their brief meeting at the pharmacy in the last episode, Leila sets up another meeting with Weki. He tells her that she is now a 'slay queen' as she has been avoiding his calls.

Leila asks if he is seeing anyone and he says he is trying to find someone special, someone he can be honest with, unlike how he was with her.

Princess goes to the club for a night out. Tobi spots her and hides until she walks past him before he hurriedly leaves the bar.

She meets a stranger, Dapo, who she shares her experience as a young mum with, and who encourages her to go after whoever she wants.

The episode ends with Ebisinde and his friends bending the law to make extra money.

Set in Nigeria, the new season which focuses primarily on family planning, contraception, HIV prevention and sexual health education, friendships are tested, relationships reach risky heights, and secrets threaten to break family ties.

The show returns for a new season with recurring cast members Timini Egbuson as Tobi, Jemima Osunde as Leila, Sharon Ezeamaka as Princess and Olumide Oworu as Weki.

New additions include Adebukola Oladipupo, Yakubu Mohammed, Ozzy Agu, Rahama Sadau, Funlola Aofiyebi, Nobert Young, Amal Umar, Helena Johnson, Ladani Sulaiman, and Shawn Faqua.

The new season of MTV "Shuga" is produced by Chris Ihidero and Emma Uduma and directed by Tolulope Ajayi, Ishaya Bako and Tope Oshin.
The suspect, Mohammed Chado, reportedly sold the vehicle for a sum of N450,000, which covered expenses required for the purpose of tying the knot as well as a year's feeding.

Part of the amount he realised from the sale was sent to family members who used it to secure items needed for the wedding ceremony.

"I sold the car for N450,000 and spent N300,000 on the wedding; I gave the money to my family to buy the needed wedding items, then I spent the balance on feeding myself for one year," says Chado who was paraded on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

Sadiq Bello, the Commissioner of Police of Federal Capital Territory, confirmed his arrest in Punch News report.

The police chief mentioned that the vehicle has been recovered. Chado was apprehended in Niger State, where he reportedly hid following the theft.

Chado was arrested at Batafe village in Niger State where he hid after he sold a Toyota Camry that was given to him for washing.

He escaped with it, sold it for N450,000 and used the money to marry a wife. The stolen car has been recovered, Bello said in a statement.

ALSO READ: Woman who stole mobile phone at wedding party stripped naked

Man who stole 400k from Ibadan rice dealer beaten black and blue

In Ibadan, Oyo State, a man who was accused of stealing N400,000 from a rice dealer has received the beating of his life.

The thief, captured in a video, was seen glued to a bare ground while a group of men gave him a pummeling.

He seemed helpless in the hands of the mob who gave him hits on different parts of his body.

Loud chatters heard at the scene reflected a mood of anger over the alleged theft but some social media users felt the violent reaction was a step too much.
This was her response following a slap from former partner who reportedly slapped her for disobeying the order.

The victim was rushed to the St James Hospital, Amukpe, Delta State, where the incident occurred.

A gory image of the violent assault showed the ex-boyfriend on a bed with a deep cut to his neck.

300 level student slits girlfriend's throat for refusing to abort

One Ringim Ismail, a 300-level student of the Jigawa State College of Islamic and Legal Studies, has been arrested by security operatives over the murder of his girlfriend, Salamatu Garba.

According to the reports, the 22-year-old student reportedly slit his girlfriend's throat for refusing to terminate the pregnancy she had for him.

Premium Times reports that Ismail and the deceased 22-year-old had been dating for over eight years with hopes of getting married.

He disclosed that they had attempted to abort the pregnancy at three months but after the attempt failed, Salamatu refused to undergo the process for the second time two months later.

During his confession, the suspect said that he decided to kill Salamatu for her refusal.

At about 9 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2018, Ismail took Salamatu on a motorcycle to the outskirts of town and used a jackknife to slit her throat.
The event has brought back harsh reminders of apartheid and a subtle jolt that there are still remnants of the system of segregation in South African society.

In 2016, a video clip of the incident between estate agent Vicki Momberg and the policeman whose name has been withheld went viral.

In it, the officer attempted to help Momberg after thieves broke into her car at night at a shopping centre.

ALSO READ: Documentary by Amarachi Nwosu explores what it means to be black in Japan

Momberg refused to be helped, insisting she would prefer the assistance of a white or ethnic Indian officer.

Her reason? That black people were plain and simple useless and they are clueless.

She also referred to the policeman as a kaffir, an apartheid-era slur used to refer to a black person and one of the worst terms of hate speech in South Africa.

A groundbreaking verdict

After a long trial, Momberg was sentenced to three years of jail time, with one year suspended, for directing offensive slurs at the officer.

The ruling is believed to be the first time a person is going to jail for using racial slurs in South Africas storied history.

Previously, persons convicted of the same crime have been let off with a fine.

In a world where Donald Trump is President of the United States and movements like Black Lives Matter have gained global significance, the bias and behaviours that have been termed racism have become more important on a global scale.

The case is usually made that racism is now an institutional problem, something that you can only notice in how companies hire staff or who is more likely to win an election, for instance.

But as instances like this show, there are many overt instances of racism but the perpetrators rarely suffer any sanctions for their misdeeds.

It is a major point of the demand for equality; that racism is no longer viewed as a cultural relic that occasionally rears its ugly head but seen as the very present evil that it is and criminalised accordingly.

That is the obvious first step, but the long journey is in eliminating racism from all society until no man is judged by the colour of his skin.

Is there racism in Nigeria?

The importance of this may be lost on persons who live in countries like Nigeria where the population of white persons is miniscule enough that racism is not particularly felt, but that, in itself, is a misconception.

Many Nigerians who interact or work with persons of other races are ofte subjected to inhumane treatment for no just reason. This is very common among unskilled workers.

ALSO READ: Africans in Israel are painting their faces white to avoid deportation

To be fair, it often goes the other way too. Nigerians can view caucasians as "soft" and treat them accordingly.

Even at that, the extent of its prominence is negligible. But still, you cannot avoid it when you eventually make that trip to Europe and you're received like the slightly-civilised monkey that your hosts see you as or when in a firm with white colleagues, you stagnate, despite having obvious skill.

Our real problem is tribalism, a system of bigotry that has taught us to look down on our fellow nationals because of their tribe.

We have a war and several uprisings and massacres as testaments of just how deeply this problem runs.
They are found majorly in the Northern part of Delta State and in some parts of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers state, Nigeria.

Nationally considered a minority, the Ukwuanis are the second largest ethnic group in Delta state to Urhobo ethnic group and the largest ethnic group in the North senatorial district collectively known as the Aniomas.

ALSO READ: What you probably didn't know about the Urhobo people

And surrounded by other ethnic groups like the Abohs, the abraka Urhobos, and Isokos, the Ukwuanis are believed to share a common ancestry with the Ogba, Ekpeye, and Ika people as the majority of them trace their origin to the Benin kingdom.

However, they are known to speak the Ukwuani language, a branch of the Volta-Niger language family with different dialects within the Ndosumili-Aboh area.

But the one spoken by the majority of the people which is regarded as the standard dialect is the Utagba dialect. It is easily understood by the speaker of the other dialects and it is the dialect that is used for Ukwuani language studies.

Ukwuani language is also included in the list of 27 Nigerian languages approved by the Federal Government for the purpose of "mother tongue education."

It is important to note that the Ukwuani, Igbo, Ekpeye, Ika, and Ikwerre are not the same language but are classified as languages which belong to the same linguistic family of Igboid languages.

And with a tradition that shares so many similarities to other Niger Delta ethnic groups, the Nkwani land like most of the Niger Delta areas, is host to some of the Nations oil companies.

But like it is with other Niger Delta areas, the Nkwanis also complain of marginalization.

Renowned for their elaborate showmanship during their marriages and funeral rites, it's one ethnic group in the south-south axis whose musical prowess appeal cut across boundaries.

Food of the people

When it comes to food, the Ukwuani people are royalties. There are a lot of sumptuous meals such as ofe-isege, mpikor, nri-iji, ofe-ikere, utala-iji, eba, ofe-ilolo, oto, ofe-eku, etc.

Mode of dressing

The Ukwuani people are unique when it comes to dressing. The men usually dress in six yards of George wrappers tied around their waist, native shirt, beads, cap/hat, and a pair of shoes.

For the women, they dress in two wrappers tied around their waist, blouse, a handbag, hair tie, earrings, and a pair of shoes.

Belief
The tier-2 financial institution, however, said the Bank did not at any time suggest or agree to move its listing from the NSE to the USA as falsely claimed and the purported investment of $1,000,000,000.00 by Milost Global Inc.

The Bank also claimed that there was no agreement whatsoever with Milost Global alluding to the acquisition of 60 percent Unity Bank shareholding.

Mohammed Shehu, Secretary, Unity Bank Plc., in a statement released on Thursday, March 29, 2018, said: All through these engagements, the Bank has been properly guided by the extant regulations concerning capital raising and equally made the process open to all prospective investors.

The statement reads in part Milost Global Inc., one of the prospective investors introduced to the Bank by a local entity called Mayo BV. It is not unusual that this introduction and expression of interests would involve some level of preliminary discussions and exchange of nonbinding documentary communications between the intending parties towards establishing a mutual foundation on which the transaction contemplated will be initiated.

It is in relation to the preliminary discussions that courtesy visits were exchanged between representatives of Milost and the Bank in 2017 and early 2018. The Bank's Managing Director/CEO was in New York in October 2017 for other engagements and decided to visit Milost and verify the firm's address as well as put a face to the officers of Milost that have been engaging the Bank via telephone and emails. A brief meeting was held and discussions were around the dynamics of Milost proposal to Unity Bank Plc, and socialization of the policies and regulations around equity investment in Nigeria. The Bank did not at any time suggest or agree to move its listing from the NSE to the USA as falsely reported in the media.

Furthermore, considering that Milost and the Bank were only still engaged in preliminary discussions, which must necessarily be subjected to relevant regulatory, statutory and corporate governance compliance parameters before such discussions could become elevated to the level of a "binding commitment agreement" properly so called, the issue of "Termination" of the "Transaction" does not arise.

Confirmation of Investment Deals

Unity Bank in the statement released confirmed having had series of meetings with Milost Global Inc., but said they are still at preliminary stages. The investment deal, Kim Freeman, CEO of Milost Global also pointed out the series of meetings in his last press statement.

Freeman explaining further that the equity firm conducted a satisfactory checks on Unity Bank and offered a $1billion financing term sheet but Unity Bank deny having knowledge of such finance.

Term Sheet

Milost Global had also claimed that: "On September 4, 2017, a $1billion financing term sheet was fully executed by both Milost and Unity Bank."

But Unity Bank said: The "Term Sheet" dated September 4, 2017 said to have been executed was a "proposal" submitted by Milost Global Inc. "for discussion purposes only and NOT a commitment" by the parties. No definitive documentation governing the proposed financing was executed.

Unity Bank Plc said it is fully aware of all regulatory steps and requirements on such investment proposition and the imperative to comply with them and will continue to engage all stakeholders on achievements made in this regard.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, troops acted on a tip off before setting out to apprehend the suspects who are all from Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

The suspects names are Adam Yagga, Musa Kamsulum and Abba Djidoum and are still undergoing preliminary investigation.

The statement read, "Troops of 23 Brigade Nigerian Army under Operation LAFIYA DOLE on 28th March 2018, acting on a tip off arrested 3 suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Ngurore.

"The suspects, Adam Yagga, Musa Kamsulum and Abba Djidoum are all from Darajimal in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

"One of the suspects, Abba Djidoum, with series of Gunshot wounds on his thigh, confessed to have operated with the Boko Haram terrorists at fringes of Izza, Wudula and Blakule in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. Suspect is undergoing preliminary investigation with 23 Brigade Provost Company.

"We commend patriotic members of Civilian vigilante (Civilian JTF) for their resilience and continued cooperation with troops, and urge members of the public to emulate their vigilance and security consciousness by reporting any suspicious persons or objects to the nearest military location."

Brig-Gen Chukwu further appealed to Boko Haram terrorists to lay down their weapons and surrender to the military as the Federal Government explores an amnesty program for repentant militants.

He also noted that troops' morale remains high as they dominate the general area with a robust fighting patrol in continuation with clearance operations.

Boko Haram menace

Since the insurgency of the terrorist group escalated after a 2009 crackdown by the military, Boko Haram, chiefly under Abubakar Shekau'sleadership, has been responsible for the death of over 20,000 people and the displacement of more than 2.5 million scattered across Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps across the country and its neighbours.
Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Adam Okloho (Adoka/Ugboju/PDP), said that if the report was thoroughly worked on and it would help in the development of the state as well as immensely benefit its people.

Okloho commended the House for giving his members the responsibility of looking into the budget.

The Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, who received the report on the appropriation bill, referred it to the House Committee on Rules and Business for it to be slated for debate at a later date.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House had earlier confirmed the appointment of Mr Moses Uhembe as a member of the Benue State Service Commission.

The House took the decision after considering a letter written to the House by the Secretary to the Benue Government, Mr Tony Ijoho, on the confirmation of Uhembe.
The president had earlier been received by the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport for his historic visit.

After inspecting a ceremonial guard of honour at the airport, the president immediately headed for the terminal which is located behind the rail line of the Nigeria Railway Corporation and about 1km from the airport.

According to the Lagos State government, the new bus terminal will connect 22 routes with over 70,000 people expected to transit through the facility daily.

At the commissioning ceremony, President Buhari commended Governor Ambode's work in Lagos and promised support from the Federal Government.

He said, "I commend the Governor for development and strides he recorded within the first three years of governance. I recognize the push of the State Government in reforming public transportation especially the Bus Reform Project which will make modern transport buses that are air-conditioned available to the people.

"I acknowledge the vision of Lagos State Government to revamping the railway transportation system. Presently, we have outlined in new-year message of the plan for a-Pan African Railway Transportation.

"I commend Lagos State for also developing rail infrastructure to cater for movement of its growing population."

ALSO READ: Shutting down Lagos makes no sense

Ambode wants efficient transportation system

During his speech, Governor Ambode said the terminal was designed to change the face of public transportation in the state, stating that the success of a highly populated, cosmopolitan city-state like Lagos is strongly dependent on the efficiency of its transportation system.

He said, "The Ikeja Bus Terminal is one of our flagship transport infrastructure under the State Bus Reform Initiative. The first phase of this programme will see 13 new Bus terminals introduced including major terminals at Oshodi, Yaba, Ojota, Agege and the already completed Tafawa Balewa Bus Terminal.

"We have commenced the introduction of 5,000 new buses into the Lagos economy in the next 3 years. We will inject 820 environmentally-friendly high capacity buses in the first phase of this reform by September 2018, 300 New Bus Stops, 3 Bus Depots, and Intelligent Transport System which will aid Lagosians to plan their journeys on our public transport system."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chrism is made of olive oil and is scented with a sweet perfume, usually balsam.

Chrism is consecrated by the bishop of the church in the presence of the people at the Mass of the Chrism, which takes place in the morning of Holy Thursday.

Elections are our opportunities to decide who should be in power and who would be elected, therefore it is important that everyone gets their voter cards.

Everyone has one or two comments about our leaders but our comments will be better utilised if we all get the voter cards.

It is also important that we look carefully at those who we want to vote into power; look at their antecedents and do a background check on them.

Let us also pray for those who are in office to do it right and those who intend to come there to have the right spirit, as we prepare for the elections, Martins said.

The Archbishop said that the Chrism Mass was significant to every priest, as it was a time to renew their commitment to the service of the people and God.

We believe that this will be a revitalisation of the energy within, to go out and do more than we have done before.
The party said this in response to Tinubus call urging Nigerians not to accept the PDPs apology.

The PDP recently tendered an unreserved apology to Nigerians for not living up to expectations in the 16 years preceding 2015.

Speaking further, the partys spokesman, Kola Olagbondiyan said that Tinubu is also to blame for making Nigerians vote for an incompetent government.

Tinubu wants to please Buhari

Daily Post reports that Olagbondiyan also said that Tinubu is trying to appease Buhari and make him think that his second term is sure.

He said The PDP watched with amusement as Asiwaju Tinubu struggled with words to appease President Buhari and give him assurances that he can win a second term election in the face of mass failure both in governance and in their discredited, rejected and troubled platform.

It was a direct admittance of failure and indictment on President Buharis administration, when Asiwaju pointedly told the President that the ship of the nation, under his (Buharis) watch, still needs to be rescued, almost three years down the line.

It is tragic that Asiwaju had to tutor his visitor, who had no policy direction since his election in 2015, by engaging in a revision of the programmes and policies of the PDP, such as the leasing system, the mortgage and pension schemes which boosted the economy and directly impacted on the lives of Nigerians.

More pathetic is the fact that the APC leader presented the PDP programmes as if he was introducing novel ideas in the economy. This clearly stood with our position that the APC government is incompetent and lacking in ideas of how to move the nation forward."
According to him, the project, once completed, is designed to influence the generation of up to 170,000 direct and indirect jobs in the economy.

It is a landmark project for several reasons  the promoters of this project are targeting, we are told, about 1.5 million TEUs (Twenty Equivalent Units) container capacity annually, which they expect to grow to about 2.7 million and 4.7 million TEUs when the project commences.

With this feat, this sea port will become one of the largest in our region and serve as a hub for ports operations in the whole of West Africa.

There is no question at all that the project will be the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa and possibly, the largest in Africa.

Im also told that the promoters also plan to dredge the port channel to about 16metres draft, which is not currently obtainable in any sea port or any port for that matter in the country.

This, in itself, is an indication that ships of larger sizes will now be able to visit the port, and greater efficiency and economies of scale will generate significant revenues for the Nigerian economy, with government earning a significant portion of it, he said.

According to him, a second reason why it is a landmark event is with respect to the governments Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and its emphasis on supporting game changing infrastructure projects directed at making major impact on trade and commerce.

We are developing the Lekki Special Economic Zone as a model special economic zone, specifically targeting exports. The development of this deep sea port is mission-critical to the achievement of the important objective of creating this special economic zone.

So, the third reason is the commitment of our economic philosophy to private sector leadership of our economic development.

This project is essentially private sector driven  the Toleram Group and China Harbour are of course the lead private sector participants in this project.

And like we have heard, their commitment to this project is total. I commend them for driving this project this far.

The Nigerian Ports Authority and the Lagos State Government are the public sector partners. The business of government is, in our view, to contribute by way of equity when necessary to project of this size, but more importantly, to create the enabling environment for the private sector.

Let me say that we must move ahead to ensure the speedy completion of this project. There would be problems as Im sure you must have experienced some. But be assured that the Federal Government and the Lagos State government will be with you every step of the way to ensure that we give all the support that is required,  he said.

Also speaking, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos Sate, represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule said that the Lekki port was a golden egg waiting to positively impact in the economy

Ambode said the project was a testimony of governments commitment to growing the economy and aligning the country with the industrialised countries in the world.

Data shows that the maritime industry has the potential of becoming a major revenue to the GDP of Nigeria.

This port when delivered in 2020 will have modern features that will ease pressure on Apapa and Tincan port as it has capacity to berth larger vessels. This port will impact greatly on the development of the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

This journey started in 2007 and has been pursued with doggedness. The Lagos State government has equity stake of 20 per cent in the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

This is a show of our faith in the viability and our trust in the capability of the Toloram group to deliver the project. This project will have great impact on our local, national and international economies.

It has been estimated that this project will facilitate an injection of 2.23billion U.S dollars for construction and fixed assets into the country. This projected to over a 45-year concessioning period have an aggregate impact of about 3.61 billion U.S dollars on the Nigerian economy,  he said.

Ambode called for more private investment to complement the provision of infrastructure, saying the government could not bear the cost alone.

He also solicited for the support of the federal government in all ramification to partner in the project.

In his remarks, Mr Navin Nahata, CEO Lekki Sea Port, one of the promoters of the project, said that the project had demonstrated that Nigeria is an investment destination.
Donating the vehicles in Awka on Thursday, Obiano urged the security agencies to synergise with the vigilance groups in in the state in gathering intelligence reports.

He also urged the security agencies to go to the nooks and crannies of the state and flush out criminals.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had earlier donated five patrol trucks to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) command which were officially unveiled at the occasion.

According to him, additional operational vehicles to security agencies will further boost the security architecture in the state.

Receiving the vehicles on behalf of the agencies, DIG Val Ntomchukwu thanked Obiano for his commitment to the security of lives and property of the residents of the state.
According to a report by AFP, the gunmen attacked the remote village on motorcycles and killed 12 in the first attack before returning to kill three more while the first victims were being buried.

The spokesman of the Zamfara State police command, Muhammad Shehu, said, "Armed bandits attacked Bawon-Daji village yesterday and killed 15 people."

A senior local government official, Gado Anka, narrated how 12 had died in the initial attack before the second one that also left many injured.

He said, "They returned two hours later and attacked mourners during the funeral of the victims in the cemetery, killing three more and injuring several others."
In a bid to welcome the President, the Lagos state government announced that Thursday will be a work free da and certain routes in the city will be closed off during the President's arrival and visit.

This announcement has caused a logistical nightmare for Lagosians who hadn't prepared for the extra holiday before Easter and who had made plans.

Lagosians lament over closure of roads

With the shut down of routes, many Lagosians have found it difficult to move around, an experience which has been shared on Twitter. Lagos is presently a trending topic on the micro-blogging site with over 53,000 tweets.

You can read the experience of some Lagosians below;

Restricted movement at airport

Also, on Wednesday, March 29, 2018, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, announced that commercial vehicles would only operate from 7am-7pm around the Murtala Muhammed to allow smooth movement around the airport during the visit.

ALSO READ: Shutting down Lagos makes no sense

This announcement caught many people unawares who had planned to travel. The President's movement has also affected people in Abuja who want to travel by air.

President's itinerary

While in Lagos, President Buhari will commission the newly built Ikeja bus terminal. From there he would head to the Eko Convention Centre (Eko Hotel) in Victoria Island. The Eko Convention Centre is where the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium would be holding in honour of Asiwajus 66th birthday.

Buhari is Chairman of the event which runs on the theme: 'The event starts at 10:30am which means expect certain major roads to be closed to traffic; from the Mainland to the Island.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Imohimi Edgal, says there would be temporary road closure and diversions in the following areas: Ikeja, Maryland, Agege Motor Road, Victoria Island and Ikoyi axis".
The state Director of NOA, Alhaji Mohammed Ali, made the call while inaugurating a one-day step-down of security sensitisation forum against political thuggery, drug addiction and kidnapping in Bosso Local Government Area.

Ali said Federal Government was doing everything possible to regulate the use of firearms and other dangerous weapons to secure lives and property in the country.

He added that the Federal Government has given time-frame to mop up unregistered firearms and other dangerous weapons in circulation.

So, if you have any arms and ammunition in your house, you should surrender them to the nearest police because government will go from house to house to recover such weapons.

The director explained that stockpiling illegal weapons in communities was responsible for some of the clashes among rural dwellers.

He noted that some 30 years ago, we slept with our two eyes closed in Nigeria but today, the reverse is the case.

We now have all forms of community clashes, armed robbery, kidnapping and other forms of vices.

The NOA official urged people in the area to embrace positive attitude to make the country a better place for all.

He advised the people to contribute at the forum, as government would use their suggestions to formulate policies that would guarantee safety of lives and property.

He said if you have any complaint, feel free to report to us here or the nearest NOA office close to you.

Munir Lawal, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DPO) in charge of the area, explained categories of offences to the people, ranging from civil to criminal offence.

Lawal advised the people not to take laws into their hands on any issue but to report to the police for proper action.

He appealed to the people to help security agencies by reporting suspicious objects, movements and persons to the nearest security agency.

Alhaji Bello Mohammed, the Fulani Leader in the area, attributed herders/farmers clashes to miscreants and not the real herdsmen.

Mohammed called for information sharing among community leaders and Fulani leaders to avert clashes.

Alhaji Mohammed Doma, the village Head of Garatu, commended Federal Government for initiating the forum and promised that it would go down to the grassroots.
A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Desmond Agbama, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday said Oba Ewuare, announced this when he hosted to Libyan returnees in his palace.

Apart from the allowances, the Oba said the Oba Ewuare Foundation would provide the necessary tools and facilities for those who had gone through the various skills acquisition programmes.

He expressed disappointment over the mentality of the Nigerian youth, with the quest to make quick money without legitimate means, noting that youths must embrace agriculture and other legal businesses to excel.

The statement said the monarch frowned at the attitude of some parents who encouraged illegal migration via sea and desert, stressing that the palace would employ all traditional means to eradicate the scourge.

Oba Ewuare, who was full of praises for ancestors and for steps taken so far to curb the menace of human trafficking and wave of crime in the state, called for concerted efforts of all to win the fight against the inhuman acts.

ALSO READ:Edo native doctors revoke curses placed on trafficking victims

Earlier, the the leader of the returnees, Vincent David, told Omo NOba that they were at the palace to seek assistance for tools to enable them start up lives after acquiring the necessary skills from the government.

The returnees further praised Oba Ewuare for deploying traditional means to rescue trafficked victims from their slave masters.
A 50kg basket of chili pepper increased from N4,500 to N8,000 and a basket of tatashe rose from N4,000 to N8,000.

A jute bag of onions which previously sold for N13, 000 now costs N14, 000, a 100kg bag of beans costs N30,500 while a 50kg bag of rice ranges between N13, 000 to N18,500, depending on the brand.

A kilo of frozen turkey goes for N1, 350.00, frozen chicken cost N1, 200 while a paint measure of garri still maintains its price at N350.

Traders at the markets attributed the price increases to seasonal factors, increase in transportation costs and the lingering security challenges in the North-East geo-political zone.

Alhaji Hamzat Abudulkarim, a pepper trader at Ile-Epo market, said that the quantity of the produce had reduced due to seasonal factors.

Tomato is almost out of season and its price and that of pepper has increased from markets in Kano, Sokoto, Zaria, where we buy them from, he said.

Mr Femi Odusanya, Spokesperson for Mile 12 Perishable Food Traders Association, said that there was need for the three levels of government to increase investment in mechanised farming, toward boosting food production.

Eighty per cent of the food sold in markets across the country are planted by subsistence farmers and this is not sustainable because of our large population.

Concerns about the high cost of food would be over in the country only if state governments key into cultivating produce that can grow in their areas, to increase the volume of food produced, Odusanya said.
The bills, each sponsored by 301 lawmakers, were introduced for first reading on Wednesday, March 21.

It was then passed for second reading on Thursday, March 22 and subsequently referred to the committee of whole.

Considering the committees report during plenary on Wednesday, the lawmakers resolved to use one billion dollars from the Federal governments share in the excess crude revenue for the completion of the company.

The lawmakers also said that the money should be applied by the minister only for purposes of the steel companys completion, and as approved by the National Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that there had been a lingering controversy surrounding the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

The lawmakers had earlier asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct Mr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, to stop the process of the concession.

The bill amending the privatisation Act sought to remove the steel plant from the list of public assets which the Federal Government had powers to privatise or concession.

The lawmakers also wanted to strip the National Council on Privatisation of its powers as the only body backed by law to decide on which firms should be on the schedule.
The decision of the Senate was sequel to recommendations by its committee on local and foreign debts.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Shehu Sani in his presentation said loan would increase the debt burden of the state adding that Kaduna already ranks second on the list of states with high debts.

That with the high total debt stock of Kaduna State at the moment, the new borrowing sought, will make the debt service to revenue ratio high, thereby worsening the state governments ability to meet its other basic obligations to the people and further erode the economic viability of the State, Senator Sani began.

That approving the current loan request of USD350 million for Kaduna State will bring its total debt stock to USD582.1 million. That if this loan request is approved, the new total debt stock of USD582.1 million for Kaduna State will be unsustainable and necessarily attract huge financial burden on the meager federal allocation to the State.

With the new borrowing, the Debt Service to Revenue Ratio of Kaduna State will further be increased and thus impact negatively on the ability of the State to meet Other basic needs of its people. The new debt stock will likely, further erode the economic viability of the state,

That with the high total debt stock of Kaduna State at the moment, the new borrowing sought, will make the debt service to revenue ratio high, thereby worsening the State Governments ability to meet its other basic obligations to the people and further erode the economic viability of the State.

The committee therefore moves that the Senate do reject Kaduna State Development Policy Operation (DPO) in the sum of USD350 million only as contained in the 2016 - 2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan of Mr. President Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Kaduna lawmaker added.

El-Rufais loan request is misplaced priority

Similarly, another Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi described Governors El-Rufais loan request as misplaced priority.

Mr President, one is amazed, perplexed and in shock to find that what the governor has gone ahead to indicate to the general public is completely different from what we found on the application of the facilities as indicated in the detailed drawdown table.

As a representative of my people, Ill like to say that the application of that loan is a misplaced priority. I strongly stand behind the prayers of the chairman of the committee that this very important chamber do reject that request for the loan, Hukunyi declared.

ALSO READ: How Kaduna Governor demolished property of a political opponent

El-Rufai doing nothing in Kaduna state

Senator Laah Danjuma (Kaduna South) accused the Kaduna government of spending state funds on frivolities.

The loan is not important as far as I am concerned. As a messenger of my people, they did not give me the authority for any loan to be approved. I met with the representatives of Kaduna state and asked what the loan was all about? What projects is this loan meant for? I should know from zone one, two and three who are the contractors responsible for the project? Where will the projects be sighted? But these questions were not answered.

I realized that the money received in Kaduna state is much and there is nothing happening in Kaduna state lately. They are busy retiring and sacking people and you are asking for a loan. To do what with the loan? I dont understand. If you are collecting a loan without giving a reason, I am not in support of such loan, my people are also not in support of it. Please, this loan should not be granted, Danjuma begged his colleagues.

In his remarks, deputy Senate leader, Bala NaAllah urged his colleagues to grant the wish of the committee and the Kaduna lawmakers.

Three Senators have so far spoken on this matter and coincidentally, they are from Kaduna state. It appears that the three senators are in agreement that the recommendations of the committee should be upheld by this Senate, NaAllah said.
At the award ceremony which took place at Council Chambers in Abuja on Monday, March 26, 2018, the delegation of the King family was led by Dr Naomi Barbara King who advised that the nation continue to pray for peace and strive to eradicate corruption in order to be a nation to be reckoned with.

To the presidency, it was a big deal because it validated their insistence of the president's value as a credible leader being recognised by a powerful family for his war on corruption in the country.

To the dissenting Nigerian public, especially on social media, it was a scam being orchestrated and paid for to further pull the wool over the country's eyes about the president's shortcomings as the 2019 presidential election approaches.

The objections were mostly based on the perceived clash in the human rights fight of the late Dr King and the governing style and track record of President Buhari.

When MLK's nephew, Isaac Newton Farris Jr, further counselled Nigerians against voting out the president in next year's election, it kicked up more dust.

He said, "I will counsel Nigerians to say give this man the time he needs to do the job that he is doing. He is one of the most legitimate leaders that the continent has produced.

"So I will just counsel Nigerians, I know, I am a visitor it is really not my business but be careful before you vote this man out of office."

This raised even more controversy as, as Farris himself feared, Nigerians told him it was none of his business and wondered why the MLK family was rooting for the president.

Last night on Wednesday, March 28, an interesting development emerged.

No immediate MLK connection

After the 1968 assassination of MLK Jnr, a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement in America, his wife, Coretta Scott King, founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

One of the nongovernmental organisation's drive is to develop a family of leaders who personify the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in their own lives and apply the philosophy of nonviolence to the problems and issues of the world.

MLK Jnr's youngest child, Dr Bernice King, has been The King Center's president and CEO since 2012.

On Wednesday, The King Center denied any connection to the award that the family purportedly awarded President Buhari.

It posted on its official Twitter handle, "The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of MLK and Coretta Scott King."

The Center's denial seemed to confirm Nigerians' suspicion about the award's authenticity and the actors behind it.

Many even started to suggest that the president of the most populous black nation was swindled by a foreign party.

So who is behind the award?

A lesser-known King

Dr Naomi Barbara King, who presented President Buhari with the award, is the wife of Alfred Daniel Williams "A. D." King, a Baptist minister and a civil rights activist, who was MLK Jr's younger brother and died in an accidental drowning 15 months after his assassination.

Dr Naomi King, also a human rights activist, co-founded the A.D. King Foundation in 2008 with the primary focus on youth/women empowerment and nonviolent social change strategies as a way of life and entrepreneurship as the center core; travelling all over the world to promote such and speak out on important issues.

An interesting link between the award and Nigeria is Dr. Rev. Babatunde Olusegun Onabanjo, a co-founder and CEO of the AD King Foundation who has Nigerian roots.

The A.D. King Foundation and The King Center are two organisations who appear to have similar goals but are different and tied to two different Kings.

The frenzy around the president's award had led many to blur the facts about the actors behind it with some even confusing Dr Naomi King to be MLK's deceased wife, Coretta Scott.

This could have been what prompted the needed response from The King Center to clarify that the President Buhari was not awarded on its behalf.

When Dr Naomi King presented the award to the president, she didn't pass it off as an award from The King Center. All the official statements that came from the presidency suggested that it was an award from the family, with a vagueness about how far that link extends.

While the initial public reaction to the award contributed to the confusion around it which prompted The King Center's denial, Farris' role in the delegation had raised the stakes a little higher.

Isaac Newton Farris is the son of Christine King Farris, MLK Jnr's oldest sibling, who was also the Vice Chair and Treasurer of The King Center for many years.

Farris was named president and CEO of The King Center in September 2005, after he had spent the previous five years as chief operating officer.

His tie to the The King Center had carried some weight when he made his comments on the reelection of President Buhari who is even yet to formally announce that he'll be running. This contributed largely to the confusion over the whole award situation.
As the event wore on, trust us not to miss a thing. Here are 10 for your reading pleasure.

1. Babachir Lawal is a lonely man these days

Remember him?

Lawal is the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) accused of corruption and sacked by President Buhari in October of 2017.

First told he had been sacked by the presidency, Lawal famously asked State House correspondents: who is the presidency?

He was so powerful, he thought he was the presidency.

Well, at the BAT Colloquium, he looked less so. The power of the Bleck Penther appeared to have been stripped ewey from him.

Lawal sat with Nuhu Ribadu and Andy Ubah at the extreme left of the stage; far from where the presidency, Ministers, Governors and important aides sat. And he was really looking lost and lonely at intervals.

Life really does come at you fast.

2. Tinubu is the most revered politician in the land

It takes a certain kind of political clout to bring serving Governors, Ministers, Vice President and a President to Lagos annually for a lecture series in your honour.

Every big name in the APC attended this eventand youd be right to call them Jagabans children.

Just goes to show how much respect the big names in the nations politics have for Tinubu and how they wont stop eating from his palms.

3. Is there a better speaker in Nigeria than Osinbajo?

Hes mastered the art of speech delivery so much, Osinbajo can ditch a teleprompter and an iPad and still deliver a helluva speech.

Speeches have become cakewalk for him.

As always, his speech at the BAT Colloquium was a masterclass in the fine art of public speaking. His cadence dictated the mood of the audience as he progressed.

He would begin with a wisecrack, delve into the meat of his essay and close with a nugget. Without breaking a sweat.

And as always, when he rounded off his speech here, the audience handed him a standing ovation.

4. Obanikoro has probably been hitting the gym

Former Minister in the Jonathan era, Sen Musiliu Obanikoro, is looking all trim and buff these days.

And it has nothing to do with the fact that he spent a few weeks in jail for alleged corruption, we are certain.

As he settles in with his new friends in the APC, Obanikoro may just have been hitting the gym to keep fit for the political battles ahead.

Smart alec.

5. Colloquium or campaign?

The BAT Colloquium used to be a forum where the best of minds discussed policies and ideas that would shape the polity.

However, since the APC sacked the PDP from the center, the BAT colloquium appears to have lost its original purpose and shine.

This edition will be remembered for its boring presentations and documentaries on Buharis achievements and social investment programs.

6. The cameramen, SSS fights

The job of keeping the president and politically exposed persons safe is a really tough one.

Ask the gentlemen in black at the BAT Colloquium who had a really tough time keeping photographers and photo journalists in check.

They would form a barricade with their burly bodies, but the photographers would find a way to push past the barricade each time.

When it was time for cutting of Tinubus cake, the SSS chaps gave up as all photo-journalists poured onto the steps of the stage, shoving security orderlies aside.

However, it has to be said that a few photographers would be undergoing massage therapy as you read this, because they were pushed to the floor by irate security operatives time and again.

7. Tinubu is so fit

I came face to face with Tinubu at least twice. Once, when he was stepping out to receive Buhari and when he was dashing for lunch after the event.

He was literally sprinting on each occasion as his orderlies and wife tried to keep up with him.

66? Nah, the man has the energy levels of a 30-year-old.

8. Buhari is certainly the king of political comedy

Ok, you may say hes got dry jokes and all, but Buhari always has a way of making his audience laugh so hard when he speaks.

He did it again here at intervals. He also chuckled as others spoke, you've got to admit that he's got a sense of humour.

He may not be Ali Baba but hey, he does try.

9. Politicians can sleep sha

Maybe its because they stay awake all night trying to ruin your country, but I havent been at a political event where some top politician isnt throwing their head backward in deep, snoring sleep.

You know that sleep where the mouth is hanging open? Yeah, that one.

I counted five big men sleeping their heads off today, right in the middle of the event.

I must confess that I had the urge to go wake them up, but I was raised well.

10. Sycophancy is a thriving industry

Whats with these guys who are always beating talking drums and chanting praises each time a politician is about to make his way into an event venue?

Ok, they were here again in their numbers. Draped in APC colours and stuff.

I caught a few inside the event hall as well. During Tinubus speech, they went: On your mandateon your mandatewe shall stand".

Give these guys medals already.
The Vice President said the corruption of the previous five years, when Jonathan was president, mismanaged Nigeria's resources and failed to improve the lives of Nigerians.

He said this during his address at the Bola Tinubu's Colloquium in honour of the birthday of the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC) on Thursday, March 29, 2018.

He said, "From all I've seen in government in the past few years, the corruption of the previous five years is what destroyed the Nigerian economy. Every time we talk, we as a party and your government must show the difference between us and the party and government that impoverished our nation.

"In 2014, when oil was between $100 and $114 a barrel, the actual releases for capital for three ministries - Power, Works and Housing - in total was N99 billion while Transportation got N14 billion and Agriculture got N15 billion - I'm talking about actual releases, not budgeted.

"Let's compare that with capital releases to the same ministries in 2017 when oil prices were between $50 and $60 a barrel: N415 billion for Power, Works and Housing, N80 billion for Transportation, N65 billion for Agriculture, totalling N560 billion in a time when we're earning at least 50% less that we were earning in 2014.

"This is possible because if you do not steal the resources of the people you can spend it on the projects that concern the people, it's as simple as that. If you're not stealing the money, you will spend it on the right things."

He said unlike past governments, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to making life easier for Nigerians despite the handicap of the mess made in the past.

According to him, grand corruption and impunity of the past has ensured that Buhari's government is achieving a lot with so little resources.

Jonathan administration shared N150 billion

Osinbajo's attack of Jonathan's past government is the second time he has gone after him in two weeks.

While speaking on March 19, 2018, during the 7th presidential quarterly business forum in Abuja, the vice president accused the Jonathan administration of withdrawing N150 billion from the federation account just days before the 2015 election

He said, "In one single transaction, a few weeks to the 2015 elections, sums of N100billion and $295million were just frittered away by a few."

The former president responded to the allegations through his former aide, Reno Omokri, saying that the vice president should provide proof.
The APC chieftain stated this while reacting to comments credited to the partys spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi that the tenure elongation of members of the National Working Committee (NWC) would stand despite President Muhammadu Buharis rejection.

Frank made this known in a statement made available to on Thursday, March 29, 2018.

He urged Oyegun to go and learn from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on how to lead a party.

This is a way of disgracing him before Nigerians and entire world that President has no say in his own party.

"I remember several times the party under Chief Oyegun could not hold meeting, not to talk of taking any decision because the President, who they claimed to be leader of the party then was not available. So, we want to know what has change now? When it is time to take decision in their favour, Buhari is the leader of APC but when the president took certain decision against Oyegun and his NWC, Buhari is no longer the leader. This is an embarrassment to the president.

"I expect our National Chairman and APC to go and learn how to run a ruling party from PDP. There is no crime in learning what you don't know", he added.

The deputy spokesman, while commending President Buhari, for his opposition to what he described as illegality, saying, Oyegun ought to have been fired long before now due to lack of respect for APC constitution and other impunity under his watch.

ALSO READ: 12 things president said at APC NEC meeting

Frank, however declared that he will resign his position as the deputy national publicity secretary of APC at the expiration of his tenure to pave way for new leaders, saying "I will not be part of illegal tenure extension."

According to him, it was surprising that NWC under Chief John Oyegun that "has failed to resolve one crisis out of many, rocking nearly all the state chapters of the governing party could ask for tenure extension."

"I have no regret whatsoever for opposing Chief Oyegun style of leadership and laudably spoken against it ever since he discovered that such leader (Oyegun) lack capacity to lead a governing party.

"Had the presidency and other national leaders of the APC listened to me when I was speaking against impunity and selfishness of Oyegun led-national excos, may be the crisis APC is going through would have been minimised," Frank declared.
While speaking during the colloquium in honour of his 66th birthday in Lagos on Thursday, March 29, 2018, Tinubu took time out of his speech to take a dig at Obasanjo.

He said, "Somebody who's writing a letter these days, a letter of politics. As if they've never been there before. Bad belle letters...don't worry. I don't want to address that today."

Tinubu went on to address the successes of the APC government, weighing it against the rot the party supposedly inherited from the past administrations of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

He said, "We'll keep talking about it. You looted, you wasted our resources, you did not do what you promised. The market gave you the maximum, the production level was at the maximum, and there's nothing.

"Thank you Nigerians for being patient with us. Theres a clear understanding here. Theres a difference between us and them, night and day."

Obasanjo's anti-Buhari letter

In Obasanjo's 13-page statement titled, "The Way Out: A Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement", the former president made his feelings about Buhari's administration known by poking at its most pointed failures that have become a consistent source of anguish for many Nigerians.

Obasanjo faulted the president for exhibiting nepotic interest in his dealings as the nation's Commander-in-Chief and dividing the country as a result.

The former president advised Buhari to step down after the end of his tenure in 2019 and decline to seek re-election because he doesn't appear to possess the ability to move the country any further than he already has.

Coalition for Nigeria

In that public statement, Obasanjo also expressed his lost hope in the ability of the ruling APC and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in providing Nigeria with the initiative it needs to progress.

The former president's solution to being free of the dominance of both parties was what he called the Coalition for Nigeria movement.

According to him, the coalition will be a movement of all well-meaning Nigerians that will engage in democratic practices that will drive Nigeria forward and be a source of hope for all Nigerians for speedy, quality and equal development, security, unity, prosperity and progress.

He said, "Coalition for Nigeria must be a Movement to break new ground in building a united country, a socially cohesive and moderately prosperous society with equity, equality of opportunity, justice and a dynamic and progressive economy that is self-reliant and takes active part in global division of labour and international decision-making.

"The Movement must work out the path of development and the trajectory of development in speed, quality and equality in the short, medium, and long-term for Nigeria on the basis of sustainability, stability, predictability, credibility, security, cooperation and prosperity with diminishing inequality.

"What is called for is love, commitment and interest in our country, not in self, friends and kinship alone but particularly love, compassion and interest in the poor, underprivileged and downtrodden.

"It is our human duty and responsibility so to do. Failure to do this will amount to a sin against God and a crime against humanity."

Despite his backing for the group, the former president has also made it known that he'll cease to be a part of the movement the minute it becomes a political platform that sponsors candidates for elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the colloquium, the 10th edition, was Investing in People .

Recall that the PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, had on Monday in Abuja, apologised to Nigerians for the mistakes the party made while in power.

Tinubu described the apologies as deceitful, saying they sought to hoodwink Nigerians to get a political advantage.

The APC chieftain added that the PDP brought the country to its knees with massive corruption, saying they should not be allowed to return to power again.

Nigerians should not accept PDPs apologies, they are corrupt, they lied, they falsified, they changed figures.

For 16years, they made fake promises, gave us fake figures, and they tell us Dont talk about it.

It is like, after catching a thief and he tells you Dont look at me, go and steal your own," he said.

Tinubu said the PDP had the opportunity to transform the country and set it on the path of progress with high oil price and high oil production level.

The APC chieftain said that the PDP, with massive corruption and ineptitude, could not make any meaningful impact in governance.

He said the promised change by the APC would be delivered by the party.

According to him, the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari is taking steps to deliver the goods in spite of their odds.

The voyage is on, the voyage of hope, the voyage that will change Nigeria for the better, he said.

Tinubu described the social investment programmes of the Federal Government as impactful, saying it had helped to empower many Nigerians.

He said he trusted in the administration of Buhari to deliver more democratic dividends to Nigerians.

In his remarks, Buhari described Tinubu as a political strategist and a man who cared for the people.

He said the giant strides of Tinubu in governance are a reference point in development.

The president congratulated him on his 66th birthday and wished him all the best in his endeavours.

He restated the commitment of his administration to the advancement of the welfare of Nigerians.

In his speech, Vice-President Yemi Osibajo said the government s social investment programmes had been largely successful as it had impacted on lives.

He attributed some of the successes to the free hand given to him by Buhari as co-ordinator of the programme.

I want to thank President Buhari for giving me the opportunity to co-ordinate the programme and the free hand to run the programme, Osinbajo said.

He said the programmes had done a lot to improve the welfare of Nigerians.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed said no fewer than 7.9milllion Nigerians had benefitted from the government social investment programmes.

She said the beneficiaries were covered in such programmes as The Free School Feeding Programme and the N-Power .

ALSO READ:Tinubu calls Obasanjo bad belle letter writer

The Minister cited others as the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme(GEEP)

She reiterated the commitment of government to investing in people to improve their well being.

NAN reports that state governors, ministers, serving and former members of the National Assembly attended the programme.

Captains of industry including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mr Jim Ovia and members of the diplomatic corps also attended the programme.
It is the fourth time in the pope's five year papacy that he has celebrated the Holy Mass in an Italian jail.

"For me, visiting the sick, going into prison, making the prisoner feel that he can have hope of rehabilitation, that is the preaching of the Church," said Francis in a recent book of interviews.

This year, the twelve inmates washed by Francis hailed from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Colombia, Moldova, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

The rite, performed yearly on Maundy or Holy Thursday, commemorates Jesus Christ's Last Supper with the apostles.

In Christian tradition, Jesus is said to have washed their feet ahead of the meal in a gesture of humility.

"I am a sinner like you but today I represent Jesus... God never abandons us, never tires of forgiving us," Francis said to the inmates.

The ceremony is part of the run-up to Easter Sunday.

Since his election in 2013, the pope has moved the feet washing ceremony outside the walls of the Vatican and into centres for vulnerable people or those on society's margins.

In his first year he visited a youth detention centre where he performed the ritual on a group of young inmates including two Muslims -- the first Catholic leader ever to do so.

In 2014 he washed the feet of elderly and disabled people, in 2015 he did so in a prison, and in 2016 he chose a migrant reception centre.
Poland has signed an offset deal with the United States ahead of a final agreement to buy a Patriot anti-missile system, Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said Friday.

"Warsaw is increasing its spending on defence and making serious efforts to achieve military and technical modernisation of its national armed forces. It is reforming the system of managing troops and increasing troop numbers," Zakharova said at a press briefing.

Moscow sees these moves as an "element of destabilisation of the military and political situation in Europe and an a threat to Russia's national security," Zakharova said, while stressing that the country's "defence resources are sufficient to ensure the impregnability of our borders and the protection of our territory."

The Patriot is a mobile air-defence system designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, low-flying cruise missiles and aircraft.
But in 2010, a local ranger noticed something different: slate-colored or blue arctic foxes, which had to be newcomers. The immigrants presented a rare opportunity for scientists to study what happens when new genetic material flows into a small, isolated population threatened with extinction.

In a study published Wednesday in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, scientists from Sweden and Norway reported that just three new males dramatically reduced inbreeding and produced a generation of more robust offspring in the Helagsfjallet arctic fox population.

The findings lend support to a disputed conservation strategy called genetic rescue, which involves introducing genetic diversity to boost the survival chances of small, inbred populations, said Jennifer Neuwald, an assistant professor of biology at Colorado State University who was not involved in the new study.

This study showed that having those new individuals bring in new DNA actually had an effect, she said.

Arctic foxes  which remain abundant in parts of North America and Russia  come in two color morphs. White morphs are snowy in winter and brown-grey in summer, while blue morphs stay a ravishing indigo, brown and charcoal mix year-round.

The blue foxes that arrived in Helagsfjallet had come from a captive breeding and restoration program funded by the Norwegian government. In 2009, the program released two blue brothers and another, unrelated white male in southern Norway. The three migrated about 150 miles to the Swedish subpopulation.

Malin Hasselgren, a Ph.D. student in zoology at Stockholm University, led efforts to construct a giant family tree with DNA sampled from 543 foxes, or 105 litters, born in Helagsfjallet between 2000 and 2015.

In the five years following the arrival of the new males, the population of the Helagsfjallet clan nearly doubled. Over the same period, inbreeding also decreased by 43 percent, which is really rapid, Hasselgren said.

Perhaps more important, the first generation of pups born to immigrant fathers was more evolutionarily fit than inbred pups: The former were almost twice as likely to survive their first year of life, and had higher breeding success.

These higher survival and breeding rates help the authors make the case that a reduction in inbreeding is helping this population grow, said Sarah Fitzpatrick, an assistant professor of integrative biology at Michigan State University not involved in the research.

A larger concern is that the benefits of genetic rescue will be short-lived.

In 1997, a single male wolf immigrated from Canada to Isle Royale in Michigan, causing inbreeding levels to plummet by 89 percent in four years. But then his DNA overtook the entire Isle Royale wolf population, leading to a climb in inbreeding and genetic defects that proved to be devastating. As of this winter, Isle Royale may be down to its last wolf.

Adding new individuals to a threatened population can also introduce disease or swamp local adaptations. Decades ago, conservationists moved some ibexes, a type of wild goat, from the Middle East to mate with a dwindling population in what was then Czechoslovakia. But the resulting hybrids ultimately could not survive the cold, causing the entire population to go extinct.

Still, genetic rescue has had successful outcomes too, for panthers in Florida, bighorn sheep in Montana, vipers in Sweden and others. Many conservationists believe its a tool with increasing potential, as wildlife populations become more and more fragmented by human activities.

Neuwald emphasized that the key is going in with your eyes wide open, by having considered the genetic, ecological and social compatibility between transplants and existing populations.

If thats done, and if genetic rescue gives a species its best chance of survival, its worth giving it a try, she said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Msando's widow Eva Buyu made her plea on Wednesday in a moving letter to Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o who read it as Kenya Human Rights Commission marked 25 years of operations at a Nairobi hotel, according to the Star.

She wants "any job at any organisation" in order to educate her children.

In the letter, Buyu complains that the IEBC has abandoned the family.

"I don't want to submit myself to another man in order to feed my children. I will appreciate any decent job that will enable me cater for my family, she said.

In her tribute to Msando during the funeral on August 19 last year, Ms Buyu noted that the husband loved and cherished his family.

She said her husband's killers might be on the run but will not hide forever as it is just a matter of time before they are caught.
Dr Khalwale said that the both Miguna and his three lawyers  James Orengo, Nelson Havi and Dr John Khaminwa  are drama queens.

The former Kakamega Senator also opined that the embattled General should have allowed Immigration officials stamp his Canadian travel documents to officially have him readmitted into the country.

Dear Kenyans, honestly this knife cuts both ways! Migunas lawyers are also drama queens. Otherwise, having travelled on his Canadian passport, he shouldve just produced it for stamping & there after his lawyers move to court for reinstatement of his Kenyan P/P. Simple, he tweeted.

The sentiments by Khalwale come amid rising tension in Kisumu over the continued detention of Miguna Miguna at the airport for over two days.

Earlier, renowned lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi told Miguna to stop the drama with the State and instead use his passport to enter Kenya, after having it stamped by the Immigration officials at JKIA.

Miguna just wants publicity & useless drama. If he is serious about coming to Kenya and he is lawfully entitled to, let him go to Mogadishu, or Addis or Kampala or Juba & enter Kenya through border points like Mandera, Moyale, Namanga or Busia. Let him spare us this rolling drama, he tweeted to his half a million followers.

Miguna was on Tuesday allegedly locked up in a tiny and filthy toilet at one of the JKIAs terminal 2 and by the time of publishing this story, it was not clear where he spend the Tuesday night.

The barrister, who landed on Monday afternoon, has been denied entry into Kenya despite two court orders directing his return after he was illegally deported to Canada. The government on Monday night attempted to force him on a flight to Dubai, a move which made him cause a scene at the East Africas largest airport.

Detained in toilet

In a statement, Dr Miguna on Wednesday said police had locked him inside a tiny and filthy toilet without access to basic hygiene and necessities of life.

The media could not immediately confirm his allegations because police have since blocked lawyers and journalists from accessing him.

The respondents havent provided me with food, water and medical attention in addition to not according me my right to counsel, he said.

I have no access to a bathroom and I have not taken a shower since Sunday, March 25th. The toilet where I am being held has no shower or bathtub, he said in the statement.

He added: There is only hot water in the toilet, hence, I am also unable to wash my face and brush my teeth.

Justice Roselyn Aburili on Tuesday ordered Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, Director of Immigration Gordon Kihalangwa, and Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinett to release the lawyer and present him in court on Wednesday morning.

Other officials targeted by the court order are Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti, head of the Flying Squad Said Kiprotich, the OCPD for JKIA, and the Attorney-General.

Despite the court order, and as they have done consistently before, the respondents have not released me, Dr Miguna says.
Mr Godec in a statement to the press, said that one of his great privileges has been serving in Kenya as the U.S. envoy, which he says has helped him to deepen the "special partnership between the United States and Kenya."

After more than five years in the position, I welcome President Donald J. Trumps nomination of Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Kenya.

While the U.S. Senate considers Senator McCarters nomination, the U.S. Embassy team and I will continue to advance our shared U.S.-Kenyan goals and prepare for a smooth transition, he said in a notice.

He tweeted: I welcome the nomination of Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter. US & Kenya have woven an extraordinary tapestry of ties. Weve made progress in health care, education, agriculture, investment, security & more. Kenya holds a special place in my heart.

ALSO READ: Raila under fire after posting this photo

He further boasted of the progress his country has made in advancing healthcare in Kenya among other achievements in the country.

Together, the United States and Kenya have woven an extraordinary tapestry of ties. During my time here, we have made progress in health care, education, agriculture, trade, investment, security, governance, and many other areas, he added.

Opposition pressure

Early this year, Opposition leaders piled pressure on the US ambassador to quit his job citing lack of impartiality.

Led by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, the legislators said they were about to a draft petition is which would be presented to the relevant committee of the US Senate as a formal protest note over Mr Robert Godecs behaviour.

More like-minded MPs and I will petition the US government using the relevant and official channels to raise our concerns over this grave matter, he said.

Mr Godecs continued stay in the country is injurious to the long-term relationship between the people of Kenya and the US, Mr Wandayi, who is also the secretary for political affairs in ODM, added.

Though Mr Wandayi noted that Nasa had no issue with President Donald Trumps administration, he accused Mr Godec of reducing himself as the US envoy to only a section of Kenya. He added that the vast majority of Kenyans have no confidence in him.

Replacement

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Illinois Senator Kyle McCarter as US ambassador to Kenya.

In a statement posted on the White House website, Trump enumerated McCarters experience having worked as a field auditor in Lebanon, Illinois and also having an office in Mukothima, Kenya.

President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration. Kyle McCarter of Illinois, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Kenya, the statement indicated.
Miguna spoke hours after he arrived at the Dubai International Airport following his second deportation from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The self-styled NRM General stated that he had demanded to be taken back to Nairobi by the Dubai immigration authorities.

"About 50 heavily armed thugs led by the uniformed Somali policeman who had commanded them on Monday, violently broke into the toilet I had been detained incommunicado in at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport, didnt identify themselves, wrestled me to the ground, held onto and sat on me as a group of four different thugs injected substances to both my soles, arms, hands, both sides of my ribs and basically all over my body until I passed out."

"Today, at around 5:25am, after the Emirates had landed and passengers were disembarking, I regained consciousness and asked a person seated next to me who also appeared like a flying squad officer, where are we? He told me that we were in Dubai," Miguna recounted.

The deported lawyer stated that he had declined to leave the Dubai International Airport until he underwent a medical check up.
The Nairobi Governor cited 'persistent challenges' as one of the reasons he was considering quitting.

Sonko added that unlike his former deputy Polycarp Igathe, he would consult widely before making the final decision.

The Nairobi City boss made the confession on his Facebook where he also revealed that Interior PS Karanja Kibicho had ordered him to take away the Kenyan flag from his official vehicles.
QUIZ: Guess the Road Songs

We can't wait to get back on the road again! Play this quiz and see if how many you can get right!
ASIA: The rail link between Astara in Azerbaijan and similarly-named town on the Iranian side of the border was officially opened with a ceremony on March 29. Presidents Hassan Rouhanid of Iran and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan participated via a video link from the Azerbaijan  Iran Business Forum which ...
SWITZERLAND: Metre-gauge operator Appenzeller Bahnen recently took delivery of two vehicles ordered as part of the St Gallen Durchmesserlinie project.
Deputy head of Buryatias Emergencies Ministry arrested for alleged corruption

 RIA Novosti, Mikhail Mordasov

10:30 29/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI)  Law enforcement officers have arrested deputy head of Russias Ministry of Emergencies Directorate for the Buryatia Republic Dmitry Unagayev suspected of taking bribes for cover-up during examination of fire safety, the press-service of the regional Investigative Committee department has stated.

Investigators believe that Unagayev has received 177,000 rubles ($3,000) from an intermediary for providing support in business matters related to fire safety.

An alleged intermediary has already been placed in detention.
Russian government backs bill on video interrogation of witnesses

 RIA Novosti, Vadim Zhernov

11:59 29/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI)  Russias government has approved a bill on video interrogation of witnesses, the Cabinets statement reads.

The draft law stipulates the procedure and particularities of interrogation of witnesses in criminal cases through video link. Amendments are proposed to the Criminal Procedure Code.

The government has conceptually backed the use of video conference for interview in order to create necessary conditions for delivery of justice and its availability, according to the statement.

However, the Cabinet of Ministers had some remarks to the bill. In particular, the government noted that the bill limited the use of video conference interrogation for other parties to criminal proceedings including victims, experts, specialists, suspected and accused persons.
Russian citizen gets 4 years in absentia for fighting in Azov Battalion in Donbass

 RIA Novosti, Igor Zarembo

12:27 29/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI)  Moscows Babushkinsky District Court has sentenced Russian national Roman Zheleznov to 4 years in prison in absentia for fighting as a mercenary of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi Azov Battalion in Donbass, the courts spokesperson Maria Borovikova has told RAPSI.

Under Russian legislation, a mercenary is an individual who is hired for monetary gain and is not a citizen of the country that is involved in an armed conflict or hostilities, who has no permanent residence in that country, and who has not been sent to the said country in an official capacity.

In July 2014, Zheleznov came to Ukraine and voluntarily joined the Azov Battalion for fighting in Donbass.

Then spokesperson of Russias Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin said that Zheleznov, was fighting in Ukraine for 4,000 hryvnias (about $309 at that time) a month.

The Azov Battalion is a far-right paramilitary unit of hundreds of volunteers that reports to the Interior Ministry of Ukraine. It has been doing much of the frontline fighting in Kievs war with the self-defense forces in eastern Ukraine.
Russian court sentences Tajik national to 15 years for recruiting terrorists

 RIA Novosti, Vitaly Belousov

15:59 29/03/2018

ST. PETERSBURG, March 29 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  A court in St. Petersburg has sentenced a citizen of Tajikistan Farkhod Nazarov to 15 years in prison for recruiting new members to the Islamic State terrorist organization banned in Russia, his defense lawyer Alexander Krasnikov has told RAPSI.

A prosecutor earlier demanded 16 years in prison for the alleged Islamic State cell leader Nazarov.

Nazarov was charged with recruiting persons from former Soviet republics for terrorist activity in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq as well as terrorism in Russia and cannabis sale. The defendant pleaded not guilty to abetting terrorism.

According to the case documents, Nazarov justified and propagated ideas of radical Islam. Investigators believe that he communicated with a girl, who adopted Islam, and proposed her to leave for a conflict zone or fighting the infidels in Russia.

In October, Nazarov was arrested in the Leningrad Region. During the searches, the law enforcement officers recovered the Islamic literature, pneumatic gun, knife, drugs, computer and communication equipment.

The Islamic State, an organization which is prohibited in Russia, is currently one of the major threats to global security. Over three years, these terrorists have managed to seize large areas of Iraq and Syria. Currently, various forces combat the organization in both countries.
Prosecutor demands 15 years in prison for former high-ranking investigator

 RIA Novosti, Mikhail Voskresensky

16:49 29/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI)  A prosecutor on Thursday asked a court to sentence ex-chief of the Investigative Committees Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko charged with taking $550,000 in bribes to15 years in prison, his lawyer Andrey Grivtsov told RAPSI.

Additionally, the prosecutor asked to fine the defendant 165 million rubles ($2.8 million).

According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. He is also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver.

The defendant has been arrested along with other high-ranking investigators, his deputy Alexander Lamonov and the First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committees Moscow Directorate, General Denis Nikandrov.

The three officers were detained as part of a case over extortion of 8 million rubles (about $138,000 at the current exchange rate) that involved an alleged gang leader Zakhariy Kalashov, who was sentenced to 9 years and 10 months in a high security penal colony on March 29.

In addition, investigators believe that former investigators extorted 10 million rubles (about $170,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants deny their connections to Kalashov and he denied those as well.
Russian investigators seek UK legal support in case of Skripals daughter

 flickr.com/Iker Merodio

09:59 29/03/2018

MOSCOW, March 29 (RAPSI)  The Investigative Committee of Russia has forwarded a request to the UK authorities seeking legal support in a criminal case over attempted murder of Yulia Skripal, the daughter of the former Russian intelligence officer Sergey Skripal, the Committees press-service has stated.

The Investigative Committee has provided the request to the Prosecutor Generals Office for official transfer to British authorities.

Investigators ask their counterparts in the United Kingdom to establish the circumstances of the crime and provide copies of the case documents including reports on examination of the place where Skripal was found as well as the results of her medical examination. The Committee noted that it is ready to cooperate with the Great Britain in this case.

On March 4, ex-Russian intelligence officer Sergey Skripal, who was found guilty of espionage in favor of the UK in 2006 and pardoned later, and his daughter Yulia were affected by a powerful nerve agent. Currently, both of them are in critical condition in a British hospital. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May accused Russia of unlawful use of force in Great Britain. Russia denies the accusations.

Later, Russian authorities launched a criminal case over attempted murder of Yulia Skripal in Salisbury.
Property details:

Here's a great opportunity to own a 1/2 acre in New Mexico. Photos are from actual lot.This is a NO Reserve Auction. Electric is in front of the lot. Excellent Road Access. Experience the unique culture and history of New Mexico with local day trips including national parks, scenic byways, world-class museums, archaeological ruins, rural landscapes and high-tech attractions. History beckons with nearby attractions in New Mexico that evolved over the centuries, with the Anasazi Indians and visits...

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LOTS FOR SALE IN BEAUTIFUL REPUBLIC WASHINGTON IT'S APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES FROM THE PROPERTY TO THE CANADIAN BOARDER.I HAVE BEEN TOLD FISHING AND HUNTING IS THIS AREA IS A FISHERMAN AND HUNTERS DREAM" SORRY I HAVE NO PHOTOS OF THE PROPERTIES". THE 3 LOTS CONSIST OF 24 ACRE'S MORE OR LESS, I JUST HAVE SOME MAPS, WILL BE ENCLOSED FOR YOUR REVIEW. The road that runs in front of the property is called "Custom road" and just across the road from the property is the Kettle River known as one of the be...

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ESCAPE TO GODS COUNTRY AND OWN A PIECE OF PARADISE IN THE NORTHERN MAINE NEXT TO THE CANADIAN BORDER. This huge 23 +/- acre tract of recreational and hunting land is located in Cyr Plantation, Maine. A rural town that sits a stone throw away from the Canadian border. This lot is only a few miles from the International border. There you have the town of Van Buren for your amenities, and the St. John River for boating and fishing for the trophy Musky. This 23 acre is a great wildlife area for moos...

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I am Owner Financing my 4.78 ac. land on creek in Bushkill PA. taking highest cash offers. no dues or development, Zoned R3 for single, double, upto 4 family home close to Shawnee sky slopes right off your land , mins to nj mins casinos , water parks,outlets and more will quick claim deed land. title search will be added to buyers fees and all ebay fees won,t last long at this price very pretty pc of land in beautiful area and with larger homes. selling land as is.asking $25k with $10k down fina...

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'In the long run, the boost to farmers' incomes must come from technological breakthroughs,' says Pratap S Birthal and Digvijay S Negi.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Despite being the custodian of the country's food security, Indian farmers are stuck in a low-income syndrome.

Their per capita income in 2012-2013 was about Rs 15,000, just one-fifth the national average.

The Union government in its Budget of 2016-2017 set a target of doubling farmers' income by 2022. Towards this end, several measures have been initiated, but the extent to which these help in achieving the goal would depend on whom these target and where.

About 70 per cent farmers are marginal farmers (owning less than one hectare), and 77 per cent of them earn a meagre Rs 6,067 per capita a year.

Their distribution is widespread, but they are concentrated in Uttar Pradesh (27.4 per cent), Bihar (11.4 per cent), West Bengal (9.9 per cent), Odisha (6.3 per cent), Rajasthan (5.8 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (5.3 per cent), Maharashtra (4.9 per cent), Assam (3.9 per cent) and Jharkhand (3.2 per cent).

Most of these states are agricultural laggards and also lack the infrastructure essential for income growth.

Thus, these states need to be at the forefront of any income growth strategy.

Low income is associated with small landholdings.

Nonetheless, about seven per cent of marginal farmers earn more than Rs 50,000 per capita per year. Over 60 per cent of their income comes from non-farm sources.

Also, they are more engaged in animal husbandry and horticulture; and more efficient in production than their counterparts in the lowest income class.

Given the limits on landholding, income growth must be achieved by raising cropping intensity, improving resource-use efficiency and diversification.

Expansion in agriculture needs to exploit intensive cultivation, as only 40 per cent of crop land is cultivated more than once.

This can be enhanced by improving farmers' access to quality seeds of short-duration high-yielding crops and reliable irrigation sources in conjunction with micro-irrigation technologies, to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce costs of production.

The focus should also be on diversification into high-value crops and animal husbandry.

Demand for these commodities is growing fast, and there is considerable potential for value addition. These enterprises have, however, not received much policy focus.

For example, animal husbandry receives just five per cent of the total public investment and institutional credit to the agricultural sector.

More resources need to be allocated to sustain the growth of these enterprises and develop value chains.

An important strategy to augment farmers' incomes relates to provision of information.

The information needs of farmers are exploding, but information is accessible to only 45 per cent of farmers, mostly through informal sources.

The penetration of mobile phones and the internet is quite extensive in rural areas; their potential for dissemination of agriculture-related information remains under-exploited.

Given the limited outreach of the public extension system, policy should emphasise the use of these tools for dissemination of information.

In the long run, the boost to farmers' incomes must come from technological breakthroughs that raise yields and resource-use efficiency, reduce costs of production and improve the resilience of agriculture to climate change.

India spends barely 0.6 per cent of its agricultural gross domestic product on R&D, much less than many developed and developing countries. This calls for more resources for R&D to address the emerging challenges in agriculture.

Further, there is a need to create different types of infrastructure, focusing on improving complementarities among these, as lack of any of these may restrict farmers from capturing the benefits of investment in others.

A typical case is that of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where despite improvements in the road network, farmers have not benefited much owing to poor electricity supply for irrigation.

Finally, there is an urgent need to reduce employment pressure on agriculture and enhance the role of the rural non-farm sector.

There is scope for rural industrialisation.

Agriculture generates a considerable surplus -- enough to attract investment in agro-processing and ancillary industries. Towards this end, availability of trained manpower is important.

If the constraint of ubiquitous smallholdings on income growth is to be mitigated, a strategy for rural industrialisation is a must.

Pratap Birthal is ICAR National Professor, National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi. Digvijay S Negi is a doctoral student at the Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi.
We might not have been seeking out baubles, says Kishore Singh, but there's nothing Nirav Modi liked more than surprising you with them.



Photograph: Kind courtesy Nirav Modi/Facebook

Now that every sleuthing agency in the country is going through Nirav Modi's account books with a fine toothcomb, I think it best to make a clean breast of things before Punjab National Bank sends its snoops to interrogate your humble columnist.

Of course, my wife thinks it would be wildly exciting to be questioned in the NiMo scandal -- "Think of how envious the neighbours would be!" -- but I've a reputation (however modest) to consider.

It's mindful of that that I confess to willfully soliciting from the diamantaire currently in disgrace for looting and scooting with PNB's investor wealth.

Far away in Italy, in a small Sicilian village, is a family business where chocolatiers handmake chocolates in what is described as the Aztec tradition, grinding together cacao and cold sugar for the crunch.

These are later infused with flavours that range from caramel to lemon and cinnamon, adding nuts or fruits to make up a confection very different from the creamy bites we all recognise.

Hand-wrapped and placed in elegant boxes, these chocolates cost a small fortune, and NiMo claimed to enjoy sharing these with his business associates.

Artisanal, hand-crafted chocolates are expensive, as we all know. But here was something you wouldn't find in duty free shops, or even in high street specialty chocolate stores, because as Nirav Modi assured me, the first time he shared a box, these had to be ordered in advance.

He enjoyed holidaying in Italy, of course, but if I remember right, he mentioned having to fly in the chocolates on a regular basis "because the family likes them so much".

If I'd left it at that one sinful box, all would have been well, but here comes the tricky part.

The family -- which tends to ignore most piles of chocolate at home -- made a representation asking for more.

When I demurred, saying I could hardly ask a global brand promoter to keep us supplied in chocolates, my wife said, "It's not as if we're asking him for diamonds."

We might not have been seeking out baubles, but there's nothing Modi liked more than surprising you with them.

He would ask you to hold out your palm before casually dropping "the world's most flawless ruby", or "the world's largest emerald" on to it.

So, what was a box of chocolates, or two, for a wide-eyed hack?

The first time I reminded him that he'd volunteered to share his Italian chocolate booty with us, he took the trouble to find my address and had not one, but two boxes sent home.

At a subsequent meeting, he said he had carried a box of chocolates especially for us, but damn if someone else hadn't pinched it.

Ever since that box of chocolates went astray, we never received any more, not even when my wife brazenly requested them when we met at his promotional launches.

Maybe that's when he was running out of money, or had decided to use the LOUs for things other than wasteful titbits that pandered to the palate.

At any rate, should PNB think us guilty of actively lobbying from Mr Modi what he clearly could not afford to pay for from his own money, I am willing to settle the account for three boxes of chocolates, even paying for the fourth that was never actually delivered to us.

I don't know the procurement price of the chocolates, but Rs 11,400 should cover it.

That would then leave only the zeros following that for Mr Modi to account for.
The government is betting on the fact that it will be conducive for the new owner to give voluntary retirement scheme

Air India employees may get stock option in the airline after it is privatised. The government is planning to create an employee stock pool from the 24 per cent stake it will hold in the airline.

On Wednesday, the government announced it would divest 76 per cent stake in the national carrier.

Permanent employees will be given stock option in the company, it will be given from the residual stake the government will hold in Air India, said a senior official.

This, along with an assurance of job continuity for the next one year, is the governments step to assure the employees the official said.

According to the information memorandum released by the government, the airline has 11,214 permanent employees.

Of that, around 37.6 per cent will be retiring in the next five years.

The officials said the employees exercising the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) option would be able to monetise the stock when the airline is listed.

As part of the disinvestment process, the government has made it mandatory for the successful bidder to list the airline three years after assuming management control.

After creating the ESOP pool, government holding will fall to around 20 per cent, rest will be sold off the government in parts, the official said.

Further to assuage the employees, the government has decided to pay all pending salaries to employees before the disinvestment process is completed.

As a part of the recommendation of Justice Dharmadhikari committee in 2012, there was a salary revision - the benefit of which has not been passed to the employees completely.

The employee dues of 1298.2 crore (Rs 12,982 million) is in the nature of past arrears and Air India Asset Holding will commit to pay the same at appropriate stage before consummation of the proposed transaction, the official said.

The government is betting on the fact that it will be conducive for the new owner to give voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) after one year as a number of Air India employees are close to the retirement age.

The companys average age of staff is 55 years, which means if provided a generous and just VRS package, they will accept it.

"The technical staff is highly sought after in the market and hence, the market will be ready to absorb them, a second government official said.

Air India and its five subsidiaries have around 22,000 employees, of which Air India has around 12,000.

It includes 897 pilots and 2,750 cabin crew who are termed technical employees.

The rest comprises non-technical staff working in ground handling and management.

Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters
State sheds laggard tag, emerges as leader among peers.

IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The third edition of the government's annual Ease of Doing Business ranking for states, modeled on the international one conducted by the World Bank, may see West Bengal jumping 15 places to top the list along with Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Data collected till Wednesday on an online dashboard maintained by the department of industrial policy and promotion, which conducts the ranking, suggests so. Last year, DIPP had finalised a total list of 372 reforms in regulatory processes, policies, practices or procedures as part of the Business Reforms Action Plan 2017. This is spread across 12 key reform areas.

Reforms successfully undertaken by each state are updated on the dashboard with the result that states with the highest implementation of reforms securing the highest ranks.

West Bengal had slumped to 16th position last year from the initial 11th position in the first rankings. Last years rankings saw Andhra Pradesh and Telangana emerging as the top states easiest to do business in, relegating Gujarat to the third place.

This year, apart from the top 3, Jharkhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Karnataka make up the list of top 10 states. Notably, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra are expected to fall off the top 10 list while Karanataka is set for a comeback.

Laggards progress slowly

In the inaugural edition of the rankings, only seven states implemented more than 50 per cent of the reforms suggested by the government, while the second edition saw 18 states implementing more than that level. This year, that list has crept up to only 21 states.

However, the National Capital Territory of Delhi has shockingly scored a low 34 per cent on a scale of zero to 100. This is significant as the World Bank only considers the ease of setting up a business in Delhi and Mumbai while calculating its final score for India.

In the state rankings, Delhi receives company from states traditionally weak in this regard such as Jammu and Kashmir, Tripura and Nagaland, apart from the union territories, which have scored below it.

The governments aim of pushing industrial growth and entrepreneurship across the country may take a hit with states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Manipur not implementing even a single reform and thereby securing a zero as their score.

User feedback introduced

The rankings were initially expected to be revealed by January 2017 but has been delayed. DIPP officials, now say it will be out within the next 4-5 weeks.

"All of the procedures, including the validation of reforms by states are complete from the Centre's side. This year, we are taking industry feedback for the first time to make the process foolproof, with the final rankings calculated after that. This is why it has taken more time." a senior DIPP official said.

Out of the 372 recommendations, 78 action points will have feedback from the actual users or businesses. This is expected to help the government in checking the pulse of the users before this years global ease of doing business rankings roll in come November.

In 2017, India had for the first time broken into the club of the 100 nations easiest to conduct business in, driven by ease of paying taxes, resolving the insolvency problem, access to credit, and protection of minority investors. The World Banks Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs report had shown that India's rank in ease of doing business jumped 30 places to 100 among 190 countries.

The country has also been adjudged the fifth best-performing nation globally in reforming the business environment. The country improved its rankings in six of the 10 sub-categories used by the World Bank to judge the climate of business.
According to a source SoftBank is in favour of Ola acquiring the Indian unit of Uber, but the finer details of the deal are being discussed

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Japanese investment giant SoftBank has called for a merger between homegrown Ola and US firm Ubers India unit as part of its planned consolidation in Asias fast-growing ride hailing app market.

The talks, facilitated by SoftBank, which is the largest investor in both companies, have been going on for nearly a year, according to sources close to the development.

However, in the past few days, this call for a merger between Uber and Ola has gathered steam.

Softbanks push for consolidation in Indias ride hailing market comes days after Uber announced its exit from Southeast Asia after selling its local unit to rival Grab.

Post the completion of that deal, Uber will control 27.5% stake in the combined entity.

Talks have been on between the senior executives of both the firms (Uber and Ola), said one of the persons with direct knowledge of the talks, declining to state who the officials are given that the information is not public yet. The deal may be closed in a couple of months, the person added.

Another source added that SoftBank is in favour of Ola acquiring the Indian unit of Uber, but the finer details of the deal are being discussed.

Both companies are looking at having a controlling stake in the combined entity, which is also why the talks have been progressing relatively slowly so far.

Softbank declined to comment on the development, while an Uber spokesperson denied that any such talks on a potential merger or acquisition are currently on.

An Ola spokesperson declined to comment on this development, but said the Bengaluru-based company is always looking for opportunities to grow its footprint.

In Indias transformative digital journey, Ola will always be an active and integral part for decades to come. SoftBank and all other investors are committed in realising this ambition, the company said in a statement.

If the deal goes through and Ola acquires Ubers India unit, it will mark the US firms fourth large retreat globally.

The company has so far sold its China unit to rival Didi, Russian unit to local player Yandex and earlier this week it also announced the sale of its Southeast Asia unit to Grab.

The great news about our Grab deal is that it allows us to double down to invest aggressively in our core markets - and we consider India very much as core to Ubers success.

"Wed, of course, look at any deals that can add value to our partners and shareholders, but we believe in controlling our own destiny in India, Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, had said in an internal statement that was sent to employees and was later made public on the companys blog.

While both companies claim leadership in terms of market share in India, independent analysts peg that the gap between the two firms is not that large.

This has been a major point of contention in the truce talks that Softbank is calling for between Uber and Ola.

Previously, both companies were seen to cut driver earnings simultaneously which experts said was indicative of a peace treaty between the two.

Uber might be under immense pressure from investors to cut losses in order to go public, but the company says it is still invested in India and will leverage profits it earns from its other markets to win in the country.

The US firm is estimated to burn between $22-25 million every month, which while significant, is still far less than the billions of dollars it was burning in markets such as China and Southeast Asia.

Olas burn rate is said to be slightly lower than that of Uber, but not by much.
Besides working on better operational control, internal efficiency and leveraging of internal talent, Salil Parekh is also focusing on building a pipeline of leaders

Salil Parekh, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of information technology major Infosys, is working on better operational control, internal efficiency and leveraging of internal talent.

Parekh, a former Capgemini executive, who joined Infosys this January, plans to lay out a road map for the medium to long term, according to sources.

Parekh is also focusing on building a pipeline of leaders. Earlier this month, the company included three senior leaders as his direct reportees - Nitesh Banga, senior vice-president (SVP) and global head of manufacturing and Edge products; Sudip Singh, SVP and head of engineering; and Anand Swaminathan, SVP and global head of communications, media and technology.

Nothing has changed at the ground level. Earlier, the four presidents reported directly to the CEO and MD.

"After Sandeep Dadlani and Rajesh Krishnamurthys exit last year, their roles were split.

"It was prudent to bring some of these senior leaders who are managing large global responsibilities under the CEOs direct control, sources said.

Dadlani, then the president and head of manufacturing, retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG) and logistics resigned last June.

His role was then split between Nitesh Banga, given the charge of manufacturing and Karmesh Vaswani, named global head for retail, CPG & logistics.

Similarly, after the exit of Krishnamurthy, his portfolio which included consulting, energy, utilities and communication was split; media and communications moved to Swaminathan.

Consulting went to Ravi Kumar S, president and deputy chief operating officer.

There is focus to groom and empower internal leaders more with leadership roles but the company is also hiring a lot of outsiders in senior positions, though not in leadership roles, a source said.

Six people now report directly to Parekh, including chief operating officer (COO) UB Pravin Rao and president and deputy COO Ravi Kumar.

Infosys was known to be heavily focused on grooming leaders internally, looking out only when there were not enough internal candidates to fill a position.

With Parekh at the helm, that culture seems back at Infosys.

Photograph: Kind courtesy, Capgemini/Instagram
Stars go for the loveliest holidays.

Raveena Tandon went on a super cool Swiss holiday.

Karisma Kapoor holidayed in Europe.

Kunal Kapoor went on a road trip from Dharamsala to Kaza in Himachal Pradesh.

Parineeti Chopra got adventurous in Australia.

Television couple Suyyash Rai and Kishwer Merchant went to California.

Asin had an amazing holiday in Italy.

Sunny Leone and Daniel Weber went to Mexico.

Aahana Kumra took us to Goa.

Ileana D'Cruz showed us what Fiji looks like.

Alia Bhatt went on a family holiday to the Maldives.

This week, let's go on a desert safari and explore Dubai with Hina Khan and her beau Rocky Jaiswal.

Diving into the desert safari.

When she was all set for Dubai.

'When the attempt to build something magnificent within ignites everything around transforms! The Burj Khalifa is a living, breathing organism that inspires everyone without discrimination! That's not just an icon but an iconic personality!' Hina writes.

A stunning view from the top.

Rocky joins in for a picture.

Taking in the desert air.

Having a fun time at the beach.

'The desert is like a huge hourglass, millions of moments from time to time, here goes my addition into its vault!'

'Lost for another lifetime just like I got lost in its serenity and depth ...cruising .. connecting .. with this ethereal absolution!'

Making memories in the desert.

The setting sun forms the perfect backdrop.

Camel ride time!

Saying hello to a falcon.

Posing and getting all touristy.

Spending a day at Atlantis, The Palm.

Smiling for the camera.

Photographs: Kind courtesy Hina Khan and Rocky Jaiswal/Instagram
'Every adult has the right to ignore the tenets of any and every faith, so long as it does not harm somebody else,' says Devangshu Datta.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Does an adult have a right to end his or her life?

The answers to this question are often coloured by religious beliefs.

The big problem is that no religion takes modern medical technology into account and, therefore, every religion is critically under-informed when it comes to providing answers to 21st century life and death situations.

Modern medicine introduces options that lie somewhere between death and life. It is entirely possible, actually common, for somebody to be in a coma for an indefinite period, with physical functions run by life-support machines.

No religion deals coherently with the Schrodinger-esque situation when life and death are no longer a binary distinction.

Judeo-Islamic-Christian faith systems consider suicide to be a sin. On the other hand, Jains, Buddhists and many strains of Hinduism as well consider suicide a reasonable option under many circumstances. Sikhs appear divided on the subject, going by public debates.

Life support is an expensive process. It can present the family of the patient with a cruel dilemma.

There is often no way for patients to communicate their wishes while on life support. Indeed, the patient may no longer exist in a cognitive sense and there may seem to be absolutely no chance of recovery.

But it may be illegal to pull the plug, leading to a huge, open-ended financial drain.

It is also possible for modern medicine to pull off apparent miracles, where somebody who is severely injured, or suffering from a terrible disease, makes a recovery from the brink of death.

That can happen even when the probability of a recovery seems very low. It is also possible that the sufferer doesn't want to go through the often-painful procedures necessary to attempt recovery.

The psychological trauma in such situations is very real and I've experienced it personally.

My father went through several days in coma before he passed on. My family would have much preferred a clean, quick exit, under the circumstances.

On the other hand, one of my uncles expressly forbade his children to ever put him on life support. He died quickly as a result but a decade down the line, his sons still wonder if he would have survived had they used a ventilator.

Under such circumstances, it must be morally right to allow the patient to make a decision to end it all with dignity.

Whether that person is breaking the tenets of some faith or another is irrelevant; every adult has the right to ignore the tenets of any and every faith, so long as it does not harm somebody else.

There are further, nastier, considerations involved in allowing people the right to pull the plug and die with dignity.

Those involve inheritance. There are innumerable instances of families ill-treating elderly persons in circumstances where they stand to inherit substantial property, or just cannot be bothered to look after the old folks.

Children forcing parents to sign over property; throwing out their parents from their home; verbally and physically abusing them, etc, are all common events.

Would a law that allowed people to die with dignity open a convenient channel for the disposal of elderly and infirm people? It would.

Checks and balances against such misuse may also be very weak in practice. In that case, euthanasia would become synonymous with murder.

Presumably, these are all arguments that the Supreme Court considered before it decided that a limited form of passive euthanasia was permissible. On the whole, it seems to have made a reasonable decision.

Allowing passive euthanasia could prevent families suffering a massive financial drain if persons in coma have to be kept on life support indefinitely.

It could also give terminally-ill persons an option to exit with dignity without going through the pain and trauma of invasive surgical procedures, or chemotherapy.

The court suggested a sort of 'living will' process where checks and balances against coercive euthanasia could be introduced.

This will be the critical test of the law in practice.

If it can prevent misuse of the provision, self-willed euthanasia could enhance the quality of life by allowing for a comfortable death.
'This is possibly a long drawn battle and if the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are together in this long battle, a new political picture will emerge in the country.'

'In this battle if we have to sacrifice or give up anything, we are ready.'

'We have to remain cautious against the BJP's attempts to break our unity.'

'We want this alliance to stay.'



IMAGE: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav at a press conference in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

Akhilesh Yadav speaks about the Samajwadi Party's stunning victory in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha by-elections -- where SP candidates shocked Bharatiya Janata Party nominees -- the SP's new partnership with the Bahujan Samaj Party and tea with BSP Supremo Mayawati.

The first of an exclusive, two-part, interview with Rediff.com's Archana Masih.

When you met Mayawatiji in her home after the by-poll victories -- after how long were you meeting her?

Honestly, it was the first time I went to her house. I have met her many times in the House and in functions.

I went to personally thank her because it was a big win.

The CM (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had represented the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat since 1998) lost after years. The deputy CM (Keshav Prasad Maurya had won the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 election) lost.

My happiness would have been incomplete if I had not thanked her.

Did you sit down and have tea or just returned after presenting her a bouquet?

Even if I came to your home, I am sure you will offer me tea.

She is such a big leader and we had won a great victory, so I had tea, pakodas, mithai.

To tell you the truth, it was after a very long time that I saw such mehman nawazi (hospitality).

The Opposition seems to win by-elections, but the BJP trumps them in the big elections? Why is that?

See how the BJP national president's language has changed in Karnataka.

The loss of two seats in UP has frightened the BJP in Karnataka.

Our chief minister was visiting Karnataka a lot, but we Samjwadis have put a brake to those visits.

Please note that the BJP's campaign in Karnataka was started by him. I don't think our CM will be able to go to Karnataka now.

How has your outlook changed after the by-poll victories of Gorakhpur and Phulpur?

My outlook is the same. I had to learn some things from the BJP (laughs).

We had fought the assembly election last year based on our development record and development schemes.

Many people used to ask what is your narrative if you have to fight the BJP? The BJP has many organisations under its umbrella that take its message to people on the ground.

The by-poll election provided us with a narrative.

The BJP's formula in the UP election was caste and religion. We in the Samajwadi Party can say that our message will be about progressive development and social justice.

Perhaps it is these two issues that will sustain us in UP and in politics.

But social justice and development have been on your agenda even in the past, what is new about these issues?

It was there, no doubt -- as chief minister, I made India's longest and best expressway, metros in 4, 5 cities, introduced world class police reform system, but I did not have the glue or Fevicol.

Now I have the glue and the Fevicol with which I can draw people to us, make them join us.

Social Justice. Kisan. Jobs for youth. This is the glue.

The coming together with Mayawatiji and the victory in the by-poll, coupled with the selection of candidates, helped us.

We gave the ticket to the son of the leader of the Nishad Party which had its own community support base.

We told them that your individual battle is a long one, but if your son joins us, you will win this battle.

We brought in Dr Sanjay Nishad's son into our party, we took the support of 30 other parties including the party representing the small Bind Samaj, Left parties. Even the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) supported us.

And we got the support of Mayawatiji.

This resulted in building a force against communal forces.

Please note the language of our chief minister.

On the floor of the House, a chief minister says I am proud of being Hindu and I don't celebrate Eid.

You take your oath as CM in the name of god to protect the Constitution and look at the statements you make in the House.

So arrogant is the BJP that it does not acknowledge anyone else. They called us saap aur chachoondar (snake and mongoose) -- this is their language of arrogance.

They did not care about people's sentiments and the people of Gorakhpur and Phulpur taught the BJP a lesson.

Our margin of victory may have been a few thousand (votes), but if you see the difference from the last election, it shows that lakhs of people are upset with the BJP.

When Yogiji said he is proud to be Hindu, in your reply you asked: 'Am I not proud?'

I said am I not a Hindu?

I said I want to thank the BJP that they think of me as a backward Hindu -- at least they have told me that I am a backward.

You called yourself a progressive backward Hindu.

Yes, and before that I said that I was building expressways, metros and distributing laptops -- so I thought I was forward, but I want to tell the BJP members that I am a progressive backward.

Why have leaders like you who never proclaimed their Hindu-ness before started doing so now? Has the 'pro-Muslim' tag become a liability?

No, no, no. This is not the issue at all.

They used to accuse us of Muslim appeasement and by talking about Hindus the BJP is appeasing Hindus.

They used to accuse us that we want to make the Muslims happy. The BJP's strategy is to use this language to create a negative sentiment about us.

Hamre toh Krishna bhagwan hai (Lord Krishna is our God). I told the BJP that the avatars of Vishnu are Ram and Krishna. I am speaking to the BJP in their own language.

I still say that when we come to power again we will continue to build expressways and distribute laptops, but till then we have to respond to them in their own language.

A few days ago Soniaji (Congress MP Sonia Gandhi) also said that her party comprises of mostly Hindus. Has it become a requirement to say this now?

It is not a requirement, but it needs to be conveyed to the BJP.

The BJP mind needs to know that we are also like them, they want to portray us as being different.

Do you think this will alienate Muslims who support your party?

Bilkul nahi! Joh Krishna bhagwan ko manta ho us se koi naraz nahi ho sakta (Not at all! No one can be upset with a Lord Krishna devotee).

No Muslim will be upset with one who worships Lord Krishna.

Is your alliance with the BSP a done deal for 2019?

This is not a deal. The nation wants a road map and we have chartered a new course.

If I am correct -- once Dr Ambedkar wanted to meet Ram Manohar Lohiaji. Dr Lohia wanted both of them to fight the political battle together.

Maybe a new path has opened up in UP. As we set course on this new path we say we are no different from anybody, nor do we want to upset anyone.

We want whatever is due to us under the Constitution.

The BJP talks about Digital India. Till now ATMs, cars, bikes, banks used to be burgled, but the BJP people are robbing your data.

These robbers of data who want everybody to be linked by Aadhar, I say to them count us in and give us our rights and dignity based on our population as stipulated under the Constitution.

This is possibly a long drawn battle and if the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are together in this long battle, a new political picture will emerge in the country.

This is not a deal. The two parties have come together to chart a fresh course in the politics of this country.

What effect has the BJP's defeat in the UP by-polls had?

People did not expect that the chief minister would lose his seat, that the deputy CM would lose.

These two lost and see how the BJP national president's language changed in Karnataka.

He forgot his own CM candidate's name and what he was saying about whom!

Mayawatiji is a seasoned leader with a committed voter base. She is said to be difficult to get along.

As the younger person in this alliance, what are the challenges for you in ensuring that your parties remain united?

Whatever may have been said about Mayawatiji, in this battle, she is straightforward. Our goal is a big one. Our goal is to defeat the BJP because the BJP has defeated us.

It has betrayed the people of UP.

They have made us casteist, thrown us into a pit of hate.

In this battle if we have to sacrifice or give up anything, we are ready.

We have to remain cautious against the BJP's attempts to break our unity. We want this alliance to stay.

Are you nervous about this partnership with Mayawatiji? Up till now you ran your party independently, but now you have to share space and ideas with Mayawatiji?

Why should I be nervous? The ideas are the same -- to improve the life of the poor.

If we can make a difference to those who are ignored, what can be a better sense of happiness for the SP and BSP?

In ten years time the country's population will be 150 crores (1.5 billion people). It would mean that 100 crore (1 billion) Indians will not have employment.

Look at what our country has come to? The prime minister has visited 48 countries. Tell me if any farmer has committed suicide in any of these 48 countries.

If we can contribute to the building of the nation, it will be our biggest victory.
'If the National Medical Commission Bill is introduced, it will destroy the system of modern medicine.'



IMAGE: On April 2, 1 million doctors and 300,000 medical students will go on strike protesting the National Medical Bill. These doctors believe the government's new legislation goes against modern medicine. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters

Patients brace yourselves.

Doctors across the country have decided to go on an indefinite strike from April 2 if the government does not remove controversial clauses from the National Medical Commission Bill.

"All modern medicine doctors have begun to think that this government doesn't want to utilise our services as they want to utilise the services of non-modern medicine doctors. So, we are fine with that decision and we will help the government's move by withdrawing modern medicine services that we offer," a clearly upset Indian Medical Association President Dr Ravi Wankhedkar tells Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore.

Why are Indian Medical Association doctors going on a nationwide strike from April 2? What are you trying to achieve with this strike?

Who said we (IMA doctors) are going on a strike?

There are newspaper reports that say so...

Then you must ask these newspapers about the authenticity of these reports.

So, you are not going on a nationwide strike from April 2?

I didn't say that. You first confirm your information. Words are very important.

Newspaper reports say 'Rejecting the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the National Medical Commission bill, the Indian Medical Association, the largest body of private doctors in India, today called for an indefinite strike from April 2.'

Three things are not factual in what you read just now.

The first part that we have rejected the report (the Parliamentary Committee's recommendations) is absolutely right.

Two factual errors: One, the IMA is not a body of private doctors.

Secondly, it was not an IMA mahapanchayat, but a doctors' mahapanchayat where medical students, service doctors, junior doctors, medical teachers, speciality organisations along with the IMA (decided to go on a strike).

So, it was a representative mahapanchayat of 10 lakh doctors and three lakh medical students as students on March 24, along with various medical students' associations had their separate students' parliament (chhatra sansad) that resolved to go a national strike of medical students and young medicos from April 2.

The chhatra sansad gave us their resolution and our doctors' mahapanchayat accepted that resolution.

So, IMA has got nothing to do with this strike?

The IMA has decided to support their (the medical students' associations) move of going on a nationwide strike.

What the IMA has resolved is that if the NMC Bill is introduced it will destroy the system of modern medicine totally because it is going to allow non-modern medicine practitioners a free run to practise modern medicine.

In that situation, we are saying the government need not take so much effort of ruining and destroying the modern medicine system; we will withdraw (from practising modern medicine); (if this government wants) we will have a modern medicine-mukt Bharat.

All the modern medicine doctors have begun to think that this government doesn't want to utilise our services as they want to utilise the services of non-modern medicine doctors.

So, we are fine with that decision and we will help the government's move by withdrawing modern medicine services that we offer.

We were called by the (Union) health minister (Jagat Prakash Nadda) who asked us for certain documents. We have asked him for certain clarifications.
IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis offers coconut water to social activist Anna Hazare as he ends his six-day indefinite hunger strike after a meeting at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, on Thursday. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/PTI Photo

Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday called off his hunger strike on the seventh day of his protest in New Delhi, saying the government has assured him of steps 'soon' towards appointing Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states and addressing agrarian issues he flagged by him.

At the venue at Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who acted as the emissary of the Centre along with Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat, said that the National Democratic Alliance government has taken 'positive decisions' in response to the demands of Hazare and several other farmers' organisations.

Shekhawat, who read out a letter from Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh regarding Hazare's demands, said the government will also convey issues raised by the activist relating electoral reforms to the Election Commission.

The 80-year-old anti-corruption activist, however, said he was giving the government six months time till August to come good on its assurance and warned that his protest will again begin in September if the demands were not met.

Hazare ended his indefinite hunger strike with Fadnavis offering him coconut water. Maharashtra's Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan too was present at the protest venue, where close to 300 other protesters also ended their fast at the same time.

"They (government) have assured us they will make the appointments (of Lokpal and Lokayukta) as soon as possible. I will see till August and we will begin again in September. It should be done within a time frame. (Though) Chief Minister Fadnavis has said it will not even take six months, we will see," Hazare said.

"Sarkar aur janta alag nahi hoti...sarkar ka kaam hai janta ki bhalai, desh ki bhalai...aise andolan ki naubat nahi aani chahiye (the government and the public are not separate. The government's job is to do what is good for the people and the country. Things should not come to such a pass that protests are needed)," he said.

On his part, Fadnavis said, "Whatever demands Anna (Hazare) made have been accepted (by the central government)."

He said, "We have given a letter from the PMO to AnnaWe told him about the reforms brought in connection with the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices and that a committee has been formed to give it autonomy...We have also explained to Anna in writing which components will fall under the (1.5 times) MSP (minimum support price)."

In his address after Hazare called off the protest, Fadnavis said the Centre is taking speedy steps to appoint Lokpal. He also assured the activist that the Maharashtra will be first among the states to have a Lokayukta.

Meanwhile, a man, who identified himself as Rajkumar Saini, hurled a shoe towards the stage where Hazare, Fadnavis and Shekhawat were present, but it was unclear as to whom it was aimed at.

He also flung some papers in the air and banged his head on a railing near the stage.

The man was whisked away by the police.

A small group of protesters present there accused the government of misleading Hazare and expressed displeasure over 'the issue of farm-loan waiver not being discussed at all'.

"We had come here to join the protest over agrarian issues. The loan waiver issue was not even discussed. The government has cheated. We will keep raising the issue," a protester, who identified himself as Rajesh Sharma from Haryana, said.
Senior-most Supreme Court judge, Justice J Chelameswar, has shot off a letter to the Chief Justice of India asking him to consider convening a full court to take up the issue of alleged executive interference in judiciary.

Justice Chelameswar, in his letter written on March 21, cautioned that "the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any State sounds the death knell to democracy".

The unprecedent letter, copies of which were also sent to 22 other apex court judges, has questioned the probe initiated by Karnataka high court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari against District and Sessions Judge Krishna Bhat at the instance of Union ministry of law and justice, despite his name being recommended for elevation twice by the collegium.

"Someone from Bangalore has already beaten us in the race to the bottom. The Chief Justice of Karnataka high court is more than willing to do the executive bidding, behind our back," Justice Chelameswar wrote in his six-page letter.

Raising the issue of judicial independence, he said, "We, the judges of the Supreme Court of India, are being accused of ceding our independence and our institutional integrity to the executive's incremental encroachment.

"The executive is always impatient, and brooks no disobedience even of the judiciary if it can. Attempts were always made to treat the Chief Justices as the Departmental Heads in the Secretariat. So much for our 'independence and preeminence' as a distinct State organ".

Justice Chelameswar, who had held the unprecedented January 12 press conference along with three other senior judges questioning the allocation of cases by the CJI, referred to the "unhappy experience" where the government sat tight over the files even after the collegium recommended names for appointment in the higher judiciary.

"For some time, our unhappy experience has been that the government's accepting our recommendations is an exception and sitting on them is the norm. 'Inconvenient' but able judges or judges to be are being bypassed through this route," he claimed.

The apex court judge, who is demitting office on June 22, took serious note of the communication between the Karnataka high court chief justice and the executive saying, "the role of high court ceases with its recommendation".

He said that any correspondence, clarificatory or otherwise, has to be between the executive and the Supreme Court.

Referring to Bhat's case, he said, "To my mind, I could recollect no instance from the past, of the executive bypassing the Supreme Court, more particularly while its recommendations are pending, to look into the allegations already falsified and conclusively rejected by us.

"Asking the high court to re-evaluate our recommendation in this matter has to be deemed improper and contumacious."

He said the judiciary may not be "far-off" when the executive would directly communicate with the high court about the pending cases and ask what orders are to be passed.

"Let us also not forget the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any State sounds the death knell to democracy. We both are mutual watchdogs, so to say, no mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts", he said in the letter to the CJI.

Asking the CJI to take up the issue of executive interference in judiciary by convening a full court on the judicial side, he said this was necessary in order to ensure that the institution (Supreme Court) remained relevant under the scheme of the Constitution.

He then referred to an instance from the past when the apex court had taken serious note of direct communication of the then law minister with the high courts on the issue of judges' transfer which had finally led to the judgement in first judges case in 1981. Later, the collegium had assumed power with regard to judges' appointment in higher judiciary.

In 2016, then Chief Justice of India T S Thakur had asked then high court chief justice S K Mukherjee to hold an inquiry against Bhat on certain allegations levelled by a subordinate woman judicial officer. Bhat's name was later recommended after the probe had given him a clean chit.

IMAGE: Supreme Court Justice Jasti Chelameswar at the unprecedented press conference at his home in New Delhi, January 12, 2018. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo
United States President Donald Trump has fired his Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominated White House physician, Admiral Ronny Jackson as his replacement.

Trump made the announcement on Twitter and later issued a separate statement thanking Shulkin for his services.

"I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L.Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs....," Trump wrote on Twitter.

"I appreciate the work of Dr. David Shulkin and the many great things we did together at Veterans Affairs, including the VA Accountability Act that he was helpful in getting passed. He has been a great supporter of veterans across the country and I am grateful for his service," Trump said in a later statement.

Early this month, Trump had unceremoniously fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and nominated Mike Pompeo, the CIA Director, for the top diplomatic position in his cabinet.

Both the cabinet positions need to be confirmed by the US Senate.

"In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin's service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!," Trump said in another tweet.

Trump said Jackson was highly trained and qualified.

"As a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," he said in a separate statement.

Wilkie, who will serve as the Acting Secretary for the department, is currently the Undersecretary of Defence for Personnel and Readiness at the Department of Defence and overseas health affairs, welfare and quality of life for military families.

Jackson has served as the White House physician during the past three administrations of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Since arriving at the White House, he has directed the Executive Health Care for the President's Cabinet and Senior Staff, served as physician supervisor for the Camp David Presidential Retreat, held the position of physician to the White House and led the White House Medical Unit as its director.

A native of Texas, and a graduate from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology; Jackson began his active duty naval service in 1995 and went on to become the honour graduate of the Navy's Undersea Medical Officer Program in Groton, Connecticut.

The opposition Democratic Party expressed concern over the firing of Shulkin.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called Shulkin's dismissal "a troubling step in the Trump Administration's ultimate goal of VA (Veterans Affairs) privatisation".

"From day one of this administration, the president has openly encouraged and embraced Koch Brothers-led forces as they work around Congress and behind closed doors to dismantle veterans' health care," Pelosi said.

She urged the members of Congress to join hands against any effort to privatise VA.

Senator Johnny Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, said Shulkin had made a tremendous impact toward improving the lives of veterans during his time at the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

"He has been instrumental in all that we have accomplished in the last year, and I thank Dr. Shulkin for his dedicated service to our country and our veterans," he said.

Concerned Veterans for America executive director Dan Caldwell said Shulkin made significant headway in reforming the department, but ultimately became a distraction from the important task of improving health care for the veterans.

"The Trump administration has made great progress over the last year reforming and fixing the VA, however there is still much work to be done," he said.
'As I went around Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna and Mannar, my mind went back to my visit in January 1990 at the fag end of the IPKFs mission in Sri Lanka,' says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).



IMAGE: Indian commandos at the burnt Jaffna library, January 1990. Photograph: Colonel Anil A Athale

Sri Lanka, India's closest maritime neighbour, seldom grabs headlines in the Indian media except during instances of internal violence, as happened recently with the Buddhist-Muslim riots.

Or during the Chinese incursions in our backyard, like with the visit of a Chinese submarine to Colombo a few years ago.

But the converse is not true. India looms large in the Sri Lankan media as well as in the public consciousness.

Many Indian visitors to the beautiful island nation are often perplexed at the under-the-surface hostility Sinhalas harbour towards them.

Most Indians are unaware that in the first millennium, King Rajendra Chola invaded Sri Lanka 17 times (a la Mahmud of Ghazni from around the same period), looted and destroyed the capital Anuradhapura.

The Cholas also destroyed the Bodhi tree there and built a Shiva temple in its place. In Sinhala historical memory the Cholas are what Ghazni is to an average North Indian.

In 1996, I learnt from reliable sources that at the height of the Indian Army's offensive against the Tamil Tigers in the late 1980s, Sri Lankans -- under then prime minister Ranasinghe Premadasa -- were supplying ammunition to the rebels!

Sri Lankan hatred of India and its intervention overcame even commonsense. It is another matter that Premadasa and the anti-Indian defence minister Lalith Athulathmudali were both assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

We often tend to forget that for other South Asian nations we are the big brother. So as a Lanka watcher for 28 years here is my attempt to explain the background to and rationale behind Indo-Sri Lankan relations.

On February 28, 2018, as I emplaned in Colombo to return to India, a long-felt desire had been fulfilled.

No, this was not my first visit to Sri Lanka. It was the fourth, but it was only on this trip that I visited eastern and northern Sri Lanka after the end of the civil war.

As I went around Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna and Mannar, my mind went back to my visit in January 1990 at the fag end of the Indian Peace Keeping Force's mission in Sri Lanka (appropriately named Operation Pawan).

I went to Sri Lanka on January 6, 1990, as an observer, to study IPKF operations.

Jaffna town was then under partial Indian occupation as were Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Vavunia.

This was after then PM V P Singh had ordered a withdrawal beginning 1989. The situation was tense as the LTTE continued its attacks on the withdrawing Indian troops.

After spending a few days in the Jaffna peninsula I flew to Trincomalee, as movement by road was impossible with the LTTE dominating the area.

At Trincomalee, I tried to go to the ancient city of Anuradhapura, but had to give up as the road was deemed unsafe.

No sooner did I return than I learnt that a prominent breakaway Tamil leader was ambushed and his vehicle blown up with an RPG-7 rocket minutes after I travelled on the same road.

Incidentally, the rocket launcher of Russian make was a favourite of the LTTE's as well as of the Palestinian guerillas.

Within days of my return from Sri Lanka, I learnt of a major ambush of returning soldiers near Kankesanturai port in the Jaffna peninsula.

Jaffna and Trincomalee were and felt like a war zone.

One only moved around with an armed escort. One could see the tension in the eyes of soldiers to realise that a brutal battle was going on between the Indian Army and the LTTE.

I must hasten to add that though very much in service then, I was there on a mission as an observer sent by the ministry of defence and was not a participant in any military operation.

The second time I went to Sri Lanka was in 1996 to study the then ongoing conflict between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan army.

This time my visit was confined to Colombo and Kandy and was basically to interact with the strategic community in Lanka.

During this visit I met Lakshman Kadirgamar, then the foreign minister, a prominent Tamil face in the Sri Lankan government fighting the civil war and assassinated by an LTTE sniper in 2005.

Colombo in 1996 was a city under siege, although the actual fighting was almost 200 km away in the north and east. The streets would be deserted early and normal traffic would not begin till the sun was up.

The fear of explosions and snipers was all-pervasive.

My trip nearly did not happen as I was denied a visa initially since I made it clear that I was not travelling as a tourist but as a researcher working on a project for the Government of India.

The Sri Lankan consul in Mumbai advised me to go as a tourist, but that would be a violation of visa rules and would have made me vulnerable in war time Sri Lanka.

As a desperate measure I wrote to then Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga that while India did support the Tamils' legitimate aspirations, India was not only Tamil Nadu and had a genuine interest in the welfare of the Sinhalas as well who, I pointed out, were also of Indian origin from Odisha and Bengal.

It worked and I was granted a visa on presidential intervention.

I returned from my research trip around October 18, 1995. On October 20, 1995, the LTTE attacked the oil storage facilities near Colombo airport, leading it to being shut for nearly a week.

The third time I visited Sri Lanka was in 2012, three years after the LTTE's conclusive defeat and the end of the Sri Lankan civil war in May 2009.

The war was over, but Colombo was still a city on high alert.

There were military checkposts all over the city. Overall, the atmosphere was peaceful, but there was tension in the air.

As one travelled to the hills of Kandy and southern Sri Lanka, the situation eased and there was very little military presence in Sinhala majority areas.

I went deep south to Hambantota where the construction of a port by the Chinese was on in full swing. Interestingly, there was very little visible Chinese presence.

The Chinese kept to themselves and lived in camps with very little interaction with the locals. On weekends, the resort where we stayed saw a few Chinese officials coming over for meals.

In order to 'feel' and experience life in Sri Lanka one travelled by public transport -- buses and train.

Though the civil war had ended three years earlier, there were checkpoints manned by the military. All passengers had to alight and go through screening. One saw that Sri Lankans of Tamil origin received special attention.
'It is the common people, not lawyers and judges, who are the stakeholders of the judiciary.'

Geetanjali Krishna reports.



Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

On January 12, when four of the senior-most judges in the Supreme Court voiced their concerns about the functioning of the judiciary at an unprecedented press conference, some cried foul.

However, many others heralded it as a brave move that highlighted the need to make Indian courts transparent and accountable.

While in the last few years the issue of judicial reforms has been discussed among lawyers and lawmakers, the average man on the street remains largely unaware of the implications this could have on his life.

This is exactly what Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Judicial Reforms (CJAR) is seeking to change.

"The judiciary has two key functions -- to decide individual cases and maintain a check on the government and legislature," says Prashant Bhushan, the lawyer and activist spearheading this campaign.

The first function, he points out, isn't being discharged satisfactorily as the majority of Indians don't have access to its legal system, which is often expensive and time-consuming.

The few who do find that cases drag on in courts for so long that the delay is akin to a denial of justice.

"Additionally, our systems tend to have an elitist bias," says Bhushan. "This makes it hard for slum dwellers, refugees, street vendors and others to get justice."

On its Web site, CJAR has initiated a variety of activities to highlight and advocate for judicial accountability.

Judge Watch provides case studies with details of the complaint filed by CJAR against the corrupt practices of individual judges.

The campaign files two to three complaints a year, ensuring it has enough legally admissible proof to back them.

Judgement Watch highlights landmark judgments such as the Supreme Court imposition of a 100 per cent penalty on mining companies in Odisha found guilty of rampant illegal and rapacious mining by the Justice Shah Commission.

In addition to exposing and challenging judicial corruption, CJAR is advocating for asset declaration by judges and greater transparency in their appointments and transfers.

"We want all court proceedings to be videotaped and perhaps even live-streamed online," says Bhushan.

"When Indian courts permit members of the public to physically come and watch their proceedings, why should this not be available to a wider audience?"

It has been shown the world over that the simple and relatively inexpensive act of videotaping all proceedings ensures better practices being followed, be it in police stations, government offices or courts.

CJAR is advocating for an amendment of the Contempt of Courts Act and for the formation of an independent commission with disciplinary powers over judges.

These steps will go a long way in improving the Indian judicial system.

"Known for its progressive judgements, the judiciary has been responsible for making government functioning more transparent and accountable," says Anjali Bhardwaj, member of the CJAR executive committee.

"It's time for the internal workings of the courts, such as judge appointments, to be made equally so..."

CJAR's patrons include senior retired judges, law professors, journalists and activists. It is endorsed by over 70 NGOs and civil society organisations across India. In fact, some have expressed interest in forming state-level chapters of CJAR.

But the doughty lawyer feels the road ahead will be long and rocky.

"Judicial reform hasn't become a political issue yet," Bhushan says.

The need of the hour, he says, is a full-blown campaign demanding judicial accountability, on the lines of Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption.

Limited by lack of funding, CJAR is unable to hire the full-time dedicated staff required to work on this.

Bhushan, a busy lawyer, wears too many hats to focus exclusively on this campaign. What motivates him and other activists to carry on is their fervent belief that a strong judiciary is one of the most important features of a democracy.

"It is the common people, not lawyers and judges, who are the stakeholders of the judiciary," he says.

"That's why the demand for a transparent and accountable judiciary is not just coming from us at CJAR, but from every citizen in the country."

Visit judiciareforms.org or follow Prashant Bhushan on Twitter.
'We often celebrate scholastic excellence while ignoring the majority of students who aren't there yet,' Pratham CEO Rukmini Banerji tells Geetanjali Krishna.

'It's time we celebrated the bottom.'

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

In the balmy warmth of the afternoon sun, an old gent plays croquet on the lawn outside the Tea Lounge at Delhi's Taj Palace Hotel.

Pretty porcelain teapots on silver salvers are being dispatched hither and thither to the handful of guests partaking of what many consider the most civilised meal of the day -- afternoon tea.

"It is picnic weather!" exclaims Rukmini Banerji delightedly, as she flops into a capacious sofa. "I was cooped up in office all day and didn't even notice..."

To be fair, Banerji and her cohorts at Pratham, one of the country's largest NGOs that provides high-quality, low-cost and replicable classroom interventions to address gaps in the education system, are a busy lot.

Their ASER (Annual Status of Education) Report (2017) released in January has caught the attention of the nation with its grim report card of poor learning outcomes across India.

And as the driving force behind the largest household survey of children conducted in India by citizens' groups -- carried out by more than 25,000 volunteers and covering over 700,000 children in 15,000 villages every year -- Banerji is a force to reckoned with in the education sector today.

Today, however, she declares she is happy to play hookey over high tea. So we order some Makaibari tea, and settle down for a chat as we wait for some English teatime goodies to arrive.

Banerji starts by saying that the overwhelming response to the latest ASER survey has taken her somewhat by surprise. "Usually, we survey primary school students, and I suspect people are more forgiving of low learning outcomes among young children," she says.

This time, however, since they decided to survey the age group of 14 to 18, the results shocked many and challenged the notion of the 'demographic dividend' that India is believed to have.

Over sips of tea, Banerji explains to me why regular on-the-ground impact assessment of development programmes is crucial.

"Since Pratham was born in 2002, we found ourselves enabling students to 'catch up' with their academic level," she says. "We started conducting village-level assessments to gauge the impact of schooling on learning outcomes, and to demonstrate to village pradhans, headmasters and parents that their children needed help."

When Banerji and her cohorts shared the results of these surveys with the local community, they realised that often, parents didn't even know what learning outcomes to expect from their children at specific scholastic levels.

There were two important takeaways from these early assessments. "We found that faced with the findings of our surveys, parents and teachers became more receptive to the idea of seeking help from organisations like Pratham to improve their learning outcomes," she says.

"Also, we found that even the most cynical pradhan we met, admitted that s/he'd be thrilled if every child in their village could read and write..."

Just then, a three-tiered tray of scones, tarts and wafer-thin sandwiches arrives at the table, causing a brief suspension of conversation. As she enthusiastically lathers cream and berry preserve on a scone, I tell her we share a common alma mater in the Delhi School of Economics.

The preserve drops out of her scone as she laughs uproariously: "I'm actually a D-School dropout!"

Banerji went to Oxford within a year of joining the two-year MA programme at D-School, but the experience taught her something useful. "I realised that I was better suited for an interdisciplinary, practical approach rather than a purely academic one," says she.

Her interest in education developed when she volunteered at a Chicago public school during her PhD.

"After I started working, I'd take a month off every year to volunteer and study government schools in India," she says.

The pot of Makaibari tea is replenished, as if by invisible hands. We nibble on salmon sandwiches as she gives me a sense of what it is like to work in a sector that has shown so little real improvement over the years.

While enrolment rates in schools have risen substantially, the fact that so many students are nowhere near the level of the curriculum must be profoundly frustrating to her, I say.

She disagrees: "There's no such thing as a poor student -- only poor teaching and curriculum."

She avers that Pratham's standardised and easily replicable modules which are taught at the learning level of students rather than their scholastic level, have been proven to be highly effective.

In their 40-day learning camps, one of which I witnessed some years ago in Bhadohi (Uttar Pradesh), their impact has been significant: At the baseline, 59 per cent students could not even read simple words.

After attending the Pratham Learning Camps, 77 per cent of these students were able to read simple text fluently.

Although the sun has set, it is still lovely to sit outside. We ask for another pot of tea and more scones even as Banerji groans at the indulgence.

She checks the time and tells me that she has an early dinner date with her four-year-old granddaughter.

We have a little more time, she assures me, and launches into some of the key learnings from ASER reports from several Indian states.

For example, in UP, only seven per cent of the students surveyed in class three, were actually at the class three level.

In contrast, 50 per cent class three students in Himachal Pradesh are at the appropriate scholastic level.

"This has important implications for educational policy," says she.

In government school classrooms in UP, for example, where barely three out of 50 students can comprehend what is being taught, there is a crying need for bringing down the level of the curriculum.

"But the government, even parents, are too hung up on textbooks, exams and grades to understand this," says she.

Time and again, Banerji and the folks at Pratham have seen students struggling to cope with an advanced curriculum without having basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills.

"Imagine how profoundly frustrating school would be for such children..." she says soberly.

One finding which worries her no end is that although the majority of the students polled came from farming backgrounds, few were interested in studying agriculture.

The staff at the Tea Lounge has probably forgotten we are here; for who sits around having tea long after sun down?

I give up trying to catch the eye of someone, anyone, to present the bill to me, and focus on Banerji, who is giving me her recipe for improving the quality and impact of education in India.

"We often celebrate scholastic excellence while ignoring the majority of students who aren't there yet," she says. "It's time we celebrated the bottom."

So instead of curriculums and teachers that focus on the creme de la creme of the classroom, she suggests, schools should try to raise the level of the rest of the class.

"This would automatically shift their focus from the few who score above 90 per cent, to ensuring that the entire class scores over 60 per cent," she advocates.

Only when the learning outcomes improve will India be able to reap the demographic dividend of well-informed and educated youth entering its workforce.

And the simple pedagogy that Banerji and her cohorts at Pratham have developed demonstrates that this can be achieved with a minor change in direction.

Banerji dusts off the crumbs as she gets up to leave: "All said, I'm very optimistic about the future," says she.

"The children make me so."
Iraq: Violence against protesters and journalists in Kurdistan Region shows blatant disregard for freedom of expression

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 28 March 2018 Cite as Amnesty International, Iraq: Violence against protesters and journalists in Kurdistan Region shows blatant disregard for freedom of expression, 28 March 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5abcf1064.html [accessed 25 September 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Iraq: Violence against protesters and journalists in Kurdistan Region shows blatant disregard for freedom of expression

28 March 2018

Responding to eyewitness accounts of journalists and demonstrators being subjected to physical and verbal attacks by security forces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq where there have been widespread anti-austerity protests since Sunday, Lynn Maalouf, Middle East Research Director at Amnesty International, said:

"Eyewitnesses we've interviewed, including a teacher and a journalist, have described scenes of chaos in Erbil and Dohuk as Kurdish security forces and armed individuals in civilian clothes used violence to disperse peaceful protests.

"Peaceful demonstrators have been beaten up and insulted. Journalists using cameras or mobile phones to document the protests have been attacked. This is totally unacceptable and a blatant attempt to clamp down on dissent". Lynn Maalouf, Middle East Research Director at Amnesty International

"The Kurdish authorities must immediately put an end to the beating, harassment and intimidation of demonstrators and journalists. They have a duty to ensure that everyone can exercise their right to peaceful protest without interference."

Background

On Sunday 25 March protests broke out across the Kurdistan region of Iraq against austerity measures and delays in payment of and cuts to the salaries of state employees. Since then, teachers, health workers, and other public sector workers, as well as activists have taken to the streets every day to demand action from the government.

Local media has reported local authorities in Erbil attributing the violence to individuals affiliated to political parties.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
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A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Got your Norwegian residence permit? Now sign up for these other services By Robyn Lee

Mar 29, 2018

Comments

Did you move to Norway and get your temporary residence permit approved? Woohoo! Bask in the warm 'n fuzzy glow of legally-binding acceptance!

BUT YOU AIN'T DONE YET. That is, assuming you also want a bank account, a doctor, Norwegian classes, and more.

Here's a basic list of services to check out after you get your residence permit in Norway. Some of these rely on you having a residence permit, some don't. The first step is the most important, while everything else is in a mixed order of what I think is important and what fits the theme. Your order of importance may be completely different.

If you have any questions or suggestions for this list, please let me know by leaving a comment at the end of the post or sending me a message at roboppy@gmail.com.

Notify tax office of your move and receive a national ID number

After getting your residence card, you have to report your move to Norway at the tax office (Skatteetaten). No appointment neccessaryjust show up with the correct forms and documents. In Bergen, the tax office is located by the main bus station at Nonnesetergaten 4.

Registering at the tax office will get you your national ID number (fdselsnummer). Your ID number is your key to the kingdom. Once you get the number, memorize it. YOU WILL USE IT A LOT. It's like a social security number in the US but used far more often. You'll need your national ID number to sign up for government services, sign into government websites, get credit checks, sign up for phone plans, etc. But don't give out your ID number unless absolutely necessaryit can be used to steal your identity.

Set up a bank account

Now that you have a national ID number, you can get a bank account! ...Maybe. It depends on the bank.

For my first attempt at getting a bank account, I went to DNB, the most international bank in Bergen. Alas, when I went to their office, an apologetic bank representative told me they don't give bank accounts to jobless bums (not her exact words, but close enough). [EDIT: The job requirement is for foreign residents, not Norwegian citizens.] I gave her an understanding smile to mask the crunching sound of my sense of self-worth shriveling up like a ball of foil.

Thankfully, Sparebanken Vest doesn't discriminate against jobless bums like me. A very friendly bank dude signed me up for an account without any problem. So far, I give the bank thumbs up. One minor downside is that their website is in Norwegian, but it's easy enough to navigate with a translator until you learn enough Norwegian banking vocabulary.

Get Bankid (or MinID)

My security token generator. Tiny flower sticker optional.

Now that you have a bank account, you can sign up for BankID. BankID is one of a few options under the ID-porten system that allows you to log into a bagillion Norwegian government services, sort of like using Facebook or Google to log into the rest of the internet. You don't have to use BankID to do thisI'm just singling it out it because that's the option I use.

As the name implies, to use BankID you need to have a bank account. To log into a website with BankID you'll have to use the security token generator you received from your bank when you signed up, along with your national identity number and password. When I travel, I sometimes bring my security token generator with me just in case I need to log into something while I'm away.

If you don't have an bank account, sign up for MinID.

Find your doctor and other health information at Helsenorge.no

Screenshot from minhelse.helsenorge.no.

Head to Helsenorge.no to learn about public health services in Norway. For personalized information, log into minhelse.helsenorge.no to look up your GP (fastlege), your prescriptions, how much you've spent on doctor's visits and prescription medication, and more. Your GP is automatically assignedyou can switch your doctor up to two times a year if you want. Since I haven't used a lot of medical services in Norway yet, I can't comment much on the site's other features. Seeing how much I've spent each year is pretty handy, though.

Apply for a European Health Insurance Card

You're set for health care in Norway, but for other parts of Europe, you should get a (free) European Health Insurance Card. The card is valid in EEA countries for certain kinds of health care. Read more about it at helsenorge.no. From there you can access a form to order your card.

Register for Norwegian classes at your local school

If you plan on applying for permanent residency or citizenship someday, you'll probably have to prove you've reached a certain level of Norwegian as part of your application. Luckily, you might qualify for free Norwegian classes. While you may not need Norwegian classes to reach the minimum levels for permanent residency or citizenship, you should take advantage of the classes if they're free.

When you get your residence permit, your local immigration office should give you information about your Norwegian class requirements, whether or not you have the right to free classes, and where to register for classes (and if they don't give you this information, ask them). If you live in Bergen, you'll register at Nygard skole.

(I'm writing a separate post about the Norwegian language requirement and my experience taking Norwegian classes. When it's up, I'll link it here.)

Set up your physical mailbox

Our mailbox, plus some "please don't give us ads" stickers.

Put your name on your mailbox as soon as you move to Norway (and if there's an old name on your mailbox, make sure to fully remove or cover it). If your mailbox is outside, make sure the label is weather-proof. If you live in an apartment building, do not just label the mailbox with your apartment number. Write your name clearly, ideally typed out, with your full first and last name. Basically, the easier your name is to read and the more information you give the mailman, the easier it is for them to deliver your mail. (If you want to write your name in tiny squiggly cursive with a hard-lead pencil, and only use your first initial plus your last name, just keep in mind that you're making your mailman's life harder. I say this from experience as a part-time mailman in downtown Bergen.)

If you don't want to receive the ads that get mailed out to everyone a few times a week, get a "Nei, Takk" sticker from your local post office or attach some sort of note on the outside of your mailbox that says "nei takk til uadressert reklame". It doesn't have to be fancy, just clearly visible. (Only private entities can refuse ads. Businesses cannot refuse ads. There are certain ads that are only delivered to businesses, and having a "Nei, takk" sticker won't stop them.)

If you're moving within Norway, follow the steps at Posten.no to ensure that your mail gets forwarded to your new address. Besides that doing so makes the post office's life easier, you'll get free forwarding for two months, so there's no reason not to do it.

Set up your digital mailbox at Digipost.no

Use Digipost to securely receive mail from certain public and private entities. For example, I've gotten mail here from health services, the police office, my employer, and the tax office. I don't get much mail through here, but it's nice to have a secure place for these types of messages.

Check out Altinn.no for tax forms and other stuff

Screenshot from Altinn.no.

Altinn is your digital inbox and repository for all kinds of government-related forms, primarily tax and business forms up the wazoo. You don't sign up for it like Digipostyou automatically have access with Bank ID/MinID. My Altinn inbox is where I get important messages related to my taxes and my freelance business. You probably won't need Altinn until you do your taxes for the first time, but before then you can poke around to get familiar with the website.

Register a personal business (maybe)

Since I don't have a full-time job in Norway, I wanted the opportunity to at least do freelance work as a photographer or anything else people might be willing to pay me for (I have yet to figure out what the "anything else" is). In Norway you have to register a sole proprietorship business to earn money as a freelancer. It's free and easy to registerjust check out the info at altinn.no/en/start-and-run-business.

Keep in mind that once you register your business, the personal information you registered is publicized by websites combing the business database. (Hell, I only realized now that my business has its own automated LinkedIn page.) Granted, this is probably what you want, unless you're like me and don't do much work through your business. My business info being out in the wild is why I get loads of sales calls, all of which I ignore thanks to the 180.no app.

Having your own business may also complicate your taxes. I can't explain much about howI am the opposite of a tax expertit's just something for you to keep in mind. The official tax website got redesigned over the last year and many of the pages have yet to be translated into English.

For making Norwegian invoices, I've used the website Conta Faktura. I can't compare it to other invoicing services since it's the only one I've used, but it's worked find for me.

Certify your foreign education in Norway at Nokut

Screenshot from the Nokut application portal.

Depending on what kind of job you want in Norway, you might have to get your foreign degree(s) evaluated to find their Norwegian counterparts. That's what Nokut is for. I did this for my undergraduate degree, even though it may not qualify me for much. But it's free and fairly easy to do, so why not.

Get a library card

Norwegian library card.

In a country known for being expensive, take advantage of free books, movies, and events at your local library. Norway's national library card allows you to borrow media from just about any library in Norway. Go to your local library and they should be able to help get a card. After you sign up, you can also use eBokBib, an app for borrowing and downloading Norwegian e-books on your phone/tablet.

For those who live in Bergen, here's info about how to sign up. After that, you can use sign into mitt.bergenbibliotek.no to do stuff like search for books, reserve books, and extend your loans. Also download the Bibliofil app, which works like the website but also has a barcode you can use as your library card.

Get a public transportation card/app

Skysskort and card protector.

Look up public transportation in your area and find out what travel card or app you should use, like Ruter in Oslo, AtB in Trondheim, or Kolombus in Stavanger.

If you live in Bergen, you'll be using Skyss to take the bus or Bybanen. You can order a travelcard online for free. I like to have a travelcard on hand even though I usually use the Skyss ticket app to buy tickets. Before you buy tickets, see if you qualify for any discounts. Also download the schedule app Skyss Travel to look up routes and timetables. When you buy a ticket on your phone, you activate it on your phone. It becomes valid after two minutes. If you're using a card or paper ticket from a machine, you activate it on the bus/Bybanen.

There's also a fairly new app called Entur where you can search for routes for public transport all around Norway, but it currently only allows you to buy tickets in the Oslo area.

Sign up for Vipps

Vipps is the standard payment app in Norway. Most people here use debit/credit cards instead of cash, and checks are basically nonexistent. If you want to pay back friends or send people money (and, you know, make it easier for other people to send YOU money), Vipps is the easiest way.

Get a driver's license

Screenshot from vegvesen.no/dinside.

For all things car and driving-related, head to vegvesen.no. If you feel confident about your driving skills, allow me to shoot your confidence in the foot. A common gripe among immigrants (and probably Norwegians) is that it's difficult and expensive to get a driver's license here. The fees for classes and tests will cost you hundreds of US dollars. And if you fail the test over and over again, as I've heard some people have experienced, you could spend a small fortune getting your license.

And thus I haven't gotten my license yet. ...Also because I don't know how to drive manual, which I'd need to learn to use Kare's car (yeah, I should've learned by now), and I enjoy being in the driver's seat as much as I enjoy being covered in infected mosquito bites. But these excuses are indefensible considering Norway makes it easier for people with US licenses to get a Norwegian license than people from some other countries. Check out the list of qualifying countries here. If you have a license from one of these countries, you can exchange your license to get exempt from certain requirements for your Norwegian license. Do it within one year of residency for the most exemptions. Within two years and you'll have more requirements, but not all of them. After that, you'll have to start from scratch. Read about the requirements and deadlines for exchanging your license here..

As for what "starting from scratch" entails, check out training timeline for a passenger car license. It's intense, at least compared to the driving lessons I took in New Jersey. After reading the training descriptions, I feel like I've never actually learned how to drive, even though I've had my NJ license for about 15 years and I drive fairly competently every time I'm back in the US ("fairly competently" = "haven't fully crashed into anything").

I'm ok with starting from scratch. It's for the bestas in, best for the safety of the innocent people around meseeing as I'm not a great driver. I'm inordinately afraid of driving in Bergen for someone who's mostly driven on far more congested roads with less-skilled drivers. But until I pass the road test, I AM SWOLLEN WITH FEAR. I mean, good god, the road test is over an hour long. The road test I took in New Jersey as a teenager was some sort of five-minute, closed kiddie course. Don't get me wrongI'm glad Norway takes their road safety much more seriously than New Jersey doesbut can't stop thinking about my inevitable failure.

Sign up for a membership at your favorite supermarket chain (or all of them)

You'll probably be shopping at supermarkets more than any other store in Norway. So MILK 'EM FOR ALL THEY'RE WORTH. And maybe get free milk, as well as other discounts and freebies. There's  for Rema 1000, Trumf for Meny, Kiwi, Joker, and more, and Coop for the gajillion Coop chains.

Sign up at a price comparison website for online shopping

Amazon doesn't have a Norway-based website. If you moved from a country with Amazon, that's probably for the best. At least, I'm happy that I'm buying less unnecessary crap on a whim. But assuming you'll want to buy something online at some point, you should check out the price comparison websites Prisjakt or Prisguiden. They're about as close to Norwegian Amazon as you'll get. Type in the item you're looking for and those websites will show you online stores that sell it (Prisjakt also shows physical stores), as well as current prices, price history, stock info, shipping info, and reviews. Sign up for an account to save items you want to follow. It's a good way to get the best deals on pricier items.
An honor guard escorts coffins that contain remains of 20 Chinese People's Volunteers who died during the Korean War at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport in Liaoning province after they were returned by the Republic of Korea on Wednesday. LI GANG/XINHUA

The Republic of Korea handed over to China on Wednesday the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers who died during the Korean War in the 1950s, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

Gao Xiaobing, deputy head of the ministry, said the remains of 589 Chinese People's Volunteers have been returned in five groupings since 2014.
Thursday's planning meeting at Rotherham Town Hall

PLANS for a 12 million-litre service reservoir on green belt land in Rotherhams oldest park were narrowly passed by councillors.

Yorkshire Waters scheme will see a unit supplying 20,000 homes built next to its current site at Boston Park, Moorgate, thanks to a land-swap deal with the council.

Residents raised concerns about the increase in traffic on narrow Boston Castle Grove during the 18-month construction phase.

They also bemoaned the loss of the higher quality land, under the swap deal agreed by Rotherham Borough Council in 2016.

The authoritys planning board were split five votes for and five against at Thursdays meeting in the town hall.

Chairman Cllr Alan Atkin held the casting vote  and went in favour of the reservoir development going ahead.

Objector Janet Worrall said residents who campaigned against the proposal were disappointed and would ensure Yorkshire Water sticks to the planning conditions.

The company must pay 30,000 for the council to produce a playing pitch strategy after it emerged during the planning process that RMBCs is out of date.

This is in addition to a list of 228,800 park improvements also suggested by the council when the land-swap was confirmed.

A covenant from 1903 which said the site should only be used as a public park was dismissed by RMBC.
Sue Bledman-Alleyne (right) and her daughter Grace (centre) at the Westminster meeting.

A MUM and her daughter who were made to feel at home after moving to Rotherham are spearheading a campaign to end the stigma of social housing.

Sue Bledman-Alleyne (44) and her daughter Grace (6) lobbied MPs and academics alongside fellow South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) residents in a bid to persuade them that social housing tenants deserve a better image.

Sue told of their experiences after moving onto Maltbys White City estate, where one neighbour presented them with a welcome cuppa and another regularly de-ices her car.

Ive never felt safer anywhere else and Ive never had such a good group of people living around me, she said.

The drive to improve the image of social tenants is part of SYHAs Benefit to Society programme.

Its research shows that 90 per cent of social housing tenants feel that they are portrayed negatively in the press and politics.

Sue and Grace moved to Maltby from London after Sue suffered marital and work problems, losing her job as an international banker when Anglo-Irish Bank collapsed.

They ended up in a mouldy flat and slept on Sues mums floor until the end of their contract.

Sue learned about SYHA, which helps renters and budding home-owners to find high-quality, affordable accommodation, and found they had a house available in Maltby.

It was in White City, which had a bad reputation, said Sue.

But I went and had a look and it was a beautiful, three-bedroom house. I was looking around thinking: Wow, can I really afford this?

Sues fears about the area were soon put to rest, once she started meeting her new neighbours.

We moved in on a freezing cold day and someone knocked at the door, she said. When I answered it was a neighbour with a pot of tea.

She just said: Do you take sugar or not? Its just felt like home ever since that moment.

One of the neighbours scrapes my car every cold morning, while he de-ices his, so I can take Grace to school.

But people definitely treat you differently when you tell them that you live in social housing.

Suddenly, they arent so interested to talk to you.

Sue and Grace were featured in a short SYHA film, in which the mum described their experience of South Yorkshire and social housing.

They saw it for the first time while travelling to Westminster for the mind-changing meeting.

Sue is re-training to work with children with autism and her home is a hang-out for Graces friends, who enjoy doing crafts on her kitchen table.

SYHA chief executive Tony Stacey said: The vast, vast majority of people who live in our homes are decent, honest and hard-working.

They put loads back into local communities. The press they sometimes get is grossly unfair.

We need to hear far more about the wonderful contribution they make to society  as workers, as volunteers and as parents and friends.

Its time we overturned the stereotypes and heard from real people.

Benefit to Society organiser Leslie Channon said: Only seven per cent are unemployed. The remainder are unable to work because they are carers, or due to disability.

Yet if you believed the media portrayal and the awful language used about where people live like sink estates you would have a very different and biased view.

The Westminster event revealed new research by London School of Economics professor Anne Power, whose suggests that a fall in social housing  from 30 per cent of national stock to 17 per cent  has negatively impacted its public image.

Watch the short film Sues Story here and find out more about the scheme on the Benefit to Society website.
From left: Regan, Dylan and Chelsea with Sarah Champion MP

YOUNG carers told MP Sarah Champion how a Barnardos service changed their lives by helping them face their daily challenges.

Ms Champion met Regan (17) and 14-year-olds Chelsea and Dylan during a visit to the childrens charity in Rotherham.

The young people talked of the support they receive and their involvement in the Young Carers Council.

They told Ms Champion of the benefits of being able to take a break from their caring roles and spend time with other young people in similar circumstances at Barnardos groups and outings.

College student Regan said: I had to grow up a lot quicker than most people I know because I needed to care for my mum after an accident.

I was an angry person until I came to Barnardos.

They changed my life. I feel like theres someone to listen to me and I'm a lot more confident now and have a lot to look forward to.

Barnardos Young Carers service in Rotherham supports young people who care for someone in their family.

Manager Kevin Hynes said: Our young carers are resilient young people who we are incredibly proud to work with.

By making their voice heard today, they will help to shape understanding for other young carers across the country.

We welcomed the opportunity for our young people to meet with Sarah and discuss first hand the challenges and issues they face on a daily basis.

Ms Champion added: Its been wonderful to meet with the young people and learn about their lives and the challenges they face.

What has really hit me is the sense of isolation that some young people feel when they are carers and just how vital Barnardos is in supporting them and helping them to develop as young people in their own right.

I am very impressed with the Barnardos service here in Rotherham and the work thats being done to support these impressive young people.

The charity helped 1,438 young carers across the UK in 2016/17 and is campaigning for more support to be included in the Governments forthcoming Carers Action Plan.


TAGS record breaking Dubai tender to be held from 6 to 12 October Trans Atlantic Gems Sales (TAGS) record-breaking rough diamond tender is being held at the Dubai Diamond Exchange in Dubai from the 6th to the 12th October 2021, says a press note from the company.

CIBJO releases precious metals special report With fewer than six weeks to go to the opening of the 2021 CIBJO Congress on November 1, 2021, the third of this years CIBJO commissions' Special Reports has been released.

iTraceiT to help the diamond and jewelry industry become more transparent iTraceiT, a new and independent technology and service provider, will soon launch a robust and user-friendly traceability solution for the diamond and jewelry industry.

Chinese diamond miner apologises to Marange headman  report Anjin Investment, a joint venture between Chinas Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company (AFECC) and Matt Bronze, an investment vehicle controlled by Zimbabwes military, has apologised to Headman Chiadzwa for resuming operations in Marange...
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Shyam Sunder Wadhwa, the vice president of Firestar Group on 28, March under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Mumbai as per a statement from ED, says livemint.

This is the EDs first arrest in the PNB fraud. Wadhwa, a chartered accountant, and described by the ED as a close confidante of Modi, was sent to seven days of ED custody by a special anti-money laundering court in Mumbai.

He is in close touch with Modi and also involved in money laundering at the behest of and in aid of Modi, according to an ED official said.

Wadhwa was instrumental in setting up two companies in Hong Kong -- Ms Aura Gem and Ms Sino Traders-- along with dummy directors and these firms 'were used' for laundering proceed of crime and substantial amounts totalling more than $890 mn. These funds were routed from the LoUs (letters of undertaking) fraudulently issued by the PNB for the Nirav Modi group of companiesMs Solar Exports, Ms Stellar Diamonds and Ms Diamonds R US, it said.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough& Polished


Angola exported 620,485 carats of diamonds last January worth about $85 million, Portuguese news agency Lusa reports citing official figures.

The diamonds were sold at an average price per carat of $136.24, the second highest value since October 2016.

The highest average price per carat of diamonds exported by Angola was recorded in November 2017 when it reached $138.60.

The countrys finance ministry was quoted as saying that they collected 1.331 billion kwanzas (5 million euros) in taxes from the sale of the diamonds.

The Angolan government said the countrys annual diamond output was expected to double once the Luaxe mine and other small to medium-sized projects commence production.

Luaxe, owned by Endiama and Alrosa, was projected to record an annual output of between 8 million carats and 10 million carats.

Angola produced 9.44 million carats of diamonds last year from its extensive kimberlite and alluvial projects, earning $1.102 billion in revenue, according to data from the countrys ministry of mineral resources show.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
JERUSALEM, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians armed with two cutters and a knife who breached the security fence around Gaza were detained by the Israeli army on Thursday.

The two suspects who infiltrated Israel from the southern Gaza Strip were apprehended near the point of infiltration, said the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement.

It is the fourth such incident in a week despite the Israeli army being on high alert in the area.

The IDF said the two suspects were transferred to security forces for further questioning.

On Wednesday, an unarmed man was arrested moments after he crossed from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army captured three Gazans who were armed with knives and grenades and entered the Israeli territory. The three suspects crossed the Gaza security fence and traveled approximately 20 km into Israeli territory.

Last Saturday, the security fence was damaged by four masked Palestinians and they attempted to arson an engineering vehicle.

According to Israeli media, Friday is "Land Day," which marks the Israeli government's expropriation of Arab-owned land in the Galilee on March 30, 1976.

Palestinians are planning to construct a tent city across from the Gaza security fence and have called on tens of thousands of Gaza residents to participate in what they described as a "peaceful protest."
The bear market for small-cap cryptocurrencies, otherwise called alt-coins, is over, but it will be a while before they enter a bull market, a prominent Bitcoin bull Thomas Lee, head of Fundstrat Global Advisors said.

Alt-coins, which are those other than Bitcoin and Ethereum, go through "purgatory" periods before a bull market is underway, Lee and his team of researchers said in a client note.



Fundstrat has an indicator that tracks the share of cryptocurrencies that have risen more than 200 percent over 90 days. The indicator hit 78 percent in mid-January, but fell to 3 percent this month.

Related Stories:

Bitcoin Boom Forecaster Remains Bullish On Cryptocurrencies

Lee expects the current purgatory period for alt-coins to last for 150-175 days, which is longer than the usual 70-231 days. This means a bull market is likely to begin only between mid-August and mid-September.

"The reason for this longer duration is the current dark clouds overhanging crypto are really alt-coin specific," Lee and his team wrote.



The US Securities and Exchange Commission is yet to provide clarity on the status of all alt-coins, i.e., whether they are security tokens that require registration. The numerous raids, investigations and subpoenas by authorities also adds to the risk.



During the time, investors should stick with larger coins like Bitcoin, the Fundstrat analysts said.

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Business News
RSP Permian Inc. (RSPP) announced Wednesday morning that it has agreed to be acquired by Concho Resources (CXO) for approximately $9.5 billion in an all-stock transaction.

RSP Permian gapped open sharply higher Wednesday, but pared its gains in early trade before settling into a range. Shares finished up by 6.08 at $45.00 on the highest volume of the year. The stock leaped to a new high for the year.

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Business News
The Board of LaSalle Hotel Properties (LHO) has rejected a takeover offer Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB). The proposal represented an implied merger price of $30.001 per LaSalle common share.

LaSalle Hotel Properties gapped open sharply higher Wednesday, but pared its gains during the final 2 hours of trade. Shares finished up by 3.74 at $28.13 on above average volume. The stock leaped to over a 1-month high.

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Business News
French stocks rose slightly on Thursday as the easing of geopolitical and trade tensions prompted investors to cherry-pick shares ahead of the Easter break.

The benchmark CAC 40 was up 15 points or 0.31 percent at 5,146 in opening deals after closing 0.3 percent higher the previous day.

Luxury group Kering advanced 0.7 percent after Stella McCartney decided to buy back the French giant's 50 percent stake in her brand.

Automaker Renault jumped 4.5 percent on a Bloomberg report that it is in talks to merge with Japan's Nissan Motor. Rival Peugeot added 2.6 percent.

Poultry group LDC climbed nearly 3 percent after submitting a takeover bid for Doux.

Sanofi inched up 0.3 percent. The company said the European Medicines Agency has accepted for review its regulatory submission for sotagliflozin. If approved, the oral treatment would be used as an addition to insulin therapy to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Outsourcing group Sodexo slumped 14 percent after cutting guidance for fiscal 2018.

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Bitfinex, one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, is reportedly considering shifting its base from Hong Kong to Switzerland.

The plan was first reported by the Swiss weekly newspaper Handelszeitung, citing Bitfinex head Jean Louis van der Velde.

"We are looking for a new domicile for Bitfinex and its parent iFinex, where we will merge the operations previously spread across several locations," he told the newspaper.



Bitfinex, which is the world's fifth largest crypto exchange by 24-hour trading volume, has already held several discussions with the State Secretariat for International Financial Affairs (SIF) and the Federal Councilor Johann Schneider-Ammann, who heads the Department of Economic affairs.



Bitfinex will be incorporated as a separate entity in Switzerland and replace its parent iFinex as it moves from the British Virgin Islands to Switzerland, the report said, citing settlement experts familiar with the matter.

Bitfinex is also considering London as a possible home, but for now Switzerland is the most preferred, van der Velde said.



Switzerland hopes to attract more fintech firms. The town Zug has transformed itself into a "crypto valley" hosting several start ups.

In February, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, or FINMA, had released guidelines to regulate the launch of initial coin offerings, citing a sharp increase in the number of ICOs planned or executed in the country.

Meanwhile, the big crypto exchanges are considering shifting base as regulators are increasingly tightening the noose around them.

Bitfinex has been under the scanner this year after suspicions were raised regarding Tether, a cryptocurrency that has close links to the exchange. Tether claims that each of its coin is backed by a US dollar, but that claim cannot be proven due to a lack of independent audit.

This month, news emerged that another Hong Kong-based exchange Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by 24-hour trading volume, announced plans to open in Malta as it fell out of favor with the Japanese financial regulator for failing to get a license to operate in the country.

Malta is also welcoming cryptocurrency and blockchain businesses as the Mediterranean island nation plans to transform itself into a fintech hub.

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Technology News
Carnival Cruise Line has officially taken delivery of its 26th ship, Carnival Horizon. A traditional maritime handover ceremony of the 133,500-ton ship was held at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy on Wednesday.

The 3,954-passenger ship, a sister ship to Carnival Vista, will reposition to Barcelona, Spain. It will depart on April 2 on an inaugural 13-day voyage in the first of four sailings from the European port.

Carnival Horizon will then operate a trans-Atlantic crossing before arriving in New York on May 23, 2018, for a naming ceremony featuring the ship's godmother, Grammy award-winning musical artist and acclaimed actress Queen Latifah.

After a summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean sailings from New York, Carnival Horizon will reposition to Miami to begin a year-round schedule of six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises starting September 22, 2018.

Carnival Horizon offers several unique features, including a WaterWorks aqua park that has a Dr. Seuss theme as part of the line's exclusive partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

The ship also features the line's first teppanyaki restaurant, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse|Brewhouse serving up barbecue favorites created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, along with four new craft beers brewed on board the ship.

Carnival Horizon also offers fun innovations like the SkyRide, a suspended bike track attraction, and an IMAX Theatre. It has two special cabin areas on board - the Havana section with tropics-inspired staterooms and its own pool, and Family Harbor area featuring extra-roomy accommodations and the Family Harbor Lounge.

Further, Carnival Horizon includes food and beverage outlets with both indoor and al fresco seating options at venues such as Bonsai Sushi, Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and Library Bar.

Less than a week ago, Royal Caribbean Cruises had taken delivery of the world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, at STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazare, France. The 228,081 ton-ship measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long.

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Business News
Two popular dating apps are embroiled in a bitter legal dispute. Bumble, a women-focused dating app, filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Tinder's parent company Match Group Inc. (MTCH), accusing it of stealing trade secrets and interfering with its operations.

Bumble filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Dallas County, Texas. Bumble alleges that Match Group, which tried to acquire it last year, used its position as a potential acquirer to obtain Bumble's deeply confidential and sensitive business strategy plans as well as performance metrics under a confidentiality obligation.

Bumble also said that after its parent company rejected repeated "lowball offers" by Match Group to invest in it, Match embarked upon a tortious and fraudulent campaign against the company.

"Mere days after Match received the documents, rather than making the revised offer, Match abruptly, and without warning, broke off negotiations when it filed a frivolous intellectual property infringement suit against Bumble," Bumble said in the lawsuit.

According to Bumble, Match Group was unwilling to pay fair value for the company and tried to "poison" it in the investment market by filing bogus intellectual property claims. Bumble said that Match Group initially offered to buy it for $450 million in June 2017.

Match Group had earlier sued Bramble on March 17, 2018, alleging patent violations. However, Bumble alleges that Match filed the lawsuit after it came to know that other companies were interested in either buying or investing in Bramble, so as to make Bramble look less appealing to rival buyers and investors.

After Match Group filed its patent infringement lawsuit, Bumble placed a full page ad in the New York Times, calling Match "a bully" and saying, "We'll never be yours. No matter the price tag, we'll never compromise our values."

In addition, Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd is also a founder of Tinder. After leaving Tinder in 2014, Herd filed a lawsuit against Tinder for sexual harassment.

Bumble is now seeking $400 million in damages in addition to a permanent injunction preventing Match Group from using the trade secrets it received from the company.

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Business News
The Chinese navy's recent large-scale training in the South China Sea is "normal and routine" and does not target any third party, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, the ministry's spokesman, made the remarks in response to media inquiries about recent satellite photos taken by the United States, which show aircraft and about 40 Chinese naval vessels, including the CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier, traveling in formation in the South China Sea.

"The exercise is part of the year's planned training to improve combat capabilities. It is normal and routine and does not target any certain country or party," Ren said at a regular news conference.

He emphasized that China's defense policies are defensive in nature, and its military construction will not threaten regional and world peace.

The naval exercise came amid growing tension between China and the US in bilateral relations. On March 23, China dispatched the Type 054A guided-missile frigate CNS Huangshan, and Type 056 corvette CNS Liupanshui to identify and warn off US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin after it trespassed into waters around China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

"The fact that the US has continuously sent its naval ships to trespass in these waters has severely jeopardized China's sovereignty and security, and undermined basic principles in international relations as well as regional peace and stability," Ren said in a online statement on the same day.

On Thursday, Ren urged the US to see the big picture of Sino-US military relations and transform it into a stabilizing factor for developing overall relations between the two countries.

Last week, US President Donald Trump proposed tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China as well as harsher restrictions on Chinese investments, triggering concerns across the globe of a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Before the proposed tariffs, Trump had also signed a controversial Taiwan-related travel bill into law, which allows reciprocal visits between Taiwan and the US by officials at all levels, including visits by military officials.

China has strongly criticized the bill, saying it has increased friction in cross-Straits and Sino-US relations for undermining China's sovereignty.

"We resolutely oppose any countries, including the US, to have any official interactions with Taiwan," Ren said on Thursday.

"Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, and the Chinese military has enough confidence and capability to protect its territorial integrity. All efforts to resist Taiwan's reunification are futile," he added.
Cruise operator Royal Caribbean has invested about $200 million at its private island CocoCay, previously called Little Strirrup Cay, to give it a new makeover.

Royal Caribbean said the improvement done at the CocoCay is the first among its new Perfect Day Island Collection, a series of unrivaled private island destinations around the world.

"At Royal Caribbean, it's not just about the hardware. It's true that our new ships are technological and engineering marvels in their own right, and offer a multitude of unexpected experiences. Our destinations are an equally important part of the cruise vacation," said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "We are introducing Perfect Day Island Collection to ensure that we deliver the most memorable vacation for adventure seekers on land, as well as on board our ships."

CocoCay now features several rides including the tallest and most thrilling waterslide in North America or the ride on a helium balloon, which will take rides up 450 feet in the air to give a full view of Bahamas.

Last Friday, Royal Caribbean welcomed Symphony of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, to its fleet. The 25th ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, Symphony of the Seas is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long. She will welcome 5,518 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional balcony rooms.

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Business News
Canadian stocks rallied Thursday along with U.S. equities amid a rebound in the beleagured tech sector.

Bay Street was a sea of gree arrows ahead of the Easter Break. The TSX Composite Index added

However, the index was down 6% in the first quarter of 2018, led lower by slumping energy and care stocks.

Traders weighed a disappointing reading on Canadian GDP that may have actually soothed investor fears of a Bank of Canada rate hike.

Canada's gross domestic product edged down 0.1% in January, offsetting part of the 0.2% growth in December.

On a yearly basis, GDP was up 2.7%, disappointing analysts looking for 2.9% growth.

Dollarama (DOL.TO) plans a stock split and has raised its dividend after a strong quarter. Founder and Chair Larry Rossy will step down. Shares rose 1.2 percent.

Blackberry (BB.TO) says it will push ahead with its driverless car plans despite a pedestrian fatality that has rattled the industry. The stock slipped 5.6 percent.

"The issue that was experienced may enhance our competitive position by being the one that has the most safe operating system," CEO Mr. Chen told BNN. "So, with any luck, things will even accelerate, rather than decline."

Dynacor Gold Mines Inc. (DNG.TO) reported full year sales rose.

Magna (MG.TO) said its CEO made a little less in compendasation in 2017. Shares rose 3 percent.

Higher oil prices helped energy stocks trim this quarter's significant losses.

Crude oil futures rose near $65 Thursday after a surprising decline in the U.S. oil rig count.

That's after Baker Hughes said that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil fell by seven to 797 this week.

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Market Analysis
Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), answers reporters' questions at a regular press conference on March 29, 2018. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Aiming )

(The following English text of the press conference is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang: Friends from the press, good afternoon! Welcome to this months regular press conference of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).

Id like to start todays regular conference with an announcement.

At the invitation of Russian Defense Minister General Sergei Shoigu and Belarusian Defense Minister Lieutenant General Andrei Alekseyevich Ravkov, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe will attend the 7th Moscow Conference on International Security in Russia, and pay a visit to Russia and Belarus from April 1st to 8th, 2018.

During the visit, General Wei Fenghe will meet with Russian and Belarusian state and military leaders, and exchange views with them on further developing bilateral relations, deepening practical cooperation in military field and regional and international situation. This visit will further enhance the defense and military relations between China and the above countries.

Now the floor is open for questions.

Question: Why has general Wei Fenghe chosen Russia as the destination of his first visit after he assumed the position of Defense Minister? What are the underlying considerations?

Answer: China and Russia are each others primary and most important strategic partner of coordination. China-Russia relationship is the best major-country relationship in todays world. This relationship is as firm as a rock. In recent years, with the personal care of President Xi and President Putin, the state-to-state and mil-to-mil relations between the two countries have been developing at a high level with ever-deepening cooperation and mutual trust.

The visit is a specific measure to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state on developing mil-to-mil relationship. This visit will help deepen practical cooperation between the two militaries, and enrich the comprehensive and strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries. China is willing to work with Russia, jointly push forward the mil-to-mil relationship, and make active contribution to safeguard common interests and maintain regional and world peace and stability.

Question: The 1st Sessions of the 13th National Peoples Congress (NPC) and the 13th Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have concluded not long ago. During the two sessions, President Xi made important remarks, instructing on the vital deployment on defense and military development. Has the military made specific plans to implement the instructions ?

Answer: Approved by the Central Military Commission (CMC), the CMC General Office has released a notice recently, asking the military to earnestly study the spirit of the 1st Session of the 13th NPC, particularly, the important remarks made by President Xi at the plenary meeting of the PLA and the Armed Police delegation to the 13th NPC and President Xis important remarks at the closing ceremony of the NPC. The notice also asks the military to have unified thinking, action and pace to enhance the consciousness of politics, the idea of overall situation, the consciousness of upholding the CPC leadership as the core and keeping alignment; and to firmly maintain the authority of the CPC Central Committee, the core and the CMC Chairman responsibility system. It asks the military to closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, to draw a new chapter of our course of building a strong country and a strong military in a new era.

Relevant issues have got wide media coverage by Chinas official media.

Question: A decision was made to set up the Department of Veteran Affairs at the first session of the 13rd National Peoples Congress. Some of the functions originally belonged to the Political Work Department and the Logistic Support Department of the CMC are now integrated into the newly established Department. Will there be adjustment and changes in the Chinese militarys roles in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of military personnel and their families and strengthening the service and support system for veterans afterwards?

Answer: To set up the Department of Veteran Affairs is an important step to implement the decision of the 19th National Party Congress on establishing a management and support institution for veterans, and an important decision made under the background that the State Council is streamlining and restructuring its institutions. The establishment of the department is to maintain the legitimate rights and interests of the military personnel and their families, strengthen the building of the service and support system for veterans, build and optimize a concentrated, integrated, and well-defined service and support system for veterans, so as to make the military a better respected career in China.

The setup of the new department fully demonstrates the love and care of the Central Party Committee, President Xi and all the Chinese people towards Chinese military officers and soldiers, veterans and their families. All the officers and soldiers of the Chinese military are greatly encouraged.

Veterans are the treasured asset of the Party and the country. They are the witnesses, pioneers and builders of the new era. They came from the people and served the people. Now they return to the people and repay the people. They will not wear the military uniform anymore. Yet they remain the most lovable people. They will forever be our dear and honorable comrade-in-arms. I would like to show you a short video clip we prepared named veterans.

As what was said in the end of the video, the roles of veterans might be different at different stages of their lives, but their devotion to serve the people remain consistent. Hereby please allow me to give my thanks and tribute all veterans.

Question: Recently, it seems that the US Navy has been pacing up the Freedom of Navigation Operations near the Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The latest operations happened on the very next day of the signing of the memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion US dollars of imports from China by the US president. How do you comment on the current mil-to-mil relations between China and the US?

Answer: To develop a sound and stable mil-to-mil relationship between China and the US is an important consensus that the leaders of both countries reached, the common interests of the two countries and militaries and the common expectation of the international community. The Chinese military has always attached great importance to the development of the military relations with the US. At the same time, the PLA is committed to firmly safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. Both history and the reality have proved that to develop the China-US mil-to-mil relations, we should consider not only each others immediate interests but also our common interests in the long run. We should not only resort to practical steps to address specific issues, but also a broad vision to put in mind a bigger picture. And we should not only be aware of the potential risks and dangers ahead when things go smoothly, but also be able to see the light of hope when we find ourselves in difficulties. As the Chinese saying goes, if you see far enough, you may not find violent waves violent; if you rise high enough, you may not find stormy things stormy. This is why we hope that the US side will work with us in the same direction, jointly follow the overall trend of the state-to-state and mil-to-mil relations, and endeavor to build bilateral mil-to-mil relationship a stabilizing factor of China-US relations.

Question: During the first session of the 13th Peoples National Congress, President Xi talked about the strategy of civil-military integration again in his remarks to the plenary session of the PLA and PAPF delegation. What have been achieved in the strategy of civil-military integration in recent years? What are the priorities in future? My second question is about the naval exercise in the South China Sea. We have seen from foreign media some pictures of more than 40 naval vessels including the Liaoning Aircraft Carrier assembled in the South China Sea. Could you please confirm whether the Liaoning Aircraft Carrier has participated in the exercise?

Answer: On your first question: since the 18th Party Congress, under the personal efforts make by President Xi in designing, leading and encouraging, the strategy of civil-military integrated development proceeds to its full implementation. The organizational structure has basically taken shape, overall strategic guidance, planning and coordination have been greatly strengthened, reform in key areas has steadily press ahead, priority projects have been gradually put into practice and relevant legislation programs have been pacing up. The development of civil-military integration is deepening and enhancing at all levels and in all areas, demonstrating a good momentum of integrated and accelerated development.

To further deepen civil-military integration at the new historic starting point, it is imperative for us to act in the spirit of the 19th National Party Congress in an all-round way, fully understand and implement the Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the new era, uphold the Xi Jinping thought on building a strong military and his strategic thinking on civil-military integrated development, take the building of an integrated national strategies and capabilities as the goal, take problem-oriented approaches, focus on the priorities of strategic importance, and make efforts in the following four aspects:

The first is to enhance strategic guidance. It is imperative for us to grasp the strategic positioning and the general requirement of civil-military integrated development, build a concept of openness and sharing, and better integrate military development into national economic and social development.

The second is to promote reform and innovation. We are bound to improve the systems and mechanisms of civil-military integration, solve the problems lying in the current policies, systems and mechanisms, remove the barriers for easy access, and allow the furthest release of the endogenous force of civil-military integration.

The third is to enhance civil-military coordination. We shall look into and solve the problems on aligning needs, coordinating and sharing important resources, and developing a coordinated system of innovation, so as to enhance the scope of civil-military coordination from what can and should be integrated to a deeper and wider extent.

The fourth is to strengthen implementation. We shall take the national demonstration zones of innovation and priority projects in civil-military integration as the lead, the area, such as infrastructure, armament and equipment, defense technology, personnel training, logistic support and defense mobilization, and the emerging domains, such as oceans, airspace, cyberspace, bio-technology and new energy, as priorities, and push forward the implementation of the key tasks and projects of civil-military integration.

On your second question: the live-force naval exercise conducted by the PLA Navy in the South China Sea is the measure to implement the important instruction of President Xi at the opening ceremony of the new year training session of the PLA and encourage the combat-oriented training of the PLA naval troops. It is a routine arrangement in accordance with the annual training program of the PLA Navy. The purpose of the training is to test and enhance the training level of the Navy, and promote the capabilities of the troops to win wars. It is not targeted at any specific country or target.

As for the Liaoning Aircraft Carrier, the Navy will release relevant information in due time.

Question: Recently, the reform plan of various forces in the Peoples Armed Police Force has been announced. The Border Defense Force, Fire-fighting Force and the Security Force will leave the PAPF and thus decommissioned. The Maritime Police troops led by the China Coast Guard will be transferred to the PAPF. What is the consideration for such reform? What do have to arrange those decommissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers?

Answer: To deepen the reform of the Peoples Armed Police Force (PAPF) is a strategic measure to fully implement the absolute leadership of the Party over Chinas armed forces and to build a modernized armed police force. According to the decision by the Central Party Committee, from January 1st, 2018, the Armed Police Force is put under the unified and centralized leadership of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission (CMC), and adopt a CMC-PAPF-troops leadership and command system.

At present, the adjustment and reform of the PAPFs internal security corps, mobile corps, colleges, scientific research institutions and training facilities have been basically completed.

The Plan on Deepening Reform of the Party and State institutions issued recently by the CPC has made decisions on the handover and reorganization of the gold, forest and water and electricity guarding forces of the PAPF, the transfer of the maritime police troops to the PAPF, and the restructuring of the Border Defense Force, Fire-fighting Force and the Security Force. Next, the Chinese military will work together with relevant departments of the Central Party Committee and governmental agencies to fulfill the reform tasks related to both civil and military sectors.

Question: After Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act, Taiwan's Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Ju visited the US and Alex Wong, deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the US Department of State visited Taiwan. The Taiwanese authorities were thrilled for the visits. How do you comment on the so-called exchange? At the same time, we noticed that the Liaoning aircraft carrier sailed across the Taiwan Strait after the Taiwan Travel Act was signed. There is a loud voice in the Taiwanese media saying that a storm is coming. Do you have any comment on that?

Answer: We firmly oppose any forms of official exchanges or military contact carried out by any country, including the US, with Taiwan. Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. No one, no force, nor any actions can stop China from realizing its complete reunification and national rejuvenation. The Chinese military has the firm determination, full confidence and sufficient capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Question: According to media report, China and Cambodia conducted a Gold Dragon 2018 joint training exercise in Cambodia, with almost 500 troops from the two countries participating in the training. Could you please give us more details of this joint training exercise?

Answer: The Gold Dragon 2018 joint training exercise , themed joint counter terrorism and humanitarian relief, started on March 17. This exercise constitutes a practical measure implementing the important consensus on strengthening practical military cooperation reached by the leaderships of the two countries and the two militaries. This exercise coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia. Both sides paid high attention to the exercise, and conducted close communication and cooperation on the planning and organization of the joint training exercise.

Compared to the Gold Dragon 2016 joint training exercise, this years joint training exercise was expanded to the anti-terrorism field. There were four main features:

First, the scale of participating troops was larger. There were 496 troops from China and Cambodia forming a mixed formation to conduct the joint training exercise.

Second, the joint training exercise was more combat-oriented. There were four subjects including counter-terrorism tactical training and humanitarian relief.

Third, the equipment was more diversified. Infantry fighting vehicles, rotor unmanned aerial vehicles, transport helicopters and other equipment were employed in the joint training exercise.

Forth, the way of force projection was multi-dimensional. Railway transportation, maritime transportation and air transportation were all employed. The helicopter detachment conducted long-distance and cross-border delivery.

During the joint training exercise, the Chinese troops also provided free medical treatment to local residents and donated 194,000 pieces of aid materials including food, medicine and school supplies.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the results of the joint training exercise. The Chinese military attaches great importance to developing friendly cooperative relations with the Cambodian military, and is willing to work with Cambodian side to deepen practical cooperation and contribute to regional peace and stability.

Photo caption: Photo one: The opening ceremony of the Gold Dragon 2018 joint training exercise. Photo two: Troops from China and Cambodia conduct counter-terrorism tactical training. Photo three: Troops from China and Cambodia conduct exchanges on skills of light and small arms. Photo four: Troops from China and Cambodia conduct counter-terrorism tactical training in mixed formation. Photo five: Training on detection of toxic agents.

Question: We learned from online blogs that the establishment of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs would be a great bonus to all the veterans, but there were also worries about whether the department, without the leadership of the military and without personnel of military background, would truly be able to address the concerns of the veterans. Would you please tell us whether there will be some military personnel in the department? What security measures will be taken? We noted that the Maritime Police Troops had become a part of the Armed Police Force in this round of reform. Foreign media speculate that the reform of the maritime police is the copycat of the U.S. Coast Guards. It is set up to counter Japanese Self-Defense Forces. What is your comment on that?

Answer: The information on the candidates for the leadership of this newly-established Ministry of Veterans Affairs will be released in due course. As to the integration of the Maritime Police Troops into the structure of the Armed Police Force, relevant work is pressing ahead smoothly according to the Plan on Deepening Reform of Party and State Institutions. Here, I would like to stress that we have the capability, the confidence and the determination to safeguard our national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity after the reform.

Question: The PLA Air Force has sent an airplane to the Republic of Korea to take back the remains of 20 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who were killed in action, and also the Ministry of Civil Affairs has made a decision that publicity and educational theme activities should be held nationwide in commemoration of heroes and martyrs during this years Tomb Sweeping Festival. Do you have any comments on that? The second question is about the RIMPAC-2018. Has China received the invitation to participate in the exercise? Will China participate in the exercise or not?

Answer: We will always remember and commemorate our fallen heroes who have sacrificed their lives for the peace and progress of humanity and they will always have our hearts with them. As for the specifics of the returning of the CPV soldiers remains, I suggest you refer to the Ministry of Civil Affairs which is in charge of the work. As for the second question on the RIMPACT exercise, we have received the invitation from the U.S. side. In early April, we will send a working group to participate in the final planning conference of the RIMPAC exercise.

Question: Will there be any change in the function and mission of the Maritime Police Troops after it is integrated into the Armed Police Force? It is reported that the Japanese side is highly concerned about whether Chinas Maritime Police Troops conducting law enforcement activities currently in the disputed waters between China and Japan in the East China Sea will be put under the command of the CMC. How do you comment on it?

Answer: The CMC exercises leadership and command over all the armed forces in China. The Chinese Peoples Armed Police Force is an important component of the countrys armed forces. We want to emphasize that the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands have been China's inherent territory since ancient times. The Chinese side will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Question: Recently, a 27-year-old man surnamed Wang was detained by the Nanjing police for spreading extreme remarks regarding the Nanjing Massacre online. There is a saying that the lack of the defense education leads to this phenomenon of spiritual Japanese. During the Two Sessions when Premier Li Keqiang delivered the report of the government work, he said that it was necessary enhance defense education of the whole people. I wonder if there is any specific measure to implement that decision.

Answer: The Chinese people has always had the fine tradition of patriotism and the respect for the military. To join the military and to contribute to the defense of our nation is the mainstream opinion. However, there are certain individuals who are ungrateful and who will do anything to get attention. So in this new era, it is indeed necessary to enhance defense education, to speed up and to deepen reform on defense education and to start to amend the National Defense Education Law as well as the guidelines on national defense education. We will also have the advocacy program across the whole society to carry on education activities so as to build a social atmosphere in which heroes and military are respected and supported. Our defense is the peoples defense, and our military is the peoples military. Hence it is necessary for the military to uphold the principle of the people, to uphold the peoples position and to stay people-oriented. At the same time, we also hope that people across the whole society can continue to be care about defense, to love defense, and to support and build defense so that we can all work together and stay united to unite our whole forces for the realization of the Chinese dream and the dream of building a strong military.

Question: It is said that the Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to visit China recently, and she will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers meeting. Could you please provide some specific information? And when will the SCO Defense Ministers meeting be held?

Answer: The mil-to-mil relationship between China and India is an important part of the state-to-state relationship of the two nations. China is willing to work with India to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, accumulate strategic mutual trust, promote mutually-beneficial cooperation and ensure the normal development of the relationship between the two militaries. The specific exchange programs between the two militaries are currently under consultation and we will release information in due course.

Question: It is reported that the defense establishments of China and Japan are expected to sign the agreement on the launching of the Maritime and Air Liaison Mechanism during the meeting between the heads of state this May. Could you please brief us on this? And what is the progress in the defense relationship between the two countries?

Answer: Talks and consultations on this mechanism have achieved important and positive progress. We hope that Japan can remove the obstacles, work in the same direction with China so that we can jointly launch and operate this mechanism as soon as possible. China attaches great importance to the defense relationship with Japan and as the state-to-state relationship is showing signs of improvement, we are willing to work together with Japan, taking the 40 anniversary of treaty on peace and friendship as an opportunity, to enhance coordination and communication and manage differences and disputes to promote exchanges and cooperation in a healthy and steady manner.

Question: Admiral Harris, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, recently made a comment that he thought the U.S. should continue to sell arms to Taiwan on a regular basis. What is your comment on that Japans Liberal Democratic Party put forward at a meeting on national security investigation on March 20 that Japan should upgrade the Izumo helicopter destroyer into an aircraft carrier and introduce the F-35B stealth fighter jets. What is your comment on that?

Answer: China is firmly opposed to any arms sale to Taiwan by any country. We urge the U.S. to observe the one-China principle as well as the Three Joint Communiques between China and the U.S., and stop promoting its arms sales to Taiwan. The PLA is in combat readiness and on high alert to safeguard Chinas unification, national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Any attempt to resist unification through military means is doomed to failure. As for the second question, because of historical and realistic reasons, Japans movements in military and security areas have always been under close attention of its Asian neighbors and the international community, especially Japans development of offensive weapons beyond its purely defensive defense demands. It is worthy of keeping much more alert of this movement of Japan. We urge the Japanese side to take history as a mirror, do more things conducive to enhancing mutual trust with its neighboring countries, and regional peace and stability.

Question: Last year, China and Pakistan conducted many high-level military exchanges and exercises, including the joint training between the air forces of the two countries. Will there be such high-level military exchanges and will there be other joint exercises and training this year?

Answer: China and Pakistan share an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides have maintained a very high-level defense and military exchanges and cooperation. The military exchanges and cooperation programs between China and Pakistan this year are still being discussed. We believe that the China-Pakistan military exchanges and cooperation will surely facilitate our state-to-state relationship and also contribute to regional peace and stability.

Question: TheTiangong-1 space station will recently return to the earth. It is said that the space program has military background. I wonder if you can tell us when and where that might happen? It is said that the troops reduction of 300,000 personnel has been basically completed. Could you confirm that?

Answer: On your first question, please refer to the competent authorities of the state.

On your second question, the downsize of the military by 300,000 is a very important political decision as well as an important declaration made by the Party and the country. The deepened defense and military reform plan has made a very considerate arrangement on the downsize of the military. As the reform of militarys leadership and command structure, and the size structure and force structure go on, the organizational structure and the full system of the military forces have taken on an integrated and revolutionary reshape. I am able to confirm that our target of downsizing the military by 300,000 is basically achieved.

We unswervingly follow the path to build an elite military force, reduce the quantity and improve the quality to optimize our force structure, streamline our organs and non-combat staff, and eliminate those outdated equipment so that we can facilitate the transformation of the PLA from the military focusing on quantity and scale to the one focusing on quality and efficiency, and from manpower-intensive to science and technology-intensive, so as to realize the modernization of the defense and the military.

China has always adhered to the path of peaceful development. It has always adhered to a defensive defense policy. It has always been and it will always be a very strong force to maintain world and regional peace.

Question: The U.S. Navy recently conducted a new round of the so-called Freedom of navigation operations in the neighboring waters of relevant islands and reefs of Chinas Nansha Qundao. How will the Chinese military respond to the challenge in this regard? In addition, is the schedule of the U.S. Secretary of Defense Mattis trip to China finalized yet?

Answer: The spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense has released a statement lately to emphasize Chinas principles and positions in response to the U.S. Navy ships entering the neighboring waters of relevant islands and reefs of Chinas Nansha Qundao. China has indisputable sovereignty over relevant islands and their adjacent waters in the South China Sea. China always respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea all countries are entitled to under International Law, but firmly opposes any act of showing-off forces, aggravating regional tensions, threatening and undermining other countries' sovereignty and security interests. The Chinese military will strengthen its defense capability according to the degree of the threat to its sovereignty and security, firmly safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and firmly safeguard regional peace and stability.

The Chinese and the U.S. defense establishments are coordinating Secretary Mattis visit to China. Other exchange programs between the two militaries are also proceeding smoothly.

Question: We noticed that the Armed Police Force troops guarding hydroelectric projects would be transformed into non-commissioned troops and become a state-owned enterprise under the supervision of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. Would you please brief us on the timetable for the transfer

Answer: The reform and restructuring work of the troops guarding hydroelectric projects will be conducted smoothly according to the Plan on Deepening Reform of Party and State Institutions released by the Party Central Committee. The military will work with the central government and relevant state institutions to ensure the smooth progress of the reform.

Question: On this years China-Russia joint naval exercise, have the militaries of the two countries conducted consultations or not? Will the Chinese Defense Minister, General Wei Fenghe, touch upon the specifics of the exercise with his counterpart during his visit to Russia?

There is a saying that the THAAD system will possibly be pulled out from the Republic of Korea. Whats your comment on that?

The third question is about Chinas Maritime Police Troops. The patrol duty in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Dao will be conducted by the Armed Police vessels instead of civil law-enforcement vessels after the Maritime Police Troops integration to the Armed Police Force. During this period of integration, will the function Maritime Police Troops be changed accordingly? We noted that Japan paid a lot of attention to the reform of Chinas Maritime Police Troops, and announced the establishment of the land-based and maritime-based mobility regiments, which was considered as a move directed against China. Do you think the situation on the Diaoyu Dao will become intense again?

Answer: Ive already mentioned that the China-Russia military-to-military relations have maintained at a very high level, our cooperation is deepening and our mutual trust is growing up. Im confident that Defense Minister Wei Fenghes upcoming visit to Russia will further upgrade the relations between the two militaries to a new level. As for the specific military cooperation programs between the two countries, well release information at proper time.

When it comes to the second question on THAAD, Chinas position on opposing THAAD has been consistent, clear-cut and very firm. On this issue, the Chinese military will safeguard the national security and regional peace and stability with concrete action.

On the restructuring of the Maritime Police Troops, no matter what force patrols in waters surrounding the Diaoyu Dao, Chinas determination to and capability of safeguarding the Diaoyu Dao remain the same. We are keeping close attention to the new development and movement of Japans military. The fact that the Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are the inherent territory of China can never be changed by any mean action of Japan.

Here concludes todays regular press conference. Thank you!
The government divides citizens abducted by North Korea into two groups -- those kidnapped during the 1950-53 Korean War and those abducted after.

A total of 96,013 South Koreans were abducted during the war, according to statistics compiled by the Korean War Abductees' Family Union, and 3,835 after, according to the Unification Ministry.

Among those who were abducted after the war, 3,310 or 86 percent returned to South Korea six months to a year after their abduction.

From 2000 to 2009, eight South Korean abductees who had lived in North Korea for around 30 years finally managed to escape and return to the South with the help of their families here. But 517 still remain in North Korea, 458 of them fishermen.


West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made it clear that Congress cannot be excluded from any anti-BJP formation in the next Lok Sabha polls in which parties dominant in a state will take the lead in putting a one-to-one fight against the ruling alliance.

Banerjee, who has been camping here for the last two days, drove to the 10 Janpath residence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and inquired about her health and discussed the political situation.

Praising Gandhi, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said Gandhi is a senior leader of the country and continues to play a role in politics. "There has always been a good relationship. Whenever I come to Delhi I always meet her. I came to see her. She is fine now."

"I told her that in 2019 elections there should be one-to-one (contest) from everywhere. In all states those parties which have stronghold in their own area they should fight from there.

"We want Congress to be with us. Congress should also help in this one-to-one fight. We have spoken to other parties. All states regional parties, in a kind of conclave, should work together," she added.

Referring to poll-bound Karanataka, she said Congress was in the government and should return to power.

"In Karnataka, we want Congress to win because it is strong there... In Bihar, (RJD chief) Laluji (Prasad) and Congress will fight together. In Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh and Mayawatiji should do it."

Banerjee's remarks assume significance in the context of a statement made by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who heads the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, recently after meeting her that the two discussed formation of a federal front against both Congress and the BJP.

She said BJP should be voted out of power in the country and it will be defeated if opposition parties come together.

"BJP will be removed only if there is one-to-one (contest). I am 100 percent sure. We want that whichever party is stong in a state, they should fight one-is-to-one to defeat the BJP."

Banerjee said she also discussed "political vendetta" of the BJP goverment with Gandhi.

"To destroy democarcy, the kind of atrocities that is going on..we have discussed about it as well. BJP has only promoted political vendetta in the country. They have not done anything for the people."

She said an alliance will depend on the concerned parties.

"Whereever there is an alliance, it will depend on the parties there. Any political party can decide," she said, adding that Congress must build alliances like it has with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.


Prakash Javadekar (File Photo) Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said the police were investigating the CBSE paper leak and the culprits would not be spared. "This is a very unfortunate development, I understand the pain the parents and students have to go through. Whoever is involved in the paper leak will not be spared, police will soon arrest the culprits. I could not sleep, I am also a parent," Javadekar told the media.



The Central Board of Secondary Examination on Wednesday said that it will re-conduct the maths and economics exams for Class 10 and Class 12 respectively following the leak of question papers.



The economics exam was conducted on March 26 and maths on Wednesday.



However, the question papers for both the subjects were found in circulation on WhatsApp.




Four militants were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Wednesday, police said.

The gunfight broke out in Sunderbani area of Rajouri in the morning when heavily-armed militants opened fire on troops of 16 Raj Rifles, 6 Jat Regiment, as well Border Security Force troopers and state police personnel sent to check the area after suspicious movements were reported from there, the officer said.

AK rifles, magazines, hand grenades and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from the possession of the slain militants, and the exact identity of the slain militants is being established, the officer said.

"Search operation is still going on in the area," police said.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and social activist Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, for the first in nearly six years after she was shot by the Taliban for advocating girls rights to education.

The 20-year-old accompanied by her parents, landed in Islamabad from London at around 1.41 a.m., reports Geo News.



Yousafzai is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, as well as other important figures.



In December 2014, Yousafzai, then 17, and India's Kailash Satyarthi of India received the Nobel Peace Prize for risking their lives to fight for children's rights.



Yousafzai, who belongs to the Swat Valley, has been living in the UK since the attack in October 2012, reports Dawn news.



She was shifted from Pakistan to a hospital in Birmingham in a precarious condition after she had sustained a bullet in her head in a targeted attack by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Swat.



She was on her way home in a school van with other girls after taking an exam when the TTP men opened fire on them. Two other girls also sustained gunshot wounds.



After her recovery, Yousafzai announced launching a movement for the promotion of girls' education.





She visited a number of countries as official guest where she was warmly welcomed and given an official protocol and reception.



During a visit to Canada last year, she was provided an opportunity to address the country's parliament.



In April 2017, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres selected Malala Yousafzai to be a UN messenger of peace, the highest honour bestowed by the UN chief on a global citizen.
The Ecuadorean government said Wednesday that it had cut off Julian Assange's ability to communicate outside its embassy in London, where the WikiLeaks founder has lived for more than five years.

The government said it stopped Assange from communicating with the outside world to prevent him from meddling in other countries' affairs.

The move came two days after Assange questioned, on Twitter, Britain's accusation that Russia was behind the March 4 poisoning of a Russian former double agent in Salisbury, England.
The Government of Samoa, in partnership with the United States Government, have successfully completed two additional Universal Treatment Curricula (U.T.C.) courses of the Drug Demand Reduction Training.

More than 20 participants have increased their capacity to treat substance abuse by completing these two additional U.T.C. courses over the past 10 days.

Participants were from various government agencies and civil society organisations that deal directly with substance abuse, criminal rehabilitation and mental illness.

This training enables its graduates to better address substance use disorders in their professions and communities.

There are eight courses in total for the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program Universal Treatment Curricula. The participants completed courses one and two in November 2017, while this training focused on courses three and five.

United States Charge dAffaires, Tony Greubel, congratulated the trainees and commended the support of the Samoa Government.

He also acknowledged the trainers who were behind the scenes throughout the training.

May I also urge your Government to consider joining the Colombo Plan to realise the full spectrum of benefits the plan has to offer, such as technical assistance, economic and social development.

Id also like to recognise the Colombo Plan, and thank our fantastic trainers, Dr. Damber Kumar Nirola, Dr. Sivakumar Thurairajasingam, and Susan Gitau.

By all accounts, youve been a pleasure to learn from and I thank you for your commitment and your time here in Samoa.

The Programme was funded by the U.S. State Departments Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in collaboration with the Government of Samoa through the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Ministry of Health.

About the courses:

Course 3: Common Co-Occurring Mental and Medical Disorders- An Overview for Addiction Professionals

This foundational course provides an overview of the relationship of co-occurring mental and medical disorders and S.U.D. related treatment issues.

Course 5: Screening, Intake, Assessment, Treatment Planning and Documentation for Addiction Professionals

This course is a skills-based course that teaches effective and integrated Intake, Screening, Assessment, Treatment Planning and Documentation procedures to Addiction Professionals.
The struggle is real for Alosio Alosio.

He lives in a shack without water supply and electricity and has no stable income. He also struggles to feed his family.

An unemployed father of two, from Leaupuni, Mr. Alosio shared he is always sleepless at night just worrying about his children.

Four years in their current residence, water supply has been the main challenge that he has had to deal with every day.

Thats the problem we live right next to a water tank and yet we dont have a water supply that reaches our house.

We dont have water and that is the problem that we constantly need to deal with. We rely on our water gallons to do everything at home, such as washing the dishes and having a shower.

Our drinking water is from our neighbour, we cannot drink the water from the gallon because it is not safe or clean, said the 30-year-old.

Mr. Alosio adds their house is a major disaster. He says the same place that they sleep in, just right next to it is their kitchen.

They dont have a proper kitchen and the smoke from their cooking is inhaled by their toddler who is mostly at home.

All the wood that you see used to make this house were from the side jobs that I carried out, including the iron roofing.

There are no mattresses and proper blankets in our home and this is why my children are always ill. Every time that happens, I then move closer to where there are families nearby, just in case of an emergency, to visit the hospital and things like that.

We live up the in mountains and it is always cold. Life is so hard. You see everything that I do, despite how poor I am; I work so that my children will be fed well.

Mr. Alosio explained: We have moved a little bit further to the back from where we used to live so that we could make use of the land to grow our crops and sell.

We dont have any proper tarpaulins. We have relocated to be back because it was also close to the road. But the kind of house we had is similar to the place we are living in now.

At night, it is a hassle for them because they cannot see anything. This is the daily struggle his children have to undergo.

There are so many things that we need for our house and our family but there is no money. There is no power source. We use torches to see things in the night. I feel for my children because they are still young.

Mr. Alosio states the cost of living has become unbearable for him. There are so many things that he wants to fix, but there is no money.

My eldest child is four years old and he goes to school, with our eldest child. For their school fees, we always sell our banana batches and taro.

For the whole week, the amount of money that we make does not reach $200, but there are times when I have side jobs.

We mainly use that money to buy the children what they need and our daily meal each day. If we are lucky then we would have chicken for dinner. If not then there is nothing that we could do about it.

Mr. Alosio says they rely on other families close by his house to give them food and in return they give those family crops.

He also mentioned that he needs a job for his familys sake.

As long as there is sugar for tea, then we are good to go. If I dont sell my crops, then I would not be able to survive. I really need a job, it does not matter if I have to make coffee for a living as long as my children are able to eat and sleep well.

For anyone who is willing to help Mr. Alosio and his family, contact the number 7591637.
Two of the regions more conservative government bodies  the Escondido City Council and the county Board of Supervisors  will decide soon whether to join a growing backlash against the states sanctuary laws.

Escondido Mayor Sam Abed and Councilman John Masson have put an item on the April 4 agenda that would authorize the citys filing of a legal brief in support of the federal governments lawsuit challenging three state laws enacted last year.

I expect it to pass, Abed said Wednesday.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is expected to discuss the matter in closed session on April 17.

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Ive always supported the great working relationship between the Sheriffs Department and federal law enforcement agencies, and it needs to continue, said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, adding she intends to support the county joining the lawsuit.

Escondido appears to be the first city in San Diego County to tackle the issue.

The inland North County city would join the Orange County Board of Supervisors, which on Tuesday voted 4-0 to join the federal lawsuit as a friend of the court. Several other cities in Orange County are also beginning to take action against the states sanctuary laws.

Senate Bill 54, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year, prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials in many cases when they have unauthorized immigrants in their custody who could be subject to deportation.

San Diego County supervisors, all Republicans, will consider the Trump Administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary policy as well as Californias lawsuit against the administrations decision to ask about citizenship in the 2020 census when members convene in closed session on April 17, said a spokeswoman for Supervisor Kristin Gaspar.

The board typically doesnt discuss lawsuits openly, but any decision to take a side in the cases would later become a matter of public record.

In an interview Wednesday, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said he does not think the county should get involved in the administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary policies.

Id tell them stay out of it...that would be my recommendation, he said.

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Deputies shouldnt act as immigration officers because it might deter people who are in the country illegally from reporting crimes, making them vulnerable to victimhood, he said.

For domestic violence, they wont report it to the cops if theyre in the country illegally, Gore said.

Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter said he preferred not to comment since he hasnt seen what his council is proposing.

In 2006, Escondido made national headlines when it tried to enact an ordinance that would have punished local landlords who rented dwellings to unauthorized immigrants.

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The city became the focus of large protests, Fox News broadcast live from beneath the green dome in front of City Hall, and the rift in the city between its Latino and white populations intensified. That was exacerbated by what some thought were controversial DUI and drivers license checkpoints conducted by local police, often in Latino parts of town, as well as other policies adopted by the council around the same time.

The city has been trying to distance itself from racial issues ever since.

Though the city is more than 50 percent Latino, Escondido Councilwoman Olga Diaz, the lone Democrat and Latina on the council, often finds herself on the losing end of 4-1 votes. She said Wednesday she has not yet seen what the council will be asked to vote on next week, but said she will be engaged when the vote is taken.

Here we go again, she said.

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What I do know is that its an election year and every time its an election year Sam (Abed) has some kind of immigration thing he wants to discuss or have sort of vivid in peoples minds, she said.

Both Abed and Masson, strong conservatives who have been outspoken about the federal governments lack of a comprehensive immigration policy and are the two council members who have placed the item of the agenda, are running for re-election this November.

Diaz said a few years ago the council adopted a policy she feels applies to this case.

We have a council policy that says we will only put things on the agenda that directly affect the city of Escondido and that we will not be taking positions on things that are not city issues, she said.

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I would imagine this is the kind of thing that policy was meant to prevent.

Supporters will argue that the sanctuary and other state laws dealing with immigration have a direct impact on what happens in their city.

Last April, the Escondido council passed a resolution expressing opposition to SB 54, saying it did not provide protection for local communities because it expressly prohibits local law enforcement, who are most likely to come into contact with violent offenders unlawfully in the United States, from communicating effectively with federal authorities who are the only agencies who have the authority to remove these individuals from the country.

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jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Wednesdays Athenaeum Jazz at TSRI concert here by Trinidadian trumpeter Etienne Charles and his dance-happy band, Creole Soul, will be precedent-setting for several reasons..

Daniel Atkinson, who launched the concert series in 1996 and has guided it ever since, will receive the 2018 Jazz Journalists Associations prestigious Jazz Hero award from JJA member Robert Bush. To commemorate the event, a proclamation from the San Diego City Council declaring April 4 Daniel Atkinson Day will also be presented.

Headlining this festive occasion will be Charles and his multinational band. Not only will it mark the acclaimed groups first San Diego performance, it may be the first time any audience at an Athenaeum Jazz at TSRI concert  or at least part of it  rises from their seats to dance, en masse.

Im hoping they will dance, because calypso is dance music and we always encourage people to dance when we play calypso, said Charles, 34, who is a composer and band leader by night and an assistant professor of jazz studies at Michigan State University by day.

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Our concerts are an exchange of energy between the audience and musicians. I try to tell a story and take people on a journey, to show them things they might not know  a groove or style  and where it came from. I hardly ever talk on stage about the history of calypso, though, because its pretty familiar to most people.

To reflect that journey, 2015 Guggenheim Fellowship recipient Charles named his record label Culture Shock Music.

Happily, there is nothing remotely shocking about his inviting blend of jazz, calypso, socca, reggae, bomba, soul, mascaron, Afro-Latin styles from across the Caribbean and music from the American South, in particular New Orleans.

As for the mostly wordless stories he tells, perhaps the most compelling examples are on his fifth and most recent album, 2016s San Jose Suite.

Its title is a literal reflection of three countries and cultures, and the borders-leaping music that simultaneously makes them distinct and ties them together.

Charles researched the album by traveling to San Jose de Oruna in his native Trinidad, to San Jose in Costa Rica and to San Jose in Northern California.

What results is a welcome extension of the vibrant musical arc he skillfully traversed on his previous album, Creole Soul.

I did a musical study of the effects of colonialism, using the former Spanish colonies in Trinidad, Costa Rica and the California Coast, Charles explained last week from New York, where he was preparing to perform at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

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In Trinidad and Costa Rica, I lived with indigenous people. Basically, I studied the African descendants in each place  and the first national people in each place.

And for African descendants in San Jose, California, I decided to focus on student athletes who came to San Jose State in the 1960s  like John Carlos and Tommie Smith  who used their success as athletes to help desegregate the campus.

Smith and Carlos won the gold and bronze medals in the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

During the subsequent awards ceremony, they famously bowed their heads and thrust their clenched right fists into the air. It was a silent political statement felt around the world, including in Trinidad and Tobago, where Charles was born in 1983.

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Smith and Carlos were both San Jose State students of sociology professor Dr. Harry Edwards, who in 1968 founded the Olympic Project for Human Rights. Charles wrote Speed City, a song on San Jose Suite, about Edwards, Smith and Carlos.

Harry Edwards actually does a spoken-word segment on the album, Charles proudly noted. Sometimes, I play a little of the audio of Harrys voice when we perform Speed City in concert.

Even so, anyone expecting the trumpeter to proselytize from the stage when he and his five-man Creole Soul band perform here Wednesday may be disappointed.

My music is always inspired by things and Im not stating my point of view, said Charles, whose next album will be a big-band outing.

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All I do is tell the story. I say: This happened and thats a fact. It gives people perspective and another angle and way to understand the music.  We definitely try to give the audience something to chew on and I want to give them a good time.

(Jazz drum legend) Art Blakey had a saying: Music washes away the dirt of everyday life. I take that to heart.

Our music takes you on a journey, without you having to go to the airport! If people come to our show, theyll have a good time and they will feel the music.

Etienne Charles & Creole Soul, featuring Danny Janklow, Tony Tixier, Samir Moulay, Dean Hullett and Jonathan Pinson

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

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Where: Athenaeum Jazz at TSRI Auditorium, 10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive, La Jolla

Tickets: $30 (members), $35 (non-members)

Phone: (858) 454-5872

Online: ljathenaeum.org

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george.varga@sduniontribune.com

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Twitter @georgevarga
Long before Beirut-born comedian Nemr Abou Nassar came to be known as the Lebanese King of Comedy, he was a young boy living in San Diego County with his parents, who immigrated to Del Mar to escape the civil war in Lebanon when he was just 2. Nemr  as hes known  moved back to Lebanon in the 1990s but will be back on home turf Saturday with his Love Isnt the Answer tour, which hes bringing to cities all across the country. Hes graced the cover of Rolling Stone (Middle East edition) and appeared on CNN, and in October, he even had his own Showtime special, No Bombing in Beirut. On Saturday, hell be making local crowds laugh as he has a homecoming of sorts at the Balboa.

Nemr: Love Isnt the Answer: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 31. Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown. $30-$70. (619/760/858) 570-1100. sdbalboa.org

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Twitter: @outdoorlivingsd

michael.rocha@sduniontribune.com
More than 50 wineries from around the globe will pop their corks this weekend at the third annual Uncorked: San Diego Wine Festival. Guests will sip and savor their way through more than 200 wines, a champagne bar, local ciders and gourmet food  American and Asian to Italian and Mexican cuisines  from 11 of San Diegos best food truck operators. The 21-and-over affair includes lawn games and live DJ music. Upgrade to a VIP ticket for $70 for an extra hour of tastings that includes some exclusive pours from select wineries. General admission tickets are $60. Both ticket prices include all your tastings, with food sold separately. Proceeds from the event to benefit Urban Surf 4 Kids, an outreach organization that works with orphan and foster kids.

Uncorked: San Diego Wine Festival: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Embarcadero Marina Park North, 400 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. $60-$70. uncorkedwinefestivals.com

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carolina.gusman@sduniontribune.com
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, "The issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved if South Korea and the U.S. respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Kim as saying this requires "phased and simultaneous steps for peace."

This is the first time Kim has mentioned denuclearization. The "phased and simultaneous steps" sound like the old tactics of his father Kim Jong-il that involved gradual freezing and scrapping of the North's nuclear weapons in exchange for eased sanctions, economic aid and security guarantees by South Korea and the U.S. but saw North Korea renege on each of its promises.

Kim's chief aim seems to be to ease crippling international sanctions.


The U.S. Department of Labor announced Wednesday that investigators had reached a settlement with a Santee builder to repay back wages owed to the workers by a defunct subcontractor.

A & D General Contracting, Inc.. the prime contractor on a pair of federally funded projects for the Marine Corps, will compensate 16 workers $52,969 after El Cajon-based Amigos Design Build Landscapes failed to pay prevailing wages before declaring bankruptcy.

The prime contractor in this case is stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing, said Department of Labor spokesman Leo Kay during a telephone interview.

The case spun out of a probe by the agencys Wage and Hour Division into Amigos Designs work on two projects  a control gate at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and Camp Pendletons Combat Training Tank and Instruction Facility, according to a Department of Labor press release.

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Amigos Design filed for federal bankruptcy protection in late 2016, four years after the company was founded. In his Chapter 7 paperwork, company president Douglas Leal estimated $579,562 in debt to 113 creditors and only $482,182 in property to pay them.

The San Diego Union-Tribune attempted to reach Leal but telephone numbers listed for him and Amigos Design were disconnected.

Wage and Hour Division investigators determined that Amigos Design violated the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts by failing to pay required health and welfare rates to its employees.

The firm also incorrectly categorized some workers in jobs so that they would receive lower compensation rates than they deserved. Others were slotted as apprentices to pay them below the prevailing wage rates but they werent enrolled in any apprenticeship programs.

And on top of that, the company falsified its certified payroll reports, according to the Department of Labor.

No contractor should gain an economic advantage by paying workers below the wages and fringe benefits required on a prevailing wage project, said Rodolfo Cortez, the Wage and Hour Division Director in San Diego, in an emailed statement. Not only does this practice undercut what the workers involved are legally owed for their work, it results in unfair competition for contractors who play by the rules.

Enacted in 1931, the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts require contractors and subcontractors who build or repair public facilities with federal funds to pay their laborers and mechanics no less than the locally prevailing hourly wages and fringe benefits.

The legislation wasnt designed to merely help workers but also the companies that hire them by creating a level playing field for construction contractors bidding on federal projects.

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The laws also attempt to prevent the infusion of federal dollars into San Diego County from depressing local wages.

The prime contractor is responsible for the compliance of subcontractors, which is why A & D General Contracting ended up negotiating with the Department of Labor on a settlement, according to Kay.

A & D representatives did not return messages seeking comment.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
A new California presidential primary election system that may be considered in the future would be a real boost to Sen. Bernie Sanders, or a candidate with similar appeal to independents.

The San Diego-based Independent Voter Project is drafting a lawsuit aimed at making the California presidential primary conform with the state constitution.

The thrust of the legal approach is that the California constitution calls for an open primary, specifically the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act. But the courts have protected the rights of political parties to choose their presidential nominees as they see fit. If the lawsuit is successful, someone  possibly the Legislature or the courts  would have to create a process that satisfies both demands.

A brief civics primer before diving in:

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Open primaries either dont require voters declare a party affiliation to vote or allow voters to choose which party primary ballot they want on election day.

The top-two is a nonpartisan form of open primary that lists all candidates on one ballot and voters can choose among them, regardless of party affiliation. The two candidates with the most votes advance to November.

The lawsuit would be filed sometime after the 2018 election, according to Steve Peace, the former state finance director and San Diego legislator who co-founded the Independent Voter Project. He said other groups and individuals likely will join.

Our underlying ethic is for more people voting, Peace said.

The main goal would be to put all candidates on the same ballot and let everybody vote on them, which is the way it works in non-presidential primaries. That would eliminate confusion and save costs.

Because of legal rulings that guarantee national political parties the right of private association, California continues to hold a version of closed presidential primaries, which are separate partisan elections generally limited to registered members of a given party. Democrats allow voters who are not affiliated with a political party  independents  to vote in their presidential primaries; Republicans do not.

If the lawsuit succeeds, a new system would have to be devised, possibly one similar to the top-two primary in place for other California elections. However, while the top-two vote-getters would be guaranteed a spot on the fall ballot, they wouldnt be the only ones on it.

Such a primary could have allowed Sanders a place on the November 2016 ballot along with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Democrats Clinton and Sanders finished first and second in votes, with 2.7 million and 2.3 million, respectively. Republican Trumps 1.6 million votes was third-most. But he would also advance because the Republican Party, or any other qualified party, couldnt be denied a spot on the November ballot for their presidential nominee.

States can adopt whatever presidential primary system they want, but they cant bind political parties to the outcome. However, the parties have chosen to use the results to varying degrees to help determine their nominees.

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The Republican Party has the legal right to allow only its members to choose the nominee. If the party didnt want to change, how would that happen under this new top-two system? One possibility would be to have ballots coded by party  they are now  and while the total open vote would be tallied, the parties could choose to count only votes from party members.

Republicans may eventually determine, as California Democrats have, that its in their interests to allow non-party members a vote they count.

Peace and Independent Voter Project Executive Director Dan Howle said they are trying to make elections more about voters than political parties.

The sole purpose of elections should be to allow voters to express themselves, Howle said.

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With increasing numbers of voters choosing not to join a political party, closed primaries are shutting out more people. That generally limits primary turnouts to shrinking minorities of voters who are the gatekeepers for the November general elections. Howle and Peace want to change that.

This is aligning the political system to the change in society, Peace said.

Nonpartisan primaries treat every individual citizen equally. Partisan primaries by definition discriminate against nonpartisan voters.

Peace was a lead author of Proposition 14, the state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2010 that created Californias non-partisan top-two primary.

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The political parties opposed the measure, wanting to keep control of the nominating process and, frankly, attempting to limit their primaries to people with a common view.

Only California and Washington state have top-two primaries, while nearly two dozen states have open primaries or some hybrid version. In addition to encouraging more voter participation, such systems were anticipated to create more competition and elect more moderate candidates.

One study of Californias top-two primary pointed to some success there, while another concluded it had minimal impact on electing more moderates. Experts say analysis is difficult because the revamped primary came around the same time as the states independent redistricting process and legislative term-limit extensions. Plus, its early.

Were still in the infant years of this new system, Peace said.

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But its safe to say that more uniform elections might do away with confusion over two primary voting systems in California. In 2016 a lot of people didnt understand how the California presidential primary worked, including the Sanders campaign for a while, and the Vermont senator may have paid the price.

Lots of voters with no party preference were told they had to re-register to vote in the Democratic primary, rather than simply ask for a Democratic ballot. A notable bump in American Independent Party registration suggests some voters may have mistakenly signed up with the AIP, or that independents on their own thought this is how they needed to register. Some blamed a confusing voter registration card.

Regardless, folks that remained registered that way were shut out of the Democratic primary.

The state didnt do a very good job of voter education in 2016. It will have to step up its game if a new presidential primary system comes to pass.
Ten defense lawyers have contacted prosecutors with the San Diego County District Attorneys office to discuss whether some evidence used to convict a former client could be re-examined under revised DNA analysis guidelines.

The responses come almost three months after San Diego prosecutors sent out more than 250 letters to local defense lawyers informing them a case they worked on that ended with their client convicted could be eligible for re-examination.

The 10 attorneys represent 11 total defendants, said Deputy District Attorney Brent Neck, who leads the Conviction Review Unit in the office. Its too early to say if any of the cases warrant re-examination or retesting of some evidence. Detailed information on the cases was not available.

The letters were sent after a review of jury trial convictions in cases from 2003 to 2016, where the evidence included a mixture sample of DNA from more than two individuals. In 2010, the leading DNA forensic science working group in the country revised the guidelines for interpreting such samples. The new guidelines were more conservative: Samples that under the old guidelines would be deemed to have the DNA of a suspect would now be considered to be inconclusive.

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Also, the key DNA statistic that gives the odds a person chosen at random would match the mixture sample by chance  known as the combined probability of inclusion  would be lower. Both changes favored defendants.

Late in 2017, San Diego prosecutors began to comb through case records to see how many people who had been convicted at trial and were still in prison had mixture-DNA as part of their cases, and then contacted lawyers. The review did not include cases where people had plea bargained, which constitute the majority of case resolutions.

Even if evidence in a case is retested, it may not mean there will be a change in the sentence because there could be other evidence implicating the defendant. In Orange County, which did a similar review of many more cases, only two defendants had their sentence altered, and those only slightly.

The responses so far will likely not be the only ones. The Public Defenders Office, which represents indigent defendants, is also setting up a procedure to review what will likely be the bulk of cases because most people in prison cant afford a lawyer, said Deputy Public Defender Troy Britt.

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Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
A man authorities say stabbed his girlfriend before trying to light himself on fire was charged with attempted murder Wednesday in Vista Superior Court.

Charles Higgins, 62, also faces a count of violating a protective stay-away order, a misdemeanor, prosecutors said. He pleaded not guilty to both charges during his arraignment.

He is being held without bail. A protective order for the victim has been issued.

If convicted of attempted murder, Higgins could be sentenced to life in prison.

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The defendant was arrested Friday in Temecula hours after a woman with stab wounds was found in the parking lot of the Costco at 951 Palomar Airport Road.

According to the U.S. Border Patrol, agents spotted Higgins in Temecula traveling north on Jefferson Avenue near Winchester Road and pulled him over. Agents saw Higgins pour gasoline on his clothes and attempt to light himself on fire. They opened his door, knocked the lighter out of his hand and arrested him.

His clothes had a large amount of blood on them, the Border Patrol said.

Higgins and his vehicle were turned over to the Carlsbad Police Department, which is handling the investigation.

The victim was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Her condition was not immediately available.

According to a complaint filed in the case, Higgins has a May 2017 conviction for making criminal threats.

andrew.dyer@sduniontribune.com

@adyer619
San Diego will build a modern customs inspection facility at Otay Mesas Brown Field, ending a stalemate in negotiations with federal officials who have been demanding upgrades to an existing 42-year-old building.

The stalemate, which came after three years of discussion, prompted the federal government in January to threaten to withdraw the busy municipal airports landing rights starting May 1.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced Wednesday that the city will spend roughly $1 million to build a new, 1,200-square-foot facility.

Brown Field is a tremendously important asset for the region that allows for the safe, secure and efficient flow of cross-border business and trade, Faulconer said. This new agreement to improve the airports inspection facilities will help bolster binational trade by making sure Brown Field remains open for years to come.

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Federal withdrawal of Brown Fields landing rights would have forced aircraft bringing passengers, produce and other items from Mexico to land instead at Lindbergh Field, Calexico Airport, Yuma Airport or McLellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad.

Those are the only nearby airports with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection presence.

Federal officials also praised the deal on Wednesday.

These upgraded facilities and new infrastructure will allow for safety improvements for Customs and Border Protection officers and the traveling public at the airport, as well as a more pleasant travel experience overall, said Jackie Wasiluk, a spokeswoman for Customs and Border Protection.

City officials said the increased traffic from a Brown Field shutdown would have created operational problems at Lindbergh Field. In addition, they said the other airports lack the personnel to handle significantly more traffic.

Rodney Propst, the citys deputy director of Real Estate Assets, called forcing aircraft to use those other airports unreasonable and impractical in a Feb. 27 letter to federal officials.

The Code of Federal Regulations, however, allows withdrawal of landing rights if proper inspectional facilities or equipment are not available at, or maintained by, the requested airport.

City and federal officials have been discussing since early 2015 potential upgrades to a 454-square-foot federal customs inspection facility that has occupied the northeast corner of the Brown Field terminal building since 1976.

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A late 2015 agreement to replace it with a larger facility costing about $750,000 fell through the following spring, when city officials balked at a federal request for additional security measures that would have pushed the cost well above $1 million.

When San Diego launched efforts in early 2017 to create a new master plan for Brown Fields long-term future, city officials proposed a stopgap of $250,000 in upgrades to the existing facility.

That proposal was based on expectations that the master plan would call for a new Brown Field terminal to be built in the next decade with a modern customs inspection facility.

Federal officials chose not to embrace that proposal and Pete Flores, director of field operations for Customs and Border Protection, sent the city a request in April 2017 to remodel the existing facility and double its size.

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The city rejected that proposal last June. Flores then sent the city a letter on Jan. 31 saying Brown Fields landing rights would be terminated on May 1 because the existing inspection facility is inadequate.

While airports are not legally required to build and maintain adequate inspection facilities for the federal government, it has been a longtime tradition for them to do so that city officials say they acknowledge and respect.

Faulconer said he and federal officials agreed during a March 20 meeting that the city would pay for the entire cost of the new facility, a modular building, in exchange for Customs and Border Protection rescinding the shutdown threat.

Federal officials also granted the city the right to begin charging aircraft a facility user fee for clearing customs.

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In addition, federal officials agreed that if the city eventually builds a new Brown Field terminal, they are not required to include a new customs inspections facility.

This is just the latest example of the many smart border investments being made in the San Diego region to advance trade and strengthen our local economy, Faulconer said on Wednesday.

Many aircraft choose Brown Field because there is no user fee and because efficiency there allows them to clear customs quickly, he said. Thats especially crucial for cargo aircraft carrying perishable products such as flowers, fruit and vegetables.

An average of 10 aircraft and 48 people clear customs per day at Brown Field, with traffic typically higher on weekends than weekdays, according to Customs and Border Protection.

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A Faulconer spokeswoman said the mayor is optimistic that construction of the new inspections facility will proceed quickly. The first step will be engaging a modular building contractor, said the spokeswoman, Christina Chadwick.

She said city officials expect the new building to cost roughly $1 million, but that the cost might be lower depending on the contractor.

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david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
The owner of a fine-dining restaurant in La Jollas Bird Rock area is expected to face arraignment next week following his arrest on suspicion of multiple sexual assault charges including rape, authorities said Thursday.

Daniel Dorado remained jailed in lieu of $900,000 bail, a day after San Diego police arrested him.The 59-year-old is the owner of Voce Del Mare, an Italian restaurant on La Jolla Boulevard in the coastal Bird Rock neighborhood.

Police officials said Dorado had been arrested on suspicion of several counts, including two counts of rape, two counts of oral copulation, four counts of sexual battery and five counts of administering a controlled substance. Police did not say how many victims may be associated with the charges.

His arraignment is expected on Monday, the District Attorneys office said. It was not clear whether Dorado had an attorney.

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A department spokesman confirmed that Dorado was arrested about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday at his home in Harmony Grove, just outside of Escondido.

That same day, 10News reported, police officers were at the restaurant. The station also said the restaurant did not open Wednesday night.

On Thursday, multiple phone calls to the restaurant did not go through.

The station also aired an interview with a woman who said Dorado had given her a glass of wine during a job interview three years ago. After the drink, she told the station, her next memory was walking up several hours later. Neither she nor Dorado were wearing clothes, she said. The woman said she suspected she had been assaulted.

The television station did not identify the woman, who also told the station that she reported the incident to police at the time, but that no charges were filed.

The womans attorney, Jessica Pride, said Thursday that her client is one of as many as four victims associated with the charges.

She is very grateful they are filing charges, Pride said.

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teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

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(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT

UPDATES:

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2:15 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information, including an expected arraignment date. It was originally posted at 8:40 a.m.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was given a state welcome during his secretive two-day visit to Beijing earlier this week.

Although protocol fell short of the one received by his father, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un was given a higher level of hospitality than South Korean President Moon Jae-in during his trip last December.

Kim Jong-un was greeted by three members of the Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee: President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and Wang Huning, a policy adviser to Xi. Moon only met Xi and Li.

Welcoming Kim at Beijing railway station on Monday were Wang, Song Tao, the head of the party's International Liaison Department, Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Li Jinjun and other high-level officials.

When Moon arrived, China just sent an assistance vice minister and the Chinese ambassador to South Korea to greet him.
An unlikely trio  a law professor, a part-time local prosecutor and a lawyer focused on advocating conservative issues  is playing an increasingly central role in representing President Trump in the Russia investigation as he struggles to find top talent for his diminished legal team.

All three are connected to Jay Sekulow, Trumps last remaining personal lawyer after John Dowd, a white-collar criminal defense attorney, resigned last week and other lawyers have declined to join up. Dowd had been leading negotiations with the office of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about a possible presidential interview.

With Johns departure, theres obviously more on us, Sekulow said.

Trump has been hunting for another defense attorney, but hes been turned down several times. Two other lawyers who were announced just last week as joining his team, the husband-and-wife duo of Joseph diGenova and Victoria Toensing, dropped out on Sunday, citing conflicts with other clients.

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The developments have elevated Sekulow, whos best known as an advocate for conservative religious causes at the American Center for Law and Justice, to the central figure in the presidents defense strategy.

The three other lawyers have either worked for Sekulows group or alongside him on various legal issues in the past. Sekulow said that theyve been helping represent the president since he was hired in June. Their roles, however, are enhanced now.

One of the lawyers, Ben Sisney, is the centers senior counsel for litigation and public policy. He previously worked as a lawyer in Oklahoma and clerked for a U.S. District Court judge there.

Another lawyer is Mark Goldfeder, a senior lecturer at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta. According to the biography on the schools website, his work has focused on religious and international issues.

The third lawyer is Andrew Ekonomou, an Atlanta-based attorney who has the most experience with criminal cases. He previously worked as a state and federal prosecutor, at one time serving as the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

Ekonomou works in private practice but also occasionally prosecutes cases for a district attorneys office in southeastern Georgia. He also has a doctorate in medieval history.

Follow live coverage of the Trump administration on Essential Washington 

Sekulow declined to specify what kind of work each lawyer is providing, saying only that our cooperation with the office of the special counsel continues and is ongoing.

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He said all of the lawyers are paid through his private law firm, the Constitutional Litigation Advocacy Group, not the American Center for Law and Justice. He would not say who pays the presidents bills, but said it was not a political party or organization. The Republican National Committee had previously covered some of the costs.

Ted Olson, a prominent Republican lawyer and former solicitor general during the George W. Bush administration, is one of the lawyers who turned down the president. He later told MSNBC that the upheaval in the Trump administration is not good for anything.

I think everybody would agree this is turmoil, its chaos, its confusion, Olson said.

More recently, two lawyers from the prestigious firm Winston & Strawn, Dan Webb and Tom Buchanan, declined to represent Trump.

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They were unable to take on the representation due to business conflicts, the firm said in a statement. However they consider the opportunity to represent the President to be the highest honor and they sincerely regret that they cannot do so.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Twitter: @chrismegerian

ALSO

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Trump personal attorney John Dowd resigns in shake-up of presidents legal team

Mueller seeks documents from Trump Organization, signaling possible scrutiny of the presidents business dealings
Multiple women in labor on any day is typical at Palomar Medical Center Poway. Having two of them be sisters, less so.

But that was the case on March 20, when Taliyah Davila and Lara Ray were admitted within two hours of each other and passed the time leading up to their daughters births by texting each other to get updates on their labor progress. They even had the same obstetrician, Dr. Damon Cobb.

Among those also going between their hospital rooms were their mother, Lyndsay Ferris, and middle sister, Rochelle Zangen.

Everyone was really excited, Ray said. (The staff) said they never had this happen before.

According to labor and delivery nurse manager Vaneese Cook, it was the first time in her 20 years at the facility  formerly known as Pomerado Hospital  that sisters had delivered on the same day.

It was very exciting, Davila said. It brought us together. Our children will be super close.

My sister and I were close to begin with, but this made us closer, Ray said.

The sisters, daughters of Poway residents Bob and Lyndsay Ferris, said they moved to Poway in 1999. Their family is originally from South Africa.

Ray  the first to announce her pregnancy and give birth  graduated from Poway High in 2004. She and her husband, Richard Ray, met while they were serving in the Navy. He is still on active duty and the couple lives in Poway. Daughter Helen is their third child, who was welcomed home by a brother and sister. Helen was born at 12:12 a.m. on March 21, weighing 8 pounds 15 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Davila  who said she learned she was pregnant later than her sister and waited two more months to inform their family  graduated from Poway High in 2001. She and her husband, Roberto Davila, live in San Carlos. Daughter Isla is their first child. She was born at 9:50 a.m. on March 21, weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long.

While the couple does not live in Poway, Davila said it made sense for her to see a Poway doctor during her pregnancy and go to the Poway hospital. I work in Poway, so going to the doctor appointments was easy and my parents live in Poway. ... The hospital has a good reputation, she said.

The women said being pregnant at the same time was a coincidence and they did not think they were going to give birth on the same day. Davilas original due date was March 8, but changed to March 17. Rays was always March 18. But they knew the births could be a few days off from the estimates.

Both had a doctor appointment on March 20, during which time it was determined that Davila was in labor and Ray would need to have her labor induced.

To literally be (in labor) on the same day was crazy, but pretty awesome, Davila said.

While the sisters said they were in competition for who would deliver first, both were hoping their babies would be born under the Aries birth sign instead of Pisces. Davila is a Pisces and her husband said since he has so many family members born with that sign he wasnt sure he also wanted a daughter with it.

They have certain traits  that are good  that they are strong and opinionated, if you believe in that, Roberto Davila said. I thought it would be more than I can handle, so I was hoping she would be an Aires. ... It was more of a joke.

He added that the hospital staff was amazing. The level of care is phenomenal.

Both women said they were very happy with their doctor and the care they received at the hospital.

The sisters said their plan is to have their daughters, starting at age 2, attend daycare and preschool together at the Skills Learning Center in Poway, owned by the babies maternal grandparents. They are also looking forward to sharing birthdays and other special occasions.

email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday proposed to Chinese President Xi Jinping "phased and simultaneous steps for peace." That sounds suspiciously like the salami-slicing tactics of his father Kim Jong-il of eking out small tit-for-tat concessions to string the international community along.

Wi Sung-lac, a former South Korean representative to six-party talks said, "This shows that North Korea intends to hang on to its nuclear weapons for as long as possible and only consider scrapping them at the very last stage."

Chine quoted Kim as telling Xi, "The issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula can be resolved if South Korea and the U.S. respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace."

That seems essentially aimed at easing crippling international sanctions for little concrete effort in return. North Korea has repeatedly reneged on previous pledges after receiving the rewards, ditching promises to let international inspectors check its nuclear facilities and others.

Kang Jun-young at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies said, "If you get mired in the 'phased' approach, you just end up repeating past failures in negotiations."

Also, the "goodwill" Kim mentioned appears to refer to a halt or downscaling in joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises and easing of sanctions, though it is unclear what they would have "goodwill" in.


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A Korean who made a frantic call to police in Osaka last April that his wife committed suicide has been charged with poisoning her with nicotine.

The 22-year-old man identified only by his surname Woo told police his wife injected herself with nicotine extract in the bathroom. He and his 19-year-old bride had been married for only 10 days and were on their honeymoon.

The autopsy showed the cause of death as nicotine overdose with a blood nicotine concentration of about 3 mg/L, well above a lethal dose. Japanese police closed the case when they found no evidence of homicide while Woo insisted that she killed herself and he wanted to go home. He cremated her in Japan and returned to Korea with her ashes.
Recommendations by the five panels, created by law to advise the labor secretary on how to improve health and safety problems in the workforce and to help enhance protections for employees who spot fraud or lapses, have stalled.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is playing all ends against the middle with a surprise visit to Beijing whose aim seemed to be to further fracture international cooperation over North Korea.

Kim may also be trying to boost his leverage in upcoming summits with South Korea and the U.S. in April and May by mending fences with his sole ally. Kim is proving an adept manipulator, driving a wedge between South Korea and the U.S. and taking advantage of China's fierce trade dispute with the U.S.

China is unlikely to halt sanctions against North Korea immediately, but they will inevitably be eased once relations with Pyongyang improve since there are so many possible backdoors.

The fact that China invited Kim demonstrates how cleverly he had managed to sideline the country that was once the global driving force in dealing with the North. Instead he focused on inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korean dialogue, sparking concerns in China that Beijing may be losing its influence.

Trump helped with a major drive to step up trade pressure against Beijing, while warming up to Taiwan, which China considers a rogue state, and embracing Tibet and North Korea. The North is China's surest bet in regaining leverage.
Even if you mark your social media private, it could still be used against you in a court of law.

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Lew Tesser gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Timothy Nolen, Esq., associate at Tesser, Ryan & Rochman, Esq., in the preparation of this article.

Time after time, friends, family, employers and now even the courts remind us: be careful what you post online, as it may not be as private as you think. Whether you mark something as private or not, it might be used against you in court someday.

In recent years, technological advances have changed the way we live and work, but few developments have had as far-reaching an impact on our lives as social media. With friends and family posting more details than ever about their lives, it can be tempting to put yourself out there, in effect documenting daily activities on social media through postings and photos. For some of us who arent so open, it might be comforting to assume that carefully managing social media settings really will keep your information private, and that there is no downside as long as we dont make our profiles public.

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Think again! A recent case, which went all the way to the New York Court of Appeals (New York States highest court), made it abundantly clear that simply making your social media accounts private is insufficient.

In a case involving a woman who was severely injured when she fell off a horse, the woman sued the man who owned the horse for money damages. She claimed she had previously lived a very active life (which she had frequently posted about on Facebook), but now could not be as active due to both her physical and cognitive injuries. In a process called discovery, the owner sought access to the womans private Facebook postings and photos in order to see just how severely the accident had really impacted her day-to-day life. (Discovery is a procedure that requires individuals involved in a lawsuit to hand over certain documents or information.) The woman refused to hand over her private Facebook information, claiming among other things that it would be an invasion of her privacy.

In a decision that should give pause to many active social media users, New Yorks highest court ordered her to hand over her private Facebook information. The court noted that some materials on a Facebook account may fairly be characterized as private. But even private materials may be subject to discovery if they are relevant. In other words, courts focus more on whether information is important or relevant to a case, and less on whether information is classified as private or public.

This is not to say that all users private social media must always be turned over in discovery. In order to gain access to such private social media information, the party seeking it must demonstrate that the social media content is likely to lead to relevant information.

So how could private Facebook information be relevant to determining whether the woman was injured when she fell of the horse? (She certainly wasnt posting about it as it was happening.) As the court noted, reviewing her Facebook posts and photos might help determine just how active a lifestyle she really enjoyed before the accident. Or perhaps her recent private posts would demonstrate that, contrary to what she says, she still lives a very active lifestyle. Or maybe the fact that, post-accident, she was still able to write lengthy, complex and detailed Facebook posts would undermine her claim that she had suffered severe cognitive injuries and had difficulty writing and using the computer.

Court records do not reveal whether the search of her private documents revealed anything harmful to her, but the point is, it could have.

As the courts reasoning demonstrates, you should be mindful that what you post on Facebook or any other social media site might be relevant at trial in ways that you would not normally expect. For example, perhaps your checking in on Facebook someplace five minutes before an accident could be used to prove you were near the accident when it happened; or maybe your use of nicknames on Twitter could help identify you in a situation where you were relying on anonymity; or maybe your Instagram post with language complaining about how you got a black eye might prove the real source of your injuries; or maybe your LinkedIn profile and postings might undermine your claim that you were disabled and couldnt work.

Social media has been a terrific tool to bring friends, families, and even businesses together. But remember that just because you mark something as private doesnt mean it cant be used against you in courtanother reason you should be careful what you post online!

(The Court of Appeals case discussed is Forman v. Henkin, 2018 N.Y. LEXIS 180 (Feb. 13, 2018). The examples of the relevancy of private social media postings are based loosely on recent New York cases.)
Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/29/2018 -- Cancer Diagnostics Market - Highlights



There are several methods of diagnosing cancer today such as biopsy based, endoscopy based, imaging procedure, tumor cancer diagnostics and many more. Population affected with cancer are showing a tremendous growth during last few years, which create the requirement of advanced technology for diagnosis cancer on early stage. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2017, it is estimate that around 161,360 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and around 26,730 deaths occur owing to prostate cancer in the United States. Thus, many companies are involve in collaboration in order to provide better technology for diagnosis the cancer. In this regards, in January, 2015, Roche and Qualcomm Incorporated entered into a strategic collaboration to improve remote monitoring and management of patients with chronic disease.



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Rising demand for better technology, increasing investment in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries for R&D are driving the market for cancer diagnostics. Moreover, increasing government support for research & development, changing lifestyle, and rapidly developing technology are also expected to fuel the market during the forecast period. However, the high cost of the treatment may slow the market growth during the period 2017-2023.



Cancer diagnostics Market - Regional Analysis



The Americas dominate the global cancer diagnostics market owing to the presence of huge patient population with cancer, high healthcare spending, and increasing government support for research & development. According to a report published by the breast cancer information and awareness, in 2017, around 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women, along with 63,410 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.



Europe holds the second largest share of the global cancer diagnostics market as result of increasing focus of various government agencies on the treatment of diseases. Moreover, the growing public awareness is also likely to boost the European market.



Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market across the globe. Moreover, rapidly developing economy, increasing healthcare expenditure, and the government initiatives for research & development are projected to drive the market in China and India.



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The Middle East and Africa holds the least share of the global market due to limited availability of medical facilities. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait are expected to drive the Middle East & African market. Whereas, the African region is expected to witness a moderate growth.



Table of Content:



1. Report Prologue



2. Market Introduction



Research Methodology

Market Dynamics

Market Factor Analysis

Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Market, By Type

Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Market, By Application

Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Market, By End User

Global Pharmaceutical Excipients Market, By Region

11 Company Profiles



12 MRFR Conclusion



13 Appendix



Continued



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Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/28/2018 -- Future Market Insights (FMI) announces the release of its latest report titled, "Fatty Amines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015-2020". According to the report, the global fatty amines market was valued at US$ 1,721 Mn in 2014 and is anticipated to reach US$ 2,193 Mn by 2020, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% through the forecast period.



Fatty Amines Market Driven by Booming Water Treatment Chemicals Industry & Demand for Agro-chemicals



Global fatty amines market is driven by growing water treatment chemicals industry and increasing demand for agro-chemicals and asphalt additives, mainly in the developing countries. Water treatment chemicals contribute the highest in terms of demand and share to the global fatty amines market, as compared to the other application segments. Increasing usage of fatty amines in various end-user applications coupled with market expansion and development of novel applications, such as detergents, mining, paints & coatings and fabric softener are further driving the fatty amines market growth. However, fluctuations in availability and volatile raw material prices pose a challenge for the global fatty amines market.



Market Segments



The global fatty amines market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and geography.



By product type, global fatty amines market is segmented into primary fatty amines, secondary fatty amines and tertiary fatty amines. Among these segments, tertiary fatty amines accounted for approximately 48.1% of global value market share in 2014. Furthermore, it is expected to dominate the global fatty amines market throughout the forecast period, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.6% between 2015 and 2020.



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The primary fatty amines market accounted for over 25% of the market value share in 2014 and is expected to increase at a comparatively high CAGR of 4.9%, during the forecast period, owing to its increasing consumption in water treatment chemicals and paints & coatings industry as additives to protect the paints from getting tainted while in storage.



The secondary fatty amines segment accounted for approximately 23% of the global value market share in 2014, and is expected to gain its market share and account for 23.3% of the global fatty amines market by 2020.



On the bases of application, the global fatty amines market is segmented into water treatment chemicals, agro-chemicals, oilfield chemicals, asphalt additives, anti-caking and others (used in personal care, mining, fabric softener, paints & coatings). Among the aforementioned segments, water treatment chemicals is expected to dominate the global fatty amines market with over 29% market revenue share throughout the forecast period. Growing paints & coatings industry, coupled with increasing automobile production in China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Mexico is expected to further propel the demand for fatty amines in the asphalt additives application segment. The scope of applications for fatty amines in others segment is expected to expand in the future too, due to market expansion and innovation in techniques.



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On the bases of region, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) dominated the global fatty amines market in 2014, in terms of revenue, accounting for more than 25% of the revenue share. However, North America and Eastern Europe are foreseen to witness relatively high CAGRs of 6.4% and 5.3%, respectively.



Competitive Landscape



Key players considered in the global fatty amines market include Kao Corporation, Evonik Industries AG, AkzoNobel N.V., DuPont, Clariant AG, CECA Arkema Group, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Volant-Chem Group, Procter & Gamble Chemicals Company and Lonza
Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/29/2018 -- An up-to-date research has been disclosed by QY Research Group highlighting the Global and United States Denture Adhesive segment. The report deep dives into the dynamics of Global and United States Denture Adhesive providing useful and unique insights. The information is shared in a precise and structured manner, giving executives and leaders an accurate picture of the upcoming market movement. The document utilizes a number of monographs, pie charts and bar-graphs to provide data which can be used to derive the latest trends in the industry. The report is also divided according to usage wherever applicable, including (but not limited to) FnB, FMCG, Minerals, Electronics, Pharma, Polymers etc. All these details are available for all major countries and associations  APCA, EMEA, United States. Other locations can be included in the report on demand.



The document includes present industry magnitude of Global and United States Denture Adhesive and the movement since past 5-10 years. Moreover, the list of major companies/competitors is also present including Baxter International Incorporated, DENTSPLY International Incorporated, GlaxoSmithKline plc, HemCon Medical Technologies Incorporated . The competition data allows users to gauge their current position against the market and take corrective measures to increase or maintain their share holds. Furthermore, details regarding the supply chain, manufacturers, distributors are also included in the report.



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Research Focused on Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market 2018



The document contains a comprehensive description of all the firms in question. The necessary details for the companies in Global and United States Denture Adhesive , such as revenue, % share, supplier information, images of products are provided as well. Some of the known key players in the market are Baxter International Incorporated, DENTSPLY International Incorporated, GlaxoSmithKline plc, HemCon Medical Technologies Incorporated . It is expected that the industry will continue to develop in a swift manner with new competition trying to capture the share of the pie. Given the industry regulations, international government policies, state-of-the-art innovations  the competition would be fierce for all the participants.



The fragmentation is provided on the basis of Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) , Optical Digitizer and Scanner (ODS) , Video Measuring Machine (VMM) . Additionally, the application wise division provides the data according to



Anticipated industry growth details are provided along with the CAGR where applicable.



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The report also demonstrates region wise data



Key points of the Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market report:

Proper market environment investigation

Concrete valuation market projection

Multi-level Industry subdivision

Upcoming technological advancements in market

Evolving local segments and regional markets

Past, current, and future magnitude of the market according to net worth and total capacity

Market shares of key competitors

Expert advice for executives to make an impact in the industry



Following queries are addressed in the document  Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market 2018

What is the expected industry size of Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market in 2022?

Expected rate of growth to reach the potential?

What are the major market trends?

Major drivers for Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market?

Prominent distributors/suppliers in Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market?

Upcoming challenges for Global and United States Denture Adhesive Market?



And More....



About QYResearch :

QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.



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Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/29/2018 -- An up-to-date research has been disclosed by QY Research Group highlighting the Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices segment. The report deep dives into the dynamics of Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices providing useful and unique insights. The information is shared in a precise and structured manner, giving executives and leaders an accurate picture of the upcoming market movement. The document utilizes a number of monographs, pie charts and bar-graphs to provide data which can be used to derive the latest trends in the industry. The report is also divided according to usage wherever applicable, including (but not limited to) FnB, FMCG, Minerals, Electronics, Pharma, Polymers etc. All these details are available for all major countries and associations  APCA, EMEA, United States. Other locations can be included in the report on demand.



The document includes present industry magnitude of Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices and the movement since past 5-10 years. Moreover, the list of major companies/competitors is also present including Zeiss, Haag Streit, Topcon, Nidek, Essilor, Ziemer, Canon, Gulden Ophthalmics, Optovue, Quest Medical, Phoenix DeVentures, EyeKon Medical . The competition data allows users to gauge their current position against the market and take corrective measures to increase or maintain their share holds. Furthermore, details regarding the supply chain, manufacturers, distributors are also included in the report.



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Research Focused on Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market 2018



The document contains a comprehensive description of all the firms in question. The necessary details for the companies in Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices , such as revenue, % share, supplier information, images of products are provided as well. Some of the known key players in the market are Zeiss, Haag Streit, Topcon, Nidek, Essilor, Ziemer, Canon, Gulden Ophthalmics, Optovue, Quest Medical, Phoenix DeVentures, EyeKon Medical . It is expected that the industry will continue to develop in a swift manner with new competition trying to capture the share of the pie. Given the industry regulations, international government policies, state-of-the-art innovations  the competition would be fierce for all the participants.



The fragmentation is provided on the basis of Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) , Optical Digitizer and Scanner (ODS) , Video Measuring Machine (VMM) . Additionally, the application wise division provides the data according to



,,. Anticipated industry growth details are provided along with the CAGR where applicable.



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The report also demonstrates region wise data



Key points of the Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market report:

Proper market environment investigation

Concrete valuation market projection

Multi-level Industry subdivision

Upcoming technological advancements in market

Evolving local segments and regional markets

Past, current, and future magnitude of the market according to net worth and total capacity

Market shares of key competitors

Expert advice for executives to make an impact in the industry



Following queries are addressed in the document  Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market 2018

What is the expected industry size of Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market in 2022?

Expected rate of growth to reach the potential?

What are the major market trends?

Major drivers for Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market?

Prominent distributors/suppliers in Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market?

Upcoming challenges for Global and United States Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Market?



And More....



About QYResearch :

QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.



Contact US:

Joel John

3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,

Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,

United States

Tel: +1-386-310-3803

Web: http://www.qyresearchgroup.com

Email: sales@qyresearchgroup.com
Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/29/2018 -- An up-to-date research has been disclosed by QY Research Group highlighting the Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment segment. The report deep dives into the dynamics of Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment providing useful and unique insights. The information is shared in a precise and structured manner, giving executives and leaders an accurate picture of the upcoming market movement. The document utilizes a number of monographs, pie charts and bar-graphs to provide data which can be used to derive the latest trends in the industry. The report is also divided according to usage wherever applicable, including (but not limited to) FnB, FMCG, Minerals, Electronics, Pharma, Polymers etc. All these details are available for all major countries and associations  APCA, EMEA, United States. Other locations can be included in the report on demand.



The document includes present industry magnitude of Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment and the movement since past 5-10 years. Moreover, the list of major companies/competitors is also present including B.Braun, Thermo Fisher, Wallach surgical device, Sfm Medial Devices, Argon Medical Devices, OHK Medical Devices, CyBio AG, Elcam Medical . The competition data allows users to gauge their current position against the market and take corrective measures to increase or maintain their share holds. Furthermore, details regarding the supply chain, manufacturers, distributors are also included in the report.



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Research Focused on Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market 2018



The document contains a comprehensive description of all the firms in question. The necessary details for the companies in Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment , such as revenue, % share, supplier information, images of products are provided as well. Some of the known key players in the market are B.Braun, Thermo Fisher, Wallach surgical device, Sfm Medial Devices, Argon Medical Devices, OHK Medical Devices, CyBio AG, Elcam Medical . It is expected that the industry will continue to develop in a swift manner with new competition trying to capture the share of the pie. Given the industry regulations, international government policies, state-of-the-art innovations  the competition would be fierce for all the participants.



The fragmentation is provided on the basis of Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) , Optical Digitizer and Scanner (ODS) , Video Measuring Machine (VMM) . Additionally, the application wise division provides the data according to



,,. Anticipated industry growth details are provided along with the CAGR where applicable.



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The report also demonstrates region wise data



Key points of the Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market report:

Proper market environment investigation

Concrete valuation market projection

Multi-level Industry subdivision

Upcoming technological advancements in market

Evolving local segments and regional markets

Past, current, and future magnitude of the market according to net worth and total capacity

Market shares of key competitors

Expert advice for executives to make an impact in the industry



Following queries are addressed in the document  Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market 2018

What is the expected industry size of Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market in 2022?

Expected rate of growth to reach the potential?

What are the major market trends?

Major drivers for Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market?

Prominent distributors/suppliers in Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market?

Upcoming challenges for Global and United States Disposable Dialysis Equipment Market?



And More....



About QYResearch :

QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.



Contact US:

Joel John

3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,

Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,

United States

Tel: +1-386-310-3803

Web: http://www.qyresearchgroup.com

Email: sales@qyresearchgroup.com
Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/29/2018 -- The Global Medical Tourism Market will generate an explosive double digit CAGR of 21.4% during the forecast period (2017-2023).



Medical tourism or health tourism refers to traveling abroad to a foreign nation for the purpose of seeking healthcare services. The activities are not restricted to only surgical intervention and may involve medical check-ups, and other practices that require skilled medical interventions. According to OECD estimates, nearly 50 million medical tourists travelled to the emerging nations in 2016.



Market Dynamics of the Global Medical Tourism Market:



The Medical tourism market is been driven by factors such as rising geriatric population, high cost of treatment in developed countries, availability of cost-effective and quality treatments in developing countries, development of effective travel especially air travel, assistance from tourism departments and local governments, availability and spread of latest medical technologies throughout the world, high penetration of health insurance, development of communication technology, and others. The rise of in-vitro fertilization, surrogacy, retro-production has also stimulated the market. International accreditation is a key factor boosting international medical tourism. Currently, over 600 health facilities in the world are accredited by the U.S. Joint Commission International (JCI), which is growing by 20% each year.



The market restraints are limited coverage and insufficient reimbursement offered by insurance companies, difficulties associated with cross border travel, such as cultural barriers, connectivity issues, documentation, and VISA approval issues, and others.



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Key Players:



Fortis Healthcare Ltd., Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, KPJ Healthcare Berhad, Barbados Fertility Centre, NTT Medical Center Tokyo, Seoul National University Hospital, Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre Private Limited, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Barbados Fertility Centre, Asklepios Kliniken Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (Germany), Prince Court Medical Centre (Malaysia), Samitivej PCL (Thailand), CHRISTUS MUGUERZA (Mexico), Anadolu Medical Center (Turkey)



Regional Analysis of Global Medical Tourism Market:



Medical Tourism Index ranks Canada, U.K. Israel, and Singapore as the key destinations. Globalization has led to a huge impact on the market for medical tourism as can be witnessed by the dominance of Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is home to many emerging economies of the world. The Asia Pacific region accounted for the largest share of the global medical tourism market, of greater than 40% in 2016. This growth is attributed to infrastructure development, rising economy, technology up gradation of health facilities, low cost and quality medical services, and government initiative to promote medical tourism in this region. Asia Pacific market was led by Malaysia, Taiwan, India, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The rise of x-soviet economies is the hallmark of medical tourism in the European continent. Countries such as Ukraine, Poland, and Slovakia have leveraged their healthcare systems for medical tourism.



Americas holds the second position in the medical tourism, followed by Europe. Central and South American countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba and Ecuador are popular destinations for medical tourists. The South American nations have specialised in cosmetic surgery and includes destinations such as Brazil, Argentina and others. According to Patients Beyond Borders, global medical tourism market grew at CAGR rate of 15% to 25% and Mexico was predicted to the fastest growing market. The Middle East and Africa have poor market owing to poorly developed healthcare sector and socio-economic development. Israel and Jordan are the best destinations for medical tourism in Middle East and Africa.



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The global medical tourism market is likely to witness a flurry of branding activities as marketing has a large effect on the return on investment. Many destinations have specialised in specific segments. For example, India, Thailand, and Singapore are renowned for specialist cardiac surgeries, cosmetic surgery and complicated surgical procedures respectively. Malaysia offers state-of-the-art medical infrastructure and is anticipated to acquire one of the top market positions in the global medical tourism market, during the forecast period.



Brief TOC



1 Report Prologue



2 Market Introduction



2.1 Definition



2.2 Scope of the Study



2.2.1 Research Objective



2.2.2 Assumptions



2.2.3 Limitations



3 Research Methodology



3.1 Introduction



3.2 Primary Research



3.3 Secondary research



3.4 Market Size Estimation



4 Market Dynamics



TOC Continued



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About Market Research Future:

Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.
South Korea took delivery of the first F-35A stealth fighter jet at a plant in Fort Worth, Texas on Wednesday, becoming only the third Asian country with stealth jets after China and Japan.

Testifying to the event's significance to the two allies were some 380 dignitaries, including Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk, Ellen Lord, the U.S. under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, Marc Knapper, the charge d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea.

The military originally intended to tone down the handover ceremony to spare North Korea's feelings ahead of an inter-Korean summit. But it changed its mind amid criticism that it was pandering to a rogue regime.

South Korean Air Force pilots will train in the first batch of F-35As at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona in May. Once they finish training, F-35As will be flown to South Korea next year.
Autism Awareness: 2019 UofSC faculty experts list

April is Autism Awareness Month and to help reporters develop stories about autism spectrum disorder, the University of South Carolina has compiled a list of faculty experts. To interview a faculty member, contact the staff member listed with each expert.

Autism and families

Robert Hock, a professor in the College of Social Work, specializes in the impact of autism spectrum disorder on family life and best practices for supporting families across service systems. He has been engaged in clinical work and research with individuals with autism and their families for more than 11 years. Hock has designed and evaluated several parent interventions and facilitated a federally-funded effort to help state agencies develop family-centered services for youth, including those with autism. His current research focuses on understanding the factors that contribute to family adjustment, parent well-being and treatment engagement in families. Hock has developed a program called Autism Parent Navigatiors, which allows parents of children with ASD make home visits to other parents whose children have just received a diagnois.

News contact: Chris Woodley, cwoodley@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-777-9434.

Diagnosing autism

Kimberly Hills, a clinical associate professor of psychology, specializes in the identification and diagnosis of autism and disorders that coexist with it, such as ones involving language, anxiety, attention or medical. She directs the Autism Diagnostic Division at the universitys Psychology Services Center and implements multidisciplinary training in autism for graduate students. In addition to assessing and diagnosing autism, Hills can discuss autism as it relates to school and clinical psychology, graduate training and post-diagnosis recommendations for families.

News contact: Sally McKay, mckayst@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-777-1362.

Autism intervention

Katie Wolfe is an assistant professor of special education in the College of Education. She is a board certified behavior analyst with expertise in applied behavior analysis, early childhood special education, and research-based interventions for individuals with autism. She can discuss evidence-based practices for students with autism, including those designed to address challenging behaviors and teach appropriate language and communication skills.

News contact: Kathryn McPhail, mcphailk@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-777-8841.

Jessica Bradshaw, an assistant professor of psychology and licensed clinical psychologist, directs the Early Social Development and Intervention Lab at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on early identification and intervention for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in infancy. She studies very early social behavior, visual attention and motor skills in neonates, infants and toddlers. Bradshaw also specializes in naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) for infants and toddlers with or at risk for ASD and is interested in using eye tracking to identify both parent and child predictors of treatment response and using these predictors to better individualize treatment.

News contact: Sally McKay, mckayst@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-777-1362.

Autism and the language of music

Scott Price serves as professor of piano and piano pedagogy in the University of South Carolina School of Music and is the founder of the Carolina LifeSong Initiative. Carolina Lifesong provides piano lessons and music experiences for students with special needs, including autism. The initiative is dedicated in fostering best practices in teaching music to students with special needs. His work with special needs musicians has been featured nationally in the Clavier Companion Magazine, NBCs Dateline and CNN.

News contact: Carol Ward, ward8@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-777-7704.

Autism and fragile X

Jane Roberts, professor of psychology, is among a handful of researchers in the world who study autism-fragile X relationships. Fragile X is a single-gene disorder that is the No. 1 known biological cause of autism. Among males, nearly 75 percent of fragile X cases also are diagnosed with autism. She runs the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Lab at the Univeristy of South Carolina, and her research focuses on early detection methods among high-risk populations. Roberts can discuss the link between autism and fragile X and her research to understand both.

News contact: Sally McKay, mckayst@mailbox.sc.edu; 803-777-1362.

Jessica Klusek, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders in the Arnold School of Public Health, studies communication disorders associated with autism and fragile X syndrome. Kluseks work adopts a family approach, where she looks at broader profiles among family members that are linked to genetic risk. She is specifically interested in carriers of fragile X syndrome, who have a genetic mutation known as FMR1 premutation.

News contact: Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu; 843-302-1681.

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A team of Canadian scientists from the University of Victoria and the Hakai Institute has found fossilized human footprints of at least three different sizes impressed into a 13,000-year-old paleosol beneath beach sands on Calvert Island, off the Pacific coast of Canada.

Led by anthropologist Dr. Duncan McLaren, the team excavated active beach deposits at the Meay Channel I archaeology site on the shoreline of Calvert Island, where the sea level was 6.5-10 feet (2-3 m) lower than it is today at the end of the last Ice Age.

The researchers uncovered a total of 29 human footprints in these sediments, which radiocarbon dating estimated to be around 13,000 years old.

In addition to the 29 individual footprints, they found evidence of other partial footprint-like depressions, but over-trampling had rendered them only barely discernible.

During the last Ice Age (which ended around 11,700 years ago), humans moved into the Americas from Asia across what was then a land bridge to North America, eventually reaching what is now the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, as well as coastal regions to the south, Dr. McLaren and colleagues said.

Along the Pacific coast of Canada, much of this shoreline is today covered by dense forest and only accessible by boat, making it difficult to look for the archaeological evidence which might support this hypothesis.

Measurements and digital photographic analyses revealed that the Calvert Island footprints probably belonged to two adults and a child, all barefoot.

Our results suggest that humans were present on the west coast of British Columbia about 13,000 years ago, as it emerged from the most recent Ice Age, the scientists said.

This finding adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the hypothesis that humans used a coastal route to move from Asia to North America during the Ice Age.

The finding provides evidence of the seafaring people who inhabited this area during the tail end of the last major Ice Age, Dr. McLaren said.

Further excavations with more advanced methods are likely to uncover more human footprints in the area and would help to piece together the patterns of early human settlement on the coast of North America.

The teams results are published in the journal PLoS ONE.

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D. McLaren et al. 2018. Terminal Pleistocene epoch human footprints from the Pacific coast of Canada. PLoS ONE 13 (3): e0193522; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193522
Telecoms poised to launch 5G mobile services in the first half of next year are faced with the dilemma that China's Huawei is a hugely competitive player but allegedly prone to security breaches.

Korea's three major telecoms plan to select their equipment providers in the first half of this year, investing more than W20 trillion to build 5G infrastructure over the next five years (US$1=W1,071). Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson are competing fiercely for a slice of this market with Huawei.

Telecoms are worried because the U.S. is constantly raising security concerns about equipment from Huawei, which it seems to regard as the fifth column of the Chinese government. One telecom insider here said, "Huawei's equipment is not only cheap but also technologically superior, which makes it extremely enticing, but these security concerns are a big headache."

Huawei beat Ericsson and Nokia last year to become the world's No. 1 telecom equipment maker, and its products are 30 to 40 percent cheaper than its rivals'.
North Korea has halved the number of troops at the nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, North Hamgyong Province, the Asahi Shimbun reported on Wednesday.

Of the four battalions stationed at the site, Pyongyang relocated two early this month that were tasked with digging tunnels, according to the Japanese daily.

The step was taken in anticipation of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the daily quoted sources as saying.

Earlier, the website 38 North at Johns Hopkins University reported that tunneling at the site seems to have come to a halt.

There are rumors that the site is no longer usable because tunnels are caving in amid a series of aftershocks caused by multiple nuclear tests, but the daily said the two battalions were left to resume nuclear testing if relations with Washington sour again.

Some six aftershocks were detected and an underground tunnel collapsed between last September and December, after the latest nuclear test.
North Korea is suspected of having begun preliminary testing in February of a new reactor at its nuclear complex in Yongbyon.

The New York Times on Tuesday said the new reactor "could be a central issue in the [U.S.-North Korea] talks," citing Jane's Intelligence Review.
The massacre came a month after South Korean and allied forces started marching north again after the amphibious Incheon Landing in September that year turned their fortunes around.

North Korean troops massacred some 2,000 abducted South Koreans over the course of three days during the Korean War, a U.S. military document recalls. The document titled "Legal Analysis of Korean War Crimes Case Number 141" gives a detailed account of the atrocity.

The North Korean unit took over from other troops some 2,000 prisoners in an area called Sibyeon-ri in the document and presumed to be in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province.

The prisoners were South Korean public servants who had been abducted in Seoul and Kaesong, which was in South Korea before the war, during the North Korean invasion.

The massacre began around midnight on Oct. 8. Some 800 to 1,000 prisoners were shot dead by 4 a.m. the following day, and the carnage started again at midnight on Oct. 9. y 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 10, all were dead.

To save time, the North Koreans proved keen students of other totalitarian regimes by making the prisoners stand on the edge or even inside three mass graves before they shot them and then simply covered them with dirt. The mass graves were later identified by South Korean and U.S. military investigators.

Told about the massacre by local informants, the U.S. military started an investigation in November that year. The document also illuminates the horrific mistreatment of the prisoners. They were given almost nothing to eat on their journey, and anyone who fell behind was beaten. Sick prisoners were sent to the end of the line and shot. By the end of their trek some 200 prisoners had died that way.

The 80-page document was written by a U.S. military command in the rear area in June 1953 based on the testimonies of three captured North Korean soldiers who had taken part in the massacre, civilian witnesses, and on-the-spot investigations.

The document was spotted by an association that looks out for South Koreans abducted by North Korea from Prof. Lee Young-jo of Kyunghee University.

Lee Mi-il of the association told reporters in front of Cheong Wa Dae, "If the upcoming inter-Korean summit fails to handle this kind of case, then any peace is false."

"If anybody is to talk about peace on the Korean Peninsula and cessation of the war, they should first solve the issue of abduction victims from the Korean War that was overlooked in the armistice negotiations," Lee said. "We strongly urge that the matter should be put on the agenda of the inter-Korean summit."


Earlier this month, Genting HK revealed the 204,000gt Global-class newbuilds at MV Werften will sail for Dreamnot for Star Cruises, as originally announced.

Moreover, at the steel-cutting Genting HK chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay said the Global-class ships would spend summers cruising from China's Shanghai and Tianjin but venture far afield the rest of the year, to the ASEAN region, Australia/New Zealand and California.

Dream Cruises mission is to become 'Asias Global Cruise Line.'

'About a billion people in Asia will reach middle-class status by 2030 and they have the disposable income to travel and cruise. In addition to boarding from nearby homeports, Asians who are traveling to other regions such as Australia/New Zealand, Europe and the Americas will increasingly consider cruising as the more comfortable and convenient alternative to a land vacation,' Genting HK said in reporting 2017 results.

The company characterized the brand as 'very well received in the Asian market,' pointing to bevy of awards like 'Best New Cruise Ship' for Genting Dream at last week's TTG China Travel Awards 2018 Gala Ceremony in Shanghai. Further, Dream Cruises is 'performing well' with improving occupancies and net yields in both the Hong Kong/Guangzhou and Singapore markets.

Where does this leave Star Cruises?

Occupanies and yields at Genting HK's original brand have been under pressure due to the arrival of competitors' new and larger ships, causing smaller, older vessels to reposition to ports where Star operates, the company said.

Yet Genting HK sees the situation improving with this year's projected 18% capacity decrease in China. It's unclear whether that includes SkySea Golden Era, which will be leaving the market in late August as Ctrip and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. end their joint venture.

Star Cruises is positioned as 'The Most Popular Cruise Line in Asia.'

SuperStar Virgo is scheduled to sail mainly from Shanghai and Manila, with shorter deployments in Taiwan, Dalian, Tianjin and Qindao. SuperStar Aquarius will continue operating from Keelung, while SuperStar Gemini will sail mostly from Xiamen, and from Keelung during the winter.
These were offset by start-up losses for Dream Cruises' World Deam in Hong Kong and the repositioning of Genting Dream to Singapore in November, Crystal Cruises' brand extension in the river segment and the launch of AirCruises.

Total revenue rose to $1.19bn, up from $1.02bn. Genting HK has three business sectors: primarily cruise operations, but also shipyards and non-cruise activities.

Revenue from cruise-related activities increased 11.9%, to $1bn, up from $908m in 2016. Capacity days rose 33.7%, mainly due to the full year operation of Genting Dream and Crystal Mozart, along with the introductions of World Dream, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler during 2017.

Net yield fell to $164.40 from $192.80, and occupancy was lower, 77.2% compared to 81.7%.

The company said Dream Cruises, launched slightly more than a year ago, is performing well with improving occupancies and net yields in both the Hong Kong/Guangzhou and Singapore markets. However, Genting HK blamed pressures on occupanies and yields at Star Cruises due to the arrival of competitors' new and larger ships, causing smaller, older vessels to reposition to ports where Star operates. The company said the situation should improve as competitors plan to reduce capacity approximately 18% by year's end.

Crystal, too, faced significant competition in 2017 as new ships introduced by competitors led to about a 16% increase in luxury berths. The renovation of Crystal Symphony late last year and of Crystal Serenity late this year are decreasing the brand's capacity, adding suites and facilitating open-seating dining, which Genting HK called 'an essential feature' for Crystal to compete more effectively.

Meanwhile, shipyard cluster MV Werften recorded a full year of start-up losses in 2017, compared to eight months of losses in 2016. The steel-cutting for expedition yacht Crystal Endeavor in January and for Dream's first Global-class ship earlier this month are expected to capitalize the shipbuilding cost as part of the newbuilds.

Revenue from shipyard operations and non-cruise activities from external customers rose 60.6% to $174.4m, up from $108.6m, primarily due to shipyard activities and sales of residential property units in China.

Total operating expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization, increased to $1.07bn from 2016's $848.8m, related to the full year operation of Genting Dream and Crystal Mozart as well as the launch of World Dream, Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler and AirCruises during 2017, and full year start-up and newbuild activities at the German shipyards to gear up for starting production on Crystal's Endeavor-class and Dream's Global-class ships in 2017.

Sales, general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization, rose 10.2% to $285.2m from $258.9m, mainly due to the full year operation of Genting Dream and higher marketing costs for Crystal Cruises.

Net cruise cost per capacity day decreased 10.2% thanks to better cost control in the Star Cruises and Dream Cruises fleets, partially offset by higher fuel expenses of $401 per metric ton compared to 2016's $318.

Depreciation and amortization expenses ballooned 44.1% to $190.5m due to additional depreciation of new Dream and Crystal vessels and the full year depreciation of the German shipyards acquired in April 2016.
Two Oakland County communities stand to directly benefit from business expansion projects supported by the Michigan Strategic Fund, resulting in more than 100 jobs created and tens of millions of dollars of investment."These projects represent a variety of industries, and demonstrate the work we are doing to diversify our states economy," Jeff Mason, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said in a release.Esys Automation has announced that it is building its headquarters facility in the City of Auburn Hills, choosing the city over a competing site in South Carolina. As a result of its commitment to Michigan, Esys is receiving an $832,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.Also wooing the company was the City of Auburn Hills, which offered the project a four-year property tax abatement. According to Auburn Hills Mayor Keven McDaniel, the decision by Esys to locate its headquarters in the city is a flattering one, and one that endorses the city's business community as a whole.In total, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation expects the Esys Automation headquarters project to create 104 jobs and generate $15.8 million in total capital investment.Esys Automation, a full-service provider of turnkey automation systems, will combine three existing facilities under one roof at its new Auburn Hills headquarters.Also making news is Orchid Orthopedic Solutions, the Delhi Township-headquartered company that is planning to expand production at a Farmington Hills location, as well as locations in Bridgeport Township, Delhi Township, and Lima Township.The contract manufacturer of medical devices and implants is receiving a $472,500 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant for the decision. The MEDC expects Orchid's expansions in Michigan to generate a total capital investment of $27.4 million and create 135 jobs.Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith
How the commitment to educational equity has evolved from the past to current day in the Kalamazoo region will be the focus of a panel discussion Monday, April 2, on the campus of Western Michigan University."Educational Equity: From the 'Kalamazoo Case' to the Kalamazoo Promise and Beyond" will be discussed at 6 p.m. in Room 204 of the Bernhard Center.The free event is part of the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society's lecture series and is open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the WMU Cooley Law School and the College of Education and Human Development.WMU co-moderators Dr. Kathy Purnell, instructor of political science, and Dr. Ashley Atkins, assistant professor of philosophy, will facilitate the panelists' discussion.Panelists will include: James D. Robb, general counsel and associate dean of external affairs, WMU Cooley Law School; Cyekeia Lee, director of community collaboration, Kalamazoo Promise; Michael Evans, executive director, Kalamazoo Literacy Council; and Sandra Standish, executive director, KC Ready 4s.The "Kalamazoo Case" authored by Thomas M. Cooley in 1874 in his role as Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court will be part of the discussion of the past. This legal case was based on the principle that communities can opt to use their tax dollars for investments in secondary education. The Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program and its commitment to postsecondary education will be part of the discussion of the present.The panel will also talk about potential future paths, asking what it means to embrace a "right to literacy" and exploring an expanded commitment to prekindergarten youth that can ensure educational equity and access.Panelists are expected "share their thoughts on what a commitment to educational equity means and engage in dialogue on how to map a common future to expand equity and access," according to a release from WMU.Light refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit here Source: Western Michigan UniversityCyekeia Lee photo by Brian Powers used with permission on Encore Magazine.
The City of Kalamazoo and Local Initiatives Support Corporation ( LISC ) are launching a major multi-million dollar partnership to increase the amount of affordable housing in Kalamazoo, part of an economic revitalization effort between the city and the national nonprofit.The city's housing advocates are supportive and hopeful -- they agree that Kalamazoo's low-income residents are in desperate need of homes that won't force them to choose between paying rent and cutting back on necessities.But questions arise: Will this effort include support services to help people stay in their new homes? Will this help the low-low income residents, who are homeless or on the verge of homelessness thanks to a record of evictions and debt? And where is this money coming from?This is the accepted standard of housing affordability: You should pay no more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent or home mortgage payments.The lower your income falls, the more unrealistic this standard becomes, and the more likely you'll end up on the street if an unexpected expense makes the rent late."Illness, job loss, family breakup, the head of the household leaves..." Kathy Roberts, LISC program officer and continuum of care director, lists a small sampling of the disasters that can put a family on the street.The number of households in Kalamazoo that pay more than 30 percent of income for a roof and walls "is pretty shockingly high," she says.People paying more than the standard make up 62 percent of the Northside neighborhood and 52 percent of Douglas/Stewart, Roberts says. Nationally and in Kalamazoo, "we've had the stagnant wages and income for a lot of years, while housing costs keep creeping up -- it's been tough."LISC is active in cities, most larger than Kalamazoo, across the US. So, why choose Kalamazoo for this, a pilot program to grow affordable housing? Because "we have a lot of willing partners willing to jump in," Roberts says."All the partners that come to the table, and all the collaboration that doesn't happen everywhere, frankly. So that's part of the advantage of having a smaller community rather than a larger one."But the credit for this happening in Kalamazoo, "that goes to Chuck," she says -- Chuck Vliek, program vice president of national LISC and executive director of Michigan LISC, who has been working in LISC's Kalamazoo office for over 21 years."I think it's a combination of deploying local resources and matching those resources with national," Vliek says. "In Kalamazoo, there's a small enough community, with enough collaborators and partners, that we can actually get the work done."LISC's initial plan is that starting this May work will begin on affordable-housing construction.Roberts clarifies, "the ink just dried" on the memorandum of understanding with the city, and things are "still in the talking stages."The plan at the moment is, ten new houses will be built, and 25 homes will be rehabbed, over a three-year period. LISC also has a goal to prevent at least 10 foreclosures.Further, into the three years, they'll work to open 80 multi-family units with low rent during an "affordability period... they must rent to low-income for a specified time, and when that time's over it can go back to the market," she says.It will take time, Roberts adds. "Everybody is realistic about that."LISC won't be swinging hammers themselves; "we're acting as catalysts and conveners, and we are working with local agencies that do production," she says. They have a long list of initiative partners including the city, Kalamazoo County, Habitat for Humanity, Housing Resources, Inc., Kalamazoo County Land Bank Authority, Open Doors Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services and other organizations.As for the money, the $43.5 million for economic development and affordable housing, coming from both the city and LISC as outlined in the memorandums of understanding , it's not all going to immediately flood Kalamazoo.Roberts points out that "the actual funding to LISC this first year was $1.5 million for housing and $2.5 for the economic development." So, "it's more like $4 million this year. But then we will use (the money) to spur production capacity in the community," including years-worth of "lending and equity investments."There is a huge need for affordable housing in Kalamazoo, executive director of Open Doors Rick Stravers says. But the problem of homelessness is more than "simply a housing problem.""In real life, I view it as a game of musical chairs," Stravers says. When the music stops, there's always one player who has no chair -- or no home. Adding more homes will help, but, "the people that lose when the music stops are people who have some of these barriers," Stravers says. Barriers that include a major one -- a record of eviction.People fall into the "homeless trap," where every-day emergencies can lead to an eviction record. "Once you're evicted, that becomes a huge barrier to getting another place to live."Another barrier for many is a credit rating that would lead to a landlord's rejection. "If you've been paying over half your income on rent, you're going to have been late on some things," Stravers says.Open Doors has a no-cost shelter program for homeless young adults willing and able to work, and 104 rental units that cost an average of 55 percent market rate rent.Last year they served 170 people in their rental program, and 81 homeless people in their two shelters. But "The City of Kalamazoo estimates it needs 3,000 additional rental housing units affordable to low-wage workers and people who are disabled, Stravers says. "For the whole county, I estimate we need 5,000 to 8,000 more units of rental housing affordable to low-wage workers and disabled people."We have to find a way for people to get back into the system," he says. "We need a lot more than Open Doors can provide."The problem is not either/or -- a lack of housing or the homeless trap. "It's both," he says."But I don't want to undercut the importance of the need for additional housing. Low-income housing is shrinking, so I'm so grateful to LISC and the City of Kalamazoo for prioritizing the need for more affordable housing. And we haven't heard that for a long time from anywhere. And we really need it."Michelle Davis is the executive director of Housing Resources Inc ., a non-profit that fights homelessness in Kalamazoo . She agrees that more help for people on or over the border of homelessness is needed.At a March 14 meeting hosted by LISC about the affordable housing initiative, with Kalamazoo city officials, commissioners and homeless advocates in the audience, Davis stands to say, "Right now, our strategy for homelessness, until this ramps-up, has to be to keep people housed where they are."As houses and units open for new tenants, "we also need to keep in mind the very low-income (families), and not be satisfied with a three-year pot of money that gets at home ownership, and demand that affordable housing for that income level is in place."Davis adds at the meeting, "If we don't have units to put them in, it won't matter.... It's a tough thing."We ask Davis after the meeting: Was she saying she was worried that the initiative was only focused on low-income people, versus very low-income people?She sits on the Kalamazoo Housing Collaborative board with LISC and the city, she reminds us, and is "very supportive" of the need for affordable housing. "But I also want to be clear that we can't build our way out of the issue," Davis says.HRI runs 55 subsidized rental units around Kalamazoo for families where the head of the household has a disabling condition, plus all the low-income units in Pinehurst Townhomes, Summit Park Apartments, Rosewood and the Rickman House."We have many, many units that serve the very low-income population, but there's a difference between affordable housing and how you define it relative to homelessness," she says.People who have fallen into homelessness often need more than just a nice apartment. "Affordable housing development specifically for that purpose (getting homeless people into homes) may look very different, and has built-in support services, and other things that people who are experiencing homelessness need to be successful when moving out of homelessness," she says."And what's being proposed currently is gap money for developers who want to develop affordable housing -- I won't say it's not going to happen, but we haven't yet gotten to the conversation of homelessness and the very-low-income."What can complicate the issue is "that 'not in my backyard' conversation," Davis says. Established residents are sometimes haunted by the old specter of high-rise projects, large urban buildings of units warehousing low-income people.Stravers says, "That concern arises out of the old '50s and '60s style of low-income housing that was super segregated, tons of poor people, and only poor people living together, and nobody promotes that model anymore."He continues, "everybody wants dispersed housing.... nobody wants to build the 'projects' that people have in mind when they think of low-income housing.... You need to help create a neighborhood."Davis points to HRI's Rosewood Community on 12th Street. "There was quite the uproar from the neighbors and everybody who thought this would be a horrible thing," she says. Now, "people drive right past there every day and don't even know it's affordable housing."LISC of Michigan's deputy director Charlotte Smith says that, for the Kalamazoo initiative, they are focused on making "homes that blend in with the character of the neighborhood... that look like the other homes, that are good quality so that neighbors and other people may not even know -- not just tract houses that you throw up in a neighborhood just to get something on that lot."Stravers reminds us that people in need of low-income housing are also a major part of Kalamazoo's community.With talk about "the projects" and other old-school methods of low-income housing, "you start to create this monolithic scary poor person. But the fact is, we're interacting with these folks every day. I know, because they live with us, and I know that population. They're the ones serving us at hotels and restaurants and gas station delis -- but they're having a very difficult time trying to find a place to raise their children. And to live a decent life."By email, Second Wave asked Kathy Roberts, LISC program officer and continuum of care director, the questions raised by those we spoke with. She responds:Roberts says this initiative does not have specific support services provided at this time, but there are a number of local agencies -- such as Habitat for Humanity and Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services -- that provide counseling, support, and financial literacy. Some of the proposed multi-family development projects will likely have supportive services attached.Foreclosure prevention, to keep people from losing their current homes is the strategy that is currently planned. There is $2.2 million in Continuum of Care federal funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides funding for services to the homeless. Agencies seeking such funds can work with LISC who serves as the applicant for the agencies in the county.The Foundation for Excellence, created by the City of Kalamazoo and private donors to address the citys long-term fiscal stability, includes an Affordable Housing Initiative. Roberts says this "allows us to leverage and subsidize existing efforts and projects and ramp up production of affordable housing in general." LISC also has financial and personnel resources that can be used to help organizations "do the actual work."Since 1992, Mark Wedel has been a freelance journalist based in Southwest Michigan. He's covered a bewildering variety of subjects, from diversity in law to invasive species control, thrash metal bands to Broadway musicals. See more of his work here
Your On the Ground Team: Vicky Kettner, Theresa Coty-O'Neil and Kathy Jennings

On the Ground, a program run by the Michigan-based Issue Media Group, parent company for Southwest Michigan's Second Wave, gets underway next week with local coverage of the Edison Neighborhood on April 5.This program helps to tell the story of the people, projects, and innovations that are creating whats next for communities. The intended impact is for solutions-oriented media coverage, engagement and ultimately understanding of the community, resulting in awareness and investments that can contribute to the vitality and prosperity of the district covered.The concept of On the Ground is to use an embedded journalism model to maintain a presence in a specific neighborhood for three months. During this time the publication focuses weekly coverage on those neighborhoods to tell the story of the businesses, individuals, and nonprofits working and living there.Finally, the publication produces, covers, and promotes a finale event upon completion of the project. The event depends on what best fits the neighborhood. The finale event for the Edison neighborhood has not yet been determined.What I love about the program is this is journalism the way it used to be done, says Managing Editor Kathy Jennings. A reporter digs in and really gets to know a community. And since we are an online magazine we present it in an updated way. Its the best of both the old and the new.On the Ground coverage began May 2012 with a pilot program through the IMG publicationbased out of Philadelphia. Formerpublisher Michelle Freeman developed the concept of an ongoing initiative that aimed to dive deep into neighborhood transformation. For 90 days, a project editor fromwas embedded in a vacant storefront or building and after three months they moved on to the next neighborhood. Between May 2012 and August 2013,was embedded in four neighborhoods in Philadelphia and New Jersey.IMG adopted this program model in 2013 for its local-based publication, which implemented its first On the Ground in the Osborn neighborhood in the city of Detroit and was followed by another program in Brightmoor.The way it works is IMG identifies a partner in each neighborhood who assists in connecting and orienting a dedicated journalist with residents. In order to establish a lasting relationship with the community and the groups involved with the project, the project editor dedicates time to researching the history of the neighborhood and developing an editorial framework based on the interests of the community. The journalist attends monthly neighborhood events and hosts dedicated editorial advisory conversations to engage residents and stakeholders for story ideas and networking.In Kalamazoo, the On the Ground project also will involve training local residents as reporters. They will attend four classes and publish stories in Southwest Michigans Second Wave. They will be paid as journalists for attending classes and having their work published. Their relationship as writers for Second Wave is expected to continue after their training.Since launching On the Ground back in 2013, IMG has worked in over 15 different neighborhoods across the country. There have been On the Ground programs that have taken place in Memphis, Tampa, Grand Rapids, Dearborn, Ypsilanti, Pontiac, Cincinnati, and Detroit.IMG views this engagement as an initial investment into a neighborhood. Programs are tailored to approach the needs of each neighborhood differently and treated as the first step in creating long-term media impact in the highlighted areas.The Edison neighborhood has invited Second Wave to be the next community covered in the On the Ground Program.The On the Ground program is made possible by funding from the City of Kalamazoo, LISC, the Fetzer Institute, the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, Michigan WORKS!, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.Your On the Ground Team is Managing Editor Kathy Jennings, Project Editor Theresa Coty O'Neil, and Engagement Manager Vicky Kettner, and photographer Fran Dwight.
AMERICAS

Colombia

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council will receive a briefing from Special Representative Jean Arnault on the Secretary-Generals 90-day report on the UN Verification Mission in Colombia. Consultations will follow the briefing.

The mandate of the verification mission expires on 26 September 2018.

Key Recent Developments

The UN Verification Mission has continued to implement its mandate to verify the political, economic and social reintegration of the members of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejercito del Pueblo (FARC-EP), as well as security guarantees. This process has been marked by the beginning of the electoral cycle, which includes holding legislative and presidential elections this year and which has affected the implementation of the peace-related legislative agenda.

Legislative elections were held on 11 March. Although no party won a majority of votes, the three most successful parties have each declared their scepticism regarding the 2016 agreement between the Government and FARC-EP. The first round of the presidential elections is expected to be held in May. However, a law endorsed by the Constitutional Court established the peace agreement as a frame of reference for the formulation of public policies and provided the obligation for civil servants to comply with the agreement for the next 12 years, irrespective of the outcome of elections.

The political party Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Comun (FARC), which was founded after the end of the laying-down of weapons, received only 0.22 percent of the votes for the House of Representatives and 0.34 for the Senate but was allocated five seats in each of the chambers as per the agreement. On 9 February, the FARC suspended the electoral campaign as a result of threats and attacks against its candidates and supporters. Two former FARC-EP members were killed when they were carrying out campaign activities on 16 January in Antioquia.

Fragile security conditions for former FARC-EP members outside some of the 26 territorial areas for training and reintegration continue to pose a challenge to their reincorporation into civilian life. Attacks against former members and their family members have persisted. Despite the detention of some of their senior commanders, FARC-EP dissident groups have continued attacks, including trans-border operations into Ecuador. Other armed groups that are filling the vacuum left in the large areas formerly under the influence of FARC-EP continue to be a threat to communities. On 18 February, the Colombia Offices of the High Commissioners for Human Rights and for Refugees issued a statement expressing concerns at human rights violations, including killings and forced displacements in rural communities in Bajo Cauca (Antioquia region). Human rights defenders have been continuously targeted, and 121 of them were killed in 2017.

The socioeconomic reintegration of the 14,000 former combatants through the establishment of productive projects and other forms of income generation continues to be a challenge. Briefing the Council on 10 January, Arnault warned of the accumulated frustration among former combatants with their reintegration process; he called for diligence in support of their reintegration and the development of communities in which they are placed.

The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (SJP), which is tasked with adjudicating crimes committed during the conflict, started its work on 15 March. The Constitutional Court is still reviewing an amendment to the statutory law regarding the eligibility requirements for magistrates of the SJP.

On 5 October 2017, the Council adopted resolution 2381, expanding the mandate of the UN Verification Mission to include participation in the monitoring and verification of a bilateral and temporary ceasefire between the government and the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) armed group, at the request of the parties. This mechanism was composed of representatives of the Colombian military, the ELN and the Catholic Church.

The failure of the parties to extend the ceasefire in early January led to increased attacks by the ELN, which included the killing of seven policemen on 28 January and several attacks against critical infrastructure. ELN attacks continued in February and March, although the ELN announced a unilateral ceasefire from 9 to 13 March during the holding of legislative elections. On 12 March, President Juan Manuel Santos announced the resumption of talks with the ELN in Quito, Ecuador. If the parties are able to agree to a new bilateral ceasefire, it is likely that verification tasks will fall again to the Catholic Church and the UN Verification Mission. This would most likely require additional capacities for the mission, since the 70 observers deployed with the UN mission to verify the ELN ceasefire until January have already been repatriated.

Human Rights-Related Developments

On 21 March, the Human Rights Council considered the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Colombia (A/HRC/37/3/Add.3). The report, covering 1 January to 31 December 2017, presents OHCHRs assessment of the first year of implementation of the human rights aspects of the peace agreement. It also documents increased killings of human rights defenders, including social and community leaders. Fatalities included 84 human rights defenders with leadership roles, 23 members of social and political movements, and 14 people killed during social protests in 2017.

Key Issues and Options

An important issue is ensuring that the peace agreement is implemented in its entirety, despite the outcome of legislative and presidential elections. When Council members visited Colombia in May 2017, they met with representatives of the main political parties and expressed unanimous support for the agreement and stressed the need to ensure its irreversibility, irrespective of changes in administrations.

The governments ability to develop a well-resourced strategy for reintegrating FARC-EP members into society, and to provide safety and security in areas formally occupied by the FARC-EP, will be critical issues in ensuring successful implementation. Once the electoral cycle is over, Council members could consider holding an Arria-formula meeting with government representatives and former FARC-EP members, who could brief by VTC on their assessment of how the commitments made in the agreement are being carried out.

Given the role that the UN Verification Mission may again be asked to play, Council members are expected to continue following the negotiations in Quito between the government and the ELN. Council members could issue a statement encouraging progress and reiterating their readiness to deploy additional observers should the parties agree to a new ceasefire.

Council Dynamics

Members are unified in their support of the peace process in Colombia. Several members have viewed engagement in Colombia as a rare bright spot for the Council, while it struggles to play an effective role on several other agenda items. However, there are concerns about the scepticism expressed about the agreement by some political parties, and Council members recognise the need for them to stay engaged in supporting the process. The roles of the Council in sustaining key provisions of the agreement with an imminent change in government and in verifying a potential future ceasefire by the ELN constitute an opportunity for the Council to have an important impact in preserving a peace process to which it only contributed marginally in its final stage.

The UK is the penholder on Colombia.

UN DOCUMENTS ON COLOMBIA
President Moon Jae-in will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Peace House in the truce village of Panmunjom on April 27, the two sides decided on Thursday.

Senior officials from the two Koreas met at Panmunjom and also discussed the agenda of the summit, including denuclearization, but decided not to include it in a joint statement afterwards.

Another round of working-level talks early next week will discuss details of wording that they were unable to iron out.


AFRICA

Great Lakes Region

Expected Council Action

In April, Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region Said Djinnit will brief on the latest report on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region (PSC Framework).

Key Recent Developments

The deplorable security situation in eastern DRC has taken another turn for the worse. In response to an upsurge in violent activities by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist rebel group, in North Kivuincluding a deadly attack on Tanzanian peacekeepers on 7 December 2017 that resulted in 15 peacekeepers killed, 53 wounded and one who remains missingUganda and the DRC have launched an extensive military campaign against rebel groups in the region. One effect of the offensive has been an increase in the movement and activity of rebel groups, resulting in more violence and massive displacement of civilians.

Leila Zerrougui, the Special Representative and head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), briefed the Council on 7 March. She characterised the humanitarian situation in the DRC as shocking. Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix also participated in the consultations that followed.

The dire humanitarian situation was the focus of a briefing initiated by the Netherlands on 19 March, during which Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, Secretary-General of the Episcopal National Conference of Congo Donatien Nshole, and Coordinator for the Goma-based NGO Encadrement des Femmes Indigenes et des Menages Vulnerables Jeanine Bandu Bahati briefed the Council.

There continue to be serious concerns on the political front in the DRC. President Joseph Kabila, whose second and last term under the countrys constitution ended in December 2016, remains in office. Under a 31 December 2016 agreement between Kabila and the opposition, elections were to have been held in 2017, but the Independent National Electoral Commission decided that the elections could not be held as agreed because of logistical difficulties. The commissions revised electoral calendar now calls for combined presidential, legislative and provincial elections to take place on 23 December 2018. The opposition has denounced the revised calendar.

On the initiative of the US, Council members held an Arria-formula meeting on 12 February focused on the DRC elections. Several Council members observed that fulfilling the agreement, releasing political prisoners, ending politically-motivated prosecutions, and respecting freedom of assembly and expression are essential to creating the political space necessary for credible elections. In the 7 March briefing, Zerrougui said that security forces have used excessive means to quash several peaceful anti-Kabila protests since December 2017.

On 27 March, the Council adopted resolution 2409, renewing MONUSCOs mandate with its current troop levels until 31 March 2019. The resolution calls on all stakeholders in the DRCincluding President Joseph Kabilato swiftly implement the 31 December 2016 agreement in order to proceed without further delay to the preparation of elections on 23 December. It also calls on the DRC to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially that of peaceful assembly, lift the blanket ban on demonstrations, and exercise maximum restraint in responding to protests.

On Burundi, where President Pierre Nkurunzizas decision to run for a controversial third term triggered a political crisis, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy, Michel Kafando, and the chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Burundi Configuration, Ambassador Jurg Lauber (Switzerland), briefed the Council on 26 February. Kafando said that despite a calm security situation, many human rights violations were still being reported. He emphasised that the governments decision to revise the constitution via a referendum in May had hampered economic gains and would not contribute to the conduct of credible elections, planned for 2020. At press time, Council members were negotiating a draft presidential statement on the political situation in Burundi, circulated by France on 1 March.

On 8 December 2017, the Council adopted resolution 2389 on the initiative of then-Council member Egypt, reaffirming that the PSC Framework remains an essential mechanism to achieve durable peace and stability. It invited the Secretary-General to assess the progress, challenges and shortcomings in the implementation of the Framework, and to present his vision, supported by concrete recommendations, to the Council in his next report, due by 31 March.

Human Rights-Related Developments In February, the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC (UNJHRO)composed of the Human Rights Division of MONUSCO and OHCHRreleased a report on the human rights situation in the month of January. The report documented 744 human rights violations throughout the DRC, which was above the monthly average for 2017 (541 violations). Violations of the right to property constituted the highest number of total violations documented (29 percent), followed by violations of the right to liberty and security of the person (211 violations and 837 victims, including 155 women and 31 children). According to the report, state agents were responsible for 60 percent of all violations. On 19 March, UNJHRO said in another report that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly was severely restricted and often violently suppressed in the DRC in 2017 and that the trend continues. Between 1 January 2017 and 31 January 2018, at least 47 people were killed by security services and defence forces. Because most demonstrators were peaceful, the report concludes that the use of excessive forceincluding lethal forceby the authorities was unlawful, unjustified and disproportionate. During an enhanced interactive dialogue on 20 March, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Andrew Gilmour, provided an oral update on the human rights situation in the DRC. The High Commissioner will submit a comprehensive report on the DRC to the Human Rights Council at its 38th session in June.

Key Issues and Options

In the DRC, with MONUSCOs mandate renewed, the primary political focus for the Council in the upcoming period will be monitoring the electoral process closely and ensuring that elections take place as scheduled. Timely elections should be free and fair and should take place in an inclusive environment conducive to participation in the political process. Council members may threaten or move to sanction actors who undermine the electoral process. Reviewing the role of Djinnit and whether he can play a bigger political role during the elections period is something the Council could consider.

The Council could choose to visit the DRC to reinforce the importance of free, fair and timely elections and to assess the security situation and MONUSCOs response to it.

The ongoing violence in different parts of the country and the dire humanitarian situation are of continuing concern, and the protection of civilians remains a top priority for MONUSCO. The Council may want to continue to closely review the performance of contingents and MONUSCOs deployment and protection strategy.

Council and Wider Dynamics

All Council members remain concerned about the ongoing political crisis in the DRC and the security and humanitarian situations. They also maintain that the Council should closely follow and engage on the DRC in 2018. The MONUSCO mandate negotiations reflected a consensus about the imperative of holding the elections on 23 December without further delays, in alignment with the position of regional actors.

In principle, they also agree that elections should be free, fair and inclusive, but as elections near, differences may emerge regarding how far the Council can and should go in urging the government and other stakeholders to take certain actions to this effect. This mainly reflects disagreements over how to define the political crisisas a constitutional issue or one with wider national and regional implicationsand the appropriate response..

On the Great Lakes, one issue that was discussed during the negotiations on resolution 2389 was the role of Djinnit, particularly in light of the Secretary-Generals recommendation in a letter to the Council on 4 October 2016 that the role of the Special Envoy be expanded beyond issues relating to the PSC Framework. Though some Council members thought this warranted consideration, the Council in its response only said that it looked forward to further discussion of the recommendation, as several Council members felt that further elaboration of the financial and organisational ramifications of the recommendation was required. Ultimately, the Council did not follow up on the recommendation to expand the Special Envoys role, as some members did not see any advantage in expanding his office or justification for greater expenditures. These members made it clear during the negotiations that they would not now accept a text that potentially expands the Special-Envoys role, despite the fact that other Council members feel that this idea warrants consideration.

France is the penholder on the DRC and Burundi, and Kuwait chairs the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee.

UN DOCUMENTS ON THE GREAT LAKES REGION
AMERICAS

Haiti

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), which expires on 15 April.

Key Recent Developments

On 20 March, the Secretary-General transmitted his strategic assessment of MINUJUSTH, which was requested in resolution 2350. The report contained 11 benchmarks for an exit strategy toward a non-peacekeeping UN presence, developed over the past three months. The exit strategy was developed by MINUJUSTH in collaboration with a number of Haitian interlocutors, including the government, the Parliament, judicial institutions, the Haitian National Police (HNP), and civil society organisations. Any future planning for a staggered withdrawal of the formed police units will be linked to progress in related benchmarks. The benchmarks describe the desired end state for the situation in Haiti in the last quarter of 2019, which would facilitate a smooth transition to the UN country team. They are:

The executive and legislative branches would have promulgated legislation that improves access to justice, enhances the HNPs development, and addresses prolonged pre-trial detention, which is currently resulting in prison overcrowding, and all branches would have initiated implementation of the new legislation, including through sustainable budget allocations. The Haitian authorities would make timely, gender-balanced and merit-based appointments in the justice sector, including in the High Council of the Judiciary, High Court of Appeals, and the High Court of Audits and Administrative Disputes. The Corrections Directorate would perform key management functions, providing basic services to all detainees and ensuring respect for their rights. The HNP would respond to public disorder and manage security threats throughout Haiti without requiring international support and demonstrating elevated levels of professionalism, human rights awareness and gender-sensitivity, as a result of the implementation of the relevant priorities of the HNP Strategic Development Plan for 2017-2021. There would be strengthened internal oversight and accountability mechanisms in the justice, corrections and police sectors, addressing misconduct and ensuring increased effectiveness and compliance with human rights. Haitian women and men, and in particular those from the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, would demonstrate increased trust in the capability and willingness of the justice system to address crime and of the HNP to provide security. The national Office for the Protection of Citizens would function independently and protect citizens whose rights have been violated. Civil society organisations, including those representing women, would advocate with the Haitian authorities to promote and protect human rights and be empowered to bring allegations of human rights violations to the competent judicial or administrative authorities. National authorities would comply with international human rights obligations, including holding individuals responsible for current and past human rights violations and fulfilling their reporting obligations to human rights treaty bodies. Rule of law and anti-corruption institutions would demonstrate increased capacity to fight corruption. The Permanent Electoral Council would be established through a credible and transparent process and would exercise its electoral responsibilities in an independent and transparent manner, without requiring international support.

According to the report, MINUJUSTH will establish a monitoring mechanism to track progress toward these benchmarks, in close cooperation with the government of Haiti, which would set the timeline and jointly agreed indicators as operational components of the exit strategy. MINUJUSTH and the UN country team will assess their preparedness for the upcoming transition, including through a capacity assessment of the country team against the programmatic aspects of MINUJUSTHs mandate, which will be informed by gender and women, peace and security perspectives.

The Secretary-General also recommended that the Security Council extend the mandate of MINUJUSTH to reflect the timeline defined by the benchmarked exit strategy. He will continue to keep the structure of the mission under review and will report to the Council with his recommendations for a staggered withdrawal based on results achieved against the benchmarks and the situation on the ground.

On 28 February, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Special Envoy for Haiti Josette Sheeran hosted an overnight retreat on eradicating cholera in Haiti at Greentree on Long Island. Several Haitian government ministers were scheduled to attend, along with President Moise. However, the delegation cancelled its attendance after a dispute erupted a day earlier following the issuing of a statement by head of MINUJUSTH Susan D. Page that welcomed a judicial corruption inquiry into how $2 billion in oil loans from Venezuela was spent by former Haitian government officials and called on authorities to look into alleged human rights violations by the HNP. Haitian Foreign Minister Antonio Rodrigue said Pages statement went beyond the UNs role to support the country in the enforcement of rule of law and justice.

Human Rights-Related Developments

In his opening statement at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on 7 March, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein expressed his regret at the lack of action regarding development of a national Plan of Action to implement recommendations of human rights mechanisms. On 22 March, the High Commissioner gave an oral briefing to the HRC on the human rights situation in Haiti.

Key Issues and Options

The key issue is whether or not the ambitious benchmarks laid out for the transition to a non-peacekeeping UN presence in Haiti are achievable in the projected timeframe and, if not, how long the mission should be given to continue its work towards these goals. Related ongoing issues for the Council include the need for MINUJUSTH to develop further the capacity of the HNP and continue to encourage progress across all rule of law sectors and concerning human rights-related reforms, in particular with regard to criminal justice, before its projected closure in the last quarter of 2019. The Council may need to closely monitor developments in regards to the benchmarks, which could be reflected in the April resolution renewing the mandate, and continue to tailor the mandate accordingly.

Another issue is the lack of funding for the Secretary-Generals new approach to cholera. In response to his July 2017 invitation to member states to voluntarily waive the return of the 2015-2016 unencumbered balances and credits from MINUJUSTHs predecessor, MINUSTAH, to support the UN New Approach to Cholera, 31 member states positively responded; however this only amounted to $3.3 million out of $40.5 million. A total of $7.7 million has been pledged in support of cholera efforts. The Secretary-General had estimated that the new approach would cost $400 million.

Council Dynamics

Council members seem content with the progress Haiti has achieved in the last year. The presidential, legislative and municipal elections were all held peacefully without major threats to overall security, and President Jovenel Moises inauguration marked the restoration of constitutional order. This was the backdrop for the Councils adoption of resolution 2350, which authorised the gradual drawdown and closure of MINUSTAH by 15 October followed by the establishment of a much smaller successor mission, MINUJUSTH.

While the Council voted unanimously in favour of resolution 2350, some members expressed concern regarding certain aspects of the resolution. Most notably, in explaining their votes, Russia and China objected to the inclusion of a human rights mandate for the successor mission and to its being established under Chapter VII, which authorises enforcement action in order to restore international peace and security. Bolivia also expressed reservations about invoking Chapter VII in the resolution, noting that this does not reflect the reality in the ground. Furthermore, Russia has also argued that some of the aspects of the MINUJUSTH mandate are not clear and would be difficult to implement in practice. These concerns may be raised again during the April mandate renewal.

Council practice is that draft resolutions on Haiti are negotiated and agreed among the Group of Friends of Haiti, which comprises Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Peru, the US and Uruguay, before being circulated to all 15 Council members by the US as the penholder.

UN DOCUMENTS ON HAITI
In Hindsight: Whats wrong with the Security Council?

Parting Reflections of Executive Director Ian Martin

In three years of watching the Security Council from this unique vantage point, I have gained a far broader understanding of its role and functioning than I had from briefing it and seeking to implement its mandates as a Special Representative of the Secretary-General. It does not lead me to a happy conclusion. The worlds premiere body for maintaining international peace and security is crippled by multiple handicapsat a time when the threats of not only intra-state but inter-state conflicts are higher than at any other time since the worst of the Cold War. Some of these handicaps are intractable, but others could and should be mitigated, if not overcome.

The first is a crisis of legitimacy stemming from the obviously anachronistic composition of the Councilits failure to reflect the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century. The Council displays in its practice little awareness of how seriously this undermines its credibility in under-represented regions. With no current expectation that sufficient consensus to amend the Charter can be reached, the Council ought at least to show maximum openness to the wider membership, but this cannot be said to characterise the attitude of its permanent members.

Meanwhile, the optimism which followed the end of the Cold War, that the political divisions which had inhibited Council action were a thing of the past, has evaporated as new differencesnot so unlike the old oneshave emerged and deepened. Nowhere is this more evident than over the Syrian conflict, which at the time of writing has seen 11 resolutions vetoed in an increasingly bitterly divided Council. The ineffectiveness of the Council on Syria in the face of the Russian veto is mirrored by its ineffectiveness on Israel/Palestine in the face of the US veto. And while Syria, Israel/Palestine and Ukraine are situations in which major national interests of permanent members are at stake, the divisions have spilled over to bedevil situations on the Councils agenda where there are no such interests and Council consensus ought to be more readily achievable.

The depth of the divisions among the permanent members makes the role of the ten elected members more critical than ever. Their responsibility to those who elected them requires them to be a bridge between the Council and the wider membership. And despite their own ideological diversity, they can help to find greater consensus when permanent members are confronting each other. However, they face several impediments to their being able to play their part as strongly as is needed.

First, the manner of elections is far from guaranteeing that the ten elected members will be among those from their regions who can make the most effective contribution to the work of the Council. Uncontested candidatures endorsed by regional groups on a basis of rotation almost always go unchallenged in the General Assembly. Contests have tended to begin earlier and to involve increasing levels of expenditure, invitations to capitals, entertaining and gifts, as well as political lobbying by roving ambassadors and targeting of development assistance. In neither contested or uncontested elections is it clear that what weighs most with member states is the criterion set out in the Charter: that due regard shall be specially paid to the contribution of members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the organization, as well as to equitable geographical distribution.

Second, the most obvious handicap to the effectiveness of elected members is the brevity of the two-year term contrasted with the continuity of the permanent members, with their institutional memories and large diplomatic staffs. The ability of elected members to mitigate this handicap with preparation before commencing their two-year term has been somewhat enhanced by the decision of the General Assembly to bring forward the date of their election from October to June, and by the Council then bringing forward to 1 October the date from which it invites the newly elected members to observe all meetings and informal consultations of the Council and its subsidiary bodies.

These changes allow for better preparation by newly-elected members, including the handover of responsibilities for sanctions committees and other subsidiary bodies from their predecessors. And they allow more time for efforts to pass on experience from one group of elected members to the next. SCR itself has increasingly provided capacity development for incoming delegations and those who will support them in capitals. But the limitations of a two-year term and the disparity between the elected and permanent members are immense. In this context, the decision of Italy and the Netherlands, with the endorsement of the Western European and Others Group, to split the 2017-2018 term after five rounds of close voting in June 2016 is not a good precedent, notwithstanding the collaborative arrangements they established.

Third, the Council struggles with the weight of its agenda. In 1990, the Council held 69 meetings and 80 consultations. In 2017, there were 296 meetingsa fourfold increaseand 137 consultations. The Council adopted 37 resolutions in 1990, 61 in 2017. In 2017, 1135 Council documents were issued. It spent an average of 56 hours each month in formal meetings and consultations, to which can be added time spent in Arria-formula meetings, informal interactive dialogues, and sanctions committees and other subsidiary bodies, as well as in negotiations.

There can be no doubting the greatly increased weight of necessary Council business, but the Council adds to the burden on itself by poor time management. Reporting cycles do not necessarily correspond to the need for another round of consideration of an agenda item, and often result in discussions which add little to the one before. Despite repeated injunctions to itself, the Council spends much of its time in informal consultations in the delivery of repetitive prepared speeches, and only limited time in interaction with each other and with briefers focused on strategic issues.

The time devoted to open debates and thematic issues also merits scrutiny. From 90 hours in 2013, the cumulative duration of open debates went up gradually to more than 170 hours in 2017. But their contribution to Council decision-making, especially as regards core situations on the Councils agenda, is questionable. The Councils thematic debates have made important contributions to normative developments, such as those regarding women and peace and security, children and armed conflict, and the protection of civilians. But they too can become repetitive with little impact on country situations. Most elected members feel they should mark their presidencies with thematic debates, perhaps to fulfill campaign commitments or to provide platforms for their ministers. The Council, however, needs to refocus on how its permanent representatives can devote sufficient time to strategic discussion of its core responsibilities, notably intractable country and regional situations and ensuring effective mandates and political support for peace operations.

Fourth, the greatest obstacles to the effectiveness of elected members are found in the working methods which permanent members have imposed on the Council. The domination of the permanent members was always considerable, but as SCRs first Executive Director wrote of his experience on the Council, it was not unusual in the early 1990s for elected members to take initiatives on major substantive items and to strongly contest the policy options on other items where a member of the P5 had the lead. Countries which have recently come back onto the Council after a substantial interval remark on the closing down of space for the initiative and effective contribution of elected members.

Central to this is the operation of the penholder system. It is a relatively recent practice, which has become entrenched in the past decade. Since 2014, Notes by the Presidentthe form in which Council working methods are articulatedhave institutionalised penholdership as a recognised, if informal, arrangement. In doing so, they state that any member of the Council may be a penholder. Yet there is no process by which the Council agrees to designate a penholder or reviews the allocation of penholderships. In practice, three permanent membersFrance, the UK, and the US are today sole penholders on the overwhelming majority of country situations on the Councils agenda.

A joint statement of six elected members from six regionsAngola, Chile, Jordan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Spainin an October 2015 open debate on Council working methods noted that the penholder system has diminished the opportunity for wider Council engagement, especially by the elected members, and cuts across the principle of collective responsibility that underpins the Charter.

Closely linked to the penholder system is the manner of negotiations, the quality and outcomes of which are of supreme importance to the effectiveness of the Council. But these are vitiated by penholder domination. As one permanent representative noted in a July 2016 open debate: the Council was intended to be a collective security body. Too often, it is a forum for polarizing initiatives and last-minute take-it-or-leave-it drafts tabled by so-called penholders.

Notwithstanding these handicaps, the trend towards diminished space for the contribution of elected members has been increasingly resisted in the past few years and has begun to be somewhat reversed. SCR has analyzed such dynamics in successive In Hindsight articles. Amid the Councils greatest failure, to bring an end to the conflict in Syria, elected members became penholders on the humanitarian situation from 2013; made effortsultimately unsuccessfulto find consensus after an April 2017 chemical weapons attack and to save the Joint Investigative Mechanism of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the UN; and this February negotiated a call for a month-long ceasefire. In 2016, five elected members took the initiative in drafting and negotiating a resolution on the protection of health care in armed conflict, at a time when four of the five permanent members of the Council were associated with coalitions responsible for attacks on health-care structures, in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. In December 2016, elected members were instrumental when the Council issued a rare rebuke of Israel, with the adoption of a resolution condemning Israeli settlements as having no legal validity and constituting a major obstacle to a two-state solution. Dismayed by the inaction of the Council in the face of persistent violations of international humanitarian law and the greatest of the worlds extreme humanitarian crises in Yemen, elected members have pressed for greater Council action and threatened to move forward if the UK as penholder continued to stall.

The political differences among elected members are as wide as those among the permanent members, but SCR has set out in its most recent research report the ways in which they have pursued their common interest in promoting more transparent and open working methods, with greater space for elected members and non-members to influence Council decisions.

As I leave SCR, the internal politics of the permanent members and the relations among them seem to offer no prospect of improvement in the effectiveness of the Council, confronted as it is by threats of great danger and complexity. Reform of the composition of the Council is essential as a matter of justice and legitimacy, yet seems still beyond the ability of governments to agree upon; it would not in itself be a guarantee of effectiveness, and indeed an enlarged Council would all the more need to improve its working methods. In the immediate future, it is the quality and determination of ten elected members on which some incremental improvement in performance most depends.
Israel/Palestine

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council is expected to hold its quarterly open debate under the agenda item the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, which will focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Key Recent Developments

Negative trends on the ground and political tensions continue to characterise developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Israeli officials, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli security guard to death in Jerusalems Old City on 18 March before being shot dead by a police officer. Two days earlier, a car-ramming by a Palestinian near Jenin in the northern West Bank killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded two others. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas had called for a day of rage that day to mark the 100th day since US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital on 6 December 2017.

On 26 March, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov presented the fifth report on the implementation of resolution 2334, covering the period from 18 December last year to 25 March, to the Council. During the reporting period, Israel advanced 22 plans for some 1,500 housing units in Area C settlements and around a dozen units were approved for construction. The reporting period was also characterised by continuing demonstrations and clashes following the US announcement on 6 December recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital, and to growing tensions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and along the Gaza fence. He stressed that developments on the ground cannot be divorced from the broader context of continued military occupation of Palestinian territory, uncertainties about the future of the peace process and the two-state solution, unilateral actions that undermine peace efforts, and continued turmoil in the wider region. He also expressed his continued concern over the UN Relief and Works Agencys (UNRWA) $446 million funding gap.

On 18 March, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they had destroyed a tunnel in the Gaza Strip dug by Hamas militants to mount cross-border attacks. An IDF spokesman claimed that the tunnel had been cut off during the 2014 Gaza war and that Hamas had tried to put it back into operation. A Hamas spokesman said that the Israeli claims about destroying tunnels referred to old structures used by the Palestinian resistance during the Israeli offensive against civilians in the Gaza Strip in 2014.

On 13 March, a roadside bomb struck a convoy carrying Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, in what has been deemed a failed assassination attempt. Hamdallah was unharmed. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass office issued a statement accusing Hamas of perpetrating the cowardly attack. No group claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Meanwhile, there has been no progress on the stalled Fatah-Hamas reconciliation process following the signing of a reconciliation agreement between the two parties in October 2017. Reports indicate that Hamas is refusing the Palestinian Authoritys demand that it subordinate its military units and weapons to the Authoritys command.

In a 20 February Council briefing, Mladenov repeated his warning that the current situation in Gaza is unsustainable. He reported that continuing power cuts of up to 20 hours per day severely undermined the provision of basic services and that the situation could deteriorate with dramatic consequences.

On 14 March, the White House hosted a conference with representatives from 20 countries, including Israel and many Arab states, to discuss potential solutions for the worsening humanitarian and economic conditions in Gaza. There was no Palestinian delegation present, and reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority chose not to attend amid deteriorating relations with the US following the decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. According to a White House readout, the conference built upon a meeting held in Cairo a week earlier and will carry ideas forward to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting in Brussels at the end of March. The readout noted that the US administration believes that deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza require immediate attention and must be solved for humanitarian reasons and for ensuring the security of Egypt and Israel. The statement stressed that addressing the humanitarian situation is also a necessary step toward reaching a comprehensive peace agreement.

The US administration announced on 23 February that it would accelerate its timeline for opening an embassy in Jerusalem, originally envisioned for 2019, to take place on 14 May in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel. This day is known to Palestinians as Yom al-Nakba, or day of the catastrophe, marking the mass displacement that preceded and followed Israels establishment.

Abbas addressed the Council during its 20 February meeting on the issue, saying that he would redouble efforts to seek full UN membership for Palestine, and calling for an international peace conference by mid-2018 that would include the participation of both parties, the permanent members of the Security Council and the Middle East Quartetcomprised of the EU, UN, US and Russia. In the consultations after the meeting, US Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner, a senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, interacted with Council members. They reportedly emphasised the US administrations commitment to resolve the Israel/Palestine conflict and said they were working on a peace plan that would be presented in due course. Since then, White House senior officials have said that the plan is almost ready, but no release date has been given.

On 22 February, Bolivia, France, Kuwait and Sweden hosted an Arria-formula meeting titled Prospects for the two-State solution for peace. A statement was delivered on behalf of former US President Jimmy Carter, followed by briefings by former UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry, former Commissioner-General of UNRWA Karen AbuZayd, and Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland.

Human Rights-Related Developments

During its 37th session, the Human Rights Council (HRC) held an interactive dialogue on 19 March with the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Michael Lynk, to discuss his latest report (A/HRC/37/75). The report, which focused on the right to health, concluded that Israel has been in profound breach of that right in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). It highlighted that Israels avaricious occupation has had a highly disruptive impact upon health care and the broader social determinants for health for the Palestinians. The HRC also considered several other reports on the issue during its 37th session. The High Commissioners report on the human rights situation in the OPT, including East Jerusalem (covering 1 November 2016 to 31 October 2017), emphasised the high risk of arbitrary detention and concluded that a persistent lack of accountability and shrinking space for media and human rights defenders was of particular concern (A/HRC/37/42). Covering the same period, the High Commissioners report on Israeli settlements in the OPT, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan concluded that a significant increase in settlement activity had taken place (A/HRC/37/43). It also emphasised that settlements are prohibited under international humanitarian law and amount to a war crime, and called on Israeli authorities to immediately halt and reverse all settlement development in compliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. The HRC also considered the High Commissioners reports on the implementation of HRC resolutions S-9/1 and S-12/1 (A/HRC/37/38) on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories; on the implications of Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people (A/HRC/37/39); and on accountability and justice for all violations of international law in the OPT (A/HRC/37/41).

Key Issues and Options

The overarching issue is determining how the Council can encourage the resumption of peace talks between the parties to achieve a two-state solution, including promoting a reversal of further negative trends on the groundcontinuing settlement expansion, the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, and continued incitement to violence and terrorist attacks. Given the confrontational Council dynamics on this issue and the objection of the US administration to the Councils engagement on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Council options for involvement appear increasingly limited.

Council and Wider Dynamics

Tensions within the Council on this conflict reached a peak in recent months following Trumps 6 December 2017 proclamation concerning Jerusalem. All other Council members voted in favour of a proposed resolution reaffirming that any decisions and actions that purport to have altered the status of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void, and must be rescinded. After vetoing the draft, US Permanent Representative Nikki Haley called the matter an insult that would not be forgotten. It is likely that tensions over this issue will persist and that the US will continue to prevent any outcome in the Security Council and elsewhere in the UN system that it feels challenges Israel.

The Palestinian Authority has in turn rejected the US as a mediator and is seeking international initiatives to bring the parties together. The US and Israel, however, remain staunchly opposed to international initiatives on the issue, including any meaningful involvement of the Council.

UN Documents on Israel/Palestine
AFRICA

Mali

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council expects to receive a briefing on Mali from the Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), Mahamat Saleh Annadif, followed by consultations.

MINUSMAs mandate ends on 30 June.

Key Recent Developments

Two and a half years since the signing of the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, key provisions remain unimplemented. Briefing the Council on 23 January, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix reiterated the urgency of ensuring progress in the implementation of the agreement. The adoption by the parties (the government and coalitions of armed groups) of a timeline on 15-16 January to take on urgent tasks within the framework of the agreement by March was characterised as an important step that could bring much-needed progress on institutional measures, security arrangements and eventually development for northern regions. In a press statement adopted the next day, Council members welcomed the revised timetable and the renewed commitment of the parties to the implementation of all of their remaining obligations under the agreement. They also expressed a shared sense of impatience regarding the persistent delays in the full implementation of the agreement.

Since the adoption of the revised timetable, the Comite de Suivi de lAccord, the main follow-up mechanism to the agreement, was not able to meet because of disagreements among the parties. However, in late March, the parties agreed to a roadmap elaborating and adapting the January revised timeline. On 23 March, Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga visited Kidal for the first such visit in four years.

The holding of local and regional elections, which had already been postponed from November 2017 to April, was postponed again. Presidential elections will be held in the summer. Even though the constitution needed to be revised to, among other things, establish an upper legislative chamber and lay out a framework for key reforms stipulated in the agreement, this has not happened.

The security situation in the north and centre of Mali continues to be critical. On 26 January, a terrorist attack on a bus transporting civilians, near Boni in the centre of Mali, resulted in the deaths of 26 people from Mali and Burkina Faso, including children. Terrorist groups continue to carry out attacks against MINUSMA and French and Malian forces. Since the mission was established in 2013, at least 99 UN peacekeepers have been killed as a result of hostile acts. Two attacks with improvised explosive devices on 27 and 28 February in Mopti killed six Malian soldiers and four Bangladeshi peacekeepers, respectively. Inter-communal violence among ethnic groups has persisted.

After the first operation in late October 2017, the G5 Sahel joint force conducted its second operation, Pagnali, in the border area between Mali and Burkina Faso in late January. A 23 February conference hosted in Brussels by the EU, the UN, the AU and the G5 Sahel increased pledges to a total of 414 million euros. A technical agreement between the EU, MINUSMA and the G5 Sahel to provide support to the latter through the UN, as per resolution 2391, was also reached.

In January, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the establishment of the International Commission of Inquiry, which will investigate serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed in Mali since January 2012. The commission, which was envisioned in the 2015 agreement but took two and a half years to be appointed, is expected to submit a report to the Secretary-General within one year.

At the initiative of the Secretariat to systematically review long-standing missions, a strategic review of MINUSMA is being carried out in March/April. The reviewled by Ellen Margrethe Lj, a former Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Liberia and later, South Sudanis expected to provide guidance on the future direction of MINUSMA prior to the renewal of its mandate in June. The review is also expected to contribute to defining a mission-wide plan, requested by the Council in resolution 2364, which sets out a strategic approach for a phased implementation of MINUSMAs mandate and for the eventual transition and exit of the mission.

The mission continues to be missing key equipment and capacities, including utility and armed helicopters and additional escort-dedicated capacities and medical capacities. On 19 March, Canada announced its commitment to a one-year deployment of an aviation task force expected to replace German helicopters scheduled to depart Mali this summer.

Sanctions-Related Developments

After several months of negotiations, the 2374 Mali Sanctions Committee adopted its guidelines on 29 January. On 28 February, the coordinator of the Panel of Experts briefed the committee, providing its first interim update. The committee chair, Ambassador Olof Skoog (Sweden), conducted a visiting mission to Mali in late March to explain the terms of the sanctions regime to Malian stakeholders.

Human Rights-Related Developments

On 1 February, MINUSMA and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on the human rights situation in Mali. On 21 March, the Human Rights Council (HRC) held an interactive dialogue with the independent expert on human rights in Mali, Suliman Baldo, to discuss his latest report (A/HRC/37/78). The report, covering 1 April to 30 November 2017, concluded that the growing influence of extremist groups has contributed significantly to the rapid deterioration of the security situation in the country and that a multidimensional and coordinated response is needed to successfully prevent violent extremism and to de-radicalise young people. On 23 March, the HRC extended the mandate of the independent expert for one year (A/HRC/37/39).

Key Issues and Options

Council members could consider ways to increase pressure to ensure progress in the implementation of the agreement and support Mali in a critical electoral cycle. They could hold a frank and unscripted discussion, inviting the Secretariat, the mission leadership and Algeria to participate, as a way to garner support around a common political strategy.

Once the strategic review is conducted, Council members could request the reviews final report in its entiretyrather than an abridged version or a summary of itand engage directly with Lj on the recommendations in an informal interactive dialogue. The Council could continue to monitor the gap between MINUSMAs current mandate and the missions insufficient capacities and resources in light of the upcoming mandate renewal in June.

In view of the unchartered territory opened by MINUSMAs role in support of the G5 Sahel joint force, Council members could be briefed on the modalities of this support and how it works in practice. They could also be briefed on the legal and humanitarian implications of the operations conducted by the joint force with MINUSMAs support.

To tackle the terrorist threat, the Council could add terrorist groups operating in Mali, such as Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, to the list of the 1267/1989/2253 Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Daesh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.

Council and Wider Dynamics

All Council members have expressed concerns about the slow pace of implementing the peace agreement. The Council established a targeted sanctions regime on Mali through resolution 2374, which was adopted unanimously on 5 September 2017. It was created with the idea of pressuring the parties without necessarily listing individuals or entities; if listings are proposed this might result in divisions among Council members.

France is the penholder on Mali. The chair of the 2374 Mali Sanctions Committee is Sweden.

UN DOCUMENTS ON MALI
Overview

Peru will have the presidency in April. It has chosen to hold a high-level briefing on peacebuilding and sustaining peace which is planned to coincide with the 24-25 April General Assembly high-level event on this issue. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Chair of the PBC, Ambassador Ion Jinga (Romania), are expected to brief.

There will be three open debates this month. The open debate on women, peace and security will be on the Secretary-Generals annual report on conflict-related sexual violence, focusing in particular on preventing sexual violence in conflict through empowerment, gender equality and justice. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten will brief. The second open debate will be on youth, peace and security and focuses on a recently completed progress study on the topic. The quarterly debate on the Middle East is expected to focus as usual on Israel/Palestine.

The mandates of the UN missions in Haiti (MINUJUSTH) and in Western Sahara (MINURSO) will be renewed in April. Ahead of the renewal of MINUJUSTH, the Council is expected to hold a debate. There will be a TCC meeting and consultations ahead of the renewal of MINURSO at the end of the month.

Regarding the Middle East, the Council will continue to follow developments in Syria closely and are expecting to receive the monthly briefings on political and humanitarian developments and on the use of chemical weapons, with additional meetings possible depending on developments. On Yemen, the Council expects briefings by Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock.

There will be several Sudan/South Sudan meetings. The Council will discuss developments in relation to UNMISS in South Sudan, UNISFA in Abyei and Sudan/South Sudan relations. The Council is also expected to decide whether to extend UNISFAs support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism and may receive the Secretary-Generals report on the independent review of UNISFA. Other African issues the Council will consider include:

Great Lakes Region, a briefing on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the DRC and the region;

Liberia, a briefing on the final report of the mission and from the chair of the country configuration on Liberia of the PBC; and

Mali, the activities of MINUSMA.

Other issues on the programme of work include:

Colombia, an update on the UN Verification Mission in Colombia; and

Non-proliferation, a briefing by the chair of the 1540 Committee.

Arria-formula meetings are anticipated on counter-terrorism and organised crime, on the rule of law and peacekeeping, and on the role of religious leaders in promoting peace and security.

Additionally, Council members will attend a retreat with the Secretary-General in Sweden.
PEACEMAKING, PEACEKEEPING AND PEACEBUILDING

Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace

Expected Council

In April, the Council is expected to hold a high-level briefing to consider the Secretary-Generals implementation report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. This is planned to coincide with the 24-25 April General Assembly high-level event on the issue. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ambassador Ion Jinga (Romania), are expected to brief.

Key Recent Developments

In January, the Secretary-General submitted his report on the implementation of the General Assembly and Security Council resolutions on the review of the UN peacebuilding architecture. These substantively identical resolutions defined the notion of sustaining peace when they were adopted in April 2016, broadening the concept of peacebuilding as occurring not only in post-conflict situations but also to prevent conflict in the first place and across the conflict cycle. The resolutions emphasised that sustaining peace was a responsibility of all three pillars of the UNs work: security, human rights and development. For follow-up, the General Assembly resolution included a decision, which the Council version took note of, to invite the Secretary-General to provide a report at least 60 days before a high-level event on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace during its 72nd session.

The Secretary-Generals implementation report provides an overview of the relevant aspects of his ongoing peace and security, development system, and management reforms. This includes, as stressed in the two resolutions, efforts for greater coherence across the UN system and between other international actors such as regional organisations and international financial institutions, enhancing the capacities of the UN resident coordinators, and revitalising the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), which is to join a new Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) to serve as a hinge between the UNs three pillars.

The report also sets out options to increase, restructure and better prioritise financing for peacebuilding, which the review of the peacebuilding architecture said was significantly underfunded. Guterres proposed a quantum leap in the capacity of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to enable investments totalling $500 million annually. In recent years, the UN has aspired to annual PBF investments of $100 million, though in 2017 the PBF approved an all-time high of $157.1 million for 31 countries.

To increase the PBFs capacity, the Secretary-General proposed, inter alia, that member states commit unspent peacekeeping budget funds to the PBF. He also proposed that they be assessed the equivalent of 15 percent of the cost savings of a peacekeeping operations budget when it is reduced from the previous year. Guterres reiterated a previous proposal from the review for $100 million or one percent of the value of total UN budgets for peace operations be provided annually to the PBF from assessed contributions. Other options to increase overall financing of peacebuilding include principal contributors of UN peacekeeping budgets voluntarily committing the equivalent of 15 percent of the final full-year budget of a closing peacekeeping mission towards peacebuilding activities in a country, or placing this money into a pooled fund managed by the resident coordinators office for a two-year period. The report noted possibilities for innovative financing, including through, inter alia, individuals, foundations and corporate partnerships. It highlighted an upcoming joint UN-World Bank Group study (released in March) which found that increased spending on prevention could save between $5 billion and $70 billion per year, depending on different forecast scenarios, for the affected country and the international community combined.

On 5 March, Guterres informally briefed member states on his report. He said that he hoped they would give his proposals serious consideration at the high-level meeting in April and urged members to focus not only on the event but also on meaningful ways to follow up on decisions that are taken. A majority of delegations expressed support for the proposals and for having a concise resolution of the General Assembly that would acknowledge the report and set up future reporting.

General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak subsequently appointed Ambassadors Audra Plepyte (Lithuania) and Masud Bin Momen (Bangladesh) as co-facilitators to lead intergovernmental consultations on a draft resolution to be adopted by the General Assembly during the 2425 April high-level meeting. The envisioned resolution is meant to be similar to the resolution that the General Assembly adopted on 20 December 2017 on the Secretary-Generals proposed peace and security reforms. That resolution took note of the Secretary-Generals report on reforming the peace and security pillar and supported his vision. It further requested that the Secretary-General submit, as soon as possible, a comprehensive report elaborating on the establishment of the DPPA and Department of Peace Operations. On 1 March, the Secretary-General submitted this report, which included a proposal to increase PBSO regular budget positions by 50 percent.

In the Security Council, a presidential statement was adopted on 21 December 2017 that laid out elements related to peacebuilding and sustaining peace to be considered when reviewing the mandates and configuration of peacekeeping missions.

Developments in the Peacebuilding Commission

The Secretary-Generals report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace highlighted progress in the PBC to diversify its working methods and the country and regional situations it considers. The PBC has continued its engagement on The Gambia, holding a 4 December 2017 meeting on ongoing institutional reforms and plans for a roundtable conference of development partners that was held in Dakar from 20 to 22 February. On the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, for which in 2017 the Council requested PBC support in implementing, PBC Chair Ambassador Jinga attended a meeting on 15 March of the Ministerial Coordination Platform on the Sahel in NDjamena. Follow-up PBC meetings on both situations were expected in April. The PBC has further expanded this regional approach to peacebuilding. On 27 November 2017, it organised a meeting on the Great Lakes Regional Strategic Framework, which aims to align political and programmatic interventions. That same month, the PBC continued initiatives to widen the country situations before it, holding sessions on Colombia and Sri Lanka on 13 and 20 November, respectively. Also during 2017, the PBSO began regularly informing PBC members on the activities of the PBF as part of efforts to carry forward the call in the peacebuilding/sustaining peace resolutions to increase synergies between the two entities. Within the work of the PBCs country configurations, Ambassador Jurg Lauber (Switzerland), chair of its Burundi configuration, visited Burundi from 27 to 30 March. The Liberian configuration has remained focused on supporting that countrys transition after the departure of the UN Mission in Liberia, committing itself to filling resource and capacity gaps of around $130 million over the next two years in implementing a peacebuilding plan that the Security Council requested. The Sierra Leone configuration met on 23 March to discuss developments, amidst several violent incidents, ahead of the countrys presidential run-off election. The chairs of the PBCs Guinea-Bissau configuration, Ambassador Mauro Vieira (Brazil), and the Central African Republic configuration, Ambassador Omar Hilale (Morocco), participated in Security Council briefings on 14 and 22 February respectively.

Key Issues and Options

The Council session is expected to be held on 25 April, to complement the General Assemblys high-level event. The Councils discussion is expected to focus on those aspects of the Secretary-Generals report most closely related to the Councils responsibility to maintain international peace and security. This includes, for example, the PBCs advisory role to the Council, adopting longer-term strategic approaches to prevent or resolve conflict, and improving transitions during the withdrawal of peace operations.

One option for the Council, having previously adopted concurrent resolutions with the General Assembly in establishing and conducting reviews of the UN peacebuilding architecture, is to adopt a resolution or presidential statement mirroring the resolution being negotiated in the General Assembly. Another option is having such a product additionally outline elements that should be considered when preparing for transitions from peace operations to a UN country team setting.

Council and Wider Dynamics

Perus interest in organising this session stems from its own history in successfully emerging from conflict in the 1980s and 1990s, which reflected many of the processes envisioned by a sustaining peace approach.

Despite what seems like fairly broad support for the Secretary-Generals proposals in his report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, major UN financial contributors are likely to resist new assessed contributions. Also, some countries continue to be concerned about the implications of the concept of sustaining peace. Russia and some countries of the Non-Aligned Movement have expressed reservations, believing it could lead to interference in issues pertaining to state sovereignty. Russia also frequently affirms that there should remain a clear division in the responsibilities of the UNs different pillars, while some countries have worried about a diversion from development funding.

Mexico heads an approximately 40-member Group of Friends for Sustaining Peace, which includes Council members France, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the US. Kazakhstan has also promoted ways to address peace and security challenges that combine development, regional dimensions and greater integration of the UN system.

Sweden is the current coordinator of the Council-PBC stock-taking sessions, organised periodically to review relations between the two bodies.

UN DOCUMENTS ON PEACEBUILDING AND SUSTAINING PEACE

This was a concurrent resolution with the General Assembly on the review of the UN peacebuilding architecture. This was a presidential statement that laid out the elements related to peacebuilding and sustaining peace to be considered when reviewing the mandates and configuration of peacekeeping missions. This was the Secretary-Generals report with proposals to establish the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Department of Peace Operations. This was the Secretary-Generals implementation report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. This was the Secretary-Generals report on restructuring the UNs peace and security pillar. This was a resolution taking note of the Secretary-Generals report on the peace and security pillar and supporting his vision for reforms. This was the General Assembly resolution on the review of the 2015 UN Peacebuilding architecture.

Useful Additional Resource

Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict. United NationsWorld Bank Group. 1 March 2018
AFRICA

South Sudan

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council expects to receive a briefing on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), followed by consultations. Council members also expect to receive the monthly report from the Secretary-General on violations of the Status of Forces Agreement or obstructions to UNMISS, as requested in resolution 2406.

The mandate of UNMISS expires on 15 March 2019.

Key Recent Developments

The situation in South Sudan remains a cause for grave concern. More than four million people are still displaced, half of whom are refugees in neighbouring countries, and more than 200,000 internally displaced persons continue to be protected on UNMISS protection of civilians sites with the assistance of humanitarian partners. Human rights violations and abuses, including incidents of sexual violence, continue at alarming levels with impunity, and the country is on the brink of facing its worst famine yet. More than seven million people in South Sudan (almost two-thirds of the population) could become severely food insecure in the coming months without sustained humanitarian assistance and access, according to a 26 February joint report by the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme.

The third phase of the South Sudan High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF), convened by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is scheduled for 26 to 30 April. It is expected to involve the continuation of discussions around governance and security arrangements that were begun at the second phase of the forum, which took place from 5 to 16 February. The objectives for the process set out by IGAD are threefold, namely to restore the permanent ceasefire, to resume the full and inclusive implementation of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, and to develop revised and realistic timelines for a democratic election at the end of the transitional period. The first phase of the forum took place from 18 to 22 December 2017 and resulted in the signing of the 21 December 2017 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA). However, fighting has continued in South Sudan since the signing of the CoHA, although at lower levels than at this time during the dry season in previous years.

On 15 March, UNMISSs mandate was unanimously extended for one year. The Council decided to maintain the overall force levels of a maximum of 17,000 troops, which includes a Regional Protection Force (RPF) at levels to be set by the Secretary-General but not exceeding 4,000, and no more than 2,101 police personnel. The resolution contains a number of new references to the role of UNMISS in supporting the peace process, following the Secretary-Generals special report on UNMISSs independent review. In this regard, UNMISS is mandated to use good offices to support the peace process, in particular the HLRF, and to facilitate and support the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), the body mandated to monitor violations of the CoHA. The resolution further stresses that the peace process only remains viable with the full commitment by all parties and notes the Councils intention to keep the tasks and composition of UNMISS under active review, based on the possible outcomes of the [HLRF]. The resolution also expresses the Councils intention to consider all measures, including an arms embargo, as appropriate, to deprive the parties of the means to continue fighting and to prevent violations of the CoHA. (For more details, see our Whats In Blue story of 14 March.)

The Council was last briefed on South Sudan on 27 February by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Bintou Keita and IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan Ismail Wais.

Human Rights-Related Developments

On 23 March, the HRC extended the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in South Sudan for one year without a vote (A/HRC/RES/37/31). The resolution requests the Commission to present an oral update at the HRCs 39th session in September and a written report at its 40th session in March 2019. It requests the Commission to share its report with the AU and all relevant organs of the UN, including UNMISS.

Key Issues and Options

An immediate issue for the Council is how to support IGADs efforts to revitalise the political process and what consequences it should impose on those who undermine the process. In an effort to reduce the level of violence and exert leverage on the parties, Council members could seek to impose an arms embargo and further targeted sanctions.

Another issue is whether to receive strengthened and more regular updates on the human rights situation in South Sudan. An option in this context would be to invite the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide an update on the human rights situation. Another option would be to hold an Arria-formula meeting with the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in light of its 23 February report, which documents human rights violations against civilians, including massacres; sexual violence; and the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools.

Council Dynamics

During negotiations in March on extending UNMISSs mandate, Council members generally supported the recommendations in the Secretary-Generals special report on UNMISSs independent review, in particular to increase the missions role in supporting the peace process in a sufficiently flexible manner, given that the process is still underway. However, differences arose in some other areas. On the RPF, which is responsible for providing a secure environment in and around Juba and in other parts of South Sudan as necessary according to resolution 2406, Council members including the US, the Netherlands and Sweden were in favour of removing specific references to the number of RPF troops in the mandate to allow for more flexibility regarding the number to be deployed, given that the threat of military conflict in Juba has considerably diminished. However, other members, including Russia and China, sought a clear reference to the RPFs troop ceiling of 4,000, which was subsequently included in the version adopted. (To date the RPF only comprises approximately a quarter of this number.)

Ethiopia, supported by Cote dIvoire and Equatorial Guinea, initially expressed reluctance about the inclusion of language threatening a potential arms embargo, as proposed in the initial draft resolution circulated by the US. However, Council members managed to agree on retaining the language with a minor amendment by Russia, in so far as it serves as a reminder of existing options at the Councils disposal and did not go so far as to actually commit to imposing such measures. There has been a long-standing divide in the Council over whether to impose an arms embargo and further targeted sanctions. Further Council consideration on this will likely be influenced by assessments of the extent of violations of the CoHA, as well as the level of commitment and progress made by the parties at the third round of the HLRF in April. Assessments as to whether the threat of an arms embargo is sufficient in the present context will also be taken into consideration.

Another area of disagreement during negotiations was related to human rights reporting. Russia, China, Ethiopia and Bolivia rejected the inclusion of language, proposed in the initial draft circulated by the US, which requested the Secretary-General to provide regular thematic reporting on human rights issues in South Sudan and brief updates on the human rights situation in South Sudan every 60 days. Although several members were unhappy with the eventual removal of this language from the adopted text, a compromise was reached by requesting strengthened reporting on human rights issues to be included in the Secretary-Generals 90-day report.

The US is the penholder on South Sudan. Poland chairs the 2206 South Sudan Sanctions Committee.

UN DOCUMENTS ON SOUTH SUDAN
Status Update

Lake Chad Basin

On 2 March, Council members issued a press statement condemning the 19 February Boko Haram kidnapping of 110 school girls in Dapchi, Nigeria, and a 1 March attack in Rann, Nigeria that led to the deaths of at least three humanitarian workers, four Nigerian soldiers, and four Nigerian police (SC/13233). On 22 March, the Council met to discuss the Lake Chad Basin and the implementation of resolution 2349, with a focus on the root causes of the Boko Haram crisis. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed briefed, as did Mohammed Bila of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Chitra Nagarajan, a Senior Conflict Advisor with the think tank and public policy consultancy Adelphi (S/PV.8212).

Terrorism

On 2 March, Council members issued a press statement condemning the terrorist attacks which took place that day in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, against the army headquarters and the French Embassy (SC/13234). On 9 March, the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, the 1373 Counterterrorism Committee (CTC) and the Afghanistan Sanctions Committee held joint informal consultations. At press time, on 29 March, the CTC was expected to hold its monthly formal meeting, and a representative of the Global Counterterrorism Forum briefed the committee.

1267/1989/2253 Sanctions Committee

On 6 March, the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee added two individuals and one entity to the sanctions list (SC/13237). On 9 March, the 1267/1989/2253, the Counterterrorism Committee and the Afghanistan Sanctions Committee held joint informal consultations. At press time, on 29 March, the 1267/1989/2253 and Afghanistan sanctions committees, were expected to be briefed by Lars Tummers, special envoy for counter-terrorism at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ismail Chikkori, Director of Global Affairs at the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in their capacity as co-chairs of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

Central African Republic

On 6 March, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack against education workers near Markounda in the northwestern part of the CAR on 25 February 2018 by unknown assailants, which resulted in the killing of one UNICEF education consultant, two officials of the Ministry of Education of the CAR, and three members of a UNICEF national partner organisation, Bangui Sans Frontieres (SC/13236). On 16 March, the Panel of Experts assisting the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee presented their programme of work to the committee.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

On 7 March, Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative and head of MONUSCO, briefed the Council (S/PV.8198) on the latest MONUSCO report (S/2018/174) and the report of the Secretary-General on progress in the implementation of the 31 December 2016 political agreement (S/2018/128). Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix also participated in the consultations that followed. On 19 March, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lowcock; Jeanine Bandu Bahati, Coordinator of Encadrement des Femmes Indigenes et des Menages Vulnerables; and Abbe Donatien Nshole, Secretary-General and spokesperson of the Congolese National Episcopal Conference, briefed the Council on the humanitarian situation in the DRC (S/PV.8207). Council members issued a press statement on 22 March, expressing their concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation (SC/13260). On 27 March, the Council adopted resolution 2409 renewing the mandate of MONUSCO until 31 March 2019. On 23 March, Zerrougui and a representative of the Joint Mission Analysis Centre of MONUSCO (responsible for monitoring the arms embargo) briefed the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee on the security situation via video teleconference. A representative of the UN Mine Action Service also briefed the committee.

Afghanistan

On 8 March, the Council held a debate on the situation in Afghanistan with a briefing by Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto, Deputy Chairperson of the High Peace Council Habibi Sarabi, and Executive Director of the Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies Mariam Safi (S/PV.8199). Yamamoto briefed on the latest UNAMA report (S/2018/165), the security situation, the preparation for the elections, and the conference of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation, which endorsed the call for direct talks between the Government and the Taliban. Sarabi and Safi centered their briefings on womens rights and the role of women in the Afghan peace process. Ahead of the debate, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2405 which extended the mandate of UNAMA for another year, while also welcoming the strategic review of the mission and calling for implementation of its recommendations. On 15 March, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the convening of the Kabul Process conference and calling on the Taliban to accept the offer of direct talks with the government (SC/13251). On 21 March, Council members condemned the terrorist attack in Kabul, claimed by ISIL, which resulted in at least 33 people killed and 65 injured (SC/13258).

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

On 8 March, Italian Foreign Minister and current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Angelino Alfano briefed the Council on main priorities of the Italian chairmanship of the organisation (S/PV.8200). These include fighting transnational threats to peace and security, combating racism and xenophobia, and promoting the rights of women. In his briefing, Alfano devoted significant attention to the situation in Ukraine, where the OSCE plays an important role in monitoring the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Children and Armed Conflict

The Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict met on 12 March for the introduction of the Secretary-Generals report on children and armed conflict in Mali. It also discussed the Global Horizontal Note for the period of July to September 2017, and heard a briefing from Germanys Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Jurgen Schulz on the Berlin Workshop on Children and Armed Conflict held from 12-13 February. It had another meeting on 26 March to negotiate conclusions on the report on children and armed conflict in Mali.

Somalia and Eritrea

On 13 March, the chair of the 751/1907 Somalia and Eritrea Sanctions Committee, Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan), delivered his regular 120-day briefing to Council members in consultations. On 27 March, the Council adopted resolution 2408, renewing the mandate of UNSOM for an additional year.

Sudan (Darfur)

On 14 March, the Council was briefed on UNAMID by Joint Special Representative for Darfur and head of UNAMID Jeremiah Mamabolo (via video teleconference) on the Secretary-Generals latest 60-day report on this issue (S/2018/154). Ambassador Joanna Wronecka (Poland), the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, provided the quarterly briefing to Council members on the Committees work (S/PV.8202). The briefings were followed by consultations. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba briefed members in the consultations.

Use of Nerve Agent

On 14 March, a meeting was convened regarding the use of a nerve agent in Salisbury in the UK (S/PV.8203). The UK requested the meeting to update members on its investigations into the 4 March attack, which resulted in the poisoning of three individuals: Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer who spied for the UK, and his daughter, both of whom are reportedly in a critical condition, as well as a police officer, who became ill while investigating the incident. During the meeting, at which all Council members spoke, UK Charge dAffaires Ambassador Jonathan Allen stated that: Either this was a direct attack by Russia on my country, or Russia has lost control of a military-grade nerve agent that it had developed. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia (Russia) said that the accusations were unfounded and totally unacceptable.

Crimea Arria-Formula meeting

On 15 March, Council members held an Arria-formula meeting (open to media and wider UN membership) on the Crimea, which was organised by the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US, in partnership with the Ukraine. The meeting, which came at the fourth anniversary of the Russia annexation of Crimea, focused on the role and limits of the Council and good offices of the Secretary-General in addressing violations of the UN Charter and international law. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olena Zerkal and a representative of the Crimean Tatars, Ayla Bakkalli, provided briefings. In addition to the briefers and members of the Council, Germany and the EU delivered statements as parties with an interest in the issue. Ambassador Olof Skoog (Sweden) provided opening remarks, and Ambassador Joanna Wronecka (Poland) gave closing remarks.

Tribunals

On 19 March, the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2018/6) on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (S/PV.8208). The statement requested the Mechanism to present its latest progress report by 15 April, and it requested detailed schedules for the proceedings currently under consideration and factors relevant to projected completion dates for cases and other matters over which the Mechanism had jurisdiction. The statement also requested the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals to carry out a thorough examination of the Mechanisms report, as well as the report on the evaluation of its working methods by the Office of Internal Oversight Services, due to be submitted by 31 March 2018. This review must be completed by 15 May and its outcome shall be reflected by the Security Council in an appropriate form.

Lebanon

On 20 March, Acting UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Pernille Dahler Kardel briefed Council members in consultations on the latest Secretary-Generals report on the implementation of resolution 1701 (S/2018/210).

DPRK (North Korea)

On 21 March, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2407, extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts of the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee until 24 April 2019 (S/PV.8210).

Libya

On 21 March, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNSMIL Ghassan Salame, briefed the Council via video teleconference from Tripoli (S/PV.8211). He presented the 12 February report of the Secretary-General (S/2018/140). Ambassador Carl Skau, Charge daffaires ad interim of Sweden, briefed the Council on behalf of the Chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee.

Conflict and Hunger

On 23 March, the Council convened a briefing on conflict and hunger. Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag chaired the session, which included briefings from Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock and Executive Director of the World Food Programme David Beasley (S/PV.8213).

UNDOF (Golan Heights)

On 27 March, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed Council members in consultations on the latest report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Golan Heights (S/2018/244).

Peacekeeping

On 28 March, the Council held an open debate on peacekeeping. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. The Council was briefed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat; and Fatimata Toure, Director of the Groupe de Recherche dEtude de Formation Femme Action, a Malian NGO.
Iraqi PM says Iraq wants to "distance itself" from U.S.-Iran conflict

From:Xinhua | 2018-03-28 19:21

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BAGHDAD, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Wednesday that his country wants to "distance itself" from the conflict between the United States and Iran.

Iraq wants to maintain a "balance" in its relations with both Washington and Tehran, Abadi said in his televised speech at the Iraq Energy Forum in Baghdad.

"Such policy is in favor of Baghdad interest," Abadi said, adding that "Baghdad hopes that the United States would not withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran," that aimed at restraining Iran's nuclear program.

Abadi's comments were referred to the tensions between Washington and Tehran in the region, including the threat of the U.S. President Donald Trump to scuttle the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal unless amendments are made to it.

Abadi also said that Iraq was facing "existential threat" by the terrorist Islamic State (IS) militant group, which threatened to collapse the Iraqi state, but the Iraqis defeated this terrorist group with its "deviant and dangerous ideology which still exists and our efforts are continuing to eliminate this danger."

"As we are dismantling the terrorist (IS) cells in one hand, after the liberation of the entire Iraqi territories, we are building (our country) by the other hand," Abadi told the forum.

In addition, Abadi said that Iraq has "good oil and gas reserves, and despite the war (against terrorism), our production has not been reduced," adding that Iraq is working hard to give its oil wealth an aiding role in building its economy, not to entirely depend on it.

Iraq has proven oil reserves of 153 billion barrels, and its economy relies on oil for over 90 percent of its revenues.

Since the 2003 toppling of the regime of Saddam Hussein, the Iranian-backed Shiite leading parties have often been accused of being under the heavy influence of Iran. However, Iraq's balance policy between those Washington and Tehran has been a challenge to all post 2003 Iraqi governments, as those two countries have always been at odds over different issues in the Middle East region.


AFRICA

Sudan/South Sudan

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council is expected to hold consultations on the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and on Sudan/South Sudan issues. The Council is also expected to decide by 15 April whether to extend the missions support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM), established in 2011 to conduct monitoring and verification activities along the Sudan-South Sudan border, as set out in resolution 2386. Council members may receive the Secretary-Generals report on the independent review of UNISFA.

The mandate of UNISFA expires on 15 May.

Key Recent Developments

The security situation in Abyei, the disputed territory along the Sudan/South Sudan border, remains relatively stable in the absence of progress on the implementation of the 20 June 2011 agreement, which established temporary arrangements for the administration and security of Abyei pending resolution of its status. Against the backdrop of political paralysis, intercommunal violence, criminality, and the presence of armed groups, UNISFA continues to maintain a measure of stability in Abyei.

On 15 November 2017, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2386, extending UNISFAs mandate until 15 May. It decided to maintain the authorised troop ceiling of 4,791 until 15 April, after which the ceiling decreases to 4,235 unless the Council decides to extend the missions support for the JBVMM. The resolution said that this would be the final extension of support to the JBVMM unless both parties adhere to specific measures by no later than 15 March. Among these measures are facilitating the full freedom of movement for UNISFA air and ground patrols, including landing within the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone (SDBZ); opening of Phase I of the border crossing corridors; holding at least one meeting to resume border demarcation discussions; reactivating the ad hoc committee of the 14 Mile Area (a disputed border territory); facilitating the establishment of the four JBVMM team sites; and convening at least two meetings of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism (JPSM).

While the JBVMM remains at initial operating capability, some recent meetings have taken place in line with the specific measures required above. The inaugural meeting of the ad hoc committee of the 14 Mile Area took place on 27 February, during which terms of reference were agreed. The JPSM held meetings on 4 February and 5 March in Addis Ababa that were convened by the AU High-Level Implementation Panel. At the meeting on 5 March, standing clearance was granted for all ground patrols and helicopter landings within the SDBZ. It was also agreed that both parties would intensify their unilateral and joint efforts concerning the establishment of the SDBZ, and that outstanding issues related to the establishment of team sites would be resolved and the sites set up within two weeks. The next meeting of the JPSM is scheduled to take place in April. The Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) last met from 14 to 15 November 2017 alongside a meeting of traditional leaders of the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities. The AJOC meeting discussed the Abyei Area interim institutions, but it was not able to reach agreement on their establishment.

Council members were last briefed on the issue on 26 October 2017 by Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions Alexander Zuev and Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Nicholas Haysom. In a break with previous practice, the briefing took place in the open Council chamber instead of in consultations. Both briefers stressed UNISFAs stabilising role.

Key Issues and Options

The key issue for the Council is whether to retain UNISFAs support of the JBVMM. An option is to continue the missions support based on some of the recent efforts made by the parties. Another option is to retain the missions support for a shorter period of time as a means of putting pressure on the parties to intensify efforts to fully implement the JBVMM and address the current lack of progress towards a political solution. This could take the form of a technical rollover of support for the JBVMM for one month until UNISFAs mandate renewal in May. A further option is for the Council to take no action to extend the missions support for the JBVMM, which would result in UNISFAs troop levels decreasing after 15 April, as set out in resolution 2386.

Another issue is whether the Council should take steps to advance the stalled political process to avoid having to extend the mission indefinitely. In considering these issues, Council members will need to reflect on how the Council can best support the AU and Haysom in advancing the dialogue between Sudan and South Sudan on the status of Abyei.

An option is for the Council to continue the practice of holding briefings on UNISFA and Sudan/South Sudan issues in the Councils open chamber, as was done on 26 October 2017, instead of in consultations. That would be a way to increase international attention to the status of Abyei and add pressure on Sudan and South Sudan to advance the political process. In addition to Haysom, the Council could also invite Thabo Mbeki, head of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel, to brief.

Council Dynamics

As in previous years, the Councils focus on the situation in Abyei remains limited, largely overshadowed by its ongoing engagement on South Sudan and, to a lesser extent, on Darfur. However, the upcoming renewal of UNISFAs mandate in May presents an opportunity for Council members to direct renewed attention to the issue.

Negotiations on the most recent renewal of UNISFAs mandate in November 2017 followed similar divides between the US and Ethiopia (UNISFAs primary troop-contributing country) on the current mandate and troop ceiling for the mission as during negotiations of the renewal in May 2017. The initial draft resolution circulated by the US in November 2017 proposed an immediate suspension of the missions role in supporting the JBVMM and a reduction in the troop ceiling. This reflected the general concern by the US that UNISFA is persisting longer than intended for an interim force, and that Sudan and South Sudan are taking advantage of the relative stability that UNISFA provides to delay attempts to resolve the status of Abyei. However, Ethiopia, supported by a number of other Council members, was of the view that suspending the missions support of the JBVMM and reducing the troop ceiling would undermine the effectiveness of the mission, and that the parties had taken sufficient steps towards establishing the JBVMM to merit retaining support. This difference in perspective is likely to be reflected again in discussions around whether to retain the missions support of the JBVMM in April and ahead of UNISFAs mandate renewal in May.

The US is the penholder on Abyei.

UN Documents on Sudan/South Sudan
MIDDLE EAST

Syria

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council expects to receive the monthly briefings on political and humanitarian developments in Syria and on the use of chemical weapons.

Key Recent Developments

Despite the unanimous adoption of resolution 2401 demanding a cessation of hostilities in Syria, the conflict entered its eighth year amidst a marked intensification of violence. Soon after the resolution was adopted on 24 February, the unwillingness of the government to implement the resolution became clear as it continued to justify its military actions as counter-terrorism operations. On 28 February, the Council received an early assessment of the implementation of resolution 2401 by the Under-Secretaries-General for Humanitarian and Political Affairs, Mark Lowcock and Jeffrey Feltman, respectively. Lowcock said that there had been no improvement in the humanitarian situation in Eastern Ghouta since the passage of the resolution. In a 4 March statement, the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis, Panos Moumtzis, said: Instead of a much needed reprieve, we continue to see more fighting, more death, and more disturbing reports of hunger and hospitals being bombed. This collective punishment of civilians is simply unacceptable.

On 7 March, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura and OCHA Director Lisa Doughten briefed Council members in consultations at the request of France and the UK. Doughten told the members that, despite the readiness of the UN and its partners to deploy humanitarian convoys to Eastern Ghouta, the lack of security on 5 March had prevented the complete offloading of the first convoy that had made it into Eastern Ghouta since November 2017. Some of the critical humanitarian supplies that could not be delivered then were unloaded in Eastern Ghouta on 9 March, despite renewed shelling that was in breach of assurances of safety from parties including the Russian Federation, according to the Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Ali al-Zatari.

On 12 March, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefed the Council on the implementation of resolution 2401. He said that there had been no cessation of hostilities and that violence had continued not only in Eastern Ghouta but also in Afrin, Idlib, and Damascus and its suburbs. The delivery of humanitarian aid had not been safe, unimpeded or sustained, and no sieges had been lifted. He also underscored that efforts to combat terrorist groups did not supersede those humanitarian obligations.

Throughout March, the governments military offensive in Eastern Ghouta persisted. It first succeeded in dividing rebel-held territory into three areas and has resulted in the displacement of thousands of civilians.

The separation of armed groups from terrorist organisations has been a key issue in the discussions on Eastern Ghouta. Resolution 2401 distinguished between the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al Qaida, Al-Nusra Front, and other terrorist groups designated by the Councilwhich would not be protected by the cessation of hostilitiesand other armed groups that would be. After resolution 2401 was adopted, three armed groups in Eastern Ghouta (i.e. Jaish al-Islam, Faylaq al-Rahman and Ahrar al-Sham) expressed their commitment to abide by the terms of the resolution and to expel Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Al-Nusra Fronts latest iteration. The evacuation of civilians was a direct result of Russias engagement with these armed groups.

On 16 March, de Mistura briefed the Council on developments of substantial gravity on the ground in Eastern Ghouta. He also briefed the Council on his ongoing political efforts to bring about a constitutional committee. He reiterated that the government continued to refuse to engage on the committees formation, and in consultations he raised the possibility of establishing interim arrangements and timelines to begin its work. He also told Council members about the limited progress made by Iran, Russia and Turkey on the issue of detainees, abductees and missing persons despite concrete proposals made by the UN ahead of a 15 March foreign minister-level meeting in Astana.

On 19 March, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, was scheduled to brief the Council on the human rights situation in Syria. The meeting was requested by France with the support of the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden, the UK and the US. However, a procedural motion called for by Russia on whether to convene the meeting failed to receive the nine votes necessary for approval. Bolivia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia voted against the motion, while Cote dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea and Ethiopia abstained. In lieu of a formal meeting, that afternoon Al Hussein was asked to brief members in an Arria-formula format organised by the countries that had requested the meeting.

At the initiative of the Netherlands, Council members held an informal interactive dialogue on chemical weapons in Syria on 20 March with the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, and the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ahmet Uzumcu. Nakamitsu and Uzumcu discussed with Council members the elements contained in a 23 February report of the OPCW, conveyed to the Council on 1 March. The report raised concerns regarding the limited cooperation of the Syrian government in addressing the gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies identified by the OPCW in Syrias initial declaration. They also briefed Council members on the arrangements currently being negotiated by the OPCW and the UN Office for Project Services with the Syrian government for the planned destruction of two stationary, aboveground chemical weapons production facilities and how this process would unfold.

Despite the demand for cessation of hostilities, the Turkish military offensive in the town of Afrin continued in March. In late March, Turkey took full control of the region. On 25 March, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the offensive would continue towards YPG-held Tal Rifaat in northern Aleppo. Throughout the offensive in Afrin, the UN expressed alarm at its impact on civilians, threatened by airstrikes and ground-based attacks and prevented from escaping by Kurdish forces.

On 27 March, Lowcock briefed the Council on the lack of implementation of resolution 2401. At the meeting, many Council members expressed concerns at the situation in Eastern Ghouta. Kuwait and Sweden emphasised that evacuations must be voluntary, that the dialogues on evacuations between armed groups and Russia need to also include the participation of civilians, and that the conditions of the shelters receiving civilians need to be improved.

Human Rights-Related Developments

On 2 March, the Human Rights Council (HRC) voted 25 to four (with eight abstentions) to hold an urgent debate on the situation in Eastern Ghouta, at which the High Commissioner for Human Rights made a statement. On 5 March, the HRC adopted by 29 votes to four (with 14 abstentions) resolution 37/1 on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Eastern Ghouta. (Security Council and HRC member Ethiopia abstained while China voted against the resolution.) The resolution welcomed Security Council resolution 2401 and condemned the sustained denial of humanitarian access, the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons and aerial bombardments against civilians, and the alleged use of chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta. It also requested the Commission of Inquiry on Syria to urgently conduct a comprehensive and independent inquiry into the events in Eastern Ghouta and to provide an update followed by an interactive dialogue on the situation to the HRC at its 38th session in June.

On 13 March, the HRC held an interactive dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry to discuss its latest report (A/HRC/37/72), covering 8 July 2017 to 15 January 2018. The report concluded that civilians had been deliberately targeted through unlawful means and methods of warfare, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence. There had been repeated attacks on medical facilities, schools and markets, and humanitarian aid has been used as a weapon of war. The report also highlighted the high cost to civilians of offensives to defeat ISIL, saying that the international coalition failed to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects. On 15 March, the Commission released a report on sexual and gender-based violence in Syria, covering March 2011 to December 2017 and based on 454 interviews (A/HRC/37/CRP.3). According to the report, sexual and gender-based violence against women, girls, men and boys has been used by parties to the conflict as a tool to instil fear, humiliate and punish or, in the case of terrorist groups, as part of their enforced social order. It recommended that the Security Council include regular briefings by the Commission as part of its formal agenda, including on the use of sexual violence. On 23 March, the HRC voted 27 to four (with 16 abstentions) to extend the mandate of the Commission for one year (A/HRC/RES/37/29).

Key Issues and Options

During the seven years of the war, P5 divisions have limited the options at the disposal of the Council. Council members could hold an informal, unscripted and forward-looking meeting at the ambassador-level to discuss how to increase pressure on the parties to the conflict and seek a compromise that is both realistic and agreeable to all.

The stewardship of the humanitarian penholders in negotiating resolution 2401 illustrates the potential role of elected members in the Council. However, the lack of implementation also shows that no progress will be made without the buy-in of the parties and their supporters. Given the politicisation of the discussions on the humanitarian situation, the Council faces the challenge of maintaining unity as it addresses the failure of the parties to cease hostilities.

The Council has struggled to find a mutually acceptable formula for replacing the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM). If reaching an agreement proves impossible, Council members could request options from the Secretary-General to devise such a mechanism, taking into account the positions expressed by Council members in the failed negotiations to renew the JIM.

Council and Wider Dynamics

Council dynamics on Syria are characterised by increased polarisation. This is now apparent in the discussions on the humanitarian situation, as well as on the political process and responsibility for the use of chemical weapons. Beyond the different perspectives among Council members regarding the meaning and implementation of resolution 2401, Council meetings have reflected differing views about the credibility of key humanitarian actors. At the 12 March Council briefing, Russia questioned the figures and sources cited in the Secretary-Generals report.

At the 12 March briefing, US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned any nation that is determined to impose its will through chemical attacks and inflicting inhuman suffering that the US remains prepared to act if we must. It circulated a draft resolution imposing a cessation of hostilities on Eastern Ghouta and Damascus that appeared to be unacceptable to Russia. Members of the Syrian Negotiation Commission, which represents opposition groups, made several calls for unilateral action at an Arria-formula meeting that same day. The meeting, titled Implementing Syrias Cessation of Hostilities: Syrias Opposition Speaks, was sponsored by France, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK. Several Council members expressed reservations about pursuing any action that would undermine the framework established by resolution 2401, whether from inside or outside the Council. In an attempt to increase pressure on Russia and Syria, the US along with France, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Sweden and the UK sent a letter on 16 March to the Council president. The letter said that if there is no implementation of 2401, it is imperative that this Council immediately pursue decisive action to achieve a full cessation of hostilities throughout Syria, to facilitate humanitarian access, and to protect the Syrian people.

The issue of chemical weapons remains contentious among Council members. On 23 January, Russia circulated a draft resolution to establish a new investigation mechanism to replace the JIM that expired in November 2017. Although Council members met twice to discuss the draft, Russia did not modify it to address any of the issues raised by other Council members and put it in blue in early March. A vote has yet to be scheduled. The US has held several meetings with Council members on an alternative draft. Given current Council dynamics, it does not seem that either of these drafts could be adopted.

Kuwait and Sweden are the penholders on humanitarian issues in Syria.

UN DOCUMENTS ON SYRIA
AFRICA

Western Sahara

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council is expected to adopt a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The Council will receive the Secretary-Generals report on the situation in Western Sahara and will be briefed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Colin Stewart and the Department of Political Affairs on the situation ahead of MINURSOs renewal.

MINURSOs mandate expires on 30 April.

Key Recent Developments

On 21 March, Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara Horst Kohler and Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed Council members in consultations. The briefing was a follow-up to resolution 2351, adopted on 28 April 2017. In renewing the mandate of MINURSO for an additional year, the resolution requested the Secretary-General to update the Security Council within six months of the appointment of the new personal envoy. The resolution called for information about the ways in which the envoy, working with the parties, was progressing towards a mutually acceptable political solution that would provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara; how MINURSOs performance measures were being developed and implemented; and how structures and staffing could be reorganised to achieve mission goals efficiently.

Kohler reported on his recent consultations, which included bilateral meetings with the parties, as well as meetings with neighbouring countries Algeria and Mauritania, and the AU and EU. Kohler also reported meeting with permanent Council members France, the UK and US, with plans to meet the other two permanent members China and Russia, as well as other relevant governments. While he did not divulge details, Kohler conveyed his intention to hold direct negotiations between the parties before the end of the year, stressing that the parties ought to engage in good faith and without preconditions. Council members overwhelmingly expressed their support for Kohler and his efforts.

Lacroix briefed Council members in response to operative paragraph three of resolution 2351, in which the Council recognised that the recent crisis in the buffer strip in Guerguerat raised fundamental questions regarding the ceasefire and related agreements and encouraged the Secretary-General to explore ways that such questions can be resolved. He conveyed to members that DPKO had sent a note verbale to the parties on its intention to send a technical mission to Guerguerat and requesting information from the parties on their questions pertaining to the ceasefire. He reported that Moroccos response was that such a mission was untimely and inappropriate; and while the Polisario Front welcomed the mission, they did not give any of the additional requested information.

Following the briefing, the president of the Council delivered agreed elements to the press on behalf of Council members. In it, they expressed their full support for the efforts of the personal envoy and welcomed his recent bilateral meetings with the parties and neighbouring countries to relaunch the negotiating process with a new dynamic and a new spirit, leading to the resumption of a political process under the auspices of the Secretary-General. Council members underscored the importance of maintaining constructive engagement in an effort to advance the political process. They also expressed concern about the situation in Guerguerat, and recalled the importance of maintaining the status quo as mentioned in the report of the Secretary-General and the need for full implementation of resolution 2351.

Key Issues and Options

The main issue is that the parties to the conflict remain deadlocked and the political process has stalled because the parties respective proposals for the basis of a political solution as outlined in 2007 are mutually exclusive. The Council may consider ways in which it can support the new personal envoy in his endeavours to convene a fifth round of talks between the parties. Council members may consider how they can encourage the parties, collectively or bilaterally, to approach such talks in good faith.

Another issue is that the parties have significantly divergent interpretations of the mandate of MINURSO. In Moroccos view, the missions role is limited to monitoring the ceasefire, supporting demining, and assisting the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with confidence-building measures in the event that such activities resume after their interruption in July 2014; it does not encompass contact with civil society or other civilian actors. By contrast, the Polisario maintains that organising a referendum on self-determination remains the central element of the missions mandate, with ceasefire monitoring and other activities being subordinate to that aim. The Council could attempt to clarify the objectives and mandate of the mission in the resolution renewing the MINURSOs mandate, but that is unlikely as Council members themselves have divergent views on this question.

Council Dynamics

There is division among Council members on how they view the conflict. However, it appears that the current Council composition may be less polarised than it has been in recent years, when divisions rendered the Council largely unable to agree to outcomes on Western Sahara, even during successive crises. Members also appear to be united in their support for Personal Envoy Kohler and his work.

Permanent member France staunchly supports the Moroccan position and is likely to continue to work to protect Moroccos interests during this years renewal.

The African members of the Council do not have a common position. Ethiopia is the only African member that recognises an independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), as proclaimed by the Polisario in 1976. Neither of the new African members, Cote dIvoire and Equatorial Guinea, recognises SADR.

Bolivia also recognises SADR, and the parliament of another member, Sweden, voted to recognise an independent Western Sahara in 2012. The Swedish government has not implemented this.

An indication that the US administration is likely to seek to cut funding for MINURSO is contained in its budget proposal for 2019, which proposes cutting the US contribution to MINURSO by more than half and suggests reductions in both civilian staffing and in the force.

The US is the penholder on Western Sahara, and resolutions are initially discussed among the Group of Friends, comprised of France, Russia, the UK, and the US, joined by Spain, the former colonial power.

UN DOCUMENTS ON WESTERN SAHARA
THEMATIC ISSUES

Women, Peace and Security

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council expects to hold an open debate on the Secretary-Generals annual report on conflict-related sexual violence, focusing particularly on preventing sexual violence in conflict through empowerment, gender equality and justice. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten will brief. Peru plans to circulate a concept note ahead of the debate. No outcome is expected.

Key Recent Developments

At press time the Secretary-General was about to submit his most recent report on conflict-related sexual violence, covering January to December 2017, which will provide the basis for the April open debate.

The report is expected to focus on 19 countries for which credible information is available and provide country-specific strategic recommendations as well as overarching policy recommendations. These are the same 19 countries that appeared in the previous two reports by the Secretary-General. Also, as in recent years, the report is expected to contain an annex of a list of parties credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict on the agenda of the Security Council, the majority being non-state actors. Cote dIvoire is expected to be removed from the annex.

The report is also expected to cover country visits by Patten, who took up the position in June 2017, to Myanmar, Iraq and Sudan. Her first official visit was to Myanmar from 14 to 17 December 2017, where she met with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, several government ministers, and other officials. Prior to this visit, Patten briefed the Council on 12 December 2017 to share her impressions of the camps in Coxs Bazaar, Bangladesh, which she visited from 5 to 13 November 2017, saying that accounts she heard indicate a pattern of grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law committed against Rohingya women and girls in the context of military operations. Patten visited Sudan from 18 to 25 February, travelling to both Khartoum and Darfur, where she met with senior government officials, parliamentarians and civil society representatives. In a 27 February press release, Patten said a key observation from her visit to Sudan is the existence of a deep-seated culture of denial which enhances and feeds the culture of silence about sexual violence. It marked the first time that any Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict had visited the country since the office was established in 2009. Patten also visited Iraq from 26 February to 5 March, where she met with government officials and survivors of sexual violence at the hands of ISIL/Daesh. In a 5 March press release, Patten stressed the need to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are fully protected and that perpetrators are brought to justice.

Another issue that is expected to be in the report is sexual exploitation and abuse. Last years report recognised that the UN has individuals among its ranks who engage in egregious acts of sexual exploitation and abuse. On 15 February, the Secretary-Generals second report on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse was released. It provides information on measures to strengthen the UNs system-wide response to sexual exploitation and abuse, including progress in the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy and the Secretary-Generals new approach strategy, which was outlined in last years report on the issue.

The report also highlights the activities of the Informal Experts Group (IEG) on Women, Peace and Security, established following the adoption of resolution 2242. In 2017, the IEG held meetings on the Lake Chad Basin (27 February), Yemen (23 March), Mali (4 May), Iraq (14 June), the Central African Republic (2 November), Yemen (22 November), and Afghanistan (5 December). So far this year, it has met on the Lake Chad Basin (30 January) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (28 February) with a meeting on Iraq scheduled for the end of March and meetings on Libya and Mali expected later in the year.

Key Issues

A key issue is the role of the Council in preventing sexual violence in conflict through empowerment, gender equality and justice, and in reinforcing current efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict, including through the work of relevant sanctions committees. Another issue is what the Council can do to ensure full implementation of the relevant resolutions dealing with sexual violence in conflict as well as compliance by state and non-state parties.

The Council may also consider how to go beyond briefings and the submission of names of perpetrators of sexual violence by the Special Representative to the relevant sanctions committees. That could mean considering the possibility of adopting targeted measures against these individuals. A related issue is expanding designation criteria in all relevant sanctions regimes where sexual violence is persistently perpetrated. In this regard, the Council could ensure that dedicated gender and conflict-related sexual violence expertise informs the work of sanctions committees and invite the Special Representative to share information with sanctions committees, as appropriate.

Keeping in mind the Secretary-Generals focus on prevention, a further issue is how to give due consideration to the identified risk factors of sexual violence as an early-warning indicator that could enable the Council to better fulfil its conflict prevention role.

No outcome is anticipated. However, the Council can continue to monitor the implementation of key resolutions on this issue by following it closely and integrating it into relevant country-specific and cross-cutting thematic resolutions.

Council Dynamics

Discussion of the Secretary-Generals report on conflict-related sexual violence has been a regular feature on the Councils agenda since 2009, but Council members continue to have divergent views on aspects of this thematic agenda, including how to incorporate it into the Councils sanctions regimes and how to advance and deepen efforts to integrate the women, peace and security agenda across all areas of the Councils work. China and Russia have typically resisted many elements that they interpreted as an expansion of the women, peace and security agenda or perceived as infringing on state sovereignty or the competencies of other parts of the UN system.

Some members have highlighted the importance of working closely with relevant sanctions committees to list perpetrators and may raise this issue in the open debate. Others have shown interest in focusing on how conflict-related sexual violence occurs in situations where there is also systemic gender-based discrimination, such as the exclusion of women from political life, economic marginalization, and discriminatory systems of both formal and informal law.

UN DOCUMENTS ON WOMEN AND PEACE AND SECURITY
MIDDLE EAST

Yemen

Expected Council Action

In April, the Council expects a briefing on Yemen by Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, which will be his first briefing since replacing the former envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, at the end of February. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock is likely to brief on the humanitarian situation.

Key Recent Developments

The war in Yemen has escalated in recent months, further exacerbating the worlds greatest humanitarian crisis. The Saudi Arabia-led coalition and forces affiliated with the Yemeni government appeared to have intensified operations since the break-up of the alliance between the Houthi rebels and supporters of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Fighting in late January in Aden between Yemeni government forces and southern separatist militias, which are backed by the United Arab Emirates, also showed fissures among Houthi opponents and the fragility of their coalition. On 16 February, 18 months after the last round of peace talks, the UN announced the appointment of Griffiths as the new Special Envoy as of 1 March.

On 26 February, Russia vetoed a draft resolution to renew the Yemen sanctions regime. It objected to references to the Yemen Panel of Experts findings that Iran was in non-compliance with the arms embargo. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said these were unconfirmed conclusions and evidence and therefore such a resolution could have seriously destabilizing consequences, not just for the situation in Yemen but for the entire region. Eleven members voted in favour of the resolution, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting against it. China and Kazakhstan abstained. Council members then unanimously approved a draft resolution which Russia had presented that was based on last years resolution 2342, with technical amendments to extend sanctions measures until 26 February 2019 and the mandate of the Yemen Panel of Experts until 28 March 2019. Speaking after this second vote, US representative Kelley Eckels-Currie said that Bolivia, China, Kazakhstan and Russias votes invited Iran to continue promoting chaos in the Middle East.

The next day, 27 February, Ould Cheikh Ahmed briefed the Council for the last time as Special Envoy. He blamed the Houthis for the failure of peace talks, saying that they had come close to achieving a peace agreement during three months of talks in Kuwait in 2016 but the Houthis were not prepared to make concessions on the proposed security arrangements or even to go into details about a comprehensive security plan.

Director of Operations for OCHA John Ging also briefed. According to Ging, 22.2 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 8.4 million people who are severely food insecure. An additional two million people are displaced, including 100,000 people who have been displaced since November. Ging said that humanitarian access within Houthi-controlled areas had deteriorated. He also reiterated concern about the ongoing problems of delivering essential supplies to Yemen, which has long imported most of its food and fuel, and the continued closure of Sanaa airport. According to Ging, a major challenge was the coalitions diversion of commercial shipping to Aden. Moreover, fewer commercial shippers are seeking to go to Yemen because of costly delays and unpredictable access.

On 12 March, Lise Grande was appointed UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, replacing Jamie McGoldrick, who was named Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process in February.

On 15 March, the Council adopted a presidential statement on Yemens humanitarian crisis, calling for the full and sustained opening of all of Yemens ports, including the Houthi-controlled Hodeidah and Saleef ports, and for increased access to Sanaa airport. The Council reaffirmed that access restrictions can constitute violations of international humanitarian law and stressed the need to prevent the adverse effects of the arms embargo on commercial and humanitarian imports. The statement, inter alia, encouraged donors to support the upcoming Geneva donors conference for Yemens 2018 UN Humanitarian Response Plan (scheduled for 3 April), while taking note with appreciation the coalitions announcement of a new humanitarian relief plan known as the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations.

Touching on efforts to end the conflict, the presidential statement welcomed the appointment of the new Special Envoy and called upon all parties to the conflict to abandon pre-conditions and engage in good faith with the UN-led process, with the meaningful participation of women and other underrepresented groups at all levels. On 19 March, Griffiths issued a press release on his assumption of the role of Special Envoy, stating that a credible political process will require all sides to be flexible, make difficult compromises, and prioritize the national interest for the sake of the Yemeni people.

On 28 March, Council members issued a press statement condemning the Houthi missile attacks targeting several cities in Saudi Arabia on 25 March, and expressing grave concern at the humanitarian situation in Yemen (SC/13270).

Sanctions-Related Developments Following the renewal of the Yemen sanctions measures and the mandate of the Panel of Experts, committee members have been in discussions during March on appointing the members of the Panel of Experts, which at press time was expected to be finalised by 28 March when the mandate of the current panel expires.

Human Rights-Related Developments In a 12 February statement, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein expressed alarm at continuing civilian casualties in Yemen as hostilities increased, noting that civilians are under fire on all sides, as Houthi and affiliated forces carry out sniper attacks and indiscriminate shelling, and the Saudi-led Coalition continues to conduct airstrikes. According to the statement, OHCHR verified that 27 people were killed and 76 injured between 1 and 8 Februarymore than double the number of civilian casualties confirmed during the previous week. Most of the casualties were attributed to the warring parties48 to the coalition and 51 to the Houthi forces. On 23 February, OHCHR sent Council members a confidential white note that flagged its Sanaa offices almost daily reports of civilian casualties as a result of intensified coalition air strikes over the last two months, and on a smaller scale from Houthi shelling and sniper firing, US drone strikes, and attacks by Al Qaeda and Islamic State-affiliated groups. It further stated its serious concern at the lack of accountability on all sides. On 22 March, the Human Rights Council held an oral briefing on human rights in Yemen.

Key Issues and Options

The upcoming Council meeting will be Griffithss first briefing, during which he may present his initial plans for resuming a peace process. Issues related to this include establishing a cessation of hostilities and the possible broadening of peace talks, for example, to include other groups that are seen as critical to implementing any future agreement, such as the separatist Southern Transitional Council. Relevant to this discussion is consideration of a new Council resolution. Resolution 2216 is the Councils last substantive political resolution regarding the conflict. Adopted three years ago at the onset of the coalition intervention, it has so far proven ineffective in ending the war and has often been seen as creating a restrictive framework for mediation efforts.

Members may thus begin discussions about a new resolution that could express support for any new peace initiatives by the Special Envoy, reiterate that parties to the conflict should abandon pre-conditions, and endorse the broader participation of underrepresented groups.

Another important issue for the Council is monitoring implementation of its recent presidential statement, including progress towards reducing access restrictions, the parties compliance with international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians, both from hostilities and the humanitarian consequences of the war, including famine and disease.

Council and Wider Dynamics

The P3, along with most Council members, have strategic relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. This has made it difficult for the Council to be more actively engaged on Yemen, and Saudi Arabia has been able to exert its influence on Council products.

The negotiations on the Councils last presidential statement, however, indicated shifting dynamics. The Netherlands and Sweden represented a group of five at first and then later six members, including Bolivia, France, Peru and Poland, who coordinated their positions to push for what they regarded as a more balanced and comprehensive text. This pitted them against Kuwait and, at times, the UK during the negotiations. At the same time, the existence of this group seemed to help those who were trying to convince Saudi Arabia to accept the presidential statementamong them the US, which came in towards the end of the seven weeks of negotiations. Such coordination among Council members first emerged in November and December when a similar grouping formed to raise concerns about Council products on Yemen that they felt were too one-sided.

On the sanctions, Russia and China in particular felt strongly that the Panel of Experts had not met evidentiary standards expected of UN sanctions experts in order to draw its conclusions, such as the lack of any information on the chain of custody regarding Iranian-made weaponry possessed by the Houthis. Conversely, the US was very keen to use the sanctions renewal as an opportunity for the Council to send a strong message about Iranian meddling, not just in Yemen but across the region.

The UK is the penholder on Yemen. Peru chairs the 2140 Yemen Sanctions Committee.

UN DOCUMENTS ON YEMEN
PEACEMAKING, PEACEKEEPING AND PEACEBUILDING

Youth, Peace and Security

Expected Council Action

In April, the Security Council is expected to hold an open debate on youth, peace and security. Graeme Simpsonthe lead author of the recently completed progress study on youth, peace and securityis expected to brief the Council.

A resolution is a possible outcome.

Key Recent Developments

On 9 December 2015, the Council adopted resolution 2250 on youth, peace and security. The resolution focused on the role of youth, defined as people between ages 18 and 29, in conflict prevention and resolution. It encouraged member states to engage with local communities and NGOs to develop strategies that counteract a narrative of violent extremism. It urged member states to provide youth with an enabling environment for the implementation of violence-prevention activities and peacebuilding efforts. The resolution invited relevant UN bodies to improve their coordination and interaction with regard to the needs of youth during armed conflicts and in post-conflict situations.

It further requested the Secretary-General to conduct a progress study on the positive contribution of youth to peace processes and conflict resolution. However, it did not indicate a timeframe for the completion of this progress study, which was only recently finalised, and circulated in early March. A more detailed version is expected to be completed later in the year.

The research for the progress study on youth, peace and security drew on consultations with thousands of youth, country-focused studies, and a global survey of youth peacebuilding organisations, among other methods. A diverse advisory group of 21 experts supported the lead author. Referring to youth as the missing peace, the study called for a conceptualisation of youth as partners for peace rather than as a problem to be solved. It noted that the stereotype of young women as victims of violence needs to be adjusted so that their ability to contribute to peace and security is also recognised and nurtured. It emphasised that youth need to be included in political and economic processes that promote their well-being and sense of belonging and that [j]ustice and human rights areessential vehicles for prevention and lay the foundation for sustainable peace.

The adoption of resolution 2250, which was an initiative of Jordan, built on the open debate on the role of youth in countering violent extremism and promoting peace held during Jordans presidency in April 2015 and on the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security held in Amman in August 2015. Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II of Jordan chaired the debate, which included the participation of 69 member states, the AU, the EU, the Permanent Representative of the Observer State of the Holy See, and the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations.

The meeting featured briefings by then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Peter Neumann, the Director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at Kings College in London; and Scott Atran, the Director of Research in Anthropology at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris. Ban described how violent extremists deliberately target youth. He said that youth needed to be given opportunities to participate in peace talks, as they pay a price for the fighting, anddeserve to help structure the healing. Neumann briefed on radicalised European youth who became foreign terrorist fighters in Iraq and Syria. He said that what they shared was a sense that they did not belong to the cultures in which they were living and maintained that, in addition to creating de-radicalisation programmes and challenging extremism on the Internet, longer-term efforts are needed to work on creating more inclusive societies and more inclusive identities. Atran maintained that governments should continue their important work on problems of development, and on immigration and integration, with a goal of transforming the much-lamented youth bulge into a youth boom by unleashing youths inherent energy and idealism.

Key Issues and Options

A key issue is how to ensure that the Councils focus on youth and violent extremism does not overshadow the positive contribution of youth in situations of armed conflict. Simpsons briefing will most likely emphasise the potential of youth to play a critical role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, given the focus of the progress study. It might also be useful to have a civil society youth leader brief the Council on the role he or she has played in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

A further important issue is ensuring that the recommendations of the progress study are considered by the Council. In this regard, the Council could discuss pursuing a resolution that takes on board key recommendations from the study. Among such measures, the resolution could encourage member states and regional and sub-regional organisations:

to promote youth participation in peace negotiations and constitution-making processes;

to collaborate with youth in developing and implementing disengagement and reintegration programs; and

to support research and data collection on youth, peace and security issues.

The Council could also designate a penholder to take the lead on youth, peace and securityincluding with regard to the implementation of resolution 2250and call on the Secretary-General to report on its implementation on an annual basis. This member could advocate the inclusion and concrete implementation of activities related to youth, peace and security in Council mandates.

Council and Wider Dynamics

Council members have emphasised various ways to counter violent extremism among youth. Among the ideas that have been expressed and promoted by members are countering extremist ideologies through narratives and programmes that uphold inclusivity and tolerance, preventing the travel of foreign terrorist fighters, and targeting terrorist financing.

At the same time, while concerns continue to be expressed about the linkages between youth and extremist ideologies, members also emphasise that young people make positive contributions to peace and security and that their capacities for preventing and resolving conflicts and building peaceful societies need to be developed.

The Peacebuilding Commission, an advisory body of the Council, established focal points on thematic issues in 2017, including one on youth, peace and security. Belgium has been the focal point on youth, peace and security since 2017.

UN DOCUMENTS ON YOUTH, PEACE AND SECURITY
Press Release

March 27, 2018 Legarda: Place Human Rights and Dignity at the Core of Migrants and Refugees Global Policy At the 138th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland, Senator Loren Legarda today delivered a statement during the General Debate in Plenary Session, saying that global policy and action should consider and respect the rights and dignity of all migrants and refugees. Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Finance and Climate Change, heads the Philippine Delegation to the IPU Assembly from March 24-28, 2018. "This Assembly of Parliamentarians can help move forward not just the commitments of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants 18 months ago, but of many other treaties and pledges to facilitate safe, orderly, and regular migration," Legarda said. "The movement of people, across borders, however, should never be at the expense of human dignity," she added. Legarda said that 3.4% of the world's population or 258 million reside or work in countries not of their birth, while 10% of the Philippine population or 10 million Filipinos, such as doctors, scientists, nurses, engineers, architects, information technology specialists, and other skilled workers, are employed or living in other countries. The Senator mentioned that of the total number of migrant domestic workers worldwide, women comprise 73.4%. She noted, however, that there is strong evidence that female domestic workers remain the most vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, forced labor, and violence. "In 2015 alone, more than 36,000 overseas Filipinos sought assistance from our embassies and consulates. The Philippine government employs mass repatriation of distressed Filipinos overseas--many of them out-of-status and unemployed for years--because legal remedies are absent in their host countries," Legarda said. In order to spur a more collective global action, Legarda urged fellow parliamentarians to pursue a Global Compact for Safe and Orderly Migration as a platform for collective action, which will also set in place an international framework to manage migration that is acceptable by all states. She shared that the Philippines proposes that the Global Compact must, among others, be anchored on human rights; adhere to the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the New York Declaration; be gender-responsive and child-sensitive. Legarda also noted that the Philippines has long been a receiving country of refugees-- from the first wave of Russians fleeing persecution in 1917; the Spanish republicans fleeing the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939; the European Jews escaping Nazi persecution in World War II; the 30,000 Chinese refugees seeking safe havens in the late 1930s; more than 400,000 Indo-Chinese refugees; the East Timorese refugees at the turn of the century; just to name a few. "It is not, however, intuition that drives us into treating refugees humanely; rather, it is the right and decent thing to do. I am also proud to say that the Philippines is the first Southeast Asian country to have established a national system for registering refugees." In closing, Legarda encouraged her colleagues in the Assembly to go beyond ad hoc and reactive policy measures that cater only to populist demands. "Let us aim for sustainable solutions that address the multifaceted forms of migration challenges. In doing so, let us be inclusive in the way we craft laws and international frameworks, so that those who will be most affected by our actions and decisions are not left on the fringes of the debate and action," Legarda concluded.
Home  Just In  Beijing says Nepal, India and China should work together

Kathmandu, March 29

The Foreign Affairs Ministry of China says it wants Nepal, India and China to work together for their common development as they are good neighbours.

The Ministrys spokesperson Lu Kang has also appreciated Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis statement that the Himalayan nation maintains an independent foreign policy, according to media reports.

We commend the Nepali governments commitment towards independent foreign policy. We also support Nepal developing friendly and positive relations with its neighbours, the official today said, China, Nepal and India are important neighbours to each other. We hope these three could work together, have some sound interactions and achieve common development.

During his briefing to Kathmandu-based diplomats on Tuesday, Oli had said independent foreign policy and balanced conduct of relations would be the hallmarks of Nepals external engagements.
Press Release

March 27, 2018 General Debate Statement of Senator Loren Legarda

Head of the Philippine Delegation to the

138th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

27 March 2018 (Geneva, Switzerland) Mr. President,

Fellow Parliamentarians,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning/afternoon. On behalf of the Philippine Delegation, I thank you for this opportunity to lend our voice at this IPU General Debate, on the theme, "Strengthening the Global Regime for Migrants and Refugees: The Need for Evidence-based Policy Solutions." Why this debate is important Eighteen months ago, Heads of State and Government gathered and discussed, at the global level and within the UN General Assembly, for the first time, issues related to migration and refugees. The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants was adopted by 193 member states, recognizing the need for a comprehensive approach to human mobility and enhanced cooperation at the global level. As in any conference, however, hard work begins after all the delegates shall have left. This Assembly of Parliamentarians can help move forward not just the commitments of 18 months ago in New York, but of many other treaties and pledges, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in which member states committed to cooperate internationally to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration. The Philippine Experience The Philippines has had a long history of migration, both as a sending and receiving country. While only 3.4% of the world's population or 258 million are said to be residing or working in countries not of their birth, it is estimated that 10% of the Philippine population or 10 million Filipinos currently reside or work in practically all countries of the world. They include doctors, scientists, nurses, engineers, architects, information technology specialists, and other skilled workers, including seafarers. Some of them may even be working in your own households or communities. While they have helped sustain the continued growth of our economy, there is no denying the fact that they also contribute to the vibrancy of their host countries' economies. Our Filipino architects have helped transform the urban landscape in Dubai. Our nurses and doctors have helped revitalize the national health care system of many countries in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. In jest, others claim that if all the Filipino nurses in their country would take a vacation at the same time, their hospital care system will collapse. Filipino mothers have left their own families so they can help raise the children of political leaders, monarchs, heads of state, business people, and even ordinary workers. Some call this reverse foreign aid, with developing countries sharing the best of their human resources with the developed world. We simply call it human development - that of enlarging people's choices to help them achieve a decent standard of living, self-respect, healthy life, including freedom. The movement of people, across borders, however, should never be at the expense of human dignity. Vulnerability of migrants This leads me to the very important fact that women comprise 73.4% of all migrant domestic workers worldwide. Unfortunately, respect for women migrant workers, especially those employed in domestic service, is not yet universally shared. There is strong evidence that female domestic workers remain the most vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, forced labor and violence. In 2015 alone, more than 36,000[1] overseas Filipinos sought assistance from our embassies and consulates. The Philippine government employs mass repatriation of distressed Filipinos overseas -- many of them out-of-status and unemployed for years -- because legal remedies are absent in their host countries. Worldwide displacement in 2015 has reached an all-time high, with one in every 122 humans classified either a refugee, internally displaced, or seeking asylum.[2] All these demand not just an evidence-based policy making, but one that is humane as well. Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration The UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families entered into force in 2003. To date, there are 59 state parties to this Convention. Twenty-five, on the other hand, have ratified the International Labor Organization's Domestic Workers Convention (No. 189). The sad reality is manifested through these ratification numbers. There is collective recognition over the problems facing migrants and refugees, but collective action is lacking. We need a more effective international response. My fellow Parliamentarians, it is for this reason that we need to pursue the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration as a platform for collective action - one that will set in place a voluntary and non binding international framework to manage international migration acceptable and implementable by all States. There are a number of salient provisions that the Philippines wants to see in the Global Compact on Migration, among these: First, the Global Compact should be firmly anchored on human rights. This is non-negotiable since the Global Compact is about migrants as human beings with dignity and rights.

Second, the Global Compact is both a human rights and sustainable development instrument.

Third, the standards of protection for migrants should not be less than what had been agreed by leaders of States and enshrined in the 2016 New York Declaration. It should also be guided by the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and Sendai Framework for Disaster risk Reduction.

Fourth, international migration governance is a shared responsibility of all States - sending, receiving and transit states.

Fifth, the Global Compact should be gender-responsive and child-sensitive. The Philippines welcomes the 360-degree approach to the Global Compact negotiations for it conforms to the whole-of-migration cycle, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches that we have long adhered to. Given the range of actionable commitments that are expected to be drawn up, it is our view that the International Organization for Migration should be given a lead and coordinative role in the implementation and capacity building of the Global Compact while fully respecting the mandates and expertise of other UN agencies with migration portfolio. Global Compact on Refugees Perhaps unknown to many, the Philippines has also long been a receiving country of refugees. Our country has welcomed numerous waves of refugees -- from the first wave of Russians fleeing persecution in 1917; the Spanish republicans fleeing the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939; the European Jews escaping Nazi persecution in World War II; the 30,000 Chinese refugees seeking safe havens in the late 1930s; more than 400,000 Indo-Chinese refugees; the East Timorese refugees at the turn of the century; just to name a few. The hospitality extended by the Philippines to refugees have not escaped the attention of the UN High Commission for Refugees, which said, and I quote: "The Filipinos seem to naturally and intuitively understand and empathize with people who have been uprooted from their homes by war, conflict, violence, persecution, and calamities."[3] My colleagues, it is not, however, intuition that drives us into treating refugees humanely; rather, it is the right and decent thing to do. I am also proud to say that the Philippines is the first Southeast Asian country to have established a mechanism to determine whether a person of concern is a refugee or is stateless. This "refugee determination process" or program enables refugee applicants and their family members to access services and benefits provided under the refugee and stateless conventions and allows for the suspension of deportation proceedings, subject to Philippine laws and procedures. We would be happy to share with you our experiences from existing and past refugee situations, upon which lessons may be drawn toward developing a Global Compact on Refugees. Closing Dear colleagues, let us start with what we do best - debate and discern. Our sights, however, should go beyond ad hoc and reactive policy measures that cater only to populist demands. Let us aim for sustainable solutions that address the multifaceted forms of migration challenges. In doing so, let us be inclusive in the way we craft laws and international frameworks so that those who will be most affected by our actions and decisions are not left on the fringes of the debate and action. Thank you. ___________________________ [1] Department of Foreign Affairs, https://dfa.gov.ph/assistance-to-overseas-filipinos-in-distress [2] UNHCR, unhcr.org/news/latest/2015/6/558193896/worldwide-displacement-hits-all-time-high-war-persecution-increase.html, Accessed March 19, 2018. [3] Ibid
Press Release

March 28, 2018 Legarda Submits Notification of PH Ratification of Free Trade Agreement with EFTA States In a meeting with World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Roberto Azevedo on March 27, Senator Loren Legarda submitted a notification on the Philippines' ratification of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States--an intergovernmental organization consisting of the Republic of Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Swiss Confederation. Following President Rodrigo Duterte's ratification of the PH-EFTA FTA on December 8, 2017, Legarda, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, sponsored and successfully sought concurrence from the Philippine Senate on March 5, 2018. Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have deposited their respective instruments of ratification in 2017. Following the Philippines' submission, the FTA will enter into force on the first day of the third month following the submission of the Philippines and at least one EFTA member state of their instruments of ratification to Norway as Depositary. "We are happy to report and discuss with our counterparts the progress of the Free Trade Agreement, which will cover areas of mutual concern, such as trade in goods, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, trade in services, investment, competition, protection of intellectual property rights, government procurement, trade and sustainable development, institutional provisions, and dispute settlement," Legarda said. She explained that, upon the Agreement's entry into force, the EFTA States will abolish all customs duties on imports of industrial products, including fish and other marine products, originating in the Philippines. The Philippines, on the other hand, will gradually eliminate customs duties on industrial products, including fish and other marine products, originating in an EFTA State. Legarda noted that this is the second bilateral free trade agreement of the Philippines--the first being the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA). This will further provide access to the European market for Filipino products and services. The Senator also emphasized that entering into agreements, such as this, sends a clear message to the international market that the Philippines is indeed ready and "open for business." "We need to sustain and forge new economic partnerships with other countries in order to provide the Filipino products, skills, and talents the kind of access and attention in the global market that they deserve," Legarda said. Senator Loren Legarda is in Geneva, Switzerland as head of the Philippine Delegation to the 138th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) from March 24-28, 2018.
Press Release

March 28, 2018 Legarda Encourages Environment-Friendly Fasting In observance of the Holy Week, Senator Loren Legarda encouraged Catholics to consider fasting that is environment-friendly. "Aside from fasting and abstinence from meat, Catholics are encouraged to abstain from vices and activities that we can do without during this period of reflection and spiritual growth. One best way is to carbon fast," said Legarda. "Carbon fasting is reducing one's carbon footprint through activities and lifestyle choices. These actions can be as simple as going meatless, using reusable water bottles instead of buying disposable water bottles, avoiding the use of straw and plastic bags, and saving on electricity, among others. It would be best if we adopt a low-carbon lifestyle even beyond the Lenten season," she said. The following are ways to carbon fast: Opt for food that is local, plant-based, and in-season because food from distant places utilizes more energy for transportation and preservation, resulting in greater carbon emission;

Venture into modes of transportation that are energy-efficient, such as walking, biking, taking public transport, and carpooling whenever possible;

Economize on energy consumption and shift to indigenous and renewable energy sources, use low-wattage appliances, unplug electronics when not in use, and other similar practices;

Practice solid waste management by segregating at source, composting biodegradable waste and recycling;

Consume water wisely like gathering and storing rainwater for daily chores; and,

Plant trees, protect our natural forests and conserve our protected areas. "As stewards of God's creation, we have a moral and spiritual obligation to keep our personal lifestyles in check as human-induced actions have led to the deplorable state of our environment. This Holy Week, let us engage in a personal renewal and contemplate on what we can do to protect and save our environment," Legarda concluded.
Press Release

March 28, 2018 Legarda Opens Hibla Travelling Exhibition in Lisbon Senator Loren Legarda today led the official opening of the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition at the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. Legarda said that this is an offshoot of the National Museum's Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles gallery, which is her brainchild. The first Hibla Travelling Exhibition was held in London in October 2017. "We have a very rich weaving heritage which we are able to show through the Hibla gallery and the weaving lectures and demonstrations at the National Museum, but we also want to bring it to a wider audience and to Filipinos living abroad," she said. The Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition in Lisbon titled, "Pina-Seda: Pineapple and Silk Cloth from the Tropics," was organized by the National Museum of the Philippines, the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon. Prior to the opening, there were lectures, weaving and embroidery demonstrations and workshops by Anna India Dela Cruz and Nelia Rogano, pina-seda weavers from Kalibo, Aklan, and Marilyn Tobias and Magdalena Rosales, pina-seda embroiderers from Lumban, Laguna. "The Hibla gallery at the National Museum, the weaving lectures and demonstrations, and this Hibla travelling exhibit are efforts to celebrate indigenous artistry through textiles, provide more Filipinos the opportunity to discover priceless information about our heritage, and bring the challenge of nurturing our weaving traditions into the national stage, to a wider audience," said Legarda. Exhibition viewing for the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition at the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon, Rua Barata Salgueiro 30-3 andar 1250-044 Lisbon, Portugal, will be from March 28 to April 30, 2018, 10:00am to 5:00pm. About Hibla Textile Gallery The Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles at the National Museum of Anthropology in Manila is the country's first permanent textile gallery. It is a project spearheaded by Senator Loren Legarda. During the soft opening of the gallery in March 2012, the National Museum also launched the Senator Loren Legarda Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge, which explores the aesthetics, material culture and processes of ethnic identity along with skills and information-generation through fabric. It later evolved into interactive lectures and demonstrations featuring weavers and embroiderers from different parts of the country. In July 2017, the National Museum launched the first Hibla regional gallery, the Hibla Iloko at the National Museum Ilocos Regional Museum Complex in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, which was also supported by Legarda. In October 2017, the first Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibition was held at the Philippine Embassy in London in October 2017. "We will have more Hibla travelling exhibitions and many more Hibla regional galleries will soon rise in our country, and we hope that someday we will have not only galleries, but one whole Hibla Museum. Through these we hope to promote greater support for cultural enterprises and creative industries of our indigenous peoples and deeper appreciation of our heritage," said Legarda.
Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Thursday have given top priority to contemporary political issues. The issues include the drafting of an interim statute of the party to be merger after the merger between ruling CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre, the Presidents address to members of the National Assembly and the House of Representatives scheduled for today, preparations for Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis India trip and a case filed against the oath of President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Some other contemporary political, sociocultural and economic issues have also been highlighted in the front page today.

Important

Left alliance task force outlines organisational structure of new party

Newspaper reports claim that a task force involving leaders of the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist Centre which are planning to merge soon have almost finalised the draft of the unified partys interim statute including its organisational structure.

Rajdhani reports that the new partys central committee will have 299 members. According to Naya Patrika, chairmen of currently existing two parties will retain their joint chairmanship in the new party. The report adds that the task force now needs to settle three thorny issues: whether to include peoples war in the statute, what will be the election symbol of the new party and what will be the ratio of power sharing in overall. UMLs Ishwar Pokharel and Maoist Centres Ram Bahadur Thapa have been assigned to find an understanding over these issues.

Annapurna Post lead story says the draft statute proposes party organisation at eight levels from the centre to the grassroots.

Meanwhile, the leaders have proposed removing the provision of age bar to hold official positions in the party, according to Nagarik and Republica.

Govt trims annual public holiday list

The government has reduced the number of public holidays for upcoming Bikram Samvat 2075 by 22, according to a news report published in the government-run Gorkhapatra. A Cabinet meeting held yesterday finalised the list of 67 public holidays for all and 22 additional public holidays for specific communities, the report informs quoting State Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Gokul Baskota.

The Cabinet meeting also decided the number of staff for local government and ministries of federal government. A report in Nepal Samacharpatra says total 57,354 technical and administrative staff will be deployed at the local level.

Initial hearing on case against Presidents oath today

The Kathmandu Post reports that a writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, challenging the legality of the oath taken by President Bidya Devi Bhandari from former Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli. The petitioners Hem Mani Subedi and Narayan Kharel have argued that it is unconstitutional for the President Bhandari to take oath from Parajuli as it was already found out by then that his tenure had expired on August 5 last year.

Republica says the apex court will hold the preliminary hearing on the writ on Thursday.

Meanwhile, President Bidya Devi Bhandari is addressing a joint meeting of the National Assembly and the House of Representatives today, according to Nepal Samacharpatra. Around 500 guests have been invited to the special meeting as the head of the state is addressing the joint meeting of both upper and lower houses for the first time after the promulgation of new constitution, according to the report.

Ignored

TRC welcomes PMs anti-amnesty statement

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has welcomed Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis statement that he will not allow blanket amnesty to serious violations of human rights and humanitarian laws, reports The Kathmandu Post in its three-column lead story for the day.

Earlier on Tuesday, Oli had told Kathmandu-based diplomatic missions that his government fully adheres to the values of human rights as a party to different international conventions which also apply to transitional justice.

Meanwhile, the newspapers editorial also discusses the same issue today.

Kathmandus analogue TV channels shut down

The Himalayan Times anchor story says the government, after repeated efforts, has finally switched off all analogue television channels operating in the Kathmandu Valley and it is planning to shut down such channels in other parts of the country too.

The report says it is a part of enforcing digital cable television broadcasting system in the country.

NRCS officials accused of irregularities

Some employees of Nepal Red Cross Society have filed a complaint against their employer accusing the renowned humanitarian agency of committing irregularities in its staff recruitment. As they filed a complaint, the Kathmandu District Administration Office, which is authorised to regulate NGOs in the district, has ordered a suspension of an ongoing recruitment process, according to Republica.

Interesting

Lower House meeting will include question-answer session with ministers now onwards

A committee formed to draft the regulations for the House of Representatives has decided to allocate the first hour of every House meeting for a question-answer sessions with ministers, during which the lawmakers can ask questions to the designated ministers and seek their answers, according to Gorkhapatra.

All members of the committee representative multiple parties have agreed on the provision, the report says, adding, the Speaker, however, can decide not to hold such sessions on any particular day. Likewise, such sessions will not be held if there are other special meetings scheduled including the presentation of the governments policy and programmes, the Presidents and the Prime Ministers addresses among others.
The Kremlin announced on Thursday that it would expel 60 American diplomats, and probably dozens from other nations, intensifying Russia's clash with Europe and the United States.



The action, which also includes closing the American consulate in St. Petersburg, was in retaliation for the expulsion of more than 150 Russian officials from other countries  itself a reaction to a nerve-agent attack on British soil that Britain and its allies have blamed on Moscow.



The United States ambassador to Russia, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, the foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, announced. Sixty American diplomats will be expelled from Russia  the same as the number of Russian diplomats whom Washington is expelling. The Americans were given until April 5 to leave the country.



In addition, Russia plans to expel an unspecified number of diplomats from the more than 20 other countries and NATO that joined Britain and the United States in expelling Russians. Mr. Lavrov said the number would "mirror" the number of expelled Russians, which suggested that the ultimate total might rise above 150. (Britain and Russia have already each expelled 23 of the other country's representatives.)



The crisis over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter has driven tensions between the Kremlin and the West to their highest pitch in decades. The tit-for-tat responses raise the prospect of further, more serious escalations, either public or clandestine.

After a British spy was poisoned in the U.K. earlier this month, at act of provocation that Western intelligence agencies concluded was, expectedly, perpetrated by Russia, the U.K. expelled 23 Russian diplomats in retaliation . Fourteen additional European Union countries, Ukraine, Canada, and the United States followed suit , resulting in the expulsion of more than 100 Russian diplomats in total, which comprised the largest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats since the height of the Cold War.Last year, after both houses of Congress passed legislation to impose sanctions on Russia, which Donald Trump eventually signed into law , Vladimir Putin, who had threatened retaliation if the bill passed, made good on his threat , seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties in Moscow and ordering the U.S. Embassy to reduce its staff immediately. (For which Trump, incredibly, thanked him .)And this time, it's no different: Putin threatened retaliation, and here it is.Richard Perez-Pena at the New York Times reports This is a pointed escalation, and it comes at a time when the United States' State Department is in absolute shambles.In fact, at the Washington Post, Carol Morello reported yesterday that "more than 200 former U.S. ambassadors and veteran diplomats" are so freaked out by the eroded state of U.S. diplomacy that they have all signed a letter "expressing alarm over the slide in U.S. leadership in the world and urging senators to grill Mike Pompeo about his plans to reverse the corrosion of the State Department if he is confirmed as secretary of state."The Republicans won't; the Democrats might; and it won't matter either way because Pompeo will get confirmed and he has zero interest in restoring the State Department to functionality, especially where Russia is concerned.I've no doubt most, if not all, of the signatories of the petition know that. But the point is that there is a lot of them, all in agreement that the Trump administration is not prepared (or willing) to meet the global challenges facing us.And that starts with a resurgent, aggressive Russia. Who is not on our side, no matter what Donald Trump may think or what deals he believes he has made.
Hallenstein Glasson Holdings has lifted its first-half dividend and says its two core brands, Glassons and Hallenstein Brothers, are in a strong position going into winter trading.

Last month, the company told the market that total group sales for the six months ended Feb. 1 were $146.8 million, an increase of 19.4 percent over the prior corresponding period, and group profit after tax was in a range of $14.75 million to $15.25 million versus $9.2 million in the prior year.

Net profit in the first half was $15.1 million, and the gross margin was up 3.4 percentage points to 61.5 percent. It declared a 20 cent first-half dividend, up from 14.5 cents in the 2017 first half. The company said sales in the first seven weeks of the winter season have been up 18.2 percent on the previous year, which is "encouraging" and online sales growth is continuing. The shares rose 2.4 percent to $5.10, up 2.4 percent today and 52 percent in the past 12 months.

"It's a very strong trading result and a strong dividend," said Greg Easton, investment adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. "It has been quite a stunning turnaround from six months ago, they have bucked the trend for a bricks-and-mortar retailer."

The clothes retailer said its Glassons segment performed very strongly over Christmas in both New Zealand and Australia, with NZ sales in the six months up 9.8 percent to $50.3 million and Australian sales jumping 60.5 percent to $41.8 million.

"The teams focus on fashion, speed to market, customer service and digital engagement continues to deliver strong sales as well as a reduced dependency on discounting and promotions in both markets," the company said. "This, together with the strong focus placed on Australia by the management team and along with the two new store openings, including Melbourne CBD, has delivered the strong growth."

For Hallenstein Brothers, sales in both countries rose 8.8 percent to $51 million.

Online shopping is now responsible for 11 percent of group turnover, and the company said its move away from traditional marketing "to digital, social and influencer events" is helping to build engagement. "The group will continue to invest and build this area as we continue to further differentiate ourselves from the competition," it said.

Earlier this month, the company announced it had agreed to sell the Storm clothing chain to Deborah Caldwell, who has been the brand's chief executive since 2005. The chain delivered a $1.5 million net loss in the first half, from a $31,000 profit in the same period the previous year. Hallenstein Glassons hasn't disclosed the price paid for Storm and the latest accounts note the deal is expected to be completed by April 30.

"Following the sale of Storm, the Groups focus is on building and growing Glassons and Hallenstein Brothers in both the New Zealand and Australian markets, with each of the brands in a strong position going into the key winter trading months," it said today.

(BusinessDesk)

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Philip Morris (New Zealand) is suing British American Tobacco (New Zealand) in the Auckland High Court, alleging its larger rival is breaching the Commerce Act in the way it ties up retailers.

They want to publicise the dispute but leave out details that show the lengths tobacco companies will go to protect market share and how the industry organises itself. A redacted statement of claims was released this week. Unfortunately for big tobacco, which has a $2.5 billion market in New Zealand, the original statement of claim was sent to BusinessDesk last week by a PR company.

The biggest slabs of blacked-out text in the redacted claim set out in detail BATNZ's trading terms with retailers and show how much control it commands in the market it dominates. PMNZ says BATNZ has 65 percent of the local market for cigarettes and 63.7 percent of sales of roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco. It competes with Imperial Tobacco New Zealand, which has 23 percent of cigarettes and 31 percent of RYO, while PMNZ has 12 percent and 5.4 percent respectively.

In the lawsuit, filed in the High Court in Auckland, PMNZ alleges BATNZ "is unlawfully incentivising and compelling retailers to restrict the availability of competitor products." PMNZ is seeking unspecified damages in five causes of action for alleged breaches of the Commerce Act. BATNZ has said in a separate statement that it "categorically denies the allegations."

PMNZ also says the BATNZ rules have implications for the availability of so-called e-cigarettes, which deliver nicotine to the user via a vapour rather than with smoke and are regarded as a less harmful alternative to smoking.

Thanks to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 and the Smoke-free Environments Regulations 2007, tobacco advertising and branding has pretty much disappeared from the New Zealand landscape, with plain packaging coming into effect this month as well. That has meant tobacco products are now stored in anonymous cabinets, typically near a store's checkout and these cabinets, known in the industry parlance as "unitry" are the new front line of the battle for market share.

For a retailer stocking BATNZ brands - most of the market, given their dominance - BATNZ's trading terms give the company the first option on installing any new or additional unitry and the right to remove them at any time, according to the redacted paragraph 36 of the claim. The retailer is also required to keep the "primary units", which are the top area of cabinet, "fully stocked with 100% BATNZ products at all times."

The retailer must also stock the BATNZ unitry with tobacco products "in accordance with 'planograms' - diagrams supplied by the company "showing which tobacco products must be placed in specified unitry spaces."

Paragraph 39 refers to cash inducements offered to retailers provided they ensure at least "70 percent of the retailer's tobacco products available for sale within the outlet are BAT" brands. It also requires that 70 percent of "low value" tobacco products on offer are from BAT.

Low-value product placement is important because that's where competition is most fierce. PMNZ says that traditionally, adult smokers have been loyal to their preferred brand but in recent year, as taxes have increased, price has become a key factor and the tobacco firms all offer so-called 'value brands.' The value segment "is now the most contested part of the tobacco market," PMNZ says.

Redacted paragraphs 41 and 42 set out what happens if the retailer doesn't play ball. BATNZ's trading terms require the retailer to "ensure BATNZ is aware of" all rival brands sold instore. The retailer also has to agree to compliance spot checks by the company including allowing a BATNZ representative "to enter and inspect the outlet for that purpose as often as is reasonably necessary." Non-compliance means the loss of the cash inducements and kick in if the retailer gets two non-compliance notices in a three-month period or three in any 12 months.

An estimated 605,000 adults burn their way through 2 billion cigarettes a year in New Zealand, where PMNZ says the tobacco industry is "mature, highly regulated and heavily taxed." BATNZ's brands include Rothmans, Dunhill, Benson & Hedges, Winfield, Holiday, Pall Mall, Freedom and Club along with RYO brands such as Park Drive. PMNZ sells Marlboro, Longbeach and Choice cigarettes and Craftsman and Longbeach RYO products. Imperial Tobacco's brands include Peter Stuyvesant, West, Horizon, Camel and JPS and in the RYO category, Drum, Pocket Edition and Horizon.

Also redacted from the claim are more detailed extracts from BATNZ's trading terms and an appendix of ranging rebates - a table that showed a scale of rebates paid to retailers. For markets where BATNZ held 90 percent or more, the rebate for low-value brands amounted to $11.60 per mille/kg and for low-value RYO, $12. A mille is the equivalent in tailor-made cigarettes (TMC) of a kilogram of RYO.

Rebates are complex and broken up into four parts relating to the specific targets in the trading terms on the range rebate and compliance, according to a schedule at the back of the claim titled extracts from the BATNZ Trading Terms. Another appendix sets out BATNZ's 'Virginia' core range stock keeping units (SKU).

The rules get more specific. The retailer must show consumers (upon request) the BATNZ price list and that must be done before any other firm's price list is shown. The company sets a maximum resale price that can't be exceeded and gives the retailer responsibility for keeping the unitry clean and free "of any advertising material unless agreed with BATNZ in writing."

Rebates are only given for sales to consumers. The payment is by way of a credit against BATNZ invoices and the company asserts the right to deduct it from any sums it is owed, the document says. Retailers are also required to accept and "range" new products, accepting an auto-allocation of a carton of tailor-made cigarettes.

The original release from PMNZ last week says the suit is an attempt to stop BATNZ "from engaging in anti-competitive conduct" such as "unlawfully incentivising and compelling retailers to restrict the availability of competitor products." PMNZ general manager Jason Erickson said BATNZ's "conduct restricts consumer choice, and we think it constitutes a clear breach of the law.

Tobacco has three channels to market - 'general trade', which is dairies and independent retailers; 'organised convenience', which is retail store chains such as those operated by oil companies and liquor retailers, and 'grocery' - stores owned by the major supermarket chains.

PMNZ says the rules are anti-competitive, breach the Commerce Act and have caused it to suffer loss and damage. The statement of claim alleges BATNZ's conduct "shows flagrant disregard for its Commerce Act 1986 obligations."

A BATNZ spokeswoman said in an emailed statement that her company is "confident that we are not engaging in anti-competitive conduct and will defend our position when the case is heard."

"We are strongly committed, and have actively engaged for some time, to have reduced risk products regulated and legally available to adult New Zealand smokers as soon as possible," she said.

The government received a total of $1.7 billion in duty on tobacco sales in 2016 from the big three producers - British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Philip Morris - which all lifted sales in New Zealand that year.

(BusinessDesk)

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T&G Global named a new chief executive and chief operating officer to lead the fruit marketer, and said the acting chief executive will step down at the end of this month.

Gareth Edgecombe has been appointed chief executive following the departure of Alastair Hulbert in December. Acting chief executive Thomas Bargetzi will step down on March 31 for family-related reasons, the Auckland-based company said in a statement.

Edgecombe is currently head of The Comfort Group, which makes Sleepyhead beds, and was previously Asia-Pacific regional president for the Campbell Soup Company and South Pacific president for the Coca-Cola Company. He began his career in New Zealand with Coca-Cola Amatil in sales and marketing and was general manager of Puhoi Valley Cheese. He also served on the board of the Australian Food and Grocery Council. His starting date is yet to be confirmed.

Peter Landon-Lane was appointed chief operating officer and will be acting chief executive from April 16, until Edgecombe starts. He is currently chief executive of Plant & Food Research Ltd. where he led the merger of the Crop and Food Research Institute and HortResearch Institutes.

Landon-Lane has significant operational experience gained with dairy giant Fonterra Cooperative Group and previously led Fonterras businesses in Europe and Japan as well as sales and operations planning for Fonterras global cheese and protein business. He began his career with the New Zealand Department of Trade and Industry where he spent time as Trade Commissioner in the Philippines and Beijing. He also served on the Advisory Board of the New Zealand China Council and is also a former Chairman of Science New Zealand.

T&G chair Klaus Josef Lutz, who is chief executive of T&G's cornerstone shareholder BayWa, said Edgecombe would lead the company through the next phase of growth with a strong customer focus supported by global brands, and noted Landon-Lane had a deep understanding of the horticultural sector and experience of T&G Globals apple plant variety rights including Jazz, Envy and Pacific Rose.

We are sure that with the addition of Gareth and Peter to the executive team, T&G Global will reach its full potential with BayWas support and continued investment, Lutz said.

T&G shares, of which BayWa owns 74 percent, last traded at $3.20 and have dropped 8.6 percent over the past year.

(BusinessDesk)

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Had convicted double-murderer Ricky Dennis walked the 30 feet from a holding cell into a St. George courtroom on Wednesday he would have witnessed firsthand the pain, agony and grief in the words and on the faces of the victims' families.

The Brooklyn ex-convict would have heard about the unbearable loss of two beloved fathers; one, his boss Michael Genovese, a Frank Sinatra aficionado, who believed in people, his daughter, Ashley Genovese said, "even when they were imperfect," and who gave Dennis a second chance after the defendant's release from prison.

The other victim was Carl Clark, 52, a supervisor at Dennis' job, who was "funny and smart," with an infectious enthusiasm for life, who "adored" his two sons, and who once inadvertently ran over a "mutant" porcupine in a Volkswagen Beetle, his sister, Catherine C. Clark said.

And Dennis might have been surprised to hear words of forgiveness from Ms. Clark, but not absolution, for his brutal acts.

Dennis, 33, however, chose not to face the two women, their families or the justice who sentenced him to life in prison without parole for coldly executing Genovese, 57, and Clark, 52, inside Universal Merchant Funding in Dongan Hills on Jan. 24 of last year.

"These acts are reminiscent of a gangland rubout," said Justice William E. Garnett, who also hit Dennis with 15 years for criminal weapon possession. "Whatever grievances Mr. Dennis had with these men did not warrant the cruelty of their deaths. These were pre-planned murders by a person who does not have any moral compass. The highest penalty allowed is justified."

In a statement, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon lauded the sentence, saying, "This type of violence has no place in our communities, and Staten Island will be safer with him behind bars."

Two weeks ago, a jury in state Supreme Court, St. George, convicted Dennis of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree criminal weapon possession for the killings inside the financial office at 124 Buel Ave.

In her closing argument, Assistant District Attorney Lisa Davis had said greed and jealously sparked Dennis' murderous rage.

The defendant was aggrieved by the trapping of his Genovese's good fortune - the victim owned a BMW and Rolex watch and had a dozen TV screens in the office - and Dennis was also miffed Genovese wouldn't pay him for injuries the defendant claimed to have suffered in a fall at the office.

Dennis didn't return to work after that incident on Sept. 22, 2016.

Witnesses testified that Genovese and others believed Dennis staged the incident. Jurors viewed a videotape of that episode.

In his closing argument, defense lawyer Mario F. Gallucci had contended police had wrongly zeroed in on Dennis because was a convenient suspect, despite what he maintained was a lack of physical evidence against his client.

Gallucci said police found none of the victims' blood or DNA on Dennis' clothing or in his car when he was stopped in Brooklyn later on the night of Jan. 24 for an unrelated incident or when he was arrested the next day.

However, an expert testified that two partial fingerprints of Dennis' were lifted from the inner handle of the front door at Universal Merchant Funding.

And a DNA mixture in which Dennis was a likely contributor was found on an umbrella the killer had discarded on the street, Davis said.

Cops also found a black mask in Dennis' car, which, prosecutors said, the defendant wore when he killed the victims.

In a final pretrial conference in February, Gallucci told the court Dennis had an alibi for his whereabouts during the slayings: He was with a prostitute on Staten Island.

However, no testimony or evidence was presented to support such an alibi.

Dennis, who did not testify, had been on federal probation for less than five months when the victims were killed.

He had served 10 years of a 12-year sentence stemming from the assault of a Pennsylvania gun shop owner, and the subsequent sale of firearms taken from the business, federal officials said.

At Wednesday's proceeding, Gallucci, who appeared visibly moved by the victims' families remarks, asked Garnett to temper justice with mercy and compassion.

However, Davis, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Michael Tannousis, said Dennis' actions showed "a complete and utter disregard for the sanctity of human life."

Ashley Genovese, Genovese's daughter, said one question still haunts her.

"Why would this happen? How could this happen?" she said, tears streaming down her face. "My heart, my mind, my soul as a human being will never understand why. I can never understand the evil it takes to steal away someone's family member, someone's father, a man so very loved and needed by his family."

Catherine Clark said she's experienced a tumult of emotions: Shock, grief, disbelief, and even laughter, when she recalled her brother Carl's porcupine incident.

"I'm hoping to wake up from this long nightmare ... I desperately want my baby brother back," she told the court.

And while a part of her is angry, Clark, a lawyer in Washington state, said she refuses to be debilitated by that powerful emotion.

"I choose not to live my life in anger over all of this," she said, brushing back tears as her 84-year-old father, Carl B. Clark, stood beside her. "I will not allow this situation to ruin my life. I will not allow Mr. Dennis to have that power over me. Rather, for me and my happiness, I have forgiven Mr. Dennis."

Yet Clark also said she's not in a position to absolve the defendant of his crimes.

"That power is left to the jury, Your Honor, or a faith leader should he seek it," said Clark. "But I can forgive, and I do. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Whatever circumstances led Mr. Dennis to his actions, I am sorry for him."

"It can be no easy thing to live with the murder of two people and the ripple effect it has had on so many people, including those that he loves and who love them," Clark said. "We recognize their pain and grief."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gloria Fields will spend the day after Easter and likely the following weeks in a St. George courtroom where a jury will decide whether she is guilty of sexually abusing and fatally torturing a 17-month-old boy in her care two years ago.

At a conference on Wednesday, state Supreme Court Justice Wayne Ozzi said he plans to start jury selection on Monday in Fields' murder trial.

Ozzi told the defendant she faces life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder, the top charge against her.

Fields did not address the court during the brief proceeding.

At a conference earlier in the week, defense lawyer Mario F. Gallucci said Fields had rejected an offer to plead guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the boy's death on Feb. 21, 2016.

Second-degree murder carries a maximum penalty of 25 years to life in prison.

Gallucci also said then Fields won't claim she was mentally deficient when the alleged crimes occurred.

Gallucci had previously filed a notice with the court preserving the defendants' right to present a psychiatric, or insanity, defense.

In such a defense, defendants must prove they lacked substantial capacity to know or appreciate either the nature and consequences of their conduct when they committed the crimes charged or that such conduct was wrong.

According to testimony at a pretrial hearing last year, the defendant voluntarily admitted her guilt, which included sticking a six-inch Crayola pencil up the victim's rectum, as detectives confronted her with the results of their ongoing investigation.

Fields, who had been using heroin and smoking marijuana while the child was in her care, also slammed his face onto the floor while he was strapped into his stroller, and struck him on the head numerous times, according to court documents.

The incidents occurred at various times inside the apartment building where the defendant and victim lived, and inside Buffalo Exchange, a used clothing store on East 11th Street in Manhattan, prosecutors said.

Fields told investigators she was angry over the loss of custody of her own child after the victim's grandmother reported her to the city Administration for Children's Services, according to a videotaped recording of her interrogation by police which was played at a pretrial hearing.

She said she hurt the boy to get back at his grandmother.

The defense denies the criminal allegations and contends any admissions Fields made were done under duress and came after days spent in the presence of police, mainly in a 10-feet-by-10-feet interview room at the 120th Precinct.
SILive's weekly roundup of live music, visual art, restaurants and family fun around the borough. (Plus an advance heads up for other upcoming events)

Don't Edit

Easter Egg Hunts: March 31-April 5

NEW DORP MORAVIAN EGG HUNT: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31, New Dorp Moravian Church, 2205 Richmond Road, New Dorp.

This beloved mainstay gathering is back for another round! Bring your own basket and some cookies to share with your hunting partners for next Saturday's event.

Tickets need to be bought in advance at the church office during their hours on Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., which go for $6 each. There's only 130 tickets per hunt, and they go quick!

The hunt is billed for children from ages 1-10, and unlike usual, this time it's shine only. If the weather goes south, the church will let you know what you can do for a refund. Call them at 718-351-0090 for more info and visit their website for all the details you could shake your tail at.

HISTORIC EASTER EGG HUNT: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 31, Historic Richmondtown, 411 Clarke Ave., Richmond.

It's time to get Victorian! Bring an egg carton (minus the eggs) to decorate, and you'll be using it to carry your quarry of up to six candy-filled eggs. You can even meet Easter Bunny himself.

Refreshments will be served. The hunt is best for kids 3 and up, and tickets are $12 for kids, $6 for the grown-ups. Call 718-351-1611 for more info or visit Historic Richmondtown's website to get your tickets.

EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 31, Willowbrook Park Baptist Church, 1780 Richmond Ave., Bulls Head.

This is gonna be a big one! Given the incredible turnout last time, the church is stepping up its efforts to bring you one for the books. The Easter Bunny will be hopping around while your kids will be hopping in the bouncy house, along with face painters, door prizes, and more.

Here's the kicker: the egg hunt will feature...get this...10,000 EGGS! No, you didn't misread that. They'll be strewn across three fields divided by age groups with a new round of hunting every 20 minutes. You can find it all behind the church, with signs in the church yard directing you where to go. Bring your own basket and join the fun!

BEEPING EGG HUNT: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, April 5, Commons Cafe, 2 Teleport Drive, Bloomfield.

Now here's a feat worthy of a golden egg. Katherine Garlisi, a Girl Scout cadette from Troop 5278, has been working alongisde Holly Bonner, director of accessibility services for City Access New York (CANY), to start the first ever Beeping Egg Hunt. This special twist to the formula was done to help those with impared sight or blindness use their ears to hunt for Easter Eggs, allowing them to participate in the fun in their own way.

Garlisi joined up with Bonner, who was already in the process of working on this event, in order to earn her Silver Award, the second-highest commendation a Girl Scout can achieve.

"A Silver Award project is meant to give you a chance to do big things and make your community better in the process," said Garlisi.

Nearly 1,000 eggs encasing a battery powered beeper will be put in play, and the duo is recieving some help in the form of Garlisi's fellow Girl Scouts and members of the St. Joseph by-the-Sea Pay-It-Forward Club. If you know someone who is visually impared who'd love to be a part of this, Bonner and Garlisi would love to put a smile on their faces!

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'What is Real?' art show at Hub 17: March 31

In an effort to celebrate and advocate for the SWAN (Support Women Artists Now) Day movement, local artists Anne Marie Grillasca, Patti Kelly, and Stephanie Kosinski are hosting a free art show -- dubbed "What is Real?" -- on Saturday, March 31 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to showcase art from a long list of contributors that tries to combat the negative trends in society.

Staten Islanders are welcome to mingle, observe the prints, sculptures, and jewelry and even buy some for yourself.

The show will also feature a live-streamed musical performance by Japanese artist and pianist ELi GArf. Visit their Eventbrite page to register and contact Anne Marie Grillasca at amg_10306@yahoo.com for more information.

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Discover a 'lost art'

Watch the video above to find out how Novelli's Pork Store is keeping an Italian tradition alive in Oakwood. Read Pamela Silvestri's full report HERE.

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Free musical performance of 'The Crucifixion' in Port Richmond: March 31

With a congregation dating all the way back to 1665 and the fourth church on the site since 1680, Reformed Church on Staten Island in Port Richmond is hosting La Familia Repertory Theatre Company's rendition of The Crucifixion: an Oratorio on Saturday, March 31 at 4 p.m.

Performance deets: The free performance is a musical adaptation of the James Weldon Johnson poem written in 1927. Marvin Felix Camillo Jr., Artistic Director for the Manhattan based La Familia, says that he and his troupe are committed to presenting the play every year during Holy Week.

The play is to be performed within the Annex of the church, followed by a free tour of the most recent church built on the site, constructed in 1844. The Annex was built in 1898 by Oscar Teale, a colleague of Harry Houdini, who also designed the latter's tomb.

Reformed Church on Staten Island is located at 54 Port Richmond Avenue. Reach the church at 718-442-7393.

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2018 Best of Staten Island Awards launch

Click HERE to nominate your favorite Mexican, Asian, Mediterranean, Subcontinent, Italian and East/West European restaurants on S.I.

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Harbortown

Harbortown plays HRT: March 31

Harbortown, a local grown acoustic group, performs at Guyon Tavern in Historic Richmond Town as part of the Tavern Concert Series on Saturday, March 31, at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Here's the band bio: Award-winning songwriter Bob Wright, a multi-instrumentalist steeped in the American musical roots traditions often referred to as Americana, presents an evening of songs about Staten Island and its harbor environs. Bob sets the stage with vocals, banjo, guitar, mandolin, and songwriting. He is joined by Bill Doerge on double bass, guitar, 12 string guitar, accordion, piano, keyboards, and vocals; Bob Conroy on vocals, banjo, guitar; and Jan Christensen on vocals, and 6 and 12 string guitars. This coterie of musical friends presents an evening of mountain music that meets the sea.

Historic Richmond Town's Guyon Tavern is located at 441 Clarke Avenue. Admission is $16 per person online. For more information, visit HistoricRichmondTown.org.

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DEADLINE: MakerSpace artist call ends April 1

Art in the Park (Yes, we're talking about Maker Park in Stapleton) is a two month long guided sculpture program, funded by a grant by Staten Island Arts, where artists will use recycled materials to create marvelous sculptures that are to be installed on MakerSpace grounds.

The residency will run through April and May of this year, with an opening being hosted at the beginning of June. Artists will meet once a week for instruction and studio time. If you're looking to join up, email Emily@simakerspace.com and show off some of your previous work and a rough sketch of what you'd like to make during the program.

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CHECK IT OUT: Dine NY Yankee style this Spring

SILive's Pamela Silvestri brings us through a dine and drinks of Yankee Stadium, just in time for baseball season.

Yep, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, carniverous, beer-o-phile options. For now, eat with your eyes.

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'Into the 36 Chambers' at Snug Harbor: March 29- April 1

"Shaolin: Into the 36 Chambers" hangs in the Newhouse Center of Contemporary Art this weekend.

Exhibit curator Jahtiek Long said the collection "pays homage to, explores and celebrates Staten Island's culture and identity," through paintings, portraits and other visual art.

Featured artists include: Hidden Grid by Kevin Barker, Raul Barquet, Ashley Benedict, HH Coatl, Christine Cruz , Chelsea Rae Fioravanti, Goyart, Stephanie Kosinski, Emily Long, Harry Magzul, Chris Malfi, Liz Manzolini, Shawn McArthur, J. Montana, Emily Perina, Gina Policastro, Tony Quera, Chris RWK, Katinka Sattar, Jay Sayers, Lawerence Schau Jr., Search and Rescue Productions, Keri Sheheen, Tabitha Lee Turchio, Gene Wagner and Wann.

The curator's talkback -- dubbed "Shaolin Narratives: The Power of Representation" -- is at the Newhouse Center on April 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. This event is free with museum admission.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terr. Admission is $5.

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Guided hike in Randall Manor: April 1

BREAKING NEWS: A weather forecast consisting of something other than snow is on the horizon.

The sun will shine on Sunday, April 1., so make the most of it with a Spring Nature Hike at Allison Pond Park in Randall Manor.

From 1 p.m. to 2:30 p,m. Urban Park Rangers lead a guided hike at Allison Pond Park. Those interested in participating should meet at Prospect Avenue and Brentwood Avenue for 1 p.m.

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Sarah Yuster portrait by Kristina Safonova

'Native Soil' at Newhouse: March 29-April 1

Native Soil: Incidence and Homescapes by Sarah Yuster continues to hang in the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Livingston this weekend.

"Yuster's work is subtle and intimate, sparking sentiments from viewers that explain her propensity to invoke a sense of "home."

The collection will remain at the Center until September 24, 2018.

The Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art is located at 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building C& G. Gallery admission is $5, $4 for students and seniors. More information is available at snug-harbor.org.

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Easter at St. George Theatre: April 1

Staten Islanders are invited to a musical Easter Sunday mass at St, George Theatre -- led by Salem Church -- on Sunday, April 1 starting at 10:30 a.m.

From biblical music to reciting the words of God, Staten Islanders can experience the true meaning of Easter and celebrate their faith in a staple of the Staten Island community, free of charge.

St. George Theatre is located at 35 Hyatt Street and Salem Church is located at 634 Clove Road in West Brighton. For more information visit Findeasternyc.com/ or call the church at 718-442-7740.

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Staten Island Advance Photo

Staten Island Seisiun at Liberty Tavern: April 1

Staten Islanders are invited to enjoy live Irish music on Sunday, April 1 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Liberty Tavern in West Brighton.

Bring an instrument, join in on the jams or just sit back and enjoy the music and company. However you seisiun is your choice.

Liberty Tavern is located at 382 Forest Avenue. For more information, visit StatenIslandArts.org.

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'Looking for America' at the CPG Gallery: March 29- April 1

Here's a description of the collection, courtesy of CPG Gallery: "There are no fancy hotels, no glitzy neon lit pleasure strips and no over-developed, crowded suburban sprawl. Just a part of America most people don't know even exists. This is 'Looking for America' from a different perspective. I have made over eight cross country trips both throughout the United States and Canada. Each time I go, I find it fascinating to travel off the beaten path and discover the unusual and new things that most people are unaware of."

"Looking For America" features Robert Haber and a plethora of local artists. (See above!)

The collection is up until April 22. The gallery is located at 814 Richmond Terr. For more information, visit CPGGallery.org

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Coming up: NYC BBQ Cookoff: April 7

Want to plan ahead? We don't blame you. Here's whats to come this month.

Officially sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), the cookoff is a fun and delicious treat for the entire family. Sample, stroll, quench and enjoy fun activities through the Town.

Buy online and save time and money! $15 for adults and $8 for children. Click the link above! New this year, Express Check In for ticket holders! Tickets at-the-door are $18 for adults and $10 for children.

Think you have what it takes to go head-to-head with the pros Looking to get your business in front of thousands of local foodies? Call Frank Saulle at 718-351-1611, ext. 245, for more information.

Visit the historic buildings of the Main Village for all-day fun:

General Store: museum hunt for food preparation items of the 1800s

Carpenter Shop: live demo of crafting wooden ware for farm

Tinsmith Shop: live demo of tinsmithing for kitchen

Stephens-Black House Kitchen: Coleslaw preparation demo and sampling

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... and the wings!

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Advance heads up: RCO @ The Movies: April 8

The Richmond County Orchestra plays cinema classics at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden Music Hall on Sunday, April 8, starting at 3 p.m.

Music by John Williams, used in "Star Wars," "Harry Potter," "Raider of the Lost Ark," "Jaws," "Superman" and other flicks, will be played throughout the show.

Members of the Brighton Heights Reformed Church Youth Orchestra, a World Premiere by Composer Gregory Houston will join the orchestra in performance.

Also: "Somewhere over the Rainbow" and "Let it Go" will be performed by Alison Madill, Soprano Cheryl Warfield will be singing Ave Maria by F. Schubert.

Some talent bio: Houston is a freelance musician with ten years experience as a composer conductor, arranger and pianist. His music has been performed and read by numerous ensembles such as the WetInk, Da-Capo Chamber Players, Brooklyn College Ensemble and the Russian National Orchestra. In 2016, his chamber music was presented at the Alion Baltic International Music Festival in Tallinn Estonia. He is Assistant Conductor for Trilogy Opera Company where in January of 2014, he conducted the World Premiere of the opera "A Bird That Wants To Fly" by Micheal Raphael in Newark, N.J.

The Brighton Heights Reformed Church Youth Orchestra is comprised of students ages 4 to 17 who perform at church and community events.

Alison Madill received an undergraduate degree in music from West Virginia University as well as a masters in music from Bowling Green State University. She has performed as a young artist with the Toledo Opera and was a featured performed with The Huron Playhouse and Emerald Island Repertory Theater. She has sung with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as well as the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. She has studied at the Austrian-American Mozart Academy in Salzberg Austria where she performed such roles as Die Konigan Der Nacht from die Zauberflute and Valencienne from Die Lustige Witwe. She is currently splits her time between raising her family, working on Wall Street and working as the creative arts assistant for the Church at the Gateway in Staten Island.

Soprano Cheryl Warfield has performed over 15 lead roles in the standard operatic repertoire during her career, including the title roles of Tosca, Aida and La Gioconda.

An outstanding arts administrator and creator and producer of innovative vocal arts programs, Cheryl is a founding member and producer for Amore Opera in Manhattan and artistic director of the Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble, where she has produced concert performances of Verdi's "Ernani," "Il trovatore," "Aida," and Puccini's "Tosca," conducted by Anton Coppola. She founded ADVANCE, a not-for-profit vocal arts organization that produces concerts of classical music including the spirituals concert "Paul Robeson: A Celebration of Culture," and the one-woman musical "Meet Dorothy Maynor," about the life and career of the Harlem School of the Arts founder.

Tickets in advance are $15, $20 at the door. Children and students get in for free. For more information, call 718-990-5892.

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South Shore Rotary presents 'Speak Softly, Love': April 7-8

The South Shore Rotary Club is making you an offer you can't refuse on April 7 and 8, by hosting "Speak Softly, Love" -- an ode to the classic tune heard in the original "Godfather" film.

According to musical director Al Lambert, SSRC's 21st annual production "is being completely redesigned as a cabaret show featuring group numbers, with a jazz/pop vibe."

The show will be held in "The Godfather Movie Chapel" at Mount Loretto, 6581 Hylan Blvd. in Pleasant Plains, with Saturday's performance kicking off at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday's show starting at 3 p.m. Tickets for the front orchestra are $40, with $30 for seating in the rear orchestra, at 347-568-9392.

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Derek Alvez

Annual Women of Distinction Luncheon: April 8

The New York State Women Inc. advocates for initiatives that promote the status of women in the workplace and beyond. Join the Staten Island chapter in celebrating eight women for their contributions to the cause at the chapter's annual luncheon, slated to start at 12 p.m.

Joining the Women of Distinction ranks are Cynara Coomer, M.D.;Denise Giachetta-Ryan; Lucille H. Herring, R.N.; Evelyn Kormanik; Teresa R. Nuccio, Esq.; Cathleen Perez; Fran Reali and Alberta Thompson. Soroptimist International-Staten Island -- of which Jayne Cooper is president -- is being honored as an Organization of Distinction. Co-chairing the event are Margaret Antoniello, Cammie Brandofino and Diane Seridge. Tickets are $65 per person. For more info, call 718-986-6129. Li Greci's Staaten, 697 Forest Ave., West Brighton.

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Desus & Mero DO NYC Tour: April 10

Desus & Mero DO NYC Tour

Tuesday, April 10 at 8pm

Williamson Theatre

Running Time: 3 hours

Tickets: $99.00 (VIP), $39.50

Desus Nice and the Kid Mero are the stars of the hit Viceland show "Desus & Mero" and host their own Podcast "The Bodega Boys." They've made numerous appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Myers, and MTV's Joking Off.

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Dine out for Hunger on the North Shore: April 12

Last year, Project Hospitality served more than 1.7 million meals to Staten Islanders in need.

Help the organization continue its mission by taking part in the 20th annual Dine Out Against Hunger event, which unites restaurants and Islanders hoping to make a difference.

Over 110 participating restaurants will donate 20 percent of profits for the day to Project Hospitality.

All you need to do is order, eat and enjoy the fact that you're lending a hand to an organization that does so much for so many.

Sponsoring the event are Borough President James Oddo, the Staten Island Advance, Catering by Framboisee, Driscoll Foods, Northfield Bank, SYSCO Food Services of Metro NY and Ashkar Corporation.

Co-chairs are Claire Regan and Paul Montello.

April 12 is the Dine Out Against Hunger event takes place on the North Shore. Can't make it? No worries -- there will be Dine Out events on April 19 (Mid-Island) and April 26 (South Shore.)

For a full list of participating restaurants, visit

.

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Advance heads up: 'Our Town': April 13-22

SIST's American Classic Series production of this classic goes up April 13-15, 20-12 in the new stage space at the Reformed Church of Staten Island, 54 Port Richmond Road.

transports the audience through time to a Port Richmond theatre in 1938, which is when Thornton Wilder wrote this meta-theatrical masterpiece. Through the guidance of an analogue wizard/genius, and H.G. Wells-inspired Stage Manager, the story is told of the fictional American small town of Grover's Corners through the everyday lives of its citizens. Minimalist and tragic, 'Our Town' is a microcosm of the cycles of life, which Staten Island is no stranger to, and reminds the audience of the preciousness and universality of daily life for all generations and cultures."

Directed by Frank Williams and featuring:

Amanda Rose Benjamin

Gary Bradley

Phillip Cosentino

Nikki Dos Santos

Dan Duffy

Frank Duffy

Mitch Maglio

Ariel Marcus

Cheryl McLeod

Amy Puleo

Melanie Randall

Talia Saraceno

Barbara Scalici

Rina Sklar

Charles Sullivan

Robert Vaccaro

Israel Wasserstein

Frank West



Assistant Director/Stage

Manager: Keith Gregory Taylor

Assistant Stage Manager/Costume Design: Meredith Sladek

Lighting Design: Chelsea Smith

Sound Design: Joseph Pecora

Graphic Design: Christopher Sorrentino

Master Carpenter: Robert Yuzuk

Producer: Cara S. Liander

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Carol Ann Benanti

Disco themed G.R.A.C.E. Foundation Gala: April 14

Get ready to boogie with the G.R.A.C.E. Foundation on April 14, 2018. The organization's annual Disco Night honors Michael Assenza, who will receive the inaugural G.R.A.C.E. Legacy award; Joseph Quattrocchi, who will be recognized as the Honoree of the Year; and Angela Conte, who will be honored with the Community Service Award.

The G.R.A.C.E. Foundation is also proud to announce this year's Shining Star Honorees: Joseph DeCandido, Robert Ellefsen, Joseph Fiorito and Jaclyn Tirone. The gala kicks off at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $150 per person. For additional information, call 718-983-3800 ext. 223, or email

. The Excelsior Grand, 2380 Hyland Blvd., New Dorp.

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Women of Achievement Luncheon in Bloomfield: April 19

Oftentimes, when someone does something nice for us, we forget to say thanks.

For 56 years, the Advance has given Staten Islanders the opportunity to say thanks at least once a year.

And you get to have lunch while doing it.

We call it the Women of Achievement program and this year, six selfless Staten Island women make up the Staten Island Advance Women of Achievement Class of 2018.

The awards program, which debuted in 1962, will salute Genevieve Benoit, Diane Buglioli, Margaret Grandstaff, Patricia Monahan, Josephine Marino and Zulma Cruz. Genevieve and Diane are founders of A Very Special Place, which empowers individuals with special needs to lead fuller lives. Margaret helps those in need all over Staten Island, whether it be with food, clothing or whatever else to help the needy survive. Patricia helps those through grief recovery, something she had to do for herself when she lost her grandson. Josephine is volunteer president of the 120th Precinct Community Council, organizing events all year. On paper, Zulma is director of the Food Advocacy office at Project Hospitality. In reality, she does so much more.

Salute these women with the many hundreds of others who attend each year. The gala luncheon will be held April 19 at 11:45 a.m. in the Hilton Garden Inn. Tickets are $68. If you prefer online registration, go to SILive.com/women-of-achievement/. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Ave., Bloomfield.

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Meals on Wheels Carriage Ball in South Beach: April 20

Meals on Wheels has been providing service to home-bound elderly residents for 46 years. Help the organization celebrate its good work during its annual Carriage Ball on April 20. The theme is April in Paris.

Attendees will be treated to cocktails. dinner and dancing. Live music performances will be provided by New York City Swing.

Honorees for the night are Michael Burke, of Denino's Pizzeria; Ed Canlon, of Canlon's Restaurant; and the Staten Island Giving Circle. The event is co-chaired by Mary-Beth Francis and Steve Gattullo. Cocktail hour begins at 6:30 p.m.; the rest of the party will follow. Tickets are $175 per person and can be purchased by visiting Mealsonwheelsofsi.org. Organizers ask those interested in attending RSVP by April 6.

For more information contact the Meals on Wheels of Staten Island office at 718-727-4435. The Vanderbilt at South Beach, 300 Father Capodanno Blvd., South Beach.

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Theaterworks USA Presents: Pete the Cat: April 21

Theaterworks USA Presents: Pete the Cat

Saturday, April 21, 3pm

Williamson Theater

Tickets: $20, 15

Theatreworks USA presents the Off-Broadway premiere of Pete the Cat directed by Tony-nominated Dan Knechtges. This groovy blue cat is on his way to stay with a new family and he's excited, but Jimmy Biddle is nervous about how their houseguest is going to shake things up. When Jimmy draws a blank in art class on the last day of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect friend to help him out. Join Jimmy and Pete on a new adventure of friendship and inspiration!

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Advance heads up: NYC Chili Cookoff: April 21

The Official New York State Cook-Off for the International Chili Society (ICS). Includes chili sampling, judging, cash prizes, amusements, and live entertainment. Yum! Winners at HRT go to the world championships!

Buy online and save: At-the-door tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for children.

Think you have what it takes to go head-to-head with the pros Looking to get your business in front of thousands of local foodies?

Call Frank Saulle at 718-351-1611, ext. 245, for more information.

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On Your Mark Spring Gala: April 21

On Your Mark is putting its Spring Gala Dinner Dance on your radar: April 21.

On Your Mark provides community-based services to people with developmental disabilities across their lifespans. Being honored at the event are Thomas Bencivenga, John Friscia, Bernardo Pace and Anthony Schioppo. Shaun Roberts will be awarded the Judge David G. Trager Memorial Community Recognition Award. Also being honored for their 20-or-more years of service and dedication to On Your Mark are Colleen Brown, Eileen Cunningham, Christine Ericson, Jennifer Larsen, James Mangin, Dayna Sammacro, Rhonda Schulz, Lara Shakirat Shutti and Ray Woolford. Gala chairpersons are Teresa Cirelli, Marissa Corio, Nicole DeStefano and Krista Fischer. Music is provided by Partners in Sound. The black tie optional event begins at 6:30 p.m. with registration and raffle sales; cocktails are served at 7 p.m.; dinner follows at 8 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Ave., Bloomfield.

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Catholic School Region of Staten Island awards: April 22

Join the Catholic School Region of Staten Island as it hosts the Golden Cross for Education Awards breakfast on April 22, 2018.

There will be a 8:30 a.m. Holy Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated by guest speaker Bishop John J. O'Hara, Episcopal Vicar of Staten Island, and a 9:30 a.m. ceremony and breakfast.

The Catholic School Region of Staten Island, which comprises of the 22 local Catholic elementary schools, will be celebrating individuals who have supported Staten Island Catholic School communities.

The 2018 honorees receiving the Golden Cross for Education Award are the state Sen. Andrew J. Lanza, and Monsignor Thomas J. Bergin, former chair of the Catholic School Region of Staten Island. Also, the 2018 Outstanding Catholic Community Award recipients are Mary Ann Keegan, Marie DeBenedetto, Melissa Abouabdallah, Joan Sclafani, Jo Ann Maldarelli, Jose Rossell, Jane Gentile, Catherine Houle, Francine Rizzuto, Lisa Sclafani, Angelo Piro, Elizabeth Browne, Joseph Ribaudo, Jessica Bonavita, Jeanmarie Kraft, Luis Melendez, Mary Ferro, Mary Quinn, Carolyn Esposito and Brian Lyons.

Live entertainment will be supplied by St. Adalbert's School, Fife and Drum Corp, and emcee and vocalist Terry Tarangelo. Tickets are $40 per person; tables of 10 are available for $375. To purchase tickets online, visit www.si-goldencrossbreakfast.org.

Tickets will not be sold at the door so make sure you RSVP by April 13. All ages are welcomed. Contact chairwoman of the event, Diana Gatto, at

or 718-667-3404 ext. 1007 for additional information. The Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South Ave., Bloomfield.

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CASC annual luncheon in Rossville: April 25

For over 40 years, Community Agency for Senior Citizens (CASC) has been assisting Staten Island's older adults and their caregivers, providing vital services to help seniors continue to live as independently as possible in the community.

Celebrate all that CASC has accomplished during its annual luncheon on April 25, 2018. To be honored at the event are Dorothy Doran, retired executive director, Staten Island Center for Independent Living Inc.; Edward Rabowski, chairman, The Stella Orton Home Care Agency Inc.; and Jean Ringhoff, vice president and business development officer, Northfield Bank. Keith Cummings, owner of KCM Plumbing, will receive CASC's third annual Helping Hands Award.

Tickets are $65; please note, no tickets will be sold at the door. For more information, call Valerie Volpe via phone at 718-981-6226 ext. 112, or email at

. The Historic Old Bermuda Inn, 2512 Arthur Kill Rd., Rossville.

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Music at New Brighton's Hamilton Park House Concerts: April 8-29

Yep, the unconventional concert venue of Hamilton Park House Concerts in New Brighton welcomes quite a few guests this month.

Here's your Hamilton House guide for the month of April.

The Weeklings perform on April 8, 2018 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This show is also a house party. Snacks, wine and beer will be up for grabs for the evening. Want to bring something for yourself? Feel free. It's BYOB if you choose. Tickets are $30 per person. If you choose to buy tickets at the door, sales begin at 2:30 p.m.

Bluebirds of Paradise: Chrissi Poland and Ari West perform in Staten Island on April 15, 2018. Tickets are $25.

Darden Smith performs on April 22, 2018. The show starts at 3 p.m. and tickets are $20.

Hamilton Park House Concerts is located at 29 Harvard Ave. For more information on any of the shows listed and how to snag your tickets, e-mail rayheff@mac.com or call 718- 815-0815.

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PPOW in the Greenbelt (Photo by Dorothy A. Reilly)

Guided Protectors of Pine Oaks Woods Events: April 22-May 27

Forest Restoration Workshop at Sharrotts Shoreline @ Sharott's Shoreline, Staten IslandAssist the National Recreation and Parks Association in cleaning up one of Staten Island's picturesque shorelines.

April 22, 10 a.m.  2 p.m.

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods hosts its 260th Restoration. Meet at the bottom of Androvette Street (off Arthur Kill Road between The Tides complex and Killmeyers Restaurant). Walk west through the parking lot at the end of the street to follow the access road into the DEC area where with our friends from the National Recreation and Parks Association will collect debris and bag trash for later disposal (our 260th monthly workshop). Protectors will supply gloves, bags and refreshments. Call Don Recklies at 718-768-9036 or Chuck Perry at 718-667-1393 for more information. Students will receive service credit.

Celebrate Earth Day at Buck's Hollow @ Latourette House Golf Course, Staten Island

Enjoy a Free guided walk through the heart of Staten Island's Greenbelt

April 22, noon  2 p.m.

Enjoy a spring hike through the heart of the Greenbelt. Participants will discuss the diversity of flora and fauna in this rich woodland along the Red Trail. Fresh blooms and early spring bird song will welcome park visitors. Meet at the LaTourette House Golf Course parking lot. Call Ray Matarazzo at 718-317-7666 for more information.

Corson's Brook Woods Wildflower Watch:

Witness a wildflower array identified by a guide during this FREE event

May 6, 10 a.m. to noon

Join as to study the progress of wildflowers over the course of the spring in this unique and undisturbed natural area. Park at Jasper Street and Forest Hill Road and meet across the street at the corner of the entrance to the College of Staten Island. Bring field guides. Registration is required. Please contact Hillel at 718-477-0545 or email hillel5757@gmail.com. Please provide a cell phone contact.

The Richard Buegler Spring 10-Mile Walk @ Greenbelt Nature Center, Staten IslandIn honor of PPOW Founder Explore the Staten Island Greenbelt with like-minded hikers on this FREE guided hike

May 12, 9:45 a.m.  3:15 p.m.

Participants will begin gathering at the Greenbelt Nature Center at 9:15 a.m. Guides will lead the hikers will traverse the Greenbelt in search of spring flowers and bird song. A favorite walk of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods founder, Richard Buegler, the 10-Mile Hike takes participants along the Meisner Avenue Pond, Loosestrife Swamp, Heyerdahl Hill and more. Explore the Greenbelt with like-minded hikers and enjoy a day afield on Staten Island. Call Dominick Durso at 917-478-7607 or Don Recklies at 718-768-9036 for more information.

Brookfield Park: Free guided natural history tour of S.I.s newest open space park.

May 12, noon  2 p.m.

Natural history tour of S.I.s newest open space park. View numerous salt creeks, freshwater wetlands, grasslands and beautiful scenery; a must for hawk watching. Brookfield Park stretches along the south eastern banks of Richmond Creek and runs from Richmond Avenue to Richmondtown. Meet in the main parking lot at 575 Arthur Kill Road, just north of Armstrong Avenue. For more information, contact Ray Matarazzo at 718-317-7666.

Sharrotts Shoreline: See this maritime environment in springtime during this FREE guided walk & talk.

May 13, 10 a.m. to noon.

Meet at the bottom of Androvette Street (off Arthur Kill Road between The Tides complex and Killmeyers Old Bavaria Inn). Walk west through the parking lot at the end of the street to follow the access road into the DEC area to see what late spring looks like in this tough, maritime environment that is directly across the Kill from industrial New Jersey. More info: Call Don Recklies at 718-768-9036.

Forest Restoration Workshop in the Egbertville Ravine: Calling Volunteers to assist with the clean up ravine

May 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Meet at the entrance to the White Trail (on Meisner Avenue opposite the Bluebelt dam close to the intersection of Manor Road and Rockland Avenue). For our 261st workshop we will cross the creek in order to remove English Ivy creeping up the trees and covering the ground adjacent to Rockland Avenue. Volunteers will uproot the vines where possible, and cut it where we cannot pull it out. If the work is completed early, participants return to the shed and cut oriental wisteria on the slope at Loosestrife Swamp. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods will provide gloves, bags, tools and refreshments. Call Don Recklies at 718-768-9036 or Chuck Perry at 718-667-1393 for more information. (Service credit is available.)

Weed and Herb Walk at Conference House Park: Learn to identify wild and cultivated medicinal and culinary plants

May 20, 11 a.m.  1 p.m.

Join Protector of Pine Oak Woods herbalist Gert Coleman for a FREE guided walk through the colonial paths and gardens at Conference House Park to identify both wild and cultivated medicinal and culinary plants. Learn through discussion the benefits of such herbs and weeds and maybe find a new appreciation for the "weeds" which take root in our own gardens. Meet in the parking lot at the end of Hylan Boulevard. Email Gert Coleman at gert.coleman@verizon.net for details.

Wildflower Watch at Corson's Brook Woods: Free guided exploration of a unique and undisturbed natural area.

May 27, 10 a.m. to noon.

Join us as we study the progress of wildflowers over the course of the spring in this unique and undisturbed natural area. Park at Jasper Street and Forest Hill Road and meet across the street at the corner of the entrance to the College of S.I. Bring field guides. Registration is required. Please contact Hillel at 718-477-0545 or e-mail hillel5757@gmail.com. Please provide a cell phone contact.

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Beatles tribute band 'Love Me Do' at Little Victory Theatre: March 31

Love Me Do, a borough-based Beatles tribute band, performs at The Little Victory Theatre on Saturday, March 31, starting at 8 p.m.

The cover band performs Beatles classics like "All My Loving," "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Please Mr. Postman."

All tickets are $25 per person. To reserve a ticket, call 718-524-8467 or e-mail littlevictory16@gmail.com.

The Little Victory Theatre is located at 4089 Victory Boulevard in Travis.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- NYC Transit President Andy Byford is set to make history Thursday as the first Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) agency head to host an online chat with commuters.

The online event, part of the agency's ongoing effort to improve transparency and customer service, will take place on Thursday, March 29, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Byford will respond to questions on Twitter from the subway Rail Control Center using the hashtag #AskNYCT on the @NYCTSubway Twitter handle.

"I think it's important to have regular and direct contact with transit riders -- that's why I ride subways and buses everywhere and why I'm excited to do these chats," said Byford, who held similar sessions at his previous job as the head of Toronto's public transit system.

Thursday's discussion will focus primarily on the subway system, though Byford will entertain questions regarding any aspect of NYC Transit.

The online chats will be a monthly occurrence, with next month's chat focusing primarily on buses and the Access-A-Ride paratransit system.

Chats will feature Byford, as well as other members of the NYC Transit leadership team.

Byford will be joined during Thursday's chat by NYC Transit's new Chief Customer Officer Sarah Meyer.

"Other members of my staff will be more engaged with customers than ever before by also participating in these chats," said Byford.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police executed a warrant and arrested a man Wednesday at a notorious Graniteville home where, over an 11-month span in 2016 and 2017, two people died from suspected overdoses.

Richard Zeifert, 30, was arrested and charged by police with various drug charges, after the bust at the home at 63 Willowbrook Court, according to a spokesman for the NYPD.

Police couldn't provide details on the incident, and he had not yet been arraigned Wednesday night.

Two men died at the home within 11 months of one another in suspected overdoses, including one whose death was central in the historic "Operation Final Kut" North Shore drug bust, according to law enforcement sources.

Authorities allege that Richard Zeifert, 52, bought the fentanyl that killed him two days before Christmas in 2016 from Stephen Cummings, who was charged in "Operation Final Kut."

Police could not say if the two men were related Wednesday night.

As a result of the narcotics sting, Cummings was the first person in New York City to be charged with manslaughter for allegedly selling the illegal drugs that caused another person's fatal overdose.

Tragedy struck again in the residence about 11 months later, on Nov. 5, when Antonio Fuentes, 34, also died of a suspected overdose, sources told the Advance.

He was seated in a chair with his head tilted back and a spoon and an empty glassine envelope near his body, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

The home is located on a cul de sac at the end of the street filled with single and semi-attached homes located a couple of blocks from Markham Intermediate School (I.S. 51) and the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway.

Public records list several apartments at the home's address.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Students arriving Thursday at Bernstein Intermediate School (I.S. 7) in Huguenot were met with a police presence outside the building.

Officers and school officials were investigating some sort of threat targeting the school at 1270 Huguenot Ave., however, those threats were unfounded, according to a spokeswoman with the city Department of Education.

"After a thorough investigation, the potential threat was determined to be unfounded," she said. "There will be additional safety measures in place throughout the day."

Students were let into the building and officers left the school by about 7:45 a.m.

A spokesman for the NYPD said he could not immediately provide information about the incident.

A parent told the Advance she received a phone message from the school saying the threat was posted to social media.

Some parents decided not to send their children to school when they saw the police presence.

One parent said, "Oh, it's spring break, might as well take them home."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two men who mugged a victim last year at the Oakwood Heights train station, briefly knocking him out in the process, have punched their tickets to an upstate prison cell.

Philip Alexandrini, of West Brighton, and Mark Cruz, of Manhattan, each pleaded guilty Tuesday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to second-degree robbery stemming from the June 6, 2017 incident. It was the top count against them.

The 10 p.m. episode began on the train and continued onto the platform, a source at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority with knowledge of the case previously told the Advance.

Alexandrini, then 30, and Cruz, then 29, approached a 57-year-old man who was seated alone.

Alexandrini punched the man in the face, knocking him out for several minutes, said prosecutors. Cruz snatched the victim's bag and ran, prosecutors said.

The victim suffered a cut lip and other injuries, said police.

In exchange for their pleas, Alexandrini will be sentenced on May 9 to 42 months in prison and three years' post-release supervision. He remains free on $10,000 bond.

Cruz, a second violent felony offender, will be sentenced on April 20 to seven years behind bars plus five post-release supervision. He is being held without bail.

"After reviewing all the evidence, my client decided to take a plea of guilty, getting the minimum time charged when he faced 15 years in jail," if convicted at trial, said Kevin McKernan, Alexandrini's lawyer. "It was an unfortunate incident, out of character for him. But he's apologized and is willing to accept his sentence."

Thomas Reilly, Cruz's lawyer, declined comment.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Tannousis is prosecuting the case.
US gives boats to Vietnam amid South China Sea tensions



Hanoi, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



The US delivered six patrol boats and equipment worth a combined $20 million to Vietnam, the US embassy in Hanoi said Thursday, as the former foes boost ties amid continuing tensions in the South China Sea.

Hanoi and Washington have improved defence links in recent years as they seek to counter Beijing's growing might in the disputed and resource-rich waterway.

The US Coast Guard gave its Vietnamese counterpart six fast-response Metal Shark boats, which "will serve to deter bad actors from committing crimes against or near Vietnam", the embassy said in a statement, citing among other threats environmental degradation, illegal fishing and piracy.

The delivery, part of a deal announced in 2016, took place during a visit to the country by the US Coast Guard's Pacific Area commander Vice Admiral Fred M. Midgette.

It comes only three weeks after the historic visit of US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, the first since the end of the Vietnam war in 1975.

The boat handover is the second of its kind and part of a US package of $20 million worth of equipment for the Vietnamese Coast Guard station on Phu Quoc island in the southwest.

The move demonstrates US support for a "strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to international security and the rule of law", the embassy statement added.

Tensions in the South China Sea are ongoing as China continues to build artificial islands capable of hosting military installations.

Vietnam, along with several other Southeast Asian nations and Taiwan also claim parts of the waterway, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits and through which $5 trillion in trade passes annually.

Vietnam remains the most vocal in the South China Sea dispute with the Philippines backing off under China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte.

Security ties between the US and Vietnam have deepened since Washington normalized relations with Hanoi in 1995.

Last August, Vietnam's Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich visited the US, part of Hanoi's campaign to keep Washington close under US President Donald Trump.

In January, US Defence Secretary James Mattis made a two-day visit, asserting that freedom of navigation in the sea was crucial for the fast-growing Southeast Asian country.
Like thousands of Americans, John Ubaldos life was drastically changed on Sept. 11, 2001.

Ubaldo, a Skidmore College alumnus from the class of 1988, was a highly successful investment banker on Wall Street when he lost his best friend in the World Trade Center attacks. Thats when he decided to trade his finance career in New York City for one in farming.

He bought 185 acres of land on the Battenkill River in Cambridge, New York, where he lives a quiet life raising livestock and crops for himself and his family and friends, predominantly in Bedford and Pound Ridge. The goal? To implement healthier farming methods that were used more than 100 years agoand to be an advocate for genetically modified organism labeling, animal rights, the preservation of crop diversity and the reduction of chemical fertilizers to help preserve small farms and rural America.

Skidmore students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to meet this banker-turned-farmer on campus on April 4. Hell talk about his life and his farm, meet with students during lunch in the dining hall and participate in a film screening for The Bullish Farmer, a documentary about Ubaldo and sustainable farming, at 6:30 p.m. in the Gannett Auditorium. His chicken will also be served in the dining hall for dinner.

John is a person who leads by example, and his passion is inspiring, Levi Rogers, director of Sustainability Programs and Assessment, said. He shows that businesses guided by the principles of sustainability can be successful and thrive.

The Bullish Farmer highlights Ubaldos farming career and is intended to spark a conversation about eating habits and how food choices affect human health. Ubaldo believes that his old-fashioned farming method is one the entire country needs to adoptits healthier, more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Ubaldo raises Berkshire pigs, black Angus cattle, chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. They roam free on his farm and are extremely well cared for. He doesnt use antibiotics, hormones, heavy metals, poisons, growth promoters, pesticides, herbicides or genetically modified grains, many of which are found in Big Agricultures farming methods.

Big Agriculture is a term to describe corporate farming and contributes to many issues facing the agriculture industry today. Global food prices are soaring, and current agricultural methods and farm policies are affecting our health and our planet. Private and family-owned farms oftentimes cant compete with Big Ag and are forced to sell or close completely.

Ubaldo is confronting Big Ag head-on through his advocacy and farming methodsand is living proof that farms can feed people in a responsible, sustainable way.

Ken Marsolais, a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner, is a filmmaker, producer and director of The Bullish Farmer. Nancy Vick was also a filmmaker, producer and writer for the documentary. Ubaldos invitation to campus was made possible by the Sustainability Office and Skidmore College Dining Services.
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PHILIPSBURG:---The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public meeting on Monday, April 2, 2018.

The plenary public meeting is scheduled for 12.30 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is:

Appointment if Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of Parliament

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, SXMGOV Radio 107.9 FM, video live stream via the internet www.pearlfmradio.sx, www.sxmparliament.org and also Parliament FB page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.
Switzerland at epicentre of cryptocurrency revolution



Zurich, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



Switzerland has become a global hub for cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology they are built on, with investors flocking to the wealthy Alpine nation to get in on the virtual action.

The country's largest city, Zurich, set up its first bitcoin ATM four years ago, while the Swiss national rail company has since 2016 provided the possibility of purchasing the virtual currency at over 1,000 distributors across the country.

Just a half-hour drive from Zurich is the small town of Zug, which thanks to a business-friendly taxation scheme has long been a global economic hub and is home to tens of thousands of companies, including large investment firms, pharmaceutical companies and commodity trading groups.

But for the past few years, a new category of company has descended on the town, which in high-tech circles has been dubbed "Crypto Valley".

That is the name of an association set up in Zug in 2013 with the explicit aim of drawing startups dabbling in virtual currency technologies, creation and trading to the town.

The push worked. Out of the world's six biggest Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) -- an unregulated means to raise funds for new cryptocurrency ventures -- last year, four took place in Switzerland, according to Swiss financial watchdog Finma.

Blockchain technology allows for the development of peer-to-peer payment systems. It runs by recording transactions as "blocks" that are updated in real time on a digitised ledger that can be read from anywhere and does not have a central record keeper.

Zug is currently home to some 200 blockchain companies including the foundation behind ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency after bitcoin.

The town has also since 2016 accepted bitcoin payments for council services.

The southern Italian-speaking Swiss town of Chiasso, which is attempting to compete with Zug as a "CryptoPolis", has meanwhile decided to accept bitcoin payments for some taxes.



- Money laundering fears -



Faced with a "sharp increase" in the number of ICOs, Finma last month published guidelines detailing the regulatory requirements for such fundraising schemes.

"Creating transparency at this time is important given the dynamic market and the high level of demand," the regulator said.

It warned that it was in particular important to protect against money laundering, since the risk was high "in a decentralised blockchain-based system, in which assets can be transferred anonymously and without any regulated intermediaries."

Switzerland's famous banking sector has been divided in the face of the flood of new virtual currencies on the markets.

Some Swiss banks were among the first to dive into the cryptocurrency pool.

Vontobel for instance created the first structured bitcoin product, a tracker which allows for investment in shifting values of the virtual currency without purchasing the coins directly.

Falcon Private Bank has meanwhile offered asset management services for a range of cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and ethereum, while financial and trading services group Swissquote offers trading in five virtual currencies.

Switzerland's two largest banks UBS and Credit Suisse have however so far kept their distance from the crypto boom.

In an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag weekly late last year, UBS chairman Axel Weber, a former head of the German central bank, warned of significant "design flaws" in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

UBS has decided to warn clients against investing in the virtual currency, he said, because the bank does "not consider it valuable and not sustainable".

noo-nl/bs/jh

UBS GROUP AG

CREDIT SUISSE GROUP
Microsoft shakes up ranks to shoot for the cloud



San Francisco, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



Microsoft on Thursday announced a big managerial shakeup including the departure of the head of its Windows group as the technology pushes deeper into a future in the cloud.

Restructuring moves laid out in a memo from chief executive Satya Nadella included the departure of longtime Microsoft executive and Windows head Terry Myerson.

"With change comes transition, and one transition we have been planning for is for Terry Myerson to pursue his next chapter outside Microsoft," Nadella said in the note.

"Terry has been instrumental in helping me arrive at this new organizational structure, and I deeply appreciate his leadership and insight as we've worked through the opportunity that lies ahead."

In a post at LinkedIn, Windows and Devices Group executive vice president Myerson described it as "an emotional day" sharing news of his departure after 21 years at Microsoft.

Microsoft is creating two new engineering teams, one focused on experiences and devices, and the other devoted to artificial intelligence and computing capabilities hosted in the internet cloud, according to the note.

The US tech colossus -- which has slipped from being the world's largest company -- also established an internal committee to make sure technological advances, particularly regarding machines thinking for themselves, take into account ethical concerns.

"With all this new technology and opportunity comes a responsibility to ensure technology's benefits reach people more broadly across society," Nadella said.

"It also requires that the technologies we create are trusted by the individuals and organizations that use them."

As it has been overtaken by the likes of Google and Apple, Microsoft has been rebooting as consumers shift away from Windows-powered computers to mobile devices.

This has pushed Microsoft to focus on the internet cloud, artificial intelligence, and services for connected "internet of things" devices.

gc/rl




NASA pushes back giant space telescope launch to 2020







Washington (AFP) March 27, 2018





The launch of NASA's next giant space telescope has been delayed until at least May 2020, the US space agency said Tuesday, in the latest setback for the much-anticipated project. The James Webb Space Telescope - which NASA has long expected to replace the fabled Hubble - was initially meant to go into service this year but has faced multiple hitches. The Webb telescope will be the most powerful ever built - about 100 times more sensitive than Hubble - and is to be deployed on a mission to g ... read more
Trump's risky gambles in hunt for foreign policy win



Washington, March 28 (AFP) Mar 28, 2018



In his nuclear standoffs with North Korea and Iran and disputes over Chinese trade and a Mexican wall, Donald Trump bet that his bullying style would get results.

Trump was quick to claim vindication Wednesday when China reported that North Korea's Kim Jong Un is ready to talk nuclear disarmament at their upcoming summit

Indeed, the US president often boasts he has already won concessions from cowed foes and contrite allies, but some say it is too soon to identify major breakthroughs.

For, while Trump's high-stakes gambles have triggered diplomatic scrambles, they have also boosted the risk of conflict without yet delivering a payoff.

And his ultimatums have accelerated the diplomatic time frame by setting new deadlines and thus increasing the odds of a breakdown that could lead to war.

"For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," he tweeted.

"Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!" he boasted.

Trump's decision to accept an invitation to talks, to be held before the end of May, dumbfounded foreign policy experts and caught his own staff off guard.

But it was typical of his style of tearing up the diplomatic rulebook.

It matches his threat to tear up the Iran nuclear deal if European allies do not agree to tougher measures against Tehran and his vow to tear up NAFTA if Canada and Mexico do not make trade concessions.

Trump's supporters point to the fact that America's allies have engaged with US negotiators to find a way to appease some of Trump's concerns.



- Unpredictable negotiator -



But it is not clear that his acceptance of Kim's invitation is a win for Washington's campaign of "maximum pressure."

Some see it as a gift to a regime that has long seen its drive to obtain nuclear weapons as a means to win international respect -- and face-to-face talks.

"On the one hand, Trump does seem to have shaken things up and moved things forward in a way that was unimaginable," said Andrew Mertha of Cornell University.

"Unfortunately it comes at the price of pretty much giving Kim what he wanted," he told AFP.

Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argues sanctions and Trump's unpredictability have forced opponents like Kim to engage.

But, as he told AFP, "all these stories are yet to be written.

"On North Korea, we've seen perhaps the most tangible results, although we certainly don't see a final outcome."

Kim visited Beijing this week to confer with Chinese leaders, a reminder that Washington does not hold all the cards.

Kim confirmed to China that he is ready to discuss the "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula, but this may mean different things to each side.

Washington will accept nothing less than Pyongyang verifiably giving up its nuclear arsenal, fuel enrichment and ballistic missile program.

But Kim is likely to insist "denuclearization" includes withdrawing the promise of a US "nuclear umbrella" to deter attacks on its treaty ally South Korea.

And he will repeat his demand that US forces leave the peninsula, an extraordinary concession that it is hard to imagine any previous US president acceding to.

And Kim does not seem intimidated.

Monday was his first foreign foray as leader, arriving in Beijing in an armored train for talks with China's powerful leader Xi Jinping.

Xi will have given Kim a very clear idea of what China is prepared to accept from the summit, but Kim's isolation is over and he may play Washington against Beijing.



- Devastating war -



Perhaps Trump did play into Kim hands by accepting talks without first discussing the North Korean and Chinese red lines.

And perhaps he was over ambitious when he tried to get London, Paris and Berlin to rewrite an Iran deal they seem only prepared to tweak or update.

But, since these initiatives began, he has made some personnel changes at home that could show his negotiating partners that he means business.

Trump has sacked his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who backed the Iran deal and favored cautious diplomacy with North Korea.

He plans to replace Tillerson with hardline CIA chief Mike Pompeo and his national security adviser HR McMaster with notorious hawk John Bolton.

Bolton is an advocate of regime change in Iran and as recently as last month he warned that negotiations would only give Kim more time to build missiles.

"The dynamics have changed," Schanzer said, arguing that European leaders should now take more seriously the idea that Trump is ready to tear up the Iran deal.

"The president has been playing hardball, and he hasn't lost doing so yet. He hasn't won, but he certainly hasn't lost," he said.

If Trump fails to win concessions on Iran, he can dump the deal and reimpose sanctions on Tehran's regime and any European bank that continues to deal with it.

But if North Korean talks break down, does that make a devastating war more likely?

"There's a greater chance of a breakthrough under Trump but there's also a greater chance that this whole thing explodes and that we end up in military confrontation," said Ian Bremmer, head of consultants the Eurasia Group.
CORRECTED: Colombian rebels holding abducted journalists: military



Bogota, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



Dissident Colombian rebels are believed to be holding hostage two Ecuadoran journalists and their driver who were abducted this week, the head of Colombia's armed forces said Wednesday.

General Alberto Mejia told RCN radio that "the head of this group is the terrorist known as 'Guacho,' and he is without doubt the person responsible ... for the kidnapping."

The reporter, photographer and driver, all working for the prominent Ecuadoran newspaper El Comercio, were seized early Monday in the village of Mataje, in Esmeraldas province, according to officials.

The area where the abduction happened has seen increased Ecuadoran military activity in a crackdown against armed insurgents who have split from Colombia's former rebel group FARC, which has laid down arms and become a political party under a 2016 peace deal.

Although Ecuadoran Interior Minister Cesar Nevas said Tuesday the abducted trio were thought to be over the border in Colombia, Mejia said there was "no information" supporting that.

The journalists' kidnapping has alarmed and unsettled Ecuador, with media saying it was the first such abduction in the country in three decades.

"Guacho" was identified by Ecuadoran military as Walter Artizala, an Ecuadoran in his 30s who had served as a rebel in the FARC for 15 years, specializing in explosives, drug smuggling and financing.

He was suspected of being behind a blast on Monday that cut power to 200,000 inhabitants of a Colombia border town.

The dissident rebel group he leads is thought to number 70 to 80 people, who move across the Ecuador-Colombia border through jungle and engage in drug trafficking.

A week ago, three Ecuadoran soldiers were killed and 11 were wounded by a bomb as they patrolled Mataje. Other attacks in the Esmeraldas province have wounded 32 soldiers and civilians.

The governments of Ecuador and Colombia have stepped up cooperation to tackle what they term "transnational crime" across their common border.
Libyan strongman bombed Chad rebels, his forces say



Libreville, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



The armed forces of Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar said on Thursday that their warplanes had attacked Chadian rebels in the country's southern desert last weekend.

Air raids targeted a rebel-held roadblock 400 kilometres (250 miles) southeast of Sebha, as well as other positions in an oasis in the Terbu region 400 kms farther south, an official with Haftar's so-called Libyan National Army (LNA) told AFP.

"The strikes aim at restoring security and applying law in the south," the official said, without giving details about the identity of the targets.

An armed Chadian group, the Military Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic (CCMSR), said it had been attacked by Haftar's planes.

CCMSR's spokesman in exile, Kingabe Ogouzeimi de Tapol, said there were no casualties.

Chadian President Idriss Deby, he charged, had "subcontracted" Haftar to destroy rebels in Libya who are fighting to overturn the Chadian leader.

CCMSR claims to have several thousand fighters in Chad. It split in 2016 from another anti-Deby group in Libya, the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), based in Jufra, which is reputedly on good terms with Haftar.

Chad has a long history of revolt by rebels staged from across its borders. Deby and his precedessor Hissene Habre were themselves rebels who seized power by force of arms.

However, rebel groups today are relatively weak and divided, often using trafficking or extortion to raise funds to survive.

Three CCMSR members, including its leader, Hassan Boulmaye, were arrested last October in the fellow Sahel country of Niger.

Haftar, who opposes a UN-backed unity government based in Tripoli, announced the "liberation" of the eastern city of Benghazi last July after a three-year campaign.
Hunt underway for driver who tried to ram French soldiers



Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, France, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



A hunt was underway Thursday for a man who tried to ram his car into soldiers jogging near their barracks in southeast France, without causing any injuries, the army said.

The man first threatened a group of soldiers who were out jogging at around 8 am (0600 GMT) in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near Grenoble, and later tried to run down another group of soldiers returning from a jog, army spokesman Colonel Benoit Brulon told AFP.

"The soldiers managed to get up onto the pavement without being hit," Brulon said.

The driver, whose motives were unknown, then sped off. Military sources later said a woman was also in the vehicle.

Prosecutors in Grenoble said the car had fake license plates, adding that it was not being treated as a terrorist attack for the moment.

Police sealed off the area and began a search for the driver and the woman, while the army stepped up security around the barracks, which houses members of the 27th mountain infantry brigade.

The incident comes with France on edge after a jihadist rampage in the southwest last week, where a 25-year-old radicalised gunman killed four people, including a policeman who took the place of a hostage in a supermarket siege.

On Thursday, the four victims of the attack in the medieval town of Carcassonne and nearby Trebes, including the heroic officer Arnaud Beltrame, will be laid to rest in the region.

The people of Trebes paid an emotional farewell to the three local victims at a ceremony in the square of the sleepy town on the Canal du Midi, held a day after a national tribute to Beltrame in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron.

"You fell under the bullets of terrorism and took with you the insouciance of a little town in Occitanie where no one expected to ever experience such happenings," Trebes Mayor Eric Menassi told mourners at the gathering attended by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.



- Security forces under fire -



The security forces have been targeted in several jihadist attacks that have claimed the lives of 240 people around France in the past three years.

At least six security force members have been killed during that period.

Radouane Lakdim, a Moroccan-born French national, fired at a group of policemen returning from a jog before storming the Super U store and shooting dead two people. He also shot dead the passenger of a car he hijacked in Carcassonne.

Beltrame intervened during the supermarket siege to take the place of a cashier Lakdim was using as a human shield.

But after three hours of negotiations the gunman, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, slit Beltrame's throat before himself being shot dead by police.

Paying tribute to Beltrame at a national ceremony in Paris on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron said his act of self-sacrifice would "remain etched in French hearts".

Lakdim, who had a criminal record, was on a watchlist of suspected radicals, but authorities had concluded that he did not pose a threat.

His 18-year-old girlfriend, a radicalised Muslim convert, was charged with being part of a terrorist conspiracy.

Other attacks in which police officers have been killed include the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris in January 2015, in which two police officers were killed, and the fatal April 2017 shooting of a policeman on the Champs Elysees.

The army and police have also been targeted in several non-deadly attacks.

In August 2017, a man rammed his car into a group of soldiers on anti-terror patrol in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, injuring six people.

burs-cb/js/ecl
Russia slams Poland's 'militarisation' after Patriot missile deal



Moscow, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



Russia on Thursday condemned what it called Poland's "progressive militarisation" after Warsaw said last week it had signed a deal on buying a US Patriot anti-missile system.

"We are concerned at the progressive militarisation of this country," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, adding that "the signing of a contract to supply the American Patriot system served as recent confirmation for this".

Poland has signed an offset deal with the United States ahead of a final agreement to buy a Patriot anti-missile system, Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said Friday.

"Warsaw is increasing its spending on defence and making serious efforts to achieve military and technical modernisation of its national armed forces. It is reforming the system of managing troops and increasing troop numbers," Zakharova said at a press briefing.

Moscow sees these moves as an "element of destabilisation of the military and political situation in Europe and an a threat to Russia's national security," Zakharova said, while stressing that the country's "defence resources are sufficient to ensure the impregnability of our borders and the protection of our territory."

The Patriot is a mobile air-defence system designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, low-flying cruise missiles and aircraft.

Moscow has in the past criticised plans to deploy the US Patriot missile system in Poland and Romania, calling this a breach of an arms control treaty signed in 1987.
Trump talks to Pentagon about funding border wall



Washington, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



US President Donald Trump talked with his defense secretary on Thursday to discuss how the military budget might fund the construction of a wall on the Mexican frontier.

The United States is testing prototype sections of a 30-foot (nine-meter) high wall to be built along sections of the United States southern border to halt migrants and smugglers.

"The wall looks good. I was always very good at building. That was always my best thing. I think better than being president. I was good at building," Trump told a crowd in Ohio.

Throughout his campaign and the first year of his presidency Trump insisted the vast project would somehow be paid for by Mexico -- and idea firmly rejected by the government there.

But Trump has had no success in trying to get $25 billion in funding for the wall from Congress, so he has turned to the Pentagon in the hope of poaching funds from the defense budget.

"Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich," he tweeted on Saturday.

"Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!"

On Thursday, Department of Defense spokeswoman Dana White said Secretary Jim Mattis had discussed the idea with Trump, but offered no details on what might come of it.
Trump ties South Korea trade deal to North Korea talks



Richfield, United States, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



US President Donald Trump warned Thursday that he may delay implementation of a renegotiated trade deal with South Korea until after planned nuclear talks with North Korea.

Trump offered no explanation for the apparent threat, which came just a day after he hailed the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) as a victory for his get-tough stance on commerce.

"I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, does everybody understand that? You know why? Because it's a very strong card," Trump said in a speech in Ohio.

"South Korea has been wonderful, but we'll probably hold that deal up for a little while, see how it plays out."

On Wednesday, Trump had seemed to be firmly behind the renegotiated trade deal, which should now give US carmakers greater access to South Korean markets.

"@USTradeRep just announced an agreement in principle with South Korea on KORUS!" he said.

"A great deal for American and Korean workers. Let's now focus on our important security relationship."

But the president's remarks in his Ohio speech appeared to suggest he is seeking to hold the deal as leverage over Washington's ally South Korea ahead of the nuclear talks.

North Korea and South Korea plan to hold a summit on April 27.

Trump is then due to meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un before the end of May for talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization.
Two Koreas agree to hold summit on April 27



Seoul, March 29 (AFP) Mar 29, 2018



The two Koreas have set a date for a rare inter-Korean summit, following a high-level meeting that was held days after the nuclear-armed North's leader Kim Jong Un made his international debut with a surprise trip to China.

"According to the will of both leaders, the South and North agreed to hold the '2018 South-North summit' on April 27 at the South's Peace House in Panmunjom," said a joint press statement, read out in turn by both delegations' leaders on Thursday.

The meeting between Kim Jong Un, leader of nuclear-armed North Korea, and the South's President Moon Jae-in will be only the third of its kind, and will be followed by landmark talks with US President Donald Trump, which could come as early as May.

The venue will make Kim the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the end of the Korean War -- although according to Pyongyang's official accounts, during the conflict his grandfather and predecessor Kim Il Sung went several times to Seoul, which twice fell to his forces.

The two sides did not settle on the summit agenda at Thursday's meeting in the Unification Pavilion on Panmunjom's northern side, but the South's delegation leader Cho Myoung-gyon told reporters they agreed Kim and Moon should be able to hold "frank discussions on all matters."

That would include the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, Cho said.

The leader of Pyongyang's delegation Ri Son Gwon added: "What the people want is our agenda."

Another round of working-level talks next Wednesday will discuss issues including protocol and security.

Next month's meeting comes after previous inter-Korean summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, since when the North has made extensive progress in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

It has been subjected to multiple rounds of sanctions by the UN Security Council, US, South and others as a result, and tensions in the region have soared, with Kim and Trump engaging in a fiery war of words last year.

But a rapid rapprochement on the peninsula was kicked off by the Winter Olympics in the South and events have moved quickly since then, with a flurry of official visits between the two Koreas.

An advance team of Southern performers headed north on Thursday ahead of K-pop concerts in Pyongyang.



- Kim-Xi meeting -



US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told CNN Washington was "pleased" a date had been set for the summit between the two Koreas.

She said while the timing of the planned meeting between Trump and Kim has yet to be confirmed, "we look forward to that possibly happening sometime in the near future."

Trump on Thursday warned he may delay implementation of a renegotiated trade deal with South Korea until after talks with the North, appearing to want to use the deal as leverage over Washington's ally Seoul.

"South Korea has been wonderful, but we'll probably hold that deal up for a little while, see how it plays out," he said in a speech in Ohio.

Beijing welcomed Thursday's developments, with foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang saying improved relations between the Koreas "will help promote regional peace and stability."

China's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, arrived in Seoul Thursday to brief Moon on Kim's secretive visit to Beijing this week to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time.

It was the North Korean leader's first overseas trip since inheriting power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

China has long been the North's key diplomatic defender and provider of trade and aid, but relations have been strained by Pyongyang's weapons programmes, with Beijing showing a new willingness to implement UN sanctions against it.

Even so the two leaders hailed their nations' historic ties, with Xi accepting Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

Kim pledged that he was "committed to denuclearisation" on the Korean peninsula, according to China's Xinhua news agency -- but added this would depend on South Korea and the US taking what he called "progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace".

Analysts say Pyongyang wants to secure Beijing's backing and support, while China is keen to protect its interests in what it considers its backyard.

Robert Kelly, a professor at Pusan National University in South Korea, said: "Xi would not grant this meeting unless the Chinese were genuinely concerned about the summits to come and wanted some kind of role to play."

The South's JoongAng Daily newspaper said in an editorial Thursday that the meeting "makes the situation more complicated because Xi stepped into the negotiation all of a sudden."

"China will not simply look on," it added.
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Firing at Refugees EU Money Helped Fortify Turkey's Border

Turkey has barricaded its border to Syria with the help of funding from the European Union. There are few options left for Syrians trying to flee the brutal war in their home country and those who do risk death.
Australia, March 29, 2018 (SPS) - The Australian Parliament on Monday devoted part of its session to the development of the Sahara issue, especially the political and legal situation in the occupied territories and the looting of natural resources from Western Sahara.

The Parliament heard the intervention of New South Wales MP Rhiannon, Sen Lee, who said Western Sahara has been listed for decolonisation by the United Nations for more than 50 years. A resolution has been adopted every year by the United Nations General Assembly. It is time Australia recognised the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. Uniquely, the International Court of Justice has concluded on the status of Western Sahara and the right of the Sahrawi people to exercise self-determination. In its 1975 Western Sahara advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice determined that Morocco did not have any claim to sovereignty over or territorial rights in the territory.

Rhiannon, Sen Lee went on saying The importation of phosphate mineral rock from the occupied part of the territory to this country needs to stop. The evidence that this fertiliser represents the illegal exploitation of Western Sahara's natural resources is now overwhelming

It is time that Australia supported the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. This should include ensuring the protection of their sovereign rights to their resources, MP added

She concluded her intervention by urging the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, to consider the question of Western Sahara. a starting point is to support the efforts of the United Nations to deliver a referendum to the Western Sahara people. A second option is to firmly declare that imports of resources from the territory will not be permitted into Australia. For more than 40 years, the people of Western Sahara have dealt with violence, exile and the exploitation of their resources. For more than 40 years, so many of them have been in refugee camps. By Australia taking these actions, they can bring justice to the people of Western Sahara. SPS

125/090/TRA
English28/03/2018

SRNA News Roundup /II/ - March 28, 2018





REPUBLIKA SRPSKA



BANJALUKA - The Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska did not uphold initiatives for the review of constitutionality of the Law on Higher Education, Law on Labour and Law on Amendments to the Law on Salaries in Entity Judicial Institutions.



BANJALUKA - Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic will attend the Selection of the Most Successful Businesses in Republika Srpska in 2017 in Banjaluka on Wednesday evening.



BANJALUKA - Minister of Justice Anton Kasipovic said on Wednesday the bill on a special register of persons convicted for sexual abuse of children shows the readiness of Srpskas institutions to protect children from what can cause them horrible damage later in life.



BANJALUKA - The National Assembly resumed its session with a discussion of the bill on deadlines for settling monetary obligations in business transactions.



FOCA - Since the local judiciary is not harmonized with the European, convicts in BiH serving long-term sentences for war crimes are in a worse position than the convicts in the Hague war crimes tribunal, because there is no possibility of reducing their sentence by one third, said National Assembly Deputy Speaker Nenad Stevandic.



ISTOCNO SARAJEVO - Assistant Minister of Labour Dusko Milunovic says that this years budget envisages BAM1.6 million for the implementation of thel aw on the protection of victims of war torture, whose draft is the topic of the Wednesday public debate in Istocno Sarajevo.



BIJELJINA - Sava levels near Bijeljina are stagnating and 56 centimetres above the level of regular flood defence, the city civil defence said.



BIJELJINA - The EU 2014 flood recovery project envisages the construction of 42 and repair od 109 houses in Bijeljina.



FOCA - The Foca municipality will this year implement a public works project in cooperation with the UNDP where 30 workers will be hired for four months.



SREBRENICA - The association of persons and parents of disabled children Leptir from Srebrenica has launched a three-month project of support to girls and women with disabilities and mothers of children with disabilities from Srebrenica and Bratunac, including 12 females with disabilities.



ISTOCNO SARAJEVO - Students and teachers of the Secondary School 28. juni from Istocno Novo Sarajevo took part in a voluntary blood donation campaign on Wednesday.





BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA



SARAJEVO - BiH Presidency Chair Bakir Izetbegovic offered condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin expressing deep sorrow over the tragic deaths of many children and adults in a shopping mall fire in Kemerovo.



SARAJEVO - The British Embassy to BiH is grateful that BiH joined the EU statement in the Skripal case due to which 14 EU Member States expelled Russian diplomats, along with six other countries, reports the website Klix.



SRBIJA



BELGRADE - Fifty percent of Serbian citizens believe Kosovo is lost and as many as 81 per cent would not accept the independence of the southern province even if it were a requirement for EU membership, shows a survey conducted by the Institute for European Affairs carried out in collaboration with the polling company Ninamedia.



BELGRADE - Serbia is increasingly using renewable energy sources and has commissioned more than 100 megawatts from renewable sources over the past few years. The country is expected to produce 250 megawatts from those sources by the end of the year, said Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic.





REGION



PODGORICA - The Montenegrin Government decided to declare a diplomatic representative accredited in the Russian Ambassador persona non grata and revoke its approval for operations of the honorary consul of the Russian Federation in Montenegro.



PODGORICA - The Association of post-1990 War Veterans of Montenegro qualified as unlawful the disciplinary proceedings against high school students from Danilovgrad who marked March 24, the beginning of the NATO air strikes on FR Yugoslavia in a calm and dignified manner in the school yard and demanded an urgent reaction of the competent authorities.



WORLD



MOSCOW /Reuters/ - Russia will respond to the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats from the Western countries with reciprocal measures, said head of the Russian Senate Valentina Matviyenko. /end/ds
It has been revealed that horseman Gerry Hudon has been forced to hang up his driving colours for good.

The doctors have told me I cannot withstand another concussion, Hudon has explained to Peter Watts. So, Ive decided for the good of myself and my family, Im going to find some other things to do to keep myself busy.

Hudon retires from driving with 2,084 wins from 11,913 starts. He steered his mounts to more than $13.2 million in purses over his 30-year career in the bike.

Ill train some horses and help Phil Giesbrecht, wholl be driving a lot of my stock, said Hudon, who will also be busy working with a racing panel that has been assembled to help the industry.

Im excited to be part of a committee of Standardbred Canada and the U.S. Trotting Association, said Hudon. Were looking at trying to create a standardized rulebook for the industry. Right now, its early stage. Were meeting by conference call about every two weeks. Itll be a long, complicated process, but I hope it will make for better understanding of the rules when were done and ensure that racing continues to be conducted fairly for everyone involved.

Two other trainer/drivers wont be around, either  at least for a while.

Veteran Bill Tainsh Jr. has taken a job near his offseason home in the Shuswap. His small stable, which features horses owned by Willie Wychopen and Wally Moroz, has been turned over to Daniel LeBlanc. Mike Hennessy has stepped away from the sport, at least for the time being. That likely means that his father, Rod, will have even more work to do.

A couple of familiar faces in the backstretch are expanding their roles. Kaitlin Haining has completed her work to become a full trainer and will be of even more help to her father, Harold. Marjorie Dumont is going to get her drivers license so that she can better assist husband, J-F Gagne.

Ive driven in amateur races for years, Marjorie explained. Ive trained horses at our home track. J-F has been pushing me to get my license. So, I decided with a good nanny for our two young children, I can do something Ive always wanted to do. Among other things, I need ten qualified drives to get my license. I got two of them in Saturdays qualifiers. For the time being, Ill just drive horses that J-F and I own. Well see how it goes.

(With files from the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association)
Bill Rademaeker/A&EDuring the filming for the upcoming third season for Ozzy & Jack's World Detour travel show, Ozzy Osbourne and his children Jack and Kelly visited the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico. Apparently, the Black Sabbath frontman loved the town so much that he's joined its Chamber of Commerce.

"The Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome Ozzy Osbourne as our newest member," reads a post on the organization's Facebook. "While filming an upcoming episode of Ozzy & Jack's World Detour...Ozzy and his kids Jack and Kelly fell in love with our community and wanted to leave their footprint."

According to the Alamogordo Daily News, the Osbournes visited a ranch owned by Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce Executive Director GB Oliver. During the experience, Oliver asked the producers if Ozzy would be interested in joining the Chamber of Commerce.

"After they finished filming a camping scene, the producers said Ozzy wanted to see me in his RV," Oliver remembers. "Ozzy told me he appreciated all this and how pretty it was out here. I said there was only one thing he had to do now and that was to join the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce. Without hesitation, he said 'done,' and signed the card."

Ozzy & Jack's World Detour originally premiered in 2016, and stars Ozzy and Jack visiting different historical and unique sites around the U.S. The first season featured the Prince of Darkness' return to The Alamo after his infamous arrest for public intoxication at the landmark in 1982.

The third season of the show is scheduled to premiere sometime this year on A&E.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Published: 29 March 2018

General government deficit 0.6 per cent and debt 61.4 per cent relative to GDP in 2017

According to the preliminary data reported by Statistics Finland to Eurostat, general government deficit was 0.6 per cent relative to gross domestic product in 2017. The deficit was clearly below the reference value of the European Unions Stability and Growth Pact, which is three per cent relative to gross domestic product. General government EDP debt, or consolidated gross debt, was 61.4 per cent at the end of 2017 relative to gross domestic product. The ratio of debt to GDP has now been over the reference value of 60 per cent during four years, but it has fallen in the last two years.

General government EDP deficit (-), relative to GDP

In 2017, general government deficit, or net borrowing according to national accounts, was EUR 1.3 billion. The financial position of general government improved by EUR 2.6 billion from the previous year. The central government's financial position improved most, by EUR 2.0 billion compared with 2016, and it was particularly due to the significant growth in tax revenue. However, the central government remained clearly in deficit, its deficit being EUR 3.8 billion in 2017.

The local government sectors deficit, or net borrowing was EUR 228 million in 2017, which is EUR 725 million less than one year earlier. Social security funds are divided into employment pension schemes and other social security funds. The surplus of employment pension schemes continued to contract. The sectors surplus was EUR 2,066 million in 2017, or EUR 373 million less than as in the previous year. Other social security funds were in surplus for the second successive year. Their surplus grew by EUR 225 million from the year before and was EUR 689 million in 2017.

General government EDP debt relative to GDP

Consolidated general government gross debt (EDP debt) amounted to EUR 137.3 billion at the end of 2017. The debt grew by EUR 1.2 billion in 2017. Central government debt increased by EUR 1.3 billion and local government debt by EUR 0.2 billion. The debt of social security funds grew by EUR 0.5 billion, which was caused by an increase in received cash collateral related to employment pension schemes derivative contracts and securities lending. The increase in consolidated items between general government by EUR 0.7 billion contributed to the debt of the entire general government sector growing only by said EUR 1.2 billion in 2017. The EDP debt describes general governments debt to the other sectors of the economy and to the rest of the world, and its development is influenced by changes in both the unconsolidated gross debt and the internal general government debt.

Preliminary data on general government deficit and debt in 2017 were released for the first time on 16 March 2018 in the National Accounts and the statistics on general government debt by quarter. The now published deficit for 2017 is EUR 313 million higher than that published on 16 March. The revision of data concern the central government, more exactly energy tax revenue, dividend income and interest expenses. General government debt did not change.

Eurostat will verify the deficit and debt figures reported by the Member States over the following weeks. In this process, changes may be made to the figures reported by Statistics Finland. In that case, the updated figures will be released on the pages of these statistics on the same day that Eurostat publishes the data (preliminarily on 23 April).

About the content and concepts of the statistics

General government surplus/deficit refers to net lending/borrowing according to the sector accounts of national accounts, which is the difference between the total revenue and expenditure. For instance, in the case of local government, the concept differs from the surplus/deficit of the accounting period according to the profit and loss accounts of municipalities and joint municipal authorities included in the sector. The key difference concerns investments, which are recorded in national accounts as expenditure as such.

In general government accounts, the European Financial Stability Facility EFSF is, based on Eurostat's decision, handled so that the EFSF's borrowing is recorded as part of the gross government debt of the countries that have provided guarantees. The loan received by the beneficiary country from the EFSF is recorded as if it had been received from the countries in the euro area that have provided guarantees and these countries in turn owe the corresponding amount to the EFSF. As a result, the EDP gross debt of the countries that provided guarantees grows but the net debt remains unchanged because the countries have a similar receivable from the beneficiary country. The gross government debt to be recorded for each country on the loans granted by the EFSF is calculated by dividing the loan granted to the beneficiary country by the contribution key (based on the share in the ECB's capital of each country participating in the support operations).

At the end of 2017, Finland's general government debt includes EUR 3,401 million of debt granted by the EFSF to beneficiary countries. At the end of 2016, the amount was the same. Corresponding treatment does not apply to the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

Central government's EDP debt differs as a concept from the central government debt published by the State Treasury. Central government's EDP debt includes loans granted to beneficiary counties by the European Financial Stability Facility EFSF, received cash collateral related to derivative contracts, the capital of the Nuclear Waste Management Fund, debts generated from investments in central government's PPP (public-private partnership) projects, and coins that are in circulation. In national accounts, central government is also a broader concept than the budget and financial economy, in addition to which it includes, for example, universities, Solidium, the Finnish Broadcasting Company and Senate Properties. When these differences are taken into consideration, we reach the central government non-consolidated gross debt in accordance with the EDP concept (Appendix table 2). In 2017, the State Treasury's central government debt EUR 105.8 billion + conceptual differences of the debt EUR 7.0 billion + differences caused by the sector delimitation EUR 4.2 billion = central government gross debt EUR 117.0 billion. The valuation principle for both debt concepts is the nominal value, where the effect of interest-rate contracts and currency swaps is taken into account.

A list of units belonging to general government (only in Finnish) can be found at http://www.stat.fi/meta/luokitukset/_linkki/julkisyhteisot.html. . Decisions on major sector classification cases (only in Finnish) are available at http://www.stat.fi/meta/luokitukset/_linkki/soveltamisp.html .

Source: General government deficit and debt. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Niina Suutarinen 029 551 2307, Atte Virtanen 029 551 3685, financial.accounts@stat.fi

Director in charge: Ville Vertanen

Publication in pdf-format (243.4 kB)

Updated 29.3.2018

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): General government deficit and debt [e-publication].

ISSN=1799-5914. 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 25.9.2021].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/jali/2017/jali_2017_2018-03-29_tie_001_en.html
Published: 29 March 2018

Finns' travel to Central and Southern Europe increased in 2017

According to Statistics Finland's survey, Finns made 8.5 million different kinds of leisure trips abroad in 2017. Western and Eastern Europe, as well as Southern Europe increased their popularity as travel destinations among Finns but trips to the American continent fell in popularity. The number of domestic leisure trips was 26 million. Business trips in Finland remained on level with the previous year but business trips abroad decreased from the previous year.

Finnish residents travel in 2012 to 2017 (excl. domestic leisure trips with free accommodation)

Finnish residents leisure trips abroad increased in 2017 from the year before. Slightly more trips than in 2016 were made to Estonia in 2017, and it maintained its unwavering top position as a leisure trip destination for Finns. Leisure trips to our western neighbour Sweden decreased slightly from 2016. Trips to our eastern neighbour Russia also diminished from the year before.

Among customary favourites in Central Europe, the United Kingdom and France, as well as Continental Spain and Greece in Southern Europe gained popularity.

The number of trips heading outside Europe decreased.

Finnish residents most popular destinations for leisure trips with overnight stay in the destination country in 2017, 2016 and 2015

The number of domestic trips with paid accommodation increased from the previous year. In 2017, a total of nearly seven million such trips were made. Short trips lasting under four nights increased, but trips lasting for at least four nights decreased from the year before. As expected, summer months were the most popular time to travel in Finland.

One-fifth of trips with paid accommodation were made to the region of Uusimaa. The next most popular regions were Pirkanmaa and Lapland. The most popular towns were Helsinki, Tampere and Turku.

Compared with the previous year, nights spent at hotels and rented cottages increased slightly.

The most popular destination for trips with free accommodation was also Uusimaa. The next most popular destinations for trips with free accommodation were Pirkanmaa, North Ostrobothnia, Lapland and Varsinais-Suomi.

The number of business trips abroad decreased a bit from the previous year and remained roughly at the same level in Finland as in the year before.

Leisure trips of an average Finn in 2017:

1.5 domestic leisure trips with paid accommodation,

1.5 trips abroad that included overnight stay in the country of destination,

0.4 same-day trips abroad or cruises to neighbouring areas.

Data collection

The data concerning travel derive from Statistics Finland's monthly Finnish Travel sample survey. In all, 14,282 persons aged 15 to 84 permanently resident in Finland were interviewed for the numbers of trips.

The numbers of persons who had travelled during the year were collected with an additional survey carried out in connection with the December interview concerning travelling. The data for the annual survey of 2017 are based on 1,191 interviews.

Additional tables are found in the PX Web database at:

http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__lii__smat



Source: Finnish Travel, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Taru Tamminen 029 551 2243, Ossi Nurmi 029 551 2984, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Sami Saarikivi

Publication in pdf-format (361.6 kB)

Updated 29.3.2018

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Finnish Travel [e-publication].

ISSN=1798-9027. 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 25.9.2021].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/smat/2017/smat_2017_2018-03-29_tie_001_en.html
CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is welcomed at the Jose Marti International Airport The Party leader lays a wreath at the statute of late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with Cuban students CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with Cuban students CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong offers incense to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh at the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba The Party leader meets with representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy and the overseas Vietnamese community in Cuba.
Howard Coley is the reverend of the Elim Family Fellowship Pentecostal Church in Benalmadena Costa - a branch of Elim Espana. However he is not the stereotypical preaching pastor. The reverend is not from a religious background, aside from the fact that his mother played the organ in the local church. His first passion in life was music and it would be many years before he would be ordained and begin preaching the gospel.

Born in Leicester in 1952, Howard made his living as a musician, playing drums in numerous bands during the late 1960s, although he later switched to guitar. His repertoire included rock, blue grass, pop and folk music and he enjoyed the on-the-road lifestyle of a professional musician.

Howard has shared a dressing room with AC/DC, toured Ireland with 70's folk heroes, Lindisfarne, and supported celebrated artistes like The Drifters and The Sullivan Brothers.

Howard once lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, supporting groups like AC/DC and Lindisfarne

He became popular on the cabaret scene during the 1980s, performing regular gigs in holiday camps and hotels around the UK, but following his marriage, and the birth of his three children, he embarked on a solo career using the name of Howard King.

In order to spend more time with his family, he made a complete break from the UK and headed to Spain in 1990. At this time he had little faith in the cloth, even though his wife was a believer. I was never aware that the Jesus was there; if someone had told me 15 years ago that I would be a reverend I would have thought they were absolutely crazy, Howard explains to SUR in English.

He began to make a living performing in clubs along the Costa del Sol, although it was his wife's decision to attend a church in Mijas that began his interest in religion. Howard accompanied his wife to weekly services and he began to interpret what the bible was saying, believing that it might explain what is happening today, and more to the point, what is coming in the future.

Slowly, I thought this is an inspiring book and I got to the point of understanding that if this God was real, I knew which side I should be on, although I still couldn't see there was a spiritual world,  Howard says with sincerity.

He then had an experience in Coin that convinced him that the spiritual world was real, and from then on, his life began to change. He stopped playing music for two years, believing he shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff. He spent time attending bible school and church, leading some of his fellow musicians to believe he had joined a religious sect in the mountains.

Howard established the Pentecostal church in Benalmadena in 2003. Initially meeting in the Hotel Triton, ministering to the English-speaking community, the fellowship now has a building to meet in each Sunday and a place for community activities midweek.

However, Howard realised that he needed to work to support his family and, as music was a sure way of making a living, he took up his career once again. It was around this time that he received the pseudonym of the 'Rockin' Rev', a name he most certainly lives up to.

It was only natural that Howard would use his musical talents during his services and today music is a major part of proceedings. His son and two daughters are active in the church and they are also members of the Elim Praise Band, the church's resident group fronted by the Rockin' Rev.

Our music is contemporary; we have a full band so we have a fairly rocky sound and our services are lively. We also perform the more familiar style of gospel and traditional hymns, the reverend says.

The younger generation are attracted by the contemporary style of the meetings, but as Howard points out, it isn't just a party or a rock concert, they are spreading the word of God.

The Rockin' Rev is a man whose love of music is equalled by his passion for spreading the gospel, although he is adamant that the Elim Foundation does not exist to convert, simply to offer direction to those who seek it.

It is not my job to convince anyone, but if they chose the gospel, then I am here to guide them and offer assistance.

It was because of a sick friend that Howard would eventually find his faith. The friend would visit a woman called Chicken Lil, a British expat who claimed to be a witch. Sick people would go to her in order to be spiritually healed. It was on an occasion when Howard and his wife had accompanied the friend to a session that he was convinced that something spiritual happened, although he could not pinpoint what it was.

Something real happened and I realised that the spiritual world exists and I knew I needed to find my way to Jesus. It's like saying: I know there is a bus from here to Malaga, but if I don't get on it I'm not going to get there.
The Bonsai Museum in Marbella is an exotic paradise in the middle of a concrete jungle. This popular attraction, with its 265 miniature trees, opened early in 1992 and is one of only four in Spain: the others are in Madrid, Burgos and Almunecar. However, it will close at the end of the summer, as the 25-year concession granted by the council has run out. It has been decided to turn the premises into a library instead.

The single-storey museum, which covers 1,000 square metres in the Parque de la Represa, has always been in private hands. It was started by Miguel Angel Garcia, a local businessman and great bonsai enthusiast , and when it opened it was the only one in the country. Since then Marbella council has paid the running costs of the building, and the management uses the entry charge (currently four euros for adults and two euros for children) to cover maintenance and new acquisitions to expand the collection.

About 20,000 people visit the Bonsai Museum every year, says director Rodrigo Garcia, who admits that he was surprised by the council's decision to close it.

The collection of 265 bonsai trees is being sold to private collectors and other museums of this type

Official notification arrived from the town hall on 8 November, with an order to vacate the premises before 15 January. After discussions with the council, it was agreed to extend the period to the end of the summer. In the meantime, the museum management wants to sell as many of the bonsai trees as possible and has made contact with private collectors and other museums.

Rodrigo Garcia says the council has not offered any alternative premises, a change in attitude because the previous mayor, Jose Bernal, had said the local authority would continue to support the bonsai museum because of the lack of museums in Marbella. I've been waiting for a phone call from the council to discuss the future of the bonsai museum, but it hasn't happened. When they told me on 8 November that we had to close by 15 January, I had to knock on a lot of doors to persuade them to give us more time to make arrangements for the trees, he says.

Marbella's councillor for Culture, Carmen Diaz, says there was no alternative but to locate the library in these premises. There is nowhere else for it, she insists, and it is up to the owner of the museum to find somewhere else.
Holy Week processions and other events have brought crowds into Malaga this week, as dozens of brotherhoods carry their images of Christ and Our Lady through the streets in their annual processions.

Early in the morning of Holy Monday, thousands of people gathered outside San Pablo church to see the images of Jesus Cautivo and Maria Santisima de la Trinidad brought from their chapel. That evening, processions of Jesus de la Columna, Maria Santisima de la O and 'Los Gitanos', the joyful gypsy procession which begins at Calle Frailes, took place.

Another important moment in Malaga was on Wednesday, when a prisoner was released by Nuestro Padre Jesus El Rico. This privilege was granted by Carlos III when there was an epidemic of cholera in Malaga and people were not able to go out. Some prisoners managed to escape from the local jail, carried the image of Christ through the streets, and then returned voluntarily to prison.

Thursday morning is also popular in Malaga, when people go to the port to watch the Legion disembark from their ship.

In Malaga province, Holy Week is classified as being especially interesting for tourists in Alhaurin de la Torre, Antequera, Archidona, Arriate, Campillos, Riogordo, Ronda and Velez-Malaga.
It was Holy Tuesday, and the people of Malaga walked in procession towards the Levante wharf in the port. This was not an Easter procession, however. They were doing so to take part in a unique event which would become part of the ports history: the world presentation of the Symphony of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world. This giant, which can carry nearly 9,000 passengers and crew, made its first appearance in Malaga with 1,500 important guests on board: directors of the Royal Caribbean cruise line, around 350 journalists from all over the world, travel agents and tour operators.

The inauguration day began early when the ship anchored in Malaga at 6am, having travelled from the Saint Nazaire shipyards in France. There was a festive atmosphere, with live music around the swimming pools and shopping gallery. The party even extended to the Levante esplanade, where people arrived all through the day to witness this world premiere.

The cruise ship is aimed at attracting families. / SUR

At 4pm two tugs formalised the baptism of the ship by directing streams of water towards it, to which the captain, Rob Hemptstead, responded by sounding the sirens. Shortly afterwards the first emergency drill took place, and a video was shown of the major technology on board the vessel, which is 362 metres long and weighs 228,000 tonnes.

Later, some of the directors who would be travelling with the ship to Barcelona, from where it will make seven-night cruises around the Mediterranean, shared their impressions with the media.

As expected, they were keen to highlight all the aspects which make the Symphony of the Seas so spectacular, but they also said they were impressed by the attractions of Malaga city and the Costa del Sol. They were particularly surprised by the Easter processions and the unique ambience of Malaga at this time of year.

The focus of all attention

Malaga became the focus of attention for everybody in the cruising world when Royal Caribbean chose the port for the presentation of the ship, which has room for 6,680 passengers.

It was a tribute from the cruise company to the port, which will receive ten visits from five of its famous ships this year. Among them will be the Symphony of the Seas, which will be returning in October.

Royal Caribbeans general director for the Eurozone, and associate vice-president of the company, Belen Wanguemert, said the firm is working with the Malaga authorities on new projects for the city.

We always work with the ports and destinations to identify more opportunities. We have been doing that with Malaga for many years and we have a very good relationship. We are increasing the visits by our ships in line with demand. Malaga is a project which is always on the table, she said at the press conference on the 16th deck of the ship, which she attended with the mayor of the city, Francisco de la Torre, and the president of the Port Authority, Paulino Plata.

The mayor presented a plaque to thank the company for choosing Malaga for the world presentation of the Symphony of the Seas and for helping to promote the city.

This is a unique opportunity for the directors and for journalists from all over the world to get to know Malaga better, he said. He also explained that events such as these have many positive effects. It is an important complement to the constant promotional work carried out by the Port and the council every time there is a cruise tourism fair in Europe or America. This is almost equivalent to a fair of that type, he said.

Paulino Plata said that there are discussions in progress for the cruise line to use Malaga as a base port for its forthcoming projects, and said the talks are going well.

We are working closely together because Malaga is a top-quality destination, he said, and also stressed how important it was for the port to have been chosen as the venue for the presentation of this very special cruise liner to the world.

The Symphony of the Seas is arranged in seven areas, with 18 decks (there is no number 13), 2,759 cabins, 19 swimming pools, slides, a Central Park with 12,000 natural plants and a shopping and restaurant area with 26 bars and lounges, a theatre and ice rink.

The firework display which marked the ships departure from Malaga delighted all those lucky enough to be on board.
A plea was launched this week by the foreign community in Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmadena, for help finding a missing British man.

Forty-eight-year-old Anthony (Tony) Oldham was last seen last Friday, 23 March, at lunchtime in the Plaza de Espana area.

According to friends, he was wearing blue denim cargo type jeans, blue trainers, black polo shirt, a grey hoodie and blue rain jacket. They added that he disappeared with no phone, money or ID.

Tony was reported missing to police last Sunday and friends and family are very concerned for his welfare.
The CYD Santa Maria horse sanctuary is in difficulty. The recent rain, which has been beneficial for the countryside and agriculture of the province, has not proven as useful for this rural sanctuary in Alhaurin El Grande. The ground has become very muddy and it will take weeks to return to its previous state.

The horses, the majority of which are old or unwell, are suffering from the damp and the lack of spaces to sleep or rest. The seriousness of the situation has caused owner Virginia Solera to ask for help and donations from the general public, however small they may be. The animals that we treat require a large commitment due to the difficulty of transporting them, cleaning them and feeding them, she said.

The rain has been falling with no sign of stopping over the past few weeks. To recover we need more time for the ground to dry out; its an absolute mire.

The centre is unable to lay a concrete floor as they are concerned for the welfare of the horses, so instead are hoping to purchase between sixty and seventy lorries loads of gravel.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse 19-year-old was charged Wednesday night with possession of a loaded handgun after a traffic stop on the city's West Side, according to the Syracuse Police Department.

Police officers stopped a black Honda Accord at 7:26 p.m. in the 300 block of Delaware Street. The front seat passenger, later identified as Salah Felder immediately got out and ran, police said.

Officer Darren Ettinger saw the butt of a handgun sticking out of Felder's jacket pocket, police said. Officers pursued Felder and Officer Jeremy Decker was able to take him into custody in the 100 block of Fitch Street, police said.

Officers searched along the path Felder had run and found a loaded Walther .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun.

The gun had been previously reported stolen out of Charlotte, North Carolina, police said.

Felder, of Syracuse, was charged with:

Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon

Criminal possession of a firearm

Tampering with physical evidence

Fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property

Resisting arrest

Littering

Felder was taken to the Onondaga County Justice Center pending his arraignment.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Syracuse Police Department is set to hold a civilian police academy to educate people about the department's training and tactics from April 3 to April 5. The trainings are set to run from 4:15 p.m until 9 p.m. on all three days.

The event was "designed to improve the relationship between local police and the community members they serve." The academy will be held at the Public Safety Building at 511 South State Street.

Instructors will help attendees understand police authority and its limits while also training attendees on procedural aspects of policing, including use of force. In addition, the program will include "practical exercises" to help participants practice what they learn. The exercises are going to be taped by college students and will be followed by a discussion.

The instructors will also have facilitate a discussion about recently publicized deadly force incidents.

The police department has invited church leaders, activists, members and participants of Interfaith Works, media, Syracuse City School District administrators, neighborhood watch groups and members of the Civilian Review Board.

The program is free.

Those interested in attending should contact officer Dennis Burglingame by email at dburlingame@syracusepolice.org.
Lindsey Sabado

The Old City of Jerusalem

This past month, I traveled to Israel with 14 other Syracuse University journalism students and documented how Jerusalem looks today. You can visit the very places where according to tradition, Jesus visited and died.

For some, the events described in the Bible seem not only like stories or ancient history, but like an entire world away. It is difficult to envision Jerusalem, even as it exists today, if you've never stepped foot in the Middle East.

For those of you who celebrate this Holy Week, take a virtual walk with us down the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem.

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Getting there: traffic buzzes around the walled Old City of Jerusalem. Each year, several million people visit Israel- the majority of whom are Christians. According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel hosted an estimated 3.6 million tourists in 2017.

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Lindsey Sabado

Especially for those making a pilgrimage, the Via Dolorosa, a street in Old City Jerusalem, is of particular importance.

Though established more by tradition than precise archaeological evidence, this is the route Jesus carried the cross on his back to the site of his crucifixion, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre now stands. In Latin, Via Dolorosa means "The Way of Suffering."

Along the way, 14 Stations of the Cross mark the steps of Christ's uphill journey. At these locations, religious observers stop to recite prayers. The annual Good Friday procession through the Via Dolorosa draws thousands of mainly Catholic pilgrims who come to retrace the steps of Christ. Marches begin at 3 p.m., the hour of Crucifixion.

This sign - written in Hebrew, Arabic and English - marks an intersection of the Via Dolorosa and Al-Wad, the street that roughly divides the Muslim and Christian quarters.

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As you follow the Stations of the Cross, you are never very far from the Muslim division of the Old City and may hear the adhan- the call to prayer that sounds five times a day.

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Lindsey Sabado

Vendors line the Via Dolorosa selling T-shirts, bags and other souvenirs. On the uphill portion of the walk, storefronts surround visitors on both sides selling religious paraphernalia. On any given day, the streets are crowded with religious tour groups, general tourists and locals.

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Lindsey Sabado

Here, at Station of the Cross number five, is where Simon helped Jesus carry the cross. Processors, often carrying with them large wooden crosses, stop to pray- some visit every day during Lent.

One version of the prayer recited at this station reads:

Lord, you opened the eyes and heart of Simon of Cyrene, and you gave him, by his share in your Cross, the grace of faith. Help us to aid our neighbors in need, even when this interferes with our own plans and desires. Help us to realize that it is a grace to be able to share the cross of others and, in this way, know that we are walking with you along the way. Help us to appreciate with joy that, when we share in your suffering and the sufferings of this world, we become servants of salvation and are able to help build up your Body, the Church.

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Lindsey Sabado

Catholic tradition holds that here, Veronica, a woman of Jerusalem, saw Jesus suffering and struggling to carry the cross. She gave him her veil to wipe his brow, and the image of Christ was left imprinted on the cross.

The prayer begins: Lord, grant us restless hearts, hearts which seek your face.

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Lindsey Sabado

At the top of the hill that Jesus was forced to climb with the cross now stands the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, had the structure built around the year 335.

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Lindsey Sabado

Since its creation, the church has passed through the hands of several empires, survived fires and earthquakes, and has been rebuilt by numerous rulers. Because of its complicated history and Jerusalem's significance to multiple religions, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is now run by the ''status quo,'' a mutual agreement between religious communities to share the holy site. Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Armenian Apostolic are among those with rite to the church. While walking through the church, you will see people honoring Christ according to their own traditions, may it be prayer, song, candle lighting, or placing a hand on a relic.

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Photo by Riley Bunch, Newspaper & Online Journalism senior at Syracuse University

Within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a woman lights candles near the site of Christ's crucifixion.

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Photo by Riley Bunch, Newspaper & Online Journalism senior at Syracuse University

Guests can stand in line to touch stone that is believed to be the top of the hill where Jesus died, known as Golgotha or Calvary. The massive, white rock juts out from the floor and is encased in glass except for the single portion designated for visitors to touch.

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Lindsey Sabado

Walls within the church depict Christ's removal from the cross. The church also holds the tomb of Jesus which was discovered during the church's construction, as claimed by Constantine's mother Helena.

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After a full day of walking through the Old City and learning about Christianity, Islam and Judaism, our Israeli tour guide took the group to a rooftop that overlooks the Old City.

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Lindsey Sabado

While in Jerusalem, our group also visited the Temple Mount, where according to the Muslim faith Muhammad ascended into heaven. This is Islam's third holiest site.

This visit to the Old City of Jerusalem began our group's 10-day reporting tour of Israel, hosted by the Jerusalem Press Club. We also visited Tel Aviv, the West Bank, the Dead Sea, the Gaza and Syrian borders, kibbutzim, and more.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- After seeing their son recover from a heroin addiction that nearly killed him, a Manlius couple has spent $60,000 to help three other Syracuse area addicts get treatment.

Now Tim and Darlene Endy want to help even more.

They have established a fund to raise money to help opioid addicts who don't have enough money or insurance coverage get the kind of long term treatment their son received. The nonprofit Central New York Community Foundation is administering the new fund, Road to Recovery CNY.



"We had the financial means to help our son, but there are many other kids out there who don't," says Tim Endy, a doctor and infectious disease expert at Upstate Medical University. "This is a way to pay it forward."

It cost about $50,000 for their son, Justin, to get treatment for one year at BRC Recovery in Austin, Texas. The Endys' health insurance did not cover it.

Their son's turnaround inspired the Endys to help others. "If we could save a person's life, we had to try to help," Darlene says.

Their son got caught up in the opioid drug epidemic sweeping Central New York and the nation.

The U.S. is experiencing record high drug overdose death rates, primarily driven by opioids, which include prescription painkillers and drugs like heroin and fentanyl. Of the 63,000 U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2016, 42,000 involved opioids. On average, 115 Americans died each day of opioid overdoses in 2016.

Drug abuse transformed Justin from a 175-pound Fayetteville-Manlius High School lacrosse player to a 143-pound addict injecting $100 to $200 worth of heroin a day. He started smoking marijuana in high school and was using heroin by age 24.

He failed two attempts at rehab, tried unsuccessfully several times to quit on his own, spent 36 days in jail and was revived twice by ambulance crews after overdosing.

"He was so sick, physically he was dying," says Thomas Murphy, an addiction specialist at Belvedere Addiction Center in Syracuse, who helped the Endys.

On Murphy's recommendation, the Endys sent Justin in 2016 to a 30-day detoxification program in Tucson, Arizona.

After he left home, the Endys found hundreds of syringes hidden in Justin's bedroom.

"To watch your child go down this road is the hardest thing to see," Tim says.

After completing detox, Justin went to BRC, which specializes in helping addicts who have repeatedly relapsed. BRC is a highly structured program that lasts six months or more and emphasizes the 12-step philosophy pioneered by Alcoholic Anonymous. The state-licensed for-profit program is accredited by the Joint Commission, an independent organization that certifies health care organizations nationwide.

About half of BRC's patients are from other states.

Justin doubted the program would work for him, but gave it a try. He discovered his addiction problem went a lot deeper than drugs.

At BRC Justin says he experienced serenity and peace for the first time in his life. "That's when I decided to get on board and my behavior started to change," he says.

Justin, now 26, has been sober 18 months, has a job and shares a house in Austin with eight other young men in recovery.

In addition to paying for their son's rehab, the Endys have provided financial assistance to help three other people from the Syracuse area, two of them Justin's friends, go to BRC.

Marsha Stone, CEO of BRC, says she cried when she learned the Endys were starting a fund to help others get treatment.

Stone says the saddest part of her job is meeting people who want treatment, but cannot afford it. BRC has its own nonprofit scholarship fund for patients who need financial assistance.

Not everyone with an opioid addiction needs long-term treatment, Stone says. People in the early stages of addiction often do well in short term 28-day programs.

Short term programs don't work as well for people in the advanced stages of addiction who repeatedly relapse, she says. They need more time to develop the skills and resilience necessary to remain sober.

The Road to Recovery fund considers helping applicants who live in Central New York, have completed an opioid detox program, are willing to enter a long-term recovery program out of state for up to a year and have a financial need.

Without long term treatment, Justin says "I'd be in prison or dead."

Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A potentially deadly heart infection is ravaging a growing number of Syracuse area addicts who inject drugs, damaging their heart valves and putting them at risk of stroke and other catastrophic illnesses.

Syracuse hospitals have seen a more than 600 percent increase in endocarditis among people who inject heroin and other opioid drugs. These patients, some in their early 20s, often need six weeks of intravenous antibiotic treatment or heart valve replacement surgery.

Endocarditis is caused by bacteria that enter the bloodstream and settle in the heart lining, a heart valve or a blood vessel. Recreational drug users get the infection from dirty needles.

The annual number of endocarditis cases among people who inject heroin and other opioids at Syracuse hospitals jumped from five in 2011 to 37 last year, according to the Hospital Executive Council, a Syracuse hospital planning agency. Most of the patients last year were in their 20s and 30s.

While 37 cases does not sound like a lot, those patients require extensive treatment and costly care. The average national hospital charge for an endocarditis case is $120,000, according to a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The toll endocarditis and other infections is taking on addicts and the health care system is the hidden side of the opioid drug epidemic sweeping Central New York and the nation.

To help address the problem, the Centers at St. Camillus in Geddes has received a $2.3 million state grant to start the area's first nursing home program to care for some of these patients.

The U.S. is experiencing record high drug overdose death rates, primarily driven by opioids, which include prescription painkillers and drugs like heroin and fentanyl. In the first nine months of 2017 there were 71 opioid deaths, 25 of which involved heroin or fentanyl, in Onondaga County. There were 108 opioid deaths in the county during the same period of 2016.

"This is the underbelly of addiction that people don't appreciate," says Dr. Tim Endy, an infectious disease specialist at Upstate University Hospital who treats these patients. "You hear about the overdose deaths, but you don't hear about the kids in the hospital getting extensive cardiothoracic surgery. It's unbelievable."

After being treated for endocarditis, some opioid users leave the hospital, start shooting up again, then return with even worse infections.

Endocarditis is just one type of infection landing addicts in hospitals. They also come in with skin infections at injection sites and infections in their bones, spine and joints.

Endy had a patient at Upstate paralyzed from the chest down by a spinal infection.

"We see some people with multiple infections in multiple parts of the body all at once," says Dr. Helen Jacoby, an infectious disease specialist at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center.

Many of these patients have a raft of other serious health problems, according to an analysis of the 2017 endocarditis cases among opioid addicts by Shelly Littau of the Hospital Executive Council.

Those problems include kidney failure, liver disease, congestive heart failure, hepatitis C and sepsis, a potentially deadly complication of infection.

Addicts can get infected by sharing needles or not cleaning the skin prior to injection.

Jacoby had one patient who got infected after mixing a crushed opioid pill with tap water and injecting it. "Tap water is not sterile and she got bacterial infections with tap water organisms," she said.

Endy says some patients successfully treated with antibiotics come back needing a heart valve replacement.

Jacoby has seen opioid users who got heart valve replacements at St. Joe's return with infected replacement valves.

"If we focus only on the medical issue and not treat the underlying addiction problem, the relapse rate is high," Endy says.

He says the patients he sees at Upstate need more than a doctor just telling them to stop using drugs.

He and Theresa Baxter, an Upstate nurse practitioner, recently started an addiction support group for them in the hospital that meets weekly. Tom Murphy, an addiction specialist at Belvedere Addiction Center in Syracuse, brings recovering addicts from his outpatient program to the meeting to talk to the Upstate patients.

"When a guy in recovery talks to an inpatient there's an automatic connection," Endy says "Peer support is important for their recovery."

The St. Camillus program will provide a lot more than intravenous antibiotics to opioid addicts recovering from infections. The nursing home will bring in addiction specialists and care managers to work with patients while they are getting antibiotic treatment and after they are sent home. That program will take five patients a month from hospitals. St. Camillus plans to replicate the program in some nearby counties.

Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245
Syracuse, N.Y. --Lisania, Karen and Angel wait in line, each child holding their own passport photo.

Then someone realizes they have not filled out their heights on the forms. Their parents line them up and friends help estimate.

The kids, 11, 9 and 7, are smack in the middle of the nation's changing immigration enforcement. And this day, that means they must be in the passport line at a suburban post office instead of school.

Their mother and father both entered the country illegally more than a decade ago. They came from Guatemala, fleeing poverty and violence. They lived here quietly. They had three children, who are all U.S. citizens. The father works as a painter. The mother cleans houses. They pay taxes. She has a permit to work.

Both were discovered to be in the country illegally years ago by immigration officials, but they were allowed to stay as long as they checked in when they were asked and stayed out of trouble. But those policies have changed during the Trump presidency. Undocumented immigrants who were once tolerated are now targets as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials tick through their lists of undocumented immigrants.

In 2016 in the Buffalo region, which includes Syracuse, there were 1,103 arrests by ICE. Of those, 160 were non-criminals, according to data provided by ICE. For 2017, there were 396 non-criminal arrests by ICE out of 1,494 total. Those numbers will likely be higher this year.

Today, it is the children's mother's turn to report to immigration. Arely Tomas Orozco, 33, had been reporting to immigration officials since 2013. She always shows up. These days, nothing is certain. This time, they want her to report to Batavia, nearly two hours away, instead of Syracuse, where she has been reporting.

A spokesman for ICE did not respond to a request to discuss the case.

It's not clear why Orozco was asked to report to Batavia. But it feels ominous to the family. Batavia is where the Federal Immigration Detention Center is located. This is where a largely secret court decides the fate of immigrants who entered the country illegally, but often have been in the country for decades. The prison-like place, and the attached court, are tucked in an industrial park. The detention center used to houses men only. But ICE recently began detaining women there, too.

It is a place the Navarro family is already familiar with. Just last month, Hector Navarro, the children's father, was released after two months there in detention. He was picked up outside the family's Syracuse home days before Christmas by ICE officers. He was handcuffed and led away by. He had done nothing different, nothing criminal. His number was simply up. He was released on $5,000 bond Feb. 28. He has to report again next month.

When Navarro was gone, his son Angel, 7, laid out his father's clothes in the man's bed and allowed no one to touch them until he returned home, to wear them.

As he waits to renew his passport this day, Angel speaks English as easily as Spanish. His favorite subject in second grade is science. He drops the word "photosynthesis," smiling brightly as if he's talking about a video game or favorite snack.

Karen likes science, too. Lisania prefers art. She loved the one time she got to work with clay.

No one talks about why they are there. The children and their parents have already done that. The kids did not want their mother to leave for fear she would not come home. When their father was detained, they asked her, every day, if she would be home when they returned from school.

As the postal clerk checks each child's picture, Karen, the middle child, takes her mother's hand in one of hers and her father's in the other. Then she puts the two together, holding them there with her own. A tear slides down her mother's face. Lisania, the big sister, traces her mother's tear with her finger, shaking her head.

Just after 10 a.m. they are done. There is little time for good-bye. Orozco must be in Batavia, nearly two hours away, by 12:30.

In the lobby of the post office she prepares the kids for the worst. She dots her finger on each child's forehead and shoulders, making the sign of the cross, and asks God to bless them. Then she tells them to be good for their father. If she is detained, she will see them again in Guatemala, a country they have never known that is rife with poverty and violence. "You are strong," she tells them in Spanish.

She smiles and pushes them away. But they run back and crush her in a hug, all three of them at once in the post office lobby.

Then a volunteer with the Workers Center of Central New York takes the kids for lunch, and home, to wait for word about their mother's fate.

Orozco's husband goes with her and Rebecca Fuentes, lead organizer with the Worker Center of Central New York. Sheila Secilia, a volunteer, drove them.

The office they are told to go to is on Oak Street, the main drag leading into Batavia. It is near the detention center, but looks like an empty office building. Two wooden posts that used to hold a sign stick up, oddly empty.

Officers come out when Orozco arrives 15 minutes early. We can take you now, they told her.

They asked her some questions and released in less than 20 minutes. She was free to go. For now.

As she hugged supporters and friends who arrived at the nondescript building by the dozens to congratulate her, Navarro called the kids from the volunteer's car.

Today, their worry is done.

But it starts again soon: their mother is due to report in Batavia again in May.

Marnie Eisenstadt writes about people, life and culture in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246
Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse City Court Judge Rory McMahon was working out at lunchtime Monday at the downtown YMCA when another man collapsed by the free weights.

McMahon, trained in CPR since lifeguarding as a child in Camillus, immediately sprung into action.

He ran across the track of the third-floor fitness center and found the man, in his late 60s, unable to breathe.

His eyes had rolled back in his head and he seemed to be gasping for air, though McMahon said he thought only his esophagus was moving.

There was no pulse.

McMahon recalled the tense seconds -- that turned into minutes -- as he rushed to save the man's life. He spoke to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard after a reporter contacted him about the incident.

It was deja vu for McMahon, who said he's resuscitated people twice before -- once in the Onondaga County Civic Center and another time at a Camillus pool.

This time, someone had rolled the man onto his stomach. McMahon knew he needed to get him onto his back.

After rolling him over, McMahon began rapid chest compressions. Since the last time McMahon had to perform CPR on someone -- in 1995 -- the recommendations had changed: mouth-to-mouth was no longer considered beneficial.

So McMahon kept pushing into the man's chest. Another Y member said for every push, he could feel a faint pulse. So McMahon kept going.

"I was working out. I was beat," the judge recalled during an interview Thursday in his chambers.

A YMCA worker had gone off to get help and a defibrillator from another floor. But it was several minutes before help arrived, McMahon said.

"I felt like I was doing compressions for 10 minutes, it seemed like time stopped," the judge recalled.

Someone else took over CPR. And a retired police officer joined in. Eventually, the defibrillator arrived.

One shock got the man's heart going again. Paramedics arrived and took the man to a hospital for treatment.

McMahon said he did not know the man's exact age, guessing he was in his late 60s. He described him as a local lawyer.

For McMahon, he's counted on CPR training throughout his life.

On the first day of his internship at the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office -- in 1995 -- he helped save the life of a Fayetteville man who collapsed by the elevators at the Civic Center.

A second-year law student then, McMahon said he had to explain to his bosses why he was late for his first day.

"He just went down. I didn't even think about it," McMahon said then of doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. McMahon and three others got a DA's award for their life-saving efforts.



As a child, McMahon learned CPR as a lifeguard in Camillus. He said one day he pulled someone out of the deep end.

In that case, McMahon said he did the Heimlich maneuver, helping the swimmer cough up the water.

After the YMCA episode, McMahon said he returned to work with his hands still shaking. He had to work on prep for a trial this week.

"

I don't know, it's like the third time I've had to do this," McMahon said. "What's going on?"
John T. Sullivan Jr. is the former chairman of the New York state Democratic Party and a former Oswego mayor. He lives in Saratoga Springs. He is the author of a political memoir, "Pee Not Your Pants!"



By John T. Sullivan Jr. | Special to Syracuse.com



Being the governor of a state is a serious job. The bigger the state, the tougher the task. It requires tenacity, toughness, breadth of knowledge, ability to multi-task, experience with the machinery of government and vision, among other qualifications. Did I say toughness? It is not a job for beginners or political newcomers, whether they enter the political arena from stage and screen, or the business community. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, when someone seeks to run for governor, it is not their "first rodeo."



The late Sam Rayburn, famed Speaker of the House in the 1960s, perhaps said it best when he referred to the incoming Kennedy bunch of Harvard sophisticates. "They may be the best and the brightest, but I'd feel a whole lot better if a few of them had run sheriff for along the way."



Viewed from that perspective, the recent announcement by actor Cynthia Nixon that she would challenge Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for governor, however earnest her effort may be, is hard to take seriously. She will certainly add to the needed debate about the wisdom of many of Cuomo's actions, and to the perception that when it comes to ethics in government, he often talks the talk but refuses to walk the walk. Debate over policy is healthy, and welcomed.

But in the final analysis, if Nixon merely succeeds in giving Cuomo a second black eye, in addition to the one he already has with the conviction of his former right-hand man, Joe Percoco, what good would that do? Maybe we need to have a black and blue Governor who learns from the failure of some of his ventures, but from the standpoint of the hegemony of the Democratic Party's agenda in New York, it would only diminish its chance for success, rather than add to it. It could also empower the opposition, which is allied with the party that has been taken over by uber-bully Donald Trump.



I doubt Cynthia Nixon wants to help elect a Republican as governor. She could certainly succeed in making a punching bag out of Cuomo, quite to the delight of his many detractors, but the real question is whether she can win -- and then manage the office she would assume. She is unlikely to succeed in her Don Quixote-like quest to occupy the Governor's Mansion. The creaky windmills forming the machinery of New York's government do indeed need to be challenged, but the right person needs to mount up to do that, and so far, I see no evidence that Nixon has the requisite bona fides , knowledge and experience for that daunting role.



She does appear to be smart and well-informed, especially on educational issues, but that's not enough. She needs to be familiar with the entire state, not just the city. As I have often asked those seeking statewide office, " Can you tell me the difference between Oswego, Owego, Otsego and Otego?" That's a fair question to ask. I know that the former Mayor of Syracuse, Stephanie Miner, could answer that question. She is considering a gubernatorial bid , and would be unquestionably capable of doing the job if elected. She has the knowledge, the elective office experience, and the credentials to seriously challenge the governor. If Miner chooses to run, I would hope Nixon would defer to her and join her team.



Meanwhile, I hope she will take some time to familiarize herself with the state's vast geography, diversity, and myriad constituencies. This would greatly enhance the legitimacy of her candidacy. An extensive and intense road trip and listening tour is definitely in order. She could learn a lot in the roughly two months until the Democratic convention. And then, who knows? Miracles do happen and dreams do come true. But for now, going from Cynthia to Cinderella seems like a wish unlikely to be granted.
Washington -- Fired Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is not going down quietly.



Just hours after President Donald Trump announced his ouster, Shulkin published an op-ed in The New York Times and conducted an interview with NPR, according to Politico.



Shulkin told NPR that political forces in the Trump administration were trying to privatize the VA. He said he was standing in the way.



"There are many political appointees in the VA that believe that we are moving in the wrong direction or weren't moving fast enough toward privatizing the VA," he said, according to NPR. "I think that it's essential for national security and for the country that we honor our commitment by having a strong VA. I was not against reforming VA, but I was against privatization."



Shulkin believes it was those forces that prevented him from defending himself when an ethics controversy erupted over his use of funds on a 10-day trip to Europe. Shulkin said the trip was overhyped and mischaracterized.



Taxpayers funded the travel for Shulkin and his wife. The trip took place last year.



The spending included $4,300 for airfare for Shulkin's wife. Shulkin was also criticized for improperly accepting a gift of seats at Wimbledon and taking several sightseeing excursions.



Shulkin agreed to pay back any questionable expenditures. He told NPR all the expenses were approved in advance and said the trip was falsely portrayed as a vacation.



He said he did plenty of work while in Europe.



"There was nothing improper about this trip, and I was not allowed to put up an official statement or to even respond to this by the White House," Shulkin told NPR. "I think this was really just being used in a political context to try to make sure that I wasn't as effective as a leader moving forward."

Shulkin wouldn't blame Trump himself for the issues he faced, but said political pressure was abundant at the VA, according to NPR.



Shulkin also wrote of the push for privatization at the VA in his Times op-ed. He said some at the agency want veterans' health care in private hands.



"They saw me as an obstacle to privatization who had to be removed," he wrote. "That is because I am convinced that privatization is a political issue aimed at rewarding select people and companies with profits, even if it undermines care for veterans."

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112
New Haven, Conn. -- Children of President Donald Trump hit back at Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush after he took what were seen as swipes at the president during a talk this week.



Bush ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. During an appearance at Yale University, Bush said he returned home to children "who actually love me" after his loss in the South Carolina Republican primary.



The remark about his children drew laughter from the crowd and audience members said they took it as a shot at Trump, according to the Yale Daily News. Bush did not refer to Trump directly in that comment.



But he later called Trump a "Republican in basically name only."



The Washington Post pointed out it's not clear exactly what Bush meant with the remark about his children, but the story spread quickly online.



That prompted responses from two of Trump's kids, according to CNN.



Donald Trump Jr. wrote on Twitter than he loved that his father has guts, is a fighter and is president. All things Bush is not, Trump Jr. wrote.

Jeb! I love everything about my father. I love that hes a fighter, I love that he has guts, I love that hes President (all those things youre not)



Also love that he learned enough about politics in a few weeks to dismantle you piece by piece despite it being your lifes work https://t.co/4fcnA1AgAa  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 29, 2018

Eric Trump tweeted as well.

Others responded too, according to The Washington Post. One conservative Twitter account even resurrected Trump's 2016 campaign nickname for Bush.

Attacking a man by saying his kids don't love him is such a cowardly and despicable move by Low Energy Jeb Bush.



The Trumps look like a very happy family who are proud of their father's incredible achievements. #MAGA pic.twitter.com/gwaZV46kk7  The Columbia Bugle  (@ColumbiaBugle) March 29, 2018





Bush also joked about his own poor performance in the 2016 race.



"I'm not going to talk about the 2016 election," he said, according to the News. "I'm still in therapy."



Most of Bush's talk focused on the state of American politics and how a younger generation can create a reinvigorated conservative movement, according to the News. He discussed the need for embracing bottom-up economics, a return to fiscal responsibility, immigration reform and limited government.



"The 21st-century conservative agenda cannot be nostalgic about the past," Bush said, according to the News.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112
Budget negotiators in Albany have nixed most of the $1 billion in new taxes and fees proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo as part of a plan to deal with the state's budget deficit.

Only Cuomo's proposal to impose a new tax on prescription opioids -- raising $127 million a year -- had gained approval among negotiators as the April 1 deadline approaches for a new budget, said two state Assembly officials briefed on the talks Wednesday.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of the closed-door negotiations.

The new 2-cent per milligram tax on the active opioid ingredients in prescription drugs would be paid by drug manufacturers. The tax would help fund a $200 million effort by the state to battle the opioid drug epidemic through a new Opioid Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Fund.

When Cuomo unveiled his $168 billion budget blueprint in January, he proposed raising $1.035 billion through new taxes and fees to help offset an expected decline in federal aid and the loss of revenue under the new federal tax law. All told, state officials projected a budget deficit of $4.4 billion.

But leaders from the state Assembly and Senate have little appetite for the new taxes and fees, most of which would raise money from the healthcare industry.

One of Cuomo's controversial tax proposals would raise $500 million per year over the next four years by taxing proceeds when not-for-profit health insurance companies are sold to for-profit companies.

If enacted, the tax would be imposed on a $3.75 billion deal to convert New York's Fidelis Care, a non-profit Catholic health plan, to a for-profit company, Centene Corp.

But Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, warned last week the church is willing to walk away from the deal if the state imposes the tax.

Dolan told Politico that Fidelis Care and Centene negotiators agreed as part of their deal that "if the government tries to seize anything above a certain amount, we wouldn't go through with it. So, the worst that could happen to us is we'd go back to running Fidelis, which we've done very well."

Cuomo also proposed a new 14 percent tax on the net profits of private health insurance companies in New York, an expanded internet sales tax on online purchases, and higher taxes on cigars and vapor products. As of Wednesday, those proposals were off the negotiating table.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
Former New York Sen. Al D'Amato has been caught on video cursing out his estranged wife as she sobs on a hospital bed.

"Go f--- yourself!" the three-term Republican senator from Long Island says in an eight-minute video taken by Katuria Smith as she was recovering from neck surgery.

"Poor abused girl! Bullcrap! I'm sick and tired of being treated like I'm nothing, I'm s--t!" D'Amato shouts as Smith begs him to stop yelling. "No matter what I do it's never enough!"

According to the New York Post, Smith plans to show the hidden cell-phone video at their custody trial next month. She showed the footage to reporters Wednesday at her divorce attorney's office, ahead of an April 11 court date in Nassau County.

"It's sad," Smith said. "That's what he does to me on a regular basis. This is what my kids are spending four days with."

Smith said she recorded the video at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan on March 10, 2017, during an argument about their two children.

D'Amato, 80, and Smith, 52, are battling for custody of their 10-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. The New York Daily News reports a judge temporarily granted D'Amato primary custody of the kids pending the custody trial.

Fox News reports Smith filed for divorce from D'Amato in October 2017 and sued him for custody of their children. They were married in 2004.

D'Amato, who served in the U.S. Senate from 1981-1999, responded by claiming he was concerned about Smith's mental health.

Smith's attorney, Tom Liotti, said they released the clip to show D'Amato's true nature.

"It has turned out during the eight days of hearings that we've had so far that former United States Senator Alfonse D'Amato, my client's husband, is truly an inveterate liar," Liotti said.

D'Amato was kicked off a flight last year for reportedly complaining about his seat. Witnesses said he caused a commotion after a JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to New York City was delayed more than six hours.

"We can still speak in this country!" the ex-politician can be heard yelling in one clip. "And I want to tell you this, I'm making an appeal to all you people -- stand up for what's right and walk out with me!"

Broward County sheriff's deputies were called to escort him off the flight.

"Senator D'Amato has a long history of standing up and speaking his mind," a rep told syracuse.com last year.
Devonte Hart, a boy who in 2014 was at the center of a viral photo showing his tender embrace with a Portland policeman, is missing and at least five family members are dead after their SUV plunged off a cliff along the Northern California coast.

Devonte, now 15, is believed to have been in his family's vehicle as it went off a Pacific Coast Highway cliff Monday, killing his parents and at least three siblings.

Authorities continued late Wednesday to scour the crash scene, including the ocean, in search of the children believed to have been in the car and are missing, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said.

The victims, former West Linn residents who had moved to Woodland, Washington, plunged to their deaths when their 2003 GMC veered off Route 1 near the town of Westport and fell 100 feet, eventually landing on its roof on a large rock at the shoreline.

The three children killed weren't using seat belts and "came out" of the vehicle at some point, the California Highway Patrol said. The women were found inside wearing safety restraints.

Authorities on Wednesday identified the adults as Jennifer Jean Hart, the driver, and Sarah Margaret Hart, both 38. The Hart children killed were Markis, 19, Abigail, 14, and Jeremiah, 14.

The sheriff's office said they can't find siblings Devonte, Hannah, 16, and Sierra, 12. All six kids were adopted by the married couple, the sheriff's office said.

The crash occurred days after authorities in Washington tried to visit the family home multiple times after receiving reports of abuse and neglect concerning the children.

At a news conference Wednesday, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said officials have "every indication to believe" all six children were in the vehicle when it went off the cliff.

"We have no evidence and no reason to believe this was an intentional act," Allman said. He also said there are no skid marks or brake marks indicating why the vehicle went off the cliff. He said an investigation is ongoing.

The sheriff appealed for the public's help in retracing where the family had been in recent days.

In 2014, a photograph of a tear-streaked Devonte hugging Sgt. Bret Barnum during a tense "Black Lives Matter" demonstration in downtown Portland garnered global attention.

The photo, originally published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, was featured in national media, reached No. 1 on the social-sharing website Reddit and drew widespread Facebook attention.

"Jen and Sarah were the kinds of parents this world desperately needs," said Portland photographer Zippy Lomax, who had known the family since 2012. "They loved their kids more than anything else."

The Hart family was a regular at Oregon festivals and shows, Lomax said, including the Beloved festival in Tidewater. They also joined presidential candidate Bernie Sanders onstage during a 2016 rally in Vancouver.

"They weren't plugged in to the technology," she said. "They preferred to lay [around] and read books and hang out with their chickens."

Devonte frequently wore the "Free hugs" sign that produced the famous photograph. Lomax said the sign prompted other memorable interactions as Devonte and strangers embraced.

But the reaction to that 2014 moment overwhelmed the family, Lomax said, with much negative attention focused on the multiracial family with lesbian parents.

"They got a lot of negativity from that, and they kind of closed off for a while, honestly," Lomax said.

The family frequently traveled together, Lomax said, taking scenic routes to explore new places and new vistas. She imagines that's what they were doing when the fatal crash occurred.

Court records and recent neighbors, however, portray a family that was at times strained.

The Harts and their children left their home Friday shortly after no one answered the door for a visit by the authorities, according to neighbors and the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

Bruce and Dana DeKalb, who lived next door, said they rarely spoke with the family, which about 10 months ago moved to the remote wooded area in northern Clark County.

Dana DeKalb said Devonte had come to their home a dozen times to ask for food, saying his parents had withheld it as a form of punishment. The teen would ask the couple to leave the food by the fence they shared so his parents wouldn't know, she said.

Such interactions prompted the DeKalbs to contact authorities, they said Wednesday outside their home.

A Clark County deputy accompanied Cowlitz County Child Protective Services to the Hart family's home Friday but nobody answered the door, Sgt. Brent Waddell, a Clark County Sheriff's Office spokesman, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday.

The family and its SUV were gone the next day, Bruce DeKalb said.

Norah West, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, on Wednesday said the agency attempted to contact the family three times after receiving reports of abuse or neglect but was unsuccessful.

Court records in Minnesota show Sarah Hart received a 90-day suspended jail sentence and a year of probation in 2011 after her six-year-old daughter arrived at school with bruises on her stomach and back. The girl told a teacher, "Mom hit me," according to records.

Shortly after, the family moved to West Linn, where they lived until relocating to Woodland.

Bill Groener, who lived next door to the family in West Linn, said they kept to themselves and the kids mostly stayed indoors - even in good weather. Groener said the only contact he had with the family is when they went out to get the mail.

"Something," Groener said, "just didn't seem right."

Oregonian/OregonLive staff writers Eder Campuzano, Tom Hallman, Jr., Mike Rogaway and Molly Young, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaugh
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal judge Wednesday allowed Maryland and the District of Columbia to proceed with their lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump of accepting unconstitutional gifts from foreign interests, but limited the case to the president's involvement with the Trump International Hotel in Washington.

U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte's ruling dismissed other sections of the lawsuit that raised concerns about the impact of foreign gifts to the president from Trump Organization properties outside of Washington.

Maryland and D.C. accuse the president of violating the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which bans the president and other federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments as well as U.S. states. Specifically, they allege nearby businesses have been subjected to increased competition as a result of the foreign traffic to the Trump Hotel.

"Their allegation is bolstered by explicit statements from certain foreign government officials indicating that they are clearly choosing to stay at the president's hotel because, as one representative of a foreign government has stated, they want him to know 'I love your new hotel,'" Messitte wrote in his 47-page ruling.

But the judge also warned the plaintiffs that their "claims sweep too broadly," saying "it is a considerable stretch, however, to find the requisite injury-in-fact" to Maryland and D.C. from Trump properties outside of Washington.

Despite Messitte's limited ruling, a watchdog group that has joined the two jurisdictions in the lawsuit was quick to hail the judge's decision.

"This is a major step forward for the emoluments litigation," said Norman Eisen, a former chief ethics lawyer for the Obama administration and chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, also called CREW. Eisen said the decision suggests that states and businesses near Trump enterprises in other parts of the country may also have legal standing to sue.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said "we won the first round. It's a very clear decision that Donald Trump is not above the law and has to be held accountable to the emoluments clause."

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, tweeted: "We have standing to hold Pres. Trump accountable for violating the Constitution."

It was not immediately clear whether the Trump administration would appeal the ruling.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to address the issue during an afternoon press briefing, saying "I can't comment on pending litigation."

Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said "we believe this case should be dismissed, and we will continue to defend the president in court."

Although the Trump Organization was not a party in the litigation, the company said it was pleased that the judge did not allow the lawsuit to target other Trump properties.

"The court's decision today does significantly narrow the scope of the case," said a company spokeswoman. The court has yet to rule on several additional arguments, which we believe should result in a complete dismissal."

If the judge's ruling holds, it could allow Maryland and DC to press for documents showing how foreign government interests or U.S. states used the Trump hotel and how much money they spent there.

Late last year, a judge in New York threw out a similar lawsuit filed by CREW, ruling that the emoluments clause is an issue that Congress should address first. A third federal lawsuit has been filed against Trump on the issue by nearly 200 Democratic members of Congress.
The authorities are removing hazardous electric wires from the basement of an old building. After the fire in Carina Plaza (District 8), Ho Chi Minh City authorities tightened inspections at all buildings to prevent another tragedy.

A family in Nguyen Thi Nghia residential building is living with fire-prevention equipment. Their belongings and parking vehicles are blocking the building's entrance Doan Ngoc Hai, Deputy Chairman of District 1 People's Committee requested the authorities to remove plastic and fabric items of fire hazard from the ground floor of Nguyen Thi Nghia building The narrow corridor is full of resident's' belongings District 1's urban authorities are removing plastic and wooden items from the stairs in the Ly Tu Trong residential building District 1 authorities fined and relocated an art gallery for occupying the Ly Tu Trong building's exit A boy is playing with the fire hose cabinet at the residential building at 145 Nguyen Trai A fire hose cabinet used as a garbage can "The damaged fire equipment has not been repaired due to high costs, and the basement is clogged up with vehicles. People have many times tried calling the attention of the authorities to the issue, but it has not been resolved," said 51-year-old Tran Thi Nga, a resident of the building on Nguyen Trai Street. A fire hose cabinet blocked by residents' belongings 40 damaged, expired or used fire extinguishers from the Bui Vien residential area "Many people here do not want to replace expired and used fire extinguishers, even after the Carine Plaza fire. I tried convincing them many times to remove the old and damaged fire equipment," said a member of Bui Vien residential building's management board. The announcement of a fire drill at the Bui Vien residential building's ground floor On March 27, people in the Bui Vien residential building tested the fire alarms and discovered they did not work and had to hire repairmen. Since the afternoon, the fire alarm system in the building was fully operational.


Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has issued a letter to the U.S. Chair of the International Joint Commission asking that the entity maximize outflows from the Lake Ontario system to reduce the flooding risk for New Yorkers living and working along the lake's shoreline.

Cuomo's letter was sent on Thursday, ahead of the bi-national Commission's decrease in outflows from the Moses-Saunders Dam in Massena that began earlier today. The water releases are being reduced to coincide with the start of the St. Lawrence Seaway's shipping and navigation season, which has a huge economic impact on the U.S. and Canadian economies.

Meanwhile, the governor has directed several state agencies to "begin implementing proactive measures to assist residents, business owners, and local governments in the event of flooding this year on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River."

The Village of Fair Haven last year put some 6,500 sandbags around Little Sodus Bay to protect properties from flooding.

"We understand the governor's concern and share it," said Frank Bevacqua, a IJC spokesman. He added that Plan 2014, which is used by the IJC to manage the lake's water level has been "very aggressive at releasing water from Lake Ontario.

From September 2017 to the end of March the plan has released more than any similar period except for during 1986-87 when the water level was significantly higher," he said.

Bevacqua said the lake's level is currently 7 inches lower than it was this time last year, but 6 inches above the lake's long-term average. He added the lake's level dropped three inches in March due to weather conditions and high outflows from the dam.

Bevacqua said up until early this morning, outflows from the dam were 8,950 cubic meters per second. The flow is now at 8,550 cubic meters per second - the highest outflow that can be maintained without presenting a risk to navigation safety on the river.

"We are required to look at all the impacts (of the water outflows) on all interests, which would include navigation at the present time," he said. Another concern is flooding downstream from the dam in the greater Montreal area, but that doesn't appear to be a concern at this time, he added.

In his letter, Cuomo said the lake level is "forecast to rise six inches by April 23."

Bevacqua said the lake level "usually goes up this time of year. It's the normal seasonal rise."

Last year from April 1 to May 25, the lake went up 31 inches. "And it was flooding downstream (iin Montreal) and that limited the outflow from the dam, he said.

Cuomo said, "given that a matter of inches of water determines whether a house is habitable or a road is passable," Cuomo has requested that outflow decisions be made in accordance with the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty, which calls for the equitable sharing of this burden.

The treaty that Cuomo is referring to established the IJC and the principles it will follow.

"New York is in no way seeking to cause flooding (downstream from the Moses-Saunders Dam) in the Montreal region, but is simply looking for the IJC to take all reasonable actions to limit flood risks along Lake Ontario," the governor said.

Cuomo said that multiple state agencies began initiating a number of measures to mitigate flooding that may occur this year. At the Governor's direction, state agencies stand ready to deploy the multi-agency Lake Ontario Rapid Response Team, which includes experts from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Police, Department of Financial Services, and the Office of General Services, along with county and municipal agencies.

In addition, the governor said the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has already begun to deploy nearly 250,000 sandbags, sandbagging equipment, Aqua Dams, and other response assets to ensure that the counties and towns can take appropriate action now before the water levels rise to the point of flooding.

Also, the Department of Environmental Conservation has continued its emergency permitting process which allows property owners to bolster break-walls and other protective structures.

During and after Lake Ontario's extensive flooding last year, Cuomo and others put the blame on the newly installed Plan 2014.

However, IJC officials and other supporters of the plan put the blame for the flooding on the record wet spring in the Great Lakes and Lake Ontario watersheds - noting actions taken by the IJC would have been no different under the lake's previous water management plan.
Redistricting proposal places Tama County outside Rep. Hinsons district

New maps could lead to a remaking of the political landscape in Iowa  Tama County included. What is now a quadrant of four U.S. ...
Iran - More US sabre rattling?

The next deadline for the US to waive oil related sanctions on the Iranian Government is 12th May, Gibson Shipbrokers said in an analysis of the political situation.

However, after the latest waiver on sanctions, US president Donald Trump pledged that this would be Irans last chance to comply with the nuclear accord. The original deal was approved in 2015 under the Obama administration, following the International Atomic Energy Agencys verification Irans compliance. Trump is a fierce critic of the nuclear pact, which lifted many of the restrictions on Iran to trade internationally. He has said that if congress and the European signatories did not fix the deals disastrous flaws, the US would withdraw. The recent removal of Rex Tillerson as US Secretary of State could also be another move to toughen up the countrys foreign policy in dealing with certain countries, Gibson said. According to the UKs Financial Times, Tillerson, together with US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, argued that torpedoing the deal would be disastrous. As well increasing tension in the Middle East, it would also deepen Americas split with its European allies. In contrast, Tillersons replacement, hardliner Mike Pompeo advocates quitting the Iran deal. Putting aside all the political rhetoric, any change in US policy towards Iran would probably have little impact on the current status quo in the tanker market, Gibson said. Although most economic and financial sanctions were lifted, difficulties with US dollar transactions would again prove a major headache should sanctions be re-installed. Prior to the January, 2016 deal, European companies were reluctant to resume business with Iran, due to the possibility of unwittingly violating secondary sanctions, or damaging relationships with US banks. Acting alone, the US would have little impact unless Trump can persuade other nations, such as China, India and Japan, which have continued to import Iranian crude during the sanction period, to join any embargo. Should the US manage to persuade the original signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to support it, then Iran would be in trouble. Given this scenario, NITC VLCCs could be forced to act as storage hulls for unsellable Iranian barrels as before. However, today there are five less VLCCs available, following NITCs demolition sales last year. Iran could possibly attempt to purchase tonnage, through a friendly partner or supportive nation not on the US radar. Tanker owners presently facing extremely challenging markets might find it tempting to sell off older tonnage; however, this is unlikely to work. Iran might also consider placing new VLCC orders, probably in China, although this will not help in the short term, Gibson said. In terms of trade, taking Iranian barrels out of the market would have limited impact, as other Middle East producers would be willing to pick up any shortfall in supply and as a consequence, tonne/miles would be unaffected. However, the removal of several Iranian VLCCs back to floating storage could make a real difference, as Iran controls 5% of the current fleet. In the current political climate, Trump is unlikely to gain support from the European JCPOA signatories, as they no longer have the appetite for the cause, urging the US to respect the integrity of the original agreement. Since the embargo was lifted, many nations have established strong business relationships with Iran, including several high-profile US companies. Those nations purchasing Iranian barrels are also unlikely to want to change supplier for various reasons. The May deadline for the deal coincides with the US preparations for talks with North Korea, so Trump could play this one of two ways - making strong demands on Iran, thus sending out a signal that the US doesnt want to negotiate with rogue states, or most likely, more sabre rattling from the White House and the waiver moved forward again, Gibson concluded.




Tanker brokers set up shop in Singapore

Sentosa Ship Brokers, a new independent ship broking house has opened in Singapore.

Initially focusing on the clean and dirty tanker markets, the new company provides a full service to its clients, consisting of oil majors, traders and shipowners.

The team includes experienced brokers from Singapore, UK, Japan, Russia and Mexico.
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The URS Labs team has returned to the United Arab Emirates this week, after being selected to participate in a weeklong boot camp at the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) Innovation Accelerator. The boot camp culminated in a live pitch night at the Google offices in Munich, Germany where URS labs outlined how they plan to help solve hunger using the Made in the UAE unmanned logistics solutions.Mr. Bernhard Kowatsch, Head of WFP's Innovation Accelerator, thanked URS Laboratories for their participation in the recent Innovation boot camp. "It was great to have URS Labs participate in our innovation boot camp and pitch their tech solution to a wide range of investors and partners in the social impact spacer. We look forward to exploring avenues of collaboration for the future."The URS Labs CEO, Mr. Matthew Cochran, will be briefing UAE Government partners in Dubai and Abu Dhabi this week to discuss his company's participation and experience with both WFP and Google Developers Launchpad and what comes next for URS unmanned logistics initiatives globally. Mr. Cochran has been very positive about his company's participation at the boot camp by stating, "URS Labs is honored to have been selected to be a part of this important project and we are very thankful to Mr. Bernhard Kowatsch, the Head of Innovation Accelerator at United Nations World Food Program and his amazing WFP team."UN World Food Program (WFP) Innovation Boot Camps are often the first stop on the journey for many projects and start-ups. Over the course of five days, innovation and humanitarian experts help teams deep dive challenges, ideate solutions and refine project plans. Boot Camps combine innovation techniques such as human centered design with WFP's deep field knowledge and operational excellence.URS Labs pitched to an audience of donors, partners and Accelerator management at the Google offices in Munich on March 8th. Mr. Cochran said, "URS is committed to continuing to work with both the WFP and Google Developers Launchpad mentor teams we have meet in Munich this month to secure funding, hands-on support and access to WFP's extensive field operations to provide URS unmanned logistics to achieve the zero hunger campaign WFP has targeted."SOURCE URS Laboratories
Maybe this isn't the best time for Facebook to release a new product  especially one that collects even more data about its users.

As such, Bloomberg reports that Facebook has decided to delay the unveiling of its own connected home speaker, which was scheduled in its forthcoming developer conference in May. Part of Facebook's cold feet is, needless to say, a massive scandal its currently facing over sly and under-the-table data collection.

Facebook Delays Smart Speaker

The company's planned new products, which would expand upon its hardware portfolio, include connected speakers with digital assistant and video chat capabilities. The report, which cites people familiar with the matter, alleges that said products are undergoing a more thorough review to ensure that they make the right trade-offs involving user data and privacy.

The products wouldn't have been available until this fall, but Facebook had hoped to at least preview them in May. These devices are part of a larger plan to incorporate Facebook into more intimate parts of a person's social life, with the help of artificial intelligence. Concerns over Facebook's data collection practices, which blew over ferociously amid the Cambridge Analytica fiasco, don't seem to be stopping anytime soon. With this, it's probably best if Facebook holds off on announcing new products that seem like a ploy to acquire even more user data.

Facebook Cambridge Analytica Scandal

Facebook has been on the forefront of public outrage and intense scrutiny for the past few days after it was discovered that Cambridge Analytica, a political advertising firm, acquired information on 50 million Facebook users without their consent or knowledge. The reports quickly spiraled into a pernicious public crisis for the company, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now expected to face Congress soon to testify about the company's privacy practices.

Facebook's apology come in the form of full-page ads across the major newspaper in circulation, including The New York Times, but it's not clear whether this is helping to ease public unrest over its sketchy data collection. As if the situation couldn't get any worse, several Android users have also recently discovered that Facebook has been collecting information on calls and SMS all this time without their consent.

Facebook still plans to launch in hardware devices this year, Bloomberg reports. It's not clear whether the company plans to renew its policies on privacy and data collection or even promise to make changes around them. The upcoming conference in May is a crucial opportunity for Facebook to come clean and attempt to salvage its image.

Would you buy a smart speaker from Facebook? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Despite being doomed to crash back to Earth, the Tiangong-1 has made impressive accomplishments throughout its entire lifetime, which include providing useful data during global disasters and helping China fine-tune its plans for a bigger space station.

Before losing contact with the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSE), it managed to complete 1,630 days of service, though it has originally been designed for a two-year mission.

The prototype orbital facility was launched using a CZ-2F booster from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Sept. 29, 2011, and finished its final orbital adjustment by December 2015.

Based on the latest update issued by the European Space Agency on March 27, Tiangong-1 is expected for an uncontrolled reentry between the mornings of March 31 and April 2 in UTC time, somewhere along 43N and 43S latitudes.

Environmental Monitoring And Global Disaster Control

In 2014, CMSE officials announced that experimental space lab has obtained scientific data that is significant to the investigation of the Earth's mineral resources, the conservation of its oceans and forests, and monitoring of the global environment.

The same data proved useful in supplying images for emergency response in the midst of the Yuyao Flood Disaster and an Australian bushfire back in 2013. Though it wasn't released for public use, the information recorded by the facility was accessible to those who have paid for the service.

Experimental Model For China's National Space Station

Aside from data gathering, a report states that Tiangong-1 has allowed CMSE to master docking and other techniques vital to the development of the country's future national space station.

From November 2011 until June 2013, it served as the target vehicle for three missions. Shenzhou 8 was the first to use the prototype as a rendezvous location in November 2011. The mission managed the safe harbor of two uncrewed vehicles within a period of 16.5 days.

The next mission, Shenzhou 9, followed in June 2012 with a crew of three. China's first woman in space Liu Yang was accompanied by two other astronauts, Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang. Under the mission, they spent a total of 10 days on the facility to test automatic and manual docking methods.

Shenzhou 10 was the last mission seen by the Tiangong-1. It arrived in June 2013, with a three-man crew comprised of Chinese astronauts Nie Haisheng, Zhang Xiaoguang, and Wang Yaping. They stayed for 15 days to perform experiments in the fields of science, technology, and space medicine. Wang, in particular, streamed physics classes through live television broadcasts.

The 30-Year Plan To Build China's Space Lab In Low Earth Orbit

The 9.4-ton facility, which name literally translates to "Heavenly Palace 1," is a part of the nation's 30-year plan to build and launch a larger space station into the low Earth orbit (LEO) by 2020.

According to a separate report, such plan has been in existence since March 1986. It was formulated out of a debate among more than a hundred Chinese experts and institutional leaders from relevant fields. Government leaders approved the initial phase of the plan in January 1992.

To track the Tiangong-1's anticipated crash, forecasts of the event is now updated every one to two days. Unfortunately, ESA cannot determine its exact time and location.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
When an alarm system for a storage tank in a fertility clinic was found to have been erring for a period of weeks, it led to the destruction of over 4,000 frozen eggs and embryos  double than what the clinic initially thought.

The University Hospitals Fertility Center in Cleveland, Ohio, isn't certain about who turned off the alarm or exactly what happened, it wrote in a letter sent to affected patients. Had it not malfunctioned, the alarm would have alerted employees of rising temperatures in the tank.

"We are still seeking those answers," reads the letter.

Fertility Clinic Fiasco

The incident, along with another one that happened on the same day but in San Francisco, are two of the biggest cases of embryo losses in history, prompting fertility clinics and centers around the country to get a more thorough look at their procedures.

Several couples who trusted the Cleveland clinic to have their embryos stored say they're devastated about the incident because that means they might not be able to have children going forward. Attorney Mark DiCello, representing some of the affected patients, thinks some person inside the clinic deliberately turned the alarm system off because "they were having problems and they made the decision they weren't going to deal with it."

About 950 patients are affected, and it's dubious to believe that any of the destroyed 4,000 eggs and embryos remain viable for fertilization. University Hospitals apologized to its patients and blames human error for the incident.

Malfunctioning Systems

At the same time, NBC News has learned about recurring problems in other tanks that came from the same manufacturer. An investigation showed that Custom Biogenic Systems has a history of problems dating back to nearly 15 years. One such incident in the UK saw a cancer patient having his sperm frozen for fear of passing away before conceiving of another child.

The freezer storing his sperm malfunctioned, and the sperm was suddenly useless. The patient eventually died. The clinic simply said there had been a technical malfunction with the freezer unit storing the sperm, and that was that.

In 2003, it was reported that Custom Biogenic Systems was aware of 21 incidents where its freezers malfunctioned. That was just in the UK. Soon after, the manufacturer upgraded 95 percent of the devices and vowed for the remaining 5 percent to be complete by 2006. Therefore, malfunction issues shouldn't be persisting now.

The University Hospitals clinic says it's now upgraded to a new storage tank and a new alarm system. Furthermore, it has also changed the monitoring system of the tanks.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Vaginal mesh in Australia has been found to be used as a routine procedure instead of a last resort. Many women were having issues with the vaginal mesh, and the Australian senate found that this procedure was being used without properly informing the women about the issues that may arise.

The government stepped in after hearing complaints of many women who had a vaginal mesh implanted.

Australian Senate Report

The Senate Community Affairs References Inquiries released a report after investigating the vaginal mesh implants. Hundreds of women wrote to the senate to complain about the pain that they were experiencing after having the mesh implanted. The complaints include not being able to sit, not being able to walk, and puncturing their partner during sexual intercourse with the mesh implant.

In the report, the senate advised that the mesh implant should only be used as a last resort treatment for women. It also noted that there was concern as to whether or not health professionals had informed patients about the outcomes of using transvaginal mesh. The report also recommended that there be an improved awareness of the reporting system.

Other recommendations issued by the report include setting up a national register to be able to track all the implants, more surgical training so the devices are removed, and establishing specialist counseling programs to assist women who have sustained injuries.

Debilitating Side Effects

Transvaginal mesh implants can be a quick procedure to fix common complications from childbirth or menopause. Even though it can be quick, it also carries a list of complications as well. This ranges from organ perforation, infection, hemorrhage, to sexual dysfunction.

Around half of women ages 50 to 79 can have pelvic prolapse. This comes a results of the pelvic floor getting too stretched and not being able to support the bladder, rectum, and uterus.

There were no statistics kept on vaginal mesh, so the Health Issues Centre in Australia began a survey. In April 2017, it began on Facebook, asking for women's stories regarding the vaginal mesh. It heard from 2,500 women in six weeks. HIC said that it heard horror stories regarding the mesh.

Women who provided testimony for the inquiry told the Australian senate that the mesh that was installed left them with severe, chronic pain, made them unable to have sex, and caused them to have infections.

In November 2017, authorities in Australia banned vaginal mesh implants for use in pelvic organ prolapse. The UK government previous looked into the issue of banning surgical mesh.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Scientists have discovered the earliest human footprints in North America on Calvert Island, British Columbia. Archaeologists believe that the footprints are 13,000 years old.

This helps shed light on the human migration from Asia to North America by suggesting that these early people stayed close to the coast.

13,000-Year-Old Footprints

Researchers from the Hakai Institute and University of Victoria, Canada, published a study in PLOS ONE detailing the discovery of human footprints along Canada's Pacific coastline. Scientists believe that humans moved from Asia to North America using a land bridge during the last ice age.

This group of humans hugged the west coast of British Columbia to make it down into North America. Today, this shoreline is covered by dense forests and can only be accessed through the use of boats. The research team excavated the shoreline of Calvert Island, British Columbia.

During the last ice age, the sea level was 6 to 10 feet lower than it is today. Scientists were able to find 29 human footprints of at least three different sizes. Using radiocarbon dating, they determined that the footprints were around 13,000 years old.

Analyzing the prehistoric footprints, researchers determined that they likely belonged to two adults and a child. All three humans were barefoot. The footprints were left in an area that was just above the high-tide line.

The first of these footprints were found in 2014. Researchers believe the original footprints were left in clay and then were preserved when the footprints were filled by sand, gravel, and another layer of clay.

Kelp Highway

The last ice age ended 11,000 to 14,000 years ago. Finding human footprints in the area from around the same time strengthens the hypothesis of people moving from Asia to North America. This hypothesis states that humans traveled using the Kelp Highway, which involved underwater kelp forests supporting an ecosystem that helped people travel down the North Pacific coast.

This research suggests that people were able to travel along glacier-free areas between the sea and ice using watercraft. While traveling along this area, people could have also found various plants and animals that thrived in this region.

The footprints show that humans were present during this time in the area. What it doesn't show is what the humans were like or how they moved down the coastline. During this period, not everyone walked around barefoot, and some people wore animal skin shoes that may make it easier to walk.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
There was once a time where all critics were fawning over the Palm line of smartphones. Rightfully so. The way Palm handled elements such as multitasking and user interface was far ahead of anyone else in the market, save for Apple.

Things change in the smartphone industry, and they change fast. Palm went from being one of the most revered smartphone brands to essentially a nonexistent name in the pantheon of greats, toppled by tech heavyweights the likes of Apple, Samsung, Huawei, and Google.

There's been a sort of comeback campaign for failed smartphone brands. Nokia, now operated by HMD, is releasing Android smartphones again after folding a couple of years back. Blackberry, now operated by TCL, seems to be doing the same. Next up in the comeback roster is Palm, reports say.

Palm Staging A Comeback With The Help Of TCL And Verizon

Verizon may launch a brand-new Palm smartphone by the second half of the year, according to an anonymous source, as Android Police reports. It backs what a TCL executive said back in August, when he confirmed to Dutch publication Android Planet that the company is planning to launch a Palm handset this year.

Beyond those rumors, details about the phone remain thin. There's no hitting at what its design would be, let alone its specs and features, but suppose TCL aims to compete with premium-tier flagship lines, it probably would need to outfit the phone with current smartphone trends, including a nearly bezel-less design, dual cameras, perhaps even wireless charging, and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. Add a sizable amount of RAM and local storage, plus a decent selfie camera, and that phone will probably find an audience.

The phone is expected to run Android, of course, and TCL will reportedly call on Verizon to sell the phones. The carrier sold Palm phones back in the day.

The Smartphone Comeback Trend

TCL seems to be at the forefront of this comeback campaign, which it's also doing for BlackBerry, as mentioned. The company is surely milking early smartphone users' nostalgia by reintroducing the old brands for modern audiences. That's easier said than done, of course, especially with the smartphone market being toxic, tough, and crowded. TCL is facing a tall order trying to break into the market by relying on beloved brands, but as Mad Men's ad genius Don Draper once said about nostalgia: "it's delicate, but potent."

Would you buy a modern Palm-branded smartphone? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A mother who has been suffering from back pains for the past 14 years after giving birth discovered that a broken epidural needle was stuck in her spine.

The woman is now planning to file a lawsuit against the hospital where she gave birth, for what is the latest horrible case of medical malpractice.

Broken Epidural Needle Found In Mother's Spine

Amy Bright, a 41-year-old mother from Florida, gave birth Jacob, her sixth and youngest son, at Naval Hospital Jacksonville in September 2003. The baby was delivered through a C-section, and the family thought that everything was fine.

However, just a couple of months later, Amy started to experience severe back pain.

"It feels like fire, like a poker next to my tailbone. On occasion, it shoots down the left side of my leg on my calf, and then down and into my foot," said Amy to describe the pain.

It was not until last year that Amy found out what was causing her suffering. A CT scan taken in the fall of 2017 revealed that an inch-long portion of an epidural needle was stuck in her spine. The needle allegedly broke off when doctors from the Naval Hospital Jacksonville decided to give her an epidural over 14 years ago.

Amy and her lawyer, Sean Cronin, claimed that the hospital knew about the broken epidural needle but decided not to inform her about it.

"It's documented in her medical records that they had an unsuccessful spinal needle attempt at Naval Hospital Jacksonville in September of 2003," Cronin said.

The needle has now caused extensive nerve damage to Amy, who now has limited usage of her left leg and foot. The damage would have been avoided if the broken epidural needle was removed right away.

Removing the needle now may leave Amy permanently paralyzed. However, the same consequence will likely happen if the needle stays in her spine, placing her in a perilous situation.

Amy, who will now have to rely on physical therapy and pain medication to manage the nerve damage for the rest of her life, has accused the hospital of fraud and medical malpractice. With Cronin, she will file a lawsuit against Naval Hospital Jacksonville in the coming months.

Medical Malpractice Cases

Amy's case of a broken epidural needle lodged in her spine is, unfortunately, not the only recent horrible case of medical malpractice.

In January, an army veteran filed a lawsuit against a Veteran Affairs hospital in West Haven, Connecticut, after it was discovered that a scalpel had been left inside his abdomen for four years after a surgical procedure.

In February, a Japanese woman went through a similar ordeal, after doctors found surgical sponges left inside her body for at least six years.

Earlier this month, there were also reports that a neurosurgeon in Nairobi cut open the skull and performed brain surgery on the wrong patient.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
BBC2 has commissioned a two-hour mini-series from October Films, in which journalist and former British soldier Adnan Sarwar returns to Iraq to explore how the country has changed since he served in the country during the Iraq war.



Adnan Sarwar arrived in Iraq in 2003 as a 24-year-old soldier with the British army. He initially viewed his mission as liberating the countrys people from Saddam Hussein, but when parts of the population turned against the allied forces, Adnans life was changed forever by an ambush which killed one of his friends in the army. Sarwar saw first-hand how driving Saddam from power led to more violence and ultimately the creation of ISIS. Now, with ISIS gone, the series sees him is travelling back to Iraq to discover the country afresh, beyond the headlines and wars to meet everyday people rebuilding their lives.

Denman Rooke, Executive Producer, says: Adnan is the perfect guide to Iraq for this series. He brings a former soldiers insight and understanding of why  for some  fighting is a way of life, alongside his unique brand of warmth, curiosity and razor-sharp journalistic intelligence, which allow him to engage with and understand the lives of Iraqis as they look to the future.

Return to Iraq (working title) is being series produced and directed by Jamie Berry. The executive producers are Monica Garnsey and Denman Rooke and it was commissioned by Gian Quaglieni. The series is being launched to the international market by distributor Drive at MIPTV 2018.

Sarwar co-presented Octobers previous BBC 2 series Dangerous Borders.

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Bournemouth-based Outpost VFX has appointed Tony Camilleri to its board.

Camilleri spent almost 30 years at MPC becoming Finance Director in London and supporting the companys move into film VFX, the sale of the business from ITV to Technicolor and its expansion into a global operation.

I am really excited by the opportunity to join Outpost VFX as a non-exec and I am looking forward to helping a young, creative and enthusiastic management team navigate both the many opportunities and various challenges thrown up by the dynamic industry we work in, said Camilleri.

After qualifying as an accountant, Camilleri spent a small time in practice before moving to Trafalgar House Plc to work within the Building Construction division. After four years he left to join MPC. When I worked with Tony 12 years ago at MPC I could never have predicted a future where he sits on our board offering priceless advice and structure, said Duncan McWilliam, founder and CEO of Outpost VFX. Tonys knowledge of accounting, finance and the business of visual effects is some of the most valuable in the world. He was a key player throughout the history of MPC. Whilst our goals are more modest, his steady hand at the Outpost tiller will help us navigate the complex world of finance and make the right decisions for the companys steady growth and international development. I couldnt be happier to make such a high-calibre addition to the Outpost VFX board.

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Attorney General Jeff Landry is pushing accountability away from his office and toward criminal justice reforms in the case of the early relea
Louisiana State Police are preparing for Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul to release his discipline decisions about the fate of two BRPD officers in the Alton Sterling case Friday afternoon, according to an agency email.

The email said State Police had been told that Paul would announce his findings and then release video and audio of the Sterling shooting at 4 p.m.

A Baton Rouge police spokesman declined to comment about the potential timing of the announcement.

After Attorney General Jeff Landry ruled out criminal charges against Officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II on Tuesday, Paul said he wanted to announce the results of the BRPD internal affairs investigation into the incident by Friday. He also pledged to release video and audio recordings of the incident that have not yet been made public.

Landrys decision came nearly 11 months after the U.S. Justice Department announced that it would not pursue federal civil rights charges in Sterlings July 2016 death.

Alton Sterling shooting: What lies ahead, plus Tuesday's biggest developments in case Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry ruled out criminal charges Tuesday against two white Baton Rouge police officers in the shooting of a b

Salamoni shot and killed Sterling on July 5, 2016, during a struggle outside a convenience store where the 37-year-old man was selling homemade CDs. Lake helped wrestle Sterling to the ground, but didnt fire his weapon.

Landrys report concluded that Salamoni and Lake properly used various verbal and nonlethal actions to subdue Sterling before Salamoni had to resort to a justified use of lethal force.

Paul said he wanted to hold closed disciplinary hearings this week for the two officers. The timing on those hearings is unclear.

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+2 In Alton Sterling case, disciplinary hearing could pit politics against civil service law When the U.S. Justice Department announced last year it would not pursue civil-rights charges in the death of Alton Sterling, East Baton Rouge

Salamonis attorney, John McLindon, said Tuesday he believes the decision has already been made that the citys police chief will fire his client no matter what.

Both McLindon and Lakes attorney have vowed to appeal if their clients are fired.

Civil service law requires that Paul show cause in firing any officer  and that he justify that decision with specific policy infractions.

+4 BRPD: Alton Sterling video, audio to be released; attorney expects officer to be fired Baton Rouge police Chief Murphy Paul plans to hold closed disciplinary hearings this week with the two officers involved in the July 2016 kill

If the police officers appeal whatever discipline Paul imposes on them, the appeal could be heard in a proceeding before the Baton Rouge Civil Service Board. Under local civil service rules, the officers would have 15 days to appeal any discipline, which can include unpaid suspension, reduction in pay, demotion or firing.

Two use-of-force experts hired by the Justice Department criticized the actions taken by Salamoni and Lake in the 2016 fatal shooting, though both concluded the shooting was justified under the circumstances.

Cellphone videos caught part of the confrontation, sparking days of protests throughout Baton Rouge.
When the U.S. Justice Department announced last year it would not pursue civil-rights charges in the death of Alton Sterling, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome joined a chorus of critics calling for the firing of Blane Salamoni, the officer who pulled the trigger in the controversial shooting.

Broome, without citing any specific violations, said Salamoni should be terminated for running afoul of "established police policy and procedures." The mayor said she had been "shocked and appalled" by Salamoni's actions  described to her by federal authorities who reviewed footage of Sterling's death that still has not been made public.

"Our city deserves 21st century professional policing," Broome wrote in a letter to then-Police Chief Carl Dabadie, urging him to "consider the community and the integrity of the department." She did not call for the firing of Howie Lake II, the other officer who attempted to subdue Sterling.

Broome reiterated her position Tuesday, telling reporters she trusted her new police chief, Murphy Paul, to complete the disciplinary process "swiftly" so that the city "will finally have closure."

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Community activists have called for Salamoni to be fired since the Justice Department's decision last year. Sandra Sterling, one of the aunts who raised Sterling, emphasized that point after Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced Tuesday that neither officer will face state charges.

Even as state and federal prosecutors deemed the shooting justified, some experts took issue with the officers' tactics and failure to deescalate the deadly encounter outside the Triple S Food Mart  possible violations of Baton Rouge Police Department policy.

But as the focus of the Sterling saga shifts to a disciplinary hearing this week, Broome's call for Salamoni's dismissal could be on a collision course with the rigid rules that govern the hiring and firing of police officers in the Capital City. Politics aside, civil service law requires that Paul show cause in firing any officer  and that he justify that decision with specific policy infractions.

A weak case for discipline increases the chances the chief's decision could be overturned by a vote of the Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board. The chief said he will hold a closed disciplinary hearing this week and wanted to announce his decision by Friday.

"It's very difficult to fire a police officer," said Pat Englade, who served as the city's police chief from 2001 to 2004. "You better have your business in order when you go to civil service."

Alton Sterling shooting: What lies ahead, plus Tuesday's biggest developments in case Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry ruled out criminal charges Tuesday against two white Baton Rouge police officers in the shooting of a b

Some law enforcement officials said that Broome may have put the proverbial cart before the horse, and some attorneys familiar with civil service law said her public comments could be invoked if the officers are disciplined and decide to appeal. Both officers' lawyers have vowed to appeal if the officers are terminated.

"Elected officials should be very wary of prejudicing a decision like this before the process has taken place," said Ronal Serpas, a former New Orleans Police Department superintendent who is now a professor of criminology at Loyola University. "It might be that the department had ineffective policies and procedures, in which case it's a department failure."

Two use of force experts hired by the Justice Department found Sterling's shooting to be justified, but both highlighted actions taken by the officers that they found "problematic" or warranted discipline. Kenneth Sanders, a former deputy in Caddo Parish, and Charles "Joe" Key, a former Baltimore police officer, criticized how Salamoni raised his weapon to Sterlings head and yelled a profanity-filled threat soon after his arrival at the Triple S convenience store.

Landry, in a report released Tuesday, said that Sterling spun away from Salamoni earlier on in the encounter, after which the officer draws his firearms from the holster and tells Sterling in a stern voice "don't f****** move or I'll shoot you in the f****** head."

Key said Salamoni drawing his weapon was reasonable, and while he said its not illegal, his language "may have exacerbated the situation more." Key also said Salamoni holding the weapon so close to Sterling was a tactical misstep, saying he should have backed up first.

Sanders, meanwhile, characterized the entire move as possible grounds for discipline. "Salamoni pointing his service weapon at Sterlings head and using profane language was a policy issue and Salamoni should have been disciplined," Sanders said, according to Landry's report.

+5 Alton Sterling probe: Sources reveal specific, graphic details of fatal encounter With his handgun drawn, Baton Rouge policeman Blane Salamoni first approached Alton Sterling outside the Triple S Food Mart on July 5 and poin

Salamoni also tackled Sterling after the officers tried, unsuccessfully, to shock Sterling twice with a taser. Key described that tackle as the "dumbest" thing Salamoni did during the entire encounter, while Sanders called the move "a proper and effective destabilization technique."

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Key, in a telephone interview Wednesday, said the officers' largest indiscretions had been putting one another in danger  errors that could be remedied with more training. "I would be surprised if there were any real disciplinary action taken," Key said.

Shortly after taking office last year, Broome ushered in a series of changes to the Police Department's use of force policy, seeking to "close the gap" between law enforcement and the community. Among other changes, officers now are required to give verbal warning and "deescalate situations" before using deadly force.

Those standards will not be applicable in the Sterling case because they were implemented several months after the fatal shooting, said Sgt. Don Coppola Jr., a BRPD spokesman. The old policy says officers may use only "the amount of force necessary" during a legal arrest to "overcome any resistance or threatened resistance."

The use of deadly force should only be used "in defense of their own lives or in defense of the life of another person. ... It is essential that the employees reasonably believe that he or some other person is in immediate and apparent danger, the policy stated, before it was updated.

Paul, the new police chief, has declined to comment on which policy violations he will consider at this week's disciplinary hearing. He could consider a range of infractions, but the department's own guidelines  which are nonbinding  dictate that the violation should be egregious to warrant termination.

Paul could sustain a so-called "violation of law" complaint against one or both of the officers, even though they were not criminally charged.

Last year, the civil service board upheld a previous BRPD decision to terminate two officers, Travis Wheeler and Emerson Jackson, who had been acquitted at trial of the accusation they acted as lookouts while a third officer allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in a BREC park. The board based its decision on the "preponderance of evidence" and upheld the terminations for a "violation of law."

Report: White House calls Alton Sterling shooting a 'local matter' Asked about President Trump's reaction to the Alton Sterling shooting case, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday it's a "l

The bar for termination has been set even higher by other officers keeping their jobs in the face of potentially criminal misconduct cases. In December, two officers received significant suspensions after investigators found they logged hours for pay when they actually were at home. Patrick Martinez Jr. and Jaime Strahan were disciplined for shirking duties, conduct unbecoming an officer and falsification of documents, as well as for violating the department policy on carrying out orders. Martinez additionally was disciplined for violating the truthfulness policy. The DAs office last month said prosecutors would review the case.

Department policy defines conduct unbecoming as an officer bringing "dishonor or disgrace upon himself or the Baton Rouge Police Department."

Julie Cherry, chair of the civil service board, said a conduct unbecoming an officer finding theoretically could trigger a termination. But that infraction is considered a "Class 2" violation under BRPD policy. Under the department's own guidelines, a Class 2 violation typically carries a range of punishment between a letter of caution and a three-day suspension.

"Almost anything can fall into that category," said Englade, the former Baton Rouge police chief. "But to fire them over that, you'd have to articulate that the conduct went way beyond what would normally warrant a suspension."

Cherry said a firing normally results from multiple violations, citing policies like command of temper and failure to follow orders. "If a number of offenses are stacked one on top of the other," she said, "that could provide basis for termination."

Floyd Falcon, the civil service board's attorney, said disciplinary action likely would hinge on whether the officers used excessive force. Important factors, he said, would include whether a reasonable police officer could believe Sterling had been reaching for the loaded handgun in his pocket in the moments leading up to his death. The toxicology report  which revealed Sterling was under the influence of multiple drugs  also would be considered, Falcon said.

Given the report Landry released Tuesday, Falcon said he was surprised at the prediction made by Salamoni's attorney, John McLindon, that his client would be fired, adding he doesn't see "why it would be so likely."

+4 BRPD: Alton Sterling video, audio to be released; attorney expects officer to be fired Baton Rouge police Chief Murphy Paul plans to hold closed disciplinary hearings this week with the two officers involved in the July 2016 kill

Under local civil service rules, the officers would have 15 days to appeal any discipline, which can include unpaid suspension, reduction in pay, demotion or firing. After receiving that request for an appeal hearing, the board votes at its next monthly meeting whether to accept the request and schedule a hearing.

Appeal hearings usually take place over the course of a day and include arguments from the disciplined officer's attorney. Cherry said the board could hold a joint hearing for more than one officer if the case warrants that and all parties agree.

"This is a super high-profile case," the board chairwoman said, "but the process remains the same."
Baton Rouge paramedics are getting a second shot at stardom.

The city has signed off on a contract with producers of a reality television show with the working title of "Nightwatch" to be aired on the A&E channel. The Metro Council unanimously approved the deal at its Wednesday meeting.

The show will follow city-parish Emergency Medical Services workers as they respond to incidents and transport patients to the hospital, as well as examining how paramedics are affected by their work, said Rowdy Gaudet, assistant chief administrative officer.

Councilman Matt Watson, who sponsored the contract, said it would be a great way to show off the department.

The matter passed quickly with no discussion, in sharp contrast to the last time a television crew wanted to document city-parish workers. Last year, producers sought permission to film members of the Police Department, but council members worried it was an exploitative maneuver by people trying to play up tension following the death of Alton Sterling and rejected the request.

A CBS series also expressed interest in filming paramedics about a year ago, but ultimately, they decided not to shoot in Baton Rouge.

City officials said they haven't gotten a production schedule for "Nightwatch."

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Also at Wednesday's meeting, a contract with a company that hauls debris from demolished houses sailed through the council, despite much previous debate.

Some council members had been upset the bid might go to a company from New Orleans rather than from Baton Rouge, while others pointed out the New Orleans company offered a cheaper quote. Pro Tem Scott Wilson worried the city-parish might wind up in legal trouble if it didn't follow its public bid policy. That side won out Wednesday, and the contract was approved unanimously and without discussion.

The council also got an update on the East Baton Rouge storm water master plan. The city-parish has hired engineers to map and model the region's hydrology. Doing so is expected to help prioritize infrastructure projects to improve drainage. It is also expected to influence ongoing discussions about changing the local flood plain ordinance, which affects how buildings are constructed.

Fred Raiford, the city-parish's director of transportation and drainage, said the first phase of the plan should be delivered by the end of April. At that point, the city-parish may be able to discuss changing its building codes.

Raiford sought to manage expectations. He acknowledged that many leaders are interested in tightening building requirements, though that's likely to raise construction costs, so the city-parish must weigh its options carefully and in public.

Having data will allow that debate, but Raiford cautioned that while the first set of data is on the way, there's still more engineering work to do. The next phase is likely to last another year, though. Nevertheless, Raiford was confident the plan would be a boon for the city-parish.

"I guarantee we can reduce the flood risk for the citizens of this parish," he said.
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A Walker High School senior who says hes been threatened with expulsion over the length of his hair has gathered more than 14,000 signatures on a petition circulating on social media in his campaign to get the Livingston Parish School Board to change its dress code policies.

Jeremy McLain said he turned to social media advocacy after a years-long battle with school administrators who continue to insist that he cut his wavy locks.

The 17-year-old is backed by his parents even as the battle has heated to the point that his hair length has at times been checked at the school on a daily basis and hes racking up after school detentions over it.

"Livingston Parish School Board should abolish this unnecessary rule," McLain wrote in the online petition. "Your hair should never get in the way of your education."

According to Livingston Parish Schools' dress code policy, male hair must be of "even distribution."

"The hair may not extend below the plane of the shoulder nor down upon the eyebrow in front, nor down below the earlobes. Hair must be clean, well-groomed and neat at all times," the policy says.

The district says its overall dress code policy is meant to promote "the best atmosphere for teaching and learning."

A similar flap over school rules and dress code policies erupted in neighboring Tangipahoa Parish in 2016 when a Louisiana honors student and standout athlete was blocked from participating in his graduation because of his facial hair.

+3 Amite student gets own graduation celebration Friday; read policy that got him banned NEW ORLEANS (AP)  About 200 people showed up Friday to help celebrate a Louisiana honors student and standout athlete who was blocked from pa

Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre said in a phone interview that he could not comment on the particular student's situation.

St. Pierre, who wears his hair cropped, said he is simply enforcing the district's dress code policy. Any student who refuses to follow that policy, he said, could be disciplined up to the level of an expulsion. But, he added, the school tries to work with students before things reach that stage.

A photo provided by the student's mother, Sabrina Sisk, that she says was taken on Wednesday, shows McLain with black, wavy hair that sits just above his shoulders. The picture shows the hair pushed back behind his ears and out of his face.

McLain said in a phone interview that he prefers to wear his hair at about shoulder length, although he has cut it in the past in response to the school's enforcement of dress code violations.

"If I were to cut it short, it just wouldn't look right," he said. "Itd be really tall and poofy."

In an August email exchange with McLain's mother, which she provided to the Advocate, St. Pierre calls the student's refusal to cut his hair "willful disobedience."

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+6 NAACP chapter calls for Amite officials to resign after valedictorian banned from graduation because of facial hair spat AMITE  The Tangipahoa Parish chapter of the NAACP called for the resignations of the parishs school superintendent and three School Board me

"We will continue to check his hair daily until he is in compliance," St. Pierre said in an email dated August 17.

St. Pierre added that his own barber is willing to cut the student's hair for free if he needed assistance.

"We want you to know that it is not our intention to target any child, but we will enforce the rules as they are presented to us," he wrote.

In an email reply to the principal, Sisk said she disagreed with the school's insistence that her son cut his hair and with enforcing detentions over it. But she said she planned to take him for a haircut that weekend.

McLain contends that his current style does not violate school policy.

Nonetheless, he was issued two after-school detentions for "dress code violation" to be served in the next week, according to photos of the notices he provided to the Advocate. McLain said the assistant principal who assigned the detentions threatened him with suspensions that McLain was warned could lead to his expulsion.

It is the school district's policy that a student can be expelled after four suspensions. McLain says he has one suspension on his record.

"He said I will be expelled if I do not cut my hair," McLain said.

McLain, who said he works two after-school jobs and plans to work on the Mississippi River barges after he graduates, described the school's dress code policy as ridiculous, out-of-date and sexist.

The policy for girls restricts "extreme coloring and extreme hairstyles," as well as rollers, but otherwise requires only that the hair be clean, neat and well-groomed.

"Girls can have boy hair cuts, but we can't have long hair, he said.

Sisk said in a text message that they have also tried braiding McLain's hair close to his head, but that was also not acceptable to the school.

The policy for boys also prohibits "lines cut in the hair, shaven hair, "mohawk" cuts, extreme coloring of hair, "tails" or any other hairstyle which interferes with a student's performance or that of his classmates is prohibited."
A Baton Rouge state judge has decided not to revoke Louisiana rap artist Kentrell Gaulden's probation in the wake of his recent arrest in Florida, opting instead to add a host of special conditions to his three-year probationary period.

Gaulden, 18, a well-known Baton Rouge rapper who now lives in New Orleans, performs under the name YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

He pleaded guilty in May to a reduced aggravated assault with a firearm charge in a nonfatal 2016 drive-by shooting on Kentucky Street in Baton Rouge, and was given a suspended 10-year prison term in August and put on active supervised probation for three years by District Judge Bonnie Jackson. One of the terms of his probation was that he remain arrest- and conviction-free.

+2 Baton Rouge teen rapper Kentrell Gaulden lectured by judge, given probation in drive-by shooting A state judge sternly lectured popular Baton Rouge teenage rapper Kentrell Gaulden about his criminal behavior, his music, fathering children 

Jackson warned Gaulden in August that "failure is not an option." He told the judge then that he had made a mistake and learned from it.

After Gaulden was arrested Feb. 25 in Tallahassee, Florida, on a fugitive warrant from Georgia on domestic violence-related kidnapping and assault charges, the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office filed a motion asking Jackson to revoke his probation. In the motion, prosecutor April Leon called Gaulden "a threat to society and the safety of others."

Gaulden's attorney, James Manasseh, has said the allegation in Georgia is serious but "not nearly as severe as it's been made out to be."

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After Gaulden, Manasseh, Leon and Gaulden's probation officer appeared before Jackson late last week, the judge ordered that Gaulden have a GPS monitor installed, complete a domestic abuse violence program, undergo counseling and complete community service work at the New Orleans Mission.

Jackson also said Gaulden is to reside in New Orleans; refrain from bars or clubs; not leave Louisiana for at least the next six months, except to travel to Atlanta for court appearances; have no social media postings; and enroll in a GED program.

The judge will review his probation May 18.

Leon said the probation revocation motion has not been withdrawn, but merely tabled.

In the Kentucky Street incident in November 2016, police said Gaulden was one of two gunmen who hopped out of a car and opened fire at several people. Another passenger in the car with Gaulden was shot in the neck during the gunfire but survived. Gaulden was booked on two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Baton Rouge rapper arrested for alleged role in Old South Baton Rouge drive-by A well-known teenage Baton Rouge rapper was booked Thursday into Parish Prison on two counts of attempted second-degree murder in a Nov. 2 dri

Gauldens singles Outside Today and No Smoke have appeared lately on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Bayou Bridge construction equipment has been vandalized in Assumption Parish according to the sheriff's office, and on Thursday the pipeline company offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest.

Vandals cut hydraulic hoses and electrical lines, broke windows and spray painted messages on backhoes and bulldozers, though the pipeline itself did not appear to be damaged, said sheriff's spokesman Lonny Cavalier.

The contractor has estimate damage of at least $50,000 but possibly much more, Cavalier said.

Bayou Bridge is designed to carry crude oil between Lake Charles and St. James. Supporters say it will be a safe, necessary and lucrative way to bolster Louisiana's energy economy, while opponents have argued that it has already destroyed wetlands and threatens to leak oil and endanger drinking water once complete.

A federal judge previously halted work in the Atchafalaya Basin, though an appeals panel overturned the decision.

+3 Federal appeals court lifts stay blocking pipeline construction through Atchafalaya Basin A divided federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that construction of the Bayou Bridge Pipeline can go forward, overturning a lower court's 

The recent incident happened sometime over the weekend off La. 998 near Belle Rose, Cavalier said.

He said deputies are still investigating, though the company has blamed environmental extremists based on some of the spray painting. Company officials declined to say what was spray painted on the construction equipment.

"We understand there will always be varying opinions about critical infrastructure projects like the Bayou Bridge Pipeline and we respect the rights of all to peacefully protest, however destruction of equipment is not peaceful," the company wrote in a statement on its social media accounts.

Local environmental groups have fought Bayou Bridge in court and once held a demonstration not far from the vandalism site. During the earlier protest, three pipeline opponents sat on a portion of pipeline, briefly blocking work but causing no damage.

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Three Bayou Bridge protesters arrested, block access to work site in Assumption Parish Work temporarily stopped on the Bayou Bridge pipeline near Belle Rose Monday after a handful of environmental protesters stood in the way of t

Anne Rolfes, founder of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and one of the familiar faces at previous demonstrations said vandalism is not a tactic her coalition employs.

"I don't know who would've done that. We don't condone that type of damage," she said.

At the same time, "I'm not surprised," Rolfes added.

Both sides have accused the other of hypocrisy.

Pipeline builders argued that damage to equipment or infrastructure can actually harm the environment, though they did not delve into whether that was at issue in the recent case.

The company, in its statement, said the recent vandalism cause "significant damage and potentially harmful environmental impacts. ... What we find most concerning is the environmental damage caused by those who say they are 'protecting the environment."

Rolfes fired back that if Energy Transfer Partners, which owns Bayou Bridge, cares so much about the environment it should bring down the number of spills the company reports.

As Assumption deputies investigate the case, Bayou Bridge has offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Tipsters can call in reports at (855) 430-4491.
A bill that would ban public schools from "shaming" students who cannot afford lunch won approval Wednesday in the House Education Committee.

The measure, House Bill 284, passed 7-4 and next faces action in the full House.

In 2017, officials in a total of 20 schools denied 423 school lunches, said state Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge and sponsor of the bill.

The measure is part of Gov. John Bel Edwards' legislative package.

Smith said lots of children have been denied lunches because they could not pay, or their families owed lunch money.

"Children K-8 don't work," she said. "Parents are responsible for the bills."

K-8 means kindergarten through 8th grade.

Her legislation would outlaw a wide range of school sanctions, including requiring children to toss meals after being served, having school privileges withheld or being scolded orally or in writing.

However, officials familiar with the issue said that language was taken from model bills in other states and does mean those sanctions are widespread in Louisiana.

The bill sparked concerns that schools and districts can be saddled with lunch-related debt.

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers backed the bill.

Cynthia Posey, legislative and political director for the LFT, said when leaders of her group met with education officials they heard concerns about districts bankrolling unpaid meals.

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"Districts were incurring so much cost it was being taken out of instructional funding," Posey said.

Smith said some schools and districts have failed to take advantage of a federal program that allows schools or districts to eat free.

Debbie Meaux, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, said the state has to strike a balance between serving students while ensuring that schools remain financially sound.

That cost concern needs to be addressed in the legislation, she told the committee.

"The simple fact is if your students are hungry they cannot learn," Meaux said.

Smith's bill also spells out steps schools would take if families are not paying for lunches, including referring those with debts to the state Department of Children and Family Services.

Earlier the same committee approved a bill aimed at allowing families of students attending private schools, and others that charge tuition, to get a federal tax break in connection with dollars placed in a state savings account.

Those accounts already offer tax breaks for college savings.

Louisiana families of private school students could land new benefit from federal tax cuts if law is changed A little-noticed provision in the federal tax cut bill would provide a tax break for families of private school students, and Louisiana lawmak

The measure, House Bill 650 by Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, would extend some of those benefits to savings for elementary and secondary schools.

The bill now moves to the full House.
Standing room only as Rep. Jerome Zeringue, R-Houma, center table, presents his HB722 requiring oysters taken or sold to be "wholesome and marketable" and describes what qualifies as such in the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee Wednesday March 28, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. Patrick Banks, Asst. Secretary Office of Fisheries Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, listens to the questions while watching, left table.
Louisiana's Department of Transportation and Development would be overhauled, and its secretary replaced, under a bill filed Wednesday by the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Sen. Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, sponsor of the legislation, said the changes are needed to build confidence with voters, and boost chances that a hike in Louisiana's gasoline tax can win approval.

"Until we establish trust, we will never pass revenue raisers," Cortez told reporters.

DOTD is overseen by Secretary Shawn Wilson, who was named by Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Cortez's Senate Bill 498 would strip the governor of that authority in 2020. Instead, the measure would set up a nine-member board to oversee DOTD, and that panel would name an executive director to handle duties now done by the secretary.

"After having traveled the state and speaking to countless local elected officials and citizens from every corner of this great state, the constant message is a unified frustration with the way we do things," Cortez said.

"I have filed this bill on behalf of all of those frustrated citizens with the hope of making a generational change," he said.

Edwards said later Wednesday that it is doubtful that he would back the bill.

The governor said DOTD's problem is a lack of resources, not its configuration.

Louisiana has a backlog of nearly $14 billion in road and bridge needs.

'Irresponsible' for Louisiana to ignore road, bridge needs, sponsor of unsuccessful gas tax hike says The sponsor of a failed bill to raise Louisiana's gasoline tax said Monday the state should consider other options to improve roads and bridge

A bid to boost the state gas tax by 17 cents per gallon, and raise about $500 million per year, failed in the Legislature last year.

The Edwards administration backed that effort.

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Push to let East Baton Rouge, others enact own gas tax fails in House panel A bid to let voters in East Baton Rouge and four other parishes enact their own gas tax narrowly failed Tuesday in a Louisiana House committee.

Motorists pay 38.4 cents per gallon, including 20 cents in state charges.

On Tuesday legislation aimed at allowing East Baton Rouge Parish and four others to enact their own gas tax failed in the House Ways and Means Committee.

Under Cortez's plan, the nine-member board would be named by the governor from a list submitted by local officials in each region.

The panel would represent each transportation district as well as one at-large member.

Board members would be subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

The executive director would serve at the pleasure of the board and would be subject to approval by the Legislature.

Cortez said DOTD has changed little since the 1974 constitutional convention and "is not achieving excellence and is not designed to do so," he said in a statement.

He said 60 percent of states have similar boards to oversee road, bridge and other operations.

SB498 is set to be heard in Cortez's committee on April 5.

In a related development, Edwards said Wednesday he is proposing that $40.5 million of Louisiana's $122.6 million surplus from 2017 be used for 23 road and bridge projects.

That list includes new bridges at five rural locations and new pavement surfacing at sites statewide.
A Walker High School senior who says hes been threatened with expulsion over the length of his hair has gathered more than 14,000 signatures 
A local housing rights group released a report Wednesday saying that regulations for short-term rentals in New Orleans put in place a year ago have done nothing to slow the gentrification of traditional neighborhoods or the displacement of residents.

The Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative's report, "Short-Term Rentals, Long-Term Impacts," says the city has been ineffective at preventing out-of-state owners from converting homes needed by local residents into hotels en masse.

Airbnb pretends they are a home-sharing service, that their users are homeowners who are making ends meet by renting out their homes, program manager Breonne DeDecker said. But our report exposes that lie. What is happening in New Orleans is not home-sharing, but the hotelization of residential housing.

The study quickly drew fire from Airbnb and the Alliance for Neighborhood Prosperity, a group that represents local short-term rental operators, who said the report is biased and the information in it unreliable.

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Among its recommendations, Jane Place said the city should increase penalties to improve enforcement of existing rules, allow only residents to list New Orleans properties and allow each owner to list only one property at a time.

The group also said companies like Airbnb should be required to get permits so local officials can hold them accountable for violations by property owners.

The city's regulations, put in place a year ago, require those who rent out their homes using online platforms to register with the city and obtain one of three types of licenses. They also require Airbnb to contribute money to a city fund for affordable housing.

The Jane Place analysis found there are 4,319 listings for entire homes in New Orleans on Airbnb alone, an increase of 232 percent since 2015.

DeDecker said the top 10 short-term rental operators together control 568 units in New Orleans and that 18 percent of short-term rental operators control nearly half of the permitted properties. The report also said that 82 percent of Airbnb listings in the city are for whole homes available an average of 174 nights per year.

These operators are not strapped homeowners making ends meet by occasionally renting out space," DeDecker said. "And it is offensive for Airbnb and pro-short-term-rental lobbyists to pretend that these individuals and corporations are just homeowners trying to stay afloat.

But Airbnb said it is a mistake to think that every listing represents a home taken off the market, and it countered with its own statistics.

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The company said 77 percent of whole-home hosts have only one such listing, that the average Airbnb host has lived in New Orleans for 24 years and that 64 percent of hosts are sharing their primary residence.

Further, it said, a majority of Airbnb hosts make significantly less than they would if they rented their space to a long-term tenant, which the company said means that they likely are not removing housing from the long-term rental market.

The Jane Place Initiative said it used data collected from the citys publicly available permit database, reports on monthly usage from short-term rental platforms and information culled from Airbnb listings, a process known as "scraping" that Airbnb said is inherently inaccurate.

For starters, the company said, hosts' calendars are not always up to date and it should not be assumed that a date listed as "blocked" means the property is rented then.

This study relies on unreliable scraped data to make false conclusions about our community when the reality is the vast majority of New Orleans hosts are sharing the homes in which they live," the company said.

Earlier this week, the City Council ordered a full review of the short-term rental legislation it passed 18 months ago and its impact so far. The City Planning Commission will host a series of meetings and produce a study for the council to vote on in July, by which time all but two of the sitting council members will have been replaced by those elected last year.

Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell, who also will have taken office by then, has said she thinks there are "bad actors" in the short-term rental market who have requested new zoning designations that would effectively allow commercial uses to encroach into residential neighborhoods.

Councilman Jason Williams has criticized the city's effort to enforce the law, which took effect in April.

Lydia Nichols, Jane Places public programs coordinator, said neighborhoods like Central City, where she grew up, and the 7th Ward, where she now lives, are reeling from a surge in short-term rentals.

She said that while she empathizes with those who turn to short-term renting to pay debts and living expenses, the majority of short-term rentals "are not operated by our neighbors."

Eric Bay, president of the Alliance for Neighborhood Prosperity, said he respects Jane Place's work to promote affordable housing but that short-term rentals are being scapegoated for the larger problem of the city's lack of affordable housing.

He said there are far more available rental units than there are short-term rentals, and that New Orleans is still awash in blighted housing that needs to be put back into commerce.

Bay said there is a need for more reliable data to help the city tackle its housing issues while allowing property owners to rent short-term.
A Metairie man was ejected from a vehicle and killed during a crash on I-10 west in Ascension Parish on Thursday, according to a Louisiana State Police news release.

Senior Trooper Bryan Lee, a state police spokesman, said 40-year-old Charles Carter Jr., of New Orleans, was driving a Porsche Cayenne and rear-ended a Ford Explorer shortly after 1 a.m. on I-10 west of La. 30, which is near Gonazles.

The Ford Explorer, driven by 32-year-old Elner Medina of Terrytown, traveled into the median and started flipping, Lee said. Medina and four other unrestrained passengers were ejected from the vehicle during the crash.

One passenger, 28-year-old Jefferson Andino, died on the scene. The other occupants of the Ford Explorer were hospitalized with serious injuries. Carter was treated on the scene for minor injuries.

Lee said police continue to investigate why Carter struck the Ford Explorer, but they do suspect impairment as a factor in the crash. Charges are pending, Lee said.
New Orleans authorities on Thursday released dramatic footage of a March 14 stick-up at a pawn shop in Gentilly.

The gunman shown in the security camera video stormed into the Cash America Pawn store at 3051 Gentilly Blvd. that day, and stole cash from the register and swiped two guns, police said.

Police asked anyone with information to call 504-841-7100. Tipsters may be eligible for a $10,000 reward.

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Paro the furry seal cries softly while an elderly woman pets it. Pepper, a humanoid, waves while leading a group of senior citizens in exercises. The upright Tree guides a disabled man taking shaky steps, saying in a gentle feminine voice, right, left, well done!

Robots have the run of Tokyos Shin-tomi nursing home, which uses 20 different models to care for its residents. The Japanese government hopes it will be a model for harnessing the countrys robotics expertise to help cope with a swelling elderly population and dwindling workforce.

Allowing robots to help care for the elderly - a job typically seen as requiring a human touch - may be a jarring idea in the West. But many Japanese see them positively, largely because they are depicted in popular media as friendly and helpful.

These robots are wonderful, said 84-year-old Kazuko Yamada after the exercise session with SoftBank Robotics Corps Pepper, which can carry on scripted dialogues. More people live alone these days, and a robot can be a conversation partner for them. It will make life more fun.

Plenty of obstacles may hinder a rapid proliferation of elder care robots: high costs, safety issues and doubts about how useful - and user-friendly - they will be.

The Japanese government has been funding development of elder care robots to help fill a projected shortfall of 380,000 specialized workers by 2025.

Despite steps by Japan to allow foreign workers in for elder care, obstacles to employment in the sector, including exams in Japanese, remain. As of the end of 2017, only 18 foreigners held nursing care visas, a new category created in 2016.

But authorities and companies here are also eyeing a larger prize: a potentially lucrative export industry supplying robots to places such as Germany, China and Italy, which face similar demographic challenges now or in the near future.

Its an opportunity for us, said Atsushi Yasuda, director of the robotic policy office at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry or METI. Other countries will follow the same trend.

More than 100 foreign groups have visited Shin-tomi the past year from countries including China, South Korea and the Netherlands.

A few products are trickling out as exports: Panasonic Corp has started shipping its robotic bed, which transforms into a wheelchair, to Taiwan. Paro is used as a therapy animal in about 400 Danish senior homes.

Read also: Saudi Arabia is first country to grant citizenship to robot

Still tiny

The global market for nursing care and disabled aid robots, made up of mostly Japanese manufacturers, is still tiny: just $19.2 million in 2016, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

But METI estimates the domestic industry alone will grow to 400 billion yen ($3.8 billion) by 2035, when a third of Japans population will be 65 or older.

Its potentially a huge market, said George Leeson, director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. Everyone is waking up to their aging populations. Clearly robotics is part of that package to address those needs.

To nurture the industry, the government is using a two-pronged approach. METI is promoting development, providing 4.7 billion yen ($45 million) in subsidies since 2015.

The labor ministry is spearheading the spread of robots, and spent 5.2 billion yen ($50 million) to introduce them into 5,000 facilities nationwide in the year that ended last March. There is no government data about how many care facilities use robots.

Government officials stress that robots will not replace human caregivers.

They can assist with power, mobility and monitoring. They cant replace humans, but they can save time and labor, said METIs Yasuda. If workers have more time, they can do other tasks.

Read also: Chinese robot becomes world' first machine to pass medical exam

That's a robot?

Most of the devices look nothing like the popular image of a robot. By the governments definition, each has three components - sensors, a processor and a motor or apparatus.

Panasonic used government aid to develop Resyone, a bed that splits in two, with one half transforming into a wheelchair.

Cyberdyne Incs HAL - short for Hybrid Assistive Limb - lumbar type is a powered back support that helps caregivers lift people.

Those needing walking rehabilitation can grab hold of Tree, made by unlisted Reif Co, which crawls along the ground, showing where to place the next step and offering balance support.

SoftBanks Pepper is used in about 500 Japanese elder care homes for games, exercise routines and rudimentary conversations.

But some workers find Pepper difficult to set up, said Shohei Fujiwara, a manager at SoftBank Robotics, a unit of Internet conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. Theyd like Pepper to respond to voice commands and move around independently - functions that SoftBank hopes to introduce this year, he said.

Read also: New 'emotional' robots aim to read human feelings

A costly solution

Cute, furry and responsive, Paro reacts to touch, speech and light by moving its head, blinking its eyes and playing recordings of Canadian harp seal cries.

When I first petted it, it moved in such a cute way. It really seemed like it was alive, giggled 79-year-old Saki Sakamoto, a Shin-tomi resident. Once I touched it, I couldnt let go.

Paro took more than 10 years to develop and received about $20 million in government support, said its inventor, Takanori Shibata, chief research scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. About 5,000 are in use globally, including 3,000 in Japan.

But Paro, like most robots, is expensive: 400,000 yen ($3,800) in Japan and about 5,000 euros in Europe. Panasonics Resyone bed costs 900,000 yen ($8,600) and Cyberdynes HAL lumbar exoskeleton costs 100,000 yen ($950) a month to rent.

Most facilities using them, including Shin-tomi, have relied on local and central government subsidies to help cover the costs. Individuals can also use nursing care insurance to help cover approved products, but those numbers are tiny.

And so far, the robots have not reduced Shin-tomis personnel costs or working hours.

We havent gotten that far yet, said Kimiya Ishikawa, president and CEO of Silverwing Social Welfare Corp, which runs Shin-tomi. We brought them in mostly to improve the working environment, keep staffers from getting back injuries and make things safer.

What they have done, he said, is boost the morale of both staff and residents.

Thats brought a peace of mind among the staff and the residents feel supported, he said.
Vern Vierra, the owner of St Jorge Winery in Lodi, California, has been exporting wine to China for eight years. Now he faces a new challengeChina is planning to impose a 15 percent tariff on US wine and other products in response to the proposed US tariff increases on Chinese imports.

"We are not going to go with that," said Vierra. "The agricultural community in the United States is going to pressure the politicians in Washington to stop the tariffs on aluminum and steel."

US President Donald Trump announced on March 8 the imposition of import tariffs on China's steel and aluminum. He made a second announcement of tariff increases on a wide range of Chinese imports valued at $60 billion on Thursday.

China announced on Friday compensatory tariffs on 128 US products, including wine, fruit, steel and pork targeting approximately $3 billion worth of imports from the US.

"Additional taxes are never good when it comes to exporting goods from one country to the other," said Farrah Felten, vice-president of marketing and sales at Klinker Brick Winery in Lodi.

"The producers of the products will see smaller orders than they are used to, or no orders at all, and the end consumer of the products will end up seeing price increases in restaurants and on store shelves," she said.

Her winery will ship the first order of 1,000 cases of its old vine zinfandel to China on Thursday.

"But, right now it's too early to really tell what the true ramifications of the added tariffs are. We will have to see what happens in the next couple of months," she said.

St Jorge Winery has plans to further explore the Chinese market this year. It has partnered with the Shenzhen Wine Industry Association to provide St Jorge wines to restaurants in the city.

China, which purchases only a tiny market share of US wine, is the fastest growing market. US wine exports, 97 percent from California, have been strong in China, including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with 10 percent growth to over $210 million in 2017, according to the California Wine Institute, a research and advocacy group.

China is expected to surpass the UK as the second-largest wine consuming market by 2020, behind the US.

But California wine exports are expected to suffer if an agreement cannot be reached between Beijing and Washington.

Read also: Pinot noir, from Burgundy to Oregon

"President Trump's decision to address United States trade issues by the use of threats and increased tariffs risks undoing decades of work and investment to grow California wine exports," California Association of Winegrape Growers President John Aguirre said in a statement on Friday.

"The current path of tariffs and trade wars is sure to result in tremendous harm to California agriculture and future wine exports," said Aguirre.

There's a period of 15 days for the US government to determine which imported items are subject to the tariffs and there's another 30-day public comment period for US companies, consumer groups, businesses and organizations to tell the US government that this is a bad idea, said Brian Peck, chairman of Los Angeles Regional Export Council.

Vierra said he was confident the proposed US tariffs will not be approved. "The exports of agricultural products to China are greater than the imports of steel and aluminum. So I don't see that it will be approved," he said.
The first Van Gogh painting to go under the hammer in France in more than two decades was unveiled Wednesday.

"Women Mending Nets in the Dunes", which the Dutch artist painted early in his career at Scheveningen near The Hague, is expected to go for around five million euros ($6 million) when it is auctioned in June.

But with the art market booming, and prices for artists like Vincent Van Gogh rocketing, experts said it was hard to predict exactly when the bidding would stop.

The scene dates from the same period in 1882 when Van Gogh painted "View of the Sea at Scheveningen", which was stolen by the Italian Camorra organised crime syndicate from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2002 and discovered in Naples in 2016 thanks to a tip-off from a suspected drug trafficker.

The oil on paper, which belongs to a European collector, also graced the walls of the Van Gogh Museum for several years after being previously on show in Montreal.

Read also: Major Van Gogh exhibition opening in London next year

Bruno Jaubert, of auction house Artcurial, said the work comes from very early in Van Gogh's career, when he was painting working-class people in his homeland.

"He had only started painting two years before," he told AFP.

Jaubert described the sale as an art market event, "with fewer and fewer Van Goghs coming to the market."

The world record for a Van Gogh was for his "Portrait of Dr Gachet", which sold for $82.5 million in 1990.

"Women Mending Nets in the Dunes" will be sold on June 4 along with five minor works by Van Gogh's friend Paul Gauguin.

One of them, a portrait of the artist's childhood friend Claude Antoine Charles Favre, is expected to go for between 180,000 and 250,000 euros.
Arkiv Vilmansa has ventured beyond designing toys to create a glass art piece for a limited collection in collaboration with Swedish furniture retailer Ikea.

The Bandung-based artist created one of eight figurines designed by artists around the world that will be available at Ikea stores worldwide in the 2018 Art Event.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Arkiv said his collaboration with Ikea began in 2015, when the retail company approached him after seeing his work at an exhibition in Manila, the Philippines.

Arkiv immediately began work on a design for the annual collection, which this year focuses on glass art, an iconic Swedish art form that experienced a boom in the 1800s.

"I had never worked with glass before. As a toy designer, I mostly work with vinyl," said Arkiv.

The architecture graduate, however, rose to the challenge with enthusiasm. After proposing three designs, Arkiv's red-gold "Hira" was eventually chosen for the limited collection.

Read also: A tale of two artists

In 2016, Arkiv headed to the Scandinavian nation to watch the figurines' production first hand at a factory in Maleras, not far from Ikea's headquarters in Almhult. There, he witnessed the precision and skills applied to produce each figurine.

"It's all about craftsmanship. In the production, each figurine goes through a one-time process from start to finish, without the opportunity for adjustment along the way, so it has to be perfect," he said.

Arkiv Vilmansa has created 'Hira' for Ikea's 2018 Art Event. The red-gold abstract piece was inspired by the Cave of Hira story, and represents life. (JP/Liza Yosephine)

The name of his figured was inspired by the story of the Cave of Hira, where the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Holy Koran. The skull-like design of the figurine, Arkiv said, was an abstract visualization of life.

Ikea Indonesia marketing manager Eliza Fazia said the annual Art Event aimed to democratize artwork and bring art into every home.

"For this reason, Ikea collaborates with world-renowned artists to create quality artwork that are still affordable," said Eliza. She added that each piece was available for Rp 799,000 (US$58).

Other designers involved in this year's collaboration include US toy designer and artist Joe Ledbetter, Hong Kong illustrator and toy designer Michael Lau, as well as Mark Landwehr and Sven Wasch of the German artistic duo Coarse, who created a fox in teal glass.

Germany's Coarse has created a teal Fox for the limited collection. (JP/Liza Yosephine)

Japanese manga artist Junko Mizuno, English illustrator James Jarvis, Canadian artist Nathan Jurevicius and Swedish glass artist Ludvig Lofgren also contributed their creativity to the 2018 Art Event.

Ikea Indonesia has placed the eight figurines in an exhibition-style display on the lower floor of its outlets to highlighting the pieces of the limited collection. (kes)
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo made time to watch a local film, Yowis Ben, at CinemaXX Malang Town Square during a working visit to Malang in East Java on Wednesday.

Jokowi said he was happy to find a movie that was filmed in the East Javan language being screened at the theater.

He added that the growing number of cinemas and audiences as well as the film industry were imbalanced when it came to the availability of film crews, which meant limited opportunities in the industry.

"That's why the government, through the Education and Culture Ministry, is currently conducting revitalization programs, as well as improving facilities at around 120 SMK [vocational schools] across Indonesia that have majors in filming so that [we] will have skilled graduates in this industry," Jokowi said.

Read also: YouTuber produces romantic comedy that draws on Javanese roots

The President watched the film alongside the cast as well as Education and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy, government officials and several artists and actors such as Luna Maya and Gunawan Maryanto.

Bayu Skak, the film's lead actor and director, said he was very happy that Jokowi had taken time from his busy schedule to watch the movie.

He added that since its premiere on Feb. 22, the film had attracted 920,000 moviegoers. "Thats a good number for a regional language film."

Bayu said a sequel was already being planned, which will follow the band's journey to Jakarta.

Muhadjir said there was a possibility that the ministry would support the sequel. It had already created a video clip of a song from the films soundtrack, "Ojo Bolos Pelajaran", as part of a campaign to encourage students not to skip classes.

After concerns were raised about the film's inappropriate dialogue, Muhadjir commented that it was a characteristic of the East Javanese language. "It's an expression of friendliness," he added. (kes)
The limits of communication are often transcended through the most universal of all languages: music. With the language of music, even the strangest of aliens are able to communicate and understand those in faraway lands.

During the Dutch colonial era in Indonesia, the colonizing Europeans found this fact to be true. In celebration of this kind of connection in that era, a meeting between performers of Europes most rigid type of music, baroque music, and a contemporary traditional Indonesian composer took place in various halls across Java in early March.

Organized by the Institut Francais dIndonesie (IFI), the La Baroque Nomade concert featured a Western baroque ensemble consisting of musicians Jean-Christophe Frisch, Remi Cassaigne, Mathieu Dupouy, Andreas Linos and Australian musicologist David Irving, collaborating with renowned Indonesian composer Franki Raden, who is best known for his film scores for Indonesian classics such as the 1986 comedy Naga Bonar.

The point of the concerts, which were performed between March 10 and March 15 at the Usmar Ismail Hall in Kuningan, South Jakarta and the IFI centers in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, was to bring together Western baroque music and traditional Indonesian music, as was done back in the 16thto 17th century colonial times.

The concerts featured Western music that is 300 to 400 years old along with the integration of traditional Indonesian music styles, hence the title La Baroque Nomade, symbolizing the nomadic character of the music being created.

One of Franki Radens compositions of the night, Homage to the Ancestors was a stunning mix of traditional Indonesian instruments fused with the baroque music led by Jean. His second piece Voice of Diversity mainly showcased the diverse instruments and sounds of various Indonesian cultures.

Resonating taps of various gendangs (drums) served as a welcome beat accompanying the rigid but true, beatless baroque ensemble, while strums of zithers and gentle picks of the petal-shaped Sasando of East Nusa Tenggara fought side-by-side with the lute and harpsichord for a place in the melody.

Probably the defining instrument of baroque Europe, the harpsichord, dominated most of the baroque ensembles set, reverberating throughout the hall with a sound that evokes the old aristocratic European class. It was one of the signature instruments of two legendary Baroque composers, Josef Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, both of whom have written legendary pieces for the instrument, mainly for the courts of kings.

Sways and blows: Jean-Christophe Frisch (left) and musicologist David Irving perform at Usmar Ismail Theater in Jakarta. (Institut Francais dIndonesie (IFI)/Ndaru Wicaksono)

It was truly a sonic meeting of ancient Indonesia and ancient Europe. A combination that has rarely been tried, but can work if the right minds are put to it. The Sweet Mermaid, an old folk song, was part of the baroque ensembles repertoire.

When it was time for Frankis composition to roll out, the singular baroque music played beforehand in the first act felt distant and powerless compared to the results of cultural collaboration. All of the traditional Indonesian instruments were purposefully diversified by Frankie, as he wanted to utilize instruments from various Indonesian cultures.

This kind of cultural collaboration has its roots in both Indonesian and European history, explains Jean. During the Dutch occupation of the mid-16thto 17th centuries, the Dutch brought baroque music to their colony of the East Indies and were surprised to see Indonesian traditional instrument players later being able to play baroque music fused with their own traditional sounds.

The Dutch were reportedly struck by the musical talent of the Javanese musicians in Batavia and their ability to play Western baroque music, and sought to showcase their talents in a public setting. Even if it meant enslaving the musicians.

So much so that while many of the Indonesian instrument players were gathered as slaves to play the music, the Dutch brought the baroque-Indonesian orchestra on tour to many places overseas, including as far as China and Japan. It was the first time Dutch baroque music was taken to a wider audience outside of the private setting because at the time, this kind of music was regarded as a private experience, rather than being showcased as a concert, Franki explained.

All of the instruments used in the nights concert followed the actual Javanese-Baroque repertoire of 400 years ago.

The challenge for Franki in writing his collaborative piece was bringing together and integrating the different structures and natures of the European instruments and the Indonesian instruments. This is because many ancient European instruments are played differently and sound differently to their contemporary counterparts. For example, the guitar might be slightly easier to integrate than the lute.

Back in the early colonial times, music and sound was considered one of the best ways to communicate with different cultures due to the fact that travelers would land on a faraway land realizing that they cannot communicate linguistically with the people there, akin to aliens travelling to other planets. But one thing that was able to transcend these barriers was sound.

Therefore, both Jean and Franki both agreed that the concert itself was an example of two seemingly alien worlds being able to meld together and understand each other.

Were talking about music here. Music is only sound and sound can be united if you find a way. We can work together with sound no matter where we come from, like one common language. Thats the magic of it, he said.
Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, officials said, in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman six years ago for advocating education for girls.

Malala is widely respected internationally for her bravery and activism, but opinion is divided in Pakistan where some conservatives view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country.

Malala is expected to meet with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during the four-day trip but further details have been "kept secret in view of the sensitivity surrounding the visit," a government official said.

Accompanied by her parents, the 20-year-old student was escorted through Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security, according to photographs broadcast on local television.

Malala became a global symbol for human rights after a gunman boarded her school bus in the Swat valley on October 9, 2012, asked "Who is Malala?" and shot her.

She was treated for her injuries in the British city of Birmingham, where she also completed her schooling.

The youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, she has continued to be a vocal advocate for girls' education while pursuing her studies at Oxford University.

Many Pakistanis took to Twitter to express delight that the campaigner had returned for the visit, despite ongoing security fears.

"I welcome #MalalaYousafzai the brave and resilient daughter of Pakistan back to her country," politician Syed Ali Raza Abidi wrote.

But she faces intense criticism from some Pakistanis, including hardline Islamists as well as members of the conservative middle class who support education for girls but object to airing the country's problems abroad.

One leading Pakistani journalist, Hamid Mir, issued a plea for opposition politicians and commentators to exercise restraint when talking about the visit.

"International media is highly focused on her return and this (bad language) will damage Pakistan's image," he said.

Read also: Malala wins place at Oxford University

'Change the world'

Malala began her campaign aged just 11, when she started writing a blog -- under a pseudonym -- for the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls' education.

In 2007 the Islamist militants had taken over the area, which Malala affectionately called "My Swat", and imposed a brutal, bloody rule.

Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

But it was only after the shooting, and a subsequent near-miraculous recovery, that she became a truly global figure.

She opened a Twitter account on her last day of school in July 2017 and now has more than a million followers.

"I know that millions of girls around the world are out of school and may never get the opportunity to complete their education," Malala wrote at the time.

During a recent appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the feminist campaigner urged women to "change the world" without waiting for the help of men.

"We won't ask men to change the world, we're going to do it ourselves," Malala said.

"We're going to stand up for ourselves, we're going to raise our voices and we're going to change the world."
A Pakistani TV channel has put the country's first transgender news anchor on the air, a watershed cultural moment for the marginalized community in the deeply conservative country.

Marvia Malik, a former model who appeared on the Lahore-based private broadcaster Kohenoor for the first time last Friday, told AFP she has received "unprecedented love and support" since landing the job.

"My family never accepted or owned me," she said, adding that the rift drove her to seek a better future in Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital.

"Here I received unprecedented love and support from everyone that I never got from my own family," she said, adding that the positive response only escalated once she went on air for the daily broadcast.

Transgenders -- also known in Pakistan as "khawajasiras", an umbrella term denoting a third sex that includes transsexuals, transvestites and eunuchs -- have long fought for their rights in the patriarchal Islamic country.

In 2009 Pakistan became one of the first countries in the world to legally recognise a third sex. Last year the first transgender passport was issued, while several have also run in elections.

But they live daily as pariahs, often reduced to begging and prostitution, subjected to extortion and discrimination or targeted for violence.

Malik, who declined to confirm her age to AFP but is reportedly around 21, said she hoped to use her platform to urge people to treat one another as human beings first, without discrimination.

A journalism graduate from Punjab University, she said she hopes eventually to enter politics herself or form a non-governmental organisation aimed at promoting gender rights.

Read also: Amnesty International condemns arrest of transgender women in Aceh

In this photograph taken on March 27, 2018, Pakistan's first transgender news anchor Marvia Malik, 21, prepares before going live to read the news for the private channel Kohenoor in Lahore. (AFP/Arif Ali)

If she becomes "financially sound", she added, she may even seek to establish her own TV channel.

Many transgenders in Pakistan earn their living as dancers at weddings or parties and, sometimes, in more clandestine ways.

Her employers at Kohenoor admitted that Malik had stunned them while interviewing for the job by turning a question around on them.

"She asked, 'Would you want to see me a beggar, a sex worker or dancing at the cultural festivals, or give me a respectable job in your channel?'" news director Bilal Ashraf told AFP.

"Her question stunned us really, and we had no reply."

It forced them to "devise a policy to welcome, accept and own everyone in our channel without any discrimination," he said, adding: "We don't bother with where our channel will stand in the ratings by doing this."

So far the response has been positive, with Pakistanis widely heralding the move on social media.

But transgenders remain targets. Late Tuesday a transgender was shot dead along with a friend in the northwestern city of Peshawar, police told AFP.

Farzana Riaz, head of rights group TransAction, said 55 transgenders have been murdered during the past five years.

"We want protection from government from this continued persecution," she said.
The gigantic bowls and chopsticks strewn across the floor at Hong Kong's Art Basel looked so squeaky clean it seemed pointless for the cleaner to keep wiping them, dwarfed by the oversized tableware.

A few metres away, a robot vacuum cleaner buzzed about as the gazes of onlookers followed its mechanical and almost playful movements.

Looking like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland, it was in fact part of a performance art piece by Taiwanese artist Chou Yu-cheng.

On the other side of the bowls stand three tall sculptures shaped like Dyson's signature air purifiers -- the robot cleaner is also provided by the technology company, which is a sponsor of the installation.

Here, a smartly dressed male performer recites a "product description" rewritten by a poet.

"I feel my work is comparatively modern, or should I say, it has a sense of cleanliness," said Chou.

The conceptual artist said his penchant and even enjoyment for "keeping things clean" had translated into his work as he meditated on a kind of division of labour between human and machine.

"There are some things that robots cannot replace. For example, in this work, the only platform the robot can clean is the floor. People are still needed for many other things," he told AFP.

"So even though there is technology and new inventions, people and humanity is still a core issue."

The installation attracted curious spectators this week, in a city where domestic labour is heavily dependent on migrant women from Southeast Asia who live in to perform the work.

Performance art has become more prominent at Hong Kong's edition of Art Basel this year.

Among the exhibits, local artist Kwok Mang-ho, better known as "Frog King", set up a replica of his 1992 exhibition in New York, "The Art Mall".

Sitting inside his cluttered calligraphy shop, the artist executed his whimsical calligraphy for visitors for HK$1,000 ($127) a piece during the fair's private preview on Tuesday.

Read also: Collectors and dealers descend on Hong Kong for annual Art Basel

Danish artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen's performance, entitled "Re-inventing Domesticity and the Decomposing of the Self", also drew others to tread carefully around her body as she lay down in an open container.

A visitor walks past Danish artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen's performance piece 'Re-inventing Domesticity and the Decomposing of the Self' during the media preview of Art Basel in Hong Kong on March 27, 2018. (AFP/Anthony Wallace)

"Now, hopefully, the performance aspect of art is coming back, because it's all about life. Because I think we are all living a virtual world now, that everything is online," Kary Kwok, an art director visiting Art Basel, told AFP.

"But it's so nice to see something real in front of you and I think it should be encouraged."
Following the recognition of phinisi as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in December, the Education and Culture Ministry on Tuesday handed over the certificate to the South Sulawesi province, its regional place of origin.

The culture director general at the Culture and Education Ministry, Hilmar Farid, said phinisi refers to a particular Sulawesi rope system and sailing screen. The phinisi is not only known as a sturdy traditional ship for traveling around an archipelagic nation like Indonesia, he said, but also exceptional in international sailing and stands as a symbol of traditional island nation shipping technique.

It also succeeded in sailing great distances, from Vancouver in Canada, across the Pacific Ocean, to Japan and Madagascar.

"Phinisi is part of the history and customs of the people of South Sulawesi in particular, and the archipelago in general. Knowledge on shipbuilding technology with formulas and patterns in making the hull have been known for at least 1,500 years," Hilmar said.

Read also: 'Phinisi' nominated for world cultural heritage

The traditional ship was mainly built by the Bugis-Makassar ethnic group in South Sulawesi, who mostly resided in Bira village, Bonto Bahari district, Bulukumba regency, where the handover of the certificate was held.

Hilmar pointed out that the handover was not merely ceremonial. The certificate, he said, signified a commitment that must be carried out by the community to safeguard the tradition.

"Phinisi must be sustained and also developed and utilized as part of sustainable development," he said.

The government had submitted South Sulawesi's art of boat-making onto UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and now has become Indonesia's eighth cultural element on the list.

The previous include wayang (shadow puppets) (2008), keris (dagger) (2008), batik (2009), angklung (traditional musical instrument) (2010), Saman Dance (2011), Noken Papua (2012), three genres of traditional Balinese dances (2015), as well as a program of education and training on batik at Museum Batik Pekalongan (2009). (liz/kes)
Toward the end of the intense performance, the stage fell into an ominous silence.

The woman in red approached the empty, red cage suspended in the center of the stage. She calmly opened the cages door and in one fluid motion she let the imaginary bird fly away. She then fixed her gaze on the audience before uttering her final manifesto.

I want nothing from this world, and nothing from the next. I am free, the woman said.

It was a powerful ending to the 30-minute theatrical tour de force of the struggle so common to us, human.

A struggle that on the surface was triggered by the death of a loved one, but on a much subtler level was incited by the burning question on whether our existence here has a true meaning or not.

It was this very struggle that catapulted the woman, brilliantly played by Singaporean actress Gloria Tan, from trying to overcome her personal grief over the passing of her husband into questioning the role the divine played in human life.

Do you have any advice for the weak? Do you have any cure for the pain? Do you know where he has gone? Do you know what madness is? Do you know where the tears come from? she asked the gods during her performance.

Questions turned into lamentation.

Lamentation peaked into desperation, which finally yielded into realization that was encapsulated in her final manifesto.

Frustration: When grief meets the burden imposed by traditional and social norms, even the strongest woman can break into pieces. (Wayan Martino/File)

Drawing inspiration from Indias mourning tradition, which usually spans 12 days, hence the 12-part performance, the key strength of the monodrama is definitely its script, penned by the award-winning Singaporean Haresh Sharma. He has written more than 100 plays, which have been staged across the globe, and is the resident playwright at the Singapore-based The Necessary Stage (TNS).

The script is so powerful that I believe a simple, live reading of it would be sufficient to make a poignant theatrical performance, Balis leading dramatist Cok Sawitri said of the Untitled Cow Number One (UNCO) script.

The script, which juxtaposes elements and characters from Hinduism and Buddhism, requires the actor to shift and transform into various characters, from the sacred cow that Lord Shiva rides on, Lord Shiva himself to Lord Krishna, a child and a widowed woman. It manages to be both clear and complex at the same time.

Untitled Cow Number One is one of Hareshs most open scripts which invite other artists to engage with it as collaborators. Yet the theme is universal  about the human condition of investing all of our emotions in one source of happiness, and losing ones identity when that relationship ceases to be. It brings us through that familiar journey by presenting the milestones, the performances director, Alvin Tan, said.

Previously, the UCNO script was performed at the Macau International Fringe Festival ( 2000 ), the Asian Theater Festival in Busan ( 2002 ), the National Theatre Festival in New Delhi ( 2003 ), and the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival ( 2015 ).

The director and actor have succeeded in turning this script into a fresh and thought-provoking stage presentation. I believe it will inspire the local theatre communities to embark on new experiments, art professor I Wayan Dibia said.

Mourning: Singaporean actress Gloria Tan brilliantly plays a mourning widow in the monodrama Untitled Cow Number One. (Calvin Emil/File)

The monodrama was performed on March 23 and 24 at GEOKS, a privately-owned art space in Singapadu, Gianyar. It was a collaborative production involving TNS, Surabaya-based WAFT-LAB and Bali-based Cata Odata.

WAFT-LAB, which is a collective with more than 10 years of experience working in the development of interdisciplinary arts in Surabaya, has involved six of their members to create the audio and visuals for this show.

This is the very first time for WAFT-LAB to make artwork for a play. We usually produced the audio, visuals or lighting for our previous projects. What makes this different is that we have to support the emotions that arise continuously and change quickly during the play, one of WAFT-LABs founders, Helmi Hardian, said.

Cata Odata is a progressive art house with an interdisciplinary approach. Its mission is to grow together and to facilitate the potential of artists and creative practitioners based in Bali and East Java.

The performance is part of CO.Lab, Cata Odatas annual non-profit program to foster creative conversation and connect artists and creative practitioners from different social and cultural backgrounds.

Through CO.Lab, we invite the artists and creative practitioners to step out of their comfort zone, to break down the walls that stand between each creative fields, as well as to share their knowledge and experience in open discussions, Cata Odatas founder, Ratna Odata, said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 08:00 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc05b43 1 National KS-Tubun,rusunawa,rental-rates Free

Jakarta Public Housing Agency has finished drafting a governor regulation on KS Tubun low-cost apartments in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, which establishes the rental price at Rp 1.5 million (US$109) for each apartment in the complex.

We just completed the deliberations yesterday [Tuesday afternoon], and well soon send the draft to the governor [Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan], the agencys head Agustino Darmawan said as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

The rental cost has been reduced from the initial proposal of Rp 1.7 million. However, Agustino added, the decision lay with the governor.

Well see whether pak governor will agree with our proposal on the monthly rental price. If he disagrees with the figure, well reduce it again, he said.

The rental price for commercial low-cost apartment complexes such as KS Tubun, has yet to be regulated in Bylaw No. 3/2012 on levies. Therefore, Agustino said, the decision on the rental price for KS Tubun low-cost apartments could be regulated by a governor regulation. (vla)
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Linkedin Mai Huong (Viet Nam News/ANN) Hanoi  Thu, March 29, 2018 07:00 1276 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc04d65 2 Business #Vietnam,#tourism,#ASEAN,#tourism-industry Free

Vietnams tourism industry is booming and is fast becoming the driving force behind economic growth  but it also faces calls for reform to keep up with high standards.

The smoke-free industry has witnessed spectacular success in the past few years with higher growth rate every year.

Last year, nearly 13 million foreign visitors came to our shores, earning the country more than Vietnamese dong (VND) 500 trillion (US$22 billion). Thats up 30 percent and 20 percent year-on-year, respectively.

Over the decade, the number of international visitors to Vietnam has tripled while revenue has increased by nine times.

Vietnams tourism ranked sixth in the top 10 fastest growing tourism destinations globally and was crowned the best performer in Asia in 2017. The industry last year contributed 7.5 per cent to the nations GDP.

With such impressive achievements, tourism has been identified a key economic sector by 2020. It can help boost the development of other sectors including construction, real estate, retail, education and job opportunities

A Politburo resolution on developing tourism and seeing it evolve into a major player in Vietnams economy was introduced last year.

The nation hopes to welcome 17-20 million foreign arrivals and 82 million domestic tourists by 2020. Tourism revenue is expected to reach $35 billion, contributing 10 percent to the countrys GDP by then, and the industry may create four million jobs, including 1.6 million direct jobs.

Tourism is forecast to maintain strong development in the next few years thanks to the Governments support policies, determination of provincial authorities and dynamic development of both businesses and communities.

However, such rapid expansion is exposing many challenges and if the industry cannot be restructured to break bottlenecks it could be beaten by overdevelopment.

Rapid increase in the number of visitors to Vietnam in the short term is putting the industry under great pressure of transport infrastructure, human resource and destination management capacity, said Nguyen Quy Phuong, director of Travel Management Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

Phuong said infrastructure deficiencies, particularly overloaded airports, will likely make tourists worn out due to long waiting while the lack of adequate human resource and public management capacity in destinations will affect service quality.

In reality, airports in major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue and Da Nang, are facing the overload trouble.

Half of the people who visited from overseas last year flew into Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City. It was built to accommodate 25 million passengers per year, but in 2016, 32 million came through its doors.

According to Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017 of the World Economic Forum, Vietnams tourist service infrastructure ranked 113th out of 136 economies, airport infrastructure 61st, ground traffic 71st, IT platform 80th, clean and safe environment 82nd and international openness (mainly visas) 73rd.

Urgent attention should be paid to upgrade of transport infrastructure, including seaports in the context of increasing demand for cruise tourism, as well as improvements in visa and immigration procedures, Phuong said.

Vu The Binh, deputy chairman of Vietnam Tourism Association, also stressed the need to create a greater experience for visitors, highlighting the problems with visas.

Vietnam has granted visa waivers for visitors from 24 countries while applying electronic visa to citizens of 46 countries. However, according to Binh, these numbers are still feeble compared with Thailand which awards free-visa for tourists of 67 countries and Indonesia which waives visa for citizens of 169 countries and territories.

Not only that, also procedure of visa exemption applied for foreigners is quite complicated, creating inconvenience and displeasure for both foreign visitors and travel companies, Binh was quoted as saying on the Thoi bao kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times).

For a long time, Vietnams tourism has been developed in a spontaneous manner.

Individuality is key, and many regions hope to promote their own unique brands to showcase to the world but they mostly do so in keeping with the national strategy.

Important things to consider include tourists needs, promotional campaigns, infrastructure, human resources and management.

According to Trinh Thi My Nghe, vice chairman of Hanoi City Tourism Association, tourism is not a single industry but a collective one relating to other sectors and subjects.

Good infrastructure, management, safety, hygiene and friendly citizens are all surface factors to attract visitors, Nghe told Viet Nam News.

Travel companies design and sell products to tourists and the local authorities are responsible for organisation and management of destinations.

Apart from visiting beautiful landscape, foreign tourists coming to Vietnam want to learn more about Vietnamese culture, meet and experience the local living, she said, adding that responsibility of businesses and community is to study customer demand to design attractive products.

Tourism development also requires inter-regional coordination. Vietnam has developed several successful regional tourism brands such as the connection of the eight Northwestern provinces and cluster of the three central provinces (Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang and Quang Nam).

The Government is also urged to improve the business environment to ensure the deep participation of private businesses and community in the national tourism development strategy.

Vietnam hopes for around 16 million foreign visitors, 80 million domestic arrivals and VND620 trillion in total tourism revenue in 2018. These are considered achievable goals but collective efforts among management agencies, businesses, communities and professional organizations are needed to ensure sustainable development in the future.

But as the country evolves, one thing that each and everyone can do, is welcome our visitors with the traditionally Vietnamese smile.

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This article appeared on the Vientiane Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 16:40 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc1aeb5 1 World ASEAN,UN,United-Nations,UNSC-non-permanent-seat,Foreign-Affairs-Ministry,Retno-Marsudi Free

Indonesia has gained full support from ASEAN member states for its candidacy as a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent member, a top diplomat says.

Foreign Minister Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi made the statement after she met with ASEAN permanent representatives to the UN in New York, the US, on Wednesday local time. Their meeting took place on the sidelines of the minister's official attendance in a high-level open debate session of the UNSC.

In the meeting, Retno said, she briefed the permanent representatives of ASEAN about several points she would deliver during the open debate on peacekeeping missions, held later that day.

"The ASEAN permanent representatives appreciated Indonesias active roles in the UN. They fully supported Indonesia's candidacy for the UNSC non-permanent member," Retno tweeted on her official account @Menlu_RI on Thursday Jakarta time.

(Read also: Minister calls on UNSC to deploy more female peacekeepers)

The minister also shared activities she had conducted during her visit in Washington, D.C., on Monday, as well as the recent ASEAN-Australia Summit in Sydney, Australia.

On Monday, Retno met with US Defense Secretary James Mattis and Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan in Washington, D.C.

Regarding Monday's meeting, Retno also said on her Twitter that as strategic partners, she and Mattis had discussed efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

With Sullivan, the minister said, she talked about "a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of common concern. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 14:40 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc14428 1 Business PT-Serasi-Autoraya,astra,bonds,issuance Free

Integrated transportation company PT Serasi Autoraya, a subsidiary of the Astra Group, is ready to issue one of its three bond series worth Rp 500 billion (US$35 million dollars), the company announced on Wednesday in Jakarta.

Serasi Autoraya, also known as TRAC-Astra Rent Car, aimed to raise Rp 2 trillion from the bond issuance, the majority of which would be used as its 2018 capital expenditure (capex), said Firman Yosafat Siregar, the company's president director.

The company planned to allocate Rp 1.8 trillion to the 2018 capex, Rp 1.3 trillion of which would be used to purchase new vehicles, and the remaining funds to finance its fixed assets.

We are confident that this bond issuance will be successful, seeing that our company has a good track record and solid financial position, Firman said at an investors' gathering on Wednesday.

Serasi Autoraya expected to obtain the Effective Statement from the Financial Services Authority (OJK) on Apr. 19, and issue the public bonds on Apr. 23-24.

In 2017, the company recorded Rp 5.5 trillion in net income, a slight decrease from its Rp 6.4 trillion net income in 2016. In contrast, the companys 2017 net profit grew more than 100 percent to Rp 201 billion from Rp 100 billion in 2016. (dpk/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 18:01 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc1e94a 1 City TOD-transit-oriented-development,construction Free

The Jakarta administration will begin the construction of the transit-oriented development (TOD) at Dukuh Atas in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, at the end of this year, instead of on Jan. 30 as previously reported.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the construction would start after the design of the TOD, which will be built on a plot of land where the Blora traditional market used to stand, was ready.

The construction design should be finished by the end of this year, while the construction project is expected to be completed in 2020, Anies said.

We are awaiting peoples participation in planning the area. Dont hesitate to send us [the city administration] any ideas that can be implemented at the TOD, he said on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the Jakarta administration started building several other TODs across the city, namely in Senen, Juanda and Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta, and Tanjung Barat in South Jakarta. The construction of another TOD at Pondok Cina in Depok, West Java, has also begun. (vla)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29 2018

The Tangerang Police raided on Tuesday a factory located in the Pantai Indah Dadap warehousing complex in Kosambi, Banten, that was suspected of producing pirated DVDs.

Tangerang Police general crimes chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Dedy Supriyadi said the raid was organized following the arrest of a man transporting thousands of pirated DVDs by car on Jl. Perancis nearby.

The [car carried] some 16,400 pirated DVDs of numerous movies, mostly cartoons and foreign films. The DVDs were being delivered to Glodok [West Jakarta], Dedy said as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.

He added that the driver of the car told the police that the pirated DVDs had been produced at the Pantai Indah Dadap complex.

We then immediately raided the production [factory] and confiscated 372 other pirated DVDs. So weve seized a total of 16,772 pirated DVDs, D...
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 15:45 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc17cd8 1 World peacekeepers,Peacekeeping,UN,United-Nations,UNSC-non-permanent-seat,Foreign-Affairs-Ministry,Retno-Marsudi Free

Foreign Minister Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi said the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should deploy more female soldiers to carry out peacekeeping missions.

During the UNSC Open Debate in New York on Wednesday, the minister said women peacekeepers could work more effectively to help win the hearts and minds of local people.

Speaking after the debate, Retno said after she visited Indonesian soldiers deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) earlier this year she could see the influence of female soldiers.

"I witnessed how women peacekeepers could win the hearts and minds of the locals, added Retno who was given the UN Womens Agent of Change Award for gender equality and womens empowerment last year.



Indonesia is currently campaigning to be a UNSC non-permanent member in 2019 and 2020.

Indonesia has 2,700 peacekeeping personnel, placing it as one of 10 countries with the largest number of peacekeeping soldiers in the UN. It has set a target of sending 4,000 peacekeeping troops by 2019 as a part of its UNSC non-permanent membership campaign.

Indonesia has 1,900 personnel deployed with UNIFIL Of that number, 84 are females, Foreign Ministry data states. (ebf)
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Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 11:45 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc0bf3d 1 National #NurAlam,Buton-Island,Southeast-Sulawesi,KPK,environment Free

The Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced suspended Southeast Sulawesi governor Nur Alam to 12 years in prison on Wednesday in a case linked to several mining licenses that led to environmental destruction in Buton, Southeast Sulawesi.

The court, which also ordered Nur to pay a fine of Rp 1 billion (US$72,700) and restitution of Rp 2.7 billion, found the National Mandate Party (PAN) politician guilty of misusing his authority to grant mining licenses between 2009 and 2014 to nickel miner PT Anugerah Harisma Barakah (AHB) in which he owns a 2 percent stake under the name of his aide.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors called for a sentence of 18 years.

Presiding judge Diah Siti Basariah said there had been mitigating factors behind the court's verdict, such as Nurs many awards he received while serving as governor.

The state losses, Rp 1.5 trillion, were also lower than the Rp 4.3 trillion the prosecutors argued in their indictment, which included Rp 2.7 trillion in environmental destruction caused by the miner. The panel of judges said the environmental destruction was not Nur's responsibility, but the company's. The company had tried to rehabilitate the area, the judges said.

The court also stripped him of his political rights for five years after he serves his time in prison, which was sought by KPK prosecutors.

Nur denied any wrongdoing and said he would "waste no time" to appeal the verdict.

"I hope the respected judge can consider that I deserve a sense of justice because I have served as a state apparatus and given my best while on duty," he added. (evi)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 15:24 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc15ff2 1 City ahok,basuki-tjahaja-purnama,case-review,Supreme-Court,Artidjo-Alkostar Free

Three days after the Supreme Court rejected former Jakarta governor Basuk Ahok Tjahaja Purnamas petition for a case review into his blasphemy conviction, a report has emerged in a regional newspaper that the justice who presided over the petition's hearing, Artidjo Alkostar, was closely connected to the radical Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and its founder, Rizieq Shihab.

Rizieq was a key figure behind the public protests against Ahok during the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, which ended with the former governor, who is a Christian of ethnic Chinese ancestry, being convicted for blasphemy case last May.

Ahok filed his request for a case review on Feb. 2, about nine months after his conviction and sentencing.

Quoting Rizieq, tribunnews.com reported that Artidjo was the head of FPIs legal division in 2014, just before Artidjo was appointed as a Supreme Court justice.

Ahoks lawyer Josefina Agatha Syukur said on Wednesday that she was aware of the report. Were taking [the media report] into account, she said.

Well wait until the court hands over the official document [rejecting Ahoks petition] to us before taking further legal steps, Josefina added.

Presiding justice Artidjo, along with Supreme Court justices Salman Luthan and Margiatmo, rejected Ahoks legal challenge to his conviction by the North Jakarta District Court, which sentenced him to two years in prison.

Jakarta FPI secretary-general Novel Bamukmin, however, claimed that the report was wrong about the relationship between Artidjo and Rizieq.

Its not true. They [Artidjo and Rizieq] probably met once or twice, Novel told tempo.co on Wednesday.

Artidjo has yet to respond to the controversy over the news report.

The Supreme Court justice has presided over several infamous graft cases in which he convicted a number of state officials and politicians. (vla)
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Linkedin Tama Salim and Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29 2018

Indonesias top diplomat has called for improving the wellbeing and capacity of United Nations peacekeepers and advocated for more womens participation in peacekeeping operations (PKO) to be two priorities for future UN reforms.

During a high-level open debate session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that efforts to make peacekeeping more effective should give priority to the field missions and the people there, including new measures to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers on the ground.

She said missions and personnel should be well-trained, well-equipped and adequately resourced to carry out their duties.

Together, we need to find a new way to provide cost-effective and innovative procurement of equipment to address capability gaps in peacekeeping missions, Retno said in her speech at the UN headquar...
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Linkedin Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java  Thu, March 29, 2018 15:39 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc16f50 1 National IPB,Bogor-Institute-of-Agriculture,Bogor-Agricultural-University,Charoen-Pokphand,research,human-resources Free

Indonesias largest poultry company, Charoen Pokphand Indonesia (CPI), has granted Rp 3 billion (US$210,000) worth of endowment fund to the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) to support academic activities in the institution.

CPI president commissioner T. Hadi Gunawan handed over the fund to IPB rector Arif Satria on Wednesday, coinciding with the inauguration of IPB-Charoen Pokphand Indonesia School of Business.

To be able to develop further, Hadi said, a company must partner with educational entities, especially universities as a center of excellence for research and human resources development.

To implement such a mission, CPI, through its charity institution, the Charoen Pokphand Foundation, has conducted a student adoption program since 1983, through which it has provided financial assistance to needy students from elementary to university levels. As of today, CPI has channeled education assistance to 3,320 school children.

While helping renovate education facilities, CPI has offered scholarships to 12 universities, including IPB. It has also given chicken coops to five universities, which planned to develop farms for teaching. CPI has also provided opportunities to students and lecturers, including from IPB, to carry out work practices in the company.

Partnering with Diponegoro University (UNDIP), CPI has provided Pancasila-based character-building training to 1,000 elementary and junior high school teachers. We will continue to develop partnership programs with Charoen Pokphand Indonesia in the future, especially those related to education and research, that can tackle problems in this millennial era, said Arif. (ebf)
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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 18:13 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc2130f 1 National santri,Religious-Affairs-Ministry,Lukman-Hakim-Saifuddin,extremism,UIN-Sunan-Kalijaga Free

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saefuddin has said santri, or students of Islamic boarding schools (Pesantren), have an important role in maintaining the solidity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

It is hoped that we all can modernize Islam and make it an enemy of extremism, he said during Halaqah Santri Nusantara, an event that literally means the study circle of Indonesian santri at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University on Wednesday.

Lukman said young santri must stay alert against the free flow of information online in the current era of information. They must examine thoroughly each piece of information they receive so they will not be easily influenced by Islamic teachings that are either very conservative or, on the contrary, very liberal.

Some people are very extreme in comprehending religious texts [scriptures], which later makes them tend to deny logical thought. However, some others tend to prioritize logical thought and deny texts, Lukman said.

Maintaining solidity: Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saefuddin gives his remarks during "Halaqah Santri Nusantara", an event that literally means the study circle of Indonesian "santri" (students of Islamic boarding schools), held at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University in Yogyakarta on Wednesday. (JP/Bambang Muryanto)

The minister further said in many countries, the ongoing fight between these two camps had led to bloody conflicts. Unlike those countries, Indonesia is a nation that needs to be protected because of its special characteristics, namely religiousness and diversity.

We must maintain its unity, said Lukman. In the event, the minister handed over scholarships to 290 students selected in this years government-funded assistance program for santri with high academic achievements.

Islamic education director general Kamaruddin Amin said the program was initiated in 2015 as the states efforts to prepare younger generations to face the 4.0 Industrial Revolution. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 16:33 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc1a8bf 1 City BPOM,canned-fish Free

The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) in Jakarta discovered threadworms inside canned mackerel circulating the city.

We found threadworms in nine cans of mackerel of the 15 weve examined, said Jakarta BPOM head Sukriadi Darma to kompas.com on Thursday, noting that most of the contaminated products came from reputable brands.

The brands are: ABC, Kingfisher, Botan and Ayam Brand, some of which are produced in Indonesia. However, he said that threadworms in canned mackerel was a natural occurrence.

In the mackerels habitat, there are probably certain kinds of threadworms that can go through and underneath the fish's skin, up to 2 centimeters deep, Sukriadi said.

Mackerels are different from sardines. Mackerels dont live in Indonesian waters. If it was an Indonesian brand, the fish must have been imported from other countries, he added.

The agency sent a letter to the canned fish manufacturers, ordering them to recall their products starting from March 27.

At least 27 brands of canned fish on the market have been found to be contaminated with threadworms. Sixteen brands are imported while the other 11 are local products, BPOM head Penny Lukito said on Wednesday. (vla)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 29, 2018 17:30 1275 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cc1d878 1 City Kemang,brawl,US-Embassy,security Free

The United States Embassy in Indonesia issued a security alert for its citizens in Jakarta on increasing crime in some parts of the capital.

Through a statement published on its official website on Tuesday, the embassy mentioned several recent crimes that had occurred in the city, as reported by the police and media.

Violent assaults against or among patrons at bars and clubs along Jl. Kemang Raya [South Jakarta] have been reported, in some cases perpetrated by groups of males on motorcycles. Individual women walking alone have also reported instances of being groped by a male motorcycle driver, they said.

In order to prevent its citizens from getting involved in such crimes, the embassy reminded parents to counsel their children, especially teens, about the availability of alcohol and drugs in nightlife venues in Jakarta.

[] and remind them that drug offenses are treated severely under Indonesian criminal law, they continued.

The embassy also reminded its citizens to stay aware of their surroundings, especially on crowded streets and in shopping areas.

Vary your routes and times so as not to be [too predictable in terms of time or place], always carry a cell phone, stick to reputable taxi companies and do not physically resist any robbery attempt, it said.

The most recent incident in Kemang occurred on March 5, when a motorbike gang rampaged through Jl. Kemang Raya. They caused damage to property and parked vehicles while injuring at least four bystanders.

Less than 24 hours earlier, a member of the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) was found bleeding outside Dronk bar and restaurant, and was a victim of an alleged mob beating. (vla)
Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2018 11:00 pm

Sometimes a dream seems too far out of reach, especially when it takes years to see that same dream manifest. When it does, every part that went into making it a reality was worth the sweat and tears. And that is how Shoal Creek Fire Protection District President and Trustee Brett Kunkel felt when he paid off the 15-year loan on the Sorento Engine House #1 on Dec. 6, 2017.

In 1983, Kunkel started work on acquiring the three lots where the firehouse sits today. For many years he mowed and kept up on the lots.

After a while, he started paying taxes on those same lots. Next to the three lots that were managed by Kunkel, there was a fourth lot owned by Steve Shank of Greenville. He decided he would donate the lot to the fire district in Kunkel's name. Although things were looking up, it would take time to get the ball rolling on building a new firehouse.

Kunkel and the district tried to apply for a Rural Development loan but they couldn't secure it, so they had to go out on their own, and figure out a way to build a new fire station.

Then in 1999, Senator Frank Watson gave Kunkel and the SCFPD a $90,000 grant from the Illinois First Program. At the time, representatives and senators of Illinois were giving out grants. Kunkel used the grant as leverage to get a loan from the bank, but a problem arose, which set Kunkel and the district back in getting a new firehouse built.

"Frank Watson gave us $45,000, but in the midst of receiving the full $90,000, governors changed and it stopped us from getting the other $45,000. We had to reapply for the grant and it took us four years to get the other $45,000."

In Nov. 2000, Kunkel started bidding on the firehouse. Then finally in July of 2002, after receiving a $210,000 loan from the Litchfield National Bank, they were awarded the bids and ground was broken to start building the much needed firehouse.

We put compacted clay down to make the ground solid. John Wall donated the clay, but we had to put forth more money to have someone come in and pack it down," said Kunkel.

Once the concrete, excavation, plumbing and metal shell was put up, Charles Wilkinson, Kunkel and the volunteers of SCFPD started building up the inside walls.

Kunkel said, "Ron Whiteside had electrical 400 amp service entrance boxes from a building he bought in New Douglas and I asked if I could have them. I hooked them up. In fact, we saved a lot of money by using the wiring and boxes he gave us."

The last part of the concrete was poured in 2005, and in 2006, Shoal Creek Engine House #1 had an open house and was up and running, with just a little bit of work to go.

As Kunkel went through the paperwork, he found the original plans for the firehouse that he had drawn up, along with the construction company's plans.

Charlie was a trustee on our board. He had the tools and the know-how. The inside of this building wouldn't have been built without him, the trustees, the volunteer firefighters and the volunteers from the public who helped and donated their time. In fact, we saved a lot of tax money because of him," Kunkel said.

Looking around the firehouse, one would think that the building was only a few months old. The building still looks brand new even after 15 years. And even though it took a lot of time to secure the lots and get the firehouse up and running, Kunkel is still overwhelmed that the district was able to pay off the loan after 15 years.
There is so much to see in the Dominican Republic. Its diverse landscape and rich culture have made it one of the most visited nations in the Caribbean.

During my recent trip, I had the opportunity to visit the village of Altos de Chavon. Altos de Chavon is located in La Romana, about 70-miles from the historic city of Santo Domingo. Nestled atop a plateau, the small villa is located within the boundaries of the beautiful resort complex of Casa de Campo. Altos de Chavon was built in 1976 and is home to the Altos de Chavon Cultural Center Foundation, a non-profit educational and cultural entity dedicated to maintaining an arts community within the Dominican Republic. The village of Altos de Chavon includes cultural museums, art galleries, craft workshops, an amphitheater, a church and another campus for Chavon: The School of Design.

Here are more photos - enjoy.
Megasaki City has come to London.

A new (and free) exhibition celebrating Wes Anderson s second stop-motion animation film, going behind the scenes of Isle of Dogs has opened at The Store X, The Strand, London. The exhibition gives fans and avid film lovers a chance to see 17 of the original hand-crafted sets and puppets up close.

As stated in the free handout: "Isle of Dogs tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage dump. Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.

"The film was shot over 445 days, at East Londons 3 Mills Studios, with a crew of more than 670 people. 240 sets and 1097 puppets were used to create the 144,000 still frames that make up the films 100-minute duration."

Being imminently released on March 30th, Isle of Dogs has been creating quite a buzz, and after visiting this exhibition, I understand why.

Upon entering the exhibit, a life-size noodle bar serves traditional Japanese ramen from commended London-based chef Akira Shimizu. Once purchasing (or not), a table-filled space within the set emerges, with surrounding screens debuting short sequences from the film whilst also containing a parallel, small-scale model of the setting.

Other exhibits see The City of Megasaki, Kobayashi Park, Trash Island, The Megasaki Muncipal Dome, and The Site of Ataris Plane Crash, to name a few.

What impresses is an eye for detail, with every individual character and set parading Andersons unique, notable cinematic style. Alongside the commendable sets, the specially-curated soundtrack of Alexandre Desplats score played overhead further encompassed the Japanese world  which can also be purchased on 12-inch vinyl at the reception desk.

The exhibition area itself is largely spacious and upon my visit was not overcrowded; making it easy to wander around, take photographs, and come face to face with Andersons creative universe. However, besides from the free map handout which numbers the sets with suitable captions, theres a lack of any labels/plaques explaining the sets and their purposes  presumably, and understandably due to the hiding exposure of the films narrative.

Ultimately, if you long for getting lost in another witty, extraordinary, detailed world of Wes Anderson, this is a must-see. The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the world of Andersons filmmaking, whilst being able to simultaneously walk among and gaze over it.

The Store X - 180 Strand, London, WC2R 1EA

Dates: March 23rdApril 5th

Isle of Dogs opens Friday 30th March.
Going to uni could easily turn into the best years of your life. However, there are some universal rules, such as these: hardest exams will be earliest in the day. That one professor that is always late will be on time when your bus decides to not turn up. The books you need will be always on loan. And last but not least - the canteen food is always a bit disappointing, especially if you are a self-proclaimed but infinitely-dedicated food lover.

Well, it comes as no surprise then that in many universities students have decided to take the (food) matters in their own hands (quite literally) and have started their own food-appreciation societies, making sure they will have at least one satisfying meal a week.

And in case you wonder whether your university has a place for like-minded food lovers, weve made a list of the best and most interesting university food-themed societies in the UK. You're welcome.

1. Hummus Society, SOAS University of London

According to the SOAS Hummus Society, Transcending regional borders, hummus represents the socio-cultural themes of mutuality and cooperation. Our aim as a SOAS society is to use hummus as a tool to break down any remaining barriers, to bring the SOAS community together, to use a pot of hummus as the hearth of thought, recipes, stories and homes. Through the domain of a society, we hope to bring together all types, in order to indulge in hummus for thought.

A noble cause indeed.

2. Ice Cream Society, Edinburgh University

They say:

Everything frozen - we love it! Whether you like the tangy taste of fro-yo, stick to your regular stracciatela, experiment with cardamon sorbet or just like a big bowl of sundae (we are talking at least 4 different scoops, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, fudge chunks, waffle, whipped cream and lastly, a cherry on top), be sure to join our ice-cream lovin' society.

"We solemnly swear that we are up to no good, and by "no good" we mean we're eating loads and loads of ice cream.

I would not go past them at Freshers Fair.

3. Slow Food On Campus Society, Exeter University

This one is more of a traditional food society, appreciating local eateries and hosting regular dinner events.

In their description:

This society is for anyone who likes to eat good food and drink... or both!

"We have food nights, trips to farms, and visits to food festivals around Devon. On the serious side, we are part of the International Slow Food campaign  committed to encouraging the use of locally produced food and teaching about how food waste can be prevented.

"If you like eating and drinking; like cooking; want to learn how to cook; want to save money on food; want to taste Devons great foods; want to experience different food cultures; or worry about the future of food, then Slow Food on Campus is for you!

4. Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Appreciation Society, University of Saint Andrews

Their description says: The society began in 1981, making it one of St Andrews University's oldest - we're a bit vintage. Which is just as well, given we're devoted to all things vintage, not just Tunnock's biscuits, as our name would suggest. We meet up weekly to hold events with a vintage feel, from tea parties to film screenings.

Vintage society with a food twist? I could not say no.

5. Food and Nutrition Society, Reading University

For food-lovers who also want to be responsible and informed with their choices.

In their statement they say:

RUFANS is for anyone who loves food, cooking/baking and/or nutrition. We as a society are linked with the Food and Nutritional Sciences Department, so we will be organising academic events and offering/signposting academic support, as well as the fun stuff! The society will give you a chance to meet other like-minded foodies (we all love food!) and have a cracking time through the socials and food-based events put on by the society throughout the year. Make sure you join us for many socials, drunken bar crawls, food trips/talks, baking/cooking competitions and much more. 

6. Cheese Society, University of Glasgow

Cheese is actually so popular that we found a few universities with dedicated societies, such as Bristol Unis Cheese Soc and University of Manchesters Cheese and Wine Society.

Glasgow however grabbed our attention with past events such as fondue night and Valentines Cheese.

They say:

Glasgow University Cheese Society (or GUCS for the initiated) is a place for all our cheese-lovers to come together and eat cheese. We aim to hold monthly meetings where attendees can sample delicious cheeses and meet other dairy enthusiasts. GUCS is a fun society, no specialist knowledge of cheese is required, just bring your enthusiasm and your appetite!

7. Good Food Society, Warwick University

This society is so famous that it comes first when you search Google for university food societies. And for a good reason.

Warwick Good Food Society is for everyone with an interest in food or drink. From those who just like eating out, to those who love cooking & gastronomy. We offer numerous & varied events including subsidised restaurant trips, cooking classes, Cook Offs/competitions, food related trips e.g. to Food Festivals and our annual tour and a whole array of collaboration events with other brilliant Warwick societies. All of our members are welcome to come to any one of our events, mix & match how they like, or come to them all!

8. The Vegan Society, University of Glasgow

According to their own words:

The Vegan Society of the University of Glasgow was formed by staff of the University in 2006 after successfully encouraging Hospitality Services to provide vegan food options during the University's first Diversity Week. The University's catering service now provides vegan food every day. Glasgow was the first University to achieve accreditation from the UK Vegan Society through its "Sunflower Standard" Scheme.

"VSUG is open to staff and students of the University. We welcome vegans, aspiring vegans, supporters of veganism and animal welfare, and supporters of the provision of vegan food.

Seeing the popularity of the vegan lifestyle growing, Glasgow University showed forward-thinking and demonstrated inclusiveness, an example we think should be followed by more universities.

9. Competitive Eating Society, Kent Univeristy

Although we are not sure if this one managed to fight the time, the idea is still quite original.

Students were gathering together to look for food challenges, such as Chicken Nugget Centurion, the One Metre Pizza, and of course, the Hot Curry Challenge.

It is definitely a good idea if youre thinking of starting a food-themed society in your own university.

10. The Curry Society, Leicester University

I saved this one for last, because it makes my heart skip a beat in excitement. This is one for all the curry lovers out there.

If you love curry, youve picked one of the best cities to study in. Leicester is famous for its Golden Mile and has previously been named as the Curry Capital of the UK. There are so many good Indian restaurants in Leicester that you could visit a different one almost every week for a year.

"Joining the Curry Society is a great way to meet new people, have a good time and, most importantly, sample some of these fabulous eateries.

Did we miss any existing food-appreciation uni societies? Tell us in the comments!

Co-op fully supports the need for all these societies, and all other food societies great and small - they even give them 10% off (with NUS extra card) to make those socials go down a treat.
Marian Clare Debenham, University of Manchester

Marie Stopes was a distinguished academic scientist and became the youngest doctor of science in Britain. But when her book Married Love was published on March 26, 1918, it completely changed her life and arguably those of millions of men and women.

The book offered a detailed description of sexual relations, and its publication allowed this topic  which had long been taboo  to be more readily discussed by both men and women.

Wikimedia Commons. Marie Stopes in her laboratory.

As my research has chronicled, the book sold 2,000 copies in the fortnight after publication and within a year, six further editions had been published. Her work struck a chord in the post-World War I era. It was bought by women who had just gained the vote and men demobbed from the services. It was read by aristocratic readers in Chelsea but also by factory workers in Northern towns such as Liverpool and Manchester. Her name even featured in playground rhymes chanted by Londons children.

Stopes was not married when she wrote Married Love. She had impetuously married her first husband, the Canadian academic geneticist Reginald Ruggles Gates, but the marriage soon broke down. She explored the possibility of divorce, but on discovering the expense turned to the unusual ground of annulment. In a high-profile court case, revealing intimate sexual details were reported in the press, and annulment was granted on the grounds of non-consummation.

Writing on marriage

At the start of Married Love, Stopes declared:

In my own marriage I paid such a terrible price for sex-ignorance that I feel that knowledge gained at such cost should be placed at the service of humanity.

Stopes claimed her knowledge was derived from research in the British Library. It would have helped that she had a biological science degree and had lectured medical students.

But there was another experience that Stopes drew upon  her long love affair with Japanese academic Kenjiro Fujii. Although he divorced his wife, he eventually terminated the relationship. Although supposedly fictitious, Stopess Love Letters of a Japanese was based on their passionate relationship and the draft was written before the publication of Married Love. The heroine confided: I feel a soft kiss on my neck, and everything vanishes, and I long to put my arms round you and be held close to you.

Up until 1918, Stopess most popular book had been a study of ancient plant life. Her academic publishers refused to publish Married Love because it was seen as too controversial. Its publication was therefore financed by Manchester businessman Humphrey Roe, a longstanding birth control campaigner. In true romantic style, Roe wooed Stopes, and became her second husband.

The opening sentence of Married Love, sets the books tone: Every heart desires a mate. It goes on to set out sexual priorities for both sexes. Controversially for the time, women are portrayed as having sexual needs.

It should be realised that a man does not woo and win a woman once for all when he marries her: he must woo her before every separate act of coitus.

Given the reasons for the annulment of Stopess first marriage, its ironic that she chides wives for selfishly taunting their husbands about failures in sexual performance. But the book did enable couples to have meaningful conversations about their sexual needs.

A controversial history

Stopes has fallen out of favour today. Her campaigns for birth control were not as dramatic of those of the suffragettes and did not involve as many participants. But the underlying reason for the controversy was her alleged support for eugenics, the discredited science of racial progress.

The Daily Mail has mounted a long campaign against her for her views and for sending a book of poetry to Adolf Hitler. On her sons death in 2014, the paper called her a monster of a mother. Jenni Murray, presenter of BBCs Womans Hour, indicated that she omitted Stopes from her 2016 book on groundbreaking women because of Stopess supposed support for eugenics.

Stopes certainly used eugenic arguments when it suited her, but she was a maverick eugenicist. Her private correspondence, archived in the British Library, shows how she was shunned by the Eugenic Society. These letters, which Ive studied, show how she clashed with them on the issue of compulsory sterilisation for the unfit and did not believe upper class women should have more children to improve the race.

Marie Stopes International.

Stopes did not mention eugenics in Married Love. After the books publication, readers, enjoying their new-found sexual freedom, wrote to her, asking how to avoid unwanted pregnancies. There are files of these letters, and Stopes later published a selection in her book Mother England which she described as self-written by those who have no historian.

Recognising the need for one-to-one contraceptive advice, Stopes and Roe founded the countrys first birth control clinic in a poor part of London in 1921 and encouraged the national growth of clinics. The charity which carries her name, continues to provide birth control worldwide today.
Cartagena plays hosts to a wealth of culture, beaches, plazas, marina, an exotic port and various shopping areas. The Spanish speaking city has an idyllic old town founded in the 16th century and completely forfeits ideologies of 'gangs' and 'violence'; replenished with stunning sites of wonderful architecture and sweet cobblestone streets hugged by visually striking apartments all with balconies - some romanticised by bright overhanging flowers. There is a theme of beautiful coloured buildings throughout the old-town of yellow and orange; portraying a refreshing and happy atmosphere.Statues of significant historical figures are distributed around the towns giving visitors intriguing Columbian facts when exploring. Torre del Reloj is one of the most recognised architectural sites along with the Muse Naval de Caribe. Museo deck Oro Zenu exhibits the pre-Hispanic metallurgy of Columbia with exceptional collections of real gold and informative talks on regions dating back thousands of years. Totumo mud volcano is also a unique experience and is around 45 minutes from the city centre.Coffee is an obvious delicious delicacy with strong, aromatic taste - rather dissimilar to commercialised caffeine outlets in Britain. Freshly made lemonade quenches one's thirst in the heat, and both drinks can be enjoyed in sweet cafes dotted generously around town for a reasonable price. Located in the Pie de la Popa neighbourhood is the Caribe Plaza, the second largest shopping mall in the country, offering 198 shops whipped with clothes stores and indigenous products. Bocagrande Plaza consists of residential, commercial and leisure spaces; with a shopping mall, cinema and around 19 restaurants. Street traders tend to haggle with visitors to sell their goods around town but are polite and not too pushy.The yellow taxi is the most convenient method to get around and horse-drawn carts are also widely used. The Chiva - a bus painted with bold, colourful designs is a must-do for tourists. With a warm tropical climate and overwhelming views of a city encased by a beach; Cartagena contains mountains of wanderlust with no sense of danger - but instead a place of fine sunsets, palm trees, fantastic cityscapes and serenity. An ideal holiday destination.
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Half Comic Book/Half Soundtrack/100% Adrenaline.

Source: Kickstarter

Hollowed is a project that's been in development for a long time. Starting as a script 15 years ago, writer Casey Bowker recently adapted it as a comic, which he took to Kickstarter to publish. With artist Darius Johnson, the duo are looking for $3,000 to release the first issue. As of this writing, the Kickstarter is $153 shy of its goal with 22 days to go.

Hollowed is a Sci-Fi Horror Comedy that follows the stories of Detectives Vasquez and Tyler as they hunt down a brutal serial killer that hollows out the bodies of its victims. You'll follow our detectives across states to track down this diabolical deviant with some help that they find along the way. The world of Hollowed is atmospheric, gritty, and oftentimes a lot more darkly comedic than you might expect. The comic also has its own soundtrack by Of Mars to accompany it and set the mood.

The Outhouse recently sat down with Bowker to pick his brain about the comic.

Tim Midura: True crime is so hot right now. Are you trying to bandwagon with your own crime story?

Casey Bowker: I've never thought of True Crime as being "hot" but given that I wrote this story 15 years ago while I was in college, I'd say I'm ahead of the curve. I've always liked movies like Se7en and Red Dragon, etc; so I pulled some inspirations from those dark stories of "real" killers. As much as its a crime story it also has a lot of sci-fi elements that will begin to reveal themselves as the story continues.

Tim: When the serial killer hollows out their victims is the skin deflated or do they prop up the skin with some sort of interior scaffolding?

Casey: Not to give too much away but I do refer to it as a "skin suit" later in the book. Think about it hanging on a clothing rack, ready to wear for your next Cotillion.

Tim: You originally wrote this script 15 years ago for the SyFy channel. Why turn this into a comic? Trying to repitch to SyFy?

Casey: I figure that if the Kickstarter goes well enough and there is enough buzz around the book thanks to great outlets such as yourself promoting it; that SyFy will come to ME and wanna option the comic into a made-for-tv movie. I'm hoping to be amongst the pantheon of great films SyFy films such as House Shark and Man with the Screaming Brain.

Tim: Darius Johnson's art is gritty and dark. How does humor fit into that world?

Casey: I think it's a good synergy between the dark and gritty and the humorous. I think of something like Shaun of the Dead which is a brilliant horror movie by Edgar Wright. What Wright did so well was make something that was a horrifying zombie film that just happened to be hilarious. I wanted to find that same type of balance. Darius took what I had written on paper and perfectly brought the characters and imagery to life. If it wasn't for me finding him at the Buffalo Comic Con, I don't think the comic would be made.

Tim: A soundtrack was created for the comic. What was your thinking behind that?

Casey: The music from the band Of Mars wasn't created for the comic, as it was created in the 1980s and was found in an abandoned Circle K, listened to by myself, and I KNEW it fit the comic. Maybe Of Mars were a bunch of wizards who foresaw that Hollowed would someday be a thing and they were inspired by that future to create the macabre melodies you'll hear on the album; but that may just be my hope that it's true. I did get the UK Synthwave Maestro, Brandon, to create a song called 'Criminals' to go on the soundtrack and he knocked it out of the park. I wanted the music to make a more immersive experience when reading along with the adventures of Detectives Tyler and Vasquez as they hunted down The Butcher.

Tim: Hollowed is set to be a four issue series. Will you be running Kickstarters for all four issues?

Casey: That was a mis-type and now that I've launched the Kickstarter, I can't change it. The first ARC will be four issues but I wrote a whole 90 minute movie script which probably equals out to be closer to 20 comics. It's all mapped out already, but I should have written arc and not just issues.

Tim: The $300 pledge gets the "Stylin' and Profilin'" level which is $70 and all four future issues of the comic. Are those other three issues worth $230?

Casey:To go back to my previous point, the people who donate to the highest tier will get every issue in the ENTIRE series along with a bunch of goodies that I haven't unveiled yet. I want everyone who pledges to feel that they are not only getting their money's worth but also supporting something they really believe in. The world of Hollowed is an ever-changing one from gritty and dark, to wickedly funny and science fiction. Everyone who helps see the project come alive is in for a wild ride and one that I hope continues to keep them coming back for more.

Check out Hollowed on Kickstarter and Facebook.
Glover's animated Deadpool series was cancelled earlier in the week.

Source: Variety

Over the weekend it was announced that FX wasn't moving forward with Marvel and Donald Glover's animated Deadpool series, citing creative differences.



"Due to creative differences, FX, Donald Glover, Stephen Glover and Marvel Television have agreed to part ways on Marvel's Deadpool animated series," the network said in a statement Saturday. "FX will no longer be involved with the project. FX and Marvel have an ongoing relationship through our partnership on Legion, which will continue."

Glover took to Twitter on Wednesday to vent about the show's cancellation through a series of now-deleted tweets revolving around a 15-page mock Deadpool script. Glover opened by saying that he wasn't too busy to work on the series and shared the show's "final" script. The script was clearly written after the show's cancellation.

At one point, Glover goes after Marvel by having Deadpool say, "You know, I'm not mad about this whole 'cancelled' thing. I actually think it's a good thing. I mean, is it even a good time to have a violent, gun loving white man ranting on TV? Other than the PRESIDENT!"

He also adds, "It just feels like everyone wants something different, but no one want to do anything different to get it. Doesn't Marvel have enough feel-good minority shows everyone supports but doesn't watch? I mean, I think our show woulda been funny. I just wanted a place to be honest. And I guess that place is Freeform."

With a line implying Marvel "was trying to sell toys to 7-year-old boys and 50-year-old pedophiles," don't expect an appearance from the Prowler in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 sequel any time soon.

Glover's deleted script pages are below.
They've had years to plan for this.

Source: Marvel Comics

With a Disney buyout of Fox on the horizon, Marvel has decided it's the time to bring the Fantastic Four back now that they can profit off the future films. The only issue is that Marvel is continuing the Fox tradition of churning out awful Fantastic Four stories by attaching Dan Slott to the relaunch. Balancing Slott out will be Sara Pichelli on art duties.

Marvel Editor-In-Chief Akira Yoshida sat down with Agent M to discuss the relaunch.

https://news.marvel.com/comics/86780/fantastic-four-return/

Unlike other soft relaunches (Marvel Two-in-One), Fantastic Four will see the return of the complete family: Johnny, Sue, Reed, and The Thing.

The Outhouse can EXXCLUSIVELY reveal that the relaunch will be a parallel of the current White House administration. Lovers Reed and Sue will be parallels of lovers Trump and Ivanka, while Johnny and The Thing will be parallels of Melania and Jared.

Reed will attempt to build a wall around the Negative Zone, despite not being able to find the funding, with Reed saying, "The negative zone doesn't send their best. These are super-powered criminals, bug-like alien swarms, trans-dimensional conquerors... some of them are fine people."

No word yet if Marvel will allow Slott's updated The Thing catchphrase of "It's pussy-grabbing time!"

Fantastic Four #1 is set to launch in August.
It is not often that this newspapers distribution day falls precisely on an historic date. But it does today. And it is important to remember. Particularly for young people.

Fifty years ago today, The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis. He had gone there to champion the rights of African-American sanitation workers surviving on subsistence wages and striking for fair treatment. They marched carrying signs that declared, I Am A Man!

King was slain by a rifle blast from James Earl Ray in the fading light of late afternoon surrounded by his closest brothers in arms including Andrew Young and Jesse Jackson with whom he had been sharing laughter inside their rooms just moments before. None of us who recall the scene flashing across our television screens - no matter how young we were - will ever forget how they desperately tried to stem the bleeding from MLKs head and neck where the bullet had ripped through his flesh. He was rushed to St.Josephs Hospital where he was declared dead at 7.05 pm.

The night before Rev. King had given his last speech. It was heartwrenchingly prophetic and has been dubbed the Ive been to the mountaintop address. The following are the closing remarks, Well, I dont know what will happen now. Weve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesnt matter with me now. Because Ive been to the mountaintop. And I dont mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But Im not concerned about that now. I just want to do Gods will. And Hes allowed me to go up to the mountain. And Ive looked over. And Ive seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so Im happy, tonight. Im not worried about anything. Im not fearing any man. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord![

He was 39 years old and had frequently told his wife that he felt he would never reach his fortieth birthday. The world will pause to remember today. And that is as it should be.

The commemoration of Kings life and legacy reminds us of a time when leaders of conscience and character marched to a different drumbeat. They taught us how to fight against the tyranny of hypocrisy and mendacity. Their example gave many of us the courage to pledge undying vigilance against the viruses of interposition and nullification.

Sadly, many of us came to political maturity knowing that some of the best people we would ever see had already had their heads blown off in the terrible times between 1963 and 1968.Their names echo across the years to us still. Evers, Kennedy, King, Kennedy. Those killings led to generational malaises of political mindlessness and mediocrity that to a great extent we have not come out of.

But through our memory and witness we keep the flame of hope alive. A hope that helps us keep our eyes on the prize. The prize of a society where, in Kings words, people will be judged by the content of their character not the color of their skin or the contents of their pocketbooks.

As much as his leadership in the civil rights struggle, perhaps Kings greatest moment was his organization of the largest public manifestation for the dignity of man that Washington had ever seen. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom saw 250,000 people descend on the Mall in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Black and white, men and women, old and young, all faiths and all creeds.

On that glorious August day in 1963 we heard Dr. King deliver what is arguably the greatest piece of oratory in the English language. I have a dream! he thundered. And we all dreamt the same dream. No one  even if they were a child  who saw it or heard it was left unmoved or unchanged. The words and the spirit swept us up on gossamer wings.

But on that day, it was not just a dream. Hope lived that day. We knew it could be a reality. We knew there were leaders of courage and conviction who could make it so. Leaders who understood the fierce urgency that Justice shall roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream. Leaders who were not interested in balancing interests, but in challenging them.

Earlier that year, Medgar Evers had been murdered in front of his wife and children by a racist who shot him in the back. But there was still JFK and Bobby and above all Martin. Within 57 months they were all slaughtered. But on that day, everything seemed possible.

Looking back over the past half-century it is almost as if the dreams of that time  dreams of unlimited expansion of individual purpose and possibility  had been replaced with an era of prohibition, prejudice and pettiness. As if after the assassinations, leaders were too scared to lead.

But in our memory and witness on this day we keep the flame of hope alive. Alive, so history will not write that most pathetic of epitaphs over our era, Too late.

But to keep that flame alive we all have a responsibility of memory, witness and action. Read the words again. Look at the films again. Show them to your children. Give them the example to lead. Remind them of Brother Martin. Let them see that once there was a time when we would not let courage be compromised by timidity, nor Justice cheapened for expediency, nor honor mortgaged to avarice.

The possibilities of our capacities for greatness and generosity are constantly compromised by an ungracious modernity and a suffocating self-absorption filled with false pieties as excuses for inaction. But it does not have to be this way.

Several years ago, Rev. Joseph C. Lowery, a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Rev. King, said, Today we commemorate. Tomorrow we agitate! That is the dream that must be kept alive. And by our deeds, the glorious hope of his brilliant shining life shall never die.
Job Title: Caterer

Organization: Mengo Hospital

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Catering Officer

About US:

Mengo Hospital was founded in 1897 in Kampala, and is the oldest

hospital in Uganda. It currently serves as an urban community hospital that

provides modern medical care. Mengo Hospital provides comprehensive care

including radiology, obstetrics, dentistry, orthopedics, and surgery.

Additionally, Mengo Hospital provides critical training and education to health

professionals through its various programs in midwifery and nursing, health

sciences, and laboratory technology. Mengo Hospital also has a dedicated

research and development team that works to find new solutions to health issues

in Uganda.

Job Summary: The Caterer

will arrange the delivery, preparation and presentation of food for clients



Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities:

Supervising all kitchen staff

Appraising the performance of all kitchen

staff

Prepare duty rosters for kitchen staff

Ensure provision of quality meals to

students

Preparing periodic reports to the School

Administrator

Organize and chair section staff meetings

Attend to students complaints regarding

feeding

Ensure cleanliness and hygiene are

maintained at the school kitchen

Ensure accountability for all resources

and assets at the kitchen

Ensure that cooks are equipped with food

supplies and tools they need at all times.











Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:

The ideal candidate should hold a

Certificate in catering or any other related field.

Two years of relevant experience in

similar roles preferably in a Schools Setting.

Men are encouraged to apply

Ability to work efficiently and keep calm,

under pressure

Ability to work quickly but efficiently

High standards of personal hygiene

Good organizational skills

Time management skills

Good attention to detail.

Communication and team working skills.

Age: Below 40 years

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates with relevant

qualifications and experience should submit their application letters, detailed

Curriculum vitae, copies of academic certificates, practicing licenses where

applicable and valid contacts/email addresses of three (3) referees

electronically at the link below.



2018 by 5.00pm Deadline: Tuesday 10th April2018 by 5.00pm
The United States will no longer shoulder more than a quarter of the multibillion-dollar costs of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, Washingtons envoy said Wednesday.

Peacekeeping is a shared responsibility, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said at a Security Council debate on peacekeeping reform. All of us have a role to play, and all of us must step up.

The U.S. is the biggest contributor, assessed about 28.5 percent of this years $7.3 billion peacekeeping budget.

Citing a 25 percent cap in a U.S. law, Haley said it will be the limit moving forward. The U.S. Mission to the U.N. later said her remarks apply to the current peacekeeping budget year.

The second-largest contributor, China, is assessed a bit over 10 percent.

The U.N. now runs 15 peacekeeping missions worldwide. U.S. President Donald Trumps administration has complained before about the cost and pressed to cut this years budget. It is $570 million below last years, a smaller decrease than the U.S. wanted.

Were only getting started, Haley said when the cut was approved in June. It followed a $400 million trim the prior year, before Trumps administration.

Haley said Wednesday that the U.S. will work to make sure cuts in its portion are done in a fair and sensible manner that protects U.N. peacekeeping.

The General Assembly sets the budget and respective contributions by vote. Spokesmen for Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declined to comment on Haleys remarks, noting that the 193 U.N. member states will decide the budget.

Drawing over 105,000 troops, police and other personnel from countries around the world, the peacekeeping missions operate in places from Haiti to parts of India and Pakistan. Most are in African countries. The biggest is in Congo, where the Security Council agreed just Tuesday to keep the 16,000-troop force in place for another year.

Some missions have been credited with helping to protect civilians and restore stability, but others have been criticized for corruption and ineffectiveness.

In Mali, where 13,000 peacekeepers have been deployed since 2013, residents in a northern region still dont feel safe and secure, Malian womens rights activist Fatimata Toure told the Security Council on Wednesday. She said violence remains pervasive in her section of a country that plunged into turmoil after a March 2012 coup created a security vacuum.

We have still not felt (the peacekeeping mission) deliver on its protection-of-civilians mandate, though it has helped in some other ways, Toure said. We feel, as civilians, that weve been abandoned, left to our fate.

Peacekeeping also has been clouded by allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation. An Associated Press investigative series last year uncovered roughly 2,000 claims of such conduct by peacekeepers and other U.N. personnel around the world during a 12-year period.

Maintaining peace has become increasingly deadly work. Some 59 peacekeepers were killed through malicious acts last year, compared to 34 in 2016, Guterres said Wednesday. A U.N. report in January blamed many of the deaths on inaction in the field and a deficit of leadership from the world bodys headquarters to remote locations.

Guterres said Wednesday that the U.N. is improving peacekeepers training, has appointed a victims rights advocate for victims of sexual abuse and is reviewing all peacekeeping operations.

Still, he said, more needs to be done to strengthen peacekeeping forces and ensure they are deployed in tandem with political efforts, not instead of them. They also shouldnt be overloaded with unrealistic expectations, he said.

Lives and credibility are being lost, he said. A peacekeeping operation is not an army or a counterterrorist force or a humanitarian agency.

Representatives from many countries also stressed a need for more focused, better prepared peacekeeping missions and more robust political peace processes.

The U.N., its member states and countries that host peacekeeping missions all need to shoulder our responsibilities, said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country arranged the debate as this months Security Council president.

(AP)
Chinas Commerce Ministry urged Washington on Thursday to discard planned tariffs it warned might set off a chain reaction that could disrupt global trade and said Beijing will fight to the end.

A ministry spokesman, Gao Feng, gave no details of how Beijing might respond to U.S. President Donald Trumps proposed tariff hike on $60 billion of Chinese goods in a dispute over technology policy. But Gao repeated warnings China will take all appropriate measures to defend its commercial interests.

Trumps plans are a flagrant violation of World Trade Organization rules and may trigger a chain reaction of import controls by other governments and harm global economic growth, Gao said at a regular news briefing. He used unusually forceful language even for the latest acrimonious dispute.

We hope the United States can rein in its horse before the edge of the cliff, or else we will fight to the end, said Gao.

Gao insisted Beijing has abided by WTO rules, despite complaints by Washington, the European Union and foreign business groups that Chinese regulators hinder market access and shield local companies from competition.

The possible tariffs approved last week by Trump are in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology.

On Friday, Beijing responded to an earlier U.S. tariff hike on steel and aluminum imports by releasing a $3 billion list of American goods including pork and steel pipes that might be targeted for retaliation.

Gao repeated earlier Chinese statements that Beijing is open to negotiating a settlement, though he did not confirm a news report that talks already have started. The Wall Street Journal said U.S. officials have submitted a list of market-opening requests covering autos, finance and semiconductors.

(AP)
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has decided there will be a closure imposed on PA (Palestinian Authority) residents, prohibiting them from crossing into Green Line Israel during Pesach. He decision was reached following high-level security briefings.

The closure will begin on Thursday, and continue until motzei Shabbos following Pesach at midnight, the night between Shabbos and Sunday.

As is always, exceptions will be made to accommodate urgent medical and humanitarian cases. The restrictions do not impact travel within PA areas and Yehuda and Shomron.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
For the fifth time this week, two Gazan terrorists crossed the border into southern Israel after cutting their way through the border fence. This latest infiltration occurred on Thursday morning, 13 Nissan 5778.

Thursdays incident is the fifth such infiltration in as many days and raises concern ahead of mass protests Palestinians are planning Friday along the Israel-Gaza border.

Unlike a case earlier in the week in which three Gazans crossed into Israel and managed to go far into Israeli territory before being apprehended, this case ended within minutes of their crossing the border as they were taken into custody.

In one of the earlier cases, soldiers apprehended three Gaza terrorists after they made it 18 miles into Israel. They were captured near a military base.

In one of the other infiltrations, the terrorists tried to destroy the construction equipment used to build the wall blocking underground terrorist tunnels. They managed to lightly damage the equipment, but Bchasdei Hashem they fell short of their goal of destroying or badly damaging the construction equipment.

No one was harmed in the infiltrations but they set off great worry in southern Israeli communities already fearful that terrorists have dug underground tunnels they could use to enter Israel to carry out terror attacks.

Gazas Hamas rulers are urging residents to gather near the fence and march toward Israeli positions. The Israeli military is warning it will take extreme measures if the border is breeched.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem / AP)
(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Two suspects were caught on their way out of the drivers license theory test with technological devices on them that helped them pass the test

The police investigation began a week ago with the receipt of a police report from the Licensing Office in Jerusalem, in which they suspect two people who came to take the test.

Police arrived within minutes to locate the two suspects, ages 19 and 28, and began questioning them.

The police noticed that the suspects were holding plastic soft drink bottles, and in a thorough examination, the police discovered that the bottles had been specially adapted and contained technological equipment that included a camera with long-range transmission capability. They also had wireless headsets.

The suspects were brought for questioning at the Moriah station on suspicion of fraud.

The investigation revealed suspicions that the suspects contacted another person who transferred the bottles and advanced equipment to them in order to assist them in passing the test, for a fee of thousands of shekels.

The suspects also came to the theory test with a bottle equipped with a camera, which was aimed in the direction of the questions, and the suspects earpiece received the correct answers from the other suspect.

The police investigation is continuing to locate additional suspects.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Police spokesman unit)
Landlords have seen returns rise across the UK outside of London in spite of warnings that profits have been hit by recent tax changes, research suggested today.

Yields rose in the second half of 2017 compared to the same period the year before in every region except London, which was the only region to see actual rental incomes fall. This comes despite widespread reports of the buy-to-let sector's ongoing demise.

The average gross rental yield on buy-to-let hit 5.2 per cent in the second half of 2017 according to BM Solutions - which is part of Lloyds Banking Group and one of the two biggest buy-to-let lenders in the country.

Source: BM Solutions - London was the only region to see rents fall in the second half of 2017

Landlords in the North of England are reaping the best rewards with yields touching 6.9 per cent at the end of last year.

Northern Ireland offers an average rental yield of 6.2 per cent, followed by the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and Wales, all of which offer 6 per cent yields on average.

The lowest rental yields are in London at 4.5 per cent, followed by the South East and the South West - both 4.8 per cent.

Buy-to-let yields show the level of profitability for a landlord and take into account the overall value of equity in the property as well as the profit retained after the mortgage is paid.

In London and the South East, where property prices are the highest in the country, it takes a much bigger slug of equity to invest in buy-to-let.

Rents in these areas had been rising to maintain that profitability for landlords who were having to fork out more capital to purchase rental properties. But it seems as though tenants may have got to the limit of what they can afford.

According to the BM Solutions figures the average rent in Greater London remains significantly higher than elsewhere in the UK, at 1,540 per month.

But London was the only region to see rents fall in the last six months of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

The average monthly rent in the capital is 105 per cent higher than the UK average of 750 and 40 per cent above that in the South East (1,097), the next highest region.

Northern Ireland has the lowest rent in the UK, at an average of 452 per month, just over a quarter of the London average.

Profits holding up but volumes are down

That landlords are still making healthy profits on average seems to contradict the headlines warning that buy-to-let is crashing.

But while profits might still be decent, the volume of new investment into the sector has collapsed.

Overall, buy-to-let purchases with a mortgage in 2017 were 27 per cent lower than in 2016 at 74,900.

Transactions are now 59 per cent below the pre-housing downturn peak of 183,280 recorded in 2007 - although they remain 52 per cent higher than the market dip of 49,400 in 2010.

This is largely down to a slew of tax and regulatory changes affecting landlords since 2016.

Purchase costs have got much more onerous after the government slapped a 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge on all buy-to-let purchases made after April 2016.

In 2017, the Bank of England introduced rules forcing banks and building societies to be much tougher when handing out buy-to-let mortgages.

Lenders now insist on more rental income in relation to mortgage payments.

And where landlords have four or more buy-to-let mortgages, they now have to put their whole portfolio under review whenever they remortgage or purchase a new property.

April last year also saw the start of tapering to tax relief on mortgage interest, which has seen landlords have to give up more of their income to the taxman than they did previously.

This has hit profits particularly where landlords are higher rate taxpayers, though the changes have also pushed thousands of basic rate taxpayers into a higher bracket.

As a result, there has been a significant drop in new investment into the private rented sector using a mortgage.

Existing landlords warned mortgage rates to rise

Landlords in the North of England see the highest yields at a healthy 6.9 per cent

Buy-to-let mortgage rates have been broadly stable and historically low for some time now but the cost of lending has risen steadily this year on the back of growing expectations that the Bank of England will raise the base rate in May to 0.75 per cent.

Swap rates - money market rates used by many lenders to price their mortgage rates - have been gradually rising as markets price in the likelihood of another base rate hike.

This week saw Precise Mortgages, a specialist lender with a fairly big market share, raise its buy-to-let rates by a full 0.2 per cent. The lender cited the rising cost of funds as the reason, but warned that many other buy-to-let lenders were likely to follow soon.

Andrew Turner, of specialist buy-to-let mortgage broker Commercial Trust, agreed: 'As far back as February, we were starting to hear from lenders that increased swap rates were likely to affect buy-to-let mortgages, as lenders were carrying the increased costs of borrowing.

'Now that Precise, one of the UKs largest specialist buy-to-let lenders, has made this announcement  and specifically indicated that they have been carrying the cost of the swap rate change since January  one can only imagine that others may follow.'

He urged landlords facing the need to remortgage in the coming weeks to speak to their broker sooner rather than later to secure the best rates.
Do you have a driveway but no car, a spare room or even an old power drill you never use? What about a hidden talent for arts and crafts or cooking?

Over the past few days weve explained how to turbo-charge your nest egg, make 2,000 by switching suppliers and protect your pocket against rising mortgage rates. Today, in the final part of our Spring Clean Your Finances series, its all about simple ways to boost your bank balance.

Use your property to prosper

If you have a spare room, consider renting it out. Under the Governments Rent a Room scheme you can earn up to 7,500 in rent a year tax-free. For anything over this you will have to fill out a tax return.

If you dont want a permanent lodger, you could rent out a room for a few weeks a year via Airbnb. Airbnb estimates the typical UK host earns around 3,000 from renting their space for 36 nights a year.

However, you must check with your mortgage lender and home insurance provider that you would be covered if something happens. If your insurer wont extend your cover, you can buy top-up insurance from a pay per day firm such as Inlet.

If you cant bear the idea of sharing your home with anyone, why not rent out the extra space for storage?

Websites such as storemates.co.uk let you list spare rooms, basements, attics and even garage space. You specify the size of the space and what it would be suitable for storage-wise, then set a price per month. The website will take a 15 pc cut.

Get dosh from your driveway

Anyone who lives near the city centre or train station and doesnt have a car could make some serious cash by renting out their driveway online.

Figures from yourparkingspace.co.uk show someone with a single driveway in Brighton could make 1,150 a year, while a homeowner with two spaces in Edinburgh could earn more than 1,500 a year.

You can let spaces for a day, a week or a month and you set your own price. Try searching for other spaces up for rent in your area to get an idea of what you could get. YourParkingSpace takes around 20 per cent of the charge.

Cash in with your car

Make money by renting out your car via networks such as easyCar Club (carclub.easycar.com).The site estimates someone renting out a two-year-old Fiat 500 for five days a month could make 103  or 1,236 a year.

If you fancy company on a commute, try liftshare.com. Enter the route, time and day of travel, and suggest a contribution towards the cost of petrol and the running of the car.

Typically, car insurers dont mind if you share lifts as long as you are not profiting, but check first. Liftshare estimates someone going from Stockport to Manchester five days a week could save 696 a year in travel with an extra passenger, based on a contribution of 1.50 per trip.

Or let a company advertise on your car through sites such as carquids.com, which match your location and car to firms.

Tell your insurer as some may consider advertising a type of modification, which could invalidate your policy.

Earn from old items

Use rentmyitems.com to help you hire out many of those household items you dont use all the time, such as tools and appliances.

Current listings on the site include a weeks hire of a car bike rack for 6 and a days hire of a sewing machine for a fiver. Spending a day clearing out the loft could also reap rewards.

Vintage toys or unwanted exercise equipment can be sold on sites such as eBay or Gumtree, and you can often ask buyers to collect bulky items to save you getting stung on delivery costs.

Or, if your shelves are stocked with books, CDs, DVDs and games, try out musicMagpie.

You just scan the barcode of items you want to get rid of using a phone app or enter the details on its website (musicmagpie.co.uk). It will then calculate how much they are worth.

Some will only earn you pennies but the site has extended the list of items it is interested in, and an iPhone 6 64GB in good condition could fetch 101.

The site will even pay 4 for 1kg (about 2lb) of Lego bricks.

Once youve logged your items, you box them up and send them postage-free or drop them at a local shop to which they will direct you.

Alternatively, musicMagpie can send a courier.

Make a favourite hobby pay

Whatever your interests, there are ways to profit.

Budding photographers could make money selling snaps to stock photo websites, while aspiring chefs can make cash by hosting dinner parties through organisations such as Eatwith.

Animal lovers can even earn extra income by looking after pets when owners are away with dogbuddy.com or pawshake.co.uk, for example.

Homeowners should be sure to check with their home insurer first, and remember to get the pets insurance and vet details.

Creative types can set up shop on websites such as Etsy, where entrepreneurs sell craft products such as stationery, soaps, art and accessories.

Meanwhile, those with a photogenic property could make money hiring their home out for film or TV shoots through JJ Media or Shootfactory  as long as there is enough space for a film crew.

Georgie Frost, consumer advocate at GoCompare, says: There are so many ways to make a bit of extra cash on the side and lots of apps and guides to help you get started, but you cant ignore the tax man altogether.

Selling unwanted clothes or books on eBay or Gumtree is fine, but if youre actively buying and selling or making items, renting out your driveway, or taking in peoples pets for holidays, then you do need to declare it to the Revenue.
The number of new cars built in factories across the UK fell for the seventh month in a row as a hesitant home market strangled production in February, new figures have shown.

A total of 145,475 vehicles rolled off assembly lines last month, which was 4.4 per cent down on the number of units made in February last year.

While export demand was behind by 0.8 per cent, it was a 17 per cent stumble in orders for the UK market that anchored production.

UK manufacturing stutters: Car factories produced 145,475 vehicles last month, which is 4.4% fewer than in February 2017

The declining car-making numbers were confirmed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders today, which said 28,336 fewer vehicles were assembled for the home market in February compared to 12 months earlier.

It continues what has been a turbulent year for the UK motor industry, which has recorded a significant stall in showroom activity since new VED tax rules were applied last April and threats of diesel surcharges gathered pace.



As a direct result, factories have taken a hit from shrinking sales activity.

Just two months into the calendar year, production figures for UK motor plants are already down 2.3 per cent, with 292,956 vehicles emerging from the nation's automotive facilities.

Fortunately, overseas demand - which accounts for around 80 per cent of all cars made in the UK - has helped keep production stats away from the cliff edge, with exports up by 0.3 per cent so far in 2018 while domestic demand is down by 11.9 per cent,

Experts have warned that orders for the UK sector ares likely to continue to stutter throughout the next year as yet more VED changes are due next month and diesel continues to dominate the motoring agenda.

SMMT boss Mike Hawes said the latest installment of double-digit declines in production was 'of considerable concern' but he hoped last week's Brexit transition agreement would help build confidence in the coming months.

'These figures also highlight the scale of our sectors dependency on exports, so a final deal that keeps our frictionless trade links with our biggest market, the EU, after December 2020 is now a pressing priority,' he said.

Vehicle production has fallen for 7 consecutive months, the SMMT confirmed on Thursday

Export demand was down by 0.8% in February, though 8 in 10 vehicles made in the UK are still sent overseas

This followed repeated calls from Hawes earlier this week for the UK to secure tariff-free trade deals with Europe to guarantee the future of car building in the country.

He said: 'The next major hurdle will be securing a new, comprehensive trade agreement with the EU and our partners across the world.

'In the meantime, government must help make the UK as competitive as possible.

'Governments Industrial Strategy and Automotive Sector Deal are positive steps but we need concrete action if we are to stay ahead in what is an intensely competitive global environment.'

He added: 'Remaining part of the single market and customs union, continued access to EU talent, and the ability to benefit from preferential EU trade agreements with third countries remain the UK Automotive industrys priorities in the future EU-UK relationship.

'Equally important, however, is the need for the UK to maintain influence within EU regulations, both during transition and after Brexit, as critical decisions are taken on shared issues such as CO2 and data  issues which will ultimately affect UK consumers, exporters and other businesses.'

Production is now down by 2.3% in the first two months of 2018, and demand from the home market is likely to continue shrinking

Mike Hawes said the onus was now on the government to help make the UK car manufacturing industry 'as competitive as possible'

Justin Benson, head of Automotive at KPMG in the UK, said manufacturing was likely to continue to slow all the way through the build up to the UK's divorce from the EU.

He said UK buyers would continue to be cautious in the uncertain economy, though export demands should keep figures afloat.

'With one year to go until the UK leaves the EU, domestic demand continues to fall,' he said.

'Like most manufacturers, consumers are waiting to see how the economy develops over the next 12 months. However those looking to buy shouldnt wait too long, as now is a good time to haggle with dealers currently offering good deals.

'For manufacturers there is opportunity in the numbers.

'Exports remain robust at historically high levels. 80 per cent of vehicles made in UK are exported, and with strong overseas economies such as the USA and China, our automotive manufacturers can take full advantage of their great brands and the value of the pound to continue to grow robust sales overseas.'

However, not everyone has pointed the finger of blame at Brexit.

Alex Buttle from car selling comparison site Motorway.co.uk said the confusion surrounding the future of diesel cars has pushed the county's drivers into a 'painful transition period' as they feel forced by government to make an early switch to electric vehicles.

'Consumers are being put off new diesel cars by new car tax rates and potential toxin taxes down the road, while the choice of electric and hybrid cars is limited with a lack of infrastructure holding off rapid growth in sales,' Buttle said.

'The government has also been slow to define its cleaner air strategy, compounding the problem.

'The UK car industry has its work cut out to regain the confidence of a consumer confused by the automotive options available and unsure of the likely economic impact on their finances of any car purchase choice they make.'
Colman's Mustard is to close its historic Norwich factory by the end of next year.

Unilever, its parent company, said a move out of the 160-year-old site was expected to begin in the autumn, with the loss of about 50 out of 113 jobs.

End of an era: Unilever, Colman's parent company, said a move out of the 160-year-old site was expected to begin in the autumn

About 40 roles will be moved to Burton upon Trent, in Staffordshire, while a new site in Norwich will create about 25 jobs.

It comes after Britvic, which shared the factory with Colmans, announced in October it was stopping production there.

Unilever then said it too was considering moving production away from Norwich.

Jon Strachan, vice-president of supply chain at Unilever UK and Ireland, said: The proposals we are now moving forward with represent the best long-term solution for Colmans production in the UK, while preserving the historic link with Norwich.
Hundreds of bargain Booze and Wine Rack stores teetered on the brink of closure today after their owner Conviviality confirmed it will appoint administrators within the next 10 days 'unless circumstances change'.

If Conviviality collapses, up to 2,600 people face losing their jobs, but the group has said it will continue trading over the next 10 days in a bid to preserve 'as much value as possible' for its stakeholders, while it makes a last-ditch effort to attract a buyer for some of the business.

In a market announcement, Conviviality said it was exploring 'a number of inbound enquiries regarding a potential sale of all or parts of the business.'

Out of a job: Chief executive Diana Hunter left after more than five years at the helm

The group added: 'Following discussions with its lending banks, the board has resolved to file notice of intention to appoint administrators to the company.'

In a statement to the stock market today, Conviviality revealed it had failed to secure 125m in emergency funding to save it, following a dramatic fall from grace just three weeks ago.

Suppliers are said to have deserted the business, which supplies a host of major pubs and restaurants, after it failed to come up with the money to pay an unexpected 30m tax bill due to HMRC today.

It had planned to use the cash to give the business some headroom as it reassessed its finances. Conviviality said it is now in talks with its lenders and is looking at selling either all or parts of the business.

But it admitted that should it be sold, shareholders are expected to lose everything.

The drinks retailer was plunged into financial chaos this month when it made an incorrect calculation in its financial forecasts and subsequently issued two profit warnings.

After its first profit warning on March 8 its share price plunged 66 per cent, wiping more than 300m off its value. It was forced to suspend trading of its shares and cancel its dividend.

Chief executive Diana Hunter left after more than five years at the helm.

It proved a marked contrast to Convivialitys performance last year, when its share price surged as much as 51 per cent between the end of 2016 and October 2017.

Conviviality is understood to have accountants PwC waiting in the sidelines should it be forced into administration. The wholesaler has more than 700 convenience stores across the UK, which employ 2,600 staff.

A Conviviality spokesman said: Despite a significant number of meetings with potential investors, resulting in good levels of demand, and constructive discussions with a number of key customers and suppliers regarding the provision of support, there was ultimately insufficient demand to raise the full 125m.

The board wish to thank its customers, suppliers and employees for their continued support during this difficult period for the company.

Conviviality supplies 23,000 pubs and restaurants, with customers including JD Wetherspoon and Slug And Lettuce owner Stonegate Pub Company, with which it renewed long-term contracts earlier this year. In January it did a ten-year deal with pub owner Wadworth to supply wines to 200 managed sites and 139 independent outlets.

A spokesman for Wetherspoon said it had no plans at the moment to ditch Conviviality.

Were one of, if not their biggest, customers. We have a contingency plan in place but so far there have been no issues with deliveries, he said. Theyve been our supplier for 20 years and were not going anywhere else for the time being.

Convivialitys collapse would add more doom and gloom to the UK High Street, which has lost a number of big names, including Toys R Us and Maplin, leaving more than 5,000 jobs hanging in the balance.

Restaurants have faced a similar upheaval. Pizza and pasta chain Prezzo is closing 94 restaurants around a third of its sites  celebrity chef Jamie Olivers Jamies Italian has shut 12 of 37 restaurants, while burger chain Byron is preparing to close 20 sites.

Conviviality said it will update the market in due course.
Out: Conviviality boss Diana Hunter left last week after more than five years at the helm

Conviviality, the owner of Wine Rack and Bargain Booze, is preparing to file for administration after it was plunged into financial chaos just three weeks ago.

The drinks wholesaler, which supplies 23,000 pubs and restaurants, will appoint administrators within ten days to wind down the business, putting 2,600 jobs at risk.

A spokesman said Conviviality intended to continue trading for as long as possible, while it considers offers for all or parts of the business.

The demise of the wholesaler, which earlier this year was considered a stock market heavyweight, is a dramatic fall from grace.

Chief executive Diana Hunter left last week after more than five years at the helm following two profit warnings and a 66 per cent share price drop.

Conviviality had to suspend trading on the stock market after it discovered a surprise 30million tax bill, which it failed to raise the money for in an emergency cash call.

Analysts blamed a takeover spree which saw it snap up firms in quick succession for putting pressure on its bottom line.

Under Hunter, the company shelled out for drinks distributors Matthew Clark and Bibendum and the pop-up bar operator Peppermint in less than eight months.

Molly Johnson-Jones, a retail analyst at Globaldata, said: Conviviality took its eye off the ball in search of new growth.

'Add in the accounting errors and hidden margin erosion and we see the reasons for [its] demise.

Shareholders are expected to get next to nothing following the collapse, but Conviviality said it will try to deliver as much value as possible to all stakeholders, which include lenders, suppliers and clients.

One of its biggest customers is pub chain JD Wetherspoon, with whom it recently renewed a long-term supply deal.
More than 50billion has been wiped off the value of Amazon after Donald Trump reopened a war against the online behemoth.

The US president has a long-standing grudge against the retail giant, claiming it has an unfair advantage over small high street stores as it does not pay the same level of taxes.

Trump is said to be convinced, after conversations with friends in the real estate sector, that Amazon, has devastated America's shopping centres and traditional shops.

Rumours that Trump is poised to strike against Amazon, which made a record 125billion from sales in 2017, have worried investors.

Earlier this week a news report claimed Trump is 'obsessed' with the company and is seeking ways to curb its dominance.

Yesterday he tweeted: 'I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the election.

'Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state and local governments, use our postal system as their delivery boy (causing tremendous loss to the US), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!'

Afterwards, Amazon's shares dropped by as much as 3 per cent, or $43.70, to $1,387.72 in early trading, taking a $21billion (15billion) bite out of its market capitalisation.

It has plunged more than 11 per cent this week, taking losses to 50billion.

The president also believes the company rips off the US Postal Service, which delivers its packages, and has been incensed by negative coverage of his presidency by the Washington Post newspaper, which is owned by the Amazon founder and boss, Jeff Bezos.

'He is obsessed with Amazon,' a source told news website Axios. Another source added: 'He's wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law.'

Trump wants to 'clip Jeff Bezos' wings', according to the report, and becomes most hostile when discussing tax policy and competition.

The 71-year-old is said to be concerned that Amazon is a threat to the US's traditional 'mom and pop' family-run businesses.

It has also expanded into several new areas in recent years, with a 10.7billion takeover of Whole Foods shocking the big supermarket brands such as Walmart.

It also wants to enter the healthcare and payments sectors.

Trump has attacked the firm numerous times on Twitter, accusing it of not paying enough tax.

'If Amazon ever had to pay fair taxes, its stock would crash and it would crumble like a paper bag,' he said in December 2015.

Trump has also claimed that Amazon is not charged enough for deliveries by the US Postal Service  despite his own officials reportedly explaining to him that it makes 'a ton of money' from the firm.

A source added: 'It's been explained to him in multiple meetings that his perception is inaccurate.'

The postal service has even added Sunday delivery in some cities because demand for Amazon products made it viable.

Yesterday, a White House spokesman rejected suggestions the president had a grudge against Amazon.

He said: 'A lot of people have made this, with respect to Amazon, about personalities and the CEO at Amazon  we're talking about Jeff Bezos here. It's really about policy.'
FLOAT ROLE City lawyer Rosenblatt has appointed broker Cenkos Securities ahead of a stock market float. The law firm will join peers Gateley, Gordon Dadds and Keystone on the stock exchange if it goes ahead.

LEVY DOUBTS Just 14 per cent of employers who pay the apprenticeship levy think it is fit for purpose, a poll by the Institute of Directors shows.

The tax was introduced to encourage businesses to take on young staff, by charging everyone to subsidise those which do.

ACCOUNTS LAUNCH Online bank Starling has launched accounts for businesses as it seeks to win a grant funded by a scheme from Royal Bank of Scotland.

BIG PAY The boss of the US finance titan American International Group, Brian Duperreault, who took over last May, pocketed 30.5million for just seven months in charger.

AUDITS SWITCH Accountant Grant Thornton is ditching audits of large companies in the face of fierce competition from the so-called Big Four firms.

It comes amid growing scrutiny of bean counters after scandals were missed at firms such as Tesco and the Co-op Bank.

SOFTWARE LISTING The electronic contract company Docusign, which provides software to businesses and estate agents around the world, is to go public next month. It is valued at more than 2billion.

BOARD DEPARTURE Activist investor Oasis Management has stepped down from the board of Mr Kipling and Super Noodles owner Premier Foods.

CHIEF NAMED Online gift retailer Not On The High Street has appointed Barrie Seidenberg, former boss of tours and sightseeing firm Viator, as its chief executive. She led the 2014 sale of Viator to Trip Advisor.

MINE OPENING Potash miner Sirius is on track to open its Woodsmith mine in Yorkshire in 2021, with construction ongoing and finance being sorted out.

Chief executive Chris Fraser said the project would create thousands of jobs.

WATER CHALLENGE Packaging firm Smurfit Kappa has joined a United Nations initiative to save water, working with brands such as Heineken and Unilever.

NEW CHAIRMAN Oil firm Gulf Keystone Petroleum has appointed Jacobus Huijskes, 52, as chairman to replace Keith Lough, 58.
Criminals faked e-mails from tax authorities to defraud bank customers across Italy and Romania out of EUR 1 million

Joint Eurojust/Europol press release

A two-year long cybercrime investigation between the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and terrorism  Central Structure, Romanian National Police, the Prosecution Office of Milan and the Italian National Police, with the support of Eurojust, Europol and its Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce, has led to the arrest of 20 suspects in a series of coordinated raids on 28 March. Nine individuals were detained in Romania and 11 were arrested in Italy for banking fraud that netted EUR 1 million from hundreds of customers of two major banking institutions. The Romanian authorities have conducted 15 house searches involving 120 Romanian police officers, while the Italian authorities carried out 9 home and computer searches, involving more than 100 Italian police officers. Documents, IT devices, drugs and other materials were seized in Romania and Italy.

The organised crime group (OCG), comprised of Romanian and Italian nationals, used spear phishing e-mails impersonating tax authorities to harvest the online banking credentials of their victims.

While the most common phishing scams generate millions of generic e-mails, spear phishing e-mails are personally addressed to targeted stakeholders with content to make them appear to be sent from a reputable source, such as a bank. Recipients are encouraged to click on a link, which will lead to a fake version of a legitimate website from which their account or contact details can be stolen.

The investigation, initiated in 2016, uncovered how the criminals used the stolen online banking credentials to surreptitiously transfer money from the victims' accounts into accounts under their control, and from there withdrew the money from ATMs in Romania with credit/debit cards linked to the criminal accounts.

The highly organised OCG pursued its criminal activity using encrypted chat applications. It established its power by applying intimidating and punitive methods towards affiliates and competitors. The OCG is also suspected of money laundering, drug and human trafficking, prostitution and participation in a criminal organisation.

During the investigation, Europol supported the case by providing tailored intelligence analysis and expertise to the investigators and deploying mobile offices on the action day to both countries. Several coordination and operational meetings took place prior to the action at Eurojust and Europol.

Eurojust ensured close cooperation and coordination among the prosecuting and investigating authorities in both Romania and Italy. During two coordination meetings held at Eurojust in March and October 2017, decisions were taken to facilitate the execution of coordinated actions with simultaneous arrests and searches, prevent a conflict of jurisdiction (ne bis in idem issue), continue the parallel investigations and exchange of information, and organise a coordinated action day. On 28 March, a coordination centre was set up at Eurojust, facilitating the exchange of information between the involved countries and providing a final global overview of the results.

Due to the demanding investigative measures run on an international level, the Romanian and Italian judicial authorities requested the establishment of a joint investigation team (JIT), which was set up in March 2017 between Italy and Romania with the assistance of Eurojust. Eurojust also facilitated the funding process of the JIT. The JIT allowed for efficient cooperation and coordination, including the continued exchange of information and evidence between Italy and Romania.

For interviews and further information, please contact:

EUROJUST

E-mail: media@eurojust.europa.eu

For all Eurojust press releases, please see www.eurojust.europa.eu (Press centre)

EUROPOL

E-mail: press@europol.europa.eu
LOBAMBA  In seven working days, the Swaziland Christian University (SCU) will have at least E27 million in its account.



This was the condition set by Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday as they finally passed the E20.4 billion National Budget.

The MPs said it was a joke that the university had been allocated only E5.4 million and said government had made an agreement with SCU that they would give it E27 million annually.



The MPs refused to pass the budget until the Minister of Education and Training, Phineas Magagula committed to reallocating some money from his ministry to the university.



First to debate the matter was Nkhaba MP Menzi Dlamini, who said as a committee that was selected to handle the SCU issues, they had met with Magagula and the Minister of Finance, Martin Dlamini last week Friday in Parliament.



The committee consisted of Dvokodvweni MP Sitezi Dlamini, Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini and the Speaker Themba Msibi.

The Nkhaba MP said when they met the ministers they had both sang one tune that Cabinet had agreed to the allocation of the E27 million and that a proper report would be given to them on Monday.

Dlamini said when they met on Monday it was a different story, as Magagula stated that he now had to consult Cabinet again on the budget issue.



Meanwhile, MP Sitezi said the meeting on Monday was very disappointing. The Education minister came with the principal secretary and told us that there had been no reallocations made, so its back to square one, he said. MP Sitezi said the issue of SCU had long been discussed and it was clear that Cabinet defied not only the Head of State, but also Parliament, and even itself because they had agreed to the E27 million subvention.
MBABANE - A woman suffering from an eye condition got the shock of her life after she was given expired medication at the Mbabane Government Hospital.



*Xoliswa, who confirmed to have had an eye condition since childhood went to the health facility on Monday, suffering from unusual bloodshot, swollen, painful and itchy eyes and a blurred vision.



An optometrist is said to have prescribed Sterile Visine allergy eye-drops for her, only to find that these had expired on March 3, 2018.

However, Xoliswa only realised that the medication had expired after she had used it twice.

My condition was getting worse, so I asked my neighbour to read the side effects for me, who then realised that the medication actually expired over three weeks ago, she narrated.



She said she went back to the hospitals pharmacy, where she was told to return on Tuesday next week, as the hospital only had the expired medication they had given her in stock.



I have always had trouble with my eyes, which includes blurred vision, strained and painful bloodshot eyes.

Normally, the eye drops help numb the pain which is another reason I went to the Mbabane Government Hospital, she added. Xoliswa, who is a domestic worker, further narrated that after her condition had worsened, her employer had to release her until Tuesday.



I dont even know if I will get the medication on Tuesday. I went to the hospital because I cannot afford to go to private hospitals or pharmacies, she lamented.








LOBAMBA - The exit of Mngwengwe is a blessing in disguise to the Swazi nation.



These were the words of Senator Sibusiso Shongwe during the adoption of Senate portfolio committee reports yesterday.

Shongwe almost spoke in tongues as he described how excited he was at the news that South African national, Tanda Mngwengwe was no longer occupying the hot seat at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). I celebrated when I heard that lomngamu sohambile . I said thank you God, saphumula, Shongwe said.



He threw his colleagues in stitches as he joked about how he did not even know how to spell the former commissioners name and used ones such as Ngcwembe and Mgcwembe.

Ironically, Shongwe once held the top position of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and once wrote a strong worded letter after the commission started investigating certain monies that were deposited into his law firms Trust Account.



A few weeks ago, through his lawyer, Shongwe filed an application in court where he contended that Mngwengwe was unlawfully in office and that he was executing duties that were not mandated to him by the Constitution. He also made a hue and cry about the unlawfulness of both the commission and Mngwengwes office. During the sitting yesterday, Shongwe not only celebrated Mngwengwes exit but punched holes in the manner in which the same ministry had written a response to a question that was posed regarding the former commissioners position and existence in the country.



Shongwe brought it to Senates attention that the responses that were presented yesterday were far from what was actually said when the concern on Mngwengwe was raised.
MBABANE  Mbabane socialite Menzi Gama, popularly known for the Gauzen clothing brand, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 28-year- old woman.



Gama (30), a merchandise owner, is alleged to have committed the offence at Mahwalala in Mbabane on March 25, 2018.

He is alleged to have raped the complainant after a drinking spree.



The name of the complainant has been withheld as she is a survivor of alleged sexual abuse.

Gama was arrested by members of the Royal Swaziland Police based in Mbabane on Tuesday.

According to his charge sheet, during the commission of the offence, he did not use a condom and in the process exposed the complainant to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS.



Through his attorney Linda Dlamini of Mabila Attorneys, Gama yesterday filed an urgent bail application at the High Court.

In his application for bail, he denied to have committed the offence.



This is a fabrication made up by the complainant as she consented to the sexual intercourse, submitted Gama.

He alleged that on that particular morning, he went to Solanis Shisanyama in Mbabane and was from Pub N Grill in Ezulwini.

Gama told the court that when he arrived at Solanis, the time was 4am.



When I got there with my sober driver, one Smicey, I found the complainant whom I have known for three years, sitting together with her friends who were all known to me, said Gama.



He claimed that the complainant and her friends invited him to join their table where they were all enjoying alcoholic beverages.

According to Gama, they continued enjoying drinks and at around 6am, he told them that he needed to go to bed. He alleged that at that time he felt he could not continue with the drinking spree and he requested Smicey to drive him home.
Russia has ordered 60 U.S. diplomats to leave by April 5, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, in a retaliatory move against Washington which expelled a similar number of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of a Russian spy in England.

The foreign ministry said it had declared persona non grata 58 diplomats in Moscow and two general consulate officials in Yekaterinburg in the row over the poisoning of former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal on March 4.

Moments before the ministry announcement, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would respond in kind to the mass expulsion of diplomats by Western governments which include, apart from the United States and Britain, most member states of NATO and the European Union.

"The measures would be reciprocal  They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States\ general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov told a briefing.

The attack on 66-year-old Skripal and his daughter, which Britain has blamed on Russian President Vladimir Putin and says was caused by a Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok left on the door of their home in England, has driven relations between Russia and the West to a new post-Cold War low.

Russia has denied involvement in the attack on the Skripals and says it suspects the British secret services are trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence who betrayed Russian agents to Britain and then was exchanged in a spy swap deal, is still in a critical condition from the attack.

His 33-year-old daughter was also in a critical condition though the English hospital where she was being treated said on Thursday that her condition had improved.

SOURCE: REUTERS
North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, South Korean officials said on Thursday, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearization as tensions ease between the old foes.

South Korean officials, who announced the date after high-level talks with North Korean counterparts, said the agenda would largely be denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and improving inter-Korean relations.

The two Koreas had agreed to hold the summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom when South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a delegation to Pyongyang this month to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Thursday\s meeting was the first high-level dialogue between the two Koreas since the delegation returned from the North.

The two sides said in a joint statement they would hold a working-level meeting on April 4 to discuss details of the summit, such as staffing support, security and news releases.

"We still have a fair number of issues to resolve on a working level for preparations over the next month," said Ri Son Gwon, the chairman of North Korea\s committee for the peaceful reunification of the country in closing remarks to the South Korean delegation.

"But if the two sides deeply understand the historic significance and meaning of this summit and give their all, we will be able to solve all problems swiftly and amicably," Ri added.

Tension over North Korea\s tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile surged last year and raised fears of U.S. military action in response to North Korea\s threat to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.

But tension has eased significantly since North Korea decided to send athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. The neighbours are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.

China commended both sides for their efforts to improve ties.

"We hope the momentum of dialogue can continue and that the peaceful situation also can last," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a briefing.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was encouraged by the recent developments with North Korea.

"I believe that in this world where unfortunately so many problems seem not to have a solution, I think there is here an opportunity for a peaceful solution to something that a few months ago was haunting us as the biggest danger we were facing," Guterres told reporters on Thursday.

\RESOLVE PROBLEMS\

Kim is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in May to discuss denuclearization, although a time and place have not been set.

Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in a surprise visit to Beijing this week, his first trip outside the isolated North since he came to power in 2011.

Even more surprising was Kim\s pledge to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. That commitment was reported by Chinese state media, although North Korea\s official media made no mention of it, or Kim\s anticipated meeting with Trump.

A senior Chinese official visiting Seoul on Thursday to brief South Korea on Kim\s visit to Beijing said it should help ease tension and lead to the denuclearization of the peninsula.

"We believe his visit will help the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, ensure peace and security of the Korean peninsula and resolve problems regarding the peninsula through political negotiations and discussions," Yang Jiechi said in opening remarks during a meeting with South Korea\s National Security Office head, Chung Eui-yong.

Yang, a top Chinese diplomat, is scheduled to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon told reporters Kim\s visit to China was not discussed with North Korean officials in their Thursday talks.

Trump and Kim had exchanged insults and veiled threats of war in recent months but the U.S. leader made the surprising announcement this month that he was prepared to meet Kim to discuss the crisis over the North\s development of weapons.

The North Korean leader\s engagement with the international community has sparked speculation that he may try to meet other leaders. Japan\s Asahi newspaper said Japan had sounded out the North Korean government about a summit.

Japan\s Foreign Minister Taro Kono left open the possibility that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe might meet Kim at some point. Kono said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday that Japan was closely watching preparations for the North-South Korean summit and the Trump-Kim meeting.

Xi promised that Beijing would uphold its friendship with North Korea after his meeting with Kim.

Trump wrote on Twitter he had received a message from Xi late on Tuesday that his meeting with Kim "went very well" and that Kim looked forward to meeting the U.S. president.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Palestinians in Gaza pitched tents near the volatile border with Israel on Thursday ahead of a six-week protest camp under the gaze of wary Israeli soldiers.

The protest is dubbed "The Great March of Return" and has the backing of the Gaza Strip\s Islamist rulers Hamas.

It comes amid rising tensions as the United States prepares to move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem.

Organisers said the demonstration would be peaceful but Israeli officials are wary of a fresh flare-up along the enclave\s border.

Five Palestinians were shot Thursday evening, the health ministry in Gaza said, after protestors approached the border in several places.

Armed forces chief Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot has warned of escalating tensions along Israel\s borders.

He said reinforcements, including more than 100 special forces snipers, had been deployed near Gaza and the army was prepared for all scenarios.

"We won\t allow mass infiltration into Israel" or damage to the border barrier, he told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"The instructions are to use a lot of force."

Israel\s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, labelled the protest an "organised planned provocation" and reiterated "Israel\s right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens."

The first protest will start Friday when Palestinians mark Land Day, commemorating the killing of six unarmed Arab protesters in Israel in 1976.

Camping and protests in Gaza are expected to continue until mid-May, when the US is set to inaugurate its controversial new embassy in Jerusalem.

Mid-May will also mark the anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, which saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flee their homes in the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel.

According to the United Nations, some 1.3 million of Gaza\s 1.9 million residents are refugees or their descendants.

-\Return home\-

Khaled al-Batsh, one of the protest organisers, said tents would be pitched 500 metres (yards) from the border, just outside the buffer zone between Gaza and Israel.

Water facilities were being installed and medical teams deployed to allow people to stay for long periods.

Organisers said tens of thousands of people would attend Friday\s protest, although it was not clear they reached their estimate.

On Thursday small crowds gathered near the border as families set up tents, said an AFP correspondent at the site.

A young couple were married next to a tent along the border in Jabalia in northeastern Gaza on Thursday evening.

Batsh said protestors were calling for Palestinians to be allowed to return to land that is now inside Israel.

"70 years ago we left and today we have decided to return to our country," he told AFP.

But senior Hamas figure Salah Bardawil said protesters were not planning to breach the border.

Hamas officials say they will monitor the area beyond the camp sites to prevent protesters going too close to the frontier, at least during the initial days of the protest.

Five main camp sites have been set up, spanning the length of the coastal territory from near the Erez border crossing in the north to Rafah in the far south, near Egypt.

Campers will be within sight of the border, frequently patrolled by Israeli soldiers.

On Thursday, around 20 family tents were pitched at a site near Erez, alongside two larger community tents for performances including the traditional Palestinian "dabke" dance.

At another site, young men were putting the finishing touches on dozens of wooden toilets, while large generators whirred into life.

Another organiser, Tahir Sawirki, told AFP Palestinians would gather Friday in groups representing the towns they left in 1948.

He said tens of thousands of meals would be prepared for more than 100,000 expected participants.

The White House\s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel\s capital, breaking with decades of international diplomacy, infuriated much of the Arab world.

Palestinians claim the city\s Israeli-annexed eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

The Palestinian leadership cut ties with the administration of President Donald Trump in the wake of the move.

On Wednesday, Israeli tanks fired at Hamas positions in Gaza after heavy gunfire from the enclave, roadside bombs targeting border patrols and an incursion by three armed Palestinians who were later captured.

Two more Palestinians armed with knifes were detained after sneaking across the border Thursday, the Israeli army said.

SOURCE: AFP
[March 28, 2018] SambaSafety Hits One Million Subscribers Milestone on Driver Risk Management Solution

DENVER, March 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SambaSafety, the market leader of cloud-based driver risk management solutions, announced today it surpassed one million subscribers on its driver risk intelligence platform, Driver Risk Management (DRM). SambaSafety now provides data insights and monitoring to over 40 million unique drivers annually for employers and insurers, while proactively monitoring drivers in all 50 states. In the last three years alone, SambaSafety has assessed risk on over 100 million unique drivers across its various software solutions, serving the regulated, non-regulated, grey fleet, employer, background screener and insurance sectors. SambaSafety pioneered the driver risk intelligence concept and today affirms its market leadership. "We are proud to have reached the one millionth subscriber milestone on DRM," says Allison Guidette, Chief Executive Officer. "Our focus on creating the best driver risk management solution for our customers has propelled SabaSafety's success over the past 20 years. We are now excitedly pursuing the next goal with continued innovation on our platform to meet our customers' evolving driver risk intelligence needs."



This milestone represents a significant step toward SambaSafety's mission of making our communities safer, one driver at a time. "The trust our customers have placed in us will continue to fuel the development of innovative solutions that help our customers reduce risk and improve safety," says Rich Lacey, Executive Vice President, Product & Engineering. "Five years ago, at 175,000 regional DRM subscribers, we asked the team to imagine our business at a million national DRM subscribers. We invested for the long term to build the business and ecosystem to achieve those numbers. It's very satisfying to deliver on that promise." About SambaSafety

Since 1998, SambaSafety has been the pioneer and leading North American provider of cloud-based driver risk management software solutions for organizations with commercial and non-commercial drivers. Through the collection, correlation and analysis of driver information, SambaSafety helps employers identify high-risk drivers and enforce safety policies; insurers to make informed decisions; and background screeners perform accurate, efficient pre-hire checks. Learn more at www.sambasafety.com

Media contact:

Chris Thompson

SambaSafety

Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications

505-359-6826

cthompson@sambasafety.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sambasafety-hits-one-million-subscribers-milestone-on-driver-risk-management-solution-300621419.html SOURCE SambaSafety

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[March 28, 2018] Spectrum set-aside will bring more distortion to wireless market, not consumer benefits

MONTREAL, March 28, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Innovation Canada's decision to go ahead with its proposal to set aside 43% of available licences for smaller players in the upcoming 600-MHz auction will not bring the intended benefits to consumers, says a telecom policy analyst at the MEI. Touted as a way to help smaller players compete against the big ones, and ultimately bring lower prices to the wireless sector, this policy tool has only wasted resources and led to an inefficient allocation of spectrum since it was first used in the 2008 AWS spectrum auction, and then in subsequent auctions. Unfortunately, it seems the federal government hasn't learned from its past mistakes about the perverse effects of such a policy. In effect, the set-aside means that Shaw's Freedom Mobile, Videotron, SaskTel, and Eastlink will not have to bid against the Big ThreeBell, Rogers, and TELUSfor these licences and will therefore be able to acquire them at a cheaper price. "Such measures ssentially constitute public subsidies that are either lost to weak new entrants that consistently fail, as was the case with Wind, Public Mobile and Mobilicity, or wasted on established regional players that would have had the means to bid for the spectrum at full value," explains the MEI's Martin Masse, author of the annual State of Competition in Canada's Telecommunications Industry, whose 2018 edition will be released in early May.



Set-asides have also delayed the useor the more efficient useof spectrum frequencies that were either wasted on the failed companies or simply went unused for years due to speculation. Some license holders bought them at a cheap price but never used them and made windfall gains when they sold them to other providers years later. This made spectrum scarcer and more expensive to deploy, which ultimately hurt consumers. The set-aside policy is even less justified today than it was ten years ago. All the regional players that will benefit from it are financially strong companies that do not need this subsidy.

"There's no point in having a competitive auction, whose goal is to ensure a more optimal allocation of resources than arbitrary decisions by politicians and bureaucrats, if the rules are rigged to ensure a specific outcome," concludes Mr. Masse. "If the government really believes we need more competition in the wireless sector, it should just let it happen." * * * The Montreal Economic Institute is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit research and educational organization. Through its studies and its conferences, the MEI stimulates debate on public policies in Quebec and across Canada by proposing wealth-creating reforms based on market mechanisms. SOURCE Montreal Economic Institute

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[March 28, 2018] Ontario budget makes $15 million investment in top AI entrepreneurs

Provincial funding for the NextAI program will support promising ventures that can create

high-value, high-tech jobs, says NEXT Canada CEO Sheldon Levy TORONTO, March 28, 2018 /CNW/ - The 2018 Ontario budget's support for artificial intelligence entrepreneurs marks an important step forward for the province's future economy, according to NEXT Canada CEO Sheldon Levy. "For Ontario to create lasting, valuable employment, it needs to harness the potential of its best cutting-edge innovators so that it can compete and win on the global stage," says Mr. Levy. "This money will help entrepreneurs scale their businesses and employ more Ontarians in high-value, high-tech jobs." The 2018 Ontario budget, delivered at Queen's Park this afternoon, includes a targeted investment of $15 million over three years in NextAI, a NEXT Canada program that brings together highly promising AI entrepreneurs, helps them build their firms, and helps ther organizations integrate AI-driven technologies into their operations.



The NextAI program supports entrepreneurs launching artificial-intelligence ventures in sectors ranging from healthcare to agriculture to financial services. "These additional resources will allow us to do more to support the growth of new AI ventures in Ontario," says Mr. Levy. "Ontario's public and private sectors have been working closely together to make this province an emerging leader in the field of artificial intelligence, this announcement strengthens Ontario's position."

About NEXT Canada NEXT Canada is a national, non-profit organization that develops exceptional talent to create industry-changing ventures and propel business technology adoption. Founded in 2010 as The Next 36 by a group of pioneering business leaders and academics, NEXT Canada is today a national leader in the delivery of cutting-edge programming designed to foster and support lifelong entrepreneurship in three streams: NextAI, Next 36 and Next Founders. Our programs, delivered through meaningful partnerships between government and the private sector, strengthen the foundations of Canada's current and future health and prosperity. NEXT Canada is supported by generous National Partners including, EY, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt, and Power Corporation of Canada, and others. The Founding Partners for the NextAI program include BDC Capital, Magna, RBC and Scotiabank. NEXT Canada also receives operational funding from government partners. To learn more, please visit: www.nextcanada.com About NextAI NextAI is a NEXT Canada program launched to create a world-leading AI ecosystem in Canada by funding, supporting, and mentoring entrepreneurs working on AI technology. The program is open to both Canadian and international students, professionals and entrepreneurs, who are interested in developing and building commercially viable ideas underpinned by artificial intelligence. To learn more, please visit: www.nextai.com SOURCE NEXT Canada

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[March 28, 2018] Midaxo Raises $16 Million in Series B Funding to Accelerate Product Development and Expansion

HELSINKI, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With Additional Funding, Midaxo Reinforces Its Position as the Leading Provider of M&A Software Midaxo, the developer of the award-winning cloud M&A platform, announces a $16 million funding round led by Idinvest Partners, a major French growth investor. The existing institutional investors Tesi (Industry Investment) and EOC Capital also participated. This B round brings Midaxo's total funding to $23 million. In 2017, Midaxo more than doubled its revenue and expanded its customer base to hundreds of corporations, consultants, and private equity firms, including over 40 companies on the Fortune 1000 list, such as HP Enterprise, Philips, Daimler, and Verizon. With Midaxo, companies run successful M&A and corporate development projects - minimizing deal risks and maximizing value creation. Commenting on Midaxo's rapid expansion, CEO Ari Salonen says: "Virtually all larger corporations and 60% of mid-market companies actively use M&A to grow and accelerate their transformation. To succeed in M&A, thought-leaders use Midaxo's platform to drive systematic, transparent, and constantly improving deal execution from opportunity identification through integration. For example, their due diligence efforts take 50% less time and 50% less effort, enaling faster reaction and efficient use of resources." Midaxo also works closely with leading M&A consultancies and private equity firms. "Our partner program is particularly relevant to post-merger integration where our partners help in-house teams drive deal value," says Ari Salonen.



After establishing a solid base in the US, Midaxo now focuses on expanding its global reach. Midaxo has 70 employees across four offices in Boston, Helsinki, Amsterdam, and Riga. The company's headcount doubled in 2017 and is set to increase further with ongoing recruitment for a number of roles in sales, marketing, and software development. With the new investment, Midaxo will also deploy artificial intelligence technology to assist and enhance its customers' M&A activity. "We are already the most widely adopted and fastest growing M&A software. The additional funding allows us to introduce significant innovations to benefit the smartest deal-makers of the world," says Kalle Kilpi, Head of Product at Midaxo.

"We are truly impressed by the substantial and tangible benefits Midaxo's customers achieve in M&A and corporate development - including strategic partnerships, corporate venturing, legal processes, and complex sales cases, etc. We are investing in Midaxo to modernize how M&A is done worldwide and to enable corporations to manage their strategic efforts better," says Alban Wyniecki, Investment Director at Idinvest Partners and a former M&A professional himself. Midaxo Oy's cloud software helps companies succeed in mergers & acquisitions by driving an efficient end-to-end process from target identification and due diligence to integration. http://www.midaxo.com and @Midaxo For further information, please contact: Alban Wyniecki, Investment Director, Idinvest Partners

+33(0)6-19-39-77-15

aw@idinvest.com

Idinvest Partners is a leader in financing small and medium-sized companies in Europe.

http://www.idinvest.com Ari Salonen, CEO, Midaxo Oy

+1-617-818-0501

ari.salonen@midaxo.com

Tom Allen, M&A Lead & Press/Media, Midaxo Oy

+44-7841-048959

tom.allen@midaxo.com SOURCE Midaxo

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[March 29, 2018] WISeKey releases first-of-its-kind IoT Cryptocurrency Smart Payment solution allowing Connected Objects to pay with WISeCoin

WISeKey releases first-of-its-kind IoT Cryptocurrency Smart Payment solution allowing Connected Objects to pay with WISeCoin ZUG, Switzerland - March 29, 2018 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd ("WISeKey", SIX: WIHN), a leading cybersecurity and IoT company, today announced that is has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT Cryptocurrency Smart Payment solution allowing connected objects to pay with WISeCoin. The IoT CryptoCurrency Smart Payment allows the ability for connected objects secured by WISeKey Semiconductors to pay other connected objects using WISeCoin. WISeKey has tested the technology on connected cars allowing a connected car secured by WISeKey to pay for electricity, gas and parking through the integration of WISeCoin crypto wallets at the Secure Element Chip level. Each connected object is equipped with WISeKey's Secure Element, called VaultIC184, consisting of a tamper resistant silicon chip, based on a state-of-the-art secure microcontroller, a Sigfox specific Application Programming interface, based on the latest specifications, allowing device manufacturers an easy integration of the chip, as well as a provisioning service, transferring the burden of device personalization to WISeKey's secure Personalization Center. WISeKey has teamed up with Sigfox to design and launch the Secure Element for Sigfox-enabled connected devices. With this Sigfox specific secure add-on, WISeKey has expanded its offerings for securing the IoT to the very promising Low Power Wide Area Networks, of which Sigfox is a forerunner ( https://www.wisekey.com/press/wisekey-partners-with-sigfox-to-launch-secure-element-2/ ). WISeKey is using its own cryptocurrency WISeCoin as a method of payment between connected objcts. WISeCoin uses the latest blockchain technology and works as part of payment system using WISeKey Blockchain-as-a-Service ("BaaS") technology offerings. To empower a seamless cryptocurrency enabled for IoT connections, WISeCoin is supplemented with highly secured solutions such as biometrics-driven hardware wallets, integrated exchange platforms, MicroChips Blockchain enabled semiconductors, and NFC-based contactless payment solutions. WISeKey's objective with WISeCoin is to become an emerging powerhouse in the global cryptocurrency market by supporting the development of economies built on Blockchain technology.



Moreover, a versatile flavor of the security module, VaultIC405S, implementing next to the specific Sigfox requirements general purpose Elliptic Curve Public Key cryptography PKI primitives, complements the product offer and is a perfect solution for companies providing multi-network Internet of Things solutions requiring a state-of-the-art security coverage on all network types to execute cryptocurrency payments between the connected objects. Designed for low cost, power and surface constrained devices, it proposes industry standard I2C connectivity, very low power consumption and a very small footprint. VaultIC184 and VaultIC405S are part of WISeKey's global end-to-end scalable security framework WISeKeyIoT, a Public Key Infrastructure based overall response designed to mitigate ever increasing risks of cyberattacks in IoT. Securing vulnerable internet-connected devices, from security cameras to smartphones, is essential to allow these connected devices to perform secure cryptocurrency payments. Unsecure connected devices can be hijacked by hackers and turned into tools to mine cryptocurrencies, and the computing power of all these gadgets can be used to mine the digital coins.

About WISeKey:

WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems with a patented process. WISeKey's Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust ("RoT") provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com . To receive WISeKey's latest news, subscribe to our Newsletter or visit the WISeKey Investors Corner. Press and investor contacts: WISeKey International Holding Ltd

Company Contact: Carlos Moreira

Chairman & CEO

Tel: +41 22 594 3000

info@wisekey.com WISeKey Investor Relations (US)

Contact: Lena Cati

The Equity Group Inc.

Tel: +1 212 836-9611

lcati@equityny.com Disclaimer:

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey. STIMIO Industrial deployment

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[March 29, 2018] VERBUND deploys ADVA FSP 3000 to power renewable energy ambitions

Austria's leading electricity provider upgrades to sustainable, future-proof solution Vienna, Austria. March 29, 2018. ADVA (FSE: ADV) today announced that VERBUND, one of Europe's largest hydropower energy producers, has deployed the ADVA FSP 3000 to enhance and future-proof its backbone network. The new solution features ADVA's flexible optical transport technology, boosting the capacity of VERBUND's national infrastructure to 10Gbit/s and enabling 100Gbit/s connectivity between its data centers. The technology will drive VERBUND'S ambitions of providing Austria's electricity through entirely renewable sources. The ADVA FSP 3000, which recently won the Layer123 Network Transformation Award for industry-best energy efficiency, is uniquely positioned to support this. As well as low power consumption, the platform's modular design ensures massive scalability, helping VERBUND provide highly reliable, sustainable power both now and in the future. Comprehensively managed by the FSP Network Manager, the solution also features ADVA's transport layer encryption and Oscilloquartz's timing solution. The technology was planned and successfully integrated by ADVA's long-term partner SPL Tele. "With the support of ADVA and SPL Tele, we've been able to smoothly transition to a secure, flexible, high-capacity network. This upgrade is crucial to our aims of ensuring vital services are always available for our customers and leading the renewable energy revolution," said Friedrich Haberfellner, senior planner, VERBUND. "As scale was one of our main requirements, deploying the ADVA FSP 3000 was an easy choice. Now our optical backbone is future-proof in all directions and can support the latest SAN standards, including 32Gbit/s Fiber Channel. Another crucial advantage is the FSP Network Manager, which controls and assures every element of the system, including our new synchronization network built on Oscilloquartz technology. But the key to the success of this deployment is the support provided by the ADVA and SP Tele team. Their engineers share our passion for delivering value and building a sustainable future."



Recognized by the Layer123 judges for dramatically reducing emissions, the ADVA FSP 3000 is empowering customers to hit highly ambitious energy targets, even as global traffic continues to grow. Now it's ensuring that VERBUND's infrastructure delivers ultra-high capacity while consuming phenomenally low levels of power. As well as significantly boosting the speed of VERBUND's network, the new solution radically streamlines operations as the whole infrastructure is centrally monitored through the FSP Network Manager. This eases surveillance and maintenance and enables rapid provisioning of new applications. The scalable modular design of the platform also protects VERBUND's investment and empowers the company to plan for major growth. What's more, the new solution features Oscilloquartz's OSA 5420, enabling the precise phase and frequency synchronization required by next-generation network technologies. ADVA's ConnectGuard(TM) security technology has also been integrated to guarantee VERBUND's highly sensitive data is protected at all times. "By leveraging our FSP 3000, VERBUND has given itself the capacity, resiliency and scalability it needs to grow its business and help create a clean energy future. With the comprehensive assurance of our FSP Network Manager and the native ability to scale to 100Gbit/s and more, VERBUND's new infrastructure will be an essential tool as it looks to provide Austria with even more renewable power," commented Andreas Jelinek, senior director, sales, Eastern Europe, ADVA. "As VERBUND is a leading energy provider, it was essential to minimize disruption to services. By working closely with their team and the engineers at SPL Tele, we were able to complete the deployment with minimal downtime. VERBUND's team is passionate about harnessing the most advanced technology available to ensure excellence, efficiency and sustainability. That's why it also invested in our ConnectGuard(TM) physical layer security as well as the latest timing tech from our Oscilloquartz team. We're proud that our innovation is helping to take their services to the next level."

"Ensuring the success of this vital network upgrade was an exciting challenge for our team. Underpinning the project was the close relationship that we've built up with ADVA and the mutual understanding we have with VERBUND to never settle for second best. Through this, we were able to work together for a smooth and successful deployment in the smallest window of maintenance time," said Kurt Sperk, division manager, SPL Tele. "This backbone infrastructure is the result of a lot of expertise, commitment and close collaboration between all three teams. We're proud that VERBUND put so much trust in us and look forward to supporting them with future challenges."

About ADVA Optical Networking

ADVA Optical Networking is a company founded on innovation and driven to help our customers succeed. For over two decades, our technology has empowered networks across the globe. We're continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. It's these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to today's society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at: www.advaoptical.com. About VERBUND

VERBUND is Austria's leading utility and one of the largest producers of hydroelectricity in Europe. The Group generates appx. 95% of its electricity from renewable sources, mostly hydropower. VERBUND trades electricity in 12 countries and generated 2.9bn in annual revenue in 2017 with approximately 2,800 employees. With its subsidiaries and partners, VERBUND is active in the generation of electricity, its transmission and in international trading and sales. VERBUND has been quoted on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1988 with 51% of the share capital being held by the Republic of Austria. Further information: www.verbund.com. Published by:

ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany

www.advaoptical.com For press:

Gareth Spence

t +44 1904 699 358

public-relations(at)advaoptical.com For investors:

Stephan Rettenberger

t +49 89 890 665 854

investor-relations(at)advaoptical.com

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[March 29, 2018] Jana Small Finance Bank Commences Operations to Continue its Focus on Financial Inclusion

BANGALORE, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --  Plans to setup over 500 banking outlets by 2019  Focuses on new banking outlets in unbanked rural areas and existing base of over 4.5 million customers Jana Small Finance Bank (formerly Janalakshmi Financial Services, India's leading micro-finance company), today announced commencement of its banking operations. To cover its extensive customer base, Jana Bank will initially open 19 branches across 18 states and expand to 200 banking outlets including the 25% unbanked rural branches by June 2018. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660481/Jana_Bank_Logo.jpg )

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660480/Jana_Small_Finance_Bank.jpg )

Jana Bank, which is digitally enabled across majority of its offerings with expanded customer base, will continue to keep its fundamental focus on financial inclusion as its cor strategy. Adding to it, Mr. Ramesh Ramanathan, Chairman, Jana Group, said, "Financial inclusion has been the primary vision of Jana Group. We see the commencement of banking operations duly supported by the digital capabilities to scale quickly and presents powerful opportunities to bridge the overall financial inclusion gap. Standing up to our brand promise of 'Likho Apni Kahaani', we have helped and will continue to help millions of Indians evolve, grow financially and have a better financial future."



Jana Bank will also convert majority of its MFI branches into full-fledged bank branches and will have over 500 banking outlets by end of 2019, as it continues to serve its customers across India. Commenting on this landmark occasion, Mr. Ajay Kanwal, MD & CEO, Jana Small Finance Bank, said, "On behalf of over 14,000 Jana employee families, I would like to thank our customers, investors and regulators for their support. We have the talent, systems and products to create a strong and differentiated franchise to serve the underserved with world-class governance and execution."

About Jana Small Finance Bank: Jana Small Finance Bank's vision is to be the leading digitized bank serving all customer segments and communities of an aspirational India. The bank has well-capitalized balance sheet and a proven track record to raise equity from investors. The company has successfully raised Rs. 1,636 Cr. in FY18 and have a robust liquidity position as it transitions to a bank. In 2017, Jana was also featured in 'Fortune - The Top 500' largest corporations in India and was recently awarded India's Distinctive Goodwill Brand for 2017. http://www.janabank.com | https://www.facebook.com/janabankonline/ |https://twitter.com/janabank #LikhoApniKahaani #JanaBank #JanaSmallFinanceBank #JanaBank #PaiseKiKadar #AjayKanwal #RameshRamanathan #FinancialInclusion #SmallFinanceBank #SFB Media Contact:

Kajri Mathur

kajri.mathur@bm.com

+91-7045733698

Genesis Burson Marsteller

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[March 29, 2018] Streamroot & castLabs Partner to Simplify Video Streaming While Providing Robust Delivery and a Better Viewer Experience

BERLIN, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- castLabs, a global partner in premium digital video technology, and Streamroot, the provider of the world's most extensive distributed delivery network for OTT video, announced today their new product integrations. Streamroot DNA[TM] is now fully compatible with PRESTOplay, castLabs' suite of player SDKs which includes an HTML5 player for browsers, as well as SDKs for Android/iOS and desktop apps. Streaming providers using PRESTOplay SDKs can now benefit from easy deployment of Streamroot's distributed delivery network for OTT video. Advantages include unrivalled CDN offload and cost reduction, improved QoS and increased delivery capacity during peak traffic, ensuring a smooth, hiccup-free streaming experience for viewers worldwide. From now on, Streamroot DNATM libraries are built-in to all of PRESTOplay SDKs - customers are only a toggle away from harnessing the power of distributed delivery. "We are happy to offer castLabs customers a seamless, truly plug-and-play integration of Streamroot DNATM. PRESTOplay support demonstrates our commitment to being compatible with 100% of both commercial and open-source players on the market," says Streamroot Co-Founder and CEO Pierre-Louis Theron. "Our partnership with castLabs strengthens our global position as the leading provider of distributed video delivery, offering the best QoS on the widest range of players, devices and operating-systems on the market." PRESTOplay player SDKs are designed to greatly simplify playback application development, acilitating offline, VoD, and live playback. Additionally, PRESTOplay SDKs offer MPEG-DASH, HLS, and Smooth Streaming ABR support; DRM support for studio content; multi-language audio & subtitles; fully customizable UI; common ABR algorithm for consistent cross-platform experience, IMA/VAST ads support and QoE & analytics integrations.



"PRESTOplay player SDKs enable top broadcasters to provide premium playback features and adhere to the latest standards across all platforms," said Michael Stattmann, CEO at castLabs. "We are very excited to partner up with Streamroot, and to be able to offer our customers a simplified, out-of-the-box integration of Streamroot's next generation video delivery solution, providing their millions of viewers a better streaming experience across all devices." Streamroot and castLabs will be showcasing their joint solution at the NAB Show between April 9-12, with a special presentation at 15:30 on Tuesday April 10. For more information, or if you can't wait to see how well we play together, request a demo of Streamroot's integration with castLabs today.

About Streamroot: Streamroot is a leading provider of innovative OTT delivery technologies for media groups, content publishers and enterprise customers. Powering over 20 million video sessions every day, Streamroot's Distributed Network Architecture - Streamroot DNA - offers broadcasters a key competitive advantage through improved quality of service, greater audience reach and infinite delivery capacity with zero infrastructure investment. Plug-in free for viewers, Streamroot delivery solutions integrate seamlessly into broadcasters' existing video workflows. Streamroot is supported on all major web and mobile platforms, as well as Android and iOS set-top boxes, providing the most comprehensive user coverage on the market. Founded in 2013 in France, the company today benefits from top-tier VC funding and serves premier media groups from its offices in Paris, New York and Denver. For more information visit streamroot.io. About castLabs: castLabs pioneers software and cloud services for digital video markets worldwide. We provide solutions to easily enable the secure distribution of premium movie, TV, and audio assets for high-quality video experiences. Our range of applications and services are designed to help businesses through the complexities of implementing video technology across a large selection of consumer devices and platforms. We have been operating since 2007 and have offices in Berlin and Los Angeles. For more information on castLabs solutions, visit castlabs.com.



Streamroot Press Contact:

Noa Gruman Tal

Communications & Content

noa.gruman@streamroot.io



castLabs Press Contact:

Mark Whiley

Marketing Communications and Events Coordinator

mark.whiley@castlabs.com

SOURCE castLabs GmbH

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[March 29, 2018] TPS Protect App Launches New Update to Combat Growing Number of Cryptocurrency Scams

TPS Protect Now Allows Users to File Complaints Directly to Regulators About Cryptocurrency Scams LONDON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to the dramatic rise of public interest in cryptocurrencies, some unfriendly organisations are trying to capitalise on this opportunity to scam people out of their hard-earned money. To combat this, the DMA and First Orion today announced they will be launching an update to the TPS Protect app (launched last August) which will include cryptocurrencies as a category for users to fill out reports and complain directly to regulators. Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, said that crimes linked to Bitcoin increased to 999 in 2017, compared to just 320 in the previous year. In recent months, the warnings about cryptocurrency scams appearing on social media and online ads has prompted major companies such as Facebook and Google to ban any ads relating to cryptocurrency. However, it seems that this has not stopped the spread of these scams from social media to phone calls, raising concerns among regulators. The majority of reported cases involve callers posing as financial advisors with the promise of astronomical returns on investments, but these tend to be easier to spot. Other reported frauds that are harder to detect involve fraudsters claiming to be from reputable utilities companies claiming they can reduce the monthly cost of said persons bill in return for an annual payment, by credit card, over the phone. The details are then used to purchase cryptocurrency (via online exchanges such as Coinify) and transfer the cryptocurrency purchased to another wallet making it extremely difficult, and in some cases impossible, for the funds to be recovered. By using TPS Protect, users can protect themselves and help others avoid nuisance or scam calls. The app is powered by its users, with every nuisance and scam call that is blocked, reported or complained about in the app helping to determine the Trust Score for that number. This means that every user's feedback helps TPS Protect to work better for all its users. Now feedback about cryptocurrency-related scams will be accepted and will help prevent future scams. As part of the app's sign-up process users can ensure their mobile number is registered with the TPS, the official central opt-out register on which consumers can record their preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls. It is a legal requirement that all organisations  including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties  do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so. Consumers are able to see the Trust Score for incoming calls, look-up a number, as well as report and file complaints for nuisance or scam calls. For an additional 99p per month, users gain greater call filtering customization: they can effectively block any unwanted calls by diverting them direct to voicemail and create a custom Approved List and Blocked List. Users can add numbers to their personal Blocked List to ensure they no longer receive unwanted calls and can add numbers to the Approved List for those calls they never want to miss. Custom Settings allow users to tailor the types of call they are happy to receive, for example blocking the majority of unwanted calls by setting your Trust Score to 5, but still receiving calls from specific groups, such as 'Charities'. John Mitchison, Director of Policy and Compliance at the DMA recommends consumer caution, "Criminals are constantly looking for new opportunities, and the emergence of cryptocurrency investment is being exploited. If you don't recognise the number, we recommend being cautious and not sharing any personal information." Mitchison continues, "Nuisance and scam calls are incredibly annoying, but there is a way to help put an end to this irritation. You can download the TPS Protect app, which allows you to quickly report these types of call to the relevant body, like Action Fraud or the Information Commissioner's Office. It's only with this complaint information that these bodies can investigate and potentially fine companies or even prosecute those that are breaking the rules." Robert Baker, European MD at First Orion said, "It's important for us to react quickly to changes in the way fraudsters operate and with the rise in exposure of cryptocurrencies to the public, we've noticed an increase in users reporting harassment and fraud from unregistered businesses exploiting uninformed consumers. In response to this, we have added a new category to the complaint form which will allow users to report such offenders directly within the TPS Protect mobile app." Those who operate legitimately within the cryptocurrency field are concerned about the impact on their businesses and want consumers to follow some simple guidelines before giving any form of payment details over the phone. Adam Norrie, Portfolio Manager at BitStocks, one of the UK's largest cryptocurrency focused funds, advises consumers that, "If someone calls you out of the blue, offering a guaranteed investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, then, it probably is." Despite the lack of regulation on cryptocurrencies, those who are registered businesses aiming to comply with any future regulation are opting to use Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks regardless. These are the standard checks associated with setting up any financial account. You will be asked to provide a proof of address (within 3 months of date) and a recognised form of identification before they are able to accept any form of investment from the individual. "There are no guarantees in any investments," Norrie said. "Something you can do as an individual is due diligence. Make sure you are investigating every company you are sending money too and ensure they are being compliant with industry standard AML and KYC procedures." What's a Trust Score?

The TPS Protect app's Trust Score is an indicator created to help users work out who is calling and whether they should pick up or not. The information provided by users helps TPS Protect to better understand whether callers are legitimate businesses, nuisance callers or scammers, allocating an appropriate score according to all the information available. Once enabled on their phone, users can immediately start to see the Trust Score for any incoming call, enabling them to decide whether they want to pick up or not. Users are able to set their Trust Score from 1 to 5, enabling them to control the overall level of protection they receive. A score of 5 is the highest level of protection, allowing calls only from numbers in their Approved List, a score of 3 will allow calls from most call centres, and a score of 1 will allow all calls, including those from suspected scammers. Note to editors: We have an array of images and infographics that are available on request. Please contact abaines@privacystar.com.







For further information contact the DMA Press Office: Ed Owen, PR & Content Manager Tim Bond, Head of PR & Insight T: 020 7291 3324 T: 020 7291 3328 E: ed.owen@dma.org.uk E: tim.bond@dma.org.uk

About TPS Protect

TPS Protect is an app developed by the DMA in partnership with First Orion. The app is available for free to Apple (iOS 10.1 or above) and Android (4.4 and above) devices, including a free 60 day trial of additional features for new users. For an additional 99p per month, users can effectively block any unwanted calls by diverting them direct to voicemail, utilise greater call filtering customisation, and have the ability to create a custom approve and block list. About the DMA

The DMA is a UK trade association for the one-to-one marketing industry - those companies that speak directly to their customers and those companies that help them achieve this. The DMA provides best-practice guidelines and legal services for its members, who are typically marketing, advertising and data-driven organisations. The DMA also runs the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) on behalf of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). More than 1,000 companies in the UK are DMA members. The DMA also holds industry events, conducts research and publishes reports, lobbies for legislation to support its members' business practices and has a close working relationship with the Information Commissioner's Office. All DMA members must comply with the DMA code, which is available to read here: http://dma.org.uk/the-dma-code. About First Orion

First Orion provides call transparency solutions across multiple platforms, world-class data solutions, in-network call control and its PrivacyStar powered application solutions. First Orion Network Enterprise Solutions (FONES) currently provides call control, call blocking, call transparency and call management solutions to tens of millions of mobile subscribers each day. First Orion's CallerYD technology tells mobile subscribers who is calling and why, empowering them with the ability to take action. With branded and white-labeled applications as well as in-network solutions, First Orion assists phone carriers in protecting mobile and fixed line subscribers from unwanted calls and identifying unknown calls, including identifying and stopping millions of scam calls every day. First Orion is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas with offices in Seattle, Dallas and London. For regular updates, please visit www.FirstOrion.com.

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[March 29, 2018] Country Recording Artist Elyse Saunders Believes That Music Heals and Releases New Single, 'ME TOO'

TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent artist - Elyse Saunders releases her new single "ME TOO", a captivating song with a lyrically potent message and a gritty but elegant delivery. As more stories from the media surface daily and awareness from the #metoo movement continues to grow, "ME TOO" is non-biased to gender, race or age and is ultimately for anyone with a personal struggle and a fear to share their story. Saunders believes in the healing power of music and knew it was a topic she wanted to help shed a light on. Her hope is that as more people hear this message of unity and strength, they will continue to share her song to boost awareness and plant the seed where emotional healing is needed. "When my co-writers and I sat down in a little BMI writing room in Nashville, we didn't know we were going to create this song. We planned to write a totally different song that day but after talking about some of the shocking #metoo stories coming from the news and our own stories, 'ME TOO' seemed to write itself. As soon as we finished, we knew this was a special one and I'm really proud of it. My main purpose for this release is to get the video out to as many people as we can. It covers a topic of conversation that needs to be continued to be talked about and I hope that 'ME TOO' can bring more awareness and make a difference for at least one person who hears it. I want them to know that they're not alone"  ELYSE SAUNDERS "ME TOO" was written in December and within a short period of time Saunders was able to find a supportive & creative team that believed in her vision; she personally financed the recording, mastering of the track, the music video as well as a digital release. Fans waited with anticipation for the music video release that happened on Feb. 13 and within two weeks, "M TOO" respectively climbed to over 15,000 views between Facebook & Youtube. The song continues to expand organically and now has over 24,000 views.



ME TOO  ELYSE SAUNDERS  FACEBOOK VIDEO LINK https://www.facebook.com/ElyseSaundersOnline/videos/10155961042055871 ME TOO - ELYSE SAUNDERS - YOUTUBE VIDEO LINK https://youtu.be/ILW0ujkVON8

Additional notes worth mention: The single "ME TOO" comes just two months before the anniversary of Saunders last radio single, "Rise", a collaborative project that celebrates the incredible story of Equestrian Olympian medalist Jessica Phoenix. Although the song is inspired by Phoenix, it speaks directly to the listener as a reminder to be brave and unstoppable when fighting for your dreams. "Rise" had Elyse crossing borders to perform during Los Angeles' Pre ESPY AWARDS and has placement during televised 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The song's not only crossing borders but crossing genres with a remix that made hit top 20 in Canada and has over 28,000 Shazams and over 48,000 Spotify streams. SOCIALS: www.elysesaunders.com www.instagram.com/elyse_saunders_music www.facebook.com/elysesaundersonline Media & Press Inquiries: Mary Haynes

Call or text: 416 804 4271

corporate@elysesaunders.com Related Images image1.jpg

image2.jpg

image3.jpg Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILW0ujkVON8 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/country-recording-artist-elyse-saunders-believes-that-music-heals-and-releases-new-single-me-too-300621359.html SOURCE Elyse Saunders

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[March 29, 2018] Right Health partners with Sun Life to support patients with sick care, wellness, and mental health

Virtual care provides new innovative model in healthcare TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /CNW/ - While new models in finance, hospitality, and transportation have changed our daily habits, opportunities remain abundant to improve our health. With the announcement of their recent Sun Life partnership, Right Health is further embedding virtual care into the health and homes of Canadians. Following a successful pilot garnering high user engagement and positive feedback with Sun Life employees, Right Health was selected as one of Sun Life's first partners in virtual care. Akira is the platform and service within Right Health's offering that clients can now opt into using the my Sun Life mobile app. While most often the burden of navigating a complex health system and coordinating care falls on the shoulders of the individual, Akira offers a trusted, medically credible resource, ight from your pocket. Patients are able to instantly connect to great Canadian doctors, nurse practitioners, and more  directly through the Akira app. Akira's team of clinicians can help with diagnosing health concerns, writing prescriptions, issuing bloodwork and lab requisitions, making specialist referrals, and providing medical advice.



"Our virtual care team can address the majority of primary care visits through secure text or video chat," said Dan Pawliw, Co-Founder of Right Health. "But, Akira is more than just a substitute for episodic visits to your physician. Instead of consulting Google for everyday health questions, people can text qualified medical professionals and get customized responses within seconds. We're also making a meaningful impact by partnering with our clients on their nutrition, fitness, and mental health." "Canadians live busy lives. Tools like Akira help them access quick, convenient and reliable medical care," said Dave Jones, Senior Vice-President, Group Benefits, Sun Life Financial Canada. "At Sun Life, we are continually looking for ways to blend technology and medicine to help our Clients live healthier lives."

The Akira app is available for iPhone and Android devices and is available in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories. Care can be delivered in both English and French. About Right Health

Right Health is reimagining health, both through how care is delivered as well as by shifting mindsets and behaviours beyond just sick care. Right Health combines virtual and face-to-face care to offer on-demand, accessible healthcare convenience at your fingertips. For more information, please visit www.righthealth.ca. SOURCE Right Health

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[March 29, 2018] Ziyen Inc. Hires Berg Capital Markets, LLC as Strategic Financial Advisor

SAN DIEGO, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ziyen Inc. appoints Berg Capital Markets, LLC as the Strategic Financial Advisor.

Founded in 2012, Berg Capital Markets is a capital markets and financial analytics firm specializing in corporate advisory and institutional / retail investor relations. Berg Capital Markets leverages decades of experience in finance, capital markets, and has long-standing relationships with investors controlling $300B+ in investable assets. Josh Berg, CEO, Founder and Managing Member, Berg Capital Markets, stated, We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Ziyen Inc.. Ziyen is not only executing, but has a disruptive business model in large and growing market. Alastair Caithness, CEO at Ziyen Inc., stated, The appointment of Berg Capital Markets is another key strategic decision for the company. BCM has refined our capital markets strategy, corporate messaging, and enhanced our focus. The accompanying presentation elucidates this partnership. Ziyen Inc. Deck - March 2018: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/bd7db71b-7668-4e7e-951f-77e7ce77e6b3 For information on investing in Ziyen, please visit the company website at www.ziyen.com, or for a copy of the latest company overview, please email marketing@ziyen.com



About Ziyen Inc. Founded in 2016, Ziyen Inc. is a Scottish-American company focused on delivering 100% Energy Independence to the USA. Initially launched as a software company providing information on oil and gas related procurement contracts, Ziyen Inc. diversified in 2017, instating Ziyen Energy Division with intent to produce oil in the U.S. with advanced extraction methods and technology implemented and guided by career experts in the oil and gas industry. In 2017 Ziyen acquired the mineral rights to its first oil field in Indiana, and now has seven oil assets. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently qualified Ziyen Inc. in November 2017 for our second round of funding, with a pre-IPO share price of $1.50. More information may be found in its Offering Circular filed with the SEC, or on their website www.ziyen.com

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements related to anticipated commencement of commercial production, targeted pricing, performance goals, and statements that otherwise relate to future periods are forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in the Company's periodic reports filed with the SEC- specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made and based on information available to the company on the date of this press release. Ziyen Inc. assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release. Contact: Josh Berg Berg Capital Markets josh@bergcapitalmarkets.com Dean Holter, Esq. Berg Capital Markets dean@bergcapitalmarkets.com

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[March 29, 2018] Day TradeXchange to Focus on Crypto Exchange Blockchain Trading Services; Modifies Its ARCHER Forecast Trading Indicator as "Pending Order" Tracking Tool for Crypto Exchanges

DAMASCAS, M.D., March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Day TradeXchange (OTC PINK:SYNJ); The BOD recognized that trading services such as trading indicator subscription sales on the newly developed crypto exchanges could generate a valuable new revenue stream for the company. As such, they passed resolutions to modify its ARCHER forecast indicator to allow users trading on the many new crypto exchanges to use the ARCHER indicator as a tool to identify in advance, pending order buildups of coin purchases or sales.

Its our intention to modify ARCHER to recognize buildups of pending coin orders that could produce volume surges with the potential of influencing price movement in either a short or long direction. ARCHER will signal the trader in advance allowing them to profit by placing their order ahead of the forecasted volume surge and subsequent price movement. Originally designed to run as an automatic highspeed trading program designed to manage the feathering in and out maneuvers of price impacting portfolio positions (hedge funds), the BOD passed resolutions to modify a version of the program to be adaptable to the block chain technology that is the underlying code of crypto coin exchanges like CoinSquare and CoinBase. ARCHER, is a proprietary trading software referred to by DTX futures traders as a forecasting indicator. Its uniquely designed to detect and alert the trader of pending order accumulations at specific market prices. Pending orders are trades in waiting that are executed at some time in the future provided that the market returns to the targeted entry price. We will design the algorithm so that it can detect the accumulation of pending coin purchases or sales, in the same fashion that it currently tracks build ups of pending buy or sell orders of futures contracts on the CME and other futures exchanges. When asked to comment, the CEO stated, "Coin currency and block chain technology is the future and to my knowledge, ARCHER is one of the most advanced forecasting indicators available to the non-institutional day trader today. What a great synergy and opportunity. In my opinion, it's a game changer for the crypto coin trader and it will be the only pending coin oder tracking tool available on the crypto exchanges," said Sorrentino, the CEO of Day TradeXchange Inc.



Contact the Company to register for your FREE LIVE TRADING ROOM VISITORS PASS. Additional information on quarterly, semi-annual and annual trading room subscription packages as well as the ARCHER Software lease program is available by calling DTX at 888-422-5515 or by going to http://daytradexchange.com and entering your e-mail address. Active traders are welcome to call and take advantage of our FREE live trading room trial.

Day TradeXchange, where day traders trade...

Follow DTX on: http://www.daytradexchange.com/ DTX; Trade of the Day; You Tube, on: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy6cbOBL89UpZEC5tKlyeBg UPTICK RADIO LIVE INTERVIEW; https://upticknewswire.com/uptick-network-interview-with-ceo-brian-sorrentino-with-syndication-inc/ STOCK RADIO; LIVE INTERVIEW; http://thestockradio.com/otcpink-synj-syndication-inc-ceo-brian-sorrentino-2013.html Written Correspondence; PO Box 503, Damascus, MD 20872 This press release may contain forward-looking statements covered within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, plans and timing for the introduction or enhancement of our services and products, statements about future market conditions, supply and demand conditions, and other expectations, intentions and plans contained in this press release that are not historical fact and involve risks and uncertainties. Our expectations regarding future revenues depend upon our ability to develop and supply products, which we may not produce today and that meet defined specifications. When used in this press release, the words "plan," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current expectations. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changes in technology and changes in pervasive markets. CONTACT: Director of Trading; John Ford 1-888-422-5515 jford@daytradexchange.com

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[March 29, 2018] Maven, HubPages and Say Media Unite to Form Largest Independent Media Coalition in North America, Reaching over 90 Million Readers

Maven announced today it has signed a letter of intent to acquire Say Media as part of a three-way fusion -- along with HubPages -- that will bring together former competitors to create a dominant platform for professional, independent publishers. Maven, Say Media and HubPages will continue to trade under the MVEN ticker symbol. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005350/en/ Management believes the combined operations will be profitable in Q4 2018, generating a projected $30 million in annualized revenue. The combined entity will offer: One of the largest news and information destinations on the internet

Significant depth and breadth of content with more than 300 curated channels, and over 6,000 professional writers

A single integrated revenue, distribution and technology platform for publishers seeking an alternative to social platforms The newly formed coalition's leadership discusses their decision to unite in this short video. "After more than 12 years building and collaborating with our extraordinary community of partners, it's become clear that fully integrated technology and monetization at massive scale is needed to save independent digital media publishing," says Matt Sanchez, CEO of Say Media. "Together with Maven and HubPages, the strength of our technology and size of our collective communities will free publishers to focus on content instead of technology, distribution and advertising, which will produce a sustainable foundation on which to grow revenue and audience." The three companies operate under the same business model: content partners, on a shared business and technology platform. Combining the three companies will create economic efficiencies that will be passed along to independent publishers seeking stability and consistency, with each partner in the union bringing a unique set of offerings to create a powerhouse for online publishers. Say Media: A fully-developed direct sales team, and Tempest (News - Alert) , a powerful system for enterprise publishers to author, design and distribute world-class content

Maven: Next generation advertising, video, publishing and community engagement technology

HubPages: Best-of-class SEO expertise and the leading platform for expert writers "This alliance will create one of the largest-scale news and information media companies in North America," says Maven CEO James Heckman. "It will also position Maven as a viable altenative for publishers, from single authors to leading publications, seeking a sustainable future and to replace the distribution and revenue lost from social media platforms."



This announcement comes as the entire independent publisher ecosystem is in crisis. This powerful new coalition creates a preferable business model for publishers, offering writers an alternative path toward sustainable independence. Through advanced yet intuitively easy advertising and publishing technology, publishers will receive the time savings, scale and efficiencies they require to flourish. "The vision of integrated tools and services across a coalition of independent publishers is very compelling, and we're happy to be partnered with a team that is constantly searching for solutions to evolve and enhance the online model for enthusiast media brands like ours," says Jonathan Dorn, Chief Innovation Officer at Active Interest Media, which currently publishes their digital portfolio of 50 sites, including Backpacker and Yoga Journal, on Say Media's Tempest.

Maven plans to raise new equity capital through a public offering to finance the acquisitions of both Say Media and HubPages. Maven filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC (News - Alert) on March 29, 2018, which further explains the terms of the planned acquisition of Say Media. The 8-K can be found on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov. About Say Media: Based in San Francisco, Say Media was formed in 2010 when VideoEgg (News - Alert) (founders of the first ad-in-video model) acquired Six Apart (creators of Movable Type and Typepad), bringing together pioneers in digital advertising and publishing with one goal: combining technology, tools, services and yield management to helps publishers build audiences, businesses and brands. Tempest, the company's full-service platform, powers over 120 enterprise publishers including Biography.com (A&E), Fashionista.com, Cupcakesandcashmere.com, and all of the NewBay Media and Active Interest Media digital portfolios. About Maven: Maven is a coalition of mavens operating on a shared digital publishing, advertising and distribution platform, unified under a single media brand. Based in Seattle, Maven is publicly traded under the ticker symbol MVEN. Membership in the coalition offers independent publishers: Distribution: Exposure across the coalition's audience of more than 90 million readers, plus support for delivery across all major news syndication formats.

Revenue: Exceptional income potential through an advanced advertising platform, direct media sales and integrated membership offerings.

Technology: Stable, world-class writing, sharing, community and notifications platform featuring video, social and app technology.

Ownership: Fully retained ownership of content and reader data with uninhibited access to all followers, and equity interest in Maven, Inc. Forward-Looking Statements This press release by theMaven, Inc. ("company") contains "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and include, without limitation, statements concerning the company's business strategy, future revenues, market growth, capital requirements, product introductions and expansion plans, and the adequacy of the company's funding. Other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are also forward-looking statements. The company has tried, wherever possible, to identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and other comparable terminology. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements presented in this report, or that the company may make orally or in writing from time to time, are based on the beliefs of, assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the company. Such statements are based on assumptions, and the actual outcome will be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond the company's control or ability to predict. Although the company believes that its assumptions are reasonable, they are not guarantees of future performance, and some will inevitably prove to be incorrect. As a result, the company's actual future results can be expected to differ from its expectations, and those differences may be material. Accordingly, investors should use caution in relying on forward-looking statements, which are based only on known results and trends at the time they are made, to anticipate future results or trends. This press release and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the company or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. The company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. The information on the websites referenced in this press release are not incorporated herein by reference for any purpose. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005350/en/

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[March 29, 2018] Saint Jean Carbon Signs 25 Year Surface Rights Term Sheet

OAKVILLE, Ontario, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (Saint Jean or the Company) (TSX-V:SJL) (OTCQB:TORVF), a carbon science company engaged in the design and build of green energy storage, green energy creation and green re-creation through the use of carbon materials is pleased to announce the Company has signed a term sheet with the land owner (4300351 Canada Inc.) of the Montpelier mining claims the company announced on March 27 2018 located in South Western Quebec. The agreement is for 25 years and gives the Company the right to work the property and full access. The terms of the agreement are; the Company will make a onetime payment of $500,000.00 payable in the capital stock of the Company upon completion of the surface rights agreement(s). An issuance of a further 2,500,000 options to be at market price for three years, if the infill drill program is complete and a resource estimate of 10,000,000 tons of mineralized material is defined. Pay a yearly 5% Net Production Royalty (NPR) and a yearly 1.5% Gross Sales Royalty (GSR). A further 1,000,000 bonus shares will be issued, should Company receive the bulk sampling permits by December 15th, 2018. The transaction is subject to TSX Venture approval. Paul Ogilvie, CEO, commented: Our goal to hold the best properties in south western Quebec continues to grow, with the surface rights agreement, we can now file application to mine the property. We will work very closely with the land owner and start the process right away, this relationship with the landowner helps the company move forward towards future production of graphite for lithium-ion battery anodes. The landowner group will do the contract mining of the property; primary crush, secondary crush and air classification (under licence from the Company). As there is no milling needed on the properties, the classified material will be shipped to the milling facility. Without the need for a mill on the property, this eliminates the need for tailings ponds, water usage, structures, fixed equipment, etc. The system was designed to be environmentally friendly, no blsting, no dust, no noise and will initially serve as the model for how the Company could run hundreds of small pits, instead of how traditionally massive pits are used.



The Company anticipates a late spring/early summer drill program of an estimated nine witness holes twined with the pervious historical holes. As an update to the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) announced on October 15th 2016; the Company expected to be completed by the end of January/February 2018 but due to the recent acquisitions, and the time needed to add the new property information into the PEA, the report will be further delayed with an estimated completion of up to 8 weeks. Dr. Christian Derosier, P.Geo., President of C.D.G.C. Inc., is the qualified person (QP) as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and, acting on behalf of Saint Jean Carbon, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

About Saint Jean Carbon Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining and lithium claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jeans properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/ On behalf of the Board of Directors

Saint Jean Carbon Inc.

Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director Information Contact :

Email: info@saintjeancarbon.com

Tel: (905) 844-1200 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, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jeans business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, intends budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Transaction, including regulatory and shareholder approvals, if necessary, will be met. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

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[March 29, 2018] Brazilian Court Convicts Giant App Company Baidu of Unfair Competition

SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An unprecedented lawsuit has attracted attention from Internet businesses and the legal community worldwide. On February 28, 2018, a Brazilian appeals court upheld Baidu Internet Ltd., LLC, Inc. Brazilian subsidiary of Chinese Internet giant Baidu, for violating unfair competition laws against tech start-up PSafe Technology. The District Court of the State of Sao Paulo ("Tribunal de Justica de Sao Paulo (TJ/SP"), in a unanimous vote, confirmed that Baidu practiced unfair competition in violation of Brazil's commercial law by programming its own Android app (DU Speed Booster) to state that that PSafe's flagship Android app (dfndr security) was a virus and should be immediately uninstalled. The decision marks the first time a Brazilian court has upheld an application of the country's unfair competition laws against an Internet and/or software company. In its written decision, the Brazilian court cited, "Baidu's deliberate behavior focused on influencing users and denigrating PSafe's image, often causing users to uninstall [PSafe's] apps." In one of its key lines of defense, Baidu tried to disqualify the technical report of the court-appointed forensic expert from the University of Sao Paulo, who had examined both PSafe's and Baidu's apps. After analyzing several versions of Baidu's applications, the expert concluded that Baidu's threat warning about PSafe's app was blatantly false and purposefully misleading. The court rejected Baidu's challenge of the expert's report, declaring that [there are] "few times one sees a forensic analysis conducted so carefully and attentively.">



David and Goliath

The lawsuit is being referred to as the "David vs Goliath" case, a metaphor from the Biblical story of a small man winning a fight against a giant. "Our victory not only vindicates PSafe, but also creates a legal precedent for fair competition in the technology ecosystem," said Marco DeMello , CEO at PSafe. According to the Brazilian court's decision, Baidu must publish a public retraction in its communication channels and social networks, pay PSafe for material and moral damages, and compensate PSafe's loss of profits. In support of the court's decision, the judge explained that "there is no conduct more harmful to a company that offers security software than to have its products identified as a virus that is [causing] vulnerabilities and risks to consumers' safety."

The full text of the court's decision, in Portuguese, is available here: Brazil Court Decision. About PSafe

PSafe Technology is a leading provider of mobile security, privacy, and performance optimization apps. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative products that protect consumers' freedom to safely connect, share, play, express, and explore online. The flagship antivirus and anti-hacking app, dfndr security, with 130+ million installs globally, has consistently been named as a top-rated antivirus software by AV-TEST Institute  the world leader in security and antivirus research. To safeguard and enhance users' online experiences, the company's app portfolio continues to grow and now includes a cleaning and boosting appdfndr performance, a virtual private network app, dfndr vpn, a private storage appdfndr vault, and a battery performance appdfndr battery. PSafe is funded by Redpoint Ventures, e.ventures, RPeV, Pinnacle Ventures, and Index Ventures. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in Brazil and numerous satellite employees around the globe. Press Contacts

David Templeton

DBT Communications

203.530.0458

dbtcom@gmail.com Eduardo Gaggini

Zeno Group

+55 11 3146 0972

eduardo.gaggini@zenogroup.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brazilian-court-convicts-giant-app-company-baidu-of-unfair-competition-300621329.html SOURCE PSafe

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[March 29, 2018] comScore Receives Renewed Certifications from TAG for its Efforts to Eliminate Piracy and Fraud

RESTON, Va., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced the company received its certification renewal as a Validated Digital Advertising Assurance Provider (DAAP) through the Trustworthy Accountability Group's (TAG) Certified Against Piracy program, as well as a new TAG Certified Against Fraud Seal for its efforts to eliminate piracy and fraud. TAG was created three years ago by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's) to eliminate piracy, fraudulent traffic, combat malware and improve transparency in the digital advertising supply chain. comScore's dual certifications emphasize the company's commitment to these efforts, ensuring advertising campaigns are running in safe, transparent environments. comScore is one of the first companies to earn TAG's anti-piracy certification as a Validated DAAP. To receive this certification, the comScore solutions were subjected to a rigorous audit by independent Certified Public Accountants and approved by TAG as being compliant with the program's Core Criteria, which include: Identifying sites with pirated content

Preventing ads from being served on those sites

Monitoring placement compliance with advertiser requirements

Preventing fraudulent practices

Eliminating payments to those site owners To receive TAG's Certified Against Fraud Seal, third-party measurement companies must be compliant with general invalid traffic (GIVT) detection and filtration requirements of MRC IVT guidelines, and employ domain and data threat filtering. Additionally, companies that choose to be independently validated must participate in a third-party audit. comScore met TAG's audit criteria through its MRC sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) accreditation in November 2016, and subsequent extension to include mobile in-app SIVT in December 2017.



"Our renewed certification as a Validated DAAP and new Certified Against Fraud Seal highlight our ongoing commitment to increase advertisers' confidence in digital platforms," said Steve Ahlberg, senior vice president, digital products at comScore. "comScore has long been a pioneer in brand safety and IVT detection solutions that enable our clients to buy and sell trusted media, and create a more transparent marketplace." To learn more about comScore ad verification and effectiveness solutions, please visit: http://www.comscore.com/Products/Advertising-Analytics/.

About comScore

comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. Built on precision and innovation, comScore's 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 a global footprint in 70 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market under (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 impact of TV Essentials and the broader family of products on the success of comScore's business. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations, including, but not limited to, 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 (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. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-receives-renewed-certifications-from-tag-for-its-efforts-to-eliminate-piracy-and-fraud-300621449.html SOURCE comScore

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[March 29, 2018] Snyk's Vulnerability Database Works with Google Chrome's Lighthouse

LONDON, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Snyk, the leading solution for addressing vulnerabilities in open source libraries, announced today it is powering the vulnerable JavaScript libraries audit in Google Chrome's Lighthouse, in general availability. The integration offers developers critical information about potential libraries that developers might be using that contain security vulnerabilities, increasing awareness and making it easier to take action. Lighthouse is Chrome's open-source automated tool for improving the performance, quality and correctness of web apps and pages. It can be used as a browser extension or Node module, and also powers the auditing functionality in the developer tools built directly into Chrome. As of Chrome 63, Lighthouse has a "Best Practices" audit that detects front-end JavaScript libraries in use with a known security vulnerability by testing against Snyk's vulnerability databas. If any known security issues are discovered, the site in question's audit score is docked, and developers receive a detailed report of each vulnerability with a link to Snyk to resolve the issues.



"In early 2017, researchers found that 37 percent of sites had at least one client-side JavaScript library containing a known security vulnerability," said Guy Podjarny, CEO, Snyk Ltd. "Recently, we completed a report noting that the reality was worse: 77 percent of the top 433,000 URL's used a JavaScript library with a known security issue. Recognizing the importance of the issue, Snyk collaborated with the Lighthouse team to audit vulnerable JavaScript libraries. This integration applies an extra layer of visibility for developers as we work toward making the web more secure by default." Snyk helps companies securely use open source code. Snyk's solution continuously fixes vulnerabilities in open source libraries, relying on a unique proprietary vulnerability database. The open source security solution allows developers to secure their dependencies quickly and independently, minimizing the necessary attention to addressing issues.

About Snyk

Snyk is a developer-first security solution that helps you use open source code and stay secure. Building on its unique vulnerability database, Snyk continuously finds and fixes known vulnerabilities and license violations in open source dependencies. Snyk integrates seamlessly into the developer workflow, tightly integrating with source control (e.g. GitHub, BitBucket, GitLab), hooking into your CI/CD pipelines and continuously monitoring PaaS and Serverless apps in production. To learn more, visit https://snyk.io/ View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/snyks-vulnerability-database-works-with-google-chromes-lighthouse-300618977.html SOURCE Snyk

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[March 29, 2018] Report: Cryptocurrency Mining Runs Rampant in Higher Education

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vectra, the leader in automating the hunt for in-progress cyberattacks, today announced that the higher education sector exhibited a startling increase in potentially damaging cryptocurrency mining behaviors as part of the company's key findings in the new 2018 RSA Conference Edition of its Attacker Behavior Industry Report. The report reveals cyberattack detections and trends from a sample of 246 opt-in enterprise customers using the Vectra Cognito platform, across 14 different industries. From August 2017 through January 2018, Cognito monitored traffic and collected metadata from more than 4.5 million devices and workloads from customer cloud, data center and enterprise environments. By analyzing this metadata, the Vectra Cognito platform detected hidden attacker behaviors and identified business risks that enabled its customers to avoid catastrophic data breaches. As sophisticated cyberattackers automate and increase the efficiencies of their own technology, there is an urgent need to augment information security with AI-based detection and response tools to stop threats faster. The Vectra Attacker Behavior Industry Report takes a multidisciplinary approach that spans all strategic phases of the attack lifecycle, presenting data by specific industries that highlight relevant differences between them. Key findings from the report include: Cryptocurrency mining is a mounting problem: Considered opportunistic, mining surged with the rising price of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Monero and Ethereum. Of all the cryptocurrency mining detections, 60 percent occurred in higher education, followed by entertainment and leisure (6 percent), financial services (3 percent), technology (3 percent), and healthcare (2 percent). Cryptocurrency mining involves converting electricity to monetary value through computational resources. Free electrical power and internet access for students might account for the spike in higher education.

The highest volume of attacker behaviors per industry were in higher education (3,715 detections per 10,000 devices) followed by engineering (2,918 detections per 10,000 devices). This is primarily due to comand-and-control (C&C) activity in higher education and internal reconnaissance activity in engineering.

C&C activity in higher education, with 2,205 detections per 10,000 devices, is four-times above the industry average of 460 detections per 10,000 devices. These early threat indicators usually precede other stages of an attack and are often associated with opportunistic botnet behaviors in higher education.

Government and technology sectors have the lowest detection rates, with 496 and 349 detections per 10,000 devices, respectively. This could indicate the presence of stronger policies, mature response capabilities and better control of the attack surface.

When normalizing detections per 10,000 devices compared to the previous year, there is a sharp increase across every industry  C&C (37 percent), internal reconnaissance (31 percent), lateral movement (24 percent), and a nominal increase in data exfiltration detections (6 percent).



Jon Oltsik , senior principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. "According to recent ESG research, 12 percent of enterprise organizations have already deployed Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based security analytics extensively, and 27 percent have deployed AI-based security analytics on a limited basis. This latest report from Vectra provides important visibility into attacker behaviors within organizations, that have bypassed perimeter security controls and observations of attack progression after an initial compromise." The Cognito platform automates the hunt for hidden cyberthreats by continuously analyzing network traffic logs and cloud events to detect attacker behaviors inside the network. In addition to automatically correlating detected threats with host devices that are under attack, Cognito provides unique context about what attackers are doing and prioritizes threats that pose the highest risk. Using AI, Cognito combines data science, machine learning and behavioral analytics to reveal attacker behaviors without signatures or reputation lists.

"Combining security analytics with human understanding gives us compelling new insights into attacker behaviors on a global scale across cloud, data center and enterprise environments," said Chris Morales, head of security analytics at Vectra. "Ultimately, this insight enables Vectra customers to make better-informed decisions that strengthen security posture and reduce business risk." The data in this report is based on anonymized metadata from Vectra customers who have opted to share detection metrics. The Cognito platform identifies behaviors that indicate in-progress attacks by directly monitoring all traffic and relevant logs, including traffic to and from the internet, internal traffic between network devices, and virtualized workloads in private data centers and public clouds. This analysis provides important visibility into advanced phases of attacks. The 2018 RSA Conference Edition of the Attacker Behavior Industry Report is available for download at https://info.vectra.ai/2018-abir. For more information about Vectra and Cognito, visit vectra.ai. About Vectra

Vectra is transforming cybersecurity with AI. Its Cognito platform automates cyberattack detection and response from data center and cloud workloads to user and IoT devices. Cognito correlates threats, prioritizes hosts based on risk and provides rich context to empower response with existing security systems, reducing security operations workload by 32X. Vectra was named a "Visionary" by Gartner in the 2018 Magic Quadrant for Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems and the "Most Innovative Emerging Company" in the Dark Reading Best of Black Hat Awards. InformationWeek also named Vectra one of the Top 125 companies to watch in 2016. Vectra has been issued five U.S. patents with 14 additional patents pending for cybersecurity applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Vectra is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. and has European regional headquarters in Zurich. For more information, visit vectra.ai.

Media Contact:

John Kreuzer

Lumina Communications for Vectra

vectra@luminapr.com

(408) 896-3307 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/report-cryptocurrency-mining-runs-rampant-in-higher-education-300621586.html SOURCE Vectra

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[March 29, 2018] OPAQ Networks Acquires FourV Systems to Enhance Security Operations Management Automation

OPAQ Networks, the network security cloud company, today announced it has acquired FourV Systems, maker of GreySpark, which provides actionable business intelligence for managing security operations. The patented GreySpark technology will be integrated into the OPAQ Cloud platform and enable managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security services providers (MSSPs) to automate the assessment of midsize customers' security architecture and regulatory compliance maturity. Effectively communicating the need for and value of security investments to business decision makers is often a challenge for MSPs and MSSPs. The integration of FourV's risk and executive reporting platform now enables OPAQ channel partners to provide automated security metrics and key performance indicators to non-technical management in terms that are easy to understand. "The OPAQ Cloud platform already makes it simpler for service providers to deliver and manage Fortune 100-grade security for their midsize enterprise customers," said Ken Ammon, Chief Strategy Officer of OPAQ Networks. "The integration of FourV Systems' GreySpark further enables our partners to demonstrate to customers the value of the security services they are providing." "OPAQ Networks shared our vision for automating security operations management, and we felt their focus on providing a turnkey, enterprise-grade solution for MSPs and MSSPs will revolutionize offerings in that market," said Derek Gabbard, President of FourV Systems. "From a technical standpoint, GreySpark was a natural fit for the OPAQ Cloud platform. It provides a transparent overlay that gathers the intelligence and metrics service providers need to manage and reort on the security and compliance posture of their customers to both IT and business leaders."



The Power to Capture and Communicate Security Value to Customers Manual security data collection, analysis and reporting is a high cost component for MSPs/MSSPs, and is difficult to scale across large customer bases. The acquisition of FourV Systems extends the OPAQ Cloud platform with automation and machine learning in a way that dramatically reduces the time and expense associated with manual reporting. OPAQ now arms service providers with metrics that transparently demonstrate the efficacy of security programs in the context of business and control frameworks including the NIST CSF, CIS, PCI (News - Alert) , GDPR, the new Handbook for Election Infrastructure Security, and more.

FourV's technology also automates many security management operations, enhances managed detection and response (MDR) activities, and provides the following benefits for OPAQ channel partners: Enables MSPs/MSSPs to perform cost-effective performance assessments at scale

Frees expensive security analyst resources from tedious report writing so they can focus on hunt and response activities

Automates the gathering and analysis of distributed data sets necessary to produce continuous risk management and compliance reporting

Streamlines compliance assessments and audits by mapping and visualizing controls to the corresponding NIST CSF operational security functions About the OPAQ Security-as-a-Service Cloud Platform The OPAQ Cloud platform enables service providers to make best-of-breed network security capabilities accessible to midsize enterprises. It combines a private network backbone with next-generation firewall, web application firewall, DDoS mitigation, and software-defined segmentation capabilities that are powered by industry-leading security technologies and OPAQ intellectual property. OPAQ is the only company that offers this depth and breadth of security-as-a-service. Availability The OPAQ Cloud platform with FourV Systems' GreySpark will be available in Spring 2018. About OPAQ Networks OPAQ Networks is the premier network security cloud company. The OPAQ Cloud platform enables partners to deliver Fortune 100-grade network security-as-a-service to midsize enterprises on a software-defined network optimized for speed and performance. With OPAQ, service providers can centrally monitor security performance and compliance maturity, generate reports, manage security infrastructure, and enforce policies - all through a single interface. This empowers OPAQ partners to instantly grow revenue and margins, eliminate complexity and costs, and establish a competitive advantage that helps them attract and retain customers. Based in Northern Virginia, OPAQ is privately held and is funded by Columbia Capital, Harmony Partners, and Zero-G, Inc. To learn more, visit www.opaqnetworks.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329005214/en/

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[March 29, 2018] MDxHealth (R): MDxHealth Shareholder Transparency Declaration

Press release - Regulated information - 29 March 2018, 5.45 p.m. CET HERSTAL, BELGIUM and IRVINE, CA- March 29, 2018 - MDxHealth SA (Euronext Brussels: MDXH) ("MDxHealth" or the "Company"), a world leader in molecular diagnostics for urological cancers, announced that it received on March 26, 2018 the following notification of significant shareholdings in accordance with the Belgian Act of May 2, 2007 on the disclosure of important participations in issuers of which shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market and regarding miscellaneous provisions. BNP Paribas Asset Management SA (acting as a parent undertaking or a controlling person) notified MDxHealth of the acquisition or transfer of voting securities or voting rights in MDxHealth, as a result of which, as at March 22, 2018, its participation in MDxHealth increased above the threshold of 3% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of MDxHealth. It follows from the notification that BNP Paribas Asset Management UK Ltd and BNP Paribas Asset Management France SAS as at March 22, 2018 own 1,974,076 shares of MDxHealth in the aggregate, representing 3.95% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of MDxHealth on the date of the notification. On the date of this press release and following the issuance of 9,989,881 new shares on March 26, 2018, this number of shares represents 3.29% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of MDxHealth. The notification specifies that BNP Paribas Asset Management UK Ltd and BNP Paribas Asset Management France SAS are subsidiaries controlled by BNP Paribas Asset Management SA as parent undertaking, that BNP Paribas Asset Management SA is controlled by BNP Paribas SA as parent undertaking, and that BNP Paribas SA benefits from the exemption to aggregate its participations with those of its investment company subsidiaries in accordance with Article 21, 2 of the Belgian Royal Decree of Febrary 14, 2008 regarding the disclosure of important participations. The notification states further that the subsidiaries are investment companies that exercise the voting rights in a discretionary manner.



For further information, reference is made to the information published on MDxHealth's website (http://www.mdxhealth.com/investors/shareholder-information). About MDxHealth

MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of urological cancer. The Company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic (methylation) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of urologic cancers, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy. The Company's European headquarters are in Herstal, Belgium, with laboratory operations in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and US headquarters and laboratory operations based in Irvine, California. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealth and linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth.

For more information:

Jean-Marc Roelandt CFO Amber Fennell, Chris Welsh, Nicholas Brown

MDxHealth Consilium Strategic Communications

US: +1 949 812 6979 UK: +44 20 3709 5700

BE: +32 4 257 70 21

info@mdxhealth.com mdxhealth@consilium-comms.com LifeSpring Life Sciences Communication

Leon Melens

NL: +31 6 538 16 427

lmelens@lifespring.nl Important information

The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx and PredictMDx are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA (the "Company" or "MDxHealth"). All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Attachment: //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a6b5e027-e7b5-4127-aa16-ab3afd07f4fe

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[March 29, 2018] Cubigo Announces Expansion into the United States, Strategic Partnership with Lyft

SAN FRANCISCO, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cubigo, a technology company on a mission to modernize senior living communities, today announced its expansion into the United States resulting from $4.5 million in venture capital funding. The Series A was led by Urbain Vandeurzen, a Belgian investor focused on tech startups, with participation from Transvision. With this infusion of capital, Cubigo is introducing its cloud-based platform to the senior living industry, which is historically reliant on paper and struggling to find a technology solution that meets the needs of residents and staff members alike. Cubigo also became an Apple mobility partner, a group of app developers who create solutions that change the way businesses work. Cubigo's iOS native app has been completely redesigned to capitalize on the simplicity of the iOS user experience. Coupled with Cubigo's new, unique accessibility features on iPad and iPhone, the result is a software solution that seniors can easily learn and repeatedly use. "Senior care is a $400 billion industry that remains untouched by technology we carry in our pockets every day," said Geert Houben, CEO of Cubigo. "With our new apps built for iPad and iPhone, we see an opportunity to radically streamline processes at independent- and assisted-living residences, which is a huge relief for staff members. Most importantly, however, Cubigo is easy-to-use technology that gives seniors independence over their daily activities." After creating a Cubigo account and logging in, seniors simply tap the desired CubeTM and within seconds they can order meals, request help from maintenance, or view their building's activity calendar and sign-up for events. Residents can also send messages to the staff and read real-time community news, all of which is designed to engage residents in a more meaningful way, whic leads to higher customer satisfaction scores and occupancy rates.



Additionally, Cubigo is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Lyft, whose API will be integrated into the Cubigo platform. As a result, seniors will be able to quickly and easily schedule transportation, such as a trip to a doctor's appointment or grocery store. "By partnering with Cubigo to enable a seamless transportation experience for seniors, we're getting one step closer to our mission of improving people's lives with the world's best transportation," said Gyre Renwick, vice president of Lyft Business. "The ability to request rides independently can be life-changing, with the added benefit of freeing up time for senior living staff to address other priorities."

Houben says the Cubigo-Lyft partnership also empowers family members, who can create their own Cubigo accounts: "So for example, an adult daughter  who may be thousands of miles away from her parents  can login to Cubigo and order a Lyft ride. She is no longer dependent upon finding a staff member to help her. This is a huge relief for adult children and so much more efficient." On the back end, Cubigo can integrate with software that is already being used by staff, making it a one-stop shop that increases staff efficiency. "As we piloted Cubigo at a senior community in Ohio, the administration decided to focus on the meal delivery system," said Houben. "We started with their nine-step, paper-based process and reduced it to just two digital steps. By introducing technology into these facilities, we simplified a time-consuming task, which will have a positive impact on employee satisfaction and retention." Cubigo is being introduced to the U.S. at a time when seniors are increasingly embracing technology, according to survey results released by Pew Research Center. They found that 67% of adults age 65 and older say they use the Internet, compared to just 12% back in 2000. Meanwhile, smartphone ownership jumped 24% in just three years, from 2013 to 2016. About Cubigo Founded in 2011, Cubigo is partnering with some of the world's most influential organizations to improve their operational efficiency, while improving the autonomy of seniors and enhancing their health, safety and mobility. Cubigo  a proud member of the Aging2.0 Alliance  is headquartered in Belgium with offices in San Francisco, Rotterdam, Brussels and Barcelona. To learn more, visit www.cubigo.com. About Lyft

Lyft was founded in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to improve people's lives with the world's best transportation. Lyft is the fastest growing rideshare company in the U.S and is available to 95 percent of the US population. Lyft is preferred by drivers and passengers for its safe and friendly experience, and its commitment to effecting positive change for the future of our cities. About Lyft Business

Lyft Business offers travel, commute, event, and courtesy ride programs that provide customers with the tools they need to reduce cost, save time, and streamline their transportation programs. We partner with thousands of organizations to create unique solutions to move their people, from employees and customers to patients and students. Contact

Nora Murray

SoundBite Communications

192528@email4pr.com

419.250.0016 press@lyft.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cubigo-announces-expansion-into-the-united-states-strategic-partnership-with-lyft-300621822.html SOURCE Cubigo

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[March 29, 2018]

Kentico Continues its Support of World Water Day

BEDFORD, N.H., March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kentico Software, a fast-growing provider of Content Management Systems (CMS) with offices in Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America has long been known for its support of humanitarian causes. This year is no exception. Working with Raybiztech, one of its solution partners based in India, the company is stepping up once again, co-sponsoring a public water filtration system (known as an AquaTower) for the Government Primary Ashram School located in Murbad, India. Additionally, Kentico has donated software that manages the website for Planet Water Foundation, one of the leading non-profit organizations focused on bringing clean water to the worlds most disadvantaged communities.



The activity by Kentico and Raybiztech provides clean water for 700 school children in India, but its just part of a much larger operation. As part of Planet Waters Project 24 initiative for 2018, water projects were simultaneously completed in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and India all in a single dayMarch 22nd. The goal was to deliver clean, safe water with hygiene education in 24 communities in 24 hours.

Watch a short video that further explains Kentico and Raybiztechs participation in the Planet Water program.







We are huge believers in corporate social responsibility, said Petr Palas, Kenticos Founder and CEO. We are always looking for ways to give back to the global community and make the world a better place in which to live. This endeavor that we have undertaken with Raybiztech enables us to do just that.

About Planet Water

Planet Water is a US based, non-profit organization focused on bringing clean water to the worlds most disadvantaged communities through the installation of community-based water filtration systems (known as AquaTowers) and deploying hygiene education programs into impoverished communities. Projects are focused on schools, children, and rural communities across the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America. Planet Waters programs support nearly one million people in 13 different countries.

About Raybiztech

Raybiztech is an Information Technology Company providing cutting-edge solutions to Fortune 100 enterprises around the globe. Raybiztech helps businesses utilize available resources and manage their operations more effectively by improving efficiency, optimizing services, securing information, and reducing cost. They enable clients to achieve a competitive business advantage. The company maintains offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and India.

About Kentico

Kentico Software was launched with one vision in mindto build exceptional digital platforms that allow clients to connect with their customers, surpass their business goals, and achieve digital marketing and e-commerce success. The product line includes Kentico EMS, the all-in-one CMS, E-commerce, and Online Marketing platform, and Kentico Cloud, the comprehensive cloud-first headless CMS and digital experience platform.

Kentico EMSs rich selection of out-of-the-box web parts, easy customizations, and open API quickly gets websites operational. The all-in-one platform combines a full set of integrated solutions, including Online Marketing, E-commerce, Online Communities, and Intranet and Collaboration. Kentico EMS allows you to manage contacts and campaigns, track the customer journey, provide global e-commerce functionality, and measure and analyze the results to create and manage customer experiences easily in a dynamic business environment.

Kentico Cloud is the cloud-first headless CMS and digital experience platform. Users can manage structured content for multichannel delivery, use the API-first CMS to display that content on any website or device, and track visitor interactions to personalize the digital experience.

Kentico has 1,000 digital solution partners and powers 25,000 websites across 100 countries. Founded in 2004, Kentico is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner headquartered in the Czech Republic with offices in the US, UK, Netherlands, and Australia. Customers include Gibson, Twinings, Ingram Micro, Mazda, Kingspan, Hunter Fan, Segway, and Allergan.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

www.kentico.com

Media Contact:

Jim Panagas

Director, PR & Analyst Relations

Kentico Software

Phone: 1-781-462-8461

Email: jamesp@kentico.com




[March 29, 2018] Blue Prism Continues Rapid Global Expansion Opening New Office in France to Support Growing Customer Base

LONDON and AUSTIN, Texas and PARIS, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Prism (AIM:PRSM), the provider of the worlds most successful digital workforce, today announced the opening of a new office in Paris, France, to help support growing regional demand for its Digital Workforce platform. This new office will support Blue Prisms growing list of customers in France, which includes global 5,000 companies across numerous vertical markets including banking, insurance, energy, healthcare and telecom, to name a few. This announcement falls on the heels of Blue Prism raising 70M (approx. US $100M) in public markets to help accelerate global sales and marketing efforts.

We continue to open up offices in key geographies to build closer ties to our customers and partners who are driving digital transformations through automation, said Martin Flood, executive vice president, global sales, Blue Prism. The demand for our Robotic Process Automation (RPA) offering in France continues to skyrocket because it enables customers to meet the highest requirement levels for audit, security and compliance while taking advantage of cloud and AI capabilities. It gives them a true Digital Workforce to improve business efficiency while providing a higher quality of customer-centric services. The robotic software and services market is maturing at a very fast pace across all continents, with Europe expected to reach a spend level approaching $500 million and France $75 million this year. This move from Blue Prism emphasizes the global nature of digital labor and positions the company in a strong position to win pan-European and global clients, said Phil Fersht, CEO and chief analyst at HfS Research. By committing more resources to the French market, Blue Prism is strengthening its market leadership position both locally and throughout Europe, sas Nicolas Marry, General Manager for Avanade France & Belgium. We are seeing first-hand the power of Avanade and Blue Prisms relationship through our joint effort enabling the virtual workforce for our clients. Together we are helping power our clients digital transformationsto innovate better, boost customer service and satisfaction, empower employees, and increase revenues and profits.



Blue Prism attained the highest customer satisfaction rating of 96 percent in an independent customer survey by Knowledge Capital Partners (click here to download report). The survey of global Blue Prism customers highlighted satisfaction for platform adaptability, scalability, security and employee satisfaction. In 2017, Blue Prism was named one of MIT Tech Reviews 50 Smartest Companies and recognized as the winner of the 2017 UK Tech awards. Over the past year, the company added several established brands to its roster of clients including AIG, Alberta Treasury Bureau, Allstate Insurance, Bechtel, Boeing, DeNA, DTE Energy, Dun & Bradstreet, Ericsson, Fannie Mae, GIC, Honda Motor Company, Kaiser Permanente, KBL Bank, Maybank, National Grid, Schroders, Sony Pictures, United Utilities and Walgreens.

About Blue Prism

As the pioneer, innovator and market leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Blue Prism delivers the worlds most successful Digital Workforce. The companys software robots automate repetitive administrative tasks while meeting the requirements of the most demanding IT environments, where security, compliance and scalability are paramount. Blue Prism provides a scalable and robust execution platform for best-of-breed AI and cognitive technologies and has emerged as the trusted and secure RPA platform of choice for the Fortune 500. Billions of transactions and hundreds of millions of hours of work are executed on Blue Prism robots from renowned companies including Aegon, BNY Mellon, Commerzbank, IBM, ING, Maersk, Nokia, Nordea, Procter & Gamble, Raiffeisen Bank, Siemens, Westpac and Zurich. For more information about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), visit www.blueprism.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter. Media Contact

Andre Fuochi

Blue Prism

Mobile: +1-469-394-7274

andre.fuochi@blueprism.com

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[March 29, 2018]

McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, Costa, Tim Hortons challenged to join Starbucks in addressing climate, forest impacts of unrecyclable coffee cups

SEATTLE, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A week after Starbucks committed to bring a fully recyclable and compostable paper cup to market in three years, Stand.earth announces the next phase of its ongoing #BetterCup campaign.

In letters to the CEOs of several companies  including McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons, Costa Coffee, Caribou Coffee and Peet's Coffee  the environmental organization is calling on the coffee retailers to commit within 90 days to "meet or beat" Starbucks' efforts to reduce the "to-go" coffee industry's impact on our forests and climate.

"After two years of powerful dissonance between the kind of responsibility customers expect of companies and their actual practices, Starbucks made a bold commitment to change. Coffee giants like McDonald's, TimHortons, and Costa must do the same and address the environmental impacts of their unrecyclable, plastic-lined paper cups." - Todd Paglia, Executive Director, Stand.earth







"Stand.earth has worked for decades in a collaborative spirit with companies to improve their environmental performance. We hope Starbucks' competitors will proactively commit to decreasing their environmental impacts." - Todd Paglia, Executive Director, Stand.earth

Background

Stand.earth launched the #BetterCup campaign in April 2016 after years of stonewalling by Starbucks and a refusal to change its practices. The campaign became a staple in Seattle, using creative imagery like the Cup Wall and Cup Monster to help people understand the problem with unrecyclable, plastic-lined coffee cups.

The Cup Wall symbolizes the number of Starbucks cups thrown away every minute of every day  8,000+ a minute, or 4+ billion each year. Read the "Secret of the Starbucks Cup" report.

In March 2018, Stand.earth and dozens of global environmental organizations launched the "Starbucks: Break Free From Plastic" coalition, focused on Starbucks' annual shareholder meeting. Nearly one million people joined the campaign.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcdonalds-dunkin-donuts-costa-tim-hortons-challenged-to-join-starbucks-in-addressing-climate-forest-impacts-of-unrecyclable-coffee-cups-300621959.html

SOURCE Stand.earth
[March 29, 2018] Cho-Liang Lin and Shau-Wai Lam Lead Honorary Committee for Sau-Wing and Jean L. Lam Award Event on April 27

Maestro Cho-Liang Lin and Shau-Wai Lam have joined the Honorary Committee of Si-Yo Music Society Foundation's award concert on Friday, April 27 at 8 p.m. at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Si-Yo will present the Sau-Wing and Jean L. Lam Award to New Jersey City University's Caroline L. Guarini Department of Music, Dance and Theatre, whose students and alumni will perform. Lin will serve as chair and Lam will serve as vice-chair. "I am delighted to serve as honorary chairman of this event," said Lin, an internationally renowned violinist and a Si-Yo Master Artist. "Half a century ago, Si-Yo's founders encouraged musicians who emigrated to the United States, supporting them with shelter and financial assistance. NJCU embodies their spirit." "Sau-Wing and Jean were hard-working Chinese-Americans who shared what they had when they had it, never deferring their time and resources to the future," said Shau-Wai Lam, chairman emeritus of DCH Auto Group. "Such generosity is most essential for sustaining the performing arts." The committee is comprised of the Lams' longtime friends from fields including business, finance, art, medicine, and law. The group highlights he breadth and scope of the community of supporters who shared the founders' purpose of helping musicians achieve their aspirations while bringing world-class performances to prominent venues as well as schools and community centers with few such opportunities.



Eva Lerner-Lam, Si-Yo chairwoman and president, expressed gratitude to all of the committee members. "Boosted by their enthusiastic support, we anticipate an inspiring celebration with NJCU." Tickets, priced at $30, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box (News - Alert) Office, 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

Donations are being accepted to provide complimentary tickets for students who cannot frequently attend such events. Information on this, group discounts and more is at https://www.si-yomusicsociety.org/swjll-award. ABOUT SI-YO MUSIC SOCIETY FOUNDATION, INC. Founded in 1966, Si-Yo Music Society Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to inspiring a global community with classical music. Music lovers around the world have enjoyed Si-Yo Artist concerts, educational and community outreach events, festivals and instrument exhibitions in the United States, Asia and Europe. For more information visit Si-YoMusic.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180329006166/en/

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[March 29, 2018] New York City Embraces Cyber Security for Public WiFi

NEW YORK, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayor De Blasio launched NYC Secure, a cyber security initiative to protect New Yorkers from malicious cyber activity including when they access the NYC public WiFi. Part of the NYC Secure effort is the adoption of the Quad9 cyber security platform across all New York City guest and public WiFi access locations. Quad9 provides an automated security solution by leveraging the domain name system, known as the DNS, to block known malicious and bad websites through the use of more than 18 threat intelligence feeds. Not only does Quad9 provide a robust layer of security, it is highly privacy-preserving as no personally identifiable information is collected or stored. Quad9 is a free, easy to use service available to any organization, corporation, or individual. By using Quad9 the city is also leveraging an investment made by NYC. Quad9 was created, in part, by the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), a non-profit that was founded by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr., the City of London Police, and the Center for Internet Security, with a seed investment of asset forfeiture funds provided by the Manhattan District Attorney. "This is a tremendous step in protecting citizens against all manner of cyber risk," said Mary Kavaney, Chief Operating Officer of the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA). "The city in delivering free WiFi as a public service is taking a significant step to ensure that the service is provided with security built in while at the same time protecting New Yorkers' privacy. While it's impossible to protect against every threat, using Quad9 to protect against known malicious sites is a huge benefit to users of the service. On behalf of GCA, we commend New York City for taking this step." "Quad9 was built with the public in mind. It is a free service that provides security and protects the privacy of its users," said John Todd, Executive Director of Quad9. "We're very encouraged to see New Yok City embracing Quad9 and using it for public good, and we hope New York's leadership in implementing this free service is a model for other cities to use to protect their citizens and networks."



"NYC Secure delivers a world-class cyber security upgrade to New Yorkers and all who use our City's expanding public WiFi network," said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. "In 2015, I joined with the City of London Police and Center for Internet Security to found the non-profit Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), which co-developed the Quad9 technology being adopted today. We are delighted to see the work of GCA and its partners integrated into groundbreaking programs like NYC Secure, which will expand the reach of safe-browsing technology and protect millions of residents and visitors alike. I commend Mayor de Blasio and his administration for its proactive and collaborative approach to combat the rising tide of cybercrime." "I applaud Mayor De Blasio for including Quad9 in his NYC Secure initiative which establishes New York City as a leader in helping to protect its citizens from malicious websites," said John Gilligan, Executive Chairman, Center for Internet Security.

"The strength of the Global Cyber Alliance and the tools it has developed, such as Quad9, lie in the global partnerships that support it. By harnessing talent and commitment from the within industry and the public sector, we take a step closer to tackling cyber crime," said Ian Dyson, Commissioner, City of London Police. Quad9 was conceived of by GCA and built in collaboration with IBM and Packet Clearing House (PCH). Since its launch in November of 2017, Quad9 usage has increased more than 27-fold and is used in more than 150 countries around the world, resolving billions of queries every day. Each day, approximately 2 million domain lookups are blocked, protecting the end user from connecting to a malicious destination. These blocked lookups represent attempts to reach phishing, ransomware, botnet command and control servers, and other forms of harmful or fraudulent systems. To start using Quad9 today, simply change your DNS settings in your device or router to point to 9.9.9.9. Learn more about Quad9, including how to set it up on either a Mac OS or Windows system at www.Quad9.net. Press Contact: Dan Palumbo 301.875.2356 About Quad9

Quad9 is a free, recursive, anycast DNS platform that provides end users robust security protections, high-performance, and privacy. Quad9 is an independent non-profit formed from a collaboration of IBM, PCH and GCA. Learn more at www.Quad9.net. About Global Cyber Alliance

The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international, cross-sector effort dedicated to eradicating cyber risk and improving our connected world. We achieve our mission by to uniting global communities, implementing concrete solutions, and measuring the effect. Learn more at www.globalcyberalliance.org. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-york-city-embraces-cyber-security-for-public-wifi-300622006.html SOURCE Global Cyber Alliance

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After going through the major Cambridge Analytica scandal for the entire last week, Facebook has also been accused of storing call and text history by users who downloaded their account data and noticed that such information was also being stored. Facebook published a post in which it said that contacts, as well as call and text history, are only stored with users permission. This seems to happen primarily on Android, but not on iOS, because Google's permission system seems to be allowing it while iOS' doesn't.

Many users seem surprised that Facebook uploaded their contacts as well as call and text history from their phones. However, it is likely that they simply didnt notice when they installed Facebook Messenger that the company was asking them for permission to obtain those details.

After Messenger is installed, Facebook gives you the option to also use SMS text with your contacts. In essence, this makes Facebook Messenger your default SMS application, too. Before you agree, you are given the options of "turn on," learn more, or not now, as pictured below:



If you chose to turn on the feature, then Facebook will also continuously upload info your contacts like phone numbers and nicknames, and your call and text history.

Facebook also said that if you no longer wish to continuously upload that information, you can turn that data sharing off in your settings. You can also turn off continuous call and text history logging while keeping contact uploading enabled.

Facebook is providing users a page where they can also see which contacts you have uploaded to Facebook; you can also delete all the contact data youve uploaded to the companys servers there.

Googles Role In Facebooks Data Collection

Facebooks collection of call and text history so far appears to be happening only on Android, not on iOS. Android has always had a much more lax permission system that has allowed third-party app developers such as Facebook to collect more data than their apps or services require to function.

Starting with Android 8.0, Google required all developers targeting Android 8 devices to specifically name all the permissions they require at runtime:

Prior to Android 8.0 (API level 26), if an app requested a permission at runtime and the permission was granted, the system also incorrectly granted the app the rest of the permissions that belonged to the same permission group, and that were registered in the manifest.For apps targeting Android 8.0, this behavior has been corrected. The app is granted only the permissions it has explicitly requested. However, once the user grants a permission to the app, all subsequent requests for permissions in that permission group are automatically granted.

This may be why Facebook has recently started prompting users with this permission request for call and text history on newer versions of Messenger. Its possible the company didnt need to specifically ask for permission to upload call and text records with the old permission system.

However, the fact that Facebook hasnt yet implemented this data collection feature on iOS, because iOS doesnt allow most apps to capture call and text history, means that Androids permission rules may still be too lax. As we saw earlier, Cambridge Analytica was able to gather so much data from Facebooks platform because of the lax rules the company put in place. This confluence of apathy could pose a danger to many people's privacy.

Platforms Share The Bulk Of Responsibility

Theres no denying that users share some of the blame for allowing their contacts and call and text history to be collected with their own permission, just as they did when they allowed Cambridge Analytica to get not just their data but their friends data, too.

However, we ultimately work with what were given, which is why the party that should take the bulk of the responsibility for data leaks should be the platform that set the rules for how data can be shared with others.

This applies not just to data gathering, but also to security, encryption, and other software policies. People (and developers) will do what theyve been enabled by the platform to do, and their data will also be as secure as the platforms default policies allow it to be.
This tutorial was written by Tom's Hardware Community member knanan. You can find a list of all their tutorials here.

Among the many features of the Windows 10 Creators Update came a new and innovative way to lock and unlock your Windows 10 laptop or PC. This new feature, called Dynamic Lock, can automatically lock your Windows 10 device when your phones Bluetooth is out of range and unlock it again when the phones Bluetooth is back in range. \

In this tutorial, we will show you how to pair your phone with your PC and use Dynamic Lock.

Firstly, before we get started, confirm that latest Windows Insider Build is installed on your computer since this feature is not available on earlier versions Windows 10. You can ensure that you have the latest Creators Update by heading over to Microsofts Support website and enlisting in the Windows Insider Program. Now that you have the latest update, lets begin.



1. Pair Your Phone with Your PC

a. On your laptop or PC go to Settings ->Devices

b. Click Bluetooth & other devices and toggle the Bluetooth switch to on. Also, ensure that the Bluetooth on your phone is switched on as well.



c. Next, click the Add Bluetooth or other device + button. In the Add a device dialog box that pops up, click Bluetooth. Your phone should now appear in the list of discovered devices. If your phone was not discovered, ensure that the Bluetooth drivers on your laptop or PC are up to date.



d. Choose your phone from the list of devices. When selected you should see prompts on both your phone and PC. Click Connect in the Add a device dialog box on your PC and accept the connection on your phone. You should now see your phone listed under Other Devices on the Bluetooth & other devices screen.

2. Enable Dynamic Lock

a. On your PC go to Settings -> Accounts



b. Now go to Sign-in options and scroll down to Dynamic Lock. Under the Dynamic Lock option, select the checkbox for Allow Windows to detect when youre away and automatically lock the device.



Thats it. Now you are ready to lock and unlock your Windows 10 PC with your smartphone.
KCFD paramedic arrested, indicted for allegedly stealing drugs from ambulances KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Federal Grand Jury indicted a member of the Kansas City, Mo., Fire Department Thursday on drug charges. The indictment accuses 36-year-old Michael Fostich, a KCFD paramedic at Station 18, of stealing fentanyl and morphine from ambulances and replacing the fentanyl with another substance.

Call it self-medication but authorities are charging illicit stealing and cracking down on this one time local 1st responder. Read more:
"Kansas City Zoo getting second female polar bear to join its solitary Berlin"

The zoo is welcoming a second polar bear named Bam Bam to Kansas City next month. The 30-year-old female bear comes from the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska.





The zoo said in a news release that Bam Bam loves to play with plastic barrels at her current home, and shes very smart and inquisitive.





Bam Bam is joining 28-year-old Berlin at the Kansas City Zoos Polar Bear Passage, which can accommodate up to three bears.

This may all seem innocent fun and games to locals without a complex understanding of females in captivity but I've seen every season of Orange Is The New Black . . . Twice. So, TKC understanding of lesbian politics and outdated slang should be without question.

There's an important subtext pushed front and center in today's reporting of the latest development in Kansas City animal captivity.Take a peek:The deets:AccordinglyEven more science . . .And so, the subtext should be obvious to locals with a keen eye for detail. These KC polar bears are lesbian lovers not gal pal roommates. The "relationship" is more akin to cellmates forced to find comfort in the soft and loving embrace of another female inmate amid cruel circumstances.You decide . . .
LIKE IT OR NOT, AMID THE CURRENT LEGAL HOT MESS, THE SMART MONEY SEYZ SCHLITTERBAHN IS GONNA SHUT DOWN EVENTUALLY!!!

TKC TOLD YOU FIRST that the poor youngster was decapitated. Some doubted and now it's part of the public record despite the provincialism and false modesty of so many local news outlets that now seems silly in retrospect.





TKC TOLD YOU FIRST that Verruckt would be torn down. A few months later the company submitted to public pressure and announced the ride would eventually be destroyed.





And now . . .





The smart money seyz that things can't ever go back to normal for this water park given the all out frontal assault by Kansas authorities against this biz.

"Thirteen people, including four children, were wounded on the 17-story Verruckt slide during just 182 days of operation before a 10-year-old boy flew off it and died."

























The death of an innocent is a tragic event that merits attention form all those who hold justice and peace dear in their hearts. Moreover, since time immemorial, an innocent son of a prominent politician slain by accident or otherwise is anfrom which no business can fully recover.To wit . . .Follow the logic and our TKC journalistic reporting saga on this tragic topic that's now the subject of news across the globe.Court cases are mostly settled behind closed doors and some of the most disturbing deets willbecome common knowledge. But among legal experts, insiders, friends and newsies - Most people who can think objectively and critically about this subject seem to understand that eventually closing the park is the only realistic outcome of this drama.Accordingly, as we move forward, Caleb's sad story expands into a scarier drama about public safety . . .Sure, clueless people hungry for a dose of life/death might still flock to the location right up until the gates are padlocked but the charges and political pressure coming from the highest levels of Kansas government reveals the real story.In the end, the closing of the park and severe penalties for the designers, operators and biz will be the only way for the Kansas political establishment to uphold the status quo and reaffirm their rule even over the corporate class.In the meantime, newsies run this risk of getting lost in the minutia of a case that, like all things, is about nothing more than money, mortality and power.Check the links:Developing . . .
Reduced prices for British holidaymakers on the Greek islands of Kos, Kefalonia and Zakynthos this year indicate booking data recorded by On the Beach platform.

In particular, prices are 11% lower in Kos compared to last summer, 8% cheaper in Kefalonia and 5% in Zakynthos.

Spain remains the most popular destination for the British this year, too, with Tenerife, Costa Blanca, Lantarote and Ibiza being the top choices.

Greece is the second most popular destination, and Turkey ranks third.

Greece's Halkidiki is the fastest growing destination among the Brits, after Sicily and Sardinia.

On the Beach Marketing Dircector Alan Harding said: "Spain once again dominates the market, but other destinations such as Greece, Portugal and Malta prove to be very popular this year. Reservation data also show that Turkey is rising and its popularity is expected to continue to grow. Greece is a very attractive option for those looking for great value, as holidays on many islands are cheaper this summer compared to last year. "

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
The first time in modern history the Tomb of Christ in the Temple of the Resurrection in Jerusalem was opened

Greeces 49-year-old restoration worker Petros Haloftis of Megara, is the first person since 1810 to enter the Tomb of Jesus Christ, while working on the holy site.

Haloftis has now opened up to a local Greek paper for the first time about his overwhelming experience and speaks of the unique moment in Jerusalem, where for the first time in modern history the Tomb of Christ in the Temple of the Resurrection in Jerusalem was opened.

I was the first person to enter the tomb of Christ. Yes, it smelled of myrrh, confessed Petros.

I felt in awe. I felt unreal. I cried when I found out that I came here because the Lord wanted it. And I was not very much a man of faith, noted Petros in his interview.

The tomb was not to be opened but the reason they opened it was because they were doing grouting work as they were afraid that water might run through the masonry and destroy what was inside, added Petros fighting back tears.

I was the one who entered first after the top plate was shifted. The tomb had not been opened since 1810, when the sacred cabin was built to protect it.

Haloftis described the smell as myrrh. The place smells of myrrh as the monks use it in the entire Temple of the Resurrection. Nevertheless, this smell was something else. Something unique that I have not sensed before.

He also spoke of another special experience, In the masonry behind, inside the wall, and at a height of about two meters, I found a wooden wedge about 20 cm long that had a very nice smell that lasted for about three days. It was there for 200 years. Normally, it should have smelled rotten. Yet, it was fragrant.

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

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlascar/ License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekcitytimes.com
The TUI Group is planning to continue to grow with customised services and offers of leisure activitites at the holiday destinations. This will also include services for cruise ships in the ports. With the acquisition of the "Destination Management" business from Hotelbeds, under the umbrella of the TUI Group the leading provider of destination services worldwide is being created. As a result of the acquisition TUI is thus extending its global presence and the product portfolio of its Spanish subsidiary TUI Destnation Services.

TUI itself is active at more than 100 destinations all over the world. Following the takeover, the Spanish subsidiary TUI Destination Services will be present with branches and staff in 48 countries, will employ over 9,000 people and generate sales of 700 milllion euros. The Enterprise Value will be 110 million euros against cash. TUI also expects to achieve operational synergies.

The global market for services at holiday destinations, as already offered by TUI Destination Services today, is estimated at around 140 billion euros and it offers considerable further potential for TUI. It is currently growing at around seven percent year on year. At the same time, with up to 350,000 micro-suppliers, this market segment is extremely fragmented on the supplier side and only to a small extent digitised. Already today, TUI Destination Services develops and arranges around 4.5 million excursions per year. This puts the TUI subsidiary among the top 5 providers in this business field worldwide. TUI Destination Services is already today far more than an intermediary. The Spanish company develops excursion programmes and services at the resort, organizes and accompanies them with its own staff. Thus, the company has a considerable influence on the diversity, exclusivity and quality of its offers.

TUI CEO Fritz Joussen explains: "The global market for these services is growing. Four factors put TUI in an extremely good starting position: our strong international brand, the trust of 20 million customers, the trust of the destination countries through decades of presence and, most importantly, our world-class IT and CRM systems, in which we have invested in recent years". TUI particularly wants to make better use of the average of four months between travel booking and travel start, in order to offer customers individually relevant offers for their stay at the holiday destination. "The TUI brand guarantees the usual premium service, TUI quality and TUI comfort despite the multitude and complexity of leisure offers and providers at the holiday destination. Our IT and CRM systems guarantee that our guests will only receive offers that are relevant to them. And they get them directly from us, not from third parties. Advice, booking, flight, hotel and leisure activities at the resort come from a single source. The customer has one contact person, that is TUI", said Joussen.

The "Destination Management" Division of the Hotelbeds Group is currently active with 2,600 employees in 25 countries, including Italy, Croatia, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada and many Asian countries. In addition to excursions and transfers, tours and activities such as Segway tours, the division also offers the handling for cruise companies in the ports. This is also interesting for TUI. Because in many countries activities while in port for the three cruise companies - TUI Cruises, Hapag Lloyd Cruises and Marella Cruises - services can be handled by our own company. TUI thus becomes a supplier rather than a customer. "The acquisition will thus bring commercial synergies to the Group's cruise line business", said Joussen.

In addition to the hotel and cruise business, TUI Destination Services is one of the Group's three growth areas and has been reported separately in financial reporting under the Holiday Experiences segment since the first quarter of financial year 2018. The subsidiary company is managed by a management team led by David Schelp (Managing Director) and currently employs 6,500 people in 23 countries. It is headquartered in an innovation park in the Balearic capital of Palma de Mallorca and has two regional offices in Athens / Greece and Miami / USA.

About Destination Management

The Destination Management division of Hotelbeds Group works across more than 150 offices globally; it includes three leading global brands, Destination Services, Intercruises and Pacific World.

Destination Services is the leading B2B provider of incoming services to tour operators globally. The company offers tours, transfers and other in-destination services to its tour operator partners in over 70 countries worldwide and handles around 2.2 million passengers per year. Destination Services has a strong footprint across all regions with four large hubs in EU & Med, Americas, Indian & Indian Ocean, and APAC.

Intercruises is a global ground handling and port agency business specializing in the cruise sector, offering services in around 60 countries covering over 400 ports. Every year Intercruises handles more than 12,000 port calls, providing services to millions of passengers on behalf of its cruise partners.

Pacific World is a leading meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) company operating in over 30 countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Founded in 1980 in Hong Kong, the company handles around 1,300 events per year globally.

About TUI Group

TUI Group is the worlds number one integrated tourism group operating in around 180 destinations worldwide. The company is domiciled in Germany. The TUI Groups share is listed in the FTSE 100 index, the leading index of the London Stock Exchange and in the German open market. In financial year 2017, the TUI Group recorded turnover of 18.5bn and an operating result of 1.121bn. The Group employs 67,000 people in more than 100 countries. TUI offers its more than 20 million customers comprehensive services from a single source. It covers the entire tourism value chain under one roof. This comprises around 330 Group-owned hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU and Robinson and a fleet of cruise ships ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 luxury class vessels to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and the vessels of Marella Cruises in the UK. Furthermore, TUI features leading tour operator brands, 1,600 travel agencies in Europe and five European tour operator airlines with around 150 modern medium and long-haul aircraft. Global responsibility for sustainable economic, ecological and social activity is a key feature of our corporate culture. TUI Care Foundation supports the positive impacts of tourism. It initiates projects creating opportunities for the next generation and contributing to a positive development of the holiday destinations. Further information is available at www.tuigroup.com.

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
Bahrain has successfully priced a seven-year $1 billion 6.875 percent sukuk offering. The financing exercise forms part of the kingdoms prudent approach in managing its funding requirements, said a statement.

The transaction received strong global investor interest, with the orderbook peaking at around $2.1 billion from more than 100 investors, it said.

The kingdom embarked on an extensive and well attended global roadshow, meeting more than 70 investors in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US. Based on investor feedback, the kingdom elected to pursue the most optimal cost-efficient debt capital markets format, issuing a single tranche sukuk offering, taking into account various factors, including the prevalent market backdrop, the performance of recent Emerging Markets debt capital markets issuances as well as investors feedback to proactively manage the performance of Bahrains securities in the secondary market, it said.

The kingdom elected to release price guidance at 7 per cent area on 28 March 2018 at GCC opening hours. The orderbook recorded strong momentum and was sufficiently covered by 11 am UK time, enabling the kingdom to tighten final pricing to yield 6.875 per cent and price a successful $1 billion sukuk offering, it said.

The offering attracted a globally diversified orderbook from both Islamic and conventional investors, with 59 per cent of the notes distributed in Mena, 16 per cent in Europe, 14 per cent in UK, 9 per cent in the US and 2 per cent into Asia. Distribution by investor type comprised 63 per cent banks/private banks, 33 per cent fund managers, 3 per cent pensions and insurance, and 1 per cent others.

Bahrain continues to benefit from a strong bid to its sukuk securities, as evidenced by the new issuance which priced inside the governments conventional bond yield curve, the statement said.

Bahrain has fostered a long-term relationship with debt capital markets investors, and we are pleased to see a strong appetite to the transaction despite the volatile market conditions, said Salman Alkhalifa, executive director of banking operations at the Central Bank of Bahrain.

The kingdom is expected to raise financings through other sources of funding, including local debt capital markets and potentially could seek to come back to the international debt capital markets at a later stage in 2018, the statement added.

BNP Paribas, Citi, Gulf International Bank, National Bank of Bahrain and Standard Chartered Bank acted as Joint lead-managers and joint bookrunners on the transaction. - TradeArabia News Service
Around 40 speakers from 16 countries, including global industry influencers and international policy advisors, are participating at Sharjahs International Government Communication Forum, which opened yesterday (March 28), in Sharjah, UAE.



Held with the support of HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the event is being hosted by the International Government Communication Centre (IGCC), a subsidiary of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, and will conclude today (March 29) at Expo Centre Sharjah.



The 7th edition of the IGCF, being held under the theme Digital Millennium Where To?', is expected to welcome more than 3,000 communication experts, decision makers, government officials, government communication professionals, civil society organisations media personnel and students of communication and journalism, said a statement.



Sean Spicer, former Whitehouse Press Secretary (2017), Nobel Peace Laureate Lech Walesa, former Polish President who played a leading role in the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia are among the many modern history makers speaking at the event, it said.



Attending speakers are presenting sessions on subjects as diverse as Digital Diplomacy in Government Communication, Media Charisma and New Media in Serving Humanitarian Issues, it added.



The event features 18 panel discussions and inspiring sessions, six interactive talks, four brainstorming sessions for children and young adults and seven workshops for journalists, government communication experts and visitors to the forum.



Launched in 2012 under the directives of HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the event aims to highlight best practices to achieve more efficient and effective communication between the government and the public  a field in which the Emirate of Sharjah has played a leading regional role in terms of digital integration and smart government, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Egypt-based DP World Sokhna, a marine terminal of global shipping terminal operator DP World, recently welcomed the largest bulk cargo vessel to ever arrive to the port and enter the Red Sea.



Known as a capesize vessel, the M/V Seafarer originally came from Malta carrying steel cargo weighing more than 140,000 metric tonnes, said a statement.



Prior to its arrival, DP World Sokhna conducted a bathymetric survey of the ports topography to ensure its depth relative to sea level was adequate to receive vessels of this size, it said.



Ajay Singh, CEO, DP World Sokhna, said: As an industry leader, were constantly seeking new opportunities to develop the sector for the benefit of trade and industry across the region.



Welcoming the largest bulk cargo vessel to ever enter Sokhna Port is the result of close and fruitful cooperation with the Suez Canal Economic Zone, he said.



We look forward to continued successful collaborations with industry partners as we further expand our capacity to support the growing volume of trade, he added.



DP World Sokhna chief operating officer Anas Al Muhaisen presented a crystal platter to Master Captain Eustaquio David.



Operation and commercial teams joined DP World Sokhna managers to celebrate the milestone and welcome the crew of the M/v Seafarer.



Located at the heart of the vitally important East-West trade route, DP World Sokhna is committed to providing customers with outstanding services through an integrated port management approach, combined with leading-edge technology.



Its strategic position, just below the southern entrance to the Suez Canal makes it strategically located to handle cargo transiting through one of the world's busiest commercial waterways. DP World Sokhna also offers fast turnaround times for vessels combined with efficient delivery services through strategic logistics to keep pace with consumer demand.



Close proximity to Cairo through a modern highway and well-established road and rail system, makes it well situated to reach the capitals consumers. DP World Sokhna is also a transit port for other Egyptian ports and cargo bound for Africa, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
The third edition of the Arabian Women Fashion Expo 2018 opened this week at Moda Mall, a leading luxury shopping destination in Bahrain.



The event, organised by Touches Events and supported by Tamkeen, will run for four days, from the March 28 to 31.



Inaugurated by HH Shaikha Noora bint Abdulla Al Khalifa, the launch event was attended by key female figures from Bahrain and across the GCC.



The expo is the ideal platform that provides participants and visitors the opportunity to network and build new business opportunities.
Galakiwi, the Galapagos experts, expands operations in Quito with an Ecuador tour that will have travelers climbing waterfalls, biking down a volcano and searching for wildlife in the Amazon.



(TRAVPR.COM) ECUADOR - March 29th, 2018 - Adventure tour operator Galakiwi recently unveiled a new 7-day tour itinerary focused on mainland Ecuador; in particular the Andes and Amazon regions.

Complementing their expansive range of Galapagos land tours, the new itinerary has already been put through the test in early 2018, receiving positive feedback from early travelers.

Working with a number of fellow Adventure Travel Trade Association members for lodging and activity services, Galakiwi has curated some special experiences throughout the country. Riding horses chagra style near Cotopaxi National Park and climbing up waterfalls on the edge of the Amazon are two experiences that have already garnered high praise from the first travelers on the new 2018 Ecuador adventure.

Launching this new itinerary was an obvious choice for Galakiwi, whose Galapagos-bound travelers often seek out additional adventures in the rest of Ecuador. This 7-day Ecuador tour happens to combine perfectly with both of their most popular Galapagos tours.

With a dedicated operations team based in Quito that has decades of personal experience leading tours in Ecuador, it made sense for Galakiwi to re-evaluate previous partner-led tours in the country and come up with their own, unique adventure itinerary to the Andes and Amazon regions.

As Timothy Cooney, Galakiwi owner, stated, the ultimate goal is to achieve the highest level of service and satisfaction for all our travelers everywhere in Ecuador, not just the Galapagos Islands.

Being named to many "must visit" and "hot spot" lists in recent years, the small country of Ecuador has become a preferred destination for adventure seekers thinking of visiting South America.

Ecuador Tour Information:

Length: 7-days, starting and ending in Quito

Price: $2999US per person

Departures: Sundays, at least once a month

Details: https://www.galakiwi.com/our-tours/ecuador-tour-7-days

About Galakiwi:

Based on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos, Galakiwi has been a leader in operating unique land-based adventure tours since 2005. Galakiwi has developed photography, SUP, yoga and adventure tours in the Galapagos, which involve a mix of activities, wildlife encounters and cultural experiences. Galakiwi currently operates tours in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and Peru. Visit Galakiwi at: www.galakiwi.com

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MD of NFTC at Paphos, Cyprus, Sandeep Marwah at Cyprus, Sandeep Marwah President of ICMEI



(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - March 29th, 2018 - Cyprus: The Managing Director of National Federation of Tourism And Transport Cooperatives of India Limited Sandeep Marwah on the invitation of Ministry of Tourism, Government of Cyprus visited Paphos in Cyprus.

It is a wonderful opportunity to know Cyprus in and out. The city of Paphos is a beautiful town with lots of family values. Visit to Pafos Mosaics and Medieval Fort, Five Star Hotels like Elysium and lunch at Sea cruise adds to the experience, said Sandeep Marwah MD of NFTC while talking to the press at Aliathon Holiday Village Hotel at Paphos City.

Paphos, the capital of western Cyprus, has some serious historical clout. Site of the vast fourth-century BC Tombs of the Kings, set high on a cliff above the sparkling sea, as well as a dramatic Byzantine castle and fine mosaics, its also known as the birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite. The population of 27,000 is swelled by a summer influx of beach-bound English, German and Scandinavian visitors. A beautiful old harbor awaits, while modern hotels and restaurants stretch along the promenade.

A visit to Cyprus will be recommended to the students of Asian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism in the coming weeks, added Marwah. The High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to India H.E. Demetrios A. Theophylactou also accompanied Sandeep Marwah.

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Absolute Hotel Services Managing Director Indian subcontinent & the Middle East, Mr. Sameer Dharkar is delighted to announce two executives appointment based in Absolute Hotel Services Regional Office in Mumbai, India namely Mr. Meghan Joshi as Regional Manager Revenue & Distribution , and Ms. Prachi Chaturvedi as Director MarCom & PR effective February, 2018



(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - March 29th, 2018 - Meghan has joined Absolute Hotel Services as Regional Manager Revenue & Distribution India/Middle East, reporting to VP  Operations & Pre Opening. He will be responsible for Revenue and distribution functions for all hotels and resorts in India region.

Meghan has completed DHM from Novel Institute of Business Management & Research, Pune'07. Has over 9 years of experience in Hospitality, namely with Starwood, Intercontinental, Hilton, Oxford Properties, Royal Orchid Hotels & Resorts and The Chancery group of Hotels, Bangalore. He has been awarded for 100% mystery audit in Starwood Hotels in ASIA PACIFIC, First position in audit in the Reservations department for Sheraton Grand Pune (former Le Meridien Pune).

As Director of Marcom & PR , Prachi will be responsible for Marketing Communications & PR functions for all hotels and resorts in India and Middle East. She will report in to Mr. Shalil Suvarna, Vice President of Operations based in the Mumbai office.

After her graduation, Prachi completed her PGDM in Marketing from Welingkars Mumbai in 09 followed by Project Management from IIM Rohtak in 16. Her choice to perfection lead her to complete Operations and Loyalty program designing workshops. Google certified for Online Advertising, she has worked with brands as DGM MarCom & Media Marketing for Papa Johns Pizza, Mad Over Donuts and Midday Multimedia ltd, Hindustan Times respectively prior to joining Absolute Hotel Services India.

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pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Washington, March 29

Welcoming the renewal of a programme which allows most Indian imports to enter the US duty free, a trade advocacy group has said it will empower Americans negotiators against their Indian counterparts.

President Donald Trump signed the legislation to renew the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Programme last week as part of the Omnibus Spending Bill.

GSP renewal will help empower the US Trade Representative (USTR) and other US negotiators as they sit down with Indias representatives at upcoming commercial discussions, the Alliance for Fair Trade with India said.

Commending the Congress and Trump for the renewal, the AFTI said the GSP supports the USTR efforts on pending petitions brought by industries that face challenging market conditions and trade barriers.

AFTI and its members support and commend USTR efforts to engage and address the issues at hand and also calls on India to step up and act to address the issues as well, a media statement said.

The AFTI said the renewal of the highlighted the importance of the India-US economic relationship.

India is the largest recipient of GSP benefits.

As such, Congress and the White House are empowering their India trade team to assess Indias compliance with the GSP Program and make real, tangible progress on the many challenging issues US companies face in India, AFTI said.

Introduced in 1976, a wide range of industrial and agricultural products originating from certain developing countries are given preferential access to American markets.

In Indias case, it enables duty-free entry of 3,500 product lines, which benefits exporters of textiles, engineering, gems and jeweler and chemical products.

According to the USTR, the total US imports under GSP in 2017 was USD 21.2 billion, of which India was the biggest beneficiary with USD 5.6 billion, followed by Thailand (USD4.2 billion) and Brazil (USD 2.5 billion).

The programme has now been renewed through December 31, 2020.

While legislation to renew the GSP was enacted on March 23rd, the effective date of renewal is April 22, 2018. GSP-eligible entries will enter the US duty-free on, and after, April 22, 2018.

Because the GSP programmes renewal is retroactive, importers may seek refunds of duties paid during the lapse of GSP authorization, USTR said in a statement. In accordance with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) instructions, importers who marked their GSP-eligible articles after January 1, 2018, with the applicable special program indicator (SPI) for GSP (A or A+) will receive automatic duty refunds without interest.

In addition, for GSP-eligible articles that entered the US during the lapse of GSP authorisation without SPI code A, importers may request a GSP duty refund request to CBP. PTI
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

New Delhi: Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) have signed an agreement towards the mutual supply of hybrid and other vehicles to each other for the Indian market. As per agreement signed in Japan on Thursday, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) will supply its models Brezza and Baleno to Toyota and Toyota will supply Corolla to Suzuki Motor Corporations Indian arm. Details like new branding of the three cars shared are yet to be decided. This sharing of models between the two car manufacturers would be in addition to the work both companies are doing in the area of electric and hybrid vehicles. The vehicles will be sold by respective subsidiaries of Toyota and Suzuki based in India through their sales networks. TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 29

The fact that the vibrant medium of theatre has its own language was proved as the city audience not only relished but complimented the absorbing Polish play, Dziady  Noc Druga, presented by Teatr Wierszalin, Poland, during the ongoing Theatre Olympics at Tagore Theatre on Thursday.

The play structured around the occupation of Poland and Lithuania by Russia in 1920s, after which resident of both nations were deprived of their civil rights, leaving them oppressed, imprisoned or sentenced to forced labour deep into Russia and Siberia.

Inspired by their ordeal, the play written and directed by Piotr Tomaszuk revolved around the life of revolutionary poet Konrad, who arrested the plight of the suffering people through his writings. His role was portrayed to perfection by Rafal Gasowski, who win peoples admiration with his act. The stage sets and lighting deserved special mention.
editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Zirakpur, March 29

Depressed after fighting with her brother, a 17-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide by slitting her wrist veins with a blade in the early hours of Thursday at her residence.

The deceased, Poonam, a resident of Peer Muchhala near Zirakpur, suffered excessive loss of blood due to profuse bleeding from the injured veins and succumbed to the self-inflicted wound. No suicide note was recovered from the spot, the police said.

Jagjeet Singh, in-charge of the Dhakoli police post, said the incident came to the light when Poonam did not open the door in the morning despite repeated knocks. Her brother, Ravi, broke open the door and found her body lying in a pool of blood in the room.

The police said during preliminary investigations it came to light that Poonam had a fight with her brother the night before the incident.

The police said the victims brother saw her talking to someone over the phone at night for a long time and suspecting that his sister was having an affair, he entered into an argument with her. Following the argument, on the pretext of changing her clothes, Poonam asked her brother to go outside the room.

The sources said the brother always kept a watch on her which often led to arguments between the two in the past.

The police have initiated inquest proceedings in the matter and the next course of action will be decided after the postmortem report is received.

The deceaseds parents work as labourers at Peer Muchhala, the police said.
editorial@tribune.com

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 29

Another township is coming up over a whopping 5,350 acres in Mohali. Aerotropolis, as it has been christened, will be developed on land of 14 villages in the vicinity of the Chandigarh international airport. This will be the fourth independent township being developed by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) after Knowledge City, Aerocity and IT City, which had turned out to be a great success in Mohali, and the eighth in the Greater Mohali area after EcoCity, EduCity and MediCity in New Chandigarh.

Sharing the details of the housing project, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Housing and Urban Development-cum-Financial Commissioner, Revenue (FCR), Vini Mahajan told The Tribune here on Thursday that Aerotropolis had been approved by the Punjab Council of Ministers at its recent meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.

The land for the new township will be acquired through the Land Pooling Policy, 2013, which has been further tweaked by the Cabinet to make it more farmer-friendly, she disclosed.

Giving a major boost to urban development in the vicinity of the Chandigarh international airport in Mohali, GMADA will acquire 5,350 acres in Rurka, Bakarpur, Shafipur, Nariangarh, Chhat, Kishanpura, Matran, Bari, Siau, Patton, Kurari, Saini Majra, Chau Majra and Manauli villages.

Following detailed deliberations with farmers and all other stakeholders, the proportion of commercial area has been enhanced and commercial sites have been clubbed in the Land Pooling Scheme approved by the Cabinet for the Aerotropolis project, said Mahajan. Also, the demand of a small percentage of farmers for cash compensation to purchase land for cultivation in other areas has been met.

According to the approved Land Pooling Scheme, a farmer whose 8-kanal land will be acquired for this project will get four options  1,000 sq yard developed residential site and 121 sq yard developed SCO site with FAR 1:3 and basement or 500 sq yard residential site and 300 sq yard SCO site with FAR 1:3 and basement or 800 sq yard residential site and 200 sq yard SCO site with FAR 1:3 and basement.

Similarly, against 4-kanal land acquisition, a farmer will get two options  400 sq yard residential site and 100 sq yard SCO site with FAR 1:3 and basement or 500 sq yard residential site and 60 sq yard shop site with FAR 1:2 double storey and basement.

For every 3-kanal land acquisition, a farmer will get two options  300 sq yard residential site and 60 sq yard shop site with FAR 1:2 double storey and basement or only 450 sq yard residential site.

Against 2-kanal land acquisition, a farmer will get two options  200 sq yard residential site and 40 sq yard booth site with FAR 1:1 and basement or only 300 sq yard residential site.

And for every 1-kanal land acquisition, a farmer will get a residential site measuring 150 sq yards. The sites will be excluding the parking area.

The ACS-cum-FCR said, For landowners whose big chunk of land is acquired, if they demand, best efforts will be made to club their residential or commercial plots at one location.

Another major amendment made was that the landowners shall be allotted plots in the same sector/zone from where the land is acquired. Moreover, the zone and sector shall be earmarked before land pooling and the same shall be got approved from the competent authority soon, she revealed.

The Cabinet, while approving the modifications, decided that higher share of commercial area could be considered for landowners if they so desired. However, in such cases, they would get lesser share of residential area to the tune of 1:3 ratio.

Further, landowners shall be given a maximum of 15 per cent of their land share as cash compensation in lieu of land which shall be purchased through a registered transfer sale deed as per compensation worked out.

Drone survey soon

A drone survey for the purpose of landscaping of the land to be acquired and to assess the compensation to be paid is going to start soon.

The exercise of conducting the survey with the drone has been introduced to expedite the process of land acquisition.

The Social Impact Assessment, which is a part of the process of land acquisition, is also being carried out. A notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act has already been issued and Panjab University, Chandigarh, is carrying out the survey as per the provisions of the Act.

More benefits

It has been approved that the landowners whose land will be acquired will get exemption from payment of stamp duty for equivalent of land purchased within a period of three years. On purchase of land by the landowners in the state on sale of land pooling plots, they will also be exempted from payment of Punjab Land Records Society Facilitation charges. The mutation charges and service charges have also been exempted.

How it will help

The amendments approved in the Land Pooling Policy will provide more value of land to the landowners, as they will get larger size of commercial plots for business establishments. Also, it will lead to planned urban development in the vicinity of the Chandigarh international airport, better education, recreational and medical facilities, job opportunities with development of this area and wider road network and proper implementation of the master plan.
editorial@tribune.com

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, March 29

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) and the Punjab Police seem to have locked horns over a probe into the allegations of payment of Rs 23 lakh by the mother of a gangster to obtain a clean chit for her second son in three criminal cases.

Two weeks after the Bathinda SSP of the VB started probing the matter following a complaint by Manpreet Kaur, mother of Category-A gangster Harsimrandeep Singh alias Sema of Behbal Kalan village of Faridkot, the police have now also started conducting a parallel probe.

Faridkot DIG Rajinder Singh has started investigation into the allegations of payment of Rs 23 lakh to buy a clean chit for Phoolwinder Singh, the younger brother of Harsimrandeep Singh.

An inspector-rank officer of Faridkot police is in the dock after a property dealer allegedly received Rs 23 lakh from Manpreet Kaur on his behalf.

As the inspector played a pivotal role in nailing many gangsters in this area in the recent past, the police are cautious in the allegations of bribery against him.

The Police and VB are maintaining enigmatic silence about the case. While Vigilance SSP Jagjit Singh said he was not competent to make a comment on the investigation, the DIG did not reply to repeated phone calls.

It is alleged that a Faridkot-based property dealer collected Rs 23 lakh from Manpreet Kaur in January this year after Harsimrandeep and his younger brother Phoolwinder Singh were arrested from Dehradun on January 13.

While Harsimrandeep was already facing over one dozen criminal cases, the police nominated Phoolwinder Singh in three cases, including two old cases.

In a complaint to the VB, Manpreet Kaur alleged her son Phoolwinder was in Kuwait from December 7, 2016 to December 27, 2017 and police have entangled him in a car snatching case of February 7, 2017. For offering clean chit to Phoolwinder, a property dealer demanded money, she alleged.

A payment of Rs 23 lakh was made, which included bank cheques to the tune of Rs 6 lakh. These self-cheques were from the account of Gurbhej Singh of Behbal Kalan village.

Gurbhej Singh has taken 17.5 acre land of Manpreet Kaur on lease. He made the payment in lieu of lease money and Manpreet Kaur further handed over these cheques to the property dealer.

The property dealer used the bank account of his son to encash these cheques. The property dealer has gone underground since the VB started investigation.

Relying on the money transactions in the bank and statement of some witnesses, the VB has completed its inquiry but the police have started a parallel inquiry to further hold up the issue, said sources in the department.
editorial@tribune.com

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 29

The Haryana Vidhan Sabha inadvertently paid a whopping Rs 48.14 lakh by way of income tax on salaries of legislators over the past five years, it has come to light.

The payment of this huge amount as income tax on the salaries of members of the Vidhan Sabha from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2018, is apparently against the rules and a direct loss to the state exchequer.

As per a provision under Section 8 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowance and Pension of Members) Act, 1975, the state government is liable to pay income tax on allowances being drawn by members and not on their salaries. The Vidhan Sabha Secretariat has been depositing income tax on salaries inadvertently by misconstruing the said provision, said the incharge of the income tax cell of the Secretariat.

Information available with the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat showed that the state government paid the maximum amount of Rs 18,00,440 during 2016-17, while the second highest amount of Rs 9,00,220 was deposited as income tax in the current fiscal (2017-18).

An amount of Rs 3,91,400 was paid in 2013-14 and identical amounts of Rs 8,61,080 were paid for 2014-15 and 2015-16.

No payment of income tax was shown in the records from 2010 to 2013.

Besides hefty allowances, Haryana legislators get a monthly salary of Rs 40,000, which has risen over the years from Rs 20,000 in 2013-14 and Rs 30,000 in 2014-15.

Meanwhile, RTI activist Hemant Kumar has shot off a communication to the Governor, Chief Minister, Vidhan Sabha Speaker and Parliamentary Affairs Minister to correct the anomaly.

He regretted the wrongful payment of income tax by the state government on behalf of legislators when even MPs paid their income tax.

As per a provision under Section 8 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowance and Pension of Members) Act, the state government is liable to pay income tax on allowances being drawn by members and not on their salaries. The Vidhan Sabha Secretariat has been depositing income tax on salaries inadvertently by misconstruing the said provision.  I-T cell incharge, Vidhan Sabha Secretariat
shalender@tribune.com

Chandigarh, March 28

The billing data of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), one of the two power discoms catering to nine Haryana districts, has been hacked.

Sources said the Automatic Meter Reading System (AMR) with the billing data of 4,000 industrial consumers was targeted shortly after March 21 midnight. The following morning, computer screens at the UHBVN head office in Panchkula flashed a message from hackers, demanding Rs 1 crore in Bitcoin from the state government to retrieve the data.

The UHBVN monitors billing in Panchkula, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Sonepat, Kaithal and Rohtak districts. A spokesman claimed the data had not been lost and the consumers would not be affected.

"A system study was carried out by experts. The database was found encrypted. The backup of the encrypted database was taken for further retrieval. The Nigam has already initiated steps to replace the system with a technologically advanced one which would be operational by the end of May, " he added.

Last year, about 100 countries, including India, saw a cyber attack. "Cyber weapons stolen from the US National Security Agency were used to lock computers and hold users files to ransom.  TNS
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 29

The mortal remains of Penny Chaudhary (26), Assistant Commandant and co-pilot of the Coast Guard Chetak helicopter, were consigned to flames on Thursday with state honour at Model Town Shivpuri, here.

Chaudhary suffered head injuries coupled with internal bleeding after the Coast Guard helicopter that she was flying had to make an emergency landing owing to a technical snag near Murud in Raigad, Maharashtra, on March 10.

After battling for life for 17-days on ventilator, the co-pilot breathed her last on Tuesday, March 27, at the INHS Asvini Hospital in Mumbai.

A pall of gloom descended over Karnal as the news of the demise of Chaudhary reached late Tuesday night in the city. People thronged the residence of Penny at Mall Road to express condolences.

Pennys body arrived at her residence at 2 am today from Maharashtra, where floral tribute was paid by the Navy officials, family members and relatives.

Sea of people thronged the cremation ground to bid a tearful adieu to the brave daughter of the soil as the mortal remains wrapped in Tricolour reached there.

They chanted slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and the national anthem. Police personnel fired gunshots in the air as a mark of respect to her, while the Navy officials paid tribute to their brave officer.

After the antim ardas for Penny, her father Gurmeet Singh lit the pyre. Her mother Manjeet Kaur, paternal uncle Col. Manbeer Singh (retd.), aunt Binny Chaudhary, cousin brother Roop Chaudhary, sisters and other family members were inconsolable.

Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja, Gharaunda MLA and HAFED chairman Harvinder Kalyan, Sugarfed chairman Chander Parkash Kathuria, BJP district president Jagmohan Anand, Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, OSD to CM, Amrinder Singh, Senior Deputy Mayor Krishan Garg, Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa and other prominent persons reached there to console the bereaved family members.

On the behalf of district administration Narinder Kumar, SDM, and Rajiv Kumar, DSP, were present there. Later in the evening, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar reached the residence to express his condolences to the family members.

He assured the family to extend all kind of support as per the provisions of the government. On being asked by the media persons about a status of martyr to her, he said, No doubt, the government will give whatever she deserved. It was a great loss and I along with my party workers expressed condolences to the family on her demise.

Penny, after completing her 12th standard at Nishan Public School, went to Bengaluru to pursue aeronautical study in 2013. After passing out, she was commissioned as an Indian Coast Guard officer in 2016 and her first posting was in Goa.

Meanwhile, Congress state general secretary Pankaj Punia demanded a status of martyr for her.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 29

A day after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar humiliated a delegation of sarpanches and gram sachivs (panchayat secretaries) at his residence here, the Sarpanch-Gram Sachiv Sangharsh Samiti on Thursday decided to hold demonstrations and show black flags to Khattar during public programmes.

The samiti also decided to deny entry to ministers, legislators and BJP workers to villages till the Chief Minister, and Panchayat and Development Minister OP Dhankar apologised for insulting the delegation and redressed their grievances.

The samiti has been demanding withdrawal of the e-panchayat system, execution of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, remuneration for gram sachivs on a par with patwaris and pension for gram sarpanches.

The joint committee of sarpanches and panchayat secretaries will meet in Karnal on Friday to decide the future course of action, while the call to organise lockouts and protests at the block level will begin on Friday, said Narvir Nehra, a member of the samiti and sarpanch from Jind.

Not very long ago, the state government was patting its back for fixing minimum educational qualifications for elections to panchayati raj institutions. Now, educated sarpanches are taking on the government.

They want to take away the rights of sarpanches and concentrate power in the hands of officials. It seems the government cannot handle sarpanches, who have knowledge of the PRI Act and has the ability to question them. They want to sideline us, another sarpanch Gagan Sandhu said.

Even as the sarpanches prepare for a long-drawn battle with the government, Opposition parties have come out in favour of the sarpanches and demanded an apology from Khattar and Dhankar.

Leader of the Opposition Abhay Chautala condemned the Chief Minister for ill-treating elected representatives. It has become governments habit of inviting delegations for talks, humiliating them and sending them back empty-handed, he said.

Like the Chief Minister and his minister, the sarpanches are also elected by the people. There is no reason for misbehaving with them, Abhay added.

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, The government is not bound to accept the demands of sarpanches and gram sachivs, but it doesnt have the right to humiliate elected representatives.

If sarpanches and gram sachivs have grievances, they should be heard. This is the primary responsibility of the government. Instead of hearing them out, if ruling party leaders insult them, it speaks volume of the governments intention, he added.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 29

Cooperative Minister Rajiv Sehjal on Thursday said the government would inquire into the rising NPAs of Kangra Central Cooperative Bank (KCCB) and would frame rules and norms for curbing needless foreign travel as had been done by the chairman in the last three years.

Sehjal was replying to a query raised by Ravinder Kumar on the foreign jaunts by KCCB chairman and the expenditure incurred on it during Question Hour in the Assembly. We will frame rules to curb this tendency of foreign travel for study purpose as there are several foreign and nationalised banks in India, he said. He informed the House that the KCCB chairman had made four foreign jaunts to Thailand, Moscow, UK and Sri Lanka in the last three years.

Sehjal said though the department report had pegged the NPA in the KCCB at 15 per cent, there were apprehensions that it could even be as high as 21 per cent. We will take action after holding inquiry in case loans have been approved in violation of the laid down norms, he assured the House.

Rakesh Pathania said the people of Kangra were suffering and worried because of the dismal state of affairs in the KCCB. There has been gross misuse of government money and action must be taken to save the bank where NPA is 21 per cent and the foreign jaunts by te chairman and others was far more than four as indicated in the reply, he said.

The issue of handing over security in government hospitals to Home Guard personnel rather than private security was raised by Sukh Ram Chaudhary.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 29

The issue of cement produced in the state being sold at a higher price than adjoining states echoed in the House on Thursday with both ruling and Opposition members demanding that steps be taken to ensure that prices are lowered by the cement companies.

Industry Minister Vikram Singh said he too shared the concern of the MLAs and said that a meeting had been fixed with cement companies and truckers where the issue will be discussed. Ours is not a government of ifs and buts. We will take all necessary steps as we will ensure corruption free and completely transparent system, he stated. I too share your concern and assure you that we will take all possible steps to ensure that people of the state do not have to pay more than neighbouring states for cement produced here, the minister assured the House. The issue was raised by Lakhwinder Singh Rana in the Assembly who pointed out that cement bag was cheaper 100 mts within Punjab from HP boundary while people of Himachal have to pay more for it. The people of Himachal bear the brunt of cement industry in the form of air pollution, bad roads and providing clinker and on top of that cement is sold higher here and cheaper in the neighbouring states, he said.

Ram Lal Thakur pointed out that there was need to break the monopoly of the three main cement companies. It is so strange that Rs 1,800 has to be paid as freight even if cement is picked up from outside the gate of Barmana cement factory, he said. Subhash Thakur pointed out that trucks were not allowed to bring cement from outside the state which is cheaper and such trucks are blacklisted. Ramesh Dhawala also stressed the need for putting an end to the monopoly of the cement companies.

Legislators, including Sukh Ram and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, also demanded that steps be taken to provide cement at cheaper rates.
editorial@tribune.com

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, March 29

Senior government functionaries, including Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and the BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, will attend the Thank You India event being organised by the Tibetan government-in-exile here on March 31 and April 1.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) authorities, are, however, tight-lipped over VIPs attending the event. There are apprehensions over their participation in view of an advisory issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has asked all dignitaries to stay away for the event considering the India-China relations.

Earlier, the Central Tibetan Administration was forced to change the venue from Delhi to Dharamsala.

Sources said change in the Centres stance might be due to the intervention of the RSS, widely regarded as the parent organisation of the BJP.

A senior RSS leader, Indresh Kumar, on Wednesday met Central Tibetan Administration president Lobsang Sangay. Indresh Kumar heads the India Tibet Sahyog Manch.

Sangay also released a Thank you India music video during a press conference at the Kashag Secretariat.

He played down the ministrys advisory stating that Tibetans-in-exile are thankful to the Government of India and in no way wanted to be a source of trouble for it.

However, sources said that the Central Tibetan Administration, which had planned the event, resorted to hectic lobbying to get recognition for their event from the Centre.

This also seemed to have yielded results, they further added.

Man who escorted Dalai Lama to safety to attend event

Naren Chandra Das, a 79-year-old retired Havildar of 5 Assam Rifles, who had received the Dalai Lama on Indian soil in 1959, will also be attending the Thank You India event here. He is the last known survivor from among seven paramilitary troopers who had received and escorted the Dalai Lama to safety when he stepped onto Indian soil on March 31, 1959, after a daring escape from Lhasa. He will be a special guest at the event commemorating the start of the Tibetan spiritual leaders 60th year in exile.
shalender@tribune.com

Amir Karim Tantray & Shyam Sood

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Rajouri, March 28

Four terrorists, believed to be members of a suicide squad, were on Wednesday killed in a day-long encounter with the security forces in Sunderbani area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. They had infiltrated into the Indian territory from across the Line of Control (LoC) four-five days ago, prompting the forces to launch a search operation.

The militants were trapped inside a forest near Sutra village on Sunderbani outskirts after locals informed the police and the security forces about their presence in the area. "The search operation was on for a few days. But it was on Wednesday morning that the forces came in contact with the militants near Sunderbani. During the operation, four militants were gunned down, Shesh Paul Vaid, the state DGP, told The Tribune. The operation was conducted jointly by the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF.

Sources said the militants, who infiltrated from Keri-Battal area, covered a distance of 10 km and hid themselves in a forest near Kalideh village. A search was conducted on March 24 in Peli, Phalli, Kuldabi and adjoining villages, but with no success.

On Sunday evening, the terrorists purchased food items from the market. An alert was sounded and a search conducted. The next day at about 9 pm, two terrorists entered a house in Lower Bhajwal village (near Jogi Nullah), collected food and vanished. Again a search was launched.

"At about 10 am on Wednesday, the terrorists purchased food from a shop in the vicinity of Jogi Nullah and were traced by the security forces," the sources said.

The contact with militants was established at 10 am after which the security forces zeroed-in on them. All of them have been killed, but the sanitisation operation will continue, Col NN Joshi said, adding the identity of the militants was yet to be ascertained. As a precautionary measure, the district administration in Rajouri had ordered the closure of educational institutions in Sunderbani area.
editorial@tribune.com

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 29

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahirs recent claim that the Centre had received no proposal from Jammu and Kashmir for holding talks with Pakistan is preposterous and misleading, for international relations are not conducted in this manner.

The conduct of peace talks with Pakistan is the domain of the Central Government. But the state government is within its rights to air its grievances and suggest solutions because the nature of the Indo-Pak relations directly affect Jammu and Kashmir  the state divided between India and Pakistan.

Ahir said no such proposal has been received from the state government when asked in the Rajya Sabha whether the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir had asked the Central government to talk to Pakistan for peace.

Ever since the PDP allied with the BJP in 2015, it has been urging the Centre to hold talks with Pakistan because the hostilities between the two countries were causing suffering to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has been persistently consistent in asking the Centre to open dialogue  not only during her meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh but also as recently as on March 19 when she made a passionate appeal to the Prime Minister and the Pakistan authorities to start a dialogue to end miseries of the people of the state. Her references were based on the ground reality that cross-border shelling and terrorism were killing and displacing the people, besides inflicting a blow to the economy and peace all across Jammu and Kashmir.

The PDP that is headed by Mehbooba Mufti has a written document to support her contention for peace talks with Pakistan, despite the change of the nature of the relationship between India and Pakistan following the terror jolt at Pathankot in January 2016.

The Agenda of Alliance, which is a written document finalised by the top leadership of the PDP and the BJP in 2015, states it clearly: The Union Government has recently initiated several steps to normalise the relationship with Pakistan. The coalition government will seek to support and strengthen the approach and initiatives taken by the government to create a reconciliatory environment and build stakes for all in the peace and development within the subcontinent.

Since the Agenda stands unchanged and unchallenged, the talks with Pakistan form the core of Chief Ministers approach. When she decries the hit hard approach often articulated by the military leadership vis-a-vis Pakistan, her appeal is for reconciliation with the neighbouring country.

Ahir has done more harm than good to Indias foreign policy and the conciliation process that J&K is asking for. This is not only the voice of the Chief Minister but of all the border residents and victims of terrorism in the state.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Anantnag, March 29

Special Police Officer Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh was killed and his wife grievously injured when militants barged into their house in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag Thursday evening and opened fire.

The couple was rushed to hospital at Bijbehara where Sheikh was declared brought dead and his wife Fahmeeda was referred to Srinagar. The woman is grievously injured. We hope she survives, a doctor said.

Following the shootout, security forces reached Kathsoo village and a cordon was laid to nab the attackers.

In Czaancer village of Kulgam district, madrasa teacher Sayar Ahmad Wani was shot at by militants while he was returning home from a mosque.

He was shot multiple times in the legs. He was rushed to Kulgam district hospital and then to Srinagar for specialised treatment, a police official said. His condition was said to be stable.

In Kulgam, a civilian was injured as militants opened fire.

Meanwhile, a civilian was injured in alleged firing by security forces during protests that erupted following rumours about killing of a militant at Ahgam village in South Kashmirs Shopian district.  TNS
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 29

The J&KPolice on Thursday said a militant gave up arms after an appeal by his mother.

Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid tweeted about the militants return. Another mothers appeal to her son to shun militancy and return home gets response. God bless the family and show path to others, Vaid said.

The police chief, however, did not disclose the identity and the residence of the militant who returned home. A senior police officer said the identity was not being disclosed due to security concerns.

Only Wednesday, the mother of Fahad Mushtaq Waza, 19, who apparently joined militant ranks, made an appeal to him to return home. Fahads photograph with an assault rifle had surfaced on the social media.

Since 2017, at least 150 youths have joined militancy. Last year, 126 Kashmiri youths joined militant ranks, which is the highest in the last seven years. At least six youths have also shunned violence.

This year, at least two youths gave up arms, official sources said.
editorial@tribune.com

Srinagar, March 29

Days after a local Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in a gunfight in Budgam district, the J&K Police carried out the search of a house where the militant had been allegedly hiding.

The police searched the house of cab driver Maqsood Ahmad Khan of Check Marg, Arizal, after obtaining a warrant from the competent court. Khan is already in police custody.

A police spokesman said the assistance of civil independent witnesses was taken during the search. On the strength of the search warrant, the police carried out the search. The documentary work was also completed on the spot. The material recovered during the search will be duly processed for judicial endorsement. The investigation of the case is under progress, he said.

A Lashkar militant, Shafat Hussain Wani of Baramulla, was killed on Sunday in a brief gunfight at Arizal. In the shootout, Khans sister Humaira Bano, 17, was also injured.

While the police blame Khan for giving shelter to the militant, the family contest the police version

Had the militant been hiding in our house, forces would have destroyed it by explosives, a sister of Khan asked. The police said a case had already been registered against Khan.  TNS
Bhartendu Sood

Bhartendu Sood

I have been an income tax payee ever since I started my service career in 1972. In the early years I never gave a thought why tax is deducted from my salary, until in 1985, when the then PM Rajiv Gandhi, during his visit to the drought-hit Kalahandi district in Odisha, made a startling revelation  of every rupee spent by the government, only 15 paise reaches the intended party. To this, my father reacted angrily: This is the fate of the taxpayers money in our country! Both statements provoked thought.

I was a senior executive then, dealing with banks and financial institutions and taking plethora of approval for installation of green-field projects from various government departments. This exposed me to the working of these institutions. What left me baffled was that the majority of senior officers in banks and government departments carried a ferocious sense of entitlement for undue gratification from customers, and if their palms were greased, they could go to any extent to bend rules. A top bank man once asked me if I could arrange for the honeymoon trip of his newly married son in Switzerland.

It was also the time when the government had started assuming the new avatar of welfare state, with the objective to creating a vote bank for the ruling party. It opened new avenues of corruption as these subsidies reached only 20 per cent of the deserving. With the financial reforms of 1991, and opening up of economy, industrialisation and infrastructure development picked pace and gave birth to thousands of fly-by-night companies, wheeler-dealers and financial wizards. Any promoter could set up a project worth even Rs 200 crore without investing a single penny from his pocket, provided he was good in bribing and public relations. By now, politicians had also started demanding their share in the booty. After two-three years, 90 per cent of such promoters would not be traceable. Today, bulk of the NPAs and provisions for bad loans are the creation of that period which started in 1991, and is still continuing. The frequency has reduced, but not the magnitude. Audit by CA or CA certificate is something that has failed to serve its usefulness. Rather it makes delinquent officers act fearlessly as it acts as a shield to cover wrongdoings. Had CAs been doing their work sincerely, frauds would have been much less. Unfortunately, most people in this profession work as agents or middlemen.

Nothing explains better the fate of taxpayers money than this revelation that between 2013 and 2016, all banks lost Rs 66,000 crores to 17,504 frauds. One cant say how many more skeletons lie undetected inside the cupboard.

Under such a scenario, please dont ask me why Im not happy to pay taxes in India. Nobody is against widening the taxpayers base, but equally important is to stop the abuse of taxpayers money which hurts genuine taxpayers. We need to make a fresh beginning.
gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, March 29

The crime branch has questioned 25 people, including 18 students and five tutors, in connection with the alleged leak of CBSE examination papers, the Delhi Police said on Thursday.

Special CP (crime branch) RP Upadhyay said: We have no information that this leakage is pan-India but if such a thing emerges, we will send teams outside Delhi.

He said the police are trying to find the origin of the leakage and how it was transmitted and the beneficiaries.

Twenty five people have been questioned so far. Both the papers were available before the scheduled examination dates. Among them were 18 students, five tutors and two others, he said.

Read: CBSE paper leak: Students hold protest at Jantar Mantar



Decision of re-test in favour of students: CBSE chief on paper leak

Delhi Police question coaching centre owner in CBSE paper leak case



CBSE paper leak issue unfortunate: Union HRD minister



CBSE received notes containing answers of economics paper

He said the person whose name was mentioned in the CBSE complaint to the police had also received the paper, which was circulated through WhatsApp.

Students in Delhi took to the streets today to protest the CBSEs decision to hold re-examination of Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics papers, even as the Congress demanded that Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and the Board chairperson be sacked.  PTI
amansharma@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, March 29

In an apparent effort to ward off criticism of opaqueness, the Supreme Court collegium has broken the tradition by interacting with as many as 12 lawyers and trial court judges who were recommended for appointment as permanent judges in the Calcutta and Madhya Pradesh High Courts.

The apex court collegium, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and two senior-most judges justices J Chelameswar and Ranjan Gogoi, created a history of sorts by conducting an informal interview of the persons who were shortlisted by the respective High Court collegiums.

The Supreme Court collegium considered various materials, including the views of the state Chief Ministers as forwarded by their respective Governors, and the Intelligence Bureau reports.

"Apart from this, we invited all the recommendees with a view to have an interaction with them," the collegium noted in its decision.

The collegium recommended Justice Ramendra Jain, additional judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to be appointed as a permanent judge in the same court and said that "since the current term of Justice Jain is going to expire shortly on April 19, 2018, the Collegium resolves that the above recommendation for appointment of Justice Jain as permanent judge be processed expeditiously."

For the Calcutta High Court, the collegium has recommended the names of five advocates -- Biswajit Basu, Amrita Sinha, Dr Sutanu Kumar Patra, Abhijit Gangopadhyay and Jay Sengupta.

It has recommended the names of advocate Sanjay Dwivedi, and four judicial officers -- Akhil Kumar Shrivastava, Brij Kishore Shrivastava, Rajendra Kumar Shrivastava and Mohd Fahim Anwar, for appointment as permanent judges in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. - PTI
singhking99@yahoo.com

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, March 29

Even as its outspoken Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut two days ago held talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on an anti-BJP front for the 2019 elections, the Shiv Sena has opened talks with the saffron party.

Sources in the Shiv Sena and the BJP said senior leaders of both parties had held exploratory talks for forging an alliance. Shiv Senas executive president Uddhav Thackeray met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday evening. But the parties claimed there were no talks on an electoral tie-up.

But Raosaheb Danve, who heads the Maharashtra unit of the BJP, told the media here that senior leaders of the party were in talks with the Shiv Sena. Sources say Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, who has cordial ties with Thackeray, has been assigned the task of holding negotiations.

The Maharashtra unit of the BJP is not comfortable with Raut, the editor of Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna, and he is not part of the Shiv Sena team holding talks with the BJP, say sources. The newspaper continues to be stridently opposed to both the BJP at the state and the Centre.

Observers say Uddhav Thackeray has been wary of the BJP ever since the party ditched the Sena ahead of the 2014 Assembly polls in Maharashtra, days before the close of nominations for the first phase, leaving the Sena scrambling for candidates.

Thackerays confidantes say the party is well-prepared this time, its leaders having fanned out in constituencies where the BJP has been traditionally strong.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, March 29

Union Minister Babul Supriyo was on Thursday stopped by police from entering the Asansol-Raniganj area, where the situation continued to remain tense after violence erupted over a Ram Navami procession.

Supriyo was also booked for violating Section 144 of the CrPC imposed in Asansol as well as under other sections. An FIR has been lodged against him in Asansol North police station for violating prohibitory order and assaulting senior IPS officer Rupesh Kumar.

Internet was suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC clamped in the area. Police claimed no fresh violence was reported from the area since Wednesday night.

Supriyo tried to enter Railpar area in Paschim Bardhaman district, where police stopped his car citing security reasons.

As a public representative, I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty, Supriyo said, adding that he would inform the PM and Home Minister.

CPM does a U-turn

CM Mamata Banerjees reluctance to deploy Central forces seemed to have influenced the CPM that junked the demand after raising it on Wednesday. The CPM refrained from touching upon the deployment of Central forces and asked the state government to take measures to restore peace.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Hoshiarpur, March 29

The Punjab Police on Thursday said it has arrested two Kenyan women and a man from Hoshiarpur in the state after 300 grams of heroin was seized from them.

The women were identified as Margaret and Eric, presently residing in New Delhi, and the man was identified as Amritpal Singh, a resident of Bulhowal in Punjab.

The police said the three were booked under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

SSP, Hoshiarpur, J Elanchezhian said a police team in the citys Civil Lines area signalled a car to stop, but on seeing the police the cars driver tried to escape.

After a brief chase, the police intercepted the car. A search of the vehicles occupants  driver Singh and the two Kenyan women  led to the seizure of 100 grams of heroin from each of them, the police said, adding that the car has been impounded.

During preliminary interrogation, the Kenyan women revealed that they used to smuggle heroin from Delhi and sell it in Punjab.

Two cases under the NDPS Act had previously been registered against Singh in Adampur in Jalandhar and Model Town in Hoshiarpur, police said.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 29

In a joint operation with the Military Intelligence unit, the State Special Operations Cell busted an ISI-sponsored espionage ring by arresting Ravi Kumar, a resident of Dhaleke village in Moga district. He was working as a spy for Pakistani intelligence agencies.

It has been learnt that photographs of vital installations and movements of Army vehicles, handmade maps of restricted areas, photocopies of restricted training manuals of the Army and information regarding Army attacking formations was recovered from his possession.

On specific input by the Military Intelligence, a team led by Inspector Gurinderpal Singh arrested Ravi from the area falling under the Chattiwind police station in Amritsar. An FIR under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, and 120-B of the IPC has been registered on Thursday.

The preliminary questioning has revealed that he was recruited by a Pakistani official of the ISI through Facebook about seven months ago and he was providing them information about the movement of Army units, construction of new bunkers on the Indian side of the border, photographs of Army vehicles along with their formation signs and Army exercises and trainings.

His ISI handlers had sponsored his visit to Dubai between February 20 and 24 where he was briefed regarding tasks.

It has also come to light that Pakistan-based agencies operate a large number of fake Facebook accounts in the name of young girls who actively try to befriend unemployed youth and retired/serving officials in the armed forces and subsequently allure them into espionage activities. Investigations are being conducted to identify and track such fake accounts. Defence establishments are also being appraised regarding this new threat for necessary action at their end.

Further investigations revealed Ravi was in regular touch with Pakistan Intelligence Officers through mobile phones and internet and was provided funds routed through Dubai by money transfers.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Chandigarh, March 29

Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Patiala, Dharamvira Gandhi on Thursday launched Punjab Manch which, he said, will take the shape of a political party in coming months and contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Batting for more powers to the states, Gandhi said the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had failed to safeguard the interests of Punjab while the AAP had sidelined leaders from the state and was in grip of a "high-command culture".

The ultimate aim of this manch is to evolve into a strong regional political outfit. There is a need for such an outfit in Punjab which can guard its interests. We will be touring Punjab over the next few weeks and months and take feedback from people.

Once the manch takes shape of a political outfit, I will quit AAP. We then intend to context the next year's Lok Sabha polls, he said.

The MP said the manch's vision is Federal India, Democratic Punjab as at present we have a centralised political structure, in the form of an overwhelmingly powerful Centre in which the contours of a 'Union of States' is only faintly discernable.

Punjab Manch aims to build a country where diversities of all hues, enjoy opportunities to flower as part of a larger bouquet, fully realising the idea of 'unity in diversity', he said.

Replying to a question, the suspended AAP MP from Patiala said he will quit AAP only after the manch takes shape of a political outfit.

Gandhi hit out at other political parties, including the Congress and BJP, for failing to protect the interests of Punjab over the years.

He alleged that the SAD had reneged on the interest and the future of Punjab.

Gandhi also accused the AAP for "ignoring the real volunteers and local leadership, and centralising power".

"Leaders from Punjab were sidelined by AAP as people sitting in Delhi ran the show. Leaders like Sucha Singh Chhotepur were humiliated. A high-command culture is prevailing in the party now," he claimed.

To another question, Gandhi said he had told the AAP leadership to either withdraw his suspension or expel him from the party.

"But, they have not taken any decision," he said.

Gandhi and another MP Harinder Singh Khalsa were suspended from the primary membership of the AAP for "indiscipline and anti-party activities" over two years back.  PTI
editorial@tribune.com

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 29

Power cuts imposed in parts of the state in the past few days has left the farmers worried as repeated cuts in this lean period of March means more power pangs in paddy season.

While insiders claim that power cuts were being imposed during peak hours in the evening and non-peak morning hours, power officials denied the charge.

According to the official records, power cuts to the tune of 200 MW were imposed during evening peak hours in the last three days. Even during non-peak morning hours, power cuts between 300 and 400 MW were imposed.

During these days, the peak demand of Punjab was around 6,000 MW, whereas the demand in the paddy season may be around 11,500 MW.

Residents of Ludhiana, Amritsar, Zirakpur and Patiala informed that power cuts of shorter duration were being imposed for the past few days.

Padamjit Singh, Chief Patron, All India Power Engineers Federation, said, By relying more on private generators, Punjab loses flexibility and fast response in grid management, leaving power cut as the only option to maintain the grid discipline. The retirement of thermal units of over 800 MW at Ropar and Bathinda will prove to be a huge handicap in load management and will make the power system of Punjab extremely vulnerable and at the mercy of private generators.

The state should take steps to revive the generating units in Ropar and Bathinda and build up coal stocks so that the energy demand during the peak paddy season can be met with minimum power cuts, he added.

However, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) A Venu Prasad said at present, they were selling power everyday which was fetching them around Rs 4 per unit and also returning power through banking system that would end on March 31.

We are supplying ample power to farmers and also to other consumers of the state. We are getting power at much cheaper rates as compared to state-owned plants that have been shut, he added.

Official figures suggest Punjab has floated tenders to buy almost 1,000 MW of power. The PSPCL is also relying on two long-term agreements with Damodar Valley Corporation and Power Trading Corporation as they would collectively supply 650 MW, which is much cheaper than state-owned thermal plants.

After the government ordered the closure of 460 MW Bathinda thermal plant and two units of the Ropar plant in January, the generation capacity has come down by 880 MW. However, we have cheaper options available in the open market so there is no point in restarting these units, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 29

In strong opposition to the proposed Indo-Nepal joint venture Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, villagers, public welfare organisations and intelligentsia will meet in Dehradun on April 21-22 to formulate their future course of agitation.

A staggering 5,040 MW Pancheshwar project is a joint venture of India and Nepal and is proposed to come up on the Mahakali river that forms international boundary between the two countries. Uttarakhands three districts of Pithoragarh, Champawat and Almora are to be affected on the Indian side.

Dehradun convention will have the participation from villagers, public organisations and intelligentsia, all of whom are opposed to Pancheshwar project. Even state agitationists will attend the Dehradun convention in large numbers.

Tripan Singh Negi from Chetna Andolan disclosed that they would oppose the Pancheshwar project tooth and nail and the Dehradun convention is aimed at formulating future line of action for the agitation. He said the very acquisition of land for the project was unconstitutional and was an infringement of the Forest Rights Act 2006.

He said the government apathy towards villagers can be gauged from the fact that even land for compensatory afforestation is being taken away from the villagers. Reservoir of proposed Pancheshwar Dam that will be over 90-km long and will be spread in three districts of Pithoragarh, Champawat and Almora districts and over 5 lakh trees are to be felled for the purpose.

Another anti-Pancheshwar dam crusader Puran Singh Rana asserted that it was strange that while on the one hand the Uttarakhand government talks of curbing migration from hills, on the other it was promoting construction of such big dams like Pancheshwar. It was a way of uprooting people and encouraging migration.

He said the Dehradun convention would be an ideal platform for all pro-environment and pro-people organisations to come together and put up a fight to challenge to designs of those, who believe in destruction in the name of development.

Another organisation opposing Pancheshwar project, Jan Hastakshep, which is a forum of opposition parties in the state and public organisations in Uttarakhand, has termed as loot and corruption by the state and the Central governments the execution of the Pancheshwar dam project in Uttarakhand.

India, Nepal joint venture
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Valencia (Venezuela), March 29

Rioting and a fire in the cells of a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia killed 68 people on Wednesday, according to the government and witnesses.

Families hoping for news outside the police station were dispersed with tear gas and authorities did not give information until late into the evening.

The State Prosecutors Office guarantees to deepen investigations to immediately clarify what happened in these painful events that have left dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning, said Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab on Twitter.

Venezuelan prisons are notoriously overcrowded and filled with weapons and drugs. Riots leaving dozens dead are not uncommon.

State official Jesus Santander said the state of Carabobo was in mourning after the incident in the city of Valencia.

Forensic doctors are determining the number of fatalities, Santander said. A policeman was shot in the leg and was in a stable condition and firefighters had extinguished the flames, he said.

Many Venezuelan prisons are lawless and have been for decades. Prisoners often openly wield machine guns and grenades, use drugs and leave guards powerless.

There are people who are inside those dungeons (...) and the authorities do not know they exist because they do not dare to enter, said Humberto Prado, a local prisons rights activist. Reuters
shalender@tribune.com

Caracas, March 29

At least 68 people have been killed in a fire that erupted during a riot at a jail in Venezuelan city of Valencia, according to a government official. The blaze at the police stations lockup was reportedly sparked by prisoners setting mattresses alight in a jailbreak attempt on Wednesday.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab tweeted nearly all dead were prisoners. Two women who were staying at the police station also died. A probe would be launched to clarify what had happened, he said, adding four prosecutors had been assigned to the case. Families were seeking justice as it was one of the worst jail disasters in the nation.  IANS
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Islamabad, March 29

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever Nobel Laureate, on Thursday arrived in Pakistan, six years after she was shot in head by the Taliban militants for advocating for girls education.

Malala, now 20 and a vocal human rights activist, was shot by a gunman for campaigning for female education in 2012 in Pakistans Swat Valley.

Accompanied by her parents, Malala was escorted through Islamabads Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security. Malala was dressed in Pakistani shalwar kameez and dupatta. She was smiling and looked happy as she was greeted at the airport.

Her arrival and stay in Pakistan has been kept secret due to security threats.

But official sources said she is expected to stay for four days and meet Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

CEO of Malala Fund is also with her and she is expected to participate in the Meet the Malala programme in Pakistan.

It is not known if she will travel to her native Swat in northwestern Pakistan where she lived and was attacked while returning from a school in October 2012 when she was 14.

Severely wounded, Malala was taken by helicopter from one military hospital in Pakistan to another, where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma so an air ambulance could fly her to Great Britain for treatment.

After she was attacked, the Taliban released a statement saying they would target her again if she survived.

At age 17, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her education advocacy.

Unable to return to Pakistan after her recovery, Malala moved to Britain, setting up the Malala Fund and supporting local education advocacy groups with a focus on Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan, Syria and Kenya.

She is currently studying at Oxford University.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed her as UN Messenger of Peace to promote girls education in April last year.

Malala began her campaign aged just 11, when she started writing a blog for the BBCs Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls education.

In 2007, the Islamist militants had taken over the area and imposed a brutal rule.

Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

The Taliban, who are opposed to the education of girls, have destroyed hundreds of schools in Pakistan. PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Islamabad, March 29

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai broke down in tears during an emotional return to her native Pakistan on Thursday, six years after she was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen for advocating greater education of girls.

Yousafzai, travelling with her father and younger brother, met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the capital, Islamabad, before giving a brief speech on national television. Its the happiest day of my life. I still cant believe its happening, she said, wiping away tears. I dont normally cry... Im still 20 years old but Ive seen so many things in life, added Yousafzai, clad in a traditional salwar-kameez outfit with her head covered with a red and blue scarf.

Yousafzai spoke of the importance of education and about the efforts of her charitable foundation to help girls, often switching between English and the Pashto and Urdu languages. Welcome home, PM Abbasi told Yousafzai. When she went away, she was a child of 12. She has returned as the most prominent citizen of Pakistan.

It was Yousafzais first visit to her homeland since she was airlifted for medical treatment in Britain in 2012. But she is unlikely to travel to her home region of Swat, in mountains northwest of Islamabad, due to security threats against her.

In October 2012, masked gunmen stopped a bus taking Malala and some friends home from school and shot her. Two of her friends were also wounded. At the age of 17, in 2014, Yousafzai became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her education advocacy. She also become a global symbol of the resilience of women in the face of repression.

The Pakistani Taliban, who seized control of her home town in Pakistans Swat Valley before being pushed out by the army in 2009, claimed the attack, saying it was in response to a blog she wrote for the BBC Urdu service, advocating girls education. She now lives in Britain and is studying at Oxford University. Reuters
gspannu7@gmail.com

London, March 29

Prime Minister Theresa May is touring in different parts of the UK on Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of the Brexit Day, the date Britain is set to formally exit from the European Union (EU).

The British Prime Minister had invoked Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on March 29 last year, triggering the official two-year time-frame for Britains exit from the economic bloc.

As she visited parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland yesterday, her key message is one of unity for all those who voted for or against Brexit in the June 2016 referendum.

Today, one year until the UK leaves the EU and begins to chart a new course in the world, I am visiting all four nations of the union to hear from people across our country what Brexit means to them. I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the worlds most successful union, she said in a statement.

She added: I am determined that our future will be a bright one. Its a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners across Europe and beyond.

Having regained control of our laws, our borders and our money, and seized the opportunities provided by Brexit, the UK will thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain.

May began her tour by visiting a textile factory in Ayrshire, Scotland, with other stops at a parent and toddler group in Newcastle, lunch with farmers near Belfast before meeting businesses in Barry, South Wales.

On 29 Manet year, the UK will formally leave the EU and is due to enter a 21-month transition period during which much of the current arrangements continue, before the final permanent post-membership relationship is due to kick-in.

Since formal negotiations began between the two sides in June last year, an agreement has been struck on a Brexit divorce Bill, but the crucial issue of how they will trade together in the longer term has yet to be settled.

Later this year, Theresa May will put an outline of the Brexit deal to Parliament for its approval.

Meanwhile, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a major anti-Brexit voice, said it was more likely... than a few months ago that Brexit could be stopped, saying it was not too late.

I always say to people the likelihood is it happens, but it doesnt have to happen, and the first place thats going to decide it is Parliament and MPs should vote according to their conscience, he said.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson, whose party is campaigning for a second referendum once a final Brexit deal is done, said the public should have a final say because there was a lot of new information available since the June 2016 vote.

Once those details are becoming clearer, as the government comes towards the end of the negotiations, then it ought to be up to the people to decide what path we, the country, take, she said.

There is still a real chance that we should be able to choose, if thats what we want, a different path and not go down the Brexit route, she added.

The Opposition Labour party has said that it would not vote for the Brexit deal unless the government are sensible and they negotiate properly... get a deal that meets the six tests.

An opinion poll conducted by Sky Data shows the UK still split down the middle  with 66 per cent saying they feel Britain is more divided as a country as Brexit approaches. When asked whether Brexit is good or bad for the country, the margin remains very slim  with 46 per cent responding it is a bad idea and 44 per cent saying it is a good idea.

On June 23, 2016, the UK had voted in a referendum to leave the EU by 51.89 per cent in favour of an exit and 48.11 per cent in favour of Remain.  PTI
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Istanbul, March 29

Turkish prosecutors ordered the detention of 70 serving army officers over alleged links to the US-based preacher accused of orchestrating an attempted coup in 2016, CNN Turk said on Thursday.

Police launched simultaneous operations in 38 provinces across Turkey in a probe led by state prosecutors in the central Turkish province of Konya, the broadcaster said.

It said the suspects were targeted based on statements by soldiers previously detained over ties to the cleric Fethullah Gulen and were believed to have been responsible for recruiting students for Gulens movement.

The UN human rights office said earlier this month Turkey has detained 1,60,000 people and dismissed nearly the same number of civil servants since the failed coup in July 2016, which Ankara blames on Gulen. He denies any involvement.

Among those detained, more than 50,000 have been formally charged and kept in jail during trial.

Turkeys Western allies have criticised the crackdown.

Critics of President Tayyip Erdogan accuse him of using the failed putsch as a pretext to quash dissent. Turkey says the measures are necessary to combat threats to national security. Reuters
rchopra@tribunemail.com

United Nations, March 29

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has welcomed the reported commitment by North Korea towards denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Bracing for an unprecedented meeting with US President Donald Trump, North Koreas reclusive dictator Kim made a secret trip to Beijing to seek Chinese President Xi Jinpings backing while pledging support for denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

The secretary-general welcomes the reported commitment by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea to denuclearisation, a statement issued by the UN Chiefs spokesman, Farhan Haq, read on Thursday.

The secretary-general views the latest positive developments as the start of a longer process of sincere dialogue, leading to sustainable peace and denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula, it said.

Answering questions on Guterres response to the crucial meeting in Beijing, Haq told reporters here that the secretary-general hoped that all of the recent positive signals would help to lead towards the peaceful denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Ultimately, we want to make sure that all of these steps can lead to sustainable peace and the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in linewith the resolutions of the Security Council, Haq said.

Kim undertook the surprise two-day visit to Beijing, his first known trip abroad since taking power in 2011. Chinese news agency Xinhua quoted Kim as telling Xi that the friendship between North Korea and China that was personally created and nurtured together by former generations of leaders from both our sides is unshakable.

Following the meeting, US President Donald Trump tweeted that North Koreas reported commitment showed that the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula could be possible.

For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong-un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting, Trump said in a tweet.

Received message last night from XI JINPING of China that his meeting with KIM JONG UN went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me. In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost, he said.

Lindsey Ford, Director for Asian Security at Asia Society, said the Kim-Xi meet was a stunning about-face for a relationship that had been overtly frosty in recent years.

It shows degree to which both leaders felt need to seize the tactical initiative before their meetings with Trump and Moon (Jae-in), she said. PTI
Police and pilot cars escort the rig carrying the first car for Milwaukee's new light-rail system to its drop-off point on March 26. Images: screen captures from Fox6 News-Milwaukee video.

Early this week the first new trolley car arrived in Milwaukee, Wis. It's the first of five cars for a new light-rail loop downtown. This is a costly and therefore controversial project that most local politicians love and the majority of residents oppose. There are plenty of news stories about that, so here Ill concentrate on the hauling of the 83,000-pound, 67-foot-long articulated car by Silk Road Specialized Transport, based in Arkport, N.Y.

Silk Road  the name taken from a network of ancient Eurasian trade routes  specializes in delivering transit equipment and has trailers set up to handle trolleys like those ordered by Milwaukees street car authority. The carrier also does heavy hauling of machinery, oil field equipment and other massive non-divisible loads, according to its website.

Goldhofer modular trailer has 30- and 40-foot sections riding on six axles with hydraulically steerable wheels. Tractor's four axles made this a 10-axle rig. The car was not especially massive as specialized loads go.

The platform trailer used for this haul is a modular vehicle built by Goldhofer of Germany to the carriers specifications, says Ben Luta, Silk Roads safety director. It consists of two sections totaling 70 feet in length, each with three axles. Axles are air-sprung and wheels are hydraulically steered via a sensor apparatus on the tractors fifth wheel (Goldhofers website has pictures of the steerable wheels in use).

Ramp will allow the "dead," unpowered car to roll off the trailer. Cable from a winch on the trailer's gooseneck will pull it off. Such moves are routine for the carrier.

This is a roll-on, roll-off design with rails mounted on the platforms deck. The modern electric trolley car was loaded and unloaded dead, or unpowered, Luta said. It was pulled aboard and pulled off, using the winch mounted in the trailers gooseneck. The crew assembles a ramp at the trailers front to move the load onto and off of the deck.

Silk Road crewman pulls out equipment to offload the 83,000-pound car onto tracks near the Amtrak station in Milwaukee.

Silk Roads two-man crew picked up the car in Brookville, Penn., where it was built, hauled it 595 miles over three days, and delivered it on St. Paul Avenue outside Milwaukees Intermodal Terminal, also known as the Amtrak station, near downtown. Outside contractors provided pilot cars to alert traffic and double-check overhead clearances. While on the trailer, the roof of the trolley car was 15 feet, 1 inch above the pavement, Lata said.

After being rolled onto St. Paul Avenues recently installed tracks, transit workers activated the car by raising a pantograph to an overhead power wire and slowly moved it to the transit authoritys terminal. Itll undergo 621 miles of testing starting next week, as will four more cars of an initial order thatll arrive one per month, local news sources reported.

Now some personal notes: I grew up in Milwaukee and rode the citys old streetcars as a kid. Id sit in the unoccupied operators seat at the rear of the two-ended cars and pretend I was the motorman. I loved it! Later, as a young motorist, I amused myself by trying to drop the tires of my 49 Plymouth into the grooves formed by the rails and let the car steer itself. I also cursed the trolleys when they got in my way while I was hurrying to work or school.

That modern trolleys will occupy precious space on busy streets is one of the objections that citizens have against the streetcar project. However, Mayor Tom Barrett thinks they will make Milwaukee a world-class city and help it grow. And some people like them, partly for the nostalgia they bring, but also for trolleys smooth operation.

A few years ago, a lady who visited the Worthington, Ohio, trolley museum where I volunteered for a while told me that a smooth riding experience is why she hoped Columbus would bring them back (officials decided not to).

Buses are much less expensive, I told her.

But they have that herky-jerkey ride, she said, referring to the more abrupt way that buses stop and start as their drivers deal with traffic. Riding on rails, trolleys by design accelerate and stop more gradually.

By the way, I signed up to work at that museum specifically to learn to operate the one trolley car that was mechanically and electrically healthy enough to run (most of the equipment was neglected and decrepit). It was a PCC interurban car that once ran in Illinois; it really did ride smoothly and quietly over the half-mile of track the museum maintained. And it was easy to operate.

Anyway, youd think that Id be a fan of my old hometowns new trolley system, which will be called The Hop. But like most residents, I think its way too expensive, and it's inefficient because the cars are married to the rails and can't go anywhere else. Custom buses in dedicated lanes would made more sense, save a lot of dollars, and be flexible in routing.

Nonetheless, when the street car system begins operating this fall, Ill travel to Milwaukee and ride it. Ive still got some kid in me.
Denso wants to tap into the startup culture in Israel for transportation technology research and development. Image: Denso

Denso has launched a satellite research and development team in Israel, aimed at accelerating advanced technologies such as automated driving, cybersecurity. and artificial intelligence.

In April, Densos R&D satellite will begin collaborating with local startups to pioneer new technologies. Denso is looking to tap into Israels technology strengths to quickly develop more competitive technologies, both internally and through collaborative research with local companies and universities.

Densos satellite R&D activities in Israel build on the countrys surge in surge in innovative technologies in fields spanning cybersecurity, telecommunications, AI, sensing, and software. According to Denso, Israeli companies and tech startups have an established track record for successful collaboration with companies overseas, and are expected to play a major role in global innovation across a number of fields.

Denso is in the process of establishing global satellite R&D operations in key regions. The company recently announced an initiative to broaden R&D capabilities outside Japan, and in 2017, started satellite R&D activities in Helsinki, Finland, focusing on creating advanced technologies and services.

The Japanese company distributes R&D functions around the world and works with universities, research institutions, startups, and other partners to develop competitive products and technologies tailored to customers and regional characteristics.
LOUISVILLE, KY  XL Specialized Trailers debuted two new trailers at the 2018 Mid-America Trucking Show held in Louisville, Kentucky in March. The company introduced the next model in its galvanized trailer series, a Mechanical Full-Width Gooseneck (MFG) and a Low-Profile Hydraulic Detachable Gooseneck (HDG) trailer.

XL's galvanized 80 MFG includes all the features on XLs standard MFG including a full-width upper deck, a lockable toolbox with a chain rack and light and standard Apitong decking on the front, main and rear deck.

The main deck is equipped for versatile hauling, with eight D-rings per side, fourteen half-inch chain slots per side, and removable swing-out outriggers on 24-inch centers. The 18-inch loaded deck height and 6 inches of ground clearance allow drivers to transport tall loads. Manual ride height control and double donuts allow the main deck height to vary 1.5 inches in the wheel area and 1.5 inches at the neck to suit changing terrain.

In the wheel area features an easy-access angled control panel. The 9-foot long rear deck is also reinforced for a flip axle, allowing a third axle if needed to distribute the weight of the load.

XL builds its galvanized units with the same T-1 flange, 80K web as its other lowboys. The hot-dip galvanizing process creates a durable barrier between the elements and the steel, enabling the trailer to withstand harsh weather and road conditions and extending its lifetime by up to three times over standard steel, the company says. By fully submerging the trailer in hot zinc, every area of the unit is protected.

XL says galvanizing also provides additional surface strength for excellent abrasion resistance; scratches will self-repair to seal out the elements with minimum maintenance. Notably, XLs Galvanized 80 MFG has a low base weight of approximately 15,600 pounds, offering added durability without sacrificing hauling capability.

A five-year structural warranty comes standard on all XL lowboys, including the new galvanized XL 80 MFG.

LOW DECK HEIGHT HYDRAULIC GOOSENECK

The XL 110 Low-Profile HDG features a loaded deck height of only 15 inches. With a capacity of 110,000 pounds in 12 feet, the unit is well-suited construction and commercial applications. The 13-foot gooseneck has a swing clearance of 110 inches, and the relief cut out in the gooseneck provides additional space between the truck and trailer. To save time while loading and unloading, the trailers long neck is easily removable through the use of a wet kit or with a power unit.

The neck also offers a five-position ride height. Based on neck position and load, the deck can be leveled as needed with the adjustable wheel area ride height. Additionally, a work light is positioned in the upper deck as an added safety benefit for loading and better visibility when monitoring the load at night.

The main decks on XLs Low-Profile HDGs are built with T-1 flange and 80k webs, as well as 6-inch and 4-inch stubbed junior I-beams on 12-inch centers. Apitong decking is standard on the main deck and stands up to years of wear and tear, XL says. With the 15-inch deck height and 4.5-inch ground clearance, this flat deck lowboy can accommodate loads that may otherwise require a dropside trailer.

The Low-Profile HDG offers construction-focused features including a deep bucket-well in the rear so excavator buckets ride safely without detaching the lower boom section. The wheel area includes bolt-on heavy-duty wheel covers. To decrease wear on the tires, the third axle airlift can lift when it is not needed. Finally, the frame of the XL Low-Profile HDG is prepped for a flip axle, allowing drivers to add a fourth axle when necessary.
The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire
The Rachmaninov Concert Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory named after Tchaikovsky hosted a concert in memory of great Turkmen composer Nury Khalmamedov. A large-scale musical event marking the composer's 80th birth anniversary was supported by the administration of the Conservatory, the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Russian Federation.

An impressive delegation of artists arrived in the Russian capital from Ashgabat specifically for this musical evening. It included tutors and performers of the Turkmen National Conservatory, as well as musicians of the art group of the Palace of Mukams of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan.

The Moscow State Conservatory named after Tchaikovsky is of special importance not only for the Russian but also the entire world music art. It was this institution that gave Nury Khalmamedov the higher musical education and a start to the glorious artistic life. The Moscow musical institution carefully preserves the artistic heritage of the outstanding Turkmen composer. The performance of Nury Khalmamedovs best compositions in vocal and instrumental genres was a joyful and long-awaited event for the Russian capitals public and representatives of Moscows Turkmen diaspora.

The concert at the Moscow Conservatory opened a series of cultural events to be held in Ashgabat and Moscow in the year of the 80th birth anniversary of Nury Khalmamedov.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
Their few belongings packed into rice sacks, Momena Begum and her husband Mohammad Harez squat on a damp plot of sand just above the waterline, waiting to move out.

Almost surrounded by a chest-deep stream, they know the coming wet season in Bangladesh could bring the deadly dangers they narrowly escaped in Myanmar.

None of us can swim, says Mohammad, a father of three. If we are here in the monsoon, we will surely drown.

With the rainy season a few weeks away, the Bangladeshi government, supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and its partners, is in a race against time to avert a catastrophe threatening the worlds largest refugee settlement.

More than 670,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh since August to escape killings, arson and rape in Myanmars Rakhine State, many settling spontaneously on the unsuitable hillsides around Kutupalong.

None of us can swim. If we are here in the monsoon, we will surely drown.

Monsoon rains reach a peak in July and August, dumping up to two inches of rain a day, and more than 150,000 residents of this mega-settlement are at risk from flooding or landslides.

It is not if this is going to happen, its when, says John Wain, until recently senior emergency shelter officer with UNHCR in Coxs Bazar.

The soils in that site are a combination of clay, silt and sand layers, and those soils will move. There will be landslides, there will be floods, there will be ravine floods, there will be flash floods.

Mohammad Harez, his wife Momena Begum and their children wait on their flood-prone plot in Kutupalong refugee settlement, Bangladesh, to move to a shelter on higher ground.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

Mohammad Harez and Momena Begum trek with their children to a new shelter on high ground in Kutupalong refugee settlement, Bangladesh.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

The first of 360 families identified as vulnerable to monsoon and irrigation flooding are relocated from Camp 7 to Camp 17 in Kutupalong.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

Mohammad Harez and Momena Begum squat at the entrance of their new shelter with children Mohammad Anas, 7 months, Mohammad Shohaib, 3, and Sohana, 6.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

Levelling work gets under way in a 123-acre site west of the current boundary of Kutupalong refugee settlement, in a project backed by UNHCR, IOM and WFP.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

Labourers work to level a slope at a site west of the current boundary of Kutupalong refugee settlement.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

The risk of landslides has been aggravated by the felling of trees, and grubbing out of their roots, for fuel to cook.

The impending danger is keenly felt by refugee Mohammad Alam and his family, whose shelter stands beside a low-lying creek. It burst its banks one night as farmers released dam water to irrigate rice crops, flooding them out.

We were up to our ankles in filthy water this morning, says Alam, 40, a father of three children under four years old. Its not safe for us here.

UNHCR has relocated the first of 360 families deemed at greatest risk, including those of Begum and Alam, to higher ground in the west of the settlement, in a project with its partner, the non-governmental agency, Caritas. More will be relocated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

In an appeal launched earlier this month, UN agencies and their partners are seeking US$951 million to meet the urgent needs of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities.

The Bangladeshi government, UNHCR and its partners are taking other urgent steps to better protect nearly 80,000 people deemed at greatest risk of flooding in the area, and 23,000 threatened by landslides.

"There will be landslides, there will be floods, there will be ravine floods, there will be flash floods.

To reduce the danger of slope collapse in a new 123-acre site designated for relocated families, mechanical diggers are reducing the angle of some of the steepest hillsides at greatest risk of giving way. They are backfilling the valleys with soil to provide more stable ground for shelters.

Teams of paid refugee labourers and diggers are excavating and straightening clogged waterways in the camp. The goal is to allow flood water to flow unhindered into the Teknaf River and the sea, in a project with UN sister agencies IOM and the World Food Programme.

Its a priority activity, says Wain. If we dont start now, we wont have dry ground before the monsoon.

See also: Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett calls for increased aid for Rohingya refugees

Access roads into the settlements could also become blocked by landslides and inaccessible to vehicles, making it hard to provide emergency aid. To keep them open, the Bangladeshi government has said it will pave them with bricks.

Engineering projects are also under way to build bamboo-reinforced footpaths, raised bridges and sturdy retaining walls to stabilize hillsides, stripped of trees and even their roots in the daily hunt for firewood.

Contractors and refugees are using sandbags staked with bamboo to reinforce steps carved into steep hillsides, which turned into mudslides during the last wet season, as grandmother Siraj Begum discovered at great personal cost.

She lost her footing during a cloudburst and fell down the hillside from her shack into the fetid creek below, injuring her leg, which still troubles her today.

Siraj Begum, 38, yellow scarf, Mariam Khatun, 60, violet scarf, and Nur Nahar, 45, orange scarf, stand outside their shelter in Kutupalong refugee settlement, Bangladesh. Their home is on a steep hillside deemed at risk of collapse in the monsoon rains.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

Refugee Mohammad Ishaq (left) strengthens the roof of his shelter with bamboo provided by UNHCR to residents of Kutupalong refugee settlement, Bangladesh, ahead of the monsoon.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

Rohingya refugees reinforce their shelters with materials supplied by UNHCR at the Kutupalong refugee settlement.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

A refugee reinforces a shelter with a tarpaulin supplied by UNHCR at the Kutupalong refugee settlement, Bangladesh.  UNHCR/Roger Arnold

A family of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar crosses a river swollen by monsoon rains at Kutupalong, Bangladesh, during the 2017 monsoon season.  UNHCR/Paula Bronstein

I dont know if we can live here through another monsoon, she says in her home on a crumbling slope designated for levelling. Im worried the whole hillside might come down.

UNHCR and its partners are this year providing 80,000 families in the camp with bamboo poles and tarpaulins to weatherproof flimsy shelters. Among the beneficiaries is father-of-seven Mohammad Ishaq, whose home clings to an exposed ridge.

Helped by neighbours, he has re-roofed it, woven sturdy bamboo walls and sealed the dirt floor with cement. My only concern now is the wind, he adds, casting a weather eye over the valley below.

Landslides could also sweep tube wells and latrines into creeks, in which residents wash clothes and children play, raising the threat of outbreaks of water-borne diarrhoea which last year made thousands ill.

Teams are digging boreholes to greater depths to draw cleaner water filtered through the sandy soil. Public health workers are prepositioning medicines to ensure effective treatments are available where they will be needed, although the challenges are daunting.

Weve managed outbreaks of diarrhoea before, but not when you are talking about nearly one million people.

Weve managed outbreaks of diarrhoea before, but not when you are talking about nearly one million people, says Mwiti Mungania, the senior public health officer with UNHCR in Coxs Bazar, who previously worked with refugees in Chad. If it happens, it could be a huge issue.

Among families who have already been flooded out, health problems are already evident. As they wait to move out, Begums son Mohammad Anas suffered from a cough and vomiting. It gets worse at night, she says.

A neighbour, four-year-old Nurul Absar, has chills which his grandmother blames on contaminated water. He has a fever now because of the water, and it could only get worse with the monsoon, she says.

See also: Rohingya refugee emergency at a glance

UNHCR is working with 230 refugee community outreach members, fanning out through the settlement to identify elderly and infirm refugees who are among the most vulnerable.

Ahead of the gathering storm, plans include identifying safe havens for any separated children and prepositioning food and medicines should those in need be cut off by the weather.

Other plans involve training refugees in first aid and advising people to put identity documents and other vital papers in plastic bags.

We have been getting ready, says refugee Azizur Rahman. Now its in Gods hands.
It is not a good day for fishing. That is a blow for Ismain and Walid, who were counting on some fish protein for supper. The two men come from different countries, religions and backgrounds, but their shared love of fishing has blossomed into friendship and brought some peace of mind in forced exile.

The sky is overcast and the sea is choppy, but they persevere  the two asylum-seekers have time on their hands in the Cretan town of Heraklion. We cook the fish and eat it or give to friends. Fish are very expensive here, says Ismain, a 50-year-old from Damascus, where he was a cinematographer and artist.

Walid, the younger man at 37, says he occasionally fished in Iraqs rivers, which requires different techniques from the sea. Here, I started fishing for food, for a hobby and for company, Walid says, hopefully casting his line under the shadow of the Venetian fort that guards the entrance to Heraklions ancient harbour.

We cook the fish and eat it or give to friends."

Both men are beneficiaries of UNHCRs accommodation and cash assistance programme, which has helped thousands of vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers in Greece over the past two years. The people are very welcoming and it is very nice here, muses Ismain.

After fleeing Syria last year, it took Ismain and his family 13 attempts to cross from Turkey to Greece because of bad weather or a police presence. I sensed that our lives were threatened [in Syria] so I said wed better leave, the father-of-three explains. After seven years of war, it gradually got dangerous for everyone.

Physics teacher Walid faced a more immediate threat to his safety in Baghdad. I am Christian and I was threatened by militia, he says, adding that he was attacked and injured by men with gun and knives. He fled to Erbil and then on to Turkey and Greece, before being transferred by UNHCR from Lesvos to Heraklion.

Ismain and Walid's shared love of fishing has blossomed into friendship.  UNHCR/Markel Redondo

Ismain (front) and his family fled Syria last year.  UNHCR/Markel Redondo

Wahid, 12, and Navid, 7, from Afghanistan, have been learning to fish at the port.  UNHCR/Markel Redondo

Fishing has also brought both men some peace of mind.  UNHCR/Markel Redondo

"We cook the fish and eat it or give to friends. Fish are very expensive here."  UNHCR/Markel Redondo

The two men face different futures. While Ismain hopes to be reunited with family in Germany soon, Walid has been waiting for months for word on his application for asylum in Greece. I had the [asylum] interview eight months ago and have not heard anything, he says. The important thing is to finish my studies and complete a masters in physics.

Aside from the frustration of waiting, both men have felt happy and safe in their apartments, but still wanted to do something to occupy their time. I dont like people to give me money and pay for me. Id like to be independent, says Ismain.

See also: Afghan lost boys provide a bridge in Crete between nations

He had seen fishermen go out in small boats and come back with a healthy catch. He decided to give it a go, buying second-hand equipment and trying his luck off the harbour, watching others for guidance.

One day he recognized one of the anglers. It was Walid, who had been in the same mainland accommodation site as Ismain before they were moved to Crete. They soon hit it off. Were friends, best friends, says Ismain.

"Id like to be independent."

Walid says he started fishing for similar reasons to his friend. He would like to do it for a living, but I dont have a boat.

Ismains mind is more focused on his coming move to Kiel in Germany, but he has valued the solidarity of Walid and his other fishing friends. Fishing is very important because its a plus for our dinner table and we can save money, he says pragmatically, referring to the cash grant that his family receives from UNHCR each month under the EU-funded ESTIA programme.

Back there [in Syria] we only heard screaming and bombs. When we come to the sea we feel calm, Ismain adds poignantly. In Kiel, he hopes to use his years of experience as an artist and cameraman to support his family.

I paint every day, he continues. I do political cartoons as well as landscapes. In Germany, I would like to continue painting and became an art teacher.

Maybe he will also resume his fishing  Kiel, after all, is by the Baltic Sea.
Lying in a hospital bed in Lebanons Bekaa Valley, 14-year-old Abdel Razzaq forces himself to sip a glass of sweet, amber-coloured tea. The fluids help his emaciated body through what seems like an endless three-hour dialysis session.

I get tired, I throw up, said the young refugee from Aleppo in Syria, whose body relies on the thrice-weekly treatments to continue functioning. I am dizzy and my blood pressure goes down sometimes.

Abdel Razzaq suffers from kidney failure, a condition he was born with. For most of his 14 years, he has been kept alive with medication. But since fleeing Syria with his parents seven years ago, his condition has worsened. The arduous dialysis sessions at a local hospital in north Bekaa have kept him going, but now he risks losing his only life-saving treatment.

Each dialysis session in Lebanon costs around US$100  an impossible amount for Abdel Razzaqs family to cover three times a week. His father Mohamed is not able to work himself due to another acute medical condition.

My wife works in cleaning and farming to feed the kids, explained Mohamed, But that is not enough. The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) has been funding Abdel Razzaqs treatment since 2017, but the NGO is facing funding cuts this year.

Lebanon is currently home to more than 990,000 registered Syrian refugees, many of whom have been there since the early years of Syrias seven-year conflict. More than half live in extreme poverty on less than US$2.87 per day, while Lebanon has struggled to meet the extra costs of hosting a number of refugees equivalent to a quarter of its total population.

While UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, provides through its partners a wide range of subsidized healthcare services to registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon, it is unable to cover the cost of repeated hospital treatment for chronic diseases such as cancer and kidney failure.

A recent study by UNHCR found that 20 per cent of Syrian refugees in Lebanon requiring secondary or tertiary healthcare were unable to access it in 2017. Of these, two thirds reported that their inability to meet the cost of treatment or transportation was the main reason.

"I cant go back to Syria at this moment to treat him, its too dangerous."

The prospect of losing the financial support they rely on for Abdel Razzaqs treatment is his mother Halimes worst nightmare. I think about him day and night, she said tearfully. What can I do to help him? I cant do much. I cant go back to Syria at this moment to treat him, its too dangerous.

Currently, there are 218 Syrian refugees in need of dialysis in Lebanon. Since February 2017, a small number of NGOs including SAMS  in coordination with UNHCR  have covered the treatment costs for some of those in need of assistance.

But with some NGO funding due to run out this year, only 121 patients have guaranteed treatment until February 2019. The rest risk losing access to their sessions unless extra resources can be found.

There are 97 patients who risk losing their life-saving treatment if no money is secured to cover the cost of their treatment, explained Mona Kiwan, UNHCRs Associate Public Health Officer, This is going to negatively affect their life and their health  its a matter of life or death.

Back home, Abdel Razzaq refuses to give up hope. Despite his fragile condition, he works at a sewing machine given to him by a Lebanese lady, to help his mother make ends meet.

I sew cushion covers and take them down to the market with my brother and sell them, he said proudly, while stitching a large auburn pillow. One day Ill go back to Syria and I will be a famous tailor.

Visit UNHCR Lebanon website
March 29 2018

Spire View Housing Association and Grant Murray Architects are collaborating on the delivery of 24 flats , replacing a former clinic building dating from the 1930s.Modelled on adjacent Victorian tenement blocks the chosen solution employs monopitch roofs angled at ten degrees in order to add mass to the principle Glenbarr and Rymer Street elevations.Detailing this approach the architects wrote: The form along Glenbarr Street is a simple yet modern interpretation of the classic Glasgow tenement, with a central close and 8 flats arranged almost entirely symmetrically either side of this common stair.Blocks are stepped back to create interest, increase privacy from car parking in front & to generate planting opportunities, while blocks on the right of the close are lifted off the ground slightly to reflect the topography of the street, reduce the size & severity of retaining walls & to again afford more privacy from parking areas in front.A large, almost entirely unbroken, 4 &  storey facing brick fin signals the transition between Rhymer Street & Glenbarr Street. The angled profile of this fin is no mere design flourish but rather reflects that the Rhymer Street properties are a half storey above the Glenbarr flats & thus the close requires this additional headroom.Upon completion the L-plan build will complete the urban block using a neutral white brick.
Fri., Sept. 24, 7:30 a.m.

Hoogland Center for the Arts Club Room 420 S. Sixth St., Springfield Downtown

Politics, Bulletin Board, Lectures & Meetings

How have the attitudes of Sangamon County residents changed towards the area since 2013? The results of the 2021 Sangamon County Citizen Survey. The projects purpose is to establish benchmarks and assess changes in residents assessment of life in Sangamon County. Similar surveys were conducted in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. The periodic survey provides local leaders, community organizations, and citizens with insight into issues facing local residents. 217-523-2787
ABSTRACT

The objective of this research was to evaluate the agronomic performance and productivity of sixteen genotypes of Chenopodium quinoa cultivated in agroecological and conventional production systems. The evaluations were carried out, based on agronomic characteristics and yields of sixteen C. quinoa genotypes, grown in two simultaneous experiments, in an agroecological production and a conventional production system carried out at the town of Entre Rios do Oeste, Parana, Brazil in the harvest 2015/16. Each experiment was composed of three replicates, following the randomized block design. Number of plants in flowering, number of plants per linear meter, height of insertion of the first panicle, number of days for maturation and productivity were the parameters evaluated. The data were submitted to statistical analysis with the aid of the GENES computational application. Genotype Q13-24 showed a more suitable production for the conventional production system. While the genotype Q13-01, presented the increase of productivity, being more indicated to the system of agroecological production. The characteristics height of plant flowers (HPF) and height of insertion of the first panicle (HIP) had higher values when the plants were cultivated in a conventional system. The number of plants per linear meter (NPLM) was higher in the agroecological crop, when compared to conventional cultivation. The same quinoa genotype can behave differently depending on the area management, being a productivity and the genotype cycle depends on the production system and the genotype used.

Keywords:

Chenopodium quinoa, Cultivation Methods, Genotypic Adaptability, Genetic Breeding

1. Introduction

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd), also called quinoa is a crop known by its huge environmental adaptability and for its high nutritional value. Annual plant, pseudo-cereal, pseudo-oleaginous [1] , belonging to the Amaranthaceous family, Chenopodiaceous subfamily [2] , with huge grain importance, is largely cultivated in South America in countries such as: Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Argentina [1] [3] [4] .

Recently it was discovered by the scientific community, due to its high biological value for food; its grain is rich in proteins with an equilibrated amino acid profile that is essential to human nutrition [5] [6] [7] [8] and without gluten. It can be used in animal nutrition, due to its high energy value and protein content, good palatability and digestibility for animals [9] .

In the 1990s, as a way to diversify the grain production system, the crop was introduced in Brazil, initially in the Brazilian cerrado then to another biome [10] . Some problems have been faced for large-scale cultivation of quinoa in the different regions and states of the country, for example, the high variability of environmental conditions of the country and the cultivation systems used [11] ; for this reason, studies aimed at genotypes adaptation as well as different cultivation methods are necessary to high quality production of grains and with a satisfactory crop yield [12] .

The state of Parana presents high potential of agricultural production; with emphasis to the cultivation of corn and soybean [13] , the quinoa crop, can be one alternative of grain production in the off season, favoring crop rotation management. The search for genotypes, more adapted to different regions and conditions of the state of Parana [14] is important to the consolidation of this crop. [7] [15] reported that the interaction genotype-environment and the cultivar variability reflect the heterogeneity of the genetic material, making it possible to identify promisor materials and to indicate adapted genotypes [14] .

Conventional agriculture where the focus is the monoculture in large areas, intensive use of soluble fertilizers, chemical pest control, diseases and weeds, high yield and maximum agronomic performance of the cultivated plants [16] , is very different from the organic/agroecological agriculture, which seeks to be self-sustain, trying to eliminate the need of external inputs in the property, and manage the soil as a living organism, optimum yield instead of maximum, crops consortium, pests, diseases and weeds biological and environmental control, use of fertilizes of slow liberation less soluble, the non-use of pesticides that will pollute the environment once one of its pillars is to have allied production with environmental conservation [17] [18] [19] .

Because they present many disparities physiologically, as management and cultural practices, the use of equal plants in both production systems, can compromise the adequate development of cultivars obtained from the conventional breeding [20] [21] , thus justifying studies of cultivars adapted to differentmanagements and production systems.

In the case of quinoa plants, the variability of the agronomic and productive responses is related to the site and cultivation area [7] ; therefore, establishing the existent association between cultivars and production systems is important to adaptation and obtaining of productive cultivars to different cultivation environments [22] [23] .

Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the agronomic performance and productivity of sixteen genotypes of Chenopodium quinoa cultivated in agroecological and conventional production systems.

2. Material and Methods

The experiment was conducted in the crop years of 2015/2016, in the town of Entre Rios do Oeste, Parana, Brazil under the geographical coordinates of 0414' west longitude and 3414' south latitude, with an altitude of 260 m. The average annual temperature varies from 17C to 19C and the average annual rainfall for the region is from 1600 to 2000 mm [24] , the local soil is classified as Eutroferric Red Latosol, of very clayey texture and good drainage [25] .

During the period of conduction of the experiment the meteorological information represented in Figure 1 was detected.

Were conducted two experiments simultaneously, one in an agroecological area and the other with a conventional production system. Plants were sowed in October with a density of 400.000 plants per hectare. For the experiment in the agroecological area, the managements applied were: soil preparation with a plowing, two harrowing, and base fertilization of 250 kgha1 of worm humus, one weeding, at the moment that the plants had three completely expanded

Figure 1. Rainfall data accumulated every ten days in millimeters (mm) and average temperature in degrees Celsius (C) between October 1st, 2015 and February 28, 2016. Source: Automatic meteorological station of Entre Rios do Oeste.

leaves and other when the plants were beginning to bloom. In addition, was applied neem oil at 60 mlha1 to prevent pests at the time of flowering.

In the experiment implanted in the conventional cultivation area, was used the direct seeding on straw, in the base fertilization was applied 250 kgha1 of the commercial formula NPK 02-20-20, during the seeding. A weeding was carried out at the moment that the plants had three expanded leaves and one application of the commercial product Engeo Pleno (150 mlha1) at flowering to control bed bug and caterpillar present in the area.

The experimental design was randomized blocs (RB) with three replicates and sixteen genotypes of C. quinoa. The genotypes used came from previous selections in conventional areas carried out within the Quinoa Breeding Program of UNIOESTE, from populations of Quinoa Real, Cherry Vanilla, Brilliand Rainbow and Quinoa Orange. The genotypes used were: Q12-23, Q13-01, Q13-02, Q13-03, Q13-04, Q13-06, Q13-07, Q13-10, Q13-17, Q13-18, Q13-20, Q13-21, Q13-24, Q13-31, Q selecao-1 and Q2014.

The plots of each experiment constituted of five lines of 5 meters and spacing between lines of 0.5 m. Were considered as useful plot the three central lines, leaving 0.5 m on the sides of each plot for border. Totalizing 6.0 m2 of useful area in each plot.

During the crop development, in both systems, were evaluated the number of days for flowering (NDF), height of flowering plants (HFP), number of plants per linear meter (NPLM), height of insertion of first panicle (HIP), number of days for maturation (NDM), and productivity (PRO).

For determination of NDF, it was considered the moment in which approximately 50% of the plants from the useful plot had at least one open flower in the panicle. The NPLM was stipulated counting the quantity of plants per linear meter of the useful area of the plot at the time of harvest, being performed three measurements inside of each plot.

The HFP was evaluated from the measurement of ten plants at random within the useful area of the plot, being measured from the soil surface until the superior extremity of the plant. This procedure was performed at flowering tim and at the maturation. To AIP, at the time of maturation was measured the distance between the soil surface and the beginning of the presence of seed of the first panicle was measured.

In order to determine NDM, the period between the emergence (in average six days after seeding) and the moment that approximately 95% of the plants of the useful plot presented mature seeds was considered. The harvest of the experiment was carried out according to the physiological maturation of each genotype used. After harvested the materials were treshed, cleaned and weighed for PRO determination.

The data were submitted to the normality and homogeneity of variances test and, afterwards, the conjunct variance analysis, and when necessary, the Tukey test was performed, with a 5% probability of error. The analysis was performed with the Genes computational application [26] .

3. Results and Discussion

In the conjunct variance analysis (Table 1), is possible to verify significant differences among genotypes to NPLM and NDM. There was a significant difference to the production systems to HFP, NPLM, HIP and NDM.

The effects over the analyzed characteristics express high genetic variability of this crop [7] [27] , originated from the Andes mountain region, which presents extreme edaphoclimatic conditions and, because of this, elevated levels of tolerance to adversity and environmental variation on its genotypes, which respond differently to some managements, such as nitrogen fertilization, irrigation and sowing time [9] [14] .

For the majority of the agronomic performance characteristics of the evaluated quinoa plants (Table 1), there was no interaction effect between genotype (G) and production system (PS) indicating that the agronomical performance does not suffer differentiated interference between the genotypes and production systems used.

There was a significant effect of the interaction between (G) and (PS) to the characteristics NDM and PRO (Table 1), thus evidencing that different production systems and managements applied to the same culture, influence in the development cycle. According to [3] [10] , the same genotype can behave in different ways, according to the management of the cultivation area, increasing or decreasing the production, in a longer or shorter period of time.

Further studies are necessary to detect which genotypes are most suitable for certain crops systems or managements, allied to other environmental conditions

Table 1. Summary of the analysis of joint variance for number of days for flowering (NDF), height of flowering plants (HFP), number of plants per linear meter (NPLM), height of insertion of the first panicle (HIP) and number of days for maturation (NDM) and Productivity (PRO), evaluated in sixteen genotypes of Chenopodium quinoa (G) cultivated in an agroecological and conventional production system (A) in Entre Rios do Oeste, Parana, Brazil, crop year 2015/2016.

*Significant at 0.05; **Significant at 0.01; nsNon-significant, by the F test.

that quinoa is subjected to. This study evidences the need to select quinoa genotypes in each production condition and not only at each site of implantation.

When compared only the different production systems (Table 2), the characteristics HFP and HIP presented higher values when the plants were cultivated in the conventional production system. The NPLM was lower in the conventional cultivation if compared to the agroecological cultivation (Table 2). These results are justified by the way of soil preparation in the agroecological area in the sowing, which generated favorable conditions to higher emergence and, consequently, higher number of plants per linear meter in this production system. Studies performed with creole corn [28] , in similar conditions, found divergent results, the crop system does not interfere in the plants emergence, only the evaluated genotype, in this study both the genotype and cultivation system interfered in the NPLM.

The lower NPLM, in the conventional cultivation may have helped the plants to present higher growth, reaching higher HPF, consequently, higher HIP, because the small number of plants causes a smaller competition for water and

Table 2. Average number of days for flowering (NDF), height of flowering plants (HFP) (m), number of plants per linear meter (NPLM) and height of insertion of the first panicle (HIP) of Chenopodium quinoa, cultivated at Entre Rios do Oeste, Parana, Brazil in the crop year of 2015/2016 in area of agroecological and conventional production system.

*Averages followed by uppercase letters in the row and lowercase in the column do not differ statistically by the Tukey test (p < 0.05).

nutrients, allowing a better development condition, as observed by [29] [30] .

The analysis of the different genotypes evidences that the Genotype Q12-23, presented (Table 3), NPLM superior than the others, 30 plants per linear meter in average, differing statistically of the genotypes Q13-03 and Q13-17, which had only 11 plants per linear meter. The difference between genotypes may be related to the low vigor of some used seeds, according to [28] the decrease of vigor, even with elevated germination in the field, directly influences in the emergence and initial development of plants, reducing the final population and final yield of the plants [15] [29] .

The NDM was lower than those determined by [31] (Table 3) with a cycle varying from 80 to 150 days, these values are dependent on the variety and environmental conditions.

According to the physiological maturity the quinoa cam be classified as late (over 180 days), semi late (150 to 180 days), semi early (130 to 150 days) and precocious (less than 130 days) [32] . Thus, the genotypes evaluated in this study are classified as precocious, since the number of days for maturation were maximum of 80 days. Such results disagree with those found by [33] , which found cycles varying from 128 to 187 days. According to [3] , the precocious cycle of

Table 3. Average values to number of days to maturation (NDM) of sixteen genotypes of Chenopodium quinoa, cultivated at Entre Rios do Oeste, Parana, Brazil in the crop year of 2015/2016 in area of agroecological and conventional production system.

*Averages followed by uppercase letters in the row and lowercase in the column do not differ statistically by the Tukey test (p < 0.05).

quinoa is necessary so there is an alternative in the off season and in the rotation of crops such as corn and soybean.

When compared to the agroecological and conventional production systems (Table 3), the NDM of the genotypes Q12-23, Q13-01, Q13-02, Q13-03, Q13-24, Q13-31, Qselecao-1 and Q2014 were statistically different among themselves for both systems evaluated. The genotypes Q13-06 and Q13-07 behaved in the same way in relation to the NDM for both systems, completing their cycle in 80 days.

When the systems are individually analyzed, the genotypes with the highest NDM are Q12-23, Q13-06, Q13-07, with average of 80 days and the genotypes Q13-01, Q13-02 e Q13-24 presented the lowest NDM, 74 days to complete their growing cycle. To the agroecological system, the genotypes Q12-23 and Q13-18 presented lowest NDM with an average of 76.5 days to complete their growing cycle. For the other genotypes, the lowest NDM were found in the conventional system. These results are in accordance with the one proposed by [34] , which evidences a reduction in the cultivation cycle with the increasing use of doses of nitrogen fertilization in a soluble form, when compared to the use of nitrogen in the vermicompost form. The agroecological production system has as premise the non-use of highly soluble fertilizers on its management system [17] . The kind of fertilize and the management may have interfered in the increase of NDM of the quinoa genotypes in the agroecological production system. These results evidence the existence of the interaction between the crop cycle with the production system adopted, since the same genotypes have different behavior in areas under conventional and agroecological management.

The productivity results for the sixteen genotypes submitted to two different production systems are presented at Table 4. There was a significant interaction for productivity, indicating a different behavior from the other genotypes in both production systems.

The productivity of the genotypes Q13-01 and Q13-02 did not differ statistically in the agroecological and conventional systems. For the other genotypes tested, the cultivation area influenced the productivity. The values found to the conventional system were superior to the ones found in the agroecological system, indicating higher adaptability of these genotypes to the conventional production system. This effect can be explained by the selection condition which these genotypes were submitted to, since they are results of four years of breeding in a conventional production system. This was the first crop where these genotypes were submitted to the agroecological production system in Brazil. The lowest NPLM in the conventional system (Table 2), was compensated by the quinoa plants, because as it happen with soybean, it has high plasticity of its production components, producing more branches, increasing yield when the population per linear meter is lower [28] [33] [35] .

The average productivity values were 1.31029 kgha1 in the conventional production system and 422.66 kgha1 in the agroecological. [14] in an experiment carried out in the state of Parana, Brazil, obtained average productivity of

Table 4. Productivity of sixteen genotypes of Chenopodium quinoa, cultivated at Entre Rios do Oeste, Parana, Brazil in the crop year of 2015/2016 in area of agroecological and conventional production system.

*Averages followed by uppercase letters in the row and lowercase in the column do not differ statistically by the Tukey test (p < 0.05).

846 kgha1. Such results indicate the need for greater selection to increase this characteristic [3] .

The lower values of productivity in the agroecological area may have occurred because this environment was in a transition process to the equilibrium of the productive system. It was the third year of use of the area with agroecological managements, in the beginning of the conversion process from a conventional area to an agroecological, its observed a productivity decrease, which increased with the establishment of the system [36] [37] .

In the conventional area the genotype Q13-24 produced 1.867 kgha1, statistically differing only from the genotypes Q13-01 and Q13-02 which produced 834 and 830 kgha1 respectively. Thus, the genotype Q13-24 is the best indicated to increase productivity, since its productive potential exceeded 834 kgha1, in the conventional system (Table 4).

For the agroecological area, the genotype Q13-01 produced 1.193 kgha1, differing from the nine genotypes (Q12-23, Q13-03, Q13-06, Q13-10, Q13-20, Q13-21, Q13-24, Q13-31 and Q2014), which presented productivity varying from 50 to 235 kgha1. Thus, the genotype Q13-01 would be the best candidate to increase productivity in the agroecological production system (Table 4).

These results demonstrate that there are genotypes better adapted to the agroecological condition and genotypes that are better adapted to the conventional condition. The same genotype may behave differently according to the management of the cultivated area, so, it is necessary to consider the planting site and the management adopted prior to choose the genotype.

4. Conclusions

It was concluded that the height characteristics of plants at flowering and height of insertion of the first panicle, had higher values when the plants of Chenopodium quinoa, were cultivated in a conventional production system, as opposed to the number of plants per linear meter.

By the verification of the interaction between genotypes and production system, for the productivity characteristics and number of days for maturation, it was verified that the same genotype can behave distinctly when cultivated in an agroecological or conventional way.

Genotype Q13-24 was the best recommended for cultivation in conventional production system, because it obtained the highest productivity in this system, while the genotype Q13-01 was the best indicated for the system of agroecological production, increasing productivity in this system.

Cite this paper

Belmonte, C., de Vasconcelos, E.S., Tsutsumi, C.Y., Lorenzetti, E., Hendges, C., Coppo, J.C., Martinez, A. da S., Pan, R., Brito, T.S. and Inagaki, A.M. (2018) Agronomic and Productivity Performance for Quinoa Genotypes in an Agroecological and Conventional Production System. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 9, 880-891. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2018.94067

References
(March 29, 2018) -- Students at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will participate in the EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research (ECAR) annual Student Technology Survey for the first time as the UTSA Office of Information Technology (OIT) leads the participation effort.

The survey will collect data on student views of:

Device ownership, usage, and importance

Technology and the college/university experience

Privacy and security

Learning environments

Personal computing environments

The survey will be sent out to all UTSA students on April 3 and will remain open until April 20. The initiative is organized by Assistant Vice Provost for IT, Vanessa Hammler Kenon, who serves as the EDUCAUSE Core Data and survey administrator for UTSA. Project Coordinator Rosalind Ong and Communications Specialist Nicole Duff serve as research assistants for the survey administration.

According to EDUCAUSE, the research can catalyze conversations among IT professionals about how to better serve their constituents; among institutional leaders about how to use technology strategically; and among students about how to articulate their technology needs and expectations.

Last year, 124 institutions across 10 countries participated in the ECAR survey, collecting 43,559 responses. By participating in the ECAR survey via the EDUCAUSE Technology Research in Academic Community (ETRAC), OIT will have access to data that can provide insights to improve IT services for students, prioritize IT contributions to strategic plans, and help UTSA advance as technologically competitive among peer institutions.

In addition to gaining access to the survey data for further analysis and to benchmark student needs and expectations at UTSA, OIT will be part of aggregate level data for EDUCAUSE reports, infographics and data almanacs.
UW Engineering Hosts Summer Camp for Educators

UW Department of Computer Science Professor of Practice Mike Borowczak played a major role in landing the $300,000 grant from the Wyoming Department of Education for "RAMPED2: COWPOKES-IoT." (UW Photo)

The future of computer science in the Cowboy State will receive a huge boost this summer when teachers from across the state experience a hands-on educational camp at the University of Wyoming.

The Department of Computer Science, in partnership with the College of Education, will host the RAMPED2: COWPOKES-IoT program, thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Wyoming Department of Education. Hosted by the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS), the two-part camp takes place June 25-29 and July 16-21, and features 25 teachers from Wyoming and surrounding states.

The grant will cover a stipend and housing costs for teachers, and the program is open to educators from elementary, junior high and high schools. The funding also will support four department faculty and two graduate and two undergraduate students for the duration of the program. Along with the CEAS, the program will feature faculty from physics and astronomy, and education.

CEAS students, in collaboration with education faculty, will develop the program curriculum and teaching tools. The camp will introduce attendees to tiny programmable computers called micro:bits and online modules, which require minimal equipment. RAMPED2 is a cross-disciplinary program, including students from other areas of engineering, and will expose the attending teachers to circuit development, design and computing elements. Department of Computer Science Professor of Practice Mike Borowczak played a major role in landing the grant.

It will help CEAS students synthesize what theyve learned in class into real executable concepts, Borowczak says. For them to continue in industry or research in an academic setting, they need to become proficient in packaging the information for consumption by others. They can become accustomed to teaching all the time by improving their communication skills, which theyll use in everyday applications. There are no wrong answers, so its different thinking.

The teachers selected to attend will gain a solid foundation in important areas, including coding and data mining, which they can subsequently pass on to their students.

Its huge for teachers to have the confidence to go into their classrooms and be able to develop these concepts, Borowczak says. Were aiming at all teachers, whether they have a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) focus, art or humanities. This is a valuable skill set for them.

More details will be forthcoming at www.uwyo.edu/SEED. To apply for the summer camp, go to www.uwyo.edu/cosc, and click on RAMPED2 APPLICATION, located in the Important Links section of the page.
By: Dezan Shira & Associates

Editor: Koushan Das

The recently released 2017 Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) report, a collaborative effort between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has revealed a high level of confidence among private firms and foreign investors in the countrys business and economic environment. The resurgence in confidence has been largely driven by a combination of economic reforms, a decrease in corruption, reduced regulatory burden, improved labor relations, and a consistent improvement in the infrastructure quality.

RELATED: Pre-Investment Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

PCI report

The PCI report has been produced since 2005 and evaluates the ease of doing business, economic governance, and administrative reforms by the provincial and city governments to promote the private sector. This year, the report received responses from 10,245 private enterprises in 63 provinces and cities (including 2,003 enterprises, which were established in 2016 and 2017) and 1,765 FDI firms from 47 foreign countries and territories in 21 cities and provinces.

The overall PCI index score comprises ten sub-indices:

low entry costs for business start-up;

easy access to land and security of business premises;

a transparent business environment and equitable business information;

minimal informal charges;

limited time requirements for bureaucratic procedures and inspections;

minimal crowding out of private activity from policy biases toward the state, foreign, or connected firms;

proactive and creative provincial leadership in solving problems for enterprises;

developed and high-quality business support services;

sound labor training policies; and

fair and effective legal procedures for dispute resolution and maintaining law and order.

Distribution of respondents

In 2017, the top five sectors that responded to the PCI survey were:

Wholesale and Retail, accounting for 37.4 percent of all enterprises;

Manufacturing  16.2 percent;

Construction  15.6 percent;

Professional Activities  8.5 percent;

Transportation  5.3 percent.

As for the industries surveyed, the food products sector had the highest share at 15.6 percent, along with fabricated metals, wood products, minerals, and other transport at 14.4 percent, 8.1 percent, 7.6 percent, and 6.5 percent respectively.

RELATED: CPTPP Signed: Opportunities for Vietnams Enterprises

Top rankings

Quang Ninh has emerged at the top as the most competitive province in Vietnam, with 70.7 points. Its rise in rankings has been largely attributed to strong administrative reforms. The province has consistently ranked amongst the top five since 2013.

Da Nang, which topped the rankings from 2013 to 2016 closely followed Quang Ninh with 70.1 points, followed by Dong Thap (68.8) and Long An (66.7), Ben Tre (66.69). Ho Chi Minh City ranked eight, while Hanoi, the capital ranked 13th in the Index.

The provinces with the lowest rankings were Bak Kan, Lai Chau, Kon Tum, Binh Phuoc, and Dak Nong.

RELATED: Vietnams M&A Market: Opportunities for Foreign Investors

Major trends

This year, the report identifies major trends in the areas of corruption, administrative reforms, security, land access, labor quality, and overall business environment.

Perceptions of corruption declining

In the last few years, perceptions of corruption continued to rise for the private sector in Vietnam. However, this year, it has shown significant declines, thanks to the governments anti-corruption drive in 2017. The decline was in three core indicators of corruption:

the share of firms believing informal charges are common;

the estimated bribe payments by firms as a share of revenue; and

the need for commissions to win government procurement contracts.

In addition, firms paying bribes dropped from 66 percent last year to 59 percent in 2017, while paying bribes in customs procedures reduced from 56.4 percent in 2016 to 53 percent in 2017.

There has also been a decline in the number of firms encountering bribery in land procedures and paying informal charges to inspectors. For land procedures, it dropped from 22.6 percent in 2016 to 17.5 percent in 2017, while for paying informal charges to inspectors, it reduced slightly to 45 percent in 2017 from 46 percent in 2016.

Reduced administrative and regulatory burdens

Early last year, the Vietnamese government introduced numerous reforms to reduce the administrative burdens for the private sector. Since the last five years, the reforms for the first time, have shown an improvement in the number of firms spending their time navigating through government procedures. In 2017, only 30 percent of the firms reported spending over 10 percent of their time on government procedures, 72 percent believed that local bureaucrats have become more effective, and 52 percent believed that paperwork has become simpler and less time-consuming. All the responses are an all-time high.

As for entry regulations, the average wait time for getting an investment license dropped from 58 days in 2010 to 47 days in 2016 to only 37 days in 2017. In addition, the average time to get a business certificate reduced from 35 days in 2010, to 20 days in 2016, to just 18 days in 2017. For foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs), the share of firms considering entry regulations to be burdensome has reduced from 24 percent in 2016 to 23 percent in 2017.

Post-entry regulations also saw an improvement in 2017, with 66 percent of the firms in 2017 spending more than five percent of managers work time on government procedures, a reduction of 6 percent from 2016.

RELATED: Market Entry Modes for Vietnam

Land access and security

Land for conducting business operations has become difficult to acquire for domestic and FIEs. The share of businesses that purchased land for their main business premises dropped between 2016 and 2017 and is far below the figures recorded in 2012 and 2013.

Some of the major difficulties and share of firms facing them in 2017 were:

complicated purchase agreement  44 percent

inadequate land planning  32.3 percent

insufficient information  29.8 percent

availability of land  16.3 percent

slow clearance procedures  16.2 percent

Security situation

In 2017, 14.5 percent of the surveyed firms reported that they were victims of theft, with the average value of lost goods being around 15 million VND (US$667). Several firms have reported much greater losses of around 500 million VND (US$22,000). However, overall 56.1 percent of the firms reported that the security situation in their respective provinces are good.

Labor quality inadequate

According to the FIEs, the local labor quality is inadequate, with 55 percent of FIEs finding it difficult and 19 percent finding it very difficult to hire skilled technicians. Only 31 percent of FIEs believe that the local labor quality is sufficient.

For the supervisor and managerial positions, 36 percent and 28 percent of the firms find it difficult and very difficult respectively to find appropriate candidates.

Overall optimistic

In 2017, the overall optimism grew, with domestic firms and FIEs planning to increase their investments and hiring in the next few years. Around 52 percent of the domestic firms are planning to increase the size of their operations in the next two years, an increase of four percentage points from 2016. Forty percent of enterprises are planning to operate at their present size, while only 8 percent are scaling down or closing their businesses.

FIEs are more positive than domestic firms, with 60 percent of FIEs planning to increase the size of their operations, compared to 50 percent in 2016. Around 13 percent of the FIEs have increased their investments in 2017, compared to 11 percent in 2016, while 62 percent are planning to hire more employees.

RELATED: The Guide to Understanding Vietnams Industrial Zones

Foreign-invested enterprises  key highlights

FIEs in Vietnam

Based on the results of the PCI 2017, FIEs in Vietnam tend to be small and export-oriented firms, with Japanese, South Korea, and Taiwanese firms accounting for the majority of the firms.

Type of firms

Based on the respondents, 87 percent of the FIEs in Vietnam were firms with 100 percent foreign capital, compared to 90 percent in 2016. Only seven percent were joint ventures, with private Vietnamese firms or state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as partners. Firms with domestic operations accounted for only six percent of the total FIEs.

Industries

Manufacturing leads among all sector with 66 percent of FIEs in 2017. The major sub-sectors under manufacturing include fabricated metal products and rubber and plastic products at 7 percent and 6.7 percent respectively.

Apparel, which was the third largest sub-sector in 2016 with a share of 6 percent, dropped to fourth with a share of 4.2 percent in 2017. The computer, electronic, and optical products sector replaced it in 2017 with a share of 5.8 percent in 2017, growing from 2.8 percent three years ago. The change in ranking highlights the shift towards high-tech and high value-added products among the foreign-invested enterprises.

FIEs customers

Following the trend, export markets continue to be the key market for FIEs. Along with that, other customers include foreign entities in Vietnam and the domestic private sector. The share of FIEs supply to SOEs and state agencies in 2017 were the lowest at 10.7 percent and 4.3 percent respectively.

More than 60 percent of the FIEs are involved in exports, with 33.7 percent of them sending it back to their home country, while 26.6 percent sell it to a third country.

In the domestic market, around 56 percent of FIEs sell their products to other foreign firms in Vietnam, while 41 percent sell it to Vietnamese firms. Only 18.3 percent sell their products to private domestic citizens.

FIEs suppliers

SOEs continue to have the lowest share as a supplier to FIEs at 10 percent in 2017. FIEs with at least one private Vietnamese supplier has dropped from 68.5 percent in 2016 to 62.8 percent in 2017. However, it is still an improvement over the 30.4 percent share in 2011.

Overseas suppliers still account for a large share, with 49.2 percent of FIEs acquiring supplies from their home country, while 26.6 percent acquiring it from third-party countries.

RELATED: Vietnam: Two Cities Among JLLs Momentum Index Top 10

PCI infrastructure index

The PCI infrastructure index focuses solely on the quality of infrastructure and connectivity in the provinces. The sub-indices include:

industrial zone quality;

roads;

public services (telecommunications, energy); and

information technology.

In 2017, Binh Duong led among all the provinces in the PCI Infrastructure Index, followed by Da Nang, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Dong Nai, and Bac Ninh. The lowest ranked provinces included Son La, Nghe An, Dak Nong, Ha Tinh, and Dien Bien.

Improving industrial zone quality

Around 46 percent of the surveyed firms expressed satisfaction with the industrial zone quality and overage, compared to 41 percent in 2016.

Improving utility access and quality

According to the PCI, 100 percent of businesses now have access to telephones and electricity at affordable prices. Around 78 percent of business rated the quality of telephone service as good or very good, while 78 percent of firms were satisfied with the power supply, an improvement compared to 2016.

Internet expansion also witnessed a growth in satisfaction from 57 percent in 2016 to 62 percent in 2017.

Road and bridge quality needs improvement

In 2016, 42 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with roads. This number declined slightly to 41 percent in 2017.

Based on the all the PCI surveys in the past few years, we can see that most of the time, there is a strong correlation between governance and infrastructure.

RELATED: FDI Opportunities in Vietnam in 2018

Importance of the PCI

The 2017 PCI report has revealed that government actions such as reducing administrative burdens, streamlining regulatory processes, and improving the overall business environment have had a positive effect on the overall business and economic environment in 2017.

The PCI data is instrumental and will continue to be so for the Vietnamese government, as it helps them to make necessary reforms, based on the problems faced by domestic and foreign firms, especially by the SMEs that account for the majority of the economy.

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An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2017 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam. Compiled by Dezan Shira & Associates, a specialist foreign direct investment practice, this guide explains the basics of company establishment, annual compliance, taxation, human resources, payroll, and social insurance in this dynamic country.



Managing Contracts and Severance in Vietnam

In this issue of Vietnam Briefing, we discuss the prevailing state of labor pools in Vietnam and outline key considerations for those seeking to staff and retain workers in the country. We highlight the increasing demand for skilled labor, provide in depth coverage of existing contract options, and showcase severance liabilities that may arise if workers or employers choose to terminate their contracts.
A 1973 photograph of Ridgeway after his return to the United States. (Matthew Busch for The Washington Post)

Khe Sanh, South Vietnam. March, 1968: US Marines scramble for cover as another volley of Viet Cong shells lands on the besieged base at Khe Sanh. (Photographed by John Olson for Stars and Stripes)

After his disappearance, Ridgeways name was etched onto a tombstone in a St. Louis cemetery, along with those of eight fellow Marines who went missing in the 1968 ambush. (Fred Waters/Associated Press)

Marine Sargent Ronald L. Ridgeway upon his arrival at a Houston airport. (BETTMANN/BETTMANN ARCHIVE)

Retired Marine Ronald Ridgeway poses for a portrait at his home in Hallettsville, TX on Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Matthew Busch for The Washington Post)

He was 17 when he signed up with the Marines in 1967. He was 18 when he was captured, 19 when his funeral was held and 23 when he was released from prison in 1973.Ronald L. Ridgeway was killed in Vietnam on Feb. 25, 1968. The 18-year-old Marine Corps private first class fell with a bullet to the shoulder during a savage firefight with the enemy outside Khe Sanh.The Battle of Khe Sanh began when the North Vietnamese attacked one of Americas northernmost garrisons near the border between Vietnam and Laos. When the North Vietnamese attacked on Jan. 21, 1968, it quickly became clear that the preparations werent enough. According to the, 6,000 troops were attacked by an enemy force that would eventually grow to an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 enemies, and the carefully hoarded supply of artillery and mortar rounds were 90 percent destroyed by an enemy artillery attack that hit the ammo dump.Back home, his family received word that Ridgeway had died on the battlefield. Mildred, the Marines mother, even received a folded American flag in his honor after his burial at a national cemetery in St. Louis, Mo., on Sept. 10, 1968.But as his comrades and family mourned, Ron Ridgeway sat in harsh North Vietnamese prisons for five years, often in solitary confinement, mentally at war with his captors and fighting for a life that was technically over. At the hands of the enemy, Ridgeway said he contracted malaria, developed lice and lost about 50 pounds. He was certain the soldiers were going to kill him.Ridgeway was eventually released from Hanoi Hilton prison in March 1973 after the U.S. and Vietnam had agreed on a peace agreement before withdrawing American troops from the country. What Ridgeway took with him was his freedom, the pink-and-gray striped prisoners pajamas and his rubber sandals he wore.After his release, Ridgeway got married, went to school and even visited his tombstone. A new memorial was later raised with Ridgeways name removed.I came back in basically one piece, he said. I came back able to live my life, he told. We went over with a job to do. We did it to the best of our ability. We were lucky enough to come back.(via The Washington Post
Looking Back at the Music of the Last 66 Years
Eastern Maldives: Tourists take photos at Eo Gio Pass to preserve the spectacular scene. - Photo courtesy of Golden Life Travel Company

The provinces highlighted destinations and tour options were presented at the seminar. These included Cu Lao Xanh Island, vestiges of the ancient Champa kingdom, beautiful beaches such as Ky Co, considered the Maldives of Viet Nam, and Eo Gio Pass.

Nguyen Thi Xuan Lan, vice chairwoman of the Binh inh Provincial Tourism Association, said the local authorities and travel agents had focused on co-operating with partners in the Central Highlands and southern central regions to connect destinations in their regions and create new tour packages for visitors.

Lan suggested that instead of buying flights directly to Quy Nhon city in Binh inh Province, tourists can save money by flying to Tuy Hoa city in Phu Yen Province, then driving to Quy Nhon and Pleiku city, Gia Lai Province and departing from Pleiku Airport.

Thats a convenient way to have extraordinary experiences because tourists can travel to different destinations in the route, she said.

Tran Thanh Thuy from Fidi Tour Company pointed out the fact that in the high season, travel companies struggle to book hotels for large groups of tourists. Lan suggested that as a solution tourists can book rooms at new hotels which will offer favourable prices during their soft opening periods this summer.

Some 2,000 rooms at hotels and 1,500 rooms at resorts will be available to serve tourists this summer, said Lan.

Customers often book rooms at famous hotels which have been already operating for a long time, leading to those properties being over-booked and more expensive. I suggest that tourists can book rooms at new two-star hotels whose quality can be compared with old three-star hotels.

Binh Dinh Provinces tourism industry has been building special tours for older people, creating opportunities for elderly travelers to make friends with each other and relax.

The tour is designed especially for the old people with separate rooms at hotels and resorts to provide a relaxing time and tranquility, said Lan.

The customers will have the chance to enjoy food and meditate following the guidance of experts.

Quy Nhon is an attractive destination for both domestic and international tourists, especially those from Japan and France. In recent years, the average number of tourists coming to Quy Nhon has increased 20 per cent annually.
Ho Chi Minh City Police have started criminal proceedings in the case of the Carina Plaza apartment building fire in the citys District 8 which killed 13 people and injured nearly 100 on March 23.- Photo vietnamnet.vn

Detailed information on the upcoming criminal proceedings will be released at a press meeting to be held today by the HCM City Peoples Committee, according to Colonel Nguyen Sy Quang, chief of staff of the city police.

He said on Tuesday that the proceedings were in line with Article 313 of the 2015 Criminal Code that deal with violations of fire safety regulations.

At least 150 motorbikes and 13 cars parked in the basement where the fire originated were destroyed by the blaze.

Located at 1648 Vo Van Kiet street, Carina Plaza complex includes three buildings of 15-21 storeys each and a total of 736 apartments. It opened six years ago.

Quang said the investigation at the scene showed that a malfunctioning motorbike was the cause of the fire, and that arson had been ruled out as a possible cause.

The blaze started at 0:30 in the basement located between buildings A and B of the apartment complex.

The citys Fire Fighting Police Department sent 34 fire trucks and 200 firefighters to the site to control the blaze and rescue hundreds of people who were trapped inside. An hour after arriving, the fire was under control.

On March 26, a delegation from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, led by Deputy President Truonng Thi Ngoc Anh, visited injured residents at Cho Ray Hospital.

The delegation also visited the family of Tran Van An, a guard at Carina Plaza who died in the fire.

The Fatherland Fronts central committee plans to offer a total of VND200 million ($8,820) for families affected by the fire.
London ranks as the fourth most expensive in mainstream rents, at an average of 350 per week, some 90 per week cheaper than San Francisco, according to Savills.

Hong Kong, alongside London, is known for having one of the worlds highest capital values, ranks 9th in mainstream rents, at an average of 320 per week, though with the rental growth of 13.2 per cent last year, it could join the top five this year.

Paris continues to represent relative value on the world stage, with average rents a third cheaper than San Francisco. In the European context, it is 14 per cent cheaper than London and 12 per cent cheaper than Dublin.

Savills says high capital values do not guarantee high returns for world city investors

The top ten ranking by prime rental values looks very different. New York ranks most expensive, with an average of 2,300 per week, around five times the mainstream average, and almost 400 per week more expensive than the second place Tokyo. Like Tokyo, China does not feature on the mainstream list, but two citiesBeijing and Shenzhenappear on the prime listing. Amsterdam also made the prime list, having seen prime rents rise by almost a fifth over the past year.

Investors must understand that high residential rents cannot be justified on the basis of high capital values alone and that a given citys mainstream market can behave quite differently from its prime market.

San Franciscos story is one of increasingly high demand from tech-savvy millennials who continue to flock to the city against a market that struggles for stock because rent controls act as a deterrent to new landlords. Ironically, the controls that are advantageous for existing tenants actually contribute to rising rents for new tenants, Barnes added. Our analysis tells us, perhaps counter-intuitively, that the cities that are most expensive to buy in are not necessarily the most expensive to rent in."

In Hong Kong mainstream house prices are now around 1,070 per square foot, almost double the San Francisco average, but its mainstream rents are some 30 per cent cheaper, he said.

The story in Dublin, New York, and Los Angeles is also one of strong demand from a growing population and limited supply. In Dublin, a buoyant domestic economy and constrained sales market during 2017 drove mainstream rents up by 5.7per cent, making this the fifth most expensive city for the average mainstream market household rent. At 340 per week, rents are now 40 per cent above their 2011 low and, perhaps surprisingly, on par with average rent in London.

Investors and occupiers would do well to note the anomalies in the rental market, continued Barnes.

Some cities are investors markets seeing strong rental growth and high rents but relatively low capital values. Rental yields are high in these cities. Others provide low yields. This is good for tenants in cities such as Hong Kong, as they will likely pay less for rent than for a mortgage, but not so good for investors unless there is the prospect of capital growth.

Where yields are still relatively high, in Paris and Chicago for example, there is the prospect of further yield compression and consequent asset growth. Lower net yields in Sydney, Hong Kong, and London make capital growth less likely without rental growth.

Prime rentsa different order

New York tops the table for prime, or luxury, with rentals at 2,300 per week (over five times the mainstream rent). A raft of new supply in the prime segment has boosted the quality of prime rental markets in New York and so boosted rents overall, but concessions are increasingly offered to fill new buildings.

Tokyo, which does not appear at all in the top ten for mainstream rents, is the second most expensive global city for prime rents, at 1,940 per week. London and Hong Kong follow, at 1,700 and 1,690 per week, respectively, and are higher up the table for prime than mainstream. Savills expects Hong Kong to overtake London in 2018 as rents are rising there, but falling in London.

Amsterdam and Dubai also feature in the prime top ten, but not in the mainstream. This reflects demand for prestigious properties from global renters in these cities and the fact that a premium is being paid for relatively rare stock.

Amsterdams prime rents increased by 19.8 per cent in 2017, putting it fifth at 1,370 per week. A major and growing hub for the European headquarters of multi-national companies, rents have been driven up by relocating expats coupled with a shortage of stock.

Two Chinese cities feature in the top ten, Beijing and Shenzhen, with prime rents of 1,200 and 1,020 per week, respectively. They also attract global premium tenants (particularly as overseas residents are unable to buy) and prime stock remains relatively rare enough to command a premium.

Dubbed Chinas Silicon Valley, Shenzhens population has risen from 300,000 in 1980 to 12 million today. Expats together with a rising number of wealthy domestic tenants have been fuelling prime rental demand.
The authorities are removing hazardous electric wires from the basement of an old building

After the fire in Carina Plaza (District 8), Ho Chi Minh City authorities tightened inspections at all buildings to prevent another tragedy.

A family in Nguyen Thi Nghia residential building is living with fire-prevention equipment. Their belongings and parking vehicles are blocking the building's entrance

Doan Ngoc Hai, Deputy Chairman of District 1 People's Committee requested the authorities to remove plastic and fabric items of fire hazard from the ground floor of Nguyen Thi Nghia building

The narrow corridor is full of resident's' belongings

District 1's urban authorities are removing plastic and wooden items from the stairs in the Ly Tu Trong residential building

District 1 authorities fined and relocated an art gallery for occupying the Ly Tu Trong building's exit

A boy is playing with the fire hose cabinet at the residential building at 145 Nguyen Trai

A fire hose cabinet used as a garbage can

"The damaged fire equipment has not been repaired due to high costs, and the basement is clogged up with vehicles. People have many times tried calling the attention of the authorities to the issue, but it has not been resolved," said 51-year-old Tran Thi Nga, a resident of the building on Nguyen Trai Street.

A fire hose cabinet blocked by residents' belongings

40 damaged, expired or used fire extinguishers from the Bui Vien residential area

"Many people here do not want to replace expired and used fire extinguishers, even after the Carine Plaza fire. I tried convincing them many times to remove the old and damaged fire equipment," said a member of Bui Vien residential building's management board.

The announcement of a fire drill at the Bui Vien residential building's ground floor

On March 27, people in the Bui Vien residential building tested the fire alarms and discovered they did not work and had to hire repairmen. Since the afternoon, the fire alarm system in the building was fully operational.
French President Emmanuel Macron meets with Samsung Electronics president and chief strategy officer, Young Sohn, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, photo :POOL/AFP

The announcement was made by Samsung Electronics president and chief strategy officer, Young Sohn, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

At the same time, Japanese group Fujitsu also announced it would set up a European AI research centre in France, expanding the small research activities it already has in the country and transfering to it all of its researchers from elsewhere in Europe, Macron's office said.

Fujitsu's research centre would work in partnership with France's INRIA National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control.

Samsung's new AI centre would be the group's third-biggest in the world after two in South Korea and the United States and would eventually employ more than 100 researchers, the French president's office said.

It would be headed by Luc Julia, the French researcher who invented Apple's voice-activated assistant Siri, and who has since moved to Samsung.

Until now, Samsung has employed only around 15 researchers at a small centre in France.

The announcements by Samsung and Fujitsu come as France ratches up its ambitions to become a leading site for AI research.
Vietnam needs to address the growing demand for skilled workforce

For years, a shortfall of skilled workforce has remained a thorny issue for both domestic and FIEs in Vietnam. As shown in the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) 2017, only 31 per cent of nearly 1,800 FIEs are satisfied with the labour quality in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese workforce over the age of 15 is 53.5 million strong, but only 9.99 million people or 18.6 per cent are skilled workers, meaning unskilled workers make up 81.4 per cent of the countrys total workforce.

The local workforce also lacks many necessary skills, like problem solving, IT, especially foreign language skills, and adaptability. Moreover, the levels of innovation and creativity among skilled local employees are still low.

Looking at the competitiveness of businesses in Vietnam, it is easy to see how low quality workforce bridles the GDP growth rate. Every year, Vietnam's labour productivity increases by 3 per cent on average, while GDP expands at around 5 per cent.

According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam's labour productivity is even lower than Laos and Cambodia, and just one tenth of Singapore. In 2017, Vietnam's labour productivity was estimated at VND93.2 million ($4,159) per labourer. This figure is equal to 7 per cent of Singapore and 17.6 per cent of Malaysia. Singapore and Malaysia are also two member countries of the CPTPP.

As enterprises continue to expand business and investment activities in the country, demand for qualified manpower grows more significantly than ever. However, improving labour quality in a cost-saving and effective manner is a big concern.

At present, each Vietnamese firm spends around VND400,000 ($18.18) each year training an employee on average.

Meanwhile, Angeline Teo, director of dOz International (Singapore), said that businesses that are thought to be successful in human resources development must spend 8 per cent of their revenues on such purposes.

Vietnam is home to more than 500,000 enterprises, but over 90 per cent do not have their own internal training management system.

E-learning would be an optimal choice for businesses to improve their human resources quality and save on training costs.

According to experts, e-learning would be an optimal choice for businesses to improve their human resources quality and save on training costs.

In developed countries, businesses focus on the application of high-tech solutions in training. The Industry 4.0 has resulted in the rapid development of e-learning, while cloud computing technology helps save costs and proves more efficient than traditional training methods.

In Vietnam, technology solutions for e-training remain in the early stages of development with only a handful of suppliers.

One of the famous brands is Huong Viet Group, which has ten years of experience in technology solutions for education and training with CLS.vn (Cloud Learning System)the modules for training management based on a cloud system.

CLS-Cloud Learning System (cls.vn) has proved to be a reasonable solution for smaller businesses as it is very cost-effective and easy to use.

The interface of a Cloud Learning System-based training management system

It is estimated that with CLS businesses can reduce 75 per cent of training costs and save 95 per cent of training time and 100 per cent of housing and travelling costs for trainers and trainees, thus helping businesses increase operational efficiency by 2.5 times and triple labour productivity.

With a cheap cost (less than 10 per cent of foreign-developed technology solutions), CLS brings in an advanced internal training system for domestic and foreign-invested enterprises, with standards equal to those of developed markets. CLS is predicted to become the driving force of the e-learning market in Vietnam.

In globalisation and global integration, improving the quality of workforce is the key to increase competitiveness.

"In globalisation and global integration, improving the quality of workforce is the key to increase competitiveness," said Tran Van Ba, deputy director of Huong Viet Group.

Currently, CLS is being applied at 500 businesses throughout the country, ranging from distribution, retail, and services to education.

In the technology era, Vietnamese firms can only stand firm if they pay due attention to applying technology in human resources training. If they fail to make changes, they might fall behind or be gobbled up, leaving the playground for FIEs to benefit from the CPTPP.

According to a new World Bank report, the CPTPP will bring direct economic benefits to Vietnam. The CPTPP, along with other multilateral trade agreements, is expected to further boost investment in Vietnam through its export-driven growth model.

The World Bank estimated that the CPTPP would lead to an increase of 1.1 per cent in Vietnams GDP by 2030, which could rise to 3.5 per cent given a modest boost to productivity.

All income groups in Vietnam are expected to benefit from this new trade deal, and highly-skilled workers may reap the most benefits.

ManpowerGroup optimistic about the future of work in Vietnam Vietnams demand for highly-skilled workers has been growing steadily, buoyed by increasing foreign investment inflow.

Human resources management: core mindset of a billion-dollar enterprise By investing $300 million to build three new plants in 2013, Tan Hiep Phat Group now has a daily capacity of three million litres of ...

Vietnam faces severe shortage of IT manpower Vietnam is facing a severe shortage of information technology (IT) workers though there is a large number of universities and colleges teaching IT nationwide, heard ...
Nguyen Tuan Anh, CEO of Grab Vietnam, claimed that no business in the ride-sharing sector could offer discount programmes forever, which was among reasons customers grew fond of Uber

The acquisition between Grab and Uber raised quite a controvesy among riding service users, especially due to the threat of Grab monopolising the fast growing and highly profitable market in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.

Ride-sharing giant Uber conceded defeat to Grab in eight markets in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Nguyen Cong Hung, chairman of the Hanoi Taxi Association, stressed the high odds of Grab becoming the price-setter as well as having absolute power over the ride-hailing market.

Addressing concerns over the acquisition, Nguyen Tuan Anh, CEO of Grab Vietnam, claimed that, "Customers are naturally drawn to discounts and rewards, yet no business in the ride-sharing sector could offer discount programmes forever. Therefore, a business must do what every business needs to do in order to survive in the industry to remain sustainable and profitable in the long haul."

Along with the Vietnamese transportation market, the ride-sharing giant previously conceded defeat to Grab across regional markets, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Likewise, Uber's exit from Singapore will include passing on its Uber Eats application that it previously ran with Lazada to Grab. Accordingly, the food delivery services of Uber Eats will also be in the hands of Grab.

In 2016, Uber exit the fast-paced Chinese market to domestic rival Didi Chuxing, ending its $2-biillion competition which lasted for two years.

In 2017, the ride-hailing provider started its divestitures by ceding its operations in Russia and Denmark. Afterwards, Uber partnered with domestic e-commerce competitor Moscow-headquartered Yandex in a joint venture specialised in delivering Internet-related services and products.
USABC delegation meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday

In addition to successful co-operation in Vietnam in power generation and aviation, General Electric (GE)s president and CEO of the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) Wouter Van Wersch expressed the firms attention to Industry 4.0 and digitalising the economy.

Wersch emphasised: We hope Vietnam will soon move to digital invoices as when we do big projects, we need to work with hundreds of suppliers who request paper invoices. This may cause mistakes. Moving to digital invoices is a great opportunity.

Earlier in last May, Vietnamese firms and GE signed business deals worth $8 billion. The majority of the deals were for aircraft engines and the development of power generation capabilities, along with hospitality, science and technology, education, and energy. The deals are predicted to create more than 23,000 American jobs and help reduce the US trade deficit towards Vietnam, which stood at almost $32 billion in 2016.

In particular, GE and oil and gas giant PetroVietnam inked a framework for co-operation to develop two gas-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 1,500MW in the central province of Quang Nam, using about 830 million cu.m of gas from the Ca Voi Xanh (Blue Whale) gas field. Accordingly, GE will support PetroVietnam in finding the best technological solutions to ensure the effective use of input fuel and meet emission-related regulations.

Meanwhile, the Ca Voi Xanh (Blue Whale) field is operated by ExxonMobil Corporation, which is the largest US-based publicly traded international oil and gas company. This is the biggest and most complicated gas project in Vietnam, with reserves of 150 million cu.m, and is expected to contribute $24 billion to the state budget, which will open a new age for co-operation with ExxonMobil Corporation in Vietnam.

This project is very important and can change the balance of investment and trade between the two countries, as well as enable ExxonMobil to become the largest investor ever in Vietnam. It is being deployed and needs the help of the Vietnamese government to be launched in 2023 according to plan, noted the representative of ExxonMobil at the meeting between the US-ASEAN Business Council delegation and the Ministry of Planning and Investments Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) yesterday.

In addition, AES Corporation also completed the construction of Mong Duong 2 power plant in 2015, which has two units with a total gross capacity of 1,242MW and an investment of $2 billion. It makes a significant addition to the national power grid with more than 7.6 billion KWh of electricity annually.

In last May, AES committed to work with PetroVietnam Gas JSC (PV Gas) on the Son My liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal project in the south-central province of Binh Thuan. It plays a significant role in the Vietnamese energy industry by diversifying the gas sources.

With the support of the Vietnamese government, AES believed that Son My LNG will be put into operation soon to meet the growing demand for gas and electricity in Vietnam, along with more and more projects of this US investor in Vietnam.

According to FIA, the total US investment capital pouring into Vietnam is $10.4 billion, and there is over $4 billion of indirect investment through third parties, while Samsung in particular poured $17 billion into Vietnam in only five years.

"This shows that the local regulatory environment offers great incentives that US firms have yet to capitalise on. There is a lot of room to increase co-operation between the firms of the two countries, and it is high time for us to raise our potential," director general of FIA Do Nhat Hoang emphasised.

The US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) delegation to Vietnam this time includes 33 firms from various sectors such as GE, DOW, Qualcomm, UL, 3M, and Amazon. This is the strongest USABC delegation ever visiting an ASEAN country, a testament to the attention the US firms pay to Vietnam.
While agriculture and wholesale and retail trade have seen steady rises, manufacturing remains a the pillar of Vietnam's growth. (Photo: AFP/Hoang Dinh Nam)

The reading comes as the communist country is poised to expand its overseas markets after signing an 11-nation Asia-Pacific trade deal this month that replaces the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), scrapped by the US last year.

Observers said a spike in exports was a promising sign that Vietnam's market has not been dented by US President Donald Trump's protectionist agenda.

The 7.38 per cent GDP expansion in January-March was sharply up from the rate of just over five per cent seen in the same period last year, according to the Government Statistics Office, and well above the government's annual target of 6.7 per cent.

The figures are the best since a 7.40 per cent reading in the first quarter of 2008.

While agriculture and wholesale and retail trade saw steady rises year-on-year, manufacturing remained the pillar of growth, expanding more than 13 per cent, the GSO said.

Vietnam is a manufacturing hotspot in Asia especially for electronics, drawing industry heavyweights such as LG Electronics, Samsung and Canon with its cheap labour and open-door trade policies.

First-quarter growth sagged last year after Samsung - which accounts for about 25 per cent of Vietnam's overall exports - announced a massive recall of its Galaxy Note 7 phone over an exploding battery debacle.

But exports bounced back, topping more than $54 billion in the first quarter, a 22 per cent rise on-year, the GSO said.

Analyst Barry Weisblatt said exports remained robust in the face of Trump's "America First" clarion call.

"The US has historically been Vietnam's largest export market, so there were fears following the election that his policies would impact Vietnam's exports to the United States," Weisblatt, head of research at Viet Capital Securities, told AFP.

"While we are seeing strong growth in exports to China and the EU, the overall exports are not being damaged by Trump's policies so far," he added.

After the release of the figures, officials in Hanoi said strong growth at the end of 2017 helped to buoy first-quarter data, though Weisblatt said it was too soon to dramatically tweak annual forecasts.

"We may raise our full-year forecast slightly, but probably not a lot," he said.

The World Bank has set its 2018 forecast at 6.5 per cent while Viet Capital Securities is targeting 6.8 per cent.
Gibraltar to Participate at High-Profile Commonwealth Events in London

Gibraltar will be represented at a series of events around the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit which takes place in London next month.

The summit will run for five days from 16 to 20 April under the theme Towards a Common Future. It is expected to include many Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers from the member states of the Commonwealth.

The summit will open with three days of parallel forums on Business, Women, People and Youth which 2000 delegates from across the Commonwealth are expected to attend. These forums will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre and the Guildhall and will provide an opportunity for dialogue and discussion between different parts of the Commonwealth family as well as a platform for debate of the key themes and challenges. The four groups will come together at the end during a Joint-Forum day.

It is expected that Gibraltar will participate in all four groups. This participation has been put together through the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, who is coordinating relations with the Commonwealth, and the Gibraltar Office in London. It follows a meeting between Dr Garcia and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Baroness Scotland earlier this year and a further meeting with the UK Minister of State responsible for the Commonwealth Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon.

The Commonwealth Business Forum, which is organised by the Commonwealth Business and Investment Council, will provide a platform for discussion between Commonwealth Governments and business leaders. The Government of Gibraltar has become an Institutional Strategic Partner of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council as part of the preparations for the event, which will open the door to a network of connections within the organisation in order to promote business and investment opportunities. The Minister for Commerce Albert Isola along with the Finance Centre Director are planning to attend this event. There will be discussions on matters which are very relevant to Gibraltar like Developing the Digital Economy, Trade without Frontiers: Technology for Trade Facilitation, Financial Regulation, Fintech and Innovation in Financial Services and Cybersecurity.

The Minister for Housing and Equality Samantha Sacramento intends to participate in the Commonwealth Womens Forum. This will take place under the theme An empowered future for women and girls and will cover areas such as Women in leadership, Gender parity in Education, Ending violence against women and girls" and Women, peace and security. The organisers have said that the purpose of this forum is to affirm high-level support and direct top-level policies for gender equality and womens rights, for women to be given the opportunity to interact with leaders and for the Commonwealths commitments to gender equality to be positioned high on the agenda for Heads of Government. Minister Sacramento is on the British Islands and Mediterranean Region Steering Committee of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and also chairs a working group examining the role of the Parliaments of the region.

A Peoples Forum, involving civic society, will also be one of the events around the Heads of Government meeting. Given the civic society nature of the event, the Mayor of Gibraltar Mrs Kaiane Aldorino-Lopez is expected to attend this forum. There will be discussions on issues affecting civic society like migration, development, exclusion, taking on injustice, a call to action for civic voices and women negotiating peace. More than 350 delegates from all over the Commonwealth are expected to attend the Peoples Forum which the organisers have said brings a civic perspective to the debate under the central theme of Inclusive Governance: The Challenge for a Contemporary Commonwealth.

Two young Gibraltarians, Tammy Randall and Jared Peralta, have been nominated to attend the Commonwealth Youth Forum. They were selected from among those Gibraltarians who participated in the internship programme in Washington and who subsequently expressed an interest in further engagement in events of this nature. They will debate questions like Enhancing sustainability in the Commonwealth, The Future of Work-Skilling Tomorrows Economy and Inclusion  The future we want! Fairness, Equality and Justice for all. The theme of the 2018 Youth Forum is Powering our common future and the aim is to illustrate the potential of young people to devise solutions to complex global challenges and their ability to make recommendations to the Heads of Government meeting.

Commenting on the event, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia said:

This represents the single most powerful engagement of this kind that Gibraltar has ever had with the Commonwealth at different levels. It follows on from the policy of the Government to increase our interaction with the Commonwealth as we prepare to leave the European Union. The event will open as the Commonwealth Games, in which Gibraltar is also represented, come to a close. It has taken considerable hard work and coordination on the part of my office and Gibraltar House in London to draw the different strands together and I am very grateful to all those who have assisted. The presence of Gibraltarians in the Business, Womens, Peoples and Youth Forums will allow the Gibraltar perspective to emerge in the discussions. There are some areas where Gibraltar has a positive story to well and where we are world leaders. There are other areas where we can learn from the experiences of different countries and seek to adapt their solutions locally. This engagement with the Commonwealth can only be a positive and constructive experience.
Ministerial Statement One Year Before Brexit

"My dear fellow Gibraltarians, At midnight tonight we will be exactly one year from leaving the European Union. We will leave with the United Kingdom. We will leave despite the overwhelming choice we made in the referendum to remain in the EU."

"Because we all know that our deep relationship with the UK is stronger and more important to all of us than our membership of the EU.

That is why tonight I want to focus in particular on some important aspects of what the next 12 months will hold.

I want to address issues related to the transition period that will likely run until December 2020.

And I want to look at the excellent progress we have made on matters that required agreement between us and the United Kingdom.

Finally, I will also address the multilateral European negotiations which the British Prime Minister is leading.

In fact, as you know, since the UKs Article 50 Notice was delivered to Brussels exactly a year ago, the Government has been working to secure Gibraltars position.

Of course, last year all of us felt disappointed and let down by the adoption of the EU guidelines which purported to give the Spanish Government a say on the application of post-BREXIT agreements to Gibraltar.

Since last year it has also become clear that the United Kingdom has maintained the position that Gibraltar will be included in any agreements it may enter into with the EU.

That is what Gibraltar expects and that is what we have been working to ensure.

We have built a relationship of trust with Theresa May and her team.

But it is also true that Gibraltar has been let down in the past by the United Kingdom.

That is why we must remain eagled eyed to ensure that we are not let down over the issues that now arise.

But it is equally true that the Deputy Chief Minster and I have found UK ministers genuinely supportive of Gibraltar and our circumstances.

They have understood our reasoning on how best to protect Gibraltars position through BREXIT.

Because, consistently from September 2016, I set out in detail our position in various statements in evidence to the House of Commons, to the House of Lords and to the European Parliament.

In broad terms, this involved three strands of action.

Firstly, we worked towards - and have now delivered - the maintenance and enhancement of our trading relationship with the UK in services.

Secondly, with regard to the EU, we are working towards a solution that delivers continued frontier fluidity, maintains our trade in goods and allows us to, at least, form part of the eventual UK-EU Agreement in relation to services.

Indeed, the Spanish Foreign Minister, Snr Dastis, has made clear himself that he also is seeking a solution which maintains frontier fluidity, signifying publicly that there is already clear agreement between us in this respect.

Detailed agreement is now required on the best mechanism to deliver that common objective.

This is hugely important not just to cross frontier workers, but also to us Gibraltarians, to tourists and to citizens generally.

And it matters not just in commercial terms, but in human terms also.

Thirdly, once Brexit occurs in full, we have sought to form part of the new international trade agreements that the UK will enter into with third countries.

This is now also agreed by the United Kingdom.

But the strategy we embarked upon has not been stagnant.

It has evolved as the difficulties and opportunities of BREXIT have developed over these past twelve months.

Most importantly, I believe that we are entirely on track to deliver exactly the arrangements we set out to achieve.

With the United Kingdom we have now agreed key fundamentals.

We have secured the continuation of our current trade arrangements with the UK.

These will be enhanced also in some areas, not least in online gaming and insurance.

In these areas, cooperation on regulatory outcomes with the UK will be closer and more aligned in future in a way that will be mutually beneficial.

The principle of our continued access to the UK market after Brexit is therefore established and accepted.

Mechanisms to facilitate this market access are in place already until the end of the transition period.

And work has already commenced on the updated mechanisms to be put in place thereafter. This was an objective we could achieve directly with the UK.

And importantly, this will protect 90% of our business in financial services and our most important market in online gaming.

This is better than excellent progress at this stage in the process of leaving the EU.

Indeed, as things stand, online gaming operators in other EU jurisdictions do not have any guarantee, certainty or clarity of what access they will have into the UK market in services after Brexit.

Specifically, the UK has provided assurances that gambling operators based in Gibraltar will continue to access the UK market after we leave the EU in the same way as they do now.

This is an important advantage for Gibraltar as no other EU jurisdiction at all can boast such a clear and unequivocal statement of continued market access post BREXIT.

Additionally, we have also reached and announced agreements with the UK Government on other issues which are of importance to us like health and education.

These achievements and the benefits they bring cannot be underestimated.

THEY ARE THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION BLOCKS FOR OUR FUTURE, STRENGTHENED, COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UK.

ADDITIONALLY, THEY SECURE THE STABILITY OF OUR ECONOMY.

And these are the realisation of the Governments objectives for phase 1 of the Brexit negotiations.

The second phase of our strategy must address our future relationship with the EU.

An essential part of that is our inclusion as part of the UKs agreements on Withdrawal and Transition.

Just this Monday in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister specifically confirmed this as part of her statement on the March meeting of the European Council:

[We have also been working closely with the Government of Gibraltar to ensure that Gibraltar is covered by our EU negotiations on withdrawal, the Implementation Period and future relationship.

I am pleased that the draft Agreement published jointly last week correctly applies to Gibraltar, but we will continue to engage closely with the Government of Gibraltar and our European partners to resolve the particular challenges our EU withdrawal poses for Gibraltar and for Spain.]

We are therefore entirely confident that the Withdrawal Agreement must and will fully apply to Gibraltar.

We are entirely confident that the mechanisms for orderly withdrawal and continued market access will fully cover Gibraltar.

We are entirely confident that we will enjoy continued access to the EU Single Market until at least the end of the transition period.

And as we prepare to leave the European Union, we will also seek to establish new lines of cooperation with the EU and, in particular, with the neighbouring Member State, Spain.

But lets be clear:

We will do this despite Clause 24 of the EU guidelines, not because of it.

We will continue to offer to build good neighbourly relations and deliver regional prosperity, not because we feel threatened, but because that is our nature.

And we will continue to seek to construct new synergies for the future and avoid unnecessary confrontation because it has always been our approach.

Gibraltar has never sought any other type of relationship with our neighbour, although we have too often been rebuffed.

Of course, this is not an easy time to achieve such an objective.

But perhaps the difficulties that Brexit could create for ordinary people on both sides of the frontier will finally concentrate the minds of politicians whose rhetoric has come from far from this frontier.

Perhaps this moment may be a watershed, at last.

I can tell you that we are working hard to seek solutions rather than headlines.

You will have heard statements from Spanish ministers setting out the things they are seeking to address in this period.

They have referred to a list of historic irritants and to seeking to agree future arrangements in respect of the use of our airport.

We, similarly, have a list of historic issues that have long been irritants for the people of Gibraltar that we will seek to have conclusively addressed.

One of these is also, for us, the future arrangements that might be agreed by us for the exploitation of our 84m airport built pursuant to an agreement with Spain, as well as the ability to access the EU Single Sky even after we leave the EU.

Additionally our removal from Spanish financial services blacklists and better traffic flows at the frontier are amongst the matters we also want to see fairly addressed.

Conversely, you will also have heard repeated statements from Spanish ministers setting out that sovereignty is not a matter they are seeking to raise in Brexit discussions.

We will all welcome that; although we will be sceptical and alert to ensure that remains the position.

We have long been clear in setting out that we will only discuss the sovereignty of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom Government.

So these parameters may yet enable us to work within our established and immovable red lines to find common ground with all relevant parties in this multilateral process of withdrawing from the EU.

Achieving success will not be easy.

It will be difficult.

But it is equally something that we have an obligation to try to do.

I would say more if I could about the structure and the detail of the discussions we are engaged in.

I am unable to do so for now without endangering the real opportunities for progress that we have identified.

This is not out of a desire not to be totally open with you.

It is only out of a desire to allow all relevant parties the political space to progress discussions and build confidence amongst interlocutors.

I understand that you will all want to know more about these seminally important matters.

I CANNOT say more now.

However, as you know, we have fully briefed Cabinet Ministers and elected Opposition members. But, rest assured: I will say more as soon as I am able to do so.

But this is the time that we Gibraltarians must stick together.

Because we are all in it together.

Whatever our respective party political affiliations, we are all in it together.

And you have entrusted us with the administration of our nations affairs.

Rest assured that we are working assiduously to carve out a future for all of us which is grounded in protection of our exclusively, EXCLUSIVELY, British sovereignty, jurisdiction and control.

I will never countenance any compromise in that respect.

No one in my Government will countenance any compromise in that respect.

None of you will countenance any compromise in that respect.

Rest assured that these are our fundamentals.

These are not things with which we will barter or trade.

And rest assured also that we will NOT tolerate the return to a bilateral process of talks between the UK and Spain about Gibraltar.

So do not for one moment allow yourselves to believe that we would agree or consent to anything which is contrary to our fundamentals.

Because we will protect our nations interests at every turn.

And so, 365 days from midnight, together with the United Kingdom, we will bid farewell to membership of the European Union.

Together as a nation, we will look forward to our future in the British family of nations and as part of the Commonwealth.

Together as a community we will reluctantly lower the European flag.

And we will approach these challenges with all the Gibraltarian grit and conviction of the generations that defended our nation before us.

Those who turned those challenges into opportunities and laid  with their effort, courage and determination - the foundations of our nation.

From the evacuation to the first referendum.

From the closure of the frontier to the rejection of joint sovereignty.

Because we were shaped as much by those challenges, as we have been by the blessings we enjoy in our homeland.

So, for all of the generations that endured the challenges of the past; For all of the future generations of Gibraltarian women and men;

For our children today;

And their children tomorrow,

We will work to deliver solutions that preserve all that is dear to us, especially our undiluted, exclusively British Sovereignty.

Let no one doubt that.

Finally, thank you for trusting me and my team to lead Gibraltar through these complex and difficult moments in our collective history as a people.

We will not let you down.

Let me end by wishing a happy Easter break or Passover feast. Thank you for listening."
Gibraltar Youth Service Caring for our Community

Members from the Gibraltar Youth Service were at the forefront of leading the Care for our Community Campaign over the weekend.

The event was organised by the Gibraltar Youth Service and supported by the Royal Gibraltar Police, the Care Agency, the Department of Education and various local wholesalers and businesses. As a direct result of agencies and businesses working together, those present were able to demonstrate the generous and positive community spirit in Gibraltar.

This initiative has quadrupled over the last two years with a record number of 70 food hampers distributed. Everyone came together on the day to prepare and deliver the healthy food hampers to the vulnerable and elderly members in our community.

A highlight in the lead up to the event was seeing the number of pupils from various schools proactively participating alongside the Gibraltar Youth Service members in not only donating food but also designing Easter cards for the elderly, many of who live alone.

The Youth Service wishes to thank all those who gave up their time voluntarily and took time off their busy schedules to assist before and during the event.
Minister for Environment & Climate Change and CEO of Department of the Environment in London

The Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, the Hon John Cortes has chaired a working session of the Gibraltar-UK Brexit Environment Working Group at Gibraltar House where a large number of matters were discussed with officials from DEFRA and the FCO.

In the evening, the Minister and Dr Liesl Torres were guests at an event at the British Museum of Natural History hosted by Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove to promote the protection of the oceans. The event was addressed by the Secretary of State as well as by Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive of Sky who are leading on Ocean protection through their Sky Ocean Rescue initiative.

Minister Cortes took the opportunity to talk to Sir David Attenborough, with whom he had worked in Gibraltar on the Life of Birds TV series. Sir David recalled the visit fondly and showed great interest in progress being made in environmental protection in Gibraltar. The Minister also met up with an old University friend, Mark Rose, who is now CEO of Fauna and Flora International.

In conversation with both Michael Gove and Under Secretary of State Dr Therese Coffey, the Minister took the opportunity of briefly updating them with current environmental work in Gibraltar and plans to introduce further initiatives in particular, in the context of the event, on protection of the sea and reducing the use of plastic.
Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness month and is being marked by the Government in various ways. A number of initiatives will be implemented from this Friday to raise awareness of autism, as well as to provide support to families of people who are on the autism spectrum.

The Ministry of Equality, together with clinical colleagues at the GHA and Care Agency and other Government departments, including the Department of Education, work on strategy development on autism and of course other learning disabilities throughout the year.

To mark Autism Awareness Month, the Ministry of Equality have organised an information seminar on parental strategies to manage behaviour as part of its Understanding Autism series of lectures. This is the first in a series of seminars and workshops aimed at supporting parents. Further training for professionals is planned to take place later this year.

As part of its Equality Means Business strategy, one of the partnerships with the private sector that the Ministry for Equality has been further developing is its collaboration with Leisure Cinemas. In addition to the provision of inclusive equipment for the hearing and visually impaired, Leisure Cinemas have launched a programme of sensory screenings to accommodate people on the autism spectrum.

Finally, the Moorish Castle will be lit with the puzzle piece symbol for Autism from Friday 31st March through to World Autism Day on the 2nd April.

Minister for Equality, the Hon Samantha Sacramento MP, said I am absolutely delighted with all the progress that we are making on policy and strategy development on disability equality. Autism strategies are an important part of this. I am very fortunate to work closely with a team of professionals who are committed to developing policies and strategies to promote inclusion of people with disabilities.

In addition, and in large measure as a result of our awareness-raising campaigns and the range of information training that we are providing, these developments are being embraced by the private sector. A number of local organisations and businesses already stand out for their commitment to being progressive and being inclusive towards people with disabilities, whether learning disabilities or physical."
Ben Affleck. Photo: SplashNews

Remember the time when Ben Affleck tried to deflect interest in his cartoonishly large, phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes back tattoo because people kept ridiculing him for it? Ah, fun memories. We were more than happy to investigate the psychology behind Afflecks ink fib when the tattoo once again made an appearance earlier this month after a long hiatus, as was The New Yorker, which published a far more critical piece on the actor titled The Great Sadness of Ben Affleck. The sentiments were  not very kind. At all:

But in the wake of the split from Garner, a recalibration appeared to be taking place. Affleck was older, suddenly flailing; and his enormous, garish tattoowhether real or notwas the least of it  Affleck has been photographed more than once by the paparazzi, looking despondent. The resulting pictures have become reliable meme-fodder.

But no, Affleck doesnt want to become reliable meme-fodder any longer, you meanies! Im doing just fine, he tweeted to The New Yorker Thursday morning, breaking a months-long period of silence on the platform. Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos.

@NewYorker Im doing just fine. Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos.  Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) March 29, 2018

This is definitely going to stop the whole meme thing.
Photo: Getty Images

When Miguel Blanchett Almodovar  sorry, Michael  first appears in NBCs newest sitcom Champions, everything he supposedly knew about his family implodes. See, Michael and his single mother (Mindy Kaling!) travel to New York City to settle him into a prestigious performing-arts school, only to discover that the prearranged housing arrangements are no longer possible due to a pesky, uh, Jared-from-Subway situation with the dean. Insert the dude-bro father and delightfully dim uncle he never knew he had, and all of a sudden this gay Indian teenager is navigating his new life in Brooklyn. Earlier this week, Vulture called up the spirited 16-year-old actor who plays Michael, J. J. Totah, to chat about working with Kaling, onscreen diversity, and goofing around with his TV family.

Has the Ohio tourism board offered you an all-expenses paid trip to Cleveland yet? You bash the city so much on the show, Im afraid they may soon go into damage control mode.

Well, who knows. I think its safe to say that Middle America and Ohio isnt really watching our show. Wed love them to. We love everyone! But I dont know if a lot of people from Ohio would watch the show. I think theyre watching The Middle or something, which is a great show.

Hey, at least NBC is a free channel.

Thats true, they dont have to pay extra. You know what they say about Ohioans and paying. [Laughs.] If they offered us a trip, Id be glad to take it. Id love to see my roots. Also, thanks for saying you love the show, we really appreciate it.

I just need to make sure you all get a second season.

Personally go to NBC yourself and scream at them.

Do you remember what your first meeting with Mindy was like?

I only had one audition, and that was a chemistry read between me and Mindy. I was completely enamored and starstruck by how wonderful she is. Shes a goddess and a legend in comedy. Insanely talented. I was definitely like, all right, I need to ease my way in like Im meeting the queen. But as soon as I walked in, she was so nice and warm and welcoming, and we immediately started having so much fun together.

Did you two get to bond outside the constraints of the NBC studio lot?

You know, unbeknownst to me and everyone else at the time, Mindy was pregnant. And once I finally saw her as a pregnant individual I knew that. She had her baby, so I couldnt really hop into the hospital room and chill with her while she was giving birth. I have to say, I did ask, though. [Laughs.] She was so involved, even though she wasnt physically there some of the time. Again  she gave birth to a child, a human being, which is a lot of work! So, the bonding happened on set. We had those days where we had a ton of scenes together and we had so much fun. We really clicked immediately, and feel wed been friends for ten years at that point.

What do you think Mindy understands about crafting such witty, diverse sitcoms that other TV creators dont seem to grasp as well?

Mindy comes from a background that has been underrepresented on television and film across the board for a really long time, and shes been a trailblazer as far as someone going out there and creating content with people from different backgrounds. I dont know why shes so amazing, but she is. She can relate to not seeing herself on television, and she doesnt want anyone else wants to feel that way. Thats why shes now doing Champions, and why we talk about people who are gay and Indian. Getting to play a role that hasnt been played is such an honor. Im happy to be a part of this new generation where people dont care where you come from, what your orientation is, or what your identity is. They just accept you for you. There are funny gay people and there are funny Indian people, and thats why we watch TV, to laugh. It only makes sense to include all types of funny people, whether or not theyre gay or straight or what have you. Im blessed to be part of a show thats paving a way that will hopefully pave the way for other shows.

How exactly was Michael described in the script when you auditioned, and how much of your own personality were you able to inject when you actually got the role?

Michael was described as a tour de force  as this kid whos overzealous and unapologetically, unabashedly gay and Indian. He loves the world and he loves theater and wants to be Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl and do all of these Broadway things. Im a pretty fearless person. Im afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But Im not afraid to go in front of someone and twerk on them. Michael has that piece of me, especially with being fearless, and I made sure to make that shine through with the character. We do see him being insecure, which is important, because everyones insecure. But you always see Michael being 100 percent himself.

Does this naturally fearless personality of yours encourage you to go off-script every now and then?

I will say that Mindy and Charlie created a phenomenal show. They hired an insane group of writers to write such tight dialogue. Its not like there isnt breathing room for improvisation, but its just not necessary because the writers are already giving us so much. We do add in a lot of stuff, though, and try to pitch it, whether or not it makes it in. Ders [Anders Holm], Andy [Favreau], and I always like to try to get the last line in the scenes. We have little wars on set for who gets the last line. The writers are accepting, they take our opinions very seriously, and they want to work with us. But its hard to interrupt such awesome writing.

Your character has such an encyclopedic knowledge of not only the theater world, but pop culture as a whole. Do some of those references go over your head? Even I have to rewind at times.

Um, yes. Considering the fact Im 16 years old and still a child. [Laughs.] I remember at the table read for one of the first episodes, there was a cheeky line about Moulin Rouge! And I instinctively called it Mulan Rogue. It was so awkward because the writers were so excited for that line and I wasnt quite prepared and was like, Oh yeah, Mulan Rogue! A classic! In my head I was thinking about Mulan going rogue. Im constantly educated like that. A lot of the time at table reads when I say something wrong, Ders will call me out and whisper to me and be like, You totally messed that up, kid.

That said, do you ever have opportunities to consult with the writers about dialogue choices, to give it a bona fide youthful touch?

Yes and no. Although Im fairly young, a lot of the writers are pretty young, too. Theyre in their late 20s and early 30s. Its not like a bunch of 50-year-old men are writing jokes for teenagers. But, honestly, theres so much current culture stuff Im totally unfamiliar with  mostly because I stick myself in my room and binge-watch Black Mirror and dont pay attention to pop culture a lot of the time.

Please tell me Anders and Andy are just as lovingly paternal offscreen as they are in this fictional Champions world.

They do not beat me in-between takes. Anymore, at least. Very exciting. It happened for the first couple of weeks, but Mindy talked to him and was like, Guys, you cant really beat him, we cant have him bruised on set while were filming. In all seriousness, theyre the kindest people. I consider them my brothers now. We have so much fun on our set messing around. Especially with Ders, hes not coming from a conventional sitcom with Workaholics, he literally did whatever he wanted. Hes a cool dude who does what he wants, and that inspires me.

Vulture has spoken with former Disney and Nickelodeon stars before, and theres been a generally divided consensus about what it was like to be a child actor on those networks. When you look back at your Disney experience, are your memories mostly positive ones?

Yeah, they are. Although I pretty much know at least everyone who was on a show, I dont consider myself one of the Disney stars. I never really had my own show, although Ive been close with the network for awhile. I cant speak for anyone else but myself, but I had a great time. Its not like I was forced to do a show every single day at that young of an age, but I understand how that can be difficult. I still went to school and I had many weeks off during those days. So, good memories!

This interview has been edited and condensed.
Photo: Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Judge Steven ONeill, the judge in the case against Bill Cosby, says he will not step down despite the defenses best efforts to paint him as biased against the 80-year-old comedian.

During the latest pretrial hearing at the Montgomery County Courthouse just outside of Philadelphia today, ONeill  the judge who also presided over the first trial against Cosby that ended in a hung jury last June  denied the defense teams accusation that hes biased because his wife works with victims of sexual assault. The judge told the defense that to suggest his wifes work would somehow influence his rulings is faulty, plain and simple.

Cosbys team has been making a few last-ditch efforts to postpone the trial. Cosbys charged with three counts of felony sexual assault for allegations that he drugged and assaulted a former Temple University employee in his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

The defense team, lead by high-powered L.A.-based attorney Tom Mesereau, has been dealt several blows this month. Not only will five accusers be allowed to testify when the new trial gets started next week, but former supermodel Janice Dickinson will be among witnesses called by the prosecution to attempt to establish a pattern of sexual abuse by the once beloved TV dad.

Dickinson, whos being represented by high-profile attorney Lisa Bloom (daughter of famous attorney Gloria Allred who represents several other Cosbys accusers) is suing Cosby in civil court over defamation in L.A. Dickinson alleges that after she came forward with allegations that the comedian drugged and raped her in Lake Tahoe in the early 1980s, Cosby slandered her in the press by calling her a liar.

Regardless of what happens in the criminal trial in Philly, Cosby will also face a second civil trial in California this summer. Allreds client Judy Huth has accused Cosby of raping her at the Playboy Mansion in 1974. The case is expected to get a lot of attention because Huth is the only woman who has come forward accusing Cosby of raping her while she was underage  she says she was just 16 when the incident is alleged to have occurred.

For now, the next step is jury selection. Unless Cosbys lawyers appeal the judges decision to not step down to the State Supreme Court, jury selection is expected to begin Monday morning  and opening arguments could come as early as next week.
Photo: Getty Images

Former model Janice Dickinson will be among the five women testifying against Bill Cosby during his trial next week. The 80-year-old stands accused of three felony counts of sexual assault. Dickinson, who is suing Cosby over defamation in a civil trial in California, will share her accusations that the now-80-year-old drugged and raped her in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in 1982.

Lisa Bloom, Dickinsons attorney, said that her client has been waiting for decades to have her say against Cosby in a criminal court.

The Pennsylvania Appeals Court has denied the defense teams attempt to overturn Judge Steven ONeills decision to allow five prior bad act witnesses in Cosbys much-anticipated felony sexual-assault trial in Philadelphia. Cosby has been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee, in his suburban Philly home in 2004. The first trial ended in a hung jury in June of 2017.

All week during pretrial hearings, Cosbys defense team has been pressuring Judge ONeill to step down from the case, citing bias because his wife works with sexual-assault victims at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The defense has been delaying the case and likely will continue to do so today, the final day of pretrial hearings at the courthouse. Its expected that ONeill will make his decision about whether he will or will not step down as early as today.

Cosby has pleaded not guilty to charges and remains free on bail.
Griffin. Photo: Amanda Edwards/WireImage

Move over, Kate McKinnon and your witchy, fried hair. Theres a new Kellyanne Conway impersonator in town. Kathy Griffin will be impersonating Trumps right-hand adviser for Comedy Centrals Make America Great-a-Thon: A President Show Special, a satirical series that stars Anthony Atamanuik as our countrys president. The big, huge special will follow our fictional Trump as he tries to raise money for all of the projects he cant get anyone in Congress to fund. The show is one of the many huge, huge specials The President Show is promising in the next few months. Griffins Conway is only confirmed for the April 3 program, but if you cross your fingers and chant very stable genius a few times, maybe shell appear again.
Adnan Syed. Photo: Karl Merton Ferron/TNS via Getty Images

More than three years after Adnan Syed became a nationwide person of interest due to his alleged involvement in the murder of his former girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, hes been officially granted a new trial. CBS News reports that a Maryland appeals court declared Syeds attorney to be ineffective counsel during his original trial because the attorney didnt cross-examine Asia McClain, a key witness. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the judgement of the circuit court, but do so by concluding that Syeds Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel was violated by the trial counsels failure to investigate [Asia] McClain as a potential alibi witness, official court documents read. Accordingly, we remand the case for a new trial. The court concluded that if McClain were properly cross-examined at the time, it would have then directly contradicted the States theory of when Syed had the opportunity and did murder Hae.

The opinion is 138 pages. The court has ordered a new trial for #AdnanSyed, saying his original attorney was ineffective in not investigating potential alibi witness @AsiaRChapman https://t.co/AXwztLuERd pic.twitter.com/RPmRDamU9W  Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) March 29, 2018

In 2000, Syed was convicted for the murder of Lee and for burying her body in a Baltimore park. At a press conference that followed the courts decision, Justin Brown, his new lawyer, thanked Serial for being enormously helpful in making the new trial possible. Serial kind of shook the trees and that enabled us to get in contact with Asia McClain and bring her to Baltimore for the post-conviction hearing two years ago, Brown said, according to the New York Times. Serial has also helped build this groundswell of support for us and for Adnan and for the case, and that has fueled these efforts and helped us to fight on as we have. Brown also stated how Syed asked him to convey his deep gratitude and thanks from the bottom of his heart to all those who have supported him and believed in him.

This post has been reflected to include comments from Syeds press conference.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

When Cynthia Nixon announced recently that shes running for New York governor, one small local contingency seemed like a sure vote for the actor and activist: the former cast of Sex and the City. Sure enough, Kristin Davis (a.k.a. Charlotte York), gave the candidate her seal of approval, as did Nixons former on-screen husband David Eigenberg (you know him as Steve). But, according to Page Six, Miranda Hobbess best friend on the show might not be willing to give her full endorsement, at least not yet.

Cynthia has been my friend and colleague since we were little girls, Sarah Jessica Parker told Page Six through a representative. I look forward to talking to her about her New York State gubernatorial bid.

Though the statement certainly didnt rule out a possible vote from SJP in the Democratic primary, it wasnt exactly the same full-throated support other co-stars offered. Lynn Cohen, who played Mirandas baby nanny in the series told the Cut, Shes an amazing person, and shes been talking about the schools and the children and I wish we had more people like that who are interested in the government. Eigenberg concurred, saying, Shes incredibly smart and caring, diplomatic and brave.
The Americans Dead Hand Season 6 Episode 1 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * *  Previous Next Photo: Eric Liebowitz/FX/FX Networks.

In 1961, three months after the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, professor Stanley Milgram started work on a controversial obedience study in a school-hall basement at Yale University. The Milgram experiment involved three people: The experimenter in charge of the session and two volunteers, a teacher and a learner. Both the teacher and the learner were told that they were participating in a memory study, focusing on the effect punishment might have on a subjects ability to memorize content.

The true focus of the experiment is the teacher, whos asked by the experimenter to deliver shocks for wrong answers, with the shocks increasing in 15-volt increments. In reality, no actual shocks were delivered at all, but the learner acted as if they were, issuing yelps of pain that could be heard from the other room. The point of the experiment was to see how far up the dial the teachers would go when prodded by the experimenter. The results were disturbing: In Milgrams first set of experiments, a whopping 65 percent of teachers delivered the maximum 450-volt shock, and every one of them delivered shocks of at least 300 volts. As a species, Milgrams study suggested, were inclined to obey orders, rather than our conscience.

Peter Gabriels We Do What Were Told (Milgrams 37), from his 1986 album So, refers to Milgrams Experiment 18, in which 37 of the 40 participants were prepared to deliver maximum voltage. In Dead Hand, an astonishingly good season opener, Gabriels song kicks in when Elizabeth meets with General Kovtun from Strategic Rocket Forces in the back of a cantina in Mexico City. Because theyre both speaking subtitled Russian, the song can be played unusually high in the mix without missing the substance of whats being said. Kovtun asks Elizabeth to monitor a Gorbachev-aligned emissary to see if the man plans to make a critical concession in the upcoming summit between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Kovtun is concerned that a system called Dead Hand, which issues an automated retaliatory strike against the U.S. if Soviet leadership is decapitated, will be offered as a bargaining chip if Reagans administration kills its Star Wars missile-defense program. The kicker: Elizabeth cant tell anyone about the mission, including her husband.

The use of Gabriels song over Elizabeths Mexico trip is not even subtext. When we hear the chorus, we do as were told repeated, thats text. Yet theres complexity to that sentiment. On one level, Elizabeth has been a loyal foot soldier in the Cold War  surely more loyal than Philip, whose tortured misgivings about the job have been thoroughly documented. The Center gives her an assignment, and she follows through on that assignment. Shed had to live with tragic mistakes, like killing an innocent lab assistant last season over a supposed plot to sabotage Russian wheat fields. But those could be written off as mistakes, collateral damage in the larger  and ultimately just  mission of disrupting the enemy.

Yet The Americans has never written Elizabeth off as a mere conformist. She has to wrestle with difficult choices all the time  on behalf of the mission, on behalf of her husband, on behalf of the children, on behalf of herself  and she isnt the type to obey thoughtlessly, even if being obedient comes with the terrain. To an extent, Elizabeths investment in the job becomes its own affirmation of what the job entails: If she ever has to admit to herself that the cause is unjust, then the bodies that have accumulated and the abuses shes suffered will have been for worse than naught. And thats to say nothing of Paige, whos now part of the next generation of naturalized spies.

But as Dead Hand lays out so effectively, the era of Gorbachev and glasnost has arrived and, with it, a sharp division in the ranks over where Russia might be headed. After spending last season in Moscow, dodging threats on all sides over his collaboration with Stan, Oleg is lured back to the states by Arkady, now the deputy chief of Directorate S, who spells out the political stakes clearly. Arkady notes a division between Gorbachev and higher-ups in the KGB, who reject his push for reforms and arms negotiations with the United States. Oleg is told that Gorbachev doesnt have the power to get rid of his KGB adversaries and that hes needed to stop the agencys plans to sabotage the summit. Arkady mentions someone outside the organization is meeting with an illegal, whom we know to be Elizabeth. Arkady wants Oleg to contact the illegals husband, whos understood to be different, and convince him to spy on his own wife. And just like that, the stage is set for the final season.

At the end of season five, when Philip and Elizabeth talk about retirement, she insists that she cant bear to see how miserable the job has made him and he insists right back that she needs him. Nothing is said in the remarkable pre-credits montage that opens this episode, but its immediately clear that the dissolution of their working relationship has, to paraphrase the Crowded House song thats played over the sequence, built a wall between them. Philip is running a spruced-up D.C. travel agency and cruising around in a brand-new Lincoln Continental with the sunroof open; Elizabeth is showering off after bedding some miserable old man for the state. They cant share secrets anymore and they cant share burdens, either, like they did when they were both in the trenches. Their marriage would be in trouble even if Oleg decided to stay in Moscow.

Philip is line-dancing. Elizabeth is clutching a necklace with a cyanide pill inside. They are no longer on the same page.

Hammers and Sickles

 The song selection on The Americans has always been excellent, but Dead Hand is a standout. The shows willingness to allow full songs to play over montage sequences  like Elton Johns Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in last seasons finale and Crowded Houses Dont Dream Its Over here  is not only effective, but true to 80s music videos, which often laid songs over short stories. Its no easy feat to find contemporaneous (or close enough) songs that sync up to the action on screen, but this weeks quartet of Crowded House, Peter Gabriel, Fleetwood Macs Gold Dust Woman, and Talking Heads Listening Wind get the job done.

 Elizabeths brutal dispatching of the Naval security man who questioned Paige is an early indicator that mom will still keep ugly secrets from her daughter, even if shes ostensibly on the inside.

 And how about Philip line-dancing? Hell surely get pulled back into the world hes managed to escape, but after five seasons of weight-of-the-world misery bearing down on him, it was exhilarating to see him scooting around in cowboy boots with a big dumb smile on his face.
Photo: Netflix

Chapman and Maclain Ways six-plus-hour Netflix docuseries Wild Wild Country  chronicling the Rajneesh communes controversial and criminal efforts to overtake a rural Oregon town  is nothing if not exhaustive. But as anyone with an internet connection knows, theres always more to the story. Before you start scouring the web for everything to know about Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (a.k.a. Osho), Ma Anand Sheela, and the sannyasins five-decade saga of dynamic meditation and sordid international intrigue, here are the eight biggest questions that Wild Wild Country didnt answer. (Plus, a handy bibliography of recommended reading and viewing if youd like to dive into the investigation yourself.)

How did Bhagwan become a guru?

Wild Wild Country is far more interested in how one mystic can inspire multitudes than what creates a single persons mystique. But if youre curious about Bhagwans biography and how he successfully strung along generations of devotees during his life and postmortem, heres some insight: He was, according to one uncle, headstrong and prone to devouring library books. Further Oregonian reporting circa 1985 (see further reading bibliography below) clarifies that he was raised in rural poverty by, alternately, his grandparents and parents, and more or less grew to be both an expert in Eastern religions and know-it-all doubter. In 1953, while attending college, he professed to have had a moment of ultimate enlightenment that dovetailed with his burgeoning interest in meditation and hypnosis, as well as his knack for public speaking. Ostensibly, a guru was born by the time he was 21. One former acquaintance told Oregonians Les Zaitz that Bhagwan (then known as Rajneesh) knew what the rich people want. They want to justify their guilty consciences, to justify their guilty acts. Fast-forward to the late 1960s  when he would encounter Sheela and start planting seeds for Puna and eventually Rajneeshpuram  and Bhagwan was more or less a traveling spiritual salesperson promoting a lifestyle that was as much submissive as sinful. Better yet, it was largely funded by donations from Western businessmen seeking an approachable slice of flower power and psychedelia. It was the perfect storm from which Bhagwans image as lord of the hedonistic manor took unshakable hold.

What, exactly, was Bhagwans free-love philosophy?

In archival footage from Wild Wild Country, longtime Rajneesh spokesperson Ma Prem Sunshine (a.k.a. Sunny V. Massad) coyly suggested that there simply was no single set of rules. Though in a post-Rajneeshpuram interview with Australian journalist Howard Sattler, Bhagwan (by then known as Osho) made it crystal-clear that his philosophy on monogamy and sex was rooted in, apparently, teen angst. Im against marriage from the very beginning, he explained. My parents were in difficulty, my family was in difficulty, but I told them clearly I am not going to be married. He goes on to describe a neurotic society populated by couples having duty-filled sex. In a separate lecture to his followers, Osho presents free love as a way to abolish the worlds oldest and most scandalized profession, preaching that, if sex becomes fun, prostitutes will disappear. He urges sannyasins to leave sex out of the marketplace and suggests that love to be your only god and we all be playful and joyous in the sack. That these ideals are apparently only possible when sannyasins evade less optional institutions like taxation and live within an outlier sovereign state paradoxically symbolized by its conformity goes undiscussed.

What about the children of Rajneeshpuram?

We learn a bit about Jane Storks abandoned and then grievously ill son Peter in Wild Wild Country, and other kids are caught on film or discussed in fleeting retrospect. But what was it like to be raised against your will in Rajneeshpuram or any out-there commune? Ask Hira Bluestone, who recently shared an account of spending ages 7 to 11 alongside her dad under Bhagwans sway, and is penning a memoir on the experience. Bluestone recalls working the land more than hitting the books, and getting lectured by Stork (a.k.a. Shanti B.) for avoiding her obligations. Though when they did read, it was fare like this terrifying tale of a girl deteriorating from the effects of radiation in Hiroshima, seemingly to comfort them as they counted down to nuclear holocaust. Movie night struck a similar tone. More distressingly, there were unconfirmed allegations of children being sexually abused on the compound. An incredible photo set by Jean-Pierre Laffont illuminates how, at minimum, Rajneeshpuram was like a surreal sleepaway camp that lasted for nearly half a decade.

Were Sheela, Bhagwan, and Jane the only ones convicted?

No. Longtime Rajneeshpuram mayor Krishna Deva (a.k.a. David Berry Knapp) didnt get off scot-free for flipping on his pals. He was slapped with a two-year prison sentence for immigration fraud by an unsympathetic judge who ignored U.S. Attorney Charles Turners pleading that Knapp merely serve probation. (Youll recall that Turner was also the target of a foiled Rajneeshee murder plot, as depicted in Wild Wild Country.) Meanwhile, another of Bhagwans secretaries, Ma Anand Puja (a.k.a. Diane Yvonne Onang), spent more than three years behind bars in the U.S. and abroad for her part in purportedly poisoning salad-bar diners. Others who received sentences ranging from probation to several years in jail stemming from their participation in everything from coordinating sham marriages and illegally wiretapping their own people to attempted murder included Rajneeshees Ma Prem Padma (a.k.a. Suzanne Pelletier), Ma Yoga Vidya (a.k.a. Ann Phyllis McCarthy), Ma Anand Su (a.k.a. Susan Hagan), Dhyan Yoginia (a.k.a. Alma Peralta), Swami Anugiten (a.k.a. Richard Kevin Langford), and Ma Prem Samadhi (a.k.a. Carol Matthews).

Where did Bhagwan get all that Rolls-Royce money?

As explained above, Bhagwan benefited financially from his wealthy followers blind faith. But they werent the only ones carrying the load. Upon swallowing Antelope, Oregon, Rajneeshpuram raised original town residents property taxes. Other Rajneesh cash-flow machinations included mail-order merch with all sorts of goods, books, and apparel bearing Bhagwans likeness, while the crux of his communes riches came from two main veins: the aforementioned member and supporter contributions (totaling as much as $10 million annually, in addition to exponentially larger sums just from the Rajneeshpuram residents, according to one report), and old-fashioned debt (which Bhagwan laid blame for at Sheelas feet). As one sannyasin has said, Most of us gave whatever we had. Also, that groovy disco on the ranchs premises? A cool $50 cover charge to dynamically dance the night away.

Was the Ashram in Poona film really that nuts?

Sannyasin sympathizer Wolfgang Dobrowolnys fly-on-wall documentary about Bhagwans 1970s Indian ashram, which left the townspeople of Antelope in shock and awe, is even crazier than Wild Wild Countrys compiled clips connote. The documentarys scenes of graphic sexual sordidness and paganlike ritual would be difficult for even the average modern hedonist to sit through. (This footage is neither safe for work nor recommended for sensitive viewers.) Bhagwan probably relished the prospect of his Oregonian adversaries going pale bearing witness to his flocks behavior. But objectively, anyone not under his sway would be by turns skeptical and appalled.

Did Bhagwan have a will?

Depends on whom you ask. Wild Wild Country didnt delve into the minutiae of postmortem infighting over the gurus estate, but there is enough drama in the fallout to merit a sequel. To sum up, Bhagwans alleged will first materialized in 2013, bequeathing all of his property to a Swiss trust overseen by Osho International Foundation board members, including Bhagwans former attorney Philip Toelkes (a.k.a. Swami Prem Niran) and Dr. John Andrews (a.k.a. Swami Amrito, ne Dr. George Meredith). But rival Osho preservationists from the Osho Friends Foundation cried foul and forgery. In 2014, a Swiss court agreed, suspending the offending board members and voided their entrusted privileges. Two years later, an Indian court asked that the contested will be sent over from Europe to facilitate possible prosecution. However, prosecution back at Pune stalled, so petitioners from Friends Foundation pushed to get agents at Indias Central Bureau of Investigation involved. As of this January, they were still pushing back against Pune police and International Foundation resistance, and the matter remains unresolved.

What did Rajneeshees do in their pre-Bhagwan lives?

We know Sheela was indoctrinated as a teenager, and that Jane and Philip were among the many escaping humdrum lives as housewives or overworked attorneys. And then there were the trendy Hollywood weirdos and homeless men and women exploited for their numbers at the voting booth. But there were less spotlighted individuals like Rajneeshpuram municipal judge Prem Homa (a.k.a. Michele Therese Mannel), who ditched her career as a New Jersey music teacher to bask beside Bhagwan. Or Bhagwan bodyguard Swami Shimavurti, who was an osteopath based in Britain (and later produced his own Rajneesh tell-all). By and large, though, early Western Rajneeshees were highly educated and had money to burn. One 1985 survey of defectors revealed that one-fifth of its participants held masters degrees. Nowadays, spiritual and professional wanderlust have overlapped. Consequently, Oshos standing ashrams might attract, for example, freelance graphic designers  which will at least come in handy setting up websites to sell all that sweet Osho swag.

Further reading and viewing

 Ashram in Poona

 The Oregonians 1985 investigative series

 Dont Kill Him: The Story of My Life With Bhagwan Rajneesh by Ma Anand Sheela

 Breaking the Spell: My Life As a Rajneeshee, and the Long Road Back to Freedom by Jane Stork

 On the Edge: Living With an Enlightened Master by Yoga Punya

 Oregon Experience: Rajneeshpuram (PBS, 2012)

 Escape From Rajneeshpuram by Paul Morantz

 The Rajneesh Chronicles: The True Story of the Cult That Unleashed the First Act of Bioterrorism on U.S. Soil by Win McCormack

 Charisma and Control in Rajneeshpuram: The Role of Shared Values in the Creation of a Community by Lewis F. Carter

 The People vs. the Cult: Rajneeshees in Wasco County (Portland State University, 2017)
Here's a look at the life of Hillary Clinton, 2016 Democratic nominee for President. The first woman in American history to be nominated by a major party, Clinton is also a former secretary of state.

Personal:

Birth date: October 26, 1947

Arkansas Elections and campaigns International relations North America Political platforms and issues Politics Southeastern United States State departments and diplomatic services United States US Congress US Department of State US Presidential elections US Senate Law and legal system 2016 Presidential election Political candidates Primaries and caucuses Chelsea Clinton Government and public administration Government bodies and offices International relations and national security Political Figures - US US Federal elections US federal government National security Business and industry sectors Health care Fast Facts Business, economy and trade Hillary Clinton email scandal Females (demographic group) Population and demographics Society Federal Bureau of Investigation James Comey US Department of Justice US federal departments and agencies Health insurance Insurance Investigations Russia meddling investigation US Democratic Party US political parties Eastern Europe Europe Russia Africa Benghazi Benghazi Consulate attack Libya Middle East and North Africa Northern Africa Continents and regions Demographic groups Elections (by type) Government organizations - US Heads of government Political organizations The Americas

Birth place: Chicago, Illinois

Birth name: Hillary Diane Rodham

Father: Hugh Rodham, a businessman

Mother: Dorothy (Howell) Rodham

Marriage: Bill Clinton (October 11, 1975-present)

Children: Chelsea

Education: Wellesley College, B.A., 1969; Yale University Law School, J.D., 1973

Religion: Methodist

Other Facts:

Hillary and Bill Clinton met in the Yale Law Library in the early 1970s.

The first former First Lady to be elected to the US Senate and to hold a federal cabinet-level position.

Timeline:

1964 - Works on the presidential campaign of Republican candidate Barry Goldwater.

1968 - Switches to the Democratic Party and campaigns for Eugene McCarthy.

1970 - Works as a summer intern for civil rights lawyer Marian Wright Edelman.

1973-1974 - Works as an attorney for the Children's Defense Fund.

January 1974 - Begins working for John Doar, the special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, who oversees the inquiry into the possible impeachment of President Richard Nixon.

August 1974 - Moves to Arkansas to teach at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

1974-1977 - Director of Legal Aid Clinic at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

1974-1977 and 1979-1980 - Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

1976-1992 - Attorney at Rose Law Firm, Little Rock, Arkansas. Is named partner in 1979.

1978 - President Jimmy Carter appoints Clinton to the board of directors of the Legal Services Corp., an organization that provides federal funds to legal-aid bureaus throughout the United States.

1978 - Bill Clinton is elected governor of Arkansas. Hillary Clinton continues to work at Rose Law Firm, making her the first First Lady of Arkansas to continue working while her husband is governor.

1979 - Governor Clinton appoints her chairperson of the Rural Health Advisory Committee, whose members deal with the issue of providing health care in isolated areas.

1979 - The Whitewater Development Corp. is formed by the Clintons and James and Susan McDougal.

1980 - Governor Clinton loses the 1980 gubernatorial election. He returns to office in 1982, and is re-elected in 1984, 1986 and 1990.

1983 - Governor Clinton appoints his wife to head the Arkansas Education Standards Committee.

1988 and 1991 - Hillary Clinton is named one of the 100 most influential US lawyers by the National Law Journal.

1992 - Bill Clinton is elected president.

January 1993 - The president names Clinton to lead the Task Force on National Health Care Reform.

September 28, 1993 - Testifies before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of President Clinton's health care package. The health care reform bill is later defeated by Congress.

February 6, 2000 - Announces her candidacy for the US Senate.

May 16, 2000 - Accepts the nomination of the New York State Democratic Party for the US Senate.

September 20, 2000 - Independent counsel Robert Ray announces that the evidence found in the Whitewater case is insufficient to prove that the Clintons knowingly participated in any criminal conduct.

November 7, 2000 - Is elected to the US Senate with 56% of the vote.

February 13, 2001 - Makes her first address on the floor of the Senate.

June 9, 2003 - Releases her memoir, "Living History." The book sells over 200,000 copies on its first day of release.

November 7, 2006 - Clinton is re-elected for a second term.

January 20, 2007 - Announces she is creating an exploratory committee for the 2008 presidential race.

January 8, 2008 - Wins the New Hampshire Democratic primary with 39% of the vote.

June 7, 2008 - Suspends her presidential campaign and endorses Barack Obama.

August 27, 2008 - Clinton is formally nominated as a candidate for president at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. She receives 341 votes before interrupting the roll call to ask that Obama be nominated by acclamation.

January 21, 2009 - Is confirmed as secretary of state.

October 15, 2012 - During an interview with CNN, Clinton takes responsibility for the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. She claims as head of the State Department the security of more than 60,000 people in 275 posts is her responsibility.

December 15, 2012 - Sustains a concussion after becoming dehydrated and fainting.

December 30, 2012 - Is hospitalized after doctors discover a blood clot during a follow-up exam related to the concussion. Doctors announce on December 31 that the clot is located in between Clinton's brain and skull, but they are confident she will make a full recovery.

January 2, 2013 - Is released from the hospital.

January 23, 2013 - Secretary Clinton testifies for more than five hours before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

February 1, 2013 - Resigns as secretary of state.

March 18, 2013 - Clinton announces that she supports marriage rights for same-sex couples. In the 2008 presidential primaries she supported civil unions and partner benefits, but not same-sex marriage.

March 2, 2015 - The New York Times reports that Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as secretary of state. The account, fed through its own server, raises security and preservation concerns. The House committee investigating the attack on the US consulate in Libya discovered the personal account when the Department of State -- through Clinton -- provided those emails to the committee.

March 10, 2015 - During a press conference, Clinton says she used a private domain for her official work during her time at the State Department out of "convenience," but admits in retrospect "it would have been better" to use multiple emails.

April 12, 2015 - Clinton officially announces a second bid for the White House. The initial word comes in an email to supporters from John Podesta, a longtime Clinton ally, then a video launched on YouTube and a newly minted Facebook page. Shortly after declaring her candidacy for president, she resigns from the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation's board of directors, according to foundation officials.

August 11, 2015 - Clinton's spokesman announces that she will turn over her private email server and a flash drive to Justice Department officials, as an ongoing probe into the handling of classified information continues. Inspector General I. Charles McCullough III notifies Congress that two of Clinton's emails contained top secret materials.

October 22, 2015 - Clinton testifies for 11 hours before the congressional panel investigating the attacks on a US mission in Benghazi, Libya, that led to the deaths of four Americans.

May 25, 2016 - A State Department Inspector General report states that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to follow the rules or inform key department staff regarding her use of a private email server, according to a copy of the report obtained by CNN.

June 6, 2016 - According to CNN's delegate and superdelegate count, Clinton has clinched the Democratic presidential nomination and will become the first woman in the history of the United States to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party.

July 5, 2016 - FBI Director James Comey states that he would not recommend charges against Clinton for her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state. However, Comey does note that Clinton and her aides were "extremely careless" handling classified information.

July 6, 2016 - US Attorney General Loretta Lynch makes it official that Clinton will not be charged for her use of a personal email server during her tenure as secretary of state.

July 22, 2016 - Names US Senator Tim Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate.

July 26, 2016 - Officially becomes the Democratic Party nominee for President.

October 28, 2016 - In a letter to Congress, FBI Director Comey says the FBI is reviewing new emails related to Clinton's time as secretary of state, according to a letter sent to eight congressional committee chairmen. The emails are discovered as part of an investigation into Anthony Weiner and were sent or received by Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

November 6, 2016 - Based on a review of the newly discovered emails, FBI Director Comey tells lawmakers that the agency has not changed its opinion that Clinton should not face criminal charges.

November 8, 2016 - Loses her bid to become the first woman president of the United States.

September 12, 2017 - Releases her third memoir, "What Happened," which explores the events of the 2016 presidential election. She reflects on the FBI investigation into her private email server, Russian meddling, and fellow candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, as well as her marriage to Bill Clinton.

March 27, 2018 - The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia dismisses a wrongful death lawsuit against Clinton brought by the parents of two of the Americans killed in the Benghazi terror attack. The parents claimed that Islamic terrorists intercepted information from messages Clinton had sent using a private email server, which they then used to orchestrate and execute the attack, resulting in the death of their sons.
A Killen business was heavily damaged by a fire late Wednesday morning.

Firefighters with the Killen Volunteer Fire Department said they were called to the 72 Quick Stop Convenience Store around 11:30 a.m. The Florence Fire Department and volunteer firefighters from Mid Lauderdale, Center Star, and Greenhill also responded.

No one was injured. Firefighters said they believe the fire started in the kitchen. Officials tell us they were worried about the gas pumps and propane tanks when they arrived on scene.

"There are so many threats and so many possible things that could go wrong. Our minds were going a million miles a minute with what we could be doing or encountering once we get there, so it's a pretty scary situation for everyone involved," said Lt. Justin Gallien, with the Killen Volunteer Fire Department.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama lawmakers moved to end the legislative session without a final vote on a bill to collect data on race and traffic stops.

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said Thursday the bill would not get a vote on what will be the last day of the session.

African-American lawmakers named the bill a priority. It stalled in the House after being unanimously approved by the Senate.

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, the Democratic bill's sponsor, said he was insulted that McCutcheon told the media the bill was dead for the session, but didn't tell him. Smitherman said all he wanted was a vote.

The Alabama Senate on Thursday passed the education budget and then voted to end the session.

While the Senate adjourned through the session, House members continued to meet through mid-morning.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Most students are experiencing daily "jet lag" because of school and university starting times and it is significantly impacting their grades and increasing their risk of suicide and depression, prompting a renewed call for school starts to be delayed.

Only 40 per cent of students have body clocks that match their academic schedule, while nearly half of all students experience at least 30 minutes of "social jet lag" because they start their day earlier than they naturally would and 10 per cent start their day later, found a study of nearly 15,000 students at Northeastern Illinois University, which was published in Nature on Friday.

While being an early bird or late riser mostly comes down to genetics, the study found that all students across different age groups perform worse in the mornings and improve throughout the day.

Scarlet Smithies, 17, agrees that she is more awake and productive later in the day. Credit:Louise Kennerley

This improvement is greatest for early birds, while late risers continue to perform relatively worse than other students even in the afternoons and evenings.
Mandalay, Myanmar: A longtime loyalist to Myanmar's civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been chosen to be the country's new president, a largely ceremonial role in which he is expected to be the official conduit for her authority.

Win Myint, newly elected president of Myanmar, left, and the country's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi leave the Parliament on Wednesday. Credit:AP

Win Myint will succeed Htin Kyaw, 71, who resigned last week after two years on the job. Htin Kyaw was widely regarded as an honest but powerless functionary who did the bidding of Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate who has been condemned globally for her acquiescence to the military's violence against Rohingya Muslims.

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Win Myint, a 66-year-old lawyer, is expected to perform in a similar fashion. As president, he will be constrained by both the military-drafted constitution and the strong hand of Suu Kyi.
Citizens may have heard a rumor going around town that the Kimball Public Library could be moved into the Kimball Event Center, but such is not the case.

According to Rosa-Ellen Williams, President of the Kimball Public Library Board of Trustees, during the Dec. 10, 2017 board meeting, several interested parties heard a presentation by Christy Warner and Jim Cederberg on the matter.

Following the presentation the board appointed two members, Randal Gunn and Kenneth Mars, to meet again with Cederberg and Warner, to attempt to learn more and discuss the practicality of such a move.

A second meeting was held on Jan. 31 at the Kimball Event Center, where Gunn, Mars, Kimball County Commissioner Tim Nolting, Kimball Public Library Director Jan Sears, Warner, Cederberg and Henry Heeg were present. It was determined early in the meeting that moving the Kimball Library is not currently a feasible option as such a move would leave the current library building empty.

Those present saw no need to continue with the process of obtaining estimated costs and benefits or drafting a timeline. They did continue to discuss how the Event Center might become a more viable entity within the community.

During the regular Kimball Public Library Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 12, Gunn and Sears gave a brief summary of what the previous months meeting contained. After hearing their report, the board agreed the possibility of moving to the Event Center to not be a viable option, and the matter then closed.

According to the letter from Williams, the board restated the commitment to work with the Kimball City Council and the Kimball County Board of Commissioners in order to be an active partner in the on-going welfare and vitality of our community.

We are not only committed to maintaining the services offered by the library, but to be a positive, active asset that furthers the interests of everyone in our area, the letter stated.

While the Library isnt moving at this time or in the near future, the information provided in the annual report for October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017 showed great strength to the small town library.

The report stated that the Kimball Public Library is open 1,950 hours per year, 37.5 hours per week with the exception of holidays. Currently there are 27,286 items in inventory for public use.

The library received a $1,000 grant in 2016 for a library intern, and Nathaniel Mars took that position, through the Nebraska Library Commission and the Laura Bush Library Funding.

The Kimball Public Library continues to provide services to all age groups in the community and surrounding area. According to the report during the statistical period of October 2015 through September 2016.

Their meeting rooms for public use were used 261 times, as for childrens programs, there were 83 programs for children with 1512 children attending. Young adult programs consisted of 30 programs with 134 in attendance, and adult programs included 12 with 405 attending.

Computers for public use were used 1735 times, this includes use for employment opportunities, communication, financial, tax access, and more. Wireless internet access to travelers, new residents, adults taking college courses, and a multitude of purposes, was used 409 times. The fax machine was used 234 times and that income showed $721.

The local library logged 10,307 visits in that time, which includes computer stats, 10,889 physical items checked out and 1805 eBooks on Nebraska Overdrive.

Activities at the library include; a weekly Wednesday pre-school story time with 10-16 children attending. Club Next, the after school program that is Monday afternoons with 10-16 children attending, currently they are learning about companion pets with biology information. In the next session they will be diving more into STEM material. This program is in partnership with UNL Extension staff. Also on the schedule is the Adult Brown Bag Book Club. They meet monthly on the second Tuesday at noon, attendance is normally 5-6 adults.

The Library Board hosted the third annual 5K fun adding a biking segment, and hosted two painting classes during the year as well.

The Friends of the Kimball Library continue to support the library through some fun fundraising events like the Wine and Dessert tasting, and the Mystery Dinner Theater and have also added a Jigsaw Puzzle Contest.

Make sure to keep track of all the different things the Kimball Public Library has to offer all age groups.
One dead after shooting on Louisville highway
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 29, 2018 | 11:34 AM | GRAVES COUNTY, KY

Three people were arrested Thursday on felony theft charges.

According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, around 5:30 am, deputies were dispatched to Ridgeland Road, south of Mayfield, for suspicious activity. A caller reported seeing a white car in the area with three people inside. The caller said the three were going into people's yards and carrying items back to their vehicle.

Deputies found and stopped the vehicle and saw several of the stolen items in plain view. Police determined the three suspects had stolen more than $1,000 worth of items from several vehicles in the area.

Thirty-three-year-old George Wedge, 42-year-old Chasity Finney, of Mayfield, and 31-year-old Amber Stoltenburg, of Paducah, were arrested and lodged in the Graves County Jail on theft by unlawful taking charges. Wedge was also charged with DUI 2nd offense and driving on a DUI-suspended license.

Deputies said several of the items were identified by victims and their items were returned to them.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 29, 2018 | 04:41 PM | BARDWELL, KY

A Ballard County man faces drug charges following a meth bust in Carlisle County earlier this week.

The Carlisle County Sheriff's Office executed multiple search warrants at the Garland Manor Apartments in Bardwell early Tuesday morning, which led to five methamphetamine arrests. During that operation, two police K-9s were used to conduct free air searches of several vehicles on the property.

According to deputies, both K-9s alerted on a vehicle operated by Luke Hannan of Wickliffe. Deputies searched the vehicle and found various amounts of opiate drugs.

A Carlisle County arrest warrant was filed and issued for Hannan. He was located and arrested Thursday by Ballard County Sheriff's deputies in Wickliffe.



Hannan is charged with felony possession of controlled substance and possession of controlled substance not in the proper container. He was lodged in the Ballard County Jail.
By: Paige Cline The hills are still green for the most part, but a little[Read More]
To answer your question W-U, it's called the "biege dictatorship". Basically we've entered a political failure mode that we probably won't be able to vote ourselves out of.Political failure modes and the beige dictatorshipBy Charlie StrossRandom meta-political noodling here ...For a while I've had the unwelcome feeling that we're living under occupation by Martian invaders. (Not just here in the UK, but everyone, everywhere on the planet.) Something has gone wrong with our political processes, on a global scale. But what? It's obviously subtle  we haven't been on the receiving end of a bunch of jack-booted fascists or their communist equivalents organizing putsches. But we've somehow slid into a developed-world global-scale quasi-police state, with drone strikes and extraordinary rendition and unquestioned but insane austerity policies being rammed down our throats, government services being outsourced, peaceful protesters being pepper-sprayed, tased, or even killed, police spying on political dissidents becoming normal, and so on. What's happening?Here's a hypothesis: Representative democracy is what's happening. Unfortunately, democracy is broken. There's a hidden failure mode, we've landed in it, and we probably won't be able to vote ourselves out of it.Representative democratic government is theoretically supposed to deliver certain benefits:Firstly, it legitimizes principled, peaceful opposition within the constitutional framework; we have multiple parties, and the party in power doesn't simply round up the opposition and have them thrown in a GULAG. They concede that the opposition may disagree with the party in power on precisely how the state must operate, but agree that it should operate: the difference is a civilized argument over details, not a knife-fight with totalitarian enemies.Secondly, it provides for an organized, peaceful succession mechanism. When a governing faction becomes unpopular, it can be voted out of office, and will go peacefully, knowing that eventually their successors will become unpopular in turn, and there'll be another chance to take a bite of the apple. (Totalitarian governments tend to hang on until people start shooting at them, with a variety results we've recently had a refresher course in  Libya, Syria, Egypt, Iran.)But. But.What if the channels through which concerned people of goodwill who want to make things better enter the political process and run for election are fundamentally flawed?Our representative systems almost all run on a party system; even pure PR systems like that of Israel rely on a party list. (I could take out Israeli citizenship and run for the Knesset, but I'd be running as "the Charlie Stross Party", not as myself: if I was a runaway success I'd need to find some extra representatives to tag along on my coat-tails.) Parties are bureaucratic institutions with the usual power dynamic of self-preservation, as per Michels's iron law of oligarchy: the purpose of the organization is to (a) continue to exist, and (b) to gain and hold power. We can see this in Scotland with the SNP (Scottish National Party)  originally founded with the goal of obtaining independence for Scotland and then disbanding, the disbanding bit is now nowhere to be seen in their constitution.Per Michels, political parties have an unspoken survival drive. And they act as filters on the pool of available candidates. You can't easily run for election  especially at national level  unless you get a party's support, with the activists and election agents and assistance and funding that goes with it. (Or you can, but you then have to build your own machinery.) Existing incumbent representatives have an incentive to weed out potential candidates who are loose cannons and might jeopardize their ability to win re-election and maintain a career. Parties therefore tend to be self-stabilizing.A secondary issue is that professionals will cream amateurs in any competition held on a level playing field. And this is true of politics as much as any other field of human competition. The US House of Representatives is overwhelmingly dominated by folks with law degrees (and this is not wholly inappropriate, given they're in the job of making laws). The UK's Parliament is slightly less narrowly circumscribed, but nevertheless there's a career path right to the top in British politics, and it's visible in all the main parties: you go to a private school then Oxford or Cambridge, participate in student politics (if you're on the left) or debating societies (if you're on the right), take a post as researcher or assistant for an MP or (less commonly) run for a local council office, then run for parliament. There are plenty of people in every democratic constitutional system who have never held a job outside of politics  and why should they? Such a diversion would be a waste of time and energy if your goal is to make a difference on the national stage.The emergence of a class of political apparatchik in our democracies is almost inevitable. I was particularly struck by this at the CREATe conference, which was launched by a cookie-cutter junior minister from Westminster: aged 33, worked in politics since leaving university, married to another MP, clearly focused on a political career path. She was a liberal democrat, but from her demeanour, speech, and behaviour there was nothing to distinguish her from a conservative, labour, or other front-rank party MP. The senior minister from Holyrood was a little bit less plasticky, slightly more authentic  he had a Glaswegian accent! And was a member of the SNP!  but he was still one of a kind: a neatly-coiffured representative of the administrative senior management class, who could have passed for a CEO or senior bank manager.So, here's my hypothesis:Institutional survival pressure within organizations  namely political parties  causes them to systematically ignore or repel candidates for political office who are disinclined to support the status quo or who don't conform to the dominant paradigm in the practice of politics.The status quo has emerged by consensus between politicians of opposite parties, who have converged on a set of policies that they deem least likely to lose them an election  whether by generating media hostility, corporate/business sector hostility, or by provoking public hostility. In other words, the status quo isn't an explicit ideology, it's the combined set of policies that were historically least likely to rock the boat (for such boat-rocking is evaluated in Bayesian terms  "did this policy get some poor bastard kicked in the nuts at the last election? If so, it's off the table").The news cycle is dominated by large media organizations and the interests of the corporate sector. While moral panics serve a useful function in alienating or enraging the public against a representative or party who have become inconveniently uncooperative, for the most part a climate of apathetic disengagement is preferred  why get involved when trustworthy, reassuringly beige nobodies can do a safe job of looking after us?The range of choices available at the democratic buffet table have therefore narrowed until they're indistinguishable. ("You can have Chicken Kiev, Chicken Chasseur, or Chicken Korma." "But I'm vegan!") Indeed, we have about as much choice as citizens in any one-party state used to have.Protests against the range of choices available have become conflated with protests against the constitutional framework, i.e. dissent has been perceived as subversion/treason.Occasionally cultural shifts take place: over decades, they sometimes reach a level of popular consensus that, when not opposed by corporate stakeholders, leads to actual change. Marriage equality is a fundamentally socially conservative issue, but reflects the long-term reduction in prejudice against non-heteronormative groups. Nobody (except moral entrepreneurs attempting to build a platform among various reactionary religious institutions) stands to lose money or status by permitting it, so it gets the nod. Decriminalization of drug use, on the other hand, would be catastrophic for the budget of policing organizations and the prison-industrial complex: it might be popular in some circles, but the people who count the money won't let it pass without a fight.Overall, the nature of the problem seems to be that our representative democratic institutions have been captured by meta-institutions that implement the iron law of oligarchy by systematically reducing the risk of change. They have done so by converging on a common set of policies that do not serve the public interest, but minimize the risk of the parties losing the corporate funding they require in order to achieve re-election. And in so doing, they have broken the "peaceful succession when enough people get pissed off" mechanism that prevents revolutions. If we're lucky, emergent radical parties will break the gridlock (here in the UK that would be the SNP in Scotland, possibly UKIP in England: in the USA it might be the new party that emerges if the rupture between the Republican realists like Karl Rove and the Tea Party radicals finally goes nuclear), but within a political generation (two election terms) it'll be back to oligarchy as usual.So the future isn't a boot stamping on a human face, forever. It's a person in a beige business outfit advocating beige policies that nobody wants (but nobody can quite articulate a coherent alternative to) with a false mandate obtained by performing rituals of representative democracy that offer as much actual choice as a Stalinist one-party state. And resistance is futile, because if you succeed in overthrowing the beige dictatorship, you will become that which you opposed.Thoughts?
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As Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping toasted each other in Beijing this week, no one doubted either man's dominance at home.

Xi has just been anointed President for life, and Kim was born a dictator-in-waiting.

When President Donald Trump meets with "Little Rocket Man" in the coming weeks, the domestic power ratios will not be the same.

Trump is an elected leader at the head of a tumultuous administration in a divided nation. He is a catalyst for change -- but not necessarily master of the outcome.

Xi and Kim at least know they alone run the agenda at home. Even so, their meeting was no coming together of equals.

Even their toast hinted at the imbalance: Xi clasping a large glass of red wine and Kim a slender flute of white. It served the impression that Xi is the grown-up in the relationship, while Kim is an errant, spoiled child.

What propelled them together, however, was not the need for a drink, but Trump's threat to visit military havoc on Kim, shake his confidence and winkle him out of his reclusiveness for a face-to-face meeting.

Xi, who views Trump's diplomacy in Korea as meddling in his backyard, seems to have followed Trump's lead and got his own one-on-one ahead of the US President.

Had Trump not raised the "fire and fury" specter of a pre-emptive strike on Pyongyang, Kim might not have been tempted out of his "Hermit Kingdom."

In Beijing at Xi's side, Kim talked about "denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula -- a first and a necessary tick in the box for Trump if he is to meet Kim.

But just because Trump precipitated this chain of events, it doesn't mean he controls where it is going. He lacks the latitude enjoyed by Xi and Kim at home and falls short of their diplomatic know-how -- especially in the region.

Xi has already shown his acumen by getting ahead of Trump and hosting Kim before the US leader's own North Korean t-te---t-te. And Kim has played a smart card not biting China's outstretched hand that helps keep his country afloat.

Kim knows he has to live with Xi -- likely for longer than he'll need to withstand Trump's invective and the uncertainty of where it leads.

But Trump may not be on as short a leash as Kim or Xi imagines. In recent weeks, he has been stripping out what he considers the weaklings in his administration and replacing them with hawks.

With John Bolton -- national security adviser -- and Mike Pompeo -- readying to take over at the State Department -- Trump gets enablers capable of amplifying his bellicosity, bolstering the credibility of military threats.

What every seasoned North Korea watcher is wondering now is how long Trump's style over substance -- moderately successful sanctions notwithstanding -- will work.

Kim's grandfather agreed to a denuclearization deal with President Bill Clinton in 1994, allowing for "the full normalization of political and economic relations with the United States."

Subsequently, both Kim's grandfather and father cheated on the deal. After vowing to stop processing plutonium, they covertly shifted to enriching uranium the other way to make a bomb.

Trump, of course, is more than aware of the duplicity he faces and has been known, by his own admission, to use his own falsehoods.

The US leverage over Kim has so far been the threat of force, made more credible by Trump's volcanic unpredictability. Whether bigger doses of that is all Trump has in his arsenal when they meet is unclear.

Backed by his hawks, even if Trump is bluffing again, he will have effective wingmen to continue the illusion.

South Korean Prime Minister Moon Jae-in appears to buy the possibility of a Trump-initiated conflagration. His successful Winter Olympics diplomacy -- inviting Kim's sister and a handful of North Korean athletes and cheerleaders to attend -- broke the ice, allowing the thaw we are witnessing today.

Kim's initial acceptance of Trump's willingness to meet face to face raised the question: What does he think the two men will talk about? Will there be more lies from both sides? Will Kim demand that North Korea be treated as a nuclear-capable nation?

Now Xi has inserted himself in the process; Trump's task -- without wanting to understate its complexity -- shifts from two- to three-dimensional chess.

He has gone from facing off against a leader who wants US forces removed from South Korea, to being confronted by a leader who not only wants US forces out of the Pacific region altogether but aspires to knocking America off its spot as world superpower.

With little more than bellicose bluster of military action in his pockets, Trump will get only one shot if Kim or Xi calls his bluff. That will be the moment his credibility is on the line -- and not just over North Korea.

Think President Barack Obama and his Syria "red line" comments in 2012. It was game over: Russia stole the diplomatic lead and has held it since.

In this regard Trump's risks are even greater than Obama's. Not only is China a bigger global threat than Russia -- chomping at the bit for a pathway to global pre-eminence -- but Trump doesn't even have the full power of America's democracy behind him.

He has emasculated the State Department and shorn himself of solid diplomatic substance at his back. This has limited his options and leaves him at serious risk of Kim and Xi playing him off against each other.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pouring cold water on the idea of giving state assistance for a struggling upstate casino.

The Democrat told reporters Wednesday that he doesn't want the state to get into the business of bailing out private businesses.

His opposition to new subsidies for the del Lago Resort and Casino is likely to sink a proposal to reduce the amount del Lago pays to the state each year. That idea was floated Tuesday during negotiations over a new state budget.

Del Lago opened last year in the Finger Lakes, one of four new upstate gambling facilities authorized by voters.

Del Lago said in a statement that the casino is having a hard time competing with a nearby tribal casino owned by the Oneida Indians.







(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
UTICA  Theres a new debate brewing at Utica City Hall.

A member of the Common Council is calling into question the money in the citys Capital Improvement Trust, or the Water Trust. This is the account from when the water system was sold to the Mohawk Valley Water Authority.

According to Utica Comptroller Bill Morehouse, the city of Utica gets $480,000 per year through 2036, and there is back and forth on what the balance is in that account. Democratic Councilor Joe Marino says the bank account should equate to what the budget shows, and in this case, it doesnt add up.

Morehouse says that one of the amendments being discussed for the city budget was to increase the amount of CIT Fund being used by an additional $450,000, which Morehouse says isnt possible. A notice from the citys corporate counsel sent out on Wednesday states that $854,116.38 is the maximum amount (principal and interest) that can be appropriated for the upcoming years budget, and the budget already included $750,000, which meant only the remaining $104,116 could be added to that amount.

As of this year, at that point, we will have $1.7 million, Morehouse said. So, you can take 50 percent of that  $850,000, and thats what was the allowable [amount]. In the original budget, there was $750,000 already proposed, so there was only another $100,000 left.

What the audit will show is the transparency that just genuinely does not come out of City Hall, said Marino, a member of the Common Councils Finance Committee. There is a lack of transparency, there is a clear case of shell game going on with our money. And quite frankly, it appears to be one of the most incompetent budget processes Ive seen in my seven years.

Theres no conspiracy at city hall here, Morehouse said. Theres no  nobody is hiding anything. Were here to do what's best for the people and the mayor has done that.

Marino says the Common Council keeps receiving conflicting information, and hes requesting that an outside agency handle the audit.

- Click here to view Councilor Joe Marino's letter to Comptroller Bill Morehouse

- Click to view the statement from Comptroller Bill Morehouse

- Click here to view the memorandum from the city's Corporation Counsel

- Click here to view the memorandum from Budget Director Heather Mowat
New Green Zone training will support military-affiliated students

Green Zone: Jackie Rodriguez, chair of the William & Mary Military and Veterans' Affairs Working Group, gives opening remarks at the pilot program for Green Zone training on March 20 at the Sadler Center. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

Seeking to understand and provide better support for the unique needs of military-affiliated students, William & Mary has piloted Green Zone training for faculty and staff members.

The Military and Veterans' Affairs Working Group developed the program this spring, according to chair Jackie Rodriguez, an assistant professor in the School of Education. A pilot session was held March 20 and will be tweaked for a full rollout in the fall.

Green Zone training was pioneered at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2010 and is now offered at more than 100 universities and organizations nationwide, according to VCUs website. It is named for the secure international zone in Baghdad, Iraq, which is a place familiar to many post-9/11 service members.

Each institution tailors the program to fit its own individual needs, Rodriguez said. But the overriding idea is to create a network of supportive faculty and staff members across campus who know the concerns of and resources available for military-affiliated students.

We as a working group collectively have a vested interest in supporting faculty and staff as they work with our military-affiliated students, Rodriguez said. We know that our student veterans and active duty student members on campus are oftentimes met with allyship and advocacy from faculty and staff, though every once in a while our students have an experience that is dismaying and disappointing.

Through Green Zone training we seek to better support the faculty and staff on campus by increasing their awareness of the student veterans experiences, and through establishing increased communication between faculty, staff and military-affiliated students.

W&M currently has 47 undergraduate and 210 graduate students who are either active duty, reserves or veterans in the military, which is 3 percent of the universitys enrollment. Another 918 students have a spouse, parent/legal guardian or child who has or is currently serving.

The working groups committee that designed the W&M Green Zone program included veterans from the staff and student ranks, along with staff and graduate assistant Haley Bockhorn. The W&M Office of Diversity & Inclusion is providing support for the program.

Committee members include Charlie Foster M.Ed. 17, a Marine Corps veteran who earned his masters degree at the School of Education and currently serves as veteran liaison at the Troops to Teachers Virginia Center at the education school, and Kurt Klingenberger M.P.P. 16, M.B.A. 16, who is retired Air Force and has earned two masters degrees at W&M and is now working on his Ph.D. at the education school. Both were presenters at the training.

I think that there is a lot of awareness here on this campus based on where we are geographically, between several military installations, Foster said. We saw the data that showed how many military-affiliated students we have here. I do think were not talking about it as much as we could, and I definitely am excited to be moving in a direction where were talking about it more.

Klingenberger said he thinks colleges should pursue enrolling military veterans for their experience.

One of the steps along the way is to ensure that anything the College can do that says to a military veteran: Please come here, and by the way we have some programs in place  the Green Zone  that will help either make or ensure that thats a good experience, he said.

The pilot session presented information on the challenges faced by students when transitioning from the military to civilian life, and especially to a college campus. Presenters focused on traits veterans may bring to college, issues they often encounter and some of the unique challenges that professors may not be aware of.

Corey York 19, a Marine Corps veteran and president of the W&M Student Veterans Association, was a panelist.

One of the major overarching initiatives of the Green Zone Training is to hopefully heighten awareness of staff and faculty of some of the challenges that are distinct to the veteran demographic, especially among the undergraduate-level staff and faculty who are more accustomed to dealing with the more traditional 18- to 20-year-old student, York said. Specifically, we're trying to bring awareness to potential issue areas like vets who live far from campus, have families, PTSD, or plainly, the challenges accompanied with transitioning from boots to books.

These are all dynamics that are all relatively unique and yet common to this demographic. Were trying to dispel myths, bring attention to the circumstances and to enrich some good dialogue between veterans and administrators.

The training consisted of an initial informational segment, presentation by W&M University Ombuds and former Air Force lawyer Mark Patterson on his role at the university and a panel with three current military veteran students sharing information about themselves and taking questions.

Panel participants explained how awareness, knowledge and sensitivity about the possible issues that veteran students are dealing with could help make them more comfortable and able to perform better in their classes. For example, one described how he always sits in the upper left corner of the classroom because hes left-handed, lost the hearing in his right ear while serving and gets anxious when other people sit behind him.

Starting in the fall, Green Zone training will be held once per semester and will be open to all faculty and staff, according to Rodriguez. The plan is to build an ever-widening network of supportive individuals on campus.

We want military-affiliated students to know they have allies amongst the campus community, Rodriguez said. When faculty and staff hear of an instance where a student veteran is having difficulty, we want them to advocate on that students behalf and to know they have the resources to do so.




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Gail Egan, of Pawtucket, a line cook at Plouffes Diner and Pub, located at 267 Main St., in Pawtucket, puts up another order of clams casino during the lunch rush on Wednesday. The dish has been on the menu all week for Quohog Week and has been a customer favorite all week, she said.
Remote reactor monitoring project launched

28 March 2018

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An international multi-laboratory and university collaboration has been launched to develop detection hardware and algorithms to improve non-proliferation detector capabilities for remote monitoring of nuclear reactors. Its developers say the initial project will be the first demonstration of remote monitoring of individual reactor operations at a significant distance, using scalable water-based technology.

The initiative - known as the Advanced Instrumentation Testbed (AIT) - is sponsored by the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. The AIT consortium consists of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Brookhaven National Laboratory, the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment, and nine US and British universities.

A cutaway view of the Watchman antineutrino detector (Image: Jim Brennan/Sandia National Laboratory)

LLNL physicist and AIT principal investigator Adam Bernstein said: "Fission in nuclear reactors generates heat, which is used to pressurise or boil water to turn turbines for electricity generation. Our goal is to harness a largely neglected aspect of the fission process for practical purposes. This very same fission process results in the emission of enormous numbers of highly penetrating particles known as antineutrinos. In our testbed, we will demonstrate the capability to detect the operations of nuclear reactors at significant distances, using antineutrino emissions."

Subject to final approval by contributing stakeholders, including the mine authorities, the AIT will be constructed at the site of the Boulby Underground Laboratory. This is an existing UK government-funded deep underground science facility operating in the working Boulby potash, polyhalite and salt mine on the northeast cost of England. The Watchman (for Water Cherenkov Monitor for Anti-Neutrinos) detector - measuring some 16 meters in height and 16m in diameter - will be located 100m below ground. The detector will contain 3500 tonnes of liquid, mostly water mixed with the element gadolinium. It will be tuned to detect interactions of antineutrinos emitted from a reactor at the Hartlepool nuclear power plant, which is 25 kilometers away. It is scheduled to begin operating around 2023.

The AIT will also permit deployment of numerous advanced technologies that are relevant for remote reactor monitoring and detection, including water-based liquid scintillators, fast photo-sensors, light concentrators and others.

"This demonstration will lay the groundwork for larger detectors that would be required to monitor or discover small reactors at distances of up to several hundred kilometers," Bernstein said. This would help nations track and restrict the production of fissile materials that can be used in nuclear weapons.

"In the long term, Watchman-style water-based detectors can give us new insights into the mysterious properties of neutrinos, and even help us resolve the long-standing mystery of the great disparity between the amount of matter and anti-matter in the universe," he added. "Watchman itself, once commissioned, will become one of a small set of large antineutrino detectors worldwide that are capable of detecting antineutrino bursts from supernovae.

"Watchman, and more broadly the AIT, offers examples of the powerful synergy that can be gained when tools developed for basic science are applied in non-proliferation contexts."

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
iStock/Thinkstock(BALTIMORE) -- Adnan Syed, a convicted killer who gained international fame from the podcast "Serial," will finally get a new trial after spending roughly 18 years in prison for a murder he says he did not commit.



The Maryland Court of Special Appeals determined Syed received ineffective assistance by his counsel during his 2000 trial, according to a 138-page opinion filed Thursday afternoon.



The ruling can still be appealed to the Court of Appeals, the states highest court, which means Syed's conviction could be upheld.



Syed's conviction was originally vacated by a lower circuit court in 2016, but the State of Maryland appealed that decision.



Syed has been incarcerated since his arrest in February 1999 for the murder of ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. She was found buried in a shallow grave in Baltimore's Leakin Park. Syed was sentenced to life in prison in 2000.



A retired Baltimore judge issued a ruling in June 2016 granting Syed a new trial on the grounds that he received ineffective counsel in 2000 from a defense attorney who failed to cross-examine a state cell expert witness on key evidence.



The ruling followed new evidence presented during a second post-conviction relief hearing in February 2016, including testimony from alibi witness Asia McClain Chapman, who says she spoke with Syed in the library of her high school in Baltimore County at the time the state claims he killed Lee.



Syed's lawyer celebrated the long-awaited decision on Twitter.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A man was devastated after learning that the reason his wife did not have sex with him was that she had a habit of pleasuring herself all the time, according to police in Zambia.

Matero police said that they have launched an investigation after 30-year-old Joe Tembo poisoned his two children before committing suicide.

According to the police investigation, on Tuesday, Tembo checked himself into a hotel along with his two children, Fernando, 3, and Shamie, 6.

During the night, Tembo sent a message to his wife, complaining that she never wanted to have sex with him.

He also criticized her for pleasuring herself all the time.

Tembo forced his two children to drink poison.

The children died at the scene.

Tembo then drank poison himself and he fell unconscious.

Hotel staff who tried to get into the room the following morning knocked on the door but they got no answer.

Eventually, they called the police who forced the door open.

Tembo was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

Fernando and Shamie were declared dead at the scene.

Police found three bottles of empty pesticides in the room.

Tembo and his wife were married for 8 years.
A woman said that she is proud to be the first transgender news anchor in Pakistan.

21-year-old Marvia Malik was bullied as a child and she was ordered to leave her parents home after graduating from high school because of her sexuality.

Despite all of her hardships, Malik prevailed and put herself through college.

She studied journalism at Punjab University and applied for a job at the private Kohenoor network in her native Lahore after graduating.

Malik was thrilled when she was hired for the position because she wanted to prove that transgender people are capable of doing any job and can do anything they want.

She is thrilled to bring awareness to the transgender community. Pakistan has officially recognized transgender as a third gender in 2012, but many people, including Maliks own family, do not want to recognize them, Malik said.
Ecuadors government has cut off all WikiLeaks editor Julian Assanges communications and contact from inside its London embassy, on the grounds that he posted a tweet condemning the arrest of former Catalonian regional president Carles Puigdemont.

WikiLeaks yesterday confirmed: WikiLeaks editor @julianassange has been gagged and isolated by order of Ecuadors new president @Lenin Moreno. He cannot tweet, speak to the press, receive visitors or make telephone calls.

The Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site denounces the new restrictions on Julian Assanges ability to communicate with his innumerable supporters throughout the world.

Ecuadors move, announced on Tuesday, came after Assange tweeted on Monday challenging Britains accusation that Russia was responsible for the alleged nerve agent poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury earlier this month.

The Ecuadorian decision is a dire threat to Assange. He faces total isolation as a virtual prisoner in the tiny embassy and the increased danger of being extradited to be put on trial in the United States for espionage and treason, crimes carrying potential death penalties.

Ecuadors move is also a further direct attack on global free speech, in line with the growing censorship of the Internet, to silence political dissent and opposition to imperialism and war.

WikiLeaks reported that Ecuador demanded that Assange remove the following tweet, in which he pointed to the chilling historic precedent for Germanys decision to detain the Catalonian leader at the behest of the Spanish government:

In 1940 the elected president of Catalonia, Lluis Companys, was captured by the Gestapo, at the request of Spain, delivered to them and executed. Today, German police have arrested the elected president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, at the request of Spain, to be extradited.

Hitlers secret police, the Gestapo, detained Companys, who had fled into French exile in 1939 after General Franco, with German support, crushed the Spanish revolution and established a brutal dictatorship. The Nazis extradited Companys to Madrid, where he was tortured, sentenced to death and executed.

European and other imperialist powers are behind Ecuadors action. In a statement, Ecuador said Assanges recent behaviour on social media put at risk the good relations [Ecuador] maintains with the United Kingdom, with the other states of the European Union, and with other nations.

On Monday, Assange questioned why Britain and its allies had expelled Russian diplomats over the Skripal poisoning. While it is reasonable for Theresa May to view the Russian state as the leading suspect, so far the evidence is circumstantial & the OPCW [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] has not yet made any independent confirmation, permitting the Kremlin to push the view domestically that Russia is persecuted, he tweeted.

In another tweet, Assange pointed out that 21 US allies have expelled diplomats over an unresolved event in the UK and that the US expelled nearly three times as many diplomats as the UK, the alleged victim country.

Despite trumped-up Swedish government sexual assault allegations against Assange being dropped long ago, he still faces immediate arrest if he steps outside the Ecuadorian embassy, where he has been confined for nearly six years with little access to sunlight, fresh air or exercise.

Swedish authorities last year formally closed their investigation, effectively confirming that there was never any genuine case in the first place. What was involved was a dirty tricks operation aimed at discrediting and paralysing WikiLeaks and putting Assange behind bars, or worse.

On Tuesday, Ecuador claimed Assange had breached a written commitment made to the government at the end of 2017 not to issue messages that might interfere with other states.

However, its measures go beyond its previous actions. In October 2016, it suspended Assanges Internet access after WikiLeaks published revealing leaked emails from Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. In May 2017, Ecuadorian President Moreno insisted that Assange refrain from commenting on Spains dispute with Catalonia. Assange had tweeted that Madrid was guilty of repression.

After Assanges comments on the Skripal case, British Foreign Office Minister Alan Duncan called him a miserable little worm and said he should leave the Ecuadorian embassy and surrender to British justice.

Assange replied: Britain should come clean on whether it intends to extradite me to the United States for publishing the truth and cease its ongoing violation of the UN rulings in this matter.

In 2015, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention condemned Assanges detention as arbitrary, unreasonable, unnecessary, disproportionate and called for him to be immediately freed and compensated.

The true face of British justice was displayed in February. A judge in London rejected an application by Assange to withdraw a British arrest warrant issued against him in 2012, even though a Swedish-initiated European arrest warrantthe trigger for the British warrantwas cancelled in May 2017.

The Trump administrations Attorney General Jeff Sessions said last April that Assanges arrest to face a sealed US indictment remains a priority. The US political, military and intelligence establishment is determined to punish and silence Assange for having exposed its war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and its diplomatic intrigues and mass surveillance around the world.

This included WikiLeaks release of the collateral murder video showing the 2007 US helicopter massacre of 12 Iraqi civilians, the posting of over 250,000 secret US diplomatic cables, and the publication of thousands of files detailing the CIAs malware operations to secretly seize control of computer networks.

The author also recommends:

Freedom for Julian Assange!

[11 January 2018]
Jeremy Corbyn was forced to sack Owen Smith on Friday after the Labour front bench minister called for a second referendum on British withdrawal from the European Union in the Guardian.

The op-ed by Smith, the shadow minister for Northern Ireland, put him publicly at odds with Labours official opposition to a second referendum. His repudiation of party policy was occasioned by the deal struck between Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU earlier this month on the proposed Brexit transition period, between March next year and December 2020.

To arrive at a deal, May abandoned all of her so-called red lines, including agreeing to abide by European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings and to continue paying into the EU budget until 2064, as well as ensuring EU citizens full rights, including free movement, until 2027. The government also agreed that the UK will have no representation or say in the EU decisions taken during the transition.

Even so, the deal does not answer the issue of future British/EU relations regarding trade and military/intelligence collaboration, which will not be clarified until after withdrawal. An indication of the tensions emerging around this is underscored by the European Commission stating that the UK cannot automatically assume it will be part of the Galileo satellite navigation system begun in 2001 by the EU. The EC states that the encryption system for the project, which is to operate independently of the United States, would be irretrievably compromised if a state exiting the EU continued to have access to sensitive information.

Mays deal angered both the pro and anti-Brexit wings of the British bourgeoisie. However, the opposition of Mays hard-Brexit opponents was tempered by the fact that it has brought their preferred option closer.

Pro-Remainers have centred their hopes to arrest Brexit on encouraging sympathetic Tory MPs to rebel against May when parliament votes on the end deal. This strategy now hangs like a Sword of Damocles over their heads as, in the event parliament votes down the deal, it will mean Britain crashes out of the EU without any agreement. The hard-Brexit option favoured by substantial sections of the Tory Party becomes an accomplished fact.

This has fuelled a renewed campaign by the Labour right, on whose behalf Smith headed up the failed leadership challenge to Corbyn in 2016. Labour, he wrote, should ask if Brexit is the right decision, not just push for a softer version, and must ensure that the country has a vote on whether to accept the terms, and true costs of that choice, once they are clear.

Speaking after his sacking, Smith accused Corbyn of taking a Eurosceptic position and complained that Labour could sleep walk to supporting a soft Brexit.

Its the first instance that I can think of in living memory of a government pursuing a policy that they know is going to make our economy smaller and reduce peoples livelihoods and life chances, he said.

Coming from the political representative of Labours neo-liberal right, which initiated the austerity measures following the 2008 crash that have catastrophically impacted on workers living standards, Smiths criticisms reek of hypocrisy.

For the majority of the British bourgeoisie, which stood full-square in favour of a Remain vote in the 2016 referendum, the best political option for reversing the result lies in changing Labours official policy to support a second referendum. But while Corbyn has gone a long way to assuage the Labour rightcampaigning in favour of Remain and stating recently that he was in favour of a customs union with the EUhe has stopped short of endorsing membership of the Single European Market and a second referendum.

Smith was backed by high profile opponents of Corbyn, including Labour MP Chuka Umunna. He heads a pro-Remain cross-party grouping, which includes senior Tories and business groups that are lobbying EU ministers and negotiators.

Writing in the Independent, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw echoed Smith, calling on principled Conservatives to put the interests of their constituents and their country before the short term and narrow interests of their party for the deal to be rejected.

Two scenarios flowed from this, he wrote. Either a new general election which is the less likely option, as Conservative MPs dont want one. Or the terms of the Governments deal would have to be put to the people in a referendum.

Bradshaws article made clear that this political initiative is part of a broader push to ensure that the fight against Brexit is by no means over yet, citing investigations into the Leave Campaign, Cambridge Analytica and the Kremlin.

Bogus charges that Cambridge Analytica and the Leave Campaign were part of a Russian operation to influence the Brexit referendumincluding through illegal referendum fundingare being pursued as another means to annul the result.

On Monday, Labours Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer took up the baton, denouncing as totally unacceptable the assertion by government Brexit Minister [Lord] Martin Callanan that parliaments rejection of a Brexit deal would be an instruction to move ahead without one.

Labour would now table amendments to the governments EU withdrawal bill, ensuring that if the deal is voted down, MPs should be able to determine the next steps. Starmer said this should include instructing ministers to go back to the negotiating table in Brussels.

Starmer framed his speech as generally supportive of Corbyn. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair made no such pretensions. In his own remarks Monday in Westminster, Blair made a plea to Tories to recognise that the best means of preventing a Corbyn-led government was to defeat Brexit.

Calling for a second referendum, Blair said that the 2016 vote had not made clear the terms and conditions under which Britain would exit the EU. Yet Brexit would cause major damage to Britains geo-political standing, he said, especially under conditions in which the world of geo-politics is undergoing a revolution.

The US, Europe and Britain were challenged by the rise of competitorsmost notably China and Russia. They can secure their interests only by strengthening their alliances, or they would be left substantially weaker.

That is why the argument that there can be no revisiting of the decision [to exit] irrespective of what it means for the national interest or the economy was wrong, he insisted.

The May government could not be trusted to make the right call because its primary interest was keeping up the facade of Tory unity. But equally, Labour cannot be trusted because its leadership believeswhether for reasons of opportunism or covert opposition to the EUthat they must commit to doing Brexit but pretend that they would secure a better Brexit deal.

Reminiscing sympathetically about the history of the Tory Party as one of pragmatism and freedom from ideology, he said it was understandable that it should see delivering Brexit as the will of the people and the best inoculation against a Corbyn Government.

Making clear that he is just as bitterly opposed to such a Labour government, he cautioned that in politics the difference between tactics and strategy is everything.

Brexit is not the route to escaping a Corbyn Government; it is the gateway to having one.

To this end, the sensible strategic course for the Tories is to share the responsibility and let the MPs have a free vote. Then let the people make the final judgement on whether the British people prefer the terms for leaving Europe to what we have now inside Europe.
On March 23, Moroccan-born Redouane Lakdim, 25, carried out terrorist attacks in Carcassonne and Trebes in southern France. Four people died in the incidents and 16 were wounded, several seriously.

As has been the case with all the significant terrorist attacks in France, this one raises questions about the responsibility of the state and intelligence agencies, which have infiltrated the Islamist networks as part of their war against the Assad regime in Syria.

Lakdim first stopped a car around 10 a.m. Friday morning on the outskirts of Carcassonne, where he lived, seriously wounding the driver and killing his passenger. He drove off in the car and later opened fire on four riot police who were jogging, wounding one. He then entered a supermarket in Trebes, where he killed two people and took multiple hostages. He shot Arnaud Beltrame, a police lieutenant colonel who had exchanged himself for one of the hostages, multiple times. Beltrame died several hours later.

The terrorist reportedly cried, Allah Akbar, and claimed to be a member of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) before opening fire. According to Minister of the Interior Gerard Collomb (a Socialist Party politician), Lakdim called in particular for the liberation of his brothers and declared he was ready to die for Syria. Multiple media outlets, including France 2 national television, reported that Lakdim demanded the release of Salah Abdeslam, a principal suspect in the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015.

Lakdim was later killed during an assault by the French tactical police unit, GIGN, on the Super U supermarket.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. According to a statement by its propaganda arm, the Amaq News Agency, The man who carried out the attack in Trebes in the south of France is a soldier of the Islamic State, who was acting in response to a call by the organisation aimed at member countries of the coalition against ISIS.

Friday night, Lakdims partner, who shares his life, was taken into police custody for criminal association in a terrorist undertaking, according to public prosecutor Francois Molins.

During a press briefing, officials claimed that the monitoring of Lakdim for radicalisation had shown no evidence of a warning sign for the act. Referring to a loner who passed abruptly to the act, Collomb declared, We were following him and believed there had been no radicalisation.

The theory of a lone wolf who, as in every other terrorist attack, slipped through the cracks, is not credible. Lakdim was known to both Spanish and French intelligence. Agence France Presse reports that sources close to the investigation reveal that Lakdims 18-year-old girl-friend has also been known to the security services for at least a year.

Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido indicated to journalists that Lakdim was part of one criminal organisation dedicated to drug trafficking and another which, at an international scale, carried out organised crime. Lakdim has been known for being connected with the radical Islamist movement and linked to arms trafficking since 2014.

During a police search of his house in the summer of 2015, his telephone was searched and his SMS message exchanges revealed orders for a Kalashnikov and ammunition for 7.62mm and 5.56mm calibre guns.

Le Monde headlined its article on the recent episode, Aude [French department that includes Carcassonne] attacks: Redouane Lakdim, a terrorist followed by DGSI. The daily newspaper noted that Lakdim was one of the targets taken into account by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), the French intelligence agency. He fit into the upper-end of the spectrum, according to Le Monde, where the most dangerous individuals were grouped.

Le Parisien writes that Lakdim was very active on Salafist [ultra-conservative Sunni Islamic movement] social media networks [and]...suspected of having travelled to Syria. According to Liberation, he was a Salafist active on the Internet.

The bloody attack underlines the reactionary character of the Islamist elements that have been armed against Damascus by European and American imperialism. The various intelligence agencies closely watch but also protect these groups and individuals, because they are taking part in the Syrian intervention and may prove useful in future operations.

In announcing measures aimed at strengthening the police apparatus, the state is aiming above all at growing social opposition in France and across Europe.

The French government is cynically using the death of Beltrame to incite a chauvinist frenzy, as during the demonstrations that followed the attacks on Charlie Hebdo and Hypercacher supermarket in Paris in January 2015.

A national service will be held for the policeman, taking account of the heroism that he displayed and the example that this represents for the French people, President Emmanuel Macron, who will deliver a eulogy, stated. Flags will be flown at half-mast.

Right on cue, the leader of the right-wing party, The Republicans, Laurent Wauquiez, called for the internment of the most dangerous individuals identified by the intelligence agencies as a threat to national security. Marine Le Pen of the National Front called for the expulsion of all such individuals and the interior ministers resignation.

But the state of emergency and the extraordinary powers handed the police are not aimed principally at the terrorist networks sending recruits and arms from Europe to the Middle East. Lakdim was part of these criminal networks providing weapons to Islamist groups, which involve thousands of people in France and tens of thousands across Europe. He was not impeded before carrying out the recent attack, whereas the state of emergency was immediately used to suppress protests in France against the labour law in 2016.

These attacks take place in an explosive international and social context. Large strikes of teachers are shaking Britain and the United States, where massive demonstrations of young people are taking place against violence and social conditions. In Europe, strikes have hit the metal sectors of Germany and Turkey, the British railways, and auto plants in Germany and eastern Europe.

In France, tens of thousands of railway drivers, educators, nurses, air-traffic controllers and other public-sector workers have struck against Macrons right-wing labour reforms. A general strike is continuing on the Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, and another has taken place in French Polynesia. The ruling elite is promoting nationalism and preparing police repression to confront the anger of workers facing war and social austeritynot terror attacks by Islamist groups.

(This article originally appeared in French on March 27)
The US Department of Commerce announced late Monday that the 2020 Census will include a question for respondents asking whether or not they are US citizens. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the action was taken in response to a request made by the Justice Department, which claimed it needed data on that question in order to better enforce the Voting Rights Act.

The pretext insults the intelligence, given that the Trump Justice Department and the Republican Party generally have sought to undermine and abolish the Voting Rights Act, rather than enforce it. But identifying the Justice Department as the source of the request is significant, since Attorney General Jeff Sessions is one of the leading advocates of stepped-up persecution of immigrants.

Asking about citizenship status serves the anti-immigrant witch-hunt in two ways: just posing the question will intimidate millions of immigrant families, whatever their own immigration status, if they have undocumented family members; and to the extent that any immigrants do respond, the information will be used as a blueprint for future enforcement actions, highlighting the neighborhoods and communities to be targeted for raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

This move has been widely criticized by immigrant rights advocates, demographers and experts including several former directors of the census, all of whom have warned of reduced response rates, and inaccurate answers, particularly given the climate of fear and mistrust pervading migrant communities.

A group of 14 states, led by the state of California, nearly all under Democratic control, immediately challenged the plan, filing a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday. In an op-ed published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Xavier Becerra and Alex Padilla, the attorney general and secretary of state for the state of California, claimed that including a citizenship question in the Census is in fact illegal since that US Constitution requires the government to conduct an actual enumeration of the total population, regardless of citizenship status. The Census Bureau has to count each person in our countrywhether citizen or noncitizenonce, only once, and in the right place.

Defending its decision, the Commerce Department released a statement insisting, Citizenship questions have also been included on prior decennial censuses. Between 1820 and 1950, almost every decennial census asked a question on citizenship in some form. This long precedent makes it unlikely that courts will block the Census question as unconstitutional, barring some further demonstration of the discriminatory intent on the part of the Trump administration.

It would not difficult to demonstrate that intent. The Campaign to Re-elect Donald Trump has already sought to raise funds by hyping the new Census question as an integral part of Trumps ongoing war against immigrants, as well as vindicating his claims that millions of illegal immigrants voted against him in the 2016 presidential election. The fundraising message warned, 19 attorneys general said they will fight the President if he dares to ask people if they are citizens. The President wants to know if you're on his side.

For their part, Democratic Party officials are mainly concerned that the citizenship question, by depressing responses to the Census, could harm their own narrow political interests by reducing the population count in Democratic-dominated congressional and state legislative districts in heavily immigrant areas. This would mean the loss of seats in Congress after 2020 for California, New York, and Illinois, all controlled by the Democrats, as well as in Democratic-controlled enclaves in Texas and Florida, among other states. It would also reduce the allocation of federal funds for state and local government programs distributed on the basis of population.

No Democratic official has issued a serious warning about the genuine threat that the Trump administration represents to the democratic rights of all immigrants, documented and undocumented. The Census question is only part of a much broader anti-immigrant campaign.

That is not surprising, given the record of the Obama administration, which deported more undocumented immigrants than any other in US history. The Democrats seek to make electoral gains at the expense of the Republicans by posing as the friends of immigrants, but they are just as committed to enforcing the brutally repressive US immigration laws.

The inclusion of the citizenship question would undoubtedly lead to a significant section of the population, comprised of non-citizens and their families (even if they have legal status) not responding to the census. As Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told CNN, This is an arbitrary and untested decision that all but guarantees that the Census will not produce a full and accurate count of the population as the constitution requires.

The undercount in turn will have a serious effect on questions ranging from congressional representation to allocation of federal funding for infrastructure projects and also provide a completely skewed set of data for innumerable research projects over the next decade. In his memo defending the decision, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross stated, While there is widespread belief among many parties that adding a citizenship question could reduce response rates, the Census Bureaus analysis did not provide definitive, empirical support for that belief. At a superficial level, this claim is true since there really has been no time to carry out the necessary studies to arrive at a definitive response.

Most questions on a census survey go through years of pretesting. This question has been added at the last minute, after the Census Bureau has already begun conducting its sole full dress rehearsal for the 2020 census in Providence, Rhode Island. Given the fact that there has been enough evidence to show the growing fear amongst migrant communities, and their justifiable lack of trust in government institutions, it does not seem to require much imagination to foresee the consequences of such an insidious measure.

The brazen lying by the Trump administration about the real goals of the Census change is an ominous indication of the stepped-up repression being planned by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.

The pervasive threat of surveillance and potential deportation that hangs like a cloud over migrant communities has already had an effect on their attitude towards participation in government surveys. Even before the citizenship question was added, a Census researcher drew the attention of the bureaus advisory committee to the fact that focus groups and field tests were having a difficult time having immigrants complete surveys.

A report in Vox reveals that respondents fled their homes, lied or halted the conversation as they started getting worried about the questions. One respondent told an interviewer, The possibility that the Census could give my information to internal security and immigration could come and arrest me for not having documents terrifies me.

This is not at all unrealistic. The Census Bureau supplied the names of draft-age American men to the military when Democratic President Woodrow Wilson instituted the draft during World War I. It supplied information to the administration of Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt to assist in the round-up of Japanese-Americans during World War II. In 1978, such information transfers from the Census were made illegal by Congress, but in a future national emergency, it would take Congress only days to reverse that ban.

Immigrant youth have already gone through the experience of supplying personal information to the Department of Homeland Security to qualify for work permits and exemption from deportation under the Obama executive order establishing Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA), only to see that information now being used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to prepare deportation lists now that Trump has rescinded the DACA program.
In an article published this week, the Intercept has revealed yet another troubling trend in the anti-immigrant measures that are being institutionalized by the US government. Based on a public records request made by reporters, it was found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) not only has access to the vast trove of data available on Facebook, but has actually used backend Facebook data to locate and track suspects.

The story details one instance in February-March 2017, when ICE agents were in contact with a detective based in Las Cruces, New Mexico about a particular suspect. The email chain between various agents reveal that ICE could access Facebook data showing the log of when the account was accessed and the IP address corresponding to each login. Responding to the story, a Facebook spokesperson denied that ICE had any unique access to data and that its request for information was checked for legal sufficiency. In this particular case, ICE sent valid legal process  in an investigation said to involve an active child predator. Facebook responded to ICEs valid request with data consistent with our publicly available data disclosure standards.

While the initial version of the Intercept story mentioned that the target was an immigrant, this has been denied by both ICE and Facebook. The story was later amended to state that the documents reported in the story do not establish the target of the investigation was an immigrant or that the individual was being pursued for immigration violations.

It is possible that the particular instance exposed in this report did not concern an immigrant, though that makes the involvement of ICE questionable. Even if one were to take that seemingly far-fetched claim at face value, it is a matter of record that ICE requested private Facebook data last year to obtain a cellphone number for an unauthorized immigrant in Detroit. The number associated with the immigrant being pursued by ICE was then tracked through a cell site simulator, a powerful surveillance tool used to vacuum up cellphone calls and user location data.

Law enforcement agencies have a broad reach under the Stored Communications Act to ask communication service providers, including Facebook, to release information pertinent to ongoing cases. The kind of data that can be accessed by agencies such as ICE is quite extensive and much of it can be obtained without court orders.

Facebook, now under additional scrutiny and pressure to reveal how and with whom it shares information because of the Cambridge Analytica expose, has released semi-annual transparency reports in the past detailing the number of government requests for user data. While there is no breakdown of which particular law agency has made the requests, the report from last year is quite telling. It reveals that from January 2017 through June 2017, Facebook received 32,716 requests for data from 52,280 users. Facebook notes in its report that it complied with 85 percent of the requests and approximately 57 percent of legal process we received from authorities in the U.S. was accompanied by a non-disclosure order legally prohibiting us from notifying the affected users.

As Nathan Wessler, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Unions Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, told the Intercept, the subpoenas used by ICE and other agencies are in fact nothing but a piece of paper that theyve prepared ahead of time, a form, and they fill in a couple of pieces of information about what theyre looking for and they self-certify what theyre looking for is relevant to an ongoing investigation. Most companies tend to comply with these requests.

Facebook is just one part of the vast array of the spyware apparatus used by immigration enforcement officials. As even the story of the non-immigrant suspect shows, ICE did not stop with getting the backend data from Facebook. This data, one agent claimed, could be combined with IP address information back from T-Mobile, and that the agency had sent the phone company an expedited summons for information. Jen Miller, another agent on the same email chain, is quoted as saying: I am going to see if our Palantir guy is here to dump the Western Union info in there since I know there is a way to triangulate the area hes sending money from and narrow down time of day etc.

Palantir is the $20 billion data-mining firm founded by billionaire Trump campaign supporter Peter Thiel. As reported by Spencer Woodman in the Intercept last year, Palantir received a $41 million ICE contract in 2014, to build and administer Investigative Case Management (ICM), an intelligence system that was considered to be mission critical to the agency. The article points out that this system allows ICE agents to access a vast ecosystem of data to facilitate both the discovering of targets and then the creation and administering of cases against them.

The system provides its users access to intelligence platforms maintained by numerous agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It can provide ICE agents access to information on a subjects schooling, family relationships, employment information, phone records, immigration history, foreign exchange program status, personal connections, biometric traits, criminal records, and home and work addresses. As young people and teachers throughout the US and the world are increasingly organizing on social media, the use of these platforms by the state spying apparatus will continue to grow.

It is worth noting that this system as well as the general trend to upgrade the federal governments push to deport immigrants took place not under the current administration, but during the Obama era. The Obama presidency not only oversaw the maximum number of deportations in US history, but also the very conscious and systematic expansion of the surveillance and intelligence gathering network directed at immigrants.

Now, this surveillance network is in the hands of the Trump administration that has made no bones about its rabid anti-immigrant stance and its willingness to continue the abrogation of constitutional rights as well as international humanitarian law.
The Socialist Equality Party calls on lecturers to reject the sell-out pensions offer proposed by the University and College Union (UCU).

The UCUs Higher Education Committee voted to put the offer to a vote Wednesday in a second attempt to end strike action by lecturers. The ballot is being held by the UCU next week.

UUK are attempting to enforce huge attacks on pensions. In opposition, 40,000 UCU members have taken 14 days of strike action since February 22 in the largest ever strike in Higher Education (HE) in British history. Were UUK to succeed, academics entering the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) today stand to lose more than 200,000 in deferred wages from their retirement income. Many others would lose tens of thousands of pounds.

Had the UCU had its way, the strike would have already been betrayed with its members forced to accept the diktats of management. This was only prevented when, on March 13, thousands of UCU members met in universities nationally and rebelled against the UCU. Hundreds surrounded the UCU London headquarters and demanded the first agreement endorsed by the union the previous evening was repudiated.

The deal would have resulted in the loss by lecturers of an average 19 percent in the value of their pensions, and the maintenance of the current defined benefits scheme for just three years, laying the basis to moving to an inferior defined contributions system and the ending of a national pension scheme altogetherthe stated aim of UUK.

The HEC was forced to reject the deal, but the SEP and Education Fightback warned that the UCU would seek to complete its betrayal. It took under two weeks for the UCU to make its second attempt.

UCU leader Sally Hunt says the union has worked hard to gain concessions won on the back of the strike action that so many of you have taken.

What a lie! There are no real concessions.

UUKs eight-point document states:

 A formally agreed Joint Expert Panel, comprised of actuarial and academic experts nominated in equal numbers from both sides will be commissioned, to deliver a report. This will agree key principles to underpin the future joint approach of UUK and UCU to the valuation of the USS fund. Hunt hailed the convening of this panel as a major achievement for UCU, despite the trustees of the USS being under no obligation to accept its findings!

 The proposal states that current contributions and benefits from the USS, including Defined Benefits, could continue for members, but only for another year--until at least April 2019. While noting that staff highly value Defined Benefit provision, it states that whereas the work of the group will reflect the clear wish of staff to have a guaranteed pension comparable with current provision it must meet the affordability challenges for all parties. [emphasis added].

 There is no commitment that employees pension contributions will not increase. Instead The panel will make an assessment of the [USS] valuation. If in the light of that contributions or benefits need to be adjusted in either direction, both parties are committed to agree to recommend to the [Joint Negotiating Committee] and the trustee, measures aimed at stabilising the fund to provide a guaranteed pension [only] broadly comparable with current arrangements. [emphasis added]

 Point 8 states, Should this process prove acceptable to all parties this could provide the basis for the UCU to consult its branches and members on ending the industrial action currently underway within the sector.

Lecturers throughout the dispute have demanded that there be no detriment to their pensions in any agreement reached. UUKs latest proposal again offers no such protection. In response, in an email sent out to union members by Hunt, she posed the question, Is it possible to have a no detriment clause [no loss in pension/no increase in contribution] in case the [proposed] independent expert panels findings are unhelpful?

She answered, [G]iven that no one knows what the independent panel will find my assessment is that it is extremely unlikely that the university employer will go beyond this commitment and agree to a no detriment clause not least because the current arrangement [as agreed by the UCU] provides that any future contribution increases are shared between the employers and members.

Prior to Wednesdays meeting, the UCU did everything possible to bounce members into accepting the offer. But packed UCU branch meetings either rejected the offer or demanded it is revised, with guarantees protecting pensions with no detriment.

Just three branches out of 35 who announced their vote, voted to have the UUK offer put to a ballot of UCU members.

The sabotage by the UCU bureaucracy is only the latest effort to demobilise all opposition to the attacks on its members jobs, wages and conditions.

On Wednesday, members of the UCU at just seven Further Education colleges struck in protest at a derisory one percent or lump sum of 250 pay offer from the Association of Colleges employers. Apart from two days of action, in which strikers at 15 colleges were out at the same time as striking lecturers--no joint action has been organised by the UCU despite members at 148 FE colleges submitting 168 claims for strike action.

Unison, the largest public-sector union, has 50,000 members in the higher education sector and more than 350,000 members among all education staff. It has not yet organised a single strike of its members who are also USS pension members and face the same attacks as members of the UCU. Unison members have voted to reject the proposed move to a defined contribution scheme by 91 percent in an internal consultation. Unison has only now proposed a strike ballot in April, after giving the employers a weeks notice.

The likelihood is that many will vote to strike. This lays the basis for a broader offensive among education workers, providing that the betrayal being organised by the UCU is repudiated.

But as has already been proven, voting against the sell-out deals of the unions is not enough. Before any vote has been held, the UCU is already moving to wind down the lecturers strike. The next scheduled round of strike action, to begin April 16, will take place at just 13 universitiesa massive reduction from the 65 universities involved previously.

The strikes by lecturers and other education workers must be led by rank and file committees, independent of the UCU. This struggle must be bound up with the mobilisation of the entire working class to defend jobs, wages, conditions and the right to high-quality, well-resourced education provision as part of the fight for a socialist reorganisation of economic life.

The Socialist Equality Party, Education Fightback and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality are holding an online forum for lecturers, college staff, other education workers and students to discuss these critical issues.

Education Fightback forum

No sell-out by the UCU! Form rank and file committees!

Tue, 10 Apr 2018, 19:30--21:30 BST



Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

http://bit.ly/efb100418



You can also dial in using your phone.

United Kingdom: +44 330 221 0088



Access Code: 274-739-237
The American payment-processing corporation PayPal has blocked sales of the World Socialist Web Site pamphlet, The Struggle Against Imperialism and for Workers Power in Iran.

The effective banning of the sale of a book represents a dangerous new stage in the ongoing campaign to criminalize political expression and censor freedom of speech on the Internet.

Mehring Books customers who attempt to purchase the pamphlet using PayPal currently receive the following message: PayPal gateway has rejected request. This transaction cannot be completed because it violates the PayPal User Agreement (#13122: Transaction refused).

When a Mehring Books representative contacted PayPals customer service team on March 27 to inquire about the error message, a PayPal representative confirmed that the pamphlets sale had been deliberately blocked because the government has given us certain policies that we have to block transactions.

The staff members supervisor stated further, It is something where we cant change it. You are not going to be allowed to process [sales of the book], based on compliance reasons. She said she cant provide further information and that Mehring Books would receive no explanation for the action except via a subpoena.

These statements make clear that PayPal is acting as an agent of the United States government to block the sale and distribution of a book. This is an illegal violation of the right to free speech and freedom of expression guaranteed in the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The WSWS pamphlet, written by Keith Jones, provides an examination of the history of Iran and the international Marxist movement throughout the 20th Century. It addresses basic questions of socialist perspective for the working class in a country that has been a target of US imperialist aggression for almost four decades. The ban occurs under conditions where the Iranian working class has been engaged in mass demonstrations and strikes since the beginning of the year.

PayPal processes more than $300 million in sales transactions every day, or approximately 18 percent of total world e-commerce sales. Its market capitalization is approximately $96.4 billion.

The corporate giant has a long record of using its position to conduct political censorship on behalf of the US state. Most notably, PayPal, along with MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Western Union and Bank of America, collaborated with the Obama administration in 2010 to impose a more than seven-year-long financial blockade on the anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, preventing it from receiving donations.

In recent years, PayPal has also blocked the sale of publications and the use of its services by organizations connected to Iran, under the pretext of abiding by the US-led sanctions regime, which has been imposed by the US and European powers with the aim of crippling Irans economy and destabilizing its government.

In April 2013, PayPal briefly blocked the sale of a photo book produced by an Italian communications firm, Fabrica, containing a collection of images taken by photographers in Tehran from inside their homes. PayPal staff stated at the time that the book had been automatically banned because its title contained the blacklisted word Iranian.

In that case the ban was removed within two days. PayPal issued a public apology via technology blog Gigaom, claiming that the ban was a mistake and noting that PayPals adherence to US economic sanctions was never intended to apply to books or written materials and we have worked to ensure that books are not impacted by our compliance with this policy.

In 2015, PayPal also placed a financial blockade on Justice for Iran, an organization that exposes human rights abuses inside Iran.

The WSWS demands that PayPal end its illegal financial ban on The Struggle Against Imperialism and for Workers Power in Iran, and that it explain the basis upon which the decision to block the book was made.

PayPals action is a sharp warning of the repressive measures that will be deployed by the state and corporations. It is part of a broader censorship drive by the US technology and social media giants, including Facebook, Google, Amazon and Twitter, in collaboration with the Democratic Party and intelligence agencies.

Under the McCarthyite banner of combating Russian fake news, they are seeking to block workers and youth from accessing news outside of the government and its propaganda organs in the corporate-controlled media, and justify the labeling of all political dissent as treasonous.

Since April 2017, Google has modified its search algorithms to restrict search traffic to the World Socialist Web Site, along with a range of left-wing and antiwar publications. Facebook has announced a series of changes to its News Feed since last January that reduce users access to news and artificially promote so-called authoritative sources, including the New York Times, at the expense of alternative news outlets.

With the arrest of Catalonian President Carles Puigdemont this week and the cutting off of Internet access and visitation rights for whistleblower Julian Assange by the Ecuadorian Embassy in the UK, moves towards the criminalization and banning of political opposition are accelerating. Now, not content to censor individuals and websites, the major technology corporations are moving to censor books.
Nurses and other health care workers across Quebec have taken action to protest against draconian working conditions and a drastic decline in patient care due to years of austerity. They are demanding an end to compulsory overtime, the hiring of more nurses and other health care professionals, and a reduction in workloads through reduced, and strictly enforced, patient-nurse ratios.

In recent weeks, nurses at hospitals in Laval, the provinces third-largest city, Sorel-Tracy, and Trois-Rivieres have resorted to job action, refusing to start their shifts and holding sit-ins until additional staff were called in, to protest the chronic lack of personnel.

Thousands of nurses and other health care workers have also taken to social media to voice their outrage at the state of Quebecs public health care system. Facebook messages posted by two nurses have been shared tens of thousands of times and have attracted an avalanche of supportive comments, many from other nurses with similar experiences.

In the first message, Emilie Ricard, a young Sherbrooke nurse, explained that she had been responsible for more than 70 patients throughout her shift with just two aides and a nursing assistant to help her. In the other message, shared more than 75,000 times, Joanne Leclerc, a nursing assistant from Sorel-Tracy, denounced the fact that when she refused mandatory overtime she was suspended.

Forced overtime is increasingly the norm in hospitals across Canada. In Quebec it mushroomed in the wake of the hospital closures, massive budgets cuts, and elimination of 12,000 nursing positions that the Parti Quebecois (PQ) governments of Jacques Parizeau and Lucien Bouchard imposed in the 1990s. It has increased further in recent years due to another savage round of budget cuts, this time administered by the PQs federalist opponents, the Liberal government of Philippe Couillard.

According to a study, when nurses overtime hours increase 5 percent, the patient mortality rate increases 3 percent. Many Quebec nurses are routinely forced to work double shifts,

The nurses protests have forced the corporate media, which has enthusiastically supported Couillards austerity drive, to report on the deplorable conditions that prevail in Quebec hospitals, though in a very limited way. Articles have appeared on out-of-breath and harried health care workersnot only nurses, but also doctors in residence, who work an average of more than 70 hours per week, respiratory therapists, social workers, and nursing aides. According to a recent survey conducted by the Federation interprofessionnelle de la sante du Quebec (FIQInterprofessional Health Federation), the union that represents the majority of Quebecs nurses, 30 percent of its 75,000 members are considering quitting their jobs.

However, FIQ has come to the help of the provincial Liberal government in seeking to prevent the incipient rebellion among the nurses from becoming the catalyst for a broader mobilization of public sector workers and the working class as a whole against the ruling elites drive to dismantle public services and gut worker rights.

At the conclusion of one of the many emergency meetings between FIQ leaders and Health Minister Gaetan Barrette, the architect of the latest wave of health care cuts, FIQ President Nancy Bedard described the meetings as very positive. We have a [government] commitment to pilot [patient-nurse] ratios in 16 regions of Quebec, she gushed, adding, I am confident the Treasury will put up the necessary funds [for the hiring of staff].

Bedard represents an organization that, in conjunction with the larger Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ), Confederation of National Trade Unions (CNTU) and Centrale des syndicats du Quebec (CSQ), has repeatedly isolated and sabotaged militant nurses struggles, while politically harnessing them to the big business PQ.

FIQs latest maneuver is aimed at dissipating and derailing their challenge to chronic understaffing. Barrette has made it clear that there will be no law regulating patient-nurse ratios. These will continue to be decided by health care institutions whose budgets have been ravaged by years of austerity.

As for the necessary funds to improve public services, the true attitude of the Liberal government was revealed in the cynical statement of Premier Couillard that We are in a public health system where, all the timein the future tooresources are never at the same level as needs.

The conditions experienced by nurses and their patients are the product of decades of cuts administered by successive provincial PQ and Liberal government to health care and all public services, and of the massive cuts federal Liberal and Conservative governments have made in the funds that Ottawa provides the provinces to fund Medicare, post-secondary education and welfare.

For the ruling elite, the ravaging of health care budgets is not only a means of slashing taxes for big business and the rich. It is meant to erode the strong popular support for a universal, state-funded health care system and thereby politically prepare the wholesale privatization of health care.

In this regard, Quebec is very much in the lead. Over the past decade, Liberal and PQ governments have fostered the growth of privately-owned diagnostic clinics and, in the name of efficiency, have given the green light for various medical procedures to be administered by for-profit clinics, although the cost is still borne by the state.

Under Bill 20, the health reform law, Barrette and the Liberals pushed through two years ago, not only did the government fuse health care institutions, eliminating large numbers of administrative jobs. It took an important step toward privatization by establishing the principle that every medical service should be monetized, with a price, determined with the aid of private health providers, attached to it.

The turn by the nurses to spontaneous job actions and Facebook protests, independent of the unions, is an indictment of the FIQ and the whole trade union bureaucracy. Time after time, the union leaders have torpedoed struggles of health care and public sector workersmost infamously in the case of the nurses in 1999, when they rebelled against the disastrous consequences of the austerity measures of the Bouchard PQ government and mounted an illegal strike, only ultimately to be forced back to work under the threat of severe sanctions. (See: Unions strangle Quebec nurses strike)

Regine Laurent, who headed the FIQ from 2009 until last December, revealed in a recent interview the essential role that the unions have played in quelling the opposition among workers and enabling the ruling class to move forward with its plans for social demolition. I was here in both strikes, in 1989 and 1999, she explained. And in the last two negotiations, in my head there was something that was clear. I never said it publicly, but for me it was clear that we had to use every means except strike action.

In 2015 more than half a million Quebec public sector workers repeatedly demonstrated their determination to fight the latest government assault on their working conditions. But the Inter-union Common Frontin which the FIQ decided not to participate, the better to isolate the nursesdissipated this anger in futile protest actions and steadfastly opposed linking the contract struggle over the workers terms of employment to any broader mobilization against the governments austerity measures.

For months, the union bureaucrats refused to discuss, let alone warn workers, about the governments plans to enact an emergency law illegalizing job action and imposing concessionary contracts by government decree. Such a discussion would have raised the need for workers to launch a political struggle against the Couillard government on the basis of a broad appeal to workers throughout Quebec and Canada for the defense of all jobs, wages and public services.

Then, as support for a province-wide unlimited strike developed, the union leaders, working according to a now familiar script, abandoned the workers demands, signed sellout agreements, and invoked the imminent threat of an emergency law and government-dictated contracts to force through their ratification.

Quebec Solidaire (QS), the pseudo-left party that has three seats in the Quebec legislature, organized a demonstration in February of a few hundred people in Montreal to support the nurses. Their main demand, however, was for Barrettes resignation. The purpose of the rally was thus not to prepare the mobilization of the workers against the austerity program of the Couillard government, but to help the union leaders defuse the crisis. QS played a similar role in 2015, when it lent support to the anti-worker maneuvers of the union bureaucrats, and in 2012 when it helped the unions politically harness the Quebec student strike to the big business PQ.
Workers have taken to social media to condemn the agreement imposed by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) and the Combined Rail Unions, covering around 9,000 train staff across the Australian state of New South Wales.

The unions pushed through the sellout deal in a postal ballot that concluded on March 23. The agreement, which will intensify the assault on workers jobs and conditions, was reportedly passed by a razor-thin margin after a months-long campaign by the unions to suppress widespread anger among rail staff.

In January, the RTBU enforced a ruling by the Fair Work Commission (FWC), the pro-business industrial tribunal, banning a scheduled 24-hour strike and all industrial action for six weeks. At the same time, the union shut down comments on its official Facebook page, to prevent workers engaging in discussion.

After the announcement last Saturday that the deal had been ratified, the RTBU enabled comments for some posts on its Facebook page. The response from workers made clear that the previous commenting block was imposed to prevent them from voicing opposition to the unions sordid manoeuvres.

Some workers posted comments questioning the transparency of the ballot, and the legitimacy of the yes vote.

One worker wrote: I demand a recount of the votes, did they take into account the people on annual leave? Another posted: Considering the voting was done via post & the unreliability of Aus Post (Australia Post), how can we guarantee that all the votes posted back were actually received? I dont believe this was a fair or reliably accurate way to have the vote done especially considering how close the vote was on both sides.

Other workers said they knew colleagues who had not received ballots. According to figures released by the RTBU, only 52.8 percent of the 6,525 Sydney Trains employees who cast a ballot voted in favour of the deal. Just 50.8 percent of 1,379 NSW Trains workers voted yes. In other words, the margin in the latter case was just 11 votes.

Comments highlighted the anti-democratic character of the ballot. One worker asked how rail management was so successful in dissuading the RTBU to forego the usual precedent of a proper ballot presided over by the Australian Electoral Commission, in favour of a management poll. He said the ballot had been guaranteed to disperse and dissolve the rank and files previous resolve. So what happened? Anyone know why we did this?

When the unions Facebook moderator dismissed calls for a recount, citing provisions in Fair Work legislation, a worker asked: So are you going to dispute the result or just roll over and play nice for Howard? Howard Collins is head of Transport for NSW, the department which manages public transport.

Other members denounced the unions maneouvres in the lead up to the ballot. One said they had heard nothing from union officials when rail management put the agreement to the ballot. Workers were muzzled by FWC and hammered to the point of borderline harassment by ST (Sydney Trains) management.

Another worker questioned the RTBUs claim, before the ballot, that it was not recommending a yes or no vote. Why was it that the union chose not to take a position on how to vote? he asked, adding, Why did you sit on the fence?

This comment pointed to the fact that the RTBUs position was a sham. In reality, the union played a central role in drawing up the Enterprise Agreement (EA) with rail management, acting on behalf of the state Liberal-National government.

Before the vote, RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens said the union was very close on all the conditions to formally recommending the deal. The union also warned that a no vote would result in the continuation of an effective wage freeze since the previous agreement expired last year. The RTBUs partners in the Combined Rail Unions, including the Electrical Trades Union, explicitly endorsed the deal, declaring it was outstanding and the best outcome that could be obtained.

In contrast to these lies, workers pointed to the meagre character of the 3 percent annual pay rise touted by the unions as a victory. In reality, it is well below the rising cost of living. Some noted that the wage increase was tied to productivity savingscode for cuts to jobs and working conditions.

The agreement mandates continuous pro-business restructuring. It includes a crackdown on sick leave, and expanded disciplinary measures, including, in some cases, forcing workers onto leave without pay. It allows for the closure of operational facilities, forced redundancies and the expansion of casual and contract labour.

The deal signals stepped-up collaboration between the unions and rail management. It includes multiple clauses facilitating changes to the terms of the agreement in union-management arbitration, to facilitate stepped-up cost-cutting.

In their comments, rail workers pointed to the corporatised character of the unions. One stated: Well done here RTBU. Youve effectively done managements job of causing division in our workforce due to incompetence, although maybe that was the plan all along. Another said: I think the upper echelon of the RTBU need to be held more accountable with the way negotiations were conducted.

Multiple workers indicated they planned to resign from the RTBU. One wrote: Can you update your RTBU magazine with how to resign from the Union on the back pages not just how to join!

The sentiments among rail workers are part of a developing rebellion of the working class against the unions, which have suppressed industrial and political struggles for decades.

This sharply poses the question of an alternative. A number of workers called for the formation of a new union, exclusively for train crews. Others suggested that the way forward was to oust the current RTBU leadership in upcoming union elections.

The bitter experience of rail workers, and every section of the working class, however, makes clear that the issue is not a bad leadership, or one inadequate union. Rather, all the unions have been transformed, over the past 40 years, into an industrial police force of governments and big business, and labour hire outfits, serving the interests of a wealthy officialdom.

Taking their pro-capitalist program to its logical conclusion, all the unions responded to the globalisation of production by dispensing with any program of limited national-reformism. They function as the chief proponents of ensuring the international competitiveness of their own national industry, through the continuous destruction of jobs, wages and conditions.

The NSW rail unions have collaborated with successive Labor and Liberal-National state governments in the gutting of thousands of jobs, the privatisation of freight services, and the closure of dozens of workshops and facilities.

As the record makes clear, what is required is a complete break with the unions. To prepare for the struggles that will emerge against the cost-cutting outlined in the EA, rail workers need new organisations of struggle, including independent rank-and-file committees. These would be tasked with coordinating a unified political and industrial fightback of all rail staff, along with other public transport workers throughout the state and around the country.

Such organisations must be based on a new political perspective, which rejects the subordination of public transport, and every aspect of life, to the profit dictates of a tiny corporate elite. This means the fight for a workers government and socialist policies, including placing the banks and major corporations under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class.
While London and Washington continue to further incite tensions with Russia over the Skripal case, criticism is mounting within the European Union over the aggressive stance towards Moscow. In Germany in particular, leading politicians have spoken out in recent days against the accusations made by the British government and warned of the danger of an escalation of the situation up to and including a war.

On Wednesday, the former vice-president of the EU Commission, Gunter Verheugen (Social Democrats, SPD), spoke during an interview with ZDF of the beginning of a serious international crisis, a crisis which he is unsure can be kept under control. And that is really the last thing we need just now, he added.

The crisis is not being set into motion on the basis of secure knowledge and secure insights, but rather on the basis of a chain of evidence resting on one assumption after another. This is not proof, he added, and stated that he thinks such action in a democratic society is not possible.

Asked by ZDF moderator Mitri Sirin about alleged Russian misdeeds, including the annexation of Crimea, the war in Syria, and cyberattacks, Verheugen answered, In reality, there are no shortage of accusations that can be directed at the Russian side. It is necessary to be aware of the fact, however, that accusations can also be levelled at the West.

It is not so long ago that the British and American governments lied to the entire world: intentionally and consciously lied to justify the attack on Iraq. And Britains Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, who is now blowing so much hot air...lied so much during the Brexit campaign in Britain that its hard to keep up with him. Verheugen added that this is not particularly credible.

Verheugen stated that he would have wished a better start for new Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD), who immediately upon coming to office gave his full backing to Britain. While one has to live with the situation for now, it is also necessary to remember that we previously had a different kind of cooperation with Russia. As someone who spoke directly with President Putin about the eastward expansion of the EU, Verheugen commented that he knew that constructive engagement and cooperation are possible. It is necessary to back away from this confrontation and return to a situation where cooperation is possible.

Leading representatives of various parties in parliament spoke along similar lines and criticised the governments position. The expulsion of four Russian diplomats with an intelligence background was premature and is not justified by the political criteria that should be applied in the Skripal case, said SPD deputy parliamentary group leader Rolf Mutzenich to Die Welt. Obviously, not every European government participated in this step.

Left Party European policy spokesman Andrej Hunko thanked on Twitter the EU-States Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Luxemburg, Malta, Austria, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Cyprus for not following the irresponsible course of expelling Russian ambassadors without evidence.

Left Party parliamentary group leader Sahra Wagenknecht wrote, It is not solidarity to suspend constitutional principles and further escalate the already tense situation with Russia, but a lack of understanding.

The far-right Alternative for Germany, which enjoys close ties to Russian nationalists, was also angered by the governments move. Party leader Alexander Gauland described it as inappropriate to resort to such serious sanctions in the absence of hard facts and denounce the accused for not disproving the allegations. The British governments assertions that Russia was responsible for the attack are yet to be proved.

AfD deputy Hansjorg Muller, who sits on the parliamentary committee for economy and energy, described Maas as a foreign policy dilettante, who ought to be brought before a court for his decision.

The sharp reactions from certain quarters demonstrate that, notwithstanding the declaration of solidarity with Britain and the expulsion of four Russian diplomats, a faction exists within the ruling class that considers Russia to be a partner in the pursuit of the geostrategic and economic interests of German imperialism.

Former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD), who repeatedly criticised the United States foreign policy during his time in office and advocated a lifting of sanctions on Russia, has continued to promote this approach after handing his position over to Maas.

Gabriel gave his first foreign policy speech as ex-foreign minister at an event for the 25th anniversary of the German-Russian Forum, which since its founding in 1993 has pushed for closer political, economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Gabriel declared that in these times bravery is required to advocate for good German-Russian relations. He added that he knew that the Russian interpretation of the conflict in Ukraine is entirely different from the German and Western European standpoint. But it has to be possible to gradually overcome these conflicts. There is no point of making mutual allegations in world politics without at the same time looking for ways to move forward, said Gabriel. Russia is a decisive partner in resolving the Syrian conflict. It will not work without Russia, he concluded.

Gabriel did not conceal the fact that he considers the British and American provocations against Russia to be a threat to German interests. It is absolutely unacceptable that energy policy is driven by the US view, towards a position where we should give up our decades-long energy partnership with Russia so that Germany and Europe can buy expensive American natural gas, he complained. Instead, he appealed for the retaining of visions, such as that of a free trade zone from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

Washington and London are exploiting the Skripal affair to thwart precisely such a goal. They want at all costs to prevent Germany from establishing a European military alliance to pursue its economic interests independently of the United States and forming a trading bloc with Russia. The constant intensification of the sanctions regime is part of Washingtons efforts to subordinate Russia so as to consolidate US imperialist domination over the energy-rich Eurasian landmass.

Gabriel warned in his speech that the Wests actions have already brought the world to the brink of a nuclear conflict. He said he has been following with great concern that also on the Russian side, the idea is emerging that the West and NATO are so superior with conventional weapons that new nuclear weapons are required. And that on the other side, NATO responds by renewing its demand for the development of new nuclear weapons in Europe.

He therefore appealed for a balanced German stance, because we all know that confrontations in the end result in the staging of conflict somewhere. When the confrontation takes place, it occurs on the territory of the German Federal Republic and Europe, he warned.
Ecuador says it has again suspended Julian Assange's ability to communicate with the world outside its embassy in London. The South American nation accuses him of failing to commit to an agreement not to release messages interfering with other nations' affairs.

The WikiLeaks founder has normally had internet and social media access at the embassy, where Ecuador granted him asylum and allowed him to stay continuously for nearly six years to avoid an arrest warrant.

But Ecuador says it cut off his outside communications access -- for at least the second time in two years -- on Tuesday.

"The government of Ecuador has suspended all systems that allow Julian Assange to communicate outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London," Ecuador's statement, released Wednesday, reads.

"This decision was taken due to Assange's failure to commit to the written agreement he agreed with the government at the end of 2017, where he was obligated not to release any messages that would interfere with other countries' matters.

"Ecuador's government warns that Assange's behavior through his social media messages puts in risk the good relationship the country has with the UK, other EU countries and other nations."

The statement did not specify which message or messages, if any, violated the agreement.

Assange's recent tweets

Assange has been holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 in an effort to avoid a Swedish arrest warrant for alleged rape -- accusations he has always denied.

Sweden dropped the charges in May 2017, but Assange remains the subject of a UK arrest warrant.

Assange has recently tweeted about a wide range of subjects, including the UK's accusation that Russia was likely responsible for a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain.

"While it is reasonable for (UK Prime Minister) Theresa May to view the Russian state as the leading suspect, so far the evidence is circumstantial & the OCPW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) has not yet made any independent confirmation, permitting the Kremlin (to) push the view domestically that Russia is persecuted," Assange posted to Twitter on Monday.

His most recent Tweets, sent Tuesday, respond to an insult from Alan Duncan, a minister of state at the Foreign Office. Duncan, during a parliamentary session, called Assange a "miserable little worm" who should leave the embassy and give himself up to British justice.

"As a political prisoner detained without charge for 8 years, in violation of 2 UN rulings, I suppose I must be 'miserable'; yet nothing wrong with being a 'little' person although I'm rather tall; and better a 'worm,' a healthy creature that invigorates the soil, than a snake," Assange tweeted Tuesday.

Ecuador's relationship with Assange has been uneasy in recent years. It temporarily cut off his internet access in October 2016, citing a batch of documents that WikiLeaks released -- documents that Ecuador said targeted the 2016 US presidential election campaign.

Assange has previously expressed concern that if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy in London, he could end up being extradited to the United States, where he fears facing the death penalty over allegations of revealing government secrets through WikiLeaks.

In December, Ecaudor granted Assange citizenship, with Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa calling the measure "one more ring of protection" for Assange.

Espinosa in January said Ecuador would continue to pursue a dialogue with the UK to eventually remove Assange from the embassy.
A civil rights attorney who represents the families of black men slain by police states it plainly and unapologetically.

The white man accused of committing "a mass shooting in Florida (was) not shot once, but a young black man holding a cellphone is shot 20 times," Benjamin Crump said of the unarmed father gunned down this month by Sacramento, California, police who say they thought he had a gun.

Crump went on.

"A young man who was bombing homes in Austin, Texas, police followed him for hours. He wasn't shot once," he said, referring to the bomber, who was white. "But an unarmed black man holding a cellphone was shot 20 times."

Observations like these have resurfaced with fervor after a series of incidents across the country this month -- including the shooting death of Stephon Clark in Sacramento -- again raised questions about unequal treatment of people of color by police.

Years after the emergence of Black Lives Matter, a social movement borne of the shooting death in Florida of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, there is still a widely held perception of law enforcement's racial animus toward people of color, especially in the communities they're sworn to serve.

"These examples are benchmarks in terms of understanding that if you think there's been progress, ... we have a long way to go before law enforcement in America is doing its jobs as it should be done," Jeffrey Robinson, director of the Trone Center for Justice and Equality at the American Civil Liberties Union, said of half a dozen cases that gained national attention in recent weeks.

"It's a very difficult thing to admit that race makes a difference in the criminal justice system," he said, "because if we admit that's true, it says some pretty ugly things about ourselves as a nation."

'Patterns are stark and disturbing'

In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this week, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced that no charges would be filed against two police officers in the 2016 shooting death of Alton Sterling. The African-American man was selling CDs outside a store when officers, responding to a call about a man with a gun, pinned him to the ground and shot him. The incident, which investigators determined was justified, led to protests.

The Southern Poverty Law Center reacted to the decision via Twitter: "The final moments of #AltonSterling's life looked less like a police stop and more like a public execution."

"We must know that law enforcement values the lives of all the people they are sworn to protect and serve," SPLC President Richard Cohen said in a statement.

In Houston, authorities launched an investigation into the shooting of Danny Ray Thomas, 34, who died last week from single gunshot wound fired by a sheriff's deputy.

The Fair Punishment Project, an advocacy group affiliated with Harvard's Criminal Justice Institute, tweeted: "It took only 17 seconds from the moment a Harris County sheriff's deputy ordered Danny Ray Thomas to get on the ground to the moment he fired a bullet that killed Thomas -- who was unarmed. 17 seconds."

In Elgin, Illinois, a 34-year-old woman named Decynthia Clements, whom police believed was suicidal and possibly armed with a knife, was fatally shot by a police officer. Police this week planned to release 30 hours of police body-camera footage in an effort to be transparent.

In western North Carolina, assault charges were announced this month against a former police officer, Christopher Hickman, who was captured on body-camera video hitting and using a Taser on a black man suspected last summer of jaywalking.

"The patterns are stark and disturbing," Robinson said. "When the suspect is white, we ... tend to be able to talk about their humanity in a completely different way than when the suspect is black."

'A young white man who terrorizes a city'

Interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, who is white, took heat this month for how he described a 25-minute video in which Mark Anthony Conditt, whose handcrafted bombs killed two people and wounded five in Texas, confessed to building the devices. Conditt blew himself up last week as police moved in.

"It is the outcry of a very challenged young man talking about challenges in his life that led him to this point," the interim chief said of the confession.

Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, on Twitter called out the chief for his description of "a young white man who terrorizes a city."

"I believe passionately in acknowledging the humanity of those who commit even terrible crimes," she said.

"Reading this police chief's empathy for this young white man highlights the awfulness -- the plain awfulness -- of the persistent refusal to extend this empathy to young black people."

"Remember how they talked about innocent black children," like Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Freddie Gray, Ifill wrote.

The first blasts Conditt orchestrated -- one on March 2 and two more on March 12 -- killed or wounded three African-Americans and one Hispanic woman. They occurred in parts of east Austin where most residents are minorities. Some there expressed fear the attacks might have been racially motivated, a theory police never seemed to take seriously, according to residents and community activists.

The first explosion killed Anthony Stephan House, 39, who the police initially suggested may have set off the bomb himself; the second killed Draylen Mason, 17, a gifted music student.

Manley has defended his downplaying of the first bombing, saying investigators initially believed it came in retaliation for police having taken "a significant amount of cash out of a drug stash house" a few days earlier on the same street.

But for longtime black and Latino residents of the largely segregated city, the bombings will always be considered acts of terror, said Eric Tang, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

"No matter what the motive might have been, it remains that the black and brown community on the East Side felt terrorized," Tang said. "What comes to mind when you hear a bomb has gone off in a Southern city?"

The fears of residents did not appear to register quickly enough with the leadership of a city that has long billed itself as tolerant and progressive, he said.

"This wasn't being addressed in any direct way by authorities even if they couldn't prove that early that there was a hate crime motive," Tang said. "It seems worth it to me that they would acknowledge the disparate impact it would have on a community that has historically faced racial violence and presently faces racial inequality."

Manley this week leaned in that direction, describing the bombings as "domestic terrorism" and Conditt as a "terrorist."

"I actually agree now that he was a domestic terrorist for what he did to us," Manley said during a panel discussion broadcast by KUT-FM. "This is a distinction I wanted to make."

Manley talked about the bomber's impact on the community but did not single out the effect on blacks or Latinos.

'We can be legally killed at any moment'

Meantime, the streets of California's capital have been reeling for days with outraged residents demanding accountability for the shooting death of Stephon Clark.

Police have said Clark had a gun, but only a cellphone was found near his body. Some want the two officers involved in chasing and killing Clark -- in response to reports of petty vandalism -- to be fired and prosecuted. The officers -- one of whom is black -- have been placed on administrative leave as California's attorney general investigates.

"#StephonClark's murder reminds us we live in a country where we can be legally killed at any moment for any reason and there is no real system in place to help (or protect) us," tweeted Symone Sanders, a CNN political commentator who was national press secretary for Bernie Sanders' Democratic presidential campaign.

"It seems as though that when we have suspects or people who are engaged in situations with police officers that are a little more 'melanated' than some of our counterparts, they seem to not make it out of the situations alive," Symone Sanders later told CNN, referring to people with brown or black skin.

"They do not get due process. They do not get to go through the process, and they're not given the benefit of being innocent until proven guilty."

At a city council meeting this week, Clark's brother, Stevante Clark, told the crowd, "The mayor and the city of Sacramento has failed all of you." He cited entrenched ills such as high rents, poverty and gang violence.

Indeed, Robinson of the ACLU said law enforcement's use of "extreme violence against people of color goes back to my parents' generation to their parents' generation and to their parents' generation."

"But people are beginning to discuss these issues in a way that is different than I've seen in my entire life," said Robinson, 61, who was born and raised in Memphis.

"More people are becoming more aware of these kinds of hypocrisies in our criminal justice system," he said. "If there is hope that I find, it's that these stories are being discussed in a much broader way."

In Washington, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders this week called the fatal police shootings of Sterling and Clark "a local matter."

"Certainly a terrible incident," Sanders said of both cases. "This is something that is a local matter and that's something that we feel should be left up to the local authorities at this point in time."

But Crump sees it differently.

"This is a national issue. These are our children being killed in every city," the attorney said. "The lists goes on and on. We've done so many of these interviews, and yet for whatever reason, there's an intellectual justification to always exonerate the police when they kill black people. We have to change that."
EDGAR COUNTY, Ill. (WTHI) - New opportunities for folks to find work are coming to Paris, Illinois.



The United States of America gets a bad reputation for not manufacturing a lot of our own products. As it turns out, right in our own backyard at North American Lighting, they're looking to do just that. The company is expanding and adding more jobs right here in the Wabash Valley.

Wednesday was the expansion ground breaking ceremony for North American Lighting. Roughly 55,000 square feet will be added to the current factory.

NAL President, Kirk Gadberry, says the plant has a long history in the area, and this isn't the first time it's gone through some growing pains.

Gadberry says, "Its very exciting for us to be able to expand the Paris location. We made the initial investment in Paris in 2002 and so since that time we've expanded at least three times, this is a fourth major expansion. So we're very excited to be a part of the Paris community and grow in the Paris community. And, it's very exciting to me personally to be a part of that."

One groundbreaking attendee that stuck out from the crowd was Congressman John Shimkus. He says college isn't for everyone, and that's okay.

Shimkus says there are still plenty of jobs in Illinois for those choosing not to go that route.

Shimkus says, "These are the messages we need to tell our kids. And, they may decide to seek higher education later on. But, there is a need and a desire for people who are willing to show up on time, do a full 8 to 10 hour work-day, and go home, and stay clean."

Company officials say the rain has pushed the actual start date of the project back. They hope to start moving dirt in the next few weeks.

NAL hopes to finish this project by December of 2018. At that point, they will have 50 more jobs they need to fill. They also say they have some positions they need to fill right now.

For more information, click here.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - A Greencastle man will be sentenced in April after pleading guilty to a charge of attempted murder. Jeffrey Hunter, 50, will be sentenced on April 12th in Putnam Circuit Court.

According to on-line court records, Hunter signed a plea agreement where he agreed to plead guilty to attempted murder. His other charges of theft, resisting law enforcement, battery by means of a deadly weapon, and aggravated battery were dismissed. Attempted murder is a Level One felony under Indiana law.

Jeffrey Hunter Jeffrey Hunter

The charges stem from a shooting incident that happened in December of 2016. Police in Putnam County were looking for Hunter, who was suspected of stealing from a Greencastle tractor supply company. Officer Luke Brown of the Cloverdale Police Department was among the officers who confronted Hunter at his home on East County Road 375 South.

It's during that confrontation police say Hunter shot Brown in his bulletproof vest, which may have saved Brown's life. This allowed Brown to return fire, striking Hunter in the chest. Brown's mother told News 10 her son then administered first aid on Hunter while paramedics were en route.
BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. (WTVA) - Blue Mountain police are asking the public for help identifying two people accused of identity theft.

On March 25, sometime near 8 p.m, two men went into the Blue Mtn. Dollar General and used another person's personal and banking information from Pennsylvania to purchase a Visa gift card in the amount of $955.77.

Police say the two men later went back to the store to try another purchase in the amount of $962.51, but they were declined.

Anyone who can identify these men is urged to contact the Blue Mtn. Police Department at 662-685-4721.

You can see surveillance in the video above.
MARIANNA, Fla. (WTXL) - A woman was arrested in Jackson County for having drugs inside her car, giving a false name to law enforcement, and resisting an officer during a traffic stop.

Monica Willis, 28, was arrested by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

On March 28, a deputy was on patrol in the area of Rocky Creek Road in Marianna, Florida.

While on patrol the deputy saw a traffic violation and conducted a traffic stop on the car.

After making contact with Willis, she identified herself to the deputy, using a false name.

As the conversation continued, the deputy smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

The deputy then requested for Willis to exit the vehicle so that a probable cause search could be done. Willis refused to exit the vehicle despite the deputy telling her to several times.

The deputy had to force Willis to exit the car and she was put into handcuffs. While the deputy was taking Willis to his patrol vehicle, Willis threw a glass pipe in a ditch. The pipe was used to smoke marijuana.

During a probable cause search of the car, officers found marijuana, a purse containing methamphetamine inside a jewelry style bag, and spoons with meth residue.

Deputies discovered during the probable cause traffic stop that Willis' license was revoked and she is a habitual traffic offender. During this time, it was discovered Willis was on active state probation as well.

Willis was arrested and transported to the Jackson County Correctional Facility.

She is being charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, providing a false name to law enforcement, resisting an officer without violence, habitual traffic offender, and violation of state probation.
MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) - The Leon County Sheriff's Office is hosting a Summer Camp Application Day.

Sgt. Teresa Howard joined us in studio to discuss an upcoming summer camp and a day to sign up for it.

On April 14, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. the Leon County Sheriff's Office will have the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch, the Bond Community Bus, and deputies at the sheriff's office to accept applications for Camp Caruth held July 29, 201 through August 3, 2018.

At the Caruth Camp-Inglis/Yankeetown, boys and girls experience many different therapeutic camping activities to include canoeing, archery, swimming, and many other recreational activities allow them the opportunity to build basic teamwork and peer communication skills.

Additionally, they can spend the week enjoying the beautiful, tranquil outdoor environment.

The camp also provides an opportunity for deputy sheriffs and other law enforcement volunteers to get personally involved with the youngsters to form positive, healthy relationships.

For more information, contact the Department of Youth Service at 850-404-3261.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tuesday night, the Leon County School Board celebrated the district's first clean audit in more than three decades.

The Florida Auditor General found zero findings to report in the 2016-17 school year for the district.

The district was thoroughly analyzed for how and where it spends its money each year. The Auditor General conducts a state audit every three years.

The audit reviews bank statements, accounting processes, and county financial procedures.

Superintendent Rocky Hanna said it's a testament to how the district manages taxpayers' dollars.

"I know Leon County Schools has been scrutinized in years past for the number of findings," said Hanna. "This is the first time we can say, 'Look at us! Zero findings! We made history.' That's not to say that we won't have some comments that are made, but to have zero material weaknesses is quite a statement."

Hanna said the one of the big improvements from the previous audit was how the district handled its "capital assets."
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tuesday night, Leon County said "no" to a new guardian program that gives Florida counties the option arm teachers and staff.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was signed into law by Florida Governor Rick Scott earlier this month.

The new legislation allows a school district, in coordination with the sheriff's office, to train school personnel, aside from law enforcement, to carry firearms and use them, if necessary.

Right now, the only school district to take an official position on the guardian program is Leon County, but other districts expect to do the same at their next school board meetings.

The superintendents in Gadsden, Jefferson, Madison and Liberty counties have all said they personally oppose the guardian program. Once again, that's not the official position of those districts.

In Madison County, the superintendent and sheriff are pursuing the idea of adding more school resource officers, but nothing so far in terms of training school personnel for the program.

In Suwannee County, the school district is leaning towards a "limited" guardian program that is "very selective." The school board hasn't made it official, but the sheriff's office is on board with the idea.

"Protecting the schools and the children, that's just a very, very, very high priority for me, and I'm going to do whatever I can to protect them," said Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St. John. "This is just an extra layer of protection to assure that if, God forbid, anything like this happened, we would be prepared for it."

Sheriff Sam St. John says there'd be a vetting process for the program. He said several ex-military personnel are already in schools that could be good candidates. They'd still go through a psychological test and required training.

Many of these districts plan to have discussions about the guardian program in April.
KENNER, LA (WVUE) - Kenner police say a man armed with a machete tried to take two children at a Walmart store.

According to police, the unidentified man walked into the Kenner Walmart on Veterans Avenue Friday around 2 p.m.

The man, who was carrying a bag and the machete, walked over to the deli section of the store where a woman and her young child were. The man tried to take the child from the cart where the child was sitting, but the woman was able to remove the child before the man could. The woman screamed for help, prompting a store security worker to intervene.

The worker chased the man to a different section of the store, where the man dropped the bag, pulled out the machete and began swinging it at the employee.

The man then ran back over to the deli section where another woman and her child were. The man tried to remove the child from the cart, which the child was strapped into, but he was unsuccessful.

The woman fought the man trying to prevent him from taking the child. The security guard and a Kenner police officer working detail at the store, were able to take the suspect down and put him into custody.

Police say that no injuries were reported.

The man, who refused to give his name to police, was brought to the Kenner jail. He is facing multiple charges.

We will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.

Copyright 2018 WVUE. All rights reserved.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee mother has been charged with child abuse after investigators say she admitted to burning a 2-year-old with a hot blow dryer.

Danika McCray, 23, was arrested on Monday after the child was examined by a pediatric nurse during a welfare check.

According to court documents, the nurse noticed that the child had cuts and open wounds on the inside of his forearms during the examination.

When asked about the wounds, McCray initially said she didn't know what had happened, but her story kept changing. Worried the 2-year-old may be the victim of abuse or neglect, the nurse notified the Tallahassee Police Department who came out to the doctor's office.

When asked about the wounds by police, McCray said she didn't know anything but said the child had been with his father and had those injuries when he was returned to her.

TPD then notified the Florida Department of Children and Families. Before a DCF investigator arrived to the doctor's office however, McCray admitted to holding a hot blow dryer to each of the 2-year-old's forearms.

McCray told investigators that it was an "accident," even though she admitted to burning the child one arm at a time.

When the DCF investigator arrived, they took the child for a medical examination so they could document and photograph his injuries.

Based on the investigation, authorities determined McCray "maliciously" punished the 2-year-old by burning his arms with a hot blow dryer, causing open wounds and lacerations.

McCray, who has three kids of her own and is eight months pregnant, was arrested and charged with one count of child abuse. She transported to the Leon County Detention Facility and held on a $3,500 bond.

McCray has since bonded out.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A man has been charged with child abuse after elementary school officials noticed bruises and marks all over on the child's body.

Maurice Figgers, 37, was arrested by the Leon County Sheriff's Office for physically abusing a child.

On March 26, school staff at Sabal Palm Elementary School told LCSO and Florida Department of Children and Families about injuries on the victim's body.

The victim was examined by medical staff at the Child Protection Team. They found the victim to have facial scrapes, a lip laceration, bruising and swelling on the hip, and bruising on the inside of his forearm, among many other injuries.

Deputies then interviewed the victim's mother who stated that she has not physically disciplined the victim in several months. She told deputies that her husband, Figgers, primarily takes care of the victim at home.

She told investigators the victim has developmental delays and a speech impairment, which has made potty training him difficult.

The mother told deputies that on March 25, her husband grew frustrated with the victim and spanked him with a belt.

The mother said she walked into the room during the spanking, but says she only saw her husband hit the victim twice. Later on, while giving the victim a bath, the mother noticed the bruising and marks on the victim. She felt they were excessive and became upset.

She confronted Figgers about the situation and said he began crying and told her he spanked the victim more than he intended.

While talking with deputies at the Sheriff's Office, he admitted to spanking the victim on three consecutive days but denied hitting the victim anywhere but on his bottom with the belt.

When deputies showed him a picture of a mark on the victim's shoulder blade area, he stated the victim moved during the spanking but could not explain the multiple marks on the victim's back.

Based on the investigation, Figgers was arrested and transported to the Leon County Detention Facility.

Deputies believed this abuse appears to be ongoing and not an isolated incident so the Florida Department of Children and Families was notified.

Figgers was being held in jail on a $3,500 bond but has since bonded out.
Liberian President Weah in a photo shot with the new Chinese Ambassador accredited to Liberia Fu Jijun. (Liberia's Executive Mansion Photo)

MONROVIA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China has donated 1,243 metric tons of rice to Liberia as emergency humanitarian food assistance.

A statement by the Liberian government late Sunday confirmed that all 50 containers of rice had arrived in the country and were received by officials.

"The donation was based upon a request from the Liberian government," said Liberia's acting foreign minister Elias Shoniyin.

The food assistance would help alleviate the hardship that the continuous rise in the price of rice, a staple food in Liberia, has brought on ordinary citizens, Shoniyin said.

The new administration of President George Weah has been working to stabilize the price of rice with the aim of making it affordable to most of the citizens, he said.

Fu Jijun, the Chinese ambassador in Liberia, said the donated rice would be allocated to the needy, and that China is willing to help the West African country raise grain production and strengthen its agriculture sector.
RIGA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The local government of the Latvian capital Riga is planning to provide 50,000 euros relief to families that have lost their relatives in the deadly shopping mall fire in the Russian city of Kemerovo.

Riga mayor Nils Usakovs said that a group of councilors came up with the initiative. "Most probably, we will consult the Latvian Red Cross on this. We will give the money to them and they will forward it to the Russian Red Cross which will use the money according to the designated purpose," the Riga mayor explained.

Usakovs said he had already discussed the proposal with several members of the city council, including opposition councilors, and nobody had raised any objections to it.

The allocation for the Kemerovo fire victims' families now has to be approved by the Riga City Council Financial and Administrative Affairs Committee.

At least 64 people lost their lives and more than 80 were injured in a deadly blaze in a shopping mall in the Siberian city of Kemerovo last Sunday.
PARIS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of mourners took the streets of French capital on Wednesday to call for a stop to anti-Semitism after an elderly Jewish woman was killed because of her religion.

Holding a white rose, political figures and civil society participated in a silent march that, according to President Emmanuel Macron's government, should be a moment for national unity.

Defying a call by Crif, an organization of French Jewish groups, Marine le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front party, and Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of hard-left "Unbowed France" movement, joined the march where they were greeted with whistles and jostling.

"Anti-Semites are over-represented in the far left and the far right, making those parties ones that you don't want to be associated with. Therefore, they are not welcome," Francis Kalifat, Crif director, told RTL radio.

Last Friday, Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll, 85, was found dead in her apartment in the central 11th district of Paris. She had been stabbed multiple times before her flat was set on fire.

Two men, aged 29 and 22 years, have been placed under investigation and charged with murder "motivated by the real or supposed adherence to a religion," aggravated robbery, and destruction of property.

In a national tribute to a military police killed last week in a terrorist attack, Macron on Wednesday made reference to Knoll, saying she was killed "because she was Jewish."

Thirty anti-Semitic attacks have been reported since January, according to the Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, who denounced the "intolerable" rise of such acts.

"Anti-Semitism is a deadly poison. Today and tomorrow, the Republic will stand up to this infamy (and) ... lead this fight," he said.

Other marches were planned in Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Orleans.

France is home to more than 400,000 Jewish people, the biggest community in Europe.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 05:44:33|Editor: Lifang

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R, Front) addresses a UN Security Council high-level debate on peacekeeping at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 28, 2018. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for strong collective action to deal with the serious challenges to the UN peacekeeping. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for strong collective action to deal with the serious challenges to UN peacekeeping.

UN peacekeeping faces serious challenges, particularly in four of its largest deployments: Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan, Guterres told the Security Council in a high-level debate on peacekeeping.

"UN peacekeeping missions now operate in far more dangerous, complex and high-risk environments. They are under threat from armed groups, criminals and terrorists, who have access to powerful modern weapons," he said. "UN peacekeepers are often under-equipped, under-prepared and unready for the dangerous environments in which they now operate. There are gaps in command and control, in culture, in equipment and in training."

UN peacekeepers are vulnerable and are targeted for attack, said Guterres. Last year, 59 UN peacekeepers were killed in malicious acts, a sharp increase from 2016, when the figure was 34.

"We are damaging the instrument of peacekeeping, and indeed multilateralism itself, in creating unrealistic expectations. Lives and credibility are being lost," he said. "These challenges require strong, collective action."

He asked to refocus peacekeeping with realistic expectations; to make peacekeeping missions stronger and safer; and to mobilize greater support for political solutions and for well-structured, well-equipped, well-trained forces.

The United Nations is working to improve the safety and security of peacekeepers, he said. "We have already started to implement measures to improve the preparedness and response of missions at high risk by strengthening training, reviewing medical support, and addressing performance issues."

The world body is conducting independent reviews of the peacekeeping missions in a bid to refine their priorities and configuration, while assessing the viability of mandates and political processes. The goal is to ensure that the peacekeepers are well-trained, well-equipped and better postured for challenges and threats. "Too often in the past, our troops have been reduced to waiting in a defensive posture, giving hostile forces time and space to plan attacks," he said.

Guterres said he has launched a new approach to sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers so that victims have a clear way to report allegations, and the United Nations can work with troop- and police-contributing countries to address the allegations, end impunity and prevent future cases.

He stressed that efforts on the side of the United Nations, although critical, are not enough to meet the challenges. "Our chances of success increase dramatically when we work together with member states and share burdens, risks and responsibilities. We urgently need a quantum leap in collective engagement."

Guterres said he is launching a new initiative called Action for Peacekeeping in a bid to mobilize all partners and stakeholders to support UN peacekeeping.

He asked the Security Council to sharpen and streamline mandates for peacekeeping missions. "Please put an end to mandates that look like Christmas trees."

"By attempting too much, we dilute our efforts and weaken our impact," said the UN chief.

He called on member states to sustain political engagement and push for political solutions and inclusive peace processes, including through bilateral diplomacy and sanctions if necessary.

A peacekeeping operation is not an army, or a counter-terrorist force, or a humanitarian agency. It is a tool to create the space for a nationally owned political solution, he said. "Put simply, peace operations cannot succeed if they are deployed instead of a political solution, rather than in support of one."

He also asked member states to build and strengthen partnerships with regional organizations, such as the African Union.

Political partnerships are indispensable, especially when a UN mission is deployed to support a peace process facilitated by other actors, he said.

He called on member states to provide the missions with human and financial resources that are in line with their mandates.

The lack of required equipment seriously undermine the full effectiveness of peacekeepers, their ability to prevent conflict and confront hostile forces, he said.

Guterres asked host countries to give their full consent to, and to cooperate actively with peacekeeping operations. "This includes bringing to justice the perpetrators of attacks against peacekeepers and removing the impediments to full freedom of movement."

For peacekeeping operations to succeed, the parties to the conflict must want peace and actively participate in a political process, he added.

When the will of the host countries weakens, the UN member states must, under the leadership of the Security Council, use all the incentives and all their influence to revive the peace process, he said.
BANJUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Gambia Commission for Refugees (GCR) will embark on a nationwide refugee verification exercise next month to enable them get accurate data on refugee status in the country.

The statement from GCR on Wednesday stated that the verification exercise will commence from the 3rd to 26th April.

"This exercise aims to verify all refugees in the Gambia to get an accurate data on refugees which will help the government to map out strategic plans for refugee protection in the Gambia," said the statement.

The exercise is supported by UNHCR at the following its approval of Gambia's appeal at a Geneva meeting in 2017.

Executive Committee meeting (EXCOM) was held in Geneva in 2017 for the verification of refugees in the Gambia.

The Gambia is still housing refugees from Sierra Leone, Liberia and those escaped from conflict in Southern Senegalese region, Casamance.
KIGALI, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda's president and chairperson of the African Union (AU) Paul Kagame on Wednesday congratulated Abiy Ahmed upon his election as the next prime minister of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia's ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), on Tuesday elected Ahmed as its new chairperson which effectively makes him the next Prime Minister of Ethiopia.

Kagame said on his Twitter that he made a telephone call with Ahmed to congratulate him and through him the entire EPRDF as well as people of Ethiopia for selecting him as next prime minister yet to be confirmed by parliament soon.

On behalf of other African leaders as the chairman of the African Union, Kagame expressed African countries' solidarity with the Ethiopian people and their leaders as "they continue to find from within and among themselves solutions to the recent political problems they faced."

Ahmed, chairman of Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) which rules over Ethiopia's largest and most populous regional state of Oromia, will replace the outgoing Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Desalegn had already resigned from his EPRDF chairperson position earlier in the day.

In recent months, internal political wrangling among four coalition partners of EPRDF, including Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, Amhara National Democratic Movement, South Ethiopia People's Democratic Movement and Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), has cast fears about the stability of the nation of about 100 million people.

Ethiopia is also reeling from persistent deadly protests since 2016 especially in the two most populous regional states of Amhara and Oromia over alleged political and economic marginalization.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 07:42:40|Editor: Lifang

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Staff members count ballots at a polling station in Cairo, Egypt, on March 28, 2018. Egypt's 2018 presidential election came to an end on Wednesday, as the polling stations closed nationwide at 10 p.m. local time. (Xinhua/Meng Tao)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 07:24:55|Editor: Liu

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UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned the Houthi missile attacks targeting several cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the multiple Houthi missile attacks, including the use of ballistic missiles, targeting several cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its capital Riyadh, which threatened civilian areas and resulted in at least one fatality.

"The members of the Security Council underlined that such attacks pose a serious national security threat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as a wider threat to regional security," it said.

They also expressed alarm at the stated intention of the Houthis to continue these attacks against Saudi Arabia, as well as to launch additional attacks against other states in the region.

"The members of the Security Council called on all Member States to fully implement all aspects of the arms embargo as required by the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015) and in that regard expressed their grave concern at the reports of continuing violations of the arms embargo," it said.

The members of the Security Council "expressed their grave concern" at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians and called on all parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access.

They also "expressed grave distress" at the level of violence in Yemen. "The members of the Security Council called upon all parties to comply with international humanitarian law," it said.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated the need for all parties to return to dialogue as the only means of delivering a negotiated political settlement and engage constructively with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, with a view towards swiftly reaching a final and comprehensive agreement to end the conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis," said the statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 07:39:57|Editor: Liangyu

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SAN FRANCISCO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- An overseas Chinese hi-tech firm in Silicon Valley in the U.S. state of California is showcasing a breakthrough in water treatment technology that removes 99 percent of toxic substances from daily drinking water.

At the annual WQA Convention and Exposition held in Denver of Colorado, which runs from March 26 to 29, Mesofilter Inc. presented its flagship product MesopaperTM, the first paper filter able to rapidly immobilize harmful pollutants such as arsenic, lead and other heavy metals, bacteria, viruses and radioactive elements in water and air.

Unlike other filtration processes, Mesopaper does not require pressure, chemicals, electrical potential, plastic or any additional equipment, the company said Wednesday.

It added that with more than 80 percent cost saving, its effectiveness and ease of use are superior to reverse osmosis, chemical treatment, and UV exposure -- the common processes used for filtering air and water.

Mesopaper has been certified to NSF/ANSI 53: Drinking Water Treatment Units -- Health Effects, the American National Standard for drinking water treatment units.

Mesopaper uses Mesofilter's patented MesoNoseTM technology, which mimics the human nose.

MesoNose is composed of ceramic granules made from natural clay containing millions of tiny, 40-50 nanometer (nm) size "noses" with billions of nano zero-valent iron needles, Zhen Cheng, associate professor of Radiology Department and director of Cancer Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory of Stanford University, told Xinhua.

"The needles function like hooks to capture bacteria, inactivate viruses, and absorb heavy metals and radioactive elements," he explained.

Experts say the paper filter made from nanotechnology could trigger a revolution in the water industry.

"Radioactive contaminants in water threaten hundreds of millions of lives every day, especially in developing countries," said Boris Faybishenko, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

"Whether it's for a rural home's drinking water, or for a community water treatment plan, Mesopaper makes clean and safe drinking water accessible to everyone," he said.

A World Health Organization report indicated that arsenic poisoning alone affects 200 million people worldwide, and 170 million people are drinking water containing cancer-causing, radioactive elements.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that arsenic, lead and mercury are the three most hazardous threats to human health, and the consumption of these materials often comes from contaminated water.

The 2018 WQA Convention and Exposition was sponsored by the U.S. Water Quality Association, which has been a signature event of the water treatment industry in the country.

In 2017, 56 countries were represented among the 3,500 attendees of the WQA Convention and Exposition in Orlando of Florida state of the United States.
BOTEN, Laos, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Lao company has officially opened an inland container depot (ICD) at the Boten Specific Economic Zone (SEZ) in Laos' northern province of Luang Namtha.

The opening ceremony was attended Wednesday by Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Somdy Douangdy, Luang Namtha Provincial Governor Phetthavone Philavan, Chairman of Management Committee of Boten SEZ Zhou Kun and Chairperson of the Lao International ICD Thoonsavan Sichanthongthip.

The Lao International ICD will become the largest logistics distribution center in Laos-China border area, while facilitating the bilateral trade, said Chairman of Management Committee of Boten SEZ Zhou.

"Our goal is to offer the convenience of border transportation, and make it more flexible, safe, and smooth, so as to reduce logestics cost and to attract more foreign investment to Laos," said Thoonsavan, chairwoman of the company when addressing the opening ceremony.

The ICD is located at the center of an economic corridor linking Laos to China and Thailand, and is expected to serve the three countries' needs for transportation, and trade and economic cooperation, Thoonsavan told Xinhua.

"Today, Laos International ICD Co., Ltd. has officially opened its business, which will reduce the bilateral logistics cost, increase bilateral trade and accelerate the development of the international logistics industry (in Laos)," said Luang Namtha Provincial Governor Phetthavone Philavan,

"We will work together on the implementation of the 'Belt and Road' Initiative to create brilliant benefits for both sides."
UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Wednesday that her country will pay no more than a quarter of the overall UN peacekeeping budget in the future.

"Moving forward, the United States will not pay more than 25 percent of the (UN) peacekeeping budget. This is a cap required by U.S. law," Haley told a high-level Security Council debate on UN peacekeeping.

"We pledge to work with member states and the organization to ensure we make this adjustment in a fair and sensible manner that protects UN peacekeeping. All of us have a role to play, and all of us must step up," she said.

Resources are important for peacekeeping, she said, but peacekeeping is a shared responsibility. "With shared responsibility comes shared burdens and shared costs. One country should not shoulder more than one quarter of the UN peacekeeping budget, and we look forward to a more equitable distribution of the budget among member states."

The United States contributes 28.47 percent (2.078 billion U.S. dollars) to the current UN peacekeeping budget of 7.3 billion dollars. China comes second with 750 million dollars (10.25 percent).

The United States shoulders 22 percent of the 5.4-billion-dollar biennial regular budget of the United Nations.
HOUSTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Mistrust between Washington and Tehran tends to reach a higher level under the current U.S. administration, which will further raise the risk of miscalculation and the chances of escalation when an incident occurs, said U.S. experts.

According to a recent study titled "Trump Policy in the Middle East: Iran," foreign policy experts Joe Barnes and Robert Barron from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy explored the policy of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration toward Iran and analyzed the ways in which it differs from that of the Barack Obama administration.

The research fellows said that constructive relationship between the United States and Iran had "a faint prospect under the Obama administration," and the prospect is "even unlikelier under Trump."

"The Trump administration will find rolling back Iranian influence a heavy lift and, at times, a dangerous one," said the authors, adding: "The EU (European Union) and others in the international community will be wary of efforts to further isolate Iran."

Israel and Saudi Arabia welcome the Trump administration's stance, "but a perceived carte blanche from Washington might prompt leaders in Saudi Arabia and Israel to act in ways that do not conform to U.S. interests," they said.

Expanding Iranian influence in the Middle East has worried policymakers in the region and in Washington, said the experts.

The experts noted that since 2011, revolutions across the region have created strategic challenges and opportunities for Iran.

They said a unilateral U.S. decision to reimpose sanctions against Iran could create a rift with U.S. allies in Europe. The nomination of Mike Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state "further clouds" the future, as "Pompeo is widely considered to be a hawk when it comes to Iran and has been a harsh critic of the nuclear deal."

Looking forward, the authors said "goodwill and deft diplomacy" are required to avoid rocky times ahead for U.S.-Iranian relations, even though both are "in notoriously short supply in the Middle East."
CANBERRA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Australian military has admitted that the allegations it killed two Iraqi civilians in 2017 are "credible."

According to an Australian Associated Press (AAP) report on Thursday, Australian Defence Force (ADF) Major General Greg Bilton told journalists at a briefing that "on the balance of probabilities" two Iraqi adults were killed and two children were wounded by an Australian air strike in 2017.

It is just the second time that the ADF has acknowledged that Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bombs may have killed civilians.

The incident occurred when a RAAF Super Hornet plane dropped a precision bomb on an Islamic State (IS) sniper nest in Mosul on May 3.

However, it wasn't until Amnesty International raised the matter in late August that a coalition of nations, led by the U.S., opened an investigation into the deaths.

Bilton briefed journalists ahead of the release of the final report on the incident, saying it was possible that the victims were a family being used by IS soldiers as human shields.

"On the balance of probabilities, our strike resulted in the death of two people and the injury of two others," he said.

"We deeply regret the loss of civilians."

Despite the deaths, two separate investigations found that the pilot had followed the laws of war and no mistakes had been made.

"There are no specific lessons we have learned from this strike that we can apply to improve our processes," Bilton said.

He said there were currently no other active investigations into civilian deaths involving the ADF but could not definitively rule out more investigations in the future.
CANBERRA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two men who gave their life to save others have been posthumously awarded the Star of Courage in the latest round of Australian Bravery Awards.

Peter Cosgrove, Australia's governor general, announced the latest Australian Bravery Decoration recipients on Thursday with Antonio Rokov and Tori Johnston awarded the Star of Courage.

Johnston was honoured for his bravery during Sydney's Lindt Cafe siege in 2014.

Throughout the 16-hour standoff, Johnston relayed information to police and engaged with gunman Man Haron Monis.

Despite having opportunities to escape, Johnston remained to aid an elderly hostage.

Johnston was executed by Monis at approximately 2 a.m. on Dec. 16, 2014, triggering a police shootout with the terrorist that ended in the deaths of Monis and hostage Katrina Dawson.

Rokov, a skydiving instructor, saved the life of 14-year-old student Elijah Arranz during a tandem diving accident in November 2015.

A freak wind gust caused their parachute to collapse, sending the pair plummeting towards earth.

Rokov, a former Special Forces commando, wrapped himself around Arranz and took the brunt of the impact, a move that saved the teenager's life.

In announcing the awards, Cosgrove praised the two men for their selflessness.

"To the Australians being honoured today, I offer my warmest congratulations and express my sincere gratitude for your contribution to our nation," Cosgrove said in a statement on Thursday.

"Sadly, there are those whose brave acts mean they are no longer with us.

"To their families, I express the nation's sadness at your loss but pride in your loved one's actions."

The Australian Bravery Awards are announced twice a year but the Star of Courage has been awarded just 170 times since 1975.

Elijah Arranz survived the crash due to Rokov's sacrifice but sustained a severe traumatic brain injury from which he is still recovering.

"If it wasn't for his brave act, I wouldn't be here today," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday.

"He will be remembered by me as a hero for eternity."
WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that White House doctor Ronny Jackson will replace David Shulkin to be the next Veterans Affairs secretary.

Jackson, a rear admiral of the U.S. Navy, has served as White House physician during the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

He, who has been monitoring Trump's health since the latter took office, came to public attention earlier this year when he showed up at the White House briefing room to defend Trump's physical and mental health amid concerns over the president's fitness for office.

Jackson was appointed as physician to the president by former President Barack Obama in 2013, after having served on the White House medical team since 2006.

"Admiral Jackson is highly trained and qualified and as a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," Trump said in a statement announcing the nomination.

Over his time serving the White House, Jackson, 50, has directed the Executive Health Care for the President's Cabinet and Senior Staff, served as physician supervisor for the Camp David Presidential Retreat, held the position of physician to the White House and led the White House Medical Unit as its director.

A native of Levelland, Texas, Jackson graduated from Texas A&M University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, then went on to attend medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch. After graduating in 1995 with his Doctor of Medicine, he began his active duty naval service.

Qualified in submarine and hyperbaric medicine, Jackson was successively appointed as instructor at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida and diving safety officer at the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 2001, Jackson returned to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Virginia to begin his residency in emergency medicine.

Upon completing his residency in 2004, he was assigned as clinical faculty in the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia.

In 2005, he joined the 2nd Marine Regiment, Combat Logistics Regiment 25, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

From there he was deployed as the emergency medicine physician in Taqaddum military base in central Iraq during the Iraq War.

The department that Jackson is about to run is responsible for the benefits and health care of 9 million military veterans in more than 1,700 government-run health facilities, as well as national veterans' memorials and cemeteries.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 11:25:41|Editor: Lifang

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States has asked Brazil to revise its limit on ethanol imports free of tariffs after Brazil was temporarily exempted from the metals tariffs, a Brazilian trade official said Wednesday.

The move is in reaction to Brazil's request for exemption from paying a 25-percent tariff on its steel exports to the United States and a 10-percent tariff on aluminum, said Thomaz Zanotto, director of foreign trade at the Federation of Industries of the State of Sao Paulo.

Thomaz, a member of the Brazilian delegation that negotiated and secured the exemption with U.S. officials, told reporters that "It's a fact that the paradigms of trade negotiation with the United States have changed."

According to Thomaz, Brazil's agreement to review its caps was a precondition to start further negotiations on the metals tariffs.

Washington last week suspended the tariffs for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and the European Union member states until May 1, and will decide whether to continue to exempt these countries from the tariffs by the extended deadline.

Brazil, the world's second largest exporter of steel to the United States, imposed limits on ethanol imports in September, after domestic ethanol prices dipped due to imports.

Brazil's Chamber of Foreign Trade decided up to 600 million liters of ethanol a year can be imported free of tariffs from the United States for a period of 24 months. Anything above that is subject to a 20-percent import tax.
NEW YORK, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan's SoftBank Group Corp and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding here on Wednesday to build the world's biggest solar farm in the Arabian country.

SoftBank's founder Masayoshi Son said that if fully built, the solar farm can produce 200 gigawatts (GW) of energy at its top capacity as by 2030, about 100 times the previous biggest solar project under development in Australia.

The solar farm is expected to cost 200 billion U.S. dollars and create 100,000 jobs in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman signed the memorandum with Son during his visit in New York. "It's bold, risky and we hope we succeed doing that," he was quoted by Bloomberg as saying.

The ambitious move towards green energy reflects the Arabian kingdom's bid to reduce reliance on oil industry.

"The kingdom has great sunshine, great size of available land and great engineers, great labor, but most importantly, the best and greatest vision," Son said to reporters.
TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) helicopter made an emergency landing at an airport in western Japan on Thursday, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The GSDF UH-1 chopper made the emergency landing at around 8:15 a.m. (2315 GMT Wednsday) at Yonago airport in Tottori Prefecture, the airport operator said.

None of the crew members aboard sustained any injuries, according to the operator's latest assessment.

The runway at the airport located in the city of Sakaiminato had to be closed for around two hours due to the incident.

Local media video footage showed the chopper had touched down close to the runway on a stretch of grassy land that flanks the runway.

Along with commercial aircraft, Yonago airport is also used by the the Air Self-Defense Force's Miho Air Base, the Transport Ministry said.

According to the Tottori prefectural government, the helicopter was on its way to help put out a fire in nearby Shimane Prefecture when it was forced to halt its mission and make the emergency landing.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 11:40:44|Editor: Xiang Bo

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WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Wednesday hailed the positive developments on the Korean Peninsula issue, after the just-concluded visit to China by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kim paid an unofficial visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted later that there is a good chance that Kim will do "what is right for his people and for humanity."

"For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," Trump said, adding he looks forward to his meeting with Kim.

Trump noted that he had received a message from Xi that his meeting with Kim went very well.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said later on Twitter that Kim's visit to China was "an unprecedented, historic step in the right direction."

"We look forward to sitting down with Kim Jong Un to talk about a better future for his people," Nauert tweeted.

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders also said on Wednesday in a press briefing that "significant progress" has been made on Korean Peninsula issue, and that "things are moving in the right direction."

Sanders said the White House was "cautiously optimistic" about the development of the situation, referring to Kim's visit and his meeting with Xi.

"We feel things are moving in the right direction," she said. "You saw him leave for the first time to -- since becoming the leader of North Korea -- leaving his country for the first time for that meeting."

She added that the United States is "going to continue moving forward in this process in hopes for a meeting down the road" between Kim and Trump.

Washington would like to see the Kim-Trump meeting, she said. "Obviously this is something of global importance and we want to make sure that it's done as soon as we can, but we also want to make sure it's done properly."

"We're working towards that goal," said Sanders. "As we've said before, the North Koreans have made that offer and we've accepted, and we're moving forward in that process."
HAVANA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban government on Wednesday expressed concern about the expulsion of a "large group" of Russian diplomats by dozens of Western countries, saying it may "threaten international stability."

In a statement, the press and communication director of the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Alejandro Gonzalez, said these unilateral measures taken by Washington and other NATO member countries "are not responsive to dialogue, understanding and cooperation that should prevail in international relations."

"Cuba believes that cooperation should prevail over confrontation and rejects the application of unilateral measures that undermine international stability," Gonzalez said.

He added that these actions were even without waiting for the result of an impartial investigation into the attack of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal.

Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, aged 66, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in Britain's southwestern city of Salisbury on March 4.

Britain claims they were exposed to a nerve agent and holds Russia responsible, while the Russian government has denied any involvement in it.

Following the incident, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats, with Moscow expelling an equal number of British diplomats in response.

Earlier this week, the United States announced the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and intelligence officials, as well as the closure of the consulate in Seattle, a northwestern city of the United States.

Meanwhile, Canada, Australia and up to 16 countries of the European Union have expelled Russian citizens and diplomats from their territories.
KATHMANDU, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Nepal aims to welcome 1.5 million tourists in 2020 with one third of them coming from China and India, Nepal's Tourism Ministry has said.

The Himalayan country is set to organize the year 2020 as Visit Nepal Year. It will be the third national level initiative to promote Nepal's tourism sector since the country first celebrated Visit Nepal Year in 1998 followed by the Nepal Tourism Year in 2011.

In 2017, Nepal welcomed 940,218 foreign tourists. It expects a growth of foreign tourists by 30 percent every year since 2018 to meet the target of 1.5 million tourists by 2020.

"China and India are two largest source markets for Nepal. But, there is still huge scope of more tourist arrivals from these two neighbours. So, our main focus of promotional activities will be China and India for Visit Nepal Year," Krishna Prasad Devkota, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation told Xinhua on Tuesday.

"We have not set any target of tourist arrivals from China and India for the Visit Nepal Year 2020 so far. But, our tentative estimate is that there will be arrivals of 250,000 each from the two neighboring giants. In 2017, Nepal welcomed 104,664 Chinese and 160,832 Indian tourists."

Other traditional source markets of Nepal's tourism are North America and the Europe. However, the country is also planning to explore new source markets including South East Asia and Eastern Europe.

"We see great scope of attracting large number of tourists from these new source markets," said Deepak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of Nepal Tourism Board, the main tourism promotion body.

As the tourism sector is recovering from the twin disasters - deadly earthquake in 2015 and subsequent Indian economic blockade for nearly five months in 2015 and 2016, Nepali government has expected the Visit Nepal Year would be helpful to heavily boost the country's tourism sector.

As a part of preparation for the Visit Nepal Year, the Nepali government has planned to organize road shows, promoting Nepal in three major cities of China and India in collaboration with tour operators of the two countries.

On the other hand, Nepali government has planned to keep Nepal's only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, open for more than 20 hours a day from current 17 hours a day in the next three months.

The target is expected to be aided by the possible completion of another international airport, known as Gautam Buddha International Airport which is expected to be completed by 2019, in Bhairahawa, a southwestern town.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 12:00:52|Editor: Xiang Bo

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By Peter Mertz

DENVER, the United States, March 28 (Xinhua) -- From America's heartland to Coastal California and even the deep, steamy south, American conservatives and liberals alike voiced alarm at President Donald Trump's recent hardline trade tactics.

"Almost unanimous concern," said Andrew Jerome from the National Farmers Union (NFU) that represents more than 200,000 family farms and ranches across the country and has chapters in 33 states.

NFU members supported Trump's "America First" trade stance in the 2016 presidential elections and were hoping the new president would offer relief to an industry reeling from a quarter-century of declining profits.

They were wrong.

VOICES OF OPPOSITION

"(Trump) doesn't have a well-disciplined, thoughtful, or remotely consistent trade policy," said John K. Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, which represents over 4,000 family farm and ranch families in the vast Midwestern.

Hansen, who worked for the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations as a trade adviser, told Xinhua that "the way (Trump) is going about correcting the trade imbalance with China is unfortunate."

Despite strong warnings from business groups and trade experts, Trump signed a memorandum last week that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and place restrictions on Chinese investments in the United States.

Calling these measures "a very bad precedent," China's Ministry of Commerce issued a warning the following day, saying that such a move would be against "the interests of China, the United States and the world at large."

It also announced a plan for reciprocal tariffs on imported U.S. products worth about 3 billion dollars to balance losses caused by U.S. metal restrictions on China signed by Trump early this month.

The measures, or the suspension of tariff concessions, will target 128 U.S. products, including pork, wine and seamless steel tubes.

Trump's proposed 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum caused stocks to tumble, American economic allies to object, and U.S. farmers to look toward the heavens for relief.

"At least Clinton, Obama and Bush were pretty consistent and worked with a unified voice," Hansen said. "That's the opposite of this administration."

Bucking the president's plan, Republican U.S. Senator Ben Sasse told the conservative World-Herald newspaper last week that "My message on trade wars is simple. This is going to hurt Nebraskans, it's going to hurt farmers and ranchers, and it's going to kill jobs," Sasse said.

Nebraska, nicknamed the "Cornhusker State," is one of America's top four states in agricultural production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Family farmers and ranchers are always the first to be hit by retaliatory tariffs, and in the case of China, significant export markets are likely to be the first casualty," said Jerome, who called Trump's pending trade moves "dangerous."

Despite both political parities shouting "no," White House officials staunchly defend the brash plan, saying it will be enacted this week,

"The president must have a plan in place to protect family farmers before seeking to remedy unfair trade practices," Hansen said.

More than 90 percent of America's 2.1 million farms are small, family operations that produce nearly half of the industry's 140 billion dollars export trade to the U.S. economy, according to the USDA.

BEARING THE BRUNT

Jerome likened America's 45th president's trade policy to a "bull in a china shop," saying that "I don't think Trump would have proposed these tariffs if he had known what the Chinese might do in retaliation."

Jerome told Xinhua that his industry is on the front line of a retaliatory strike and the hardest hit will be grain, wine, fruit and pork sectors.

With East coast state North Carolina being America's No. 2 pork producer, and California harvesting more grapes for wine than the rest of the country combined, China's proposed retaliatory tariff has shocked farmers from coast to coast.

"Farming is historically the backbone of America, and in colonial times 90 percent of all Americans were farmers," said California businessman Glenn Nemhauser.

But the income of farms has not kept pace with the cost of living and is comparable to 1973 income levels, since the controversial 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), according to Hansen.

"The average farm family doesn't make enough money to feed their own family," Hansen said.

Following guidelines imposed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), NAFTA, which sought to create an even playing field for farmers in America, Canada and Mexico, has caused "economic suicide" in America, said Hansen, a sixth generation Nebraska farmer and Washington trade insider.

"We are an economic driver," said Hansen, whose Norwegian ancestors moved to Nebraska in 1905 and started a family farm that has endured for 113 years.

"We are the producers on the ground. We create jobs, and we create new wealth," he said, adding that "We are not happy now."

California's 45-billion-dollar agricultural industry, which includes nuts, dairy products, fruits, produce, livestock feed and wine, may be hardest hit overall by the possible retaliatory tariffs.

"California has become a major rice producing state, which we export to China and other Asian countries. That may stop as well," said San Francisco businessman Glenn Nemhauser.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 12:05:55|Editor: Liu

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CARACAS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A prison riot and fire has broken out at a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia and at least 68 people were killed, Venezuelan officials said Wednesday.

Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said the dead, 66 men and two women, were visiting the prison overnight.

An investigation would be launched immediately to clarify what had happened, he said, adding that four prosecutors had already been assigned to the case.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 12:25:57|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday urged the United States to abandon unilateralism and protectionism, and resort to dialogue and consultation to handle the disagreements.

Gao Feng, spokesman with China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) made the remarks in the wake of the U.S. decision to lengthen the days for public to comment on its imposed tariffs on Chinese goods from 30 days to 60 days.
WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer said on Wednesday that "there's hope" that trade talks between the United States and China could lead to a fruitful outcome.

In an interview with CNBC, Lighthizer said the USTR's Office would announce a list of Chinese goods subject to potential tariffs "before very long," based on the so-called Section 301 investigation against alleged Chinese technology transfer practices.

"Then we'll go through a 60-day period where we'll give the public a chance to comment on the good and the bad things in there," he said, signaling that the Trump administration is unlikely to impose tariffs on Chinese goods until early June.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States.

Such a unilateral move contradicts the commitments the United States made at the World Trade Organization (WTO) more than a decade ago, Zhang Xiangchen, Chinese ambassador to the WTO, said on Monday.

Accusing the United States of "setting a very bad precedent by bluntly breaching its commitment made to the world," Zhang called on WTO members to "jointly prevent the resurrection of 301 investigations and lock this beast back into the cage of the WTO rules."

Asked on CNBC whether U.S. negotiations with China could lead to the avoidance of tariffs or a fruitful outcome similar to the recent trade deal between the United States and South Korea, Lighthizer said "I think there is hope."

While the United States and China have two "very different" economic systems, Lighthizer said "it's very possible" that the U.S.-China trade relationship could end up in "a good place" after overcoming "a series of difficulties" over many years.

Business groups from China and the United States in recent weeks have warned the Trump administration not to move forward with its tariff plan on Chinese imports, as it would raise the costs for American consumers and companies as well as having a negative impact on the financial markets.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday that the door to dialogue and consultation between the United States and China has always been open.

"China is willing to have consultations with the U.S. side guided by the principle of mutual respect and benefit," Hua said at a press briefing.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 13:31:09|Editor: Liangyu

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WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. experts and media on Wednesday expressed positive views on the just-concluded unofficial visit to China by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un.

Details of the visit, especially Kim's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, have been scrutinized on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

In an article published on Wednesday, the New York Times noticed that "Mr. Xi showed considerable warmth toward Mr. Kim, smiling widely and offering affectionate embraces. Mr. Kim returned the fondness, waving enthusiastically as he departed."

Analysts said the visit has showed to the world that the China-DPRK friendship, forged through the two nations' shared experiences in times of war and peace, is capable of enduring and coping with the rapid changes of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

A Washington Post piece issued on the same day said the meeting between Xi and Kim "showcased enduring bonds between the two countries."

Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the U.S. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Xinhua via email that Kim was following his father, who traveled to China as the DPRK's top leader in 2000 on the eve of his first-ever meeting with South Korean President Kim Dae Jung.

Kim Jong Un, by his visit to China, also signaled to the United States that the DPRK must be taken seriously in the upcoming talks, said Troy Stangarone, senior director at the Korea Economic Institute, a Washington-based non-profit policy research institution.

With the visit, China "is to remind all the parties that China has a voice in the future of the Peninsula" and wants the region to denuclearize, said Carnegie's Paal.

Michael J. Mazarr, a senior political scientist at the U.S. RAND Corporation, also told Xinhua that China has sent a signal through the visit that "it has an established relationship with the DPRK."

Whether from a short-term or a long-term perspective, the meeting between Xi and Kim will consolidate the world's confidence in and commitment to the peaceful settlement of current issues, said U.S. experts and media outlets.

"In the short term, experts see the meeting as a sign that the Trump summit is likely to go ahead," the Washington Post article read.

Ryan Hass, a Brookings scholar focusing on China and Asia, said in an article published on Wednesday that "the more Washington is able to adapt by bolstering coordination and building cohesion with Beijing ... on a common approach for dealing with North Korea, the better the odds that Trump will be able to use his planned upcoming meeting with Kim to push the North Korea challenge down a peaceful path."

(Matthew Rusling from Washington also contributed to the story.)
A panorama of Khesum, a small village in southwest China's Tibet, March 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Yu Gang)

LHASA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two hours of drive southeast from Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, brings one to Khesum village, situated amongst the mountainous landscape along the Yarlung River valley.

Small as the village is, with a population of just 700, Khesum was the starting point of sweeping democratic reform in 1959, which ended feudal serfdom under theocracy and began a new chapter for the plateau region in southwest China.

On June 6, 1959, 302 serfs in the village, clad in rags, elected the preparatory committee for the first association of peasants in Tibet. The day marked the beginning of community-level democracy in Tibet.

Villagers from the neighbourhood visit Khesum Village, March 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Serfs' Emancipation Day is celebrated in Tibet on Wednesday. During the reform, more than one million people, or 90 percent of the region's population at that time, were emancipated from the feudal serf system in 1959.

In Khesum, there are about 100 elderly villagers who lived through the reform period and all of them had been serfs. The dark pages of history have turned, but they should never be forgotten, the elderly villagers said.

Sonam Dondrup was a serf until the age of 16, and his memories of the old days have barely faded. "I got up before the sunrise to work in the fields. I could never be late. If I was late, I would be whipped," he said.

"After the landowners ran away, no one had any idea what the future would bring. It was not until my family burnt the land contract and the debt papers that the idea of liberation finally sank in," the now 75-year-old man said.

Sonam Dondrup, 75, once a serf, waters flowers at home, March 20, 2018. (Xinhua/Yu Gang)

Sonam Dondrup now lives in peaceful retirement. Every morning, he takes his great-grandson to kindergarten and then goes to the nearby Changzhu Monastery to pray.

Penpa Tsering, Communist Party secretary of the village, said Khesum is one of the most developed villages under the jurisdiction of Changzhu Township in the city of Shannan.

It has 55 students attending the local kindergarten and school. Over half of the families have cars. Per capita annual income in 2017 was around 17,000 yuan (about 2,700 U.S. dollars). No one lives under poverty line.

PAST, NOT FORGOTTEN

A bare-footed man suffering from extreme starvation stole a plate of dog food. When the theft was discovered by a steward, the man received a whipping. This scene was everyday life in Khesum about 59 years ago. Now it only exists on stage.

In Shannan, actor Tsewang Lodro, 37, plays Trilai, the serf, in the one-hour play "The Tears of Serfs", which was staged on Tuesday.

"I've spent a lot of time rehearsing this month. It satisfies me that my acting makes the audience cry at the destruction and despair, and laugh at the ridiculous and funny," Tsewang Lodro said.

Local drama "The Tears of Serfs" depicts the tragic life of Tibetan serfs, March 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Director Basang Tsering said writing the script for the play was easy. Almost every family had memories. "My job was to collect the stories and guide the actors and actresses to render them in an artistic form," he said.

Conditions of serfs and slaves in Tibet have been documented in many historical records and traveler's tales.

"Young people may feel uncomfortable seeing the scene on stage, but the history of Tibet was more cruel than what is shown here," said Sonam Londrup, an audience member.



NEW GENERATIONS

Grandmother Chiga was one of the first few females to become Communist Party members in Khesum in 1959. Until she passed away in 1995, she was one of the revered villagers.

"Mother was shy. She was elected to the village committee to represent the interests of women. She was a serf, and used to say 'I did not grow up eating tsampa [dough made from barley flour], but eating bitterness, being beaten and cursed,'" said Losang Qozom, her daughter.

"When the committee convened meetings in the hall where the master previously resided, my mother hesitated before entering. It was dark and a forbidden space for women," Losang Qozom said.

Losang Qozom, 56, still lives in Khesum. She has three daughters and proudly shares their achievements. Two of them hold university degrees and the youngest works as a doctor at a local clinic.

Second daughter Baima Tsenyi, 26, graduated from Yunnan Normal University last year and is now studying to become a kindergarten dance teacher. Over 130 people in the village hold university degrees, and another 50 are currently studying in universities around China.



Children in Khesum Village take the school bus to school, March 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Chogo)



DEVELOPMENT

The Yarlung River flows near the village, and nurtures fertile farmland. Khesum has about 93 hectares of land in the river valley and farming is highly mechanized.

Village official Penpa Tsering said they plan to expand corn fields to raise earnings for farmers. The village has built 89 vegetable greenhouses.

Many people work in the tourist sector, taking tourists to Yumbulagang, Tibet's first temple.

"Khesum will see new opportunities with the rural revitalization strategy. We will continue to protect the environment, while developing the local economy," said Nima Tsering, Communist Party Secretary of Nedong District in Shannan.

About 370 people from the village work in nearby towns. "We are also faced with an aging society. We will try to build good businesses in the village and keep the young people here," said Penpa Tsering.
S. Korea, DPRK agree to hold summit on April 27 in Panmunjom Source: Xinhua 2018-03-29 14:01:16 SEOUL, March 29 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit on April 27 in the truce village of Panmunjom, Seoul's unification ministry said Thursday after a high-level dialogue between the two sides. Editor: Xiang Bo Related News Back to Top
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 14:01:17|Editor: Lifang

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A woman faints as relatives wait for information after an alleged fire at a Venezuelan police station, in Valencia, Carabobo state, Venezuela, on March 28, 2018. A prison riot and fire has broken out at a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia and at least 68 people were killed, Venezuelan officials said Wednesday. (Xinhua/Roman Camacho/SOPA/ZUMAPRESS)

CARACAS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A prison riot erupted and a fire broke out at a Venezuelan police station in the central city of Valencia, killing at least 68 people, Venezuelan chief prosecutor said Wednesday.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab confirmed that according to preliminary inquiries, the dead were 66 men and two women who were visiting the prison overnight.

An investigation would be launched immediately to clarify what had happened, he said, adding that four prosecutors had been assigned to the case.

"The prosecutor's office vows to investigate to immediately clarify what happened in these painful events that have left dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning," said the attorney general on Twitter.

Rafael Lacava, governor of Carabobo state, whose capital is the Valencia city, also said "a serious and profound investigation has been launched" to find the causes and those responsible for the tragedy.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A proposal to rename two middle schools in Palo Alto in northern California after a Japanese surname has spurred opposition from Chinese American parents who said the name hurts their feelings.

The Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) on Tuesday night voted for Green and Fletcher from eight proposed names, including Fred Yamamoto, a local historical figure who had the same surname as wartime Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, mastermind of Pearl Harbor bombing more than 70 years ago.

Fred Yamanoto was a local resident who was held in an internment camp. He later joined the U.S. Army and died in battle during World War II.

The Chinese American parents were not satisfied with the candidacy of Yamamoto as a potential name because they said the name reminded them of the painful wartime history. Some of them said they also learned from the experience to "make your voice heard" and "take an active part in community activities."

The Chinese community in Palo Alto, which is home to Stanford University and the birthplace of Silicon Valley where many hi-tech companies are headquartered, has been voicing their opposition in the last two weeks through an online petition and an email campaign.

An online petition launched at change.org has garnered more than 1,300 signatures so far. The petition demands the PAUSD board give the schools geographic names so as not to "repeat the same mistake."

"The reason of changing the original names is because they hurt some people's feelings. Likewise, the board should take into consideration our feelings," a Chinese American parent named Liu Xin told Xinhua.

A group of more than 80 people were set up on WeChat, a popular networking app in China, to coordinate the opposition effort. The members even raised over 2,000 U.S. dollars to sponsor a demonstration, which was originally scheduled for Monday but later dropped for fear of incurring negative effects.

The parents also distributed flyers among students and other parents on the campuses of both schools. The flyer says: "We should not have a Yamamoto Middle School in Palo Alto. Such a name would be a gross iniquity and a blatant double standard."

Some of the Chinese parents said the different opinions were a result of different cultures and backgrounds.

"American schools don't pay enough attention to what happened in Asia during World War II. It's an opportunity for the American public to learn this history better," said another Chinese parent named Min Qiu.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 14:26:22|Editor: Liangyu

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COLOMBO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Bank of China opened its first branch in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo on Wednesday evening.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was the Chief Guest at the ceremony said the opening of the Colombo branch was an important step in strengthening the island's economy and it opened a new chapter in the modern history of bilateral relations.

"The Bank of China is opening in Sri Lanka at a time when Colombo city is transforming into a megapolis. Bank of China has a crucial role to play in helping this island by strengthening our local businesses while also being able to attract more Chinese investments into the country," Wickremesinghe said.

The prime minister added Bank of China's success was also a testament to the rapid economic growth of China in the past three decades and while it was the fourth largest bank globally, it would not be too long before it emerged as the leading bank in the world.

Governor of the Sri Lankan Central Bank Indrajit Coomaraswamy, speaking at the ceremony, hailed the entry of the Bank of China into Colombo as a "major landmark" in the history of the Sri Lankan economy.

He said the bank, with its large network of branches in China and other parts of the world, will not only help expand trade in Sri Lanka but help small and medium enterprises grow and tie up with manufacturers overseas as part of international supply chains.

Chairman of the Bank of China Wang Xiquan said that the hundred-year-old institution now has 600 branches overseas and links with 1,600 financial institutions across the world.

He said, the opening of its Colombo branch will mark the beginning of a new era for the Chinese financial industry to serve Sri Lanka and its Colombo branch was an opportunity to closely focus on the overall strategic cooperation between China and Sri Lanka.

Chinese Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan described Sri Lanka as a "time tested friend" of China and thanked Prime Minister Wickremesinghe for the support he had given to set up a branch in Colombo.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 14:46:25|Editor: Liangyu

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TIANJIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 80,000 tonnes of low-sulphur diesel are scheduled to be shipped to the Netherlands and Belgium in April, Sinopec's Tianjin subsidiary said.

The diesel will be loaded onto two tankers departing Tianjin port next month, the company said.

China's diesel is mainly shipped to southeastern Asian countries, but in recent years, an increasing number of refineries have exported to Europe, said Jia Binghao, deputy director of operations in the company.

From November last year, China halted sales of diesel with sulphur content above 10 parts per millions (ppm) to address air pollution.

Chinese refineries have increased production of high-grade diesel to meet the new standards. Exports of diesel are also of higher-grade.

"On the one hand, domestic consumption has dropped and on the other, diesel with better quality is favored by foreign buyers," said Jia.

In June last year, 40,000 tonnes of low-sulphur diesel was shipped from Tianjin to Le Havre in France, Sinopec's first diesel export to Europe.

In October, 80,000 tonnes of low-sulphur diesel was loaded onto a very large crude carrier (VLCC) and taken to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the first diesel shipment using VLCC from China.

In 2017, the Tianjin subsidiary made 28 export shipments of diesel, totalling 1.15 million tonnes, the highest amount for many years.

"After entering European and American markets, we are now exploring the Australian market," said Liu Rong, vice manager of the Tianjin refinery.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 14:56:27|Editor: Lifang

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Gathering here on Wednesday, demonstrators demanded investigation into the murder of city councilwoman Marielle Franco, two weeks after her death.

Hundreds of people marched in the downtown area and demanded the killers in Franco's case be identified and delivered to justice.

Franco, 39, was in the second year of her first term as a city councilor of the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro when she was murdered in the downtown on the night of March 14. The councilor and her driver, Anderson Gomes, were shot and killed inside their car, as they returned from a political event.

Franco strongly criticized local police for using disproportional violence in the slums and poor communities, as well as racial profiling.

In addition, she also denounced the militia groups who took over the communities from drug gangs but acted like the mob when they extorted money for "security and other services".

Though investigators have not made any progress, policemen, militias and even the armed forces are under pressure because of this case.

The United Nations has called for a thorough probe into the case, and so did several other international organizations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 15:06:28|Editor: Mengjie

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SEOUL, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China's participation in the peace talks on the Korean Peninsula has helped stabilize the situation there, South Korea's presidential Blue House said Thursday.

Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said in a statement that the Blue House hailed the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the country's top leader.

The DPRK leader visited China from Sunday to Wednesday and held talks with Xi in Beijing.

The spokesman said the meeting held significant meaning for Kim, who stated his willingness to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and hold inter-Korean and DPRK-U.S. summits.

The spokesman added that the upcoming summits are expected to be a turning point toward permanent denuclearization and bringing a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea and the DPRK agreed to hold their third summit meeting in late April at Peace House, a South Korean building in the truce village of Panmunjom. U.S. President Donald Trump said he will meet the DPRK leader by May.
SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A key commander of the hardliner Islamic State (IS) extremist group has been captured and three foreign nationals of the outfit killed as Afghan security forces' aircrafts targeted its hideout in northern Afghanistan, local police said Thursday.

The attack took place in Darzab district of the northern Jawzjan province, deputy to provincial police chief, Abdul Hafiz Khashi said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 15:56:36|Editor: pengying

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KUWAIT CITY, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Kuwait-U.S. relations are solid, distinguished and strategic, Reem Al-Khaled, Assistant Foreign Minister of Kuwait for the U.S. affairs, said Wednesday.

She made the remarks on the sidelines of participation in a ceremony marking the U.S. national day.

Al-Khaled commended the positive outcomes of the Kuwait-U.S. strategic dialogue, which was launched in 2016 and held in Washington, saying that she hopes Kuwait would host the third session of the dialogue and there are several aspects of cooperation between the two countries.

She referred to the distinguished initiative of the United States on bilateral cooperation in the field of education, noting that there are 13,000 Kuwaiti students in the United States.

Stressing Kuwait's keenness on promoting relations with the United States in all domains, she said Kuwait is constantly coordinating with the United States in countering terrorism and drying up its sources.

Kuwait has been a close military partner of the United States since a U.S.-led military coalition liberated it from the Iraqi occupation in 1991. The Kuwait-U.S. relationship since that time has been consolidated as an important alliance for both countries.
SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A key commander of the hardliner Islamic State (IS) militant group has been captured and three foreign nationals of the outfit killed as Afghan security forces' aircrafts targeted its hideout northern Afghanistan, local police said Thursday.

The attack took place in Darzab district of Jawzjan province, deputy to provincial police chief, Abdul Hafiz Khashi said.

"Acting upon intelligence report the warplanes of security forces targeted a hideout of IS rebels in Qazal Rabat area of Darzab district late Wednesday night, killing three foreign fighters of the radical group on the spot and also captured a key commander of the group named Muzafar," Khashi told Xinhua.

Without identifying the nationalities of the foreign fighters killed in raids, the official added that Muzafar is a key member and Afghan commander of IS group in Jawzjan province and his capture could deal a major blow to the group in Jawzjan and adjoining areas.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the provincial government Reza Ghafori told Xinhua that the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan often conduct air attacks against militants and sorties have been continuing against IS bastions in Darzab and Qush Tepa districts in Jawzjan over the past two months.

Ghafori also said militants from foreign countries are fighting alongside IS in Darzab and Qush Tepa districts.

The IS has yet to make comment on the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 16:06:40|Editor: Mengjie

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GUANGZHOU, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China's top tier cities may elevate themselves from regional centers to future global metropolises, with advantages in sectors such as smart cities and artificial intelligence.

International investors from global giants like Boeing, Merck and Siemens shared this view at the Annual Investment Conference in south China's Guangzhou on Wednesday.

The conference is a major event aimed at promoting the city to potential investors and listening to their comments on its business environment. Over 1,800 enterprises from around the world attended the conference.

Many investors stated that China is now more than just a large market for them.

This year China is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its reform and opening-up.

Merck, a world leading company in health care, life science and performance materials, has been operating in China for over 80 years. As well as its existing research and development centers and labs in Beijing and Shanghai, the company established a new China Innovation Center in Shanghai in February.

"The opening-up of China has made a great difference to our business and it allowed us to advance business sectors liquid crystal and pigments," said Allan Gabor, managing director of Merck China.

"When Merck looks at China, we see China as much more than a large business market, we see it actually as an enabler of our global strategy," Gabor added.

Similarly, John Bruns, vice president of Boeing International, said China is now "a source of innovation" from the company's perspective.

The American aviation giant will soon open its first finishing and delivering center for 737 planes outside the United States in east China near Shanghai, and recently signed an agreement with China Southern Airlines to initiate a 737 converted freight project in Guangzhou, and to include a local maintenance company in its 787 global care program.

Cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, are becoming the key players in investors' global strategies.

These cities have mature urban infrastructure, advanced industries and are renewing their focus on development to be in line with the information revolution and an international lifestyle.

Guangzhou, for example, is focusing on the new generation of information technology, artificial intelligence, bio-pharmaceuticals, as well as new energy and new materials.

The output of its new generation internet technology and panel display industries have both exceeded 100 billion yuan. It is also ambitious in becoming a smart city, by teaming up with global giants like Cisco and Siemens.

New York and London are indisputably global cities now, but what will global cities of the future look like?

"A future global city should be leading in smart mobility and smart energy distribution and future technology like A.I. I think Guangzhou is on a very good way to that," said Jens Hildebrandt, chief representative of Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Guangzhou.

But investors also pointed out that Chinese cities still need to tackle a series of challenges before they become global cities, including IPR protection, environmental protection, further opening-up and continuous innovation, as well as self promotion.

These are also the areas where huge opportunities lie.

Three months ago, SHV Energy, the world's largest distributor of LPG energy solutions, signed an memorandum of understanding with Guangdong Province, to build a LPG terminal in the city's Nansha District.

"With the strong focus of the Chinese government to improve air quality and reduce emissions, you see a higher need for clean energy solutions." said Maarten Bijl, global vice president of the company.

He added that SHV is also innovating its business model and looking for cleaner energy solutions in which it can cooperate with the Chinese cities. "We're in discussion to see how we can work with the city of Guangzhou, and we can get hydrogen mobility solutions here, which is the next step."

Aside from the top tier cities, China as a whole is putting every effort to further open up. Earlier this month, the government pledged to continue to streamline administration and delegate power to improve the business environment and further stimulate market vitality.
MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Strategic Missile Forces (RSMF)have completed partial rearmament with the Yars ground-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, local news reported Thursday.

The Yars is a mobile or stationary missile system with a solid-propellant ICBM of multiple warheads, which is expected to gradually replace the older-generation Topol RS-12M and Stiletto RS-18 missiles in the Russian military.

RSMF Commander Sergei Karakayev said the Irkutsk and Yoshkar-Ola missile units are being rearmed, and the rearming of Bologoye and Barnaul units will begin in 2020, according to the Tass news agency.

The RSMF commander also noted that the ongoing missile troop drills in the Sverdlovsk region, which involve more than 3,000 troops and about 300 units of equipment, will assess the capabilities of the new arms and hardware.

The drills, including concealing mobile ground missile systems and withdrawing missile units, aim to improve the combat readiness of Russian troops.

In November 2017, Karakayev said all missile divisions operating mobile missile systems will be rearmed with the Yars missile system by 2026.

First tested in May 2007, the Yars missile system has a potential range of 11,000 km, and can carry four 150-kiloton warheads or 10 independently targetable warheads.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 16:31:47|Editor: Mengjie

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MACAO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Visitors on package tours to China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) totalled 597,000 in February this year, up by 8.8 percent year-on-year, yet down by 25.6 percent month-to-month, the SAR's statistics service said on Thursday.

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that in the first two months of 2018, visitors on package tours totalled 1,399,000, a surge of 29.3 percent year-on-year.

Attributable to the long Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, outbound residents using services of travel agencies increased by 15.9 percent year-on-year to 131,000. Among them, residents travelling on package tours grew by 12.4 percent to 53,000.

There were 115 hotels and guesthouses operating at the end of February 2018, an increase of 7 percent year-on-year. Number of guest rooms rose by 6.4 percent year-on-year to 39,000, with 5-star hotel rooms rising by 8.5 percent to 24,000, accounting for 61.2 percent of the total.

Number of guests of hotels and guesthouses in February 2018 rose by 6.4 percent year-on-year to 1,034,000. The average length of stay of guests went up by 0.1 night year-on-year to 1.5 nights.

The average occupancy rate of hotels and guesthouses stood at 89.2 percent, up by 2.7 percentage points year-on-year, with that of 5-star hotels reaching 92.8 percent, representing an increase of 4.8 percentage points.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 16:41:51|Editor: pengying

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DUBAI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A major source of ongoing conflicts in today's world is a disagreement between the nations about which pillars the global house of the future shall consist of, said Lech Walesa, former President of Poland from 1990 to 1995 on Thursday in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Delivering a key note at the two-day International Government Communications Forum 2018 which ended today in Sharjah, Walesa said, while the former bi-polar world when the main adversaries the United States and former Soviet Union dictated the pace of global developments, "today's world is more fragmented and we do not always agree which pillars the house of the future shall consist of."

The former Polish president, an electrician by education, said that "dialogues, not tug-of-wars," were necessary to overcome issues like "racism."

"A house cannot be build based on countless different pillars, it needs a structure different parties agree on," he said.

The 74-year old Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1983 did not comment on specific geopolitical issues, but stated that "Europe has lost some of its values."
Source:Xinhua| 2018-03-29 16:48:31|Editor: Mengjie

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A journalist takes photos during a preview exhibition of Sotheby's spring auction in Hong Kong, south China, March 29, 2018. The spring auction is held here from March 30 to April 3, during which 3,700 treasures will be displayed. (Xinhua/Li Peng)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 16:46:56|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated Paula-Mae Weekes, the first woman president of Trinidad and Tobago, saying China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations.

In his congratulatory message sent on March 19, Xi said in recent years, the relationship between China and Trinidad and Tobago has maintained a good development momentum.

The two countries have enhanced political mutual trust, achieved fruitful results in bilateral cooperation, and maintained communication and coordination in international affairs.

Xi said China is willing to work with Trinidad and Tobago to promote the bilateral friendly cooperative relations of mutual benefit and development for both countries and peoples.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 17:02:05|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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SHANGHAI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai authorities have come up with a new way to guarantee food safety: by employing fast food delivery staff.

The Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration (SHMFDA) has teamed up with big food delivery companies to crack down on restaurants operating without licenses or conducting illegal activities.

The SHMFDA announced Thursday that its reporting hotline 12311 will be working with Eleme, Meituan-Dianping and Baidu Waimai, and more than 30,000 delivery drivers from these companies will be keeping an eye on restaurants without licenses or fake licenses, and those without brick-and-mortar stores.

"A crackdown on unlicensed restaurants is high on our agenda this year," said Zhang Lei, an official with the SHMFDA. "If the food delivery companies find illegally operating restaurants and fail to report them, they will also be punished severely."

China's food delivery market registered fast growth last year as young Chinese are increasingly choosing to order food online, a report showed.

The online food delivery market hit 204.6 billion yuan (about 32.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, 23 percent more than the previous year, according to a report by Meituan Waimai.

According to the SHMFDA, food delivery staff who ignore illegally operating restaurants will be put on a credit blacklist.

Pilot programs were already in practice before the official Thursday announcement.

A delivery driver from Meituan-Dianping found an unlicensed restaurant with poor hygiene standards and immediately reported it to authorities, said Lu Weijia, a food safety expert with Meituan-Dianping.

Five restaurants have been removed from the food delivery company's mobile app and closed by authorities thanks to delivery staff, Lu said.

Zhang Yi, with Eleme's public affairs department, said that the company has added a reporting button in their app for delivery staff. Those who report illegal restaurants are rewarded, Zhang said.
HANOI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam received nearly 1.4 million Chinese visitors in the first quarter of this year, or roughly 32.3 percent of the total international arrivals, seeing a year-on-year rise of 42.9 percent, the country's General Statistics Office said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vietnam welcomed a total of more than 4.2 million international arrivals, up 30.9 percent on-year, with the highest growth of 69 percent in the number of visitors from South Korea, followed by China, up 42.9 percent, and Finland, up 36.9 percent.

Of the international arrivals between January and March, roughly 3.4 million came to Vietnam by air, up 27.9 percent; 719,900 by road, up 53.6 percent; and 119,800 by sea, up 6.9 percent.

Meanwhile, nearly 3.2 million visitors were from Asia, up 37.6 percent; 645,800 from Europe, up 15.4 percent; 276,200 from the Americas, mainly from the United States, up 11.5 percent; 119,100 from Oceania, up 14.1 percent, and 11,100 from Africa, up 25.7 percent.

Vietnam plans to receive 16-17 million foreign visitors and 78 million domestic ones, and gain tourism revenues of 27.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
JAKARTA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian national police has decided to prolong a military operation in Poso of Central Sulawesi province to hunt for the rest of members of a group which has linkages with the IS terrorist organization.

The operation would be lengthened for another three months starting from April of this year to capture seven terrorists who still survive and hide in a deep forest of Poso, national police spokesman Mohammad Iqbal disclosed on Thursday.

"We will extend the operation because there are still seven terrorists who are at large in Poso," he was quoted by Bisnis media as saying.

The militants are grouped in the Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (MIT), which has a linkage with the IS global terrorist group.

The leader of the MIT, the most wanted terrorist, Santoso, was shot dead in the military operation.

Over 2,000 soldiers and policemen have been taking part in the military operation, according to police.

The IS group has coordinated several suicide strikes in Indonesia, including the suicide bombings in the hearth of the country's capital Jakarta, a bush stop in eastern Jakarta in recent years, leaving 12 people dead and dozens others injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 17:32:26|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday urged the United States to abandon unilateralism and protectionism, and resort to dialogue and consultation to handle disagreements.

Gao Feng, spokesman with China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC), made the remarks in the wake of the U.S. decision to extend the period for public to comment on its tariffs on Chinese goods from 30 days to 60 days.

"China is always open for negotiations," Gao said, but emphasized sticking to the principles of equality, constructiveness and balance that need joint efforts.

Last Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to 50 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States.

The memorandum is based on a Section 301 investigation, launched by the Trump administration in August 2017, into alleged Chinese intellectual property and technology transfer practices.
COLOMBO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday visited the Russian embassy in Colombo to offer his condolences over the tragic fire in a Russian leisure center in Kemerovo, which killed 64 people.

Sirisena wrote a special note of condolence to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the condolence book set up at the embassy.

In his note to the Russian president, Sirisena said the Sri Lankan people shared the sorrow of the Russian people and extended condolences on behalf of his government and the citizens of Sri Lanka.

Sirisena also engaged in discussions with Russia's Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yuri Materiy.

A total of 64 people perished in the fire that ravaged through a busy shopping mall in an industrial city in Siberia on Sunday. Many of the victims were children, Russian media reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 18:07:33|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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DAMASCUS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Around 163,000 rebels, their families, as well as other civilians have evacuated the Syrian capital Damascus' Eastern Ghouta since the process of evacuation started in mid-March, according to estimates accumulated from official media reports.

Around 24,725 rebels and their families have so far been evacuated from central areas in Eastern Ghouta towns toward the rebel-held areas in Idlib province in northwestern Syria since Saturday, just a couple of days after 3,000 rebels and their families evacuated Harasta city in the eastern part of Eastern Ghouta toward Idlib.

Harasta marked the first evacuation of rebels and their families toward Idlib, after the Ahrar al-Sham rebels, who were in control of that area, agreed to leave, which seemingly encouraged the Failaq al-Rahman rebels to withdraw from central towns in Eastern Ghouta, namely Zamalka, Arbeen, Jobar and Ayn Tarma.

While Harasta has been completely cleared of rebels, the evacuation process of the areas in central Ghouta is ongoing.

The evacuation of rebels and their families was reached through deals mediated by Russia, following the advance of the Russian-backed Syrian army in Eastern Ghouta, which was sliced into three sections to facilitate the military operation that has begun late last month.

After capturing large swathes, the rebels succumbed and accepted to leave from the majority of the towns, leaving only the Douma district, in the northern part of Eastern Ghouta.

Douma, which is under the Islam Army control, is so far out of the currently-established deals of evacuation in other areas in Eastern Ghouta, amid reports from the state media and from the group itself that the Russians are running rounds of negotiations with the group to reach a settlement for the situation in Douma.

Douma is the largest areas in Eastern Ghouta and the most densely populated one. The Islam Army there is also keeping in custody thousands of government loyalists who have been kidnapped in the early years of the crisis and their release is part of the negotiation process.

Recent reports said the Islam Army was about to release 3,500 people kept in its prison, but their release has been postponed possibly until a deal with the government through Russia is established.

A day earlier, opposition activists said the Syrian forces were sending reinforcements around Douma to practice pressure on the rebels.

While the kidnapped soldiers and civilians are still in the captivity of the Islam Army rebels, the Failaq al-Rahman, which is currently evacuating central towns of Eastern Ghouta, has released around 36 kidnapped soldiers so far while their evacuation was ongoing.

In other areas in Eastern Ghouta, civilians kept evacuating toward government-controlled areas on the outskirts of Eastern Ghouta to be placed in shelters run by the government after fleeing the rebels' control.

State news agency SANA Thursday placed the number of civilians that have left toward government-run shelters and areas at 135,000 civilians, who started leaving areas in Eastern Ghouta on March 14.

By looking at the numbers, the people who are evacuating to the government areas surpass the people who are leaving with the rebels and reject to reconcile with the government.

The government has for long maintained that the rebels were taking the civilians as human shields and prevent them from leaving, but after the advance of the army, humanitarian corridors were opened and people kept fleeing and this process is still ongoing.

Eastern Ghouta, a 105-square-km agricultural region consisting of several towns and farmlands, poses the last threat to the capital due to its proximity to government-controlled neighborhoods east of Damascus and ongoing mortar attacks that target residential areas in the capital, pushing people over the edge.

Four major rebel groups are currently positioned inside Eastern Ghouta, namely the Islam Army, Failaq al-Rahman, Ahrar al-Sham, and the Levant Liberation Committee, known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 18:12:34|Editor: Mengjie

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ULAN BATOR, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Eight schools including a kindergarten will be built in Mongolia with China's assistance, the Mongolian Government said Thursday.

At the building project inauguration ceremony here Wednesday,the Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia, Xing Haiming, said China will continue to provide assistance and support for Mongolia's economic and social development.

The project is part of the government's plan to improve access and quality of general education and end the system of three shifts in schools by 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 18:22:35|Editor: Mengjie

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By Xinhua Writers Quan Xiaoshu, Yu Fei & Zhou Zhou

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China's first space lab Tiangong-1 will mostly be burnt up in the atmosphere and it's highly unlikely to cause any damage on the ground, according to an article published by China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) recently.

"There is no need for people to worry about its re-entry into the atmosphere. It won't crash to the Earth fiercely, as in sci-fi movie scenarios, but will look more like a shower of meteors," the article said.

During a meteor shower, about 1,000 to 20,000 meteorites fall to Earth per hour, and the probability of a person being hit by a meteorite of more than 200 grams is one-700 millionth, it said.

The CMSEO announced earlier that Tiangong-1 has seen its orbit decay since it ended its data service on March 16, 2016, and will re-enter the atmosphere between March 31 and April 4.

Tiangong-1, with a weight of about eight tons, is much smaller the 80-ton Skylab and 140-ton Mir, and is unlikely to affect aviation activities or cause damage on the ground, the article said.

The re-entry process is usually divided into three phases. During the first phase, the atmospheric drag will rip solar arrays, antennas, and other external parts off a spacecraft at an altitude of about 100 kilometers.

As it continues to fall, the main structure of the spacecraft will get burnt or exploded with increasing heat and friction. It normally disintegrates at an altitude of about 80 kilometers.

The fragments will keep burning and most of them will get dissipated in air. Only a small amount of debris will reach the ground, and will float down at a very slow speed due to their small mass.

The surviving fragments will most likely fall into the oceans, which cover more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface, instead of hitting densely-populated areas, the article said.

More than 15,000 tons of spacecraft debris have fallen to Earth since the 1960s, but no people have ever been hurt by it, the article said.

Lisa Ruth Rand from the University of Wisconsin-Madison also believes that it's unlikely that anyone will be hit by the debris of Tiangong-1.

"When an object like Tiangong-1 falls back to Earth, the atmosphere subjects it to friction and pressure. This breaks apart larger objects into fragments, vaporizing and dissipating quite a bit of material in the process," Rand told Xinhua in an email.

Tiangong-1 has docked with Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9, and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and undertaken a series of tasks, making important contributions to China's manned space cause, the article said.
LONDON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May Thursday marked the start of the one-year countdown to Brexit by embarking on a whistle-stop tour of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

She had signed Article 50 exactly a year ago, which means Britain's membership to the European Union (EU) will end on March 28, 2019.

"Today, one year until the United Kingdom leaves the EU and begins to chart a new course in the world, I am visiting all four nations of the Union to hear from people across our country what Brexit means to them," May said ahead of her tour.

She is trying to deliver the message that she is determined to ensure there will be a bright future for every part of go-it-alone Britain.

"I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us. As we leave the EU, powers will return from Brussels to the parliaments and assemblies of the UK, closer to the people we all serve and with greater ability to deliver for their needs," she said.

She said each devolved region of Britain will see an increase in their decision-making powers.

"As the prime minister, I have an absolute responsibility to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole. That means ensuring that no new barriers are created within our common domestic market and that the UK is able to meet its international obligations in the future. No prime minister could leave these things to chance," she added.

The main opposition Labour Party has said it will back a trade deal with the EU only if the deal meets the six yardsticks it has laid down, which includes Britain retaining the benefits of the European single market and customs union.

Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said in a radio interview Thursday that the conditions were nowhere near being met. He said Labour would not vote for the deal unless the government acted sensibly and negotiated to get a pact that meets the six tests.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 18:27:37|Editor: Mengjie

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By Gretinah Machingura

KARIBA, Zimbabwe, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday commissioned the 300 megawatts Kariba South Hydro Power Expansion project which will significantly boost power supplies in the country that is seeking to revive its economy after nearly two decades of stagnant growth.

The expansion project done by China's hydro power engineering and construction firm, Sinohydro, added two generators with a capacity to produce 150 MW each at a total cost of 533 million U.S. dollars.

The project started in 2014 and was completed on schedule, with the first unit having been completed and started feeding into the national electricity grid in December 2017 while the test run for the second unit was completed two weeks ago.

The expansion project, arguably the county's first major power development project since independence in 1980, has lifted the power plant's power generation capacity from 750 MW to 1,050 MW, making it Zimbabwe's current largest power plant.

Kariba power station was commissioned in 1962 during the colonial era.

Speaking after commissioning the plant, 360 km north of the capital Harare, Mnangagwa said the launch of the project was a milestone achievement in the country's quest for development.

"I am delighted to officiate at this landmark ceremony to commission the switch-on of the Kariba South Power Station Extension Project.This event indeed bears testimony to my government's realization of the centrality of energy infrastructure to economic resuscitation and growth," Mnangagwa said.

He added: "The completion of this extension project is both commendable and most timely, as it will serve as a catalyst and an essential ingredient to all our endeavors in the economic re-birth of our country."

He said the additional 300 MW will help Zimbabwe, which has faced perennial power shortages for years, to reduce its power import bill.

The country has a national demand of 1,600 MW but is currently producing 1,200 MW. It plugs the shortfall through imports from South Africa and Mozambique where it imports 300 MW and 50 MW respectively.

"The 300 MW which we switch on today, comes at an opportune time as it will significantly reduce the power deficit and positively impact on our national energy import bill," he said.

The commissioning of the two generators comes a few days before Mnangagwa travels to China next week for his first state visit outside Africa since taking over from former president Robert Mugabe last November.

Mnangagwa said he will use the visit to thank China for completing the Kariba project as well as to seek more financial support to help revamp the economy.

He disclosed that Hwange Expansion Project to add 600 MW, also to be undertaken by Sinohydro at a cost of 1.1 billion dollars, had reached financial closure and work was expected to commence soon.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Huang Ping confirmed intensified cooperation between Zimbabwe and China, saying the two countries will sign a series of cooperation agreements during Mnangagwa's visit.

Li Yueping, vice president of the Power China Group, the parent company of Sinohydro, said the Kariba expansion project had boosted Zimbabwe's power output by 30 percent, helping to drive industry and mining development, support economic recovery and light millions of households.

"As a project with national top priority, the Kariba South Extension Project is the largest power infrastructure project ever taken in the recent 30 years in Zimbabwe," said Li.

He said the Kariba project marked the start of the company's commitment to the improvement of infrastructure and people's livelihoods in Africa.

"In the future, we will continue to work jointly with our Zimbabwean partners for a new era and new journey," he said.

Sinohydro not only provided additional power to Zimbabwe giving impetus to economic growth, but empowered Zimbabweans through jobs and new skills.

Li said the Chinese firm employed 3,000 locals, trained hundreds of local technicians, donated to community schools and projects and helped orphans and children who need special care as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

Tafadzwa Bimha, 25, who is employed by Sinohydro and has been working at the site as a safety officer for two years, said his life transformed tremendously as he was able to buy two urban residential stands and other important assets due to the good salary he was getting.

"I am not sure whether Sinohydro will take me to their next project in the country but I am very grateful for the job they gave me which not only enabled me to boost my work experience but helped me to comfortably provide for my family," he said in an interview.

His sentiments were echoed by his colleague Phineas Jera who said Sinohydro had provided technical skills to many ordinary Zimbabweans.

"Sinohydro not only paid us good salaries on time. It gave us the opportunity to learn and gain experience and it trained many people who came here without any skills. They provided on-the-job training to many such that some who started as general hand workers are now welders," he said.
COLOMBO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre said in its situation report on Thursday that as many as 436,340 persons remained affected by drought in nine districts of Sri Lanka.

According to the report, six affected districts are in the northern and north-western parts of Sri Lankan and the remaining two in the central hills.

Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told Xinhua that the lack of rainfall in the agriculture areas resulted in crop failure or reduced harvest.

Senaratne said the government was responding to the disaster.

"The affected districts are the major rice cultivating areas of Sri Lanka. The drought affected our food production," he added.

However, Senaratne said the government had taken necessary steps to avoid any food shortage under the current circumstances.
BERLIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- There is growing criticism of Western sanctions against Russia in the German Social Democrat Party (SPD), the newspaper "Sueddeutsche Zeitung" reported on Thursday.

Speaking to "Sueddeutsche Zeitung", deputy SPD leader Ralf Stegner said that the expulsion of diplomats was not the "pinnacle of wisdom." Instead the move would set off a cycle of escalation which could come back to "harm us very much", according to Stegner.

The SPD politician called on the British government to "finally present concrete evidence for Russia's responsibility" in the Skripal case. He emphasized that "appearance and plausibility" alone did not suffice to reach a judgement.

Stegner argued that the expulsion of diplomats was not a "substitute for politics". Governments were better advised to focus their energy on investigating the case at hand thoroughly and preserving an open dialogue with Moscow.

The SPD deputy party leader is only the latest of several senior SPD politicians, including the former European Union (EU) Commission president Guenter Verheugen, who have expressed their discomfort over Berlin's decision to support an unprecedented coordinated move to expulse Russian diplomats from dozens of Western countries.

Verheugen has vocally warned against reaching a premature conclusion that Russia is to blame for the poisoning of the ex-spy Sergei Skripal. Speaking to "ZDF", the ex-Commission president highlighted the example of the Iraq war, when the U.S. and Britain "lied to the entire world" over the purported existence of weapons of mass destructions in the country to justify its invasion.

Similarly, former SPD leader Matthais Platzeck urged Berlin to draw lessons from the 2003 Iraq war by refusing to be dragged by Washington and London into an international conflict. At the time, ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (SPD) decided not to participate in the George W. Bush's "coalition of the willing", a move which reportedly earned him widespread respect in the SPD and among the German public in general.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 18:47:42|Editor: pengying

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JERUSALEM, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians armed with two cutters and a knife who breached the security fence around Gaza were detained by the Israeli army on Thursday.

The two suspects who infiltrated Israel from the southern Gaza Strip were apprehended near the point of infiltration, said the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement.

It is the fourth such incident in a week despite the Israeli army being on high alert in the area.

The IDF said the two suspects were transferred to security forces for further questioning.

On Wednesday, an unarmed man was arrested moments after he crossed from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army captured three Gazans who were armed with knives and grenades and entered the Israeli territory. The three suspects crossed the Gaza security fence and traveled approximately 20 km into Israeli territory.

Last Saturday, the security fence was damaged by four masked Palestinians and they attempted to arson an engineering vehicle.

According to Israeli media, Friday is "Land Day," which marks the Israeli government's expropriation of Arab-owned land in the Galilee on March 30, 1976.

Palestinians are planning to construct a tent city across from the Gaza security fence and have called on tens of thousands of Gaza residents to participate in what they described as a "peaceful protest."
DOHA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Britain has praised Qatar Charity (QC)'s efforts in international humanitarian development, Qatari local media reported Thursday.

The remarks were made by the British Minister of State for International Development and the Middle East and North Africa at Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alistair Burt, during his visit to Qatar this week, reported Gulf Times.

During the visit, the British envoy met with QC officials and reviewed Qatar Charity's latest efforts and its financial tracking system which calculates all incomes of the charity.

"I am impressed by Qatar Charity's generous contributions to humanitarian development around the world," the minister said

Qatar Charity (QC) along with 11 entities and 59 individuals has been accused of funding terrorist organizations by the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Doha denounced the blacklist.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia and the other nations imposed an embargo on the energy-rich country, Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism.

Later, the Arab nations issued a list of demands that asked Qatar to close Al-Jazeera, scale back cooperation with Iran, and remove Turkish troops from Qatar.

Qatar, however, insisted it does not fund terrorists, and denied all the allegations.
NEW DELHI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A major fire broke out Thursday inside a chemical factory in southern Indian state of Karnataka, police said.

According to officials no loss of life or causality was reported in the incident as more than 50 employees inside the factory were rushed to safety.

The fire broke out at a chemical factory in Malur town of Kolar district, about 44 km east of Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka state.

"The fire ignited the pipes through which petroleum products were being transported," an official posted in Kolar said. "The fire engulfed the neighboring factories."

Officials said 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, besides over 50 firefighters to contain the fire and douse flames.

Locals said columns of thick dark smoke and flames were billowing from the factories.

There were conflicting reports about the cause of fire. Police said actual cause can be ascertained only after proper investigation.

"Some people attribute the fire to short circuit, while as others claim a domestic gas cylinder explosion caused the fire," a police official told Xinhua over telephone from Kolar. "The cause of fire can be determined only after forensic experts conduct their investigation."
ADDIS ABABA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) Executive Council has adopted the African common position for negotiations of a new cooperation agreement with the European Union (EU).

African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) developing countries and EU signed the ACP-EU partnership agreement, dubbed the Cotonou partnership agreement, in Cotonou, Benin, on 23 June 2000 for a 20-year period from 2000 to 2020.

And as the Cotonou partnership agreement approaches to expire in February 2020, reflections between Africa and the EU have been under way to determine the nature, outline and configuration of a more appropriate framework for future post-2020 relations, according to an AU statement on Thursday.

The decision to adopt the common position came last week with the historic event of Africa, whereby 44 AU member states signed the African continental free trade area (CFTA), which AU is saying that a strong and loud message to the world that Africa is able to come together as one and speak in one voice.

The revision of the partnership capitalizes on the experiences of the past and to define a single, strong and sustainable cooperation policy framework, based on values, interests and aspirations that unite the two continents and actively participate together in global discussions, says AU.

The new agreement with EU should be separated from the ACP context and based on a strong and sustainable continent-to-continent partnership that revolves around the AU and the EU, recommends the adopted common position, noted the statement.

The new agreement should also reaffirm the interdependence between Africa and Europe, as well as the development of modern political dialogue, based on equality, equity, mutual respect and the shared responsibility of both continents.

It should be based on African priority development pillars, revolving around seven elements, including, structural transformation of economies and inclusive growth; people-centered development; migration and mobility; peace and security; science, technology and innovation; the environment and climate change; governance, human rights and natural resource management.

It should not be failing to consider the already existing bilateral agreements between the EU and Africa, including those of North Africa, South Africa and other African countries, said the statement, adding, Africa has devoted to negotiate South-South partnership on a sovereign basis with the Caribbean and the Pacific based on existing partnership models.

Building on a longstanding cooperation and with a view of deepening high-level dialogue and cooperation on a citizen-driven pan-African agenda of integration and transformation, the adoption of the common position is the first step towards a win-win discussion with EU, it said.

Following the adoption, it was convened by the meeting that the next steps will consist of establishing a group of negotiators; developing a negotiation strategy by the AU Commission by May 2018.

An official presentation of the African common position will be made at the 107th session of the ACP Council of Ministers in Lome, Togo on 29 May 2018, according to the statement.

Since the year 2000, the Cotonou partnership agreement has been the framework for relations with 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) and the EU, based on three pillars such as development cooperation, political cooperation, economic and trade cooperation.

In 2010, ACP-EU cooperation was adapted to new challenges such as climate change, food security, regional integration, State fragility and aid effectiveness, recalled the statement.
File photo taken on Dec. 7, 2016 shows people attending a rally calling for "more jobs and better wages" which was promised by Donald J. Trump during his campaign, in Washington D.C., the United States. With the United States retreating to the stronghold of protectionism and nationalism, concerns about a trade war are rising around the globe. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

By Peter Mertz

DENVER, the United States, March 28 (Xinhua) -- From America's heartland to Coastal California and even the deep, steamy south, American conservatives and liberals alike voiced alarm at President Donald Trump's recent hardline trade tactics.

"Almost unanimous concern," said Andrew Jerome from the National Farmers Union (NFU) that represents more than 200,000 family farms and ranches across the country and has chapters in 33 states.

NFU members supported Trump's "America First" trade stance in the 2016 presidential elections and were hoping the new president would offer relief to an industry reeling from a quarter-century of declining profits.

They were wrong.

VOICES OF OPPOSITION

"(Trump) doesn't have a well-disciplined, thoughtful, or remotely consistent trade policy," said John K. Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, which represents over 4,000 family farm and ranch families in the vast Midwestern.

Hansen, who worked for the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations as a trade adviser, told Xinhua that "the way (Trump) is going about correcting the trade imbalance with China is unfortunate."

Despite strong warnings from business groups and trade experts, Trump signed a memorandum last week that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and place restrictions on Chinese investments in the United States.

Calling these measures "a very bad precedent," China's Ministry of Commerce issued a warning the following day, saying that such a move would be against "the interests of China, the United States and the world at large."

It also announced a plan for reciprocal tariffs on imported U.S. products worth about 3 billion dollars to balance losses caused by U.S. metal restrictions on China signed by Trump early this month.

The measures, or the suspension of tariff concessions, will target 128 U.S. products, including pork, wine and seamless steel tubes.

Trump's proposed 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent one on aluminum caused stocks to tumble, American economic allies to object, and U.S. farmers to look toward the heavens for relief.

"At least Clinton, Obama and Bush were pretty consistent and worked with a unified voice," Hansen said. "That's the opposite of this administration."

Bucking the president's plan, Republican U.S. Senator Ben Sasse told the conservative World-Herald newspaper last week that "My message on trade wars is simple. This is going to hurt Nebraskans, it's going to hurt farmers and ranchers, and it's going to kill jobs," Sasse said.

Nebraska, nicknamed the "Cornhusker State," is one of America's top four states in agricultural production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Family farmers and ranchers are always the first to be hit by retaliatory tariffs, and in the case of China, significant export markets are likely to be the first casualty," said Jerome, who called Trump's pending trade moves "dangerous."

Despite both political parities shouting "no," White House officials staunchly defend the brash plan, saying it will be enacted this week,

"The president must have a plan in place to protect family farmers before seeking to remedy unfair trade practices," Hansen said.

More than 90 percent of America's 2.1 million farms are small, family operations that produce nearly half of the industry's 140 billion dollars export trade to the U.S. economy, according to the USDA.

A trader works at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the United States, March 22, 2018. U.S. stocks ended lower on Thursday, with the Dow plunging over 700 points, after the U.S. President Donald Trump announced to impose tariff on imported products from China. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

BEARING THE BRUNT

Jerome likened America's 45th president's trade policy to a "bull in a china shop," saying that "I don't think Trump would have proposed these tariffs if he had known what the Chinese might do in retaliation."

Jerome told Xinhua that his industry is on the front line of a retaliatory strike and the hardest hit will be grain, wine, fruit and pork sectors.

With East coast state North Carolina being America's No. 2 pork producer, and California harvesting more grapes for wine than the rest of the country combined, China's proposed retaliatory tariff has shocked farmers from coast to coast.

"Farming is historically the backbone of America, and in colonial times 90 percent of all Americans were farmers," said California businessman Glenn Nemhauser.

But the income of farms has not kept pace with the cost of living and is comparable to 1973 income levels, since the controversial 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), according to Hansen.

"The average farm family doesn't make enough money to feed their own family," Hansen said.

Following guidelines imposed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), NAFTA, which sought to create an even playing field for farmers in America, Canada and Mexico, has caused "economic suicide" in America, said Hansen, a sixth generation Nebraska farmer and Washington trade insider.

"We are an economic driver," said Hansen, whose Norwegian ancestors moved to Nebraska in 1905 and started a family farm that has endured for 113 years.

"We are the producers on the ground. We create jobs, and we create new wealth," he said, adding that "We are not happy now."

California's 45-billion-dollar agricultural industry, which includes nuts, dairy products, fruits, produce, livestock feed and wine, may be hardest hit overall by the possible retaliatory tariffs.

"California has become a major rice producing state, which we export to China and other Asian countries. That may stop as well," said San Francisco businessman Glenn Nemhauser.
JAKARTA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A prosecutor at Indonesia's anti-corruption court on Thursday demanded a sentence of up to 16 years' imprisonment against former parliament speaker Setya Novanto over corruption.

He was accused of costing the state some 2.3 trillion rupiah (about 167.1 million U.S. dollars) while serving as a legislator.

"Recommending the judge to decide that Setya Novanto has convincingly committed collective corruption, sentencing him with 16-year imprisonment," the prosecutor in the court Abdul Basir said.

The prosecutor also recommended the judge to demand the former parliament speaker pay compensation over the case of 7.435 million U.S. dollars, after deducting the amount of money he had returned to the state which amounted to 5 billion rupiah (about 363,500 U.S. dollars).

The prosecutor demanded the fines be paid at least one month after the sentence is issued. If Setya fails to pay the fine, the prosecutor recommended the judge to give more sentences.

Setya was arrested by enforcers of anti-graft commission in November last year after his series of attempts to dodge the summons and arrest in relation to the case of corruption in national ID card project in 2011 to 2012.

The court has previously sentenced the contractor and some other former legislators involved in the case. The project contractor was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. He obtained the project from Setya through ill practices in the parliament.

Setya was stripped from this post as the parliament speaker shortly after being detained as a suspect in the corruption case.
ADDIS ABABA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's incoming leader Abiy Ahmed will be formally sworn in as Ethiopia's third prime minister in 27 years on Saturday, state affiliated media said on Thursday.

Ahmed who clinched the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) chairperson position on Tuesday, will be appointed as Ethiopia's newest Prime Minister by Parliament, according to Radio Fana.

EPRDF and allied parties control all 547 seats in Ethiopian parliament, so Ahmed's appointment as next Ethiopian Prime Minister is expected to be a foregone conclusion.

Ahmed, chairman of Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) which rules over Ethiopia's largest and most populous regional state of Oromia, will replace the outgoing Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Desalegn comes from another EPRDF coalition member party, the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement and has been leading Ethiopia after the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in August 2012.

The expected confirmation of Abiy Ahmed as Ethiopia's next PM on Saturday will end more than a month of political uncertainty ever since Hailemariam Desalegn offered his resignation on February 15.

In recent months, internal political wrangling among four coalition partners of EPRDF, including Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, Amhara National Democratic Movement, South Ethiopia People's Democratic Movement and Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), has cast fears about the stability of the nation of about 100 million people.

Ethiopia is also reeling from persistent deadly protests since 2016 especially in the two most populous regional states of Amhara and Oromia over alleged political and economic marginalization.
by Tao Jun, Bui Long

HANOI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Strengthening infrastructure connectivity, facilitating border trade and addressing environment issues should be the focus of Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries in the near future, an official of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said.

"First of all, GMS countries and their development partners should strengthen infrastructure connectivity," Nguyen Minh Cuong, head of GMS Unit, Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division, Southeast Asia Department of ADB told Xinhua earlier this week.

"Secondly, GMS countries and development partners should bolster cooperation on facilitating transport and trade to gradually remove obstacles to the movement of goods, transport and services in the region, eventually bringing into play one of the biggest competitive advantages of the GMS -- border trade," Cuong said.

According to the ADB official, the GMS is the only area in Asia that has the most comprehensive pact on accelerating cross-border transport.

"Thirdly, the GMS countries and development partners should center on addressing issues related to the environment, health care and labor, mainly because stronger connectivity also creates favorable conditions for the spread of diseases through movement of labor, including migrants, and goods," Cuong said.

Meanwhile, he said the GMS countries are facing three major challenges related to infrastructure linkage, value chain engagement, and the fourth industrial revolution.

"Their infrastructure connectivity has yet to be completed, especially in Myanmar. The transport network is road-dominated, railway infrastructure is outdated, and connectivity between seaports and inland container depots with production centers and big cities is underdeveloped," Cuong said.

Another challenge lies in deeper integration into value chains, development of logistics facilities and strong participation from the private sector.

Meanwhile, issues including climate change, rapid spread of disease due to shared borders, and high numbers of unskilled migrant workers are also to be addressed.

"In addition, the industrial revolution 4.0 poses a big challenge to the GMS. Information technology cooperation in the GMS is still weak and in need of a strong boost in the future," the ADB official said.

The ADB official voiced his high appreciation of China's role in the GMS.

"The GMS has a big potential for trade and economic development. China is now the world's second-biggest economy, so it is creating favorable conditions for trade and investment in the GMS to thrive," Cuong said.

According to Cuong, the GMS countries boast huge market and favorable conditions for border trade development.

GMS countries have long roads and borders, creating favorable conditions for developing border trade, especially border trade between China and Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, and between Laos and Thailand, the ADB official said.

"The GMS is prioritizing development of 17 border economic zones to foster trade and investment linkages," Cuong said.

Thanks to these advantages, the GMS countries have reaped many benefits in many spheres, with the economic field being the most outstanding one.

"GMS countries' economies have changed spectacularly and have become stronger," the ADB official said, noting that most of them used to be less developed countries, but now have become lower level middle-income countries.

"The second most outstanding achievement of the GMS is that it has created a regional integration window, especially for Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam," Cuong said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 19:28:03|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- With the approval of new regulations and programs, China is taking another major step to rein in financial risks.

Guidelines to regulate the asset management businesses of financial institutions were among the documents approved at the first meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform Wednesday.

The guidelines, first released as a draft last November, marked a key step to standardizing the country's fast-growing asset management industry, analysts said.

China's asset management businesses have been expanding rapidly in recent years, with collective outstanding volume reaching over 100 trillion yuan (about 16 trillion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2016, the China International Capital Corporation quoted data from the central bank as saying.

But the expansion has also brought issues such as high leverage and shadow banking, which the new rules tried to rein in.

The sweeping new guidelines require financial institutions to set leverage ceilings on asset management products. For example, the total assets for an open-ended public offering product should not exceed 140 percent of the product's net assets, while the total assets for a closed-end public offering product should not be greater than 200 percent of its net assets.

The guidelines also unify rules covering asset management products issued by all types of financial institutions, including banks and insurance firms, a move that analysts said could address regulatory loopholes.

"We should minimize regulatory arbitrage and promote standardized development of the asset management business," said a document released after Wednesday's meeting.

While the rules have yet to be officially released, many stakeholders have responded positively to the change. In a filing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, China Merchants Bank said the expected release of the new rules will mark a "milestone" in the asset management industry.

"We believe the guidelines will bring more opportunities than challenges to our company," it said.

The company announced earlier that it will establish a wholly owned asset management subsidiary with initial registered capital of 5 billion yuan.

The meeting also approved a program on establishing a financial court in Shanghai, seen by analysts as another step to enhance financial regulation.

The court is designed to improve the justice system for financial cases and create a good legal environment for the financial sector, said the document.

The court will have collective jurisdiction over financial cases with the aim of letting the financial sector better serve the real economy, prevent and control financial risk, and deepen financial reform, it said.

The establishment of the financial court will also help carry forward reform of the justice system for the financial sector, raise the level of professionalism in financial justice and build a just, efficient and authoritative justice system for the financial sector, said the document.

Prevention of financial risks is key for China in one of what policy makers called the "three tough battles," namely controlling risks, reducing poverty and tackling pollution.
BERLIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- New German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has come under sharp criticism for nominating an all-male team of state secretaries.

In an internal communication seen by German daily Die Zeit, the Interior Ministry's equal opportunities officer Maria Spetter said the decisions were met with "complete incomprehension" by the staff.

Spetter accused Seehofer, who is from the Christian Social Union (CSU) party, of "mocking" the coalition agreement between his party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democrats. One of the official goals of the agreement is to ensure equal participation of women and men in leading public service positions until 2025.

Spetter called the personnel decisions a "political and societal step backwards which pitted men and women against each other."

The ministry was unwilling to comment on the communication or confirm its existence. A photograph of Seehofer with his new team of eight male state secretaries posted on the ministry's official website Wednesday was removed after it provoked widespread outrage.

Before his current job, Seehofer was CSU leader and governor of the state of Bavaria in southern Germany. The CSU is the only one of the three coalition partners that has not nominated any woman ministers in the new "grand coalition."

Transportation and Digital Infrastructure Minister Andreas Scheuer, also from Seehofer's party, did not appoint any women state secretaries either.

Earlier, Green Party politician Hannah Neumann shared the official image of the Interior Ministry's all-male appointments with the caption "Not my homeland" on Twitter and it quickly went viral. The caption was a play on Seehofer's ministry recently adding a new "homeland" department tasked with preserving traditional customs.

A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, however, rejected accusations of gender bias, saying Seehofer has merely appointed the individuals he believed to be best suited for the jobs.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 19:33:05|Editor: Lifang

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People walk in dust storm in Khartoum, Sudan, on March 29, 2018. A heavy dust storm has been hitting Sudanese capital Khartoum and other states since early Thursday, which crippled the traffic and caused Khartoum international airport to suspend all domestic and international flights due to the lack of visibility. (Xinhua/Mohamed Khidir)

KHARTOUM, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Khartoum airport on Thursday announced suspension of air flights due to a dust storm which has been hitting the Sudanese capital Khartoum since early Thursday morning.

"It has been decided to suspend the air flights until the dust storm clears," said Mohammed Al-Mahdi Abdoun, Khartoum airport spokesman, in a statement.

He said two flights, one coming from Cairo and a domestic one, have been redirected to other airports, pointing out that two flights of Ethiopian airlines and Flydubai have been delayed until the dust storm clears.

A heavy dust storm has hit the Sudanese capital and states in northern and western Sudan since early Thursday, which crippled the traffic due to lack of visibility.

The Sudanese Meteorological Authority expected the storm to continue and affect the weather conditions during Thursday and Friday, noting that the intensity of the dust would ease on Saturday in all parts of the country.

It said in a statement that there were medium clouds in Sinnar, Blue Nile and White Nile States in central Sudan that may result in light rain falling at those areas.
BERLIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Deutsche Bank chief executive officer (CEO) John Cryan is fighting back against rumors of his imminent replacement, German media reported on Thursday.

Writing a "message on the current situation" to staff, Cryan emphasized his desire to remain at the helm of Germany's largest financial institute until the official expiration of his contract in 2020. "We must focus on implementing the strategy which we have agreed with the supervisory board. There is no disagreement on this point", the internal document read.

"I want to assure you that I will continue to work for the bank with all of my energy and want to continue following along the path with you which we began around three years ago", Cryan added. He admitted that Deutsche Bank was "not where we all want it to be" but argued that the Frankfurt-based institute was nonetheless "on the right track".

The CEO further announced that he would continue to pursue an ambitious restructuring of Deutsche Bank's business but would soon also be able to place a greater focus on "growth and achieving attractive returns for our investors."

Earlier, the newspaper "Times" reported that Deutsche Bank chairman Paul Achleitner wants to replace Cryan two years before his current contract expires due to concerns with poor financial performance and negative press in recent years.

Cryan assumed the post of CEO in 2015, vowing to reform the investment bank with an ambitious corporate restructuring programme until the end of his contract in 2020. In March it was revealed that Deutsche Bank had suffered annual losses of 735 million euros (905 million U.S. dollars) in 2017, taking the total figure of cumulative annual loses since 2015 to 9 billion euros.

Deutsche Bank's management more than doubled bonus payments to staff during the same period, however, prompting widespread outrage in German media. According to "Times" Achleitner's and Cryan's relationship has "broken down entirely" as a consequence of the development.

The German Social Democratic Party (SPD) economic policy spokesperson Bernd Westphal has described the situation as "anything but positive" and attacked Cryan for signing generous off pay-rises while the bank was still in the red. "The management of Deutsche Bank must do the job it is paid for. Whoever agrees to pay out 2.3 billion euros in bonus payments must also deliver", Westphal argued.

Despite his reputation as a skilled corporate cost-cutter, Cryan has so far failed to restore the profitability levels which Deutsche Bank enjoyed prior to the 2007/08 financial crisis. Growing uncertainty over the bank's future has been reflected in its share price which has slumped by a further 30 percent since the beginning of the year.

Speaking to the magazine SPIEGEL on Thursday, the banking expert Hans-Peter Burghof said that the public personnel debate which has now engulfed Deutsche Bank comes at the worst possible time. "The corporate restructuring process is not concluded yet. A potential successor to CEO John Cryan would actually have to motivate employees and provide them with a perspective", Burghof said.

Burghof warned that there were too many "unresolved issues" at the moment for a management transition to be concluded smoothly. Deutsche Bank has only recently finalized the public listing of its wealth management subsidiary DWS and is still in the midst of re-integrating Postbank under its corporate umbrella.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 19:53:12|Editor: ZD

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Soldiers escort coffins containing the remains of Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War during a burial ceremony at the Cemetery of Revolutionary Martyrs in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 29, 2018. A burial ceremony for the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the war was held here on Thursday. The Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) fought side by side with the army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the Korean War against the South Korean army and U.S.-led UN forces. Tens of thousands of CPV soldiers died on the Korean Peninsula during the war, which ended in 1953. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

SHENYANG, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A burial ceremony for the remains of 20 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War was held at the Cemetery of Revolutionary Martyrs in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, on Thursday.

More than 300 people including government and military officials, Korean War veterans, and members of the public, attended the ceremony.

"I'm so glad my comrades are finally home, but it is a great pity they cannot witness the prosperity of our country now," said Li Weibo, 87, a Korean War veteran.

Some 197,653 Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers are confirmed to have died during the war, most of whom were buried on the Korean Peninsula.

According to an agreement between China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), the two sides arrange an annual hand-over of remains of Chinese soldiers found in ROK, which usually occurs before the Tomb-Sweeping Day.

The remains of 569 soldiers were returned to China from ROK between 2014 and 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 19:53:14|Editor: Mengjie

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MACAO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The government of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has published the final report assessing the overall impact of last year's Typhoon Hato and offering suggestions for optimizing its mechanism for managing emergencies, the SAR's government Information Bureau said here on Thursday.

Typhoon Hato struck Macao on Aug. 23 last year, killing 10 people and injuring over 240 others, as well as resulting in heavy economic losses.

The report offers practical advice on measures appropriate to Macao in relation to prevention or mitigation of disasters, post-disaster relief measures, and the SAR's response mechanism for any public emergency.

The Commission for Reviewing and Monitoring the Improvements of the Response Mechanism to Major Disasters commissioned respectively the Institute for Public Safety Research at Tsinghua University, the North China University of Technology, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs' National Disaster Reduction Center of China to draw up the report.

The four research themes in the final report offer suggestions for complementary effort in areas of meteorology, electricity supply, flood control measures at the inner harbor, and work relating to the fire services.

The Information Bureau said the SAR government is stepping up effort to advance Macao's overall capabilities for disaster prevention and mitigation, including amendment to the Civil Protection Law, the formulation of a 10-year plan for disaster prevention and mitigation (2019-2028), and the establishment of a new emergency command system.

The government will also strive to initiate an insurance system covering losses from major disasters, an overall emergency response plan, the construction of major fundamental infrastructure, and promotion of safety awareness of the public.
BERLIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) has rejected a proposal from fellow party members to create a "basic solidarity income" for long-term unemployed Germans on Thursday.

Scholz defended the current "Hartz IV" benefit system while expressing sympathy with the desire among proponents of a "basic solidarity income" to "significantly reduce long-term unemployment." Earlier, Berlin Mayor-Governor Michael Mueller (SPD) had called for the creation of a so-called social labor market where Germans who struggled to find employment could earn tax-financed income of 1,200 euros per month with work for communal governments.

The proposal was supported by the president of the Federation of German Trade Unions (DGB) Reiner Hoffman and Labor minister Hubertus Heil (SPD). "This is a necessary debate that we need to engage in," Heil told the newspaper "BILD".

However, employer representatives and communal governments largely rebuffed the idea of a social labor market as inappropriate in times of record low unemployment figures. Speaking to the newspaper "WELT", Karl-Josef Laumann, president of the Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) employer committee, said that "Hartz IV does not need to be reformed or eliminated and it also does not need a new name."

Similarly, Ingo Kramer, president of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA), rejected the new initiative. "The basic idea of a basic solidarity income is nothing other than to massively create artificial employment which would not persist in entrepreneurial competition," Kramer said.

By contrast, the Left party (Linke) welcomed the debate in the SPD over a reform of the existing Hartz IV system provoked by Mueller's comments. Speaking to the public broadcaster "ZDF" on Thursday, Left party leader Gesine Loetzsch urged the SPD to show "more self-confidence" in the matter and make a "concrete proposal" for a new system.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 19:58:17|Editor: Mengjie

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Henry Rotich, Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury of Kenya, speaks during an interview in Nairobi, Kenya, March 28, 2018. Henry Rotich has urged Western countries criticizing Chinese loans to Africa to try to understand the Africa-China relationship first, calling such criticism as "unwarranted". (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

NAIROBI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A senior Kenyan government official has urged Western countries criticizing Chinese loans to Africa to try to understand the Africa-China relationship first, calling such criticism as "unwarranted".

Chinese loans and development support has transformed Africa's development and Africa-China relations are expected to get even stronger with time, Henry Rotich, Cabinet Secretary for The National Treasury, told Xinhua on Wednesday in an interview in Nairobi.

"Attacks on Chinese loans to Africa are unwarranted," Rotich told Xinhua. "Those criticizing do not understand the relationship we have with China."

He said Africa's cooperation with China is "well structured" under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit which defines the direction of the relationship and development milestones that each country wants to reach with China.

"People need time to understand the relationship. China is walking with Africa to help the continent to get to the level of the developed countries faster. This is a partnership," he said.

"The days of conditioning support are over," said Rotich, in reference to the Western-controlled World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s demands for Africans to undertake some economic reforms and policies before they could receive development loans.

"The way to go is mutual cooperation," Rotich said.

Kenya adopted China as its preferred development partner in 2002 when Kenya was under the leadership of retired President Mwai Kibaki.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has continued with a strong China-Kenya policy which has resulted in support for construction of the 500 kilometer Standard Gauge Railway from coastal city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi and constructions of several hundreds of kilometers of roads, the Treasury official said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 20:28:26|Editor: Lifang

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Guo Degang (R), a popular Chinese traditional crosstalk performer, shows a letter of agreement with Director of the National Museum of Australia (NWA) Mathew Trinca at NWA in Canberra, Australia, March 29, 2018. Guo Degang signed the letter of agreement here on Thursday with the NWA to become the museum's cultural ambassador in China. (Xinhua/Xu Haijing)

CANBERRA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Guo Degang, a popular Chinese traditional crosstalk performer, signed a letter of agreement here on Thursday with the National Museum of Australia (NWA) to become the museum's cultural ambassador in China.

At the signing ceremony held at the NWA, Guo said he was honored to take the role.

Under the agreement, Guo will promote the NMA's programs in China, the first of which will be a major exhibition of bark paintings on tour in China starting from July this year.

The Old Masters exhibition featuring over 150 artworks and objects will open at the National Museum of China in Beijing in July 2018, ahead of a 20-month tour. It will later open in cities including Shanghai, Chengdu and Shenzhen, among others.

It will be the first time that the bark paintings be exhibited outside Australia.

Guo, a leading character in China's traditional crosstalk comedy and a household name in China, enjoys more than 68 million followers on social media site Weibo.

"Arts recognize no boundaries ... I think art is a very good bond to link people together and promote exchanges," Guo told Xinhua at the signing ceremony.

NWA Director Mathew Trinca said he found common ground in Guo's love of traditional Chinese art and his museum's enthusiasm in collecting and promoting Australia's traditional art.

"The National Museum is committed to taking the Australian story to the world and we're delighted to partner with Mr Guo to help us reach Chinese audiences," said Trinca.

Trinca said people-to-people connections can become the bedrock of strong relationships and cultural exchanges can promote people-to-people links.

"Through the long history of having worked with China, taking our first exhibition to China in 2002, followed by other works that we've been engaged in with our Chinese colleagues through agencies, museums and galleries, we always found those relationships are strong, enduring and constant," he said in an interview with Xinhua.

"That's a signal when people come together and speak openly about what matters to be human, what matters to be living in their countries, how they think about their daily lives and the past, tradition, the stories they use to reach to their past, I think that becomes something that sticks us together and brings our peoples together."

"And ultimately, if we have cultural understanding of each other and I think that deepens and broadens the basis upon which all parts of the relationship can flourish."

NMA opened its doors to the public in 2001 in Australia's capital city Canberra. With over 2,000 works of art on bark, the museum holds the world's largest and richest collection of bark paintings.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 20:33:30|Editor: Mengjie

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GUANGZHOU, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Guangzhou police said Thursday that 35 suspects had been arrested for drug trafficking.

On January 22, police raided a drug ring in Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, arresting the suspects.

About 3.85 kg of heroin and 3 kg of methamphetamine were seized during the raids.

Police found the ring had been involved in eight drug cases, trafficking 45.85 kg of heroin and 6 kg of methamphetamine.

Further investigation is ongoing.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 20:43:35|Editor: Mengjie

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HEFEI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- About 250 million years ago, something unknown wiped out most life on Earth. Scientists have suggested many possible causes for the end-Permian mass extinction or "Great Dying," yet the cause remains a mystery.

Chinese researchers have now found that continental chemical weathering was main environmental factor to cause the mass extinction and determined that that Siberian Traps erupted in the same period of time, plausibly enhanced the weathering process.

Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environments and University of Science and Technology of China published their findings in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America" Monday.

Through analyzing the Lithium (Li) isotope in sedimentary rocks from the Meishan section of south China and building a dynamic seawater Li box model, researchers found light seawater Li isotopic signatures at the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) coincided with the most severe mass extinction in Earth's history.

Over the past decade, scientists around the world have proposed many hypotheses for the Great Dying: severe volcanism, a nearby supernova, environmental changes wrought by the formation of a super-continent or the devastating impact of a large asteroid.

"No one can confirm which theory is correct. But as the evidence began to accumulate in recent years, many scientists support the theory of Siberian Traps," said Xiao Yilin, the leading scientist of the research, also an isotope geochemistry researcher at University of Science and Technology of China.

The eruption of the Siberian Traps exposed an enormous amount of fresh black rock and triggered CO2 release, rapid global warming and acid rain, which in turn led to a rapid enhancement of continental weathering, according to the findings.

The enhanced continental weathering delivered excessive nutrients to the oceans that could lead to marine eutrophication, anoxia, acidification, ultimately resulting in the end-Permian mass extinction, according to Xiao.

"Our results provide independent geochemical evidence for an enhanced continental chemical weathering at the PTB, showing that continental weathering may provide a key link between terrestrial and marine ecological crises," Xiao said.
Kenyans sing and dance beside one of the first batch of locomotives that were made by Chinese companies for the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, in Mombasa, Kenya, on Jan. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

NAIROBI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A senior Kenyan official has urged Western countries criticizing Chinese loans to Africa to try to understand the Africa-China relationship first, calling such criticism as "unwarranted".

Chinese loans and development support has transformed Africa's development and Africa-China relations are expected to get even stronger with time, Henry Rotich, Cabinet Secretary for The National Treasury, told Xinhua on Wednesday in an interview in Nairobi.

"Attacks on Chinese loans to Africa are unwarranted," Rotich told Xinhua. "Those criticizing do not understand the relationship we have with China."

He said Africa's cooperation with China is "well structured" under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit which defines the direction of the relationship and development milestones that each country wants to reach with China.

"People need time to understand the relationship. China is walking with Africa to help the continent to get to the level of the developed countries faster. This is a partnership," he said.

"The days of conditioning support are over," said Rotich, in reference to the Western-controlled World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s demands for Africans to undertake some economic reforms and policies before they could receive development loans.

"The way to go is mutual cooperation," Rotich said.

Kenya adopted China as its preferred development partner in 2002 when Kenya was under the leadership of retired President Mwai Kibaki.
JUBA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's cease-fire monitors on Thursday expressed deep concern regarding ongoing reports and allegations of hostilities in the southern area of Central Equatoria and areas of Upper Nile.

The Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) urged warring parties of their obligations to cease all hostilities and adhere to the provisions of the Agreement of the Cessation of Hostilities (ACOH), including freezing of forces and military movements without prior authority of CTSAMM.

"The 61st Extra-Ordinary Session of IGAD Council of Ministers underscored its resolve to bring any violators of ACOH and spoilers of the peace process to account," it said in a statement issued in Juba, urging all parties to commit to implement the agreement in full and in good faith.

The South Sudanese government and the 14 rebel groups agreed in December last year to the cease-fire agreement and release of political prisoners but the agreement broke down within 48 hours amid continued intermittent clashes further displacing civilians.

The CTSAMM reiterated its mandate to freely monitor the implementation of the cease-fire deal as outlined in the agreement.

It added that it continues to monitor these developments and will send monitoring and verification teams (MVTs) to the areas affected as soon as is possible in order to ascertain whether any violation of the ACOH has taken place.

The CTSAMM further stressed that any violation is unacceptable and will be referred to the IGAD Council of Ministers and JMEC.

"The CTSAMM calls on all parties to immediately cease all hostilities, and to investigate and ensure accountability of any breach of the ACOH. Where MVTs are required to conduct investigations, parties are reminded of their obligation to guarantee free movement and unhindered access," it said.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked his former deputy Riek Machar leading to fighting between mostly Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to Kiir and ethnic Nuer soldiers loyal to Machar.
ADDIS ABABA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The tripartite taskforce of the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN) is endeavoring to support stranded African migrants in Libya, while consolidating efforts to dismantle organized networks of human traffickers and migrant smugglers.

As they wrapped up the meeting of the taskforce of AU-EU-UN on Thursday, in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Amira Elfadil, AU Commissioner for Social Affairs told a press conference that the situation of migrants in government-controlled detention centers has improved markedly.

The Commissioner, who is also AU Special Envoy to Libya, has expressed concern that the situation of migrants in Libya still warrants serious attention as the taskforce can only account for migrants under government detention centers, and not those under private detention centers and several militia groups.

She stated that the taskforce has been working to repatriate African migrants to their countries of origin or to other third countries.

According to the Commissioner, the taskforce has managed to repatriate more than 16,000 migrants from Libya, and the number of migrants in government-controlled detention centers has reduced from 20,000 in November 2017 to about 3,400 during her last visit to Libya in February this year.

The taskforce has been endeavoring to upscale returns, working with concerned member states, in collaboration with the Libyan authorities and the international community and partners, she said.

"We have managed to repatriate more than 16,000 migrants; more than 1,000 of them were refugees taken to Niger to be taken to be resettled in other countries, or in third country; and the rest we took them to their countries of origin. And there is a process of reintegrating them in their countries of origin, this reintegration process is with support of the member states themselves, countries of origin, plus packages of integration being delivered by IOM," she said.

The Commissioner further said that there are efforts involving committee of intelligence and security service of Africa (CISSA) to dismantle organized criminal works operating in Libya and neighboring states and that are profiteering from the misery of migrants, including human traffickers and smugglers of migrants.

Speaking during the press conference, Mohammed Ali Bisher, Head of the Anti-Illegal Migration Authority of Libya, said African migrants are being taken care of at the government-controlled detention centers, where they are provided with foods and medical care services among others.

"We had more than 27,400 refugees since 17th of September 2017, and now 5,600 are there now, those who are in the centers, detention centers; and some of whom came after being saved from the sea or they just came voluntarily waiting for being returned to their own countries after being recognized by their countries and after being provided with the documents, travel documents," he said.

The Head noted that the migrants are in detention because the outside is not safe for them and due also to the economic situation in Libya.

"The 5000, most of them are from the six countries that the UNHCR giving them the right to go to the third country, whether through Niger or Libya to Italy or other countries that are willing; and these are from countries categorized as politically unstable, that is why the UNHCR shoulder the responsibility. So, we host them until being repatriated or being returned to third country," he added.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the number of migrants in Libya still remains high at about 621,706, some of whom have been in Libya for decades even before the collapse of the Gadhafi regime in the northern African nation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 21:03:42|Editor: pengying

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RAMALLAH, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian president's spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh on Thursday rejected statements by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, in which he called for replacing President Mahmoud Abbas if he does not return to negotiations with Israel.

Abu Rudeineh described Friedman's statements as "blatant and unacceptable interference in internal Palestinian affairs."

"It seems that Friedman speaks on behalf of Israel more than he speaks for the U.S. and appoints himself as an advocate of Israel and the settlers," he said, adding that Friedman "does not represent the interests of the United States, but a mentality that will only inflame the atmosphere and harm the American people."

He said that this type of mentality, which serves only the interests of extremists and settlers, is what created the so-called Islamic State, extremism and violence.

Abu Rudeineh urged the American administration to put an end to such behavior.

On Dec. 6, 2017, almost one year after Trump took office, he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the city.

As a result, the Palestinians have disqualified the U.S. from being the sole sponsor of the peace negotiations, while calling for a multilateral peace mechanism to sponsor the peace talks.

On Feb. 20, Palestinian President Abbas presented a peace initiative in a speech before the UN Security Council, proposing to hold an international peace conference in mid-2018 to jumpstart the final status talks based on the two-state solution and other UN resolutions.
A Chinese technician works with Kenyan staff members at the Lamu port project, Kenya, on May 10, 2017. The first three berths of the Lamu port project, constructed by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), is located in Manda Bay, northeastern part of Kenya. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)

NAIROBI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government expects Chinese private sector to participate in projects dealing with food security, affordable housing, manufacturing and affordable healthcare, says Henry Rotich, the country's cabinet secretary for The National Treasury to Xinhua on Wednesday.

Rotich said Kenya will sell its economic agenda dubbed the Big Four during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit to be held in September 2018.

"The agenda for Kenya during the FOCAC will be the Big Four. We want Chinese private sector to participate in projects associated with this agenda," Rotich told Xinhua in Nairobi.

The Big Four agenda is a set of four targets by Kenyatta meant to be implemented in the next five years in order to grow the economy, create more jobs and improve the living standards of the county, the cabinet secretary said.

"There are huge opportunities for Chinese investors in the Big Four. As much as we partner with the Chinese government, we want to encourage more of the Chinese private sector to invest in Kenya. That is why we have continued with reforms to make it easier for investors to set up their facilities here," said Rotich.

FOCAC Summit will be held in September in China. FOCAC was initiated in the year 2000 as a structured cooperation mechanism between China and all African countries which have diplomatic ties with the country.

Kenya's agenda during the previous FOCAC summits has been on cooperating with China on infrastructure development and even under the Big Four, that component will be given the priority, the Kenyan official said.

"Infrastructure remains an enabler and is crucial to the realization of the Big Four," said Rotich.
NEW DELHI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The two-day meeting of Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) between India and Pakistan began here on Thursday, officials said.

The representatives from the two sides are expected to discuss various issues under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) during the two-day meeting.

According to India's state-run broadcaster -- All India Radio (AIR), the Indian delegation comprises of India's Indus water commissioner P K Saxena, a representative from foreign ministry and technical experts.

Pakistan's six-member delegation is being led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters.

The PIC is a bilateral commission consisting of officials from India and Pakistan, created to implement and manage the goals of the IWT.

Post-partition of the subcontinent water-sharing was a major problem between India and Pakistan. The issue was resolved with the arbitration of the World Bank and a settlement in the name of IWT was reached in 1960.

The agreement puts riders on how the two countries use and share water resources.

Out of the six rivers in what is called the Indus basin, India has exclusive rights over waters of the three major Eastern rivers - Ravi, Beas and Sutlej before they enter Pakistan, while Pakistan has rights to three large Western rivers that first flow through Indian-controlled Kashmir -- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.

The treaty has withstood two wars and numerous other conflicts.

Last year the PIC meeting was held in Islamabad.

The annual meeting of PIC is held alternately in India and Pakistan as mandated by the treaty.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 21:13:45|Editor: pengying

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MOGADISHU, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Somali government has kicked off a series of meeting aimed at developing an inclusive National Action Plan to prevent and counter violent extremism in the Horn of Africa country.

A two-day conference to review the existing strategy ended in Mogadishu with calls for the involvement of key sectors, in the development of the new national action plan.

"The only way we can combat extremism is to listen to different perspectives, particularly the religious leaders and address this problem from a Somali perspective," Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled said in a statement issued by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Thursday.

Guled said countering violent extremism through military means should be the last resort.

"There should be an active awareness campaign on ideology and to cut the source of funding and revenue to activities that support violent extremism," he added.

The new plan will factor in the views and needs of all stakeholders, including the Federal Member States, to enable the implementation of a comprehensive strategy that will tackle violent extremism in a more decisive manner.

According to the government, religious leaders play a critical role in dialoguing, opinion shaping and controlling violent extremism in Somalia, thus the emphasis on their active participation in the review exercise, expected to culminate in the implementation of a national strategy on Prevention and Counter Violent Extremism (PCVE), as provided for in the country's Comprehensive Approach to Security (CAS), Strand 4.

The Comprehensive Approach to Security, which falls under the National Security Architecture, is part of a security pact agreed to by Somalia's leaders in 2017

Mane Ahmed, AMISOM's Gender Officer, said the conference provided an opportunity for the AU mission to support the PCVE Office and other stakeholders, in ensuring that the Plan adopts an inclusive approach, with clear indicators of monitoring local and federal initiatives.

Incorporating a gender perspective in this important document will ensure the meaningful participation of women to the PCVE efforts, Ahmed added.

Yahye Ali Ibrahim, PCVE Coordinator, reiterated the importance of using religious leaders in efforts to end violent extremism, because of their immense influence on society.

"The biggest responsibility lies on the shoulders of the Somali religious leaders and they are instrumental in the fight against extremist ideologies," Ibrahim added.

He said the government plans to roll out an ambitious sensitization campaign, with emphasis on tolerance and dialogue among all Somalis, once the review of the national action plan is complete.

"We want the Somali public to know their role; to prevent bloodshed of their fellow citizens, and we will achieve this with an agreed plan of action to deal with scourge as united and well informed communities," Ahmed added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 21:18:47|Editor: Mengjie

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NAIROBI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has strengthened its investments and legal framework in order to attract more Chinese investments especially in areas of industrialization as it seeks to attain a newly industrialized country status by the year of 2030, a senior official has said.

"Chinese private investors should take up opportunities presented in the Special Economic Zones that are now operational," Henry Rotich, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury said in a recent interview in the capital of Nairobi.

"We have also finished reforming our Private Public Partnership laws, so we have now the institutional capacity. We are therefore accepting proposals in all sectors of the economy," he said.

"We are very optimistic that the government-to-government relations we have had with China will be strengthened but at the same time we want more Chinese investors to come and set up manufacturing hubs in the country," he added.

Kenya is seeking to increase the contribution of its manufacturing sector to its annual economic output from the current 9 percent to 15 percent in the next five years, the official said.

"Part of this will be actualized through investments in special economic zones. It is also seeking Chinese technology to enable it to set up agriculture produce manufacturing hubs in the rural areas to meet its annual food needs and become a net food exporter," he added.

Kenya has been investing heavily in building its infrastructure, especially roads, railway and electricity generating capacity to facilitate manufacturing and smooth supply of raw materials from the rural areas.

According to the Treasury, more than 2,000 kilometers of roads have been upgraded into bitumen standards over the last five years. The 480-km Standard Gauge Railway from Mombasa to Nairobi is now providing efficiency in rail transport and being extended a further 80 kilometers as part of its extension to the neighboring Uganda.

As part of attracting more Chinese private investors, Kenya hosted China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation Exposition in December last year where private investors from the two countries exchanged contacts.

Kenya also hosted representatives of Chinese companies from Shenzhen city in July 2017 to explore opportunities in energy, trade, finance and agriculture sectors.

Several Chinese companies, including the Guangdong New South Group Limited signed an agreement with the Kenyan government in May last year to build an industrial park in Kenya's western town of Eldoret, where the government plans to build a Special Economic Zone.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 21:18:49|Editor: Mengjie

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), paid an unofficial visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday.

Kim's recent visit will help the two countries deepen communication, strengthen coordination and promote cooperation, and push the bilateral relations to a new high in the new historical phase.

The visit, which came at a special time and was of great significance, will inject positive energy into easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and pushing forward peace, stability and development in the region.

Positive changes have currently taken place on the Korean Peninsula, in which China has played an important role. Practice has fully proved that the principles, decisions, and plans concerning the Korean Peninsula issue advanced by the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core are totally correct.

The China-DPRK traditional friendship, established and cultivated meticulously by the older generations of leaders of both parties and countries, is the precious wealth of both sides.

Several generations of the leaders of China and the DPRK have maintained close exchanges in the past few decades. The two parties and countries have supported each other and coordinated with each other, making great contributions to the development of the socialist cause.

It is a strategic choice and the only right choice both sides have made to pass on the traditional China-DPRK friendship, based on history and reality, the international and regional structure and the general situation of China-DPRK ties.

The CPC and the Chinese government highly value China-DPRK friendly cooperative ties. It is an unswerving principle of the CPC and the Chinese government to maintain, consolidate and develop good relations with the DPRK.

Efforts should be made to continue giving play to the guiding role of high-level exchanges, make full use of the time-tested valuable practices of strategic communication, actively advance peaceful development and cement the popular will foundation for China-DPRK friendship.

The positive changes on the Korean Peninsula are in line with the interests of all parties. China adheres to the goal of denuclearization of the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability in northeast Asia, and solving problems through dialogue and consultation.

China will continue to play a constructive role on the issue and work with all parties, including the DPRK, toward the thaw of the situation on the peninsula. All parties need to support the improvement of inter-Korean ties, and take concrete efforts to facilitate peace talks.

No matter how the international and regional situations change, as long as we staunchly safeguard the traditional China-DPRK relationship and the peace and stability on the peninsula, the benefits will be felt by the people of both countries and around the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 21:38:52|Editor: Mengjie

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SHIJIAZHUANG, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday called for efforts to improve crop structure and enhance competitiveness in the country's agricultural sector.

He made the remarks in a written instruction to a national meeting on spring farming held in Zhengding County of Hebei Province from Wednesday to Thursday.

He instructed governments at all levels to carry out solid work in spring farming, which is pivotal for agricultural production, with stronger policy support and coordination on material supplies and animal and plant disease control.

Work should be done to push for integrated development of agricultural, industrial and service sectors in rural areas and transformation of the operation pattern of agricultural production, Li said.

He also called for efforts to sharpen agricultural competitiveness and expand channels to increase farmers' income, to make new contributions to modernization of agriculture and in rural areas.

Vice Premier Hu Chunhua said at the meeting that food security was the top priority in China's work on agriculture, rural areas and rural people, calling for efforts to improve food crop structure and boost grain production capacity.

Hu also called for progress in rural reforms, and a full check on all types of rural collective assets and management improvement to prevent loss in collective assets.
TRIPOLI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- An unknown armed group has kidnapped Abdrraouf Baitelmal, mayor of the Libyan capital Tripoli, after storming his house earlier on Thursday, the city announced.

"The municipality council and residents of central Tripoli received the news about the kidnapping of Abdrraouf Hussein Baitelmal, dean of the municipality, by sabotaging groups after storming his house by force of arms and taking him to an unknown destination," the municipality of Tripoli said in a press statement.

The statement demanded the government "take immediate and necessary legal actions for his release, while holding the concerned officials fully responsible for his safety."

"We believe such acts directly threaten the establishment of a civil state and leads the capital to serious consequences," the statement said.

Frank Baker, the British Ambassador to Libya, expressed concern about the kidnapping of Baitelmal.

"Very concerned about the kidnapping of Tripoli Mayor, Mr. Abdrraouf Baitelmal. Hope he's freed safely soon. Organized crime is a big threat to Libyan people's safety," Baker tweeted earlier on Thursday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping so far.
MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- France has demonstrated a constructive approach to developing relations with Russia as its leadership does not abandon dialogue with Moscow despite disagreements, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

Peskov made the remarks when he confirmed that preparations for the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russia in May continue after the United States and some European countries concertedly expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Britain.

France announced on Monday that it would expel four Russian diplomats within a week in solidarity with its British partners.

The French leadership is ready to solve existing problems through dialogue, which corresponds with the approach of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Peskov said at a daily news briefing.

Earlier in the day, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Macron's visit to Russia remains on the schedule despite escalated tensions between Russia and Western countries.

In October 2017, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Macron had accepted an invitation to visit Russia and attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in May 2018.

On March 4, Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious on a bench in a shopping center in the southern British city of Salisbury.

France agreed with Britain that Russia was responsible for the poisoning, Macron's office said on March 15. Russia denied any involvement in the poisoning incident.
RABAT, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed and six others were injured Thursday in a road accident in southern Morocco, local authorities said.

Authorities of the Moroccan province of Chtouka Ait Baha said the accident took place in a rural town involving a collision between a van carrying agricultural workers and a bus.

The wounded were rushed to the Chtouka Ait Baha Provincial Hospital for medical treatment, the authorities said.

An investigation has been launched into the accident.

A total of 3,499 people were killed in road accidents in Morocco in 2017, down 2.62 percent from a year earlier, according to the Moroccan Transport Ministry.

In 2016, the Moroccan government adopted a new national road safety strategy with the aim of reducing the fatalities in road accidents by 25 percent by 2021, and 50 percent by 2026.
BANGKOK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Thailand resumed frozen chicken meat export to China on Thursday as the first shipment of meat with 14 containers are ready to be exported to China's Yunnan Province.

The first shipment of chicken meat are worth around 35 million baht (1.1 million U.S. dollars), according to Thai media.

China banned poultry imports from Thailand since an outbreak of bird flu in Thailand in 2004.

Ren Yisheng, China's Consul General to Thailand's Chiang Mai, and Niwat Sutemechaikul, Deputy Secretary of Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, along with some 500 officials, businessmen from both countries attended a ceremony to mark the event at a port in Chiang Mai.

The trade between China and Thailand keeps growing steadily as China is now Thailand's biggest trade partner and third largest source of investment, Ren said during the ceremony.

"China has been closely following the development of control systems of the poultry industry and devoted to approving the imported chicken from Thailand as early as possible," Ren said, adding that seven Thai companies have been approved to export frozen chicken meat to China again.

Niwat said chicken farming is an important industry of Thai economy and chicken meat accounts for 85 percent of all kinds of meat exported to the world from the country.

Thailand has been upgrading its poultry farming system to make the exports meet international standards, he said.

Thailand thanks China for the approval and hopes China can import more frozen chicken meat and processed chicken meat from Thailand in the future, Niwat said.

The Certification and Accreditation Administration of China approved the import of frozen chicken meat from Thailand earlier this month.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 21:58:59|Editor: Mengjie

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SINGAPORE, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China and Singapore have entered a new era featuring with greater opportunities, said Hong Xiaoyong, the newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, on Thursday.

China is ready to work with Singapore to further cement political mutual trust, better connect development strategies and deepen the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, so that China-Singapore relations will keep breaking new grounds in the years to come, he added.

Hong made the remarks when meeting with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob and presented the letter of credence to her, according to a press release from the Chinese embassy.

He said China and Singapore are close and friendly neighbours, and, over the recent years, China-Singapore relations have moved up to a higher level.

Hong said that thanks to the care and direct involvement of Chinese and Singaporean leaders, the two countries have witnessed deepened political mutual trust, closer practical cooperation and stronger public support for their bilateral relations.

Halimah Yacob said that Singapore-China relations are growing on a good trajectory with frequent high-level visits, wide cooperation and dynamic people-to-people exchanges.

The Singaporean side is ready to work with the Chinese side to further promote friendship between the two countries and contribute more to regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Hong is the 11th Chinese ambassador to Singapore. He arrived in Singapore on March 15, and presented the copy of his credentials to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 20.
File Photo: China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (Front) addresses the Security Council meeting on Syria situation at the UN headquarters in New York, March 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that United Nations peacekeeping missions must strictly adhere to UN Charter principles and fully respect the sovereignty of host countries.

"Member states and the Secretariat must adapt peacekeeping operations to changing situations on the ground," said Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, at the "Collective Action to Improve UN Peacekeeping Operations" open debate of the UN Security Council.

"Secretariat support for peacekeeping must be enhanced, with priority given to troop security," he said.

Soldiers form the Italian contingent in the UNIFIL patrol the blue line in Lebanon's southern border town of Naqura on the border with Israel, south of Beirut, on Feb. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP)

"It was imperative to enhance the capacity of troop-contributing countries, particularly developing countries, and to reinforce partnerships with regional organizations," he added.

Emphasizing that China was the second largest troop-contributing country among Security Council members, and the second largest contributor to the peacekeeping budget, he said China had established an 8,000-strong peacekeeping standby force, and had deployed its first helicopters to a mission in Africa.

A funeral ceremony is held to bid farewell to deceased Chinese UN peacekeeper Yang Shupeng and Li Lei in Xuchang, central China's Henan Province, July 21, 2016. Li Lei and Yang Shupeng were killed on the evening of July 10 after a mortar shell hit their armored vehicle during fighting between two army factions in Juba, capital of South Sudan. (Xinhua/Yin Gang)

The debate was chaired by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. The objective of the debate was to discuss ways to improve engagement of all actors in support of UN peacekeeping operations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 22:09:00|Editor: yan

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British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend a press conference after their meeting on Brexit at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

by Xinhua writer Deng Xianlai

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Though Britain will formally leave the European Union (EU) in exactly one year's time, it still remains deeply divided on Brexit, a decision adopted following a narrowly-won "Leave" vote in a chaotic 2016 referendum.

Ahead of her consensus-building tour across the island starting on Thursday, Prime Minister Theresa May promised compatriots a "bright future" outside the bloc that has defined Britons' identities and influenced their way of life since 1972.

"I am determined that our future will be a bright one," May said. "It's a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners across Europe and beyond. Having regained control of our laws, our borders and our money, and seized the opportunities provided by Brexit, the UK will thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain."

But whether the prime minister's post-Brexit vision will cater to the aspirations of all citizens remains hugely doubtful amid the deep division domestically.

The Brexit referendum on June 23, 2016 saw Brexiteers edge out Remainers by a slim margin of 4 percentage points. The result not only surprised the world but also created an aftershock that has lingered on for almost two years.

While England and Wales voted to withdraw from the EU, Scotland and Northern Ireland sought status quo.

Given that reactions remain starkly opposite -- between those excited about Britain regaining freedom in decision-making and those disillusioned by the parting from a union that has raised Britain's international stature -- May, who became PM after a snap election following the referendum, still has a long way to go to bridge the rift.

IRISH BORDER ISSUE

May has been under pressure to hammer out a satisfactory arrangement with Brussels for delineating Northern Ireland's border with EU member Ireland.

The Irish border issue, one of the thorniest in the Brexit talks, remained a sticking point during the EU summit that concluded last Friday.

May has promised that no new barriers will be created within the common domestic market but didn't elaborate how the border issue would be resolved.

In an attempt to avoid a hard border with customs and checkpoints between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, the EU issued a draft resolution in February. It proposes that Northern Ireland set trade rules in line with the EU's single market and customs union if no better alternatives can be found.

Although both Dublin and London say the border should be "as seamless and frictionless as possible," a virtually invisible border will however lead to trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain as May has already decided Britain will leave the single market and customs union.

Maria Demertzis, deputy director of the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, said, "Unless the Northern Ireland issue is resolved ... it's very difficult to see what type of trade agreement we will have." She said Britain remains vague, which makes the whole issue very difficult.

Iain Begg, a research fellow at the European Institute of London School of Economics and Political Science, called it a "trilemma."

Begg said although the ongoing bargaining would create "some kind of fudge", it would still mean breaking the Belfast Agreement reached in the 1990s.

The agreement set the basis for Northern Ireland's current system of devolved government under Britain and restored peace in the region after decades of political turmoil.

"What they have done is to kick the can down the road, but at some stage they have to go down that road and find a solution. Things cannot be fudged for ever," Begg said about May and her ministers' talks with the EU.

FUTURE TRADE FRAMEWORK

What could be considered a victory for May at the EU summit is Brussels agreeing in principle to grant Britain a transition period until 2020 -- 21 months after Britain's exit from the bloc. During this time London will effectively stay in the bloc but have no voting power.

While May said the transition period "gives certainty to people and businesses" and "gives them the clarity to plan for their future," the win came at the expense of Britain having to agree to the proposed Irish border solution that would see Northern Ireland subject to Brussels' rules.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the EU won't allow London to "cherry-pick" from the "four freedoms" -- free movement of capital, labor, goods and services, both a privilege and obligation for EU members.

"There is not a choice of which sectors you sign up to. Once you are outside the single market, you're outside of it entirely," Macron said during the summit.

What is at the center of the grand bargaining is the future of Britain's financial services sector, the country's economic engine.

Britain wants to take advantage of the single market to benefit its financial service sector but also wants to restrict the movement of labor so as not to be affected by immigrant influx.

"The EU has been advocating that if you want to access the single market, you are going to necessarily accept the four freedoms," Demertzis said.

As regards the whole process of Brexit negotiations, the sequence set by the EU resembles a marital breakdown: first comes the divorce, which involves citizens' rights, money transactions and the Irish border, and then the new relationship, which touches on aspects such as foreign policy, financial sector and judicial cooperation.

But Britain wants to talk about future relationship, including trade, in parallel with the negotiation on the divorce deal.

According to the timetable, Brussels and London will agree on the divorce deal, the transition and the future relationship framework by October and ratify it on March 29, 2019, when Britain formally exits the EU.

(Xinhua reporters Tian Dongdong in Brussels, Gui Tao in London also contributed to the story.)

(Video editors: Zhu Jianhui, Lin Lin)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 22:19:01|Editor: Lifang

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A man reads a book at the International Book Exhibition in Baghdad, Iraq on March 29, 2018. Iraq on Thursday inaugurated the first Baghdad International Book Exhibition after the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militant group. The 10-day exhibition is held at the Baghdad International Fair under the slogan of "We read to promote ourselves." (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Thursday inaugurated the first Baghdad International Book Exhibition after the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

The 10-day exhibition is held at the Baghdad International Fair under the slogan of "We read to promote ourselves."

"Baghdad International Book Exhibition is an important window through which Iraqi intellectuals could look at other sciences and cultures in order to create an educated generation in the future to help building the (Iraqi) state," Mahdi al-Allaq, secretary of the Iraqi Council of Ministers, told Xinhua.

This exhibition is "part of Iraq's efforts to combat extremism and terrorism," because the war against terrorism is not just a military war, but an ideological one, said Allaq, who opened the exhibition on behalf of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Iraq must "remove the negative impacts of terrorism" in the areas that were once occupied by IS, he said.

Ahmed al-Radhi, executive director of the exhibition, told Xinhua that over 600 publishing and distributing houses from more than 20 countries have participated in the exhibition.

This marked the largest participation in the history of the exhibition since it was first launched in 1978, Radhi said.

He said the exhibition, the first after the victory over IS, has special importance as it shows that "Baghdad will remain the capital of (Iraq's) culture and knowledge."

"The exhibition sends a message of peace and love to the world and gives evidence that life in Iraq has returned to normal and that (Iraqi culture) began to interact with other cultures," Radhi added.

On Dec. 9, 2017, Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups of IS militants have since melted into urban areas or fled to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out attacks from time to time against security forces and civilians.
Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States of America. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U. S. securities law.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Margaux Red Capital Inc. (NEX:MXC.H) (Margaux) and Sigma Lithium Resources Inc. (Sigma) are pleased to announce the filing of a technical report (the SGS Technical Report) on Sigmas 100% owned past-producing lithium project in Brazil (the Project), which includes a mineral resource estimate for the Xuxa pegmatite on the Grota do Cirilo property of the Project. Margaux and Sigma also provide this update regarding the proposed qualifying transaction as detailed in Margauxs December 22, 2017 press release (the Proposed Transaction) and Sigmas private placement financing. Margaux advises that there has been no material change to the information contained in its prior press release, other than the further information provided in this press release.

Select Technical Information regarding the Qualifying Property

Sigma, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Sigma Mineracao S.A., is focused on developing its 100% owned past-producing project located in the Aracuai and Itinga regions of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sigmas properties are comprised of 28 mineral rights. The Project has been evaluated as a potential high grade, hard rock lithium mining project which hosts numerous prospective lithium bearing pegmatites within its land package of over 18,800 hectares.

Based on the SGS Technical Report (with an effective date of January 29, 2018), completed by SGS Canada Inc. in accordance with National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and approved for purposes of the Proposed Transaction by the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV), the mineral resource estimate outlines approximately 12.9 million tonnes of resource classified as Measured & Indicated at an average grade of 1.56% Li20. In addition the mineral resource estimate outlines an additional approximate 600,000 tonnes of resource classified as Inferred at an average grade of 1.47% Li20. The mineral resources outlined were reported using an open-pit mining perspective.

The following is the summary mineral resource estimate for the Xuxa pegmatite which is located on the Grota do Cirilo Property of the Project:

Cut Off Grade Category Tonnage* Average Grade (Li2O%) (% Li2O) 0.5 Measured 8,502,000 1.57 0.5 Indicated 4,385,000 1.55 0.5 Measured+Indicated 12,887,000 1.56 0.5 Inferred 609,348 1.47





Notes: The mineral resource estimate has been conducted using the CIM Definitions Standards for mineral resources in accordance with NI 43-101. Mineral resources, which are not mineral reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. Inferred mineral resources are exclusive of the Measured and Indicated resources. A fixed density of 2.72 t/m3 was used to estimate the tonnage from block model volumes. Resources are constrained by the the topography Geological CoG estimated from Li2O values of the composite vs value in block



In addition, as part of the SGS Technical Report, exploration work undertaken by Sigma, as well as historical work at the Project, was analyzed and assessed for exploration potential based on available drilling, channel samples, grab samples and surface mapping. This analysis identified the potential for additional mineralization with estimated aggregate volumes ranging from 37 million tonnes to 57 million tonnes of potential lithium bearing mineralization. The following tables summarize the exploration potential outlined in the SGS Technical Report.

Estimated volume of the Grota do Cirilo property

NORTH COMPLEX TARGET LENGTH WIDTH DEPTH EXPLORATION POTENTIAL

(Mil Tonnes) NUMBER OF HOLE GRADES INTERCEPTIONS BARREIRO 400 300 40 (12-15) 6 1.2  1.5% Li 2 O LAVRA DO MEIO 550 30 150 (5-7) 2 1.0  1.2% Li 2 O MURIAL 450 35 200 (6-8) 2 1.0  1.3% Li 2 O MAXIXE 200 11 175 (1-2) 2 0.8  1.0% Li 2 O NEXINHO DO CHICAO 200 300 17 (3-5) - - TOTAL VOLUME ESTIMATE (27-37)



Notes: The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature since there is insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource. Any future exploration does not grant mineral resource on the property and all potential quantity and grade are based on preliminary exploration results, consisting of available drilling, channel samples, grab samples and surface mapping.

Estimated volume of the Sao Jose property

SOUTH COMPLEX TARGET LENGTH WIDTH DEPTH EXPLORATION POTENTIAL

(Mil Tonnes) NUMBER OF HOLE GRADES INTERCEPTIONS LAVRA GRANDE 228 20 300 (2-5) - - SAMBAIA 250 20 150 (2-3) - - ANANIAS 400 20 150 (2-4) - - LAVRA DO RAMOM 200 20 200 (2-4) - - LAVRA DO ANTIGA 200 15 200 (2-4) - - TOTAL VOLUME ESTIMATE (10-20)



Notes: The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature since there is insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource. Any future exploration does not grant mineral resource on the property and all potential quantity and grade are based on preliminary exploration results, consisting of available drilling, channel samples, grab samples and surface mapping.

Based on the SGS Technical Report, Sigma has proposed the following exploration and development expenditures:





Xuxa Feasibility Amount ($) Expected Start-End Date Mine design $250,000.00 May 2018  July 2018 Metallurgical test work $800,000.00 April 2018  June 2018 Process plant flowchart development $500,000.00 June 2018  August 2018 Infrastructural Design $300,000.00 May 2018  August 2018 Water treatment plant design $500,000.00 June 2018  August 2018 Dry stacking and reject handling system $350,000.00 June 2018  Augut2018 Pilot plant purchase $500,000.00 April 2018  May 2018 Total $3,200,000.00 - Resource Development Grota do Cirilo 15,000m of drilling $2,100,000.00 April 2018  July 2018 Sao Jose 10,000m of drilling $1,400,000.00 July 2018  September 2018 Chemical analysis $250,000.00 May 2018  October 2018 Metallurgical test work $600,000.00 June 2018  August 2018 Total $4,350,000.00 -

Full details are included in the SGS Technical Report which has been filed on SEDAR.

Private Placement

As previously disclosed, the pre-transaction financing is by way of a brokered private placement (the Private Placement) of subscription receipts (Subscription Receipts) by Sigma through a syndicate of agents being co-led by National Bank Financial Inc. and Cormark Securities Inc. and including Canaccord Genuity Corp. (together, the Agents). The Private Placement is expected to close on or about March 29, 2018, and is expected to provide adequate capital to further explore and develop the Project (including the exploration and development expenditures detailed above).

Through the Private Placement Sigma has offered a maximum of 10,000,000 Subscription Receipts at a subscription price of $2.00 per Subscription Receipt for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $20,000,000. Applying the exchange ratio for the Proposed Transaction of 10.045125 Margaux common shares per Sigma common share, the 10,000,000 Sigma common shares to be issued on conversion of the Subscription Receipts will be exchanged for 100,451,250 Margaux common shares (resulting in an effective subscription price of $0.1991 per Margaux common share). Each Subscription Receipt will entitle the holder, at no extra cost, to one common share of Sigma. The Subscription Receipts will automatically be exchanged, without payment of any additional consideration or further action on the part of the holders, into common shares of Sigma immediately prior to closing of the Proposed Transaction.

The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used for ongoing exploration and development of the Project, as described in more detail above, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Funds from the Private Placement will be held in escrow and will be released to Sigma if the conditions precedent to completion of the Proposed Transaction have been satisfied. If such conditions are not satisfied within 60 days following the closing of the Private Placement, funds will be returned to the subscribers without deduction. The Subscription Receipts were offered in Canada, the United States and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the U.S., in each case in accordance with all applicable laws. The Agents will be entitled to agency fees of 6% of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement and warrants to acquire (at an exercise price of $2.00 per share) such number of Sigma common shares as is equal to 3% of the number of Subscription Receipts issued.

Selected Financial Information about Sigma

The following table sets out selected financial information for Sigma for the period and as at the dates indicated. All of the financial information presented below has been prepared by management in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.

Financial information (unaudited) of Sigma (consolidated)



for the period from incorporation on April 13, 2017 to



December 31, 2017 (year-end) $ Current assets $337,999 Reclamation deposits $21,182 Exploration and evaluation assets $2,496,260 Total Assets $2,925,441 Total Current liabilities $14,540,415 Derivative component of Convertible Debenture $7,415,000 Convertible Debenture $2,721,482 Other current liabilities $4,403,933 Long term liabilities $3,621,793 Total liabilities $18,162,208 Shareholder equity Share capital $697,582 Warrants $11,244 Share-based payments reserve $81,508 Deficit $(16,027,101 ) Total Equity $(15,236,767 ) Total liabilities and equity $2,925,441

In addition, for the period from incorporation on April 13, 2017 to December 31, 2017, Sigma had general and administrative expenses of $907,227 and a net loss (inclusive of the $7,415,000 derivative component of Sigmas convertible debentures) of $8,539,759.

Margaux Red Capital Inc.

Margaux is a capital pool company incorporated under the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act with its registered and head office in Vancouver, British Columbia. Margaux is a reporting issuer in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Margaux does not hold any interest in any of the consolidated assets of Sigma.

The Proposed Transaction is an arm's length transaction subject to requisite regulatory approval, including the approval of the TSXV. A filing statement outlining the terms of the Proposed Transaction is currently being reviewed by the TSXV, and will be filed following completion of that review and settlement of any comments of the TSXV.

Margaux currently has 6,696,750 Margaux common shares issued and outstanding. Under the terms of the share exchange agreement for the Proposed Transaction, an aggregate of 662,978,250 Margaux common shares are to be issued in exchange for all outstanding Sigma common shares, being an exchange ratio of 10.045125 Margaux common shares per Sigma common share. Since (as noted above) the Proposed Transaction is not a non-arms length transaction for purpose of applicable TSXV rules, Margaux shareholder approval is not required for the Proposed Transaction. Following completion of the Proposed Transaction it is expected that shareholder approval will be sought to change Margauxs name to Sigma Lithium Resources Inc. and to do a consolidation of the then outstanding Margaux common shares.

The respective pro forma holdings of Margaux upon completion of the Proposed Transaction is expected to be as follows: (i) Margauxs current shareholders will hold 6,696,750 Margaux shares (1%); (ii) 506,274,300 Margaux shares (75.6%); (iii) 56,252,700 Margaux shares (8.4%) will be held by holders of convertible debentures of Sigma; and (iv) 100,451,250 Margaux shares (15%) will be held by the Subscription Receipt investors.

Board of Directors and Management

In addition to the directors and officers disclosed in Margauxs December 22, 2017 press release, it is expected that additional directors of Margaux will be appointed upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, the biographies of whom will be included in a press release at the time.

Trading Halt

Trading in the Margaux common shares has been halted and may remain halted pending completion of the review of the Proposed Transaction by the TSXV. There can be no assurance that trading in the Margaux shares will resume prior to the completion of the Proposed Transaction.

Sponsorship

A waiver of the sponsorship requirement has been conditionally provided by the TSXV in light of the Private Placement being brokered.

Conditions to Completion of the Proposed Transaction

Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to: (a) closing conditions customary to transactions of the nature of the Proposed Transaction; (b) approvals of the TSXV for the Proposed Transaction; and (c) the completion of the Private Placement. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Marc-Antoine Laporte, P.Geo, M.Sc., of SGS Canada Inc. and a qualified person for purposes of NI 43-101 has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Margaux Red Capital Inc.

Steve Bajic

President

(604) 288-8950

steve@orangecapital.ca

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement to be filed in connection with the Proposed Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

This press release does not constitute an offer of the securities of Margaux or Sigma for sale in the United States. The securities of Margaux and Sigma have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, (the 1933 Act) as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Proposed Transaction, including statements regarding timing for closing of the Private Placement, the use of proceeds of the Private Placement, the exchange of Subscription Receipts, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals and satisfaction of all other closing conditions in connection with the Proposed Transaction and other statements that are not historical facts. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the risk that the Proposed Transaction will not be completed or that the necessary approvals and/or exemptions are not obtained or some other condition to the closing of the Proposed Transaction will not be satisfied; the risk that closing of the Proposed Transaction could be delayed if Margaux and Sigma are not able to obtain the necessary approvals on the timelines planned; the risk that the Private Placement will not be completed, the timing of obtaining required approvals, closing conditions for the Proposed Transaction, state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, investor interest in the business and future prospects of Margaux and Sigma.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, Margaux and Sigma disclaim any intention and assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities law. Additionally, Margaux and Sigma undertake no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made, by third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.




Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 22:24:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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BEIRUT, March 29 (Xinhua) -- An Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, arrived at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport Thursday after an inaugural flight from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Operated by UAE's Emirates Airline, the flight EK957 landed in Beirut at 10:24 a.m. (0824 GMT).

UAE Ambassador to Lebanon Hamad Bin Saeed al-Shamsi, the Saudi head of mission in Lebanon Walid Bukhari, and some Lebanese senior officials awaited the plane's arrival at the airport.

"This is a message of love and peace," al-Shamsi said.

The double-decker passenger plane typically requires airports to be specially equipped to allow over 500 passengers to disembark from both decks.

Such upgrades have not yet been carried out at the Beirut airport.

Public Works and Transport Minister Youssef Fenianos noted that expansion plans for Beirut airport would ensure that A380 planes are properly accommodated.

Fenianos added that the plane's arrival was a symbol of cooperation between the UAE and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Bukhari told reporters that Saudi Arabia was reviewing advice to citizens against travelling to Lebanon based on "security indications."
ADDIS ABABA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia is working with the Kuwaiti government to free 39 nationals jailed in Kuwait accused of legal transgressions, an official said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference, Meles Alem, Spokesperson of Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said some of the Ethiopians in Kuwaiti detention were inadvertent accomplices to criminal acts.

"Several detainees were asked by strangers to help with excess luggage when travelling from Ethiopia to Kuwait, but after checkup by Kuwaiti customs were found to have handled luggage stuffed with Khat," he further said.

Khat, a mild stimulant leaf, is grown and consumed across Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen by millions of people for recreational and job purposes.

But its banned in Kuwait where possession of Khat could land a person to a jail term of up to 10 years.

"We're trying to inform Kuwaiti government through our embassy in Kuwait City, over our nationals who became unintentional accomplices to a crime to secure their release," said Alem.

He further called on Ethiopian mass media to inform nationals travelling abroad on precautions that need to be taken when asked to handle "extra luggage" by strangers at airports.
CAPE TOWN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The perception of corruption in South Africa has deepened over the past two decades, the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) said on Thursday.

South Africa's ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) dropped from 21 to 64 between 1995 and 2016, the IRR said in its latest edition of the South Africa Survey.

During the same period, the country's score fell from 56 to 45, the survey shows.

The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to resident and non-resident business people and analysts, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

This year, the index found that more than two-thirds of countries score below 50, with an average score of 43.

The decline in South Africa's ranking is informed by various factors, IRR analyst Kerwin Lebone said.

In 1995, for example, only 41 countries were surveyed, but by 2016 the number of countries included in the index had risen to 176.

The inclusion of more countries with better corruption perceptions scores would affect the ranking of the rest, said Lebone.

However, Lebone said South Africa's corruption perceptions score appears to be largely affected by developments on the domestic front.

The last time the country registered a score above 50 was in 2000, after which its decline may have been the result of revelations arising from an arms deal scandal of that time.

The arms deal refers to South Africa's weaponry purchase worth billions of rand from European countries in the late 1990s.

The lowest score yet registered by the country, of 41, was in 2011, in the aftermath of disclosures of possible corrupt activities surrounding the construction of former president Jacob Zuma's private residence at Nkandla, KwaZulu Natal Province.

Perceptions of corruption significantly influence investor sentiment and countries with better corruption perceptions scores tend to earn greater confidence among domestic and international investors, Lebone said.

"This is especially significant for South Africa at a time when it must rely on investment to boost economic growth in order to meet the growing demand for jobs and services," Lebone added.
JOHANNESBURG, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 180 South Africans on Thursday launched a class action lawsuit application against Tiger Brands and Enterprise Foods for the sickness and death of relatives resulting from eating food infected with listeriosis.

The class action against the packaged goods company, Tiger Brands was filed in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The South Africans or their relatives ate processed meat products like polony, viennas and Russians produced by Tiger Brands.

Nevashnee Naicker, Tiger Brands spokesperson confirmed the lawsuit with Xinhua.

Naicker said on they received an independent laboratory testing results on March 15 that confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes in the physical plant environment at the Enterprise Foods Factory in Polokwane. Tiger Brands' independent testing confirmed the findings of the Department of Health for the presence of ST6 strain of listeria monocytogenes in the environment.

The Tiger Brands spokesperson also told Xinhua that, "There was a positive detection of listeria ST6 (LST6) on the outer casing of two samples. Whether this presence of LST6 can be said to have caused any illness or death remains unclear at present and testing in that regard is an ongoing process likely to take time. The Department of Health did not find the presence of listeria in their product samples."

Tiger Brands distribution partner is managing the collection of all stock from stores across the country, and will be managing the safe disposal of all returned products, in line with the National Consumer Commission (NCC) guidelines, said Naicker.

The recall will run until March 31. She also stated that they have recalled about 3,700 tons of meat. The company have lost above 33 million dollars in the listeriosis saga.

South African health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said they support the class action against the company.
VALLETTA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Maltese government registered a surplus of 187 million euros in its consolidated fund in 2017, according to figures published on Thursday by the National Statistics Office.

Revenue over the previous year went up by 484.2 million euros, or a 12.7 percent increase, while expenditure increased by 310.4 million euros. The increase in revenue was driven mainly driven by higher Income and Value Added tax receipts.

Last year, the country's consolidated fund had registered its first surplus in 35 years, when the fund's balance stood at 8.9 million euros.

The results released by the National Statistics Office are particularly noteworthy when considering that they cover an election year, which traditionally comes with a slight downturn in public finances.

The results do not take into account the bulk of the revenue generated through the country's Individual Investor Program.

In a statement, the government described the results as historic.

"This is the first time in this country's history that in a general election year government finances improved," the government said, adding that Malta's fiscal performance confirmed that the country's finances were being administered in a responsible manner.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 23:19:22|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the sixth summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation, and pay an official visit to Vietnam from Friday to Monday at the invitation of the Vietnamese government, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Spokesperson Lu Kang made the announcement at a routine news briefing, saying that the GMS is an important platform for economic cooperation in the subregion and has made positive contributions to subregional countries over the years.

He said Wang's attendance at the summit in Hanoi shows that China attaches great importance to boosting subregional cooperation and developing friendly ties with subregional countries.

Wang will attend a closed door meeting, a large scale meeting and a business summit during the GMS, with aims to deepen political mutual trust, enhance friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between subregional countries, and promote subregional cooperation to a higher level, according to the spokesperson.

Countries under the GMS program, which focuses on increased regional cooperation and integration for inclusive and sustainable development, include Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

During his stay in Vietnam, Wang will meet with Vietnamese leaders, and hold talks with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, so as to further implement consensus reached during Chinese President Xi Jinping's last visit to Vietnam, Lu said.

Wang's visit is also expected to strengthen bilateral strategic exchanges, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and push for further development of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he said.

Wang is the first senior Chinese official to visit Vietnam since China's new government took office, which shows that China attaches great importance to developing China-Vietnam ties as bilateral ties continue to get better, he said.
SINGAPORE, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A potential trade war between China and the United States would benefit nobody but rather deal a blow to all economies, Singaporean Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said here Thursday.

It's not in anyone's interest if the trade disputes between China and the United States escalate into a trade war, the minister said at the media session of the upcoming 4th ASEAN Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Joint Meeting. The meeting is scheduled for April 5th and 6th.

ASEAN member countries have shown continued strong support for free trade and would move ahead in this direction, said Heng, whose country holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN this year.

Singapore is monitoring the situation and it's still too early to reach a conclusion on how it will end up, according to him.

On the upcoming meeting, the minister said participants would focus on three complementary themes, namely to sustain growth, foster innovation, and boost resilience against unexpected events or deliberate attacks, such as natural disasters and cybersecurity attacks.

They would also work together towards digital innovation, and expand capacity building in new emerging areas such as big data analytics, he noted.
KIEV, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine plans to launch an official dialogue with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on taking part in the Membership Action Plan (MAP) to join the alliance this year, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency said Thursday, citing an official document.

The MAP is a NATO program offering advice, assistance and practical support to countries wishing to join the alliance. Participation in the MAP does not guarantee a membership.

In 2003, Ukraine declared a course towards NATO accession, but revoked the policy in 2010, declaring non-aligned status.

Last year, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that a referendum on NATO membership would be held by 2020.

In the same year, the Eastern European country resumed its course towards joining the alliance, pledging to implement reforms in its security, defense, justice and anti-corruption sectors.
WINDHOEK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has abandoned the winter time switch in favor of summer time all year round, following the gazetting of the Namibia Time Act 2017, the information ministry said on Thursday.

Namibia will now have one standard time throughout the year in line with major trading partner South Africa.

Businesses in support of repealing the old Namibian Time Act of 1994 had argued that Namibia loses a lot of business as it operates outside normal business hours with the rest of the region, especially South Africa, an important trading partner.

The Namibian Employers' Federation (NEF) argued that about 80 percent of the companies it engaged showed that workers were in favor of returning to GMT +2 hours all year round in line with South Africa and other countries in the region.

The impact of the winter time change is said to be an estimated loss of four business hours daily, according to findings from public consultations.

The old Namibian Time Act of 1994 states that during the summer period the time be set two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, and then be shifted one hour ahead for the winter period.

"In accordance with the new Act, Namibian Time Act, 2017, there will be no time change as from the first Sunday of April 2018. This means the standard time of Namibia is two hours in advance of the Greenwich Mean Time," a statement from the information ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 23:34:29|Editor: yan

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ADEN, Yemen, March 29 (Xinhua) -- At least three militants loyal to the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch were killed by a U.S. drone attack in Yemen's central province of al-Bayda on Thursday, a government official told Xinhua.

Acting upon intelligence tips provided by the Yemeni authorities, a U.S. drone launched an airstrike against an al-Qaida vehicle in Sawmah in the al-Bayda province, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The three killed militants were practicing terrorist activities including encouraging local people to refuse the presence of government forces in the province.

Islamist media outlets affiliated with the al-Qaida group has yet to make comment about the drone attack.

The al-Qaida network, mostly operating in eastern and southern provinces, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces in the country.

The U.S. military has carried out several airstrikes against the fighters of the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, in different provinces of the war-torn Arab country since U.S. President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against the group.

The operations included intensified overnight airstrikes and ground military raids against the al-Qaida hideouts in the mountainous areas of al-Bayda and southeastern province of Shabwa.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida, seen by the U.S. as the global terror network's most dangerous branch, has exploited years of deadly conflict between Yemen's government and Houthi rebels to expand its presence, especially in southeastern provinces.
Press Release

Project will support Poland's state-owned operator in enhancing reliability and safety of nationwide railway operations

Contract marks Nokia's largest GSM-R win to date, and another step in company's push to expand beyond its traditional communication service provider customer base

Five-year turnkey contract covers deployment of GSM-R and mission-critical IP/MPLS and DWDM optical network alongside PKP PLK's nationwide railway infrastructure

Full GSM-R coverage of about 14 000 km of rail tracks expected to be achieved by 2023

29th March 2018

Espoo, Finland - Nokia, together with its partners Herkules, Pozbud and Wasko, and Poland's state-owned railway operator PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (PKP PLK) have signed a five-year contract to deploy a nationwide turnkey GSM-R and mission-critical backhaul network to enhance railway security and reliability throughout the country. This project, Nokia's largest-ever GSM-R contract, will provide PKP/PLK with one of the biggest state-of-the-art railway communications networks in Europe.

Once completed, the new network will enable the PLK railway company to fulfil European Union requirements for ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System), the bloc's European-wide standard for railway signaling. The project is majority funded by the EU, and complemented by Polish State funds.





GSM-R is a mandatory part of the ERTMS, which is under deployment across Europe to help rail operators like PKP PLK seamlessly manage and control trains in combination with the European Train Control System. The solution delivered by Nokia will help PKP PLK increase train traffic reliability and safety, ultimately improving passenger satisfaction.

Nokia will provide installation, commissioning, third-party integration, first-line care and maintenance for 13,800 km of the GSM-R network, plus more than 11,000 km of optical fiber-based backhaul network infrastructure with IP Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical network equipment. It includes an end-to-end GSM-R solution (radio and core network including NetAct, Messaging and diverse third-party products), an IP-MPLS core network, security, and DWDM technology for the fiber-optic network. Herkules, Pozbud and Wasko will be responsible for civil works, including construction work for laying fiber.

Nokia is the global market leader in GSM-R with 20 customers worldwide, more than 75.000 km railway tracks covered and 20 years' experience in turnkey projects, including numerous of EU-funded GSM-R projects. Nokia has successfully deployed four GSM-R Turnkey Projects with PKP PLK in Poland over the last six years.

Matthieu Bourguignon, Senior Vice President Europe, Global Enterprise & Public Sector at Nokia, said: "Nokia is proud and excited to be a trusted partner for Poland's digitalization, and building the railway communications network is a key part of this. Based on our expertise as market leader in GSM-R and critical communications networks, our unparalleled experience in turnkey projects and our successful long-term history in large-scale network deployments in Poland, Nokia is a natural choice for this kind of ambitious rollout."

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Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 23:49:32|Editor: yan

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PARIS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay named Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Qu Xing as the organization's deputy director-general, according to an official press release issued Thursday.

The deputy director-general provides strategic direction and oversight to the director-general on general management of the Organization. The incumbent supports the director-general in ensuring coherence of activities and program, at headquarters and in the field.

Born in Chengdu, China, the 62-year-old diplomat graduated from the Department of French Language at Beijing Foreign Studies University in 1982. Three years later, he obtained a master's degree in History of Chinese Diplomacy from the China Foreign Affairs University. In 1992, he obtained his PhD in Political Science at Paris Institute of Political Studies.

Qu was vice-president of the China Foreign Affairs University, minister in Chinese Embassy in France and president of the China Institute of International Studies. Currently, he is the Chinese ambassador to Belgium.

Azoulay also announced the nomination of three other members of UNESCO's senior management team, Stefania Giannini (Italy, 57 years old) as Assistant Director-General for Education, Ernesto Renato Ottone Ramirez (Chile, 45 years old) as Assistant Director-General for Culture and Moez Chakchouk (Tunisia, 42 years old) as Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information.

On the occasion of these appointments, Azoulay said "the arrival of these four individuals to UNESCO's Senior Management Team fully aligns with dynamic that I intend to instil in our Organization. The quality of their professional careers and their diversity are real assets for UNESCO and reflect our ambition to be at the crossroads of cultures to build peace. "
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 23:54:34|Editor: Yamei

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BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China said Thursday that the U.S. trade approach had set a bad precedent that could trigger a domino effect on protectionism, and the United States must resort to dialogue and consultation to settle disputes.

Gao Feng, spokesperson with China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC), made the remarks in response to questions about the U.S. plans to slap tariffs on about 50 billion U.S. dollars of Chinese imports and restrict Chinese investment in the United States.

"The United States must abandon unilateralism and protectionism, take measures and resort to dialogue and consultation to settle disputes," Gao said.

"China is always open for negotiations," Gao said, emphasizing the principles of equality, constructiveness and balance needed in joint efforts.

The spokesperson refuted the view that China's slower-than-expected fulfillment of World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations was the cause of the U.S. tariff plan, saying this was "totally unfounded."

Since its accession to the WTO, China has actively assumed its responsibilities as a major developing trading nation and continued to open up its market, having cut its overall tariff level from 15.3 percent to 9.8 percent, he said.

The U.S. administration has taken an increasingly hawkish turn on China, as it blames its trade deficit with major trading partners for its domestic economic woes and job losses.

Despite worldwide objections, the U.S. government also decided to impose a 25-percent tariff on steel imports and a 10-percent tariff on aluminum, with tariffs on imports from countries including China.

"The latest U.S. trade measures towards China are typical trade protectionism with cold war and a zero-sum mentality. Don't make China an excuse," Gao said.

The spokesperson said the United States should not take its own course but "come back to the right track of advocating win-win cooperation between the two countries."

Gao said China would take all possible appropriate measures to defend its legitimate interests and was confident in its ability to react against any trade or investment protectionist act.

In response to the U.S. tariff proposals, the MOC announced last week that it was considering suspending tariff concessions on 128 categories of U.S. products worth 3 billion U.S. dollars, including pork, wine and seamless steel tubes.

Public comments on the move are being solicited until March 31.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 23:54:35|Editor: Yamei

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A Turkish military tank advances on a street in Afrin, Syria, on March 24, 2018. Syria's Afrin region has been taken under "full control" as part of ongoing Operation Olive Branch, the Turkish military said on Saturday. (Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's recent seizure of the Kurdish-held Afrin region in Syria has strengthened its position in the settlement of Syria's crisis, through not to the extent that it could go its own way, analysts said.

Ankara's message to the United States and Russia by the Afrin operation is that they cannot easily shape Syria's future without Turkish consent, Celalettin Yavuz, a security and foreign policy analyst, told Xinhua.

Turkish troops, backed by the Free Syrian Army rebel group, declared a "full control" of the Afrin region on March 24 following a two-month campaign against Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is seen by Ankara as a terror group.

The capture of Afrin is strengthening Ankara's hand given that Turkey is already a legitimate player in Syria through the Astana peace process, said Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations with Ankara-based Middle East Technical University.

Turkey, Russia and Iran struck a deal last year in the Kazakh capital of Astana on peacemaking in Syria, launching a peace process in parallel with the peace talks in Geneva.

In a previous military operation completed a year ago, the Turkish army drove out the forces of Islamic State (IS) from an area on its border which lies between Afrin and the Euphrates River.

However, the analysts noted that Ankara's capacity in shaping the future of Syria, where the U.S. and Russia are the main players, has its limits.

Ankara must have dialogue with Damascus to have more sway over how Syria will be redesigned following the war, said Bagci.

It is still not clear how the Syrian crisis will be settled, Yavuz said, noting that neither the U.S.-led Geneva talks nor the Russia-led Astana peace process could offer much hope for a settlement for the moment as disagreements remain among parties.

The ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey used to support the rebel groups fighting to topple the Syrian government and refuses until now to have any political contact with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom it calls a terrorist.

The Turkish government insists that al-Assad should have no place in the future of Syria, taking side with the U.S. despite their differences on many issues.

"Turkey may push for al-Assad to go, but it is difficult to say it has the means to impose that," remarked Yavuz, who teaches at Istanbul Ayvansaray University.

Ankara would not, however, oppose an election to be held while al-Assad is in power if the YPG is left out of both the Geneva and Astana processes, he said.

The Kurdish militants have been excluded from the talks so far in both Geneva and Astana due to Ankara's pressure over Washington and Moscow.

Noting that Turkey has already managed to secure a modest seat at the negotiation table over Syria following its operation against the IS, Yavuz said Ankara's position has been strengthened by the Astana process and its role in the Syrian province of Idlib.

As part of the Astana deal, the Turkish military has established seven observation posts to monitor the ceasefire in Idlib, which is under the control of radical jihadist groups.

Ankara has repeatedly said that it would not allow terrorist entities to be based near its border in Syria, while Damascus has condemned the Turkish military presence on its soil as occupation.

"The seizure of Afrin sends a particularly strong message, considering it was one of the YPG's three self-declared cantons," said Yavuz.

The YPG has two other cantons on the eastern part of the Euphrates along the Turkish border.

The United States, which has angered Turkey by its military support to the YPG, has built 20 military bases in the YPG-controlled area, according to Ankara.

Turkey is concerned that a U.S.-backed Kurdish entity along its border may set a precedent for its own Kurdish population of nearly 20 million.

Remarks by top officials of Turkey's ruling party suggest that the Turkish government may be seeking to establish Sunni areas in northern Syria.

It is widely argued, however, that pushing for a Sunni zone, a move that could increase the risk of Syria's disintegration, would face the opposition of Russia and Iran, staunch supporters of Damascus.

Turkey would encounter no risks as long as it remains within the Astana deal, Bagci argued, saying Turkey's military presence allows it to arrange things in areas it captured only on a temporary basis as otherwise it risks being accused of occupation by the international community.

Turkey has stated its intention to resettle some of 3.5 million Syrian refugees on its soil and in areas under its control in Syria, while top government officials have repeatedly voiced Ankara's respect for Syrian territorial integrity.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-29 23:59:35|Editor: Liangyu

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Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative Yang Jiechi (R) shakes hands with Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in Seoul, South Korea, March 29, 2018. Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the head of the General Office of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, held talks with Chung Eui-yong here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

SEOUL, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative Yang Jiechi held talks with Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor to South Korean President Moon Jae-in here on Thursday.

Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the head of the General Office of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs, said that China and South Korea are friendly neighbors and the bilateral relations have maintained momentum of improvement and development in recent years.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership. Both parties should seize the opportunity, actively carry out the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and President Moon Jae-in, strengthen political communication, push forward the joint building of the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

The two countries should deepen pragmatic cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges, properly handle sensitive issues so as to push for new achievements in the bilateral relationship and bring benefits to both peoples, he said.

Yang briefed Chung on the recent visit of top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un to China. Yang said that as positive changes are taking place on the Korean Peninsula, the international community needs to take efforts to continue and consolidate the momentum.

The Chinese side expects the smooth holding of the inter-Korean summit and the DPRK-U.S. summit. China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with South Korea to work together to further ease the situation of the Korean Peninsula and push forward the political solution process of the Korean Peninsula issue in connection with China's "dual-track approach" and good suggestions from relevant parties, he said.

Chung said that after President Moon's visit to China last December, the bilateral relations have witnessed rapid progress. The South Korean side is willing to follow the consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen bilateral high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation in all areas, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and push for the greater development of South Korea-China strategic cooperative partnership.

Chung said the South Korean side speaks positively of China's recent successful reception for Kim Jong Un and the meeting of the Chinese, DPRK leaders. China has always been supporting the inter-Korean dialogue, advocating U.S.-DPRK contact, and has played a positive role in recent positive changes on the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean side highly appreciates that and expresses deep gratitude.

The South Korean side expects China to continue to play an important role in the Korean Peninsula issue and is ready to make joint efforts together with China to push for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintaining regional peace and stability, he said.
MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Moscow welcomes the recent visit of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's top leader Kim Jong Un to China in the hope that it will help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

"We estimate contacts between countries on the basis of equality and mutual interests as an important element of international relations and we believe that any activity in the region, which can lead to a relaxation of tension on the Korean Peninsula, can only be lauded," Zakharova said at a weekly news briefing.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kim paid an unofficial visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday and held talks with Xi.

Zakharova said Russia is actively working on consolidating the positive tendencies in the situation on and around the Korean Peninsula.

In particular, Russia is considering organizing a series of meetings in Moscow with representatives of involved countries "in the nearest future," she said.
ISLAMABAD, March 29 (Xinhua)-- Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its support for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's recent peace overture and urged the Taliban insurgents to join the reconciliation process.

Ghani unveiled his peace offer to the Taliban last month that includes recognizing the group as a political party, allowing it to open an office in Kabul, issuing passports to its members and removing the names of its senior commanders from the UN terrorist blacklist.

"Pakistan has been urging Taliban through it public statements, as well as private messaging to join the peace process. This, we feel, is a shared responsibility. Pakistan should not be singled out in this regard," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said at his weekly briefing.

The spokesman said that Pakistan has reiterated that only through political reconciliation, wherein all warring factions begin a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue with the Afghan government, can lasting peace be achieved in Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan welcomed Ghani's vision for peace and supported his offer of peace talks with the Taliban.
NICOSIA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- State-controlled Cyprus Cooperative Bank (CCB) has received enough expressions of interest by investors to privatize it, a bank official said on Thursday.

The head of communication and strategy at the bank Yiannos Stavrinides said interest was expressed by qualified investors, enough to cover all aspects of transaction options that it announced a week earlier.

The bank said at the time that prospective investors could express interest "either for the fully licensed bank entity, or all or part of CCB's assets and liabilities".

Stavrinides said that some of the interested investors have invested in Cyprus in the past or still have investments on the island and others have invested in southern Europe countries, including Greece.

The bank issued a statement expressing satisfaction at the level of interest, but gave no names

Citigroup financial services firm was appointed by the bank as an advisor on investors.

Asked whether the bank prefers to see an investor acquiring the bank as a whole or its assets, Stavrinides said that "our preference is the one that will ensure the highest degree of stability."

CCB is burdened with 6.5 billion euros (7.99 billion U.S. dollars) of non-performing loans as a result of the 2013 economic crisis which led Cyprus into a bailout to the tune of billions of euros and its banking system radically resolved.

Non-performing loans account for half of the bank's portfolio. It is also in the worst position relative to other lenders, as its loans are secured by primary-residence collaterals, which under law cannot be auctioned.

Stavrinides conceded that there has been "some activity" in certain branches of the bank as depositors, mostly pensioners and village people, had become agitated by rumors of the lender being in trouble.

Moody's Investors Service cut the bank's baseline credit assessment on Tuesday by two notches to "CA" with an uncertain outlook.

At a closed-door parliamentary debate on the bank's situation last week, speakers said that depositors had withdrawn about 1 billion euros prior to the presidential election in January as a result of rumors about a possible collapse.

However, Stavrinides said that "this concern cannot block the procedure under way" to find investors and ultimately privatize the lender.

The government pumped 1.7 billion euros into the bank in 2014, to avoid a second bank collapse following the winding down of the former Popular Bank of Cyprus (known as Laiki), on the instructions of Cyprus's international lenders -- the Eurogroup and the International Monetary Fund.
File photo by Xinhua/Cai Yang

JOHANNESBURG, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 180 South Africans on Thursday launched a class action lawsuit application against Tiger Brands and Enterprise Foods for the sickness and death of relatives resulting from eating food infected with listeriosis.

The class action against the packaged goods company, Tiger Brands was filed in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The South Africans or their relatives ate processed meat products like polony, viennas and Russians produced by Tiger Brands.

Nevashnee Naicker, Tiger Brands spokesperson confirmed the lawsuit with Xinhua.

Naicker said they received an independent laboratory testing results on March 15 that confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes in the physical plant environment at the Enterprise Foods Factory in Polokwane. Tiger Brands' independent testing confirmed the findings of the Department of Health for the presence of ST6 strain of listeria monocytogenes in the environment.

The Tiger Brands spokesperson also told Xinhua that, "There was a positive detection of listeria ST6 (LST6) on the outer casing of two samples. Whether this presence of LST6 can be said to have caused any illness or death remains unclear at present and testing in that regard is an ongoing process likely to take time. The Department of Health did not find the presence of listeria in their product samples."

Tiger Brands distribution partner is managing the collection of all stock from stores across the country, and will be managing the safe disposal of all returned products, in line with the National Consumer Commission (NCC) guidelines, said Naicker.

The recall will run until March 31. She also stated that they have recalled about 3,700 tons of meat. The company have lost above 33 million dollars in the listeriosis saga.

South African health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said they support the class action against the company.
VILNIUS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Lithuanian government plans to issue its first green bonds to finance modernization of old multi-apartment buildings, the country's finance ministry announced on Thursday.

The Lithuania government would become the first among the Baltic states to issue green bonds.

Lithuanian Finance Minister Vilius Sapoka said the main objective of green bonds is to finance green projects aimed at solving environmental issues.

A total of 68 million euros (83.6 million U.S. dollars) raised through green bond issuance would be allocated to renew 156 multi-apartment buildings.

"Renovation of multi-apartment buildings and improvement of energy efficiency would contribute to the reduction of the level of CO2 emissions and heating prices," Sapoka was quoted as saying in a statement.

The duration of the green bonds is to be 10 years. Lithuania's first green bonds will be marketed to local institutional investors.
PARIS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Two individuals were arrested on Thursday after a driver tried to drive his vehicle into a group of soldiers who were jogging in Isere department in southeastern France, news channel BFMTV reported.

A man was arrested at his home in Grenoble, some kilometers from Varces-Allieres-et-Risset where the incident took place, according to the report.

He was suspected of using a vehicle he had stolen to target off-duty soldiers from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigad who were jogging outside their barrack.

The suspect had hurled insults to the soldiers before he returned to run them down minutes later, Pierre-Yves Sarzaud of the army's public relations unit told BFMTV.

French police also detained the car owner who, according to the report, had called police to denounce her alcoholic partner who had stolen her car.

An investigation is underway to determine the suspect's motives.

Thursday's incident came less than a week after a 25-year-old gunman who claimed being "a soldier of the Islamic State" killed four people and injured others south France, the first major terror attack since President Emmanuel Macron had removed the state of emergency imposed in the wake of 2015 Paris assaults.
ACCRA, Ghana, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- South Africas Gold Fields and Canadas Asanko Gold are pleased to announce a 50:50 joint venture partnership with regards to Ghanas newest gold mine, the Asanko Gold Mine (AGM), which is located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.



Gold Fields will pay Asanko Gold a total consideration of US$185 million to buy a 50% interest in Asankos 90% holding of the AGM, which comprises two main deposits, Nkran and Esaase, nine known satellite deposits, a 5 million tonne per annum Carbon-in-Leach plant and a number of highly prospective exploration targets.

As part of the joint venture agreement, Asanko will continue to manage and operate the AGM. A management committee, comprising representatives from Asanko and Gold Fields, will be formed to oversee operation of the mine. Upon completion, expected in Q3 2018, Gold Fields and Asanko will each hold a 45% interest in the AGM. The Government of Ghanas ownership of 10% (through a free carried interest) will remain unchanged.

Benefits of the Joint Venture for Gold Fields

The joint venture will provide Gold Fields with immediate access to low-cost production ounces, increasing the quality of Gold Fields portfolio of mines around the world. The transaction is also in line with Gold Fields growth strategy of focusing on jurisdictions in which it already has an established footprint. As the AGM is located in Ghana, about 100km from Gold Fields Damang and Tarkwa mines, the company is adding an asset in a country where it has operated for over 20 years.

Nick Holland, CEO of Gold Fields, commented: Portfolio management is one of Gold Fields strategic objectives, as we continually seek to improve the quality of our portfolio to enhance the Groups cash generation. This joint venture will provide us with additional quality production in a country that we know well, having operated in Ghana for more than 20 years.

Benefits of the Joint Venture for Asanko Gold

This joint venture partnership with Gold Fields provides a unique opportunity for Asanko to progress its expansion and project development program in a timely manner, bringing the Esaase deposit into production in 2019. Importantly, the Asanko team will continue to operate and manage the AGM, with access to Gold Fields technical and exploration expertise. This JV will impact positively on Asankos debt structure and free up cash flow for further growth in line with our vision of becoming a mid-tier gold producer. It is further an endorsement by one of the worlds largest gold producers of the AGM as a quality asset.

Peter Breese, CEO of Asanko, commented: This is a great outcome for our employees and contractors as we will continue to manage and operate the AGM. We will now move forward with our plans to develop the large-scale Esaase deposit and increase gold production, thereby securing a sustainable future for the mine, its employees and all stakeholders. Gold Fields brings significant technical and exploration expertise which will be accessible to the Asanko team as we continue to build the AGM into one of the largest mines in Ghana.

Key Facts about the Asanko Gold Mine

The Asanko Gold Mine is predominantly operated and managed by Ghanaians

The mine supports over 200 Ghanaian businesses with the procurement of goods and services

Two of the mines three mining contractors are indigenous Ghanaian mining contractors

The mine supports a number of corporate social responsibility projects through The Asanko Opportunity Cycle including the award-winning Obotan Co-operative Credit Union, which is bringing access to finance to the mines catchment area.

In 2017, the Asanko Gold Mine produced 205,047 ounces

In 2018, the Asanko Gold Mine is targeting 200,000-220,000 ounces

About Asanko Gold Inc.

Asanko Gold Inc. is a Canadian-based gold producer (listed on the TSX and NYSE) with operations in Ghana. Asankos vision is to become a mid-tier gold mining company that maximizes value for all its stakeholders. The Companys flagship project is the multi-million ounce Asanko Gold Mine located in Ghana, West Africa.

Asanko is the major operator on the largely unexplored Asankrangwa gold belt of Ghana with significant project development opportunities. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities.

About Gold Fields

Gold Fields Limited is a globally diversified producer of gold with seven operating mines in Australia, Ghana, Peru and South Africa with attributable annual gold-equivalent production of approximately 2.2 million ounces. It has attributable gold Mineral Reserves of around 49 million ounces and gold Mineral Resources of around 104 million ounces. Attributable copper Mineral Reserves total 764 million pounds and Mineral Resources 5,813 million pounds. Gold Fields has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Limited, with secondary listings on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Swiss Exchange (SWX).

ENQUIRIES Gold Fields Asanko Gold Media

David Johnson

Tel: +233 302 770189/90/91

Mobile: +233 501328998

Email: David.ebojohnson@goldfields.com



Sven Lunsche

Tel: +27 11 562-9763

Mobile: +27 83 260 9279

Email: Sven.Lunsche@goldfields.com



Investors



Avishkar Nagaser

Tel: +27 11 562-9775

Mobile: +27 82 312 8692

Email: Avishkar.Nagaser@goldfields.com



Thomas Mengel

Tel: +27 11 562 9849

Mobile: +27 72 493 5170

Email: Thomas.Mengel@goldfields.com

Media

Alex Buck - Manager, Investor and Media Relations

Toll-Free (N.America): 1-855-246-7341

Telephone: +44-7932-740-452

Email: alex.buck@asanko.com



Ghana

Frederick K. Attakumah,

Executive  Corporate Affairs

Telephone: +233 (0) 302 761 454

Email: frederick.attakumah@asanko.com





A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/71fef0c8-a9ef-4dcd-b6fd-64b695bfb097
RABAT, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan Interior Ministry said Thursday that it busted a terror cell and arrested eight suspects with links to the militant group Islamic State (IS).

The suspects, aged between 21 and 31, were active in Morocco's northern city of Tangier and central city of Oued Zem, the ministry said in a statement.

The security forces seized a hunting rifle, ammunition, bladed weapons, paramilitary uniforms, electronic devices and documents, it noted.

Preliminary investigations showed that the cell members were looking for materials used for manufacturing explosive devices and belts, as they were planning to carry out terrorist attacks at sensitive sites in several Moroccan cities, said the statement.

It also added that the suspects intended to kill a person they know as they started to question his allegiance to IS.

Moroccan security services have so far busted around 50 terrorist cells, over 40 of which were linked to the IS, since 2015.
NAIROBI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will lobby for development of regional projects under the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance intra-Africa trade, a top government official has said.

"This is a very good initiative that we are following through," Henry Rotich, Kenya's Treasury Cabinet Secretary, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We see inter-regional and regional projects benefiting from it. We are going to lobby for such projects that open up regional markets to enhance intra-Africa trade," he said.

The Belt and Road Initiative aims to connect Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa with a vast logistics and transport network, using roads, ports, railway tracks, pipelines, airports, transnational electric grids and even fiber optic lines.

In East Africa, the initiative is related to the Chinese-funded 480-km Standard Gauge Railway from the Kenya port city of Mombasa to the capital of Nairobi and is expected to extend to the neighboring Uganda.

Another combination of infrastructure projects including roads, railway, new port and oil refinery to connect the Indian Ocean town of Lamu in Kenya to Ethiopia and South Sudan is being constructed.

"We shall look at what connects Africa, like the railway line linking several African countries for trade benefit," said Rotich.

African experts see the projects under Belt and Road Initiative not only enabling intra-Africa trade, but also helping to open other foreign markets for Africa.

In late March, African leaders launched Continental Free Trade Area which is meant to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, and thus pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union and the African Customs Union, according to the African Union.

Intra-African trade is extremely low and currently accounts for only 10 percent of all commerce on the continent, data from the African Union shows. This is due to, among others, lack of interconnecting infrastructure across the countries making it harder and expensive to move goods within the continent.
PARIS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will face trial for corruption and influence peddling, Le Monde newspaper reported on Thursday.

Judges accused Sarkozy of having proposing a promotion for a prosecutor in exchange for tip-offs on an inquiry into allegations he had exploited the mental frailty of France's richest woman, Liliane Bettencourt, to enjoy donations to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.

In October 2017, the National Finance Prosecutor had asked to send the former head of state to criminal court for corruption and using his influence to secure information about a judicial probe.

Sarkozy's lawyer Thierry Herzog and former magistrate Gilbert Azibert will also face trial on charges of "corruption, trading in influence and concealment of breach of professional secrecy".

The conservative politician, who served as president of France from 2007 to 2012, has been dogged by a series of investigations into corruption and financial irregularities of his election campaign.

Last week, he was placed under formal investigation on suspicion of passive corruption, illegal financing of the election campaign and the concealment of Libyan public funds.
Iraqi customers attend the Baghdad International Book Exhibition on March 29, 2018, the first held after the defeat of the militant group Islamic State (IS) . (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Thursday inaugurated the first Baghdad International Book Exhibition after the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

The 10-day exhibition is held at the Baghdad International Fair under the slogan of "We read to promote ourselves."

"Baghdad International Book Exhibition is an important window through which Iraqi intellectuals could look at other sciences and cultures in order to create an educated generation in the future to help building the (Iraqi) state," Mahdi al-Allaq, secretary of the Iraqi Council of Ministers, told Xinhua.

This exhibition is "part of Iraq's efforts to combat extremism and terrorism," because the war against terrorism is not just a military war, but an ideological one, said Allaq, who opened the exhibition on behalf of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Iraq must "remove the negative impacts of terrorism" in the areas that were once occupied by IS, he said.

Ahmed al-Radhi, executive director of the exhibition, told Xinhua that over 600 publishing and distributing houses from more than 20 countries have participated in the exhibition.

This marked the largest participation in the history of the exhibition since it was first launched in 1978, Radhi said.

He said the exhibition, the first after the victory over IS, has special importance as it shows that "Baghdad will remain the capital of (Iraq's) culture and knowledge."

"The exhibition sends a message of peace and love to the world and gives evidence that life in Iraq has returned to normal and that (Iraqi culture) began to interact with other cultures," Radhi added.

On Dec. 9, 2017, Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups of IS militants have since melted into urban areas or fled to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out attacks from time to time against security forces and civilians.
ROME, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Italian anti-terrorism police arrested five men with links to Anis Amri, the Tunisian terrorist who drove a hijacked lorry into a Christmas market in Berlin in December 2016, killing 12 people, officials said Thursday.

Amri resurfaced in Italy shortly after that attack and was killed in a shootout with Italian police near Milan on Dec. 23, 2016.

"Five men with links to Anis Amri network were arrested in Rome and Latina (a town near Rome)," state police tweeted. "One of them was supposed to provide (Amri) with fake papers so he could leave Italy."

Searches are ongoing in the Italian capital as well as in the cities of Caserta, Latina, Naples, Matera, and Viterbo, state police said.

Charges include self-training with intent to commit terrorist acts, smuggling illegal immigrants into Italy, and providing them with false identification so they could travel to other parts of Europe, ANSA news agency reported.

Police intervened to pick up the suspects before they could "transition into terrorist activity," Rome Prosecutor Sergio Colaiocco told a televised press conference.

In April 2017, Italian investigators busted an 11-man terrorist cell with ties to Amri based in Germany and operating in Italy. The cell adhered to the fundamentalist Salafi sect of Islam and was "ready to carry out terrorist attacks", Italian police said in a statement at the time.

Thursday's operation follows on the arrest Wednesday in the northern city of Turin of a 23-year-old Moroccan-Italian man who was allegedly plotting a truck bomb attack in the name of IS. On Tuesday, a 59-year-old Egyptian man was arrested for indoctrinating very young children with extremist ideology at an Islamic center in the southern city of Foggia, also in the name of IS.

Italy is on high security alert ahead of the Easter holiday this weekend. "Fear of terrorism affects the choices and travel plans of 12 million Italians at Easter," tweeted Coldiretti farmers association on Thursday.

Holiday travelers opted for village and countryside destinations over artistic and religious sites in the country's cities, which could be possible terrorist targets, according to Coldiretti.
File Photo: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer speaks during a press conference after the seventh round of talks to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, on March 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Francisco Canedo)

WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer said on Wednesday that "there's hope" that trade talks between the United States and China could lead to a fruitful outcome.

In an interview with CNBC, Lighthizer said the USTR's Office would announce a list of Chinese goods subject to potential tariffs "before very long," based on the so-called Section 301 investigation against alleged Chinese technology transfer practices.

"Then we'll go through a 60-day period where we'll give the public a chance to comment on the good and the bad things in there," he said, signaling that the Trump administration is unlikely to impose tariffs on Chinese goods until early June.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the United States.

Laptops made in China are on sale at a Best Buy store in New York, the United States, on March 22, 2018. Despite strong warnings from business groups and trade experts, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to 60 billion U.S. dollars of imports from China, the latest unilateral move that poses a threat to global trade. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Such a unilateral move contradicts the commitments the United States made at the World Trade Organization (WTO) more than a decade ago, Zhang Xiangchen, Chinese ambassador to the WTO, said on Monday.

Accusing the United States of "setting a very bad precedent by bluntly breaching its commitment made to the world," Zhang called on WTO members to "jointly prevent the resurrection of 301 investigations and lock this beast back into the cage of the WTO rules."

Workers put granny smith apples into trays on a packing line at a packing house of Auvil Fruit Company in Wenatchee, Washington State, the United States, on Nov. 3, 2017. China has become one of Auvil's biggest overseas markets for its apples and cherries in recent years since the company learned about the B2C platform Tmall. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Asked on CNBC whether U.S. negotiations with China could lead to the avoidance of tariffs or a fruitful outcome similar to the recent trade deal between the United States and South Korea, Lighthizer said "I think there is hope."

While the United States and China have two "very different" economic systems, Lighthizer said "it's very possible" that the U.S.-China trade relationship could end up in "a good place" after overcoming "a series of difficulties" over many years.

Business groups from China and the United States in recent weeks have warned the Trump administration not to move forward with its tariff plan on Chinese imports, as it would raise the costs for American consumers and companies as well as having a negative impact on the financial markets.

Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the United States, March 22, 2018. U.S. stocks ended lower on Thursday, with the Dow plunging over 700 points, after the U.S. President Donald Trump announced to impose tariff on imported products from China. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday that the door to dialogue and consultation between the United States and China has always been open.

"China is willing to have consultations with the U.S. side guided by the principle of mutual respect and benefit," Hua said at a press briefing.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 01:55:16|Editor: yan

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SANAA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- At least eight civilians were killed when the Saudi-led coalition struck a popular market in Yemen's city of Saada on Thursday, witnesses and a local official said.

The victims were three shoppers and a family of five including a couple and their three adult daughters. The airstrikes happened at the Jayash fruits market at downtown in the afternoon.

Several sellers and shoppers were wounded in the airstrikes and were taken to a nearby hospital, said the witnesses and the official.

Several shops and cars were also damaged in the attacks, they said.

Saada is the main stronghold of dominant Shiite Houthi movement, which seized control over the country's north area, including the capital Sanaa, in late 2014, and forced President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.

The attack was the latest in a series of airstrikes conducted by the U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition air force since the start of the war in Yemen three years ago.

Last week, the coalition airstrikes targeted a pickup truck laden with wood in Nihm district northeast of Sanaa, killing two men and injured three women, according to the officials.

On March 8, the coalition airstrikes hit a farm and a popular market in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, killing eight civilians, according to the local officials and residents.

The coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to roll back the Iranian-allied Shiite Houthi rebels and to support the internationally-recognized President Hadi.

The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, displaced 3 million others and triggered the one of the worst humanitarian crises worldwide.
MORAMANGA, Madagascar, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Madagascar's leaders called for solidarity to stop cyclical political crisis in the country during the celebration of the 71th anniversary of Madagascar's uprising against France on Thursday.

Various remembrance activities, including worship, wreath-laying ceremony, carnivals, exhibition and banquets were held throughout the country to remember tens of thousands of victims in the fight against French colonizers.

In the town of Moramanga, 110 km northeast of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, Madagascar's president Hery Rajaonarimampianina held a wreath-laying ceremony, where hundreds of nationalists were buried in a cemetery of martyrs.

"Fight led by these nationalists showed us that solidarity is useful to save the country," Madagascar' president said in Moramanga.

"We had our independence 13 years after the uprising by nationalists. However, 58 years after our independence, Madagascar is still colonized in various manners. Natural wealth of Madagascar are still exploited illicitly. Corruption still reigns and makes [our] population the poorest in the world. Technology especially social networks are still used to divide our community," the president said.

Rajaonarimampianina added that Madagascar's economy is going down amid cyclical political crisis as the nation is to elect a new president this year.

Defense Minister Beni Xavier Rasolofonirina was direct when he pronounced his speech targeting politicians by saying: "To respect and honor those who died for our independence, I call all politicians to stop provocation verbally or through media."

"Politicians, if you really love your nation and if you really respect democracy, educate all Malagasy citizens to face the elections, which is the only way of power change accepted by all countries worldwide," the defense minister said.

Both the defense minister and the president said that politicians should not wait for other countries or foreigners to develop Madagascar. Only solidarity of Malagasy citizens can develop the country, they said.

On March 29, 1947, the uprising against France broke out throughout Madagascar, with the most violent incident in Moramanga.

A survivor named Rakoto Daniel, 95, told Xinhua that the uprising against French colonizers followed protests against the drudgery imposed by France on Madagascar, the payment of tax by Malagasy people to French people in their homeland Madagascar, and the manner in which French colonizers treated the Malagasy people.

Repression led to many excesses and war crimes such as torture and burnt villages. Statistics released by France, shortly after the event, said pacification by France in Madagascar resulted in 89,000 Malagasy victims in 20 months.

Madagascar was colonized by France from 1896 to 1960 and achieved its independence on June 26, 1960.
KIEV, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The high court in Kiev on Thursday has rejected an appeal by Ukrainian lawmaker Nadiya Savchenko against her arrest for two months as a pre-trial restriction measure.

Kiev Court of Appeals left in custody a suspect Nadiya Savchenko, the member of Ukrainian parliament of VIII convocation, the court said in a statement on its website.

Savchenko's lawyers have asked the court to change the pre-trial restriction measure to any other measure of restraint that is not related to detention.

Last week, Savchenko, who is accused of plotting a coup, was arrested by the Shevchenko district court in Kiev for two months as a pre-trial restriction measure. The arrest envisages no bail option.

Currently, Savchenko is held at a temporary detention facility of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kiev.

Savchenko was detained on March 22 after Ukrainian parliament has deprived her of legal immunity and allowed her arrest at the request of the country's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko.

Lutsenko has accused Savchenko of planning a "large-scale terrorist attack" in central Kiev aimed at a "forcible overthrow of the constitutional system and the seizure of state power in Ukraine."

Savchenko called the accusations against her "politically motivated" and launched a hunger strike against her detention.

Savchenko, also a military pilot, has formerly participated in the conflict in eastern Ukraine along with government forces.

She spent almost two years in prison in Russia after a court there found her guilty of complicity in killing two Russian journalists in 2014 during the conflict.

The pilot has denied her role in the murder and said she had been kidnapped in Ukraine and then handed over to Russian authorities.

Savchenko was elected as a member of the Ukrainian parliament while serving her jail term in Russia. She returned to Ukraine in May 2016 after Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned her.
LONDON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The year since Britain formally announced it would leave the European Union (EU) has seen one of political uncertainty, but despite political turmoil, the country remains on course to leave the 28-nation bloc at the end of March next year, a leading British expert has said.

Britain voted in a referendum in June 2016 to leave the EU, and British Prime Minister Theresa May formally started the engine at the end of March last year by activating the Article 50 process, the mechanism to leave.

The past year has seen a general election, in which May gambled for more power and lost. She kept her role as prime minister and her party, the Conservatives, stayed in power but she is in a personally weak position and her party relies on the support of a much smaller party to remain in power.

"The most likely outcome is that Britain leaves in March 2019," Professor Anand Menon of King's College London (KCL) told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

"And the most likely outcome is that there is a pretty poor trade deal," said Menon, who is professor of European Politics at KCL.

BREXIT TWISTS AND TURNS

The EU and Britain are currently negotiating at an advanced stage around the exit process. And the negotiations are taking place against the clock, with the end of March being the point where Britain is actually out of the bloc.

Menon believes both sides will go for a transition period, when Britain is out of the bloc but still obeying the rules while not having a say in drawing them up.

"There will be a transition period, it will not be long enough," said Menon.

While a transition period would stop the threat of a cliff-edge Brexit taking place, where Britain follows EU rules and benefits from open borders until it leaves and then faces drastic changes immediately afterwards, Menon believes the transition period will likely not be long enough for the complexity of the task ahead of both parties.

"The real feature of the worst outcome is that we face a crash-out in December 2020 after a transition that isn't long enough and one which Britain has no legal means of extending," said Menon.

This is not a certainty, nor even a probability, especially in a political environment in Britain where uncertainty has been a daily feature since the Brexit referendum in June 2016.

"Even predicting what will happen tomorrow is difficult," said Menon.

Menon is a close observer of the Brexit twists and turns, and heads an academic think-tank UK in a Changing Europe, of which he is the director, which has produced many papers on Brexit issues.

Menon sees Brexit as undefined, and meaning many things to different people. Its lack of definition is a strength, but also an obstacle later on.

"Brexit means different things to different people; people for whom it means slashing immigration, people for whom Brexit is a liberal enterprise in taking back control but taking back control of immigration; there are people for whom Brexit means slashing the state, and those for whom it means more money for the NHS," said Menon.

"You cannot reconcile all those conflicting views, so some are going to be upset. The paradox of Brexit is that there is probably no sustainable majority for any conceivable outcome.

"There is not a majority in favor of remain; we just don't know how a second referendum would go -- to what extent would people think 'this is unfair we have already done this'."

"To what extend would leave voters -- many of whom stopped voting or had never voted before -- would say this is rigged we are not voting again.

"There is a campaign to stop Brexit. I don't think it is likely but it is conceivable."

ODDS ON AN EXIT

Brexit is still the most likely outcome. Much useful discussion on complex and technical issues has already taken place and many hurdles which seemed daunting have been cleared.

There is no reason to think that Brexit will be halted for technical issues, said Menon. Nor for political ones, because there is no party which opposes Brexit.

And despite a year of uncertainty, a lot of progress has been made on a path towards exit, even though the terms of that exit remain unknown.

"We are loads closer to Brexit. The fact is that much of the technicalities of exit have been negotiated, it doesn't make the headlines. Pension rights, health insurance, all those technical things. Two teams from the EU and the UK have negotiated and done it really well," said Menon.

"There is a lot of technical stuff but the big thing for Britain -- which is sorting out our future trading relationship, which we haven't even started to talk about that yet."

Yet the situation now seems touched with nonsense; the British parliament will be asked sometime this year or early next year to vote on a Brexit for which it does not know the full details. There is likely to be not enough time to discuss the knotty problems that a trade agreement will through up.

Menon said: "It's an issue because parliament is going to be asked to vote on an outcome they haven't seen. Parliament will not be having a meaningful vote on a trade deal because there will not be a trade deal by the time parliament votes.

"We will have left before we have negotiated. So that is where the whole thing does not make any sense."

But despite the uncertainty Menon believes that May will remain as prime minister and will deliver a Brexit. What happens after that is clouded in obscurity.

"If I had to bet, I would bet May would be in place until Britain leaves the EU. Whether May is there when Britain reaches the end of transition, I don't know," he said.

And between now and the final time for a decision to be changed there will be an opportunity for, as William Shakespeare put it in Macbeth -- "sound and fury". But will it signify anything?

"What you will see between now and the end of January is a ratcheting up of the noise in a desperate attempt by those who don't want to leave in a bid to prevent it," said Menon.
BOSTON, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cambridge Healthtech Institute, a division of Cambridge Innovation Institute, is pleased to once again invite the community to join the knowledge-sharing and celebration of the annual Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, May 15-17, 2018 in Boston. Headlining the 2018 keynote sessions are esteemed data scientists from across the life science industry: Liberty BioSecuritys Mark Boguski, TCB Analytics Tanya Cashorali, Alexion Pharmaceuticals John Reynders, Mercks veteran Jerald Schindler, and H3 Biomedicines Lihua Yu. Together they will assess todays most impactful advances in visualizing, storing, processing, sharing, and moving data to enable bigger research projects and deeper discoveries. More than 4,000 international participants are expected to join the discussion at this years event.



With pharma and biotech trading talent and everyone debating machine learning and artificial intelligence, there's never been a more important time to push past the hype and see what is really happening in the industry, states Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director of Bio-IT World. The biology behind sequencing, omics, and gene editing hurtles forward, and data are paramount. The 2018 Bio-IT World Expo plenary roster knows data science, both at pharma and biotech. Veterans of Merck, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Johnson & Johnson bring decades of expertise to bear on the new challenges we've uncovered.



View the full lineup of conference tracks, workshops and exhibit hall events at www.Bio-ITWorldExpo.com

Complimentary keynote and exhibit hall passes are available until May 4 at www.Bio-ITWorldExpo.com/Exhibit-Hall



Members of the media are encouraged to participate. Please contact Lisa Scimemi at lscimemi@healthtech.com to apply for a press pass and to inquire about opportunities for coordinated pre-event interviews with the speaking faculty.



About Bio-IT World (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 (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 includes 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

Cambridge Healthtech Institute

(781) 972-5446

lscimemi@healthtech.com






LJUBLJANA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian adventure pilot Matevz Lenarcic will carry out a new scientific environmental exploration and survey with his ultralight plane next month to collect data on black carbon and other polluters.

The long distance mission, dubbed Zero Emission Living, will set off on April 9, in Maribor the second largest city of Slovenia, Lenarcic's team Green Light World Flight announced on Thursday.

Lenarcic will take off in his ultralight aircraft Dynamic WT9 made by the Slovakian company Aerospool, which he flew on his third round-the-world flight in 2016.

He plans to finish the 21,000 km route in just over a month. The journey is divided into 13 sections, with the longest one taking just over 12 hours.

An important part of the mission will be to measure atmospheric concentrations of black carbon, a powerful pollutant that plays an important role in global warming.

Apart from monitoring the aerosols that absorb sunlight, the mission will also examine the role of other aerosols which absorb and disperse light.

According to the scheduled mission's itinerary, Lenarcic is to take off in Maribor and fly over the Balkans, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam to China. From there he is to fly north over Mongolia to Russia.
Xi Jinping (2nd R), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st R) meet with Kim Jong Un (2nd L), chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and his wife Ri Sol Ju at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. At the invitation of Xi, Kim paid an unofficial visit to China from March 25 to 28. During the visit, Xi held talks with Kim. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. experts and media on Wednesday expressed positive views on the just-concluded unofficial visit to China by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s top leader Kim Jong Un.

Details of the visit, especially Kim's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, have been scrutinized on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

In an article published on Wednesday, the New York Times noticed that "Mr. Xi showed considerable warmth toward Mr. Kim, smiling widely and offering affectionate embraces. Mr. Kim returned the fondness, waving enthusiastically as he departed."

Analysts said the visit has showed to the world that the China-DPRK friendship, forged through the two nations' shared experiences in times of war and peace, is capable of enduring and coping with the rapid changes of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

A Washington Post piece issued on the same day said the meeting between Xi and Kim "showcased enduring bonds between the two countries."

Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the U.S. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Xinhua via email that Kim was following his father, who traveled to China as the DPRK's top leader in 2000 on the eve of his first-ever meeting with South Korean President Kim Dae Jung.

Kim Jong Un, by his visit to China, also signaled to the United States that the DPRK must be taken seriously in the upcoming talks, said Troy Stangarone, senior director at the Korea Economic Institute, a Washington-based non-profit policy research institution.

With the visit, China "is to remind all the parties that China has a voice in the future of the Peninsula" and wants the region to denuclearize, said Carnegie's Paal.

Michael J. Mazarr, a senior political scientist at the U.S. RAND Corporation, also told Xinhua that China has sent a signal through the visit that "it has an established relationship with the DPRK."

Whether from a short-term or a long-term perspective, the meeting between Xi and Kim will consolidate the world's confidence in and commitment to the peaceful settlement of current issues, said U.S. experts and media outlets.

"In the short term, experts see the meeting as a sign that the Trump summit is likely to go ahead," the Washington Post article read.

Ryan Hass, a Brookings scholar focusing on China and Asia, said in an article published on Wednesday that "the more Washington is able to adapt by bolstering coordination and building cohesion with Beijing ... on a common approach for dealing with North Korea, the better the odds that Trump will be able to use his planned upcoming meeting with Kim to push the North Korea challenge down a peaceful path."

(Matthew Rusling from Washington also contributed to the story.)
RABAT, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, discussed on Thursday in Morocco's capital Rabat with top Moroccan officials means to step up bilateral cooperation.

In a meeting with Abdeltif Loudyi, the Moroccan minister delegate in charge of national defence administration, the two sides focused on ways to initiate cooperation in the area of defence.

According to a statement by the national defence administration following the meeting, the exchange of technical expertise in the field of cybersecurity, and cooperation in the areas of maritime safety and defence industry could be in the common interest for the two countries.

On this occasion, the Singaporean minister commended the considerable progress made by Morocco in recent years, praising the kingdom's active commitment to peace and stability at the regional and international levels.

Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, who is on a working visit to Morocco with a large delegation, met also with Morocco's foreign minister Nasser Bourita.

During their talks, the two parties hailed the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in several fields, which were given an important impetus after the official visit paid by Morocco's King Mohammed VI to Singapore in 2005.

Discussions touched also upon Morocco's candidacy for the status of "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in which Singapore assumes the rotating chairmanship.

In addition to Osman's visit, a Singaporean economic delegation, composed of leaders of major businesses, is expected to meet with representatives of ministerial departments and the private sector to explore investment and partnership opportunities in various areas, including engineering, infrastructure, food-processing industry and aeronautics and electronics.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 04:10:48|Editor: Zhou Xin

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A police officer stands guard at the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg, Russia, March 30, 2018. Russia will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and shut the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington's moves against Moscow over an ex-spy incident, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. (Xinhua/Lu Jinbo)

MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and shut the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington's moves against Moscow over an ex-spy incident, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

U.S. diplomats -- 58 from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and two from the U.S. consulate in Yekaterinburg, were declared "persona non grata" for "activities incompatible with diplomatic status," it said in a press release.

The 60 diplomats must leave Russia by April 5, it said.

The consent to the opening and functioning of the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg was withdrawn, the Foreign Ministry said, adding that the U.S. representatives must leave the consulate by Saturday.

If Washington continues hostile actions against Russian diplomatic and consular missions in the United States, Moscow will take additional measures against the personnel and facilities of the U.S. embassy and consulates in Russia, it said.

Earlier in the day, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and was given a note of protest over the recent U.S. expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the shutdown of the Russian consulate general in Seattle.

According to the press release, Huntsman was asked to explain his previous remarks about the possible seizure of Russian state assets in the United States.

"The U.S. side was warned that the implementation of such a threat will lead to further serious degradation in our relations, which is fraught with grave consequences for global stability," it said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged U.S. authorities to rethink and stop "reckless" actions that hurt bilateral relations.

The tension between Russia and Western countries sharply escalated after former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in the British city of Salisbury on March 4.

Britain, the United States and many of their allies accused Moscow of launching a chemical attack against Skripal, and they concertedly expelled a large number of Russian diplomats earlier this week.

Russia has denied these allegations and demanded solid evidence.

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White House warns of retaliation after Russia's expulsion of U.S. diplomats

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Thursday that Russia's expulsion of U.S. diplomats marks the "further deterioration" in bilateral relationship, warning further retaliation.

In an announcement, the White House said that Russia's move was "not unanticipated," adding the United States "will deal with it." Full Story

Spotlight: Russia retaliates for U.S. expulsion of diplomats amid heightened tension

MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia retaliated Thursday for the recent U.S. expulsion of its diplomats and the shutdown of its consulate, while Washington threatens to respond accordingly, possibly renewing a war of mutual sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that it will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and close the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington's moves. Full Story
TBILISI, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Georgia Thursday announced to expel one of the 10 Russian diplomats serving at the Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi in a show of solidarity with Britain over the recent ex-spy poisoning row.

"The use of chemical weapons in Salisbury represents serious challenge to common security," Georgia's Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement, stressing that the country stood in solidarity with Britain.

"The foreign ministry declares a member of the staff of the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi as a not acceptable person and requests to leave Georgia within seven days," the statement said.

Georgia and Russia have no formal diplomatic ties since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. Switzerland, as the third country, mediated diplomatic issues between the two countries by establishing the Russian Federation Interests Section in Tbilisi and the Georgian Interests Section in Moscow in March of 2009.

Former Russian double agent Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unconscious on a bench outside a shopping center in Britain's southwestern city of Salisbury on March 4.

Britain claimed the pair were exposed to a nerve agent and held Russia responsible.

The Russian government has denied any role in the incident.

Following the incident, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats, with Moscow expelling an equal number of British diplomats in response.
LUSAKA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Thursday pledged to settle salary arrears of workers at the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) following threats of a strike.

Workers on the Zambian side of the railway firm co-owned with Tanzania have threatened to go on strike following government's failure to pay them their salaries for the last three months.

Workers Union of TAZARA president Bedwin Malowa told local media that the workers' patience had run out following government's failure to settle salary arrears despite numerous efforts to dialogue with the government.

But Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba said the government has mobilized funds to settle the arrears and that there was no need for the workers to go on strike.

The Zambian minister explained that the railway firm has been failing to pay workers on time because it has been unable to raise sufficient revenue due to deteriorating infrastructure.

According to him, the railway firm has lost out in its cargo haulage over the years from a high of 600,000 tons per year to as low as 55,000 tons in 2011.

He however commended the new management for working tirelessly to improve operations resulting in cargo haulage improving slightly to 200,000 tons per year.

The governments of Zambia and Tanzania have pumped in 75 million U.S. dollars in the railway firm in the last five years to help boost operations, he added.
The flag of the U.S. flies outside the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 31, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department tweeted on Thursday that Russia's decision to expel 60 U.S. diplomats was a "regrettable, unwarranted" one.

Russia will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and shut U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington's moves against Moscow over an alleged ex-spy poisoning incident in Britain, the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on Thursday. The 60 diplomats must leave Russia by April 5.

U.S. State Department tweets on Russia's decision to expel U.S. diplomats.

"It is clear that Russia is not interested in dialogue about issues that matter to our two countries," the U.S. State Department tweeted.

It added that Moscow "is further isolating itself" with its expulsion action following the poison attack in Britain against an ex-Russian intelligence official and his daughter.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was expelling the same number of diplomats as the U.S., which on Monday ordered out 60 Russian diplomats and closed Russia's consulate in Seattle.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 04:55:57|Editor: yan

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KUWAIT CITY, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait is taking effective measures to address diabetes, the Kuwaiti Minister of Health Basel Hamoud Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said Thursday.

At the Sixth Gulf Group for the Study of Diabetes (GGSD) conference held in Kuwait, the minister said that the rise in diabetes in Kuwait offers massive challenges to the health system and sustainable development, stressing the necessity of implementing preventive programs.

The three-day conference aimed to raise awareness on the disease, and review strategies for its prevention.

In Kuwait, diabetes rates have risen from 23 percent in 2016 to 24 percent this year. The main factors behind the spread of diabetes are the unhealthy lifestyles and lack of physical exercise amongst the population.

Kuwait has invested 18 million Kuwaiti dinars (54 million U.S. dollars) in diabetes medicine in 2017 to bring down diabetes rates in Kuwait.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 05:00:58|Editor: Lifang

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Outgoing UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman (C, Rear) addresses a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on March 29, 2018. Outgoing UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman on Thursday stressed the importance of multilateralism and international unity in addressing major challenges today. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Outgoing UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman on Thursday stressed the importance of multilateralism and international unity in addressing major challenges today.

"The multilateral system, when it works, is a force multiplier," Feltman told a farewell press briefing after six years of service at the United Nations.

He said the positive developments with regard to the Korean Peninsula is an example of successful diplomacy to maintain unity of the UN Security Council and to keep pressure with sanctions.

Recalling his trip to Pyongyang in December 2017 at the peak of the tensions, Feltman said the confidence and trust in the United Nations parties demonstrated is "further evidence of why we do need to keep the multilateral system strong, why we need the rules-based system."

On the other hand, he said, Syria represents perhaps the most tragic example of the failure of the international community to address a peace and security, humanitarian, and human rights catastrophe owing to the lack of unity.

In this respect, he stressed the importance for the United Nations to attract and to have support from its member states -- support for the multilateral system, for the organization.

The world is facing unprecedented challenges now and they will be more effectively addressed through a multilateral system, said Feltman.

Feltman, himself an American, will be succeeded by Rosemary DiCarlo of the same country.
ALGIERS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The French energy firm Total on Thursday announced the beginning of the operation of the Timimoun field in collaboration with Algerian and Spanish energy firms Sonatrach and Cepsa, local TSA website reported.

With a capacity of 5 million cubic meters of gas per day, or some 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent, the field is operated jointly by Sonatrach (51 percent), Total (37.75 percent) and Cepsa (11.25 percent).

The production of the gas field will be ensured by 37 wells connected to the new GR5 gas pipeline which carries gas from the Southwest Algerian deposits to the GR5 compressor station in Hassi R'mel plant, Total was quoted as saying in a statement.

Two other gas fields, namely Touat with a capacity of 12.8 million cubic meters per day, and Reggane Nord with a capacity of 8 million cubic meters per day, will be inaugurated this year.

The Bank of Algeria has already noted that once these new gas plants become operational, the North African nation would achieve a 6.5-percent growth in the energy sector this year.

Last month, Sonatrach's CEO, Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, revealed that the company is due to invest 56 billion U.S. dollars in the upcoming five years as part of the new strategy of the company.

Algeria's economy depends on oil industry, as investments in the energy sector hit 90 billion dollars in the period 2015-2019, amid expectations to increase output to 225 million tons this year, compared with 195 million tons in 2013.

Algeria is aiming at augmenting its hydrocarbons investments in a bid to curb the financial crisis hitting the oil rich nation, due to the decline of crude prices in world markets, and the erosion of exchange reserves, which fell from about 200 billion dollars in 2014 to 97 billion dollars currently.

The government said it is due to accelerate the process of reviewing the hydrocarbons law in force since 2006 to attract more foreign investors and companies to explore new fields.
VANCOUVER, B.C., March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orla Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:OLA) (Orla or the Company) is pleased to announce that Mr. David Stephens has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company. Mr. Stephens is currently Vice President Corporate Development and Marketing with Goldcorp Inc. (Goldcorp). He replaces Mr. Steven Thomas as Goldcorps representative on the Board of Directors of Orla, following Mr. Thomas resignation from the Board, as he is leaving Goldcorp to commence a new role as CFO of Torex Gold Resources Inc.



Chuck Jeannes, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Orla commented: On behalf of the board, I would like to welcome Mr. Stephens to the Board of Directors. David has extensive experience in corporate development and capital markets, and his skill set complements our Board well. I would also like to thank Mr. Thomas for his contributions during his terms as a director.

Mr. Stephens is currently the Vice President, Corporate Development & Marketing at Goldcorp, having previously served as Vice President & Treasurer. Prior to joining Goldcorp, Mr. Stephens spent 10 years working in investment banking and equity research at various organizations including Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd. and Orion Securities. Mr. Stephens holds a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Harvard University.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Marc Prefontaine, M.Sc., P.Geo., President & Chief Executive Officer

About Orla Mining Ltd.

The 100% owned Cerro Quema project in Panama includes a near-term gold production scenario and significant exploration upside. Cerro Quema's 14,800 Ha concession boasts paved road access, a supportive local population and private land ownership. The Cerro Quema project is currently in the last stage of the permitting process for a proposed open pit mine and gold heap leach operation. Please refer to the Cerro Quema Project - Pre-feasibility Study on the La Pava and Quemita Oxide Gold Deposits dated August 22, 2014, which is available on SEDAR. Camino Rojo is an advanced gold and silver project located in Zacatecas State, Central Mexico. The project is 100% owned and has historical oxide reserves along with historical sulphide resources. It covers over 200,000 hectares and the Company believes it has exploration potential for additional oxide and sulphide mineral resources. Access and infrastructure are excellent with a paved highway and powerline nearby. A NI 43-101 Technical Report on Camino Rojo dated January 26, 2018 is available on SEDAR.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities legislation, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the results of exploration and planned exploration programs, the potential for discovery of additional mineral resources and the Company's objectives and strategies. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts which address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Companys management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements are discussed in this news release, including without limitation, assumptions that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained and that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its properties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to: risks related to uncertainties inherent in the preparation of preliminary economic assessments, drill results and the estimation of mineral resources; and risks associated with executing the Companys objectives and strategies, including costs and expenses. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

For further information, please contact:

Marc Prefontaine

President & Chief Executive Officer

www.orlamining.com

info@orlamining.com
by Alessandra Cardone

BOLOGNA, Italy, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Regardless of their country and specific features of their work, many publishers here at the 2018 Bologna Children's Book Fair seemed to agree on one point: children still love to read.

People crowded around thousands of stands across the 20,000-square-meter exhibition center here, wandering from one title to another, while waiting for having a word with an author, or looking for a particularly charming fairy tale.

The range of choice could not be wider: a total of 1,390 publishers from 77 countries and regions took part in the 55th edition of the fair running in the central Italian city on March 26-29.

In this one of the major global events for the children's literature industry, professionals are exchanging contacts, publishers are seeking talents or potential partners, and debates among international authors are drawing a large, attentive audience.

"The children's (book) market is a growing sector, which allows us to experiment and meet positive results," Giovanni Grotto with the Italian Sassi Editore told Xinhua.

"This trend does not concern Italy or Europe only, but the world... because, contrary to what people may think, children do still love reading," the young executive said with a smile.

Based in the province of Vicenza, the publisher grew international lately, focusing on the European market -- with direct distribution in France and Germany -- and selling his titles to China since the last couple of years. "Our strong point is to put book and game together," Grotto explained.

Indeed, Sassi's shelves were full of books with puzzles inside, carved books, and books with 3D models that children could build, such as "The Machines of Leonardo da Vinci".

In another large area, visitors would find Chinese publishers, which made a very large presence at the 2018 Bologna Fair, since China was named as the Guest of Honor of the event this year.

"Currently, picture books seem to be the most trending among Chinese children, but our catalogue is very varied," Lina Shen, general manager of China Children's Press and Publication Group (CCPPG) said.

She explained foreign publishers were showing a growing interest in the Chinese market, and Chinese publishers like CCPPG were becoming more and more international as well, in order to satisfy a more mature domestic demand.

As China's largest press and publication house for children, CCPPG would cover a wide range of books, including comics and fiction, non-fiction, historical titles for young readers, and classical stories.

Among the many new titles and colorful covers on showcase, visitors could in fact find illustrated Chinese traditional tales by authors such as Xue Gang, among others. "Chinese love classic tales, and still ask for them," Shen said.

Yet, international exchanges were crucial today and -- in this perspective -- the Bologna Fair would provide a good opportunity for contacts with foreign authors, illustrators, and other publishers. "We always decide on the base of the quality of the book, not of the country... it must be a good book, and suitable for Chinese children," Shen pointed out.

An example was CCPPG's recently established partnership with Italian publisher Giunti Editore, which would entail launching new titles in both countries together. The project included one of their latest publications, namely "The Magic Straw of Tu YouYou" (Chinese version launched in December) on the life of the renowned Chinese scientist and 2015 Medicine Nobel Prize winner.

A few meters away, Jieli Publishing House, another major Chinese publisher, explained their understanding about the latest developments of the market.

"The children's book market has witnessed big changes," Bing Bai, editor-in-chief of Jieli and a writer of childhood's stories, told Xinhua. "Children in the past thought reading was just a matter of education. Now, they have discovered it is a lifestyle, and fun," he stressed.

The company published both Chinese original stories and translated titles, and much of its recent production was focused on adventure books and fantasy books.

According to Bai, Jieli's activity did not suffer the impact from electronics, such as computers, tablets, and video games. "The Chinese market is booming, and for many reasons," he explained.

China's large population means millions of underage kids. And thanks to its continuous economic growth, the country's demand for cultural products also increased fast. Chinese parents are eager for good children books and are able to afford it.

Furthermore, the editor-in-chief believed the Chinese children's book market was more mature than in the past and very open, because the government was encouraging both Chinese publications and registered copyrights.

As an accomplished author who was awarded with several prizes, Bai has been writing for children for about 40 years.

Among his last works was the book "Bird in the cloud" co-authored with UK-based Chinese illustrator Yu Rong. From his point of view, cooperation with international illustrators is good to ensure a further development of the children's book industry.

"Illustrators from other countries have different ways to interpret a story, so that it may become easier for kids (outside China) to love and appreciate it," Bai stressed.

"Secondly, this cooperation may help Chinese publishers improve in picture books, which are relatively new for China."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 05:46:06|Editor: yan

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HAVANA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- More than a million people have visited Fidel Castro's mausoleum in eastern Cuba since it opened in December 2016, including several world leaders and international celebrities, state daily Granma said on Thursday.

Former Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa was among the 1,008,392 people who as of Monday had paid their respects to the legendary revolutionary and statesman buried at the Santa Iphigenia Cemetery in Santiago de Cuba city.

Castro was an inspiration for Latin American and global movements against oppression and inequality, said Correa.

"He set an example not just for revolutionary struggle in the Americas, but the whole world," Correa said.

As a testament to Castro's worldwide fame, some 170,104 visitors came from foreign countries, with Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the United States heading the list.

Many visitors laid flowers at the simple yet imposing tomb, designed in the shape of a giant boulder that contains Catro's ashes. Others came to thank the longtime Cuban leader for his lasting legacy and "shed some tears," said Granma.

"There are also offerings of personal letters, poems, flags, (even) a fistful of soil from overseas and in the case of the locals, a pledge to honor him with concrete actions," said the daily.

Castro's tomb is situated in the center of the cemetery, alongside the tombs of national hero Jose Marti, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, considered as the "Father of the Homeland," and other figures from Cuba's wars of independence.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 05:51:07|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League on Thursday called for international protection for the Palestinians a day before the Palestinian Land Day, an annual occasion marking the Palestinians' protest over Israeli confiscation of their lands.

Palestinians are preparing for a massive anti-Israel rally on Friday along the border fence with Israel to mark the day, a national occasion observed by Palestinians since 1976.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees are expected to participate in the rally to demand their return to their home they were forced to leave during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948.

The event is also meant to defy a tight Israeli blockade that has been imposed on the coastal enclave since 2007, when Hamas had violently seized control of Gaza after routing forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority.

In a statement, the Arab League affirmed its full support for the Palestinian people against the "Israeli oppression."

The pan-Arab organization urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent the ongoing violations against the Palestinian people and to provide international protection to enable them to end their long-suffering tragedy by exercising their right to self-determination.

The Arab League also called on the United Nations, especially the Security Council, to exert pressure on Israel to stop the policies of collective punishment against the Palestinians.

The Palestinian rally, dubbed the "Great March of Return," which will last until May 15, coincides with Israel's Independence Day and the Palestinian Day of "the Nakba," or the catastrophe, when thousands of Palestinians were expelled from their towns and cities that became later Israeli territories.

On the official Facebook page of the rally, organizers said the march is going to be a massive peaceful event that will be observed in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

The decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict emerged since the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the Western-backed creation of Israel in 1948.

Israel is blamed by the international community for the deadlock of the peace process due to its settlement expansion policy, which is rejected even by its strongest ally, the United States.

The Palestinians seek to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital in the light of the UN-proposed two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders.
MOSCOW, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Russia retaliated Thursday for the recent U.S. expulsion of its diplomats and the shutdown of its consulate, while Washington threatens to respond accordingly, possibly renewing a war of mutual sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that it will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and close the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington's moves.

The ministry declared 58 employees of the U.S. embassy in Moscow and two employees of the U.S. consulate general in Yekaterinburg "persona non grata" for "activities incompatible with diplomatic status" and ordered them to leave Russia by April 5.

It also revoked the consent to the opening and functioning of the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg and demanded the U.S. staff there leave the administrative building by March 31.

Earlier in the day, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and was given a note of protest over the recent U.S. expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the shutdown of the Russian consulate general in Seattle.

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged U.S. authorities to rethink and stop "reckless" actions that hurt bilateral relations.

The tension between Russia and Western countries sharply escalated after former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were reportedly attacked by chemical weapon and found unconscious on a bench at a shopping center in the British city of Salisbury on March 4.

Britain, the United States and many of their allies accused Moscow of launching a chemical attack against Skripal, and they concertedly expelled a large number of Russian diplomats earlier this week.

Russia categorically denies these allegations and demands solid evidence.

Moscow is expected to fight back soon against all countries that expelled Russian diplomats over the Skripal case on the principle of reciprocity.

"The measures will be mirror-like, but not just that," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

On Tuesday, Huntsman told RBC TV in an interview that Washington may seize Russia's assets in the United States.

"I can't tell you what our future holds. I hope we're able to steady our relationship. (But) Of course it (the asset seizure) is possible," he said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized his remarks and warned that the implementation of such a threat will lead to further serious degradation in bilateral ties and thus undermine global stability.

Following Russia's announcement of the diplomats expulsion, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert said that Russia's moves are unjustified.

She said the United States is scrutinizing details of Russia's actions and reserves the right to respond accordingly.

If Washington continues its hostile actions against Russia, Moscow will take additional measures, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-03-30 06:26:14|Editor: Yamei

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China sends twin satellites into space with a single carrier rocket, adding two more members for its domestic BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), in Xichang of southwest China's Sichuan Province, on March 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Liang Keyan)

XICHANG, Sichuan, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday sent twin satellites into space with a single carrier rocket, adding two more members for its domestic BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

The Long March-3B carrier rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 1:56 a.m. The launch was the 269th mission for the Long March rocket family.

The twin satellites are coded as the 30th and 31st satellites in the BDS.

They entered orbit more than three hours after the launch and will work together with six previously launched BeiDou-3 satellites once they pass a series of tests.

The satellites and the rocket for Friday's launch were developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, respectively.

Named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper, the BeiDou system started providing independent services over China in 2000 and will serve countries along the Belt and Road by the end of 2018.

By around 2020, when the BDS goes global, it will have more than 30 satellites.
ALGIERS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Algerian and Chinese researchers have developed a new anti-cancer agent through nanotechnology in the province of Oran, western Algeria, local media reported on Thursday.

This anti-cancer agent is called "Imdendrim", as it treats solid tumors resistant to conventional treatment, the El Khabar newspaper reported.

It was presented during a conference on cancer on Wednesday organized by the Research Center in Health Sciences (ATRSS) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with the University of Tlemcen.

It has been developed by Hafid Belhadj Tahar of French Association for the Advancement Medical Research and Sadeg Nourreddine of the Researcher Laboratory Toxicology in Paris, both Algerians in France, in collaboration with Chinese professor Yang Guanghua, founder of Chinese biomedical firm TeleBio.

"This is the first time that this cancer agent, patented in 2015, is presented in Algeria," said Tahar, professor of pharmacology and chemistry.

After several successful tests on animals, a first experiment was performed last November at Zhejiang University Hospital in China on a 50-year-old Chinese man suffering from end-stage colon cancer with multiple metastases to liver and lungs.

A single injection into his liver tumor was performed and he showed impressive signs of healing after only three weeks of treatment, Tahar said.

For his part, Noureddine noted that compared with conventional treatment, Imdendrim's cost is very acceptable, adding that 15 other patients suffering from end-stage metastases will receive this treatment soon in Romania.

Noureddine expressed his wish to bring this new treatment to Algeria, saying "hopefully all the conditions for starting to apply this nanotechnology will be gathered, notwithstanding the training of the medical staff."

Yang indicated that this anticancer agent is "a real revolution in the world of nanotechnology and medicine in general," adding that it is likely to be tested on light tumors, and even the breast cancer.

The University of Tlemcen in western Algeria is due to set up a technological platform dedicated to developing the "Nano gun" technology in Algeria in collaboration with the three professors.
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 6:43 am

The Army blues laid out, the dress awaited to be worn and their 5-year-olds suit and tie were pressed and ready to go the night before their wedding day.

The next morning Alex Massey, soon to be Alex Cockriel went into labor with her second child, ending all plans to get married before the baby was born.

When we went to put money down and made the appointment, we were joking around that the baby would come that day, Cockriel said. And that morning my water broke and we said okay baby is coming today, we arent getting married.

When they arrived at Providence Hospital last Tuesday, Alex and her soon to be husband Jakob Cockriel were asked by hospital staff if the two of them were married. Although disappointed, they laughed and told nurses they had planned to get married at the courthouse that night but knew they wouldnt make it.

Alex and Jakob are originally from Missouri but moved to Yelm after Jakob was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord at the end of last year. Having been recently stationed to a new area, forced to leave friends and family behind, the two of them opted to have a small courthouse wedding.

It was nerve wracking coming here and changing doctors, Alex said. Ive always had the same doctor, same nutritionist  leaving that made me leave my comfort zone.

One of the nurses jokingly told the patient and her fiance they could have a hospital wedding and both of their faces filled with excitement. Alex was in labor and couldnt handle the logistics of setting up a hospital wedding so multiple on-duty and off-duty nurses sprang into action to marry the couple before their baby was born.

The team of nurses turned wedding planners first called the chaplain to ask if he could wed the couple in the hospital. He was forced to decline as he was not ordained. Another nurse, Saisha Rebelez heard the news and remembered her mother getting ordained about 15 years ago to wed family friends and new it was a quick and easy process.

Rebelez took to the internet and minutes later she was ordained and ready to officiate a wedding.

I felt bad because they really wanted to get married and the prime nurse said it was really important to them, and it was easy to get ordained so I did it, Rebelez said. I had to call Thurston County Auditors Office to make sure it was legit and they said absolutely it is.

After Rebelez confirmed she could legally wed the couple, the team of nurses called Melanie Webster, an off-duty nurse to be the photographer. Webster routinely takes pictures of newborns in the birth center and occasionally shoots weddings but calls photography just a hobby.

Upon hearing the news, Webster who was moments from leaving the house for a jog scrapped her fitness plans, grabbed her camera, a veil from the attic and stopped at Safeway to buy a bouquet and wedding cake.

I was just going on a jog when a coworker called and this sounded way more fun than going on a run, Webster said. We just do whatever we can to make patients experiences awesome and we knew it was important to them. Its fun for us to do extra stuff for patients.

As the wedding planners decorated the delivery room Alex sat in the labor tub as her primary nurse Nicole Robbins provided comfort. Two of the couples friends ran to the courthouse to grab marriage paperwork and bring the documents to the hospital.

I remember one nurse came in and said hey I became ordained I can marry you, Alex said. Our care team took over and planned everything. All I did was sit in the bathtub. It was just amazing what they did.

With everything set, Robbins who was now the Maid of Honor coaxed Alex out of the labor tub and into a makeshift wedding dress made of an absolutely beautiful hospital gown. Before Alex left the tub, Robbins administered more pain medication, giving the patient a lifetime excuse of drugs being the reason for marrying her husband.

They told me heres the plan; get out of tub, well get you some drugs and then youll have the baby, lets go! I walked outside the door to a room full of everybody, had three contractions and told my husband Im going to kill him.

About one hour after they said their I dos, Alex gave birth to a healthy Huxton Alexander Cockriel at 11:11 p.m., one week before his due date. The newborn weighed 8 pounds, one ounce.

We didnt expect this at all but we really work hard for the family and the whole team here is family, Rebelez said. We try to do things for our patients that go above to get their needs, especially in the family birth center when they have certain circumstances and we try to meet their ideas the best we can.
TORONTO, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ninepoint Partners LP, an independent, active manager of specialty investment solutions, has announced the launch of Ninepoint Concentrated Canadian Equity Fund.



The fund, which will focus on a concentrated portfolio of select Canadian companies, will be be sub-advised by Toronto-based Scheer Rowlett, an affiliate of Connor Clark and Lunn Financial Group. Scheer Rowletts Lloyd Rowlett and Rob Dionne have extensive experience in managing Canadian equity and balanced portfolios for pension plans, mutual funds, corporations, foundations, endowments and high net worth investors.

Were excited to partner with the CCL/Scheer Rowlett team and with Lloyd, who brings over 20 years of experience with Canadian equities, says Ninepoint Partners Managing Partner James Fox. Scheer Rowletts long-term, value-oriented approach has a long track record of success and were excited to give our clients access to that approach.

The fund will use an in-depth, bottom up approach to invest in a diversified portfolio of Canadian equity securities.

The fund encapsulates a best ideas approach, which has contributed to our consistently strong track record, says Lloyd Rowlett, Scheer Rowletts President and Lead Portfolio Manager. We look forward to working with the Ninepoint team who share our independent thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.

Dedicated to diligent research and risk management practices, identifying industries and companies with long-term growth potential not yet recognized by the market, the new fund will invest in a concentrated portfolio of 15-25 core holdings expected to outperform the broader market over a reasonable time period.

Rather than trying to determine the next fad or time the markets, the Ninepoint Concentrated Canadian Equity Fund will focus on each companys earnings-ability, capital structure, management capability and competitive position.

About Ninepoint Partners

Ninepoint Partners is an independent, expert active manager of specialty investment solutions, committed to helping investors explore innovative ways to add value to their portfolios, and advisors to differentiate their businesses with unique investment solutions. Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners has assumed portfolio management of the Canadian diversified assets of Sprott Asset Management LP, including actively managed hedge and mutual funds. The new firm oversees approximately $3 billion in assets under management.

Please visit www.ninepoint.com to learn more.

About Scheer Rowlett

Scheer Rowlett is part of Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group, an independently owned multi-boutique asset management firm whose affiliates are collectively responsible for over $72 billion in assets under management on behalf of institutional, private and retail clients. The firm oversees approximately $2.8 billion in assets for pension plans, mutual funds, corporations, institutional, endowments, foundations and high net worth investors.

Please visit https://www.cclgroup.com/scheerrowlett/en/home/who-we-are to learn more.



Media Contact:

Corey Goldman

Goldman Communications Inc.

416-322-2863

corey@goldman-communications.com
By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

IRONWOOD  Ironwood Township Chairman Steve Boyd responded Wednesday to some statements that were made at a court plea hearing for former township treasurer Jyl Olson-DeRosso.

She entered guilty or no contest pleas in Gogebic County Circuit Court Tuesday to 10 charges regarding the embezzlement and forgery of township funds.

Boyd said while it was originally alleged Olson-DeRosso took $196,862 from two township funds over a five-year period, as indicated in a Tuesday Daily Globe story, subsequent investigations on the townships behalf have tu...
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2017: AMBITIONS CONFIRMED, MILESTONES REACHED, AND FINANCIAL RESULTS IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Acceleration of the Antibiotics program: 14.6m of funding by Bpifrance (including  10.4m for the DEINOVE Group) and structuring of the product portfolio

Successful production on an industrial scale: a world first for Deinococcus fermentation

Imminent commercial launch of a first carotenoid for cosmetics following the confirmed success of the DEINOCHEM program, supported by ADEME

Two other cosmetic active ingredients in co-development

2017 net income of the Group: -7.3m versus -6.3m in 2016, mainly due to the full consolidation of the subsidiary DEINOBIOTICS in the consolidated financial statements

Montpellier, FRANCE, March 29, 2018 (9:00 pm CEST) - DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI), a biotech company that discovers, develops, and produces high-value compounds from rare bacteria, notably from the Deinococcus genus, announces today that its Board of Directors has approved the 2017 annual accounts. Following the 100% integration of its subsidiary DEINOBIOTICS on January 5, 2017, DEINOVE presents for the first time annual consolidated accounts.

Charles WOLER, President of DEINOVE's Board of Directors, said: "The year 2017 was marked by several events that validate the strategic choices made in 2016. The AGIR antibiotic project received significant support from the 'Investments for the Future' Program, and new developments are expected after the latest announcements. Progress in carotenoid industrial production and cosmetic partnerships are also exciting prospects in the short term."

"Our teams are very involved towards the success of the various programs. We are proud to launch imminently our first active ingredient for cosmetics and are already thinking about the future. In parallel, we continue our commitment in the fight against antibiotic resistance; the collaborations set up in recent weeks will contribute to the acceleration of this project," added Emmanuel PETIOT, CEO of DEINOVE.

________________

The 2017 net result of the Group is a loss of 7,335k. The full consolidation of DEINOBIOTICS SAS from January 2017 onwards makes it however difficult to compare with the loss of 6,258k last year.

The net cash position amounted to +4.9m as of December 31 2017. During the 2017 financial year, the DEINOVE Group received 1.4m of 2016 R&D tax credit. The Company also raised 2.8m via the equity line funding implemented with KEPLER CHEUVREUX at the end of 2014.

Operationally, the year 2017 was marked by two major advances:

Structuring and progress of the Antibiotic program

After the announcement in 2016 of the 100% takeover of DEINOBIOTICS, which was formally adopted on January 5, 2017, the operational and legal integration was quickly carried out. Furthermore, two patents relating to an innovative antibiotic structure were filed, and the human and technological resources dedicated to this activity were strengthened. The AGIR program (Antibiotics against Resistant Infectious Germs) was selected by the Investments for the Future Program (PIA), which granted funding to it of 14.6m over 5 years.

At the beginning of 2018, DEINOVE concluded two collaborative agreements allowing it to accelerate its developments and strengthen its product portfolio:

A research license to explore the potential of the rare bacterial strains of the Italian company NAICONS, as part of the AGIR program;

An option to acquire a first-in-class anti-infective program targeting Gram-negative infections originally developed by the British company REDX PHARMA.

Production and upcoming commercial launch of the first innovative carotenoid resulting from the DEINOCHEM program

All milestones were achieved during 2017, culminating in the production of the first industrial batch of this carotenoid in early 2018. A cosmetic active ingredient with anti-aging properties, it will be launched commercially in April at the In-Cosmetics Trade Show in Amsterdam. The DEINOCHEM program was therefore closed successfully while controlling expenditures, which proved to be less than the original budget.

The development of cosmetics activities also resulted in the signing of two partnerships with GREENTECH and OLEOS for the development of natural cosmetic active ingredients from the DEINOVE bacterial strain bank.

Corporate changes

The strategic progress of the Company was accompanied by a renewal of the Board of Directors, now more oriented toward development of drug candidates for antibiotic therapy, as well as the strengthening of teams in this area. DEINOVE also continued its investments to expand and automate the activities of its technological platform, particularly in the fields of bioextraction and cell biology, the latter have largely contributed to the development of said carotenoid.

SYNTHETIC FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Following the 100% takeover of DEINOBIOTICS, the DEINOVE Group produces for the first time annual fully consolidated accounts.

The situation as of December 31, 2017 is that of the Group, while in prior data as of December 31, 2016, DEINOBIOTICS was accounted for using the equity method. Comparing the figures is therefore irrelevant.

DEINOVE's consolidated accounts as of December 31, 2017 were certified by the Group's Statutory Auditors, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers).

(in k of euros) 2017* 2016 ** Total operating revenues 214 793 Total operating costs 9,895 8,469 o/w Research and Development costs 7,440 6,567 o/w Administrative and General costs 2,455 1,902 Operating profit/loss -9,681 - 7,676 Financial result - 5 - 31 Current pre-tax profit/loss - 9,686 - 7,707 Profit/loss from non-recurring items 296 639 Income tax (R&D Tax Credit) and deferred taxes -2,430 - 115 Goodwill amortization 376 - Results from equity affiliates - -305 CONSOLIDATED PROFIT/LOSS - 7,335 - 6,258 Minority interests - - NET PROFIT/LOSS - GROUP SHARE -7,335 - 6,258 * DEINOBIOTICS subsidiary fully consolidated



* DEINOBIOTICS subsidiary consolidated by equity method at 28.33%



(in k of euros) Dec. 31, 2017 Dec. 31, 2016 Term deposit 2,000 6,708 Provision for impairment of marketable securities - - Cash on hands 2,876 2,608 ICNE and bank overdrafts - - CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 4,876 9,316

* Treasury position of the Group

** Treasury position of the DEINOVE company

FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE 2017 FINANCIAL YEAR

Operating loss

The Group observed 214k in operating revenue over the year, mainly consisting of grants and partner payments corresponding to their contribution to research costs (AVRIL and FLINT HILLS RESOURCES). In 2016, operating revenues, which amounted to 793k, included grants for several milestone payments, as well as 191k of invoices to DEINOBIOTICS. These intra-group invoices are neutralized in the consolidated accounts in 2017.

Over the same period, the Group's operating expenses reached 9.9m, of which 75% was in R&D activities. The net change in operating expenses between 2016 and 2017 amounted to +1,426k (+17%) partly from the integration of the operating costs of the subsidiary, i.e. +1,724k, and partly from the -4% decrease in the operational costs of DEINOVE, i.e. -298k. This decrease results in particular from the renegotiation of the duration of the leasing agreements established at the end of 2015 to finance the acquisition of scientific equipment. Administrative & General expenses increased due to the occasional recourse to external consultants (in communication, legal / finance), who came to accompany the strategic reorientation.

In 2017, the Group's average workforce was 56.4 FTE, compared to 53.5 FTE in 2016 for the same scope.

Net loss

The consolidated net loss for the year amounts to 7.3m. It includes a profit from non-recurring items of +296k, mainly consisting of a net gain of 357k due to the sale on the market of CARBIOS shares by DEINOVE, and a net loss of 62k for the subsidiary. The financial result is insignificant (-5k).

The tax on profits exclusively includes the R&D Tax Credit. The Group's claim for the 2017 financial year was estimated 2,430k (namely 1,787k for DEINOVE and 643k for DEINOBIOTICS).

FINANCIAL POSITION

Financial requirements for the year mainly concerned operating expenses, 8.1 m (excluding depreciation and amortization), plus investments in laboratory equipment (including leasing rents) for 8.1m. Over the same period, the Group received 1.4m of R&D Tax Credit and 0.1m of public aid (Bpifrance). In addition, DEINOVE raised 2.8m (net of commissions) through the equity line funding signed in December 2014 with KEPLER CHEUVREUX, and proceeded to the sale of the balance of its stake in CARBIOS for 0.5m. Added to this is the integration of the cash of the subsidiary DEINOBIOTICS, for an amount of 0.6m. In February 2018 (subsequent to closing), the Group received 2.6m for the first payment relating to the support of the 'Investments for the Future Program' (PIA) for the AGIR antibiotic project, as well as 95k for ADEME for the balance of funding granted to the DEINOCHEM program in 2013.

As of December 31, 2017, the Group's net financial position amounted to +4.9 m. The Group considers that it has the resources to finance its activities, in the current configuration of its projects, until the end of the first quarter of 2019, without recourse to the fourth Tranche of the equity line funding established with KEPLER CHEVREUX.

OPERATIONAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR AND AFTER THE END OF THE PERIOD

During the year, DEINOVE made significant progress on its two main programs: the carotenoids project was a first major success with the industrialization of the first molecule developed. As for the antibiotics project, DEINOVE strengthened its platform and the screening of its strains, and created many valuable contacts. In addition, DEINOVE continues to promote its biodiversity through collaborations, particularly in cosmetics: two other compounds from the DEINOVE strains will be launched on the market in 2018.

Proprietary programs

Antibiotics program

Publication of two patent applications on the discovery of a new innovative structure

DEINOVE announced on January 4, 2017 the publication of two patent applications on its first antibiotic candidate, which presents a new antibiotic structure confirming the potential of the platform and constituting a basis for development. These patents are the first step in building a robust intellectual property portfolio in the field of antibiotics.

The AGIR Antibiotics program receives support from the PIA of 14.6m over 5 years

The AGIR project "Antibiotics against Resistant Infectious Germs", headed by the DEINOVE Group and the Charles Viollette Institute, was selected by the PIA, led by the Commissariat-General for investment and operated by Bpifrance. It will be funded to the tune of 14.6m out of a total estimated budget of 25m. The DEINOVE Group will receive 10.4m while the Institute Charles Viollette will receive 4.2m.

This funding will accelerate the ramp-up of the platform, enrich the portfolio of molecules, and contribute to the development of new antibiotics responding to a major medical emergency.

POST-CLOSURE: Exclusive research license agreement with NAICONS, with a view to broadening its current strain library and increasing opportunities for the discovery of new antibiotics

NAICONS is an Italian biopharmaceutical company specialized in the research of innovative antibiotics. As part of its AGIR program, DEINOVE will have access to 400 of their strains, carefully selected for their potential, and will use the power of its own robotic technology platform to detect and characterize the antibiotic activities of these strains. In case of discovery of a strain of interest, DEINOVE will be able to acquire it (under conditions stipulated in the agreement) either via a commercial license or in full ownership, in order to initiate the development of drug candidates.

POST-CLOSURE: license option agreement with UK-based Redx Pharma to acquire a first-in-class anti-infective program

DEINOVE has signed a license option agreement with UK-based REDX PHARMA (AIM: REDX) for the acquisition of their first-in-class, Novel Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitor (NBTI) anti-infective program, targeting Gram-negative infections, of which the resistant forms are among the most lethal and therefore a global public health priority. This program was subject to prior extensive optimization and evaluation in vivo confirming its potential in terms of efficiency and safety. DEINOVE will continue the optimization and selection work for a possible regulatory preclinical entry of one or more molecules. The agreement is for an exclusive option to license, with DEINOVE having 9 months to confirm its interest in this series of molecules and exercise the option. The transaction provides for an upfront payment and a supplement to the exercise of the option.

Carotenoids program / DEINOCHEM

Industrialization of the Carotenoids program

The Carotenoids program aims to produce and market carotenoids which originate from a biological process. DEINOVE communicated throughout the year 2017 and the beginning of the year 2018 on the progress of this program:

In July , DEINOVE confirmed that it had selected a first molecule for its innovative character. Its antioxidant and healing properties position it particularly favorably for cosmetic and especially anti-aging applications, a sector that accounts for half of the facial care market. The fermentation production process was developed on a laboratory scale (20 liters).

In October , DEINOVE indicated that it had validated the carotenoid extraction and purification process as well as its formulation in a selected vegetable oil that will be its commercial form, i.e. the active solution that will be integrated into the final cosmetic products. The stability of the finished product was also confirmed.

In December, DEINOVE announced having started the production of the first industrial batches of this innovative carotenoid, entrusted to BIOGIS Center, the technological platform of SAS PIVERT. The technology transfer was carried out in December 2017 for a start of production on the scale of several cubic meters in the first quarter of 2018.

POST-CLOSURE: successful industrialization of the first carotenoid for cosmetics

The scaling of the fermentation production process was successfully carried out on the SAS PIVERT BIOGIS Center technology platform. Extraction, purification, and formulation were carried out by VEG'EXTRA through an original and environmentally friendly process. The commercial launch of this active ingredient with anti-aging properties will take place at the In-Cosmetics Trade Fair (April 17-19, 2018, Amsterdam).

Partnership programs

Cosmetic programs

A catalog of active extracts qualified for cosmetic applications

The strain screening program (DEINOSCREEN), conducted in collaboration with the FLUOFARMA cell test laboratory, identified several tens of strains that could be selected for use in cosmetics, nutrition, and health: antioxidant, anti- inflammatory and healing properties, as well as molecules active on lipid metabolism. DEINOVE has a catalog of strains with identified and varied properties to support ongoing discussions and open up new opportunities for collaboration with industry players.

Cosmetic partnership with GREENTECH

Based on the results of the screening operation of its extremophilic strains, DEINOVE concluded a first partnership with GREENTECH to co-develop and commercialize new active ingredients for skin care. The goal is to put on the market a first active ingredient by the end of 2018. In November 2017, the partners drafted a progress report: from the screening of DEINOVE's extremophilic strains, six strains were preselected for test phases in order to validate the final choice of the active ingredient that will be marketed.

GREENTECH today markets around 100 active ingredients to cosmetics manufacturers in more than 30 countries. This major player in the production and distribution of active ingredients from biotechnology has technical-commercial teams that will be valuable assets for the success of the project.

POST-CLOSURE: Cosmetic partnership with HALLSTAR-OLEOS

DEINOVE initiated a collaboration with HALLSTAR-OLEOS to develop a new 100% natural cosmetic active ingredient combining the exclusive properties of DEINOVE bacteria and the patented Oleo-eco-extraction technology developed by OLEOS. The objective is to obtain a stable oily active ingredient with clinically proven efficacy that is easy to formulate and meets the requirements of the cosmetic market. The commercial launch of this active ingredient, which will be DEINOVE's third cosmetic active ingredient, is planned for the end of 2018.

OLEOS, which belongs to the American group HALLSTAR, has developed, from its proprietary process, 20 active ingredients marketed to cosmetic brands in France and internationally, and continues to expand its range.

Nutrition programs

Validation of the second step of the COLOR2B program in partnership with AVRIL

The COLOR2B program aims to develop a process for the production of natural additives for animal feed in collaboration with the AVRIL group. The second phase of the project validated the efficacy and bioavailability of the compounds produced from the seven strains selected by DEINOVE in the first phase. The compounds produced by these strains, added to the feed of farm animals at the experimental station, have been assimilated by their organisms and have produced the desired effects.

The COLOR2B project has entered its last phase, which aims to:

Select and optimize 1 or 2 particularly effective strains;

Optimize fermentation production conditions and active ingredient preparation processes;

Define the most profitable techno-economic production conditions; and

Drive regulatory steps to engage the marketing of these active ingredients.

Second step of the partnership with FLINT HILLS RESOURCES in animal feed

Initiated in 2015, this program, funded entirely by FHR, aims to develop a nutritional additive for animal feed. The first phase of the project resulted in the selection by FLINT HILLS RESOURCES of several strains meeting their criteria. The second phase is under way. It aims to:

Produce the additives in sufficient quantity to test their beneficial effect on the targeted animal species and analyze the results obtained;

Optimize fermentation parameters;

Define the techno-economic conditions for the development of the production process.

Issuance of a first patent covering the use of Deinococcus for animal nutrition

DEINOVE has been working since 2014 to develop applications for its biotechnologies in the animal nutrition market. The goal is to enhance the capabilities of some strains of its bacterial collection to produce compounds with nutritional or organoleptic benefits. This first patent, originally issued in China, the world leader in livestock breeding, protects the progress made in this area: it focuses on the use of Deinococcus as a source of ingredients for animal nutrition.

CORPORATE INFORMATION

Strengthening the Board of Directors in connection with the strategic focus

In 2017, five international directors and experts from the pharmaceutical and antibiotics industry joined the Board of Directors of the Company: Dr. Herve BRAILLY, Mr. Bernard FANGET, Prof. Vincent JARLIER, Dr. Yannick PLETAN and Dr. Charles WOLER .

Philippe Pouletty, Christian Pierret (representing Truffle Capital), and Michael Carlos (former President of Givaudan Fragrance Division) remain directors for the remaining term of their respective terms of office. On the proposal of Mr. Philippe Pouletty, Mr. Charles Woler has been appointed new Chairman of the Board at the Board meeting on January 20, 2017. This new governance brings DEINOVE invaluable medical, pharmaceutical, and management resources, more specifically focused on drug development, including antibiotics.

Strengthening management in antibiotic activities

During the year, DEINOVE has recruited:

Dr. Georges GAUDRIAULT , PhD in molecular pharmacology, expert in the development of new molecules and their formulation, as Scientific Director. He replaces Jean-Paul Leonetti who returned to the CNRS after 6 years of absence.

Sebastien ENAULT, as Director of Business Development, with proven experience in setting up collaborations in the pharmaceutical field and in particular, in the field of anti-infectives.

Breakdown of capital as of December 31, 2017

As of December 31, 2017, the Company's capital consisted of 11,618,334 common shares with a par value of 0.40, of which 13,704 (or 0.12% of the capital) were held by the Company under the liquidity contract entrusted to Kepler Cheuvreux.

Breakdown of capital as of December 31, 2017 - non-diluted basis

Shareholders Number of stocks Percentage held Voting rights Percentage Funds managed by Truffle Capital 1,380,595 11.88% 1,893,760 15.40% Scientific founders 20,000 0.17% 40,000 0.33% Management and administrators 70,990 0.61% 111,291 0.90% Floating 10,146,749 87.33% 10,255,627 83.37% TOTAL 11,618,334 100.00% 12 300 678 100.00%

Evolution of the share capital



During the 2017 financial year, the Board of Directors recorded the issue of 1,595,810 new shares following BSA exercises, including 1,585,000 under the Kepler Cheuvreux equity line funding and 10,810 under the BSA-B plan.

The Extraordinary General Meeting of January 5, 2017 also led to the issue of 1,001,437 new shares in exchange for the acquisition by DEINOVE of the total of the DEINOBIOTICS shares not yet held.

A total of 2,597,247 new shares were issued during the 2017 financial year, representing an increase of the share capital of 1,038,898.80.

The 2017 annual financial report will be available at the following address:

http://www.deinove.com/en/investor-room/documentation-center/financial-reports

ABOUT DEINOVE

DEINOVE (Euronext Growth Paris: ALDEI) is a biotech company that discovers, develops and produces high added-value compounds from rare microorganisms for use in the fields of health, nutrition and cosmetic markets. To do so, DEINOVE draws on two key assets:

a unique library of 6,000 rare or unexploited bacterial strains;

a genetic, metabolic and fermentation engineering platform capable of customizing these natural "micro-factories" to transform them into new industrial standards.

Based in Montpellier, DEINOVE employs approximately 55 employees and has nearly 130 international patents. The Company has been listed on Euronext Growth since April 2010.

Contacts

Emmanuel Petiot

Chief Executive Officer

Tel : +33 (0)4 48 19 01 28

emmanuel.petiot@deinove.com Coralie Martin

Communication, Marketing and Investor Relations

Tel : +33 (0)4 48 19 01 60

coralie.martin@deinove.com Julien Coste

CFO

Tel : +33 (0)4 48 19 01 00

julien.coste@deinove.com ALIZE RP, Press Relations

Caroline Carmagnol / Aurore Gangloff

Tel : +33 (0)1 44 54 36 66

deinove@alizerp.com
News

Lordsburg, New Mexico - Agents from the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigators, arrested an alleged smuggler and convicted felon this week bringing their status in the United States in to question.

On March 19, U.S. Border Patrol Agents encountered a vehicle near Rodeo, New Mexico, in an area frequently utilized for human smuggling. Agents conducted an immigration stop due to the suspicious nature of the vehicle. As a result, agents discovered three passengers who readily admitted to having entered the country illegally. The driver also admitted to knowing that the subjects were illegal aliens who had been smuggled into the United States, and that he would receive payment for transporting them. The driver and illegal aliens were transported to the Lordsburg Border Patrol Station for further processing.

The vehicle used in the smuggling scheme was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol. During processing, it was determined that the driver (DACA recipient) had an approved eligibility status to remain in the U.S. until September 7, 2019. He will be prosecuted on alien smuggling charges. Furthermore, due to the nature of the crime, the subject may no longer be eligible to maintain his DACA status.

In a separate case in El Paso, another subject was arrested Wednesday by a combined Border Patrol/ Homeland Security Investigations Task Force. Members of the Task Force discovered that the subject (DACA recipient) may have violated the terms of his relief status by engaging in various criminal acts to include Aggravated Felony, stemming from an incident in El Paso County. He was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, but had a portion of his sentence suspended.

In 2012, this subject applied for and received DACA status. He later went on to commit crimes including Assault Causing Bodily Injury to a Family Member, Driving While Intoxicated and Burglary of Habitation. He was convicted on all crimes and eventually was released on probation.
News

Yuma, Arizona - U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reminding travelers to apply for their I-94 as soon as possible to avoid delays at the Arizona-Mexico border.

The reminder applies to travelers holding a Mexican border-crossing card, or Laser Visa and who are planning to make an extended visit to the United States during this holiday season.

Officers inspect documents when

individuals/families attempt to enter

the U.S. from Mexico

We expect this week to be very busy for all the Arizona ports," said Guadalupe Ramirez Jr., U.S. Customs and Border Protection Tucson acting Director of Field Operations. "Taking this into account, we encourage travelers to get their I-94s before the weekend or online to avoid potential delays."

The I-94 website allows travelers arriving at land borders to apply for their Form I-94 online. The enhancement allows travelers to provide their biographic and travel information, and pay the $6 application fee within seven days prior to arrival.

In addition to Form I-94 being used to document the arrival and departure of non-citizens, the form serves as evidence of lawful admission, alien registration, immigration status and, for individuals approved to work, employment authorization.

Land travelers will receive a provisional I-94 upon submitting their application and payment online. Once they arrive at the Port of Entry, they will submit biometrics, if applicable, and be interviewed in-person by a CBP officer. The CBP officer will provide a paper Form I-94, I-94W or I-94A as appropriate.

Payment on the I-94 website can be made with a credit card, debit card, direct debit or through PayPal. The benefits of this process include increased efficiencies during processing, decreased paper usage, a streamlined CBP inspection process for the traveling public, and reduced operating costs.

CBP recognizes the importance of international travel to the U.S. economy. Facilitating legitimate travelers as quickly as possible, while maintaining the highest standards of security, is critical to our mission.

Automating the I-94 also allows CBP officers to spend more time with the traveler to ensure the proper entry process.

CBP also encourages travelers to obtain and utilize radio-frequency identification technology (RFID)-equipped travel documents such as U.S. passport cards and the newer versions (i.e. since 2011) of the border crossing card and resident alien card so that they can utilize Ready Lanes. Processing in Ready Lanes is 20 percent faster than general lanes and provide time savings of up to 20 seconds per vehicle. Those who have renewed their entry documents within the last 24 months already have radiofrequency identification enabled documents (RFID) and may not know it. CBP encourages travelers to obtain RFID entry documents to use Ready Lanes and enroll in trusted traveler programs.
News

Yuma, Arizona - This evening at 8:15pm, the Yuma Police Department responded to a report of Threats with a weapon at the Wal-Mart, 2501 S. Ave B.

The initial investigation revealed a male subject entered the business and approached an associate at the money center desk. The subject indicated he had a weapon and demanded money from the associate.

The suspects fled the store and left the area in an unknown vehicle.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic Male with light complexion, wearing a dark colored short sleeve shirt with a red long sleeve shirt underneath and blue jeans. Last seen wearing a straw hat and white bandana.

There were no reported injuries reference to this case.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at 928-373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.
News

Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will kick off his third Back to Our Roots RV tour next TUESDAY, April 3rd to hear ideas and concerns from local farmers, agriculture students and researchers, business owners, community leaders, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees. Secretary Perdue will also be joined by Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the Small Business Administration (SBA), for part of the tour. The tour spans from Tuesday to Friday and includes stops in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky.

As always, our Back to our Roots RV tour is an opportunity to get out of Washington, D.C. to hear directly from the American people in the agriculture community, Secretary Perdue said. While Congress continues its work on the Farm Bill, rural prosperity, and many other agriculture priorities, USDA stands ready to assist in any way possible and to be a voice for Americas farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters.

TUESDAY, April 3rd

MICHIGAN

Secretary Perdue Visits Michigan State University

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will have breakfast with students and faculty at Michigan State Universitys College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, then be guided on a tour of the colleges agriculture research lab. After the tour, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: TUESDAY, April 3rd at 8:35 a.m. EST

WHERE: Michigan State University, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 446 West Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI 48824

Secretary Perdue Visits Clemens Pork Processing Plant

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will take part in a working lunch at Clemens Pork Processing Plant, during which he will hold a discussion with Clemens staff and leaders in the local agriculture community. After the luncheon, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: TUESDAY, April 3rd at 12:30 p.m. EST

WHERE: Clemens Pork Processing Plant, 285 North Michigan Avenue, Coldwater, MI 49036

Secretary Perdue Visits Mastronardi Produce

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will be guided on a tour of Mastronardi Produce. After the tour, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: TUESDAY, April 3rd at 2:00 p.m. EST

WHERE: Mastronardi Produce, 270 North Fillmore Road, Coldwater, MI 49036

WEDNESDAY, April 4th

OHIO

Secretary Perdue and Administrator McMahon Visits Amherst Greenhouse

WHAT: Secretary Perdue and Administrator McMahon will tour Amherst Greenhouse. After the tour, the Secretary and Administrator will hold a media availability.

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, April 4th at 10:00 a.m. EST

WHERE: Amherst Greenhouse, 644 County Road 126, Harrod, OH 45817

Secretary Perdue and Administrator McMahon Host Townhall with Lima Chamber of Commerce and Ohio Farm Bureau

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will take part in a working lunch and conversation with Administrator McMahon, the Lima Chamber of Commerce, and Ohio Farm Bureau. After the townhall discussion, the Secretary and the Administrator will hold a media availability.

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, April 4th at 11:30 a.m. EST

WHERE: The City Club, 144 South Main Street, 3rd Floor, Lima, OH 45801

Secretary Perdue and Administrator McMahon Visit Celina Tent

WHAT: Secretary Perdue and Administrator McMahon will tour Celina Tent to see their manufacturing facilities and the tents made for disaster relief. After the tour, the Secretary and the Administrator will hold a media availability.

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, April 4th at 1:45 p.m. EST

WHERE: Celina Tent, 5373 OH-29, Celina, OH 45822

Secretary Perdue Visits Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for OneUSDA Family Day

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will meet with USDA employees and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium administration and staff during the zoos OneUSDA Family Day. After his visit, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, April 4th at 5:15 p.m. EST

WHERE: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 West Powell Road, Powell, OH 43065

THURSDAY, April 5th

Secretary Perdue Visits Miami Township Fire-Rescue

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will tour the Miami Township Fire-Rescue facility and meet with township officials and first responders. USDAs Office of Rural Development is assisting the construction of this 17,000-square foot building to house the Miami Township Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department. After the tour and conversation, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: THURSDAY, April 5th at 8:00 a.m. EST

WHERE: Miami Township Fire-Rescue, 225 Corry Street, Yellow Spring, OH 45387

Secretary Perdue Visits Central State University

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will take a guided tour of Central State Universitys (CSU) College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture and participate in a roundtable discussion with CSU agriculture students. After the roundtable, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: THURSDAY, April 5th at 9:00 a.m. EST

WHERE: Central State University, 1400 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce, OH 45384

KENTUCKY

Secretary Perdue Participates in Listening Session with Kentucky Farm Bureau

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will participate in a listening session with members of the Kentucky Farm Bureau, to hear their concerns and priorities for the upcoming Farm Bill. After the listening session, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

When: THURSDAY, April 5th at 12:45 p.m. EST

WHERE: Mays Lick Mill, 6538 U.S. Highway 68, Mays Lick, KY 41055

Secretary Perdue Tours Harold White Lumber Company

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will tour Harold White Lumber Company in Morehead, KY. After the tour, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: THURSDAY, April 5th at 3:15 p.m. EST

WHERE: Harold White Lumber Company, 2920 Flemingsburg Road, Morehead, KY 40351

FRIDAY, April 6th

Secretary Perdue Visits Sorghum Farm and Mill

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will visit Sorghum Farm and Mill and meet with owner Danny Townsend to discuss opportunities and challenges for veterans in agriculture. After, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: FRIDAY, April 6th at 8:30 a.m. EST

WHERE: Sorghum Farm and Mill, 11620 Main Street, Jeffersonville, KY 40337

Secretary Perdue Tours Montgomery County High School

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will tour Montgomery County High Schools Agriculture Department with Mr. Jeffery Arnett, the High Schools Agriculture Director. After the tour, the Secretary will participate in a roundtable discussion with local agriculture leaders. Following the roundtable, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: FRIDAY, April 6th at 9:30 a.m. EST

WHERE: Montgomery County High School, 724 Woodford Drive, Mount Sterling, KY 40353

Secretary Perdue Tours Keeneland Race Track

WHAT: Secretary Perdue will tour Keeneland Race Track and have lunch with Keeneland staff. After the lunch, the Secretary will hold a media availability.

WHEN: FRIDAY, April 6th at 12:00 p.m. EST

WHERE: Keeneland Race Track, 4201 Versailles Road, Lexington, KY 40510
Arizona News

Phoenix, Arizona - Wrong-way drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol will now face felony charges, under a law signed by Governor Doug Ducey today.

The bill, which Governor Ducey called for in his January State of the State address, is part of an aggressive effort by Arizona to curb wrong-way driving. HB 2243 would automatically charge an impaired wrong-way driver on the highway with a felony.

In addition, the proposed FY 2019 budget provides funding to add resources for an enhanced Wrong-Way Driver Night Watch to improve response times to wrong-way and impaired drivers.

We wake up too frequently these days to the report of another death on our highways. A wrong-way driver  and in many cases, it comes back to drugs or alcohol, Governor Ducey said in his January address. Youd think it was obvious by now, but to anyone out there who hasnt gotten the memo: Booze, drugs and driving dont mix. Your actions are beyond foolish  they are lethal. And we will not tolerate it.



Curbing wrong-way driving and improving public safety are a major focus for Governor Ducey. Two out of three wrong-way crashes are caused by impaired drivers and often these drivers have blood-alcohol levels more than twice the legal limit.

In June 2017, Governor Ducey called on the Department of Public Safety, the Arizona Department of Transportation and his Office of Highway Safety to immediately take action to prevent wrong-way driving. This resulted in the installation of a thermal camera system on Interstate 17 between I-10 and Loop 101 that detects wrong-way vehicles entering the highway. The innovative Arizona pilot project was the first in country. Already this year, the system has detected 12 wrong-way drivers. None of these incidents resulted in a vehicle reaching the mainline freeway or causing a crash.



Background:

Provisions of the legislation include-



1. Establishes a civil traffic offense for driving the wrong way on a controlled access highway. A person found responsible:

a. Is subject to a $500 civil penalty, and

b. Must attend and successfully complete Traffic Safety School.



2. Creates a new aggravated DUI offense for a person who commits a regular, extreme or aggravated DUI violation while driving the wrong way on a highway.

a. A violation is a Class 4 felony.
Border News

Lukeville, Arizona - Ajo Station Border Patrol agents arrested a previously deported MS-13 gang member Thursday, March 22, near Lukeville.

Agents patrolling south of Lukeville encountered and arrested three Honduran nationals illegally present in the United States. During processing, agents identified one of the individuals as 30-year-old Marlon Canales-Almendares, a confirmed MS-13 gang member with a criminal history in Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Canales will remain in federal custody pending prosecution for criminal immigration violations. The other two Honduran nationals were processed for immigration violations.

All persons apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal immigrants with criminal histories are positively identified.

CBP welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous.
Border News

Sasabe, Arizona - An illegal alien assaulted a Tucson Station Border Patrol agent in an attempt to evade arrest Thursday evening east of Sasabe.

Agents tracked a group of suspected illegal aliens and were able to detain one suspect before the remaining three fled. While one agent attempted to secure the suspect, 25-year-old Honduran national, fellow agents continued pursuing the rest of the group.

The suspect became combative while the agent attempted to secure him, striking the agents head against a rock. Hearing the scuffle, nearby agents responded to the scene and assisted in restraining the Honduran national, who continued to resist arrest.

The injured agent, a former paramedic, evaluated the suspect and rendered medical assistance before allowing his own profusely bleeding wounds to be examined. The arrested man was taken to a local hospital for precautionary treatment. An Air and Marine Operations helicopter transported the assaulted agent to an awaiting emergency medical technician for treatment before taking him to a local hospital for further evaluation and emergency care.

One other Honduran national was also apprehended, and both are being processed for immigration violations. The assaultive subject will be prosecuted for assault on a federal officer.

Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous.
TORONTO, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alamos Gold Inc. (TSX:AGI) (NYSE:AGI) (Alamos or the Company) plans to release its first quarter 2018 financial results after market close on Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Senior management will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 11:00 am ET to discuss the results. The Company will hold its 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the Annual Meeting) on Monday, May 7, 2018.



The Company has also filed its 2017 annual report on Form 40-F, including its audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017, with the SEC on EDGAR as well as the Canadian securities authorities on SEDAR. These documents are also available at www.alamosgold.com and a hard copy will be provided to shareholders free-of-charge upon request.

Notice of First Quarter 2018 Results and Conference Call

The Company's senior management will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 11:00 am ET to discuss the first quarter 2018 results.

Participants may join the conference call by dialling (416) 340-2216 or 1-800-273-9672 for calls within Canada and the United States, or via webcast at www.alamosgold.com.

A playback will be available until May 30, 2018 by dialling (905) 694-9451 or (800) 408-3053 within Canada and the United States. The pass code is 4178075#. The webcast will be archived at www.alamosgold.com.

Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

The Company will hold its Annual Meeting on Monday, May 7, 2018 beginning at 4:00 pm ET at the TMX Gallery, 130 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario. Senior management will provide a general corporate update followed by an informal question-and-answer session. The record date for determining the holders of the Companys common shares who are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting is March 23, 2018.

About Alamos

Alamos is a Canadian-based intermediate gold producer with diversified production from four operating mines in North America. This includes the Young-Davidson and Island Gold mines in northern Ontario, Canada and the Mulatos and El Chanate mines in Sonora State, Mexico. Additionally, the Company has a significant portfolio of development stage projects in Canada, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States. Alamos employs more than 1,700 people and is committed to the highest standards of sustainable development. The Companys shares are traded on the TSX and NYSE under the symbol AGI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Scott K. Parsons Vice President, Investor Relations (416) 368-9932 x 5439

The TSX and NYSE have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Latest News

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement (OPPE) Monday announced up to $8.4 million in available funding for training and technical assistance for socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers. Funding is made through the USDAs Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the 2501 Program).

The USDA is committed to reaching all farmers and ranchers, said OPPE Director Diane Cullo. Through the 2501 program, the USDA is building lasting relationships among these farmers and ranchers, the local organizations that serve them, and the USDAs local, state, regional, and national offices.

The 2501 Program was originally authorized by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990. 2501 grants seek to enhance the equitable participation of socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in USDA resources and programs, such as Farm Service Agency loans or grants through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). Projects may focus on conferences, training sessions, educational materials, or new programs to help these farmers and ranchers thrive and succeed.

Eligible applicants include community-based organizations, networks, or coalitions of community-based organizations; 1890 or 1994 institutions of higher education; American Indian tribal community colleges or Alaska Native cooperative colleges; Hispanic-serving institutions of higher education; other higher education institutions; Indian Tribes or national tribal organizations. Eligible entities must have experience in providing agricultural education or other agricultural-related services for socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.

The deadline for applications is May 15, 2018. See the request for applications for full details.

Examples of FY 2017 funded 2501 projects include a grant to the National Hmong American Farmers, Inc., to provide technical and direct assistance to Hmong farmers in central California who face barriers to successful farming due to poverty and cultural and linguistic isolation. A Florida State University project reached veterans with workshops, online agricultural courses, and 15 farm apprenticeships and managerial apprenticeships at private farms.
Living Section

Somerton, Arizona - Beginning Tuesday, April 10th, the Somerton Library will celebrate Week of the Young Child, an annual observance hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) to honor early learning, young children, their teachers, and families. There is no charge to attend any event.

Tuesday, April 10th @ 4:00 p.m.

Board Games

Enjoy playing board games with friends and family!



Wednesday, April 11th @ 1:30 p.m.

Tissue Paper Flowers

Welcome Spring with a beautiful flower made of tissue paper.



Thursday, April 12th @ 3:00 p.m.

Simple Steps to Success!

Five fun activity stations will be set up around the librarys Simple Steps to Success program- Read, Write, Sing, Play, and Talk. Check out a book and get a treat!



Friday, April 13th @ 10:30 a.m.

Bilingual Storytime

Children ages 3-5 are invited to enjoy books, rhymes, and songs in English and Spanish! Children will also participate in enrichment activities and/or crafts that will help build language and literacy skills.



The Somerton Library is located at 240 Canal Street in Somerton, AZ. For more information, call (928) 627-2149.
Islamabad: A teary-eyed Nobel peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai on Thursday said that she always dreamt about returning home every day for the last five years since she was airlifted to Britain after being shot in the head by the Taliban militants in 2012.

"I have dreamed of returning to Pakistan for the past five years," 20-year-old Malala said with tears in her eyes.

"Whether I was in a plane or driving in a car in streets of London, I dreamed of being in Islamabad and Karachi but it was not true. But finally, I am here and very happy," she said.

In her first trip to Pakistan after being attacked by the Taliban, the famed human rights activist met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at his office along with some other officials.

The ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), confirmed her meeting with PM Abbasi through a tweet.

Speaking to the media, Malala said she had a great desire to live peacefully and move freely in Pakistan.

Malala said that she was working on the education of children and wants empowerment of women in Pakistan.

"Today, I am very happy that, after five-and-a-half years, I have set foot on the soil of my nation again," she said in Urdu.

She also talked about how her life changed in all these years after being completely devastated by the Taliban-led extremism in the SWAT valley where she grew up.

"I am now 20 years old, but I have seen a lot over the course of my life. From growing up in Swat - it was such a beautiful place - to then seeing terrorism and extremism from 2007 till 2009. And then seeing how many difficulties women and girls face in our society, and how we can fight against those challenges," she said.

"And then being attacked, leaving my country...Everything was happening itself, I could not control anything. If it was my call, I would never have left my country. The doctors performed surgery on me and saved my life. But then for further treatment, I had to go out and continue my education there. But it was always my dream that I return to Pakistan," she added.

Malala left Pakistan after she was shot in the head by the Taliban militants in 2012 for campaigning for female education in Swat Valley. The young activist not only survived the bullet wound in her head but won the Noble Peace prize in 2014.

Prime Minister Abbasi in a warm welcome address said he was happy that a daughter of the nation has come to her motherland. "It is your home. Now you are not an ordinary citizen, your security is our responsibility," he said.

He said the entire world gave honour and respect to Malala and Pakistan would also give her the kind of respect she deserves.

Abbasi told the Nobel laureate that Pakistan defeated militants after a difficult war since her departure. He said Pakistan has become safe as terrorism has been uprooted.

Malala was dressed in Pakistani shalwar kameez and dupatta and accompanied by her mother and father.

"Pakistan welcomes 'Gul Makai' to her home. We are proud of you. #malalacomeshome," Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal tweeted earlier today.

Pakistan welcomes Gul Makaito her home. We are proud of you. #malalacomeshome  Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) March 29, 2018

Due to security reasons, her four day-visit and her entire itinerary is being kept secret.

CEO of Malala Fund is also with her and she is expected to participate in the 'Meet the Malala' programme in Pakistan.

It is not known if she will travel to her native Swat where she lived and was attacked while returning from a school in October 2012 when she was 14 years old.

Severely wounded, Malala was taken by helicopter from one military hospital in Pakistan to another, where doctors placed her in a medically induced coma so an air ambulance could fly her to Britain for treatment.

After she was attacked, the Taliban released a statement saying that they would target her again if she survived.

At age 17, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her education advocacy. She shared the prize with India's social activist Kailash Satyarthi.

Unable to return to Pakistan after her recovery, Malala moved to Britain, setting up the Malala Fund and supporting local education advocacy groups with a focus on Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan, Syria and Kenya.

She is currently studying at Oxford University.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, appointed her as UN Messenger of Peace to promote girls education in April last year.

(With Agency inputs)
NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the state of law and order in Bihar. "Nitish Kumar is now finished. There are riots and incidents of violence all over Bihar. BJP has set the whole state ablaze," Lalu said.

The RJD chief, who is serving jail term since December 23 in fodder scam cases, was on Thursday brought to Delhi for treatment. He has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was earlier admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) on March 17 on complaints of uneasiness at Birsa Munda Jail.

He was taken to Delhi by train after a Special CBI court allowed him to seek treatment at Delhi AIIMS. Senior advocate Chittaranjan Sinha, who has been handling the fodder scam cases for Prasad, said the 69-year-old RJD chief is suffering from diabetes, high creatinine levels and blood pressure. "His condition was not suitable for flying and the doctors at RIMS advised him to travel by train," Sinha said.

A medical board at the RIMS where Prasad was being treated decided to refer him to the AIIMS for better treatment, hospital Director R K Srivastav said.

The former chief minister had been convicted in four fodder scam cases since 2013. In his latest conviction, Lalu was on Saturday sentenced to seven years in prison each in connection with two cases in the fourth fodder scam case. He will be serving a 14-year-jail term and will have to pay Rs 60 lakh in fine for the case.

Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav had earlier alleged that there is a threat to his father's life and claimed that a conspiracy is being hatched by the BJP. "I am sure there is a threat to LaluJi's life, looking at the conspiracy being planned by BJP," he said.

The Jharkhand High Court is to hear on April 6 Lalu's bail plea in the connection with his conviction in the third fodder scam pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from Chaibasa Treasury.
Mumbai: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan today said he is enjoying working on his upcoming film "Zero" as the process is making him feel as if he is "growing up very fast into a child".

The 52-year-old actor took to Twitter to thank the film's director Aanand L Rai and the team for the experience.

"I am loving and living making 'Zero' the film. Thanks @aanandlrai and the whole team for this. Only way to describe it is 'I am growing up very fast into a child... Very fast'," Shah Rukh tweeted.

I am loving & living making Zero the Film. Thx @aanandlrai & the whole team for this. Only way to describe it is  I am growing up very fast into a child...very fast  Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 29, 2018

The actor plays a vertically challenged man in the movie, which is slated to be released on December 20.

Shah Rukh reunites with his "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" co-stars, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif in the film.
New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has asked Reserve Bank of India to look into the problems being faced by industry and banks by the abrupt ban on LoUs, and provide some breathing space to them, sources told Press Trust of India.

Reserve Bank of India this month banned the issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Letters of Comfort (LoC), used extensively for trade finance, following the unearthing of Nirav Modi fraud case.

Nirav Modi and associates in connivance with some officials of Punjab National Bank (PNB) used LoUs to defrauded the lender of over Rs 13,000 crore.

The sources said the ministry has received representations from various corporates and banks against the abrupt banning of LoUs asking the RBI to provide some breathing space to them.

They feel that the sudden banning of LoUs has caused some disruption, the sources said, adding that the ministry has forwarded those representations to the central bank to take a final call.

According to the representations, the sudden discontinuation of LoUs has hit small and medium enterprises, they said. So, on their behalf, the ministry has requested RBI to look this issue favourably, the sources added.

The cost for trade finance has also gone up because of the shift to letters of credit, as per the representations. These instruments involve a commission fee along with a so-called acceptance charge which is not the case with LoUs as they only involve a guarantee fee.

Earlier this month, RBI barred banks from issuing guarantees in the form of letters of undertaking (LoU) as it clamped down on the import financing route used by fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi for allegedly committing India's biggest bank fraud.

RBI also banned with immediate effect issuance of LoCs which, like LoUs, are used by importers to fund their overseas purchases. However, letters of credit and bank guarantees will continue upon meeting certain conditions.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Noted social crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday ended his hunger strike - six days after he began his agitation at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi demanding a competent Lokpal and adequate measures to address the agrarian crisis in the country.

Anna Hazare ended his agitation after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Delhi: Anna Hazare ends hunger strike after talks with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat pic.twitter.com/S1gtclNuoc  ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2018

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat too met Anna Hazare at the protest site in Delhi today. Singh and Fadnavis visited Anna in view of reports about his fast deteriorating health.

Annas doctor had said on Wednesday that his blood pressure was high and sugar levels low, which made him feel exhausted. Anna had also lost some weight due to the hunger strike.

Though Anna ended his fast, he gave a six-month deadline to the Centre to fulfill all his demands, failing which, he said, a fresh agitation would be launched across the country.

The noted anti-corruption crusader had begun an indefinite hunger strike at Ramlila Ground demanding a competent Lokpal and better production cost for farm produce.

After beginning the fast, Anna Hazare had said that he would not let any political party join him.

Anna had said that whoever will join the movement with him, has to sign an affidavit stating that theyll neither join any political party or a group and that he will never contest elections.

Whoever joins the movement, signs affidavit which states, that theyll neither join any political party or group nor will contest elections, ensure service to country, society and maintain good character. Ill not let any political party or group come on this stage, Hazare said.

Hazare has been pressing for the setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states to probe corruption cases, bring in new electoral reforms and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee report to address the agrarian crisis in the country.

According to informed sources, the government is ready to accept almost all of the demands but it has reservations about the implementation of the demands in a time-bound manner.
HYDERABAD: In more trouble for Indigo, a flight of the low-cost carrier from Tirupati to Hyderabad suffered a tyre burst while landing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on Wednesday night. There were 72 passengers, one infant and four crew members in the flight when the incident took place. All on board are safe.

"The 72 passengers plus 1 infant and 4 crew are safe. All passengers of flight 6E 7117 have disembarked and taken with luggage to arrival hall," IndiGo said in a statement. It also said that the ATR 72 was being taken to the parking bay.

Due to the tyre burst, there were sparks which the personnel at the airport noticed. The firefighting team was rushed to the aircraft to prevent any disaster.

The incident took place at around 10.30 pm when the aircraft was landing. It led to panic among passengers.

YSR Congress Party legislator Roja was reportedly among the 72 passengers on board when the mishap occurred. The former actress sent few visuals from the aircraft to some television channels. In the video clippings, some passengers were seen having heated argument with the crew over the delay in opening the doors.

The pilot was heard advising passengers to be calm and remain seated while assuring them that there was nothing serious.

Earlier this week, IndiGo grounded its A320 Neo aircraft fitted with Pratt&Whitney engine due to "oil chip issue" taking the total number of grounded NEOs to seven. On March 19, an A320 (neo) aircraft of the IndiGo which was supposed to leave for Mumbai from Cochin and another A320 (neo) aircraft was grounded immediately after departure at Mumbai airport.
NEW DELHI: In an attempt to attack Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, Congress had last week faced a major embarrassment on social media. It had tweeted a survey with an aim to hold Swaraj responsible for the death of 39 Indians in Iraq. However, the move had backfired when the Minister herself retweeted the poll and the results were hugely tilted in her favour.

Learning from its mistakes, the Congress posted another survey on Swaraj on Thursday and asked her to retweet it now. The question for the new survey is: "Which of these two is Sushma Swaraj's biggest failure? #IndiaSpeaks". The two options available for users are - '39 Indians killed in Iraq', 'Unresolved Doklam dispute'.

Since many people didn't quite get the previous poll, this one should make things explicitly clear. Dear @SushmaSwaraj M'am, feel free to retweet. https://t.co/vCNuCfyO4Q  Congress (@INCIndia) March 29, 2018

Posting the question, the Congress said: "Since many people didn't quite get the previous poll, this one should make things explicitly clear. Dear @SushmaSwaraj M'am, feel free to retweet."

The question that Congress had asked on March 25 was: "Do you think the death of 39 Indians in Iraq is Sushma Swaraj's biggest failure as foreign minister?" While 25 per cent had voted 'Yes', a massive 76 per cent had voted 'No'.

Congress had faced a backlash with several people accusing the party of playing politics using the name of the dead. As many as 40 Indians were abducted by ISIS in June 2015 from Mosul in Iraq but one of them escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh, Swaraj had said in Rajya Sabha. The remaining 39 Indians were taken to Badoosh and killed. The party had even moved a moved a privilege motion against her stating that she had misled Parliament.

The Congress has been attacking the government over the handling of the issue of death of Indians in Iraq as well as over tensions with China in Doklam.
In an unprecedented move, Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to change the name of the father of the Indian Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, in all official correspondence. According to reports, Ambedkar will now be referred to as Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar.

Acting on the recommendations of Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, the government has decided to introduce Ramji as the middle name of Ambedkar. Henceforth, all official correspondence of the Uttar Pradesh government will refer to Ambedkar with the new name.

Targeting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the issue, the Samajwadi Party accused the state government of politicising the Dalit icon. SP leader Deepak Mishra said that the move by the BJP government is aimed at changing the perception of the party being anti-Ambedkar.

He said that the BJP does not respect Ambedkar or his ideology but was indulging in such acts to target specific votebank.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), however, rubbished the allegations. RSS thinker Rakesh Sinha claimed that the UP government has merely decided to use the real name of the father of the Indian Constitution, saying there was no politics involved in the move.

Meanwhile, reports said that the UP government had passed an order to all departments in this regard, and had even asked the Allahabad High Court and its Lucknow bench to make the change in all documents and records.

The move was reportedly started by Governor Ram Naik in December 2017. He had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath in this regard, reported The Times of India.

Ramji was the name of Dr Ambedkars father.
GARLAND, Texas, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two eighth-grade students from Garland Classical Academy, a ResponsiveEd school, earn junior internship positions after a visit from State Representative Victoria Neave.

Kelsey Chamberlain and Julian Brown Griffin will be assisting the staff at Texas House District 107 a few nights a week after impressing Neave with poems they recited during her visit to the school on Monday, March 26.

Neave talked to the nearly 300 elementary and middle school students about being raised in a working-class family, earning her law degree, running a political campaign and working for the state government. They performed mock trials and simulated court cases performing as attorneys, judge and jury.

She truly inspired our students, many of which come from working-class families and need role models to remind them that anything is possible, says Garland Classical Academy campus Director Tiffany Linwood. Im excited for Julian and Kelseys passion to continue learning about local government and thankful to Representative Neave for giving them this opportunity within her office.

Victoria Neave represents Texas House District 107, which includes parts of Dallas, Mesquite, and Garland. She serves on the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence and the House Committee on County Affairs.

ResponsiveEd is a non-profit corporation that operates more than 75 tuition-free public schools throughout Texas and Arkansas, including Premier High Schools, ResponsiveEd Classical Academies, Founders Classical Academies, Quest Academies, iSchool High, and iSchool Virtual Academy. ResponsiveEds mission is to provide hope to students through innovative, character-based, personalized learning environments. To learn more, visit www.ResponsiveEd.com.

Stay Connected:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/responsiveed

Twitter: www.twitter.com/responsiveed

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/responsiveed

Instagram: www.instagram.com/responsiveeducation



Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d15e5f3c-c31f-4b2f-9f30-5b9ff603f9f5

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9de0cb3-dd67-40bc-b35b-2ed2b3930cd7

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New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for destroying various institutions across the country. The Gandhi scion made these remarks in connection with the CBSE exam papers leak case.

Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and said, "The exam leaks destroy the hopes and futures of millions of students. The Congress always protected our institutions. This is what happens when institutions are destroyed by the RSS/BJP. Believe me, when I say, this is only the beginning."

The exam leaks destroy the hopes and futures of millions of students. The Congress always protected our institutions. This is what happens when institutions are destroyed by the RSS/BJP. Believe me when I say, this is only the beginning.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 29, 2018

In a previous tweet, the Congress chief had attacked the Centre over the CBSE examination papers leak fiasco. Leading the Congress charge, Rahul Gandhi targeted PM Narendra Modi, saying chowkidar weak hai (guard is weak).

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Gandhi scion referred to other leak instances in the recent past  Data leak, Aadhaar data leak, SSC exam paper leak and Election Date leak. He added that theres leakage in everything, with hashtag #BasEkAurSaal.

 ?   !

  !

SSC Exam  !

Election Date  !

CBSE   !     

  #BasEkAurSaal  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 29, 2018

Earlier, his party demanded the removal of Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Chairperson in connection with the CBSE papers leak case.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Without removing Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal from their current positions, a fair and impartial investigation into this paper leak issue is impossible."

The Congress spokesperson also alleged that not only two papers but some more papers have also been leaked.

"Post-VYAPAM and SSC, now three papers of CBSE have been leaked. As per students, some more papers have also been leaked. There was an error in evaluation of Class 12 exams in 2017," Surjewala said.

Surjewala also questioned why was the post of CBSE chairman left vacant for 2 years?

Besides Congress, the AAP too attacked the Centre over the issue of CBSE exam papers leak recently.

The reactions from Congress and AAP came days after economics question paper of class XII and Maths question paper of class X were leaked on social media hours before the examination.

The Economics exam was held on March 26 and Maths on March 28.

However, earlier in the day, HRD Minister Javadekar said assured the agitating students and their parents that strictest action would be taken against those responsible for the question papers leak.

The minister also informed that new exam dates will be announced soon. He said that biggest challenge for the ministry is to eliminate all crimes in the field of education.

He also added that just like the culprits behind the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam leak were caught, the ones responsible for leaking CBSE papers will also be held and strict action will be taken against them. "An internal probe has already been ordered and the investigation is underway. Two FIRs have already been registered. The guilty will be punished," he added.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch had on Wednesday set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged leak of the CBSE examination papers.

A tutor who was named in its complaint by the CBSE was also questioned in connection with the leak of papers. Over 25 people have been questioned by the police so far in this connection and at least two cases have been registered.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Congress party on Wednesday demanded the removal of Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Chairperson in connection with the CBSE papers leak case.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Without removing Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal from their current positions, a fair and impartial investigation into this paper leak issue is impossible."

The Congress spokesperson also alleged that not only two papers but some more papers have also been leaked.

"Post-VYAPAM and SSC, now three papers of CBSE have been leaked. As per students, some more papers have also been leaked. There was an error in evaluation of Class 12 exams in 2017," Surjewala said.

Surjewala also questioned why was the post of CBSE chairman left vacant for 2 years?

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi too attacked the Centre over the CBSE examination papers leak fiasco. Leading the Congress charge, Rahul Gandhi targeted PM Narendra Modi, saying chowkidar weak hai (guard is weak).

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Gandhi scion referred to other leak instances in the recent past  Data leak, Aadhaar data leak, SSC exam paper leak and Election Date leak. He added that theres leakage in everything, with hashtag #BasEkAurSaal.

 ?   !

  !

SSC Exam  !

Election Date  !

CBSE   !     

  #BasEkAurSaal  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 29, 2018

Besides Congress, the AAP too attacked the Centre over the issue of CBSE exam papers leak recently.

The reactions from Congress and AAP came days after economics question paper of class XII and Maths question paper of class X were leaked on social media hours before the examination.

The Economics exam was held on March 26 and Maths on March 28.

However, earlier in the day, HRD Minister Javadekar said assured the agitating students and their parents that strictest action would be taken against those responsible for the question papers leak.

The minister also informed that new exam dates will be announced soon. He said that biggest challenge for the ministry is to eliminate all crimes in the field of education.

He also added that just like the culprits behind the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam leak were caught, the ones responsible for leaking CBSE papers will also be held and strict action will be taken against them. "An internal probe has already been ordered and the investigation is underway. Two FIRs have already been registered. The guilty will be punished," he added.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch had on Wednesday set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged leak of the CBSE examination papers.

A tutor who was named in its complaint by the CBSE was also questioned in connection with the leak of papers. Over 25 people have been questioned by the police so far in this connection and at least two cases have been registered.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Wednesday indicated he may contest the next Lok Sabha election on a different party ticket, saying leaders like him were "unfairly treated" from the day the Modi government was formed. But the Bollywood-actor-turned politician also made it clear that he would not shift from the Patna Sahib constituency seat in Bihar from where he has been elected to the Lok Sabha.

"I have offers from other parties. Whether I serve through my party or some other parties or even contest independently, it hardly matters. There were rumours in the last elections too that I will not get ticket from the BJP. But I got the ticket. (In 2014) My name was announced at the last moment from the same seat. Now, I am again hearing these rumours," Sinha said.

The former minister said he won from his seat with a record margin. "I broke previous records and got the highest vote share in the country. Why will I not be given ticket?"

Asked if he was being "ill-treated" in the BJP, Sinha replied in the affirmative. "As they are my own people, I can`t speak about their behaviour to outsiders in detail... My party knows it hurt me. Not just now but from day one when this government came to power."

Asked why he was not quitting the party, Sinha said: "Why doesn`t the party quit me? I did not join the party to leave it. Several people were unfairly treated in the party. Look at our friend, philosopher and ultimate guru Lal Krishna Advani. From two seats to almost 200 seats, the party grew mainly under his leadership. Where is he today? He could have been anything. He has been like a guardian of the party."
The government has issued a notice to social media giant Facebook over alleged data breach involving British company Cambridge Analytica. The Ministry of Electronics and IT sent the notice to on Wednesday, seeking the websites response on the alleged data breach scandal. Facebook has been asked to respond by April 7.

In its notice, the government has asked whether the personal data of Indian voters and users were compromised by Cambridge Analytica or any other downstream entity in any manner. They have also sought details of how the data was compromised.

Facebook has also been asked to clarify if the social media giant itself or its related/downstream agencies utilising the data have previously been engaged by any entities to manipulate the Indian electoral process.

If any such downstream entity misused data from Facebook, what is the protection available to the data subject? asks the notice. It further asks, What are the specific steps proposed to be taken by Facebook to prevent any misuse of personal data for potential interference in, or manipulation of the Indian electoral process?

Pointing that Facebook currently has its largest footprint in India in terms of its user base, the government has further asked as to what proactive measures are being taken to ensure the safety, security and privacy of such large user data and to prevent its misuse by any third party.

This came even as Facebook said on Wednesday that it would overhaul its privacy settings tools to put users "more in control" of their information. The updates include improved access to Facebook's user settings and tools to easily search for, download and delete personal data stored by them.

A new privacy shortcuts menu will allow users to quickly increase account security, manage who can see their information and activity on the site and control advertisements they see. "We've heard loud and clear that privacy settings and other important tools are too hard to find and that we must do more to keep people informed," chief privacy officer Erin Egan and deputy general counsel Ashlie Beringer said in a post.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik has clarified the move to add Ramji as the middle name of the father of the Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar. Speaking to news agency ANI, Naik said that Ambedkar was a Marathi and Hindi speaking states have always written his name incorrectly.

I am a Marathi and so was he. Hindi speaking states have been writing his name incorrectly. Most importantly his name is written as Bhim and Rao as two words, however, the correct way to write is Bhimrao, said the Uttar Pradesh Governor.

Acting on the recommendation of Naik, Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh decided to change Ambedkars official name to Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar in all government correspondence/documents. A government order to this effect was issued on Wednesday night by Principal Secretary (Admin) Jitendra Kumar, an official spokesman said in Lucknow on Thursday.

The move faced opposition from opposition parties like Samajwadi Party as well as BJP MP Udit Raj, who said that it would create unnecessary controversy. Speaking to ANI, the Dalit leader said, I don't find any reason to change his name, it's an individual's freedom to decide how he wants to be known. Why create a controversy unnecessarily?

Reacting to the development, the Samajwadi Party accused the state government of politicising the Dalit icon. SP leader Deepak Mishra said that the move by the BJP government is aimed at changing the perception of the party being anti-Ambedkar. Another SP leader Anurag Bhadoria said, The BJP government is playing politics with the name of the Dalit icon.

UP cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya, however, said there was no politics in the decision and no ulterior motive should be seen in it.

The campaign to write Ambedkar's name in the correct way was initiated by Governor Ram Naik in December 2017, citing the manner in which Ambedkar signed on the pages of the Constitution. The Governor had written to the prime minister, the chief minister and also the Babasahib Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Mahasabha, expressing concerns over the prevalent "incorrect spelling" of Ambedkar.

The spelling of Ambedkar in English will remain unchanged, but the Hindi it will be spelt as 'Aambedkar'.

'Ramji' was the name of the father of B R Ambedkar and as per practice in Maharashtra, father's name is used as the middle name by his son.
NEW DELHI: BJP leader Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his party chief Rahul Gandhi, over allegations that Sibal may have purchased property in Delhi worth crores of rupees for throwaway prices from a known money launderer.

The allegations pertain to a report in partisan news website OpIndia, which pointed to investigative reports being prepared by a South African NGO into allegations of crony capitalism and a nexus between former South African President Jacob and Indian-origin businessmen, the Gupta Brothers.

The report had said Sibal and his wife purchased a company called Grande Castello, which owned property in Delhi worth about Rs 89 crore. The allegation of foul play is that the Sibals may have paid only Rs 1 lakh, which is the paid up capital of the company. The report also pointed to the involvement of a businessman named Piyoosh Goyal, who was being investigated by the CBI for money laundering.

Irani launched a broadside at the Congress over these allegations, focusing more on the ethics of it than the actual nuts and bolts of the allegations. "While people might say Mr Sibal has the right to buy and engage with a so-called, alleged money launderer, the question I would like to pose is, is this politically acceptable to Shri Rahul Gandhi?" she said.

"Is it so natural for the Congress leadership today to embrace money launderers? Is it so natural for the Congress leadership to shake hands with those that they had investigated for bribery? If that is the context in which the Congress views its partnerships and business relationships, then need I say more? They have upped the ante themselves by accepting that, 'Yes, we don't mind embracing money launderers'."

Sibal, however, refuted the allegations made by Smriti Irani and said this was an attempt to divert attention from issues of national importance such as the CBSE paper leak.

The political slugfest comes at a time when the Congress chief is locked in heated verbal battles with the Narendra Modi government in multiple issues.
(Reporting by Sumit Kumar, Zee Hindustan)

NEW DELHI: Expressing concerns over the alleged executive interference in the judiciary, senior-most Supreme Court judge Justice J Chelameswar has told the Chief Justice of India (CJI) that any "bonhomie" between the judiciary and the government would sound the "death knell" for democracy.

In an unprecedented letter to CJI Dipak Misra, Justice Chelameswar also urged him to convene a full court to deal with the issue of alleged executive interference in the judiciary, said reports on Thursday. .

Probe Against Judge Krishna Bhat

Through his letter, the copies of which were also sent to 22 other apex court judges on March 21, Justice Chelameswar has questioned the probe initiated by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari against District and Sessions Judge Krishna Bhat at the request of the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, despite his name being recommended for elevation twice by the Collegium.

While there was no response to the letter from the office of CJI Dipak Misra, several legal luminaries too chose not to comment on the matter.

Attack on Karnataka Chief Justice

Justice Chelameswar, who had held the unprecedented January 12 press conference along with three other senior judges raising issues including the allocation of cases by the CJI, expressed concern over the executive directly asking the Karnataka Chief Justice to conduct a probe against Bhat, saying this was done even after his name was recommended twice for judgeship by the apex court collegium.

In 2016, then Chief Justice of India TS Thakur had asked the then High Court chief justice SK Mukherjee to hold an inquiry against Bhat on certain allegations levelled by a subordinate woman judicial officer. After the probe had given him a clean chit, Bhat's name was recommended by the collegium for elevation.

"Someone from Bangalore has already beaten us in the race to the bottom. The Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court is more than willing to do the Executive bidding, behind our back," Justice Chelameswar wrote in his six-page letter.

Judicial Independence

Raising the issue of judicial independence, he said, "We, the judges of the Supreme Court of India, are being accused of ceding our independence and our institutional integrity to the Executive's incremental encroachment.

"The executive is always impatient and brooks no disobedience even of the judiciary if it can. Attempts were always made to treat the Chief Justices as the Departmental Heads in the Secretariat. So much for our 'independence and pre-eminence' as a distinct State organ," the letter said.

The letter said, "Let us also not forget that the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any State sounds the death knell to democracy. We both are mutual watchdogs, so to say, no mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts".

Centre's Low-key Response To Collegium Recommendations

Justice Chelameswar referred to the "unhappy experience" where the Government sat tight over the files even after the Collegium recommends names for appointment in the higher judiciary.

"For some time, our unhappy experience has been that the government's accepting our recommendations is an exception and sitting on them is the norm. 'Inconvenient' but able judges or judges to be are being bypassed through this route," he alleged.

The apex court judge, who demits office on June 22, took serious note of the communication between the Karnataka High Court chief justice and the executive saying, "the role of the High Court ceases with its recommendation".

He said that any correspondence, satisfactory or otherwise, has to be between the executive and the Supreme Court.

The top court judge also said the day may not be "far off" when the executive would directly communicate with the High Court about pending cases and ask what orders are to be passed.

While referring to Bhat's case, he said, "To my mind, I could recollect no instance from the past, of the executive bypassing the Supreme Court, more particularly while its recommendations are pending, to look into the allegations already falsified and conclusively rejected by us. Asking the High Court to re-evaluate our recommendation in this matter has to be deemed improper and contumacious."

Need To Convene A Full Court

Beseeching the CJI to take up the issue of executive interference in the judiciary by convening a full court on the judicial side, he said this was necessary in order to ensure that the institution (Supreme Court) remained relevant under the scheme of the Constitution.

He also referred to a past instance when the apex court had taken serious note of a direct communication of the then Law Minister to the High Courts on the issue of judges' transfer which had finally led to the judgement in first judges case in 1981. Later, the Collegium had assumed power with regard to judges' appointment in the higher judiciary.

(With Additional Inputs From PTI)
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday categorically dismissed the allegations made by Union Minister Smriti Irani that he dealt with a businessman who was under the CBI scanner in connection with a case of bribery.

Sibal, while denying Irani's allegations, threatened to file a defamation suit against news website opindia.Com, which was cited by the BJP leader during a press conference on the issue.

At a hastily called press conference, Sibal, a former law minister, said that he had bought the land with his own money which was mentioned in his and his company's income tax filings.

''A person who does not know the meaning of money laundering is making allegations? Yes, I bought the company, does anyone mind? I paid and did so from my earnings, tax for which was paid by me, but no one saw it,  Sibal said.

A person who does not know the meaning of money laundering is making allegations? Yes I bought the company, does anyone mind? I paid & did so from my earnings, tax for which was paid by me, but no one saw it: Kapil Sibal on Smriti Irani's allegations against him pic.twitter.com/BgSwAkMqa0  ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2018

He also termed these allegations as an attempt to divert attention from issues of national importance such as the CBSE paper leak.

The reactions from Sibal came shortly after Irani demanded an explanation from Rahul Gandhi over Congress leader Kapil Sibal's alleged land dealing with a businessman who was investigated by the CBI in 2013 for alleged bribery.

She also cited a South African media report, which alleged that the businessman, Piyoosh Goyal, was involved in money laundering.

Citing opindia.Com, Irani alleged that Sibal and his wife bought a company called Grand Castilo from Goyal in 2017 while the UPA government was investigating the businessman for bribery.

"People might say that Mr Sibal has a right to buy and engage with the so-called alleged money launderer, the question I pose is - is it politically acceptable to Sri Rahul Gandhi," Irani said during the press conference here.

"Is it so natural for the Congress leadership today to embrace the money launderer, to shake hand with those that they had investigated for bribery," she asked.

The company had no business in the financial year 2013-14 and commenced purchase of a piece of land, which eventually cost Rs 45.21 crore, she claimed while quoting the same media report.

According to opindia.Com, Sibal purchased that land at a throwaway price.

The political slugfest comes at a time when the Congress chief is locked in heated verbal battles with the Narendra Modi government on multiple issues.
NEW DELHI: Lalu Prasad is suffering from mild localised infection and high blood sugar, officials at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. The RJD leader, who is serving a prison sentence for his role in the fodders scam, had received permission from a court to receive treatment at AIIMS.

Lalu had been admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, the city in which he is serving his sentence, on March 17. Reports at the time had said he had been taken to the hospital after complaining of breathlessness. However, there had been little clarity on the nature of the illness. He had been referred to AIIMS for further treatment.

A court in Ranchi had given permission for Lalu to be taken to Delhi for treatment at AIIMS on Tuesday.

"Lalu Prasad was referred from RIMS Ranchi to AIIMS New Delhi. He is admitted under Department of Medicine, and is also being attended to by the other concerned departments. He has mild localised infection and high blood sugar. He is responding to treatment, and is stable," said an AIIMS spokesperson.

Lalu had been handed his fourth conviction in cases relation to the fodder scam. He had been given two seven-year sentences and a fine of Rs 30 lakh.

Judge Shiv Pal Singh had held the former Bihar Chief Minister and 18 others guilty in the fourth case. Twelve others had been in the case, which pertains to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury between December 1995 and January 1996. There were a total of 47 accused in the fourth fodder scam, fourteen of whom had died during the course of the trial, while two had turned approvers.

Lalu has already been convicted in three other cases of the scam which took place when he was the chief minister of Bihar. He has been in Birsa Munda jail at Ranchi since December 23, 2017, after being convicted in the second case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of money from Deogarh treasury.

He was convicted on September 30, 2013 in the Chaibasa case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore in the 1990s. He was awarded five years prison term in the case following which he was disqualified from the Lok Sabha and barred from contesting elections for six years after completion of jail term.

In the second case, Lalu was convicted in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar Treasury in the 1990s. He was awarded 3.5 years sentence in the case on December 23, 2017.

In another Chaibasa case of Rs 37.62 crore fraud, Lalu got five years prison term on January 24, 2018, while Mishra was acquitted in two fodder cases while being convicted in two cases.
NEW DELHI: The NITI Aayog on Wednesday launched a baseline ranking mechanism under which 101 most underdeveloped districts of the country which have been termed as 'aspirational' would be competing with each other in terms of performance.

As per the baseline ranking, Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh is ranked highest with score of 48.13 per cent while Mewat in Haryana tails at the end with 26.02 per cent. Among others, Asifabad (Telangana), Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh), Kiphire (Nagaland), Shrawasti, Siddarthnagar and Balrampur (Uttar Pradesh), Namsai (Arunachal Pradesh), Sukma (Chattisgarh) are ranked at bottom of the list.

While on top of the list among others include Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), Osmanabad (Maharashtra), Cuddapah (Andhra Pradesh), Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu), Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand), Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh), Khammam (Telangana), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

From April 1, these 101 districts will start entering data and the real-time data collection and monitoring will be open for public viewing. From May onwards, they will be ranked based on progress made (delta ranking) on a real-time basis. NITI Aayog and the Andhra Pradesh government have created a dashboard for monitoring the real-time progress of the districts.

The 49 indicators on 81 data points will cover five development areas - health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development and basic infrastructure.

While announcing the launch of ranking for the "Aspirational Districts', NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said: "India cannot grow at a high rate on a long run until these districts catch up, whatever high are the GDP number, it has no meaning until the benefit of growth percolates down to very basic level."

The ranking of districts comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 'Transformation of Aspirational Districts' in January with an aim to quickly and effectively transform some of the most underdeveloped districts in the country.

This will converge the central and state schemes, collaborate central, state and district collectors to strengthen these districts by identifying the low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement, measure progress and then rank the district by getting the data on a real-time basis.

All the states -- except West Bengal and Kerala -- are on board in this ranking initiative; however, these states are expected to join soon, Kant said.
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New Delhi: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Thursday promised to give voice to the unorganised sector and give the workers political participation in state and national legislatures.

Addressing the second review meeting of the All India Unorganised Workers Congress (AIUWC), he said right from the struggle for Independence led by Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress had always fought for the rights of unorganised workers.

He stressed that they were unrecognised workers and expressed satisfaction that a new department was reaching out and helping them.

He urged the AIUWC functionaries to include the agenda of unorganised workers in the manifesto of the Congress for next state assembly elections.

On a question of distributing tickets to aspirants from unorganised workers, he said the party was willing to help their cause by raising their issues, initiating various schemes for their benefits and giving political participation through state and national legislatures.

He also promised to participate in the AIUWC meetings for raising their issues and said he would make sure that the Congress fights for their cause till the achievement of the objectives.

Chairman of All India Unorganised Workers Congress Arbind Singh said the AIUWC has begun raising issues of a large spectrum of unorganised workers--from street vendors to MNREGA workers and domestic workers to artists and handicraft workers.

He said it a decision was taken to enroll 6,000 members in every district and 3,000 would be enrolled block-wise by the appointed block president.

Singh also said a domestic workers' campaign was held across all states to demand the entitled rights under a comprehensive law.
TEZPUR: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Assam has said that rapists should be shot in public as a lesson for not respecting women. "Those who commit heinous crimes like rape must be shot in public, this is the only way to stop these incidents. People who can't respect women should be dealt with like this," BJP MP from Tezpur Ram Prasad Sarmah said.

He also said that shooting squads must be set up to deal with rapists. He added that a punishment of a minimum of 10 years in prison should be awarded to those held guilty of assaulting, molesting or touching a woman appropriately.

Sarmah gave the statement in connection with the rape and murder of a minor in Assam last week. She was gang-raped by three men, two of whom were juveniles in Nagaon district in Assam. She was later set on fire.

He said that a crime of this nature cannot go unpunished. He reportedly questioned that if a minor can commit rape, why should he be considered a juvenile. "He should be given the maximum punishment as well. A rapist should be hanged or shot in public," he was quoted as saying.

He said that such a stringent step would act as a deterrent and instil a "sense of fear" among the culprits. He also said that the state government needs to form a law so as to control the rising graph of crimes against women in Assam.

The Class 5th student died of more than 95% burn injuries. She was found in a critical condition by locals who admitted her to the Nagaon Civil Hospital. She was transferred to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital but could not survive her injuries. She was raped when she was alone at home. The three accused doused her with kerosene and set her on fire.
Jammu: A middle-aged woman from Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday made an emotional appeal to her missing son to shun terrorism and return home.

The appeal was made by Maimoona, a resident of Khanyar in Srinagar, who urged her missing son - a student of class 10th standard - to come back home as the family was worried about him.

The woman claims that her son had gone for prayers but went missing.

''My son went for prayers and didn't return home,'' she said.

#Srinagar: Khanyar resident Maimoona appeals to her son, a 10th standard student, to shun militancy, return home, says,'My son went for prayers & didn't return home.'On being asked how she got to know of it,she said,'I saw his photo on internet,everyone in the family was shocked' pic.twitter.com/UcwMgwh2ja  ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2018

Much to their shock, the family later got to know that their son has joined a terrorist group waging a jihad in Kashmir.

The family also came across his pictures on the internet.

This is one of the several reported cases of misguided youths from Jammu and Kashmir joining the jihad.

There have been concerns in the defence establishment too over the rising number of youths from the Kashmir Valley joining terrorism in the recent past.

According to the military intelligence, the spurt in local youths joining terrorism began after the encounter of Hizbul Mujahideens Burhan Wani in south Kashmir on July 8, 2016.

The recruitment of youths into terrorist organisations has been largely noticed in areas like Tral, Batapora, Panjgaon and Yaripora in South Kashmir with terror group Hizbul Mujahideen taking the lead.

In North Kashmir, youths from areas like Palhalan to Sopore are mostly recruited by Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Last September, when floods wreaked havoc in the Kashmir Valley and in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, leaving hundreds dead and thousands homeless, Pakistani terrorist and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafeez Saeed had reportedly asked the Lashkar-e-Toiba to recruit youths from the affected families.

However, the Centre, on its part, has been trying hard to prevent youths from joining militancy by creating employment avenues.

Last year in July, the Home Ministry approved a long pending demand of the state government to raise five new battalions of Indian Reserve Police with an aim to provide employment to nearly 5,500 youths.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti too recently said that guns can never do away with the tension prevailing in the militancy-hit state. Instead, only talks can solve the problems.

Urging for peace, Mufti said that the conditions at the border are not good. Both India and Pakistan should talk, she stressed.
Bengaluru: Ahead of the Assembly polls in Karnataka, BJP chief Amit Shah will from Friday tour parts of the old Mysuru region, where the party had not won a single seat in the previous election. As part of his "Karunada Jagruti Yatre", Shah will tour Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Mandya and Ramanagara districts on March 30 and 31.

Out of the total 26 seats in the four districts, considered as the Vokkaliga heartland, BJP did not win even a single seat during the 2013 Assembly elections. Moreover, the region is the home turf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who hails from Mysuru.

Former Chief Minister and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy and senior minister D K Shivakumar enjoy considerable influence in the region. Significantly, Shah's itinerary includes meeting with the erstwhile royal family of Mysuru, triggering speculations about their supporting or joining the BJP.

However, scion of royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has ruled out political entry and said he got to know about Shah's meeting with the family through the media. "I have got this information only through the press. I can't say anything about it," he told reporters in Mysuru, when asked about the meeting with Shah.

"I have told several times that I'm not interested in politics. There is no chance at all about me joining any party. I'm not interested in politics. Through social work we will continue our relationship with the public," he said.

Continuing his visits to mutts, Shah will also visit influential Lingayat seminary in the region 'Suttur mutt', and also Ganapati Sacchidananda Ashrama. He will also visit the famous Nanjanagudu Srikanteshwara and the Melukote Cheluvanarayanaswamy temples.

Shah's schedule also includes meeting with Dalit leaders and lunch with them. He will also interact with organic farmers and women, take part in ST convention, visit Channapatna Craft Park and interact with silk growers and silk industry.

Recently, Congress President Rahul Gandhi too toured the region for two days. Interestingly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too is camping in Mysuru from today till April 2, and will take part in the campaign activities there.

Siddaramaiah has already announced his intentions to contest from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru district. This is the fourth leg of Shah's tour in the state. He has already covered parts of coastal and Malnad, north, and central regions of the state.

The Election Commission had announced a single-phase election on May 12 for the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
New Delhi: Investors can soon submit their complaints directly to the listed companies through the SCORES platform, according to Securities and Exchange Board of India. The move, aimed at the faster disposal of investor complaints, would come into force from August 1.

Introduced in June 2011, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Complaints Redress System (SCORES) is a web-based centralised system to capture investor complaints against listed companies and registered intermediaries.

"Sebi has received inputs from listed companies and intermediaries that investor grievances can be resolved faster if the grievance has been taken up directly with the entity at the first instance," the regulator said in a circular on Wednesday.

Accordingly, it appears to be prudent and time-saving if the investors approach the concerned listed company or registered intermediary first with all the requisite details to redress the complaints, it added.

In case, the listed company or registered intermediary fails to redress the complaint to the investor's satisfaction, the investor may file a complaint in SCORES.

As per the circular, with effect from August 1 investors who have to lodge a complaint on SCORES would have to register themselves on the platform's website, file the registration form and provide details including their names, permanent account number and contact details.

The investor would have to use login credentials for lodging a complaint on SCORES. "The complainant may use SCORES to submit the grievance directly to companies/intermediaries and the complaint shall be forwarded to the entity for resolution.

"The entity is required to redress the grievance within 30 days, failing which the complaint shall be registered in SCORES," Sebi said.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Former beauty queen turned actress Urvashi Rautela recently got a rude shock when she found out that a hotel room was booked in her name of which she had no knowledge. According to Mumbai Mirror, the actress found out that a fake Aadhaar card was used to book a hotel room in her name.

Reportedly, the actress was attending some event in the same hotel and got to know about it when a hotel staff informed her about the booking. She soon registered the matter with Bandra police and was told that a fake Aadhaar card has been used to book the room in her name.

Mumbai Mirror quotes the police source as saying, Around 10:30 pm on Tuesday, a hotel employee told her that a room was booked in her name. She denied having done so and immediately went through the hotels booking details. It was found that the booking was done online.

The case has been registered under section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and relevant sections of the IT act and further investigations are underway.

The actress has lodged the FIR and reportedly the IP address from where the bookings took place will also be tracked.

Urvashi was last seen in Vishal Pandya's 'Hate Story IV' starring Karan Wahi and Vivan Bhatena in lead roles.
Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan in a motivational video on his social media account urged children to be fearless and try something different.

On the occasion of his elder son Hrehaan's birthday, Hrithik posted the message on Twitter that reads, "To all our sons and daughters and to the child within us, 'Darr se mat Darr' usse age bad, kuch alaag kar".

He also gave an example of a fear he faced earlier in life because of being a guy with six fingers.

Hrithik is currently in the midst of the shoot of his next film, "Super 30" where he is playing a math teacher.
New Delhi: Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt became BFFs of the tinsel town after bonding extremely well with each other during their gym sessions. The lovely ladies were often spotted hanging out together as they gave some serious friendship goals with each outing.

However, if the latest buzz is to be believed, all doesn't seem to be well between the two gorgeous divas. And it all started after Alia's growing proximity with Katrina's former boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor started making rounds.

Ranbir and Alia are working together on Ayan Mukerji's 'Brahmastra'. The duo was recently in Bulgaria for the shoot where, as per reports, their closeness grabbed the eyeballs of each and every crew members on the sets. Also, Alia recently shared a photo with Ranbir on her Instagram account, that is alleged to have infuriated the 'Jagga Jasoos' actress.

It is said that Katrina had come to know about the alleged brewing romance between the two by a close friend, who also happens to be one of the crew members of 'Brahmastra' and was present in Bulgaria. As expected, Katrina was extremely hurt and miffed with Alia.

Recently, Katrina had attended a celeb-studded party, thrown by Ambanis in Mumbai and as per a Pinkvilla report, she appeared to be pretty low through out the event. On the other hand, Alia, who has returned back to Mumbai from Bulgari, skipped the event due to her shoulder injury.

The report stated that Katrina has still not over with her relationship with the Kapoor lad. Pinkvilla quoted a saying that actress would have appreciated had Alia told her about her closeness with Ranbir.

It is to be noted that Alia recently parted ways with long-time beau Sidharth Malhotra. The reports of their split surfaced after it was reported that Sidharth was increasing his closeness with 'A Gentleman' co-star Jacqueline Fernandes.
New Delhi: NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel of Expedition 55 will conduct a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, March 29, 2018.

The astronauts are scheduled to begin the spacewalk at 5:40 p.m IST (8:10 a.m. ET) and NASA TV will broadcast live coverage of the spacewalk at 4:00 p.m IST (6:30 a.m. ET).

This will be the 209th spacewalk in support of International Space Station assembly, maintenance and upgrades. The excursion will be the seventh in Feustels career and the third for Arnold.

According to NASA, the two astronauts will install wireless communications equipment on the stations Tranquility module to enhance payload data processing for the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) experiment being flown to the station on a future SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. The experiment will measure the temperature of plants on Earth to better understand how much water they need and how they respond to stress.

The duo will also swap out high-definition video cameras on the port truss of the stations backbone and remove aging hoses from a cooling component on the stations truss.

Meanwhile, a Russian cargo craft departed the space station on Wednesday after completing a six-month stay at the Pirs docking compartment. It will orbit Earth for a month where Russian ground controllers will conduct a series of engineering tests on the 68P.

The cargo ship will then reenter the atmosphere on April 25 loaded with trash and discarded items for a fiery but safe demise over the Pacific Ocean, NASA said.

(With IANS inputs)


An official of US in India has justified the frisking of Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at an airport in the country. Alexander McLaren, deputy spokesperson of US Embassy in India, said that any head of State travelling as a private citizen without diplomatic passport has to go through security screening.

If a head of State chooses to travel privately without diplomatic passport then they are travelling as a private citizen, and they have to go through same security screening as you, I and everyone else has gone through, said McLaren.

This comes after a video of Abbasi being frisked by security officials at an airport in US went viral, triggering uproar in Pakistani media. However, Pakistan-based Geo News had reported that Abbasi voluntarily followed the security procedures.

Pointing that Abbasi was in US on a private visit, Geo News had released a video wherein Pakistani PM could be seen at airport without any security protocol. The report had also pointed that Abbasi had always been popular for adhering to simplicity in his personal life, citing his recent visit to Britain where he was spotted travelling alone on a train.

Geo News also referred to a recent photograph of the Pakistani Prime Minister wearing a simple shawl while cutting his birthday cake. The picture reportedly went viral on social media in the country.

The video in question showed Abbasi carrying a coat in one hand and a suitcase in the other as he walked towards security check area.

A leading newspaper had reported that the indignity had angered the Pakistani media, citing reports of US President Donald Trump and his administration considering visa ban on Pakistani nationals.

Abbasi had gone to US to reportedly meet his ailing sister. During the visit he also reportedly met US Vice President Mike Pence. This comes even as US has told Pakistan that the country needs to do more to tackle the menace of terrorism.


How China can avoid a trade war with the US



Beijing must recognise the shift in American perceptions and make some concessions



Martin Wolf









How should China respond to Donald Trumps aggressive trade policy? The answer is: strategically. It needs to manage a rising tide of US hostility.



Of the events in Washington last week, the appointment of John Bolton as the US presidents principal adviser on national security may well be more momentous than the announcement of a section 301 trade action against China. Nevertheless, the plan to impose 25 per cent tariffs on $60bn of (as yet, unspecified) Chinese exports to the US shows the aggression of Mr Trumps trade agenda. The proposed tariffs are just one of several actions aimed at Chinas technology-related policies. These include a case against China at the World Trade Organization and a plan to impose new restrictions on its investments in US technology companies.











The objectives of these US actions are unclear. Is it merely to halt alleged misbehaviour, such as forced transfers  or outright theft  of intellectual property? Or, as the labelling of China as a strategic competitor suggests, is it to halt Chinas technological progress altogether  an aim that is unachievable and certainly non-negotiable.



Mr Trump also emphasised the need for China to slash its US bilateral trade surplus by $100bn. Indeed, his rhetoric implies that trade should balance with each partner. This aim is, once again, neither achievable nor negotiable.







The optimistic view is that these are opening moves in a negotiation that will end in a deal. A more pessimistic perspective is that this is a stage in an endless process of fraught negotiations between the two superpowers far into the future. A still more pessimistic view is that trade discussions will break down in a cycle of retaliation, perhaps as part of broader hostilities.



Which it turns out to be also depends on China. It must recognise the shift in US perceptions, of which Mr Trumps election is a symptom. Moreover, on trade, the Democrats are far more protectionist than the Republicans.What are the forces driving this shift? Chinas rise has made the US fear the loss of its primacy. Chinas communist autocracy is ideologically at odds with US democracy. What economists call the China shock has been real and significant, although trade with China has not been the main reason for the adverse changes experienced by US industrial workers. The US has also failed to provide the safety net or active support needed by affected workers and communities.







Furthermore, the deal reached when China joined the WTO in 2001 is no longer acceptable. As Mr Trump states, the US wants strict reciprocity. Finally, many business people argue that China is cheating, in pursuit of its industrial objectives.



Experience shows that the complaints will never end. A decade or so ago, complaints were about Chinas current account surpluses, undervalued exchange rate and huge accumulations of reserves. All these have now been transformed: the current account surplus itself has fallen to just 1.4 per cent of gross domestic product. Now complaints have shifted towards bilateral imbalances, forced transfers of technology, excess capacity and Chinas foreign direct investment. China is successful, big and different. Complaints change, but not the complaining.







How might China manage these frictions, exacerbated by the character of Mr Trump, yet rooted in deep anxieties?



First, retaliate with targeted, precise and limited countermeasures. Like all bullies, Mr Trump respects strength. Indeed, he respects Chinas Xi Jinping.



Second, defuse legitimate complaints or ones whose redress is in Chinas interests. Liberalising the Chinese economy is in Chinas own interests, as the astonishing results of 40 years of reform and opening up demonstrate. China can and should accelerate its own domestic and external liberalisation. Among the widely shared complaints of foreign businesses, is over pressure to transfer know-how as part of doing business in China. Such performance requirements are contrary to WTO rules. China needs to act decisively on this.



Third, make some concessions. China could import liquefied natural gas from the US. This would reduce the bilateral surplus, while merely reallocating gas supplies across the world. But doing the same thing for commodities in which China is the worlds dominant market would be far more problematic, since it would hurt other suppliers. Mr Trump may well want China to discriminate against Australian foodstuffs or European aircraft. That way lies the end of the liberal global trading system.







Fourth, multilateralise these discussions. The issue of surpluses in standard products like steel cannot be dealt with at a purely unilateral or bilateral level. As a rising global power, China could play a central role in trade liberalisation, thereby strengthening the system and increasing the worlds stake in the health of the Chinese economy. Operating at such a global level brings another potential benefit: it is hard for great powers to negotiate bilaterally, since they tend to view concessions to each other as humiliating.



In the global context, however, a concession can be seen as a benefit to everybody. Finally, by operating under the rubric of the WTO, China puts Europeans in a difficult position. Europeans share US anxieties over Chinas policies on intellectual property, but they also believe in the rules. If China took the high road, Europeans might feel compelled to support it.



We are in a new era of strategic competition. The question is whether this will be managed or lead to a breakdown in relations. Mr Trumps trade policy is a highly destabilising part of this story. China should take the longer view of it, for its own sake and that of the world.
It is something that taken for granted in many countries, and hardly comes across as something worth fighting for. But, air stewardesses working for two major Hong Kong-based airlines have won the right to wear pants to work.

The management of Hong-Kong-based regional airline Cathay Dragon has been in negotiations with the Flight Attendants Association (FAA) for weeks now over the 'skirts-only' rule. Both bodies announced on Thursday that they had reached an agreement, and that female flight attendants would now be given the choice of whether to wear skirts or pants, Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post reported.

The agreed change in uniform policy is now going to have a wider impact than previously expected. It will apply not just to flight attendants, but also to ground staff. What makes it even wider in scope is that the same changes will also be extended to the staff of Cathay Dragon's parent airline, Cathay Pacific.

The stewardesses had been asking to wear pants for a simple reason - they feel unbearably cold in the winters when they have to wear skirts. Their reasoning was as humanly simple as can be - they feel warmer by wearing more layers if they were allowed to wear pants.

The victory for the women has also come as a sideshow victory for the men who work with them. Uniform regulations for male flight attendants allowed them to wear only half-sleeve shirts, and did not allow them to put on jackets, even in the cold weather.

"We are pleased that we have reached an understanding on matters raised There is no progress without change. Now is the time to make this happen by working together to review the uniforms that accurately reflect the values we represent," said a spokesperson for Cathay Dragon.

The airline representative also said it was "imperative" that staff at both airlines not only feel pride in wearing the uniform but also "feel comfortable and empowered to carry out their duties to the best of their abilities".
ISLAMABAD: Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, officials said, in her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for advocating education for girls in 2012. Precise details of her itinerary have been "kept secret in view of the sensitivity surrounding the visit," a government official said of the trip, which is expected to last four days and include a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Accompanied by her parents, the 20-year-old student was escorted through Islamabad`s Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security, according to still photographs broadcast on local television. Malala has become a global symbol for human rights and a vocal campaigner for girls` education since a gunman boarded her school bus in the Swat valley on October 9, 2012, asked "Who is Malala?" and shot her.

She was treated for her injuries in the British city of Birmingham, where she completed her schooling.

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, she has continued her campaigning while pursuing her studies at Oxford University.

Many Pakistanis on Twitter were pleased that the campaigner had returned for the visit, despite ongoing security fears. "I welcome #MalalaYousafzai the brave and resilient daughter of Pakistan back to her country," politician Syed Ali Raza Abidi wrote on Twitter.

But she remains controversial among some conservatives at home, who view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country. One leading Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir issued a plea for opposition politicians and commentators not to use bad language when talking about the visit. "International media is highly focused on her return and this (bad language) will damage Pakistan`s image," he said.

Malala began her campaigning career aged just 11, when she started writing a blog -- under a pseudonym -- for the BBC`s Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls` education.

In 2007 the Islamist militants had taken over the area, which Malala affectionately called "My Swat", and imposed a brutal, bloody rule. Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of sharia law, women were banned from going to market, and girls were stopped from going to school.

But it was only after the shooting, and Malala`s subsequent near-miraculous recovery in a British hospital, that she became a truly global figure.

She opened a new Twitter account on her last day of school in July 2017 and now has more than a million followers. "I know that millions of girls around the world are out of school and may never get the opportunity to complete their education," Malala wrote at the time.
MOSCOW: Russia has ordered 60 U.S. diplomats to leave by April 5, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, in a retaliatory move against Washington which expelled a similar number of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of a Russian spy in England.

The foreign ministry said it had declared persona non grata 58 diplomats in Moscow and two general consulate officials in Yekaterinburg in the row over the poisoning of former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal on March 4.

Moments before the ministry announcement, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would respond in kind to the mass expulsion of diplomats by Western governments which include, apart from the United States and Britain, most member states of NATO and the European Union.

"The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States` general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov told a briefing.

The attack on 66-year-old Skripal and his daughter, which Britain has blamed on Russian President Vladimir Putin and says was caused by a Soviet-era nerve agent. Novichok left on the door of their home in England, has driven relations between Russia and the West to a new post-Cold War low.

Russia has denied involvement in the attack on the Skripals and says it suspects the British secret services are trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence who betrayed Russian agents to Britain and then was exchanged in a spy swap deal, is still in a critical condition from the attack.

His 33-year-old daughter was also in a critical condition though the English hospital where she was being treated said on Thursday that her condition had improved.
A Briton won a staggering 9.3 million pounds in a Saturday night lottery last week. While he is way too busy celebrating, his remarkable change of fortune may well put a gloom over his former girlfriend as the couple had parted ways just weeks before.

Paul Long, 55, won The National Lottery which saw him becoming an overnight millionaire. His photos splashed across UK newspapers - beaming from ear to ear and celebrating with a bottle of champagne, a bottle of beer and then a cup of tea. Long told members of the press that winning the lottery can go a long way in mending his broken heart. "I have to admit it's been a crazy few days and it's only been in the last 24 hours that I have dared to believe it's real," he told The Mirror, adding that he had been with his former girlfriend the day he won. "We had split up amicably."

Long's former love - Julie West - was also interviewed and she said she was happy for him, even though she reportedly did appear a little gloomy. West, 52, however may have some reason to cheer as Long has said he may take her on a holiday or a dinner with the winnings.

For now, he has put up an initial deposit on a Ford EcoSport car. After all, Long did work at a Ford plant for over a decade before he had to quit due to health-related reasons. Now, he not only plans to replace his ageing Ford Fiesta car but also plans to secure the future of his children and help out friends and close relatives. "I'm just a normal guy, I don't want a Lamborghini. I would never buy something like a 100,000 car because that's just not who I am," he said. "My kids will all be secure for life and I can also help out friends, whether that's a little cash boost, a holiday, to take in a show or just enjoy a posh meal."
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Korchak Open source

The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has found its new head, Olexander Mangul. The term of the former head Natalia Korchak's powers expired on March 28, and she declared that she was ready to resign.

"I am not clinging on to the post, and I would give this burden of glory to someone else," she wrote on Facebook.

In fact, the resignation of Natalia Korchak was demanded almost during all the time of her term. Sometimes, even colleagues did not support Korchak, stating that she had exhausted her potential and that the agency needed a "reset".

According to the official biography, Natalia Korchak was born on October 14, 1968, in Kozyatin, Vinnytsia region.

In 1992, she graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Faculty of Law; she defended her thesis in 1996 and a doctoral thesis in 2015.

It is noteworthy that the topic of her thesis was: "Legal issues of antimonopoly regulation of entrepreneurial activity in Ukraine", and of the doctoral thesis - "State regulation of competition relations in Ukraine (economic and legal aspect)." Korchak (herself and with co-authors) wrote more than 90 scientific and scientific works, including one textbook and four teaching aids.

As we can see, the former head of the NAPK is strong in the legal sciences, however, she received her first labor experience in another field: first she was an employee of the production section No. 1 of the Kozyatin grain receiving enterprise, then she worked at the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine as a leading specialist in the department on unfair competition.

Open source

Natalia Korchak

Korchak started her pedagogical activity in 1995 with an assistant at Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Department of Civil Law) and then became an assistant professor of the same department. She has worked at the university for about 8 years.

According to some media reports, among her students were the current Minister of Justice Pavlo Petrenko, former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (she reviewed his work).

In 2004, Korchak moved to Kyiv and joined the staff of the Law Institute of the National Aviation University. Until 2013, she has been working there as an assistant professor, head, and professor of the department of economic law and process.

In 2013, Korchak became an employee of the National Academy of the Prosecutor's Office: first at the Department of Administrative and Financial Law, and then at the Department of Administrative and Legal Disciplines. In addition, on the website of the "Hoff Jablonski and Partners" company Korchak was listed as a lawyer at the Kyiv office of the firm.

In December 2015, Korchak was approved by a special competitive commission to elect members of the NAPC. On the same day, she was appointed a member of the agency, and in March 2016 the members of the body elected Korchak their chairman.

These two years as head of the NAPC were not simple for Korchak. In fact, her resignation was demanded even before she came to the new position.

In particular, when Korchak was elected a member of the NAPC, her platform was criticized by the participants in the "Reanimation reform package" platform and anti-corruption organizations. They appealed to the then Prime Minister Yatsenyuk to announce a new contest.

As an argument, Korchak was related to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice and therefore could not be regarded as an unbiased and independent member of the NAPC.

However, Korchak herself repeatedly stated that she did not support any relations with her former students Yatsenyuk and Petrenko. Immediately after being elected to the NAPC in an interview with the Skhemy program, she said: "If I had relations with them, then ... Well, what kind of relationship are we talking about? Before the contest, I said that if there were a relationship, they would have "promoted" me already. First, I am older than them, and secondly, many years have passed since their graduation."

Over time, the outrage of the public has soured, although, for some time, publications about Korchaks connections with National Front (Yatsenyus party) have been discussed in the media.

Dissatisfaction with Korchaks activities had more significant reason connected with the introduction of the system of electronic declaration of income and property of officials. August 11, President Poroshenko has publicly demanded that the relevant system was launched on August 15. The western partners of Kyiv directly connected the launch with the provision of Ukraine's visa-free regime with the EU. However, before the very launch, the State Communications Service refused to issue its certificate to the system and demanded to urgent improve the system.

Korchak denied the blame for the situation. According to her, the system ofthe electronic declaration was developed by the domestic company "Miranda", commissioned by the international organization United Nations Development Project in Ukraine, but the developers did not envisage the requirements of the State Communications Committee. This problem was not resolved until August 15, and the declaration system was launched in a non-regulated mode, without a certificate of compliance. Formally, the deadlines were met, but in fact, the system did not work. During the next two weeks, numerous attempts to restart the system were made.

However, the declaration system has formally been launched in full only from September 1, with a two-week delay from the previously agreed launch schedule, and with a large number of inconsistencies to the requirements of the law. This gave grounds for talking about the disruption of e-declaration in March 2017. Then Prime Minister Groysman advised Korchak to resign. Korchaks colleagues did not defend her.

Despite the criticism and proposals of the Cabinet of Ministers, Korchak did not retire, in the summer she reported for the year as head of the NAPC, and continued to work further.

In addition to the controversial appointment and criticism of professionalism, Korchak also received accusations of corruption in the post of head of the NAPK. In August, October and November 2016, Korchak allocated herself a bonus of UAH 200,000 (USD 7700), she allocated numerous bonuses to the agency employees, and it was considered as a violation. She reported this to the public in April 2017.

According to Korchak, there was nothing illegal in her actions, but the public was outraged, and in May the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) started checking the information about the bonuses that the department employees received from the Cabinet in 2016.

Later, Korchak became a figurant of another case opened by the NABU. It appeared in November, 2017, immediately after NAPC announced that it had compiled a protocol on corruption at NABU head Artem Sytnyk. In particular, Korchak was summoned for questioning to the department for the so-called "parking lot case" (in December 2016, the media reported that a car parked in Korchaks parking lot is not listed in its declaration).

Specialized anti-corruption prosecutor's office (SAP), taking into account a possible conflict of interests, canceled the interrogation Korchak. Nevertheless, the interrogation of the head of the NAPC by the NABU detectives took place. Later the detective of NABU tried to serve a subpoena to her mother-in-law, but appeared to be locked up in the apartment. This incident received a huge public response. As a result, the actions of the NABU employee were taken by the police, and SAP stated that there were problems in the relations between anti-corruption departments.

Later NABU said that besides the mentioned cases, Korchak is involved in other corruption cases.

The chairman of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption Natalia Korchak earned in 2016 (declarations for the year 2017 yet) more than 1.3 million UAH (50 thousand USD) in NAPC and another 57 thousand UAH (2,1 thousand USD) in the National Academy of the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine.

Korchak also declared $ 12,000 in cash, an apartment (88.3 square meters) in Kyiv, and indicated her ownership of half the apartment in Kyiv (37.58 square meters). The declaration lists three parking spaces in Kyiv, but there are no vehicles in Korchaks property or members of her family (husband and two sons).
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Open source

The National Agency for Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has been headed by a relatively young employee of the agency - Olexander Mangul, who has been working in the agency for about two months. His candidacy was approved at the Wednesdays meeting (four votes for).

Immediately after that, Natalia Korchak, who headed the NAPC before, signed an order for the resignation.

For a long time, the issue of Korchaks resignations has been topical due to a number of scandals in which the agency was involved. But it happened only today because her contract as NAPC chairman expired March 28.

What do we know about the new head of one of Ukraines most important anti-corruption bodies?

According to the official bio, Olexander Mangul was born on July 24, 1976, in Kamianka-Dniprovska, Zaporizhia region.

In 1999, he graduated from Tavrija State Agrotechnical Academy, Economy department, and in 2004, graduated from the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine, he has received the Master's degree in public administration.

In 2000  2013, Mangul has occupied various positions in the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and the State Committee of Ukraine on Regulatory Policy and Entrepreneurship  from the Chief Specialist to the Department Director.

Between 2013 and February 2014, he has been serving as a Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Lysychansk Glass Factory, and between May 2015 and February 2018, he has been holding the position of Chairman of the Melitopol District State Administration of Zaporizhia region.

In January this year, by order of the Cabinet of Ministers, Mangul was appointed a member of the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption. He took the chair of one of the members took an early discharge  Ruslan Radetsky and Ruslan Ryaboshapka.

The journalists have indirectly associating Korchaks name with former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and the National Front party, while Manguls name has something to do with the president.

While working in the Ministry of Economics in 2011-2012 he has cooperated with the head of state. At that time, Peter Poroshenko headed this department. "I was in luck - I participated in some negotiations conducted by Poroshenko as Minister of Economics, it was a master class for me," Mangul said in an interview.

But the connection with the head of state was not lost - Poroshenko appointed Mangul for the post of chairman of the Melitopol regional state administration.

Moreover, Mangul led the local branch of the presidential party Bloc of Petro Poroshenko (BPP), and he headed the party list to the district council in local elections in the fall of 2015. After the beginning the law, which prohibits the heads of state administrations to be in parties, entered into force, he suspended his membership in BPP.

However, for some reason today, after being appointed the head of the NAPC, Mangul told the journalists that he personally is not acquainted with the head of the state, but he only attended some official events in the ministry.

Mangul's father Anatoly once led Melitopol, and also was a member of the parliament of the third convocation. Mangul has two adult daughters, however, in his declaration for 2017, he indicated only the current spouse Viktoria Mulyavka and her son. By the way, Victoria Mulyavka is an assistant to the people's deputy from BPP Leonid Kozachenko.

Mangul has an apartment in Kyiv ( 80.30 square meters), garage ( 67.6 square meters), a car Volkswagen Tuareg (2012) worth 496 thousand UAH (18 thousand USD).

In general, the incomes of the official for the year of 2017 amounted to more than 200 thousand UAH or7,6 thousand USD (mainly wages in the Melitopol Regional State Administration).

In addition, Mangul stores 22 thousand euros, 47 thousand dollars and 30 thousand UAH in cash, and keeps 75.7 thousand UAH on is a bank account.
Although the German government is clearly oriented toward the West, Germany often plays the mediator with Russia, and business interests also encourage tight connections. DW looks at Russia's best friends in Germany. Although the German government is clearly oriented toward the West, Germany often plays the mediator with Russia, and business interests also encourage tight connections. DW looks at Russia's best friends in Germany

Reuters

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroder

Though not the only German Russophile, the man who governed Germany from 1998 to 2005 is a particularly prominent and telling example of how politicians can enter Moscow's orbit. Gerhard Schroder and Russian President Vladimir Putin have pursued one of the most conspicuous bromances of the past 20 years of European politics. They've spent Christmas together in Moscow, shared laughs on the beach in Sochi and laid a wreath at the grave of German philosopher Immanuel Kant in Kaliningrad. Putin speaks excellent German  thanks in part to the five years he spent in Dresden as a KGB agent from 1985 to 1990.

This friendship is also reflected economically. Immediately after losing the 2005 German election to Angela Merkel, Schroder began working for the Nord Stream consortium, a subsidiary of Russian energy giant Gazprom, which runs a gas pipeline between Russia and Germany in the Baltic Sea. It was the first of many lucrative posts Schroder has held for Russian conglomerates, earning him the title "Putin's most important oligarch" from the Wall Street Journal.

Other former political leaders

Schroder's career arc is unusual but not unique among political ex-movers and shakers. Former Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chairman and Brandenburg State Premier Matthias Platzeck is a case in point. After health reasons forced him to retire in 2013, Platzeck became the head of the German-Russian Forum. The forum's explicit aim is to improve relations between the two countries  Germany's Bild newspaper has accused Platzeck of doing "paid or unpaid" lobbying work for Kremlin. The 62-year-old has criticized German sanctions on Russia and on one occasion even said that Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine should be "regulated ex post facto by international law."

Interestingly, one of the first speeches former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel held after leaving office in March 2018 was to Platzeck's German-Russian Forum.

The Left Party and the left wing of the SPD

Among political parties, Russia has a reliable ally in the Left Party, the successor to the successor of the old Socialist Unity Party (SED) in Communist East Germany. It regularly defends Russia on issues like sanctions in response to Crimea, the civil war in Syria and the expulsion of Russian diplomats in the wake of the Skripal poisonings. For instance, on March 28, security spokesman Matthias Hohn called for an end to the "paranoia toward Russia"  a typical Left Party statement.

The Left Party is part of the opposition, and thus its influence on policy is limited. But members of the left wing of the Social Democrats, the junior partners in the governing coalition, share some of these views. SPD Deputy Parliamentary Leader Rolf Mutzenich, for instance, also criticized the expulsion of the Russian diplomats as premature.

By contrast, the Greens are stringent critics of Putin's Russia.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party

Angela Merkel's conservatives tend to take a strict line toward Russia, but the Kremlin does have its allies among the far-right populist AfD. In February a party delegation visited Crimea and called for an end to sanctions against Russia. Deputy AfD Parliamentary Leader Leif-Erik Holm also called upon the government to bolster its support for the planned second Nord Stream gas pipeline.

In the run-up to Germany's 2017 national election, there were fears that Russia could interfere in the vote on behalf of the AfD, as it is alleged to have done the year before for Donald Trump in the US presidential election. But there has been no evidence of any massive Russian manipulation.

The lobby organizations

Germany traditionally had two powerful groups advocating Russian-German business ties, but the pair merged on March 23, 2018 into a lobbying behemoth with a suitably long name: the "Eastern Committee  Eastern European Association of the German Economy."

Germany and Russia do some 41 billion ($50 billion) in business with one another, and trade between the two countries rose by nearly a quarter in 2017. The East Committee, which encompasses more than 400 German companies and five major business associations, boasts that Eastern Europe is a more important export market for Germany than either the US or China.

Other important economic lobby groups are the German-Russian Chamber of Foreign Trade (AHK) and the German-Russian Forum.

Russia experts turned Russia mouthpieces?

Last but not least, there are prominent journalists and academics who have been accused of abandoning their objectivity to act as advocates for Putin's Russia.

Gabriele Krone-Schmalz, for example, went from heading German public TV station ARD's Moscow bureau to authoring books with titles like "Understanding Russia: The Battle for Ukraine and the Arrogance of the West." There she argued that Russia's military intervention in Crimea was defensive in nature.

Meanwhile academic Alexander Rahr left the Berlin think-tank German Council on Foreign Relations to become a paid lobbyist for the oil and gas company Wintershall, a BASF subsidiary connected with Gazprom. Since 2015 he has been a Gazprom consultant for EU matters in Brussels.

Read the original text here.
Since Thursday morning, Russian mercenaries attacked Ukrainian positions 32 times.

According to the HQ of the counter-terrorism operation in Donbas, the enemy used IFVs, mortars, RPGs, heavy machineguns and small arms. 82 mm mines hit the emplacements near Shyrokyne; RPG and small arms fire was observed near Avdiivka, Vodyanem, Hnutove, Pskiy, Opytne, Novotroitske and Pishchevik. Hostile IFVs opened fire in Hnutove, Talakivka and Pishchevik (Donetsk region).

In Luhansk region, hostile troops opened fire from heavy machineguns. One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in action; he was taken to a hospital.

Earlier, the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on settlement of the situation in Donbas has agreed on a complete ceasefire on the line of demarcation in the conflict zone for the time of Easter holidays starting on March 30. This was stated by the TCG on the OSCE website.

The Trilateral Contact Group, with the participation of the representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, acknowledging the positive impact of the recommitment to ceasefire re-affirm their full commitment to a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire, starting from 30 March 2018 at 00 hrs. 01 min. (Kyiv time)," the statement said.

Related video:
Open source

Russian citizen and militant of the illegal armed unit of the so-called 'Donetsk People's Republic' (DNR). The press service of Donetsk regional branch of the National Police reported that on Thursday afternoon.

A 24-year-old man turned to the police station in Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region; he appeared to be the native of Yakutia, Russia's Far East. He came to Ukraine in 2006 and joined the Russian mercenaries of 'DNR' in June 2014. He guarded the outpost near Grygorivka village and patrolled Chasiv Yar town. When the Ukrainian forces released Chasiv Yar, he escaped to the occupied Crimea, then to Russia; the man was hiding for four years - until now.

The ex-militant learned that there is a program 'Go Home', which sets people free from the criminal responsibility, so he voluntarily turned to the police precinct. He carried the faked Ukrainian passport. Besides, the Ukrainian law enforcers found out he was an illegal migrant.

The criminal case was initiated under the Criminal Code's Article 260 (creation of illegal armed formations).
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.

Gonzalo Raffo de Lavalle

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

Helenio Herrera

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

Karl Marx

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Sun Tzu









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.



Paulo Coelho
The column consists of more than 40 units of equipment that transport 400 tons of cargo

The Russian Federation sent the cars with the so-called "humanitarian aid" to the occupied territory of Donbas. This was reported by the press service of the Emergency Service of Russian Federation.

"The cars of the 75th humanitarian column of the Russian Emergency Service are sent to the Russian-Ukrainian border where it will be divided into two parts, each of which after crossing the checkpoints will proceed to the destinations - one will go to Donetsk, the other - to Luhansk," the report said.

It is noted that the column contains more than 40 units of equipment that carry 400 tons of cargo.

As it was reported earlier, Russia sent its 74th so-called "humanitarian convoy" to the Donbas territory occupied by the pro-Russian militants on February 22.

Russian authorities have been sending the so-called humanitarian convoys to Ukraine since August 2014. The Russian side claims the trucks carry food, water, medicines, books, agrarian instruments and other necessities. Ukrainian border guards cannot check the contents of trucks, and Russia refused to send their humanitarian aid through the controlled checkpoints on the border, as requested by Ukraine. Ukraine insists there are weapons and ammunition aboard the trucks, so they reach Kremlin-backed militants that keep on attacking Ukrainian positions.

Related video:
According to him, nobody provided the independent confirmation of Kremlins guilt and diplomats expulsion is an example of the bad diplomacy

Julian Assange , the founder of Wikileaks, who is fugitive from justice in the Embassy of Ecuador in London, was deprived of all means of the communication as he violated the written commitment dated 2017 to not spread messages that would entail the interference in the relations with other states as the Ministry of Communications of Ecuador reported.

The manner of and timing of Russian diplomatic expulsions is poor diplomacy. The expulsions occurred 12 hours after one of the worst building fires in post-Soviet history, which killed at least 64. Russians will see the timing as gratuitous, Assange wrote on Twitter.

According to Assange, the fact that the US expelled nearly three times as many diplomats as the UK, the alleged victim country, helps the Kremlin further a narrative that it is under conspiratorial siege led by the US.

Further, while it is reasonable for Theresa May to view the Russian state as the leading suspect, so far the evidence is circumstantial and the OCPW has not yet made any independent confirmation, permitting the Kremlin push the view domestically that Russia is persecuted, he reported.

In August 2012, Ecuador provided Assange with the political asylum. He lives at the territory of the Embassy of Ecuador in London since that time, fearing the extradition to the US.

As it was reported about 30 countries of the world announced the expulsion of 144 workers of the Russian diplomatic missions in the response to the chemical attack in Salisbury. Ukraine also joined the sanctions and claimed the expulsion of 13 diplomats.
Leaders of the Normandy Four negotiation group claimed it will consider possible ways to speed up the implementation of Minsk agreement provisions. This is mentioned in the common statement, spread by the Presidential Administration of Ukraine.

'Leaders of the 'Normandy Four' member countries confirm their commitment to the implementation of Minsk agreements in all dimensions (security, political, humanitarian and social ones); they will consider possible ways to speed up the implementation of Minsk agreement in the coming months,' reads the message.

The heads of Normandy Four countries welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire in Donbas, which is supposed to begin on March 30. The officials insisted on non-violation of the ceasefire regime, as well as effective monitoring by the OSCE mission.
Although earlier the Prime Minister of the country said that New Zeeland would not expel Russian diplomats

New Zealand will not allow entry to Russian diplomats expelled by other countries in connection with a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy Sergei Skripal. The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern said this on Thursday. This was reported by Reuters.

"We will be asking our security partners to provide those names to us," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a joint statement with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.

"Those names will then be placed on a travel ban list to ensure that individuals who have been found to undertake activities incompatible with their diplomatic status in other countries do not enter New Zealand."

Earlier New Zealand said it would not be following the lead of its Western allies in expelling Russian spies because it cant find any.

As it was reported British Prime Minister Theresa May decided to expel 23 Russian diplomats due to the incident in Salisbury. Russian diplomats had a week to leave Great Britain. Besides, the law enforcers will tighten control at the customs and check of private planes for the same reason. In return, Russia said it would expel 23 British diplomats as a reaction to Britains actions. Russian Foreign Ministry informed in its announcement.

Theresa May, British Prime Minister, stated that Russia was highly likely to be involved in Skripals case. Later, Britain had officially confirmed the use of Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury. Due to this, British representative accused Russia of violating of UN Charter and Chemical Weapons Convention at the UN Security Council session.

Related video:
"Both leaders agreed on the importance of dismantling Russia's spy networks in the United Kingdom and the United States," the message says

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May in a phone call discussed the need to dismantle spying networks and prevent other illegal activities by Russia in their two countries, the White House reports.

"Both leaders agreed on the importance of dismantling Russia's spy networks in the United Kingdom and the United States to curtail Russian clandestine activities and prevent future chemical weapons attacks on either country's soil," a White House statement said on March 28.

The phone call was held while the U.S. and Britain are responding to the poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who are living in the U.K.

"The two leaders also discussed how the passage of the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act will improve law enforcement cooperation," it is added.

As it was reported earlier, British Prime Minister Theresa May decided to expel 23 Russian diplomats due to the incident in Salisbury. Russian diplomats had a week to leave Great Britain. Besides, the law enforcers will tighten control at the customs and check of private planes for the same reason. In return, Russia said it would expel 23 British diplomats as a reaction to Britains actions. Russian Foreign Ministry informed in its announcement.

Theresa May, British Prime Minister, stated that Russia was highly likely to be involved in Skripals case. Later, Britain had officially confirmed the use of Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury. Due to this, British representative accused Russia of violating of UN Charter and Chemical Weapons Convention at the UN Security Council session.

Related video:
The Ukrainian side has time until October to make up its mind on this issue, - deputy foreign minister Olena Zerkal

It is necessary that Ukraine breaks the Friendship and Partnership Treaty with Russia. Olena Zerkal, the deputy foreign minister said this while on the air of Radio NV.

'We should define our position here by October this year, whether we will extend the duration of this document or not. As far as we can see, this treaty is ignored; so, given our current relations with Russia, we should be working on a new treaty that would settle the legal tools of settling disputes between the countries', Zerkal said.

Ukraine and Russia signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership in 1997. The agreement stipulates the basic principles of bilateral relations - strategic partnership, recognition and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity, and mutual commitments not to use each other's territory in the breach of each other's security.
He will hold a number of the meetings with senior officials of Turkey within the visit

Open source

Pavlo Klimkin, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine will pay an official visit to Turkey on March 29-31 as the press service of the ministry reported.

It is noted that the sixth session of the Joint Strategic Planning Group chaired by the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkey will take place during the visit.

The sides will sum up the cooperation in 2017, define the priorities and tasks for the current year and also form the agenda for the negotiations at the high and the highest levels in political, economic, military and political, military and technical, defense, energy, transport, scientific and technical, educational and others spheres, the message said.

Also, Klimkin will hold a number of the meetings with senior officials of Turkey, Ukrainian community in Turkey, will give the interview to the leading Turkish mass media and will participate in the re-release of Cyborgs movie within the visit.
She claimed that she does not believe the court after it rejected to challenge prosecutor Klymovych

Open source

The Appeal Court rejected the appeal of MP Nadia Savchenko on the challenge of the judges when they refused to challenge prosecutor Oleksandr Klymovych as 112 Ukraine broadcasted.

Suspected Savchenko thinks that judges Palenyk, Hlyniany and Masenko are prejudiced toward her and cannot objectively consider the appeal against the decision of the investigation judge of Shevchenkivsky Court of Kyiv dated March 23, 2018. The panel of judges does not consider the possible recognition of the circumstances on which the suspected refer to in her appeal as those that hinder judges Palenyk, Hlyniany and Masenko to participate in the criminal proceeding at this stage of the process as it is not based on the law and is not proved by the materials of the case. In such circumstances, the appeal of suspected Savchenko on the challenge of judges cannot be satisfied, the judge claimed.

Savchenko claimed that she does not believe the court after its decision.

The challenge of the court! On the grounds that the prosecutor said in the court hall that I made a terrorist act made is an embodied action  killed somebody, I did not kill anyone and the court does not think that it is the prejudiced attitude of the prosecutor toward me. How it is possible to trust the court that does not see the facts and look at the 77th article and says that there is no such article due to which the prosecutor opened his prosecutors ethic and can continue to carry out the accusations in the court. I do not believe such court that makes a decision that is subordinated to the prosecutors office in advance, Savchenko claimed.

The prosecutors did not support the appeal of Savchenko.

I think that the actions made by the defense are the abuse of the rights on the challenge and aim for the delaying of the trial, Oleksandr Klymovych, the prosecutor claimed.

As we reported earlier Savchenko appealed on the challenge of prosecutor Oleksandr Klymovych. However, the court refused to. According to her, he let himself incorrect statements in the comparison of her and former GRU officers that humiliated her and officers of Ukraine.

As we reported today Kyiv court of appeal is considering a claim by Nadiya Savchenkos lawyers against her arrest.

As we reported Shevchenkivsky Court of Kyiv decided on the preventive measures for Savchenko, which is custody for two months until May 20, 2018, without a right for a bail. Besides, the Court decided that the detention on March 22 was illegal.

On March 15, Lutsenko claimed during his speech at the parliament that Savchenko personally planned, recruited and ordered how to hold the terrorist attack in the Verkhovna Rada, destroying two lodges, governmental and post, by the combat grenades, bringing down the dome of the Verkhovna Rada by the mortar launchers and killing the survived with the assault rifles.

Also, it was reported that non-affiliated MP Nadia Savchenko and Volodymyr Ruban, the Head of 'Officer Corps' planned to attack the cortege of the President of Ukraine with the large caliber sniper rifle.
According to her, Klymovych let himself shameful statement in the comparison of her and former GRU officers

The Appeal Court rejected the appeal of MP Nadia Savchenko on the challenge of prosecutor Oleksandr Klymovych as 112 Ukraine broadcasted.

The panel of judges does not consider the possible recognition of the circumstances on which the suspected refer to in her appeal as those that hinder prosecutor Klymovych to participate in the criminal proceeding at this stage of the process as it is not based on the law and is not proved by the materials of the case. In such circumstances, the appeal of suspected Savchenko on the challenge of prosecutor Klymovych cannot be satisfied, the judge claimed.

Nadia Savchenko asked about the challenge of prosecutor Oleksandr Klymovych who, according to her, let himself incorrect statements in the comparison of her and former GRU officers that humiliated her and officers of Ukraine.

Last session prosecutor Klymovych let himself shameful statement when he publicly said that Erofeev and Aleksandrov, the Russian officers and soldiers who came to Ukraine to kill the Ukrainians are better than the Ukrainian soldiers who defended him. Such prosecutor expressed not only the prejudice against me but the direct hatred against me and he has no right to participate in the consideration of this issue, Savchenko claimed.

In his turn, Klymovych objected to the challenge and claimed that the real aim of his challenge is the delaying of the trial process.

I object to the appeal of my challenge. I want to explain that the last session I said that the persons, the officers of another country, particularly Erofeev and Aleksandrov, according to me, look better because they did not come and they do not commit the terrorist acts and murders. They look better than persons who came and murder at the territory of own state and I did not specify that it is the officers, it is suspected, Klymovych claimed.

Also, he asked the defense to provide the journal where his words that the military convicted in our country for the terrorist acts against our citizens are better than then soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are proved.

If you have such proofs, you are welcome to provide them. I think that the appeal is ungrounded and aims to delay the trial process and to avoid the criminal responsibility, he added.

Savchenko claimed that she does not believe the court after its decision.

We do not know have the grounds that the court is impartial, advocate Buhai said.

As we reported today Kyiv court of appeal is considering a claim by Nadiya Savchenkos lawyers against her arrest.

As we reported Shevchenkivsky Court of Kyiv decided on the preventive measures for Savchenko, which is custody for two months until May 20, 2018, without a right for a bail. Besides, the Court decided that the detention on March 22 was illegal.

On March 15, Lutsenko claimed during his speech at the parliament that Savchenko personally planned, recruited and ordered how to hold the terrorist attack in the Verkhovna Rada, destroying two lodges, governmental and post, by the combat grenades, bringing down the dome of the Verkhovna Rada by the mortar launchers and killing the survived with the assault rifles.

Also, it was reported that non-affiliated MP Nadia Savchenko and Volodymyr Ruban, the Head of 'Officer Corps' planned to attack the cortege of the President of Ukraine with the large caliber sniper rifle.
The advocate added that Savchenko did not specify how long will her hunger strike last, they try to dissuade her

The advocate of MP Nadia Savchenko who went on the hunger strike after the arrest on March 23 spoke about her state of health. According to Viktor Chevhuz, Savchenko lost some weight but she feels normal and drinks water.

She lost some weight but she is alive, drinks water. She hopes for the best, he said.

Chevhuz also added that Savchenko did not specify how long will her hunger strike last.

She did not share this. Last time she submitted the written statement that she went on the hunger strike on March 24, she reported to the head of the remand center in writing and observes the hunger strike. We try to dissuade her, he added.

As we reported Shevchenkivsky Court of Kyiv decided on the preventive measures for Savchenko, which is custody for two months until May 20, 2018, without a right for a bail. Besides, the Court decided that the detention on March 22 was illegal.

The same day the MP went on the hunger strike. She also emphasized that she is not going to escape from Ukraine.

The MP went on the hunger strike in the protest, not for the first time. The first time it took place in December 2014 when she was in the Russian prison. Savchenko withstood more than 80 days. On March 16 she stopped eating. She also had the injections of glucose. On April 28 she was transferred to the Moscow hospital where she stopped the hunger strike. One more attempt was in December 2015. In March 2016 she went on the dry hunger strike which she stopped in a few days, as it was reported on the request of Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine.

On March 15, Lutsenko claimed during his speech at the parliament that Savchenko personally planned, recruited and ordered how to hold the terrorist attack in the Verkhovna Rada, destroying two lodges, governmental and post, by the combat grenades, bringing down the dome of the Verkhovna Rada by the mortar launchers and killing the survived with the assault rifles.

Also, it was reported that non-affiliated MP Nadia Savchenko and Volodymyr Ruban, the Head of 'Officer Corps' planned to attack the cortege of the President of Ukraine with the large caliber sniper rifle.

Ruban was detained on March 8 at the Ukrainian checkpoint at the demarcation line of Donbas Conflict zone. It is stated that Ruban is suspected in the illegal handling of arms, preparation of a crime and terrorist action. Later the Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kyiv arrested Volodymyr Ruban, the Leader of Center of POW Release 'Officer Corps' for 60 days without a right to the bail.
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According to Giovanna Barberis, the joining to the initiative will allow Ukraine to effectively protect the rights of the children and youth

Open source

Volodymyr Groysman, the Prime Minister of Ukraine and UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) signed the Memorandum on joining of Ukraine to the world initiative Community friendly to children and youth on March 29.

And today we open new possibilities for the creation of the conditions for the development and self-fulfillment of the children and youth in the Ukrainian communities, Groysman said.

He thanked UNICEF and UNFPA for the support and such initiative.

Giovanna Barberis, the representative of the UNICEF in Ukraine noted that the joining to the initiative will allow Ukraine to effectively protect the rights of the children and youth.

The initiative Community friendly to children and youth works since 1996 and the municipalities of more than 30 countries of the world attracted to it.

Earlier UNICEF claimed that it plans to introduce the support program for youth initiatives in Ukraine starting from 2018.
This was stated in the Annual National Programme under Ukraine-NATO Commission for 2018, approved by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on March 28

Ukraine intends to continue studying with NATO the possibilities of countering hybrid threats coming from Russian Federation. This was stated in the Annual National Programme under Ukraine-NATO Commission for 2018, approved by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on March 28

"Medium-term goals: conducting joint research with NATO on combating hybrid threats in relevant areas, developing strategies and policies to counter hybrid warfare, taking into account the results of the studies conducted within the framework of the Ukraine-NATO Platform on studying the experience of countering the hybrid war in Ukraine," reads the programme.

In addition, in Ukraine it is planned to develop methodological materials for training specialists on countering such threats, as well as "introducing a mechanism for exchanging experience with NATO member states, the EU, with other partners in countering the tactics of a hybrid war by the Russian Federation."

Among the priorities for 2018 is the coordination with NATO of the projects proposed by the Ukrainian side on the Platform, establishing partnerships with the European Center of Excellence for Combating Hybrid Threats (Helsinki, Finland).

An international conference on countering the hybrid war is also planned with the involvement of leading experts with the aim of exchanging experience and applying the best practices.

As it was reported earlier, on March 28, Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko approve the Annual National Programme under the aegis of Commission Ukraine  NATO for 2018. The strategy determines the priority tasks for 2018 and medium-term objectives, which are to be achieved till 2020.

The document also defines the relevant practical measures within the implementation of Ukraines Euro-Atlantic integration policy, reforming of the security sector and states defense under the standards and recommendations of the Alliance.

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This was claimed by the representative of Ukraines Petro Poroshenko Bloc Party Ivan Vinnyk, as opposed to the earlier SIRPI report, stating that countrys export is 1.7%

EPA / UPG

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Published a report according to which during the past five years (2013-2017), Ukraine has taken the 11th place among world arms exporters, providing 1.7% of all world export. It was also stated that Ukraine has been supplying weapons to Russia (23%).

But Ukrainian Petro Poroshenko Bloc Partys MP and a secretary of the Committee on National Security and Defense Ivan Vinnyk said in a commentary to 112 Ukraine TV channel that since May 2014 Ukraine has not supplied a single arms component to Russia.

I have just had a meeting with the head of State service of export control of Ukraine in connection with this information and I can confirm once again that since May 2014 not a single arms component was supplied to Russia by Ukraine, he noted.

Vinnyk is convinced that Ukraines arms export to world market is less than 1.5%.

This report is the analysis of the information sources. The origin of the weapons is linked to the country that has invented it in its due time. Ukraines defense complex since USSR has a number of patents on arms, missiles, planes, which Russia now produces on its territory and illegally uses as an intellectual property of Ukraine. Regarding the prices, I also have interesting information: the assessment of the report is not made based on price indexes, but on quality indexes. All the contracts on arms transfers are classified and contain payments that are not connected to the products cost. Thats why this report has to be considered carefully, the MP said.

He also noted that Committee on National Security and Defense has addressed the State service of export control of Ukraine with an official inquiry regarding this issue.

As it was reported earlier, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on March 12 published a report saying that the worlds arms sales in 2013-2017 increased by 10% compared to 2008-2012.

According to the report, Ukraine took 11th place among world arms exporters, providing 1.7% of all world export. During the previous five years, this number was 2.1%. Thus from the period from 2008 to 2017 the weapons supply from Ukraine has decreased by 26%.

The main clients of Ukraine for the period reportedly were Russia (23%), China (20%), Thailand (12%).

"Despite the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine, which started in 2014, arms imports by the Ukrainian Government remained very small for the period

201317. Rebels in eastern Ukraine received tanks, armoured vehicles and portable anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles from Russia. However, the

lack of reliable sources makes it impossible to provide accurate estimates of the volumes involved," the report says.

Related video:
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
Some of us are thoroughly in touch with our own emotions. Some of us clearly struggle through emotions daily. For Sallie Scheufler 's MFA thesis, she created A Good Cry. Through a series of performative videos and sculptural installations, Sallie brings her knowledge and discovery of the human struggle to life for people of all ages to explore and enjoy. CFA Downtown hosts this beautiful and moving exhibit, which opened on March 12 , and concludes on March 23 , running from 11am to 6pm . Whether wearing a bleeding heart on your sleeve or bottling it all up until the breaking point hits, this display of sadness, euphoria and the gamut of human feels, offers a chance to see exactly what this accomplished artist wants to convey about the nature of tears and crying behavior. This installation is free to the public. (Mayo Lua de Frenchie)

Performative videos and sculptural installations, the exhibition questions and scrutinizes the the nature of crying behavior.

A GOOD CRY is inspired by, and made of tears. Through a series of performative videos and sculptural installations, the exhibition questions and scrutinizes the the nature of crying behavior.

A GOOD CRY is Sallie Scheufler's MFA Thesis Show!!

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Sallie Scheufler currently resides in Albuquerque, where she is pursuing her MFA in Photography from the University of New Mexico. Raised in the Sonoran Desert, she received her BFA from Arizona State University in 2012. Scheufler is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily with image-based media. She has exhibited work in galleries like the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe, Eye Lounge in Phoenix, 516 ARTS in Albuquerque, and the University of New Mexico Art Museum. Scheufler's practice is concerned with how humans communicate, the performance of gender, intimacy, her knowledge of her own body, the informative coming-of-age years, the complexities of unhealthy and healthy relationships, the questioning and formation of identity, growing old, the scientific and cultural ignorance of female sexuality.

A GOOD CRY is inspired by, and made of tears. Through a series of performative videos and sculptural installations, the exhibition questions and scrutinizes the the nature of crying behavior.

A GOOD CRY is Sallie Scheufler's MFA Thesis Show!!

----------

Sallie Scheufler currently resides in Albuquerque, where she is pursuing her MFA in Photography from the University of New Mexico. Raised in the Sonoran Desert, she received her BFA from Arizona State University in 2012. Scheufler is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily with image-based media. She has exhibited work in galleries like the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe, Eye Lounge in Phoenix, 516 ARTS in Albuquerque, and the University of New Mexico Art Museum. Scheufler's practice is concerned with how humans communicate, the performance of gender, intimacy, her knowledge of her own body, the informative coming-of-age years, the complexities of unhealthy and healthy relationships, the questioning and formation of identity, growing old, the scientific and cultural ignorance of female sexuality.
Affordable dining tables, coffee tables and benches made from rescued New Mexico woods plus jewelry and mezuzahs from found branches, made by Hershel Mutka Weiss. Runs through 4/9.

Opening Reception and Sale

Affordable dining tables, coffee tables and benches made from rescued New Mexico woods plus jewelry and mezuzahs from found branches. Made by long time Albuquerque Furnituremaker Hershel Mutka Weiss.

The tables and benches are made from land being cleared to create firebreaks near Weed, New Mexico. Planks sawn three inches thick were the starting point for this new furniture.

The work is a departure for Weiss, who is known for his finely crafted work. The tables are made with simple and direct joinery and retain their natural edges and in some cases the bark as well. Weiss also experimented with bark inlay in several pieces, creating a combination of rustic and refined.

Also shown in this exhibit Weiss's first in six years are his first attempts at jewelry, made from found branches, as well as the Jewish ritual objects known as mezuzahs, carved from found branches as well.
Michael Eustacio Chavez presents "Living with Native Plants" of the Rio Grande valley.

Michael Eustacio Chavez will present "Living with Native Plants" on Wednesday, April 4th.

For many of us, the first thought or question to appear when we encounter, say, a yucca, is something like, "Yucca" or "Which yucca?"

But we also encounter plants within some bigger experience involving the particular history we have with any given species.

Michael Eustacio Chavez is someone whose version of the latter is quite a bit bigger and more varied in New Mexico than it is for most of us.

Chavez was taught the plants of the Rio Grande valley and their many uses by his uncle and father at an early age. Born in Socorro and raised in nearby Alamillo, Chavez has remained close to the landscape of his youth and its plants that both he and his family have known and relied on for over 400 years now.

But the communities of La Joya, Alamillo and the neighboring San Acacia, at the confluence of the Rio Salado and the Rio Grande, were soon bounded by the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge when it was established in 1973.

After 16 years as a Socorro County Deputy Sheriff and five as a park ranger at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, now the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Chavez spends much of his time as a wood sculptor and serves as a volunteer naturalist at the Sevilleta, often giving guided tours there, including a walking tour on Saturday, April 7th.

Join us for this unique event and expand your own history with many of the plants of the Rio Grande valley and your own ideas of what it can mean to live with them.
Thursday 29

Siren (Freeform 6pm) In this supernatural drama, a marine biologist falls in love with a mysterious girl who shows up in the coastal town of Bristol Cove. Turns out shes a mermaid, and theres a war brewing between sea people and humans.  Eh, beats another sexy thriller about vampires.

Supernatural (KWBQ-19 7pm) The Winchester bros, (Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles) get animated to team up with Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang.  No, really.

Friday 30

The Dangerous Book for Boys (Amazon streaming anytime) The best-selling encyclopedia of old-fashioned manly knowledge (how to build a treehouse, how to fish, how to play stickball) is now a fictional TV series from Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Greg Mottola (Superbad) about a young boy whose father dies leaving behind a magical guidebook.

Reboot: The Guardian Code (Netflix streaming anytime) ReBoot, the computer-generated cartoon series from the mid-90s, gets a  well, a reboot with this goofy-looking live-action/CGI toon.

New Wave: Dare to be Different (Showtime 6pm) This musical documentary tells how Long Island radio station WLIR and its program director, Denis McNamara, changed the face of radio by introducing New Wave to Americawhich is sorta true, but also sorta ignores the longtime work of Rodney Bingenheimer on LAs famed KROQ.

Saturday 21

Star Falls (Nickelodeon 7pm) In this live-action sitcom, a strong-willed teenager convinces a Hollywood movie star and his family to live in her rural house while he shoots a movie in townall in the hopes of setting him up with her mom. Siena Agudong (Nicky, RIcky, Dicky & Dawn) stars.

Sunday 1

In Ice Cold Blood (Oxygen 8pm) Rap- star- turned- actor Ice T hosts this series which promises to expose outrageous tales and shocking true stories involving sex, money, murder and sometimes a fatal cocktail of all three.

Monday 2

Splatalot (BYUtv 6:29pm) Yes, BYU has a cable TV channel. And theyre airing this messy obstacle course gameshow for teens. Its a rebroadcast of a 2011 Canadian show of the same name (with newly filmed host segments), which was just a rip-off of the series Wipeout (and even filmed on the same obstacle course).

The Crossing (KOAT-7 9pm) Steve Zahn (Treme), Natalie Martinez (Under the Dome) and Sandrine Holt (Once a Thief) star in this sci-fi drama about refugees fleeing a war-torn country and seeking asylum in a small American town. The twist? The country theyre fleeing is America 180 years in the future.

Tuesday 3

The Last O.G. (TBS 8:30pm) Jordan Peele, hot off the Oscar-nominated Get Out, is the creator of this comedy about an ex-con (Tracy Morgan) who gets out of jail after 15 years only to find that his rough old neighborhood in Brooklyn has been gentrified and that his ex-girlfriend (Tiffany Hadish) is now married to a white guy named Josh.

Wednesday 4

I Am MLK Jr. (Paramount 7pm) Paramount doesnt even wait till MLK Day to air this documentary about the life and legacy of civil rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Scottish-born writer- director- producer- creator Armando Iannucci is known for his cynical, fast-paced, foul-mouthed, media-savvy brand of political satire. The British newsmagazine spoof The Day Today, his frequent work with television comedian Alan Partridge, his bitter political comedy In the Loop and the cutting, improv-heavy HBO sitcom Veep show off his trademark style. Despite being a citizen of the British Empire, his work has shown an immunity to national boundaries, proving that incompetent and arrogant bureaucracies are a worldwide phenomenon. His newest work cements that theory by transplanting Iannuccis particular brand of motormouthed humor to a rather unexpected place: the Soviet Union in the 1950s.

The Death of Stalin is a manic comedy with occasional doses of slapstick. The year is 1953. The location: Moscow. Joseph Stalin (British actor Adrian McLoughlin) is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He rules with an iron fist over a frightened country thanks to The Great Terror, a program of systematic purges, a centrally enforced cult of Stalin worship and a punitive system of harsh labor camps known as gulags. Now that doesnt exactly sound like the basis for uproarious slapstick, but Iannucci treats Communism to the same healthy disrespect he affords constitutional monarchies, federal republics and other representative democracies.

The film begins with an inspired piece of black comedy in which Stalin calls up the state radio station and asks for a recording of the symphony concert which has just ended. Unfortunately, the concert was not recorded. Fearing the likely fatal repercussions, paranoid engineers scramble to return audience members to their seats so the concert can start over again from the beginning. Don't worry, nobody's gonna get killed. I promise you, assures the theater manager. This is just a musical emergency! The harried conductor faints and is quickly replaced by the best and nearest conductor in Moscow, still clad in his pajamas. One musician rebels and refuses to play unless she is given a large sum of money. Its like the tensest Marx Brothers skit ever shot.

After much hullaballoo Stalin receives his record, but the leader is struck downmid-concertoby a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. A coterie of his loyal advisors crowd his quarters the next morning, fretting over his inert body. Iannucci has crammed his ensemble cast with an impressive list of comic actors. Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Buscemi and Michael Palin are just a sampling of the front-and-center talent. Some wail in mock concern. Some fear for their future. Others start to scheme. What if Stalin dies? What if he doesnt die? The still-paranoid collection of generals and ministers debate whether or not to summon a doctor. The problem is that Stalin has either killed or exiled all of the competent doctors in Moscow for being part of a Zionist plot. Should they then call a bad doctor? What if Stalin finds out they called a second-rate physician to attend to him? If he recovers then it was a good doctor, reasons Nikita Khrushchev (Buscemi). And if he doesnt, then hell never know it was a bad doctor.

Of course none of the patently British/American cast come across as remotely Russian. But thats not really the point here. Iannucci doesnt ask his actors to affect Russian accents. The dialogue is all thoroughly modern. And beautifully vulgar, it should be noted. Such anachronisms and incongruities only highlight the filmmakers point: It doesnt matter if theyre Russian, British or American; politicians are all the same self-serving jerks. Epithets are hurled both loudly and under the breath. Most of the time our ensemble of petty, weak, stupid, amoral and generally incompetent political hangers-on squabble like kindergartners. But the scary-funny part is theyre kindergartners vying for control of the largest nation on Earth.

As the plot progresses, Stalin eventually expires, forcing his inner circle to organize a massive funeral. Khrushchev is stuck deciding between ruched or non-ruched drapes. Fatuous Secretary of the Central Committee Georgy Malenkov (Tambor) debates whether his photograph with prominent cheekbones or non-prominent cheekbones should be displayed. Iannuci piles on the cameos throughout, adding to the chaos and humor. Rupert Friend (Homeland) drops in and out as Stalins angry, frequently drunken son, who has to be dragged out of every room he enters. Jason Isaacs (of the Harry Potter series) struts through as cocky war hero Field Marshal Zhukov.

Odd as it may seem, The Death of Stalin is like a highbrow stage version of Weekend at Bernies penned by Aaron Sorkin. Like Sorkin, Iannucci has a taste for that highly verbal, walk-and-talk, back-and-forth dialogue (most famously spotlighted in Sorkins The West Wing). But all that snappy dialogue is punctuated by a prominent corpse of a main character and some of the bleakest gallows humor in recent memory. Hey, if we can laugh at something called The Great Terror, maybe theres a chance we can smile our way though our current political woes.
Newscity

Bad Grade for State Schools

A new report has rated New Mexico's public schools as some of the worst in the nation.

Last week, the website 24/7 Wall Street ranked each state's public schools based on their high school graduation rates, state spending, 8th grade NAEP proficiency, adults with at least a bachelor's degree and adult's 25 to 64 with incomes at or above the national average. According to the report, the data has changed little over the past several decades, and schools in the affluent regions of the Northeast and Midatlantic continue to rank the highest. Sterling Lloyd, assistant director of the Education Week Research Center, told 24/7 Wall Street that while high school and college graduation rates have risen, schools continue to struggle with wide achievement and funding gaps.

The report notes that New Mexico's high school graduation rate is the lowest of all 50 states (71 percent). The state's public school spending was reportedly 17th lowest ($10,768 per pupil). The report says our 8th grade NAEP proficiency was only 20.6 percent in math and 20.1 percent in reading. New Mexico is the 13th lowest ranked for adults with at least a bachelor's degree (27.2 percent) and 4th lowest for adult population (25 to 64) with incomes at or above the national average (43.2 percent).

The report did not rank the District of Columbia, which had a lower high school graduation rate than New Mexico.
NMENV

More than four years ago, Weekly Alibi investigative reporter David Correia was one of the first members of the New Mexico media to take an in-depth look at a potentially huge environmental problem fermenting on Burques southeast side.

A very large plume of aircraft fuel and associated carcinogenic hydrocarbonsmore than 50 years in the making by some experts reckoningwas an imminent threat to one of our towns most important, life- sustaining- in- the- high- desert aquifers.

Fast forward a few years and the problem that youve never heard of has become the obvious threat to the environment that practically everyone has forgotten about. Case in point: last year the US Air Forceand the administration of former Mayor Richard Berrydetermined there wasnt enough public interest in the issue to warrant the creation and maintenance of a citizen advisory board.

Thankfully that attitude has changed in Berrys passage from civic influence. The spill and solutions to its ultimate remediation are being discussed againby the N.M. Environment Department, The City Water Advisory Board and the progenitors of the problem, the US Air Force.

There have been many developments of late with regards to dealing with the still-spreading leak. Given that this important issuehey clean water equals vida, carnaleshas bubbled up only to disappear, we assume many have misplaced the particulars of the spill and its subsequent ramifications. Heres a briefing then, for your eyes only.

A Brief History of Spillage

In case you havent noticed or may have forgotten, theres a huge military operation being conducted 24/7, immediately southeast of downtown Albuquerque. Kirtland Air Force Base occupies more than 50,000 acres, hugging the Manzano mountains as one of its boundaries and Gibson Boulevard here in town as one of its other demarcations.

Todd Berenger

Important national security work goes on all of the time at Kirtland. The nations nuclear stockpile is managed there, among other missions. Thousands of military aircraft land at the base on a yearly basis and have been doing so since the early 50s.

In 1999, officials at the base say they discovered one of the underground pipelines used to supply jet fuel to all of those airplanes was leaking. Though estimates varyas do timetables of when the leak was actually discoveredas to the size of the spill, it is generally agreed to be around 24 million gallons of a type of gasoline used to fuel jets.

Just north and east of the KAFB frontiers, Albuquerqueans live their lives, using wells that draw water from an underground source that is situated in the path of the seeping jet fuel spill.

The type of aviation fuel being absorbed into the groundand potentially the aquiferis known to contain an ingredient called ethylene dibromide (EDB), a known carcinogen; according to investigative reporter Correia, Every gallon of aviation gas included enough EDB to contaminate millions of gallons of drinking water.

The EPA notes that EDB is as insidious as it is poisonous, writing in an official report, individuals who consume EDB in excess of the maximum contaminant level (MCL), 0.05 micro grams per liter (or parts per billion), could experience problems with the liver, stomach, reproductive system or kidneys, and may have an increased risk of cancer.

Whats Been Done

After much was made in the alternative media and among citizen action groups about the fuel spill, those responsible settled into the slow routine of remediation. The stories from each side of the issue are often profoundly different, though all claim to be invested in values like community health and environmental accountability.

The US Air Force reports, for instance, that its current priority is to implement a robust site monitoring and wellhead protection program to protect drinking water supply wells and operation of a groundwater treatment system that extracts contaminated groundwater from the ethylene dibromide plume.

Last month, the Air Force deployed a new well near the source of the decades-old leak, to speed the extraction of contaminated materials and stop feeding the plume.

Despite these reassurances, local science writer and water expert John Fleck reported on a memo from Rick Shean, the Water Rights Program Manager at the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority. Fleck characterized the tone of the memo as strikingly worded and hes right. The authorities at the city water utility are concerned about their influence in the remediation process and have actively termed the plan as disconnected from the stated goal of protecting drinking water and the aquifer and [further] undermine the Water Authoritys ability to ensure the safety and quality of drinking water.

Fleck concludes that this communication signals a breakdown in the relationship between the US Air Force, the N.M. Environment Department and the city water utility. The relationship between these three stake holders has been notably tense for years since the plumes discovery and, though it warmed in recent years when the feds and state officials offered the city involvement in the cleanup procedures, it has soured again due to the report generated by the New Mexico Environment Department.

When asked about the criticism of the plan, city water utility spokesperson David Morris told local teevee reporters that it focuses too much on exploring other clean up models and relies on passive, rather than active remediation.

The strategic plan put forward by the states environment department calls for long term sustainability of Albuquerques aquifer but notes that the process has created challenges that the team tasked with cleaning the mess up continues to adapt to, while noting that at this time, more than 350 million gallons of contaminated groundwater have been treated and re-introduced to the Albuquerque biosphere.

Despite these political difficulties, the aim of the state strategy is still to protect the huge reserve of drinking water that lies just beneath the city. The state Environment Department says it can achieve this goal by implementing a robust monitoring program, continuously monitoring fuel contamination in soil and groundwater, deploy multiple engineered technologies to make the former happen and thereby meet or exceed public requirements.

Thats a lot to lay claim to, especially given a process thats been ignored, forgotten, dismissed, mis-categorized and occluded from public view over many years, but ultimately taken up by a plethora of government and regulatory agencies. Its time to put politics aside and really get to work cleaning up a mess that might otherwise ruin life as we know it in Albuquerque. The ABCWUA and other parties must continue to meet to forge a consensus and way forward that takes that vital issue into account.

Public comments regarding the issue and strategies available for finding a non-lethal solution therein are open until April 6 and should be directed to dennis. mcquillan@state. nm. us.
Cape Town  The Randburg Magistrate's court has sentenced former real estate agent Vicki Momberg to three years in prison, with one year suspended. Momberg was found guilty on four counts of crimen injuria for her filmed rant against a black police officer who assisted her after an alleged smash-and-grab incident. Momberg was heard criticising the "calibre of blacks" in Johannesburg during the viral video clip.

"The calibre of blacks in this town [varies] from the calibre of blacks in Durban. They're opinionated, they're arrogant, and they're just plain and simple useless. I am happy for a white person to assist me, or a coloured person, or an Indian person. I do not want a black person to assist me," she shouted.

Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has welcomed the sentence when he tweeted:

We welcome the prison sentenced handed down today on Real Estate Agent #VickyMomberg who has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for her racist rant, of which 1 year is suspended. This will serve as a deterrent & a clear indication that there is no room for racism in South Africa.

The defence's Kevin Lawlor argued that Momber's sentence must be fair and balanced after prosecutor Yusuf Baba said: "It is my submission that a suitable sentence is direct imprisonment without the option of a fine". Lawlor added that Momberg was caught in an "emotional storm" due to the smash-and-grab incident and that she was not in a normal state of mind during the video clip.
YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on March 28 received newly appointed UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Armenia Shombi Sharp, the government told Armenpress.

The PM congratulated Shombi Sharp on assuming his post and expressed confidence that Mr. Sharp will contribute to further development of bilateral cooperation. PM Karapetyan said a close cooperation has been established with the UN Office in Armenia, a number of effective programs have been implemented, and in line with this, there are new prospective directions for joint work. Karen Karapetyan introduced the agenda of reforms initiated by the Armenian government in different fields, stating that Armenia has a great potential for sustainable development, and the ongoing steps aim at fully utilizing it.

In his turn Shombi Sharp said he assumes his post with an honor and during his mission he will invest the maximum efforts to ensure the UNs engagement in programs aimed at Armenias development and for their success. He welcomed the reforms initiative of the Armenian government, as well as the high economic growth rates and macroeconomic indicators, noting that the UN is ready to assist implementation of constant reforms and investment programs in Armenia. The UN Resident Coordinator said he is happy to assume his post this year during which both national and international-level interesting large-scale events will be held in Armenia.

At the meeting the officials exchanged views on Armenia-UNDP cooperation development prospects. In this context they touched upon the Armenia-2030 development agenda and attached importance to the close cooperation in its implementation.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The agenda of the spring sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is rather busy  it features interesting reports, which will also be addressed by the Armenian delegation.

A new co-rapporteur for Armenia will be appointed at the April sitting of PACE, because the previous co- rapporteur wasnt elected in the Italian parliamentary elections.

It is highly likely for PACE to have a new president in April, because incumbent Michele Nicoletti failed to be elected to the Italian parliament in the election.

ARMENPRESS had an interview with Tsarukyan faction MP, member of the Armenian delegation to PACE Naira Zohrabyan about the upcoming sitting of the assembly.

Zohrabyan says a very interesting situation has been created around PACE since incumbent president Michele Nicoletti was not elected to the Italian parliament as an MP during the recent elections, which means that a change of PACE president is expected soon.

The PACE charter doesnt allow lawmakers who werent elected to keep their mandates until the formation of new delegations, and we dont know if the Italian parliament will come with a new delegation in the April 23 sitting or whether it will be the old delegation. Nevertheless, even if this issue doesnt arise during the April sitting, and according to our information the PACE president will nevertheless attend the April sitting, the Socialist group will nominate a new president in July, because according to an internal political agreement the Socialist group of PACE is entitled to nominate a president, Zohrabyan said.

Armenia co-rapporteur Giuseppe Galati was not elected to the Italian parliament, and a new co-rapporteur for Armenia will be nominated in April.

The agenda has a very important reports relating to internally displaced peoples humanitarian issues. Here the Armenian delegation has worked on the report with its recommendations, she said.

Zohrabyan also added that interesting debates can be expected in terms of another report on xenophobia and racism, taken into account the drastic increase of xenophobia also in Azerbaijan.

The spring sitting of PACE will take place April 23-27, 2018.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The interest towards French increases year by year in Armenia. Nune Vardanyan - adviser to the minister of education and science, told Armenpress that a concrete policy on development of foreign languages is being carried out.

French is taught as a foreign language in nearly 200 schools of Armenia. Nune Vardanyan said if there is a wish to learn another foreign language, the children must be provided with that opportunity. The ministry has developed a concept for foreign language teaching aimed at creating equal conditions for development of all foreign languages.

A pilot program launched which included 10 schools from Yerevan, Kotayk, Vayots Dzor, Syunik, Shirak and Lori provinces. Advanced French teaching program was introduced. Nune Vardanyan informed that according to this program the French, as well as the Russian languages will be taught from the second grade. Criteria, program have been developed for these schools, textbooks were selected which are brought from France. As a result after completing the 9th grade children have a B1 level which is considered medium knowledge of language in the European grading system.

The reaction didnt late a lot. Both children and parents are very excited. There is an interest also among other schools. At the moment the issue of doubling the number of these schools next year is being discussed, by spreading this experience in other provinces as well, she said, adding that a TUMO center is expected to be created in Masis town, but it will be mainly in French. The center will contribute to increase of interest towards French in this town.

Nune Vardanyan stated that the cooperation with the International Organization of La Francophonie helps them a lot. Armenia is engaged in different programs and works at several directions. The school children can participate in summer camps, international French Olympiads.

And I want to state that the results are not bad. The kids of 119 school usually capture first, second places. They are able to compete with their peers, she said, adding that each year training for teachers is being organized. Their specialists come and train the Armenian teachers.

There is a trilateral agreement between the N119 school, the French Embassy in Armenia and the ministry of education and science. According to this agreement, a school has been established based on the base of the N119 school, it serves as a high school which is attended by nearly 20-22 children. After graduating the school children receive certificates of Armenia and France. The children can be accepted to the European universities with the certificate of France. The school already has graduates, some of them have chosen Armenias universities, and some -the universities of other countries. Nune Vardanyan stated that this experience as well must be examined and spread in other provinces.

She also attached importance to the university cooperation within the frames of the International Organization of La Francophonie. She said young Armenian researchers, lecturers make exchange of experience, participate in different programs.

As 2018 is a Francophonie year, numerous events are being held in educational institutions. They launch in early March. Screening of French films, performances of French fairy tales are expected.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of the Artsakh Republic Ruben Melikyan appointed Gerard Guerguerian as an adviser on March 29, the Artsakh Ombudsmans Office told Armenpress.

Under the new Law on the Human Rights Defender, passed by the Artsakh Parliament on December 21, 2017, and enacted on February 1, 2018, along with a number of other content and structural changes, the new law also allows the Human Rights Defender to appoint up to five advisers on a pro bono and voluntary basis.

Gerard Guerguerian was born in 1953 in Lebanon. He lives in France since 1970.

He is graduated in political sciences from the Institute of Political Sciences of Paris, and in International Law from the University of Pantheon Assas in Paris. He also holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Paris.

Mr. Guerguerian has practiced international and corporate transactional Law. He has also for many years negotiated and structured a significant number of US and European acquisitions and Joint ventures. He has served during his career as Executive Director and Executive Senior Vice President of major multinational European and US based corporations.

Gerard Guerguerian has written and lectured on International Law topics. Besides publishing numerous articles, he is the author of 2 French books on the Armenian-Turkish relations and Nagorno Karabakh conflict, including Nagorny Karabakh, between Secession and Self Determination. Being member of the Paris Bar, he has dedicated his expertise to the Armenian issues from the International Law perspective.

Since 2015, Mr. Guerguerian has initiated and implemented different projects in Artsakh aimed at capacity building of the youth.
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan has noted significant positive growth in all provinces of Armenia in 2017 against 2016. During todays Cabinet meeting, the PM said as result of studying reports and regional consultations growth has been documented in all sectors, including financial, agricultural, social, construction and waste management.

The ministry of territorial administration and development developed realistic indicators of 2018 governors offices activities, which however werent fully realized in the annual programs, the PM said.

The PM tasked the ministry and governors to revise the annual activity programs, namely addressing the per capita provincial revenue growth, collecting community budget resources, and indicators enabling savings in realizing waste management and sanitary works in communities.

The PM also tasked to address the issue of changing staff in accordance to the law in agencies and bodies were shortcomings were registered.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The preparations for the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russia in May continue, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the RTL radio station, TASS reported.

As earlier reported, this visit is planned. This is the situation as of now, the FM said.

Commenting on the Skripal case, the minister claimed that only Russia is capable of producing the Novichok gas.

This is why there can be no other credible explanation of the incident. However, we would like to maintain a frank dialogue with Moscow, which would be totally free of ambiguity, and we demand that Moscow abide by international law, the French diplomat said.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The date of celebrating the Day of Yerevan has changed from October 13 to September 29 and 30, reports Armenpress.

The Armenian government approved the respective draft decision during todays session.

The initiative of changing the date of the Yerevan Day is linked with the volume of events to be held on the sidelines of the 17th summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie, the necessity to properly implement them and the time required.

This year Yerevan will celebrate its 2800th anniversary.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The development of defense industry is one of the priority directions of progress of the Armenian economy, defense minister Vigen Sargsyan said during the opening of the ArmHiTec 2018 armament and defense technology exhibition in Yerevan.

High tech and innovative developments in the defense industry had a unique place in recent years in the development of Armenias science and industry. Modern samples of military significance production were development in a short period of time and commissioned in the armed forces, a part of which you can see at this exhibition, Sargsyan said.

The minister reminded about the 7-year military modernization program, the main purpose of which is launching production of high tech samples and entering foreign markets.

The exhibition will also feature round-table discussions, forums, to discuss modern security and defense issues.

The minister reminded that 34 Armenian and more than 30 foreign companies from 14 countries will present their production.

State delegations from Russia, Greece, India, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Serbia and Egypt have arrived in Armenia to participate in the exhibition, he said, adding that the CSTO delegation is also in attendance.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended the opening of the 2nd ArmHiTec 2018 International Armaments and Defense Technology Exhibition in Yerevan. The exhibition is held March 29  March 31 in the Yerevan Expo facility.

Defense minister Vigen Sargsyan and CSTO deputy Secretary general Valery Semerikov delivered opening remarks at the event.

After viewing the cultural program and exhibition of a special squad on the occasion of the grand opening, the President toured the fair.

The event aims at becoming a productive platform for dialogue between the military, scientific and business circles of participating countries.

In addition to Armenian companies, representatives from Russia, India, Germany, Italy, France, China and other countries are participating in the exhibition.

The Armenian President viewed both Armenian-made defense technologies and armaments, as well as the production of foreign companies.

Delegations from more than 10 countries, as well as the CSTO delegation, arrived in Armenia to participate in a scientific program as part of the exhibition.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi is set to be re-elected for a second term, partial results suggest, BBC reports.

al-Ahram newspaper said Sisi had won almost 92% of the 25 million votes counted so far.

A spokeswoman for the Sisi campaign told the BBC that it was a "one million per cent democratic process".

She said: "The evidence is that all the Egyptian people, including big numbers of youths and elderly, have come out to vote."

Sisi hailed the participation of Egyptians in the polls on Wednesday night, saying it reflected "the greatness of the country".

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has filed a lawsuit against Kemal Klcdaroglu, the main opposition politician of the country and leader of the CHP ("Republican People's Party"), Cumhurriyet newspaper reported.

The reason of the lawsuit was a speech of the opposition politician before the partys parliamentary faction, when Klcdaroglu had said : The number one political pillar of the Gulenists is the person who has captured the presidents seat. Let him file the lawsuit, I will prove what I said.

Erdogan seeks nearly 62,000 dollars in moral damages as compensation.

Erdogans attorney said the president is a pioneer of fighting against the Gulen Movement and that such statements are defamation.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Private cab drivers held a protest rally outside the government seat in central Yerevan, demanding equal competition.

Drivers fear that online taxi services are evading taxes. The private cab drivers say they are unable to continue their activities in unequal conditions.

The drivers also protested the fines for violation of traffic rules and the process of charging those fines and demanded reforms in the sector.

Majority of drivers arrived outside the government building in Yerevan with their vehicles and parked their cars in the street, which prompted police officers to demand the removal of the cars as they were obstructing traffic. The cab drivers said they will comply when governmental officials will hold a meeting with them and hear them out.

A governmental official subsequently held a meeting with the protesting cab drivers, who later told reporters that details will be provided after the joint discussion.

English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The Georgian foreign ministry announced the decision to expel one of the Russian diplomats from the country, Sputnik News reports.

Earlier a number of Western countries made a decision to expel Russian diplomats over the poisoning case of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal.

The ministry expresses solidarity with Great Britain, it supports the position of the UK and the international community on this issue, and therefore considers the employee representing Russia's interests in Georgia at the Swiss Embassy unacceptable and demands that he leaves Georgia within seven days, the statement said.

The name of the Russian diplomat is not being reported.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. The authorized body for the protection of personal data of the citizens of Armenia is the Personal Data Protection Agency of the Justice Ministry, Shushan Doydoyan  chairwoman of the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia, told Armenpress.

Commenting on the newly opened company called VisaMetric which will receive visa applications for some European countries starting from April 3, Shushan Doydoyan said it is a Russian-Turkish consortium, but regardless of what company it is, the Agency must control that the personal data of citizens are protected.

When dealing with personal data field, the company must follow several principles. First of all, the personal data must be developed for legal purposes. Here that legal purpose exists, that company is going to collect the data for implementing the process of providing visas to the Armenian citizens. The second principle is that the personal data must be collected with the volume as it is required for reaching their legal goal. In other words, they cannot collect more data about the person then needed, Shushan Doydoyan noted.

She stated that the company cannot use the data collected for one purpose for another purposes. Doydoyan added that in all cases when there is danger, suspicion that the data can be used for other purposes, the state, of course, in particular, the Personal Data Protection Agency of the Justice Ministry must intervene.

The control is in the hands of the Agency, it is the authorized body that must guarantee the protection of the citizens personal data. If there are violations, the Agency can intervene and apply administrative liability norms, of course, they are not so high, but the law allows up to 500 thousand drams, she said.

She also presented one more factor: before submitting the peoples personal data to third country the company must apply to the Agency, submit application in order to receive that right. As long as it doesnt receive that right, it cannot submit the personal data to a third country.

I would like to mention another important factor as well. Usually that companies have an opportunity to get peoples biometric personal data, for instance, fingerprints which allow to correctly identify that person. In this case as well, before collecting such data, the companies must inform the Agency. I think, the Agency, as a control body, has a lot of works to do, she said.

In addition to legal issues Doydoyan said a political issue as well emerges here.

In fact we deal with a company, in person of VisaMetric, in which the country is presented with which we do not have diplomatic relations. This is more a political issue and requires a political comment, she said.

Earlier Germanys Ambassador to Armenia Matthias Kiesler said that starting April 3, 2018, Schengen Visa applications in Yerevan will be accepted not by the Embassy of Germany itself, but a company called VisaMetric. VisaMetric is a Russian-Turkish consortium with its holding based in Turkey.

English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Panagiotis Kammenos, the Minister of the National Defense of the Hellenic Republic notes that Turkey is still far away from European values. Referring to the incident that 2 Greek servicemen who accidentally strayed into Turkey on March 2 due to unfavorable weather and were arrested on charges of espionage, the Minister of National Defense of Greece said during a press conference at the Defense Ministry of Armenia that Greece wants to see Turkey standing close to the European values, but judging from the announcements of the Turkish president and the decisions of the authorities of that country, it becomes clear that Turkey is returning to the past times.

Judging from the announcements of the Turkish president and the decisions of that the authorities of that country, Ankara is returning to the past times and intends to create another Ottoman Empire. This pushes Turkey away from the European values, ARMENPRESS reports Kammenos saying.

Panagiotis Kammenos reminded Turkey that its previous imperialistic attempts ended up in a failure.

On March 2 two servicemen of the Greek armed forces strayed into Turkey. They were patrolling in the section of Maritsa River which divides Turkey and Greece. They are arrested on the charges of military espionage. The Turkish court ruled to keep the 2 Greek soldiers in jail on March 27. The Greek servicemen are still kept in detention in Turkey.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, 29 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 29 March, USD exchange rate stood at 480.22 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 4.03 drams to 591.15 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is down by 0.01 drams to 8.33 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 4.37 drams to 675.19 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is down by 138.95 drams to 20572.27 drams. Silver price is down by 2.85 drams to 254.06 drams. Platinum price is down by 154.40 drams to 14497.62 drams.
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia supports the efforts of Greece to release the 2 Greek servicemen who strayed into the Turkish territories due to unfavorable weather conditions on March 2 and were arrested on the charges of espionage, Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan announced in a press conference at the ministry. We find that there should be a demonstration of good will and mutual respect and the ability to be more flexible towards one another should prevail in all types of relations. We support the Greek side in this issue, ARMENPRESS reports the Minister saying.

Vigen Sargsyan also informed that he discussed with his Greek counterpart issues about relations with Turkey. We mutually found it inacceptable the policy of that country to speak in the language of preconditions or threats. In this context I informed my colleague about the reasons of terminating the ratification procedure of the Armenian-Turkish protocols signed in 2009, the Armenian Defense Minister stressed.

On March 2 two servicemen of the Greek armed forces strayed into Turkey. They were patrolling in the section of Maritsa River which divides Turkey and Greece. They are arrested on the charges of military espionage. The Turkish court ruled to keep the 2 Greek soldiers in jail on March 27. The Greek servicemen are still kept in detention in Turkey.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. Japanese Hanami holiday was celebrated in front of Armenian parliament park on March 29 during which an opening ceremony of a signboard about Japanese sakuras (cherry blossom) took place.

The event was attended by Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov, the members of Armenia-Japan parliamentary friendship group and the Ambassador of Japan to Armenia Eiji Taguchi.

The presentation of Artsvi Bakhchinyans book titled Armenian-Japanese historical and cultural ties took place during the ceremony.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia, the head of the Armenian-Japanese parliamentary friendship group Samvel Farmanyan, greeting the participants, highlighted the organization of the event at the parliament which has become a tradition.

Artsvi Bakhchinyan thanked for the opportunity to present the book and referred to the common features of the two peoples, which are numerous despite the geographical distance. I do not consider my work completed. I will continue to work on the book, the author said, adding that he started to work on it 15 years ago.

Sakuras imported from Japan were planted at the parliament park on May 12, 2015 symbolizing the friendship of the Armenian and Japanese peoples.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received on March 29 Panagiotis (Panos) Kammenos, the Minister of the National Defense of the Hellenic Republic.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Presidents office, greeting the guest and underlining that Armenian-Greek ties date back to millennia ago with numerous demonstrations of friendship, the President of the Republic assessed it natural that the high level of mutual understanding and trust is characteristic for the relations of the two peoples. Serzh Sargsyan documented with pleasure that defense cooperation has become one of the pillars of Armenian-Greek relations.

The interlocutors noted with satisfaction that high level visits have become more frequent during the last years.

The President recalled with warmth his state visit to Greece in 2016 and asked Minister Kammenos to convey his warm greetings and best wishes to the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras and President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

President Sargsyan and Minister Kammenos expressed satisfaction over the current high level of defense cooperation between the two countries.

Serzh Sargsyan once again expressed gratitude to the Greek Government for the support in the spheres of military and civil education, noting that its a big contribution to the strengthening of friendship, since the youth who get education in Greece will foster the development of bilateral relations.

During the meeting the sides also referred to the ArmHiTech exhibition held in Yerevan, which was also attended by the Greek Defense Minister. The interlocutors assessed the exhibition a good opportunity to get acquainted with the achievements of the participating countries and to strengthen military-technical cooperation.

Panos Kammenos noted that the joint efforts with his Armenian counterpart aimed at expanding cooperation in the defense sphere continue.

English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan
LOS ANGELESA federal court has denied a motion by Stormy Daniels lawyer to put Donald Trump under oath in a deposition that would have forced him to answer questions about his alleged sexual relationship with Danielsand more importantly, about the $130,000 payment made by Trumps lawyer Michael Cohen to buy Daniels silence about it. Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti filed the motion to depose Trump Wednesday morning.

But shortly after 9 a.m. in Thursday, U.S. District Judge S. James Otero of the District of Central California handed down his order denying the motion.

According to Avenatti, however, Otero made his denial on procedural grounds, calling Avenattis original motion premature. Avenatti had demanded a jury trialand the discovery process that precedes every trialin Daniels lawsuit against Trump, Cohen and a shell company, EC LLC, Cohen created to make the $130,000 payment.

Cohen and Trump want the lawsuit handled in a private arbitration hearing, where the proceedings and any evidence about the affair and payment would be kept out of the public record. But because they have not yet formally demanded that arbitration hearing, it was legally too soon for Avenatti to demand a jury triala trial whose discovery process would involve Trumps sworn deposition.

When Trump and Cohen do file that demand for arbitration, Avenatti and Daniels may file their motion for a jury trial again.

David Schwartz, a lawyer who has acted as a public spokesperson for Cohen, blasted Avenattis motion on Wednesday as reckless" and politically motivated.

But Avenatti on Thursday wrote that in his view, Oteros order in the case served to destroy David Schwartz's claims that the motion was without merit. Avenatti was apparently referring to a passage in Oteros ruling that states that is there is an issue with the arbitration agreement, but that the party alleged to be in defaultin this case, Danielsmay indeed demand a jury trial.

Of course, the point of Daniels lawsuit against Trump and Cohen is her claim that that there is an issue with the hush agreement she signed with Cohen just days before the 2016 presidential election. She claims that the agreement is invalid because Trump never signed it.

However, in a televised interview on Wednesday, Schwartz claimed that Trump was "completely unaware" of the hush money agreement.

Otero is a Republican who was appointed to the federal bench in 2003 by President George W. Bush after serving as a judge in the Los Angeles county court system starting in 1988.
LOS ANGELESClandestine Devices, maker of the Mimic luxury pleasure product, created a buzz this past week with an appearance at adult novelty trade show SAS in the City, held March 20th-22nd in Sydney, Australia.

The company attended the event on behalf of Australasian Adult Product Distributors (AAPD), Clandestine Devices exclusive distributor in Australia, among the industrys leading manufacturers and retailers worldwide.

It is so important to us that we were able to be present during the event so we could meet AAPD's amazing retailers face-to-face, said Kimberly Faubel, Clandestine Devices director of operations. AAPD had special discounts for attendees, and some lucky VIP buyers even got to walk away with the best gift bag at the event that included our very popular Mimic!

The introduction of the sleek Mimic massager to SAS in the City, according to AAPDs Linda Zerella, enhanced our relationship with current clients, gave us competitive insight into the other leading products at the show, generated new leads and follow-ups and created more awareness in the Australian and New Zealand market.

Zerella also mentioned that the Mimics live interactive demonstration at the show for touch and feel and vibration capability in and out of water was a big hit as well, and we successfully obtained new orders and re-orders on the same day.

Having AAPD as our partner in Australia is just a perfect fit, added Faubel. They are close to their market and they really value the relationships between their company and the brands they support.

As a brand who plans to remain thoughtful with our products, it's crucial that we nourish a partnership that shares our values and AAPD does just that.
TEMPE, Ariz.CCBill, a global leader in payment processing services, on Wednesday announced that AVSecure, a leading age verification solution, has joined the CCBill Integration Partners marketplace. This partnership offers CCBill merchants with a worldwide solution to comply with the upcoming U.K. Digital Economy Act.

AVSecure adds an important component to CCBills goal of providing trusted resources for their online commerce ecosystem. As the requirements on age verification continue to deepen and define, AVSecures unique blockchain solution provides a trusted and secure option for most any business model, CCBill said in announcing the agreement.

Under the U.K. Digital Economy Act, all websites with adult content accessible from within the United Kingdom have a responsibility to block access from minors. The enforcement requires more than a passive checkbox confirming a users age. It is expected that acceptable age verification methods will include credit/debit card, voting data, mobile with SMS, and government issued identification such as a passport or Drivers License, or in person verification using the Age Verification Card and AVSecure handles such verification processes.

Gary Jackson, vice president of sales and marketing for CCBill said, The partnership with AVSecure is important to the future of online content and provides a solid direction for merchants offering access to U.K. consumers from any region. Having worked with Steve and the team behind AVSecure for a number of years, we are not surprised by the level of investment and impressive expertise that this innovative company is able to deliver with this new service. CCBill is excited by the opportunities that the addition of AVSecure brings to our industry, and anticipate an interesting evolution, as we both work to provide a seamless and painless process for online access."

AVSecure already has a measurable demand and a long-term and global strategy for its blockchain solution. As a free service to both merchants and consumers, coupled with its inability to track a user journey or require any personal data such as an email address, AVSecure sets out to deliver the highest standards of privacy and trust.

We are delighted to be partnering with CCBill. Their vast experience in payment processing will enable us to focus on the paying customers and establish clever and simple ways in which they can become age verified using AVSecure, at the same time as making life easier for the merchants, said Steve Winyard, co-founder and CMO of AVSecure. He added, Age verification on this scale has never been done before and whilst we acknowledge the 20-30 million non-paying customers that are likely to use our service, it is paramount that we respect the audience that are paying and deliver the industry a robust and professional solution for all their customers.
LOS ANGELESVivid Radio, one of the worlds most listened to adult radio networks, has announced that Sluts & Scholars (S&S), a live show co-hosted by registered marriage, family and sex counselor Nicoletta Heidegger and actor/activist Simone, will debut on the channel on April 5. The shame-free, call-in talk show will be heard starting next Thursday on SiriusXM channel 415 and on VividRadio.com from 2-3 p.m. PT. The show is produced and directed by Michael Dutcher.

Launched in May, 2017, the lively, engaging and critically acclaimed S&S podcast quickly found a sex-positive audience that wanted to learn more about current trends and concerns from these two non-judgmental, scholarly women who also happen to like sex and have fun talking about it. Nicoletta and Simone were friends before Nicoletta founded the S&S podcast. Their guests have included legendary adult industry performers and experts of all types who offer ideas and philosophies on how to improve and navigate your sex life.

For example, on the podcast released today on iTunes, Nicoletta and Simone chat with author Dr. Paul Joannides about his book, Guide To Getting It On.

Dr. Joannides book is a go-to classic that you can find on any sex therapists bookshelf, said sexologist Nicoletta Heidegger. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Paul about what sex education is timeless, and also challenge some information with a more intersectional perspective.

The episode is titled, Pleasure Is More Than What You Can Do With Your Penis with Dr. Paul Joannides, and Nicoletta and Simone walk through the evolution of sex education and more with the author.

Heidegger noted, One of my favorite topics that Dr. Paul artfully describes is that of premature ejaculation and all of the common misconceptions about it. While some of the perspectives come from a heterocentric approach, I feel that anyone with a penis, and anyone who loves someone with a penis, should give this a listen.

Sluts & Scholars will host a giveaway of a free copy of Joannides book.

With her background in human sexuality and through her private practice, Nicoletta is knowledgeable about the sex habits of politicians, porn stars and ordinary people. Simone makes people comfortable even talking about the uncomfortable. She was raised in France and believes she brings a more continental perspective to all subjects related to sex.

Listeners can call in on Thursdays to talk to the savvy hosts at 855-99-VIVID. In addition to the live show on Thursdays, a previously recorded S&S podcast will air on Tuesdays on VividRadio in the same 2-3 p.m. PT time slot.

Were excited about this opportunity to expand the audience for our show, said Nicoletta. "We know that our listeners are part of a rapidly growing trend to a more open-minded, sex-positive population. This can mean a healthier attitude towards sex in general and we celebrate that.
Higher percentage of doctors entering system going into family practice, easing forecast shortage

North Carolina faces a looming doctor shortage, particularly in primary care. But a report this week from the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians suggests some relief is on the way.On Tuesday, March 27, the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians announced a record number of North Carolina medical students entering the specialty of family medicine this year. That is expected to result in greater access to health care in all corners of the state.Of the 600 North Carolina medical school graduates recently matched with their residency programs, 92 - or 15.4 percent - chose family medicine as their specialty of choice.Academy President Dr. Tamieka Howell said.A 2015 report from a Washington, D.C.-based national research organization painted a dire forecast for family medicine in North Carolina.The state would need to add 1,885 primary care physicians to the existing 5,917 by 2030. The 31 percent increase in doctors would merely keep pace with an aging, growing population, according to the report by the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care.Primary care physicians fall into two categories: Family medicine, caring for children and adults, and internal medicine, caring strictly for adults.The state's medical schools, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Rural Health, and legislative committees have been seeking solutions. Some existing programs are being revamped. Others are planned.In North Carolina 15.4 percent of medical students entered family medicine this year, compared to just 9.3 percent nationally.The state numbers were boosted with the addition this year of the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine at Campbell University to the existing medical schools.The rising numbers were aided by a partnership between the academy and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, investing about $2 million in programs designed to increase medical student interest in family medicine.The partnership effort included providing scholarships, early medical school experiences in rural family medicine, policy and leadership rotations, mentoring experiences, and travel stipends to attend state and national family medicine conferences.Last year, about 150 medical students received funding to attend the academy's annual conference. It included continuing education, discussion panels, and opportunities to build relationships with practicing family physicians. Support for those efforts came from a $1.18 million grant through Blue Cross' philanthropic foundation, along with contributions from the academy and its members.The academy cited studies showing areas with higher concentrations of primary care physicians have lower death rates for cancer, heart disease, and stroke.Howell said.Adults who have a primary care physician have 33 percent lower health care costs than those lacking primary care, the academy says.The UNC School of Medicine matched 32 students into family medicine this year, the most ever. That represents just under 19 percent of the med school's graduates. Campbell's Wallace School sent 35 students into family medicine, nearly 26 percent of its graduates. At the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, 15 students, or 21.3 percent of medical students, chose family medicine.said Academy Executive Vice President and CEO Greg Griggs.Even so, he cautioned, the state needs more medical students to commit to family medicine every year.
Now that it is fully apparent, to all who have the ability to pay some modicum of attention, that Imposter President Biden has extreme cognitive issues, in addition to being an inveterate liar: Can OUR Republic continue with this Executive Office that has completely failed, so many times, on far too many issues here at this early date in this abysmal presidency?

No, Joseph R. Biden is completely unqualified, morally and cognitively, to represent real Americans, and lead this Republic of disparate peoples.

Yes, Joseph R. Biden has started whispering again, even softer now than before; so, I know he still cares, plus, OUR media will soon stop reporting on Afghanistan in favor of OUR Socialist ideals.
Tom Campbell

"You ain't from around here, are you?" This question may not be grammatically correct but it is an increasingly accurate observation about our state. According to the Carolina Population Center, a valuable research resource at UNC Chapel Hill, 43% of our state population was born elsewhere and that percentage swells to nearly one-half when measuring just adults.North Carolina is growing at a rapid rate, presenting both good news and challenges. Between 2016-17 our population grew 1.1 percent, about 117,000 new residents. That's more than any year since 2010. 32 of our 100 counties saw increases in population, however 34 lost population. In the first half of this decade 53 percent of new residents moved to Mecklenburg, Wake or Durham counties, but in 2016-17 the two fastest growing counties percentage wise were Brunswick (3.6%) and Pender (3.5%), ideal locations for retirees seeking coastal homes. Next came Johnston (2.9%) and Cabarrus (2.6%), chosen because of their proximities to the Raleigh and Charlotte metro areas. Currituck also increased 2.6 percent, again desirable for retirees.Not only are we growing in numbers but also in gray hair. Those over 65 years of age account for about 15 percent of our population today, projected to increase to 21 percent over the next decade or so. During that same period our median age will increase from 37 to 40 and our working age population will shrink from 62 to 58 percent of our people.Drilling deeper we recognize that our state's economy has slowly but steadily improved from The Great Recession, however our unemployment rate continues to be a bit higher than the national average. One reason for this is due to the widening skills gap in our workforce. The Hunt Institute reports that 59 percent of all current jobs require some level of post-secondary education, however only 34 percent of our current over-25 workforce has more than a high school diploma. We obviously need to do better providing the skillsets our employers need now and in the future.We boast wonderful natural resources and a great climate, making North Carolina an ideal destination location for people to choose to live. Added to these assets are wonderful universities and outstanding community colleges capable of providing the education and vocation instruction needed. We have world-class medical care, even though it is unevenly available in more rural sections, and unquestionable recreational and cultural resources for residents.We have prided ourselves on being a "good government" state, however that reputation is a bit tarnished of late. North Carolina's infrastructure is aging and in desperate need of repairing and expanding to meet the growing needs. Unlike many states, our state's finances are sound, with adequate reserves to meet emergencies. But like the federal government, we have allowed ourselves to become sidetracked with rancor and partisanship, often leading to stagnation, costly court battles and divisiveness. We have a cadre of politicians who know how to get elected, but fall short of the leadership needed to unite and motivate people in a positive direction. Perhaps our biggest single need is for better leadership.At various times in our past North Carolina has been labeled either the "Rip Van Winkle" state or the "Dixie Dynamo." Which will it be going forward? The answer depends on us.
Hercules, photographed here, is one of nine male chimpanzees who have found their forever home at Project Chimps after enduring years as research animals. Photo by Crystal Alba/Project Chimps

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On March 21, the world changed dramatically for two chimpanzees, Hercules and Leo, who arrived at Project Chimps, a 236-acre HSUS-supported sanctuary in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, along with seven other young male chimps who are a part of their bonded social group.

Hercules and Leo, both 11, did not grow up with other chimpanzees. They spent their formative years in a research project at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

In 2015, after years of legal work and pressure from The HSUS and other advocacy groups, the federal government effectively ended the use of chimpanzees in medical research. That development made it possible for more than 700 chimpanzees to be retired from research facilities, but there was not enough space in existing sanctuaries. After its founding in 2015, Project Chimps entered into an historic and constructive agreement with the University of Louisianas New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) to take in more than 220 privately-owned research chimpanzees. Project Chimps founders began fundraising and construction, and welcomed the first group of chimpanzees to permanent retirement in late 2016. To date, five groups of chimpanzees, a total of 40 in all, have been transferred to Project Chimps. Hercules and Leo arrived as part of the fifth group.

Hercules and Leo were born and spent their early years at NIRC, but in 2010, as infants, they were sent to Stony Brook. There, they were used in locomotion studies with electrodes imbedded in their muscles, and forced to walk upright. Hercules and Leo endured there for five years, until 2015, when they returned to NIRC.

NIRC worked to integrate the two, along with other young male chimps, into their present social group of nine. Their group mates include Kennedy, Binah, Ray, Danner, Jacob, Oscar, and Kivuli, ages 7 to 10. According to chimpanzee socialization experts at Project Chimps, this was an important step because many chimpanzees used in laboratory experimentation have behavioral problems that require special attention and care.

Already, the Project Chimps team reports encouraging interactions between Hercules and Leo and their group mates. Seven-year-old Kivuli has been able to entice Hercules to play, helping the latter to snap out of his occasionally withdrawn moods. Meanwhile, the presumed alpha male Ray ensures that any outbursts are resolved quickly, and that serves to lower stress for Hercules, Leo, and the entire group.

Chimpanzees can live for many decades, and at their relatively young age, Hercules and Leo could enjoy 20 to 30 years of comfort, happiness, and safety at Project Chimps. Theyre sure to witness dramatic improvements in social enrichment and other features in their new home in the years to come. With support from The HSUS and generous private donors, Project Chimps is building residential villas and outdoor habitats, with the goal of quadrupling the size of the habitat areas over the next five years. Once complete, this $10 million expansion will make Project Chimps a place of even greater respite and tranquility for the chimpanzees for whom it is home. Theyve earned it.

Were grateful to all of the individuals and organizations that made it possible for Hercules, Leo, and their social group to come to Project Chimps, just as were appreciative of the work of many stakeholders to support the transfer of these and other chimpanzees to sanctuary. Their retirement is becoming a reality now, and these remarkable animals are going to receive the very best of care at Project Chimps.

(You can learn more about Project Chimps and its special residents in the May/June 2018 of All Animals)
I had the great pleasure of participating in The Economists World Ocean Summit earlier this month with nearly 400 other ocean stakeholders and conservation leaders. The meeting, billed as an opportunity to learn more about commitments made by businesses and governments to advance the Blue Economy, was a chance to check in on progress made since past summits. Throughout the conference, the belief that business can align with ocean conservation in ways that help regenerate ocean life was kept front and center.

What is the blue economy? Historically the ocean economy referred to any economic activity that derived from human uses of the ocean, but this definition failed to capture the value of natural capital, or the ecosystem services that they provide. Healthy oceans produce oxygen, moderate our climate, and protect coastlines from floods and storms and provide many other benefits. The Blue Economy, as recently described by Mark Spalding, refers to those activities that improve the human relationship with the ocean and, importantly, it accounts for the ecosystem services that benefit marine biodiversity and humans.

From a conservation perspective, the challenge with a Big-Agenda meeting is getting past the talking points to concrete action. What progress has been made? I went to the meeting curious to learn more about the current state of affairs and where investments are being made in our Blue Economy.

It was a new kind of meeting for me; science conferences, which I attend more frequently, are often dedicated to understanding and diagnosing problems, or elaborating details upon which we can build a better frame for the problem. Science meetings are not without ideas and possible solutions, but they often leave solving problems and implementing solutions to others. Operationalizing a new idea is more the realm of businesses and conservation groups and often requires start-up investment from philanthropies and governments. Right now, the Blue Economy is still new enough that making investments can seem risky, or as Citigroup Managing Director Michael Eckhart poignantly phrased it, To get capital flowing to your agenda, you have to address one thing: the risk of investing someones capital in your solution. The risk for the ocean is that no one owns the asset.

The World Ocean Summits blend of business accelerators, investors, scientists, government officials and conservationists had a much more can do attitude than most meetings, and The Economist should get praise for the unique format of bringing together experts across so many disciplines. They are breaking down silos between sectors, and that should help ocean conservation. I would have liked to see the panels delve deeper into the ecosystem, which is necessary to tackle large scale ocean conservation, and emphasize the urgency that is needed to address these issues.

Politicians helped provide some urgency, as Icelands President Gudni Johannesson commented,  its clear that what was previously tolerated, wont be going forward. Similarly, Canadas Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, highlighted that the Trudeau government is moving forward aggressively to meet the 10% marine protected area target by 2020. It was heartening to hear these endorsements for action on behalf of our oceans, but as a conservationist I cant help feeling the clock is ticking a lot faster than governments and businesses are moving. Extinction rates are increasing and we are looking at ocean warming that will overwhelm most of our coral reefs in the next 30 years.

A positive attitude does not diminish the formidable challenges we face. Climate change is on a near runaway trajectory even with the growth of alternative energy and the Paris Agreement. Fish are being globally depleted despite increased investments in sustainable fishing, as governments continue subsidizing destructive fishing. Plastics are choking marine life and waterways. These problems will not turn around immediately or soon. They require political will, and that means strong public support with voters holding their leaders accountable.

The Summits key takeaway from my perspective is that we need to dramatically increase our investments in the ocean  it makes economic sense. One positive development was a set of guidelines for investment in sustainable fisheries as well as sustainable finance principles for the blue economy, which European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella called perhaps [the European Commissions] most important work at the summit, because of their potential to rally the resources needed for sustainable development of the ocean economy. These should help investors get comfortable with bigger investments in our oceans.

Globally the ocean is worth USD $24 trillion, and generates at least $2.5 T annually. Protecting this natural capital is good business, and has high economic returns. It is well past time that we pool the resources of the fishing community, coastal tourism and other businesses to invest in marine protected areas (MPAs)  if for no other reason than the insurance these areas will provide in the face of growing threats to our ocean. The insurance value of ocean conservation is enormous; companies recently lost billions to hurricanes, and healthy coral reefs and mangroves are critically important buffers to storms.

Peter Thompson, the UN Ocean Envoy from Fiji, urged World Ocean Summit participants to tackle Sustainable Develop Goal 14 in his address. While the SDG aims at a 10% MPA target, former President of Costa Rica, Jose Maria Figueres, now co-chair of Ocean Unite, urged the meeting attendees towards the more ambitious target of 30% MPA coverage. This goal is in line with our own Global Ocean Refuge System (GLORES) initiative, which is designed to catalyze strong protection for 30% of the ecosystems in each marine biogeographic region of the worlds oceans by 2030. It is a strategic, science-based way to safeguard marine ecosystems and will enable humans to recover marine life for us and future generations. Global Ocean Refuges are recognized for the qualities that lead to long-term conservation success, and act as an insurance policy in a rapidly changing environment.

Many Latin America countries, including Brazil, have recently established large MPAs. In fact, Chiles government led by President Bachelet exceeded the 30% target, protecting more than 40% of its Exclusive Economic Zone in marine protected areas. Fittingly, as the meeting was in Mexico, one of the biggest highlights for the blue economy came from its recent progress.

Mexico recently designated North Americas largest MPA  the Revillagigedo National Park  and has established an insurance policy for its Caribbean coral reefs  a global first. And, though politicians from many countries highlighted their commitments to ocean conservation, perhaps none so eloquently described their direction as Mexican President Pena Nieto in his 4 recommendations to protect our oceans:

Be bold. Be committed. Be determined. Be enthusiastic.

His remarks concluded,

To be successful you have to involve all the parties and make them participants in our causes. This is a struggle that commits us all and this Summit that brings together governments, businessmen, academics and leaders of civil society is a clear example of this. From the imposing Mexican Caribbean, one of the most beautiful seas in the world, I call for all of us to participate in the mission of protecting our seas and oceans while maintaining the balance between exploitation and care for the environment.

I couldnt put it better myself.

Support Our Bold MPA Vision!

Citations

Spalding, M. 2016. The New Blue Economy: the Future of Sustainability. Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics: Vol. 2: Iss. 2, Article 8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15351/2373-8456.1052
Palantir is the surveillance company founded by authoritarian "libertarian" Peter Thiel; their business-development employee Alfredas Chmieliauskas was part of a cohort of Palantir employees who worked closely  if informally  with Cambridge Analytica as they hatched their plan to harvest 50,000,000 Facebook profiles with a deceptive "personality quiz" app.



Leaked internal Cambridge Analytica emails seen by the New York Times reveals that Chmieliauskas came up with the idea for using a personality quiz to gain entry to a web of Facebook friends-of-friends that would allow the company to geometrically expand its training dataset.

This validates the Parliamentary testimony of whistleblower Christopher Wylie (previoulsy)  whom the NYT has upgraded to a "co-founder" of Cambridge Analytica  who said "There were senior Palantir employees that were also working on the Facebook data."

Palantir categorically denied this accusation at first, insisting that it had rebuffed all of Cambridge Analytica's overtures out of a desire to remain "apolitical." Eventually, Palantir grudgingly admitted that Chmieliauskas did work with Cambridge Analytica "in a personal capacity."

Chmieliauskas was part of a group of people who collaborated on a Google Doc where Cambridge Analytica employees were brainstorming surveillance ideas in a project the company called "Big Daddy."

At the time, Cambridge Analytica's parent company, SCL, employed the daughter of Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt as an intern, and more leaked emails reveal that she lobbied hard for a link-up between Cambridge Analytica and Palantir. Schmidt was the architect of much of Google's tortuous surveillance-apologism, mocking privacy advocates and insisting that "privacy is dead" and "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place." Schmidt was clearly thinking of other people's privacy being dead, though: after Cnet published a dossier of public information on Schmidt's personal life, located through Google searches, Schmidt blacklisted the site's reporters and refused to allow Google representatives to speak to them for years afterwards.

Despite the lack of a formal partnership between Palantir and Cambridge Analytica, the two companies seem to have had an open-door policy regarding one another's researchers, according to Wylie; he describes routine drop-ins at one another's London offices.



"I had left field idea," Mr. Chmieliauskas wrote in May 2014. "What about replicating the work of the cambridge prof as a mobile app that connects to facebook?" Reproducing the app, Mr. Chmieliauskas wrote, "could be a valuable leverage negotiating with the guy." Those negotiations failed. But Mr. Wylie struck gold with another Cambridge researcher, the Russian-American psychologist Aleksandr Kogan, who built his own personality quiz app for Facebook. Over subsequent months, Dr. Kogan's work helped Cambridge develop psychological profiles of millions of American voters.

Spy Contractor's Idea Helped Cambridge Analytica Harvest Facebook Data [Nicholas Confessore and Matthew Rosenberg/New York Times]





(via Naked Capitalism)





(Image: Dan Taylor, CC-BY)
The Struggle Against Imperialism and for Workers' Power in Iran is a $3.50 pamphlet by Keith Jones of the Socialist Equality Party of Canada; published by Mehring Books and distributed by the World Socialist Web Site.



Paypal has refused to process transactions for the sale of this pamphlet, and refuses to say why, "except via a subpoena." The block was reviewed by a Paypal supervisor, who said ""It is something where we can't change it. You are not going to be allowed to process [sales of the book], based on compliance reasons."





It's possible that Paypal is simply blocking anything with the word "Iran" in its description in order to ensure compliance with the economic sanctions regime against Iran. However, a cursory examination (which you'd hope the supervisor would have engaged in) would reveal that a pamphlet by a Canadian about "the history of Iran and the international Marxist movement throughout the 20th Century" that "addresses basic questions of socialist perspective for the working class in a country that has been a target of US imperialist aggression for almost four decades" has no nexus with these sanctions.



In April 2013, PayPal briefly blocked the sale of a photo book produced by an Italian communications firm, Fabrica, containing a collection of images taken by photographers in Tehran from inside their homes. PayPal staff stated at the time that the book had been automatically banned because its title contained the blacklisted word "Iranian." In that case the ban was removed within two days. PayPal issued a public apology via technology blog Gigaom, claiming that the ban was a mistake and noting that PayPal's adherence to US economic sanctions was "never intended to apply to books or written materials and we have worked to ensure that books are not impacted by our compliance with this policy." In 2015, PayPal also placed a financial blockade on Justice for Iran, an organization that exposes human rights abuses inside Iran.

PayPal blocks sale of WSWS pamphlet [Will Morrow/World Socialist Web Site]
Jakiw Palij is a convicted Nazi war-criminal who helped train the force charged with murdering every Jew in Poland, guarded the Trawniki forced labor camp  where 6,000 prisoners were murdered in a single day  and was present at the "liquidation" of the Warsaw Ghetto. He's lived in the USA since 1949, when he entered the country and lied about his Nazi past.



That lie was the basis of a 2004 immigration proceeding that resulted in his being stripped of US citizenship; the same judge issued a deportation order for Palij.

But at age 94, Palij remains in the USA, living in his home in Jackson Heights, Queens. ICE has failed to deport him because, they say, Ukraine, Poland and Germany have all refused to take him in, and it's likely he will live out the rest of his days in the USA.





In the first three months of 2018, ICE deported 56,710 people, 46% of whom had not been convicted of any crime.



ICE declined to comment and said to speak to the State Department, which also declined to comment. A U.S. government source who is close to the situation and requested anonymity to speak freely said of Palij, "ICE cannot remove him unless he has travel documents and Germany would have to provide those to the U.S. government to remove him and that has not happened. This has been over a decade now since he was ordered removed, but we haven't gotten Germany to comply. Here is someone who wore a German uniform and represented Germany in WWII, and the German government hasn't made any effort to ensure he is back there." However, said Stephen Paskey, "The real issue is whether it's a priority for anyone at the State Department, and generally I don't think it has been. I don't know for certain what they've done, but I think the results speak for themselves."

ICE Won't Deport the Last Nazi War Criminal in America [Justin Rohrlich/The Daily Beast]





(via JWZ)
Entertainment / National

by Staff reporter

JAZZ songbird Dudu Manhenga has revealed that life was not rosy for her after her release from prison, as she was rejected by business partners as she got a taste of the stigma that ex-convicts face after their release from jail.Manhenga was in 2013 convicted of culpable homicide for causing the death of a motorcyclist in an accident in 2010. Initially sentenced to 18 months in prison, the sentence was wholly suspended with the artiste paying a $1 000 fine after a short stay at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.Manhenga, now a fully fledged pastor, has been keeping a low profile since her release, avoiding all media since the infamous episode that threatened to derail her life. In an interview on Capitalk FM radio this week, Manhenga revealed that she was given the cold shoulder by companies who felt that associating with her would spoil their corporate image."There's this big company in the country that used to give me business to the extent that my brand had become synonymous with theirs because I was performing at most of their events. I was booked to do a certain event with them and the event was coming two weeks after my release. So when I came back as a good businesswoman I followed up on my client. So when I asked if we're still on for that event they said no, their board sat down and decided to cancel," Manhenga said.Manhenga said the rejection by companies she thought she had a good working relationship with made her realise the kind of stigma prisoners face."If I was treated that way for the time that I spent there, imagine a person that has been there ten or 15 years. I came back and people cancelled contracts. I was supposed to be doing a campaign for a certain company and we had already done photos for it."When we got into the contract we had already told them that we're in court and there's an issue that could bring publicity and they said thank you for declaring that upfront. But when I came back they said sorry, we've changed our minds," she said.Manhenga said she was still getting inquisitive looks from people whenever she was at public events."So in certain places when I get a platform before I speak I mention the prison thing just to break the ice," she said.Manhenga also said being sent to prison had been a relief as she had grown tired of being dragged to court."For me it was like finally I can get this thing behind me because it had hung over our family for too long. You would get a phone call from the police telling you to come to court or that court had been postponed. Being out of prison became more of a prison than prison itself. Having it hanging over you was worse than being taken in."We made peace with the family (of the victim) but we also needed to make peace with the State because when someone loses their life it becomes the responsibility of the State," she said.
News / Health

by Agencies

The in vitro fertilisation (IVF) programme reintroduced at The Avenues Clinic in Harare in 2016 is proving successful, with eight live births so far and 20 ongoing pregnancies.The IVF Zimbabwe team led by Dr Tinovimba Mhlanga has successfully managed some complicated fertility problems, including a rare case of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, which is a deficiency of gonadotropin hormones resulting in a patient having a small uterus and absence of menstruation.It has enabled women with blocked or tied tubes and other fertility problems to become pregnant. The team has made it possible for HIV negative women who are reluctant to have intercourse with their HIV positive husbands to conceive through intra-uterine insemination (IUI) and give birth to healthy HIV-free babies, with the mother remaining HIV negative.IVF is the process through which a baby is conceived outside the body through the fertilisation of human eggs by sperm in a dish in a laboratory, hence the term test tube babies.Normally the mother receives treatment to stimulate the formation of follicles, after which Dr Mhlanga extracts eggs in the follicular fluid from the mother through aspiration under ultrasonic guidance in an operating theatre adjacent to the IVF Laboratory at The Avenues Clinic.They are then passed in a tube through a hatchway between the theatre and the laboratory to embryologist Tinei Makurumure. The eggs and sperm provided by her husband are then placed in a fertilisation medium in a dish in the laboratory.The woman goes home soon after the eggs have been harvested. The embryologist monitors closely the development of any embryos. A few days later, when there is an embryo ready to be transferred in her womb, the woman comes back for embryo transfer.A microscope video camera facility is one of the recent innovations introduced in The Avenues IVF laboratory and theatre."Through the microscope video camera facility, the patient is able to see which embryo is picked and we are able to explain why we have chosen one embryo over another. They are able to see everything as it happens in the laboratory while they are in the theatre," Dr Mhlanga said.Unused embryos are frozen for possible future use. The first mother to give birth to an IVF baby last year returned later in the year to have a frozen embryo transferred in her womb. She is now pregnant for the second time. She and her husband had been wanting a baby since they were married in 2012.One of the eight women who gave birth after going through IVF had reached menopause but managed to conceive through donated eggs.Dr Mhlanga said there had been two cases where a woman's husband was unable to be around during the time the woman was likely to be ready to have her eggs harvested, which meant they would be unavailable when their sperm was needed.In both cases the men provided their sperm ahead of the procedure and their sperm was frozen and kept until it was required.The woman suffering from hypogonadism had an exceptionally small womb, low levels of oestrogen and no menstrual periods."We gave her an oestrogen supplement to restore her periods and bring her womb to normal size before undertaking the IVF. She is now more than 20 weeks pregnant and doing well," Dr Mhlanga said.He said with another patient the poor quality of the husband's sperm necessitated intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a procedure whereby a sperm is injected directly into an egg.In those cases where women were fertile but reluctant to have sexual intercourse with their HIV positive husbands, the husband's semen was washed and put through semen wash that ensured it was free from HIV, Mr Makurumure said. He said HIV cannot penetrate sperms but can be present in semen.Dr Mhlanga said the team had dealt with cases of HIV serodiscordant couples, that is couples where one partner is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative. In all cases the babies conceived through IUI were born free of HIV.The team is also happy to have successfully imported frozen embryos belonging to a Zimbabwean couple from South Africa so that they can have frozen embryo transfer in Zimbabwe. IVF Zimbabwe has the capacity to import embryos from all over the world so that transfer can be done locally.He said that the programme was assisting not only Zimbabwean couples who were unable to have children without IVF but couples from other countries as well, particularly Mozambique. The team had a Portuguese interpreter on site to facilitate communication with Mozambican patients.The team has continued to receive valuable consultative advice from partners in Australia. It has joined the African Network and Registry for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ANARA), which is a surveillance group that collects data from most IVF centres in Africa, analyses it and disseminates information on the availability, effectiveness and safety of ART at these centres.An official at The Avenues Clinic said the success of the IVF programme was pleasing."We are proud of the fact that the country's first IVF programme was carried out at The Avenues Clinic in the 1980s and 1990s and that the reintroduction of the programme here in 2016 has been such a success."It has meant that couples who may have given up hope of having a baby are now able to experience the joy of having their own baby as a result of the expertise of the IVF team and the technology employed in the IVF procedure," she said. She added that as one of the country's leading health facilities, the clinic will continue working on other programmes that add value to the community and champion great service delivery.
News / National

by Staff reporter

DOZENS of placard-wielding teachers and their union leaders yesterday stormed President Emmerson Mnangagwa's offices and handed over a petition demanding a salary increment, among various other demands.Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe demanded dialogue with government."We want a salary review and our conditions of service must improve. We want government to reinstate our leave days. Since President Mnangagwa came to power, he has engaged all other people, but government workers. This is not a strike, but we are sending a message to government, but if our issues are not addressed, then you are rest assured schools will not open come May," Majongwe said.Amalgamated Rural Teachers' Association of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said his members were exposed to a number of dangers, including wild animals."We are heading for elections and this is one of the most dangerous periods in the life of a rural teacher. We are always, at this time in the political life of this country, exposed to partisan activists, who force teachers to chant slogans and engage in activities that they should not be associated with. The security of teachers has to be dealt with before the elections," he said.The teachers carried placards that seemed to poke fun at Mnangagwa's mantra that "Zimbabwe is open for business" as well as his "flag-scarf" that has become a trademark of the Zanu-PF leader."Zimbabwe is open for business, but schools will close till further notice. Hatidye scarf (We do not eat scarfs)," one of the placards read.Zimbabwe Teachers' Association president Richard Gundani said teachers were being responsible by giving government a chance for negotiations."We are being very responsible and saying to government, take advantage of the holiday and engage us. We have been disturbed by the moving of public servants from a government ministry to the Office of the President and Cabinet. We do not even know where (Simbarashe) Mumbengegwi (Policy Implementation minister in the Office of the President) is. We do not even know if he has an office. He has just gone underground," Gundani said.Asked if teachers were cognisant of the fact that government's coffers were in the red, PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said Mnangagwa had his priorities wrong."We have not had a salary increment since 2013 and that is wrong because we see opulence everywhere. Government has been buying top-of-the-range cars for ministers and recently, traditional leaders took delivery of cars. These are not the actions of a broke administration. So we are saying we need our share, Zimbabwe has minerals and can afford to pay teachers a descent salary," he said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe has secured $1,2 billion needed to clear World Bank arrears with Finance and Economic Planning Minister Patrick Chinamasa saying the transaction will be completed once the Washington-headquartered financial institution announces the amount it will give the country as fresh funding.The World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), Minister Chinamasa said, have since January been carrying out an exercise to determine Zimbabwe's needs across sectors with a view to providing fresh funding.Zimbabwe owes AfDB around $600 million. Although Minister Chinamasa did not disclose the source of the loan, indications are that Afrexim Bank is assisting Zimbabwe."As you are aware, we cleared our arrears with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the rule is, we must address our indebtedness first to other multilateral institutions," he said during an interview with The Africa Report in Cote d'lvoire this week."All I can say is that we have succeeded to mobilise a commercial loan, which is cheaper than what the World Bank is now charging us, and that is when we know what new money the World Bank will give us, then we should be able to complete the transaction. We cannot pay $1,2 billion without the expectation of new money. It does not make sense for us and they also recognise it does not make sense. I am happy to observe that they are coming our way in terms of that understanding."Despite settling a debt of $108 million to IMF, fresh funding has eluded Zimbabwe as the international lending institutions operate using the pari-passu rule. The rule states that all creditors are equal and should be paid back at the same pace or to the same degree without bias or preference. Minister Chinamasa said despite the regulation, they were finding common ground with the World Bank."In our conversation with the World Bank, we have been saying the arrears come to $1,2 billion and it is a large amount of money to pay from a struggling economy. They should indicate to us what they will pay us by way of new money into the economy. We have expectations that when we clear the arrears we should get new money."He added: "That has been the conversation and I am happy to say that since January the World Bank and the AfDB are undertaking an exercise to determine our needs, across all sectors. That exercise, when completed, will inform the World Bank and the AfDB as to what new money they can consider pumping into our economy to resuscitate it."Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya weighed in: "The purpose of paying arrears is to unlock new capital. Our motivation for wanting to pay arrears is to unlock capital from these two institutions and we need to know what they are giving us as fresh funding."During the Africa CEO Forum held in Abidjan, Cote d'lvoire, this week, AfDB president Dr Akinwumi Adesina met President Mnangagwa.Dr Akinwumi said he was optimistic "that with time, we will be able to get the kind of solutions that we collectively desire".
News / National

by Staff reporter

A FIGHT for the MDC-T name looms as former deputy president, Thokozani Khupe and allies have been given an ultimatum to stop using the party name or be sued.Khupe and her allies have set up interim structures, as they prepare for an MDC-T elective congress that will see the former deputy Prime Minister being endorsed as the party president.She was fired alongside organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe and spokesperson, Obert Gutu for opposing Nelson Chamisa's power grab via a national council meeting resolution.But that has not stopped Khupe and allies for using the party name, with Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Felix Magalela Mafa Sibanda saying they were left with no option, but to approach the courts."No one shall be allowed to abuse our brand and name; very soon she shall be called to order to stop that chicanery (sic). She has to be reminded that MDC-T has a functional constitution which makes it clear that the national council (NC) is a de facto congress between the congresses."We get our mandate from section 18 (of the party constitution) that states that the NC is the highest organ in between the congress and its resolutions bind to the core of the party. To our knowledge, Khupe and her cabal have no legitimate NC to draw those mandates from," he said.Sibanda's executive belongs to the Chamisa faction. Khupe suffered a blow recently after she was ordered by the High Court to vacate the party's Bulawayo provincial offices.Khupe's spokesperson, Witness Dube, however, said the faction remains unfazed by threats to be dragged to court to fight for the party name."Is it not rather revealing that they would go to a court of law to further their factional interests, and yet they will not entertain the party's own constitutional provisions? Khupe is the constitutionally mandated acting president of MDC-T, pending the extraordinary congress this April," he said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Two rival camps of the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe have clashed over ownership of the party name and symbols.MDC acting chairperson Morgen Komichi yesterday said they will drag Khupe to court if she continues using the name MDC T but Khupe's camp is not bothered.The faction's spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday rubbished Komichi's threats, saying Khupe remains the MDC's rightful leader.
News / National

by Staff reporter

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) claims to have never rested in the search of pro-democracy activist, Itai Dzamara, who was allegedly abducted at a barbershop in Harare three years ago.This week, police issued a statement asking the public to assist with information that may lead to them finding Dzamara, inviting attacks from human rights activists, who described the move by the ZRP as hypocrisy.Responding to questions during an election reporting workshop held in Harare yesterday, police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said law enforcers never stopped investigations since the disappearance of Dzamara, and was hopeful that the matter will be concluded."Police officers have never rested in conducting investigations. They followed so many leads, informers have given information. Police have followed different leads to ensure that they come to the conclusion on what actually transpired. But, as they do that, as police, we do not have access to the media all the time. Each time we are conducting investigations, we do not have an obligation, most of the time to go out to the media and say this is what we are doing."Some of them are even undercover investigations and police have been doing that. There was an order sometime that, as police, we should also highlight in the media that this is what we are doing. So far, we have not concluded to establish what happened," she said.Charamba dismissed claims that the intensification of investigations into Dzamara's whereabouts is a political gimmick."Some people are taking it as a political gimmick; police officers are not into politics. We simply inform the nation what we are doing. Undercover police officers have been investigating and we are surely seized with this matter," she said."It is not Charamba who investigates. We have the CIDs, each time they get a lead they get into detail. It is unfortunate that so far we have not been conclusive in our investigations. We are still hopeful, that is why we reached out to people to ensure that maybe there is somebody there who has information, but who has not given us. So we are doing our best, it is not that we are simply covering up for something."
Opinion / Columnist

Makho-Presious Moyo is a human rights and political activists . for more information suggestions and critics of my articles contact email makhoprecious@gmail.com



--



Makho Precious Moyo is a free spirit and expresses his mind freely. For views and comments get in touch at email: makhoprecious@gmail.com

Zimbabwe goes into elections within the next six months. The country has experienced violent election periods since the year 2000 when the Movement for Democratic Change party was formed. The elections have been bloody consisting of torture ,murder and rape mostly in vulnerable communities (mining towns, farming areas, rural areas and some high density suburbs ). 2008 is recorded as the most violent election year so far where hundreds of people lost their lives, some were left disabled and others were raped and as a result contractedHIV/AIDS. The wounds are still fresh in the victims' minds as no counselling services were ever offered and provided by the state. The perpetrators of these hideous crimes are well known but after 10 years they have gone unpunished and are still free to roam the streets under the protection of the ruling Zanu PF party.The 2018 elections in Zimbabwe have all the ingredients of being violent again.The military junta disposed former president Robert Mugabe who was so feared for his ruthlessness in rural areas. The current Zanu PF government led by Emmerson Munangangwa will use the military to campaign and the mere fact that the military removed the feared Robert Mugabe from power is enough to put fear in our rural communities. The military uniform is feared mostly by the women since the days of the liberation struggle. Most of our girls and women were given to liberation soldiers during the war to provide sexual favours as a form of relieving the stress that the comrades fighting the liberation war were experiencing.Many of these sex relief sessions were not voluntary and some of the women are still experiencing bouts of depression as a result of the trauma that they experienced during that time. Soon after the country attained independence in 1980 again the military was used to silence the so called dissidents in the Matebeleland region.Women were raped by the 7th brigade and this rape was used as a weapon of intimidation to get information of who the dissidents were.Then in the 2008 election rerun women and girls suspected of being sympathetic to the opposition MDC party faced violence in what was known as bases. These bases were created to torture and intimidate suspected opposition activists. The hand of the soldiers in the 2008 violence was very visible. What happened in these bases was horrific and on a personal level I believe Zimbabweans need to take Mugabe to the International Criminal Court.The women in the rural areas are currently working in the fields, working so hard in order to feed their families with the agriculture produce that they harvest. However when the rainy season ends the election season will begin 'mukadzi haana zororo/ umfazi akaphumuli this year. Women will be force marched to campaign rallies during the day whilst at night secret community meetings will be held. The forced rally campaigns have become the norm in some areas such that no one bats an eyelash when they happen. The night meetings are the most dangerous political gatherings and one shudders to think what the agendas in these meetings will be. This year the military will lead such midnight 'pungwes' and our young women/girls will be exposed to these habitual rapists.Women will be exposed to physical violence , sexual assaults and rape all in the name of votes, voting mostly for male candidates who will do nothing to improve the welfare of women after winning the election. Very few female candidates will participate as Members Of Parliament councillors or as presidents and some of our power hungry fellow women will be at the fore front in leading the abuse of other women. I say pasi/phansi with such women who sell their hearts to the devil in order to gain political power. I expect fellow women politicians to protect other women by refusing to participate in such activities and also highlighting any instances of abuse towards women that they hear of.In conclusion I would want to urge rural women to learn how to stand up for their rights and fight back peacefully. Let us stand in solidarity with our fellow women and fight on their behalf. I also urge men from all levels of society to protect their mothers ,sisters and all vulnerable women. Protecting vulnerable women is fighting for human rights. The 2018 election violations against women should be exposed by using alternative media / social platforms like FACEBOOK , TWITTER and whatsapp. The majority of these political sexual predators fear exposure so we encourage people to take pictures if they can or write articles or short notes highlighting any violent incidents against women. 2018 tikabatana /sibambane we women will defend ourselves
Opinion / Columnist

Damning information on our hands reveals that Matabele soldiers were deployed in the forefront to be killed in the battlefields in Mozambique and DRC while their Shona counterparts were posted in safer positions. This way over 90% of soldiers who died in the wars in DRC and Mozambique were Matebeles.MLO believes the then commander of the ZDF, Constantino Chiwenga and the government of Zimbabwe have a case to answer.Out of all government organs, Zimbabwe National Army ZNA is the only one that recruits a considerable number of Ndebele people. Sometimes if there were few recruits in Matabeleland with O' level passes the army would bend its laws to accommodate Matabeles without O' levels.Given the fact that Matabeles are locked out of Zimbabwe job market, have you ever wondered why the ZNA is so generous than others, and taking in such a big number of young people from Matabeleland?It is nothing but Judas's kiss!"Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die," wrote King David to his Commander, Joab, in a leader that was delivered by the victim, Uriah.For King David, the murder of Uriah was an attempt to cover up the sin of adultery. For gukurahundists in Zimbabwe it was a new subtle way of depopulating Matebeles by making it look like the victims of a clear genocide were casualties of wars.This shows that the gukurahundist who once travelled as far as North Korea to seek ways to annihilate Matebeles will always look for new secret ways to kill Matabeles as long as they live and rule Zimbabwe.King David's dirty cover up backfired. Matabeleland genocide of the 80s backfired as the victims and observers told it all. Skeletons of over 40 000 Matebeles buried in shallow graves, mine shafts and caves were discovered. This latest genocide has been discovered as the survivors of the gory act in DRC and Mozambique have whispered to MLO. We demand answers from Chiwenga and the government of Zimbabwe.The Shona supremacists and genocidist have contaminated Zimbabwe politics to an extent that abusing and killing Matabeles has now become a favourate sport in Zimbabwe.This is evident as young opposition leaders like Nelson Chamisa have adopted the Zanupf genocide policies. His initiation into leadership of MDC T was marked in Matebele blood. The Zimbabwe political and social landscape is dangerous for the people of Matabeleland.For the poor masses of Matabeleland. It is a matter of choosing between being a law abiding citizen of Zimbabwe and be a target of genocide, tribalism, hatred and marginalisation and joining Matabeleland restoration cause to liberate yourself and live in peace in an independent and sovereign state of Matabeleland.Izenzo Kungemazwi!Israel DubeMLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs
Opinion / Columnist

Operation Restore Legacy will always be an accomplishment that will forever be indebted in the hearts of Zimbabweans, as it ushered in a new era and dispensation that would make strides in making sure that Government represents the people and not just a handful of individuals.It was also a time where Zimbabweans stood on their ground and made sure that the G40 cabal, which had become a poisonous thorn in the flesh for many, was stripped off its larger than life powers, where only a few elite enjoyed the national cake at the expense of most ordinary citizens. Some members of the cabal at first did not believe that the end of their gluttonous acts had arrived and probably to this day, still see the operation as a nightmare and a dream they wish to wake up from.The likes of Professor Jonathan Moyo, who has always been a flip flopper in the political arena, still finds it hard to grasp that the end of G40 cabal was real and that their wings were clipped. Moyo has been ranting on social media, especially on twitter, showing how bitter and disgruntled he is over his ouster in Government, forgetting that it was his and his fellow cabal member's behaviour that made people feel that time for oppression was over.Prof Jonathan Moyo took to twitter to show that given the opportunity, he would want to get back into Government, even if it meant through a Government of National Unity as happened in 2008. Moyo alleges that Operation Restore Legacy was a coup and is not convinced otherwise that the new dispensation was sworn in through Constitutional Provisions by Chief Justice Luke Malaba. The Legacy was also endorsed by regional bodies including the AU, EU, SADC and so forth, to which end, President Emmerson Mnangagwa as head of State, has been invited on different platforms to talk about the success of the Operation and has been welcome on different platforms where positive efforts have been made in making sure that Zimbabwe engages with the West, showing that Zimbabwe is open for business.Moyo has shown that he is someone who will go with the wind, with any leadership as long as he is part of it and ultimately benefits by pocketing from looting whilst in Government. Already, the G40 cabal is making attempts to get into Government through its meagre National Patriotic Front led by Ambrose Mutinhiri with the blessing of former President Robert Mugabe.It is undeniable that, by alleging that a GNU will cure the alleged coup' of Operation Restore Legacy, the likes of Jonathan Moyo would make a comeback into active politics and continue to strip the country down far worse than they had already done when they were in power.Moyo should by now appreciate that the people of Zimbabwe, as the saying goes, "once bitten twice shy," are more aware of the cunningness and shrewdness displayed by their likes and would not give heed to his call for a GNU so that people like him are given another chance. If Moyo and the G40 cabal could be any wiser, they would earlier appreciate that their time is up and politics is not for them anymore.In any case, if Operation Restore Legacy was presumably a coup as Moyo suggests, then the harmonised elections set for July this year will prove that President Mnangagwa is a legitimate leader who was endorsed unanimously by the nation and is the favoured candidate to bring Zimbabwe to Canaan, the land of milk and honey.
Opinion / Columnist

The simplified definition of a conman is a man who cheats or tricks someone by gaining their trust and persuading them to believe something that is not true.This is the best description anyone can ever give when talking about MDC-T presidential hopeful, Nelson Chamisa, at this point and time of his political career.Since the death of Morgan Tsvangirai, Chamisa has been on an offensive of cheap trickery trying to mesmerise the Zimbabwean electorate and to some extent he has been successful. However, when it comes to elections and deciding the destiny of the nation one has to be stingy and critical of whom he will give his vote to. A quick review of Chamisa's promises and guarantees will expose and reveals that there is really nothing for people to get excited about.They are simply being taken for a ride by a conman who will leave them distraught, disillusioned and worse off than before. Let us explore some of the traits of a conman and see if Chamisa fits the bill.Conmen are fun, charming, entertaining and super polite when meeting people. Chamisa has managed to win the hearts and minds of people because of his oratory skills. From his days as a student activist, he has always been able to raise great crowds and make them go into frenzy when he speaks. He is a true entertainer, no doubt about that. That is why he chants out such ludicrous statements as, "when we met Trump, he asked us how much we needed to develop the country and we said 15 billion and he said don't worry if you win the elections it will be yours."The 15 billion rant made people go wild with excitement at the Mutare rally. However, it proved costly at the end as he was forced to make an embarrassing apology to the USA Ambassador for implicating the USA in a false statement. This should show people that even though conman say all the right things at the right time and get people excited, there isn't any real substance in their utterances and they should not be taken seriously rather people should not entertain them.All conmen have delusions of grandeur even though they might live in the slams or dilapidated houses. When applied to the new MDC Alliance front-man, this statement tends to fit like a glove. Chamisa has been running around the country promising people spaghetti roads, airports in every village and bullet trains while his own Headquarters, the Morgan Tsvangirai Building, is in ruins. How is he going to get funding to build all that he is promising in the future when he cannot even replace broken window panes on his own office? People should not be fooled to believe the same delusions that Chamisa is suffering from, they are being conned.Conmen will take every opportunity they get to loudly and publicly smear their opponents or adversaries when they feel threatened by them. Chamisa has been trying to tarnish President Emmerson Mnangagwa's image at rallies by making cheap jokes, like when he took a swipe at the President's iconic scarf by saying he got it from a traditional healer (n'anga). The need to verbally abuse his opponent stems from some deep seated insecurities that the conman Chamisa has and fear of losing to his opponent.When caught in a lie or any other compromising position, a conman always think of themselves as victims, they can cry fake tears at the drop of a hat. Chamisa has been accusing Zanu PF of disadvantaging his MDC and not providing a fair and conducive environment claiming that his party is being unfairly treated. By playing the victim, Chamisa is laying grounds for a sympathetic plea when he finally loses after the 2018 elections. The electorate should not be fooled by this canning act.While Chamisa's conman tendencies are so clear for all to see, one cannot help but admire his opposite number in the form of President Mnangagwa. The president is a man of few words and his skills as an orator are limited to the important stuff only. Rather than talk people's ears off, the president is a man of action as has been exhibited by how he has delayed his own campaign locally and go on a diplomatic offensive in the region and beyond to make sure the country has long lasting relations as compared to cheap politicking at rallies.
Opinion / Columnist

Much as President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Junta regime would like the nation and the world at large to believe the 2018 Zimbabwe elections are a normal contestation; anyone with half a brain can see this is not so.In a few weeks' time Zanu PF will be launching its elections manifesto and MDC Alliance and all the other 107 political party so far registered to contest this year's elections will follow suit. the there is nothing normal about these elections. Each party will be trying to convince the voters that its manifesto has the best policies to deliver the economic recovery the nation is dying for. With unemployment a nauseating 90%,  of the population living on US$1.00 or less a day, basic services such as health and education all but gone, etc.; it is no surprise that the economy would the number one issue on most voters' mind.What makes these elections abnormal is that the winner will not be the one picked by the electorate in a free, fair and credible elections because these elections are NOT going to be free, fair and credible. President Mnangagwa has made a big song and dance about these elections going to be free and fair and yet has done nothing to make this happen.When it comes to rigging elections Zanu PF showed the nation in graphic details what it can do in the 2008 elections. It ordered ZEC to recount the March vote and after six weeks of blatant cheating, whittled down Tsvangirai's 73%, according to Mugabe's own inadvertent admission, to 47% - enough to force the run-off. In the run-off the party used wanton violence, first, to punish the voters for having rejected Mugabe and Zanu PF in the earlier vote and, then, to make sure they vote for the tyrant in the run-off.SADC leaders stepped in the Zimbabwe political crisis and order Zanu PF and the two MDC faction to go into a Government of National Unity (GNU) whose primary task was to implement the raft of democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections and guarantee free, fair and credible elections.Sadly, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, the GNU partners expected to drive the reforms, sold-out. Not even one reform was implemented during the GNU.SADC leaders tried to have the 2013 elections postponed and get the reforms implemented first. It was not surprising that Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies wanted the elections to go ahead; the real big surprise was that MDC leaders went along."If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done!" SADC leaders had warned Tsvangirai and company in 2013, according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza who was at the Maputo Summit that year.For all his rhetorical posturing about post November coup Zimbabwe being different, a "new dispensation", one thing has remained remarkable the same  Zanu PF's power and ability to rig elections have survived the political purges that followed coup unscathed. President Mnangagwa has dismissed all calls to implement the reforms with his usual contemptuous arrogance."Zanu PF ichatonga! Igotonga! Imi muchingo hukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you [calling for reforms] bark! And bark!) Mnangagwa used to say before the coup. It was the very first thing he said on his return from exile following the toppling of Mugabe in the coup!President Mnangagwa has refused to implement even one democratic reform. Not even one!Indeed, President Mnangagwa has followed the vote rigging plans Zanu PF had lined up before the November coup. He has dished out the twin cab trucks to each of the nation's 282 Chiefs, a bribe Mugabe had promised the Chiefs. The Chiefs have been instrumental in corral rural voters to vote for Zanu PF.Mnangagwa has appointed retired General Engelbert Rugeje, a well-known ruthless thug especially in the 2008 and 2013 reign of terror, to work with war veterans, many of them operatives of the 2008 and 2013 mayhem, plus recently deployed 2 000 to 5 000 soldiers. They task is compliment the Chiefs and coerce people to vote for Zanu PF.The other vote rigging activities are also in full swing. NIKUV, the Israeli company that Zanu PF has used in rigging past elections, is working with ZEC to ensure as many opposition supporters are denied the vote by posting their details to the wrong polling station whilst Zanu PF supporters are bussed from one station to another casting multiple votes. The party continues to deny the opposition public media coverage, making a mockery of allowing the electorate to have an informed choice; etc.With no reforms in place, Zanu PF is just going through its usual routine of rigging these elections. Indeed, the vote rigging is well organised and so effective it is no exaggeration to say, "this year's elections are done!", as SADC leaders will put it.There is nothing ordinary about elections that are "done" months before the first ballot is cast, before the manifestos are out. All the hoo-hah about election manifestos is all a waste of time, a smoke screen to create the impression these are normal elections when they are not.In the next few weeks Zimbabwe will be marking her 38 th year of independence. In all those years the country has failed to one even one free, fair and credible elections.If the truth be told, it must be told, Zimbabwe is in this economic hell because the nation has been stuck with a corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF regime for 38 years. The people realised 20 years ago, at the latest, that Mugabe was not delivering mass prosperity, "gutsva ruzhinji", as he never tired of promising but mass poverty. The people have failed to remove the tyrant from office because he rigged elections.The root cause Zimbabwe has fallen from its perch as the jewel of Africa is our failure to hold free and fair elections. In 1980 we were a rich nation with the potential to be the South Korea of Africa, today we are the poorest nation in Africa whose continued economic meltdown and political instability is threatening to plunge the whole region into chaos.After 38 years of holding utterly meaningless elections which have only dragged the nation deeper and deeper into this economic hell-on-earth, we must call a halt to all this madness. Whilst we cannot undo the past; what we can do is the next best thing, learn from our past mistakes and make sure we do not repeat the same mistakes over and over again!Let us agree that there is nothing ordinary about this year's elections. Because the elections are going ahead without first implementing the democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging election, the regime has been rigging the elections. The "elections are done"!What is required here is for every thinking Zimbabwean out there to acknowledge the sheer futility and madness of participating in flawed elections, so flawed the "election is done" months before voting has even began, for 38 years now. In this, the 38th year of our independence, we must pledge that Zimbabwe will never ever hold another flawed election; we must demand the implementation of all the reforms BEFORE the election, the only guarantee the elections will be free, fair and credible.Let this year, the 38th year of our independence, go down in our history as the year the people of Zimbabwe said no to rigged elections! Until we do something to end the madness of rigged elections, this country will continue to sink into the abyss!
By Susan Taylor TORONTO Reuters) - Canadian mining magnate Peter Munk, who built Barrick Gold Corp from a single mine into the world's largest producer of gold, has died at the age of 90, the company said on Wednesday. The blunt-spoken Munk, who once said getting old was "not for sissies", was also a dedicated philanthropist, donating millions to healthcare and universities in Toronto and Israel. He was named a Companion to the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honor, in 2008. Munk forged Barrick to dominate the global gold mining industry via a string of canny acquisitions after founding the Toronto-based company in 1983. He knew nothing about mining when he bought his first mine in 1983, a modest Ontario operation producing 3,000 ounces of gold and C$1.7 million in revenue. One year later, he acquired a deep talent pool with the purchase of an indebted Quebec miner. That expertise paved the way for Barrick's $62 million purchase of Goldstrike, a Nevada gold mine vastly bigger and richer than estimated by its vendor and still in operation. Born in Budapest, he fled after Hungary was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1944 and cited a "tremendous obligation" to repay his debt to Canada, which took in him and 13 family members during World War Two. They arrived "with zero to offer, no skills, no money, no contribution, but with our hands out," he said in a speech last September at the Toronto heart hospital bearing his name. "To give and to do what I can to help this country, to help repay this country, is never enough," said Munk. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1952 with a degree in electrical engineering. Six years later, he co-founded Clairtone, overseeing the electronics in high-end stereos, while a partner designed the sleek wooden exteriors. Clairtone attracted celebrity fans including Frank Sinatra and Hugh Hefner, but aggressive expansion plans contributed to staggering losses and Munk was ousted. Stung by the loss of his "first love," Munk vowed to never again operate with inadequate cash or partners with different goals and went into the resort business in Fiji, helping build a 54-resort chain that sold for $130 million. Funds from that deal formed Barrick Investments in 1981, including ill-timed, money-loser Barrick Petroleum and Barrick Resources, which later became Barrick Gold. Munk twice tried to buy the world's second-biggest gold miner, Newmont Mining, but walked away because he wanted the merged company to remain Canadian. His ambition to transform Barrick into a global diversified miner like Rio Tinto, driving the 2011 acquisition of copper miner Equinox Minerals for C$7.3 billion, failed. Investors grew increasingly frustrated as Barrick took a multibillion dollar writedown on Equinox, suspended plans to build an Andean mine as costs soared to $8.5 billion and amassed $15 billion in debt. In 2014, Munk handed his chairman role to former Goldman Sachs president John Thornton. "I refer to you as often as I do, not primarily because I love you, which I do, but because it helps me immeasurably lead Barrick by reminding all of our people and partners who we are, where we came from and where we are going," Thornton told Munk at a 2017 annual meeting. With 14 grandchildren and five children, Munk passed away surrounded by his family. ($1 = 1.2912 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Susan Taylor; Editing by James Dalgleish and Tom Brown)
Britain should reportedly be prepared to face Russia in the air ( REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin)

The head of Britains Royal Air Force has warned that the armed forces could face a fight against Russia in space.

According to The Times, Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Hillier believes that if Moscow launched a chemical weapons attack on Salisbury, it is proof that they could defy international rulings to destroy valuable satellites in orbit.

In a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of the RAF on Sunday, Hillier said: I dont foresee, if you like, a war in space, but I can see us being contested for use of space and for people trying to deny some of our specific capabilities.

We already see that to a significant degree and we need to be prepared to deal with that threat.

His stark comments come as the government today publishes a plan to respond to modern Russian warfare across social media and cyberspace in the wake of the Salisbury attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

Britains Prime Minister Theresa May has directed blame for the attack on the Kremlin (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)

These people should be in no doubt that we will use every capability at our disposal to defeat them, Theresa May said in the foreword of the review.

The stark warning comes after Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury earlier this month.

Last week, the Court of Protection gave doctors the go-ahead to take blood samples from the Skripals for testing by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Although it is believed that the Skripals were poisoned with Novichok, a soviet nerve agent, the Kremlin has continued to deny involvement.

History shows that British statements must be verified. We demand full transparency of the investigation and full cooperation with Russia, Russian ambassador Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko said last week as he refuted the claims once more.
A right-wing Fraser Valley activist's bid for an $11-million payout from multiple levels of the Canadian justice system over the outcome of a 15-year-old defamation suit has been dismissed as an "abuse of process."

Kari Simpson, who described herself as a "respected Christian social activist" in a B.C. Supreme Court filing, had asked for a parliamentary inquiry into the handling of her unsuccessful defamation suit against the late radio host Rafe Mair.

Justice David Crossin struck Simpson's latest claim in its entirety last month, ordering her to pay costs to the defendants, who include the former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, the now-deceased former chief justice of the B.C. Supreme Court and the attorneys general of both Canada and British Columbia.

"The proceeding at bar amounts to an abuse of process," Crossin wrote in the Feb. 27 judgment.

"The claim as a whole, in essence, seeks to either re-litigate matters decided in the defamation action and/or attack the integrity of the decision makers in relation to that matter."

The convoluted history of this legal battle dates all the way back to 1999, when Mair criticized Simpson in a radio editorial, calling her a bigot and making references to Nazi Germany and the Ku Klux Klan.

At the time, Simpson was campaigning against books depicting gay couples being available in Surrey schools.

She filed a defamation suit against Mair in 2003, a claim that eventually landed in the Supreme Court of Canada. In a landmark 2008 ruling, the justices of Canada's highest court rejected Simpson's claim, ordered her to pay costs and expanded the defences available to people accused of defamation.

Allegations of judicial negligence

A decade later, Simpson has attempted to reopen the matter by filing a new claim alleging she was the victim of, among other things, "breach of duty, dereliction of duty, fraud upon the court, malfeasance, malice."

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The sprawling, 26-page claim was filed in December and alleges that now-retired B.C. Supreme Court justice Mary Marvin Koenigsberg was unfit to hear the original defamation case and that the judge defamed Simpson in her reasons for rejecting the lawsuit.

Simpson also alleged that the late B.C. Supreme Court chief justice Donald Brenner was negligent in allowing Koenigsberg to hear the case, and that Beverley McLachlin, the former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, should have ordered an investigation into the lower court judge.

Simpson claimed that she is "terrorized daily by the financial assault targeted against her" by the Supreme Court's decision to order her to pay costs in the defamation case.

In the words of Justice David Crossin, Simpson's suit asked for a "panoply of remedies" for the harms she alleged she suffered, remedies that span two full pages of the claim.

They include more than $11 million in damages, formal apologies and an order that the federal justice minister "inform all Canadian law schools and media that the administration of justice failed to uphold and protect the rights of the plaintiff."

In his February judgment, Crossin wrote that "the relief sought in these paragraphs are not available as a matter of law."

'Completely baseless' claims

Crossin said he was dismissing the claims against the judges named in Simpson's suit because they are all protected by judicial immunity.

"In addition, and in any event, on the face of the pleadings the allegations are completely baseless. There are no material facts pled that remotely support a cause of action," Crossin wrote.

He went on to say that Simpson's suit includes "no reasonable claim against any named defendant."

Simpson, who represented herself in the lawsuit, has not responded to requests for comment on the judgment. The exact amount of the costs she has been ordered to pay has yet to be determined.

Simpson continues to campaign against the inclusion of LGBT-related teaching materials in schools. Most recently, she has lobbied against B.C.'s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity program (SOGI), which directs schools to recognize sexual orientation and gender identity in their anti-bullying programs.
The departures hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport. Photo from Getty Images

Since 1952, people traveling out of Toronto Pearson International Airport have had to clear U.S. customs before even boarding their flight south of the border. Now though, for the first time, travellers coming from some American airports may have to clear Canadian customs in the U.S. before being allowed on their Canada-bound flight.

American officials say that Florida and Arizona, two states popular with Canadian snowbirds, will likely be the locations of the first pre-clearance facilities.

While Canada has not yet deployed inspection personnel to the United States to facilitate pre-clearance movement into Canada, we hope to see steps on this in the near-future. Perhaps in a pilot project in Scottsdale, or in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for example, said Kenneth Merten, a deputy assistant U.S. secretary of state, at a conference hosted by the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.

The move towards a more fluid border with Canada comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for increased border restrictions, like building his multi-billion wall with Mexico.

I wouldnt say that this is surprising necessarily. All that this really amounts to is a prescreening of travellers to Canada via the United States, said Joel Sandaluk, a Toronto-based immigration lawyer. The American border isnt affected and if anything, already permits this type of activity.

The only problem Sandaluk sees with having pre-clearance facilities in the U.S. is that it could complicate coming to Canada if a Canadian border services agent didnt clear a non-Canadian traveller for entry into the country. This could have the effect of marooning someone outside of Canada unable to present themselves at a border and have people in Canada vouch for them, he said.

And U.S. pre-clearance border officers wouldnt have the power to arrest people as they would at a Canadian airport. The government I think would be curtailed in that way, said Sandaluk. The primary impact however will likely be felt by people arriving in Canada from overseas who will find that the links of queues at passport control will be greatly diminished.

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And the economic impact of creating pre-clearance facilities in the U.S. is being touted as a positive step for both countries. According to one Canadian official at the Wilson Centers conference, border wait times cost Canada between one and two per cent of its GDP in 2010.

A more efficient, seamless border will make it easier for passengers, said Vincent Rigby, associate deputy minister at Public Safety Canada speaking at the conference. Its also essential to our economies.

There are already pilot projects in B.C. and Montreals train systems to get passengers cleared at their ports of departure, rather than stop and wait to clear customs at the border.

The ultimate goal though is to have a system that will be used for all cross-border travel between the countries, including cargo transportation. But achieving that will require coordination across various American government agencies and harmonizing of regulatory standards across both sides of the border. When that comes to pass remains to be seen.
The drug-dealing key witness in the case against Hamilton police officer Craig Ruthowsky alleged in court Wednesday that Ruthowsky had offered to transport a shipment of cocaine from Jamaica to Canada for him.

The dealer  who cannot be identified because of a publication ban  returned to the witness box in a Toronto courtroom for a third day of cross-examination. Court has heard the dealer and his associates were collectively paying Ruthowsky $20,000 a month in exchange for police secrets.

"He said he wouldn't get searched because he was a police officer," the dealer said in court.

"He was expecting to be paid for it, but we didn't get into a dollar amount."

The allegation about transporting cocaine comes after the dealer alleged Tuesday that he and Ruthowsky had planned to rob one of his clients.

Ruthowsky's lawyer, Greg Lafontaine, maintained that the information, which was gleaned from text messages between the two men, was simply another case of the dealer feeding Ruthowsky information because he was an informant.

"The Jamaicans involved in those texts were individuals involved in the drug trade in Hamilton, and you were giving him information, right sir?" Lafontaine said.

"No," the dealer said. "I was paying [Ruthowsky] for information. Technically, he was my informant."

Ruthowsky, 44, has pleaded not guilty in Superior Court in Toronto to charges of bribery, attempting to obstruct justice, trafficking cocaine, criminal breach of trust, and conspiring to traffic marijuana.

Both Ruthowsky and the dealer were caught on police wiretaps as part of a massive Toronto police guns and gangs investigation called "Project Pharaoh." It was after hearing that wiretap conversation while in custody, Lafontaine alleges, that the dealer became worried about other inmates finding out he was an informant.

Dealer was scared, defence suggests

Repeatedly, Lafontaine has suggested to the witness that he was scared that he would be pegged as an informant at the time of his arrest  and that's why he told police that Ruthowsky was on the take.

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The dealer has adamantly denied that.

"I only became scared when Craig's wife came to bail court, and blurted out that I was an informant in open court," the dealer said.

The dealer also alleged that he was removed from the courthouse that day "for his own safety," and that Ruthowsky's wife, who is also a Hamilton police officer, was "trying to get people hurt."

"Other than that, I wasn't scared," the witness said.

Throughout the course of his cross-examination, Ruthowsky's lawyer could sometimes be seen smirking when he turned from the witness. Ruthowsky often whispered to his lawyer between questions.

Lafontaine repeatedly questioned the witness about dates, times, and who was present during different events that have been outlined during the trial.

The witness' testimony continues Thursday.

adam.carter@cbc.ca
The A. Minchau Blacksmith shop just south of Whyte Avenue on 101st Street is boarded up, the painted letters above the door faded into a ghost sign.

The Minchau family, immigrants from Germany, put up the building in 1925 and were part of a larger community that helped shape Old Strathcona, said Shirley Lowe, the city's former historian laureate.

Lowe said blacksmiths were integral in developing the area and settling Edmonton.

"All of the stories that come with that building are an important part of that heritage," Lowe said Tuesday. "We need to save those stories."

But the blacksmith shop may be lost to a new development.

The building's current owner, Cejay Ventures, is asking the city for a permit to demolish the structure. Lowe and many others are opposed to the building being torn down.

Robert Geldart, the city's senior heritage planner, said the city had been negotiating with the owner for three years to try to incorporate the building into a new development.

"One of my staff members has been working very closely with the owner to potentially preserve this building," Geldart told CBC News.

He said the owner submitted the request for demolition March 23.

Geldart said the city offered a "generous financial package"  up to 50 per cent of the cost of the restoring the building and to have it designated a municipal historic resource.

He said the city offered the owner between $300,000 and $500,000 for the project.

"Usually we negotiate a figure in terms of what the restoration costs would be, then whatever that figure might be, we then take it to council."

The owner, Eden Montgomery of Cejay Ventures Ltd., did not respond to CBC's request for comment on Tuesday.

The Edmonton Heritage Council is encouraging people to voice their opposition to the demolition in letters to their city councillors, MLAs and MPs.

Alex Abboud, the council's chair, believes the building can be repurposed similar to others in Old Strathcona.

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"They form a tapestry. They tell a story of Edmonton and how we've developed as a city in its settlement era," Abboud said.

He noted that the farmers market used to be a bus garage and the Keg steakhouse south of Whyte Avenue was a mechanics' garage.

"You could do something, as the owner, that would really be a part of Old Strathcona and Edmonton for at least another 80 to 90 years."

The Minchau blacksmith shop remained a family business until about 1980, Abboud said.

"It's not just about the building itself  and you know, the kind of the bones of it  it's about how a building tells a story of who we are as a city."

Alberta heritage laws

If the city steps in to salvage the 93-year-old building, it could cost a lot.

The Alberta Historic Resources Act requires a municipality to compensate building owners for economic losses.

"That can be very costly," Geldart said. "It's very challenging for the city to designate against the owner's wishes."

Chris Wiebe, manager of heritage policy and government relations with the non-profit National Trust of Canada, said Alberta's legislation makes it difficult for municipalities to step in.

"That's not the case in most other provinces in Canada. That really ties the city's hands in terms of making interventions on significant buildings."

Lowe wants the legislation changed to give municipalities more authority.

"We didn't appear here just yesterday, there is a foundation to this city and we can't keep wiping that out."

Before the city approves a demolition permit, the planning branch has to inform council by memorandum; the owner has to submit an architectural inventory, including floor plans and photographs, for the city's record.

If there's no objection, "we'll probably issue a demolition permit," Geldart said.

That will take at least a couple of weeks, he said.

The lot is zoned for residential-commercial development, up to 12 storeys.

The Edmonton Heritage Council has nominated the A. Minchau Blacksmith shop to the National Trust of Canada's top 10 list of endangered buildings.

@natashariebe
Kim Jong Uns wife stunned the Chinese public with her stylish fashion choices while accompanying the North Korean leader on his surprise visit to China this week. Ri Sol Ju, North Koreas first lady, was seen in at least three different outfits during the unofficial two-day Beijing trip to meet Chinas President Xi Jinping.

Many citizens took to Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform, to praise Ris appearance. Ri Sol-ju is indeed beautiful and amiable. I can tell she would be good at first-lady diplomacy, better than Kims sister, one user wrote.

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Reuters

Trending: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Says Citizenship Question Has Been on Census for DecadesIt Hasn't

William Tang Tat Chi, a Hong Kong fashion designer, said Ris dress sense was subtle although not conservative, reported the South China Morning Post.

After discussions praising the first ladys style started to gather steam on Weibo, authorities quickly moved to censor all mention of Ris appearance. At the time this article was published, the term Ri Sol Ju was still blocked on Weibo.

Ris first outfit, debuted at the welcoming ceremony, was a tan cropped jacket with a knee-length matching pencil skirt and pointed high heels. She finished off the ensemble with a diamante butterfly broach, a thin necklace and stud earrings.

Don't miss: Russia Warns of New Cold War After Mass Expulsion of Diplomats

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Reuters

Ri changed into a cream two-piece dress, which featured three-quarter sleeves with frills and a high neckline, when she and her husband met Xi for lunch at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. During a trip to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the North Korean first lady was seen in a lime green dress that she paired with an off-white coat that featured a dark flower brooch on one side.

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Reuters

In 2012, Ri was identified as North Korean dictator Kims wife. Little is known about the mysterious woman, who frequently vanishes from the public eye for months at a time. Local reports claim she is around 28 years old and the mother to three children, but that information has never been officially confirmed by the authoritarian government.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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DUBAI (Reuters) - Middle East ride-hailing app Careem said on Wednesday it had resumed services in the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after striking a deal with Palestinian transport authorities. Dubai-based Careem suspended services in Ramallah last November, four months after launching there, at the request of the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank. Careem said in a statement it had agreed with the Palestinian transport ministry for its fares to be the same as metered taxis. It has resumed services only with licensed taxi drivers but plans to later add private cars. Careem believes its services will remain competitive even with fares the same as for regular taxis. It said the taxi booking and payment services on its app were convenient compared with hailing a cab on the street. Ride-hailing apps have faced opposition in many markets around the world by making inroads into the traditional taxi industry. Careem said it had signed up hundreds of drivers in the West Bank, where the Palestinian unemployment rate is high. The ride-hailing company has raised over $500 million and expanded to over 90 cities across 13 countries predominantly in the Middle East since launching in 2012. Careem started services in the West Bank city of Nablus and in Gaza City this year and said it would continue looking at adding more cities in the tiny Palestinian-ruled enclave. Careem is a Middle East rival to U.S. company Uber Technologies [UBER.UL], which does not operate in the Palestinian territories. (Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
A Calgary man convicted of manslaughter after stabbing his neighbour 37 times will get Easter weekend with his family before he must turn himself in and begin serving his seven-year sentence.

On Thursday, the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Nicholas Rasberry's bid for a lesser prison term. He must turn himself in to the Calgary Remand Centre by 10 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Rasberry, 35, fatally stabbed Craig Kelloway in 2013. He had appealed his manslaughter conviction and the sentence he was handed after being found guilty in 2015. Both appeals have now been rejected by Alberta's top court.

"In our view, the sentence of seven-years imprisonment imposed by the trial judge falls within the appropriate range for manslaughter and was a fit sentence," wrote two of the judges.

A third offered a dissenting opinion and would have substituted a five-year sentence.

"Having reviewed the decision, as well as the reasons of the dissenting justice, I'm not in a position at this time to provide a comment because of the prospects of an application for leave to appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court," said Rasberry's lawyer, Gavin Wolch.

In May 2013, Rasberry fatally stabbed his neighbour Craig Kelloway, a teacher who had moved to Calgary six years earlier from Nova Scotia. The killer claimed he did it because Kelloway threatened to have sex with him.

The two met for the first time earlier in the day and had a barbecue together with their significant others. The fatal attack happened after the women went to bed.

At trial, Wolch, argued his client was acting in self-defence and should be acquitted.

Although the judge said he was "skeptical" of the accused's version of events, he couldn't rule out provocation to Rasberry  who was charged with second-degree murder was convicted of the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Kelloway left behind a girlfriend and infant son.

The Supreme Court of Canada has already dismissed Rasberry's conviction appeal application.
A Calgary police officer shot in a standoff on Tuesday is improving and in good spirits, his union president says.

Const. Jordan Forget, a five-year member of the Calgary Police Service, was taken to hospital after being shot Tuesday during a northeast standoff in which the suspect died. Forget was listed as being in stable condition.

He has two gunshot wounds but medical staff weren't sure if those were caused by one gun round or two, union president Les Kaminski told the Calgary Eyeopener Thursday morning.

Forget was wounded in his arm and a bullet penetrated his upper chest, collapsing a lung, he said. The round travelled through his body, stopping when it hit his armour on the other side.

"When I first talked to him on Tuesday, he said to me, 'I can't breathe very well,'" said Kaminski, who as head of the Calgary Police Association represents more than 2,000 members. "But he's doing much better as of yesterday."

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the death of the man, not yet named, at the centre of Tuesday's standoff in Abbeydale, a community in northeast Calgary.

The Calgary Police Service initially responded to an armed robbery, an attempted carjacking and an attempted break and enter at a home in the neighbourhood. When seeking a suspect, they saw smoke coming from a detached garage, police have said, and then shots were fired out of the garage.

One of those hit Forget.

Officers returned fire.

A man was found dead in the garage after the flames were put out. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday but results have not been released.

"I'm not sure if he was actually hit with gunfire or not," Kaminski said. "We know that officers did return fire. We try to use every means possible before resorting to violence. However, police work can get ugly."

The union president also said he believes officers did a textbook-perfect job responding to the original call and subsequent standoff and shooting.

Story continues

He and the police chief both say officers are encountering guns on the job more often than in the past, and now treat formally routine calls as high risk.

"The criminals that we're dealing with are armed more and more often," Kaminski said. "We have a gun culture here in Canada, don't kid yourself. It's not like it is south of the border yet, but bad people are carrying firearms now."

Kaminski said he knows officers who've been shot at but this is the first time one has been hit in more than two decades in Calgary.

In Edmonton, Const. Daniel Woodall in Edmonton was fatally shot in 2015 while trying to serve an arrest warrant to a man under investigation for anti-Semitic bullying.

Twenty-two Canadian police officers have been killed by gunfire since 2002, according to the Canadian Police Association.

- MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Red Deer weathers 'perfect storm' of recession, crime and addiction to find its way forward

- MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Civil court proceedings backlogged after 2016 Jordan decision

- MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Police investigate possible homicide at Varsity apartment complex

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley calls a move by a B.C. city to take its fight against Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the Supreme Court a "showpiece" that has no hope of success.

Derek Corrigan, the mayor of Burnaby, B.C., announced the decision on Tuesday.

"If I were a taxpayer in Burnaby, regardless of my position on the pipeline, I would be very irritated to see my mayor throwing good money after bad in terms of a legal fight, which I'm sure every single lawyer who has given him advice has told him they don't have any hope of succeeding in," Notley said Wednesday during an event in Calgary.

"That being said, he's going to showboat all he wants and people will judge accordingly and measure whether that's a good use of taxpayers dollars or not."

The federal government  which has already approved the expansion  has remained quiet on the topic, something Notley said she doesn't find concerning as provincial officials have met with "relevant ministers" in recent weeks.

"We know the federal government is committed to getting this pipeline built, and we've been assured they are working on it," she said. "We know they are still having meetings, both our officials and other folks to come up with the best strategies."

Protests ongoing

Several protests have been held in recent weeks against the $7.4-billion Kinder Morgan project at the company's Westridge Marine and Burnaby terminals.

Protect the Inlet spokesperson Virginia Cleaveland said that on the weekend 58 protesters had been arrested for violating a court-ordered injunction, bringing the week's total to 173 arrests.

Among those arrested were federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May (MP for SaanichGulf Islands) and NDP MP Kennedy Stewart (Burnaby South) after entering the court-imposed, protest-free zone around property.

May stood in line with activists at the gate of a Kinder Morgan worksite. She was arrested and released within half an hour.

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She later said she had been charged with civil contempt for blocking the road, which is not a criminal offence.

"Neither of those people happen to have an obligation to the executive council or as governors, so they're going to do what they want to do," said Notley. "But at the end of the day, what I know is that when you become government, you have an absolute obligation to enforce the rule of law, and I've never seen any government refuse to do that  NDP, or Liberal or Conservative."

Notley said she is not against the protests but expects the "rule of law" to be upheld.

"As I've said before, I think people have the right to demonstrate, we have a right to free speech in Canada, and I would never suggest that would be something we don't respect at all times," she said. "But that needs to happen within the parameters of the rule of law, and we absolutely expect the federal and provincial governments will enforce the rule of law exactly as they should."

There are still a number of other legal decisions pending on the pipeline. Notley says if they rule in Alberta's favour, she expects the federal government will act quickly.

- MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Calgary mover charged with uttering death threats against clients in Ontario

- MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Budget cuts are hard pill to swallow, say Alberta pharmacists
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Pressure Points..29 March '18..The UN Human Rights Council passed five more anti-Israel resolutions last week. This was not a great surprise, and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley called the Council grossly biased against Israel. She added that our patience is not unlimited and again threatened to leave the Council unless its obsession with Israel ended.The Council (as Haley noted) passed three resolutions on Iran and two on North Korea, making the concentration on Israel particularly grotesque. Israel is the only country whose conduct must, by Council rules (the so-called Item 7), be reviewed every time the Council meets.Still, the vote counting is interesting. One resolution called for Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights. That resolution got 25 votes, almost entirely from Muslim countries plus a few dictatorships like Cuba, Venezuela, and China. No European country voted yes. (Why Brazil, Peru, and Chile voted for it is a mystery, and when our State Department gets staffed up it might start pressuring them to change their votes.) Voting against this resolution were Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Panama, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Togo, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States. Abstaining were the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, and Switzerland. Absent was Mongolia. That means that of the members of the Council, 25 voted yes but 22 did notdisplaying a good lack of enthusiasm for the proposal.The other resolutions passed by higher margins: 27 in favor or 34 or 41, with 43 voting for The Right of the Palestinian People to Self-Determination while only Australia and the United States voted no (with the DRC abstaining and Mongolia absent).That any democracy should vote for that mendacious resolution is unpardonable. Those who did include Belgium, Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. It includes phrases and conclusions that are simply false, such as reference to Israels forcible transfer of Palestinianssomething that does not exist. It calls upon Israel to immediately end its occupation of the Occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, which is absurd. As those governments must know, there is no way safely to do that (safely for Israel, Jordan, or the Palestinians, considering the possibility that Hamas, with Iranian support, would take over). Nor should any decent country be speaking of the occupation of East Jerusalem, as if Israeli control of the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem were some kind of scandal and crime.The resolution is also wrong in speaking of millions of Palestinian refugees who have been uprooted from their homes. People of Palestinian background who were born in Jordan and who are Jordanian citizens (there are well over a million) are not refugees and indeed no one with another citizenship can now be considered a refugee. In every other context, refugees would be defined as those who had left their homes and not gained other citizenship and been resettled elsewhere. But the Council does not, of course, pause to condemn the Arab states (starting with Lebanon) that unlike Jordan have always refused to grant citizenship to Palestinians living there for decades.Hats off to Australia, which has just joined the Human Rights Council for a 3-year term and stood with the United States. The Australians have stated their principled opposition to singling out Israel, and said that they would vote against all the resolutions brought under Item 7. Australia has similarly opposed one-sided resolutions in the General Assembly. It is shameful that the Aussies have not been joined by other democracies, but they deserve great credit for taking this stance the moment they joined the Human Rights Council.
Tuesday's Gazan intruders minus their

grenades and knives [Image Source ]

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..This Ongoing War..29 March '18..As Israel approaches one of the traditionally relaxed annual periods in a locale that's not so notably relaxed, security events in the south are causing rising concern.Times of Israel reports this morning that two Gazan Palestinian Arabs were intercepted yesterday (Wednesday) immediately after getting through the border fence and despite the heightened security alert that is currently in effect there. They were equipped with a knife and box cutters, and are now "being questioned" as the standard media release formula states it.The thing is, this was theof the security fence around Gaza in a week. What's going on?Tomorrow, Friday, the eve of Passover and the day practically every Israeli has some Passover-related task to take care of at home or in the workplace ahead of Friday night's family-oriented seder gatherings, the Hamas regime plans - it has been saying for some weeks - to conduct "protests" along the boundary with Israel.They say this is going to include "masses" of Gazans taking part. Their media advisers have coined the name of this dangerous exercise March of Return and it is planned to go on for six weeks until May 15, the day the Palestinian Arabs have come to call Nakba, catastrophe. This "march" will include the constructing of a tent city on the Gazan side of the border and the participation of "tens of thousands of Gaza residents", which there's little doubt Hamas - which rules the Gazans with an iron fist, can arrange.But have no fear. They're giving assurances that this is going to be a peaceful protest:
THURSDAY, March 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Ovarian cancer can be tough to beat, particularly if it returns after initial treatment, but new research offers a glimmer of hope.

One study found that a new targeted "immunotherapy" to treat ovarian cancer that has come back looked promising in a small, early trial. Meanwhile, a second team of researchers discovered what appears to be a marker for patients who will do better after treatment overall.

"These studies are exciting, but very early," said Dr. Eva Chalas, director of the Center for Cancer Care at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. She added that it was good to see research on ovarian cancer, because "little money is spent on this cancer that is often lethal."

Chalas wasn't involved in either study.

The first study included 29 women who had ovarian cancer that had returned. The patients were treated with an ovarian cancer vaccine called Vigil. The vaccine -- also known as targeted immunotherapy -- is made to treat each woman's cancer individually by using cells harvested from the woman's own tumor.

"Ovarian cancer is such a difficult disease because it's a different disease from one person to the next. So, we created a vaccine specific to each particular cancer. It only works for that patient's tumor," explained study author Dr. Rodney Rocconi. He is chief of gynecologic oncology at the University of South Alabama-Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Rocconi said the process of creating the vaccine takes about a week. He didn't have information on the cost to produce the vaccine.

The vaccine -- given as monthly injections -- works by boosting the immune system's response to the cancer. It also stops tumor cells' ability to masquerade as normal cells to the immune system.

"We're hoping this approach will allow us to be a lot more specific from patient to patient, and our response rates have been surprisingly good," he said.

Twenty out of the 29 women achieved three-year survival. The median overall survival was slightly more than 41 months, according to the report.

The treatment was very well-tolerated. The most common complaints were related to injection-site issues. One woman reported significant fatigue.

Not all women will likely be good candidates for this treatment. The researchers used a test called ELISPOT prior to treatment. The test was used to predict whether or not T-cells in each woman's immune system would mount a significant response. Four of the 29 had a poor result on the ELISPOT test. Only one of these women survived three years.

Rocconi noted that these women had received a number of treatments for their cancer prior to the vaccine. Their immune systems might have been weakened by the previous treatment, he suggested, and so couldn't mount as vigorous a response.

Rocconi and his colleagues have already scheduled two larger trials of the vaccine.

Chalas said this type of therapy is being used successfully for certain forms of leukemia and she predicted that "these kinds of therapies are going to be total game-changers."

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women, according to the American Cancer Society. Because it is hard to detect, it is often diagnosed in its late stages, where survival is unlikely.

The second study was spurred by the success of developing treatments from a family of proteins known as PARPs. These drugs are called PARP inhibitors. When PARPs 1 and 2 are blocked in cancer cells, DNA repair stops and cell death occurs.

The gene for PARP 7 is amplified in some women with ovarian cancer, but not all. When researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas, looked further at the differences between women who had this amplification and women who didn't, they saw that PARP 7 was linked to a longer overall survival.

The team -- led by Dr. Lavanya Palavalli Parsons -- found the median overall survival was six months longer for women with the PARP 7 amplification.

It's not yet clear if there are therapeutic implications from this finding or if PARP 7 might just be used to predict a woman's survival. It's also not clear how many women might be affected by the PARP 7 amplification.

Chalas said that "PARP inhibitors are the most exciting currently commercially available discovery in the last five to six years. And it shows the need to look at other PARPs that might offer pathways to consider for therapy."

There are 17 known PARPs, the researchers said.

Both studies were presented Monday at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology's annual meeting, in New Orleans. Findings from meetings are typically viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

Learn more about treatments for ovarian cancer from the American Cancer Society.
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Mexico City, March 28, 2018  The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the convictions of two police officers in the Mexican state of Veracruz, who stood trial for their involvement in the 2015 murder of journalist Moises Sanchez Cerezo. Both men were sentenced to 25 years in jail on March 23, according to a statement yesterday by the Veracruz state attorney generals office (FGE).

The verdict is a welcome step forward in a case that, for years, has languished in complete impunity, said Jan-Albert Hootsen, CPJs Mexico representative. In order to achieve full justice for Moises Sanchez Cerezo, however, federal and Veracruz state authorities must now move forward and do everything in their power to bring the remaining suspects including the mastermind to trial.

Forty-nine-year old Sanchez was the editor of La Union, a small newspaper he published and distributed himself in the town of Medellin de Bravo, some 250 miles east of Mexico City in the state of Veracruz. On January 2, 2015, he was abducted from his home by gunmen. His dismembered body was found on January 24.

A former police officer turned drug trafficker, Clemente Noe Rodriguez, was arrested shortly after Sanchezs abduction and confessed to carrying out the murder with five other former policemen, whose full identities are still unknown. They allegedly acted on the orders of Medellin deputy police chief Martin Lopez Meneses. The latter, in turn, allegedly received the order from then-Medellin Mayor Omar Reyes, who was allegedly angered by Sanchezs critical coverage, according to a May 2017 CPJ report. The whereabouts of both Reyes and Lopez Meneses are unknown, while it remains unclear if and when Rodriguez will stand trial for the murder.

The two police officers sentenced to jail on March 23 were near the scene of the crime and, according to the FGEs statement, did nothing to stop the murder. They were convicted for failure to carry out their legal duty and intentional homicide.

This is a miniscule step forward, but there are still many arrests to be made, Jorge Sanchez, the son of the victim, told CPJ today.
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Gujarat: CAG slams Gujarat govt for neglecting fisheries

March 29,2018 | Source: The Times of India

Comptroller & Auditor General(CAG) of India, the apex autonomous auditor of the country in its Economic Sector audit report of the Gujarat government submitted in the state assembly on Wednesday criticized the state government for the neglect of the fisheries sector. In the performance audit (PA) of the state fisheries department covering the period from 2012-13 to 2016-17 the CAG noted, During 2012-17, marine fish production of the state constituted about 20 per cent of the all India marine fish production while inland fish production of the state was little more than one and half per cent of the all India inland fish production. Gujarats share in the all India marine production has decreased. Pointing out tilted development in inland fisheries, the CAG observed, Under inland fisheries, against the potential of 2.49 lakh MT per annum of fish production, the department has so far exploited 45 per cent only. In the inland fisheries schemes, the achievement against the target of various sub-schemes ranged from nil to 421.43 per cent.



Observing that the higher success of some schemes were obtained at the cost of others thus impeding holistic fisheries development, the CAG report mentioned, Audit observed higher achievement in some sub-schemes due to higher demand by the beneficiaries under those sub-schemes. Highlighting how some schemes had greater success, the CAG said, The additional funds required were re-appropriated from sub-schemes where funds were not required. Criticizing the fisheries departments approach, the CAG said, The department did not have a marketing policy critical to its success, but it was assisting the small vendors, processing plant owners, etc. through sub schemes like insulated box, assistance to women self-help groups, upgradation of processing plants and machinery, etc.



In the fish culture cage scheme of both Centre and state, juggling of figures in the books was noted by the CAG, which said, The scheme for Fish Culture Cage under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was not implemented during 2012-17. While in the state scheme for Fish Culture Cage, no expenditure was incurred during 2014-15 and 2016-17. The audit report observed tersely, In both the schemes, while the department parked the funds with other agencies, it reported utilization of funds by showing achievement of financial targets. Highlighting poor utilization of resources, the CAG said, The department mapped only 12,165.80 ha of land for brackish water aquaculture up to September 2017 against the availability of 89,340 ha of land. Besides. only 1,842.21 ha of land was brought under brackish water aquaculture during April 2012 to September 2017.



Not only these, the CAG pointed out lapses in fisheries infrastructure development. The department failed to carry out works for the construction of nine new harbours as envisaged in the 12th Five-Year Plan, thereby depriving better facilities to the fishermen and fishing community, the CAG noted. Raising issues in implementing providing GPS to fishermen by the government of Gujarat, the CAG also pointed out, As on March 31, 2017, there was a shortfall in release of funds for subsidey of Rs 310.50 crore by the government of Gujarat to the department for reimbursement to eligible fishermen. The shortfall was in relation to diesel/VAT subsidy provided to fisherment by fisheries department. Pointing out abysmal failure in conservation efforts, the CAG said, The government of Gujarat had not issued any notification, regulation and directions for adoption of uniform fishing ban period, thereby defeating the objective of conserving and effective management of fishery resources. On the same not, the CAG report observed further, The department did not conduct any impact evaluation of the schemes factoring in the specific needs of the inland, marine and brackish water fish farmers. Therefore, the department could not assess whether the desired objectives of fisheries development were achieved.
West Bengal: Online fish sale gets momentum in Bengal

March 29,2018 | Source: Kaplan Herald

The traditional is shifting to digital space with online order of fish and doorstep delivery slowly becoming the norm in the city. Besides the West Bengal governments Smartfish app for online shopping of fish, six engineering students from different premier institutions have launched an online retail shop where one can get fresh fish and meat along with groceries and some other food stuff.



We can provide you 75-80 types of fish and different varieties of chicken and mutton. The only thing you need to do is to place your order by 9 PM the day before and your order will be delivered the next day within two hours of procurement from the market, founder of Delybazar Abhirup Basak said. Delybazar has around 22,000 registered customers with an annual turnover close to Rs four crore. It can be availed through website and app both. Even as there are some other online national grocery stores, the utmost USP of Delybazar is you get fresh, unprocessed and unpreserved fish and meat from here like nowhere else, Basak rpt Basak claimed.



The West Bengal governments Smartfish app to book fish online was launched earlier this year by the State Fisheries Development Corporation. Using the app, one can get fish delivered at doorstep in any form  fillet, dressed, dry or pickle. SFDC Director Soumyajit Das had said after the app was launched in January, that 22 varieties of fish, seven categories of dried fish and fish pickle would be sold through this app. This is the first time a government organisation has launched a fish app to sell varieties of fish. The fish will be delivered directly once the consumer makes the choice, he said. In a trial run of the app, SFDC sold fish in several parts of north eastern part of Kolkata including pockets of satellite township Salt Lake.
Maldives: MIFCO signed as platinum sponsor for International Tuna Conference

March 29,2018 | Source: SUN MV

Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has signed on as a platinum sponsor for the International Tuna Conference held in Thailand this May. At a press conference held this morning at MIFCO, Managing Director, Adhlee Ismail said that the company is putting a lot of effort to promote the hard work of the Maldivian fishermen. He said that the Tuna Conference in May is the largest conference of it's kind in the world with over 800 companies taking part in it.



Adhlee said that the aim of taking part in the Tuna Conference is to promote the Maldivian tuna products as the golden standard. The MIFCO Managing Director said that global market will be shocked by the eco-friendly Maldivian fishing techniques and the health benefits it carries. MIFCO said that under the numerous marketing events for the Maldivian fishing industry this year, several marketing events planned in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. And next month, they would be taking part in the largest Seafood fair being held in Brussels, Belgium.
Odisha: District Committee of Small Scale Fish Workers formed at Jajpur

March 29,2018 | Source: Odisha Matshyajibi Forum (OMF)

Jajpur, a Sub-Division of erstwhile undivided Cuttack district was recognized as a separate district on 1st April 1993. Jajpur district is famous for its historical and mythological significance in Odisha. The district has been bestowed with perennial rivers (Baitarini, Brahmani & others) along with their branches and tributaries due to which fishery is a potential area of development in Jajpur district. Where freshwater fish production is related to tanks and rivers, the fishermen community of the district is ignored by district administration and politicians. Out of total population of the district, about (12-15) % population is fishery community (depends on fishing / fishing related professions).



About hundreds of fishermen from 10 blocks named as: Jajpur, Sukinda, Danagadi, Korai, Rasulpur, Dharmasala, Badachana, Bari, Binjharpur & Dasarathpur joined the meeting at Maa-Tarini Temple of Panikoili. The meeting was presided by Mr. Krushna Chandra Swain, The General secretary of OMF. Mr. Milan Das (General Secretary Dakshin Bangla Matshyajibi Forum) was invited as guest of honour and Mr.Chittaranjan (Vice president OMF) & Mr. Kiran Kumar Behera (President Balasore District Committee, OMF) were the distinguished invitees, present in the meeting.



Mr. Jagannath Majhi of Korai block, Mr.Suryamani Majhi & Mr. Maguni Jena of Jajpur block, Mr. Maheswar Dalai of Rasalpur block, Mr. Ghanashyam Tarei of Danagadi block, Mr. Akshya Ku. Pani of Sukinda block, Mr. Sukadev Babu of Dharmashala block, Mr. Narayan Dalai of Badachana block & Mr. Bidyadhara Malik of Bari block take part in a healthy discussion on the necessity to create an association for the socially ignored fishermen community of jajpur district. The distinguished guests delivered their valuable words to organize the community and to fight against injustice.



Finally few points below were pointed out to protest on:



1.Identify the real fishermen with a clear definition, who are the real beneficiary of government policies.



2. Create primary Fishermen co-operative society in fisher folks of the district {Only 18nos of active cooperative societies are operating (sickly) in the district}



3. The water ponds, reserves and such like in land water bodies should be leased-out to the fishermen community and the fishermen cooperative societies/ self-help groups.



4. The major water of the rivers flowed in the district are supplied to the Industries (Tata, Visa, Jindal, Neelachal, Mesco, Maithan, Dinabandhu, Rohit and K.J. Ispat), should be stopped or conditioned to interest of the dependant (fishermen) community.



5. In many places the rivers water and basin of the district are worstly polluted with the industrial wastages and asses (ass-ponds), which are destroyed the fish habitation and ultimately affected to the fishermen community of the district, should be stopped.
Jurors left a Sacramento courthouse in tears after they recommended giggling cop killer Luis Bracamontes be sentenced to death for the slaying of two California officers.





Bracamontes cheered when a jury in February convicted him for the 2014 murders of Sacramento County Sheriffs Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer Sheriffs Detective Michael Davis Jr. He was also found guilty of attempted murder, carjacking, weapons violations and other crimes.





Bracamontes, who is an undocumented Mexican immigrant, has repeatedly confessed his guilt and has even requested the death penalty amid his dozens of courtroom outbursts.





He spent the bulk of his trial with a grin on his face, at times breaking into fits of giggles as prosecutors described his violent tear on Oct. 24, 2014.





Investigators said Bracamontes and his wife, Janelle Marquez Monroy, led police on six-hour car chase through Placer County and into Auburn, where the deadly spree came to a violent end.





Sacramento Superior Court Judge Steve White on Friday sentenced Monroy to nearly 50 years behind bars for the role she played in her husbands day-long crime spree.





The cop killer maintained his giddy demeanor on Tuesday, when jurors handed him the death penalty after nearly four hours of deliberation. Bracamontes laughed when he learned his fate, locking eyes with Olivers mother  who grinned back, unfazed, CBS 13 reported.





Olivers sister, Phyllis Sylvia, dismissed Bracamontes and his offensive courtroom behavior.





Hes a coward, she said.





Bracamontes case was thrust into the spotlight by President Trump, who featured the convicted killer in an ad in January. It took aim at Democrats for being complicit in the murders of law enforcement officers by those in the country illegally.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Convicted Norfolk bank robber Erick Vela this week filed a petition asking a federal judge to stay his execution and vacate his sentence, saying his death sentence is unconstitutional.





The 211-page petition filed in U.S. District Court Tuesday argues in part that Vela is intellectually disabled and that executing him would violate his Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment.





Vela's petition for habeas corpus, which was filed by his attorneys, marks his latest appeal following unsuccessful efforts in state court to overturn his death sentence.





"Mr. Vela accepted responsibility for his role in the murders when he (pleaded) guilty," the petition said. "Central issues in his case are whether he is ineligible for the death penalty ... because he is intellectually disabled, and whether mitigating circumstances existed so that his life should be spared."





Vela, 37, has been incarcerated on Nebraska's death row at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution since January 2007.





Vela, Jorge Galindo and Jose Sandoval were sentenced to die after being convicted in the botched robbery at the U.S. Bank branch in Norfolk in September 2002, that killed Lisa Bryant, Lola Elwood, Samuel Sun, Jo Mausbach and Evonne Tuttle.





The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has already notified Sandoval, 38, that they intend to seek his execution.





A death warrant setting his execution has not been issued, and lawsuits fighting the execution in Sandoval's case are pending.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
The Nevada Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments in the cases involving a death row inmate who wants to die and the controversial ballot initiative aimed at preventing local governments from enacting sanctuary city policies.





The states high court will hear 60 minutes of oral arguments in the legal challenge to the Prevent Sanctuary Cities ballot initiative at 10 a.m. on May 8.





The proposed constitutional amendment, spearheaded by state Senate Minority Leader and Republican lieutenant governor candidate Michael Roberson, would prohibit any state or local government from implementing policies that would make it a sanctuary community that does not cooperate with federal immigration laws.





In January a Carson City judge threw out the initiative, calling it excessively broad and general, and said it was likely to confuse voters. Robersons group appealed the decision.





The justices will also hear hear arguments in the case of twice-convicted murderer Scott Dozier, who was scheduled to be executed in November and has said he wants to die.





Doziers death was postponed after a district judge denied the use of a paralytic drug called cisatracurium and granted a request from the lawyers for the Nevada Department of Corrections to stay the execution as the lethal injection process is reviewed by the Nevada Supreme Court.





The Dozier case is scheduled for 11 a.m. on May 8.





Both cases will be heard at the Supreme Court building in Carson City.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
"I believe that there is nothing humane about killing a human being. We speak of humane modes of execution only for animals to put them out of their suffering."



Attorney General Mike Hunter and Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh recently announced that Oklahoma would no longer attempt to execute prisoners by lethal injection and would begin drafting a protocol for a new mode of execution, inert gas inhalation or nitrogen hypoxia.





They admitted that lethal injection is unworkable in Oklahoma. Allbaugh said he has been engaged in a search for drugs for 2 years that has taken him "to the backstreets of the Indian subcontinent" and has been unable to purchase them. Hunter blamed the inability to purchase drugs on "a guerrilla war waged against the death penalty by its opponents," seeking to intimidate and boycott drug suppliers.





I suggest that the primary reason that lethal injection has become unworkable is that doctors and pharmacists have refused to participate. The American Medical Association and the American Society of Anesthesiologists have urged members not to participate because it violates professional obligations to preserve life and it brings disrepute to their profession. The multi-state grand jury convened by then-Attorney General Scott Pruitt to investigate the botched executions in Oklahoma concluded that the Department of Corrections could not find competent doctors and pharmacists to participate.





Hunter and Allbaugh assert that IGI or nitrogen hypoxia is the most humane mode of execution possible. I believe that there is nothing humane about killing a human being. We speak of humane modes of execution only for animals to put them out of their suffering.





Nitrogen hypoxia has never been used as a mode of execution in the United States. Hunter and Allbaugh speculate that nitrogen hypoxia will be a more humane form of execution, based on case studies of assisted suicide. This is a questionable analogy. The terminally ill patients who submitted to nitrogen hypoxia were near death and unable to endure their pain and suffering. They wanted to die and assisted in the process. We do not know what will happen when the procedure is tried on a healthy, 40-year-old man, who wants to live and will resist the process.





Hunter appeals to sympathy for victims' families to justify the resumption of the death penalty in Oklahoma. I have great empathy for the victims' families. No one can appreciate the loss that they have suffered and continue to suffer. I do not understand how killing another person promotes healing.





The death penalty brings justice only if you define justice as retribution and vengeance. The prisoner has been tried and convicted of a crime and has been incarcerated for 15 years or more in solitary confinement on death row. What more does justice require? How does killing that person bring comfort or closure? How is justice served by strapping a defenseless prisoner to a bed and injecting them with lethal drugs or putting on a mask to starve them of oxygen?





The arch of history is bending against Oklahoma. Crucifixions, beheadings and drawing and quartering once were culturally accepted modes of execution. Abolition of the death penalty is a condition for membership into the European Union. The United States is the only country in the Western Hemisphere that exercised the death penalty in the last 10 years. Only 11 states have carried out the death penalty in the last 5 years, 9 of which are in the South.





The death penalty will be unlawful in Oklahoma someday, most probably by a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. I hope it comes sooner rather than later. The challenge will be to change hearts and minds of Oklahomans to recognize the death penalty as a relic of the past that diminishes us all.





Source: Tulsa World , Editorial, Don Heath, March 28, 2018. Don Heath is chairman of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Rome: Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 prison inmates, including two Muslims and a Buddhist, in a Holy Thursday ritual and said the death penalty should be abolished because it is neither Christian nor humane.





For the sixth year running, the pope held the ritual in an institution rather than in the splendours of the Vatican or a Rome basilica, as his predecessors did. Conservatives have criticised him for including women and non-Christians in the rite in the past.





He visited Rome's Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven) jail in the centre of city, to perform the rite recalling Jesus' gesture of humility towards his 12 apostles on the night before he died.





The 12 male inmates were from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Moldavia, Colombia and Sierra Leone. Eight were Catholic, two were Muslim, one was an Orthodox Christian and one a Buddhist.





Francis wove the sermon of a Mass around the theme of service, saying many wars could have been avoided in history if more leaders had considered themselves servants of the people rather than commanders.





He spoke of the death penalty just before leaving the prison, a former 17th century Catholic convent that was transformed into a jail 1881.





"A punishment that is not open to hope is not Christian and not humane," he said in response to closing comments by the prison director, a woman.





"Each punishment has to be open to the horizon of hope and so the death penalty is neither Christian nor humane," he said.





Since his election in 2013, Francis has several times called for an worldwide ban on capital punishment, prompting criticism from Church conservatives, particularly in the United States.





The 1.2 billion-member Catholic Church allowed the death penalty in extreme cases for centuries, but the position began to change under the late Pope John Paul, who died in 2005.





Francis has asked that the Church's new position on the death penalty be better reflected in its universal catechism.





On Good Friday, Francis is due to lead a Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession at Romes Colosseum. On Saturday night he leads a Easter vigil service and on Easter Sunday he delivers his twice-yearly Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message.

Good Friday is a time to consider what the death penalty is doing to our souls

Good Friday always beckons us to think deeply about our role in the execution.





Word spread quickly. The crime was unspeakable. The reward for his capture was great. The government was desperate to get him off the streets. Nobody knew what he was capable of next. Considering him to be exceedingly dangerous, law enforcement planned carefully. For some time, they'd practiced and discussed the take. When the moment arrived, one of the fugitive's confidantes revealed his location. As authorities made the arrest, those closest to him pushed back. It was no use. It was as if he knew his fate.





Government officials repeatedly declared that a monster had been taken off the streets. Everyone wanted justice. Believing some level of due process was necessary to keep from giving their power over to the mob, local officials restrained themselves. Everyone knew that this was a big one. Insult after insult flew. Then, the time came.





When the doors opened, he immediately became aware of how public his case was. Though he'd seen reports and heard rumblings, he just wasn't aware of the magnitude of the hate. The weight of it all was almost too much to carry. Weak in the knees, he determined to keep moving. The people kept calling him a monster. The words were painful. However, it was more painful to realize that they were calling everyone he loved monsters, too. When the walk didn't seem like it could get any longer, he was there.





There was no question what everyone wanted. Death was in the air. The authorities gave him a chance to save his life, but he didn't take it. Nobody could believe it. Who wouldn't take the opportunity to save his own life? He was subjected to further punishment and then offered the chance at life again. He declined. Death it was.





The path was long between the place of judgment and the place of execution. At every step, the cries of monster overwhelmed his brain. The religious people seemed to be the ones shouting the loudest. In the midst of it all, he stumbled a few times. I guess that's the nature of all difficult paths.





As the place of execution approached, the governor had one last chance. Citing his faith, the governor let the killing continue. Waiting for death, the man prayed. Slowly, he was strapped in. His great crime was raised up for all of the world to see. God felt so far away. How could he have been so forsaken? His final words echoed in the beings of all who heard them, "Into your hands I commend my spirit." Death came with a rush. In great agony, he took his last breath. It was finished.





The accounts of Jesus' sacrifice and death always move me deeply. But this narrative is not about Jesus. This is a narrative of Rosendo Rodriguez, convicted of killing two women and stuffing their bodies into suitcases. Texas executed him last Tuesday . God was there and so was I. Under the rain, I watched. While I cannot say what Rodriguez' crimes meant for his soul, I can say what his execution means for ours.





The message of God died on that gurney. We killed our neighbor. We damned our persecutor. Surely God hates what we have done. Like it or not, our death penalty makes killers of us all. How are we any different than he? Only abolition can save us. The offer of life is on the table. Will we take the deal?

Source: Dallas Morning News , Opinion, Jeff Hood, March 29, 2018. Jeff Hood is a Baptist pastor and author. Website: revjeffhood.com

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

Reuters, March 29, 2018
BANGKOK (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Krabi Provincial Court on Wednesday (March 28) handed down the death penalty to six men for the shocking massacre of a village head and seven of his family members, including three children.





The brutal killings occurred at the victims' home in Krabi province last July. Three people survived the execution-style attack.





National police commissioner Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda came to the courtroom to listen to the verdict in the high-profile case.





The public was shocked last year to learn that Worayuth Sunglung, a village headman in Ao Luek district, had been shot in the head along with relatives after being held hostage for hours.





Shortly after the killings, police arrested eight suspects including Surifath Bannopwongsakul, also known as "Bang Fath". All of the suspects were prosecuteded.





Surifath reportedly had a dispute with Worayuth after he failed to return land-title deeds to the latter. Worayuth had initially submitted the deeds as collateral for a loan, but after Worayuth repaid his debts, Surifath did not return the documents.





Both men had threatened each other over the issue several times before the massacre occurred.





Krabi Provincial Court on Wednesday convicted Surifath and five other defendants of the massacre, with all of them sentenced to death. Two other defendants, one of them a woman, received jail terms for more minor roles in the crime.





Tawatchai Boonkong was convicted just of intrusion into a private property and stealing valuables of the deceased. He received a 19-month jail term.





Chalita Sangkhachart, the only female defendant in the case, was sentenced to 12 months in jail for hiding the valuables stolen from Vorayuth's wife, who died in the massacre.





Six defendants convicted of the killings were also ordered to pay 60,000 baht (S$2,500) in compensation each year, for a certain period of time, to eight plaintiffs.





Anchalee Prikdam, who survived the massacre, said she was satisfied with the verdict.





Worayuth's father-in-law, Jaree Butrterb, said he would consult with relatives before deciding whether to appeal or to file civil lawsuits against the convicts for financial compensation.





Kriangsak Saraphi, a lawyer for the defendants, said his clients were upset.





"We will definitely file an appeal," he said.





While capital sentences are not infrequent in Thailand, the last execution was more than 10 years ago.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Acting on recommendations from UK-trained torture investigators, Bahrains Attorney General has requested that the countrys highest court reconsider the death sentences handed to two men convicted on the basis of forced confessions obtained through torture.





Mohamed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa were sentenced in December 2014 for supposed involvement in a bombing that killed a police officer in Bahrain. Bahrains Special Investigations Unit (SIU), a UK-trained body set up to investigate allegations of misconduct and torture, recommended the case was referred to the Court of Cassation after new medical evidence emerged.





The Attorney General of Bahrain, Dr Ali bin Fadhl Al-Buainain, said in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday that the cases were being referred in accordance with the requirements of justice.





This comes at a time when there are other facing imminent execution, Including Maher Abbas who has had his death sentence confirmed despite Bahrains highest court accepting that he was convicted on the basis of a confession obtained through torture.





Maya Foa, director of Reprieve, said: This belated recognition that Mohamed and Husains trial was unfair is welcome but it comes after they have already suffered torture, including being stripped naked, beaten with iron rods and having their families threatened with rape.





Bahrain must now go further and allow the Special Investigation Unit to review all death penalty cases where there were allegations of torture. This must include the case of Maher Abbas, who is facing imminent execution despite concerns expressed by Bahrains highest court that he was coerced into confessing.

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
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Carmac Group, an Italian company that produces woodworking machines, is teaming up with the Armenian company Vaba Ltd. to construct a factory in Armenia that will manufacture anti-hail systems for the countrys farmers.

Armenian Minister of Agriculture Ignaty Arakelyan made the announcement during at a meeting he recently had with Carmac Group representatives in Vanadzor.

Arakelyan then toured the factorys construction site in the town.

Vaba Ltd.was founded in 2002 by Vahram Baghdasaryan, who currently heads the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary faction. He remained the sole owner until February 2018, when the shares were transferred to Vanadzor Municipal Councilman Vahagn Avagyan.

Minister Arakelyan says the first Armenian-made anti-hail systems should be ready by the end of this year.
Most Ukrainian workers go to Poland for one-three months  survey

Some 77% of Ukrainians are engaged in physical jobs, 16% work in the service sector, 3% perform intellectual work, and 1% occupy managerial positions.

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Ukraine's Cabinet orders creation of Export Promotion Office

The state will invest in providing services for Ukrainian exporters, the trade envoy said.

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Ukraine, Israel FTA talks in homestretch  PM Groysman

It is very important that Ukrainian products win foreign markets, the prime minister said.

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This piece first appeared at The Weekly Standard.

As all doomsday cults eventually learn, you can predict the end of the world only so many times before everybody stops listening to you.

We were told that repealing net neutrality would bring the "end of the internet as we know it." Pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement was supposed to kill the final chance to truly combat global warming (or climate change, or whatever it's called this week). The confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Education secretary was going to bring about the end of public education in America.

And yet the internet is not shutting down; the Paris Climate Agreement was exposed as virtually irrelevant to global temperatures; and America's public schools look basically the same as they did back in 2015.

To this list of failed doomsday predictions, we can now add the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which modernized the corporate tax code and gave tax relief to the vast majority of families.

The TCJA certainly has its flawsI gave it only a B-, primarily due to deficit concernsyet many of the plan's partisan critics exaggerated its potential downside to such a degree as to be genuinely misleading. And now that families are seeing how the new law actually affects them, most of them support the cuts.

During the legislative debate, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called the legislation "the end of the world," "Armageddon," and "stiff competition . . . [for the] the worst bill in the history of the United States Congress." So much for the Fugitive Slave Act.

Pelosi predicted that the tax cut would "install a permanent plutocracy in our country that does violence to the vision of our Founders." California Governor Jerry Brown's comparatively calm critique merely described this tax relief as "evil in the extreme."

That's a pretty hysterical reaction to legislation that trimmed projected tax revenues by 3 percent over a decade while largely preserving current tax progressivity levels.

And it wasn't just professional Democrats. The Washington Post ran a columnpredicting a sequel to the Great Depression (unemployment rate: 25 percent). Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers predicted the bill's health provisions would kill 10,000 people annually. Bruce Bartlett told MSNBC that tax cuts are "akin to rape." Paul Krugman, with characteristic subtlety and nuance, titled a column, "Republicans' Tax Lies Show the Rot Spreads Wide and Runs Deep."

Upon passage of the House version of the TCJA, Kurt Eichenwald tweeted that "America died tonight . . . Millenials [sic]: move away if you can. USA is over. We killed it." Amazing that after surviving a 241-year run that featured a civil war, two world wars, and a Great Depression, the grand American Experiment was mortally wounded by a reduction in the top marginal tax bracket from 39.6 percent to 37 percent.

Back in reality, the liberal Tax Policy Center calculated that the TCJA would benefit 80 percent of families and raise taxes for just 5 percentwith the higher taxes disproportionately affecting the wealthiest 1 percent. The median family would save $930 per year, while the average family would save $1,610. Bizarrely, this outcome was portrayed as a declaration of war on working families.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the tax cuts as a "cynical one-two gut punch to the middle classraise their taxes to pay for corporate tax cuts & then decimate their earned benefits as a kicker." Pelosi called it "simply theftmonumental, brazen theftfrom the American middle-class and from every person who aspires to reach it."

This false "tax increase" narrative was repeated in headlines such as "Poor Americans Would Lose Billions Under Senate GOP Tax Bill" (CNN), "Meet Some Victims of the Trump Tax Plan" (Yahoo News), and "Apparently Republicans Want to Kick the Middle Class in the Face." (Washington Post opinion columnist Catherine Rampell).

How does a tax cut get twisted into a sadistic assault on families? It is a three-step process:

(1) Simply ignore the first eight years of roughly $930-per-year tax relief and focus only on the $20 tax hikethat's six cents per daythat the median-income family will theoretically face in 2027 if Congress fails to renew the expiring portions of the law (Senate rules effectively limit many tax cuts to the length of the budget resolution, thus requiring renewal votes). Of course, if your best argument is that the expiration of the tax cuts would harm families, then the obvious solution is to renew them. But whatever. I'm sure Democrats will find some way to square that circle when the time comes.

(2) Invent fictional legislative provisions. The New York Times posted a chart titled "Change in after-tax income under tax bill, 2027" showing huge income losses for poor families resulting from deep spending cuts that were never proposed, considered, or incorporated into the bill. They simply did not exist. While the chart title falsely portrayed these cuts as part of the bill, the adjoining article explained that they were simply a prediction of future legislation that, by the way, mirrored nothing that has ever been enacted.

(3) Portray the bill's repeal of ObamaCare's individual mandate penalty as a massive tax hikeeven though it created no new tax liability. The provision simply means that families who no longer wish to participate in ObamaCare will no longer need or receive an Obamacare reimbursement payment. If that is a "tax increase," then by the same logic, an employee who happily accepts an offer to stop traveling as part of her job would be suffering from a mean-spirited "pay cut" because she would no longer receive travel-reimbursement payments.

This torrent of propaganda is partly why the tax bill was so unpopular as it was being debated: At the time of passage, just 37 percent of Americans supported the cuts, versus 57 percent opposed. How could a tax cut be less popular than previous tax increases? Because by a 2-to-1 ratio, Americans believed their taxes were going to go up as a result of the bill.

But Republicans enacted the bill anyway and the dishonest spin got steamrolled by reality. Millions of Americans received modest raises and bonuses that were attributed to the TCJA. Online calculators showed families thatsurprise!their taxes were falling, not rising.

Today a slight majority of Americans support the TCJA. And the law enjoys more than 75 percent support from those who expect to personally benefit, which means its overall popularity should grow as the benefits are more broadly realized. (In fairness, new polls were unable to reach any respondents who had been killed by the TCJA, per Larry Summers' prediction.)

But even now, the critics haven't backed down. After their "middle-class tax hike" narrative was exposed as fraudulent, some shifted to mocking the middle-class tax cuts as too small. Nancy Pelosi dismissed $1,000 tax cuts for the middle class as "crumbs," despite how vital that money can be to millions of families who live paycheck-to-paycheck. (There is no record of Pelosi complaining about the Obama White House's 2012 website touting $1,000 tax cuts from the payroll tax holiday.)

When the "crumbs" narrative fell flat, Democrats moved on to their last redoubt: the argument that greedy corporations are diverting too much of their tax cut savings into stock buybacks and putting too little towards worker salaries.

Yes, the purpose of business tax cuts is to encourage business investment, which ultimately drives long-term wage growth. But stock buybacks are a predictable short-term use of tax cut savings while businesses ramp up their investment plansand most stock buyback dollars will also be rechanneled through the financial system into pro-growth investments. Had lawmakers intended all these business savings to immediately subsidize workers, they would have skipped the corporate middleman and simply enlarged the individual tax relief (which is where most of the tax cuts were going already).

The point is not that the TCJA is perfector even that it's a net good. Reasonable people can disagree on the merits of the law. But if the TCJA was truly as destructive as many of its critics suggested, then they wouldn't have needed to lie, misrepresent, and exaggerate its provisions.

And the truth is, these overheated partisan attacks are dangerous in their own right. They make it difficult to have an honest and mature discussion about policy. They're both a symptom and a cause of where we are as a political culture.

In this case, there were no broad-based tax increases or deep spending cutsand there was no Armageddon. The partisan doomsday clock can hereby shift to whatever congressional Republicans are voting on next week.

Brian Riedl is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on twitter @Brian_Riedl.

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AFP - France on Thursday accused Iran of supplying weapons to Houthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

"There is a problem in Yemen, it is that the political process has not begun, that Saudi Arabia feels regularly attacked by the Houthis, who are themselves supplied with arms by Iran," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio.

Iran has repeatedly denied arming the Houthis in Yemen, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia that the evidence of an arms connection is irrefutable.

The Saudi-led coalition on Monday threatened retaliation against arch-foe Iran, accusing it of being behind a barrage of Yemeni rebel missile attacks on the kingdom.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the missile attacks launched by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia, saying they posed a threat to regional security.

Saudi forces on Sunday intercepted seven missiles fired by the Houthi rebels toward cities in Saudi Arabia, including the capital Riyadh, killing one person.

The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to push back the Houthis who captured the capital Sanaa and forced the government into exile.
An anti-drug police chief in Iran says security agencies have captured 14 metric tons of illegal drugs during the first week of the new Iranian year.

The Iranian state broadcaster quotes the police chief as saying that compared to the same period last year, this shows an increase of 36 percent.

Commander Mohammad Masood Zahedian, chief of anti-drug operations said that 78 percent of the drugs were captured in Irans eastern provinces. These provinces border Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are either major producers or trafficking corridors for opium and heroin.

Because of having a long and porous border with Afghanistan, Iran is itself a major trafficking route for narcotics. However, a considerable part of the drugs smuggled into Iran are sold and used locally. Drug addiction has reached alarming levels in the country.

Previously, the general director of security in Irans Kerman province had said that narcotics production in Afghanistan reached 8,000 tons in 2017 and this is the major reason why more illegal drugs are being discovered in Iran.

During the past twelve months Iranian law enforcement has captured a total of 713 tons of drugs.
NEW YORK, March 28 (Reuters)

The Iranian chairman of a Maltese bank on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to U.S. charges that he took part in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran by funneling more than $115 million from a Venezuelan company to an Iranian company through the U.S. financial system under a construction contract.

Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad, chairman of Maltese-registered Pilatus Bank, entered his plea at a court hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses in Manhattan. Moses denied Sadr's request to be released on bail, saying his wealth and connections around the world pointed to a high risk that he would flee.

Andrew Bauer, Sadr's lawyer, argued during the hearing that his client was unlikely to flee in part because he has ties to the United States, saying he was married to a U.S. citizen and is a legal resident of the country. He said Sadr's wife and children were living in London while their residence in Washington, D.C., was being renovated.

Sadr, 38, was arrested last week on charges including conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions and money laundering.

Prosecutors said Sadr helped hide the fact that a Venezuelan state-owned energy company was paying his family's Iran-based Stratus Group conglomerate in U.S. dollars through the U.S. financial system under a 2006 construction contract, violating sanctions. They said Sadr used Swiss and Turkish entities to conceal the Iranian connection to the funds.

Prosecutors said that under the contract, the Venezuelan company had agreed to pay a Stratus Group affiliate $476 million to build 7,000 housing units in Venezuela, of which more than $115 million was actually paid. They said the deal arose from agreements between the governments of Iran and Venezuela to cooperate on building housing in the South American country.

Bauer said at Wednesday's court hearing that the payments were not made for the benefit of Iran's government, and that Sadr's father, who founded Stratus Group, was at one point imprisoned in Iran for opposing the government.

Pilatus Bank's assets were frozen by the Malta Financial Service Authority following Sadr's arrest. Six members of the European Parliament this week called for the European Central Bank to reconsider Pilatus' banking license and screen the Maltese banking sector for more financial crime.

Malta's police have said the suspected sanctions busting did not involve Maltese citizens or institutions and that no transactions passed through Malta.

Pilatus has not responded to requests for comment.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

Azerbaijan has been strengthening its status as a bridge between the West and the East for many years, Ambassador of Mexico to Azerbaijan Rodrigo Labardini told Trend on March 29.

"This is also confirmed by the fact that the country, through constructing the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad, has become the shortest transit route from China to Europe. Azerbaijan reduced the cargo transportation time from China to Europe to 12 days, and this can not but positively affect the economic situation of all Eurasian continent," Labardini said.

He noted that the regional and global projects, on which Azerbaijan is currently working, cause admiration not only in the region, but also beyond its borders.

"As for the domestic economy of Azerbaijan, we are glad to see its strengthening and development, and the actions the country's government takes for the continuous development and movement of the country forward," the ambassador said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 110 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 29.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Employees of UKs humanitarian mine clearance organization, HALO Trust, blew up in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan during the mine clearance operation, the Armenian media reported March 29.

The organizations office said that as a result of the explosion, three employees were killed and other two employees were injured.

The incident took place in Azerbaijans Armenia-occupied Agdara district.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Peace cannot be restored in the Caucasus because of the aggression and genocide policy of Armenians, said Kemal Cicek, director of New Turkey Strategic Research Center.

He made the remarks at an international science conference, titled The 100th Anniversary of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis in 1918. The Policy of Genocide, Military Aggression and Ethnic Cleansing in Modern Times, in Baku March 29.

He noted that Armenians committed ethnic cleansing only with a view to create a state where only Armenians live.

"All countries of the region are multinational. Armenians, Russians, Iranians and representatives of other nations live in Azerbaijan. But, no one except Armenians lives in Armenia. A state consisting of only Armenians was created there," said Cicek.

Cicek noted that after Armenians occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, they did not leave a single Azerbaijani or a single Muslim there.

"This shows that the genocide policy, which Armenians have been pursuing from time immemorial, continues today. What happened in Khojaly is also the continuation of the genocide policy pursued by Armenians. Azerbaijanis were killed only because they are Azerbaijanis," he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
A memorial event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the March Genocide against Azerbaijani people was held at the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles on March 27, 2018.

The event, organized by the Consulate General, was attended by members of the Azerbaijani community, Consuls General of various foreign countries, well-known scientific and cultural figures, journalists, as well as leaders of Jewish, Turkish, Pakistani, Iranian, Vietnamese and Hispanic communities.



Opening the event, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev welcomed the guests and talked about the history of the genocide committed against Azerbaijanis in 1918.

Aghayev noted that following the October Revolution in Russia in 1917, Baku was invaded by Bolshevik forces, who created an alliance with Armenian Dashnaks.

Baku was the main target for Bolsheviks because of its vast oil reserves. As Vladimir Lenin famously said, Bolshevism can not survive without Baku oil, Aghayev said.

However the main obstacle to the full and unimpeded control of Baku was the citys Azerbaijani Muslim population. So the Bolsheviks and Armenian Dashnaks decided to resort to the final solution of the problem. Between March 30 and April 2, 1918, Armenian Dashnaks, assisted by Bolsheviks (led by Armenian Communist Stepan Shaumyan), subjected the entire Muslim population of Baku to a brutal genocide, killing at least 12,000 Azerbaijanis, many of whom were women and children.Thats how one of the first genocides of the 20th century was committed, Aghayev said.

The violence against Azerbaijanis was not contained only to Baku. Thousands of Azerbaijanis were massacred in other regions of Azerbaijan, including in the Quba region. Muslims were not the only victims. Around 3000 Azerbaijani Mountain Jews were also killed by Armenian Dashnaks. The reason? Because Jews sided with Azerbaijani Muslims, with whom they had lived in harmony for centuries, against Azerbaijans Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation, the Consul General added.

Aghayev stressed that in 2007, a mass grave containing bones and skulls of many Jewish and Muslim victims of the 1918 Quba Genocide was unearthed near the Jewish Red Town in Azerbaijans Quba district.

Referring to concrete reports from New York Times and Le Temps, as well as French diplomatic cables from 1920, Aghayev mentioned that the massacre of Azerbaijani civilians continued well into 1920s, including in Armenia itself.

Despite this 100 year old genocide, as well as the internationally condemned occupation and total ethnic cleansing of 20 percent of Azerbaijans sovereign territory by Armenia just 25 years ago, we are not teaching our children the hatred. We are not teaching our children to hate. We are teaching the young generation the values of tolerance, peace and harmony, and multiculturalism, Aghayev concluded.

In his speech, the American journalist Raoul Lowery Contreras, who authored the California-published books "Murder in the Mountains: War crime in Khojaly and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" and "Armenian lobby and the U.S. foreign policy mentioned that he conducted a thorough research on the 1918 March Genocide.

He stressed that back then Baku had only 56,000 Azerbaijani Muslim population (of overall 200,000 city population).

So the massacre of 12,000 of them meant that one out of every five Azerbaijanis was killed in March 1918. This was a true genocide, Contreras concluded.

Following the speeches, prayers were read by Muslim, Christian and Zoroastrian faith leaders honoring the victims of the March Genocide, expressing the hope that such tragedies are never repeated again.

Afterwards, American pianist Jason Abrams, Azerbaijani violinist Elvina Gurbanova and Azerbaijani young vocalist, winner of many international music competitions Emin Eminzade performed Azerbaijani and classical music compositions, which were received with much applause by the audience.
Details added (first version posted on 13:02)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

At certain stages of history, Armenian nationalists committed ethnic cleansing, deportation and genocide against the Turkic-Muslim population of the region in order to realize the mythical idea of the Great Armenia, Ismayil Akhundov, secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People of Azerbaijan and head of the working group, said.

He made the remarks at the international scientific conference, titled The 100th Anniversary of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis in 1918. The Policy of Genocide, Military Aggression and Ethnic Cleansing in Modern Times, in Baku March 29.

Akhundov noted that one of the most horrific tragedies is the massacre of Azerbaijanis, committed 100 years ago with special cruelty by the Dashnak-Bolshevik armed groups operating under the mandate of the Baku Council.

In those days, tens of thousands of civilians were killed precisely due to ethnic and religious affiliation, settlements, cultural monuments, mosques and cemeteries were demolished and destroyed in Baku, as well as in other cities and districts belonging to the Baku province. Committed in 1918, the genocide against the Azerbaijani-Turkic population was not limited to the territory of Azerbaijan, in general, these events covered peaceful Muslim peoples living in the South Caucasus, Turkey and Iran, Akhundov added.

He emphasized that thanks to the investigations conducted over the past 20 years, numerous facts and documents were collected, mass graves were found in Azerbaijani city of Guba.

The revealed historical facts proved that the geography of bloody actions committed by Armenian nationalists in March-April 1918 and in subsequent periods is wider, and the victims of tragedies are much bigger. Both in the beginning and at the end of the 20th century, Armenian terrorist detachments and Armenian servicemen continued the policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Azerbaijani people, Akhundov added.

The genocide against Azerbaijanis was committed with special cruelty in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba counties, Karabakh, Zangazur, Nakhchivan, Lankaran and other districts of Azerbaijan.

Massacres of civilians were committed in these territories, settlements were burnt and wiped off the face of the earth, and monuments of national culture were destroyed.
Details added (first version posted on 13:48)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Today, the Iranian-Azerbaijani relations are of great importance not only for the two countries, but also for the region and the world, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said March 29 addressing the Azerbaijan-Iran business forum in Baku, held with participation of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.

Dear President Hassan Rouhani, Dear guests, ladies and gentlemen, President Rouhani is finishing the official visit to Azerbaijan. We can say with full confidence that the visit was very successful and had excellent results."

"The Iran-Azerbaijan ties of friendship and brotherhood are at the highest level today. The talks, discussions held yesterday once again confirm this. We cooperate very actively in political, economic and all other spheres. We regularly hold meetings with President Rouhani. We held 11 meetings over the past four years. This figure itself shows how closely we cooperate and what kind of mutual trust exists between us, the head of Azerbaijani state said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Azerbaijani defense minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov on March 29, according to the official website of the Turkish president.

The meeting took place in the Presidential Palace in Ankara.

In Ankara, the Azerbaijani minister also met with Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey Nurettin Canikli on March 29.

The ministers first held a one-on-one meeting, which continued in an expanded format with the participation of delegations. The sides emphasized that military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey is carried out both bilaterally and within the framework of NATO programs.

The sides also stressed that the Azerbaijani-Turkish strategic partnership built on friendly and fraternal relations is constantly developing.

During the meeting, the issues of regional security, the main directions of military relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, development of cooperation in military, military-technical, military-educational, military-medical spheres, joint military exercises, the organization of mutual visits of expert groups, as well as other issues of mutual interest were discussed.

Hasanov met with Chief of General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces Hulusi Akar on March 28. During the meeting, the parties discussed the two countries military cooperation, as well as the political and military situation in the region.

Minister Hasanov arrived in Ankara March 28 at an invitation of Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli. The Azerbaijani official will take part in a trilateral meeting of defense ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in Giresun city on March 31.
Details added (first version posted on 13:48)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Today, the Iranian-Azerbaijani relations are of great importance not only for the two countries, but also for the region and the world, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said March 29 addressing the Azerbaijan-Iran business forum in Baku, held with participation of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.

Dear President Hassan Rouhani, dear guests, ladies and gentlemen. President Rouhani is finishing the official visit to Azerbaijan. We can say with full confidence that the visit was very successful and had excellent results."

"The Iran-Azerbaijan ties of friendship and brotherhood are at the highest level today. The talks, discussions held yesterday once again confirm this. We cooperate very actively in political, economic and all other spheres. We regularly hold meetings with President Rouhani. We held 11 meetings over the past four years. This figure itself shows how closely we cooperate and what kind of mutual trust exists between us. And this is natural, because our peoples have lived and created together for centuries, the head of Azerbaijani state said.

The common history and culture that unite us are the main factors for our current ties. We are very pleased today with the rapid development of these ties. With such a high level of political ties, we, of course, can implement any economic and transport projects, and we do it. We personally control all the instructions. I am glad that the members of the intergovernmental commission, all the officials who carry out these instructions, honorably fulfill their official duties. Today, the Iran-Azerbaijan relations are of great importance not only for the two countries, but also for the region and, I can say, for the world, because the projects implemented at our initiative are of great importance for the entire region, the Eurasian continent, President Aliyev noted.

He said a broad exchange of views on development of trade relations was held recently.

We think the current level of trade relations does not reflect the level of our ties. Therefore, my recommendation to businessmen participating in this business forum is that we must cooperate even more closely. Practical steps should be taken in order to increase the trade turnover. I hope our mutual export will also increase in the coming years. There are opportunities to achieve this, added the president.

The head of state noted that, undoubtedly, great attention is paid to issues of mutual investment.

Today, this small presentation showed two important projects on mutual investments - the joint venture of Iran Khodro and an Azerbaijani company in Neftchala, and the cargo terminal created in Iran thanks to the Azerbaijani investments. Of course, first of all, there must be excellent relations and mutual interests for putting joint investments. They exist and strengthen day by day. On the example of these two projects, we see that mutual interests are fully ensured here. I am confident that the future activity of the automobile plant will be successful and the cargo terminal will play an important role in the development of the North-South transport corridor. I think we also should seriously think about putting joint investments in other spheres, and we do this, President Aliyev said.

The head of state noted that these issues were discussed on the eve and during the narrow format meeting and at a meeting held with participation of the two countries delegations.

Additional directions for joint investments are identified. I can say with full confidence that the North-South transport corridor is being implemented thanks to very serious efforts of the Iranian and Azerbaijani sides. We constantly discuss these issues with neighboring countries. The work carried out over the past two years has created the main ground for the opening of this route. During a small presentation it was shown that in 2016-2017, the missing part of this railway was built in Azerbaijan, a bridge was built across the Astarachay River, the Azerbaijani president said.

The first test train ran from Azerbaijan to Iran during my visit to Iran last year. The cargo terminal is already under construction today and a historic document was signed yesterday. An agreement was signed in connection with the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway. The agreement will play a special role in the implementation of the North-South transport corridor. Thus, connecting the continents, we will get an economic profit, because transit cargo passing through our territory will amount to tens of millions of tons."

"At the same time, we are creating a new format of cooperation in the region. We have already created it, because we are actively cooperating today not only in bilateral format, but also in trilateral and quadrilateral formats, the Azerbaijani president added.
Details added (first version posted on 14:41)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Azerbaijans security is Irans security, Azerbaijans development is Irans development, said Irans President Hassan Rouhani, addressing the Azerbaijan-Iran business forum in Baku March 29.

Hassan Rouhani called on businessmen to be active in the implementation of joint projects.

Speaking at the business forum, Rouhani said that both peoples are very close to each other in terms of religion, history and traditions. He noted that friendship and cooperation, as well as joint activities of the two countries are in the interests of the whole region.

Having noted that the relations between the two countries have become useful for the whole region and the world, the Iranian president stressed that the adoption of historic decisions during the visit will serve the well-being of the two peoples.

Rouhani spoke about the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on the joint use of the relevant blocks in the Caspian Sea and added that the Caspian Sea is a sea of cooperation, security and friendship.

He noted that the two countries cooperate well and are close to each other as part of international organizations, and stressed the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor project.

The Iranian president expressed confidence that the work carried out regarding this project will bear fruit.

Underlining that the previously unused potential of the two countries has been activated by the initiative of the Azerbaijani and Iranian presidents, Rouhani spoke about the importance of joint economic ties for improving the welfare of both peoples.

He noted that there is good potential for expanding ties in the healthcare, pharmaceuticals, banking sector, agriculture, transport, electricity and trade spheres.

Iranian president stressed the importance of using tourism potential by the two countries and spoke about the importance of intensifying trips, strengthening ties in the cultural sphere between the two peoples.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Recently, various rumors about Azerbaijan's refusing Russian weapons have been circulating in some foreign and local media outlets, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend on March 29.

"We officially declare that such reports are not true and are of provocative nature," the ministry said.

The ministry noted that Azerbaijan pays special attention to the procurement and purchase of various types of weapons in certain producing countries.

"We carefully choose the best, most qualitative and effective military products necessary to increase our combat potential in order to liberate the occupied territories," the ministry added.

"The new Russian weaponry adopted by the Azerbaijani army meets the increased requirements for modern weapons systems, and significantly enhance the maneuverable and firepower capabilities of the military units, and especially those that perform combat missions at the forefront defense line of our troops," said the ministry.
Details added (first version posted on 13:48)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Today, the Iranian-Azerbaijani relations are of great importance not only for the two countries, but also for the region and the world, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said March 29 addressing the Azerbaijan-Iran business forum in Baku, held with participation of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.

Dear President Hassan Rouhani, dear guests, ladies and gentlemen. President Rouhani is finishing the official visit to Azerbaijan. We can say with full confidence that the visit was very successful and had excellent results."

"The Iran-Azerbaijan ties of friendship and brotherhood are at the highest level today. The talks, discussions held yesterday once again confirm this. We cooperate very actively in political, economic and all other spheres. We regularly hold meetings with President Rouhani. We held 11 meetings over the past four years. This figure itself shows how closely we cooperate and what kind of mutual trust exists between us. And this is natural, because our peoples have lived and created together for centuries, the head of Azerbaijani state said.

The common history and culture that unite us are the main factors for our current ties. We are very pleased today with the rapid development of these ties. With such a high level of political ties, we, of course, can implement any economic and transport projects, and we do it. We personally control all the instructions. I am glad that the members of the intergovernmental commission, all the officials who carry out these instructions, honorably fulfill their official duties. Today, the Iran-Azerbaijan relations are of great importance not only for the two countries, but also for the region and, I can say, for the world, because the projects implemented at our initiative are of great importance for the entire region, the Eurasian continent, President Aliyev noted.

He said a broad exchange of views on development of trade relations was held recently.

We think the current level of trade relations does not reflect the level of our ties. Therefore, my recommendation to businessmen participating in this business forum is that we must cooperate even more closely. Practical steps should be taken in order to increase the trade turnover. I hope our mutual export will also increase in the coming years. There are opportunities to achieve this, added the president.

The head of state noted that, undoubtedly, great attention is paid to issues of mutual investment.

Today, this small presentation showed two important projects on mutual investments - the joint venture of Iran Khodro and an Azerbaijani company in Neftchala, and the cargo terminal created in Iran thanks to the Azerbaijani investments. Of course, first of all, there must be excellent relations and mutual interests for putting joint investments. They exist and strengthen day by day. On the example of these two projects, we see that mutual interests are fully ensured here. I am confident that the future activity of the automobile plant will be successful and the cargo terminal will play an important role in the development of the North-South transport corridor. I think we also should seriously think about putting joint investments in other spheres, and we do this, President Aliyev said.

The head of state noted that these issues were discussed on the eve and during the narrow format meeting and at a meeting held with participation of the two countries delegations.

Additional directions for joint investments are identified. I can say with full confidence that the North-South transport corridor is being implemented thanks to very serious efforts of the Iranian and Azerbaijani sides. We constantly discuss these issues with neighboring countries. The work carried out over the past two years has created the main ground for the opening of this route. During a small presentation it was shown that in 2016-2017, the missing part of this railway was built in Azerbaijan, a bridge was built across the Astarachay River, the Azerbaijani president said.

The first test train ran from Azerbaijan to Iran during my visit to Iran last year. The cargo terminal is already under construction today and a historic document was signed yesterday. An agreement was signed in connection with the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway. The agreement will play a special role in the implementation of the North-South transport corridor. Thus, connecting the continents, we will get an economic profit, because transit cargo passing through our territory will amount to tens of millions of tons."

"At the same time, we are creating a new format of cooperation in the region. We have already created it, because we are actively cooperating today not only in bilateral format, but also in trilateral and quadrilateral formats, the Azerbaijani president added.

Ilham Aliyev reminded that meetings of presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia were held in Baku in 2016 and in Tehran in 2017.

The meetings were very important. Political, economic, transport, and energy issues were discussed at the meetings. I think businessmen of the three countries should also take advantage of existing opportunities. The Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey trilateral cooperation format has been working for several years, and recently a new, quadrilateral format of cooperation of Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia and Turkey was realized in Baku."

Ilham Aliyev said wide opportunities in the transportation sphere are emerging for businessmen.

"As a result of the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway and the full launch of the North-South transport corridor in the future, thousands, and maybe tens of thousands of new jobs, must be opened, and entrepreneurs must open these jobs. I am confident that trade turnover will increase dramatically both in bilateral and multilateral formats, the head of state added.

President Aliyev noted that business opportunities in the energy sphere are expanding.

We broadly discussed this yesterday with President Hassan Rouhani, and relevant instructions were given to ministers that our plans in the field of power industry should be implemented soon. This is absolutely real, and we will achieve this, he emphasized.

The head of state noted that a big flow of tourists is expected.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people travel from Azerbaijan to Iran and from Iran to Azerbaijan. Not only goods, but also passengers will be transported after the opening of the railway. Therefore, big investments should also be put in the tourism infrastructure. Turning to businessmen of Azerbaijan and Iran, I invite them to this work. I am confident that mutual investments in Iran and Azerbaijan, investments in tourism infrastructure, construction of hotels and other tourism infrastructure will not be lost - on the contrary, they will bring good incomes, the Azerbaijani president added.

The head of state said a memorandum of understanding was also signed yesterday on development of blocks in the Caspian Sea.

This decision is also of historic significance. In general, every visit of President Rouhani to Azerbaijan is of great importance, as well as my visits to Iran. As part of these visits, many documents have been signed, and all of them are being implemented. I can say there is no such an issue that we agree upon but do not see its result. This visit is also historic, because during this visit, two historic documents were signed on the blocks in the Caspian Sea and on construction of the Astara-Rasht railway, President Aliyev said.

Meanwhile, yesterday we exchanged views with President Hassan Rouhani on issues that have not been resolved so far. All our meetings are effective and fruitful. We constantly keep in the spotlight those issues that have not yet been resolved," the president emphasized.

The Azerbaijani president noted that one of the issues to be solved is the cooperation in the banking and financial spheres.

Relevant instructions were given yesterday. I am confident that this issue will be resolved before the next meeting. The increase in trade turnover, joint activity in the energy sphere are the main issues currently on the agenda for the next period. We are very pleased that recently, businessmen from Iran have been showing an even greater interest in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani economy. We are always glad to see our Iranian brothers. They can successfully operate in Azerbaijan, both as investors and as contractors. The main thing is the unity of our peoples, the preservation of interstate relations at the highest level, and the future opportunities of projects implemented at our initiative. We are creating a new reality in our region. The Iranian-Azerbaijani ties have already turned into an important factor for regional security, stability and cooperation. We did it in a short period of time, President Aliyev said.

The head of state expressed gratitude to President Hassan Rouhani for his attention and warm attitude towards Azerbaijan.

I am confident that the visit will have a good result, and we all will witness this. Thank you, the Azerbaijani president concluded.
Details added (first version posted on 14:50)

Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Mutual investments in Iran and Azerbaijan will not be lost, on the contrary, they will bring good incomes, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said March 29 addressing the Azerbaijan-Iran business forum in Baku.

We are very pleased that recently, businessmen from Iran have been showing an even greater interest in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani economy. We are always glad to see our Iranian brothers. They can successfully operate in Azerbaijan, both as investors and as contractors. The main thing is the unity of our peoples, the preservation of interstate relations at the highest level, and the future opportunities of projects implemented at our initiative. We are creating a new reality in our region. The Iranian-Azerbaijani ties have already turned into an important factor for regional security, stability and cooperation. We did it in a short period of time, President Aliyev said.

Additional directions for joint investments are identified. I can say with full confidence that the North-South transport corridor is being implemented thanks to very serious efforts of the Iranian and Azerbaijani sides. We constantly discuss these issues with neighboring countries. The work carried out over the past two years has created the main ground for the opening of this route. During a small presentation it was shown that in 2016-2017, the missing part of this railway was built in Azerbaijan, a bridge was built across the Astarachay River, the Azerbaijani president said.

The first test train ran from Azerbaijan to Iran during my visit to Iran last year. The cargo terminal is already under construction today and a historic document was signed yesterday. An agreement was signed in connection with the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway. The agreement will play a special role in the implementation of the North-South transport corridor. Thus, connecting the continents, we will get an economic profit, because transit cargo passing through our territory will amount to tens of millions of tons."

"At the same time, we are creating a new format of cooperation in the region. We have already created it, because we are actively cooperating today not only in bilateral format, but also in trilateral and quadrilateral formats, the Azerbaijani president added.

Ilham Aliyev reminded that meetings of presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia were held in Baku in 2016 and in Tehran in 2017.

The meetings were very important. Political, economic, transport, and energy issues were discussed at the meetings. I think businessmen of the three countries should also take advantage of existing opportunities. The Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey trilateral cooperation format has been working for several years, and recently a new, quadrilateral format of cooperation of Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia and Turkey was realized in Baku."

Ilham Aliyev said wide opportunities in the transportation sphere are emerging for businessmen.

"As a result of the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway and the full launch of the North-South transport corridor in the future, thousands, and maybe tens of thousands of new jobs, must be opened, and entrepreneurs must open these jobs. I am confident that trade turnover will increase dramatically both in bilateral and multilateral formats, the head of state added.

President Aliyev noted that business opportunities in the energy sphere are expanding.

We broadly discussed this yesterday with President Hassan Rouhani, and relevant instructions were given to ministers that our plans in the field of power industry should be implemented soon. This is absolutely real, and we will achieve this, he emphasized.

The head of state noted that a big flow of tourists is expected.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people travel from Azerbaijan to Iran and from Iran to Azerbaijan. Not only goods, but also passengers will be transported after the opening of the railway. Therefore, big investments should also be put in the tourism infrastructure. Turning to businessmen of Azerbaijan and Iran, I invite them to this work. I am confident that mutual investments in Iran and Azerbaijan, investments in tourism infrastructure, construction of hotels and other tourism infrastructure will not be lost - on the contrary, they will bring good incomes, the Azerbaijani president added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov met with Corien Jonker, the head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in Baku on March 29.

Garalov informed Jonker about holding elections in Azerbaijan under conditions of democracy and transparency, the work done to ensure voters' free expression of will, and gave detailed information about forthcoming tasks of the Prosecutor General's Office in connection with possible violation of the electoral legislation.

He informed about creation of a Working Group with the aim of ensuring prompt investigation of information on law violation during the election, which will be submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office.

Expressing appreciation for the warm welcome, Jonker briefed on the activities and objectives of the observation mission.

She said that during the upcoming election, the observation mission will pay attention to cooperation with the Working Group of the Prosecutor General's Office.

The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

Eight candidates were registered to participate in the April 11 presidential election in Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Samir Ali  Trend:

Azerbaijanis historical inheritance right to Irevan and the lands around it must be restored, Director of the Institute of History of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) Yagub Mahmudov said.

Mahmudov made the remarks at a conference titled "Threats to the Multicultural Environment in Azerbaijan: Armenian Vandalism and the Policy of Genocide for the Last 100 Years", jointly organized by the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations and ANAS in Baku March 29.

Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Mubariz Gurbanli said the main purpose of the event is to analyze the history of the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan and the current situation, discuss the threats to the multicultural atmosphere in Azerbaijan, as well as the tasks in this sphere.

In his turn, Mahmudov stressed that the main documents related to the genocide committed in March 1918 were collected during the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

"The government created by 26 Baku Commissars [in 1918] in fact was a government of the Armenian Dashnaks, Mahmudov said. A letter sent to Lenin by Stepan Shaumian after the March genocide testifies to this. In his letter, Shaumian wrote about the involvement of 4,000 Armenian Dashnaks and added that if not for these events, Baku would have become the capital of a state created by Azerbaijanis."

"The documents testify that the Armenian side assumed several obligations in exchange for obtaining Irevan and the Azerbaijani lands around it in accordance with the negotiations and treaties in Batumi, he said. The Armenians were refusing territorial claims against Azerbaijan on the basis of the agreement reached during the negotiations in Batumi.

Among those obligations was the mobilization of all forces for withdrawal of armed forces of the Armenian government from Baku, as well as the cessation of the mass bloodshed committed by Armenian armed groups against Muslims in Azerbaijan, Mahmudov said.

"But after achieving their goals, the Armenians unilaterally violated all their obligations and continued the policy of occupation, he said. Therefore, both the obligations under the agreement reached in Batumi and the decision of the National Council of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, dated May 29, 1918, lost their legal force.

Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the decision of the National Council of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Mahmudov said. This decision should be abolished and the Azerbaijanis historical inheritance right to Irevan and the territories around it must be restored."

Mahmudov said that a 9,000-square-kilometer-land was transferred to the Armenians for them not to put forward territorial claims against Azerbaijan any more.

He added that the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic after two months understood the mistake of transferring a 9,000-square-kilometer-land to the Armenians.

Mahmudov stressed the correctness of the decision to open the burial of 26 Baku Commissars.

"The remains of Shaumian and other Armenian executioners were not found in that burial place, he said. The remains discovered there were buried in one of the Baku cemeteries upon the presidents order. We also revealed documents testifying that Shaumian was a member of the Baku Committee of Dashnaktsutyun Party."
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Armenians are the main culprits and participants in genocide in the Caucasus region, said Kemal Cicek, director of New Turkey Strategic Research Center.

He made the remarks at an international science conference, titled The 100th Anniversary of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis in 1918. The Policy of Genocide, Military Aggression and Ethnic Cleansing in Modern Times, in Baku March 29.

Along with Azerbaijani historians, famous scientists from several countries took part in the conference organized by the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Citizens and the Azerbaijani State Security Council.

Secretary of the State Commission, the head of the working group Ismayil Akhundov, addressing the event, informed the participants about the ethnic cleansing and genocide policy carried out by Armenians during almost two centuries.

Akhundov said that after investigating the bloody crimes and genocide committed by Armenians, the State Commission carried out large-scale activities to bring the revealed facts to attention of to the world community.

Cicek, in turn, said that Armenians, who by making false statements about so-called genocide against them are trying to mislead the international community, are the main culprits and participants in the genocide committed in the Caucasus region.

Speaking at the event, Jeyhun Mammadov, Senior Adviser at the Department of Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, stressed that the ethnic cleansing and the genocide policy pursued by Armenians, resulted not only in murder of peaceful Azerbaijanis, but the historical and cultural monuments of the Azerbaijani people were also destroyed.

He noted that unlike Armenia, Armenian church in the center of Baku is protected by the Azerbaijani state.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

In accordance with the combat training plan for 2018, approved by the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, the Rocket and Artillery formations and units of Azerbaijan's Army are conducting exercises in all firing ranges located in the frontline zone with the purpose of improving the combat skills of military personnel.

During one of the exercises held in a firing range, combat shooting was carried out with the use of self-propelled artillery.

To ensure accuracy and intensity of shooting, artillery units used modern automated control systems.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The holding of 11 meetings by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran within four years testifies to the relations strengthening between the two countries, Azerbaijani MP Tahir Karimli told Trend March 29.

Karimli was commenting on Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis visit to Azerbaijan.

"Important documents were signed during the visit, he said. The most important documents are a memorandum of understanding on joint development of oil blocks in the Caspian Sea and an agreement on financing the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway section."

Other documents covering the spheres of ecology, sports, culture and health care were also signed during the visit, he said. This means that Iran and Azerbaijan are getting closer. Along with bilateral meetings between Azerbaijan and Iran, meetings are held in trilateral and quadrilateral formats, which contribute to the preservation of peace in the region. I think that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran will continue to grow.

Karimli added that the Iranian public, supporting this cooperation, is also interested in the development of relations with Azerbaijan.

"The number of Iranian citizens arriving in Azerbaijan has recently increased, Karimli said.

In conclusion, he said that during the visit, the Iranian president said that he supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity.

"President Rouhani expressed support for Azerbaijans territorial integrity and a political solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Karimli said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Samir Ali  Trend:

The anti-Azerbaijani political circles, as well as the radical political elements that have become an instrument in their hands are intensifying their activity in the international community on the eve of the presidential election, which is very important in Azerbaijans political life, Azerbaijani MP Elman Nasirov told Trend March 29.

These structures understand that all these actions will not bring any result, he said. "These radical political opposition elements, talking about democracy, want to involve radical religious elements in the rally on March 31."

They attract radical religious elements to damage Azerbaijan, stability, security and create chaos, anarchy in the country by fulfilling the request of foreign patrons, Nasirov said. "Their goal with regard to Azerbaijan is clear.

The Azerbaijani public knows the intentions of negative political and religious elements, he said. They have lost their spirituality and intend to carry out anti-Azerbaijani recommendations and orders of foreign political circles even on March 31 on the Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis. I think that this is treason."

Nasirov said that the Azerbaijani public rejects such steps.

"When I meet with voters, I often face such cases, he said. These individuals are constantly being criticized by people. The public receives criticism, but stresses that criticism must be healthy and constructive. These radical political elements are deprived of culture, morality. This causes great concern of the Azerbaijani public."
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Italy supports expansion of Azerbaijan's cooperation with the European Union, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Angelino Alfano said at a meeting with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who is paying a visit to Rome upon invitation of his Italian counterpart, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message March 29.

During the meeting, the ministers expressed satisfaction with the high level of bilateral relations and friendship between Azerbaijan and Italy. They noted that the cooperation in economic, commerce, energy and cultural spheres is successfully developing between the two countries and Italy is the main trade partner of Azerbaijan within the European Union.

The ministers drew attention to the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor and special emphasize was made to TANAP and TAP projects as its important components. In this regard, they praised the cooperation between the two countries.

The sides further mulled the role of Italy as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

The Italian foreign minister underlined that his country supports the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by diplomatic means through the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on the basis of the norms and principles of international law and the Helsinki Final Act.

Mammadyarov thanked Italy for its fair position regarding the settlement of the conflict.

Informing about the negotiation process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani minister underlined that Armenia has not yet implemented the demands of the UN Security Council Resolutions on immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

He added that the attempts to change the internationally recognized borders of states by use of force is unacceptable and the conflict should be resolved on the basis of territorial integrity and sovereignty within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, as it is reaffirmed by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

During the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on cooperation within international organizations, as well as regional issues of mutual interest.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Rector of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) Elmar Gasimov held a meeting with Director of Sales and Business Development of G.U.N.T. Geratebau GmbH (Germany) Heiko Lentfer. The meeting also gathered Supply Manager of Caspian Lab company Safa Hadjiyev and representatives of the Higher School management.

Elmar Gasimov expressed his satisfaction with the successful development of the cooperation between BHOS and GUNT company, which develops and produces equipment for engineering education that is used at vocational schools, technical colleges and universities. The rector emphasized that the laboratories set up by GUNT at the Higher School became effective means for training highly qualified professional engineers.

The Director of Sales and Business Development Heiko Lentfer said that he was very pleased with the results of his visit to Baku and to the Higher School. In his words, BHOS is one of the major business partners of the company in the region. Management of G.U.N.T. Geratebau GmbH assigns great importance to strengthening cooperation with the Higher School, he said.

The meeting participants discussed issues related to further development of partnership between BHOS and GUNT. Among others, they included subjects such as usage and maintenance of the equipment provided by the company and setting up new training workshops at the Higher School.

Cooperation between Baku Higher Oil School and G.U.N.T. Geratebau GmbH started in 2011. Since that time, the company has carried extensive work to set up modern training laboratories at BHOS in accordance with international standards and requirements. In particular, GUNT has provided hi-technology equipment for laboratories at Baku Higher Oil Schools new campus, which was opened in May 2017 with participation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private sector (ICD) and Jaiz Bank, SunTrust Bank and Wema Bank signed a Line of financing agreements for a USD 20 million, USD 10 Million and USD 20 Million respectively.

The USD 50 million Line of financing facility will be extended by the above Nigerian Banks to the SMEs covering various sectors such as industrial, communication, technology, health, manufacturing, agricultural sectors, etc.

In this occasion ICD Management commented: The small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a crucial role to play in a countrys growth and development, and ICD has big plans for them. This is an important niche in all the member countries, especially in Africa. ICD is now focusing on increasing access to funding to the private sector by channeling the funds to established financial institutions in its member countries.

Previously ICD extended a total of USD 120 million Line of Financing facility for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria which demonstrates ICDs firm commitment to develop the private sector in its member countries.

Note to Editors

About ICD

ICD is a multilateral organization and a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group. The mandate of ICD is to support economic development and promote the development of the private sector in its member countries through providing financing facilities and/or investments which are in accordance with the principles of non interest banking. ICD also provides technical assistance to Governments and private organizations in the establishment, expansion and modernization of private enterprises. For more information, visit www.icd-idb.org

About Jaiz Bank

Jaiz Bank PLC is a national bank and a quoted public company owned by over 26,000 shareholders spread over the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. The Banks balance sheet has grown from N12 billion in 2012 to about N62 billion, with asset financing of over N30 billion.

Its customer base has grown to over 230, 000 cutting across all strata of the society. Its product offerings have grown substantially ranging from friendly retail to commercial and corporate products.

It have also grown our branch network from 3 branches in 2012 to 30 branches, spread across the country. Jaiz are building more branches to satisfy the yearnings of millions of people who are desirous of this model of banking. The Bank was created out of the former Jaiz International Plc which was set up in 2003/2004 as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to establish Nigerias first full-fledged Non-Interest Bank. It obtained a Regional Operating Licence to operate as a Non-Interest Bank from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the 11th of November 2011 and began full operations as the first Non-Interest Bank in Nigeria on the 6th of January, 2012 with 3 branches located in Abuja FCT, Kaduna and Kano. The Regional Licence allowed the Bank to operate geographically in a third of the country. Also, based on recommendations from Islamic Development Bank (IDB), which is also a shareholder of the bank, Jaiz Bank PLC had partnered with Islamic Bank of Bangladesh (IBBL) for Technical and Management Assistance. For more information, visit www.jaizbankplc.com

About Sun Trust

SunTrust Bank, inspired by the future, is a privately held Commercial Bank licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria under the BOFIA.

SunTrust Bank is poised to create value for its customers by leveraging on its competencies and a team of highly motivated staff, we work tirelessly to develop & provide a broad range of unique financial services and products to consumers, small business, corporations, governments and institutions with that will positively impact their business.

SunTrust strive to create the best outcomes for its clients and customers with financial ingenuity that leads to solutions that are simple, creative and responsible. The Bank focuses its lending activities on SME Finance, Retail/Consumer Banking, medium to large Corporate Finance and explores other specialized Development/infrastructure financing activities.

SunTrust Bank is committed to meeting the financial service needs of the communities it serves in a friendly, professional manner, while improving shareholder value. The bank strive to earn a superior return while maintaining an uncompromising commitment to the principles of honesty and integrity. Its commitments to its shareholders, customers and employees will enable the Company maintain a level of profitability necessary to remain independent for the benefit of the communities we serve. For more information, visit www.suntrustng.com.

About Wema

Established in 1945, WEMA is Nigerias longest surviving indigenous bank. Wema Bank offers a range of retail and SME banking, corporate banking, treasury, trade services and financial advisory to its ever-expanding clients. In 2009, the Bank underwent a strategic repositioning exercise which culminated in a decision to operate as a commercial Bank with regional authorization in South-South Nigeria, South-West Nigeria, Lagos and Abuja in 2011. However, in 2015, the bank was granted a national banking licence by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Wema Bank offers a range of retail and SME banking, corporate banking, treasury, trade services and financial advisory services to its numerous customers. The Bank operates a network of over 140 branches and service stations across Nigeria, backed by a robust ICT platform. For more information, visit www.wemabank.com
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 28

By Gulgiz Muradova  Trend:

Trends exclusive interview with Vicente G. Loscertales, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)

Question: What are your expectations for the impact that Expo 2025 can have on host cities, not just economically, but in terms of legacy as well?

Answer: Whether it takes place in Osaka, Ekaterinburg or Baku, Expo 2025 will have a long-lasting impact on the host city, the host country and its citizens and visitors.

For the host city, Expo 2025 will be a catalyst for urban transformation, involving significant infrastructure development and the creation or revitalization of urban areas, bringing long term benefits for all citizens. Through construction, planning, tourism and the development of new industries, Expos lead to the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs and spur regional development before, during and after the event.

For the host city and country, it is a unique opportunity to gather different actors from across the world together in the spirit of cooperation and education, while embracing innovation and progress. It enables the host to let the world know that it is a hub for research and that it is leading the way in uncovering and accumulating knowledge, creativity and innovations.

For all involved, organizing the Expo is a long and intense journey into the Expo theme. Typically, the theme reflects an issue of key importance to the host country. In organizing the Expo, local and national actors build networks and expertise in the domain of the theme, gaining international recognition and strengthening their position as a global leader.

By gathering countries, companies, associations, civil society and the general public, Expos also act as a bridge between the international community and citizens. Governments have no equivalent communication channel to establish dialogue between each other and with civil society on key global issues.

For citizens and visitors, Expo 2025 is not only a gathering of nations but also an opportunity to host much needed dialogue where the importance of the voices is proportional to the size of the need. In this way, the Expo constitutes a unique tool in public diplomacy, helping us understand government actions, facilitating the meeting of cultures, and disseminating innovations that are useful to humankind.

Q.: What are the biggest challenges that host cities typically encounter in preparation for the Expo?

A.: Among the many challenges in organizing a successful Expo, the selection and development of its theme are of key importance. By tackling a timely and engaging theme, and building on it in innovative ways, an Expo demonstrates its transformative power.

As stated by the first article of the 1928 Convention that established the BIE, the purpose of an Expo is the education of the public by exhibiting the means and achievements for meeting the needs of civilization, for demonstrating progress and for showing prospects for the future. A key challenge is therefore to develop a theme that directly addresses a universal challenge facing humanity, while lending itself to the goal of educating all visitors through immersive experiences, dialogue and thought-provoking displays.

To develop a successful project, it is also important to develop a plan that foresees the enduring legacy of the Expo site, by planning the sustainable integration of the Expo site into the city. A successful Expo is one that forms part of a long-term strategy to facilitate urban change and development, and serves as a catalyst for change.

Q.: What are the most significant features that the host city should have to attract more participants?

A.: Securing a high degree of international participation is a key objective for a host country once elected as Expo Organizer. The host country invites international participants of its choosing, and countries decide on whether to participle in an Expo based on their own objectives and priorities.

The theme is one of the criteria for participants, as it constitutes the core of the Expo and represents the global challenge around which it is organised. The development of the theme and its relevance to a large number of countries from across the world is therefore essential in creating a successful World Expo.

Bilateral relationships between the host country and other countries, including political, economic and cultural ties, are also important in determining participation. Host countries should see the Expo as an opportunity to improve their international ties by creating new relationships, and by strengthening existing ones.

Finally, the cost of participation is a factor that governments take into account when making the decision whether to take part in an Expo or not. Along with other considerations, it is important for the host country to cooperate closely with international participants to create an inclusive Expo.

Q.: What particular prospects does this project open for host city as a tourism destination?

A.: Hosting a World Expo is a major springboard for tourism, whether the city is already well-known or an up-and-coming destination. As global mega-events lasting up to six months, Expos draw tens of millions of visitors, boosting local businesses and creating momentum for continued tourism flows.

The Expos impact on tourism extends beyond its opening period; the attractiveness it generates, the impact it has on the citys image, and the use and activity of facilities built for the event - all boost the tourism sector in the long term. The infrastructure investments associated with an Expo contribute massively to the citys development and these improvements create a lasting legacy for citizens and for the local tourism industry. Furthermore, Expos play a significant role in city branding, defining the host city as an international destination and improving its image for both leisure and business travel.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @GulgizD
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Sanctions are proposed to be imposed for non-payment of compulsory unemployment insurance benefits in Azerbaijan. This is stipulated by the amendments to the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, discussed at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for Labor and Social Policy in Baku March 29.

According to the proposed changes, in case of tax evasion, non-payment of unemployment insurance benefits and compulsory social insurance benefits in a big amount (from 20,000 manats to 100,000 manats), a fine amounting from a twofold sum to a fourfold sum of the inflicted damage or up to two years of corrective work or up to three years of imprisonment, with possible deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engaging in certain work, are applied.

If a similar offense is committed by an organized group and in a big amount (from 100,000 manats to 500,000 manats), a fine amounting from a threefold sum to a fivefold sum of the inflicted damage or imprisonment from three to five years, with possible deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engaging in certain work for up to three years, are proposed to be applied.

In case of evasion from payment of taxes, unemployment insurance benefits and compulsory social insurance benefits in a very big amount (over 500,000 manats), it is planned to apply a fine amounting from a fourfold sum to a fivefold sum of the inflicted damage, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engaging in certain work for a period of up to three years, or imprisonment from five years to seven years.

The changes to the Code of Administrative Offenses, implying the imposition of sanctions for violation of unemployment insurance legislation, were also discussed during the meeting of the parliamentary committee.

So, in case of refusal from insurance of employees, untimely or partial payment of insurance benefits, failure to give necessary information to the insurer about employees and a number of other violations, individuals will be fined in the amount of 100 manats, officials - 200 manats, legal entities - 400 manats.

Moreover, in case of failure to give the necessary information within 10 days to the insurer, the insured may be fined in the amount of the damage inflicted as a result of the administrative offense.

The amendments also imply a fine amounting to 30 percent of the inflicted damage in case of failure to pay unemployment insurance benefits amounting to 20,000 manats.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 28

By Ilkin Shafiyev  Trend:

Azerbaijani company Veyseloglu intends to promote introduction of Turkish experience in the competitiveness sector in Azerbaijan, the company's General Director for Business Development Ilgar Nuri said at a press conference in Baku on March 29.

"Not only state structures, but also business representatives should participate in this process," according to Nuri.

He added that studying foreign experience in this area is important.

"Development of business environment and competition in Azerbaijan is at the center of the state's attention. At the same time, not only state structures, but also entrepreneurs and society should contribute to the development of competition," Nuri said.

The trade and distribution company Veyseloglu has been operating since 1994. It cooperates with 116 factories in more than 20 countries.
The American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham Azerbaijan) bid farewell to U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Robert F. Cekuta at its monthly members luncheon. Around 100 participants attended the event, including representatives of diplomatic corps.

In the opening remarks Mrs. Natavan Mammadova, Executive Director of AmCham Azerbaijan, expressed the appreciation to the U.S. Ambassador for his years of dedicated service in Azerbaijan. She emphasized that H.E. Robert F. Cekuta, who arrived in Baku in February 2015, has made great contributions to the activities of the Chamber, and has been a responsive and committed diplomat.

H.E. Robert F. Cekuta briefly spoke about his impressions and experiences from 3 years spent in Azerbaijan, and stressed the unique geopolitical location of the country - a source of both challenges and opportunities. He highlighted that Azerbaijan was the first modern Muslim democracy and the first Muslim country to recognize womens voting rights  an example of Azerbaijans tolerance. The Ambassador underlined the international importance of Azerbaijan as a link in a grand transport network connecting East and West, as well as its potential to contribute further to global and regional energy security as oil and gas producer and its role in the fight against extremism and terrorism.

Further, he expressed his hope Azerbaijan will continue to diversify its economy, strengthen the rule of law, and fight against corruption. All this, together with ensuring legal protection to businesses, he said, will be helpful in attracting investments and further developing the countrys private sector.

At the end of the speech, the Ambassador wished all success to everyone and thanked the Chamber, and particularly Mr. Kerimov and Mrs. Mammadova, for their organized and effective cooperation.

Finally, in the closing remarks Mr. Kerimov thanked the Ambassador for his efforts to improve every aspect of the U.S. relationship with Azerbaijan and the contribution to the Chambers development in particular.

AmCham Azerbaijan Members Luncheons are organized monthly by the Chamber and feature participation of high ranked government officials, members of Parliament and representatives of diplomatic corps.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan is a leading private, non-profit business association supporting and promoting the interests of foreign and local businesses in Azerbaijan. Established in 1996, AmCham is composed of over 280 Member-Companies and Associates active in every sector of the Azerbaijani economy. AmCham Azerbaijan represents nearly 80% of all foreign investment, as well as a significant portion of local investment in Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

The number of bank cards in the regions of Kyrgyzstan is growing enormously, chairman of the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan Tolkunbek Abdygulov told Kabar News Agency at a press conference.

He said that within the framework of the state program all budget organizations were transferred to the card system.

"The Elkart card was introduced for payments, transfer of salaries of state and municipal employees. This leads to an increase in non-cash turnover," he said.

Abdygulov emphasized that the number of bank cards in the regions is growing enormously.

"Yes, there are problems in the regions. These problems are being solved. The president set the task, within the framework of declaring 2018 the Year of Regional Development, to improve the banking infrastructure there. The program for the supply of banking equipment without VAT was successful. We plan to continue this work," he explained.

The chairman of the National Bank called the bazaars the main problem in the regions, which hampers the development of non-cash payment.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Ilkin Shafiyev  Trend:

Veyseloglu company intends to expand the promotion of the 'Made in Azerbaijan' brand, the company's General Director for Business Development Ilgar Nuri said at a press conference in Baku on March 29.

Presently, about 20 percent of products of the Ulduz chocolate factory, belonging to the company, is being exported, he said.

Today, the company is interested in expanding the production and export of confectionery, according to Nuri.

He reminded that Veyseloglu Georgia has been operating in neighboring Georgia since 2011.

"The goal of this company is to promote the products of the Ulduz factory and the 'Made in Azerbaijan' brand in the Georgian market. In general, these products are exported to more than 20 countries, mainly in the CIS area. We intend to expand the export. We also plan to expand production in order to meet the need of the domestic market, and to reduce the dependence on imports in this area," Nuri said.

The trade and distribution company Veyseloglu has been operating since 1994. It cooperates with 116 factories in more than 20 countries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

World Bank and Tajikistan discussed strategy for future cooperation in 2019-2023 financial years in Dushanbe, press office of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) stated on March 29.

According to the statement, World Banks permanent coordinator in Tajikistan Peter Olters presented a project of the strategy, considering priority directions for the country.

Representative of the World Bank noted that the strategy is developed taking into account existing economy potential, financial stability, bank system reform and financial policy.



First deputy chairman of the NBT Jamoliddin Nuraliyev spoke on the 2019-2023 financial sector forecast and acquainted the audience with implementation of the state monetary and currency policy, as well as with financial and banking situation.

Nuraliyev also noted that the World Bank is an authoritative international financial institution and can assist attraction of other international financial institutions to invest in Tajikistan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Kazakh Central Communications Service hosted press conference "The Ministry of Agriculture opened up exports of Kazakh mutton to China", Kazinform reported.

The event was attended by Tursyn Kabduldanov, the Chairman of the Veterinary Control and Supervision Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture, Azamat Saginbayev, the Director of the Livestock Department of the Ministry, and Kaiyrzhan Nauryzghaliyev, a member of the Board of Directors of Agricultural Holding "Zernovaya Industriya" (Grain Industry).

It was noted at the conference, that the Ministry of Agriculture continues working on finding strategic niches in international markets and promoting domestic products. They, primarily, deal with neighboring countries in view of the availability of infrastructure and the reduction of logistics costs for the Kazakh businesses.

In this regard, the Kazakh Ministry cooperates with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) to take administrative and veterinary issues off the table to ensure unimpeded importation of a number of agricultural products from Kazakhstan to China.

Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture and AQSIQ signed protocols of phytosanitary requirements for export consignments of wheat, soybeans and wheat to China.

On March 20, 2018, the official website of AQSIQ of China published information on the approval of the veterinary certificate (requirements) for frozen mutton and the license for importing the product from 9 regions of Kazakhstan. Frozen mutton will be exported by rail via Altynkol and Dostyk checkpoints.

In addition, during the 4th session of the Working Group on Cooperation (on Feb. 12, 2018 in Astana), the sides agreed to hold in June 2018 a joint inspection of enterprises producing corn and barley.

In the near future, they will resume negotiations for approval of the requirements for exporting beef, sheep meat and goat meat, camel meat, etc. to China.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan will continue work on increasing the export potential in all economically-viable directions for the benefit of Kazakh agricultural producers.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

First freight train from China to the Central Asian countries took off on March 29, Tajik media reported citing the Xinhua news agency.

The freight train left off March 29 around 11:00 local time from Tapu station in Xinxiang city district in Henan province in the central part of China towards the five Central Asian countries.

The train leaving Xinxiang will run across the cities of Taiyuan, Yinchuan, Zhongwei, Wuwei, Urumqi, through the Alashankou crossing, cross the border with Kazakhstan at the Dostyk checkpoint and then go to Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

According to the schedule, the train will run once a week. Train consists of 50 cars, the annual volume of freight traffic is 150,000-200,000 tons.

The train is expected to gradually realize the "leaves full, returns full" program, sending mechanical equipment, rubber products, fireproof materials and other goods to the countries of Central Asia, and returning with various raw materials.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Ilkin Shafiyev  Trend:

The implementation of the North-South transport project will contribute to the development of the economies of all participating countries, Elshad Mammadov, expert in economic issues, doctor of economic sciences, told Trend March 29.

"The project will give not only an impetus to the development of infrastructure in the participating countries, but will also have a multiplier effect on the economies of these countries, Mammadov said. The center of the world economy is gradually shifting towards the Asian region, where such countries as China and India are located. In this regard, investments made in transport projects, uniting Asia and Europe, are very promising, because the cargo transportation volumes grow from year to year."

Azerbaijan and Iran have recently signed an agreement on financing the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway section in Iran.

"Azerbaijan is the main investor in the North-South project, Mammadov said. Of course, it is necessary to make investments to create stable competitive advantages of the project because Iran and Russia are the biggest economic players in the region. Azerbaijan should show an initiative in the activity with these countries."

The Qazvin-Rasht-Astara (Iran)-Astara (Azerbaijan) railroad is part of the North-South transport corridor that will connect Northern Europe with South-East Asia, as well as by uniting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia.

The cargo will be transported through India and further through the Persian Gulf, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia in the direction of the Scandinavian countries and Northern Europe within 14 days.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

Trend:

Some 1.5 million tons of sulfur has been extracted from oil produced at Kashagan field, Atyrau region, Kazakh agency Kazinform reports.

"In October 2017, we started exporting Kashagan sulphur by railway. Production of granulated sulfur has increased. By the end of the year, the export of sulfur amounted to more than 100,000 tons. In total, since the start of production, more than 1.5 million tons of sulfur have been produced . By today, we have exported more than 250,000 tons of sulfur," Bruno Jardin, Managing Director of NCOC told Kazinform.

According to Bruno Jardin, the extracted sulfur is supplied by pipelines in a liquid condition in two directions - to the sulfur blocks and to the plant for granulation. Once the design capacity is reached there will be no need to stack sulfur blocks. The entire sulfur produced will be exported. The company also plans to melt and process accumulated sulfur blocks into granules.

The ready granulated sulfur is loaded onto the railcars which go to Karabatan to one of the NCOC shareholder companies which handles sale of sulfur and other North-Caspian project products.

The potential sale markets are China and the countries of West Mediterranean district where sulfur is used as a raw material for production of agricultural fertilizers, Bruno Jardin added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijan supplied 594.15 million cubic meters of gas to Turkey in January 2018, as compared to 590.35 million cubic meters in January 2017, says a report posted on the website of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) of Turkey.

In 2017, Azerbaijan supplied more than 6.54 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey as compared to 6.48 billion cubic meters in 2016.

According to the report, in January 2018, Turkey imported 6.22 billion cubic meters of gas, of which 4.26 billion cubic meters were imported via pipelines, and 1.96 billion cubic meters accounted for LNG imports.

The share of Azerbaijan in Turkeys total gas import was 9.56 percent in January 2018.

Turkey imports gas from Azerbaijan via the South Caucasus gas pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum). Turkey has signed a contract for the annual purchase of 6.6 billion cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz offshore gas condensate field.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Shell EP Middle East Holdings B.V. has completed the sale of the entire share capital of Shell Iraq B.V (SIBV), which held its 19.6 percent stake in the West Qurna 1 oil field, for $406 million, to a subsidiary of ITOCHU Corporation, said a message on Shells website.

The purchaser has also assumed debt of $144 million as part of the transaction.

The West Qurna 1 venture will continue to be operated by ExxonMobil. Shells other businesses in the country are not affected by this divestment.Since joining the project in 2009, Shell has enjoyed successful cooperation with its partners in the West Qurna 1 venture, which will continue to be operated by ExxonMobil.

Iraq is an important country for the Shell Group, and exiting West Qurna 1 allows us to focus our resources on other assets in our Iraq portfolio. We are grateful for the support of the Iraqi government during the divestment process, said Shells Upstream Director, Andy Brown.

Shell remains committed to working with its partners to redevelop Iraqs energy infrastructure by capturing associated gas, through the Basrah Gas Company (BGC) Joint Venture, for domestic and regional consumption. This deal maintains the momentum behind Shells $30 billion divestment program and is in line with the drive to simplify our upstream portfolio and reshape the company into a world class investment.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

The South Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) will provide Uzbekistan a $500 million loan, the press service of the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies of Uzbekistan said in a message.

According to the information, the agreement was reached at a meeting between the representatives of the ministry and the EDCF.

During the meeting, the parties discussed implementation of joint projects, which are funded by the EDCF.

The Uzbek ministry and representatives of the EDCF discussed possible new projects that can be implemented in Uzbekistan through the $500 million credit line provided to Uzbekistan.

The Creation of co-working centers in Tashkent, regions of the Republic and Karakalpakstan project is one of them.

The parties will continue cooperation in implementation of new potential projects in the ICT field.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan will present its tourism opportunities at the 6th International Tourist Forum "Big Ural" in Russia's Yekaterinburg city, the Russian media reported.

The forum will be held on April 20-21. Azerbaijan will act as a partner of the event.

The forum participants will be able to discuss the development of the route to Azerbaijan for Russian tourists, the possibility of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism and beach leisure in Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani delegation will present the opportunities of the Naftalan resort (health resort with naphthalan healing oil), Shahdag Mountain Resort and others. Azerbaijan will offer travelers tours throughout Baku, Absheron peninsula, cities of the Great Silk Road and other places.

The Azerbaijani delegation will consist of representatives of travel companies, hotels and resorts.

The Big Ural annual international tourist forum is one of the biggest events in the tourism sector. Over 3,000 people from more than 28 regions of Russia and 13 different countries are expected to take part in the event.

The Ural Travel Market fair will be held within the forum. One can get acquainted with the works by Russian craftsmen, as well as find the most interesting routes for recreation and travel throughout Big Ural.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 29

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, in his congratulatory message to the Government of Turkmenistan in connection with the March 25 parliamentary election, drew attention to the transparency of the electoral process at all its stages.

The activity of the local electorate was highly appreciated in a message posted on the website of the biggest Muslim international organization.

According to the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums of Turkmenistan, 91.69 percent of voters took part in the election of MPs on Sunday.

OIC General Secretariat sent a group of observer experts to Turkmenistan at the invitation of Ashgabat.

OIC includes 57 countries with a population of about 1.2 billion people. The headquarters of the organization is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Fikret Dolukhanov  Trend:

Uzbekistan and India discussed issues of cooperation on bilateral and multilateral formats, press office of Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the information, discussion was carried out within the framework of the meeting between Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and Indian Foreign Minister Mobasher Javed Akbar, who earlier participated in the international high-level conference Peace Process, Security Cooperation and Regional Interaction in Tashkent.

The Indian minister underlined importance of the Tashkent conference, which was attended by high-level delegations of the UN Security Council nations, leading international and regional structures and countries neighboring Afghanistan, for the Afghanistan peace process and the whole region.

During the meeting, main attention was paid to the practical aspects of preparation to the Fall 2018 official visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India and agenda of the upcoming high-level talks.

Indian ambassador Vinod Kumar also participated in the meeting.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Gazenfer Hamidov  Trend:

Turkeys gas import from Iran amounted to 836.29 million cubic meters in January 2018, 6 percent more year-on-year.

Natural gas imports from Iran accounted for 13.5 percent of the countrys total gas imports in the one-month period, according to a report released by Turkeys Energy Market Regulatory Body.

Irans share from the countrys gas market was 13.2 percent in December 2017.

The Islamic Republic was Turkeys second gas supplier in the period, after Russia.

Turkeys gas import from Iran in 2017 stood at 9.2 billion cubic meters (bcm).

Turkeys total natural gas import stood at 6.22 bcm in January 2018, registering a rise by 5 percent year-on-year.

Irans overall gas exports to Turkey accounted to 7.8 and 7.7 bcm in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Gas import sources January 2018 (mcm) Share (%) Y/Y change (%) Russia 2,825.99 45.46 -0.12 Iran 836.29 13.45 5.92 Qatar 649.19 10.44 85.54 Azerbaijan 594.15 9.56 0.64 Algeria 472.27 7.60 -25.81 Nigeria 317.09 5.10 -17.43 France 175.94 2.83 100.00 Trinidad and Tobago 160.21 2.58 100.00 Angola 97.11 1.56 100.00 Norway 88.26 1.42 -65.29 Total 6,216.51 100 5.11

Turkey also exported 51.64 million cubic meters of gas to Greece in January 2018, indicating a fall by 39.74 percent year-on-year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Gazenfer Hamidov  Trend:

China stands at top of Irans top non-oil exports destinations, according to the latest data released by Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI).

China, Irans traditional trade partner from the sanctions period, maintained its position as the Islamic Republics top trade partner in the first 11 months of the last fiscal year(March 20, 2017-Feb. 20, 2018).

Over 19.7 percent of Irans non-oil exports went to China in the 11-month period. During the period, Iran exported $8.229 billion worth of goods to China, 11 percent more, compared to the same period of the preceding year.

Over 66 percent of Iran's export was targeted to five Asian countries, including China, the UAE, Iraq, Turkey and South Korea during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year.

Iran exported $5.862 billion worth of goods to the UAE, which marked 14.1 percent of Iran's total exports value. Meanwhile, Irans exports to the UAE registered a fall by 14 percent year-on-year.

Iraq ($5.578 billion), Turkey ($3.874 billion), South Korea (with $3.797 billion), India ($2.49 billion), Afghanistan ($2.467 billion), Pakistan ($822 million), Thailand ($653 million), Indonesia ($506 million), Taiwan ($468 million), Oman ($467 million), Japan ($423 million), Turkmenistan ($383 million), Italy ($366 million), Hong Kong($348 million), Vietnam ($343 million), Germany ($318 million), Azerbaijan ($273 million) and Syria ($260 million) were the other top importers of Iranian goods.

The value of exports to Turkey, which was fourth target of Irans non-oil exports in the preceding fiscal year, had registered an increase by 31 percent.

The countrys exports to the UAE, Japan and Oman registered fall of 14, 60 and 10 percent. Irans exports to India, Vietnam, Taiwan and Turkmenistan also witnessed a fall by 1, 12, 14 and 20 percent, respectively in terms of value, year on year.

Meanwhile, exports to Indonesia and Thailand witnessed huge rise by 248 and 126 percent, in terms of value, respectively.

Irans exports to South Korea and Syria had also increased by 41 percent and 39 percent, respectively.

Irans exports to Pakistan (11 percent) and Afghanistan (9 percent) also witnessed growth in the period, meanwhile exports to Hong Kong saw 12 percent fall year-on-year.

Italy and Germany were the only European countries in the top 20 of Irans non-oil export destinations in the first 11 months of the last fiscal year.

Irans exports to Germany witnessed a rise by 14 percent in terms of value, however Italys imports from the Islamic Republic decreased by 14 percent.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iranian Health Minister Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi will visit Baku on April 19 to discuss expansion of cooperation between the two countries.

Iran's Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi told Trend that the decision was made following recent talks between the two countries during Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis recent visit to Baku.

He added that the sides have agreed to expand cooperation in three sectors of creating a joint venture for producing medicine, in treatment of illnesses, and also in creating ties between the medical universities of the two countries.

President Rouhani arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan on March 28 on a two-day visit for diplomatic and economic talks.

The presidents of the two countries oversaw a ceremony on Wednesday for inking eight documents on the expansion of cooperation in several fields, including oil and gas, transportation and health.
Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov welcomed politico-economic cooperation between Tehran and Astana, Irna reported.

Abdrakhmanov made the remarks in a Thursday's meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi held on the sidelines of Afghanistan's peace conference in Uzbekistan.

Both countries have good economic projects on the agenda, he said.

He also referred to regional and international cooperation between Iran and Kazakhstan as regard maintaining peace and security in Syria.

The Kazakh foreign minister appreciated Irans presence in Astana talks, adding it added to the Syria peace talks.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Abdrakhmanov supported Iran nuclear deal also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and emphasized the importance of complying with the accord by all sides.

Araqchi, for his part, praised Kazakhstans stance regarding JCPOA and its cooperation to establish peace and stability in the region.

He called for bilateral cooperation with Kazakhstan in regional and international issues.

The Afghanistan's peace conference opened on Monday, and foreign ministers or their deputies from 23 countries, as well as representatives of the United Nations, US, European Union, India and Pakistan attended the conference, according to Shah Hussain Mortazavi, a spokesperson for the Afghan president.

The previous peace conference for Afghanistan was held in February 2017 in Kabul, attended by representatives of more than 20 countries and international organizations.
Japan has sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit, and Pyongyang has discussed the possibility of a leaders meeting with Japan and other countries, Japans Asahi newspaper said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

The government of Kim Jong Un has informed leaders of North Koreas ruling Korean Workers Party of the possibility of summits with Japan, Russia and other countries, the newspaper said, citing an unidentified North Korean source and briefing papers.

The Japanese government has expressed a wish to host a leaders meeting, via the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryong, Pyongyangs de facto embassy in Japan, the Asahi quoted the briefing papers as saying.

A Japanese government source told Reuters in mid-March that Japan was considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago.

The Asahi said in an article from Seoul Kims government had discussed the possibility of summits with South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, in that order.

Kim met President Xi Jinping in China this week, his first trip abroad as North Korean leader. Summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump are being planned for April and May, respectively.

The North Korean briefing papers cite the possibility of a Japan summit in early June, the Asahi said.

Japans Foreign Minister Taro Kono left open the possibility that Abe might meet Kim at some point. Kono said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday Japan was closely watching preparations for the North-South Korean summit and the Trump-Kim meeting.

The Asahi quoted another unidentified source as saying North Koreas dialogue partner on security issues is America but that the country can only hope for large-scale financial assistance from Japan.

North Korea hopes to get $20 billion to $50 billion in aid from Japan if it normalises relations, the newspaper said. But it said the briefing papers offered no specifics about steps to normalise bilateral relations, as agreed in 2002.

Those steps include resolving the abductee issue, as well as Pyongyangs missile and nuclear weapons development.
Saudi Arabias Ambassador to the US Prince Khalid bin Salman took to Twitter on Thursday to thank the UAE for standing with the kingdom to support Yemen, Al Arabiya reported.

Thank you to our brothers in the United Arab Emirates for standing with the Kingdom in supporting the Yemeni people, the prince said.

He added that the UAE is playing a vital role along with Saudi Arabia in implementing the UNs humanitarian efforts to support the Yemeni people.

The UN launched a comprehensive humanitarian response plan for Yemen in early January with almost $3 billion in order to reach and assist millions of Yemeni people.

The UAE had pledged $500 million on Wednesday to support the United Nations humanitarian response plan in Yemen, the state news agency WAM reported.

Combined, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have given $930 million to UN humanitarian efforts in Yemen.

Mohammed bin Salman presented the previously pledged donation Tuesday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Guterres thanked Prince Mohammed for the contribution to alleviating what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 22 million people needing aid.
Chinas central bank will launch a crackdown on all types of virtual currencies this year, a vice governor of the central bank said on Thursday, Reuters reports.

The central bank will also push forward the research and development of its own digital currency this year, Fan Yifei said in a statement posted on the website of the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC).
Theresa May has pledged to keep the UK "strong and united" after Brexit as she marks a year to go until the UK's departure from the European Union, BBC reports.

The PM is to visit England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, appealing to those for and against Brexit.

There are just months left to strike a deal on the future UK-EU relationship.

And, with the Irish border remaining a sticking point, Mrs May will promise to ensure "no new barriers are created within our common domestic market".

Since formal negotiations began between the two sides last June, an agreement has been struck on a Brexit "divorce bill" - but the crucial issue of how they will trade together has yet to be settled.

On 29 March 2019, the UK will formally leave the EU and is due to enter a 21-month transition period during which much of the current arrangements continue, before the final permanent post-membership relationship is due to kick-in.

But first, the PM must agree a deal in Parliament, with a vote expected in October.
Jordan has approved Amir Weissbrod as Israels new ambassador, The Times of Israel with reference to the Channel 10 reported.

Approval came after the two countries agreed to end a diplomatic standoff following the shooting deaths of two Jordanians by an Israeli security guard who Israel said opened fire in self-defense after one of the men tried to stab him.

The Foreign Ministry named Weissbrod as ambassador last month. A career diplomat who previously headed the Middle East Bureau at the Foreign Ministrys Center for Political Research, Weissbrod is a fluent Arabic speaker who served as first secretary in Israels Jordanian embassy between 2001 and 2004. He has also served in Israels Liaison Bureau in Morocco.

His appointment received final confirmation by the Israeli cabinet on February 25.

Israels outgoing ambassador to Jordan, Einat Schlein, hurriedly left Amman last July 23, after the Jordanians were killed and the Israeli security guard was injured during the altercation in the embassy compound. The details of the incident are a subject of disagreement between Israel and Jordan.

On January 18, Israel and Jordan reached an agreement that ended the standoff, apparently including an understanding that Schlein would not return to Amman.

A Jordanian government spokesperson in January said he had received from Israel an official memorandum apologizing for the deaths of the two Jordanians, as well as for the killing of a Jordanian judge in a separate incident in 2014.

The Jordanian spokesperson, Mohammad Momani, said Israel had agreed to comply with all the kingdoms preconditions for resuming regular diplomatic relations between the two sides. Those included, he said, bringing legal action against the Israeli security guard and offering financial compensation to the bereaved Jordanian families.

Shortly afterward, the Israeli Prime Ministers Office put out a statement announcing that the embassy, which was closed in the wake of Julys incident, would reopen.

Diverging from the terms announced by Jordan, the statement said Israeli authorities would come to a decision in the coming weeks as to whether the guard, Ziv Moyal, would stand trial over the shooting.

Israel has maintained Moyal acted in self-defense, with sources in Jerusalem saying that he would not be prosecuted.

Moyal said he was attacked in his apartment by one of Jordanians, who stabbed him with a screwdriver while carrying out utility work. The second man, the landlord, was apparently killed accidentally by a stray bullet when Moyal opened fire.

Right after the incident Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave Moyal a heros welcome in Jerusalem, which widened the rift with Jordan.

Israeli officials said Israel has paid reparation money to the Jordanian government, but not to the families of the landlord and worker killed in the incident. It is unclear how much had been paid.

The embassy in Amman was gradually reopening, the ministry said in February, but it has remained without an ambassador.
A German official warned the Kuwait national carrier it might lose flights to Germany, after it rejected an Israeli passenger two years ago Al Arabiya reported

German tabloid Bild quoted the federal transportation minister Andreas Scheuer, as calling on his country's government to put political pressure on Kuwait Airways in retaliation for the incident.

According to DW, in 2016, an Israeli passenger was scheduled to fly on national carrier Kuwait Airways, from Frankfurt Airport to Thailand with a layover in Kuwait.

It added that when the airline learned about the individual's nationality, it canceled the booking. The decision was based on a 1964 Kuwaiti law that doesn't allow any form of agreement between Kuwaiti companies and Israeli citizens.

The passenger filed a lawsuit with a court in Frankfurt, which ultimately defended the Kuwaiti airline's decision in a November 2017 ruling.

However, German government decided to launch talks with Kuwaiti officials on the matter, according to German media outlets.

"If the discussions that have begun with the Kuwaiti side lead to no result, there will be negative repercussions for this airline in Germany," Scheuer told Bild.
North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, South Korean government officials who held high-level talks with their North Korean counterparts on Thursday said, Reuters reports.

The two Koreas had agreed earlier this month to hold such a summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom when South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a delegation to Pyongyang to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has arrived home in Pakistan for the first time since being shot by Taliban gunmen in an assassination attempt five years ago, Al Jazeera reported.

The 20-year-old, the youngest person ever to win the Nobel prize, landed in the capital Islamabad early on Thursday morning.

Television footage showed her sitting alongside her parents in an airport waiting lounge and, later, travelling in a security convoy into the city.

Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 for speaking out against their ban on girls education in her native Swat Valley, in Pakistan's north.

After receiving emergency medical treatment in Pakistan, she was shifted to the United Kingdom for specialised medical procedures, where she has resided ever since due to fears for her security if she returned to Pakistan.

Following the attack, the Pakistani Taliban vowed to kill her if she ever returned.

Details of Yousafzai's itinerary are not being made public due to security concerns, the AFP news agency reported, but she is expected to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others.
Switzerland announced a series of sanctions against Venezuela on Wednesday, joining other European countries in cracking down on the South American country over alleged human rights violations, Reuters reported.

The Swiss government ordered asset freezes and travel bans for people, companies and organizations including seven Venezuelan ministers and high-ranking officials.

As with European Union sanctions imposed in January, those on the sanctions list include former National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol and Chief Justice Maikel Moreno.

Neutral Switzerland said it was seriously concerned by the repeated violations of individual freedoms in Venezuela, where the principle of separation of powers is severely undermined and the process in view of the forthcoming elections suffers from a serious lack of legitimacy.
Russia hopes to ink a deal to deliver its S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to India in 2018, deputy head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Drozhzhov told reporters at the ArmHiTec exhibition on Thursday, TASS reported.

"I hope so," he said in response to a question on whether this document will be signed this year.

In January, Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov said in an interview published on the Indian Defense News portal that negotiations for the contract entered the advanced stage and the parties were hammering out the technical details.

In October 2016, the states clinched an intergovernmental agreement on deliveries of these systems.

Indian Air Force officials earlier informed the countrys parliament it was necessary to purchase Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, emphasizing that these systems will enable India to successfully repel any possible threats from Pakistan or China, according to the news site.

The S-400 Triumf is a Russian long-and mid-range anti-aircraft missile system designed to hit attack and reconnaissance aircraft (including aerial vehicles based on stealth technology) and any other air targets under conditions of intensive enemy fire and electronic countermeasures. As of January 2018, contracts for S-400 deliveries were inked with China and Turkey. In addition, negotiations to sell the systems to Saudi Arabia are underway.
Afghan authorities have assured Moscow that they are still interested in using Russian weapons and military equipment, Russias Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov, who is also the Director of the Russian Foreign Ministrys Second Asian Department, said on Thursday, TASS reported.

"When we raised this question before Afghanistans authorities, they admitted, though reluctantly, that it [statements about their refusal to use Russian-made weapons - TASS] was the United States position, while they were actually still interested in using Russian weapons and military equipment," the Russian diplomat said.

Washington is accusing Moscow of arms supplies to the Taliban radical Islamist movement to cover up its failures in Afghanistan, Russian Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov said.

"The philosophy is as follows: the situation has only deteriorated over the 17 years of the US presence in Afghanistan," the senior Russian diplomat said, commenting on the causes of the accusations.

"So, a culprit has to be found," he added.

"Russia, Iran and Pakistan have been chosen as those to blame for that. This trio, in the opinion of Washingtons propaganda inventors, is the main cause of US failures in Afghanistan," Kabulov said.
American diplomats declared personae non gratae have to leave Russia by April 5, the step Moscow made in response to the greatest ever expulsion of Russian diplomats from the US over Skripal's poisoning, groundlessly blamed on Russia, Sputnik reports.

On Reciprocal Diplomats' Expulsion

Moscow will expel the same number of American diplomats as Washington and will shut down the US General Consulate in Saint Petersburg, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced.

"The measures would be reciprocal They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States' general consulate to operate in St. Petersburg," Lavrov told a briefing.

The minster specified that 58 diplomatic employers will be removed from the US embassy in Moscow and two staff will have to leave the General Consulate in Ekaterinburg by April 5. As for St. Petersburg's consulate, Americans have to vacate the premises in two days.

The top diplomat went on saying that Russia will not only provide a mirror response to West's steps in the wake of Skripal's poisoning, which was blamed on Moscow, but even "more than that." As he explained, Russia's counter-measures will affect all countries that made a decision to expel diplomats.

The minister noted that Russia will convene an emergency meeting of the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in a bid to start a dialogue and establish the truth.

On Threats to Seize Russian Assets in US

US Ambassador Jon Huntsman has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry to hear a report on a batch of counter-measures Russia is going to take. Leaving the ministry, the envoy refused to answer any reporters' questions.

Moscow demanded clarifications of Huntsman's earlier remarks about a possible seizure of Russian state assets in the US. According to Lavrov, in case Washington continues its hostile actions towards the Russian diplomatic mission, additional measures from the Russian side will follow.

Earlier the US ambassador admitted that the seizure of Russian assets was possible.

"I dont know what the future holds, I hope that we will be able to stabilize the relationship But of course its possible," Huntsman told the RBC broadcaster.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey has provided humanitarian aid to more than 8,000 families in Syrias Afrin, Turkish media reported March 29.

Turkey also plans to begin rendering medical services in 8 hospitals and 11 outpatient clinics in Afrin. Further, Turkey also intends to form local self-government bodies in Afrin.

Turkeys Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army liberated Afrin city from PYD/YPG terrorists on March 18.

On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The Islamic State (IS), the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) terrorist groups are the "products" and projects of several external forces, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, Turkish media reported March 29.

There is ample evidence that despite purely formal ideological differences among the mentioned terrorist groups, if necessary, all of them may instantly unite and act together, Yildirim said.

The prime minister also noted that these terrorist groups represent neither Islam nor ethnic Kurds.

Turkey, as before, will consistently fight these terrorist groups, Yildirim said.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for more than 30 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

As many as 150 students were hospitalized in the Nilufer district of Bursa province in northwestern Turkey, Turkish media reported March 29.

The reason for hospitalization is food poisoning.

There are no foreign students among the hospitalized, and their condition is assessed as fair.

It was earlier reported that 26 foreign students, who are citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, were hospitalized in the Turkish province of Erzincan due to food poisoning.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 29

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Six servicemen of the Turkish Armed Forces were injured as a car convoy came under fire by terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkeys south-eastern Diyarbakir province, Turkish media reported March 29.

All the injured were taken to a military hospital.

After the incident, the Turkish Armed Forces launched a local operation to eliminate the terrorists.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for more than 30 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
A man in San Francisco allegedly brandished an ax at a group of people he was fighting with, then got into his car and charged them, officials said, ABC News reported.

At least one person has died, according to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. One person remains in critical condition, two victims are in serious condition, and one person is in fair condition, the hospital said.

The driver initially fled the scene, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Authorities later located the vehicle and arrested the suspected driver, police said.

Witnesses told ABC San Francisco station KGO that the driver had an ax and was swinging it at the group he was fighting with. He then got into his van and drove into the people, witnesses said.

The police department's homicide unit is investigating the victim's death.

Further details were not immediately available.
Police in the city of Plano in the US state of Texas have launched an investigation after they responded to a call about a shooting at an apartment complex, Sputnik reports.

At least one person has been killed and three others wounded in a shooting that occurred at about 9 am in the morning at 7401 Alma Drive at the Cross Creek Apartments, according to reports. Police found one body and three injured people upon arriving at the scene.

Plano police spokesman David Tilley said, as cited by the Dallas new media outlet, that "at least one of the four victims was targeted."

The suspect managed to escape the scene in a car before the arrival of police. A description of the perpetrator is yet to be released.
By Ko Shu-ling, KYODO NEWS - Mar 29, 2018 - 06:28 | World, All

The owner of a camera found on a beach in northern Taiwan after apparently floating at sea for more than two years was identified Wednesday after an online search effort.

Park Lee, a teacher at the Yue Ming Elementary School in Suao Township, Yilan County, thanked those who helped in the search for the owner, who Lee said is a third-year English major student at Sophia University in Tokyo.

"It's an interesting world," Lee said on his Facebook page. "She just visited Taiwan with her friends in March last year."

Lee said the owner, Serina Tsubakihara, told him that she was excited to hear about the story of her lost camera from friends and thought it was amazing that the elementary school students found it.

(The Central News Agency)

Lee said Tsubakihara plans to visit Taiwan in the near future to personally thank the students for their enthusiasm.

The good news came just hours after Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Japan Frank Hsieh joined in the search for the owner, who was suspected to be Japanese due to the photos found on its memory card.

Hsieh said on his Facebook page that several of his friends asked him to help locate the owner of the camera, which was found in a waterproof case by the students while on a beach cleaning trip.

(The Central News Agency)

Despite the accumulation of marine organism deposits on the case, the Canon G12 digital camera inside did not suffer water damage.

Lee posted a message on Facebook on Tuesday asking his friends on the social network to help locate the owner of the camera.

The Liberty Times first broke the story on Tuesday and it soon went viral. The story made the front page of the United Evening News on Wednesday.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 29, 2018 - 13:27 | Urgent, All, Japan

A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter with four crew on board made an emergency landing at an airport in western Japan on Thursday, temporarily causing a runway to close, the airport operator said.

The runway at Yonago airport in Tottori Prefecture was shut for about two hours, affecting at least two flights after the UH-1 helicopter made the emergency landing around 8:15 a.m. None of the crew sustained injuries, the airport said.

The helicopter was responding to a call to douse a mountain fire in neighboring Shimane Prefecture, the Tottori prefectural government said.

The helicopter, belonging to an air squadron in Yamaguchi Prefecture, departed from Nihombara base in Okayama Prefecture at around 7:30 a.m., according to the GSDF.

The GSDF's Yonago base said the crew made the decision to land after an emergency light began flashing.

The airport in the city of Sakaiminato is used by the Air Self-Defense Force's Miho Air Base as well as commercial aircraft, according to a local bureau of the transport ministry.

Last June, an ASDF C-2 transport plane, belonging to the same base, deviated from its path during training and went into a grass field after cutting across the runway.
COVID-19: 17,983 cases in Kerala on Friday, tally nears 46L

Kerala is currently the only state in India with more than one lakh active cases.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today, most people in the United States rarely think of rheumatic heart disease (RHD)-or the rheumatic fever that causes it-as more than a historical footnote.

Rheumatic fever, which usually starts as strep throat, was essentially eliminated as a life-threatening disease with the use of penicillin in the early 20th century.

But for much of the developing world, RHD still kills. Estimates range that between a quarter-million to 330,000 people a year die from what has been called the "disease of poverty" across Africa, the Middle East, Central and South Asia and the South Pacific.

Worse, women of childbearing age who suffer from RHD face a double danger: They face increased risk of complications during pregnancy-including death-while also bearing a cultural burden and expectation that they'll become mothers.

That was among the findings in a recent study in Uganda led by researcher Allison Webel, an assistant professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

The survey of 75 women last year is among the first qualitative studies of female RHD patients and their attitudes toward cardiovascular disease and reproduction.

The study has its origins in clinical observations at the Ugandan Heart Institute. A health-care provider there was hearing from women who were cautioned by their doctors about the dangers of bearing and delivering children-but who were also being told by their families and community that they must get pregnant.

Webel said that "tension between maintaining one's own health and the social expectation of becoming pregnant" was clearly illustrated in the Ugandan study.

"Our findings suggest that health programs targeting RHD in low- to moderate-income countries have to pay special attention to female patients of childbearing age," she said.

Webel and six co-authors discuss their findings in a paper published this month in the journal PLOS ONE.

###

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0194030

Co-authors include Andrew Chang, of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University; researchers at the Heart Institute; and joint senior author Christopher Longenecker, of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

PLOS ONE is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science, covering primary research from any discipline within science and medicine.
Description

East Side House Settlement will host the 19th Annual Gala Preview of the 2018 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) at the Jacob K. Javits Center. This high-energy event will provide guests with access to a private preview of the entire auto show before it officially opens to the public the next day. The evening will benefit East Side House Settlement, a nationally recognized community-based social services agency that provides quality education and technology training for students in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. The Gala Preview includes a cocktail party a private dinner for Benefactors, a silent auction and an exciting live auction.

Leaders from the worlds of finance, fashion, society, and philanthropy will attend this important Gala, which honors Stephen Prince,  Co-Head of TFG Asset Management at Tetragon  and is chaired by Christopher LaSusa and Philip L. Yang, Jr.
Description

Join us for a wonderful night including: Open Bar, Dinner Buffet, Casino, Chinese Auction, Silent Auction, Dancing. Tickets $95 or $900 for a table of 10. Tickets can be purchased on our website.



Proceeds will be donated to Safe Center of Long Island And Long Island Special Olympics. 22nd Annual charity event hosted by Insurance Professionals Association of Long Island. Travelers Insurance will be honored at the event, accepting on behalf by Joseph Laimo & John Farese.

Thursday March 29th at 6-10 pm, Crest Hollow Country Club, Woodbury, NY
sign showing several travel destinations

Discover unearthed treasure like Indiana Jones. Travel throughout the jungle as elephants tower next to you. Get a golden tan on a secluded beach as you drink from a coconut. 2018s hottest travel destinations are in and theyre a lot more affordable than you might think.

The daily prices listed below include accommodation, food, ground transportation and occasional sightseeing per person.

Read: 25 Destinations You Should Travel to Before They Get Too Expensive

Valletta, Malta

Malta, known primarily for its isolation, tranquility and the filming of the 1980 Popeye movie starring Robin Williams, has started to get a lot of attention as of late. If youre looking for some Mediterranean vibes with some incredible history and serene backdrops, Malta is your next travel destination  its great year-round.

You Should Bring: $100 per day

Pyeongchang, South Korea

Thanks to the Winter Olympics that took place earlier this year, the once sleepy town of Pyeongchang has started to modernize, and the traveling community is taking notice. Prior to the winter gaming events, the area debuted a new high-speed rail line, allowing travelers to visit more touristy destinations like the Taebaek Mountains.

You Should Bring: $130 per day

Sao Paulo

Travel trendsetters are heading just a bit further south of Rio de Janeiro for a little more Brazilian culture. What was once upon a time considered Brazils financial capital has transformed into a celebration of art, Brazilian cuisine and stunning architecture.

You Should Bring: $55 per day

Essaouira, Morocco

Cities like Chefchaouen, Fez and Marrakesh get most of the crowds and the attention. Ditch the frenzy and head west to the exotic and coastal city of Essaouira. Its quite similar to the Cote dAzur with a bit more of North African culture steeped in Middle Eastern tradition.

You Should Bring: $40 per day

Kapaa, Hawaii

Maui, Oahu and Hawaii have gotten a lot of attention over the years, but the natural wonder of Kauai has remained somewhat of a Hawaiian secret until now. Its reputation of stunning waterfalls, impressive rainbows and beautiful, green hiking trails has made this island a nature lovers dream.

Story continues

You Should Bring: $300 per day

Find Out: 15 Insider Secrets to Know Before Your Hawaiian Vacation

Jordan

Indiana Jones fans and historical adventurers will love the unearthed ruins found throughout the beautiful country of Jordan. From the lost city of Petra to the vast desert of Wadi Rum, youll find treasures throughout this ancient land.

You Should Bring: $70 per day

New Orleans

New Orleans might not be new to most travelers, but this year is a special one for NOLA. The big city is turning 300 this year and naturally, theyre celebrating in the typical Southern Creole fashion: party.

You Should Bring: $175 per day

Mexico City

Young and enthusiastic Mexican artists, designers and business leaders have decided to make this city a cultural mecca in the last decade. Now that Mexico City was named 2018 World Design Capital (the first city awarded in the Americas), it seems like the rest of the world is finally seeing what this artistic hub has to offer.

You Should Bring: $40 per day

Southern Sri Lanka

Southeast Asian travel has been exceedingly popular over the last decade, but civil war throughout Sri Lanka has kept visitors off the map  until now. The beautiful south side and coastline are dotted with hotels and resorts, making this new spot very comfortable, and explaining why more than two million tourists visited in 2017.

You Should Bring: $55 per day

Click here to read more cheap travel destinations youll actually want to visit.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 2018s Hottest Travel Spots: How Much Money You Need to Visit Each
MEET vs. WDAY: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

The hated energy sector is now back in favor with $65 crude (up about 9%) and bullish analyst comments. A host of analysts started betting big on this unloved sector. Credit Suisse analysts view the space as attractive for the first time in two years and have raised their rating to market weight from underweight.

Morgan Stanley too is placing bullish bets on energy and has an overweight rating on it. The space, measured by Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF XLE (down 2.7%), outperformed the broader market denoted by SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY (down more than 4.9%) in the last one month (as of Mar 28, 2018) (read: Energy ETFs Rally: Will the Gains Last?).

Analysts believe that the winning trend in the energy space will be maintained ahead. Below we highlight the reasons behind this bullishness.

Solid Earnings Growth

Energy sector earnings are expected to be up 60.8% in the first quarter of 2018 from the year-ago period after 157.2% year-over-year earnings growth in the preceding quarter, per the Earnings Trends issued on Mar 23, 2018. Revenue growth will likely be 15.7% in Q1 after a 23.8% increase in top line in Q4.

Compelling Valuation

Credit Suisse analysts believe that extended valuations led energy stocks to underperform since mid-2016, despite a favorable operating backdrop and strong earnings. But a host of tailwinds and weaker stock prices makes the sector's valuations more attractive than they have been in several years."

The Shiller P/E for energy sector is 18.60x, the lowest among the S&P 500 universe. The broader market index has a Shiller P/E of 31x.

Geopolitical Concerns

Geopolitical risks in the Middle East, especially the strained relationship between Saudi and Iran, can act as a key driver. The Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia said on Monday that the wreckage of missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen bore features of weapons made near Tehran, Iran. Saudi Arabia also declared the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers a flawed agreement.

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Favorable Demand-Supply

The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently revised its global oil demand outlook upwardly to 99.3mb/d in 2018. Venezuela, which has the world's largest proven oil reserves, has been registering a decline in crude production in recent years. IEA warned that Venezuelas situation is worse enough to send the oil market into deficit.

Seasonal Tailwind

Investors should note that the energy sector enjoys seasonality at this time of the year. As per equityclock.com, the sector has offered the best monthly average return (over the last 20 years) of 3.2% in April followed by 2.7% in March, 1.3% in February and 1.2% in December. This definitely calls for energy investing in the near term.

Will OPEC Deal Continue in 2019?

Saudi Arabias Energy Minister recently commented that the OPEC output cut deal may go into next year. Global oil inventory came down from their inflated level two years ago but maybe needed more cuts to rebalance the oil market successfully especially the shale oil boom in the United States.

ETF Picks

Below we highlight two ETFs that have a P/E ratio less than biggest energy ETF XLE (P/E of 27.65x).

VanEck Vectors Oil Refiners ETF CRAK  P/E 11.34x

The fund measures the overall performance of companies involved in crude oil refining. Reliance Industries (7.94%), Valero Energy (7.4%) and Phillips 66 (7.3%) are the top three holdings (read: Top Sector ETFs of 2017).

First Trust Energy AlphaDEX ETF FXN  P/E 13.89x

The underlying StrataQuant Energy Index comprises stocks from the Russell 1000 Index that may generate a positive alpha relative to traditional passive style indices through the use of the AlphaDEX screening methodology. Diamondback Energy (4.17%), Valero Energy (4.06%) and Whiting Petroleum (4.06%) are the top three holdings.

Stock Picks

Investors can pick oil exploration and production stocks with a forward P/E ratio of less than the industry P/E (21.2x). The stocks hail from a top-ranked Zacks industry (top 36%).

Bonanza Creek Energy Inc. BCEI  8.46x

The company is into the acquisition, exploration and development of onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Antero Resources Corporation AR  15.5x

It is an independent oil and natural gas company and hails from a top-ranked Zacks industry (top 42%). It has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

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Santiago Chile Bitcoin

Two Chilean cryptocurrency exchanges, BUDA and Crypto MKT, recently saw a number of banks in the country shut down their accounts for dealing with cryptocurrencies. In response, the companies decided to call on the countrys banking association, Asociacion de Bancos e Instituciones Financeras (ABIF), to clarify its stance on the cryptocurrency industry.

According to local news outlet PULSO, the two cryptocurrency exchanges issued a public statement in which they ask the regulator to provide a clear stance, as the banks shut down their accounts while claiming they had instructions to not open an account for anyone that has relation to cryptocurrencies.

The statement further claims the financial institutions lack knowledge of how cryptocurrencies work, and questions why their accounts were shut down. The statement reads:

The lack of knowledge and regulatory clarity has given rise to the fact that some banks, out of fear, misinformation or perhaps by strategy, are refusing to provide their services to anyone who has any relationship with any digital asset.

BUDA and Crypto MKT further noted that it should be determined whether cryptocurrency-related companies should have access to banking services, or if the banks are determined to prevent the existence of these companies. In addition, the two exchanges asked both authorities and the public to pay attention to the issue.

Right at the top, the statement notably claims that industry is being assassinated before being studied. It notes both BUDA and Crypto MKT play by the rules, as they have developed safe platforms for their users, pay VAT, and have opened channels to cooperate with local authorities, while following standard anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-terrorist financing practices.

Hoy publicamos una insercion junto a @CryptoMKT en diario @latercera / @pulso_tw hablando de la situacion actual de las criptomonedas en Chile y haciendo un llamado de transparencia en su postura a la banca y autoridades. Aca les dejamos la version original para que compartan. pic.twitter.com/UUHPksc7fq  Buda (exSurBTC) (@BudaPuntoCom) March 25, 2018

ABIF rejects responsibility

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According to local publication Publimetro, ABIF has responded to the two cryptocurrency exchanges, claiming it isnt responsible for solving the problem. The regulator stated that this is a matter that must be addressed and resolved in the context of the individual relationship of each bank with its customers.

ABIF further claimed statements such as those issued by the cryptocurrency exchanges are especially serious, as they can see people misjudge the associations role. Martin Jofre, Crypto MKTs co-founder, claims the association can do a lot, as whats as stake is the role banks took in deciding what economic activities can and cant be carried out in Chile.

BUDAs general manager, Pablo Chavez, argued the move sees banks decide not to operate with companies related to cryptocurrencies in an arbitrary manner and without a solid foundation. Moreover, he revealed that none of the banks in question has approached with doubts about cryptocurrencies.

Santiago image from Shutterstock.



The post Chilean Cryptocurrency Exchanges Seek Clear Regulations After Banks Shutter Accounts appeared first on CCN.


* N.Korean leader visited Beijing from Sunday-Wednesday

* Chinese state media publishes photo of Xi, Kim

* Visit was Kim's first known trip outside North Korea

* Xi accepts invitation to visit N.Korea - Yonhap (Recasts, adds details, quotes, previous SHANGHAI/SEOUL)

By Ben Blanchard and Joyce Lee

BEIJING/SEOUL, March 28 (Reuters) - China said on Wednesday it won a pledge from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to denuclearise the Korean peninsula during a meeting with President Xi Jinping, who pledged in return that China would uphold its friendship with its isolated neighbour.

After two days of speculation, China announced on Wednesday that Kim had visited Beijing and met Xi during what the official Xinhua news agency called an unofficial visit from Sunday to Wednesday.

The trip was Kim's first known journey abroad since he assumed power in 2011 and is believed by analysts to serve as preparation for upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.

Beijing has traditionally been the closest ally of secretive North Korea, but ties have been frayed by North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and China's backing of tough U.N. sanctions in response.

Xinhua cited Kim as telling Xi that the situation on the Korean peninsula is starting to improve because North Korea has taken the initiative to ease tensions and put forward proposals for peace talks.

"It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearisation on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong Il," Kim Jong Un said, according to Xinhua.

North Korea is willing to talk with the United States and hold a summit between the two countries, he said.

"The issue of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace," Kim said.

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Xi told Kim in return that both sides had stated repeatedly that their traditional friendship should be passed on and developed better. "This is a strategic choice and the only right choice both sides have made based on history and reality, the international and regional structure and the general situation of China-North Korea ties. This should not and will not change because of any single event at a particular time," Xi said.

Xinhua published a photograph of Kim and Xi shaking hands in front of the flags of the two nations.

Speculation about a possible visit by Kim to Beijing was rife earlier this week after a train similar to the one used by Kim's father was seen in the Chinese capital, along with heavy security and a large motorcade.

Kim was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, Xinhua said.

Xi had accepted an invitation from Kim to visit North Korea, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.

Improving ties between North Korea and China would be a positive sign before planned summits involving the two Koreas and the United States, a senior South Korean official said on Tuesday.

Kim Jong Un's father, Kim Jong Il, met then-president Jiang Zemin in China in 2000 before a summit between the two Koreas in June that year. That visit was seen at the time as reaffirmation of close ties with Beijing. (Additional reporting by David Stanway in SHANGHAI Writing by Lincoln Feast Editing by Paul Tait)
David Hogg, one of the Parkland, Florida, massacre survivors, is asking his 599,000 Twitter followers to boycott advertisers of Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

The conservative commentator mocked the 17-year-old anti-gun activist after he revealed that he was recently rejected by four University of California campuses.

Florida school massacre survivor David Hogg, who has turned into fierce gun control advocate, is asking his 599,000 Twitter followers to boycott advertisers of Fox News FOXA host Laura Ingraham.

The conservative commentator mocked Hogg on Twitter on Wednesday after the 17-year-old revealed in an interview on TMZ that his applications were recently rejected by four University of California campuses. Ingraham tweeted: "David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates.)"

Laura Ingraham tweet

Hogg fired back with his own tweet calling on his followers to boycott Ingraham's advertisers. "Pick a number 1-12 contact the company next to that #," he tweeted.

David Hogg tweet

TMZ producer Harvey Levin, who interviewed Hogg, was among many who responded to Ingraham's remarks. He tweeted: "@IngrahamAngle David was not whining. I called him about the story. He was not feeling sorry for himself in the slightest. It was my idea that colleges should consider applicants who are so committed. Did you watch the video???"

Harvey Levin tweet

Hogg and Ingraham didn't immediately respond to CNBC to comment.

WATCH: Dwyane Wade donates $200,000 to Parkland victims and sponsors art exhibit in their honor



More From CNBC


* Gvt aims to reverse a brain drain

* Seeks to open up public data bases

* Amount represents fraction of global AI spending

* Samsung, IBM to beef-up their French AI operations (Adds detail)

By Mathieu Rosemain and Michel Rose

PARIS, March 29 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron promised 1.5 billion euros ($1.85 billion) of public funding into artificial intelligence by 2022 in a bid to reverse a brain drain and catch up with the dominant U.S. and Chinese tech giants.

The investment is part of an AI strategy laid out by the centrist leader at the elite College de France research institute in Paris and builds on a report that points to the assets and drawbacks of France in the field.

Business-friendly Macron wants to turn France into a "start up nation" and bets that easing labour laws and higher investments technology will create jobs, alleviate the domination of Alphabet's Google, Facebook and lay out the seeds for Europe-based champions.

"There's no chance of controlling any effects (of these technologies) or having a say on any adverse effect if we've missed the start of the war," the president said on Thursday in front of a row of ministers and top executives, including BNP Paribas Jean-Laurent Bonnafe.

He spoke between two black boards covered with complex equations in the main amphitheatre of the institute, founded in the 16th century.

The first goal is to make better use of the French higher education system that trains computer engineers and mathematicians only to see them leave for jobs at top U.S. tech companies.

Some of them have secured high-level positions Google and Facebook, and Facebook, which opened an AI research centre in Paris in 2015.

"What a waste," said Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire earlier on Thursday. "France pays for the training of doctoral students who then head to the United States."

LADY GAGA OF MATHEMATICS

The AI plan was inspired by a government-commissioned report by Cedric Villani, the self-styled "Lady Gaga of Mathematics" and winner of the mathematics equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

Story continues

Villani, who is also a lawmaker in Macron's party, said in the report the brain drain to Silicon Valley companies showed the excellence of French schools and justified a doubling of their salaries -- a proposal that was eventually left out.

The report also pointed to the need for greater collaboration between government research centres and private companies to keep the best minds at home, an idea that was praised by Macron and could lead an easing of the conditions needed for state researchers to work in for private companies.

Macron's AI plan calls for the opening up of data collected by state-owned organisations such as France's centralised healthcare system to drive up efficiency through AI -- the field in computer science that aims to create machines able to perceive the environment and make decisions.

The amount to be spent, about $450 million, represents a drop in the ocean of AI spending worldwide, which consultancy firm McKinsey estimated between $20 and 30 billion for the biggest tech companies alone in 2016.

In a sign Macron's efforts to woo top scientists and businesses may be starting to bear fruit, Samsung Electronics , Japan's Fujitsu and London-based Google-owned DeepMind announced plans to beef up their operations in Paris earlier.

IBM also announced on Thursday its intentions to recruit 400 AI experts in France over the next two years.

Before unveiling his plan, Macron hosted a dinner with about a dozen AI experts at the Elysee palace.

Guests included Yann LeCun - the New York-based Frenchman who until recently ran Facebook's AI research lab - and Demis Hassabis of London-based DeepMind, creator of the AlphaGo system that in 2016 beat an elite human player of the Chinese game "Go".

(Additional reporting by Marine Pennetier; Editing by Richard Lough, Leigh Thomas and Richard Balmforfth)
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Fair Trade Commission on Thursday said Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAC.N) and Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) had violated Japan's antitrust laws in alleged bond-price fixing by London-based traders in 2012, because it involved a Japanese bank.

The FTC, however, will not take further action against the banks because the five-year statute of limitations has run out, Tsuyoshi Okumura, a senior investigator for the International Antitrust Investigation Bureau, told a media briefing.

The antitrust watchdog accused the banks of exchanging information and agreeing prices on U.S. dollar bonds issued by an international organisation. It did not identify the Japanese bank.

Last year, Deutsche Bank and Bank of America agreed to pay a combined $65.5 million to settle investor litigation accusing large banks of rigging the roughly $9 trillion market for U.S. government agency bonds.

(This story corrects headline and first paragraph to show FTC did not issue a warning.)

(Reporting by Junko Fujita and Takahiko Wada; Editing by Chris Gallagher)
By Richard Mably and Yara Bayoumy

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and Russia are working on a historic long-term pact that could extend controls over world crude supplies by major exporters for many years.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Reuters that Riyadh and Moscow were considering a deal to greatly extend a short-term alliance on oil curbs that began in January 2017 after a crash in crude prices.

We are working to shift from a year-to-year agreement to a 10 to 20 year agreement, the crown prince told Reuters in an interview in New York late on Monday.

We have agreement on the big picture, but not yet on the detail.

Russia, not a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has worked alongside the 14-member group during previous oil gluts, but a 10 to 20 year deal between the two would be unprecedented.

Top OPEC producer Saudi Arabia recruited Russia and other non-OPEC countries to help drain oversupply when oil prices collapsed to below $30 a barrel in 2016 from over $100 in 2014.

Crude has since recovered to $70 but fast-rising output from U.S. shale producers has capped prices.

This is all about whether the arrangement is a short-term expedient to deal with this particular crisis in the oil market, or whether it reflects a realignment in world oil, said oil historian Daniel Yergin, vice chairman at consultancy IHS Markit.

OPEC countries want to find a way to institutionalize this relationship rather than to have it be a one-shot deal.

Robert McNally at consultancy Rapidan Energy Group said Riyadh wanted help in breaking the boom-bust cycles that characterize oil markets by capping crude on the upside as well as by helping lift low oil prices.

History shows that without a long-term, powerful, competent coherent, disciplined swing producer in the oil markets ... you get space-mountain oil prices. Wild volatility of the sort we have seen in the past 10 to 15 years and that Saudi Arabia and Russia do not want to see again, McNally said.

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He said that would require Russia to join Saudi in building spare production capacity to use when prices rise too much.

SAUDI, RUSSIA ALLIANCE "THICKER THAN OIL"

A long-term pact between Moscow and Riyadh would effectively co-opt Russia to the Saudi-led OPEC cartel while strengthening Russia's hand in the Middle East where the United States has long been the dominant super-power.

News of the potential oil alliance came at a time when the two have been working to cement an economic relationship despite being at odds over the conflict in Syria, where they back opposing sides.

Riyadh supports rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assads army, while Russian and Iranian forces have backed Assad  meaning that Russia effectively sides with Iran, Riyadhs regional arch-foe.

A meeting between the Saudi crown prince and Russian president Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in China in September 2016 was instrumental in bringing Russia on board to support OPEC, non-OPEC oil curbs.

Last October, Saudi King Salman became the first Saudi monarch to visit Russia, providing investment and political support for a Russian economy battered by Western sanctions.

"It is a very important strategic development," Helima Croft at RBC Capital Markets said of a potential 10 to 20 year Saudi-Russia oil collaboration.

"First, the Crown Prince is making the statement, not the oil minister, one more clear sign that he (like Putin) is the final word on his country's oil policy.

"Second it is one more sign of the major reversal in Saudi-Russia relations. Saudi was a staunch cold war ally of the U.S. Now this Russia-Saudi alliance appears to be thicker than oil and seems to be driven by the personal affinity between Putin and MBS," said Croft.

ARAMCO IPO LATE 2018, EARLY 2019

The crown prince predicted that world oil demand would not peak until 2040, despite advances in renewable energy technologies and the electric vehicle.

In an attempt to end Saudi Arabia's reliance on oil, he is leading a push to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil and gas by 2030.

Riyadh plans to raise funds through the flotation of a 5 percent stake in state Saudi oil company Aramco. Time is running out for an initial public offering this year but the crown prince said the IPO could still take place at the end of 2018 or in early 2019, depending on financial market conditions.

Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih said last week that documentation was ready but that a venue for the IPO had not yet been decided. The New York stock exchange is still in the running for the IPO, alongside London and Hong Kong, but Falih said there was a risk of a "frivolous" legal action if Aramco were listed in the United States.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Adler, Jessica Resnick-Ault; Editing by Frances Kerry, Toni Reinhold)
Raytheon Company RTN recently secured a contract to deliver Patriot Missile Systems to Poland, after the country signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) agreement with the U.S. government for these missiles systems. The contract turned out to be Polands biggest arms deal till date and also made it the 15th nation and 7th NATO member to rely on Raytheons Patriot System.



Per Reuters, this deal valued at $4.75 billion requires Raytheon to deliver two Patriot System Batteries, each with two fire units in 2022. This is a major achievement for Raytheon, since in spite of the U.S. State Department having cleared a potential $10.5 billion sale of four Patriot defense systems to Poland last November, the deal got stuck in cross-border negotiations.



Per the agreement, Raytheon will continue to work with Polish defense companies and help them build key parts of the missile system.



Rationale Behind the Deal



It is widely anticipated that Poland signed this deal to strengthen its defense capabilities against rising threats from Russia. According to NATO planners, Russia is using its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad as well as Crimea to block NATOs air access to the Baltic states, which represents about a third of Poland.



Naturally this deal form part of Polands defense strategy to brace itself from the wraths of Russia, as with two-thirds of the nations current weaponry dates back to times of Cold War.



Our View



Raytheons Patriot system not only has a strong share in domestic market alone but also expanded its international realm in recent times, in nations like Qatar, Korea, Kuwait and others. In this regard, Sweden is expected to sign a LOA in mid-2018, which approximately worth $1 billion. Inevitably, Raytheon frequently enjoys a solid inflow of missile contracts from overseas and the latest deal with Poland is an evidence of

that.



Moreover, Raytheon hopes the Polish purchase of Patriot may open up new opportunities for the company to supply a more modern Patriot system to Germany, which has not yet signed a contract for Lockheed Martins MEADS system. If Germany does sign a deal for purchase of Patriot in near future, surely Raytheons international sale growth will get a solid boost.



With increasing geopolitical tension worldwide and President Trumps proposed fiscal 2019 defense budget (that provisioned $12.9 billion for missile defense) last month, demand for such improved weaponry has been on the rise. Raytheon, being one of the top missile makers in the United States, will surely be a significant beneficiary from the proposed budget, which also includes an investment plan of $1.1 billion for 240 Patriot Missile Segment Enhancements.



Price Movement



Raytheons stock has returned about 38.9% in the last 12 months, compared with the broader industrys gain of 32.7%. The outperformance was primarily led by strong domestic and international sales along with a robust balance sheet.

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Zacks Rank & Key Picks



Raytheon currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



A few better-ranked stocks in the same space are Boeing BA, Huntington Ingalls HII and Curtiss-Wright Corporation CW, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Boeing recorded an average positive earnings surprise of 20.69% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has risen by 27.84% to $14.05 in the last 90 days.



Huntington Ingalls recorded an average positive earnings surprise of 3.85% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has risen by 45.56% to $17.38 in the last 90 days.



Curtiss-Wright Corporation has an average positive earnings surprise of 15.06% for the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings rose by 11.56% to $5.79 in the last 90 days.



Investor Alert: Breakthroughs Pending



A medical advance is now at the flashpoint between theory and realization. Billions of dollars in research have poured into it. Companies are already generating substantial revenue, and even more wondrous products are in the pipeline.



Cures for a variety of deadly diseases are in sight, and so are big potential profits for early investors. Zacks names 5 stocks to buy now.



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The Boeing Company (BA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



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(Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fined ICICI Bank Ltd, the country's third biggest lender, 589 million rupees ($9.04 million) for not sticking to certain rules about sale of government securities, in a rare move by the banking regulator.

The RBI imposed the penalty on ICICI Bank for not complying with directions issued by it on direct sale of securities held under the bank's held-to-maturity (HTM) portfolio and for lack of disclosure about the sale, the central bank said in a statement https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/PressRelease/PDFs/PR25938AACA959D1DA45AAA28BC1E1169EF20A.PDF on Thursday.

Bonds acquired by banks with an intention to hold until they mature are classified under the HTM category, and the amount of such securities need to be disclosed by the lenders.

These debt instruments are also not allowed to be traded on a day-to-day basis.

However, the RBI permits banks to sell securities from their HTM portfolios, but under certain limits and disclosure rules.

If the value of such sales exceeds 5 percent of the HTM investments, then banks are required to disclose it in their annual reports.

ICICI Bank said it continued to sell bonds from its HTM category for a few weeks during the quarter ended March 2017 due to "genuine misunderstanding" on the timing of the applicability of RBI's direction in the matter.

The lender said it disclosed in its fiscal year 2017 annual report that it had sold over 5 percent of investments under the HTM category. However, it had not made the specified additional disclosure at the time, the bank said in a statement on Thursday https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/d16c4dad-2125-4b2f-96a3-ea67e9754ca4.pdf.

($1 = 65.1500 rupees)

(Reporting by Vishal Sridhar and Krishna V Kurup in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Biju Dwarakanath)
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson is joining the growing chorus of top executives calling for government regulation to restrict Facebook (FB) and other companies ability to use customer data.

I think some sensible regulation most likely makes sense, Branson told Yahoo Finance during an interview on Wednesday at the Adobe Summit, held in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the CEO of Apple said recently, you dont want to kill the companies, but some sensible regulation here is probably needed. I mean, obviously, its best the companies can regulate themselves. Lets see what ideas they come up with, but possibly some government regulation may be needed as well.

Branson would obviously know. As Virgin Group has evolved over more than four decades, so has the sheer amount of customer data it manages and keeps private. Since co-founding Virgin Group in 1970, the British multinational corporation now controls over 400 companies around the world covering a range of industries, from health care (Virgin Care), hotels (Virgin Hotels) to space travel with Virgin Galactic.

Bransons comments come on the heels of controversial remarks made by Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook over the last week over revelations earlier this month that Cambridge Analytica, a voter-profiling company, had abused Facebooks terms of service and harvested the data of some 50 million Facebook users as part of a targeted advertising campaign to help elect Donald Trump. Cook stated in no uncertain terms that the situation had become so dire and so large that well-crafted regulation was likely necessary.

We could make a ton of money if we monetized our customers, if our customers were our product, Cook said in an interview with Recode and MSNBC that will air on April 6. Weve elected not to do that  Were not going to traffic in your personal life. Privacy to us is a human right, a civil liberty.

Likewise, Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM (IBM), has also come out swinging, stating at a Beijing event earlier this week that companies dealing with customer data have to be transparent in how they use  and allow third-parties to use  that data so they should never be surprised.

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(We have to let) people opt in and opt out and be clear that ownership of the data does belong to the creator, Rometty added.



JP Mangalindan is the Chief Tech Correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

More from JP
By David Shepardson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tesla Inc shares fell sharply again on Wednesday, reeling from a credit downgrade of the electric car maker by Moody's Investors Service, federal probes of a fatal crash and concerns about Model 3 production.

Shares tumbled 9 percent before ending down 7.7 percent at $257.78. On Tuesday, Tesla tumbled 8.2 percent to its lowest close in almost a year after the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opened a field investigation into a fatal crash and vehicle fire in California on March 23.

On Wednesday, a second federal regulator, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), said it was sending a team to California to investigate the crash.

Late on Tuesday, Moodys Investors Service downgraded Teslas credit rating to B3 from B2, citing "the significant shortfall in the production rate of the companys Model 3 electric vehicle. It also noted liquidity pressures due to its large negative free cash flow and the pending maturities of convertible bonds.

Tesla has $230 million in convertible bonds maturing in November 2018 and $920 million in March 2019.

Moodys said its negative outlook reflects the likelihood that Tesla will have to undertake a large, near-term capital raise in order to refund maturing obligations and avoid a liquidity shortfall.

It said Tesla's weekly production target is now 2,500 Model 3 vehicles by the end of March, down sharply from its year-earlier target of 5,000 per week by the end of 2017. Tesla's weekly target for the end of June is 5,000.

Tesla declined to comment on the downgrade. The company plans to provide an update on Model 3 production next week.

Tesla shares have experienced big swings in the past, as worries about losses have vied with enthusiasm for Chief Executive Elon Musk's ambitious plans.

The sell-off has left Tesla's stock market value at $44 billion, below General Motors Co's $49 billion. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla has at times had a larger market value than GM, the largest U.S. automaker by vehicle sales.

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Since the end of February, the median analyst price target for Tesla has dipped by $10 to $356, about 37 percent higher than Wednesday's price, according to Thomson Reuters data. Nomura Securities analyst Romit Shah has the highest Tesla price target, $500, or nearly double the current price. All the targets were set before the March 23 crash.

In last weeks accident in which the Tesla struck a highway median, it was unclear if the vehicles automated control system called Autopilot was driving, the NTSB and police said.

The 38-year-old driver of the Tesla died at a nearby hospital shortly after the crash.

Late Tuesday, Tesla said in a blog post it does "not yet know what happened in the moments leading up to the crash," but added that data shows Tesla owners have driven the same stretch of highway with Autopilot engaged "roughly 85,000 times ... and there has never been an accident that we know of." The statement did not say if the crashed vehicle was in Autopilot mode.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Alexandria Sage and Noel Randewich in San Francisco; Editing by Dan Grebler and David Gregorio)
The president's approval rating dipped to 39 percent from 42 percent in December, according to CNBC's latest All-America Economic survey.

His decision to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum is not well supported by the public, with 35 percent opposing them and 29 percent supporting them.

The poll, conducted March 17-20, shows that the tax cuts have not been felt, at least not yet.

While nearly all financial indicators of American economic optimism have surged to post-recession highs, President Donald Trump 's approval rating has dipped amid opposition to his tariffs and little effect seen so far from the tax cuts.

The CNBC All-America Economic Survey for March shows the president's approval rating dipping a bit, to 39 percent from 42 percent in December. That's within the 3.5 percentage point margin of error of the poll, but it's also within 3 points of every poll taken by CNBC during Trump's presidency.

His economic approval rating also slipped, to 45 percent from his all-time of 47 percent in December, but it's within 1 point of his average during his presidency.

Every economic indicator in the poll of 800 Americans throughout the country is at or near a postrecession high. Half of all Americans judge the economy as good or excellent, the only time the percentage has been above 50 for two-straight quarters in the 11 year history of the poll.

In addition, 38 percent expect the economy to improve in the next year, the second highest number since the Great Recession. And 41 percent of homeowners expect the value of their homes to increase in the next year, the highest mark since 2007.

"Trump's job approval numbers are very stable, underpinned by strong partisan, gender, and generational divides,'' said Micah Roberts, the Republican pollster for the survey for Public Opinion Strategies. "Whatever else we might say about the historical significance of how low his overall approval is, it is also worth noting how historically stable this number has been over an otherwise very politically turbulent year."

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Jay Campbell, the Democratic pollster with Hart Research, sees factors other than the economy pulling down on the president's numbers.

"Approval of any president are the sum of the nation's parts, and the economy is just one of those parts," Campbell said. "Our strong economy is unarguably working to President Trump's benefit, keeping his approval numbers afloat. But there are multiple other factors that, at the same time, are pulling him down."

Some insight into the stagnant nature of the president's numbers can be found in American opinions on his policies. Perhaps most importantly, the data show that the tax cuts have not been felt, at least not yet. The poll was conducted March 17-20, which should be well enough into the year for Americans to notice a change in their withholding taxes. But that's not the case.

Just 32 percent of the public reports having more take home pay because of the tax cuts, including only 48 percent of Trump supporters and 35 percent of the middle class. More than half say they see no change in their paychecks and 16 percent are unsure. It could be that more time is needed for people to notice the change. It could also be that the tax cut provided too small a break to be meaningful to many Americans.

Some evidence of this comes from the 32 percent who say they have noticed more take-home pay. Of this group, only 38 percent say the extra pay helps their financial situation "a great deal" or "a fair amount, while 40 percent say it helps some or just a little, and 22 percent say "it does not help much at all."

The president's decision to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is not well supported by the public. To be sure, 36 percent of Americans say they don't have an opinion, but 35 percent oppose the tariffs and 29 percent support them. Just 28 percent say the tariffs would be good for the overall economy, and 44 percent fear they will raise prices for consumers.

And despite strident rhetoric from the president, American attitudes toward Canada, Mexico and China are actually improving. Fewer see them as an economic threat than in CNBC's previous surveys. For example, just 24 percent say Canada represents more of an economic threat than an economic opportunity, down from 32 percent when the question was last asked in March 2016. Views on Mexico and China have improved, although they are within the margin of error for the poll.

Amid these negatives for the president's economic policies, the Republican Party still looks to have an advantage over Democrats on the economy. By a 34 percent to 25 percent margin, Americans say Republicans are better at dealing with the economy, a reversal from the 35 to 30 percent Democratic edge when the question was last asked in the NBC-Wall Street Journal poll in December.

The results stem from an intensity of partisanship. While 54 percent of Democrats believe the Democratic Party is best on the economy, a strong 81 percent of Republicans choose their own party.

Republicans in the CNBC poll held a 37 percent to 28 percent margin on the issue of which party is best for creating jobs. But Democrats by a 40 percent to 28 percent margin are thought to be best for "looking out for the middle class."

Meanwhile, recent volatility and declines in the stock market have put a dent in Americans' optimism over equities. After surging in December, American attitudes toward the stock market have fallen back to Earth. Just 41 percent say this is a good time to invest in stocks, a sharp fall from 50 percent recorded in December. But it's only declined back to the average of the past several years, and done so with a strong percentage of Americans saying they now own stock.

Since 2015, the All-America survey has chronicled a slow, steady rise in the percentage of Americans who own stock. From a low of 51 percent in 2015, 58 percent of Americans now say they own some equities, the highest level since survey began. (Two other surveys showed higher results, but they were for registered voters, not all adults, as is the norm for this survey.)

And the gains look to be coming from across the income spectrum. Stock ownership is up about 4.5 percentage points among those who report owning $50,000 or less in stock. It's up just a bit more among those say they own $50,000 or more in stock.





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John Dowd, the former head of President Trump's legal team, raised the idea of Trump pardoning two former advisors involved in the special counsel's Russia probe, The New York Times reported.

The two former advisors, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, have been charged with crimes by the federal investigators.

Flynn pleaded guilty in December to lying about Russian contacts.

The former head of President Donald Trump 's legal team discussed the idea of pardoning two of the president's former top advisors with their lawyers, The New York Times reported Wednesday .

The Times, citing three people with knowledge of the discussions, reported that the topic was broached last year by Trump's lawyer John Dowd in talks with lawyers for former national security advisor Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort .

Both men were charged with crimes as part of special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation of potential links between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump has regularly denied any collusion between his campaign and Russia, and some of his recent statements have raised concerns that he is preparing to fire Mueller.

Asked about the president's views on his power to pardon at a White House briefing on Wednesday, press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "There would be no reason for me to have had a conversation with the president about that, because that is not being currently discussed at the White House."

But Dowd reportedly raised the prospect of pardoning the two former officials last summer, shortly after he joined Trump's legal team, the Times reported.

Dowd reportedly told Flynn's lawyer that Trump was prepared to pardon Flynn on the basis that he believed the case against his former top advisor was flimsy.

Flynn pleaded guilty to making false statements to investigators about contacts with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Manafort, however, pleaded not guilty to dozens of counts levied against him in multiple indictments.

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In a statement to NBC News, White House lawyer Ty Cobb said, "I have only been asked about pardons by the press and have routinely responded on the record that no pardons are under discussion or under consideration at the White House."

Cobb did not immediately respond to CNBC when asked if he was aware of Dowd's conversations at the time.

The special counsel's office declined to comment on the newspaper's report. Dowd did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.





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The Foreign Press Centers support the Department's mission by deepening global understanding of U.S. policy, society, culture, and values through engagement with foreign media. The United States Department of State has Foreign Press Centers in Washington, D.C. and in New York, New York. We promote the depth, accuracy, and balance of foreign reporting from the U.S. by providing direct access to authoritative American information sources. *The FPCs are receiving journalists on an appointment only basis. For assistance, please contact a media relations officer or email the collective dcfpc@state.gov*
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan -- Lawmakers in a restive northeastern province in Afghanistan say Taliban control has deprived hundreds of thousands of students from going to schools.

Members of the provincial council in Kunduz, a rural province bordering Tajikistan, say insecurity and Taliban control have forced nearly half of some 550 schools in the region to close.

Safiullah Amiri, deputy head of the Kunduz provincial council, says the insurgents control half of Kunduz schools because they now control or contest most of its seven districts.

We are worried and want the government to reclaim all our schools, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. In the territories controlled by the insurgents, schools are either closed or only offer a curriculum approved by the insurgents.

Amruddin Wali, a member of the Kunduz provincial council, says growing the insurgeny in Kunduz has rapidly translated into depriving the regions students of education.

The Taliban are ruling most of the villages and towns in this region, which means that education is under assault, he told Radio Free Afghanistan in the provincial capital, also called Kunduz. They are inventing different excuses to close schools or are forcing their worldview and curriculum on students.

But a purported Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, rejects these accusations. He says they have not forced schools to close but some are being closed because teachers have fled or stopped working.

Mujahid says that after the government decided to deposit teacher salaries into their bank accounts most have stopped working because they cannot travel to the cities and towns controlled by government forces.

He says most teachers will return to work once the government arranges to pay their salaries in cash by sending emissaries to the Taliban-controlled territories.

Despite repeated attempts, Radio Free Afghanistan was unable to reach the director of the governments education department in Kunduz for comment.

Abdul Hamid Hamidi, Kunduz police chief, says government forces are planning to reclaim schools from the insurgents.

We will launch operations soon, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. [This is necessary] because I dont think they have people who can distinguish right from wrong.

Afghan forces, however, are under tremendous pressure in Kunduz. Amid frequent battles, rural districts frequently change hands. The Taliban briefly overran the provincial capital in the fall of 2015.

An estimated 1 million Kunduz residents have been killed or endured destruction, intimidation, and displacement because of the fighting.

The education department in Kunduz estimates a sizable number of more than 330,000 students, inducing nearly 125,000 girls, are deprived of education in Kunduz.

Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on Radio Free Afghanistan correspondent Ajmal Aryans reporting from Kunduz Afghanistan.
California develops its own cybersecurity metrics

The California Department of Technology supports is close to 150 state entities providing government services, so securing all those systems can be a heavy lift. To help the state get a better handle on the effectiveness of its security programs, CDT devised the California Cybersecurity Maturity Metrics to benchmark agencies' security posture and measure progress as audits and improvements are made.

The metrics take best practices from the National Institute of Standards and Technologys Cybersecurity Framework and the Center for Internet Security's top 20 controls, then tailors them for California agencies. They were created through a year-long effort, involving CDT, the California Cybersecurity Integration Center, California Highway Patrol and the California Military Department.

We held almost a dozen workshops with half of the departments in the state sending representatives, California Chief Information Security Officer Peter Liebert told GCN.

The maturity metrics will be gathered from sources agencies already use, such as those collected during audits by the CDT's Office of Information Security or through independent security assessments, according to the Statewide Information Management Manual.

The metrics address policy, system categorization and governance and measure security maturity in five categories and across 34 controls:

Identify: Governance, data and system categorization and vulnerability scanning.

Protect: Account management, encryption and system configurations.

Detect: Network and end-point monitoring.

Respond: Incident response plans and testing.

Recover: Technology recovery plans and testing.

We decided to use the five categories in NISTs [Cybersecurity Framework] so this framework makes sense for leaders who are not very savvy in the cybersecurity space to be able to compare their agencies to others, Liebert said.

The scores are weighted, with a 0 indicating low program maturity and a 4 representing high program maturity scale, according to a CDT technology letter.

The maturity metrics focus on measures that will provide the highest return on investment -- i.e., those leveraging existing assets and those that help agencies balance cybersecurity visibility, decision-making and efficiency in resource allocation and overall security spending, according to CDT's 2017 Annual Report. They will also help CDT track gaps and statewide trends so it can identify where additional guidance, training and remediation support can help improve cybersecurity.

Tracking the maturity metrics will run on a four-year cycle. In the first year, environments are examined for policy requirements. The second year examines compliance with the metrics set out by the Cybersecurity Framework, and the final two years examine the results from the independent security assessments to determine changes from the initial baseline measurements.

The metrics are also meant to complement the assessments that the California Military Department already conducts for many agencies through its cybercrime division. CDTs Office of Information Security also performs policy-based audits for high-risk entities.

The metrics can help empower smaller state agencies to make a case for improving their cybersecurity posture despite having a smaller workforce, Leibert said.

According to NIST, more than 20 states are using its Cybersecurity Framework to improve their cybersecurity posture.

Independent verification through the security metrics  is extremely valuable from an oversight perspective, Liebert said. As these metrics become part of the normal process, we will be collecting data and providing results to the corresponding departments and leadership.
Trump-approved budget short on election security, counties say

This article originally appeared in Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Tucked away in the massive $1.3 trillion spending bill President Donald Trump signed last week is a nugget of funding that local election officials have desperately needed. Unfortunately, they say, it isnt nearly enough.

Congress set aside $380 million that will be divvied up among states to shore up election security, including new software, cybersecurity staff and other protections for state registration databases and aging voting equipment. But while the funding is certainly welcomed by local election officials, many of them warn it falls far short of what they need to deal with the potential security challenges of the midterm elections in November.

Its only a drop in the bucket of what is really needed, said Jeff Greenburg, the director of elections in Mercer County, Pa.

Pennsylvania is one of 41 states where some counties and cities use election equipment that is more than a decade old, according to the New York University School of Laws Brennan Center for Justice. Older machines are more likely to malfunction or break down on Election Day, causing long lines and potentially dissuading some people from casting their ballots. Some older machines also are susceptible to wireless malware attacks, even if they are not directly connected to the internet, or have removable memory devices a hacker might manipulate.

Pennsylvania is also one of 13 states where some counties use voting machines that lack a paper record. Paper records are essential to having a secure election, said Larry Norden, the deputy director of the Brennan Centers democracy program. They can ensure an accurate audit if electronic records of vote tallies are compromised.

Voting equipment

Officials in 41 states say some of the voting equipment they will use for the 2018 midterm elections is more than a decade old. While some states have adopted safer, paper ballots, many still use risky, paperless equipment.

During the 2016 presidential election, Russian hackers targeted election systems in Pennsylvania and 20 other states, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Those officials fear that, during the 2018 midterms, hackers may target state voter registration databases, county websites and official social media accounts to spread misinformation and sow doubt in the U.S. election system.

In February, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, directed all counties that are planning to update aging election equipment to buy machines that create a paper trail. However, the directive from Wolf, aimed at machines used by 83 percent of the states voters, did not come with funding attached, placing the financial burden on federal or local budgets.

It could cost as much as $79 million to replace paperless machines in Pennsylvania, the Brennan Center estimates. With the Trump-signed spending bill, the state is only expected to receive $13.5 million, covering just 17 percent of the estimated costs. Barring a new proposal at the state level, counties would have to foot the rest of the bill.

If they want to make any real dent in the cost to replace an election system, Greenburg said, this is woefully insufficient.

His county of 72,000 mostly middle-class registered voters in eastern Pennsylvania uses paperless voting machines, which officials there purchased in 2006. Replacing its current voting machines would cost between $750,000 and $2.5 million, depending on the type of equipment -- a hefty bill for a county like his, Greenburg said.

Its killing us

Kim McKiernan, the registrar of voters in Rappahannock County, Va., knows all too well the burden of replacing election equipment in a very small county without state and federal support.

With just two months left in the 2017 gubernatorial race, Virginias Board of Elections in September ordered all counties that use touchscreen voting machines to replace them with paper ballots and optical scanners before Election Day. The state provided no financial assistance.

Rappahannock County was one of the 22 local jurisdictions in the state that used a paperless voting system. The small community with 5,600 registered voters, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, quickly set aside $53,000 to purchase eight new machines, calibrate the equipment and train poll workers.

McKiernan and her assistant -- the only two election officials in the county -- pulled off the quick transition, but it was a struggle.

Its killing us, she said. Mentally and physically, its killing us.

In California, Debbie Bautista, Tuolumne Countys clerk and auditor-controller, is worried her 13-year-old voting machines wont last much longer. The ones that still do work often require repairs.
French English

Sercel Delivers a 25,000-channel 508XT Land Acquisition System and 15 Nomad 65 Neo Vibrators to Algeoland

Paris, France - March 29, 2018

Sercel announced today the delivery of a 25,000-channel 508XT land seismic acquisition system and 15 Nomad 65 Neo broadband vibrators to Algeoland, Algeria's leading private geophysical company.

Algeoland will deploy the Sercel equipment to conduct a major 3D seismic survey over a 2,000-km area of the Rhourde-Nouss desert region in north east Algeria, on behalf of the national oil company.

The 508XT system drives productivity, data quality and adaptability to an unprecedented level thanks to its X-Tech architecture. Generating high-fidelity low-frequency broadband sweeps down to 1Hz, the all-terrain Nomad 65 Neo is able to contribute to the delivery of higher resolution seismic data even in the harsh Algerian desert.

Mebrouk Tarfaoui, Algeoland CEO, said: "Sercel's success hinges on its product reliability, dedicated customer support and groundbreaking spirit of innovation. By deploying Sercel equipment, we will benefit from its latest acquisition technologies and have the confidence to deliver the best data ever for imaging to our customer."

Pascal Rouiller, Sercel CEO, said: "As an equipment supplier to Algeoland since the company's creation in 2014, we are pleased to have been selected once again to equip a major land seismic survey in Algeria. Both the 508XT and Nomad 65 Neo have been successfully field-proven in the toughest desert conditions and their deployment will enable Algeoland to achieve the best productivity and reduce operational downtime."

About CGG

CGG (www.cgg.com) is a fully integrated Geoscience company providing leading geological, geophysical and reservoir capabilities to its broad base of customers primarily from the global oil and gas industry. Through its three complementary businesses of Equipment, Acquisition and Geology, Geophysics & Reservoir (GGR), CGG brings value across all aspects of natural resource exploration and exploitation. CGG employs more than 5,300 people around the world, all with a Passion for Geoscience and working together to deliver the best solutions to its customers.

CGG is listed on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN: 0013181864) and the New York Stock Exchange (in the form of American Depositary Shares. NYSE: CGG).

Contacts
Was a white man arrested in Zambia for luring prostitutes to his home and then feeding them to his giant python? Nope, there is no truth to the story of the foreigner feeding hookers to his pet snake. That story was made up but has been circulating online for years.

We saw a copy of the hoax in a Facebook post dated November 11, 2017 (archived here) which was captioned:

This white man was arrested yesterday in Zambia when the neighbours alerted the police that they only see girls go into his house and don't see them come out, that something fishy was going on, and to the people's surprise when the police went in to verify, they saw this huge python in one of his rooms, on further investigations the white man confessed that he goes out to pick the street hawkers and pays them for sex only to feed them to his pet the python. Where is this world heading to? Please let's share to let our ladies who do such business to know the risk involved in such business.

But this is not the only version of the story. For example, here is a copy from a Nigerian site:

SHOCKING! White Man Arrested for Using his Huge Python to Terrorize African Prostitutes - Myfotostory If true, this is really shocking. The news has gone viral and is being shared on Social Media According to the writer who wrote: This White Man Was Arrested Yesterday In Zambia For Using His Piton Snake To Swallow All The Prostitute Girls He Paid For Sexual Pleasures, The Neighbors Of This Man Complain To ...

Or a somewhat longer version from a different site:

European Man Feeds His Pet Python With African Prostitutes After Sex With Them |RN By Ike A. Offor Some news is so nauseating that one wonders if it actually took place. What you are about to read now may seem outlandish, inauthentic but believe it, it all happened. I felt very reluctant to write this in the first place, which is why it took me time to put it down....

Or this one in The Daily Voice:

Women fed to a python | The Daily Voice The man, whose identity is unknown, moved to Zambia to be 'closer' to African women and brought along his pet, a Burmese python with a big appetite. He was arrested by Zambian police last month after his hunger for a happy ending never ended well for his female friends, or prostitutes that he paid for sex.

What all of these stories are missing are basic answers to some of the questions every real journalist seeks to answer: Who, Why, Where, What, When? There is no date given for the events described, the man has no name, there is no mention of a city. At least they got the "what" and "why" parts covered...

But they covered them wrong.

The man pictured in the photo with the story has a name: "Baha Ukes", a New Zealander with Iranian roots, who was being led away in handcuffs for being suspected of wanting to marry an underage girl in Kenya in 2013:

MERU - Foreigner arrested with underage 'bride' Wednesday November 6 2013 In Summary Another man suspected to be a recruiter of the girls is also in police custody. It was not immediately established where he intended to take the two children but he claimed that he was finalising plans to marry one of them.

It was later reported by New Zealand media that the man went on a hunger strike after denying the charges:

A New Zealand tourist held in a Kenyan prison on child trafficking charges has gone on a hunger strike, saying he won't eat until he's freed. Aucklander Ukes Baha was arrested in the company of two underage girls last month, but the 38-year-old denies any offending and says he is the victim of Kenya's legal system. Baha has been granted bail, but he can't afford to pay the $23,000 for his release. He says the court has given him no time to come up with the money, and has only asked for such a large sum to keep him locked up. "When he asked for seven days, you gave him two days," he argued in court. "My grievance is [not having] justice." Baha, who was born in Iran, was arrested in a shopping mall with two underage sisters last month and charged with child trafficking offences. But he says he fell in love with one of the girls, so he paid her parents a dowry of eight cows and $100.

Whatever his crime was (or wasn't), it did not involve feeding people to a giant snake...
Was Apple CEO Tim Cook shot multiple times by police during a press event for the upcoming iPhone 11 because they mistook the phone for a gun? Nope, that was just a piece of satire and social commentary from a satire website accompanied by a digitally altered photo.

The "news" appeared in an article published on March 29, 2018 by The Onion with the headline"Police Repeatedly Shoot Tim Cook After Mistaking iPhone For Gun" (archived here) which opened:

CUPERTINO, CA--Explaining that they took immediate action against what they perceived to be a threat, local police officers repeatedly shot Apple CEO Tim Cook after mistaking an iPhone he was holding for a gun, sources confirmed Thursday. "Law enforcement saw the suspect reach into his pocket and take out what looked like a firearm, and, believing their lives to be in danger, acted quickly to neutralize the assailant," said a spokesman for the Cupertino Sheriff's Office after an officer shot the CEO 18 times in under a minute at a press event for the upcoming iPhone 11.

The story would kind of look like a real news story when viewed in isolation in someone's timeline on social media:

Police Repeatedly Shoot Tim Cook After Mistaking iPhone For Gun CUPERTINO, CA-Explaining that they took immediate action against what they perceived to be a threat, local police officers repeatedly shot Apple CEO Tim Cook after mistaking an iPhone he was holding for a gun, sources confirmed Thursday.

We wrote about theonion.com and some of their other satirical articles mistaken for real news before:

The Onion is one of the oldest and best known satire websites on the internet. Their about page claims:

The Onion is the world's leading news publication, offering highly acclaimed, universally revered coverage of breaking national, international, and local news events. Rising from its humble beginnings as a print newspaper in 1756, The Onion now enjoys a daily readership of 4.3 trillion and has grown into the single most powerful and influential organization in human history. In addition to maintaining a towering standard of excellence to which the rest of the industry aspires, The Onion supports more than 350,000 full- and part-time journalism jobs in its numerous news bureaus and manual labor camps stationed around the world, and members of its editorial board have served with distinction in an advisory capacity for such nations as China, Syria, Somalia, and the former Soviet Union. On top of its journalistic pursuits, The Onion also owns and operates the majority of the world's transoceanic shipping lanes, stands on the nation's leading edge on matters of deforestation and strip mining, and proudly conducts tests on millions of animals daily.

If you somehow find that hard to believe: you are right. Scroll down a bit futher on that page and you'll find this:

What if I want to sue The Onion?

Please do not do that. The First Amendment protects satire as a form of free speech and expression. The Onion uses invented names in all of its stories, except in cases where public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names is accidental and coincidental. The Onion is not intended for readers under 18 years of age.

Articles from The Onion are frequently mistaken for real news by people on social media that only see the headline, short description and thumbnail image. Being one of the best known satire sites their articles also frequently get copied by "real" fake news sites that don't carry a satire disclaimer. Always Google before sharing something that sounds improbable!
Mahesh Vikram Hegde, the founder of news website Postcard News, was arrested by the Bangalore police on Thursday morning. Hegde, a pro-BJP journalist, was arrested because he had put up a post on social media, alleging that a Jain monk was attacked by a Muslim youth. According to police officials, this was fake news meant to incite communal riots.

Based on the complaint filed on March 18 by Kavan Basavakumar and Gaffar Baig, General Secretary Bengaluru District Congress Committee, the police arrested Hegde.

BJP supporters said that the order to arrest Hegde came from the top brass of the Congress party.

According to my sources, Karnataka Congress high-level people are involved in his arrest. They want to break our resolve! We will give them hell, tweeted Vikas Pandey, a software architect, and BJP volunteer.

By arresting Hedge, Congress had only given free publicity to Postcard News, tweeted others who demanded the immediate release of the journalist. If Congress comes back to power in 2019 be ready for a full-blown emergency & fascist rule, posted Chetan Anantharamu on Twitter.

Many criticized the mainstream media for neglecting to report the incident. Dear Media, do u remember your usual slogan? Press Freedom. If so, you won't be Dhritarashtra to whats happening in Karnataka, tweeted Srikumar, condemning the move by Congress.

ALSO READ: Congress Party Worked With Cambridge Analytica

ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi met with Alexander Nix, ex-CEO of Cambridge Analytica
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Guwahati, Mar 29 (IBNS): The 5th Indo- Kyrgyzstan Joint Training Exercise KHANJAR V culminated on Thursday after a Joint Tactical Validation Exercise and a Closing Ceremony was held at Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte in Mizoram.

Two week of joint training that commenced on Mar 16 included understanding tactics of platoon level, developing inter operability and sharing of best practices controlled by a Joint Command Post.

Col A S Bains, SM of the Indian Army and Col Radjapov Ruslan Kyrgyzstan Army witnessed a Joint Tactical Validation Exercise conducted at training area of Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare Schoo School, Vairengte wef March 26 to 28 followed by the Closing Ceremony.

The exercise involved insertion of troops by slithering from helicopters and destroying a terrorist hide out.

It demonstrated the commitment of both armies in working closely with each other to address the growing issue of global terrorism in all its forms.

Col Bolokbaev Kanatbek of Kyrgyzstan Army also addressed both the contingents.

The exercise was a success and has taught valuable lessons to the troops of both the countries.

The camaraderie developed between the contingents during the course of exercise will assist in enhancing confidence between the two armies which may be called upon to grapple with Anti- Terrorism Operations.

The conduct of these Bilateral Military Exercises is also an important step to uphold the values of Peace, Prosperity and Trust in the region.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Caracas, Mar 29 (IBNS): At least 68 people have been reported dead after a fire swept through a police station in Venezuela's Valencia city in Carabobo province.

The death toll has been confirmed by government officials.

The fire broke out after prisoners allegedly set mattresses ablaze in an attempt to break out of jail on Wednesday.

An investigation has been initiated by officials, chief state prosecutor Tarek Saab told the media.

Una Ventana a la Libertad, a group which monitors prisons, said in its report that a police was shot in the leg by a prisoner, prior to setting the mattress ablaze.

Officials have confirmed that among the deceased two were women.

Some of the deceased were burnt to death, while others died of asphyxiation, officials added.

Meanwhile, as news of the inferno spread, angry protesters clashed with the police outside the police station.

Condoling the incident, Carabobo state governor Rafael Lacava, said, "A serious and profound investigation has been initiated to find the causes and those responsible for these regrettable events."

Prison riots are common in Venezuela, where the government is going though an economic crisis, forcing most prisoners to be jailed in makeshift prisons.
Kabul, Mar 29 (IBNS): Unidentified gunmen shot dead a district police chief in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, media reports said on Thursday.

Attuallah Khogyani, the governors spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News, Khewa district police head Lt. Col. Matiullah Khan was gunned down in Badiala area.

The attack reportedly took place while the police chief was attending a soldiers funeral on Wednesday.

The injured police chief succumbed to his wounds later in the hospital.

One civilian was also killed and four others were injured in the attack, Khogyani told the Afghanistan-based news agency , adding the wounded were evacuated to hospital.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
Islamabad, Mar 29 (IBNS): The United States (US) Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Alice G Wells, met Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is Wells' second visit to Pakistan this year, aimed at continuing the conversation to strengthen bilateral relations and promote peace and security in the region, read a statement issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional issues, particularly Afghanistan.

Both sides agreed that the momentum of the peace initiative unveiled in Kabul by President Ashraf Ghani and followed up in Tashkent needs to be carried forward, read the statement.

"Mechanisms for return of refugees and strengthening border management were also discussed. Both sides also reiterated their firm commitments to act against all groups that target Pakistan and Afghanistan," the statement further said.

The Foreign Secretary also apprised the visiting delegation of the continued ceasefire violations by India that undermined stability of the region.

Pakistan said that a comprehensive dialogue was the only way forward for civilized nations to resolve outstanding issues, was reiterated.

Noting that the US and Pakistan had a long track record of cooperation, Ambassador Wells emphasized the importance of working together to achieve the common objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.

The two sides agreed to continue bilateral engagements at all levels.
While Iran denies arming the Al Houthis in Yemen, the United States and Saudi Arabia claim that the evidence of an arms connection is irrefutable.

On Monday, the Saudi-led coalition accused Iran of being behind a barrage of Yemeni missile attacks on the kingdom, and threatened retaliation.

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council expressed grave concern at reports of violations of an U.N. arms embargo on Houthi leaders. The council condemned in the strongest possible terms the missile attacks launched by the Al Houthis on Saudi Arabia, saying they posed a threat to regional security.

On Sunday, Saudi forces intercepted seven missiles fired by the Al Houthi rebels toward cities in Saudi Arabia, including the capital Riyadh, killing one person. Saudi forces said they shot down three missiles over Riyadh shortly before midnight, and debris fell on a home in the capital, killing an Egyptian man and wounding two others. Air defenses also repelled missiles fired at the southern Saudi cities of Najran, Jizan and Khamis Mushait.

The 15-member Security Council issued a statement expressing alarm at a Houthi threat to continue such attacks in the region. The United Nations considers this war to be the worlds most urgent humanitarian crisis, as millions of Yemenis live under threat of mass starvation and disease, while combatants cut off food and medical supplies.

The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians, the statement said. However, the U.N. Security Council statement on Wednesday did not name who is violating the arms embargo.

The Houthis say their movement is a national revolution against corruption, and deny Iranian influence, but the three-year conflict pits a coalition of Sunni Arab states who are friendly to the West, against the Houthis, a movement sympathetic to Iran.

In reports to the Security Council in January, independent U.N. experts stated that Iran had violated U.N. sanctions on Yemen because it failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of ballistic missiles and other equipment to the Houthi group.

US President Trumps administration has been lobbying for Iran to be held accountable at the United Nations. In fact, Trump has threatened to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers if disastrous flaws are not fixed.

A western bid for the United Nations Security Council to call out Tehran for failing to prevent its weapons from falling into the hands of the Houthis was vetoed by Russia last month.
He said, The position of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very clear on the Iranian ballistic missiles that were launched from Houthi territory in Yemen by Iranian agents and agents of Hezbollah towards the kingdom, and it is a stark violation of international law, and added, The kingdom has the right to respond to this hostile Iranian act in the appropriate way at the right time and place.

According to Saudi forces, seven missiles were intercepted late on Sunday, including one over the capital Riyadh. An Egyptian man died when burning shrapnel struck his home in the capital.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen on behalf of the internationally recognized government has presented evidence that ballistic missiles found in the country were smuggled from Iran, Al Jubeir reiterated.

In his first comments since the attack, he said, We have objected to it, and we have presented it to the world and to our allies to reaffirm they are Iranian missiles, and they are, no doubt.

Although the Houthi rebels have fired dozens of missiles into Saudi Arabia since last year, Saudi forces have intercepted all of them.

On November 4th, a major attack targeted Riyadh international airport. Another strike on December 19th targeted Riyadhs Yamamah palace  the official residence of the king.

Tehran was in clear violation of international law and of UN resolution 2216, which imposes an arms embargo on the rebels, said Al Jubeir, who added that the UN efforts to address arms smuggling into Yemen are improving.

He also said during Tuesdays UN conference, that Saudi Arabia and the UAE  which is also part of the Arab coalition fighting in Yemen  will present a $930 million to the UN for humanitarian aid in Yemen, and that additionally, the kingdom will provide $70m towards the war-torn countrys infrastructure.

Following a two-hour meeting with Saudis Mohammed bin Salman, where the two men discussed the war in Yemen and the need for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law, Mr Guterres expressed in a statement his deep gratitude to the crown prince for delivering today on the generous pledge. They also addressed the critical need for humanitarian access across the country and for all of Yemens ports to remain open to both humanitarian and commercial movement.

According to UN spokesmen, living conditions in the war-scarred country have reached catastrophic levels, with 8.4 million people facing imminent famine.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on Tuesday in Washington, that the Iranian support to the Houthis that gives them this capability is clearly being countered. He credited in part the American systems that they [Saudi Arabia] bought and, more importantly right now, to the advisers we brought in to assist them in defense of the kingdom.
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BOE Member Horton Serves as Grand Marshall at VITA for Veterans Event in Inglewood

Thousands of dollars in resources were made available to Veterans, and community members at the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for Veterans Clinic, sponsored by California State University, Northridges (CSUN) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance for Veterans Clinic, and co-sponsored by the United States Veterans Initiative (U.S. VETS), Department of Veterans Affairs, South Bay Workforce Investment Board, South Bay One Stop, the Salvation Army, and Citi. California State Board of Equalization Member Jerome E. Horton was the Grand Marshall for the event and provided information presentation on how to maximize millions in refundable tax credits, and other tax planning strategies. The event took place at the U.S. VETS Center in Inglewood on Saturday, March 24, 2018.

The VITA for Veterans clinic provided access to information on employment, housing, and educational opportunities for veterans and the neighboring public, who were also able to claim up to $9,093 in refundable earned income tax credits. Veterans were advised on property tax exemptions and first-time homebuyer and down payment resources to help them become self-sufficient.

For 25 years U.S.VETS in Inglewood has been involved in the successful transition of military veterans and their families through the provision of housing, counseling, career development, and comprehensive support. We can now add tax preparation services to that list. More importantly, we appreciate the opportunity to partner with CSUN and the State Board of Equalization to service veterans from the community and not simply those who are enrolled in our programs, said Ms. Akilah Templeton, U.S. VETS Executive Director.

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The U.S. VETS Center in Inglewood provides affordable housing and supportive services to over 600 veterans along a continuum of care that includes transitional housing, long-term supported housing (LTSH) and permanent housing. Reduced rents vary according to program but can be as low as $515 for someone in LTSH and 30% of a veterans income for permanent housing units. More information on the U.S. VETS Center in Inglewood is available at https://www.usvetsinc.org/inglewood/.

The state and federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) can provide up to $9,093 in refundable tax credits if you qualify. The federal EITC is available to households with adjusted gross income (AGI) of up to $53,930, and the state EITC is available to California households with AGI of up to $22,302. To learn more about these valuable resources, visit https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/faq/net/900.shtml

Additional VITA for Veterans Clinics are scheduled during March and April in Los Angeles and Lancaster. Appointments are highly recommended, but not required. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit the CSUN VITA for Veterans Clinic website: https://www.csun.edu/bookstein-institute/vita-veterans.

I strongly encourage veterans to participate in one of the CSUN VITA for Veterans Clinics, which provides free tax help to not only low-income veterans, but is also open to the public, who may need assistance in preparing and filing their tax returns and claiming the refundable state and federal Earned Income Tax Credits, Member Horton said.
Civil and Human Rights Organizations Discuss Guns, School Safety and its Impact on Students of Color

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund recently joined the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Advancement Project, and the National Disability Rights Network to discuss why current efforts in Congress and by the Trump administration to increase school security, will not address the nations gun violence epidemic. Participants on the call included Todd A. Cox, director of policy at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., Kristine Lucius, Executive Vice President for Policy, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director, Advancement Project and Curt Decker, Executive Director, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN).

Guns have continually plagued communities of color and with the president suggesting that a possible solution is arming teachers, many are alarmed. School police and school safety are not synonymous, said Judith Browne Dianis, executive director of Advancement Projects national office. Arming teachers and investing in more school police is a recipe for deadly mistakes. Children of color will be hurt the most by criminalization, and undocumented youth may face deportation due the deputization of police to ICE in some states. This is not the answer to keeping young people safe. The solutions are the strategies students called for during national walkouts last week: more counselors, mental health professionals and student supports.

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The conversation touched on how militarizing schools would harm and further criminalize children, especially children of color and children with disabilities, not make them safer. Our Black youth are at greater risk of harsher and unjust punishment because of racially discriminatory school discipline practices, said Todd A. Cox, director of policy at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Rather than focusing on the root causes of school shootings and gun violence, this administration is calling for more police presence in school and arming school personnel with guns, which only puts our Black students at more risk. If Congress truly wants our schools and students to thrive and be safe, the government must end the criminalization of our students of color and address excessive discipline that contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline.

The group spoke out on the urgent need for Congress to provide real solutions. Kristine Lucius, executive vice president of policy for The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights stated, we need real solutions to the epidemic of gun violence in our society, like increasing safety restrictions and limitations on gun purchases. That is what is going to keep all of us safe.
Civil Rights Groups Sue Homeland Security over Targeted Surveillance

On March 19, several civil rights groups filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release the contents of the agencys redacted memo referred to in government documents as the Race Paper.

The Center for Constitutional Rights along with Color of Change first uncovered the existence of the Race Paper after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The advocates maintain that the existence of the Race Paper, and other documents confirm that the government has used targeted surveillance on many Black activists and organizers. The groups also said the document will confirm there was a violation by the government regarding the basic activity of Black people engaging in First Amendment activity.

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The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are at war with Black activists, said Rashad Robinson, the executive director of Color of Change, in a March 19 press statement. The documents weve forced the federal government to release expose how these agencies are demonizing and intimidating Black activistspeople who are rightly demanding that our country be more justthrough coordinated and systemic surveillance.

The redacted Race Paper is the newest of a slew of documents the groups have obtained that reveal how DHS and the FBI have both monitored and surveilled the Movement for Black Lives and pushed a state-sanctioned narrative that criminalizes Black protestors, their release to the press asserted.

Black and brown activists and the public in general should not be left to speculate as to why DHS prepared a document called the Race Paper, circulated multiple versions of it, and called for in-person meetings to discuss its contents, but now fights to keep every word from seeing the light of day, said Omar Farah, the senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights. But given the long-standing and unconstitutional pattern of state surveillance of Black-led political movements, it bears repeating that FOIA is about transparency, not protecting government agencies from embarrassment.

The Color of Change and the Center for Constitutional Rights first filed the FOIA request to the agencies in October 2016 to uncover how DHS and the FBI were monitoring the Movement for Black Lives as well as Black protestors and organizers exercising their First Amendment constitutional rights at protests across the country.
Compton College President Keith Curry Honored with Distinguished Administrator Award

Keith Curry, CEO of the Compton Community College District and president of Compton College, was recently named recipient of the 2018 Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award. It is the most prestigious award given by the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA), and was presented to Curry at the ACCCA Conference in Santa Rosa, Calif., on February 22.

The Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award, first presented in 1986, is named after the late Harry Buttimer, who was a founding member of the ACCCA. Known as the highest honor a community college administrator can receive from ones peers, the award pays tribute to those administrators who demonstrate integrity, principle, compassion, strength in leadership, and who have made significant contributions to the college district and community. Nominees must be a chief executive of one of the 72 California community college districts or 114 community colleges.

I am extremely honored and humbled to receive this award and be included among the impressive list of community college leaders, who are Harry Buttimer Award recipients, said Curry. I share this award with all of the Compton College administrators, faculty, and staff who have worked so hard during the last ten years to make this college the institution it is today.

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Curry became president of Compton College in June 2017, when the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) granted initial accreditation status to Compton College. He was appointed permanent CEO of the Compton Community College District in July 2013, after serving as the interim CEO for the District since March 2011. He previously served as the El Camino College Compton Center dean of student services, beginning in 2006.

Under Currys leadership, many existing student support programs at Compton College have expanded and others were created, including the First Year Experience (FYE) program, Honors Transfer Program, Cosmetology program, Transfer Pathways partnerships, Compton College Promise, and the award-winning Formerly Incarcerated Student Transition Program. Other positive outcomes in recent years include increased number of degrees and certificates awarded; increased student enrollment and transfers; new full-time faculty members hired; the passing of the Measure C facilities bond in 2014 by a 78.3 yes vote; new state-funded construction projects completed; and a balanced budget with a reserve.

On behalf of the Compton Community College District Board of Trustees, I would like to congratulate Dr. Curry on receiving this honor, said Nicole J. Jones, president of the Board of Trustees for the Compton Community College District. Dr. Curry has been an influential leader through times of change, overseeing efforts for us to achieve significant milestones at the District. We look forward to our continued work with him as we set long-term goals and develop an institutional culture at Compton College that helps deliver academic excellence for our students and the community.

Curry earned his doctorate in education from the University of California, Irvine, and a bachelors degree in American studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Every student is a success story! is Currys ever-present mantra on campus. I want to give people hope, he says. You can be from Compton and be a success. Every student can be successful with the right academic and support services. I want students to feel special and at home here at Compton College.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama to Participate in the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will participate in the second United State of Women Summit, which will take place in Los Angeles on May 5-6. United State of Women, an independent nonprofit that grew out of the Obama Administrations Council on Women and Girls, is focused on inspiring women and allies to turn passion into action.

The Summit will spotlight concrete solutions, connect attendees with leading organizations working at the forefront of todays most pressing issues, and equip them with tools and training. It will also celebrate women and allies who have made a significant impact in their own communities.

Other Summit participants include Tarana Burke, Jane Fonda, and Mayor Eric Garcetti. To learn more about the program, visit our website. United State of Women is proud to partner with a broad range of organizations as community partners.

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The United State of Women hosted its first Summit in June of 2016 in Washington, D.C., convening over 5,000 women from every walk of life  across race, ethnicity, age and geography. To harness attendees palpable energy, following the Summit, USOW launched the Galvanize Program, a nationwide effort that turns womens momentum into strategic action in local communities.

The United State of Women Summit will lift up the voices of leaders and organizations that are making an impact in their communities, said Jordan Brooks, Managing Director of the United State of Women. Were thrilled that Former First Lady Michelle Obama will join us for our conversations with changemakers across the country who are advocating and organizing in their local communities.

To register for the summit, visit www.unitedstateofwomen.org
Giving is a Family Affair at the 2nd Annual WACO Wearable Art Gala

The Carter (Jay Z, Beyonce & Blue Ivy) family, Johnson (Magic & Cookie) family, the (Samuel & LaTanya) Jacksons and the Lawson (Richard, Tina Knowles & Bianca) clan came together Saturday night for a family affair. The 2nd annual Wearable Art Gala in downtown Los Angeles gave everyone a chance to get fresh, clean and dressed to impress in support of the North Hollywood-based WACO (Wear Art Can Occur) Theater Center. WACO houses Tinas Angels, Richards Warriors, mentoring programs for teenage boys and girls, and its Mobile Theater. Were here to celebrate young people, says Terry McMillan, And what Beyonce and her Momma and her step father are trying to do for young people as far as literacy, education and how to protect them.

WACO became official, opening its doors in April by adopting the Kipp Academy of LA, offering a full year-long mentorship to a group of young people; operating Saturday sessions, acting classes, field trips and self empowerment training.

Like my mother always said, you can be on the right track but still get ran over, so its important to have people who can tell you when youre being distracted and keep you focused and thats what Richards Warriors and Tinas Angels are doing, believes attendee, Glen Turman. Keeping these young people focused and on track.

Hosted by Philanthropists, Richard Lawson and wife, Tina Knowles Lawson, the Wearable Art Gala self-expressive red carpet, auction and award ceremony simply showcased their love for their family. Richard and Tina with their close-knit group of friends give and give in a big way.

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Glynn Turman, his wife Joann with daughter, Richard Lawsons daughter, Bianca Lawson (Queen Sugar) Magic and Cookie Johnson, Samuel L. and LaTanya Jackson, authors Micheal Eric Dyson and Terry McMillan, Rodney and Holly Robinson-Peete, Representative Maxine Waters, Philantropist Felicia Horowitz, Khephra Burns and wife Susan Taylor and even Tyler Perry were among the attendees to the red carpeted event where the more elaborate and artistic, the better.

Some adorned the themed Black Panther, Wakandan inspired African-garb like Robi Reed who graced the carpet in a full length mudd cloth dress conceived by Costume Designer Ruth Carter. Susan Taylor wore a Queens crown on the aim of her husband, who wore a warriors red-laced cape. Others set their own style like Cookie Johnson who wore a leather-like, cat suit with added leopard print with puffed shoulders. Costumed in a seamless taupe fitted gown with structured feathers attached to her right arm, Tina Knowles Lawson designed allowed her imagination to fly free.

Rarely do you see people dress with this much imagination. Because this is about young people; for young people to see adults use their imagination. It helps them to us their imagination and not be so stifled by peer pressure and by other peoples opinions, voiced Richard Lawson. Look around you, the people that are dressed boldly dont really care about what other people think. This is an expression of who they are. And thats what were about. Do you!

After the lively red carpet closed, the live auction began with Star Jones leading the bidding. With all benefits going towards the WACO Theater Center, an acrylic painting by Sidney Poitier was sold to writer, director and producer Tyler Perry, afterwhich, a piece of artwork composed of law and medical books by Samuel Levi Jones sold to Blue Ivy with the help of her parents. A glamorous Lorraine Schwartz pair of panther earrings sold to Beyonce.

Soon after the auction, both Beyonce and Gloria Carter (Jay Zs mother) were honored with humanitarian awards. Opening the ceremony was the Former first lady Michelle Obamas emotional recorded taped message recognizing her love for Beyonce and her giving spirit. Because millions of girls around the world love you and admire you  including my daughters  it means even more that they see you standing up for others, says Michelle Obama, Im so honored and proud of everything that you have achieved and everything that you have contributed to our country and our world.

Dedicating her award to her mother, Beyonce graced the stage dressed in an all golden ensemble after being greeted by one of her longtime fans, 17-year old Hannah Brammer, who has formed a bond with the international superstar.

Theres something that feels very off about receiving this award from my mother. She raised me to believe that giving was not an option, but a privilege and a responsibility, voiced Beyonce. I never thought people should receive awards like this because in my opinion, the giving is the reward and thats enough..

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Also honored was Jay-Zs mom, Gloria Carter, who was given the Everyday People Award because of her mentoring to Brooklyn kids through the Shawn Carter Foundation. Jay Z, dressed in a black fitted suit and grown out afro and told the story of being raised by his ma, who taught him that the sky is the limit.

Even though we are each uniquely individuals, we need each other to be successful. Not one of us has become successful without the help of someone else, says Gloria Carter. By being a part of this event, you now become a part of changing the life of a young person  by helping them move forward. Remember, youre greatness isnt supposed to stay with just you, its supposed to be shared. It will make a positive difference in everybodys life.

(photos courtesy of Kristina Dixon)
Holman UMC Hosts WOMEN RISING!

Holman United Methodist Church will host Women Rising: Organizing Power for the Advancement and Achievement of Racial Justice, Gender Equality and Economic Equity on Saturday, March 31, at 9 a.m., on its campus located at 3320 W. Adams Blvd., in Los Angeles.

According to Pastor Kelvin Sauls, the purpose of the free event is women empowerment and the goal is to educate, promote, and uplift all women of Los Angeles.

This 2018 Women Rising event is a platform to provide women with inspiration, motivation, validation, and information related to womens issues. Women will learn about health and wellness, how to improve and enhance their self-esteem, educated on legislative processes and how to thrive in a safe circle of sisterhood, said Sauls, who worked with four co-chairs to develop the agenda.

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The co-chairs are realtor and certified mediator Juanita Hamilton, community advocate Diane Mitchell Henry, empowerment enthusiast Faredeh Hutchinson and physical therapist Danielle Wortham.

Program participants include keynote speakers Noubese Flint, policy director and manager of Reproductive Justice Programming; and Dr. Gail Wyatt, clinical psychologist and UCLA professor.

Serving as panelists are the Rev. Judi Wortham-Sauls, Holman UMC first lady; Heather Hutt, district director for Senator Kamala Harris; Barbara Perkins, author and co-founder of the Los Angeles African American Women Public Policy Institute (LAAAWPPI); Dr. Condessa Curley, board member of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation; and Cassandra Chase, co-founder and director of Read Lead for Literacy programs (Freedom School). Margaret Prescod, host of Sojourner Truth Radio, will serve as moderator.

Also, Gwendolyn Poindexter, author of Zoe the Short-Necked Giraffe and entrepreneur Jasmine Gant, creative director and founder of Aromastories.com, will participate.

To RSVP or learn more, call Joni Arlain at (323) 731-7285 or visit holmanumc.com/eventitems/womenrising.
IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOL SYSTEM REALISTIC?

Public education has failed Black students. Tragically, by virtually any measure, they are behind all other groups, including immigrant Latino students who have been in the U.S. for only three years. At the federal, state and local levels there have been some programs that relate to African American students. However, such efforts did not, and still do not focus exclusively on their specific needs. Rather, Black students are always lumped with other so-called disadvantaged students based on familiar criteria-chiefly poverty, and have never received the care and targeted resources absolutely necessary for educational success.

On the other hand, Latino students designated as English Learners (ELL) have an advantage-especially in Los Angeles and other large urban school districts. Their increasingly large numbers and specific language-acquisition needs are officially recognized and funded. Not so for Black students.

Unless and until Black students are treated like their lives really matter, and get attention and resources commensurate with their needs, they will continue to receive an inferior education. Making this happen requires significant and sustained pressure on school districts first by the Black community itself. Of course, strong effective Black leadership is indispensable for leading and sustaining the broad political support crucial for bringing about such change. How can the non-education of Black students be reversed? It will take an unapologetic focus that generates broad concern and equitable resources for Black students to get the job done.

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An article in the Black Star Project titled, A Proposal: A Black American Public School System (June 5, 2015) by Michael Holzman, offers a provocative conceptual alternative to the current public school model to improve educational outcomes for African American students. Those who may consider Holzmans proposal naive, or mere fantasy, downplay the crippling reality of what currently exists, i.e., education systems that virtually ensure failure for countless African American students.

Excerpts from Holzman article:

The American education system has failed the descendants of enslaved Africans. Only 16% read at grade level in middle school (and only 12% of male African Americans do so). Just over half of male Black students graduate from high school in four years as compared to more than three-quarters of male white students. Twenty-one percent of young Black women graduate from college, but only 16% of young Black men compared to 31% and 30% for white women and men respectively. As a result of the failure of public schools to educate Black children, their lifetime earnings are reduced, on average, by over a million dollars, or a total of $5 trillion for this generation of the descendants of enslaved Africans as a whole.

This $1 million individual reduction in lifetime earnings is quantifiable because its the continuing harm resulting from centuries of slavery and an additional 150 years of Jim Crow and its lingering effects. As such, it can be taken as one component of the calculation of the figures for deserved restitution.

While the average per-student expenditure for Black students is less than $12 thousand, the amount spent on white students whose families are in the upper 20% of incomes can easily reach $30 thousand. Adding to that, the amounts spent by the latter on education activities outside of school hoursprivate lessons of various kinds, tutoring, educational travelwe can estimate the annual monetary educational disadvantage of Black students as at least $25 thousand. Given the approximate K-12 Black enrollment of seven million, the total annual shortfall is in the range of $175 billion. If this $175 billion were available for the education of Black American children, how could it be used to eliminate the penalty for being educated while Black?

One idea would be to utilize the existing legal framework underpinning the charter school movement to create a national school network for American descendants of enslaved Africans: The African American Public School System. These schools would be funded in each locality by the usual local, state and federal contributions, supplemented by a National Black Educational Fund (NBEF), capitalized with restitution contributions. The total per student expenditure would vary by locality, but would everywhere be sufficient at a minimum for universal pre-kindergarten, all-day literacy-oriented kindergarten, challenging college preparatory curriculum with after-school, Saturday and summer classes; highly selective effective teachers supported by an ongoing subject area and pedagogical professional development and fine facilities.

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Use of advanced technology would enable geographically neutral delivery of resources, including administration so that Black students in a small elementary school in the rural South would have educational resources equivalent to those of Black students in Northeastern and Far Western suburban Black American public schools. (Do such schools exist?

Graduates of Black American public schools admitted to college would be provided with tuition and living expenses. Others would receive support for job training, including apprenticeships.

Increases in Black high school and college graduation rates would result in higher Black annual and lifetime earnings, with consequent improvements in health, family and social life, childhood well-being in the Black community and increased contributions to governmental revenue at all levels. In this way, the education system, the deficiencies of which now drive the Black poverty cycle, would instead serve as a foundation for the prosperity of the Black community.

(Three years ago, The Leadership Education Fund released a report, Cheating Our Future: How Decades of Disinvestment by States Jeopardizes Equal Educational Opportunity. It documents the massive resource disparities in public schools nationwide.)

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Its time for California to take a bold position: Children do not belong behind bars

In the past, youth justice in California has tried a tough and heavy-handed approach, particularly on youth of color. We now know from solid research of youth development and juvenile justice that punishment should be our last approach, a recourse only taken when more effective options such as mental health services and community-based programs dont work. Incarceration can have lifelong consequences on a young person. A prison stint means a youth is more likely to become a high school dropout and more likely to be chronically unemployed.

Almost 10 years ago, California decided to focus instead on rehabilitation, which resulted in the reduction of kids in state facilities from 10,000 to approximately 680. County facilities across the state have had similar reductions. It is now time for us to go a step further and reduce youth incarceration and reimagine how we prepare all of our youth for second chances and successful futures.

There is public support for an evolved approach. A recent poll by The California Endowment, showed that an overwhelming number of Californians supported closing youth prisons. The states voters, who in the 1990s led the national push for what we now know to be failed tough-on-crime policies, have been convinced by data showing its cheaper and more effective to give youth a chance at redemption rather than a prison cell.

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A focus on rehabilitation is smart policy and it saves taxpayer dollars. It also addresses grave racial injustices that exist in the criminal justice system. Nationwide, a Black youth is five times more likely to be arrested than a White youth; for Latinos, its almost twice as likely. These stark racial inequities were the impetus behind a challenge undertaken by the select committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color, to further reduce youth incarceration. Simply put, imprisoning a child should never be an option.

Reducing the states youth prison is ambitious, but achievable. Through a focus on restorative services such as community service, mental health treatment and educational support, programs across the state have successfully helped youth in trouble recover from their mistakes and get their lives back on the right track. Diversion programs, as they are known, work by helping youth avoid arrest and imprisonment, and instead make positive choices for their futures. In L.A. County, only 11 percent of youth who participate in diversion programs return to the system, compared to 33 percent of those who were incarcerated, a pattern that is reflected in youth justice programs throughout the state.

The rate of return on the two tactics requires that state legislators take a hard look at how the state is spending its money. In Los Angeles County, it costs nearly $300,000 to incarcerate a kid for one year, versus $5,000 to put him or her through a community rehabilitation program. The math itself indicates that prison should be the last resort.

California can rise to the challenge by making a commitment to invest in diversion before any other option. The legislatures Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color has held hearings during this session to hear from the experts, who were instrumental in reducing the youth prison population dramatically over last 10 years. The resounding consensus is that the budget should reflect our values, and our values have to reflect that belief in our youth.

We know that rehabilitation programs work. We see a future where youth prisons are not needed, offering an opportunity to rethink how we use those spaces and financial resources. We know that youth who need a second chance often fall into trouble because they never had a first chance  a first chance to succeed in their schools and their communities. Resources should be redirected toward prevention programs that provide the educational, employment and social support that all children need to thrive.

For both of us, this issue goes beyond our roles as a legislator and philanthropic leader. For one of us, my uncle was one of the original Little Rock Nine who helped to desegregate education; As Chair of the Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color it is my intent to dismantle the school to prison pipeline. For the other, the experience of having a younger brother in and out of prison as a teenager provided an insiders lens to the ways that systems fail our most vulnerable. Investing in a real future for all our states youth is beyond smart taxpayer stewardship  its the right thing to do.

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Los Angeles County made a new commitment to transform its youth justice system, investing more than $26 million over four years in community rehabilitation programs. Los Angeles County has the largest number of youth who are incarcerated and detained in the nation, and the future of this program will surely inform the rest of the nation. It is time for the rest of California to catch up and definitively say that prisons are no place for our children.
Jenesse CEO Karen Earl Honored with 2018 Pioneer Woman of the Year Award

Award recognized leaders who champion gender equity in the City of Los Angeles.

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and Council President Herb J. Wesson, Jr., named Jenesse Center CEO Karen Earl as 2018 Pioneer Woman of the Year for the City of Los Angeles 10th Council District.

The annual Pioneer Woman of the Year Award honors leaders who champion gender equity in the City of Los Angeles. The theme of this years ceremony was The Intersection of Female Homelessness: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking.

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Council President Herb J. Wesson, Jr. said, We are proud to honor (Karen Earl) who has selflessly contributed to the lives of women and girls and the most vulnerable groups among them.

Karen Earl, Jenesse CEO said, The work that we do at Jenesse Center is a team effort; I would like to thank and include in this acknowledgement the Jenesse Board Members, Staff and the Jenesse Achievement Circle. Our story started with 5 African American women, victims of domestic violence, who believed if they spoke up, they could make a change not only for themselves, but other women too. Now, Jenesse is coming up on 40 years of service for a social ill that, for a long time, NO ONE wanted to talk about! SILENCE and SHAME was devastating women in our community. Now, we have the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, where women and men are no longer suffering in silence or stigma. Victims are no longer being blamed for what they suffered. Its a new day and we have been working towards this turning point for years.

Earl said, People ask what they can do to move this cause forward. We need resources to support our prevention and intervention programs that address gender-based abuse and violence, particularly for African American women, who are often the most vulnerable. We need financial help to educate the community, particularly young people on what healthy relationships look like, what is socially acceptable behavior and what is a violation of human rights, so that we can break the cycle of violence. We sincerely appreciate the donor support that makes Jenesses sustainability possible and for this prestigious award that recognizes our programs and services that champion the basic human right for everyone to have peace and safety in their homes, schools, workplaces and relationships.
Jury Awards $33.5 Million to Family of Police Shooting Victim

The family of a mentally ill man fatally shot by San Bernardino County sheriffs in 2015, was recently awarded over 33 million dollars by a California jury. The jury deliberated two hours before deciding that $15.5 million in compensatory damages and $18 million in punitive damages should go to Nathaniel Harris Pickett Jr.s family, who said the victims body was left unrefrigerated for several days while in the sheriffs possession. The familys attorney Dale Galipo said the award shows that unjustified shootings will not be tolerated.

Its the jurys way of saying they will not tolerate the continued police shootings of unarmed men, he said.

Pickett, was reportedly mentally ill and had just moved into a hotel. News reports said he had been trying to avoid the deputy in 2015 and started running when Woods pursued him, believing that Pickett was trespassing on the Motel property. The lawsuit alleges that Pickett fell and was trying to move away from Woods when the deputy shot him in the chest.

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[The county] tried to sell a story to the jury about how the incident happened that the jury realized, through the presentation of evidence, was not true, Galipo said.

The court found that the deputy was negligent by unlawfully detaining Pickett, denying him timely medical care and using deadly force, according to federal court records.

We strongly disagree with the outcome based on the evidence in this case, sheriffs Lt. Sarkis Ohannessian said in a statement. Our attorneys, the department and the county, will be discussing appealing the jurys award.
King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh

King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh, made his world premiere debut at the California Science Center on Wednesday, March 21 for the media and will be open to the public on March 24. The exhibition is presented by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, IMG. King Tut will be on display here, in South Los Angeles until 2019, tour two international cities, then be permanently laid to rest on display in Cairo, Egypt.

The gallery is split into two levels, displayed with dim, soft blue and gold tones. The walk-through exhibit has over 150 artifacts, some never before seen. The artifacts range from elaborate chains, weaponry, burial gifts and a larger than life Guardian statue. Each gallery explains the history and significance of King Tuts legacy and impact on not only Egypt and Africa but on the world. The California Science Center displays a story of the excavation findings of King Tuts tomb in 1922 by British archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter. The once-hidden treasures reveal the great magic and brilliance of the Egyptian King and his people through stories, figurines and the Hieroglyphic alphabet, just to name a few.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, was excited to be in attendance and toured the gallery with his father, former 40th district attorney, Gil Gracetti. Los Angeles is home to treasures from throughout the world  and this exhibition will be [a] powerful addition that gives visitors a fascinating glimpse into history, said Mayor Garcetti.

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40% of the artifacts have never been outside of Egypt before and were thrilled to share it not only with Los Angeles, California but all of North America. Its not just an amazing beauty collection of artifacts, but it also tells a story. A story of his life and also a long journey on how modern science has played a role in preservation of King Tuts lineage, said Jeff Rudolph, President and CEO of California Science Center.

The occasion of the 100th anniversary of one of the greatest archeological discoveries in history inspired us to create an exhibition like none before. As millions of people around the world get the opportunity to see the ancient objects in an immersive and personal context, we know King Tuts place in peoples imaginations will be secure for generations to come, said John Norman Managing Director, Exhibitions, IMG.

The California Science Center is in a community that serves everyone but also serves the underserved. The King Tut exhibit will serve as an opportunity for the entire community and region to come learn about King Tut and his origins. Its pretty exciting that we can offer this to serve a wide range people, said Monique Hudson, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs of the California Science Center.

The exhibition takes some time to walk through and learn about King Tuts life and one-of-a-kind journey. There are nine distinct galleries and 3D visuals, digital content, 360 degree theatrical manifestations, custom soundscapes and more along with an engaging, audio-guided tour, and a gift shop. The museum encourages schools, families and community members to come learn not only about the marvels of King Tut.
L.A. Takes Lead on Legal Brief Seeking to Prevent DACA Termination

Los Angeles is leading a national coalition of 40 U.S. cities and counties, along with the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, in filing a legal brief seeking to prevent the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, City Attorney Mike Feuer announced Wednesday March 21.

Long Beach, Santa Monica and West Hollywood are among the cities and governments joining Los Angeles in the amicus brief, along with New York City, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

The brief asks the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold an existing injunction against the Department of Homeland Security preventing it from terminating the DACA program.

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DACA, created by DHS through an executive order by former President Barack Obama in 2012, allows about 850,000 immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children  often referred to as Dreamers  to work and study openly without fear of deportation. The Trump administration announced last September that it would end DACA in March unless Congress passed legislation to save the program.

We continue to fight to keep DACA alive and to seek clarity for the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who depended on the program when they came out of the shadows, Feuer said. Today cities and counties across America stand united with the Dreamers, who personify the American values of education, hard work, and belief in a better tomorrow.

When announcing the termination of the program last September, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the compassionate thing is to end the lawlessness, enforce our laws, and, if Congress chooses to make changes to those laws, to do so through the process set forth by our founders in a way that advances the interest of the nation.

Congress has not passed any legislation to preserve DACA, but federal judges have so far blocked the Trump administrations attempt to end the program.

Young people with DACA protection should have their minds focused on building the future they dream about  not fear of being torn from the people they love and the only home they know, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. Were standing behind family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers who make extraordinary contributions to our communities and economy  and who simply want the stability and acceptance that everyone in America deserves.

Nearly 50 percent of all currently active DACA recipients live within the borders of the 40 cities and counties participating in the amicus brief, according to Feuers office.

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The amicus brief states that local jurisdictions will suffer direct economic harm if DACA is rescinded, and that it would make communities less safe and DACA recipients much less likely to report criminal activity out of fear of deportation. The brief also argues that in terminating DACA, DHS acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner, failed to comply with the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act, and did not provide supportable rationale for the decision to terminate the program.
NAACP Joins Campaign to Increase Affordable Housing across America

National Groups Partner in Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign

The NAACP, the nations foremost civil rights organization, has joined a coalition of other social justice organizations to push for more affordable housing policies across the country through the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign.

Recent NLIHC research shows the U.S. has a shortage of 7.2 million rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income (ELI) renters, and 11 million ELI renter households are severely housing cost-burdened, spending more than half of their incomes on housing. There are only 35 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 ELI households nationwide, and no state has an adequate supply of affordable rental housing for the lowest income renters. Just 1 out of 4 eligible low-income households receives federal housing assistance.

The consequences of Americas affordable housing crisis are spilling over into many other areas like the education, health care, civil rights, anti-hunger, homelessness, and anti-poverty sectors. By combining voices and expertise, leading organizations from these sectors seek to build a broad national movement that promotes federal policies that protect and expand affordable housing.

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The NAACP is proud to join this multi-sector housing campaign as it aligns with our goal of economic equality in housing, said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO. The research is increasingly clear that housing affects all aspects of a quality life; therefore, federal housing policy is very important for the people we serve. We find that threats to federal housing assistance are unprecedented and this campaign will indeed shed a brighter light on the needs of all communities.

The Opportunity Starts at Home campaign launched March 20, 2018 at the National Low Income Housing Coalitions (NLIHCs) Housing Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. With financial support from the Funders for Housing and Opportunity, NLIHC launched this new multi-sector affordable homes campaign together with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Childrens HealthWatch, Make Room, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The NAACP is part of the steering committee of the campaign, which includes, Catholic Charities USA, Childrens Defense Fund, Community Catalyst, Food Research and Action Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Education Association, and UnidosUS.

Joining the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign is part of the NAACPs commitment to advocating for the Economic Sustainability1 of its 6 game changer issues. Affordable and inclusive housing has historically been a roadblock for many African-Americans on the path to financial growth, and present-day policies still fall short in closing the economic gap between Black Americans and their white counterparts.

The Opportunity Starts at Home campaign seeks to mobilize powerful new constituencies beyond housing to ensure that people with the lowest incomes have access to safe, decent, affordable housing in neighborhoods where everyone has equitable opportunities to thrive.

The long-term goals of the campaign are to promote federal policies that:

Bridge the growing gap between renter incomes and rising housing costs;

Provide aid to people experiencing job losses or other economic shocks to avert housing instability or homelessness; and

Expand the affordable housing stock for the lowest-income renters.

The campaign will also act to defend against funding cuts and harmful policy changes in existing low-income housing programs.

Opportunity Starts at Home is also working to strengthen the capacities of multi-sector state coalitions that share the campaigns goals. The campaign has already issued capacity-building grants to partners in seven states: California, Idaho, Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, and Utah.

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The time to act is now, said Diane Yentel, NLIHC president and CEO. The housing affordability problem has reached historic heights. Federal housing assistance is chronically underfunded and faces increasing threats. Its time for those who believe that everyone in America deserves a safe and affordable home to join in a movement that will ensure fundamental opportunities for people most in need.

UnidosUS is dedicated to improving opportunities for Latinos and were especially proud of our work over the past 50 years to empower Latinos to contribute and to share in the nations economic opportunities, said Eric Rodriguez, UnidosUS vice president for policy and advocacy. A good home is the foundation for many of those opportunities: a better education for our children, enhanced employment opportunities, and a safe and stable place for families to live. We joined Opportunity Starts at Home because too many hardworking families struggle to keep a roof over their heads and it will take all sectors of society to make progress and ensure that more Americans, including Latinos, have a place to call home.

The United States cannot say we cherish our children when millions of extremely poor children each year suffer through homelessness or are denied access to safe and affordable housing, said Richard Hooks Wayman, national executive director of the Childrens Defense Fund. Research shows that half of our intelligence potential is developed by age four. Positive child development is linked to a sense of safety, predictability, and routines. We must do our part to ensure that children have housing stability during a critical stage of development. We must do our part to ensure that housing in this nation is affordable and accessible. And we must do our part to ensure that investments in affordable housing production that keep children safe and secure is continued.

NAMI is proud to be a part of this multi-sector housing campaign, because access to decent, safe and affordable housing is a critical need for people living with a mental illness, said Andrew Sperling, director of legislative and policy advocacy at the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is simply not possible to achieve recovery and a full life in the community without stable housing. Given the current threats to rental assistance programs, it is critical that NAMI joins with our partners across so many diverse sectors to fight for policies and future investments in affordable rental housing programs.

NEA is committed to the three million members and the 50 million students we serve and are pleased to support programs, campaigns and initiatives that are in support of students, educators and families, said Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association. We understand and know firsthand the impacts affordable and stable housing have on student success. We also know that given the wages and income of some of our members, it impacts where they work as well as their own families.

Housing affordability is one of the greatest challenges facing our nation. It limits economic mobility, reinforces racial inequities, reduces health and education outcomes, and is a primary driver of homelessness in the United States, said Nan Roman, president and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The Opportunity Starts at Home campaign brings together an unprecedented multi-sector coalition, focused on increasing critically needed federal investments in affordable housing. We are honored to be part of this important effort.

No one should be without a safe and stable home, which is why the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign is so critical, especially now, said Ali Solis, president and CEO of Make Room Inc. By partnering with organizations from the healthcare, housing and education sectors who share our mission, Make Room hopes to accelerate our goal of creating a country where everyone has a home that they can afford. We are honored to be part of this important campaign.

Too often, the issues of housing, health, education and income security are considered in silos, separate from one another, said Doug Rice, senior policy analyst for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. But a home is much more than just four walls and a roof; its the pathway to a healthier, more prosperous, and more secure life, and something that far too many Americans cannot attain. We are excited to join forces with leaders in so many fields to advance effective solutions to help our nations most vulnerable.

A stable, affordable home is a prescription for good health, said Dr. Megan Sandel, principal investigator with Childrens HealthWatch. Childrens HealthWatch is excited to join our colleagues on the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign to identify solutions that provide access to safe, decent, affordable housing in neighborhoods where everyone has equitable opportunities to thrive.

Learn more about the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign at www.OpportunityHome.org.
Sacramento Residents Demand Answers in Stephon Clark Killing

Angry and frustrated residents are demanding answers after a police-involved shooting left an unarmed, Black man dead last week. Stephon Clark, 22, was fatally shot in his Meadowview area backyard Sunday, March 18 after two Sacramento Police Department (SPD) officers shot at him more than 20 times. Local law enforcement officers were in the area after receiving a 911 call about a man suspected of breaking into vehicles in the area.

A Sacramento County Sheriffs Department helicopter spotted a man they believed to be that suspect, described as being 61, thin, and wearing a black hoodie and dark pants, in a backyard and they directed SPD officers on the ground to that location.

Helicopter personnel also communicated to officers that the suspect had picked up a toolbar and broke a window to a residence. Officers who had been canvassing other yards, eventually entered the front yard of a home on the 7500 block of 29th Street and observed Clark, along the side of the residence. Officers commanded Clark to stop and show his hands. According to a statement released by the SPD, the officers say Clark turned and advanced towards them while holding an object which was extended in front of him. The officers said they believed Clark was pointing a gun at them and, fearing for their safety, they fired their duty weapons.

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Police admit they only found a cellphone, not a gun or a toolbar, on the scene.

On Wednesday, March 21, the SPD released video footage of the interaction from the body cameras worn by both officers, as well as audio from the initial 911 calls and dispatch. Chief Daniel Hahn, the citys first African American police chief, has vowed to be transparent in such incidents since he took the position last year. Sacramento City Council policy on Police Use of Force mandates that the SPD release video and audio associated with police-involved shootings to the public within 30 days. The policy was adopted after a mentally ill Black man, Joseph Mann, was shot and killed by SPD officers in Del Paso Heights in 2016. The three-day turn around in the Clark shooting is much quicker than has happened in years past.

SPD acknowledges the seriousness of this incident and the impact it has on our community, reads one of two statements on the shooting, released by the SPD last week.

We are committed to providing timely information, communicating openly, and working directly with our community, so that they have a full understanding of what occurred, the statement continues.

The body camera videos are each about 17 minutes long. While neither officer has been identified, one appears to be White or Hispanic and the other African American. In the graphic video, the officers dont appear to identify themselves as police officers, but simply say, Hey, show me your hands, gun and seconds later Show me your hands, gun, gun gun, before one shoots off 10 rounds and the other, at least 11.

Officers waited five minutes for backup to arrive and can be heard telling Clark, who was unresponsive, to show his hands. One officer tells another to grab a non-lethal from a police vehicle so they can hit him a couple of times with that, before approaching him. When officers did approach Clarks body, he was laying face down on the ground. They handcuffed him and began CPR. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the Sacramento Fire Department.

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The use of non-lethal weapons, such as rifles that shoot bean bags at suspects, were part of reforms fought for by local activists after the Mann incident and the shooting death of another Black man, Dazion Flenaugh; the mandatory use of body cameras was also part of the reforms.

You authorized non-lethal weapons. Why werent non-lethal weapons used in this instance? Richard Owen, co-chair of the Law Enforcement Accountability Directive, asked of the city council during a meeting where the Stephon Clark shooting incident was discussed.

Owen continued: Did Mr. Clark really have to die? It doesnt seem that way to the community.

Owen, a retired school principal, also questioned why officers waited before attempting to save Clarks life. While Owen said hed hold off for the video to reveal the facts, he addressed some of the most salacious rumors that have been circling in the community regarding the shooting.

If this man was shot in the back and shot 20 times, thats excessive force without question, Owen said.

Chief Hahn, who was at the meeting to read an official SPD statement, and answer questions, said those elements of the incident are currently under investigation. Family members are also asking why the body cameras were muted for a period of time.

Black Lives Sacramento leader Tanya Faison also spoke out at this weeks city council meeting.

Im sick of seeing people die that look like me, Ms. Faison said.

She called for the firing of the officers involved in the shooting, as others in the audience voiced their agreement.

I know the City Manager doesnt have the power to convict, but he does have the power to fire, Ms. Faison said. You need to start firing these officers when they kill us in the streets. It needs to happen. Im tired of this.

Also concerning members of the public is how police interacted with Clarks family after the shooting. The home where the shooting occurred was that of his grandparents, with whom hed been staying.

His grandmother, Sequita Thompson, told local media that the police questioned her for hours about what shed heard, but was never told that her grandson had been shot. It wasnt until she looked out of a window that she saw him on the ground, dead.

Local and national Black leaders have vowed to demand justice for Clark and his family. Black Lives Matter and Rev. Les Simmons of South Sacramento Christian Center spearheaded vigils and rallies, where those who knew Clark called him a loving son and father of two young boys, who didnt deserve to die.

The Rev. Al Sharpton says hes talked with Clarks mother, Sequette Clark, and that hell visit Sacramento in the coming weeks.

Rev. Sharpton has spoken out against the police involved deaths of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota; and Eric Garner on Staten Island, New York.

It is an atrocity that an unarmed young man was shot at twenty times in his own backyard and shows the urgent need in these times for intervention against police misconduct. We will call for a complete and thorough investigation into this young mans death, said Rev. Sharpton, the founder of the National Action Network, in a statement.

Sacramento NAACP President Betty Williams has vowed to stand guard to (ensure) there is a just outcome for all parties involved. In a statement, Ms. Williams says shes calling for an independent investigation and has asked the FBI to get involved.

The NAACP is concerned with the tragic loss of life which continues to plague our nation, Ms. Williams said. The recent incident in Sacramento that took the life of Stephon Clark and similar ones throughout the nation, occur all too frequently. While we respect the role of (SPD) in our community, these shootings have angered, frustrated and frightened people in our community. We are also frustrated with the justice system which fails to indict (officers in) such killings.

The shooting is being investigated in conjunction with the Sacramento County District Attorneys Office, the Sacramento City Attorneys Office and the Citys Office of Public Safety Accountability. Per department policy, the two officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.

The Sacramento Observer is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Learn more about becoming a member at www.nnpa.org .
Trumps Immigration Polices Continue to Terrorize as He Ends Program for Liberian Immigrants

On Tuesday, March 27, Trump sent a MEMO to Homeland Security stating, I find that conditions in Liberia no longer warrant a further extension of DED, but that the foreign policy interests of the United States warrant affording an orderly transition (wind-down) period to Liberian DED beneficiaries. In consultation with my advisors, I have concluded that a 12 month wind down period is appropriate in order to provide Liberias government with time to reintegrate its returning citizens and to allow DED beneficiaries who are not eligible for other forms of immigration relief to make necessary arrangements and to depart the United States.

On a recent call, conducted by UndocuBlack Network and Americas Voice Education Fund, advocates expressed their immediate concern regarding DED- Deferred Enforced Departure program. The Trump administration had until March 31, to decide whether to extend the program or allow it to expire which would leave many Liberian immigrants status uncertain.

On the call Rose Knuckles Bull, DED holder from New York, stated, I have been a resident of Staten Island, New York for the past 18 years. I have worked in Human Resources for the Fire Department and in the Voter Registration Office. For people like me, who have been here since 1991, the programs and communities weve invested in for nearly two decades will be negatively impacted with the termination of DED. She continued, It would be unfair to force us to return to Liberia without anything, and start all over again at this age. The President should extend DED beyond this March 31st deadline.

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The program was initially implemented in 2007 by President George W Bush and was extended by President Obama 7 times. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website currently reads, Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is in the Presidents discretion to authorize as part of his power to conduct foreign relations. Although DED is not a specific immigration status, individuals covered by DED are not subject to removal from the United States, usually for a designated period of time.

Nancy Harris, DED holder stated, without DED we will have no way to work and take care of our family; we wont have access to personal loans and our daughters wont have access to federal student aid. DED recipients are educated individuals  who are working to help themselves and pay federal and state taxes  with communities that benefit from their presence. Harris has been in the United States for 18 years, and came with her daughters to join her husband who is a mission pastor at a local church.

Patrice Lawrence, National Policy and Advocacy Director, UndocuBlack Network, stated,

the Liberian population is unique as they are a multi-generational population many of whom served their best years in the United States and others have yet much more to look forward to.

Currently, 50 bipartisan members of Congress from both parties have sent a letter to Trump indicating their strong commitment to preserving the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) immigration program, which has allowed for many Liberians to lawfully live and work in the United States for decades.
Virgil Abloh named Louis Vuittons menswear designer

Paris-based fashion house Louis Vuitton has named Kanye West collaborator Virgil Abloh as its new menswear designer.

The 37-year-old is founder of the Off-White label and will become, alongside Balmains Olivier Rousteing, one of only two people of color in charge of a major fashion house. He replaces Kim Jones, who left in January to become mens wear designer for Christian Dior.

In a statement, Abloh said I find the heritage and creative integrity of the House are key inspirations and will look to reference them both while drawing parallels to modern times.

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Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke praised Ablohs innate creativity and disruptive approach (that) have made him so relevant, not just in the world of fashion but in popular culture today.

The company says Ablohs first show will take place during mens fashion week in Paris in June.
We need to revive Kings campaign against poverty

April 4, will mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, shot down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

At the time, we had come to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers seeking a living wage and a union. Dr. King was focused on organizing a Poor Peoples Campaign, an effort to bring people together across lines of race, religion and region to call on the country to address the grinding poverty of the day.

Fifty years later, poverty remains unfinished business. In Memphis, according to the authoritative 2017 Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet compiled by Dr. Elena Delavega of the University of Memphis, nearly 27 percent of the population  more than one in four  is in poverty. A horrifying 45 percent of children live in poverty. They suffer from inadequate food, health care, insecure housing and impoverished schools.

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Poverty has been going up among all races, except for people over 65, protected a bit by the earned benefits of Social Security and Medicare. Memphis is the poorest metropolitan area with a population over 1 million in the United States.

In the last years of his life, Dr. King turned his attention to the plague of war, poverty and continued racial injustice. He understood that the war on poverty had been lost in the jungles of Vietnam. The Civil Rights Movement had successfully eliminated legal segregation and won Blacks the right to vote. Now it was time to turn to this unfinished business.

We should not let the trauma of his death divorce us from the drama of his life, nor the riots that came in reaction to erase the agenda that he put forth for action.

At the center of that agenda was a call grounded in the economic bill of rights that President Franklin D. Roosevelt put forth coming out of the Great Depression and World War II. Americans, he argued, had come to understand the need for a guarantee of basic opportunity: the right to a job at a living wage, the right to health care, to quality public education, to affordable housing, to a secure retirement.

Now, 50 years later, we should revive Dr. Kings mission, not simply honor his memory. In the course of those years, African-Americans have experienced much progress and many reversals.

Over the last decades, Blacks have suffered the ravages of mass incarceration and a racially biased criminal justice system. In 2008, African-Americans suffered the largest loss of personal wealth in the mortgage crisis and financial collapse.

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Schools have been re-segregated as neighborhoods have grown more separated by race and class. New voter repression schemes have spread across the country. Gun violence wreaks the biggest toll among our poorest neighborhoods.

Through his life, Dr. King remained committed to non-violence. He sought to build an inter-racial coalition, openly disagreeing with those who championed Black separatism or flirted with violence.

He would have been overjoyed at the young men and women organizing the massive protests against gun violence, building a diverse movement, making the connection between the horror of school shootings in the suburbs and street shootings in our cities. And he would have been thrilled to see his nine-year-old granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, rouse the crowd with her presence and her words: My grandfather had a dream that his four little children would not be judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. I have a dream that enough is enough and this should be a gun-free world, period.

Now as we mark the 50th anniversary of his death, let us resurrect the mission of his life. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland set the tone, when he announced that the city would offer grants to the 14 living strikers from that time, and establish a matching grant program to subsidize the retirement savings of active sanitation workers. He hopes to expand this to all city workers not covered by the public pension plan.

At the national level, we should act boldly. Social Security and Medicare have dramatically reduced poverty among the elderly. With a jobs-guarantee policy, a Medicare for All program, a $15 minimum wage, debt-free college and affordable child care, we could slash poverty, open up opportunity and lift hope across the country.

We have the resources; the only question is whether we have the will. That will take organizing, non-violent protests, voter registration and mobilization  a modern-day poor peoples campaign.

We will not be silenced, said the young leaders at the March for Our Lives. That surely is a necessary first step.
Hamas leaders of the Palestinian territory of Gaza are asking people to march along its border with Israel in the coming weeks.

Hamas is seeking to gather large crowds to set up camps near the border beginning on Friday. It plans a number of demonstrations leading to a larger march to the border fence on May 15.

That day marks the 70th anniversary of Israels establishment as an independent nation. Palestinians call it the Nakba, or catastrophe.

Gazas leaders aim to gather hundreds of thousands of people for what organizers are calling the Great Return March. The group has not been able to get that many people to attend past demonstrations. But members of the Israeli government are still concerned. They have promised to react strongly if demonstrators cross the border.

Hamas official Ismail Radwan said, When we march to the border, the organizers will decide then what to do. He warned Israel against harming the protesters.

Hamas says the demonstration will center on the difficulty faced by hundreds of thousands of Gazans. They say they belong to families forced to flee their homes in what is now Israel, during the war that led to its creation.

Hamas seized Gaza from the internationally supported Palestinian Authority in 2007. Conditions in the territory have worsened since then.

Israel and Egypt blocked land, sea and air paths around Gaza when Hamas took power. Gaza and Israel have also fought three wars in that time. And last year, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas placed restrictions on Gaza to pressure Hamas into surrendering control of the area.

All of these events have greatly damaged Gazas economy.

Unemployment is well over 40 percent, there is no public, drinkable water and electricity is on for only a few hours a day.

Egypt has tried to organize an agreement between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. But, earlier this month, a bomb exploded near vehicles transporting Palestinian Authority officials into Gaza. The prime minister and security chief were among them but were not hurt.

The Palestinian Authority blamed Hamas for the attack. Hamas blamed Israel.

Mkhaimar Abusada is a political science professor at Gazas al-Azhar University. He said the Hamas leaders see themselves surrounded by opponents on three sides: Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. He said the protests are designed to move attention away from their problems at home while also troubling Israel without starting another war.

They think busying Israel with this issue may put it under pressure, he added.

Hamas popularity has greatly decreased over time. It is unclear whether the group will be able to gather the crowds it believes it can. Still, Gaze is a territory where there is little else for people to do with their free time. This, combined with social pressure could help bring in people.

The demonstrations will begin after the Muslim midday prayer on Friday. Buses will carry people from all over Gaza to the five camps, situated several hundred meters from the border fence.

Organizers say they are trying to make use of a Palestinian demand known as right of return. It demands that relatives of refugees who lost their homes in 1948 be able to regain their property.

Israel opposes any large return of refugees, saying it would destroy the countrys Jewish character.

Israeli Cabinet Minister Yoav Galant is a former general and member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus inner Security Cabinet. He said the military is well-prepared to prevent any border crossing.

We will try to use the minimum force that is needed in order to avoid Palestinians wounded and casualties, he said. But the red line is very clear. They stay on the Gazan side and we stay in Israel.

Violent incidents along the border have taken place every Friday since December 6. That is when President Donald Trump recognized disputed Jerusalem as Israels capital. He also announced plans to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv.

Im Caty Weaver.

And Im Pete Musto.

Fares Akram reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you.

What do you think the result of the demonstrations will be? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

catastrophe  n. a terrible disaster

situated  adj. located in a particular place

character  n. a set of qualities that are shared by many people in a group or country

minimum  adj. least or lowest possible in amount or degree

casualties  n. people who are hurt or killed during an accident or war
A man in the state of Michigan is free this week after being wrongly convicted of murder and spending 45 years in prison.

A judge has agreed to permanently drop the case against the man.

Richard Phillips is 71 years old. He said of his release that the criminal justice system works  it just didnt work fast enough.

A lawyer for Michigans Wayne County, Kym Worthy, said a new investigation by her office supported Phillips claim that he had no role in the shooting death of Gregory Harris in 1971.

She said a key witness lied during the trial in 1972.

Worthy said, Theres nothing I can say to bring back 40 years of his life.

The case was re-opened at the urging of the Innocence Clinic, part of the University of Michigans law school. It made the request after the co-defendant in the 1972 trial told the states parole board in 2010 that Phillips was not involved in the crime.

The co-defendant also said the key witness who lied during the trial helped him kill Harris.

The Innocence Clinic began working with Phillips on his case in 2014. He had been freed on bond since December 2017 and was expected to get a new trial this year. But the judges ruling this week means he does not need a second trial.

Judge Kevin Cox told Phillips, You have seen the worst and best of the criminal justice system.

Phillips likely will receive more than $2 million as part of Michigans wrongful conviction law.

David Moran is director of the Innocence Clinic. He said no one in the United States has ever served more time in prison before being freed than Phillips.

His freedom truly belongs to him again, Moran said.

When asked about his years in prison, Phillips told reporters, Ive never carried bitterness around, so Im not a bitter man.

As a free man, one of Phillips goals is to reunite with his two children. They were just 2 and 4 years old when he went to prison in 1972. Phillips said he has not heard from them and does not know where they live.

Phillips has settled in an area just outside of Detroit. He attends a church where he shares his story with others.

Im Jonathan Evans.

The Associated Press reported this story. Xiaotong Zhou adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

parole  n. permission given to a prisoner to leave prison before the end of a sentence usually as a reward for behaving well

convict  v. to prove that someone is guilty of a crime in a court of law

bitterness  n. feeling or showing a lot of hatred or anger

bond  n. the amount of money that someone promises to pay if a prisoner who is allowed to leave jail does not return later for a trial or to prison : an agreement to pay bail
South Korea has reached an agreement with North Korea to have the leaders of both countries meet for a summit on April 27.

Officials said South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the border village of Panmunjom.

The announcement came Thursday after high-level talks between the two sides in Panmunjom.

Panmunjom is a truce village that sits within a demilitarized area separating the two Koreas.

A statement released by the two countries said officials from North and South Korea plan to meet again on April 4 to discuss details for the summit.

The April 27 meeting will be the third summit ever held between leaders of the two Koreas since the 1950-53 Korean War. One of the summits happened in 2000, the other in 2007.

In 1945, the Korean Peninsula was divided into a U.S.-dominated south and Soviet Union-backed north. North Korea and South Korea became independent nations in 1948.

South Koreas Unification Minister told reporters Thursday that an important part of the summit will be setting up discussions between the leaders on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The minister said both sides would continue to hold working-level discussions centering on issues surrounding the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the stabilization of peace and the development of relations between the South and North.

The head of North Koreas delegation said before Thursdays talks that the past 80 days had been filled with "unprecedented historic events" between the two countries. He expressed hope that the summit would meet his nations desire for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The latest talks followed a surprise meeting this week in Beijing between Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Official Chinese news reports said Kim agreed in talks with Xi to discuss denuclearization.

Tension was high in the area last year after North Korea carried out repeated tests of nuclear weapons and missiles. But the tension decreased in recent months after the North halted the tests and took part in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Kim is also set to hold a summit meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump sometime before the end of May. The time and place for that meeting have not yet been announced.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn adapted this story from reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and VOA News. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

summit  n. an important meeting between leaders

truce  n. an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting, arguing, etc., for a certain period of time

dominate - v. to have control of or power over (someone or something)

stabilization  n. being made steady or stopped from moving

unprecedented  adj. never having happened before
China Hydroelectric Corporation is a developer, owner and operator of small hydroelectric power projects in China. The projects are located in Zhejiang, Fujian, Yunnan and Sichuan. As of December 31, 2012, wholly owns 22 operating hydroelectric power projects and have controlling interests in three operating hydroelectric power projects. In March 2012, the Company sold 100% of the Yuanping hydroelectric power project. In April 2013, the Company sold the Yuheng hydroelectric power project, a 30 megawatt (MW) project located in Fujian province. In July 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the merger with CPT Wyndham Sub Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CPT Wyndham Holdings Ltd.

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Wall Street analysts have given Engie a "Buy" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Engie wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
The Hyloscirtus japreria frog is a new species discovered in the remote Perija mountain range shared by Venezuela and Colombia

Venezuelan and Colombian scientists have identified a new species of frog in the Perija mountain range shared by both countries that is home to unusual species like this small amphibian.

With multi-colored skin and a distinctive song, the Hyloscirtus japreria was discovered during expeditions over the past decade living in rivers and cascades at altitudes above 1,000 meters (3,280 feet).

It was named in honor of the Japreria, a disappearing indigenous ethnic group in the Perija in the northwestern Venezuelan state of Zulia.

The frog's discoverypublished in February in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Zootaxabrings to 37 the number of species identified as belonging to the Hyloscirtus genus.

Small in size, the males measure between 2.8 and 3.2 centimeters (up to 1.25 inches) in length and the females from 3.5 to 3.9 centimeters.

The journey that led to their discovery began in 2008.

"Several years went by before we found enough evidence that it was a new species," biologist Fernando Rojas-Runjaic, the coordinator of the study, told AFP.

Once they determined it was a "stream frog, we had to verify that it wasn't a Hyloscirtus platydactylus, another species found in the Perija in 1994," he added,

The scientists recorded the find with cameras and high-definition sound recorders to capture its distinctive coloring and analyze its song.

Characteristics of a new species of frog found in the Perija mountain range between Venezuela and Colombia

The sounds emitted by the frog, which can be heard from 15 meters (yards) away, is one of its most distinctive characteristics, said expedition member Edwin Infante.

The H. japreria is also characterized by a pale yellow dorsal area with tiny dark brown spots and small reddish brown smudges.

It also has whitish stripes in certain parts of its eyes, ears, thighs and feet. The frog's iris is grey with a slender black reticulation.

Working with Rojas-Runjaic, of the Caracas-based La Salle Natural History Museum, were Colombian biologist Fabio Meza-Joya and Venezuelans Infante and Patricia Salerno.

Reaching the frog's habitats required expeditions of several days on foot and mule into the Perija mountains.

Access to the mountain range from Colombia was restricted for decades because of a conflict with leftist guerrillas, "which produced information vacuums," said Meza-Joya, adding that a 2016 peace agreement with the main rebel group should open the way for new discoveries.

"It opened a window to go into areas that were inaccessible. With peace, knowledge about biodiversity increases," he said.

Meza-Joya stressed that amphibians are fundamental to ecosystems, acting as regulators of insect populations that can be vectors of disease.

"Some species show marked vulnerability to environmental change so they are considered excellent indicators of the health of ecosystems," he said.

Explore further Search for vanishing frogs leads to discovery of new species

 2018 AFP
There will be a transition period after Brexit day, but on March 29, 2019, the United Kingdom will formally cease to be a member of the European Union (more on p14). Its what 52 percent of those who voted in June 2016 wanted. Halfway into the two-year process of leaving the European Union, the impact of Brexit on British nationals living abroad is still yet to materialize.

When the Times interviewed a sample of Macau-based British nationals prior to the 2016 referendum, the consensus view was in favoring of remaining within the economic and political union. Though most in the sample had lost their voting rights  due to a ruling that excludes British citizens who have lived abroad for 15 years or more from participating in the vote  the ubiquitous feeling was that, as expats, they felt a stronger sense of internationalism and solidarity with their European neighbors also living abroad.

Today, they say that nothings yet changed, and that they will have to wait to find out the specific terms wrought out in negotiations between Britain and the EU.

But cash-rich investors in the two SARs may be benefiting from the effects of the interim negotiation period  most notably the significant decline in the purchasing power of the pound.

In the immediate aftermath of the June 2016 referendum, the value of the British pound plummeted 8 percent against the U.S. dollar, followed several months later by another fall that took the currency to lows not seen in three decades.

While the pound has recovered most of that loss and is now trading at pre-slump levels, the interim period presented an attractive opportunity for Macau and Hong Kong investors faced with discounted but reliable UK- based assets.

A report by the South China Morning Post suggested that Hong Kong investors are still interested in the British economy despite uncertainty looming in the near and long term.

Quoting UK government officials, the report suggested that the UK property market in particular was benefiting from HKSAR investment; the result of Britains core economic approach as a country welcoming investment from around the globe. DB
The fishermen cant wait, the public dont want to wait, but Prime Minister Theresa May says she might need more time.

Just like Brexit itself, the question of how long the U.K. should spend getting ready before finally leaving the European Unions political and legal structures is dividing the country. First there was the argument about the transition period, which was agreed to last week.

Brexit-backing fishermen arent happy that the U.K. wont take back control of its waters  escaping the quotas of the Common Fisheries Policy  until Jan. 1, 2021. Yet it could have been worse for them, as May was exploring a longer transitional phase.

Now the question is what kind of future customs arrangements will apply to trade between the U.K. and the EU (and how will this help avoid a hard border with Ireland). May suggested earlier this week that designing a new customs regime and getting everything ready was turning out to be quite a time-consuming task.

Whats become clear is that sometimes the timetables that have originally been set are not the timetables that are necessary when you actually start to look at the detail and when you delve into what it really is that you want to be able to achieve, May said.

The prime ministers candid comment to Tory MP Nicky Morgan, in evidence to the Commons Liaison Committee, might be seen as a hint that shes planning something. Will the U.K. ultimately want a longer period of implementation once a new customs plan has been drawn up? Some Brexit watchers are already saying so, and May did little to suggest shes in a hurry to switch to a new regime.

For 52-year-old Angela Dunstan, a store manager in Lancaster, Brexit seems like its taking a long time already. Shes one of more than 130 people in nine locations across the country whom Bloomberg reporters interviewed for a state-of-the-nation portrait of Britain with one year left until exit day, on March 29, 2019.

Its back to the 80s for broadcasters without deal

For U.K.-based international broadcasters like Discovery Communications Inc. and Walt Disney Co. concerned about the consequences of Brexit, the European Union has some rather unhelpful advice: look to the 1980s.

If broadcasting isnt covered by a negotiated free-trade deal between Britain and the EU, the fallback is the 1989 European Convention on Transfrontier Television, the European Commission said in a notice on March 19.

Signed in the very year in which Tim Berners-Lee wrote his proposal for what would become the World Wide Web, that convention probably isnt enough to stop the broadcasters from relocating staff and operations to the EU. The treaty excludes seven member states, including Ireland and the Netherlands, lacks a mechanism for dispute settlement and of course doesnt cover online streaming, which is a rapidly growing source of revenue for broadcasters.

Its a major problem, said Alice Enders, a former economist for the World Trade Organization and head of research at media research firm Enders Analysis. The online transmission point is a killer.

At stake for the U.K. in resolving the broadcasting issue is about 1 billion pounds (USD1.4 billion) of annual investment on content, production facilities, wage costs and technology, according to research by media analysis firm Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates commissioned by the Commercial Broadcasters Association.

Akin to global banks, media companies that use London as their European hub are weighing relocating staff and operations due to Brexit. The likes of Swedens Modern Times Group AB and Time Warner Inc.s Turner International currently broadcast channels into the EU using U.K. licenses, a permission that will end when Britain leaves the European single market.

The inadequate contingency plan provided by the 1989 convention has media companies fretting because theres little precedent of the sector being included in free-trade deals. Broadcasting is one of the least liberalized sectors in global trade. Countries like France seek to limit what can be beamed in from overseas on cultural grounds and broadcasting was excluded from the EUs recent trade accord with Canada.

Countries such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium are all trying to woo companies considering a move. The Irish broadcasting regulator met with company officials in London earlier this month, while the President of Estonia will make a direct pitch to media executive yesterday.

A transition agreement between the U.K. and the EU announced earlier this month gives the companies some breathing space, but some will still want to relocate operations well in advance of Britains departure to guarantee transmission of their channels, said Helena Brewer, chief executive of RedBerry Media Ltd, a consultancy.

Its not possible for all broadcasters to sit on their hands and play the waiting game, Brewer said. They are more likely to move to provide certainty. Tim Ross, Bloomberg

Brexit latest

BORDER PATROL  The U.K. plans to hire an extra 1,000 customs and immigration staff to ensure the security of the countrys border after Brexit.The extra workers will be funded from an additional 395 million pounds (USD560 million) pledged to the Home Office, Philip Rutnam, the top civil servant at the department, told lawmakers on Parliaments Home Affairs Committee yesterday [Macau time]. Theyre supplementary to 300 new workers recruited in the fiscal year thats about to end, he said.

BREXIT VOTE CHEATED  Whistle-blower Christopher Wylie told a parliamentary committee in London that the 2016 referendum could have gone the other way if rules hadnt been broken during the campaign. I think it is completely reasonable to say that there couldve been a different outcome in the referendum if there hadnt been, in my view, cheating, said Wylie, a former contractor at Cambridge Analytica who is now at the heart of a scandal over alleged misuse of Facebook data. Brexit campaigners have denied wrongdoing.

VOW OF SILENCE  The Conservatives chief Brexit champion outside the government, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said past examples of prime ministers relying on the votes of opposition lawmakers did not end happily. It was seen as a veiled warning to Theresa May not to use Labour to push through some kind of soft Brexit. Rees-Mogg also revealed that if the referendum result had been different, he might have become a Trappist monk, Alex Morales reports.

IRISH BREAKTHROUGH  The Times reports that a new proposal from the U.K. government for the Irish border question is expected to be announced imminently.

TERROR THREAT  Prime Minister May warns in a report that the threat to the U.K. from terrorism will stay at its current level of severe for at least another two years. She wants a close security partnership with the EU after Brexit.

BUS TIMETABLE  Boris Johnsons NHS bus pledge might finally arrive. The foreign secretary has been pushing for May to give the health service a huge boost in funding, after painting a pledge to spend GBP350 million on the NHS instead of sending it to the EU on the side of a big red bus during the referendum campaign two years ago. It looks like shes on board.

MIGRATION NATION  U.K. businesses have become reliant on European Union workers and are concerned about restrictions after Britain leaves the bloc next year, according to a government-commissioned study published this week. Employers were fearful about what the future migration system might be, the Migration Advisory Committee said in an interim report.

PAPERING OVER CRACKS  The European Commission is considering diverting profits made by the European Central Bank from printing bank notes to plug a hole in the EUs long-term budget once U.K. leaves in 2019, the Financial Times reports.

MAY HOLIDAY  Its been nearly a year since Theresa May took the fateful walking holiday with her husband in Wales during which she decided to call a snap general election. A lost majority later, she told MPs that despite the picturesque scenery, a follow-up visit might be difficult. I do see the value of Welsh agriculture to the Welsh landscape quite often when I go walking in Wales, she said. Although, given the decision I took last year when I did that, Im not sure many would welcome my reference to walk in Wales again.
The former director of the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), Fong Soi Kun, is to receive a pension of approximately MOP80,000 per month.

A notice posted in the Official Gazette yesterday said that the government had approved the pension fund and that the amount reflects Fongs 35 years serving in the government. It was previously reported that Fong might receive as much as MOP96,000 per month, provoking a mild backlash in public opinion. Then Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan floated the idea of revoking the pension fund altogether after she discovered that Fong had failed to give 90 days of notice before resigning. The Chief Executive announced Fongs resignation in August last year in the aftermath of deadly Typhoon Hato. A Commission Against Corruption investigation into Fongs handling of the weather phenomenon is currently underway.

The 13 delayed again, this time to June

The 13 Holdings Ltd has again delayed the opening date of its Macau-based luxury hotel, The 13 Hotel, now targeting to open its doors by the end of June this year. The latest revision was explained in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange this week, according to GGRAsia. Several opening deadlines have already passed for the would-be hotel operator. Most recently the company stated its intention to open the property on or before April 30, 2018, with representatives saying it was prepared to open with or without a casino. In February this year, the company said that its casino would probably not start operating until March 2019. The propertys name, The 13 Hotel, is an abbreviation of the 17th century French King Louis XIII. It had originally been scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017.
The Cape Verdean parliament this week approved a bill that creates tax benefits for foreign citizens who decide to buy a second home in Cape Verde, while also granting a permanent residence card, known as the Green Card, the local press reported.

The Green Card will be awarded to all foreigners who invest more than 180 million escudos (USD2 million) buying a property in Cape Verde, according to the newly approved law.

The PAICV, the largest opposition party, voted against the bill arguing that the tax exemptions outlined for foreigners should, among other areas, cover Cape Verdean emigrants scattered in various parts of the world and who have been investing in the development of the country.

Representing the Movement for Democracy (MpD, in power), member of parliament Miguel Monteiro said his party voted in favour because the bill follows other government proposals, namely visa exemptions to increase the flow of tourists in Cabo Verde, and the law to liberalise foreign exchange relations.

In the last few years Cape Verde has received an average of 500,000 to 600,000 tourists per year, but the country wants to reach 1 million by 2021, with the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium/Netherlands and Portugal being the main sources of tourists for the archipelago. MDT/Macauhub
The local airport is expected to launch charter flights to Kota Kinabalu, Ningbo and Nagoya this year.

In addition, earlier this month, the 2018 Routes Asia Development Forum meetings were held between Macau International Airport Companys (CAM) representatives and counterparts from the Kansai International Airport, the Central Japan International Airport, and Gold Coast Airport representatives, in order to explore route cooperation opportunities.

The 2018 Routes Asia Development Forum took place in Brisbane, Australia between March 18 and 20. The forum gathered aviation professionals from around the Asia Pacific, bringing together over 800 delegates from airlines, airports, tourism authorities, and suppliers. CAMs director, Eric Fong, and the manager of the marketing department, Fiona Fong, attended the forum.

According to a statement issued yesterday by Macau International Airport, participation in the event is expected to help bring more international airlines in to Macau. The airport has always proactively [sought] opportunities to launch new flight services, the statement reads.

Currently, there are 29 airlines serving 47 routes operating to Macau International Airport, totaling over 1,100 flight movements per week.
A lunch made by two award winners of the best female Asian chefs from 2014 and 2016 was organized on the sidelines of this years best 50 Asian Chefs of 2018 awards [see above].

During the event  held at Andreas restaurant in Wynn Palace  journalists were presented with a six-

course meal personally crafted by Chefs Chen Lanshu (Taiwan) and Margarita Fores (Philippines).

Interviewed by the Times, Fores mentioned the main inspiration for her culinary creations. Im a Filipina but my exposure and training to work with food started in Italy, so I try to combine both cultures and the techniques from both kinds of cuisine, as well as ingredients from both in the work that I do. Nevertheless, Fores admitted to be on a mission to promote Filipino cuisine. My mission is to showcase Filipino ingredients and cuisine together with the best of the world.

Winner of the category of Best Female Asian Chef of 2016, Fores is inspired by Filipinos culture as well as by her travels to different locations and countries.

A lot of it [inspiration] is pulled from my own culture but at the same time what you see when you travel and things [you get] from personal experiences, like things I love eating when I was a child All that put together is a real well of inspiration to choose from, Fores concluded. We are like sponges all the time and absorb everything wherever we go.

As for the 2014 winner, Chens inspiration to create culinary delights is hard to define. My inspiration comes from everywhere. From the markets, from everything I tasted, no matter if during travel time or at home, she said.

Chen was the first Chinese chef named as Grand Chef by Relais & Chateau, a global fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants. I follow a principle of different seasons and then I try to [input] something new, for example when I try some sauce from a chef that I admire [and I like it], I will try to incorporate that [by merging it] with my culture and with the [seasonal] ingredients that I can get, she said, adding that it would be followed by a series of tests to refine the dish in order to try to get some different sensation.

It might come out something really different than what I tasted originally but its a new sensation inspired from what I experienced, she said, concluding that her purpose is to keep it natural and get the best from the best ingredients. Nature speaks, we just translate it, she affirmed.

On the challenges of the work, especially on the difficulties of having to consolidate the job with family life, Fores commented: The work that we do is so much a part of our fiber, I have a son that is now 27 and he understands [always understood] the demands of the job, but I know my situation is less challenging than Lanshu, where her child is very young, but I think [we can handle this] as everything we do is part of enhancing what we do work wise, for instance, when we go on holidays, we do it for vacation but we also still [take the opportunity] to research for food.

The chef from the Philippines, who oversees the restaurant chain Cibo in metro Manila, also noted, at the same time, I think women are more resilient, we have been so used to juggling our roles through the years and once you get into a business like the food industry, it is very demanding. I think we are kind of well trained [for that].

At the lunch table, the chefs presented several of their creations and interpretations, with the highlight dish being from the Preserved Turnip and Silkie Hens Egg and Paella, Squid, Sea Urchin and Jerusalem Artichoke by Chef Chen. Chef Foress highlight dishes were the Short Rib Balsamico Adobo with Davao Chocolate Jus and Bigas-Mais Polenta, and the Black Heirloom Codillera Rice Spuma with First Press Coconut Milk, Three- ways.
The founder of the Chinese insurer that owns New York Citys Waldorf Hotel went on trial yesterday on charges he fraudulently raised USD10 billion from investors and misused his position to enrich himself.

Wu Xiaohui, chairman of Anbang Insurance Group, was detained last year. Regulators took control of privately owned Anbang in February following a multibillion-dollar global buying spree that prompted questions about its financial stability.

The case added to an avalanche of scandals for Chinese insurers. The industrys former chief regulator was charged in September with taking bribes. Executives of other insurers have been charged with corruption and mismanagement.

Beijing announced plans March 13 to merge the Chinese banking and insurance regulators in an effort to step up scrutiny of those fast-evolving industries. The ruling Communist Party has made reducing financial risk a priority after a run-up in debt owed by Chinese companies and local governments prompted rating agencies last year to cut Beijings credit rating for government borrowing.

Wu is accused of fraudulently raising 65 billion yuan ($10 billion) and abusing his post to divert money for his own use, according to a report by prosecutors on the social media account of the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate Peoples Court.

In court, Wus lawyer argued what he was accused of doing was a violation of regulations but not illegal, according to another post. A third post said Wu objected that he didnt understand the law and didnt know whether what he did was illegal.

Most trials in China last no more than a day, even for complex financial cases. There was no indication when a verdict in Wus case might be issued.

Anbang discussed possibly investing in a Manhattan skyscraper owned by the family of U.S. President Donald Trumps son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner. Those talks ended last year with no deal.

Regulators said they took control of Anbang on Feb. 23 to protect its solvency and consumer rights. The China Insurance Regulatory Commission said the takeover had no effect on Anbangs financial obligations.

Yesterday, Anbang issued a statement on its social media account saying its business is stable has sufficient cash flow to meet policy commitments.

Wu founded Anbang in 2004 and gained a reputation for aggressive expansion in a stodgy industry dominated by state-owned insurers.

The company grew to more than 30,000 employees with 35 million clients. It diversified into life insurance, banking, asset management, leasing and brokerage services.

Questions about Anbangs future have swirled since it announced Wu handed his duties to deputies in June following news reports he was detained for questioning.

Anbangs buying spree stumbled after Beijing tightened investment controls in late 2016. Regulators said they wanted to cool spending on foreign real estate and other assets they said did nothing to develop Chinas economy.

Following that, Anbang failed to complete several deals, including the proposed purchase of U.S.-based Fidelity & Guaranty Life for $1.6 billion.

Wu also is accused of ignoring regulatory limits in selling high-interest investment products as short-term insurance contracts, according to yesterdays statement.

Such sales raised 724 billion yuan ($115 billion) from 10.6 million investors from 2011 to 2017, the statement said. It said some of that money was transferred to companies controlled by Wu for reckless personal spending.

Regulators warned Anbang and other insurers last year about use of such investment products.

Other insurers have been accused of endangering the financial safety of their industry through reckless speculation in stocks and real estate. The chairman of a life insurance company was barred from the industry last year in an unrelated case and a third company was prohibited from trading stocks.

Anbangs early investors included a state-owned automaker, an oil company and a mix of rural villagers and small business owners. Its multibillion-dollar string of global acquisitions raised questions about how it paid for its buying spree, including the $2 billion purchase of the Waldorf.

The companys negotiations with Kushner Cos. about a possible investment in its flagship property, 666 Fifth Avenue, prompted members of the U.S. Congress to raise ethics concerns.

Five lawmakers said in a letter to the White House the possible deal represented a clear conflict of interest. They asked the Trump administration to confirm Kushner, who transferred his ownership stake to other family members, played no role in the negotiations.

Anbang said it raised 50 billion yuan ($8 billion) in capital in 2014 by taking on dozens of new shareholders. That increased its registered capital fivefold to 62 billion yuan ($9.5 billion), the biggest among Chinese insurers.

A prominent business magazine, Caixin, said in May 2017 at least 30 billion yuan ($4.3 billion) of that money really came from premiums paid by policyholders  a violation of insurance regulations.

Anbang denied that and accused Caixin of publishing negative information about the company and Wu after pressing it to buy advertising.

The CIRC sent investigators to Anbang in June. It said in a statement in February they ordered unspecified improvements in operations and management. AP
OCTOBER 1949 North Korea and China establish diplomatic relations.

OCTOBER 1950 China intervenes in the Korean War and engages in combat with U.S.-led forces, saving North Korea from defeat. The war ends in 1953 with an armistice.

NOVEMBER 1958 North Korea founder Kim Il Sung visits China, shortly after China withdraws troops from the Korean Peninsula. He successfully requests economic aid in meetings with Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Kim goes on to visit China and the former Soviet Union many times through the 1960s while maintaining a balancing act between the competing communist powers and consolidating his leadership at home.

APRIL 1982 Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visits North Korea to attend celebrations of Kim Il Sungs 70th birthday. Kim visits China five months later to discuss his plans to pass his leadership to his son, Kim Jong Il, and also reassure Beijing that the North wouldnt tilt toward the Soviet Union once hes no longer in power.

AUGUST 1992 China establishes diplomatic relations with South Korea, complicating its relations with the North.

MAY 2000 Kim Jong Il, who took power in 1994 after his fathers death, makes the first of his eight visits to China as the North Korean leader. The trip was reportedly aimed at consulting with the Chinese leadership weeks before Kims summit with then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, which opened a temporary era of rapprochement between the rivals. Kim, rumored to have had a fear of flying, traveled to China on a green-and-yellow armored train that was also used by his son this week.

AUGUST 2003 North Korea joins first round of six-nation nuclear talks in Beijing, which include China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States. The talks continue periodically over the next several years before stalling.

DECEMBER 2011 Kim Jong Un takes power after the death of his father.

May 2013: Senior North Korean official Choe Ryong Hae visits China as Kims special envoy and meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

OCTOBER 2015 Senior Chinese official Liu Yunshan visits the North and attends a military parade with Kim.

MARCH 2018 Kim visits Beijing for a meeting with Xi, weeks after the announcements of his planned summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and President Donald Trump.
With smiles and firm handshakes, North Korea and China used a surprise summit this week to show that despite recent tensions, Pyongyang still has a powerful backer and Beijing will not be sidelined in discussions about the fate of its unpredictable neighbor.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns secretive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing appear aimed at improving both countries positions ahead of Kims anticipated meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and President Donald Trump in the coming weeks.

A key objective for Beijing is to reassert its relevance to these talks from which it has been excluded. China has appeared increasingly shut out as its relations with the North deteriorated and Pyongyang reached out to Seoul and Washington.

Kim Jong Uns visit shows that China is not marginalized, but playing a leading role. This saves China a lot of face, said Pang Zhongying, a North Korea expert at Renmin University in Beijing.

Official reports from both countries yesterday depicted in effusive terms warm ties between the two leaders in an effort to downplay recent tensions over Kims development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

In these reports, Kim reaffirms the traditional friendship between the two countries as if nothing had ever happened, when the relationship had plummeted to unprecedented lows, said Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Ties in recent months have frayed as China supported tougher U.N. sanctions on North Korea and suspended coal and iron ore imports. Pyongyang last year seemingly sought to humiliate Beijing by timing some of its missile tests for major global summits in China.

Kim made the unofficial visit to China at Xis invitation, Chinas official Xinhua News Agency said, in his first trip to a foreign country since he took power in 2011. Xinhua said the trip ran from Sunday to Wednesday but appeared to include travel time from Pyongyang on the special armored train that Kim traveled in, which secretly arrived in Beijing on Monday and left Tuesday afternoon.

Rumors of the presence of Kim began circulating on Monday night, with the spotting of Kims special train, Chinese security teams and official delegations at the border city of Dandong and various points in Beijing.

Although China sought to keep Kims visit secret, and yesterday described it as unofficial, it accorded him full honors due to a head of state, including a formal welcoming ceremony and troop review at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan also hosted a banquet for Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju, Xinhua said. They also watched an art performance together, the news agency said.

We speak highly of this visit, Xi told Kim, according to Xinhua.

For China, the visit also projects to the Chinese public that Xi is firmly in charge of steering Beijings relations with North Korea in a way that favors Chinas interests.

Here is Xi Jinping saying, Dont worry, everything is going to be great, Glaser said.

Analysts say Kim would have felt a need to consult with his countrys traditional ally ahead of summits with Moon and Trump. His famously reclusive father, Kim Jong Il, made his first visit to China as North Korean leader in May 2000, reportedly to consult with Chinese leadership ahead of Kims summit with the former South Korean leader Kim Dae-jung.

China would also not want Kims first foreign meeting to be with someone other than Xi.

This is China asserting its regional hegemony and influence, saying: Hey, you talk to me first, said Michael Kovrig, senior advisor for northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group.

In footage aired by Chinas state broadcaster China Central Television, Kim appeared reserved and collected as he sat at a long table across from Xi. Kim wore horn-rimmed glasses and was shown jotting down notes and speaking in a calm manner. In contrast, while meeting with South Korean envoys earlier this month, Kim was shown by his state media frequently smiling, bursting into laughter, proposing toasts and waving at departing limousines.

Kim was described by Xinhua as saying that his country wants reconciliation and cooperation with South Korea, with which it is technically still at war. He also said North Korea is willing to hold a summit with the United States, according to Xinhua.

North Koreas official Korean Central News Agency published Kims personal letter to Xi dated yesterday, where he said he was satisfied that the leaders confirmed their unified opinions on mutual issues.

For the North Koreans, it is in their best interests to enter any meetings with Moon or Trump having shored up and repaired to a certain extent their relations with Beijing, said Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing.

Kim also called for more meetings with Xi and other Chinese officials and asked Xi to visit North Korea at a time convenient for him, to which Xi gladly accepted, KCNA said.

The Norths diplomatic outreach this year follows a tenser 2017 when it conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date and tested three intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to target the U.S. mainland.

The developments are being interpreted as the North being desperate to break out of isolation and improve its economy after being squeezed by heavy sanctions.

At least one of the things that Kim would want out of these meetings is a way forward to begin to ease those sanctions and support from China in that effort, Glaser said.

China remains North Koreas only major ally and chief provider of energy, aid and trade that keep the countrys broken economy afloat.

In addition to the trip being his first abroad as leader, his talk with Xi was his first meeting with a foreign head of state. Kims father, late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, had visited China several times during his rule, lastly in May 2011, months before his death that December.

Its most proper that my first overseas trip would be the capital of the Peoples Republic of China, said Kim Jong Un, according to KCNA. Its also one of my noble duties to value the North Korea-China friendship as I do my own life. Gillian Wong & Kim Tong-Hyung, Beijing, AP
The Macao Water Supply Company (Macao Water) has announced its 2017 financial results, recording an after-tax profit of MOP77.5 million, far higher than its preliminary expectation three weeks ago.

The company released its preliminary results at the start of the month, hoping to cash a profit of MOP70 million for last year, which would have marked an increase of 7.5 percent compared with 2016.

The revised figure of MOP77.5 million indicates an annual increase of approximately 19 percent in the companys profits.

Some MOP50.61 million of the profit resulted from its main business, the water supply service, which has seen a decrease of 3 percent when compared to 2016, according to Macao Water.

Meanwhile, for the year of 2017, total investment amounted to MOP233.3 million, with the companys main projects including the preliminary costs and fees regarding the construction of the Seac Pai Van water treatment plant, the laying and replacement of the water supply pipeline network, the replacement of water supply facilities and the development and improvement of the production and operation systems.

Macao Water expects the total investment amount in 2018 to rise to MOP400 million, mainly for projects such as the Seac Pai Van water treatment plant, a part of the pipeline of the fourth raw water pipe from Zhuhai to Macau, as well as strengthening and enhancing precautionary measures in all water treatment plants against typhoons and flooding.

Annual water consumption in 2017 increased by 2 percent compared with the previous year to 88.44 million cubic meters, which was in line with the firms expectations.

Water consumption on the Macau peninsula accounted for up to 63 percent of Macaus total water consumption, having recorded a slight increase of 0.9 percentage points when compared with the previous year.

Meanwhile, Taipa, Cotai, Coloane and the University of Macaus (UM) campus on Hengqin island accounted for 37 percent of water consumption in the territory, a proportion that reflects a 4 percentage point increase when compared to 2016. The increase was led by the demand in the Cotai area, which expanded 6 percent over the course of 2017.

The daily water consumption now stands at 242,300 cubic meters, according to the company.

Delegation visits fourth water pipeline construction works

IN ORDER to better understand the circumstances surrounding the construction of the fourth raw water pipeline connecting Macau and Zhuhai, Macao Water sent a delegation to the Marine and Water Bureau of the MSAR government (DSAMA) this week. There, the delegation was briefed on the ongoing commitments regarding water supply between the local government and the corresponding authorities in Guangdong Province. Upon the completion of the two Guangdong-Macau water engineering projects, the protection of the raw water supply in Zhuhai and Macau will undoubtedly be further enhanced, thus effectively safeguarding the water supply and ensuring [Macaus] sustainable development, executive director of Macao Water, Nacky Kuan, said during the event.
India is selling a controlling stake in its flagship carrier along with two-thirds of the loss- making airlines about USD7.8 billion debt, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi moves ahead with the nations most high profile asset sale in decades.

The government will sell 76 percent of Air India Ltd., according to a document uploaded on the civil aviation ministrys website yesterday. The airlines overseas budget carrier will be completely sold in the offer, while the state will sell a 50 percent stake in the ground handling unit separately. The administration may also ask the buyer to conduct an initial public offering.

A successful sale of Air India, which is surviving on taxpayer-funded bailouts, is seen as test case for Modi to burnish his credentials as a reformist attempting to steer the state away from running businesses and boost spending on health and education. The national carrier has five subsidiaries, a joint venture and a combined workforce of as many as 27,000.

IndiGo, Indias biggest airline, is the only company to publicly disclose a desire to buy Air Indias airline operations  the most lucrative business that includes prime time slots at airports from New York to Heathrow, as well as bilateral rights to start flights to most countries. Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Indias Tata Group, which run a joint venture airline named Vistara in India, said they were also open to look at the sale, but havent elaborated yet.

Selling a majority stake in the loss-making, 85-year-old company isnt going to be a cakewalk. At least one attempt almost two decades ago failed amid fierce political opposition. The latest offer will include 333 billion rupees ($5.1 billion) of debt that the buyer will have to take over with the balance going to the government.

India intends to sell the remaining stake in Air India, which may include selling shares during an initial share sale. The government will not sell shares in a block, according to the document.

Air India has been unprofitable since its 2007 merger with state-owned domestic operator Indian Airlines Ltd. The company made an operating profit of about 3 billion rupees ($46 million) in the year through March 2017, primarily due to a slump in oil prices. It still posted a net loss of 57.7 billion rupees, junior aviation minister Jayant Sinha told lawmakers on Feb. 8.

Indian regulations allow a foreign airline to buy as much as 49 percent of a local carrier, while overseas investors other than airlines can buy an entire carrier.

Air India started as Tata Airlines in 1932 and later became state-owned. Founded by Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, it took off flying mail between Karachi in then-undivided, British-ruled India and Bombay. Once it turned commercial, the airline quickly became popular with its advertisements featuring Bollywood actresses, high-end champagne and surrealist painter Salvador Dali-designed porcelain ashtrays. MDT/Bloomberg
Marvia Malik has made history in Pakistan by becoming the first transgender newscaster in a conservative Muslim country where members of her community are taunted in public, ostracized by family and targeted in violent attacks.

Pakistan officially recognized transgender as a third gender in 2012, but transgender people are largely confined to the margins of society, with most forced to survive by begging, dancing and prostitution. Sex reassignment surgery requires a court order, family approval, a psychiatrists note and a medical recommendation.

At just 21 years old, Malik is already breaking down some barriers. Earlier this month, she became the first transgender woman to strut along the catwalk at a fashion show. But she says her true passion is journalism, and shes thrilled to be the face of the evening news on the private Kohenoor network in her native Lahore.

Our society treats transgender people shamefully, degrading them, denying them jobs, laughing at them and taunting them, Malik said. I want to change that.

Like many transgender people in Pakistan, Malik had a difficult childhood. She was bullied by classmates, and her parents forced her to leave home after graduating high school. She took refuge with other transgender women and worked as a beautician to put herself through journalism school.

My parents never accepted me as their child, she said. They will never accept me.

Its a different story at the television network, where she says she has been welcomed with open arms.

I cannot express the love and respect I have received here since I began work, she said. I have not felt any discrimination.

Some of her colleagues were initially resistant to the idea, said Junaid Ansari, the station manager who hired her, but I decided to give her a chance.

He said Malik is doing fine reading headlines, and promised she would face no discrimination. He said her performance had even inspired him to hire a second transgender woman, to work as a copy writer.

There are other signs of change elsewhere in the country. A boy scout troop in the southern port city of Karachi enrolled 40 transgender youths last month. After the Supreme Court ordered the government to list transgender as a third gender on ID cards, the national agency responsible for issuing them said it would employ transgender people at its offices across the country.

The decision to recognize a third gender was seen as a step in the right direction by transgender women, who previously were forced to identify themselves as men, leading to more severe forms of discrimination. Many hope they will eventually be recognized as women.

Transgender people face greater peril in more conservative areas of Pakistan, where Islamic extremists associate them with homosexuality and prostitution. In the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 55 transgender people have been killed in recent years and hundreds more assaulted, according to Farzana Jan, the president of Trans Action Alliance, a local rights group. AP
Macau is no exception with respect to phone scams, the chief executive officer of Companhia de Telecomunicacoes de Macau (CTM) said at a press conference yesterday. Vandy Poon was replying to reporters questions about what the Judiciary Police (PJ) deemed a new wave of phone scams targeting Macau phone users earlier this week.

The telecom fraud has been notorious around the world. Macau is not unique. Every time Macau has a hit, the neighboring regions also have. That is why we have a cooperation mechanism with authorities, the CEO said. Noting that in the past the PJ has been able to crack down some of the cases, he said that, if necessary, CTM can stop some of the calls, but it is very difficult to end the attacks permanently.

To my understanding, those calls were not based on data or any database. They were made in a random fashion and are very low tech, Poon said. According to the CEO, it is the police and authorities who have the competence to make public warnings on such matters.

Poon acknowledged that there is a new flow of suspicious calls from numbers based in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Tonga, South Sudan and Somalia. Revealing that CTM has been working since last weekend with authorities, he gave some advice to the public: The awareness of such danger [phone scams] is very well known to the community. Citizens should pay attention when receiving suspicious calls. There is no harm in receiving the calls. But dont engage with them [the callers]. Basically, dont send any money.

The CEOs allegations that the current wave of attacks is low-tech matches with a statement sent this week to the Times by the Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT), which regulates the sector. CTT said there was a very low possibility that the customer databases of Macaus telecom operators have been breached by hackers and that the scammers target Macaus citizens on a massive scale with randomly generated numbers confirming to Macaus numbering plan.

CTM PROFIT SHRINKS

Prior to the press conference, the telecommunications operator organized a lunch with local journalists. During his speech at the lunch, Vandy Poon reviewed CTMs performance in 2017. Last year, the company recorded revenue of MOP3,585 million. The profit for the year was MOP881 million, which was a 19 percent decrease compared to 2016.

CTM, a company majorly owned by CITIC Telecom International Holdings, attributed the profit decline to the pressure of multiple tariff reduction.

The company invested MOP385 million over the last year in projects such as enhancements to the quality of the full fiber-optic network and 4G+ mobile network, as well as expanding the Wi-Fi hotspot coverage. Currently, CTM has around 44 percent share of the mobile phone market in Macau and is the main Internet service provider.

The companys CEO was asked to comment on the motives behind the 19 percent reduction in profit. A tariff reduction creates a negative impact to our profit, of course. But at the same time, it popularizes our services. So it has negative and positive impacts, he said. Claiming that the current CTM tariffs are very reasonable and competitive, Poon added that the company needs to strike a balance between that and the need to introduce new services, which require investments.

We hope we will rebound a little bit this year with regards to profit, the CEO stated, predicting a slight increase in the 2018 results.

Support to cyber security

CTM HAS expressed a favorable opinion regarding the cyber security bill during the recent public consultation period and requested access to the final draft. Vandy Poon claimed that the new requirements, introduced to both users and suppliers of network, will enhance safety. Without a proper law, each user will face risks, he said.
President Donald Trump said yesterday theres a good chance that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity and make moves toward peace.

In a pair of morning tweets, Trump says he received a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping that a meeting Xi had with Kim this week went very well.

Trump says that according to Xi, the North Korean leader looks forward to meeting the American president. The White House has said Trump plans to meet Kim by May amid nuclear tensions between the two nations.

Trump has agreed to historic talks after South Korean officials relayed that Kim was committed to ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons and was willing to halt nuclear and missile tests.

In the meanwhile, Trump says, unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost! The Trump administration has slapped sanctions on companies across the globe to punish illicit trade with North Korea.

For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility, Trump tweeted. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!

NUCLEAR ACTIVITY

Increased activity at a North Korean nuclear site has once again caught the attention of analysts and renewed concerns about the complexities of denuclearization talks ahead of Trump-Kim summit in the coming weeks.

Satellite imagery taken last month suggests the North has begun preliminary testing of an experimental light water reactor and possibly brought another reactor online at its Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center.

Both could be used to produce the fissile materials needed for nuclear bombs.

The findings come at a particularly sensitive time. Trump and Kim are planning to meet by May, according to officials, and denuclearization will likely be the biggest topic on their agenda if they do meet. North Korea tested its biggest nuclear device to date last September. Pyongyang claims it was an H-bomb.

While the North hasnt conducted any tests since, or test-launched any long-range missiles since Nov. 28, the heightened activity at the Yongbyon complex could be ominous.

According to an analysis in Janes Intelligence Review published earlier this month, a testing program is now underway at the experimental reactor, which means it could become operational with little warning later in 2018 or in 2019. It said the preliminary testing follows increased activity throughout 2017.

In a separate report posted on 38 North, a website that specializes in North Korea news and analysis, experts said they have detected activity at another reactor in the Yongbyon complex, which is located north of Pyongyang, that could be an even bigger concern.

Imagery of Yongbyons 5-megawatt reactor suggests it was brought into operation very recently. The website said that would mean North Korea has resumed production of plutonium presumably for its nuclear weapons program. MDT/Agencies
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Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance and Wealth. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings accounts, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, credit cards, and other financial services to personal and small business customers. The Commercial Banking segment provides lending, transactional banking, working capital management, risk management, and debt capital market services to small and medium-sized entities, corporates, and financial institutions. The Insurance and Wealth segment offers life, home, and car insurance products; and pension, investment, and wealth management products and services. It also provides digital and mobile banking, and telephone services, as well as advisory services for savings, investments, and planning for retirement. The company offers its products and services under the Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, MBNA, Schroders Personal Wealth, Black Horse, Lex Autolease, Birmingham Midshires, LDC, IWeb, and Agricultural Mortgage Corporation brands. Lloyds Banking Group plc was founded in 1695 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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Credit: Yale University

Before Kevin M.'s drinking problem began, before he became what he calls a "frequent flyer" in the Yale New Haven Hospital emergency department (ED), he was a policeman in Hollywood, Florida. There, he became involved in several shooting incidents. Though a civilian review board determined he had been justified, he says, he was asked to "leave the department quietly."

Next, Kevin became a successful salesman of automatic doors. Even as his business thrived and he found himself in demand as an expert witness in automatic-door liability cases, he began to drink alone in hotels.

Then a $50 million lawsuit hit. It ruined his finances as well as his marriage.

"That's when my alcoholism really started to flourish," says Kevin, now a 64-year-old retiree living in New Haven. "I came back up north, broke, enraged, and just kept drinking and drinking. My whole family didn't want me around." Often homeless, hospitalized, or in jail, Kevin spent over seven years in and out of the Yale ED. And it was in the ED that Kevin connected with Project ASSERTand turned his life around.

The project's deceptively simple mission: to screen patients for substance use disorders, conduct a brief negotiation interview, and refer patients to treatment (a trio of actions abbreviated to SBIRT). It staffs the EDs of both Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) and the Saint Raphael campus with Health Promotion Advocates (HPAs) trained to conduct the short interviews, which help patients explore the pros and cons of substance use, and begin to think about the possibility of change. For those who feel ready, project staff can arrange for transfers to detox or rehab directly from the ED. Since the program's founding, it has arranged treatment for some 48,000 people. "We are their voice in the ED," says HPA Shevonne Mack.

In 2016, of all the patients the HPAs met with in the ED, 22 percent went straight into treatment, while another 43 percent received treatment referrals. Getting people the substance abuse treatment they need is not only good patient care and good public health, resulting in fewer ED visits due to injury, it may also be good economics. One 2005 study found that an ED-based program saved $3.81 for every $1.00 it spent on an SBIRT program.

Gregory Johnson is a founding member of Project ASSERT and one of several HPAs who worked with Kevin. Johnson attributes the project's successes to its home base in the ED. Accosting people with substance use disorders on the street may or may not lead anywhereit's all too easy to toss an informational flyer, for instance. But an ED visit can bring long waits and time for reflectionthe perfect opportunity for a caring outsider to offer help.

"If the patient recognizes that he has arrived at the chest pain center because of cocaine and alcohol use and I tell them 'I can get you directly into treatment from the ED, from point A to point B', they're more likely to say, 'Let's go for it,' " Johnson says.

The project began in 1999 as a one-year, grant-funded initiative to help people with substance problems self-reflect via the brief negotiation interview. Within a few months, its mission grew, according to Johnson. Not only were HPAs finding at-risk drinking and drug use, they were uncovering severe substance use disorders.

The normal procedure in such cases was to alert social workers, who would refer patients for treatment. But social workers often did not show up in the ED when called, Johnson says. So he took matters into his own hands. Having previously worked at New Haven's South Central Rehabilitation Center, he knew how to get people into treatment, and he started doing so. After the grant ran out, the hospital hired the team as permanent employees.

"We became the substance treatment people," Johnson says.

In addition to short detox programs for the physically addicted, HPAs also arrange longer stays in rehab. Project ASSERT also emphasizes harm reduction, offering naloxone antidote kits, suboxone, and methadone clinic appointments for some patients.

The idea of bringing public health initiatives like this to the ED is partly that of Gail D'Onofrio, M.D., M.S., the chief of Emergency Services. D'Onofrio is a renowned federally funded SBIRT expert who sees to it that all primary-care resident physicians at Yale learn the technique.

The HPAs credit much of their success to personal connectionsamong the community as well as to the patients they serve. Being on a first-name basis with rehab and detox workers all over the state can often open doors, for instance, especially for patients whose insurance doesn't cover treatment or who lack it altogether. And, recognizing patients' difficult life circumstances, which can make relapse hard to avoid, the team also works to connect them to other area resources wherever possible.

That personal connection with patients can be especially important after relapse. Those who decide to try again often ask for help from an HPA they've come to trust.

"I've had patients who call their mother and their mother hangs up on them because they burned so many bridges," Johnson says. "If I say I can provide immediate help for them, and I actually come through on my word, that leaves an imprint on them."

For Kevin, an HPA's words at a crucial moment made all the difference. One morning, he went to Yale New Haven Hospital to collect belongings he'd left during a discharge the previous day. He planned to hit the liquor store next. But as he waited in the hospital atrium, one of the HPAs spotted him and came to say hello. She asked him if he'd been drinking that morning. He had.

"She sat and talked to me," he recalls. "Something went on in my head that said, 'Are you ready to stop?' "

Kevin walked to the ED, where his blood pressure and heart rate were found to be sky-high. That morning's drink turned out to be his last. After his discharge, he became deeply involved with Alcoholics Anonymous. No longer homeless, he spends up to four days a week at Yale New Haven Hospital and the Saint Raphael campus, talking with others who struggle with alcoholism.

"I try to give them what was given to me, which is that little light in your head that's in that very dark place that says, 'You don't have to live this way anymore,' " Kevin says. "That's what the folks over at the ER with the project over there do.  They never gave up on me."

"You can't be judgmental, and you've got to be compassionate, and you've got to understand it's a disease," says HPA Damaris Navarro. "They come back, they're going to come back, but that's a part of getting better."

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Eleftherios Mylonakis of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in the laboratory with Kiho Lee, a member of his research team. Lee is holding a petri dish containing tiny worms (nematodes) used to test potential antibiotics. Credit: Lifespan

A team of researchers led by Brown University infectious disease experts and engineers has identified a new class of antibiotics that could one day help combat the alarming emergence of drug-resistant "superbugs."

Eleftherios Mylonakis, a professor of infectious diseases at Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School and chief of infectious diseases at Rhode Island Hospital and the Miriam Hospital, led a multidisciplinary team of researchers searching for drugs to target bacteria that have developed a resistance to conventional antibiotics.

Their research led to the identification of two synthetic retinoids, both of which demonstrated the ability to kill MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to several antibiotics. Retinoids, which are chemically related to Vitamin A, are used to treat a variety of health problems, including acne and cancer.

The work is described in the journal Nature.

"This is an emergency," Mylonakis said, citing a World Health Organization (WHO) projection that "by 2050, superbugs will surpass cancer as the global No. 1 killer. This is a frightening situation. It affects more than individuals in the hospital or the very ill or the very old. It affects everybody."

In addition to fellow scientists at Brown, Mylonakis collaborated with researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Massachusetts General Hospital, Emory University and Northwestern University. He said that teams like his are stepping in to fill a void left by the major pharmaceutical companies, which have not invested in the development of new antibiotics for many years.

"In a simplistic way, it's a math problem," Mylonakis said. "It takes the bugs an average of two years to develop resistance to antibiotics. It takes more than 10 to 15 years of work to get an antibiotic into clinical practice."

Mylonakis said drug-resistant staphylococcus is of great concern for several reasons: It's omnipresent in the environment and on our skin, is highly virulent and can cause serious blood, bone and organ infections.

The research team developed novel ways to screen a remarkable 82,000 synthetic compounds to identify those that would serve as effective antibiotics but not be toxic to humans. Ultimately, 85 compounds were identified that decreased the ability of MRSA to kill laboratory roundworms. Of those, two, both synthetic retinoids, were selected as the best candidates for further study.

Sophisticated computer modeling and other studies showed that these retinoids impair bacterial membranes. Moreover, these compounds kill so-called MRSA "persister" cells that are drug-resistant dormant cells that are not susceptible to current antibiotic therapies. The ability of the drugs to make bacterial membranes more permeable also appeared to be factor in why they worked well in tandem with an existing antibiotic, gentamicin.

Chemists at Emory University, as part of the research team, modified the retinoids to retain maximum potency against MRSA, while minimizing toxicity.

"The molecule weakens the cell membranes of bacteria, but human cells also have membranes," said William Wuest, an associate professor of chemistry and a member of the Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center. "We found a way to tweak the molecule so that it now selectively targets bacteria."

The computer modeling was led by Huajian Gao, a professor in Brown's School of Engineering and one of the study's authors. The powerful computer simulations demonstrated a route toward understanding the molecular interactions between the screened compounds and bacteria membrane and determining the energy barriers for their penetration and embedment inside the membrane.

"This has been a very exciting multidisciplinary project," Gao said.

The results were overwhelmingly positive, Mylonakis added.

"We are extremely optimistic," he said. But "this is still years away from coming to clinical trial."

Explore further Supercharged antibiotics could turn tide against superbugs

More information: Wooseong Kim et al. A new class of synthetic retinoid antibiotics effective against bacterial persisters, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Wooseong Kim et al. A new class of synthetic retinoid antibiotics effective against bacterial persisters,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/nature26157
Lung adenocarcinoma. Credit: Librepath, Wikipedia

Medics may soon have a better understanding of how cancer tumours grow and progress, thanks to research from an international collaboration.

The study examined how the various cells that comprise tumours interact, in what is known as the tumour microenvironment (TME). It is published today in the journal Biofabrication.

Senior author Professor David Mooney, from Harvard University, USA, explained: "The TME is characterised by an intricate network of interactions between different cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Together, these elements contribute to the microenvironmental regulation of tumour progression and the cancer's spread to other parts of the body.

"Our aim was to better understand how these interactions work, which will ultimately help with predicting and halting the growth and spread of cancer tumours."

To do this, the researchers developed an in vitro 3-D cellular model of a lung cancer tumour on an interpenetrating hydrogel.

This allowed them to examine how macrophages  a type of cell in the body capable of engulfing and absorbing bacteria and other small cells and particles  and the stiffness of the extracellular matrix influence epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which is a fundamental step in cancer cell metastasis.

First author Dr. Marta Alonso-Nocelo, from the Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, said: "The ECM is not just a supportive structure. It is now recognised as an essential dynamic component, hosting multiple biochemical and mechanical signals that modulate tumour progression.

"Our results showed that, in the absence of the macrophages, changes in ECM stiffness enhanced the spread and invasiveness of the lung cancer cells. When macrophages were present, modified tumour cell growth only occurred when the ECM was in a state of high stiffness."

The study highlights the importance of both mechanical and soluble cues in tumour progression. It also demonstrates how the mechanical properties of the TME can affect tumour cell growth and EMT, as well as impacting how tumour cells regulate and are affected by macrophages.

Professor Mooney said: "These results deepen our understanding of how tumours grow and spread, as well as some of the catalysts for this. More study is needed, but this is a promising step towards finding ways to slow these processes."

Explore further Researchers identify specific protein that helps breast cancer to spread

More information: Marta Alonso-Nocelo et al. Matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophages modulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition of human adenocarcinoma cells, Biofabrication (2018). Journal information: Biofabrication Marta Alonso-Nocelo et al. Matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophages modulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition of human adenocarcinoma cells,(2018). DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aaafbc
The latest study highlights ongoing challenges over transparency in healthcare in Hungary. Credit: University of Bath

An initiative designed to improve transparency in decision-making in Hungary in relation to healthcare lacks the teeth to properly hold decision-makers to account, according to new research.

The study, published in the journal Health Economics, Policy and Law from an international group of researchers co-ordinated by the University of Bath's Department of Social & Policy Sciences, looked at the role of health technology assessment (HTA) in Hungary.

This was once hailed as a silver bullet in cutting through complex healthcare challenges and ensuring that value for money was at the heart of funding decisions to allocate scare resources on complex and expensive products, such as pharmaceuticals or medical devices, but the research highlights that it has been dogged by challenges.

By speaking to key players in Budapest, the team found that whilst the HTA Department, the Hungarian HTA agency, fulfilled its formal role as set out by legislation, much more could be done to support evidence-based decision-making and to improve openness and engagement throughout the policy process.

The HTA Department is an expert body which operates at arms lengths from the government, following a similar model trialled in other European countries where significant budgetary pressures mean that poor investment decisions bring substantial opportunity costs. Operating in a similar way to the Scottish Medicines Consortium in Scotland or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] in England, in Hungary medical experts and health economists are brought together to assess the clinical profile industry products and their value for money.

But one specific area of weakness identified in the study revolves around transparency. It finds that whereas in other central European countries, notably Poland, where records and documentation of HTA decisions are kept in the public domain, such information in Hungary is unavailable.

One senior academic interviewed as part of the study commented: "Unfortunately we are not brave enough to move into a direction where we can operate HTA in a transparent way."

A related problem is that, unlike NICE, the HTA Department does not put sufficient emphasis on engaging medical experts or patient advocates in its work. This is a central tenant to NICE, and experts suggest a particular weakness for HTA in Hungary.

A perception from medical professions, highlighted in the study, was that: "Key opinion leaders are not really interested in HTA. They have a perception of HTA that it is a bureaucratic thing, shifting papers back and forth."

Most significantly though, the new study suggests that advice from the HTA is often disregarded by policymakers, something that appears consistent with the growing authoritarian tendencies in other areas of Hungarian policymaking as well, such as judicial independence or electoral law.

This particular challenge is highlighted most starkly in comments included in the study from a high-ranking government official: "The HTA works as an ante-room, where people wipe off their shoes."

Other interviewees pointed out that the influence of the HTA Department was constrained by political considerations that top-level decision-makers were inclined to prioritise.

Project coordinator, Dr Piotr Ozieranski from the University of Bath's Department of Social & Policy Sciences explained: "While Hungary has been quick to recognise the importance of HTA in developing a modern healthcare system, our research suggests that its HTA Agency could be playing a much more prominent role in supporting evidence-based decision-making.

"In particular, it looks like the lack of political goodwill to promote transparency, involve stakeholders, and actually listen to what HTA experts have to say may be preventing Hungary from making more optimal funding decisions on costly medical technologies."

Lead author, Marcell Csanadi of the University of Pecs, Hungary, summarised the findings: "All stakeholders that we interviewed were aware of the identified drawbacks of the current procedures. They even understood the reasons behind them. However, unfortunately none of stakeholder group has sufficient interest to initiate much needed changes."

Professor Zoltan Kalo, a leading healthcare expert in Hungary emphasised: "Online availability of all relevant HTA documentation is an improvement that can be achieved easily at a minimum cost. It could then be used as a building block for facilitating greater stakeholder involvement."

The study authors suggest the Hungarian example highlights the risks of creating powerless institutions which become tick-box bureaucratic exercises with stakeholders accepting its costs without using any of its outputs.

Explore further New studies reveal how Big Pharma plays the system to secure lucrative funding deals in Central Europe

More information: Marcell Csanadi et al, When health technology assessment is confidential and experts have no power: the case of Hungary, Health Economics, Policy and Law (2018). Marcell Csanadi et al, When health technology assessment is confidential and experts have no power: the case of Hungary,(2018). DOI: 10.1017/S1744133118000051
Credit: Institut national de la recherche scientifique

Children who live in more walkable neighbourhoods have a smaller waist measurement and a lower BMI (body mass index). Those are the findings of a Montreal research team led by INRS professor Tracie A. Barnett. According to the results of the study published in Preventive Medicine by Adrian Ghenadenik (lead author) with Professor Barnett (senior contributing author), urban design is a factor in the development of childhood obesity.

The study suggests that infrastructure designed to encourage walking can help reduce childhood obesity. Pedestrian-friendly amenities, such as pedestrian crossing lights, wider sidewalks, and signs to help pedestrians cross the road, are thought to have a greater impact in high-density neighbourhoods. Such features can also encourage children to ride bicycles, play outside, and engage in similar activities, all of which help them burn off energy.

There is one unexpected outcome: In their research, the authors found that BMIs were lower in neighbourhoods with a convenience store. These results demonstrate the importance of fine-tuning the analysis, particularly by taking into account the type of food sold in fast-food outlets and convenience stores. A study on the food environment in Saskatoon published in 20161 showed that children with access to high-quality food at low prices, at any type of grocery store located within 800 m of their home, had a lower risk of being overweight. This could also be the case in Montreal.

The research team analyzed and compared data collected two years apart among children in Montreal with a family history of obesity and who lived at the same address for the duration of the follow-up.

Other ongoing studies are documenting the transformations residential neighbourhoods have undergone in the last ten years to assess how much these transformations have affected the risk of obesity.

More information: A.E. Ghenadenik et al, Neighbourhoods and obesity: A prospective study of characteristics of the built environment and their association with adiposity outcomes in children in Montreal, Canada, Preventive Medicine (2018). Journal information: Preventive Medicine A.E. Ghenadenik et al, Neighbourhoods and obesity: A prospective study of characteristics of the built environment and their association with adiposity outcomes in children in Montreal, Canada,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.02.018

Provided by Institut national de la recherche scientifique
"We asked whether proliferative diabetic retinopathy involves the growth of new lymphatic vessels in addition to blood vessels  and, indeed, we found expression of lymphatic markers in the PDR tissues." The new study, conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland, was published in the Journal of Pathology.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a major sight-threatening diabetic complication. Nearly all patients with type I diabetes and over 60% of patients with type II diabetes develop retinopathy after 20 years of diabetes, despite metabolic control.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy comes into existence through the process of pathological angiogenesis, when endothelial cells of the retinal vasculature invade their surroundings and project into the vitreous, the gel substance present inside the eye. The new vessels are fragile and leaky, which leads to vitreous haemorrhage and a fibrotic response that will eventually pull the retina causing retinal detachment and subsequent vision loss. When these vessels develop, diabetic patients are directed to vitreoretinal surgery whereby the newly formed pathological fibrovascular tissue is excised.

"Given the fact that current diabetic mouse models do not fully recapitulate this human diabetic eye complication, our research group set out to utilize these excised neo(fibro)vascular tissues for the in-depth characterization of the disease pathophysiology," says researcher Erika Gucciardo from the University of Helsinki.

One major question the group had was to understand the nature of these vessels.

"Chronic tissue inflammation is present in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and we know it is connected with lymphangiogenesis. Therefore we asked whether proliferative diabetic retinopathy involves the growth or differentiation of new lymphatic vessels," Gucciardo explains.

The researchers found, indeed, expression of lymphatic markers in the PDR tissues.

"It is increasingly clear that studying the microenvironment is of fundamental importance to understand the mechanisms of a disease. The close collaboration between clinics and research laboratory opened such avenue," says Research Director Kaisa Lehti, Karolinska Institutet and University of Helsinki.

Vitreous samples were collected peri-operatively and used to understand the contribution of the diabetic intraocular microenvironment to the lymphatic endothelial involvement. The researchers found that indeed vitreous samples with increasing concentration of major lymphangiogenic growth factor VEGFC supported the lymphatic endothelial identity and corresponded to fibrovascular tissues with lymphatic marker expression.

The functionality of these vessels in PDR pathogenesis remains to be investigated.  It will be interesting to know whether these lymphatic vessels develop coincidentally with abnormal blood vessels or only later upon PDR progression and whether they are detrimental or beneficial, e.g towards fluid removal and inflammatory cells trafficking, Gucciardo says.

All together these discoveries bring a new concept to diabetic microvascular complications and can lead to novel treatment approaches.

"In the future, therapeutic strategies targeting both lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis may represent promising approaches for treating ischemia and inflammation-associated posterior segment retinal diseases, states ophthalmic surgeon," Dr. Sirpa Loukovaara from Helsinki University Hospital.

Explore further RUNX1 may play role in proliferative diabetic retinopathy

More information: Erika Gucciardo et al. Microenvironment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy supports lymphatic neovascularization, The Journal of Pathology (2018). Journal information: Journal of Pathology Erika Gucciardo et al. Microenvironment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy supports lymphatic neovascularization,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/path.5070
With the promise of inexpensive procedures luring patients to travel abroad for plastic surgery, medical tourism has become an expanding, multi-billion-dollar industry. But while the initial procedure may be cheap, it can place a significant burden on U.S. public health systems when patients return from abroad with complications. A new study by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital describes the magnitude of medical complications that can result from plastic surgery abroad. Their study is published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

"Many think of medical tourism as wealthy patients traveling to receive care at high quality medical institutions abroad, but what we're reporting on here are repercussions that can result when patients return to their home countries to undergo elective plastic surgery procedures at a lower price," said senior author Dennis Orgill, MD, PhD, medical director of Brigham and Women's Hospital's Wound Care Center. "Patients need to be very cautious when they go outside of the U.S. for elective plastic surgery. The safety and regulatory systems that protect patients in the U.S. are often not in place in a patient's home country."

In a retrospective analysis, Kimberly Ross, MPH, Orgill and colleagues evaluated patients who had been treated at BWH over the last seven years for complications or complaints associated with plastic surgery performed in a developing country. Of the 78 patients evaluated, the most common complications were seen following abdominoplasty (35 patients) or breast augmentation (25 patients). The most common destination country for these surgeries was the Dominican Republic75 percent of the patients in the study traveled there for elective procedures.

Complications included infections, pain and wound-healing issues. Fourteen patients presented with infections at their surgical sites, including infection from multi-drug resistant bacteria. Eight patients required the removal of damaged tissue or foreign objects from the wound site over a series of office visits.

The team also found that most patients relied on their medical insurance to cover the cost of follow-up care when they returned to the U.S. About 60 percent of the patients studied were on Massachusetts Medicaid. Four patients in the study admitted to returning to their original surgeondespite complicationsfor a second surgical procedure abroad.

"We hope that this study will bring attention to this emerging issue and encourage others to report any results related to medical tourism treatment and patterns," the authors wrote.

Explore further In plastic surgery, complications highest for abdominoplasty

More information: Ross, K et al. "Plastic Surgery Complications from Medical Tourism Treated in a U.S. Academic Medical Center" Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000004214 Journal information: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Ross, K et al. "Plastic Surgery Complications from Medical Tourism Treated in a U.S. Academic Medical Center"
Salk Institute scientists, together with researchers from Switzerland's University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, discovered a protein called LHPP that acts as a molecular switch to turn off the uncontrolled growth of cells in liver cancer. The tumor suppressor, which could be useful as a biomarker to help diagnose and monitor treatment for liver cancer, could also be relevant for other cancer types. The work appeared in print in the journal Nature on March 29, 2018, and adds to the growing body of knowledge about cellular processes that either promote or prevent cancer.

"I think we've discovered a new control mechanism for cell proteins that, when disrupted, could be a driver for cancer," says Tony Hunter, Salk's American Cancer Society Professor and an author on the new paper. "It's exciting because it offers the possibility of new therapeutics or new diagnostics for a cancer that's basically untreatableliver cancerand potentially others, as well."

Hunter is known for his 1979 discovery of a molecular signaling process called tyrosine phosphorylation. In this process, proteins called kinases attach the chemical phosphatelike a sticky noteto the amino acid tyrosine in target proteins. But, when dysfunctional, tyrosine phosphorylation can also turn on the uncontrolled cell growth that leads to cancer. Hunter's breakthrough opened the door to the development of a new class of anti-cancer pharmaceuticals called tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including the life-saving leukemia drug Gleevec.

Since then, Hunter's lab has continued to study the process of phosphorylation, not only in terms of adding phosphates (via kinases or "on switches") but also removing them (via proteins called phosphatases or "off switches"). In 2015, his team developed an antibody to identify and study phosphates bonded to another amino acid called histidine.

In the new work, the international team, led by Professor Michael Hall of the Biozentrum, University of Basel, examined these switches in a mouse model of the most common form of primary liver cancerhepatocellular carcinoma. To compare tumor cells with normal cells, the team analyzed more than 4,000 proteins in healthy and diseased liver tissue. By the end, three proteins stood out: the histidine kinases NME1 and NME2 were elevated in tumor cells, and the suspected histidine phosphatase LHPP was deficient.

"It is striking that LHPP is present in healthy tissue and completely absent in tumor tissue," says Sravanth Hindupur, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Basel and the paper's first author. That gave the researchers a clue to explore histidine phosphorylation as a potential cancer target. Indeed, they found that the levels of protein phosphorylated in histidine were significantly higher in the tumor tissue than in normal liver tissue.

NME1 and NME2 are known histidine kinases and LHPP had been suspected to be a histidine phosphatase. With further experiments, the team verified that not only is LHPP a histidine phosphatase, but it is also a tumor suppressoressentially an "off" switch for cancer. Reintroducing LHPP into the liver of the model mice destined to develop tumors prevented the formation of tumors.

When the researchers next examined samples from human liver tumors, they found a similar pattern: NME1 and 2 levels were high and LHPP was low compared to healthy liver tissue. Furthermore, the Cancer Genome Atlas database, a collection of RNA sequences obtained from different human cancers, showed that a significant fraction of human liver cancers have low levels of LHPP, and that both disease severity and life expectancy are correlated with LHPP levels.

"The parallels between tyrosine phosphorylation and histidine phosphorylation are what really got me interested in the project," adds Hunter. "Whether this can be used as a therapeutic avenue, I don't know. But the fact that it could be so disease-relevant motivates me."

Explore further Researchers discover new anti-cancer protein

More information: Sravanth K. Hindupur et al. The protein histidine phosphatase LHPP is a tumour suppressor, Nature (2018). Journal information: Nature Sravanth K. Hindupur et al. The protein histidine phosphatase LHPP is a tumour suppressor,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/nature26140
Armenia human rights activist: Authorities might blame ex-chief of army's General Staff for defeat in war

UN: Over 350,000 people have died in Syria over the past decade

Armenia opposition MP not allowed to leave for Strasbourg to attend PACE session, fellow deputy doesn't attend

Russia Federal Security Service blocks large network of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs coordinated by Turkey

Thousand-man demonstrations taking place in Berlin ahead of elections

Brazil President's son tests positive for COVID-19 after trip to New York

Armenia PM: Karabakh conflict can't be considered resolved through the use of force

Karabakh Ombudsman: Azerbaijan's raging battle against state emblems of Artsakh is manifestation of Armenophobia

Armenia MP: All cases of Special Investigation Service will be transferred to Corruption Prevention Commission

Armenia MOD receives UK Ambassador

Opposition Armenia faction of National Assembly of Armenia to hold consultation

Saakashvili promises to return to Georgia soon

Digest: Russian and French FMs discuss Karabakh situation, more on COVID-19 situation in Armenia

Erdogan says improvement of Turkey-US relations is necessary

Nakhchivan's ex-internal affairs minister sentenced to 11 years in prison

Armenia parliament approves several amendments and supplements to existing laws

Armenian political party leader: Aliyev accused Armenia of everything that Azerbaijan needs to be accused of

Opposition "Armenia" faction MP: Azerbaijan is preparing to implement agreements reached behind our backs

Armenian deputy parliamentary speaker: There are confidential ties and talks between Armenia and Turkey

Karabakh Investigative Committee accepts for proceedings case of Azerbaijani soldiers who fired at harvesters

First autumn snow falls on Armenias Mount Aragats (VIDEO)

Armenia parliament holding special session for the second time today

Azerbaijan hands over one fallen soldiers remains to Armenian side, in Artsakhs Shushi

Armenia PM: We intend to fully implement Police reforms

Armenia minister: Enlargement of communities will entail job cuts

Asian Development Bank forecasts GDP growth of 5.2% in Armenia for 2021, 3.5% for 2022

Opposition MP: 110,000 people already left Armenia this year

Armenia State Revenue Committee chairman meets with Eurasian Economic Commission minister

Armenia seasoned diplomat dies

Dollar still losing value in Armenia

Armenia Central Bank chief attends 22nd session of Monetary Policy Advisory Council

China Ambassador to Armenia meets with students of Chinese-Armenian Friendship School (PHOTOS)

Armenia Ombudsman receives US ex-Ambassador, presents Azerbaijan's violations of borderline residents' rights

Newly appointed Ambassador of Nigeria presents Letters of Credence to Armenia President

Armenia Parliament Speaker receives UAE Charge d'Affaires

Armenian and Iranian FMs meet, Armenia's Goris-Kapan road also discussed

Defense minister receives head of Red Cross delegation in Armenia

Armenia Security Council secretary: We raise Goris-Kapan road issue in discussions with Russia colleagues, Azerbaijan

Aliyev: Putin asked me not to humiliate Pashinyan in our presence during signing of November 9 statement

Armenia Security Council chief: We need to normalize relations with Turkey

Armenia parliament passes, in 1st reading, controversial changes to law on community enlargement

FM, Jordan deputy PM confer on Armenian POWs, Azerbaijan provocations

Azerbaijan files lawsuit against Armenia with International Court of Justice

Minute of silence to be observed, church requiem services to be offered in Artsakh on September 27

Armenia PM on COVID-19 situation: We definitely have to do it if we sense there is need to get vaccinated again

Russia and France express mutual commitment to further work to stabilize Nagorno-Karabakh situation

Health minister on coronavirus situation in Armenia: About 85% of our bed capacity already used

Pashinyan: Vaccine protects against COVID-19 by 97.5%

906 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Opposition factions boycott Armenia legislature special session

Armenia FM lauds Cyprus principled position on Karabakh issue

Azerbaijan submits new bids to buy weapons from Russia

Armenia FM, UN Commissioner discuss issues of displaced Artsakh Armenians

Azerbaijans Aliyev offers Armenia peace in exchange for Zangezur corridor

Nearly 20 EU countries propose to re-elect Ghebreyesus as WHO chief

Newspaper: Artsakh President targeted

Trump leads in terms of voter support

Newspaper: Armenia government members to come to parliament

Scientists warn of magnetic storms on Earth this week

Schoolchildren and parents get into massive brawl on Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border

Deputy PM: No corridor issue being discussed, any passage through Armenia's sovereign territory will imply transit

Armenia FM at UN General Assembly: We call on increasing pressure on Azerbaijan

Armenia Deputy PM: It's rather difficult to say when Amulsar gold mine will be opened

Armenia FM meets with Finnish counterpart

Armenia Deputy PM: Pashinyan-Erdogan meeting is not planned

Turkey's Erdogan: We are receiving positive messages from Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan

Armenia 1st President hosts Kyrgyzstan's ex-president

Armenia FM meets with Council of Europe Secretary General

Armenia PM sends congratulatory message to Catholicos Patriarch of Armenian Catholic Church

Armenia Emergency Situations Ministry: Iranians didn't participate in putting out fire near park

Armenia PM orders to ensure enforcement of order for COVID-19 vaccination or PCR test starting October 1

Armenian lawyer: I won't force my employees to get PCR test for COVID-19 and will protect their rights in court

Armenia PM sacks Public Council Secretariat chief

Armenian man charged under organizing of illegal migration in Russia shows up to Armenia police station

France FM to meet with US counterpart

Armenia justice minister introduces newly appointed head of Penitentiary Service

Digest: US Congress demands Armenian POWs release in Baku, more on COVID-19 vaccination in Armenia

Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Prosecutors General meet in Kazakhstan

Russia ambassador to Armenia underscores continued development of multipolar cooperation bridges

Armenia peacekeepers in Kosovo mark Independence Day anniversary

US Under Secretary of State: We look forward to progress, including via OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair mechanism

Azerbaijan FM declares country's willingness to normalize relations with Armenia

US, Russia start talks over sustainable development at level of business

Mirziyoyev: Uzbekistan-Armenia cooperation will continue to consistently develop

Tehran says Georgia border guards' conduct against Iran citizens is unacceptable

Karabakh emergency service: Remains of another fallen soldier found

Iranian president invites Turkish counterpart to Iran for official visit

Dollar continues dropping in Armenia

21st Catholicos Patriarch of Catholic Armenians elected

Biden plans to attend G20 summit in Rome

4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Baku fires at Iranian helicopter

Armenia Ombudsman assesses observation of Russian State Duma elections

Armenia health minister: There is differentiated attitude towards COVID-19 vaccines

EU envoy reaffirms their continued assistance to democratic reforms in Armenia

Biden's advisor and Erdogan's spokesperson discuss situation in Caucasus after 44-day war

Poland to install 250 American Abrams tanks in east of country

Armenia parliament opposition faction leader: Azerbaijan, Turkey have no desire to build their policy on logic of peace

Turkey sends several thousand more troops to Syria

EU urges Iranian foreign minister to resume talks on Tehran's nuclear dossier
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My names Will Capers. For almost nine years, Ive blogged on various topics. I blogged as Blaque Ink first, and as Brotha Wolf second. The latter had a mu...

1 year ago
Georgian interior ministry is expelling a Russian diplomat from the country, Sputnik-Georgia reported.

The Ministry expresses solidarity with Great Britain, it supports the position of the UK and the international community on this issue, and therefore considers the employee representing Russia's interests in Georgia at the Swiss Embassy unacceptable and demands that he leaves Georgia within seven days, the statement said.

According to the statement, Georgian interior ministry condemns the use of chemical weapons in the UK, which caused serious damage to the health of three people and posed a serious threat to the life and health of others.

In 2008, Georgia cut off diplomatic ties with Russia when the latter decided to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

As reported earlier, former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury on March 4. UK Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of being responsible for an attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter and decided to expel 23 Russian diplomats from UK. The United States and several European countries are decided to expel dozens of Russian diplomats in response to an attack.
YEREVAN.  Greek Defense Minister Panagiotis Kammenos visited the ArmHitec - 2018 international exhibition of arms and defense technologies during his official visit to Yerevan.

Congratulating event organizers, the Minister noted that he was impressed by the exhibition.

During the visit, I had an opportunity to meet my Armenian colleague. Numerous matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting, Kammenos said.

According to him, Armenia and Greece share both common values and history.

We are the victims of genocides, the minister said, adding that Armenian-Greek military cooperation and political ties are at a high level.

"Armenia and Greece face common challenges. This requires relevant approaches. It is an honor for me to come to Armenia. I am in a fraternal country. Our shared values create a strong bond. We have a common heritage that we can be proud of and our historical ties have become even stronger after persecutions, the minister noted.

According to him, the representatives of Armenian and Greek companies will meet tomorrow on the margins of the exhibition on Friday.
YEREVAN.- Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received on Thursday the Minister of the National Defense of the Hellenic Republic, Panagiotis (Panos) Kammenos, the press service of the Presidents office reported.

Greeting the guest and underlining that Armenian-Greek ties date back to millennia ago with numerous demonstrations of friendship, the President of the Republic assessed it natural that the high level of mutual understanding and trust is characteristic for the relations of the two peoples.

Serzh Sargsyan noted with pleasure that defense cooperation has become one of the pillars of Armenian-Greek relations.

The sides noted with satisfaction that high level visits have become more frequent during the last years.

The President recalled with warmth his state visit to Greece in 2016 and asked Minister Kammenos to convey his warm greetings and best wishes to the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras and President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

President Sargsyan and Minister Kammenos expressed satisfaction over the current high level of defense cooperation between the two countries.

Serzh Sargsyan once again expressed gratitude to the Greek Government for the support in the spheres of military and civil education, noting that its a big contribution to the strengthening of friendship, since the youth who get education in Greece will foster the development of bilateral relations.

During the meeting the sides also referred to the ArmHiTech exhibition held in Yerevan, which was also attended by the Greek Defense Minister. The interlocutors assessed the exhibition a good opportunity to get acquainted with the achievements of the participating countries and to strengthen military-technical cooperation.

Panos Kammenos noted that the joint efforts with his Armenian counterpart aimed at expanding cooperation in the defense sphere continue.
Home | News | General | Group solicits support for anti-grazing laws in SEast

By Dennis Agbo

ENUGUA pan-Igbo organisation, Aligbo Development Foundation, ADF, has enjoined all stakeholders in the development of Igboland to mount pressure on governors and state lawmakers of the seven Igbo-speaking states to pass into law, its recently submitted anti- open grazing bill.

Herdsmen with their cattle

The seven Igbo-speaking states which the group submitted the proposed anti-open grazing bills are Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Rivers and Delta states.

ADF national President, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala said that sequel to the submission, his group is calling on traditional and community leaders as well as the clergy and the Church to ensure that the provisions of the proposed law are effectively implemented.

Nwala said that his group constituted a committee that studied the anti-grazing laws of Ekiti and Benue states before it came up with the draft bill.

He noted that the on-going war being waged by the third and fourth most deadliest terrorist organizations in the world against the people of Alaigbo and their neighbours in Nigeria currently overwhelmed by wide-spread invasion by heavily armed herdsmen is Jihad.

They have engaged in systematic and reckless grazing of cattle on cultivated agricultural land, destruction of crops; attacks, abduction and killings of farmers; rape of women and daughters and in many cases, sack and displacement of communities.

It has been firmly established that what is afoot is a Jihad being waged by the Fulani Muslims in the guise of herdsmen. The heavily armed herdsmen include both Fulani citizens of Nigeria and others from other West African countries such as Niger, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

The group further said that the Grazing Bills which surfaced in the Nigerian national assembly since the last two years appear to be an attempt to provide legal backing to the entire operation of Muslim take-over of Nigeria.

The anti-grazing bill is most desired in Alaigbo, hence, Alaigbo Development Foundations, ADF, decision to partner with Consciousness Agency for Civil Leadership and Development, CACLD, to spearhead the campaign for the passage of the anti-grazing Bill in the seven Igbo-speaking Houses of Assembly in Nigeria.

The group however said that passage of the Bill is one thing and its enforcement another.

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Home | News | General | MSMEs financing: BoI deepens relationship with BDSPs

By Yinka Kolawole

In a bid to deepen financing of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, in Nigeria, the Bank of Industry, BoI said it has set up mechanism to improve relationship with its over 200 Business Development Support Providers, BDSPs across the country.

Olukayode Pitan, Bank of Industry, BoI

Managing Director of BoI, Mr. Kayode Pitan, said at an interactive session with stakeholders on the operation of the BDSP scheme, that the countrys private sector was not as developed as it ought to be, thus necessitating the need to deepen its entrepreneurship space.

Represented by Mr. Waheed Olagunju, the banks Executive Director in charge of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Pitan recalled that the BDSP scheme was created in 2014 to enhance access to finance, entrepreneurial development, as well as assist MSMEs develop bankable business plan to facilitate finance and improve their record keeping. According to him, BDSPs are also expected to support MSMEs develop synergies and sustainable relationships with large enterprises, industrial buyers and suppliers along the value chain.

Pitan stated: We plan to grow our risk asset to N1.29 trillion by Dec. 2019. Presently, our risk asset is in the region of N600 billion and we hope we can double this figure in the next 18 months. We cannot do this on our own, given the size of this country and numbers of entrepreneurs that we intend to reach. We are trying to increase the contribution of MSMEs from less than 10 per cent of our risk assets to at least 30 per cent by 2019.

We are looking at about N376 billion and we are looking to disburse this amount to about 10,000 entrepreneurs across the country. Given the size of Nigeria, BoI as a Development Finance Institution, DFI, cannot engage more than 10,000 entrepreneurs effectively and efficiently, that is why we are working with partners, collaborating with Enterprise Development Centres, EDCs, and BDSPs across the country.

The BoI boss noted that there was the need to collaborate and leverage on the expertise of the BDSPs to evaluate and access the character, competency and viability of the 10,000 enterprises across the country. He urged the BDSP operators to attract quality customers with viable business plans that would effectively utilise the loans in order to achieve an inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development in the country.

To achieve this inclusive growth, we need to intervene more in the MSMEs space because that is where the developmental impact and multiplier effects of investment is much higher, he added.

Pitan said the bank was taking steps to review the BDSP scheme and would continue to engage the operators on the modalities that would serve the interest and growth of MSMEs in the country.

Also speaking, Mr Simon Aranonu, Executive Director, Large Enterprises, BoI, said the collaboration between the bank and BDSP operators was critical to catalyse growth of MSMEs in the country, adding however that MSMEs requires more than capital to grow.

He said: We are relying on you (BDSPs) to assist the MSMEs get structure, improve their capacity, inculcate in them sound corporate governance and enlighten them on global best practices.

Our dream is to help enterprises transcend from small to medium and then large enterprises, that is the way to achieve sustainable business growth. The large enterprises cannot survive without the MSMEs, which is why we have to ensure there is sufficient cross breeding between them.

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Home | News | General | Group partners Police to tackle insecurity in Abia

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

ABAA group, Searchlight Initiative for Community Peace Advocacy and Rural Development in Nigeria, in collaboration with Abia State Police Command, has mapped out strategies aimed at tackling insecurity in the state.

Speaking during a conference with the theme, Effective Crime Prevention and Control Through Intelligence Gathering and Community Policing, Marshal Chief , Abia State Command of the organization, Mr. Victor Okpulor said that proactive policing methods are highly needed to replace the reactive method inherent in the society.

He disclosed that such strategies include sensitizing the public on her role in partnering the Police and other security agencies on crime prevention, security, peace and community policing to achieve proactive policing in Abia.

Okpulor said community policing could play vital roles in reducing individual violence, street crime, drug related violence, civil unrest and lack of trust between the public and the police.

According to him, The overall assessment of community-oriented policing is positive, as both officers and community members attest to its effectiveness in reducing crime and raising the sense of security in a community. It is a strategy of policing that focuses on building ties and working closely with members of the community.

Thus multi-agency and community collaboration through partnership becomes imperative. The gap between the police and the members of the community need to be closed for us to achieve effective proactive police we want.

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Home | News | General | Queens College principal lauds return of normalcye

By Elizabeth Uwandu

THE Principal, Queens College, QC, Yaba, Dr. Bola Are, has expressed delight over the return of normalcy in the school after last years diarrhoea outbreak that claimed three lives while several other students were hospitalised. Recall that QC was forced to shut down after an epidemic caused by water contamination hit the school.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Susan Itulua, mother of the late Bithia, a JSS 3 student who was among those that lost their lives, said she felt sad that her daughters dream of being an astronaut, and Nigerias first woman that would travel to the moon, was cut short by the carelessness of the Nigerian system.

Queens-College-Yaba

Mrs. Itulua who took to social media to commemorate the one year demise of her 12-year-old daughter, noted that despite the alleged incident that happened during the era of former QC principal, Dr. Lami Amodu and former Parents Teachers Association, PTA chairperson, Mrs Beatrice Aktumen, the water problem was still an issue.

Her words: My gem: Itulua Ehinomie Bithia, Born on October 8, 2004, Died: February 22, 2017. Situation: Queens College, Yaba, water problem of January to March 2017 during the time of Dr Lami Amodu, principal, PTA chairperson, Beatrice Aktumen.

I really miss my baby, she would have been in SS1, Science Class. I am very sure of this; that her dream, which was to be an astronaut, the first Nigerian woman that will go to the moon, was cut short by the carelessness of our system (Nigeria). Who can I hold responsible? In the United States of America, Florida where they had a similar situation in a school early this month, the government stood at attention to find a lasting solution. But in the case of Queens College, it was swept under the carpet. Judgment is of the Lord that does not recognise your bigness or person and I await his judgment now and always, lamented Bithias mother.

Mrs. Itulua who commended efforts of the Queens College Old Girls Association, QCOA, chairman, Dr. Frances Ajose; present principal, Mrs B. Are, Grandma; present PTA chairman, Chief John Ofobike; her families and friends; her alma mater, University of Ibadan and the General overseer, MFM Worldwide, Dr. D.K Olukoya, AGO Administration, Pastor A. Adebambo and several others, called on QCOA to stand up to their duty by ensuring the safety of the girls at all times.

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Home | News | General | AUN partners Marlboro College on student exchange, academic cooperation

By Ebele Orakpo

TO enhance the educational experience and cross-cultural understanding of students and faculty of the American University of Nigeria, Yola and Marlboro College, USA, both institutions recently entered into partnership.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed to that effect by Dr. Dawn Dekle, president of the AUN and her Marlboro College counterpart, Dr. Kevin Quigley when the latter visited AUN.

According to a release made available to Vanguard, the cooperative relationship aims to cultivate engaged learning between students and faculty from AUN and Marlboro College through student exchanges while providing for other joint academic endeavours, such as summer programs or faculty exchanges of mutual benefit.

Giving further details on the MoU, Dekle said: American University of Nigeria is partnering with the Marlboro College learning community because of Marlboros unique liberal arts approach and intentional structure of the school. The mission and values of Marlboro mirror our AUN philosophy of education, which is complete education and meant to develop academics and skills through coursework and practical training.

The World Studies Program, Clear Writing Requirement, and Town Meetings at Marlboro allow students to forge deep friendships with other students who have different backgrounds than their own, and allow them to understand how a learning community operates and their own place and responsibility in that educational environment.

Said Quigley who serves on the Board of Trustees at AUN: Marlboro is committed to offering students international experiences that expand their horizons and launch them into a life of meaningful work. He noted that although they already have partnerships in many countries but their first collaboration in Africa is at AUN.

Quigley, a former President and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association, had worked with AUN Founder and Nigerias former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar and a former National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, the late Robert Pastor, to launch the Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award which recognises individuals whose lives were influenced by their interactions with volunteers, leading to a life of service to community and country.

In 2011 at the 50th anniversary of the US Peace Corps, HE Atiku Abubakar was honored with the Global Award for his contributions to higher education, community development, and democracy in Africa.

AUN is an ideal partner for Marlboro, with a focus on arts and sciences, but also technology and entrepreneurship, in the interest of future sustainable development, said Maggie Patari, director of global learning and international services at Marlboro. We are fortunate to have this new partner providing the skills and leadership to help students address the social and economic challenges in the region, and the world.

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Home | News | General | Produce my accusers dead or alive, Melaye tells Police

By Kingsley Omonobi, Bolu Obahopo & Joseph Erunke

Melaye arms saga: Suspects escape from custody, Produce my accusers dead or alive, Melaye tells Police

LOKOJAKogi State Police Command, yesterday, declared wanted, Senator Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi West and Mohammed Audu, son of the late governor of the state, Abubakar Audu.

Dino Melaye

Melaye was declared wanted on a day the six suspects, who accused him of supplying arms to them, including Kabiru Seudu (aka Osama) and Nuhu Salish (aka Small) escaped from custody.

The suspects were said to have escaped the A division cell in Lokoja, around 3.21 am and forcibly went through the back door.

This is even as the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, yesterday, ordered the immediate removal of Kogi State Police Commissioner, Ali Janga, over the escape of the suspects.

But Senator Melaye, in a swift response, asked the police to produce the suspects dead or alive and threatened to sue the IGP, if they were not produced.

The escape

The Police Commissioner, Janga, who disclosed this at a briefing in Lokoja, said both Seidu and Salisu escaped yesterday when they were supposed to be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lokoja, alongside Melaye and Mohammed Audu, son of the late Abubakar Audu, former governor of the state.

He identified Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed as four other suspects that escaped from custody around 3:21 am, yesterday.

He said 13 policemen, comprising five operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, and eight conventional policemen on duty when the incident happened had been detained for interrogation.

Janga said the police declared six suspects, including Melaye and Audu, wanted, adding that the police sought the assistance of Interpol in arresting the suspects.

He said: The Nigeria Police Force, Kogi State Police Command today (yesterday), March 28, 2018 received news that six suspected criminal elements, namely Kabiru Seidu a.k.a Osama, Nuhu Salisu a.k.a Small, Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed who were under detention at the A Division Lokoja escaped from lawful custody.

Investigation into the unfortunate incident is ongoing, while the 13 police officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were detained for interrogation.

The names of Melaye, Mohammed Audu and six suspects have been sent for watchlisting and red notice by the Interpol for immediate arrest anywhere we see them.

He appealed to the public to assist the police with information on the whereabouts of the suspects by reporting to the nearest police station.

IGP orders immediate removal of Kogi CP

Expressing his disappointment over the escape, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, ordered immediate removal of the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State.

Similarly, a new Commissioner of Police, CP Esa Sunday Ogbu, who until now, was the Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja has been directed by the IGP to immediately proceed and take over as the new Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command.

Idris action, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ASPJimoh Moshood, was his dissatisfaction over the circumstances that led to the escape of six suspects.

The statement read: Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, dissatisfied with the circumstances surrounding the escape of six suspects, including two principal suspects, Kabiru Seidu, aka, Osama, and Nuhu Salisu, aka Small, who indicted Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu in a case of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearm already filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja which came up in court today (yesterday), March 28, 2018, has ordered the immediate removal of Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Ali Janga.

The Commander FSARS in the state, Divisional Police Officer A Division, Lokoja and other Police officers implicated in the escape for negligence, dereliction of duty and gross misconduct in the escape of the six suspects have also been transferred out of the state and are facing serious disciplinary action. 13 other Police officers are currently being detained and investigated for their roles in the escape.

CP Esa Sunday Ogbu, Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja has been directed by the IGP to immediately proceed and take over as the new Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command.

Produce my accusers dead or alive, Melaye tells Police

Meanwhile, Senator Dino Melaye, yesterday, threatened to sue Ibrahim Idris, Inspector-General of Police, if he failed to produce two suspects who levelled allegations against him.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, yesterday, Melaye said instead of producing the suspects in court, the prosecutor asked the judge to issue an arrest warrant, stressing that there were rumours that the suspects might have been killed.

He, therefore, urged the police to produce them dead or alive.

Melaye said: Mr President, we were all supposed to appear before the Lokoja High Court this morning (yesterday). My lawyers were in court at 9 am and the case was called up and the prosecutor of Nigeria police could not produce the two persons.

Instead of producing the two persons, they asked the judge for a bench warrant for an arrest but the judge refused to grant their prayers and the judge said despite the fact that I have not been served I sent representation to the court. And the main accused persons are absent in court

So, she cannot grant a bench warrant and the matter has been adjourned till May 10. Mr President, I want to use the opportunity and on the principle of justice to call on the Inspector-General of Police that within 48 hours he must produce these accused persons because they are presumed innocent until proven guilty; they also have right to life.

So, police must as a matter of urgency, produce these two accused persons. Failure to do so, I will sue the Inspector-General of Police for mental assault. Nigeria is not a Banana Republic. They cannot escape, he must produce them dead or alive.

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Barack Obama introduces his running mate at the Old State Capitol, Aug. 23, 2008.

Four presidents with personal ties to Illinois left an indelible mark in American history. Thanks to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM), these presidents legacies are recognized in a new exhibit.



From Illinois to the White House: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan, Obama, opened at the ALPLM on March 23. The exhibit honors Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, who all lived for a time in Illinois.



In a ribbon-cutting ceremony, ALPLM executive director Alan Lowe explained the significance of honoring these presidents in time for Illinois bicentennial. We want to show how Illinois, as it celebrates its bicentennial, should be proud of a lot of things, including its contributions to national leadership, said Lowe. In the exhibit, youll see how these men connected with Illinois, how the state helped groomed them into leaders and how they left a legacy here in this state and around the world.



ALPLM Communications Director Chris Wills described in an interview how the exhibit came into fruition. For months, we had a lot of people who came together to answer the question of How do we cover 200 years-plus of Illinois history in one exhibit, said Wills. Eventually, Director Lowe had the idea that we should zero in on the four presidents who called Illinois home and tell their stories, which are the really important stories of Illinois, as they take the visitor from the early frontier days of Lincoln to the modern days of Obama.



Wills discussed his favorite relic at the exhibit, the table used by Robert E. Lee and Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse in 1865, marking the end of the Civil War. There is the table that General Robert E. Lee sat at and signed the surrender to General Grant to essentially end the Civil War, he said. I just cant think of anything more substantive in our countrys history than having that table and thinking about what took place there, he said.



Artifacts at the exhibit include the note cards President Reagan used for his 1987 Tear Down This Wall speech at the Berlin Wall, a picture of Obama as a community organizer with Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, the Bible that rested on Grants head when he died in 1885 and a rail-splitting axe once used by Lincoln, as well as his ink pen and briefcase used during his time as a lawyer in Springfield.



The exhibit hosts an interactive trivia game testing visitors knowledge about the four presidents. They are given the chance to simulate Lincolns famed Gettysburg Address by reading the speech off a teleprompter.

This nation would be much different today without the contributions of these four presidents, and they in turn would have been much different without Illinois influence on their characters and careers, Lowe said. The states 200th birthday is the perfect time for people to get to know these fascinating leaders.

Wills hopes visitors gain a sense of pride in witnessing how their fellow ordinary statesmen rose to become extraordinary citizens of the world. These four guys with Illinois roots kept the country together when it was falling apart. They helped fight the Civil War, they helped fight the Cold War and they took us into the modern age, he said. Its important to Illinoisans to come here and say These people from Illinois had a huge impact.



The exhbit, sponsored by the John Ullrich Foundation and PNC Bank, runs through the end of the calendar year. The exhibit includes no extra fee, as it is part of the museums general admission price.



Alex Camp is a masters degree graduate in Public Affairs Reporting from University of Illinois Springfield. He is currently a freelance journalist. Contact him at acamp4@uis.edu.
Home | News | General | Martin Luther Kings Family Under Fire For Giving Leadership Award To Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has been berated for receiving a Martin Luther King Jr award said to be undeserving.

Martin Luther King Jrs family has been criticized by a pro-democracy group in Nigeria, Concerned Nigerians, for giving leadership award to President Muhammau Buhari.

The group contended that Buhari does not deserve such an award. According to the group, Americas foremost Civil rights activist stood and died for justice, but the actions and inactions of Buhari since he was sworn in as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria negates the ideals and principles Marthin Luther King Jr upheld.

Theophilus Abu Agada, National Publicity Secretary of the group said, under the current administration, the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife have been illegally detained for over 800 days against a valid court order that says they should be released unconditionally.

Many today in Nigeria are in political servitude because they do not belong to President Buharis political party, he said in a statement.

Marthin Luther King Jr had a dream, a dream where his four little children Would live in a nation that they will not be Judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

However, in our country Nigeria, the man that is being honored with Marthin Luther King jrs legacy of equality and justice is known to be a despotic, tribalistic and nepotistic leader who has refused to adhere to the principles of federal character that allows equal opportunity for all.

The president sees people from other region and ethnic nationalities as lesser beings that must not be given an opportunity to serve in some sensitive positions of government.

He categorized citizens from Southern Nigeria as 5% people that must not enjoy what people from his 97% region who overwhelmingly voted for him should enjoy.

Minority Christians in the North have suffered so many losses, with the president abetting and pampering the perpetrators of the genocide that is ongoing in the North-Central region and Southern part of Kaduna state.

We condemn in its entirety, this prestigious award that was conferred on the president.

He doesnt deserve the award and as such, we are calling on the family of Marthin Luther King Jr not to compromise the legacy of Rev. Luther by giving award to people that are undeserving.

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Home | News | General | APC chairmanship: Oshiomhole reportedly gets Tinubus backing

- Adams Oshiomhole is tipped to replace Oyegun as APC chairman

- The former Edo governor is reportedly being backed by Tinubu

- Some south east leaders are also showing interest in the position

Former governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is reportedly preparing to take over as chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following President Muhammadu Buharis rejection of the tenure extension of the National Working Committee.

The John Oyegun-led committee had earlier received a one-year tenure extension but the president described it as illegal.

READ ALSO: Produce Kanu in court or go to prison - Court warns Abaribe

Vanguard reports that Oshiomhole is prepared to take over the party leadership although he would face stiff opposition from south east leaders.

It was also reported that Oshiomhole is receiving support from Chief Bola Tinubu who is also against the tenure extension.

The Edo state chapter of the APC also hailed President Buharis position indicating that was in support of Oshiomholes possible emergence despite the fact that Oyegun is a former governor of the state too.

The party said: It was a statement that was timely and justified. By that statement alone, the President has enhanced the profile of our party and saved us the disgrace that was imminent in implementation of that unconstitutional proposal.

In the past two years, we have had a number of people from other parties joining our party. Now, these people are joining with the hope that they will be fully integrated into the party. One of the ways that this integration takes place is in the participation in these congresses.

And in some cases, some of them are free to aspire and hold offices. By implementing this proposal, you would have shut those out, at least, for another one year and perhaps, another four years.

The most important thing which is fundamental is that our constitution as a party does not permit it. But the President has even taken it beyond that to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the most important law in our land and that law expressly forbids any body holding an office in a political party being there for more than four years without an election.

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Meanwhile, the embattled national chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, on Wednesday, March 28, called off a meeting scheduled between the National Working Committee of the party and the House of Representatives caucus.

Punch reports that the meeting was unceremoniously called off after President Buhari rejected the elongation of the tenure of the party's executives.

It was gathered that the meeting led by Oyegun was earlier scheduled to hold on Wednesday, March 28, at 2pm but never took place.

Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

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Home | News | General | APC crisis: Oyegun calls off House caucus meeting after Buhari's rejection of tenure elongation

- The national chairman of the All Progessives Congress, John Oyegun, has called off meeting with members of the House of Representatives

- The meeting was scheduled to hold by 2 pm on Wednesday, March 28

- Members of the APC House caucus had gathered for the meeting when the chairman sent word that the meeting will not be taking place

The embattled national chairman of the All progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun, on Wednesday, March 28, called off a meeting scheduled between the National Working Committee of the party and the House of Representatives caucus.

Punch reports that the meeting was unceremoniously called off after President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the elongation of the tenure of the party's executives.

It was gathered that the meeting led by Oyegun was earlier scheduled to hold on Wednesday, March 28, at 2pm but never took place.

READ ALSO: Electoral amendment: Names of 42 senators backing President Buhari revealed

Also the planned venue of the meeting - Conference Room 034, House of Representatives Wing of the National Assembly Complex - was already flooded with many members of the party including the leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, at the scheduled time before news of the cancellation broke.

Oyegun had earlier written to the members of the House on March 15, calling for a meeting to address the issues within the party.

The letter read in part: I wish to request that you arrange an early meeting between the NWC and the APC House Caucus at the National Assembly to discuss a few recent developments in the polity.

But a source within the APC said while they were waiting in the complex, the chairman sent word that the meeting will no longer hold.

READ ALSO: President Buhari is just an ordinary member like us - APC tells court

The chairmans advance party and secretariat members of staff had already arrived in the National Assembly.

But, Odigie-Oyegun called Gbajabiamila on the telephone to say the meeting would no longer be taking place," the source said.

A message got to him (Oyegun) that some members celebrated the action of the President.

His associates claimed that the chairman was not sure of the likely reception to receive from the lawmakers, the source added.

But in his reaction, Gbajabiamila said there was no cause for alarm.

There is nothing serious. I mean, there are no issues with the party. All the organs and activities are working.

Members are angry? How? Why will they be angry? There is nothing of that nature," the House leader said.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that some members of the APC had told a court that President Buhari is just an ordinary member of the party.

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The APC members said the president are subject to the decision of the party and not final.

The counsel to the plaintiff had notified the court that President Buhari had voiced his rejection of the one-year extension and urged it to expedite hearing of the suit so as to promptly reverse the illegal tenure extension.

Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on NAIJ.com TV

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Source: Naija.ng

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Michael Lacey, accused pimp, poses for a 2016 mugshot.

A couple years ago, I got an email from the blue.It was from a lawyer for an old employer: Mike Lacey is creating a database of former employees, could you please provide your home address? I did. Days later, I received a $5,000 check and a request to help locate other folks. So I called an ex-colleague who isnt getting rich working for a newspaper in St. Louis. Laceys handing out checks, want one? Nah, he told me. I dont want his blood money.Such are the feelings that Lacey, former newspaper magnate and accused pimp, stirs up. Stories about him are legend. The one I most remember is about the time he kicked a reporter in the nuts hard enough that bed rest was required. I believed it.Just why Lacey gave away cash like licorice, and to folks he hadnt seen in a decade or more if he ever had seen them at all, remains a mystery. At least one stunned beneficiary had been fired. Some suspected a tax dodge. Im guessing Lacey did it because he could, a departure of degrees from what he once told New York magazine. Look, a lot of people think Im a prick, he said. But at least Im a prick you can understand.That was in 2005, when Lacey acquired the Village Voice. It should have been the pinnacle of a career that began in 1970, when Arizona State University wouldnt fly flags at half-mast after the Kent State massacre. Lacey dropped out and started a newspaper, and he built it into the nations largest chain of alternative weeklies, at one time owning 17 publications. I worked down a hallway from his office at Phoenix New Times in Arizona. He was the rare newspaper executive who never stopped writing stories, and he relished a good fight.Lacey took on Joe Arpaio, the local sheriff, before it was fashionable. When Arpaio whined about the paper publishing his home address in small 12-point type, the next cover was taken up with an oversized drawing of a Christmas card addressed to Arpaio, with the house number and street prominently featured. The spat ended with the sheriff arresting Lacey, who donated more than half of a $3.75 million settlement to the journalism school at Arizona State University.Outside Arizona, Lacey is best known as the man behind Backpage, an online marketplace for prostitutes that began as part of his newspaper business, which he ultimately gave up as Backpage, and bad PR, consumed him. Critics say that the website enabled the buying and selling of hundreds of thousands of underage sex slaves, trafficked like livestock to johns just a mouse click away. Others ask how anyone can know that there are 300,000 teen sex slaves in the United States  its not the sort of occupation one puts down on a tax return  and that the underage sex trade generates $32 billion a year across the globe.Whether there are three teen prostitutes out there or 3 million, selling children is wrong, and we should do everything we can to stop it. Which is why I was floored in 2013, when Springfield police announced their first-ever online prostitution sting, years after cyberspace became the street of choice for streetwalkers. Its way easier to post an online ad and let johns come to you than it is to stand on a street corner, hoping for the best. And if an underage prostitute is being advertised as such, why on earth wouldnt undercover officers immediately answer such an ad and get a vulnerable person off the street?Neither teen prostitution nor police indifference is new. Iris, the teen hooker portrayed by Jodie Foster in the 1976 film Taxi Driver, didnt have the internet to advertise, and no one save a crazed Vietnam vet cared enough to rescue her. We should demand more from cops, not less from the internet, in the fight against underage sex trafficking.This is not how politicians see things, and so the U.S. Senate, with Backpage as its poster child, last week voted 97-2 to punch a hole in a 1996 law that bars websites from being held liable for content created by outside parties. President Trump says he loves the bill, which cleared the House on a 388-25 vote. And so website proprietors who publish prostitution ads soon will invite lawsuits, imprisonment and fines.This is the first crack in the 22-year-old statute that ensured speech would be unfettered on the internet, yet newspapers, broadcasters, Facebook, Google and other usual suspects were nearly silent as the bill gained momentum. Bill backers say theres nothing to worry about, this is for folks like Lacey who do yucky things. Craigslist, after the Senate vote, removed all personal ads, no doubt to the consternation of the lovelorn who cant afford match.com memberships. Backpage still has ads that include phone numbers and risque photos: Relax your mind, arouse your body at the #1 spa in Springfield. Sexy new girls, one reads, just above help-wanted ads that include offers of free housing and requirements that applicants submit photos of themselves along with their age, weight and height. And so prostitution, shockingly, still flourishes.Lacey invoked the First and Fifth amendments when he refused to testify before a Senate committee last year, not long after he was charged with pimping and money laundering in California. Like every journalist, he likely wanted to change the world, and he probably has. But not in the way he wanted.
Home | News | General | Tinubu at 66: You are a fearless political strategist - OGD heaps praise on APC national leader

- Former Ogun state governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel has felicitated with Bola Tinubu on the occasion of the latters 66th birthday

- Daniel described Asiwaju as a fearless political strategist, a great mobiliser and grassroots politician, who has contributed so much to the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria

- The former governor also wished Tinubu long life in robust health and divine wisdom in the service of the nation and humanity

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been described as a fearless political strategist by the former governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Vanguard reports.

The encomium comes as Tinubu celebrates his 66th birthday today, March 29, 2018.

READ ALSO: Call for self defense: Sharia council chides Danjuma for unguarded utterances

NAIJ.com gathers that Daniel lauded the APC national leader for his vibrancy and firebrand politics which he said greatly aided the APCs victory in the 2015 general.

He stated further: A great mobiliser and grassroots politician, Senator Tinubus contributions to the entrenchment of democracy in the country is commendable.

As a political bridge builder, his unique politics established him in the hearts of the people with magnetic passion and altruistic followership.

In celebrating the quintessential statesman, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his family join other well meaning Nigerians in wishing Senator Tinubu long life in robust health and divine wisdom in the service of the nation and humanity.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was described by the APC, as a front-line politician who built lasting political bridges and alliances across divides in the country.

The ruling party made the comments in a statement released by its national publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdulahi, on Wednesday, March 28, as it felicitated with the national leader, ahead of his 66th birthday.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu speaks about the local government election in Lagos - on NAIJ.com TV:

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Home | News | General | FG still owes pensioners 14 months arrears since 2017 - Pension commission reports

- The federal government has resolved to pay retirees who were disengaged between January 2017 and February 2018 under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS)

- Peter Aghahowa, the head of corporate communication, Pension Commission (PenCom) said that the payment have been concluded, but that the body is still waiting for the release of the fund from the Ministry of Finance

- Aghahowa said that the commission would pay the retirees as soon as the federal government releases the money

The presidency has said that it is making plans to pay pensioners who retired in January and February 2017 under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

Leadership reported that federal government retirees, especially those who retired from January 2017 till February 2018, are yet to get any pension entitlement, as the federal government now owes 14 months unpaid pension.

Yet, reports showed that the payment for the two months has been concluded, but the National Pension Commission (PenCom) is awaiting the release of the fund from the Federal Ministry of Finance before it commences the payment of the concerned retirees.

READ ALSO: Martin Luther King Center reacts to Buhari's leadership award

This therefore means that the government still owes 12 months pension arrears to pensioners under the CPS. Meanwhile, those who retired from March 2017 till presently would have to wait longer to receive their pension arrears.

Peter Aghahowa, the head of corporate communication, PenCom, confirmed the development. Aghahowa affirmed that some 2017 retirees had not been paid, stating that the federal government has, however, released money for pension payment to retirees up to February 2017. He noted that they are yet to release money for retirees who retired from March 2017 till date.

Aghahowa said that the commission would pay the retirees as soon as the federal government releases the fund.

According to reports gather, Hassana Shekarau, the chairman, House committee on pension, said that the federal government has released N54 billion to National Pension Commission (PenCom)offset 33 per cent pension arrears to pensioners.

Shekarau revealed this at the inauguration of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners House in Abuja, recently. He remarked that presidecy had set up a presidential committee to reconcile the pension figures and that the job had been concluded.

He further said that the president also sent a bill seeking a loan to the National Assembly, which had been approved, part of which was to pay pensioners arrears.

Shekarau stated: We dont know what is delaying it that is why I took it upon myself to make sure that I charge the chief executives, who are handing pension matters that within two weeks they should report back to me on it.

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Any of them that delay I assure pensioners that we will still move another motion to ensure it payment. I have engaged stakeholders to make sure that the needful is done. I am happy to tell you that some progress have been made on the challenges of the 33 per cent arrears.

I have given the relevant stakeholders on pension two weeks to sit and resolve matters on the pending issues of the payment of 33 percent pension arrears since the money had been disbursed.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had traced about 6 million pension funds to a United Kingdom bank account under the name of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).

NAIJ.com gathered that the money was suspected to have been tampered with by some government officials but the two former heads of the civil service of the federation (Engineer Okeke and Professor. O. A. Afolabi) reportedly did their best to protect the funds from being looted.

What is working well and what needs improvement in Nigeria? - On NAIJ.com TV

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The oddest political couple in all of Illinois did pretty well in last Tuesdays Democratic primary. Two years ago, progressive firebrand Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia helped lead Bernie Sanders Democratic campaign in the Chicagoland area and was eventually named a national Sanders media surrogate.



At the same time, Garcia also endorsed House Speaker Michael Madigan against a well-funded Democratic primary opponent.



It was mainly a marriage of convenience. Madigan needed help with his wards Latino voters, and Garcia had some plans of his own that Madigan could help him with. Madigan also likely wanted to make sure that Garcias future plans didnt include trying to knock him off his perch.

Garcia, along with his allies in the Bernie Sanders Our Revolution organization, ran the table in Cook County last week.They helped trounce Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios by almost twelve points. They soundly defeated Rep. Dan Burke, the younger brother of one of the most powerful Democrats in Chicago (Ald. Ed Burke, who they are going after next). They cruised through a hotly contested four-way primary to replace retiring Rep. Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago) with Delia Ramirez by 27 points. They buried machine-linked Sen. Martin Sandovals (D-Chicago) daughter Angel by 15 points in the race to replace Garcia on the county board despite massive spending. They won a judicial race. And, of course, Garcia walked away with his own congressional nomination by 45 points.Speaker Madigan carried Mayor Rahm Emanuel to victory in the 13th Ward in Emanuels 2015 race against Garcia, but after Garcia endorsed Madigan in 2016, Madigan allied with Garcia on some of this years races, including the defeat of Sandoval.There was admittedly nothing that Madigan could do to help Berrios outside of the 13th Ward.Berrios had become so toxic that even several politicians whod endorsed him wouldnt put his name on their election-day palm cards for fear of alienating voters they needed for other races.And Rep. Burke was beyond saving as well. Progressive Latinos are demanding their own representation. But because of Madigans relationship with Garcia, its a fairly safe bet that Aaron Ortiz, who beat Burke, wont be a thorn in Madigans side when he takes office next year.Without Madigan and the hundreds of precinct captains he controls, Congressman Dan Lipinski would be polishing up his thin resume this week. The conservative Democrat Lipinski narrowly defeated a progressive challenger.And with Assessor Berrios defeated, thats one less issue that Gov. Bruce Rauner will have against Madigans favored gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker, who won last week by 18 points over two public Madigan haters, Chris Kennedy and Sen. Daniel Biss.Madigans 17th House District candidate Jennifer Gong Gershowitz won by almost 600 votes over Candance Chow, who had vowed to vote against Madigan for House Speaker. Madigans candidate Lamont Robinson won a four-way primary to replace Lt. Governor nominee Juliana Stratton by 14 points. Madigans bitter foe Ken Dunkin came in third in that primary, scoring just 18 percent.Jill Bernal had pledged to vote against Madigan, but she lost to the pro-Madigan Lance Yednock by 15 points to take on freshman Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator).Madigans ally Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) fended off her primary opponent by 15 points. The House Speakers favored candidate to replace retiring Rep. Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills), Daniel Didech, prevailed by 21 points. His candidate to take on Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), Marsha Griffin, sailed through by 26 points.Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) triumphed by over 65 points. Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-Calumet City) dominated with a 29-point victory. Madigan lieutenant Rep. Bob Rita (D-Blue Island) thrashed his opponent by a whopping 53 points despite countless negative news stories about his past.The one candidate Madigan reportedly didnt want to win in the crowded primary race to replace retiring House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) was Flynn Rush, the son of U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush. The younger Rush lost to Curtis Tarver by 9 points.As far as I can tell, not a single anti-Madigan candidate won a House Democratic primary last week.As I write this, nobody has yet compiled Democratic state central committee race results, so we dont yet know how Madigan fared there. So, stay tuned on that, because Madigan is the state party chairman and several folks were running to topple him.
Home | News | General | Court remands businessman for allegedly defrauding youth corps member of N600, 000

A Karmo Grade I Area Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered that a 39-year-old businessman, Chidiebere Nwagwu, who allegedly defrauded a a youth corps member of N600, 000 be remanded in prison custody.

The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, gave the order after Nwagwu of no fixed address was arraigned on a four count charge of joint act, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Sadiq fixed April 24, for hearing of the case.

Nwagwu pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Zannah Dalhatu, told the court that one Ijeoma Angu, a youth corps member, who resides at Kubwa Abuja, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station Abuja on March 14.

Dalhatu said the complainant alleged that on March 2, the defendant and three others now at large approached her while waiting for a cab at Wuse Zone III Abuja.

He said they persuaded her to enter their vehicle and while on the way, they diverted to Jabi Village, Abuja, where they claimed to be businessmen from Senegal.

Dalhau said that the accused told Angu that he had some goods in a warehouse for sale.

He alleged Angu gave the accused N600, 000, to supply her with the goods but he disappeared after collecting the money.

The prosecutor said the police discovered after preliminary investigation that the accused is a member of a gang of fraudsters who have defrauded other people.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 79, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

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The Nigerian Army on Thursday laid to rest the 11 soldiers killed by bandits at Kampanin Doka Village in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, also donated half a million naira to each of the bereaved family.

The soldiers were said to be a special force executing the Nigerian Armys Exercise Aya Akpatuma (Rat race).

With full military honour, the remains of soldiers, who were killed on March 20, were buried at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Kaduna.

The slain soldiers are Private Olabode Hammed, Private Bamidele Adekunke Emmanuel, Private Owhochukwu Christian Chigoziri, Private Adamu Muhammed, Private Lamara Ahmed, Private Mubarack Suleiman.

Others included, Private Bashir Dani, Private Usman Abubakar Halo, Private Nafiyi Iliyasu, Private Sefiyanu Ahmed and Private Alhassan Ibrahim.

Speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, said the death of the soldiers would not deter the Army from protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

He said the bandits that carried out the dastardly act wont be spared as the Nigerian Army would do all within its powers to arrest and bring them to book.

Buratai told the families of the deceased to accept the death of the gallant officers as an act of God, saying, From God we came, and to God we will return.

The General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Mohammed, stood in for the Chief of Army Staff.

The Chief of Army Staff said, On the morning of 20th March 2018, some able bodied men who came into this job barely a year ago to serve the country told their relations I have joined the Army. Now they have paid the supreme sacrifice defending their country.

Could they have paid with their lives to aid those who killed them? All of us will join them, its only a matter of time. To have been trained for six months and additional training, to be cut short is really painful.

We assure those who killed them that we will not relent our efforts. Their blood was not shed in vain. Their memories remain with us.

We assure Nigerians that we would continue to do our duties, regardless of this. We assure that every part of this country, every part under 1 Division would be secured, he said.

He assured their families of the Armys continuous support.

If any other member of the family wants to join the Army, do not discourage them. We condole with you on the loss of your people, but we assure you that their death is not in vain.

They were honoured with 21 gun salutes.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai during the burial, announced N500,000 each as support to the slain soldiers families.

El-Rufai made the announcement through the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Lawal Balarabe, who represented him at the event.

The cheque of N5.5m was presented to the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Mohammed.

According to the governor, the soldiers fought gallantly to protect our lives and property but paid the supreme price.

He noted that the state government would not relent in supporting security agencies in ensuring that their killers were brought to book.
Home | News | General | Nigerian Senate mourns as several die in attack on herders in Zamfara

- Gunmen have reportedly killed some herdsmen in Zamfara state

- Nigerian senators, on the floor of the Senate, mourned the death of the deceased

- The Senate also decided to observe a minute silence to honour the victims of the deadly attack

Nigerian Senate has mourned herdsmen who were allegedly killed by gunmen in Zamfara state on Wednesday, March 28.

The Senate also decided to observe a minute silence to honour the victims of the deadly attack.

READ ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: President Muhammadu Buhari makes historic visit to Lagos

The Senate tweeted that Senator Kabir Marafa cites Order 43 and "speaks on the unfortunate killings in Zamfara state as reported yesterday by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

We send our condolences to the people and families of the victims in Zamfara State. We are worried about what is happening in Zamfara State, a Committee headed by Senate Leader was sent to the State. The Government needs to protect the lives and property of its people, the Senate said on their twitter handle.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Police Command in Zamfara on Wednesday, March 28, confirmed the killing of three persons at Bawan Daji village in Anka local government area of the state.

The Commands Spokesman, DSP Mohammed Shehu, told NAN in Gusau that the killing was perpetrated by gunmen.

Shehu said the gunmen who came in large numbers attacked the village in the early hours of Wednesday shooting sporadically which led to the death of the three persons.

He said the villagers who were taken unawares were quick to alert a nearby mobile police patrol team which came and engaged the bandits in a gun battle.

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The PPRO said the policemen overpowered the bandits and many of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

He urged members of the public to be on alert to report to the nearest authority anyone seen with bullet wounds and seeking medical attention.

Shehu said normalcy had returned to the affected village with people going about their normal businesses.

However, other unconfirmed reports claimed as high as 15 were killed were killed in the village.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the police in Zamfara said it averted an attempt by unknown gunmen to attack Wuya Community in Anka Local Government Area of the state, and arrested one suspect.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, DSP Muhammad Shehu made this known in a statement in Gusau on Saturday, March 3.

Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State - on NAIJ.com TV.

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Home | News | General | Muslim woman gives out chickens, food items to Christians in Kaduna

The world will be more peaceful and harmonious if humans show kindness and love to others irrespective of their religion, tribe or differences.

A Muslim woman identified as Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani has shared love by donating chickens to Christian widows in preparation of the Easter celebration in Kaduna.

According to Tijjani the Christians just ended their 40 days fasting and prayers which will usher them into their festive period and many people won't be able to provide food for themselves that day and it will only be good to support in her own way.

Tijjani continued that her kind acts is also to encourage people to help others without adding sentiment or tribalism, which will promote peace and understanding among the community.

READ ALSO: Ramadan Day 12: Are Muslims allowed to taste food while fasting?

Muslim woman donates food items to Christian. Source: Yohanna Buru/Facebook.

Muslim woman donates food items to Christian. Source: Yohanna Buru/Facebook.

Muslim woman donates food items to Christian. Source: Yohanna Buru/Facebook.

She said: Christians worldwide are finishing their 40 days fasting and prayers this week. There is need to support the widows with chickens and other food stuff to enable them celebrate the Easter with joy, and happiness like other Christians round the world.

I commence the chickens distribution with the Church of Christ Evangelical and Intercessory Fellowship, Sabon Tasha Kaduna. Because of my good friendship with all the members of the church, I am hoping to spread the gifts to other neighbouring churches in Kaduna.

This is a method of promoting peace, building inter-religious tolerance and better understanding among different faith based organisations in Nigeria. We are worshiping one God and Allah and both Muslims and Christians are from one family and both have Holy Books which are Bible and Quran. Both believe in paradise and hell, therefore we are all one family under one God."

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Hajiya Tijjani also mentioned that last year she bailed 10 Christian prisoners from the Kaduna prisons to enable them join their families in the celebration.

She also advised that priests, clerics and other religious leaders should preach on the need of love and tolerance to their congregation in other to foster peaceful co-existence in the world.

Ex Bishop David Abioye's driver quits Living Faith Church, converts to Islam - on NAIJ.com TV

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Photo by Lee Milner Let this be the year of reform, of safety.

On Saturday, March 23, a reported 1.2 million people took part in the March for Our Lives, a nationwide demonstration demanding changes to existing gun laws. The demonstrations were spearheaded by the young survivors of last months massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in which 14 students and three staff members were killed by a former student wielding an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. In spite of rain and near-freezing temperatures, around 500 area supporters of varying ages, genders and ethnicities  along with about 15 somewhat less-diverse detractors  gathered in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Capitol in Springfield for a rally at noon Saturday. Several speakers, almost exclusively central Illinois teenagers, addressed the crowd with passion and defiance.



Its time to put your preconceived notions about what it means to be a teen in 2018 aside and listen to us scream at the top of our lungs, said Claire Farnsworth, 18, a senior at Glenwood High School, speaking through an electric bullhorn. Were not self-absorbed, materialistic morons  we are smart and we are engaged and we are tired of being written off and treated as if our voices dont matter because were young. She went on to praise Emma Gonzalez and the other Parkland survivors who have braved ridicule and worse by taking to the media to get their message across, calling them her heroes for turning pain into action and demanding policy change in the wake of trauma.

As Farnsworth spoke, one of the small group of counter-protestors attempted to drown her out with repeated shouts of I call BS, a repurposed quote from a speech given by Parkland survivor Gonzalez in February. After Farnsworth completed her speech, the crowd responded with a chant of Shame on the NRA.The next speaker was Amelia Cox, a freshman attending Glenwood High School, who was identified as being eligible to vote in 2021. Truthfully, I have never been involved in activism before because I was scared, she said. I am no longer scared. I am appalled at how gun culture in America has become normalized and how no one is doing anything about it. Cox also said that after the school shooting in Florida, her teachers expressed fear for their lives. How am I expected to feel safe? she asked.Next, in response to continued attempted disruptions from the pro-gun faction gathered on the other side of Second Street, holding signs with slogans such as Arm Our Teachers and Honest Government Does Not Fear Armed Citizens, Farnsworth said, We respect the right of all of you to protest but be respectful, please, during others speeches, followed by enthusiastic cheering from the crowd and a brief chant of Hey-hey, ho-ho, the NRA has got to go.This is not a political issue and it never was, said the next speaker, Lillian Stevens, a student at Springfield High School who said she voted for the first time this year. This is an issue of humanity and we have waited too long for the grownups to make any decisions. Stevens went on to decry apathy and desensitization to violence on both the national and local level. Even in our hometown, with each passing high school bomb threat, the process became more and more mundane to us, she said. We will be the generation that makes sure that every single child wont have to question the existence of their future. Next, Elena Watt, 18, also of Springfield High School, read an essay addressing the glorification of gun violence in contemporary youth culture, particularly among people of color.Samiya Hamid, 18, a Glenwood High senior who voted for the first time on March 20, said, The politicians who accept money from the NRA let this happen and it makes me feel unsafe to live in this country, a place that is meant to embody freedom. We need to vote corrupt congressmen out. Everyone I love is in danger when the NRA is in power. Let this be the year of reform, of safety. Hamid concluded her speech by listing the names of all 17 victims of the Parkland massacre.The rally concluded with a short speech by Democratic 13th District congressional candidate Betsy Dirksen Londrigan. The adults in the room have let you down, she said. I will be an adult who will stand up and help students, help our communities, help our schools and keep us safe. Dirksen Londrigan referred to her anxiety as a parent with a child in public schools in the current climate, as well as her time as a middle school teacher. In my very busy, very fun, very lively classroom, the last thing that would have kept my students safe was another loaded gun, she said. I vow to never, ever take a dime from the shadow-monster that is the NRA. Moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, legal gun owners, non-gun owners and students of all ages  we are joining forces, we are the rebellion.
Home | News | General | President Buhari commissions Ikeja bus terminal in Lagos

The President of the Federal Republic of NigeriaMuhammadu Buhari has arrived in Lagos to begin a two-day official visit to the commercial city of Nigeria. His first destination was the Ikeja bus terminal.

President Buhari who was received at the Murtala Mohammed Airport by the Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, has commissioned the world class bus terminal in Lagos

He is on his way to Eko Convention centre, Victoria Island to attend and chair the Colloquium to mark the 66th birthday of APC national leader and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The bus terminal which is located behind the premises of the railway corporation opposite the Murtala Muhammed International Airport will connect 22 routes and over 60, 000 people are expected to transit through the facility on a daily basis.

According to reports, there are 13 similar bus terminals being constructed across the state.

According to reports, the terminal at Alapere, Ketu, and part of the state is scheduled for commissioning today, while the terminal at Tafa Balewa Square has also been completed and ready for commissioning.

The newly acquired buses by the Lagos state government will service the terminals. It was gathered that the state has taken possession of over 5,000 of the new buses. And there are reports that more of the buses will be acquired in the course of the year.

The Ikeja Bus terminal is sitting on 10,000 square metres land space is equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), Fully Air-conditioned Terminal, Food Court, Shops, Toilets, ATM Gallery, Free Wi-Fi, Electronically Controlled shades, among others.

Through the ITS, intending passengers can be informed of the departure time and arrival of the next bus which allows them to plan their movement.





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Home | News | General | Breaking: Nigerian Navy foils pirates attack on vessels in nation's water

- Nigerian Navy has foiled pirates attack on vessels in Lagos and Bayelsa waters

- The security agency said that the troops who foiled both attacks were deployed for a regional maritime sea exercise

- Navy's Chief of Transformation, Rear Admiral Begroy Ibe-Enwo, said that a combined effort from navies from the West African sub region led to the arrest of about eight persons

The Nigerian Navy on Thursday, March 29, said it foiled two major attacks on two merchant ships in Lagos and Bayelsa waters.

Daily Trust reports that it said that the troops who foiled both attacks were deployed for a regional maritime sea exercise code name "Exercise Obangame".

READ ALSO: ACF dissociates itself from communique expressing vote of no confidence in Buhari

NAIJ.com gathered that the Navy's Chief of Transformation, Rear Admiral Begroy Ibe-Enwo, who made this disclosure at the end of a week long yearly regional sea exercise also said that a combined effort from navies from the West African sub region led to the arrest of about eight persons who had allegedly hijacked a fishing trawler off the coast of Togo.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the German government has donated five gunboats to Nigerian Navy to fight insurgency in the Lake Chad area of the northeast.

It wasreported that Consul-General of Germany in Nigeria, Ingo Herbert, on Tuesday, March 13, at the handover of the boats in Onne, Rivers state, said the development was a positive vibe for Germany in deepening its partnership with Nigeria and helping build peace and development in the country.

Lagosians groan as President Buhari's visit grounds activities - on NAIJ.com TV

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Home | News | General | We never part of those who passed vote of no confidence in Buhari - ACF

- ACF has dissociated itself from communique signed by some northern leaders to pass vote of no confidence in President Buhari

- The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had on Saturday, March 24, passed a vote of no confidence in President Buhari and other politicians in the region

- But ACF said the northern body was yet to decide on the president and other politicians in the region

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has dissociated itself from a communique passing a vote of no confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari and other northern politicians.

The Punch reports that a key member of the forum and leader of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, and 17 other northern groups at a summit on Saturday, March 24, had passed a vote of no confidence in President Buhari, noting that the President and other politicians in the region had failed the north.

READ ALSO: Breaking: You have a case to answer - Court tells Jonathans cousin over $40m fraud

NAIJ.com gathered that Abdullahi, a former vice-chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was the convener of the summit held at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

The groups went ahead to say that they were searching for credible candidate to replace the president.

But on Thursday, March 29, the ACF distanced itself from the members who signed the Saturday, March 24, communique passing a vote of no confidence in Buhari and politicians from the region.

The national publicity secretary of the ACF, Muhammad Biu, in statement on Thursday, March 29, in Kaduna, said the northern body was yet to decide on the president, noting that at the appropriate time, the north would tell Nigerians.

The Forum said: The attention of Arewa Consultative Forum has been drawn to the communique of the Northern Groups Summit held at the Arewa House, Kaduna, on Saturday 24th March, 2018, where the ACF was said to be a signatory to the communique.

For the avoidance of doubt, the ACF hereby states that it was neither involved in the preparation, nor participated in the said summit and did not mandate any of its members to represent the Forum.

ACF acknowledges the right of individuals or groups to freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution. Any member who claimed to have represented ACF or signed on behalf of the Forum did so on his own.

Furthermore, the views expressed in the said communique were those of the conveners and not those of ACF, which is an umbrella body for all northerners, irrespective of their political, ethnic and religious persuasions.

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ACF therefore dissociates itself from the communique in its entirety.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Afenifere, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and other groups have told President Muhammadu Buhari to end attacks by suspected herdsmen, killings, kidnappings and other vices in the country.

Lagosians groan as President Buhari's visit grounds activities - on NAIJ.com TV

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Why does President Trump seem so fond of Russia and its strongman leader, Vladimir Putin?

We asked Michael Isikoff of Yahoo News, co-author of the new bestseller, Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putins War on America and the Election of Donald Trump. And the answer may be pretty simple: Its all about business.

Everybody keeps looking for the smoking gun, the foolproof evidence that explains Trumps Russia problems, Isikoff tells Yahoo Finance. But much of the evidence is hiding in plain sight.

As a real-estate developer and head of the Trump Organization, Trump tried for years to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, just as he had in New York, Chicago, Vancouver, Istanbul and other marquis cities. By 2014, he was actually getting close. Trump had made the right connections during a 2013 trip to Moscow, where the Miss Universe pageant, which he owned, was held. He knew Putins personal approval would be necessary to build his tower. And by early 2014, his company had signed a letter of intent with Moscow authorities to go ahead with the project.

Trumps daughter Ivanka, who was then one of the companys top executives, was actually in Russia scouting for sites in February of that year, when Russia, under Putins order, annexed Crimea. Then Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Europe and the United States responded by imposing tough new economic sanctions on Russiawhich directly affected a Russian bank Trump had lined up to help finance his Moscow tower.

It was the sanctions that killed his Russia deal, Isikoff says. It helps explain a lot.

U.S. President Donald Trump, right, meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. Friday, July 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

As a candidate, Trump criticized those sanctions, without ever mentioning that they directly affected his business dealings. And as president, he has been strangely solicitous of Putin, bucking most of the U.S. national-security establishment and the orthodoxy of his own Republican party. Trump, for instance, called Putin recently to congratulate him for winning an election widely viewed as completely rigged. Trumps own national-security advisers had strongly advised him not to congratulate Putin.

Story continues

Trump persisted in his efforts to get a Moscow deal, even after declaring his candidacy for president in 2015. Later that year, Trump lawyer Michael Cohennow embroiled in the Stormy Daniels controversyspearheaded another effort to build a Trump tower in Moscow.

The public knew nothing about it, Isikoff says. That project never got off the ground, either.

While pursuing the Moscow deals, however, Trump and his companyincluding family membersdeveloped a number of Russian contacts who circled back once Trump was a presidential candidate. Those were the Russians who offered dirt on Hillary Clinton, or helped set up meetings on the matter. A few are known confidantes of Putin. If you want to understand what happened at these meetings, Isikoff says, you have to understand these business relationships.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is now investigating whether any dealings between Trump people and Putin people may have broken the law. Trump still has no tower in Moscow, and theres no public evidence he has done anything illegal. But Trump does have a looming problem with Mueller, who may know far more than he has revealed. Trumps business ambitions have cast a long shadow.

Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available.

Read more:

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman

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Varces-Allieres-et-Risset (France) (AFP) - A driver who threatened a group of soldiers out jogging in southeast France on Thursday sparked a major terror scare as the country mourned the victims of an Islamist shooting spree last week.

A spokesman for the army claimed the driver had first shouted at a group of soldiers at around 8 am (0600 GMT) in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near Grenoble, and then tried to run down another group returning to their barracks from a jog.

But after a full day's investigation, local prosecutor Jean-Yves Coquillat told reporters that "this is not a terror case, very clearly", suggesting the driver had merely swerved towards the servicemen, rather than attempting to hit them.

The suspect, a 23-year-old with a long criminal record, was later arrested in a state of drunkenness, but would face charges for violence and perhaps threatening behaviour, rather than attempted murder.

The incident came with France on edge after a jihadist rampage in the towns of Carcassonne and Trebes last week where a 25-year-old gunman killed four people, including a policeman who took the place of a hostage in a supermarket siege.

The people of Trebes paid an emotional farewell to three local victims at a ceremony in the square of the sleepy town on Thursday, held a day after a national tribute to hero policeman Arnaud Beltrame in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron.

"You fell under the bullets of terrorism and took with you the insouciance of a little town in Occitanie where no one expected to ever experience such happenings," Trebes Mayor Eric Menassi told mourners at the gathering attended by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

- Security forces under fire -

Security forces have been repeatedly targeted during the string of jihadist attacks that have claimed the lives of over 240 people around France in the past three years.

At least six security force members have been killed during that period.

Story continues

In last week's attack, Moroccan-born Radouane Lakdim fired at a group of policemen returning from a jog before storming the Super U store and shooting dead two people. He also killed the passenger of a car he hijacked in Carcassonne.

Beltrame intervened during the supermarket siege to take the place of a cashier Lakdim was using as a human shield.

But after three hours of negotiations the gunman, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, slit Beltrame's throat before himself being shot dead by police.

Paying tribute to Beltrame at a national ceremony in Paris on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron said his act of self-sacrifice would "remain etched in French hearts".

Lakdim, who had a criminal record for weapons and drugs offences, was on a watchlist of suspected radicals, but authorities had concluded that he did not pose a threat.

His 18-year-old girlfriend, a radicalised Muslim convert, has been charged with being part of a terrorist conspiracy.

Other deadly assaults on police include the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris in January 2015, in which two officers were killed, and the fatal April 2017 shooting of a policeman on the Champs Elysees.

The army and police have also been targeted in several non-deadly attacks.

In August 2017, a man ploughed his car into a group of soldiers on anti-terror patrol in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, injuring six people.

burs-cb-adp/js/spm/ecl
Dhaka (AFP) - A Bangladesh official said Thursday that Myanmar had approved several hundred Rohingya from a list of thousands to return to their homeland, but provided no indication of when the long-delayed process would begin.

Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in November to repatriate three-quarters of a million Rohingya but the deal has stalled indefinitely, with each side blaming the other for a lack of preparation.

Myanmar has so far approved fewer than 600 names from a list of more than 8,000 refugees provided by Bangladesh. The impoverished South Asian nation is housing nearly a million Rohingya in squalid camps along its southeastern border with Myanmar.

Mohammad Abul Kalam, Bangladesh's top official overseeing the repatriation deal, said Myanmar had given no details about when or if the controversial process was expected to begin.

"No date has been fixed yet," he told reporters. Asked when the process would begin, Kalam said he had "no idea".

The controversial agreement was supposed to start in January but missed the deadline and has dragged since.

It has attracted a firestorm of criticism from rights groups concerned that the persecuted Muslim minority will not be safe in Myanmar.

Under the agreement, refugees given the green light to return must do so voluntarily but many displaced in Bangladesh have rejected the prospect of returning to Myanmar's strife-torn Rakhine state.

Rohingya have been persecuted in Rakhine for generations and fear the cycle of violence that has driven them into Bangladesh could repeat.

Kalam said Bangladesh would send another list of around 10,000 refugees to Myanmar in coming weeks for verification. Officials from each country are due to meet in April to discuss the process, he added.

But there is scepticism in Bangladesh, and elsewhere, that repatriation will succeed.

Myanmar has long marginalised the Rohingya as illegal immigrants and the key infrastructure required for the huge endeavour is yet to be constructed.

Bangladesh and Myanmar had agreed to complete the huge process by November.

This month a top Bangladesh cabinet minister, A.M.A Muhith, said it was unlikely the refugees would ever return, accusing Myanmar of deliberately obstructing the process.
Porn is a horrible industry not because of it's core premise - selling images of people having sex for the sexual gratification of the audience - but because of the harm that it does to the actors and the viewers by showing such violent, unrealistic sexual acts and normalizing them. It ought to be completely rehauled, and I'm glad that her passing is bringing attention to what a shit industry it is. Disgusting tbh

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i completely agree

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This is a good first comment. The bare bones concept of just... photographed or filmed fornication is not offensive in the least, but what our (incredibly misogynistic) society has warped it into is just... a tragedy, honestly.

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because of the harm that it does to the actors and the viewers by showing such violent, unrealistic sexual acts and normalizing them



ITA. Just the other day I basically had to convince a friend that it was okay for her to not let her bf cum on her face. She kept going on about how it always happens in porn and even though she hates it she feels like it makes sense to end the sex like that. It was depressing.

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good lord. couple this with every dude now expecting anal on the first date, if ever.

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Shit like that honestly makes me so depressed, young adults have it hard enough but I straight up despair thinking of all the teenage girls dealing with these shitty expectations forced on them by porn obessed boys

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men see this shit in porn and think it's gonna fly in real life. pathetic.

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True that

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Unless it's destroying it, it's not enough

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YEP

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fucking seriously

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this

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I'll never forget the disgusting reaction to her death on this site.



Edited at 2018-03-29 12:50 am (UTC)

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I can't remember what she said or did at all but wasn't everyone angry because she's problematic or something? Her post was a mess.

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so from what i can remember, she made a super homophobic comment on twitter (something about being grossed out with guys who have had other scenes with men) and that led to people dogpiling on her for days until she was found dead



obviously, she had severe issues prior to this and it was just a catalyst for her to did what she did and not the only cause

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A lot of men on this community making jokes and saying "good riddance" about her death basically

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That post was something else entirely.

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it was very ugly

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I took a lot of notes that day

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That post was awful and a good reminder that men are the fucking worst

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yup, that was the day the internet tried to tell me that porn stars aren't like the rest of us. they don't get to say no about who they want to fuck! her statement was dumb, sure. but people calling for her blood was disgusting too.

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Yeah it was pretty fucking depressing

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boy this post is gonna be delightful

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Damn, 5 deaths in 3 months? Awful.

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This is good and about time. I'll prolly get dragged, but the porn industry isn't going anywhere so I'm happy they're at least trying to provide more resources for performers.

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You know...same

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mhm

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i don't even know where to start with the porn industry. i understand both sides of the argument, i've watched a few documentaries on it but my opinion still feels unnuanced.



i'm glad people are getting help though. the stigma hopefully is getting better.



she shouldn't have gotten so much flack about who she wanted to work with. period. her body, her decision, even if it was riddled with whatever logic.

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I don't have many good things to say about the porn industry but I'm tired and don't feel like discoursing so. at least they're doing something to help each other out.

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i recently read about 2 porn actresses talking about being raped on film. i just can't ever watch a porn video again knowing i might be watching a rape. these stories come out about porn actors being raped on film and people talk about it for awhile and nothing really happens. i'm not sure what kind of change they can make to an industry with all those suicides and sexual assault/harassment.

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MTE I stopped watching porn a long time ago because the industry is just so shitty and abusive.

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ia. The porn industry already had no redeeming value, but pro-porn feminists defending porn as a form of women's sexuality when you could literally be watching a rape is too much.

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I think I read the same thing. I literally felt sick to my stomach and anxious all day long because it was just such a horrific read. And that website (if it's the one I'm thinking of) has been going for years and years and is promoted on all the mainstream porn sites. Heinous.

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It's good that they're trying to put a solid support system in place for the performers. On the other hand, it may be a "bandaid over a bullet hole" situation if they don't take steps to root out all the abuse and other toxic elements in that industry.

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Yeah. So long as women are coerced, bartered and outright forced into performing traumatic acts on film against their consent, mental illness will continue to plague the industry. Likewise until the industry decides to uproot and throw out the garbage directors and actors who pressure and abuse performers, it will be all for naught.

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Moore may be correct, but APAC (Adult Performer Advocacy Committee) is trying to fight the industry apathy. In the works for performers is a database of sex worker-friendly therapists, OBGYNs, attorneys, and even accountants - who promise to view work in pornography as a valid form of employment and not out to "save" their clients from porn.



Rme I wish these people would actually name the problem instead of coming up with all kinds of temporary bandaid measures so others can justify watching their abusive porn. The entire industry is cancer, period.

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Mte, there is nothing to save there and it should be destroyed

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Yep. Lipstick on a pig.

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i watched this the other night, i felt completely sick afterwards. the adult industry is toxic and it needs to be taken down. TW for rape/abuse description



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I've heard stories like this a million times from various adult actresses and it never gets any easier to listen to. Why the fuck do men want to watch shit like this? The supplier is obviously evil and awful and bad (and of course it's FacialAbuse), but what fucks me up even more is knowing that totally normal, average seeming guys go home and look up videos like this to jerk off to on a regular basis.



They want to see women hit, called names, being forced to vomit, etc... what the fuck is wrong with men???? And why are we pushing this idea that it's okay and normal and healthy for them to want to watch this???? Why are we pushing this idea that it's anti-feminist and anti-man to NOT think it's normal or okay to want to jerk off to women being abused???? And I tried to be a ~cool girl~ in high school, I know this shit isn't niche or rare, it's literally front page, most popular videos type shit, which means most men who watch porn, are watching shit of this calibre...



I'm rambling but I get so fucking ANGRY when I think about this shit. "Blahblahblah, porn is great, everyone discusses everything beforehand so everything is always consensual~" bullshit, this video is a perfect example of how these so called "safe guards" are bullshit. Leigh Raven isn't a nobody, either. She's a pretty big deal. I don't even watch porn but I've heard of her and have seen her on social media. If they pull this shit with stars like her, god knows what the fuck they do to the new girls with nowhere to turn.

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I read about this (I couldn't bring myself to watch this vid) and, despite not even being new info to me, it was one of the most sickening things I've read.



The fact there is a big enough audience for this kind of thing to profit... I just don't even want to interact with the rest of humanity tbqh.



And they get away with it by forcing the woman to say she wasn't raped on camera. Awful.

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The porn industry is disgustingly misogynistic, racist and homophobic and needs to go tf away.

I don't trust people who watch porn, like, how can you be so sure it's not rape, or if the girls are not underage or victims of human traffic? I know men are low human waste but I just fail to understand how women enjoy that shit.

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I thought she was bisexual?

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I feel like people who think she is "unqualified" have no clue of her opposition history or who the Democratic Party is supporting for government around the country.

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I am an extremely unqualified lesbian.

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i'm all for cynthia nixon's campaign if it makes andrew cuomo do any damn thing about the subway

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Dear @CynthiaNixon et all her supporters. Im sticking with the unions. Hard pass on this. #1u NYC Workers, all of labor in this county, have been making hard sacrifices! Its time for the millionaires and billionaires in this state to tighten their belt. pic.twitter.com/s7KpgZe3Ys  KatBrezler (@KatBrezler) March 28, 2018

nixon just went after the subway unions today?? so like so much for her ONLY ISSUE. i hate cuomo i just wish she'd used her power as a celebrity to back someone else.

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Well that sucks.

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fuck her then

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wow, this is.... damn, cynthia.

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wow what a dumb move

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Woooooow

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Yiiiikes! This is why you leave it to the professionals, ya'll. Celebrity != good politician.

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I agree! Seriously, why is it always the workers who have to take the brunt of the layoffs/sacrifices while the asshole CEOs/officials who implement them get fat bonuses?

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Yes I am and of course I already ordered mine the other day <3

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i kinda want this because i'm an unqualified lesbian but i don't really want to buy anything connected with a political campaign

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DIY a button!

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ooh this is a good idea

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oh damn i wish i still had a button maker

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smart marketing move

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Not only unqualified, but Useless Lesbian as well. 

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i'm not a lesbian but i'm definitely unqualified

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I'm not sure where this gif came from, but it makes me giggle every time.

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same

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same

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On the topic of gubernatorial races (gubernatorial is a fun word btw), can we talk about the California one?



Gavin Newsom is def going to win the primary but idk who is going to end up in 2nd. Antonio Villaraigosa is polling well but uuuugh. He was such a unimpressive mayor here in LA that I'd rather see someone better in the general election. I kinda like John Chiang.

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yeah i'm not really crazy about our options to be honest

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This is the reason I don't mind someone like Nixon challenging someone shitty like Cuomo. It's become so common to be underwhelmed with your options, you become apathetic.



I've know for 7 years that Gavin Newsom would be the next Governor, Jerry picked him and Jerry calls the shots.



I live in the Bay and have watched mayors like Ed Lee (RIP, honestly) and now Libby Schaff in Oakland whom the majority of citizens more or less dislike continue to run unopposed by serious candidates.

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i saw chiang speak at a conference and he was excellent. i really liked what he had to say. unfortunately he lacks the charisma and ambition of a newsom or villareaigosa

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Chiang is definitely my favorite of the candidates and I've liked what he's had to say. But he's not a good Politician, you know? I think he's not great at playing the political game in a way that leads to success which sucks.

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Delaine Eastin for fucking life

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And fuck every man in that fucking race. I hate them all.

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And fuck Mike Levins dirty ass too.



God I am way too close to politics in this state.

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I did like the Nasty Woman thing because it was reclaiming negative stereotypes of women who are assertive. Or at least that's how I felt about it. And why I bought a shirt.

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i bought a shirt that said nasty but it was the nasa logo

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Cynthia Nixon follows up earlier statements about MTA workforce, takes more swipes at the governor: pic.twitter.com/wKlabo3YVG  David J Meyer (@dahvnyc) March 29, 2018





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She probably should have thought her original words better, especially saying unions need to make sacrifices. That doesn't have to do anything with her critique of Cuomo.

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this is all deflecting from her original quote imo. i agree with everything she said there... but if that's what she believes why did she say that the subway can't be fixed with the current union deals?

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I remember hearing Quinn say this and I was confused what makes her an unqualified lesbian. Unqualified candidate, yeah maybe but she wasn't thinking when she went on this rant.



I'm willing to give her a chance, especially since Cuomo and his family have been in power for a number of years. Not that he is doing a terrible job, but I haven't really heard much about what Nixon plans to do for New York.

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I have a feeling this campaign is going to show how unprepared she is as a politician. i know we see them every election cycle, those like ben carlson who kinda go, "Huh" on most issues. but idk, i feel like the democrats can't afford any of those candidates right now. but then while i like her as an actress, i don't want to go further into a world where famous actors think they should hold office.

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yeah. I live in CA where we elected both Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. lol. We can do with less actors in prominent political positions.

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i think y'all have a difference understanding of holding office than the reality. famous acting isn't a disqualification, and it's fairly ridiculous to pretend that people don't vote on knowledge and enthusiasm rather than strict positions (or that it's going to be impossible to get the majority of voters to think more critically about elections).



you're either getting charismatic, famous, or nepotism in politics for the most part. let's deal with that reality.

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Ronald Reagan.

Arnold Schwarzenager (i know i spelled it wrong, idc)

Donald Trump



again, let's keep entertainment and politics separate, cause i've not seen someone famous yet that i thought was intelligent enough to run a preschool, let alone navigate big government. i want better for my world than to accept the bare minimum and be totally ok with any famous jag off running for office. Trump alone should seal that we should never, ever, elect anyone whose had a TV show.

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Absolutely must read!!!https://t.co/Uo8yP8Enc6  Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) March 28, 2018





There have been Times stories about the backlash to the IDC since the 2016 election. The difference now: There are challenges against all 8 IDC members and Cynthia Nixon has made it a theme of her run against Andrew Cuomo. https://t.co/cig78ptyLx  Daniel Marans (@danielmarans) March 28, 2018







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fuck the IDC!! i wish more people knew about them running as democrats and then holding the state hostage to a GOP agenda.



the leader of the IDC has been accused of forcefully kissing a staffer and he's one of the four men making sexual harassment policies for the state legislature without any elected women in the room.

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I think people are learning more and more about the IDC, at least I hope they are. They are basically republicans so idk how they continue to get away with running as democrats. It's essentially a scam on the voters.



I heard about the harassment too and I'm so mad. It's unacceptable.

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hard pass

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this guy is a scammer, it's so weird that he's [slightly] "famous" now

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I legit don't understand his appearances on Drag Race.

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He's not even a good judge, he's always so serious it's like he's talking about the cure of cancer, not drag. I'm glad they brought Alyssa to coreograph this week's number, I'd much rather have her a judge.

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I'm glad this is the first (or second) comment.

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no

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i only her about this guy is on ontd...and i'm pretty sure every post i've seen is him talking about taylor

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he loves getting attention dropping her name

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Wake up, Todrick! Run!

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He's too deep in the sunken place to be saved.

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lmao

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I don't like your kingdom keys

They once belonged to me

You asked me for a place to sleep

Locked me out and threw a feast







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OMG

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Todrick is Samuel L. Jacksons character in Django Unchained.

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Bloop! 'Cept he's not fighting it, he's running into it with open arms...

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He has been in the sunken place since before taylor. Just watch his youtube vids that play on black stereotypes for "comedy".

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he's legit my new favorite male celeb crush. I need those lips on my bussy tbh

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Also I have really supportive friends and I do my best to be supportive of them back.



Todrick has come a long ass way from being a forgettable s9 American Idol semi-finalist to Taylor's BFF. It's almost inspirational.Also I have really supportive friends and I do my best to be supportive of them back.

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wait he came from AI?? good lord

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I'm not kidding:









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right? this is the first I'm hearing this. i always thought he was famous from yt or something

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There was some controversy about him at the time, also. I think he scammed a bunch of kids (well, their parents). Took their money and didn't deliver on his promises.

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what is that trayvon martin reserve racism musical video...

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Hes doing more promo for this era than she is.







Or is sending out a gay black dude to talk about how great she is her attempt to seem woke and inclusive during the Trump times?

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Taylor's relationship with Todrick may be the dictionary definition of "I can't be racist or homophobic, I have a black gay friend!"



Edited at 2018-03-29 03:02 am (UTC)

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Ding ding ding.

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when feminism branding kicked into high gear, she had an all female squad talking about what a great friend she is. now the only friend talking about her is a gay black man. hmmmmmmmmm.

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how did they even become friends???

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she needed a black friend and he was in the right place at the right time and the right amount of marginalized identities for her.

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I mean I understand why they're firends, but how did the guy that made THIS video that my GBF was obssed with in college







become friends with Taylor Swift??

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From what I understand, he was a fan and talked about her a lot on YT, that got him invited backstage to one of her meet and greets at her concert, and she liked him reinvited him until he moved through all the potential friend tests and voila.

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I just don't trust him and those contacts of his, DON'T

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 His music video for Ordinary Day depicts a black police officer shooting an unarmed white child while the rest of the neighborhood dance and go on about their day while his body remains in the street.



 I wanted this to be uncomfortable for people to watch. You have to deal with the fact that they're doing this big production number, and his body is just laying right there, adds Todrick.



 The street sign in the music video reads Novyart, or Trayvon spelled backwards.



 It just seemed like his life didn't matter. Like he was some squirrel that someone had accidentally run over in some cul-de-sac and people were just waiting for someone to come clean it up.



EACH ONE OF THESE IS JUST TOO MUCH

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me after submitting the post:

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lmao every bullet made me die a little bit more

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It's bizarre when you consider the source but I think the video is actually good.

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The description alone sounds like a try-hard film school lower division final project.

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im extremely uncomfortable

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We just don't understand art.

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ross is the worst but david schwimmer is a comic genius

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lmfao first thing I thought of

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ruthless headline lmao

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omg lmao

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Ben Afflecks is the kind of middle-aged-white-male sadness,



lmao fuck

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Savage. 







That icon tho. Oh, hello Alex during better looking times. 

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ugh, i know. lol it feels weird not having a harry one but i've been in such a mood lately.... i really need a new album like, yesterday.



@alex, chop chop 

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who are you!

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I saw that in a million vines and it wasn't until a year or two ago that I knew it was katy saying it lmao

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Lmao I honestly thought it was LC from The Hills

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I DIDN'T KNOW THATS HER VOICE IN THOSE VINES

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Poor Fatffleck. :(

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LOL. What do you want to bet this isn't just a middle age phase and he becomes his gen's Orson Welles/Marlon Brando

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Hello have you seen leonardo dicaprio who has turned into jack Nicholson

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Leo has that title locked up. Sad affleck at least has some muscle definition. Leo is just a pale fat skinny white guy.

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He'd have to be much, much better at acting than he actually is for that comparison to be borne out lol

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he's not orson welles but i do think he has it in him to direct some good movies again. gone baby gone was so promising

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At least he is self aware.

Thick skinned (fat): check.

Garish back tattoos: check.



His multiple attempts at sobriety must've been so illuminating.

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Maybe hes on his Harry Potter therapy and got a little carried away. I always re-read the series when Im feeling a bit down!

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I still remember that photo of him reading the "adult" edition of HP while filming in Vancouver.

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Not to mention, his Have You Seen This Wizard Sirius shirt.

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The New Yorker is absolutely insufferable, Jesus Christ.

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i didn't even knew that he has social media accounts

Jennifer Garner's IG is adorable

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I love how dorky Jennifer seems on IG. She's precious.

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In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Stunned, confused, and only twenty-nine years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free.But with no money and a different system of justice for a poor black man in the South, Hinton was sentenced to death by electrocution. He spent his first three years on Death Row at Holman State Prison in agonizing silencefull of despair and anger toward all those who had sent an innocent man to his death. But as Hinton realized and accepted his fate, he resolved not only to survive, but find a way to live on Death Row. For the next twenty-seven years he was a beacontransforming not only his own spirit, but those of his fellow inmates, fifty-four of whom were executed mere feet from his cell. With the help of civil rights attorney and bestselling author of Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson, Hinton won his release in 2015.The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.The king's three daughtersbattle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Eliaknow the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for warbut regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided.Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when your dad is a Secret Service agent and your best friend is the president's son, sometimes life has other plans. Before she knows it, Maddie's dad is dragging her to a cabin in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.No phone.No internet.And not a single word from Logan.Maddie tells herself it's okay. After all, she's the most popular girl for twenty miles in any direction. She has wood to cut and weapons to bedazzle. Her life is full.Until Logan shows up six years later . . .And Maddie wants to kill him.But before that can happen, an assailant appears out of nowhere, knocking Maddie off a cliff and dragging Logan to some unknown fate. Maddie knows she could turn back- and get help. But the weather is turning and the terrain will only get more treacherous, the animals more deadly.Maddie still really wants to kill Logan.But she has to save him first.Author. Activist. Victimno more.In her fearless memoir, My Storythe basis of the Lifetime Original movie I Am Elizabeth SmartElizabeth detailed, for the first time, the horror behind the headlines of her abduction by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Since then, shes married, become a mother, and travelled the world as the president of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, sharing her story with the intent of helping others along the way.Over and over, Elizabeth is asked the same question: How do you find the hope to go on? In this book, Elizabeth returns to the horrific experiences she endured, and the hard-won lessons she learned, to provide answers. She also calls upon others who have dealt with adversityvictims of violence, disease, war, and lossto explore the pathways toward hope. Through conversations with such well-known voices as Anne Romney, Diane von Furstenburg, and Mandy Patinkin to spiritual leaders Archbishop John C. Wester and Elder Richard Hinckley to her own parents, Elizabeth uncovers an even greater sense of solace and understanding. Where Theres Hope is the result of Elizabeths mission: It is both an up-close-and-personal glimpse into her healing process and a heartfelt how-to guide for readers to make peace with the past and embrace the future.When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, around a fire pit where their backyards meet one Saturday night, most of them are just ecstatic to have discovered that their baby monitors reach that far. Its a rare kid-free night, and theyre giddy with it. They drink too much, and the conversation turns personal.By Monday morning, one of them is gone.Everyone knows something about everyone else in the quirky small Ohio town of Yellow Springs, but no one can make sense of the disappearance. Kristin was a sociable twin mom, college administrator, and doctors wife who didnt seem all that bothered by her impending divorceand the investigation turns up more questions than answers, with her husband, Paul, at the center. For her closest neighbor, Clara, the incident triggers memories she thought shed put behind herand when shes unable to extract herself from the widening circle of scrutiny, her own suspicions quickly grow. But the neighborhoods newest addition, Izzy, is determined not to jump to any conclusionsespecially since shes dealing with a crisis of her own.As the police investigation goes from a media circus to a cold case, the neighbors are forced to reexamine whats going on behind their own closed doorsand to ask how well anyone really knows anyone else.Sources: 1
Deadline Nears for Michigan Energy Excellence Awards

Anne Armstrong Cusack, Michigan Agency for Energy acting executive director, says the contest "is a chance to celebrate leaders in innovation all over the state. Past winners have cut energy usage without sacrificing productivity or comfort. They have seen firsthand that the cheapest, most reliable, and greenest energy is the energy you don't need."

The Michigan Agency for Energy is reminding state residents and companies that the deadline for nominating an individual or organization for the Governor's Energy Excellence Awards is March 31. Nominations for projects completed in 2017 can be made online.

Nominators can submit nominations for more than one individual or organization, though only one nomination can be submitted for each project. Self-nominations are also permitted. Organized by Michigan Saves, the awards honor Michigan organizations and individuals for their commitment to a brighter energy consumption future.

"All across Michigan, individuals and organizations are working hard to increase energy efficiency by reducing energy waste," said Anne Armstrong Cusack, MAE acting executive director. "That has saved billions of dollars while increasing Michigan's electric reliability. This is a chance to celebrate leaders in innovation all over the state. Past winners have cut energy usage without sacrificing productivity or comfort. They have seen firsthand that the cheapest, most reliable, and greenest energy is the energy you don't need."

There are eight award categories:

Innovator of the Year Presented to an individual driving innovation in Michigan's energy-efficiency industry.

Best Communication, Education, or ProgramPresented to an individual driving innovation in Michigan's energy-efficiency industry.

Contractor of the YearPresented to an energy-efficiency contractor

Best Projects: ResidentialPresented to a homeowner

Best Projects: AgriculturePresented to an agricultural operation

Best Projects: Industrial/ManufacturingPresented to an industrial/manufacturing operation

Best Projects: CommercialPresented to owners or operators of commercial buildings

Best Projects: PublicPresented to a public-sector entity

The winners will be announced in a ceremony this fall.
Brazil's former leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday denounced violent protesters during his presidential campaign tour and vowed he'd return to power anyway. In a day that laid bare the raw divisions in Brazil ahead of October presidential elections, Lula angrily told a crowd of several thousand in the southern city of Curitiba that all along his 10-day bus tour of the region he had been dogged by anti-democratic opponents. Late Tuesday, his convoy was shot at, he said, with three bullets hitting two buses, although no one was injured. Earlier, people had thrown stones and eggs at his buses and while he was on stage. "I only know that they're not democrats. They're more fascists and Nazis than anything else," he said. Even as Lula spoke to his red-shirted supporters, opponents positioned in buildings overlooking the square tried to drown him out by banging pots and letting off fireworks. Large numbers of police stood by, separating the rally from a smaller counter-protest held by a right-wing group. Lula -- who easily leads in the polls despite fighting to avoid having to serve a 12-year prison sentence for corruption -- was defiant. "Save your rockets for January 1, when I am sworn in," he said. Hours earlier, his closest rival, right-wing former army captain Jair Bolsonaro, met nearby with several hundred cheering supporters in Curitiba. Denouncing Lula as a "scoundrel," Bolsonaro told the crowd: "We can't accept elections without Lula being locked up." Bolsonaro, who has praised torture and Brazil's two-decade-long military dictatorship, didn't mention Tuesday's shooting incident. Instead he repeated his campaign promise to loosen gun laws and get tough on crime. "I want a... police that shoots to kill," he said. However, many other major politicians denounced the apparent attack on Lula. Center-right President Michel Temer expressed "regret" and said: "We need to reunite Brazilians. We need to pacify the country. This wave of violence, this climate of 'us against them,' cannot continue." For 27-year-old university professor Leticia Mreuz, who turned out in Curitiba to hear Lula speak, the harassment during his campaign swing spelled trouble. "I think Lula is the victim of political persecution. This is a time of fear," she said. - Divisive Lula - When Lula left office after two terms at the start of 2011, he was Brazil's most popular president on record, having presided over a commodities-fueled economic boom and winning plaudits for his social policies. However, he inspires equally passionate opposition and is blamed by the right and many in the center for Brazil's slide into the mammoth "Car Wash" corruption scandal that has shaken the country over the last four years. Although dozens of other top politicians, including Temer, have also been charged or convicted, right-wing opponents see Lula as the graft scandal's biggest culprit. On the left, Lula is seen as the victim of politicized judges. On Monday, a court rejected his latest appeal against a 12-year-and-one-month prison sentence for taking a luxury apartment as a bribe. That left him depending on a Supreme Court decision expected on April 4 if he is to remain free, let alone be allowed on the presidential ballot. Even then, he faces another six corruption cases. Despite the daunting legal situation, Lula is a runaway favorite in opinion polls, with around 35 percent of voter intentions, followed by Bolsonaro with around 17 percent. A veteran right-wing congressman, Bolsonaro is running as an anti-politician, often taking a leaf out of US President Donald Trump's book. He has frequently lauded the dictatorship that ended in 1985, insulted gays and even told a fellow politician she wasn't "worth raping." The more extreme Bolsonaro gets, the more it seems he thrills his supporters.
Kim Jong-uns lack of diplomatic experience may have prompted China visit to help prepare for Trump summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns lack of experience in summit diplomacy may have been an important motive for his visit to China, according to a former South Korean foreign minister.

Yun Byung-se said that even though Kim had been formally invited by Xi Jinping, it is possible that Kim was the one who had initially requested a meeting.

The China visit was the first time the reclusive North Korean leader was known to have left his country since coming to power in 2011.

Kim is preparing for his upcoming talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April and with Donald Trump the following month, but Kim is not experienced in summit diplomacy, Yun told the South China Morning Post.

The White House has hailed Kim Jong-uns Beijing visit  but what are Chinas intentions?

He may need advice from Xi, especially on how to deal with Trump who is not predictable, he said.

Xi, who already had bilateral meetings with Trump in Mar-a-Lago and Beijing last year, is better prepared for dealing with the US leader, Yun said.

Kims visit to China was shrouded in secrecy with heavy security deployed in the Diaoyutai State Guest House and the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Despite the heavy security presence, there was no official confirmation that he was visiting China until the train carrying him had left Chinese territory on Wednesday.

But Yun and other observers said Kims visit could have been finalised at least two weeks earlier.

Yang Jiechi, Chinas most senior diplomat, was due to visit South Korea on March 21 and 22, but South Koreas Foreign Ministry said on March 16 that Yangs trip would be postponed.

South Korea did not explain the reason behind the postponement, and Yangs visit only began on Thursday.

Kim Jong-un tells Xi Jinping hes willing to denuclearise, but does anyone really know what that means?

Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, said that it was likely that Yangs visit to South Korea was delayed because of Kims visit to China.

Story continues

It would make a lot of sense to the Chinese Government to wait until Xi had met with Kim before sending Yang to meet with the South Koreans.

The Xi-Kim meeting has made China relevant and a key player again on the future of the Korean peninsula.

Professor Sun Xingjie, a North Korea expert at Jilin University, also linked the postponement of Yangs trip to the South Korea to Kims visit.

Kim Jong-un wifes fashion sense a hit with Chinas public

As there is no mention about the reasons for the delay to Yangs visit, it is safe to say that the two events [trips for both Yang and Kim] have something to do with each other, when it is judged by the timings of what have happened.

But Tsang, however, pointed out that it was going too far to assume that the date of announcement, March 16, was the date when an agreement was reached for Kim to visit Beijing.

He said: I can see Beijing asking to defer the Yang visit once the prospect of a Xi-Kim meeting looks promising. There is no way of knowing the exact date when Kim agreed to visit Beijing.

Additional reporting by Jeongho Lee

This article Kim Jong-uns lack of diplomatic experience may have prompted China visit to help prepare for Trump summit first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.

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NASAs Orion spacecraft is designed to carry humans farther than ever before  to asteroids or even Mars  and bring them back to Earth. Sending astronauts into deep space is radically different from maintaining a presence in low Earth orbit. Once Earth no longer is in reach, space travelers must rely on new technology to keep them alive and healthy. Credit: NASA

For almost 20 years, humans have maintained a continuous presence beyond Earth. The International Space Station has provided a habitat where humans can live and work for extended periods of time. Yet, despite having established a permanent base for life in space, terra firma is always in reachwithin 254 miles, to be exact. If a crew member were to fall seriously ill, he or she could make the return trip back to Earth in a matter of hours.

"As soon as you venture beyond low Earth orbit, to go to Mars or even further, bailing out no longer is an option," says Wolfgang Fink, associate professor and Keonjian Endowed Chair in the UA's College of Engineering. "You're on your own."

Fink predicts that in the not-too-far future, humans will work side by side with robotic machines, non-human intelligence and smart devices in ways never seen before. Human logic and thinking will be joined by, and complemented by, artificial brains and reasoning algorithms.

For the first time in history, Fink says, we have reached a level where soon the lines between what is considered "human" and what is considered "artificial" are beginning to blur.

When There Is No Turning Back

A manned mission to Mars, which involves an outbound journey of at least one year, can succeed only if no vital parts of the system break beyond repair, including those made of flesh and blood. Anticipating system failures and addressing them before they occur becomes paramount. When no doctors are around, not only does the crew have to be autonomous, health care does, too.

"The key here is prognostics and health management, a concept that is beginning to cross from the realm of technology, specifically in the aerospace industry where it has been used for decades, into the realm of human health," says Fink, who recently was named a fellow in the Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation, or ACABI, and who is spearheading an industry-university partnership, the Center for Informatics and Telehealth in Medicine, or InTelMed, at the UA.

For example, many parts of a modern airplane are connected to a data network, even Wi-Fi, and provide continuous status updates without oversight from the crew. This allows maintenance personnel to anticipate malfunctions before they happen and meet the plane upon arrival with the right parts and tools needed to remedy the issue.

Whether it is about keeping airplanes flying or maintaining human health for the duration of a deep space mission, the idea is the same, Fink says: "Rather than trying to treat the person once they're sick, you constantly monitor their health status to predict and remedy any problems before they occur."

The capsule for Orion, which will transport humans to interplanetary destinations beyond low Earth orbit, such as the moon and eventually Mars. Credit: NASA

Funded in part by the National Science Foundation, InTelMed has the goal of devising biofeedback-controlled wearable sensor technologies and health care data-streaming capabilities, paired with cloud-based intelligent data analysis, to create autonomous systems that can monitor the health status of individuals independently of health care providers in the flesh.

One of Fink's projects illustrates how this approach could play out in the very near future. With a grant from the National Science Foundation, his team created a way to turn a smartphone into an eye-examination device. The technology, which could prove life-changing especially in remote, underserved areas of the world, uses imaging and a remote, cloud-based "expert system"which uses intelligent software based on disease models to suggest diagnoses much like a human medical expertto quickly identify patients at risk of losing their vision.

Down the road, Fink says, it's easy to envision activity tracker-like devices with the capability of not only monitoring but intervening.

"Sensors automatically uplink their data to the cloud, where data-mining algorithms come up with a prognosis, diagnosis or even a treatment," he says, "for example, through implantable devices that stimulate certain parts of the brain and trigger behavioral responses like curbing food cravings or calming a person down. It's a closed-loop system, much like the thermostat controlling the heating and cooling in your house."

The Physician on Your Wrist

A research team led by Esther Sternberg and Perry Skeath of the UA's Center for Integrative Medicine, or UACIM, is developing the next generation of wearable devices that can keep tabs on a person's health status by measuring biomarkers: particular biochemicals in blood, saliva, urine or sweat that indicate how a body system is functioning. After discovering that cortisol, a stress hormone, is secreted in sweat, the researchers are combining expertise in medicine, chemistry, engineering and data management to design a patch sensor to monitor stress and many other biomarker molecules.

Combined with other sensors that keep tabs on other vitals such as heart rate, blood pressure and sweat responses, such technology could, in principle, be advanced further to ensure the long-term health of astronauts on deep space missions. Obviously, possibilities abound for earthly applications, as well, such as monitoring patients who are at risk of stroke or heart attack.

"The devices we are developing are basically microchemistry labs, so they can be used for many applications," says Skeath, assistant research director at UACIM and assistant professor at the UA College of Medicine  Tucson. "The tricky part is tailoring the sensor suite to the task, whether that's an astronaut going to Mars or a soldier on the battlefield."

While a wearable, cortisol-measuring device potentially could measure stress in real time, the data it generates can be ambiguous because other, non-stress-related factors come into play and change the reading. It is critical that scientists first have a solid understanding of what exactly constitutes stress and define a precise set of measures that capture that condition.

When astronauts are sent into deep space, the crew has to be autonomous  and so does health care. Credit: NASA

To study this, the team has set up a lab dedicated to tracking various physiological and molecular responses to stress challenges in volunteers.

"We expose them to controlled stress challenges while performing a host of measurements," says Sternberg, research director at UACIM and professor in the College of Medicine  Tucson. "Then we look at what the minimal set of measurements is that captures the condition."

Once the researchers know that, they need to make each measurement reliable and accurate, so that the set of biomarker changes will zero in on the specific challenge rather than giving a reading that's driven by unrelated factors.

"For example, when we look at cortisol in sweat, we have to ask important questions about the physiology involved," Skeath says. "Does cortisol degrade over time? Do other substances dilute it? Do we lose it before it gets from the pore to the sensor? Once we have those questions answered, then it's time for the engineers."

Teaching Machines to Expect the Unexpected

As machines become smarter, efforts are underway to endow them with enough autonomy and learning capabilities to work without any human oversight. Such robots could operate in environments too hazardous for humans to venture intofor example, natural disaster zones such as the tsunami-stricken nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan, or beyond the reach of Earth-based mission control centers.

In his Visual and Autonomous Exploration Systems Research Laboratory, Fink and his team are working on building a robotic field geologist. Unlike traditional planetary missions that focus on, say, a spacecraft studying a planetary body from a high orbit, or a rover analyzing features of the landscape at close range, his concept of tier-scalable reconnaissance mimics the approach a human explorer would take by first surveying global features, then homing in on the lay of the land in a certain region, and finally investigating interesting features at close range.

"Instead of putting all the smarts on one system, you distribute them among several different and spatially distributed systems," Fink explains, "and that creates the redundancy and robustness you need for a critical mission like planetary exploration."

In this scenario, an orbiter would oversee one or more aerial vehicles such as blimps or quadcopters hovering in the atmosphere (on planets that have one), which in turn would command a fleet of miniaturized rovers, directing them to various points of scientific interest. Having such a team of artificial scientists working autonomously on different levels also would enhance the overall intelligence inherent to the mission, Fink says.

Wolfgang Fink and his team, including student Alex Brooks (left), are working on building a robotic field geologist. Credit: Bob Demers/UANews

"Especially for planets or moons in the outer solar system, where the distance to Earth prohibits real-time commanding, you can have such a system conduct its own science, deploy and redirect its agents as needed to obtain the results, and decide which are interesting enough to be sent back to Earth," he says.

In a shift away from current paradigms, which typically center around one highly sophisticated robot, the tiered payload would involve less complex, less expensive and more expendable units, creating redundancy, according to Fink.

"If you only have one rover, you're not going to deploy it to an area where it might get stuck or suffer damage," he says, "but if you have several at your disposal, you might want to risk sacrificing a few, if that would help you answer the question whether there was life on Mars, for example."

Because these robotic explorers will have to make decisions on their own, they will need cognitive abilities that until now have been unique to humans, such as curiosity.

As opposed to artificial intelligence, or AI, Fink's research team is developing reasoning algorithms that are not rule-based to teach machines to recognize features in a landscape thatfor one reason or anothera human explorer would classify as "interesting." In Fink's lab, a small fleet of track-bearing rovers serves as testing platforms: They learn to explore a landscape by roaming freely, avoiding obstacles and paying attention to what is in front of them.

"Equipped with our Automated Global Feature Analyzer software package, an orbiter or blimp would try to identify anomalies on the ground using a set of purely mathematical, unbiased algorithms," Fink explains. "It would then transfer that information to the rovers on the ground, so they can go investigate up close. No longer would humans be the ones pushing the buttons."

The challenging work is hard to beat for students such as Alex Brooks.

"What's unique about working in Dr. Fink's lab is that you really get the opportunity to do a lot of the actual work on the projects," Brooks says. "For example, on the rovers, for the autonomy part, I'm really the primary developer for the software that helps them navigate. ... In his lab, if you demonstrate that you're capable of handling advanced work, you can explore that."

From Cyborgs to Superhumans

One could see how the lines between "human" and "artificial" start to blur in a future where humans and machines interface and work together ever more closely, and machines execute complex missions with minimal or no human oversight.

Take the booming field of bioengineering, especially neuroprosthetics, where implantable technology is used to prevent bouts of depression and epileptic seizures, suppress tremors caused by Parkinson's disease, or restore hearing or vision.

Fink's work on image processing and neural stimulation algorithms has dramatically improved the performance of the only FDA-approved retinal implant, and has paved the way to enhancing its resolution such that the wearer has a chance of seeing more than just facial features and reading large-font lettering.

Giving vision back to the blind through artificial vision implants or replacing stroke-damaged brain tissue with biomimetic devices are premier flagship examples of a human brain/machine interface. But one can see how it may only take a small step to "improving" otherwise healthy individuals with technology.

It might sound like the stuff of sci-fi novels and movies to go from systems monitoring the health of astronauts, pilots, soldiers or athletes to creating some kind of "superhuman." But in a way, that's exactly where things are going, according to Fink.

"There is a critical ethical boundary that needs to be considered," he says. "Where do you stop helping humanity and enter the realm of the supranatural where nothing is wrong with a human, but you try to go on top of that?

"Where does the human end, and the machine begin? Should robots have rights? This is what we will run into eventually."

Explore further Researchers developing tomorrow's space technology
Dutch homeowner Martha Bos in 2013 after repeated earthquakes due to natural gas extraction caused a crack in a wall in her home located some 10 kilometres (six miles) from Groningen posed in front of a crack in her wall on March 12, 2013 in Middelstum, some 10km from Groningen, caused by repeated earthquakes due to natural gas extraction. AFP PHOTO / MAUDE BRULARD

The Dutch government plans to rapidly cut production at Europe's biggest gas field after a raft of damaging earthquakes, aiming to eventually the shut the taps by 2030, top officials announced on Thursday.

"Gas production will be scaled down to 12 billion cubic metres within the coming four to five years and eventually to zero in the next decade," Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a press conference.

"Even at a level of 12 billion cubic metres, it's not safe. Gas production must simply go down to zero," added Economy Minister Eric Wiebes, who said extraction from the northern Groningen gas field will stop by 2030.

The current gas output is some 21.6 billion cubic metres, which was set in April 2017 and was already drastically scaled back from 53.9 billion cubic metres in 2013.

Groningen's residents have been calling for gas production to halt following a series of low-level tremors plaguing the area, damaging homes, schools, churches and farms.

The low-magnitude quakes are said to result from huge air pockets left underground because of gas extraction.

In one of the latest incidents, a 3.4-magnitude tremor hit the area in Januarythe largest since 2012.

On Thursday, Wiebes said "technically" it would remain possible to continue with gas extraction.

But continued production "cannot be defended when it comes to safety issues," Wiebes said, calling the announcement a "turning point."

"Until now we've been fighting the symptoms and not the cause," he said.

Closing the Groningen gas field, which has been in operation since 1963 "calls for a series of far-reaching measures," the Dutch government added in a statement.

This included building a new 500 million euro ($616.6 million) nitrogen plant, which will produce natural gas as a byproduct, helping cut demand from Groningen by seven billion cubic metres a year.

The government also called on Dutch households to contribute to reducing gas demand by ensuring that new homes are built to use electricity instead of gas, but said that there was no need for residential customers to worry about supplies.

The Netherlands also exports natural gas from Groningen, and Wiebes said he has had "serious discussions" with foreign colleagues in Belgium, France and Germany to find solutions to reduce demand for gas from the field in coming years.

Dutch environmental groups applauded the announcement but urged the government to completely stop all supply of gas to Dutch households.

"Groningen had to wait a long time for this," eco group Milieudefensie said in a statement.

"But gas usage will barely go down with these measures because it will mainly be a switch to imported gas..." it said.

Explore further Dutch turning off quake-zone gas for 200 firms

 2018 AFP
New research provides insights into the composition, thermal state, and evolution of Earth's mantle. Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In the 1960s, some 50 years after German researcher Alfred Wegener proposed his continental drift hypothesis, the theory of plate tectonics gave scientists a unifying framework for describing the large-scale motion of the surface plates that make up the Earth's lithospherea framework that subsequently revolutionized the geosciences.

How those plates move around the Earth's surface is controlled by motion within the mantlethe driving force of which is convection due to thermal anomalies, with compositional heterogeneity also expected. However, the technical challenge of visualizing structures inside an optically impenetrable, 6,371-kilometer-radius rock sphere has made understanding the compositional and thermal state of the mantle, as well as its dynamic evolution, a long-standing challenge in Earth science.

Now, in a paper published today in Nature Communications, researchers from MIT, Imperial College, Rice University, and the Institute of Earth Sciences in France report direct evidence for lateral variations in mantle composition below Hawaii. The results provide scientists with important new insights into how the Earth has evolved over its 4.5 billion year history, why it is as it is now, and what this means for rocky planets elsewhere.

Compositional variation

Scientists treat the mantle as two layersthe lower mantle and the upper mantleseparated by a boundary layer termed the mantle transition zone (MTZ). Physically, the MTZ is bounded by two seismic-velocity discontinuities near 410 km and 660 km depth (referred to as 410 and 660). These discontinuities, which are due to phase transitions in silicate minerals, play an important role in modulating mantle flow. Lateral variations in depth to these discontinuities have been widely used to infer thermal anomalies in the mantle, as mineral physics predicts a shallower 410 and a deeper 660 in cold regions and a deeper 410 and a shallower 660 in hot regions.

Previous petrological and numerical studies also predict compositional segregation of basaltic and harzburgitic material (and thus compositional heterogeneity) near the base of the MTZ in the relatively warm low-viscosity environments near mantle upwellings. But observational evidence for such a process has been scarce.

The new study, however, demonstrates clear evidence for lateral variation in composition near the base of the MTZ below Hawaii. This evidence could have important implications for our general understanding of mantle dynamics.

As lead author Chunquan Yu Ph.D. '16, a former grad student in the Hilst Group at MIT who is now a postdoc at Caltech, explains, "At middle ocean ridges, plate separation results in ascending and partial melting of the mantle material. Such a process causes differentiation of the oceanic lithosphere with basaltic material in the crust and harzburgitic residue in the mantle. As the differentiated oceanic lithosphere cools, it descends back into the mantle along the subduction zone. Basalt and harzburgite are difficult to separate in cold environments. However, they can segregate in relative warm low-viscosity environments, such as near mantle upwellings, potentially providing a major source of compositional heterogeneity in the Earth's mantle."

Looking with earthquakes

To explore this idea, Yu and his colleagues used a seismic technique involving the analysis of underside shear wave reflections off mantle discontinuitiesknown as SS precursorsto study MTZ structures beneath the Pacific Ocean around Hawaii.

"When an earthquake occurs, it radiates both compressional (P) and shear wave (S) energy. Both P and S waves can reflect from interfaces in the Earth's interior," Yu explains. "If an S wave leaves a source downward and reflects at the free surface before arriving at the receiver, it is termed SS. SS precursors are underside S-wave reflections off mantle discontinuities. Because they travel along shorter ray paths, they are precursory to SS."

Using a novel seismic array technique, the team were able to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the SS precursors and remove interfering phases. As a result, much more data that otherwise would have been discarded became accessible for analysis.

They also employed so-called amplitude versus offset analysis, a tool widely used in exploration seismology, to constrain elastic properties near MTZ discontinuities.

The analysis finds strong lateral variations in radial contrasts in mass density and wavespeed across 660 while no such variations were observed along the 410. Complementing this, the team's thermodynamic modeling, along a range of mantle temperatures for several representative mantle compositions, precludes a thermal origin for the inferred lateral variations in elastic contrasts across 660. Instead, the inferred 660 contrasts can be explained by lateral variation in mantle composition: from average (pyrolytic; about 60 percent olivine) mantle beneath Hawaii to a mixture with more melt-depleted harzburgite (about 80 percent olivine) southeast of the hotspot. Such compositional heterogeneity is consistent with numerical predictions that segregation of basaltic and harzburgitic material could occur near the base of the MTZ near hot deep mantle upwellings like the one that is often invoked to cause volcanic activity on Hawaii.

"It has been suggested that compositional segregation between basaltic and harzburgitic materials could form a gravitationally stable layer over the base of the MTZ. If so it can provide a filter for slab downwellings and lower-mantle upwellings, and thus strongly affect the mode of mantle convection and its chemical circulation," says Yu.

This study presents a promising technique to get constraints on the thus far elusive distribution of compositional heterogeneity within Earth's mantle. Compositional segregation near the base of the MTZ has been expected since the 1960s and evidence that this process does indeed occur has important implications for our understanding of the chemical evolution of the Earth.

Explore further Modern volcanism tied to events occurring soon after Earth's birth

More information: "Compositional heterogeneity near the base of the mantle transition zone beneath Hawaii" Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications "Compositional heterogeneity near the base of the mantle transition zone beneath Hawaii"(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03654-6

This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching.
Scientist Moh El-Naggar studies bacteria that construct membrane wires to breathe rock. This three-dimensional construct depicts a wire composed of spherical vesicles containing electron-transporting proteins (red and green). Images by Sahand Pirbadian of USC Dornsife and Poorna Subramanian of Caltech. Credit: University of Southern California

Could a unique bacterium be nature's microscopic power plant?

Scientist Moh El-Naggar and his team think it's possible. They work with the Shewanella oneidensis species of bacteria, one of a group of microbes that essentially "breathe" rocks.

As part of their metabolism, the bacteria have developed a way to transfer electrons from the interior of the cell across their outer membrane to a receiving surface in the outside world.

The process is akin to the way humans use oxygen to breathe. The body takes electrons from food and, ultimately, transfers those electrons to oxygen inhaled by the lungs.

The organism was discovered nearly 30 years ago by Kenneth Nealson, now Wrigley Chair in Environmental Studies and professor of Earth sciences and biological sciences at USC Dornsife. Scientists have more recently been interested in learning exactly how the bacteria pull off such an exceptional biological trick.

El-Naggar,associate professor of physics, biological sciences, and chemistry at USC Dornsife, and a collaborative team from USC and Caltech think they have the answer. Their paper published on March 22 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlights research that offers a new understanding of how these bacteria may use "nanowires" to accomplish the electronic feat.

Micro machines

Harnessing energy from living, organic sources holds tremendous potential for new sustainable technology. A microbial fuel cell, for example, could generate electricity by capturing electrons from the bacteria on electrodes instead of the rocks that these organisms evolved to breathe.

"Microbes are highly evolved machines," El-Naggar said. "And what we have here is a class that is really good at converting energy and interacting with the abiotic world."

Another advantage to using "electric bacteria" is already being explored at USCwastewater treatment. Microbes feed on the waste, oxidizing the organic substances and producing a small amount of electricity.

Aside from myriad practical applications, these organisms could exemplify the kinds of life that exist in environments where little or no oxygen exists, such as the deep ocean or under the Martian surface.

Depositing electrons outside the cell is how they survive, said El-Naggar, who holds the Robert D. Beyer ('81) Early Career Chair in Natural Sciences. "If one were to shut down the ability to transfer the electron out of their system, they would not be able to make energy. The bacteria would basically suffocate."

Wired for survival

Under the microscope, scientists can see what appear to be filaments projecting from these cells. For years, the prevailing hypothesis was that these were a form of tiny hairs called pili, similar to those found on other types of bacteria.

But in 2013, a research scientist in El-Naggar's laboratory, Sahand Pirbadian, discovered that these projections, referred to as "nanowires," were actually extensions of the cell membrane covered in cytochromesproteins containing iron that facilitate electron transport. These nanowires allow the bacteria to connect with surfaces much further away than one would expect.

Through light microscopy imaging, the team had an idea of the nanowires' basic composition. But they were curious as to whether the cytochromes were close enough together to transport electrons along the wire. If the density were high enough, they thought a bridge could form along the membrane that would allow an electron to cross onto external surfaces.

Insane in the membrane

For the current study, El-Naggar and Pirbadian collaborated with Grant Jensen and Poorna Subramanian at Caltech, experts in the use of electron cryotomography, or ECT.

Using ECT, researchers can instantly freeze cells, preserving them in a form that is extremely close to their natural state, and then image them with nanoscale resolution in three dimensions.

Subramanian and Pirbadian were able to capture life-like images of the bacteria and their nanowires. What they found was intriguing.

"These are not simple tubes," El-Naggar said. "They turned out to be more like a chain of membrane pearls, strung together."

With the images produced by ECT, the team was the first to see how electron transport proteins were distributed in the membrane to form the nanowires. While some were touching each other, many were further apartup to 30 nanometersa range too far for an electron to jump.

With this new information, the team proposed that the proteins float within the membrane. This creates just enough collisions to allow electrons to exchange from one to the next until they reach the end of the nanowire and transfer to the rock or metal surface.

Their next step is to confirm these collisions are, in fact, happening.

While there is much that remains to be learned, El-Naggar is excited about where the research might lead.

"My lab is driven by the idea that we could develop new machines, where living cells are functioning as part of a hybrid biotic-abiotic system," he said. "We are trying build the foundations of a new generation of living electronics."

Explore further Bacterial nanowires: Not what we thought they were

More information: Poorna Subramanian et al. Ultrastructure ofShewanella oneidensisMR-1 nanowires revealed by electron cryotomography, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Poorna Subramanian et al. Ultrastructure ofShewanella oneidensisMR-1 nanowires revealed by electron cryotomography,(2018). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1718810115
A new species of scorpionfly fossil from 53 million years ago at McAbee, British Columbia named Eomerope eonearctica. This insect is very similar to a fossil species that lived at the same time north of Vladivostok on the Asian Pacific coast, highlighting connections between Canada and Russia in ancient times. Credit: SFU

A new 53 million-year-old insect fossil called a scorpionfly discovered at B.C.'s McAbee fossil bed site bears a striking resemblance to fossils of the same age from Pacific-coastal Russia, giving further evidence of an ancient Canada-Russia connection.

"We've seen this connection before through fossil plants and animals, but these insects show this in a beautiful way," says Bruce Archibald, a research associate in SFU's Department of Biological Sciences and the Royal BC Museum. "They are so much alike that only the wing colour of the new McAbee species tells them apart." Archibald and Alexandr Rasnitsyn, of Moscow's Russian Academy of Sciences, described the find and its significance in this month's The Canadian Entomologist.

"I'm not aware of any case where two such species so much alike and so close in age have been found in both Pacific Russia and Pacific Canada, and that's pretty great," said Archibald. He notes that the insect's only living relative is found in the temperate forest of central Chile, which has a climate that is similar in ways to B.C.'s 53 million years ago.

The new Canadian species was named Eomerope eonearctica, and its Russian doppelganger is Eomerope asiatica, described in 1974. The McAbee fossil site has been designated a provincial heritage by the province of B.C. for its spectacular fossil record. Archibald and Rasnitsyn also described a second new scorpionfly species that was found near Princeton, B.C.

Explore further Scientists discover distant relatives of gardeners' friend

More information: S. Bruce Archibald et al, Two new species of fossil Eomerope (Mecoptera: Eomeropidae) from the Ypresian Okanagan Highlands, far-western North America, and Eocene Holarctic dispersal of the genus, The Canadian Entomologist (2018). S. Bruce Archibald et al, Two new species of fossil Eomerope (Mecoptera: Eomeropidae) from the Ypresian Okanagan Highlands, far-western North America, and Eocene Holarctic dispersal of the genus,(2018). DOI: 10.4039/tce.2018.13
Tesla car stock on March 26, 2018. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

You know you're sailing into the wind when your theory suggests that the Toyota Prius may end up being a business mistake. But innovation expert Fernando Suarez isn't the type to take the easy downwind course.

Suarez, Northeastern's Jean C. Temple Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, contends that Toyota's mileage icon could well be an example of "the hybrid trap." It's not that the Prius is a bad car, or even an unprofitable venturehis point is that following a hybrid strategy leaves industry leaders playing catch-up with more aggressive startups.

"Most established corporations follow the hybrid approach because it gives them peace of mind, said Suarez. "It allows incumbents to convince themselves that they're responding to technology-driven transformation in their industry when, in fact, they're losing ground."

In his recent article in MIT's Sloan Management review, Suarez chose to use the the Prius as an example precisely because it has an impressive sales record.

"I know it's a little counterintuitive," he said. "But although hybrid products may succeed in the short-term, they limit innovation by being tied to a dying technology. This ultimately leaves them playing catch-up."

By hedging their bets with hybrids, established companies slow innovation and give new entrants the time they needed to get a foothold in the market.

The electric car

Suarez pointed out that it was General Motors that released the first all-electric car12 years before the first Tesla hit the market.

In 1996, GM established a lease program in California for its new EV1. Customers, many of them celebrities like Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson, loved the car. Gibson even told documentary filmmaker Chris Paine that the first time he drove his EV1 he "felt like Batman."

"The car was fast and sexy. It was fun to drive. It had everything, " said Suarez.

But the all-electric EV1 proved to be a threat to GM's gas-powered divisions and for a variety of reasons (see the award-winning documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?"), GM pulled the EV1 from the market in 2002.

Although the auto industry was not ready for the electric car, the technology could not be ignored, so Toyota and others poured development money into gas-electric hybrids. Recognizing the opportunity, an entrepreneur named Elon Musk founded the Tesla car company in 2003. Its mission was to commercialize the electric car as the vehicle of the future.

Suarez said that established companies often make the mistake of approaching new technology from the perspective of the existing technology.

"They fall back on learned patterns, which slows development," he said. "When you are serious about going the route of new technology, you have to rethink all of your designs and processes."

By slowing the process of radical innovation, Suarez said auto industry gave the upstart, Tesla, the time it needed to raise money, build manufacturing systems, and create a distribution plan, thus squandering the huge advantage they had as established companies.

So while the big car companies pumped resources into hybrids, Tesla released its all-electric roadster in 2008. Four years later, it released the Model S, which was a surprise success and is now the gold standard for electric cars in America. Meanwhile, the automotive giants still have their electric cars on the drawing board.

"It's no coincidence that Toyota produced the world's first hybrid car and will probably be one of the last to have an all-electric car on the market, 2019 at the earliest," said Suarez.

Part of a pattern

The transistor was invented in America in 1947, but it didn't produce a revolution in the electronics industry until a little known Japanese company began using them to mass-produce pocket-sized radios.

Before the Sony revolution, radios were bulky and relied on vacuum tubes that had to warm up before the radio could operate. American companies took the hybrid approach, substituting transistors for vacuum tubes, but otherwise leaving the rest of the radio unchanged. The new products didn't have to warm up anymore, but they were still bulky tabletop devices.

In contrast, Sony fully embraced the new technology by treating the small size and low power demands of the transistor as an opportunity to redesign and miniaturized every part of its radios. The result was a revolutionary radio that fit in the palm of your hand. Suddenly, music could travel with people everywhereand everyone wanted a piece of the fun.

Suarez offered other examples of the hybrid trap.

Kodak was crushed by the digital photography revolutioneven though the first digital camera was invented by a Kodak engineer in 1975.

"Fearing a negative impact on is highly profitable film business, Kodak introduced a hybrid product, the Photo CD, which flopped," said Suarez. "It was bluky, expensive, and did not optimize either technology. When Kodak finally joined the digital revolution in the late 100s, it was too late."

Kodak declared bankruptcy in 2012 and emerged a year later as a much smaller company.

Suarez also cites the Blackberryanother industry leader that lost its edge by using the hybrid approach to game-changing technology. Blackberry responded to the iPhone revolution by adding a touch screen, but insisted on including it's signature keyboard as well. In just four years, Blackberry plummeted from undisputed industry champion to having a single-digit market share.

The prevailing view

Suarez is building off the theories Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christenson put forth in his groundbreaking book ,The Innovator's Dilemma. Christensen argued that the reason disruptive technology kills so many established companies is not bad management or an inability to adapt, but because they are confined by a fiduciary duty to their existing customers and investors. Because game-chaning technology initially appeals to only a niche market, it won't appeal to most existing customers or have the high profit margins required by corporate investors.

Christensen expanded on his theory in 2013 when he coined the phrase "hybrid innovation" to describe the way large companies can combine existing products with new technologies to extend the life of their flagship products.

Two years later, two business professors at Brigham and Young University published an article in the Harvard Business Review that outlined seven ways existing companies can use the hybrid approach to remain relevant in changing times.

In The Prius Approach, co-authors Nathan Furr and Daniel Snow contend that the hybrid car is an example of how a successful bridge technology can help established companies manage a long and difficult transition to new technology. They acknowledge, however, that hybrids tend to be temporary half-steps.

They site the Microsoft Surface as hybrid technology that breathed new life into the company by combining the compact size of a tablet with the computational prowess of the dying PC. Another example is the hybrid approach some companies have taken to cloud computing, combining the convenience of the cloud with the high-security option of on-site storage.

They identify seven categories of successful hybrid innovation, ranging from blocking upstart companies to exploratory hybrids intended to test the waters for new technologies.

Innovation among the giants

Suarez conceded that not all hybrids are folly. But in today's rapidly evolving world, he believes the hybrid approach is more often a trap that can damage or destroy industry leaders.

"If you're aware of the trap, then you're more likely to experiment fully with the innovation," he said. "It's not about betting the house on new technology. But if you go hybrid as a way to make your company feel comfortable, that's the trap. Unfortunately, that's what most incumbents do."

He noted that some large corporations do both, simultaneously improve existing products and experiment with innovation. One way to do this is by establishing independent startups or teams within the corporate structure. These semi-independent entities are encouraged to work independently of the corporate hierarchy to fully embrace innovative technologies.

"The cost of experimentation is marginal for a big company like Toyota or GM compared to a startup like Tesla," he said. "Even if the experimentation doesn't work out, it would just be a rounding error for a company that size.

"It's not a question of whether being big makes you clumsy. It's a question of what you do when you are big."

Explore further 'Dieselgate' sees Toyota gain in Europe
The output of the algorithms of Koch-Janusz and Ringel (in color) overlapped with the pattern of the underlying dimer model (in black) on a two-dimensional lattice (indicated in red). The algorithm extracts the relevant physical entities without any prior knowledge of the connectivity pattern. Credit: Maciej Koch-Janusz & Zohar Ringel

Two physicists at ETH Zurich and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a novel machine-learning algorithm that analyses large data sets describing a physical system and extract from them the essential information needed to understand the underlying physics.

Over the past decade, machine learning has enabled groundbreaking advances in computer vision, speech recognition and translation. More recently, machine learning has also been applied to physics problems, typically for the classification of physical phases and the numerical simulation of ground states. Maciej Koch-Janusz, a researcher at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and Zohar Ringel of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, have now explored the exciting possibility of harnessing machine learning not as a numerical simulator or a "hypothesis tester," but as an integral part of the physical reasoning process.

One important step in understanding a physical system consisting of a large number of entitiesfor example, the atoms making up a magnetic materialis to identify among the many degrees of freedom of the system those that are most relevant for its physical behaviour. This is traditionally a step that relies heavily on human intuition and experience. But now, Koch-Janusz and Ringel demonstrate a machine-learning algorithm based on an artificial neural network that is capable of doing just that, as they report in the journal Nature Physics. Their algorithm takes data about a physical system without any prior knowledge about it and extracts those degrees of freedom that are most relevant to describe the system.

Technically speaking, the machine performs one of the crucial steps of one of the conceptually most profound tools of modern theoretical physics, the so-called renormalization group. The algorithm of Koch-Janusz and Ringel provides a qualitatively new approach: the internal data representations discovered by suitably designed machine-learning systems are often considered to be obscure, but the results yielded by their algorithm provide fundamental physical insight, reflecting the underlying structure of physical system. This raises the prospect of employing machine learning in science in a collaborative fashion, combining the power of machines to distil information from vast data sets with human creativity and background knowledge.

Explore further Researchers apply machine learning to condensed matter physics

More information: Koch-Janusz M, Ringel Z. Mutual information, neural networks and the renormalization group. Nature Physics, (2018). Journal information: Nature Physics Koch-Janusz M, Ringel Z. Mutual information, neural networks and the renormalization group., (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-018-0081-4
The triangles denote the CPs corresponding to trigonal bipyramid and the open and gray squares denote tetragonal pyramid with the central atom in the base and at the center of mass, respectively. Credit: Lobachevsky University

The problem of the relationship between the structure of materials and their physical properties is one of the global problems of the present day. For many years, researchers of the Lobachevsky University's Faculty of Physics have been working to solve it. In particular, systematic experimental and theoretical studies of the atomic structures of crystals of various materials are conducted at the UNN Department of Crystallography and Experimental Physics.

The traditional approach to describe the atomic structure of a crystal is to use the polyhedral method based on the description of the model of a crystal by means of coordination polyhedra (polyhedra built on atoms as their vertices). An important contribution to the development of this method was made by Academician N.V. Belov, the originator of the crystallographic research at the UNN Faculty of Physics. The polyhedral method greatly simplifies the crystallochemical analysis of complex atomic structures. Crystal structure as a whole is represented in the form of a spatially ordered system of coordination polyhedra, thus, a transition is performed from an atom to a larger structural unit, the coordination polyhedron. On the other hand, the analysis of individual coordination polyhedra makes it possible to determine the symmetry of a particular atom's environment, its energy and chemical state.

In real crystals, coordination polyhedra often have a distorted shape, that is, they differ from ideal polyhedra. The presence of distortion of the coordination polyhedron and its magnitude are due to a variety of factors, including the energy state of the central atom, the chemical and physical features of the environment of the central atom, the mechanical stresses arising in the atomic structure framework of the crystal, and many more. Some types of coordination polyhedra distortion significantly affect the physical properties of materials. For example, distortion of the coordination polyhedron of an activator ion in a laser crystal can lead to a Stark splitting of electron terms, which often results in emission spectra broadening. Thus, the problem arises of giving a quantitative estimate of the distortion in a real coordination polyhedron.

Associate Professor Nikolai Somov and Assistant Professor Pavel Andreev from the Department of Crystallography and Experimental Physics at the Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod have proposed a new approach to estimate the degree of similarity of a coordination polyhedron to a certain reference polyhedron. The degree of similarity of a coordination polyhedron is a scalar value strictly equal to unity if the coordination polyhedron is similar to the reference polyhedron; in other cases it takes values from zero to one. The proposed method is implemented in the form of a computer program that is freely available (http://phys.unn.ru/ps/).

The method for quantitative estimation of the degree of similarity of coordination polyhedra was tested on more than 400 crystalline structures of organometallic compounds of pentavalent antimony and bismuth. It was shown that the proposed approach is consistent with one of the main theorems of structural crystal chemistry, and the advantages of the new approach were demonstrated using concrete examples.

Explore further New 3-D structure shows optimal way to divide space

More information: N. V. Somov et al, On Quantitative Estimation of the Degree of Similarity of Coordination Polyhedra, Crystallography Reports (2018). N. V. Somov et al, On Quantitative Estimation of the Degree of Similarity of Coordination Polyhedra,(2018). DOI: 10.1134/S1063774518010170

Provided by Lobachevsky University
Illustration of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in front of a lava planet orbiting its host star. TESS will identify thousands of potential new planets for further study and observation. Credit: NASA/GSFC

NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is undergoing final preparations in Florida for its April 16 launch to find undiscovered worlds around nearby stars, providing targets where future studies will assess their capacity to harbor life.

"One of the biggest questions in exoplanet exploration is: If an astronomer finds a planet in a star's habitable zone, will it be interesting from a biologist's point of view?" said George Ricker, TESS principal investigator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research in Cambridge, which is leading the mission. "We expect TESS will discover a number of planets whose atmospheric compositions, which hold potential clues to the presence of life, could be precisely measured by future observers."

On March 15, the spacecraft passed a review that confirmed it was ready for launch. For final launch preparations, the spacecraft will be fueled and encapsulated within the payload fairing of its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

TESS will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. With the help of a gravitational assist from the Moon, the spacecraft will settle into a 13.7-day orbit around Earth. Sixty days after launch, and following tests of its instruments, the satellite will begin its initial two-year mission.

Four wide-field cameras will give TESS a field-of-view that covers 85 percent of our entire sky. Within this vast visual perspective, the sky has been divided into 26 sectors that TESS will observe one by one. The first year of observations will map the 13 sectors encompassing the southern sky, and the second year will map the 13 sectors of the northern sky.

This video provides an overview of the TESS mission, which will monitor bright, nearby stars for evidence of orbiting planets. Credit: NASA GSFC

The spacecraft will be looking for a phenomenon known as a transit, where a planet passes in front of its star, causing a periodic and regular dip in the star's brightness. NASA's Kepler spacecraft used the same method to spot more than 2,600 confirmed exoplanets, most of them orbiting faint stars 300 to 3,000 light-years away

"We learned from Kepler that there are more planets than stars in our sky, and now TESS will open our eyes to the variety of planets around some of the closest stars," said Paul Hertz, Astrophysics Division director at NASA Headquarters. "TESS will cast a wider net than ever before for enigmatic worlds whose properties can be probed by NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope and other missions."

TESS will concentrate on stars less than 300 light-years away and 30 to 100 times brighter than Kepler's targets. The brightness of these target stars will allow researchers to use spectroscopy, the study of the absorption and emission of light, to determine a planet's mass, density and atmospheric composition. Water, and other key molecules, in its atmosphere can give us hints about a planets' capacity to harbor life.

"TESS is opening a door for a whole new kind of study," said Stephen Rinehart, TESS project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, which manages the mission. "We're going to be able study individual planets and start talking about the differences between planets. The targets TESS finds are going to be fantastic subjects for research for decades to come. It's the beginning of a new era of exoplanet research."

Through the TESS Guest Investigator Program, the worldwide scientific community will be able to participate in investigations outside of TESS's core mission, enhancing and maximizing the science return from the mission in areas ranging from exoplanet characterization to stellar astrophysics and solar system science.

"I don't think we know everything TESS is going to accomplish," Rinehart said. "To me, the most exciting part of any mission is the unexpected result, the one that nobody saw coming."

Explore further TESS mission will provide exciting exoplanet targets for years to come

More information: For more information on TESS, see For more information on TESS, see www.nasa.gov/tess
A controversial bill to crack down on online sex trafficking was recently passed by Congress and sent to President Donald Trump's desk, but anti-trafficking advocates and experts, including a University of Notre Dame Law School professor, say the bill won't help the problem and will likely make things worse.

The Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) would increase websites' criminal and civil liability for content they host, including advertisements posted by traffickers, but Alexandra Levy, who teaches "Human Markets" at Notre Dame, opposes the law. She says that while it will likely cause a decrease in the number of reports of trafficking, that won't be because it has actually reduced traffickingrather, it will be because it has forced victims into darker corners of the internet, where they are harder to find and recover.

"Contrary to FOSTA supporters' claims, there is no credible evidence that the internet has caused an explosion in sex trafficking," Levy says. "What the numbers actually tell us is that as the internet expands, more sex trafficking tends to be reported. The internet is shining a light on a terrible form of exploitationand that's a step in the right direction."

Levy says FOSTA would shut off that light by providing a strong incentive for platforms to turn a blind eye to problematic content, including ads for trafficked sex.

"As anyone in the field can tell you, we need websites to be our eyes and ears," Levy says. "They provide crucial information to law enforcement and anti-trafficking advocates, and scores of criminal indictments and news articles reveal their value as a point of connection between police and victims."

FOSTA also criminalizes certain speech associated with consensual sex work, and Levy says this too will expose people to more danger.

"Sex workers are far safer when they can freely communicate, screen clients online, exchange information on dangerous clients and share resources," Levy says. "A recently published study even suggests that making certain online advertising platforms available may decrease the murder rate among sex workers. So when legislators speak disparagingly about sex work 'moving from the street corner to the smartphone,' they're actually describing a huge improvement in working conditions."

Levy says FOSTA will shuttle victims out of view, not out of danger.

"It will force sex workers from the safety of the internet back to the street corner, where they're more likely to experience violence and abuse," she says.

Explore further Craigslist ends personal ads after US sex trafficking bill passes
Shares in Renault shot higher after a report that the French carmaker could merge with its alliance partner Nissan

Shares in French automaker Renault shifted up several gears on Thursday, reaching the highest level in a decade, following a report that it was in talks with its alliance partner Nissan about a merger.

Bloomberg news agency said that the French automaker was talking to Nissan about a merger that would create a new group that trades as a single stock.

The companies have been linked for nearly two decades by a cross shareholding and by sharing Carlos Ghosn in key leadership positions, but the question of who will succeed Ghosn in a few year time has put the structure of the alliance on the front burner.

Citing people with knowledge of the matter, Bloomberg said the new entity would be run by Ghosn, who is currently Renault's chief executive and board chairman at Nissan.

The French government's 15 percent holding in Renault could prove a stumbling block, the report said, and that no final decision has been made.

Both Renault and Nissan said they wouldn't comment on market rumours and speculation when contacted by AFP.

The French economy ministry also declined to comment.

"There is nothing new, we still see lots of interest in the alliance, but people are writing more about this topic because (French President Emmanuel) Macron is pushing for the privatisation of several companies," said a source close to Nissan on condition of anonymity.

In midday trading Renault stock was up 4.2 percent at 97.06 euros, topping the risers' board on the CAC 40 benchmark index of leading French companies, which was up 0.7 percent overall.

Trading on the Tokyo stock exchange had closed for the day before the Bloomberg report was published. Nissan shares had shed 0.5 percent to 1,094.50 yen in a market up 0.6 percent overall.

In an interview with AFP earlier this year, Ghosn said the French carmaker is keeping all options open regarding its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, another Japanese carmaker in which Nissan holds a stake.

He said that "all options are on the table. There are no taboos, nothing is off-limits".

Renault currently holds a 43 percent stake in Nissan, which in turn holds a 15 percent stake in the French carmaker.

Nissan took a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016, a tie-up which allowed the alliance to claim the title of the world's largest carmaker last year with 10.6 million vehicles sold.

In the February interview Ghosn said: "We need to continue the convergence between the three companies while leaving each one of them quite independent in their markets, and each one in its country and in its culture."

 2018 AFP
Credit: GeoSpace

The ocean is a major influence on the world's climate and must be included in modelling to predict future climate change.

But the ocean is complex, particularly the intricate biochemical processes that control the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

The complexity of these biochemical processes makes it difficult to accurately simulate how the ocean absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and how it stores this carbon as global conditions change.

In lieu of a deeper understanding, legacy code used in ocean models has largely represented the marine ecosystem and the biochemical processes that make up the marine ecosystem using simplified equations.

In a new study published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, Pearse Buchanan, a scientist at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, and his team integrated new, dynamic ways of representing marine ecosystem processes in ocean models.

In applying them, they found that a more realistic representation of the marine ecosystem helped the ocean to take up and store carbon at similar rates regardless of global changes in physical properties, like temperature, salinity and circulation.

The amount of carbon stored in the ocean was half as sensitive to large physical changes as before, when using the simplistic equations.

This means that an increase in temperature and the associated reorganization in ocean circulation, for instance, had less of an effect on the marine ecosystem's ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in the subsurface layers of the ocean.

This "buffering" that biology provides suggests that important properties may be more resilient to global change than previously thought.

"Due to its large volume and surface area, the biogeochemical processes in the ocean are the main control on the levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," Buchanan said. "Marine phytoplankton absorb carbon in the same way as trees on land, and when phytoplankton die and sink into the deep ocean, the carbon they contain is locked away for thousands of years. This process is known as the biological pump. Many older models account for a very limited number of ways that the biological pump can be affected by physical and chemical properties, which may be affected by climate change. But the biological pump is actually made up of many complex processes, each with its own sensitivities to environmental conditions."

"How phytoplankton communities absorb CO2 and export it into the ocean interior, and therefore how atmospheric CO2 will evolve over the coming millennia, will depend on these sensitivities, Buchanan added. "By improving how we simulate the biological pump in the ocean, we both improve the model and reveal this unexpected resilience, whereby global-scale changes to the physical properties of the ocean have a smaller effect on the biological pump. The added resilience of the biological pump allows the ocean to remain a strong sink of atmospheric CO2 despite warming and increasing upper ocean stratification."

"While we did not consider pH changes, we have shown that the strength of the ocean's biological pump is probably more robust to physical changes than previously understood." Buchanan said.

Explore further The big unknown: Factoring marine sediments into climate calculations

More information: P. J. Buchanan et al. Dynamic biological functioning important for simulating and stabilising ocean biogeochemistry, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (2018). Journal information: Global Biogeochemical Cycles P. J. Buchanan et al. Dynamic biological functioning important for simulating and stabilising ocean biogeochemistry,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/2017GB005753

This story is republished courtesy of AGU Blogs (http://blogs.agu.org), a community of Earth and space science blogs, hosted by the American Geophysical Union. Read the original story here.
Credit: Igor Lehnherr

New research led by U of T Mississauga geographer Igor Lehnherr provides startling evidence that remote areas in Canada's Arctic regiononce thought to be beyond the reach of human impactare responding rapidly to warming global temperatures.

The study, published in Nature Communications, is the first to aggregate and analyze massive data sets on Lake Hazen, the world's largest lake by volume located north of the Arctic Circle.

"Even in a place so far north, it's no longer cold enough to prevent the glaciers from shrinking," says Lehnherr, lead author on the study. "If this place is no longer conducive for glaciers to grow, there are not many other refuges left on the planet."

"This study provides a high-level complete data set where all components the watershed have been studied, and reveals how different components, such as lake ice coverage, permafrost, glaciers, terrestrial environment or the lake food web, are responding to climate change over time," he says.

Study collaborators collected and recorded data available from ongoing site research, which dates back to the 1950s. Some research methods provided a longer view. "For example, sediment samples allow us to time travel and read the history of the lake recorded in its sediments over the past 300 years," says Lehnherr, adding that the results provide an important and comprehensive survey of the area.

Credit: University of Toronto Mississauga

"This study allowed us to ask questions about the entire watershed and how the different puzzle pieces fit together," he says. "We are able to show how all of the parts are interconnected and how something like glacial mass shrinking and generating more meltwater has important impacts for the downstream lake ecosystem."

"We showed that climate has many different impacts, and all components of the watershed are intricately connected," he says. "The physical, biological and chemical aspects are responding directly to climate changes."

"The lake and the lake ecosystem have been in a relatively stable state for hundreds of years, but all it took was a one-degree increase in regional air temperature for it to enter a completely new state," Lehnherr says. "The biological food web looks different, the biogeochemical cycles are accelerated, and we're observing more organic nutrients, contaminants and carbon coming into the system."

Credit: University of Toronto Mississauga

The study was spurred by anecdotal reports from park staff and visitors to Lake Hazen, who noticed that the lake was becoming ice-free in the summer, when previously it has been a rarity for the lake ice to melt completely during the summer months. Hikers and parks staff also noticed that it became more challenging to cross rivers, which were getting larger, deeper and faster-flowing due to glacier runoff. "The glaciers typically melt a little during the spring and summer seasons, however we noticed that they began to lose more ice than they gained in the winter," says Lehnherr. "We are now seeing the ice mass declining, which is surprising, because the lake is one of the most northerly of Canadian lakes. Water takes a lot of energy to warm up, and can store a lot of heat energy. A large lake, like Lake Hazen, theoretically should be more resilient to climate change relative to a pond or smaller body of water. If this lake is exhibiting signs of climate change, it really shows how pervasive these changes are."

"Good science should breed more questions," Lehnherr says. "Now we have a baseline that we can compare with future data. We have the potential to create a good temporal record that allows us to assess how things are changing."

Explore further Climate change blamed for missing lake

More information: The world's largest High Arctic lake responds rapidly to climate warming, Nature Communications, volume 9, Article number: 1290 (2018) www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03685-z Journal information: Nature Communications The world's largest High Arctic lake responds rapidly to climate warming,, volume 9, Article number: 1290 (2018) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03685-z
A rendering of the metasurfaces studied as part of the project: (a) topologically trivial structure. (b) topologically non-trivial structure. Credit: ITMO University

An international scientific team has developed a new method of probing topological structures and their topological phase transitions. The method is based on examining the reflection spectrum of electromagnetic waves reflecting off an object from different impact angles. The accuracy of the method's results has been verified experimentally in both IR and microwave spectra. Results were published in Nature Communications.

Topology is the study of the properties of objects that remain unchanged during deformation. From a topological point of view, a doughnut and a mug are the same since they both have a hole in the center. Topological invariants lie at the core of many important observable properties of matter. They are incorporated in the creation of new, unusual materials, which are used, for example, to control light propagation in optical systems.

To detect topologically non-trivial structures, scientists usually scan the propagation of an object's near-field. In other words, they monitor an object's emissions at a distance much smaller than a wavelength. The resulting near-field map lets them draw conclusions about the topology of the object's photonic bands. For instance, it is possible to determine if the object contains any topological edge states, and to what degree they are protected from scattering in areas with defects or non-uniformity.

Scientists from ITMO University together with their colleagues from the City University of New York have proposed a new method of topological analysis based on spectroscopy of an object's far-field. "We posed the question: Do the topological properties of a system affect how it disperses light at long distances?" says Maxim Gorlach, research fellow at ITMO's Metamaterials Laboratory. "To answer it, our colleagues, led by Alexander Khanikaev, developed and manufactured two two-dimensional structures using silicon cylinders of slightly different geometric parameters. One was trivial, and the other topological."

Making such structures isn't easy, say the scientists. For that, they need to use the latest nanofabrication methods. Having analyzed the resulting samples' spectra, they developed a theoretical model depicting the results of the analysis. It allowed them to determine the structure's topological invariant. This model later became the basis for the far-field spectroscopy method.

"At some point, our reviewers expressed interest in whether we can confirm that the results we got through far-field analysis are in line with the standard technique of near-field analysis. To do that, we conducted a microwave experiment. We created a metasurface of two parts: one topologically trivial and one non-trivial. Our goal was to observe the topological state localized on the border of these two parts. In the end, we managed to produce an all-dielectric metasurface which contains topologically-protected states in the microwave band. At the same time, the polarization of the edge state turned out to be unequivocally connected to the direction of its propagation. The experiment confirmed the accuracy of our model, and the article was accepted," adds Dmitry Zhirihin, Ph.D. student at ITMO University Faculty of Physics and Engineering.

The new method's advantage is that it lets researchers study the topology of objects from a distance. "We no longer need to examine the propagation field right on the surface of the structure. We can now detect unusual topological states in materials from afar. In addition, as we developed the method, we proved that while energy loss can occur in topological structures, topological edge states still persist," notes Maxim Gorlach. "We are now planning to use the new method to study three-dimensional topological insulators and we are expecting some new and exciting results."

Earlier on, topological states were only suggested for use in secure signal transmission. But now, explain the scientists, the range of applications is becoming much wider. "It is known that nanofabrication methods are limited in precision due to various technological reasons  and photonic nanostructures are guaranteed to contain defects. This leads to loss of efficiency and accuracy of the devices produced with these methods. For example, any biosensor made using nanofabrication methods will be limited in the accuracy of its measurements, all due to the defects. Using topological states in the construction of these detectors, we can increase their sensitivity and precision  even despite the presence of structural defects," says project lead Alexander Khanikaev.

Explore further Switching conduction modea step towards topological transistors

More information: Maxim A. Gorlach et al. Far-field probing of leaky topological states in all-dielectric metasurfaces, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Maxim A. Gorlach et al. Far-field probing of leaky topological states in all-dielectric metasurfaces,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03330-9
Although he opposed Donald Trump in the 2016 campaign, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, seen at right next to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, attended a meeting of technology leaders with the US president in June 2017

US President Donald Trump took a new swipe at Amazon on Thursday, claiming the tech giant fails to pay its share of taxes and takes advantage of the US Postal Service.

A tweet by the president about Amazona company he also criticized while on the campaign trailrenewed concerns that the online giant could face scrutiny by antitrust regulators.

"Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!" Trump tweeted.

The comments came a day after a report by the news site Axios that Trump was "obsessed" with Amazon, believing the tech giant fails to pay enough taxes and gets preferential treatment from its agreement with the postal service.

The report said Trump's wealthy friends complain that Amazon is killing shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers, and had asked about the possibility of going after the online giant using antitrust laws.

Trump has long been at odds with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a vocal opponent of the Republican candidate in the 2016 election campaign.

Bezos is also the owner of the Washington Post, a frequent target of Trump's ire over its news coverage.

White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters, asked if Trump was singling out Amazon, said only that "the president has expressed his concerns," adding: "We have no actions at this time."

Amazon did not immediately respond to an AFP query on the Trump comments.

Longstanding tensions

During the 2016 campaign, Trump said the US online giant could have "a huge antitrust problem" if he were elected, and suggested Bezos bought the daily newspaper as a move to protect Amazon "so that they don't have to pay taxes and don't get sued for monopolistic tendencies."

Bezos responded by offering to send the Republican candidate into orbit with his Blue Origin space exploration firm. But after the election, the CEO offered congratulations, tweeting, "I for one give him my most open mind and wish him great success in his service to the country."

Amazon shares, hit as broad decline in the tech sector over the firestorm following revelations of the hijacking of millions of Facebook users' personal data, rebounded Thursday with a gain of 1.1 percent.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is seen touring the grand opening of the Amazon Spheres, in Seattle, Washington on January 29, 2018

Critics of Amazon have argued it has become too powerful because of its dominance of online retail, which could increase with its acquisition of the Whole Foods grocery chain.

The company has become a major player in cloud computing and streaming video, and has used its research in artificial intelligence to launch a popular line of devices powered by its digital assistant Alexa.

The recent surge in Amazon's share price has made Bezos the world's richest individual, worth more than $100 billion, even with this week's slump paring several billion off his fortune.

Amazon's 'HQ2' plans

Amazon last year announced plans to open a second headquarters as a companion to its home in Seattle, Washington, setting off a frenzied competition by states and cities offering tax breaks to the tech giant.

The new Amazon "HQ2" could provide an estimated $5 billion in investments and 50,000 new jobs, according to the company.

Amazon gained a reputation in its early years of paying little in taxes, in part because its retail operations lost money. But that has changed as profits rose, and it paid $412 million in federal income taxes in 2016.

According to one think tank, Amazon owed no federal income taxes in 2017 in part due to credits from a Trump-endorsed fiscal overhaul passed by Congress.

It has also reached agreements with most US states to pay sales taxes, after years of legal disputes.

Amazon has an agreement with the US Postal Service to deliver some parcels at bulk ratesa deal which some say provides a subsidy to the company but which others say helps the beleaguered postal operation.

Lou Kerner, a technology investor who blogs about the sector, said Trump's attack on Amazon "is a very populist thing to do," but that any new measures imposed on Amazon may do little for consumers or small businesses.

"Walmart was crushing the little guys before Amazon, and more of Amazon's growth is coming from the Walmarts of the world," Kerner said.

"Amazon would just pass the majority of the taxes on to its customers, so it's just a wealth transfer from millions of consumers, to a small number of shop owners (including Walmart)."

 2018 AFP
Walleye is a popular game fish in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada. It's prized for its flaky meat and mild, sweet flavor. A new study shows its population is in decline. Credit: Andrew Rypel/UC Davis

Walleye, an iconic native fish species in Wisconsin, the upper Midwest and Canada, are in decline in northern Wisconsin lakes, according to a study published this week in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

The study does not pinpoint the exact causes for the decline, though it suggests it is likely a combination of factors, including climate change, habitat degradation and harvest rates that might at times outpace production levels if not monitored closely. Additional research is ongoing regarding what declining production means for future walleye harvests in this region.

'Something is not right'

For the study, researchers analyzed production statistics collected between 1990 and 2012 for adult walleye populations in Wisconsin lakes. They found that annual walleye production across all lakes decreased by 27 percent during that time. It takes 1.5 times longer to produce the same amount of walleye biomass, or fish weight, now as it did in 1990.

Lakes experiencing declines are often stocked with walleye to make up for a loss in natural production. However, the data show that stocked lakes have seen larger declines in walleye production. Lakes with a mixture of both stocked and naturally reproducing walleye experienced declines of 47 percent, while lakes with only stocking and no natural reproduction declined by 63 percent.

"This is a clear warning sign that something is not right," said lead author Andrew Rypel, an ecologist at University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources during the time of the study. He is currently an associate professor and the Peter B. Moyle and California Trout Chair in Coldwater Fish Ecology at the University of California, Davis. "The results suggest that anglers, tribes and resource management agencies will all need to work together to craft new science-based management policies for moving forward."

About walleye

Rypel, who grew up in Wisconsin fishing walleye, notes that walleye are "kind of a big deal" in the area. As salmon are to the West, walleye are to this region. People travel to the state's Northwoods just to fish for walleye; a large Catholic population enjoys them for Friday fish fries; and Native American tribes spear walleye in the early spring in accordance with their cultural and religious traditions. The meat is prized for its flaky, mild and sweet flavor.

Lead author Andrew Rypel, currently an associate professor at UC Davis, holds a walleye in Wisconsin. Credit: Andrew Rypel

"People catch and release bass," Rypel said. "That's not the case with walleye. People love to eat walleye."

Threats to walleye

Bass like warmer waters, and unlike walleye, their populations have increased over the study period. Walleye require cooler waters, and their decline has accompanied a rise in lake temperatures. This points to climate change as one factor in the loss of walleye that the authors say should continue to be examined.

Habitat alteration, residential development around walleye-bearing lakes and indirect food web interactions are likely additional factors.

Another complication is that while most Wisconsin lakes are dominated by low-producing walleye populations, some of the highest-producing walleye lakes are used to estimate sustainable harvest for the region. Consequently, studies on those healthier walleye lakes may not adequately represent the overall walleye population.

Action is underway

State, tribal and community leaders have already taken several actions to help the struggling walleye. These include major stocking initiatives, new fishing regulations, programs to enhance habitat, bass removals and even moratoriums on walleye harvests.

"Most people interested in the outdoors, fishing and hunting are interested in leaving something for future generations, hopefully something better," Rypel said. "It's essential that we work collaboratively when we see trends that fisheries like these are in decline."

Explore further Climate change, species invasions harming popular native fish in Ontario lakes

More information: Andrew L. Rypel et al, Eroding productivity of walleye populations in northern Wisconsin lakes, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (2018). Journal information: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Andrew L. Rypel et al, Eroding productivity of walleye populations in northern Wisconsin lakes,(2018). DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-2017-0311
Credit: University of Michigan

Recent research has shown the enormous differences in how white and black Americans maintain income positions across two generations. Now, a new study traces family wealth across three generations, and reveals large gaps in the transmission of that wealth.

The study, led by Fabian Pfeffer at the University of Michigan, found that the most important way in which families maintain their wealth is often indirectfor instance, by facilitating the educational success and homeownership of the next generation. This means that wealth transmission is often accomplished much earlier in life and in less direct ways than simply by inheritances during the next generation's late adulthood.

The research also shows that even when white and African-American families have similar wealth levels, there is a large wealth gap between the children of those same families.

Wealth is the sum of families' assets, including savings, stocks and homeownership. It is different from income, which refers to the stream of money a family makes. The U-M draws on data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a nationally representative survey that has followed the same families now for 50 years. It is the first since the survey's inception to track the wealth of three generations of families.

Pfeffer, a sociologist in the Survey Research Center at the Institute for Social Research, and co-author Harvard sociologist Alexandra Killewald examined five traditional avenues of wealth transmissioneducation, marriage, homeownership, business ownership and receipt of financial gifts or bequests. Their study is published in the journal Social Forces.

"Much of the transmission of wealth to the next generation goes through these earlier life processes, such as supporting children's education, supporting their ability to purchase a home, or to get married," Pfeffer said. "All of theseeducation, homeownership, marriagein turn help you accumulate wealth."

In the study, children's educational success accounted for about 25 percent of the similarity of wealth between parents and children. Homeownership accounted for 28 percent of that relationship and marriage accounted for 14 percent. A large inheritance or gift accounted for 12 percent of intergenerational wealth transmissionand usually, these bequests come much later in a person's lifetime, when wealth has already been accumulated.

"Of course, there are a lot of very wealthy children who receive huge inheritances," Pfeffer said. "But first, this is a small share of the population, and second, these inheritances tend to occur when many other benefits of coming from a wealthy family have already manifestedwhen the children are about 50. So, bequests are the cherry on top."

To better understand the wealth position of African-American families, Pfeffer says it is also important to examine howand whetherfamilies are able to pass wealth to the next generation. According to Pfeffer, African-American wealth transmission continues to be greatly inhibited.

"We knew that racial wealth gaps were extreme, but now also show that there is a large racial gap in the transmission of wealth across generations," Pfeffer said. "Today's racial wealth gaps reflect two processes: One historicalthis country's long legacy of actively excluding African-Americans from asset ownership beginning with slavery, and the second contemporarythere are still processes that continue to hinder asset accumulation among nonwhite families, even those that come from wealthier families."

This racial inequality in wealth transmission also plays out in the rates of homeownership. About half the African-American grandparents in the study were homeowners in the 1960s, compared to 82 percent of white grandparents. But two generations later, rates of homeownership were higher for white grandchildren of those who did not own homes than for African-Americans whose grandparents owned homes.

The sample used in the study included wealth reports from 4,608 individuals ages 25-64 in 2013, and the wealth reports of their parents, ages 25-64 in 1984. To assess grandparental wealth, the authors relied on grandparents' self-reports in 1984 as well as their housing wealth in 1968.

Explore further Wealth inequality doubles among US households

More information: Fabian T Pfeffer et al. Generations of Advantage. Multigenerational Correlations in Family Wealth, Social Forces (2017). http://fabianpfeffer.com/wp-content/uploads/PfefferKillewald2017.pdf Fabian T Pfeffer et al. Generations of Advantage. Multigenerational Correlations in Family Wealth,(2017). DOI: 10.1093/sf/sox086
March 29, 2018 in User Groups (E)

[prMac.com] Los Angeles/Manchester - The Creative Pro User Group Network (CPUG Network) recently announced the 17th Annual Las Vegas SuperMeet to take place on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 in the Brasilia Ballroom at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. Oscar(R) nominee film editor Dylan Tichenor ACE is scheduled to headline the event. The agenda has now been set. Tickets are on sale online only for the price of $15.00 each plus ticket fee and $10.00 for students and Teachers with valid ID. Oscar(R) and BAFTA nominated Film editor Dylan Tichenor ACE is scheduled to present as well as Blackmagic Design, Adobe, frame.io, HP/NVIDIA, Atomos and more.



Mr. Tichenor received Oscar(R) nominations for editing Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood and Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty. He's also received a BAFTA nomination for Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain. He received ACE Eddie Award nominations for Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, as well as There will be Blood and Brokeback Mountain. You can find a full list of Mr. Tichenor's credits at his IMDB page.



Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve designers Paul Saccone, Mary Plummer, Peter Chamberlain and Rohit Gupta will answer all questions from the audience on all things DaVinci Resolve, Fusion or Fairlight Audio. They say ask anything you want about the software.



Adobe Premiere Pro product manager Patrick Palmer makes his SuperMeet stage debut and says he will reveal new features in Adobe video solutions that provide more power, collaboration, and efficiency to your color, graphics and audio editing workflows.



frame.io's CEO Emery Wells will preview 'The All New Frame.io' in anticipation of the full release early this summer. The all new Frame.io will set an industry standard with a never-before-seen set of over 150 collaboration tools for content creators.



Atomos's Jeromy Young returns to the SuperMeet stage after a long absence. He has told us he will be announcing the "start of a revolution" with key partners. Furthermore he says, "This is the biggest thing we have ever done, it's industry changing. It involves software and camera makers alike."



There will also be videos by Digital Anarchy, Red Giant Software, Pond5 and Brad Olsen who will show a teaser of his documentary on Final Cut Pro X, Off the Tracks.



Rounding out the evening will be the always wild and crazy "World Famous Raffle," where the total value of prizes has now reached over $101,000.00 including a Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio System worth over $29,995.00



Doors will open at 4:30PM with the SuperMeet Vendor Showcase featuring 23 software and hardware developers including Adobe, Blackmagic Design, Frame.io, HP/NVIDIA, Atomos, Digital Anarchy, Adobe Stock, B&H, Future Media Concepts, Master The Workflow, LumaForge, ATTO, Autodesk, Boris FX, CoreMelt, Red Giant Software, Drobo, Pond5, Maxon, RE:Vision Effects, Master the Workflow, LANDR, Seagate, Lenovo, and Soundsnap. Here, attendees can enjoy a few cocktails, mingle and party with industry peers, network one on one with leading manufacturers and learn about the latest trends in collaborative editing workflows for post production and broadcast markets.



To purchase tickets, and for complete daily updates on the SuperMeet, including agenda updates, directions, transportation options, and a current list of raffle prizes, visit the SuperMeet web site.

SuperMeets are gatherings of Adobe, Avid, Final Cut and Resolve editors, gurus, digital and VR filmmakers from within the US, Europe and the world over. SuperMeets are held annually in Las Vegas, and Amsterdam, and feature user-driven demos of new products, collaborative production and post production workflows and filmmaker show and tells, including a SuperMeet Vendor Showcase featuring hardware and software developers providing workflow solutions for digital filmmakers and content creators. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

###

Michael Horton

Co-producer

United States



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News

Azure SQL Data Warehouse Now Offered Worldwide

Azure SQL Data Warehouse service is now available across all 33 Microsoft Azure regions.

The expansion happened this week with the "general availability" rollout of Azure SQL Data Warehouse services in Australia East, India West and Japan West datacenter regions, per Microsoft's announcement this week. Microsoft describes Azure SQL Warehouse as its "fully managed, petabyte-scale cloud solution." It can be provisioned in minutes, and operations can "scale up to 60 times larger in seconds." The service includes a "geo-backup" capability to restore data should a regional failure occur.

Microsoft touted the municipality of Catania in Italy as one of its customers using Azure SQL Data Warehouse. The municipality is using the service to store public service data, according to another Microsoft announcement.

Azure Key Vault SQL Database Preview

In other Azure news, organizations wanting tight control over access to the data housed on Microsoft's datacenters when using the Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Data Warehouse services can protect the data by storing cryptographic keys using Microsoft's Azure Key Vault technology, a product launched almost three years ago. It turns out that organizations need to setup Azure Key Vault in a particular way, and they need to use "transparent data encryption," too, for all data written to disk.

This week, Microsoft announced a "preview" of SQL Database transparent data encryption with Azure Key Vault. The announcement outlined the arcane steps that are needed to enable this protection.

Azure Standard Load Balancer

Microsoft this week announced the availability of a new Azure Standard Load Balancer, which is available in "27 public cloud regions." The Standard option uses a different stack than the Azure Basic Load Balancer, which Microsoft still plans to offer, according to another announcement. The new Standard design "adds 10x scale" and can handle "millions of flows per second," Microsoft explained.

"Standard Load Balancer can distribute network traffic of up to one thousand (1000) VM instances in a backend pool," the announcement clarified. "This is a 10x scale improvement over the existing Basic SKU."

In addition, the Azure Standard Load Balancer works with Azure Availability Zones, currently at preview, which are designed to offer protection from "datacenter-level failures" within an Azure region for virtual machines, according to a Microsoft document. Users get a service-level agreement (SLA) uptime guarantee of 99.99 percent with the Standard version. The SLA isn't available with the Basic offering. Microsoft is also touting the ability to get "in-band active measurements" in Azure Monitor within the Azure Portal or in the Operations Management Suite when using the new Azure Standard Load Balancer option.

Azure Storage Blobs Soft Delete Preview

Microsoft also this week announced a public preview of a soft delete capability for those using its Azure Storage Blobs service, which can tested in all Azure regions. The soft delete capability needs to be turned on to work, but it's conceived as a safeguard against accidental deletions. Deleted data will disappear but aren't permanently erased when the soft delete feature is active. Instead, the "soft deleted objects are invisible unless explicitly listed," the announcement explained. It'll save snapshots of soft-deleted data, so using this feature will incur storage costs.

"If there is a chance that your data is accidentally modified or deleted by an application or other storage account user, we recommend turning on soft delete," Microsoft's announcement stated. "Soft delete is one part of a data protection strategy and can help prevent inadvertent data loss."
Acacia Mining plc, together with its subsidiaries, mines, processes, and sells gold in Africa. The company has three gold mines in north-west Tanzania, including Bulyanhulu, Buzwagi, and North Mara; and a portfolio of exploration projects at various stages of development in Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, and Mali. It also produces co-products, such as copper and silver. The company was formerly known as African Barrick Gold plc and changed its name to Acacia Mining plc in November 2014. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Acacia Mining plc is a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation.

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Bristow Group Inc. provides industrial aviation services to the offshore energy companies in Europe Caspian, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers helicopter charter services to transport personnel between onshore bases and offshore production platforms, drilling rigs, and other installations, as well as to transport time-sensitive equipment to these offshore locations. It also provides search and rescue services for the oil and gas industry, and governmental agencies; and aircraft support services. The company was formerly known as Offshore Logistics Inc. and changed its name to Bristow Group Inc. in February 2006. Bristow Group Inc. was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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" " In January 2015, SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, for their fifth Commercial Resupply (CRS) mission to the ISS. Dragon returned to Earth four-and-a-half weeks later. SpaceX

Commercial space service SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to make its 14th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA. The Dragon will be atop a Falcon 9 rocket and is scheduled for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Monday April 2, 2018, delivering a payload of 5,800 pounds (2,630 kilograms) of supplies, equipment and scientific research to the ISS crew.

Some of that cargo will facilitate scientific research on a dizzying array of subjects, ranging from the effects of severe thunderstorms on Earth to growing vegetables in space. It also will help the space station's crew to test new materials and industrial processes in the harsh environment of space, and to evaluate a new medical technology for healing battlefield wounds.

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Here are a few of the experiments being delivered by the mission:

Growing veggies in orbit: The resupply mission will enable ongoing research on growing food such as tomatoes, cabbage and lettuce in space. The The resupply mission will enable ongoing research on growing food such as tomatoes, cabbage and lettuce in space. The Veggie Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System , an experiment will study a new way to deliver nutrients to plants. Tupperware, a manufacturer that's more familiar as maker of those handy containers you store leftovers in, and Techshot, a space hardware company has been involved in development of the system.

Metal powder fabrication: Another experiment being transported on this flight will allow astronauts to study a process known as Another experiment being transported on this flight will allow astronauts to study a process known as liquid-phase sintering . NASA compares it to building a sand castle on the beach with sand that's just wet enough to stick together but instead of sand, liquid phase sintering uses metal powders. On Earth, sintering has applications in making automobile engine connecting rods and lubricating bearings. But the ISS crew will be looking at how the process works in the microgravity of space, with an eye to someday using it to erect buildings for a lunar base or manufacturing replacement parts for space vehicles and equipment during extraterrestrial exploration missions.

" " This illustration shows the variety of upper atmospheric phenomena powered by thunderstorms. The SpaceX flight will deliver the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor, an orbital observatory that will study severe thunderstorms. DTU Space; TGF: NASA

Investigating thunderstorms from above: The SpaceX flight will deliver equipment for the The SpaceX flight will deliver equipment for the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor , an orbital observatory that will study severe thunderstorms and their role in the Earth's atmosphere and climate. From its vantage point in orbit, ASIM will gaze down upon exotic phenomena such as sprites , those mysterious bright flashes that occur in the mesosphere, a region about 31 to 53 miles (50 to 85 kilometers) above Earth's surface. ASIM also will observe blue jet lightning , which shoot upward as far as 12 miles (19 kilometers) into the sky from the top of a thunderstorm cloud, and elves, which are donut-shaped light flashes that span for miles.

How well materials work in space: If you're going to send a satellite or a spacecraft into the cosmos, you want to know in advance whether the stuff that it's made of will survive the harsh environment of space. The If you're going to send a satellite or a spacecraft into the cosmos, you want to know in advance whether the stuff that it's made of will survive the harsh environment of space. The Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility will do just that. It's designed to test how well coatings and other components perform when exposed to the high levels of radiation , heat and cold, bombardment with charged particles and even collisions with micro-meteoroids in orbit.

Drug research: Just because a drug has a certain effect when taken on Earth, that doesn't mean that it will work the same way in space. This experimental project has an unwieldy moniker, Just because a drug has a certain effect when taken on Earth, that doesn't mean that it will work the same way in space. This experimental project has an unwieldy moniker, Comparative Real-time Metabolic Activity Tracking for Improved Therapeutic Assessment Screening Panels , but the idea behind it is a lot simpler. Metabolic Tracking, as it's known for short, will allow the crew of ISS to study the effects of microgravity on the metabolic effect of five different pharmaceuticals.

Fixing wounds: On battlefields back on Earth, there's a continual struggle to find ways to keep soldiers alive after they suffer increasingly horrific wounds caused by today's high-tech killing technology, or from infections that develop before they can be evacuated. That's where On battlefields back on Earth, there's a continual struggle to find ways to keep soldiers alive after they suffer increasingly horrific wounds caused by today's high-tech killing technology, or from infections that develop before they can be evacuated. That's where NanoRacks Module 74 Wound Healing might save a lot of warriors. The experiments will test a patch containing an antimicrobial hydrogel  it promotes wound healing even as it acts as a scaffold for regenerating tissue. That's something no existing bandage can do.

Now That's Cool Starting today (March 29, 2018) you can download the 321 LAUNCH app, which blends traditional launch coverage with virtual reality. The app uses your smartphone or tablet camera to create a virtual 3-D model of the Space Coast launch pad and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket  right in your own living room (as long as its flat like a table or the floor). You can download it free from the App Store or Google Play.
A new study has revealed that modern humans entered America much earlier that it was previously thought. The researchers of the latest study claim that they have got hold of the oldest human footprints in North America. The footprints were found out to be 13,000 years old. The scientists saw a total of 29 footprints on the shoreline of the Calvert Island in Canada. The island is situated to the north of Vancouver.

Further analysis revealed that the footprints were most probably made by two barefoot adults and a small child. They left the footprints in the wet clay near the edge of the water on the Calvert Island. The researchers said that the footprints were oldest ever to be found in North America. Michael Petraglia, an archaeologist, said that the age of the site is remarkable and suggests about an early entrance into the Americas. The archeologists were completely astonished to see how well-preserved the human footprints were. The scientists measured the sizes of the feet and found out that the child had a junior size 1, the adult woman foot had a size 3 and adult man had size 7.

Lead author of the study, Duncan McLaren, an anthropologist at the Hakai Institute and the University of Victoria in British Columbia said that the new find provides proof that the humans were inhabiting the North American region at the end of the last ice age. It is possible that the coast was one of the means by which people entered the Americas at the time, said McLaren.

The footprints were discovered during an excavation work that took place from 2014 to 2016. The study of these footprints revealed that humans were present on the Pacific coast of British Columbia about 13,000 years ago and that the region was devoid of ice cover well before the end of the last ice age that took place about 11,700 years ago. Kevin Hatala, an assistant professor of biology at Chatham University, said, Ultimately, the data seem to show indisputable evidence of human presence along the Pacific Coast of Canada. He further said that the latest footprint human footprint study is important because it is very rare to find archeological sites from this time and place. Currently, the Calvert Island is completely covered with forests and can only be reached by boat.

As per Wikipedia, The continents of North and South America were settled by Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers from North Asia between 20,000 and 10,000 years ago, by way of the Beringia land bridge which had formed between northeastern Siberia and western Alaska due to the lowering of sea level during the Last Glacial Maximum. The earliest populations in the Americas, between roughly 20,000 and 10,000 years ago are also known as Paleo-Indians.

Advances in archaeology, Pleistocene geology, physical anthropology, and DNA analysis have shed progressively more light on the subject; however, significant questions remain unresolved. While there is general agreement that the Americas were first settled from Asia, the pattern of migration, its timing, and the place(s) of origin in Asia of the peoples who migrated to the Americas remain unclear. Specifically, Clovis first refers to the hypothesis that the Clovis culture represents the earliest human presence in the Americas, beginning about 13,000 years ago; evidence of pre-Clovis cultures has accumulated during the 2000s to 2010s, pushing back the date of the first peopling of the Americas to about 16,000 years, or possibly close to 20,000 years ago.

There is general agreement among anthropologists that the source populations for the migration into the Americas originated from an area somewhere east of the Yenisei River. The common occurrence of the mtDNA Haplogroups A, B, C, and D among eastern Asian and Native American populations has long been recognized, along with the presence of Haplogroup X. As a whole, the greatest frequency of the four Native American associated haplogroups occurs in the Altai-Baikal region of southern Siberia. Some subclades of C and D closer to the Native American subclades occur among Mongolian, Amur, Japanese, Korean, and Ainu populations

The development of high-resolution genomic analysis has provided opportunities to further define Native American subclades and narrow the range of Asian subclades that may be parent or sister subclades. For example, the broad geographic range of Haplogroup X has been interpreted as allowing the possibility of a western Eurasian, or even a European source population for Native Americans, as in the Solutrean hypothesis, or suggesting a pre-Last Glacial Maximum migration into the Americas. The analysis of an ancient variant of Haplogroup X among aboriginals of the Altai region indicates common ancestry with the European strain rather than descent from the European strain. Further division of X subclades has allowed identification of Subhaplogroup X2a, which is regarded as specific to Native Americans. With further definition of subclades related to Native American populations, the requirements for sampling Asian populations to find the most closely related subclades grow more specific. Subhaplogroups D1 and D4h3 have been regarded as Native American specific based on their absence among a large sampling of populations regarded as potential descendants of source populations, over a wide area of Asia.Among the 3764 samples, the Sakhalin  lower Amur region was represented by 61 Oroks.
Cryptocurrency Exchange Bitfinex Plans Move to Switzerland





Bitfinex, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency exchange by 24-hour trading volume, is looking to hoist itself out of Hong Kong and settle in Switzerland, as first reported by Handelszeitung. As confirmed by sources close to Bitfinex, the exchange is already in talks with Swiss authorities.

Jean-Louis van der Velde, CEO at Bitfinex, told Handelszeitung, We are looking for a new home for Bitfinex and the parent company iFinex, where we want to merge the operations previously spread over several locations. Van der Velde said that Bitfinex, now based in Hong Kong, was also considering London as a potential new location, but for now, Switzerland remains its first choice. If iFinex pulls off the move successfully, it will form a new AG (or Aktiengesellschaft, which is German for public company) to replace the former iFinex in the British Virgin Islands. The companys core businesses would be based in Switzerland, and van der Velde and other managers would likely relocate there as well. In addition, iFinex is also the parent company of Tether, a subsidiary that produces tether (USDT), a token pegged to the U.S. dollar. USTD trades on several exchanges, including Bitfinex, but since no third-party audit has ever taken place, questions linger as to whether the $2.3 billion in USDT so far issued by Tether are backed by actual dollars. Adding to the opaqueness of Bitfinexs business dealings, since April 2017, Bitfinex and Tether have been cut off from banks in the U.S. and Taiwan and have been left to move among a series of banks in other countries, without informing their customers. Read the full Bitfinex and Tether timeline here. Van der Velde hints that a move to Switzerland would bring a renewed transparency to the business. We want to be the most transparent of all exchanges and meet the requirements of the Swiss regulator, he said, adding that Bitfinex is currently in talks with Swiss banks. Switzerland has emerged as the home of several initial coin offerings (ICOs), where the town of Zug has unofficially become Crypto Valley. The move could be a win-win for both Bitfinex and Switzerland. Bitfinex could help Switzerland attract more blockchain technology business, while the support of Swiss banks could shine some light on Tether. Bitfinex is not the only exchange that is looking to exit Hong Kong. Last week, Hong Kongbased Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, announced it was looking to relocate to Malta, after running up against regulatory hurdles in Asia.

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.
With more than 30,000 units in the pipeline and with more government land sales, Singapore property buyers are urged to be more cautious. 15 companies have submitted tenders for commercial and residential site at Holland Road. The Urban Redevelopment Board (URA) which announced this on 20 March said that the site was launched for sale via the Concept and Price revenue tender system on 30 November 2017.

Under this system, tenderers are required to submit their concept proposals and tender prices in two separate envelopes. The Concept Proposal should demonstrate how the proposed development on the Land Parcel will address the following evaluation criteria:

Appropriateness to Context and Quality of Architecture Composition and Placement of uses

URA said that only submissions which contained the concepts of the tender system were opened today. Tenderers had to propose an overall development concept which features a contextually sensitive overall development concept that is compellingly, attractive on its own, and yet will complement the adjacent low rise and street-oriented character of Holland Village.

The development should also reinforce the vibrancy of Holland Village and incorporate new high quality public spaces for people to gather and interact.

URA said that a decision on the award of the tender will be made after the tenders have been evaluated; and that their decision will be published at a later date.

The site released is part of the second half 2017 (2H2017) Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme. The 99-year leasehold site at Holland Roadwas noted to be the first land parcel to be launched for sale as part of the extension plan for Holland Village under the URA Master Plan 2014.

The mixed-use site would be n interesting development for Singapore property buyers. The site has received submissions from property giants like City Developments Ltd, Allgreen Properties, Lend Lease, UOL Group and CapitaLand, has a land area of around 247.216 square feet. Once developed, the site of the future new launch is expected to yield around 570 private homes.

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Singapore property buyers

Image credit: Caitlin Childs

Singapore property buyers should also note that, of the approximately 642,772 square feet of gross floor area, around 145,314 square feet can be developed for retail purposes.

URA is expected to take approximately 2 months to evaluate the tender submissions before awarding it to a property developer. The winning bidder will be given 7 years to complete this new project at Holland Road.

In announcing the first half 2018 GLS Programme in December 2017, the URA said that the Government had taken into consideration several factors in releasing land for sales.

On the one hand, there is strong demand for sites by real estate developers, and a pick-up in transaction volumes. On the other hand, there is a large potential supply of around 20,000 units from awarded en-bloc sale and GLS sites that have not yet been granted planning approval, on top of the around 18,000 unsold units that already have planning approval. Moreover, there are more than 30,000 existing private housing units that remain vacant.

URA believes that taken together, the total supply in the pipeline, will be adequate to meet the purchase demand for new private housing from Singapore property buyers over the next 1-2 years.

When these are completed, the overall stock of private housing will be more than sufficient to meet Singaporeans housing needs.

Singapore property buyers should note that DBS said in a recent report that they still see a window of opportunity in the next 6-9 months for developers to launch their real estate projects.

With proceeds from over 40 en blocs to date, households have the means to buy a replacement home/investment property which will drive transaction volumes in the near term, the bank said.

They added: But we are turning cautious as more than half of the supply of new units in the pipeline  which now tops 30,000 units  will be launched in 2019 onwards. With more home choices, we expect home-owners to be more discerning in their purchasing decisions.

Singapore property buyers who are unsure of real-estate financing should check with a Mortgage broker who can help with the financing of Buying a Home in Singapore or to refinance existing homes with better rates.

The post DBS urges Singapore property buyers to be cautious appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
A historic deal between China and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops is not "imminent," a Vatican spokesman said Thursday, contradicting an optimistic statement from a Chinese government-approved bishop. "I can state that there is no imminent signature of an agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China," said Vatican spokesman Greg Burke. "I would like to stress that the Holy Father Francis remains in constant contact with his collaborators on Chinese issues and is accompanying the steps of the ongoing dialogue," he added. On Thursday, Bishop Guo Jincai, secretary-general of the Bishops Conference of the Catholic Church in China, was quoted by the state-owned Global Times as saying that negotiations with the Vatican had reached "the final stages". "If everything goes right, the deal could be signed as early as the end of this month," said Guo, who is recognised by China's Communist government. The Vatican relaunched long-stalled negotiations with Beijing three years ago. The question of whether China or the Holy See gets to designate bishops has been a major obstacle to progress. Under a potential deal, the Vatican could agree to recognise seven bishops who were chosen by the Communist government, in the hope that Beijing would accept the pope's authority as head of the Catholic Church in China, a source close to the matter told AFP last month. Beijing and the Vatican severed diplomatic relations in 1951 and although ties have improved as China's Catholic population grows, they have remained at odds over the appointment of bishops. China's roughly 12 million Catholics are divided between a government-run association, whose clergy are chosen by the atheist Communist Party, and an unofficial underground church loyal to the Vatican. While some believe an agreement will bridge divisions between the two, others fear concessions to China may backfire on the "underground" devout, many of whom suffered years of persecution for following the pope. The Vatican has previously accepted several bishops appointed by Beijing. - A deal with the devil? - Some opponents -- among them the militant Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen -- say an agreement risks abandoning loyal believers and amounts to a deal with the devil. A lay Catholic in central China told AFP that the deal would "certainly" lead to "less freedom for the underground Church". "If the Vatican violates its conscience, the underground believers in mainland China will certainly not accept it," she said. Last month, an open letter by lay Catholics mostly based in Hong Kong expressed concern that the recognition of Beijing-appointed bishops would lead to "confusion and pain, and schism would be created". - Bishop disappearance - On Tuesday night, Chinese police released an underground bishop at the heart of the Beijing-Vatican negotiations after holding him for a day, sources told AFP on Wednesday. Vincent Guo Xijin, bishop of the diocese of Mindong in the southeastern province of Fujian, is recognised by the Vatican but not by the Chinese authorities. He was recently urged by the Vatican to step aside for state-appointed Bishop Vincent Zhan Silu and to accept being demoted to auxiliary bishop, as part of preparations for the agreement. According to Catholics consulted by AsiaNews, which is run by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, Guo's disappearance can be explained by his refusal to celebrate Easter with the prelate who will replace him. Asked about Guo's arrest, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday he was not aware of the situation. But, he added, the "Chinese government fully respects and protects, according to the law, the rights of religious belief and freedom of its citizens". On Thursday Lu expressed hope that the dialogue between China and the Vatican could "continue to proceed well and achieve positive results".
European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans will visit Warsaw on April 9, the Polish government said Thursday, amid conflict over Poland's controversial court reforms. "His visit is a continuation of the ongoing impartial and fact-based dialogue between Poland's government and the European Commission," government spokeswoman Joanna Kopcinska told AFP. She added that Timmermans had been invited to the Polish capital by Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. According to the Polish news agency PAP, the talks will mainly revolve around the court reforms that led the European Union to launch unprecedented legal action against Warsaw. Brussels in December triggered Article 7 of the EU treaty over what it sees as "systemic threats" to the independence of the Polish judiciary from the country's right-wing government -- a move that could lead to never-before-used sanctions. Poland had three months to reply to the EU's concerns. Last week the foreign ministry said it had met the deadline, without specifying the contents of its response. A lawmaker from the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, Marek Ast, however announced that a draft law would be introduced to slightly modify the reforms. The opposition denounced the changes as merely cosmetic. Timmermans said last week that the EU's executive arm will analyse Warsaw's response before ministers meet again next month to assess whether "steps forward were made or not". The stakes are high if Warsaw fails to satisfy Brussels. It could be stripped of voting rights in the bloc under the Article 7 procedure -- covering systemic threats to the rule of law -- which had never been previously used against an EU state. However, Poland's ally Hungary, which has also clashed with Brussels over democracy issues, has vowed to veto any sanction.
Former City Harvest Church fund manager Chew Eng Han. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

Additional reporting by Hannah Teoh

Former City Harvest Church fund manager Chew Eng Han was slapped with a fresh charge at the State Courts on Thursday (29 March) over his alleged attempt to flee Singapore to avoid his jail term.

According to media reports, the 57-year-old was charged with attempting to defeat the course of justice by allegedly trying to leave Singapore illegally on 21 February. The new charge carries a jail term of up to three and a half years along with a possible fine.

Chew, who was one of the six City Harvest leaders convicted for misusing church funds, is currently serving his jail term of three years and four months for criminal breach of trust. He was initially due to begin serving his sentence on 22 February but was arrested the day before after being found aboard a motorised sampan in the waters off Pulau Ubin.

Separately, the two men accused of helping Chew in his escape attempt also appeared in the State Courts on Thursday.

In the case against Tan Poh Teck, the 53-year-old boat pilot who was arrested along with Chew, the prosecution said it intends to proceed on only two of three three Immigration Act charges of abetting another to illegally leave the country.

Besides Chew, Tan allegedly helped two other men to leave Singapore by similar means in August and December last year. The pre-trial conference for his case will take place on 3 May.

Khoo Kea Leng being escorted by police officers back to the site where he allegedly met Chew Eng Han to discuss the latters escape plan. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

Meanwhile, 45-year-old Khoo Kea Leng told the court he intends to plead guilty to his one charge of abetting Chew to leave Singapore illegally via an unauthorised place of departure and collecting $8,000 from him as payment.

Khoo, a Malaysian, had allegedly discussed with Chew the latters escape plan in mid-February while inside a car parked next to Block 75 Marine Drive. Khoo was arrested in Malaysia with the assistance of the Royal Malaysia Police and handed over to the Singapore Police Force on 26 February.

He will plead guilty when he next appears in court on 12 April. Those found guilty of abetting a person to leave Singapore illegally can be jailed for between six months and two years, and be fined up to $6,000.

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Related stories:

Boatman in Chew Eng Han case faces new charge for helping another flee Singapore

Malaysian charged with taking $8,000 from Chew Eng Han to help him flee Singapore

City Harvest saga: Chew Eng Han and accomplice charged over failed attempt to leave Singapore

Jumping bail to be made an offence: K Shanmugam
A French vegan activist was handed a suspended prison term on Thursday for condoning terrorism after writing on Facebook that "justice" had been served when a butcher was killed during an Islamist attack last week, a legal source said. The unusual case, prosecuted under France's tough anti-terror security laws, was heard in the town of Saint-Gaudens in southwest France. Police spotted the Facebook message by the vegan cheesemaker on Monday night about the killing of butcher Christian Medves at a Super U supermarket in Trebes last week during a shooting spree by an Islamic extremist. "So then, you are shocked that a murderer is killed by a terrorist." wrote the animal rights activist, named as Myriam by local media. "Not me. I've got zero compassion for him, there's justice in it." With France mourning the four victims of the gunman's rampage, the message sparked outrage online and the author later deleted it, but prosecutors decided to press charges for condoning terrorism, a legal source said. During sentencing on Thursday, the defendant was handed a suspended prison term of seven months, meaning she will not serve any time behind bars unless she re-offends, local prosecutor Cecile Deprade told AFP. Anyone suspected of approving terrorism or commenting on it favourably can be charged under French law. Doing so on the internet carries a maximum seven-year jail term and a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($125,000). "I can understand that you can love and defend animals, but not to the point where you hate humans," Franck Alberti, a lawyer who is close to the butcher's family, was quoted as saying by Le Parisien newspaper. The Facebook post also drew condemnation from the French Butchers' Confederation which called it "dreadful" and urged respect for Medves, a 50-year-old father of two who was head of the meat section in the Super U. La Depeche du Midi newspaper published a message from the vegan activist earlier this week in which she said she had deleted her comment within two hours and thought it was visible only to her friends, not to the public. A left-wing French activist who had stood for parliament last June, Stephane Poussier, was handed a one-year suspended jail term on Tuesday over comments he posted on Twitter over the same attack last Friday. Poussier had welcomed the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, a police colonel who exchanged himself for a hostage but was then killed in an act hailed as heroic. "Whenever a policeman is shot... I think of my friend Remi Fraisse," he wrote, referring to an environmental activist killed by a stun grenade fired by police during a 2014 protest over a dam. "And this time it was a colonel, great! Additionally, it means one less Macron voter," he added. President Emmanuel Macron led tributes on Wednesday at a national commemoration for Beltrame.
A driver who threatened a group of soldiers out jogging in southeast France on Thursday sparked a major terror scare as the country mourned the victims of an Islamist shooting spree last week. A spokesman for the army claimed the driver had first shouted at a group of soldiers at around 8 am (0600 GMT) in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near Grenoble, and then tried to run down another group returning to their barracks from a jog. But after a full day's investigation, local prosecutor Jean-Yves Coquillat told reporters that "this is not a terror case, very clearly", suggesting the driver had merely swerved towards the servicemen, rather than attempting to hit them. The suspect, a 23-year-old with a long criminal record, was later arrested in a state of drunkenness, but would face charges for violence and perhaps threatening behaviour, rather than attempted murder. The incident came with France on edge after a jihadist rampage in the towns of Carcassonne and Trebes last week where a 25-year-old gunman killed four people, including a policeman who took the place of a hostage in a supermarket siege. The people of Trebes paid an emotional farewell to three local victims at a ceremony in the square of the sleepy town on Thursday, held a day after a national tribute to hero policeman Arnaud Beltrame in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron. "You fell under the bullets of terrorism and took with you the insouciance of a little town in Occitanie where no one expected to ever experience such happenings," Trebes Mayor Eric Menassi told mourners at the gathering attended by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. - Security forces under fire - Security forces have been repeatedly targeted during the string of jihadist attacks that have claimed the lives of over 240 people around France in the past three years. At least six security force members have been killed during that period. In last week's attack, Moroccan-born Radouane Lakdim fired at a group of policemen returning from a jog before storming the Super U store and shooting dead two people. He also killed the passenger of a car he hijacked in Carcassonne. Beltrame intervened during the supermarket siege to take the place of a cashier Lakdim was using as a human shield. But after three hours of negotiations the gunman, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, slit Beltrame's throat before himself being shot dead by police. Paying tribute to Beltrame at a national ceremony in Paris on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron said his act of self-sacrifice would "remain etched in French hearts". Lakdim, who had a criminal record for weapons and drugs offences, was on a watchlist of suspected radicals, but authorities had concluded that he did not pose a threat. His 18-year-old girlfriend, a radicalised Muslim convert, has been charged with being part of a terrorist conspiracy. Other deadly assaults on police include the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris in January 2015, in which two officers were killed, and the fatal April 2017 shooting of a policeman on the Champs Elysees. The army and police have also been targeted in several non-deadly attacks. In August 2017, a man ploughed his car into a group of soldiers on anti-terror patrol in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, injuring six people. burs-cb-adp/js/spm/ecl
Rebel fighters gesture as they stand next to a bus before their evacuation, at Harasta highway outside Jobar Rebel fighters gesture as they stand next to a bus before their evacuation, at Harasta highway outside Jobar, in Damascus, Syria March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki/Files

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The massive Russian-backed Syrian military offensive in suburbs east of Damascus is almost over, with rebels holed up in just a single town after abandoning the rest of the eastern Ghouta enclave, Moscow said on Thursday.

Russia and the rebel faction controlling Douma, the last Ghouta town still in insurgent hands, said they were still negotiating over the fate of the town. Moscow said it saw a chance of the remaining insurgents quitting Douma.

Thousands of fighters have accepted Russian-brokered deals to leave other parts of the enclave in the past week with their families on government-supplied buses, giving them safe passage to other insurgent-held areas. Tens of thousands of other civilians have stayed behind to accept state rule, and tens of thousands more have fled across the frontline.

The collapse of rebel control in eastern Ghouta, after one of the fiercest campaigns of the seven year war, has delivered the insurgents their worst defeat since they were driven out of Aleppo in 2016.

At a weekly briefing, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said the "counter-terrorist operation" in eastern Ghouta had nearly finished, according to RIA state news agency.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said there could be progress in talks with fighters from the Jaish al-Islam group, which holds Douma, RIA said.

Eastern Ghouta, an early centre of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, was until last month the biggest and most populous remaining rebel stronghold near the capital.

Its capture will cap a string of battlefield victories for the government of President Bashar al-Assad since Russia sent its air force to join his war effort against the rebellion in September 2015, making his position unassailable.

A commander in the alliance supporting Assad, which besides Russia includes Iran and Shi'ite militias from Lebanon and Iraq, said on Wednesday negotiations with Jaish al-Islam had stopped.

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However, Jaish al-Islam official Mohammad Alloush, based outside Syria, told Reuters by text message on Thursday that talks were continuing, "despite reports of threats and provocations in order to put pressure on civilians".

SHELTERS

Despite some artillery fire on Douma on Wednesday, there has been no renewal of the army's withering bombardment and assault that stormed most of the rebel enclave in just a few weeks.

It split eastern Ghouta into three parts, and the factions in two of the zones agreed surrender terms a week ago, including the choice of accepting Assad's rule or leaving with light weapons for opposition territory in northwestern Syria.

Daily convoys of buses have since made the 320km (200 miles) journey to Idlib carrying about 7,500 fighters and their families, 30,000 people in all, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

About 134,000 other people fled across front lines from rebel territory in eastern Ghouta into areas held by the government, the Observatory said. Some 40,000 people remained in the towns it has recaptured so far.

On Thursday, the United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator's office in Syria said in an emailed update that 75,000 civilians had been received in shelters and 47,000 civilians remained in them. It described conditions in the shelters - mostly unfinished buildings, hangars or schools - as "dire".

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told the U.N. Syria envoy that displaced people could begin returning to eastern Ghouta in a few days, RIA said.

Assad and his allies say their offensive was needed to end the rule of Islamist militants over civilians and to stop rebel mortar fire on Damascus, which state television says has killed dozens in recent weeks. The Observatory says the government assault has killed more than 1,600 people.

Western countries and rights groups have accused the Syrian military of targeting civilian infrastructure and repeatedly using indiscriminate weapons including helicopter-dropped barrel bombs, chlorine gas and fire-setting incendiary munitions.

The Syrian and Russian governments deny all that and have accused the rebel groups of fabricating evidence of such attacks and of killing people who tried to flee their territory, which the insurgents deny.

(Reporting by Tom Perry and Angus McDowall in Beirut and Vladamir Soldatkin; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Peter Graff)
Belgian judges will hand down their verdict in April in the trial of Salah Abdeslam, the last surviving suspect in the Paris Islamist attacks, over a shootout in Brussels that led to his capture. The court in Brussels announced that it will deliver the judgement on April 23, two months after Abdeslam stood trial on charges of the attempted murder of police officers. He is being held in a prison near Paris but was transported to the court for part of the hearing in February, during which he proclaimed he would only put his "trust in Allah". The court made the announcement after hearing an application from Belgian terror victims to be named as civil parties in the case against Abdeslam over the March 2016 gun battle. "The verdict will be handed down on April 23," presiding judge Marie-France Keutgen told the Brussels court. Islamist gunman Radouane Lakdim, who shot dead four people last week in southern France, including a policeman killed after taking the place of a hostage, said during the siege he was acting on behalf of the Islamic State group and demanded the release of Abdeslam. Prosecutors have recommended a maximum of 20 years in prison for Abdeslam, 28, and Soufiane Ayari, his 24-year-old co-defendant. The pair are being tried on terrorist-related charges of attempted murder and possession of banned weapons over the shootout on March 15, 2016 in which three police officers were wounded. Seven days later, suicide bombers from a cell linked to the November 2015 Paris attacks killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more at Brussels airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital. Neither defendant appeared in court on Thursday. - Symbolic damages - Abdeslam accused the court of being anti-Muslim in a statement on the first day of the trial, before refusing to come to court for the rest of the hearings. His lawyer Sven Mary sought the case's dismissal over a technicality over how the judges were named to investigate the gun battle. The Belgian trial is a prelude to a bigger one that Abdeslam will face in France at a later date over the November 13, 2015, Paris attacks claimed by IS, in which 130 people were killed. Abdeslam's brother Brahim was one of the suicide bombers. Investigators say the same cell carried out the Brussels attacks, alleging the arrest of Abdeslam precipitated the suicide bombings in the Belgian capital. The Brussels court held a hearing Thursday into a request from V-Europe, a group representing Belgian victims from the Brussels bombings and other attacks, to be considered a civil party in the police shootout. V-Europe, which also works with groups representing the Paris attacks victims, said the shootout in the Brussels neighbourhood of Forest "is a part of a continuum between the 13 November and 22 March" as the same cell was involved in both. The group is asking for a symbolic one euro in damages, its lawyer Guillaume Lys told the court. "The attitude of the defendants, their behaviour during the shootout, precipitated what happened on March 22, 2016," Lys said. "We must be able to recognise the damage suffered by the victims that I represent because it helps in their recovery."
Uber is leaving a vacuum in Southeast Asia, can Ryde fill the gap?

The Singaporean carpooling startup Ryde announced today it will be launching a private-hire service called RydeX, according to Channel News Asia.

The move should receive increased attention as it was made just days after Grab purchased Ubers Southeast Asia assets in the biggest story of 2018 so far.

Drivers can already sign up for the service and according to the article the service has over 55,000 drivers and 300,000 riders per day.

Before this latest update, Ryde had operated much like GrabHitch or UberPOOL except it relied heavily on personally-owned vehicles. The service matches riders with people heading in the same direction.

Now, RydeX will look a lot more like Uber in the sense that a user can book a ride from a professional driver without the car pooling feature.

As it rolls out the feature, Ryde will be lowering its sales commission to 10 per cent.

We hope to provide commuters a cheaper alternative to get around and drivers a way to make a decent living. Ultimately, our mission is to make a positive social impact in peoples lives, Ryde CEO Terrence Zhou told Channel News Asia.

Also Read: Traditionally innovative: How Vynn Capital plan to bridge between startups and big corporations

In about ten days, Uber users will no longer be able to use the service. It will be worth watching if they all migrate over to Grab, or if they consider alternatives like Ryde or using old-school methods to get around Singapore.

In January 2016, Ryde expanded to Hong Kong.

Also Read: Grab acquiring Ubers data trove is a major red flag. Heres why



The post Ryde wants to replace Uber in Singapore, launches private-hire service appeared first on e27.
A total of 68 people died on Wednesday during an attempted jailbreak in Venezuela after a fire engulfed police holding cells in one of the worst tragedies in years in a notoriously violent and overcrowded prison system. Attorney General Tarek William Saab gave the death toll in the pre-dawn mayhem at the police headquarters in northern Carabobo state, blaming a fire thought to have been started deliberately. Carlos Nieto, head of a prisoners' rights group called Una Ventana a la Libertad (A Window on Freedom), said that some prisoners burned to death and others choked after setting fire to mattresses and stealing a guard's gun in an attempt to break out. The dead included two women who were visiting the jail, the attorney general said, adding that four prosecutors have been named to investigate. Photos taken by Nieto's group showed the body of a man with burns and firefighters trying to put out flames. Relatives of those being kept in the detention center tried to force their way in. After one officer was injured by a tossed stone, the crowd was dispersed by police firing tear gas. A video posted on Twitter showed dozens of people demanding information in front of police guarding the site. Women were seen crying. "I am a desperate mother. My son has been here a week. They have not given any information," Dora Blanco told local media. Local news correspondents wrote on Twitter that the facility was tense Wednesday night. - Dire prison conditions - Venezuela's prisons suffer from dire overcrowding and a shortage of basic supplies, struggling under the deepening economic crisis that is gripping the once-wealthy oil-producing country. Because of the lack of space in penitentiaries, convicts are often sent to police holding cells like the ones in Carabobo, meant to be used as temporary pens for suspects facing charges or court hearings, where detainees are supposed to spend a maximum of 48 hours. Nieto's association estimated that the temporary detention centers were overfilled by five times their capacity. And what happened Wednesday in Carabobo is not an isolated incident, he added. "All the police stations in Venezuela are facing similar or worse conditions of overcrowding, lack of food and disease," he said. The association said 65 people died last year in the holding cells due to violence, malnutrition or tuberculosis. Two weeks ago, 58 detainees escaped holding cells on Margarita Island, a favored tourist spot, after punching a hole in their facility's wall. They were all soon recaptured. In August 2017, a riot left 37 dead and 14 wounded in police cells in the southern state of Amazonas, while an April 2017 clash between rival gangs left 12 dead and 11 injured in the Puente Ayala prison in the eastern city of Barcelona. A month before that, the remains of 14 people were found in a mass grave in the General Penitentiary of Venezuela, in San Juan de Los Morros in the country's center.
Vietnam's economy saw its strongest first-quarter growth in a decade, data showed Thursday, driven by a surge in electronics manufacturing and exports. The reading comes as the communist country is poised to expand its overseas markets after signing an 11-nation Asia-Pacific trade deal this month that replaces the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), scrapped by the US last year. Observers said the spike in exports was a promising sign that Vietnam's market has not been dented by US President Donald Trump's protectionist agenda. The 7.38 percent GDP expansion in January-March was sharply up from the rate of just over five percent seen in the same period last year, according to the Government Statistics Office, and well above the government's annual target of 6.7 percent. The figures are the best first quarter reading since a 7.40 percent expansion in early 2008, though other quarters have recorded higher growth in that time. While agriculture and wholesale and retail trade saw steady rises year-on-year, manufacturing remained the pillar of growth, expanding more than 13 percent, the GSO said. Vietnam is a manufacturing hotspot in Asia, especially for electronics, drawing industry heavyweights such as LG Electronics, Samsung and Canon with its cheap labour and open-door trade policies. First-quarter growth sagged last year after Samsung -- which accounts for about 25 percent of Vietnam's overall exports -- announced a massive recall of its Galaxy Note 7 phone over an exploding battery debacle. But exports bounced back, topping more than $54 billion in the first quarter, a 22 percent rise on-year, the GSO said. Analyst Barry Weisblatt said exports remained robust in the face of Trump's "America First" clarion call. "The US has historically been Vietnam's largest export market, so there were fears following the election that his policies would impact Vietnam's exports to the United States," Weisblatt, head of research at Viet Capital Securities, told AFP. "While we are seeing strong growth in exports to China and the EU, the overall exports are not being damaged by Trump's policies so far," he added. After the release of the figures, officials in Hanoi said strong growth at the end of 2017 helped to buoy first-quarter data, though Weisblatt said it was too soon to dramatically tweak annual forecasts. "We may raise our full-year forecast slightly, but probably not a lot," he said. The World Bank has set its 2018 forecast at 6.5 percent while Viet Capital Securities is targeting 6.8 percent.
Even as the White House hailed North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns surprising visit to China as a positive sign in a right direction ahead of a proposed summit in May with US President Donald Trump, regional experts said on Wednesday that the move reaffirmed Chinas intent to play a significant role in any developments in the Korean Peninsula.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters during a press briefing that the US considers Kims trip to Beijing, during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as a good indication that the maximum pressure campaign against Pyongyang through sanctions and military pressure has been working.

Were going to be cautiously optimistic but we feel like things are moving in the right direction, Sanders said. Noting that the Beijing trip was Kims first trip outside North Korea since becoming its leader in 2011, she said, we consider that to be a positive sign.

China briefed the US earlier on Tuesday about the meeting between Xi and Kim in Beijing, the spokeswoman said.

Whats clear is that Beijing is determined to not be sidelined

Abraham Denmark, ex-US deputy assistant secretary of defence for East Asia

The Chinese ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, came to the White House and briefed members of Trumps national security team, who then briefed the president, she added.

Sanders did not disclose the details of a personal message from Xi to Trump delivered during the ambassadors briefing. A representative at the presidents National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump also appeared optimistic about his own proposed talks with Kim. He tweeted on Wednesday morning that he and Kim look forward to meeting each other.

The meeting between Trump and Kim, Sanders added, is something of global importance and we want to make sure that its done as soon as we can, but we also want to make sure its done properly.

Heather Nauert, acting undersecretary at the US State Department, also praised Kims visit to China as an unprecedented, historic step in the right direction.

Story continues

Nauert echoed the president, saying the US looks forward to sitting down with Kim Jong-un to talk about a better future for his people.

Beyond the optimism, though, Kims meeting with Xi carries a powerful subtext. Whats clear is that Beijing is determined to not be sidelined, Abraham Denmark, the former US deputy assistant secretary of defence for East Asia who stepped down in January 2017, said.

If Pyongyang continues to emphasize dialogue and refrain from major provocations and incidents, China may soften enforcement on pressure. Especially if Beijing sees this as part of broader competition with the US.

Derek Grossman, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corporation, said he thought China would want to be involved in a Six Party Talks type of framework.

Beijing is probably comfortable enough with the US-North Korea summit, especially now that Xi has finally met with Kim Jong-un beforehand to discuss how best to proceed.

Im sure the two leaders covered Beijings freeze-for-a-freeze proposal, by which North Korea would freeze its nuclear program in exchange for a freeze on US-South Korea military exercises.

Although the White House has already rejected freeze-for-a-freeze, he added, it is probably the best possible deal on the table.

And Kim may have also been learning what allowances China would make ahead of any such talks.

Harry J. Kazianis, the director of defense studies at the Center for the National Interest, said that since the Trump administration had been demanding full denuclearisation as the starting point of talks, Kim might have been feeling out Xi's position if Pyongyang were to demand the dropping of certain sanctions or some sort of monetary reward for beginning talks.

It is also not inconceivable that Kim could ask for China's support in talking to only just South Korea and dropping the idea of a summit with the US, he said.

Victor Cha, a former National Security Council official and candidate for the US ambassadorship to Seoul, raised the issue of possible policy impact by Trumps incoming National Security Adviser John Bolton, a hawk who has been advocating for military interventions against Iran and North Korea.

The White House rejected Chas nomination in late January because of his unwillingness to endorse a preliminary strike strategy on North Korea.

In an analysis released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday, Cha said that Boltons arrival could complicate prospects for successful negotiations.

Because it makes it less likely that Trump will make significant concessions to win North Korea's promises to freeze or denuclearise, he said.

In turn, the North could fear that if talks fail, this heightens the risk of a US military strike against North Korea, Cha added. This could have been likely another subject of discussion for Xi and Kim.

This article The White House has hailed Kim Jong-uns Beijing visit  but what are Chinas intentions? first appeared on South China Morning Post

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FILE PHOTO - New York Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks regarding the U.S. President Donald Trump's federal budget proposal with New York Police Department Commissioner James O'Neill at city hall in New York, U.S., March 16, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

(Reuters) - New York City will offer free cyber security tools to the public as part of a new effort to improve online safety, officials said on Thursday, a week after Atlanta was hit with a ransomware attack that knocked some municipal systems offline.

The program, dubbed NYC Secure, will launch a free smartphone protection app to warn users when suspicious activity is detected on their devices, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a news conference.

"New Yorkers arent safe online. We cant wait around for other levels of government to do something about it or the private sector," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

The program will cost the city about $5 million per year, he said.

"Its our job in government to make sure that people are safe online. Its a new reality," de Blasio said.

City agencies will also beef up security protection on public Wi-Fi networks by the end of the year to protect residents, workers and visitors.

Those networks will be secured with a tool, dubbed Quad9, that is available to anybody in New York City and beyond at https://quad9.net Quad9 routes a user's web traffic through servers that identify and block malicious sites and email.

NYC Secure was unveiled as Atlanta officials worked alongside federal law enforcement and technicians from private security firms to investigate the cause of the attack that encrypted data on computers.

Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore said she was waiting to hear more about how the hackers breached city networks, the scope of the attack and when city services would be fully operational.

"Everybody in the public wants to know. I want to know, too," Moore said at a news conference. But I do think that we need to give them an opportunity to get the information."

Atlanta on Thursday reactivated a website that allows residents to make requests for trash pickup, report traffic signal outages and ask for other public works-related services.

Municipal court services remained offline on Thursday and City Hall employees told Reuters their work computers were still unusable a week after the hack was detected.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle in Toronto and Laila Kearney in Atlanta; editing by Grant McCool)
Is Amazon exploiting the U.S. Postal Service?

Donald Trump clearly seems to think so. In a Wednesday morning tweet laying into the online retailer, the president claimed that Amazon uses USPS as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.)

I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2018

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This is, of course, just one of the many bones Trump has to pick with the everything store, which the president mostly seems to despise because its CEO and founder, Jeff Bezos, owns the often-critical Washington Post. But its not the first time Trump has tweeted about what Amazon pays for shipping, and if you arent well-versed in deep-cut controversies surrounding postal economics, it can appear like an odd fixation.

The conventional wisdom is that Amazon has actually been a rare boon for the financially battered Postal Service. While its revenue from traditional snail mail has continuously slipped since the advent of email, its business delivering packages has surged, thanks in large part to the Amazon-led boom in online shopping. Like many giant bulk shippers, Amazon likely has a discount deal with USPS. But thats nothing to get worked up about.

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Indeed, this is pretty much what Trumps friends have been telling him, according to Axios:

Trump tells people Amazon has gotten a free ride from taxpayers and cushy treatment from the U.S. Postal Service. The whole post office thing, thats very much a perception he has, another source said. Its been explained to him in multiple meetings that his perception is inaccurate and that the post office actually makes a ton of money from Amazon.

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So where did Trump get the idea that Amazon is ripping off the Postal Service? One can only speculate. But chances are it has something to do with the fact that for years now, private shipping companies like UPS have been trying to convince lawmakers and regulators that the post office should be charging more to deliver packageswhich, of course, would let UPS and other competitors charge more as well, or create an opening for them to siphon off some more of the post offices business. In July, the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed by Josh Sandbulte, a hedge fund manager with a stake in FedEx, titled, Why the Post Office Gives Amazon Special Delivery. In it, he argued that USPS should be charging an average of $1.46 extra for every package it ships in order to cover its true costs. He cited a research note from Citibank, which in turn was based on numbers produced by UPS.

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The argument that these companies are making is, unsurprisingly, pretty self-serving. It starts with the fact that the Postal Service has massive fixed costs, because moving mail to every corner of the country is expensive. It requires a network of processing centers, post offices, layers of management, truck fleets, and a huge force of mailmen and women to drop those credit card offers in your mailbox every afternoon.

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In theory, the Postal Service could cover all of these fixed costs by simply splitting the expense evenly among all of its different services. But it doesnt do that. In 2007, a federal commission ruled that package prices only had to cover 5.5 percent of the Postal Services fixed costs. The other 94.5 percent were baked into the price of sending traditional mail. The accounting standards have stayed the same since, even as package delivery has come to comprise a larger and larger portion of the Postal Services business.

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You can see why USPS likes it that way. It has a monopoly on sending traditional first-class mail, which lets it raise postage without worrying too much about losing business (email and online billing is a much bigger threat than other terrestrial mail carriers). On the other hand, it competes with the private sector on carrying packages. Raising prices there could encourage big shippers like Amazon to switch services.

You can also see why this ticks off FedEx and UPS. They feel as if theyre competing in the package business with a giant, government entity that can essentially cross-subsidize its logistics infrastructure with the money it makes off of Mr. Rogers stamps. UPS has argued that the Postal Service should have to factor 29 percent of its fixed costs into its package shipping rates, roughly in line with how much of its activity business packages now account for.

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But are they right? Thats not so clear. The postal service has to maintain a huge footprint in order to fulfill its basic job of delivering mail to each and every address in this country six days a week. If Amazon decided to start sending all of its packages via drone tomorrow and USPS found itself shipping half the number of packages it does today, it would still need to keep the vast majority of its current infrastructure and staffing in placewhich is why loading those costs onto birthday cards and bank statements makes a certain amount of sense.

Like a lot of debates about internal accounting, this one gets sort of weird and metaphysical. But the most important part to keep in mind is that, if the postal service raised its prices by as much as the industry wants, Citi thinks it could be a $15 billion to $19 billion revenue opportunity for FedEx and UPS. Whether he realizes it or not, Trump seems to have fallen for an industry lobbying campaign that would have you spend more to ship your Christmas presents.
Update, 11:25 a.m.: Well that was quick. Sarah Jessica Parker has now pivoted from that lukewarm response into a full-throated, unequivocal endorsement via Instagram, writing in part,

A dear friend Running for Governor of our great state. My sister on and off screen, you have my love, support and vote. To learn more, read about @cynthiaenixon or donate go to https://cynthiafornewyork.com/ Xx, SJ

Original post, 1:52 a.m.: In Manhattan, when it comes to endorsing the gubernatorial campaign of your co-star from a long-running television show, there used to be only one rule: do it quickly and do it often. So Cynthia Nixon, currently running for governor of New York, might have expected an enthusiastic response from Sarah Jessica Parker, literally the Carrie to her Miranda. But as Page Six reports, the age of electoral chivalry is as dead as last years fashions. In a short statement, Parker gave her old co-worker an endorsement that was more of an en-worse-ment:

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Cynthia has been my friend and colleague since we were little girls. I look forward to talking to her about her New York State gubernatorial run.

I look forward to talking to her? Modern women are all about keeping their options open, but theres open, and then theres open, and Parkers unenthusiastic statement is definitely the latter. I couldnt help but wonder: In a city of great expectations, is it time to settle for the best polite non-endorsement you can get? Take Kim Cattralls response when asked about Nixons run, for instance:

I support & respect any former colleagues right to make their own career choices. https://t.co/zae7nJ6VFi  Kim Cattrall (@KimCattrall) March 22, 2018

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Are there pseudo-endorsements for the New York State gubernatorial race that just exist to make us feel bad about ourselves? But there are still good Sex and the City co-stars out there, no matter what they say. Just look at Kristin Davis tweet from the very day Nixon announced:

I am so proud of @CynthiaNixon , no one cares more than she does about EVERY person getting a fair change and a good education. I know that she would be an excellent Governor ! https://t.co/xEAyRxFBb8  Kristin Davis (@KristinDavis) March 19, 2018

Gubernatorial campaigns come and go, but the fictional friendships projected onto the real life cast of a television program by its fans never go out of style.
Better Life Lab is a partnership of Slate and New America.

As Americans look for greater government efficiencies, we increasingly turn to automated systems that use algorithms to determine who is eligible for access to housing, welfare benefits, intervention from child protective services, and more.

But what if automating only increases efficiencies in an already imperfect systemone that already can make life more, not less, difficult for those seeking access to food, shelter, and health care?

Virginia Eubanks, an associate professor of political science at SUNYAlbany, digs into exactly this question in her new book, Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. I spoke with Eubanks about her book and the challenges and unintended consequences that arise when we give machines decision-making power about human need, public benefits, and state intervention. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Amanda Lenhart: In the book, you write about the digital poorhouse and discuss three different examples of governments using digital tools to manage access to social safety net benefits and services: a system in Indiana that governs welfare benefits, one in Los Angeles about access to housing, and one in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, that flags potential child abuse and neglect. Why did you pick these cases, and what do they illustrate?

Virginia Eubanks: These systems are really important to understand for a number of reasons. One is that when we talk about issues about automated decision-making or artificial intelligence or machine learning or algorithms, we have a tendency to talk about them in a very abstract way. And I think its really important to look at the places where these tools are actually already impacting peoples lives right now. We have a tendency to test these tools in environments where theres a low expectation that peoples rights will be respected. So domestically, that would be in programs that serve poor and working people or in communities of undocumented immigrants [or communities of color]. Internationally that would be in war zones. So thats why I looked at public services.

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We [also] have a tendency to talk about these tools as if theyre simple administrative upgrades. But I argue in the book that we actually smuggle all of these political decisions, all of these political controversies, all of these moral assumptions, into those tools. Often they actually act to keep us from engaging the deeper problemsthey act as overrides to these deeper concerns. We often believe these digital tools are neutral and unbiased and objective. But just like people, technologies have bias built right into them.

Can you give an example of bias or moral assumptions baked into these platforms?

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In Indiana, the governor there signed what eventually became a $1.4 billion contract with a coalition of high-tech companies that included IBM and ACS in an attempt to automate and privatized all of the eligibility processes for the states welfare programs. When seen as a question of simple efficiency, I think it makes a lot of sense.

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But one of the assumptions that was built into the system was that the relationships between caseworkersparticularly public local case workers and the families that they servedwere invitations to collusion and fraud. And that part of making the system more efficient actually lay in breaking the relationship between caseworkers and the families that they develop relationships with and serve. The system was built to replace a casework-based system with a task-based system. So 1,500 public caseworkers were moved into regional call centers far away from their homes.

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And rather than carrying a docket of families that they served, they responded to a list of tasks that dropped into a computerized queue. So nobody saw cases through from the beginning to the end. And every time a recipient called the call center, they talked to a new person. The result of that was that these really complicated formswhich can be anywhere from 20 to 120 pages long including supporting documentationpeople often make mistakes on them. So the people filling out the forms might make a mistake. The call center might make a mistake. If any of those things happened, then the recipient was denied benefits for the reason Failure to cooperate in establishing eligibility. And because this system relied on breaking the relationship between caseworkers and the families they served, no one was there to help people figure out what was wrong with their application. Any fault, any accident, any mistake was [considered] the fault of the applicant rather than the responsibility of the caseworker.

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One million applications were denied in the first three years of the program, a 54 percent increase from the three years before that. And these are really horrifying caseslike an African-American woman in Evansville, Indiana, who missed a recertification appointment because she was in the hospital dying of ovarian cancer. She was kicked off her Medicaid because she missed those appointments.

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So a system that was talked about as just digitizing the process, freeing caseworkers up to not deal with paperwork and really do their jobs and to increase efficiency, actually ended upbecause of the political and the moral assumptions that were built into the systemacting as a huge machine for diversion and for denying people their basic constitutional rights. [Editors note: The controversial program ended after three years.]

In your book, you talk a lot about racial and ethnic inequality and income inequality, but there isnt a lot explicitly about gender. Whats the story there?

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Gender is the water that all of this stuff exists in. One of the things that will increase your likelihood of being poor is if youre caring for other people. And that falls much more heavily on women, although increasingly it is an issue for men as wellparticularly men of color.

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But one of the invitations of the book is to shift our thinking from state violence as something that only happens at the hands of law enforcement officers to something that happens in many different ways. Policing is a process that happens not just in our interactions with law enforcement, but also in our interactions with public services, with homeless services, with child protective services. The ways were talking about state violence right now have a tendency to center the experiences of men. And I believe that is hugely important. What Im hoping to do is open the conversation in a way that we can recognize the kinds of policing that primarily happen to women as people who are the primary caregivers for poor and working-class families. I think the move to digital incarceration, like to electronic shackles rather than incarceration, is part of the same system. It is the same as threatening a homeless family with the removal of their children because they lack a home. These are very similar dehumanizing, oppressive forces. The most profound feminist argument in the book is really about how we recognizeor dontthe experiences of women with policing, and the way that policing operates in all these other agencies beyond law enforcement.

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Is there anything good about the use of algorithms around the provision of welfare benefits and the ways we create a social safety net? Can you give some examples of tools that get it right?

Most of the ones that I am aware of come out of civil society. But there are several tools that Im really interested in. One is called mRelief, as in mobile relief. Its out of Chicago.

One of the most frightening moments of applying for public services is when you dont know if youre going to be eligible, and yet youre going to release just these reams of data about yourself. I remember this from applying for food stamps with my family. We were pretty sure we werent eligible, but we were pretty close to the line, and we really wanted to know. One of the things that mRelief does is it allows you to ping state systems without releasing your information. So basically they act as a third partyyou release your information to mRelief.

Then it anonymizes it and pings the state system and comes back to tell you, Yeah, it looks like youre going to be eligible for this, or No, looks like youre not going to be eligible for this. So you can make that decision about whether you want to release all that data in order to access a benefit.

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One of the key insights of the book is that these tools are not disrupters so much as theyre amplifiers. It shouldnt surprise us when a tool grows out of our existing public assistance system to be primarily punitive. Diversion, moral diagnosis, and punishment are often key goals of our public-service programs. But if you start with a different values orientationif you start from an orientation that says everyone should get all of the resources theyre eligible for, with a minimum of disruption, and without losing their rightsthen you can get a different tool.

Technology doesnt drive all change. Technology doesnt just respond to this society. It also shifts the way we understand ourselves. But its not neutral, either. So its not like the boot heel of Darth Vader, but its not like the magic spaceship that will save us all. [We] have to design from our values and not be surprised at the unintended consequences when we dont design with equity in mind.
Two weeks ago, Donald Trump started to make those noises he sometimes makes when he feels like he wants to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, John McCain, Jeff Flake, and Chuck Grassley issued warnings that Mueller should not be removed. Graham suggested that the dismissal of Mueller would likely be an impeachable offense and would also trigger a constitutional crisis. Even Sen. Mitch McConnell, after several days of sober pondering, said that Bob Mueller should be allowed to finish his job.

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So far, these Republicans have been all talk and no action. There are fixes they could implement. Four billstwo in the Senate and two in the House of Representativeshave been introduced to curtail the presidents power to unilaterally fire the special counsel. The two Senate efforts to protect Mueller from Trumps capricious temper were introduced months ago. One bill, sponsored by Graham and New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker with support from Democrats Sheldon Whitehouse and Richard Blumenthal, wouldnt allow a termination to proceed without the approval of a three-judge panel. Another, brought forward by North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis and Delaware Democrat Chris Coons, would allow such a panel to review the decision after the firing had already gone through.

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As Politico notes, the TillisCoons bill and the Graham-Booker bill must be merged  before the Senate Judiciary Committee can consider it. The Judiciary panels chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley (RIowa), has yet to publicly support either version pending ongoing talks on combining the plans. Grassley has also suggested that these efforts to constrain the president might be unconstitutional.

Even though this bipartisan legislation exists, few on the GOP side seem to be pushing for it. I dont think theres any need for that, Graham noted. Ive got zero concerns that the president or his team is going to fire Mueller. Dianne Feinstein, the leading Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also isnt certain such legislation is necessary: I dont think we need it.  I was listening to various comments even from Republicans like Trey Gowdy. And people felt very strongly it would be a major breach for the president to fire Mr. Mueller. I agree with that.

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In the midst of the thundering GOP insistence that there is no way Donald Trump would ever do anything nutty, Tillis and Coons issued a joint statement Tuesday pushing the president to let the investigation go forward. We urge President Trump to allow the Special Counsel to complete his work without impediment, which is in the best interest of the American people, the President, and our nation, they said. Also on Tuesday, Blumenthal and eight other Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to five Justice Department officials asking for their commitment to protect Mueller in the event the president moves against him while Congress is out of town for a two-week break. On MSNBC, Blumenthal suggested the letter had been prompted by swirling, unconfirmed reports that the president may be considering firing Mueller.

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I reached out via email to Booker to try to figure out how these two proposed bills might be consolidated and why this inaction has persisted. Our conversation, which has been condensed and edited for clarity, is below.

Dahlia Lithwick: The main difference between the legislation youve co-sponsored with Sen. Grahamthe Special Counsel Independence Protection Actand the CoonsTillis proposal seems to be that your bill would require the attorney general to file an action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before removing the special counsel, whereas the CoonsTillis plan allows the special counsel to challenge his dismissal in court after the fact. Are there any other major differences?

Cory Booker: There are some other nuanced differences, but yes, requiring judicial review to ensure a firing is made for cause versus providing a cause of action for the special counsel to challenge his or her termination after the fact is the primary difference.

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Whats your answer to the question about whether these laws are unconstitutional? Some conservative scholars are advancing this claim, citing Morrison v. Olson (a 1988 Supreme Court case about the constitutionality of the independent counsel law) and theories about the unitary executive.

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It just doesnt make sense to me why we should not act now.  Cory Booker

In the fall, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the constitutionality of the two special counsel bills, which included testimony by legal scholars and experts on the constitutionality of our bill. Im confident our bill is constitutional under Morrison v. Olson. That case involved the challenge of the independent counsel provision in the Ethics in Government Act. The Supreme Court held that Congress may require a three-judge panel to appoint a special counsel because he or she is an inferior officer. Under that construct, we similarly believe Congress may involve a three-judge panel in the termination of a special counsel. The bottom line is Morrison v. Olson is still good law and we drafted our bill with that in mind. There are plenty of constitutional scholars who agree that our bill is on firm constitutional footing.

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The primary response to your legislation from your GOP counterparts, including the co-sponsors, seems to fall into two general classes: (1) Its not needed because Trump wont dare fire Mueller; and (2) its not needed because if Trump does fire Mueller they will bring down the wrath of the Senate upon him. I understand that they are pinched between public opinion and their obligation to protect the special counsel, but I find each of these rationales about equally implausible. You?

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According to press reports, President Trump already tried once to fire special counsel Mueller. We just cannot trust the president to do the right thing here, especially considering how he has ratcheted up his criticism of the special counsels investigation. And to address your second point, I have yet to see the Republican-controlled Congress stand up to President Trump. Im talking to colleagues every chance I have, trying to convince them that too much is at stake to allow for unknowns to remain when options are available to cut this potential crisis off at the pass. It just doesnt make sense to me why we should not act now.

Whats a constitutional crisis, in your view? Are we in one now? Will we be in one if Mueller is fired? Will we be in one if he is fired and the Congress fails to react?

If special counsel Mueller is fired, we will be in a constitutional crisis. Our system of governance will not be functioning as it should and the president will feel as if he can act with impunity. That is a dangerous situation for our country and we must avoid it at all costs.
This story was published by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.

Based on what President Donald Trump hears on television about the Federal Election Commission, the nations cable news consumer-in-chief must be panicked.

Day after day, TV talkers squawk about how the independent government agency is poised to pounce. Their contention: A $130,000 hush-money payment in October 2016 from Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to porn actress and alleged Trump paramour Stormy Daniels could constitute an illegal in-kind campaign contribution to Trumps presidential campaignone that exceeds federal limits ($2,700 per election) and wasnt properly disclosed.

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CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson expects a robust FEC inquiry. You know, theyre certainly in chargethe regulatory body, he said.

Fox News political analyst Juan Williams predicted an FEC investigation will loom over Trump like a cloud. It matters in terms of whether there was a Federal Election commission violationthat matters because that will drag out the story and keep it alive, he warned.

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Theyre worried about a Federal Election Commission violation, CNN legal analyst Paul Callan said of Trumps legal team. I think theyre setting themselves up to defend against an FEC claim.

Trump, however, has little cause to fear the FEC anytime soon, even if the agency, created by Congress in response to Watergate, is empowered to enforce federal campaign finance laws.

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Heres why.

Complicated FEC investigations often take years.

On Jan. 22, campaign finance reform organization Common Cause filed a complaint against Trump and Trumps presidential campaign, accusing them of violating federal election law in relation to the Daniels payment.

Dont be shocked if the FEC doesnt rule on the complaint until after the 2020 presidential election, when its conceivable Trump is no longer president.

Statistics provided by FEC Commissioner Steven Walther indicated that the agency, as of Sept. 30, had 20 unresolved complaints more than two years old on its books. Of those, 11 were more than three years old.

One extreme example of FEC justice delayed involves a September 2009 complaint of allegedly illegal campaign contributions to then-Sen. Harry Reid, DNevada. Only in December 2015more than six years laterdid the commission close the complaint file following a mixed ruling. Were the FEC to take as much time deliberating on the Common Cause complaint as they did on the Reid campaign contribution complaint, theyd rule on it in April 2024.

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And earlier this month, in a ruling seven-plus years in the making, a federal judge concluded the FEC acted contrary to law by dismissing a Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington complaint concerning how conservative nonprofit American Action Network disclosed election season advertisements ahead of the 2010 midterm election. The FEC must now comply with the ruling.

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Any FEC complaint is subject to at least several steps that together usually take several months.

They include the agency notifying accused parties and offering the accused time to respond to accusations. Supplemental filings by the accuser and accused may further delay matters.

Thats all before the FECs general counsels office, which hasnt had a permanent head since Anthony Herman resigned in July 2013, crafts and presents commissioners with a formal investigative reporta process that ranges from weeks to, in rare cases, more than two years.

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Commissioners themselves are known to wait months or even years more before conducting a vote. Delays may be prompted by any of several factorscompeting commission priorities, a parallel investigation by the Department of Justice or commissioner putting an informal, temporary hold on a particular case.

The FEC does not comment on pending investigations, the details of which arent released publicly until after a behind-closed-doors vote.

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Chairwoman Caroline Hunter said Monday that the FEC complaint process generally takes some time, and we want to give everybody an opportunity to respond. It really depends on each case how long it will take. The FEC reviews each complaint it receives and investigates those that meet basic criteria set forth in agencys complaint guidebook.

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Common Causes Stephen Spaulding, who earlier this decade worked as special counsel to former Democratic commissioner Ann Ravel, expects his organizations complaint will move slowly.

It is very easy for commissioners to filibuster behind closed doors and delay any serious enforcement efforts because every single stage of an investigation requires four affirmative votes, he said.

At FEC, thorny issues often equal ideological gridlock.

Theres little expectation among more than a dozen campaign finance lawyers and former commissioners interviewed this week by the Center for Public Integrity that the FEC will ever agree that Trump, or his campaign, violated a campaign finance law in connection with the Daniels payment.

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Its hard to see why any candidate who is familiar with the last decades worth of FEC inaction would be concerned about FEC enforcement, said Adav Noti, chief of staff for nonpartisan campaign reform group Campaign Legal Center, who until last year served as the FECs associate general counsel for policy.

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Its not usually the political affiliation of the accused that drives whether the FEC penalizes somebody, but how legal questions in a given case fit commissioners established views, said Daniel Petalas, the FECs former acting general counsel and current principal at law firm Garvey Schubert Barer.

And as they have all held their seats for a very long time, those views are fairly hardened now and consistent across cases, Petalas said.

Ellen Weintraub, the FECs vice chairwoman and a Democrat, blames her Republican counterparts for what she says is obstruction. While FEC commissioners of late have rarely agreed on much of anything, commissioners used to share an understanding, on a bipartisan basis, that investigations should be conducted when there were credible allegations that the law had been broken, Weintraub said.

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In recent years, Republicans often engage in procedural maneuvers to slow down decision-making and have been largely unwilling to conduct investigations, she added.

Hunter rejects the notion that the FECs four commissionersone Democrat, one independent and two Republicansare incapable of finding common ground.

We find four votes on the vast majority of cases, she said.

Hunter acknowledged that high-profile FEC cases do, however, often end with commissioners disagreeing, which she attributes to different philosophies on the reach of the law.

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Since 2016, the FEC has either deadlocked on, dismissed or closed without action several complaints against Trump or his related committees. One case involved a fundraising letter disclaimer. Another involved a television ad disclaimer. A third argued Trumps inaugural committee broke federal law by how it disclosed its donors.

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The most high profile of the lot accused Trump of failing to properly disclose payments to actors his campaign hired to attend his presidential announcement rally.

Two former FEC leaders offered dim views of the FEC aggressively pursuing the TrumpDaniels matter, albeit for different reasons.

Former FEC Chairman Bradley Smith, a Republican who now leads the nonprofit Institute for Free Speech, says that while the FECs role is to investigate credible complaints, there may be little for the FEC to investigate as it relates to Trump and Daniels.

That, he says, is because Trump has a long history of paying for peoples silence and the Daniels payment didnt directly fund a campaign activity, such as get-out-the-vote efforts or campaign committee overhead.

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Ravel, herself a former FEC chairwoman, disagrees that theres nothing for the FEC to investigatetheres plenty, she says.

But with the way the commission is now, the likelihood of them really even investigating it is pretty slim, Ravel said.

Trump can personally hobble the FEC.

While the FEC is a six-member bipartisan body, only four commissioners are currently serving. The other two commissioner slots are vacant: Democrat Ann Ravel resigned in March 2017 and Republican Lee Goodman resigned in February.

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The only man who can nominate their replacements is Trump himself. To date, he has not, and hes under no obligation to do so. Trump, meanwhile, is guided in this realm by White House counsel Don McGahn, himself a former FEC chairman who has long advocated for deregulating the nations campaign finance system.

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There are two practical implications to consider.

First, four FEC commissioners must vote to advance any agency investigations or penalize scofflaw political committees. That means the four remaining FEC commissioners must unanimously agree on how to move forward on any given matter.

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Second, were any of the four remaining commissioners to resign or find themselves unable to attend commission meetingsillness, unexpected travelthe FEC would lack a quorum, and therefore, be prevented from conducting high-level business.

The White House did not respond to Center for Public Integrity questions about the FEC or when Trump will nominate new commissioners. Trump in September did nominate Texas lawyer Trey Trainor, a Republican and Trump campaign supporter, to replace current Commissioner Matthew Petersen, a Republican. Petersen, like his three FEC colleagues, continues to serve on the FEC despite his six-year term having expired earlier this decade.

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But six months on, the U.S. Senate, which must confirm FEC nominees, has not even scheduled Trainors confirmation hearing, to say nothing of voting on his nomination.

Trump is all but immune to FEC penalties.

The FEC is a law enforcement agency, but a civil law enforcement agency. It doles out penalties in the form of fines and, secondarily, public shame.

Trump is a billionaire who could pay any FEC finealmost all fall within the four- to five-figure rangewith what for him amounts to pocket change.

And a notable apology from October 2016 notwithstanding, Trump doesnt shame easily.

The White House denies Trump had an affair with Daniels, who on Sunday detailed to 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper her alleged sexual encounter with Trump and acceptance of $130,000 to keep quietfor a whileabout it.

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And if nonstop headlines about Trumps alleged infidelities, ever-changing policy positions and litany of patently false statements arent enough to cow him, how could an FEC general counsels report possibly injure his reputation?

The Department of Justice, to which Common Cause also complained in January, could potentially cause Trump more trouble than the FEC over the Stormy Daniels payment, as it has authority to criminally investigate knowing and willful violations of federal campaign finance laws.

It was the Department of Justice, not the FEC, that played the lead role in pursuing former Sen. John Edwards, DNorth Carolina, for allegedly accepting illegal campaign contributions in a bid to conceal an affair with his 2008 presidential campaign videographer Rielle Hunter, with whom he had a baby. (Edwards federal trial ended in a hung jury, and federal prosecutors did not attempt to retry him.)

Special counsel Robert Mueller could also investigate the payment to Daniels as part of his sweeping investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election, although theres no indication that he has or will.

Say the FEC did fine Trump.

Theres the very real possibility hed simply ignore it.

The Center for Public Integrity in October found more than 160 examples of political candidates and committees never paying fines the FEC levied on them.

In almost all cases, the federal government did little to collect the fines or otherwise pursue the matters.
Ecuadors government announced Wednesday it had pulled the plug on Julian Assanges internet access at its embassy in London, where the WikiLeaks founder has been living since 2012. Ecuador seemed to have had enough of Assanges provocations online and appears concerned the 46-year-olds social media conduct could have real-world diplomatic consequences for the South American nation that granted Assange political asylum and citizenship. In a statement Wednesday, the Ecuadorian government said Assanges social media presence was threatening the good relations that the country maintains with the United Kingdom, with the rest of the states of the European Union, and other nations.

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The government of Ecuador said Assange had violated a written commitment made to the government at the end of 2017 not to issue messages that might interfere with other states, but didnt specify what about Assanges social media sparked the clampdown. The timing of the move, however, indicates it is in response to Assanges recent comments on Twitter questioning the U.K.s assigning blame to Russia for the recent nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England. Assange also criticized the coordinated expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats by the U.K, the U.S., and other European allies in response to the poisoning.

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(1/3) The manner of and timing of Russian diplomatic expulsions is poor diplomacy. The expulsions occurred 12 hours after one of the worst building fires in post Soviet history, which killed at least 64. Russians will see the timing as gratuitous.  Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) March 26, 2018

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(3/3) Further, while it is reasonable for Theresa May to view the Russian state as the leading suspect, so far the evidence is circumstantial & the OCPW has not yet made any independent confirmation, permitting the Kremlin push the view domestically that Russia is persecuted.  Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) March 26, 2018

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WikiLeaks and its founder have long espoused the principle of extreme transparency, leaking internal documents embarrassing to governments and companies worldwide, but the organizations operations of late have increasingly aligned with Russian interests and it is widely suspected it has received information from Kremlin-linked hackers. WikiLeaks was, of course, responsible for the leaking of tens of thousands of DNC emails that turned the 2016 election on its head.

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This is not the first time the Ecuadorian government has reprimanded Assange for his outspokenness online. Assange remains a tenant at the Ecuadorian embassy even though the original sex crimes charges in Sweden that caused him to flee have been dropped. He still fears he will be arrested in the U.K. and extradited to the U.S. In October 2016, Ecuador cut Assanges internet over fears he could interfere in the U.S. election and drag Ecuador into a diplomatic standoff, although the outage did not extend to WikiLeaks. In May 2017 the Ecuadorian president, Lenin Moreno, again asked Assange to refrain from commenting on Spains dispute with the separatist region of Catalonia, the Guardian reports. As part of a subsequent agreement between Assange and the Ecuadorian government, he is not permitted to send any messages that could interfere with Ecuadors relations with other countries.
The central question in the legal dispute between Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump is whether the 2016 nondisclosure agreement for which Daniels was paid $130,000 is legally valid. Daniels and her attorney Michael Avenatti have argued in a court filing that the NDA should be considered moot because Trump didnt physically sign it. Whether their case will be persuasive to a judge is an open question; meanwhile, others have asked whether the agreement might also be invalid if, as the White House has implied, Trump didnt even know it existed when it was signed. The White Houses statements have been hedged but seemed to suggest the NDA was negotiated and executed wholly by Trumps longtime attorney, Michael Cohen. On Wednesday, Cohens own attorney, David Schwartz, said explicitly on CNN that Trump was not aware of the NDA or the $130,000 payment when it was made. (Cohen has said previously that he fronted the payment himself; its not clear if he was ever paid back.)

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This opens its own bag of legal worms (mmm  law worms). While its possible in some circumstances for a lawyer to make representations on behalf of a client who isnt specifically aware theyre being madeor so Im told, at least, by Slate employees whove been to law schoolthe 2016 NDA reads as if Cohen was entering into it on behalf of Essential Consultants, an LLC that paid Daniels, not as Trumps attorney:

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DD is David Dennison, which is Trumps pseudonym in the contract.

So that brings us to David Schwartzs Thursday appearance on CBS This Morning. Asked why Cohen would pay Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket instead of having Trump pay it, Schwartz seemed to imply that Cohen isnt Trumps lawyer at all, but rather, just, like, a helpful buddy:

.@NorahODonnell: [Cohen] took out a home equity loan to pay off Stormy Daniels?



Schwartz: To get the money quickly.@GayleKing: Does that make sense to you?



Schwartz: Would I do that? No. For an outside client, its a different relationship.https://t.co/FYdlcHAKyr pic.twitter.com/XoEx5pLOtE  CBS News (@CBSNews) March 29, 2018

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The transcript:

Would I do that? No. [Not] for an outside client. You have to understand, its a different relationship between these two people. Thats what Im tryingits not a lawyer-client relationship. And by the way, [Cohen] wasnt acting for Donald, David Dennison. He was acting for EC, LLC.

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Not a lawyer-client relationship  he wasnt acting for Donald. Heres Michael Cohens LinkedIn page:

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Meanwhile, another lawsuit Cohen and EC, LLC are involved with seeks $20 million in damages from Daniels, on Trumps behalf, for her alleged violation of the 2016 NDA.

If youre perplexed by all this, be assured even actual lawyers find it bewildering as well.

Why are Cohen and Schwartz and Sarah Sanders making such a big deal of a talking point that would seem to undermine the presidents legal case? Some possibilities:

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 They think it would be politically damaging for Trump to admit any involvement whatsoever in a hush-money payment or negotiation with Daniels.

 Trump has some sort of personal, Melania-related motivation to deny any such involvement.

 They have reason to believe, based on nonpublic information, that admitting Trumps involvement would increase the risk of the Trump campaigns being found to have broken campaign-finance laws.

 Trump, for ego reasons, does not want to give Daniels the satisfaction of knowing that he considered her enough of a threat that he became involved.

Of course, it could be all or none of those reasons. We just dont know, and Trumps various representatives (and their representatives) seem to make things more confusing every time they open their mouths.
Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is an American legal hero. His 35-year career on the Supreme Court was superlative on issues ranging from the death penalty to search and seizure to federal power and many others. I didnt always agree with his opinions, but Stevens always provided the nation thorough and principled analysis no matter the issue that faced him.

On the complicated issue of guns, I have a profound disagreement with the former justice. In the wake of the mass shooting in Parkland, Floridaand the triumphant day of marches across the country that surviving students and their allies organized last weekendStevens call for young activists to work for repeal of the Second Amendment is staggeringly misplaced.

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At the level of public discourse, it is catastrophic. Calling for the amendments repeala daunting task that could take decades and untold resources but is likely to result in failureonly sets back this burgeoning movement by emboldening and energizing gun extremists. President Trump, oddly silent about Stormy Daniels this week, practically leapt out of bed to disagree with Stevens on Twitter, rallying the far right against this phantom menace. National Rifle Association leaders quickly capitalized on Stevens comments as well, claiming the gun-control lobby is no longer distancing themselves from the radical idea of repealing the Second Amendment and banning all firearms.

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And there it is, the NRAs shopworn, go-to talking point: the slippery slope. The NRA and Trump toss it around like red meat to anyone who will listen, trying to work them into a frenzy about big government coming to take all their guns away. News flash: No politically significant gun-violence-prevention organization in America is advocating for banning all firearms. What do they advocate instead? Criminal background checks before purchasing any firearm. Raising the age limit of assault-weapon buyers to 21. Red flag laws that allow law enforcement to seek a court order to disarm dangerous people before they hurt themselves or others. All these policies and more have sky-high public approval. And they are all likely to pass constitutional muster, even with the Second Amendment in place.

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Trump and the NRA oppose enacting any of these measures, however, and so they change the subject to whether or not America should ban all guns.

For the past 10 years, total gun bans have been officially constitutionally off the table.

How popular is banning all guns? Right up there with getting a root canal. My organization polled voters last fall and asked whether they believe the Constitution allows for banning the private ownership of all guns in this country. Only 9 percent said yes. At the same time, we asked whether the Constitution allows the government to make and apply strict laws that prevent dangerous people from buying or possessing guns. Fully 72 percent of voters agreed. The American people know the truth already. The Constitution simply doesnt stand in the way of reasonable firearm regulation. Why would Justice Stevens, or anyone else who believes in enacting practical measures to prevent gun violence, help Trump and the NRA block those measures by setting the movement up to fail?

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Even more important than the rhetoric, however, is the law itself. The Second Amendment is simply not an obstacle to effective regulation. Politicians are. Justice Stevens himself should be uniquely positioned to understand this.

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Stevens dissent in the landmark case of District of Columbia v. Heller was masterful. Writing for himself and three of his colleagues, he went head-to-head with the courts most famous conservative originalist, Justice Antonin Scalia. Stevens showed that the Second Amendments text and history did not require striking down the Districts gun laws. Stevens didnt have the votes in that case, but Justice Scalias majority opiniondefining the individual aspect of the Second Amendment for the first time in the courts historylabeled a wide variety of regulations short of total gun bans presumptively lawful.

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Since Heller was decided in 2008, virtually all measures reasonably taken by the peoples representatives to protect the public from gun violence have been upheld under the Constitution. Courts across the country have, in spirit and word, echoed the Reagan-appointed Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, who wrote in a 2011 case upholding a gun regulation, We do not wish to be even minutely responsible for some unspeakably tragic act of mayhem because in the peace of our judicial chambers we miscalculated as to Second Amendment rights. Time and again, courts have correctly deferred to the wisdom of the elected branches of government in crafting gun policy as long as such policies dont violate the core right recognized by the Supreme Court in Heller.

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I believe Americans have a right under the Constitution to have a gun at home for self-defense. In fact, when the sequel to Heller, McDonald v. City of Chicago, arrived at the court in 2010, I filed briefs on behalf of leading liberal and conservative law professors urging the justices to apply to the states the right they recognized two years before. We asked the justices to do so in a way that would have been more aligned with the Constitutions text and history, while expanding rights for all Americans. We presented the history behind the 14th Amendments protection of an individual right to have a gun for self-defense, explaining that the drafters of the amendment were particularly concerned that black Americans needed to be able to defend themselves from racist Southern militias and mobs (echoes of which we see in the gun violence that continues to be perpetrated against people of color by law enforcement).

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Recognizing that the Constitution protects at least some core right to have a gun at home for self-defense does not mean that you may have any gun you want, at any time, in any place. Indeed, Heller made this clear: [N]othing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms. Justice Scalias opinion states unequivocally that the Second Amendment right is not unlimited, and that the right was not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.

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The fact is that both Justice Stevens in his recent op-ed and the NRA in, well, pretty much everything its ever said, are wrong. The Second Amendment is not an obstacle to the sensible gun regulation we so desperately need.

Year after year, we see a seemingly endless string of mass shootings in schools, movie theaters, churches, grocery stores, and nightclubs. The shootings we dont see or hear about are perhaps even more horrific, precisely because they happen in the shadows. Domestic abuse, suicide, gangland crime, police shootings: All these lead to roughly 100,000 people suffering gunshots every year in America, with more than 30,000 of them dying from their wounds.

After the Supreme Courts ruling in Heller, the NRAs slippery-slope argumentthat even reasonable gun regulation will eventually lead to a total ban on gunsbecame meaningless. For the past 10 years, total gun bans have been officially constitutionally off the table. You simply cant do it. The Constitution and the courts are a bulwark against the very boogeyman that Trump and the NRA want their supporters to fear.

This is where America is today with Second Amendment law and rhetoric: We want the right to protect ourselves at home with a firearm if we choose, and we want regulations that protect us by keeping guns from dangerous people. The Constitution allows this. We can and should have both.
The longer the Parkland students continue their protests around gun control, the more they are being targeted by worsening insults, lies, and unhinged accusations. Two of the schools highest-profile activists, David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez, have become the focus of a particularly troll-like strain of pro-gun anger and this week were likened to Nazis, Communists, and anti-American traitors.

The attacks now come not just from the alt-right and anonymous Twitter louts. Since the weekends massive marches for gun control, more and more prominent figures in media and politics are aiming previously unfathomable public attacks at the youngsters.

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The derision came early, in the form of the conspiracy theories from the usual sources. Radicals on Twitter were accusing the students of being actors even as news reports of the Feb. 14 shooting were still coming in, and conspiracy-theory king Alex Jones quickly spread these falsehoods furtherdespite eventual pushback from internet platforms.

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Fast-forward a month, and we began to see fabricated attacks like this viral GIF altered to show Emma Gonzalez appearing to tear up the U.S. Constitution, which caught on during the March for Our Lives. At its peak, it was shared by actor Adam Baldwin, who in the caption of the now-deleted tweet compared her to a member of the Hitler Youth. (In the real video, published by Teen Vogue, Gonzalez tore up a gun-range target.)

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Hogg, meanwhile, has been repeatedly smeared in memes likening him to Adolf Hitler.

All in favor of Gun Control raise your right arm! pic.twitter.com/B9LmDMQzph  Eddie B. #Trump2020 (@edbenson98) March 28, 2018

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In notable instances of prominent people making bizarre critiques of the Parkland students, Iowa Rep. Steve Kings campaign Facebook page mocked Gonzalez for wearing a Cuba flag patch on her jacket. This is how you look when you claim Cuban heritage yet dont speak Spanish and ignore the fact that your ancestors fled the island when the dictatorship turned Cuba into a prison camp, after removing all weapons from its citizens, the Facebook post read. [H]ence their right to self defense.

The campaign team then defended itself by saying the meme in question was obviously not an attack on Gonzalezs heritage but merely points out the irony of someone pushing gun control while wearing the flag of a country that was oppressed by a communist, anti-gun regime. (It also seemed to say that Gonzalez should speak Spanish, despite the fact that King has said before that Assimilation, not diversity, is our American strength. Also, the Cuban flag predates Castros regime.)

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King might be the most prominent politician to attack the Parkland students individually, but he isnt the only one. As a testimony to the pervasive influence of conspiracy-mongering pro-gun conservatives online, local political figures have given in to liking, sharing, and echoing arguments untethered to facts but strong in conviction, intended only to undermine the efforts of these teenage victims. Or, feeding off partisan anger, they have simply resorted to insults. Here are more examples of such attacks from political figures:

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Benjamin Kelly, Aide to Florida State Rep. Shawn Harrison

On Feb. 20, Ben Kelly emailed a Tampa Bay Times reporter, unsolicited, with a then-shocking statement about Hogg and Gonzalez. Both kids in the picture are not students here but actors that travel to various crisis when they happen, he said in the email.

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When the Times asked for evidence supporting his claim, Kelly sent an email, still from his official government account, linking to a conspiracy video showing Hogg in a news clip in California as evidence he was a crisis actor. There is a clip on you tube that shows Mr. Hogg out in California, Kelly wrote. (I guess he transferred?)

Harrison told a reporter that Kelly should not have sent the email. He then said he placed Kelly on leave and that Kelly shared the statement without my knowledge. Kelly was then fired by state House Speaker Richard Corcoran.

The day before, on his personal Twitter account, according to the Times, Kelly liked a tweet calling Gonzalez a brown bald lesbian girl.

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Leslie Gibson, Republican Candidate for the Maine State House

Just over two weeks ago, when Gibson was running unopposed for the seat, he said in a since-deleted tweet that There is nothing about this skinhead lesbian that impresses me and there is nothing that she has to say unless youre a frothing at the mouth moonbat. The tweet was referring to Gonzalez, who is openly bisexual and who has a buzz cut. He also called Hogg a moron and a baldfaced liar.

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In the outrage that ensued, some state legislators condemned his comments, and Hogg took to Twitter to ask people to run against Gibson. Two challengers surfaced just days later, and Gibson withdrew from the race. I am walking away with my head held high, he said.

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Anthony Testaverde, Longtime Aide to New York State Sen. Martin Golden

On Saturday, Testaverde shared on Facebook a photo of Hogg holding his right fist in the air at the March for Our Lives demonstration. Next to it was a historical photo of Hitler saluting. Below, an image of Hogg wearing a black mourning band was compared to a photo of a Nazi swastika armband. I knew something was off about this kid, the post declares.

The comparison of the Parkland activists and other gun control advocates to Nazis cites a historically flawed argument that has long persisted in pro-gun circles about the Third Reich taking away German citizens guns, preventing effective resistance. The Democrats are doing exactly what Hitler did, Testaverde wrote in another post. He used the youth to disarm and control the people. This is scary!

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Sen. Golden faced loud criticism for the actions of his aide, and he publicly condemned Testaverdes posts as offensive and misguided but refused to say he would fire him. On Tuesday, Testaverde was fired.

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Mary Franson, Minnesota State Representative

On Saturday night, Franson shared a Facebook post that referred to Hogg as Supreme Leader. She then shared a quote, via the conservative site the Daily Wire, from the March for Our Lives speech by Delaney Tarr, a 17-year-old Parkland survivor, who said, When they give us that inch, that bump stock ban, we will take a mile! Fransons commentary above that quote was And there you have it friends  the anti gunners, the high school students who speak for all, arent interested in an inch. They want the mile. They want your guns. Gone.

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The kicker, though, came about 15 minutes later when she posted a link from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum website titled, Shaping the Future: Indoctrinating Youth. Above, she quoted Hitler talking about indoctrination. Later, as she faced criticism over linking Parkland survivors to Nazi youths, she argued that the indoctrination post was unrelated to her earlier posts and denounced the media for making the connection.

If more proof was needed that insults and conspiracy theories have mainstream power, Donald Trump Jr. liked two tweets attacking Hogg. In one, conservative TV host Graham Ledger linked an article from Gateway Pundit and suggested Hogg, whose father is a former FBI agent, was running cover for his father because the FBI botched tracking down the shooter. Trump Jr. liked another tweet peddling the same conspiracy with a post from a far-right website about the Outspoken Trump-Hating School Shooting Survivor that doubted Hogg was an actual victim and blamed the Deep State media for giving him a platform.

Given that the Parkland student-activists are still working to encourage more town hall events and more demonstrations, it seems likely these teenagers will face evermore vile personal and public attacks in the months to come. Although we cannot expect any personal responsibility from internet trolls, Americans should expect better from public officials, who have the power to lend legitimacy to the more disgraceful arguments circling around social media. But in the instances above, the public responded by rejecting the hateful arguments, and proved we have the power to hold these politicians to account.
On Wednesday, the court took on partisan gerrymandering for the second time this term in oral arguments for Benisek v. Lamone. In October, the court heard arguments in Gill v. Whitford, a different case about the same thing, but it hasnt handed down an opinion yet. Everyone hoped Benisek would help the justices settle on a test to gauge extreme gerrymanders and a legal basis on which to invalidate them. Instead, it appears the case will only muddy the waters even more.

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After both oral arguments, one thing thing seems clear: A majority of the U.S. Supreme Court dislikes partisan gerrymandering. But what should they do about it? Justice Sonia Sotomayor seems ready to go whole hog and strike down political redistricting altogether. Justice Stephen Breyer wants to wheel out a blackboard and confab about the social science behind it. Justice Anthony Kennedy wants to keep asking the same question until he gets an answer he likes, then turn that into the law of the land. Judging! How does it work?

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Although Benisek is, like Gill, a constitutional challenge to political redistricting, it differs in a few key respects. Most obviously, the plaintiffs here are Republicans, arguing that Maryland Democrats violated their rights in drawing the states 6th Congressional District to favor the Democratic Party. The plaintiffs in Gill were Democrats challenging a Republican gerrymander of the state legislature. In theory, that role reversal shouldnt matter. In practice, it contributes to a narrative that plaintiffs in both cases want to advance. Both parties gerrymander when it suits them, they argue, so the federal judiciary has a duty to step in and play neutral referee.

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Another difference: In Gill, the Democratic plaintiffs are challenging the entire state assembly map, arguing that it entrenches Republican power in violation of both equal protection and free speech principles. The challenge in Benisek is also much narrower. Republican voters in Marylands 6th District argue that Democratic mapmakers retaliated against them for their political association by diluting the power of their vote. Theyre asking the court to strike down the 6th District alone, exclusively on First Amendment grounds.

The justices have had nearly six months to decide Gill. If theyd settled on an answer behind the scenes, they couldve used arguments in Benisek to help refine their nascent gerrymandering jurisprudence. But after Wednesday, its pretty apparent that the justices still have no idea how theyre going to tackle these cases. Even Breyer, a known chaos muppet who typically thrives in a free-for-all, seemed exasperated.

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As usual, the problem largely comes down to Kennedy. In 2004s Vieth v. Jubelirer, the perennial swing justice wrote an opinion concluding that partisan gerrymandering probably violates the First Amendment by penalizing citizens because of their association with a political party and their expression of political views. That sounds about right, but it didnt arm the court with a weapon with which to slay political redistricting. The justices still need a way to gauge the severity of a partisan gerrymanderto determine when a redistricting effort imposes such a huge burden on voters rights that it cannot possibly comport with the Constitution.

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As usual, the problem largely comes down to Kennedy.

In Gill, the plaintiffs proposed a formulausing enough math to scare Chief Justice John Robertsto measure gerrymanders. The Benisek plaintiffs put forth a simpler rationale: They point out that, under long-standing First Amendment precedent, public officials may not retaliate against citizens on the basis of their expression. This principle, they argue, should apply to gerrymandering as well. Their reasoning is simple: When mapmakers draw district lines with the specific intent to dilute votes for the minority party, they have retaliated against supporters of that party because of their political association. Thus, any district drawn to substantially dilute votes for a certain party infringes upon the First Amendment and must be invalidated.

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Arguing for the plaintiffs on Wednesday, Michael Kimberly made this theory sound enticingly simple.

Sotomayor asked Kimberly if he saw other tests being a possibility. Kimberly said, Sure, but that those approaches might not be an apt way of thinking about what happened in Maryland, where the evidence of the partisan intent of the gerrymander was ample. Breyer pointed out that all the tests have slight variations on different themes and asked Kimberly how hed feel if the court consolidated its gerrymandering cases and then heard them all at oncein a monster hearing that would involve experts sparring over methodology in front of a blackboard. Kimberly was visibly unenthusiastic about this prospect, gently informing Breyer that, no, he was not all that crazy about this cockamamie scheme.

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Then Justice Elena Kagan poked a hole in Kimberlys theory that quickly deflated his argument. What if, she posited, mapmakers shifted the bluest blue voters into a solid Republican districtnot to make it a safe Democratic district, but to make it more competitive? That could, indeed, be a violation of our theory, Kimberly responded. If thats true, then the theory is fatally flawed: Partisan gerrymanders represent a potential constitutional ill because they prevent competitive elections, thereby undermining basic democratic values. If a state cant draw competitive districts without unlawfully retaliating against voters, then maybe the retaliation theory isnt the panacea Kimberly made it out to be. The legality of a new map would come down to how it altered the old map rather than an actual intent to dilute voting power.

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Justice Samuel Alito, who think courts should stay far away from political redistricting, glommed onto this problem straightaway. Your legal theoryI probably dont understand it, he told Kimberly. But, if I understand it, I really dont see how any legislature will ever be able to redistrict. Justice Neil Gorsuch hopped in to ding Kimberly for failing to conduct statistical sampling that could prove the district stayed in Democratic hands because of gerrymandering. Maybe, he mused, people just preferred the candidate.

By the time Maryland Solicitor General Steven Sullivan swaggered up to the lectern, he seemed to think he had this case in the bag. Not quite. Kennedy promptly asked Sullivan a question thats virtually identical to one he posed in Gill, and raised in his Vieth opinion: Suppose the Maryland Constitution had a provision that required that partisan advantage for one party be the predominant consideration in any districting. Lawful or not? After some wrangling, Sullivan answered, Yes, the statute would be unlawful because itd require viewpoint discrimination.

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How is this case different? Kennedy asked. Sullivan suggested that it differs because the legislature didnt pass a law discriminating against Republican voters; it just drew maps behind closed doors that discriminated against them. So if you hide the evidence of what youre doing, then youre going to prevail? Kennedy responded.

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Even Chief Justice John Roberts, who had previously appeared skeptical that the courts can resolve gerrymanders, got in on the fun. Lets talk about boundary lines for a second, he told Sullivan. Part of the issue here is, you have people from Potomac joined with people from the far west panhandle. I mean, they both have farms, but the former are hobby farms and the others are real farms. Roberts dig at hipster farmers is definitely the best joke of the day, but its also confusing, because nobody expected his vote to be in play. Could the chief justicea Maryland residentfinally see how warped districts hurt democracy, thanks in part to the urban chicken coop?

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It seems unlikely, yet its also impossible to figure out where the court will land on this issue. Only Sotomayor looked ready to accept the retaliation theory, and even she had reservations. Everyone else appeared to be scouring the briefs for some standard that makes consistently good sense. In other words, were right back where we started. Kagan and Breyer are still trying to nab Kennedys vote, but Kennedy is still cogitating, and no one can count five votes for any single theory. Benisek made just one thing clear: The future of partisan gerrymandering is in the hands of nine justices who arent even sure if they know it when they see it.
Last year, Timothy Snyder published a very short book titled On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century. A Yale professor who had been known for his work on World War IIspecifically for his history Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and StalinSnyders focus on how to keep autocracy at bay managed to (unfortunately) capture the zeitgeist and become a best-seller. Now, he has written a much longer follow-up: The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America, which examines how complacent Western societies left themselves open to anti-democratic forces after the Cold War, and how Russiastruggling with its own postCold War identityfell into Putinism, which became a principle threat to democracy around the globe.

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I recently spoke by phone with Snyder. During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed how failing to reckon with the George W. Bush years helped weaken American democracy, what Russias problems can teach us about our own, and why Trumps true political strength is not what we expected it to be.

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Isaac Chotiner: There has been a debate on the left about how much to focus on RussiaRussian meddling, Russian bots, Russian fake-news tacticswhen were thinking about threats to our democracy. Some people, especially on the left, think the fear is too Russia-focused, and that many of our democracys problems are about us, not about Russia. What do you think?

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Timothy Snyder: Heres how I would characterize some of what I think is going on, on the left: I think its a kind of inverted nationalism. I think theres a tendency, in the U.S. left, to think only in terms of the U.S. and to say, Whatevers going wrong, whether its abroad or whether its at home, lets think just about America. Thats comfortable, because were Americans. Most of us only know English, so why dont we start from there?

What I would propose is something different. What I would propose is that looking abroad, looking at Russia, can help you understand some of those very problems that we have in the U.S. It can help us understand them by seeing where they might lead us. Wealth inequality is a good example. Most folks on the left would say that wealth inequality in the United States is a problem, and theyre absolutely right. One country that has a greater degree of wealth inequality than we do is Russia, and Russia shows how wealth inequality is associated with monopolies in the media, is associated with the thing that we call fake news. In order to see everything thats going on in the U.S., you have to look at Russia.

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Right, but the question is whether, even if this is true, the focus on Russias particular threats distracts us from fundamental problems going on here.

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I dont buy the whole distraction argument. I think that people make that argument when theyre lazy. Theres only one problem in the world, and your argument distracts me from that. Obviously, we have to care about all these things, and different people have to work on the ones that they most care about or can do something about, but I just think its bonkers to say, Lets not talk about Russias campaign to choose leaders and to influence referenda in Europe and the U.S. because we have our own problems. The way that Russia tries to influence Europe and the U.S. is precisely by being aware of those problems and trying to make them into bigger problems. The people who care about the problems in the U.S. should be concerned about Russia, just as the people who work on cyber and are Russia specialists, and Im closer to that end, have to be aware of the problems in the U.S. so they can figure out what Russias actually trying to target. To see why it works, you have to have some sense of why European and American societies are susceptible.

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Do you agree that one reading of your book is that the end of the Cold War is the hinge event in this story, both because it began Russias descent into Putinism and also allowed Western societies to get a bit smug and overly confident about how strong their democracies were?

Lets ask how the Cold War was a good thing for the U.S., because in many respects it was. This also goes back to your question about the left, because if you say Cold War to people in the American left, or at least the American left in places like New York, thats automatically a bad thing: Cold War means CIA, means Guatemala, means Argentina.

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It did in fact mean those things.

Yeah, it did mean those things, absolutely, but Cold War also meant the U.S. is engaged internationally in ideological competition, which forces it to take its own social and racial problems more seriously. Its no coincidence that most of the Cold Warthe 50s, 60s, and 70scoincides with two very important developments: giving African Americans the right to vote and the creation of a social welfare state, plus generally the endorsement or at least the tolerance of labor unions, which allowed for wealth inequality to close. In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, the gap between the top 1 percent and the bottom 90 percent was actually closing in the United States. Thats actually related to the Cold War. Its related to the fact that the United States couldnt allow the Soviet Union to make too much of our racial and class problems. Thats the first point.

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The second point: When the Soviet Union goes away, it goes away at a bad moment, I think, in our own ideological discussions, because were in the midst of this Thatcherite and Reaganist nonsense about how economics is the key to everything. You dont really have set virtues. You dont really have set politics, because all you have to do is get the right formula in economics, and that will take care of everything.

If you go back to the early 90s, whats the mistake we made? Our mistake was to say, Just get the market, and the market will build the institutions, which is just not true. We know its just bonkers. If you want to have the free market the way that you expect it, you have to have the rule of law as well. We tended to tell ourselves and tell other people that the market was a shortcut to creating institutions, when really its the other way around. Youve got to build the institutions so that the market isnt going to be hugely disruptive and isnt going to create tremendous inequality. Markets are good things, but they only exist the way we expect them to exist if the rule of law is still around them.

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The ones who dont learn are the ones ready to double down. Double down is spelled B-O-L-T-O-N.  Timothy Snyder

There is no such thing as society.

Exactly. A beautiful saying of Thatcher. Because the Cold War comes to an end at that moment, then we pat ourselves on the back, we Americans. We say, We were right. We were right about everything. All you need is the right formula of economics. We tell that to the Russians, and we tell it to the Poles, and so on. That was a disservice that we performed, but we were telling it to them because we believed it ourselves. We get into this thing, which is associated with the idea of the end of history, or that there are no alternatives, what I call in the book the politics of inevitability, where we say that nothing really can happen. The future is just going to be more capitalism, which leads to more democracy, and everythings going to be fine. The end of the Cold War basically let us believe our own story about ourselves, and it cut us off from sources of possible criticism.

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Tony Judt makes a similar point about Western democracy in Postwarthat essentially people dont recognize that that postwar era was so shaped by the Cold War, and that this incredible progress that Europe made in that time is unlikely to be repeated again.

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A lot of things were going on in Europe in the postwar. One is youre recovering from two world wars. Another is that you have substantial and generously framed American aid at the beginning of the period. A third, as you say, is you have this context of another alternative, which is right before your eyes. Then, you have industrialization, so a lot of special things are going on. The U.S. in the Cold War had a way of not being alone. It had a way of not being entirely nationalist. You had to be an internationalist in some way. You had to recognize, for example, that Russia was a real place. How many people on either the American right or the American left now think of Russia as a real place that has its own intelligent leaders, that has its own way of seeing the world? How many people on the American right or the American left know Russia anymore? I think now were actually a much more nationalist country than we were in 1989. Were much more cut off from things.

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Were 15 months into the Trump administration. What are you most concerned about, and what has changed in terms of your concerns, from when you wrote On Tyranny?

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People have been doing a lot of really good reporting, but were still not doing terribly well as far as factuality. The robots are colonizing more of the intellectual space on the internet. The president is still doing an extremely good job of spreading unreality. Factuality is the basis for a republic, so I remain concerned about that. For me, the Mueller investigation is about the rule of law. Fundamentally, its about whether laws come first or men come first. If laws dont come first, then were in big trouble, because all sorts of things are possible. One thing that I wasnt sure about when I wrote On Tyranny, which was December of 16, and it seems to have cleared up by now, was whether they were going to go for actual national socialismthat is, a welfare state for white peopleor whether it was going to be what its turned out to be, which is more inequality for everybody. Both tyrannies are bad.

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One of my actual concerns about Trump was that a Trumpist welfare-state-for-white-people ideology would be more popular, and therefore long-lasting. In a way, it is scarier, even though broadly I am more in favor of the welfare state than more inequality.

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Yeah. Thats a great point. That is of course what national socialism means. Thats what it literally means. It means, We agree that there should be socialism, but its only for us and not for other people. Were going to exploit other people so that we can have socialism for us. Thats the idea. I think there were plenty of people, Steve Bannon among them, who were thinking, We really are going to do infrastructure.

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I think what we have is a different variant, which has its own dynamics. Those dynamics are, Were going to increase inequality. Were not going to do anything about opioids. Were going to make sure that the people who put us in power, that is the nontraditional Republican voters, the people who voted for Obama and then voted for Trump, or the people who came out to vote for Trump who didnt vote for Romney in places like Pennsylvania or Ohio, were going to hit those people. Were not going to help them. Were going to hit them, and then when theyre hit, were going to give them more about the Muslims, and more about the immigrants, and more about the outsiders.

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I dont know whether thats going to work, but thats a different pattern of politics, where you tell people, The state cant do anything for you, but you tell them who they should be blaming. Thats Trumps skillset. It turns out thats what hes good at.

The Bolton appointment makes me think, again, that the fact that we never reckoned with the Bush years and the Iraq war properly has in many ways warped our democracy. Do you agree? Trump is sui generis, but it feels like, in all sorts of different ways, the Bush administration laid some groundwork, and Trump is following through.

The whole series of events from 200003, you could look on as a kind of minor key prologue to where we are now. There was an election, which actually didnt turn out the way that it was supposed to turn out. One of the great distorting features in politics, and this is obvious but people dont say it enough, is when whats supposed to be a democracy isnt really a democracy, people try to hold onto power in ways that are not entirely democratic, like for example fighting wars against random countries, which is what 2003 was. We fought a war against an essentially random country for essentially bogus reasons, violating international law eight ways to Sunday while we were doing it.

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That in many ways sets the stage. Its very minor league compared to where we are now, but there was a whole lot of unreality and a whole lot of propaganda in 2002 and 2003 around the Iraq war. Fortunately, some folks in places like the New York Times have learned, I think, from that experience, but in general, that whole notion that you just set up a war by letting people understand things that are basically wrong, like that Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11, that its okay to teach the population things that are basically wrong in order to fight a war, and that its okay for America to do things that violate basic rules. Now were further along. Now there are no rules, and now there is no truth, etc., but I really do think that was a run-up.

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The lack of an evaluation of it is crucial, because we went to war in 2003 for bogus reasons. We made things much worse on precisely the areas where we claimed we were going to make them better by fighting the war. Nobody then writes the memoir that explains how they got it wrong. Where is that memoir? Where are the thoughtful people? President Bush may come closest to it with his portraits of veterans. That may be the closest thing, but where is the individual, let alone the national, reckoning with that? The ones who dont learn are the ones who are ready to double down. Double down is spelled B-O-L-T-O-N.

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That recalls the Cold War part of our conversation. Western democracy was not bogus, as the Soviets may have claimed, but it was flawed. And during the Cold War we did a lot of these things in terms of foreign policy that helped lay the groundwork for Bush. I guess this is the thing about democracy and how fragile it is: Some of the seeds of its possible destruction were planted when it seemed to be working.

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I would say that democracys a really good thing. I think it would be better if actual policy preferences of Americans were reflected in the policies of our federal government. I think America would be a much better country than it is. Every level of the federal government is way off to the right of the actual opinions of most people in the United States of America, and theres a reason for that. The reason for that is the Electoral College, and the Senate, and the gerrymandering, not to mention the deregulation of campaign financing, which is totally ridiculous, not to mention the 2013 ruling which allows states to basically purge African Americans and Hispanics from the voter rolls.

This goes back to the Russia question. Its not that democracy is something that America exports or doesnt. Its a way of keeping the state going, which is probably, as Churchill put it, less bad than all of the other ones. I would like to see the United States be more like a democracy. In general, it would be a nicer thing if other places were more democratic. I see what youre saying, that our democracy is flawed, but I think the answer in many cases is to have more democracy, to correct this thing that we have in America by making it more democratic than it already is.
Donald Trumps former lawyer John Dowd proffered the possibility of the president pardoning Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort with their lawyers, according to a report in the New York Times on Wednesday.

The Times cited three people with knowledge of the discussions in its reporting that Dowd, who quit Trumps legal team last week, had broached the subject with Trumps former national security adviser Flynn and his former campaign chairman Manafort. Flynn, who is now cooperating with special counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe, has since pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators, and Manafort is facing the potential to spend the rest of his life in prison for federal charges of conspiracy, tax evasion, money laundering, and multiple other alleged crimes.

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Dowd denied discussing pardons with lawyers for the two former Trump advisers, the Times reported. There were no discussions. Period, he told the newspaper. As far as I know, no discussions.

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According to the Times:

Mr. Dowds conversation with Mr. Flynns lawyer, Robert K. Kelner, occurred sometime after Mr. Dowd took over last summer as the presidents personal lawyer, at a time when a grand jury was hearing evidence against Mr. Flynn on a range of potential crimes. . The pardon discussion with Mr. Manaforts attorney, Reginald J. Brown, came before his client was indicted in October on charges of money laundering and other financial crimes.

The Times also reported that, according to two people briefed on the interviews, Muellers team has been asking current and former administration officials about conversations they had with the president about potential pardons for former aides under investigation by the special counsel.

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The news is the latest indication of the extent to which Mueller appears to be focusing his investigation on the potential that the president has sought to obstruct justice in the FBIs ongoing Russia election interference probe. Mueller, a former FBI director, took over that probe after it became public that fired FBI Director James Comey had alleged that the president pressured him to drop the investigation into Flynn. Trump has denied that allegation.

The Times cites Jack Goldsmith as arguing that [i]t would be very difficult to look at the presidents motives in issuing a pardon to make an obstruction case. Others, like Dowd and Alan Dershowitz, have also challenged the premise that Trump could face consequences for abusing his pardon power, describing it as pretty much absolute. As Jed Shugerman has argued, such a notion would quite clearly make the president above the law in a way the framers never envisioned. Some of the framers described potential future abuses of a pardon as possible grounds for impeachment. Early Supreme Court Justice and founding father James Iredell offered that a pardoned presidential accomplice would make for an unexceptionable witness against that president.

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Other scholars have noted that there is precedent for future justice departments to criminally investigate, and potentially prosecute, any pardons that may be done with criminal intent. For instance, accepting a bribe for a pardon would clearly be illegal. President Bill Clinton was actually investigated by the FBI for that possibility after his pardon of Marc Rich, but no charges were ever brought.

If he pardoned for money or pardoned corruptly, I would think that that could be prosecuted [under a future administration], pardon scholar Margaret Colgate Love, told me. He obviously cant accept money for a pardon.

Constitutional scholar Daniel Hemel, who explained with Eric Posner in the Times in July why such a pardon could be considered criminal, emailed me his assessment of the latest news:

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It seems pretty clear to me that the following would constitute obstruction: Trump to Flynn: I will pardon you if you agree not to cooperate with the special counsels investigation. The fact that the President enjoys a broad pardon power seems inapposite. If Trump said to Flynn I will name you ambassador to Switzerland if you agree not to cooperate , or I will give you the Presidential Medal of Freedom if you agree not to cooperate , then that would, I think uncontroversially, be obstruction, even though those are things the President has the power to do  .

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University of Missouri School of Law professor Frank Bowman, who writes the blog Impeachable Offenses? and occasionally writes for Slate, argued that even offering an unaccepted pardon would constitute impeachable obstruction, because it threatens constitutional order and demonstrates the presidents unfitness for office every bit as much as a corrupt offer that the offeree accepts.

During Senate testimony in June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to answer congressional questions about whether anyone at the DOJ had discussed the possibility of presidential pardons for anyone involved in the Russia investigation. He did not cite executive privilege at the time but asserted an invented shield that he said allowed him to decline answering congressional inquiries.
The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Secretary David Shulkin, was ousted by President Trump Wednesday, marking the end of what had become a fraught relationship with the White House. Shulkin will be replaced by Dr. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician and a rear admiral in the Navy. Trump had telegraphed his intention to get rid of the lone Democrat and sole holdover from the Obama administration in his cabinet, going silent in public on Shulkins future as the VA got bogged down by policy missteps, political infighting, and ethical lapses.

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Shulkin came to the VA in 2014, brought in by the Obama administration to help reform the VA health care system, which was mired in controversy and mismanagement. The departments budget is huge; the VA put in a $198.6 billion budget request for 2019, which amounts to more than the combined budgets of the State Department, Homeland Security, and the entire intelligence community. Shulkin oversaw the implementation of a contracted-care health care system, aimed at improving service for veterans by privatizing part of the VAs health care network, which is made up of more than 1,000 facilities nationwide. Shulkin quickly found himself in the middle of an ideological battle over the scope of the VAs assistance to veterans and, in terms of health care, the departments second largest expenditure, the existential question of how much of that care should be provided by the VA itself and how much should be privatized and paid for by the department.

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These bumps in the road were exacerbated by a mutiny at the department among conservative Trump appointees who launched an orchestrated effort to dethrone Shulkin. To make matters worse, the Secretarys judgement and ethics came into question over a trip to Europe with his wife that liberally mixed official business with personal excursions. The departments inspector general report found serious derelictions surrounding the trip, which cost more than $122,000. Shulkin agreed to reimburse the government for his wifes airfare, but the damage had already been done. Meanwhile, Shulkin was locked in a power struggle within the department and appeared to lose the confidence of the White House, fueling rumors that Shulkin would be next on the Trump administration chopping block with Energy Secretary Rick Perry considered a possible replacement.
When Alexander Nix, the CEO of Cambridge Analytica, was suspended by the political-data firm last week after being caught on camera by an undercover journalist offering, (among other unsavory things) to sway a Sri Lankan election by having someone posing as a wealthy developer come in to offer a large amount of money to the candidate to finance his campaign in exchange for land, his purported dirty tricks may have struck some as so devious-sounding as to be unbelievable. Perhaps, as the company at the center of Facebooks ongoing privacy controversy claimed after Britains Channel 4 released the video, Nix was just playing along with a potential client. Thats a convenient explanation for the company, but it ignores one thing: The tactics Nix described arent so different from the kind of things that Cambridge Analyticas parent company, SCL Group, has reportedly used in the past. Its purported activities in the Caribbean over the past decade or so might be particularly instructive.

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Well have the whole thing recorded on cameras, Nix told the undercover Channel 4 journalist. Well blank out the face of our guy, and then post it on the internet. That, reportedly, is more or less what SCL did in 2010 in St. Kitts and Nevis, where it worked on the successful campaign of the incumbent Prime Minister Denzil Douglas against opposition leader Lindsay Grants election bid, according to the Times of London. As part of SCLs efforts to win the race for Douglas, the firm reportedly mounted a sting operation against Grant at a Marriott hotel, where he was caught on video agreeing to sell land to a British buyer under market value in exchange for a $1.7 million donation to his campaign. That video was shared widely online days before the election on YouTube, including over one channel the Times reports was run by SCL called investigativerep1965. That account is still active and contains just one video: the sting against Grant.

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Before SCL had dealings in St. Kitts and Nevis, in 2009 the company worked on a major referendum campaign on the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to defeat an attempt to establish a new constitution to replace the one that had been enacted when the country became independent from British rule in 1979. Had the new referendum passed, it would have installed a number of new (often odious) provisions, including rules that opened elections to dual citizens and that legal marriage could only exist between a man and a woman. The referendum also would have ended Queen Elizabeth IIs symbolic reign over the Caribbean country, but the measure failed to get the two-thirds majority it neededthanks, at least in part, to help from SCL Group, according to accusations at the time from Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who in 2010 said the campaign to defeat the referendum had hired SCL to run a smear campaign against him. Gonsalves further claimed that his rival James Mitchellthe founder of the countrys National Democratic Party and a former prime ministerheld an advisory role on SCLs board, an allegation Mitchell didnt deny when asked by a reporter from the Guyana Chronicle. Mitchell is also listed as a member of SCLs advisory board in a Bloomberg profile. Later in 2011, in presentation materials seen by the Times of London, SCL admitted it worked against Gonsalves with a targeted digital attack, meaning that within three weeks every single reference to him on the first two pages of Google  referred to the candidates horrific track record of corruption, coercion, rape allegations and victimisation, the presentation read.

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SCL continued to take clients in the Caribbean, like in the small island nation of St. Lucia, where in 2011 the company worked on the re-election campaign of thenPrime Minister Stephenson King, who ended up losing. But had King won, Bloomberg reported, SCL was set to receive a $1.9 million contract from St. Lucia to run a public health ad campaign against smoking and obesity, a million of which would be used for the health ads while the other $900,000 would have been back pay for the companys work on the election. King didnt win, and the public health campaign reportedly never came to fruition.

Two years later, in Trinidad and Tobago in 2013, Cambridge Analyticas parent company was at it again. There, with the help of a Canadian company called Aggregate IQ, which was also instrumental in analyzing voter data for the Brexit campaigns in support of the U.K.s departure from the European Union, SCL set up a data microtargeting program for the ruling party at the time, United National Congress. This was, according to a report in the Guardian from last year, SCLs first foray into big data targeting and foreshadowed the voter analytics work U.S. billionaire Robert Mercer financed the company to do under its American arm, Cambridge Analytica, during the 2016 U.S. election. The work SCL and Aggregate IQ did with the government in Trinidad and Tobago took place under a contract to build a national police database that was supposed to include citizens browsing data, recordings of phone calls, and call transcripts created with natural language processing software, which would all then be used to predict whether someone was going to commit a crime. Gary Griffith, the former national security minister in Trinidad and Tobago, told a local news site last May that he never heard of this project during his time in office, adding that such an endeavor would have had to have been carried out with the help of telecommunications companies.

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2013 wasnt the first time SCL did work in Trinidad and Tobago. The company was also present in advance of the 2010 elections there, which concluded with the United National Congress partys candidate becoming prime minister. According to a brochure from SCL obtained by the BBC, SCL claims that it helped a candidates campaign by painting graffiti around the island made to look like it ostensibly came from the youth, which allowed SCLs client to adopt policies and claim credit for listening to a united youth.  That the company resorted to fake graffiti suggests it certainly wasnt above using underhanded tactics, though the misbehavior it is accused of in the U.S.inappropriately harvesting 50 million Facebook profiles to beef up its political-data efforts in 2014are a great deal more complicated. One of the questions were still left with is: Was Cambridge Analytica any good at it?

Read more from Slate on Cambridge Analytica.
Grindr, the worlds largest gay dating app, made headlines Wednesday thanks to the discovery of a security flaw that exposes users location data, even for users who decline to share that information. The bigger problem is that this type of issue was also discovered in 2014. And 2015. And 2016. And 2017.

The specifics of each expose have variedthe weaknesses have been revealed by the concerted efforts of concerned cybersecurity specialists and by high-profile incidents involving unwitting victims of the exploit alike. But in that time, the central issue has remained the same: Grindr makes it possible for third parties to gain alarmingly unfettered access to the locations of gay men in 234 countries and territories*, including some where homosexuality is criminalized. The companys halfhearted solutions have all had simple workarounds, and determining users whereabouts is still a relatively easy task. In the absence of prolonged public scrutiny, there just hasnt been enough pressure forcing it to commit to a more comprehensive overhaul.

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Other dating apps have been in this position before. Tinders lack of encryption was written about in March of 2017 and still hadnt been resolved almost a year later. For the most part, dating apps have been able to weather these scandals without addressing the problems that caused them, thanks to how ingrained they are in their users daily lives. (In Grindrs case, upward of 3 million check in every day.) The attorney of one victim of the vulnerabilities described Grindr as an ostrich with its head in the sand, and to be honest, its easy to see why: Its a strategy that has so far served the company well. In a postCambridge Analytica world, however, there may finally be enough outrage to force a lasting fix.

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Todays news comes from Trever Faden,* the creator of C*ckblocked, a service designed to show Grindr users who had blocked them on the dating app. Users who connected their Grindr profiles to the third-party website unwittingly revealed far more than theyd intended, Faden saidincluding their exact location, even if they had opted out of location sharing within Grindr itself. Grindr responded quickly, releasing a patch that prevented access to data on which users had blocked each other, and Faden shut down C*ckblocked. But its an exceptionally narrow solution that doesnt resolve any of the other concerns Faden brought to the companys attention.* And while Faden told NBC that he had not shared or collected any other user data, the nearly 50,000 users who signed into C*ckblocked in the space of a few days also inadvertently gave him access to unread messages, email addresses, and deleted photos. Without an interface designed to protect user info from third-party apps through the use of secure tokens, another plugin could still do the same.

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Just as Facebooks cavalier approach to data sharing was built into its API, Faden characterized the easy access to location data as a feature, not a bug. The formers recent scandal, and the accumulating bad press, may be the wake-up call that both developers and users have needed to prompt real action with regard to what is often an abstract problem, albeit one with real consequences. So far, though, its unclear whether individuals increasing awareness of the need for vigilance will be enough to prompt the necessary change from within.

These security issues are particularly important in countries where being LGBTQ can put you in danger. As Norman Shamas recently wrote in Future Tense:

We dont want to perpetuate a shame culture or create digital closets. But all individuals should have the opportunity for informed consent. Platforms have a responsibility to provide users with information about the specific risks they may take using their technologies and reasonable features that can mitigate some of those risks.

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Fortunately, unlike Facebook, Grindr is pretty easy to replaceso until it starts taking privacy seriously, the best advice for gay men might simply be to use SCRUFF instead.

*Correction, March 29, 2018: This post originally misstated the number of countries and territories where Grindr is used: It is 234, not 232. This post also originally misspelled Trever Fadens first name.
Last week, as part of the omnibus spending bill that avoided another government shutdown, Congress passed the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act. The inclusion of the CLOUD Act in the omnibus received little attention from the mainstream press. However, in passing this legislation, Congress voted to enact a law that poses new threats to privacy and human rights for Americans as well as millions of people abroad who use the services of U.S. tech companies. Going forward, the task now falls to Congress to hold the executive branch accountable and ensure that the bills provisions are enforced in a way to maximize protections for individual rights. And U.S. tech companies, in turn, need to be transparent and stand up for their users rights.

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The CLOUD Act is designed to make it easier for both the U.S. and foreign governments to gain access to electronic communications data held outside their borders. The first section of the legislation amends the Stored Communications Act to authorize the U.S. government to obtain communications data from American providers regardless of whether the data are held inside or outside the United States. It therefore should make the United States v. Microsoft (Microsoft Ireland) case now pending before the Supreme Court moot, by enabling the U.S. government to demand data held in Microsofts data center in Ireland.

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The second portion of the CLOUD Act also amends the Stored Communications Act, to establish a procedure through which qualifying foreign governments may bypass the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty process. Under that system, when foreign governments seek communications data held in other countries in connection with their criminal investigations, they must work with the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain a probable cause warrant from a U.S. judge. Governments have complained for years that the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty system is cumbersome and causes inordinate delays. The CLOUD Act, in contrast, authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice, if the secretary of state agrees, to enter into bilateral agreements with other countries. Then those qualifying countries can send demands for communications data directly to U.S. providers. It will be much more efficientbut the streamlining process has carved away some critical safeguards.

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Although the version of the CLOUD Act that Congress enacted included some improvements over the original, it still poses threats to privacy and human rights. In particular, there are two key problems with the enacted bill. First, the CLOUD Act fails to require foreign governments to conduct prior independent reviews of data requests before they are sent to U.S. providers, opening the door to abuse and misuse of this new process. Prior independent review is critical to avoiding improper demands by overzealous law enforcement investigators, such as data requests that would violate free speech rights. Second, the legislation permits foreign countries, for the first time, to demand that U.S. tech companies provide communications data in real time. But these foreign nations are not required to comply with privacy protections comparable to the rules the U.S. government must follow when it engages in wiretapping. For example, under the Wiretap Act, wiretaps may only last for 30 days unless reauthorized, and the government must follow strict rules to ensure it does not collect or retain information unrelated to its investigation.

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There are some important safeguards in the legislation. Before entering into a bilateral agreement under the CLOUD Act, the U.S. government must determine that the other country meets the human rights standards included in the law. Whereas the earlier version of the bill only set forth a list of human rights criteria as factors to be considered, the final CLOUD Act states that these are factors to be met. The enacted version of the CLOUD Act also requires that before a bilateral agreement can become final, the executive branch must submit a written report to Congress explaining how the standards have been met.

The important thing is that the executive branch and Congress see these safeguards as a floor, not a ceiling. Although the CLOUD Act fails to require congressional approval for bilateral agreements, these requirements still provide tools that Congress can use to demand accountability. The bilateral agreements authorized by the CLOUD Act are required to contain certain elements, including specifying that a foreign governments data request identifies a specific person, account, or other specific identifierso no mass surveillanceand that it not be used to infringe freedom of speech. Congress has the duty to review these agreements and can block them. If a country does not currently meet all the standards, the opportunity to bypass the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty process should be an incentive for it to improve privacy protections under its domestic law.

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Indeed, the United Kingdom has already strengthened its laws in anticipation of the passage of legislation like the CLOUD Act. Although the European Union provides strong safeguards for consumer privacy, including the General Data Protection Regulation, which will go into effect May 25, in many respects, the U.S. Constitution provides more robust protections against government intrusions. As the United States was developing a bill to permit foreign countries to demand data directly from U.S. providerslegislation that was ultimately incorporated into the CLOUD Actthe United States and the U.K. negotiated a bilateral agreement to take advantage of this new process. To ensure that the U.K. could meet the expected requirements of the new U.S. law, the U.K. included provisions in its new Investigatory Powers Act to improve privacy safeguards, such as establishing a new requirement for prior independent review of surveillance orders by newly created judicial commissioners.

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Although some civil liberties advocates have questioned whether these amendments to U.K. law are sufficient, this model of using the new Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty bypass as an incentive for improving privacy and human rights safeguards is one that should be repeated. Congress can ensure that the executive branch encourages other countries to adopt such improvements, rather than seeking to qualify a foreign government that does not meet the bar. There are certainly countries that will want to take advantage of this new cross-border process but are not yet able to meet the bills standards. They should not be entitled to any shortcuts.

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U.S. tech companies also need to do their part in providing transparency on how this new process is implemented and in safeguarding their users rights. Most major U.S. providers already file transparency reports, providing statistics on the various types of government requests they receive each year for their customers data. Companies should include and identify these new direct requests from foreign governments in their reports, breaking out the requests received by country. Many tech companies supported enactment of the CLOUD Act to create a clear process for handling cross-border data requests that will help them avoid conflicting demands under the laws of different nations. In providing their support, they have asserted that they can and will oppose any foreign country data demands that do not appropriately protect individual rights. They will now have the opportunityand the obligationto do so, particularly if public pressure is brought to bear.

Now that the CLOUD Act is law, we know that the already-negotiated U.S.-U.K. agreement is likely to be finalized soon. But many other countries will want in on the deal, too. The government and the tech companies got the bill they wanted. They now have a responsibility to make sure that the real-world process lives up to the promises they made.
Last fall, Zipcar founder Robin Chase released a 10-point manifesto with this philosophy: Lets not make the same mistakes with driverless cars that we made the first time we introduced the automobile into cities.

Its an urbanists platform in support of a future where we devote less city space to cars, not more. To that end, the 10th principle is that autonomous vehicles in dense urban areas should be operated only in shared fleetsas taxis, not as private cars.

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Thats a radical idea. In addition to its role in American folklore, personal-vehicle ownership has exerted enormous influence on the shape and feel of our cities, requiring expressway construction, surrounding restaurants and shops with moats of parking spaces, and injecting traffic and parking concerns into the heart of urban politics. Those priorities in turn have isolated and damaged communities where people dont drive.

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Its hard to imagine the past 100 years unfolding with an emphasis on shared cars, though cities with robust bus networks offer a hint of how that might have gone. But its easy, thanks to Uber, Lyft, and a handful of car-sharing startups, to foresee a future city where the role of personally owned vehicles is greatly reduced. The great promise of AVsthat they essentially make it easier, faster, and cheaper to get aroundis in large part predicated on limiting personal AV ownership or taxing its use. (If every one of todays personal carsand then some, for all the people who dont or cant driveis replaced by a self-driving robot car, the traffic is going to get worse, not better.)

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So you can see why Uber and Lyft are two of the marquee corporate names, together with other mobility companies and a number of local governments, that have endorsed Chases vision. Whatever you think of their corporate conduct and business models, the long-term reduction in personal-car ownership is very much in their interest, and they know it. Absent from the signatories are U.S. carmakers, which are also pouring resources into AV technology but remain built to sell as many cars as possible. (This includes Tesla, despite Elon Musks vision of buyers one day subletting their personal cars into an autonomous Tesla taxi fleet.)

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Interestingly, the company that appears poised to cross the AV finish line first is neither a mobility-as-a-service outfit nor a carmaker. Its Googles Waymo, which characterizes its mission as building the worlds most experienced driver.

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On Tuesday, Waymo arranged a much-hyped press conference at New York Citys Chelsea Piers, where CEO John Krafcik revealed the companys collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover: a market-ready, self-driving, electric Jaguar I-Pace. Waymo is ordering up to 20,000 of the vehicles, which will be produced over the next two years and could perform 1 million trips a day in self-driving service. The companys AV taxi trial will debut this year over a 100-square-mile area in Phoenix.

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Our model isnt to be a car company, Krafcik told reporters. Our role in the world is to build the worlds most experienced driver and deploy that driver in as many places as we can. The Waymo business model has four components: ride-hailing, trucking and logistics, last-mile solutions (helping riders connect to transit), and licensing. That last part is important: It means providing AV tech to companies like Jaguar who want to sell it directly to buyers.

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You could see the Jaguar collaboration as a way to entice future Waymo riders with what Jaguar CEO Ralf Speth emphasized as a luxury car, in the same way that Uber began as a high-end service. But its also hard not to see the I-Pace as a direct competitor to Teslas own high-end electric cars. Only this one will actually drive itself.

That doesnt mean Waymo might not wind up furnishing other companies taxi fleets with the technology they need to drive without human help, or expanding its own mobility-as-a-service offerings. But the companywhose CEO, by the way, comes by way of Detroit, not Silicon Valleyalso has an interest in the traditional American model, selling as many cars to as many people as possible.
For as long as theres been an internet, fans have used it to connect with like-minded fans, first through fledgling services like Usenet and email lists, and more recently, on sites like Tumblr and the fan fiction hub Archive of Our Own. The internet may change, but Star Wars fans stay Star Wars fans. (Alas.) So how do they know when its time to vacate one platform and decamp for a new one? Earlier this month, Casey Fiesler, an information science professor at the University of ColoradoBoulder (and Slate contributor), posted her initial findings from a survey she conducted on the popularity of different fan platforms over time. Fiesler, who is working with graduate student Brianna Dym to synthesize the data for an academic paper, spoke to Slate about fandom migration patterns, whether anybody still uses LiveJournal, and where fans might be going next.

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Slate: What prompted you to study the history of where fans have connected online?

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Casey Fiesler: Right before I started my faculty position, I finished my dissertation and had a summer where I was still [in graduate school], and it was like, Well, you have some grant money left, you should do a new thing thats kind of related to what you were doing in your dissertation but can branch out a little bit. Thats when I did a study of Archive of Our Own. I interviewed 28 people as part of that; about 10 of them were developers, maintainers, the people who started the archive, the people who work on it now, and then the rest were just users. One of the things that I was trying to get at in those interviews is how Archive of Our Own was different than other platforms that people had used over the years, how it compared to LiveJournal, how it compared to Tumblr. I ended up getting a lot of really interesting information from people about the differences in these platforms and also their experiences of these migrations.

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Id already written two papers based on those interviews. One was about the design of Archive of Our Own, and one was about how women learned to code by working on the archive. Ive always found the migration stuff to be really interesting. When my student Brianna joined our program in the fall, I said, Why dont you go back through these interviews and pull out everything thats related to platform migration? And then well see whats there, if theres enough for a paper. We decided that it was really interesting, but we didnt have quite enough to be able to say as much as we wanted to say. The survey was based on things we learned from the [original] interviews.

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Did the survey results turn out about how you expected them to?

Most of it followed about what I was expecting to see based on the interviews Id done and based on my experiences of fandom. I was expecting the LiveJournal drop-off to be sooner [than 2012]. This past week, when everyones been talking about the Facebook scandal, its actually solidified an idea for me that I was thinking about as I was interpreting these results, and its that it wasnt enough for LiveJournal to do some things that people described as deal-breakersthere were some design things, there were some policy things, basically everyone really soured on LiveJournal around the same timebut it wasnt enough for that to happen; there also had to be a viable alternative. What youll notice from the chart is that between 2007 and 2009, things were happening with LiveJournal that made people not like it anymore. From the chart, youll see that it didnt start to precipitously dip until a couple of years after that. You can see that Tumblr and Archive of Our Own, or AO3, are both climbing around the same time. I think that those had to get popular enough, enough people moving there so that those were a place for people to move to, because when theres nowhere for you to go, they dont go. You can think of AO3 and Tumblr as sort of the archive side and the social side of LiveJournal, so there wasnt a single place that people could move to, so instead you see people going to both of those places.

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Ive seen a lot of, Oh, everyone should just stop using Facebook. Its not actually a reasonable solution. Theres a whole lot of opportunity cost in leaving Facebook. Its not just that there are other places where you could post pictures of your kids. Its not that. Its really highly integrated into work life and social life.

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Archive of Our Own seems to be really important in fandom, but I dont know if most people have heard of it.

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I was in fandom when it was being built, and Im on the legal committee for the Organization for Transformative Works, which is the nonprofit that supports the archive as one of its projects. Its kind of crazy that its been so successful because it really was built in the early days by three or four women working on it together. And now it has something like over a million users.

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You referred to the social and archival functions a fandom useswhat did you mean?

Theres always been two pieces of fandom that are important for online platforms: one as an archive, and one as a social space. A lot of the early ones were both: Someone posted their fan fiction to Usenet, but thats also where they were having meta-discussions. Same with email lists, etc. FanFiction.net is another one thats just archives, no social. LiveJournal kind of became both. One of the reasons that, as someone who studies human-computer interactions and interfaces, LiveJournal is fascinating because it was not built for any of the things fandom did with it. There were all these interesting workarounds and conventions for how people used it. It became an archive; particularly, there were all these communities where people to post fanfic and thats all that was there. Then all the social interaction was happening on the personal journals.

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Archive of Our Own is only an archive with no social interaction beyond comments. They dont even have private messaging. It is a place for fanfiction and commenting on fanfiction, and to some extent other kinds of fan work, like you can embed art. Tumblr is a social space, and some people do use it as an archive, but the [design and function] of Tumblr do not make it a good archive. Content stays there, but it feels more ephemeral because youre mostly in your feed. A lot of people tend to use both of these sites, or they use Tumblr and fanfiction.net, or Archive of Our Own and Twitter, or whatever. They tend to use more than one thing now. There are a lot of people I talked to, particularly the older fans, who are used to these places where everything is all together. Relatedly, lots of people use the word fragmented to describe fandom now. Fandom is fragmented. As weve moved across all these platforms, we lose people, its less tight-knit than it was, but I think this is also because fandom is so much bigger than what it was. When it was on Usenet, it was a small group of people; of course they were more tight-knit than they are now.

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What were the specific things that drove people away from LiveJournal?

This actually mirrors something from FanFiction.net. If you look on the chart, at some point theres a dip in FanFiction.net around 2003. Thats when they cracked down on adult content. They said you cant have adult stories on FanFiction.net, so a bunch of people left all at once. There were a few things with LiveJournal. They were purchased by a Russian company sometime around 2008. [Ed. note: It was late 2007.] They kind of said, Oh, this isnt going to change anything. Around that same time, they said, Oh, were trying to crack down on content that might be illegal or obscene. In 2007, they ended up deleting a whole bunch of journalssome of them were fan art journals, some were things like support groups for rape survivors; Im not actually sure how they were making these decisions, but there was a huge swath of content that was deleted all at once. Maybe some of it came back, but basically the situation made people feel like their content wasnt safe there. Even if they werent sure whether their content was considered objectionable, there were enough false positives in that set that people just didnt feel like it was safe anymore.

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That combined with some design changes. They made some changes that shouldnt seem like a big deal but broke some things that fandom in particular were doing. One really specific one was they got rid of the ability to put a subject line on comments, which doesnt seem like a big deal, but there was a practice in fandom of doing anonymous fic-writing through prompts. Without the comments, there was no way to organize it; it made it really difficult to do that there. I think it also was a problem for certain kinds of role-playing people were doing. I think there was a general feeling that LiveJournal under new management was not particularly interested in having fandom there. They would be fine if everyone just left. LiveJournal is kind of a dead space for fandom in particular; I think they became much more focused on their Russian users. Terms of service for a platform, usually theyll have it translated into different languages and then it will say something like, Our English-language version is the binding, official version. On LiveJournal, the official binding TOS is the Russian version.

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Fandom is fragmented. As weve moved across all these platforms, we lose people, its less tight-knit than it was, but I think this is also because fandom is so much bigger than what it was.

But on the chart, LiveJournal is still higher than platforms like Twitter that we think of as really big.

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The survey questions asked for date ranges. I suspect that a lot of people still have accounts but dont use it nearly as much. That wasnt really captured in the survey because its hard for me to know what people mean when they say active.

I will say I think a lot of people still use LiveJournal for role-playing. Thats a very specific kind of use.

Its funny that fans left LiveJournal because of the ownerships lack of interest in them, because thats the impression Ive gotten about Tumblrs relationship to its fans under Yahoo.

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CharIm not a heavy Tumblr user myself. A lot of the people in the survey talked about Tumblr, both for good and for bad. I got this from my interviews, too. Theres also a generational difference. Thats actually one of the tensions. The people who are like, Oh, I was on Usenet back in the day, and then I moved to all these places, some of them feel like theyre seen as old, that the kids on Tumblr dont quite get them, they dont quite get the kids on Tumblr. It was usually the older fans who tended to be more negative toward Tumblr.

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Actually, the biggest difference between Tumblr and a lot of the other, earlier platforms is that there arent individual communities in the way that there were on previous platforms. On Tumblr, everything is all together. You can kind of read and search by tag, but its not the same thing. Some people feel like theres less of a sense of community now. Also, something that Im just starting to get a handle on from going through the survey responses, that I at least hadnt thought about before, theres a sense that the overall general culture of Tumblr is very social justiceoriented and theres more behavior-policing than on other kinds of sites. Some people describe this in a negative way, that this behavior-policing culture has invaded fandom, that the culture of fandom has changed in part because of its interaction with the broader culture of Tumblr.

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Tumblr doesnt have community moderation in the ways that other platforms have had. A LiveJournal community, each one had an owner and a moderator, so you could delete content or ban users. Tumblr is a bit of a free-for-all. A lot of people were telling me that they feel that current fandom platforms have a lot more toxicity. I hear the same thing about Twitter. Tumblr and Twitter are both similar because fandom is not isolatedthe broader users on the platform are all kind of in thereand theres not moderation tools, at least not in the traditional way. This also makes it difficult to form social norms. I think more open platforms have also led to fandom being less tight-knit than it used to be.

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Did you notice anything about what fandoms were popular on which platforms?

A really big thing is just timing and the thing thats popular at that time. But I think theres also a little bit of some types of things tending to be more popular on certain types of platforms. Theres tons of anime on FanFiction.net, for example, and DeviantArt. Also, the question was only asking people, What was your primary fandom? because I didnt want to get everyone saying 20 things. A thing that I loved tracking was the resurgence of Star Wars.

What did you learn that surprised you most?

When we did the original interviews almost three years ago, in all of them, no one talked about chatrooms, no one talked about voice chat, etc. In the survey, a lot of the answers that we got to the other platforms questions were talking about Discord, which is a voice-chat [app] that I think is mostly used for video games, but apparently has become a space for fandom, kind of a standing voice-chat chatroom, and also Slack. Slack has become a place for fan communities to gather. None of these things came up three years ago, which makes total sense, because if Slack was around three years ago, it wasnt popular yet. Its a reminder of how fast things can move and also how new technology is a big driver of where fandom is going. Someone who reblogged the survey post said, What I want to know is where were going next, and thats a great question.
Late last week, President Donald Trump signed into law the 2018 omnibus spending bill.

Its being called a long-term spending plan for the federal government. And because Trump signed it into law despite threatening to veto it, another federal government shutdown was averted.

Earlier this year, a short government shutdown occurred when lawmakers on Capitol Hill failed to pass a spending bill. Only a short-term plan re-opened the government.

Small businesses are affected by government shutdowns because it halts the SBAs loan program and cuts companies off from its other services. Small companies that fulfill federal government contracts have to wait out shutdowns, too.

Reactions to the 2018 Omnibus Spending Bill

The $1.3 trillion spending plan signed by Trump is meeting with mixed reactions from the small business community and others.

Proposed Cuts to Small Business Administration Tabled

President Trump had previously suggested slashing the budget of several agencies and organizations. Among them was the Small Business Administration. The 2018 omnibus spending bill put those cuts aside.

The bill funds the SBA with the same amount it received in 2017, $887 million. The SBA budget for 2019 will be $897 million. The provision for this year includes $186 million in SBA Disaster Loan assistance to small businesses.

The SBA will also be able to maintain its Small Business Development Centers across the country. Cuts to SBDC and SCORE, which provide counseling and other forms of support to small businesses, were proposed by Trump.

Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin says the SBA allotment in the omnibus bill will help local businesses in his home state.

Small business owners are the backbone of the American economy. They create the majority of new jobs, and they are key to driving innovation and helping maintain our competitive edge, Cardin said in a statement received by Small Business Trends. The Trump Administrations proposal to slash funding for SBA was wrong and short-sighted. These cuts would undermine SBA and the valuable capital, counseling, and contracting programs it offers Maryland small businesses. Im pleased this spending bill reverses these harmful cuts, but Congress must remain vigilant and ensure SBA is properly funded and ready to support Americas vibrant small business community.

GOP Senator Who Voted Against Bill Says It Bloats the National Debt

Oklahoma Sen. Ray Lankford says he voted against the 2018 omnibus bill because it was passed in a reckless manner and spends money the same way.

Despite the benefits that Sen. Cardin sees in the spending bill, Lankford says the government cant afford to spend at this rate. In a statement, he said:

Congress has passed an omnibus bill that is $1.3 trillion in hard-earned taxpayer dollars, as our deficit approaches $1 trillion this year and the overall national debt has already topped $21 trillion. I could not support this massive bill nor the broken budget process that brought us this bill. No one has read the bill nor evaluated the long-term consequences of expanding our deficit another $300 billion.

Farmers Applaud Spending Plan

The American Farm Bureau Federation offered some positive reactions to the omnibus spending plan. In a statement released after President Trump signed the bill, the organization said:

The omnibus amends the cooperative tax deduction (Section 199A) to restore balance to commodity markets and re-establish fairness between cooperative and non-cooperative farmers. It also clarifies that air emissions from animal waste at a farm are not applicable under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

AFBF also says farm haulers will get an extended reprieve from participating in the ELD mandate for hauling trucks. This is the rule that forces trucking companies, for example, to have electronic devices to log driver activity. The organization also agrees with provisions to expand broadband internet access to more rural communities in the U.S. This expansion would benefit farmers in these communities by allowing them to employ ag-tech to help improve their farming and access new markets.

Omnibus Doesnt Provide Clarity on Joint Employer Rule

The Coalition to Save Local Businesses says the omnibus spending bill that President Trump signed into law fails to provide clarity on the joint employer rule.

Small business franchise owners are worried that ambiguity in the joint employer rule creates confusion. It could put unwarranted burdens on franchise owners making them liable for employee issues that should really be the responsibility of the franchisor, not the franchisee. Franchise owners say this confusion is a job killer.

After several years of hard work on behalf of local businesses in every community in America, our members are disappointed that Senate and House leaders dodged this opportunity to provide permanent clarity and certainty on joint employer, said CSLB Executive Director Michael Layman in a statement received by Small Business Trends.

Despite the overwhelming bipartisan support that this issue has received during the omnibus negotiations, as well as expressions of support from the Administration, it is clear that some in Congress would rather play politics with the futures of the hard-working women and men across America than acknowledge their members appetites for finding common ground for their constituents on the joint employer situation, Layman said.

Despite our disappointment, the Coalition is energized by the support we have seen recently from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, and we will continue working to bring permanent clarity on joint employer, grow the economy, create jobs, and protect the futures of hard-working Americans, he added.
We tend to think of learning a new skill or going back to school as something youd do when looking to change careers, or to upgrade within your current one.

But lifelong learning has incredible benefits, both personal and professional, say researchers. It makes communities more productive and innovative, and gives employees the ability to cope with constantly changing workplaces. Lifelong learning helps us stay sharp as we age, and is also important for a successful economy.

It helps us communicate better, socialize more effectively, and achieve greater success.

Websites to Learn the Skills You Need

Whether youre looking to learn how to code, build leadership skills, or otherwise improve yourself, here are 27 awesome places to learn the critical skills that will change your life:

1. Lifehacker

One of my favorite sites on the planet, Lifehacker is the place to learn how to do just about anything better, faster, and smarter.

2. Library of Congress

Most of our national librarys texts are now available online. Whatever skill it is you want to learn, you can read up on it there.

3. Boundless

Remember taking on a second part-time job just to pay for your college textbooks? Boundless is shaking up the textbook industry by offering textbooks online, for free.

4. Inc.edu

Inc.s own educational site is an amazing resource for entrepreneurs looking to build the skills most likely to help them succeed. These real-time, live workshops led by all-star entrepreneurs are the best way to cut the learning curve and connect with people who really have the experience to lead by example.

5. Universities

Most universities now offer online learning courses in addition to the on-campus lifelong learning programs. Some have established entire online schools, like Colorado States Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. If youre looking for a more traditional educational experience, check out what the universities are offering.

6. Google World Wonders

Explore the ancient and modern worlds in an incredible online resource powered by Googles Street View and mapping technology.

7. TED Talks

TED is another fantastic place to find actionable advice and learning opportunities created by genuine, experienced people. Ive curated my favorite TED Talks for entrepreneurs, leadership training and creativity in business  check them out for yourself. You can also visit TED Ed for its own selection of great lessons.

8. Reddit Lectures

This crowdsourced collection of top lectures from professionals, academia, governments, and leaders of all stripes is unique in that the resources are upvoted or downvoted by users, in typical Reddit fashion.

9. UReddit

Speaking of Reddit, the forum site has its own University of Reddit, with dozens of courses in the arts, computer science, language, math and statistics, and more.

10. Internet Sacred Text Archive

Its the largest archive of free books on religion and spirituality on the internet. Read up on mythology, religion, folklore, alchemy, parapsychology, and more.

11. MeetUp

See whats happening in your area and meet up with like minds to learn new skills, often free of charge. Meetups are a great way to trade experiences and learn new perspectives.

12. Trivium Education

Critical thinking is an incredibly important skill, but its not often taught in public school curriculum. Brush up on your rhetoric, grammar, and logic with Triviums free resources.

13. HubSpot Academy

HubSpot, that online marketing software giant out of Boston, offers comprehensive, user-friendly digital marketing courses. Understanding marketing is critical for any entrepreneur, whether its a function of your daily duties or not. HubSpot Academy was one of my own top five digital marketing course picks.

14. University of the People

Billing itself as the worlds first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online American university, UoPEOPLE offers degree programs in Business Administration, Computer Science and Health Studies.

15. PBS Video

Watch well-researched, in-depth documentaries from PBS, free of charge online.

16. Project Gutenberg

Study classic literature for free with over 50,000 titles available to download from the Project Gutenberg library.

17. Pocket

Save articles, videos and other interesting and educational content you come across online to consume later. Pocket lets you save from your browser, or from apps like Twitter or Flipboard, and you can access the content later without an internet connection.

18. MIT Open Courseware

The iconic university offers totally free programming courses, including an introduction to computer programming course thats fantastic for entrepreneurs and beginners. It was my top choice among the nine best places to learn how to code for free.

19. iCONIC Tour

Inc.com and CNBC put together iCONIC, a three-part conference series thats visiting my own hometown of Boston on September 22, 2016, after its first stops in Seattle and Denver. On top of the excellent speakers, the networking is an incredibly effective way to learn whats truly working for dynamic businesses across the country.

20. FutureLearn

Packed with free online courses from over 40 universities, FutureLearn is a U.K. site that serves over 3.6 million learners worldwide.

21. Rescue Time

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MP Peter Marcek and his Internet troll brethren are right  I didnt come home because I missed Canadian beer.

I havent had the heart to hike again in the Tatras after the 2004 windstorm. (Source: TASR)

Ive been reading various ruminations (from the Latin ruminari, to chew something over as cows do) by conspiracy enthusiasts about why I fled from Slovakia to Canada. So I wanted to give them something to aid digestion.

Some of these accusations have been sent, like confused but furious wasps, to my inbox. Others have been confided to parliament by a man I last saw dining, with his Sme Rodina colleagues, in the company of JUDr. Roman Buso.

People who investigated illegal flows of Russian weapons through Slovakia in the 1990s know Dr. Buso well; the public might more remember Dr. Busos Hummer, which in 2005 was decorated with a banner reading Palko je organ after the then Interior Ministers traffic cops clamped it for illegal parking. Just saying: We all live in glass houses, and people eating Dr. Busos soup shouldnt be throwing stones.

29. Mar 2018 at 12:05 | Tom Nicholson
This time, the Bratislava event takes place on Thursday, April 5, as the SNP Square is booked for Friday.

For a Decent Slovakia will hold a protest on Thursday, April 5, at 17:00 in the SNP Square in Bratislava. Unlike previous protests, this one will not take place on Friday because the site is already booked for another meeting, the Sme daily wrote on March 28.

The reason for the protest gathering is dissatisfaction with the steps of the cabinet led by Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, and especially with the new Interior Minister, Tomas Drucker.

After coordinating with organisers from other Slovak regions, the For a Decent Slovakia initiative decided to summon public meetings again.

In other cities, the protests, marches, or other activities will take place either on April 5, or on April 6, depending on due capacity.

Reasons for new protest

Mr. Drucker claims to need time to decide on the new police president, organisers wrote on Facebook. If politicians were able to form a new government within two days, we dont understand his excuse that he cannot find a new police president from among decent and good police officers within a few days.

Read also:

Read also: There is still work to be done Read more

"On Thursday, April 5, it will be ten days since the approving confidence vote in the cabinet, and despite this fact, we dont see a clear sign that the new cabinet is serious about its effort to renew public trust; and instead, we still hear only that they need time to get oriented in something we all clearly see and understand, they stated, as quoted by Sme.

If Drucker really wants the public to believe in the independence of the investigation of Jan (Kuciak)s and Martina (Kusnirova)s murder, as well as the cases Jan exposed, then recalling [Police Corps President Tibor] Gaspar, clear systemic changes in police inspection, and de-politicising of police leadership are the first inevitable steps to even aspire the public to trust in him, organisers opine.

Read also:

Read also: Thousands of people returned to the streets Read more

No meeting until Gaspar holds post

Meanwhile, the organisers of the protests refused to meet Drucker until he recalls Gaspar.

The organisers of the For Decent Slovakia rallies were repeatedly invited by Minister Druckers office to a meeting, they wrote in a joint statement, as quoted by the SITA newswire. The exact purpose of the personal meeting was not clear; we have rather learned that the minister of interior wants to explain his attitude to us.

However, they have agreed to the meeting on the condition of Gaspars dismissal.

We consider this dismissal the first and indispensable step for the beginning of restoring confidence in the new leadership of the Interior Ministry as well as a step towards fulfilling the requirement of an independent investigation into the murders of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova and all cases that Jan and his fellow journalists have uncovered and continue in doing so, the organisers added, as quoted by SITA.

Protests take place also in other cities

In Bratislava, the SNP Square is already booked for April 6, so the protest takes place April 5.

Apart from Bratislava, the gatherings will also take place in other Slovak towns and cities, most of them scheduled for April 5, but some will happen on April 6. Check out the events in Slovakia here:

The gatherings will also take place abroad:

Amsterdam, April 5 at 19:00, Dam Square

Berlin, April 8 (Sunday) at 16:00

Dublin, April 5 at 18:00, Slovak Embassy in Dublin

Manchester, April 5 at 18:00, Piccadilly Gardens

Palo Alto, April 5 at 18:00, Hoover Park

Prague, April 5 at 17:00, Vaclavske Namesti Square

Sheffield, April 6 (Friday) at 18:30, Sheffield City Hall

Stockholm, April 5 at 17:00, Slovak Embassy in Stockholm

This article was first published on March 29.

3. Apr 2018 at 12:30 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Kia has manufactured 3 million vehicles in its Slovak plant

At the end of March, the Korean carmaker marked the three-millionth car produced in the Slovak plant in Teplicka nad Vahom.

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Since the official launch of its production in December 2006, Kia Motors Slovakia has manufactured three million vehicles at its plant in Teplicka nad Vahom, Kia Motors Slovakia spokesman Jozef Bace told the TASR newswire.

The three millionth car was a five-door Kia ceed in the GT line specification for a customer in Iceland. It was equipped with a 1.0- litre T-GDi petrol engine. Since its launch, the factory has also produced 4.4 million engines, TASR wrote on March 27.

Celebrating the 3-millionth car produced (Source: Courtesy of Kia Slovakia)

The carmaker produced 335,600 vehicles and 539,987 engines in 2017, which were exported to more than 80 countries worldwide. Kia Motors Slovakia is the birthplace of three models  the ceed, the best-selling Sportage, and the compact MPV Venga model, Bace said. Since May 2013, the plant, as the first within a group, has been manufacturing the powerful ceed GT models for Europe. Overall, the models made in Slovakia make up almost half of Kias sales in Europe.

Generations of ceed to be enhanced

The ceed models, designed and manufactured exclusively in Europe and intended for European customers, make up almost half of Kia Motors Slovakias total production. About 1.3 million ceed models of the first and second generation have been produced to date, the spokesman added. The plant plans to launch the production of the third generation in the second quarter of 2018.

A new study by London Economics, which is a leading independent European consulting company, confirms Kias significant contribution to the European economy, according to Bace.

Kias contribution

Including customs duties, income and sales taxes, Kia contributed 1.2 billion to the budgets of European countries in 2016, he pointed out. The study also says that 184,386 people have jobs because Kia also operates in Europe. They are employed either directly by Kia or in the supply chain, sales or distribution. Owing to the Kia Motors Slovakia plant, approximately 15,000 jobs have been created in Slovakia, either directly with the automaker or with its suppliers.

Kia Motors Slovakia is the only Kia Motors Corporation production plant in Europe. It was built between 2004 and 2006. The carmaker currently employs more than 3,800 people in Slovakia.

29. Mar 2018 at 6:05 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Prosecutor brings lawsuit against fraud suspect Basternak

The case concerns the VAT refund amounting to nearly 2 million.

Daniel Lipsic, the poster next to him shows tycoon Basternak. (Source: SITA)

Businessman Ladislav Basternak will be prosecuted for tax evasion. The prosecutor of the Special Prosecutors Office did not accept his proposal for applying the active repentance principle.

The lawsuit was filed with the Bratislava II District Court on March 23, the TASR newswire reported.

Read also:

Read also: Tax fraud suspect Basternak returns millions to the state Read more

The case concerns a VAT refund amounting to nearly 2 million paid to the company BL-202 in 2012 related to the purchase of seven flats in the Five Star Residence complex, for a supposed 12 million. The real amount however was much lower, as the Financial Administration confirmed after a tax inspection.

Basternak applied the active repentance principle and paid the debt of 2 million to the state coffers.

However, former interior minister and lawyer Daniel Lipsic pointed to the Constitutional Court verdict issued in a different tax-related case, which stipulates that it is not possible to apply the active repentance principle in similar cases, TASR wrote.

29. Mar 2018 at 12:51 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Birds of prey found poisoned in southwestern Slovakia

The perpetrators might spend one to six years in prison if found guilty.

State conservationists have launched special inspections in areas inhabited by rare birds of prey, following the increased number of cases where poisoned animals were found close to municipalities in southwestern Slovakia.

Just during the past week, a female eastern imperial eagle from Hungary was found poisoned close to the village of Maly Cetin, and four white-tailed eagles were discovered in the district of Sala (both in the Nitra Region). Most recently, the police informed the public about two new cases from the Nitra Region on March 29, involving common buzzards and the western marsh harrier.

All crucial measures are aimed at reducing the risk of this serious deed, said Martin Lakanda, head of the State Nature Protection of Slovakia (SOP SR), as quoted by the SITA newswire. The employees of SOP SR, in cooperation with the relevant subjects, are carrying out a special inspection of affected areas and will intensify the guarding of selected localities.

He asked people to help them with investigation of similar cases.

It is possible that the birds were poisoned with Carbofuran, one of the most toxic carbamate pesticides. As a result, Lakanda recommends people not to touch the animals, if they find any, and report the discovery to the police.

The police has launched an investigation of these two recent cases. The perpetrators might face prison for one to six years if found guilty.

Since 2012, altogether 44 protected bird species have been poisoned in Slovakia, with the total damage amounting to 120,000, SITA reported.

29. Mar 2018 at 12:56 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Why did the Slavs visit graves on Easter?

Traditions, which differ from region to region, often reflect the way of life of our ancestors, says ethnologist.

Christian Easter ceremonies are interwoven with various traditions that have roots in the distant past and are usually linked to a way of life.

The Slovaks ancestors, for example, believed that the important dates during the year, like the summer and winter solstice, open the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead. This means that Paradise and Hell open up before Easter and the souls of the dead can dwell with their relatives until Pentecost, explained Tatiana Buzekova, ethnologist from the Faculty of Arts of Comenius University in Bratislava.

One of the Slavic traditions was to visit graves during Easter and eat with the dead, while leaving decorated eggs and food on the graves, Buzekova said.

People also believed that if somebody died at Easter, they would go directly to Paradise which is open at this time of the year. Another tradition says that people took small children to church on Palm Sunday in order for them to start speaking earlier.

The powers of the spirits

It was also said that supernatural powers were strongest during the Easter week, so people had to protect themselves. People believed that witches would meet during the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday at certain sites of a village, where they not only danced, but also practised witchcraft, took milk away from cows and damaged fruit trees.

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Read also: Will you get a cold shower or a whipping this Easter? Read more

For protection, people coated their doors with garlic, whipped their cattle with consecrated willow twigs and tied red ribbons to their cows horns.

As it was also believed that witches and bad spirits are afraid of noise, they would scare them with rattles, Buzekova said.

Among the most distinctive signs of Easter are greens and water, which is linked with fertility and health. Willow twigs, consecrated on Palm Sunday, were considered sacred objects across Slovakia. They were used not only as protection against bad spirits and storms, but also for healing, the ethnologist added.

Some traditions survive to this day

Easter traditions were also different in various regions across the country.

In western Slovakia, they would beat women with a whip made from woven willow twigs to secure growth, health and power, Buzekova said. In central and eastern Slovakia, young men splashed girls with water. In south-western Slovakia both methods were used, and in some villages girls whipped and splashed men with water in return the next day.

To secure fertility, people used to shake fruit trees for a better harvest, and greased ploughs to prevent weeds from growing in the fields, Buzekova added.

Although people do not keep all the traditions, they still bring baskets of food to church to have them consecrated on Easter Sunday. Since it was believed that consecrated food has magic and healing effects, people give it to their cattle and plant the seeds during the first ploughing.

These traditions reflect the importance of agriculture as a means to earn them a living, to the life of our ancestors, Buzekova concluded.

29. Mar 2018 at 21:20 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Allegations that State Secretary Monika Jankovska took a bribe as a judge first appeared five years ago, and not even the basic facts match.

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Last year, the then justice minister Lucia Zitnanska said she would leave because of her deputy at the ministry, Monika Jankovska. The nomination of the state secretary for a post at the Judicial Council, proposed by Smer, was so unacceptable for the former minister that she considered it a violation of the government programme statement.

Recently, Jankovska's name came up again when accusations surfaced that she had cooperated with the mafia when she served as judge. She denied those accusations in an interview for Sme. She also talks about her relations with the lawyer Radomir Bzan and Robert Kalinak.

In this interview you can read more about:

-what is wrong with the accusations about a bribe from the mafia

-Jankovskas explanation about her stay in a villa in Croatia that belonged to Bzan, a lawyer who earned millions of euros on a deal with the state

-why she wanted to join the Judicial Council

-her response to the claims that she was the one running the ministry during the term of minister Tomas Borec

-her relations with Zitnanska

Former owner of the Fatima bar in Trencin, Ondrej Janicek, accuses you of taking a bribe of three million Slovak crowns from the mafia group of Peter Congrady, to keep Janicek in prison so they could take over Fatima. Now another witness has come forward, Michal Vida, and he claims that he was in the Congrady group and discussed the bribe with you. Did you take money from them?

Monika Jankovska: I have never taken a bribe, neither as a judge nor as state secretary nor as private person. I dealt with the Janicek et al. case 18 years ago. These are not trustworthy people. Janicek also stood in front of the court before. When I issued a sentence for the group around him, the Regional Court in Trencin confirmed my ruling. Janicek complained that the judge of the regional court also received a bribe. He never took one. Since Trencin is a small town and information spreads fast, I also found out that the regional court judge, Jozef Janik, filed a criminal complaint about him, I reckon for defamation and false accusation. Janicek was eventually sentenced for that.

29. Mar 2018 at 17:17 | Adam Valcek, Peter Kovac
Investors warn about worsened image of Slovakia

The pro-growth sentiment among foreign investors in Slovakia persists, the regular business survey shows

The favourable pro-growth sentiment among foreign investors in Slovakia persists. Almost half of them plan to expand and look for new employees while the biggest obstacles hampering their businesses in Slovakia remain the shortage of qualified labour and corruption. But they warn of Slovakias worsening image due to political turmoil caused by the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova.

In spite of the political crisis, foreign investors consider the business outlook to be mostly positive, said Jurgen Knie, president of the Slovak-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, when introducing results of the regular business survey conducted by several chambers of commerce on March 26. In the positive assessment of the current economic situation, we recorded a 10-year high in this survey.

The Slovak-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Slovak-Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Advantage Austria Bratislava, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia conducted the regular business survey at the end of February and beginning of March, during the exact time the political turmoil caused by the double murder loomed over the nation. The survey polled 131 companies operating in Slovakia.

The survey shows that 63 percent of respondents evaluate the current economic situation in Slovakia positively, which is 18 percentage points more than a year ago and 41 percent of companies believe it will further improve. Only 3 percent of respondents rate it negatively.

Moreover, over 40 percent of 131 participating companies would like to expand their activities and look for new employees in Slovakia. Survey results also show that nearly 45 percent of companies count on better deals this year, 47 percent want to hire more staff, and 41 percent plan to boost their investments. Only 8 percent of companies are preparing for a worse economic year.

29. Mar 2018 at 17:27 | Jana Liptakova
Anti-Corruption Unit head Krajmer resigns

He is the first police functionary to leave his post since Tomas Drucker became interior minister.

Robert Krajmer has resigned from his post as the head of the National Anti-Corruption Police unit at the National Criminal Agency (NAKA). The reason he gave was inappropriate pressure on his family and the work of the anti-corruption unit that he views as unjustified and politicising in the wake of the double murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova.

Its my duty to ensure the impartial and independent work of the professional investigators of the National Anti-Corruption Unit, without their work and results being questioned, said Krajmer on March 29, as cited by the TASR newswire.

Krajmer is the first police functionary to leave his post since Tomas Drucker replaced Robert Kalinak in the post of Interior Minister. Tibor Gaspar continues to hold the post of the Police Corps President. His resignation is one of the demands of the people gathering at protest rallies across Slovakia.

Krajmer will leave the post of NAKAs Anti-Corruption Unit Director on April 1 and will be temporarily replaced by the incumbent deputy director. Krajmer will remain in the Police Corps but will not work within the criminal unit any more.

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Read also: The prosecutors office will check police representatives wife Read more

Murdered journalist Kuciak pointed out in his articles that Krajmers wife does business in a company controlled by influential businessmen Zoroslav Kollar and Norbert Bodor. The police listed Kollar on the so-called mafia lists and Bodor is an influential businessman from Nitra close to the ruling Smer party, the Sme daily recalled.

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Read also: Murder investigation: What we know so far and what are the main independence concerns Read more

Krajmer also made newspaper headlines when it was revealed that he appeared at the crime scene of the double murder of Kuciak and Kusnirova. The opposition claimed that there was no reason for him to be there.

29. Mar 2018 at 21:01 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Media in USA continues to closely watch Slovakia

Slovaks are an inspiration for the next generation - and not just in Slovakia, they wrote.

The media in the US continues to closely watch the situation in Slovakia. The renowned news website Christian Science Monitor (CSM), this week highlighted the movement of the young Slovak generation for normalcy and real change, the TASR newswire wrote.

A youth-fueled movement has already brought down Slovakias prime minister, Sara Miller Llana, Europe bureau chief of this medium wrote in her story on March 28. But the tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets arent stopping until they see evidence that the changes in Bratislava are not just cosmetic.

The Christian Science Monitor is recognised for its consistent and objective coverage of foreign affairs and its avoidance of sensational and scandal-oriented journalism. The last time it wrote about Slovakia was in 2016. The topic was the rise of populism and right-wing extremism and the entry of the far-right party of Marian Kotleba into parliament. The author of the extensive article was Sara Miller Llana. Now she has again turned her sights on Slovakia and described it as the biggest show of people-power since the Velvet Revolution.

What began as an outcry over a young journalists murder has in the past month morphed into a mass general movement to end cronyism in this post-communist state, she wrote.

The Washington Post daily in its March 28 edition included in two articles a sharp criticism of the rule of the former prime minister Robert Fico. The first one was written by Griff Witte, The Washington Posts Berlin bureau chief, and the second one by Jason Rezaian, a journalist who has written about Slovakia several times.

The peaceful uprising that has transformed politics in this landlocked nation of 5 million is a striking counterpoint to global trends that seem to favour leaders willing to bend rules, norms and institutions to their will, Witte wrote, mentioning China, Russia, Turkey, the USA and Hungary as well as Poland. In these countries political currents have swung toward consolidated power, nationalist messaging and intolerance for competing voices.

Rezaian cites Peter Habara, editor at Kuciaks website aktuality.sk, as saying that Kuciak and Kusnirova have left behind an important legacy  they were viciously killed in their own house only because they wanted to make this country a better place.

One can only hope that their example will serve to inspire the next generation  and not just in Slovakia, added Rezaian.

29. Mar 2018 at 20:49 | Compiled by Spectator staff
BCE Inc., a telecommunications and media company, provides wireless, wireline, Internet, and television (TV) services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in Canada. It operates through three segments: Bell Wireless, Bell Wireline, and Bell Media. The Bell Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communications products and services. The Bell Wireline segment provides data, including Internet access and Internet protocol television; and local telephone, long distance, satellite TV service, and connectivity, as well as other communications services and products. This segment also buys and sells local telephone, long distance, data, and other services from or to resellers, and other carriers. The Bell Media segment provides conventional TV, specialty TV, pay TV, and streaming services; and digital media, radio broadcasting, out-of-home advertising services. It owns and operates approximately 35 conventional TV stations; 27 specialty and four Pay TV channels; 3 direct-to-consumer streaming services; 109 licensed radio stations; and websites. The company was formerly known as Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. BCE Inc. was founded in 1880 and is headquartered in Verdun, Canada.

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Ralph Lauren Corp. engages in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products. The firm offers apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and other licensed product. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, and Asia. The North America segment consists of sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Club Monaco. The Europe segment caters to sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Europe and the Middle East, excluding Club Monaco. The Asia segment covers the sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The company was founded by Ralph Lauren in 1967 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

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In his home city of Karachi, Lila Ram has dedicated himself to giving children a better future through education.

Discovering the world of books is still a clear memory for Lila Ram (MEd 07). He was 12 years old and going to play at the home of his classmates, both children of a local school teacher. Their father, as Ram was about to discover, had a vast library. When he walked through the door and set eyes on the rows of books, Ram struck a secret deal with his friends: I told them, If I take one book and bring it back safely, can you give me another?

They agreed and Ram found himself quickly working his way through short stories, poetry and novels, many of which were translations of classics into his mother tongue, Sindhi. The school teacher father soon heard about the deal. I was afraid he would be angry, Ram remembers. Instead, he encouraged the young boy to keep borrowing.

This exposure to literature and learning was an opportunity for Ram that many Pakistani children still dont have, especially in rural Pakistan, where he was born and grew up.

Pakistan has an estimated 25 million children who dont go to school. The barriers to education include a preference for educating boys over girls, extensive use of corporal punishment, persistent poverty and hugely disruptive natural disasters. A lack of teacher training and infrastructure also affects the quality of education that can be delivered. As well, there are some rural areas of Pakistan where its said to be dangerous to go to school due to the activities of extremists.

Ram had another obstacle. His father passed away when he was aged two, leaving his mother to care for him and his three siblings in the poor rural town of Tando Bago in Pakistans Sindh province. As custom dictated, Rams eldest brother became the family breadwinner, though he was just a teenager himself.
But when you choose well, the vacation payoffs are huge. Staying in a welcoming home, with space for lounging and a kitchen for making your own meals, makes me feel more like a local than a tourist. And even the highest-end rentals can end up being less expensive than staying in a nice hotel.

For example, I rented with my extended family a $13,000-a-week, five-bedroom villa on Hawaiis island of Kauai. It had the prettiest lagoon-like private pool Ive ever seen  and divided 13 ways, we paid less than if wed stayed at a similarly swank resort. It was a perfect family reunion spot.

Then there was the apartment I rented on Airbnb in Lafayette, La., that was attached to an artists home. For $90 a night, it included complimentary wine and hors doeuvres and breakfast delivered to the door, and the hospitable host offered great insider advice on what to see and eat in Cajun Country.

However, to find astonishing accommodations, renters need to be smart about the red flags that may show up in the search. I once crossed a certain Mexican hideaway off my list, for instance, because the owner (who would be on-site in a guest house) was overly chummy  offering to share margaritas and daily outings with his guests.
A shipment of giant ship-to-shore cranes developed by a Vietnamese company began their journey to an Indian port on Wednesday as part of a multi-crane contract between the firm and its foreign partner.

The three rail-mounted quay cranes departed for Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals Private Limited (BMCTPL), part of Indias largest container gateway, from a port in Quang Ngai Province on Wednesday morning.

They were manufactured by Doosan Heavy Industries in Vietnam, an enterprise established under relatively recent policy reforms related to foreign direct investment in the province.

Capable of handling containers weighing up to 65 tonnes, each crane weighs 1,400 tonnes, stands 84 meters above the ground, and measures 144 meters in length and 26 meters in width.

People stand beside three rail-mounted quay cranes produced by Doosan Heavy Industries in Vietnam, shipped to India in March 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

These structures, towering 20 stories above the ground, constitute the third batch commissioned by India in an order for 12 rail-mounted quay cranes in 2018, with the first and second batch having been delivered in early and late 2017, respectively.

The cranes exported in this shipment are the largest of the 70 models produced by Doosan Heavy Industries in Vietnam, and hold high regards amongst the worlds super cranes, according to Park Hong Ook, the companys general director.

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Trade between Vietnam and Canada reached C$6.136 billion (US$4.76 billion) in 2017, the Consulate General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City announced Tuesday in a press release.

Canada has seen Vietnam its No. 1 trading partner among the 10 ASEAN countries, according to the press release.

Meanwhile, agri-food and seafood are important components of bilateral trade.

In 2017, Canadas export of agri-food and seafood to Vietnam reached C$612.4 million ($474 million), accounting for 58 percent of the total Canadian shipments to Vietnam.

The key agri-food and seafood exports from Canada to Vietnam included wheat, fish and shellfish, oil seeds, beef, pork, fruit and feed.

Strong growth in the past year was seen in the exportation of wheat, fish and seafood, soybean, beef and pork.

Early this week, an event called Canadian Delicacies was held in Ho Chi Minh City as part of Canadas food promotion activities in March and April 2018, showcasing premium Canadian products such as beef, fish and shellfish, wine, craft beer, maple syrup, fruit and many other culinary specialties.

Canadian lobsters on show at the Canadian Delicacies event in Ho Chi Minh City on March 26, 2018. Photo: Consulate General of Canada

The event welcomed representatives from the Vietnamese food and hospitality industry and the media with the hope to promote the finest Canadian culinary specialties to Vietnamese consumers.

We are proud to showcase some of Canadas world renowned culinary specialties. Our vast and diverse land, pristine and cold water enable us to develop a world-class food industry dedicated to high-quality and tasty products while respecting the environment, Canadian Consul General Kyle Nunas said in his remarks at the event.

I am pleased to note the growing appreciation of Canadian food and beverage products among the Vietnamese consumers, and we look forward to further opportunities under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement, the diplomat commented.

The year 2018 is a significant milestone in Canada-Vietnam bilateral relations as it marks the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and the conclusion of the CPTPP agreement in which Canada and Vietnam are among the 11 parties.

A chef cooks a Vietnamese-style roll with Canadian beef at the Canadian Delicacies event in Ho Chi Minh City on March 26, 2018. Photo: Consulate General of Canada

Canadas famous maple syrup on show at the Canadian Delicacies event in Ho Chi Minh City on March 26, 2018. Photo: Consulate General of Canada

Canadian seafood on show at the Canadian Delicacies event in Ho Chi Minh City on March 26, 2018. Photo: Consulate General of Canada

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Doan Ngoc Hai, deputy chairman of Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1, has spent the last two days leading the charge on an apartment clearing campaign in his locality following the deadly fire at the luxury Carina Plaza, which killed 13 and injured 91 others.

District 1, the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, is home to 86 apartment complexes built before 1975, many of which lack sufficient fire protection systems.

Residents of these run-down apartments clutter communal hallways and common spaces with junk and household goods they do not want to carry out of the building or cannot fit in their own apartment, creating serious fire safety hazards such as blocking escape routes for residents and creating obstacles that could block access for firefights battling a blaze.

Starting the campaign

The District 1 deputy chairman kicked off his apartment clearing campaign on Tuesday with a visit to a condominium at 145 Nguyen Trai Street, Ben Thanh Ward.

Hai became a household name after launching a sidewalk clearing campaign last year which came to an abrupt end following his resignation.

The deputy chairmans resignation has not yet been approved by the municipal administration.

Constructed before 1975, the 7-floor building contains 60 apartments, most of which are in a rough state.

The inspection uncovered that the buildings basement failed to meet fire safety requirements, particularly as it was being used to store flammable materials and its entrance was blocked.

Hallways and common spaces throughout the building were filled with all kinds of discarded objects, including water containers, cardboard boxes, and unused construction materials.

The buildings fire escape leading to Le Lai Street has also been re-constructed and transformed into a small living space.

Most egregiously, the buildings sprinkler system was found to be defective.

Hai ended his visit by ordering that the objects cluttering the buildings interior be removed.

Other problems were also noted for attention by the deputy chairman.

The fire hose reel cabinet in the apartments basement is blocked by discarded furniture. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Discarded objects occupy a common space inside the building at 145 Nguyen Trai Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Utility cables clutter the inside of the apartment building at 145 Nguyen Trai Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Second day into the apartment clearing campaign

On Wednesday, Hai continued with his apartment clearing campaign at two other condominium complexes in District 1.

While checking the apartment building at 14 Nguyen Thi Nghia Street in Ben Thanh Ward, the deputy chairman spotted a large tarpaulin covering the buildings well-hole and immediately ordered its removal.

A team led by Hai also cleared and confiscated various discarded materials and furniture left in the buildings hallways.

A charcoal stove is left beside two fire extinguishers inside the apartment building at 14 Nguyen Thi Nghia Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An apartment at 14 Nguyen Thi Nghia Street was illegally renovated to include a new room for cooking. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Plastic sheeting and discarded tires are stored in a common space at 14 Nguyen Thi Nghia Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Also on Wednesday, Hai and other law-enforcement officers paid a visit to the apartment complex located at 26 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward.

A hallway in the building was found to be occupied by a large number of paintings advertised for sale by a tenant.

Empty spaces underneath the staircase in the building were being used as storage space for flammable objects such as cardboard boxes, plastic containers, and wooden painting frames.

The deputy chairman immediately ordered that the objects be cleared.

A hallway in the apartment building at 26 Ly Tu Trong Street was occupied by paintings for sale by a local tenant. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Officers clear discarded objects from inside 26 Ly Tu Trong Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Doan Ngoc Hai was hailed as a hero from initiating the 'sidewalk clearing' campaign within his locality from January to October 2017.

His sidewalk clearing campaign sought to return the sidewalks, which were being occupied by street food vendors and illegally-parked vehicles, to pedestrians.

The deputy chairmans initiative was replicated in other districts and provinces across the country before its coming to an abrupt end last year.

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A Hanoi court on Thursday handed an 18-year imprisonment sentence to a former Politburo member, who began standing his second trial last week for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar loss at a state-owned company where he was the top boss.

Dinh La Thang, ex-chairman of PetroVietnam (PVN), was found guilty of acting against state regulations on economic management in the loss of VND800 billion ($35.2 million) worth of investment the state-run oil and gas group put in local lender OceanBank, the court ruled.

As his wrongdoings resulted in serious consequences, Thang was sentenced to 18 years behind bars and required to compensate VND600 billion ($26.43 million) out of the total loss to OceanBank.

Six other defendants were responsible to repaying the lender the remaining VND200 billion ($8.81 million).

Thang was chairman of PVNs management board for the 2008-11 tenure.

Thursdays court ruled that Thang had deliberately violated state regulations on economic management when he spearheaded a plan to channel PVNs investment into OceanBank in 2008, when the credit institution was considered to be poorly performing.

Thang did not discuss with the board when he signed a contract with ex-OceanBank chairman Ha Van Tham, after which the oil and gas group invested a total of VND800 billion in the bank.

He did not submit a report to the central government regarding the deal as required by the law.

In 2015, the bank was acquired for zero dong by the State Bank of Vietnam, the countrys central bank, because of its poor financial results, which caused losses to the entire investment.

Former Vietnamese Politburo member Dinh La Thang speaks at a court in Ho Chi Minh City on March 29, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Six accomplices were convicted in the case for implementing the plan under the order and instruction of Thang, according to the court ruling.

They are Nguyen Xuan Son, ex-deputy general director of OceanBank, Ninh Van Quynh, deputy general director of PVN, Nguyen Xuan Thang, Nguyen Thanh Liem, Vu Khanh Truong, and Phan Dinh Duc, who are former members of PVNs board of directors.

Dinh La Thang was previously a member of the Politburo, the all-powerful body of the Communist Party of Vietnam, from January 27, 2016 to May 7, 2017.

He was also secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee from February 5, 2016 to May 10, 2017.

Thang has already been sentenced to 13 years in prison for deliberately violating state regulations following the court ruling on January 22.

He was involved in financial misconduct at PVN that resulted in separate losses of VND119 billion ($5.24 million).
Three suspects in a shooting that left one dead and another severely injured in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum earlier this week were captured and taken into custody by local police on Wednesday.

The suspects were identified as Nguyen Van Nam, a 31-year-old resident of Hung Yen Province, Tran Ngoc Chung, a 34-year-old from Nghe An Province, and Dau Van Nhat from Ha Tinh Province.

Local authorities also seized three short guns, 37 bullets, five magazines, and a grenade from the three suspects.

The firearms and ammunitions belonging to the three suspects. Photo: Tuoi Tre

At around noon on Tuesday, local police were called to the scene of the shooting at Khai Son Billiard Club in Kon Tum City, where Nguyen Manh Cuong, 30, had been killed and Le Van Xuan, 36, was suffering from serious injury.

After the shooting, the suspects were seen leaving the scene in a vehicle bearing license plate number 81C-116.91.

The red pick-up truck used by the shooting suspects. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Upon receiving the news, over 45 police officers were deployed to surrounding areas to search for the shooters.

At around 1:30 pm on Tuesday, local police noticed a suspicious red pick-up truck on highway 24B through Son Ky Commune, Son Ha District, Quang Ngai Province and signaled the vehicle to stop.

The driver disobeyed the order and fled after his accomplices discarded a black bag containing various weapons and ammunition.

The black bag thrown away by the suspects when they ran from officers. Photo: Tuoi Tre

After driving approximately 12 kilometers to Son Ba Commune, the suspects left their vehicle and took off on foot toward a nearby mountain.

At around 4:30 pm on Tuesday, suspect Nguyen Van Nam was apprehended while the other two fugitives remained hidden in the dense forest.

More officers and police dogs were deployed to the local mountain, working through the night of Tuesday in search of the two remaining suspects.

Two officers and a police dog are dispatched to catch the suspects. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Their efforts paid off on Wednesday morning when the two fugitives were finally captured.

An ongoing investigation has revealed that the shooting stemmed from a gang-related conflict.

Police officers and local residents surrounded the local mountain on the afternoon of March 27, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Suspect Dau Van Nhat was apprehended by two officers. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Suspect Tran Ngoc Chung was captured and removed from the forest. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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Questions related to whether or not it is in Vietnams best interests to decriminalize prostitution have been raised several times over the years, but more concrete suggestions were brought up at a conference in Hanoi on Wednesday.

The event was held to solicit contributions for revisions to the current regulations on the management of sex workers amidst criticisms that the current, 15-year-old regulations are out-of-date and ineffective.

Vietnams current ordinance on the prevention and suppression of prostitution took effect in 2003 and sought to ban both the solicitation and purchase of sex, including organized prostitution.

The law stipulates that offenders are subject to either administrative fines or criminal charges, depending on the severity of their violations.

These penalties, however, have done little to curb the countrys rampant prostitution, particularly in big cities and tourism hubs, prompting policymakers to discuss proposals aimed at legalizing sex work and creating zoned areas for adult-oriented businesses in special economic zones.

Prostitution has become more and more sophisticated and difficult to track, Tran Van Dat, a top official from the Ministry of Justice, said at the conference.

Dat said the 15-year-old ordinance has become obsolete given the role technology has played in the spread of prostitution, including the use of Internet media to advertise and solicit customers.

And the penalties set by the ordinance are just toothless, Dat added.

Nguyen Xuan Lap, head of the government agency charged with battling social evils under the social affairs ministry, said he is often told that a new management model is needed for Vietnam to better oversee sex work in the country.

But how new is new? he questioned. And should we follow what many people have suggested, that prostitution must be considered a legal occupation?

Lap said that streetwalking cannot be considered a job under Vietnams current legal definition for what constitutes an occupation.

We must have a place where sex workers are trained and taught if we want to recognize prostitution as a job, which is impossible, he said.

Photo illustration by Reuters

However, Lap admitted that relevant agencies are still collecting feedback on a plan to organize legal red-light districts  zoned areas for sex-oriented businesses, in the countrys special administrative and economic zones.

Vietnam has plans to establish three such zones  Phu Quoc, Van Don and Van Phong  which will function as models for the Southeast Asian country on its quest to stimulate growth and lure foreign investment.

The Phu Quoc special administrative and economic zone will be developed on the namesake island off the southern province of Kien Giang, whereas the Van Don will be located in the northern province of Quang Ninh, and Van Phong in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.

The idea was previously put forward by Phung Quoc Hien, deputy chairman of Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly, who believes that special administrative and economic zones must be allowed to host businesses that are outlawed elsewhere in Vietnam, such as casinos and red-light districts, in order to help the country reach its full potential.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Wednesdays conference, another official from the justice ministry showed support for the idea of zoning red-light districts within the special economic zones.

Some countries have organized such areas even though they have not technically legalized prostitution, he said.

The official added that having a zoned area for sex workers makes it easier for regulators to oversee their activities.

Other attendees at Wednesdays event said Vietnam should neither legalize prostitution nor consider it a job, but adopt a more flexible management model that balances the interests of both sex workers and regulators.

The best solution, according to the Center of Supporting Community and Development Initiatives, is to stop considering prostitution a criminal offense, a view that was backed by representatives from the anti-social evil agencies of the cities of Hai Phong and Can Tho.

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On 60 Minutes this weekend, finding WWII bomber The Yorkshire Rose; triathlete Lauren Parker; and the Iraqi refugee / surgeon giving back to soldiers.

The Surgeon And The Soldier

When Munjed Al Muderis fled war-torn Iraq, he escaped with just two things: a medical journal and the determination to start a new life. In the years since, he has put both to great use. After arriving in Australia as an illegal immigrant, Associate Professor Al Muderis is now one of the most skilled surgeons in the world. His expertise is in a revolutionary procedure called Osseointegration, which fuses human bones with robotic limbs. On assignment for 60 Minutes, Mark Burrows reports on an operation this remarkable surgeon performs to rebuild the often-troubled soldiers who fought in conflict zones like his old homeland  good men such as US Army Captain Luis Montalvan.

Reporter: Mark Burrows

Producers: Steve Jackson, Clair Weaver

The Yorkshire Rose

At 91, Jack Crane should be enjoying a quiet life at his home in Lithgow, west of Sydney. Instead he has found himself at the centre of one of World War Twos most intriguing mysteries, the disappearance of an RAF Stirling bomber known as the Yorkshire Rose. In June 1944 the plane was flying a top-secret mission deep inside Nazi-occupied France when it vanished. Theres been no trace of it, or the 23 servicemen on board, since. But with a lot of help, Jack thinks he now knows where the Yorkshire Rose is and hes fighting reluctant bureaucrats at the British Ministry of Defence, demanding they conduct a search. He desperately needs answers because his brother Bob was the pilot, and after three-quarters of a century, time is running out to bring this war hero home.

Reporter: Ross Coulthart

Producer: Howard Sacre

Going For Gold

This time last year Lauren Parker was one of Australias most promising triathletes.

Supremely fit, her life was an exciting blur of international competition and full-time training. Then she was involved in a dreadful, freakish accident that left her paralysed. Sadly, Lauren wasnt just broken physically and mentally  she could see no hope. But after months of misery something extraordinary happened. Next week shell be going for gold at the Commonwealth Games. Peter Overton reports on Laurens inspiring reinvention, and how some mighty help from an unlikely friend got a gifted athlete back on track.

Reporter: Peter Overton

Producer: Howard Sacre

You Can

On this holiday weekend Peter Overton also meets a beautiful young Australian for whom life has not been a holiday. Jess Van Zeil is fighting a brutal battle with melanoma, but incredibly, despite her illness, she says shes a lucky one. Thats because she has been able to receive treatment at the newly established Melbourne You Can Centre, a facility specially designed by young cancer patients, for young cancer patients. Jesss story highlights the urgent need to close the gap in care that currently exists for those with cancer who are aged between 15 and 25.

Reporter: Peter Overton

Producer: Jo Townsend

7pm Sunday on Nine.
In Part 2 of an interview with Seven News boss Craig McPherson he discusses Sunday Night, late night news, and ending Murder Uncovered.

Its never a pleasant occasion when a network executive has to pull the plug on one of their shows. It means staff who have worked hard on a show will be let go. But in the stark reality of cost-effective television it happens frequently.

For Sevens Director of News & Public Affairs Craig McPherson, shutting down Murder Uncovered came just weeks after it had been announced as returning in network Upfronts.

It was difficult. It was a creation of mine and Mark Llewellyns and there were a lot of good people involved in it, McPherson tells TV Tonight.

It was a strictly economic decision and a hard decision to make, and hard to tell people it no longer existed when it was announced and it was planned.

There is some (unaired) product that needs finalising but you will see that in other forms in the weeks and months ahead.

One story that had been investigated by the programme was the unsolved mystery of the Beaumont Children.

In February Sevens work to uncover new evidence led to a police dig in South Australia. Media was fascinated with the potential that a 50 year old mystery might finally be solved. Realigning the material under the Seven News brand, Michael Usher and his team led news coverage.

They believed they found the most-likely killer and found some issues with a site that was identified previously, McPherson explains.

We gave the police all of what we had, and to be fair the collaboration was terrific. SA Police were very good.

On that basis the programme and what we had suddenly became public knowledge very quickly.

A case of that magnitude was always going to create noise

But the official police dig did not discover human bones. Was it a major disappointment to the team?

It turns out it wasnt there. So mixed feelings, sure, McPherson admits. I wont say it needed to be done but when you have programmes that go to places that have been missed, or not seen, a fresh pair of eyes and intense work takes it somewhere.

A case of that magnitude was always going to create noise and we understood it had to get out. The police were doing an official dig so that created a whole expectation.

But its still unresolved and that is the sad part of it all. From what I have been told they got dozens of new leads.

Sunday Night recently returned to the schedule, now in its 9th season.

Its been in a tough slot in an environment that hasnt been doing what we would all hope. That will soon change. Last year it grew in All People numbers which was no mean feat. They have a very good bank of product and I think it will have a very good year.

Yes, it does get frustrating, but thats the way it is now

The show often moves in the schedule, airing any time from 7pm to 9pm. While it proves robust with programming changes, is it a frustration to those behind the show?

Yes, it does get frustrating, but thats the way it is now, he admits. The whole landscape of media & television is changing, and continues to change. But it also goes to the malleability of the brand and the product that it can be moved and still have an audience. Not a lot of programmes can sustain that.

Late night news is another opportunity not currently being pursued by commercial networks. McPherson elaborates on how getting the right model is a stumbling block within.

Its a debate News directors have with Programming bosses. Theres the way they would like to see it done and the way we know we can do. Its getting that other element that sets it apart from every other News programme that gives it a bit more reason to watch, he continues.

That to me seems to be the stumbling block. Its not necessarily our forte in coming up with that style, but at some point it will sync up.

Free to Air stations will be characterised more than ever before by their News products

Finally, McPherson also hints at a desire for more in-depth news coverage, and how News will remain a brand distinguisher for Free to Air networks.

I feel there needs to be programmes that dig deeper into the never-ending 24/7 new cycle that gets exhausted on Free to Air and all over the digital space. So some more specific programmes in that regard. These things cost money and at the moment the equations dont add up but I think in time that will change, he observes.

I think Free to Air stations will be characterised more than ever before by their News products, particularly with the insurgents and distractors, Netflix and those big-scale operations. They are big in scale but they dont really hone in on the locality of where they exist.

Id love to have other programmes. I dont know any head of News & Current Affairs who wouldnt be saying that.

Part One: Craig McPherson: Not easy on Breakfast TV
What is it like to witness a crime and how reliable are witnesses?

In a two-part Insight special, Jenny Brockie hears from people that have witnessed serious crimes and discuss the impact it has had on them. The program will also undertake a special studio experiment, examining the reliability of eyewitnesses.

In January 2009, Michael Piacentini was driving his usual route to work over the Westgate Bridge when he spotted a 4WD pulling over.

As he drove by he looked in his rear vision mirror and saw a man lift a young girl from the car, walk to the edge of the bridge, and throw her into the water 58 metres below.

Michael describes the event as unreal. I doubted what I saw, I thought did I actually see what I just saw? he tells Insight host Jenny Brockie.

Being witness to that murder changed Michael and he remembers that young girl every time he travels over the Westgate Bridge.

In 2014, Robert Strange witnessed the brutal murder of a colleague. Following the event he developed PTSD, became reclusive and was extremely paranoid for several months.

Youre expecting someone to come through the front door with a gun, expecting someone to shoot the windows of the house.

Witnesses can have a vital role throughout the criminal trial of an accused person. Recalling details of the event in a courtroom can be particularly confronting and stressful.

K.A Whyte gave evidence in the trial of former Comancheros bikie boss Mick Hawi, who was charged and convicted of manslaughter in the violent 2009 Sydney airport bashings.

She found the trial extremely stressful. It undermines your self-confidence and your self-esteem and you sort of think oh, my gosh, why did I ever get involved?

Criminal trials can be held months or years after the crime occurs and witnesses can be asked to recall and provide very detailed accounts of what occurred.

Forensic psychologist, professor Richard Kemp explains that our memory doesnt give us an absolute record.

Its not a recording device. What we remember is only partly determined by what happened. Lots of other things come into play.

Richard explains that each person can have a different memory of the same event, and eyewitness accounts can be unreliable.

Tuesday 3 April and Tuesday 10 April at 8.30pm on SBS.
International TV festival Series Mania is returning to Melbourne in July for another weekend of industry events and screenings.

The French-based festival which held its first event a the Australian Centre for the Moving Image last year includes a free public program plus an industry day with Q&As, panel discussions and masterclasses.

ACMI and Film Victoria are again supporting the event which last year featured Breaking creator Bad Vince Gilligan.

ACMI CEO and Director Katrina Sedgwick commented: Were delighted to partner again with Film Victoria for the return of Series Mania Melbourne. ACMI is the home of screen culture and we cant wait to share the best must-see local and international series with the watchers, makers and lovers of great TV.

Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley said: Victoria is a hub for Australian television production and talent and at a time when were experiencing a boom in TV and web series, Series Mania Melbourne will bring us the best selection of new local programs alongside ones to watch from across the globe. We were proud to host Australias first Series Mania in 2017 and look forward to building on its success this year.

Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher said Melbourne TV fanatics will be treated to an array of series from across the globe while both public facing events and a dedicated industry day will provide local TV producers, writers and directors with the latest global trends in drama, comedy and web series.

19  22 July 2018. Tix available from Monday 2 July 2018. Most public events are free but audiences are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.

Industry day: Friday 20 July and tickets go on sale Wednesday 13 June.

acmi.net.au/seriesmania

Meanwhile Series Mania France has announced its April event will include screenings of Australian titles Mystery Road (World Premiere), Romper Stomper, Kiki and Kitty, Squinters, Mr In Between, F***ing Adelaide and French-Australian production Patricia Moore .
ANTI-SEMITISM has been a running theme within the media recently and it is often conflated with anti-Zionism or anti-Israelism, but all three are different concepts. This looks at Zionism and its origins, along with the argument made by Israel and their supporters that Jerusalem rightfully belongs to the Jews.

Many make the argument that the holy scriptures of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, state that God bestowed Jerusalem onto the Jewish people, but as always, history tells a different story.

Zionism

The history of Zionism is long, complex and there are multiple forms of Zionism that range from softer more spiritual endeavours to the hard-line forms that are followed by the majority of those in power in Israel.

Many of those point to King David and his conquering Zion, which is a specific hill located in Jerusalem, just south of Mount Moriah which was subsequently renamed the City Of David. The precursor to modern Zionism date back 1160, David Alroy led a Jewish uprising in Kurdistan that aimed to reconquer the promised land. Then again in 1648 Sabbatai Zevi from modern Turkey claimed he would lead the Jews back to Palestine and in 1868 Judah ben Shalom led a large movement of Yemenite Jews to Palestine.

But Modern Zionism was considered to be founded by Theodor Herzl, he wrote Der Judenstaat (The State of the Jews) and with this attracted significant international attention and he stated within in that if the Jews were to be able to live without persecution, then it would have to be in their own state.

Whilst he gathered many supporters, he was vilified amongst Jewry and condemned for going against God. But his legacy lived on and from it was eventually born the state of Israel, however, what isnt mentioned is the fact that by 1895 he was already planning the violent expulsion of the Palestinians, a scheme that he only mentioned in his diary.

But it is something that has been a common theme since the Balfour Declaration and the creation of Israel through the British mandate.

Israel

For around 1000 years the Jewish population were the majority and controlled the region of Jerusalem, then prior to the recent creation of Israel, the Jews hadnt been a majority population or in control within the region for 2000 years after they were forcibly expelled by the Roman Empire.

The story of King David and his conquering of Zion, as previously mentioned, along with the scriptures reading that Jerusalem was given to the Jews by God is a key argument used by Zionists. But prior to King David invading Zion, the Jewish population were not the majority and after Zion was conquered, the Israelites  modern day Israelis  and Philistines  modern day Palestinians  lived amongst each other within the City of David as David himself had previously defected to aid the Philistines whilst Mad King Saul was ruler of Judea.

But before King David took Zion, the population consisted of what was known as the Jebusites, there isnt much historical documentation apart from the testaments in the Hebrew Bible that match up with the little historical data there is of them.

The Jebusites are likely descendants from the Hittites, whom are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, and they had a vast Empire which was centred on Anatolia, which is modern Turkey, and stretched as far down as Aleppo and North Mesopotamia and they came into conflict with the Egyptian Empire and Assyrian Empire. After expanding quickly and building a vast and powerful empire, they were soon dismantled and eventually the splinter groups were subsumed by the Assyrian Empire.

But when the Hittite Empire collapsed, many of the population fled south towards Egypt and it is assumed that many made their life within the Egyptian Empire, which at the time stretched as far north as Syria and encompassed modern Jerusalem.

In the Hebrew Bible they are known as the Biblical Hittites and mentioned to be the descendants of Canaan (The son of Ham and the grandson of Noah), making them one of the Canaanites and one of the other groups of people descendant from him are the Jebusites, which means it is likely that they have a closer ancestral connection. It is not known what happened to the Jebusites after David had invaded as there is little historical data but it does show that the historical evidence that Israel and their supporters claim, is only half the story. But this is also why a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict cannot be made by looking at history alone.
When the distinct green train arrived from North Korea in Bejing on Sunday, media sources immediately assumed that the North Korean leader had arrived for a surprise visit. In the 1980s, a similar train had carried Kim Jong-un's father to China for talks. Sources immediately speculated that either Kim Jong-un or his sisters had arrived on the train.

The meeting was only officially confirmed late on Tuesday.

This was Kim Jong Un's first official state visit since taking power in 2011. According to the Guardian, China's support of sanctions against North Korea, as well as upcoming meetings with South Korea and the US, are believed to have been the driving force behind this surprise visit.

The green mystery train arrives and security in Bejing is stepped up

On Sunday, the famous green armoured train arrived in Bejing, sparking intense speculation.

Breaking: North Korean armored train spotted at Beijing, China. Kim Jong Un probably on board. pic.twitter.com/p0Lij0Q1Wo  Augustus Manchurius (@1984to1776) March 26, 2018

Chinese local media broadcast footage of the train travelling through Dandong, located on the North Korean-Chinese border. Hotels in the area are believed to have barred reservations since Sunday to accommodate the guests on board the train. In the 1980's Kim Jong-II, Kim Jong-un's father, who had refused to travel by air, had used a similar train to travel to China.

Security in Bejing was also tight as security forces cleared popular tourist spots like Tiananmen Square and the main thoroughfare through Bejing, Changan Avenue.

Why did Kim Jong-un visit China?

Traditionally, China and North Korea shared close ties, as eighty to ninety percent of North Korea's food imports stem from China. However, according to CNBC, relationships have been in decline since Kim Jong-un took power in 2011. China has supported international sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, with China's President Xi Jinping describing North Korea's nuclear provocations as a threat to Chinese national security.

China finds itself in a potential trade war with the US over Donald Trump's introduction of tariffs. At the same time, Kim Jong-un's upcoming meeting with the American president and South Korea may also have led the Chinese government to try to improve relations with North Korea before these high-powered meetings take place.

China's censors step in

According to the Washington Post, the Chinese censors swiftly reacted to speculations about Kim Jong-un's visit. On Tuesday, it was no longer possible to conduct an online search for "North Korea". Renowned for stringent censorship, authorities habitually block online search terms. At times, some of the blocked terms may not even be relevant or significantly related.

Among the phrases blocked on Tuesday was "Jin San Pang" which translates from Chinese as "Kim the third fatty". China's censors also blocked a post relating to Kim Jong-un's visit on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

Several spokespersons from the Chinese foreign ministry said that they had "no information" as to whether Kim Jong-un or any other high-profile representative from North Korea had arrived for talks in China.

Media sources finally confirm Kim Jong's visit

According to the Guardian, observers believe that this visit represents a turning point in North Korea - China relations. China is believed to be eager to strengthen its position prior to North Korea's summer summit with the US and the meeting with South Korean's President, Moon Jae-in, in April of this year.

The Chinese Xinhua news agency finally confirmed that Kim Jong-un had held "successful talks" with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping late on Tuesday.

Xinhua also reported that North Korean leader had stated that "the issue of denuclearisation of the North Korean Peninsula can be resolved if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with good will."

According to observers, the North Korean leader's conditions include that the US removes its nuclear guarantee for South Korea.

The North Korean news agency KCNA hailed the visit as a "milestone".
PREVENT, the UKs counter extremism policy, has been significantly impacting the ability for students to partake and organise events for Palestinian activism. Last year, in 2017, the Middle Eastern Eye revealed the extent to which the government are going to shut down debate on British foreign policy within the region.

University staff are being advised to "risk-assess and manage" events on campus relating to "contentious" issues including Palestine and criticism of Western foreign policy in the middle east in order to demonstrate their compliance with the government's Prevent counter-extremism strategy.

Anti-Muslim legislation

Some of the supposed contentious issues that the government have listed include, vocally supporting Palestine, opposing the illegal settlements in Gaza, criticising the wars in the Middle-East and opposing the Prevent program. Within recent weeks, this has come to the forefront again because this also directly links to legislation that defines anti-Semitism as criticism of Israel.

The legislation states that the Prevent strategy aims to stop people from becoming terrorists but the impact on these societies since its introduction and the change in anti-Semitism laws last year, severely impact Palestinian societies across universities country-wide. This is a form of suppression of information and shutting down debate.

The legislation by the government is clearly targeted the Muslim community, with the Muslim Council of Britain publishing a report in 2016 title The Impact of Prevent on Muslim Communities. Whilst the report is old, there has been very little to no movement to improve the concerns that were outlined and with anti-Muslim ideals growing amongst the British public, the Uk Government seem insistent on manufacturing anti-Semitism stories where there arent any, on the man who is likely to tackle the issues above.

The four issues the MCB outlined were, the fundamental approach is problematic and lacks an evidentiary base. A rapidly growing notion of what constitutes extremism which discourages free speech. Suspect communities are created, fuelling Islamophobia and a lack of transparency and accountability leads to greater suspicion. If the government were serious about tackling both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, there would be a rapid change in foreign and domestic policy that currently censors humanitarian activism.
A newsagent in Italy shows how one paper reacted to the Brexit vote (Getty)

British people remain firmly divided over what Brexit will do to the UK, but Europe  it seems  isnt too worried about how Britains imminent departure will impact the Continent.

Thats according to a major study on media coverage across Europe, which shows that  despite perceptions to the contrary  Brexit is not portrayed negatively across the EU.

Researchers from the Reuters Journalism Institute at Oxford University monitored print, digital and TV news in eight countries over six months to build a picture of how Brexit is being reported abroad.

They found that there is a huge interest in the process and that most of the coverage was fact-based and unbiased.

Contrary to popular assumptions that news media are biased and opinionated, the study found that European Brexit coverage was predominantly fact-based, the report says.

Graph showing the percentage of European media coverage that was biased (Oxford University)

Of the 3,516 news items they analysed, some 78% were were neutral about Brexit.

Of the 22% that conveyed an opinion, 74% was anti-Brexit, 17% was mixed and 9% was pro-Brexit.

The researchers found notable national differences when it came to reporting Brexit.

The Spanish and Irish press are most hostile to Brexit, while their colleagues in Italy and France tend to take a more balanced view.

The French media were most likely to report Brexit as a challenging situation for Britain, while there were more concerns expressed about the future of the EU in Greece and Sweden.

Graph showing what view EU media is taking on Brexit (Oxford University)

Overall, they found a general lack of anxiety about the impact of Brexit on the EU.

On the content of articles, they found almost half were dedicated to covering the progress and setbacks in Brexit negotiations.

The rest of the coverage was dominated by economic, trade and businesses issues, with little space for more human stories, such as those on the rights of EU citizens living in Britain.

When it came to the key players, Theresa May was the most quoted person followed by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Chart showing what issues have been raised in European news coverage of Brexit (Oxford University)

Conservative politicians dominated when it came to UK voices in the European media, with 12.4% of space, compared to just 3% for Labour and 0.3% for prominent Leave advocates like Nigel Farage.

Story continues

Surprisingly, politicians from the EU countries barely featured in Brexit news items  even in their own countries.

The report said: Politicians from other EU countries were rarely quoted on Brexit issues.

This contrasts with the impression sometimes given in British media coverage that European politicians meddle in British affairs.

In the UK, a study in February looked into whether news outlets were viewed as partisan on the issue of Brexit by the public.

The Daily Mail and the Sun were most likely to be considered to be pro-Brexit, with 40% and 37% respectively identifying them as being in support of leaving the EU.

BBC News is seen as the second most anti-Brexit news source, at 27%, followed by The Independent on 23%.

Brexit bias? This is how the public think news outlets lean on Brexit (YouGov)

But overall most Brits say they dont know the stance of the major newspapers and websites.

Matthew Smith, a data scientist at YouGov, said: This is not particularly surprising.

Despite what journalists may like to think, many people pay a very limited amount of attention to the news and then only from a limited number of sources, certainly not enough to have figured out the editorial stance of all national outlets.




DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair cancelled at least 20 flights to and from airports in Portugal on Thursday on the first of three days of planned strikes by a cabin crew union, according to flight information on the airline's web site.

The airline, Europe's largest low-cost carrier with around 2,000 flights per day, has never experienced major disruption due to strikes.

But after recognising trade unions for the first time in its 30-year history in December to avoid mass Christmas strikes, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said the airline was prepared for smaller localised action this year.

Portugal's SNPVAC union last week confirmed plans to hold strikes on March 29, April 1 and April 4, saying management had failed to meet their demands on working conditions.

Union representatives say the strikes were motivated by below-par labour conditions, including disciplinary processes and threats for not reaching in-flight sales objectives.

They also accuse the company of ignoring basic parenthood rights and not allowing doctor-approved sick days.

Ryanair says staff working conditions are comparable to competitors. It has accused union members from competitor airlines such as TAP and easyJet of organising the strike to disrupt its operations, a charge the union has rejected.

Ryanair said in a statement there had been a small number of cancellations on Thursday due to the strike, which it described as "unnecessary and unjustified."

Data on its web site showed 20 flights had been cancelled, 14 of them to or from Porto airport.

Ryanair flew additional flights on Thursday for disrupted passengers and is planning additional flights on Friday morning, the statement said. The majority of Portuguese crews worked as normal on Thursday, it said.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Adrian Croft and Mark Potter)
FILE PHOTO: British designer Stella McCartney appears at the end of her Fall/Winter 2017-2018 women's ready-to-wear collection show during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris FILE PHOTO: British designer Stella McCartney appears at the end of her Fall/Winter 2017-2018 women's ready-to-wear collection show during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France March 6, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - Kering and fashion label Stella McCartney said on Wednesday they had agreed to end their 17 year partnership, as the British designer behind the brand buys the 50 percent owned by the French luxury goods group.

They did not disclose financial terms for the deal.

McCartney, known for her understated designs and commitment not to use fur or leather, had an option until March 31 to buy out half of her label under the terms of the partnership.

"It is the right moment to acquire the full control of the company bearing my name," McCartney said in a statement.

A spokesman for the label declined to comment on how the acquisition would be financed.

Following the agreement, Kering will continue to lend some support and services to the brand for a year, and the split will be final by the end of the first quarter of 2019, according to a spokeswoman for the French group.

McCartney will stay on as a board member of the Kering Foundation, which works to stop violence against women, and the companies said she would collaborate with Kering "in the field of sustainable fashion" - an area that has become her hallmark.

London-born Stella McCartney, daughter of the Beatles' Paul McCartney, first made her mark at Richemont-owned fashion label Chloe.

She launched her eponymous label in partnership with the Gucci Group, formerly a division of what is now Kering, in 2001.

Kering, run by Francois-Henri Pinault, the scion of the group's founding family, does not break out earnings for the brand, but it is a much smaller contributor to sales than labels such as Gucci or Balenciaga.

The conglomerate's latest financial report said revenue growth at Stella McCartney was buoyant but had slowed in 2017 compared to previous years.

The split with Stella McCartney comes as Kering prepares to spin off German sportswear label Puma to its own shareholders, as it focuses more squarely on its high-margin luxury brands and builds up those with a high growth potential.

Stella McCartney presented her latest collection for next autumn and winter at Paris' sumptuous Opera Garnier in early March. It was the label's first show catwalk show to mix men and women's clothing, and some designs such a jacket were made from materials like alter nappa, an alternative to leather.

(Reporting by Sarah White; Editing by Alison Williams)
Las Vegas event welcomes the latest group of speakers to discuss the latest innovation and best business practices.

Trumbull, CT  March 29, 2018  TMC today announced the latest round of speakers to join MSP Expo to be held May 16-17, 2018, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. MSP Expo brings together telecom MSP professionals and thought leaders to network and explore the latest innovations and business practices. MSP Expo is collocated with ITEX, the largest and most extensive national trade show connecting vendors and resellers in the office technology space.

Its a competitive market out there, with players coming at the IT and communications space from every angle. MSP Expo will inform managed service providers how they can rise above the noise to expand their portfolios, differentiate their offers, and win more loyal customers and increase revenues in the process, says TMC Executive Editor Paula Bernier. I look forward to the interactive panels planned for this Vegas event, which will illuminate market trends, and MSP challenges, solutions, and market opportunities.

MSP Expo speakers include:

Jonathan Morgan, Director Security Ops and Development, Area 1 Security

Wayne Landt, Director of Channel Sales, Digium

Karpagam Narayanan, Founder and President, eKryp

Bishnu Nayak, CTO, FixStream

Joe Alapat, CEO and Founder, Liongard

Paul Mako, CEO & CTO, Massive Networks

Paul Tien, CEO & Founder, Morro Data

Guy Cunningham, Vice President, Channel Sales and Alliances, Netsurion

Scott McCrady, Vice President for Global Strategic Partnering, SonicWall

Karl Zimmerman, Founder and CEO, Steadfast

Edward Dryer, Sr Technology Strategist, Steadfast

Jason Blohm, Account Manager, Tigerpaw Software

Trey Anderson, Technology Evangelist for UCaaS, TPx

David Hagen, Managed IT Evangelist, TPx

Mark Achzenick, VP of IT Innovation & Managed Services, Unify Square

Rachna Srivastava, Senior Manager of Product Marketing, VeloCloud

Speakers are added frequently, so check back on the conference program for updates.

The collocated exhibit hall has over 80 booths including, FaxBack, Massive Networks, Sentinel Intrusion Prevention Systems, TouchTone Communications and more.

Registration is open, for more information email events@tmcnet.com. For media inquiries, contact Jessica Seabrook. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages for ITEXPO should contact TMC's Joe Fabiano at 203-852-6800 x132 or Maureen Gambino at 203-852-6800 x109.

For the latest MSP Expo news, updates and information follow the event on Twitter at @MSPExpo.

About TMC

Global buyers rely on TMCs content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. This presents branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities for vendors/sellers.

TMCs Marketplaces:

Unique, turnkey Online Communities boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking.

Custom Lead Programs uncover sales opportunities and build databases.

In-Person and Online Events boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads.

Publications, Display Advertising and Newsletters bolster brand reputations.

Custom Content provides expertly ghost-written blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and

overall marketing efforts.

overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face.



For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com.

Media and Analyst Contact:

Jessica Seabrook

Marketing Director

TMC

203-852-6800 x 170

jseabrook@tmcnet.com

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Edited by Maurice Nagle
By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria's government, the only one in Western Europe to include the far right, has spent much of its first 100 days dealing with anti-Semitism scandals and other unforeseen headwinds but only the anti-immigrant Freedom Party has suffered damage so far.

After an election dominated by Europe's migration crisis, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's conservatives and the Freedom Party (FPO) have stuck to their hard line on immigration, pledging to cut benefits for refugees and workers' children living abroad.

But unscripted incidents have been piling up, from allegations of an FPO-driven purge at a domestic intelligence agency to unexpectedly stiff opposition to the government's plans to allow smoking in bars and restaurants.

So far, the 31-year-old Kurz has stayed largely on-message, if slightly withdrawn, while most of the blame for recent setbacks has stuck to the FPO, costing it support both in regional elections and national opinion polls.

"The FPO grew up as an opposition party," political analyst Anton Pelinka said. "As a government party they are certainly going to have to suffer heavy losses. That is already becoming clear."

During more than a decade in opposition the FPO presented itself as the only alternative to the Alpine republic's tradition of centrist coalitions like the last one, between Kurz's People's Party (OVP) and the Social Democrats.

While it has only lost a few points in polls since securing 26 percent in October's parliamentary election, the FPO has failed to match that score in all three provincial votes this year. Polls show support for the OVP unchanged at about 32 percent.

A cartoon this month in the Oberoesterreichische Nachrichten newspaper illustrated the mood, showing a suited Kurz walking on water while FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache was neck-deep in it, arms flailing from his life jacket.

The FPO has certainly been in more hot water than Kurz and his party.

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An anti-Semitism affair that has engulfed two right-wing fraternities close to the FPO prompted the party to set up a committee of historians to examine its past - an effort that Austria's Jewish community views with scepticism.

The FPO also championed the right to smoke in bars and restaurants, spurring more than half a million people to sign a petition calling for a smoking ban, embarrassing a party that has simultaneously called for more direct democracy.

Strache also had to pay 10,000 euros ($12,350) in damages and issue a public apology to settle a defamation case brought by Austria's top news anchor after he posted a message on Facebook accusing him and state broadcaster ORF of lying.

STRATEGIC SILENCE

But there is no sign so far that voters, many of whom had grown tired of bickering, often dysfunctional centrist coalitions, blame Kurz for bringing the FPO into government.

And although allegations of a purge by the FPO interior minister at the BVT intelligence agency have caused tension, the two parties and their leaders have largely avoided public disputes, in contrast to previous governments.

"Despite several potential conflicts they have been able to avoid open discord," political analyst Thomas Hofer said. "The crisis management has been good."

Kurz's public comments have been so disciplined that he has been mocked for being too cautious or even silent. A satirical website said the late British physicist Stephen Hawking had bequeathed his speech synthesizer to Kurz to enable him "to communicate with the outside world again".

That criticism appears confined to the Vienna bubble for the time being.

Economic growth in the affluent European Union country of 10 million people has picked up and is projected to reach around 3 percent this year, giving the government some fiscal leeway.

It plans to cut taxes and balance the budget next year but has so far shied away from serious structural reform. And it could ultimately be judged on whether it lives up to pledges to overhaul the public sector that have largely yet to be clearly defined.

"For the moment that is evidently still working - being popular without saying anything of substance," Pelinka said. "How long can that last? Certainly not forever. But it could be one, two, three years."

($1 = 0.8099 euros)

(Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Traveller contracts first case of antibiotic-resistant super-gonorrhea

A British man has contracted what doctors have described as the worlds worst-ever case of super-gonorrhea on a trip to Asia.

The man, who has not been named by Public Health England, could not be treated with the antibiotics usually used for the sexually transmitted infection.

He had a regular partner in the UK, but contracted the bug after a sexual encounter with a woman in South East Asia.

The first choice antibiotic treatment  a combination of azithromycin and ceftriaxone  has failed to treat the bug, in a world first.

MOST POPULAR TODAY ON YAHOO

Gonorrhea is spread by unprotected sex, and symptoms can include a thick green or yellow discharge from sexual organs and pain while urinating.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, from Public Health England, said: This is the first time a case has displayed such high-level resistance to both of these drugs and to most other commonly used antibiotics.

The man is now being treated with another antibiotic, and researchers are waiting to see if it will work, Public Health England said.

Dr Hughes said, We are following up this case to ensure that the infection was effectively treated with other options and the risk of any onward transmission is minimised.
FILE PHOTO: Re-elected Czech President Milos Zeman attends the inauguration ceremony at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, March 8, 2018. REUTERS/David W Cerny

Thomson Reuters

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech President Milos Zeman has ordered the country's counter-intelligence service to see if the type of nerve agent used in an attack in Britain could have been made in the Czech Republic.

Zeman's request followed strong government rebuttals of Russian allegations that the nerve agent could have come from the Czech Republic, among other countries.

The Czech Republic joined the United States and governments across Europe to expel more than 100 Russian diplomats on Monday in response to the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain.

Moscow has denied being behind the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia remain critically ill in hospital.

Zeman's request to look into whether the Czechs produced the nerve agent Novichok was announced by his spokesman after the president met the head of the BIS counter-intelligence service.

"The president has tasked the BIS to find out whether or not the nerve gas 'Novichok' was developed or stored on the Czech Republic's territory, be it at industrial or scientific facilities," Zeman's spokesman said in a statement.

The spokesman later said on Twitter, in reaction to a news website headline that interpreted the decision as siding with Russia: "Fake news. The tasking of BIS is a reaction to Russia's repeated allegations against the Czech Republic."

Zeman has often taken pro-Russian positions in the past.

Under the Czech constitution, the government is in charge of foreign policy but the president wields certain powers as well as the ability to ask the BIS to carry out tasks.

Commenting on the expulsion of three Russian diplomats, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said it was in solidarity with Britain and he denied Moscow's suggestion the nerve agent could have originated in the Czech Republic.

"The Russians breached all boundaries when they said the poisonous substance Novichok may have come from us, that is a total lie, we have rejected this assertion right from the start when the Russian side put it out."

Story continues

The government's spokeswoman had no immediate comment on Zeman's request for the counter-intelligence service to investigate the claim.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Michael Kahn and Robin Pomeroy)

See Also:
Relatives waiting for news outside a Venezuelan prison where 68 inmates have died in a fire have been tear-gassed by police.

The blaze started when violence broke out during an attempted breakout at the jail, which is attached to a police station, in the northern city of Valencia.

Families of the prisoners, who were hoping for news outside the police station, were dispersed with tear gas, while others came up against police officers wielding riot shields.

One woman present outside the jail, Dora Blanco, told local media: "I am a desperate mother. My son has been here a week. They have not given any information."

Another distraught mother, Aida Parra, said: "I don't know if my son is dead or alive. They haven't told me anything."

There are reports that a number of people burned to death during the unrest, and a policeman is recovering in a stable condition after being shot in the leg. Another was wounded by a stone that was thrown.

Firefighters have now extinguished the blaze, which reportedly started when inmates set fire to mattresses.

Chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab used Twitter to confirm the death toll, which includes two women thought to have been visiting the cells, adding that four prosecutors had been assigned to "clarify these dramatic events".

It is the latest deadly incident at one of the country's overcrowded jails, with this prison believed to have a capacity of about 60.

Rafael Lacava, the governor of Carabobo state, said: "A serious and profound investigation has been initiated to find the causes and those responsible for these regrettable events."

His local political opponent, Juan Miguel Matheus, has demanded that those waiting outside the facility be kept informed: "The desperation of relatives should not be played with."

Many Venezuelan jails are lawless and have been for decades.

Prisoners often openly wield machine guns and grenades, use drugs and leave guards powerless.

Story continues

The overcrowding at many of the country's penitentiaries means convicts are often sent to temporary pens designed for suspects facing charges and court hearings, where they are supposed to stay for up to 48 hours only.

Two weeks ago, 58 detainees had to be recaptured after escaping holding cells on the popular tourist spot of Margarita Island, and in August 2017 a riot at police cells in the southern state of Amazonas left 37 dead and 14 wounded.

Last April, a dozen people died and 11 were injured when rival gangs fought at the Puente Ayala prison in the eastern city of Barcelona, and a month before that the remains of 14 people were found in a mass grave at the General Penitentiary of Venezuela in San Juan de Los Morros.

Activist Humberto Prado said of the country's prisons: "There are people who are inside those dungeons, and the authorities do not know they exist because they do not dare to enter."
FILE PHOTO - A worker shelters from the rain under a Union Flag umbrella as he passes the London Stock Exchange in London, Britain, October 1, 2008. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

By Tom Pfeiffer and Kit Rees

LONDON (Reuters) - A move into defensive stocks helped Britain's FTSE climb to a one-week high on Wednesday, shaking off broader concerns over the U.S. tech sector that rattled global equity markets. Shares in pharma firm Shire surged.

Shire Plc <SHP.L> jumped around 14 percent after Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co <4502.T> said it was considering a possible offer for the London-listed drugmaker.

"We see the possible strategic fit given the Japanese pharma's focus therapeutic areas of oncology, gastrointestinal and neuroscience, with Shire bolstering the latter two franchises," analysts at Jefferies said in a note.

The gains in Shire helped the FTSE recover early losses, as bad news about U.S. tech giants and fears of a trade war fuelled concern over valuations across global equities.

The FTSE 100 index ended up 0.6 percent at 7,044.74 points, whereas Europe's STOXX 600 <.STOXX> index rose 0.3 percent. Demand for defensive, bond-proxy-type stocks offset falls among cyclical sectors such as mining and energy. British mid caps <.FTMC> fell 0.2 percent.

Global trade tensions hit the value of key metals such as copper, and a surprise increase in U.S. crude inventories sent Brent crude futures <LCOc1> back below $70 a barrel.

Tech stocks have come under pressure amid signs regulators might rein in the sector following years of strong growth and privacy concerns around Facebook <FB.O> and Google <GOOGL.O>.

Facebook shares are now down 14 percent this month.

"Everyone wants to know how far this tech sell-off has to go and how much it affects everyone else," said IG's Chris Beauchamp. "People can cope with a modest sell-off, but when you get to these proportions and it hits the strongest performers so hard ... it sends the signal that others can be vulnerable, too."

Defensive stocks such as utilities, however, gained as investors bought back into sectors that have been relatively unloved as bond yields marched higher, rendering their big dividends less attractive.

Story continues

Unilever <ULVR.L> was among top FTSE gainers, rising 4.7 percent after UBS upgraded the consumer goods giant to "buy" on expectations of improving volume growth and operating margin expansion.

Capita <CPI.L> rose 1.5 percent after a person familiar with the matter said the outsourcing firm would publish a five-year transformation plan and details of a rights issue with its annual results on April 26.

(GRAPHIC - FTSE 100 vs 250: https://reut.rs/2pLiUyu)

(Reporting by Tom Pfeiffer and Kit Rees; Editing by Larry King and Mark Potter)
By Andrea Shalal

COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - Germany and the Netherlands could deepen missile defence ties in the coming years to strengthen NATO defences, a German general told Reuters, at a time of growing tensions with Russia.

Defence ministers from both countries will emphasise the growing importance of their military ties at a Dutch base on April 4, when a German short-range air defence unit is formally put under Dutch command.

Brigadier General Michael Gschossmann, commander of ground-based units for the German air force, said the move was "politically significant" and could pave the way for joint development of new weapons and joint operation of existing long-range missile defence systems such as the Patriot system.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has said perceived U.S. isolationism under President Donald Trump and the threat posed by Russia as well as instability in Africa and the Middle East mean Germany and Europe must be more active in regional security.

Germany and the Netherlands are also among a number of European Union states which have expelled Russian diplomats over Moscow's suspected involvement in the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England.

The German and Dutch militaries have already knitted together some land forces and naval elements, and train together on missile defence, in what could be a model for deeper security cooperation in Europe in the future.

"We are now working with the Dutch to integrate our smaller systems, and suggest that cooperation could be expanded to include larger weapons systems in the longer term," Gschossmann said in an interview. "If there's a political will to move ahead, it could happen relatively quickly."

The moves are being watched by U.S. and European arms makers keen to secure orders as Western powers beef up their defences against missiles and other threats including drones.

A spokesman for German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen declined comment on the scope of future German-Dutch projects. A Dutch defence ministry spokeswoman said the two countries were looking at possible joint procurement programmes, but had not yet reached any decisions.

Story continues

ECONOMY OF EFFORT

Since World War Two, Britain and France have been Europe's top military powers. However, Germany has come under increased pressure since Trump's election to meet NATO's defence spending target, set at two percent of member states' annual economic output.

The new coalition government says it intends to meet Germany's NATO commitments, but its agreement does not explicitly mention reaching the spending target by 2024.

Gschossmann said working together on new capabilities made sense given tight budgets and the fact that both countries needed to buy new short-range air defence missiles and radar systems, including a replacement for Stinger shoulder-launched missiles that will go out of service in the mid-2020s.

Germany is close to completing requirements for a new very-short and short-range air defence system that could be worth around 2 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in the near-term, according to government sources.

The Defence Ministry is expected to launch a competition this summer with the goal of awarding a contract in mid-2019, Gschossmann said.

Potential bidders include Diehl Defense, a privately held German weapons maker, whose IRIS-T missile has been modified with a dual-cab tracked vehicle built by a unit of BAE Systems for Sweden.

France's Thales systems, would also be likely to compete for the order, industry sources said.

Germany aims to have six brigades ready for deployment by 2032, which would require close to 20 air-defence fire units to protect them, Gschossmann said.

Joint work by the Germans and the Dutch could even extend to the United States in the future, Gschossmann said, noting that the U.S. military was also seeking to rebuild its short-range air defences after years of cuts.

In the longer term, Germany and the Netherlands could jointly operate longer-range missile defence systems such as the Patriot system built by U.S. arms maker Raytheon Co, Gschossmann said.

That system is due to remain in use in Germany until at least 2030, he said, although Germany is also negotiating a contract for a follow-on system with Lockheed Martin Corp and European missiles maker MBDA.

($1 = 0.8111 euros)

(additional reporting by Anthony Deutsch; editing by David Stamp)
BERLIN (Reuters) - The leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine will look at possible steps to accelerate the implementation of the Minsk peace agreements for eastern Ukraine in coming months, a German government spokesman said on Thursday.

The four countries, who have worked as in a grouping called the 'Normandy Format' to try to end the crisis in eastern Ukraine, also welcomed an agreement by the conflict parties to strengthen a ceasefire from March 30, spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.

(Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Andrea Shalal)
By Cheikh Amadou Diouara

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Unidentified gunmen killed one person and wounded at least two others late on Wednesday in an attack on a hotel in the central Mali town of Bandiagara regularly frequented by United Nations staff and humanitarian workers, witnesses said.

Just two days ago, Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga visited Bandiagara and gave a speech in which he promised to defeat the Islamist insurgents who have plunged Mali's central and northern regions into chaos.

Five men approached the entrance to Bandiagara's Hotel la Falaise on foot at around 9.30 p.m. (2130 GMT), removed rifles from beneath their flowing traditional robes and opened fire, several witnesses said.

"They were walking calmly and seemed normal," said Bocar Karambe, a driver who was across the street from the hotel when the attack began.

"Once they arrived in front of the gate, we heard the gunfire. When I turned around I saw they were shooting point blank at the people in front of the hotel," he said.

At least three people, a soldier guarding the entrance and two hotel workers, were struck by bullets. The soldier later succumbed to his injuries, Karambe and a second witness said.

One attacker was also killed.

"I saw the body of one of the attackers lying on the ground. He had been shot by that same soldier before he was himself gunned down by the other assailants," said Barema Kassogue, who sells antiques near the hotel.

The Hotel la Falaise was once popular with tourists visiting the Dogon people, who inhabit the cliffs of Mali's central plateau.

However, the area's tourism industry dried up after Islamist groups, some with links to al Qaeda, seized Mali's desert north in 2012. They were driven back by a French-led military intervention a year later, but attacks remain frequent.

The hotel now mainly caters to humanitarian aid workers responding to the consequences of the violence.

Prime Minister Maiga and eight of his ministers began a nine-stop national tour last week aimed at shoring up support for the government of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita ahead of national elections planned for July 29.

Story continues

The trip included stops in several areas senior government officials rarely visit because of security concerns.

Central Mali's once peaceful Mopti region, which includes Bandiagara, has become a new flashpoint for violence over the past year as marginalised Fulani herdsmen have joined forces with al Qaeda-allied Islamists based farther north.

(Reporting by Cheikh Amadou Diouara; Writing by Joe Bavier; editing by Grant McCool)
FILE PHOTO: A man shoots a CZ 9x21caliber pistol at a shooting range in Rome FILE PHOTO: A man shoots a CZ 9x21caliber pistol at a shooting range in Rome, Italy, March 23, 2018. REUTERS/Max Rossi/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Hungarian authorities on Wednesday arrested a German suspected of selling arms via an anti-immigrant website called "Migrants' Fright", the Berlin public prosecutor said on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old man ran the website from Hungary to serve German clients from May to November 2016 before it was shut down, the prosecutor's office said.

An internet search showed the website offered "first class and discretely delivered" ammunition and guns such as pistols and Kalashnikovs to clients "without troublesome bureaucratic hurdles or annoying paperwork".

Hungarian authorities raided two sites in Budapest and the city of Barcs on Wednesday, seizing data and other evidence, the prosecutor's office said, adding that the man was suspected of 193 cases of illegal arms sales.

The investigation had been under way since 2016, when German magazine Focus reported that the suspect was operating "Anonymous.Kollektiv", a far-right anti-immigration website that had nearly 2 million followers on Facebook. The page has since been deleted.

German authorities have sought to crack down on attacks against immigrants which have increased since the influx of over a million mostly Muslim migrants beginning in 2015.

There were more than 2,000 attacks against migrants in 2017, ranging from physical assault to serious property damage, the German interior ministry said in February. It was not clear how many of the attacks involved weapons.

(Reporting By Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Andrea Shalal and Robin Pomeroy)
By Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Iranian chairman of a Maltese bank on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to U.S. charges that he took part in a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran by funnelling more than $115 million from a Venezuelan company to an Iranian company through the U.S. financial system under a construction contract.

Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad, chairman of Maltese-registered Pilatus Bank, entered his plea at a court hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses in Manhattan. Moses denied Sadr's request to be released on bail, saying his wealth and connections around the world pointed to a high risk that he would flee.

Andrew Bauer, Sadr's lawyer, argued during the hearing that his client was unlikely to flee in part because he has ties to the United States, saying he was married to a U.S. citizen and is a legal resident of the country. He said Sadr's wife and children were living in London while their residence in Washington, D.C., was being renovated.

Sadr, 38, was arrested last week on charges including conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions and money laundering.

Prosecutors said Sadr helped hide the fact that a Venezuelan state-owned energy company was paying his family's Iran-based Stratus Group conglomerate in U.S. dollars through the U.S. financial system under a 2006 construction contract, violating sanctions. They said Sadr used Swiss and Turkish entities to conceal the Iranian connection to the funds.

Prosecutors said that under the contract, the Venezuelan company had agreed to pay a Stratus Group affiliate $476 million to build 7,000 housing units in Venezuela, of which more than $115 million was actually paid. They said the deal arose from agreements between the governments of Iran and Venezuela to cooperate on building housing in the South American country.

Bauer said at Wednesday's court hearing that the payments were not made for the benefit of Iran's government, and that Sadr's father, who founded Stratus Group, was at one point imprisoned in Iran for opposing the government.

Story continues

Pilatus Bank's assets were frozen by the Malta Financial Service Authority following Sadr's arrest. Six members of the European Parliament this week called for the European Central Bank to reconsider Pilatus' banking license and screen the Maltese banking sector for more financial crime.

Malta's police have said the suspected sanctions busting did not involve Maltese citizens or institutions and that no transactions passed through Malta.

Pilatus has not responded to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Italian President Sergio Mattarella speaks during a ceremony for the International Women's Day at the Quirinale Palace, in Rome, Italy March 8, 2018. Italian Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Sergio Mattarella will hold talks about the formation of a government with political parties on April 4-5, a statement from the head of state's office said on Thursday.

Mattarella has the power to name a prime minister, but the March 4 national election ended with a hung parliament so it is still unclear whether rivals can find common ground for a coalition government, or whether another vote will be needed.

If the president cannot find an obvious solution after the first round of meetings, he can call for subsequent talks and the process might take weeks. Italy's parliament is divided three ways between a right-wing coalition, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, and the centre-left Democratic Party.

(Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Crispian Balmer)
Plans to open joint border checkpoints between China and Vietnam in May 2018 belie unresolved tensions in relations between the two countries. Despite scrapping a marine oil-drilling project in a disputed area following Chinese threats, Hanoi maintains its claim to what it calls the East Sea  or what the Chinese call the South China Sea. The dispute has led to anti-Chinese sentiment in major Vietnamese cities.

Far away from urban areas, Vietnamese citizens living in the northern borderlands are intimately connected to China. Almost the entire length of the 1,280km-long Sino-Vietnamese border is at least 500 metres above sea level, with some areas reaching 2000 metres high. These highlands are home to a number of minority groups with their own unique histories and cultures who are neither ethnic Han (Chinese) nor Kinh (Vietnamese), but live on both sides of the border.

Read more: Vietnam is struggling to unite its Mekong neighbours against China

A significant group who live in these border regions are the Hmong. There are two million Hmong in China, a million in Vietnam and up to a million more spread across Laos, Thailand and in diaspora communities in the US. Today, their shared transnational identity is based on speaking mutually intelligible dialects of the Hmong language, as well as sharing the same clan surnames.

Traditionally, the Hmong have practised shifting cultivation  also known as slash and burn  and were highly mobile. In the 1960s, Hmong from China migrated to Vietnam during the extreme hardships of the cultural revolution. But since the 1990s, when living conditions in China began to improve, more Hmong have been moving back.

Chinese invasion and Christian conversion

In 1979, 80,000 Chinese troops crossed the border intending to teach Vietnam a lesson for invading Cambodia and toppling the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge. The war lasted just six weeks but both sides suffered high casualties as combat raged through the highlands.

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Most Hmong fled from the fighting up into the forests and mountains, but soon afterwards communities were forcibly relocated away from borderland regions, in the unabashedly-named Move (the Hmong) down the Mountains programme. In some areas, only those with a Chinese-sounding surname were forced to migrate downhill, while those with Vietnamese surnames were allowed to stay.

These policies were rooted in government mistrust of Hmong transnational networks and migration, compounding a fear that their loyalties may not be with the Vietnamese state. Unfortunately, many Hmong families who were settled in lowland areas after 1979 with little fertile land or forest suffered from malnutrition and new diseases which they had not developed resistance to.

Since the late 1980s, hundreds of thousands of Hmong in Vietnam have been converting to Protestant Christianity  a complex and remarkable phenomenon which is having a profound impact on Hmong society and ethnic politics. Researchers estimate that around a third of Hmong in Vietnam are now Christians, although this trend is not as prominent among Hmong in China or elsewhere.

Vietnamese authorities have always been extremely suspicious of Christianity, branding it a Western religion associated with their former colonial (French) and imperialist (American) invaders. Government papers and news reports routinely accuse hostile external forces of inciting elements of defection through Hmong conversion to create internal instability among the highlands. As such, local officials have been guilty of brutal religious persecution ranging from beatings and imprisonment to confiscation of property and land, in the name of encouraging Hmong believers to give up their new faith.

Nevertheless, Hmong Christians have been growing in numbers and strength. In the 1990s, church leaders crossed the border into China in order to attend Bible schools, since they were not allowed to study theology in Vietnam at the time. Later on, Hmong missionaries from the American diaspora would enter Vietnam via the Chinese border, illegally smuggling in Hmong-language Bibles and preaching at church groups.

Signs of more cooperation

While I was conducting fieldwork in Vietnams northern highlands in mid-2014, the latest round of South China Sea conflict erupted as a Chinese oil rig was moved into contested waters. There were ominous reports about an endless stream of Chinese troops massing near Vietnams borders, as border crossings closed.

In a district of Lao Cai province, Hmong church leaders were summoned to local government headquarters, perhaps expecting a stern warning against proselytising or even detainment. Surprisingly, however, local officials asked pastors to support the national cause by relaying information to their congregations about evacuation procedures (should China invade) and dissuading anyone from crossing the border. Apparently, they were even encouraged by the socialist authorities to pray for the welfare of Vietnam.

The church groups agreed to cooperate and prayed continuously for peace over three days. When China later withdrew the oil rig and tensions deescalated in July, some Christians attributed it to divine intervention, claiming that God had sent Typhoon Rammasun to force China to back down and move out of the disputed territory.

One unexpected consequence of the 2014 dispute was to bring some Hmong churches and Vietnamese local authorities into closer cooperation, although religious discrimination still persists in other border provinces.

In the past five years, more and more Vietnamese Hmong have been seasonally migrating to China for higher-paid work, but often end up exploited or trafficked into forced marriage. They may continue to be viewed with suspicion by the Vietnamese government for their cross-border networks and apparent lack of patriotism, but most Hmong I interviewed have no preference for Chinese subjugation either.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Seb Rumsby does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
By Fatos Bytyci

ISTANBUL/PRISTINA (Reuters) - Six Turkish nationals arrested in Kosovo over links to schools financed by the Fethullah Gulen movement that Ankara blames for a failed 2016 coup have been extradited to Turkey, Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu said on Thursday.

Kosovo's Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said he was not informed about the operation to deport the six, which he said was carried out by the secret service agency and police. Local media have dubbed the move a "kidnapping."

The Kosovo Interior Ministry said the residence permits of the six had been revoked after their arrest for "security reasons," but it did not elaborate.

Anadolu said the six were now in Turkish custody. It identified them as Cihan Ozkan, Kahraman Demirez, Hasan Huseyin Gunakan, Mustafa Erdem, Osman Karakaya and Yusuf Karabina, and it said all were "senior members" of Gulen's network.

It said the six were responsible for recruitment in Gulen's network and helping those in Turkey leave the country amid a security crackdown in which tens of thousands of people have been sacked or jailed over alleged Gulen links.

Ankara accuses Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric, of orchestrating the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, and has declared his movement a terrorist organisation. He denies any connection with the abortive putsch.

At its peak, the Gulen movement operated schools in 160 countries, from Afghanistan to the United States. Since the coup attempt, Turkey has pressured allies to shut down Gulen-run establishments.

"We have been facing enormous pressure from the Turkish authorities in the past weeks to take actions against Gulen schools and their staff," a Kosovo government senior official told Reuters in condition of anonymity.

Authorities in Kosovo, whose population is mainly Muslim, said earlier there were no plans to shut down Gulen schools.

Haradinaj said he would respond to the incident appropriately.

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"Some of the elements of this operation are not clear including the urgency of the deportation," he wrote on his Facebook page. "I will act in accordance with the constitutional responsibilities."

It remains unclear why Pristina decided to fly the six back to Turkey.

Turkey is a major supporter of impoverished Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and Turkish firms run the tiny Balkan country's sole airport and electricity network, and are building two highways worth around $2 billion.

In Sarajevo, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said after a meeting with his Bosnian counterpart that more action should be taken against Gulen's followers there, "especially in the sectors of education and business, and (we) want (Bosnia's) continuous support for the solution of this problem".

Bosnian Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic said his country would continue to cooperate with Turkey to prevent "any activity that may endanger Bosnia's stability or its relations with Turkey".

Bosnia has taken no concrete steps against the schools believed to be financed by the Gulen network, but some Turkish teachers have left the country under political pressure since the coup attempt.

(Additional reporting by Dominic Evans and Ali Kucukgocmen in Istanbul, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Daria Sito-Sucic in Sarajevo; Writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Hugh Lawson)
Teslas Autopilot driver-assist technology is in the spotlight after a Model X SUV collided with another vehicle on a highway in Mountain View, California, on Friday afternoon.

A 38-year-old Tesla driver was killed in the incident after the crash caused his Model X to catch on fire. On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it was investigating the incident to determine whether the vehicle was safe to drive.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the NTSB said it is unclear whether the automated control system was active at the time of the crash. They also announced the two investigators will be looking into the post-crash fire and taking steps to ensure the vehicle is safe for removal from the scene.

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2 NTSB investigators conducting Field Investigation for fatal March 23, 2018, crash of a Tesla near Mountain View, CA. Unclear if automated control system was active at time of crash. Issues examined include: post-crash fire, steps to make vehicle safe for removal from scene.  NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) March 27, 2018

Yesterday, Tesla defended the technology in a blog post. "Our data shows that Tesla owners have driven this same stretch of highway with Autopilot engaged roughly 85,000 times since Autopilot was first rolled out in 2015 and roughly 20,000 times since just the beginning of the year, and there has never been an accident that we know of," the company wrote on its website.

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The company said that the reason the crash was so severe is because the highway safety barrier had been removed or crushed in a prior accident without being replaced.

We have never seen this level of damage to a Model X in any other crash, Tesla added.

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Getty

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Tesla rolled out the Autopilot function in 2015. A year later, a Tesla Model S crashed into a truck while on Autopilot mode in Florida, prompting criticisms that the function lulled drivers into a false sense of security.

The company responded by modifying the vehicle to better facilitate driver engagement while using Autopilot.

Newsweek has reached out to Tesla for comment.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
An elementary school teacher in Texas was suspended after she allegedly spoke about her sexual orientation with her students, officials said Tuesday.

Charlotte Anderson Elementary art teacher Stacy Bailey, 31, was suspended with pay in September. Officials with the Mansfield Independent School District (ISD) said it received complaints from parents about her discussing her sexual orientation with students.

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Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images

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In a statement sent to Newsweek, Mansfield ISD said it is their general rule not to comment on employee personnel matters but misinformation about Baileys personnel matter had "created disruption to the Charlotte Anderson Elementary School education environment."

District officials said the teacher was not suspended over her request to include LGBTQ language in its nondiscrimination policy. Instead, the district said, Bailey was suspended because she "insists that it is her right and that it is age appropriate for her to have ongoing discussions with elementary-aged students about her own sexual orientation, the sexual orientation of artists, and their relationships with other gay artists.

Parents have the right to control the conversation with their children, especially as it relates to religion, politics, sex/sexual orientation, etc., the statement continued.

Bailey had been warned after the district received parents complain but refused to follow administrations directions regarding age-appropriate conversation with students, officials said.

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The teachers attorney, Giana Ortiz, said that the situation began when she talked to students about her family, including her wife.

The district appears to speak for Stacy when it states that she insists it is her right and that is it is age appropriate to discuss matters including ongoing discussions about her own sexuality. This is absolutely false. Further, she never received directives to change her behaviorand never refused to follow any directive, Ortiz told The Dallas Morning News.

Ortiz expressed frustration about the school districts decision to speak about Baileys suspension, saying it violated Bailey's rights under the Constitution.

Baileys supporters have rallied behind her, with parents pleading with the school board to reinstate their beloved teacher back to the classroom.

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Florence Bruner, who has children at Charlotte Anderson Elementary, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: As a parent, we ask a lot of our children and our teachers, but there are two things we hope for the most  one is a teacher whose love of the subject inspires students, and the other is a teacher who cares deeply for our children. Stacy Bailey is without question both of these.

Bruner, whose fourth-grade daughter has taken art classes with Bailey since kindergarten, added that Bailey is dearly missed and loved by the children.

Nearly three dozen people, including Baileys wife, father and sister, voiced their support for her during a school board meeting on Tuesday. Eight people, including third-grader Kaine Hendrix, spoke to the board about Baileys departure or to ask about including LGBTQ-inclusive language in the districts anti-discrimination policy.

Ms. Bailey was my teacher, my role model and someone who always cheered me up, the 9-year-old boy said. Every time I go to art it is not the same.

This article was first written by Newsweek

More from Newsweek
By Allison Lampert and Alexander Cornwell

MONTREAL/DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Nations' aviation agency is trying to facilitate talks between Qatar and its neighbours to defuse tensions over alleged airspace violations, but will not intervene politically in the dispute, two sources familiar with the matter said this week.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is working to organise a regional meeting for Gulf civil aviation and air traffic authorities in the next few weeks, as part of broader efforts to improve communication, one of the sources said.

Earlier this week, the United Arab Emirates accused Qatari fighter jets of flying dangerously close to two of its civilian aircraft, the latest of several incidents raising tension in the region.

"Sometimes if you're having a feud with your neighbour you need someone to facilitate the conversation," the source said.

Montreal-based ICAO cannot impose binding rules on governments, but wields clout through its safety and security standards which are approved by its 192 member states.

ICAO spokesman Anthony Philbin said by email that the agency is "presently monitoring these incidents and working with all of the countries concerned to help keep the skies in this part of the world open, safe, and secure."

ICAO's governing council, however, is not planning to intervene in these latest disputes over airspace infringement, said the second source.

Improving communication is key because Qatar has limited airspace and is part of Bahrain's Flight Information Region, the first source said.

Both aviation industry sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential. Bahraini, Qatari, and UAE officials could not be reached for comment.

Since January, the Gulf states have traded accusations over infringements of their respective airspace. In June 2017, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt cut political, economic and transport ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting Islamist extremists. Qatar denies the accusations.

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The dispute has the potential to disrupt flights in a region with millions of travellers each year. Qatar Airways has flown longer routes since the UAE blocked it from its airspace.

A passenger jet belonging to Dubais Emirates, the regions biggest airline, was involved in a January incident when two Qatari air force jets allegedly flew dangerously close.

Doha denies the allegations.

In June, ICAO's governing council is expected to hear arguments by the Gulf states over the boycott, which Qatar is challenging, said the second source.

ICAO last year helped Qatar Airways access contingency routes over international waters.

(The story Corrects to show that ICAO has 192 member states, not 191, in fifth paragraph.)

(Reporting by Allison Lampert and Alexander Cornwell; editing by Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)
Thursday, March 29, 2018 ABQ Congress Candidates In Mad Dash Money Scramble, Idalia Ousted From State House Ballot And How A Lifelong Dem Got Switched



Part of the problem is the lack of public polling as well as the lack of any prominent personality in the pack. All are largely unknown to the public. That may mean TV ads play an even larger role in determining the outcome as voters finally get to see them, or at least the ones that can afford to be on the tube.



Supporters of Deb Haaland are citing her endorsement this week by BernCo County Commissioner Michael Quezada, who represents the South Valley, as a signal that the campaign of former US Attorney Damon Martinez is fading. They say that he has pinned his hopes on moderate and conservative Hispanic voters and Quezada's break to Haaland is a bad omen.



But that could be a bit of wishful thinking. Martinez reported over $300,000 in the bank at last report. If he hasn't burned through it and raised some more, he'll have a noticeable TV presence. Haaland and law professor Antoinette Sedillo Lopez are also expected to have significant TV buys. The other three hopefuls lag.



Whoever snares the Dem nomination June 5 might start celebrating early. The R's are not seriously competing in the district that is now as blue as a New Mexican sky.



IDALIA IS OUT



Lechuga-Tena Hey, your honor. The law may have said you had to throw former Dem State Rep. Idalia Lechuga-Tena off the June primary ballot, but we wanted to let you know the decision is bad--real bad--for the blogging business. Heck, everyone in town knows that Idalia and Debbie Sarinana, the current state rep for ABQ SE Heights District 21, were prepared to give us a race nearly as entertaining as this week's debut of



Lechuga-Tena was booted off the ballot by a judge after she acknowledged shes been living outside the House district she wants to represent. Lechuga-Tena testified that she is renting out the home she owns in District 21 to another family. But she said the house is still her permanent residence because shes registered to vote there, lived there before agreeing to rent out the house for a year and intends to move back once the renters leave in about 10 days.



Nice try. But Judge Nancy Franchini found that argument weaker than watered down Jack Daniels and off the ballot Idalia went. She will appeal but that's a long shot. There will be no rematch of the '16 primary when Sarinana beat her by five points.



So supporters of Rep. Sarinana not only congratulate her for her court victory but for essentially getting re-elected. No one else is running in the Dem primary and no Republican filed for the race. That's what you call two free tickets to ride.



Still, Judge, try to not hurt us small business owners too much with future decisions. We could have used that showdown.



SAMANTHA'S SWITCH



Judge Madrid (Sun-News) It seems as though Dona Ana County Magistrate Court Judge Samantha Madrid might have a pretty good case to get back on the ballot. She is a lifelong Dem but in



A lawsuit says she was disqualified from running as the Democratic candidate in her re-election bid because her voter registration lists her as an independent. But Madrid said she is a life-long Democrat and has never changed her affiliation.

According to the lawsuit, Madrid went to the MVD Express in Las Cruces on Oct. 3, 2017, seeking a duplicate copy of her driver's license. She answered a series of questions regarding her driver's license and citizenship, and then proceeded to sign the electronic pad, but was unaware that those questions also were being used to update her existing voter registration. It was during this process, the lawsuit alleges, that Madrid's party affiliation was changed without her knowledge.



Interesting. We'll keep you posted. Speaking of Independents, reader James McClure has some musings about them:



Joe, your analysis on the Tuesday blog of the states Democratic shift is on target: The disappearance of moderate Republicans along the lines of former US Senator Pete Domenici has driven more New Mexicans into the Democratic camp. But has the disappearance of moderate Democrats also contributed to the increasing number of people who register as independents?



Also, Im curious about the impact shifting demographics are having on the states political makeup. Weve had a significant out-migration of working-age people. Its a reasonable guess that the folks moving for better jobs are not government employees Has this effected the Dem/GOP balance? Id love to see someone like pollster Brian Sanderoff investigate this.



That sounds like it's right up Brian' s alley, if he isn't already busy working on the 2021 legislative redistricting. . .



McClure also offered this perspective on the blog debate this week that was critical of the ABQ Chamber of Commerce for not fostering policies that would help stem the ABQ crime wave:



Part of the problem is that Albuquerque does not have a full-fledged private sector. The only corporation of any size is the power company (PNM). The big healthcare enterprises are non-profit and there is little manufacturing. Most banks are no longer locally owned. The chamber is dominated by professional service firms, builders and developers--many of who rely on government business.



And if you rely on government business you might not want to be too adventurous in advocating polices that might upset the politicians who dole out that government business.



Happy Easter, New Mexico.



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 2018 Interesting. We'll keep you posted. Speaking of Independents, reader James McClure has some musings about them:That sounds like it's right up Brian' s alley, if he isn't already busy working on the 2021 legislative redistricting. . .McClure also offered this perspective on the blog debate this week that was critical of the ABQ Chamber of Commerce for not fostering policies that would help stem the ABQ crime wave:And if you rely on government business you might not want to be too adventurous in advocating polices that might upset the politicians who dole out that government business.Happy Easter, New Mexico.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) The six candidates for the Dem nomination for the ABQ congressional seat will be scrambling through the weekend as the quarter draws to a close and it will be time to submit federal campaign finance reports. Maybe those reports will give the political pros a better idea of where this race is headed because right now few of them have a firm opinion.Part of the problem is the lack of public polling as well as the lack of any prominent personality in the pack. All are largely unknown to the public. That may mean TV ads play an even larger role in determining the outcome as voters finally get to see them, or at least the ones that can afford to be on the tube.Supporters of Deb Haaland are citing her endorsement this week by BernCo County Commissioner Michael Quezada, who represents the South Valley, as a signal that the campaign of former US Attorney Damon Martinez is fading. They say that he has pinned his hopes on moderate and conservative Hispanic voters and Quezada's break to Haaland is a bad omen.But that could be a bit of wishful thinking. Martinez reported over $300,000 in the bank at last report. If he hasn't burned through it and raised some more, he'll have a noticeable TV presence. Haaland and law professor Antoinette Sedillo Lopez are also expected to have significant TV buys. The other three hopefuls lag.Whoever snares the Dem nomination June 5 might start celebrating early. The R's are not seriously competing in the district that is now as blue as a New Mexican sky.Hey, your honor. The law may have said you had to throw former Dem State Rep. Idalia Lechuga-Tena off the June primary ballot, but we wanted to let you know the decision is bad--real bad--for the blogging business. Heck, everyone in town knows that Idalia and Debbie Sarinana, the current state rep for ABQ SE Heights District 21, were prepared to give us a race nearly as entertaining as this week's debut of "Roseanne." Well, there go our ratings. The news Nice try. But Judge Nancy Franchini found that argument weaker than watered down Jack Daniels and off the ballot Idalia went. She will appeal but that's a long shot. There will be no rematch of the '16 primary whenbeat her by five points.So supporters of Rep. Sarinana not only congratulate her for her court victory but for essentially getting re-elected. No one else is running in the Dem primary and no Republican filed for the race. That's what you call two free tickets to ride.Still, Judge, try to not hurt us small business owners too much with future decisions. We could have used that showdown.It seems as though Dona Ana County Magistrate Court Judge Samantha Madrid might have a pretty good case to get back on the ballot. She is a lifelong Dem but in a strange turn she ended up being registered as an independent:
Less than a month after drinks wholesaler and retailer Conviviality found a major error in its accounts, the Bargain Booze and Wine Rack owner said it plans to call in the administrators, putting supplies to pub customers such as JD Wetherspoon at risk.

Following the previous day's announcement that it was talking to banks and advisors about a possible sale of the business after failing to scrape together a 125m emergency fundraising, the AIM-listed company said on Thursday that it intended to appoint administrators. Perhaps tellingly, it said this will happen "unless circumstances change".

Earlier in the month, after being surprised by a 30m tax bill and suspending its dividend and trading in its shares, Conviviality hired PricewaterhouseCoopers, the same advisors that worked with the collapsing Carillion, to help with discussions with HMRC, its lenders, credit insurers, suppliers and other creditors.

Administrators, thought likely to be PwC, will be brought in within 10 business days to the the drinks retailer and wholesaler, though secured creditors can bring this forward should they choose.

Management, which no longer includes chief executive Diana Hunter who departed last week on the back of the series of profit warnings, intend to allow the business to continue to trade. They will continue to work with advisers to try and preserve as much value as possible in the business, including "a number of inbound enquiries regarding a potential sale of all or parts of the business".

Two weeks ago the company said it would try drum up funds from a share placing, saying that tax authorities, creditors and customers were remaining supportive.

Its wholesaling arm, made up of the Matthew Clark and Bibendum businesses, is a major supplier to the industry, serving more than 23,000 pubs and restaurants, including the JD Wetherspoon chain, as well as 700 off-licences.

A collapse of the company puts 2,600 jobs at risk and is likely cause supply issues for pubs, the British Beer & Pub Association said, though the body was working with its members to assess the impact of the ongoing issues.

Alternative suppliers will be sought in order to minimise the impact on the trade as far as possible, but inevitably a situation like this will likely cause short term supply issues for pubs.

Shares in Conviviality remained suspended on Thursday, while customer JD Wetherspoon was down 1.5% to 1,148p.

INTERESTED BUYERS?

There could be potential interest in buying Conviviality, or at least parts of it, from private equity and UK supermarket groups, convenience and grocery groups, high street value retail chains and wholesalers.

Alongside Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons and Asda, analysts Phil Carroll and Clive Black at Shore Capital suggested companies such Costcutter and Spar due to the recent consolidation of the supply chain seen with Tesco buying Booker, Coop buying Nisa, Morrisons owning McColls and Sandpiper.

"We also believe other wholesalers such as Bestway and Landmark may have an interest. Then we also expect interest from the brewers both the global majors and the smaller UK listed businesses. However, such interest is only likely to be in Matthew Clarke and Bibendum. Heineken would be our first choice but also AB Inbev, who we believe used Matthew Clark.

"More, locally, we believe Marstons, which has been investing in its beer business or C&C Group, which already has a beverage distribution model in place in Scotland and Ireland could be seeking to speak to PWC. Interestingly, C&C has shifted distribution in England & Wales to AB Inbev so some interesting talks could be taking place between those two parties."

Leisure analyst Mark Brumby at Langton Capital said the speed with which Conviviality has unravelled will unsettle investors, suppliers and customers. "The vague concerns led to a 30m liability led to the resignation of the CEO led to the scrabble for 125m led to the possible administration of the company, etc."

He said a potential source of problems is the extremely low-margin nature of the majority of the businesses that Conviviality was involved in, a problem it shared with Carillion.

"It is harder to survive shocks when margins are low," Brumby said. "The antidote is perhaps to be incredibly well-run or to have cash margins that are higher than those disclosed in the P&L courtesy of high depreciation or other non-cash payments. Amongst pub companies, JDW perhaps satisfies both of these criteria. Others may not be in quite such an advantageous position."

TIMELINE OF A RAPID COLLAPSE

It was only at the end of January that the company upped its interim dividend and said it was trading in line with the board's full year expectations after a robust half-year where revenue and adjusted EBITDA increased but profits slipped in what was blamed on the phasing of cost synergies into the second half of the year.

Hunter said at the time that the board had made the "deliberate" choice to focus on growing market share and enhancing future earnings by agreeing long-term contracts with the firm's larger customers, and securing new national account customers.

These gains in market share coupled with our continued strong sales demonstrates our competitive advantage, the broad customer base we have developed and the robust nature of Conviviality as the UK's leading drinks wholesaler, distributor and solution provider to our customers.

By 8 March, the tune had changed dramatically after the discovery of a "material error" in the financial forecasts of the Conviviality Direct wholesaling business, meaning EBITDA would take a 5.2m hit.

Hunter said adjusted EBITDA for the full year was now likely to be around 20% below current market expectations, though assuring there had "has not seen material weakness in overall demand".

A week later, the bad news kept on coming as Hunter cancelled the interim dividend after a 30m tax bill popped up unexpectedly, putting pressure on its banking covenants. The HMRC payment had not been recorded in its short-term cash-flow projections.

"Following preliminary advice received from PwC, whilst there can be no guarantee, the board believes this short-term funding requirement will be satisfactorily resolved," the company said.
John Laing Environmental (JLEN) assets group announced on Tuesday its acquisition of Vulcan Renewables for a total consideration of 15.3m, including working capital.

The acquisition, in partnership with Future Biogas, is the company's first foray into the world of anaerobic digestion, a step JLEN saw as an opportunity to further diversify its portfolio of environmental projects that already included wind, solar, waste, and wastewater.

Located in Hatfield Woodhouse, near Doncaster, Vulcan's plant was one of the first commercial biogas-to-grid projects in the UK when it was commissioned in October 2013 and has the capacity of 5MWth and predominately produces bio methane.

Bringing the total capacity of the group's renewable energy assets to 230.2MW, the acquisition was funded by a draw-down on JLEN's revolving credit facility.

Richard Morse, chairman of the firm, said "We are pleased to make our first investment in the anaerobic digestion sector through Vulcan Renewables, a project with a proven operational history. With its RPI-linked RHI and FiT revenue streams, the project adds to the diversification of the JLEN portfolio."

As of 1320 BST, shares had remained flat, up just 0.08% to 107.64p.
Renault shares revved up on Thursday fuelled by reports the company is in merger negotiations with Japan's Nissan .

The companies who have been in a strategic alliance since 1999, are reportedly discussing becoming one giant entity and merging their stocks. Earlier in the month, the pair were reported by Reuters to be planning on a closer tie-up of their alliance, inlcuding buying the French state out of its 15% stake in Renault.

Currently Renault owns 43% of Nissan while the Japanese car maker has a 15% piece of the French firm.

As a merger plays on many political sensitivities, chiefly the French government ceding its influence over Renault and Nissan being freed up from French control, reports have noted that the two companies are keen to try to avoid appearances of a takeover by either side, to balance each sides national interests.

Speculation suggests a new Dutch entity would be established as an interim structure ahead of a complete integration of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors.

Spaniard Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault, is leading the negotiations and could be elected as the leader of the new merger, according to Bloomberg. He has previously said that the Renault-Nissan Alliance cannot be restructured to enhance shareholder value until France divests its stake.

A spokesman for the Renault-Nissan alliance said: We do not comment on rumours and speculation.

At the beginning of 2018, Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi announced a new venture capital fund, Alliance Ventures. They plan to invest up to $1bn in the next five years betting on startups and innovation partnerships.

Renault and Nissan provide 40% of the capital each and Mitsubishi adds another 20%.

Responding to the reports that the companies were looking to buy out the French state, France recently dismissed this was "pure speculation."

Due to the political sensitivities, analysts at Olivetree Financial said a restructuring of the alliance with Nissan is realistically the only method available for Renault escape state control and noted Ghosn's contract extension requires shareholder approval at Renaults AGM on 15 June.

Olivetree observed that Ghosn has history with French President Emmanuel Macron from 2015, when Macron was finance minister and the state increased its stake in Renault stake to 20%, allegedly to temper Ghosns ambitions to ring-fence Renault from the proposed Florange law that gave double voting rights to long term shareholders.

"It was reported at the time that Macron wanted to engineer a merger that would see the French state as the largest shareholder in a NewCo," analysts noted. "The Macron government is now undertaking a general stake-sale exercise, so a disposal of its Renault stake is entirely conceivable  but not in a manner that is insensitive to the potential political and economic sensitivities to the State.

"Hence the market has been more comfortable with the assumption that any deepening of a relationship with Nissan is more likely to be gradual, allowing a smooth exit for the State over a dramatic sell down."

With Ghosns reappointment expected to be ratified by Renault shareholders in mid June, Olivetree said it would appear to be "a natural imminent catalyst" to effect the next leg of this transaction in the near term. "Renault is likely to retain the optimism in its shareprice that we are now in the end-game for this story."
GKN shareholders have accepted turnaround specialist Melrose Industries' 8.1bn bid for the engineer, ending a two-and-a-half month saga that has involved intervention from the government and countless tit-for-tat exchanges between the two companies.

Melrose, which has been locked in a bitter war of words with GKN since its approach was first announced back in January, said in a statement that it received valid acceptances representing around 52.4% of the voting rights of GKN. Melrose had set its acceptance condition for the takeover at 50% plus one share.

"Accordingly, Melrose is pleased to announce that the acceptance condition has today been satisfied and that its offer has therefore become unconditional as to acceptances.

"GKN shareholders who have not accepted the offer are urged to do so as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions set out in the final offer document."

Undoubtedly crestfallen after their efforts to resist the deal, the GKN board, though still insisting to the very last that the offer "fundamentally undervalues" the business, said it "now recommends that, in the event that the offer is declared wholly unconditional by Melrose, shareholders accept the offer".

Otherwise, if Melrose's level of acceptances rises from 52.4% to 75%, Melrose would acquire control of GKN and has stated that it would then take steps to delist the company, which could leave shareholders with a minority interest in an unlisted company. The offer will remain open for acceptance until further notice, and not less than 14 calendar days' notice will be given in respect of the closure of the offer.

Melrose chairman Christopher Miller, who promised on Wednesday to maintain research spending and keep the business based in the UK, said: "We are delighted and grateful to have received support from GKN shareholders for our plan to create a UK industrial powerhouse with a market capitalisation of over 10bn and a tremendous future.

"We are looking forward to working with GKN's talented workforce and to delivering for customers and all stakeholders. Melrose has made commitments as to investment in R&D, skills and people and we are very excited about putting these into action.

"Let me assure you that GKN is entering into very good hands.

"We would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support of the Melrose strategy thus far. We are full of enthusiasm as we begin this next stage of the Melrose story and look forward to creating substantial value for our shareholders, old and new."

The path to transaction completion should be straightforward now, said Olivetree Financial said, with Melrose having last week pledged to waive the conditions for clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and Defence Security Service.

"The only wrinkle could potentially come in an unlikely scenario where CFIUS/DSS blocks the transaction before 17 April, but it remains likely that the Takeover Panel would force Melrose to close - given that they have already told the market they were willing to waive this requirement.

"Expect to see GKN management shift its recommendation to begrudgingly advise shareholders to now tender to Melrose. History tells us that acquirers in this situation tend to get to the magic 90% tender level and then are able to effect a full squeeze out and own the target fully."

At 1610 GMT, Melrose shares were up 0.8% to 225p and GKN shares were up 6.9% to 452.30p.

Britain's largest union, Unite, was quick to respond to the news, saying it would "hold Melroses feet to the fire" and call on the government to intervene on national defence grounds.

Unite assistant general secretary for aerospace Steve Turner said: "With the UK defence secretary Gavin Williamson having expressed concern over the takeovers impact on UK defence interests, we continue to urge business secretary Greg Clark to use his powers under the Enterprise Act and call it in on national defence grounds.

"This takeover has put into stark relief the inadequacy of the UKs takeover rules which put the interests of short-term speculators over those of the workforce and long-term investors."

Unite assistant general secretary for manufacturing Tony Burke said it was "deeply disappointing" that shareholders had, by the slimmest of margins, put making a quick profit ahead of the long-term future of one of the UKs most successful engineering companies.

"We have deep concern about Melroses short-term approach, which we believe could see the piecemeal break-up of GKN and undermine hopes of a coherent industrial strategy for the UK.

"Unite remains of the view that the concessions Melrose has given are inadequate and that question marks remain over whether they are enforceable. The onus is now on the business secretary Greg Clark to go further and step in."
BGEO Group announced on Thursday that its banking subsidiary, JSC Bank of Georgia , has signed a GEL 75m (22.06m) loan agreement with the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank , with tranches up to five years duration.

The FTSE 250 company said the local currency loan facility would be used to finance the development of Georgian small and medium-size enterprises, which its board said reinforced the bank's commitment to support SMEs in Georgia and underpinned its leading position in the SME sector.

Black Sea Trade and Development Bank raised the local currency funds through a public placement of GEL-denominated bonds on the Georgian Stock Exchange, arranged by BGEOs wholly owned brokerage subsidiary Galt & Taggart.

I am very pleased that Bank of Georgia and our partner BSTDB have once again successfully co-operated on a local currency transaction, said Bank of Georgia CEO Kaha Kiknavelidze.

As the demand for GEL-denominated funding grows year over year we continue to leverage our long-term partnerships with development financial institutions to secure our customers the funding they need.

I would like to thank BSTDB for supporting us in our aim to contribute to the further de-dollarisation of Georgia's economy.
Lloyds Banking Group will set up a new base in Berlin following Britains departure from the European Union, according to reports from the BBC .

The UK's departure from the bloc has led to a reconsideration from many financial institutions about their approaches both within and outside Europe, due to the probable exit from the single market following Brexit.

The report suggests that the British bank's Berlin branch will be converted into a new European hub, while other locations including Frankfurt and Amsterdam were considered.

Several leading financial institutions have already indicated their plans to move operations away from London

The loss of so-called passporting rights for banks has become a major issue following the vote to leave the EU in June 2016, with many multinational firms fearing they will be unable to maintain those rights after the Brexit process has been completed.

Several leading financial institutions have already indicated their plans to move operations away from London and the UK in general, including HSBC and Lloyds of London.

Lloyds' business is largely focused towards the UK market, but it does have several businesses in continental Europe, including a Dutch mortgage firm and German savings accounts.

The bank's Berlin offices currently employ 300 people, with more positions set to be created in the German capital.
Parliament's Treasury committee has announced an inquiry into economic crime amid renewed concerns about money laundering and the security of consumers data.

The cross-party committees inquiry will look at the scale of money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions and regulations. It will also review the threat to households from economic crime, whether financial companies do enough to combat such crime and how secure consumers data is.

Nicky Morgan, who chairs the committee, said: Given the threats that face the UK, the effectiveness of the regimes that we use to protect our financial system from misuse have never been more important.

It has been claimed that the UK, particularly the London property market, is becoming a destination of choice to launder the proceeds of overseas crime and corruption. The Treasury committee will examine the UKs role in international efforts to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing and implement sanctions.

The poisoning of two Russians in Salisbury has refocused attention on how willing UK institutions are to accept Russian money. Campaigning group Transparency International has calculated that 4.4bn of UK property was bought with suspicious wealth and that a quarter of those properties were bought by Russian individuals.

Morgan said her committee would also examine the potential for fraud, scams and data theft as consumers carry out banking and other financial matters online. Official figures estimate there were 3.2m fraud incidents in the year ending September 2017.

As millions of customers are exposed to the risk of economic crime, well scrutinise the response of the Treasury, its associated bodies and the regulators, and explore the role that consumer education can play, Morgan said.
Global warming is one of the biggest concerns and it was described as a potential risk for the humankind. According to an article written by David Weedmark, human activity is the responsible for this fact because it produces what has been called the greenhouse effect.

The overproduction of gases like carbon dioxide, through the use of fossil fuels as the main source of energy, is the major cause of this problem. For example, driving a car that uses gasoline releases on average, six tons of carbon dioxide per year. This gas is trapped in the atmosphere favoring global warming.

People aware of this imminent danger have been dedicating efforts to develop strategies that help to reduce the production greenhouse gases. One clear example of those people working for the environment are the ones who are linked to Tesla and his CEO, Elon Musk.

Despite the important activities develop by TESLA and Elon Musk, still, there are many people who ignore different aspects of it. In this article, you will learn some details about this company and some of the benefits they are bringing to our society.

Who is Elon Musk?

Undoubtedly, this man just can be described with one word: genius. Elon Reeve Musk was born in 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa. He made his way to become a successful engineer and entrepreneur with millions of dollars in his pockets thanks to his innovator ideas in different fields.

Currently, Musk is not only one of the co-founders of TESLA, but he also owns some companies that provide different services to the society. SpaceX, for example, is another important company that is very successful as a space manufacturer. For these and other reasons, Elon Musk is considered by many people to be one of the most influential minds of this century.

What is Tesla?

Founded in 2003 and named in honor of Nikola Tesla, this is an American company that is revolutionizing the world with its environment-friendly technology. Currently, this company is getting very popular across the world due to its efforts to be a pioneer in the development of electric vehicles and the implementation of alternative energy sources.

The impact of TESLA on the environment is remarkable. Ffor example, a total of 3,184,207.97 tons of carbon dioxide have been saved by their vehicles. Besides this fact, the technology developed by TESLA in the design of cars is able to compete in quality with other brands like BMW and Porsche, putting this company on the top of the business.
It was earlier this month when Hope Hicks resigned as White House Communications Director, causing yet another departure in the Donald Trump administration. As Hicks made her way out of the White House for the final time, she shared an awkward moment with the president.

WATCH: President Trump poses with outgoing Communications Director Hope Hicks, declines to respond to questions before departing for Ohio. pic.twitter.com/nsDkeYzKzw  NBC News (@NBCNews) March 29, 2018

Trump and Hicks

During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump vowed to hire only the "best people" in his administration if he was elected to office.

Fast forward to Trump's inauguration and many questions were raised as to the quality of his team. In the 14 months that he's been in office, Trump has been forced to deal with numerous resignations and firings, creating a revolving door at the White House. One of the latest exits comes in the former of Hope Hicks, the now former White House Communications Director who came under fire after admitting she told white lies about the president in an attempt to cover up certain aspects of the administration.

After reports of Donald Trump not being pleased with how Hope Hicks handled the questioning, she quickly announced her resignation. As reported by NBC News on March 29, a video was posted of Hicks leaving the White House, showing her embracing the president and getting a kiss directly on her cheek.

In response, Trump critics wasted no time firing back.

Twitter backlash

Within moments of Donald Trump's awkward goodbye kiss to Hope Hicks, social media quickly went viral with mockery. "Was it just me or was that kinda weird af?" one tweet wondered, with a reply answering, "Yes weird. Vomit inducing weird."

Yes weird. Vomit inducing weird.  Monica Moreno (@mylittlemica) March 29, 2018

Not one to defend him- but he actually awkwardly kisses a lot of people (including Pence)  Hot Take (@TakeIsTooHot) March 29, 2018

Signing on with the Trump regime will get you ostracized from society for the rest of your life. Nobody wants to be associated with someone who supports that idiot.  Nathan Schneider (@Schneider4House) March 29, 2018

"How weird to KISS her.

Skeevy," a Twitter user wrote. "Hmmm...not a good sign when the COMMUNICATIONS director is already declining questions. Oh boy," a follow-up tweet pointed out. "Signing on with the Trump regime will get you ostracized from society for the rest of your life. Nobody wants to be associated with someone who supports that idiot," another tweet noted.

Just a little kiss? He cant help himself surprised he didnt grab her if you know what I mean. SAD AND PATHETIC Trump resides in the WH pic.twitter.com/jRdbMU8bbf  Bruce Cash (@bcash613) March 29, 2018

One too many hand shakes. At least she wasn't fired by a tweet.  Ricardo A. Nunez (@ranb22) March 29, 2018

Keep the dress honey it'll come in handy later.  Kimberly Parrish (@kimparr1218) March 29, 2018

"Keep the dress honey it'll come in handy later," a social media user sarcastically tweeted out. "Just a little kiss? He cant help himself surprised he didnt grab her if you know what I mean. SAD AND PATHETIC Trump resides in the W.H." yet another tweet stated. As the backlash continued to pour in, it showed that the opposition to Donald Trump and the current administration was not going to be slowing down at any point in the near future, with the president's approval ratings remaining at all-time lows.
Who wouldnt be mad if someone bought them food? And who wouldnt fall in love with the said buyer of food? That appears to be the premise of JTBCs upcoming Kdrama Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food. Its English title is Something in the Rain.

Why is the leading female called Noona instead of her first name? In South Korean culture it is common for guys who are younger to call an older female friend Noona, which roughly translates to older sister. While it may sound strange to English ears to hear a guy call a girl he likes older sister," Noona is a sign of respect in South Korea regardless of whether or not the two people are actually related.

The inspiration for the title

During the press conference for "Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food," producing director Ahn Pan-Seok revealed the shows unusual title was inspired by a famous South Korean celebrity couple. This couple is none other than recently married Song Joong-Ki and Song Hye-Kyo, affectionately called the Song-Song couple by fans.

According to soompi.com, Ahn said he once saw online that Song Hye-Kyo had said she was a good Noona who bought food for Song Joong-Ki, and then the two got married. Ahn said he found the phrase very witty. He also said he wanted the show to have a memorable title, and thus the title "Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food" was born.

Asianwiki.com (a website similar to IMDB.com, but solely devoted to covering Asian television shows), describes "Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food" as being about Yoon Jin-Ah (played by Son Ye-Jin), a single woman who is in her thirties.

She has a pretty good life, but something still feels like its missing. Enter the younger brother of her best friend. He had been out of the country for the past couple of years for work and recently returned home. Before he left, Yoon Jin-Ah thought he was childish, but now hes catching her attention in a whole new way.

A sneak peek

JTBC also released a 4-minute clip of the upcoming show on their youtube channel and website. In it the two leads Jung Hae-In and Son Ye-Jin find themselves caught out in the rain. Jung Hae-In volunteers to go buy get an umbrella and runs off before Son Ye-Jin can protest. At a convenience store, Jung Hae-In picks out two umbrellas, changes his mind, and buys only one.

(Can you say smooth?)

When he rejoins Son Ye-Jin, she asks why he only got one. He shrugs it off with a, just cause. Arm in arm, they walk towards the main road. They consider hailing a taxi, make excuses and turn around and walk back the way they came so they can spend more time with one another.

In the one clip, the chemistry between the actors lit up the screen and filled the room. Full of precious, small moments, the short yet memorable scene promises an endearing and enjoyable Kdrama for this spring. Son Ye-Jin is returning to television after spending the last 5 years making films, and while Jung Hae-In recently saw success in the 2017 Kdrama "While You Were Sleeping."

JTBC announced the show will air on Friday and Saturday nights, at 11 pm Korea Standard Time, beginning on March 30, 2018.

However, as xportsnews.com, reported, the first episode will air at 10:45 pm with an 80-minute episode. As for me, I will be sitting down in front of my computer this weekend, with some popcorn, ready to enjoy all the promising (and possibly sappy) cuteness that will be Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food.
Celebrity Corey Feldman was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday, March 27, after he was attacked in his car and stabbed. Corey Feldman claims a group of unknown men had been following his car Tuesday night and while stopped at a traffic light, one of the men yanked open his car door and stabbed him in the stomach with a very sharp object.

Celebrity Corey Feldman claims Hollywood is full of dirty child molesters

The "Lost Boys" star told TMZ that he was being followed by a car of full of men after he left from a dinner outing. He claims he noticed a car behind him driving very erratically.

He also reveals that the car caused a crash on the freeway, Feldman claims he then exited the freeway and a car looking like the one he had noticed earlier came up behind him.

Former child star reveals he fears for his life

This is where things get a bit strange. Corey states that while stopped at a red light his security guard had words with someone in the car and this is when another guy ripped open Corey's car door and jabbed him in the gut with either a knife or syringe. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital to find that the wound was small and had drawn only a small amount of blood. The cops were called to the hospital to get his account of the attack.

Feldman believes one of two things happened; he was either a victim of a road rage attack, or someone has targeted him for spilling the beans on them in his pedophile accusation case.

He feels this attack could have been a message or even an attempt on his life from someone who is afraid of Feldman outing them to the authorities.

Corey Feldman wasted no time sharing his horrific attack with his Twitter followers posting,

IM IN THE HOSPITAL! I WAS ATTACKED 2NITE! A MAN OPENED MY CAR DOOR & STABBED ME W SOMETHING! PLEASE SAY PRAYERS 4 US!  THANK GOD IT WAS ONLY MYSELF & MY SECURITY IN THE CAR, WHEN 3 MEN APPROACHED! WHILE SECURITY WAS DISTRACTED, W A GUY A CAR PULLED UP & ATTACKED! IM OK! pic.twitter.com/TZ0ppZeEWN  Corey Feldman (@Corey_Feldman) March 28, 2018

Corey claims the LAPD is on the case, however, it appears that they have denied the claim according to Fox News reports.

Officer Garcia, who arrived at the hospital stated, "Upon the investigation [it was] determined there were no lacerations to his abdomen," Garcia said adding that the actor could not describe his alleged attacker or the weapon to police.

As previously, reported Corey has been stating publicly for years that he and late co-star and friend Corey Haim were sexually abused as very young child actors by a number of powerful Hollywood A-Listers, He has made it his mission in life to put a stop to these crimes.

In October of 2017, Feldman released a seven-minute video he dubbed as the "Truth Campaign," revealing his plans to expose a "pedophile ring" that was introduced to him when he was a child star. "Right off the bat I can name six names," he said. "One of them is still very powerful today." He also claims he has been living in constant fear ever since and has had numerous threats made against him.

The actor also set up a GOFundMe page asking for donations to aid in funding his film which he believes will help to put an end to the Hollywood pedophile ring that has been abusing child actors for decades. Now, following his recent stabbing, some believe Corey Feldman may have staged the attack in hopes of more support of his cause.

What are your thoughts on Corey Feldman's stabbing, do you believe he was really attacked?
Netflix is going to light it up next month as they have stacked up some brilliant movies which will catch the eyes of every subscriber.

Here are the top ten movies to watch out for in April 2018.

These movies are expected to become every movie lovers delight [VIDEO].

'Wakfu' (season 3)

The third season of this world-famed series will be on air on April 1, 2018. It is created by Anthony Roux and stars Patrick Bethune, Jules De Jonghe, and Fanny bloc. A young boy named Yugo who has special powers will be on a mission to find his family. For young kids, it will be an absolute treat to watch.

'6 Balloons' (movie)

It is an American drama film written by Marja Lewis-Ryan. It will be released on April 6, 2018, starring Abbi Jacobson, Dave Franco, Jane Kaczmarek and Tim Matheson. This captivating 74 Minute film revolves around a woman (Jacobson) who comes to know that her brother has relapsed into heroin.

'Sun Dogs' (movie)

It got picked up by Netflix during LA Film Festival [VIDEO] and will be on air on April 6, 2018. The cast includes Melissa Benoist, Allison Janney, Eric Christian and Jennifer Morrison. A well-directed story of an ambitious young man determined to go in the army who later on discovers new ways of helping people when he meets his friend, Tally.

'Troy: Fall of a City'

A new thrilling season Starring Louis Hunter, Jonas Armstrong, and Christian Schoombie.

It will be released on April 6, 2018. It is the story of historical Troy siege, which happened due to the affair of two lovers.

'Ram Dass, Going Home'

A heart-touching documentary in Genre directed by Derek Pack. It has an astonishing IMDB rating of 9.4/10 so far. It will be on air on April 6, 2018. It is the story of a spiritual leader (Ram Dass) who meditates on the reality of life and death at his home on Maui towards the end of his life.

'Lost In Space' (season 1)

Based on Science-Fiction series of the same name, It revolves around a group of space colonists who are knocked off and therefore they are  Lost In Space." It will be on air on April 13, 2018. We dont know the number of episodes yet, but it will surely be worth a wait.

'Come Sunday' (movie)

It is an American drama film directed by Joshua Marston.

Netflix picked it from Sundance Film festival. It will be released on April 13, 2018. It is a unique and well-directed story of a controversial preacher who believes that there is' No Hell.'

'Dude' (movie)

An upcoming American film directed by Olivia Milch which is expected to take your breath away due to its brilliance. It will be released on April 20, 2018. It is a well-compiled story of four girlfriends who negotiate the major losses during last two weeks of High-School.

'Dope' (season 2)

The second season of the crime show, filmed from the perspective of dealers. It will be released on April 20, 2018.

'The Week of' (movie)

An exciting American comedy film starring Adam Sandler. It will be released on April 27, 2018.

According to an agreement, this will be the fourth and final film of Adam Sandler with Netflix. It is the hilarious story of parents of a soon-to-be-married couple, trying to make arrangements for the wedding.
You'd think Tommie Lee from "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" could stay out of trouble with the law at least for a little while but here we are again. The Shade Room reports that there is another warrant for Tommie's arrest after a recent court no-show. It wasn't related to the Lexox Mall case though. This was for another incident that happened over two years ago!

Tommie's initial charges

Tommie Lee was supposed to appear in a Fulton County court yesterday but she didn't show up. The "LHHATL" star is still dealing with DUI and driving without a license charges from all the way back in January 2016.

Don't remember that particular incident? We do! Let me fill you in.

Back in January 2016, Tommie Lee was pulled over by the Georgia State Patrol. Upon approaching the Jeep, TMZ reported that officers noticed a lot of movement coming from it. When they asked the male in the driver's seat what was going on, he admitted to trading seats with Tommie before officers came to the window.

When Tommie was told to exit the vehicle, she refused. After refusing to obey, officers dragged Tommie out of the vehicle. They reported that the "LHHATL" star appeared very intoxicated with "watery, bloodshot" eyes and slurred speech so they arrested her for suspected DUI and also for disorderly conduct and because her license expired.

'LHHATL' star accuses police of brutality

Tommie insisted that she never did anything wrong and even accused the police of "brutality" She even posted pictures of the bruises that she incurred at the hands of police and briefly shared a dashcam video of the arrest before deleting it.

It didn't take long for officers to see Tommie Lee's accusations and refute them.

They released another video from the incident that showed an officer telling Tommie multiple times to get out of the car and no one got out of the car. Then, the officer can be seen yanking her out of the back seat, throwing her to the ground and pinning her arms behind her back while she as cuffed.

Headed back to jail?

The whole ordeal did look pretty dramatic and the debate over the police use of force was necessary is still unresolved.

You can watch a video of Tommie Lee's arrest below and decide for yourself. Apparently, the case itself was still unresolved, leading up to a court date for Tommie on March 28 that she reportedly did not show up for.

This was a bad move for Tommie, who could really be dealing with some legal trouble now. According to The Shade Room, prosecutors in the Lexon Mall case filed a motion asking the judge to revoke Tommie's bond for that incident. With one arrest warrant already issued and possibly another on the way, this is not good news for the "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" star. Why can't she just stay out of trouble?
Teen Mom OG star Ryan Edwards was Arrested on Tuesday, March 27 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ryan was charged with heroin possession. News of his arrest is drastically different from the announcement made only hours earlier that Ryan and his newlywed wife, Mackenzie, were expecting their first child together.

First, the good news, and now, the bad news, left fans reeling. Details of the sudden turn of events are being pursued by RealityBlurb.

In this fresh and startling news, fans are wondering whether the father-to-be should have held off on announcing publicly that he was clean and if word of Mackenzies pregnancy should have been delayed.

Making such public declarations, as some fans speculate, might have added to the internal pressure Ryan could be feeling.

.

In the past, Ryan shielded or denied the extent of his drug problem, which has not enhanced clean and sober living. When fans believed that Ryan was either using or back in rehab recently, Mackenzie posted on social media that he was in a truck driving program.

When Ryan was en route to marry Mackenzie, the reality star was high on an unknown illicit drug. He passed out while driving and behind the wheel of the vehicle. Not good signs, but indicators of a serious drug problem fans think that Mackenzie is minimizing and evidently chose to marry him anyway in May 2017.

Fans consider that Mackenzie doesnt see Ryans drug problem due to love for him

Mackenzie was with Ryan in the vehicle. She turned off the cameras after she attempted to control the vehicle. Many fans think she should have delayed the wedding and having a baby with Ryan. She didnt marry Ryan just once. The couple renewed their vows in November 2017, which is the month they will adopt for celebrating their anniversary.

Some fans are asking how someone so close to him can repeatedly miss the signs and symptoms of drug use. Is the adage true in this marriage? Is love really blind? Other fans are thinking that her love for him has led her to subjective perspective of his behavior that people with more distance suspected.

Fans empathize with Mackenzie.

Being pregnant and having her husband arrested on the same day her elation over having a baby was shared with the world is a crushing blow. Red Bank City Police Department (TN) arrested Ryan at the couples home.

Ryan released from jail on $5k bond

The arrest warrant for Ryan was for revocation of his probation for a comparable criminal violation  possession of heroin. The Daily Mail (UK), heard from a jail spokesperson who relayed that Ryans bail, which has been posted, was $5,000. He bonded out and was released from police custody at 10:15 PM.

Many fans are waking up today (March 28) to the news of Ryans arrest while still wrapping their minds around Mackenzies pregnancy news. On the most recent episode of MTVs Teen Mom OG, which aired on March 27, a tease was embedded that depicted Mackenzie holding her pregnancy test results.

Mackenzie displayed the positive result to an MTV producer, known as Jeni, according to the Daily Mail. Seeing the result, Jeni excitedly jumped up and down.

In addition to the baby that Ryan is expecting with wife Mackenzie, he also shares son Bentley with Maci Bookout. Ryan and Maci are from MTVs Teen Mom franchise. Maci has strict rules for when Ryan has visits with their young son. Ryans visits with Bentley are supervised by Jen and Larry, Ryans parents.

Do you think Mackenzie is blinded by love for Ryan? Also, will Ryans new arrest affect visits with Bentley?

To have the latest information readily available, be sure to follow Blasting News and watch MTVs Teen Mom OG at 9 PM EST on Mondays.
China is the most important ally of North Korea and Kim Jong-un finally took the plunge to travel to Beijing. His mission was to engage in a face-to-face interaction with the Chinese President Xi Jinping. It was Kims first foreign visit after he took over the reins in 2011, and he traveled by train accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju. The train covered the distance of 680 miles from the city of Dandong to Beijing in 14 hours.

Daily Mail UK reports that Kim was accorded a grand welcome in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing where Xi Jinping had entertained US President Donald Trump.

There was a banquet in the honor of Kim and his wife where Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi was also present. The president accepted an invitation to visit North Korea.

Reaction by the United States

All eyes are now focused on the denuclearization of North Korea. The efforts of Moon Jae-in bore fruit when Kim Jong-un finally agreed to attend a summit with Donald Trump. The US president believes that Kim will agree to halt his activities connected to the development of nuclear weapons. It seems Xi Jinping has confirmed to Trump about Kims visit and subsequent interaction which he has termed as being productive.

Donald Trump has high hopes for the forthcoming summit which could bring back peace in the region.

He feels Kim Jong-un will abandon his nuclear ambitions and turn his attention to work for the betterment of his own people.

No one wants a nuclear war

The present signs are positive because Kim Jong-un appears to have mentally prepared himself to shelve his nuclear ambitions. If he really does that, it is possible that the existing sanctions imposed on his country will be relaxed which will bolster the economy.

Donald Trump has already agreed to the summit meeting in May while Moon Jae-in plans to meet Kim in April. The sudden visit of Kim to Beijing and consultation with Xi Jinping are significant developments in the peace process.

The nuclear weapon programs of North Korea were a threat to the United States. The situation aggravated when Pyongyang identified a few probable American targets and sent missiles flying in the direction of Japan which is an ally of America.

Fears of a nuclear confrontation gripped the world, and Moon Jae-in took steps to defuse the tension through the 2018 Winter Olympics. Moons strategy clicked and Kim Jong-un agreed to have dialogue with Donald Trump to pave the way to peace in the Korean peninsula.
The United States African command (AFRICOM) announced yesterday that they killed 2 terrorists suspected of planning imminent attacks on the U.S. using precision strikes in rural Libya. The actions were taken against al-Qaida and with full coordination with the Libyan government.

The fight in Libya

The US has been involved in fighting terrorism within Libya since the fall of the Gaddafi regime during the Arab Spring in 2011. The actions were taken against the al-Qaida organization using the authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) signed under Bush after the 9/11 attacks and expanded under Obama to fight any such organizations stemming from the groups that committed the attacks.

As per the statement from AFRICOM, the group has been using under-governed spaces in Libya to stage attacks and prepare military actions.

One of the terrorists killed in the March 24th strike, Musa Abu Dawud, was said to be a senior leader "plotting, inspiring, and directing terror attacks; recruiting and facilitating the movement of foreign terrorist fighters; and raising and moving funds to support their operations," AFRICOM said in their statement on the strike. Abu Dawud oversaw Tunisia and Algeria for the Islamic State's southern North Africa strategy since 2012. According to the Counter Extremism Project, the United States has had Abu Dawud as a target for lethal action since May, 2016, saying he's been connected with terrorist organizations since 1992.

Al-Qa'ida

Many north African Al-Qa'ida affiliates have turned their allegiances to ISIS, even though the Islamic State has been significantly weakened in the last year. Terrorist cells in countries such as Libya, Niger, and Algeria have started to tighten their grip on small localities where they have instituted quasi governments.

One of the most notable groups who pledge allegiance to both ISIS and Al-Qa'ida is the notorious Boko Haram ("Western Education is Forbidden") who operate out of northeast Nigeria.

These groups are not loyal to any central authority and use religion as a proxy for piracy. They will ally themselves with whichever Islamic front can cover their costs or recruit the most soldiers.

The U.S. State Department claims that they operate out of the poorest regions in Africa with some of the fastest growing populations, making it easy to seduce young, jobless men into a life of crime. The "jihad" they commit to is not one of religious fervor, but instead of necessity. The governments in these regions have lost the monopoly of violence and therefore control of the state in rural areas. AFRICOM does as much as it can to assist them in fighting terrorism, but the vast regions of difficult terrain make it hard for even the world's most advanced military to make any headway.

Guerilla tactics combined with indoctrination allows these groups to continue their mission, unimpeded by the major world security apparatuses.
Coastal residents in Bangladesh are losing their homes and farmland at an astonishing rate due to riverbank erosion, which affects roughly 1 million people and displaces 50,000 to 200,000 every year.

A team of researchers that includes two members of the Department of Geography in Virginia Techs College of Natural Resources and Environment is working to better understand how riverbank erosion affects the citizens of Bangladesh and to develop early-warning measures that may help mitigate the effects of the changing shoreline.

The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river basin, which runs from the Himalayas through Bangladesh, is the third largest river basin in the world. While only 7 percent of the river basins area is located in Bangladesh, over 90 percent of the basins discharge flows through the country.

The average erosion rate is 100 meters per year in many locations near the coast, so its a huge shock, both economically and socially, especially for people who are already challenged economically, said Tom Crawford, professor and chair of the Department of Geography. We want to understand how coastal erosion is linked to precipitation patterns and how humans are continuing to secure their livelihoods in the face of erosion.

Crawford and postdoctoral associate Munshi Khaledur Rahman, also from Virginia Techs Department of Geography, are working with researchers from East Carolina University, Kansas State University, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University in Bangladesh to conduct a three-year study on coastal erosion, human vulnerability, and adaptation strategies to promote resilience in the face of erosion disturbances.

The team, whose work is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundations Geography and Spatial Sciences Program, hopes to develop a better understanding of how shorelines are changing in their study area over time and how those changes affect the people who live nearby.

Ultimately, wed like to be able to provide new scientific insights and give back to Bangladesh and the affected communities by developing a predictive early-warning model that will help alert villagers if rainfall and erosion are going to be particularly bad in a given year, Crawford added.

The first phase of the study, which began in September 2017, included a January 2018 field visit to two villages in Bangladesh that will serve as study sites. The team met with local villagers, government officials, and nonprofit workers to introduce the project.

We received so much support from the local people, Rahman said. Everyone was very willing to help, and we were able to meet with one of the parliament members from the area. It helped to have his approval.

In addition to meeting with the villagers and local leaders, the team also spent time in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. There, they met with government officials to discuss the project and participated in a scientific conference on environmental hazards in Bangladesh. Crawford also gave a guest presentation for Dhaka Universitys Geography Department.

It was a great experience to connect with the universitys geography department. Two of our team members completed their undergraduate geography degrees there, so it was like coming home for them, Crawford said.

In March and April, faculty team members and students from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University will implement surveys to 400 households and hold focus groups in the two villages. In May, Rahman will return to Bangladesh to conduct key informant interviews and bring back data for quantitative and qualitative analysis.

We want to know how people who are affected by riverbank erosion adapt when they lose their land, Crawford said. Do they move in with nearby family? Do they migrate to a neighboring village or to a city like Dhaka?

Crawford and Rahman will also use satellite images captured between 1988 and 2018 to plot spatiotemporal patterns of erosion and generate location-specific annual rates of erosion and erosion variability. Scott Curtis, professor of atmospheric science at East Carolina University, will compile precipitation data for that time period, which will help the team determine how precipitation impacts shoreline changes.

Ultimately, the researchers hope to develop a predictive model, much like the system used for predicting the severity of hurricane seasons in the United States, that will help the people of Bangladesh better prepare for major erosion events.

Were trying to bring science into the real world and solve real-life problems, Rahman said. We hope that the findings of this study will benefit the communities in Bangladesh that are suffering due to riverbank erosion and address global environmental issues through scientific contributions to the discipline.
The challenge, hosted by the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs in the Pamplin College of Business, in partnership with 1901 Group and other sponsors, was open to all Virginia Tech students.



Competitions like the Entrepreneur Challenge are a critical tool in teaching the business founders and employees of tomorrow, said Derick Maggard, executive director of the center.

These competitions allow Virginia Tech students to practice entrepreneurship and obtain a valuable understanding of how their ideas and hard work can change the world for the better. We are extremely grateful to 1901 Group, all our sponsors and supporting alumni for their vision, as well as their generous support of this event.

A total of 109 teams with students from all undergraduate colleges entered the challenge, now in its third year.

Bringing together students from different colleges and disciplines is critical in preparing the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, Maggard said.

These real-world, experiential learning opportunities are what our students crave and our employers want, he said.



The event featured panel discussions with alumni and entrepreneurs, many of whom traveled from such locations as Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Austin, Texas, to attend.

For more information about the Entrepreneur Challenge, or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs at apexcenter@vt.edu or (540) 231-1328.

Follow the Apex Center (@ApexCenterVT) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date on events and programs. Learn more about the center and how to get involved.
Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides bandwidth infrastructure solutions for the communications industry in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company operates in six segments: Fiber Solutions, Transport, Enterprise Networks, Zayo Colocation (zColo), Allstream, and Other. The Fiber Solutions segment provides dark fiber, and fiber-to-the-tower and small cell mobile infrastructure services for carriers and other communication service providers, Internet service providers, wireless service providers, media and content companies, large enterprises, and other companies. The Transport segment offers lit bandwidth infrastructure solutions comprising wavelength, Ethernet, wholesale IP services, and SONET services through its metro, regional, and long-haul fiber networks for carriers, content providers, financial services companies, healthcare, government entities, education institutions, and other medium and large enterprises. The Enterprise Networks segment provides connectivity and telecommunications solutions comprising Internet, wide area networking products, managed products, and cloud based computing and storage offerings to medium and large enterprises. The Zayo Colocation (zColo) segment offers data center infrastructure solutions consisting of colocation space, and power and interconnection services to a range of enterprise, carrier, cloud, and content customers. The Allstream segment provides cloud VoIP and data solutions, such as voice offerings; and unified communications, as well as telecommunications services, including Ethernet, and IP/MPLS VPN solutions. The Other segment provides network and technical resources to customers in designing, acquiring, and maintaining their networks. Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

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Tirana will be hosting the fourth edition of Tirana Architecture Week from the 16th to the 29 of September 2018 at Polis University, Tirana. The event includes a multitude of lectures, workshops, events, competitions and an impact-lasting conference. The mission of TAW 2018 is promoting international knowledge through practice, research activities starting from the Albanian context to the worldwide stage. The main issue identified in this years program is Co-habitation.

TAW states their mission as: "The turn of the 21st century has been marked by dramatic changes in the political, social and environmental panorama, which are deeply affecting the way we live today: terrorism, migration and global warming are certainly the most pressing issues, and they are putting at risk our very life on this planet. So far we have come to acknowledge that we must simply coexist with such problems and learn to live with their consequences in our everyday life. But while coexistence refers to the mere - and often imposed - action of living together without any productive interaction, co-habitation implies living together peacefully, while promoting some form of exchange. This is why we believe that in the future architecture, city, and landscape should approach such emergencies fostering interaction and productive exchanges between different disciplines and cultures."

The theme for this years Conference taking place from the 20th to the 23rd of September, is Co-habitation Tactics - Imagining Future Spaces in Architecture, City and Landscape. The International Scientific Conference, which is an integral part of the event, aims to explore contemporary research activities and tactics that examine the topic of co-habitation, from many different perspectives and fields relating to architecture, city and the landscape. The eight topics derived deal with: climate change, ecosystems, energy transitions, memory, migration, mobility, technology and tourism. Nevertheless, contributors from sociology, urbanism, planning, leisure and culture studies, anthropology and geography are also encouraged to apply.

Tirana Architecture Week encompasses a cradle of cultural discussions gathering notable figures and lecturers. This years event invites Reinier De Graaf from OMA, Camillo Boano from The Bartlett Development Planning Unit of London, Maria Goula from Cornell University NY, William Veerbeek from Unesco Institute for Water Education in Delft, Michelangelo Russo from Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (University of Naples Federico II), Thomas Dillingerfrom Technical University Vienna, Nuno Goncalvers Fontarra from Mecanoo Architects, and Sotir Dhamo from Cornell University NY.

Furthermore, Tirana Architecture Week will be hosting an International Ideas Competition in collaboration with AWR Architecture Workshop in Rome on "Gentle Invasions: Adaptive touristic facilities along the Albanian Riviera". The main idea behind this competition is addressing tourism and unpredictable landscape mutations caused by climate change through adaptive design strategies. With the deadline of submission approaching on July 25th, the competition invites everyone to experiment, with a jury composed of Reinier de Graaf, Luca Galofaro, Michiel Van Driessche, William Veerbeek, Maria Goula, Herida Duro, Ledian Bregasi, Artan Raca and Loris Rossi.

As Tirana Architecture Week reaches now its fourth edition, the past issues of TAW dealt with Architecture that Matters (2016), [EN]visioning future cities (2014) and the [RE]appropriation of the city (2012). The venue, as always, is at Polis University, located on the Tirane-Durres Highway in Albania.

All Images  Tirana Architecture Week

> via Tirana Architecture Week
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) has published an issue brief, "Debt of the Elderly and Near Elderly 19922016," that outlines the extent of debt-to-asset difficulties among those 55 and older. In the brief, EBRI's Craig Copeland came to the following conclusions:

A higher percentage of American families with heads ages 55 or older have debt, and families with the oldest heads are seeing the greatest increases, he wrote. In 1992, 53.8 percent of families with heads ages 55 or older had debt and by 2010, 63.4 percent did so. That number increased to 68 percent in 2016.

While the number of people affected is up, average debt levels have gone down since 2010 for households headed by a 55-or-older adult, from $82,968 to $76,679 in 2016.

Housing debt payments have been 1 to 3 times larger than those of nonhousing debt payments since 1992.

Families with heads ages 55-64 have been more likely to have debt payments in excess of 40 percent of income than any other age group.

While improving in many respects  the overall trends in debt are troubling as far as retirement preparedness is concerned  American families just reaching retirement or those newly retired are more likely to have debt  and higher levels of debt  than past generations, specifically those in the 1990s.

As a consequence of these developments, Copeland observed, more families that have elderly heads are placing themselves at risk of running short of money in retirement.
Nicolas Rapp

Your Medicare is in danger. Each year, roughly 10 cents of every dollar budgeted for the giant health insurance program is stolen or misdirected before it helps any enrollee. Looked at another way, about $1,000 is lost per Medicare member through theft or waste each year. That is according to the federal governments reckoning. But it could be far worse. Malcolm Sparrow, a Harvard University professor and leading expert on health care fraud, says the true amount lost to fraud, abuse or improper payments could be 20 percent, or even as high as 30 percent.

The fact of the matter is, we dont know how much is lost, Sparrow says. We ought to know. We shouldnt have to guess. But the truth would be hard to swallow.

Its not just taxpayers who pay the price. Medicare beneficiaries also foot the bill in the form of higher deductibles and copayments, and cuts to services and care. Put simply, fraud is directly harming the health of older Americans and compromising the program.

The real damage is the winding down and gutting of services, Sparrow says. And its been happening for a long time. Fraudsters often:

Charge for services never delivered

Falsify records

Inflate claims

Steal your ID

File duplicate claims

Provide unneeded equipment

Buy off doctors/patients

Fraud may also hinder the ability of patients to find treatment. Good doctors and health practitioners face greater bureaucratic demands due to the systems challenges, and in some cases reimbursement has remained flat on important types of care. That leaves less time for treating patients and may push some providers to stop accepting Medicare. The squeeze sits unfairly on the just, Sparrow says. It will eventually drive them away.

Theres another reason Medicare beneficiaries should be outraged. Fake billing is part of a patients health record, which is increasingly kept electronically. In an era fraught with the loss of personal medical information, fraudulent billing has the potential to affect things such as life insurance rates and future medical treatment.
Consumers may be overestimating their ability to detect fraud, particularly scams involving taxes, according to a new AARP survey. Nine in 10 of the 1,005 adults who responded to the poll, conducted this month, said they were confident they could spot fraudulent schemes, and three of four said it's not too hard to recognize a scam. But when it comes to tax-related fraud and scams specifically, the responses from a quarter or more of those surveyed suggested they may not have the knowledge necessary to avoid falling victim to common schemes.

About 30 percent of those polled either didnt know or werent sure if Internal Revenue Service agents may telephone taxpayers to warn of an arrest if back taxes arent paid immediately. This tactic is popular among scammers, but the IRS does not telephone or send emails to taxpayers.

Almost 25 percent of respondents also didnt know or werent sure if the IRS accepts gift cards to pay taxes. This is another common strategy fraudsters use.

Nearly a quarter of respondents said they didnt know or werent certain if someone else may use their Social Security number to file a tax refund under their name. False claims are, in fact, filed with alarming regularity. Notably, the IRS identified nearly 196,000 tax returns with more than $2 billion in fraudulent refund claims as of May 2017.

We see repeatedly that scammers who impersonate the Internal Revenue Service work year-round at trying to swindle Americans, and theyre particularly relentless in April, said AARP fraud expert Kathy Stokes. While theres no simple solution, you can outsmart cons. File your taxes early, before they beat you to it, shred financial documents you no longer need, and beware of high-pressure tactics. The IRS will not call and threaten arrest for taxes owed, and they certainly wont ask for a gift card as a form of payment, but impostors will.

AARPs Fraud Watch Network offers tips and guidance on how you can protect yourself from tax-related scams.
Skylab was a U.S. space station that orbited Earth from 1973 to 1979, when it basically fell out of the sky. It hosted three manned missions and numerous scientific experiments, but an increasing emphasis on the space shuttle program and costs of keeping crews there caused the last manned mission to end in 1974.

There were problems from the start. Space.com notes Skylab was damaged during its launch and was plagued with power issues throughout its life  issues that contributed to its eventual demise.

NASA initially had planned to leave Skylab in a lower orbit until a planned space shuttle mission to the station in 1979. That timing turned out to be a problem: The first space shuttle mission was delayed until 1981.

NASA decided to act to bring the space station down in as controlled a manner as possible. But as the day of its demise approached, things got weird.

Skylab was huge  more than 77 tons  and although NASA took steps to try to force a descent away from land, it could not absolutely guarantee that would happen. That led to twin developments: near-panic among some people, and a certain spacey entrepreneurship among others.

In various parts of the country, wags painted Xs on their neighbors roofs or sported T shirts with targets on the back. Entrepreneurs sold plastic helmets and Skylab survival kits complete with bags for collecting stray parts of the spacecraft and letters suing NASA for damages, Newsweek reported.

There were Skylab parties. The San Francisco Examiner offered $10,000 to the first person who showed up at the newspaper with a piece of the station within 72 hours of the crash.

On July 11, 1979, Skylab came down. NASA tried to divert the station toward the Indian Ocean, but some of it fell in lightly populated areas of western Australia.

In the small town of Esperance, Australia, Stan Thornton grabbed a few small fragments of Skylab and headed to San Francisco. He got there in time to claim the $10,000. President Jimmy Carter apologized to Australia for raining space junk on it. Esperance officials issued a $400 fine to NASA for littering (a fine eventually paid by a Nevada radio station as a promotional stunt). No one was hurt.

Theres still a Skylab exhibition at the Esperance Museum, featuring various pieces of debris  including a fairly hefty oxygen tank that made it through the atmosphere. Purported Skylab fragments still show up on eBay.

Despite some reports questioning their claims, Chinese officials say they have Tiangong-1 under control and will direct it to fall into a designated area of the sea. According to the European Space Agency the station is estimated to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere between March 31- April 1. It weighed a little more than nine tons at launch, so its less than an eighth of the weight of Skylab. But its still big, and people will still be watching to see if there will be at least a little bit of a repeat.
When homecoming is hurtful, dignity is the cost of your inclusion
CAIRO  Egyptian election authorities started counting ballots after polls closed Wednesday in a lackluster vote virtually guaranteed to hand President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi a second four-year term. People were warned to vote or risk paying a fine, as authorities looked to boost turnout.

El-Sissi faced only a token opponent in the vote, which resembled referendums held by autocrats for decades before the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 briefly raised hopes of democratic change.

Serious challengers were forced out or arrested, including former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who showed up late Tuesday at a polling center to cast his ballot. It was his first public appearance since he announced his intention to run in December from the United Arab Emirates, where he had gone after narrowly losing the 2012 election to the Islamist Mohammed Morsi.

The UAE deported Shafiq after the announcement, and he was met at the Cairo airport by unidentified security men who escorted him to a hotel on the citys outskirts. He decided against running soon thereafter. On Tuesday, he told reporters that voting was a national duty, without elaborating.

The government is hoping for high turnout to lend the election legitimacy, and has staggered the voting over three days. Polls were initially to close Wednesday at 9 p.m. but voting was extended for an hour. Ballot counting started immediately after polls closed. Official results are expected Monday.

The National Election Authority said in a statement Wednesday it will enforce a law penalizing boycotters with a fine of around $30. Similar warnings have been issued in previous elections, with no real enforcement.

Nearly 60 million Egyptians are eligible to vote at some 13,700 polling centers. El-Sissi won 96.9 percent of the vote in 2014, with an official turnout of more than 47 percent. In the 2012 election, which saw heightened competition between Islamists and opponents, turnout reached 52 percent.

In the polling centers this year, turnout appeared low over the first two days of voting, then started to gain momentum by midday Wednesday, with short lines in front of some polling stations. El-Sissis only opponent is Moussa Mustafa Moussa, a little-known politician who supports the president and made no effort to campaign against him.

Mahmoud el-Sherif, the spokesman of the election commission, said Wednesday at a press conference that the highest turnout was in Cairo, the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, and in northern Sinai, the epicenter of an insurgency by Islamic militants.

In Cairos heavily populated, middle-class district of Shubra, a trickle of voters, mainly older women, could be seen outside two polling stations. Judges supervising the polling centers said that of 7,800 registered voters, some 3,000 cast ballots, or around 38 percent. In a nearby polling center, the turnout reached 34 percent, according to figures provided by judges there.

Saadia Ali, a housewife and mother of five, said she came because she hopes things will get better. Just tell them that our houses are collapsing and on my street they are not doing anything to fix it, she said.

Some el-Sissi supporters are suggesting that he should consider amending the constitution to remain president for life.

I have only one wish and if its accomplished, I will be very happy, said Ashraf Ahmed, a 50-year-old ceramic sculptor smoking a shisha in a cafe. I wish that the next step is to change the constitution so he can run for a third, fourth, fifth (time) and forever.

El-Sissi has said that he is not in favor of amending constitutional provisions barring the president from staying in office beyond two four-year-terms. Several pro-government lawmakers and media figures promoted the proposed amendments to allow el-Sissi to stay in office beyond eight years.

At Saleh Hamad school in Shubra, at least 3,500 of 12,000 eligible voters cast their votes by midday, or about 29 percent, polling judges there said. Christians, strong supporters of el-Sissi for challenging Islamists, make up a large portion of voters in the district. They constitute around 10 percent of Egypts predominantly Muslim population.

Father Marcus Ibrahim, a Coptic Christian priest who brought his son with him, said the church told worshippers to go and vote without supporting a certain candidate.

This is the only way for change. Its slow but it will happen as long as we keep participating. I brought my son and told him to sign the ballot and drop it in the box so he gets used to it.

Local media, which are dominated by pro-government commentators, have urged people to come out and vote, saying they have a national obligation to resist foreign plots aimed at sowing discord. Groups of loyalists can be seen clapping and dancing in front of some polling stations, as patriotic music plays from loudspeakers.

Outside a polling station in Cairos Manial neighborhood, about two dozen voters, mainly older people, lined up in front of the gates shortly before polls opened.

Sayada Fathi, a 62-year-old voter, said she wasnt bothered by the lack of competition.

Our beloved el-Sissi will win easily, she said.
AUSTIN, Texas  The agency regulating Texas alcohol industry reversed a judges advisory decision that it said could have shuttered most of the states booze business.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission cast aside the ruling this month, saying lawmakers didnt intend large-scale disruption of the industry, the Austin American-Statesman reported .

Administrative Law Judge Robert Jones Jr. issued the legal opinion last fall while acknowledging the decision could shut down the states alcoholic beverage industry. But he said the opinion follows Texas law, which hasnt been updated since the end of the Prohibition era.

The ruling would have meant that companies like Anheuser-Busch and Molson Coors Brewing couldnt legally operate in the state. Its the latest indication of Texas outdated alcoholic beverage rules.

Texas has what the law calls three-tier regulation, which requires companies that make, distribute or retain alcohol to remain independent from each other. An individual with an interest in one tier cant also hold interest in another, according to state law.

The current dispute began six years ago when McLane Company, a $48 billion supply chain business based in Temple, applied for a license to distribute alcohol. At the time, another large distributor, California-based Core-Mark, applied for a license renewal.

The states alcoholic beverage commission approved Core-Marks application but rejected McLane Companys. The reasoning was that Nebraska billionaire Warren Buffetts company, Berkshire Hathaway, owned McLane Company as well as a 2 percent interest in Walmart, a retailer that sells alcohol in Texas.

Berkshires stake in both companies appeared to violate the cross-tier rules.

McLane then pushed back against Core-Marks application, noting that the publicly traded company was owned by large investors who had stakes in companies with permits to sell or manufacture alcohol in Texas, including Nordstroms, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Molson Coors Brewing Co.

The issue shows how drawing boundaries has become increasingly difficult as corporate structures grow more sophisticated.

The judges advisory decision would have resulted in no legal alcoholic beverage industry in Texas, said Matthew Chaplin, the commissions deputy executive director.

The commission said it would allow hands-off ownership of different-tier companies by institutional investors, including mutual funds, in the future.

___

Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Former state Rep. Idalia Lechuga-Tena was booted off the ballot by a judge on Wednesday after she acknowledged shes been living outside the House district she wants to represent.

Lechuga-Tena, a Democrat, testified that she is renting out the home she owns in House District 21 to another family.

But she said the International District house is still her permanent residence because shes registered to vote there, lived there before agreeing to rent out the house for a year and intends to move back once the renters leave in about 10 days.

Furthermore, theres no physical residency requirement for House members under state law, Lechuga-Tena and her attorney, Marco Gonzales, argued.

But Judge Nancy Franchini didnt see it that way. After a three-hour hearing, she ruled that Lechuga-Tenas own testimony showed she didnt live in the district on Jan. 29  the key date because thats when the election proclamation for the June 5 primary was issued.

An intent to return to her home in the district wasnt enough, the judge ruled.

Lechuga-Tena, however, said she plans to appeal the decision. Her attorney, Gonzales, is also her husband.

Im confident this decision will be reversed and the voters of (House District 21) will have the choice at the ballot box that my opponent wants to deny them, Lechuga-Tena said.

If the ruling stands, it will leave state Rep. Debbie Sarinana, D-Albuquerque, the only candidate on the ballot.

Sarinana narrowly defeated Lechuga-Tena in 2016 to claim the seat.

Sarinanas attorneys, David and Katy Duhigg, contend Lechuga-Tena created a sham residence to circumvent eligibility requirements. They called neighbors  and even the tenant of the house  to testify Wednesday.

All said Lechuga-Tena hadnt lived in the house this year. Through tears, in fact, the tenant described getting a termination notice last month directing her to leave the home by early April.

In a court filing, Lechuga-Tena acknowledged that she has lived temporarily at a nearby out-of-district location  a fact that doesnt mean shes actually changed her legal, permanent residence, she said, because she intends to resume living at the house she owns when the renters move out.

Lechuga-Tena once represented the district. Bernalillo County commissioners appointed her to the state House in 2015 to fill the vacancy created by then-Rep. Mimi Stewarts move to the state Senate.

Lechuga-Tena rented an apartment in the district about a week before the appointment.

She lost a bid to keep the seat during the Democratic primary election in 2016 to Sarinana.

For the record

Articles in the Wednesday and Thursday editions of the Journal incorrectly stated that Idalia Lechuga-Tena was appointed to the state House to fill a vacancy created by then-Rep. Mimi Stewarts move to the Senate.

Lechuga-Tena actually succeeded Stephanie Maez, who served about nine months as Stewarts replacement before resigning and reopening the vacancy.
Very few New Mexicans are feeling optimistic about the states progress, according to a Common Cause New Mexico poll released Wednesday.

The survey, regularly put out in advance of the primary elections, shows a drop in the number of people who feel the state is on the right track since the last pre-primary survey in 2014. This years primary is June 5.

In 2014, the survey showed 38 percent believed New Mexico was headed in the right direction but, this year, that number dropped to 24 percent.

New Mexico has had a hard time rebounding economically and population-wise compared to our neighboring states. I think people do get frustrated by this, plus crime has been a hot topic in many communities, said Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., which conducted the survey.

At the same time, the poll captured continued strong support for government ethics and transparency reform.

Ninety percent of those surveyed strongly or somewhat support requiring all large political contributions from individuals, corporations, political action committees (PACs), nonprofits and unions to be made public. The same amount of support was recorded in 2014.

And 91 percent of those surveyed said theyd like to see lobbyists forced to make public the bills and subjects they are advocating for.

Clearly there is strong support levels among New Mexicans for your standard good government reform, Sanderoff said.

The poll also shows 54 percent support for making legislator positions paid and 65 percent support for lengthening the short Legislative sessions.

In 2014, there was 85 percent support for the creation of an independent state ethics commission, with 66 percent of registered voters expressing strong support. Such a commission has been debated for decades in the state.

And this year, voters will have a chance to vote on creating one after legislators in 2017 approved a ballot measure for a constitutional amendment.

Thats an example of the Legislature making headway on something good government groups have been advocating on for decades, Sanderoff said.

Common Cause, the sponsor of the poll, has championed the ethics commission.

Common Cause describes itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit group committed to honest, open and accountable government, and to encouraging citizen participation in democracy. It commissioned the poll and released results Wednesday.

The poll surveyed 452 registered voters in New Mexico by phone between Jan. 16-24 and results have a margin of error of about 4.6 percentage points.
The Justice Department inspector general announced Wednesday that he will examine a series of controversial applications to surveil a former Trump campaign adviser, along with the departments relationship with a former British intelligence officer who provided information for those requests.

Conservatives have long alleged the Justice Department acted inappropriately in obtaining a warrant to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page  in particular because the department relied on information that was funded in a roundabout way by Hillary Clintons presidential campaign.

The review by Inspector General Michael Horowitz is likely to produce a report that assesses the appropriateness of those dealings.

Horowitz will be wading into a political minefield, as the warrant to surveil Page and the former British intelligence officer who provided information to aid that effort have become significant friction points in the partisan squabbling over Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

A GOP memo released last month alleged the Justice Department had misled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to obtain the warrant by not making clear that one source of information  former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele  was ultimately funded by the Clinton campaign. Steele is author of the infamous dossier of damaging allegations about Donald Trump. He was employed to research Trump by the opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which had been hired by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee. President Donald Trump has seized on the GOP findings to allege abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Democrats fired back with a memo asserting that their Republican counterparts were misstating the facts, and that the effort to surveil Page was appropriate.

They noted that Page had been on the FBIs radar for years, and although the application to surveil him did not use names, it made clear that some of its sources might have had political motivations. The warrant, for example, said that Steele had been approached by a U.S. person hired to conduct research regarding Candidate #1s ties to Russia, according to the Democrats.

The FBI speculates that the U.S. person was likely looking for information that could be used to discredit candidate #1s campaign, the application said, according to the Democrats.

Candidate #1 refers to Trump.

The reaction Wednesday similarly seemed to split along party lines. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of the crime and terrorism subcommittee, both issued statements welcoming the inspector generals review, although Graham added, I still believe we need a second special counsel to ensure the investigation is thorough and complete.

The two senators had written Horowitz last month asking him to look into several Russia-related matters, though more recently, they and other legislators said a second special counsel should be appointed.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, N.Y., the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement it was a shame that the Inspector General has to devote resources to investigate a conspiracy theory as fact-free, openly political, and thoroughly debunked as the Presidents so-called FISA abuse. 

The application to conduct surveillance on Page, and three extensions, were approved by four separate judges, all appointed by Republican presidents. The first warrant was issued in October 2016.

Page said in a text message: Thus far, Members of Congress and Russian entrepreneurs in U.S. Courts have made the greatest initial progress in getting to the bottom of Washingtons illegal influence on the 2016 election. Whereas many of these illicit schemes allegedly occurred in part within DOJ, its encouraging that members of their staff are now investigating the increasingly clear pattern of wrongdoing.

That Horowitz will look into the matter is not completely surprising; Attorney General Jeff Sessions had indicated he would do so late last month. It remains to be seen, though, whether Horowitzs examination will satisfy conservatives, particularly the president.

After Sessions indicated last month that Horowitz would conduct a review, Trump reacted angrily on Twitter, writing Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isnt the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!

FISA refers to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Since last year, Horowitz has been investigating another politically charged topic: the FBIs investigation into Clintons use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, and former FBI Director James Comeys public statements about it. He has yet to release a public report on that review, though it already has had significant consequences.

Horowitz found, for example, that Andrew McCabe, as deputy director of the FBI, had authorized two other FBI officials to disclose information to the media, and then allegedly misled investigators about it. Based on those findings, Sessions fired McCabe from his job at the FBI just 26 hours before he could retire.

Horowitz indicated in his announcement that his review of the Page warrant application will review the FBI and Justice Departments compliance with the law and their own policies, along with their relationship with Steele. Horowitz also said he would consider examining other issues that might arise during his review.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

It was a serious task the students and volunteers at St. Pius X High School were taking on Wednesday: providing meals for those in need.

But they had fun while doing it.

Celebration by Kool & The Gang played in the gym while thousands of students in hairnets prepped meals that will be sent to charities throughout New Mexico and to Haiti.

Seventy percent of the meals will stay in the state and 30 percent will be sent to Haiti.

Local charities depend on this food, said Alicia Eiler, director of community service at the school.

From preschool children to grandparents volunteering, all hands were on deck Wednesday to help prepare 212,900 meals.

Different stations were set up in the St. Pius X gym for people to make and pack the meals.

Kindergartners, who worked at stations on the gym floor because they arent yet tall enough to see over the folding tables, created oatmeal mixtures, pouring oatmeal, cinnamon and sugar into funnels.

They look forward to it every year, Eiler said.

The Catholic high school hosts the project every year during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter Sunday.

A dozen school buses brought students from other Catholic schools and programs to help with the food service project. About 50 adult volunteers also jumped in to help.

A total of 2,147 students participated Wednesday.

Its a lot of work, Eiler said, but the students enjoy giving back to the community.

Its part of our calling as Catholics and Christians to help others, she said.

Students at St. Pius X each get a chance to participate in the packing day during English class.

St. Pius X spends the whole year raising money for the event, averaging about $20,000.

Eiler has been a part of the food service project for the entire decade St. Pius X has been participating. In that 10 years, Eiler says,the high school has donated about 2 million meals.

This year the meals include oatmeal and protein-packed mixtures of rice, soy or beans with chicken and vegetable powder.

Senior Noah Lucero, 18, had been at the school since 6 a.m. to kick off the event, which he helped plan.

It takes all year to organize, he said.

Lucero, who has been involved in the packing day since middle school, worked on the project all day, having coordinated with his teachers ahead of time and turning in some of his work early.

We see whats happening in our community and we see the struggles, he said.

Lucero said its important to give back and to teach the younger kids the importance of community service.

Theres so much more happening outside during the eight hours we are in school, he said.

Lucero will graduate in May, but he hopes to continue volunteering next year as a University of New Mexico student.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.
For the sixth year in a row, more people moved out of New Mexico than moved in, but the states total population stayed steady last year as births continued to outpace deaths, according to recently released federal census data.

For the sixth year in a row, more people moved out of New Mexico than moved in, but the states total population stayed steady last year as births continued to outpace deaths, according to recently released federal census data.

The data show Sandoval and Los Alamos counties leading with population growth between July 2016 and July 2017, while oil field boom towns in Eddy and Lea counties, which showed a spike in residents from 2012 to 2015, actually dropped in population. Local experts say the oil boom counties are now rebounding.

Los Alamos County made the national top 10 list for fastest-growing micropolitan areas, those with 10,000 to 50,000 residents, ranking fifth, with a growth of 3.13 percent.

The states largest county, Bernalillo County, followed the state trend with more moving out than moving in. The data show that overall it grew by about 1,185 people  about 0.18 percent  to 676,773. The data show a net loss of 749 residents from migration.

Overall the states population grew 0.3 percent, to 2,088,070.

We are growing, but its nominal growth, because births are down, deaths are up and migration is out, and those three things are what drive population growth, said Robert Rhatigan, associate director of the University of New Mexicos Institute for Geospatial and Population Studies.

The U.S. Census Bureau uses vital statistics of births and deaths to track what it calls natural population change and tax filings to track people moving in and out of the state, which it calls migration. Migration is the trickier of the data, because people sometimes dont file taxes or might work in one state and file taxes in another. Together, migration and natural change make up the total population change.

New Mexicos total population grew by 2,638 people: that growth accounts for slightly more than 25,200 births and 17,800 deaths and a net loss of 4,666 residents to migration.

International residents, which can include U.S. citizens or military people moving back to the U.S., dominated the states incoming migration trend, with a net gain of 2,771 international residents. At the same time, 7,437 more domestic residents moved out of the state than moved in.

That was the same migration trend for the state in 2015-16, when the total state population grew but only by about 700 people.

These past two years of overall growth, while small, cap six straight years of net migration loss.

Thats because our neighboring states began recovering from the recession and we didnt, Rhatigan said.

Pockets of net positive migration held steady in southern New Mexico as the oil and gas industry flourished through 2016. But dropping oil prices precipitated a population decrease captured in this snapshot, which logged a net loss of 804 residents from Eddy County and a net loss of 1,709 residents from Lea County  the most dramatic net loss in migration of any county in this period.

Population data lags, and so this loss was related to the fact that our big economic driver, which is really oil production, was really in a swoon for two years or so. Its since come out of that, said Steve Vierck, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corp. of Lea County.

Rhatigan said the Lea and Eddy population counts, like all in this snapshot, are estimates based partly on IRS fillings. That means oil and gas employees who work in New Mexico but also live in other states might have filed their taxes elsewhere, thus skewing population statistics.

At the same rate that Lea County lost residents, Sandoval County gained them.

The county marked the largest total population growth in the state, with a total of 2,283 new residents  about 1.6 percent growth. About 1,900 were relocations to Sandoval County from elsewhere in the U.S.

Its a bedroom community for both Albuquerque and Santa Fe, Rhatigan said. New homes are being built, and its a place to get an affordable and brand-new home and decent schools.

Los Alamos County also topped the list of percentage growth, with 3.13 percent, but the county gained only a net 586 residents.

In Dona Ana County, 294 international people took residency along with about 96 domestic relocations. The county as a whole grew 0.79 percent by about 1,705 people.

Santa Fe County grew by about 807 people, about 0.54 percent. It drew the second-biggest domestic migration, with 550 relocations and 148 international relocations.

Overall, 14 New Mexico counties experienced total population growth, none more than Los Alamos County. Harding County had no net growth or loss. The other 18 counties dropped population, none more than Lea Countys 1.59 percent.
The fact New Mexicos Law Offices of the Public Defender has hired Toby Martinez  he of the $4.3 million Metro Courthouse scandal  as a paralegal is raising some eyebrows.

But the literal bottom line is: Do taxpayers want their money back, or not?

Back in 2009, Martinez pleaded guilty to taking more than $2 million and was sentenced to serve 5 years in federal prison and pay $2.7 million in restitution for his central role in skimming millions from the construction of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse, which he oversaw as court administrator. He was released from prison in 2013.

Its unclear how much of the $2.7 million Martinez still owes New Mexico taxpayers  but its a lot. A news report last year said he had paid back around $16,000, and he was forced to forfeit more than $300,000 in assets, including a Lexus, a home and four bank accounts. So theres little question he needs to get back into the workforce if hes going to pay his debt to society in full, as well as support himself and his family. (His wife, Sandra Martinez, got five years probation and was ordered to pay $106,000 in restitution for her role in the scheme; as of last year, reports were she still owed around $5K.)

Yet society has an inherent bias toward felons, putting them in a Catch-22 by expecting them to be productive members of society but not wanting them to work in anything but the most menial of jobs, if that. Martinez acknowledges this in a brief by his lawyer, saying he couldnt get work due to the poor job market for convicted felons.

Chief Public Defender Bennett Baur says, The Law Offices of the Public Defender of all people, of all agencies, believes someone should have a chance as long as they are properly supervised. He points out Martinez is not handling money, and the job of a senior paralegal involves working with lawyers and clients to organize paperwork, conduct interviews and keep cases on track.

And while Martinez does not have a paralegal certificate  New Mexico does not require one  he does have a bachelors degree, which is one of the six entry points into a paralegal career in New Mexico according to paralegaledu.org (others are a high school diploma plus 7 years of substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney; a certificate from an American Bar Association-approved program; an associate degree; national certification; or a law degree).

Really, the only problem with hiring Martinez for this job revolves around a prototypical New Mexico single parent trying to make a better life for his or her family, someone who has gone to the trouble of getting paralegal certification only to be told someone who stole millions from the taxpaying public was the best person for the job. Baur says Martinezs resume is impressive. He ran the Metro Court. That takes skills. It takes social skills. It takes knowledge.

Absolutely. But unlike our hypothetical single parent applicant, Martinez is also a thief who stole from the taxpayer-funded system thats now employing him.

Baur maintains Martinez was the most qualified applicant for the job. Martinezs lawyer says 25 percent of his net paralegal income  he makes $41,000 annually  goes to restitution. And while it will be up to Baur to ensure Martinez is adequately supervised, the fact he is working and paying back the public he ripped off should bring some of those eyebrows down.

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.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The Roundhouse is the kind of place where visitors occasionally show up with rifles and other firearms to demonstrate their Second Amendment rights.

And proposed gun restrictions often face skepticism, if they come up for debate at all.

But all three Democrats running for governor in New Mexico say they support a statewide ban on the sale of AR-15s  the style of semiautomatic rifle used in the killing of 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Fla., last month.

I dont think any one thing in a vacuum solves this gun violence epidemic, Democratic congresswoman and gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham said in an interview. But quite frankly, these are military weapons  the only purpose is to kill other humans.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, the lone Republican in the race, said that banning AR-15s  in addition to other restrictions favored by Democrats  wouldnt be an effective way to address mass shootings at schools and other public places.

Instead, the proposals would divert police resources to cataloging and confiscating the guns of law abiding citizens, he said in a written statement.

The December shooting at a high school in Aztec, for example, was carried out by a 21-year-old former student with a 9mm Glock pistol, not an AR-15.

Both in Parkland and at Aztec there were clear warning signs that reached the FBI, yet nothing happened, Pearce said. These serious lapses cannot happen.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Jeff Apodaca, a former television executive from Albuquerque, and state Sen. Joe Cervantes, a Las Cruces attorney, favor bans on the sale of AR-15s, according to their campaigns.

All four candidates for governor say it will take a comprehensive approach to address shootings in New Mexico. But the Democratic hopefuls see a ban on AR-15-style weapons as part of the plan, in contrast to Pearce, who opposes the idea.

The candidates staked out their positions this week after hundreds of thousands students and others across the country and New Mexico rallied on Saturday against gun violence and mass shootings.

The Cervantes campaign pointed out that he sponsored legislation aimed at keeping firearms away from domestic abusers. The proposal, Senate Bill 259, cleared both chambers in 2017 but was vetoed by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, who said judges can already prohibit people from possessing firearms in some circumstances.

This bill would have ensured people convicted of domestic violence, would not have access to guns, Cervantes spokesman Cody Aaron said in a written statement. When Senator Cervantes is leading the state, the governors office will no longer be the deterrent to sensible gun reform measures.

He said Cervantes supports a complete ban on military-purposed weapons for the general public.

Apodaca also favors a ban on military assault weapons, campaign spokesman Peter DeBenedittis said.

These are weapons designed for war and have no place being in our schools and communities, Apodaca said in a written statement. As a hunter, I am proud of our 2nd Amendment rights. Its not unreasonable to outlaw weapons of war.

Lujan Grisham and Cervantes support bans on high-capacity magazines. Pearce opposes such a ban.

Apodaca said he would support limiting magazines to 10 rounds.

The primary election, when Democratic voters will pick a nominee, is June 5.

Gun control efforts

In New Mexico, new restrictions on firearms often fail to gain traction. In 2017, for example, a proposal to expand requirements for background checks failed to clear either chamber, both controlled by Democrats.

A proposal to prohibit the open carrying of firearms in the Capitol cleared the Senate that year but failed to make it out of the House. And Cervantes proposal to require domestic violence offenders to surrender their firearms, at least temporarily, was vetoed by Martinez after it made it through the House and Senate.

State lawmakers this year have been debating how to improve safety at New Mexico schools, and thousands of young people turned out for marches Saturday, carrying signs such as Protect me & my friends, not guns.

AR-15 debate

Debate over the AR-15 itself  a catchall term some use to describe semiautomatic rifles of a similar style  has come into focus after an AR-15 was used in the attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

AR-15-style rifles have also played a role in mass shootings at a Las Vegas concert, a San Bernardino workplace and an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

The rifle is also popular with gun enthusiasts  a symbol of the constitutional right to bear arms. Supporters say theyre easy to use and modify, and the NRA once called it Americas most popular rifle.

The AR-15 is semiautomatic, meaning it fires one shot each time the trigger is pulled, not multiple shots like a fully automatic rifle.

In December, a 21-year-old gunman shot and killed two students at Aztec High School in northwestern New Mexico before killing himself. He used a 9mm Glock pistol.
WASHINGTON  The FBI has found that a business associate of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort had ongoing ties to Russian intelligence, including during the 2016 presidential campaign when Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, were in touch with the associate, according to new court filings.

The documents, filed late Tuesday by prosecutors for special counsel Robert Mueller III, also allege that Gates has said he knew the associate was a former officer with the Russian military intelligence service.

The allegations underscore Muellers interest in Manafort and Gates, who continued to interact with business associates in Ukraine even as they helped lead Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Manafort, 68, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, money laundering, and tax and bank fraud charges related to his lobbying work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine and former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Gates, 45, who was deputy campaign manager for Trump and had earlier worked with Manafort in Ukraine, pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy and lying to the FBI in a cooperation deal with Muellers probe.

Prosecutors made the allegation without naming the Manafort associate but described his role with Manafort in detail. The description matches Konstantin Kilimnik, the Russian manager of Manaforts lobbying office in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.

Kilimnik did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did a White House spokesman or an attorney for Gates.

Kilimnik has previously denied intelligence ties, telling The Washington Post in a statement in June that he has no relation to the Russian or any other intelligence service.

A spokesman for Manafort, who is under a court gag order, declined to comment.

Manafort has acknowledged staying in frequent contact with Kilimnik during the time he worked for Trumps campaign. He has said he met with Kilimnik in person in May 2016 and again in New York City in August 2016, about two weeks before Manafort resigned as Trumps campaign chairman.

A Manafort spokesman expressed confidence in June that investigators would ultimately conclude that Manaforts interactions with Kilimnik were perfectly permissible and not in furtherance of some conspiracy.

The information about the FBIs assessment of the Manafort associate came in a court filing related to the upcoming sentencing of London attorney Alex van der Zwaan, whose firm worked with Manafort when he served as a political consultant in Ukraine.

Van der Zwaan, 33, the son-in-law of a prominent Russian Ukrainian banker, pleaded guilty last month to lying about his September 2016 contacts with Gates and the Manafort associate, identified in court documents only as Person A.

Prosecutors explained that van der Zwaan had lied and withheld documents about information that was pertinent to their investigation  that Gates had been in direct contact during the presidential campaign with a person who has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016.

They said that when van der Zwaan was interviewed by the FBI in November, he told investigators that Gates had informed him that Person A was a former officer of the Russian military intelligence service, known as the GRU.

Kilimnik ran Manaforts office in Kiev during the 10 years he did consulting work there, The Post reported in 2017.

During his August 2016 meeting with Kilimnik, Manafort has said he and his longtime Kiev office manager discussed, among other topics, the ongoing campaign, including the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails. Stolen DNC emails had been released by WikiLeaks the previous month, and the hack was widely suspected to be the work of Russia.

During Kilimniks time working for Manafort in Kiev, he had served as a liaison for Manafort to the Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, with whom Manafort had done business. Emails previously described to The Post show that Manafort asked Kilimnik during the campaign to offer Deripaska private briefings about Trumps effort. A Deripaska spokeswoman has said the billionaire, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was not offered and did not receive such briefings.

Kilimnik previously told The Post that he had served for a time in the early 1990s in the Russian army, but he denied any links to intelligence work.

Manafort has also denied knowingly communicating with Russian intelligence during the campaign. He told the New York Times last year, however, Its not like these people wear badges that say, Im a Russian intelligence officer. 
CARRIZOZO, N.M.  A small, New Mexico railroad town that received a large part of the residue from the worlds first atomic bomb test is joining efforts to share stories about the tests health effects as advocates work to gather more information how the 1945 test affected generations of Hispanic and Native American residents.

Advocates seeking recognition for the harms caused by the World War II-era test are trying to gather stories from residents of the tiny town of Carrizozo, New Mexico, the Alamogordo Daily News reported Tuesday.

It is the latest community to join efforts to by the Tularosa Basin Downwinders, a group that advocate for residents in southern New Mexico whose families lived near the Trinity Test site, to gather oral histories and data about the health effects from the atomic bomb experiment.

The bomb was tested in a stretch of desert near Carrizozo and other towns with Hispanic and Native American populations.

Members of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders say many people who lived near the testing site were not told it was an atomic weapon test until the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and World War II ended.

Residents in the towns of Tularosa, Oscuro, Ruidoso and of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation have been gathering similar stories and data for years.

They say they want acknowledgment and compensation from the U.S. government after many families were diagnosed with rare forms of cancer.

Resident Bernice Gutierrez, who was born in Carrizozo just days before the atomic bomb was tested 33 miles (53 kilometers) away, has had several deaths in her family from cancer.

Tularosa Basin Downwinders co-founder Tina Cordova said the group is interested in expanding its work into the Carrizozo community because it was so close to the test site.

Along the way Ive met a lot of people whove come forward out of that community and have told stories that are just remarkable about what their experiences were at the time of the test and since the test, Cordova said.

Carrizozo, a small railroad town north of where the atomic test was detonated, was known for providing reed grass used as feed for ranch cattle. Cordova said no one ever studied if reed grass was contaminated and if it affected cattle that area residents later consumed.

The move into Carrizozo comes as the Tularosa Basin Downwinders raise money for about 10 residents to travel to Washington, D.C., this summer and testify about the effects of the Trinity Test on generations of residents who lived near the site.

Cordova said also wanted to gather more stories from residents of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation.

Scientists working in the then-secret city of Los Alamos developed the atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project. The secret program provided enriched uranium for the atomic bomb. It also involved facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Hanford, Washington.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.  The Navajo Nation has sued the federal government and Winslow over the death of a tribal member who was holding a pair of medical scissors when she was shot by a police officer for the northern Arizona city.

The tribe filed its lawsuit this week in U.S. District Court in Arizona on behalf of Loreal Tsingines daughter, alleging violations of Tsingines civil and constitutional rights.

The tribe contends Austin Shipley, who subsequently resigned his position as an officer, could have used non-lethal force when he responded to a report that Tsingine shoplifted from a convenience store in March 2016.

Our people have the right to be free from unreasonable violence when they visit our neighboring communities, particularly from off-reservation law enforcement, Navajo President Russell Begaye said in a statement. Navajo lives matter, and that needs to be acknowledged and protected by our bordering jurisdictions.

Authorities said Tsingine resisted arrest, refused commands and advanced on Shipley with the scissors before he shot her, striking her four times in the torso. The 27-year-old was pronounced dead on the sidewalk, down the street from the convenience store.

The Maricopa County Attorneys Office cleared Shipley of wrongdoing in the shooting. The U.S. Department of Justice reviewed the case but said it could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Shipley willfully used excessive force and did not act in self-defense.

Kevin Washburn, a law professor at the University of New Mexico, said wrongful death lawsuits typically arent filed by tribes but its an exercise of sovereignty.

Law enforcement is really hard and there are judgment calls involved in law enforcement, and a different set of eyes might view the judgment call that was made slightly differently, Washburn said.

The Navajo Nation said Shipley could have used less than lethal force, pointing to the 100-pound (45-kilogram) difference between Shipley and Tsingine, and the difference in their heights. Even if she had attempted to stab Shipley, his body armor would have protected him, the tribe alleged.

Tsingine also had a history of mental health-related issues, and the tribe contends police officers werent properly trained. Shipley should have known of Tsingines history because he interacted with her, in April 2015 and August 2013, the lawsuit said.

Shipley told investigators he did not recall having dealt with Tsingine before.

The city of Winslow declined to comment on the lawsuit, but police Chief Daniel Brown said an external performance review led to more training on the use of force and hate crimes, and the department revamped its policies.

A new 15-member police advisory commission has two seats for Navajo citizens and one for the Hopi Tribe, he said.

Were definitely moving in the right direction, he said. The police department needs to be more inclusive of the community.

The Justice Department also declined comment.

Tsingines family previously filed a $10.5 million notice of claim against the city, a precursor to a lawsuit. The complaint filed Tuesday seeks unspecified monetary damages, attorney fees, and policies to address mental illness, lethal force and cultural sensitivity.
MONT PEKO NATIONAL PARK, Ivory Coast  Park rangers in the worlds top cocoa producer, Ivory Coast, are waging a campaign to protect national forests from the illegal farming of the raw ingredient in chocolate.

Last year the governments of Ivory Coast and other top cocoa producer Ghana, along with food giants Nestle, Mars and Hershey, pledged to work together to end deforestation in the West African nations.

The president of the World Cocoa Foundation, Rick Scobey, called it a landmark decision and an important environmental achievement.

Last year an investigation by environmental group Mighty Earth found that many of Ivory Coasts national parks and protected areas have been entirely or almost entirely cleared of forest and replaced with cocoa-growing operations. One of them, Mont Peko National Park, is home to endangered species such as chimpanzees and pygmy hippopotamuses.

Chocolate producers should really give customers peace of mind that chocolate eating isnt contributing to killing chimps or elephants, said Etelle Higonnet, a campaign director for Mighty Earth. Lets have total transparency all the way from the bar in your hand or the Nesquik that you drink or the Nutella that you spread on your bread, down to the farm.

On a recent patrol in Mont Peko National Park, it didnt take long for park rangers to find cocoa growing illegally. Using machetes, the team set to work removing it.

There has been limited progress, said Kpolo Ouattara, head of the Mont Peko sector for the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves. Roughly, more than 800 hectares (1,975 acres) of cocoa has been cut. Compared to the parks total area of 34,000 hectares, thats very little.

While mindful of tensions that have lingered in the wake of the countrys deadly political violence in recent years, Ivory Coast has turned to security forces to evict thousands of illegal cocoa farmers from parks.

However, authorities say some have been sneaking back in to harvest trees hidden deep in the forest.

One farmer, Djaka Issa Ouatara, said he accepts the governments actions.

We werent surprised because when we entered that area, we were well aware that (the forest) was part of the national heritage, Ouatara said.

Still, some observers worry that local traders are willing to turn a blind eye to any illegal provenance of cocoa headed for the global chocolate market.

Scobey with the World Cocoa Foundation recommended that chocolate lovers choose brands that advertise their adherence to international standards and check brand websites for information about their commitments to environmental and human rights concerns.

We cant indulge in a feel-good luxury product at the expense of a huge swath of tropical rainforest, Higonnet with Mighty Earth said.
RICHFIELD, Ohio  President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to hold up the trade agreement his administration finalized this week with South Korea in an effort to gain more leverage in potential talks with North Korea.

Speaking on infrastructure in Ohio, Trump highlighted the recently completed renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. But he warned, I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea. The remark comes as the two Koreas have announced plans to hold bilateral meetings next month in advance of a possible meeting between Trump and North Koreas Kim Jong Un by the end of May.

Trump noted the rhetoric has calmed down with North Korea, but added he may put a hold on the first trade agreement concluded by his administration, because its a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly.

Trump did not explain what leverage the U.S. would achieve by holding up the trade deal with South Korea. The South Korean embassy in Washington declined to comment.

The liberal government in Seoul wants Washington to engage with Pyongyang to help foster inter-Korean relations and reduce nuclear tensions. Trump may be suggesting that a prospective nuclear deal with North Korea is desired by South Korea, so by delaying it the U.S. could extract better trade terms with the South. But chances of a nuclear deal remain deeply uncertain.

Typically, the U.S. has sought solidarity with South Korea to resist attempts by North Korea to divide the allies. Resurrecting the complex and politically charged issue of trade could prove distracting just as the U.S. is pursuing high-stakes diplomacy with Pyongyang.

The presidents visit to Ohio was meant to be a push for upgrades to the nations aging roads and bridges. Instead, Trump turned what was billed as a major speech on infrastructure into 53-minute campaign-style rally, with talk of defeating the Islamic State and caring for veterans  not to mention a plug for the television reboot of Roseanne.

He highlighted his plan deploying $200 billion in federal money to spur at least $1.5 trillion in spending over a decade to repair or replace highways, bridges, ports, airports and other infrastructure.

We will transform our roads and bridges from a source of endless frustration into a source of incredible pride, he said.

But in a concession to political realities in Washington, where lawmakers are increasingly focused on their re-elections in what is set to be a difficult campaign cycle for Republicans, Trump said, Youre probably going to have to wait until after the election.

Trump said Democrats dont want to work with him on infrastructure because they dont want to give him any additional wins after his tax bill passed in December.

Trump unveiled the sweeping infrastructure proposal in February and cast it as one that could garner bipartisan support. But the plan relies heavily on state and local governments for the bulk of the spending, raising concerns among members of Congress about the possibility of higher commuter tolls and the sale of assets to raise the money.

There is little expectation that Congress will take up a sweeping infrastructure proposal along the lines of what Trump envisions  or that Republicans in control of the House and Senate will write their own legislation  as lawmakers begin to shift their focus to the challenge of getting re-elected in November.

Instead, Congress plans to package a series of related measures, including beefed-up spending in the big budget bill Trump signed into law last week. That bill, which funds the government through Sept. 30, included more money for transportation projects, rural broadband and other investments.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., promoted it in a tweet as long-overdue updates to our countrys infrastructure.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Matthew Pennington and Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap
The Albuquerque Police Department bomb squad say they safely removed items labeled explosive from a waste management site after an hours long investigation Thursday afternoon.

Officer Simon Drobik, an APD spokesman, said the bomb squad was called in after the items, which also had military insignia, were left at the Eagle Rock Convenience Center, near Alameda and Louisiana NE, Thursday.

The items were deemed safe to move by bomb technicians and were relocated for safe disposal at another location, Drobik wrote in an email.

He said they determined the items were discarded rather than placed there maliciously.

Drobik also said APD has an explosive recovery amnesty program when people can surrender explosive material, no questions asked.

Amnesty program: Police ask anyone with items they believe contain explosive material to call 242-2677 to report and surrender it.
What you see is what you get when it comes to New Mexicos mountain snowpacks, and theres not much to see. In some cases, theres nothing to see.

The best snowpack in the state, in the Rio Chama Basin, is at 45 percent of normal. The Jemez and Pecos river basins are at 16 and 3 percent of normal, respectively, and the Gila and Rio Hondo basins are at zero.

Royce Fontenot, senior hydrologist in the Albuquerque office of the National Weather Service, said the snowfall season has peaked out.

We are done there, Fontenot said during a New Mexico Drought Monitor Working Group session this week. What we have on the mountains is what you are going to get. What you see is what you get for (spring) runoff.

He said that even the snow that fell in some of the high northern mountain ranges earlier this week was not enough to help the state hydrologically.

The Drought Monitor Work Group, made up of members of the National Weather Service and state and federal agencies, determines the extent and severity of drought in the state. An updated drought map released Thursday shows that nearly 99 percent of New Mexico is in some stage of drought and more than 34 percent, the northern third of the state, is in extreme drought.

The Drought Monitor Work Group, made up of members of the National Weather Service and state and federal agencies, determines the extent and severity of drought in the state. An updated drought map released on Thursday shows that nearly 99 percent of New Mexico is in some stage of drought and more than 34 percent, the northern third of the state, is in extreme drought.

We have had deteriorating conditions to the north over the last several months, Fontenot said. We have extreme dryness in the northeast part of the state.

During the Working Group conference, Marshal Wilson of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture said there are reports that farmers in the northeast are planting less corn this year due to dry conditions and that livestock producers are downsizing their herds.

We have started to see things getting pretty tough, Wilson said. The winter wheat crop was bad because we had no snow. We need moisture, and when we get it, high winds dry it out pretty quick.

Wilson said ranchers are hauling water to herds and confronting a hay shortage that will make supplemental feeding of cattle a challenge.

Anthony Chavez, stage agricultural program specialist with the U.S. Department of Agricultures Farm Services Agency, said 15 northern counties now qualify for the federal Livestock Forage Program, which makes funds available to help ranchers buy feed for their cattle once a county has been in severe drought for eight consecutive weeks.

If dry conditions persist, he said, ranchers in most of New Mexico may qualify for the program by the end of April.

Chavez said ranchers in counties that are in extreme drought also qualify for the federal Emergency Livestock Assistance Program, which reimburses livestock growers for money spent to haul water to their animals.

There are people inquiring about these programs and just starting to do sign-ups, he said.

If there are silver linings, they are in the possibility of a better-than-normal summer monsoon season and the fact there is more water stored in most state reservoirs now than there was at this time last year.

We know we are going into a real dry spring, said David Gensler, water operations manager for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, which provides irrigation water for 70,000 acres of cropland in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

But weve got water in storage, and we have been preparing our people, Gensler said. I think we will get through (the irrigation season) OK, but there wont be any room for waste. We are going to be real attentive to make sure no one is taking water out of turn and that everyone is using water efficiently.

Gensler knows the real challenge may be next year if much of the stored water is used this season and is not replaced by precipitation.

I am worried about next year, he said. But our focus right now has to be on this season. We may shift our thinking into saving water for next year if we get a good monsoon season. If we have any opportunity to keep water upstream, we will. We arent going to let anything get by that we dont have to.
WARC, the international authority on advertising and media effectiveness, has released its latest monthly Global Ad Trends report, digesting up-to-date insights and evidenced thinking from the worldwide advertising industry. Threats to the digital advertising ecosystem are the focus of the latest report.

WARC estimates that $63.4 billion was spent on programmatic advertising worldwide last year, but as little as $17.8 billion (28 per cent) may have actually made it to the working media level.

Programmatics role in ad trade is increasing rapidly: two in every five dollars (39 per cent) spent on advertising in the US last year  across all media and formats  were traded by machines. This rate has doubled over the last five years.

With a continued and rapid rise in digital advertising, concerns have surfaced within the industry. Over half of the senior marketers surveyed by the CMO Council cited social media risks and reputation management as a major issue. One in three highlighted ad fraud, ad misplacement, and viewability as concerns, while a quarter cited media buying transparency and accountability.

WARC provides the following evidence for each of their main concerns:

Media transparency and accountability: Tech Tax cost programmatic advertisers over $30 billion in 2017

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) believe some 55 per cent of investment goes towards what some have dubbed the tech tax (the money spent on trading desks, demand side platforms, ad exchanges and data, targeting and verification services). WARC drew a consensus from media buyers, and while the rate of tech tax varied between markets, agencies and stacks, the outcome broadly aligned with the WFA estimates.

The tech tax would equate to $34.9 billion. The true figure will be closer to $30 billion, as platforms where the tech is integrated (such as YouTubes Trueview) cloud the calculation.

After agency fees, of the $63.4 billion in estimated programmatic advertiser spend last year, only $17.8 billion made it to the working media level when assuming a 30 per cent fraud rate.

Reputation management: Brand perception changes with negative adjacency, and one in five consumers will take direct action

One in five (19.5 per cent) consumers state that they would take some form of direct action against a brand if its advertising appeared alongside objectionable content, either by boycotting the brand (10.5 per cent) or being vocal/ raising issue (9.0 per cent).

43 per cent of senior marketers claim that they have already had reputation problems after ads had appeared next to objectionable content. Almost two in five (37 per cent) have pulled or intend to pull ads as a result.

Ad misplacement: Programmatic video ads pose greatest risk to brands

Ad misplacement  the risk of a legitimate ad appearing on an undesirable site or next to objectionable content  varies significantly by market, format, and buy type. The average risk for desktop display ads across 11 key markets was 6.9 per cent.

The issue is particularly prevalent in the Americas. One in ten (10.2 per cent) desktop impressions in Brazil were flagged on moderate to very high-risk inventory, followed by the US (9.4 per cent) and Canada (8.4 per cent). The risk was lowest in Singapore (3.4 per cent).

Data for the second half of 2017 show that brand risk is routinely higher when the ad is bought programmatically. This is particularly true for video ads.

Ad fraud: Most ads are not optimised against fraud and remain vulnerable. One in three clicks on programmatic ads is fraudulent

The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) estimates that around $6.5 billion was lost to ad fraud worldwide last year. Total losses could have been cut to $700 million if the entire industry had adhered to safety guidelines.

Non-optimised ads remain vulnerable. Fraud rates for desktop display ads vary by key market: Italy (16.1 per cent), Germany (15.9 per cent), France (14.6 per cent), US (11.3 per cent), Japan (8.4 per cent), UK (8.3 per cent), Australia (7.7 per cent), Spain (3.0 per cent).

Aside from fraudulent impressions, click fraud is also prevalent online. Data show that as many as three in four clicks on programmatically purchased 300 x 600 half page ads (a unit Google describes as one the fastest growing sizes) are fraudulent. On average, one in three clicks on programmatic ads across all sizes and platforms is fraudulent.

Viewability: Almost half of programmatic ads do not meet Media Rating Council standard. Only one in four viewable desktop adsis actually seen

Programmatically purchased ads routinely under-perform in terms of viewability when assessed against the Media Ratings Council standard. On average, almost half (46 per cent) of programmatic ads are not viewable.

Even if the ad is viewable, it is unlikely to be seen. Data show that only one in four (23 per cent) of the desktop display ads defined as viewable by the Media Rating Council (MRC) standard are actually viewed, with only 4 per cent of measured ads seen for more than one second.

Social media risks: Social media provides the least-safe environment, with 300m+ worthless accounts

10 per cent of Facebooks 2 billion monthly users are duplicate accounts, according to company reports. The number of fake accounts is estimated to be between 2-3 per cent by Facebook, suggesting that as many as 265 million accounts could be worthless to advertisers.

Separate research shows that, on average, 16.4 per cent of the followers on Instagrams top 20 accounts are fraudulent and as many as 15 per cent (49 million) of Twitters users dont have an offline identity.

Summing up, James McDonald, Data Editor, WARC, said, The boom in programmatic advertising over recent years has exposed major flaws in the ecosystem, including heightened brand risk, impression and click fraud, and poor viewability and dwell time. This has led advertisers  who collectively paid $30 billion to middlemen in the online ad supply chain last year  to reassess the way they invest and keep pressure on the industry to clean up its act.

Global media analysis: A round-up of digital threats

8% average fraud rate for non-optimised programmatic ads

11% risk of negative adjacency with programmatic ads

13% of Facebook accounts are worthless to advertisers

20% of consumers that would take direct action against a brand due to negative adjacency

23% of viewable desktop ads are actually seen

32% average rate of click fraud for programmatic ads

46% of programmatic ads do not meet Media Ratings Council standard

55% rate of tech tax within the programmatic chain

76% click fraud rate for programmatic half page desktop ads

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Axis Bank, the countrys third largest private sector bank, today launched a digital campaign to create awareness about the convenience and safety of using Axis Bank Forex Cards over cash on foreign trips, enabling travelers to make the most of their experiences.

The campaigns communication is crafted in line with the Banks priorities and communication strategy of depicting Progressive Mindsets. This campaign includes a series of short videos showcasing a modern day father son relationship. Axis Bank strategised the campaign, leveraging consumer insights on how Indians have been increasingly taking overseas vacations and thereby underscoring the importance of creating further awareness about forex cards.

The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), in a report released in January 2018, predicts that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. The report also quotes operators stating that at present around 25 million tourists from India travel abroad  this basically implies that the number would double from the current levels within the next two years. To put things in perspective, around a decade back, only eight million Indians were travelling overseas.

Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Asha Kharga, Chief Marketing Officer, Axis Bank said, We know that the predominant consumer behavior is to carry cash, but doing so is inconvenient. One has to keep it safe, one has to look for money changers, the currency is unfamiliar and hence all these hassles come in the way of the holiday experience. Our Forex Cards addresses these functional barriers and we have showcased the same while being true to Axis Bank's brand ethos of "Progressive Mindsets". An elderly father who always toiled hard and was comfortable with cash and rarely took a holiday from work. It's endearing to see a conventional man savoring his first international holiday while his young son manages the show back at home. The Axis Forex Card is a true enabler, helping the elderly father make the most of his holiday, far away from the worries of managing cash.''

Arun Iyer, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer - Lowe Lintas said, The idea was to show how holidays are more fun filled when you don't have to worry about forex in cash. This was brought alive through a modern story of father-son, where the son gets his father to take a break from work and cash, two long ingrained habits he had. And to make it appeal to all kind of travelers, we decided to keep it real and warm.
Dinshaws Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd., headquartered at Nagpur, is a well-known and respected brand operating in Milk, Dairy products and Ice cream.

Zervin Rana and Jamashp Bapuna of Dinshaws Dairy Foods say, while developing this years summer strategy for Ice creams we looked at our brands trait -- Dinshaws ice creams are known for their enriched taste and quality. This is what we wanted to bring into our brand communication. We decided to stay away from over-saturated use of seduction, overt enacted happiness and took on our USP which is ultimate drooling taste. Our creative agency Curry Nation have done a great job in terms of creativity and execution.

Speaking on the strategy, Sanjeev Kotnala (Intradia Wolrd), Dinahsaws marketing consultant said, Dinshaws along with Curry Nation been kind of disruptive to bring back some fun into this impulse category. Taking very colloquial reaction of 'salivating'. It's natural and very playful. The music of it also has that universal Indian feel to it and hopefully memorable.

Priti Nair and team at Curry Nation crafted an interesting storyline to bring it alive. She says, the film amplifies a simple everyday insight: people salivate when they see something delicious. It begins with a young guy unwrapping his Dinshaws ice cream in a park. And on his way, he notices that everyone (a newspaper reader, a jogger, selfie-taking girls, kids, a guy doing exercise, and a family of 4 out on a stroll) he comes across turn into a tongue. At first, he is perplexed with the reactions, but later he begins enjoying the transformation. As he joins his friends towards the end, the story reveals that the alluring sight of Dinshaws ice cream as the reason for the transformation of people into tongues, as it seamlessly culminates with the tagline: Taste In. Tongue Out.

The film is an unspoken conversation between the brand and the audience, which spans in the range of 19-25 years old. The whacky track in the background adds playfulness to the film and ups the TQ (Taste Quotient) of the ice cream. Cumulatively it results is a disruptive execution, which is in lieu with the fundamental brief of highlighting Taste-Enhanced Sensorial Satisfaction as a promise or a consumer benefit without verbalizing superior taste. Its humorous, memorable and high on brand association.

Credits: CLIENT: Dinshaws Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd. CLIENT TEAM: Zervin Rana (Director), Sanjeev Kotnala (Brand and Marketing Advisor), Mahesh Chaube (Brand Manager) AGENCY- CURRY NATION: Nagessh Pannaswami, Priti Nair, Vikrant Dange, Srinivas Madasu, Sushant Ainapure, MEDIA AGENCY - RK Swamy DIGITAL AGENCY- Tonic Media TVC DIRECTION: Samir Tewari (Working i) STILL PHOTOGRAPHY : Shekhawat Himmat Singh

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Diversity in the workforce has become a necessity today, and more so in the leadership positions. It cant be denied that women bring a high level of creativity and empathy while solving problems and handling crises. Women leaders bring to the table a different level of dexterity.

AdGullys The W-Suite series features interactions with influential women leaders in India, who share some deep insights on what being a woman leader means in Indias business landscape, the mantras to succeed, achieving work-life balance, pay parity and much more.

Nina Lekhi, MD & Chief Design Curator of Baggit, is an entrepreneur by profession and a role model for many aspiring young women entrepreneurs. Lekhi had started her journey of success from scratch, when she founded her company Baggit in 1990. Today, Baggit has grown to become one of the largest selling bag brands in India and has its presence in 71 cities across India with 44 exclusive outlets and presence in over 300 multi-brand retail stores.

From a young age Lekhi was passionate about painting, which inspired her to take up a diploma foundation art course in Sophiyas. Balancing two part time courses  one in textile and another in interior decoration along with a job as a salesgirl on the side; she learnt a lot of important lessons and gained customer insights on the shop floor. Her immense positive energy and strong passion to succeed drove her vision.

Lekhi is a stronger believer of Beauty without cruelty, which motivated her to put together a cruelty free brand. This futuristic vision of hers has made Baggit stand apart from others and has also gained awards and recognition for the brand.

What defines a woman leader in todays ecosystem?

Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence, said Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. In an arena that has been largely male dominated, women leaders are slowly but surely making their presence felt, in a powerful fashion. Survival, renewal and reinvention are key elements for women in this dynamic business era.

It is important for a woman to be multidimensional and multifaceted in order to have a holistic perspective. She should be defined by the willingness to learn and experiment. She should be willing to take more risks even at the cost of failures. Failure should be viewed as a learning opportunity. The upheavals I faced during early years of my life ignited a spark within me and fuelled my determination to be successful. In a modern scenario, the elements of passion, seeking her own individuality and discovering a distinctive voice are the definitions of a new age female leader and pioneer.

Why do you think a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions?

Well, times are gradually changing, and it has become much more favourable for women who have clearly defined goals. Women are taking big strides in terms of making a mark through their visible leadership acumen. I believe we have come a long way from the stereotypes that society had when it came to successful women. However, there are miles to go. In the present scenario, it is of prime importance to acknowledge that there is a need for a well-balanced corporate ecosystem, a work culture where women can contribute in better ways while balancing their family and personal commitments.

Do you think women leaders are still scrutinised as much for style as for substance?

Being stylish is an intrinsic part of any womans personality. Who doesnt want to appear well-groomed when they can? Being a woman, I think style is a gift to us, we should not see it as a hindrance. When we talk about substance, it is the rhythm of the soul. We derive it from a heritage and we should wear it like a crown. Style without substance is like a body without the soul. It is evident through history that women with substance have withstood the test of the times and their personality itself becomes a statement of style to others. So, undoubtedly style and substance complement each other. Style is no more seen as a hindrance, rather as an enhancer of personality and substance.

Do you think the leadership effectiveness of women is higher than men? Why?

In my opinion, there are three factors that suggest women are better leaders than men. These are: Multitasking, Holistic approach and Emotional Intelligence. These three things, along with courage and passion, bring out the best in women. Women are known for pushing boundaries exceptionally well from time to time. They always strive hard with complete devotion and dedication whether it is family or at work. The outcome of a womans effort is always infinite. So definitely women are born rulers!

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Women leaders in the 80s and 90s and women leaders today - what are the key differences? And what are the things that havent changed much?

Women leaders in 80s and 90s laid a concrete foundation for the future generations. A lot of what we have today  the platform, time, effort and name  are largely due to their efforts. They had to battle a lot more orthodoxy and were only accorded a handful of opportunities. Whereas todays women leaders are blessed with a plethora of technological interventions which have revolutionised the way women operate in the workplace.

How do you maintain a balance between career goals and family responsibilities? How frequently do you have to sacrifice one for the other?

According to me, Sara Blakely is a great example as someone who has maintained her work-life balance. Like many entrepreneurs, she started her business from scratch, but never compromised on her personal life to achieve success. I strongly believe that it is vital to make our work a priority, but at the same time one should also understand the importance of a personal life and eventually, the need to balance the two.

Apart from Richard Branson, my husband Manoj Lekhi is also my inspiration when it comes to maintaining a steady work-life balance. It is because of him that I have incorporated the Siddha Samadhi Yoga (SSY) values in my day-to-day life; this helps me to manage my work life and personal life efficiently at the same time.

Do you think pay parity exists in our corporates today across levels? What about pay parity at the leadership levels?

Pay parity is but casual talk on a coffee table. Looking at the current scenario women are still remunerated on a lower scale as compared to men at any level. Everyday there are stories and issues of how women are paid much less than men in the same standing. This needs to be balanced out to achieve a healthy social structure. We have already guarded our positions through elongated leadership qualities, sooner or later we will be achieving the milestone of equal pay for equal work.

What would be your advice to women aiming for the C-suite?

Dont play safe, start taking risks as it will help you explore new dimensions. Once a while, it is advisable to go crazy. I love to cycle and going to Goa on a bicycle was quite a crazy risk I had decided to take. Such kind of risks will always help you become stronger, both spiritually and physically. I personally follow this mantra, travel more and more!

What, according to you, are the 3 important lessons new women leaders need to learn?

I am a strong believer in planning and organising as it makes one efficient. There are a few mantras which I have always followed in all stages of my life:
Whyness and The One Club for Creativity, announced May 23, 2018 as the date for Portfolio Night 14, to be held at the Mumbai campus of ecole intuit.lab.

Long recognized as the worlds largest advertising portfolio review program, Portfolio Night is a fast-paced evening of advice, networking and recruitment that takes place in dozens of cities all across the globe on the same date to help the next generation of creative talent entering the industry. The program enables some of the best creative directors to meet and mentor the leaders of the future in industry hubs around the world.

The program also includes Portfolio Night All-Stars, where the young creative with the best portfolio from each city will be flown to New York later this year, all expenses paid, to work as a team on a creative assignment for a major global brand.

In Mumbai, Whyness will organize and lead Portfolio Night working closely alongside The One Club for Creativitys Portfolio Night global team. Speaking about this collaboration, Ravi Deshpande, Founder and Chairman, Whyness and ecole intuit.lab said, The creative industry is right in the eye of a storm thats changing the very definition of creativity, and the onus of spotting potential talent, and nurturing it is upon us. This needs to be done with care, as old rules are now redundant. This is something I believe in deeply, through our unique ecosystem of Whyness and ecole intuit.lab as well as at a personal level. So the opportunity seemed like a natural extension to take Portfolio Night in Mumbai to its fullest potential.

Portfolio Night is a unique global event that serves as a high-visibility opportunity for agencies and creative directors to give back to the industry by guiding the earliest steps of future copywriters, art directors and technologists, said Kevin Swanepoel, chief executive officer, The One Club. The benefits also run both ways: Portfolio Night has become a crucial tool for agencies in recruiting top young talent, provides agencies with recognition from local industry peers and gives them a place on the global stage as the ad world tunes in to this one-of-a-kind event.

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CAIRO  While President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared 2017 to be the Year of the Egyptian Woman, it failed to empower women militarily. Still, Jihad el-Komy, founder of the Moganada Masriya (Female Egyptian Conscript) campaign has continued to seek to convince officials to accept Egyptian women as soldiers and officers in combat units of the armed forces. On March 11, Komy met with Maya Morsi, head of the National Council for Women, to ask her to bring up the campaign to other top government officials.

Morsi praised the campaign as a true reflection of Egyptian women's increasing awareness of the security threats facing the country. She promised to discuss the demands of the campaign with officials and pointed out that such strong determination will put the campaign's demands into force very soon. Morsi, however, has yet to take tangible steps in the matter.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Komy said the campaign was launched in June 2011 but failed to receive adequate media coverage due to the political situation in Egypt following the January 25 Revolution.

She said calls for Egyptian women to be recruited into the armed forces have been recurrent since Sisi praised the role of women in the Jan. 25 and June 30 revolutions and following the 2014 presidential elections, which prompted the wide use in December 2014 of a hashtag that translates as Egyptian female soldier."

Komy said all this allowed her, in February 2015, to meet with then-Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, who promised to consider allowing women in combat roles and come up with the necessary legal amendments. He raised the issue with the Cabinet and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. However, no progress was achieved as Mehlebs term came to an end in September of the same year.

She said she then tried to raise the issue in September 2015 by asking many citizens from various provinces to sign a petition calling for allowing women to become soldiers and officers in the army's combat units, but her attempt was not met by any official response.

We reiterated our calls for [including] young women in the armed forces in February 2018, concurrently with the comprehensive armed forces operation in the Sinai Peninsula against terrorism, as four young women went to volunteer in the Egyptian armed forces Feb. 15, she added.

This year, Komy's repeated calls have received wide media coverage, especially after she met with Morsi. Several newspapers and media outlets interviewed Komy, most recently the Masrawy portal. During a March 13 interview with Masrawy, Komy reiterated her call for Minister of Defense Sedky Sobhy to consider the recruitment of young women, their participation in the war and arming them in emergency cases such as that of the comprehensive operation in Sinai. She said more than 20,000 young women are willing to join the army.

Komy noted that the campaign does not aim to impose conscription on women, as is the case with men, but rather to allow their voluntary recruitment into combat troop units, instead of having their role limited to being in the administrative and nursing departments, as is currently the case.

She said the current situation and the comprehensive operation in Sinai call for the recruitment of more soldiers and combat volunteers.

Asked why the campaign has failed to achieve its goals, she said some people with hard-line religious and social views rejected the campaign and put pressure on the state to prevent it from amending the Military and National Service Act No. 127 of 1980, which stipulates that combat roles in the military are for men only.

Abdel Moneim al-Saeed, former head of the armed forces operations commission, told Al-Monitor, It is impossible for young men to join combat troops because they cannot put up with the difficulties that male fighters go through, and supposing there are women who can, these would be the exception rather than the rule. The armed forces already allow young women to join them as specialized officers and assistant civil servants.

Currently, the armed forces only accept women as civil servants or specialized officers outside of combat missions. For example, women who have medical degrees can be medical officers in the army, or those with communications degrees can serve as press and media officers.

Abdel-Rafeh Darwish, a retired major general, told Al-Monitor that womens desire to join the armed forces is an example of patriotism that must be rewarded and honored by allowing their recruitment into the armed forces and allowing them to join combat troops, should they prove physically fit for the task. He said in cases where women meet the required conditions, nothing should stop them from joining the armed forces.

On Nov. 1, 2016, the Supreme Council of Al-Azhar issued a fatwa asserting that the recruitment of women is against Sharia because the hardships of army recruitment can prove humiliating for women. The fatwa stated that women can bear hardships that are no less difficult, namely pregnancy and childbirth, but that when their husbands go to war, women are required to complete their role by raising their children, managing their homes and treating their husbands well once home.

Despite this fatwa, Mahmoud Ashour, former deputy sheikh of Al-Azhar, believes that Islam has no reason to prevent women from joining the army.

He told Al-Monitor, The wives of the Sahaba [companions of the Prophet Muhammad] went with the men on the invasions against the polytheists, and they participated in the treatment of the injured. Also, Umm Amara [one of the female companions of the prophet] took up arms, defended Muhammad in the Battle of Uhud and showed more courage and strength than men.

On the human rights level, Azza Karim, a researcher at the Egyptian National Center for Social and Criminological Research, told Al-Monitor that the calls to recruit women in the armed forces are half-baked because men can endure a greater deal of psychological and physical pressure, and females are only recruited in societies with low fertility rates.

Calls to recruit females are meaningless because Egyptian society is capable of providing males in numbers that exceed the needs of the armed forces, and having women join the armed forces could cause psychological and physical harm for women given that they might get caught, tortured, raped or sexually harassed by terrorist organizations, she added.

Nahal Omran, executive director of the Cairo Center for Development, told Al-Monitor that women have the right to join the army and take up positions they feel capable of assuming, be they medical or administrative positions or positions in combat units. Assuming that women are not qualified to do so is a pre-judgment that deprives them of the right to try, she said.
CAIRO  Egyptian diplomatic circles are lobbying to galvanize the Arab League to accept South Sudan as a permanent member of the organization.

This comes after a change of heart in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, which had rejected any association with the 22-member Arab league for seven years, since it seceded from Sudan in 2011.

There have been diplomatic moves led by Egypt within the Arab League emphasizing the importance of South Sudan joining the organization, given Jubas strategic geographical position, which serves as the Arab gateway to Africa, an informed Arab League diplomat told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

During the [March 7] ministerial meeting, the matter shifted down a conflictual path between regional powers about Arab countries' different interests in South Sudan, the source added.

There has been no official answer from the league since Juba first submitted its application in 2016. However, reports circulating in Sudanese media outlets suggest the application has been declined for several reasons, largely because of the African, rather than Arab, sense of belonging among South Sudanese. Also, despite a peace treaty signed in 2015 to end the civil war between Sudan and South Sudan, fighting continues in the bitter conflict.

The same source said, There was much heated debate during the meeting, especially given Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandours staunch opposition to the south's membership, arguing that South Sudan continues to pose a security threat to his country. Yet it has been finally agreed to discuss the issue in the context of Arab national security, with the heads of countries during the Arab Summit slated for April 15.

Some ministers oppose South Sudan's membership "based on false pretexts, such as the claim that the Arabic language is not stipulated as the official language in the constitution of South Sudan, which is not true."

"South Sudanese speak Arabic, which connects all tribesmen, and it's called Juba Arabic. Whats more, the constitution recognizes local languages, not only the English language. Any concerns about the south are manageable and can be dealt with in such a way as to serve Arab interests, the source asserted.

South Sudan had submitted its application to join the Arab League during a secret meeting at the 2016 summit in Mauritania. This year, South Sudan presented its application again, despite dissenting positions among some South Sudanese.

Jubas tense relations with its African neighbors and the continued deterioration of the political and humanitarian situation seven years after the secession, as well as a lack of any agreement with the rebels, were enough reasons for the south to appeal to Arabs, especially on the level of Arab investments.

There is a permanent Arab League delegation in Juba that has been active since 2007, trying to contribute to the development and reconstruction of South Sudan.

The delegations role is feeble compared to the African Union and UN mission in Juba, as it is poorly funded. In 2012, there were attempts to close the delegations office but Egypt thwarted them, an Arab League official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

Another diplomat affiliated with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry who refused to be named told Al-Monitor: Egypt is fighting a diplomatic battle for the benefit of South Sudans membership in the Arab League. Since the secession of South Sudan, Egypt has been dealing with the nascent state as a strategic ally to Cairo, which has been evidenced in several Egyptian positions supporting the south in international forums. Egypt foiled UN Security Council attempts to impose sanctions and an arms embargo on South Sudan in December 2016.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Juba on March 12.

The source added, [Egypts] foreign relations are now calculated based on interests, political and economic support that Cairo could offer Juba through the Arab gateway, which could serve Egypts interests in Juba, mainly with regard to the Nile waters."

South Sudan is the link between two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, and the White Nile upstream countries.

The land of the south falls under a 1959 agreement covering projects for the utilization of lost waters of the Nile Basin in the swamps of Bahr al-Jabal, Bahr al-Zeraf, Bahr al-Ghazal and the Sobat River.

Disputes and civil wars brought the Jonglei Canal project of 1983 to a halt. Cairo had pinned its hopes on the unfinished canal to secure 4.7 billion cubic meters of water as an initial stage for the irrigation of its agricultural lands.

Hani Raslan, an expert on African affairs and head of the Nile Basin Studies Department at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, South Sudan joining the Arab League would be a great gain. After the secession, the nascent state could have been a launch pad for anti-Arab countries, mainly Israel."

Claims that South Sudan identifies more with Africa than the Arab world most likely arose from South Sudan's rivalry with some Arabs  mainly in Sudan  "rather than in terms of a sense of belonging" to one over the other, he added.

Meanwhile, Hilmi Shaarawi, an expert on African affairs and founder of the Arab and African Research Center, told Al-Monitor, Jubas accession to the Arab League does not necessarily mean a guarantee of stability. In fact, the league in its current structure is toothless. It has done nothing with regard to the crises in Somalia, Djibouti and the Comoros. Achieving Arab interests in Juba requires Arab development work.

On a related note, the Arab League Summit set for April 15 is being relocated from Riyadh to Dhahran, on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast. Riyadh gave no reason for the shift, but various Russian state-owned media implied the relocation is because of security concerns. Riyadh said numerous missiles fired from Yemen targeted Saudi Arabia earlier in the week, including three aimed at Riyadh.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans war of words against Iran seems to have had a unifying effect among usually divided Iranians. The 32-year-old prince adopted a particularly tough tone against Tehran during his March 19 interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," sparking Iranian anger both toward him and Saudi Arabia.

In the interview, Mohammed accused Iran of supporting terrorism, saying, Many of the al-Qaeda operatives are protected in Iran.  This includes the son of Osama bin Laden, the new leader of al-Qaeda. He lives in Iran and works out of Iran. He is supported by Iran. Mohammed also ridiculed the idea of Iran and Saudi Arabia being comparable in terms of military and economic strength and said, Iran is not a rival to Saudi Arabia. Its army is not among the top five armies in the Muslim world. The Saudi economy is larger than the Iranian economy. Iran is far from being equal to Saudi Arabia.

These statements quickly triggered reactions in Iran, where people took to social media to express their anger. Many criticized Mohammed on Twitter, with some arguing that despite its powerful army and three years of war, Saudi Arabia has yet to succeed in Yemen. While Persian social media is usually sorely divided over political issues, there seems to be a consensus when it comes to condemnation of Mohammed's words.

In addition to condemning the Saudi-led war in Yemen, other Iranians were quick to point out the contradictions in Mohammed's statements. For instance, Bahman Kalbasi, a New York correspondent for BBC Persian  which is outlawed in Iran  tweeted March 15, The Saudi crown prince has given an interview to CBS '60 Minutes' on the verge of his visit to the United States. On the one hand, he says Irans army and economy is so weak that it cannot be a rival for Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, he says Irans [supreme] leader is the new Hitler and is seeking to expand his power.

Meanwhile, calls have been made on Instagram to target all social media pages linked to Mohammed. Amid these calls, Special Royal  which claims to be a dedicated account for the images and life of the crown prince  has come under attack by Persian speakers who have written anti-Mohammed comments in both Persian and Arabic.

Nosratollah Tajik, a former Iranian ambassador to Jordan, told Al-Monitor, Iranians do not take [Mohammed's] threats seriously for different reasons. First, Saudi Arabia is sitting on several critical fault lines, including the topic of succession and the growing [public] demands that have yet to be met. Therefore, it is going through a sensitive period. Second, to bypass its internal crises, it needs to create an external enemy. On the other hand, [Mohammed] is trying to gain [US President] Donald Trumps political and military support.

He added, However, Trumps comments after meeting with [Mohammed] indicate that the main priority for Trumps America is to exhaust Saudi finances as much as possible and under different pretexts, such as the sale of military armaments. Therefore, it is natural that Iranian society, despite its political differences, adopts a unified stance against such an issue and such a foreign enemy. Iran must pursue strategic patience in this situation and allow for this country [Saudi Arabia] to become more engulfed in its own self-inflicted problems.

The concept of the creation of a foreign enemy in order to advance a domestic agenda is well established in political science. In this vein, some analysts in Iran believe that one of the main reasons why Mohammed is fueling the fire with Iran is to pave his domestic Saudi road for advancing his internal reforms and agendas. However, it should be noted that he has simultaneously provided the Islamic Republic with this same gift. Iran has no desire to increase tensions with Saudi Arabia, and its senior officials have on numerous occasions called for the need to engage in dialogue and remove tensions with the kingdom. But these efforts have done little to allay the tension and hostility between the two regional powers.

Under such circumstances, the Iranian public tends to trust its own political system more than before, thereby creating a stronger sense of patriotism and thus greater unity on the issue at hand. This unity allows senior Iranian officials to stand up to Mohammed bin Salmans threats and adventurism with more confidence.

For now, things in Washington seem to be moving in Mohammeds favor, especially as his allies keep being added to Trumps team. However, one important point should be borne in mind: Former US President Barack Obama succeeded in instilling divisions among Iranians by increasing doubt about the prospect for serious political reform within Iran. Now, thanks to Trump and Mohammed, attention is on US and Saudi threats, with many among even the die-hard opponents of the Islamic Republic now in agreement on the need to deal with foreign adversaries.
When Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif began his tenure in 2013, the American-educated diplomat knew that he would need to bypass many of the traditional media outlets to spread Iran's message directly on the international stage. At the time, there was no platform better suited for this objective than Twitter. There was only one problem. Since the 2009 protests, Twitter, along with Facebook and YouTube, had been blocked in Iran.

Zarif's use of Twitter via software to bypass Iran's internet restrictions was a clear and very visible admission by the government itself that the lack of online presence, particularly on Twitter, was detrimental to Iran's spreading its viewpoints on the world stage. With Zarif's entry, journalists and activists, mostly Reformists and moderates, quickly jumped in. Several years later, Iran's conservatives caught on to how important the platform was not only on the world stage, but also domestically.

In an interview March 28, Mehdi Mohammadi, a media adviser to former hard-line nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, spoke about the importance of Twitter for conservatives. "The talking point that Twitter is completely the environment of the enemy, has room for debate," said Mohammadi, who is now one of the leading political analysts on the right.

When asked his opinion on "revolutionary groups" (conservative voices committed to the principles of the Islamic Revolution) becoming active on Twitter, Mohammadi said, "At the moment, Twitter is the prime location for shaping movements.  Revolutionary groups must turn this threat into opportunity and must never pull themselves out of this influential arena that can publish the positions of the revolution and the views of the Islamic Revolution at the international level."

Mohammadi was also asked about the accusation in some circles that revolutionaries who are active on Twitter are engaging in a plot set by Zionists. He said, "This point is meaningless. It's like saying why do you resist [fight] in Tel Aviv?" He continued that when in an environment where there is a war "there is no wisdom in sitting aside." He added, "There is talent in entering the world of the enemy and learning how to fight in that environment."

Whether or not conservative voices will remain active on Twitter and other social media platforms, the debate over whether or not to keep these sites blocked is another matter. A number of officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and his administration, have supported lifting the restrictions. More conservative officials have argued in favor of keeping those sites censored.

The most recent comments on the blocking of social media sites has come from Iranian parliamentarian Abdulkarim Hosseinzadeh. In an interview with Iranian Labor News Agency, Hosseinzadeh, the head of parliament's Citizens' Rights commission, decried the state of the internet in Iran, which is ranked 150 out of 200 countries in internet downloading capacities. Hosseinzadeh said that while blocking internet sites may appear to be the quickest and easiest way to stop individuals who have ill intentions, in the long term, the cost of blocking these sites will be higher for the country.
Knesset member Ahmad Tibi of the Arab Joint List party made no effort to conceal his glee at the distress of his Jewish colleagues who had a hard time digesting the population data reported by Israeli officials on March 26 indicating the loss of a Jewish majority in the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. The vision of an Arab prime minister that now appears a far-fetched idea is drawing nearer, the veteran lawmaker declared, promising that when that happens, Israel would be equal and democratic, not Jewish and democratic.

But the realization of Tibis vision is an unlikely prospect. The prospect of a Jewish minority governing an Arab majority  in other words, apartheid  appears far more realistic than one in which an Arab majority with full civil rights rules a Jewish minority. Of the over 6 million Arabs residing between Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, only 800,000 Israeli Arabs are eligible to vote and be elected to the Knesset.

On the other hand, the announcement this week by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat that he intends to throw his hat into the national political arena and run for the Knesset makes the vision of an Arab at the helm of Israels capital city quite realistic. Its feasibility would depend on encouragement by the Palestinian leadership on East Jerusalems Palestinian residents to exercise their right to vote and influence municipal politics. According to 2015 data published by Israels Central Bureau of Statistics, some 325,000 Palestinian residents of unified Jerusalem made up more than a third of the citys population. A significant majority are registered as permanent residents of the State of Israel and hold an Israeli identification card. However, they are not Israeli citizens; over the past 50 years, Israel has approved fewer than 5,000 applications for citizenship by East Jerusalems Arab residents. They are therefore not eligible to vote in Knesset elections but eligible to vote for their citys mayor and council members and to be elected to those positions.

In local elections held in 2013, Barkat garnered approximately 111,000 votes, 51.1%, while his rival Moshe Lion, who is also running in the upcoming Oct. 30 elections, received some 95,000. In the city council balloting, the ultra-Orthodox factions won 88,000 votes; the two independent lists, that of Barkat and the Wake-up Jerusalem, won all in all 56,000 votes; and 12,000 gave their vote to a joint list of the Labor and Meretz parties.

These figures do not include the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, most of whom tend to boycott the elections. Participation by roughly 280,000 eligible Palestinian adult voters could have a dramatic impact on the results. A joint Palestinian ticket reportedly being formed could benefit from splits among the Jewish constituency  between ultra-Orthodox and secular Jews, between left-wing and right-wing voters, and within the right-wing camp and the left-wing camp. Theres nothing stopping such a list from cooperating with the ultra-Orthodox factions and even forging a city council coalition with them based on common interests of the citys disadvantaged communities.

A poll conducted in January shows that almost 60% of East Jerusalems Arab residents support participation in the municipal elections. The poll, conducted by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion for Hebrew Universitys Institute of International Relations and the Israeli-Palestinian IPCRI organization, found that only 13% were opposed to participation. However, under pressure by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas, and even threats of violent repercussions, most polling stations in the citys Palestinian neighborhoods are virtually empty on election days. The Palestinian organizations view participation in the voting not only as recognizing Israels annexation but also as renouncing the demand for recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

Knesset member Tibi said as much in response to a recent suggestion by former Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg that he run for mayor, writing on his Twitter account, No thanks! That would grant legitimacy to a city under occupation.  Lets end the [Israeli] occupation of all areas captured in 1967, including East Jerusalem. Nonetheless, does the willingness to carry an Israeli ID card and driver's license not constitute recognition of a city under occupation? Are Tibi and his friends in the Palestinian leadership suggesting that East Jerusalems Palestinian residents stop paying taxes to the Israeli treasury and forgo Israeli social benefits in order to avoid legitimizing the occupation?

The continued boycott of the Jerusalem elections does not contribute in any way to the struggle against the occupation. On the contrary. Giving up local political representation plays into the hands of the occupation forces. The right-wing settlement movement enjoys complete freedom in pushing ahead with its project to Jewify Jerusalem. While the PA is treading the murky waters of the so-called political process with Israel, sewage water is flowing unhampered in the Palestinian refugee camps of East Jerusalem that Israel has annexed. A significant Palestinian representation in the upper echelons of local government could make use of planning and construction tools to block the takeover of the Jerusalem Holy Basin (the Old City and its adjacent territories) by nationalist forces, such as the nongovernmental organizations El-Ad and Ateret Cohanim.

East Jerusalems residents must take part in the municipal elections not only to counter the discrimination of its residents on all fronts. They should go out in full force to the polling station in East Jerusalem in the name of their Palestinian brothers in the West Bank. As professor Sari Nusseibeh told me in 2008 when he was considering a mayoral run, The [Palestinian] candidate in the municipal elections will run not only as a representative of the Palestinian residents of Jerusalem but of the entire Palestinian population in the occupied territories.

The elections for Jerusalems leadership are almost a perfect opportunity to demonstrate to Israelis the validity of Tibis vision of an Arab prime minister. A significant Arab municipal leadership in the city that Israeli leaders dub the unified capital of the Jewish people for eternity could well drive a far greater turnout of Israels Arab citizens in the next Knesset elections to bury once and for all the illusion of the status quo and the delusion of the annexation.
The Israeli defense establishment is getting nervous as it prepares for the Great March of Return planned by Hamas along the border between Israel and Gaza for March 30. While making the necessary military preparations and stationing troops on the ground, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has warned the people of Gaza  with special emphasis on local bus companies  not to cooperate with Hamas. Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai said that COGAT has warned some 20 bus companies operating in Gaza that if their buses bring protesters to the border, "you and your families will be held personally responsible."

The working assumption within the security establishment is that faced with an internal crisis, Hamas is exploiting the plight of Gaza residents to enter into conflict with Israel. Nevertheless, even with tensions in the south rising, softer voices are also emerging from Hamas.

On March 21, political bureau member Salah al-Bardawil said in an interview with Al-Quds TV that his movement is ready to engage in dialogue with the US administration. It was surprising, especially since Hamas has started encouraging the people of Gaza to engage the IDF in clashes now that US President Donald Trump has recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The climax of these demonstrations is scheduled to take place along the border fence on the day the US Embassy is to be moved to Jerusalem this May. In the interview, Bardawil denied that there are any open channels of communication between Hamas and the US administration but noted that one could be opened for Hamas to lay out its national aspirations to the American government.

Other surprising statements came from senior Hamas official Ahmed Yousef, former political adviser to leader Ismail Haniyeh. Journalist Nir Gontarz called Yousef March 27, presented himself as an Israeli journalist and asked him about the planned march. Despite the Hamas charter and the comprehensive ban that the movements leadership has placed on communications with the Israeli media, Yousef responded to Gontarz with a conciliatory statement:

This land of Palestine is the holy land for all the children of Abraham.  All of us  Muslims, Christians and Jews  can live together again in this blessed land that Allah chose for all the good people of Palestine, he said. This is my message to the Jewish community in Israel or the Jewish people in Israel.

Over the past few days, an interview with Hamas political bureau member Mousa Abu Marzouk has also made the rounds in Gaza. He originally gave the interview to Al-Quds TV about a month after Operation Protective Edge in 2014. At the time, Hamas was trying to reach a long-term arrangement with Israel. Abu Marzouk said that there were no religious prohibitions against engaging Israel in dialogue. We can communicate with words in the same way that we communicate with weapons, said Abu Marzouk at the time. He added cautiously, If the situation remains as it is under the existing circumstances  Hamas will be forced to take this path [of negotiations with Israel], because that is what people across the Gaza Strip want."

The re-release of the interview now by the various media outlets in Gaza may be intended to prepare the local population for the possibility of dialogue with Israel. After all, even Abu Marzouk, a founder of the movements political bureau, has given it a green light. Meanwhile, Hamas is still preparing for Fridays demonstrations along the border fence, scheduled to continue until Nakba Day (the Day of Disaster marking Israels independence) in mid-May.

The two seemingly contradictory approaches are not really at odds, at least as far as Hamas is concerned. On one hand, Hamas wants to show that the current demonstrations are the will of the people, who have been suffering under the burden of the closure for over a decade. On the other hand, it is determined to have the closure lifted. These comments were intended to relay the message that while there is something to talk about, military force is still an option.

It is no coincidence that the military wing of Hamas decided that this week it would hold its largest military drill ever. Almost all of Gaza's residents have seen or at least heard these maneuvers, involving all of the Hamas armed forced as well as the militants of various other Palestinian factions. Rockets were fired into the Mediterranean and mortars and guns were fired in the air. Though the gunfire came from light arms, it was so intense that it set off Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.

The Israeli security establishment estimates that Hamas now has some 30,000 troops serving in its various security forces, including the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the Nuhba units, trained to operate in Hamas' network of tunnels. These forces cant really threaten Israel, but they can interfere with day-to-day life in the country. Hamas has few options left.

Has the Hamas leadership decided to propose a "hudna," or armistice, with Israel once again? While the goal has not been stated explicitly, Hamas has not yet backed down from its original proposal to reach a long-term agreement with Israel that would include the lifting of the closure on Gaza. Such a proposal was relayed to Israel by various sources after Operation Protective Edge, but Israel rejected the offer yet again.

The circulating conciliatory statements by Abu Marzouk, Bardawil and Yosef were no coincidence, not now. Similarly, the March of Return and the military maneuvers, which include the distribution of images depicting armed forces throughout Gaza and broadcasts by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam on Al-Aqsa and Al-Quds TV, have a single calculated purpose. They are intended to show Israel that Hamas has amassed enormous military strength, but that it is also open to the alternative of reaching a diplomatic arrangement. Considering Bardawils remarks, there is nothing to prevent the United States from being involved in the process too.
AMMAN  Farmers and others owning land near Jordan's northwestern border with Israel are waiting for the go-ahead for land expropriations to begin in clearing the way for the laying of a natural gas pipeline. The pending expropriations stem from an agreement signed in September 2016 between the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) and Noble Energy, a US company that won the concession to exploit Israels Leviathan gas field in the eastern Mediterranean. Under the agreement, Israel will supply Jordan with 45 billion cubic meters of gas from the field over a period of 15 years at a cost of $10 billion.

As required by Expropriation Law no. 12 (1987), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources published an announcement in daily newspapers on Jan. 24 notifying the public of its intention to request that the Council of Ministers grant the authority to expropriate land for the pipeline. The announcement included the names of the hundreds of landowners whose property would be expropriated to install a natural gas pipeline from the supply station on the Jordanian border near the Al-Sheikh Hussein crossing to the connecting point with the Arab natural gas pipeline in the Khanasri region in Mafraq governorate. The government will also rent an additional 10 meters on either side of the pipeline during the two-year installation period for works and facilities. After work is completed, the two-year rents will end.

The Council of Ministers approved the land expropriations on Feb. 19 based on the government's right to do so in the public interest in return for financial compensation to those whose property is seized. The expropriation process begins when the Council of Ministers decision is published in the Official Gazette, but so far the approval has not appeared.

The planned underground pipeline will run around 55 kilometers, and the government has allocated 11 billion dinars ($2.1 million) in the 2018 general budget for its installation. The lands to be expropriated amount to 344 dunams, and those to be rented extend over 611 dunams, in 18 towns in the Irbid and Mafraq governorates. According to the 2016 gas agreement, the pipeline will begin transferring around 225 million cubic meters of gas daily from Israel by 2019.

The connection point for the supply system from Israel into Jordan is near the Hussein crossing and from there connects with the Arab Gas Pipeline at the city of Mafraq. That line runs south to the natural gas terminal and port in Aqaba and from there connects to Egypt, all the way to al-Arish in the northern Sinai. Israel is considering supplying Egypt with gas through Jordan, Reuters reported.

Farmers in the northern Jordan Valley along the Jordan River, which forms the countrys northwestern border with Israel, report that Israel has begun excavating earth, building infrastructure and delivering sections of pipe. Mohammad al-Shamali, who owns a farm near the border, told Al-Monitor that he has seen excavations underway on a mountain facing his farm, which overlooks the river, and the extension of huge pipes to the Jordanian border. This indicates that the pipeline is becoming a reality, Shamali said.

Shamali is one of the many who will lose property to the pipeline. Land owned for development by the engineers' and physicians' syndicates will also be expropriated. The two trade unions have been among the most vocal in their opposition to the gas agreement with Israel. They have joined in forming a united front with other syndicates and activists to take legal action.

The syndicates as well as political parties object to the gas agreement and pipeline because they oppose normalization with Israel. Some trade unions are calling for rescinding the decision because they do not consider the pipeline to be in the public interest. They believe, instead, that the gas line will harm Jordan's interests. The Enemy's Gas Is Occupation, a coalition of activists, parties and trade unions that began as the Jordanian National Campaign Against the Gas Deal with Israel, argues that linking Jordan's energy supply to Israel makes Jordan vulnerable, threatening its economic security, in the case of a dispute with Israel, which could turn off the tap.

Some objections are more personal, having nothing to do with Israel. Shamali said, The gas pipeline track will destroy hundreds of blooming citrus trees in al-Manshiyya village, in the northern Jordan Valley, because it passes through productive farms that are the source of living for farmers and their families.

Others are concerned about compensation being adequate. Another farmer, Youssef al-Bachtawi, told Al-Monitor, My farm, located in the northern Jordan Valley, will be expropriated, and it is the source of my income. It is a productive farm, where I grow citrus trees. I will resort to the Jordanian judiciary to appeal against the acquisition. Bachtawi said he does not yet know the amount of compensation to be paid to landowners. No information has been made public on how it will be calculated.

Hisham al-Boustani, a member of the Dentists Syndicate, told Al-Monitor, The gas pipeline will have strategic and moral implications since relying on the Israeli pipeline means squandering peoples money and linking Jordan economically to Israel. After all, 56% of the revenue will go to the Israeli treasury, soldiers, settlements and wars.

On March 19, the syndicates gave powers of attorney to the Bar Association, a coalition member, to bring a lawsuit against the government challenging the expropriation decision once notice is published in the Official Gazette, association member Nour Al-Imam told Al-Monitor.

Abdel Raouf al-Qaraan, a farmer from the village of Taybeh in Irbid whose land is slated for expropriation, said that he too had given power of attorney to the Bar Association. We did not go to the court so far, since expropriation has not yet occurred, he remarked. The government has, however, sent inspectors out to his property for a feasibility assessment.

At a parliamentary session on Feb. 12, representative Ahmed al-Raqab asked Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Saleh al-Kharabsheh, who was in attendance, whether lands had already been expropriated. No answer was forthcoming. Speaker Atef Tarawneh asked Kharabsheh or any member of the government to respond to Raqab, but they evaded the question. Tarawneh remarked sarcastically, No expropriation has yet been made.

Work on the gas pipeline and other projects, including the Two Seas Canal, were temporarily halted due to tensions between Israel and Jordan after a security officer at the Israeli Embassy in Amman shot and killed two Jordanian citizens in July 2017. The pipeline project resumed after Israel apologized on Jan. 20 and offered $5 million in compensation to the victims families.
While speculation was rife this week about whether Turkey's next move in Syria would be toward Tell Rifaat or Manbij, Russia unexpectedly withdrew its troops March 27 from Tell Rifaat.

The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) now controls the area around Tell Rifaat, while according to unconfirmed reports, the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad control the city proper. The area is important for Ankara because the Menagh military air base in the city is a critical logistics point to reach northern Aleppo and Idlib. Thus, control provides the FSA with the strategic and psychological upper hand in the region.

We will take Tell Rifaat under our control and thus achieve the goal of the operation. We ask our interlocutors to fulfill their commitments about Manbij, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said March 26. The US must take over control of Manbij from the terror groups as soon as possible. If that terror organization is not removed from Manbij, then we will have to do it ourselves together with the people of the area.

Turkey's offensive is an open-ended, effect-based operation aiming to influence the strategic preferences of Washington and Moscow. So Ankaras calls on Russia to withdraw its forces from Tell Rifaat are also signaling the United States that Turkey may expand the operation to Manbij.

In short, Turkey is providing two options regarding Russia and the United States, telling the Americans, If you withdraw from Manbij, then we can give up on Russia and work with you east of the Euphrates." It's telling Moscow, If you withdraw from Tell Rifaat, we can work with you to push the United States out of northern Syria."

Unable to obtain the blessing it wanted from Washington, Ankara has now shifted its focus to Tell Rifaat and seems to be heading toward cooperation with Russia. Officials in top Turkish echelons repeat that Turkeys cooperation with Russia in northern Syria is stronger than its cooperation with the United States.

On March 23, Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar described Turkish-Russian ties in Syria as a sincere give-and-take relationship based on confidence." Turkey's cooperation with Russia has been excellent despite occasional hiccups on the ground and in the air, Akar added. In this relationship, Turkey and Russia hold common interests west of the Euphrates including Idlib, eastern Ghouta and Afrin.

Now the key question is: Will the cooperation between Ankara and Moscow continue east of the Euphrates as well? The answer to that question will be determined by Washington's strategic choices and the extent of its cooperation with the People's Protection Units (YPG) east of the Euphrates. Ankara considers the YPG a terrorist affiliate.

Defense sources in Ankara say Turkey's offensive in Syria will continue east of the Euphrates no matter what happens. The fall of Afrin in the surprisingly short time of four days and the Turkish army's taking control of Tell Rifaat without any clashes have boosted Turkeys determination. Defense sources speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity say four important factors contribute to this decisiveness:

Turkeys military prowess and Erdogans political leadership cannot be ignored. To become an influential actor in Syria and be a deterrent there requires combat.

The United States erred in its calculations that it could come from thousands of miles away and be influential in Syria in cooperation with the YPG despite the risk of upsetting Turkey.

To hold a place at the table to discuss of Syria's future, one must have a significant presence on the ground.

Public support for the operation continues to grow.

Syria is likely to engage in military action in the area east of the Euphrates currently controlled by the United States. It's not outlandish to predict that Moscow will spoil Washingtons dance with the YPG and challenge the absolute domination of the United States east of the Euphrates by supporting Ankara when Turkish forces shift their operation east.

It's also obvious that Turkey's increasing military activities are very much linked with the Iran-Russia-Turkey summit set for the beginning of April in Istanbul. To sit more comfortably at the table and to minimize Irans consolidation of power south of Aleppo, Ankara needs a clear-cut success in the field. Moscow appears to expect Turkey to sit at the table with a strong hand to tame Tehran. It's believed Russia is trying to craft a power balance between Ankara-supported Sunni opposition, Assads forces and pro-Iranian militias west of the Euphrates.

As clashes ease in northern Syria, three non-state models are emerging there: Turkey-supported Sunni opponents of the regime, US-allied Syrian Kurds and Iranian-sponsored Shiite supporters of Assad. In the coming months, the struggle for political control among the three will be clearer, and their political relationships with Damascus and how that will be treated in the new constitution will be critical.

Sadly, though, power struggles in Syria usually mean more ideological and sectarian conflicts and internal displacement.

As for Turkeys offensive against Kurdish fighters in Afrin, as of March 27 the Turkish military said 51 of its soldiers had been killed and 3,755 Kurdish militants killed, captured or wounded. The area the clashes took place, some 2,000 square kilometers (770 square miles), is now under the Turkish army's control.
The endgame to South Africas largest post-apartheid corruption scandal appears to be playing itself out, but how did major multinational companies get drawn into this web of corruption?

The endgame to South Africas largest post-apartheid corruption scandal appears to now be playing itself out.

South African President Jacob Zuma was forced from office by his own party, the African National Congress, in February 2018, when almost a decades worth of corruption, bribery and racketeering allegations finally became too great to ignore.

Central to the scandal are the Guptas, an immensely wealthy Indian-born business family. Since arriving in South Africa in the early 1990s, three poor brothers, Atul, Ajay and Rajesh, have made themselves astoundingly rich.

In 2016, Atul Gupta was listed as being South Africas seventh-richest person, with a net worth of over R10bn ($760m). Their empire encompasses ownership of mines, media and many other companies.

But, their good fortune seems to have been intimately connected to the undue political influence theyve been accused of wielding due to their close relationship to former President Zuma. This, its alleged, has allowed them to commit corruption within South Africa on a grand scale.

Many have been drawn into this web of corruption, including, it has been alleged, a number of major multinational companies.

We wanted to take a closer look at these claims, but where to start?

The strands of this hugely complex story stretch in every direction across South Africa and finding reliable sources of information and people willing to talk against a background of intimidation and fear was never going to be easy.

The strands of this hugely complex story stretch in every direction across South Africa and finding reliable sources of information and people willing to talk against a background of intimidation and fear was never going to be easy. Naashon Zalk, filmmaker

The Gupta leaks

Luckily for the country, and for us, a massive data leak of documents and emails last year has revealed much of how the Guptas operated.

The leaks provided compelling evidence about the brothers connections to Zuma, his family, and his associates and how these links allowed the billionaires to plunder vast sums of money from massive state institutions like Transnet, the state rail company, and Eskom, the countrys electricity supplier.

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At the same time, they also appear to have used their political leverage to undermine state institutions which might hold them to account. These include key bodies like the National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Revenue Service.

At the peak of their influence, its alleged, the Guptas wielded enough power to bypass democratic institutions and even influence the appointment of cabinet ministers and key state officials.

The Guptas, former President Zuma, and his family deny these allegations. But that decade-long era of wholescale looting has now come to an end and Zuma, who was forced out as South Africas president, now looks to be facing dozens if not hundreds of charges of corruption in the near future. The Guptas meanwhile have fled South Africa and are now fugitives from the law. It is thought they have gone to ground in Dubai where they have property.

The intimate workings of this vast corrupt network have been brought to light by the exceptional investigative journalism done collaboratively by local media entities Daily Maverick, Amabunghane and News 24.

Their work, I believe, has done much to save South Africa from becoming terminally corrupt. Several of these journalists generously shared information and insights, which were immensely helpful to us in the making of our film.

The other side of the corruption equation

Africa, and its politicians, have an international reputation for being corrupt. Transparency International reports that Africa appears at the bottom of their 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index.

There is, of course, some justification to these perceptions. Within the last year, four African heads of state have resigned in the wake of corruption allegations. They are Gambias Yahya Jammeh, Angolas Jose Eduardo dos Santos, Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe, and South Africas Jacob Zuma.

Yet I believe that not nearly enough attention is given to the other side of the corruption equation: those individuals or entities who pay bribes to win lucrative government contracts, or turn a blind eye to these corrupt practices.

What interested me particularly as a journalist and filmmaker was to examine how, and why, international companies became embroiled in South Africas mire of Gupta-linked corruption.

It soon became clear that several major international companies appear to have been caught up in some or other scandal, from software companies to banks and even public relations firms, such as the now-defunct UK business, Bell Pottinger.

But I was particularly interested in what transpired at two companies: audit firm KPMG and management consultancy McKinsey.

KPMG was the Gupta familys personal and business auditor for 16 years [Al Jazeera]

KPMG scandals and the big fat Gupta wedding

The primary role of audit firms is to maintain independent oversight of their clients businesses, providing assurances that their financial affairs are honestly and accurately reflected and are legally compliant. As one of the big four international audit firms, KPMG holds itself to very high standards.

It says its guiding values dictate that we seek the facts and provide insight, challenging assumptions,  and strengthening our reputation as trusted and objective business advisers and above all, we act with integrity, constantly striving to uphold the highest professional standards, provide sound advice, and rigorously maintain our independence.

Yet this is not what appears to have happened in South Africa.

KPMG was the Guptas personal and business auditor for 16 years. Despite this, it did not flag a number of suspicious activities which occurred over those years across the Gupta empire. This has raised questions about its independence and the quality of the work it did in South Africa.

Our film examines two KPMG episodes. The first involved an explosive report the firm produced for the South African Revenue Service (SARS), which accused senior SARS officials of running a rogue unit that engaged in a range of unlawful activities. The post-publication fallout of this controversial document resulted in these officials leaving SARS under a cloud and was used as a key motivation for President Zuma firing then Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan last March (he has just recently been reinstated in the cabinet as Minister of Public Enterprises). Gordhan, had been a troublesome thorn in the administrations side for some time because of his attempts to clamp down on the misuse of public monies and increase tax revenues.

However, last year, after the Gupta leaks revelations, KPMG disavowed the conclusions of this [i.e. its own report] and fired its South African CEO and many of his senior management team. Thus to some observers, it seems the whole affair may have been a political conspiracy to rid SARS of its senior management.

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They point to the fact that SARS commissioner Tom Moyane, a key Zuma ally, had commissioned the report just weeks after being appointed by the then president in 2014. It looked, they say, like a fairly typical example of the kind of ploy adopted by the Zuma circle to undermine key state institutions in order to avoid scrutiny of illicit activities.

Its a further sign of this complex, and oftentimes bizarre affair that its twists and turns keep on coming. As we were completing the film, the Hawks, an elite police unit in South Africa, summoned several former SARS officials to appear in court to answer to allegations of corruption  based, extraordinarily, on the now discredited KPMG report. And then, last week, Moyane was suspended from his job as SARS commissioner by South Africas new President Cyril Ramaphosa and so it goes on.

The second KPMG scandal we deal with in the film was rather more straightforward, but no less concerning. It concerns the firms conduct in relation to an opulent R30m wedding the Guptas held for their niece at a casino resort in 2013. The wedding, it later turned out, was paid for with laundered money channelled through a Gupta-owned company which KPMG audited, which begs the obvious questions about the diligence with which such auditing is carried out.

Increasingly the Gupta and this network of extraction needed advice as to how to structure different operations. For example, they stole close to 250 million from a dairy project; 30 million of it had to go to Dubai and roundtrip back here to pay for a wedding. KPMG had to advise them how to do it in South Africa, how to do it in Dubai. So they used an international network, KPMGs international adviser services in Dubai to help set it up in full compliance with the Dubai legislation, Iraj Abedian, pan-African Capital Holdings, told us.

We sought an interview with KPMG to discuss some of these matters but it declined to talk to us.

Increasingly the Gupta and this network of extraction needed advice as to how to structure different operations. For example, they stole close to 250 million from a dairy project; 30 million of it had to go to Dubai and roundtrip back here to pay for a wedding. KPMG had to advise them how to do it... Iraj Abedian, pan-African Capital Holdings

Eskom, McKinsey and a consultancy deal under scrutiny

Management consultancy firm McKinsey is another international company which became embroiled in a Gupta-linked corruption scandal. As you will see from this programme, a massive consultancy deal it struck with Eskom, South Africas state electricity company, has come under scrutiny. To service the Eskom project, McKinsey worked jointly with Trillian, a firm which was majority-owned by a well-known Gupta associate.

Questions are now being asked as to whether McKinsey secured the deal with Eskom through these connections; what exactly it did to earn the eye-watering R1bn in consultancy fees it was paid for just six months work, and whether its partner, Trillian, did any meaningful work at all to justify its own R580m share of the profits.

McKinsey declined to be interviewed for the film but it has publicly denied any allegations of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, it has agreed to pay back the fees it has earned.

Its clear that both companies, KPMG and McKinsey, have been hit hard by these scandals. Both are under some form of judicial investigation and it is possible that some former employees who were involved in these events may yet face prosecution.

Perhaps more importantly though, South Africa will take years to recover from the wider web of corruption that spun out of the Zuma era, to which too many turned a blind eye. We could touch on only a few of the disturbing examples that have recently come to light, but in the months and years to come, many more damaging stories are sure to emerge.
As his house burned down, he ran inside to grab his university ID. Meet the man teaching Syrias lost generation.

The bombings were getting closer and closer, says Dr Nasser Alzhouri.

As the war in Syria raged, the Alzhouri family home burned down. Alzhouri and his son, Suliman, set off for Lebanon. The only thing Alzhouri took with him was his degree certificate.

Unbeknown to his father, Suliman had snuck back into their house to rescue his university ID card. The values that his father had instilled in him, that education is everything, had compelled him to return.

Since then, Suliman has worked as a teacher in Lebanons Tal Abbas refugee camp, housing many refugees fleeing Syrias war.

There are more than one million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, about 80 percent of whom are women and children.

Im so proud of him, Alzhouri tells of Suliman. Especially in this difficult period our children are living in. He brings back smiles to their faces.

Unbeknown to his father, Suliman snuck back into their burning house to rescue his university ID card [Francesca Mannocchi/Al Jazeera]

More than 465,000 people have been killed in the Syrian war and over one million have been wounded. Some 12 million people  over half the countrys population  have been displaced.

I remember I was in the third grade, a student says, recalling her life before the war. All the children were happy. I remember the beautiful time when dad was still with us.

But she has managed to find hope.

The school is my second home, she says, smiling. It gives me more than I give to it. I would be so happy to go back home (to Syria). Id go home today. Why wait for tomorrow?

Despite their young age and all theyve been through, many of Sulimans students wish to return one day and rebuild their country.

I want to be a teacher, says one child.

I want to be a doctor, to heal the sick, adds another.

Study. Just study, a classmate says.

Alzhouri knows too well how the war has affected an entire generation of children. They cant get an education. This is a tragedy. Theres another generation that hasnt even begun to study. Theyve never been in school. Were in this situation for five years; whole generations are lost.

He has taught his son to help others.

Were the children of Syria, says Suliman. Syria needs me and needs them. My work is for the love of homeland.

Filmed by Francesca Mannocchi and Alessio Romenzi

Editor: Andrew Phillips

Executive Producer: Yasir Khan
In part five of the series on North Korean defectors, Al Jazeera speaks to a 24-year-old artist An Su-min.

Seoul, South Korea  Around 31,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

Almost 71 percent of those defectors are female, most in their 20s and 30s.

Only a few take the most dangerous route through the Korean Demilitarized Zone that a North Korean soldier took late last year.

Most of North Koreans defect via the long and expensive journey that takes them into China after crossing the Yalu River.

The journey takes them to Chinas southern border into Vietnam and Laos before they arrive in Thailand, from where they are often flown into South Korea.

Some even opt to go to the US, according to Liberty in North Korea, an NGO based in the US and South Korea.

But their arrival into South Korea does not signal an end to their worries and problems.

Part 1  Korean government doesnt treat defectors as people

Part 2  I wish I can go back to North Korea for a day

Part 3  North Korean defector describes life at home through cartoons

Part 4  North Korean defector: If you have money, you can do anything

In part five of the series on North Korean defectors, Al Jazeera speaks to 24-year-old artist An Su-min, who fled North Korea as a teenager in 2011.

Life in North Korea was very hard. I felt Id have a better life if I was to leave thats why I decided to leave.

In North Korea, you dont have any freedom of movement. There is almost no electricity. The culture is very restrictive. You have no freedom to wear what you want. Its also a dictatorship, but I only learned about the concept of dictatorship after I came to South Korea.

I dont have any family in North Korea. My father died there. I was heavily influenced by him. He wasnt a professional artist but drew some posters at home and taught some friends how to draw.

Coming to South Korea was the easy bit. Adjusting to life here wasnt easy. It was very difficult. But now Im used to it, the language, the culture and the level of stress. I reached puberty after coming to South Korea, so that added a lot of stress in my life.

An art class by An Su-min at Teach North Korean Refugees, an NGO helping defectors settle in South Korea [Faras Ghani/Al Jazeera]

Right now, Im studying at college. After I graduate, Ill be in a position to do stuff that I want to do. South Koreas college degree is a big thing. We really need a degree to do well in life. Thats why Im focusing my efforts on my studies right now.

But afterwards, given my skills as an artist, I could also teach North Korean refugees in Europe and help them out. Thats my plan.

People outside North Korea have this fascination about life in my country. But if youre living in the North, and you spend your entire life there, its just a way of life. You know of no other way. You just get used to it.

You dont think seriously about dictatorship. Even if you know what that is, you consider it a natural part of your life.

Would I ever go back? Its dangerous. Im stressed out here in South Korea but, no matter how much stress Im under, I wouldnt ever go back to North Korea.

As told to Faras Ghani and Hae Ju Kang
To commemorate Land Day, group of Palestinian refugees returned to the villages they were expelled from in 1948.

The previous version of this headline stated that it was the first time in 80 years that the Palestinians mentioned in this article returned to their villages. This mistake was made during editing and the headline has been adjusted to reflect correct number of years.

Nilin, Occupied West Bank  In a rush, Hawwa al-Khawaja and her daughter Khawla stepped off a bus as it pulled over at the entrance of what was once the village they called home.

The elder Khawaja stood there greeting others who had arrived on the buses that followed, just as she used to greet her villages visitors as a young woman before 1948.

Welcome, welcome to al-Thahiryeh, the 90-year-old said. We apologise for not having a home to welcome you in.

Since 1948, there have been no homes or residents in the destroyed village of al-Thahiryeh, which lies southeast of the city of al-Lydd.

That year, Zionist forces pushed out Palestinian families living in the village, before destroying every inch of it.

Al-Thahiryeh was one of 500 villages that faced the same fate in what became known as the ethnic cleansing of at least 800,000 Palestinians.

On Wednesday, Hawwa al-Khawaja returned to al-Thahiryeh for the first time, but only for a few hours.

Khawla and Hawwa returned to their village as part of events to commemorate Land Day [Shatha Hammad/Al Jazeera]

As part of an initiative launched by Filastiniyat, a Palestinian non-governmental organisation, a group of elderly refugees from the occupied West Bank and from inside the territories occupied by Israel in 1948 were given a chance to fulfil their dreams of returning to their destroyed villages surrounding al-Lydd.

They were all between 70 and 95 years old.

The journey was planned to coincide with Land Day, which marks the day when, on March 30, 1976, Israel ordered the confiscation of massive tracts of land belonging to Palestinian citizens of Israel.

In the demonstrations that followed, Israeli forces shot and killed six Palestinians.

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The event is viewed as a continuation of the campaign of ethnic cleansing that Israel has carried out against Palestinians since 1948 until this day.

When Hawwa and the group of refugees tried to cross the first Israeli military checkpoint to get to al-Thahiryeh, Israeli soldiers refused to let them go through.

They headed to another checkpoint northwest of Ramallah where they were questioned and inspected for hours before they were allowed to pass.

Wearing her new traditional Palestinian dress gifted to her by her son on Mothers Day [celebrated by the Arab world on March 21], she says she almost lost hope of ever reaching her village.

But the group managed to pass and head to the towns they grew up in.

The only proof Hawwa found of her home ever being in al-Thahiryeh was one big tree.

Al-Lydd massacre

The group could not contain their tears while listening to Hawwa welcoming them to the empty land. They gathered around her and her daughter Khawla, curious to hear more about the villages history.

Hawwa is a mother of three children, and a grandmother of 17. For a few moments, she recalled how she was a young, slender woman, living in al-Thahiryeh.

She shuffled from one place to the next, talking about how al-Thahiryeh was once a pitstop for all commercial trucks heading to al-Lydd. That is what gave the village its reputable name  it was known for its economic prosperity and rich agricultural land.

Hawwa explained that when the clashes between Palestinians and Zionist militias edged closer and closer to al-Thahiryeh in 1948, the family decided to head to al-Lydd, where they spent 10 days before they had to pack their bags again.

We only took a few utensils to use for food preparation, we didnt take many clothes, and we left our jewellery back at our home. We thought we would be back in a few days, Hawwa told Al Jazeera.

She was holding her infant son Hassan in her hands when the sounds of explosions and gunfire erupted in the city of al-Lydd on July 10, 1948.

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Screams, fear and panic reverberated through the streets as Zionist forces attacked al-Lydd, massacring some 170 people in the towns mosque.

Hawwa and her family escaped to the nearby village of al-Midya, and spent years on the move as the fighting spilled over from one area to the next.

They finally ended up in the village of Nilin, west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, where she currently resides.

Al-Thahiryeh was a paradise, she says.

We had everything there  we were happy and comfortable and blessed beyond words. We lost everything when we lost al-Thahiryeh.

Khawla says she returned with more confidence that she and her family would return [Shatha Hammad/Al Jazeera]

Hawwa, who likes to point out that she is older than the state of Israel, still keeps a collection of keys and documents that prove her familys ownership of land in al-Thahiryeh and al-Lydd.

Describing how it felt to return, Hawwa said she had mixed feelings of pain and happiness.

It was like the village was ours again, even if only for a few hours, she said.

Her daughter, Khawla, who was born several years after the Nakba, brought back a bottle of sand and a few stones from the village.

Its a memory that Ill live to return back to, she told Al Jazeera.

I remember it as though it happened yesterday





Amena Sanqar, one of the elderly women who joined the group, visited her village of Beit Nabala, which she left at the age of 17 eight decades ago.

The journey and long hours of inspection at Israeli checkpoints had exhausted Amena, but the minute she was in Beit Nabala, she said that life ran through her veins again.

Sanqar, a mother of eight children and a grandmother of 41, said she remembers the day her family left their village due to the war.

My father was holding my hand, while my mother walked in front of us, holding bags over her head, she recalled.

Amena Sanqar was 17 when she and her family were forced to flee their village of Beit Nabala [Shatha Hammad/Al Jazeera]

Like al-Thahiryeh, Beit Nabala was completely obliterated.

The trees are destroyed, and there is no one to care for them  the sight broke my heart, she said.

We and the families of the village continued to walk as fast as we could away from the gunfire until we reached the village of Qibya, continues Sanqar, describing the day they left her village to escape the fighting.

I still remember it as though it happened yesterday.
Tanjung Luar village, Indonesia  There are around 200 species of shark in Indonesia but only one of them, the Whale shark, gets full protection from the government.

Shark trading brings export revenue of more than $100m. Skin, bones and meat are all part of the trade but the highest demand is for the fins which are mainly exported to China where fin soup is believed to be a secret to long life.

In a small fishing village of Tanjung Luar in Lombok, hundreds of fishermen make a living out of hunting sharks.

In 2014, the government put a ban on export of Hammerhead sharks and Oceanic white tip sharks and fishermen complained it impacted their income.

However, environmentalists believe the regulations for sharks protection are not enough as they are known to have slow reproduction rate  It could take 15 years for a shark to give birth.

Muchlis, from Wildlife Conservation Society, has been monitoring the situation in Tanjung Luar since 2015 and according to them, the numbers and the size of the catch are going down every year.
Comments made by Israels top political and religious leaders earlier this month are a dismal reminder of how little black lives matter in the country, and how African refugees remain in mortal danger, whether or not the governments plan to deport them is temporarily suspended.

On March 17, one of Israels two chief rabbis, Yitzhak Yosef, called black people monkeys and the Hebrew equivalent of the N-word in his weekly sermon.

It is highly unlikely that Yosef will face any real repercussions for his racist comments. He was not demoted after saying in a similar sermon exactly two years ago that all non-Jews  Africans, Arabs, or otherwise  could only live in Israel if they agree to serve the countrys Jewish population.

Its unclear if Yosefs recent comments were directly connected to the Israeli governments impending expulsion of approximately 40,000 African refugees, mainly Christians and Muslims from Eritrea and Sudan.

The government has already coerced more than a third of the African refugee community in Israel, over 20,000 souls, to return to Africa. Israeli journalists have revealed in recent months that the governments promises to secure status for them in Rwanda or Uganda were only a ruse, devised to deport them back into a stateless existence with their ostensible acquiescence.

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To be fair, racist comments from state-paid rabbis arent exactly a rarity in Israel. Israels other chief rabbi, Yisrael Lau, used the N-word to describe Black athletes on his very first day in office in July 2013.

But another anti-African comment made last week, by Israels most powerful politician, was almost certainly timed to coincide with the governments efforts to ethnically cleanse the country of the refugees.

On March 19, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a public speech that the arrival of non-Jewish African refugees was much worse for Israel than severe attacks by Sinai terrorists.

Netanyahus comments come as citizens across the country have been publicly expressing reservations to his expulsion plan. Since the start of the calendar year, Israelis from all walks of life have registered their adamant opposition to the planned deportations, scheduled to begin on April 1: doctors and artists, professors and pilots, students and survivors of the Holocaust. On Saturday night, a pro-refugee protest in Tel Aviv drew over 20,000 thousand people opposed to the expulsion.

But Netanyahu need not worry about amassing support for the deportation plan. True, a recent poll proved that the majority of the Israelis that live in proximity to the African refugees  in the Greater Tel Aviv area generally, and in the slums of South Tel Aviv specifically  oppose the expulsions. But outside of that liberal bubble, Netanyahu has easily secured support for his plan.

Netanyahu might not be losing sleep over local opposition to the deportations, but he is most certainly concerned by Jewish communities outside of Israel starting to kick up a fuss. As news of Netanyahus cruel decree reaches the mainstream media outside of Israel, American Jewish leaders are unable to ignore the issue any longer. Even some of the most adamant defenders of the Israeli state and its dispossession of the Palestinian people have spoken out against the plan, calling it racist, and practically pleading with the Israeli government to scrap it.

Some rabbis are vowing to thwart the expulsion plan by hiding African refugees in their homes, evoking the memory of Anne Frank, the iconic chronicler of the horrors of the Holocaust. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, Frank and her family temporarily avoided being deported to the death camps by hiding with the help of non-Jews.

This week, Israels High Court will consider a petition by pro-refugee activists to permanently halt the deportations. So with his plan in possible peril, Netanyahu described the refugees as worse than terrorists, in an obvious attempt to smear them as enemies of the state, in order to justify their impending expulsion.

The last time that Netanyahu associated African refugees with terrorists was at another very critical moment, when the fate of these refugees hung in the balance.

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In September 2014, Israels High Court deemed Netanyahus anti-refugee policies unconstitutional, and ordered the closure of the Holot desert detention centre the government had already rounded thousands of African men into. Determined to prevent the closure of the camp, a key component of Israeli efforts to pressure refugees to leave the country, Netanyahus ministers raced against time to draw up another version of the same racist law that would pass the muster of the High Court.

In the month after the court ruling, Netanyahu associated refugees with terrorists, when he announced special screenings for visitors arriving from Africa. The new policy, he explained, was intended to prevent the entry of the ebola virus, but was also part of Israels general efforts to protect our borders from illegal infiltrators and terror. Infiltrators is the derogatory term used for years by Israeli officials to dehumanize the African refugees.

Needless to say, not a single African asylum-seeker in Israel has ever been charged with any terrorism offenses. The baseless smear is intended to demonise the refugees, and to rally up support for their expulsion.

But Netanyahus racist incitement has other, more frightening, effects, as well.

In January 2014, an Israeli man walked up to an African refugee carrying her one-year-old baby in downtown Tel Aviv, and stabbed the baby in the head three times. Apprehended by the police and asked why he had attacked the toddler, the stabber said, They said that a black baby, blacks in general, are terrorists.

The stabber of the one-year-old African baby was not sentenced to jail time, because he was deemed to be mentally unstable.

That excuse cannot be conferred upon the killers of Haftom Zarhum, an African refugee who was shot and beaten to death by a mob of Israelis the following year, in the central bus station of the southern city of Beer Sheva. Zarhum was pummeled into a pulp on the premise that he was a terrorist  although he had done nothing to deserve that designation.

This month, the Israeli state lawyer offered four of the Israelis who pulverised Zarhum an easy deal: no jail time, only community service. One of the men has accepted the plea deal, while the three others have held out thus far, believing that they dont deserve even that pitiful punishment.

Haftom Zarhum was the first African refugee to be lynched by Israelis in a public place, in full view of CCTV cameras, but he would not be the last. The following year, two Israeli teens killed another African refugee, Babikir Ali Adham-Abdo, beating him to death right outside of the city hall of Petach Tikvah, a Tel Aviv suburb.

Those teens were relieved of murder charges, and only convicted of manslaughter. Thus, they will likely be released from jail in a few short years.

These stories teach us that while the greatest danger posed to African refugees in Israel is the plan to deport them back to statelessness and suffering, they also face other grave dangers, even if they are eventually allowed to remain in the country.

The disparity in anti-African sentiment between Israelis who live in relative proximity to the refugees, and the Israelis who dont, demonstrates the extent of the damage done by Netanyahu and other far-right officials. When the governments racist rhetoric is the only frame of reference most folks have for African refugees, they can easily be convinced that, like Palestinians, the Africans deserve to be despised.

With vigilante violence against this vulnerable community becoming a sad staple of life in Israel in recent years, calling black people monkeys and conflating the African refugees with terrorists is setting the stage for another round of black bloodshed. If heaven forbid that tragedy comes to pass, at least some of the blame will fall on the racists that incited it: Benjamin Netanyahu and Yitzhak Yosef.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
In his first article upon becoming foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran five years ago, in 2013, Mohammad Javad Zarif declared, in Arabic, to Asharq Al-Awsat: [T]he reality is that [Irans] primary foreign policy priority is our region. Few things are constant in international politics, but geography is among them. A country cannot change its neighbours. In our interconnected world, the fate of one nation is tied to the destinies of its neighbours.

Since 2001, when I met Dr Zarif as part of discussions between the United States and Iran about Afghanistan, I have heard him urge international parties to work with Iran and its regional neighbours to build a cooperative security framework that would transcend opposing states, alliances, axes, and blocs. Such a framework would seek to bring all regional states  even those with relations marked by serious differences  into a common forum. To join this forum, members would commit to resolving their differences within the parameters of well-recognised, internationally legitimated standards  for example sovereignty, refraining from the threat or uses of force, peaceful conflict resolution, respect for borders and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs of other states, as well as the right to self-determination within each state.

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After the US military intervention in Afghanistan in late 2001, aiming to overthrow the Taliban government, foreign policy elites in Washington basically argued that the US had a binary choice: for the US and its allies to militarily occupy Afghanistan and install a pro-American titular president or militarily train Afghans to do the job. From my position on then-National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rices staff, I argued that Washington instead should work with Central Asian capitals to create a cooperative regional security mechanism that could facilitate Afghanistans transformation from a battlefield for regional and superpower rivalries into a state that would not exacerbate other regional countries security concerns and could integrate economically with its neighbours.

This idea of a regional cooperative security mechanism in Central Asia  that would include Afghanistan and its six neighbours (Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China, Kazakhstan) plus the two most influential external powers (Russia and the United States)  was shot down. Instead, the Bush administration sought to create a pro-American NATO-like military structure in Central Asia that would exclude China, Iran and Russia. Predictably, that effort failed, and Afghanistan today remains an economically underdeveloped and weakly governed source of serious threats to regional and international security.

Similarly, in 2003, when I had moved from the White House to work on then Secretary of State Colin Powells Policy Planning Staff, I argued that, in the wake of the US invasion of Iraq, the US should not compound its problems in the region with a military occupation of Iraq. Instead, a severely weakened Iraq could be brought into a cooperative regional security mechanism  much as Dr Zarif had proposed  that would also incentivise Iraqs neighbours to integrate it more deeply into regional trade and financial flows. This idea, too, was rejected in favour of continuing the futile pursuit of highly militarised American domination of the Middle East.

Only as independent regional powers prove capable of checking the worst impulses of regional actors ultimately dependent on a dominant America will they be able to promote cooperative regional security.

I subsequently resigned from the US government because I was unwilling to help facilitate even more strategically disastrous US foreign policy choices. I believed at the time and still believe that Dr Zarifs strategic concept for cooperative security building in the Middle East and Central/West Asia would have set these regions on more constructive trajectory in the 1990s, in the wake of the Cold War, and in the 2000s as the US proved after 9/11 that it could no longer achieve its goals through military interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen. Today, though, I no longer believe this is a viable way forward.

Cooperative regional security depends on the governments of each state working to serve their countrys interests  not those of a foreign external power. But the dominant external power in the Middle East  the US  opposes genuinely cooperative regional security precisely because it would lead to foreign policy independence for more and more Middle Eastern states. Washington does not want a multipolar international order in which the US is one of several great powers; similarly, it does not want to deal with truly independent power centers in strategically vital regions like the Middle East. And America has proven over and over again that it will go to the most extreme lengths to preserve its empire, even if that ends up accelerating the dissipation of American power.

Dr Zarifs vision implicitly presupposes the existence of at least a critical mass of regional states that are not just formally sovereign but also committed to foreign policy independence, for themselves and for their neighbours. In reality, though, relatively few Middle Eastern political orders are committed to such a proposition. The three most independent actors in the region  Iran, Qatar, and Turkey  all had to fight hard for their foreign policy independence. Iran had to seize it through its revolution in 1979, the AKP in Turkey had to overcome an entrenched pro-American military dictatorship, and Qatar had to defy much larger neighbours by investing billions in an LNG train to internationalise its markets, by securing diverse military partnerships, and by developing its media, aviation, and education networks to give it an independent platform.

But too many of the Middle Easts contemporary political orders are simply not constituted on bases permitting them to pursue genuine foreign policy independence  or tolerate its pursuit by other regional states. These orders  including, most prominently, Israel and Saudi Arabia  remain fundamentally dependent for their long-term survival on an American superpower committed to consolidating and maintaining dominance over Middle East security and political affairs. Such reliance compels them to oppose efforts by regional neighbours to chart their own paths. As a result, they regularly misrepresent commitment to foreign policy independence by states like Iran, Qatar, and Turkey as a threat to regional stability to justify their own coercively interventionist postures.

Only as independent regional powers prove capable of checking the worst impulses of regional actors ultimately dependent on a dominant America will they be able to promote cooperative regional security. Iran and Turkey recently provided a good example of what needs to happen when they came together to support Qatar resisting, and in the end, thwarting the expansion of Riyadhs illegitimate assertion of hegemony over the Arabian Peninsula. That could be an important step in the long process of cultivating genuinely cooperative regional security across the Middle East.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Hillary Mann Leverett

Hillary Mann Leverett is the CEO of the political risk consultancy STRATEGA. She served in the US National Security Council and State Department under... more Presidents George Herbert Walker Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush. She is co-author of Going to Tehran: Why America Must Accept the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On June 28, 1981, a huge explosion ripped through the headquarters of Irans ruling Islamic Republic Party, killing at least 74 government officials, including the countrys chief justice, Ayatollah Mohammed Beheshti and more than 20 parliament members, gathered that Sunday evening in southern Tehran.

Iran blamed the attack on the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), a left-wing political group, which also killed Americans before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The suspect reportedly placed the bomb in a rubbish bin near where party leader Beheshti, 52, was addressing the group.





The incident, one of the deadliest political killings in Irans history, is still remembered as the Haft-e-Tir bombing, so named after the date when it took place on the Persian calendar.

A busy square and a subway station in central Tehran were similarly named in honour of the victims.

Two months later, President Mohammad Ali Rajaei, Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar, and three other people were also killed when an explosive hidden in a briefcase detonated inside the prime ministers office.

The new president had barely escaped the June bombing.

The effect of the explosion reverberated through the parliament building nearby, and it took more than two hours to put out the fire that followed the blast, according to witness accounts.

A Harvard International Review article described the device as very sophisticated.

Bahonars secretary turned out to be an undercover MEK operative, and was identified by investigators as the person who planted the bomb. He and the Haft-e-Tir bombing suspect were never arrested.

Republican and Democratic US officials back the MEK against the government in Iran [Reuters]

No love lost for MEK

The MEKs history of violence has resurfaced in recent days, after US President Donald Trump appointed John Bolton as his national security adviser. The former US ambassador to the UN is a lobbyist for the group and its government-in-exile, the Iran National Council of Resistance.

Bolton and the MEK support Trumps threat to undo the Iran nuclear deal and advocate for regime change in Iran. But critics warned the groups proximity to the levers of American power and the policy they espouse could be a recipe for more bloodshed in the Middle East.

The MEK said it has long renounced violence to advance its goals in Iran. It said it supports a democratic Iran based on the popular vote, and the separation of church and state. In September 2012, it was removed from the US terror list.

But when Bolton spoke before the group in July 2017 in Paris, members cheered loudly as he said it should be a US policy goal that the Iranian regime will not last until its 40th birthday on April 1, 2019.





I have said for over 10 years since coming to these events, that the declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullahs regime in Tehran.

A year before that, Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, a former intelligence chief of Saudi Arabia, also spoke before the group, denouncing the Khomeini cancer, in reference to the Islamic Republics founder and first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Declarations such as those, however, only make the MEK more unpopular in Tehran, diminishing the likelihood that it could play a role in the countrys political future, observers said.

There is no sympathy towards the group in Iran, said Marzieh Javadi, a Tehran-based foreign policy expert who closely follows Iran and US relations.

Among the Iranian public, there is a negative view towards the MEK not only because of its policy of regime change, but more so because of its role in the post-revolution political assassinations and the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, she said.

At the height of the war between Iran and Iraq, the MEK sided with Baghdad, sending as many as 7,000 of its members to Iraqs Camp Ashraf near the border with Iran.

According to the RAND Corporation think-tank, the MEK launched numerous raids across the border into Iran.

In exchange for its support of Saddam Hussein, MEK received protection, funding, weapons, ammunition, vehicles, tanks, military training, and the use of land.

Bolton said he wants to see regime change in Iran by 2019 [AP]

That decision by the MEK to collaborate with Saddam only magnified Iranian public opinion against the group, Javadi said.

That was a very dark point in the history of Iran, and that is why there is hostility towards these people, Javadi said.

Socialist ideology

Saeed Jalili, a Tehran-based journalist and expert on the Iranian economy, said with the groups chequered past, it is doubtful the MEK has any significant following inside Iran now.

I have not heard anyone asking them [MEK] to make a comeback [in Iran] or anything like that, he said.

Majority of Iranians cant stand the idea of having a socialist regime, Jalili said referring to cruel single-party ruling system in communist countries.

The fact that they are believed to be promoting a strict communist ideology makes them less likable here, he told Al Jazeera.





Iranians believe its no different than the one we already have.

Al Jazeera contacted former US senator Robert Torricelli, a lawyer of MEK, for comment. He did not reply as of the publishing of this story.

But in an article published in Politico in 2016, Torricelli said he has seen no evidence that the MEK took part in terrorist activities against Iranians or Americans.

Torricelli said the group saved American lives following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, by identifying locations of improvised explosive devices.

Founded in 1965 by a group of students from Tehran University, the MEK embraced a combination of Marxist philosophy and Islamic values, and supported an armed revolt against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last royal ruler of the country.

Before the revolution, the MEK carried out attacks on the Shahs government and his American allies, including the killing of the Tehran police chief in 1972, and two US air force officers in 1975.

Right after the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979, MEK members were also believed to have participated in the hostage-taking at the US embassy in Tehran, which lasted for 444 days, according to the United States Institute of Peace and The National Interest foreign policy magazine.

An analyst said only the Iranians can decide to keep or change their current government [File: AP]

But they later split with the dominant sectarian ruling party, and began targeting Muslim leaders and government officials. In retaliation, the government executed socialist figures and MEK members.

MEKs rift with Iran worsened when its leader, Masoud Rajavi, aligned with Saddam in the eight-year Iran-Iraq War.

Cult-like

The organisation is now based in Paris and is led by Rajavis wife, Maryam Rajavi, an engineer and native of Tehran. It is unknown whether Masoud is still alive.

In her speeches as head of the MEK, Maryman has repeatedly highlighted her policy on gender equality, saying the rights of women are linked to the struggle against  fundamentalism.

Her organisation has also vowed to abolish the death penalty and promote freedom of assembly in a free Iran.

Torricelli praised MEK as the most organised and disciplined of the Iranian opposition groups.





Al Jazeera also requested comment, but received no response, from the office of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who spoke at the Persian New Year event of MEK in Albania on March 20.

At the celebration, Giuliani told thousands of cheering MEK members that the appointment of Bolton as President Trumps national security adviser is very exciting, while reminding them of Boltons 2017 promise of regime change in Iran by 2019.

You remember John Bolton? You think he changed his mind? No. In fact, if anything, John Bolton has become more determined that there needs to be regime change in Iran, that the nuclear agreement needs to be burned, and that you need to be in charge of that country.

Iranians, however, fundamentally dont trust MEKs narrative of history and their actions, said Amir Havasi, an independent journalist in Iran.

Not counting its history of violence, the MEKs link to the Trump administration makes them a total pariah in Iran now, Havasi said, adding the organisation is even more unpopular than the monarchists  those who supported Irans overthrown royal ruler.

How the Rajavis run the MEK is also a mystery, according to Kayvan Hosseini, editor of Radio Farda, the Persian-language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

He said former members accused the MEK of acting like a cult, and no one is allowed to criticise the Rajavis. There have also been reports of forced divorces and group confessions of members.

Hosseini said Maryam Rajavi has refused to speak to journalists and answer questions about her organisation.

As long as they keep their door closed to independent journalists and their leaders refuse to answer to the media, it is not possible to know the truth about MEK.

Meanwhile, Hosseini said it is not only the MEK but also other opposition groups who actively seek regime change in Iran.

But he said it is not up to any particular individual or organisation to decide who should be the alternative to the current government in Iran.

That is a question for the Iranian nation. They should decide whether to keep their current government, or change it to any other form of government they desire.
Initiatives by teachers in Douma, in Eastern Ghouta, aim to continue educating schoolchildren despite bombardment.

Alaa al-Khamooneh, a mathematics teacher in Douma, Eastern Ghoutas largest city, was forced to take his profession underground in the last month to avoid bombs and aerial attacks.

Since the Syrian and Russian offensive on the largely agricultural region began on February 18, the 35 year old has been part of a teaching initiative that aims to provide a semblance of normality for schoolchildren.

Many residents have taken to living mostly in underground basements or makeshift shelters, in order to escape bombardment from warplanes, which to date have claimed at least 1,644 civilian lives.

Teachers have been trying to continue with the education process first and foremost to distract the children from the reality around them, Khamoomeh told Al Jazeera.

It was a way to change what their day-to-day lives have become, from counting explosions to constant crying in fear.

Many of the students suffer from nightmares and panic attacks, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder which will have a detrimental effect on their lives if left untreated, Khamooneh explained.

We are trying to tackle this problem with what little resources we have, such as psycho-social sessions and  whenever we have the opportunity  painting, he said.

Underground schooling

Basement schools are a project that was organised last month by teachers in Douma, as it became too risky to carry on lessons in school buildings.

This has been the case since 2014, where schools have been targeted by Syrian government forces, said Adnan Alwan, a teacher of the social teaching project.

Out of Doumas 31 schools, six were totally destroyed during Syrias eight-year conflict, and a further 15 sustained partial damage, Adnan said.

Before this offensive, we used backrooms in random buildings to avoid casualties in case these buildings were also targeted, the 32 year old told Al Jazeera.

The project runs approximately 48 basement schools in Douma, with an attendance of 3,500 students, and receives most of its support and meagre supplies from their parents. In total, 96 teachers are part of the initiative, or two teachers to each basement school.

This is all completely volunteer work by Doumas teachers to help and support the children, Alwan said.

We had to take the initiative to help the children cope with their new lives underground.

There are 48 basement schools in Douma with 3,500 students in attendance [Al Jazeera]

Yet the conditions of these basement schools are far from ideal or safe  Alwan describes them as resembling a prison.

We teach in small foul-smelling spaces in basements that more often than not have lots of rubble, he said. These spaces lack desks and tables, and instead children sit on blankets or threadbare carpets.

While whiteboards are available, electricity is provided in the form of LED battery-operated lights.

The curriculum taught is the revised version by the Turkey-based Syrian opposition government, which removed most content that Syrias Baathist government had included.

One example that the revised cirriculum removed is the subject of nationalism, which teaches the achievements of Hafez al-Assad and his son and current President Bashar.

Yet despite the basement schools best efforts to continue with the education of students, Khamooneh said residents still fear the targeting of shelters and basements by warplanes.

It is not safe being here, he said, referring to the attack on a basement school in Irbin that killed at least 16 children and four women last week.

Living in the dark

Sarah Hajkarem, 11, lives with her parents and two younger brothers in one of the underground shelters.

We have been here in the dark for more than a month, she said. I miss the sun and playing in the streets after school.

The shelter also doubles as a basement school, but Sarah said she had difficulty focusing during the sessions because the bombs didnt stop falling.

We gather in a circle like a prayer ring in a mosque under weak lights, she said. We can barely see what the teacher is writing, and we cant write as there arent enough pens and notebooks for everyone.

The basement is full of Sarahs neighbours, who all have only have one meal a day. There is not much space to move around, and children play in silence to not disturb the adults.

Sarah, who wants to study English literature and become a teacher, wishes life would go back to normal.

I want to be able to go to a proper school again, play outside with my friends and have food, water and be able to shower every day, she said. My mother said we will have all that soon.

Evacuation deals

Eastern Ghouta, which lies 15km east to the capital Damascus, has been under a government-imposed siege since mid-2013 after opposition factions took control.

Subsequently, it has been the target of repeated attacks by the government over the years.

The latest offensive has been carried out in tandem with a government ground invasion that sequestered the region into three parts.

In the past few days, the situation has quieted down after opposition factions signed Russian-brokered agreements with the Syrian government.

The deals allow for the evacuation of rebel fighters and any civilians who want to leave to the northwest province of Idlib, one of the last bastions under opposition control.

As many as 100,000 residents left Ghouta to either government or opposition controlled enclaves over the past week.

Meanwhile, the opposition group Jaish al-Islam that controls Douma, has been in negotiations with the government but to date no deal has been reached.

Better future for young generation

But the future remains uncertain for residents choosing to remain in Ghouta, who are on the cusp of facing a new reality under the control of the Syrian government.

The war has entered its eighth year and devastated the population, with more than 450,000 killed and an estimated 11 million displaced.

For Alaa, the basement schools are supposed to be a temporary fixture in the hopes that a brighter future will follow.

We couldnt imagine staying here giving lessons under such circumstances, he said.

We are doing our best for the next generation and we hope that they will have a better future.
Israel has made countering BDS a diplomatic priority but just how much of an impact does the movement have?

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, also known as BDS, could potentially cost Israel up to $11.5bn a year.

Thats according to a partially redacted Israeli government report from 2013, which factored in the most extreme scenario of a full-blown EU boycott of Israeli products and a halt to investments.

Its a sequence of events that may seem unlikely, but has Israeli leaders worried nonetheless.

In recent years, Israels diplomatic missions have made countering BDS a priority and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has moved to ban groups which support the movement.

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So what is BDS?

BDS is a non-violent people led movement that aims to economically pressure Israel into providing equal rights and a right of return to Palestinians.

Modelled on the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, it has inspired people from around the world to boycott businesses and academic and cultural institutions that have either a direct or indirect affiliation with Israel.

This includes companies associated with illegal settlements, those that provide services to the occupation, companies exploiting natural resources from Palestinian land and those that use Palestinians as cheap labour.

The UN human rights office has currently identified 206 companies linked directly or indirectly to illegal settlements, mostly from Israel and the US but also Germany and the Netherlands.

They include banking and tourism companies, as well as construction and technology firms.

Is BDS already having an impact on Israel? It depends on who you ask.

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The Washington-based Brookings Institution claims a consumer boycott will not drastically affect Israel economically because 40 percent of Israeli exports are intermediate goods  hidden products used in the production process of goods elsewhere like semiconductors.

Around 50 percent of Israeli exports are differentiated goods  goods that cant be substituted like specialised computer chips.

But data from the World Bank shows a sharp decrease in intermediate exports from 2014 to 2016  a loss of around $6bn.

In the same period, foreign investment rose to around $12bn after it fell to $6bn following the 2014 assault on Gaza, which killed 1,462 civilians.

If you want to find out more, click play on the video above.
Britain will leave the EU on March 29, 2019, at 23:00 GMT, but not everyone is optimistic about it.

Britain will leave the European Union at 23:00 GMT on March 29, 2019, severing the ties that helped define its national identity, its laws, and its international stature over 46 years of integration with European neighbours.

The worlds sixth-largest economy caused a major global shock in 2016 by narrowly voting to withdraw from the EU after a fevered referendum campaign that sharpened regional divisions and exposed deep distrust between voters and the political establishment.

In the 21 months since the referendum vote, Theresa May, who became prime minister in the resulting political chaos, has struggled to unite the country behind a single vision of Brexit.

Polls show voters disparate views on leaving are entrenched, and few have any certainty about Britains long-term future.

May has 12 months to plot a successful course through difficult political and economic terrain; she is touring the country on Thursday and is expected to promise bright prospects outside the EU.

I am determined that our future will be a bright one Theresa May, UK prime minister

But not everyone agrees. Will Dry was studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University when Britain voted to leave the EU.

He himself opted for Brexit but now regrets that decision. He has taken a year out of his studies to work full-time with the campaign group he cofounded, Our Future Our Choice, which is working to stop Brexit by mobilising young people.

Al Jazeeras Barnaby Phillips spoke to him:

Al Jazeera: Is it late to stop Brexit?

Will Dry: No, absolutely not, the woman who occupies Downing Street at the moment does not have a majority in parliament which means she cant actually force through the deal which she comes back with from Brussels  that leads to a constitutional crisis that can only be answered by a public vote on the deal.

Al Jazeera: Can Brexit be overturned legitimately through a second referendum?

Dry: Parliament is sovereign. Parliament should exert complete control over this process, but ultimately I do believe that the fairest and best way to prevent Brexit from going ahead is through a public vote on the deal that Theresa May comes back with.

Al Jazeera: There are a lot of people who may be Brexit sceptics but nonetheless just want the government to get on with it.

Dry: Yes, we are heading towards Brexit, but there are significant contradictions which the government has yet to explain how to overcome them.

As those contradictions become clear, as the cost and consequences of Brexit become more clear, people are perfectly entitled, like myself, to change their mind and say:

No, actually, I didnt know that this would happen, I didnt know that my kids future would be so negatively impacted, so I dont actually support this policy any more. I demand a vote on Theresa Mays deal.
ABCNews.com(PARKLAND, Fla.) -- The brother of the accused mass shooter in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre pleaded no contest Thursday to trespassing on the Stoneman Douglas campus.



Zachary Cruz, 18, was arrested on March 19 for trespassing at the school where his brother, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, allegedly gunned down 17 people on Feb. 14.



As a part of the deal, Zachary Cruz can never return to Stoneman Douglas and must stay at least 1 mile away from the Parkland, Florida, campus.



He also cannot have contact with any of the shooting victims or their family members, and he can't be on any school campus unless he is enrolled to attend.



Zachary Cruz was sentenced to time served and six months of probation. While on probation, he must wear an ankle bracelet and cannot have any weapons. He also must schedule an appointment for therapy.



Joseph Kimok, Cruz's lawyer, said in court that his client wants to apologize to "anyone who felt scared or threatened" by his presence on the campus.



"Zacharys visit to Stoneman Douglas was not to scare anyone, he said. He went after hours... he just wanted to try to make sense of this."



Kimok said Nikolas was the only family member Zachary had left after their mothers death, adding that his client was overcome with sorrow after the Feb. 14 shooting.



"Zachary Cruz is nothing like his brother, he said.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Africas top scientists gather in the Rwandan capital of Kigali to focus on the future of science in the continent.

More than 1,600 people have gathered in the Rwandan capital of Kigali for the second edition of the Next Einstein Forum (NEF), a three-day science and technology event.

Rwanda has been lauded for its educational reform over the past 20 years, having invested heavily in becoming a knowledge-based economy in which information and communication technology (ICT) play a big role.

When we started investing in ICT around the year 2000, many people thought it was a joke. They would say how can you start investing in ICT when people have no food, no education, no access to hospitals?, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said during his keynote speech on Wednesday.

The answer at that time was that Rwanda didnt have the luxury of setting priorities, everything was a priority for us. And ICT related to every other aspect we were thinking about.

We are not prioritising ICT and leaving others behind, we tried to create a balance and share the limited resources we had, he said.

I think we have been vindicated in this regard.

Rwanda has experienced remarkable economic growth since 2000 [Yarno Ritzen/Al Jazeera]

And according to World Bank data, Kagames sentiment is justified.

Since 2000, the country has experienced remarkable economic growth, with gross domestic product (GDP) rising from $1.7bn in 2000 to $8.4bn in 2016 and the number of students, teachers and schools rising rapidly as well.

However, Rwanda can be considered to be an outlier; today, only two percent of total global scientific research output comes from African countries.

NEFs goal is to increase that number significantly in the coming years and decades.

To do so, the organisation, which was founded in collaboration with the African Institute for Mathematics and Science (AIMS), offers fellowships for researchers, grants for promising technologies and support for local and regional projects that increase Africas footprint in the scientific field.

This years main topic was connecting science to humanity, and the majority of the panels and discussions focused on subjects like healthcare, the future of education and closing the gender gap.

The agenda

Discussions ranged from how to how to change the mindset of young children so that they aspire to become scientists, to how technologies like blockchain might improve the quality of life in Africa.

The event also saw the launch of Africas first scientific journal, the Scientific African.

During the Challenge of Invention to Innovation (ci2i) competition, researchers from across Africa were invited to pitch inventions addressing health challenges and climate change.

It was during this ceremony, at the end of the three-day event, that the events topics of health, education and the gender gap all came together.

One of the winners, Rachel Sibande from Malawi, who pitched a system that used maize husks as biofuel to generate electricity, dedicated her prize to all women in Africa.

This is for all the women and girls of Africa that are working to innovate and change the world, Sibande said.

Conrad Tankou from Cameroon developed a system using mobile phones to diagnose breast and cervical cancer for women in rural areas, to whom he dedicated his win.

There have been revolutions around the globe, and Africa has always been left behind. This time, we should not miss out seize this moment. Paul Kagame, Rwanda's president

We are coming for you. Were coming to save your lives, Tankou said.

Although the scientists, policymakers and event organisers all agreed Africa has a bright scientific future ahead of it, they also acknowledged that there is still a lot of work to be done and major hurdles to be overcome.

This is a long-term goal, Zomahoun said. This is not a project that we will complete in three or five years.

It was no surprise then that the next NEF was already announced. In 2020, the event will be held in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

President Kagame, who attended the first NEF in 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, said this is an opportunity all countries in Africa should focus on.

There have been revolutions around the globe, and Africa has always been left behind, Kagame said. This time, we should not miss out seize this moment.

Jonathan Esole, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the NEF fellows and an expert in string theory, put it into words more suitable for a younger generation.

Referencing the recent superhero movie Black Panther, which shows the fictional African country of Wakanda as the most technologically advanced civilisation on earth, Esole simply said one thing.

We are building Wakanda here.
Cyprus moves to revive tourism in mountain villages

Tourism is booming in Cyprus, despite the island suffering a damaging financial crisis five years ago. But not all areas are reaping the rewards of those seeking sunnier shores.
FBI pressed to open investigation into whether White House adviser leaked classified information to Saudi prince.

A group of House Democrats has called on the FBI to investigate President Donald Trumps senior adviser, Jared Kushner, for allegedly leaking classified information to a foreign power.

In a letter addressed to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday, the six legislators demanded the presidents son-in-law be questioned over allegations in recent media reports that he gave Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman  also known as MbS  secret information.

We request the FBI open an immediate investigation to determine if these reports are accurate and to explore the extent to which information and sources may have been compromised, the letter said.

Representatives Ted Lieu, Gerald Connolly, Donald Beyer, Pramila Jaypal, Peter Welch, and Ruben Gallego noted: while the president has the authority to declassify and share information, the presidents advisers do not.

The letter said Kushner might have shared information from the Presidents Daily Brief (PDB) on which Saudi royals the US intelligence agencies deemed to be loyal to bin Salman when he visited the capital Riyadh last year.

If these disturbing reports are true, Jared Kushner likely leaked classified information to a foreign power, the letter said.

$500m in loans

The letter came just days after House Democrats Elijah Cummings and Raja Krishnamoorthi asked White House Counsel Don McGahn to provide the findings of an internal inquiry into any connection between Kushners meetings with executives from Citigroup and Apollo Global Management and his familys business, which subsequently received $500m in loans from the two companies.

The Intercept reported on March 21 that bin Salman had bragged to members of his entourage as well as his Emirati counterpart, Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed, that Kushner was in his pocket.

Bin Salman, however, told the Washington Post he never said Kushner was in his pocket, and he denied that the presidents senior adviser gave him any names of Saudi royals.

On March 14, 25 House Democrats called on White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to dismiss Kushner amid reports that some countries were looking to manipulate the 37-year-old, who is married to Trumps daughter Ivanka, also an adviser to the president.

The congressmen, led by Representative Beyer, expressed their scepticism as to Kushners ability to put the American peoples interests above his own.
DR Congo: Rebels launch deadly attack in Beni region

Officials in Congo say at least 10 people are dead and 10 others are missing after rebels attacked outlying areas of the northeastern city of Beni overnight.
Founder of whistle-blower website holed up at Ecuadors embassy in London for nearly six years now, faces fresh curbs.

Ecuador has cut off Julian Assanges communications with the outside world from its London embassy, where the founder of the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks has been living for nearly six years.

In a statement, the government of Ecuador said that it had acted because Assange had breached a written commitment made to the government at the end of 2017 not to issue messages that might interfere with other states.

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According to the statement, Assanges recent behaviour on social media put at risk the good relations Ecuador maintains with the UK, with other states of the European Union, and with other nations.

The government acted after Assange tweeted critically on Monday of Britains accusation that Russia was responsible for the nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent and his daughter in the city of Salisbury earlier this month.

Assange also questioned the decision by the UK and more than 20 other countries to expel 150 Russian diplomats they claim are spies.

(1/3) The manner of and timing of Russian diplomatic expulsions is poor diplomacy. The expulsions occurred 12 hours after one of the worst building fires in post Soviet history, which killed at least 64. Russians will see the timing as gratuitous.  Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) March 26, 2018

This is not the first time Ecuador cuts off Assanges internet access. The same thing happened in October 2016 amid fears that Ecuador would be sucked into efforts to interfere in the American election by the activities of the WikiLeaks founder.

Ecuador said it was not evicting Assange from its embassy and that its temporary restriction of internet services does not prevent the WikiLeaks organization from carrying out its journalistic activities.

The move was clearly intended to keep the embassy from being the control centre for leaking operations.

Julian Assange went to the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning about rape allegations, which he denies.

Sweden dropped the case last May because too much time had passed.

Fears of arrest

Assange still faces a British charge for skipping bail and fears being arrested and deported to the US.

Jeff Sessions, US attorney general, said last year that arresting Assange was a priority.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuadors foreign minister, said on Wednesday that officials would meet in London next week with Assanges lawyers to explore additional measures in connection to what she branded as Assanges noncompliance with his agreement not to meddle in foreign affairs.

Assanges recent tweets, posted on Tuesday, respond to an insult from Alan Duncan, a minister of state at the British Foreign Office, who called Assange a miserable little worm.

Duncan told members of parliament its about time that this miserable little worm walked out of the embassy and gave himself up to British justice.

As a political prisoner detained without charge for 8 years, in violation of 2 UN rulings, I suppose I must be "miserable"; yet nothing wrong with being a "little" person although I'm rather tall; and better a "worm", a healthy creature that invigorates the soil, than a snake.  Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) March 27, 2018

In December, Ecuador granted Assange citizenship and Espinosa called the measure one more ring of protection for Assange.

In January she said that Ecuador would continue to pursue a dialogue with the UK to eventually remove Assange from the embassy.

Earlier this week Espinosa said: The most important thing is that Ecuador maintains a dialogue with the United Kingdom to find a definitive and lasting solution to this situation that the current government has inherited.
Government employees say they want local authorities to abolish budget practice of deducting from wages paid by Baghdad.

Erbil, Iraq  Government employees in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, including teachers and doctors, have protested against austerity measures and salary delays for a fifth consecutive day.

The demonstrations began after a group of teachers called on other civil workers to protest peacefully after a strike by government staff earlier this month spread from Sulaymaniyah to other cities and towns.

Amid growing protests, senior Kurdish government officials held a meeting on Wednesday and vowed to change the current salary structure to meet the protesters demands.

Before 2014, the salaries of civil servants were paid for by the central government in Baghdad. However, the Kurdish government stopped receiving these payments after a series of disputes with Baghdad and the beginning of the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

As a result, Kurdish civil servants are currently receiving just 25 percent of their salary, with the remainder being withheld to be paid at a later date.

This is an important step, but it is still not everything, Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani told reporters after Wednesdays meeting.

After the reform proposal, which is now in the parliament, I can say we will reach the step to completely end the payment withholding system.

Still, about 100 protesters gathered on Thursday outside the Ministry of Higher Education in the capital, Erbil, shouting slogans such as Our only weapons are our pens and Weve had enough!

Haval Abdulkhaliq, 46, director of the health and safety department at the Hawler Medical University, told al Jazeera that doctors could not continue doing their work under the current system.

Baghdad is sending our salaries, but the Erbil administration still wants to keep the deduction system, which is not acceptable, he said at the protest in Erbil.

Salma Mohammed, a 45-year-old teacher who has been protesting for the past several days, said: Im here to ask for my very right to serve my people and to live an honourable life.

Meanwhile, there have been multiple reports of arrests and rights violations against protesters and journalists attempting to cover the protests.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Metro Center for Journalists Rights and Advocacy said that besides preventing journalists from covering the scenes of violations, security forces carried out a broad campaign against those who have used their cameras and mobiles to cover the protests.
Judge says plaintiffs lawsuit provides him with reasonable basis to proceed under act passed by Congress.

A United States federal judge has rejected a motion by Saudi Arabia to drop charges accusing the Gulf kingdom of playing a role in the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Judge George Daniels says the plaintiffs lawsuit narrowly articulate a reasonable basis for him to proceed under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JUSTA).

The act, which was passed by Congress in 2016, allows charges against Saudi Arabia to go ahead after they were previously rejected in court.

Daniels dismissed claims against two Saudi banks and a Saudi construction company that had ties with Osama bin Laden, citing that he did not have jurisdiction.

At least 3,000 Americans were killed after four planes were hijacked in 2001.

Two planes deliberately crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and a third hit the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi, prompting hundreds of the victims families and relatives to sue the Saudi Arabian government and several Saudi corporations in 2003.

The lawsuit, which is demanding billions of dollars in financial compensation, claims that Saudi Arabia knowingly assisted the hijackers who carried out the attack, and is the reason for al-Qaedas influential rise into a terrorist organisation as a result of backing charities that financed the group.

Lawyers of the victims of the September 11 attacks filed new evidence in the New York court case which implicates several employees of the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC of financing and supporting members who carried out the attacks.

Saudi Arabia has long denied any involvement in the attacks.
Kachin refugee: Myanmar army keeps attacking us

Civil war has pushed people to remote, mountainous regions on the edge of the country, where it is estimated there are around 100,000 living in camps along the border with China.
Muslim and Jewish groups denounce Brexit campaign group and demand apology for shocking post on Twitter.

A major group supporting the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union has sparked outrage after posting an appalling tweet, which critics denounced as both Islamophobic and anti-Semitic.

In its Twitter post on Thursday, Leave.EU called out the UKs opposition Labour Party, saying it is reliant on the votes of Britains exploding Muslim population, and thus cant be bothered to deal with disgusting anti-Semitism among its members.





Its a question of maths for these people, not justice, the post read, accompanied by an image of a tilted wooden plank, with one end showing a black box with the words 3 million Muslim votes, and the other end a smaller, blue box with the words, 300,000 Jewish votes.

The words, Turkeys dont vote for Christmas, were also emblazoned in the lower part of the image.

The statement was posted online on the day marking 12 months before the UK is scheduled to leave the EU, also known as Brexit, on March 29, 2019.

Leave.EU was widely credited for the 2016 referendum victory of the movement supporting Brexit.

Immediately after Leave.EUs tweet went online, many took to social media to condemn the campaign group as overtly racist and calling for its account to be shut down.

Others accused it of promoting anti-Muslim bigotry and said its post constitutes hate speech and incitement to racial hatred.

In a brief comment to Al Jazeera, Nasima Begum, spokesperson of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), called the post quite shocking.

Harun Khan, MCBs secretary general, said it is disgusting and should be deleted with a full and unreserved apology.

Dr. Shazad Amin, CEO of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) in the UK, told Al Jazeera that his organisation is appalled by this clearly Islamophobic tweet, which is trying to create division and hatred in the Muslim and Jewish communities.

Islamophobia and anti-Semitism need to be taken seriously and tackled by the whole of society, not used to score cheap and tawdry political points. We hope and expect an apology is forthcoming.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews also denounced the online statement as completely unacceptable, and demanded that it be deleted and for Leave.EU to apologise at once.

Some of the best allies we have in the struggle against antisemitism are Muslims, it said, listing London Mayor Sadiq Khan and other groups as supporters.

This is not the way to challenge antisemitism.

Appalling

The Brexit campaign has long been associated with anti-Muslim sentiments and xenophobia, with groups such as MCB and the hate monitoring group Tell Mama reporting heightened incidents of racism following the June 23, 2016 vote.

An investigation by the Press Association also found that, three months after the referendum, hate crimes were at their highest since 2012.

Damian Green, a member of parliament for the ruling Conservative Party and former first secretary of state of Prime Minister Theresa May, called the Twitter post the worst kind of dog whistle and urged his partymates linked with the Leave.EU movement to withdraw their support of the group.

Robert Peston, a British journalist and presenter, denounced the post as appalling beyond words.





So the way to combat anti-Semitism is to smear British Muslims in the most disgusting way, and accuse Labour of the most hideous, calculating racism.

The controversy started when the Labour Party and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, were criticised in recent weeks for the rise of anti-Semitism within the partys ranks, and for its failures to respond to the issue decisively.

In a recent interview with Sky News, Jonathan Arkush, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said Corbyn swims in a political sea, which is polluted by far too many anti-Semites.

Arkush said Corbyn always sides with the anti-Semites, never with anti-racists.

In an interview with the Times of Israel published on Wednesday, Corbyn said he is not an anti-Semite in any way, never have been, and never will be.

Here is how some on social media reacted to Leave.EUs post:

Hate speech is a crime. I am reporting you to the police. @BorisJohnson @michaelgove @Nigel_Farage and all people that voted to Leave on June 23rd 2016 must condemn this immediately and unequivocally. This is absolutely disgusting. https://t.co/yfDZlKsKen  David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 29, 2018

This is criminal. @metpoliceuk  can I make an official complaint about this please?  Leo Watson (@LeoWatson1889) March 29, 2018

Hello @metpoliceuk I would like to report this crime. Please investigate. This tweet is a crime under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006: "Use of threatening words or behaviour, or any written material which is threatening or intends thereby to stir up religious hatred." https://t.co/PEb9sCQKLM  David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 29, 2018

The Islamophobic bile of near-fascists pic.twitter.com/aQtEakPhmf  Owen Jones  (@OwenJones84) March 29, 2018
Education and rights activist, targeted by Taliban, meets the prime minister as she begins her trip amid tight security.

Islamabad, Pakistan  Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has met Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the capital, Islamabad, hours after arriving in her home country.

Speaking at a ceremony held in her honour by the prime minister, a visibly moved Yousafzai wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke of coming home for the first time since she was shot by Taliban gunmen in an assassination attempt more than five years ago.

I am very happy today, that after five and a half years I have set foot on my soil, in my nation again, she said.

I am very happy, and I still cant believe that this is actually happening. ...It is literally like a dream.

I am 20 years old, but I have seen a lot in this life, she said, tears welling up in her eyes. From growing up in Swat Valley, such a beautiful region, and then seeing extremism and terrorism from 2007 until 2009, and seeing all the difficulties that women face in our society  and then the attack, to have to leave the country. Everything was happening by itself, [I] could not control anything. If it were up to me, I would never have left this country.

Calling her one of the most famous Pakistanis, the prime minister Abbasi said that our daughter, who has gained fame throughout the world, has returned home.

There is no doubt that when you left here, you were a 13-year-old child, but as you have returned you are now one of the most famous Pakistanis, he said.

This is your home. You can return any time you want.

The 20-year-old, the youngest person ever to win the Nobel prize, landed in the capital Islamabad early on Thursday morning.

Television footage showed her sitting alongside her parents in an airport lounge and, later, travelling in a security convoy into the city.

Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 for speaking out against their ban on girls education in her native Swat Valley, in Pakistans north.

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Two other students were wounded in that attack.

After receiving emergency medical treatment in Pakistan, she was moved to the United Kingdom for specialised medical procedures, where she has resided ever since due to fears for her security if she returned to Pakistan.

Following the attack, the Pakistani Taliban vowed to kill her if she ever returned.

Focus on education

Since recovering from her wounds, Yousafzai has championed the cause of education across the globe, speaking out passionately at the United Nations and other fora for the right of all children, and particularly young women, to receive an education.

In 2013, she and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, a teacher and rights activist, founded the Malala Fund, which champions the right of every girl to 12 years of free and safe education. The Fund has invested more than $6 million in girls education in Pakistan.

The organisation focuses on working in conflict zones, with programmes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and countries hosting Syrian refugees.

It is unclear if Yousafzai will visit her native Swat Valley, where she made her name as a young rights activist, writing a series of anonymous blogs for the BBC while the valley was under Taliban rule in 2009.

Pakistans military fought a protracted battle to retake the scenic rural valley, eventually displacing the Taliban from Swat that year.

Attacks such as the one that targeted Yousafzai, however, continued for several years, with the Taliban exacting revenge on those who stood up to them during their reign.

In 2016, Taliban commanders attempted to extort money from local traders, sparking fears that they were attempting to launch a comeback in Swat, which was home to current Pakistan Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah.

I really miss my friends and family. But I also miss the landscape, Yousafzai told Pakistani publication Mangobaaz in an interview earlier this week.

When I woke up in the hospital in the UK, I looked outside and asked the doctors where are the mountains and rivers. Swat Valley is a paradise on Earth, and I dont think I fully appreciated its beauty until it wasnt outside my window every day.

Yousafzai currently attends Oxford University, where she is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim
Fifty-eight diplomats expelled served at the US embassy in Moscow and two at the consulate in Yekaterinburg.

Moscow  Russia gave official notice to 60 US diplomats to leave the country by April 5 in response to Washingtons expulsion of 60 Russian officials earlier this week.

According to a statement by the Russian foreign ministry released on Thursday, 58 of those expelled served at the US embassy in Moscow and two at the US consulate in Yekaterinburg.

Russia also revoked the permit for the US consulate in St Petersburg  meaning it must shut down  and issued a protest note to the US ambassador to Moscow, Jon Huntsman, regarding what it called outrageous and unwarranted diplomatic action against Russia.

The statement said the moves were made on the principle of reciprocity.

The United States was quick to respond. At a press conference in Washington, DC, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Russias actions show it is not interested in a dialogue.

There is no justification for the Russian response. Our actions were motivated purely by the attack on the UK  the attack on a British citizen and his daughter, Nauert said.

She added the US reserves the right to respond further to Russian moves against the country.

Over the last few days, 25 European countries  along with the US, Canada, and Australia  expelled more than 120 Russian diplomats in a show of solidarity with the UK after the nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy in the southern English city of Salisbury.

NATO also announced seven officials working in the Russian mission to the alliance will have to leave.





Last week, London expelled 23 Russian officials and Moscow responded in kind.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has said she has evidence of Russian involvement in the poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Yulia is no longer in a critical condition and is improving rapidly, doctors said on Thursday. Sergei remains in critical but stable condition.

Trickery

The UK government says the nerve agent used in the attack, Novichok, was developed in Russia. Moscow has denied accusations that it was involved in the assassination attempt.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova cast doubt over the investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) into the Skripal case, calling it a trickery.

Last week, OPCW inspectors arrived in the UK to collect samples for analysis of the substance that poisoned the Skripals. The OPCW is expected to release the results on April 2.

Zaharova said it was unclear what evidence the UK gave to OPCW experts, and whether the people they visited in the hospital were indeed the two victims.

Whom did they show to these experts, if there was such a contact at all?  And you are asking if we would accept this absolute trickery? Zaharova said at a foreign ministry press conference.

Russia maintains there is no proof of its involvement in the attack.
US president complains the US spends trillions of dollars in the Middle East, but gets nothing in return.

US President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will withdraw from war-torn Syria very soon, without offering any other details.

We will be coming out of Syria very soon. Let the other people take care of it now, Trump said on Thursday in a televised rally in the state of Ohio.





Trump complained that the US spends trillions of dollars in the Middle East, but get nothing in return.

He did not say whether the withdrawal also includes the US halting its air operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters, who remain in Syria.

He told the Ohio workers that the American troops have knocked the hell out of ISIS.

Were going to have 100 percent of the caliphate, as they call it. Sometimes referred to as land. Were taking it all back quickly.

US troops in Syria are mostly stationed in the northern part of the country, and are embedded with the Kurdish YPG, its main ally in fighting ISIL.

Last week, the US State Department denied reports that it reached a deal with Turkey on the presence of American troops in the Kurdish city of Manbij.

Turkey, which recently launched a military operation inside Syria, considers the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria and its armed-wing YPG to be terrorist groups with ties to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The PKK has waged a decades-long armed fight against the Turkish state that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Ankara seels to expand its operation in Syrias northwestern Afrin region to other Kurdish-held areas further east, including Manbij, prompting fears for a possible confrontation with US troops.

Last week, Turkey said Ankara and Washington had reached a general agreement on Manbij and that the Turkish side is now waiting for its NATO ally to implement the deal.
UK begins one-year countdown to Brexit

While precise nature of UKs departure is still undecided, Prime Minister Theresa May says she is committed to honouring 2016 vote to break away from EU.
Many view the Serbian officials arrest as yet another orchestrated scenario, designed to benefit certain politicians.

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have heightened in recent days following the arrest and deportation of a senior Serbian official in northern Kosovo.

The brief detention on Monday of Marko Djuric, director of the Serbian governments Kosovo office, marked the first such incident in Kosovo since the former southern Serbian province declared independence in 2008.

The arrest aggravated already tense ties between the two neighbours  Serbia refuses to recognises Kosovos independence.

It also sparked a war-of-words between officials, as well as alarming headlines, even as some political commentators described the incident as an orchestrated scenario designed to benefit certain political figures in the two countries.

How did it all unfold?

Djuric entered Kosovo to attend a meeting in Mitrovica, defying a ban from Kosovo authorities prohibiting him to do so, as well as repeated official warnings ahead of time.

The Serbian official reportedly took a bypass route into the city, instead of going through one of the border crossings.

But once he reached the northern part of the city, he was surrounded by special forces and arrested. Walking bent over, and with his hands tied behind his back, a disheveled-looking Djuric was led away with his tie dangling in the air.

Later on Monday, more than 30 people were injured as police used sound grenades and tear gas to disperse Serbs protesting the arrest of Djuric, who was deported in the evening.





The following morning, words such as war, chaos and terror could be seen across Serbian front-page headlines.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Djuric claimed that his arrest was a rehearsal for a possible attempt by Kosovo police to take over northern Kosovo, where a Serb majority live.

On the same day, Srpska Lista (Serbian List), the main Serbian minority party in Kosovos government, announced its withdrawal from the governing coalition, saying it would instead be forming an association of Serb-dominated municipalities in Kosovo. In response, Pristina said there would be arrests if they attempted to do so.

Kosovos President Hashim Thaci denounced Djurics banned entrance and the Serbian Lists withdrawal as a provocation by Serbia, while Enver Hoxhaj, Kosovos deputy prime minister, said such actions aim to destabilise Kosovo.

Marko Djurics entering #Kosovo illegally is in violation of law, constitutional order and Brussels agreement. Such actions are highly dangerous and intend destabilization of #Kosovo. Kosovo will take all the necessary measures to maintain peaceful situation within our territory  Enver Hoxhaj (@Enver_Hoxhaj) March 26, 2018

On Wednesday, Ramush Haradinaj, prime minister of Kosovo, took to Facebook to affirm that Kosovo will not be partitioned and said that no territory will be swapped, while urging Serbian List to return to the table to discuss common issues.

In response, Djuric wrote on Twitter that Haradinajs statement proves that officials in Pristina dont want peace, rather theyre preparing a war.

On Thursday, Serbias army staged a military drill outside the capital, Belgrade, attended also by President Aleksandar Vucic.

                 ,   .

               ,     #KiM   .    (@markodjuric) March 28, 2018

Translation: Ramush Haradinajs statement makes it clear to everyone that in Pristina, there are officials who dont want peace, rather theyre preparing a war. Ramus Haradinaj is right that there can be no division and exchange of the territory of Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), because the entire territory of #KiM is part of the Republic of Serbia.

An orchestrated scenario

Many political analysts and social media commentators have argued in recent days that the episode with Djuric was orchestrated, designed so that certain leaders could push their own agendas in the volatile region.

Ti kao ues, a mi te kao hapsimo.  Marko Drazic (@markodrazic) March 26, 2018

Translation: You [pretend to] enter, and well [pretend to] arrest you.

Good job, Kosovo and Serbia, violation committed, violator arrested and released, all right on schedule and in time for the evening news.  Eric Gordy (@EricGordy) March 26, 2018

So was the arrest of Djuric just an elaborate way to trigger early elections in Kosovo, following the Vetevendosje split? Just wondering  Florian Bieber (@fbieber) March 27, 2018

The drama with illegal crossing of the Kosovo border by Serbian officials is clear and intentional provocation. It's planned. Serbian media hysteria of "goloruki narod" is also a scenario. Many times repeated, always intending mayhem, from Croatia in 1991 to north Kosovo now.  Petrit Selimi (@Petrit) March 26, 2018

What happened yesterday in Mitrovica has all the features of a directed crisis that was run, each for its own reasons, by both Belgrade and Pristina. Djuric was just an extra [actor], Serbian journalist Dejan Anastasijevic commented in an article on Tuesday.

Authorities in Belgrade, as well as those in Pristina, occasionally need to remind the international community that they hold the keys to war and peace in Kosovo.

By using inflammatory statements and stirring nationalist rhetoric, Vucic has lately been trying to divert attention from the fact that the deadline for signing a  legally binding agreement for normalisation of the relations with Kosovo is running out, added Anastasijevic.

Then he will have to make some unpopular decisions, so he is now boosting his patriotic credibility.

Vucic himself announced on Friday that a group of Serbian officials would be heading to Mitrovica on Monday. with or without a permit from Pristina authorities. Such a permit usually takes up to three days to issue.

Speaking to Kosovo journalists, Vucic provoked Kosovo authorities: Im telling you that you will issue [the permit.] Whether you issue it or not, they will come to north Mitrovica. Come on, let me see what youll do on this question.

Soon after, hundreds of heavily armed Kosovo border police were stationed along Kosovos border with Serbia, as well as Mitrovica, awaiting Djurics arrival.

There appears to be a good deal of theatrics involved, Florian Bieber, professor of Southeast European Studies at Austrias University of Graz, told Al Jazeera.

Clearly Djuric was eager to provoke Kosovo authorities and clearly they responded with disproportionate force, he added.

Whether there was an element of collusion between the two governments is impossible to tell, but it is the kind of incident that benefits both. The Serbian government can rally against the Kosovo government and increase its demands in the normalisation talks based on the unreasonable behaviour of the Kosovo government.

The Kosovo government can celebrate its ability to arrest a Serb official in the north, especially just a few days after the border demarcation deal passed that nationalists have called betrayal and giving up land. Thus, both governments come out as winners.

Escalating tensions

Over the past year, several incidents in the region have raised concerns of escalating tensions and the possibility of renewed conflict.

In January 2017, in a stunt orchestrated by the Serbian government, a train was set to run from Belgrade to North Mitrovica, plastered in signs in 20 languages provocatively reading Kosovo is Serbia.

The train was stopped in Serbia, some 11km from Kosovos border.

In January this year, a leading Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic, was shot and killed in broad daylight in Mitrovica; the gunmen remain at large.





I think Belgrades position is to do everything in its power to illustrate to the EU that dialogue with Kosovo is impossible, said Jasmin Mujanovic, a political scientist who specialises in southeastern European affairs.

In order to this, they consistently orchestrate various scenarios which they know will provoke strong responses from the government in Pristina which is keen to demonstrate to its own radical nationalist opposition that they exercise full authority over the whole of Kosovos territory.

So last year we had the ridiculous train fiasco, now we have this ministerial visit- all of it is an attempt by Vucic to show the Kosovo authorities as oppressive and a danger to the Serb community in the country.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a US think-tank, predicted rising tensions and violence for the Balkans in 2018.

Specifically, the CFR warned of escalating tensions or extremist violence in the Balkans  Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia  resulting in political instability and armed clashes.
How Do You Really Feel about David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez?

A proposed thought experiment for my liberal friends: What if the Parkland students  and the hundreds of thousands of other fired up adolescents who gathered around the nation last weekend  were not on your team? What if, rather than advocating in favor of something you passionately agree with, they were advocating in favor of something you passionately disagree with? Say, for example, their voices were raised not for the purpose of restricting access to guns, but for the purpose of restricting access to abortion? This is not to become enmeshed in a discussion as to the relative similarities or dissimilarities of those two things. Nor is it to disavow the concern and sympathy to which these young people are legitimately entitled based upon the horrendous experience they survived or were in proximity to. It is simply to encourage an awareness of the extent to which our perceptions, reactions, and even valuations  in this case, of a group of particularly vocal, colorful, and engaging teenagers  can be influenced by, even guaranteed by, the way we feel about the issue being advocated rather than the inherent and observable characteristics of the individuals doing the advocating.

So, for example, instead of seeing a sixteen-year-old on a podium in front of an enthusiastic throng thundering that "any politician who receives a dollar from the NRA has blood on his hands," it would be "any politician who receives a dollar from Planned Parenthood has blood on his hands." Or, during the CNN "town hall" ambush of Marco Rubio and NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch, suppose it were, instead, Chuck Schumer (100% rating from Planned Parenthood) and Cecile Richards, who, during her tenure as President of Planned Parenthood, presided over millions of abortions. Suppose teenager Cameron Kasky, instead of walking up to Senator Marco Rubio; getting in his face; and saying, as he did, "Senator Rubio, it's hard to look at you and not look down the barrel on an AR-15 and not look at Nikolas Cruz," said to Senator Chuck Schumer, "Senator Schumer, it's hard to look at you and not see an aborted fetus and body parts being sold on the open market"? Suppose it were Richards who was the target of shouts of "murderer," "burn her" and "c---" instead of Loesch? Watch the tapes of the speeches and the on-camera interviews of these impassioned kids, and make a good-faith effort to imagine if that self-same passion were directed in favor of something you find reprehensible, even morally repellant, instead of something your own view of the world allows you to cheerlead. How would they appear to you then? They would tell you they have absolute moral authority because they are the "abortion generation," marinated for their entire lives in a well funded (taxpayer funded) pro-death culture flowing like a river through all aspects of society, their society, and that, therefore, what they have to say cannot be challenged or questioned. They are the ones being traumatized by it. They are the ones being sacrificed to a culture of life termination in the service of convenience. If confronted with the notion of "reproductive rights," they would scoff and pronounce it irrelevant. There is no complexity. There is no "other side." There is only the fact of one million babies being aborted per year, and that should be sufficient information for anyone and everyone to agree with them. They would declaim that they had "had enough," and they were going to do something about it because the adults clearly couldn't or wouldn't. No more. No more killing babies. Enough is enough. The only possible reason anyone could disagree with them is because he is greedy; incapable of empathy; and in the pocket, bought and sold, by...someone. They are taking over the issue, and that's that. Get out of the way. Shut up. Imagine how you would feel watching that. Here's what you would be thinking, but not saying, because you can't say it; it's not allowed. You would be saying to yourself, who on Earth do these kids think they are? How do you produce young people this arrogant, this condescending, this heedlessly insulting, this over-amped by the spotlight and the power that has been thrust upon them by those eager to use them to push their agenda? Grownups and parents who should know better can without hesitation choose to exploit a bright, hurting young high school woman, as full of life and brimming with passion as you would hope any such young person to be; thrust her to the microphones; and applaud while she demonizes, in the most inflammatory, unfair terms imaginable, anyone who disagrees with her heartfelt but simplistic analysis, without a single adult at least whispering in her ear that there is a place for displaying respect for the office of a senator, a congressman, a president, or an adult, however much you might disagree with him or believe yourself to be in possession of a particular wisdom, one that you feel is oddly inaccessible to those with greater years and greater experience and greater exposure to the world of ideas and nuance and conflict. Watching these young people, you would be asking yourself, what must their parents be like? Where are they in this, and what role are they playing? What must the teachers be teaching  and what are they leaving out? But those on the left will not engage in this thought experiment, because the exploitation of these wide-eyed, predictably passionate, predictably naive, and predictably full of themselves young people is just too delicious, too effective, too useful. That it is tawdry and exploitative and shameful is of no concern, outweighed by the import they perceive the ascendancy of their views to have. Without doubt as to the rectitude of their worldview, convinced of the wickedness of any opposition, the end is justified, even placing children at the point of their phalanx, something that in a different world, and perhaps a better world, would be understood as an act of cowardice. But what about them, these decent but frightfully credulous young people? That they don't yet know what they don't know is to be expected. It goes with the territory, and we've all been there. But perhaps as they begin to contemplate the trajectory of the road they have been sent down, they could add to their already overflowing reservoir of wisdom by Googling the words "Cindy Sheehan." She, too, was a darling of the left, for a time, said by them to have "absolute moral authority" based upon the loss of her son, Casey, in Iraq  the same immunization from criticism bestowed upon the Parkland students. She was used as a cudgel by the left against the policies  and, even more importantly, the morality  of the Bush administration. She led rallies, marched, spoke, and even camped out at the Bush compound in Texas  and every second of it was covered with relish, and gusto, and with fanfare by the media, endlessly. Then she made a misstep: she said something that was counter to the agenda, contrary to the approved narrative. She implicated Hillary Clinton, essentially putting her in the same basket of culpability as George Bush. The result? She disappeared from the media, instantly and forever, except, for a short time, as the target of a ferocious campaign of delegitimization by a media that had loved her so just such a short time prior. Someone should say to these young people: you are being used. If that's OK with you, fine. But know that's what it is. And know that sometime down the road, it is going to end, and you are going to be discarded. At that point, at least some of you will look back on your behavior during this period and be embarrassed, even horrified. But hopefully, you will look at your younger selves with compassion and understanding. It's not your fault. You are young. It's the fault of people who know better but don't care. If you are very lucky and very diligent, in time you will come to understand why that is, why you are being used, and how that happens. You might even become as smart and wise as you think you are now. Henry Scanlon is a writer and photographer from Ponte Vedra, Florida. See more at www.henryscanlon.com. Follow on twitter: @hscanlon33.
In Afghanistan, Concessions Are Appeasement

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani's recent peace overtures to the Afghan Taliban amount to appeasement and should be condemned by the United States. This week, regional and world leaders met at a conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan to discuss peace in Afghanistan, but luckily, the Taliban did not attend. Neither the U.S. nor Afghanistan should negotiate with the Taliban, unless it is to accept the Taliban's unconditional surrender or the defection of individual Taliban members. Instead of offering concessions, the U.S. should show strength and resolve in the face of unbridled evil. In late February, President Ghani called for a ceasefire, suggesting that the Taliban could become a legitimate political party. He offered to issue the Taliban passports and have their names removed from terror lists if they renounced violence. On March 5, Alice Wells, the principle deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, praised the offer, calling it a "historic and benchmark event" and "forward-leaning." A desire to end the seemingly endless conflict in Afghanistan should not encourage the U.S. or Afghan governments to minimize the threat posed by the Taliban's ideology.

The Afghan Taliban are one cog in a global movement that seeks to subject the world to fundamentalist Sunni Islam. The Taliban's goals are to take over the Afghan government and implement sharia law. This archaic and oppressive legal system allows the rape of non-Muslim or uncovered women, child marriage, and spousal abuse and calls for the death of adulterers, critics of Mohammed, and apostates. The Taliban's ideology and goals, similar to those of ISIS, are antithetical to Western values and do not belong in the 21st century. Peace by any means is not desirable if a cessation of hostilities means allowing the Taliban to gain a foothold inside an unstable Afghan government. Anti-Semitism, bigotry, Muslim supremacy, chauvinism, repression of speech, and other illiberal views have no place in the modern world and especially not in a political party. Permitting members of the Afghan Taliban to openly participate in Afghan government will allow their cancer to spread. Fundamentalists are dangerous as long as they believe in this violent, theo-political ideology. Official recognition of the Taliban would legitimize and embolden Islamists throughout the region. What would happen if a Taliban party grew in power and were able to implement its ideological goals? Would we allow its members to enforce laws restricting the rights of women and minorities? Allowing the Taliban back into the Afghan government would plant the seeds for another terrorist haven  the very reason the U.S. went to war in 2001. The Taliban are not substantially different from other Islamic terrorist organizations, so would the U.S. recognize a political party for ISIS or al-Qaeda? Would the U.S. have allowed Osama bin Laden to become a member of the Afghan Parliament if he condemned terror? Even if the Afghan Taliban were to surrender, the problem would not end, because ISIS, the Haqqani Network, and other Islamist groups in Southwest Asia would continue their common struggle. Instead of evaluating each terrorist group in a vacuum, the core problem of fundamental Islam needs to be addressed. While the United States is experiencing an opiate and opioid epidemic, the Taliban are supporting drug-traffickers in Afghanistan, the source of at least 77% of the world's heroin. According to the United Nations 2017 World Drug Report, as much as half of the Taliban's $400-million income likely comes from narcotics, making them one of the world's most powerful narco-terrorism organizations. Because of the Taliban's deep connections to the drug trade, legitimizing them would exacerbate the deep corruption within the Afghan government and bolster the ability of drug-trafficking groups to spread their poison and violence around the world. Much of Afghanistan is currently under the influence of the Taliban, who have murdered hundreds of police, military, and civilians in recent months. In January there were two notable attacks in Kabul, where 95 people were killed when an ambulance packed with explosives detonated, and another 22 people were murdered during an attack in the Intercontinental Hotel. Any peace talks amid this high level of violence will likely be interpreted as weakness. Concessions should never be made in response to terrorist attacks. The only negotiation the U.S. should support is for the Taliban's unconditional surrender. The Taliban need to be soundly defeated to stop the endless cycle of violence, and that entails a firm moral stand, not appeasement. So far, the Taliban have not accepted President Ghani's proposal, but even making the proposal is damaging, because it muddies the moral distinctions between Islamism and human rights. A clear statement of acceptable modern, liberal values and a stern condemnation of the Taliban are the only response to the supremacist, totalitarian ideology of fundamental Islam. Jeffrey Higgins is a retired DEA supervisory special agent and the former DEA assistant country attache in the Kabul Country Office. He spent more than three years in Afghanistan an achieved the first narco-terrorism conviction. His writing can be found at JeffreyJamesHiggins.com.
Last Saturday, during the March For Our Lives in support of tighter gun control, USA Today blared the homepage headline "Rubio adult-splains how change is made to marchers." The unflattering term adult-splain, an obvious spinoff of mansplain and whitesplain, cleverly paints Rubio as a condescending Republican provocateur toward an aggrieved Democrat group of young student marchers. Clearly, USA Today hopes the politically charged language will act as clickbait for a certain audience into reading its material.

Since USA Today offers opinion commentary in addition to news reports, one might assume that the trolling headline would link to an opinion piece. After all, as recently as July 2016, Media Bias Fact Check declared USA Today an unbiased media source with a high factual reporting rate. Alas, the homepage headline links to a news article by digital editor William Cummings, who describes his job as "part of the night crew that makes sure we bring readers all the latest breaking news."

And what news did Cummings break about the adult-splaining Rubio? The senator released a statement commending the marchers, respecting their views on gun control, not agreeing with all their proposals, and urging both sides to find common ground to improve the status quo.

That's it. No patronization. No condescension. No adult-splaining.

Granted, Cummings's article does not mention adult-splaining at all, and he may not be responsible for editing the goading homepage headline. However, his news report is still inaccurate and unkind to Rubio. After describing the gist of Rubio's statement, which seemed the sole point of the report, Cummings inexplicably ends with this:

On Saturday, students wore orange $1.05 price tags  the amount Rubio has received from the gun lobby divided by the number of students in Florida  to suggest that's how much their lives were worth to him. Rubio was savaged during a Feb. 21 CNN town hall where students demanded Rubio refuse to accept future contributions from the gun lobby. Rubio, who declined to meet that demand, was called "pathetically weak" by the father of one girl who was murdered in the shooting.

First of all, some students did wear price tags to knock Rubio, but what does that have to do with his adult-splaining statement? Such cherry-picking reporting is worthy of unabashed leftist organizations like Huffington Post and ThinkProgress, but not the mainstream media. If an unbiased news report absolutely required partisan imagery of the march, providing a second example more sympathetic to Rubio would have been fair and balanced. For instance, a marcher's sign of Rubio's forehead smeared with a "blood cross," clearly mocking his Catholic faith, is certainly as newsworthy.

Secondly, at the CNN town hall, Fred Guttenberg opened the questioning to Rubio by calling his response to the shooting "pathetically weak." However, the memorable six-minute exchange included banning semi-automatic weapons and never once covered taking money from the NRA. While obviously a grieving father, Guttenberg is now also a gun control activist and should be described as such by the media. Later in the town hall, a single student (not multiple students), March for Our Lives key organizer Cameron Kasky, did ask Rubio to stop accepting contributions from the NRA.

Interestingly, Kasky gave the Florida State Legislature "C" and "C-minus" grades for passing the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. The new law bans bump stocks, raises the minimum age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, requires a three-day waiting period, and better allows law enforcement to seize firearms from those deemed mentally unfit. Though imperfect, Kasky praised the bill as "great steps in the right direction." Most of Kasky's colleagues agree to varying degrees. You know who else thought the bill was imperfect but supported it? The nefarious adult-splainer himself, Marco Rubio.

And who deemed the Florida bill too imperfect to support? Most Democrats of the Florida State Legislature. The bill, signed into law by the Republican governor, was supported by just three of 15 Democrats in the Florida Senate and ten of 41 Democrats in the Florida House. Put simply, most Democrats voted to keep the "F" status quo instead of accepting a "C" compromise.

Sadly, this trend is commonplace for most progressive politicians: clamor for progress; be offered the path for progress; and purposely reject that opportunity to maintain maximum divisiveness, stoke the political fires, and satiate a voting bloc to get re-elected. To be fair, far-right politicians sometimes play this game as well.

Incredibly, both stricter gun controls and the NRA have mostly polled favorably for decades, a distinctly American dichotomy. Even with the recent bombardment of bad press toward the gun lobby, CNN polled NRA approval at 46 percent after the Parkland shooting. By comparison, the same CNN poll had President Trump's approval at 35 percent. Last month, Morning Consult asked if Americans were more inclined to do business with a company affiliated with the NRA: 33 percent said yes, 32 percent said no, and 34 percent did not care either way. The favorability of some companies that cut ties with the NRA has declined steeply.

The country is truly divided on the gun control debate, and Rubio is one of the few adults in the room urging compromise. If that is spun as adult-splaining by the left, that is a sad but predictable symbol of the political times we live in. But when spun as adult-splaining by a supposedly unbiased news source, that is outrageous and unacceptable. For such a divisive and important topic as gun control, the mainstream media must do better. All Americans are owed as much.

Read carefully, folks.

Evan Boudreau is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Daily Caller. Evan detests social media but can be reached at evanboudreaufeedback@gmail.com.
Several days ago, CBS correspondent Anderson Cooper was riding his own storm, one by the name of Stormy Daniels, a porn star who alleged a one-night fling with then-private citizen Donald Trump. Although he was married at the time with a young child, he was a decade-plus away from the White House.

"Riders on the Storm" was a hit for The Doors in 1970, a psychedelic rock ballad from the drug-addled Jim Morrison. A portion of the lyrics goes, "Like a dog without a bone, an actor out alone." Flash forward almost 50 years, and consider a remake of the iconic song.

Will Mr. Cooper ride this storm to an Emmy, or is he a dog without a bone, one of the liberal actors out alone trying to bring down the sitting president?

Trump denies the accusation, as does Ms. Daniels  three times actually. But that didn't stop CBS from giving her close to a half-hour on 60 Minutes to tell her story, or at least the latest iteration of her story.

Anderson Cooper rode the storm like a champ. He asked Ms. Daniels questions never asked of any of Bill Clinton's women. "Did he use a condom?" The discussion even ventured into speculation about Donald Trump's private parts. The only surprise was that Mr. Cooper didn't cut to Marco Rubio for his opinion on Mr. Trump's manhood, as Rubio seemed authoritative on this subject during the Republican primaries.

Was the 60 Minutes interview thoughtful journalism, discussing interesting political issues of the day? Or was it just about ratings? If the latter, it sure worked, as 60 Minutes drew its highest ratings in ten years.

Aside from ratings, the other motivation for CBS to air such an interview is to embarrass the president of the United States. Did 60 Minutes ever do a segment to embarrass Barack Obama over his dodgy birth certificate, or his photo with Louis Farrakhan, or his association with Reverend Jeremiah Wright?

How many of the women raped or harassed by Bill Clinton were featured for a half-hour on 60 Minutes? Juanita Broaddrick said Anderson Cooper, CNN, and 60 Minutes have never interviewed her. Why not?

Aside from trying to embarrass the president, CBS is making a concerted effort to peel away Trump-supporters from Trump. Fellow network NBC tried to do the same before the election with the Access Hollywood tapes, but without much success, as Trump still won the election.

What big media don't seem to understand is that Donald Trump wasn't elected for his virtue or morality. Trump is a player, not a priest. He has had three wives, all beautiful women. As a popular TV host for years, he traveled in the same circles as Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose. The difference is that Trump's alleged dalliances have been consensual, unlike those of Bill Clinton.

Speaking of Bill Clinton, remember how the media chastised the public for criticizing his behavior? It was a private matter, we were told. It was just about sex, and it didn't affect his ability to serve as president. As for the accusers, Matt Lauer allowed the enabler and enforcer wife, Hillary Clinton, to whine about vast right-wing conspiracies while at the same time attempting to destroy her husband's accusers via her bimbo eruption team.

James Carville's famous "drag a hundred-dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find" was considered clever when said about Paula Jones or Kathleen Willey. Could the same be said about Stormy Daniels?

Go back a few more presidents to JFK, noted womanizer, way beyond the exploits of Clinton and Trump combined. He favored real actresses rather than porn stars, and women were plentiful in President Kennedy's White House. Would 60 Minutes, if it existed at the time, have interviewed Marilyn Monroe and asked whether JFK used a condom?

Don't forget brother Teddy, of Chappaquiddick fame, who with fellow senator Chris Dodd sexually assaulted a waitress in the "waitress sandwich" incident. Did that waitress ever appear on 60 Minutes?

Other randy past presidents too. From FDR to LBJ, affairs and illegitimate children, dutifully kept under wraps by the media.

Trump was elected for his policies and promises, not his virtue. Building the wall, draining the swamp, fixing lousy trade deals, and remembering the forgotten American worker are what gave Mr. Trump the winning votes. Voters knew his history, as he has been in the public eye for decades. That didn't matter, as the only thing at stake was stopping Hillary Clinton from giving America a third term of Obama.

Morality and virtue are important in choosing a friend or a spouse. Less so for a commander in chief, where competence reigns supreme. It's great to have both but not absolutely necessary, else the White House would be the empty house.

If morality is the big issue, we could have Jimmy Carter, who was considered a virtuous man. His presidency was a disaster, an exercise in incompetence despite his Mr. Rogers public persona.

Morality in one sphere can even cover shortcomings in other areas. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was and is considered a paragon of morality for his civil rights work despite his serial adultery.

CBS and other media outlets can continue to hammer away at Donald Trump, but their harping is falling on deaf ears. Democrats and NeverTrump Republicans will hate President Trump even if he cures cancer and brings about world peace.

His supporters will tune out the noise and focus on what Trump is doing. If a portion of the $700 billion in defense spending goes to the Army Corps of Engineers to build a border wall for national defense or if North Korea give up its nukes, the Stormy storm will peter out. If the OIG report results in indictments, prosecutions, and accountability for the last administration's lawlessness, the Stormy storm will turn into sunshine.

The reality is that the media is "a dog without a bone." Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper, Jim Acosta, and the rest of the left-wing journalists are "actors out alone"  as are the NeverTrumps and entire Democratic Party. Riders on the Stormy Daniels storm to nowhere.

Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., MPS is a Denver-based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
In order to conceal the Russian origin of the acts  those 13 defendants indicted for interference with the 2016 election  the Russians had to disguise the identity of the persons behind the activities and carefully conceal the origin of the money used.

The grand jury indictment announced by the Justice Department on February 12, 2018 alleged that 13 Russian nationals acted to interfere with the U.S. political process. The program had the code name "Laktha" and began in 2013. The headquarters, named "Internet Research Agency LLC," was located in St. Petersburg, Russia. Two other companies were also created in order to organize the efforts: "Concord" and "Concord Catering."

In order to purchase Facebook ads, a source of money was needed. Payments were also necessary to purchase campaign rally signs, print leaflets, and so on. The Russians did not want to use their real names, since the U.S. intel community would immediately know that Russian operatives were behind activities to disrupt the American political process.

How the Russians hid their involvement for four years is an interesting story. What they did was pay for everything done in the U.S. through a "straw man" payment scheme. But what is interesting is that the straw men the Russians used knew nothing about their own involvement. The amount of money involved was substantial: often $1.25 million a month. These funds, originating in Russian government grants, were used to fund campaign interference operations in the U.S.

The Russians moved the money into the U.S. banking system by using unwitting Americans to establish bank accounts and PayPal accounts. Through these accounts, the Russians funded their campaign disruption activities.

Since the program needed established, legal American identities, the Russians purchased personal information on the internet of real Americans who already had bank accounts. The Russians obtained the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and birthdays of Americans. Enough to open bank accounts.

But while most people understand identity theft as a method used to break into somebody's personal bank accounts and credit accounts in order steal that person's assets, or establish a new credit card and run up debt for the unknowing victim, the Russians employed a far more clever identity theft scheme: using the personal information of real Americans, they opened up new bank accounts using people's valid information. Then they put money into those accounts. The next step was that they then opened new PayPal accounts, using as a bank reference the bank accounts. The PayPal accounts were used to pay for all their subversive activities. The money from the Russian government grants was moved into these bank accounts through Internet Research, LLC; Concord; and Concord Catering, who were legitimate companies.

This scheme solved two critically important problems: 1) it enabled the Russian nationals to hide behind the valid accounts of Americans, and 2) it enabled them to readily use a PayPal account, legitimately set up using a valid bank account, to pay for their U.S. subversive activities. These activities involved everything from travel expenses to purchases of signage to set up anti-Hillary rallies and so on. All the expenses associated with traveling to, living in, and setting up campaign rallies were paid for this way.

Since these PayPal accounts were set up using legitimate bank accounts (PayPal requires an established, legitimate bank account such as checking or savings to serve as the source of funds), no one suspected anything. The persons whose identities were stolen were never alerted and never became suspicious, since the Russians never stole from them or set up credit card accounts. When PayPal checked on the credit and personal information of these phony Russian bank accounts, all they found was an ordinary American John Doe, who already had other bank accounts using the same name, Social, home address, and credit history.

The clever part of this is that only eight people's names and IDs were used, and this scheme lasted, for each person, only five days. No red flags came up, since no money was stolen from a person's existing credit card account or bank account. The cleverness is that the identities were used to establish new accounts, and the Russians always put money into these accounts. They made American citizens into straw financiers of their U.S. operations. It was all smoothly done and lasted for nearly four years. The indictment published February 12 actually gives the initials of the real U.S. persons whose identity information was used and the dates the scheme went on.

There may well be similar operations going on right now through PayPal to fund Russian activities in the U.S. And given the tens of millions of American identities floating around on the internet, there may be new accounts started, used, and closed within days. The Mueller indictment covered only the operations done under the three companies. The true number will probably never be known. But for now, the Mueller investigators had enough to indict 13 Russian operatives. It's a fascinating study in how to funnel money into U.S. bank accounts using the information of real Americans.

In the past, the CIA and other U.S. intel agencies would use shell companies or straw purchasers. But compared to the Laktha project, these were relatively unsophisticated.

It was easy for the Russians to find complete identity information on Americans: forty million Target Store accounts were hacked in 2013 alone.

And 22.1 million federal employees had their personal information hacked in July 2015. The database was managed by the federal Office of Personnel Management, and the hack was considered a serious breach of the OPM's I.T. firewalls. The information hacked was personal identity information from retired federal personnel as well as those currently employed.

Any one of these cyber-security breaks, which involved over 60 million people, could have easily provided the Russian operatives all the information they needed to cover up the Russian involvement while engaging in activities designed to disrupt the 2014 and 2016 American elections. In fact, the Mueller indictment lists only eight people who were exploited in 2015 and 2016 whose identity information was used by the Russians to set up PayPal accounts.

These activities, generically called disinformation campaigns by the intel community, are as old as humanity. There is nothing new about one nation trying to manipulate the political campaigns of other foreign nations. The CIA does it all the time. But the internet and the presence of virtually all personal financial information on the web make such information available to anyone around the world who knows how to tap into and exploit it.
Should We Surrender on Bump Stocks?

In the aftermath of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Justice Department has proposed a new rule reclassifying "bump stocks" as machine guns. President Trump has condemned bump stocks, and even the National Rifle Association has called for "additional regulations" on "devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles." The new rule would require that all existing bump stocks either be turned in or destroyed without compensation. I don't own any bump stocks. I have no desire to own a bump stock. I think they're asinine. It's the sort of device an eighteen-year-old male with more testosterone than common sense thinks is really cool. Nevertheless, the proposed ban on bump stocks ought to be resisted. It opens the door to outright confiscation of all semi-automatic firearms by executive order. This is the very sort of abuse that initiated the American Revolution.

Installation of a bump stock does not transform a semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun. A machine gun is defined by statutory law (26 USC 5845b) as "any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger." There is no bump stock in which this happens. Bump stocks merely facilitate rapid fire. Every time a gun with a bump stock is discharged, there is a single function of the trigger. That is why on ten separate occasions, between 2008 and 2017, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives issued letters concluding that bump stocks "did not qualify as machine guns" and were perfectly legal to manufacture, sell, and possess. Neither is a bump stock required for rapid firing of a semi-automatic firearm. Any semi-automatic gun can be bump fired. Think about what that means. If the Executive Branch of the federal government can arbitrarily declare that a certain type of stock turns a semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun because it facilitates bump firing, the Executive can also reclassify all semi-automatic guns as machine guns, because all semi-autos are capable of bump firing. It's the realization of Dianne Feinstein's dream of "turn 'em all in." If this is allowed to stand, the precedent will have been established for confiscating all semi-automatic firearms without a single law being enacted or even deliberated. The proposed bump stock ban is also an unconstitutional "taking." The Justice Department wants to compel everyone in possession of a bump stock to turn it in or destroy it without compensation. This is an explicit violation of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the taking of private property without just compensation. The last reason to oppose a bump stock ban is the most compelling of all. Please bear with me. There is a lesson to be learned from events that unfolded in seventeenth-century England. In 1685, James II ascended to the throne and decided he was going to restore the British Isles to Catholicism. Among the Protestant institutions that James II intended to subdue was the University of Cambridge. In 1687, Cambridge was ordered by James II to appoint a Catholic monk to the faculty, an illegal act. Under intense pressure, the faculty at Cambridge agreed to a compromise. The Catholic monk would be admitted with the understanding that this was to be a single exception from which no precedent could be drawn. The controversy was apparently settled, when a man stood up and voiced his objection to the arrangement. He said, "This is giving up the question." Singlehandedly, one person convinced the entire body of the faculty to resist on the basis of law and principle. Cambridge fought the king and won. Who was this moral absolutist who refused to compromise principle? Who was this intransigent iconoclast? You will recognize his name: Isaac Newton, the greatest genius the human race has ever produced. If we agree to ban bump stocks because they facilitate rapid firing, we have given up the question. We have agreed in principle that any dangerous gun can be banned and confiscated by an arbitrary executive order. All guns are capable of rapid fire, and all guns are inherently dangerous. Pump-action shotguns can be rapidly fired and reloaded. Jerry Miculek can fire five shots from a double-action revolver in 0.57 seconds. High-capacity magazines most certainly facilitate rapid fire, so they also will have to go. A writer who wants to ban all "private individual ownership of firearms" recently argued that "even bolt-action rifles can still fire surprisingly fast in skilled hands." He's right. All magazine-fed guns will be outlawed. There is no compromise involved or proposed here. In return for a ban on bump stocks, we get exactly nothing  the same situation we have been through now for eighty-four years. Despite the fact that the Constitution forbids any "infringement" of our right to keep and bear arms, we have endured repeated trespasses. In less than a hundred years, we have been subjected to the National Firearms Act of 1934, the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Brady Act of 1993, and countless state restrictions on our rights. If we would be honest with ourselves, we would admit that half the Second Amendment is already gone. Should we surrender on bump stocks? No. Hell no. As a speaker at the recent gun control march on Washington, D.C. admitted, "when they give us that inch, that bump stock ban, we will take a mile." Appeasement only encourages more depredation and encroachment. Never give up your weapons! David Deming is professor of arts and sciences at the University of Oklahoma and author of the series Science and Technology in World History.
Gotterdammerung for Julian Assange?

Is time up for Julian Assange, the slimy little weasel who acts like a Russian agent as chief WikiLeaker, who specifically co-opted pathetic army private Bradley Manning to leak thousands of U.S. military secrets onto the internet in 2010? I'm going to make a prediction: yes. Seems that Assange's protector, the nation of Ecuador, has gotten tired of the little puke and cut off his lines of communication in its London embassy, where Assange has been holed up for years. Apparently, his Twitter mockery of President Trump's expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and other sass-off remarks have prompted Ecuador to claim he's interfering with the internal affairs of other countries from his embassy perch, something he promised he wouldn't do, and now the Ecuadorean government has had enough.

AFP reports: Ecuador on Wednesday said it has stopped Julian Assange's ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up since 2012. The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries' affairs while in the mission, an Ecuadoran government statement said without elaborating. Here's why I think the answer is yes to the question of whether his days are numbered in that embassy and why things don't look to bright for Assange just about now. Assange got his asylum spot in the embassy based only on the fact that Ecuador's president at the time, Rafael Correa, wanted to twist the tail of the yanqui imperialistas. Correa was a rabidly left-wing demagogue and open ally of Venezuela's brutal dictator, Hugo Chavez, who earned brownie points with the international left by being as anti-American as possible, something that came naturally to him, given that he was educated in Bill Ayers's University of Illinois system. The atmosphere of that teaching stuck to him, as did the fact that his father was a deported illegal who trafficked drugs in the states. He had a lot of reasons to hate America, and he did. Here's the other thing: Correa lost power. Citizens nixed a bid to make him dictator for life, as Chavez was able to de facto accomplish, and his successor, a guy named Lenin Moreno (you read that right), is doing all he can to erase Correa's legacy. Moreno had actually been Correa's vice president for a decade, and once he got elected, he turned, hard, on his patron, and recently torpedoed the man's potential to retake power. Correa bellowed that Moreno was "a wolf in sheep's clothing." As this is Ecuador, who knows if Moreno's bid to keep Correa out of power permanently will stick? Stay or not, Moreno has shown himself to be a man of his words and a power player, busting another of Correa's vice presidents for corruption and taking the death grip of the government off the press and off the judiciary, two areas where corruption and thuggery were rampant, as Correa's Chevron Shakedown showed. Moreno has gotten popular for doing as he says, according to this excellent piece sorting out the mess of Ecuadoran politics in the Economist. That bodes ill for Assange, who seems to be strangely acting as a Russian agent from his embassy perch. Everyone has noticed how he leaks only information favorable to Russian interests for one. He also contributes to RT News, the Russian propaganda outlet famed for stirring the pot. Now Assange has gone all in with propelling the Russian position about the expulsion of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of a dissident, and he also got noisy about another Russian pet cause, Catalonia, tweeting about that, too. Apparently, this doesn't serve Ecuador's interests. Its president has noticed. He's cut off Assange's communications as step one. And this same president has a habit of doing what he says. My money is on Assange being thrown out and then being scooped up by the London cops.
The 9-11 Commission established clear and convincing links between the 9-11 hijackers and officials closely connected to the Saudi royal family. The links were contained in 28 pages of redacted materials that were finally declassified and released in July 2016.

A U.S. judge has rejected an effort by the Saudi Arabian government to dismiss lawsuits from family members of 9-11 victims and should pay billions of dollars in judgments.

The families are seeking $100 billion in damages against the Saudi government and private Saudi entities.

Reuters:

U.S. District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said the plaintiffs' allegations "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis" for him to assert jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), a 2016 federal law. The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks in which hijacked airplanes crashed into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died. Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision. At a Saudi stock market event in New York, asked whether the court decision would have a negative impact on Saudi investment in the United States, Capital Market Authority Chairman Mohammed A. ElKuwaiz declined to comment, saying he had not seen the news. Daniels' decision covers claims by the families of those killed, roughly 25,000 people who suffered injuries, and many businesses and insurers. The judge also dismissed claims that two Saudi banks, National Commercial Bank and Al Rajhi Bank, and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family, provided funds and financial services for the attacks, saying he lacked jurisdiction. Saudi Arabia had long had broad immunity from Sept. 11 lawsuits in the United States. That changed in September 2016, when the U.S. Congress overrode President Barack Obama's veto of JASTA, allowing such cases to proceed. Obama had warned that the law could expose U.S. companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries. Daniels said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Saudi Arabia was liable for the alleged activities of Fahad al Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and Omar al Bayoumi, said to be an intelligence officer. They were accused of helping two hijackers acclimate themselves to the United States, and begin preparing for the attacks. Saudi Arabia had argued that the plaintiffs could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks.

There were several Saudi citizens in the U.S. who aided the hijackers at various times before the attack. The 9-11 Commission established that money changed hands and other forms of support were given.

Although the commission could find no direct culpability involving the Saudi government, there were clear links to elements within the Saudi government, including Saudi intelligence. The Bush and Obama administrations sought to protect the Saudi government because some disclosures would have harmed ongoing relationships we have that are beneficial in the war against terrorism. There is also the point made by President Obama that allowing these lawsuits to go forward would expose individual U.S. citizens  including soldiers  as well as companies to similar lawsuits in other countries.

While all this may be true to some extent, the bottom line is that if there was ever a case where national security considerations must be overridden to get at the truth, this is it. The Saudis, like Pakistan and some other countries, play a double game with the U.S. They claim to help us in the war on terror while funding and assisting terrorists. Now the Saudis are likely to pay a price for their double-crosses.

The Saudis have plenty of assets in the U.S. that can be seized to satisfy any judgments against them. No wonder they've been fighting tooth and nail to prevent these suits from going forward.
There is nothing close to a smoking gun here, I am afraid. Nonetheless, the new Strzok-Page text messages released yesterday  more than 49,000 of their texts remain to be released  suggest that, contrary to Obama administration claims, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough was a participant in the launching of an FBI counterintelligence investigation into allegations of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. Other members of what could be a cabal include then-Senate minority leader Harry Reid; CIA chief John Brennan; and FBI officials, including Director James Comey and members of Andrew McCabe's counterintelligence division.

More evidence was released yesterday indicating that the CIA, the FBI, the Obama White House, and congressional Democrats were communicating about a possible charge of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign three months before the November 2016 presidential election.

Early in August 2016, the two lovebirds showed a lot of concern over managing the information, keeping it from the wrong eyes, including the public's.

Brooke Singman of Fox News reports:

Page texted Strzok on Aug. 2, 2016, saying: "Make sure you can lawfully protect what you sign. Just thinking about congress, foia, etc. You probably know better than me." A text message from Strzok to Page on Aug. 3 described former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe as being concerned with "information control" related to the initial investigation into the Trump campaign. According to a report from the New York Times, Brennan was sent to Capitol Hill around the same time to brief members of Congress on the possibility of election interference. Days later, on Aug. 8, 2016, Strzok texted Page: "Internal joint cyber cd intel piece for D, scenesetter for McDonough brief, Trainor [head of FBI cyber division] directed all cyber info be pulled. I'd let Bill and Jim hammer it out first, though it would be best for D to have it before the Wed WH session." In the texts, "D" referred to FBI Director James Comey, and and "McDonough" referred to Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, the GOP investigators said.

So we have the CIA and FBI, supposedly independent agencies, involved, along with the Obama White House.

Sara Carter reports:

Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was deeply troubled by the findings. "We've been asking for documents with little cooperation of the DOJ and FBI  we're having to find these unreacted [sic] documents on our own," said Meadows, who's also chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. "It appears there was a coordination between the White House, CIA, and FBI at the onset of this investigation and it's troubling." Meadows said a meeting that John Moffa, who was part of the counterintelligence division at the FBI, meets with Denis McDonough on August 10, (2016)," Meadows added. "What we're finding is the more we dig the more we realize that there appeared to be a willful coordination between multiple groups outside the Department of Justice and FBI. Moffa was also the FBI agent who helped draft Comey's July 5, 2016, exoneration letter to Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. Meadows said the documents suggest Reid's briefing from Brennan "was used in Michael Isikoff's Yahoo News story."

Recall that Isikoff's story, based on a briefing on the Steele dossier from Fusion GPS, was used to "corroborate" that very document and obtain a FISA Court warrant to wiretap the Trump campaign.

Given the glacial pace of FBI document production in response to congressional subpoenas, we have to take these nuggets as suggestive, not conclusive. FBI director Wray has promised to double the pace of that production. My own suspicion is that there is a lot more evidence to come, awaiting the report of the DOJ's inspector general, and possible criminal referrals.
According to an industry report , Russia and Cuba are back together, or, as the Turtles would sing, " Happy Together ":

Down in Cuba, they are partying like it's October 1962 all over again. It's enough to make you ask, Nikita Khrushchev , where are you?

A mixed commission made up of members of both the Russian and Cuban maritime authorities met in Havana recently. A subsequent statement revealed that, as a result, a new master plan for Cuban ports will be drawn up covering the period up to 2030, undertaken in cooperation with both public and private state companies. According to Russias Minister of Transport, Maksim Sokolov, experts in the country will study proposals from Cuba as part of a mutual cooperation agreement that exists between them. As part of the same relationship, the commission is analysing Russian proposals to build a world maritime warning and safety system covering the entire Cuban coastline. This would guarantee integration of various maritime communications via both satellite and radio, thereby increasing security, improving navigation, and upgrading rescue capability for those vessels in danger.

What can we say about this new friendship?

First, Putin is not looking to subsidize anyone. Unlike Premier Khrushchev, who saw Cuba as part of the USSR empire, Putin wants to promote Russia's business interests. Vlad could not care less about Raul, but he loves expanding his "intelligence" network and placing an antenna 90 miles from the U.S. Remember that they used to have a base in Lourdes.

Second, this new relationship with Russia also shows that Raul Castro is desperate. Wouldn't Raul Castro rather do this deal with a Western country that does not want to reopen an antenna in Cuba? My guess is yes, but no one wants to extend loans that never get repaid.

So the Russians are coming, and it's not a remake of the old movie.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The 15 minutes of fame are about up for Daniels and Hogg

The phrase "everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes" is credited to either Andy Warhol or his photographer, Nat Finkelstein (1966 or 1968). Whoever said it first, it has indeed turned out to be true when it comes to persons who are suddenly slingshot into a media firestorm for one reason or another. Soon enough, our twenty-four-hour news cycle moves on to the next cultural or political phenomenon, whether it is legitimate or entirely fake. We forget these people the minute they disappear from our television or internet screens. We will quickly forget Stormy Daniels and David Hogg, too, and the sooner, the better. Let the next firestorm begin! This one began to stink a few weeks ago.

The left in America increasingly swaddles itself in bubble wrap. They, these progressives, do not intend to let the values of mainstream Americans interfere with their agenda to transform our nation. When an event like the school shooting in Parkland occurs, they are quick to leap into action. They know within minutes whom to blame, whom to catapult into the media spotlight, where to get the money to fund whatever campaign they spring into action to mount. Like the devout students of Saul Alinsky they are, they know how to capitalize on a crime and misery. Clearly, the leftist media believed that as the Russia collusion meme fell apart, they could take Trump out with a porn star. Is she really a star? Who knows? No one cares except the powers that be at CNN. The Access Hollywood tape from years ago did not hurt Trump one bit, but somehow, in their dreams, a one-night stand twelve years ago with the porn actress will do the trick. For weeks, CNN and MSNBC have gone all in on this stupid story. Their reporting on Benghazi was nothing compared to their coverage of this particular brief encounter. They have ignored entirely the volumes of proof that the Clinton campaign, the DNC, the media, the FBI, and the CIA colluded in a wholly illegal, unconstitutional way to take Trump down and out both before and after the election. They don't want to know about that. As Trevor Thomas wrote, "[o]f course children prefer liberalism." They stick their fingers in their ears when facts they don't like might be become audible. Their fingers are still in their ears. The loathsome David Hogg and the pitiful Stormy Daniels are each sad commentaries on our 15-minutes-of fame culture. The saddest aspect of their brushes with celebrity is their own apparent belief that these events are meaningful. They are not  not one bit. They are both this month's media instruments of rage and ratings. Nothing Hogg has to say is based on truth or facts. Whatever is true or not true re: Daniels's accusations is of no interest to anyone but voyeurs like Anderson Cooper. Both Hogg and Daniels are about to be old news. Sooner or later, the left and the media will realize that these two minions are doing more harm than good to their anti-Trump agenda. The president's approval ratings have gone up over the past few weeks, and donations to the NRA have notably increased during CNN's intense focus on Hogg and Daniels. Uh-oh. The left has miscalculated badly. Leftists have indeed unmasked themselves in the misguided belief that the rest of us are on board with gun confiscation, open borders, sanctuary cities, amnesty for millions of illegals, and the notion that Trump could be brought down by the revelation of a one-night stand years ago. They could not be more wrong. These are the folks who found nothing wrong with Bill Clinton's abusive exploits in the Oval Office. As usual, the media in crowd assumes that the rest of us are uninformed idiots who remember nothing of their hardened defense of Clinton's many crimes against women and Hillary's complicity in those crimes. Trump was elected to shake up the usual order of things, and the Democrats and their media partners will never forgive him for winning to do just that. They will continue to wallow in the gutter in search of mud in which to drown him, but they are only drowning themselves with 15-minute anti-Trumper after 15-minute anti-Trumper in hopes that the Mueller persecution will lead to Trump's downfall. It won't. Image: Biswarup Ganguly via Wikimedia Commons.
The octogenarian busybody

Former president Jimmy Carter says John Bolton will be a "disaster for America" as national security Adviser. Carter knows about disasters, his presidency having been the worst of its generation, so bad that it wasn't topped until the Obama administration. Carter meddled in foreign policy repeatedly after his one term in office, always with adverse consequences. The Logan Act is aimed specifically at busybody former presidents, but Carter behaves stupidly with full forgiveness. No one knows why. They gave Jimmy a Nobel Prize for Peace, too  just as they did Obama. It cannot escape anyone's notice that the dumber a president or presidential policy, the greater the attention lavished by the left. Actually, it's worse than that  the greater the adulation by the left. These guys who wreck America's standing in the world get Nobels while those who do the real work  Nixon opening China, say, or Reagan or Trump beefing up the military to stand up to Russia  get vilification.

This seems to be the way of the world. Good guys get notoriety, bad guys fame, at least for a while. Winston Churchill was pretty much in disgrace until called upon to save England in WWII. Once that was done, they kicked him to the curb again. Stalin was celebrated by the West until he went so far in the wrong direction that it could no longer be denied. Jimmy Carter's not really a bad guy. He's more like Neville Chamberlain  just has a knack for coming down on the wrong side of every issue. He doesn't lack brain power or information; he lacks common sense and wisdom. That combination makes him unable to learn from his own or others' mistakes. He just keeps coming back with more and worse ideas that deepen his hole. He never gets it, and he wants to drag America down into his hole with him. It's uncharitable to wish the man would just disappear, but there seems no other way we'll be rid of him. He doesn't take hints or even straightforward disagreement. The president who gave us the pseudo-word "nucular" (revived by W. Bush) has made the phrase impervious to reason a standard definition for his presidency. Thankfully, it lasted only four years. We can safely ignore his counsel on John Bolton, as we would from an octogenarian David Hogg.
There were a number of odd things about the day that Trump signed the spending deal that gave Democrats most of what they wanted and Trump relatively little. The oddest was Trump's threat to veto the legislation in the morning, only to sign it in the afternoon.

"Nobody read it," Mr. Trump said of the gargantuan funding measure drawn up by Republican and Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate. Echoing criticism from those who voted against it, Mr. Trump added, "It's only hours old."

So Trump not only signed a terrible spending bill, but signed one full of details he had no idea of the contents of.

This has come back to bite Trump in a number of ways, most notably in a provision that prevents Trump from building a border fence in an approximately five-mile stretch of the border in Texas because it might upset the birds. Seriously.

In an unusual concession to the environment, Congress just exempted the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a 2,088-acre patch of extraordinary biodiversity on the Rio Grande river, from the new sections of border wall it funded in the spending bill it passed last week[.] Santa Ana is located at an east-west and north-south confluence of two major migratory routes of birds flying from as far north as Canada to as far south as Central America. The abundant berries, insects, and wetlands in the refuge attract around 400 regular bird residents. And more than 500 of the 1,000 bird species known to inhabit the United States have been sighted there. "Its unique geography means birders who go there get the best of all worlds," Steve Holmer, vice president of policy at the American Bird Conservancy, told me. "It's a special, special place."

With no border wall or fence, the only border in this area is the Rio Grande, which is less than 100 feet across in some places. Illegals crossing it would do little more than get their backs wet. This would be bad enough if this were some isolated stretch of desert, but it isn't, fairly close to McAllen, Texas.

How many things can you find incredible about this story?

1. That anyone could even pretend a border fence could prevent birds from flying across the border.

2. That the "needs" of birds have been put above national security.

3. That Republicans in Congress agreed to this provision, leaving open a five-mile space for illegals to cross in a suburban area.

4. That President Trump would sign this bill without even reading what was in it. In this regard, Trump was very much like Nancy Pelosi, who famously said about Obamacare, "We'll have to pass it to find out what's in it."

With a go-along-get-along Republican Congress, and a president who is too lazy to read the contents of a massive spending bill before he signs it, the swamp is alive and well  the very same swamp President Trump rallied against as a candidate and now works closely with by signing bills like these.

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.
The Moto G6 has been the subject of a number of leaks over the past few weeks, with one of the most recent being the surfacing of the phone on TENAA. Typical of this type of listing, images of the device, as well as some basic spec information was provided. AndroidHeadlines can now further confirm most of those spec details, as well as provide further background on them thanks to seen in-house Motorola documentation provided to us by a reliable source. To protect the identity of the source, AndroidHeadlines will not be publishing images of the documentation. All of the details listed below are taken directly from the documents.

Display and design

The Moto G6 will be marketed with the main selling points: display, cameras, and battery life. In line with previous leaks, the screen will be a new 5.7-inch display. It will be marketed as a Max Vision display and does adopt an 18:9 aspect ratio. Motorola specifically highlights the selling point as a big screen within a small body thanks to its compact and edge-to-edge design which results in virtually no bezel. The Moto G6 is listed with a Full HD display, although due to the aspect ratio in use, it is presumed this will actually be Full HD+ (2,160 x 1,080). The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and will once again support Attentive display  ensuring the screen remains on when the user is looking at it

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Sticking with the design, the Moto G6 will include a premium 3D glass back which is designed to reflect light differently depending on the angle. Likewise, the body itself will be splash-resistant due to the inclusion of P2i nano-coating protection. This means the Moto G6 is protected against moderate exposure to water encounters  it is not waterproof but will be able to withstand light rain, spills, and splashes. The Moto G6 will also feature a microSD card slot for expanded storage  supporting cards up to 128GB.

Cameras

In line with previous leaks, the Moto G6 will indeed feature a dual rear camera setup. The seen documents do not specify the exact configuration, although previous leaks have suggested 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras. Though AndroidHeadlines can confirm the single front-facing camera will be an 8-megapixel unit. Speaking of the front-facing camera, one of its main selling points is support for facial recognition  Face unlock  software allowing users to unlock their phone just by looking at it. In addition to also sporting an ultra wide-angle mode for those times when a group selfie is needed.

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As for the dual rear camera setup, what is clear is the emphasis Motorola is placing on the camera software. First up, the Moto G6 will be able to blur image backgrounds (and foregrounds) through the use of Selective focus. The blurring is only one novelty aspect that can be applied to the background as users will also be able to swap backgrounds in images. This feature is described as a Cutout and the idea is that users can pull a background from any photo in their Google Photos account and apply that background to the new image. In theory, the user can take an image of someone and then change the background to suggest the subject is at the beach, in the office, or even in space. As well as changing backgrounds, users will also be able to  in real-time  apply animated face filters. The cameras on the Moto G6 will also be of the smarter variety. This is best summed up through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to take advantage of landmark and object recognition. In principle, this sounds very much the same as Google Lens, although Motorola has not specifically mentioned Google Lens in the documentation. In either case, users will be able to aim the camera at a landmark or an object and the software will initiate a prompt asking whether the user would like to learn more about the landmark or object. Alternatively, by pointing the camera at a physical document, the user will be able to have the text scanned to a digital form which can then be quickly added to an email, a message, or anything else where a copy/paste function is available. At launch, this feature will only support text in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional software features for the rear cameras include the ability to add color to black-and-white images or highlight a color in an existing image. For example, the user will be able to highlight a color in a subjects face and turn everything other than the highlighted color to black and white. In addition, the Moto G6 will house the ability for the camera to take multiple images at once and for the user to choose the best shot based on recommendations by the software. Likewise, Active photos will take a short video each time an image is captured. A Beautification mode will be included for those who want to jazz up selfies while those looking for greater granular control over aspects such as focus, exposure compensation, ISO, shutter speed, and white balance, will be able to have it through the Moto G6s manual mode.

Battery life, performance, security and software

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The Moto G6 will be powered by a 3,000 mAh capacity battery. According to Motorola, the battery will be enough to last a full day and will support Motorolas TurboPower technology  compatible TurboPower charger will be included in the box. Without providing specifics, Motorola states users can expect hours of power in minutes. AndroidHeadlines can also confirm the Moto G6 will employ the help of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core SoC (clocked at 1.8 GHz) along with an Adreno 506 GPU.

At the software level, and with this being a Moto-branded phone it should not be a surprise to learn the Moto G6 is now confirmed as coming with all the usual Moto-related features, including support for Moto Actions, Moto Display, Moto Voice and Moto Key. The latter of which debuted on the Moto X4 and allows the use of the fingerprint sensor to unlock more than just the phone. For example, apps, websites, and Windows-based laptops. Essentially, removing the need to use passwords and typical login credentials altogether. On the fingerprint sensor topic, not only can the upcoming Android phone utilize Moto Key for a password-free lifestyle, but it also supports gestures. This works in much the same way as it does on the Moto G5 line, with the user able to swipe left to go back, swipe right right to access recents, and tap once to go home. Omitting the need for on-screen navigation buttons. NFC support is also included, allowing the fingerprint reader to be used for mobile payment purposes. Lastly, additional audio features will be in play, including free access to FM radio and Dolby Audio support.

Summary

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Cutting to the chase, the Moto G6 will feature a 5.7-inch Max Vision display along with an 18:9 aspect ratio and an FHD+ resolution. The Moto G6 will also feature a 3D glass back, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core SoC, a dual rear camera setup, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, a splash-resistant level of elements protection, and a 3,000 mAh capacity TurboPower-supported battery. In addition to a smarter camera experience, a wealth of Moto-related functionalities, and a feature-rich fingerprint sensor.
Gionee has notified employees at the Dongguan factory that job cuts are coming soon, at least according to the documents provided by Sina Technology. The company promised that the fired employees will be compensated, as per their contracts, though it seems like quite a few people will be fired. According to the report, only the employees under special conditions, like pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and so on, will be able to keep their jobs for a while longer, even though they wont be working, technically.

Now, it seems like Gionee has been having some issues with suppliers for a while now, as some info surfaced a while back, claiming that the company has been involved in litigation with various suppliers in Shenzhen and Shanghai. All of that affected the company, it seems, as some of their shares got frozen in the process. Companys CEO, Lirong Liu, said that news outlets are over-exaggerating Gionees problems, though he did admit that the company has been having financial issues lately due to excessive expenses in 2016 and 2017. Mr. Lirong did say that he has a plan to resolve Gionees problems though, a solution which would include new investors and partners, and also selling fixed assets in order for the company to pay its debts and get some additional financial support for the future. As a result of all this, Gionee is planning to restructure its business, it seems, and job cuts in the Dongguan factory seem to be a part of that.

Truth be said, it is hard to project how serious Gionees problems are at this point, but if the companys CEO is to be believed, the company will get back to the right path really soon. Gionee did not introduce a single new smartphone this year, the last devices the company announced where the Gionee S11, S11S, and S11 Lite, which were introduced back in November last year, and are available for purchase since December. The company is expected to introduce new devices in the coming weeks, as they have not introduced anything for over four months at this point. It remains to be seen if Gionees problems will have a serious effect on their smartphone lineups and announcement deadlines, but it is possible.
Google is rolling out new features for Google Play Books that will make life easier for audiobook lovers. Google Play Books users can now set however many bookmarks they want in an audiobook, so that they can go back to favorite parts, for starters. Theres also a new Smart Resume feature, integration with Google Assistants Routines feature, better speed controls, and support for Family Library in Google Play Books in thirteen additional countries. The new features are live in the Google Play Books app as of this writing, and, for the most part, affect both audiobooks and standard-format books being read out loud with the Google Play Books Read Aloud feature.

The Family Library feature of the Play Store is now available for books in thirteen new countries in total. If you reside in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Mexico,South Africa, or Japan, you can now share select books with up to five family members, just as you would with apps and games. In Japan, however, this applies only to audiobooks for now. The new Smart Resume feature, meanwhile, makes a books narration pick up at the beginning of the last word or sentence when interrupted, rather than coming back in the middle of a word. Speed controls have also been enhanced, and books can be read as slowly as half speed, or up to three times normal speed. Finally, the Routines feature of Google Assistant, triggered by asking it to tell me about my day, can now incorporate starting up an audiobook from your Google Play Books library.

These new features represent a greater focus on audiobooks after beginning to sell them directly in the Play Store not long ago. All of the features in this update are meant to enhance the audiobook experience and allow users to spend more time listening to their literature. This move also comes shortly after enabling audiobook support for Google Home, making reading at home as easy as asking Google to read something from your collection. The expansion of the Family Library feature into more countries, meanwhile, makes all sorts of content more accessible for Google Play users around the world.
Intel could be about to overtake Samsung once again in the semiconductor market. The California-based company had long reigned as the largest semiconductor company worldwide until, just under a year ago, Samsungs high-profit margins placed the South Korean giant ahead of Intel for the first time in its history. However, according to research firm IHS Markit, this lead could once again be switched, with Intel taking back its crown.

According to the firm, Samsungs recent profit and revenue increases come from the companys memory chips. Strong demand and a weaker-than-usual supply have allowed the company to significantly hike the price of its offerings, thus allowing them to reach previously-impossible profit margins and revenue levels. In fact, sales in 2017 grew a staggering 53.6 percent in comparison to the previous year. This situation is, however, expected to change quite quickly, with Gartner analyst Andrew Norwood stating that Samsungs lead is literally built on sand, in the form of memory silicon. Chinese manufacturers are set to significantly increase their output of NAND flash memory chips this year, and DRAM manufacturing capacity will follow suit in 2019, therefore forcing Samsung to once again lower its prices to much more competitive levels and proving to be a hit on profit levels. It is this that is likely to give Intel back its lead. After all, two-thirds of Samsungs revenue came from memory chip shipments, whereas the majority of Intels revenue is still generated through processor sales. In fact, in 2017, Intels total revenue hit $62.8 billion, of which only a small percentage came from memory chips sales  just $3.5 billion  and this is despite a 37 percent revenue jump for the year in that market.

Samsung does appear pretty optimistic about its future and is still increasing its manufacturing capacity in anticipation of future demand. But based on predictions, Shaun Teevens of IHS Markit says that if a strong reversal in memory pricing were to occur it is possible that Intel could regain the top position. For now, though, both Samsung and Intel are looking for ways to increase both revenue and profits, with the former concentrating on expanding production capacity, while the latter is looking for growth in other segments of the market outside of its traditional microprocessor business, with Internet of Things products playing a major role.
OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei deleted his learn to love the notch tweet shared Wednesday following backlash from the companys fans. The statement was made shortly after the Chinese smartphone maker confirmed the OnePlus 6 will feature a cutout at the top of its screen, with Mr. Pai telling The Verge that decision just made sense after the firm saw product roadmaps of its display suppliers. Much like Apple and ASUS, OnePlus isnt describing the display notch of its upcoming device as a design cue meant to make the handset more attractive but a decision targeted at increasing the overall screen real estate of the OnePlus 6 that doesnt lead to a physically larger device.

Thanks to the notch, the OnePlus 6 will have a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 90-percent, the company said, with Mr. Pei asserting the phablet will still have a chin because removing it would also mean making the device thicker, which is a compromise that Apple made with the iPhone X but not one that other OEMs showed any intention of following so far. The executive argued the notch allows the handset to have its notification bar pushed further up, flanking the cutout and leaving the rest of the screen free for content consumption. The OnePlus 6 is hence said to boast the largest display panel in the companys portfolio to date while not being any bigger than the OnePlus 5T. The handset has already been leaked on two occasions, with one of its previous sightings suggesting it will retain the 3.5mm audio jack and USB Type-C port of its predecessor.

With the OnePlus 5T already being unavailable for purchase in most markets, the next Android flagship from the company is widely expected to debut in the coming weeks, with previous products from OnePlus following a similar launch pattern. The handset should feature Qualcomms Snapdragon 845 and be offered in two variants, a base model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal flash memory, and a more premium version with twice the storage space and 8GB of RAM. Mobile display notches remain a controversial issue among tech enthusiasts, some of which are rather vocal about speaking against such an asymmetrical design regardless of any functional benefits it brings. Last month, Mr. Pei indirectly mocked Xiaomis decision to delete a Twitter survey showing its own fans prefer stock Android over MIUI with a tweet that can be seen below.

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Dont delete this poll  Carl Pei (@getpeid) February 13, 2018
Samsung vowed to open a new artificial intelligence technology hub in France, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday, with the move being announced following his meeting with the tech giants Chief Strategy Officer Young Sohn. Reuters reports Samsung is planning to expand its team of 15 AI researchers in Paris to 50 scientists by the end of the year, then double on that figure shortly afterward. The South Korean original equipment manufacturer already operates AI institutes in its home country and the United States, with the company recently also increasing its focus on the emerging field through a range of smaller bets on a wide variety of startups, both through investments and outright acquisitions.

Samsung is primarily seeking to leverage its AI push by improving its own products and services, with the companys mobile chief DJ Koh taking to this years iteration of Mobile World Congress to confirm the conglomerates plans to launch Bixby 2.0 in the second half of the year. The significantly enhanced version of the digital assistant may be ready for a commercial debut in time for the launch of the Galaxy Note 9 Android phablet, the executive said. Outside of the realm of smartphones, Samsung is also looking to integrate Bixby into a broader range of its other electronics including TVs and refrigerators. The companys first smart speaker powered by the AI companion is planned to be introduced in the second half of 2018 as well, as per numerous statements previously provided by company officials. The gadget meant to rival the likes of the Google Home and Amazons Echo lineup is being developed in collaboration with Samsungs subsidiary Harman.

President Macron is familiar with Mr. Sohn from his tenure as the French Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs, a role he filled over a two-year period ending late August of 2016. In the summer of 2015, the then-minister welcomed Samsungs decision to partner with a number of French startups and open a new R&D office in Paris, having specifically thanked Mr. Sohn for the initiative via Twitter. Besides Samsung, Japanese tech giant Fujitsu will also be making a major AI investment in France in the near term, the Presidents office said yesterday.
Uber settled with the family of one Elaine Herzberg, a 49-year-old woman killed in a recent Tempe, Arizona crash involving a self-driving Volvo XC90 SUV from the company, according to Cristina Perez Hesano of Glendale-based law firm Bellah Perez. Details of the settlement werent disclosed but the development confirms no lawsuits will be filed by the daughter and husband of the deceased. The incident marked the first pedestrian death stemming from a traffic accident involving a self-driving vehicle and while preliminary results of Tempe PDs investigation suggest the autonomous Uber car wasnt at fault for the accident, the firm promptly suspended all of its driverless technology trials throughout the United States.

Earlier this week, Arizona Governor also suspended Ubers self-driving program in the state for an indefinite period, having described the incident as an unquestionable failure. Uber also isnt renewing its autonomous vehicle testing permit in California which is set to expire at the end of this month, according to the local Department of Motor Vehicles. Recent developments hence suggest the future of the companys self-driving program remains unclear, with some industry watchers also raising questions in regards to the overall safety measures implemented into its custom-made Volvo XC90 models. Compared to the firms initial Ford prototypes, the newer self-driving vehicles have fewer mapping sensors and are only equipped with more cameras, which some claim makes them less secure.

Ms. Herzberg was crossing a poorly lit high-speed four-lane road outside of a crosswalk when she was hit by a self-driving Uber on March 18, according to redacted video footage of the incident released by Tempe PD several days back. The backup human driver present in the car appears to have been looking down immediately below the impact, though local authorities said the accident was difficult to avoid regardless of who was operating the vehicle. Toyota and NVIDIA also halted their self-driving tests in the country following the incident even though they arent directly involved in the development Ubers autonomous driving technologies. The San Francisco-based startup does use NVIDIAs GPUs, the electronics maker disclosed. In a statement provided to AndroidHeadlines earlier this week, a spokesperson for Ubers Advanced Technologies Group said the firm is fully cooperating with the Tempe investigation but declined to comment on the future of its driverless vehicle program.
Weak sales of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus may prompt Samsung to release the Galaxy Note 9 earlier than expected, The Korea Heralds Investor reported Thursday, citing industry sources. Samsung Display will reportedly begin mass-manufacturing OLED display modules for the Galaxy Note 9 next month, two months earlier than usual, and if the rest of component suppliers for the upcoming phablet follow suit, the Android flagship may be released as early as July, insiders claim. Previous reports also indicated Samsung started firmware development for the Galaxy Note 9 approximately two weeks earlier than it usually does, having supposedly done so last week.

The design of the device will only be finalized by the end of this month, whereas previous entries in the Galaxy Note series had their layouts locked down at least five months prior to flow production, sources recently said, having attributed the development to Samsungs insistence to attempt equipping the Galaxy Note 9 with an in-display fingerprint reader despite numerous technical difficulties to doing so its still facing. Samsung Display reportedly came up with three or four alternatives for implementing an in-screen fingerprint sensor into the Galaxy Note 9, with the final decision on the matter being expected to be reached by the end of the week, provided it hasnt already been made.

The Galaxy Note 9 is said to sport a 6.38-inch Super AMOLED display panel thats slightly larger than the 6.32-inch screen found on the Galaxy Note 8. Besides poor Galaxy S9 sales, Samsung is also targeting an early release due to the likely September launch of the new iPhone, as per recent reports. While the iPhone X was only unveiled last November due to manufacturing issues with its 3D camera technologies, Apple is expected to return to its usual September product keynotes this year. Samsung hasnt shared any details on the commercial performance of the Galaxy S9 series but the lineup is understood to have performed worse than last years Galaxy S8 family during its advanced order period. Last spring, Samsung has been sharing updates on the number of Galaxy S8 pre-orders every several days, whereas it hasnt disclosed any such figures for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus this year.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Wednesday dismissed recent reports suggesting the top political office in the United States is preparing to announce imminent anti-Amazon policies and actions, having told CNBC no such efforts are in the works. According to a report from Axios citing people close to the White House, President Donald Trump is obsessed with Amazon and has previously asked about the possibility of going after the Seattle, Washington-based tech giant based on competition and antitrust law.

The President is said to be indifferent to Facebooks latest privacy scandal involving political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica which worked for his campaign during the 2016 election, as per the same report. The controversy ties into the possibility of Russian agents interfering with the outcome of the last U.S. presidential race, with President Trump still being convinced that story is a hoax, according to insiders cited by Axios. Due to that state of affairs, he appears to be disinterested to contribute to the privacy debate surrounding Facebook, the report claims. The President repeatedly criticized Amazon since taking office in late 2016, having said USPS should charge the company more and publicly proclaimed the worlds largest e-commerce platform should be paying higher taxes. While his antipathy toward Amazon supposedly remains unchanged, the White House doesnt appear to have a plan for hitting the digital empire built by Jeff Bezos in the near term. The President also sees The Washington Post owned by Mr. Bezos as the moguls personal media weapon, one source said.

The report erased over $30 billion in Amazons market capitalization over the last 24 hours, though its stock appears to have stabilized as of Thursday morning PST at north of $1,400. While the President is understood to be unfazed by Facebooks recent issues, Vice President Mike Pence is reportedly alarmed about the Menlo Park-based social media giant and also distrusts Google, having argued both companies are too powerful in the media and advertising segments, Axios claims. While the VP is now said to be open to suggestions about limiting the influence of the two Silicon Valley giants, he isnt actively pushing for any such actions or policies on his own, as per the same report.
Xiaomi has wanted to expand to the US for quite a few years now, and various executives have come out to say something along the lines of launching smartphones in the US next year or in 2019. However, Xiaomi is still not committing to a specific date for launching its products in the US. The country is already a very competitive market, and has turned out to be a pretty tough market for any Chinese manufacturer. Huawei has seen that firsthand, with Verizon and AT&T dropping their plans to sell the Mate 10 Pro earlier this year, and then more recently Best Buy dropping its products. Then theres LeEco, who launched in the US and then pulled out of the country all in a blink of an eye. Thats obviously something that Xiaomi doesnt want to do when it does finally officially debut in the US.

This week, with the launch of the Mi MIX 2S in Shanghai, Xiaomi opened up a bit more about its US launch intentions, though it wouldnt say anything about its CEO Lei Juns comments last month about releasing smartphones in the US in 2019. Instead, the company explained that when it launches in a new market, it wants to bring its entire portfolio of products. Thats different from when Xiaomi introduced its online store in the US a few years ago where it only offered a few products. Xiaomi is now available in 70 countries officially, and when it launches in these new markets, it does bring its entire portfolio. For instance, it arrived in Spain this past November and brought along a number of its smartphones, as well as its accessories. Xiaomi did not introduce products like the Mi Notebook Air (which is its Windows-based laptop), since that is only available in Mandarin right now. Xiaomi wants to not only launch online, however, but also seeks new offline sales channels in various countries. Which means opening up physical stores. And it has done this in many of the countries it has launched in recently, including Spain and Greece.

When it comes to the US market, however, its portfolio isnt the only thing keeping Xiaomi out of the market for now. Back in 2015, Xiaomi did mention that it was looking to bolster its patent portfolio before it launched in the US. Seeing as the intellectual property laws in the US are much different than they are in China. Xiaomi wanted to make sure that it isnt the victim of numerous patent lawsuits. And in the past three years, you can see that Xiaomi has moved away from looking and acting like Apple. From its smartphones looking much different (and in many opinions, better) than the iPhone, to its CEO ditching the jeans and black turtleneck  that Steve Jobs would wear  for launch events.

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Perhaps the biggest hurdle right now for Xiaomi and the US is security. Recently, Huawei has been getting pushed out of the US by the government over national security concerns. Xiaomi mentioned to us that it works with all of the top security firms, to make sure that its phones are maximally protected. That way it doesnt have to worry about being blocked in the US due to national security concerns. However, the situation that Huawei has found itself in is likely going to hurt Xiaomi and other Chinese smartphone makers that want to expand into the US. Many will see Xiaomi as a Chinese smartphone maker and may decide against buying a phone like the Mi MIX 2S, due to that reason alone. Even though Xiaomi sees itself as a global smartphone maker now, after launching in around 70 countries around the world.

Xiaomi is looking hard at the US and is still adamant on introducing its products to the country. But Xiaomi is also being smart about it, and taking its time, its officials suggest. Weve seen what can happen to a company that launches in the US too quickly, and thats something Xiaomi obviously doesnt want to repeat. For now, many will have to settle for importing its global models (that have support for global LTE bands) into the US. Ultimately, Xiaomis US launch is only a question of when.
Barcelona"We, citizens of Europe, demand the immediate release of the Catalan citizens imprisoned for their political views, demand writers Erri de Luca, Daniel Pennac, Roberto Saviano and Jean Marie Laclavetine. In a letter published today in the French newspaper Le Monde, the four authors say that the imprisoned politicians are accused of "rebellion and subversion" but that "they have never held a stone in their hands".

Although the writers do not want to position themselves either for or against the independence of Catalonia, they consider it necessary "to defend citizens of Europe imprisoned for being true to their word". For this reason, the authors demand the release of the prisoners and the withdrawal of legal charges. "Catalonia is a European territory and we live in its laboratory of democracy. The act of detaining representatives chosen by the people and threatening them with admonitory convictions for their political ideas must be rejected by Europe", say the writers, who conclude that "opinions and convictions should be discussed, not imprisoned".
According a statement published by the Uruguayan Ministry of Defense, China has donated military equipment to the Uruguayan Ministry of Defense including 4x4 ambulance vehicle. The equipment were delivered during a ceremony on March 23, 2018 under the Free Military Assistance by China to Uruguay framework signed in 2016.



Chinese military ambulance delivered to Uruguayan Ministry of Defense (Picture source Uruguayan Ministry of Defense)

The Chinese military equipment were delivered during an official ceremony on March 23, 2018 attended Uruguayan Minister of National Defense Dr. Jorge Menendez and China Ambassador to Uruguay, Wang Gang.

Military equipment donate by China to Uruguay consisted of 10 tactical ambulances, 6 buses with 42 seats each, three motor graders, 10 loaders, and four tractors.

China has donated the military equipment for free for a value of about $5 million that it will be used mainly by the Uruguayan armed forces to perform security missions and to collaborate on civilian projects as road maintenance in urban and rural areas.
Cyprus announced Wednesday the donation of more than 15 million euros (18.55 million U.S. dollars) in aid to the Lebanese army.



Lebanese soldiers deploying from M113 armoured personnal carrier

(Credit: Lebanese Armed Forces)

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulidis announced the donation following the meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil at the Boustros Palace in Beirut, the Daily Star reported on its website.



"We participated in Rome II and decided to support Lebanon via military equipment to the Lebanese army, worth over 15 million euros," Christodoulidis said following the meeting.



For his part, Bassil said that Lebanon will begin exporting snails to Cyprus.



Cyprus hopes to strengthen the Lebanese army to stop the spread of violence over the border from neighboring Syria and help it become the sole military force defending the country.



"The Cypriot foreign minister informed us that the export of Lebanese snails to Cyprus has been permitted," Bassil said.
Southeast Asia has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as much of the rest of the world. In response, cou...
On the floor of the Jacob Javits Convention Center, the Essentia stands out from the crowd of nearly 1,000 cars and trucks with a lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque sculpted in the shape of a Gran Turismo car.The low-riding machine features an elongated windshield that extends down to the front bumper and turns into a transparent hood. Towards the back, the windshield morphs into a stretched bubble roof, that ends abruptly at the cars cut-off back.Access to the interior of the Essentia is being granted through butterfly-style doors, that open to a custom-tailored interior. This is made of mixed materials, starting with cognac leather on the seats and ending with Oxford Blue leather for the center console.The concept is powered by a high-density battery pack and an undisclosed number of electric motors. This combo allows the Essentia to have a 0 to 60 acceleration time of only three seconds. Genesis introduces on the new Essentia an array of features it calls Disconnectivity. The model has been built from the get-go to be connected, using technology that surpasses the industry standard.Translated, that means the car is not only connected to the Internet, but also to the infrastructure and other vehicles. That allows it, for instance, to recommend routes based on driver inclination and preferences, not based on generic elements like the quickest or more efficient route.The Essentia can also communicate with the owners smart home, turning on lights or allowing access to delivery companies. It can also be used as a payment tool, through the mobile payments feature on the center screen.The Essentia is a concept, and it is not in the future production plans at Genesis.
According to documents submitted to the states Department of Motor Vehicles, cited by The Verge , Uber will not renew its permit to operate such cars in the Sunny State. The current permit is said to expire on the last day of March."We proactively suspended our self-driving operations, including in California, immediately following the Tempe incident, an Uber official told the source.Given this, we decided to not reapply for a California DMV permit with the understanding that our self-driving vehicles would not operate on public roads in the immediate future.The reason behind Uber giving up on renewing the permit is the fact that if it does, it would have to explain to local authorities how and why the Arizona incident happened.The crash which left one woman dead in Tempe, Arizona last week, might have far-reaching consequences for self-driving cars, despite the investigation being still ongoing and the authorities apparently not holding Uber responsible for the outcome of the crash.According to Reuters, the company has decided to settle an yet unopened legal dispute with the family of the Arizona victim. The details of the settlement have not been disclosed. In-car video released by the police a few days ago shows how the 49-year old victim appear out of nowhere in the middle of the road, pushing a bicycle. The car and the human onboard make no attempt to avoid contact.As a result of the incident, Uber suspended self-driving operations in all locations and had not resumed them yet. It is obvious that in some places it will not resume them at all, at least for a while.
Image: Denver International Airport

Great Lakes Airlines, a regional carrier based in Denver, has canceled all of its scheduled flights as of Tuesday, citing a lack of pilots, the Denver Post has reported. The airline posted a notice on its website noting the company has not entered bankruptcy and will continue to operate scheduled service as Great Lakes Express between Denver and two cities in South Dakota. Great Lakes had flown to Los Angeles, Phoenix and several other regional destinations. Its just plain, fundamental draining of availability of pilots, Great Lakes CEODoug Voss told the Post. At the end of the day, its about the pilot-supply issue and how government is managing the consequences of it. The shutdown will leave Cheyenne and Telluride without air service from Denver.

The Post also noted that changes in the governments essential air service program had affected Great Lakes. Also, in 2015, the airline had entered an agreement with the aviation program at Metropolitan State University of Denver, to direct new pilots into entry-level jobs with the airline. That arrangement has been discontinued, according to the Post. According to the airlines website, their fleet includes the Beechcraft 1900D twin turboprop outfitted for nine or 19 passengers, Embraers Brasilia 30-seat turboprop, Bombardiers CRJ 200 jet with 50 seats and the CRJ 700 with 70 seats. Voss told the Post he may use the airplanes to haul cargo, and hopes to return to passenger service.
As Amazon shares have sank on the news that President Trump hates the tech giant and broader concerns about tech regulations, several other retail stocks have jumped upward.

Bottom line: What's bad for Amazon is often good for other retailers.
The Trump administration's decision to expel 60 Russian diplomats from the U.S. and shut down the Russian consulate in Seattle was an important expression of solidarity with the U.K., which had expelled 23 Russian diplomats in response to the nerve agent attack against a former Russian spy. More than 20 countries have now jointly responded, expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats worldwide.

What's next: Russia has vowed to retaliate, but the scope of its response remains unknown. One thing is clear: The downward spiral in relations will not abate as long as the Kremlin continues its confrontation course with the West.

This week's expulsion is the largest diplomatic retaliation against Russia in U.S. history, rivaling the Reagan administration's expulsion of 55 Soviet diplomats in 1986, to which Moscow responded by ordering 260 Soviet employees of the U.S. mission in Russia to leave their jobs. When the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats in December 2016, in response to Russia's election interference, Moscow belatedly ordered the U.S. embassy to reduce its personnel by 755 people, which primarily affected Russian nationals employed by the U.S. mission.

The Trump administration's reaction is another step in what is shaping up to be a hawkish approach to Russia. These expulsions follow the announcement on March 15 of personal sanctions against 24 Russian individuals and entities associated with the infamous St. Petersburg troll factory. They also come just as a the hardliner John Bolton prepares to enter the White House as National Security Adviser and fellow Russia hawk Mike Pompeo is expected to take over the State Department. Additional personal sanctions against Russians close to Putin are also likely in the works, as suggested by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The bottom line: Putin, now in power until 2024, has further isolated Russia with his foreign policy adventurism. This coordinated resolve sends a clear message to the Kremlin that aggression against the U.S. and its allies will no longer go unchecked. A strong Western response is long overdue, but better late than never.

Alina Polyakova is the David M. Rubenstein Fellow for Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution.
The Justice Department's Inspector General announced Wednesday that it will be conducting an investigation into how the FBI handles Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant applications in response to requests from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and members of Congress.

Why it matters: Back in February, Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked the DOJ's watchdog to look into GOP Congressman Devin Nunes' memo that alleged the FBI deceivingly obtained a FISA warrant in order to surveil Trump's foreign policy aide Carter Page. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff also released a memo last month, defending the FBI's actions.
U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman issued today a clarification about comments he made against Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Friedman wrote this morning in a tweet:

"The United States is not seeking 'to replace' Mahmoud Abbas. It is for the Palestinian people to choose its leadership."

Yesterday I reported here and on Channel 10 News in Israel about Friedman's comments to a small newspaper called "Shviee," which is distributed in synagogues in Israel, when asked about the fact that Palestinian president Abbas refuses to engage with the White House.

Friedman answered: "Time doesnt stand stilland if he is not interested is negotiating  I am sure somebody else will. Vacuums tend to be filled. If he creates a vacuum I am sure somebody will fill it. And we will move forward (on the peace process). The U.S. wants to help the Palestinian people  if the leadership is not on the same page then so be it, but we will not abandon the desire to improve the life of Palestinians."

Palestinian officials hit back at Friedman for his comments against Abbas, with chief negotiator Saeb Erekat saying: "The US Ambassador to Israel has once again shown his ideological commitment to Israels colonial-settlement policy as the first US official to declare that the Israeli occupation of Palestine doesnt exist. During his time as US Ambassador to Israel, he has worked tirelessly to advocate and legitimize Israeli violations while dehumanizing Palestinians, inciting against the Palestinian national movement, and now even calling for a change of leadership in Palestine."
Russias foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, summoned the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, to the foreign ministry Thursday where he was informed Russia is expelling 60 U.S. diplomats  the same number as the U.S. expelled stateside  and will close the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg, per the AP. Russia will take similar action in the 25 other countries that expelled Russians, expelling 150 diplomats in total.

The bottom line: This was the expected reaction and is part of the Russian playbook. A European diplomat tells Axios the response from the U.S., U.K. and others has been far stronger than the Kremlin expected over the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal with a nerve agent on British soil.
In a landmark ruling Wednesday, a South African court slapped a three-year sentence, with one year suspended, on a white woman who was convicted of hate speech over racist comments she made toward black police officers, per local news reports.

The back story: The woman, Vicki Momberg, was caught on camera in February 2016 repeatedly referring to the officers as kaffirs, an racial slur for black South Africans. The country's senior prosecutor, Yusuf Baba, told local media that the decision should be taken as a stern warning. As this case shows, South Africa is still grappling with its past 24 years after the end of apartheid rule.
President Trump has fired his embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin. On Twitter today he said he's going to nominate Ronny Jackson, the physician to the president, for the role. As Axios' Jonathan Swan wrote on Sunday, Shulkin's days were numbered due to ongoing drama at the department over spending and personnel.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

Why this matters via Swan: Trump loves Jackson, thinks hes a great guy and did a terrific job behind the podium when he delivered Trumps medical results. Trump regarded that appearance as a triumph, according to sources with direct knowledge. This appointment is yet another example of how personal relationships  and Trumps personal comfort level  are the whole ballgame.

But, but, but.... White House officials are well aware of Jackson's lack of experience running large organizations  the VA is the second-largest federal agency. Defense official Robert Wilkie, who will serve as acting secretary pending Jackson's confirmation, is very well regarded and administration officials wouldn't be concerned if he had to stay on a while during a drawn out confirmation for Jackson.

Details on Jackson provided by the White House:

Attended Texas A&M University and University of Texas Medical Branch. Began active duty naval service in 1995

Operational assignments included, instructor at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Florida; det. officer in charge and diving medical officer at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 8 in Sigonella, Italy; and diving safety officer at the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk.

Served residency in emergency medicine at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center and then assigned as clinical faculty in the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Served in a forward deployed Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon in Taqaddum, Iraq.

White House physician for second term of George W. Bush, both terms of Barack Obama.

Jackson does not have reported experience running an agency equivalent to the size of the VA, the second largest agency in the federal government.

Shulkin's turbulent ride at the White House:

The VA's inspector general reported last month that Shulkin used taxpayer dollars to pay for his wife to go to Europe.

He started handling his own media relations because he doesn't trust the agency's communications staff.

The White House was befuddled by Shulkin's media appearances. Senior officials were especially furious when he told Politico that he had their blessing to clean house.

The first sentence of this story has been corrected to say Jackson is the White House physician, not Trump's personal physician.
By Kamila Aliyeva

Azerbaijan, which seeks to improve ecological situation of the Caspian sea and protect marine species on the brink of extinction, including the salmon, established fish-breeding farms that annually release certain amount of fish into the waterbodies of the country.

The Gabala Salmon Plant operating under the Azerbaijani Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry plans to release into reservoirs about 57,000 fish in 2018, Plant's leading pisciculturist Safayat Gachayeva told Trend on March 28.

Gachayeva said that last year this figure was about 60,000, which allowed to overfulfil the state plan by 5 percent.

In 2014, 48,300 fish were released into reservoirs, in 2015 - 57,500 fish and in 2016 - 63,840 fish. Over the past 18 years, the plant released about 900,000 fish into the reservoirs.

The plant, which has been operating since 1956, is presently producing salmon and spotty trout, which are then released into the Caspian Sea, the Kura River and shallow waters.

Azerbaijan, washed by the Caspian Sea, the largest closed lake on the planet, has about 101 species of fish including sturgeon, thorn, white salmon, salmon, five species of the Caspian herring, omul, and carp.

The Sea has a total surface area of 371,000 square kilometers, holding about 78,200 cubic kilometers of water.

Contamination of the sea water and related deterioration of environmental condition alongside the sea level oscillations may be considered as the main problems of the Caspian Sea.

The basic pollution sources of the Caspian Sea are the slops of the cities and industrial objects situated in its basin, coasts, and water areas, as well as various contaminants discharging from maritime transportation and oilfields. Currently 15 million people live in Caspian coastal zones, whose life activity is directly connected with the sea (mostly fishery).

Therefore, environmental issues are constantly discussed at general meetings of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran  Caspian Littoral States. The joint efforts of the Caspian countries are seriously combating poaching. And the newest methods of fish breeding allow preserving life for future generations.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijani company Veyseloglu intends to promote introduction of Turkish experience in the competitiveness sector in Azerbaijan, the companys Director General for Business Development Ilgar Nuri said at a press conference in Baku on March 29.

Nureddin Kaldirimci, former chairman of the Turkish Competition Authority, was invited to Baku to this end.

Not only state structures, but also entrepreneurs and society should contribute to the development of competition, Nuri said, adding that studying foreign experience in this area is important.

He also noted that development of business environment and competition in Azerbaijan is at the center of the states attention.

Nuri further mentioned that Veyseloglu company intends to expand the promotion of the Made in Azerbaijan brand. He said that about 20 percent of products of the Ulduz chocolate factory, belonging to the company, is being exported.

Today, the company is interested in expanding the production and export of confectionery, the director general mentioned.

He also reminded that Veyseloglu Georgia company has been operating in neighboring Georgia since 2011.

The goal of this company is to promote the products of the Ulduz factory and, in general, the Made in Azerbaijan brand in the Georgian market. In general, these products are exported to more than 20 countries, mainly in the CIS area, and we intend to expand the export, Nuri said.

He also mentioned that the company plans to expand production in order to meet the needs of the domestic market, and to reduce the dependence on imports in this area.

The trade and distribution company Veyseloglu was created in 1994, and today it cooperates with 116 factories in more than 20 countries around the world.

The launch of the Ulduz chocolate factory in 2001 gave a strong impetus to development of the industry of confectionery and food products in the economy of Azerbaijan. The know-how of famous chocolate manufacturers were studied in Germany, Belgium, Italy and a number of other European countries, and new state-of-art equipment was installed at the factory.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijans popular surrealist, Mehriban Efendi has presented her work at Visionary Art exhibition, which takes place in the Moscow House of Artists from March 27 to April 1.

Artists colorful painting "Mystic of the Night" is put on display, Trend Life reported.

Paintings are some kind of portals that will open up endless possibilities of existence and self-expression, it is a path of feelings.

The development of this style goes in parallel with the spread of eastern spiritual practices (for example, yoga), a technique of penetrating into the depths of the subconscious, an interest in the pagan and pre-literate past of peoples.

Surrealism mostly attracts unique artists, and Azerbaijans most popular surrealist, Mehriban Efendi, is one those artist to who this kind of art helped show her inner world.

The first solo exhibition of Efendi was held in the U.S. in 2005. Then she participated in the exhibition "Art and Awareness" in Montana; a few of her works were further demonstrated at the huge electronic billboards "Art Takes Times Square" on Time Square in New York.

The work "Harmony" presented at this exhibition was published in the book "Art Takes Time Square" and was noted as one of the best works in 2012.

Efendi took part in an international exhibition organized by Australian artist Paris Saint-Martin, becoming one of the top ten computer artists in 2003, while in 2009, the artist's work was presented at an international exhibition in the Netherlands. In 2010, Efendi was among the 56 best surrealist painters in the world.

She won the first prize of the international exhibition "Shining" in Bulgaria, which was held under the motto "The ancient codes of my country" in 2010.

In 2011, the artist won an international award at the festival "Cinema @ Costume moulins" in France as "The best dress artist." This award was conferred for her costume designs for German director Veit Helmer's film "Absurdistan."

She was the winner of the prestigious Sandro Botticelli (named after the Italian painter of the Early Renaissance) award called For art and talent in 2014.

In 2016, her works "Mysticism" and "Night Impression" entered the book "Polychromia" about the best contemporary surrealist artists according to National Geografic.

Last year, artist's paintings "Miriada" and "Impression" were presented at the largest exhibition of surrealism in Europe.

Efendi's works are exhibited in Portugal, USA, Holland, Bulgaria, France and other countries.

Mehiban Efendi awarded a number of international prizes in Germany, France, Macedonia, Bulgary, etc. The outstanding artist also worked as a costume designer with the German filmmaker Veit Helmer in his comedy Absurdistan, shot in Azerbaijan in 2008.

She is the winner of the prestigious Sandro Botticelli (named after the Italian painter of the Early Renaissance) award called For art and talent in 2014.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Laman Ismayilova

Solo exhibitions of Aida Mahmudova Non-imagined perspectives and Michelangelo Pistoletto Do it have opened in YARAT Contemporary Art Space.

Assistant to the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar Alakbarov, Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfas Garayev, President of the Baku Media Center Arzu Aliyeva, prominent public and cultural figures, art lovers, diplomatic missions took part in the event.

Addressing the event, the curator of the exhibition, art director of the YARAT Contemporary Art Space Suad Garayeva-Maleki gave brief information on the exhibition.

By this joint exhibition begins three-year cooperation between YARAT and the Cittadellarte Foundation, within the framework of which various creative and educational projects will be implemented soon.

Suad Garayeva-Maleki expressed gratitude to Aida Makhmudova for creating broad opportunities for young people to discover their creative potential and realize their ideas. It was noted that this year the YARAT Academy will for the first time cooperate with the ADA University, the Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University and the State University of Culture and Arts, attracting more youth and students to participate in the projects at YARAT Contemporary Art Space.

Guests got acquainted with YARAT newspaper, featuring interesting materials, articles, news and interviews about the development of contemporary art.

Across the top floor of the exhibition space, the artist has produced an entirely new body of work that builds on her exploration of material as a tool for experimentation. For the artist the process of destruction and re-creation, of building layers and tearing them apart, of mixing various materials, such as paper, clay, cement, stone and, for the first time in this show marble, becomes an exercise for material growth and emotional healing. The total installation of sculptures, resembling crumbling pillars, and monumental wall works create a feeling of a transient place, half ruined and half built, and one is reminded that entropy is an essential step of creation.

For Mahmudova the process is everything and her textured works act as tokens of memory, each layer exposing a particular moment on the artists personal time-space continuum.

Early on in her work, Mahmudova developed a curiosity towards material, which manifested itself through experimentation with light, color and matter in her landscapes and semi-abstract canvases. As her paintings became increasingly more layered the artist expanded her practice into the three dimensional, applying the same approach to sculpture and creating environments both emotive and intense. Harmonious with the physical nature of her chosen materials and her preferred earthly palette, her deeply intuitive explorations continue to evolve across the spectrum of universal human sentiments of love, loss, memory and desire. In the artists own words, this artistic process is in a way an act of tearing away at our fundamental principles, which are manmade and therefore ultimately fragile.

The curator of the exhibition, the strategic director of YARAT Bjorn Geldhof said that the exhibition "Do it" by Michelangelo Pistoletto is organized with the support of the Italian Embassy in Azerbaijan. The exhibition is a significant cultural event and will serve fruitful cooperation with the Cittadellarte Foundation, investments in talented Azerbaijani youth.

Charge d'affaires of Italy in Azerbaijan Umberto Goini said the project is the next international bridge of culture between the countries. It will contribute to bringing masters of modern art closer together and the development of youth.

Central to the exhibition is Pistolettos 2003 text Terzo Paradiso (Third Paradise), a manifesto for a harmonious future where nature and society coexist. Third Paradise states the social responsibility to seek a more sustainable world, leading everything that is artificial; that is science and technology together with art; to give back life to Earth.

For his solo exhibition at YARAT, Pistoletto continues to use this ideology as the catalyst for new installations, which are presented in conversation with a selection of the artists early works. The notion of sustainability is further manifested through a series of educational programs focused on the methodology Pistoletto and his Foundation (Cittadellarte) developed for schoolchildren, including workshops for schoolchildren, young artists and a lecture series for university students. Taking place over the course of one year, this educational component will train local Azerbaijani educators in schools across Azerbaijan to develop and expand upon the way children approach sustainability and creative processes.

The expositions will be presented from April 1 to June 10.

Exhibitions are open from Tuesday through Sunday, from 12:00  20:00. Admission is free.

Location: YARAT Contemporary Art Centre, National Flag Square, Bayil, AZ1003

About artists:

Aida Mahmudova (b. 1982, Baku, Azerbaijan) lives and works in Baku. She graduated from Central Saint Martins, London with a degree in Fine Art in 2006. She has widely exhibited internationally, including group and solo exhibitions in Belgium, London, Rome, New York, Moscow and Baku. Selected solo exhibitions include: Can't Capture The Light, Deweer Gallery, Otegem (2017); Passing By..., Leila Heller Gallery, New York (2015); and Internal Peace, Barbarian Art Gallery, Zurich (2013). Mahmudova exhibited at the 55th Venice Biennale in the group show Love Me, Love Me Not (2013) and in the 56th Venice Biennale as part of VITA VITALE curated by Artwise (2015).

Michelangelo Pistoletto (b. 1933, Biella, Italy) lives and works in Biella, Italy. Since his first solo show in 1960, Pistoletto has gone onto exhibit globally, with his work held in the public collections of institutions such as Tate Britain, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Art Gallery of Ontario. A leading proponent in the Arte Povera movement, major retrospectives of the artists work have been held in Venice, Madrid, Florence, Rome, Barcelona and Philadelphia. At the 2003 Venice Biennale, he was awarded the Leone dOro for lifetime achievement, and in 2007 he was awarded the Wolf Foundation Prize in Jerusalem. In 2013, Pistoletto was given the Praemium Imperiale Award from the Japan Arts Association in Tokyo.

In 1994, Michelangelo Pistoletto created the Progetto Arte Manifesto in which he proposed a new role for the artist: placing art in direct interaction with all areas of human activities surrounding the formation of society. Subsequently, in 1998, he founded Cittadellarte in his hometown of Biella, Northern Italy - a vibrant cultural and entrepreneurial community of hundreds of individuals actively engaged with their society, whilst connected to an international network. Cittadellarte's aim is to inspire and produce responsible community change. It is a laboratory-school dedicated to the study, experimentation and development of practices translating the symbol of the Third Paradise into reality, incorporating it into every sector of society and every type of organization, from the single individual to global governmental agencies like the United Nations. Cittadellarte operates in collaboration and in network with thousands of public and private subjects sharing its vision, among which the Embassies of the Third Paradise, currently 125 in 47 countries.

YARAT comprises YARAT Art Centre, ARTIM Project Space, YARAT Studios, YAY Gallery and an extended educational and public programme. YARAT Art Centre, a 2000m converted Soviet-era naval building, opened in March 2015 and is the organisation's main exhibition space. The exhibition programme features new commissions by artists responding to the region. It supports and provides access to artists from the region, while engaging and introducing established, international artists.

In October 2015, YARAT opened ARTIM, a central, accessible and dynamic space in Baku's Old City. ARTIM (meaning 'progress' in Azerbaijani) shows experimental practices and new work by emerging Azeri art professionals (selected through open call) and the international artists from the residency programme. It features multiple small-scale projects each year and hosts ARTIM LAB, a programme enabling young artists to engage in workshops and daily studio practice to generate new ideas and works.

In 2016 YARAT launched a renewed residency programme. Aimed at developing young Azerbaijani voices and emerging international artists, the focus is on new, innovative practices and artists with an interest in the region. The residency programme hosts 6 international and 4 local artists a year at YARAT Studios spaces.

Education has been at the heart of YARAT's activities since its creation. With a dedicated public programme that includes courses, workshops, lectures, screenings, festivals, literature and theatre clubs and family weekends, YARAT aims to give access to broad audiences of all ages. The public programme invests proactively in building communities and nurturing a wider understanding of, and participation in, contemporary art.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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The long-awaited cooperation on the Caspian Sea in the energy sector, which became the main topic for discussion between Azerbaijan and Iran, takes on a clearer outline as the Caspian states are expected to adopt the convention on the legal status of the sea this year.

The legal status of the Caspian Sea has remained unsolved during more than two decades, preventing development and exploitation of its disputable oil and gas fields and creating obstacles to the realization of major projects.

For a long time, the principle of delimitation of the seas water area was the apple of discord among the littoral states.

The Caspian states were mulling two possible options to determine the legal status of the Caspian Sea: delimitation using a mid-line modified method or division into 5 equal parts given each nation a 20 percent share. If the Caspian is legally declared a sea, all five littoral countries would map out their territorial waters and exploit the resources as they see fit.

The recent visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Azerbaijan truly marked the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the Caspian states.

The decisions achieved at this meeting may be called without exaggeration strategic and historic.

The meeting of President Ilham Aliyev and his Iranian counterpart largely focused on the opportunities for cooperation on the Caspian Sea.

The sides must make the maximum use from the waterbody through cooperation in the fields of science, economy, trade, maritime, fishing and tourism, President Rouhani believes.

Although many different aspects of cooperation on the Caspian Sea were mentioned, the biggest achievement of the talks, which consequently may accelerate the adoption of convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, can be considered the signing of a MoU on the joint development of blocks in the Caspian Sea between the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry and the Iranian Oil Ministry.

The document, signed by Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, should be viewed as a turning point in ties between the two littoral states since it would allow to jointly make use of resources of the Caspian Sea.

Baku and Tehran used to have serious disagreements regarding the delimitation of the Caspian Sea and joint energy cooperation.

The oil blocks which fall under newly-signed agreement might include the Araz-Alov-Sharg field, which was allegedly located at the same area with Iran's Alborz oil block. The cooperation on the oil block has long been the main sticking point between the sides, as both Iran and Azerbaijan have differences over its ownership.

The development of the Araz-Alov-Sharg block is frozen until the Caspian Sea status is agreed upon between Azerbaijan and Iran.

Therefore, the sides will strive to resolve all the issues hindering the early adoption of convention on the legal status. In addition, this move demonstrates the will of two nations to forget old disagreements and look into future hand in hand.

Within the framework of his regional tour, Rouhani earlier visited Turkmenistan where he also met with Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

Both states support strengthening of positive interaction in the Caspian Sea, strengthening its status as a sea of peace, friendship and harmony.

Both countries are active participants in the negotiation process to determine the legal status of the Caspian Sea. On the initiatives put forward by the Turkmen and Iranian sides, a solid legal framework that regulates the activities of the five coastal states in the Caspian in various fields was established.

Transportation is the key sphere of cooperation between Iran and Turkmenistan on the Caspian Sea.

At present, the work on the implementation of the large construction project of the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port is being completed in Turkmenistan. This will allow increasing the communication by sea with the Iranian ports of Enzeli and Nek in the future and through the port of Bandar-Abbas in the Persian Gulf.

During the meeting with his Turkmen counterpart, Rouhani highlighted the great prospects for partnership in the region in the oil and gas industry, which meets the interests of economic development of both countries.

Coastal states actively cooperate, and this work will be continued, especially in the field of ecology, biosphere and other directions.

Rouhani stated the presence of big opportunities for the development of Turkmen  Iranian trade and economic partnership, which are necessary to be realized with maximum output.

Caspian Sea, the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth, is surrounded by the five coastal countries of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan.

The issue of determining the legal status of the Caspian Sea became relevant after the collapse of the USSR, when the emergence of new subjects of international law - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - raised the issue of delimitation of the Caspian Sea between the five littoral countries.

The difficulties in determining the status of the Caspian Sea were linked, in particular, with the recognition of it as a lake or sea, the delineation of which is regulated by different provisions of international law.
By Trend

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said the regional disputes, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, should be resolved through diplomatic solutions, and urged for territorial integrity of countries.

We believe the regional issues must be resolved through diplomacy. We believe the problems of Yemen must be resolved through diplomatic talks and there is no military solution. We believe the issues of Syria must be resolved through diplomacy, he told a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, in Baku on Wednesday.

We also believe the Karabakh problem must be resolved through diplomatic solutions. With the efforts of the two countries, Azerbaijan and Armenia, we should witness more stability in the region. We are happy that diplomatic efforts are being made in this regard. It is important for us to protect the territorial integrity of countries and the [political] geography of the region, he added.

President Rouhani added that his country seeks closer ties with the friendly government and nation of Azerbaijan in order to secure mutual benefits.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan on March 28 on a two-day visit for diplomatic and economic talks.

The presidents of the two countries oversaw a ceremony for inking eight documents on the expansion of cooperation in several fields, including oil and gas, transportation and healthcare.

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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By Rashid Shirinov

The genocide policy conducted by the Armenians against the Azerbaijani people affected national cultural and historical monuments, Jeyhun Mammadov, Senior Consultant of the Interethnic Relations, Multiculturalism and Religious Affairs Department of Azerbaijans Presidential Administration, said on March 29.

He made the remarks at the international scientific conference in Baku entitled 100-year anniversary of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis in 1918. The policy of genocide, military aggression and ethnic cleansing in the modern period.

Mammadov noted that many mosques, historical and cultural monuments belonging to the Azerbaijani people were destroyed in Armenia.

Since the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the Armenian aggressors destroyed 1,200 historical and architectural monuments, looted 27 museums, while over 100,000 items were exported to Armenia. Moreover, the Armenian occupiers destroyed 152 religious monuments and 62 mosques, 4.6 million books in 927 libraries, including the Holy Quran and rare Islamic manuscripts.

The mosques in the Armenia-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh were completely destroyed. This once again shows the scale and essence of the genocide Armenians committed against the Azerbaijani people, Mammadov said.

Stressing that there is a state-protected Armenian church today in the center of Baku, he pointed out the difference between Armenias policy of genocide and the policy of Azerbaijan.

Mammadov added that Armenians presently live in Azerbaijan, and there is no conflict between Azerbaijanis and Armenians residing in the country.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.

Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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By Trend

The Astara-Rasht railway will be built in a short time and new opportunities will open up for the entire Eurasian region, said Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, while making press statements with Iranian President Hasan Rouhani in Baku March 28.

Today, a number of documents have been signed, among which I want to highlight two documents. These are documents related to our joint work in the Caspian Sea and the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway. These documents are of historical significance, because as a result of implementation of these documents, our cooperation in the Caspian Sea, as well as in the field of transport, will reach an even higher level. At the same time, it will have a very positive impact on regional cooperation, President Aliyev said.

The head of state noted that the sides have made great progress in the field of transport.

Last year, when I was on a visit to Iran, we marked the arrival of the first train from Azerbaijan to Iran. The first train entered Iran via a bridge built on Astarachai. And today we signed a very important and historic agreement on the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway, Ilham Aliyev said.

The head of state expressed confidence that the missing part of the North-South transport corridor - the Astara-Rasht railway will be built in a short time and thus new opportunities will open for the entire Eurasian region.

The North-South transport corridor is under implementation as a result of our joint efforts and of neighboring countries. In parallel, we have begun to work actively to create the South-West transport corridor. North-South and East-West transport corridors will be connected in the future. Our countries play a very important role here. I can state with full responsibility that the agreement on the construction of the Astara-Rasht railway, signed today, is of historical significance and I believe that everyone will witness this in the years to come, President Ilham Aliyev said.

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By Trend

This visit of Iranian President Hassan Ruhani to Baku will be very successful, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev during an expanded meeting with Rouhani.

I am confident that new opportunities will open for the development of Iranian-Azerbaijani relations, said the head of state.

"Dear Mr. President, Dear guests, I once again sincerely welcome you to Azerbaijan. Welcome to Azerbaijan. First of all, I want to congratulate you and the whole brotherly people of Iran on the occasion of the Novruz holiday. I wish the Iranian people happiness and well-being.

Your visit is very important, said President Aliyev. Over the past four years we have met ten times, and every meeting has a great meaning and significance.

The head of state noted that over these years, Iranian-Azerbaijani relations have reached the highest level.

We discuss issues in the atmosphere of friendship and brotherhood. The agreements reached are being implemented. Today we talked about this during the narrow-format meeting. Once again I want to say that all the agreements are being implemented, and this makes our countries even closer. We successfully cooperate in all areas - political, economic, cultural, energy and transport spheres. This cooperation has excellent results. To date, many bilateral documents have been signed and they are being implemented. And the documents to be signed today will open new opportunities for our cooperation. The documents to be signed also envisage joint work in the Caspian Sea, construction of the Astara-Rasht railway. Other documents, of course, are of particular importance in terms of making our countries closer, said the president.

President Aliyev noted that the two countries have sincere cooperation.

We have very close ties. Interstate relations are built on a sound basis. There is mutual trust and the results are clear evidence of these factors. I once again cordially greet you in Azerbaijan. I am confident that the visit will be very successful and new opportunities will open for the development of Iranian-Azerbaijani relations," Azerbaijani president said.

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By Trend

President Hassan Rouhani has said that mutual respect and trust between the governments of Iran and Azerbaijan have developed over the recent years.

The trust between the governments of the two countries have grown in the recent years. Mutual respect has increased and the sides have been engaged in more joint projects. The two nations and governments today witness the positive outcome of cooperation, he told a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, in Baku on Wednesday.

Saying the sides have decided to strengthen cooperation, Rouhani added that such cooperation will leave a lasting impact.

Terming some documents signed between the two countries on Wednesday as historic, he added that these documents will benefit the two nations and the region as well as the world.

President Rouhani arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan on March 28 on a two-day visit for diplomatic and economic talks.

The presidents of the two countries oversaw a ceremony for inking eight documents on the expansion of cooperation in several fields, including oil and gas, transportation and health.

Transportation

The cooperation in transit sector, which links Irans southern waters to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Russia as well as the north and eastern Europe through railways and roads, is an indication of the significance of the North-South corridor. The decision made today for the joint inauguration of Rasht-Astara railway shows the understanding of the two countries about the significance of the corridor.

Caspian Sea

The president went on to speak about ample opportunities for cooperation in the Caspian Sea and said the sides must make the maximum use from the waterbody through cooperation in the fields of science, economy, trade, maritime, fishing and tourism.

Saying that the sides today decided to jointly make use of resources of the Caspian Sea, he added that the agreement would show how the sides can cooperate in this regard.

Joint investments

The two countries decisions on joint investment, including the Astara (Azerbaijan)-Astara (Iran) railway and also the joint production of cars display the strong will of the two countries to widen cooperation, he added.

Rouhani said the opportunities for future cooperation on creation of a joint pharmaceutical plant and also cooperation in healthcare sector, as well as the swap of gas, investment in energy sector, and tourism indicate that the sides are capable of taking new steps in favor of common interests.

President Rouhani further said the sides have also decided to expand cooperation in the banking sector and work on a preferential trade agreement in order to facilitate trade.

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By Trend

Leaders of religious confessions in Azerbaijan have sent an appeal to world's religious leaders, parliaments, and international organizations, the Caucasus Muslims Office said in a message March 28.

"Expressing aspirations and wishes of Azerbaijani citizens and millions of world Azerbaijanis on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis - a crime against humanity accompanied by insidious and inconceivable crimes - we bring an appeal to the attention of the world community, religious leaders, parliaments and international organizations. The facts of the genocide committed because of national, ethnic and religious affiliation remain in the memory of mankind as the "black stains" of the world history," the appeal reads.

The appeal reads that Azerbaijanis are among the nations suffering from such crimes, and the regular nature of these terrible disasters always disturbs the Azerbaijani public, including the religious community.

"In the 1920s, Zangazur, the historical territory of Azerbaijan, was transferred to Armenia without any justification, and an Armenian autonomy was created in Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1948-1953, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were deported from their native lands, and in fact a mono-ethnic Armenian Republic was created in the ancestral territories of Azerbaijanis. A new wave of aggression and policy of ethnic cleansing by Armenian nationalists against our people began under pressure and provocation of the Armenian lobby in the second half of the 1980s," the appeal reads.

The appeal further reads that acts of vandalism were committed in the lands of Azerbaijan, seized by Armenians, and historical, religious, cultural monuments, sacred places and cemeteries were destroyed. The culmination was an act of genocide committed by Armenian extremists in 1992 in Khojaly.

"The genocide and the policy of genocide caused big moral and material damage to people," the appeal said. Only after Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev returned to power, the essence of the genocide and the deportation policy, carried out by Armenian nationalists, was brought to the world communitys attention."

Today, the Azerbaijani official and public circles bring irrefutable facts of ethnic cleansing and genocide committed by Armenian extremists in Azerbaijan to the attention of international organizations.

"Unfortunately, the Armenian terrorists have not been punished for the committed crimes yet, the appeal said. To date, the requirements of the four famous resolutions of the UN Security Council have not been fulfilled. Despite Azerbaijans appeals to international organizations for many years, the Khojaly genocide has not found a proper political, legal assessment yet.

According to the appeal, the Khojaly tragedy stands in same line with such inhuman crimes as the Holocaust, Bombing of Guernica and Khatyn Massacre.

"We, religious figures, once again appeal to the leaders of religious confessions, international community, the appeal said. We call for public and political assessment of the genocide committed by the Armenian occupiers.

The appeal was signed by Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Archbishop of Baku and Azerbaijan Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexander, Head of the Community of Mountain Jews in Azerbaijan Milih Yevdayev, and Chairman of the Albanian-Udi Christian Community Robert Mobili.

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By Trend

Armenians began to pursue a policy of genocide against Azerbaijanis 200 years ago, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of Azerbaijan Mubariz Gurbanli told reporters in Baku March 28.

Gurbanli said the young generation should spread information around the world about the atrocities of Armenians in different languages.

The young generation has enough opportunities for this. The young generation should take advantage of these opportunities and keep this issue in the limelight, because our struggle with the enemy has not ended, he added.

Gurbanli said the world community is informed about the atrocities committed by Armenians in Khojaly.

Even if the Armenians wanted to present it as a military operation, these attempts were unsuccessful, since the facts confirming that these atrocities were committed against civilians were brought to the attention of the whole world. Armenians committed genocide against civilians, Gurbanli added.

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By Trend

On March 27, the delegation of Kazakhstan took part in the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, Kazinform refers to the press service of the country's MFA.

Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs who briefed the meeting, expressed concern over the armed clashes and air strikes in Afrin, Idlib, and Hama, noting that they led to the deaths and injuries of a large number of people, as well as the destruction of infrastructure. He said that attacks on critical civilian infrastructure like medical facilities continue to be reported with at least 28 reported attacks on health facilities since mid-February and more than 70 verified incidents since the beginning of this year. According to him, at least 78 people were killed in Damascus, and 230 more were injured by shells launched from Eastern Ghouta in recent weeks. During the meeting, representatives of several countries expressed hope that the guarantors of the Astana process will be able to achieve progress in fulfilling the commitments reflected in the statement of March 16, prior to the forthcoming summit in Istanbul on April 4. In his speech, head of the Kazakh delegation, ambassador Kairat Umarov, reaffirmed the country's commitment to the preservation of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as the implementation of the provisions of all UN Security Council resolutions aimed at addressing humanitarian issues in the country. Kazakhstan, like other members of the Council, spoke in favor of providing humanitarian access, including cross-border assistance to millions of people in need in the SAR. Kairat Umarov stressed that the implementation of the UNSC Resolution 2401 on a nationwide ceasefire in Syria for the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid is a collective responsibility of all the members of the Council. The Kazakh delegation noted that the negotiations within the framework of the Astana process, scheduled for mid-May will focus on ensuring compliance with the relevant agreements reached on the basis of the Astana initiative. Kazakhstan's Permanent Representative to the UN urged the Syrian government to facilitate the access of humanitarian aid to the refugee camps by opening humanitarian corridors to the besieged areas and stressed that civilians should be allowed to safely leave the war zone, and their protection and respect for the international humanitarian law should become the top priorities.

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By Trend

The results of the March 25 parliamentary election in Turkmenistan were summed up today.

In total, 125 MPs were elected among 284 candidates throughout the country for the new convocation, the Turkmen Central Election Commission said in a message March 28.

Among the elected MPs are representatives of the Democratic Party, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Agrarian Party, and initiative groups of citizens.

An approved list of MPs will be disclosed in the coming days.

According to the Turkmen constitution, the parliament passes laws, makes changes and amendments to the constitution, approves the state budget, solves the issues concerning nationwide referendums and appoints MPs, members of the representative bodies.

Moreover, the parliament ratifies and denounces international treaties, solves the issues of state border and administrative-territorial division of the country.

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By Trend

The National, the Middle East's leading English-language news service, has published an article dedicated to the tourism potential of Baku.

The article titled "A luxury guide to Baku, Azerbaijan" tells about architecture, sights, historical monuments of the capital of Azerbaijan, peculiarities of the national Azerbaijani cuisine.

Mostly walkable, safe and with low-cost taxis and high-end accommodation, shopping and dining  probably the finest in the Caucasus region  make it both interesting and easy, the article said.

Etihad Airways directly flies to Baku three times a week.

An engaging blend of Dubai, Paris, Marrakech and Moscow, Baku, now just a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Abu Dhabi, makes for an excellent luxury weekend break, especially after the recent relaxation of visa restrictions, the article said.

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A Jasper Police officer who was arrested in November for allegedly sexually assaulting a child faces charges in Angelina County.

Billy Joe Murphy, who was hired by Jasper PD in July 2016, was indicted by an Angelina County grand jury on a felony charge of sexual assault of a child.

According to the indictment, the assault occurred in October 2017.

He was placed on administrative leave after his arrest, pending an indictment.

The Angelina County Sheriff's Office confirmed in November that Murphy was an employee there before working for Jasper.

The Jasper City Council will meet Monday in closed session to discuss Murphy's employment, according to an agenda posted online.

Murphy was the second police officer in Jasper to be charged with sexual assault of a child this fall.

Lacie Jackson, a former patrol officer with JPD, was indicted on Sept. 28 in Sabine County after allegedly assaulting a child in February 2016.

Chief Gerald Hall was informed by the Texas Rangers on Aug. 23 that Jackson was under investigation. Her later terminated her employment.
Three men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a multi-city robbery conspiracy that ended after a police chase in Beaumont last year.

Marvin James Rhine, 45, Darrell Paul Williams, 38, and Gerrick Leon Wade, 38, were sentenced to federal prison Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Joseph Brown said in a press release.

Williams and Wade were arrested on Feb. 22, 2017 in Beaumont.

Beaumont Police and FBI agents were notified that morning that a vehicle the FBI had been monitoring was traveling to Beaumont and followed it to a parking lot at the Autumn Oaks Apartment Complex, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn said at the time.

Officers observed five vehicles gathering in the parking lot and noted several firearms and the occupants' suspicious behavior, including putting on gloves and dark clothing, Quinn said. One of the vehicles was a white Cadillac Escalade that had been stolen from Houston in a carjacking, Quinn said.

When the vehicles left the parking lot, police tried to stop the Escalade, which took off. The chase ended in the 3500 block of Delaware.

Williams, Wade and Micah Johnson fled the vehicle and were captured and held by law enforcement officials, with help from a K-9 unit.

Beaumont Police said in November that the men were part of a group that was believed to have been involved in 13 robberies in Southeast Texas, amounting to more than $1 million in stolen funds.

Rhine, Williams and Wade pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery in violation of the Hobbs Act, which covers offenses affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

Rhine was sentenced to 17 years and 11 months in prison, Williams to 7 years and 8 months, and Wade to 12 years and 7 months.
Newton County Judge Paul Price has declared a disaster in the county and issued a voluntary evacuation order for low-lying areas near the Sabine River.

The order covers low-lying areas in zip codes 75966, 75932, 75933, 75928 and 77614.

Price said Friday afternoon that more flooding is possible this weekend as the Sabine River continues to rise.

All 11 spillway gates at Toledo Bend are open four feet each to lower the reservoir level, the Sabine River Authority said Thursday night. The dam is releasing water at a rate of 44,000 cubic feet per second, four times as much water as it was on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service is forecasting some flooding along Southeast Texas rivers through Tuesday after heavy rain this week.

Gore Store Road in Hardin County is closed from FM 92 to U.S. 69, and FM 363 in Newton County is closed from Texas 87 to U.S. 190 due to water over the road.

As of 12:20 p.m. Friday, FM 418 is closed at Village Creek in between Silsbee and Kountze.

Hardin County roads closed Friday afternoon include FM 787 from FM 1293 to FM 770, and FM 478 from FM 1122 to US 69.

The Toledo Bend reservoir was at 173.28 feet at 5 p.m. Friday, according to the NWS. Spillway gates are opened when Toledo Bend reaches 172.5 feet.

The Sabine River was about five feet above flood stage at Bon Wier at 8 a.m. Friday, and is forecast to rise another foot by Sunday morning, reaching "major flood stage."

Flooding is expected to be moderate near Deweyville, where the river was about 1 foot above flood stage Friday morning. It is expected to rise another two feet by Monday night.

The Sabine is not yet at flood stage near Burkeville or Orange.

The Neches River is expected to rise about 3 feet through Tuesday night, the NWS predicted, reaching minor flood stage near Evadale and moderate flood stage near Beaumont. Flooding is not expected on Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake.
Here are seven updates for ASC leaders to know for March 29, 2018.

Maine Medical Center seeks board approval for $512M expansion, including ASC

Portland-based Maine Medical Center received board approval March 27 to launch an expansion project this spring. The five-year expansion plan includes a new surgery center.

Erlanger Health System denied CON to build surgery center

Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Erlanger Health System's request to build a surgery center in Ringgold, Ga., was denied by the Georgia Department of Community Health. Erlanger sought to build a $9.8 million surgery center next to its family medicine practice, but state reviewers said there was no numerical need for the project.

Dental-only ASC to open in North Carolina

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued Fayetteville, N.C.-based Valleygate Dental Surgery Center a certificate of need March 1, clearing the group to open its new center in Greensboro, N.C., June 1.

Drugmaker paid roughly $550K to lobby for ASC, outpatient reimbursement status

A provision in the spending bill President Donald Trump signed March 23 restores the expired reimbursement status of Omidria, the flagship product of Omeros, for two years. The drugmaker paid two firms about $275,000 each to lobby lawmakers on reimbursement policies.

Tennessee hospital purchases 3 acres for expansion

Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health purchased three acres of land in Murfreesboro, Tenn., to facilitate an outpatient expansion. It plans to construct a 13,000-square-foot surgery center.

Readers push back on 'sensationalized' story misrepresenting ASC safety

Kaiser Health News published three rebukes to a joint report with USA Today that has been met with the scorn of the ASC industry for not providing needed context. The rebukes came from Chicago-based anesthesiologist and journalist James Lozada, MD; Ambulatory Surgery Center Association CEO William Prentice; and New York City-based Montefiore Hutchinson Campus' Medical Director Curtis Choice, MD.

California ASC, hospitals battle opioid shortage

Nationwide manufacturing issues have shrunk the supply of liquid forms of morphine, fentanyl and Dilaudid, which are injected to control acute pain after surgery. Several groups  including the American Society of Anesthesiologists  wrote to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials in February, asking them to reduce opioid production regulatory limits.
Appalachian Orthopedics surgeon Jason Brashear, MD, performed the first outpatient total hip replacement at Mountain Empire Surgery Center in Jackson City, Tenn.

Here are five things to know:

1. Dr. Brashear used the anterior hip replacement approach to conduct the minimally invasive procedure. His patient was able to return home the same day of surgery.

2. Four weeks after the procedure, the patient reported long-term pain was gone and he returned to regular activities.

3. Dr. Brashear currently has another dozen outpatient joint procedures scheduled after the success of his first procedure at the ASC.

4. Prior to joining Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Brashear practiced at Fayette Regional Hospital in Connersville, Ind., focused on general orthopedics.

5. Mountain Empire Surgery Center is an affiliate of United Surgical Partners International and includes four operation rooms as well as treatment rooms.
Indianapolis-based OrthoIndy became the first hospital in Indiana to install the Mazor X Robotic Guidance System.

Here's what you should know.

1. The Mazor X system integrates preoperative planning tools and analytics with intraoperative guidance to assist surgeons during minimally invasive surgery.

2. OrthoIndy believes the Maxor X will complement its extensive technological offerings in spine surgery.

3. OrthoIndy will perform its first procedures with the system March 29.

4. OrthoIndy President and CEO Timothy Dicke, MD, said, "OrthoIndy Hospital is pleased to be the first hospital in Central Indiana to introduce the Mazor X Robotic Guidance System to its spine program. This precision tool will further add to the ability of our skilled spine surgeons to safely perform complex surgeries. At OrthoIndy, we have always been committed to providing the highest quality of spine care for our patients."
Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare will outsource 98 IT system employees as a result of a new partnership with Tysons, Va.-based IT services provider DXC Technology, according to a March 28 news release.

The transition, effective June 3, involves computer support, internet access and system administration employees. However, it will not affect an additional 260 Intermountain IT employees, including those in cybersecurity, onsite support, telehealth and those in the Intermountain data center.

Intermountain attributed the outsourcing move to a desire to quicken computer technologies implementation and help clinicians improve patient care.

"As a healthcare provider that is not in the business of developing IT solutions, Intermountain has found it makes sense to partner with highly efficient and effective companies such as DXC to perform certain IT tasks," said Intermountain CIO Marc Probst. "The partnership with DXC offers cost-effective IT solutions within the healthcare industry, as well as access to an extensive network with expertise in technology management."

Joe Fournier, Intermountain's chief people officer, said DXC will extend job offers to all employees affected by the transition, with a promise of employment for at least one year. He said a number of employees who decide to go to DXC will still work on Intermountain projects, although some will also work for other DXC clients. DXC, which has offices around the globe, currently serves approximately 6,000 clients, including Amazon Web Services, AT&T and Microsoft, according to the company's website.

Affected employees who decide not to go to DXC will receive help from Intermountain to find other jobs, said Mr. Fournier.

Intermountain is in the middle of restructuring efforts. In addition to the DXC partnership, the system also acquired a $20 million stake in revenue cycle management company R1 RCM in January, and revealed it would transfer roughly 2,300 nonclinical employees to R1.

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Dan Kelly, president of CHI Health St. Mary's in Nebraska City, Neb., is resigning May 18, according to NCN21.com.

Here are four points:

1. Mr. Kelly has served Nebraska City and the surrounding area for two decades.

2. The organization did not disclose the reason for his resignation.

3. During Mr. Kelly's tenure, the hospital completed construction on a 100,000-square-foot replacement facility.

4. CHI Health St. Mary's will immediately begin searching for a successor. In the interim, a leadership team will be formed.
Michael Blackman, MD, MBA serves as Medical Director for Allscripts.

On April 11th, Dr. Blackman will speak on a panel at Becker's Hospital Review 9th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place April 11-14, 2018 in Chicago.

To learn more about the conference and Dr. Blackman's session, click here.

Question: Who or what are the disruptors that have your attention? Why?



Dr. Michael Blackman: Cooperation between large employers looking for innovative ways to deliver healthcare to their employees. As we continue to move toward value-based reimbursement structures, it will be helpful to try multiple models for managing varied populations as we continue to learn what works, what doesn't, and in what situation. The outcomes from these initiatives will effect the future of population health.

Q: Describe one of your best colleagues. What it is that person does/brings that makes them indispensable to your organization?



MB: Team player with a positive attitude. It's generally easy to be positive when things are going well, but what about when things don't go as planned. Disruptions to a plan or other unexpected setbacks are common, and my best colleagues respond well in those situations. They continue to focus on the desired outcome and support the team with whatever is needed to help redirect and reach the goal.

Q: What did you notice about your healthcare experience the last time you were at the receiving end as a patient?



MB: The continued lack of widespread true data exchange between providers. While my personal physicians use EHRs and provide patient portals, they use different systems with different portals. The way one could see information from the other was by my logging into the patient portal and showing that information to the physician.

Q: All healthcare is local. What about your market influences your organization's business or operations most?



MB: While we strive to provide solutions to address common market needs, there will always be local initiatives or problems which fall outside those needs. We need to be able to support those initiatives along with providing tools which provide sufficient customer flexibility.

Q: When was the last time your organization responded to concerns or needs expressed by physicians? What unfolded?



MB: Physician input is vital for good health IT design. We like to engage with our physicians early on to improve adoption, usability and ultimately patient safety. The more time clinicians save by not having to deal with counter-intuitive solutions, the more time they have to spend with patients and the less likely they are to suffer burnout and decreased job performance. National survey data shows 45 percent to 55 percent of all providers are affected by provider burnout, and EHRs hold much of the blame. A great example is UH and Allscripts working together to combat burnout and improve provider wellness by making its EMR user-friendly, seamless and interoperable with other systems. With UH's help, we've taken steps to address and overcome stability issues, increased ways to streamline workflow and created a bridge between systems to provide a more unified view and better access to information across the UH system.

Q: As a leader, what is the best investment you made in your own professional development in the past five years?



MB: Being willing to step out of my comfort zone by continuing to take on new challenges and learn more aspects of the business.

Q: How do you see the barrier between competitors and collaborators changing?



MB: Healthcare will never be a one-vendor industry. We must focus on making life better for clinicians, not more difficult. Allscripts has been working for a long time toward true interoperability for all in a multivendor healthcare environment. We recognize interoperability is more than just connecting data; it's about making that data useful to the clinician at the point of care so he or she can take better care of patients within a unified workflow. It's about enabling people to share data across the continuum, no matter where they are or which vendor or networks they use. All healthcare IT vendors must deliver tools that put this data to work and make it useful by combining disparate streams of information into a single, actionable patient record.
Physicians serve as dedicated members of their communities, taking care of vulnerable patients and working to keep people healthy.

Hospitals and health systems across the country will take time to honor and recognize this work as part of National Doctors' Day, scheduled for March 30. First observed in 1933 in Georgia, Doctors' Day initially included sending out greeting cards and putting flowers on graves of deceased physicians, according to a National Doctors' Day website. The U.S. established a national Doctors' Day in the early 1990s, and hospitals and health systems have long conducted their own celebrations.

Here is how a number of hospitals and health systems are celebrating this year.

UCHealth

Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth is celebrating similarly to the one-year anniversary campaign of its new brand. The system launched a new brand Feb. 1, 2017, with a focus on patient experience and innovation. As UCHealth celebrated the one-year anniversary of the launch, it came across video platform Cinebody, which allows cell phones to generate videos and submit them instantaneously for editing. UCHealth had 13 employees make videos with this technology, sharing why they entered healthcare and why it's important to work for a patient-centric organization, says Manny Rodriguez, chief marketing and experience officer for UCHealth.

Rather than do a cake and newspaper ad to celebrate National Doctors' Day this year, the system decided to again use Cinebody. Physicians used the technology to create videos where they discuss why they love to be physicians and are happy with their career choice  in their own words and without a script.

"We're getting what we hoped we'd get which is a lot of passion and emotion in the stories they're sharing," Mr. Rodriguez says.

UCHealth plans to put the video footage on its website and highlight it in the system newsletter.

Examples of videos can be seen here and here.

NYC Health + Hospitals

New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals celebrates as a system, in addition to individual celebrations at facilities. The organization honors 25 physicians "from diverse disciplines and practices, who represent the thousands of other highly skilled and mission-driven physicians across our broad system," spokesperson Jennifer Bender said via email. She said the honorees, nominated by their colleagues, are recognized for exceptional performance in providing quality care, patient safety, clinical education, research, teamwork or leadership. The 2018 celebration of physicians is scheduled for April 26 at Baruch College in New York City. NYC Health + Hospitals also features the honorees internally among staff via the intranet and newsletter and externally through a news release, on the system website and on the system's social media platforms.

"Doctors' Day gives our health system another opportunity to celebrate and honor our physicians, who have dedicated their careers to advance the public health system's mission and who help keep our communities healthy," Machelle Allen, MD, CMO of NYC Health + Hospitals, said in a statement to Becker's Hospital Review. "Our patients entrust our doctors with their well-being, even their lives  and with good reason."

Dignity Health

San Francisco-based Dignity Health's Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, also in San Francisco, and Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, Calif., choose a Physician of the Year based on input from colleagues. Honorees are recognized "for extraordinary patient care and human kindness," says Todd Strumwasser, MD, Dignity Health's senior vice president of operations for the San Francisco Bay Area and an anesthesiologist. Each individual hospital also does smaller recognitions such as a celebratory meal.

Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Calif., honors medical staff by donating in their name to an organization in the community, according to Nanette Mickiewicz, MD, the hospital's president. In 2018, this was a $10,000 donation to Second Harvest Food Bank. "The food bank and Dominican Hospital share a similar vision  to serve the most vulnerable in our community. We are grateful for our medical staff's dedication to this community, and pleased to acknowledge the physicians in this way," Dr. Mickiewicz said in a statement.

Dr. Strumwasser expressed similar sentiments.

"We want to make sure they understand we appreciate the sacrifices they've made in their lives and continue to make on behalf of our communities," he told Becker's Hospital Review. "I think it's an important time to do that, to let them know how we as a healthcare delivery system need them and will succeed at keeping our patients and our communities healthier because of their work."

Advocate Health Care

As part of various promotions and celebrations, Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care is highlighting who or what inspired physicians to enter their profession. The health system is posting stories  in physicians' own words  on health enews, Advocate's daily health and wellness newsletter/website. The system is also promoting the stories internally and on social media.

Examples may be found here, here and here.

"Our physicians dedicate themselves every single day to providing the safest and highest quality of care," said Lee Sacks, MD, CMO of Advocate Health Care, in a statement to Becker's Hospital Review. "It is our honor to offer a platform for them to shine a spotlight on the people and experiences that inspired their interest in medicine and motivated them to pursue this noble calling."

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William Strampel, DO, former dean of the East Lansing-based Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, was arrested March 26 and charged with counts of criminal sexual conduct and willful neglect of duty the following day, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Strampel, 70, led the university's medical school from 2002 until he took medical leave and stepped down from the role last December. During his tenure, Dr. Strampel was in charge of monitoring the actions of Larry Nassar, DO, who is currently serving a 60-year sentence in federal prison on charges of child pornography.

Here are six things to know about the case.

1. Dr. Strampel was charged March 27 with one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct using force or coercion and two misdemeanor counts of willful neglect of duty by a public officer. He also faces a felony charge of misconduct of a public official. The charges stem, in part, from allegations by several female Michigan State students who reportedly told police Dr. Strampel had propositioned them for sexual favors, groped and harassed them, according to an affidavit filed in Michigan state court March 27, and partly because of his alleged failure to supervise Dr. Nassar and allowing him to see and treat patients while under investigation.

2. The Michigan attorney general's office seized Dr. Strampel's work computer in early February as part of its investigation into the medical school. Investigators reportedly found an estimated 50 pornographic images and other content of a sexual nature. The device also reportedly contained a video of Dr. Nassar performing a "treatment" on a young female patient, according to the WSJ.

3. According to the affidavit, Dr. Strampel also allowed Dr. Nassar to see patients while he was under investigation in 2014. While Dr. Nassar was cleared of all charges, the university mandated he follow strict guidelines to prevent future complaints. Dr. Strampel allegedly did not monitor Dr. Nassar and allowed him to begin seeing patients before the investigation had concluded, the affidavit states.

4. According to a previous Wall Street Journal report, Dr. Strampel told a group of students and administrators in October 2016 he didn't believe the women who accused Dr. Nassar of sexual abuse, allegedly stating, "Patients lie to get doctors in trouble. I don't think any of these women were actually assaulted by Larry."

5. University officials said in February they are in the process of firing Dr. Strampel. In a statement to The Wall Street Journal March 27, Michigan State University Interim President John Engler said the university would continue to cooperate with investigators and noted some of the allegations against Dr. Strampel were "disturbing."

"Some of the allegations about his personal conduct, especially conduct toward students, are disturbing. Today's charges confirm our belief that he has fallen short of what is expected and required from academic leadership," Mr. Engler said.

6. Dr. Strampel was arraigned in district court March 27. The judge set his bond at $25,000, and he was not asked to enter a plea. Dr. Strampel is also prohibited from having contact with victims, witnesses, or any current or former Michigan State University medical students.

To access the Wall Street Journal report, click here.
The nonpartisan American Antitrust Institute called on the federal government to move to block CVS Health's proposed $69 billion merger with Aetna.

In a 10-page letter sent to the Department of Justice's antitrust division, Diana Moss, PhD, president of AAI, outlined the organization's concerns about what combining one of the largest retail pharmacy chains with the third largest health insurer means for Americans.

"Together with the merger of Express Scripts-Cigna, CVS-Aetna would trigger a fundamental restructuring of the U.S. healthcare system," Dr. Moss writes. "Stronger incentives to exclude rival PBMs and health insurers and to engage in anticompetitive coordination would harm competition and consumers at all levels."

In February 2018, the DOJ requested additional information from CVS Health and Aetna for its review of the companies' proposed merger, according to a Feb. 1 Securities and Exchange Commission filing. About a month later, CVS Health and Aetna shareholders overwhelmingly approved the deal.



In her letter, Dr. Moss argues if CVS-Aetna and Cigna-Express Scripts pass regulatory scrutiny, three PBM-insurer forces (including OptumRx and UnitedHealthcare) will make market entry near to impossible for competitors, with only companies with a PBM and an insurer able to scale potential barriers.



"Any of the anticompetitive effects discussed in this letter would be detrimental to consumers through potentially higher prices, lower quality, less choice, and less innovation in markets for prescription drugs and health insurance," Dr. Moss argues. "In healthcare, these effects can make the difference between wellness or disease, and life or death."



"In light of all of this, the only effective remedy is for the government to move to block the proposed merger," the letter states.



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Sonoma West Medical Center in Sebastopol, Calif., has suspended its toxicology testing program after Anthem sent hospital leadership a letter claiming SWMC was involved in a lab testing scheme, according to Sonoma West Times & News.

Hospital leadership decided to shut down the program in late February after SWMC retained legal counsel to look into Anthem's allegations, SWMC Chief Nursing and Operating Officer Barbara Vogelsang told Sonoma West Times & News. "As our attorneys completed their fact-finding, toxicology testing services that were being performed at our hospital ceased," Ms. Vogelsang said.

In its letter to the hospital, Anthem claimed the lab testing scheme SWMC was involved in resulted in the insurer making $13.5 million in payments to the hospital. "Sonoma West appears to have conspired with several third parties to fabricate or misrepresent claims for toxicology testing services that were improperly billed to Anthem," the letter stated.

Anthem threatened to take legal action against SWMC and its owner, Sebastopol-based Palm Drive Health Care District, if the funds were not returned immediately. The insurer also said it would deny all claims for urine testing the hospital submitted as of Jan. 22, according to the report.

The alleged lab testing scheme gained national attention this week when CBS aired a special investigative report. In June 2017, the governing board of SWMC and the Palm Drive Health Care District approved a lab management agreement with Durall Capital Holdings, a Florida-based company owned by Aaron Durall. The agreement reportedly generated more than $31 million in the last eight months, according to CBS.

Ms. Vogelsang told Sonoma West Times & News the hospital is making changes to ensure proper billing moving forward. "As we have discussed in the past, we are making significant changes to our revenue cycle department. This will ensure appropriate billing and collecting for the care we provide, enabling us to continue to operate," she said.

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Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals who gained notoriety for inflating the price of a life-saving anti-infection drug, plans to appeal his securities fraud conviction and seven-year prison sentence, according to CNBC.

Mr. Shkreli was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud in August 2017. During the trial, prosecutors claimed Mr. Shkreli lied to multiple investors, causing them to pour millions of dollars into two hedge funds he ran. Further, prosecutors said Mr. Shkreli sent out fraudulent financial statements to investors claiming positive returns when he actually lost their money.

Although prosecutors sought a 15-year prison sentence for his crimes, U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto sentenced Mr. Shkreli to seven years in prison March 9. Immediately following the sentence, Mr. Shkreli requested to serve his prison sentence at a minimum security camp.

A judge agreed to Mr. Shkreli's request to serve his prison sentence at a minimum security camp March 27. On the same day, Mr. Shkreli's lawyers filed a notice of appeal of his conviction of securities fraud. The appeal could take a year or more to resolve.

Mr. Shkreli will remain in prison as the appeal is addressed, according to the report.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health identified violations in the administration of painkillers and monitoring of medicated patients at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem during a February investigation, according to a report from The Morning Call.

Here are five things to know.

1. Eighty-seven-year-old Letizia Mill, who received cancer surgery at LVH-Muhlenberg last year, told The Morning Call she overdosed at the hospital Sept. 22 after being hooked up to a machine that pumped the powerful opioid Dilaudid into her body post-surgery. She said she was revived with Narcan and CPR.

2. Mill's son told the publication he filed a complaint with the state after the incident. The health department told The Morning Call a complaint triggered their investigation, but would not confirm if the complaint involved Ms. Mills.

3. The health department found hospital staff regularly failed to check the breathing patterns and vital signs of patients medicated with opioids in three of the four medical records examined by investigators.

4. Corrective actions issued to Lehigh Valley Health Network by the state included revising policy regarding the documentation of medicated patients' consciousness and reeducating nurses to check and document vital signs.

5. Brian Downs, a spokesperson with Lehigh Valley Health Network, would not discuss the health department's findings or the specifics of Ms. Mill's case with The Morning Call.

"We want to emphasize how open, honest and transparent we have been with Ms. Mill and her family right from the start," Mr. Downs told the publication. "We apologized for what happened and assured them that the necessary follow-up care was provided to achieve the best outcome for her. We also cooperated fully with the department of health to ensure that proper documentation of information would take place moving forward."

To read the full report, click here.

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More than 900,000 people were absent from the workforce in 2015 due to opioid addiction, according to a study released March 27 by the American Action Forum, a Washington, D.C.-based center-right public policy advocacy group.

The research builds on a 2017 study conducted by Alan Krueger, PhD, an economics professor at Princeton (N.J.) University, which found opioid addiction could have contributed to a 20 percent decline in American workforce participation. The American Action Forum study applies this finding to data compiled by Bureau of Labor Statistics from 1999 to 2015.

"Of course the opioid crisis is a major health issue. The overdose fatalities by themselves suggest how big of a problem it is," said Ben Gitis, director of labor market policy at the American Action Forum and one of the study's co-authors, according to The Washington Post. "But it's also a major constraint on our economy."

Here are three study findings to know.

1. Opioid addiction kept approximately 919,400 individuals ages 25 to 54 out of the labor force in 2015.

2. From 1999 through 2015, opioid sales rose by 10 percent annually. Over the same period, labor force participation among prime-age workers declined from 84.1 percent to 80.9 percent, which resulted in a collective loss of more than 12 billion labor hours.

3. The lost labor hours resulted in a $702.1 billion loss in economic output, which slowed America's economic growth rate by 0.2 percent over the study period.

To read the full study, click here.

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Clinton, S.C.-based Laurens County Memorial Hospital evacuated its staff and 46 patients March 29 after receiving a bomb threat, reports the Clinton Chronicle.

At approximately 9 a.m., the hospital received the threat, forcing a prompt evacuation and response from the Laurens County Sheriff's Department.

No devices were found on a preliminary sweep by the bomb squad. A secondary sweep was also completed and no devices were found.

All patients and staff were evacuated out of an abundance of caution. Patients were under tents in front of the hospital as the search took place.

The evacuation was lifted around 12 p.m. March 29 and hospital operations have resumed.
The average wait time to see a physician in the U.S. currently stands at 18 minutes, 13 seconds across specialties, which is down 22 seconds from last year. However, patient wait times vary significantly across cities, according to Vitals' annual Physician Wait Time Report.

To compile the Physician Wait Time Report, Vitals gathered data from patient-reported wait times from 2008 through the end of 2017. Vitals also surveyed more than 675 online respondents in a March 2018 poll.

For the second year in a row, Milwaukee had the shortest average patient wait time at 14 minutes, 35 seconds, while El Paso, Texas, has had the longest average wait time for seven years running, reaching 26 minutes, 50 seconds this year.

Here are the five cities with the longest average patient wait times.

1. El Paso, Texas (26 min, 50 sec)

2. Memphis, Tenn. (23 min, 44 sec)

3. Miami (22 min, 29 sec)

4. Las Vegas (21 min, 19 sec)

5. Fort Worth, Texas (21 min, 1 sec)

Here are the five cities with the shortest average patient wait times.



1. Milwaukee (14 min, 35 sec)

2. Seattle (14 min, 38 sec)

3. St. Paul, Minn. (14 min, 43 sec)

4. Minneapolis (14 min, 55 sec)

5. Portland, Maine (15 min, 6 sec)
Here are 20 hospitals and health systems that posted job listings seeking nurses in the past week.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Job listings were compiled from job seeker websites.

1. Terre Haute (Ind.) Regional Hospital: To host registered nurse hiring event April 12

2. John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County (Chicago): Seeks clinical nurse for the surgical intensive care unit

3. Children's National Medical Center (Washington, D.C.): Seeks registered nurse for the emergency medicine and trauma center

4. Skokie (Ill.) Hospital: Seeks registered nurse for the ICU

5. Kingman (Ariz.) Regional Medical Center: Seeks new graduate registered nurses

6. York (Maine) Hospital: Seeks registered nurse for the medical/surgical unit

7. OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital (Athens): Seeks registered nurse for the emergency department

8. Glenbrook Hospital (Glenview, Ill.): Seeks registered nurse for the ICU

9. Orange Park (Fla.) Medical Center: Seeks registered nurse for the ICU

10. Beverly (Mass.) Hospital: Seeks registered nurse for the medical/surgical unit

11. HSHS St. Vincent Hospital (Green Bay, Wis.): Seeks registered nurse for the ICU

12. Froedtert Hospital (Milwaukee): Seeks registered nurse for the ED

13. University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas): Seeks registered nurse for the medical/surgical unit

14. UAB Hospital (Birmingham, Ala.): Seeks registered nurse

15. Novato (Calif.) Community Hospital: Seeks registered nurse

16. North Kansas City (Mo.) Hospital: Seeks registered nurse

17. Porter Medical Center (Middlebury, Vt.): Seeks registered nurse for the medical/surgical unit

18. Melbourne (Fla.) Regional Medical Center: Seeks registered nurse for the medical/surgical unit

19. Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center (Denver): Seeks registered nurse

20. Metropolitan Methodist Hospital (San Antonio): Seeks registered nurse

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Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technologies continue to be one of the most innovative areas of the global spine device industry, with many factors driving growth.

One of the catalysts of this market movement is the participation of key market players, and their dedication to development, application, and education. While many external drivers and limiters also affect this market, the activities of leading competitors with a strong MIS focus, like NuVasive, are a great example of this drive for development in not only products, but also the industry as a whole.

In terms of the competitive landscape, a mix of companies are present in the minimally invasive market space. Companies with a stronger MIS focus, such as NuVasive and Globus Medical, continue to show strong growth and expand their device portfolios. In addition, many larger established companies, such as Medtronic, Zimmer Biomet, Stryker and DePuy Synthes, have developed strong portfolios in this segment. While the MIS segment shares many of the same drivers as the overall spine industry, increasing awareness and familiarity among physicians and patients are ever more important.

The major procedural drivers for MIS technology are its widely-known clinical benefits. Rather than using a large opening, MIS approaches create small ports of entry for the procedure. This method reduces muscle and tissue damage, decreases complications and extends the intraoperative time limit. As a result, recovery times can be lessened for patients while simultaneously increasing the number of procedures a physician could perform within a given amount of time, compared to the open approach.

Industry Growth is More Than Technology

While these benefits appear obvious, promoting and publicizing clinical research is important for companies. Fortunately, the innovative nature of the MIS market means that studies are often underway or being published. This includes ongoing studies on established segments of the MIS industry. In February 2017, the U.K.-based National Industry for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a comprehensive literature review on the efficacy of the lateral approach. Reviewing over 200 articles, the study found a weighted average rate of fusion of 94%, as well as a weighted average of 60% for improvement in pain. This is a positive endorsement for MIS technologies, such as the lateral XLIF procedure through which NuVasive established itself. The company reported that it had submitted a body of internal data for the purposes of the study.

Physician education is one of the most important drivers for increased adoption, and its self-reinforcing. As physicians begin to use MIS devices, they will, in turn, make other patients and physicians aware of what is available. In addition to promotional work at physician and research conferences, companies will integrate MIS devices into their broader surgeon education programs. Some of the major limiters to MIS technology in its early stages were the unfamiliarity of physicians and the complexity of the procedure. This has been particularly true for retractor-based techniques, which can be harder to master than traditional open surgical approaches.

By providing long-term and consistent education and support, companies are able to overcome, or at least mitigate, this limiter to MIS adoption. An example of this in practice is NuVasives expansion of the Clinical Professional Development (CPD) program at the end of 2017. This expansion came alongside the release of several new devices and is intended to provide support to surgeons throughout their careers. In addition to product portfolios, quality of education will be a major distinguishing market for companies who are trying to expand their presence in the MIS segment.

Market Limiters of MIS Devices

One of the limiters faced by companies is the pricing of minimally invasive devices. Theoretically, lower pricing for MIS alternatives compared to standard technologies would be a strong driver for adoption. However, this has not been the case in the market. Hospital buyer data shows that average sales prices for MIS technologies are often more expensive compared to standard counterparts. This is true for both fixation and interbody devices. This means that it is even more important for MIS companies to capitalize on other drivers of the technology.

Hospital purchase order data further shows a wide variance in selling prices for individual fixation packages. This implies that across different product lines, companies are using low-price strategies to target increased placement, and high-price strategies to support innovative technologies. MIS interbody devices tended to be priced more highly compared to standard counterparts. Companies marketing both categories will be able to make use of the opportunities afforded by each. The incentive for such variance may be one reason why MIS companies are rapidly expanding their portfolios.

Expanding Product Portfolios Driving Growth

Major competitors are seeking to invest heavily in this growing market by widening their offerings, as can be seen by the volume of recent portfolio development. Throughout 2017, NuVasive released and updated various aspects of its portfolio, particularly focusing on interbody devices. The final months of the year saw a focus on new materials as well, such as the 3D-printed porous titanium Modulus XLIF, the porous COALESCE device for both TLIF and PLIF procedures and expanded clearance for its COHERE cervical device and TLX interbody system for TLIF procedures. In addition, the company also pursued several acquisitions in 2017. In particular, the company cited porous PEEK technology as being a major factor in the acquisition of Vertera Spine.

This expansion of portfolio options will also reinforce company brand recognition and client relationships. With many customers still focusing on standard solutions for spinal fusion, companies offering both services are well placed to expand the use of MIS technologies. From a competitive analysis perspective, companies offering both types of devices can likely expect to see strong growth. In addition to its traditionally strong presence in the MIS interbody device market, according to iDatas latest research, NuVasive has also been able to expand their presence in the MIS fixation market to approximately 20%, showing growth in both standard and MIS segments of its portfolio. Furthermore, established competitors in the standard device segments, such as Medtronic, DePuy Synthes, Stryker and Zimmer Biomet, have been among the most effective at establishing themselves in the MIS industry. It is expected that they will be particularly effective at expanding the MIS segments in markets such as Latin America and Asia-Pacific, where established distributor relationships are important.

Where is the MIS Spine Market Heading?

The result of these various drivers is that strong growth within the MIS markets is expected to continue. In the United States, MIS spine technologies are expected to expand from an estimated $1.7 billion in 2017 to over $2 billion by 2024. MIS interbody devices and MIS pedicle screws will account for the largest segments in this market. Strong growth is also expected in markets outside of the United States. In many geographies, a demographic trend towards growing elderly populations will mean increasing demand for spinal surgical technologies. With many of these patients seeking more personalized solutions, companies have strong incentive to make sure that both institutions and patients are educated about MIS solutions.

Further growth on the part of companies is expected, especially as those with the largest market shares continue to expand globally. Growing markets outside of the U.S. and Europe will likely begin to see more diverse selections of devices. It is no surprise that NuVasive and other companies are employing a strategy of promotion on all fronts, from clinical information to strong expansion of portfolios. With such growth reflected in procedure volumes and market values, competitors and observers will continue to consider MIS to be one of the most dynamic parts of the spine industry.

About the Authors

Ash Milton is a Senior Research Analyst at iData Research and was the lead researcher for the latest US and Europe MIS Spine reports, among many other Spine, Robotics, Navigation, and Orthopedics research projects.

Jeffrey Wong is the Analyst Director at iData Research. Through many years of analysis, he has been the lead on most of iDatas medical, dental, and pharmaceutical market research and now drives research strategy, product development and consulting research.

About iData Research

iData Research is an international market research and consulting firm focused on providing market intelligence for the medical device, dental and pharmaceutical industries. To learn more about their research go to https://idataresearch.com.
Here are 35+ spine surgeons holding PhDs.

To recommend an addition to the list, please email Shayna Korol at skorol@beckershealthcare.com.

Hamid Abbasi, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Tristate Brain and Spine Institute in Alexandria, Minn., who specializes in minimally invasive spinal deformity correction and scoliosis.

Carmina Angeles, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at the NeuroSpine Institute in Eugene, Ore. who specializes in minimally invasive techniques, complex decompression and stabilization for tumor, vertebral body fractures and degenerative scoliosis. Dr. Angeles holds dual doctorate degrees in medicine from Meharry Medical College's Medical Scientist Training Program in Nashville.

Kevin Cahill, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates in Charlotte, N.C.., who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and spinal fusion.

Andrew Cannestra, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Lyerly Neurosurgery in Jacksonville, Fla., specializing in robotic spinal surgery, spinal cord injury and spine reconstructive procedures.

Woojin Cho, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and chief of spine surgery at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Cho specializes in adult thoracolumbar spinal deformity and degenerative conditions. His research interests include spine biomechanics and robotic surgery.

Arthur Chou, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Arthur Po-Fei Chou MD Inc. in Downey, Calif., specializing in neck pain, back pain, cervical stenosis, lumbar stenosis and herniated discs. Dr. Chou is interested in gliomas.

Jay Young Chun, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon director of neurotrauma at Morristown (N.J.) Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Chun specializes in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery.

Aaron Clark, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurological surgery at UC San Francisco Spine Center, who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery.

Michael Cluck, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon and owner of Bay Area Spine Care in San Jose, Calif., who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and motion preservation surgery including artificial disc replacement.

Jason M. Cuellar, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon and assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, Calif., specializing in total disc replacement, including revision arthroplasty and motion preservation surgery.

Matthew Cunningham, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and interim chief of the scoliosis service at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, who is interested in thoracic and lumbar spine care including spine deformity and degenerative problems. Dr. Cunningham received his dual doctorate from the New York City-based Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons' Medical Scientist Training Program.

Clifford Douglas, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Loma Linda (Calif.) University Medical Center. Dr. Douglas performs minimally invasive spine surgery, neuroendoscopic surgery, spinal reconstruction and motion preservation spine surgery.

Daryll Dykes, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon, president and CEO of Medical and Surgical Spine Consultants of Minnesota in Edina, where he specializes in adult and pediatric complex reconstructive spine surgery. Dr. Dykes is also a health law and policy scholar.

Michael Fehlings, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at the University of Toronto in Canada who focuses on complex spine surgery.

Kai-Ming Fu, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgeon at the New York City-based Weill Cornell Medicine Brain and Spine Center who specializes in spinal deformity.

S. Raymond Golish, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon at David Campbell MDPA, in Jupiter, Fla., and Plantation, Fla.

Martin Herman, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at the Park Ridge, Ill.-based Center of Brain and Spine Surgery. Dr. Herman specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and was featured on the first live spine surgery webcast in 2002.

Christopher Holland, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates in Concord, N.C., and Huntersville, N.C., who specializes in degenerative spine conditions and spinal instability.

Dale Horne, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Mayfield Brain & Spine in Cincinnati, who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and complex spine deformities.

Philip Horne, MD, PhD, orthopedic surgeon at Duke Health in Raleigh, N.C., who specializes in cervical and lumbar disc herniations and stenosis, degenerative neck and back conditions and spinal deformity.

Robin John Hurlbert, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Banner  University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz., who specializes in complex spine surgery, spine and spinal cord injury, craniocervical junction abnormalities and degenerative spine, Bischof's myelotomy and Charcot spine.

Randall Johnson, MD, PhD, neurosurgery at Ascension Wisconsin in Appleton, specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal fusion, peripheral nerve surgery, vascular lesions of the brain and spinal cord and pituitary surgery.

Solomon Kamson, MD, PhD, interventional pain physician, spine surgeon and founder of Seattle-based Spine Institute Northwest, who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery.

Choll Kim, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon who specializes in computer-assisted minimally invasive spine surgery at Spine Institute of San Diego. Dr. Kim is also an associate clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at UC San Diego.

Joshua Li, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. Dr. Li's research focuses on intervertebral disc degeneration and back pain.

Yan Michael Li, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurosurgery and oncology and neurosurgeon at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center.

Timothy Lindley, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists in Alexandria, Minn., who performs back, neck and spine surgery.

Kaixuan Liu, MD, PhD, interventional pain physician, spine surgeon and president of West Orange, N.J.-based Atlantic Spine Center. Dr. Liu specializes in minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery and holds a PhD in biomedical sciences.

Gary Lowery, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon and founding member of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. Dr. Lowery holds a dual PhD in pharmacology and nutrition.

Daniel Lu, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon who specializes in minimally invasive surgical techniques for degenerative, traumatic and neoplastic spinal disorders at UCLA Health. Dr. Lu is the director of the Neuroplasticity and Repair Laboratory and the UCLA Neuromotor Recovery and Rehabilitation Center.

Thomas Manning, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Neuroscience Associates in Boise, Idaho, who specializes in minimally invasive and degenerative and reconstructive spine surgery. Dr. Manning holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Alex Mohit, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at CHI Franciscan Health in Tacoma, Wash., who specializes in spine and skull base surgery.

Benjamin Mueller, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon at Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis. Dr. Mueller holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis.

Venu Nemani, MD, PhD, dually trained orthopedic and neurospine surgeon at Raleigh (N.C.) Orthopaedic Clinic who specializes in cervical and reconstructive spine surgery. He holds a PhD in neuroscience from UC San Francisco, where he discovered a new mechanism by which nerve signaling is modulated with implications for neurodegenerative diseases.

David Okonkwo, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, who is the executive vice chair for clinical operations and director of neurotrauma, scoliosis and spinal deformity. Dr. Okonkwo is also a professor and clinical director of the Brain Trauma Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh.

Erion Qamirani, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon at Mid-Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic in Columbia.

Rajiv Saigal, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at University of Washington Medicine Harborview Medical Center, specializing in spinal deformity, spinal tumors, minimally invasive techniques, spinal cord injury and neurotrauma.

Lali Sekhon, MD, PhD, neurospine surgeon at Nevada Neurosurgery in Reno and Carson City. Dr. Sekhon specializes in cervical myelopathy, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal tumors and trauma.

Selvon St. Clair, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon at Orthopaedic Institute of Ohio in Lima, who specializes in spine disorders. Dr. St. Clair is interested in the treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures using the latest techniques, including kyphoplasty.

Jack Stern, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Brain & Spine Surgeons of New York in Harrison, who focuses on spinal tumors, spinal reconstructions, degenerative disc disease and herniated discs. Dr. Stern uses conventional as well as minimally invasive techniques.

Robert Talac, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon and founder of the Advanced Spine Institute in Houston.

Albert Telfeian, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I., where he is the director of pediatric neurosurgery. Dr. Telfeian specializes in spinal disorders and functional neurosurgery.

Constantine (Dean) Toumbis, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon at Citrus Spine Institute in Crystal River, Fla., specializing in cervical, thoracic and lumbar surgery. Dr. Toumbis holds a PhD in experimental pathology from State University of New York at Buffalo.

Jay Turner, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, who specializes in spine surgery. Dr. Turner holds a PhD in physiology from the Rutgers Medical School in Newark, N.J.

Alexander Vaccaro, MD, PhD, orthopedic spine surgeon and president of the Philadelphia-based Rothman Insitute. Dr. Vaccaro holds a PhD in spinal trauma.

Michael Virk, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon and assistant professor of neurological surgery at Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center in New York City, who specializes in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery.

Vincent Wang, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at Seton Medical Center in Austin, specializing in degenerative spine and minimally invasive spine surgery.

Jefferson Wilson, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada, who is interested in the epidemiology of spinal trauma and spinal cord injury.

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Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for March 29, 2018.

Stryker's CEO Kevin Lobo's total compensation topped $14M in 2017

Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo's total compensation reached just over $14 million in 2017. In 2016, the CEO's total compensation was $12.8 million and in 2015 it topped $10.5 million.

Pain physician charged in fraud scheme, ordered to pay $8.7M

Dover, Mass.-based pain management physician Fathallah Mashali, MD, was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay more than $8.7 million for defrauding Medicare, insurancenewsnet.com reports. Dr. Mashali was accused of falsely billing Medicare from approximately October 2010 through March 2013 for medical services he didn't provide. In March 2017, he pleaded guilty to 44 counts of healthcare fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. Read more about the case, here.

Best and worst states for physicians in 2018

WalletHub analysts assessed the opportunity and competition as well as medical environment for physicians in each of the 50 states and District of Columbia. South Dakota tops the list and New Jersey comes in last. See the other best and worst states, here.

Scoliosis surgery readmissions increase total costs $86k in 2 years

A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery examines how readmissions increase the total cost of care for spinal deformity surgery. The readmission rates were 24 percent overall, and cost around $10.1 million for the population studied. Two years after surgery, the average readmission cost was $86,081. Read more about the study, here.

Zimmer Biomet signs agreement with Department of Energy to reduce energy use by 25%

Zimmer Biomet entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy to join its Better Buildings, Better Plants program. By joining the program, Zimmer Biomet committed to reducing its energy intensity by 25 percent over the next 10 years. The program also incorporates water-reduction components for sustainability.

Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center to compete with $50M orthopedic hospital

With its lease at St. Thomas Health in Akron, Ohio, ending in December 2020, Crystal Clinic is developing a new orthopedic facility in Fairlawn, Ohio, for $100 million. The new clinic will include 60 beds for specialty orthopedic surgery and nonsurgical care services.

RTI's SImmetry System delivers 65-71% reduction in joint motion

A new study published in The Spine Journal assessed the RTI Surgical's SImmetry Sacroiliac Joint Fusion System. Researchers discovered the SImmetry implants offered a 65 percent to 71 percent reduction in joint motion using multiple implant configurations. Read more from the study, here.

Paradigm Spine boosts leadership with 4 appointments

Paradigm Spine appointed four new people to its leadership team. The new leaders include Francis Magee, DVM, a chief technology officer, Charlie Gilbride as executive vice president of sales and marketing, Tim Hein as vice president of sales and Lisa Denison as vice president of marketing.
Four spine surgeons discuss the ways they seek to control costs this year.

Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.

Next week's question: What is your advice for spine surgeons looking to enter the outpatient care arena?

Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, April 4, at 5 p.m. CST.

Question: What are some ways in which you are seeking to provide cost-effective care in 2018?

Payam Farjoodi, MD. Orthopedic Spine Surgeon at Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.): Being cognizant of the costs of materials I use during surgery. Sometimes a preferred vendor provides significant cost savings with a product almost identical to one I would have chosen before. This also goes for implants and biologics.

Brian R. Gantwerker, MD. Founder of the Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Streamlining is this year's theme. We are cutting costs on our EHR and our internet service provider. We have also decided to take back our web presence and use a slick self-guided do-it-yourself website like Wix or Squarespace. Over seven years in business has taught me one thing  people will sell you a bill of goods given the chance. In terms of cost-effective patient care, I am continuing to refine postoperative care by continuing to drive down postoperative complications, such as wound infection and readmits for pain, by working with a home health agency and by coordinating with reliable community pain doctors.

Vladimir Sinkov, MD. Spine Surgeon at New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center (Nashua): Same as in all prior years, I try to offer each patient the right treatment for the right problem at the right time. By far not every spine problem needs to be fixed with surgery, and less invasive and cheaper treatments often yield great outcomes. In some cases, however, surgical intervention is needed and delaying this necessary treatment often due to insurance denials  causes more harm and more expense as yet another "trial of nonoperative measures" for a clearly surgical problem drags on.

Sometimes such delays lead to greater long-term disability and greater overall costs, both due to the ongoing medical expenses for chronic pain and due to loss of the patient's ability to be gainfully employed. Minimally invasive surgery might have greater upfront costs due to the need for more sophisticated tools and equipment, but multiple studies have shown that overall cost of care is actually cheaper. This is mostly due to shorter operating room time, less need for blood transfusions, shorter hospital stay, less need for pain medications and faster return to work and function. When possible, I try to perform surgery at an ambulatory surgery center. The results are the same but with much lower facility fees than at a traditional hospital.

Medhat Mikhael, MD. Pain Management Specialist and Medical Director of the Non-operative Program at the Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.): Simply minimize practicing defensive medicine. Order tests  whether it is a lab or imaging  only when the case warrants ordering and use clinical experience for diagnosis. Also avoid repeating any workup or interventions done by previous providers, order medications that are available in generic formulas instead of the expensive brand names that will do the same job and avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, emergency rooms and surgery center facilities as this usually increases the cost significantly. The challenges with that is while you are trying to cut cost and provide excellent care, you will find that many insurance carriers oppose your plan because those responsible for making the decision are unfortunately adhering to old and obsolete guidelines.
The police in Nepal on Thursday reportedly arrested Shabi Lal, the security guard at the Indian Overseas Bank branch in Virugambakkam, Chennai in connection with the robbery of the bank. Shabi Lal was missing since the robbery came to light on Monday morning. Chennai police reportedly sought Nepal polices help through Interpol to nab the suspect. However, Nepal police refused to hand over Lal to Chennai police as there was no extradition treaty between India and Nepal to transfer suspects involved in criminal cases, says a Times of India report. A negotiation is on between Chennai police and Nepal police through CBI officials, a senior cop reportedly said.
Dublin Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha at the Mission to Seafarers statue with members of the SHIP historical project and Anne Hunter-Collins and Nichola Hunter, the great-granddaughters of John Quinn who sailed on the Titanic

The mayor of Dublin has paid tribute to Belfast dock workers at an event celebrating maritime heritage outside the citys port.

At the Mission to Seafarers in Belfast yesterday, Lord Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha noted the difficult and sometimes fatal conditions many dock workers had faced in the last century.

The experience of dock workers and their families in Belfast and Dublin are virtually identical, he said.

The very difficult working conditions that the men had, the risks to health and safety and life on the docks over many years.

Liam McBrinn of the Shared History Interpretive Project (SHIP) has helped to launch a range of new educational material on the subject.

In the early days, it wasnt an easy journey to come to Dock Street corner and stand in a crowd to be picked for a job, Mr McBrinn said.

If you werent picked you stood there until lunchtime to go through the same action.

Significant names celebrated from the last century include Sailortown native John Quinn, a trade unionist and docker who sailed aboard the Titanic before he was paid off in Southampton.

His great-granddaughters Anne Hunter-Collins and Nichola Hunter were among those attending yesterday to mark the event.
The Portuguese firm at the centre of the delayed Ulster University site in Belfast and its parent company have won a 220m contract on one of Northern Ireland's biggest road schemes. (stock photo)

The Portuguese firm at the centre of the delayed Ulster University site in Belfast and its parent company have won a 220m contract on one of Northern Ireland's biggest road schemes.

Somague is part of a consortium with Wills Bros and Sacyr which will work on the latest stage of the dualling of the A6.

The firm has been part of a joint venture contract to build the new Ulster University campus in Belfast city centre.

But work has been mothballed since Lagan Construction Group announced it was putting four of its firms into administration.

However, Somague's win of another major contract in Northern Ireland is expected to increase the likelihood of it carrying out more work on the Ulster University site.

It's understood a company within Lagan Construction Group had also been in line for the A6 deal.

Somague, Dublin-based Wills Bros and Spanish firm Sacyr - also Somague's parent company - will soon start work on dualling the road between Drumahoe and Dungiven, which will include a bypass of Dungiven.

The A6 scheme is one of the biggest roads projects ever taken on in Northern Ireland.

Somague's successful bid was first revealed in Business Telegraph on Tuesday.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) announced the successful bid yesterday and described it as "a major milestone in the delivery of this NI Executive Flagship project".

"The 25.5km scheme represents an investment in the region of 220m, including land acquisition," the department said.

"The project will construct a high standard dual carriageway between Drumahoe and Dungiven, including a bypass of Dungiven, with roundabouts connecting the scheme to the existing road network at either end.

"The A6 is a strategically important route as it connects the north west to Belfast and beyond.

"The existing road carries around 15,000 vehicles per day and with traffic levels continuing to grow, this very significant investment will greatly improve road safety and journey times by reducing congestion."

The Department for Infrastructure said that the work would also bring economic benefits.

"The construction of this road will help to secure jobs in the construction industry, contribute to the economic development of the region and bring long term benefits to road users and local communities," it added.

Work is due to start over the next few weeks and will take four years to complete.
The Government has "no time to lose" in negotiating a trade agreement with the EU as Brexit looms in 12 months' time, it's been claimed.

As Prime Minister Theresa May embarks on a tour of the UK to mark one year until it is due to leave the EU, Danske Bank chief economist Conor Lambe said that while progress had been made, there was still much work to do.

He said the lack of agreed solution over how to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland remained of particular concern.

A 'backstop' solution proposed by the EU in which Northern Ireland effectively remains inside the customs union was initially rejected by the Prime Minister, but later included in the agreed text of the draft deal, with the UK aiming to come up with a solution that will negate the need for its implementation.

Mr Lambe said: "With maintaining membership of the EU customs union - which would have gone part of the way to solving the problem - ruled out by the UK Government, other solutions must be identified.

"Most of the focus of the discussions related to Northern Ireland that will take place over the coming weeks is likely to be placed on the 'backstop' option.

"This could see Northern Ireland maintain very close links to the EU in the absence of an alternative way to avoid a hard border. But the UK Government is hopeful that it will find a solution to the border challenge during the detailed trade talks and that the 'backstop' won't be needed."

Mr Lambe said the timeline for negotiating a trade agreement remained tight, and while the chances of a 'no deal' scenario - with no trade agreement between the UK and EU and the parties falling back on World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules - had lessened, there were not down to zero.

"Businesses are still facing a cloud of uncertainty when it comes to their future long-term access to EU markets," he added.

"While the progress made recently is welcome, the UK Government must keep up the pace in the negotiations. There is no time to lose." Brian Telford, head of markets at Danske Bank, said businesses should treat the transition deal concluded earlier this month as allowing them extra time to get their planning right.

"There are a lot of companies out there with decisions to make in relation to major capital expenditure or other strategic planning and I don't think many of them can afford to further defer those decisions because of the transition period," he said.

"I think the smart companies will do their research, pick a direction and go for it."

He said the 'bounce' in sterling's value after the transition deal announcement was not as pronounced as anticipated

Mr Telford added sterling swings had been limited as expectations grew of an orderly Brexit, but there was "no guarantee" it would remain that way.

And he said Brexit was far from the only geopolitical factor affecting companies.

"The Russian situation, the frequent questions about the Trump administration, the developing situation in North Korea, to name but a few - all of these have added more volatility, in particular to the currency pairs involving the US dollar," he said.

"Those geopolitical factors are also having a big impact on the equity markets around the world, with all major indices experiencing a greater degree of volatility."
6 injured in Dhading truck accident

At least six persons have been injured after a truck fell off the Hugdi Khola Bridge in Jogimara, Dhadhing after colliding with a jeep on Thursday.
Former British soldier Adnan Sarwar is returning to Iraq for a BBC documentary.

Exploring how the country has changed since the Iraq War, the programme with the working title Return To Iraq, will air as a two-part series on BBC2.

Sarwar went to Iraq in 2003 as a 24-year-old soldier with the British Army.

He initially viewed his mission as liberating the countrys people from Saddam Hussein.

But the BBC says when parts of the population turned against the allied forces, Adnans life was changed forever by an ambush which killed one of his friends in the Army.

He brings a former soldiers insight and understanding of why - for some - fighting is a way of lifeDenman Rooke, executive producer

In the documentary, the former British soldier and journalist will venture through ancient hilltop villages, IS tunnels, magnificent gorges and sleep under the stars with the locals.

He will explore whether the country can break its cycle of violence, the BBC said.

Executive producer Denman Rooke said: Adnan is the perfect guide to Iraq for this series.

He brings a former soldiers insight and understanding of why  for some  fighting is a way of life, alongside his unique brand of warmth, curiosity and razor-sharp journalistic intelligence, which allow him to engage with and understand the lives of Iraqis as they look to the future.
He's an uncertain popstar, George Ezra. Not in the physical sense. He's well-dressed and has a boyish face with an effortless grin. It's more that he just can't quite believe who he has become.

After a frustrating delay, the third best-selling artist of 2014 has returned with his second album, Staying At Tamara's.

We're inside Sony's building in central London, and Ezra stands tall before taking a seat. We're a day out from the record's release, but the 24-year-old can't quite fathom it.

George Ezra is playing Belfast's Custom House Square on August 10

"I find it really hard for this to feel like reality," he explains. "I find it hard to not just be 14-year-old me in my head. Genuinely, it's like an outer-body syndrome where I'm unable to go, 'This is me'."

He fully understands the album is coming out, of course. In fact it's already out in Australia, he says, disappointed by the lack of respect time zones have for romance.

Schooled on the likes of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, Ezra came of age when the British music scene was stifled with indie bands. The son of teachers, he was born George Ezra Barnett in Hertford in 1993.

His first gig, other than S Club 7 when he was seven, fitted the indie billing: The Fratellis at Brixton Academy. Ezra remembers getting caught up in a mosh pit before quietly holding a girl's hand at the side. He was 14 at the time, a pivotal age when, subconsciously, his musical career was beckoning.

It's when he learned guitar and started writing songs.

"It definitely was that age where I found music for myself," he says. "There was a part of me discovering all this old American music alongside indie bands.

"We'd get ready to go to parties and end parties listening to indie bands and we loved it."

Another pivotal moment was when Ezra began dreaming of travelling - a theme dominant on his debut.

Aside from family camping trips to Wales, he was yet to really explore anywhere with his friends. That changed the summer before he turned 15.

They started spending every sunny school break fishing or in a tent or simply walking. The plan was to go further afield, but life, college and music got in the way.

Ezra signed with Columbia at 19 and put the idea of travel on the back-burner until some wise words from his A&R prompted him to jump on a train across Europe.

"He told me I needed to not think I was anything other than what I was: a 19-year-old boy. What would I be doing if there wasn't a company I owed a record to? I'm just so thankful he said that because I think I'd put the idea of going away to bed a bit."

An inter-railing trip inspired Wanted On Voyage, and Ezra took the idea a step further for his second record.

He failed to write anything when touring for the first time. "I was just trying to get my head round everything else," he says. So when he needed fresh inspiration he headed to Barcelona, where he stayed with Airbnb host Tamara, earning her naming rights on the album title.

Other trips also provided inspiration for the record, including to a pig farm in Norfolk and a converted cowshed in north Wales.

The result is a happy-go-lucky collection of tracks which are immediately improved because of Ezra's effortless baritone boom - particularly on Saviour. Deep and resonant, he has the voice to compete with those American storytellers that inspired him.

He blames himself for the album delay, describing it as a light at the end of a "frustrating tunnel".

It proved to be a learning curve, discovering what songs deserved to be on the record and what songs didn't.

"I definitely am not a master at this. I took it for granted that there were songs on the first record that I wrote when I was 14. Also you have to be selfish when you're writing music," he says. "You have to just please yourself. Instead of thinking, 'Well what would this group of people think?' or 'What would that person think?'. That's not going to help you out."

Despite its shortfalls, the album seems certain to triumph where the likes of Camila Cabello and Justin Timberlake have failed, by knocking The Greatest Showman soundtrack off the number one spot after an 11-week run.

But despite his charm and attractive qualities, Ezra still isn't a natural pop star, baulking at the idea of becoming as successful as Ed Sheeran or Sam Smith.

"I definitely don't want to be that big," he half-shouts. "No, I know that. Deep down, I know that. I don't think I would fare well with that level of fame."

"I used to say on the first album, 'If this never happens again, I'm still happy'.

"This has happened and things that have happened can't be taken away from you, so I have got that mentality. And I'm also aware what happened on the first record was insane. I don't think that's normal. It's not like I look at what it did and go, 'Well yeah, duh'. I look at it and I still think, 'What the eff, why, how did that happen?'

"I'm not some mad alternative act, but I'm also, not that," he says, the final word given emphasis, referring to those other big chart stars.

He pauses when asked how he would measure success. "The fact I get to work in music every day is a triumph," he says. "That's mad. I think the reason music appealed to me is because it wasn't competitive and I'm not competitive. I don't fare well in competitive situations. So if I can tour, if I can maintain that for a long period of time, that'd be great."

With a second chart-topper on its way, Ezra may have to get a bit more used to success, plus a whole lot more.

Staying At Tamara's is out now. Ezra tours the UK throughout 2018. See www.georgeezra.com for more information
One year on from the triggering of Article 50 we can take heart that we are closer to a deal than at any previous point in negotiations.

This is not to say we should be complacent - the current terms are far from perfect and we have not yet passed the point of no return to avoid a 'no deal'.

The implementation period to run to the end of 2020 gives clarity and certainty to local business and freedom for the UK to agree new global free trade deals offers potential to grow high-quality local exports.

Further commitments in the areas like research, funding, security, aviation and citizens' rights will ensure future cooperation in areas of common interest and benefit. This is good work, but there is much more to do.

It is clear from the past 12 months that every negotiation requires give and take. When it comes to the Northern Ireland border the EU has failed to bring its much-lauded flexibility to the table. Where its proposals threatened the economic and constitutional interests of Northern Ireland the DUP was not slow to make our case.

Last December we secured guarantees that unimpeded access for local businesses to the UK internal market would be retained under any Brexit outcome.

Some 72% of trade in and out of Belfast Harbour is with Great Britain, whilst less than one fifth is with the rest of the EU.

Of large businesses (over 250 employees) in Northern Ireland which do business inside the UK and with the Republic of Ireland, sales to GB were 10 times more valuable than those going across the border in 2015.

It is undeniable, whether unionist, nationalist, remainer or Brexiteer, that our east-west trade relationship generates unmatched prosperity for everyone living in Northern Ireland.

Those who talk up a hard border cannot plausibly argue that the answer is to create a new, vastly more problematic border with Great Britain.

In the event that trade talks or specific solutions fail to fully deliver a frictionless border we have ensured that any approach to a third 'backstop' option following limited EU rules will be a United Kingdom-wide approach.

No current or past EU text, leaked memo or media soundbite since December has changed this. Ensuring a sensible Brexit for our province requires going beyond simply defending Northern Ireland's current position.

This means finding practical solutions to the emotive issue of the border, which has won many hearts but thus far very few open or practical minds.

It is worth remembering that the Irish Republic inspects only 1% of goods reaching its shores from outside the EU - second only to Gambia in the fewest physical checks.

Given the UK commitment to lift and shift EU rules into UK law it is hard to see how Brexit could therefore equate to the draconian type of border predicted in some quarters.

In practice it makes little sense for the Irish Government to adopt a single-track focus of addressing the land border if far more significant economic frontiers at places like Holyhead and Dover are not resolved.

An estimated two-thirds of Irish exports to the continent, including many perishable goods, move via the UK land-bridge, and 39% of all Irish containers transit Northern Ireland. Drawing a border in the Irish Sea wouldn't make their movement any easier. That is why we should look at the border issue in the context of the overall relationship.

An ambitious free trade deal covering all goods and separate customs partnership can remove the vast majority of friction as a starting point - at every land, sea and air border crossing. In effect, the fewer trade barriers, the fewer the solutions required.

Pragmatic solutions do exist, but they hold relevance beyond simply the Northern Ireland border.

Respected international customs expert Lars Karlsson has given evidence in the European Parliament and at Westminster. His message very clearly is that a smart border concept involving digital technology, electronic declarations and trusted trader schemes can be implemented at every UK-EU border and would work under any political outcome.

Moving away from the notion of special treatment to smart solutions can help to make commitments to Northern Ireland operational in a way that respects both internal markets.

As trade talks get under way it is important that all sides take stock of progress achieved to date and pursue a close a vibrant future partnership in the interests of all of our people.

The DUP will continue to work to ensure that the interests and needs of our province are respected.
In a report published on 13th February 2018 in relation to a hearing at Londonderry District Judge's Court, it was incorrectly stated that 13 staff from Belfast jewellers Lunn's were questioned by police investigating money laundering.

This is incorrect and we wish to make it clear that Lunn's Jewellers was not and never has been under investigation for money laundering by the PSNI. We are happy to set the record straight and we apologise to Lunn's for this error.

We have also agreed to pay Lunn's legal costs in respect of this matter and we will be making a contribution to charity on their behalf.
A shop worker who stole 35,000 worth of "sentimental" family jewellery to feed her drug habit has avoided jail

A shop worker who stole 35,000 worth of "sentimental" family jewellery to feed her drug habit has avoided jail.

Kerry Lewis was told that "stealing high-value jewellery were mean-spirited acts" on her mother and grandmother.

Handing down a 34-month sentence, Judge Geoffrey Miller QC said he would suspend it for three years as Lewis had the case hanging over her for almost the past two years, had turned her life around and was now the mother of a five-week-old child.

Lewis (20), now of Market Place, Carrickfergus, had pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to stealing 15,000 of jewellery belonging to her mother Fiona Clarke and 20,000 worth of jewellery from her grandmother Margaret Lusty between April and August 2016.

She further admitted charges of being concerned in the supply of ecstasy tablets and herbal cannabis.

A number of other drugs charges were "left on the books in the usual terms".

Prosecution lawyer Gareth Purvis said that in 2016 Lewis had a "falling out" with her mother while the two of them were living with the defendant's elderly grandmother at her home in Glengormley, Co Antirm.

The court heard that in June of that year the defendant's mother and grandmother noticed "high-value items of jewellery had been stolen from their bedrooms".

The defendant had stolen the items to buy drugs and had also got into debt with dealers over her habit.

Mr Purvis said police later recovered some of the jewellery from a stall holder at Hillview car boot sale on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast who said he paid Lewis 2,640 for the items, which "only represented a small amount".

Defence barrister Denis Boyd said Lewis was "genuinely remorseful about the theft of the jewellery and she feels ashamed about that".

He added that since the incident she had "turned her life around" by cutting off all ties with those she used to buy drugs from, had stopped taking drugs, had got a new job at a Belfast city centre retail outlet and recently became a mother for the first time.

Passing sentence, Judge Miller described it as "a sad case", saying not only was the jewellery of high value but also that the "sentimental value of the jewellery was irreplaceable".

He added that because Lewis had been living with her mother and grandmother at the time of the thefts, the insurance policy had been invalidated and the stolen items would never be replaced.
Footage has emerged of a man on crutches being forcibly removed form a Belfast hostel, with one of his crutches thrown after him into the street.

Video taken from CCTV has been posted to the Twitter page of the BBC's Stephen Nolan Show, and shows an incident which happened at the Morning Star House hostel on Belfast's Divis Street.

The video appears to show five staff members standing around the man in the lobby area of the hostel.

Four staff members then appear to push the man into the street, where he falls onto his side, before having his second crutch thrown after him.

The man appears to have a shoe missing as he lies in the street.

It is not clear what happened before or after the footage was taken.

Contacted by the Belfast Telegraph, Morning Star hostel said it was making no comment at this time.

The hostel receives funding from the Housing Executive through the Legion of Mary, and is accountable to the Charity Commission.

A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission said: "The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has been made aware of an incident at the Morning Star Hostel. The Commission is taking this matter very seriously and has opened a concern into the charity."

In a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, a spokesman for the Housing Executive confirmed it had received videos and emails about an incident at the hostel.

We are working with the Charity Commission, who, we understand, is currently undertaking an investigation into this organisation," he said.

We cannot comment further at this time.

The information was passed to the PSNI after being received by the Housing Executive.

The PSNI has obtained the footage to determine whether any further action is required.

BREAKING NEWS on #BBCNolan this morning.

We have obtained CCTV footage that shows a vulnerable homeless man being physically removed from the premises of a Belfast hostel.

0 30 30 80 55 55 the phone lines open when we go on air at 9am @bbcradioulster @BBCRadioFoyle pic.twitter.com/C2VSVpEg8e  Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) March 29, 2018

Speaking to the Stephen Nolan Show, SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said: "People who work in these hostels do have to have a level of training.

"Quite often they get vulnerable adults training. And what that training does is teaches them how to respond in different situations. From what I have seen in the video staff did not respond in an appropriate way."

Mr McCusker added: "I think it is important to mention, many many hostel staff are qualified and act in a professional manner.

"This video does not reflect my experience with Morning Star because quite often I speak with hostel staff getting people from the street and into accommodation. And Ive always had a good experience with people from Morning Star."
Local residents arrive at the memorial service for the Gossett family in Derrylin

Local residents arrive at the memorial service for the Gossett family in Derrylin

Local residents arrive at the memorial service for the Gossett family in Derrylin

The village of Derrylin fell silent yesterday to remember three generations of the same family killed in an arson attack at their home.

Denise Gosset (45), her daughter Sabrina (19), son Roman (16) and Sabrina's 16-month-old daughter Morgana Quinn died in the blaze at their rented bungalow on Molly Road on February 27.

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The family were originally from Doncaster but had previously lived in Tralee, Co Kerry, before moving to Fermanagh around 12 months ago.

Around 100 people from all sections of the community gathered for a multi-denominational service in Derrylin Parish Church, led by Rev Alastair Donaldson and Father Gerard Alwill, parish priest of Knockninny.

They were joined by Denise's daughter Samantha Gossett and Samantha's husband James Dickens, who had travelled over from Birmingham.

Among the congregation was Tommy Fee, who owns the rural property that was gutted by the early morning blaze, and who tried to save the family.

Rev Donaldson told those gathered: "This has been a difficult time for a small village like Derrylin.

"Today many of you have both come to offer comfort and to seek comfort. It's a very human act indeed."

Prayers were offered by Fr Alwill for the family and for neighbours and friends who tried to help the family on the morning of the fire as well as the emergency services who attended the blaze.

Fermanagh-South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew, who was at the scene on the morning after the blaze, attended yesterday's service.

She said: "I saw at first-hand the bewilderment and hurt as people were in absolute shock that this had happened.

"It was lovely to see the churches in Derrylin coming together to hold this service of remembrance."

Ms Gildernew was joined by Ulster Unionist councillor Alex Baird, who added: "What was a very moving ecumenical service has tried to bring some finality and closure to the people of the area. They have been traumatised by what has happened."

A month on from the tragedy locals remain shocked by the recent events and turned out to show their support for the family members left behind.

Brian McManus, chairman of Aughakillymaude Community Association, was in the congregation. He said: "It was vitally important as a community that we come together irrespective of class, colour or creed in sympathy with the family and really to stand by them in this time of terrible need. Only at times like this are communities of some help simply by gathering for this beautiful yet simple service."

Principal of nearby St Aidan's High School Pat McTeggart said people offered their heartfelt sympathy to the Gossett family.

"Any tragedy in the community has a huge effect especially when it involves young people. We have been praying for all the family members at our school assemblies recently.

"It has been a very difficult time for everyone."
Banks told to open branch in every local body by mid-July

The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, has directed commercial banks to extend their reach to every local body in the country to raise peoples access to banking services and facilitate transfer of grants to the lowest tier of government.
A bin was set alight in north Belfast during trouble over the weekend.

Parents in Belfast have been been told to "step up" their efforts in combating their children's anti-social behaviour, following a spate of incidents across the city.

The effort is a joint initiative between the PSNI and Belfast City Council.

Police were attacked by youths throwing bricks and a paint bomb on Monday night after a crowd of around 20 children went on a rampage in the New Lodge area at around 9pm.

It followed disturbances at the weekend which saw police attacked and a 14-year-old boy left with a fractured skull after a sectarian beating as he made his way home.

Police have said they are increasing activity in the area and have warned children of the consequences of gaining a criminal record.

Superintendent Robert Murdie said police had attended numerous incidents in recent days.

In recent days, police and our partners have responded to multiple calls from the public concerned about the behaviour of some young people in parks, and public places across the city," he said.

In one incident, a young teenager was the victim of a serious assault. Police officers responding to calls have been attacked. One officer has been injured, a number of our vehicles have been damaged and there have been multiple incidents of vandalism and bins set on fire.

The disgraceful and dangerous actions of a small minority of young people must stop. Police, together with our Belfast City Council colleagues, local representatives and youth workers are all working together to address this issue, but parents and guardians really need to step up."

Superintendent Murdie warned of the effect a criminal record could have on a young person's life.

Young people have every right to enjoy each others company, but parents and guardians must ensure they know where their young people are and what they are doing. The behaviour of some young people, is having a significant impact on the community, and could result in a criminal record which will have a lasting impact on their future," he said.

Police, Belfast City Council, local representatives, community and youth workers are all working closely together to have dedicated resources available into the Easter period. We are also visiting licensed premises across the city to ensure they are carrying out the necessary checks to prevent young people from purchasing alcohol.

Alderman Tommy Sandford, chair of Belfast City Council People and Communities Committee said council would work to tackle the issues raised in recent weeks.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is not an easy task, and its not something that Belfast City Council can do in isolation," he said

"There is already a huge amount of very positive work happening in our communities but we need to keep up that momentum. We will continue to work with a range of partners to engage, support and inform local communities as to how they can report incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Superintendent Murdie asked anyone concerned about anti-social behaviour to contact police.

We will continue to monitor reports of antisocial behaviour and respond appropriately. Local police along with support from our tactical Support Group colleagues will be focusing joint patrols at locations across Belfast in the coming days," he said.

I would also appeal to anyone concerned about antisocial behaviour or any sort of criminal activity, please contact Police on the non-emergency number 101 and let us know so that we can respond appropriately. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.
Black cab rapist John Worboys could challenge the judgment blocking his release, Justice Secretary David Gauke has told MPs.

The admission came as Mr Gauke apologised in the Commons to the victims of Worboys, saying that the case "should have been much more effectively dealt with".

He told MPs that there "should have been much greater probing", adding: "I deeply regret that that did not happen. I'm sorry that that happened."

Former Tory minister Justine Greening later asked Mr Gauke to confirm whether the judgment itself could be challenged by Worboys, after three senior judges ruled that the Parole Board must make a "fresh determination" over whether he should be released.

He replied: "Yes, it is possible for this decision to be appealed."

Tory backbencher Zac Goldsmith later praised victims for campaigning for a judicial review and exposing the "profound errors" in the case.

He said: "The reality is that these victims have managed to blow open the system using a very big, popular campaign and they've given us a rare glimpse into something which I think many people across this House would find utterly terrifying the profound errors that have been uncovered by Leveson in the inquiry that he's just concluded."

Mr Goldsmith asked whether the Ministry of Justice review into the transparency of Parole Board decisions would be concluded before the next hearing of the Worboys case.

Mr Gauke said he would be "astonished" if the hearing went ahead before new transparency rules were in place.

Former Labour minister Yvette Cooper warned the Government benches that the Ministry of Justice had "serious questions" to answer.

She added: "It's not a good look simply to say this is about responsibility of the Parole Board if we're to get to the reforms that we actually need."

Earlier, the outgoing chairman of the Parole Board said there were "very troubling questions" about the body's independence after he was forced to quit over the Worboys case.

Professor Nick Hardwick was told his position was "untenable" after two victims won a High Court challenge against Worboys' release from prison.

He was not personally involved in the move to approve freeing Worboys but said he would not "pass the buck to those who work under me".

In a letter to Mr Gauke, he said: "I believe this matter raises very troubling questions about how the board's independence can be safeguarded."
Firefighters at the scene of a fire in the multi story Oisin House located in the Newlodge area of North Belfast on Wednesday. (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service have said that a fire at a block of flats in north Belfast on Wednesday night may have been deliberate.

Five appliances attended the fire at Oisin House on Victoria Parade in the New Lodge area.

A NIFRS spokesperson said it appeared the fire was deliberately set.

"Firefighters were called to a fire in a flat. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished fires in the living room and kitchen," the spokesperson said.

Expand Close Firefighters at the scene of a fire in the multi story Oisin House located in the Newlodge area of North Belfast on Wednesday. (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp Firefighters at the scene of a fire in the multi story Oisin House located in the Newlodge area of North Belfast on Wednesday. (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

"The cause of the fire appears to be deliberate. The incident was dealt with at 11.01pm."

Police also attended the scene of the fire.

"There was damage to the property but no injuries reported as a result of this. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing. Anyone with information should contact 101," the spokesperson
A British-born sailor presumed lost at sea was not wearing a safety tether when he was knocked overboard during a yacht race, it has been revealed.

John Fisher, who lived in Adelaide, Australia, plunged into the Southern Ocean, around 1,400 miles west of Cape Horn, during the Volvo Ocean Race on Monday.

Officials of the round-the-world race say the team searched for several hours in high wind and big waves, although deteriorating conditions forced the crew to resume course toward South America.

Fellow crew from Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag said Mr Fisher had unclipped his tether to tidy up a sheet when the boat was caught in an accidental crash gybe  where the mainsail and its supporting boom swing across to the opposite side of the vessel.

According to a timeline of events released by the team, Mr Fisher was hit by the mainsheet system and knocked overboard. The crew believe he was already unconscious from the blow before hitting the water.

On Monday, @scallywaghk lost John Fisher overboard in the Southern Ocean, approximately 1,400 nautical miles west of Cape Horn. The Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag crew has put together an account of what happened. More  https://t.co/ELXtwPyVxY pic.twitter.com/HXkIISpdRP  The Ocean Race (@theoceanrace) March 28, 2018

The 47-year-old, who was an experienced big boat sailor and was sailing in his first Volvo Ocean Race, was wearing a survival suit with a wetsuit hood and gloves and a lifejacket at the time.

Team manager Tim Newton described it as the worst situation you can imagine happening to your team.

He added: We are absolutely heart-broken for Johns family and friends. I know for David (Witt, the boats skipper), he has lost his best friend. Its devastating.

Following the incident, it took some time to get the boat under control and sail back to a position near where Mr Fisher had been thrown overboard.

A search and rescue operation was carried out for several hours, but there was no sign of the sailor, and the decision was made to abandon the search as weather conditions deteriorated.

The crew are now making their way back to shore.

Statement by Lee Seng Huang and Sun Hung Kai & Co: owner and sponsor of Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag: We are... Posted by Sun Hung Kai & Co on Monday, March 26, 2018

This situation isnt over yet for our team, said Mr Newton. The conditions are extremely challenging, with strong winds and a forecast for a building sea state over the next couple of days.

Our sole focus, with the assistance of Race Control in Alicante is to get the team into port safely.

Once we have achieved that, we have time to de-brief more fully and ensure that any lessons that can be learned from what happened to John are incorporated by the rest of the fleet going forward.

That would be a tremendous legacy for John, who spent so much of his time passing the learnings from his lifetime of experience at sea onto the younger sailors on our team.

Earlier in the race, Scallywag crewman Alex Gough was swept overboard during a sail change and was rescued within seven minutes.

Mr Gough was not wearing a safety harness or life jacket, and skipper David Witt said at the time that he was lucky to be alive.

In May 2006, Dutch sailor Hans Horrevoets was swept overboard in the Atlantic Ocean. The crew turned back and found Mr Horrevoets but could not revive him.

This edition of the race had already been tarnished by a collision involving Vestas 11th Hour Racing and a fishing boat that killed a fisherman in January.

The collision off Hong Kong sank the fishing boat and caused severe damage to the racing yacht, forcing it to miss the next two legs.

The entire race covers some 45,000 nautical miles.
Theresa May has rejected claims Brexit will result in a Westminster power grab insisting it will mean more powers going to the devolved government in Edinburgh.

With one year to go until Britain formally departs from the EU, the Prime Minister carried out a whistle-stop tour of the different parts of the United Kingdom, starting in Scotland.

The Scottish and Welsh governments have both repeatedly claimed the UK Governments Brexit proposals are a Westminster power grab, with powers returning from Brussels going to London instead of Edinburgh or Cardiff.

But as she restated her determination for the UK to leave, Mrs May rejected this.

She said: Lets be clear, there is no power grab, we are not taking back any of the powers that are currently devolved to the Scottish Government, indeed the Scottish Government will be receiving more powers as a result of us leaving the European Union.

What were discussing with the Scottish Government is how we can do that and ensure that we still maintain the ability for Scottish farmers, for Scottish businesses, to trade freely across the whole of the United Kingdom, just as we are negotiating the agreement to ensure they can continue to trade freely with the rest of the European Union.

The PM had tea with workers at the Alex Begg weaving company in Ayr on her #Brexit tour - during which she rejected @scotgov claims of a Westminsterpower grab pic.twitter.com/AnzNvoAwb9  Katrine Bussey (@KatrineBussey) March 29, 2018

Speaking during a visit to Alex Begg weavers in Ayr, which produces luxury cashmere scarfs and accessories, the Prime Minister said: We will be leaving the European Union on March 29 2019.

However talks with Scotland and Wales over the crucial EU Withdrawal Bill are deadlocked, with SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford claiming Mrs May herself is the block preventing an agreement.

Asked about this, the PM maintained her government was having good discussions with SNP ministers on the issue, adding: We have put forward proposals as to how this issue can be resolved.

She continued: Were clear that when powers come back to the United Kingdom, when we leave the European Union more powers will be devolved to the Scottish Government, but we want to ensure as we do that that people, businesses here in Scotland are able to continue to trade freely across the whole of the United Kingdom today, thats what were talking to the Scottish Government about.

Theres a whole list of something like 150 powers, the vast majority of them are actually powers that are going to be directly devolved to the Scottish Government.

But we want to ensure that in simple things like selling food across the whole of the United Kingdom, that there arent any barriers put up to doing that as freely it can happen today.

What we want to do is ensure that we devolve as we will more powers to Scotland but at the same time we maintain that internal market with the United Kingdom.

Whilst @GOVUK Ministers spin about tremendous opportunities here is the #Brexit reality as it is being experienced across the UK ...Chronic uncertainty defines the Brexit process, new academic report reveals  UK in a changing Europe... https://t.co/mBFYCRv4EI  Michael Russell (@Feorlean) March 29, 2018

The Conservative leader also hit back at claims from the Scottish Government and others that Brexit would damage the economy, saying there are real opportunities for the United Kingdom when we leave the European Union.

Mrs May said: We are starting now the negotiations on what our trade arrangements, and arrangements overall in our economic partnership will be with the EU 27 once we leave.

I believe we can negotiate a good agreement which is tariff free and as frictionless trade as possible, so we maintain those markets in the EU, but also that we open up markets around the rest of the world.

Brexit provides us with opportunities, I want to see us coming together, the four nations across the United Kingdom we have a very a strong union, that is in our interests and it is in our interest to come together and really seize these opportunities for the future.

Scottish Brexit Minister Mike Russell said: Scotland voted by a margin of 24 points to remain in the EU but the response of the UK Government has been to seek to impose a disastrous hard Brexit and mount a power grab on the Scottish Parliament.

We have been clear that we are not opposed to UK-wide arrangements in devolved areas when these are in Scotlands interests but this must only happen with the agreement of the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government could never recommend consent to a bill that allows the UK Government to take unilateral control of devolved powers and we are continuing to press that case with UK ministers so that agreement can be reached.

The Scottish Parliament voted overwhelmingly for an EU Continuity Bill which would protect devolution, if there is no agreement with the UK Government, and its high time the views of the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament were respected.
Teachers are on the verge of taking industrial action due to pay and workload, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has warned.

He called on the First Minister to fund a proper, fair pay rise for school staff after unions rejected councils offer of a rise of up to 3%.

Teaching unions have asked for a 10% wage increase, however local authorities said their offer is best and final, adding that they have not received extra money for pay awards from the Scottish Government.

"You cannot close the attainment gap between the richest and poorest children in our schools with underpaid and overworked teachers." - @LabourRichard calls for the SNP government to deliver a proper deal for teachers at #FMQs pic.twitter.com/m5qwtz3LKW  Scottish Labour (@ScottishLabour) March 29, 2018

Mr Leonard raised the issue at First Ministers Questions at Holyrood.

He said: Under the SNP government teachers have seen the value of their pay fall by 25%.

Scotlands teachers have gone from being amongst the best paid teachers in the developed world to being amongst the worst.

They have seen 3,500 of their colleagues disappear from the classroom. They are now teaching some of the biggest classes in the western world.

We cannot close the attainment gap between the richest and poorest children in our schools with underpaid and overworked teachers.

The only thing which can stop our schools facing industrial action and our childrens education facing disruption is the Scottish Government finally paying teachers what they are worth.

Nicola Sturgeon said negotiations over pay were under way, involving unions, councils and the government.

The government are involved in these negotiations, they will continue I hope constructively, and I hope we get to an end result here that avoids the scenario Richard Leonard has outlined, she said.

She added: Local government budgets are being increased in real terms in the coming financial year.

In terms of teachers pay, I make no apology for the fact that we will take forward discussions in the proper way, through the tripartite negotiation framework that is in place.
Business Hurdle: BB Airways will have to wait until new airport is ready

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) has asked the government to delay issuing an operating licence to defunct private carrier BB Airways until the expansion of Bhairahawa airport is complete.
On Good Friday evening, 20 years ago, the scene before me on the Stormont plateau was surreal. Dozens of television presenters sheltered from the biting cold in their makeshift canvas booths, all chattering at the same time in different languages, their satellite dishes pointing to the night sky, beaming news of the Belfast Agreement to the world.

No story that weekend was bigger globally. Northern Ireland was top of the news hour coast-to-coast across the United States.

The involvement of President Bill Clinton and the soft-spoken senator George Mitchell guaranteed American interest, as did the presence of so many international media assembled in what looked like a Bedouin encampment on Stormont's lawns.

Among them was CNN's globe-trotting Christiane Amanpour, seeking to make sense of what had just been agreed, interrogating me, as the-then Editor of the Belfast Telegraph, in the hope of simplifying the complexity of it all for her worldwide audience.

I remember thinking that, when Ms Amanpour and her colleagues had departed our shores, we would be left to struggle with the undotted "i"s and uncrossed "t"s in the Belfast Agreement.

For all that Easter's elation and the Telegraph's optimistic headline on that weekend - "An Easter of Hope" - the agreement still had the potential to fall apart. And eventually it would and did.

In the euphoria of the moment, any sense of pessimism was not to be countenanced. Relief that a deal had been struck belied any concerns that the settlement might stick. That Easter week of intense day and night hot-house negotiation had the virtue of knocking heads together until the early hours of Good Friday morning, but at the cost of brushing over fundamental issues.

The handshakes masked the glaring failure to extract the guns from loyalist and republican groups in return for the prison release of killers, some of whom had hardly served any penalty for committing crimes of which today's Isis terrorists would be proud.

The Good Friday Agreement would prove to be a ticking time-bomb under the leaderships of the Ulster Unionist Party and SDLP for all the efforts of their Nobel prize-winning leaders, David Trimble and John Hume, to reach that historic deal.

Memories of how the Good Friday Agreement was achieved are easily distorted today - not least by the two principal parties in power now, the DUP and Sinn Fein.

The DUP did absolutely nothing to engage in the talks, did all in its power to sabotage the unionists who did and now presents itself as a bastion of power-sharing devolution, even though that lay at the very heart of the agreement it rejected 20 years ago.

Sinn Fein speaks in such unquestioningly revering terms about the Good Friday Agreement as if it was the primary architect and not, as was the case, the most difficult of all the parties to bring to the table of agreement. Even then, it continued for many more years to baulk at the requirement for the decommissioning of IRA weapons.

In so doing, it aided the DUP to its position of unionist dominance which ended the political career of one of the agreement's chief signatories, David Trimble.

Time has a habit of blurring memories, so I decided to jog mine by looking back through the Belfast Telegraph pages in the week running up to Easter two decades ago. The front pages of the paper show that, day after day, the talks were a rollercoaster of optimism and pessimism, mostly the latter.

Let's start with Sinn Fein and recall what it really wanted. It demanded powerful, all-Ireland, north-south bodies, immune from any veto from a Northern Ireland Assembly and with ability to grow. It wanted no dilution of the Irish territorial claim to Northern Ireland and an all-Ireland constitutional court with a remit to include policing, the legal system and justice.

The IRA went further, rejecting "participation in any partitionist assembly", a far cry from the reality of what really happened when, within weeks of Easter 1998, Sinn Fein voted to take its seats at Stormont.

The DUP played no role in the talks other than to condemn them at every opportunity. Ian Paisley Jnr was reported in this newspaper as rejecting any north-south institutions and described the talks as "fraudulent".

His father, along with Peter Robinson and the body politic of the DUP, stalked town and country, denouncing David Trimble and his Ulster Unionists as "traitors".

Also forgotten as the talks entered their last 72 hours is that a 65-page draft document, drawn up by Senator George Mitchell, summarising the various party positions, almost scuppered the entire deal. Just as the DUP took cold feet recently over the draft Irish language proposals, the Ulster Unionists did the same when they read Mitchell's draft and found the Irish Government was not delivering sufficient change to its constitution.

Without that, the unionists could not sign up to the controversial north-south bodies and the entire deal was on the point of collapse.

The Belfast Telegraph reported a private, 10-minute meeting between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the-then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, with all officials and advisors excluded. Those few minutes salvaged the fortunes of the negotiations from likely failure to probable success.

The Telegraph front pages from Easter week reflect the ups and downs of the last-ditch talks, one day a breakthrough, the next a setback. In the midst of all the cliff-hanging drama, Ahern's 87-year-old mother had died suddenly of a heart attack, requiring her son to abandon the talks and return to Dublin.

It was as if fate was conspiring against any agreement at a stage when the unionists said the chances of success were only 5%.

Gerry Adams said of the negotiations: "It is like stew. You have all the ingredients, but you have to cook them properly."

In the end, the stew was cooked, though it could have done with a lot more seasoning.

The world's media waiting outside ate it all, while those inside at the negotiating table enjoyed the taste.

In those heady days, the stakes were so high that lobby groups intensified their efforts. Blair's chief aide, Alastair Campbell, thought nothing of ringing the Telegraph to inquire what the editorial might be saying.

Others were even more direct. After editorials questioned whether any deal could stick without the decommissioning of terrorist arms, an Alliance figurehead wrote to me personally, saying, as Editor, I should be ashamed of the paper's policy.

When the Telegraph published the results of an opinion poll which showed that a majority in the unionist and nationalist communities wanted accountable government at Stormont, the Rev Ian Paisley accused the paper and the pollsters of a "conspiracy" with the Northern Ireland Office.

In unionist eyes, the Good Friday Agreement was supposed to draw a line in the sand.

While one side saw it as the endgame, the other took it as only the beginning of a process. To some, a peace and political settlement; to others, a peace and political process with no end in sight even today.

On Friday, April 10, 1998, the Belfast Telegraph editorial said: "After all the bloody days, today is truly Good Friday. The potential and promise of a new era for our divided communities is staring us in the face. All we need is the will and courage to take it."

Twenty years on, we know the current crop of unionist and nationalist leaders have failed to take that opportunity. The agreement of 1998 was far from perfect. It was laced with ambiguity, but it did provide an essential breathing space for a land asphyxiated by violence.

Northern Ireland has benefited through that peace, though not through stable efficient government, as is evident in Stormont's empty Assembly chamber.

The 1998 deal helped to bring peace and normality in our time, but it has not resolved - and, perhaps, even exacerbated - the question of identity which still haunts this island.
A Malaysian commuter reads from his mobile phone at a train station next to an advertisement discouraging the dissemination of fake news in Kuala Lumpur, March 29, 2018.

Rights groups are raising alarms over a series of legal moves across Southeast Asia, where legislators are expanding existing regulations by invoking the proliferation of fake news online to introduce stricter laws that, critics say, could potentially stifle free speech.

In Malaysia, lawmakers are debating an anti-fake news bill that was introduced in parliament on Monday and expected to be approved next week ahead of elections where Prime Minister Najib Razaks links to a multi-million dollar investment scandal is among key issues.

Lawmakers in Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines are also preparing legislation to counter fake news, which the Malaysian bill defines as any news, information, data or report that is wholly or partially false.

Critics say the new laws could be used by authoritarian leaders to punish legitimate news outlets that often criticize their administrations.

Most of the time, the definition of what is fake news is very vague, so it leads to tremendous potential for governments to abuse, Steve Butler, Asia program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, told BenarNews in a phone interview on Thursday.

For journalists, it poses tremendous hazards. Are people going to be put in jail as a result of making occasional errors that almost every journalist makes?

Azalina Othman, Malaysias minister in charge of law, told the parliament in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday that the government had decided to reduce the proposed prison term for those convicted under the anti-fake news bill from 10 to six years after taking into account suggestions from several parties, including legislators.

The bill tabled today is not a law that would obstruct the freedom of speech, but it is to curb the freedom of spreading fake news, she said, adding that the government had also decided to amend a clause in the proposed law against falsehoods to make it a crime for people to maliciously create false news.

But on Thursday, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Kuala Lumpur to withdraw the bill.



Malaysias fake news bill is a blatant attempt by the government to prevent any and all news that it doesnt like, whether about corruption or elections, Brad Adams, HRWs Asia director, said in a statement. The proposed law uses draconian penalties and broad language in an audacious and unprecedented effort to control discussion of Malaysia worldwide.

A clear target of the legislation is the discussion about the corruption-tainted state fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was founded by Prime Minister Najib, HRW said. Najib has denied any wrongdoing related to 1MDB.

Malaysia's National Human Rights Commission on Thursday declined to support the anti-fake news bill, calling instead for a parliamentary committee to consider measures that would tackle the proliferation of bogus reports.

The Bill in its present form has far-reaching consequences as the law could be used to exert government control over the media, the commissions chairman, Razali Ismail, said in a statement.

The Malaysian bill would require individuals, corporations and websites to immediately remove content if they have reasonable grounds to believe it contains fake news. Failure to do so could result in a criminal fine of up to 100,000 Malaysian ringgit (US$26,000).

In Indonesia, activists and non-governmental groups filed a lawsuit last week challenging Jakartas newly amended law that would allow people to go to jail for criticizing national politicians.

The revised Law on Representative Assemblies, also known as the MD3 law, came into force this month after legislators approved it in February, despite warnings from legal and media groups that it could impinge on free speech.

Under the amended law, legislators can bring charges against people who "undermine its honor or that of its members, allowing lawmakers to place a person under arrest for more than 30 days, critics said.

But Bambang Soesatyo, Indonesias new House speaker, told reporters that the amendment would not quash public criticism of lawmakers.

In Singapore, a parliamentary committee is reviewing possible measures to prevent deliberate online falsehoods.

More than 70 per cent of Singaporean residents surveyed in a poll have come across online news that they thought were not fully accurate, according to a government feedback unit this week.

The prevalence of fake news and the ease with which it can propagate online presents a serious challenge to our society, not least because it can strain our social fabric and have real-life consequences in some cases, Minister Sam Tan was reported saying.

Singapore ranks 151 out of 180 countries in a World Press Freedom Index issued by Reporters Without Borders, a non-government group that promotes freedom of information.

Verify user identify, Philippine House speaker says

In the Philippines, a predominantly Roman Catholic country, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has filed a bill mandating social media companies to verify the identity of users before registering them on their networks.

He said it could prevent creation of fake accounts and spread of fake news.

A recent study released by Universal McCann, a New York-based advertising agency, described the Philippines as the social-networking capital of the world with almost 83 percent of 103 million Filipinos claiming to have social-media accounts.

Since he took power in June 2016, Duterte has turned social media platforms such as Facebook into a tool, where his social-media handlers, backed by their army of supporters and followers, defend the popular 74-year-old leader.

The trolls have become so effective that those who criticize the president or have opposing views become targets of vicious online threats, media analysts say.

Duterte has defended a corporate regulators move to revoke the license of Rappler, a news website that has criticized his governments brutal anti-drug war. He has also prohibited Rapplers reporters from covering the presidential palace, describing the website as a fake news outlet.
Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the truth about the abortion debate in America.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Medikabazaar will work with KIHT towards technology transfers and improving technology market access, production and competitiveness from their members. It will also actively promote the e-auction portal of KIHT on its website for enabling medical product manufacturers to participate in the online bidding of technology transfer.

Medikabazaar, an online marketplace for purchase of medical products and medical supplies by hospitals and medical establishments has announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the prestigious Kalam Institute of Health Technology (KIHT) based in Vishakhapatnam, India. The MoU states that Medikabazaar will showcase innovative technologies ready to be purchased for industrial manufacturing by medical products manufacturers. This will be the first ever e-auction where medical technology can be bought or auctioned. This partnership will help support MedTech transfers and facilitate rapid industrial promotion.

Kalam Institute of Health Technology has collaborated with Medikabazaar for the e-auction of technologies related to medical devices developed by members of the cluster. In a major knowledge transfer boost, KIHT will assist members of Medikabazaar with appropriate information on important domain expertise and available facilities for focused R&D on medical devices.

Medikabazaar will work with KIHT towards technology transfers and improving technology market access, production and competitiveness from their members. It will also actively promote the e-auction portal of KIHT on its website for enabling medical product manufacturers to participate in the online bidding of technology transfer.

Mr. Vivek Tiwari, Founder and CEO of Medikabazaar stated, "I am proud to be associated with Kalam Institute of Health Technology and would like to announce that we are the first portal in healthcare space to facilitate e-auction for technology transfer. Now anyone looking at buying or bidding for innovative medical technology in medical devices can do so simply through the website ."

Dr. Jitendar Sharma, Managing Director & CEO, Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone, stated, "Partnership between Medikabazaar and KIHT brings the academia one step closer to the medical industry. Medikabazaar has an impressive list of medical devices manufacturers on-board and they can explore acquiring these innovative medical technologies developed in research labs funded by Government of India. By acquiring license of technologies, manufacturers can significantly save time on R&D and go-to-market."
New Systems Will Improve the Treatment Process Workflow, Enabling Clinicians to Treat More Patients Every Day.

Personalized, precise, radiation treatments will soon be available to more cancer patients in India. Accuray Incorporated has announced that the company has signed an agreement with the Apollo Hospitals Group in Chennai and New Delhi, India, for the acquisition of two Radixact Systems, radiation therapy devices that have been proven to deliver highly accurate treatments for a broad range of tumors anywhere in the body. The installation of these systems, one replacing a conventional linear accelerator and the other in a new vault, will expand access to state-of-the-art cancer treatment technology for the people of India. The orders were entered into backlog during Accuray Incorporated's Q3 fiscal quarter, which ends March 31, 2018.

Apollo Hospitals was established in 1983 and has since emerged as Asia's foremost integrated healthcare services provider. This patient-centric organization's mission is to bring the highest standards of healthcare to every patient.

Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, "Cancer care requires passionate commitment, cutting edge expertise along with unswerving dedication to keep raising the bar and at Apollo we have embraced this ethos, as our singular goal is to make cancer conquerable!"

Dr. Reddy added, "For over twentyfive years, Apollo Cancer Centres have been serving patients from over 140 countries. Our fine teams of Oncologists persevere relentlessly to offer patients the global best in cancer care and a contemporary product such as the Radixact System will help our patients by minimizing the impact on their quality of life."

"We are honored to be partnering with Apollo Hospitals to improve the lives of people with cancer. Our employees are focused on a common goal  to put patients first by providing them with the best possible care," said Lionel Hadjadjeba, M.D., Senior Vice President, and Chief Commercial Officer at Accuray. "The Radixact System can be used to treat virtually any tumor type including breast, head and neck, lung and prostate cancers, during every stage of the treatment journey, from primary cases, to recurrent and metastatic diseases. This gives the Apollo Hospitals clinical team tremendous flexibility and enables them to tailor treatments to the specific needs of each patient."
Daughters in darkness

In this day and age, each and every person should be allowed to live equally and respectably. Unfortunately, some boundaries have been erected to create discrimination between girls and boys.
WTH! Vijay Mallya Is On The Run And Is Still Marrying For The 3rd Time! Pulse oi-Syeda Farah

What is the worst thing that you have read of late? A person who is on the run for years and is believed to be one of the most wanted persons in the country seems to be having a perfect life in another country while there is nothing much that can be done to get him back!

Well, we are talking about Vijay Mallya who was famously tagged as the 'King of Good Times' and is all set to marry the third time to his girlfriend Pinky Lalwani who is a former Kingfisher air hostess and the moment the news of his wedding spread across like wildfire, netizens seem to be going berserk with this news!

Check out the details of Vijay Mallya, his lavish lifestyle, to the women in his life...

About His Family He is the son of Late Vittal Mallya, who had huge property in Bangalore. But currently Vijay Mallya has already liquidated all of the plum property that belonged to his family as he spent it lavishly on cute and sexy girls for Kingfisher Calendars. He Married At The Age Of 28 It is reported that Vijay Mallya married at the age of 28, in 1986. Apparently, he was travelling to the USA on an Air India flight where he met the air hostess Sameera Tyabjee. The couple fell in love and got married. They had a son named Siddharth Mallya.' They eventually got divorced a few years later. Celebrities Who Were Tortured For Being Gay Second Time Lucky When Vijay Mallya came to know about his childhood love Rekha splitting from her husband, he took no time to propose to her and after spending a few months, they both eventually got married. It is reported that Rekha was married twice before she tied the knot with Vijay. Following her second wedding, she was blessed with two children - Laila and Kabir. The couple together also have two daughters, named Leanna and Tanya. Apparently, Vijay Mallya is still legally married to her. List Of Celebs Who Lost Their Lives In A Bathroom When Vijay Mallya Turned Lucky The Third Time! It is reported that Pinky Lalwani is a former Kingfisher Airlines employee. The couple met when Mallya hired Lalwani in 2011 and she has been a pillar of strength for Vijay Mallya in his good as well as bad times. Rumours of the couple tying the knot has been floating around of late. Celebrities Whose Mugshots Have Gone Viral Disclaimer: These excerpts about his wives and his life have been taken from various media tabloids. What do you think about Vijay Mallya's luck? Guess it makes us feel that few people are just born lucky! Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Image Source: Twitter:
Deuba faction against early General Convention

Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba supporters have said that the party should not go for early General Convention and protested against it.
Mahavir Jayanti 2020: Facts You Probably Didnt Know About Sage Mahavir Faith Mysticism lekhaka-Subodini Menon

Mahavir Jayanti is the most important celebration for the Jain community and is observed by the Jains living all over the world. Mahavir Jayanti commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir.

It was Lord Mahavir who helped in establishing the basics of the religion - Jainism. There were 24 tirtankaras in Jainism.

Lord Mahavir is believed to have been born on the 13th day (traiyodashi) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra. The year in which he was born was 599 BC. The birth place of Lord Mahavir is situated in the area that is known as Pavapuri in Bihar today. After he turned 72 years of age, there is not much mention in the history about his whereabouts.

This year, Mahavir Jayanti falls on 6 April and this day will be observed in a time when the world health criris due to Coronavirus. The Muhurta for the day is as follows:

The Trayodashi Tithi Begins - 07:24 PM on Apr 05, 2020 and the Trayodashi Tithi Ends - 03:51 PM on Apr 06, 2020. On this day, the Jains will celebrate the 2618th birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir. He was the 24th and the last Tirtankara.

There are many more fascinating things about Mahavir who basically founded the Jain religion. Read on to know some of the facts that you did not know about Lord Mahavir, on the auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti.

Even Before His Birth, His Parents Knew That Mahavir Would Become A Great Man

The country was in a state of chaos. The public needed the arrival of a man capable of leading them away from all the chaos. King Siddharta and Queen Trishala were expecting a baby around this time. The Queen would have very beautiful dreams every day. The King met with a wise man and asked him what all the dreams meant. The King was then informed that the baby was no ordinary child and would become a great man when he grew up.

The Many Names Of Lord Mahavir

Lord Mahavir became famous with five different names. He was called Veer, Mahaveer, Ativeer, Sanmati and Vardhaman.

The Story Of Lord Mahavir Leaving His Home

When Mahavir was 28 years old, both his parents passed away. His elder brother, Nandi Vardhan, requested him to stay with him and he honoured that request for two more years. At the age of 30, he had deeksha and as a result, left his home. He gave up his kingdom and family and went forth into the world on the Krishna Dashami of Margashirsha month.

Meditation Of Lord Mahavir

Lord Mahavir spent the next 12 years in deep meditation. In the end, as a result of all his hard and intense prayers, he received enlightenment. He was 42 years old at that time.

The Method To Reach Salvation

Lord Mahavir taught the world the way to salvation. It has five pathways. One should practice them to attain salvation after his time on earth is done. The five ways are truth, avoiding theft, tolerance, pure mind and not collecting or storing anything in excess.

Lord Mahavir Attaining Salvation - Moksha

In a place known as Pavapuri, Lord Mahavir passed away at the age of 72. It is said that he attained Nirvana on that day too. His life ended with a legacy that he left behind. He taught the world a principle of live and let live and taught people to live in peace and harmony. His teachings and his life shall always be an example for his devotees and followers and will help them lead a peaceful and harmonious life.
Importance Of Maundy Thursday Faith Mysticism lekhaka-Shatavisha Chakravorty

Most Indians are well aware of the fact that in the Hindu religion there are 33 million different Gods. We are also well acquainted with the fact that every month there is some sort of festivity involved. However, little do we know that there are a number of different events that mark the Christian calendar.

In fact, most of these occur during Lent. For those of you who are unaware of the same, Lent is the period just prior to when the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated.

With the world gearing up for an Easter weekend, it is a good idea for us to learn more about the significance of the different occasions that come before and after Easter. One of the most important days in this period is that of Maundy Thursday.

This year, the day falls on the 29th of March. Thus if you are someone who thought that Christmas and New Year are the only two festivals that Christians celebrate, read on to widen your horizon and learn more about the second largest religion in the world.

 All About Maundy Thursday

Most of us are aware of the story of the Last Supper that Jesus Christ had with the Apostles. There have been numerous instances in modern an ancient art and literature that have depicted the same. Maundy Thursday is the day just prior to Good Friday and it is celebrated in honour of the great Last Supper. It is interesting to note that there isn't very elaborate mention of the Maundy Thursday in the Bible at all. In fact, it will be fair to say that the Bible neither proposes not rejects the celebration of this festival. It is left open to interpretation for one to decide on whether to celebrate this festival or not.

 One Festival Has Multiple Names

Considering that Christianity is the second largest religion in the world, it is obvious that its spread is also very wide. For a religion with a spread as wide as that of Christianity, it is obvious that one festival will be known by different names in different parts of the globe. Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, Sheer Thursday, Covenant Thursday and Thursday of Mysteries are all the same thing and are used to signify this day of religious importance. In India, this festival is more popularly known as the Good Thursday.

 Literary Interpretation

The word 'Maundy' is derived from Latin and literally translates to the word 'command'. It is celebrated in honour of the command that Jesus gave to his twelve disciples on the night of the Last Supper. The command was to love one another and serve each other with utmost sincerity. It is here that Jesus stated that one must love their neighbour as much as they would love themselves. It is to be noted that it is with the same sincerity that Jesus performed the supreme sacrifice a day later and gave up his life for that of His children (that is all of us). Hence, the spirit of sacrifice and giving up one's pleasures for the greater good of others forms the core of the Maundy Thursday celebrations even today.

 A Walk Down History

In the past during the festival of Maundy Thursday the ruling Monarch would wash the feet of the poor. This foot washing ritual by the most powerful man or woman in the kingdom is in remembrance of how Jesus Christ humbled himself and washed the feet of his disciples. This act speaks volumes of the Christian way of life wherein each human being is treated in the same way and given the dignity of life that he or she deserves. This was a grand ritual and the common people looked forward to the same for the entire year. The ritual was carried out in the famous Westminister Abbey all the way up to the spring of 1689.

 A Turn In The Regal Celebrations

Since the last couple of centuries the celebration of Maundy Thursday was up for a major change. These days a Royal Maundy service is held in one of the largest cathedrals of Britain. Every year the choice of cathedral varies. This is done in order to ensure that a greater amount of people can be a part of the royal celebrations. The Queen also hands out Maundy Money to pensioners from in and around the area in which the cathedral for the Royal Maundy for that particular year is situated. This year the Queen will attend the Royal Maundy services at the Leicester Cathedral.

 Maundy Money

This is specially currency in Britain that is minted exclusively for Maundy Thursday. Unlike the ordinary currency, the Maundy Coins still show the same image of Her Royal Highness as that of the first coins that were issued during her coronation in the year 1953. Maundy Money is highly coveted and is a collectable entity and has value as a legal tender in Britain. Needless to say, Maundy Thursday celebrations in India go about without the presence of Maundy Money.

 Special Rituals

One very interesting custom that is associated with Maundy Thursday is that of the Queen giving out the Maundy Money. Every year the number of elderly men and women who receive the Maundy Money is equal to the number of years in the Queen's age. Thus the number increases by one with every passing year. In the Indian context, a number of Christian churches all over the country observe a foot washing ceremony to commemorate Jesus's washing the feet of his disciples.

 As India Follows Suit

The mere absence of Maundy Money does not lessen the spirit of celebrations in the country. The spirit of giving and that of universal brotherhood that is central to any Christian celebration remains unhindered. It is on this day that items of clothing, money and food are handed out to the most deprived sections of the society. This practice is carried out with all the zeal and fervour in the Christian-dominated areas of the country.
Economy top agenda during Olis India visit

Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis visit to India will focus on economic agenda, according to his close aide. PM Oli is slated to embark on a three-day visit to India on April 6his first since taking office on February 16.
Israel to recruit more Nepali caregivers

The government of Israel has shown positive intent towards receiving more Nepali migrant workers as caregivers from this year.
Ministry consigns analogue TV to history

The Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC) has consigned analogue cable TV signal to history effective from Wednesday in the Capital.
Thank you for being patient.
Non-tariff barriers holding back Nepals export trade

Nepal faces a number of non-tariff barriers to its exports despite being a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) which promise hassle-free cross-border movement of goods and services.
Barclays has agreed to pay $2bn in civil penalties to settle claims over the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the lead-up to the financial crisis, the US Department of Justice has said.

According to the terms of the settlement, two former Barclays executives have also agreed to pay $2m to resolve claims brought against them individually.

It relates to Barclays' underwriting and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) between 2005 and 2007.

Barclays will pay the penalty in exchange for dismissal of the DoJ's complaint against the British lender.

The DoJ alleged that Barclays caused billions of dollars in losses to investors by engaging in a "fraudulent scheme" to sell 36 RMBS deals, and that it misled investors about the quality of the mortgage loans backing those deals.

It alleged violations of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), based on mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, and other misconduct.

The two former Barclays executives named as defendants in the suit are Paul Menefee, who was the lender's head banker on its subprime RMBS securitisations, and John Carroll, who served as head trader for subprime loan acquisitions.

In exchange for dismissal of the claims against them, the pair have agreed to pay $2m in civil penalties.

Richard Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said: "This settlement reflects the ongoing commitment of the Department of Justice, and this Office, to hold banks and other entities and individuals accountable for their fraudulent conduct.

"The substantial penalty Barclays and its executives have agreed to pay is an important step in recognising the harm that was caused to the national economy and to investors in RMBS."

Barclays said the settlement resolves "all actual and potential civil claims by the DoJ" relating to securitisation, underwriting and sale of mortgage-backed securities in the period 2005-2007.

Chief executive Jes Staley said: "I am pleased that we have been able to reach a fair and proportionate settlement with the Department of Justice.

"It has been a priority for this management team from the start to resolve these historic issues in a timely and appropriate manner wherever possible.

"The completion of our restructuring in 2017, and putting significant legacy matters like this one behind us, mean Barclays is well positioned to produce stronger earnings going forward, and to start returning a greater proportion of those earnings to our shareholders over time.

"Accordingly, it remains our intention to pay a dividend of 6.5 pence for 2018."
A series of adverts in Belfast have been banned after being branded as racist.

The billboard poster for Nicofresh electronic cigarettes featured an elderly white woman sitting on a couch alongside a young black man.

The man had his arms around the woman as the woman held an electronic cigarette.

Text alongside the image stated "NO TOBACCO. NO TABOO".

The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said six complainants challenged whether the ad was offensive on the grounds of race, because "it implied that an interracial relationship was socially unacceptable".

Four of the complainants challenged whether it was offensive on the grounds of age.

Belfast-based Nicofresh had said the campaign was based on the observation that, over the last 30 years, cigarette smoking had come to acquire taboo status in Irish and British society.

"Smoking was banned in most public places, meaning that smokers were not free to smoke in most of the everyday smoking situations that make up the 'public sphere', including public transport, public houses and cinemas", it said.

Here's the first poster from our current Nicofresh campaign which is currently live in Belfast pic.twitter.com/TScivfjLHW  bloom advertising (@bloomadv) May 8, 2014

It added that the ad asserted that, thanks to Nicofresh, and the social permissibility of e-cigarettes, smokers could indulge in a variation of social smoking without feeling the sense of disapproval that smoking could result in.

The ASA considered that consumers were likely to interpret the ad to mean that, contrary to the relationship depicted, to smoke e-cigarettes was not a taboo issue.

"We noted the pronounced age gap between the man and woman, the fact they were a couple, and that the image was accompanied with the text 'NO TOBACCO. NO TABOO'.

"We considered that consumers would believe that the ad was presenting a relationship between an older and younger individual, particularly an older woman and a younger man, and a couple of different races, as something that was unusual or socially unacceptable.

"Because of that, we concluded that the ad was likely to cause serious or widespread offence on the grounds of race and age."

The ASA said the ad must not appear again in its current form.

Nicofresh also has offices in Dublin.
By Eamon Quinn

The head of international financial services at the IDA has said there is no reason to doubt that Ireland will tap a significant dividend in terms of the number of finance jobs from UK-based banks relocating or expanding out of the UK because of Brexit.

Kieran Donoghue told the Irish Examiner, however, that the jobs flow in the low thousands will be over a number of years, and not before next March which marks the start of the transition period for the UKs exit from the EU.

His comments come as a survey by Reuters of firms employing the bulk of UK-based workers in international finance found that the number of finance jobs to be shifted out of Britain or created overseas by March 2019 due to Brexit has dropped by half compared to six months ago to 5,000 jobs.

Its survey of 119 firms also found that Paris has overtaken Frankfurt as the most popular destination for the new jobs.

A more conciliatory tone toward the finance sectors from UK prime minister Theresa Mays government and progress in talks with the EU have also had an effect.

The findings suggest London will comfortably remain Europes largest financial centre, at least in the short term.

The future of London as Europes financial centre is one of the biggest issues in Brexit talks because it is Britains largest export sector and that countrys biggest source of tax.

Britain and the EU agreed on March 19 to a transition period of 21 months to give time for talks on future trade ties.

Additional reporting Reuters
Earlier this year, the government lifted the ban on alcohol being sold on Good Friday, and one Dublin pub is marking the occasion by helping charity.

Slatterys Pub in Beggars Bush will donate all proceeds from the day to Our Ladys Hospice Care, Harolds Cross and Blackrock, and the local 4th Port Dodder Sea Scout Group in Dublin.
More than one in four student teachers consider dropping out due to financial pressures.

A new survey found it was the biggest concern for those in work placement.

The report outlined the average cost of placement for student teachers per week totalled 160 a week for just travel, resources and materials, food, and the Gaeltacht fee payment.

It also found that 71% hold part-time jobs during this time to cover these expenses.

96% of current students find their time on placement highly stressful indicating finance as the main driver for stress and 89% of current students and 79% of graduates say that the compulsory Gaeltacht fee is too high.

Speaking at the launch, Union of Students in Ireland President Michael Kerrigan, said:

The reality is, students cant cope with the cost of living without another job on top of this and the 1,500 Gaeltacht fee is an extra cost put onto student teachers alongside the 3,000 registration charge. The average cost of college is 12,500 while students, in Ireland are paying the second highest fees in the EU, after the UK, on top of another 1,500 a year for a Gaeltacht fee. Its time our Government valued student teachers, otherwise were faced with a drought of talent with the shortage of teachers reaching crisis point.

Graham Geraghty from Galway is a student teacher at St Angela's College in Sligo he says the unions must bring this to Cabinet.

He said: "If you are doing it and you've made the commitment to your programme and to your career, you'll go above and beyond, you'll do anything for your learners.

"I can definitely see why there is a fall, I think it is the work of our unions such as the Teachers Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers to bring this to the prominence of Cabinet."

Over 3,000 students were surveyed in total.

- Digital Desk
The Army bomb disposal squad was called to a charity shop in Dublin today after a device was found inside a bag of donated clothing.

The suspect package was discovered when staff at the St. Vincent De Paul shop in Terenure were sifting through clothes handed in by an elderly man this afternoon.
Former US president Bill Clinton will travel to Northern Ireland next month to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement.

Mr Clinton will also journey to the Republic as part of a series of events to celebrate the historic peace accord of April 1998.

The ex-president and senator George Mitchell, the US diplomat who brokered the deal, will both receive the Freedom of Belfast on April 10.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, councillor Nuala McAllister, said: "The contribution made by both president Bill Clinton and senator George J Mitchell to our peace process cannot be underestimated. Both have earned their place in our history as peacemakers, and both can be very proud of what they helped us to achieve."

On the same day, the politicians will also attend a major peace building event at Queen's University in Belfast along with other major protagonists in the negotiations that largely ended three decades of sectarian conflict.

Other participants include former No 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell, ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, former UUP leader and first minister David Trimble and former SDLP deputy first minister Seamus Mallon.

Former DUP leader and ex first minister Peter Robinson will also attend.

Queen's University's acting vice-chancellor, Professor James McElnay, said: "We are honoured and delighted to welcome President Clinton to Queen's University to mark the 20th anniversary of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.

"His role and influence on the peace process in Northern Ireland was pivotal to ensuring all parties reached agreement in April 1998. To have him back in Northern Ireland for this significant anniversary is a privilege."

On April 9, both Senator Mitchell and President Clinton will deliver speeches in Dublin.

- PA
Two Cork grandfathers who had not known one another previously have now forged a friendship which will endure for the rest of their lives as they thank the same deceased donor for their gifts of life.

Charlie Keane and Dermot OConnell, aged 67 and 70 respectively, underwent their life-saving kidney transplants at Beaumont Hospital within hours of one another recently under the same transplant surgeon, Dilly Little.

Then weeks later, one of the mens friends, 77-year-old Donal OFlynn also got called for a transplant thanks to another deceased donor.

Dermot said: It was a huge coincidence that another patient, Charlie Keane, who like me also attended dialysis treatment at the same hospital as me, was called for a kidney transplant on the same day as me.

"Remarkably, it took 10 days for the transplant kidneys to start working properly in both of us and we were carefully monitored and required three dialysis treatments before the kidneys functioned on their own.

"Our surgeon Dilly Little surmised that our lazy kidneys just needed time to wake up.

"Sharing the same donors kidneys is such a unique life-altering experience and Charlie and I have become friends since.

"It came as a huge surprise that within weeks of our transplant, my friend Donal OFlynn who is 77 years and who had been receiving dialysis treatment for nine years was called for a kidney transplant.

"I know that I also speak for my two friends when I say that the three of us are immensely grateful to our deceased donors and their families for our renewed health and the second chance at life that we can now enjoy with our families.

Donal and Dermot had been friends for over three years as they were both on the same early-morning dialysis shift at Cork University Hospital, three days a week for their four-hour treatments.

Donal, the eldest of the three men, had spent a lengthy nine years receiving dialysis treatment before his transplant came along, while Dermot, the second eldest, had been undergoing his treatment for three and a half years.

The wait was not as long for Charlie Keane (aged 67) from Blarney Street in Cork city, as he was only receiving his dialysis treatment for nine months before he was called for his transplant.

Charlie, a fitness enthusiast and the youngest of the three men, aged 67, said, When I received the diagnosis that my kidneys were failing over 16 years ago, instead of letting it get me down, I decided to take control of my health and became active.

"I took up swimming every day and in the last couple of years I also attended the gym. I found that keeping fit was great for my physical and mental health."

The three men joined international rugby and grand slam winner Tomas OLeary at the Cork launch by of the Organ Donor Awareness Week campaign, organised by the Cork branch of the Irish Kidney Association at the Rochestown Park Hotel this evening.

The key message of Organ Donor Awareness Week is that families need to talk to each other about organ donation and keep the reminders of their willingness to donate visible by carrying the organ donor card and permitting Code 115 to be included on their drivers license.

Organ Donor Awareness Week also serves as a fundraising exercise for the Irish Kidney Association. Throughout the Week (31st March - 7th April 2018).

Volunteers will be out on the streets, and in shopping centres throughout the country, distributing organ donor cards while selling 'forget-me-not-flower' emblems, brooches, lapel pins, pens and shopping trolley discs.

All proceeds will go towards the Irish Kidney Associations aid for patients on dialysis and those patients fortunate enough to have received a kidney transplant.

- Digital desk
Update 12.30pm:Crowds have gathered in cities all over Ireland in support of rape victims.

It follows the acquittal yesterday of all four defendants in the Belfast rape trial.

Ireland and Ulster rugby player Paddy Jackson, 26, was found not guilty of rape and sexual assault after a trial at Belfast Crown Court.

His team-mate Stuart Olding, 25, was also found not guilty of rape.

The verdicts were returned after the jury had deliberated for three hours and 45 minutes.

The jury of eight men and three women also found Blane McIlroy, 26, not guilty of exposure and Rory Harrison, 25, not guilty of perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

Dublin:

Hundreds of demonstrators turned out this afternoon at a rally in Dublin in solidarity with the complainant in the Belfast rape case.

They were carrying placards in support of the young woman.

Crowds building at The Spire #IBelieveHer pic.twitter.com/Cv70YVSckD  Sheila de Courcy (@sheiladecourcy) March 29, 2018

Solidarity rally with Belfast rape complainant blocking OConnell street pic.twitter.com/70YTzr1njJ  Juliette Gash (@JulietteGash) March 29, 2018

Cork:

Limerick:

Belfast:

The crowd outside Laganside Court today chanted #IBelieveHer during rally held in solidarity with rape victims. pic.twitter.com/sWz2rlJQye  Kelly Mc Allister (@Kelly_VIEW) March 29, 2018

8am: Dublin rally taking place in support of rape victims following outcome of Belfast trial

A rally will take place in Dublin this afternoon in support of rape victims.

Organisers say they are holding the event following the outcome of the Belfast rape trial.

They are angry at how the complainant was treated throughout the 9-week trial - feeling it will deter any future victims of rape from pursuing cases.

Demonstrators will gather at the Spire from 12.30pm.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger is one of the organisers of the rally.

Deputy Coppinger is calling for the issue of consent to be discussed at a national level following the conclusion of the Belfast Rape Trial.

She said: "This will be an opportunity for people to stand with rape victims.

"I think the coverage by the media was of huge concern and it is felt that the young woman was effectively put on trial subject to character assassination.

"There is now a reaction, what are we going to do about the level of violence in society?"

Please go along to #ibelieveher rally against rape culture, 12:30pm, The Spire, o'Connell Street, Dublin. Essential that we stand up against sexism, and culture where rape survivors are put on trial.#dubw  Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) March 28, 2018

The public nature of the trial and its accompanying commentary on Twitter has raised questions about the use of social media during proceedings.

Barrister Michael OHiggins does not think any trials have been negatively affected  yet.

He said:

I think judges have said on occasion that this is something that has to be closed down and will be closed down if people don't regulate it themselves.

- Digital Desk
Update 2.28pm: The Tanaiste says a "chill factor" has been introduced to the debate on sexual crime following the Belfast rape trial.

Rallies are being held around the country in support of the survivors of sexual abuse.

A debate around issues of consent has been sparked by the acquittal of four men at the centre of the Belfast rape trial.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said it is important to remember the trial was conducted under the rules of a different jurisdiction.

He said: "We shouldn't be drawing conclusions from what happened in a different jurisdiction in terms of what may happen here if people are brave enough to come forward.

"There is undoubtedly a chill factor that comes from the coverage that we have seen of the case we have witnessed in recent weeks.

"I think as policy makers we need to respond to that and make sure there is an appropriate response here."

Earlier: 'Everybody on social media saw themselves as a reporter and social commentator' - Olding's solicitor

Stuart Olding's solicitor says everybody on social media following the Belfast rape case saw themselves as a reporter and social commentator.

Paul Dougan's comments follow a barrage of social media remarks surrounding the trial.

Rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were found not guilty of raping the same woman in Jackson's home - while two of their friends were acquitted of other charges relating to the same case.

Stuart Olding's solicitor Paul Dougan says the commentary was unprecedented.

He said: "Everybody on social media saw themselves as a reporter and a social commentator.

"The comments, the posting by people who knew nothing about the case other than what the read in snippets and social media - I have never seen anything quite like it."

On Today with Sean O'Rourke, Mr Dougan added that, immediately after the verdict: "There was an element of anti-climax", along with elements of relief and disbelief as this had ended as "quickly as it happened".

Mr Dougan said he was never in any doubt as to his client's innocence throughout and the case that he had put forward.

"We were quite content that challenging the case in the court through the trial process was the appropriate thing to do," he said.

Speaking of the status of Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding as sports players, Mr. Dougan said that this drove the manner in which the case was reported on, and how it led bulletins, adding: "That wouldn't have happened for any other sex type case in Belfast or perhaps in Dublin or Cork or anywhere else for that matter."

With the IRFU saying that they are going to conduct their own internal review, Mr Dougan said that "inevitably they will want to examine the events of the last nine weeks".

Mr Dougan confirmed it is Stuart Olding's desire to return to the rugby field. When put to him by Sean O'Rourke, whether Stuart Olding can realistically entertain hopes of putting on the jersey again, Mr. Dougan repled: "Absolutely."

He said: "Stuart recognises that there are questions what will have to be asked... but equally the morality of what has gone on, the indulgences, the excesses, happened when he was on holiday, when he wasn't working."

Earlier: PSNI to investigate naming of Belfast rape trial complainant on Twitter

People who named the complainant in the Belfast rape trial on Twitter are now facing investigation by the PSNI.

The divisive role of social media has come centre stage, following yesterday's acquittal of Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding, and two of their friends.

Paddy Jackson's solicitor Joe McVeigh says social media commentary 'infected' the trial on many occasions, and thinks the police and the court authorities in the north need to urgently address the problem.

Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding.

The trial attracted a barrage of comment on Twitter and other platforms.

Some spoke in support of the complainant with the hashtag I believe her.

Others posted derogatory comments about the woman, and a few went as far as naming her.

Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman says under Northern Ireland law, that is an offence.

She said: "We heard the judge commenting on the social media coverage surrounding this case that any identification of the complainant will be investigated."

Marianne O'Kane, assistant director and head of the North's Public Prosecution Service's serious crime unit.

Marianne O'Kane, assistant director and head of the North's Public Prosecution Service's serious crime unit, said it was "ultimately right" that the case had been brought to trial.

She paid tribute to the "courage and determination of the complainant and her family".

She said she hoped media coverage, which she described as "unprecedented", would help the public beter understand the criminal justice system.

She urged victims of crime to come forward on the assurance "that you will be treated with sensitivity and respect throughout."

According to the PSNI, the complainant was upset and disappointed with the outcome of the trial, but did not regret reporting the matter.

- Digital Desk
North, South Korea fix April date for first summit in years

The leaders of North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on 27 April, South Korean officials said on Thursday, in a sign of easing tension between the old foes.
By Sarah-Jane Murphy

The judge at the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chief David Drumm has today given the jury a lengthy warning as proceedings break for the courts' Easter break.

Judge Karen O'Connor, presiding over the conspiracy to defraud trial, told the 10 men and four women not to carry out any research online or via social media.

Do not let anyone try to influence you as it won't help you when you get to the deliberations stage, she said, on day 49 of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial.

Judge O'Connor said a jury is a group of people selected at random who must come to their own conclusion on the basis of the evidence they hear in court and nowhere else.

Today, a former dealer at Irish Life & Permanent (ILP), told Sinead McGrath BL, prosecuting, that he placed the stg978m with Anglo, a transaction he said was very, very unusual.

Seamus Magner, who managed ILP's dealing desk, told the jury he was not aware of the planned transactions with Anglo until he was called to a meeting on the morning of September 26, 2008.

My colleague was sick that day so there was no hand over regarding the transactions. I was called to an impromptu meeting which other ILP staff attended, he said.

Mr Magner said the mechanics of the transactions were discussed by those present, and said he was aware the deal would exceed Anglo's counter party limit, which at the time was 100m.

The defendant accepts that multi-million euro transactions took place in between Anglo and ILP in 2008 but disputes that they were fraudulent or dishonest.

The witness told Ms McGrath that it was agreed the cash amounts would flow between Irish Life Assurance, Permanent TSB, the retail banking wing of ILP, and Anglo.

Mr Magner said the transactions were discussed with Anglo officials on a quiet line, which he said meant a telephone line that they wouldn't be disturbed.

David Drumm (aged 51) of Skerries, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring with former bank officials Denis Casey, William McAteer, John Bowe and others to defraud depositors and investors at Anglo by dishonestly creating the impression that deposits were 7.2bn larger than they were in 2008.

The former Anglo CEO has also pleaded not guilty to false accounting on December 3, 2008, by furnishing information to the market that Anglo's 2008 deposits were 7.2bn larger than they were.

The trial, which began nine weeks ago, will resume on April 9.
Mary Crilly has been awarded the March Cork Person of the Month award to acknowledge her work in helping victims of sexual violence.

This month marks the 35th anniversary of her leadership and work at the Sexual Violence Centre Cork.

Mary was the first in Cork to introduce counseling and support to women, men and teenagers who have experienced sexual violence or child sexual abuse.

Through the work of the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork City, Mary and her team engage in research, provide training and education and also works with the government, statutory and voluntary agencies in order to influence social policy.

"We acknowledge the courage it takes to make the first phone call to the Centre at 1800 496 496 or to visit us at 5 Camden Place, Cork City," said Mary Crilly.

"We get thousands of calls to our helpline every year and hundreds of callers to Camden Place - the courage of those people have kept me here all these years."

As Director of the Sexual Violence Centre Cork, Mary is calling for separate courts to fast track sexual assaults and rape cases as well as mandatory sentences.

She is calling for a commitment by An Garda Siochana to prioritise investigations into child sexual abuse where digital technology is a factor.

As the recipient of the March Cork Person of the Month award, Mary's name now goes forward for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year next January.

Digital Desk
With one year to go until Brexit, Theresa May is mounting a whirlwind tour of the UK and Northern Ireland with a promise to keep the country "strong and united".

Speaking to voters in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, Mrs May will say that, whether they voted Leave or Remain, what is important now is making Brexit "a success for everyone".

Mrs May is set to have lunch with farmers near Belfast later today.

Sinn Fein has criticised today's visit.

The party is highlighting the fact Mrs May will not be meeting with any of the northern parties.

The British PM's bid to heal divisions caused by the 2016 EU referendum comes as polls suggest voters are still split down the middle over whether or not the UK should leave.

As the final year countdown began, she was buoyed by the EU's approval for a 21-month transition period after the official date of Brexit on March 29 2019 to allow the UK to prepare for its new relationship with Europe.

But tough negotiations on the nature of the future relationship lie ahead over the months before a planned agreement in the autumn.

And the UK Government is facing stiff resistance from Edinburgh and Cardiff to plans to repatriate some powers from Brussels to London, rather than the devolved administrations.

Speaking ahead of her trip, Mrs May said: "I am determined that our future will be a bright one. It's a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners across Europe and beyond.

Having regained control of our laws, our borders and our money, and seized the opportunities provided by Brexit, the UK will thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain.

Mrs May insisted that each of the devolved administrations will see "an increase in their decision-making powers" as a result of the return of responsibilities currently exercised by the EU.

Her Government remains "absolutely committed" to the devolution settlements, she said.

And she restated her rejection of EU proposals which would effectively create an administrative border down the Irish Sea by keeping Northern Ireland in the Customs Union.

"As the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I have an absolute responsibility to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole," she said.

That means ensuring that no new barriers are created within our common domestic market and that the UK is able to meet its international obligations in the future.

"No Prime Minister could leave these things to chance, because they are absolutely crucial to our success as a country in the future."

Mrs May said the Union delivered "enormous benefits" to all four nations of the UK.

And she declared: "I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the world's most successful union.

The UK contains four proud and historic nations, but together we amount to so much more than the sum of our parts and our Union is an enormous force for good.

The British PM will start the day by visiting textile workers at a factory in Ayrshire, before travelling to Newcastle to meet with a local parent and toddler group.

She will have lunch with farmers near Belfast before travelling to Barry in south Wales for a round-table discussion with businesses, and will later have tea in west London with a group of Polish citizens who have made the UK their home.

But the news has not been universally welcomed.

Michael Russell, Scottish Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe, said: "By pursuing a disastrous hard Brexit, regardless of the cost to jobs and living standards, Theresa May and the Tories have shown they think they can now do anything to Scotland and get away with it.

"Instead of treating Scotland as an equal partner, the UK Government wants to conduct a power grab on the Scottish Parliament, which is being strongly resisted by every party apart from the Tories."

- PA
In an editorial in the new issue of Hot Press magazine, editor Niall Stokes has called on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to provide reassurances that the campaigning in the upcoming abortion referendum will not be affected by misleading advertising.

The editorial, which includes an open letter to Zuckerberg, puts a number of questions to the head of Facebook about how the social media site will conduct itself, especially in relation to advertising, between now and the May 25th polling day.

Can you tell Irish Facebook users, Niall Stokes asks of the Facebook founder, what you intend to do to ensure two crucial things: (i) that Facebook cannot and will not be used as a means for dangerous outside forces, of whatever kind, to subvert the democratic process here; and (ii) that no ads purchased from outside the Irish democratic arena will be allowed in relation to the referendum on abortion, in order to ensure that Ireland is not effectively gamed by sinister, unaccountable forces outside the jurisdiction?

The Hot Press editor suggests that the best response might be for Facebook to refuse all advertising relating to the referendum.

As you know, Mark, it should be easy to ensure that deceitful under-the-radar advertising is prevented, Stokes writes. The old adage applies: Follow the money. You know where it is coming from. You know the ads are being booked. You can insist on seeing every one before it is published. You know who is being targeted. You can prevent abuse.

In fact you could unilaterally refuse to allow any advertising whatsoever about the abortion referendum. Given the extent to which your organisation has been shown to have facilitated black propaganda in the past, that is really what we think you should do," Stokes says.

Stokes asks: Are you going to take the money, in the way that you did from Cambridge Analytica or their agents? Are you going to allow the democratic process in Ireland to be subverted, in the way that the US Presidential election was? And hr Brexit vote?".

Hot Press Editor Niall Stokes gives the background to the @CamAnalytica scandal  and writes an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg asking what @facebook intends to do about advertising and micro-targeting in the upcoming referendum in Ireland.https://t.co/13pkvaIyIJ  Hot Press (@hotpress) March 29, 2018

A copy of Hot Press containing the article will be delivered to Facebooks European HQ in Dublin this afternoon.

You can read the full editorial challenge to Mark Zuckerberg here: http://www.hotpress.com/Facebook/politics/themessage/Facebook-and-the-Repeal-Referendum-An-Open-Letter-to-Mark-Zuckerberg/21862621.html

- Digital Desk
Electric jammers have been placed inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London to prevent WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange having access to the internet or social media, sources say.

The Ecuadorian government took the measure on Tuesday evening, stopping Mr Assange from tweeting, using the internet or phone.

He has also been refused any visitors to the embassy, where he has been living since June 2012, believing he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves.

The measures follow the publication of an article in the Ecuadorian press concerning Mr Assange's tweets about the arrest of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont in Germany earlier this week.

In a phone call to Mr Assange's lawyer on Tuesday, an adviser to Ecuadorian foreign minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa said the WikiLeaks founder must stop tweeting about the Catalan issue.

He was also asked to erase a tweet which said: "In 1940 the elected president of Catalonia, Lluis Companys, was captured by the Gestapo, at the request of Spain, delivered to them and executed. Today, German police have arrested the elected president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, at the request of Spain, to be extradited."

Im Jahre 1940 wurde der gewahlte Prasident von Katalonien, Companys, von der Gestapo auf Ersuchen Spaniens gefangen genommen, an sie ausgeliefert und hingerichtet. Die deutsche Polizei hat heute den gewahlten Prasidenten von Katalonien, Puigdemont, zur Auslieferung verhaftet.  Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) March 26, 2018

Mr Assange did not erase the tweet.

His lawyer was told that a decision had been taken to isolate Mr Assange by preventing him from communicating with the outside world, and that this was "by order of the president", say sources.

The serving Ecuadorian ambassador to Washington DC Francisco Carrion tweeted on Thursday: "The decision of the government of Ecuador to prevent Assange from tweeting is correct."

The Ecuador government said in a statement: "The government of Ecuador has suspended the systems that allow Julian Assange to communicate to the outside of the Ecuador embassy in London.

"The measure was adopted due to Assange not complying with a written promise which he made with the government in late 2017, by which he was obliged not to send messages which entailed interference in relation to other states."

WikiLeaks sources said there was no such agreement.

Former Greek minister Yanis Varoufakis and musician Brian Eno said in a statement: "Only extraordinary pressure from the US and the Spanish governments can explain why Ecuador's authorities should have taken such appalling steps in isolating Julian."

They added that the Ecuador government had only recently granted Mr Assange citizenship, saying it must have been "leaned on mercilessly" to stop attempting to provide a diplomatic route to safety and even drive the WikiLeaks founder out of the embassy.

"Clearly, Ecuador's government has been subjected to bullying over its decision to grant Julian asylum, support and ultimately, diplomatic status," they said.

Ecuador briefly suspended Mr Assange's internet connection in 2016 during the US presidential election.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been ordered to stand trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling.

It is one of multiple corruption cases targeting Mr Sarkozy, and marks the second case so far in which he is being sent to trial.
Update - 3.24pm: Yulia Skripal is "improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable".

Her father Sergei remains in a critical but stable condition, Salisbury NHS Trust said.

Dr Christine Blanshard, medical director for Salisbury District Hospital, said: "I'm pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal.

"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.

"I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high-quality care to these patients over the last few weeks.

"I am very proud both of our front-line staff and all those who support them."

9.21am: Deadly nerve agent in highest concentration on ex-spy's front door, tests reveal

A former Russian spy and his daughter who were victims of a nerve agent attack first came into contact with the deadly chemical at his home, police said.

Ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia remain in a critical condition in hospital following the Novichok poisoning on March 4 in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Detailed forensic testing revealed the highest concentration of the nerve agent was found on the front door of Mr Skripal's home in Christie Miller Road, in Salisbury.

SergeiSkripalSalisburyNerveaGentForensicsb14Mar2018_large.jpg[/timgcap=File image.]

The Metropolitan Police said traces of the nerve agent had been found at some of the other scenes detectives have been working at, but at lower concentrations.

Detectives will now focus their inquiries in and around the address, and specialist teams will step back from some of the other areas investigated over the past few weeks.

Deputy assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said: "At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door.

"We are therefore focusing much of our efforts in and around their address. Those living in the Skripals' neighbourhood can expect to see officers carrying out searches as part of this, but I want to reassure them that the risk remains low and our searches are precautionary."

He thanked members of the public for their understanding, adding that officers will likely be in the neighbourhood for several months.

Britain has accused Russia of being behind the poisoning - allegations fiercely denied by Moscow.

In turn, Russia has suggested that UK intelligence officers may have been involved in the poisoning.

The Kremlin allegation came as Moscow faced increasing global isolation, with at least 26 countries expelling a total of more than 130 suspected spies.

Britain insists there is no plausible alternative explanation for the attack, and has dismissed the series of suggestions emanating from Moscow as nonsense.

Around 250 counter-terrorism detectives continue to work around the clock on the investigation, which is expected to continue for months.

Officers are examining more than 5,000 hours of CCTV footage and 1,350 exhibits that have been seized, while 500 witnesses have been identified.

The London Road cemetery, where his wife and son are buried, the Maltings shopping centre where Mr Skripal and his daughter were discovered unconscious, and the Ashley Wood compound have been handed back into the control of Wiltshire Police.

- PA
Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from the nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain, Russia's foreign minister said.

Sergei Lavrov said US ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the foreign ministry where he was given notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

Mr Lavrov said Moscow will also retaliate over the US decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St Petersburg.

He said the same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week.

Two dozen countries, including the US and many EU nations, and Nato have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.

Separately today, the Russian military said it has conducted an exercise that involved anti-submarine aircraft flying missions over the eastern Mediterranean.

Russia's defence ministry said the Tu-142 aircraft took off from an airbase in Russia and flew to the south-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea under the escort of the Su-30 fighter jets.

It said the crews practised searching for enemy submarines.

The ministry said the aircraft co-operated with Russian navy ships deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.

Russia has conducted an air campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government since September 2015, turning the tide of the conflict in its favour.

It has also kept a rotating group of warships near Syria's shores to support the air campaign.

The Russian military said it has conducted an exercise that involved anti-submarine aircraft flying missions over the eastern Mediterranean.

Russia's defence ministry said the Tu-142 aircraft took off from an air base in Russia and flew to the south-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea under the escort of the Su-30 fighter jets.

It said the crews practised searching for enemy submarines.

The ministry said the aircraft co-operated with Russian navy ships deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.

Russia has conducted an air campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government since September 2015, turning the tide of the conflict in its favour.

It has also kept a rotating group of warships near Syria's shores to support the air campaign.

The Russian military said it has conducted an exercise that involved anti-submarine aircraft flying missions over the eastern Mediterranean.

Russia's defence ministry said the Tu-142 aircraft took off from an air base in Russia and flew to the south-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea under the escort of the Su-30 fighter jets.

It said the crews practised searching for enemy submarines.

The ministry said the aircraft co-operated with Russian navy ships deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.

Russia has conducted an air campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government since September 2015, turning the tide of the conflict in its favour.

It has also kept a rotating group of warships near Syria's shores to support the air campaign.

- AP
Police intervene in save heritage rally

At least eight people were injured in the Capital on Wednesday when security personnel intervened in a rally that was taken out by the residents from different parts of Kathmandu Valley to protest what they call an illegal takeover of private properties and heritage areas by the state in the name of infrastructure development projects.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in are to meet on April 27.

The announcement today came after officials from the two countries held talks in the border village of Panmunjom and agreed on a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve the decades-long stand-off over the North's nuclear programme.

The Koreas plan to hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues, according to a joint statement.

Leaders of the two Koreas have held talks only twice since the 1950-53 Korean War, in 2000 and 2007, under previous liberal governments in Seoul. The Korean Peninsula was divided in 1945 into a US-dominated south and Soviet-backed north.

Seoul's Unification Minister, Cho Myoung-gyon, one of three South Korean participants in Thursday's talks, told reporters that setting up discussions between the leaders on ways to rid the North of its nuclear weapons would be a critical point.

The North's three delegates were led by Ri Son Gwon, chairman of a state agency that deals with inter-Korean affairs.

Earlier this month, the two countries agreed to hold a summit on the southern side of the border village. Thursday's talks were held to determine the date and other issues.

The countries also agreed to hold a separate meeting to discuss communication issues and maintain working-level discussions through document exchanges, according to the statement.

The South's delegation arrived in Panmunjom after their vehicles crossed the heavily guarded border near the southern city of Paju.

Greeting the South Korean officials at the North Korea-controlled Tongilgak building, Mr Ri said the past 80 days have been filled with "unprecedented historic events" between the rivals, referring to the Koreas resuming dialogue before the Winter Olympics in the South and the agreement on the summit. He expressed hopes for an outcome that would meet the "hope and desire of the nation",

In response, Mr Cho said officials in the preparatory talks should do their best to set up a successful summit as the "current situation was created by decisions from the highest leaders of the North and South".

The talks followed a surprise meeting this week between Mr Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which appeared to be aimed at improving both countries' positions ahead of the North Korean leader's planned meetings with Mr Moon and US President Donald Trump.

In setting up separate talks with Beijing, Seoul, Washington, and potentially with Moscow and Tokyo, North Korea may be moving to disrupt any united front among its negotiating counterparts. By reintroducing China, which is the North's only major ally, as a major player, North Korea also gains leverage against South Korea and the US, analysts say.

In his talks with Mr Xi, Mr Kim may have discussed economic co-operation with China or requested a softening of enforcement of sanctions over the North's nuclear weapons. North Korea also wants Beijing to resist tougher sanctions if the talks with Washington and Seoul fall apart and the North starts testing missiles again.

Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi is spending two days in Seoul briefing South Korean officials on the results of the talks between Mr Kim and Mr Xi.

Mr Yang is expected to meet Seoul's presidential national security director Chung Eui-yong on Thursday before meeting President Moon on Friday.

Mr Moon's spokesman, Kim Eui-kyeom, said Seoul welcomes the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Trump and called it an encouraging sign that the North Korean leader expressed a firm willingness for dialogue with South Korea and the US during his visit to Beijing.

The North's diplomatic outreach comes after an unusually provocative year where it conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date and three intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to target the American mainland. The change in tactics could be an attempt to ease pressure from heavy sanctions and improve its economy.

- PA
Britain will be a "different" country after Brexit, Theresa May has said.

As she conducted a whistle-stop tour of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to mark a year until Brexit day, the British Prime Minister called on people to "come together" to seize the "great opportunities" she expects as a result of EU withdrawal.

Mrs May said additional money will be available to spend on priorities like the NHS and schools once Britain is no longer sending "vast sums" annually to Brussels.

But, in a BBC interview, she steered clear of repeating Boris Johnson's term "Brexit dividend" and twice ducked the question of whether she believes Brexit will be "worth it".

"I think there are real opportunities for the United Kingdom," she told interviewer Laura Kuenssberg.

"I think it's a bright future out there. And yes, I think Brexit is going to deliver a country that will be different, but I think there are real opportunities for us as an independent nation for the future."

Speaking earlier in the day to LBC radio, Mrs May said she was "looking forward" to Brexit day on March 29, 2019.

"Yes, I am looking forward to it because it presents great opportunities for the United Kingdom," she said.

The British Prime Minister kicked off her tour with a visit to a textile company in Ayr, before attending a mother and toddler group in Newcastle and taking lunch with farmers near Belfast.

Theresa May being shown around Fairview Farm by owners Stephen and Susanne Jackson and their three daughters in Bangor, Northern Ireland, today.

She was later due to go on to Barry in south Wales for a round-table discussion with businesses, before completing her tour in west London with a group of Polish citizens who have made the UK their home.

Mrs May's all-day plane trip comes amid polling suggesting the UK remains deeply divided over Brexit, but has little appetite for a second referendum on the issue.

One survey this week recorded a 53%-47% lead for continued EU membership. But 65% in a new ComRes poll for the Daily Express said they did not want a second referendum and 68% said that Remain voters should respect the will of the majority who backed Brexit.

Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Government of being in "chaos" over Brexit, following a series of defeats in the House of Lords on its flagship EU Withdrawal Bill.

Mr McDonnell played down suggestions from Emily Thornberry that Labour would "probably" support the deal obtained by Mrs May in a Commons vote this autumn, saying that the shadow foreign secretary was being "sarcastic".

Former British prime minister Tony Blair urged Mrs May to offer a free vote in the Commons on the final Brexit deal, telling the Independent that if she did not, Labour and Tory MPs should be ready to vote with their conscience and rebel.

And Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "more likely we can stop (Brexit) now than it was a few months ago".

Scottish National Party spokesman Michael Russell accused Mrs May of planning a "power grab" by repatriating some responsibilities currently exercised in Brussels to Westminster rather than Edinburgh.

"By pursuing a disastrous hard Brexit, regardless of the cost to jobs and living standards, Theresa May and the Tories have shown they think they can now do anything to Scotland and get away with it," said Mr Russell.

But the UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that "a glorious view awaits" Britain when it finally quits the EU.

Writing in the Express, Mr Johnson said: "Like an unstoppable express, we are heading for Brexit and frankly, my friends, we can't arrive soon enough."

Speaking in Ayr, Mrs May said: "I believe we can negotiate a good agreement which is tariff-free and as frictionless trade as possible, so we maintain those markets in the EU, but also that we open up markets around the rest of the world.

Theresa May visiting textile producers in Ayrshire today.

"Brexit provides us with opportunities. I want to see us coming together, the four nations across the United Kingdom.

"We have a very strong union, that is in our interests and it is in our interests to come together and really seize these opportunities for the future."

- PA
Controversial Gold Coast businessman Michael Issakidis has been sentenced to 10 years in jail over his role in a $135 million tax avoidance scam said to be the largest tax avoidance case successfully prosecuted in Australian history.

The sentencing closes the final chapter of the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce's crackdown into the scheme that used tax havens, fake names, fictitious companies and complex business structures to avoid tax.

Gold Coast businessman Michael Issakidis being escorted to a prison van in 2017. Credit:Brendan Esposito

NSW Supreme Court Judge Ian Harrison sentenced Issakidis, 73, to a minimum of seven and half years over his involvement in the scheme where $450 million fraudulent claims for depreciation deductions were filed with the tax office.

Issakidis co-accused, former Ernst & Young executive Anthony James Dickson, was sentenced to 11 years jail for his part in the fraud in 2015. Dickson's sentence was later raised to 14 years, with a minimum term of nine years in 2016 following an appeal, marking it the longest jail sentence ever handed down for tax fraud and money-laundering.
Prez Bhandari set to make first address to Federal Parliament today

President Bidya Devi Bhandari is set to make her first address to a joint meeting of the Federal Parliament on Thursday.
The Australian Energy Market Operator says Victoria needs to boost its gas production or face major gas shortfalls in the next five years.

"Without additional gas supply, there is a potential shortfall in meeting annual Victorian gas consumption from 2022," AEMO said in its latest Victorian Gas Planning Report.

Declining rates of gas from the Longford facility are contributing to a projected shortfall in Victoria. Credit:James Davies

Declining and ageing offshore gas fields are unlikely to meet gas demand in Victoria in the coming years as very little new production comes online, despite consumption levels also falling.

AEMO has forecast a 57 per cent fall in total gas production in the state over the next five years, dropping from 435 petajoules in 2017 down to 187 petajoules in 2022, creating a 19 petajoule shortfall in the winter of 2022.
Leading theatre producers have called for investment in a lyric theatre with capacity for between 1500 and 1700 patrons to bring long-running productions to Sydney from Broadway and the West End.

First-run musicals were heading south to Melbourne because of Sydney's lack of a mid-to-large size venue with rehearsal space and high technical capacity, according to producer John Frost.

Sydney needs a new lyric theatre, says theatre producer John Frost. Credit:Eddie Jim

''We need it desperately because the Opera House is covered, the Sydney Theatre Company's glorious centrepiece is down at The Rocks, they are looked after, and we only have two big houses which are the Capitol and Lyric Theatre with 2000 seats,'' Mr Frost said. ''To get a booking there for a producer you are waiting up to two or three years sometimes.''

The need for a new lyric theatre was first identified by the Cultural Infrastructure Strategy developed by Infrastructure NSW in 2016 and underlined by uncertainty around the reopening of the 1100-seat Theatre Royal. The theatre was to have opened mid this year after a period of renovation.
"One of my big goals with this book is to complicate the way that we look at the border and I really hope to present it in a nuanced way, in a way that asks for interrogation and in a way that asks us to look beyond those soundbites," Cantu says. Credit:Greg Bryan When I speak with Cantu in January, the US government has just shut down, after failing to reach a resolution on the status of undocumented migrant children, the so-called Dreamers, who entered the US with their parents. Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program that gave protection to Dreamers last year, and Congress negotiations about its revival continue. Cantu sold his memoir, which is his first book, before the election of Trump and his promise to "build the wall" and says he is nervous how it will be read in the current hyper-politicised context. Indeed, a few weeks after we speak protesters interrupted a reading at a book store in Austin, Texas, accusing Cantu of exploiting the pain of others for profit and humanising the actions of patrol agents. Cantu has also cancelled other readings due to protests and complaints, and he posted on Twitter an acknowledgment that he was "complicit in perpetuating institutional violence and flawed, deadly policy". "I think at the time I told myself that this was a job that somebody was going to have to do no matter what and in a naive and idealistic sort of way I thought that because I could speak Spanish, because I had lived in Mexico, because I had all this knowledge of the border that somehow I would be able to help people," Cantu says. Credit:MATT YORK "One of my big goals with this book is to complicate the way that we look at the border and I really hope to present it in a nuanced way, in a way that asks for interrogation and in a way that asks us to look beyond those soundbites," Cantu, 32, says. "There is a different way that the border is being talked about right now and there is more animosity and eyes on the topic and loud voices speaking, but the reality is not that far off from what it has been for a long time. It has been bad down here for a while and there's been people dying in the desert for decades."

Cantu's own grandfather made the journey across the border when he was a boy, fleeing the violence of the Mexican Revolution. Cantu grew up in south-west Arizona about four hours from the border, where his mother was a ranger, but he wasn't close to his grandfather and did not speak Spanish as a child. The Line Becomes a River, by Francisco Cantu. It wasn't until I left the Border Patrol that I really truly began to question, 'Do I want my lend my humanity over to this structure?' He says he first became truly conscious of his heritage  and the border  when he got a high-school job at an Italian restaurant and became friendly with the kitchen staff who were undocumented migrants from the same village in Mexico. He was learning Spanish at the time, and when he made his first visit to Mexico he stayed with his co-workers' family. "It made the border shrink but in another way it also called into question how huge the border is if you have to cross it," Cantu says.

"My name for my whole life has been the same name as my grandfather's name. It wasn't until I was in the same stage of life  when I was learning Spanish and travelling to Mexico  that I became hyper conscious of my name for the first time. I look pretty white and could pass as white in any situation if it weren't for the fact that I have a Hispanic sounding name. It really connected me to my grandfather's story in a way I don't think would have existed if I didn't have the same name as him." Fresh from studying international relations with a focus on border policy and US-Mexico relations at college, Cantu, 23, was tired of reading about the border in the books and decided to join the Border Patrol to "see the realities of the border day in and day out". His decision shocked his mother who asked, "Are you crazy?" "The Border Patrol," she said, "isn't the Park Service. It's a paramilitary police force." But Cantu argued it would further his education, and that just because he worked for the system did not mean the system would become him. "I think at the time I told myself that this was a job that somebody was going to have to do no matter what and in a naive and idealistic sort of way I thought that because I could speak Spanish, because I had lived in Mexico, because I had all this knowledge of the border that somehow I would be able to help people," Cantu says. "It wasn't until I left the Border Patrol that I really truly began to question, 'Do I want to lend my humanity over to this structure?' Whether or not I'm the one arresting someone or rescuing them from the desert, I'm still lending my sweat and labour to the Border Patrol, which is a law-enforcement institution which is there to apprehend people."

Cantu tried to pass off what he witnessed and his role in tracking and deporting border crossers as "just a job", but it returned to haunt him when he closed his eyes. The final section of his memoir tracks his friendship with an undocumented migrant who comes into legal strife when he returns to Mexico to be with his ailing mother. "When I would go to sleep all the pushing away I did in my waking life sort of bubbled up in these violent dreams where I would be shooting someone or I would be finding their bodies in the desert. The dreams got to be so bad they shook me out of that daze and forced me to look at myself," he says. He eventually left the patrol, receiving a Fulbright scholarship to research rejected asylum seekers living in the Netherlands. But the nightmares continued and he read Freud and Jung, and saw a psychoanalyst in a bid to understand them. When he was in the field, Cantu kept sporadic journal entries and his memoir started to take shape when he returned to them in a bid to understand what he had experienced. "I don't think I was thinking about atonement or healing when I was in the process of writing. I was really organising things for myself in order to make sense of this experience which had deeply impacted me but that I had never really put it into words. The book was really me exploring that on the page," he says. "By bringing them into the daylight and talking about them and writing about them, that was the only thing that really quieted that part of my consciousness."
YOUNG-ADULT FICTION

Obsidio: The Illuminae Files_03

Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

Allen & Unwin, $22.99

Goodbyes are never easy, but after three books, four years, 1904 pages, and an even higher body count, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have found a way to bring their mega-selling, multi-award winning series to an end  or have they?

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, who have co-written Gemina: The Illuminae Files #2. Credit:Christopher Tovo

In The Illuminae Files_01 the planet Karenza is all but destroyed when BeiTech, a morally bankrupt mining corporation resorts to mass murder to hide illegal mining. A small number of survivors, including Kady (an expert computer hacker) and Ezra, manage to escape on separate fleet-ships, but the enemy are never far behind. Complicating everything is Aidan, an AI in the throes of an existential crisis who, over the course of the series, develops an unhealthy attachment to Kady.

In Gemina, new characters Hanna and Nik join them in epic battles, romances, and new ways to die. In Obsidio, Kaufman and Kristoff bring their sprawling cast and tangle of plot lines together for a final, spectacular showdown that plays out over time and space.
Disability activist Carly Findlay has said an interview with a veteran ABC broadcaster left her feeling "deeply uncomfortable".

The Melbourne-based writer, who lives with a rare and painful skin condition called Ichthyosis, was invited onto Jon Faine's program on Wednesday to discuss people's attitudes to disability. However Findlay - who regularly speaks on TV, radio and on panels - was almost left lost for words after Faine's line of questioning.

"I've never met you before," the veteran broadcaster said at the start of the interview. "You look as if you're a burns victim ... It can't be good on Halloween."

Findlay laughed off the comment before recounting how one of the most offensive things anyone has ever asked her was whether she could have sex.
It was the David and Goliath battle that pitted residents against the ACT government and supermarket giant Coles.

But the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal has finally overturned ACTPLA's decision to approve a controversial redevelopment of the Woolworths' car park in Dickson after a long-running appeal.

It's been one year since the ACAT tribunal retired to consider their appeal against the redevelopment of a Dickson car park into a Coles supermarket and apartment complex. Front, Jane Goffman and Ron Brent. Behind, Denis O'Brien, Jacqui Pinkava, Rosemary Urquhart, Paul Costagan, Robin d'Arcy, and John Carroll. Credit:Jamila Toderas

In a decision handed down late on Thursday, the tribunal determined the proposed development broke too many planning rules to be mitigated by conditions placed on its approval.

It will mean Coles will have to re-submit a revised development proposal for the site. A Coles spokesman would not say whether they planned on appealing the decision, but said they would read the judgement carefully.
The two victims of the Lindt cafe siege, cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson, have been honoured by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in this years Australian Bravery Awards.

A third hostage, Jarrod Morton-Hoffman - who was 19 at the time of the siege - was also honoured with a bravery award.

Tori Johnson, the Lindt cafe manager, was killed during the siege. Credit:Facebook

Mr Johnson, then 34, was executed by gunman Man Haron Monis after being ordered onto his knees several minutes before the siege ended at 2.13am on December 16, 2014.

Ms Dawson, then 38, was hit by fragments from police bullets during the subsequent storming of the cafe by tactical officers. She had been sheltering on the floor in a corner of the cafe very close to where Monis had taken up position after he had killed Mr Johnson.
The Human Rights Commission has rejected a human rights exemption application, meaning the New Generation Rollingstock trains could be derailed by disability advocates' legal action.

The engines will remain on the tracks for the near future, but the ruling provides ammunition for complaints and legal action being threatened by disability groups, with the latter having the potential to put the trains out of action through a Federal Court injunction.

The new trains could be derailed by a Federal Court injunction, which is being proposed by disability advocates.

The HRC decision was published on Thursday and rejected most of the exemptions proposed by the State Government and Queensland Rail.

Only one exemption was granted, cutting QR some slack with regards to ensuring an assisted boarding device was available at all stations.
Minister Pun moves to resolve differences with IBN

Energy Minister Barsha Man Pun will use his mediation skills to try to resolve a long-standing row between the Energy Ministry and Investment Board Nepal (IBN) over who has the right to implement hydropower projects of 500 MW or more.
For 35 years Rankins on the Mall has been a meeting place for residents and visitors of Brisbane.

The landmark business opened on Queen Street Mall in September 1982, but the name dates back to 1889.

The newsagent has been in Ross Petersen's family for about 50 years. Credit:Jorge Branco

About 130 years ago Bill Rankin opened a newsagency in Toowoomba before relocating the shop to Edward Street in Brisbane.

The business has only had three owners, the most recent being the Petersen family.
A taxidermy bear rug was seized by Australian Border Force officers at Perth Airport this week.

The bear is among a large haul of items seized at Perth Airport by ABF personnel in the first three months of the year.

The bear rug which was found and seized on Tuesday.

WAtoday has been provided with pictures and details of some of the more 'interesting' seizures discovered this year. In addition to the bear, they include:
The odds of finding a job have shortened dramatically, with only 10 unemployed Australians competing for each 3 vacant jobs, down from 12 competing for each 3 vacancies a year ago.

The unemployed to vacancies ratio is the best since 2011, during the second of the two mining booms, but this time the vacancies are concentrated in the caring professions, which are piling on jobs at an almost unprecedented rate. In the past year an extra 155,700 workers have been taken on in what the Bureau of Statistics calls "health care and social assistance" jobs. That single category accounts for one third of the more than 422,200 jobs created in the year to February.

Figures released on Thursday show 23,900 jobs awaiting filling in health care and social assistance; more than the 22,100 vacant in retail, 17,000 vacant in hospitality, 10,300 vacant in financial services and way more than the 5100 vacant in mining.

Job prospects are improving. Credit:Gabrielle Charotte

The changing nature of the jobs on offer has seen female employment climb 243,000, while male employment has climbed 188,000.
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
It is something the Modi Government promised would be history by 2014. It may not have panned out that way - industry captains often murmur 'tax terrorism' is rife. The case at Cognizant Technology Solutions, India's second largest IT services company, could be the latest attack.

The Income Tax Department has frozen some of the company's bank accounts alleging it did not pay up a dividend distribution tax (DDT) of over Rs 2,500 crore.

Share buyback

The case pertains to share buyback by Indian arm of Cognizant from its Mauritius arm and the US parent in May 2016. The buyback was effected just before the finance bill 2016 came into force, which has a provision to increase the scope of a 2013 law that taxed share buyback by unlisted companies to curb the practice of companies paying dividend in the guise of share buyback.

Cognizant Technology Solutions India, the Indian arm of US-listed Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp, is not listed in India.



The 2016 annual report of the company mentions this buyback. According to the annual report, in May 2016 India enacted the Finance Bill 2016, which, among other things, expanded the applicability of India's buyback distribution tax to certain share buyback transactions occurring after June 1, 2016.

The company's annual report states: "In mid-May, prior to the June 1 effective date of the enactment, our principal operating subsidiary in India repurchased shares from its shareholders, which are non-Indian Cognizant entities, valued at $2.8 billion. This transaction, or the India Cash Remittance, was undertaken pursuant to a plan approved by the High Court of Madras and simplified the shareholding structure of our principal operating subsidiary in India. Pursuant to the transaction, our principal Indian operating subsidiary repurchased approximately $1.2 billion of the total $2.8 billion of shares from its U.S. shareholders, resulting in incremental tax expense, while the remaining $1.6 billion was repurchased from its shareholder outside the United States. Net of taxes, the transaction resulted in a remittance of cash to the United States in the amount of $1.0 billion. As a result of this transaction, we incurred an incremental 2016 income tax expense of $238 million."



It appears that the dispute with the Tax Department is on the treatment of the amount which has been repatriated to its overseas arms. Since it is a share buy-back, the company treats the gain as capital gains, which was tax-free as per the Mauritius treaty. However, the I-T department, it seems, views the transaction as dividend distribution.

The interpretation issues aside, the timing of the bank freeze has raised concerns around tax terrorism. It is year-end, and department needs to meet targets.

A routine procedure or year-end target pressure?

A tax expert from a law firm, which represents one of the banks where Cognizant has its accounts explains: "It is not uncommon for the Tax Department to attach bank accounts of a company where the amount of tax involved is substantial. The company concerned can go to court and get the account freeze lifted. However, if the money in account do get transferred to the Tax department, it would be sometime before the money can get refunded. In that case, the Department can show it in the revenue collection figure for the year."

He concludes that the case looks more like an exercise for meeting the year-end target.

Normally, the Department raises a tax demand on an assessee and a 30-day period is allowed to pay the tax. The 30-day period can be reduced in the case of extra-ordinary situations such as when the assessee is likely to leave the country. In such situations, the department can ask the assessee to pay the money within hours of raising the demand.

Another tax expert says that Cognizant has taken the High Court's permission for the transaction, and it looks unlikely that they would have repatriated the money without paying taxes. Usually, in cases where High Court has given its nod to a transaction, they send a notice to the Tax Department asking it if there are any tax dues related to the transaction. The department needs to respond to the notice within 15 days.

A query to tax department remained unanswered till the time of filing the report.

Cognizant, meanwhile, responded to media queries with a brief statement, saying it has done no wrong:

"Cognizant's business operations, our associates and our work with clients are not impacted by actions recently attempted by the Income Tax Department. The High Court of Chennai this morning heard the matter and instructed the Income Tax Department to not take further action pending further hearings before the court. The company believes that the positions taken by the Indian Income Tax Department are contrary to law and without merit. Cognizant has paid all applicable taxes due on the transaction at issue. The company will continue to vigorously defend itself and will pursue all available legal remedies. Cognizant is committed to complying with the law in all jurisdictions where it operates."
Japanese investment giant, SoftBank is reportedly pushing for a merger between US cab-hailing giant Uber and homegrown Ola. SoftBank that is facilitating the talks is the common and also the largest investor in both the companies. With this move, the investment giant is also looking to consolidate its position in the country. The talks, according to reports, have been going on for a year and are likely to be confirmed in a couple of months.

Uber that recently exited the Southeast Asian market after selling its unit to rival Grab, would be holding 27.5% stake in the merged entity. If this deal follows through then it will become the US giant's fourth retreat in the global market. Before selling its Southeast Asian unit to Grab, Uber had sold its Chinese unit to rival Didi and its Russian unit to Yandex.

According to a report by Business Standard, SoftBank is in favour of Ola acquiring Uber's India unit. Nevertheless, the details are still being discussed. While SoftBank declined to comment, Uber denied any such talks. An Ola spokesperson declined to comment on this matter but said they are always looking to expand their footprint.

However, Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber had said that the Grab deal was great news for the company as it would let them focus on its core markets, including India. "The great news about our Grab deal is that it allows us to double down to invest aggressively in our core markets - and we consider India very much as core to Uber's success. We'd, of course, look at any deals that can add value to our partners and shareholders, but we believe in controlling our own destiny in India," he said in a mail sent to Uber employees that was later published in their blog.

In India, both the companies have been on a stiff competition. Both Uber and Ola frequently roll out offers and coupons to lure more riders. Majority of the incentives provided by the companies to the drivers have also been rescinded, leading the drivers to go on a massive protest recently. However, both the companies are burning significant amounts of money every month. While Ola's burn rate is said to be marginally better than Uber's, it is not much to go by.
The likes of this case can only be found in movies. A man in Uttar Pradesh opened a fake branch of Karnataka Bank in an attempt to embezzle funds. The man, Aafaq Ahmed, who went by the name Vinod Kumar Kamble, duped the people of Mulayam Nagar of Fefna area in Ballia district by urging them to open bank accounts in the fake bank. He took a minimum balance of Rs 1000 for an account, while for the fixed deposits he took money ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 70,000. Ahmed was eventually arrested and a sum of Rs 1.37 lakh was recovered.

Ahmed was operating as the bank manager and multiple fake identification cards, including an Aadhaar was found with him. His ids mentioned that he was from Mumbai West.

In a sequence, what had happened was that the additional general manager (AGM) of Karnataka Bank in Delhi received a phone call from an individual expressing his suspicions about the Ballia district branch's activities. The authorities decided to dig deep into the matter and found that they have no branch in Ballia. They asked the caller to WhatsApp them a picture of the fake bank. Upon receiving the picture, the AGM, accompanied by the Varanasi branch headed to Ballia.

The authorities then informed the police about the fake branch. The Circle Officer Hitendra Krishna, along with the bank officials and police force reached this branch, which was being run at the house of an ex-army man. Police found Ahmed aka Kamble and his employees working on computers on different tables. The officials asked for Ahmed's appointment letter, RBI licence and other documents authorized by Karnataka Bank. Upon failing to produce the same, Ahmed was arrested.

The 'office space' he had rented was for Rs 32,000 per month. Ahmed's employees were hired for Rs 5000 per month. They however said that they had no knowledge of this scam and were given a clean chit.

Ahmed still had neither paid the rent nor paid for the furniture he was using. An FIR was lodged against Ahmed under sections 419, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC.

The police are still looking into who else were involved in this scam.
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) slashed power charges for consumers by up to 32% for 2018-19. The revised rates, applicable from April 1, will reduce the average electricity bills for all categories of consumers in the national capital, it said in a statement.

However, the regulator of the national capital's power sector, hiked the fixed charges to Rs 125 per kW per month to Rs 250 per kW per month. The existing rates were Rs 20per kW per month to Rs 100 per kW per month. Industry experts were of the opinion that the fixed charges form only a small part of the total bill and, therefore, the consumer will save more on the net outgo.

The commission has introduced a new tariff plan - a daytime tariff for consumers, barring domestic usage. Under this, the rates will vary as per peak and off-peak demand. The surcharge levied on energy charges during peak hours will be 20%. A rebate of 20% will be applicable in off-peak hours.

The rates have also been revised for non-domestic and industrial customers. It will be Rs 8 a unit and Rs 7.5 a unit across slabs, respectively.

Under the new set of tariffs applicable for 2018-19, domestic power consumption up to 200 units per month has been reduced to Rs 3 per unit. For users consuming 200-400 units of electricity per month, the rate has been revised to Rs 4.50 per unit, Rs 1.45 lesser than before.

Tariffs for next bracket, i.e. 401- 800 units per month, have been changed to Rs 6.5 per unit against previous tariff of Rs 7.30 per unit.

The commission has floated a new slab for "paying guests" up to load of 2kW. Also, to encourage the use of e-rickshaws and e-vehicles, the rates are unchanged at Rs 8 per unit.

The tariff revision has come just before the summer months, when Delhi's demand is expected to touch 7,000MW this year.

DERC sources quoted by news reports said with the new tariffs, the three distribution companies in Delhi - BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd - are expected to earn a revenue of Rs 9,161 crore, Rs 5,013 crore and Rs 6,803 crore, respectively, in 2018-19.

This is the first revision in past five years. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, in power since 2014, had slashed power rates by half for lower consumption bands.


As the government kick-starts the process of Air India's disinvestment by inviting Expressions of Interest for a 76 per cent stake in the beleaguered airline, there is good news for its huge staff - the flag carrier alone boasts over 11,000 permanent employees.





To begin with, the Preliminary Information Memorandum released by the government clearly states that the "The Confirmed Selected Bidder shall abide by conditions set out in the RFP (Request for Proposal) or the definitive documents to safeguard employees' interests".







Then, earlier this week, came news reports that government would likely add a clause making it mandatory for the buyer to retain all employees for one year after the completion of the sale. "Employees cannot be asked to resign. While the private player will be given full independence in taking strategic decisions, employees will be asked to be retained for one year," an official told The Business Standard.







Also, the government is reportedly planning to implement an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). "Permanent employees will be given stock option in the company, it will be given from the residual stake the government will hold in Air India," a senior government official told the daily, adding that employees opting for the plan will be able to monetise the stock when the airline is listed in the stock market. According to the report, the government has stipulated that Air India's buyer has to list the airline on the stock exchanges three years after assuming management control.







Given that the carrier is yet to shell out a whopping Rs 1,298 crore to its employees as salary dues - the arrears on revised salaries on account of the recommendations in Justice Dharmadhikari Commission Report 2012 are yet to be doled out completely over four years on - a stock-based compensation structure works well in its favour. After all, in the Preliminary Information Memorandum, Air India and its subsidiaries have committed to pay these arrears "before consummation of the Proposed Transaction".







To remind you, the government will retain a 24 per cent stake in the airline post privatisation. So if the ESOP idea goes through, its stake will reportedly narrow further to around 20 per cent. Also, with around 37.6 per cent of the permanent employees of Air India - and nearly 16 per cent of them at Air India Express Limited - expected to retire in the next five years, as pointed out in the Memorandum, the government is reportedly hoping that the new owner decides on a voluntary retirement scheme or VRS, with terms on par with their current service agreement. If the terms are attractive, the government expects a sizable number of takers.


A recovery in cyclical stocks boosted the UK's top share index on Thursday, set for a mildly upbeat end to the FTSE 100's worst quarter in nearly seven years.

The blue chip FTSE 100 was up 0.4 percent at 7,072.42 points by 0900 GMT, while mid caps gained 0.5 percent as traders prepared for a market holiday.

Gains in cyclical stocks, which are more dependent on the economic cycle, added the most points to the index. Shares in miners Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Glencore were among the biggest gainers, rising 1.5 percent to 2.4 percent as the underlying price of copper ticked higher.

However, the first quarter has been a bumpy ride for British stocks, marred by a spate of profit warnings, troubles in the retail and outsourcing sectors as Brexit uncertainty also hangs over the region's equities.

"There's been negative sentiment towards UK equities for a significant period now, stemming all the way back to the EU referendum,," Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said.

"What we've had in 2018 is more of a global phenomenon, so we've have had a bit of volatility returning to markets," said Khalaf, adding that this is a more normal state of affairs for markets.

On the domestic front, high street stalwarts such as Debenhams, Mothercare and Moss Bros have all tumbled after profit warnings, examples of a tough environment for retailers struggling in a digital age.

The collapse of outsourcer Carillion has further dented confidence in UK domestic stocks, while peer Capita has slashed profit forecasts and made plans to raise cash to avoid a similar fate.

The outlook is uncertain not just for UK domestics, however. A resurgent pound has reduced the forex-related boost enjoyed by big, international FTSE companies which benefited from an accounting boost following sterling's slump in the immediate aftermath of the June 2016 Brexit vote.

Britain's FTSE 100 was on track to end the first quarter of 2018 with a loss of 8 percent, its worst quarter since 2011 and making it the weakest-performing major European market so far this year, closely followed by Germany's exporter-heavy DAX .

A shock spike in volatility in February rattled global stock markets, which have also been hit by concerns over the prospect of a global trade war and a tumble in the heavyweight U.S. tech sector. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Renault shares rose sharply on Thursday following renewed media reports of merger talks between the French carmaker and its longstanding alliance partner Nissan.

Renault's stock was up 4.6 percent at 97.41 euros as of 1057 GMT, after Bloomberg said the companies were in merger discussions, citing unidentified sources. Nissan shares had earlier closed 0.5 percent lower in Tokyo.

Reuters reported earlier this month that the carmakers were discussing a deal, at Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn's iniative, that would see Nissan acquire much of the French government's 15 percent Renault holding, as a prelude to a merger.

"We do not comment on rumors and speculation," Renault-Nissan spokesman Jonathan Adashek said on Thursday when asked about the latest report. A French finance ministry spokesman also declined to comment.

The Renault-Nissan alliance, underpinned by cross-shareholdings, has wrestled intermittently since its 1999 inception with full merger proposals that have foundered on objections from France, Renault's biggest shareholder.

Earlier studies, including one drawn up for Ghosn in a 2013 study codenamed "Project Caterpillar," would have combined the carmakers in a Dutch-registered group with shares listed in Paris and Tokyo, sources have said previously.

Renault and Nissan are now discussing a transaction that would see both shareholder groups receive stock in the new company, which could be based in London or the Netherlands while retaining headquarters in Paris and Tokyo, Bloomberg reported.

Renault holds 43.4 percent of Nissan but agreed to limit formal control of its larger partner in a 2015 shareholder pact that defused a boardroom standoff with the French government. Nissan currently owns a 34 percent controlling stake in Mitsubishi and 15 percent of Renault, but no voting rights.

Any move by France to sell most or all of its Renault stake could prove politically risky for President Emmanuel Macron, already under fire for letting national champions such as TGV train maker Alstom fall into foreign hands. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
U.S. President Donald Trump today blasted Amazon.com Inc with a list of complaints, a day after news website Axios reported that Trump wants to curb the mega retailer's growing power using federal antitrust laws and led its shares to fall almost 5 percent.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!" Trump said in a post on Twitter early on Thursday.

Amazon founder and chairman, Jeff Bezos, also privately owns the Washington Post, which won a Pulitzer Prize last year for its investigation of Trump's donations to charities. The probe found that many of Trump's philanthropic claims were exaggerated and often were not charitable donations.

Still, White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah shot down the notion that Trump's criticism was part of a personal grudge.

"A lot of people have made this, with respect to Amazon, about personalities and the CEO at Amazon - we're talking about Jeff Bezos here," he said on Thursday on the Fox News Channel. "It's really about policy."

Shah reiterated that Trump was not making specific policy changes.

"There are a number of proposals that have worked their ways through the House and the Senate or have been considered by the House and the Senate. He'd be supportive of such efforts," he said.

Trump's claims about Amazon's state and local tax payments have been met with skepticism. While the company was once criticized for attempting to skirt state sales taxes, it currently has a reputation as a leader in collecting the levies, which can vary from state to state.

Legally pursuing Amazon could affect more than its share price, which was largely steady after Trump's tweet. Amazon is currently in the process of establishing a $5 billion second headquarters which could bring 50,000 new jobs to the location it selects. In January, it winnowed the list of possible locations down to 20 metropolitan areas.

Apart from nationwide goods deliveries, Amazon's services include video streaming, a digital home assistant known as Alexa, and an online payments program. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Sixty eight killed in Venezuelan police station riot and fire

A rioting and fire at a police station in the Venezuelan city of Valencia, in Carabobo state, has left 68 people dead, BBC reported quoting government officials.
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon shakes hands with North Korea's chief delegate Ri Son Gwon at their meeting in Panmunjom, which lies in the Demilitarized Zone between the countries on March 29. Photo: VCG

North and South Korean leaders will meet on April 27 for their first peace talks since 2007, South Koreas Yonhap News Agency reported Thursday.

The official talks will be held at the Peace House in Panmunjom, which lies within the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone between the two states, representatives of the countries decided on Thursday, according Yonhap.

A work meeting will be held on April 4 between North Korea and South Korea to discuss the details of the summit, including security and the media.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are expected to discuss Korean Peninsula denuclearization, easing of military tension and the establishing of a permanent peace system, Yonhap reported.

The meeting will be the third time that the South and North have held summit talks. In June 2000, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung met with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il. And in October 2007, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong Il held summit talks.

Thursdays announcement comes after the Chinese government revealed details of an unofficial meeting this week between North Koreas Kim and Chinas President Xi Jinping, during which Kim reportedly declared his commitment to denuclearization if South Korea and the United States respond to (North Koreas) efforts with goodwill.

In response to news of the Kim-Xi meeting, a spokesperson for South Koreas President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday that President Moon welcomed the talks between China and North Korea, according to Yonhap. Kims discussion of North Koreas willingness to denuclearize, during talks with Xi, will be of great significance to the upcoming inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, top Chinese diplomat and Politburo member Yang Jiechi is on a two-day trip to Seoul, where he is expected to meet President Moon, as well as Moons security advisor Chung Eui-yong, to discuss the security of the Korean Peninsula, among other issues.

Contact reporter Teng Jing Xuan (jingxuanteng@caixin.com)
March 29, 2018  Ottawa



Following a public hearing held on January 2325, 2018 in Pembroke, Ontario, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced today its decision to renew Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) Nuclear Research and Test Establishment Operating Licence for the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site, located near Chalk River, Ontario. The licence will be valid from April 1, 2018 until March 31, 2028.



In making its decision, the Commission considered submissions from CNL and 88 intervenors, as well as CNSC staffs recommendations.



CNL will present a mid-term update in 2023 on its licensed activities at CRL during a public Commission meeting within the community. Members of the public will have the opportunity to intervene orally and in writing. CNSC staff will also report annually on CNLs performance at CRL at a Commission meeting with public participation.

The Record of Decision is available on request to the Commission Secretariat. It will be posted in both official languages on the CNSC website at nuclearsafety.gc.ca at a later date. Hearing transcripts can be obtained on the CNSC website or by coantacting the CNSC. The hearing webcast is available on the same site for 90 days.



Following the public hearing, the Commission directed CNSC staff to prepare a document mapping licensing requirements in the current licence and licence conditions handbook (LCH) against those in the renewed licence and LCH. This document is available on request to the Commission Secretariat.



The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect health, safety, security and the environment; to implement Canadas international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and to disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public.
Published On Mar 29, 2018 07:57 PM By Dhruv.A for Toyota Corolla Altis

Maruti Suzuki and Toyota will share hybrid tech for India and cross supply vehicles

Toyota and Suzuki, the two Japanese automotive giants have announced another deal under which they will cross supply vehicles in India and even share hybrid tech. Under this new deal, Maruti will supply the Baleno and the Vitara Brezza to Toyota, while the latter will supply the Corolla Altis to Maruti Suzuki. Earlier, in November, 2017, these Japanese giants had already announced their partnership for the development of EVs together for the Indian market.

Sources closer to the matter suggest that the aforementioned cars will wear new badges when they go on sale in April - May 2019. So, expect to see the Brezza and the Baleno with Toyota badges and the Corolla Altis with Suzuki insignia. To differentiate the rebadged products from their original brand, the changes are likely to be dealt in the form of a grille update, different upholstery and if we are lucky, to the dashboard as well - the way we see on Nissan and Renault products such as the Duster and the Terrano.

To put it straight, you will be able to purchase Maruti Suzukis version of the Corolla Altis through any of the Maruti dealerships, more likely from a Nexa showroom which is a chain of premium outlets of the brand. The rebadged Baleno hatch and the Vitara Brezza SUV, on the other hand, could be purchased from a Toyota dealership.

Since Maruti Suzuki doesnt have a presence in the sedan segment over Rs 14 lakh and Toyota doesnt have a Baleno or Brezza-like product, both the carmakers could be understanding a possibility to utilize the others platform to build new products.

Sharing the Altis platform with Maruti Suzuki will bring greater economies of scale for Toyota since the reach via Nexa will boost sales further. Currently, Toyotas bread and butter models are the Innova Crysta and the Fortuner. Not only do these share platforms, but are also consistently doing volumes in the excess of 7,000 units (together). Even the other platform, on which the Etios range of cars is based, does relatively more volumes compared to the Altis. Moreover, this will only increase with the introduction of the Yaris that will share underpinnings with the Etios.

Now, we all know that Maruti is running a backlog for the Baleno and the Vitara Brezza which has increased further with the launch of the new Swift 2018. However, by the time this agreement is realised, Suzukis second plant in Gujarat will be operational, providing a capacity boost of 2.5 lakh per annum. On the other hand, Toyota has an installed production capacity of 3.10 lakh units per annum but sells only around 1.50 lakh every year. But with the new deal realised, Toyota will be able to better utilise its capacity at the two assembly lines in Karnataka, thereby gaining economies of scale - a win-win situation for both the makers. Toyota can also research for compact cars and SUVs on both these platforms since it doesnt have a product in India in this range.

Also Read: Suzuki-Toyota Partner To Launch EVs In India By 2020

Read More on : Corolla Altis diesel
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Rajasthan Public Service Commission has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the post of Protection Officer. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. Selected candidates can earn up to level 11 of the pay matrix. The last date to apply for the government job is Apr 19, 2018.

Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission Recruitment 2018 For Various Posts

Rajasthan Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Post Protection Officer Organisation Rajasthan Public Service Commission Educational Qualification Law graduate Age Limit 18 to 40 years Skills Required Working knowledge of Hindi in Devanagari script Salary Scale Level 11 of the pay matrix Job Responsibilities Work in the legal department of RPSC Job Location Rajasthan Industry Civil services Experience Freshers can apply Application Start Date Apr 5, 2018 Application End Date Apr 19, 2018

Also Read: Karnataka Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 For Various Posts

How To Apply For Rajasthan Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for Rajasthan Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:
The moment of truth

PM Oli has to ensure commitment to transitional justice in legislation
BMW India celebrated the 11th anniversary of their Chennai Manufacturing facility with the launch of the Skill Next initiative. This technical skilling initiative from the Bavarian carmaker will provide 365 engines and transmissions to the engineering and technical institutes across the country.





BMW aims to provide a hands-on training to the young and aspiring engineers with this corporate social responsibility (CSR) event. The Munich-based carmaker will conduct a Train the Trainer workshop at the BMW dealerships in more than 20 states as a part of this initiative. There will be 40 aftersales master technicians provided by the carmaker who will carry on these events.



The engine provided by BMW will be a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel motor and the transmission will be the eight-speed Steptronic automatic unit. BMW states that the same combination of motors have been powering around 50,000 vehicles on Indian roads since 2007. This powertrain currently powers six locally manufactured vehicles  320d, 320d GT, 520d, X1 xDrive 20d, X3 xDrive 20d and the MINI Countryman (local production of the MINI will commence soon).

The Train the Trainer workshop is devised by professional trainers from BMW Group India Training Centre and BMW Group Plant Chennai. The carmaker further asserts that the workshop will be a combination of classroom sessions as well as hands-on practical sessions.



The students of College of Engineering and Anna University together with Sachin Tendulkar, the brand ambassador of BMW, assembled the engine and transmission on an X3 at the main assembly line of the Chennai plant.

BMW 5 Series [2017-2021]  N/A Onwards

BMW
Photo: Contributed

The value of some Kelowna homes shot up by nearly 50 per cent in the past year.

According to data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp., the average price of an absorbed, single-detached home in the city rose 45.8 per cent during the past year, eclipsing $1 million.

The CMHC says that, as of February, the average newly built single-detached home cost $1,104,941, compared to $757,649 in February of 2017.

The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, meanwhile, puts the average cost of a residential home (which includes both newly built, and resold homes) in the Central Okanagan at $678,156 in February, up six per cent from $638,447 a year ago.

Earlier this month, Taylor Pardy, a senior marketing analyst with CMHC, predicted prices for single-detached homes, which have spiked the hardest over the past few years, will move back towards balance in 2018 and 2019.

Pardy said since more single-detached homes sell each year than any other type, overall home prices in Kelowna will still increase.

While sales in certain segments might be pulling back a little bit, were still seeing the market moving very quickly in a historical sense, he said.

For more on February's housing trends, check out the full story at Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a speech at a party fund raiser Wednesday, March 28, 2018 in Montreal.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted his government's commitment to transparency and its tough stance on the wealthy at a high-priced fundraiser Wednesday attended by some of Montreal's elite.

Before beginning his remarks to the roughly 150 Liberal party donors in attendance, Trudeau thanked Stephen Bronfman, a major party fundraiser and well-known businessman and financier.

"Thank you for volunteering your time for this movement," Trudeau said, "and for being such a strong voice for progressive change in this country."

A 2017 investigation by CBC, Radio-Canada and the Toronto Star revealed Bronfman and his family's investment company were linked to an offshore trust in the Cayman Islands that may have used questionable means to avoid paying millions in taxes.

Bronfman says he's never funded nor used offshore trusts, and that all his Canadian trusts have paid all federal taxes on their income.

Trudeau said he recognized the audience in the swanky downtown Montreal ballroom "represent people who have really succeeded in this country."

Tickets to the event were $1,500 per person over 35 years old and $750 for anyone under that age. The room was mostly filled with people over 35.

Attendees included Bronfman, former mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre and Mitch Garber, a famous private equity financier and chairman of Cirque du Soleil and owner of World Series Poker.

"I know it can be frustrating," Trudeau told the crowd. "The first thing we did when we got elected is raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent and lowered them for the middle class."

The prime minister also boasted his party was more transparent than the others in the House of Commons.

He used the journalists present as an example of his government's openness.

"Our friends in the media are here tonight," he said about the handful of journalists at the back of the room.

However, Liberal party employees kept a close eye on journalists at the fundraiser, insisting they stay in small room adjacent to the ballroom before Trudeau spoke.

Reporters were banned from speaking with anyone at the event and were ushered out of the ballroom immediately after Trudeau finished his 15-minute speech.
Photo: The Canadian Press The Netflix logo is displayed on an iPhone in Philadelphia, Monday, July 17, 2017.

Federal officials have taken a close look at how the government can make online services like Netflix and Amazon voluntarily collect sales tax, similar to the model Quebec plans to bring in next year.

Pages of briefing notes provided to Heritage Minister Melanie Joly over the course of 2017 detail how certain governments around the world have required foreign-based streaming services to register with the government in order to collect and pay taxes, rather than imposing new taxes on the services.

The notes, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, say countries should make it as simple as possible for companies to register with national tax offices to collect revenue on which they are currently missing out.

Quebec's Liberal government announced in its budget Tuesday that it would do exactly that beginning next year to put provincial sales tax on Netflix and any purchases from Amazon. The provincial government believes it could earn about $154.5 million over the next five years from the measure.

The cost of a Netflix subscription has gone up in two of the jurisdictions reviewed in the documents to Joly  Japan and Australia  after the company added a sales tax to its fees.

The NDP called on the federal government Wednesday to force Netflix to collect and remit taxes just as it does in jurisdictions like the European Union.

Trudeau's position on the tax issue has not been an easy sell to Quebec Liberal MPs who have been under pressure from their constituents to reverse the party's stand.

Indeed, Netflix has been a lightning rod of discontent in Quebec ever since it agreed to invest $500 million over five years in Canada as part of the federal government's cultural policy, which included a promise to set up a Canadian production facility.

Netflix also committed to spend $25 million to develop French-language content, but the lack of a contractual obligation to actually go ahead and produce it came under heavy scrutiny in Quebec, where Joly and her plan were pilloried and dismissed as naive.

Foreign-based streaming services without a physical presence in Canada don't have to collect or remit federal or provincial sales taxes. Instead, it is up to consumers to pay the sales tax to tax collectors, but in reality this rarely happens.

Government lawyers have issued dozens of pages of legal opinions about placing a levy or sales tax on Netflix. The contents of those documents that went to Joly have been blacked out with officials saying they cannot be publicly released because the information is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

Last week, Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who is responsible for tax changes, said the Liberals want to ensure online firms "pay the appropriate level of tax," noting a 2020 deadline Canada and other G7 nations have set for a tax regime. Morneau's office pointed to those comments when asked for reaction to the Quebec budget and the briefing notes to Joly.
Photo: The Canadian Press United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley

The United States will no longer shoulder more than a quarter of the multibillion-dollar costs of the United Nations' peacekeeping operations, Washington's envoy said Wednesday.

"Peacekeeping is a shared responsibility," U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said at a Security Council debate on peacekeeping reform. "All of us have a role to play, and all of us must step up."

The U.S. is the biggest contributor, assessed about 28.5 per cent of this year's $7.3 billion peacekeeping budget.

Citing a 25 per cent cap in a U.S. law, Haley said it will be the limit "moving forward." The U.S. Mission to the U.N. later said her remarks apply to the current peacekeeping budget year.

The second-largest contributor, China, is assessed a bit over 10 per cent.

The U.N. now runs 15 peacekeeping missions worldwide. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has complained before about the cost and pressed to cut this year's budget. It is $570 million below last year's, a smaller decrease than the U.S. wanted.

"We're only getting started," Haley said when the cut was approved in June. It followed a $400 million trim the prior year, before Trump's administration.

Haley said Wednesday that the U.S. will work to make sure cuts in its portion are done "in a fair and sensible manner that protects U.N. peacekeeping."

The General Assembly sets the budget and respective contributions by vote. Spokesmen for Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declined to comment on Haley's remarks, noting that the 193 U.N. member states will decide the budget.

Drawing over 105,000 troops, police and other personnel from countries around the world, the peacekeeping missions operate in places from Haiti to parts of India and Pakistan. Most are in African countries. The biggest is in Congo, where the Security Council agreed just Tuesday to keep the 16,000-troop force in place for another year.
Touching a raw nerve

If we want to brag about being a democracy, we should have the courage to go through this process of review by the EU EOM
Colombian cement deliveries fall 5% in February

ICR Newsroom By 29 March 2018

Colombias grey cement sales contracted 4.8 per cent YoY to 959,500t in February 2018, according to DANE, the national statistics office.



Dispatches to Norte de Santander registered the largest growth at 43.9 per cent YoY, followed by Valle del Cauca, where deliveries expanded by 6.3 per cent. The Bogota market contracted 14.8 per cent YoY while dispatches to Cundinamarca and Santander were also significantly reduced by 12.2 and 16.6 per cent, respectively.



Cement production in February fell 6.9 per cent to 954,400t when compared with February 2017, when output reached 1,025,700t.



In the first two months of 2018, the domestic grey cement market contracted 2.8 per cent YoY to 1,867,100t.



In terms of regions, Norte de Santander recorded a 34.9 per cent increase in dispatches YoY while the market in Valle del Cauca also returned a positive trend, expanding by 8.3 per cent when compared with 2M17. Cement producers saw deliveries in Bogota fall by 11.5 per cent YoY over the two-month period. Cundinamarca sales were down 8.3 per cent when compared with 2M17.



Bulk sales were down 5.6 per cent while bagged cement saw a 1.5 per cent reduction in dispatches in 2M18 when compared with 2M17.



Production slipped 3.3 per cent to 1,859,700t in January-February 2018. The decline was more modest than in the same period of 2017, when output fell 5.9 per cent YoY.

Published under
To learn about any issue in American life, its always a good idea to follow the money. For example, it makes perfect sense that billionaires behind the most toxic industries rank among the countrys biggest political donors.

A new report from WalletHub reveals important financial data about the gun industry. To come with a list of states most dependent on firearms, researchers highlighted:

Which states have the most jobs in the gun industry

Where youll find the most gun owners

The politicians who receive the most from gun-rights and gun-control groups

Other factors, including where gun laws are loosest, also have weight in the rankings. Here are the 15 states where the gun industry is the most powerful.

15. South Carolina

If youre talking about gun prevalence, few states top South Carolina. Palmetto State residents rank among the elite in gun ownership, annual sales, Google searches, and ads for buying or selling weapons.

South Carolina also ranks 21st in gun industry jobs. FN America in Columbia is just one example of a manufacturer in business here.

Next: Tennessees high number of gun owners and annual sales pushed the state into the top 15.

14. Tennessee

Interestingly, you wont find Tennessee among the top 25 for donations of gun-lobby groups to politicians. However, you will find the state with the second-highest rating for gun owners and new-firearm sales.

Opportunities in manufacturing, sales, and advertising guns (22nd) also helped pushed Tennessee among the top gun states.

Next: Youll find guns coming up in most West Virginia elections.

13. West Virginia

When you scan West Virginias place in gun politics (No. 15) and gun prevalence (No. 8), its no surprise to find the state on this list. Few states rank above it in gun ownership rates, and even the states Democratic senator, Joe Manchin, holds an A rating from the National Rifle Association.

Next: The gun business is booming in Missouri.

12. Missouri

Overall, Missouri ranks 12th in gun industry activity, which includes jobs as well as taxes paid by businesses and age restrictions for owning firearms. While you must be 21 to buy a handgun from a licensed dealer, anyone over 18 can buy a rifle and ammunition.

Actually, Missouri laws even allow for minors to own guns. Adults can legally give or sell a rifle to residents under 18. You can also own a fully automatic weapon in Missouri with the right paperwork.

Next: If you live in Alabama, youre never far from a gun owner.

11. Alabama

If youre talking about gun prevalence, Alabama (No. 6) has few peers. Only slightly lower scores in firearms industry (17th) and gun politics (18th) kept the state out of the top 10. Were gun sales to continue falling under Trump, Alabama will be among the states whose economy would suffer.

Next: Gun issues dominate the political scene in North Dakota.

10. North Dakota

The situation in North Dakota is fairly common in America. Even though the state ranks 20th in gun prevalence (ownership, sales, and secondhand market), it placed fourth for gun politics.

That means youre likely to find every politician here taking money from the gun lobby. Case in point: North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp holds an A rating from the NRA.

Next: Lots of gun sales and lots of campaign contributions make Oklahoma dependent on the gun industry.

9. Oklahoma

You wont find firearms manufacturers powering the economy of Oklahoma like they do in Maine or Nebraska, but in terms of gun ownership (No. 7) only a handful of states top this one. Meanwhile, judging by the level of NRA contributions to politicians here (N0. 6), youre going to see representatives vote on whatever bill the gun lobby pushes.

Next: One of Americas most corrupt states happens to be among the most dependent on the gun industry.

8. Kansas

Whatever you do, dont manage your finances like Kansas officials run the state government. Sweeping tax cuts have left the treasury without money to fund education and other essential services in 2018.

Meanwhile, Kansas ranked seventh among the most corrupt states in America in 2017. Even with ample firearms and ammunition revenues (No. 8), the state will face money troubles for years to come.

Next: One of this states House reps pocketed over $1 million in NRA money.

7. Arkansas

Youll find a heavy gun manufacturing presence (No. 7) as well as a high percentage of gun owners (No. 11) and political donations (No. 16) in Arkansas. The state definitely leans on the firearm industry as a whole.

Meanwhile, no one in the House of Representatives took more from the NRA than French Hill, an Arkansas Republican who received over $1 million from the lobby in just four years.

Next: This state ranks highest in gun ownership and sales.

6. Kentucky

In the category of gun prevalence, no state ranked higher than Kentucky. Youll find more gun owners, higher annual sales, Google searches about guns, and a booming secondhand gun market here.

Youll even find concealed weapons on college students at public schools in Kentucky, wheres it legal to carry a gun into class. Thats a law the NRA couldnt manage to get passed in Florida.

Next: Americas most corrupt state is very dependent on the gun industry.

5. Wyoming

Its hard to find out what politicians are doing in Wyoming, which ranked as Americas most corrupt state in 2017. However, we do know representatives here are taking a lot of campaign contributions from the gun lobby: The state ranked second on that front in the WalletHub study.

That effort is guaranteed to ease transactions in the gun and ammo manufacturing business, an area in which Wyoming also ranked among the highest (No. 5).

Next: The gun lobby spends big in South Dakota.

4. South Dakota

No state can top South Dakota when it comes to gun politics. In the WalletHub study, The Mount Rushmore State was No. 1 in the gun politics section.

A quick check of the numbers reveals the states three representatives (all Republicans) received $57,000 from the NRA, with Senator Jon Thune leading the pack. Meanwhile, the firearms businesss high rank (No. 5) landed South Dakota among the most dependent on the gun industry.

Next: Alaska has some of the loosest gun laws in America.

3. Alaska

You dont need a permit to carry a gun (openly or concealed) in Alaska, and you can buy as many guns as you like at the same time. You will be hard-pressed to find less restrictive gun laws anywhere in America.

Overall, its a state thats dominated by gun culture, from prevalence (No. 3) to politics (No. 5) and industry presence (No. 6).

Next: Whether you work in the gun industry or are an avid gun owner, Montana has few peers.

2. Montana

The gun business is a huge part of the Montana economy. Between its number of gun owners, high sales, and number of jobs per 1,000 people, life in The Treasure State is likely to involve a weapon in some form or another.

It certainly spills over into politics. Greg Gianforte, the freshman House rep, pocketed nearly $350,000 in a little over one year from the NRA.

Next: Guns are almost as big as potatoes in Idaho.

1. Idaho

For such a sparsely populated state, Idaho sure has a lot of gun manufacturers. In recent years, a license check showed 180 gun or ammunition manufacturers here.

That led to the top ranking in the gun business, and the heavy NRA donations going to Senator Mike Simpson and other Idaho politicians over the years aim to keep it that way. Its the state that would be most affected by any change in firearms laws.

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For Subscribers Beulah United Methodist Church celebrates 150 years of history

The Beulah United Methodist Church is celebrating its 150-year-history with a service on Sept. 26.
Traffic police officer and two others held in student death

Preliminary investigation into the suspicious death of a student appearing in Secondary Education Examination (SEE) in Surkhet reveals the complicity of a traffic police officer.
TRC welcomes PMs stand on TJ

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has welcomed Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis commitment to transitional justice (TJ) and his position not to allow blanket amnesty to serious violations of human rights and humanitarian laws.
Tens of thousands of Argentinians marched in the streets last weekend on the countrys National Day of the Unborn Child in support of maintaining pro-life legislation.

The Christian Institute reports that the march took place even though abortion is currently illegal in Argentina, except in cases of rape or when the mothers life is in danger. A new bill focused on legalizing abortion, is set to be debated in the countrys senate, however.

This marks the first time in the countrys history that abortion may become a legal option. If passed, the bill would legalize abortions up to 14 weeks and up to birth in cases of genetic malformation.

The more than 50,000 pro-life supporters who took to the streets in Buenos Aires last weekend were protesting this bill, which Argentinas president Mauricio Macri has said he will not veto.

A group of doctors at the rally spoke to the crowd, stating, Harming a living human being in any way with the intention of ending its life under no conditions constitutes a medical act.

Neither the state nor anyone can force any agent or healthcare professional to engage in practices that go against their conscience, they continued.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstock/stevanovicigor

Publication date: March 29, 2018
Christians in Turkey unite for 'miracle' ecumenical book publication

Christians in Turkey have united for a landmark development in ecumenical unity with the English publication of a book of doctrine endorsed by all the country's major denominations.

The book Christianity: Fundamental Teachings, has now been endorsed by Turkey's Orthodox, Catholic, Armenian, Syriac and Protestant Churches, according to World Watch Monitor.

A joint statement signed by denominational representatives said: '[This book] expresses the shared beliefs of the Churches in Turkey. We approve its publication and recommend that it be widely read.'

The book was originally released in 2015, by The Bible Society of Turkey, but had a formal launch of its English edition on February 3 in Istanbul. Armenian Bishop Sahak Masalyan, the keynote speaker at the launch, said the joint endorsement was 'akin to a miracle'.

The new book's back cover reads: 'For Churches that have ostracised each other for centuries, leaving a legacy of deep divisions and resentments to sign their names to such a work is no small step toward Christian unity.'

Bishop Masalyan said that, 'You cannot find another page like this in Church history.'

He added: 'Through this book we declared to the whole world with a mighty voice that without hesitation, we see every Church and believer who approves of the fundamental principles and doctrines of faith in this book as fellow-heirs of salvation in Jesus Christ, considering them as our "brothers" and "sisters".'

The 95-page publication was brought about through an 11-member joint ecumenical commission which endeavoured to produce a document outlining essential doctrine common to its five denominations.

The commission had originally emerged at the behest of Turkish government officials, who had counselled the leaders seeking clearer information about the Christian faith for use in school textbooks in the majority Muslim country. The English edition, also available as an e-book, is aimed at giving the document a wider international audience, 'reaching out to the most remote parts of Christendom,' Bishop Masalyan said.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said the commission had brought the church branches 'closer to each other, to discover and recognise the fundamental beliefs that unite us...to realise that much more unites us than divides us'.
Judy Blume's book 'Are You There God?' gets a modern makeover and longtime readers aren't happy

Judy Blume's classic young adult book "Are You There God?" which originally came out in the 1970s, has received a modern makeover that should appeal to the smartphone generation, but longtime fans of the coming-of-age story do not seem pleased with the update.

A photo of the updated cover for "Are You There God?" went viral on Twitter this week after a netizen shared her discovery. The new version suggested that Margaret, the teen protagonist in the best-selling book, appeared to be talking to God via text or iMessage, which did not sit well with some people online, especially readers who grew up with Blume's book.

"This cover may appeal to today's youngsters but it just seems wrong," one netizen from Netherlands posted. Twitter users also poked fun at the cover redesign and suggested that God never replies to text messages.

What have they done to Judy Blume this book was copyrighted in 1970 pic.twitter.com/1FtR5Y7Fkr  Jessica Huseman (@JessicaHuseman) March 25, 2018

The updated version of "Are You There God?" actually hit store shelves in 2014 and received no outrage at that time. Illustrator Debbie Ohi disclosed to Vox in 2017 that she discussed the modern cover change several times with publisher Simon & Schuster. Editor Justin Chanda also revealed that they consulted Blume about the redesign.

"We were thinking that this was the most iconic book for kids this age, so what is the most iconic thing we can think of? Texting emerged," Chanda shared. "It's funny, of course, because there are no cell phones in the book, but Judy has also said that if it was written today, Margaret would be a texter!"

"Are You There God?" follows the story of a young woman who has yet to discover her religious affiliation since her parents belong to different faiths as a Christian and a Jew. Margaret wants to find her place in one religion and in doing so, the novel also touches on issues plaguing adolescent girls, such as having periods, wearing a bra and developing crushes on boys. The book belongs to Time's list of top 100 novels published since 1923.
Newlyweds among 32 Christians arrested in Eritrea in fresh crackdown

Eritrean police have arrested 32 Christians in the country's capital, Asmara, this month, including a newly married couple and 10 of their guests, according to World Watch Monitor (WWM).

Twenty were arrested last Sunday, March 25, all of whom remain in detention, WWM said.

The newly married man and two of his guests are reportedly being held in a prison north of the city.

The newlyweds and 10 guests were arrested at the couple's home on March 5, a local source told WWM.

Ten friends were reportedly visiting the couple for a traditional coffee ceremony to welcome the bride when the local security officers forced their way into the house and arrested all 12 people there and took them to a police station.

The authorities released eight of the group two days later, after they presented valid travel IDs.

But WWM said that the four remaining Christians, including the newlyweds, were moved to Adi Abeito Prison, north of Asmara. A source told WWM that the newlywed couple was split up after the arrest and the bride was released on Tuesday (March 29).

The UN Human Rights Council recently condemned Eritrea's human rights record. Kate Gilmore, the UN's Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that over 100 people were arrested in Eritrea in 2017 for practising religions not officially recognised by the state.

Meanwhile, a monitoring group for the UN, United Nations Watch, said 'thousands' of Christians are also facing detention as 'religious freedom continue[s] to be denied in Eritrea'.

Eritrea is sixth on Open Doors International's 2018 World Watch List of the 50 countries in which it is most difficult to live as a Christian.

In 2002, the government introduced a law prohibiting Christian practice outside the Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Lutheran denominations, as well as Sunni Islam.
Pope hits out at Italian mafia: 'Fake Christians' who 'carry death in their souls'

Pope Francis hit out at the Italian mafia yesterday, calling them 'fake Christians' who 'carry death in their souls'.

The pontiff was giving his weekly general audience in the Vatican's St Peter's Square on Wednesday, where he told the tens of thousands gathered that 'these fake Christians will end up in a bad way,' according to The Telegraph.

'Let's think about what happens right here at home (in Italy), let's think about the so-called Christian Mafiosi', he said. 'They have nothing Christian about them. They claim to be Christian, but they carry death in their souls. We pray for them.'

The attack was part of a general address promoting integrity in the transformed life of faith. The true Christian, the Pope said, 'can no longer live with death in the soul, nor can he be the cause of death', whereas 'the fake Christian pretends to ask for forgiveness, but in their heart is rotten'.

He said the prevalence of a veneer of faith over a life of corruption was 'sad and painful' to see, according to Catholic News Agency.

The pope has spoken out against the 'evil' of the Italian mafia frequently throughout his tenure. In a visit to Mafia heartland Naples in 2015, he said: 'To the criminals and all their accomplices, today, I, humbly, as a brother, repeat: convert to love and justice.'

In 2017 he said the mafia phenomenon was a 'culture of death...radically opposed to the faith and the gospel', and said its criminal activities were 'stained with blood'.
Unsung creators

Intellectual property has been given little attention as it is seen as a Western concept
Sweet Jesus: is the Canadian ice cream brand blasphemous, irrelevant...or an opportunity?

The Christian faith is under attack again. In the first century it was pursued by the brutal and bloodthirsty Roman Empire; throughout two millennia it has been persecuted by every murderous dictator who ever felt its subversive threat to the powerful. In 2018, the perpetrators of Christian persecution are a Canadian ice cream chain. Same story, different day.

Protests have swelled in the US and Canada against Sweet Jesus, an ice cream chain which has chosen to use a bit of mild blasphemy as their brand name. The company, which launched in 2016, apparently named their stores after an employee's reaction to tasting some of their product. And while their website insists that 'our aim is not to offer commentary on anyone's religion or belief systems,' Christians are both outraged and convinced that this nothing less than a full-scale cultural attack on the Son of God and his followers.

Leading the defensive charge was a blog post on conservative website Activist Mommy, which first drew attention to alleged attempts by the company to mock the Christian faith. In a somewhat unboundaried piece of writing (which ends with a hugely offensive joke about Islam), the unnamed author argues that 'the entire marketing concept of their company is to mock the name of the Lord Jesus Christ'. They point out that the company's logo includes an SS-style S (popular, they say, 'among equally blasphemous and Satanic metal bands of the 70s and 80s'), and an upside down cross. And they take issue with the advertising campaign for the chain, which features children in arresting poses and make-up. At one point, the writer thoughtfully and sensitively describes a young boy in one such advert as 'covered in tattoos and wearing an outfit reminiscent of the sailor in the homosexual music group The Village People. He also has a pink teacup like something a little girl would play with to top off the suggestion of gender-bending'.

The initial post, shared over 5,000 times on social media, then spawned an online petition on the campaigning website CitizenGo. The petition, which has so far attracted over 10,000 signatures, takes issue with both the firm's marketing materials and its menu. Sweet Jesus offers religious-themed flavours with titles like Red Rapture, Hella Nutella and Sweet Baby Jesus, and campaigners are calling for their removal from the menu, alongside a demand that the chain changes its name.

Despite co-founder Andrew Richmond's subsequent statement that the company would hold firm with its branding which is, he says 'an honest reflection of our experiences and that of our customers and how they react when they try our product', there's no denying that the name does make light of the name of Jesus, and subverts religious imagery in order to sell products. It is, in the purest sense, blasphemous, in that it refers to someone using Jesus as a kind of gentle swear word.

Here's the really tricky question though: does it matter? Does a secular company, naming itself after a semi-blasphemous exclamation, really make any impact on the status of the Christian faith in modern Canada, or more importantly on God himself?

In Exodus 20 v 7, when Moses first receives the Ten Commandments and they include a directive not to take the Lord's name in vain, God is giving him a set of instructions that will set the Israelites apart from the rest of the world. He doesn't tell them to force the rest of the world to bend to these rules; they're for God's people. 'You shall have no other Gods before me' doesn't really have a lot of relevance to people who don't recognise him as God. Now, God might be grieved by the fact that many people choose not to acknowledge or have a relationship with him, but is the creator who formed galaxies really fazed by the marketing materials of a dessert company in Canada?

What definitely does make an impact on the status of the Christian faith, right across the connected world, is a story about Christians angrily  and in the case of the initial blog, offensively  protesting against things which seem microscopically small in the context of the world's more pressing problems. When these kinds of stories break, we become known as petty and defensive people, unable to take a joke and more worried about the idea that someone might be making fun of us than the idea that the world might be going to hell. This is the typical behaviour of a wounded power, trying to defend what's left of our beleaguered Kingdom, and it is absolutely recognised as such by the onlooking world. Yet perhaps it doesn't need to be this way.

Most people had never heard of Sweet Jesus before the story broke; now their name is known all around the world. From a marketing perspective that's a master-stroke, and it's little wonder that Richmond is refusing to change the name of his company. Yet in a post-Christian culture, the phrase isn't neutral; another way of looking at it would be to realise the positive aspects of 'Sweet Jesus'. So many young people  the firm's key target demographic  barely know anything about Jesus, so the coupling of his name with a positive adjective and a delicious lifestyle brand is actually helpful to our mission. One of the most popular songs of the modern church has us singing 'what a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus Christ my King'. While the brand is light-hearted, it's not aggressive to that 'beautiful name', but actually quite complimentary.

Even if you don't buy the idea that this is contributing something positive to our mission, it's hard to see how the name amounts to either religious persecution or a big problem for God, who is presumably not enormously bothered, given that he hasn't yet turned the chain to dust. The danger of protesting such a thing is that it quietly deflects our attention from real blasphemy  when we put ourselves in God's place  and real persecution, as faced by our brothers and sisters in countries like North Korea. Again and again, we Christians seem to get upset at all the wrong things, and keep ourselves busy enough not to have to confront things like injustice, the pressing need for evangelism, and of course our own sin. I wonder if we need to chill out about issues like this. Perhaps an ice cream would help.

Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. Follow him on Twitter @martinsaunders.
US evangelicals urge prayer for North and South Korea ahead of historic peace summit

A diverse collective of US evangelical leaders this week released a joint message urging prayer for peace and reconciliation in the Korean peninsula. It comes as North and South Korea today set a date for a historic summit on denuclearisation.

'We are heartened by proposals for dialogue between our national leaders at a time when increasing tensions seemed to be marching our countries perilously in the direction of greater conflict, if not war,' said the statement, posted at Evangelicals for Peace.

'We call on all Christians everywhere to join us in praying for a just and peaceful resolution.'

Organisations represented by the statement include the National Association of Evangelicals, Faith and Community Empowerment, Evangelicals for Peace, The Kairos Company and Evangelicals for Social Action. Individual signatories represent a wide range of political stances, including conservative voices such as Eric Metaxas and Dr Russell Moore, and progressive leaders such as Sojourners president Jim Wallis.

'As American Christians with diverse approaches to force and nonviolence and yet all committed to pursuing peaceful relations among people and nations, we unite in prayer for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. We do this mindful of the millions of lives, including more than 230,000 Americans, that would be threatened by an escalation of conflict there,' the statement said.

'Decades of people-to-people contact between North Korea and the United States  through business, educational and other humanitarian exchanges  have put a human face on those who are sometimes characterized by one another as enemies. So, we pray with empathy and in a spirit of friendship, noting the image of God in every human being. However profound the differences between our governments, we do not view the North Korean people as our enemies. On the contrary, we desire only the best for the people of North Korea.'

The statement also addressed the significant Christian presence in the region: 'Most of the nearly two million Korean-Americans are Christians, and many belong to evangelical churches. This community too has contact with North Koreans through humanitarian and family ties. South Korea is also home to many evangelical churches, including some of the world's largest.

'Many of these Korean brothers and sisters have been praying for North Korea for years and we humbly join them. These connections with Koreans in North Korea, South Korea and the United States strengthen our resolve to seek God for mercy and, so far as it depends on us, to pursue peace between our respective countries.'

It comes as North and South Korean leaders today set an April 27 date for their first peace summit in over a decade, while North Korean leader Jim Jong Un has pledged a commitment to denuclearisation and an easing of historically tense international relations.

Another unexpected peace meeting, between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un  who have traded explosive threats of nuclear 'fire and fury' this past year  is scheduled for May.

North and South Korea are technically still at war since conflict in 1950-53 ended with a ceasefire and not a truce, but significant steps to peace have already been taken, with the two countries sending united teams to South Korea's Winter Olympics in February.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Constantin Brancusis La jeune fille sophistiquee ( Portrait de Nancy Cunard)

From The Collection of Elizabeth Stafford, and acquired directly from Brancusi in 1955, this unique sculpture  a portrait of heiress Nancy Cunard  will be offered at auction for the very first time on 15 May in New York

Constantin Brancusis La jeune fille sophistiquee (Portrait de Nancy Cunard), a unique sculpture conceived in Paris in 1928 and cast in polished brass in 1932, comes from The Collection of Elizabeth Stafford who, with her husband Frederick Stafford, acquired the work directly from Brancusi during a visit to his studio in 1955. It has remained in their collection ever since. An extraordinarily rare and important work, it is the only existing example in brass of Brancusis stylised portrait of the Anglo-American heiress and writer Nancy Cunard. The work (estimate on request) retains the artists original hand-carved marble base  a factor of immense significance given the importance Brancusi attached to materials, and the interplay between his sculptures and the pedestals upon which he placed them.

Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), La jeune fille sophistiquee (Portrait de Nancy Cunard), conceived in 1928 and cast in 1932; unique. Estimate on request. This work was offered in the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale on 15 May at Christies in New York and sold for $71 million  Succession Brancusi  All rights reserved. ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2018

Conor Jordan, Deputy Chairman, Impressionist and Modern Art at Christies in New York, describes it as a daring and exquisite work of art and one of the vanishingly small number of the artists brass sculptures with its original carved base not in a museum collection. Brancusi (1876-1957) had famously arrived in Paris on foot from Romania in 1904, from beyond the mountains and beyond the stars as he liked to say. By the 1920s, he enjoyed a near mythic status among the Parisian avant-garde as the author of a revolutionary visual language. From his studio in Montparnasse he carved works of increasingly radical simplicity, guided by instinct and often using the ovoid form as his starting point.

Nancy Cunard photographed by Man Ray, 1925. Photo: Fine Art Images / HIP / TopFoto.  Man Ray Trust/ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2018

In La jeune fille sophistiquee (Portrait de Nancy Cunard), Brancusis purity of line renders the cool beauty of Nancy Cunard, who was a major patron of artists and writers in Paris between the wars. Cunard counted Marcel Duchamp, Ezra Pound and James Joyce among her circle, and it was in this context that she first encountered Brancusi in 1923. The meeting came about through the Dada poet Tristan Tzara, one of her many paramours. The iconoclastic heiress, who openly flouted sexual, racial and class boundaries, struck Brancusi as the very embodiment of the liberated Twenties  a figure of and for the moment. Everything about the way she behaved, he recalled, showed how truly sophisticated she was for her day. Cunard never posed for Brancusi, and in fact was unaware until many years later that he had sculpted a figure that bore her name. However, with superbly distilled volumes, the artist succeeded in capturing Cunards elegance and stylised presentation, creating a precise, individualised characterisation that simultaneously arrives at a universal, essential form.





When the Staffords arrived at Brancusis studio, they were astounded by the beauty of his work. Mr. Stafford returned the next day and purchased La jeune fille sophistiquee
The Houston Ship Channel, still feeling minor effects from mud washed into the waterway during Hurricane Harvey, should be back to its full depth in a month or two.

A small stretch of the waterway is still undergoing dredging to return the channel to its 45-foot operating depth.

It takes a long time to move mud out of the ship channel, said Capt. Steve Nerheim, director of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston Vessel Traffic Service.

Nerheim gave his annual State of the Waterway address to the West Gulf Maritime Association on Wednesday. In that address, he confirmed that Houston remained the No. 1 port for imports and exports in 2016, the most recent data available.

Houston also maintained its No. 2 ranking for total tons of cargo handled in 2016. Some 247.9 million tons of cargo passed through Houston, up 2.9 percent year-over-year. The Port of South Louisiana ranked No. 1 with 261.9 million tons, up 1.08 percent compared with 2015.

That gap is small and closing, he said.

The Houston-Galveston Vessel Traffic Service monitors and provides navigational information for mariners traversing the ports of Houston, Galveston, Texas City and about 10 miles of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

RELATED: Mariners navigate diverse dialects on the radio

More Information HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL TRAFFIC Tankers: Ships carrying liquid products Average transits per day: 40 Freighters: Ships carrying dry goods Average transits per day: 19 Cruise ships Average transits per day: 1 Tow Transits: A towboat pushing one or more barges Average transits per day: 378 Ferries Average transits per day: 128 Offshore supply vessels/other: Ships that take supplies to oil rigs, as one example Average transits per day: 10 Ships docked in port Average at any given time: 70 Source: U.S. Coast Guard See More Collapse

While the amount of cargo in Houston increased, the movement of ships, towboats pushing barges, ferries and other vessels dropped 24 percent to 210,949 moves throughout the VTS area last year.

We fell off a little bit for the number of transits in 2017, but the five-year moving average continues an upward trend, Nerheim said.

Nerheim gave a number of reasons for the decline, chiefly the closure after the hurricane of the Lynchburg Ferry, which didnt reopen in 2017. In addition, Hurricane Harvey completely closed the port for 5  days.

The movement of towboats pushing barges and ships saw more modest decreases, 0.87 percent and 2.18 percent, respectively.

However, the drop in transits could be a good thing  especially since overall tonnage is trending up. It could mean larger ships calling on the port and fewer non-productive moves. Parcel tankers, for instance, call on the port to load and unload compartments with different liquids. A ship may stay three weeks visiting different docks, and often will finish at one dock before the next dock is ready to receive it.

That ship would then have to leave the channel and find somewhere to drop anchor until the next dock is ready.

Nerheim said the port is seeking to reduce such movements. Fewer transits mean fewer opportunities for a collision.

Vessel incidents overall dropped 30.16 percent in 2017. There were 176 total incidents: 140 vessels with mechanical issues, 16 ships running aground, five collisions of vessels, and four allisions, where a vessel collides with a stationary object. There were also 11 miscellaneous incidents, including barges going adrift, spills or someone falling overboard.

A major issue causing mechanical incidents is the menhaden fish. These fish are essentially sucked into ships engines, where they block the intake of seawater needed to cool the engine. The best solution, Nerheim said, is having ship engineers on standby, ready to open the strainers and dump the fish should the engine start to clog.

RELATED: Little fish cause big problems at the port

One of the more concerning incidents, he said, was when a recreational boater and towboat collided. The recreational boat capsized, and its occupants went overboard.

One of those real hazards around here is with the mixed-use waterway, Nerheim said. In addition to being perhaps the busiest port in the nation for the movements, the second biggest for tonnage, this is one of the third or fourth largest recreational boating centers in the nation.

He also praised the Port Coordination Team, a group of stakeholders including the Coast Guard, Port Houston, companies and a variety of other Ship Channel users, for its work preparing for Hurricane Harvey and then getting the waterway up and running after the storm.

I did learn out of this that our communication and interaction systems worked, Nerheim said. This port was very well served.
Interjet Airlines will begin flying from Houston to El Bajio, Mexico, starting June 22.

The new nonstop daily service is between Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport and El Bajio's Guanajuato International Airport. Interjet also announced flights between San Antonio and El Bajio.

MORE: Potty upgrades help IAH reach 4-star status

"El Bajio is experiencing an ongoing social and economic revitalization," Interjet CEO Jose Luis Garza said in a news release. "It has become a strong business and economic center and we're delighted to be able to offer travelers to and from this area."

Mexico City-based Interjet flies to 55 destinations in eight countries. It began flying to Houston in 2014 with an inaugural route to Monterrey, Mexico.
Plans for converting a retail building to medical office use in west Houstons Royal Oaks neighborhood have been shelved in favor of self-storage.

The owner has tapped Houston-based Right Move Storage to develop and manage a 345-unit, climate-controlled self-storage facility at 12121 Westheimer. The 44,000-square-foot project is on the eastern edge of the Phoenicia Specialty Foods-anchored shopping center along West Houston Center Boulevard.

The property, to be branded Right Move Storage - Royal Oaks, will have wide roll-up doors in a variety of sizes, and 20 executive suites for small businesses. Work will start in April, with opening planned by the summer.

The cost to convert to build out self-storage is definitely lower than medical office, Right Move Storage president Darren Kelley said. The profitability is as good or often better, he said.

It can be easier to convert a property than find land and start from scratch, Kelley said. Other Houston-area buildings, from bowling alleys to big-box stores, have been converted to self-storage.

Growth in apartments, homes and businesses from Westchase to the Energy Corridor will drive demand for the units, Kelley said.

Across the Houston market, occupancy of self-storage properties rose to 86.6 percent in February from 80.5 percent a year earlier, according to data and analytics firm STR. Rents meanwhile dropped 3.6 percent to an average of 97 cents per square foot.

Right Move Storage, which is developing the project with its partner LandPark Advisors, manages 24 self-storage properties. The company is on target to own or manage close to 30 properties by the end of the second quarter, Kelley said.

Elsewhere in Texas, The Jenkins Organization of Houston is expanding in the Hill Country. New locations for ATX Storage, at 6901 North Interstate 35, and Lakeline Storage, 11000 Lakeline Blvd. are among 10 planned facilities in the Austin region. The facilities represent an investment of $125 million and more than 1.2 million square feet.

Near Houstons River Oaks neighborhood, a partnership of Passco Cos. and Patriot Self Storage Management acquired a the 54,000-square-foot Private Mini Storage at 4217 San Felipe. The property, which has 1,000 square feet of wine storage, was acquired from Clarion Partners/Private Mini Storage and will be renamed Patriot Self Storage. NKF Capital Markets Aaron Swerdlin negotiated the deal.
S2 Capital has purchased the 793-unit Brompton Court Apartments, a three-story complex at 7510 Brompton Road near the Texas Medical Center. Mark Brandenburg of JLL arranged acquisition financing through Voya Investment Management. The seller was CMS Brompton Court. Built in 1973, Brompton Court totals 717,000 rentable square feet. The Addison-based buyer plans to upgrade the units with paint, appliances, flooring, cabinetry and windows, JLL said. Improvements will also be made to the swimming pools, fitness center, laundry rooms and leasing office.

Avesta Communities has purchased the Chateaux Dijon Apartments, a 426-unit property on 10.8 acres at 5331 Beverly Hill Street in the Galleria area, from FHB Beverly Hill LP. Glenn Dickerson of NewQuest Properties represented the buyer. The deal, which topped $45 million, represents Florida-based Avestas third acquisition in Houston, NewQuest Properties said. Built in the mid 1960s, Chateaux Dijon contains units ranging from 510 square feet to 1,380 square feet.
A Channelview woman was sentenced Wednesday to 168 months in federal prison for drug trafficking violations, according to a press release from the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney's Office.

Jessica Burgos, 36, was sentenced after pleading guilty Dec. 13 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
As the only theater company in Texas offering "Natural Shocks," Main Street Theater company is joining a national initiative to campaign against gun violence.

The show was created by playwright Lauren Gunderson, who has made her brand new one-woman show "Natural Shocks" available to theaters and artists free of royalties for readings across the nation on April 20. That specific date marks the 19th anniversary of Columbine and the day of the National School Walkout.

Shannon Emerick will perform the play in an informal reading setting. The reading is free to attend with suggested donations, and all donations received will go to Everytown for Gun Safety. RSVP to shannon@mainstreettheater.com with the number in your party and which reading you will attend.

The two readings in Houston are scheduled for:

10 a.m. April 20 at Main Street Theater-Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd.

7 p.m. April 20 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 1805 W. Alabama at Woodhead

Based on Hamlet's "To be or not to be," "Natural Shocks" is a new 65-minute, one-woman tour-de-force play that bursts to life when we meet a woman waiting out an imminent tornado in her basement. She overflows with quirks, stories, and a final secret that puts the reality of guns in America in your very lap. The play is part confessional, part stand up, and part reckoning.

"I was a junior in high school when Columbine happened in 1999 and it spurred me into activism instantly," said Gunderson. "I wrote an op-ed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution shaming the NRA and their spokesman Charlton Heston, who were holding their annual conference only an hour away from that mourning community. I organized a student protest at the Georgia statehouse; I went to Washington to speak to my aenators. I was berated by our local conservative radio talk shows: called ignorant, naive, and unAmerican. I was 17, a teenager like all those amazing kids in Parkland who are taking up the cause of their lost classmates and making the biggest difference in this issue I've seen in my lifetime."

Recent events further entrenched Gunderson's efforts.

"Nineteen years later here we are, another school shooting, but finally a freshly invigorated and seemingly unstoppable movement brewing. I happened to be working on a new one-woman play based a bit on Hamlet - called 'Natural Shocks' - about a quirky, chatty woman with a dark truth she needs to share. I was just starting to send it out to trusted colleagues when the Parkland school shooting happened. And I saw how brave and tireless and convincing these kids were in saying 'no more gun violence.' And then I read that the most vocal of them were theatre kids."

To keep the dialogue moving forward, Gunderson immediately made the show free to use.

"So now the play is yours. Whoever you are. On April 20th, read it, perform it, use it to raise money for Everytown or Mom's Demand Action," she said. "Use it to start conversations, to build networks of support, to gather people and give them some place to go to congregate and say 'enough.'"

For more information, visit the www.naturalshocks.org.

For questions about Main Street Theater's mainstreettheater.com.
San Antonio businessman Sardar Biglari last year pocketed almost $8.3 million in compensation from the publicly traded company he controls, nine times what he received in 2016.

A $7.4 million incentive fee paid to Biglari, the chairman and CEO of Biglari Holdings Inc.  parent company of the Steak and Shake restaurant chain and Maxim magazine, accounted for the hike. He again received a $900,000 salary, which had been his total annual compensation since 2014.

Biglari Holdings additionally entered into a new contract in September to pay two entities owned by Sardar Biglari a $700,000 monthly fee, or $8.4 million a year, under a shared services agreement, the company disclosed without providing additional details.

RELATED: Revenue dips again at San Antonio's Biglari Holdings

Meanwhile, a Biglari Holdings shareholder this week filed a lawsuit in Indiana to stop Biglari from going forward with plans to create two classes of stock next month. Its at least the second lawsuit challenging the companys proposal.

Under the plan, according to the suit, Biglari will end up consolidating even more voting control over the company  he already owns almost 55 percent of the stock  while diluting the voting rights of existing shareholders.

A call to Biglari was not returned, but he generally doesnt speak with the media.

Biglaris $8.3 million in compensation last year was 828 times more than the median compensation of the companys employees last year, according to a filing this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The figure is high partly because the companys median employee worked part time and earned $9,963 last year. Biglari Holdings has about 21,000 employees, most of whom work at Steak n Shake. Only Biglari and four others work at its San Antonio headquarters.

RELATED: San Antonio has 4 billionaires on the Forbes list  again

Publicly traded companies are now required to report the ratio of CEO-to-median-employee-pay-ratio.

The CEOs at Americas largest companies received an average of $15.6 million in compensation in 2016  or an average of 271 times the $57,565 average pay of the typical worker, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Last year marked the first time Biglari has collected an incentive fee since he received $10 million in 2013. The fee is capped at $10 million each year.

Biglaris bonus was based on the holding companys $50.1 million in net earnings last year. The company said it was able to report a profit due to a $53.5 million deferred tax liability  an accounting benefit that generally gives a temporary boost to earnings.

Turn to Thursdays Business section or click here on ExpressNews.com to read the full article.
Withdraw decision to trim public holidays, NEFIN tells govt

Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) has demanded that the government immediately withdraw its decision to reduce the number of public holidays.
Police are hoping a public appeal for information will lead to the identity of suspects reportedly approaching Cleveland ISD students near bus stops in the Bella Vista Subdivision near Plum Grove.

At a press conference Tuesday at the Cleveland ISD Police Station, Chief Rex Evans explained that the suspects are promising young children candy and puppies to entice them in their vehicle.

Evans said a dozen children, ranging in ages from 7-11, have made similar complaints to police about the strangers approaching them at three bus stops inside the subdivision. The stops are located at the intersections of CR 3407 and CR 3404, CR 340 between the CR 3401 Loop, and CR 3411 at CR 3406.

The incidents were first reported to police last week.

Since that time, Cleveland ISD Police Department, working with other local law enforcement agencies, has stepped up patrols around Plum Grove.

"We are aggressively trying to make sure that at our school bus stops our students are very well protected," Evans said.

The vehicle reportedly used in the incidents is described as a white utility van with a male Hispanic driver and a female passenger. The van reportedly has cardboard covering the license plate. Students told police that only the male subject has attempted to communicate with them in Spanish.

Evans said his department's investigation is also looking at possible links to a vehicular assault of a Texas game warden on Jan. 1 in the Plum Grove area. In that incident, the suspects shared a similar description and vehicle type.

"We don't know if there is a link ... We cannot connect the two at this point in time," Evans said. "But that case doesn't need to be forgotten either."

The chief praised the students who have reported the incidents to authorities, saying they have responding appropriately to the stranger danger by fleeing the van.

"This is obviously a concern but I am very proud of our students," he said.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrests of suspects involved in the case. Anyone with information about this case should call Cleveland Police Department at 281-432-2908 or send a message through the Cleveland ISD Police Department's Facebook page.
March 26 marked the start of an expansion to the Health Center of Southeast Texas facility located at 307 N. William Barnett Ave. in Cleveland.

At a ground-breaking ceremony held directly adjacent to the current clinic, HCSET Executive Director Steve Racciato, Dr. Jasmine Sulaiman and others involved with the clinic celebrated the clinic's expansion of an additional 17,000 square feet.

"What we are going to add is an acute care clinic," said Sulaiman. "It will be like a walk-in clinic."

The new building also will be used for administrative personnel. HCSET also plans to add another physician on staff in August.

HCSET has served the local citizens of Cleveland in its current facility for more than five years. Three years ago, the staff realized the facility was too small to meet the community's growing needs.

"We needed to expand the facility," said Racciato. "We've grown much faster than we ever thought we were going to. The demand is here. The area is growing."

According to Racciato, funding for the project comes from the federal government through grants. The contractor is Stonewell Constructors.

Once the new building is complete, HCSET's current building will be used for behavioral health, telepsychiatry and same-day appointments.

The expansion will allow HCSET to also serve a variety of needs such as health counseling, substance abuse counseling and ultrasounds.

Telepsychiatry involves giving psychiatric assessment and care through video-conferencing as it specifically applies to the field of psychiatry.

The project is also expected to help the Health Center of Southeast Texas handle case management by helping to store documents for its individual patients.

The expansion is expected to be finished by the end of 2018.

For more information on the Health Center of Southeast Texas and its facilities, visit www.hcset.com or call the facility in Cleveland at 281-592-2224.
A high school teacher in Lamar Consolidated ISD has been accused of having inappropriate conversations with his student, police said late Wednesday.

Richard Segura, 37, of Katy, was arrested and charged with improper relationship between and educator and student after a month-long investigation by the Rosenberg Police Department.
Instead of pursuing legal action against a man caught on video stealing $1,000 from a Houston-area coffee and flower shop, the owner has offered the thief a job.

Jimmy Sims, owner of Art of Coffee in Kemah, made the offer of employment, which has since gotten the attention of "The Ellen Show" and "The Today Show."

The offer was made after Sims' shop, and the floral shop he owns next door, were broken into Monday. A cash register was stolen, totaling about $1,000 lost, Sims said.

TOUGH TIMES: More than 1,300 have signed online petition to fire Katy ISD superintendent

The stolen registers were found missing by manager Jimmy Nieto after he saw one of the floral shop's back windows broken.

"I thought today was going to be a good day. It was the first thing I found," Nieto told Chron.com, remembering what he saw that morning.

The break-in and theft was caught on surveillance video. Sims was able to identify the thief and instead of calling police, he decided to handle it another way.

"You obviously need money, so instead of stealing from hard working people, let's make you one of us that work for things we have," Sims wrote on Facebook Monday night.

Sims' Facebook post, which has been shared more than 650 times, included employment stipulations like a dress code and drug test.

"The cash you took, consider a gift. Understandably, you needed it or you wouldn't go to the extent you did to get it. No questions asked," Sims wrote. "You and I will volunteer at a shelter so you can see that people have it far worse than us but do not steal to get by."

Sims has yet to hear from the man who broke in but knows he has seen his offer, according to acquaintances they both know.

The Facebook post has caused a spike in business at the coffee shop, Sims said.

"I posted it from the heart.," Sims told Chron.com. "We didn't expect it to go this big. We're a little overwhelmed."

Fernando Alfonso III is a digital reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @fernalfonso.
A Richmond man was sentenced Monday to 24 years in prison in connection to a 2016 drive-by shooting, according to a news release issued Wednesday from the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office.

Travion Fountain, 26,in February was convicted of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a jury. His charges stem from a drive-by shooting that occurred in June 2016 on Maiden Lane in Richmond.

"We cannot allow disputes to be settled in the streets," said Assistant District Attorney Thomas Pfeiffer. "This is why we have courts and juries. Justice was served in this case."

When Richmond police officers arrived at the crime scene, they found a man bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds on the ground. The shooting victim was taken to Oak Bend Medical Center and pronounced dead at the hospital, the release said.

Shortly after the shooting, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office received a call from Fountain saying that he shot the man in self-defense.

The Richmond Police Department closed the case until they found surveillance video from the shooting that disputed Fountain's claims of self-defense, according to the release.

During the trial, evidence was presented that Fountain had threatened the victim and his family on Facebook.

A witness, who was in the car with Fountain during the shooting, testified during the trial that Fountain was receiving information on where the shooting victim was located. Fountain apparently shot the victim with a .233 rifle after locating him.

Fountain must serve half of his sentence before he's eligible for parole.
The animal-loving staff at Rover Oaks hosted their seventh annual "Doggie Pictures with the Easter Bunny" event on March 17.

All of Rover Oaks' clients, friends and pet owners in the community were invited to bring their dogs to pose for a picture with the Easter Bunny. All proceeds from the event were donated to local rescue group Shaggy Dog Rescue.

The event started on Saturday morning; and, by the afternoon, Rover Oaks' lobby was packed with pet owners and pups who were ready to meet the Easter Bunny and have their portraits made. Attendees were encouraged to dress up their pet with holiday-themed props such as bunny ears and tutus, and some used the opportunity to get a complete family portrait made. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S6uzoxb4Ek to view a video slideshow from the event.

For a $20 donation, pet-owners received a photo session and portrait of their pet with the Easter Bunny in a festive "springtime" setting. Pet owners got to keep the hi-resolution digital files of all the photos, including the "outtakes" which are often the favorites. They also received a print of their best photo. Rover Oaks produced Easter portraits for over 90 dogs, raising over $1,900 for Shaggy Dog Rescue. These funds will help provide much needed medical care, food, and other supplies that the rescue group desperately needs for the dogs in their care.

"We have a blast putting on this event, and our clients love taking home the adorable and often hilarious photos of their pet with the Easter Bunny," said Claire Ellington, general manager of Rover Oaks Houston. "It is so rewarding to be able to provide our clients with this special keepsake, while using the proceeds to help our friends at Shaggy Dog Rescue."

"We're so grateful that Rover Oaks donates all of the proceeds from this event to our rescue," said Kathy Wetmore, founder of Shaggy Dog Rescue. "Every dollar counts and every donation brings us closer to saving a dog from a high-kill Houston animal shelter. These donations really can mean the difference between life and death for these dogs."

Rover Oaks Pet Resort hosts Doggie Pictures with the Easter Bunny every spring and Doggie Pictures with Santa every fall to help raise money for Shaggy Dog Rescue.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he has been asked to get "very, very, very involved" in Houston ISD as it faces potentially severe state sanctions, but he stopped short Wednesday of suggesting the city could take control of the district's chronically under-performing campuses.

Asked whether the city could become a "partner" with the district, giving the city significant authority over operations at campuses, Turner said: Let's just say I've been asked to be very, very involved by multiple individuals, and then I am deciding to what degree and to how far I am going to get involved in the day-to-day operation of any of the schools.

Turners comments add to growing speculation that the city of Houston could play a role in HISDs attempt to stave off a potential takeover of the districts locally elected school board  a result of HISDs failure to raise academic performance at 10 chronically low-achieving schools.

Under a law known as HB 1842, which was passed in 2015, the Texas Education Agency must replace HISD's board or close campuses if any one of the 10 schools fails to meet state academic standards in August.

It is unlikely all 10 HISD schools will meet standards this year, so district administrators have recommended employing another law, commonly referred to as SB 1882, to avoid sanctions. Under SB 1882, the district can get a two-year reprieve from punishment if it temporarily surrenders control over hiring, governance, academics and other operations to an outside organization. The arrangement commonly has been referred to as a partnership, though it more closely resembles the framework of a charter school.

In recent weeks, HISD administrators have said the district could form partnerships with a nonprofit, higher education institution or charter school network. In recent days, though, they have added governmental entities to the list of possible partners, leading to questions about whether the city of Houston could get involved in SB 1882 plans.

District officials have not publicly identified any potential partners under current consideration. HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan has said she hopes to name proposed partners at an April 2 board meeting, with trustees potentially voting on partnership contracts on April 12. HISD must submit contracts to the Texas Education Agency by April 30. Any partners would take control of campuses ahead of the 2018-19 school year.

It is unclear how seriously HISD administrators are considering a district-city partnership. HISD spokesman Tracy Clemons said Wednesday that the district is still exploring partnership options. He declined to answer whether HISD leaders have discussed a potential partnership with the city.

It also is unclear who, ultimately, would be responsible for governing schools under a district-city partnership.

I think everything is on the table right now, and the mayor told me that he was going to pray on this, said District H Councilwoman Karla Cisneros, a former teacher and HISD school board member. We're clearly in a position that it's a very important issue to our entire city, and I'm grateful that the mayor is so open to considering exactly how the city can best help. But within that, there's a lot of possibilities of what that help is."

Cisneros said she has not been approached about council members governing HISD schools.

I think it needs to be people that really know education, Cisneros said. Its got to be more than people with good intentions.

Since his inauguration in 2016, Turner frequently has touted the importance of education to Houstons economic future. Although City Hall has no direct control over HISDs governance nor a traditional role in education, Turner has sought greater collaboration between the two entities. A month into his tenure, Turner formed the Office of Education Initiatives, headed by former HISD board president Juliet Stipeche.

A district-city partnership would have several potential benefits. City leaders are deeply invested in the success of Houston schools, and they could tap countless local contacts to aid the rebuild of HISDs long-struggling campuses.

At the same time, city officials have virtually no experience running campuses, its Office of Education Initiatives has two employees and HISD administrators have said they are seeking partners with backgrounds in education.

"They have to be an established organization, an organization that has a proven track record of turning schools around or have the capacity to do that," Lathan said last week at a school board meeting.

HISD Trustee Anne Sung said Wednesday that she has not received any names of potential partners from the districts administration. Sung said Turner has a good understanding of community partnerships with schools, which could serve as a good foundation for any arrangements under SB 1882, but she could not comment further on any city involvement without additional details.

I need to be confident that any partner we would entrust our students to has experience, a proven track record and a credible plan for improvement, Sung said.

HISD administrators initially floated a potential partner in February, Baltimore-based Talent Development Secondary, but that proposal was nixed because the group did not want to take responsibility for hiring and governance at campuses.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com

rebecca.elliott@chron.com
A convicted cop killer on death row from Harris County lost out Tuesday on a federal appeal based on claims that he didn't get a fair trial.

Lawyers for Shelton Jones argued that the flurry of news coverage and the presence of uniformed police in the courtroom created a prejudicial atmosphere that may have influenced the jury.

Jones was sent to death row following a 1991 cop killing. That April, Houston police officer Bruno D. Soboleski was riding in his patrol car with a grand juror when he spotted two men at the intersection of Calhoun and Hull near the University of Houston.

Soboleski stopped the pair, though it's not entirely clear why. As he frisked them, Jones pulled out a 9mm pistol and opened fire.

As Jones and the other man fled, a third man started shooting, missing the officer but hitting his patrol car where the grand juror was trying to radio for help.

Soboleski lingered in the hospital for five days, undergoing multiple surgeries before dying in intensive care.

Longtime Harris County District Attorney Johnny Holmes personally prosecuted the case, as he did the case of cop killer Carl Wayne Buntion during a trial the year before.

The media coverage at the time included a letter to the editor suggesting Jones be hung from a "tall tree" with a "short rope," according to court filings. He tried for a change of venue in light of the widespread publicity, and later argued that the 15 to 25 officers in the courtroom had prejudiced jurors, implicitly demanding a guilty verdict with their presence.

But the 5th Circuit turned down his appeal, calling the argument "unpersuasive."

"The record before us does not suggest the police presence intimidated the jury or disrupted the fact-finding process in any way," the court wrote.

Jones also asked for additional funding for investigative findings and discovery, but the court determined that they weren't "reasonably necessary." The ruling comes on the heels of a Supreme Court decision faulting a lower court's determination of when more funding is needed to investigate claims in an appeal.
Former U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman spent $450,000 in charitable funds from an East Coast philanthropist on personal expenses including dolphin boat rides, tanning salons, a kennel bill, a new dishwasher and airline tickets to the African nation of Sudan, according to an FBI forensic accountant who testified Wednesday in Stockman's fraud trial.

In all, the ex-Republican lawmaker from Clear Lake is charged in a federal indictment with siphoning off $1.25 million in donations meant for charitable causes, between 2010 and 2014, through a series of bank transfers, to pay personal and campaign costs.

Stockmans defense lawyers counter that while Stockman may not have spent his funds wisely, he didnt break the law. His defense team has grilled a series of prosecution witnesses from the IRS and FBI about why they didnt investigate the major donors about the intent behind their major transactions.

TEACHER CHARGED: Lamar Consolidated High School teacher accused of exchanging 'inappropriate' texts with student

Two major conservative donors provided the funds that prosecutors have been probing in two weeks of testimony to prove what they have characterized as a white-collar crimes spree by Stockman.

Richard Uihlein, a shipping supplies magnate from the Chicago area, earlier testified that he gave Stockman a charitable gift of $350,000 for a project called Freedom House that would establish a training center and housing facility for Capitol Hill interns.

Uihleins second contribution, an independent expenditure of $450,000, was meant to cover a political mailing during Stockmans GOP primary bid to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. Prosecutors contend that Stockman was the actual recipient of the funds, in violation of election law, and they have argued he illegally used a sizable surplus from that fund on his own expenses.

TEEN MURDER: Teenage robbery suspect pegged for deadly February shooting, police say

The other major gifts highlighted Wednesday in testimony came from Stanford Z. Rothschild Jr., a Baltimore money manager, who donated $450,000 between 2010 and 2012 to various charities Stockman oversaw, according to testimony. Government prosecutors are attempting to prove that Stockman and two aides transferred Rothschilds and Uihleins donations from bank to bank and the former lawmaker failed to use the money as promised, but rather spent it on his own expenses.

On the stand last week, Uihlein, the Midwestern conservative donor, told jurors he wanted his funds to go toward Freedom House. An FBI witness said the money was transferred and spent on a video surveillance project of a potential political rival of Stockman and other non-charitable expenses.

Rothschild died in February 2017 at the age of 91 before Stockman and two aides were arrested on a 28-count indictment. His foundations in Maryland support education, community well-being and the arts, according to the Rothschild Capital Partners website.

NOT CHARGED: Attorney says one of Austin bomber's roommates not expected to face charges

Rothschilds personal secretary, Jean Dellman, testified Wednesday that Thomas Dodd, who solicited $450,000 for Stockmans charities, was one of the most aggressive fundraisers the foundation encountered.

She said she believed her late boss intended the gift to be spent on policies and philosophies he supported but not for political purposes.

An FBI accountant followed the path Rothschilds money took in Stockmans possession, including credit card bills for trips, department store expenses and SkyMall purchases.

Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com.
A Harris County Sheriffs Office deputy has been arrested on three charges of possession of child pornography.

Deputy D. Dehnert, 46, was charged with the felonies after multiple federal, state and local agencies searched his Kingwood home under a warrant.
A Houston man is accused of choke-slamming a 14-year-old boy Monday morning outside Yates High School in southeast Houston all because the teenager had some unkind words for the man's younger sister, court documents show.

The altercation started when the teenager and some other students were outside the school before classes Monday playing a game where they would talk about each other, according to court documents.
Editor's Note: Austin police provided to the media an incorrect mugshot of Daniel Hernandez, which was previously included with this story. We have removed the incorrect mugshot and updated the story.

Federal authorities say a mechanic's shop in Austin was a front for a drug ring that distributed cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin to multiple states.

An investigation involving the DEA, FBI and Texas police agencies led to the arrest of 18 people accused of being involved in the suspected drug ring, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The arrests were made on Wednesday.

BUSTED: Arrests during 2018 spring break on Bolivar Peninsula

The department said Luis Villagrana and Carlos Garcia-Duark were the leaders of the distribution cells out of Austin. They're accused of using the mechanic's shop to "unload, distribute, and ship drugs to sales and distribution points in Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Minnesota, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi."

Authorities say they seized 148 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 65 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, 62 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin and $400 in U.S. currency.

The suspects could face up to 40 years or life in prison, depending on their charges. Those charged in the sting include:

Luis Villagrana, 32, of Leander, Texas;

Furqan Sunka, 34, of Austin, Texas;

Lauro Toledo, 30, of Austin, Texas;

Blanca Davile-Puente, 35, of Mission, Texas;

Silvia Cerda-Gonzalez, 49, of Michoacan, Mexico;

Daniel Hernandez, 30, of Austin, Texas;

Anthony Taylor, 45, of Pflugerville, Texas;

Victor Vargas-Osorio, 25, of Austin, Texas;

Juan Vasquez, 69, of Brownsville, Texas;

Maria Del Pilar Barcenas, 47, of Brownsville, Texas;

Lauro Jaimes, 32, of Llano, Texas;

Rigoberto Vences Bautista, 39, of Austin, Texas;

Martin Benitez 38, of Austin, Texas;

Francisco Gonzalez, 30, of Mission, Texas;

Esperanza Gerardo, 40, of Mission, Texas;

Albert Villagrana, 19, of Leander, Texas;

Jesus Ocampo, 33, of Austin, Texas;

Mike Vertacnik, 30, of Austin, Texas;

Marques Taylor Nunley, 27, of Austin, Texas;

Rebecca Anay, 26, of Austin, Texas;

Claudia Lara-Escalante, 26, of Houston, Texas;

Leovigildo Martinez, 27, of Austin, Texas;

Carlos Garcia-Duarte, 40, of Dale, Texas;

Arturo Juarez-Osorio, 36, of Austin, Texas;

Eduardo Flores-Parra, 27, of Austin, Texas;

Rafael Garcia-Duarte, 27, of Dale, Texas;

Jose DeJesus Gonzalez , 27, of Austin, Texas;

Gerardo Arroyo, 29, of Pflugerville, Texas.

Charges for the suspects include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; money laundering; and counts involving methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.

Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter.
McKinney police say a 22-year-old man sexually assaulted four children between the ages of 2 and 6 while working as a church instructor.

Noel Anderson was arrested last Friday by the McKinney Police Department on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
A Lubbock store clerk held his own against an armed robber Wednesday evening, police say.

Treshun Devonte Bates, 21, displayed a firearm in his waistband after a store clerk twice refused to sell him cigarettes without proof he was over the age of 18, a police report viewed by KCBD detailed.

After Bates lifted his jacket to show the firearm, he allegedly told the clerk, "I can get whatever I want."

Instead of selling Bates the tobacco, the cashier came out from behind the counter and began to push the armed suspect toward the exit. Once outside, Bates drew the pistol and struck the clerk with the firearm, according to Everything Lubbock.

COPS: Dallas-area church instructor admits to sexually assaulting young children

The store clerk then picked Bates up and threw him through the store window, police said.

Bates escaped the scene but authorities were able to track him to an apartment where they found blood, police said.

Bates was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery. He is currently being held at the Lubbock County Detention Center with bond set at $50,000.

Above: See notable crimes that occurred in the Houston-area in 2018 so far.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.
The Harris County justice of the peace accused of paying prostitutes for sex, abusing drugs while on the bench and sexting a bailiff officially resigned this week - although her attorney says it has nothing to do with the claims against her.

Hilary Green had already been temporarily suspended by the Texas Supreme Court and was headed for trial next month to determine her judicial future. But on Tuesday - even as lawyers worked to prepare for the upcoming Austin court date - the long-time Precinct 7 jurist sent a letter to Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, announcing her decision to leave the bench.

"Effective immediately, please allow this letter to serve as my formal resignation from my position as Justice of the Peace, Precinct 7, Place 1," Green wrote. "Due to the unexpected death of my father and my mother's newly diagnosed illness, it is important for me to focus all my attention on my family."

Green's attorney, Chip Babcock, emphasized that his client's departure was motivated solely by personal considerations.

"It is totally unrelated to the charges which she continues to deny and contest," he told the Chronicle Thursday. The pending proceedings to unseat her - and lack of income, given her suspension without pay - took a toll on her, according to Babcock.

"She was looking at years of additional litigation," he said. "It's sad because all these allegations that her husband and former boyfriend leveled against her were known by the voters when they re-elected her by an overwhelming majority. It's a very, very sad case."

Now, it will be up to county commissioners to appoint a replacement.

"The Party thanks Hilary for her 11 years of service on the bench," the Harris County Democratic Party said Thursday in a statement, also offering condolences for the death of Green's father. "Our hope is the Harris County Commissioners Court will appoint someone who is a representation of the people and will serve with dignity and honor."

The county Republican Party offered a decidedly different response.

"It is sad that Democrat JP Hilary Green waited until now to resign, long after her admitted drug abuse and other sordid conduct came to light," said GOP County Chair Paul Simpson. "Thankfully, our Harris County Commissioners Court can now appoint a replacement JP who can faithfully administer the justice our citizens deserve."

The laundry list of accusations against Green was fully revealed last year in a 316-page court filing by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The document outlined four separate judicial misconduct complaints lodged against her between 2012 and 2016, including accusations lobbed by former lover Claude Barnes, who claimed he and the judge had hired call girls together for three-way sex on at least two occasions.

In her response to the commission, Green admitted to many of the allegations, including illegally obtaining prescription drugs and using marijuana and ecstasy at the same time she was presiding over low-level drug possession cases involving minors in her court, the records show.

Another misconduct complaint, initiated by the commission itself, was based on broader allegations published by the Chronicle in a May 16, 2015 article that described claims made in by her ex-husband, former city councilman Ronald Green.

In divorce filings, Green alleged that the judge had previously lied to the state commission when they investigated her relationship with a convicted conman.

Their 2015 divorce proceedings also revealed a series of other accusations as Ron Green - then Houston's second-highest-ranked political official - accused his wife of being a "longtime drug addict" who abuses prescription pills, violating laws by "driving under the influence" and "operates daily with impaired judgment as evidenced by her presiding over cases in which she has ongoing sexual relationships with litigants and witnesses."

Hilary Green accused her now former husband of concealing assets, and He admitted infidelity in court documents.

Last May, the state commission put out its lengthy finding in favor of an immediate suspension, and in the summer the state Supreme Court approved that action.

Had her removal trial in Austin moved forward as planned in April, she could have faced years of appeals ahead, Babcock said.

In light of Green's resignation, county commissioners are expected to appoint a replacement who will serve until November 2018. Voters in the November election will then decide on her successor. Her term would have expired in 2020.

The political parties will in the coming months determine which candidates will be on the ballot.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis will likely select the interim appointment.

"Commissioner Rodney Ellis will consult with community leaders and legal experts to select a qualified candidate," an Ellis spokesman said. "He plans to have a candidate to submit to Commissioners Court for approval on April 10."
Austin police still refuse to say whether the two roommates of the Austin bomber have been cleared, but an attorney representing one of them said Wednesday that his client is not expected to face charges.

Attorney Charlie Baird said that he based his conclusion on his conversations with the Austin Police Department.

Baird spoke out a day after U.S. Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Austin, suggested that one of the roommates was still being interviewed and could still be a person of interest in the case.

THE HUNT FOR THE BOMBER: An in-depth look at how he was tracked

After my investigation and my conversations with the Austin Police Department, it is my conclusion that my client is neither a suspect or a person of interests related to the bombings, Baird said.

Baird, who is not naming his client to protect his privacy, said the roommate has been cooperative with investigators and had no idea what Mark Anthony Conditt was up to. Baird said his client had only been a roommate with Conditt for a few months.

Conditt was killed last week after terrorizing the Austin area for nearly three weeks in a series of bombing attacks. Conditt killed two people and wounded five others before police tracked him to a motel parking lot. As Conditt left the motel parking lot, police forced his car off the road. Conditt set off another explosive device that killed him.

Conditt lived in Pflugerville, just outside of Austin, with the two roommates.

On Saturday, interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley refused to classify either roommate as a suspect. Nor did he say that either has been cleared of any potential charges. Manley confirmed the roommates had both been interviewed, but would not say if either face additional questioning.

Manley said although Conditt is no longer terrorizing the city, the investigation still has a long way to go.

There's a lot of work that still needs to be done and a lot of evidence that is still being processed and a lot of individuals that will still likely be interviewed as we work through this case, Manley said.
Quebec proposes changes to its popular Investor Program Changes increase net assets and investment requirements

Quebec proposes changes to its popular Investor Program Changes increase net assets and investment requirements

Pour lire cet article en francais, cliquez ici.

The Province of Quebec has proposed new regulations for a number of its unique immigration programs, including the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, or QIIP.

Quebec has several immigration programs, some which allow candidates to pursue Canadian permanent residence and some which allow candidate to apply for temporary residence in Canada.

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, or QIIP, is the only passive investment program offered by a Canadian province that can result in a Canadian permanent resident visa.

This investor program is typically quite popular, and quotas generally fill quickly. Last year the program had a quota of 1,900.

Among the changes introduced on March 28, the QIIP has increased both the net asset requirement and investment requirement from the last iteration of the QIIP. The previous requirements were net assets of CAD $1.6 million and an investment of CAD $800,000 respectively.

Under the new eligibility requirements of the QIIP:

 Candidates must have, whether alone or with the accompanying spouse or de facto spouse, net assets of at least CAD $2,000,000 whose lawful origin must be demonstrated; and

 Make a five-year term investment of CAD $1,200,000 with a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec for which the foreign national has entered into an investment agreement with a financial intermediary authorized to participate in the program.

Other eligibility requirements include being over 18 years of age, having management experience, intending to settle in the province of Quebec and obtaining a passing score under Quebecs points system.

During the most recent intake period, financing for the investment was available from financial intermediaries.

For interested candidates who now cannot qualify for this program because of these changes, the good news is that Quebec also announced new eligibility criteria for other non-passive program, including the popular entrepreneur category.

These changes may be welcome news to candidates who satisfy the new requirements and who may now face slightly less competition, said Attorney David Cohen, senior partner with the Campbell, Cohen immigration law firm in Montreal.

The quota, however may still be reached quickly so interested applicants will need to be prepared.

Interested applicants can contact the Canadian immigration law firm Campbell, Cohen in Montreal.

To find out if you are eligible for the Quebec Investor Program, fill out a FREE assessment form.

 2018 CICNews All Rights Reserved
Denmark has decided to elevate technological diplomacy to a priority in its foreign and security policy, especially given that most tech giants are now wealthier, and more powerful, than many countries. Recently, I interviewed Denmarks Tech Ambassador Casper Klynge, who is the world's first ever Tech Ambassador. Mr. Klynge was previously an Ambassador to Indonesia, Republic of Cyprus, and ASEAN. He has held positions with the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Afghanistan, Europe, and Africa. Mr. Klynge served in the Danish Armed Forces and received a NATO Medal (ISAF). He has taught at the Royal Danish Defense College and holds a masters degree in International Relations from Copenhagen University. Heres our interview:

Q: Why did Denmark create a global tech ambassador, which is really the first position of its kind?

Casper: It was a response to realities in the 4th Industrial Revolution. We have to be proactive about the fact that technology is going to be the parameter that defines development. Another factor is that big tech companies are becoming very large corporations, and therefore, very influential corporations.

There was a feeling in the Danish government and Danish foreign ministry that we needed a formalized and structured platform on which to put technology; it needs to be on the agenda both internally and externally. Additionally, doing so would enable us to have an opportunity to speak and influence tech companies in a way similarly to how we would when developing financial relationships with global countries and foreign and international organizations.

Q: As the global tech ambassador, what are the scope of your responsibilities?

Casper: We have a very, very, very broad agenda, ranging from discussions on online regulations and cybersecurity, to looking at how we can introduce technology in our development corporations in Africa or Asia.

If we were to boil it down, my responsibilities include three focal points:

First, Im expected to be a forward operating post  not only in Silicon Valley, but also in Beijing and Africa and the Middle East  in order to stay current on whats happening on the technology front. Essentially, I should be able to answer several key questions: What new technologies are being developed? What opportunities do they give a country like Denmark or Europe? How do we respond to those technologies? How can we make the technology inclusive to bring everybody on board? The flip side of this is also trying to anticipate the pitfalls of technology and attempting to prevent them from taking root. This is all an important part of the job that I do together with my team. We all collaborate with classic diplomatic roles to have a presence on the ground, gather analyses, and report back with the goal of better understanding the impact of new developments and how to respond to them from a policy point of view. Second, I work to offer Danish authorities  or in a broader sense, Danish society  the opportunity to represent their views vis-a-vis the tech companies. For example, say there is a tech company operating in Denmark in an area where we might have some differences of opinion on how a particular platform is used (i.e. data protection or taxation issues). We now have a startup embassy and negotiating mechanisms in place (i.e. tech presentations) to initiate discussions with those companies in hopes of finding solutions that work for them and for Denmark and for the Danish society. We havent had this opportunity before  at least not in the structured way we do now  and these mechanisms for engagement bring added value to Denmark and to the companies, who now have a platform where they can convey views and suggestions on regulations. I believe this last role to be incredibly important: helping to institute an international agenda where technology and digitalization are made mainstream in basically everything that we do. No matter what we talk about  be it developments in the South China sea, emerging economies, transportation, healthcare, or education  technology transcends all those areas, and we need to recognize that internationally and multi-laterally. We also need to carefully consider what governance will look like in the 4th Industrial Revolution: How do we maximize all the opportunities that technology brings about while simultaneously minimizing some of the risks that arise with it? Denmark is a very digitalized country and has always been open to using technology, and this pragmatic approach towards it is why we have something to offer. My teams focus lies on making sure we find the right balance between welcoming new technologies and setting the right boundaries.

Q: I love how you broke it down into three different roles and love the concept of point #2, especially because the European Connected Health Alliance and Canadian Integrated Health Alliance are working together through their I-Map program. Their goal is to convene the ecosystem (from startups, academia, and nonprofits) to tackle some of the most prominent digital health problems in countries. Anyway, I digress! To get back on track, I have met with and hosted many of Denmarks permanent secretaries in California. One of their issues is trying to figure out how to develop modern policies and government technologies that enable innovation yet are non-detrimental to future growth. However, given the fact that they dont know much about technology from a technical standpoint, are you working with them to craft the best tech policies? If so, how?

Casper: Thats a relevant question because I can bring an insiders perspective on the dynamics of how a small country like Denmark works to the table. In fact, youre referring to an important area where we play a significant role in bringing information back to Denmark on what other countries are doing in terms of policy and regulation. Were not just looking just at Silicon Valley in California, but also researching what is being done in Israel and other parts of Europe, as well as Singapore and Korea. A critical role of my teams mandate is to find multiple countries best practices for really utilizing technology in innovative ways.

Its also important to mention a caveat: were not tech sector experts, nor do we have any ambitions to become such. For example, when I acted as Denmarks Ambassador to Indonesia, I had to report back on Indonesias response in the South China Sea and various rule development challenges in the country. There are many aspects and subjects as an ambassador that you wouldnt necessarily be a sector expert on. But because youre a forward operating post, you have your ears to the ground, have a better sense of whats going on, and a better handle on the realities that exist when reporting back. For example, how quickly are developments actually commencing?

Our goal is to employ a sound, collective, and realistic approach to new technology. As an embassy, you represent the whole entity of government by default, which applies to my whole team. We work equally as much for each extension of the government; the Danish Ministry of Healthcare, Danish Ministry of Defense, Danish Ministry of Business, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs all fall on our plate. If you look at our, lets call them, customers, we have a lot of interaction with a lot of other ministries back home. I would also actually count the private sector and civil society back home, in Denmark, as our customers. Theyre also quite interested in what we can offer, which could include anything from getting them some limelight on the Danish tech solutions, to showing them what Danish companies are capable of doing globally, to helping them with their internal reform processes. This is a mental revolution, which is incredibly important. A very important contribution from my team is acting as a foreign ministry and as representation to help gently nudge the Danish society in a direction, where reflections on new technology and the kinds of reforms we need to go through come to the forefront of the political agenda. Additionally, if we can at the same time help set an international agenda that is also an increasingly integral part of global discussions, then I would be a very happy man and believe that Denmark would have done something good for humanity, especially considering theres a lot of critical questions related to tech that need to be answered to form the international agenda, as well.

Q: Yes, I agree with you and believe that Denmark can show the world how to become tech savvy. The reason why Estonia is leading is because theyve been bold in their approach to technology  especially considering that theyre creating an agency that is led by an AI  and they are also a smaller country that can be a bit nimble. The world is taking examples from them (i.e. the Digital Health Societies) due to their being awarded the EU Presidency. Before resigning, NYC CTO Miguel Gamino talked to me about the disruptive force of new technologies. He stated that most technology companies are user-centric, not human-centric. He presented some impending issues that may occur, such as what happens to the parking attendee who tickets your car, or to the traffic court officials when driverless cars become prevalent? Will that whole economy be wiped? What hes working on is developing a disruptive lab to bring together ecosystems of tech companies to understand their impact on local economies. This is relevant because in your NPR interview you talked about the digitally poor. Casper, can you define what you meant by digitally poor, and maybe how youre trying to create international and domestic agendas that account for the digitally poor?

Casper: Well, I can give it a shot! I think that there is both a domestic and international dimension. If you look at the domestic side, were a very small country. People would probably laugh if we say we also have challenges between the core and the periphery.

What do new technologies pose in terms of challenges? If you look at the wave of new mobile technologies, like 5G technology, they will become necessary in order to have driverless vehicles or to allow upload speeds that enable virtual realities. Now, if thats only an urban phenomenon, they will actually create some imbalances between the sense of the periphery and the core, even in a small country like a Denmark. If you then, of course, elevate this same local discussion to the global level, what we must pay attention to and be responsible for as global actors  and Denmark hasnt historically had a strong focus on developing nations and countries that have a lot of challenges  is focusing on the digitally poor and the digital divide. This is something I strongly believe we must focus on. If you look at the regions or countries that will fall way behind because they dont have the necessary infrastructure or the competences or the tech skills, they will be the root cause of the next wave of migration or radicalization and extremism. In order words, the digitally poor and the digital divide will create many global challenges, as well.

We can look at technology in a way where we recognize that it creates the opportunity to create a digital dividend  essentially bringing people out of poverty, growing economies, providing better education and healthcare, and having less global conflict. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that there are some risks in some parts of the world and places that will fall behind even in our own countries. We must pay attention to them to avoid potential radicalization and post-international threats.

Q: Thanks for sharing your point of view of the digital divide. In helping to spread the digital and tech wealth, how are you partnering with companies? What kinds of global alliances are you looking to build? Many of my government industry peers are super interested in trying to figure out how to advance your goals, but they dont know how to engage with you. How do they engage with you and your team?

Casper: We want to create a new alliance that focuses on technology, responsibility, and the right responses to new opportunities and risks. Were a small country, but we have a modest approach. Were focused on bringing together like-minded countries and international organizations, but, more importantly, the private sector to increase the frequency of having discussions around several key issues: What do we do in terms of ethics for data? How do we set the right boundaries for artificial intelligence? What do we do when it comes rolling out 5G to all parts of our societies? These are important questions. Yet the most important ones center around the governance issues.
By Steve Todd

In a proactive move to eliminate a future conflict, Elon Musk recently stepped down as chairman of OpenAI, a nonprofit research company he cofounded two years ago aimed at building safe artificial intelligence (AI) with wide benefits for all. In 2014, Musk suggested AI could be more dangerous than nuclear weapons, a statement he reiterated at a recent SXSW event in Austin, TX.

Bill Gates also went on record several years ago about his concerns regarding machine superintelligence. The two technology leaders joined others in creating an open letter encouraging research into AI safeguards:

It is important to research how to reap [AI] benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls.

The open letter was accompanied by a research priorities proposal, highlighting work that can be done to make AI robust and beneficial.

Perhaps the most pressing question today is whether we can use current technologies  such as historical and preventative tracking  to build AI safeguards that not only figure out why an AI algorithm made a poor decision but also preclude other AI algorithms from making the same poor decision?

I believe the answer to that question is yes. Two existing technologies can come together to provide the ability to audit the decisions machines are making: a) Blockchain technology and b) any off-chain storage systems that are referenced by Blockchain. Together, they can form the foundation of a digital forensics platform that can be extended to monitor (and potentially regulate) super-intelligent decision-making.

Blockchain, introduced with Bitcoin in 2009, can be thought of as a tamper-proof ledger of transactions, though ledger entries do not have to necessarily contain records of financial transfers. Each blockchain transaction is time-stamped and can reference any type of off-chain data records that live in well-protected and secure storage systems. References to the data are implemented via very small character strings that can be easily stored within the ledger.



Off-chain storage technology is especially powerful when implemented by a special class of storage systems known as content-addressable storage (CAS); the first CAS system, Centera, was initially shipped in 2003. This type of storage system assigns unique digital fingerprints to every piece of digital content. Once stored, the data cannot be tampered with or deleted and can be retrieved based on content, not storage location.

The power of these two technologies is already on display as a solution for the medical industry. In How to Achieve Data Privacy in Blockchain Ledgers, Dr. Marten Neubauer details how the solution allows a medical record to be stored in an off-chain storage system. The record is assigned a unique identifier and the asset is then registered on a Blockchain system. When any doctor looks at (or tries to access) a patient record, its possible to also record that attempt on the blockchain, so a patient can track which doctor is looking at a particular private data record.

Its easy to imagine how this solution could be applied to AI. Consider a use case in which an AI algorithm makes decisions in the context of a self-driving car. An AI vendor, for example, could store a new algorithm in an off-chain storage location. They could then register their algorithm as a blockchain transaction. The registration entry can require a vendors unique key, creating a digital signature that establishes ownership of their algorithm.

In this scenario, a connected car can then see this registered algorithm and download the software. As new data continually arrives to the car, this data can undergo a similar registration prior to analysis. The algorithm, the input data, and any output data, can all be stored off-chain and registered on-chain. This provides a chain of ownership in terms of which algorithms have analyzed particular data sets. If an accident should occur based on AI decisions, the blockchain provides a trustworthy record of how the decision was made.

This type of system will be critical to perform forensics on situations in which self-driving cars malfunction, perhaps crash, or cause damage and even loss of life. Just last week the first death in the self-driving car experiment occurred in Arizona. This is just one tragic example amongst many articulated by technology luminaries like Musk and Gates. If todays simple AI algorithms can make mistakes that result in loss of life, what kind of mistakes will super-intelligent algorithms make?

Fortunately, Blockchain and off-chain digital forensics systems can provide time-stamped and immutable proof of why AI algorithms make their decisions. This offers a regulatory opportunity for holding companies responsible for ethical and reasonable use of AI technology. Not only can this technology conduct forensics for poor decisions, but also use the forensics data to train new models to avoid those poor decisions. An off-chain digital forensics platform can therefore be augmented to attack the problem of AI algorithms overextending their intelligence into areas in which they should not be participating.

Once these safeguards are put in place, regulated AI algorithms can then focus on bringing maximum benefit with minimal harm. Everyday examples of the benefits AI can bring include:

Better fuel consumption and reduced carbon footprint

Better student education

Fraud reduction and prevention

Safer social media

Smarter personal assistants

While there are certainly obstacles to implementing this type of system (e.g., the network latency required to connect thousands of cars to a blockchain), a lack of research is not one, and the solution outlined is clearly within the realm of the possible.

In a recent study commissioned by Dell Technologies and conducted by the Institute for the Future, we are reminded that AI technologies, enabled by significant advances in software, will underpin the formation of new human-machine partnerships. While the fears articulated by Musk and Gates are real, we should be encouraged that existing technologies can already go a long way toward mitigating those fears. Blockchain and off-chain storage platforms are trust technologies; they allow us to trust the integrity of data across all AI connection points.

There are tremendous benefits to the adoption of AI in healthcare, in industry, in transportation and more. When measures are taken to deploy these two trusted technologies properly, the benefits to our world far outweigh the risks.

Steve Todd is a software engineer and inventor for Dell EMC with more than 170 patents granted by the USPTO. He earned Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Computer Science from the University of New Hampshire. His inventions have generated tens of billions of dollars in revenue for Dell EMC. Steve is a Dell EMC Fellow and currently serves as the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation in the Office of the CTO, with a research emphasis on multi-cloud solutions, data value, and Blockchain.
Why do some organizations overspend on mobile technology while others manage their remote telecom expenses with maximum efficiency? Usually, the answer is simple: automation or lack of it.

Many organizations have a Mobile Expense Management (MEM) process or solution in place, which is a great start to controlling costs  but it is only a start. As food for thought, I would like to offer a few examples of worst and best practices that I have seen around MEM programs in an effort to foster improvements.

Automation

Some expense managers think just having an MEM process in place is enough, either in-house or through an outsourcing firm. But they surround the MEM process with manual processes. Move-Add-Change-Deletes (aka MACDs) is a perfect example. Mobile expenses are fluid due to the use of different devices, different carriers and rates across regions. The worst practice here is tracking and sending MACDs to the MEM provider manually. This exposes the process to manual errors, time-lags, and overlooked resource updates (someone leaves along with their mobile devices and the company unwittingly continues to pay for them. If you dont have an accurate inventory you could be losing money.

The best practice is to automate the entire process to create a truly accurate and manageable inventory. MACDs can be automated through utilizing an organizations procurement and fulfillment tools that automatically send these updates without much, if any, human interaction. This is important because you simply cannot effectively manage expenses on your mobile inventory if you dont have a clear and complete inventory. If MACDs are automated the risk of inaccuracies and errors that come with manual processes are greatly minimized.

Contract negotiations

Most organizations are reactive when it comes to their vendor contracts. Their worst practice is to wait until their contract is almost due before they start to look at ways to negotiate for better rates, upgrades or different services. When the contracts are due, the vendors often have the upper hand. If managers are prepared in advance, they are better positioned to keep a necessary service in place; explain budget deficits due to vendor rate increases, as well as avoid a last-minute search for an alternative vendor and other unpleasant and time-sucking activities.

As a best practice, managers should proactively maintain an automated, running schedule of all their vendor contract dates so they can be absolutely prepared for negotiation. This will also allow them to streamline contracts across different business groups and regions  opening further avenues for savings. Additionally, an organization should consider consolidating vendor contract negotiations around a certain date each year. This could enable negotiating the best deals by leveraging competitive areas among the vendors, who will be eager to keep the business.

Near-sighted views on savings

Many organizations believe there are only a couple of ways to save when it comes to MEM  reduced bills and better contract negotiation, another worst practice. What they dont consider are other ways to save or types of savings. At the risk of using a cliche, the best practice is to think outside the box. For example: consider separating devices from long-term contracts, or using different types of devices for different functions more effectively? The U.S. Enterprises Should Separate Wireless Device and Service Purchases to Optimize Costs report by Gartner states, U.S. cellular providers offer domestic service discounts of 20% or more for plans used with unsubsidized phones. Enterprise IT and telecom procurement leaders buying U.S. mobile service can drive cost optimization by mandating cellular contract proposals include quotes for unsubsidized device plans. Often, outsourcing the logistics side of the business  which, while it might incur an upfront monthly cost  opens the opportunity for increased efficiencies across the organization through more effective management, as well as allowing those who used to own it to focus on growth opportunities within the firm.

Mergers and acquisitions

The most critical phase of a merger or acquisition is the integration of two or more organizations. It is difficult to generalize best/worst practices in these integrations because each is unique. However, a bad practice would be to simply assume that the buyer has all the smarts and resources and the seller should just switch over regardless of utility and expense analysis. Weve seen many integrations where one organization uses Apple IOS devices and the other uses android or another system. The best advice is to go deep to understand the needs of all parts of the combined organization before choosing or discarding devices and vendors.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

According to research from Citrix, 61 percent of employees report working outside the office at least part-time. In the end, a successful BYOD program will address cost controls and enable increased productivity, and most of all promote enterprise data security. Perhaps the most complex aspect of MEM is the application of an effective BYOD policy. Much has been written about best and worst practices in BYOD that do not bear repeating here. But keep in mind that legal and regulatory changes are coming. In the US, there have been court cases that require companies to reimburse employees who use their own mobile devices for work.

In one case (Cochran v. Schwans Home Services, Inc), a court cited California Labor Code section 2802 which obligates employers to reimburse employees for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties... Applying this labor law to mobile devices, the court said  to be in compliance with Section 2802, the employer must pay some reasonable percentage of the employees cell phone bill. In another case (Mohammadi v. Nwabuisi, an employer in Texas was found liable for not compensating an employee for overtime work performed on an employee-owned device. And another Texas case (Rajaee v. Design Tech Homes, et al.) involved a that company remotely wiped the iPhone of a sales rep when he resigned.

Depending on their outcomes, these and other cases could affect the growing workplace trend of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)so caveat emptor.
The American Broadcasting Company has just discovered what George Orwell proclaimed seven decades ago: To see what is in front of ones nose needs a constant struggle. What ABC finally realized was that about 50 percent of the country voted for Donald Trump.

No network can afford to lose half its audience. That way lies self-parody and self-destruction. Consider ESPN, with its 24/7 politicizing of sport and, as a result, a catastrophic loss of subscribersdown 8 percent last year and falling.

ABC News is still in attack mode when it comes to the Trump presidency, but its programming department is too canny to go down that increasingly crowded highway. Hence its revival of Roseanne, a cult comedy hit that debuted when Ronald Reagan was still in the White House. This time around, the title character is a forthright pro-Trump housewife, no longer youngBarr and her once-and-future co-star John Goodman are both 65but just as comic and endearing as before. Her character, Barr explained, is fictional, but her feelings are authentic. I have always attempted to portray a realistic portrait of the American people and working class people, she said. And, in fact, it was working class people that elected Trump so I felt that was very real and something that needed to be discussed.

Though Donald Trumps name was not spoken in the series opening episode, there was no doubt about Roseannes political leanings. Arguing with her progressive sister, she explodes: He talked about jobs, Jackie! He said hed shake things up! I mean, this might come as a complete shock to you, but we almost lost our house, the way things are going.

Left-leaning viewers, particularly in California and New York, are cool to the show; its ratings were below average in those areas. In the red and purple states, however, Roseanne has been a smash. It drew 18.5 million viewers, the most for a comedy since the 2014 season premiere of The Big Bang Theory.

ABC has been roundly criticized for canceling the conservative-leaning Last Man Standing, starring Tim Allen, and for cosseting the post-funny Jimmy Kimmel and his anti-GOP harangues. Now viewers might expect a slew of conservative comedies. Unlike Roseanne, these will have little to do with convictions and much to do with ratings, higher advertising fees, and better salaries for sitcom creators. The primetime television sitcom is a genre that has always left a dish of cream out for copycats.
Policymakers and economists alike have long struggled with the challenge of reversing deindustrialization. North Carolina is showing that innovative education policies can help. In the 1990s, the states furniture and tobacco industries were in decline, but its biotech and pharma industries needed a broader pipeline of potential workers with specific skills. Looking to promote job opportunities in these burgeoning fields, the state-funded North Carolina Biotechnology Center worked with industry to identify gaps in worker skills. The center partnered with the state community college system to create a standardized curriculum that could teach these skills in short-term programs, leading to a certificate.

Recruiters focused on candidates working in declining, legacy manufacturing industries, and who had only a high school degree. The idea was that manufacturing workers in other industries, who knew how to follow a process, could learn enough biology to competently operate in a bio-manufacturing facility, says Robin Deacle, the centers communications director.

The curriculum provided the basic knowledge needed for bio-manufacturing so that factory workers, regardless of their educational background, would be able to compete for job openings. The state and NIH were providing research dollars to universities, says Bill Bullock, the Centers head of economic development. We had a unique opportunity to solve the talent gap in bio and pharma manufacturing. In advanced manufacturing, the skills dont take care of themselves; people need to be trained.

The creation of a sizeable, skilled workforce made companies more comfortable building factories in North Carolina. The state also had a tradition of active economic developmentand a new source of money to spend on it. The $60 million start-up cost of the 128-hour program and its supporting facilities were fully funded by proceeds from the states Master Settlement Agreement with tobacco companies.

This modest program suggests a way forward for states that have suffered deindustrialization. The primary focus of Americas innovation and development today is not manufacturing, but university-based advanced research and development. The assumption is that commercialized spinoffs from this work will lead to local economic growth, but aside from the experience of Silicon Valley, little evidence supports this idea. Most new jobs go to where the product is actually made, which is usually elsewhere, including offshore. Local university-affiliated entrepreneurs benefit from this model; local blue-collar workers do not.

Nichola Lowe, a UNC Chapel Hill professor of regional and city planning, has researched the Biotech Center project and concluded that North Carolinas policies led to robust growth in biotech and pharma manufacturing jobs. Manufacturing employment increased by 11 percent and total bioscience employment increased by 24 percent. The states experience stands in stark contrast with that of the Northeast, where economic-development dollarsincluding direct public investment in high-tech manufacturing in upstate New Yorkhave not translated into employment in good-paying manufacturing sectors. Lowes research shows that Pennsylvania, a pharmaceutical hub, saw drug manufacturing employment drop by a quarter in the decade or so after 2000. In New Jersey, manufacturing employment dropped by a third over that period. In New York, an increase in research jobs offset a decline in manufacturing positions, but overall bioscience employment was largely flat. The case of North Carolina complicates the policy assumption . . . that policy actors can do little to keep production jobs in the United States or any particular region, Lowe writes, along with her collaborator from Hunter College, Laura Wolf-Powers. The North Carolina Biotech project, they maintain, positioned workers with technical knowledge, but not necessarily advanced degrees, to obtain these jobs. The authors term the states approach inclusive development.

Conventional wisdom still holds that blue-collar factory workers should go to college to get a B.A. if they want to escape dead-end jobs. But the value of a college degree is far from certain for many. Workforce intermediationsuch as what the Biotech Center promotesopens up alternate pathways, and with them, the chance of a better job. As workforce intermediation goes beyond life sciences, it can support manufacturing growth in other industries, in a variety of locales, including rural communities.

North Carolinas experiment cant necessarily be replicated in the high-wage, high-cost states of the Northeast, though. And other factors are driving U.S. deindustrialization besides lack of skills, such as the growth of China and the impact of its mercantilist trading practices. But the North Carolina story still carries lessons for New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York, which have radically deindustrialized. Connecticut was once Americas most industrialized state, but it risks becoming a New England version of the Rust Belt, with little economic dynamism outside of Fairfield County. New Jersey was once known for its pharma industry, but no longer.

The only tool that these states apparently have to attract industry is lavish tax breaks for corporations to get them to stay in state or to move in. New Jersey offered Amazon $7 billion in tax credits to build a second headquarters in Newark. But as the industrial base withers and public unions continue to exercise political power, states must keep raising taxes to pay the soaring costs of entitlements and retirement benefits. Each tax hike prompts more businesses to leave. The result is self-defeating and unsustainable.

American workers who lose their jobs are essentially on their own. Workforce intermediaries provide structure and curricula for experienced workers whose skills are out-of-date. The North Carolina example suggests that other, more cost-effective policy options exist to address deindustrialization besides just using tax policies, the primary lever of today. North Carolina may still offer tax incentives to attract companies, but a skilled workforce is the best incentive of all.

Photo: traimak_ivan/iStock
A church leader has been jailed after he lied about charity donations to attempt to fraudulently claim 150,000 in Gift Aid repayments.

Teslim Johnson, 39 years old, from Dunstable, Bedfordshire, used his position as a preacher and trustee at Lutons Agape Church to steal 155,840. Johnson received repayments of 103,154 and attempted a further 52,686.

As a registered charity, Agape Church could claim Gift Aid on donations to the church. The charity was removed from the register in October last year.

In 2016, HM Revenue and Customs officers contacted donors listed on the charitys records and found that most of the donations had not been made and many of the donors had never heard of the church.

They found that as Johnson was the only person named on the churchs bank accounts, he was able to divert money from the fraudulent Gift Aid claims into his personal bank account.

During a search of Johnsons property, investigators found documents relating to Agape Church. Gift Aid envelopes were found, but donor names and amounts did not match Gift Aid records submitted to HMRC.

Johnson was sentenced to four years imprisonment after he was found guilty of fraud by abuse of position and money laundering following a trial at Luton Crown Court last year.

Mark Cox, assistant director of HMRCs fraud investigation service, said: Johnson thought his position in society would put him above scrutiny, but if you break the law HMRC will investigate.

This is not a victimless crime. It is stealing from honest UK taxpayers money needed to fund vital public services in the UK. If anyone has any information about individuals or businesses involved in tax fraud they should report it to HMRC online or contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.

HMRC has started the process to recover the criminal proceeds.
The man at the centre of two separate Charity Commission statutory inquiries into two schools has been jailed for life for trying to build a child army in London.

Umar Haque was found guilty of grooming and radicalising children earlier this month and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 25 years for a range of terrorism offences on Tuesday. The Charity Commission opened statutory inquiries into two educational organisations where Haque had previously been employed on 5 March.

Haque had been a part-time teacher at the Lantern of Knowledge Education Trust and had also worked at the past at the Essex Islamic Academy. He was found guilty of trying to radicalise children by showing them Islamic State propaganda videos, with the intention of getting them to help him and another man to carry out terrorist attacks across London.

Prior to his conviction, the court heard that Haque had played Isis propaganda to students at the fee paying Lantern of Knowledge Islamic school, and had told boys at the Essex Islamic Academy that he had established contact with Isis and showed them a series of videos projected on to the inside of a marquee.

At the time, Michelle Russell, director of investigations, monitoring and enforcement at the Charity Commission, said it was one of the worst cases we have seen with children, as young as 11, being exposed to harm through attempted radicalisation and terrorist material by this man.

The Metropolitan Police said they were concerned that Haque had been exposed to at least 110 children at the schools, 35 of whom are receiving long-term support.

According to a report in The Guardian, Justice Haddon-Cave, the sentencing judge, said Haque was a very real threat to society and was a dangerous liar.

Speaking directly to Haque, the judge said: You have violated the Quran and Islam by your actions as well as the law of all civilised people. It is hoped you will come to realise this.

A spokesman for the Lantern of Knowledge Trust said the trustees, governors and staff of Lantern of Knowledge School were shocked when Umar Haque was arrested, and struck with horror to subsequently learn of his activities.

We denounce any form of radicalisation and would have been swift to notify the police and prevent team if any had come to the schools attention during or after Haques employment.
The Charity Commissions director of policy has said politicians must consider how they want to regulate safeguarding in charities, after a growth in reports of issues.

Sarah Atkinson, director of policy and communications at the Charity Commission was speaking at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Charities and Volunteering yesterday.

She said that since The Times highlighted historic issues with safeguarding in the sector, the volume of reports coming in has increased immensely. Charities are also being more open and providing more detail.

But she indicated that this presented a "challenge to parliamentarians". She said the Commission may struggle to handle safeguarding issues, because it cannot prosecute, and does not have the resources to handle a big increase in its caseload. And she suggested that there may be a need for a specialist unit to tackle international charities, due to the complexity of their governance arrangements, and the fact that issues under investigation are happening in other countries.

Atkinson said that the Commission had long suspected that the issues were underreported, which is why it issued an alert last year.

She said policymakers needed to think about what they and the public wanted from the Commission and from charites, and ensure the regulator has the "power and capacity" to meet those requirements.
Welcome, dear readers, to this special, one-off, completely non-denominational edition of Society Diary. It may be Thursday today, but it is a special Thursday because, due to the death and resurrection of the son of God, some time ago now, we all get the day off of work tomorrow.

That's just in time for the Daily Mail and yer da to kick off a tremendous fuss about the lack of the word Easter being emblazoned on his soullessly mass-produced Maltesers egg.

This week in charity sector satire: A Manchester-based artist has singlehandedly reintroduced the concept of the Royal Menagerie, guide dogs and wheelchairs to be introduced in the next emojis update and the latest instalment of the War on Easter.

Get ducked

Theres no easy way to tease this story in, so Diarys just going to come right out with it. An artist in Manchester has transformed two giant ducks to resemble Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for this years Annual Manchester Duck Race.

Yes, Jo Cushing has turned two rubber ducks into vague facsimiles of the ginger prince and his soon bride-to-be, according to a press release, and this column for one has never had more respect for its particular prince.

According to the release Cushing has used the finest ginger material to create Prince Harrys signature hairstyle. She also spent nearly 10 hours cramming the duck into a bow tie and white shirt.

Interestingly, Cushing spent only six hours perfecting the hairstyle and glamorous wedding lace of the Meghan Markle duck which should, if nothing else, dispel the sexist tropes that exist around which of the sexes takes longer getting glammed up.

The right-royal couple are set to take part in this years annual Manchester Duck Race on the 30 March which will be raising money for childrens charity Brainwave. Carole Headley, development manager for the charity, said Brainwave absolutely love our royal ducks and it would be amazing if the couple themselves could see them, as Im sure it will make them smile.

She even offered to send them over to Buckingham Palace if they would like them for the top table. Fingers crossed she's taken up on that particular offer.

[Crying laughing face]

If youre a person under the age of 25, than you probably spend the whole year waiting for the next batch of emojis  the little face things your mum WhatsApps you under a blurry photo of the family dog doing something cute/annoying/funny  to be released as part of an update.

This column for one has no time for emojis. It has no truck with emojional issues. Society Diarys only currency is words, properly spelled, in the correct syntax, in elegant prose, with no grammatical errors.

However, this columns interest in emojis has been piqued this week with the announcement that Apple is requesting the addition of emoji to better represent individuals with disabilities. Indeed, the global super giant added that the current selection of emoji provides a wide array of people, activities, and objects meaningful to the general public, but very few speak to the life experiences of those with disabilities.

As a result, a company called Emojipedia has put forward proposals to bring in a number of new, disabled-friendly emojis. The proposed new selection include an ear with a cochlear implant, a guide dog, a bionic arm, as well as both male and female emoji-people using a variety of wheelchairs and a walking cane.

New: Apple has submitted a proposal to Unicode for accessibility emojis including people in wheelchairs, service dogs, and prosthetic limbs. If approved, they'll be on phones next year https://t.co/ic87QRkDpj pic.twitter.com/d7NISQR0me  Emojipedia (@Emojipedia) March 23, 2018

Diary doesnt pretend to speak for the disabled community, but this seems like an excellent idea.

All your eggs

Finally, and Diary has already touched on this briefly, but its nearly Easter time and, ipso facto, nearly the best time of the year. Better than Christmas, better than summer and much better than New Years Eve. Yes, its WHY DONT ALL MY EASTER EGGS HAVE THE WORD EASTER ON THEM day.

Last year, the Daily Mail kicked up such a fuss about the National Trust supposedly removing the word Easter from its annual Easter Egg Hunt (it hadnt) that Theresa May had to take some time out of an important diplomatic trip overseas to decry it on national television.

This year, the Easter-related culture wars have been depressingly more low key. However, in its inquiries, Diary did come across this little gem of a petition to the government.

It begins: Was a government in any way involved in removing the word Easter from Easter eggs and, straight away, theres a lot to unpack there. Now, Diary likes to think that the A government referred to in the question is simply the petitioner having a momentary attack of the bad grammars.

However, given the prevalence of Twitter and alternative media sources, it could well be that the anonymous petitioner is in fact wondering if a foreign (non-Christian) power has somehow influenced the British government into dropping the word Easter. Long, exasperated sigh.

Anyway, it continues: The word "Easter" has been removed from chocolate eggs, the whole thing looks coordinated Chocolate eggs this year have no reference to the christian [sic] holiday for which the production of eggs marks the occasion. The fact that not a single manufacturer has "Easter" on their Easter eggs raises the question were they told or advised by any official body not to put Easter on their products or did they operate like a cartel and co ordinate [sic] the deletion of the word "Easter", if so why?

Why indeed.

Anyway, the petition has been rejected by the government. In its why was this petition rejected? section, the government responded: Its not clear what the petition is asking the UK Government or Parliament to do.

HAPPY (non Judeo-Christian specific] HOLIDAYS!
The organization Unity (nee: Unity: Journalists of Color, and later, Unity: Journalists for Diversity) was born in 1990, and died in February 2018.

Formed to unite non-white journalism organizations, Unity finally threw in the towel after three decades of fighting the good fight. We are not financially feasible anymore. We have no money coming in, Unitys president, Neal Justin, told Richard Princes Journal-isms column. But the end was about more than money. Unitys demise couldve been foreseen from its shaky beginning and throughout its contentious existence. And to think we had such high hopes planning its birth.

The idea for Unity originated during casual conversations between former National Association of Black Journalists President Will Sutton, Jr., and National Association of Hispanic Journalists founder Juan Gonzalez, who compared their experiences as journalists of color working in Philadelphia in the 1980s. The original idea was simple: Unite the four minority journalism organizationsthe Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), NABJ, NAHJ, and the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA)in a collaborative effort to integrate every facet of our profession. In 1988, then-NABJ President DeWayne Wickham presided over the first meeting of the boards of the four organizations. Two years later, Unity was officially christened.

ICYMI: Funny moments in local news

I was a member of the organizing committee that met at San Francisco State on October 9, 1993. After years of discussions, the togetherness we long sought appeared within reach. We came up with several ideas: one was to begin a news watch magazine that issued zingers to media for specific racist acts.

It was risky. It was new. It was bold, says Jon Funabiki, a professor of journalism at San Francisco State University, via email. I can remember journalists of all stripes being excited about working together and standing together.By standing shoulder-to-shoulder in this very visible public collaboration, Unity really projected a voice and a vision.

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Many supporters credit the coalition with taking a leading role in diversity efforts at a time when interest was waning. They also credit Unity for forging stronger individual relationships among the four groups and sponsoring student mentor programs. I used to describe Unity leaders as the foot soldiers of diversity, and I would joke to friends how extraordinary it was that journalists were working together in multi-racial collaboration, Funabiki says.

But even in the early days, the warning signs were there. At the 1993 meeting in San Francisco, the representatives of the four groups were asked to list the specific concerns and aspirations of their organizations. Members of AAJA, NABJ, and NAHJ spoke of ending discrimination, pressuring white media managers to promote their members, ending community stereotypes, and making their employers more cognizant of and sensitive to non-white issues, among other goals.

But great ideas do not always jell. Unity beat the skeptics by surviving as long as it did, but as hard as we all tried, the cultural differences were too deep to overcome; misunderstanding and distrust were ever-present. Along with others, I had problems with the setup of the quadrennial conventions. The meetings often operated more like four separate meetings under one roof. We admiringly passed each other in the corridors, we were courteous and friendly toward each other, and we held a couple of receptions and events. Still, we never quite achieved the Unity I expected.

Unity held its first convention in Atlanta in 1994. It was a wondrous, feel-good occasion; after a dramatic and colorful opening, accentuated by Chinese lion dancers, African drummers, and Mexican mariachis, attendees were handed drumsticks that added to the celebratory atmosphere. Still, there were serious flaws. Wayne Dawkins, who wrote about the convention in his book Rugged Waters: Black Journalists Swim the Mainstream, noted that attendance was unexpectedly high, which forced planners to spread out attendees to distant hotels, contributing to low attendance at workshops and shortages of programs and souvenir bags.

Unity was not alone in its struggles to unite under the banner of diversity. Several failed attempts preceded NABJs successful organization in 1975. Black journalists in local communities had always fared much better at organizing; prior to NABJ, black journalist groups had formed in such cities as New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco, among others. They were way ahead of the national group in establishing training and internship programs, pressing local media companies to become more involved, and projecting true leadership in the profession.

Relationships between leaders of the four constituent organizations of Unity quickly became contentious. There were personality clashes and, perhaps more importantly, fights over finances and power battles. As the largest member organization, NABJ leaders felt it should receive the biggest cut when grants from donors and profits from conventions were divided. Many members felt that Unity competed with the member organizations in fundraising by going after the same sources. Others questioned Unity as a standalone organization and wondered whether it effectively used its funds to support minority journalists. Moreover, some members of the other groups felt that NABJ, as the largest of the organizations, wanted too much influence, and some NABJ members said they felt disrespected when their proposals were rejected, Prince wrote in Journal-isms.

ICYMI: Diversity in newsrooms has been bad for decades and it probably wont get better: study

These rifts eventually led NABJ to quit the coalition in 2011. That action was controversial, leaving many NABJ members and supporters to question leadership. New York Times officials decided to throw their lot with Unity, refusing to participate in NABJ conventions, a decision reversed in recent years.

As Prince wrote in February:

When NABJ left, the remaining Unity groups invited the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association to join, and changed the coalitions name from the race-based Unity: Journalists of Color, Inc., to Unity: Journalists for Diversity. In 2013, NAHJ left, citing many of the same reasons as NABJ. With the name change, undertaken after NLGJA said some of its members would be uncomfortable in a coalition called journalists of color, the two men credited with the idea for the coalition said in 2013 that the Unity organization that sprang from their efforts was dead.

As Prince notes, NABJs Sutton declared at the time, Unity? There is no Unity. Gonzalez of NAHJ added, Unity as an organization is effectively dead.

Funabiki, an early enthusiast for the coalition, says he has been so distressed over the slow fade of the Unity movement over the last several years. If anything, Unity is more important than ever, given whats going on in this country. The Unity movement was so exciting, especially in the early years.

ICYMI: How one AP veteran exposes corruption in Illinois

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Paul Delaney is an award-winning reporter, editor, and journalism educator. He worked for 23 years at The New York Times, and was a founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
This week on The Kicker, we return to a theme that dominated journalists reflections following the 2016 election: Covering areas of the country beyond major media centers. CJRs United States Project Editor Brendan Fitzgerald joins Senior Staff Writer Alex Neason and Pete to talk about national coverage of the West Virginia teachers strike, and what it says about adjustments the industry has made. Then, we dive into a debate about the role of journalism in a time of protest and politicization: Is journalism a form of activism?

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SHOW NOTES:

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Meg Dalton and Pete Vernon are CJR Delacorte Fellows. Find Meg on Twitter @megdalts and Pete @ByPeteVernon.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been having a bad week, and its probably going to get worse before it gets better. The company continues to take fire from all sides because of the way it allowed personal data on more than 50 million users to be misused by a firm called Cambridge Analytica. Facebook has shut down the specific method used in that casean app that hoovered up not just the data of those who signed up for it, but also personal information shared by any of their friendsbut the incident has touched off a debate over the social networks privacy protections that has reached as far as Washington, DC, and the EU.

On Wednesday, Facebook tried to show that it is listening to its critics by updating its privacy settings to make it easier for users to find out what theyre sharing and with whom, and then to change those settings if necessary. Of course, as more than one longtime Facebook watcher pointed out, the company has done this on multiple occasions whenever it has run afoul of privacy rules, and not much seems to change. Tim Wu, a Columbia law professor and former policy advisor to the Federal Trade Commission, has noted that in the consent decree Facebook signed with the regulator in 2011, the company agreed to take better care of its users data.

ICYMI: A reporter asked for 20 years of lottery winner data. After analyzing the records, he noticed something unusual.

https://twitter.com/ShiraOvide/status/978960602570817541

Congress has asked Zuckerberg to appear before a hearing on the incident, and according to reports by CNN and others, the Facebook co-founder plans to show upunlike the last hearings Facebook was called to attend, when the Senate and House intelligence committees questioned the social network as well as Google and Twitter about whether Russian trolls used their platforms to influence the 2016 election. Zuckerberg didnt appear at those hearings; instead he sent his legal counsel, as did both Google and Twitter. This time, Congress has made it clear they want to hear from the man himself, not one of his deputies.

The United Kingdom, however, may have to make do with a stand-in. Legislators in Britain have also asked Zuckerberg to appear before them to answer questions about Cambridge Analyticas usage of Facebook data, but sources close to the company told Reuters the co-founder and CEO wont be attending. Meanwhile, the turmoil caused by the Cambridge revelations continues: Facebook said on Tuesday it has delayed plans to launch a smart assistant-style device similar to Google Home or Amazon Echo, concerned that people might not react well to a Facebook-branded always-on listening device.

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ICYMI: A reporter attended a school board meeting for 3 hours, longer than other journalists. That ended up being a very good decision.

Heres more on the fallout from the social networks data debacle:

Questions from India : In addition to criticism from Washington and the UK, Facebook is also getting grilled by legislators in India, according to BuzzFeed. They want to know whether companies like Cambridge Analytica have used Facebook data to try to influence elections in India, and theyve issued the social network an official notice asking how it plans to keep its platform from being exploited in that way. India has several state elections happening this year and national elections next year.

: In addition to criticism from Washington and the UK, Facebook is also getting grilled by legislators in India, according to BuzzFeed. They want to know whether companies like Cambridge Analytica have used Facebook data to try to influence elections in India, and theyve issued the social network an official notice asking how it plans to keep its platform from being exploited in that way. India has several state elections happening this year and national elections next year. Playboy exits : While hashtags like #DeleteFacebook have been trending on some social networks since the Cambridge data leak news broke, its not clear how much of a backlash there is at the user level. Some corporations, however, have deleted their pages, including Tesla and SpaceX, both owned by billionaire Elon Musk. And on Wednesday, Playboy magazine said it was leaving Facebook because of the data leak, but also because the companys policies are sexually repressive.

: While hashtags like #DeleteFacebook have been trending on some social networks since the Cambridge data leak news broke, its not clear how much of a backlash there is at the user level. Some corporations, however, have deleted their pages, including Tesla and SpaceX, both owned by billionaire Elon Musk. And on Wednesday, Playboy magazine said it was leaving Facebook because of the data leak, but also because the companys policies are sexually repressive. Stock collapse : There may not have been a mass exodus of Facebook users so far, but the same is not true for investors. Some shareholders of the company appear to be worried the backlash could impact Facebook financially, especially if there are more regulations coming that might restrict what it can and cant do with its users data (as there are in Europe). Facebooks share price has fallen by more than $32 in the past five days, which has shrunk the companys market cap by almost $100 billion.

: There may not have been a mass exodus of Facebook users so far, but the same is not true for investors. Some shareholders of the company appear to be worried the backlash could impact Facebook financially, especially if there are more regulations coming that might restrict what it can and cant do with its users data (as there are in Europe). Facebooks share price has fallen by more than $32 in the past five days, which has shrunk the companys market cap by almost $100 billion. Et tu, FT? The Trump campaign wasnt the only outfit that used Cambridge Analyticas data and expertise. Both The Economist and the Financial Times were reportedly also clients of the data-analysis firm, which has been accused of meddling in the Brexit vote in the UK as well as the 2016 US election. A Financial Times source told BuzzFeed UK that the paper only did some market-size research with Cambridge Analytica. It wasnt clear whether any illicit Facebook data was part of the deal.

Other notable stories:

The New York Times released its diversity report on Wednesday and said that while it has made some progress in employing more women in its newsroom and business operationswith female leadership on both the news side and the business side climbing to 46 percentit hasnt been as successful when it comes to people of color. While the number of staff who fall into that category has grown, the percentage of those in leadership roles actually dropped last year compared to 2016.

Most newspaper companies are doing their best to get out of the print business, but in Toronto theres a brand-new paper that is only available in print. Its called the West End Phoenix, and its a neighborhood paper published by veteran rock musician Dave Bidini, who lives in the citys West End. Bidini says he wanted to create something that would tell stories about the neighborhood and its residents.

Bloomberg spins a fascinating tale about Robert Mercer, who in addition to being a billionaire Trump supporter (who has also helped finance both Breitbart News and Cambridge Analytica), happens to be a volunteer police officer for the tiny town of Lake Arthur in New Mexicowhich has a population of about 435even though he doesnt live anywhere near the town, and doesnt really have any personal connection to it. To find out why, youll have to read the story.

Vice Media, the alternative giant with a market cap in the billions, appears to be running into some significant headwinds in India. Two senior editors have reportedly resigned their positions with the company due to editorial interference, according to a report by The Wire, after a story was killed that involved a gay activist who worked for the youth wing of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Tow Center at Columbia has a report in CJR that looks at the problem of disinformation by comparing two very different communities in Philadelphia. In some cases, the authors point out, a lack of trust in media, issues of perceived relevance, and a sense of relentless negativity have led many readers to vacillate between disengaging from the news for periods of time, and seeking out alternative sources.

In a bizarre incident, New York Daily News reporter Ken Lovett was arrested on Wednesday for using his cellphone in the Senate lobby. After being detained, he was released by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who personally went to the state capitol and had him sprung. I offered my services on a pro-bono basisit just does my heart good to be able to say I freed Ken Lovett, Cuomo said afterwards. Lovett later provided his own perspective on the event.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg.
A water park company co-owner accused of rushing the worlds tallest waterslide into service and a designer accused of shoddy planning have been charged in the decapitation of a 10-year-old boy on the ride in 2016.

With the latest charges unsealed Tuesday, three men connected with Texas-based Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts and its park in Kansas City, Kansas, have been indicted by a Kansas grand jury, along with the park and the construction company that built the ride. Caleb Schwab died on the 17-story ride when the raft he was riding went airborne and hit an overhead loop.

The Kansas attorney generals office said Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeffrey Henry, 62, and designer John Schooley were charged with reckless second-degree murder, along with Henry & Sons Construction Co., which is described as the private construction company of Schlitterbahn. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of 9 years to 41 years in prison.

They also were charged with 17 other felonies, including aggravated battery and aggravated endangerment of a child counts tied to injuries other riders sustained on the giant slide, called Verruckt, which is German for insane. The indictment accuses Henry of making a spur of the moment decision to build the ride, and that he and Schooley lacked technical or engineering expertise in amusement park rides.

Henry was ordered held in a Texas jail without bond Tuesday, pending extradition to Kansas. The attorney generals office said Schooley is not in custody. Schooley didnt have a listed phone number and no one answered the phone at Henry & Sons Construction Co. Eric B Terry, who represented the company in an earlier unrelated case, didnt immediately return a phone or email message.

The same grand jury last week indicted the Kansas City park and Tyler Austin Miles, its former operations manager, on 20 felony charges. The charges include a single count of involuntary manslaughter in Calebs death. Miles has been released on $50,000 bond, according to one of his attorneys, Tricia Bath.

Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said in a statement Tuesday that the latest indictment is filled with information that we fully dispute. The statement said Henry had designed waterpark rides the world over and that nearly every waterpark that exists today has an attraction or feature based on his designs or ideas.

The incident that happened that day was a terrible and tragic accident, the statement said. We mourn the loss of this child and are devastated for his family. We know that Tyler, Jeff, and John are innocent and that we run a safe operation  our 40 years of entertaining millions of people speaks to that.

According to the indictments, Henry decided in 2012 to build the worlds tallest water slide to impress the producers of a Travel Channel show. Henrys desire to rush the project and a lack of expertise caused the company to skip fundamental steps in the design process.

The indictment said, not a single engineer was directly involved in Verruckts dynamic engineering or slide path design. The indictment said that in 2014, when there were news reports emerging about airborne rafts, a company representative discredited them and Henry and his designer began secretly testing at night to avoid scrutiny.

The indictment listed 13 injuries during the 182 days the ride was in operation, including two concussions. In one of those cases, a 15-year-old girl went temporarily blind while riding.

Caleb, the son of Kansas Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab, was decapitated after the raft on which he was riding went airborne on a day when admission was free for state legislators and their families.

The family reached settlements of nearly $20 million with Schlitterbahn and various companies associated with the design and construction of the waterslide. The two women who rode on the same raft with Caleb suffered serious injuries and settled claims with Schlitterbahn for an undisclosed amount.

Clearly the issues with Schlitterbahn go far beyond Calebs incident, and we know the attorney general will take appropriate steps in the interest of public safety, the family said in a statement released Monday through their attorneys.

The indictment said Schooley was responsible for doing the math that went into the slides design and signed an operations manual claiming the ride met all American Society for Testing and Materials standards. But the indictment lists a dozen instances in which the design violated those standards and says investigators could find no evidence that so-called dynamic engineering calculations were made to determine the physics a passenger would experience. The indictment said Schooley lacked the technical expertise to properly design a complex amusement ride such as Verruckt.

The indictment said Schooley admitted, If we actually knew how to do this, and it could be done that easily, it wouldnt be that spectacular.

Prosapio said Schlitterbahn does not expect any changes to the Kansas City parks season, which is set to open May 25 and runs through Labor Day. The Verruckt slide has been closed since Caleb died.

Mike Taylor, a spokesman for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, says it does not believe it has the legal authority to shut down a business, other than for an epidemic or contagious disease outbreak.

The company also operates water parks in Galveston, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island and New Braunfels, Texas, according to its website.

(Associated Press writers David Warren and Terry Wallace in Dallas also contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Autonomous vehicles get all the headlines, but automakers are gradually adding advanced electronic safety features to human-driven cars as they step toward a world of self-driving vehicles.

Car and tech companies are rolling out laser sensors, artificial intelligence, larger viewing screens that show more of the road, cameras that can read speed limit signs, and systems that slow cars ahead of curves and construction zones.

Many of the new features repurpose cameras and radar that already are in cars for automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection and other safety devices. The companies also are keeping a closer watch on drivers to make sure theyre paying attention.

On Monday, Arizonas governor suspended Ubers self-driving vehicle testing privileges after one of its autonomous vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian last week. But auto engineers and industry analysts still say roads will become safer as more vehicles get automated features that either assist or replace human drivers. The government says 94 percent of crashes are caused by human error.

The cutting-edge devices usually come out first in more expensive vehicles, but go to mainstream vehicles as costs fall.

Here are five new safety devices that are showing up in vehicles:

STAY FOCUSED: A company called NVIDIA is using artificial intelligence and cameras to sense where a driver is looking and focus sensors everywhere else. If a pedestrian or another vehicle appears where the driver isnt looking, the system will intervene, either sounding a warning or by stopping the car from moving, says Danny Shapiro, senior director of automotive business for the Santa Clara, California, company. Before we get to full automation, if the driver is still in control and responsible, we want to know when we should provide alerts and when we should not, Shapiro says. NVIDIA has a contract with Volkswagen to deploy the system in the next two years. Other automakers are likely to follow.

LOOKING BACKWARD: When a driver activates a turn signal, an 8-inch screen behind the steering wheel on Hyundais new Nexo hydrogen fuel cell vehicle shows everything on that side of the car plus whats directly behind it. The system uses existing cameras to let drivers see without turning their heads. The information we can offer from a camera may be better than a live look over the shoulder, says Cason Grover, senior manager of vehicle technology planning for Hyundai. Other cars have similar technology but most dont have as wide of a view.

SEEING SIGNS: Mercedes new S-Class cars have advanced navigation and global mapping, and cameras that read speed limit signs. These enable the cars computers to warn drivers of the speed limit or keep them from exceeding it. The system also recognizes upcoming construction zones, curves or roundabouts, and can slow the car ahead of when a driver would. Volvo has a similar system that reads speed signs, including those in school zones.

LASER GUIDED: Smaller versions of those spinning 360-degree mechanical laser sensors that sit atop self-driving cars are coming to mainstream vehicles. The lasers, called Lidar for Light Detection and Ranging, can see far-off objects in the dark, in bad weather, and in great detail. Audi plans to introduce a front-facing laser in the grille of the A8 sedan this fall as part of a limited self-driving system that takes control of the vehicle in freeway traffic jams below 37 miles per hour (60 kilometers per hour). Spokesman Mark Dahncke says Audi is still working to consolidate Lidar with radar and cameras as it steps from human control to limited automated driving.

Audis system is the first step toward more widespread use of Lidar. Parts supplier Continental is working on a fully electronic version for an unspecified automaker that can see smaller objects such as bicycles and pedestrians in three dimensions, 200 meters (656 feet) ahead. Currently Continental sells a Lidar system that spots only vehicles and can see only 10 meters (33 feet) forward. The longer-range system integrated into the cars body is the missing link in the march toward autonomous vehicles, says Arnaud Lagandre, a Continental vice president. You can see through fog, you can see through rain, you can see through the water splash from the car in front of you.

TRAFFIC LIGHT TIMING: For more than a year, some Audi A4 cars and Q7 SUVs in Las Vegas have been linked to traffic light computers. They get a dashboard countdown telling them when lights will change. This can prevent drivers from running lights and can let them time their travel to avoid stopping. Its the forerunner to vehicle-to-infrastructure communications that will keep cars moving and could warn drivers that a car is about to run a red light. Audi is testing in several other cities. About 600 city traffic lights in Washington, D.C., were just added.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
As the global auto industry vies to deploy driverless cars, some contenders may be cutting corners in a bid to get ahead, carmakers warned in the aftermath of the first pedestrian death tied to the emerging technology.

Some competitors, not by name because there are several, theyre trying to race to be the first one to show autonomous driving. Im not so sure what being first gets you, Jack Hollis, group vice president of U.S. sales for the Toyota brand, said on the sidelines of the New York International Auto Show. Whats important is to be able to give the customer 100 percent confidence.

Toyota Motor Corp. is one company in an expanding roster of traditional carmakers and Silicon Valley upstarts trying to bring autonomy to the masses, a lofty goal thats facing new obstacles after an Uber Technologies Inc. vehicle operating in autonomous mode struck and killed a woman earlier this month. The market is also trying to unravel whether or not a Tesla Inc. SUV was operating in Autopilot mode when it was involved in a fatal crash on Friday.

No Reason to Rush

General Motors Co.s Cadillac echoed the sentiment that slower and safer should take priority in this critical development stage. Although Cadillac offers Super Cruise that lets drivers take their hands off the wheel  with a recent commercial spot quoting a Mashable review: Tesla, eat your heart out  brand chief Johan de Nysschen said theres no reason to rush the new technology.

We firmly believe that beta-testing and development should be done in a controlled environment, and in the hands of experienced engineers, not in the hands of consumers, Cadillacs president, de Nysschen, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television from the show floor. He noted that GM and its Cadillac luxury brand have been extremely conservative in the introduction of semi-autonomous and autonomous driving tech.

If this means we have a slower rollout, then so be it, de Nysschen said. Given the stature of GM, we have to make sure that the way we roll out the technology is building confidence among consumers and regulators alike.

GM still plans to deploy self-driving cars in 2019, Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said Wednesday in remarks at a Bank of America auto event.

Skipping Steps

Following the Uber accident, Toyota halted tests of its Chauffeur autonomous driving system on U.S. public roads. Toyota had been doing on-road testing with self-driving vehicles in Michigan and California with a small fleet of cars.

When it comes to safety, we dont mess around, Hollis said. Whats going to happen is, when Toyota brings it out, we are going to be fully confident that every customer who wants to get into it can be 100 percent confident.

While some people want to jump and skip steps to get to autonomous 5, were going to take our steps, just like we do in every case, and be quality in every one, he added. Theres no reason to skip 3 and 4 because 2 begets 3.

Level 3 is a semi-autonomous mode thats more capable than cars where drivers do everything, but short of full automation.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, a board member at BMW AG, said experience is also key when developing driverless tech.

It comes to human judgment: Do you trust your life to companies which have a proven record that we are able to bring safely cars to the market, or would you trust your life to somebody who has just launched their first car? Schwarzenbauer told reporters at the auto show. We have proven we can bring very complex hardware to the market in a very safe way. And by the way, when we announce something, we deliver.

Overall, Toyota said it is going to take its cues from consumers. Even before the Uber accident, 63 percent of Americans said theyd be afraid to ride in a fully self-driving car, according to a AAA survey.

Im not even sure what is the percentage of people who want fully autonomous driving anyways, Hollis said. Take for example, myself: Id rather drive.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.
WHEN: Today, Wednesday, March 28

WHERE: CNBC's "Mad Money w/Jim Cramer"

Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with David Wichmann, UnitedHealth Group CEO, on CNBC's "Mad Money w/Jim Cramer" (M-F, 6-7PM ET) today, Wednesday, March 28.

All references must be sourced to CNBC.

JIM CRAMER: David, I am a member of UnitedHealthcare. What am I getting that the other guys won't give me?

DAVID WICHMANN: A lot of things.

JIM CRAMER: All right. Tell me.

DAVID WICHMANN: I think you get 285,000 people that are focused on helping people live healthier lives and helping make the health system work better every day. They are very passionate about driving -- you know, restless servants, if you will, of change in healthcare broadly; and they hope to bring you a better healthcare experience every day.

JIM CRAMER: But what do I have to do to be a good patient? Because I know that one of your mantras is -- how do you get people to take better care of themselves, to live healthier lives? There is nothing in this that says I've got to do a good job myself.

DAVID WICHMANN: Yeah, well, that's why we try to engage you as a consumer; and engagement is a big part of what makes healthcare work. Well, both engagement of the health system, but also engagement of you in managing your health conditions, as well as keeping yourself well.

JIM CRAMER: You talk about one of the two Holy Grails as being the doctors, the network that you own. Talk about engagement, you're able to get data from them, you're able to find out what outcomes are. I imagine it's the best way to figure out what should go right in the healthcare system.

DAVID WICHMANN: That's right. Well, it's not just about getting the data from them, it's about making the best use of the data that you have and converting it to information, applying it against best known science, identifying gaps in care, places where you can, you know, change the way in which you access the health system and make yourself better.

JIM CRAMER: Okay. This last mile, access. You've got a business which I am fascinated by -- hopefully, I don't have to use -- MedExpress. And in it, you say, versus the emergency room. You are on record saying that MedExpress can do 90 percent of what an emergency rooms does at 1/10 the cost.

Why are you not in charge of our healthcare system?

DAVID WICHMANN: Well, MedExpress is just one of the many assets that we bring. And as you realize pretty quickly, the healthcare system is made up of a number of relationships. That's one of the strengths of our organization, is managing millions of relationships with physicians, as well as bringing our own innovations to the market. MedExpress is a strong company that gets great consumer response, as well, NPS over 70, and just a well performing company.

JIM CRAMER: How is that test going with Walgreens? Because they reported this morning -- and, you know, they have a lot of good things to say about actual healthcare.

DAVID WICHMANN: Well, we have a pilot underway in 15 markets -- or 15 stores, I should say, across several markets. You know, it's early stage right now. We're just coming up on the first year of the first implementations of --

JIM CRAMER: But do you look at it?

DAVID WICHMANN: We look at it every month. Every month, look at it and evaluate it and discuss it with Stefano and others. And we do our best to evaluate, you know, whether or not it will fit nicely into a forward-looking health system.

JIM CRAMER: Okay. One of the things, I speak to a lot of health insurance executives, I speak to a lot of drugstore people and drug company people. I am surprised uniformly that they are not afraid of the Death Star, that's Jeff Bezos, and what he can do to healthcare.

Why is UnitedHealth not afraid? Because I presume you're not. And why do I bet that in the end, maybe they either return to you, take your people perhaps, as CEO, or realize that you can do a better job than they can?

DAVID WICHMANN: Well, we're operating our business in an expansive market that will continue to expand over time, and we have a very strong track record of growth. And expectations around growing in five critical areas around healthcare delivery, pharmacy care services, advancing consumer-centered benefits, really advancing also digital and health information aspects of our business, as well as going global. And as I said before, there's millions of relationships you need to manage; and, obviously, that would be just one that we would need to perfect.

JIM CRAMER: If I'm Bezos, I like big data. That's how I predict what you want, the artificial intelligence. Optum has got the biggest data bank in the world. Why don't they just say, you know what, we can't reinvent this?

DAVID WICHMANN: So data around 200 million people on the administrative side, and then another 100 million or so in terms of medical records. That is used by us for AI, machine learning, advancing, you know, the advanced technologies broadly in healthcare and making a difference on, you know, the predictive values of understanding, you know, who may get sick and under what circumstances we need to help them with their care.

JIM CRAMER: Well, speaking of that kind of analysis, I had seen this the other day, David Cordani -- and there could -- these guys work closely with you.

DAVID WICHMANN: Yes.

JIM CRAMER: Do you expect changes when they finish their merger with Express Scripts -- changes for your company?

DAVID WICHMANN: I think our company will continue to pursue the same growth opportunities overall. Cigna is a very fine company and a good partner of ours in certain aspects of our business, and we look forward to continuing to work with them.

JIM CRAMER: There's no reason to think that you can't, right?

DAVID WICHMANN: That's right.

JIM CRAMER: It's not either/or?

DAVID WICHMANN: No, it's not either/or at all.

JIM CRAMER: Now, do you envision a day where healthcare won't be such a huge part of the GDP, it won't be growing faster than the GDP?

DAVID WICHMANN: I can envision a day that will happen.

JIM CRAMER: You do?

DAVID WICHMANN: Yes, for sure. If you look to the future, call it seven, eight, nine, ten years out, I think you're going to see the real strong implications of technology on helping to curtail healthcare costs. I think the systems of the benefits and the health systems broadly going to more value-based mechanisms will drive greater efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare.

Now, we are up against a series of macro demographic trends with an aging population.

JIM CRAMER: Right.

DAVID WICHMANN: We have 86 percent of the healthcare costs are driven by chronic disease.

JIM CRAMER: Right.

DAVID WICHMANN: And that's not going to shift anytime soon.

JIM CRAMER: Well, do you think that you can manage drug prices? And I say that because this coupon initiative is one that I'm a customer, right? I want to know more about it. Because the one thing I know is that there are drugs that I really want and the prices are too high, but I see in Canada and other places they've got coupons. How do I -- are you in favor of it or are you going to help me actually get them?

DAVID WICHMANN: Well, drug prices are too high, and we work every day to bring greater affordability for drugs for consumers. Like we did -- announced a few weeks back where we're bringing greater discounts at the point of service for consumers.

JIM CRAMER: That's a big deal.

DAVID WICHMANN: It's a huge deal.

JIM CRAMER: Jeff Bezos is in the news every day about something that -- that nothing's been done. This was something that I was at Kohl's yesterday, and they talk about Kohl's Cash. This is UnitedHealth cash. Why aren't we talking about it more?

DAVID WICHMANN: Well, I think that it just -- you know, over time I think it'll continue to get greater levels of attention. We saw yesterday that Aetna also adopted a similar policy, and hopefully the rest of the industry finds its way to that same position.

JIM CRAMER: You talk about the need to have people think healthier, take better care of themselves. I'm a person who works really hard. Are there people who are a health risk because they take their job too seriously?

DAVID WICHMANN: I don't think so. I think that -- that's a good stress reliever, work.

JIM CRAMER: And do you encourage places, if they can -- I was up at salesforce.com's New York headquarters. They've got mindfulness rooms. They have yoga rooms.

DAVID WICHMANN: Yes.

JIM CRAMER: If you wanted to lower, ultimately, your cost of healthcare, would you tell people, "You know what? Be mindful, get those employees in one of those rooms"? Is that a sensible thing to do?

DAVID WICHMANN: It is, actually. You know, we've adopted or developed a mindfulness business as well. It's more in a venture format as we sit here today.

JIM CRAMER: Venture format meaning that you might spin it out?

DAVID WICHMANN: No, that we are -- it's early stage in its development, and we're incubating and modifying the model. But, you know, stress relief is an important factor in managing your health as well. And so many of those efforts make a lot of sense.

JIM CRAMER: Are we to the point where there are a lot of people who make fun. Like, when I say that I'm trying to be mindful. People say: "Are you kidding me? Mindfulness. That's something that's in San Francisco."

Are there people who are starting to take care of their mind, not just their body, because their mind can produce better results for their body?

DAVID WICHMANN: That's right. In fact, most of -- a lot of our engagement tools that we've just rolled out to seniors really focus on engaging their mind, because loss of memory is something that we're trying to manage. But it's important also.

We apply mindfulness with many of the cohorts of our employee base as well, particularly, you know, those that may engage in more stress than others, like our nurses and others that are working every day to bring better healthcare to people.

JIM CRAMER: Okay. Last thing I need to know.

DAVID WICHMANN: Okay.

JIM CRAMER: If I were President of the United States, which I am most certainly not -- certainly -- well, whatever, I would call you in and I would say: "Okay. Here's the keys to the car. You have done a remarkable job. It's all yours." If it was all yours, what's the first thing you would do?

DAVID WICHMANN: Well, I think the first thing I would do, there's about a trillion dollars of cost that's in the fee-for-service system today that's largely unmanaged. There is no question that we can do a better job with that in terms of just applying practical, private company practices to that population, and I think we would save a lot there. But I would also have everybody kind of get focused on a similar mission and drive a culture to improve healthcare costs by lowering them, drive greater levels of effectiveness overall in making sure that we are driving a great deal of consumer satisfaction.

JIM CRAMER: But we don't want to put UnitedHealth out of business.

DAVID WICHMANN: No, we wouldn't want to put UnitedHealth out of business. I think, though, that we can work together to make a difference.

JIM CRAMER: Terrific. Okay. That's David Wichmann. He is the CEO of UnitedHealth Group International, a stock that I've been recommending, believe it or not, since the '80s, and it's been a winner. Thank you so much, David. Good to talk to you.

DAVID WICHMANN: You, too.

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Japan has sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit, and Pyongyang has discussed the possibility of a leaders' meeting with Japan, Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Thursday.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a news conference with U.S. President Donald Trump at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, November 6, 2017.

The government of Kim Jong Un has informed leaders of North Korea's ruling Korean Workers Party of the possibility of summits with Japan, the newspaper said, citing an unidentified North Korean source and briefing papers.

"The Japanese government has expressed a wish to host a leaders meeting, via the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan," or Chongryong, Pyongyang's de facto embassy in Japan, the Asahi quoted the briefing papers as saying.

The newspaper, in an article from Seoul, said the Kim government had explained its bilateral diplomatic plans for South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

Kim met President Xi Jinping in China this week, his first trip abroad as North Korean leader. Summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump are being planned for April and May, respectively.

The North Korean briefing papers cite the possibility of a Japan summit in early June, the Asahi said.

A Japanese government source told Reuters in mid-March that Japan was considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago.
Oil jack pumps in the Kern River oil field in Bakersfield, California. Jonathan Alcorn | Reuters

Oil prices rose on Thursday as the equities markets rallied and as market participants weighed a rise in U.S. crude inventories and production against continued OPEC supply curbs. The oil price touched $71 a barrel on Tuesday, near its high for the year, but has struggled to gain further traction since then, despite supportive comments from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures finished Thursday's session up 56 cents at $64.94 a barrel. June Brent crude futures was up 57 cents at $69.33 a barrel by 2:27 p.m. ET, while the , which expires later on Thursday, was down 75 cents at $70.28. Brent has risen by 5 percent since January, on track for its third consecutive quarter of price increases and the longest stretch of quarterly gains since late 2010. U.S. WTI crude is up about 7.5 percent since the start of the year.

"The equities market is rallying and that's lending support to oil," said Philip Streible, senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago. All three major U.S. stock indexes were positive on Thursday. "The dollar is slightly in positive territory, but it's not screaming like yesterday," which is also supportive to crude prices, said Streible. The dollar against a basket of currencies was up about 0.04 percent, after gaining 0.8 percent Wednesday. A weaker greenback makes dollar-denominated commodities cheaper for holders of other currencies. Strong compliance on supply cuts from members of The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies like Russia have supported prices. OPEC sources said the group and its allies are likely to keep their deal on cutting output for the rest of 2018 when they meet in June. U.S. energy companies this week cut oil rigs for the first time in three weeks. Drillers cut six oil rigs in the week to March 29, bringing the total count down to 798, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Thursday. But rising inventories and production in the United States has capped gains in crude prices. Commercial U.S. stocks rose by 1.6 million barrels in the last week to 429.95 million barrels, while output hit a record 10.43 million bpd, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said. "Right now, oil looks fragile," Petromatrix strategist Olivier Jakob said. "The price action last week was pretty clear. The objective on that move was to take out the highs of 2018, but that's not been done and the price action of the last three days has not been very convincing."
British investor Jim Mellon is taking aim at tech giants like Google and Facebook.

Speaking with CNBC's "Squawk Box," Mellon said the days of rapid growth for the companies are behind them as increased government regulation looks more likely.

"These fatted calves are now ripe for the plucking by governments everywhere," he said, adding that tech companies were going to be "pillaged" by administrations across the world.

Drawing a comparison to the increased scrutiny faced by banks following the 2008 global financial crisis, Burnbrae Group's Mellon said the fines are going to be "enormous" and will likely be "bigger than those being levied on the banks in the last decade or so."

Following the fines levied by the European Union on Google in 2017, Mellon said that more fines are on the way, with the possibility of governments even stepping in to break up the search giant.

Turning his attention to Facebook, Mellon said: "If I was Mr. Zuckerberg, I'd be looking at a halving of my share price in the next couple of years, basically."

Unlike the case put forth against Microsoft at the start of the millennium, the issue surrounding Facebook is about people's privacy, which is a "much more serious" matter.

"The Cambridge Analytica thing is just the tip of the iceberg, in my opinion," Mellon said, referring to the ongoing scandal related to the political analytics firm's use of Facebook user data.

"We're going to see decimation of particularly Facebook," he added, saying that it was a "trivial use of modern technology and one that's rather sinister."

Mellon has been historically bearish on big tech stocks and is no stranger to controversy. In 2016, following the U.K.'s historic decision to leave the European Union, he told CNBC that "the euro is gone within three to five years, as it currently exists."
1. Yes. Several other districts factor them in. It would provide a more complete picture.

2. Yes. Theyre not as accurate, but they can be useful in spotting a trend in infections.

3. No. The district is keeping tabs on those numbers, so the public doesnt need to.

4. No. As long as the public health district is aware of those stats, thats all that matters.

5. Unsure. The district isnt obligated to include them, but it might be helpful.

Vote

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The battle between the governor of Puerto Rico and the federally appointed oversight board over the beleaguered island's fiscal plan hit a new level on Wednesday evening, as Governor Ricardo Rossello gave an impassioned televised address to publicly deny many of the board's requirements.

"As part of the evaluation process of the fiscal plan submitted by our government, the board has sent us a communication proposing measures that would have the effect of increasing the conditions of poverty in Puerto Rico," Rossello said in his prepared remarks.

"Although the board endorsed our initiatives to transform the education and health systems, I cannot allow the board to award itself powers that it does not have, much less when they intend to use this power to impose measures that negatively affect the quality of life of our people," the governor added.

Earlier on Wednesday, the oversight board sent several letters to Rossello, saying that changes to the proposed fiscal plan, including a cut to the commonwealth's troubled pension system and additional austerity measures, are required.

"The conditions that the board pretends to impose would make it practically impossible to increase the federal minimum wage; would eliminate the Christmas bonus for public employees, would further affect vacation and sick leave; and do not include programs for the training of our workforce. Our proposal was based in the salary increase for our workers and the creation of training opportunities. With these elements made impossible, the proposal is not viable," he said.

A spokesman for the oversight board declined to comment on the governor's remarks.

The board is requiring a 10 percent cut to the island's pension system, which currently has around $50 billion of unfunded obligations. Pensioners with a combined retirement plan and Social Security benefits below the poverty level of $1,000 per month would not be subject to the 10 percent cut, according the letter the board sent to Rossello.

The governor has repeatedly rejected any reductions to the island's pension system and excluded it from the most recent draft of the fiscal plan he submitted for review on Friday

Rossello reiterated his stance on the subject in his address Wednesday evening.

"I inform you that although the board certifies in the fiscal plan a reduction of 10 percent to pensions, that unfair and abusive measure will have my tenacious opposition," he said.

However, the board says this is a non-negotiable requirement for the bankrupt island's fiscal plan.
Nine-year-old Linda Brown as she walks past Sumner Elementary School in Topkea, Kansas, 1953. Carl Iwasaki/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images

Her father, Reverend Oliver Leon Brown, attempted to enroll then 7-year-old Linda at Sumner Elementary, but his request was denied. Oliver and a dozen other plaintiffs worked with the NAACP to file a lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education that would become the U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. In the 1955 ruling, the court unanimously decided to strike down the "separate but equal" doctrine created by Plessy v. Ferguson, making school segregation illegal. "Linda Brown is one of that special band of heroic young people who, along with her family, courageously fought to end the ultimate symbol of white supremacy  racial segregation in public schools," says Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in a statement. "She stands as an example of how ordinary school children took center stage in transforming this country." Today, "ordinary school children" across the country are working to create safer and fairer environments for themselves and their classmates. Here are three student activists following in Brown's footsteps:

Naomi Wadler

To mark the one month anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, tens of thousands of middle school and high school students walked out of their classrooms for 17 minutes to remember the 17 lives lost. Eleven-year-old Naomi Wadler and her classmate Carter Anderson organized one of the few elementary school walkouts with one important adjustment  the students stood in silence for an additional minute to honor Courtlin Arrington. Arrington, an African-American high school senior, was killed in a school shooting just weeks after Parkland. The fifth-grader also gave a much celebrated speech at the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. on March 24. "I represent the African-American women who are victims of gun violence, who are simply statistics instead of vibrant, beautiful girls full of potential," the preteen said, to roaring applause. "People have said that I am too young to have these thoughts on my own. People have said that I am a tool of some nameless adult  it's not true. My friends and I might still be 11, and we still might be in elementary school, but we know. We know life isn't equal for everyone and we know what is right and wrong."

Marley Dias

Like Linda Brown, 13-year-old Marley Dias called attention to issues of racial inequality in education at a young age. In 2015, when she was just 10-years-old, Dias founded #1000blackgirlbooks in response to what she saw as homogeneous school curriculum. While she originally planned to collect and donate 1,000 books that feature black girls as main characters, today her movement has donated over 10,000. Dias is also the author of "Marley Dias Gets It Done (And So Can You!)," has spoken alongside Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey and is the youngest person on Forbes' 2018 "30 Under 30" list. In her book, she writes, "In my class  in all fifth-grade classes  we were required to read 'classics,' books like 'Shiloh,' which is about a white boy and the dog he rescues. And 'Old Yeller,' which is about a white boy and the dog that rescues him. And 'Where the Red Fern Grows,' which is about a white boy and the two dogs he trains." When Dias began the #1000blackgirlbooks movement, she quickly learned how difficult it would be to reinvent the way black girls are represented in literature. Today, she uses her frustrations to her advantage. "Frustration is fuel that can lead to the development of an innovative and useful idea," she tells Forbes. "This gaps hurts all of us. I'm working to create a space where it feels easy to include and imagine black girls and make black girls like me the main characters of our lives,"

Joelyn Mensah
Savushkin | Getty Images

When it comes to investing your money, health savings accounts offer some of the best tax breaks around. Also known as HSAs, these options are tied to high-deductible health plans. They enable you to put away pre-tax money for qualified health expenses. The investments in those accounts grow tax-free. And when you take the money out, generally those funds are not taxed. "I always point to the virtue of the HSA from a tax standpoint," said Christine Benz, director of personal finance at research firm Morningstar. "If you stack it up compared to a 401(k) or an IRA, it's going to come out ahead." To get the most out of your HSA, it helps to save and use the money strategically. Taking advantage of these tips can help.

Think of your HSA as a retirement account

"The best use for an HSA is the healthy, wealthy person who leaves their HSA untouched until retirement," Benz said. "They're the ones who will benefit the most tax-wise." The key to this strategy is having the funds to do it, according to Roger Ma, founder and financial planner at lifelaidout in New York. Savers who use this strategy should aim to max out their contributions for the year. In 2018, that amounts to $3,450 for individuals and $6,900 for families. You should also be able to pay out-of-pocket for health-care expenses rather than dipping into the HSA funds. "If you need to fund a health savings account and use it in the same year, it's really just functioning as a flexible spending account," which come with annual use-it-or-lose-it provisions, Ma said. You also want to be sure that investing fully in an HSA won't deter you from other long-term goals, such as socking money away for a down payment on a house or maximizing contributions to other retirement accounts, Ma said. Leaving money in an HSA long-term will enable you to use those funds to cover health-care expenses decades down the road. Plus, you can withdraw funds from that account starting at age 65 for non-health expenses, Ma said, though those withdrawals will be taxed at your marginal tax bracket.

Be on the lookout for better fund options

Some health savings accounts have limited investment options. But the good news is you can shop around for HSAs with better investments. Moving funds from one HSA to another is a "great strategy" for savers who are captive in a work-provided plan that isn't ideal, Morningstar's Benz said. From a tax standpoint, it makes sense to first divert the funds to your employer-provided plan rather than moving the money to a separate HSA and reconciling the difference when you file your taxes, Benz said. The Internal Revenue Service has different rules depending on whether these funds move through a rollover or a transfer. A rollover must be done within 60 days from when the money is received. You can only do one rollover in a one-year time span. If you do a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer, on the other hand, there is no limit on the number of those transactions.

Consider a one-time IRA-to-HSA transfer

The IRS will allow you to transfer funds from an individual retirement account to a health savings account once in your lifetime. This strategy only makes sense in certain situations, according to Benz. For the most part, it is better to fund your HSA with new funds, rather than transferring retirement assets. The exception to that rule is if you have large, unexpected medical expenses come up and do not have the funds to cover it, Benz said. Transferring funds to from an IRA to an HSA will be a better strategy  provided you have the funds to do so  rather than putting the bill on a credit card or using funding options through your doctor. "This is going to be a better way to go from an interest and tax efficiency perspective," Benz said. "On the other hand, it's never ideal to raid your retirement assets for expenses other than retirement," she added. "If you have some extremely costly health care event, this is a sensible thing to think about." Be careful to follow the rules if you use this strategy. You must be covered by a high-deductible health plan to make such a transfer. The money also needs to move directly from trustee to trustee, rather than a check made directly to you.

Keep the funds for a rainy day
Apple CEO Tim Cook John Gress | Reuters

Apple wants to bring consumers' medical information, like lab tests and immunizations, to its iPhone, and now 40 health systems have agreed to step up and help. The willingness of health care institutions to work with Apple is a big deal, given the slow pace of change in medicine relative to other sectors. But what's more important about Apple's moves into the space is the mission behind it. "Doctors put patients in charge," Apple's news release reads. "We view the future as consumers owning their own health data," Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, said in a recent interview with CNBC. It might not seem like it, but that's a truly revolutionary idea. That's because for years, patients have been putting doctors in charge -- and not the other way around. And the system has encouraged it.

Not long ago -- in the 1960s and 1970s -- doctors routinely failed to inform patients about severe diagnoses, like late-stage cancer. Studies have shown that this practice is still pervasive today with physicians failing to tell their patients they have a neurological condition like Alzheimer's Disease. Moreover, it is still expensive and time-consuming for patients to access their own health data. Hospitals still regularly charge people a fee for it in many states, or they'll refuse to share it in a computer-readable format and will fax over a PDF. For some medical experts, enough is enough. "We've spent 20 years trying to get the language to change to reflect models that are patient-controlled," said Kenneth Mandl, who directs the computational health informatics program at Boston Children's Hospital. Mandl and others envision a new model for medicine where an informed patient is at the center of their own care, rather than on the sidelines.

Apple is an ally

The language Apple is using around patient empowerment represents a rallying cry to the physicians, policymakers and patient advocates that have been pushing for change for decades, and warning signal to those that are protecting the status quo. Making it easier for people to access their own medical data is powerful. It means that consumers will have more freedom to pick a new doctor, and spark meaningful conversations with their doctors about their own health. A growing body of research is proving that there's very little risk to patients accessing this information. Contrary to conventional wisdom, most patients will not freak out after reading their doctor's notes and most can handle hearing bad news about their health. This movement towards patient empowerment is bolstered by the rise of new technologies, such as online tools for consumers to search for medical information or new apps that can diagnose disease via an image. And Apple, with its health records product, is now a major ally in this effort. For Mandl, that matters whether the company is successful or not in getting its health records product to millions of patients. "Apple is cracking open the door," he said. "It's planting the seeds for a patient-driven health information economy."

WATCH: Apple apparently looked into buying medical clinics
Attorney General Jeff Sessions designated U.S. attorney John Huber as the prosecutor tasked with looking into allegations of abuse of power at the FBI.

In a Thursday letter to Congress, Sessions said this appointment was made in response to requests for a special counsel investigation of the claims. The attorney general said, however, that Huber will be the one determining "whether any matters merit the appointment of a special counsel."

Sessions cited Justice Department regulations which stipulate that a special counsel appointment should be reserved for only the most "extraordinary circumstances."

If the situation doesn't "justify such a departure 'from the normal processes of the Department,'" Sessions said the guidelines allow the attorney general to make alternative arrangements that would sufficiently "mitigate any conflicts of interest."

Huber will conduct his investigation from outside Washington, D.C. and in cooperation with Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Sessions said.

Trump and several Republicans allies in Congress have accused the FBI and the Justice Department of political bias.

In February, President Donald Trump agreed to let Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee release a memo alleging surveillance abuses at the FBI and Justice Department. The FBI and Justice Department, in turn, objected to the release.

The memo alleged anti-Trump bias at the FBI, but Democrats and other observers criticized the memo for being unbalanced and leaving too many points out. The Democrats' rival memo, which sought to contradict many of the GOP points, was also eventually released, but it was riddled with redactions recommended by the Justice Department.

In his letter, Sessions said he will take the necessary actions to defend the integrity of the Justice Department and its work.

"We understand that the Department is not above criticism and it can never be that the Department conceals errors when they occur," Sessions wrote.

The attorney general said he expects the department's staff to operate with the "highest level of integrity, ethic, and professionalism."

"If anyone falls short of these standards, I will fulfill my responsibility to take necessary action to protect the integrity of our work," he said.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

 CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.
Bitcoin hit a low of $6,915.55 late Thursday afternoon, its lowest since Feb. 6, according to CoinDesk's bitcoin price index. That marked a decline of nearly 29 percent for the week and 50 percent for the year so far. Bitcoin had recovered above $7,000 as of 6 p.m. ET.

The largest digital currency by market capitalization fell more than 9 percent to below $7,200, according to CoinDesk's bitcoin price index. That brought the quarter-to-date decline to 48 percent.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, declined 11 percent to near $397, its lowest since Nov. 23, according to CoinMarketCap. At that price, ethereum was down roughly 29 percent for the week and nearly 47.5 percent for the quarter.

Bitcoin three-month performance

Source: CoinDesk

Some analysts have expected selling in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to pick up toward the mid-April deadline to file U.S. taxes as first-time investors realize they need cash to pay capital gains tax.
The "long knives" have been drawn for Facebook after a slew of criticism over its data privacy practices, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Thursday.

Cramer was particularly surprised by Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent comments about Facebook's data leak. Cook criticized the social media company during an interview Wednesday with Recode's Kara Swisher and MSNBC's Chris Hayes, saying he "wouldn't be" in the situation Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has found himself in.

"Tim Cook's statements were unbelievable," said Cramer, whose charitable trust owns shares of Apple and Facebook. "Very contemptuous. That's why I say the long knives are out and [Facebook] needed [COO] Sheryl Sandberg out there about six weeks ago."

Cramer, host of "Mad Money," had previously called out Zuckerberg and Sandberg for being notably silent for days after reports on March 17 that Cambridge Analytica had harvested the data from more than 50 million users of the social network without their permission. The data were used to target ads promoting Donald Trump's 2016 candidacy, according to The New York Times and The Observer.

Zuckerberg and Sandberg went on an apology tour late last week.

Cramer told "Squawk on the Street" on Thursday that he's gotten the sense that Facebook "doesn't have many friends," adding that people in Silicon Valley "disregard them as arrogant."

"Now we've discovered how many people hated Zuckerberg," Cramer added. "I mean this is the most long knife thing I've seen since I can remember."

On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission confirmed that it's investigating the company's data practices. Additionally, Facebook said it would send a top executive to appear in front of U.K. lawmakers, but not Zuckerberg.

Shares of Facebook have declined more than 17 percent from the close on Friday, March 16, to the close on Wednesday, March 28.

Facebook did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Stocks in Europe finished higher Thursday afternoon, on the last trading day of the quarter, with a rally in the autos sector helping to boost investor sentiment.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed up 0.6 percent provisionally with most sectors finishing in positive territory. For the whole quarter, the benchmark still finished lower by 5 percent after steep falls earlier in the year.

Autos were the top gainers Thursday, driven higher by Renault. The car maker's shares were up by 6 percent following a media report that the company could merge with Nissan. The shares traded close to a 10-year high earlier on the news, but the firm has declined to comment on the report.

Electrocomponents was also among the top performers after a rating upgrade. Furthermore, Swiss Re rose 2 percent after a report that the Japanese group SoftBank is looking at buying a 25 percent stake in the reinsurer.

U.S. stocks traded higher Thursday, as the technology sector tried to curb steep declines seen in recent sessions.
The House passed a bill to reform the byzantine process for reporting sexual harassment on the Hill on February 6. The Senate still hasn't taken up the measure, and women in the Senate have had enough.

On Wednesday, 22 women senators, both Republicans and Democrats  every single sittin

g female member of the Senate  wrote a letter to Senate leadership demanding the legislation go up for a vote on the Senate floor.

"Inaction is unacceptable when a survey shows that four out of 10 women congressional staffers believe that sexual harassment is a problem on Capitol Hill," the letter reads, "and one out of six women in the same survey responded that they have been the survivors of sexual harassment."



More from Vox:

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The letter, sent Wednesday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, blasts Senate leadership for stonewalling on reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, the legislation that sets forth sexual harassment guidance and policies for congressional offices and members.

In a statement, Schumer's office told Vox, "We strongly agree that the Senate should quickly take up legislation to combat sexual harassment on Capitol Hill." McConnell's office did not respond to a request for comment.

According to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, provisions of the legislation  which has bipartisan support  were even initially included in the omnibus bill President Trump signed on Friday but were stripped out at the last minute. Those provisions included major changes to the sexual harassment complaint process and a requirement that taxpayer funds used to settle harassment lawsuits be reimbursed.

Read the full text of the letter below.
Police officers seal off the road on which Russian Sergei Skripal and his daughter have been staying in Salisbury, Britain, March 7, 2018.

Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve toxin that had been left on the front door of their home in England, British counter-terrorism police said.

After the first known offensive use of a chemical weapon on European soil since World War Two, Britain blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the attempted assassination and the West has expelled around 130 Russian diplomats.

Russia has denied using Novichok, a nerve agent first developed by the Soviet military, to attack Skripal, and Moscow has said it suspects the British secret services are trying to frame Russia to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

"We believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door," said Dean Haydon, Britain's' senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing.

"Specialists have identified the highest concentration of the nerve agent, to date, as being on the front door of the address," Scotland Yard said in a statement.

Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, have been in a critical condition since being found unconscious on a public bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. A British judge has said they may have suffered permanent brain damage.

The attempted murder of Skripal, a 66-year-old former colonel in Russian military intelligence who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to Britain's MI6 spy service, has plunged Moscow's relations with the West to a new post-Cold War low.

After Britain expelled 23 Russians it said were spies working under diplomatic cover, Russia followed by throwing out 23 British diplomats. The United States and other Western countries, including most member states of the European Union and NATO, expelled over 100 diplomats.

British lawmakers launched a new inquiry into money-laundering, sanctions and economic crime on Thursday, with a particular focus on properties bought with so-called "dirty money".
Facebook has announced a number of privacy changes to its platform in recent days following the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, but the social network would have likely had to make the fixes anyway because of new upcoming legislation.



On March 21, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg spoke out about the scandal in which 50 million Facebook user profiles were harvested with the data being sent to political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. He announced some changes including a tool at the top of the News Feed to show users what apps have access to the data, restricting developers' access to data, and other initiatives.

On Wednesday, the social media giant unveiled a raft of measures aimed at making it easier for users to see and access the data held by the company. Facebook said that it had been working on these measures for a while.

While they are trying to regain trust with consumers by pushing out the new measures, it's likely they would have come in whether the data scandal had happened or not.

"A lot of it, a lot of stuff they would need to have done to be compliant with the new European data protection laws, known as GDPR. So I'm not convinced how much of that was actually really new stuff," Damian Collins, a U.K. lawmaker who has summoned Zuckerberg to appear in front of the British parliament, told CNBC Wednesday.
Facebook was informed that the app at the center of a massive data leak could sell user data to third parties, according to documents seen by the Financial Times, raising fresh questions about how the company protects its users' data.

The social network was sent terms and conditions for the second version of the survey app, which pulled user data that was then leaked to Cambridge Analytica, the data analytics firm. These contradicted Facebook's own platform policies, according to Chris Wylie, the former Cambridge Analytica employee turned whistleblower.

But the social network relied on an automated process to accept updates, so no employee at Facebook may have seen the app's new policy, which disclosed that it could sell and transfer the data.

The first version of the app, which was reviewed by Facebook, said the opposite: it claimed to be a "research program" and said "users will be informed that the data will be carefully protected and never used for commercial purposes", the social network said.

But the Financial Times has seen a copy of a document submitted to the company by Aleksandr Kogan, the academic who built the survey app that ran on the social network. The data collected via the app was passed on to Cambridge Analytica and used to gather the information of up to 50 million users.

Read more from Financial Times:

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If Facebook is so smart, why does it keep selling me slippers?

In the document, Global Science Research, Mr Kogan's company, outlined terms and conditions that asked users for permission to collect information, including their likes and status updates as well as those of their Facebook friends. The terms stated that the company would have the right to "edit, copy, disseminate, publish, transfer, append or merge with other databases, sell, license . . . and archive your contribution and data".



Mr Wylie told the Financial Times in an interview that Facebook "didn't really do anything to safeguard the data", adding that the terms and conditions raised questions about why Facebook agreed to an app that explicitly broke its rules.

"There were a lot of apps at the time that were pulling lots of data  including from friend networks  and Facebook wasn't exactly proactive in asking questions or finding out where that data went," he said. "It is sort of an existential question for Facebook: do they want to be a data-harvesting company or do they want to be a community of users?"

Facebook said its policies in 2014, when Mr Kogan collected the data, prohibited app developers from selling, licensing or purchasing any data obtained from Facebook or its services. The terms and conditions also prohibited apps from transferring data "to any ad network, data broker or other advertising or monetisation-related service".



Mr Kogan told the Financial Times he was "surprised" at being accused of breaking Facebook's policies. "I don't know any app whose terms of service and privacy policy comply with what Facebook says is its privacy policy," he said. "If they really care, then why do they do nothing to enforce it?"

In separate documents published by the UK parliament's digital, culture, media and sport committee on Thursday, Mr Kogan's company was explicit that it was operating under Facebook's old terms of service, and he would not be able to collect the data under the new policy which came into force for all apps in 2015. The documents that Mr Wylie handed to the committee included an agreement between GSR and SCL, Cambridge Analytica's parent company, dated June 2014. This was after Facebook had announced a change for news apps but the social network allowed a year for existing apps to adjust.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, said last week that his company had "made mistakes". "There's more to do, and we need to step up and do it," he said. Facebook had already tightened the rules around app developers, including putting in place a more comprehensive app review process, before the revelations.

Mr Zuckerberg said when Facebook was told by The Guardian in 2015 that Mr Kogan had shared data with Cambridge Analytica, it banned the app and asked both parties to "formally certify that they had deleted all improperly acquired data".
Around the world, hundreds of millions, if not billions, of people use buses to get around towns and cities.

While they are incredibly popular and often cheap forms of transport, they do have an environmental impact, with emissions from exhaust pipes being a serious issue.



Change is afoot, however. While many buses are run on diesel, companies and city authorities around the world are, slowly but surely, turning to cleaner sources of fuel.



In the Chinese city of Shenzhen, for example, there are more than 10,000 electric buses, while Aberdeen in Scotland is home to a fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles.



In London, plans are in place to introduce roughly 3,000 "ultra-low emission" double-deckers to central London by 2019 and more than 250 zero emission single-deckers by 2020. As of today, more than 2,600 diesel-electric hybrid buses are on the capital's streets.



In the U.S., one business has been designing and developing battery-electric buses with a view to boosting both efficiency and the environment. Founded in 2004, California-headquartered Proterra started designing its first prototype the same year, and sold its first three buses in 2009.



Ryan Popple, the company's CEO, told CNBC's "Sustainable Energy" that the company was constantly looking to improve designs and performance. "Every day engineers at Proterra are trying to figure out how to increase energy density, how to reduce (the) weight of the vehicle and how to make the drive train even more energy efficient," he said.



Proterra's Catalyst bus model is made with what the business describes as an "an advanced carbon-fiber-reinforced body" and a high efficiency electric drivetrain. Continuous progress is key to the business. Last September, a Proterra bus drove just over 1,101 miles on a single charge.



"Two years ago the maximum distance we could do on a track was about 250 miles," Popple said. "A year ago it was 600 miles and then last fall we broke the record, it was 1,100. So we're just seeing massive step changes in capability."
Facebook is one of the latest companies to publish its gender pay gap data for the U.K., with its figures showing a big percentage difference between its hourly pay rate and its bonus pay.

As of April 2017, the average bonuses for female Facebook employees came in at 39.8 percent lower than that of their male counterparts, according to figures submitted to the U.K. government. This comes as 87.8 percent of men receive a bonus, compared to the 86.3 percent of women who do at the U.K. division.

Looking at the mean hourly gender pay gap however, Facebook reports a 0.84 percent difference between the genders, meaning that women earned 99 pence ($1.39) for every 1 ($1.41) that men received. If you look at the percentages on a median basis however, the gaps differ, with median hourly wages showing a 9.92 percent difference, and bonuses showing a 41.5 percent gap.

As the debate over gender pay gathers momentum, companies around the world have been releasing their own reports on how much they pay each sex. In the U.K. however, it is now a legal requirement for those who have 250 or more employees to submit their data by early April. According to the Office of National Statistics, the gap for median earnings in Britain overall is 18.4 percent.
College students aren't the only ones headed off on spring break.

After passing a $1.3 trillion spending bill, Congress has left Capitol Hill for a two-week hiatus, which, according to the Associated Press, marks the unofficial end of the legislating season.

In 2017, Congress was in session for 145 days out of 261 work days. That's far less time than the average American worker puts in at the office. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average full-time employee receives just 11 days of paid time off after working for a year, 15 days of paid time off after working for five years and 18 days of paid time off after working for 10 years.

This year, Congress plans to spend even less time in session, due to the midterm election. Based on the 2018 calendar released by both chambers at the end of last year, members of the Senate are planning seven fewer days in session this year than in 2017, while members of the House are planning for 24 fewer days in session. Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 6, the House will be off for three full weeks and the Senate will be off for two.

Out of 261 work days, the House and the Senate will be in session together for just 121.

Roll Call created the visual representation of the Congressional calendar below, highlighting the days when both chambers are in session in yellow and the days when only the Senate is in session in blue.

Kristin Nicholson, the Director of the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, explains to CNBC Make It that while the Senate may have more days in session than the House, that doesn't necessarily mean Senators are in Washington, D.C. more often.

In fact, she says, some legislators may be working from their districts, even on voting days.

So what exactly are members of Congress doing when they're not on Capitol Hill? Nicholson, who worked in a Congressional office for 20 years, says most leaders are putting in time in their districts.

"Almost all of those days a member will be working for any number of hours either in their district office, out at events, at press conferences or campaign events," she says. In an election year, days when Congress is not in session are a crucial time for legislators to engage with constituents.

And while the calendar may make it look like members of Congress get a whole lot of vacation, Nicholson says that there is no real way to calculate how many days a member actually takes off, since they create their own schedules. Nevertheless, the idea of being away from the office for the majority  if not all  of August probably sounds pretty good to most American workers.

"I think it is fairly typical for most members to take at least a little bit of that August break for vacation, but even then it is unusual for a member to not work at all," Nicholson says.

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Don't miss: 10 percent of Congress is paying back student loans
Wall Street is downplaying Trump's tax threat against Amazon because the company already collects state sales taxes on products it sells directly.

Deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters confirmed Thursday that Trump was referring to third-party sellers on Amazon's site when he criticized the company over taxes.

The comment came one day after Axios reported he wants to "go after" the e-commerce giant and alter its tax treatment, which sparked a 4.4 percent decline in the company's share price Wednesday.

He is focusing on Amazon's practice of not collecting state sales taxes for "third-party" sellers on its platform in most of the country.

President Donald Trump blasted Amazon over taxes Thursday saying the company pays "little or no taxes to state & local governments."

"In our view, this ship has already sailed. Amazon has been charging sales tax to customers  for its 1P [first party] sales  in all the 45 states that have a statewide sales tax," Deutsche Bank analyst Lloyd Walmsley wrote in a note to clients Wednesday. "In a way, we think charging sales tax has been a boon to Amazon because it now has extensive fulfillment facilities close to consumers such that it can lead the way in offering faster and more reliable deliveries. Whether Congress enacts a special tax on Amazon, simply because President Trump wants it, remains to be seen."



But Trump is referencing the company's lack of sales tax collection on its third-party platform sales outside a handful of states. The third-party business represents roughly half of Amazon's unit sales, according to Stifel.

Some retail competitors argue this policy for third-party vendors that sell on Amazon's platform gives it an unfair advantage.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin hinted in July that the administration may soon take "a position" on Amazon's tax collection policy, referring to the e-commerce giant's third-party marketplace.

At a Senate hearing on July 26, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., asked the Treasury secretary about his view on internet state sales taxes.

"So this is an issue that we've been looking at very carefully within the administration, and we expect to come out with a position shortly," Mnuchin said. "I am encouraged that Amazon is now charging tax, I believe, on their own sales but not the marketplace. I'm not sure I understand the consistency on that, but I respect the states' ability that there's an awful lot of money that's not being collected."

More recently, Mnuchin told the House Ways and Means Committee hearing in February that the administration "feels strongly" the government should institute a sales tax on internet e-commerce.

Some states have passed laws requiring online marketplaces to collect sales taxes on behalf of third-party sellers. On April 1, Pennsylvania will become the second state, after Washington, where Amazon is instituting Marketplace Tax Collection for third party sellers.



The new law in Pennsylvania requires sales tax collection regardless of whether the merchant has a physical operation in the state.

Previously, Amazon left it to third-party merchants on the platform to handle their own tax collection where applicable.

The whole Amazon third-party tax issue could get settled in court. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court agreed to listen to arguments over internet sales taxes.

The high court ruled in 1992 that states couldn't collect sales taxes gathered by mail-order catalog companies unless the firms had a physical presence in a state. South Dakota and several other states argue that things have changed in the era of Amazon.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the arguments in April and could make a ruling by the end of June. Earlier this month, the Trump administration, through Solicitor General Noel Francisco, formally backed up South Dakota in the case.

"The executive branch has weighed in on the litigation and has encouraged the court to take a fresh look on the Quill decision and to uphold the South Dakota law that would get rid of the problem," Deborah White, president of the Retail Litigation Center for the Retail Industry Leaders Association, told CNBC. "There will always be a role for Congress to regulate interstate commerce. But we are asking the court to level the legal playing field and remove the advantage that the court gave remote retailers."

It isn't clear how much of an impact a potential South Dakota victory would have on Amazon's business given it will affect other online platforms as well.

Ironically Amazon itself doesn't pay much in state taxes relative to its revenue size.

Amazon reported a provisional tax expense of roughly $200 million for U.S. state taxes in 2017, according to a securities filing. That may seem like a lot but the company generated $177.9 billion in sales last year.

Amazon declined to comment.

 CNBC's Ari Levy and Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version gave an incorrect rate for sales taxes in Philadelphia.
The tax deadline is right around the corner: April 17. For most of us, that means added stress and one more "to-do." But what's it like for the people on the other side  the ones preparing our taxes  during crunch time? I decided to find out, and headed to a Manhattan-based H&R Block last week to spend the day with tax professional Kwame Matthews. Matthews has been preparing tax returns for five years and estimates he's seen more than 500 clients at this point.

Tax professional Kwame Matthews CNBC Make It

He not only prepares tax returns  he manages two H&R Block offices, which means leading two different teams of 20 to 25 employees. Being an office manager is kind of like running a small business, he tells me: He's in charge of things like ordering supplies, the office budget, managing and developing employees and customer service. Matthews works six days a week, year-round, but most H&R Block employees, about 80 percent, work just four to five months out of the year, during tax season. Here's an inside look at his typical work day during busy season.

Our day starts We both arrive at the Upper West Side location around 10:30 a.m., but Matthews' day starts well before, in his apartment. Before heading out the door for his 30 minute commute, he's checking emails and making adjustments to the daily schedule if any staff call in sick or are running late. Most client meetings happen in the afternoon or after the work day, Matthews tells me. That's why his day, which typically ends around 8:00 p.m., skews later.

The 72nd St. H&R Block in Manhattan CNBC Make It

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

We prep for the day The morning is quiet. While Matthews goes through his inbox and manages the schedule for his offices, he tells me a bit about how he got to where he is now. His mom, also a tax professional for H&R Block, suggested he pick up hours at the company during his senior year of college to make some extra money. While he's been preparing taxes for five years, he's actually been with the company for eight. After graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in political science, Matthews took a job as a poll clerk. "I hated it," he recalls of the 18-hour shifts that started at 4:30 a.m. "I did it for one primary and two general elections and I vowed to never do it again, even though it paid pretty well." He went back to H&R Block and picked up right where he left off: working the front desk, which he did for the next two years before becoming a certified tax professional. The morning is devoted to more office management and organizational tasks. Matthews will also prepare for his client meetings, which are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. While most tax pros see six to eight clients per day, Matthews sees two to three, and sometimes none: "Some days, I need to focus on running the office. I love helping clients, but managing my team takes time, too." Today, he's slated to see three clients, two of whom were past clients.

CNBC Make It

12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

We adjust our schedule and take on an unexpected client The pace of the office shifts around 12:30 p.m. There's more of a buzz: The phones are ringing, employees are stopping by Matthews' desk with questions and clients are coming in and out. One client is accompanied by a dog. At 1:00 p.m., we start packing up to head over to his second office  it's not unusual for Matthews to split his time between the two locations  but before we make it out the door, he pivots and takes on another client due to a staffing shortage. We hang our coats back up and meet a woman in her early 60s. "My life is very simple," she tells us. Simple enough that she was in and out of the office, with her taxes completed and a refund on the way, in just 25 minutes. She didn't even take off her coat! The meeting was surprisingly social. As Matthews was preparing her taxes, they chatted about the eye doctor and DMV.

We commute to the second office A little before 2:00 p.m., we put on our coats again and head to Matthews' second office. It's just 15 blocks south and he typically commutes on foot. He's already called ahead and pushed his 2:00 p.m. meeting back to 2:30 p.m., so we don't have to worry about rushing. On our 20 minute walk, I ask him what it takes to be a good tax pro. It boils down to three things, he tells me: experience, expertise and people skills. In fact, "50 percent of the job is people skills."

Walking to Matthews' second office CNBC Make It

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

We meet with a second client We settle into the second office and our next meeting starts promptly at 2:30 p.m. This particular client was retired, had recently sold an apartment and her main form of income was Social Security. She's been coming to H&R Block for three decades and was an absolute hoot. Her tax situation was more complex, so it took longer. Plus, we chatted a lot, about grandchildren, college applications and politics. We even realized we had a mutual friend!

We eat lunch By the time Matthews finishes up with client No. 2, it's 4:00 p.m. and neither of us has taken a sip of water or bite of food. It's around that time when I start to realize how exhausting a job that's so reliant on people skills can be. I'm used to sitting in front of a computer and writing all day, with 15 to 30 minutes interviews sprinkled throughout the afternoon. Matthews, on the other hand, spends much of his day interacting with clients or his own team of employees. And he has to be on  energetic and enthusiastic  no matter how exhausted or hungry he is. I annihilate a protein bar while Matthews eats a sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts that he picked up earlier that morning.

Matthews doesn't have him first bite of food until 4:00 p.m. CNBC Make It

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

We tackle smaller, daily tasks Any lapse between clients, I learn, is used for customer service calls, responding to emails or doing any returns that clients have dropped off. Matthews is also constantly checking in on how his two offices are performing that day, revenue-wise. He has specific targets he has to hit every day. Matthews is nice enough to hold off on most of these tasks during our 4:00 p.m. lunch break and answers my questions about job perks and misconceptions. The biggest perk is flexibility, he tells me: "Not everybody can say, 'I start my day at 10:30 a.m.'" Plus, he's gotten really fast at filing taxes. While many of us labor over the tedious process, it takes Matthews just 15 minutes to prepare his own. And yes, he does some of his family members' taxes: "I do my two grandmas' taxes, two of my aunts' taxes and my cousins' taxes." As for the biggest misconception: Preparing taxes "isn't all math," he tells me. "You don't have to be a math major to be a tax pro." Sure, you need to understand basic arithmetic and be detail-oriented, but your success in the profession more so boils down to your ability to "read and comprehend," he says. "And you have to have people skills."

Matthews and one of his clients CNBC Make It

5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We meet with a third client We meet with another client at 5:00 p.m., a younger woman from South Africa who owns a company back home. A lot of the meeting was spent converting South African rand to U.S. dollars.

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Matthews meets with his final client The final client meeting is with a seven-figure earner. The diversity of the clientele over just one day is incredible. I saw some big refunds and some big dollar amounts owed to the IRS. I even got to hear about one of Matthews' clients who owed the IRS $45,000, didn't pay it for several years and then ended up owing a total of $70,000, thanks to penalties and interest. "Taxes are like DNA," Matthews tells me. "Everyone is different. There's no one that has exactly the same story." The final meeting of the day is the one meeting I can't sit in on. It also happens to be the longest meeting, lasting two hours. I use my break to take my first sip of water, pop an Advil and catch up on my own email.

It was a long day CNBC Make It

8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
On Thursday, Target is rolling out same-day delivery at its stores in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, thanks to Shipt, the online same-day grocery delivery service the retail giant bought in December for $550 million, one of its largest deals yet. With Target already offering the service in a number of cities, including New Orleans and Phoenix, the retailer is aiming to offer same-day delivery from half its stores by early 2018. Being acquired for hundreds of millions of dollars is the dream exit for any company. But Shipt's story isn't one of immediate sky rocketing success and it doesn't take place in a start-up mecca like Silicon Valley or even Seattle, where monster competitor Amazon was born. Instead it starts in Birmingham, Alabama with Bill Smith, a high school dropout and serial entrepreneur who had perseverance  and a particularly grueling grocery-store trip. From high school dropout to serial entrepreneur "My father was an entrepreneur, so I grew up and saw him doing different businesses, and literally from the time I was 5 years old, I wanted to understand business and how it all worked," Smith tells CNBC Make It, adding that his father was in the cell phone industry. "So I was kind of able to hang out around businesses and learn a few things at an early age, and that's really where the desire came from." Inspired by his dad and eager to start making money, Smith quit school when he was about 16, much to his dad's dismay. "My father was not supportive at all," Smith recalls, laughing. "He actually thought it was a horrible idea...and I remember him coming to the school and meeting with the counselors about this, and the counselors actually told my dad, 'We are not worried about Bill. He is going to be just fine.'

"At that point he [my father] said, 'Alright he's going to do what's he's going to do,'" Smith adds. It was the early 2000s, and Smith began selling cell phones to small businesses. Eventually, he opened up two retail cell phone stores and was making $4,000 to $5,000 a month. While working, Smith received his GED and even did a brief stint at college. But he quickly realized a traditional education just wasn't for him. Entrepreneurship, he thought, was something that could not be learned in a classroom. "I think that business is all about just getting out there and solving problems, and I don't know if you can really teach entrepreneurship," Smith says. "I think that it's kind of a flaw to think that you're going to go to a school, and someone that's never been an entrepreneur is going to teach you how to be an entrepreneur, you know? So, I just tell people you've got to get out there and start making it happen." Smith spent his early career as a serial entrepreneur  after running his cellular business for three years, he built a company that issued small loans. Then, in 2009, he founded Insight Card Services, a company offering re-loadable, prepaid Visa cards. The business of prepaid credit cards, Smith says, was extremely complicated, but he learned the ropes simply by figuring out who the big players were in the space, doing the research and having conversations with other companies to learn more about the core product. His first big win came in 2014, when GreenDot Corporation, a financial technology, bank-holding company acquired Insight for an undisclosed amount, although Smith notes it was in the millions. Fresh off the heels of the acquisition, Smith was already looking for his next opportunity. The on-demand economy was hot, with Amazon Prime slowly starting to build a cult following and Uber making waves as the darling of Silicon Valley. Smith knew that for his next venture, he wanted to do something in the sizzling, on-demand economy. Then came the idea for Shipt. Finding inspiration in the grocery aisle The initial plan for Shipt, Smith says, was to build a business around same-day delivery for big box retailers. He personally hated shopping and wanted to figure out a way to get out of the dreaded task. "I said, 'Gosh, there has to be a way to buy anything from any store and get it delivered the same day,'" Smith explains. "And I was also seeing companies in the ride-sharing space and seeing that new model and thinking, man, this new model is out there, and it's allowing services to be offered that were not really offered at that scale before. And I wanted to figure out how to apply it to my problem." Smith wanted customers to be able to go to a retailer's website, place an order and have it delivered to their door that same day. To make that happen, Shipt would use a network of independent contractors, or "shoppers." Smith invested $3 million of his own capital into the company, which started with a $100,000 check, gradually investing more over time. For the first test version of Shipt, which launched in November of 2014 in Birmingham, Smith used $250,000 in capital to hire a few engineers. Since Smith had a hard time convincing retailers to let his home delivery option be integrated into their website, he had to think of another way. The team cobbled together a system in which the customer would go to the retailer's website, place an order for in-store pickup and then go to Shipt's platform to place an order for a shopper to pick up the product.

Photo courtesy of Shipt

It didn't work. "We launched that, and what I figured out really quicklywas that people don't want a dis-integrated experience. They want to be able to go to a site and do everything in one place and checkout and be done," he says. "That was an important lesson," says Smith, if a needlessly expensive one. "I could have really tested my initial idea by using a Google Sheet and a form and posting on Facebook and saying, 'Hey I'm delivering from these retailers, fill this form out,' and we could have built a manual process. "The lesson learned is test the ideas first in the lowest cost way and just take a simple approach," Smith adds. At that time, in December 2014, Smith says the company was on the brink of shutting down. The model wasn't working and people were telling him there was more of a demand for groceries than anything else. "I kept getting emails from people that tried the service that would say, 'Hey, it's cool that I can buy a pair of Beats headphones and get them delivered the same day, but what I really want is my groceries delivered,'" Smith says. The idea of a same-day grocery delivery service didn't initially connect with Smith until early January 2015, just a few days after his second baby was born and he experienced a stressful shopping trip with two infants in tow. "[My wife and I] went to the grocery store for the first time with a 1-year-old and a newborn and it was such a huge pain. Both kids were crying in the store, and we just had to get the heck out of there. "Literally in the parking lot of the grocery store I told my wife, 'You know a lot of people have been asking for grocery delivery and I want to figure out a way to solve this problem.'" The Monday after his epiphany, Smith walked into work and told his team they were going to pivot and put all efforts into grocery delivery and focus on building a fully integrated experience, where customers could do everything from purchasing the product to getting it delivered, all on one platform. "At the time, nobody even had an in-store pickup option. That did not exist in grocery at all like it did with general merchandise retailers like Best Buy," Smith says. To validate that the service was indeed in-demand, he told his team not to write the first line of code until they had sold 1,000 memberships to the service. For the first time, he awarded all of his employees, roughly 10 of them, stock options in the company. "I said, 'Look, we're going to try this. If you guys are in, awesome. If you're not interested, it's cool.' And everybody stayed on board," Smith says.

Photo courtesy of Shipt

The team rolled up their sleeves and got to work, cataloging all the items in the grocery store that they were offering delivery service from, which was no easy feat. "We literally sent people into the store to scan all of the items that were for sale and collect pricing data and do all that manually," Smith remembers. Hesitant to shell out a lot of money on marketing, Smith says they just took a couple thousand dollars, shot a low quality, 60-second video about the service and put it up on Facebook with a landing page. In three weeks, Shipt sold 1,000 memberships in Birmingham. "It was at that point that I said, 'Okay, this is real, people really want this.' And you know Birmingham is just a normal, middle-America type city," Smith says. "This is not San Francisco, so to be able to have that much early adoption, I thought, man there's real demand." The new, re-vamped version of Shipt launched the following May. What made Shipt stand out Shipt currently offers unlimited, same-day delivery service for its members for $99 a year, or $14 a month. After signing up for a membership, users can shop on its app or online, choose a delivery option and then checkout. Shipt's "shoppers" then go to the store, pluck the products from the shelves and deliver them to customers' homes. Delivery is free for orders over $35. Shipt now operates in over 80 U.S. markets and has a network of 40,000 personal shoppers, with plans to have around 100,000 shoppers by the end of the year (who Shipt says can make up to $25 an order, with each order taking around an hour to fill). It offers many retailers on its platform, including big names like Kroger and Publix. Smith says Shipt really started to see some success in late 2015. At that point, "we kind of flipped the approach," says Smith, and decided the company would "build this and figure it on our own. Once customers started using the service, [that's when] retailers started to call us," Smith explains. "Instead of waiting around for the retailer to drive the business, we let customers drive the demand, and then retailers were more interested in working with us."

Photo courtesy of Shipt
When Bugatti launched its Chiron supercar in 2016, it said it would do an official speed test in 2018.

The expectation was that the Chiron, priced at $3 million, would set a world record. After all, Bugatti's previous model, the Veyron, proudly set the top-speed record for a production car at 267.8 mph. Bugatti made the Chiron even more powerful, with 1,500 horsepower, and everyone assumed the Chiron would be the new king of speed.

But now Bugatti seems to be backing down on plans for a speed test. In an interview with CNBC, Bugatti's new CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, declined to say whether the company will conduct the test this year.

"I have a lot on my plate," Winkelmann said. "The speed test is not my priority. I think we have a lot of things to do."

Asked if the top speed didn't matter to clients, he said: "I know this for sure. I don't even know how fast our car can go."

When pressed on whether it's possible the Chiron will never undergo a top-speed test, Winkelmann said "Maybe, I don't know."

Why the change of heart?

Perhaps top speed doesn't matter for a car that many agree is an engineering marvel  somehow packing 1,500 horsepower into a supercar that feels and rides like a plush luxury tourer. Bragging rights are just that. And clearly, demand for the Chiron doesn't seem to be suffering.

Winkelmann said Bugatti has already sold more than 320 of the total production run of 500, and the production backlog in Molsheim, France, is now three years. We don't know how fast the car can truly go since Bugatti has installed limiters on cars sold to customers that cap the top speed at 261 mph. That's still insane.

As Brian Miller, president of Manhattan Motorcars, which sells Bugatti told me, "the Chiron customers are buying a work of art, the official top speed is less important."

Some also speculate that the physical limits of tires and wheels prevent the car from reaching its true potential. Michelin is reportedly working on it.

Yet the main reason for the reversal on the speed test could be claims of a new speed record set by a competitor. Back in November, supercar maker Koenigsegg announced its Agera RS set a record for the highest top speed for a production vehicle of 277.9 mph.
On Tuesday, a whistleblower released records revealing that for over a decade, financial aid employees of Howard University had misappropriated financial aid funds. The allegations, published in a Medium post, have since been taken down.

Howard University President Wayne Frederick confirmed the news that financial aid misappropriation had occurred in a statement released on Wednesday, saying, "While this has been a very difficult and disappointing situation, I know our campus community deserves better."

According to Frederick's statement, an internal investigation found that from 2007 to 2016, several employees of the university's financial aid department awarded themselves phony grants and scholarships. These employees were already receiving full tuition remission, and by fraudulently awarding themselves additional scholarships they were able to pocket significant funds.
Nearly 150 professional investors are "strongly urging" gun makers, retailers and distributors and the companies that finance the gun industry to take action in response to gun violence.

The group includes dozens of faith-based organizations and U.S. and European asset management firms, many of them active in promoting social and environmental causes, collectively with $634 billion of investor assets under management.

In a statement circulated on Thursday, they are asking companies "to carefully reflect on how their operations, business relationships, supply chain policies, marketing practices and public voices might be used to counter gun violence and foster safer communities."

The group is being led by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, which has been talking to gun makers and retailers for several years. Members have recently filed shareholder proposals at gun makers asking them to assess the risks of their business.

The group is asking the gun industry and those that support it to "review their operations, supply chains and policies and take meaningful action on this significant public safety concern."

Efforts to put an end to gun violence have gotten new momentum in the weeks since a deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, sparked national rallies led by students who survived that shooting and calls for new gun safety laws.

"The bravery and eloquence of the Parkland students has brought us to a tipping point on this issue," said Adam Kanzer, a managing director of Domini Impact Investments, who helped draft the statement. "Today, we are asking investors and corporations large and small to take a hard look at their connections to gun violence and do what they can to restore peace and safety to our communities. We hope that our recommendations will serve as a blueprint for these actions."

Some companies have already responded. Dick's Sporting Goods, Walmart, LL Bean and Kroger changed their policies regarding gun sales, and Citigroup imposed new restrictions on lending to retail clients involved in the gun business.

Several companies dropped loyalty reward programs they offered to members of the National Rifle Association, including car rental companies Hertz, Alamo and National; hotels Wyndham and Best Western, and airlines Delta and United.

And the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock, told clients in a letter earlier this month it was time to take a stand, saying it could use its position as one of the biggest owners of publicly traded gun makers to vote against directors or support shareholder proposals.

The group statement outlines steps gun makers, retailers and lenders can take. Gun makers, for example, should stop making and selling military-style semi-automatic weapons for civilians and support a federal universal background check system, the statement says.

In addition, the group asks that retailers stop selling guns and ammunition to people under age 21 (as some already have done) and stop selling realistic toy guns and air rifles. And it calls on banks to stop allowing credit cards to be used to buy guns and to stop lending to manufacturers that don't support federal universal background checks.

All companies are asked to end commercial relationships and promotional ties with the NRA and to consider moving corporate events to states that have "responsible gun legislation and that promote public safety," the statement says.

"ICCR members have a long history of addressing violence in our society through many, diverse corporate connections," said Mark Regier of Everence Financial/Praxis Mutual Funds. "Moving the conversation on gun violence beyond the manufacturers and retailers is a critical next step."
Stormy Daniels attends the 2018 Adult Video News Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on January 27, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"We expect this any day," said the lawyer, Michael Avenatti.

The attorney for Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, immediately said he would refile the motion to depose Trump, adding that the judge's denial was on "procedural grounds."

A federal judge has rejected  for now  a request by a lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels to depose President Donald Trump under oath as part of an ongoing legal battle over a hush-money agreement.

Judge S. James Otero's said Avenatti's motion depose the president was "premature and must be denied" because it was filed before an anticipated filing by Trump and his personal lawyer in the case.

Avenatti said he would refile the motion in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to seek Trump's testimony as soon as the president and other parties in the case file an anticipated action seeking to send the dispute to a private arbitrator, instead of a judge.

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Daniels sued Trump in California state court on March 6, seeking to void an agreement she signed in October 2016, on the eve of the presidential election.

The agreement required Daniels  who received $130,000 from Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen as part of the deal  to not make public comments about her purported relationship with Trump in 2006 and 2007.

Daniels has said she had sex with Trump once, several months after Melania Trump gave birth to the couple's son in 2006, and saw Trump into the following year.

Spokesmen for Trump have repeatedly said that he did not have sex with Daniels.

Avenatti argues that the agreement is not valid because Trump personally never signed it. The agreement was signed by Daniels and a corporation, Essential Consultants, which was set up by Trump's lawyer Cohen.

Essential Consultants had Daniels' case transferred to federal court in California on March 16.

In winning transfer of the case, EC said that it plans to file a petition forcing the dispute to be settled by arbitration and not by a federal court trial. A court filing by Trump also says he wants the case settled by arbitration, whose proceedings would be held outside of public view, unlike federal court hearings and a trial.

Trump is also seeking at least $20 million in damages from Daniels for multiple violations of the nondisclosure agreement.

In response to those statements, Avenatti asked the judge for an expedited jury trial and permission to depose Trump.

In his ruling, Judge Otero said Avenatti's request is "untimely" because neither EC nor Trump has actually filed petitions asking for the case to be sent to arbitration.

"While EC and Mr. Trump have stated their intention to file a petition to compel arbitration, they have not yet done so," Otero wrote. "If such a petition were filed, a number of the questions raised in Plaintiff's Motion may be answered in the petition, thus limiting the need for discovery on these issues. If such a petition is never filed, Plaintiff's Motion is moot."

"Accordingly, Plaintiff's Motion is premature and must be denied."
Over 15 years, four women in Lake Oswego, Ore., a wealthy Portland suburb, sought police protection against the same man, court filings show. "He threatened to burn down my house with me in it," one woman wrote in her application for a restraining order. "I don't know what he's going to do next," a second wrote. "He choked me so hard it left a mark on my throat," wrote another. "He is scaring my children and me," a fourth woman said. Yet the man, Douglas E. Greenberg, remains one of Morgan Stanley's top financial advisers  and a celebrated member of the wealth management industry. More from The New York Times:

A Wall St. Executive's Downfall Seemed Sudden. It Was Years in the Making.

Bill O'Reilly Settled New Harassment Claim, Then Fox Renewed His Contract

James Gorman of Morgan Stanley, Going Against Type For years, Morgan Stanley executives knew about his alleged conduct, according to seven former Morgan Stanley employees. Morgan Stanley received a federal subpoena related to one abuse allegation, according to a lawyer for one of the women. In another instance, a Morgan Stanley manager alerted his superior when Mr. Greenberg was charged with violating a restraining order, according to three former employees. Another manager at the firm liked and replied to a Facebook post by one of Mr. Greenberg's ex-wives in which she described his abuse. On yet another occasion, an official from the bank's New York headquarters flew to Portland to investigate, two former employees said. Despite this information, Morgan Stanley apparently took no action against Mr. Greenberg. He is still an employee and a member of the elite "Chairman's Club," which recognizes brokers who not only are top producers but also meet certain "conduct and compliance standards." The wealth management division in which Mr. Greenberg works represents the future of Morgan Stanley. The company's chief executive, James P. Gorman, wants the division to supplant the volatile investment banking and trading businesses that until recently were the bank's profit engines. Wealth management now accounts for nearly half of the bank's total revenue.

Douglas E. Greenberg Mr. Greenberg is in the top 2 percent of brokers at the firm by revenue produced. Last month, he made a Forbes list of Oregon's top wealth managers. This week, after The New York Times contacted Morgan Stanley with questions about Mr. Greenberg, the bank put him on "administrative leave pending further review of this situation," said a Morgan Stanley spokeswoman, Christy Jockle. "We are committed to maintaining a safe and professional work environment and will take appropriate action based on the facts of the matter." Reached on his cellphone this week, Mr. Greenberg said he had no comment. "It's interesting that a reporter from New York would somehow have all this information just on her own," he said. He did not respond to additional detailed requests for comment. Since claims of sexual harassment in the workplace ignited the #MeToo movement last year, companies have been struggling to handle accusations against star employees. Fox News, for example, granted a four-year contract extension to the anchor Bill O'Reilly soon after he paid $32 million to settle a sexual harassment claim against him. Morgan Stanley has wrestled with the issue, too. Late last year, the bank fired a top investment banking executive, Harold E. Ford Jr., after hearing accusations that he had engaged in misconduct. The bank later said that Mr. Ford, a former Tennessee congressman, was not fired for sexual harassment. Mr. Ford has denied any wrongdoing. None of the women Mr. Greenberg is said to have abused were employed by Morgan Stanley. But employees in the finance industry  especially those who manage money for clients  are judged in part on their character. That puts the onus on companies, and regulators, to police their conduct even outside the office. Financial advisers like Mr. Greenberg have to share certain information about themselves publicly, under rules intended to help investors find trustworthy money managers. For example, brokers have to inform the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, known as Finra, if they declare bankruptcy or are charged with any felony or with a misdemeanor related to money. But there is just as much information that does not have to be disclosed  and that means that people with checkered histories can continue to thrive in the industry. On Finra's website, each broker's history is displayed in a vertical timeline, with red dots marking the date of each trouble spot. There are five red dots on Mr. Greenberg's timeline. They represent a 1984 charge, eventually dismissed, of theft by check; a 2001 charge of criminal mischief in the first degree, also dismissed; two disputes with clients; and a regulatory penalty.

Electronic signage at the headquarters of Morgan Stanley in New York. Scott Mlyn | CNBC
New Jersey's $78 billion state pension has sold its $1.9 million stake in the firearm and ammunition maker Vista Outdoor and may try to engage weapons makers and retailers to push for "positive change" in their business practices.

The move comes just weeks after a state senator, Vin Gopal, introduced legislation to bar the state from investing in companies that make guns or ammunition. It is part of a fresh wave of activism by public pensions in response to the outcry over gun violence after the deadly shootings at a high school in Parkland, Florida, in February.

Earlier this month, the State of Michigan Retirement System said it sold its shares of Olin Corp., a chemical company that also makes Winchester ammunition. But California's Public Employees Retirement System, the largest U.S. public pension, voted against a similar proposal to sell stakes of rifle sellers, saying it could use its influence as a major shareholder more effectively than sending a message by divesting.

Earlier Thursday, a group of nearly 150 investors, including faith-based groups and socially activist funds, urged American companies to take action against gun violence.

New Jersey's pension said it had already been cutting its stake in Vista Outdoor and recently sold the rest of it.

"After the tragedy in Parkland, we examined our holdings to identify companies which might be adversely financially impacted by a changing landscape as it relates to certain types of firearms," said Chris McDonough, director of the state's Division of Investment, in a statement on the governor's office website. "Vista Outdoor was the only holding we identified that manufactures semi-automatic or automatic weapons for civilian use."

A spokeswoman for Vista wasn't immediately available for comment.
In this handout image provided by the South Korean Presidential Blue House, Chung Eui-Yong (R), head of the presidential National Security Office shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (L) during their meeting on March 5, 2018 in Pyongyang, North Korea.

North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, South Korean officials said on Thursday, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearization as tensions ease between the old foes.

South Korean government officials announced the date of the summit after holding high-level talks with their North Korean counterparts on Thursday.

The two Koreas had agreed earlier this month to hold such a summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom when South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a delegation to Pyongyang to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Thursday's talks were the first between the two Koreas since the delegation returned from the North.

A South Korean unification ministry official told reporters the two Koreas would hold a working-level meeting on April 4 to discuss details for the summit, such as staffing support, security and news releases.

North and South Korea have experienced a significant easing in tensions since the Winter Olympics in the South in February. The are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.

Kim is also scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump some time in May to discuss denuclearization, although a time and place have not been set for that summit.

Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in a surprise visit to Beijing this week, his first trip outside the isolated North since he came to power in 2011.



Even more surprising was Kim's pledge to denuclearize the Korean summit. That commitment was reported by Chinese state media, although North Korea's official media made no mention of it, or Kim's anticipated meeting with Trump.

Trump and Kim had exchanged threats and insults in recent months. The U.S. leader made the equally surprising announcement earlier this month that he was prepared to meet Kim to discuss the crisis over Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons capable of hitting the Unite States.

The North Korean leader's engagement with the international community has sparked speculation that he may try to meet other leaders. Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Thursday Japan had sounded out the North Korean government about a bilateral summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping promised Beijing would uphold its friendship with North Korea after his meeting with Kim.

Trump wrote on Twitter he had received a message from Xi on Tuesday night that his meeting with Kim "went very well" and that Kim looked forward to meeting the U.S. president.
Even though Nvidia's stock has fallen under pressure for the chipmaker's ties to cryptocurrency mining, Nvidia founder, President and CEO Jensen Huang doesn't expect the crypto craze to die down anytime soon.

"Cryptocurrency will be here. The ability for the world to have a very low-friction, low-cost way of exchanging value is going to be here for a long time," Huang told CNBC on Thursday in an interview with "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer.

Huang's company is less a chipmaker now than a catch-all computing company producing high-powered graphics processing units, or GPUs. For months, Nvidia rode the wave of cryptocurrency popularity before Wall Street analysts soured on the volatile trend.

"Blockchain's going to be here for a long time and it's going to be a fundamental new form of computing," Huang told Cramer. "I expect blockchain, I expect cryptocurrency to be an important driver for GPUs."

Huang admitted that Nvidia's processors were the "perfect" vessels for employing the capabilities needed to mine cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

"The reason why cryptocurrency became such a popular thing on top of our GPUs is our GPUs is the world's largest installed base of distributed supercomputing," Huang explained.

"Blockchain requires cryptography and the ability to have a public ledger that is completely immutable, perfectly safe, distributed all over the world," he continued. "Our processor serves as the perfect processor to enable this supercomputing capability to be distributed. And that's the reason why it's used."

However, even with the crypto craze fueling GPU demand, Huang emphasized that it's far from being a growth driver for Nvidia.

The majority of Nvidia's growth comes from the video game business, professional graphics visualization, the multi-billion-dollar data center business and the encroaching self-driving car business, the CEO said.

"Gaming is a much bigger business, data center is a much bigger business, our professional graphics is a much bigger business and, of course, in the future, everything that moves will be autonomous and we'll have autonomous capabilities and that's going to be a much bigger market," Huang said. "Cryptocurrency just gave it that extra bit of juice that caused all of our GPUs to be in such great demand. But I think over the long term, ... our fourth growth drivers is what's going to make Nvidia 10 times larger than it is today."
Florida high school massacre survivor David Hogg, who along with some of his fellow teens have turned into fierce gun-control advocates, is asking his nearly 600,000 Twitter followers to boycott advertisers of Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

The conservative commentator mocked Hogg on Twitter on Wednesday after the 17-year-old revealed in an interview on TMZ that his applications were recently rejected by four University of California campuses. Ingraham tweeted: "David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates.)"

Laura Ingraham tweet

Hogg fired back with his own tweet calling on his followers to boycott Ingraham's advertisers. "Pick a number 1-12 contact the company next to that #," he tweeted.

David Hogg tweet

TMZ producer Harvey Levin, who interviewed Hogg, was among many who responded to Ingraham's remarks. He tweeted: "@IngrahamAngle David was not whining. I called him about the story. He was not feeling sorry for himself in the slightest. It was my idea that colleges should consider applicants who are so committed. Did you watch the video???"

Harvey Levin tweet

Hogg's 14-year-old sister Lauren, who also survived the mass shooting, came to her brother's defense as well, telling Ingraham to "please grow up."

Lauren Hogg tweet

Hogg and Ingraham didn't immediately respond to CNBC to comment.
Stephen Arcano, head of M&A at Skadden, said companies were being vigilant about potential political risks but for the time being there was no evidence that the pace of deal talks would slow down later in the year.

That was apparent in a 10.1 billion euro deal, including debt, clinched this week between Carlyle and Dutch paint maker Akzo Nobel for the latter's speciality chemicals business. The acquisition is one of the largest European private equity deals agreed in recent years.

Dealmaking in Europe has more than doubled from year-ago levels, led by accelerating activity in the UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. Some bankers and lawyers expect the pace of divestitures to accelerate, opening the door for private equity groups.

In an environment where growth is back, companies feel the pressure to justify the multiples they are trading on," said Alison Harding-Jones, Citigroup's Europe, Middle East and Africa M&A head.

The deals have been spurred by quickening global growth and robust business confidence, as well as tax cuts passed in the US last year that have added to the firepower for marquee acquisitions."

The surge of big transactions  with more than 20 deals worth at least $10 billion  has been bolstered by a desire by boards to head off disruptive technological threats and accelerate growth, according to bankers and lawyers who spoke to the Financial Times.

The overall level of activity is up more than 67 percent from a year earlier and about a third ahead of 2007, the previous high-water mark for takeovers.

More than half of the $1.2 trillion worth of acquisitions in the first quarter  the fastest start to a year ever  have been worth in excess of $5 billion.

Despite a heightened level of political uncertainty, a potential US-led trade war against China and fraught Brexit negotiations, companies have embarked on an unprecedented number of big acquisitions this year. The value of $5 billion-plus deals is more than triple year-ago levels, according to data provider Thomson Reuters.

Concho Resources , a US oil and gas producer, agreed to buy rival RSP Permian for $9.5 billion including debt and CME Group , the Chicago exchange, agreed to buy Nex Group, in a deal that valued the UK group at nearly 3.9 billion.

In the latest sign of how eager boardrooms are sparking a record number of "megadeals", Japan's top drugmaker Takeda revealed it was weighing a $40 billion takeover of Irish rival Shire .

More than $50 billion worth of takeovers were being lined up on Wednesday, in a final flurry of dealmaking that saw global volumes exceed $1.2 trillion in a record-breaking quarter.

Here are some of the significant themes that have emerged in the first quarter of dealmaking in 2018.

Morgan Stanley unseats Goldman Sachs

Morgan Stanley dethroned its rival Goldman Sachs from the top of the world's M&A rankings in the first quarter of 2018, due to a consistent pipeline of megadeals in the first three months of the year, writes James Fontanella-Khan.

Morgan Stanley advised buyers and sellers around the globe for a total of $385 billion worth of deals, about a third more than the $264 billion worth of transactions Goldman advised on during the first quarter, according to Thomson Reuters.

The advisory division led by Robert Kindler, Morgan Stanley's vice-chairman and global head of M&A, worked on fewer deals than Goldman during the same period  65 compared with 85  but on significantly more big-ticket transactions.

Morgan Stanley advised on six out of the 10 largest deals, including US health insurer Cigna's $68.5 billion acquisition of pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts and European media group Sky, which was approached by US cable company Comcast in a deal worth $39.8 billion.

Although the data for Morgan Stanley were slightly skewed by the inclusion of Unilever choosing Rotterdam over London for its single legal base  which Thomson Reuters valued as a $90.5 billion transaction  the New York investment bank would have still ended the quarter at the top.

JPMorgan Chase and Citibank followed the two investment banks in third and fourth position in the rankings, respectively.

Centerview Partners, which jumped from 21st to fifth in the ranking, was the only boutique investment bank to make it into the top 10.

The firm co-founded by Blair Effron and Robert Pruzan advised Express Scripts in its sale to Cigna and Thomson Reuters in the $17 billion sale of the majority of its financial and risk assets to Blackstone.

Chinese regulatory uncertainty subdues appetite

Bankers and lawyers are blaming regulatory uncertainty and jittery relations between the US and China for a 15 percent decline in Chinese cross-border dealmaking so far this year, writes Don Weinland.

Chinese companies spent just $25.2 billion on overseas assets in the first quarter, while the number of deals fell to the lowest mark since 2005, according to data from Thomson Reuters.

The only sizeable negotiation so far in 2018 was Geely's unsolicited $9 billion investment in Germany's Daimler, the owner of Mercedes-Benz.

Behind the low deal count is a deterioration of relations between China and the US and more resistance against China's acquisitions of US technology.

"For me the biggest challenge is the regulatory uncertainty in the US and the future of US-China relations," said Miranda So, a Hong Kong-based partner at law firm Davis Polk. "It's this risk that has subdued some of the appetite for overseas deals."

In a report for new tariffs on Chinese exports last week, the US named several companies that have repeatedly bought US businesses and technologies. The accusation from the US administration is that Chinese policy and cheap loans from state banks were behind the flurry of deals over the past three years.

But M&A activity is expected to pick up in coming months as China's political situation firms up, although the focus could fall outside of the US.

"The government's new economic team is in place in Beijing and everything has settled down," said Tang Zhenyi, chairman of Hong Kong-based investment bank CLSA. "Now the corporations can focus on going out, on going global. I think that means it will be a big year for Chinese companies doing overseas deals."

A series of sensitive political meetings kicking off in October of last year had disrupted deal flows in 2017, with companies such as HNA Group waiting for clarity on what types of outbound investment would be allowed.

U.S. crackdown threatens bullish mood

The crackdown was swift, just as much as it was unexpected. In short order earlier this month, the US government acted to, in effect, block the prospects of the largest technology acquisition of all time: the $142 billion takeover of chipmaker Qualcomm by Singapore-based Broadcom, writes Arash Massoudi.

The use of national security concerns by President Donald Trump to block a takeover that had yet to be agreed was unprecedented and spooked dealmakers around the world at a time when the US government is pursuing more protectionist policies.

It is uncertain whether a further freeze in global dealmaking will take a hold, but for now cross-border mergers and acquisitions account for more than $511.7 billion in overall activity in the first quarter of this year. That is up 76 percent from the same period a year ago and advisers see no sign that a slowdown is coming.

"M&A dialogue remains robust despite concerns about the potential impact of changes in America's trade and national security policies on deal activity," said Stephen Arcano, head of M&A at Skadden.

One area where the US actions did have an effect however was in deals from China, with companies from the country registering just 4 percent of the activity so far in 2018.

US companies launched more than $101 billion worth of overseas deals, with the largest move coming from cable group Comcast as it tries to break up a takeover of UK pay-TV broadcaster Sky.

Other significant cross-border transactions in the period include Italy's Atlantia and Spain's ACS teaming up to jointly take over Abertis, the Spanish highway concessions group.

The largest European deal into the US came in January when privately held consumer group JAB Holding agreed to pay $18.7 billion in cash to acquire soft-drink maker Dr Pepper Snapple and combine it with its Keurig Green Mountain coffee business.

Strong demand powers buyout funds

Global private equity deals have enjoyed their strongest start in five years, buoyed by the record amounts of cash flowing into the sector as institutional investors look for ways to boost their returns, writes Javier Espinoza.

Buyout-backed transactions totaled $79.7 billion in the first quarter, a 30 percent rise from a year earlier. The figure represents 7 percent of overall global dealmaking activity, according to Thomson Reuters data.

The US saw the biggest increase in private equity transactions with a 52 percent rise in deals led by buyout funds, accounting for a total of $46.4 billion so far this year. In Europe dealmaking jumped 27 percent, totaling $19 billion and the most active year since 2007. Asian deal flow shrank slightly.

The two largest transactions for the first quarter were Blackstone's $17 billion acquisition of the financial terminals and data unit of Thomson Reuters and Carlyle's 10.1 billion euro acquisition of Akzo Nobel's speciality chemicals unit.

Rob Pulford, head of financial sponsors for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Goldman Sachs, said he expects activity levels to surpass those of 2017. He said: "This year is as good as last year and I think 2018 will be even more active. We are seeing the biggest deals in a long time."

Pulford expects a bulk of the deals to come from private equity groups acquiring listed companies following a doubling in the value of such deals last year. "The level of dialogue and conversation around public to private transactions has accelerated from last year. Boards of companies have decided that what's on offer is compelling," he said.

But as the pace of dealmaking speeds up, advisers to buyout funds have warned that there is a risk of overpaying for assets as multiples have already surpassed the record highs of before the financial crisis.

--Additional reporting by FT's Arash Massoudi and James Fontanella-Khan
Renault shares rose sharply on Thursday following renewed media reports of merger talks between the French carmaker and its longstanding alliance partner Nissan.

Renault's stock was up 4.6 percent at 97.41 euros as of 1057 GMT, after Bloomberg said the companies were in merger discussions, citing unidentified sources. Nissan shares had earlier closed 0.5 percent lower in Tokyo.

Reuters reported earlier this month that the carmakers were discussing a deal, at Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn's initiative, that would see Nissan acquire much of the French government's 15 percent Renault holding, as a prelude to a merger.

"We do not comment on rumors and speculation," Renault-Nissan spokesman Jonathan Adashek said on Thursday when asked about the latest report. A French finance ministry spokesman also declined to comment.

The Renault-Nissan alliance, underpinned by cross-shareholdings, has wrestled intermittently since its 1999 inception with full merger proposals that have foundered on objections from France, Renault's biggest shareholder.
Futures were higher this morning, but the final trading day of March is likely to conclude with the largest monthly losses for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq since January 2016. The Dow remains in correction territory, down 10.4 percent from its January record high. (CNBC)



* Stocks are getting slammed. Here's one way to trade it (CNBC)

* Cramer Remix: The stock to get into if you can't take the pain in tech (CNBC)

Amazon's (AMZN) stock was slightly lower in premarket after a report that President Donald Trump has discussed altering the company's tax treatment because several of his friends told him the e-commerce giant is hurting their business. (Axios & CNBC)



* What Trump could actually do to go after Amazon (CNBC)

Facebook (FB) will end partnerships with several large data brokers, in response to the controversy over the use of personal information. Those brokers help advertisers target Facebook users, and the news is weighing on the stock of data broker Acxiom (ACXM), which said 2019 fiscal year revenue and profitability could be hit by as much as $25 million.



* Tim Cook on scandal: 'I wouldn't be in this situation' (CNBC)

* Facebook is changing what data advertisers can use to target you with ads (Recode)

It's a busy day for economic numbers, beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET with the release of initial jobless claims, personal income, and consumer spending. At 9:45 a.m. ET, the Chicago Purchasing Managers Index is out. And at 10 a.m. ET, the University of Michigan's final March Consumer Sentiment Index is expected. (CNBC)

Constellation Brands (STZ) and Movado Group (MOV) are among the handful of companies issuing quarterly earnings this morning, while there are no companies of note with numbers out after today's closing bell. (CNBC)
Adult-film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, poses for pictures at the end of her striptease show in Gossip Gentleman club in Long Island, New York, February 23, 2018. Eduardo Munoz | Reuters

Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, said Thursday that her legal battle against President Donald Trump is getting help from an unusual source: David Schwartz, the attorney for Trump's own personal lawyer. And Avenatti is not alone in that view. A number of other legal experts said that Schwartz's comments Wednesday night in a TV interview may have both damaged Trump's case and put Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen at risk of ethical sanctions. Schwartz represents Cohen, who has admitted paying Daniels $130,000 just days before the 2016 presidential election to sign an agreement that barred her from publicly discussing what she has said was a tryst with Trump a decade earlier. Representatives for Trump have said he denies any such affair with the porn actress, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Daniels is suing Trump to have that agreement declared void, on the grounds that he never signed it. Both Daniels and the limited liability corporation created by Cohen, Essential Consultants, signed the deal. Trump and Cohen plan to ask that Daniels' case be decided by a private arbitrator and to have her sanctioned for $20 million for violating the terms of the agreement. "The president was not aware of the agreement," Schwartz told CNN on Wednesday. "At least, Michael Cohen never told him about the agreement." Schwartz added: "Michael Cohen left the option open. That's why he left the signature line open to go to him [Trump]. He chose not to bind the LLC, EC LLC and Stormy Daniels into the contract." Tweet

Avenatti told CNBC that "there's no question" that Schwartz's comments make it easier to prove the agreement is invalid. He also said they will make it easier to get a judge to order that Trump submit to questioning under oath from Avenatti before a trial. "Remarkably, the legal buffoonery from the other side continues unabated," Avenatti said. "Every time David Schwartz goes on television our case grows stronger," Avenatti said. "So I would urge him to go on as many TVs as possible." Cohen and Schwartz did not return requests for comment.

Michael Avenatti, the attorney for Stormy Daniels. Jennifer S. Altman | For The Washington Post | Getty Images

Jeffrey Cohen, a New York matrimonial and family law attorney who is not connected to the case, said Schwartz's claim will damage the case for Trump. He said Schwartz's claim that Trump had not known about the nondisclosure agreement when Michael Cohen signed it undercuts the claim that the agreement was valid and can be enforced as a result of legal action filed by Trump. "It seems to be that they can't dance on both sides of this fence," Jeffrey Cohen said. "It will hurt" Trump's case, he added. "He can't not be a party to the agreement and also be a party to the agreement here," Jeffrey Cohen said of Trump. "I don't see how he can be party to an agreement if he didn't sign it." On Thursday, a federal judge handling Daniels's lawsuit rejected, at least for now, Avenatti's request to question Trump under oath in the case. The judge said such a motion was premature, leaving the door open for Avenatti to refile the request later. Jeffrey Cohen said that the judge might be more likely to order Trump's deposition if there is an open question about whether he was aware of the agreement when it was signed, as that could determine its validity.

'It becomes messier by the day'

Jeffrey Cohen also said that Schwartz's comments on Wednesday night, if true, increase the risk that Michael Cohen will be the target of an ethics complaint with the New York bar association. Jeffrey Cohen cited a number of ethical rules that could apply in the case, including one that prohibits a lawyer from giving financial assistance to a client in connection with contemplated or pending litigation. Another rule requires lawyers to promptly inform a client of a material development in litigation or contemplated litigation. "I personally think that Michael Cohen is not sleeping these days because he's under serious attack," Jeffrey Cohen said. Harry Rimm, a white-collar litigation lawyer and partner with Sullivan & Worcester in New York and a former federal prosecutor, also mentioned the state ethics rules when asked about Schwartz's comments about Michael Cohen. Rimm said "material developments" in a case that would have to be disclosed to a client "includes settlements," such as the payment of money to Daniels. He said that one exception to that rule is when "the client has previously made clear" to his lawyer the proposal that was later agreed to by the opposing party "would be acceptable." But, Rimm said, "I don't understand or I can't foresee agreements being enforced where a lawyer entered into it ... without the client being given the chance to consider it, accept it or reject it." "I can't imagine the court enforcing an agreement when one side acknowledges that that side didn't know what the lawyer was doing," he said. Regardless of how the case ends up playing out, Rimm said that Schwartz's comments have made it harder for the public to figure out what the truth is about the agreement. "The facts are in dispute, and it becomes messier by the day," he said.

WATCH: Cohen used Trump Org email to arrange payment to Daniels
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Wednesday there were "no announcements and no specific policies or actions that we're currently pushing forward" regarding Amazon. The Supreme Court will hear arguments this year over whether all states can require online to collect sales tax from consumers.

Amazon shares were up as much as 1.6 percent in premarket before the president's tweet. After opening lower, the stock rebounded and closed more than 1 percent higher.

"Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

Several states say online retailers should have to collect sales tax, even in those where the companies don't have a physical presence. The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that states couldn't collect sales taxes gathered by mail-order catalog companies unless the firms had a physical presence in a state. South Dakota and several other states argue that things have changed in the era of Amazon.

Indeed, Amazon does collect sales tax from consumers in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Analysts at Wall Street firm Stifel said Thursday that it appears Trump was referring to taxes on sales by third-party retailers on the website, which account for about 50 percent of volume on Amazon.

Amazon might actually benefit from the move Trump is suggesting, Stifel added, since it would raise prices on third-party merchandise relative to the online giant's inventory, potentially hurting small businesses.

An Axios report Wednesday said Trump wants to "go after" the e-commerce giant, citing five sources who have talked about Amazon with the president.

That report also noted Trump's view of the post office is one which "has been explained to him in multiple meetings" as "inaccurate." The U.S. Postal Service is not owned or operated by the government. Rather, it is an "establishment of the executive branch," meaning the service is controlled by presidential appointees and acts as a government agency.

Observers also point to Amazon's business as one of the things keeping the USPS afloat, although critics argue that the Postal Service could have negotiated a better deal with the online retail giant. Analysts have said that Amazon's own delivery service poses more of a threat to the USPS than it does to private delivery companies FedEx and UPS.

The Postal Service added Sunday deliveries in 2013 as demand for packages continued to grow. The USPS teamed up with Amazon to roll out the service to New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and Phoenix, making it possible for the retailer's customers to receive packages seven days a week.

The Postal Service's financial crisis has persisted over the past 11 years. Since 2007, it has accrued more than $63 billion in cumulative net losses. Package deliver is one of the bright spots for the service, however. In fiscal year 2017, revenue from package deliveries increased $2.1 billion, up nearly 12 percent from the previous year.

First class mail, the Postal Service's top revenue stream, continues to decline each year, while high labor costs and ballooning pensions add billions in expenses. Congress mandates that the USPS pre-fund pensions.

Trump has blasted Amazon on social media in the past, saying the e-commerce company is hurting the retail industry and causing U.S. job losses.

Tweet Link

Trump also repeatedly bashed the "Amazon Washington Post" on Twitter. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, but the news organization is a separate entity from Amazon.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin hinted in July the administration may soon take "a position" on Amazon's tax collection policy.

Amazon's stock dropped more than 4 percent in Wednesday trading, closing down at $1,431.42 per share and wiping out more than $31 billion in shareholder value.
Yu Gong (center), founder and CEO of China-based iQiyi (IQ), rings the Opening Bell at Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square with employees and investors in celebration of its initial public offering (IPO) on March 29, 2018 in New York City.

The political sparring between Washington and Beijing hasn't dampened the interest of Chinese companies wanting to list shares in the U.S.

Chinese initial public offerings in the U.S. accounted for about a fifth of U.S. IPO proceeds in the last three months, their best quarter by proceeds in three years, according to Renaissance Capital. The firms, mostly lesser-known, smaller Chinese companies, are often drawn to the prestige associated with the New York stock exchanges.

"As a U.S.-listed company it'll be easier to attract top talent from Chinese internet companies," Yipeng Li, chief financial officer of Sunlands Online Education, told CNBC on the day of its IPO, March 23.

Chinese companies raise even more capital in the US

Source: Renaissance Capital. Excludes SPACs, best-efforts IPOs, deals that raise less than $5 million or have a market cap below $50 million.

"We also believe we can show our true value as U.S.-listed company. Right now all the high-quality [Chinese] education companies are listed in the U.S.," Li said. Sunlands declined nearly 13.3 percent Thursday and has a market cap of about $1.5 billion.

Eight Chinese companies raised $3.3 billion in the first quarter, the most in three years, thanks primarily to a $2.3 billion raise by video streaming company iQIYI, Renaissance said.

More may be coming. Drew Bernstein, co-head of the China practice at Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk, an auditor of Chinese IPOs in the U.S., said he's working right now with about six or seven offerings and that he's accepted at least four more clients.

"Many Chinese want to immigrate to the U.S. [and having corporate name recognition] eases access for immigration to them," Bernstein said.

President Donald Trump has targeted China with plans for tariffs and increased scrutiny of Chinese deals in the U.S. The value of completed Chinese foreign direct investment transactions in the U.S. dropped by over a third from 2016, and the worth of newly announced deals dropped by more than 90 percent, according to Rhodium Group.

Meanwhile, Beijing has been trying to limit capital flight and is reportedly encouraging large Chinese companies to list in mainland China through a "Chinese Depositary Receipt" or "CDR" system.

"Based on news reports and announcements made by Chinese government agencies so far, we think CDR issuance will probably be launched in 2H18," Morgan Stanley equity strategists said in a March 19 report.

Sunlands' Li said he doesn't think the political tensions between the White House and Beijing will affect his business, and the firm doesn't have plans to hold a secondary offering in mainland China. For many Chinese companies wanting to go public in the U.S., their stated international ambitions coincide with a national push for Chinese firms to go overseas.

"For now, the U.S. market is still considered to be a better place for price discovery for tech valuations so we still expect to see Chinese listings here," said Kathleen Smith, a principal of Renaissance Capital, which is a provider of IPO ETFs and institutional research, in an email.

"However, in the long run as Asian markets evolve, it makes sense that Chinese companies will list in their local markets," Smith said.

Despite the rush to list in the U.S., the latest Chinese offerings haven't done that well so far. For example:

Sunlands has lost nearly 25 percent for the week.

Animation-focused video streaming site Bilibili (Ticker: BILI) opened Wednesday $1.70 below its IPO pricing, and the $3 billion stock closed 2.1 percent lower for the day Thursday.

The much larger iQIYI (Ticker: IQ) tumbled 13.6 percent in its debut Thursday. The stock offering counts Goldman Sachs as an underwriter and is the biggest IPO of a Chinese company in the U.S. since e-commerce and tech giant Alibaba went public in 2014, according to Renaissance.

As is the case with any security, investors will need to do their own research.

The documentary "The China Hustle," which hits theaters Friday, warns investors the last time a slew of Chinese IPOs hit the U.S. market roughly a decade or more ago, pension funds and retirement funds lost at least $14 billion to Chinese stocks that turned out to be frauds. The film claims that Chinese financial markets are now even more entwined with the global system, and calls for more regulation.

"I don't think there's anything changed other than that the fraud has gotten more complicated and sophisticated," said Dan David, co-founder of the GeoInvesting hedge fund that is featured in the documentary. "I don't think that all the Chinese-based IPOs are connected to fraudulent activity, but they all could be and they won't be breaking the law in China."
President Donald Trump said his much-hyped infrastructure plan will likely have to wait until after this year's midterm elections.

Ironically, Trump made the remark at an event that was intended to push his infrastructure plan, which would include $200 billion in federal funding meant to encourage $1.5 trillion in overall investment from states, municipalities and private entities.

Trump's take lined up with what the White House has been saying. A senior administration official, who declined to be named, told reporters that "what we can't get this year" on infrastructure "we'll do next year." The president, the official said, is in it "for the long haul."

Trump made repairing America's aging infrastructure a key part of his populist pitch to voters during the campaign. He has also reportedly expressed his displeasure with the idea of public-private partnerships, which make up a key part of his infrastructure proposal.

Some critics say Trump's plan would come up dramatically short of its goals. An analysis from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Trump's alma mater, said the plan would fall more than $1 trillion short of the investment it would need.

On Thursday, Trump blamed Democrats for not getting his infrastructure plan off the ground. He said that Democrats are saying, "Don't give him anymore wins" before the midterm elections. Trump's Republican Party controls both the House and the Senate.

Democrats are widely considered to have an edge over Republicans in the contest for majority rule in the House of Representatives, with polls showing the Democratic Party ahead on so-called generic ballots. The GOP, however, is expected to hang on to the Senate as several Democrats from states Trump won are up for re-election.

CNBC's Mary Catherine Wellons contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he may "hold up" a major trade deal the U.S. recently made with South Korea, in order to use the agreement as leverage in any upcoming negotiations with North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear program.

"I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea," Trump said of the trade pact, announced Tuesday. "Because it's a very strong card, and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly."

It was unclear how holding up the trade deal with South Korea, one of America's closest allies, could aid the U.S. in its dealings with North Korea.

Earlier this month, the president accepted an invitation, conveyed by South Korean officials, to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by the end of May.

"We're moving along very nicely with North Korea. Certainly the rhetoric has calmed down just a little bit, wouldn't you say?" Trump said to an audience in Ohio.

"And we'll see how it all turns out. If it's no good, we're walking, and if it's good, we will embrace it," Trump said. "South Korea has been wonderful, but we're probably going to hold that deal up for a little while, and see how it all plays out."

U.S. diplomats have emphasized that any tete-a-tete between the president and North Korean leader Kim would be simply a meeting, and not a formal negotiation on North Korea's weapons program or its long-term status in the global trade and banking systems, where it remains under heavy sanctions.

But Trump suggested in tweets Wednesday that there was a "good chance" of achieving "peace and denuclearization" with Kim.

TRUMP TWEET

TRUMP TWEET

The deal outlined by U.S. officials on Tuesday would effectively cut South Korea's steel exports to the U.S. by about 30 percent. It would also extend for another 20 years the current tariffs on South Korean trucks, originally set to expire in 2021. The two nations also reached a side deal aimed at deterring competitive currency devaluation by South Korea.

"We've redone it, and it's going to level the playing field on steel and cars and trucks coming into this country," Trump said Thursday.

The president was giving remarks at an event to push his infrastructure plan.
If President Donald Trump wants to go after Amazon, he's picking the wrong issue. It's China, not taxes.

On Wednesday, Amazon shares dropped 5 percent after Axios reported that "Trump has talked about changing Amazon's tax treatment because he's worried about mom-and-pop retailers being put out of business."

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied later in the day that Trump has any imminent moves planned, but Trump followed up with a tweet Thursday morning that was critical of Amazon.

Taxes are messy, but that's not how Amazon is killing small retailers.

As of last year, Amazon has been collecting sales taxes in every state where one applies. Third-party sellers  those who use Amazon's platform for distribution  have to collect sales taxes in a growing number of states and, in some cases, Amazon is required to play the role of enforcer.

Trump has seemingly had it in for Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos since the presidential campaign, presumably because of how The Washington Post, which Bezos also owns, covered him as a candidate and now as president. Throughout his attacks, Trump has criticized Amazon for being a "no profit" company, bilking the United States Post Office, not paying its fair share of taxes and for supposedly having sinister ties to The Washington Post.

But Trump has yet to connect Amazon to his pet issue: trade.
The Pentagon said Thursday that Defense Secretary James Mattis spoke with President Donald Trump about using military funds to pay for the proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. But the Pentagon didn't say there were any new developments.

Trump suggested the idea in a tweet on Sunday morning.

"What I can tell you is that the secretary has talked to the president about it," chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said describing the conversations as "initial."

When asked if taking money away from the service branches in order to fund Trump's wall would harm Mattis' goal of a maintaining a lethal military force, White responded, "I think that's a bridge too far because we don't have those details."

White added that "securing Americans and securing the nation is of paramount importance to the secretary."
Terry Branstad, the U.S. ambassador to China, spoke with CNBC on Thursday.

Terry Branstad, the U.S. ambassador to China, said that Beijing has not treated American companies fairly during a Thursday interview with CNBC. Beijing needs to be made aware, he said, of how important changing the bilateral trade and business relationship is to the welfare of American workers. "We've had a situation for many years where China has not treated American companies fairly and the trade deficit has grown and grown and grown," Branstad said.

For instance, Chinese chat app WeChat can be used in the U.S., while Facebook is blocked in China, he added. "We want to continue to build the trade relationship with China, but China needs to really change some of its unfair and discriminatory policies," Branstad said. Although China has pledged to liberalize its economy, "three or five years from now is not soon enough, it needs to happen quicker and that's what we're working to try to get accomplished," he said.

After all, Chinese workers "have seen a tremendous improvement in their standard of living over the last 20 years but American workers, many have seen none and we have seen a lot of the jobs go overseas," he said. Chinese officials need to be aware, therefore, of "how critically important this is to American workers," he said of the U.S.'s angling for a more beneficial trade relationship. Beijing said last week it may target 128 U.S. products with an import value of $3 billion as retaliation for President Donald Trump signing an executive order earlier this month that imposed broad duties on foreign aluminum and steel imports.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images

With credit card delinquencies rising sharply at smaller banks, Societe Generale's uber-bearish strategist Albert Edwards has predicted that the U.S. economy is headed for recession. "Markets are now sniffing out a rising stench," Edwards claimed in his latest research note, published Thursday. Edwards said a flattening of the U.S. yield curve  where the difference between short-dated and longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields narrow  was revealing investor fears about the economic recovery, despite punchy data related to consumer and business optimism. "The optimists have had their day. This data merely reflects the illusion of prosperity," Edwards argued. Societe Generale's lead global strategy analyst holds a history of outlandish negative calls and in this latest note he has claimed the authority of the U.S. Federal Reserve is now at risk.

"They say a fish rots from the head down. Unlike the 2008 financial crisis, this time I expect it is the Fed that will be held responsible for yet another debt crisis. Do not expect their independence to survive," Edwards added. Edwards cited data which showed that credit card charge-off rates at small U.S. banks had peaked to 7.9 percent. This is a level not seen since the end of the global financial crisis. Charge-off rates represent the level of debt that a creditor has decided it has no chance of collecting. A similar but separate analysis measuring credit card delinquency also revealed an alarming spike at small banks. While Edwards has often been seen as an outlier to wider market thinking, more voices have speculated that U.S. householders are seeing their finances stretched. "All the data we've seen over the last few weeks has basically been that the consumer is maxed out, we've seen that in credit card loans as well, so I think the consumer is done spending the money," said Steen Jakobsen, economist at Danish investment house Saxo Bank on Tuesday. And a report from Chet Malhotra, from asset management firm TCW, has also suggested late fees, cash advance and over-limit fees in the U.S. are on the rise.
The White House released a brief biography of Jackson. Highlights include:

 Qualifications in submarine and hyperbaric medicine  Experience as a diving medical officer in an explosive ordnance disposal mobile unit and work diving safety officer  Emergency medicine physician in the Iraq War  Also served as White House physician for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He has also directed health care for the Cabinet and Trump's senior staff, and acted as physician to the White House and served as director of the White House Medical Unit.  Awards include: the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), among others.

While Augustine, of the group Disabled American Veterans, noted that this is not the first time a secretary has been picked from outside the department, he said the VA's next leader has to "have some kind of institutional knowledge about the organization in order to make educated decisions."

Joe Plenzler, director of media relations of the American Legion National Headquarters, echoed the sentiment.

"The Department of Veterans Affairs is our nation's largest integrated health care system and the second largest federal department, and the Secretary of the VA is a position that requires experience and proficiency at running large health care systems," he said in an emailed statement to CNBC. "Ultimately, we will work with whomever the U.S. Senate approves for the position to ensure our nation's veterans receive the care they deserve."

However, experience running a massive organization is key to bringing the VA back to health. The institution in recent years has been crippled by inefficiencies and scandals over the services it provides to its military patients.

"The VA is more than just health care, you're talking about compensation, you're talking about education, you're talking about insurance, cemeteries, I could go on and on. So, whoever comes in as a leader needs to be cognizant of all facets of the VA system," Augustine said.
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President Donald Trump is slated to speak about his $200 billion infrastructure plan in Ohio on Thursday, in his first public appearance since begrudgingly signing a $1.3 trillion spending package last week.

Trump will deliver the remarks at the Local 18 heavy equipment training site in Richfield after flying into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Thursday afternoon.

In a February address to Congress, Trump called for a $200 billion federal investment intended to spur at least $1.5 trillion in spending from state and local governments over 10 years on roads, bridges, ports and other projects.

Critics of the plan said that it shifts the burden of paying for new infrastructure projects onto the states, which have less money at their disposal.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in February that the federal government could not shoulder the burden on its own. "Unfortunately there's not enough money to be able to pay for all the infrastructure needs of our country," Chao said.

The speech marks one of Trump's first attempts since February to revive the infrastructure debate. Others speculated that Amazon may be mentioned in the speech after Trump's message on Twitter earlier on Thursday attacking the retail giant.

"He could very well bring up Amazon," Republican National Committee spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said in a Fox News interview. "That's certainly on his radar, as we've seen with his tweet this morning."
Today, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is one of the world's richest people, with a total net worth estimated at nearly $90 billion. But a little over four decades ago, Gates was a brash young software developer who was just getting ready to take center stage.

In fact, it was this week in 1976 that a 20-year-old Gates was preparing to make a big speech  the opening remarks at the First Annual World Altair Computer Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the time, Gates was still technically a student at Harvard University, having taken a leave of absence after two years in school to form a computer software company with his high school friend, Paul Allen. That company, of course, would become Microsoft and Gates never finished his degree (though, he was granted an honorary one in 2007).

Gates and Allen had worked together as computer programmers at software company Honeywell in the summer of 1974 following Gates' freshman year at Harvard. That same year, the world's first personal computer kit was released. The Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems' (MITS) Altair 8800 inspired Gates and Allen, and they started working on software for the computer.

In a 2007 commencement speech at Harvard, Gates reminisced about calling MITS president Ed Roberts (from his dorm phone) to sell MITS on the idea of Gates building a version of the programming language BASIC for the company's new Altair computers.

"I worried that they would realize I was just a student in a dorm and hang up on me," Gates recalled. "Instead they said: 'We're not quite ready, come see us in a month,' which was a good thing, because we hadn't written the software yet.

"From that moment, I worked day and night on this little extra credit project that marked the end of my college education and the beginning of a remarkable journey with Microsoft."

In fact, Gates and Allen both admitted later that they had lied and told MITS that they already had a version of BASIC for the Altair when they hadn't yet written the software. "We had nothing," Allen told CBS' 60 Minutes in an interview.

But by the time the audacious pair met with MITS in New Mexico two months later, their programming language was ready.

After selling that software to MITS, both Gates and Allen took jobs with the company in Albuquerque at the end of 1975, while also forming their own partnership, then called "Micro-Soft." Gates and Allen continued working on developing software and, in February 1976, Gates wrote his famous "Open Letter to Hobbyists" in MITS' newsletter.

In the letter, which Gates later would say "really became a cause celebre at the time," the future billionaire complained about the widespread practice of computer users sharing the software he and Allen had developed without paying for it, calling the practice copyright infringement. Gates argued that, in order for quality software to be developed for computers, that developers like himself needed to be paid fairly. Gates included his Albuquerque address at the end of the letter for "any one who wants to pay up."

Over the ensuing decades, Gates and Microsoft would make billions of dollars precisely because of its copyrighted software is not shareable.
More discounts may soon be coming to Amazon Prime members at Whole Foods Market.

At a Whole Foods in Austin, Texas, the grocer has tested marketing material that promotes 10 percent discounts for Prime members, according pictures of that signage obtained by CNBC.

The discounts are not official, and the marketing material is still in its trial stage. The banners were hung late Wednesday in the store and had been removed by Thursday morning.

A Whole Foods spokesperson told CNBC, "We're not testing this offer at any of our stores."

One of the banners tells Amazon Prime members "blue signs mean special deals just for you, yes you." Another proclaims that Prime members save an extra 10 percent off "hundreds of sale prices."

The yellow and blue banners are one more indication of how the internet giant may use Whole Foods following its $13.7 billion acquisition of the grocer. With Whole Foods' reputation for expensive, niche items, onlookers have been watching closely to determine how it might make the grocer's products more affordable.
A different approach to space tourism just got a Silicon Valley boost. CNBC has learned that World View Enterprises, which sends equipment to the edge of space using high-altitude balloons, closed its latest round of venture capital funding with $26.5 million at a valuation of at least $84 million -- more than double its last valuation. The funding, led by prominent tech investor Accel, will bring it closer to its long term goal: using balloons to get people close to space. "This is a really key milestone for us, as our focus on the moment is on the Stratollite," World View co-founder and CEO Jane Poynter told CNBC, referring to the high-altitude balloon it uses to make long flights above specific spots on the Earth. "It's a brand new vehicle that we're bringing to market that no one else has."

World View conducted its inaugural Stratollite launch from Spaceport Tucson on Sunday, October 1st, 2017 World View | Steven Meckler

World View intends to use what it learns from Stratollite to launch people in another balloon-lifted craft called Voyager. "We will be flying people in the future but I'd like us to have 100 or more Stratollite flights under our belt first," Poynter said. Stratollite can fly commercial payloads the size of a small bus to 150,000 feet of altitude, making it possible to quickly and steadily provide services such as weather forecasting, military surveillance or disaster recovery. World View believes its technology stands apart from "cubesats," the tiny satellites that are the fastest-growing part of the $250 billion satellite industry, because Stratollite can stay in one place for a long time -- making it capable of "persistence monitoring." "You need an entire constellation of cubesats with the same instruments on it to get [persistent coverage]," Poynter said. "We could put it over the eye of a hurricane, giving a continuous video monitor of that location on Earth." Stratollite completed nine commercial flights last year, Poynter said. With "more customers than we can service right now" on the company's manifest, Poynter said Straollite will be flying even more often in 2018. This year World View aims to complete flights that last "one or two months," Poynter said  far beyond the company's record of a five-day flight, set last year. Its successor, Voyager, is intended to fly up to eight people for over five hours to the edge of space in a capsule complete with massive windows to enjoy the view. While Poynter declined to offer a time frame for Voyager's first flight, the company is offering tickets for $75,000 each, after a $7,500 deposit.

World View's December launchpad explosion

The investment comes after a mid-December a tear in a World View balloon, which caused an explosion felt throughout much of Tucson, Arizona. Poynter insisted that the "explosion did not delay" World View's operations "by even one iota." While investors asked about it, it didn't hurt the fund-raising effort. "It was a demonstration flight but not for Stratollite," Poynter said. "It was a different customer I can't speak about, as I'm under a [non disclosure agreement]."
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
Brexit 1) May starts nationwide tour to mark final countdown

She will promise to keep country strong and united  Daily Express

And will end tour with holiday in Wales  The Times

Were at the halfway point  Daily Telegraph

Heres whats ahead of us  FT

And some unanswered questions  The Sun

Brexit 2) Morgan: Ive a feeling last year was no rollercoaster in comparison to the coming one

Mrs May will claim that the country leads the world in international development action today as she embarks on a UK-wide tour to mark the start of a year-long countdown to Brexit. Stressing the UKs record on aid and its championing of liberal and democratic values underpins a renewed attempt to reassure Remain voters. The prime minister will start the tour in Ayrshire before travelling to Belfast and Barry, finishing in London. Aides said she then intended to take a short walking holiday in Wales. It was after a similar break last year that Mrs May made the decision to call a snap election. Her failure to secure an enhanced mandate has threatened both her premiership and Brexit itself over the past year, but Mrs May has defied critics by surviving and starting to close in on a final deal  The Times

Twelve months on from the triggering of Article 50 and a few new words and phrases have entered our everyday vocabulary, some with new meanings  transition, regulatory alignment, managed divergence, physical infrastructure, Henry VIII powers, meaningful vote and mutineer. A few more have popped up more often in my Twitter timeline and inbox than before 2016  traitor, remoaner and treason to name a few. Who knew that MPs doing their job of scrutinising the government and pointing out that control should be returned to our sovereign Parliament would arouse such strength of feeling. But, in spite of all the shouting, Brexit still means Brexit and we are now around 365 days from the UK becoming a non-member of the European Union.  Daily Telegraph

People want me to get on with the task  Theresa May, Daily Mail

This is the moment  Boris Johnson, Daily Express

Were a year from national liberation  Nigel Farage, Daily Telegraph

Some of us are still having to fight a referendum battle  Matthew Elliott, The Times

Editorials:

With unity, anything is possible  The Times

Its time for a change of approach  Guardian

>Today: Andrea Leadsom: Its a year today until Brexit. Lets continue to proclaim that it will be good for Britain.

Brexit 3) Thornberry says Labour will probably vote for final deal

McDonnell says she was being sarcastic  Daily Telegraph

And Starmer also casts doubt on her comments  Guardian

Brexit 4) Davis says we want a trade deal thats bigger than any standard other

Labour will probably vote in favour of the final Brexit deal, a senior shadow cabinet minister has disclosed, giving Theresa May a boost as she embarks on a whistle-stop tour of the UK exactly one year before its withdrawal from the EU. Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, said she expected the divorce deal, which the Government hopes to agree with Brussels by October, to pass Labours threshold for an acceptable arrangement. The Prime Minister had expected a major battle to get the deal through Parliament after MPs secured the right to have a meaningful vote on the agreement. But Ms Thornberry told an event at Chatham House in London that Labour had six tests which any deal must pass, and that Octobers deal would probably pass it because it was unlikely to contain difficult decisions.  Daily Telegraph

The Chief Brexit negotiator David Davis said the UKs position on financial services access to the EU was we want as much as we get. The comments come only days after it was reported by Retail Economics and law firm Squire Patton Boggs that the UK retail industry could be hit with 7.8billion in extra tariffs. Mr Davis said: What we want is going to be bigger than any other standard trade deal. Bear in mind that Canada is the most advanced trade deal ever done to date, so its a pretty good starting point. There are all sorts of pluses such as the security, foreign policy ad defence arrangement.  Daily Express

More Brexit

SNP says May blocking deal with Sturgeon  Herald

BoE and FCA issue reassuring statements on transition  Daily Telegraph

Downer surprised by debate over customs union  The Times

Gauke under scrutiny after ruling finds failings in MoJ handling of Worboys parole process

There are calls for him to quit  The Sun

The justice secretary has been forced to defend his decision not to launch a legal challenge against the release of John Worboys after two of the serial rapists victims won their own court victory. David Gauke was forced to justify his actions after a ruling found failings in the way the Ministry of Justice handled the parole process leading to the decision to release Worboys. Three high court judges in London said that the board must make a fresh determination in the case of the 60-year-old sex attacker. Mr Gauke considered going to judicial review to contest the boards decision but on legal advice decided not to.  The Times

Comment:

Lawyer MPs gave him an easy ride  Quentin Letts, Daily Mail

He has difficult questions to answer  Sonia Sodha, Guardian

This case shows why the criminal justice system needs to change  Nick Timothy, Daily Telegraph

Editorial:

Gauke has been worse than useless  The Sun

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The Grand Old Duke of Gauke should have stuck with his instincts on the Worboys case

More Conservatives

>Yesterday:

Johnson says countries that sided with Britain against Russia face the risk of retaliation

Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary, has predicted Russia will retaliate against countries that have acted in solidarity with the UK over the poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal, suggesting Moscow may interfere with energy supplies, or disrupt the lives of their Moscow-based diplomats and their families. Hailing the courage of the 27 countries that had backed Britain by taking action against Russia, he said their show of solidarity had crystallised a collective feeling across three continents that patience with Russias malign behaviour had come to an end. Speaking to the Lord Mayors banquet at the Mansion House in London, Johnson pitched the dispute as a wider battle against Russian disruption, claiming this week was the moment when the world decided to say enough to the wearying barrage of Russian lies, the torrent of obfuscation and intercontinental ballistic whoppers.  Guardian

And that British light sabres are better than Russian novichok  Daily Mail

May to consider preventing City helping Russia sell its debt  Guardian

Fox and Whittingdales alleged financial links to former Soviet states  Guardian

Meanwhile, Forces to get more money  Daily Mail

>Today: ToryDiary: Should new NHS spending be funded by a tax increase? Is Russia a threat to our security? The transition deal  good or bad?

More Westminster

Home Office exit check failures catalogued  The Times

Committee suggests security deposits cap for renters  Daily Telegraph

And elsewhere in the UK

NI same-sex marriage bill to have second reading in May  Belfast Newsletter

Labour head of discipline quits after supporting apparent Holocaust denier

A leaked email showed her stance  Guardian

Heres what happened  FT

Will MPs who demonstrated be deselected?  The Times

Theyve received sickening abuse  The Sun

Meanwhile, Jarvis faces calls to stand down  Guardian

Labours head of discipline quit last night after it emerged she had opposed the suspension of an apparent Holocaust denier, it has emerged. Christine Shawcroft stood down after it was revealed she emailed colleagues to demand an activist, Alan Bull, be allowed back into the party after he posted an offensive link. Mr Bull had been suspended after he posted a link to a Facebook article titled international Red Cross report confirms the holocaust of six million Jews is a hoax. But in an email sent on Sunday Ms Shawcroft, who was only appointed in January, claimed the post had been taken out of context, according to the Daily Mail.  Daily Telegraph

Comment:

We were wrong to think conspiracism dead  David Aaronovitch, The Times

>Yesterday: Andrew Gimsons PMQs sketch: Corbyn evades Worboys and Brexit as well as anti-semitism

News in Brief
In recent years while the Conservatives have been advancing in local government overall, in London we have been in retreat. In the 2006 local elections for the 32 London boroughs there were 785 Conservative councillors elected  more than Labour who were on 684. In 2010 it was down to 717. In 2014 it fell again to 612. The General Election last year and the election for Mayor of London in 2016 indicated the trend was continuing. While in Staffordshire and Scotland and many other places the Conservatives are doing well, in London there is a problem.

An opinion poll of Londoners in February by YouGov for the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London was extrapolated to suggest the Conservatives heading for defeat not just in Barnet but also Westminster and Wandsworth. It suggested that the Conservatives would lose over a hundred seats and get the worst ever result in the capital  fewer councillors than the 519 we managed in 1994 when John Major was Prime Minister.

I expect that the results will be rather more complicated. For instance the Brexit factor will work differently depending on the borough. Of course overall, London voted remain  and that was without the nationals of other EU member states being able to vote. But in Bexley, one of the councils the Conservative are defending, there was a big majority that voted Leave. Havering and Hillingdon also voted Leave. The Lib Dems are trumpeting their anti Brexit message. That might help them in Richmond and Kingston, which voted Remain. But not in Sutton which voted Leave. I suspect the Lib Dems would do better to return to pavement politics.

In 2014 the Euro Elections were held on the same day. UKIP won few council seats in London but their vote share was significant in some outer London boroughs. Assuming it collapses this time where will their votes go?

Then there is the question of whether Londoners will really want to use their vote in the local elections to send a message about Brexit. Based on my own canvassing I dont think many will. While Ive spoken to plenty of Conservatives in my ward in Hammersmith who are against Brexit they overwhelmingly accept that the issue of not one for the Council elections. Also the number who raise the issue at all when I stand on their doorstep seems to be diminishing.

A Conservative minded Remainer in Wandsworth might have abstained in the General Election last year  especially given the assumption that Jeremy Corbyn had no chance of entering Downing Street. They might have felt there was no cost in such a protest (except for Jane Ellison). However if they appreciate the low Council Tax and well run services provided by their Conservative council perhaps they will return to the fold. Similarly for Westminster. I predict both councils to be held by the Conservatives.

There is also the question of demographic change. London has been falling behind the rest of the country in terms of the rate of owner occupation. Also the proportion of ethnic minority voters has been growing  although the electoral impact of that has been offset by the Conservatives broadening their support.

What of places where the Conservatives might be wiped out altogether? This has already happened in Barking and Dagenham, Islington, Haringey and Newham. In Lambeth, Hackney, and Southwark we already have perilously few councillors. The return of the far left in the Labour Party in some of these places may have an impact. For instance I see that Rokhsana Fiaz, the Labour candidate for Mayor of Newham opposes academies and free schools and will campaign to bring all schools back under local democratic control. In other words under the clutches of Newham Council. What will local parents feel about that threat to some very successful schools? Fiaz managed to get the incumbent Sir Robin Wales deselected.

Im afraid it would bold to predict that the Conservatives will not make net losses in London. But my main prediction is unpredictability  uneven and unexpected results. Gains here, losses there. What if the Conservatives in Havering make sweeping gains not just from the six UKIP councillors but from the 23 councillors representing various residents groups? Perhaps the Conservatives in Upminster will discover their campaigning mojo. What if Labour scoops up seats in Tower Hamlets from the Rahmanite outfits Aspire and Peoples Alliance for Tower Hamlets who between them have 16 councillors? Such developments might be ignored as not of wider political significance. But they would be significant for Havering and Tower Hamlets.

I predict local elections being decided on local issues with huge variations in the fortunes of political parties as they are punished or rewarded from one borough to the next. My sense is that voters are becoming more sophisticated and more demanding. One might even say more transactional. They have a greater inclination to vary their votes. This will be a nuisance for commentators searching for coherence where it does not exist. They seek in vain a message for Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, and Sir Vince Cable. But maybe the elections wont be about them.
Andrea Leadsom is Leader of the House of Commons, and is MP for South Northamptonshire.

It was reported recently that, as someone who previously worked in the City, I should know the clear and present danger that Brexit apparently poses to the economy  capturing perfectly the negative attitude that continues to pervade the Brexit conversation. First, it is claimed that our economy and the City will suffer and, second, that when it comes to our future outside of the EU, we have no grounds for optimism.

The truth is that the evidence continues to prove otherwise. The economy has experienced 20 quarters of growth, employment is the highest it has ever been, and productivity, a key measure for future wage growth, has started to improve. As we mark one-year until Brexit, I am determined to keep making the case for why leaving the EU is good for our country, and will be a success for the City.

It came as no surprise to me to hear that researchers from Cambridge University now claim that predictions of Brexits negative economic impact were exaggerated. And nowhere more so, I would argue, than in the prospects for UK financial services.

This week, London came top of the Z/Yen index of global financial centres. It comes hot of the heels of the annual Cities of Influence report which also put our great capital at number one, having come close to quadrupling activity with European businesses. London has also been chosen by 90 out of 101 global institutional investors as the top location for fintech talent. EY Item Club points to a bright outlook for financial services as assets under management look set to reach 1.5 trillion by 2020. Now that we know that Britain will be able to negotiate and sign free-trade deals during the implementation period, the City should be planning for the world outside of the EU with increased confidence.

The UKs financial services centres, from Edinburgh to Birmingham, and Bournemouth to the City, provide the world with access to financial markets, financial expertise and international banking. In 2016, a week before the EU referendum, I told City AM that businesses across the EU will definitely want, and need, to retain continued access to UK financial services, and I completely stand by that. The Citys continued success will be a key measure for the outcome of Brexit, and so to uphold our world-leading position, we must secure the independence and confidence of our financial services industry.

Every week in the chamber, I hear, and welcome, views on both sides of the argument when it comes to Brexit and a huge range of other issues. However, the evidence points to a thriving City, and so I will continue to talk up our financial sector as the best game in town. With 90 per cent of growth in the next decade projected to come from outside the EU, this government will support businesses to capitalise on it, and take advantage of the new relationships and opportunities available to us around the world. As the Prime Minister has said: lets get on with it!
Binita Mehta-Parmar is Director of Modern Britain, a centre-right group exploring innovative thinking on a range of issues important to BME communities, from education to migration.

Enoch Powells infamous Rivers of Blood speech, strongly criticising immigration, was delivered on 20 April 1968, significantly impacting public perceptions of our Party. It deeply saddens me to say that his legacy lives on almost 50 years later. This week a Conservative leaflet was published expressing insensitive, intolerant and divisive messages on immigration.

The message, published as part of an In Touch by Havering Conservative Councillors, warned residents that a Labour victory would put Havering in danger of resembling other London boroughs like Hackney, Newham and Barking rather than a traditional part of Essex. This insinuation is obvious and, as Sunder Katwala of British Future puts it, creates new, unfortunate baggage for a party which already has a reputational issue around immigration and ethnic minorities. (The leaflet has since been withdrawn, at the instigation of CCHQ.)

This kind of message undoes our considerable strides forward in the last half century and undermines efforts of people like Sam Gyimah, James Cleverly, and Sajid Javid, who have done much to show that our party is for everyone.

The Conservatives have always sought to be a party for all, rather than seeking to represent particular sectional interest groups. In recent elections, we have made progress in beginning to shift public perceptions among ethnic minority voters. As a young Asian woman from a Labour background, I am acutely aware of this. Convincing those who assume the Tories are not for them is key to us regaining a majority government when the time comes.

However, this Havering leaflet conveys exactly the wrong message and will be used by our political opponents to demonstrate that we are willing to use race to win votes. At first glance at the badly designed and unclear leaflet, you may not take in the message. However, in reading the right hand column, in which white men say Sadiq Khan puts Havering in danger, will change Romford for good and will become like an inner city area with massive population increases from London, the underlying message is clear.

What does this message say for our Conservative colleagues knocking on doors in Barking and Hackney trying to convince people to vote for us? In Watford, too, where I am standing in the local elections, these messages have consequences.

Diversity is not an inner city issue. Indeed Policy Exchange reports that the UK ethnic minority population is expected to double to 25-30 per cent by 2050. Furthermore, BME voters are moving to marginal constituencies: at the next General Election, target seats for both of the main parties are predicted to have ethnic minority populations of over 20 per cent. In some seats, such as Harrow West, that proportion is above 50 per cent.

BME votes matter increasingly to our party: according to British Future, it was the ethnic minority vote gap which cost Theresa May her majority in last years General Election. This kind of message therefore turns off voters nationally, from the cities to the suburbs.

It is also not just about elections; it is about our fundamental beliefs. It would be easy for me to decide not to comment about the campaigning of fellow Conservative candidates in the run up to an election. However, some issues go above party allegiance. To quote the late Jo Cox, we have more in common than that which divides us, and divisive language doesnt chime with modern Britain.

This incident, denounced by Daniel Finkelstein, Nick Boles, and Chuka Umunna, is a stark reminder that politicians must take all voters seriously but be careful not patronise any. It is all too easy to make mis-steps that can offend or cause ridicule, like Jeremy Corbyns tweet claiming that Only Labour can be trusted to unlock the talent of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people. But we must step up when criticising our own side, just as we have rightfully called out the despicable cases of anti-semitism within the Labour Party. Parties cannot afford to simply ignore this problem  not just because of the impact it has on BME citizens lives, but for what it says about governing for all.
Whatever happened to the Big Society? 3) Peter Franklin: The values of the all-consuming state or market both deaden the human spirit

Peter Franklin is Associate Editor at UnHerd.com.

In a country tempted by Corbynism, in which the Overton Window has shifted towards state interventionism, the urgency for freedom-based thinking seems clear. This is how Rebecca Lowe introduced readers of ConservativeHome to FREER  a new think tank dedicated to cause of economic and social freedom.

FREER (of which Lowe is Director) received a warm welcome from Guido Fawkes. Praising a launch event speech from Liz Truss (of which more later) he said: At a time when the government is dominated by the anti-libertarian, anti-free market, statist dogma of Theresa May and Nick Timothy, this was refreshing to hear.

Note that opposition between the power of the state and the freedom of the individual. Note also the context  not so much the battle between Left and Right, but between opposing tendencies within the Conservative Party.

Its easy to forget that statism isnt exclusively socialist. Just think about how much bigger and more centralised the British state became over the course of the 20th century  a period in which the Conservatives were in power well over half the time.

Its tempting to blame what Margaret Thatcher called the ratchet-effect of socialism, but she herself extended the power of the state when she felt it necessary. For instance, in curbing the unions, abolishing the Greater London Authority and the metropolitan authorities, opposing devolution to Scotland (while imposing the Poll Tax a year early), introducing the National Curriculum and kicking off the state-directed process of decarbonising the economy. Various other examples include Section 28, compulsory seat belts, and market interventions such as the London Docklands Development Corporation.

She had her reasons for all of these extensions and centralisations  some of them good, others definitely not, but either way she abhorred not the levers of power.

As Guido points out, the Tory tradition of state activism has now been revived under Theresa May  with a little bit of help from Nick Timothy. One can question whether shes done anything of any significance to achieve an economy that works for everyone or whether her true motto instead is nothing has changed.

But for supporters of FREER thats not the point. They quite rightly see that the forces of statism are once more on the march  and that the threat doesnt just come from the anti-capitalist left or the pro-EU centre, but also from the post-liberal right. In America, Poland, Hungary, Turkey and now Italy, liberal conservatism has been usurped by its illiberal shadow.

So is it time for British conservatives to take sides  choosing between liberty and authority, the market and the state?

My answer is no: we must reject this choice, and not solely out of a desire for balance. You see, theres a third Conservative school of thought: the idea that we need mediating institutions between the individual and the state  both to reconcile the claims of liberty and authority, and to go beyond what either of those can achieve anyway.

Any free society needs a public sphere that extends much further than the borders of the state; and which also leaves room for more than the market place.

The values of the all-consuming state are deadening to the human spirit, but so are those of the all-consuming market. Here, for instance, is what Liz Truss tweeted following her speech at the FREER launch: This generation are #Uber-riding #Airbnb-ing #Deliveroo-eating #freedomfighters.

Apart from the #soul-shriveling #mind-numbing #buttock-clenching awfulness of the Tweet itself, it reveals an impoverished conception of what freedom is all about. Unlike the crazy Corbynite dream of fully automated luxury communism, Trusss vision of endless tech-enabled consumption actually exists, but it hardly adds up to life in all its fullness: not for the low-wage, poorly-housed migrant workers that service our global cities, nor for the under-skilled, left-behind native workforce in the hinterlands. As for the better-paid knowledge workers  the supposed winners of the globalised economy  they have money to spend and a million ways to spend it; and yet, for many of them, the #home-owning #income-saving #family-starting opportunities that their parents enjoyed are out of reach.

Cut adrift from old certainties and expectations, people are looking for something more than what the market can deliver. Its not that theyre against individual freedom  far from it. But on its own, its not enough. As individuals, we want to be part of something bigger.

Thats a feeling that people get when, with thousands of others, they sing O Jeremy Corbyn or don a MAGA hat or succumb to some other form of identity politics.

Can the Conservative Party offer a better alternative? Is there anything bigger that can be offered other than a bigger state?

The good news is that there is. The bad news is that under David Cameron the Party tried and failed to deliver it. Its name, of course, was the Big Society.

This is how the leadership put it in the 2010 draft manifesto (a curtain raiser to the real thing):

If we are going to mend our broken society and make British poverty history, we need to address the causes of poverty and inequality, not just the symptoms. We need new answers to the social problems we face  and we believe that the truly effective answers will come from a big society, not big government; from social responsibility, not state control. So we will redistribute power and control from the central state to individuals, families and local communities.

And here it is in the actual 2010 manifesto:

Some promise solutions from on high  but real change comes from collective endeavour. So we offer a new approach: a change not just from one set of politicians to another; from one set of policies to another. It is a change from one political philosophy to another. From the idea that the role of the state is to direct society and micro-manage public services, to the idea that the role of the state is to strengthen society and make public services serve the people who use them. In a simple phrase, the change we offer is from big government to Big Society.

Note how the big society became the Big Society. That capitalisation signified the transformation of something that belongs to everyone into a political trademark  the first sign that something was wrong.

The second sign was the failure of David Cameron to win a majority at the election  blamed in part on the Big Society message. In fact, despite the manifesto, the Big Society was barely mentioned during the election campaign  a vacuum of hope into which Nick Clegg insinuated himself.

The lack of words in the campaign was faithfully translated into a lack of action in government. The Big Society was relaunched and relaunched again  and mentioned no less than ten times in David Camerons 2010 conference speech. And then well, not much really.

Ill leave it to Steve Moore to tell the rest of the sorry tale  but Id like to focus about what we can learn from the experience.

Firstly, the failure of the Big Society (note the capitals) was not a failure of the big society. Rather it was a failure of big politics and big government. Big politics is the politics of the PR spiv  its all about the simplification and centralisation of the message, about one voice in place of many. It also elevates talk above action  as if something said is effectively something done. Big politics therefore stands in diametrical opposition to the big society. Its not surprising that the latter was neglected in a system dominated by the former.

Big government, unlike big politics, is capable of action, not just talk. Yet it too operates from the top-down, seeking control through standardisation. Empowering the big society required big government to act counter to its most basic instincts. Again, the eventual outcome was not surprising.

Secondly, we need need to recognise that the Coalition did do some good things for the big society  though not things identified with Big Society brand. For instance, there was what Michael Gove achieved with Academies and Free Schools. The other big success came through the City Deals, Growth Deals and Devolution Deals  a far-reaching decentralisation that turned the tide on a century of Whitehall power-grabbing. Having worked for the minister whose job this was (Greg Clark), I can say that getting Whitehall to act against its natural inclinations requires time, talent, bloody-mindedness and a very clear mandate from the top.

Thirdly, the big society is rather like Justice Potter Stewarts famous comment about obscenity  hard to define, but I know what it is when I see it. Ultimately the big society isnt about political slogans, but the reality of active community institutions  working beyond the limits of either the state or the market. The test for the big society policies of the future is whether or not they create new community institutions.

Looking back at the Cameron years, one cant point to many examples, but there are a few. The Free Schools Ive already mentioned. Another is the growing number of neighbourhood planning groups that give communities a real say over their future development. I should also mention National Citizen Service, a project particularly close to the former Prime Ministers heart. All of these are worthwhile, but they represent just a small part of whats needed.

Of course, community institutions cant be created out of thin air  no matter how willing people are to take part. They need purpose, power and assets. But even in an age of austerity, government  both national and local  has plenty of those, which it could on a small-scale, experimental basis transfer to the control of community groups.

The unsuccessful experiments need not be repeated, the successes however can be adopted (and adapted) for use elsewhere. That is how the City Deals got off the ground, and the Free Schools programme too. If this or any future Conservative Government wishes to recommit to the big society, then its ministers must be told that experimentation isnt just permitted, but compulsory.
May to visit Scotland and Wales in Brexit tour

The Prime Minister will launch her national tour  marking one year to go until our departure from the European Union  in Scotland, the Scotsman reports.

It adds that Theresa May will reaffirm her absolute responsibility to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole as her ministers continue to wrangle with the devolved administrations over the future of powers repatriated from the European Union.

Both the Scottish and Welsh governments have passed so-called continuity bills, which the Government is expected to challenge in the Supreme Court on the grounds that they are beyond the competence of the devolved legislatures.

May will also be taking her unionist message to Wales. However, as the tour is apparently aimed at meeting non-politicians she will not be holding face-to-face meetings with either Carwyn Jones or Nicola Sturgeon.

Plaid leader not convinced by tough stance on Russia

ITV reports that Leanne Wood, the left-wing leader of the Welsh nationalists, has said that she wont take the Prime Ministers word that Russia was behind the Salisbury attack.

Pressed by a reporter, she explained that I dont trust the Tories on anything. This sets her apart from her Scottish counterpart  Sturgeon notably overcame her own anti-Tory instincts to strongly back the Governments position, in defiance of the SNPs hard-line fringe.

Andrew RT Davies, who leads the Conservatives in the Welsh Assembly, has called Woods contribution childish, and Simon Hart MP attacked it as puerile.

In other Plaid news, Wood used this weeks party conference to announce her intention to lead the nationalists into the next Welsh Assembly elections in 2021, according to Wales Online. She also indicated that she was beginning to sketch out the partys bid to be the next Welsh government, although insisting that it is too early to write the manifesto.

However, in a possible sign of dissent, Jonathan Edwards, a Plaid MP, warned that the party risked electoral oblivion if it answered the challenge of Jeremy Corbyn by tacking left and embraced socialist theory  an approach which Woods own very left-wing sympathies would certainly dispose her well towards.

Foster suggests DUP will proceed with shadow assembly

Its been over a year since the Northern Ireland Assembly collapsed, and despite some initial optimism it now looks as if Ulster might be without devolved government for some time.

However, with the Government deeply unwilling to formally declare direct rule, and the administration of the Province by unsupervised civil servants coming in for mounting criticism, the Democratic Unionists have suggested a way of incorporating some form of local politics into rule from Westminster.

The Belfast Telegraph reports that Arlene Foster, the former First Minister and current leader of the DUP, is proposing a shadow assembly, wherein MLAs would scrutinise the actions of the Northern Irish Office and try to have some input into the decision-making process.

Sargeant family concerned at inquiry delay

A solicitor representing the family of Carl Sargeant has accused the Welsh Government of unreasonably delaying an inquiry into how the former minister was treated by Jones, according to Wales Online.

The First Minister has been under huge pressure over claims that he mishandled allegations against Sargeant, sacking him days before the AMs apparent suicide without telling him what he was accused of.

Both sides have been wrangling over the terms of the inquiry, causing further hold-ups: the family objected to several of the names suggested to oversee it, whilst the Welsh Government resisted a bid to broaden its terms of reference.

Jones previously blocked an attempt to set up an inquiry led by AMs  Kirsty Williams, his Liberal Democrat minister, apparently burned 5,000 of taxpayers cash cancelling an overseas visit in order to attend the crucial vote, which was forced by the Welsh Conservatives.

Scotland in Union cleared of donations charges

Scotlands leading anti-independence campaign has been cleared of allegations that it failed to declare 150,000 in donations, according to the Herald.

The Electoral Commission said it was satisfied that Scotland in Union (SiU) had complied with the law, after an investigation launched after a spreadsheet of SiU donors was leaked to a pro-independence website. The leak has been referred to the police for investigation.
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CORNWALL, Ontario  The two English language co-terminus boards of Eastern Ontario signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, March 29, 2018 to exchange school properties.

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) will be acquiring the old General Vanier Secondary School building from the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) which will be buying Immaculate Conception Catholic School from the CDSBEO.

The two school boards did not disclose how much General Vanier or Immaculate Conception were being sold for, only stating that it was for fair market value.

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario and the Upper Canada District School Board have successfully completed a memorandum of understanding which will be signed today, said CDSBEO Chairman Todd Lalonde. It is a testament to our commitment to the betterment of our students and parents.

General Vanier, which is currently the primary site for the UCDSBs TR Leger program, will be used by the CDSBEO to house the JK to Grade 6 students from Sacred Heart and St. Columbans Schools, which they are closing. The new amalgamated schools will also house the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Annes and Bishop MacDonell Catholic schools as well as the 7-8 students at St. Joes.

The CDSBEO received funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education to acquire General Vanier. The school will be receiving a $2.2 million make over, also funded by the Ministry.

The money will be used to add, among other things, four new kindergarten classrooms, new bathrooms and a new bus loop. The renovations are schedule to start in May.

The students who are currently at St. Columbans and Sacred Heart will be moved into the old General Vanier site in Sept. 2018, when the memorandum comes into effect.

The elementary school side of the site will be renamed to Sacred Heart Catholic School.

Immaculate Conception will be the new home of the TR Leger program. Director Stephen Sliwa said that he expected minimal disruption to the program.

General Vanier Secondary School is attached to the CDSBEOs main high school in Cornwall, St. Joes, and that connection symbolizes a partnership that goes back decades.

There are many times that I would remind the Ministry of the long partnership weve had, said UCDSB Chair Jeff McMillan. Especially at this school. Weve been partners for more than 30 years.

McMillan went on to state that this partnership will continue as both boards work to meet their communitys needs.

We are here to serve our community and we are here to serve our young people, McMillan said. Lets set the example of how two school boards can work together for the betterment of their community.
Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft, is departing the company as part of an executive shake-up to "accelerate our innovation and better serve the needs of our customers and partners," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote in an email to employees Thursday.

In the email, which Microsoft posted online, Nadella said the company is looking to ramp up its push for pursuing "intelligent cloud and intelligent edge" opportunities.

[Related: Morgan Stanley: Cloud Will Push Microsoft To A $1 Trillion Valuation Within One Year]

A 21-year veteran of Microsoft, Myerson has led the Windows organization since 2013. Myerson "has been instrumental in helping me arrive at this new organizational structure," Nadella wrote in the email.

"With change comes transition, and one transition we have been planning for is for Terry Myerson to pursue his next chapter outside Microsoft," Nadella wrote.

Rajesh Jha, who has served as executive vice president of Microsofts Office Product Group, will now have an expanded role that involves heading an "Experiences and Devices" team, according to Nadella. "The purpose of this team is to instill a unifying product ethos across our end-user experiences and devices," Nadella wrote.

Nadella disclosed a number of other leadership changes, including the promotion of Corporate Vice President Panos Panay to chief product officer and the expansion of responsibilities for Executive Vice President Scott Guthrie, who will head up a new "Cloud and AI Platform" team.

Among the other leadership changes is that Microsoft is promoting Corporate Vice President Jason Zander to serve as executive vice president for Azure.

Nadella said the moves are aimed to better position Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft in the era of cloud, edge and artificial intelligence.

"Todays announcement enables us to step up to this opportunity and responsibility across all our solution areas," Nadella wrote.

Reed Wiedower, CTO of New Signature, a Washington, D.C.-based Microsoft partner, told CRN in an email that "from the partner perspective, were very excited about all of these moves."

The changes are "impacting the product groups primarily, and thus there won't be any large-scale disruptive moment (similar to last year) for the field sales organization, which will ensure we dont see any slowdown in sales efforts as we move into the summer. That cant be overstated," Wiedower said.

In addition, he said, theres a "huge transition hinted at in the email which is important for all partners, customers and Microsoft itself  that the 'Microsoft 365' concept isnt merely a marketing branding exercise, but a true differentiator that is focused on driving amazing customer experiences. Having Rajesh Jha leading that group is a huge win."

In the email, Nadella wrote that "modern needs, habits and expectations of our customers are motivating us to bring Windows, Office, and third-party applications and devices into a more cohesive Microsoft 365 experience."

In both the commercial and consumer space, Microsoft is seen as "cool" again, Wiedower said, and that's "primarily because they've figured out how to drive magical experiences in both the home and business environments. Having Jha lead that group, and having it focus on 'Experiences' is key to this. I'm sure I'm not the only person to want to hop onto Twitter to congratulate Panos Panay on a well-deserved promotion  he's the best in the business as representing this experience focused effort in front of journalists, analysts and customers."

The Azure changes are "equally large," Wiedower added. "Scott Guthrie continues to drive positive change across the entire organization and by linking AI with the underlying Azure efforts, theyre making many of their transformational products work together under a single umbrella, from AI, to mixed reality, to the new Business Applications group expansion."

Another important executive change announced by Microsoft, Wiedower said, is that Corporate Vice President Eric Lockard will join the Cloud and AI Platform team to help improve Microsofts own store and commerce platforms.

The move is "subtle, but key for partners," Wiedower said. "These back-end systems are currently a source of pain for partners, and as Microsoft consolidates on a single store and commerce platform partners will notice a huge decrease in friction, allowing customers and enterprise organizations alike to consume services from Microsoft and the partner community with much greater ease. One of the reasons New Signature is such a good partner is that weve dedicated lots of energy to overcoming this friction, but this change will lift all partner boats higher, which is great to see."
Samsung's Channel Push

The past few weeks have been huge for Samsung's efforts to make greater inroads into the B2B market with the help of IT channel partners. First, Samsung launched an Enterprise Edition for the new Galaxy S9 smartphone, which is being sold unlocked by channel partners. The Enterprise Edition S9 features enterprise customization through Knox Configure and simplified deployment capabilities via enterprise firmware over-the-air. Then, Samsung debuted a new rugged tablet that is exclusive to the channel -- the Galaxy Tab Active2 -- which includes special capabilities for a number of industry verticals. The Tab Active2 is the first LTE-enabled tablet from Samsung that's being sold exclusively by channel partners.

The launches are "a huge testament to the strength and the potential of our B2B push into the channel," Samsung mobile channel chief Mike Coleman told CRN. "We're starting to build B2B-specific devices that solve real business problems and that partners can make money on."

Coleman sat down at Samsung's offices in New York to discuss the channel opportunities for the new devices and how Samsung has enhanced its program for solution providers. "We're on a growth tear," he said. "We've added folks to the [channel] team. We're bringing new products to market that are B2B-specific. And I think you'll see that continue."

What follows is an excerpt of CRN's interview with Coleman.
While the big cruise lines dominate headlines, the smaller players offer up different deployments and itinerary offerings, looking to sell a unique product.

Asuka II: Grand Asia

NYK Cruises will sail the Asuka II on a 33-day Grand Asia voyage next January. The ship will leave Japan and head south, with highlights including calls into Hong Kong, Halong Bay, Singapore, Melaka, Keelung and other ports.

SeaDream: Summer in Europe

Winter in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean in the summer suit the luxury yachts of SeaDream Yacht Club.

The SeaDream I and II both began the year embarking passengers in Bridgetown with weeklong sailings in the Caribbean tropics.

Both ships are scheduled for Europe this coming summer, with the SeaDream I in the Western Mediterranean, sailing from Civitavecchia, Villefranche and Barcelona. The SeaDream II is farther east, offering cruises from Piraeus and Dubrovnik, in addition to sailings in the Western Mediterranean from Malaga, Lisbon, Villefranche, Civitavecchia, Venice and Barcelona.

New Summer Program

Abou Merhi Cruises will bookend its summer 2018 program in the Eastern Mediterranean with a pair of new 10-day cruises. The new itineraries sail from the companys homeport, Beirut, with calls in Marmaris, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Athens, Nafplio, Paros and Rhodes.

The companys main summer program will feature one-week cruises, visa-free for the local Lebanese source market, with calls in Alanya, Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini and Marmaris, sailing roundtrip from Beirut every Sunday.
The Norwegian Jewel made its inaugural visit to Shanghai on March 24, docking at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.

It also marked the first time the port hosted three ships.

Port officials and local government leaders welcomed the ships officers, with a traditional plaque ceremony taking place on the bridge.

The 2005-built ship sails in Alaska this coming summer.
The Port of Genoa is poised to receive a state-of-the-art shorepower system from Nidec, according to a press release.

"This is an advanced electrical supply system that will enable docked vessels to plug in to the national grid from the dock, thereby accessing all the energy they need to be fully operative without having to switch on their on-board engines," the company said.

Nidec announced it had won a bidding process for the installations, which will help reduce the footprint of vessels calling in Genoa.

For us this project is a major milestone in the reduction of the environmental impact of port activities, a central theme for promoting a sustainable development model in a country like Italy, which has 7,500 km of coastland and 42 large ports. The transformation of these ports with a view to achieving greater safety and savings on energy may also contribute to attracting more cruise vessels, and this would have a positive impact on trade and tourism, said Kaila Haines, Marketing and PR Director of Nidec ASI.

We are proud to work in partnership with the Port of Genoa and to bring state-of-the art technology, together with our capacity to satisfy specific requirements through customized solutions and our proven experience, developed thanks to the various other applications we have already installed in the Port of Livorno, in the Muggiano / La Spezia shipyards, in the Naval Bases of Taranto and in Toulon (France).

Nidec has installed shorepower setups in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Juneau, Gothenburg and Lubeck, as well as Livorno.
Coral Expeditions has announced a new 16-night voyage aboard the Coral Discoverer, sailing to the islands of the South Pacific.

"The itinerary will celebrate the intrepid explorers who first reconnoitered the region while visiting some of the most significant sites of the Pacific theater of World War II. The cruise will offer an exciting opportunity to make lasting memories at sea amid the ongoing 75th Anniversary of U.S. involvement in the global conflict." the company said.

Scheduled for departure from Cairns, Australia on December 3, 2018, the cruise will take travelers to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea

During the cruise, the Coral Discoverer will sail into what the company called hidden lagoons, offering guests the opportunity to explore coral reefs and walk along volcanic calderas with the ships highly skilled expedition team.

While on board, guests will be joined with Maritime Historian and Master Mariner, Peter Martin. With more than 20 years of experience sailing the South Pacific, Martin will offer a depth of knowledge and expertise that will add to the overall experience of the expedition.

The Coral Discoverer will also sail to Guadalcanal Island, a backdrop for some of the most historical battles of World War II, the company said.

The 16-day journey will come to an end at Tanna Island with a visit to the lower reaches of Mt. Yasurs active volcano.
SkySea Cruise Line announced today the final voyage of the Golden Era will take place August 29, 2018. The four-night cruise will depart Shanghai and visit Fukuoka, Japan before returning to Shanghai on September 2, 2018. Owners Ctrip and Royal Caribbean recently announced the brand would be shut down later this year.

We will have a legacy of being remembered as a major contributor to the increased awareness and growing consumer demand for cruising in the China market as well as helping evolve the way cruises are marketed and sold," said Ken Muskat, CEO. We have introduced cruising to hundreds of thousands of consumers who have never cruised before and they walked away with incredible satisfaction which is now helping build repeat business. We look forward to continuing to provide the service and experience that makes SkySea special for the balance of our sailings and encourage those who havent sailed with SkySea to take advantage of this opportunity.

The Golden Era is currently based in Shanghai, sailing short cruises, and will sail from Xiamen from mid April to mid May, offering short cruises to Japan and the Philippines. SkySea will officially begin her final season festivities when she repositions back to Shanghai offering four and five-night sailings to Japan from the end of May through the final voyage.

The final Shanghai-based program will add a few unique onboard programming elements, including a "SkySea Golden Memories" champagne reception, a special farewell dessert made by the ships Executive Chef, a commemorative gift for each guest, a coupon book with special offers for purchases made onboard and a 10 percent discount on the cruise ticket for any past passenger of SkySea who books through the cruise lines call center or website.

The company will continue its popular SkySea Voice singing competition, with the grand finale set for the August 25 cruise.
Its tax time again and an opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage of unknowing consumers and businesses. While many of us are aware of this con impacting consumers, the simple truth is that this scam (and the underlying social engineering beneath it) is a huge danger to businesses and municipalities.

Big bets on business

As recently as this January, the United States Internal Revenue Service issued a new alert about a surge in income tax cyberscams. Part of the alert focused on the targeting of businesses. The government agency suggested that criminals were making serious attempts to pose as company executives or human resource and payroll officials to abscond with employee W-2 forms. With those forms in hand, the criminal gangs can file fraudulent returns and effectively have the government cut them a check for their wayward efforts.

Tax professionals, accountants and accounting firms are also a significant target for the same reason  data. If the criminals get hold of the E-File account number of the provider, or the CAF number (a unique nine-digit identification number and is assigned the first-time third-party authorization is filed with IRS), the scammers can redirect every income tax return to their own banking accounts. This is such a concern to the IRS that it has partnered with state tax agencies and the private-sector tax industry to form the Security Summit  a unique partnership formed to fight the crime and the potential financial fallout that can occur from this type of fraud.

The risks

But are they making a difference? While an informed populace is in less risk, the mitigation efforts can only go so far. There are too many people unaware of the issue and too many organizations that believe they are immune or that your business wont be a target. That belief is human  and that is the very problem. The actual crime (such as the release of information or the transfer of funds) occurs within the authority of the scammed user and outside of the organizations security grid. Heres what the typical crime looks like:

Stage 1: Assume an identity of authority

What is important to note about all these scams, regardless of the target, is that, at their core, the criminal must convince the victim that they are someone authorized to receive the information.

Stage 2: Gain the information

After they have convinced the target of an identity, they then must convince that victim to willingly hand the information over. Often, the bad guys position the transfer of information in a way that makes the victim feel like they are actually solving a problem or doing a favor for someone in a bind.

And that is how the scammers often approach it. Sure, you will see phishing samples of bullying or threatening. But the best ones, the lures that arent caught until after the money or data is gone, are the ones that are business as usual, or where the victim has felt that they have acted accordingly  perhaps even helping someone in a bind.

Effective, well-crafted social engineering lures are at the core of the Tax Scam problem  and also at another rising threat to businesses and governments: money and wire transfer fraud. City governments are seeing a tremendous increase in this type of crime. In fact, they may be most at risk because the infrastructure and security systems may not be cutting edge due to budgets. It is unlikely that a city with a population of 30,000 will have a fine-tuned DLP system installed and fully operational. Intrusion detection may be a wish in the city IT admin's list, but far from a deployment. And then, even with these installed, if a person routinely makes wire transfers as part of their job, will their security systems (or their financial institutions) note a transfer?

A recently published account of such an attack on Yarrow Point, a city just outside of Seattle, shows just how routine this type of fraud can seem  until after the money or data is gone. This story not only shared the account of a city with an annual budget of two million dollars that was scammed out of more than $60,000, it also lists other, bigger attacks.

How to stay safe

With scores to be made from these tax and wire scams on individuals and business, the landscape becomes harsher. However, there are resources available to protect yourself and your business from these threats.

While solid security systems and endpoint protection are necessary elements of your security posture, you must remember that many of these scams are a human problem. It takes human intelligence, in conjunction with security tools to battle this menace. In addition to the Security Summit noted earlier, CIS (Center for Internet Security, Inc.) is a non-profit entity that creates a global IT community network to share best practices and information that may help keep your organization secure.

There are organizations that can help train your employees on how to recognize and report social engineering attempts. You should ensure that whichever security awareness materials you choose will suit your company culture. While these materials can be effective countermeasures, dont underestimate your own ability to inform and to make change happen. Discuss this issue with your peers and coworkers. Very few people have ever been criticized for raising awareness of security issues.
GENNA MARTIN / GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM

Virgin Atlantic Airways reportedly has completed the relocation of U.S. headquarters employees to Atlanta, with the United Kingdom-based company previously having offices in Norwalk.

The airline is using space in Deltas headquarters near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport outside Atlanta, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported about a third of Virgin Atlantics 40 employees there were based previously in Norwalk. The company had established a small office at 75 N. Water St. after downsizing from its former U.S. headquarters at 747 Belden Ave., which has since been converted to apartments and a Yale-New Haven Health clinic.
BRIDGEPORT  Two convicted felons face several gun-related charges after they flashed a firearm at a local bar and were found later that evening by city cops, an incident report indicated.

On March 23, a confidential informant told a detective there was a person on the East Side of Bridgeport with a firearm, an incident reported obtained Tuesday said. The detective alerted Bridgeport police on patrol at the time.

After patrol officers were notified, shortly before 2 a.m., police responded to the area of 1611 Barnum Ave., formerly Barons Cafe.

The detective was told by the informant that one of the people was 33-year-old Aaron Tucker and the other was an unidentified male  later identified as 32-year-old Edward Vincent.

These two individuals allegedly pulled out a handgun at a local bar, the incident report said.

Tucker, of Milne Street, and Vincent, of Marigold Avenue, were each charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, criminal possession of a firearm, theft of a firearm, weapons in a motor vehicle, unsafe storage of a firearm and violation of a protective order.

Tucker also received a misdemeanor summons for operating a motor vehicle under suspension.

From one place, to the next

While officers were on their way to Barnum Avenue, they were told to look for a gray Infinity sport utility vehicle. They also received an update that the two men were at Frankies Diner, 1660 Barnum Avenue.

When officers got to Frankies Diner, there was a large group of individuals in the parking lot and inside the business, the incident report said. But Tucker and Vincent were nowhere to be found.

Officers were then told that the two were reportedly intending to shoot an unknown target and were driving around looking for them, on the East End in the area of Connecticut and Union avenues based on the information from the informant, the report said.

Police canvassed areas in the city known to be places Tucker frequented. As they canvassed, an employee at Valley Farms Drive-In at 1995 Boston Ave. called police.

The employee said there were a few individuals in their business parking lot causing a disturbance, the incident report said.

Suspicious behavior

An officer that was on patrol nearby responded to the Valley Farms Drive-In.

An employee at the restaurant told the officer that they saw two men  later identified as Tucker and Vincent  urinate near the stores entrance on the surveillance camera.

The two remained outside near a gray Infinity SUV that had previously been identified as the vehicle Tucker and Vincent were seen in. The officer wrote in an incident report that he went back outside to talk to them.

I approached the two males who were talking to a female, the officer wrote. I asked her to take a walk. She did so. I asked who urinated on the building. Both males ... refused to admit to the urination.

The officer said while he was talking to the two suspects, he moved slightly to get a better look at the vehicle to ensure it was the right one previously called out to officers. When he did that, he said, the two moved to stand between him and the SUV.

My suspicions rose further and I asked the two suspects to come over to my marked police car, the officer wrote. Both passively refused.

Trying to keep everyone safe

Then, the officer wrote, the two continued to ignore his requests to keep their hands where he could see them  both suspects put hands in clothing and behind their backs.

One of the males identified himself as Aaron Tucker and said that he was not a trouble maker, the officer wrote.

Now because of the vehicle and name we were looking for, and because I had two suspects who were reported to have firearms on them who were not complying with commands, I drew my duty pistol and ordered them both face down on the hood of my patrol car, the officer wrote.

The officer detained the two and radioed in that he had them in custody.

Initially, the officer said, the two did not comply with his requests to walk toward the cruiser and lie on the hood of the car. He said the two suspects were facing him and he had not had a chance to pat them down for weapons and backup had still not arrived.

Finally, Tucker and Vincent listened to the officers commands. But, the officer said, they both kept looking back at him and complaining that he had his weapon pointed at them.

Sometimes they complied. Sometimes they did not. I was trying to keep all three of us safe, the officer wrote.

Gun found  stolen

When additional officers arrived at the scene, an officer saw a black automatic handgun in plain view in the SUV, slightly tucked between the drivers seat and the center console.

Based upon placement each (Tucker and Vincent) could have easily have access to (the) firearm, one of the responding officers wrote.

The officer said neither Tucker nor Vincent admitted they had possession of (the) handgun seized.

Officers were able to run the guns serial number and found that it was stolen out of Henderson, North Carolina, the incident report said. The Vance County sheriffs were contacted and told about the recovery of the gun.

Convicted felons

It should be noted that both Tucker and Vincent are convicted felons and on parole, the incident report said.

Neither of them had a valid Connecticut pistol permit. And each of them had protective orders in place against them that prohibit them from possessing firearms.

The vehicle was towed. No additional contraband was found inside the car, the incident report said.
OXFORD  The image is frightening.

School papers lie scattered across a panel board, almost as if they flying into the air, while other papers are weighed down by the handmade AR-15 atop them.

The 3-D illustration is Kim Krivenskys response to school shootings.

I wanted to shed light on the lives that have been lost because of school shootings, said Krivensky, a 21-year-old senior at the Paier College of Art in Hamden, who lives on Ancient Highway in Oxford. Sandy Hook had an impact on me because it was so close to Oxford. Now Parkland. I wanted to send a message.

The message she sends was devised as part of an editorial illustration class taught by Vladimir Shpitalnik, a Paier professor.

I like the way she did this, because it carries so many different meanings, Shpitalnik said. Someone looking at it might see a young childs dreams of the future shattered by the gun. Others might see it as being about choices ... Kids can carry pencils or they can carry guns ... It has different meanings for different people ...Thats what art is meant to be.

Best of all, Shpitalnik said its perfect timing for whats going on.

Krivensky started with artwork she kept from her days at Oxford Center School, Great Oaks Middle School and Oxford High School. She took some simple grade school drawings  like the self portrait of the little girl with curls, the letter to mom and the poignant coloring of kids running into school on the first day.

I thought that was a good contrast, she said of the latter. Now were seeing kids running out of school for safety.

As she got older, the drawings became more elaborate.

Then in the center of the work she constructed a gun. Its made out of ordinary school supplies  colored pencils, erasable markers, a calculator, a protractor and more. A stapler and staple puller serve as the sights. A roll of tape in its dispenser serves as the trigger. Each piece is glued down with epoxy.

But its not just any gun. Its the AR-15  the model used to kill 17 at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on Valentines Day.

Her message being: how easy it is to get a high-powered gun and forever take away the creativity of young lives, she said.

I chose school supplies for the gun because they are easy to get, Krivensky said. From what I understand, that gun was easy to get.

Krivensky, who hopes to be an art teacher someday, said the 3-D illustration took about two weeks to complete.

Were going to display (it) in first in the Paier Art Show on April 13-14, Shpitalnik said. Im hoping to get it into different shows after that.

The Paier show opens April 13 at 7 p.m. on school campus, 20 Gorham Avenue, and continues on April 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ORANGE  Police officers from three different agencies were honored Wednesday evening for their work responding to calls that could have ended fatally had it not been for the intervention of these officers.

At a dinner Wednesday evening in Orange, hosted by the Police Commissioners Association of Connecticut, three Bethel police officers, three Stamford police officers and two Westport police officers were honored for their efforts involving their response to specific incidents.

The dinner also celebrated the top three academic graduates from POST and featured former Bridgeport police Lt. Ron Bailey as a guest speaker.

PCACs commitment

Chip Rubenstein, the first vice president of PCAC, said the people are chosen based on information from members, from the public, from senior command staff and even from stories written about incidents by news organizations.

We come up with some suggestions  and we vet them through the senior staff at the agencies, Rubenstein said.

The PCAC hosts two dinners a year.

Rubenstein said the one in the spring honors officers and the top academic graduates of the Police Officer Standards in Training Academy. In the fall, the organization honors distinguished chiefs or law enforcement professionals.

The fall dinner represents the past  the body of work done throughout their career, Rubenstein said. The spring dinner  the meritorious awards  are the present. And when we honor these academic graduates, thats the future.

POST Academy

The Post-C Academys top academic graduates were from the Wallingford, Stamford and University of Connecticut police departments.

Officer Francesco Picone, Class #356  Wallingford

Officer Vanessa M. Lynn, Class #357  Stamford

Officer Robin S. Miller, Class #358  UConn

Bethel

Three Bethel cops cleared a burning building, saving the lives of the building residents, according to a description of the incident provided by PCAC.

On July 13, 2017, officers Lynn Morris, Matt Dirago and William Holland of the Bethel Police Department responded to the scene of a structure fire at a historic building on Greenwood Avenue in downtown.

The three officers entered the building to evacuate all the residents.

Officer Dirago crawled on his hands and knees through the smoke0filled apartments, yelling for anyone still trapped in the burning building, the summary said.

In his search, Dirago found a disable man who was unable to get out of the residence on his own. Dirago called for help and Holland carried the man from the burning building.

All of this occurred prior to the arrival of the fire department, the summary said. The three officers are credited with saving the lives of the building residents.

Stamford

Three Stamford cops that saved three kids during a water rescue last summer were also honored at the dinner.

Officers Mike Montanaro and Damien Rosa and Sgt. Charles White responded to the Cummings Beach Fishing Pier in Stamford on July 16, 2017, on the report that three young children were in the water in distress.

When the officers arrived at the scene, the found the kids about 80 feet from shore. Two of the kids were clinging to the pier. Only one of the children could swim. There were no lifeguards on duty.

The two officers grabbed the children and towed them to shore. White responded as backup and swam from the beach to assist the third child, the summary of the incident provided by PCAC said.

The quick and heroic action of these three officers saved the lives of three young children, the summary said.

Westport

A Westport cop saved a woman in the Saugatuck River when he jumped into a nearby boat to rescue her.

On Feb. 25, 2017, several officers responded to the William Cribari Bridge for a report of a woman in the Saugatuck River. The officers found the woman in the extremely cold river, being pushed north by a very heavy current, a summary of the incident provided by PCAC said.

While officers at the scene were trying to mount a rescue effort, Officer David Scinto  acting on his own volition and ingenuity  found a unmanned boat on the bank of the river. Scinto and a member of the towns fire department navigated the boat to the woman and brought her on board.

Her skin was extremely cold and she was unable to support any part of her body, the summary said. She was taken to Norwalk Hospital by ambulance.

Another Westport officer was credited with saving a mans life roughly two months later.

On April 24, 2017, Officer Sam Sabin responded to a call for a house fire with a resident possibly tapped inside the burning house. When he was unable to gain entry into the home by the doorway, he started to check for windows.

Sabin saw an elderly man at a first floor window, bleeding from his head and hands from trying to exit through a partially broken window. Sabin broke the glass, and pulled the resident from the house.

The summary of the incident said the man would have perished in the fire, had Sabin not pulled him to safety.
Newtown, Southbury and 16 other communities that have teamed up to sue pharmaceutical companies over the opioid abuse crisis will have their first day in court on Thursday.

The municipal coalition, which includes Bridgeport, Oxford and Fairfield, accuses Stamford-based Purdue Pharma and 10 other drug manufacturers of intentionally distributing misleading information about addictive pain-killers such as OxyContin and thereby causing a prescription drug addiction crisis.
BRIDGEPORT  Over 100 projects for Bridgeport Public Schools on DonorsChoose.org were funded Tuesday night.

The 188 Bridgeport projects that were fully funded will support 125 teachers and total $132,759.

And Bridgeport wasnt the only lucky city or town. Every single classroom project request across the nation was funded last night by Ripple, a San Francisco-based technology company. The company donated $29 million.

DonorsChoose.org was started by a Bronx public high school history teacher in 2000. The site was launched as a place for people to donate to teachers asking for books, supplies and other materials.

Charles Best, the teacher who founded the site, and 11 of his colleagues posted the first requests on the site in 2000. Now, the website is open to every public school in the country.

Superintendent Aresta Johnson called the information great news when she passed it on to Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday.
BRIDGEPORT - Harding High School was put in lockdown Wednesday after police said a school employee threatened to go on a killing spree.

Carl Lemon, 63, an in-school suspension coordinator, was charged with second-degree threatening and breach of peace and was later released on $5,000 bond.

Police said shortly after noon officers were dispatched to the high school for a threatening situation.

The schools principal, Dane Brown, told officer that Lemon had made threatening statements to another teacher.

Police said Lemon stated that he hates white people and couldnt wait for the panthers to give the OK and a revolution begins because he will execute every white man he gets his hands on.

Lemon also stomped on an American flag in a classroom telling the students, This is what I think about it, police said.

Police said the principal subsequently found an anonymous note in her mailbox stating, Mr. Lemon talks about shooting whites a lot! He watches radical stuff during class. I am scared he will do something he is crazy.

More officers were called to the school which was put in lockdown while Lemon was taken into custody, police said.

Lemon was previously arrested on charges of creating a public disturbance, disorderly conduct and harassment but those charges were later nolled or dropped.
SEYMOUR  Police made a major drug bust over the weekend, seizing 200 bags of heroin they said were destined for sale on the streets.

According to a news release from Deputy Police Chief Paul Satkowski, police arrested three individuals Sunday after receiving reports of a loud disturbance coming from an apartment on Argonne Terrace.

Satkowski said officers arrived on the scene and found a woman waiting outside for them. As officers entered the apartment, they found a man standing next to a stove. The officer observed a large amount of narcotics, which later tested positive for heroin, on top of the stove. There was another man the apartment.

Satkowski said 15 bundles, or 150 baggies of heroin, were seized from the apartment. He said the heroin was packaged to be readily available and sold on the street.

The two men and one woman were detained and subsequently arrested for allegedly possessing the narcotics, according to Satkowski.

Satkowsi said following the arrests, detectives applied for and later served a search-and-seizure warrant for the apartment. Officer Matthew Butler and his K-9 partner Rex assisted with the execution of the search warrant. During a sweep of the apartment, Rex located nearly five additional bundles, or 50 bags, of heroin, along with a container of pills later determined to be Ecstasy.

Satkowski said police also seized drug paraphernalia and a small amount of cash. The estimated street value of the drugs seized is approximately $3,000, Satkowski said.

Arrested were Tyrease Gatison, 30, and Alicia Martinez, 33, both of Argonne Terrance; and Tyronn Gatison, 30, of Walnut Street, Waterbury.

Tyrease Gatison was charged with third-degree criminal mischief; second-degree breach of peace; two counts possession of narcotics; sale of certain illegal drugs/possession with intent to sell; and possession of a controlled substance. He was released on a $10,000 bond and appeared in Superior Court in Derby Monday, where his case was continued to April 4. He also was wanted by Derby police on an outstanding arrest warrant, Satkowski said, and was later released to the Derby Police Department.

Tyronn Gatison was charged with criminal impersonation; interfering with an officer/investigation; sale of certain illegal drugs/possession with intent to sell; and possession of narcotics. He was held in lieu of bail and arraigned Monday at Superior Court in Derby where his case was continued to April 16.

Martinez was charged with sale of certain illegal drugs/possession with intent to sell and possession of narcotics. She was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Derby April 2.

Satkowski lauded officers for preventing a huge amount of drugs from being sold on the streets.

A large amount of heroin and other narcotics was seized from these criminals who had intentions of selling these dangerous drugs on the streets to other individuals, Satkowski said. The consequences could have been devastating if not lethal. The officers and detectives did a great job.
US Imposes Cyber Sanctions On Iran

Iran has railed against US sanctions imposed on 10 citizens and a tech firm accused of cyber-attacks on at least 320 universities worldwide, along with US firms and government agencies. Tehran called the sanctions a gimmick that was provocative, illegal and unjustified.

The Mabna Institute is accused of stealing 31 terabytes of "valuable intellectual property and data".

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Bahram Qassemi said the new US sanctions were an act of provocation, and that the move would not prevent Iran's technological progress. "The US will definitely not benefit from the sanctions gimmick, aimed at stopping or preventing the scientific growth of the Iranian people," Mr Qassemi said in a statement.

The Mabna Institute was established in 2013, and US prosecutors believe it was designed to help Iranian research organisations steal information.

It is accused of carrying out cyber-attacks on 144 US universities, and at least 176 universities in 21 other countries, including the UK, Germany, Canada, Israel and Japan. By targeting the email accounts of more than 100,000 professors worldwide, the hackers compromised about 8,000 of them, according to the justice department.

The two founders of the Mabna Institute are among those sanctioned and their assets are subject to US seizure, a statement by the US Treasury Department said.

The indicted individuals are still in Iran. They were called "fugitives of justice" by US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and could face extradition in more than 100 countries if they travelled outside Iran.

Many of the "intrusions", Mr Rosenstein said, were done "at the behest of the Iranian government and, specifically, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps".

The hackers also targeted the US Department of Labor, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the United Nations, according to prosecutors.

Mr Qassemi said the sanctions were an example of Washington's hostility towards the Iranian nation.

Washington has adopted a much more belligerent stance against the Islamic Republic since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.

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As was expected, Vladimir Putin won Russias Presidential elections comfortably and will be leading Russia for another six years. He got more than 76 per cent of the vote and became the longest serving Russian leader since Stalin, being at the helm of Russia as either president or prime minister since 1999. He wanted to ensure that the scale of victory was higher than the last time when he had won around 64 per cent and he succeeded in drumming up that support.

Regional priorities

While Putin has celebrated his victory as recognition of the achievements of the last few years, the elections were stage managed to a large extent with the main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, being barred from the race. With the coronation of Xi Jinping as Chinas emperor for life and Putins election in Russia, a new form of authoritarian political order is shaping up, challenging the liberal order like never before.

India, of course, has a long standing relationship with Russia but that is undergoing a shift in the light of rapidly evolving geopolitical realities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was prompt in tweeting his wishes for Putins new term in office. For India, what should be concerning is Russias increasing tilt towards Pakistan as it seeks to curry favour with China. Moscow had historically supported New Delhi at the United Nations Security Council by repeatedly vetoing resolutions on the Kashmir issue.

Photo: Mail Today

Today, however, there is a change in how Moscow views its regional priorities in South Asia. In a significant development, the joint declaration issued at the end of the first ever six-nation Speakers Conference in Islamabad held in December end supported Pakistani line on Kashmir. This declaration signed by Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey underscored that for ensuring global and regional peace and stability, the issue of Jammu and Kashmir needs peaceful resolution by Pakistan and India in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

Domestic politics

During his visit to New Delhi in December, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov publicly called on India to join Chinas Belt and Road initiative and hoped that New Delhi will find a way out to benefit from the mega connectivity project without sacrificing its position on the issues flagged by it. Lavrov also made his displeasure clear over New Delhis warming up to the idea of a quadrilateral engagement involving the US, India, Japan and Australia in the Indo-Pacific. He suggested that sustainable security architecture in the Asia Pacific region cannot be achieved through bloc arrangement and is only possible through an open ended collective basis.

Despite the best efforts of the top leaderships in India and Russia, divergences are growing in this bilateral relationship as the underlying structural changes in the international environment are pulling the two nations apart.

For Russia, the US-led West presents its biggest challenge and its foreign policy priorities increasingly revolve around pushing back against the West at every level. The West views Russia as one of the most disruptive forces in global politics, even more so than China in many ways. The initial optimism of a US-Russia rapprochement post Donald Trump has died down now with domestic politics in the US becoming ever so contentious.

Growing collusion

For India, the prism is different as it has to manage the negative externalities emerging from the rise of China in its vicinity. Chinese power is now intruding into Indias traditional sphere of influence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. The growing power disparity between India and China is making the border situation more unstable. China-Pakistan nexus is proving difficult to contain as India gets ready to face a two-front challenge. China refuses to recognise Indian global power aspirations and has not yielded on key Indian security demands.

As a result, while Russia may find cooperation with China as a perfectly legitimate response to its problems with the West, India does not have that luxury. New Delhi has to therefore find like-minded countries to build alternative platforms and narratives so as to preclude Chinese hegemony in the wider Indo-Pacific.

Russias growing collusion with China and Pakistan will continue to test the Indo-Russian partnership in the coming years. For a relationship that largely relies on defence and where the economic underpinnings are lagging, the need of the hour should be to have candid conversations about the current state of play in the relationship. Just relying on sentimentalism of the past wont work anymore as new challenges confront India and Russia and the lobal geostrategic environment undergoes a profound reordering.

(Courtesy of Mail Today)

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Ram Navami celebrations turned out to be fiercely political than religious across West Bengal. While the RSS-BJP celebrated Ram Navami with unusual fanfare last year as well, the Trinamool Congress too jumped into the fray to appropriate lord Ram this time around.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who never misses an opportunity to portray herself as the country's most secular leader, is now competing with the saffron party to organise Ram Navami. One thing is clear - Banerjee and her party succumbing to the saffron agenda is a moral victory for the BJP, which is desperately eyeing Bengal.

Police baton charge an armed crowd that allegedly barged into a police station during a Ram Navami procession, at Kandi in Murshidabad. (Credit: PTI photo)

Banerjee, who once fought tooth and nail against the communists and succeeded in ousting them, is now facing heat from the BJP. West Bengal, much like the rest of the country, has seen a not-so-quiet saffron surge with the BJP making inroads into the state and the RSS spreading its shakhas across booths and gram panchayats.

BJP's recent victory in the communist stronghold of Tripura, a Bengali majority state, has added to Mamata Banerjee's headache.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front is continuously bleeding in Bengal, which once used to be its citadel. While the debacle in Tripura has made the CPI(M) more inconsequential, it has added to the BJP's political heft in West Bengal.

To defeat the Trinamool, the BJP knows that it will have to bring all the Opposition votes together in the state, where the Left still enjoys a votebank of around 25 per cent. Saffron victory in Tripura was possible as the BJP managed to transfer the 35 per cent Opposition Congress votes to its kitty, reducing the grand old partys votes to a mere 1.8 per cent.

Amid all the permutations and combinations, the festival of Ram Navami became the perfect ruse for the saffron party and its affiliates to continue their campaign against the Trinamool Congress.

The BJP, in its bid to capture the majority Hindu votes, started organising Ram Navami across the state since last year on an unprecedented scale, portraying Mamata Banerjee and the TMC as a pro-Muslim party that doesn't care for the majority Hindus. This campaign has paid rich dividends to the BJP mainly along the border areas as witnessed in the Cooch Behar by-election where the party bagged a whopping 28 per cent votes, coming in the second position and much ahead of the Left.

Sensing the rise of the BJP, especially after the Tripura elections, TMC this year was in no mood to let go the Ram Navami opportunity. The party organised massive rallies on Ram Navami in an effort to break the BJP's monopoly on Hindu festivals.

While the BJP is primarily eyeing to polarise the majority 67 per cent Hindus, Banerjee, who enjoys the support of the 30 per cent Muslims electorate, is trying to ensure that Trinamool's Hindu votebank stays with the party. She is well aware of the fact that only the Muslim votebank is not enough to remain in power. And given the rising saffron graph in the state, she was compelled to turn the alleged appeasement policy towards the Hindus, which until now was only for the Muslims.

In January, she even distributed copies of the holy Bhagavad Gita to Brahmins present in the Brahman Sammelan organised by her government in Birbhum district, the same district known as BJP's rising ground in the state.

Politically speaking, although the Trinamool tried its best to hijack the Ram Navami celebrations, according to local news reports, the ruling party was far behind the saffron brigade in terms of drawing crowds.

But more than anything else, the BJP's success in pulling the TMC into its favourite game of religious nationalism is definitely a big breakthrough for the Hindutva brigade.

Also read: Can an anti-Modi alliance defeat the BJP in 2019?
Lord Bingham in his book, The Rule of Law, said that there are countries in the world where all judicial decisions find favour with the powers that be, but they are probably not places where any of us would wish to live. Let us also not live where Bingham loathed to live.

We, the judges of the Supreme Court of India, are being accused of ceding our independence and our institutional integrity to the executives incremental encroachment. The executive is always impatient, and brooks no disobedience even of the judiciary if it can. Attempts were always made to treat the chief justices as the departmental heads in the secretariat. So much for our independence and preeminence as a distinct state organ.

Someone from Bangalore has already beaten us in the race to the bottom. The chief justice of the Karnataka High Court has been more than willing to do the executive bidding, behind our back.

I read with dismay and disbelief the confidential report sent to the honble chief justice by Shri Dinesh Maheswari, the chief justice of Karnataka High Court. To begin with, it was unasked for. Second, it is uncalled for. The confidential report blatantly records the impropriety of the executive directly contacting the high court to reassess a collegium recommendation of the Supreme Court.

It is a moot proposition that any principal and sessions judge is the administrative head of the district he works in. He has to exercise his supervisory, and disciplinary power over all other judicial officers in that district.

From the letter of the honble chief justice, Karnataka, the following facts can be culled out. In 2014, when Shri Krishna Bhat, a district and sessions judge, was working in Belagavi district, he sent to the high court a report concerning the (mis)conduct of Ms MS Shashikala, a judicial magistrate of first-class. The high court registered a vigilance case (HVC) No 93/2014 but did not choose to act upon the same till February 18, 2016. Till that time, Krishna Bhatt had faced no allegations from any quarter, including his subordinates.

With Shri Krishna Bhatts elevation around the corner, Ms MS Shashikala chose to complain against him.

If such retaliatory complaints are entertained, no career conscious judge would ever risk disciplining his subordinates.

From the material available on record, it appears that Ms MS Shashikala offered her resignation in April 2016 and withdrew it in June 2016. The then chief justice of Karnataka High Court was asked to provide the details and background of Ms Shashikalas resignation. The then chief justice, after inquiring into the issue, sent two confidential reports dated October 14, 2016 and November 14, 2016. He asserted that the allegations levelled against Shri P Krishna Bhatt were incorrect and concocted. He has found that Ms MS Shashikala has made her allegations only to malign Shri P Krishna Bhatt.

In the meanwhile, acting on the recommendations of the Karnataka High Court collegium, we recommended his name, along with five others from the service category, for elevation. At that time we were aware of the allegations, but we consciously and rightly disbelieved them.

Surprisingly, the government selectively withheld his elevation and accepted that of the remaining five others, though all the five are juniors to Shri Krishna Bhatt.

Now comes what is unpredictable and unthinkable. If the government had any reservations or misgivings about Shri Krishna Bhatts nomination, it could have sent back the recommendation for our reconsideration - a well-established though long forgotten practice. Instead, it sat tight on the file. In other words, our recommendation still retained its validity and legitimacy.

For sometime, our unhappy experience has been that the governments accepting our recommendations is an exception and sitting on them is the norm. Inconvenient but able judges or judges to be are being bypassed through this route.

I do not think any of us disputes that elevating a person to be a judge of a high court is a constitutional concern involving two authorities: the Supreme Court and the executive. The role of high court ceases with its recommendation. Any correspondence, clarificatory or otherwise, has to be between these two authorities. To my mind, I could recollect no instance from the past of the executive bypassing the Supreme Court, more particularly while its recommendations are pending, and asking the high court, as if it were an interdepartmental matter, to look into the allegations already falsified and conclusively rejected by us. Asking the high court to reevaluate our recommendation in this matter has to be deemed improper and contumacious.

Now the chief justice of Karnataka High Court informs us that he had received a communication from the Ministry of Law and Justice to look into the issue. The chief justice, establishing himself to be more loyal than the king, acts on it, convenes a meeting of the administrative committee, and decides to reinvestigate the issue, thus burying the previous chief justices findings on the same issue, given at our asking. He has been gracious enough to inform us, at least now.

A long time ago, an idealist, without knowing the ways of the world, has said this: the accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judiciary in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. Naive as it may sound now, that was James Madison in the Federalist Papers No 47.

We only have to look forward to the time, which may not be far-off if not already here, when the executive directly communicates with the high courts about the pending cases and what orders to be passed. We can be happy that much of our burden is taken away. And an honourable chief justice like Dinesh Maheswari may perhaps be ever willing to do the executive bidding, because good relations with the other branches is a proclaimed constitutional objective.

We cannot deny Robert H Jacksons assertion in United States versus Wunderlich that men are more often bribed by their loyalties and ambitions than by money. Let us also not forget that the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell to democracy. We both are mutual watchdogs, so to say, not mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts.

I am of the opinion that this matter is now ripe for the consideration of the full court on the judicial side, if this institution really is to be any more relevant in the scheme of the Constitution.

Since we are a precedent-oriented institution, I may be pardoned for quoting a precedent to the master of roster that it was exactly a similar letter written by the then Union law minister which sparked up a judicial debate in SP Gupta.

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Anadarko Petroleum Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and gas properties. It operates through three segments: Exploration and Production, WES Midstream, and Other Midstream. The company explores for and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It is also involved in gathering, processing, treating, and transporting oil, natural-gas, and NGLs production, as well as the gathering and disposal of produced water. The company's oil and natural gas properties are located in the United States onshore and deepwater Gulf of Mexico; and Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Colombia, Peru, and other countries. As of December 31, 2018, it had approximately 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Crown: Adularia Inversiones 2010 S.L., Angleboard Sweden AB, Bates Cargo-Pak ApS, Butimove, CMB Machinery and Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CROWN AP (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Aerosols & Promotional Nederland, CROWN Aerosols Italia Srl, CROWN Aerosols Nederland BV, CROWN Aerosols UK Limited, CROWN Americas LLC, CROWN Arabia Can Company Ltd, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. 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Deutsche Lufthansa AG operates as an aviation company in Germany and internationally. The company's Network Airlines segment offers passenger services through a route network of 273 destinations in 86 countries. Its Eurowings segment provides passenger services through a route network of more than 210 destinations in 60 countries. The company's Logistics Business segment offers transport services for various cargoes, including living animals, valuable cargo, post and dangerous goods, and temperature-sensitive goods serving approximately 300 destinations in 100 countries. Its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Services (MRO) segment provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for civilian commercial aircraft serving original equipment manufacturers and aircraft leasing companies, operators of VIP jets, and airlines, as well as develops and manufactures cabin and digital products. The company's Catering Business segment engages in-flight sales and entertainment, in-flight service equipment, and the associated logistics services, as well as consulting services; and operates airport lounges. As of December 31, 2020, it had a fleet of 757 aircraft. Deutsche Lufthansa AG was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Cologne, Germany.

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ElringKlinger AG develops, manufactures, and distributes technical and chemical products for the automotive sector and the general manufacturing industry in Germany and internationally. It operates through four segments: Original Equipment, Aftermarket, Engineered Plastics, and Other. The Original Equipment segment is involved in the development, manufacture, and sale of products and assemblies, such as metal sealing systems and drive train components; thermoplastics for drivetrains, body, and underbody applications; hybrid technologies; thermal, acoustic, and aerodynamic shielding systems; cylinder-head and specialty gaskets; battery and fuel cell components and systems; electric drive units; and exhaust gas purification. This segment serves passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors. The Aftermarket segment offers a range of gaskets, gasket sets, and service parts for the repair of engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, and auxiliary units in cars and commercial vehicles under the Elring A- Das Original brand. This segment serves a network of wholesalers and purchasing organizations. The Engineered Plastics segment develops, manufactures, and markets customized products made from various plastics for the mechanical engineering sector, as well as in medical, chemical, energy, and vehicle industries. The Other segment operates engine test benches and measuring equipment for testing engines, transmissions, and exhaust systems for vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers; and offers logistics and catering services. The company was founded in 1879 and is headquartered in Dettingen an der Erms, Germany.

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Chinese banks try to calm fears about developer's debts

BEIJING (AP)  Trying to dispel investor fears, some Chinese banks are disclosing what they are owed by a real estate developer that is struggling under $310 billion in debt and say they can cope with a potential default. The announcements came as Evergrande Group promised to talk with some individual investors in its debt.

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National Bank of Canada engages in the provision of commercial banking and financial services. It operates through the following segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, US Specialty Finance and International (USSF&I), and Other. The Personal and Commercial segment involves in banking, financing, and investing services offered to individuals and businesses as well as insurance operations. The Wealth Management segment focuses on the investment solutions, trust and lending services, and other wealth management solutions offered through internal and third-party distribution networks. The Financial Markets segment includes banking and investment banking services and financial solutions for large and mid-size corporations, public sector organizations, and institutional investors. The USSF&I segment comprises specialty finance expertise activities of subsidiary ABA Bank, which offers financial products and services to individuals and businesses; and activities of targeted investments in certain emerging markets. The Other segment encompasses treasury activities such as asset and liability management, liquidity management and funding operations, certain no

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The following companies are subsidiares of ITT: AIMCO Industries LLC, AcousticFab LLC, Allen Osborne Associates, Axtone, Axtone Bahntechink GmbH, Axtone GmbH, Axtone HSW sp. z.o.o., Axtone S.A., Axtone s.r.o., Blakers Pump Engineers, Bolton Insurance Co., Bolton International RE S.C.A., Bolton International S.C.A., Bombas Goulds S.A., Bombas Goulds de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bombas Goulds de Venezuela C.A., Bornemann Inc. (Canada), Bornemann S.A. DE C.V., C&I QSF LLC, C&K Components, Canberra Pumps do Brasil, Carbon Industries Inc., Computer & Equipment Leasing Corporation, DITTHA GmbH, Distribuidora Arbos C.A., Dolphin Technology, EP Industries Europe B.V., Edo, Electrofilm Manufacturing Company LLC, Ellis K. Phelps & Co., Energy Machine Services, Enidine Kabashiki Gaisha (Enidine Company Limited (Japan)), EnviroTech LLC, Equipos Hidraulicos S.A., European Pump Services B.V., F.B. Leopold, FLOJET Corp., Flowtronex PSI, Godwin Pumps, Goulds Mexico Holdings LLC, Goulds Pumps (IPG) LLC, Goulds Pumps (N.Y.) Inc., Goulds Pumps (NY) Inc. (PERU BRANCH), Goulds Pumps (NY) Inc. (TAIWAN BRANCH), Goulds Pumps (PA) LLC, Goulds Pumps Administration Inc., Goulds Pumps Canada Inc., Goulds Pumps Co. Ltd., Goulds Pumps LLC, Goulds QSF LLC, Hartzell Aerospace, Hydro Air Industries, ITT (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ITT (China) Investment Co. Ltd. (SHANGHAI BRANCH), ITT (Shanghai) Fluid Technology Co. Ltd., ITT Aerospace Controls LLC, ITT Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITT Automotive Enterprises Inc., ITT Blakers PTY Ltd, ITT Blakers Unit Trust, ITT Bombas Goulds do Brasil Ltda., ITT Bornemann GmbH, ITT Bornemann-Goulds Pumps S.R.L., ITT C'treat LLC, ITT Cannon (Hong Kong) LTD, ITT Cannon (Hong Kong) LTD (TAIWAN BRANCH), ITT Cannon Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, ITT Cannon GmbH, ITT Cannon GmbH (DENMARK BRANCH), ITT Cannon Korea Ltd., ITT Cannon LLC, ITT Cannon LLC (DUBAI BRANCH), ITT Cannon Ltd., ITT Cannon Mexico Inc., ITT Cannon Veam Italia s.r.l., ITT Cannon de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ITT Community Development Corporation, ITT Corporation India PVT. Ltd., ITT Egypt LLC, ITT Engineered Valves LLC, ITT Enidine GmbH, ITT Enidine Inc., ITT Finance Hong Kong Ltd., ITT Fluid Technology Asia Pte Ltd., ITT Fluid Technology International (Thailand) LTD., ITT Fluid Technology International Inc., ITT Fluid Technology International Inc. (DUBAI BRANCH), ITT Fluid Technology International Inc. (RUSSIAN BRANCH), ITT Fluid Technology S.A., ITT Germany Holdings GmbH, ITT Goulds Pumps Colombia S.A.S., ITT Goulds Pumps Inc., ITT Goulds Pumps Inc. (GREECE BRANCH), ITT High Precision Manufactured Products (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., ITT Holding LLC, ITT Holdings Czech Republic s.r.o., ITT Industries France S.A.S., ITT Industries Global S.a.r.l., ITT Industries Holdings Inc., ITT Industries Holdings Limited, ITT Industries Limited, ITT Industries Luxembourg S.a r.l., ITT Industries Rus LLC, ITT Industries Spain SL, ITT International Holdings Inc., ITT International Luxembourg S.a r.l., ITT Investments Luxembourg S.a.r.l., ITT Iran S.K., ITT Italia s.r.l., ITT Italy Holding Srl, ITT Japan B.V., ITT Korea Holding B.V., ITT LLC, ITT Luxembourg Europe Sarl, ITT Luxembourg Worldwide Sarl, ITT Manufacturing Enterprises LLC, ITT Motion Technologies America LLC, ITT Motion Technologies GmbH, ITT Motion Technologies LLC, ITT Motion Technologies Luxembourg S.a.r.l., ITT Motion Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V, ITT Netherlands B.V., ITT Netherlands Europe B.V., ITT Netherlands Worldwide B.V., ITT Rheinhuette Pumps LLC, ITT Rheinhutte Benelux B.V., ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen Austria GmbH, ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen Co. Ltd., ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen GmbH, ITT Rheinhutte Pumpen do Brasil Industria de Bombas Ltda., ITT Saudi Co., ITT Technical Services S.K., ITT Torque Systems Inc., ITT Water & Wastewater U.S.A. Inc., ITT Water Technology (TX) LLC, InTelCo Management LLC, InTelCo Properties LLC, Industrial Tube Company LLC, Industries QSF LLC, International Motion Control, International Motion Control Inc., International Standard Electric Corporation, International Telephone & Telegraph Corp., K and M Electronics, Kentucky Carbon Corporation, Koni BV, Koni France SAS, Koni NA LLC, LLMZ Kamax, Leland Properties Inc., Matrix Composites, Matrix Composites Inc., Nova Analytics, O.I. Corporation, PT ITT Fluid Technology Indonesia, Pci Membranes, Precision Stainless, Qingdao Kamax Buffer Equipment Company Ltd., Qume, Rheinhutte Pumps Nordic Filial, Rheinhutte Pumpen Group, Rule Industries, Rule Industries LLC, SRA International's Airport Operations Solutions (AOS) group, STX Pte. Ltd, Shanghai Goulds Pumps Co. Ltd., Shanghai Hengtong Purified Water Development, Shanghai Hengtong Water Treatment Engineering, Sinton Engineering Group, Standard Electric, Standard Tecknik Services, Stanford Telecommunications Inc, Svedala Robot BV, TDS Corporate Services LLC, Uniservice Wellpoint, Venus Holdco LLC, WAM China Ltd., WC Wolverine Holdings Inc., Water Pollution Control Corp., Wolverine Advanced Materials (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Wolverine Advanced Materials Asia Limited, Wolverine Advanced Materials GmbH, Wolverine Advanced Materials LLC, Wolverine Advanced Materials LLC (INDIA BRANCH), Wolverine Automotive Holdings Inc., Wolverine Brasil Representacao Ltda., Wolverine Japan KK, Wolverine Press (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Wolverine/Tekno Laminates and Composites Ltda., and YSI Inc.
Premier African Minerals Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, exploration, evaluation, development, and investment of natural resource properties on the African continent. The company explores for tungsten, lithium, tantalum, fluorspar, xenotime, zinc, nickel, uranium, gold, specialty minerals, limestone, potash and limestone, and rare earth metals. It holds interests in various properties located in Zimbabwe, Togo, Benin, and Mozambique. The company was formerly known as G&B African Resources Limited and changed its name to Premier African Minerals Limited in April 2012. Premier African Minerals Limited was founded in 2007 and is based in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

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The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides Internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 952 branches and approximately 3,540 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,400 branches, 5,200 ATMs, and 22 contact centers internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada.

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Air China Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides air passenger, air cargo, and airline-related services in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Europe, North America, Japan, Korea, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates through Airline Operations and Other Operations segments. It provides aircraft engineering and airport ground handling services. The company is also involved in the import and export trading activities; and provision of cabin, airline catering, air ticketing, human resources, aircraft overhaul and maintenance, and financial services. As of December 31, 2020, it owned and operated 707 aircrafts to 1300 destinations in 195 countries. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. Air China Limited is a subsidiary of China National Aviation Holding Corporation Limited.

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American Water Works Co., Inc. engages in the provision of complementary water and wastewater services. It operates through the following segments: Regulated Businesses; Market-Based Businesses; and Other. The Regulated Businesses segment provides water and wastewater services to customers. The Market-Based Businesses segment is responsible for Military Services Group, Contract Operations Group, Homeowner Services Group, and Keystone Operations. The Other segment includes corporate costs that are not allocated to the Company's operating segments, eliminations of inter-segment transactions, fair value adjustments and associated income and deductions related to the acquisitions that have not been allocated to the operating segments for evaluation of performance and allocation of resource purposes. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Camden, NJ.

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Aviva plc provides various insurance, retirement, and savings products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Italy, Poland, and internationally. The company offers life insurance, long-term health and accident insurance, savings, pension, and annuity products, as well as pension fund business and lifetime mortgage products. It also provides insurance cover to individuals, small and medium-sized businesses for risks associated with motor vehicles and medical expenses, as well as property and liability, such as employers' and professional indemnity liabilities, and medical expenses. In addition, the company offers personal and commercial lines insurance products; long-term insurance and savings products, primarily for individuals. Further, it provides investment management services for institutional pension fund mandates; and manages various retail investment products, including investment funds, unit trusts, open-ended investment companies, and individual savings accounts for third-party financial institutions, pension funds, public sector organizations, investment professionals, and private investors. Additionally, the company offers asset management and protection insurance products. Aviva plc markets its products through a network of insurance brokers, as well as MyAviva platform. The company was formerly known as CGNU plc and changed its name to Aviva plc in July 2002. Aviva plc was founded in 1696 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd..
By Ssebuliba Samuel.

The ministry of defense says it plans to clear all pending arrears for retired officers in a space of two year from now.

While interacting with members of parliaments Public Accounts Committee yesterday, the ministry officials revealed that they are stuck with arrears amounting to Shs 718 billion that remained unpaid by close of the last financial year.

According to the undersecretary Ministry of Defense Edith Buturo, over 8,000 retired soldiers are demanding their gratuity, but money has remained a big challenge.

She has however said that owing to the gravity of the matter, they have set up a team of nine auditors to scrutinize army officers gratuity and pension to ease the process of paying them as well as eliminate ghost claimants.
thyssenkrupp AG operates in the areas of automotive technology, industrial components, plant technology, marine systems, steel, and materials services in Germany, the United States, China, and internationally. The company's Automotive Technology segment develops and manufactures components and systems and automated production systems for the automotive industry. Its Industrial Components segment manufactures and sells forged components and system solutions for the resource, construction, and mobility sectors; and slewing rings, antifriction bearings, and seamless rolled rings for the wind energy and construction machinery sectors. The company's Plant Technology segment builds plants for the chemical, cement, and mining industries. Its Marine Systems segment provides systems in the submarine and surface ship building, as well as in the field of maritime electronics and security technology. The company's Materials Services segment distributes materials and offers technical services for the production and manufacturing sectors. Its Steel Europe segment provides flat carbon steel products, intelligent material solutions, and finished parts. thyssenkrupp AG was founded in 1811 and is headquartered in Essen, Germany.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Dover: ALMATEC Maschinenbau GmbH, Accelerated Production Systems, Advansor A/S, Advansor Dover International (Poland) sp. z o.o, Alfred Fueling Systems Holdco Ltd., Alfred Fueling Systems Inc., Alfred Fueling Systems Intermediate Holdco Ltd., All-Flo Pump Company Limited business, Anman LLC, Anthony Equity Holdings Inc., Anthony Holdings Inc., Anthony Inc., Anthony International Foreign Sales Corp., Anthony International Holding Company, Anthony Mexico Holdings LLC, Anthony North Holdco Inc., Anthony Specialty Glass LLC, Anthony TemperBent GP LLC, Automatik Grundstucksverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG, Automatik Plastics Machinery (Taiwan) Ltd., Automatik Plastics Machinery Sdn. Bhd., BSC Filters Limited, Background2 Limited, Belanger Inc., Belvac Middle East FZE, Belvac Production Machinery Inc., BlitzRotary GmbH, Butler Engineering and Marketing S.P.A., CEP Liquidation LLC, CP Formation LLC, CPC, CPC Europe Inc., CPI Products Inc., Caldera, Caldera Inc., Canada Organization & Development LLC, Chief Automotive Technologies (Shanghai) Trading Company Ltd., Chippewa Square Captive Insurance Company, Colder Products Company GmbH, Colder Products Company LTD, Cook Compression BV, Cook Compression LLC, Cook Compression Limited, Cook-MFS Inc., DD1 Inc., DDI Properties Inc., DE-STA-CO Benelux B.V., DE-STA-CO FRANCE, DE-STA-CO Shanghai Co. Ltd., DFH Corporation, DSR BZ Holdings LLC, De Sta Co (Asia) Company Limited, De-Sta-Co Cylinders Inc., DeStaCo Europe GmbH, Delaware Capital Formation Inc., Delaware Capital Holdings Inc., Destaco Ema Industria e Comercio Ltda., Dover (China) Investment Co. Ltd. , Dover (Schweiz) Holding GmbH, Dover (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd., Dover (Shenzhen) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover (Suzhou) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover Asia Trading Private Ltd., Dover Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Dover Business Services EMEA Limited, Dover Business Services LLC, Dover Business Services Philippines Corporation, Dover CLP Formation Limited Partnership, Dover CR spol s r.o., Dover Canada Finance LP, Dover Canada Holdings ULC, Dover Canada Operations ULC, Dover Corporation Regional Headquarters, Dover DEI Services Inc., Dover Denmark Holdings ApS, Dover EMEA FZCO, Dover Energy, Dover Energy UK Ltd, Dover Engineered Systems Inc., Dover Engineered Systems UK Ltd, Dover Europe Inc., Dover Europe Sarl, Dover Fluids Inc., Dover Fluids UK Ltd, Dover France Holdings S.A.S., Dover France Participations SAS, Dover France Technologies, Dover Fueling Solutions UK Limited, Dover Germany GmbH, Dover Global Holdings LLC, Dover Global Trading Pte. Ltd., Dover Holdings de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dover India Pvt. Ltd., Dover Intercompany Services UK Limited, Dover International B.V., Dover International Operations Inc., Dover International Ventures Inc., Dover International Ventures Tunisia S.a.r.l., Dover International ithalat ihracat ve Pazarlama Limited Sirketi, Dover Italy Holdings S.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Finance Sarl, Dover Luxembourg Participations Sarl, Dover Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Services Sarl, Dover Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Dover Overseas Ventures Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment UK Ltd, Dover Resources International de Mexico S. de R.L. C.V., Dover Solutions Colombia SAS, Dover Southeast Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Dover Spain Holdings S.L., Dover UK Pensions Limited, Dover WSCR Holding LLC, Dover WSCR LLC, Dover do Brasil Ltda., Dow-Key Microwave Corporation, Dressor Wayne Data Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Dressor Wayne Fuel Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, EOA Systems Inc., Ebs-Ray Holdings Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Industries Pty. Ltd., Ebs-Ray Pumps Pty. Ltd., Em-tec GmbH, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH, Ettlinger Management Inc., Ettlinger North America LP, Ettlinger Vertrieb und Service GmbH & Co. KG, Ettlinger Verwaltungs-GmbH, Fairbanks Environmental Limited, Ferguson CO. S.A., Fibrelite Composites Limited, Fibresec Holdings Limited, Fibresec Limited, Finder, Finder Oriental (Beijing) Trading Co. Ltd, Finder Pompe S.R.L., Finder United Saudi Arabia Company, GAL LLC, GIIER LLC, Gala Industries Asia Limited, Gala Industries Incorporated, Gala Kunststoff-und Kautschukmaschinen GmbH, Guangdong Tokheim LIYUAN Oil Industry Technology Limited Company, Highland Park Insurance Company, Hill PHOENIX Inc., Hill PHOENIX WIC LLC, Hill Phoenix Costa Rica Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, Hill Phoenix El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, Hill Phoenix Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Honduras Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hiltap Fittings Ltd., Hydro Systems, Hydro Systems Europe Ltd., Hydronova Australia-NZ Pty Ltd, Industrial Motion Control LLC, Inpro/Seal LLC, International Trade and Equipment B.V., JK Group SPA, JK Group USA Inc., K&L Microwave DR Inc., K&L Microwave Inc., K. S. Boca Inc., KPS (Beijing) Petroleum Equipment Trading Co Ltd., KPS Asia Sdn. Bhd., KPS Fueling Solutions Sdn. Bhd., KPS Hong Kong Holding Limited, KPS UK Limited, KS Formation Inc., KS Liquidation Inc., KSLP Liquidation L.P., Kiian Digital (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Knappco LLC, Lianyngang Jump Petroleum and Chemical Machinery Co. Ltd., Liquip, Liquip International Pty Limited, MARKEM FZ SA, MARKEM Holdings Inc., MARKEM International Inc., MARKEM S.A. de C.V., MARKEM Tag Inc., MARKEM UK Holdings 1 Unlimited, MARKEM UK Holdings 2 Limited, MIP Holdings Inc., MS Printing Solutions S.R.L., Maag Automatik GmbH, Maag Automatik Inc., Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Maag Automatik Srl, Maag Pump Systems (US) Inc., Maag Pump Systems AG, Maag Pump Systems SAS, Marathon Equipment Company (Delaware), Markem Imaje Center of Competencies Spain S.L.U., Markem-Imaje, Markem-Imaje (China) Co. Limited, Markem-Imaje A/S, Markem-Imaje AB, Markem-Imaje AG, Markem-Imaje AS, Markem-Imaje Application Innovation Center Sarl, Markem-Imaje B.V., Markem-Imaje CSAT GmbH, Markem-Imaje Co. Ltd., Markem-Imaje GmbH, Markem-Imaje Holding, Markem-Imaje Identificacao de Produtos Ltda., Markem-Imaje Inc., Markem-Imaje India Private Limited, Markem-Imaje Industries, Markem-Imaje Industries Limited, Markem-Imaje KK, Markem-Imaje LLC, Markem-Imaje Limited, Markem-Imaje Ltd., Markem-Imaje N.V., Markem-Imaje Oy, Markem-Imaje Pty Ltd, Markem-Imaje S.A., Markem-Imaje S.A. de C.V., Markem-Imaje S.r.l. a socio unico, Markem-Imaje SAS, Markem-Imaje Sdn Bhd, Markem-Imaje Software Development Centre Pvt. Ltd., Markem-Imaje Spain S.A.U, Markem-Imaje Unipessoal Lda (Portugal), Markpoint Holding AB, Midland Manufacturing LLC, Mouvex, Neptune Chemical Pump Company, Northern Lights (Nevada) Inc., Northern Lights Funding LP, Northern Lights Investments LLC, Nova Controls Inc., OK International (UK) Ltd., OK International Holdings Inc., OK International Inc., OPW Engineered Systems Inc., OPW Fluid Transfer Group Europe B.V., OPW Fluids Group Inc., OPW France, OPW Fuel Management Systems Inc., OPW Fueling Components (SuZhou) Co. Ltd., OPW Fueling Components LLC, OPW Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OPW Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., OPW Slovakia s.r.o., OPW Sweden AB, Officine Meccaniche Sirio S.R.L., PDQ Manufacturing Inc., PISCES by OPW Inc., PSG (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, PSG (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PSG Worldwide Inc., Petro Vend Sp. z o.o., Pike Machine Products Inc., Piston OPW Inc., Pole/Zero Acquisition Inc., Precision Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Para Postos De Combustiveis Ltda., Precision Service - Servicos De Manutencao E Instalacao De Postos De Abastecimento De Combustivel Ltda., Pump Management Services Co. LLC, RAV Equipment U.S.A. Inc., RAV Equipos Espana S.L., RAV France, Rav Equipment UK Limited, Ravaglioli Deutschland GmbH, Ravaglioli S.P.A., Reduction Engineering GmbH, Revod Corporation, Revod Finance Ireland Limited, Revod Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Revod SAS, Revod Sweden AB, Robohand Inc., Rosario Handel B.V., Rotary Lift Consolidated (Haimen) Co. Ltd, SE Liquidation LLC, SWEP A.G., SWEP Germany GmbH, SWEP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SWEP North America Inc., SWEP Slovakia s.r.o., SWEP Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Scheer Pelletizing Systems & Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Scheer Taiwan Machinery Co. Ltd., Seabiscuit Motorsports Inc., Simmons Sirvey Corporation, So. Cal. Soft-Pak Incorporated, Solaris Laser S.A., Space S.R.L., Start Italiana Petrol Cihazlari Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Start Italiana S.R.L., Swep Energy Oy, Swep International A.B., Swep Japan K.K., Sys-Tech Solutions Inc., TQC Quantium Quality S.A. de C.V., TTSI III Inc., TWG Canada Consolidated Inc., TXHI LLC, Tartan Textile Services Inc., The Curotto-Can LLC, The Heil Co., Tokheim Belgium, Tokheim China Company Limited, Tokheim GmbH, Tokheim Group, Tokheim Guardian Venture Sdn. Bhd, Tokheim Hengshan Technologies (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Tokheim Holding, Tokheim Holding B.V., Tokheim India Private Limited, Tokheim Netherlands B.V., Tokheim Sofitam Applications, Trans - Logistic Group S.R.L., Tulsa Winch Inc., Unified Brands Inc., Val TemperBent Glass L.P., Vectron Frequency Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vehicle Service Group LLC, Vos Food Store Equipment Ltd., Warn Automotive LLC, Waukesha Bearings, Waukesha Bearings Limited, Waukesha Bearings Russia LLC, Wayne Fuel Management UK Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems (Rus) Limited Liability Company, Wayne Fueling Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Wayne Fueling Systems Canada ULC, Wayne Fueling Systems Deutschland GmbH, Wayne Fueling Systems Italia S.R.L., Wayne Fueling Systems LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Pte. Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB, Wayne Fueling Systems UK Holdco Ltd., Wayne Industria e Comercio Ltda., Wei Li Pump Shanghai Co. LTD., WellMark, and Wilden Pump and Engineering LLC.
By Ivan Ssenabulya

Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Dr. Kiiza has poked holes in all efforts to push for national dialogue saying without addressing impunity not much will be achieved.

Delivering his Easter Message at his Katonga Road office in Kampala this afternoon, Besigye has cited the numerous cases of theft of public funds and land grabbing with impunity which all affect the governance of this country.

He says as long as those with power continue to act with impunity, dialogue cannot yield any positive results.

He has thus asked Ugandans not to merely push for national dialogue by also focus on the struggle for total transformation of Uganda and embrace the spirit of sacrifice as they celebrate Easter this year.

Yesterday the champions of the national dialogue process among them the Elders Forum of Uganda and the Inter Religious Council of Uganda convened in Kampala and discussed among other things how a national consensus can be adopted during a national conference due in May.

Meanwhile, Besigye has also blamed the wave of insecurity that has swept through the country on high levels of poverty.

He says the glaring economic and social concerns imbalance among Ugandans has left many Ugandans desperate for change.

While delivering his Esther message, at his Katonga Road office today, Besigye said the poor are getting poorer by the day because of exploitation by those with power.

He has urged Ugandans to extend a hand to needy and to do good during these last days of the holy week.
ONEOK, Inc. engages in gathering, processing, fractionating, transporting, storing and marketing of natural gas. It operates through the following segments: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing, Natural Gas Liquids and Natural Gas Pipelines. The Natural Gas Gathering and Processing segment offers midstream services to producers in North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma. The Natural Gas Liquids segment owns and operates facilities that gather, fractionate, treat and distribute NGLs and store NGL products, in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico and the Rocky Mountain region, which includes the Williston, Powder River and DJ Basins, where it provides midstream services to producers of NGLs and deliver those products to the two market centers, one in the Mid-Continent in Conway, Kansas and the other in the Gulf Coast in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment provides transportation and storage services to end users. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Tulsa, OK.

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Ellie Mae, Inc. provides cloud-based platform for the mortgage finance industry in the United States. It provides Encompass, an enterprise solution that engages in running the business of originating mortgages, including marketing and lead management; loan origination and processing; underwriting; preparation of mortgage applications, disclosure agreements, and closing documents; loan funding and closing; compliance with regulatory and investor requirements; and enterprise management. The company's Encompass Digital Lending Platform helps lenders and investors across their workflow from the prospective customers to the point of loan delivery. In addition, the company provides education and training services; professional and technical support services; and loan product, policy, and guideline data and analytics services. Ellie Mae, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California.

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Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. distributes and sells propane and related equipment and supplies. The company transports propane to propane distribution locations, tanks on customers' premises, or to portable propane tanks delivered to retailers. It conducts its portable tank exchange operations under the Blue Rhino brand name through a network of independent and partnership-owned distribution outlets. The company's propane is primarily used for space heating, water heating, cooking, outdoor cooking using gas grills, crop drying, irrigation, weed control, and other propane fueled appliances; as an engine fuel for combustion engine vehicles and forklifts; and as a heating or energy source in manufacturing and drying processes. It serves residential, industrial/commercial, portable tank exchange, agricultural, wholesale, and other customers in the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As of July 31, 2018, it operated 72 service centers and 859 propane distribution locations. The company is also involved in the sale of refined fuels; provision of common carrier services; and retail sale of propane appliances and related parts and fittings, as well as other retail propane related services and consumer products. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

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By Paul Tajuba.

Finance minister Matia Kasaija has weighed in the current fights between Bank of Uganda governor Emmanuel Mutebile and Inspector General of Government Irene Mulyagonja, cautioning that fights could destabilize the economy.

Mr Kasaija, who spoke to Daily Monitor at the sidelines of a Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) gender responsive budgeting genesis function in Kampala, said the fights are unnecessary and instead recommended dialogue.

On February 7, Mr Mutebile made sweeping changes at BOU, with the reshuffle affecting eight Executive Directors, 13 directors, 24 assistants/deputy directors and four staff.

But Ms Justine Bagyenda, one of the sacked official and was executive director for commercial banks supervision refused to hand over office saying she had been illegally fired while aggrieved employees petitioned the IGG calling for a broad inquiry into Mr Mutebiles management style at the bank.

The IGG responded by ordering that the changes be halted until investigations are concluded to determine whether they meet the minimum legal threshold.

But in a March 19 letter, Mr Mutebile hit back at Ms Mulyagonja, telling her that her investigation is redundant on grounds that her presumption of bad faith as a basis to take over the Boards role presupposes[that she has]already formed an opinion

Mr Kasaija yesterday said such fights may affect external assistance that the country receives. He was however opportunist that the fights will come to an end after President Museveni met the two principals.
Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides marine transportation, subsea installation, and accommodation support services to exploration and production, oilfield service, offshore construction, and the United States military customers. It operates offshore supply vessels (OSVs), multi-purpose support vessels (MPSVs), and a shore-based facility to provide logistics support and specialty services to the offshore oil and gas exploration and production industry, primarily Gulf of Mexico in the U.S., Latin America, and internationally. Its fleet of U.S.-flagged OSVs and MPSVs support deep-well, deepwater, and ultra-deepwater activities of the offshore oil and gas industry, such as oil and gas exploration, field development, production, construction, installation, well-stimulation, and other enhanced oil recovery, as well as inspection, repair, and maintenance services. The company also provides vessel management services, including crewing, daily operational management, and maintenance activities for other vessels owners. As of December 31, 2018, it owned and operated 66 OSVs and 8 MPSVs. Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Covington, Louisiana.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Stryker: ActiViews, Aimago SA, Alcott Indemnity Company, Arrinex Inc, Arrinex Inc., Ascent Healthcare Solutions, Berchtold, Berchtold + Fritz GmbH, Berchtold Consulting GmbH, Berchtold Corporation, Berchtold GmbH & Co. KG, Berchtold Holding Switzerland GmbH, CHG Hospital Beds, Cactus LLC, Cardan Robotics, Changzhou Orthomed Medical Instrument Company Limited, Concentric Medical, Concentric Medical Inc., Entellus Medical, Entellus Medical Europe Ltd, Entellus Medical Inc., GYS Tech LLC, Gaymar Industries, Gongping (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd., Groupe Bertec, HeartSine Technologies LLC, HeartSine Technologies Limited, Howmedica International S. de R.L., Howmedica Osteonics Corp., Hygia Health Services, Hygia Healthcare Services Inc., HyperBranch, HyperBranch Technology Inc., ITAPCo Limited, Image Guided Technologies, Imorphics Limited, Infinity MSD Corp., Infinity MSE Corp., Infinity MSF Corp., Infomedix Communications, Instratek, InstruMedics L.L.C, Invuity Inc., Ivy Sports Medicine, Ivy Sports Medicine LLC, Jiangsu Chuangyi Medical Instrument Company Limited, Jolife AB, K2M Germany GmbH, K2M Group, K2M Group Holdings Inc., K2M Holdings Inc., K2M Iberia Medcomtech S.L.U., K2M Inc., K2M Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, K2M Spine Solutions (Schweiz) GmbH, K2M UK Limited, Loon Intermediateco LLC, MAKO Surgical, MAKO Surgical Corp, Memometal Technologies, Mobius Imaging, Mobius Imaging LLC, Muka Metal, Muka Metal Ticaret ve Sanayi Anaonim Sirketi, NV Stryker SA, Nettrick Limited, Novadaq Corp, Novadaq Hong Kong Ltd, Novadaq Technologies, Novadaq Technologies ULC, OOO "Stryker", Orneo Ozel Saglk Hizmetleri Medikal Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, OrthoSpace, OrthoSpace Ltd., OrthoSpace US Inc., Orthomed (Hong Kong) Medical Instrument Company Limited, Orthovita, Orthovita Inc., OtisMed, P.C. Sweden Holding AB, Patient Safety Technologies, Patton Surgical, Pficonprod Pty. Ltd., Physio-Control, Physio-Control (Shanghai) Sales Co. Ltd., Physio-Control Brazil Vendas Ltda., Physio-Control Czech Sales s.r.o., Physio-Control Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Physio-Control Holdings Inc, Physio-Control Hungary Sales Kft, Physio-Control Inc., Physio-Control India Sales Pvt. Ltd, Physio-Control Investments LLC, Physio-Control Lebanon Sales Offshore s.a.l., Physio-Control Manufacturing Inc., Physio-Control Operations Netherlands B.V., Physio-Control Sales Limited Liability Company, Physio-Control Singapore Pte. Ltd., Physio-Control South Africa Sales Pty. Ltd., Physio-Control UK Sales Ltd., Pivot Medical, PlasmaSol, Porex Technologies, SSI Divestiture Inc., SYK Costa Rica Services Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, SafeAir AG, SafeWire, Sage Products, Sage Products Coperatief U.A., Sage Products Holdings II LLC, Sage Products Holdings III LLC, Sage Products LLC, Scopis GmbH, Sightline Technologies, Small Bone Innovations, SpineCore, Spirox Inc., Stanmore Implants Worldwide, Stanmore Implants Worldwide Limited, Stanmore Inc., Stryker (Barbados) Foreign Sales Corporation, Stryker (Beijing) Healthcare Products Co. Ltd., Stryker (Shanghai) Healthcare Products Co. Ltd., Stryker (Suzhou) Medical Technology Co Ltd, Stryker (Thailand) Limited, Stryker AB, Stryker Acquisitions BV, Stryker Asia Holdings CV, Stryker Australia LLC, Stryker Australia Pty. Ltd., Stryker Austria GmbH, Stryker B.V., Stryker Berchtold BV, Stryker Beteiligungs GmbH, Stryker Canada GP ULC, Stryker Canada Holding Company, Stryker Canada Manufacturing ULC, Stryker Canada ULC, Stryker Canadian Management ULC, Stryker Canadian Sales Holding Company ULC, Stryker Capital BV, Stryker China Limited, Stryker Colombia SAS, Stryker Communications Inc., Stryker Corporation (Chile) y Compania Limitada, Stryker Corporation (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Stryker Customs Brokers LLC, Stryker Czech Republic s.r.o., Stryker Delaware Inc., Stryker EMEA Supply Chain Services BV, Stryker Employment Company LLC, Stryker European Coordination Center BV, Stryker European Holdings Cooperatief U.A, Stryker European Holdings I LLC, Stryker European Holdings II LLC, Stryker European Holdings LLC, Stryker European Holdings V LLC, Stryker European Operations B.V., Stryker European Operations Holdings I BV, Stryker European Operations Holdings II BV, Stryker European Operations Holdings III BV, Stryker European Operations Holdings LLC, Stryker European Operations Limited, Stryker European Technologies C.V., Stryker Far East Inc., Stryker Foreign Acquisitions Inc., Stryker France Holding SNC, Stryker France MM Holdings SAS, Stryker France SAS, Stryker Funding B.V., Stryker GI Services CV, Stryker Global Technology Center Private Limited, Stryker GmbH, Stryker GmbH & Co. KG, Stryker Grundstucks GmbH & Co KG, Stryker Grundstucks Verwaltungs GmbH, Stryker Holdings BV, Stryker IFSC Designated Activity Company, Stryker Iberia SL Unipersonal, Stryker India Private Limited, Stryker International Acquisitions BV, Stryker International Holdings BV, Stryker Investment Holdings B.V., Stryker Ireland Holding Unlimited Company, Stryker Ireland Limited, Stryker Italia S.r.l. S.U., Stryker Japan Holdings BV, Stryker Japan K.K., Stryker Korea Ltd., Stryker Lebanon (Offshore) S.A.L., Stryker Leibinger GmbH & Co. KG, Stryker Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Stryker Luxembourg Sarl, Stryker Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Stryker Mauritius Holding Ltd., Stryker Medical London LP, Stryker Medtech K.K., Stryker Medtech Limited, Stryker Mexico Holdings B.V., Stryker Mexico SA de CV, Stryker NV Operations Limited, Stryker Nederland BV, Stryker New Zealand Limited, Stryker Osteonics AG, Stryker Pacific Limited, Stryker Performance Solutions LLC, Stryker Polska Sp.z.o.o., Stryker Portugal - Produtos Medicos Unipessoal Lda., Stryker Professional Latin America S. de R.L. de C.V., Stryker Puerto Rico Limited, Stryker Romania SRL, Stryker Sage Inc., Stryker Sales Corporation, Stryker Servicios Administrativos S.de R.L. de C.V., Stryker Singapore Private Limited, Stryker South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Stryker Spine SAS, Stryker Spine Sarl, Stryker Sustainability Solutions Inc., Stryker Tibbi Cihazlan Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Stryker Trauma GmbH, Stryker Turkish Holdings BV, Stryker UK Ltd, Stryker Verwaltungs GmbH, Stryker Vietnam Company Limited, Stryker do Brasil Ltda, Surpass Medical, Synergetics, TG SP Holdings Corp, TSO3 Corp, TSO3 Inc, Trauson, Trauson (China) Medical Instrument Company Limited, Trauson (Hong Kong) Company Limited, Trauson Holdings (BVI) Company Limited, Trauson Holdings (Hong Kong) Company Limited, Trauson Holdings Company Limited, VEXIM SA, Vexim, Waterloo Bedding Co., Wright Medical Group, ZipLine Medical Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ZipLine Medical Hong Kong Limited, ZipLine Medical Inc., and eTrauma.com.
The Bank of New York Mellon pays an annual dividend of $1.36 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 2.64%. The Bank of New York Mellon does not yet have a strong track record of dividend growth. The dividend payout ratio of The Bank of New York Mellon is 33.92%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, The Bank of New York Mellon will have a dividend payout ratio of 29.44% next year. This indicates that The Bank of New York Mellon will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

View The Bank of New York Mellon's dividend history.
Wall Street analysts have given Pareteum a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Pareteum wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG.

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CIBT Education Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an education and student housing investment company in Canada and China. The company engages in education, media communications, and real estate development businesses. It offers accredited programs, which include general English, college pathway, business English, medical English, English language test preparation, vacation English, online English, TESOL teacher training, automotive technical training, business management, customer service, English teacher preparation, and accounting, as well as junior and high school preparation programs for overseas study, and other career/vocational training; and interpreting and translation for Koreans and online English teacher training. The company also provides private career and technical training diplomas and certificates in health care, tourism, hospitality, business, administrative, technical trades, and international studies; and English as a Second Language, and accounting programs in China. In addition, it recruits international students and on-ground concierge services for various kindergarten, primary and secondary schools, universities, and colleges in North America; and offers web design and advertising services to the real estate industry. Further, the company invests in, develops, and manages education related real estate projects, such as student hotels, serviced apartments, and education super centers in Canada, as well as develops and manages real estate projects for technology workers and working professionals. The company was formerly known as Capital Alliance Group Inc. and changed its name to CIBT Education Group Inc. in November 2007. CIBT Education Group Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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In this photo provided Wednesday, March 28, 2018, by China's Xinhua News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands in Beijing, China. / Xinhua via AP



- Kim told Xi: "North Korea is committed to denuclearization."

- North Korea is "willing to have dialogue with the US"

- Xi accepted Kim's invitation to visit North Korea

- China briefed White House on Tuesday on Kim Jong-un's visit

- China to explain South Korea the results of Kim-Xi meeting

- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi to visit Seoul on Thursday



By Park Si-soo, Oh Young-jin



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing that North Korea is "committed to denuclearization," the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Kim made an "unofficial" visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju and Choe Ryong-hae, a ranking party official, according to the North's state-run radio station. It was Kim's first foreign trip since he took office in late 2011.

"It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearization on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il-sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong-il," Kim was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

North Korea is "willing to have dialogue with the United States and hold a summit of the two countries," he added.

"The issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace,"Kim was quoted by Xinhua as saying.
Many of Americas oldest and most elite universities are inextricably tied to slavery  and its effects continue to be felt at those institutions today.



That was one of the key messages delivered by MIT historian Craig Steven Wilder during the first Dalhousie Belong Forum, the kickoff to a series of talks on inclusion being held as part of the Year of Belonging to mark the universitys 200th anniversary.



In his talk held in the Rowe Buildings Potter Auditorium, Dr. Wilder  author of the acclaimed book Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of Americans Universities  traced the many ways in which the fate of universities such as Harvard, Rutgers and Columbia were tied to the slave economy.



Links between slavery and higher ed in America



Colonial America was largely a hostile environment for schools, with 80 per cent of early universities failing. Those that survived had to scramble for funds.

Early colleges and academies were actually poorly supported, Wilder said. Harvard didnt have any professors until a century after its founding, and the presidents of colonial colleges lived like itinerants, spending much of the year journeying from town to town, cap in hand They delivered sermons in churches and at local associations and frequently published them just to raise a little more money through their sale.





What helped these universities survive? In large part, slavery. They raised funds from slave owners, were tied into the slave-based economies flourishing out of ports such as Boston and, in many cases, owned slaves themselves.



Elite universities remained committed to slavery in the aftermath of the American Revolution (which left many of them in disarray) and even after ownership of slaves became illegal.



As the United States approached the end of its involvement in the slave trade, college presidents and trustees forged new ties to Atlantic slavery, Wilder said. After the American Revolution, to rescue themselves, American colleges actually doubled-down on the relationship to slavery. They reaffirmed it. They turned to slavery and the slave trade and tied their fates directly to the Atlantic slave economy. If the economies succeeded, they succeeded, if the economies failed they would fail. And they also became the primary defenders of Atlantic slavery.



Connecting past and present



For Wilder, uncovering this history is more than well, academic.



He grew up in inner city New York, and began his career as a community organizer in the South Bronx. Today, he continues to be involved in community work, and also works with an organization that helps prisoner earn college degrees. He did his BA at Fordham (an undergraduate college that was in part funded by the Jesuit sale of 272 people from the Maryland plantations to Louisiana in 1838) and earned his PhD at Columbia (founded by slave traders).



After his presentation  which was introduced by Dr. Afua Cooper (Departments of History and Sociology & Social Anthropology) following a welcome from Dal President Richard Florizone  Dr. Wilder took part in Q&A moderated by Tom Murphy of the CBC (one of the sponsors of Dals 200th anniversary celebrations).





Asked by Murphy if universities are prepared to discuss their legacies, Wilder said, Yes and no We get very uncomfortable with any conversation that seems to empower Black people to make claims upon historically white institutions. I don't think we're uncomfortable with what happened in the 17th or 18th centuries. I think we are uncomfortable with the consequences [of those actions] in the 21st century.



Looking at the past, looking at our history with slavery, is a way of also forcing us to look at labour conditions on our campuses today, he said. I want my students thinking about who cleans the spaces we live in, and who prepares the food that we eat... and if history is a way of opening up that conversation, then I say let's do a lot of history."



In addition to the Belong Forum, Dr. Wilder spent the following morning (Thursday, March 29) working with students and others in the Dal community to continue to explore these themes at the first Belong Workshops.



The next Belong Forum, on April 17, features Buffy Sainte-Marie. To register, visit dal200.ca.

Couldn't make it to Dr. Wilder's Belong Forum? You can watch the archived webcast at dal.ca/livestream
A world-renowned researcher in the field of international health, vaccines and epidemiology is coming to Dalhousie, bringing top international talent to Nova Scotia as part of the Canada 150 Research Chairs program.



Dr. Katherine OBrien, a professor of international health and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has been announced as the Canada 150 Research Chair in Vaccinology and Global Health at Dalhousie. The announcement was made in Ottawa today (Thursday, March 29) by The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science. Dr. OBrien is one of only seven $7-million Canada 150 Research Chairs awarded.



The Canada 150 Research Chairs Program has provided institutions like Dalhousie with a significant opportunity to bring some of the worlds best researchers to Canada, says Dr. Alice Aiken, vice-president research at Dalhousie. Dr. OBrien will have a substantial impact on the way we look at global health and vaccinology research, and we are thrilled to be able to welcome her to the Dalhousie community.



In this role, Dr. OBrien will be conducting clinical, epidemiologic and policy based research, testing innovations in vaccine use, access and delivery, and generating evidence on the value of vaccines to inform vaccine policy decision-making domestically and internationally. She begins her tenure at the university on December 1, 2018.



A leading researcher



Canadas global health vision, leadership and contributions are increasingly important, says Dr. OBrien. There is no better time and no better opportunity to step forward and bring my 30 years of experience in vaccines and global health back to Canada where I was raised and educated. Knowing that Dalhousie University and its Canadian Center for Vaccinology deeply value collaborations makes this a great fit for impactful work in global health.



Trained as a pediatric infectious diseases physician, epidemiologist and vaccinologist, Dr. OBrien has a BSc in chemistry from the University of Toronto (Canada), an MD from McGill University (Canada) and an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (US) before completing her training at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an Epidemic Intelligence Officer, in the Respiratory Diseases Branch.



Recruiting a world class scientist like Dr. OBrien will be fantastic for research at Dalhousie, says Dr. David Anderson, dean of Dalhousies Faculty of Medicine. Her expertise in global health and vaccine research will provide growth and direction to a very important field of research.



The Canada Research Chairs Program was created in celebration of Canadas 150 anniversary, and announced as part of Budget 2017. It is a one-time $117.6 million funding program designed to attract the worlds most talented researchers and scholars, including Canadian expatriates, to Canada. More than 25 researchers have been selected through a rigorous, peer review process to build new research initiatives at Canadian universities.



For more information about the Canada 150 Research Chairs Program, visit its website.


The company, along with its group firm Skoda, also has plans to launch 6 new vehicles in India over the next five years to help meet its localisation ambitions.

Hyderabad: German automaker Volkswagen (VW) aims to double its market share in the country to 3 per cent in 5 years , according to a top official here on Thursday.

We have a market share of 1.5 per cent.... We plan to double it over the next 5 years, said Steffen Knapp, director of VW passenger cars.

The company, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in India, said that over the next five years the company plans to raise its localisation to 90 per cent from the current level of 82 per cent.

When asked about the recent import duty hike, Mr Knapp said, The company hasnt made any changes to the prices.

The company, along with its group firm Skoda, also has plans to launch 6 new vehicles in India over the next five years to help meet its localisation ambitions.
Mumbai: Cox & Kings owned MEININGER Hotels and investor LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General) have signed an agreement for a hotel in Glasgow. The hotel will be located on West George Street opposite Queen Street Train Station and will offer 160 rooms and 590 beds. The opening is scheduled for 2020.

Due to its strategic location in the centre of Glasgow, opposite to Queen Street Train Station which is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, many of the city's sights, museums and monuments are within walking distance from the hotel. Equally, there are numerous restaurants, pubs and venues nearby. The Gallery of Modern Art is just a 3-minute walk from the hotel and the Royal Concert Hall just 9 minutes.

Due to its proximity to the train station, the hotel is well connected to both local and long-distance destinations, with trains running to the north of Scotland and to Edinburgh, which can easily be reached within 40 minutes. The nearest underground station is also just 160 meters from the hotel.

The MEININGER Hotel will have 160 rooms and 590 beds, spread over 5 floors of the new building. The room types will range from classic double rooms through private multi-bed rooms to beds in a dorm room. The public areas such as reception, lobby, lounge, breakfast room and bar as well as a guest kitchen and game zone, which are all typical features of a MEININGER, will be located on the first floor of the building. At basement, ground and mezzanine levels the scheme will also create around 1400 sqm of new retail space.

The hotel in Glasgow will be the second hotel for the MEININGER Group in the UK. MEININGER already operates a hotel in London since 2006.

Hannes Spanring, CEO of the MEININGER Hotels, is pleased about the new project: "Great Britain is a very important market for us and Glasgow as Scotland's largest city is the perfect location for another MEININGER hotel in the UK. The Glasgow hotel is an excellent addition to our portfolio, due to its prime location in the heart of the city centre."

Craig Westmacott, Senior Fund Manager, LGIM Real Assets, said: We are pleased to be working with MEININGER Hotels as they seek to expand their successful brand into the UK. This site is an excellent location for a new hotel and together with the redevelopment of Queen Street station will bring significant improvements to this key area of Glasgow city centre.
Till now, the scheme has produced quite encouraging results and has added about 31 lakh beneficiaries.

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the proposal under the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) wherein the government will bear expenses of employer's full contribution for pension for the first three years for new employees.

The government will now contribute the employer's full admissible contribution for the first three years from the date of registration of the new employees for all the sectors including existing beneficiaries for their remaining period of three years, an official statement said.

This will result into benefits to employees of informal sector as they would get social safety net and there would be more job creations also.

Till now, the scheme has produced quite encouraging results and has added about 31 lakh beneficiaries to the formal employment involving an expenditure of more than Rs 500 crore. The scheme is in operation since August, 2016.

Under this, the government pays the 8.33 per cent contribution of employers to the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) in respect of new employees (who have joined on or after 1st April 2016). The employees need to have a Universal Account Number (UAN) and a salary of up to Rs 15,000 per month.

The statement said the scheme has a dual benefit --on the one hand the employers are incentivised for increasing the employment base of workers in the establishments, and on the other hand a large number of workers will find jobs in such establishments.

"A direct benefit is that these workers will have access to social security benefits of the organised sector," said the statement.
Reverse side will bear the picture of Takht Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib in the centre.

New Delhi: Government will come out with a Rs 350 commemorative coin to mark 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and last Sikh Guru.

"The Rs 350 coin shall be coined at the Mint for issue under the authority of the Central Government to commemorate the occasion of 350th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji," said the finance ministry in a notification.

The coin with standard weight of 35 gram will have 50 per cent silver, 40 per cent copper and 5 per cent each of nickel and zinc.

The obverse will bear the rupee symbol and denominational value '350' in international numerals below the Lion Capital.

The reverse side will bear the picture of "Takht Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib" in the centre.

The years '1666' and '2016' in international numerals will be on the left and right periphery of the coin.
Mumbai: Veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar today warned "bigots" to be wary of communalising the Indian film industry, which he termed as "the citadel of secularism".

The 73-year-old lyricist-writer's comments come after India-based French journalist Francois Gautier had responded to reports of a planned on-screen adaptation of Mahabharat, in which Aamir Khan could possibly play Krishna, highlighting the Bollywood star's religion.

Without naming Gautier, Akhtar, who has spent 53-years in films, asked people to stop spreading hatred in the name of faith in the field of cinema.

"I had joined film industry in 1965 on a salary of 50 rupees per month. In these 53 years not for a second I have experienced or even seen any communal bias in our industry.

"This film industry is the citadel of secularism. Bigots, don't try to pollute it," he tweeted today.

Gautier had tweeted, "Why should @AamirKhan, a Muslim, play in most ancient & sacred of Hindu epics, the Mahabharata? Is @BJP4India Govt of @narendramodi going to be like the @INCIndia & just stand by in name of secularism??? Would Muslims allow a Hindu to play life of Mohamed?"

Akhtar had earlier slammed the journalist for behaving like a PR machine, calling him "clueless" about Indian history and films.

"Can somebody educate this clueless idiot Gautier that a film Mahabharata was made in 1965 and had become a super hit. The producer's name was Ghaffar Bhai Nadiadwala. This is India that we are proud of. Can some body explain it to the dimwit," Akhtar had written earlier.
Mumbai: We often heard of fans showering Bollywood celebrities with special gifts to impress their idols. It is a common norm in the country where there are many film fanatics who not just adore but worship film actors.

It so happened that a fan gifted Ranveer a painting of his Peshwa Bajirao, a character he played in 2015 film 'Bajirao Mastani' after watching his portrayal of Alauddin Khilji from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat'. Ranveer's highly appreciated performance as the antagonist in the film moved the fan so much that he had to paint a picture of Bajirao to remind Ranveer of his positive character.

According to the Mid-day article, a source close to Padmaavat star said, "Ranveer has placed the painting in his living room so that he can be reminded of the love his fans harbour for him. He salutes their overwhelming affection and hopes the painting will motivate him to push the envelope with every act. The fan dropped off the painting at the YRF office in Andheri. They, in turn, contacted the actor and handed it over to him."

Moved by the art, Ranveer Singh hung the painting in his living room.

Ranveer had earlier revealed his process of getting into the character of menacing Alauddin Khilji, who has been portrayed as a maniac obsessed with Deepika Padukones Rani Padmavati. He said, I have had some life experiences that were quite dark. I cant reveal too much because it is too personal but it is the stuff I have brushed under the carpet so to speak. Stuff that I have buried in my conscience that I had to dig out in order to play this character. And it was not always pretty, which validates my apprehension. I knew how deep I had to go into this rabbit hole. I would have had to go into this dark, black space. This abyss that could be dangerous for me. And it was.

After blockbuster success of 'Padmaavat', Ranveer is currently busy shooting for Zoya Akhtar's 'Gully Boy', alongside Alia Bhatt. His upcoming film 'Simmba', will release in December co-starring Sara Ali Khan, which would mark the young actress' debut in Rohit Shetty film.
Mumbai: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has dismissed sexual harassment charges against president John Bailey.

In a statement, the organisation said that the 75-year-old will continue to serve as its president, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

"The Membership and Administration Committee and its sub-committee thoroughly reviewed and considered the claim, John Bailey's response, and corroborating statements from both parties. The Academy took the claim very seriously and was cognizant of the rights of both the claimant and the accused, including consulting with outside counsel with expertise in matters related to harassment," read the statement.

"The Committee unanimously determined that no further action was merited on this matter. The findings and recommendations of the committee were reported to the Board which endorsed its recommendation. John Bailey remains President of the Academy," it added.

Bailey, a cinematographer, was elected as president of the Academy in August. His credits include 'Ordinary People' (1980) and 'The Big Chill' (1983), among many other titles.
It appears the actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan's Vishwroopam 2 will release before Rajinikanths Kaala, which was earlier scheduled for an April 27 release.

Because of the ongoing strike in the Tamil film industry, theres a backlog of films waiting for the NOC from Tamil Film Producers Council to apply for CBFC Certification. Kaala, directed by Ranjith and produced by Dhanush and distributed by Lyca Productions, is one among those.

Sources say now that TFPC has given its clearance but the film is yet to be censored. Meanwhile, Vishwaroopam 2 has been given U/A Certification and is ready for release. Insiders say that if Rajini's Kaala is not releasing as planned, Kamal has decided to bring his Vishwaroopam 2 to theatres sooner.

The buzz is that Ulaganayagan plans to hold the audio launch of VR 2 soon in a grand manner when would also be announcing the release date.
S.S. Rajamouli is mighty excited! After all, the director has been invited to attend the screening of his magnum opus, Baahubali, at the Pakistan International Film Festival in Karachi.

As soon as he received the invitation, he tweeted about it. Baahubali has given me the opportunity to travel to a number of countries... The most exciting of them all is now, Pakistan. Thank you Pakistan international film festival, Karachi for the invite (sic), said his post.
On Thursday morning, all roads led to Ramakrishna Cine Studios for the launch of the NTR biopic. It was a historic moment in Telugu cinema where legendary actor, NTRs life story would be shown on the silver screen, with his son Balakrishna enacting the role. Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu attended as the chief guest and did the honours while fans, celebrities and politicians turned up in large numbers.

Interestingly, in 1977, the late NTR had started the mythological film Daana Veera Soora Karna after establishing Ramakrishna Cine Studios in Nacharam. Former TN Chief Minister and actor, the late M.G. Ramachandran had attended as the chief guest along with Jalagam Vengal Rao, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Years later, the makers of this biopic significantly chose the same place to launch their film and even shot in much the same manner like the late NTR had done for his mythological film.

Dressed like Duryodhana, actor Balakrishna walked about and rendered the famous dialogue from Daana Veera Soora Karna with such conviction that onlookers were stunned by the similarities between him and his father.

The ornaments Balakrishna wore in this film were actually worn by his father in Daana Veera Soora Karna

The entire Nandamuri clan attended the event, including the late NTRs daughters, Bhuvaneshwari, Purandhareswari and others. Presidents and Vice-Presidents do not normally come to events like this, but I put aside all formalities because I knew NTR personally and he was a very good friend of mine. He did so many good things for society and people remember him even today. This is the first time that a legendary actors life history is coming out as a film and the actors son is playing the key role in it, said Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu.

Interestingly, the ornaments Balakrishna wore in this film were actually worn by his father in Daana Veera Soora Karna. Directed by Teja, the biopic is produced by Vishnu Induri, Korrapati Sai and Balakrishna himself.
Nearly a quarter century ago, Sanjoy Hazarika enthralled the uninitiated with his book, Strangers in the Mist, encapsulating in one place hitherto unknown aspects of the seven states we collectively call the Northeast. It helped demystify the remote region for visiting journalists (who only concentrated on militancy and military presence in their reporting), occasional travellers and to an extent those in-charge of governance in Delhi.

Now, the author  journalist, activist, intermediary between governments and insurgent leaders  has penned a kind of follow-up to that book, trying to capture all that has changed in these intervening 25 years. In fact, the subheading of Strangers No More is New Narratives from Indias northeast.

Reading the book, however, one gets a feeling that Hazarika is trapped in the same old narrative that lays the blame for all that is wrong in the region at the doorstep of the Centre alone.

The book, more like reproduction of pages from Hazarikas personal notebook, meanders from one unrelated topic to another with no central thread binding the chapters together. While his concern for the region, injustice meted out to its people and his deep insights into the complex mosaic of ethnicity is above reproach, Hazarika fails to highlight much that has changed in the northeast in the past two decades.

The region, physically isolated from the rest of the country for years because of poor connectivity, also suffered from victimhood, thanks to many of its social and political leaders who benefitted from exploiting the inherent insecurities among common citizens, has for the past two decades received all the assistance for its development and progress, sometimes in excess of the demand thanks to a deliberate decision to bridge the gap between others regions and the northeast.

Today, infrastructure development in the northeast is perhaps among the fastest in the country; many of its young men and women travel far and wide in search of higher education and greener pastures and make a mark through sheer talent and hard work; the violence levels in most states is down to the lowest in decades. And yet Hazarika has chosen not to speak about the changed circumstances except in passing. As someone who is from the region and has only good of the northeast at heart, I expected Hazarika to focus on the brighter side rather than the by-now familiar lament about the mistakes, the excesses and the neglect heaped by outsiders on the northeast. Admittedly, there much that remains to be done in the northeast but it certainly is better off than it was even at the turn of the century. Hazarikas book, however, fails to gives us the complete picture perhaps because he is himself deeply immersed in its politics and development.

So he is on familiar ground when he writes in much detail about his own role as an intermediary between one of the oldest insurgent groups, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) or NSCN (I-M) and the then government of PV Narasimha Rao and his stint as a member of a central government appointed panel to review the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958. His effort to get the NSCN (I-M) to the negotiating table is commendable and must be acknowledged as an important achievement. Hazarika is, however, dismayed, almost bitter, in not being able to get the AFSPA repealed despite the Jeevan Reddy committee (of which he was an important member) recommending it.

While I agree with the contention that in areas that have shown improvement, AFSPA should be withdrawn  with simultaneous pull-out of the Army which needs the legal protection of the law  it is difficult to envisage government of any persuasion to scrap the Act simply because no one can guarantee that its application will not be required in the future. After all, it is the only Act that gives the Army, the nations ultimate weapon to protect territorial integrity and sovereignty, the legal protection  and not impunity that Hazarika repeatedly mentions in the book.

Yes, there have been some regrettable excesses and atrocities committed by errant Army troops but the Indian Armys overall human rights record and its restrained counter-insurgency, counter-terrorist operations are far better than any army in the world. Moreover, it must be remembered that the AFSPA has been scrutinised by the Supreme Court of India and held as valid. And it must not be forgotten that AFSPA gets implemented after state governments impose the Disturbed Areas Act. The conditions for imposing Disturbed Areas Act occur because matters have spun out of control of the local authorities and therefore the Army gets requisitioned. The politicians, social leaders and bureaucracy by implication fail to arrest the situation from deteriorating. And yet, Hazarika, attempts to pin the blame for most part on the Army and the AFSPA.

That said, my own understanding is that in many parts of the Northeast where peace has returned, the AFSPA must be lifted and responsibility of maintaining law and order must be entrusted to the respective state governments. Repealing the Act, however, is not an option any government can realistically exercise.

Overall, Strangers No More may attract the uninitiated but the Northeast is no more a distant, strange land that it was when Hazarika wrote Strangers in the Mist in 1994, for those who are better informed about the region and care for its well-being.

The writer, a veteran journalist, has lived in and reported from the Northeast for major media houses between 1983 and 2006
The social justice bench of the Supreme Court of India, consisting of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta, observed the plight of workers in the construction industry to be worse than that of a Shakespeare tragedy. "There is a total lack of concern and apathy on the part of the powers that be to the plight of millions of workers in the construction industry that puts a Shakespeare tragedy to shame," observed the court. It transpired that more than Rs 37,000 crores had been collected by way of cess in the industry but of this, only Rs 9,500 crore sused for the welfare of the workers. "What about the balance of Rs 27,000-odd crores?" questioned the court. Directing the government to initiate welfare measures immediately, the court lamenting that at best only symbolic justice could be done, fixed September 30 as the deadline.

There are innumerable reports on the plight of construction workers gathering dust in the government record rooms including one we initiated in 1981 on women and children in the construction of projects for the Asian Games. The report had exposed women and children as most vulnerable to apathy and indifference and total absence of any basic welfare schemes at all the construction sites. In fact, it was found that some relief measures had been initiated by an NGO, Mobile Creches, run by Devika Singh and Mina Swaminathan.

One of the reasons for the sorry plight of the workers was that they were migrants to the city with no friends or support base in the cities they worked in. They were recruited by foremen called jamadars to whom a percentage of the daily wage had to be given. Workers were alienated from fellow workers who could be from other regions. Accommodation in the shanties adjoining the sites was on caste and regional basis. As they were migrants and their stay in the city of temporary nature, political parties were apathetic in mobilising them to agitate and articulate their demands. On one of the few occasions in which such an agitation was organised in the capital, they were lathicharged by the police who lobbed teargas charge shells to disperse them. How ironic, we had observed then, that gas was used to induce tears, a commodity which was in plentiful supply in the daily lives of the workers!

It's the reference to the Shakespeare tragedy that is interesting. The court may be interested in knowing that most famous tragedies of Shakespeare like Macbeth or Julius Caesar almost did not happen and the world may have never known a Shakespearean tragedy.

When Shakespeare died in 1616, 18 of his plays, among them the more famous Shakespeare tragedies died with him. It was believed at the time that he had written a total of 36 plays and only 18 were known. These were plagiarised, wrongly copied and sometimes not even rightly attributed to the author. But they were known. The other 18, including the major Shakespearean tragedies had disappeared. The resurrection of all 36 Shakespeare's plays, known at the time, in short, the story of the First Folio, is a fascinating one. Andrea Mays in her book, The Millionaire and the Bard, the obsessive quest for the First Folio by the millionaire Henry Folgers has recounted the amazing publishing history of the First Folio. In his will, Shakespeare had left a sum of 26 shillings each for three of his friends and fellow actors in The King's Men. It was Shakespeare's intent that his friends may buy rings with the money and remember him whenever they looked at the ring.

The three friends were Richard Burbage, John Heminges and Henry Condell. Burbage died soon after and Heminges and Condell decided that if their dear friend Shakespeare was to be remembered, why not do something that society and posterity itself might remember their friend? They resolved to publish all 36 of Shakespeare's plays in a single folio format, hereafter to be known to the world as the First Folio.

Heminges and Condell soon realised that they had almost an impossible task. For Shakespeare had left none of his original plays behind. His plays were always meant to be performed and therefore his originals had numerous corrections, revisions, strike-outs as new thoughts struck him. These were called "foul copies" and were turned over to a writer to make fair ones. It was not possible to locate complete fair copies as actors were given only parts of the play with their lines. Apart from the difficulty of remembering lines, this was also the period of intense competition among rival playwrights. If the complete text of a play fell into wrong hands, it could be disastrous. Heminges and Condell resurrected 18 plays of Shakespeare that were known, corrected the text, supplied the missing lines and made them presentable. They then unearthed whatever fair copies of the other plays that existed.

Their long and extensive experience as leading actors in all the major plays helped them to put in the missing lines mucs Shakespeare himself would have done.

They laboured hard for two years to complete the text. Hemmings and Condell then approached Ben Jonson, a leading playwright and friend of Shakespeare, to write the introduction. In a fulsome tribute, Jonson wrote, "Shakespeare was not of an age but for all time". Hemmings and Condell even got a Flemish engraver Martin Droeshout to do a portrait of their dear friend. As no photograph existed and Droeshout had never seen Shakespeare, the portrait was based purely on their description. The portrait was decided on after some deliberation by Heminges and Condell, as they wanted posterity to gaze on their dear friend and playwright.

After due sponsorship, it took the printer Isaac Jaggard two years to print 750 copies of the First Folio. It took the printer Isaac Jaggard two years to print 750 copies of the First Folio in 1623. It took nine years to sell out the first printing in spite of Heminges and Condell beseeching the public to "read, even criticise but whatever you do, please buy!" Today, only 235 copies of the First Folio survive of which 82 are in the Folger Library in Washington.

Controversy continues to rage as to whether Shakespeare was indeed the author of the plays and even the authenticity of the portrait in the First Folio has been challenged. Heminges and Condell saved Shakespeare's plays from corruption and textual oblivion. Does the First Folio reflect the text of each play exactly as written by Shakespeare? Perhaps not but it's the best we have. And Shakespeare himself might reply, "not exactly but close enough!".

The writer is a senior publishing industry professional who has worked with OUP and is now a senior consultant with Ratna Sagar Books
Yauatcha, the tea and dimsum house has been pretty much the hub for Pan Asian, with the most dreamy dimsums, consistency in quality, impeccable service and taste.

Foodies love no-brainers, every once in a while. A meal set specially for you, plated with delicious flavours and tastes in five courses so you can nibble away with ease. Its a plethora of Pan Asian food that you order whilst you sit back.

Yauatcha, the tea and dimsum house has been pretty much the hub for Pan Asian, with the most dreamy dimsums, consistency in quality, impeccable service and taste. For all those who would like to put their powers of decision making to rest and not have to pour over too many choices, here is a portioned and balanced w wonder meal, marked by five courses of a sumptuous spread. Called the Taste of Yauatcha, its the bevy of offerings by a large team of chefs wokking away in the open kitchen. Their new Yum Cha dimsum meal is also quite the seller in case you cant last through five courses.

The popular spread draws shoppers visiting MG One, friends and business execs heading for a quick foodgasm. Lunch is when you have the highest number of corporate out for a quick meal. Keeping that in mind, we designed the menu for a wholesome meal that can be served and consumed fairly quickly. Despite being a set meal, we offer selections of dimsums, mains and desserts. We have always been known for our dimsums and that is why we have kept a good selection to choose from, its my favourite too, explains Chef Pradeep Gomes- Unit Head Chef (Yauatcha Bangalore).

Soups, salad, dimsum, stir fries, greens, noodles, rice, desserts  a slew of plates come by the table. Both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings are delightful. What we particularly loved was the ease with which your order was taken and disposed of, with enough time for conversation and chit chat course by course, the tummy smiled beatifically.

And it is a lot for even one person. Were not sure if you can share though! We ordered the non-vegetarian meal which began with a simple but delicious hot and sour chicken soup. We loved the consistency and the slivers of crunch with shredded chicken, lipsmackingly good, light and easy. A warning here, if you are a small eater, best you keep that space for the flurry that follows, all piping hot, aromatic and totally worth your while. We liked the freshness and crunch of the mixed lettuce with lotus root salad, a tangy dressing, though we would have loved more lotus root as a fight ensued to grab the few that were there!

In the dimsums, we chose spicy hargau and the chefs special from four options on their menu. Steaming and delectable, we dribbled enough chilli sauce and gobbled away. Fresh, succulent prawn and an interesting chicken parcel came our way. The vegetarian options have our faves, the truffle and English carrot and the vegetable crystal dumpling too.

A selection of three stir fries were offered with the mains, in both the vegetarian and non vegetarian options. We chose the Heyong lamb and steamed snapper in a spicy, blackbean sauce. The lamb was succulent, tender and flavourful, with a stocky gravy that paired itself beautifully with our noodles. We also loved the sweet and spice of the blackbean sauce, with the delicate flakey fish. We also devoured, with great relish, a portion of Chinese greens. You can also order noodles or rice, we had both, with the chicken fried rice simplistic. The other diner ordered Ho Fan Noodles.

There was a bit too much happening with it, it was like a pad thai that went over the top tasty, but we would have definitely preferred more outstanding flavours and ingredients. The meal is sumptuous and we small eaters left a few dimsums behind, reluctant but helpless. We did wish there was the pepper beef also in the offerings, though.

For dessert, you can choose from a range of ice creams, sorbets and macaroons. We chose the caramel, lychee and toffee icecream with a mango sorbet (two scoops). Light, flavourful and the perfect end to a delectable meal, all washed down with cups of Chinese tea, to do justice to the five courses.

Irresistible, quick and with a taste trail to remember  Yauatcha has maintained its impeccable standards in a scene where a tidal wave of new places are opening pell mell, while older ones rapidly lose out on consistency. Here, Yauatcha stands out and the chain that was given a Michelin star within a year of opening in Londons Soho, continues to uphold its spirit. We maintain a high standard of food and services at Yauatcha through periodic checks, audits and shelf-life standardisation, adds chef Gomes.

The dimsums, quite rightly cannot be parcelled to keep their quality, but if the meal is too much, you can take the left overs to go. The price point is also great for the five courses on offer. We will be back for more, and will also dimsum away with its Yum Cha menu soon you can too!

Level 5, 1 MG Road Mall, MG Road,, 1 MG Road, Bengaluru  560008

When: Monday to Thursday, 12 pm until 7 pm

Price: Rs 988/- (plus taxes and charges) for vegetarian

Rs 1088/- (plus taxes and charges) for non-vegetarian

Call: 092222 22800 for reservations

The Yum Cha experience

From Monday through Thursday

Time: From 12 noon to 7 pm

Price: Rs 588/- (plus taxes for vegetarian)

Price: Rs 688/- (plus taxes for vegetarian)
Bengaluru: A survey released recently has come out with shocking revelations about high prevalence of stigma attached to mental illness, with 47% of people using the word "retard" to describe people with mental illness. Also, 60% of respondents believe that people with mental illness "should have their own groups to avoid contaminating healthy people" and 68% believe that they "should not be given any responsibility."

Also, many were seen with minimal knowledge about mental illness as close to 60% believe that mental illness is caused by a "lack of self-discipline and willpower".

"How India Perceives Mental Health,' a report published by The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF) to gauge the public perception of mental health across eight Indian cities, revealed that 87% of respondents associate mental illness with severe disorders (like schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and their symptoms.

Illustrating the poor understanding of the broad spectrum of mental illness, respondents were unlikely to associate mental illness with symptoms of more common mental disorders such as anxiety, when describing people with mental illness.

Only 27% people indicated support for people perceived as having a mental illness.

They would not discriminate against people with mental illness and predominantly believe that anyone can suffer from mental illness. This segment was seen predominantly in cities such as Kanpur, Patna and Delhi.

A whopping 47% were judgmental against people perceived to be suffering from a mental illness.

This segment includes people who are more aware of mental illnesses and associated symptoms, but also display some stigma against people with mental illness. Sadly, respondents from Bengaluru displayed a fear towards people with mental illness.

This segment is "frightened of living in the same neighbourhood as and interacting with someone suffering from mental illness".

Anna Chandy, chairperson, The Board of Trustees, TLLLF, said, "Traditionally and historically, India is a collectivistic society, now slowly moving towards a more individualistic one. This transition is evident in the data presented in the report. In larger cities, we see a more dramatic shift towards individualism, possibly due to an increase in the amount of access to information and migrant need for survival. However, smaller cities like Kanpur and Patna seem to retain some of their collectivistic roots, and are moving towards an individualistic society at a slower pace."
KOLLAM: T. Thulaseedharan, a menial worker with Kollam corporation has now become a real hero by his act of compassion. He donated one of his kidneys to an ailing patient, not a relative, not a friend, but a stranger who needed the organ to live. According to T. Thulaseedharan, 51, he has now found the meaning of life. I had closely experienced the struggles faced by kidney patients as I used to accompany one of my friends for dialysis. I always had the urge to help them as I found most of them were from destitute families, Thulaseedharan, hailing from Nanma Nagar 2A at Municipal Colony in Kadappakkada, says.

Thulaseedharan made up his mind to do something really helpful for kidney patients and found that donating his own kidney would be the most helpful. He then decided to learn more about kidney donation. He contacted Ajish Mol from Kollam, who had already donated her kidney some five years back. From discussions with Ajish Mol, I came to know that donating a kidney does not harm ones health unless doing heavy manual labour. I decided to go ahead with my dream, he says.

Thulaseedharan announced his wish to donate his kidney at the inauguration function of Nanma nagar residents association in Kadappakkada. I being the president of Nanma nagar, announced my wish to donate a kidney and signed the letter at the function in the presence of many dignitaries.

Thulaseedharan, then found one S.Y. Shajahan from Vallikunnam in Kayamkulam needed a kidney. Shajahan, hailing from a destitute family, sustained his life with the dialyses carried out with the help of voluntary organisations. The transplant took place at Medical Trust hospital in Ernakulam on Tuesday. My act also gives a message of secularism, as the kidney of a Hindu now fits in the body of a Muslim. In these days of intolerance, people should find this angle also in my act of charity, he says.

Thulaseedharan has his wife Sarala, three children, and grandchildren as dependents back home. I wanted to do something for society. We should leave a lasting impression of our life, that we lived here and that can be achieved through acts of compassion, a happy Thulaseedharan adds.
Britain's Prince Harry and US actress and fiancee of Britain's Prince Harry Meghan Markle arrive at the Eikon Centre in Lisburn, on March 23, 2018, to attend an event to mark the second year of youth-led peace-building initiative Amazing the Space. (Photo: AFP)

More than 250 members of the British Armed Forces will perform ceremonial duties on Prince Harry and Meghan Markles wedding day.

"Units that hold a special relationship with Prince Harry will provide ceremonial support at the wedding and during the carriage procession at the request of Kensington Palace," the Ministry of Defence states in a press release on March 28.

Prince Harry and Ms. Markle watch performances by local schools to celebrate how the Arts can unite different communities. #AmazingtheSpace. pic.twitter.com/cmUxJFc37P  Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 23, 2018

During his career in the Army, Prince Harry was deployed twice to Afghanistan. After he rose to the rank of captain, the royal left the Army in 2015.

"Members of the Household Cavalry will form a staircase party at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle as part of the wedding. The State Trumpeters and a Captains Escort from the Household Cavalry will also provide ceremonial support," it further stated.

The royal wedding will take place on May 19.
Mugs with the image of Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen displayed for sale in a shop window in Windsor, England, Thursday, March 29, 2018. (Photo: AP)

LONDON: A brewery in Windsor, the British town where Prince Harry will marry American Meghan Markle in May, believes it has concocted its own perfect pairing with a "royal beer" celebrating the occasion.

The regal-themed brew, a pale ale named "Harry & Meghan's Windsor Knot", appropriately combines British and American hops, barley grown on the Royal Farms adjoining Windsor Castle -- and a finishing touch of champagne yeast.

"Marrying these ingredients creates a new pale ale that is young, fresh and full of character," proclaimed Windsor & Eton Brewery, which launched the limited edition craft beer on Wednesday.

The firm, which says it is on a long-shot mission "to make Windsor more famous for its beers than any other attraction", brewed its first "Windsor Knot" for the 2011 wedding of Harry's brother Prince William to Kate Middleton.

To honour this new Anglo-American nuptial, the brewery team has designed a bottle and pump clip featuring a tie made out of Britain's Union Jack flag and the US' stars and stripes.

It also displays two interlocking male and female symbols "to reflect the strength and support they give each other" the brewers said in a press release announcing their concoction.

Harry and his American actress fiancee are set to tie the knot at Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 19.

British pubs will be allowed to stay open late on the eve of the wedding and on May 19, for what the British Government has described as "a day of national celebration".
Belagavi: The brutal assault and parading of a social worker semi-nude, which took place in Belagavi on Tuesday, was allegedly carried out at the behest of a well known political leader in the city.

The social worker, Rafik Desai, was initially attacked at Civil Hospital, allegedly by supporters of the leader. He was later stripped and paraded semi-nude from hospital premises to Chennamma Circle and then to DC office premises.

There he was also tied to a pole, garlanded with footwear and brutally beaten up by the leaders henchmen for nearly an hour. The gang also forced some women to assault him.

In a video clip that went viral on social media, Desai accused a local MLA behind the attack. Two of the attackers (including an elderly woman) admitted in separate video clips that they were forced to do so by two gangsters, Tausif Alwadkar and Abutalib Mulla. They apologised for the attack.

However, some of attackers alleged Desai had cheated several poor residents of Belagavi city by assuring them to get houses allotted under Ashraya Yojana. He had also reportedly collected huge money from the beneficiaries. The attackers admitted that they were promised lakhs of rupees if they joined the gang to beat up Desai.

Police under fire

Leaders from different political parties and citizens of Belagavi have criticised the police department for allowing an assault to in broad daylight, in DCs office.

They alleged the police department was under pressure from the local MLA against taking action, although the assault at DCs office lasted nearly an hour.

The people questioned Police Commissioner D.C. Rajappas conduct and wondered why no action was taken against even as video-clips went viral on social media.
21-year-old Ayush Nautiyal went missing last Thursday just after he left home from college. (Photo: facebook.com/ayush.nautiyal.94)

New Delhi: A 21-year-old Delhi University student who was kidnapped a week ago for ransom was found murdered near a drain in Dwarka on Wednesday night.

Ayush Nautiyal, a final year student of commerce at the Ram Lal Anand college, was abducted from his home in Dwarka in northwest Delhi and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh.

According to a report in NDTV, Ayush went missing last Thursday just after he left home from college. His parents grew worried when he didnt return home in the evening. His father later received a WhatsApp message from Ayushs phone, which contained a picture showing him tied up with his mouth covered and a head injury. The message demanded Rs 50 lakh as ransom.

Following this, the family went to the police and reportedly raised Rs 10 lakh and tried to hand it over to the kidnappers but couldn't find them.

On Wednesday night, however, his body was found near the drain.

The bereaved family has accused the police of negligence and lack of action to track the kidnappers down.

"We carried the money and drove through the area in search of the kidnappers. A police van escorted us, but we could not find anything for two days. Then we saw his body," one of Ayushs cousin was quoted as telling a newspaper.
They cheated customers by claiming that the bowls were magical and whoever used them became wealthy within a short time, and that they sold for up to Rs 3 crore abroad.

Hyderabad: The West Zone team of the Commissioners Task Force apprehended four persons accused of cheating people by selling them magical copper bowls that emitted light and had spiritual powers.

The accused were identified as Bandari Suresh Yadav (44), a wall painter from Komapally, Jamalpuri Mahesh (33), a rental agent from Amerpet, Syed Sadath Hussain (37), a businessman in the real estate business from Mancherial, and G. Vishnath (30), a businessman from Langer House.

The accused created a set up using a microwave oven, electrical cables and copper bowls, to make people believe that the copper bowls emitted light. They cheated customers by telling them that the bowls were magical and that they were in huge demand abroad, where they sold for up to `3 crore. They said that whoever had used the bowls had become wealthy within a short period of time, said Radha Kishan Rao, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Commissioners Task Force.

Last week, the accused cheated a person named Md Imran out of Rs 20,000.

The task force seized two copper bowls, a plastic table, a microwave oven, electrical wires, three torch lights, 34 torch batteries, four chemical bottles and five cell phones from their possession. The accused and the materials seized from them were handed over to the Station House Officer of SR Nagar Police Station for further investigation.
Thiruvananthapuram: The police team probing the murder of radio jockey Rajesh alias Rasikan Rajesh at Pallickal near Killimanoor is yet to get any definite leads about the accused.

According to police sources, they were expecting to get some valid leads after taking detailed statements from the family member of the accused in the coming days. Police was planning to collect statement of family members on Thursday.

We strongly suspect that the murder was over some personal issues. But we have not yet received any direct evidence and hence may take some time to crack the case, a senior police officer said.

The call records of the phone of the deceased as well as calls on the nearby mobile phone towers were also being analysed by the police. The police also collected footage from all nearby CCTV cameras.

Public works minister G. Sudhakaran informed the Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday that a special investigation team would be probe into the murder. He also said that the police could only confirm that the murder was executed by a four member gang. Attingal DySP Anil Kumar is heading the special investigation team.

Police sources said that there no evidence for any robbery attempt. Rajeshs friend Kuttan, who was injured during the attack by the gang, also said that he was ignorant of the provocation.
Bengaluru: Two police constables attached to Hennur police station have been arrested for allegedly extorting money and beating up the employees of a spa on Tuesday, when they refused to hand them money.

The Banaswadi police have arrested constables Vithal Daddi and Sharukh Dongaragaon, both attached to Hennur police station, after the owner of Shine Glow Wellness Centre, Swathi, lodged a complaint against the constables. The spa is located in HRBR Layout in Kalyan Nagar.

According to police, at around 8.30 pm on Tuesday, constables Vithal and Sharukh barged into the spa and demanded Rs 50,000 from the staff. The constables threatened to get them arrested for trumped up charges that they were providing illegal massages.

The spa staff refused to pay them and told the constables that they were not carrying out any illegal activities. The angry constables then started assaulting the staff and took away Rs 28,000 and two mobile phones from them.

Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Seemant Kumar Singh has ordered for an internal inquiry and the two constables have been suspended. They are also being questioned as to why they entered a spa, which is located not in their jurisdiction.
Christopher Wylie, 28, a former employee of CA, posted information about the work on the social media on Wednesday.

London: The British consultancy Cambridge Analyticas parent company SCL India engaged in not only election campaign studies in different states in India, but also in countering "recruitment into and support of" violent Jihadism in the states of Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and UP in 2007. This was in support of a transnational programme for countering non-desired behaviour (NDB).

Cambridge Analyticas work in India dating back to 2003 was exposed by a UK-based whistleblower, who is at the centre of a storm over alleged data breaches by the consultancy. Christopher Wylie, 28, a former employee of CA, posted information about the work on the social media on Wednesday.

Wylie had told MPs during his evidence before the UK Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee on Tuesday that the company had worked "extensively" in India.

He had also mentioned that he believes Congress party was one of its clients.

In a post on Twitter, he also named the Janata Dal (United) as a client during the 2010 Bihar elections and brought up some caste surveys carried out in Uttar Pradesh by SCL India  the parent company of CA. "I've been getting a lot of requests from Indian journalists, so here are some of SCL's past projects in India. To the most frequently asked question  yes SCL/CA works in India and has offices there. This is what modern colonialism looks like," Wylie tweeted.

His message includes documents which indicate that SCL India boasted of a database of "over 600 districts and 7 lakh villages, which is constantly being updated". Its reach in India is said to include a head office in Ghaziabad, with nine regional offices in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Cuttack, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Patna and Pune.

"SCL India was asked to provide research and strategy for the 2010 state elections for the Janata Dal (United). SCL undertook a behavioural research programme targeting over 75 per cent of households to assist the client in not only identifying the correct battlegrounds, but also the right audiences, messages and most importantly the right castes to target with their campaigns," Wylie's document notes.

The JD (U) went on to win the 2010 state elections as part of an alliance with the NDA. Wylie's document also showed caste census and caste research campaigns carried out in Uttar Pradesh in 2011-2012 on behalf of a "national party".

"The research included analysis of caste structure and dynamics within the state leading to conclusions regarding the identification of the party's core voters as well as likely swing voters," it claims.

Other aspects of the document cover the company's work across different states, including during the 2003 Rajasthan election for a "major state party"; Madhya Pradesh in 2003 for a "national party" to identify swing voters; a full political survey for a "major party" during the 2007 Uttar Pradesh elections; and managing the campaigns of a number of Lok Sabha candidates for the 2009 national elections.

"Our services help clients to identify and target key groups within the population to effectively influence their behaviour to realise a desired outcome," the SCL India material claims.
An MoU was signed between the transport department and C-40 England in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami at the secretariat for introducing electric buses in Tamil Nadu.  DC

Chennai: In a bid to reduce pollution and roll out green electric buses in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday signed a pact with the

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group at the secretariat.

The state transport department officials led by transport minister M. R. vijayabhaskar and transport secretary P .W .C. Dawidar signed the agreement with C- 40 Low Emission Vehicle Network, a wing of the C-40 group, that helps cities to transform their building stock for a low carbon future.

The high level function was chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and stake holders in the group explained about the advantages in bringing the electric buses in operation to a city like Chennai.

The C40 Low Emission Vehicle Network is currently working with C40 cities that are pursuing cleaner vehicle technologies to help reduce transport emissions.

The network serves as a platform for C40 cities to share best practices and policies to reduce emissions by promoting the use of electric buses and other modes of transport. The road conditions of Chennai and the logistics required to import electric buses will be worked on and the project will get impetus in the days to come, informed sources, who attended the event ,told DC.

Chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan and C 40 deputy executive director Kevin Austin and clean energy director James Alexander were among those present on the occasion.

It may be noted that under the C 40 network, clean energy programme, Chennai has entered in to a global agreement to promote clean energy and had also sort the expertise of other cities working on clean energy and urban solutions.
Early this month, the government issued an unprecedented ban on Tibetans holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the failed uprising against Chinese rule. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama faces increasing isolation in India, his home in exile, as the government tones down an assertive stand towards China, in the hope of calming ties strained by the Doklam standoff.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam near Sikkim last year after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army.

The confrontation underscored Indian alarm at China's expanding security and economic links in South Asia. China's ambitious Belt and Road initiative of transport and energy links passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or PoK, to which India has strongly objected.

Now Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is reversing course, apparently after realising its hard line on China was not working, and the Dalai Lama is facing the cold shoulder.

"We are moving forward with this relationship, the idea is to put the events of 2017 behind us," a government source involved in China policy said.

The idea is to "be sensitive" to each other's core concerns and not let differences turn into disputes, the source said.

The Dalai Lama has lived mostly in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh since 1959, when he fled a Chinese crackdown on an uprising in his homeland.

In Dharamsala, his supporters run a small government in exile and campaign for autonomy for Tibet by peaceful means. New Delhi has allowed the Dalai Lama to pursue his religious activities in India and to travel abroad.

Early this month, the government issued an unprecedented ban on Tibetans holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the failed uprising against Chinese rule.

This week, the Dalai Lama cancelled a visit to Sikkim, hosted by authorities there, officials say, lest it offended China.

Sikkim is south of the Doklam plateau where the military stand-off took place.

Even "thank you" rallies by Tibetans planned for New Delhi to show appreciation to India for hosting the Dalai Lama and his followers have been shifted to Dharamsala.

The foreign ministry said the government had not changed its position on the Dalai Lama.

"He is a revered religious leader and is deeply respected by the people of India. His Holiness is accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India," spokesman Raveesh Kumar said.

But the government's recent attitude is in stark contrast with his former treatment.

In 2016, the Dalai Lama was invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for a ceremony honouring Nobel Peace prize winners. The government later allowed him to visit Arunachal Pradesh, disregarding Chinese objections.

China reviles the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist and his activities in India have always been a source of friction, and a tool with which India can needle China.

"Tibet has utility to irritate China, but it is becoming costly for us now. They are punishing us," said P. Stobdan, a former Indian ambassador.

China has blocked India's membership of a nuclear cartel and it also blocks U.N. sanctions against Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar, responsible for attacks on India.

The Tibetan government-in-exile has been phlegmatic, expressing understanding of the shifting circumstances and gratitude to India for hosting the Dalai Lama for 60 years.

"The Indian government has its reasons why, these coming months are sensitive, and we completely understand and respect that so there's no disappointment at all," Lobsang Sangay, the head of the government in exile told reporters.

China has hailed better ties.

"Everyone can see that recently, due to the efforts of both sides, China-India relations have maintained positive momentum and development, and exchanges and cooperation in all areas have achieved new progress," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday.

Lu said China was willing to work with India to maintain exchanges on all levels and to increase mutual political trust and "appropriately control differences".

A flurry of visits is planned.

Next week, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is heading to China and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is due to visit in April.

PM Modi will visit in June for a regional conference and talks with President Xi Jinping.

The two sides are also expected to revive "hand-in-hand" counter-terrorism exercises when Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits China in April, a defence source said. The drills were suspended earlier.
the economics exam was held on Monday, the mathematics exam was conducted on Wednesday, hours before the CBSE announced that it will hold the two exams again. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: A special team of Delhi Police set up to investigate the leak of Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics question papers cancelled by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) started its probe on Wednesday evening.

According to NDTV report, the Delhi Police special team has started its investigation with 25 people, mostly students who had been able to access the handwritten question papers.

The police are hoping to work backwards to trace the source of the leaked papers that appear to have been circulated over WhatsApp, the encrypted messenger service.

A special investigation team led by RP Upadhyay, the senior police officer who heads the crime branch, has been constituted after registering two cases on complaints from the CBSE, the school board exam body.

"We have received snapshots of the handwritten paper circulated through WhatsApp from the complainant. We are trying to ascertain the source of these messages. Since WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, we are facing a bit of difficulty in tracing the source," said an officer privy to the probe, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

The officer said they have not questioned any official from any of the examination centres or from the CBSE. The questioning will happen once the source of messages is traced.

The CBSE, which has been fending off complaints that some question papers had been leaked for days, cancelled the two papers on Monday.

The decision came hours after the Class 10 mathematics paper leaked and surfaced on social media also.

Following the CBSE's announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to HRD minister Prakash Javadekar about CBSE paper leaks and demanded strict action against the perpetrators.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Prakash Javadekar said "2-3 papers" had leaked but promised parents and students that the authorities had filed a police complaint right away. The minister underlined that the leaks appeared to be a localised problem limited just to Delhi.

Read: CBSE paper leak: PM unhappy; re-exam for Class 10 Maths, Class 12 Economics

The minister also contended that the papers were leaked just half-an-hour before the examination.

"It seems some kind of gang is behind this and is doing it deliberately. A special team is already probing the matter and the guilty will not be spared," said Javadekar.

Also Read: New foolproof system from Monday to check CBSE paper leak: Javadekar

Police sources, however, suggest that this might not be the case.

A police officer said his understanding at the moment was that the examination papers appear to have been leaked the evening before the two examinations.

A police statement said the CBSE had registered the first case in connection with the leak of economics paper Tuesday while the case pertaining to mathematics paper was filed Wednesday, following a complaint by the regional director of CBSE.

Also Read: CBSE to hold re-exam of Class X Maths, XII Economics papers

The cases were registered on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Reports about the economics paper being leaked had circulated on social media, including on WhatsApp, several hours before the paper commenced on Monday.

The CBSE, however, denied any leak and urged students and parents not to panic.

"We have checked with all exam centres and the paper was not leaked. The source of circulation of this information is not known yet. We want to urge the students and parents to not panic and assure them that the board is doing its best to ensure sanctity of the examination," a senior CBSE official had said.

Also Read: CBSE paper leak: Parents, students cry foul over leak

While the economics exam was held on Monday, the mathematics exam was conducted on Wednesday, hours before the CBSE announced that it will hold the two exams again.

A similar incident occurred on March 15, when the Delhi government had said that it had received complaints of the Class 12 CBSE accountancy paper being leaked. The board had denied that there was a leak.
Earlier last week, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi had also denied any financial links of his son Amrishs company Ovleno Business Intelligence Pvt Ltd, with dubious data firm, Cambridge Analytica. (Photo: Facebook/Amrish Tyagi)

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing controversy over Cambridge Analyticas association with Indian political parties, senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi's son and director of Ovleno Business Intelligence (OBI), Amrish Tyagi on Thursday claimed that his company was never associated with the data-mining firm.

He asserted that any work of any nature (if any), undertaken by CA cannot be read against OBI.

Tyagi claimed that OBI came into existence in the year 2010 and that at the time of its incorporation neither of its directors had undertaken any work of political nature.

Immediately after controversy over Cambridge Analyticas association with Indian political parties broke-out, Ovelina Business Intelligence website was pulled down.

Tyagi owned Ovelina Business Intelligence (OBI) was Cambridge Analyticas associate in the country.

OBI in association with Cambridge Analytica parent company SCL Group had formed a company SCL India- to help its clients in the country in election campaign management.

The accused firm Cambridge Analytica in its website claims to have helped its client to win Bihar Assembly elections in 2010.

JD(U) and BJP alliance had won Bihar assembly election in 2010. OBI, before pulling down its website had claimed to have Congress, BJP and JD(U) among its clients.

The data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica is under investigation over allegations that it stole 50 million Facebook users data to help its clients around the world, to win elections including US president Donald Trump.

Tyagi had earlier said that his firm was very different from what they do in the US and the firm uses data which is available in the public domain. Tyagi said from election commission data one can find out about how a booth voted in the last 3-4 elections.

Its not a rocket science. It is available for everyone, he added.

Earlier last week, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi had also denied any financial links of his son Amrishs company Ovleno Business Intelligence Pvt Ltd, with dubious data firm, Cambridge Analytica.

There was only a work relation between my son Amrish's company and Cambridge Analytics, there is no financial transaction or shareholding, everything is open to probe, he said.

JD(U) also has no links with this, neither did they promote us in 2010 polls, he added.

He also denied JD(U)s relation with Cambridge Analytics saying, Neither has its CEO ever met Nitish ji nor me. In any case JD(U) is a socialist outfit and we stay away from such things, except for maybe Prashant Kishore ji helping us during last assembly polls.

Cambridge Analytica (CA) was contracted to undertake an in-depth electorate analysis for the Bihar Assembly Election in 2010, its website said.

The core challenge was to identify the floating/swing voters for each of the parties and to measure their levels electoral apathy, a result of the poor and unchanging condition of the state after 15 years of incumbent rule, said Cambridge Analytica on its website.

It said that in addition to the research phase, CA were tasked to organise the party base at the village level by creating a communication hierarchy to increase supporter motivation. Our client achieved a landslide victory, with over 90 per cent of total seats targeted by CA being won, it added.

Former CA employee and whistleblower Christopher Wylie  who exposed Facebooks data breach -- had on Wednesday tweeted on the association Indian politics had had with the company to get voter information and strategise poll campaigns around it.

Also Read: Indian parties hired CA since 2003, to study voters, counter jihadism: whistleblower

In an attached document, Wylie had also shown that in the 2010 Bihar state election, the firm was asked to provide electoral research and strategy for the Janata Dal (United).
Social activist Anna Hazare ended his fast following talks with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi for a week demanding setting up of the Lokpal, ended his fast on Thursday following talks with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Talking to the reporters, Hazare said, The Lokpal issue is still pending. Our chief minister is saying the issue will be solved within six months. The government and the public are not separate entities. It is the duty of the government to do good for the people."

The venue of his protest was the same iconic Ram Lila Maidan, where he had sat on a hunger strike in 2011 demanding that the then government set up a Lokpal to investigate cases of corruption.

Hazare was pressing for setting up of the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, besides implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which has suggested ways to address the agrarian distress.

(With PTI inputs)
Lalu Prasad, who is serving jail term in Ranchi since December 23 in a fodder scam case, was taken to New Delhi on medical advice for specialised treatment at AIIMS. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

New Delhi: RJD supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav after being brought to Delhi for treatment at AIIMS on Thursday said that "Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is now finished".

Pointing out the riots and incidents of violence in Bihar, Lalu Yadav said that the "BJP has set the whole state ablaze".

According to PTI, members of two communities clashed on Wednesday over taking out a religious procession in Bihar's Nalanda district, leaving more than 20 persons, including four security personnel, injured.

Nalanda is the native district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Communal clashes have erupted in several districts in the state since Ram Navami last Sunday.

"People from both sides indulged in heavy stone-pelting in Silao block of the district following a dispute over the route of a Ram Navami procession, and police had to resort to mild use of force besides firing tear gas shells to quell the mobs," Superintendent of Police, Nalanda, Sudhir Kumar Porika said.

Clashes have erupted in districts like Bhagalpur and Aurangabad, triggering a political slugfest with the opposition RJD-Congress combine blaming the spurt in such incidents on alleged dominance of the BJP, the junior partner in the Nitish Kumar government, on the state's bureaucratic machinery.

Lalu Prasad, who is serving jail term in Ranchi since December 23 in a fodder scam case, was taken to New Delhi on medical advice for specialised treatment at AIIMS.

Prasad had been admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Ranchi on March 17 on complaints of uneasiness at Birsa Munda Jail and had left for New Delhi on Wednesday by train after a Special CBI court allowed him to seek treatment at Delhi AIIMS.

Senior advocate Chittaranjan Sinha, who has been handling the fodder scam cases for Prasad from the very beginning, said the 69-year-old RJD chief is suffering from diabetes, high creatinine levels and blood pressure.

A special CBI court last week sentenced Yadav to 14 years in prison fine of Rs 60 lakh in Dumka treasury case. He was pronounced guilty on March 19 in a fourth fodder scam case involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.13 crore from the Dumka treasury between December 1995 and January 1996.

Also Read: RJD chief Lalu Yadav sentenced to 14 years jail in 4th fodder scam case

Earlier in January, a CBI court in Ranchi had sentenced Lalu Prasad to five years in jail in the third fodder scam case.

Along with Lalu, former Bihar chief Jagannath Mishra, was also sentenced to five years in prison in the case.

The conviction and the quantum of punishment was delivered in a case related to the Chaibasa Treasury from which Rs 33.67 crore were siphoned off against the actual allocation of just Rs 7.10 lakh in 1992-93.

On January 6, RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail by a CBI special court in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago.

Lalu Prasad was convicted in the first fodder scam case in 2013 and awarded five years in jail.

(With inputs from PTI)
Loya died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. (Photo: Facebook)

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday said it has no information about the death of CBI Special Judge BH Loya, who died in Nagpur in December 2014.

In a written reply to a query by KTS Tulsi on the issue, Union minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said in the Rajya Sabha that 'police' and 'public order' are state subjects under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has no information in this regard," he said.

Tulsi had asked whether any person accompanied the body of CBI special judge BH Loya and if that person gave any history of Judge Loya to the doctor at a Nagpur hospital. He also sought to know the time of death of Judge Loya and cause of death as per hospital records.

Judge Loya was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. He died of a cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter. The Supreme Court is hearing petitions seeking independent probe into Judge Loya's death.

Gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, who the Gujarat Police claimed was also a terrorist, was killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Gujarat and Rajasthan police in 2005. His wife Kausar Bi disappeared, and was alleged to have been eliminated by police. Shaikh's associate Tulsi Prajapati was also later killed in an alleged fake encounter.

The CBI took over the probe in February 2010 and filed charge sheet in July the same year against 23 accused, including Amit Shah, who at that time was the minister of state for home in Gujarat.

The trial court, over a period of time, discharged several accused in the case, including Shah and three IPS officers.
During her farewell speech, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said, 'He (Naidu) knows me from many kilos before. Sir, many people worry about my weight but in this job, you need to throw your weight around.' (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: For Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury, whose Rajya Sabha term is nearing its end, an unusual advice came from the chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday. It was about her weight.

During her farewell speech, Chowdhury, 63, said: "He (Naidu) knows me from many kilos before. Sir, many people worry about my weight but in this job, you need to throw your weight around."

To which, Naidu responded, "My simple suggestion is, reduce your weight and make efforts to increase the weight of the party".

"Sir, the Congress is fine," Chowdhury said, not one to back down.

The exchange evoked peals of laughter in the House, which witnessed several light moments during the farewell speeches of retiring members who are about to complete their tenure.

In another such moment, Chowdhury recalled that during her political journey in the Upper House, she was fortunate for being "the entire Opposition's united candidate to contest against Najma Heptullah for the Deputy Chair here".

This led Naidu to immediately quip: "That would have solved many problems."

"The lot of women has not improved tremendously. It is a pathetic 11 percent even now (women's strength in Rajya Sabha). I really think we need more women," she said.

Chowdhury said from Shah Bano to Surpanakha, she has been a witness to history in the making in the House.

In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken a dig at Congress lawmaker Renuka Chowdhury during his speech in the Rajya Sabha, comparing her loud laughter in the House to that from Ramayana, leaving her fuming.

While, even though Modi did not take names, the exchange fuelled numerous memes on social media with people speculating that Chowdhury had been compared to Supranakha from Ramayana series.

Also Read: Narendra Modi takes a dig at Renuka Chowdhury for laughing

Rajni Patil, also of the Congress, said it was destiny that she did not get a full tenure either in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, to which Naidu said, "then you go to Lok Sabha again," which again evoked laughter across the House.

She also alleged discrimination against women members of Parliament, calling for a change in the mindset and urged the ruling dispensation for early passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.

(With inputs from PTI)
The earlier deadline for the linking of Aadhaar with welfare schemes was March 31, 2018. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday extended by three months to June 30 the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with welfare schemes, where the benefits are funded from the Consolidated Fund of India. The earlier deadline for the same was March 31, 2018.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT, in an office memorandum issued on Wednesday, informed about the extension of the stipulated date for the linkage to June 30.

The deadline for linking bank accounts and mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar has already been extended indefinitely, till the five-judge constitution bench delivers its judgement on petitions challenging the validity of the biometric scheme and its enabling law.

Sources familiar with the development said that while there is a three-month breather for linking of the 12-digit biometric identifier with welfare schemes (that include PDS, MGNREGA and pension schemes amongst others), availing of the benefits will require either the Aadhaar number, enrollment slip or request for Aadhaar enrolment after March 31.

The extension has been given as the government wanted to ensure that genuine beneficiaries who do not have an Aadhaar number are not denied benefits for the lack of the biometric identifier, they added.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had refused to pass an interim order extending the deadline of March 31 for linking of Aadhaar with the welfare schemes.

The CBDT, however, extended the deadline for the PAN-Aadhaar linking to June 30.

The policy-making body of the tax department issued an order extending the deadline from the current last date of March 31, thus effecting the fourth extension given by the government for individuals to link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar.

The move comes at a time when the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court is hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the Aadhaar Act and the use of biometric identifier in various government and non-government services.

UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey has given his presentation in the Supreme Court to defend the government's ambitious Aadhaar scheme. The hearing on the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and its enabling law is scheduled to resume on April 3.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palanisamy held discussions with his senior cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, and other officials on the matter. (Photo: File/PTI)

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palanisamy on Thursday held discussions with his senior ministers on the Cauvery issue, even as protests were held in different parts of the state demanding constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB).

Palanisamy held discussions with his senior cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, and other officials on the matter.

The meeting comes in the wake of the six-week deadline given by the Supreme Court to the Centre to formulate a scheme ending on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu's stand is that the Centre must constitute the panels within six weeks from the day the apex court gave its verdict, which would be March 29.

The Supreme Court had on February 16 pronounced its verdict on the vexed dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In its judgement on petitions by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the final order of the Cauvery water disputes tribunal apportioning the water among the riparian states, the apex court had raised the 270 tmcft share of Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share.

The court had compensated Tamil Nadu's reduction by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft ground water from the river basin.

Also read: SC Cauvery verdict: TN share reduced, K'taka gets additional 14.75 tmc water

Since the verdict, Tamil Nadu has been urging the Centre to set up the CMB and the Central Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) to ensure it received its due share of water.

Protests were held in some parts of the state, demanding the immediate formation of the CMB. Farmers' associations and fringe outfits held protests in Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Dindigul.

In Tirunelveli and Dindigul, some activists climbed cellphone towers pressing for their demand, but were persuaded by the police to get down. They were later taken into custody.
The 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the four men, including her boyfriend, near the under-construction Gandhi Bridge on March 25. (Representational Image)

Itanagar: Two men were paraded naked by a mob in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh for allegedly raping a high school student, a top police official said.

The two accused were thrashed and paraded naked by the mob, including women, in Yingkiong market area on March 26 before being handed over to the police.

Two others are absconding, the police official said.

The 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the four men, including her boyfriend, near the under-construction Gandhi Bridge on March 25, DIG (central range) John Neihalaia said.

The incident took place at around 8.30 pm at a place, about six kilometre away from Yingkiong town and the police received information on the following day, the DIG said.

The accused are from Pangkang village.

The DIG said that a search has been launched to nab the two accused and a police team has been sent to Jengging in search of the duo, he said.

Terming the incident as "unfortunate", state Home Minister Kumar Waii has sought the support of one and all to bring the guilty to book.

He also asked minors to avoid going out with strangers to unknown locations and travelling after dark.

"Such incidents are unexpected but could be tackled with coordinated efforts," he said and advocated that the civil society should be vigilant to ensure the security of girls.

Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women has asked the Upper Siang SP to nab the absconding culprits under the POCSO Act, 2012 and award exemplary punishment to them.

The APSCW also requested the family members of the culprits and society to cooperate with the police to deliver justice to the victim and her family.

This is the second rape incident in the town this year. A six-year-old girl student was allegedly raped by her teacher on February 22 last.

Cases of mob outrage and vigilante justice have surfaced in the state over the past few months prompting the state government to enact a legislation on March 16 which would provide death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

Earlier in March, a man accused of raping a 12-year-old was paraded naked around Daporijo town in Upper Subansiri district before he was handed over to the police.

A mob of around 800 people stormed into the Tezu police station in Lohit district on February 19 last and dragged out a man and his accomplice accused of raping and murder of a five-year-old girl and lynched them in the market area.
Sandeep Sharma, who worked for a news channel in Bhind, had complained to the district administration about threats to his life after he carried out a sting operation on the illicit sand mining. (Photo: ANI)

Bhopal/Bhind: A day after television journalist Sandeep Sharma was mowed down by a truck, the Madhya Pradesh government said it will recommend a CBI probe into his death, an official said.

Sharma, who worked for a news channel in Bhind, had complained to the district administration about threats to his life after he carried out a sting operation on the illicit sand mining.

Read: Journalist Sandeep Sharma, probing 'police-sand mafia link' crushed by truck

Meanwhile, the driver of the truck, which ran over the journalist, was arrested on Tuesday late in the night, the police said.

The 35-year-old journalist was talking on his phone when the truck, used to ferry sand, ran over him, the police said.

Also Read: To save woman, journalist Sandeep Sharma mowed down by me: arrested truck driver

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed the relevant officials to recommend a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Sharma's death, an official of the state Public Relations Department said.

"The police arrested the truck driver, Ranvir Yadav, who had fled the spot after the accident, and is questioning him," Superintendent of Police, Prashant Khare said adding a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused.

Sandeep Sharma's death had triggered a demand from the Congress for a CBI probe into the incident.

Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Jyotiraditya Scindia, tweeted, "This is a very serious matter and the CBI should immediately probe it."

Scindia had also claimed that the mining mafia in the state was getting bolder by the day. "...the helpless state government is just sitting by closing its eyes," he said in the tweet.

The opposition leader in the state assembly, Ajay Singh, also demanded a CBI probe, stating that the government had not taken any action to provide security to the journalist though he had informed the authorities about the threat to his life.

Sandeep Sharma had also told the district administration that he feared he could be killed by the sand mafia, his nephew said in a complaint to the police.

"Sandeep had also petitioned the Madhya Pradesh director general of police, the inspector general and the district superintendent of police, besides the Human Rights Commission stating that he feared for his life and had demanded security," Vikas Purohit, his colleague, said.

In his report to the top officials, Sharma had said because of the sting operation against the sand mafia and the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), the officer was transferred, Purohit claimed.

Sandeep Sharma was to have recorded his statement against the SDPO and was being threatened by unidentified people, Purohit added.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said the police was looking into the incident.

"It is an unfortunate incident and we condole his demise. The police is probing the matter and everything would come out after the investigation," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Human Right Commission, (NHRC) served a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government seeking a detailed report on Sandeep Sharma's death.

An NHRC release said that notices had been served to the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary and the Director General of Police.

The commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, indicate towards negligence on the part of administration, especially the police authorities, who failed to save a precious human life, it added.

The tragic death of the journalist is indicative of violation of human rights as well as democratic values and also callousness of the state administration for not taking appropriate steps protecting the life and safety of the deceased, when reportedly, he had already complained about the threats to his life, the release added.

The NHRC added that it had received no complaint as mentioned by the news reports.
HYDERABAD: With the Supreme Courts recent order to constitute a separate Bar Council for Telangana within three months, the authorities of the AP Bar Council now believe that a separate High Court for AP will become a reality in 2019. Hence, the AP Bar Council, which is the common council for both states of AP and TS, has commenced the process for bifurcation of the council. As per the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, both the states were to have separate Bar Councils and the advocates who were on the roster of the existing Bar Council had to give their option in writing within one year from the date of notification of principal bench of the separate High Court for AP.

In 2014, a single judge of the Hyderabad High Court granted an order to set up a separate Bar Council for Telangana within three months and aggrieved by the order, after a few days the Bar Council of India challenged the order before the Division Bench. While staying the single judge order, the Bench made it clear that the creation of a Bar Council of Telangana would arise only after a separate High Court for the state of Andhra Pradesh was constituted under Article 214 of the Constitution (read with Section 31 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014) and advocate generals of both the states would be the ex-officio members of the existing common council.

In fact, the Supreme Court has ordered the Bar Councils of the states to complete their elections by March 28, 2018. But the Bar Council of India (BCI) moved an application before the Supreme Court requesting for postponement of AP Bar Council elections as it would result to clashes among advocates of AP and Telangana. Mr N. Ramachandra Rao, member of the BCI, said, While requesting the Supre-me Court, BCI has informed the Apex Court that it would withdraw its appeal pending before the Hyderabad High Court against the single judge order which would come in the way of constitution of separate bar council for Telangana state.

He said that the Apex Court while considering the request of the BCI to constitute the Bar Council within three months, has now invited options from the advocates to transfer their enrollments. They have to submit their options by April 28. He said after completion of options, the process for constitution of separate bar council will be taken up.
Hyderabad: Continuing his tirade on the Centre, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday said that the Centre has adopted wicked policies to weaken the panchayat raj system in the country. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Rao held consecutive governments at the Centre responsible for the present plight of gram panchayats. He said that the panchayat raj system which was started as a part of community development at the village level in the 1950s, but has now been politicised, departmentalised and suffocated to death by the consecutive parties ruling at the Centre over the years.

Mr Rao also came down heavily on the NDA government for implementing E-PoS system, making the use of biometrics compulsory to sell fertilisers, causing hardships to farmers. Village panchayats had all the power earlier, and even MLAs used to fear the samiti president. But in the name of amen-dments to the panchayat raj system, the panchayats have been weakened. They become defunct when the Centre tries to wrest all the power, even on issues like roads and sanitation, where it has no role, the CM said.

Referring to the Direct Benefit Scheme introduced by the NDA government for the sale of fertilisers, the CM said, When I met finance minister Arun Jaitley, I told him about the hardships faced by the farmers when it comes to giving their biometrics on the E-PoS machines in remote areas. The lack of connectivity makes it difficult for them to buy fertilisers. He informed me that some fertiliser companies were siphoning off fertiliser subsidies up to Rs 3,000 crores and it is to check this fraudulent practice that the E-PoS was introduced. I requested him to look for an alternative solution inst-ead of troubling farmers, but he did not approve.

The CM's remarks led to sharp protests from BJP MLAs. BJP leader G. Kishan Reddy said, On one ha-nd, you talk of the Centre wresting all the powers. On the other hand, the state government is trying to control Haritha Haram in villages by incorporating provisions to ensure that the panchayats will face action if the survival rate of saplings is not 80 per cent? Are gram panchayats not capable of handling Haritha Haram? The Chief Minister replied, If such tough measures are not taken, we cannot achieve the mammoths task of planting 240 crores of saplings in five years. This was done because the forest officials repeatedly brought to our notice that gram panchayats were not cooperating in the implementation of Haritha Haram.

Municipal laws, PR Bills passed

The Legislative Assembly on Thursday adopted the Telangana Panchayat Raj Bill 2018 and the Telangana Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018 unanimously by a voice vote. The Bills are aimed at creating new village panchayats and municipalities and empowering them with more funds and powers. Nagar panchayats have been abolished and henceforth there will only be municipalities and municipal corporations in urban areas.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the elections to village panchayats will be held as scheduled before their term expires in July and direct election will be held to elect sarpanch. Elections will have no political party affiliations. Henceforth, new municipalities and gram panchayats will be created only with the approval of Assembly. There will be no change in reservations for 10 years as against the stipulated five years held at present.

No minimum educational qualifications are required to contest as sarpanch against the minimum qualification of SSC as required earlier. Appellate Authority in the place of panchayat raj minister will be constituted to enable sarpanches to appeal in case they are suspended for any reasons. Sarpanch and upa sarpanch have been given joint cheque power and village secretary will be removed from service if tax targets are not met and the survival rate of saplings planted under Haritha Haram is less than 85 per cent.

For the first time, the state government will release funds to panchayats every quarter. Budgetary allocation of Rs 1,200 crore has been made this year. Each panchayat will get a minimum of Rs 3 lakh and maximum of Rs 20 lakh depending on population. Panchayats will have the power to approve building construction plans of G+2 in 300 sq.yard plots with height not exceeding 10 metres. Mr Rao said a comprehensive Municipal Act will be made and brought either in Monsoon or Winter Session of the Assembly. At present, we made certain amendme-nts to existing Municipal Act, to facilitate the formation of new panchayats, the CM said.
GUNTUR/Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam national president N. Chandrababu Naidu asked the people and farmers of Andhra Pradesh to give money to the government for the development of the state. In Vijayawada, AP finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said that the sta-te government was pursuing the proposal of establishing a Corporation to collect funds from the public for the construction of a Capital city. He also said the state government will pay higher interest when compared to banks.

Addressing the TD Formation Day public meeting held at Guntur on Thursday, Mr Naidu asked the public to give money to the government as deposits and promised to give more interest than banks to the investors. He further asked the farmers to donate one bag of their crop to the government in lieu of the TD governments efforts to providing irrigation water through Pattiseema project. While participating in the TD Formation Day celebrations held at Vijayawada TD party office, Mr Ramakrishnudu said that TD was established for the welfare of the poor and had gained national reputation. He said the state government will issue bonds to the people who give loan to the government and appealed public to give the money to the govt. While speaking to mediapersons, Mr Ramakrishnudu reiterated the words of Mr Naidu.

In Guntur, the Chief Minister alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to give Rs 1,000 crore in aid during HudHud cyclone but had given Rs 650 crore only. He said that AP was going to play an important role in forming Central government in the 2019 election. He asked the people in AP to support the TD government and stated that if anybody cooperates with the BJP, then they will be termed betrayers. Mr Naidu came down heavily on the BJP, Jana Sena and YSR Congress during the public meeting and refuted allegations of Jana Sena founder and Telugu actor K. Pawan Kalyan on Polavaram. The Chief Minister claimed that relief and rehabilitation was the responsibility of the Central government.

He alleged that the BJP colluded with the Congress to divide Andhra Pradesh. Mr Naidu claimed that PM Narendra Modi assured of Special Category Status and fulfilling state bifurcation promises during the meeting at Tirupati and other places during the election campaign. He claimed that NDA-1 formed government due to TDs cooperation and further claimed that he did not sought any posts in lieu of supporting the BJP. Mr Naidu claimed that BJP government gave SCS to 11 states and questioned why AP was denied the sa-me. He refuted BJPs claims of TD government not submitting utilisation certificates and claimed that AP government had submitted all those without fail.
New Delhi: Justice J. Chelameswar, the number two judge in the Supreme Court has written a letter to the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra taking exception to the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari ordering a probe against P. Krishna Bhat, senior district and sessions judge whose elevation to the high court has been cleared twice by the Supreme Court collegium. In his letter, Justice Chelameswar had questioned the propriety of Justice Maheshwari initiating an inquiry against Mr Bhat at the request of the Central government. The letter said, Let us also not forget that the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell to democracy.

The CJIs office informed the Karnataka Chief Justice about the letter and the Chief Justice Maheshwari is understood to have conveyed to the Supreme Court that he is ending the probe. Though the apex court collegium has cleared Mr Bhats elevation the Centre expressed reservations for his elevation and wrote to the HC Chief Justice prompting Justice Maheswari to initiate a probe.

Justice Chelameswar while marking copies to all the Judges has objected to Justice Maheshwaris decision to probe old allegations levelled against Mr Bhat by a female judicial officer despite his predecessor absolving him after a thorough probe. He also questioned the propriety of the Union Law Ministry writing directly to the High Court Chief Justice for a probe.
Hyderabad: TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu may disagree on many things but they agree on one thing: both CMs are anti-BJP and anti-Congress. TD fought the 2014 general election in alliance with the BJP. Mr Naidu has always been anti-Congress. The Telugu Desam fought the 2014 general election in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. But as the two have now fallen out, Mr Naidu's stance is both anti BJP and anti Congress.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao sees the Congress as his main rival in the state after the 2014 elections, and till recently had good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, supporting many of the PMs policies. Now that he too has turned against Mr Modi, and called for the formation of a third front, he wants neither of the two main national parties to be part of it.

In a recent meeting with Telangana TD leaders in Hyderabad, Mr Naidu hinted about a possible alliance with the TRS in the next general election. In the past, the TRS and TD have fought Assembly elections together. Senior Telangana TD leader M. Narasimhulu openly said that the TD should have an alliance with the TRS in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

TRS leaders say if Mr Naidu proposes such an alliance, Mr Rao may reciprocate. Since both Mr Naidu and Mr Rao have good relations with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, she may a mediator to bring the two parties on one platform, said a Telangana TD leader.
Chennai: Actor and Makkal Neethi Mayyam founder-president Kamal Haasan on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Modi to set up Cauvery Management Board (CMB) at the earliest. Addressing a media conference here, he said, My appeal to the Prime Minister is, please sir, you have the authority to create this CMB and you must do it. Please. The Prime Minister can do (it) if he wants to. It is a simple, basic requirement. The people of Tamil Nadu and the farmers require water, he added.

The actor added he has sought an appointment with Chief Minister K. Palaniswami to discuss the matter. Asked if he would stage a protest in New Delhi to persuade the Centre to set up the Cauvery panels at the earliest, he said, it can be done if required, and asked the scribes if they too would join him.

The actor also supported the idea of MPs from Tamil Nadu quitting in protest over the issue. He further said he would join the locals protesting against the expansion of a Sterlite Copper smelter plant in Tuticorin on Sunday. On the CBSE paper leak, Haasan said the students who had appeared for the exams were not at fault and that they had not copied or done any thing wrong. They cannot be punished" for the mistakes of the government or authorities, he added.
KASARGOD: The SFI students of Nehru College, Kanhangad, 'celebrated' the retirement of principal P.V. Pushpaja on Wednesday by bursting crackers and putting up posters in the college auditorium saying 'Goodbye to the teacher who died in the hearts of her students.'

This was in retaliation for her tough stand on the SFI students who were not given privileges like attendance when they were not present in the college. The students also posted a video of the celebration on the social media after the college gave her and a few other teachers a farewell party on Wednesday. Soon after the function, some SFI students gathered in the college auditorium, burst crackers and put up the posters.

The principal, however, reacted saying that only a few students had disliked the disciplinary action taken by her in the college. The KSU, Kasargod, in a press statement asked the SFI to apologise to the principal as well as the student community. "SFI is a shame to the student community. This is not the first time that they are insulting Pushpaja teacher. Their opposition is because she had not approved of their political stand and not given them attendance without presence in the college," said KSU district president Noel Tomin Joseph.

It may be recalled that similar incidents had happened in some other colleges also in the past. A section of SFI students of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, had burnt the principal's chair a few months ago. In Victoria College, Palakkad, a tomb was made for the outgoing principal.
Nellore: The countrys most powerful, indigenously made communications satellite, the G-SAT 6A, was successfully launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday by scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation. The Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle, (GSLV)-F08 injected the GSAT-6A, Indias heaviest communication satellite, into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) with textbook precision. Isro has achieved multiple objectives with the current launch: providing advance mobile communication, boosting communication of the armed forces, and increasing the payload capacity of the GSLV Mk-III vehicle to three tonnes.

After travelling for 17.46 minutes into space, GSAT-6A was placed in the GTO from where it would be taken up to its final geostationary orbit by three orbit raising manoeuvres. GSAT-6A is a high power communication satellite similar to GSAT-6, launched three years ago, with a lift-off mass of 2,140 kg. These two satellites will combine to provide a platform for development of advanced technologies in point to point satellite communication throughout India, according to Dr Sivan, chairman of Isro. Incidentally, this was Dr Sivans first mission after taking over as Isro chairman in January this year.

The 2,066-kg satellite, which cost around Rs 270 crore, will be able to send and receive signals from hand-held devices. This will be particularly useful for security forces stationed in remote corners of the country. This will be enabled by a unique feature of the GSAT-6A - its 20-ft diameter antenna, which will unfurl once the satellite reaches its designated orbit. The antenna is thrice as broad as the antennas generally used in Isro satellites and is powerful enough to allow two-way communication of data from remote parts of the country through hand-held devices. The 49.1-metre-long 414.6 tonne GSLV took off majestically as per schedule at 4.56 pm from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Shar, Sriharikota located in SPSR Nellore district.
Hyderabad: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is intensifying efforts to form a third front but the inclusion of the Congress will not go down well in the two Telugu states. Ms Banerjee wants all regional parties in the country plus the Congress to be part of the third front but this is anathema to the Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in Telangana, where the Congress is arch rival and main Opposition contender respectively. Neither the TD nor the TRS will compromise with the Congress.

The Telugu Desam has been anti-Congress since its inception in 1982. After the bifurcation of the state, the Congress has not made much headway in the new AP. The TD has had alliances with several political parties in its long career but never with the Congress. Though, when the United Front government took power at the centre, it took the outside support of the Congress.

TD chief and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was the convenor of the front. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren are moving close to the Congress now, which is not acceptable to Mr Naidu and Telanganas K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Mr Soren met Mr Rao on Wednesday to discuss the third front. Speaking to a news channel later, he said that he is with the UPA led by the Congress and added that it is premature to think about a front without the Congress.

He said that all political parties including the Congress should come on one platform to stop the BJP. Mamata Banerjee is thinking along the same lines. In TS, the TRSs closest rival is the Congress. After the recent expulsion of two Congress MLAs and the suspension of all Congress MLAs and MLCs from both Houses, the two parties are at daggers drawn. In fact, it is unlikely that Telangana Congress leaders will agree to share a platform with the TRS.
Hyderabad: The CAG has cautioned the state government that it will have to borrow further to repay its loans. The government utilised 34.74 per cent of borrowed funds in 2016-17 for repaying its existing debt which increased by 18 per cent over the previous year. The CAG said A well thought out debt repayment strategy would have to be worked out by the government to obviate additional borrowings.

During 2016-17, the government debt at 18.76 per cent of GSDP, an increase of 2.55 percentage points over the previous year. CAG said that the interest payments as a percentage of revenue receipts was 10.4 per cent against the normative rate of 8.22 per cent prescribed by the 14th Finance Commission. The total debt in 2016-17 was Rs 1.21 lakh crore, which is 31 per cent more than Rs 91,985 crore in the previous year. While the state used 7.12 per cent of its tax revenue to repay the debt in 2015-16, it had to allocate 32.16 per cent of tax revenue for the same during 2016-17.
DMK leader M.K. Stalin said that that poll presiding officers were not even receiving the nomination papers being presented by members of DMK party.

CHENNAI: Cutting across party lines, Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu cried foul over the state machinery in conducting cooperative societies election. DMK leader M.K. Stalin said that that poll presiding officers were not even receiving the nomination papers being presented by members of DMK party. He asked the government officials to do their duty and not get involved in politics played by the ruling party. The government may fall any time and you (officers) will be in trouble, the Opposition leader said.

Meanwhile the DMK organising secretary R. S. Bharathi submitted a petition to the Raj Bhavan complaining that the entire state is witnessing huge agitation, where illegalities in elections takes place. "Absolutely, there is no adherence of rule of law by the officials deputed by the state government to conduct the co operatives societies election, they are totally colluding with the ruling party candidates and the officials are adopting all illegal methods to benefit the candidates ruling party", said Bharathi in his petition.

Meanwhile tension erupted in Kanyakumari, where six MLAs belonging to the Congrss and the DMK entered into an argument with the poll presiding officer for helping the ruling party candidates. Congress MLA Prince and DMK MLA Suresh Rajan were seen abusing the government official as he was allegedly found supporting the AIADMK candidature.
Mysuru: Responding to BJP national president, Amit Shah's comment that he was A Hindu, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asked him to clarify if he himself was a Hindu or a Jain. Mr Siddaramaiah, who was speaking to reporters on his arrival at the Mysuru airport, added, "Mr Amit Shah is afraid of me and that's why he follows me wherever I go. Let him go wherever he wants. Although several BJP leaders, including Mr B S Yeddyurappa toured Nanjangud and Gundlupet during the by- elections, you know who won them." Asserting that he would contest from Chamundeswari constituency and state JD(S) chief, H.D. Kumaraswamy could say whatever he liked on the subject, he said, " I am confident that I will win from here. Does Kumarswamy know how many times I have contested from the constituency? It's five times and I only lost twice."

Kicking off his campaign in Chamundeswari constituency later on Thursday , The CM visited several villages, holding road shows, visiting temples, going door- to- door in some places and holding public meetings in others to win over voters.
In recent weeks, the Opposition parties, due to a series of developments and proactive steps, have snatched the advantage of first mover from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP. The position of superiority that Mr Modi enjoyed in 2014 stemmed from presenting early the new and promissory. Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjees initiative, her meetings with various Opposition stalwarts  including dissident BJP leaders  may not yet display the possibility of a national alternative to Mr Modi, but the proposal holds the potential of ousting the BJP. The Prime Minister will do no good to his chances of securing another term by imagining the developments to be just an one-act skit of the overambitious.

Ms Banerjees 1:1 formula is a rather catchy way of representing an old argument. Back in 1977, when Indira Gandhi called for elections while the Emergency was still in force, she was confident that a fragmented Opposition would be no match. Yet the sentiment of anti-Congressism proved such a potent adhesive that parties sank their differences and made seat adjustments before formally merging into the Janata Party. Of the 154 seats the Congress won, it touched double-digits only in seven states  Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. These states accounted for 132 of the Congress tally. The party drew a blank in Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh  where it was the primary political force in previous polls. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress won just one seat each. In the 1971 election, when the Congress secured 352 seats, its tally from these states was 168. Indisputably, Indira Gandhis rout stemmed from losses in her bastion  she even lost her own seat in Rae Bareli. The defeat was not just due to anger over the Emergency excesses but also because the anti-Congress vote did not split. Much before the concept of an Index of Opposition Unity was theorised, a high score on this scale was the reason for the debacle. All anti-Congress parties contested on the symbol of Charan Singhs Bharatiya Lok Dal and in states like Punjab, forged alliances with the regional players.

More than a decade later, the second time the Congress  now under Rajiv Gandhi  was ousted was in 1989, when it won just 197 seats. This was principally due to poor performances in Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, MP, Maharashtra, UP and Rajasthan, and mainly due to the alliance between the Janata Dal, the BJP and in some states with other parties. Losses for the Congress would have been higher had the BJP and JD cut out friendly contests in MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and UP.

Ms Banerjees 1:1 proposition is therefore workable  as evidenced in the recent byelections in Gorakhpur and Phulpur  and possibly necessary. However, because the political terrain has altered since the advent of the coalition era, the arithmetic values in the political equation have to be reassigned.

First, the Congress is no longer the principal pole and Opposition unity now has to be built against the BJP. The 1999 election marked this transition, and although the BJP lost in 2004, it remained the fulcrum around which political sentiment mobilised, in favour or against. While previously parties justified unholy alliances to keep authoritarian forces out of power, after 1999 it was to keep communal forces at bay. The pre-poll alliances that the Congress struck played a crucial role in the BJPs defeat in 2004. Since then, the Congress has stayed with alliances and utterances at the recent plenary showed its realisation of the need to be more accommodative if Mr Modi is to be stopped. The moot point is the extent of the accommodation it will be willing to do, and how this would calibrate the partys revival. Much will depend on whether the Congress leaders are driven by the spirit of overnight returns to a pivotal position or view it as a long-drawn process.

In 1996, when the Congress was in office, the party fielded 529 candidates with an alliance only in Tamil Nadu. The number of candidates it put up subsequently declined  477 (1998), 453 (1999), 417 (2004). Once it came to power in 2004, its ambition soared and in 2009 and 2014 it put up 440 and 464 candidates, indicating reduced space for allies. For Ms Banerjees formula to get accepted nationally, and not remaining limited to states where the Congress is not in direct contest with the BJP or is a dominant non-BJP party, magnanimity will have to be displayed by the satraps as well as the Congress top brass. For instance, unless the West Bengal chief minister is willing to allocate parts of her political territory to the Congress, and perhaps even the Left, and in response it is willing to accept its limited strength and not hanker for too many seats as the Congress has often done in UP earlier, her proposition will remain confined to theatrics for the media.

Pragmatism must be the principle if a cohesive Opposition platform is to unitedly take on the BJP. Soon parties have to also discuss formalising the platform, give it a name and hammer out a joint statement of objectives. This will become crucial in the event of a hung verdict and to prevent the BJP securing Rashtrapati Bhavans call to get first shot at governance  like in 1996  simply because it emerges as the single largest party. A pre-poll pact involving as many parties as possible is obligatory to ensure the mandate is respected in the event of significant reduction in the BJPs tally. The Oppositions best chance is to prevent Mr Modi from converting the polls into a wave election, ensuring it remains one whose outcome is decided by state aggregations. Wisely, Ms Banerjee is not yet falling into the BJPs trap of naming a face  doing this would mean contesting the BJP on its turf. A beginning has been made, but much work remains to ensure that 2019 is a keen contest and not a preordained as in 2014.
The idea of Opposition unity, and the tactics of leading non-BJP parties seeking to combine in various ways to confront the BJP juggernaut  which powers a mean election machine  in the next Lok Sabha election, appears to be metamorphosing, and for the first time gaining an outline that wasnt quite visible earlier.

The clearest sense of this comes from the statements of West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul Congress boss Mamata Banerjee, after her confabulations with a range of non-BJP parties, as well as rebel BJP elements, in New Delhi earlier this week. After the first day of meetings with leaders and MPs of the NCP, DMK, RJD, TRS and BJD, Ms Banerjee spoke  for the first time  of the need to support the main Opposition party in each state against the BJP. She also declared her keenness to visit Lucknow if invited by the SP and BSP, the two important regional parties which after a 25-year animosity appear to be sailing together in order to dislodge the BJP.

This approach of the TMC leader, who in recent months has been speaking out against the BJP, and has given the impression of being interested in the top job by gaining the support of regional parties (not necessarily that of the Congress), is very different from the idea of the federal front that gained currency after she confabulated with TRS leader K. Chandrasekhar Rao some weeks ago. This front was meant to be anti-BJP, anti-Congress. That thought appears to have now receded into the background. Indeed, since the first articulation of the idea of supporting the principal Opposition party in each state against the BJP had come from Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the Congress plenary earlier this month, it may be said Ms Banerjee had no hesitation in supporting and further circulating that idea.

Interestingly, after calling on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday,

Ms Banerjee became more explicit and spoke of one against one, which means setting up a single Opposition candidate against the BJP to avoid splitting of votes.

BJP leaders Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie have reportedly expressed support for this. In an indirect way, so has the CPI(M). Writing in his party organ, former CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, who is otherwise opposed to the idea of an alliance with the Congress even to defeat the BJP, has now spoken of electorally backing the Congress in places where that party is the largest Opposition force challenging the BJP.

All these ideas represent a clear advance in the outlook of the Opposition parties in the direction of collaborating to challenge the BJP in the next election. This doesnt rule out dissonances at a later date. But a scaffolding of cooperation appears to be slowly emerging.
Eyebrows were raised in India when Irans foreign minister Javad Zarif called out China and Pakistan to join the development of Chabahar port, just a month after New Delhi inked a pact with Tehran to lease a part of the strategic port. Mr Zarif was on a three-day Pakistan visit, leading a 30-member business delegation, when he is said to have made the outreach while delivering a lecture at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, a think tank backed by Pakistans foreign ministry. Adding to the situational tease was the assurance by the Iranian minister that it would not allow its territory to be used against Pakistans interests and a reciprocal assurance came forthwith by Pakistan (though this part didnt hog the media limelight). The optics were further spiced with the de rigueur meeting of the Iranian delegation with Pakistans Army Chief Gen. Javed Bajwa and national security adviser Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua (Retd).

Was it an unnecessary over-read of the normal diplomatic courtesies and generalities by New Delhi? Or was it in line with the occasional tease and insertion of the Kashmir angularity that Tehran tactically deploys? As recently as last year, Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei had clubbed the people of Kashmir, along with Yemeni, Syrian and Bahrainis, as part of his sermon on the many wounds inflicted on the body of the Islamic world! It was a strange insertion of the K word with three other citizenries as the Iranian accusation had a decided anti-sectarian slant, and was basically targeting the Sunni majority, Saudis, Egyptians and Emiratis. This surprising addition didnt persist too long and was not raised again in the subsequent sermons  observers attributed it to a typical pressure tactic by Tehran to register its own concerns over Indias slow progress on Chabahar, and the parallel deepening of New Delhis ties with Arab sheikhdoms, and worse, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. This unwarranted mention of Kashmir last year was previously done in 2010 when India had shocked Iran by voting against it at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A certain situational quid pro quo is invariably at play to justify Irans infrequent allusion to the Kashmir card. Actually, it was Iran which had famously saved the day for India in 1994 when it had backed out of a crucial Organisation of Islamic Conference resolution on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. This resolution was proposed by Pakistan and was backed by the OIC forum in order to embarrass India; Irans sudden withdrawal aborted the OIC resolution as it operates on the principle of consensus.

Historically, Iran has been careful to refrain from positing Kashmir in its political rhetoric, just like it avoids mentioning Chechnya, Kosovo or Xinjiang, in order to retain good relations with Russia, Serbia and China. For Pakistan, co-religiosity (as Islamabad insists on calling Iran a brotherly Islamic state) and a 909-km border contiguity is still worth only about $1 billion of annual trade with Iran, whereas Tehrans civilisational friendship with India across thousands of kilometers of the Arabian Sea has still managed over $13 billion of trade (despite some sanctions still in place). Clearly, the fact that the ummah and the enflamed Middle Eastern battlegrounds are sharply divided along sectarian lines and the fact that Pakistan has decided to throw its weight with the Saudi-led bloc is a matter of fundamental irreconcilability for Iran.

The Prince Mohammad bin Salman-led Saudi Arabia has raised tempers and upped its ante against Iran with the formation of the 41-nation (including Pakistan, but without Shia-ruled Iran, Iraq and Syria) Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC)  a military confederation-led by former Pakistan military chief Gen. Raheel Sharif. The Riyadh-headquartered IMCTC is seen as a bulwark against the growing Iranian footprint in the region and against Iranian proxies like Yemeni Houthis and Lebanese Hezbollah. The faultlines between the two blocs are widening, with the Iranians calling the young Saudi prince a man of simple mind while Mohammad bin Salman had equated the Iranian leadership to Hitler!

Even bilaterally, beyond the sectarian dissonance and the alignment of Pakistan with the Saudi-led bloc, Iran has been mulling over legal options to force Pakistan to complete its side of the IP gas pipeline. Whispers are rife of a $1 billion compensation suit by Iran against Pakistan at the International Court of Justice. Afghanistan is another sore point in the Iran-Pakistan equation, where the Pakistani complicity with the Afghan Taliban has cemented the India-Afghanistan-Iran alignment, which vehemently opposes the duplicitous role played by Pakistan. The bonhomie, optimism and personalised touches in Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis recent visit to India were in sharp contrast to the constant yo-yo in Iran-Pakistan affairs, which are also susceptible to flareups. A few years back, Iran had warned Pakistan that it would target militant hideouts inside Pakistan if Islamabad didnt act against Sunni jihadists operating inside Pakistan  the same accusation against Pakistan that is made by India and Afghanistan.

Given this background, Irans assurances that the Chabahar port project was not meant to encircle Pakistan or strangulate anybody may have been misconstrued overenthusiastically by the Pakistani establishment to be a counterpoise to the Indo-Iranian strategic convergence. However, the barely veiled and loaded wordsmithing of roping in its nemesis, Saudi Arabia, in the conversational framework was a left-handed move. Our relations with India, just like Pakistans relations with Saudi Arabia, are not against Pakistan, as we understand Pakistans relations with Saudi Arabia are not against Iran. The reality of Pakistans abject surrender, servility and commitment to Saudi Arabia in all its affairs is a well-established fact that Tehran fully comprehends. The spin doctors in Islamabad may have had a field day in twisting contexts, but the history, fundamentals and strategic underpinnings that define bilateral equations will always prefer an Indo-Iranian equation over the intrigues of Pakistani-Iranian dynamics.
This photo shows researchers testing Chinas first space station module Tiangong-1 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest Chinas Gansu Province prior to its launch on September 29, 2011. (Photo: AP)

Chinas defunct and reportedly out-of-control Tiangong 1 space station is expected to re-enter Earths atmosphere sometime this weekend. It poses only a slight risk to people and property on the ground, since most of the bus-size, an 8.5-ton vehicle is expected to burn up on re-entry, although space agencies dont know exactly when or where that will happen.

Below are some questions and answers about the station, its re-entry and the past and future of Chinas ambitious space program.

What will happen and how great is the danger?

The European Space Agency predicts the station will re-enter the atmosphere between Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon  an estimate it calls highly variable, likely because the ever-changing shape of the upper atmosphere affects the speed of objects falling into it.

The Chinese space agencys latest estimate puts re-entry between Saturday and Wednesday. Western space experts say they believe China has lost control of the station. Chinas chief space laboratory designer Zhu Zongpeng has denied Tiangong was out of control but hasnt provided specifics on what, if anything, China is doing to guide the crafts re-entry.

Based on Tiangong 1s orbit, it will come to Earth somewhere between latitudes of 43 degrees north and 43 degrees south, or roughly somewhere over most of the United States, China, Africa, southern Europe, Australia and South America. Out of range are Russia, Canada and northern Europe.

Based on its size, only about 10 per cent of the spacecraft will likely survive being burned up on re-entry, mainly its heavier components such as its engines. The chances of any one person on Earth being hit by debris is considered less than one in a trillion.

Ren Guoqiang, Chinas defence ministry spokesman, told reporters Thursday that Beijing has been briefing the United Nations and the international community about Tiangong 1s re-entry through multiple channels.

How common is man-made space debris?

Debris from satellites, space launches and the International Space Station enters the atmosphere every few months, but only one person is known to have been hit by any of it: American woman Lottie Williams, who was struck but not injured by a falling piece of a US Delta II rocket while exercising in an Oklahoma park in 1997.

Most famously, Americas 77-ton Skylab crashed through the atmosphere in 1979, spreading pieces of wreckage near the southwestern Australia city of Perth, which fined the US $400 for littering.

The breakup on re-entry of the Columbia space shuttle in 2003 killed all seven astronauts and sent more than 80,000 pieces of debris raining down on a large swath of the Southern United States. No one on the ground was injured.

In 2011, NASAs Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was considered to pose a slight risk to the public when it came down to Earth 20 years after its launching. Debris from the 6-ton satellite ended up falling into the Pacific Ocean, causing no damage.

Chinas own space program raised major concerns after it used a missile to destroy an out-of-service Chinese satellite in 2007, creating a large and potentially dangerous cloud of debris.

What is Tiangong 1 and what was it used for?

Launched in 2011, Tiangong 1 was Chinas first space station, serving as an experimental platform for bigger projects such as the Tiangong 2 launched in September 2016 and a future permanent Chinese space station.

The station, whose name translates as Heavenly Palace, played host to two crewed missions that included Chinas first female astronauts and served as a test platform for perfecting docking procedures and other operations. Its last crew departed in 2013 and contact with it was cut in 2016. Since then it has been orbiting gradually closer and closer to Earth on its own while being monitored.

The station had two modules, one for its solar panels and engines, and one for a pair of astronauts to live in and conduct experiments. A third astronaut slept in the Shenzhou spaceships that docked with the station, which also contained facilities for personal hygiene and food preparation.

How advanced is China's space program?

Since China conducted its first crewed mission in 2003  becoming only the third country after Russia and the US to do so  it has taken on increasingly ambitious projects, including staging a spacewalk and landing its Jade Rabbit rover on the moon.

China now operates the Tiangong 2 precursor space station facility, while the permanent stations 20-ton core module is due to be launched this year. The completed 60-ton station is set to come into full service in 2022 and operate for at least a decade.

China was excluded from the 420-ton International Space Station mainly due to US legislation barring such cooperation and concerns over the Chinese space programs strong military connections. Chinas space program remains highly secretive and some experts have complained that a lack of information about Tiangong 1s design has made it harder to predict what might happen upon its re-entry.

A mission to land another rover on Mars and bring back samples is set to launch in 2020. China also plans to become the first country to soft-land a probe on the far side of the moon.

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NASA plans to send the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set for blast-off between April 16 and June on a two-year, $337-million mission. (Photo: NASA)

The search for worlds circling stars far beyond our solar system will resume in the coming weeks with NASAs launch of a spacecraft scientists hope will enlarge the known catalog of so-called exoplanets believed capable of supporting life.

NASA plans to send the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set for blast-off between April 16 and June on a two-year, $337-million mission.

The latest NASA astrophysics endeavour is designed to build on the work of its predecessor, the Kepler space telescope, which discovered the bulk of some 3,500 exoplanets documented during the past 20 years, revolutionising one of the newest fields in space science.

NASA expects TESS to detect thousands more previously unknown worlds, perhaps hundreds of them Earth-sized or super-Earth-sized  no larger than twice as big as our home planet.

Such worlds are believed to stand the greatest chance of having rocky surfaces or oceans, and are thus considered the most promising candidates for the evolution of life, as opposed to gas giants similar to Jupiter or Neptune.

Astronomers hope to end up with anywhere from 10 to 30 more rocky exoplanets for further study.

The new probe will take about 60 days to attain its highly elliptical, first-of-a-kind orbit that will loop TESS between Earth and the moon every two and a half weeks.

Keplers positioning system broke down in 2013, about four years after its launch, and it has nearly run out of fuel.

So its perfect timing that well be launching TESS to continue the great activity of looking for planets around stars other than our sun and thinking about what it might mean for life in the universe, Paul Hertz, NASAs director of astrophysics, told reporters at a news briefing in Washington on Wednesday.

TESS, roughly the size of a refrigerator with solar-panel wings, is equipped with four special cameras to survey 200,000 stars that are relatively near the sun and thus among the brightest in the sky, seeking out those with planets of their own.

Like Kepler, TESS will use a detection method called transit photometry, which looks for periodic, repetitive dips in the visible light from stars star caused by planets passing, or transiting, in front of them.

But unlike Kepler, which fixed its glare on stars within a tiny fraction of the sky, TESS will scan the majority of the heavens for shorter periods and focus much of its attention on stars called red dwarfs, which are smaller, cooler and longer-lived than our sun.

One reason is red dwarfs have a high propensity for Earth-sized, presumably rocky planets, making them potentially fertile ground for closer examination, said David Latham, TESS science director for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Also because red dwarfs are so small, and their planets orbit more closely than the Earth does to the sun, the dip in light from a planetary transit of a red dwarf is more pronounced compared with a larger star, Latham said.

Its easier to find interesting planets around smaller stars, he said.

Measuring dips in starlight can determine the exoplanets size and orbital path. Further observations from ground telescopes can supply its mass and ultimately the planets density and composition  whether largely solid, liquid or gas.

Latham said fewer than 10 rocky, Earth- or super-Earth-sized planets have previously been confirmed, and NASA hopes to double or triple that number through the TESS mission.

The most favourable discoveries will undergo closer scrutiny by a new generation of larger, more powerful telescopes now under development that will search for telltale signs of water and the kinds of gases in their atmospheres that on Earth are an indication of life, Hertz said.

TESS itself will not be able to find life beyond Earth, but TESS will help us figure out where to point our larger telescopes, he said.

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Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there. (Photo: AFP)

Quito: Ecuador on Wednesday said it has stopped Julian Assanges ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up since 2012.

The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries affairs while in the mission, an Ecuadoran government statement said without elaborating.

Under that deal, Assange had pledged to not send messages that could be seen as interference in relations with other countries, the statement said, adding that it could take other, unspecified measures if he persisted.

The move to cut off Assange came after he used Twitter on Monday to challenge Britains accusation that Russia was responsible for the March 4 nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent in the English city of Salisbury.

Assange also questioned the decision by Britain and more than 20 countries to retaliate against the poisoning by expelling Russian diplomats deemed spies.

The comments prompted a British Foreign Office minister, Alan Duncan, to brand Assange a miserable little worm who should leave the embassy to turn himself over to British authorities.

In another tweet-storm on Tuesday, Assange attacked the arrest in Germany of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont under an EU warrant issued by Spain over Puigdemonts failed bid last year to declare independence for his Spanish region.

Assanges behavior, with his messages on social networks, puts at risk our good relations with Britain and the European Union, the Ecuadoran government text said.

Online activity

Assange, 46, has spent much of his time in his small room in the embassy tweeting and at times contributing to RT, a Russian state-owned television channel that broadcasts Kremlin messaging, as well as taking part in media conferences via video link.

In 2016, Ecuador briefly suspended his internet connection for posting documents online that were seen as having an impact on the US presidential election from which Donald Trump emerged the victor.

In May 2017, Ecuadoran president Lenin Moreno asked Assange to refrain from commenting on the separatist crisis in Spains Catalonia region, after he tweeted that Madrid was guilty of repression.

An analyst, Michel Levi of the Simon Bolivar Andean University, said he believed the decision to render Assange incommunicado isnt a change of policy in terms of his asylum, but rather to keep him to his conditions of staying in the embassy.

Extradition fear

Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there.

Assange claims the accusations were politically motivated and could lead to him being extradited to the United States to face imprisonment over WikiLeaks publication of secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Sweden dropped its investigation last year, but British authorities say they still want to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions.

Ecuador in December made Assange an Ecuadoran citizen and unsuccessfully tried to register him as a diplomat with immunity as part of its efforts to have the WikiLeaks founder leave the embassy without risk of being detained.

Ecuadors foreign minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said Wednesday that a delegation would meet with Assanges lawyers in London next week to explore what alternatives existed to have Assange be able to leave the embassy.

We continue to hold dialogue with the United Kingdom to seek a definitive and durable solution to this situation, she added.
Seoul: North and South Korea will hold their first summit in over a decade on April 27, South Korean officials announced on Thursday.

The decision comes after North Korean lead-er Kim Jong Un pledged his commitment to denuclearisation as tensions ease between the old foes.

South Korean officials announced the date of the summit after holding high-level talks with their North Korean counterparts on Thursday.

The two Koreas had agreed earlier in March to hold such a summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom. The talks were the first between the two Koreas since the delegation returned from the North.

A South Korean unification ministry official told reporters the two Koreas would hold a working-level meeting on April 4 to discuss details for the summit, such as staffing support, security and news releases.

They are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.

Kim is also scheduled to meet Donald Trump some time in May to discuss denuclearisation, even though a time and place have not been set for that summit.

Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in a visit to Beijing this week, his first trip outside the isolated North since he came to power in 2011.
Queensland Polices Assistant Commissioner Bob Gee told reporters there was no threat to the multi-sport event, which runs on the Gold Coast from April 4-15. (Photo: AP)

Gold Coast: An Indian man has been charged with people smuggling after arriving at Australias Brisbane airport with eight other travellers as part of a fake media contingent to cover the Commonwealth Games, authorities said Thursday.

The nine visitors, all from India, were flagged as possible non-genuine travellers when they transited through Thailand and were questioned when they arrived in Brisbane Wednesday, the Australian Border Force (ABF) said.

Eight were found to have fraudulent foreign media credentials, the border force said in a statement.

Police will allege in court that the 46-year-old Indian national who did hold valid credentials was facilitating the groups travel.

The man was charged with one count of people smuggling and one count of having false documents and false or misleading information in relation to non-citizens.

The maximum penalty for each charge is 20 years jail.

He faced Brisbane Magistrates Court Thursday and was remanded in custody. He is due to re-appear in court on April 6, a court official told AFP.

The eight others, whose ages and gender were not released, were being held in immigration detention.

The ABF remains highly alert to other similar attempts that may occur as we get closer to the start of the Commonwealth Games, the Border Forces Queensland Regional Commander Terry Price said.

Queensland Polices Assistant Commissioner Bob Gee told reporters there was no threat to the multi-sport event, which runs on the Gold Coast from April 4-15.

Australias Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has already warned Commonwealth Games athletes and support staff not to overstay their visas.
BOULDER, Garfield County  Adventurers who visit the Bryce Canyon area this weekend or next may leave with more than just great memories.

Visitors will have the chance to take home items such as an REI six-person tent, a DJI Spark drone or a 55-inch smart TV by participating in a treasure hunt at three Utah state parks.

During the weekends of March 30-31 and April 6-7, eight gold tokens  redeemable for prizes  will be distributed and hidden throughout Anasazi State Park Museum, Kodachrome Basin State Park and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park.

The associated prize will be identified once the token is turned in for redemption, which can be done at the visitor center of the state park where it was found.

Tokens must be redeemed by 4:30 p.m. on the Saturday of the weekend they were found. Only one prize will be awarded per person. A complete list of prizes and corresponding weekends can be found at brycecanyoncountry.com/treasurehunt.

The hunt begins on Friday at 8 a.m. and ends on Saturday at 4 p.m. of each weekend and will take place independent of weather conditions. Visitors are asked to use good judgment as they participate.

Tokens distributed for the treasure hunt will be hidden within trail boundaries to ensure the safety of wildlife and participants. Adventurers participating in the activity should pack plenty of food and water and also be aware that some trails in these parks may be moderately strenuous. Visitors will be required to submit an online waiver as part of registration.

Participation in the treasure hunt is free to all park visitors; however, visitors will need to pay admission to state parks.
SALT LAKE CITY  Two Utah congressmen say there's no way Congress would let President Donald Trump use military dollars to build a wall between the United States and Mexico.

"It will never happen, and I can tell you Congress will never allow that to happen," said Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah.

"I think this is the musings of a president who does an awful lot of musings and too often those kind of throwing ideas against the wall get reported and given more credibility than they deserve," he said.

Several news outlets have reported that Trump privately proposed military funding for his border wall. He insisted during his presidential campaign that he would get Mexico to pay for the wall.

Trump signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill last week that included a massive military funding increase, as well as $1.6 billion for border fencing, surveillance technology and other measures, though nowhere near the $25 billion he sought for his wall project.

"Because of the $700 & $716 Billion Dollars gotten to rebuild our Military, many jobs are created and our Military is again rich. Building a great Border Wall, with drugs (poison) and enemy combatants pouring into our Country, is all about National Defense. Build WALL through M!" Trump tweeted earlier this week.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said he wouldn't expect Congress to go along with such a proposal.

"It would seem this is basically floating a trial a balloon, and it would be very hard to accomplish that," he said.

Bishop and Stewart made the comments Wednesday on KSL Newsradio's "The Doug Wright Show."

A wall is not a panacea for border security, Bishop said. But combining it with more flexibility for the Border Patrol to go into areas where it is now restricted, "then you might have something that interests me."

If there were some attempt to raid defense funding, "I can guarantee it would not come from military construction at Hill Air Force Base," Bishop said.

Stewart said he believes Trump threw out the idea in a "15-second conversation" and didn't give it any more thought than that. But if he were serious, Congress wouldn't let it happen.

"This president doesnt have the authority to take military spending and to move it to any project," he said. "We would oppose him."
EUREKA, Juab County  The families of a young couple missing since the beginning of the year said Wednesday they finally have the closure they've wanted, even if it's not the outcome they were hoping for.

"For us, we're bringing the kids home. That's where we're at right now. We're finally getting that closure," said Amanda Hunt, aunt of Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson.

Two bodies were recovered from the abandoned Tintic Standard Mine outside Eureka, about 100 feet down on a ledge of the 1,576-foot deep mine, following an extensive effort by the Utah County Sheriff's Office, Juab County Sheriff's Office and the Unified Fire Department's heavy rescue team Wednesday. The bodies are believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and 17-year-old Otteson.

They were taken to the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office to be identified and determine causes of death. Utah County Undersheriff Darin Durfey said foul play is suspected, and investigators have identified persons of interest, though no arrests have been made.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon added that the case is now considered a double homicide investigation.

"There's nothing to indicate they went down (the mine) voluntarily," he said.

Powell and Otteson were officially reported missing Jan. 2 after embarking on a drive from Tooele to Eureka days earlier. They were last seen near Mammoth, Juab County, on Dec. 30, according to family members. The couple planned to stop in Spanish Fork before going home to Eureka, where both lived with Powell's grandfather.

Tuesday night, law enforcement officials received a tip that led them to the Tintic Standard Mine near the ghost town of Dividend. Details about where that tip came from were not revealed Wednesday.

Family members have been conducting frequent searches for the missing couple in Tooele and Juab counties, including one over the weekend. Wednesday morning, Hunt said they received a call to "drop everything" and go to the mine.

Although the bodies had not been positively identified as of Wednesday, she said the family "feels confident" it is them.

"It's gone from searching for Breezy and Riley to justice for Breezy and Riley. If this is them, that's where we're at," she said.

Hunt said the Tintic mine was on the list of abandoned mines the family had planned on searching, but were still working out logistics before going down. Family members had high praise for law enforcers for finding the bodies in just 90 days, recognizing that others  notably the family of missing West Valley mother Susan Powell  still don't know the whereabouts of their loved ones. Powell went missing in 2009. She has no relation to Riley Powell.

On Jan. 11, Riley Powell's missing Jeep was found partially hidden in trees, about a mile south of Cherry Creek Reservoir. Based on the condition the Jeep, which had two flat tires, investigators said at the time that foul play was suspected.

On Jan. 15, Tooele County sheriff's deputies and deputies from the Sanpete/Juab Major Crimes Task Force went to the property where Powell's mother lives with her boyfriend in Lofgreen, Tooele County. Riley Powell's grandmother and the grandmother's boyfriend also live there.

Search warrant affidavits indicate that a blue Chevy truck owned by the boyfriend of Powell's mother was searched. A witness had reported seeing a similar looking vehicle towing Powell's Jeep, the warrant states.

Cadaver dogs were also used to search the Lofgreen property and "showed a lot of interest in (the boyfriend's) truck that was seen towing Riley's Jeep," according to the warrant.

The affidavits have characterized the boyfriend of Powell's mother as being uncooperative with police. One witness told investigators that the man "has been acting weird ever since law enforcement impounded his vehicle," one warrant states.

Grid View A law enforcement officer searches near an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officers search an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officers search an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

A law enforcement officer searches near an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officers search an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officers search an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officers search an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officers search an abandoned mine outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah County Undersheriff Darin Durfey left, and Eric Homes, with the Unified Fire Authority, speak to reporters about two bodies that were recovered 100 feet down an abandoned mineshaft outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The two bodies, believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, were pulled out of the Tintic Standard Mine. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officials investigate the scene where two bodies were recovered 100 feet down an abandoned mineshaft outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The two bodies, believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, were pulled out of the Tintic Standard Mine. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Juab County Sheriff Doug Anderson speaks to reporters about the two bodies that were recovered 100 feet down an abandoned mineshaft outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The two bodies, believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, were pulled out of the Tintic Standard Mine. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah County Sheriff's Office Darin Durfey, left, and Utah County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Spencer Cannon speak to reporters about the two bodies that were recovered 100 feet down an abandoned mineshaft outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The two bodies, believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, were pulled out of the Tintic Standard Mine. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah County Sheriff's Office Darin Durfey, left, and Utah County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Spencer Cannon speak to reporters about the two bodies that were recovered 100 feet down an abandoned mineshaft outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The two bodies, believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, were pulled out of the Tintic Standard Mine. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Law enforcement officials investigate the scene where two bodies were recovered 100 feet down an abandoned mineshaft outside Eureka on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The two bodies, believed to be Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, were pulled out of the Tintic Standard Mine. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Wednesday night, however, the Searching for Breezy and Riley Facebook page, which is moderated by Hunt, posted a message saying Powell's mother and her boyfriend are not persons of interest identified by police.

"Two individuals are of interest in this case. Although we do not know who these people are, we know it is NOT (them)," the post states.

Day 89. This morning the family received a phone call to meet with the detectives on Breezy and Rileys case in... Posted by Justice For Breezy And Riley on Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Cannon said Wednesday he couldn't comment on the persons of interest in the case, noting that investigators still have interviews they need to conduct.

Contributing: Alex Cabrero, Paul Nelson
Start making your 2020 New Years plans early. It is going to be a banner year for Utah  moving the state prison and corollary expansion of Silicon Slopes, opening the new Salt Lake City International Airport and (fingers crossed) breaking ground for the Utah Global Trade Port. One of these projects alone would be significant for any state, but three at the same time is truly a trifecta.

Expanding the international airport is the largest capital project in the states history and magnifies Utah external connections on scale with driving the golden spike and building the interstate freeway system. The new airport also confirms Delta Air Lines' commitment to Utah as a hub far into the future. The significance cannot be overstated. There is a reason Utah business travelers get to Mexico, Canada and the European Union directly and quickly. And there is a reason these locations are Utahs top export destinations.

To put the expansion into context, the current airport is built to accommodate just over 10 million passengers, while the new airport will accommodate nearly 25 million. The airport director estimates this will be the only new airport hub built in the U.S. in the 21st century. Building a project of this size and scope without local taxpayer dollars is remarkable.

The vision to relocate the state prison was set by Gov. Gary Herbert in his State of the State address back in 2013. After years of due diligence, the new prison is now under construction. Besides being a significant development project on its own, the economic power of the prison relocation is opening 700 acres at the heart of Utahs Silicon Slopes. What the state does with its property will be a catalyst for the surrounding thousands of acres. Imagine, for example, how a Brigham Young University/Utah Valley University/University of Utah tech commercialization facility could amplify our growing IT industry.

The Point of the Mountain Commission, led by Chris Conabee, former deputy director at the Governors Office of Economic Development, and Rep. Lowry Snow, has undertaken the herculean task of constructing a regional development strategy for this area. The commission recognizes this is a once-in-a-lifetime project and, if we dont get things right, like transportation, business growth and environmental protection, there wont be a second chance.

Speaking of vision for the future, the third project in the Utah 2020 trifecta is the inland port. While recent news coverage has focused attention on the disagreement between Salt Lake City and the Utah Legislature on the political issue of governance, all sides agree on the substantive issue that an inland port would be great for our capital city and state.

Utah already benefits from its positioning as an intermodal hub, given our air, rail and freeway access. Its the reason Amazon and UPS are building distribution facilities in this area, joining companies like Walmart, Backcountry and Sephora. The extraordinary value of Utah becoming the center of global trade for the Western United States is the ability to attract companies in logistics, containerization, customs and manufacturing, with job creation estimates of 60,000. The inland port is a generational opportunity with a 10-year timeline and a hundred-year impact.

Utah has been the crossroads of the West since settlement. With the expansion of the states international airport, the continued rise of Silicon Slopes and a global trade port, Utah will find itself in 2020 positioned to become a crossroads of the world.
SALT LAKE CITY  As hunger has become a "mega-crisis" in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the LDS Church is giving $1 million to the World Food Programme to provide food staples.

"Thanks to the continued generosity from members and friends of the church, we have been able to channel humanitarian aid to thousands of people impacted by the conflict in the Kasai Region of DR Congo," Bishop Gerald Causse, presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a news release issued Wednesday.

The money will pay for important staples like cereals, salt and cooking oil.

The United Nations warned earlier this month that 2 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition in DR Congo, according to PM News Nigeria.

LDS Charities partners with the World Food Programme in 11 countries.

"The outstanding work of WFP has enabled us to send critical aid to some of the most challenging places in the world  places we may never have reached without their efforts," Bishop Causse said.

The church has now donated more than $10 million to WFP since 2014, said Prerana Issar, the organization's director of private partnerships.

"Thanks to this generosity, we have been able to feed more than 1.26 million people in emergencies across the globe, people whose lives were at risk because of hunger," she said.

Issar said the latest contribution will save lives in DR Congo's Kasai region, where because of violence more than 3 million people are hungry and 300,000 children are at risk of death due to severe acute malnutrition. Aid agencies have characterized it as a mega-crisis.

LDS Charities has provided over $2 billion in monetary donations in 191 countries and territories since 1985, the church release said.

The church has more than 52,000 members in 169 congregations in DR Congo. An LDS temple is under construction in the capital of Kinshasa. When completed it, it would be the fourth LDS temple in Africa.
SALT LAKE CITY  For immigrants and refugees who come to the United States, aspiring to the American dream is among the common objectives they often share. For those that have chosen to make Utah home, some have dedicated their lives to giving back to the place that has allowed them to attain that lifelong goal.

The Salt Lake Chamber Wednesday recognized the contributions "that immigrants make every day in Utah" during a ceremony at the American Dream Awards in downtown Salt Lake City. The award recognizes "the positive impact immigrants have on our community and how they have helped shape Utah's history, values and beliefs."

The honorees include Aden Batar, director of immigration and refugee resettlement at Catholic Community Services; Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City and vice president of community development at Zions Bank; Valter Nassi, owner and proprietor of Valter's Osteria; and LDS Humanitarian Services, a branch of the Welfare Services department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A native of the West African nation of Somalia, Batar fled his homeland after his eldest son died during violence resulting from a civil war. Batar hid his family for two years before eventually fleeing to Utah, becoming the first refugees from Somalia to resettle in the Beehive State.

After spending two years studying at Utah State University, the Batar family moved to Salt Lake City where he took a job with Catholic Community Services helping with refugee resettlement. In 2001 he became director of the refugee program and continues to lead the organization's efforts to resettle refugees in the Salt Lake area.

"I am honored to receive this award," he said. "Refugees contribute to this country greatly, and they are the ones who help build this country. More than ever now, refugees need a place that can welcome them."

He noted that millions of refugees are at risk around the world and are without a safe place to call home.

"The United States has a 'moral obligation' to help those that are in need because if we send them back to where they come from, it's a 'death sentence,'" Batar said. "I'm one of the lucky ones that were given their life and I'm here today to pay it back to the community that welcomed me."

Escamilla was the first Latina elected to the Utah Senate and the first immigrant elected to the Utah Legislature. Since emigrating from Mexico to Utah 22 years ago, she has spent many years involved in various causes, including social justice, gender equality and racial equity.

"To be recognized for the fact that you're a pioneer  which for Utah has a lot of symbolism  it's an honor," she said.

Escamilla also lauded the chamber for "taking a stand" in favor of immigrants and refugees in a climate where doing so isn't always popular politically.

"Opportunities like this are critical because we are able to humanize individuals (who may be immigrants or refugees)," she said. "As a society, we'd be better off if we were able to sit down and see more of a human side (of people) than a political affiliation or religious affiliation."

She said immigrant stories are the stories of virtually all Americans at some point in their lineage, and something nearly everyone can identify in their ancestry.

"We can all share our own pioneer story," Escamilla said. "It may be a fourth-generation pioneer story (like mine) or you being the (first generation) pioneer of that story. That's what is so powerful about this award and why it means so much."

Nassi, an award-winning restaurateur with experience in Europe, Africa and various cities in the U.S., was born in Italy. He designed, developed and implemented the operation of many establishments in Salt Lake City, including Cucina Toscana and Il Sansovino.

Over the years, Nassi has received Salt Lake Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Tourism Achievement Award from the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The LDS Church's Humanitarian Services department was recognized Wednesday for providing aid to people around the world regardless of cultural or religious affiliation. The organization states that 100 percent of every dollar donated is used to help those in need without regard to race, religion or ethnic origin.

The chamber's top executive said acknowledging the selfless efforts of individuals and entities that support those new to Utah recognizes the good works being done to enhance the state.

"These awards help remind all of us about the positive impact immigrants have on our local communities," said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. "Through their hard work, innovation, integrity and dedication, the immigrants that we are honoring today have all made Utah a better place."
SALT LAKE CITY  Gov. Gary Herbert apparently changed his thinking about noncompete contracts since the issue divided Utah's business community two years ago.

Employers on both sides of the debate pitting those who wanted to ban them outright against those who saw them as essential to survival went the rounds during the 2016 Legislature, eventually reaching a compromise restricting noncompete clauses in employee contracts to one year.

Herbert reflected on the issue at a Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce roundtable later that year, saying his office and lawmakers crafted the compromise together.

"As far as I'm concerned, it is resolved and there is no reason to revisit this divisive issue. Consequently, if the issue does re-emerge, I am not inclined to support any additional changes to the law," he said at the time, as quoted in the Provo Daily Herald.

On Tuesday, the governor signed a bill limiting the use of noncompete contracts in only broadcast media. It passed overwhelmingly in the House, but narrowly in the Senate.

In a brief letter explaining his decision, Herbert said HB241 strengthens Utah's policy on noncompete agreements by striking a "delicate" balance between business interests and employee interests.

"However, further restrictions on our noncompete policy are not necessary. Further attempts to legislate on this issue during my administration will be met with a veto," he said.

Noncompete contracts prevent employees from going to work for a competitor for a prescribed period of time. The 2016 law limits the time to one year.

The newly passed bill is focused solely on broadcast media  no other business  and restricts use of noncompete contracts to employees who make more than $47,500 a year. If an employee is fired for just cause or quits, the noncompete clause would be enforced. If the employer fires an employee without cause or doesn't renew the contract, it would not be enforced.

Utah's major TV stations opposed the measure, arguing they invest thousands of dollars promoting and developing their on-air personalities to build their brands.

Deseret Management Corp., which owns Bonneville International Corp., KSL, Deseret Digital Media and the Deseret News, uses noncompete agreements in some cases in its TV and radio properties.

In a letter to Herbert, Deseret Management President and CEO Keith B. McMullin argued that it is a First Amendment issue because the bill was narrowly constructed to broadcasting. Lawmakers passed the legislation at a time when the news media is being maligned and discredited on a national scale, he said.

"In the face of such assault, Utah must remain a vigorous protector of all First Amendment rights, including freedom of the press. In its current form, this bill oversteps important constitutional liberties and will erode the protected status afforded the news media," he wrote.

McMullin said the law might also signal that the government in Utah is inclined to meddle with the press.

The governor's office did not seek the legislation because it believed the 2016 bill addressed the broad concerns over noncompete clauses, said Herbert spokesman Paul Edwards.

Herbert signed the bill after lengthy discussions with its sponsor, Rep. Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, business leaders and broadcast executives and employees. He also consulted with legal experts.

The narrow focus of the law limits potential unintended consequences, though some have questioned whether it creates an unconstitutional burden on the media, Edwards said, noting legislative attorneys did not signal any constitutional issues and other states have put restrictions on noncompetes in the media.

"Our offices consultation with legal experts about this issue has been inconclusive," Edwards said. "Gov. Herbert would not have signed the bill if he believed it was constitutionally defective."

Rep. Tim Hawkes, R-Centerville, said during a House floor debate that the reason the bill singles out broadcasting is because noncompete contracts silence the media who are uniquely positioned to be a voice of trust in the community. Such clauses keep reporters out of the market if they want to change jobs, he said.

"That goes right to the heart of the First Amendment," he said.

That argument was countered by Salt Lake media attorney Jeff Hunt, who stated in a letter to Herbert that the First Amendment protects a free press by limiting the role of government in newsrooms. . . . . The idea that the First Amendment authorizes the government to meddle in private contracts to promote its view of the free flow of speech is anathema to our system of government. Hunt represented DMC on this issue.

Opponents of the bill also contend it opens the door for the Legislature to target other industries.

Schultz, who called noncompete agreements "anti-American," said he limited the law to broadcasters because he became aware of widespread abuse in the industry. He assured Herbert the new law solves the problem he saw and that he doesn't intend to go after other businesses.

Newly named Salt Lake Chamber President and CEO Derek Miller said he expects Schultz and Herbert to keep their commitments.

Now that the legislation is passed and signed, he said, "we would expect everyone to say, 'OK, problem solved. We're going to move on and this ought to stay where it is now.'"

"We don't want Utah to become a California or a New York where we're putting limits on the ability for companies to enter into contracts with their employees, " Miller said.
SALEM  High schoolers advocating for gun control arent the only ones who have taken a stand against school shootings.

James Nelson, 17, is a senior at Salem Hills High School who loves hunting, considers the Constitution a sacred document and feels strongly that the right to bear arms is a real blessing. He does not think restricting access to guns will result in safer schools.

But he was still deeply moved by the tragic slaying of 17 high school students in a February mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. And he wanted to do something to find answers, even if that meant sitting down with people whose opinions differ from his own.

Thats why Nelson organized and hosted a Freedom and Liberty Symposium at his high school on Wednesday night. He invited a panel of six professionals, including a police officer, a school counselor and member of the Utah House of Representatives to talk about solutions to school shootings. Some panelists opposed any gun control, and others said they supported what they called "commonsense gun reform." But they all wanted to prevent kids from getting killed at school.

This is about citizens coming together on a local level to find real solutions, said Nelson.

The panelists discussed ways to make schools safer such as training teachers how to protect themselves and students when faced with an active shooter, helping students struggling with mental health challenges, and utilizing the SAFE UT app, which provides 24/7 access to crisis counseling and tip reporting for students.

Some of the nearly 200 attendees, including parents and students, commented on proposed solutions that ranged from arming teachers to banning assault rifles.

Several spoke passionately about the dangers they perceive in restricting Americans Second Amendment rights.

I personally believe no matter how much you think you are controlling guns, you are only limiting the law-abiding citizen and not the criminal, said one of the panelists, Omar Viera, who served 21 years as a Navy Seal and has two children in high school. Viera also said it was important to listen to the other side. Educate yourself; put yourself around individuals who are not like you. Bottom line, we dont want more kids to die, he said.

Ralph Jansa, a counselor at Salem Hills, was one of the panelists who spoke in favor of gun restrictions.

"Historically, I dont think its on our side to say arming more people will lead to less violence," said Jansa.

But Rep. Marc K. Roberts, R-Salem, encouraged the group to look beyond gun legislation for answers.

Too often we turn to the government to solve our problems, he said. We need to fix our family problems and our society problems and our neighborhood problems first.

Nelson, who acted as a moderator during the event, is just one example of a young person who is taking action in the midst of a nationwide movement led by high school students. Even though Nelsons views differ from the majority of young people advocating for stricter gun laws, he said he has felt similarly empowered to make his voice heard.

I was called to action, but in a different way, said Nelson. Because (the Parkland students) really showed me that kids our age can make a difference and be a part of the national conversation.

Parkland students have repeatedly spoken out in the national media and on social media against the NRA, which some of them say is responsible for lax gun laws that contribute to the frequency of mass shootings. On March 14, hundreds of thousands of students across the nation walked out of school, and the following week more gathered in the streets of cities around the world to participate in student-led March for Our Lives rallies.

In Salt Lake City, prior to the March for Our Lives rally, which drew an estimated crowd of 8,000 people and was primarily focused on gun reform, there was the March Before Our Lives, a countermarch organized by the Utah Gun Exchange. About 1,000 people showed up at the March Before Our Lives to demonstrate their support for gun ownership and advocate for school safety in their own way. Many of those who joined were high school students, like 17-year-old Cody Frandsen, a senior at Spanish Fork High School who also attended Wednesdays Freedom and Liberty Symposium.

In my age group, I know Im 100 percent in the minority.  Im the kid with the unpopular opinion, said Frandsen, who thinks the best way to prevent shootings is to arm teachers and teach kids to be nicer to each other. But if someone has a different opinion, Im not gonna stop sharing mine.

Nelson hopes the symposium will be a starting point for continued discussion about solutions to school violence, and welcomes any opportunity to talk with those with opposing ideas.

We find common ground in that we really care, said Nelson. We all want to make schools safer.
EUREKA, Juab County  A Mammoth man who may have been jealous or angry that a young Eureka couple visited his girlfriend while he wasn't there has been arrested and accused of murdering Riley Powell and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson.

Jerrod William Baum, 41, was arrested for investigation of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of desecration of a dead body, among other charges.

Powell, 18, and Otteson, 17, were last seen near Mammoth, Juab County, on Dec. 30, according to family members. The couple planned to stop in Spanish Fork before going home to Eureka, where both lived with Powell's grandfather.

A police affidavit outlines extremely disturbing details about the deaths of the young couple, including a statement allegedly made by Baum that he made Powell suffer.

Otteson's body was recovered from the mine with her hands tied behind her back and Powell "appeared to have multiple knife wounds as well, and his hands were also bound behind his back," the affidavit states.

After nearly three months of searching, investigators were led to the Tintic Standard Mine outside Eureka on Tuesday. A camera was lowered into the mine, which is more than 1,500 feet deep.

Utah County Undersheriff Darin Durfey said Thursday that luck also played a role in the recovery of the bodies, which were located on a ledge about 100 feet down.

On Wednesday, heavy rescue crews recovered the two bodies, and they were transported to the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office to confirm their identities and causes of death.

Baum was previously acquainted with Powell, according to police. Officers first questioned Baum and his live-in girlfriend on Jan. 9.

"Jerrod is known to law enforcement to associate with the criminal element in and around Eureka and the Juab County area. Officers asked the pair if they had heard anything or if they had seen the missing teens. They told us about a rumor that Riley may have gotten into a fight on New Years Eve with another male," the affidavit states.

The last message Powell sent on Facebook was to Baum's girlfriend, saying the two agreed to meet at her house in an hour, according to the report.

Press conf on murder investigation on missing teens LIVE: Officials at Utah County Sheriff's office with family of the Eureka teen victims Posted by KSL 5 TV on Thursday, March 29, 2018

On Jan. 11, Powell's missing Jeep was found partially hidden in trees, about a mile south of Cherry Creek Reservoir. Based on the condition of the Jeep, which had two flat tires, investigators said at the time that foul play was suspected.

On Jan. 25, Baum's girlfriend was interviewed again by police. She claimed there was a rumor that Powell and Otteson were involved in a drug deal gone bad, the affidavit says. She also claimed the couple never showed up at her house that night, until the detective pressed her further with questions.

"(The) detective noted that she became very nervous and even scared," according to the report.

The girlfriend eventually admitted that Powell and Otteson had showed up that night and stayed for about 40 minutes to smoke marijuana, the report states. "She stated that she did not know where they went or what happened to them."

She also said she was scared because she was not allowed to have male friends over when Baum and his father weren't home.

The girlfriend, Morgan Lewis Henderson, 34, was pulled over Sunday in Sanpete County and arrested for investigation of drug and weapons charges. While she was being interviewed at the Sanpete County Sheriff's Office, she told investigators a different story about Dec. 30.

This time, she allegedly said Baum had found out that Powell and Otteson had stopped by that night.

"He told her that he had previously instructed her not to have guy friends and that it was too bad because he has never killed an innocent before. She said that their shower smelled strongly of bleach. She said that on New Years Eve he burned some stuff in a barrel that smelled like bleach and the flames were green.

"She said that later he told her that he took care of Riley and Brelynne. She said that he told her that he made Riley suffer but that he felt bad about Brelynne and made it quick and painless," according to the police affidavit. "She also told us that he said he did not have time to dig a grave."

On Monday, Henderson took police to the Mammoth area and showed them a barrel "that contained multiple phones that had been destroyed, several lengths of rope, used duct tape, pieces of a Marlboro cigarette carton, pieces of two knife sheaths, roofing nails, baby wipes, plastic sacks. Also in the barrel was a camo tie down strap that was similar to the one found on Rileys Jeep," according to the report.

She then took investigators to the area of the mine where she believed the couple was killed.

"It was while she was in this area that she admitted that she had driven the Jeep out to Cherry Creek where she and Jerrod dumped it," the report states.

After the bodies were found on Tuesday, Henderson gave detectives more information.

Henderson said after Powell and Otteson left her house on the Dec. 30, Baum came in a short time later and led her outside.

"They went outside and she saw Riley and Brelynne tied up in the back of Rileys Jeep. Morgan also stated that Jerrod told her to get in the Jeep and that they would go for a ride to have a talk. They then drove to the area of the Eureka Lilly Mine. While at the mine, Jerrod used a knife to kill both Riley and Brelynne and then dumped their bodies in the mine," police wrote in the affidavit.

As of Thursday, Henderson had not been arrested in connection with the deaths but remained in the Sanpete County Jail for her arrest on Sunday.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said Thursday that additional arrests in connection with the killings  possibly for obstruction of justice  are "likely." He called the investigation still "very active."

Neither Bill Powell, Riley Powell's father, or Amanda Hunt, Otteson's aunt, knew Baum or why the couple would have been at his residence. But they were shocked to hear the details of the crime Thursday.

"You dont kill kids for jealously, Hunt said.

Bill Powell called the killings "senseless."

"Why do you have so much hate? Theres no reason," he said. "No reason for anything to happen to anybody."

Baum was charged Feb. 13 with being a restricted person in possession of a weapon. The girlfriend brought a gun to Baum on Jan. 30, which he showed her how to use, according to charging documents.

Baum also pleaded guilty to an amended charge of attempted possession of a dangerous weapon in 2003, court records state.

In 1992, when Baum was just 15, he was charged with attempted murder and 10 other charges. He stole a pickup truck from a Provo business and later a van where he found a .38-caliber handgun, and traveled to Heber City, where he stole a Trans Am. He then went to a Burger King in Orem and used the handgun to rob the business, firing at two employees who followed him into the parking lot.

He was first incarcerated with the Utah Department of Corrections in March of 1993.

While incarcerated at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, Baum was one of five inmates charged with more than 30 felonies in connection with a five-hour riot that occurred on Aug. 9, 1994,and caused an estimated $40,000 in damage.

He was granted parole in 2002, but his parole was revoked in 2003 when he was arrested for attempting to purchase a dangerous weapon, according to prison records. Baum was paroled again in 2004 and sent back to prison on another parole violation shortly after. He was discharged in March 2005.

Baum was placed on probation in June for drugs and weapons-related convictions.

In addition to being booked into jail Wednesday for investigation of aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping and desecration charges, Baum was also booked for investigation of tampering with a witness, obstruction of justice and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.
SALT LAKE CITY  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will close two of its foreign missionary training centers in the coming year.

Daniel Woodruff, a spokesman for the LDS Church, announced the church would close down MTC facilities in Santiago, Chile, and Madrid, Spain, beginning in January 2019. "The MTCs are part of church property that is already used for other functions such as temple patron housing," Woodruff said in an email to the Deseret News. "Plans for how to use the specific MTC space are yet to be determined."

The space in these church-owned facilities could be used for other functions, such as temple patron housing, but is yet to be determined.

"This decision comes as Church leaders continue to seek the best use of resources worldwide according to the needs and demands of each area," Woodruff said in a news release.

Once the facilities close down, missionaries will be sent to one of 13 other missionary training centers around the globe.

The news comes less than a year after the church expanded the Provo MTC and upgraded missionary training centers in Ghana and the Philippines.

The missionary training center in Santiago, Chile, was established in 1981, according to the Deseret News, and served native Spanish-speaking missionaries.

The MTC in Madrid, Spain, was founded in 1999 next to the Madrid Temple. Missionaries there have been trained in Spanish, Portuguese, English, Russian, Italian and French.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated how the MTC facilities would be used in the future. Plans for the church-owned space is yet to be determined.
Bollywood Choreographer Caesar To Work On Queen Remake

Yes, you heard that right! Bollywood choreographer Caesar Gonsalves has been roped in for choreographing the popular song London Thumakada. Also, it is heard that ace director Ramesh Aravind, who is helming the remake of Kangana Ranaut-starrer Queen in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu, wanted the other language versions to have the same impact on audience down South as made by the original.





Moreover, popular TV actress Parul Yadav, who is playing the lead character in the Kannada version of Queen - titled Butterfly, insisted Caesar to work in the South film industry as he had worked on the original. Talking about the same, she said, Caesar will choreograph the Wedding Song in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. We wanted the setting to be as authentic as possible, so, instead of having professional dancers on set, we have got 150 junior artistes for the shoot. All three versions will be shot in Mysuru shortly.





While talking about the kind of preparation he is doing for the film, Caesar said, I am not entirely unfamiliar with south Indian traditions as my wife is of Tamil-Telugu descent. Moreover, I have worked in south Indian films earlier. He further mentioned, The makers of the Queen remakes also shared a bunch of candid wedding videos to give me a clear picture so that I can plan each version differently. They have also translated the lyrics of the songs for me. The three songs will be different, with glimpses of local rituals, etc.





While this seems exciting, fans cant wait long for the remake of Queen to hit the screens!





For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App.









Source: cdn.bollywoodmdb.com
April Fools Day may still be a few days away, but it seems like OnePlus is already at it playing pranks. The company has a history of making April Fools jokes and this time around, it seems like the joke seems to revolve around one of the biggest talking points of the year, cryptocurrency. In a video posted by the company on social media, the OnePlus Co-Founder, Carl Pei states that the company want to reimagine one of the most fundamental elements of our everyday life, currency.

The video also teases a coin with the OnePlus logo on one side, and E PLURIBUS PEI-UM on the other. This is a reference on the moto of the United States, E pluribus unum which means out of many, one and is stamped on US currency.

As mentioned earlier, OnePlus has a history of making April Fools jokes. Around the same time last year. The company teased, Meet the future of Dash Charge tomorrow, which fooled many (including us, admittedly) into thinking that the company may unveil a new version of its Dash Charge technology ahead of the launch of it next smartphone, the OnePlus 5. It was only later that it turned out it was a joke about a new energy drink. However, we did receive actual cans of the energy drink suggesting that the company did put a lot of effort into the joke. So it is possible that the company may release limited quantities of the OnePlus Coin to fans. However, if that coin actual holds any monetary value is a different matter entirely. If the company does defy expectation and launch its own cryptocurrency, OnePlus fans in India should be disappointed. Following this years budget announcement, cryptocurrencies are not considered to be legal tender in India.
Tiangong-1 Space Station Re-Entry and Information

Published: 2018-04-01 - Updated: 2018-04-02

Author: Disabled World | Contact: disabled-world.com

Synopsis: Information regarding the re-entry of Chinese Tiangong-1 Space Station a 40 foot long space station hosted two crews of astronauts in 2012 and 2013, including China's first female taikonaut (Chinese Astronaut).

Main Digest

Launched in 2011, the Chinese Tiangong-1, which translates to "Heavenly Palace", 40 foot long space station hosted two crews of astronauts in 2012 and 2013, including China's first female taikonaut (Chinese Astronaut), Liu Yang, in 2012. Its major goal was to test and master technologies related to orbital rendezvous and docking. It is identified by its UN COSPAR ID 2011-053A or NORAD ID 37820.

Tiangong-1 completed its service in 2016 and lost contact with Chinese mission control that year. Since then it's orbit steadily decayed (losing altitude).

It's Over - China's Tiangong-1 Has Crashed to Earth!

Latest Updates:

As predicted, Tiangong-1 hit an uninhabited region of Earth, though the fire ball possibly may have been seen by some people in Korea or Japan prior to reentry. Chinese space authorities say Tiangong-1 re-entered the Earth's atmosphere Sunday night, mostly burning up on re-entry over the central South Pacific Ocean. Officials at the Joint Force Space Component Command confirmed Tiangong-1 re-entered after 8 p.m. ET. The reentry was also confirmed with counterparts in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

Previous Estimates:

April 2, 2018 (6:20AM) - Tiangong-1 stayed at an average altitude of about 132.75 km - Estimated reentry time is at 8:42 am (the earliest time is at 8:24 am and the latest time is at 9:01 am), 2 April, Beijing China time. The re-entry center is located at 40.4W and 27.4S.

April 2, 2018 (5:00AM) - Tiangong-1 stayed at an average altitude of about 138.8 km .The estimated reentry time is at 8:49 am (the earliest time is at 8:11 am and the latest time is at 9:33 am ).on 2 April, Beijing time. The reentry center is located at 19.4W and 10.2S.

April 1, 2018 (8 AM) - Tiangong-1 stayed at an average altitude of about 167.6 km - Estimated re-entry window is on 2 April, Beijing time.

March 31 - (12AM) - Tiangong-1 average altitude of 179.0 km - Revised estimated re-entry window is 2nd April 1 day, Beijing, time.*

March 30 - Tiangong-1 average altitude of 189.5 km - Estimated re-entry window is 1 April  1 day , Beijing, time.*

March 29 - Tiangong-1 average altitude of 196.4 km - Estimated re-entry window is between 31 March and 2 April, Beijing, time.*

March 28 - Tiangong-1 average altitude of 202.3 km - Estimated re-entry window is between 31 March and 2 April, Beijing, time.*

*Source: China Manned Space - http://en.cmse.gov.cn/col/col1763/index.html



Fig 1. Map shows area (green) between 42.8 degrees north and 42.8 degrees south latitudes over which China's Tiangong 1 Space Station could re-enter. The graph at left shows area population densities. Diagram Credit: ESA CC BY-SA IGO 3.0.

Is Tiangong-1 Carrying Radioactive or Toxic Materials?

The station MAY contain large amounts of toxic chemicals including hydrazine, which is a known carcinogen that has been linked to cancer in humans. The Aerospace Corporation's Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies (CORDS) said a recent warning message, "Potentially, there may be a highly toxic and corrosive substance called hydrazine on board the spacecraft that could survive reentry. For your safety, do not touch any debris you may find on the ground nor inhale vapors it may emit."



Fig 2. Approximate debris field area - Any pieces of Tiangong-1 that survive re-entry will likely fall to Earth along a long - but narrow track, according to analyses by The Aerospace Corporation - Image Credit: The Aerospace Corporation.

If I Find a Piece of Tiangong-1 Can I Keep or Sell It?

Robert Pearlman, editor in chief of the space history and memorabilia site (and Space.com partner) collectSPACE, told Space.com, The law of finders-keepers doesn't apply to space junk. "Any pieces of Tiangong-1 that reach the ground, regardless of where they fall, remain the property of China until the Chinese government explicitly relinquishes ownership". Such ownership is spelled out in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which both China and the United States have signed, Pearlman explained. Besides pieces of the craft could possibly be toxic or radioactive - So should you happen on a part of the spacecraft stay well away and inform your local authorities.

SkyLab Deja Vu

In 1979 America's 77 ton Skylab Space Station fell from orbit, spreading pieces of space junk south of Western Australia. A park service official in Western Australia fined the U.S. $400 for littering. The ticket was issued as a gag and in good fun, and NASA never paid off the $400 fine, though locals donated the money owed and paid the fine for NASA.

In 1991 the Soviet Salyut 7 space station also crashed to Earth, and radioactive fragments from Russian nuclear satellite Kosmos 954 crashed in northern Canada in 1978. The last space outpost to fall from orbit was Russia's 135-ton Mir space station in 2001, which made a controlled landing with most of the debris breaking up in Earth's atmosphere.

Spacecraft Cemetery - Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility

For spacecraft that still remain in control after their useful life is over, mission controllers guide their reentry to a special place on Earth called the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, a two and a half mile deep area in the ocean known as the "spacecraft cemetery" located approximately 3,000 miles off the East coast of New Zealand and 2,000 miles north of Antarctica. According to Popular Science over 263 spacecraft have crashed at the cemetery since 1971.

Don't Panic!

It has been calculated that the probability someone will be struck by space shrapnel debris is about "1 million times smaller than the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot!"

Who We Are:

Disabled World is an independent disability community established in 2004 to provide disability news and information to people with disabilities, seniors, and their family and/or carers. See our homepage for informative reviews, exclusive stories and how-tos. You can connect with us on social media such as Twitter and Facebook or learn more about Disabled World on our about us page.

Disclaimer: Disabled World provides general information only. Materials presented are in no way meant to be a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified practitioner, nor should they be construed as such. Any 3rd party offering or advertising on disabled-world.com does not constitute endorsement by Disabled World.

Cite This Page (APA): Disabled World. (2018, April 1). Tiangong-1 Space Station Re-Entry and Information. Disabled World. Retrieved September 25, 2021 from www.disabled-world.com/news/offbeat/tiangong-1.php
UltraTech gets CCI nod for Binani Cement bid

The Competition Commission of India has granted approval for UltraTech Cements $1.1-billion bid to acquire debt-laden Binani Cement Ltd, the Aditya Birla Group company said on Wednesday.

UltraTech, which is locked in a battle with Dalmia Bharat to acquire Binani Cement, had recently moved the National Company Law Tribunal, challenging the decision by Binani Cements creditors to select a joint venture of Dalmia Bharat and Bain-Piramal as the preferred buyer.

The bankruptcy resolution professionals for Binani Cement had earlier this month, advised its creditors to select a consortium of Dalmia Bharat and Bain-Piramals India Resurgence Fund as the preferred bidder for Binani Cement.

The Dalmia Bharat consortium had offered Rs6,300 crore for Binani Cement and the joint bid had also received CCI approval.

In a stock-exchange filing, UltraTech now contends that it had quoted a lower bid for Binani Cement because the resolution professional overseeing Binani Cements bids had raised apprehensions about the company obtaining the CCI approval.

The CCI clearance validates UltraTechs contention that they were wrongly and unjustifiably rated H2 instead of H1, it said.

See: UltraTech had also, last week, entered into an arrangement with Binani Cements parent to provide Rs7,266 crore ($1.1 billion) to help it terminate the insolvency proceedings against the bankrupt unit ( UltraTech makes fresh Rs7,266 offer; Binani appears to favour it ).

UltraTech also alleged a lack of transparency in the auction process of Binani Cement.

Dalmia Bharat, however, said that the evaluation criteria for the bids were fair and transparent, adding that there is nothing to show that Binanis creditors have not assessed the bids correctly.

Also, according to Dalmia Bharat, the CCI approval was a post-NCLT approval step and hence is a pre-requisite for bidders participating in the resolution process.

UltraTech is Indias largest cement maker while Dalmia Bharat is the fourth-largest.

Binani Cement, with a combined capacity of 11.25 million tonnes, has been undergoing corporate insolvency resolution proceedings since July 2017.

The cement maker has a domestic manufacturing capacity of about 6.25 million tonnes.
Potassium gives perovskite-based solar cells an efficiency boost

A simple potassium solution could boost the efficiency of next-generation solar cells, by enabling them to convert more sunlight into electricity.

An international team of researchers led by the University of Cambridge found that the addition of potassium iodide 'healed' the defects and immobilised ion movement, which to date have limited the efficiency of cheap perovskite solar cells.

These next-generation solar cells could be used as an efficiency-boosting layer on top of existing silicon-based solar cells, or be made into stand-alone solar cells or coloured LEDs. The results are reported in the journal Nature.

The solar cells in the study are based on metal halide perovskites  a promising group of ionic semiconductor materials that in just a few short years of development now rival commercial thin film photovoltaic technologies in terms of their efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity.

Perovskites are cheap and easy to produce at low temperatures, which makes them attractive for next-generation solar cells and lighting.

Despite the potential of perovskites, some limitations have hampered their efficiency and consistency. Tiny defects in the crystalline structure of perovskites, called traps, can cause electrons to get 'stuck' before their energy can be harnessed.

The easier that electrons can move around in a solar cell material, the more efficient that material will be at converting photons, particles of light, into electricity. Another issue is that ions can move around in the solar cell when illuminated, which can cause a change in the bandgap - the colour of light the material absorbs.

"So far, we haven't been able to make these materials stable with the bandgap we need, so we've been trying to immobilise the ion movement by tweaking the chemical composition of the perovskite layers," says Dr Sam Stranks from Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, who led the research.

"This would enable perovskites to be used as versatile solar cells or as coloured LEDs, which are essentially solar cells run in reverse."

In the study, the researchers altered the chemical composition of the perovskite layers by adding potassium iodide to perovskite inks, which then self-assemble into thin films. The technique is compatible with roll-to-roll processes, which means it is scalable and inexpensive.

The potassium iodide formed a 'decorative' layer on top of the perovskite which had the effect of 'healing' the traps so that the electrons could move more freely, as well as immobilising the ion movement, which makes the material more stable at the desired bandgap.

The researchers demonstrated promising performance with the perovskite bandgaps ideal for layering on top of a silicon solar cell or with another perovskite layer  so-called tandem solar cells. Silicon tandem solar cells are the most likely first widespread application of perovskites. By adding a perovskite layer, light can be more efficiently harvested from a wider range of the solar spectrum.

"Potassium stabilises the perovskite bandgaps we want for tandem solar cells and makes them more luminescent, which means more efficient solar cells," said Stranks, whose research is funded by the European Union and the European Research Council's Horizon 2020 Programme. "It almost entirely manages the ions and defects in perovskites."

"We've found that perovskites are very tolerant to additives  you can add new components and they'll perform better," said first author Mojtaba Abdi-Jalebi, a PhD candidate at the Cavendish Laboratory who is funded by Nava Technology Limited. "Unlike other photovoltaic technologies, we don't need to add an additional layer to improve performance, the additive is simply mixed in with the perovskite ink."

The perovskite and potassium devices showed good stability in tests, and were 21.5% efficient at converting light into electricity, which is similar to the best perovskite-based solar cells and not far below the practical efficiency limit of silicon-based solar cells, which is (29 per cent). Tandem cells made of two perovskite layers with ideal bandgaps have a theoretical efficiency limit of 45 per cent and a practical limit of 35 per cent  both of which are higher than the current practical efficiency limits for silicon.

"You get more power for your money," said Stranks.
A rally of support and solidarity for the young woman at the centre of the Belfast rape trial has been held in Letterkenny.

Rallies were held across the country today following the acquittal of four men including two Irish rugby internationals in the nine-week trial.

Ulster and Ireland rugby player Paddy Jackson was acquitted of rape and sexual assault. His team-mate Stuart Olding was acquitted of rape.

Blane McIlroy was found not guilty of exposure and Rory Harrison was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice and not guilty withholding information.

During the nine-week trial, Mr Jackson, 26, from Oakleigh Park, Belfast, and Mr Olding, 25, of Ardenlee Street in the city, had denied raping the same woman at a house in south Belfast on June 28th 2016.

The rally was held in Letterkennys Market Square at lunchtime today.

Tomas Barriscale, who organised the rally, said he was angered by the result of the trial.

I wanted to do something. Because I saw there were so many solidarity rallies around the country I didnt want to just go off to Derry or somewhere because I know there was so many people here who wanted to make themselves heard, he said.

If I organised something then people would be able to turn up. Because it was big in the media a lot of people were following it. Because it is in a way representative of a lot of other sexual assault cases I think a lot of people were emotionally involved in it. When the not guilty verdict came out a lot of people felt betrayed and have lost faith in the justice system.

Hayley Patton from Letterkenny said she attended the rally because she feels the trial showed that something needs to change in society.

This is by no means going to encourage women to come forward. I feel the girl was slut-shamed, there was a lot of that going on. This case got so much media attention and so many people were talking about it, which is a good thing. Everyone was discussing it so it was a great opportunity to do something like this.

The Donegal Women's Centre issued an invitation of support to anyone affected by the trial.

The centre provides a listening service with trained listeners for women to be heard in a safe, confidential and understanding space.

You are not on your own, we are here to support you, the centre said.

Anyone who would like to talk with a trained Listeners in a safe and confidential space can call the Donegal Women's Centre on 074 9124985.
The manager of Pieta House in Donegal has revealed that children as young as ten have been receiving suicide and self-harm counselling at the centre.

Dominick Gallagher said that since the centre opened in Letterkenny last May, over 280 people had used their centre, and they spanned an age gap from under ten years to over 70.

Pieta House provides specialised treatment programmes for people who have suicidal ideation or who participate in self-harming behaviours.

Mr. Gallagher attended the launch last week of this years Darkness into Light event in Bundoran, one of a number of such 5k events around the county which will raise funds and awareness for Pieta House.

Referring to the number of people attending Pieta House, he said, In a way this is good news as in the past the nearest centre was Tuam or indeed Dublin and many may have not been able to travel.

It is great that we are now able to offer them this critical service closer to home.

To date we have been helping people from Sligo, Fermanagh, Derry and of course Donegal.

It really is very rewarding to see the change in people. When they walk in our doors many are without hope, they are just stuck in lifes journey. Leaving they are positive, full of positivity and grateful.

Asked by the Democrat about the young children that had been users of the facility, Mr. Gallagher said, They come from ordinary backgrounds and yes, we have treated kids as young as ten and even younger, as well as teenagers.

It is impossible to generalise but many may have been bullied at school or on social media or come from a home where suicide has been a factor in the past. It is the sad reality of modern day living but I think it is important that people should be aware.

Darkness into Light, a 5k walk will take place this year in numerous centres throughout the world on Saturday, May 12th at 4.15am, with walks in a host of towns in the county.

If you have been affected by this story, you can call: Samaritans 24 hr Freefone Helpline: 116123 You can also go the website: www.samaritans.org. You can also email jo@samaritans.org. Pieta House helpline: 1800 247 247
Chevrolet's Silverado will cost you a decent wedge of El Dorado's gold.

The American brand has revealed details of its five-model Silverado pick-up truck Australian line-up.

Imported and converted to right-hand drive by local outfit HSV in partnership with Holden, production will begin in April at the company's Victorian facility.

Pricing for the behemoth starts at $114,990 before on-road cost for the base 2500 WT model. This price undercuts the $139,500 Ram2500 offered by sister company American Special Vehicles (ASV) - also part-owned owned by HSV's parent company, the Walkinshaw Group - which imports and converts the Ram at the same factory.

All Silverado models will be powered by a 6.6-litre Duramax turbocharged V8 diesel engine that produces a hefty 332kW and a bulging 1234Nm for all your towing needs. The engine is matched to a six-speed automatic which drives all four wheels.

From a payload perspective the Silverado isn't very impressive with a limit of just 975kg which is down on most regular-sized dual-cab utes but it is able to tow up to 5.89 tonnes pending certification.

The base WT model rides on 18-inch alloy wheels, trailer sway control and hill start assist, front bench seat, 7.0-inch touchscreen, reversing camera, keyless entry and remote locking tailgate.
Subaru has confirmed both the Forester and XV will come with electric drivetrains to Australia by 2020 but the Forester won't be a plug-in.

Speaking to Drive at the reveal of the fifth-generation Forester in New York, Subaru America COO Tom Doll confirmed the new SUV would not be a plug-in hybrid.

"We're not saying what it [which model will be the plug-in hybrid] is yet. Wait, no it's not the Forester. Oh I can say that? Ok I didn't know if you could say that or not," he said when finding out the Japanese brand can now confirm its future electric plans further.

Subaru has not said which vehicle will be its first plug-in hybrid though speculation is that it would be either the Forester or XV which is sold as the Crosstrek in the US. But Doll would not divulge which car it will be.

"We can't say what it is yet. The 2.5-litre engine is the powertrain for this vehicle. I can't say for the future but I can say right now that's the powertrain it has."

However, Subaru Australia GM of sales Colin Christie added afterward that both the Forester and XV will arrive in Australia in electrified form. In light of the Forester not being plug-in it is likely that the XV will be the brand's first plug-in with the Forester adding a mild hybrid option by 2020.

"There's definite plans for a hybrid and Tom was talking about the plug-in hybrid that they are getting to market so we don't have an exact time frame yet, but there will be a hybrid for both XV and Forester in the next period of time," Christie told Drive.

"Not for the next model but this model generation Forester. We don't have exact details, but it will be some form of hybrid model."
Jeep Grand Cherokee owners who plan on towing a caravan or a boat this weekend should reconsider their Easter travel plans.

The American brand issued a recall notice in regards to Grand Cherokee models fitted with an official tow bar kit that were sold after May 31, 2017.

An estimated 2350 vehicles are affected by the recall which may see washers and bolts lose torque during towing which in turn can loosen the tow bar itself causing the towed item to detach.

The American marque is urging owners not use the tow bar until a fix can be implemented.

Affected owners will receive a notification by mail if their vehicle is caught up in the recall. They will then receive a second notification alerting them when parts are available. All repairs will be undertaken free of charge.

If customers immediate plans for an Easter Holiday are affected, contact Jeep immediately as a spokesperson for the brand indicated it will proactively make arrangements to limit any disruptions.

Jeep is so far unaware of any injuries or accidents caused by the potentially faulty part.

For further information contact FCA Australia Customer Car on 1300 133 079.
Uber wants us to ride-share share.

The American tech company is launching its Uber Pool service in Sydney on April 3, 2018, before it expands to other major cities as the ride-sharing company faces a fresh wave of new competition.

Built on the premise of car pooling, the new service allows complete strangers to share a journey if they are headed in the same direction, with the benefit of splitting the cost and  according to Uber - reducing congestion.

Riders wouldn't be picked up from their address but would meet at a pick-up spot a short distance away that is most convenient for the driver and the potential route.

The ride-sharing company claims that as much as 40 per cent of all trips taken in the tech-savvy city of San Francisco are via Uber Pool.

Uber Pool is similar  although more sophisticated - to a News South Wales government trial to launch on-demand services that pick people up from pre-arranged locations or their homes and delivers them to public transport hubs.

The American ride sharing company is one of the leading companies looking at urban mobility with the tech unicorn investing heavily in driverless technology  despite a recent setback caused by a pedestrian being struck and killed during one of the company's autonomous trials in the US.

Uber is positioning itself to be a leader in autonomous taxi services when the technology and legislation allows, with the American company partnering with several car makers to develop the robo-taxis of the future which it would then operate.

Earlier this month The NSW Government and Transurban announced a trial of semi-autonomous technologies on NSW roads.

The government trial will only utilise level 2 autonomous technologies that require a driver to be in full control of the vehicle. Though while this is not a fully-fledged autonomous trial it sets up the chance for one in the future with the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Melinda Pavey, stating that change is coming.

This is the big gamechanger for road safety  this is going to drive [the road toll] towards zero.

I dont think we should be afraid of the computers ability to maybe do a better job than us, but we have to show the community that thats the case and they have to have faith in that process and those systems," said Pavey.
Women in Louth are more likely then men to look further afield for a future partner, according to new figures released today by the Central Statistics Office.

The statistics, relating to opposite sex marriages, show that of 475 Louth women that married in between January and December 2017, 40 of them married men from other counties in Ireland - whilst a further 15 married men from abroad.

However, 420 Louth women married a man who also resides within the Wee County - meaning a great majority choose someone close to home.

Those numbers compare to 455 Louth males who married last year, 31 of whom married women from other counties. Four Louth men got hitched to a lady from outside of Ireland. 420 Louth grooms married fellow Louth brides.

The average age of Louth men tying the knot last year was 36.3 while the average age of the brides was younger - at 34.2. Both of these figures are in line with national averages.

Last year, Louth saw 603 opposite sex marriage ceremonies - 328 of which were Catholic. Nine were Church of Ireland ceremonies, two were Presbyterian, 36 were under the auspices of the Spiritualist Union of Ireland, 154 were civil marriages and 44 were humanist.

There were 19 same sex marriages in Louth in 2017, but 38 in Meath. 13 were civil marriages.
Dirt Birds, the comedy pair made up of Sinead Culbert and Sue Collins, are to perform Dundalks An Tain Theatre on Friday the 6th of April at 8pm.

This will be the duos third performance in the town. The hilarious women found their fame by posting videos online which amassed thousands of views on Facebook.

Sinead is from Dundalk and says she really enjoys performing in her hometown. "People in Dundalk have a sharp wit, and an intelligent humour, she says. "It is one of our favourite places to perform, there is a special energy in Dundalk. They crowd get every gag and nuance," she adds. "They are just up for the craic!"

Sinead and Sue met on the stand-up comedy scene. "I was doing stand up and Sue was doing character stand up," Sinead explains. "I saw her perform and just thought we would work well together. I sound like such a stalker but I got her number off the club owner, she laughs.

"I gave her a ring and she was immediately very interested in working together, she had seen my stuff as well. We were very lucky."

The comedy pair have also written a script for BBC3 which wasnt picked up. However, Sinead says that writing for the BBC was like a comedy masterclass. "There was a change in staff so our script wasnt bought, but it was still a great opportunity and experience, Sinead says positively.

"We really got to develop our writing skills. We worked with a guy called John Ross and we had to have a gag every 30 seconds, he got us to look at our style and hone our skills."

The Dirt Birds comedy style is observational, and they find comedic elements in everyday events and ordinary people. "We look at things we see and hear, and people who make us laugh.

One of the characters we do is the competitive mammy, and everyone knows someone like that, explains Sinead. We also have other characters who are beauty bloggers from Dundalk and Ardee, Dee and Andrea. Dee was a character who was in my head for years, Sinead reveals.

"We all know someone who is all smiles but is making sly digs at the same time, the comedian laughs. "We decided to make her from Dundalk as there arent many comedy characters out there from the town.

The accent certainly stands out, and people from Louth will laugh at Dees quips such as I am going on a trip faraway, like to Dunleer or somewhere like that.

Both Sinead and Sue are masters at doing accents.

"You know what, its like singing, but I cant sing, quips Sinead. "Being able to do different accents is just natural for me, it requires a musical ear, and you pick up on the rhythm and sounds someone is making and mimic them."

Sinead also believes that the internet has been fantastic for comedians. "It is hard getting stuff made for TV, youre waiting on someone to give you the okay and the budget," she explains. "With Facebook, you arent waiting around like that, you can make your own little show, she continues. "But your videos have to be funny and still have quality," she adds.

Dirt Birds are a female comedy duo, and I ask whether they believe that its harder for women to break into the comedy scene. "The scene itself can be tricky for women, but the audience dont care if it is a woman, man or white rabbit on stage as long as they can make them laugh," says Sinead.

"At the start our audience would have been mainly women, but now more men are starting to go and they always come up to us and say they really enjoyed it," she adds.

The name Dirt Birds came about from an old Dublin phrase. "Some people think our comedy is cynical or lewd because of the name, but its not, she says. It is just a bit irreverent and fun.

Sinead also says that it is a good time for women, and that they can come out of the shadows and do what they want. "I think to be a woman, especially in comedy, you do have to be brave, you have to push yourself, but dont be afraid of what other people think,"she concludes.

Tickets for the Dirt Birds show can be booked online at https://antain.ticketsolve.com/shows/873582857?_ga=2.131590479.1746232670.1521641760-1369941253.1516790398 or through An Tains box office.
SuperValu TidyTowns organisers are calling for Louth entrants to the 2018 competition.

Over the past 60 years of the SuperValu TidyTowns competition, generations of TidyTowns volunteers up and down the country have worked to improve the appearance of their locality and make their town or village more attractive for residents and visitors alike.

Speaking at the launch of the 2018 competition, Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu said: "This year is an important milestone for SuperValu TidyTowns as it marks the 60th anniversary of the competition. Reaching this landmark is a remarkable achievement both for the competition and the TidyTowns committees who have worked tirelessly over the year to enhance their towns and villages."

Mr. Kelleher went on to say: "This year, as we mark the 60th anniversary of TidyTowns, we are calling on volunteers in Co. Louth to get involved."

The Minister for Regional Economic Development, Michael Ring, T.D. said:

The SuperValu TidyTowns Competition is built on the voluntary effort of ordinary people across Ireland. It is a competition which brings neighbours, with shared values and shared interests, together to improve their locality. Almost all members in a community can contribute to the SuperValu TidyTowns competition, regardless of age, ability or interests. I urge existing Tidy TownsCommittees in Louth to register by the 23rd May deadline and I would love to see towns and villages get involved which havent previously participated in the competition.

This years competition will also see the addition of the Schools Award, an initiative run by SuperValu that aims to encourage schools in communities across the country to get involved with their local TidyTowns committee and play a part in building better communities.

The closing date for receipt of entries for this years competitions is May 23rd 2018. Entry forms for the SuperValu TidyTowns competition can be obtained from the TidyTowns Unit in the Department of Rural and Community Development  phone (076 100 6912) or by visiting www.tidytowns.ie or www.supervalu.ie. For entry to the Special Competitions please download your entry form at www.tidytowns.ie.

Volunteers across Ireland who want to get involved or set up a TidyTowns Committee can find more information at: www.supervalu.ie/real-people/ sponsorship/tidytowns/how-to-get-involved

In November 2017, Fine Gael TD Fergus ODowd announced that towns and villages in County Louth would benefit from 40k in Government funding to mark 60th anniversary of TidyTowns.
Louth Deputy Gerry Adams has accused the government of failing citizens with disabilities, citing the lack of provision for respite beds in Louth for adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Sinn Fein TD was speaking in the Dail on Tuesday evening, during the party's Private Members motion on disability services.

His comments came after the Dundalk Democrat's story on Tuesday morning about how local charities such as the Louth/Meath branches of Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus and Down Syndrome Ireland had seen vital funding for respite breaks and Early Intervention Therapy slashed by savage cuts.

Adams spoke specifically about the ongoing crisis in the lack of provision of respite beds in Louth and what he said was the ongoing absence of emergency respite beds. Adams called on the government to provide the legislation, funding and services needed by citizens with a disability.

"There are 643,000 individual citizens, many with families, trying to financially, physically, emotionally cope with a disability," he said. "It used to be that these citizens were locked up in institutions. Thankfully, those days are gone.

Although recently the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, found that the state had been denying the necessary supports to a woman who had been fostering a teenager Molly  not her real name - who has Down Syndrome and severe autism. The Ombudsman found that the state had abdicated its responsibilities," he continued.

The former Sinn Fein President said that while the Ombudsman's recommendations were accepted by both HSE and Tusla, the Health Service Executive pointed out that it's committment was resource dependent.

"In other words, it needs the funding," Adams continued. "I raised this issue at the time. I know also from my own constituency that this is the case. I and other local TDs have been highlighting the crisis in the provision or lack of provision of respite beds in Louth for adults with intellectual disabilities.

"I have been consistently raising the absence of emergency services. I have written to this Taoiseach and to the last Taoiseach about this. I have written to Health Ministers about this, including the Minister for State. I made costed proposals which I sent directly to the Minister and to Taoiseach Varadkar," he added.

"Despite this, and all of the promises from the government, there are still no emergency respite services for the citizens in the constituency that I represent. There is still no Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016. There is still no Decision Support Service as promised in the Assisted Decision Making Capacity Act 2015.

Among the examples used in his speech in the Dail was 13-year-old Brendan McGinnis, son of disability rights advocate and campaigner Tracy.

Brendan in 13 years old with a diagnosis of Cerebal Palsy," Deputy Adams said. "His condition is life limiting. He is bed ridden. He has open sores. He has scoliosis and is awaiting surgery. He has profound medical needs. Brendans mother is fighting to get in-home respite care, and a homecare package that meets his needs.

"It may be that the government will not oppose this PMB. That would be welcome. But it wont be good enough. Because it will not make one iota of difference to citizens with disabilities; to their families; to carers; and to those in the voluntary and community sector who help them.

And it will not make any difference unless and until the government ensure that funding is made available to meet the needs of these citizens. Unless it makes these citizens and their rights a priority. Unless as Teachta O Caolain has said, unless the Taoiseach champions this cause. And nothing else will be good enough.

In an interview with the Dundalk Democrat this month, Tracy said she was attempting to get a new house that could cope with Brendan's complex medical needs.

"I just want to save my sons life, for as long as I can, and make it the best it can be while I am blessed to have him in my life. My sons life is literally dependent upon having the proper house."
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I like your honesty and what youre trying to do for me but Id like it dealt with today, said defendant Thomas Ward when asking Judge Kevin P Kilrane to finalise matters when his theft case came before last weeks sitting of Carrick-on-Shannon District Court in Co. Leitrim.

Mr Ward, 13 Glenmore Park, Muirhevanmor, Dundalk, pleaded guilty when he was put on his election in relation to being in possession of a stolen jeep.

However, when he initially said he did not know the vehicle was stolen, Judge Kilrane expressed his reservations.

Evidence was given by Sgt Maire McGarry that Gardai were contacted by the PSNI on February 16, 2018 in relation to a burglary in Enniskillen.

Sgt McGarry said Gardai from Manorhamilton came across the stolen jeep close to Glenfarne but the road conditions were said to treacherous.

At 4am the jeep was located by Gardai at Marian Road, Boyle. Two males were observed sitting in the rear and a juvenile female passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. There was nobody in the drivers seat.

Sgt McGarry added that the value of the stolen jeep was 20,000 and that the defendant has 67 previous convictions relating to offences on both sides of the border with the majority of those offences being either for burglary or motoring offences.

Defending solicitor Martin Burke asked if there was any allegation that Mr Ward was the driver of the jeep to which Sgt McGarry answered, No.

Mr Burke added that the 24-year-old defendant has A very bad history of convictions, adding that his mother was deceased and his father was in prison. His family is originally from Portlaoise. He doesnt have solid connections anywhere.

Giving his account of events Mr Ward said, I was in Belfast and got a bus to Enniskillen. A mate of mine offered me a lift to Dublin. This man was bringing me to Sligo or wherever it was.

Mr Ward added that the driver of the jeep, Jumped out of the vehicle leaving me, my partner and the co-accused.

In reply Sgt McGarry noted, The injured party, whose jeep was stolen said two males and a female were involved so something doesnt add up.

Judge Kilrane then remarked, He has pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle but now he is saying he didnt know it was stolen.

Under questioning from Mr Burke, the defendant was asked if there was a possibility he knew the vehicle was stolen. In reply he stated, No, because I wouldnt have put my partner in that position.

Judge Kilrane then remarked, You have given me a version of events that doesnt make sense. I cant have stuff shoveled up to me saying, take it or leave it.

He says he did not know the vehicle was stolen until he was arrested. He has to make up his mind. I cant be forced into accepting a plea where he says he didnt know the vehicle was stolen.

After a short adjournment the case was recalled with Mr Ward addressing the Court to say, Im guilty for being a passenger in a vehicle I knew was stolen. Mr Ward told the Court he has spent a total of six or seven years in prison.

He added, Prison is meant to be rehabilitating. I got out and fall into the arms of bad company. I have a woman and a child on the way, I dont want him growing up in this environment.

Mr Ward also stated he had the prospect of work with his uncles.

Judge Kilrane raised the possibility of the defendant being released on bail subject to 1,500 being lodged in cash. Mr Ward replied, I dont want to ask my uncle for that kind of money.

I like your honesty and what you are trying to do for me but Id like it dealt with today. Mr Burke added, Your proposal is a most generous one.

Judge Kilrane remanded the defendant in custody for a period of one week for the conclusion of the case.

When the case was revisited at last Tuesday's, sitting of the court Mr Ward was sentenced to nine months in prison.


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Amazon this week expanded its discounted Prime membership program, already available to EBT card holders, to include Medicaid recipients. Eligible customers can become Prime members for US$5.99 a month, less than half the regular $12.99 monthly fee.

The move -- another step in Amazon's efforts to reach underserved economic communities -- ratchets up its competition with Walmart.

Amazon provides customers with a link to authenticate their membership in eligible government assistance programs. It is not clear how the company has been working with the Department of Health and Human Services to verify the records.

Amazon Web Services last year hosted 68 million Medicaid records.

Checking In

The expansion of the discount program followed by just a couple of days reports that Amazon recently engaged in talks with JP Morgan Chase and other banks regarding the possibility of establishing a co-branded checking account program to provide limited banking access to customers.

Amazon previously has offered services targeting the unbanked population, including a stored value card called "Amazon Cash," which lets users load cash onto unlinked debit cards and then use them for purchases with Amazon and certain other retailers.

Customers can deposit funds into their stored value accounts by showing a barcode at a local retailer and presenting the cash.

Amazon's expansion is in part at least a competitive play to target the core market of rival Walmart, which is a favorite retailer with working class and low-income consumers, in part due to its reputation for offering lower prices on everything from household goods to groceries.

"Yes, Amazon and Walmart are at war, and so Amazon is going down-market to grab Walmart's core customer, even as Walmart attempts to go upmarket to grab some of Amazon's core market," observed Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at RSR Research.

Whether regulators ever would allow Amazon to offer banking services to customers is questionable, she told the E-Commerce Times, especially given Walmart's unsuccessful plan to enter the banking business a decade ago. That effort was crushed by consumer advocates and rival banks that feared Walmart would crush the competition, particularly small community banks that served working-class and low-income communities.

Amazon Prime already has locked up most of Amazon's upper-income customers, so the company must look elsewhere to expand its base, suggested Michael Levin, cofounder of Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.

Unbanked Customers

About 7 percent of the U.S. population is unbanked, representing a clear opportunity for Amazon to go after markets dominated by Walmart and Dollar General, noted Thad Petersen, senior analyst at the Aite Group.

"Anything that Amazon does to increase reach increases their opportunity to sell and compete more effectively with physical world retailers," he told the E-Commerce Times.

About 7 percent of the U.S. population was unbanked as of 2015, with no checking account in the household, while 20 percent was underbanked, meaning they had a checking account, but also used some other form of processing transactions, Petersen said, citing data from the FDIC.

A proprietary checking account would allow Amazon to lower its interchange costs, because it would not have to go through a Visa or MasterCard payment network to process transactions with those customers, he pointed out.

Increasing digital economy access to the underserved has been an issue for many years, as their basic needs to access food, medicine and household goods often have been complicated due to inability to write checks, use credit cards or borrow money.

The USDA has announced plans to conduct a two-year pilot program starting this summer to test whether SNAP recipients can use their cards to buy groceries, according to a government official who asked not be identified.

The program is designed to test both online ordering and payment, to see if the transactions can be processed safely and securely. Amazon, Walmart, Fresh Direct, ShopRite and other retailers are slated to participate in the pilot.

David Jones is a freelance writer based in Essex County, New Jersey. He has written for Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain's New York Business and The New York Times.




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Facebook has introduced a set of changes designed to empower members to protect their account information. The company has been at the center of an unrelenting firestorm following revelations that it allowed Cambridge Analytica to mine private data belonging to 50 million of its users without permission, which Cambridge Analytica then leveraged for political purposes.

Facebook on Wednesday outlined new ways for users to adjust privacy settings on their accounts in an online post written by Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan and General Counsel Ashlie Beringer.

Privacy Controls

Facebook's redesigned privacy settings for mobile devices allow users to make changes on a single screen. The company's new privacy shortcuts menu lets users add two-factor authentication, quickly review and delete shared information, manage ad preferences, and manage who can see profile information and posts.

Facebook also introduced Access Your Information, a feature that allows users to go through their timeline or profile information and delete anything they don't want on the site.

Further, Facebook has made it easy for users to download their information securely and even move it to another service. The downloadable info includes photos posted by users, posts made by users, and contacts added to user accounts.

Facebook will propose updates to its terms of service during the next few weeks and make changes to its data policy to clarify what it shares, Egan and Beringer wrote.

Both U.S. and European authorities have announced investigations into Facebook's data sharing. Tom Pahl, acting director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection earlier this week took the rare step of publicly announcing that it was investigating Facebook over the data disclosures.

Companies that reach settlements with the FTC must comply with FTC order provisions that impose privacy and data security requirements, he noted.

Facebook in 2011 entered into a data privacy agreement with the FTC as part of a consent order, and the commission should enforce the terms of that deal, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center and other privacy advocates.

European Data Probes

The UK Information Commissioner's office raided Cambridge Analytica offices over the weekend and removed documents, computers and other information from the site as part of an investigation into the use of data for political campaigns.

Cambridge Analytica has been linked not only to the 2016 Trump campaign, but also to activities related to Brexit.

Whistleblower Chris Wylie, a former Cambridge Analytica employee, testified on Tuesday that the Brexit vote outcome may have been altered through "cheating."

Cambridge Analytica denied Wylie's allegations in a statement released Tuesday, claiming that they were based on unfounded conspiracy theories. Cambridge Analytica further denied using GSR data on behalf of the Trump campaign.

Suspended Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix has been scheduled for a return visit to the House of Commons next month. He will face questions from the Digital, Sport, Media and Commerce committee in connection with its investigation of the use of fake news in various campaigns.

Facebook Chief Product Officer Chris Cox has been tentatively scheduled to appear before the committee next month.

The EU has stepped up its investigation into whether Facebook violated European privacy laws.

"Justice Commissioner [Vera] Jourova sent a letter to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg Monday evening asking for clarifications within the next two weeks, including on whether data on EU citizens have been affected by the recent scandal," said spokesperson Melanie Voin.

Jourova also reminded the company of the upcoming EU data protection rules and called on Facebook to fully cooperate with the European Data Protection Authorities in the context of the investigation, Voin added.

No similar letter has been sent to Cambridge Analytica, she said.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to testify before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, which last week sent a written request to Facebook, asking that it address the data privacy scandal directly.

Facebook staffers have met with committee staff, said a source familiar with the talks, but arrangements had not yet been fixed for a live appearance.

"Facebook, who reinvented social networking for the masses, now has to backtrack and reinvent the data security that people believed they had," said Wayne Kurtzman, research director for social and experiential solutions at IDC.

"That's a hard standard to meet, especially when trust is the currency," he told the E-Commerce Times.

"Facebook has a unique opportunity to reinvent a business model that improves relevant engagements, minimizes misleading news, and connects relevant content from advertisers," Kurtzman said.

"Ideally, this new model will have user privacy as the core, and perhaps result in even more relevant ad targeting for a premium price," he suggested. "They then have to sell that model to start building back the trust that was lost."

David Jones has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2015. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, e-commerce, open source, gaming, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. He has written for numerous media outlets, including Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain's New York Business and The New York Times. Email David.




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The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear oral arguments in a landmark case over whether federal law enforcement can force Microsoft to hand over email stored in an overseas data center as evidence in a drug-trafficking case.

The case, United States of America v. Microsoft Corporation, which dates back to 2013, is viewed as a potentially groundbreaking showdown over data privacy in an era when increasing amounts of information are stored in the cloud and reside in third-party jurisdictions. At the heart of this case is a data center in Dublin.

The case has garnered attention from technology rivals in Silicon Valley, a host of privacy and open technology organizations, foreign governments, legal scholars, and public officials. Twenty-three amicus briefs had been filed on behalf of Microsoft as of last month.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 2016 ruled 3-0 in favor of a challenge brought by Microsoft, which argues that a U.S. warrant could not compel the company to hand over private email data stored in a foreign data center.

The DoJ demand "ignores borders, treaties and international law," Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith wrote in a post published online last month.

It also poses a risk to the U.S. economy, he added, as the U.S. has led the way in the international growth of cloud computing and has a major stake in the integrity of the information stored in multinational data centers across the globe.

Beyond the Law

Existing law does not permit the U.S. government to intrude on the privacy rights of other nations, according to privacy advocates.

"The Electronic Privacy Information Act was never intended to provide a basis for law enforcement agencies in the United States to seize personal data in a foreign jurisdiction," said Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. "The Supreme Court should follow the presumption against the extraterritorial application of U.S. law."

A ruling in favor of the DoJ in this case could trigger a trade war between the U.S. and the European Union over transborder data flows, he warned.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation last month filed an amicus brief, as did the Brennan Center for Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union, Restore the Fourth, and the R Street Institute, raising major concerns about the impact a ruling against Microsoft would have on data privacy, noted Adam Schwartz, senior staff attorney at EFF.

The federal government should be able to access that data only by using its existing treaty relationships with Ireland, which would provide additional protections against access, the EFF has argued.

Cloudy Day

The EFF also has raised concerns about a privacy-related bill introduced in Congress earlier this month. The Clarifying Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act -- sponsored by Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. -- would give federal agencies and even local law enforcement the ability to access electronic data anywhere around the globe, regardless of where a person lived.

The bill also would authorize the president to enter into bilateral executive agreements with other countries that would allow each government to access user data stored in the other country, without having to abide by its privacy laws.

"Under the CLOUD Act, the president could unilaterally pick the countries they want to give this power to," the EFF's Schwartz told the E-Commerce Times.

One concern is that the bill would allow the president to enter an agreement with a country that had a history of repressive behavior or free speech limits, like Turkey or Saudi Arabia. Such a country could intercept phone calls or other forms of communication to use against its citizens living in the U.S.

David Jones is a freelance writer based in Essex County, New Jersey. He has written for Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain's New York Business and The New York Times.


In an unprecedented move, the British government rejected plans for a new open-pit coal mine in Northumberland county in northeast England, citing concerns over climate change as a reason.

Northumberland County Council had approved in 2016 a plan from developer Banks Mining to extract three million metric tons of coal, sandstone and fireclay from a site near Druridge Bay. While supporters said the mine would create at least 100 jobs and bring economic investment in the region, opponents said the mine would hurt wildlife, harm tourism and continue the UK's dependence on the polluting fossil fuel.

But last week, Sajid Javid, Britain's Communities and Local Government Secretary, rejected the project.

In a March 23 letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to Banks Mining, Sec. Javid "agrees that Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from the proposed development would adversely impact upon measures to limit climate change. He further agrees that most of the GHG emissions would be emitted in the short term, resulting in an adverse effect of substantial significance, reducing to minor significance in the medium term; and that Green House Gas emissions in the long term would be negligible, but that the effects of carbon in the atmosphere would have a cumulative effect in the long term.

"Given that cumulative effect, and the importance to which the Government affords combatting climate change, he concludes that overall the scheme would have an adverse effect on Green House Gas emissions and climate change of very substantial significance, which he gives very considerable weight in the planning balance."

The UK government has committed to phasing out coal power no later than 2025 in order to meet its climate targets. Britain is also part of the international Powering Past Coal Alliance aimed at reducing global coal consumption.

Environmental groups celebrated the decision.

"This is the first coal mine ever to be rejected in the UK because of climate change impactsa vindication for everyone who has been calling for fossil fuels to be left in the ground," Friends of the Earth campaigner Rose Dickinson said.

"Now ministers should take the next step by banning all new opencast coal and stop trying to impose fracking on communities," she added.

"Our renewable energy resources hold the answer: by being able to reduce emissions, meet energy needs, and bring the jobs and investment that is badly needed for communities here in Druridge Bay and elsewhere."

Banks Mining criticized Javid's action. Gavin Styles, managing director at Banks Mining, called it an "absolutely perverse decision" that was "made for purely political reasons."

The company said it "will now carefully review the precise reasons for the Secretary of State's decision before deciding on the most appropriate next steps to take."

The UK is Europe's second-largest emitter behind Germany. However, preliminary government data released Thursday shows that greenhouse gas emissions fell 3 percent last year from 2016 levelsa fifth consecutive yearly drop.

This decrease was largely due to a decline in coal-fired power generation. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy reported that power generation from coal plants fell 26 percent in 2017 to 21.36 terawatt hours (TWh), making up less than 7 percent of Britain's total electricity supply. Meanwhile, Britain experienced a banner year with renewable energy, with wind power rising 33 percent to a record 40.9 TWh and solar generation up 43 percent to a record 2.9 TWh.
According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Saudi Arabia is the second largest oil producer in the world. It produces 13 percent of the world's oil and gets 60 percent of its own electric energy from petroleum.

But the desert nation, whose Paris agreement action plan was rated as "critically-insufficient" by Climate Action Tracker in November 2017, is about to go from zero to hero on the green scale.

On Tuesday, it announced that it would partner with Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank to build the world's largest solar power project, Bloomberg reported.

Except that "world's largest" doesn't quite cover of size of the project's ambitions.

According to Bloomberg, the project, which will be built in the Saudi desert, is projected to generate 100,000 jobs and produce 200 gigawatts of power by 2030, 100 times the next biggest planned project, the Solar Choice Bulli Creek PV Plant in Australia, which only aims to produce two.

"It's a huge step in human history," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman told Bloomberg. "It's bold, risky and we hope we succeed doing that."

Solar power is a logical choice for Saudi Arabia. It's capital, Riyadh, averages 8.9 hours of sunshine a day, and the country is also projected to be severely impacted if climate change raises global temperatures above 1.5 degrees Celsius above industrial levels. According to Climate Action Tracker, if global temperatures rise to three or four degrees Celsius, 75 percent of the country would be excessively arid by the end of the century.

"The kingdom has great sunshine, great size of available land and great engineers, great labor, but most importantly, the best and greatest vision," SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said of the new project, as reported by Bloomberg.

To provide more context for the scope of that vision, Fortune pointed out that the total capacity of all existing solar installations is around 400 gigawatts, which is only double what the Saudi/SoftBank project plans to produce on its own. China's Tengger Desert Solar Park, the largest installation currently in operation, generates a little more than 1.5 gigawatts. Since the Saudi project estimates an output of 7.2 gigawatts by 2019, it will more than quadruple the output of the current leader in just one year.

The project is projected to cost $200 billion overall. Saudi Arabia will have to import panels at first, and it will also need to build up the battery capacity to store the solar energy. The first phase will cost $5 billion, $1 billion of which will come from the Vision Fund, which Saudi Arabia and SoftBank are joint investors in.

Son told Fortune he thought the investment would be worth it.

"The project will fund its own expansion," he said.

The Saudi government's bold investment in solar power humbles the U.S., which, according to EIA data, is the country currently leading it as no. 1 oil producer.

However, instead of encouraging the solar industry in order to reduce production of fossil fuels, the Trump administration has given it the jitters by announcing a 30 percent tariff on imported solar panels this January.
(Photo: World Council of Churches)Billy Graham visits the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, in June 1955.

Billy Graham, the 20th-century Christian crusader and pathfinder of mass audience evangelicalism who had the ear of 12 U.S. presidents, has died at the age of 99 with tributes to his legacy coming from a diverse group of church leaders including the head of the World Council of Churches .

Among the first to pay tribute were Donald Trump and his vice-president Mike Pence, the most recent beneficiaries of the voting power of US evangelical Christians, The Guardian reported.

Graham died at his home Wednesday morning from natural causes, a family spokesman told ABC News.

Born in 1918 in Charlotte, North Carolina, William Franklin Graham Jr. was the oldest of the four children of William and Morrow Graham, Huffington Post wrote.

He was raised on a dairy farm, and little in his childhood suggested he would become a world-renowned preacher.

Then at 16, Graham attended a series of revival meetings run by outspoken evangelist Mordecai Ham. The two months he spent listening to Ham's sermons on sin sparked a spiritual awakening in Graham and prompted him to enroll at Bob Jones College.

FLORIDA BIBLE INSTITUTE

When the conservative Christian school's strict doctrine didn't align with his personal beliefs, he transferred to the Florida Bible Institute (now Trinity College of Florida) and joined a Southern Baptist Convention church. He was ordained in 1939.

From the 1930s until the early years of this century, Graham pulled crowds of thousands to hear his rallying cry for Christianity.

Over almost six decades, it is estimated that he preached to more than 200 million people.

Graham travelled coast to coast with his evangelizing and was able to channel the mass media to tap into millions, using television and radio networks, newspaper columns, feature films and satellite links.

He wrote dozens of books and his sermons were translated simultaneously into 48 languages and transmitted to 185 countries by satellite.

Graham, who had suffered from prostate cancer, pneumonia and symptoms of Parkinson's disease, died at his home in North Carolina, his spokesperson said.

Trump tweeted: "The GREAT Billy Graham is dead. There was nobody like him! He will be missed by Christians and all religions. A very special man."

Pence, who is a known evangelical, said his "matchless voice changed the lives of millions. We mourn his passing but know with absolute certainty that today he heard those words: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'"

Graham had received additional theological training at Illinois' Wheaton College, where he met his future wife, Ruth McCue Bell. They were married for 64 years, until her death in 2007, and had five children.

"He dominated 20th century American evangelicalism and remained a major figure on the world stage throughout most of the 20th century in a way that we can envision no evangelical leader in our times," wrote Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in an article titled 'Mohler on Graham' 'An epic era of evangelical history has come to an end.'"

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said the global church owed him an "immeasurable and inexpressible" debt.

Graham was "an exemplar to generation upon generation of modern Christians," Welby said. "When it comes to a living and lasting influence upon the worldwide church he can have few equals: for he introduced person after person to Jesus Christ. There are countless numbers who began their journey of faith because of Dr. Graham."

PUBLIC MEMORIAL SERVICE

A public memorial service for Graham began in North Carolina on the morning of Feb. 26, running through the end of the week, culminating in a e with a Feb. 2 funeral that that President Trump is expected to attend, United Press International reported.

A hearse carrying Graham's body arrived at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte on Feb. 25, part of a 10-vehicle motorcade.

Graham will lie in repose at the library until Feb. 28, when his casket will then travel to the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington and his casket will return to Charlotte for burial March 2.

"My father made me promise long ago that we would take him back to Charlotte after he died," son Franklin Graham said.

As the North Carolina motorcade wound through a 130-mile (209 mile) route, thousands lined streets with many carrying U.S. flags, flags with Christian symbolism and handmade signs of appreciation.

Trump and more than 2,300 others are expected to expect the Friday funeral, said UPI.

The services will be conducted under a massive tent reminiscent of Graham's eight-week "crusade" of evangelism in Los Angeles in 1949. About 350,000 people attended his sermons there. The event first drew attention to Graham's oratorical gift and mission.

The World Council of Churches issued a statement on Feb. 26 saying Graham's death marks a milestone in the landscape of churches worldwide, as he was a highly respected church leader and preacher of the Gospel in the USA and around the world.

"He has played an important role for many people in their encounters with the gospel and with Christian faith," said WCC secretary general Rev. Olav Fykse veit. "He was an evangelist at heart."

While Tveit never met Graham personally, Tveit's predecessor former WCC general secretary Rev. Konrad Raiser, met Graham. So did former WCC general secretary Willem Visser 't Hooft, as Graham visited the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey in the mid-1950s.

Tveit continued: "The World Council of Churches and Billy Graham were not always in agreement on questions of how Christianity should contribute to work for peace and justice in the world, but he respected a clear position and worked sincerely on a wide range of issues."

Evangelical Christians in particular have much to thank Graham for, Tveit said. "He gave Biblical depth and weight to the evangelical context  something that is dearly needed, not least in our time today  in the U.S. and elsewhere."
(Photo: World Economic Forum)India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 23, 2018.

Pope Francis has urged participants at the World Economic Forum meeting to take bold steps to build a sustainable, human-centered future while World Council of Churches leader Olav Fykse Tveit has called on the world to say no to nuclear weapons.

The Pope echoed the theme of the meeting, Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World, calling on participants to build "inclusive, just and supportive societies."

The 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is taking place Jan. 23-26 in snow-besieged Davos-Klosters, Switzerland and U.S. President Donald Trump who is expected to deliver the closing speech is drawing most attention due to his isolationist rhetoric.

Davos was opended on Jan. 23 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the world is facing many new and serious challenges from the rise of anti-globalization to technological changes and the environment.

"Forces of protectionism are raising their heads against globalization, their intention is not only to avoid globalization themselves but they also want to reverse its natural flow," he said, CNBC reported.

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, delivered a speech for Francis,

In it he said, "It is vital to safeguard the dignity of the human person, in particular by offering to all people real opportunities for integral human development and by implementing economic policies that favor the family."

"The entrepreneurial world has enormous potential to effect substantial change by increasing the quality of productivity, creating new jobs, respecting labor laws, fighting against ... corruption and promoting social justice," said the pontiff.

He continued: "If we want a more secure future, one that encourages the prosperity of all, then it is necessary to keep the compass continually oriented towards 'true north'," represented by authentic values.

'NO TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS'

For his part, WCC's Tveit said he can think of no greater antithesis to a vision of shared life and responsibility than the continued existence of and political and social support for nuclear weapons.

"There is absolutely no moral justification whatsoever for using them," he stated. "The time has come to say together that for the sake of the one humanity there is no moral ground on which we can keep them and threaten one another with them."

The risk that nuclear weapons will be used because of a mistake or by irresponsible people is very real, Tveit noted.

"Still, this most destructive and indiscriminate type of weapon of mass destruction ever devised by men (and I use the gender-specific term deliberately) continues to be the keystone of our global 'security' regime," he wrote. "It is time to say together that this is wrong."
(Wikimedia Commons/ White House photographer)Donald Trump with wife Melania, during his oath-taking as U.S. President.

Pornography, Donald Trump and evangelical Christians are being called an unholy alliance by parts of the U.S. media.

"Evangelical support of Trump has helped pornography enter the cultural mainstream," read a headline in the Chicago Tribune on March 27.

Julian Fea wrote in the newspaper, "This past Sunday we all gathered around our television sets to watch a porn star talk about an adulterous encounter she had with a man who would become the president of the United States. Times have changed.

"Not since the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal of 1998 has the sex life of a president been on display in such a public manner. On Sunday it was Stormy Daniels. The week before it was former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal telling the nation, among other things, that she had unprotected sex with Donald Trump."

Through all this, U.S. polls, which Trump said during his pre-election campaigning could never be trusted, have shown evangelical support for the president generaly holding firm.

The New York Times carried a story March 11 showing some evangelicals may be wavering.

Carol Rains, a white evangelical Christian, said hse has no regrets voting for Trump.

She told The New York Times she likes most of his policies and would still support him over any Democrat. But she said she is open to another Republican.

White evangelical pride themselves on traditional values such as marital fidelity, but this aspect of purity seems to have scant relevance for many evangelicals.

Still, according to data from the Pew Research Center, quoted by The New York Times said support among white evangelical women in recent surveys has dropped about 13 percentage points, to 60 percent, compared with about a year ago.

That is even greater than the eight-point drop among all women.

Still on March 27, Elizabeth Bruenig wrote in a piece in The Washington Post headlined "Evangelicals' support for Trump will cost them  spiritually."

She said, "Stephanie Clifford, a.k.a. Stormy Daniels, the adult-film actress who allegedly had an affair with Donald Trump shortly after the birth of his son Barron, has now broken her contractually mandated silence on the tryst, somehow revealing more than anyone likely wanted to know and nothing we didn't already.

"I suspect that no one who cast their vote for Trump would have seriously doubted, if asked, that something like this was part of his past -- it isn't as though he ever paid anything more than the most perfunctory lip service to personal virtue."

Bruenig noted that clarity and detail add a dimension to the situation that assumption lacks, and that from Trump's base who consider themselves concerned with public morality are now faced with an uncomfortable reality.

She wrote, "One either takes the Christian notion of forgiveness seriously -- with all its accompanying expectations of repentance, contrition and accountability -- or one doesn't.

'HOLDING TRUMP ACCOUNTABLE'

"Evangelicals who aren't willing to hold Trump accountable for the way he has lived are themselves choosing a particular way of living, one which, with time, may dissolve whatever misgivings they may still maintain, somewhere deep inside."

Gary Abernathy, publisher and editor of the (Hillsboro, Ohio) Times-Gazette tried to explain some of that support.

He wrote in September in a piece carried by The Post that evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump in overwhelming numbers.

He also said that support for the president remains relatively firm.

"Most evangelical believers don't condemn Trump for the litany of words or deeds that so disturb others, even when they disapprove," Abernathy wrote.

"Probably half the people in churches across the country defined as "evangelicals" were converted from lives that were even more unprincipled than the life Trump has led. Some experienced divorces, others used foul language, and many were addicted to drugs or alcohol."

Abernathy concluded, "They know Donald J. Trump is not worthy of the grace of God, because neither were they -- which, to them, is the mystery and beauty of this undeserved gift."

Katha Pollitt had a different take on it in an article titled "Why EvangelicalsStill!Support Trump," in The Nation on March 22.

A sub-head in her piece said, "If you leave out the part about him being a corrupt, immoral con man and bully, there's lots for them to like."

"Say what you will about the terrible, terrifying Trump years, one good thing has already come out of them: the discrediting of evangelical Christianity.

"For decades, believers have boasted of their superior virtue, especially in matters of sex and marriage and parenting and social propriety.

"They've blasted premarital and extramarital sex, LGBTQ people, divorce, pornography, sex work, foul language, crude behavior, and not being a Christianas they define 'Christian' -- blaming these things for everything from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina."

She cites a piece in the latest edition The Atlantic, Michael Gerson, a former Bush speechwriter and current Washington Post columnist, mourns the loss of evangelical credibility in an angry, eloquent essay, "The Last Temptation."

"As Gerson writes: 'The moral convictions of many evangelical leaders have become a function of their partisan identification. This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption.'"

She reels off a litany of sin such as excusing racism from Trump, concluding, "Best of all, Trump is the one New Yorker who will never make them feel the least bit culturally inferior. After all, they are virtuous, and he is not."
Burnsville, Minn.

For schools nationwide, its a frustrating and elusive question: How can we help students find a passion that lights up their high school years and guides them into a career? A school in Minnesota thinks it might have found an answer.

It goes something like this: Stop assuming all students should go to four-year colleges. Reorganize your curriculum offerings so teenagers can see clearly how they connect to careers. And partner with 200 businessesfar more than most schoolsto infuse real-world work into students learning.

The reorganization has changed Burnsville High School from a place where the bachelors degree shaped everyones thinking to a campus focused on helping all students find a career field that excites them, whether it leads to a four-year degree or not.

See Also: Check out the latest news coverage on the way schools are preparing students for tomorrows workforce: Schools and the Future Workforce

The approach is less than two years old. But the schools leaders are betting big on its potential to keep students from drifting half-heartedly through high school. Theyre hoping that a clearer focuswhether its a passion for English literature or auto repaircan help students assemble a meaningful, cohesive course of study they can ride into college, work, or more training.

Cindy Amoroso, the superintendent of the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, said she doesnt want students making post-high-school plans based on unquestioned ideas.

We want to disrupt assumptions about what comes next after high school, she said.

Varied Roles

What thats meant at Burnsville, a school of 2,500 students in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis, has been a huge influx of involvement by local businesses. Most have small- to medium-sized roles, sending experts to talk to students, offering job-shadows, or, in one case, donating leftover metal alloys to be melted down and reused in the schools fabrication lab.

But some have gotten deeply involved in shaping what goes on at school. Firefly, a local credit union, trained students in basic banking, opened a student-run branch on campus, and helped write a curriculum unit for 9th graders about personal finance.

Justin Jasperse, a senior, started working there eight hours per week after hearing Firefly executives talk in his accounting class about investment strategies and banking careers. He aims for a life in politics, and says that his job at Firefly, where he helps students open checking accounts and learn about budgeting, has helped him learn to craft my message, to reach people.

Walser Automotive Group donated $275,000 to turn the schools old bus garage into a high-tech paradise for engine repair and body work, and has hired five students into full- or part-time jobs. Ryan Wolfe, a senior, brims with pride as he points out welding and tire-balancing equipment at Burnsville High thats so cutting-edge that most dealerships dont even have them.

Making his way through the schools automotive-technology pathway has made Ryan even more sure of his plan after high school: to get his diesel mechanic certification from a technical institute in Florida.

The local cable TV station has its office suite on campus, and staffers teach students how to run the cameras and audio boards. Justin Amaker worked there last year, as a junior, shouldering a camera at off-site events and anchoring the school newscast. Now hes writing press releases as an intern for the school district. Hes thinking about a career in print or broadcast journalism.

Local nursing homes have provided beds and medical equipment, and the setting for students to accrue clinical hours, all necessary parts of earning certification as certified nursing assistants.

Seeing Courses Differently

The reorganization has also meant rewriting the schools course catalog, so all elective classes fall into four broad career areas. Within each career area are three or four pathways, and a list of courses relevant to each area.

On a recent afternoon, counselor Ashley Welke met with 9th grader Cheyanne Gorney to review her choice of electives for next year. She listed Preschool lab, Child Psychology 1 and 2, Astronomy, and Human Anatomy. Welke gently probed to see if this was a random sampling, or part of a cohesive strategy.

Cheyanne explained that she wants to write science fiction, and also teach science to support herself. They discussed creating room for a creative-writing course, and for prerequisites to a new multicultural-education offering. They agreed to review the course plan next year. Nothings ever set in stone, Welke says.

There are no national figures on how many partnerships businesses have with schools, but experts agree that Burnsville has far more than most. And the school has something else few schools have: a staff member whose main job is to create and support those partnerships.

Kathy L. Funston worked for six years as the districts curriculum director, but she changed roles as the district began a review of its mission two years ago. Burnsville, the districts only high school, had 30 business partners two years ago. Funston has delivered a sevenfold increase since then.

On a recent morning, Funston and Burnsville High Principal Dave Helke met with the citys fire chief and community college leaders to work on designing a new pathway for students to earn certifications as emergency medical technicians.

The next day, she gathered at the chamber of commerce with business leaders who are co-facilitating a new, five-session after-school program that will confer certificates showing that students have mastered workplace skills, such as reliability.

Some of those same businesses are also working with Funston and Helke to create a summer externship to bring Burnsville teachers into their workplaces to give them ideas about infusing real-world work skills into core courses.

The Secret Sauce

Kate Kreamer, the deputy executive director of Advance CTE, a group that represents state career-technical-education directors, said its rare that schools carve out a position like Funstons, but more are starting to do so.

Weve never seen business partnerships sustained at scale without having someone whose job it is to think about them and make them happen, she said. Its the secret sauce.

Close relationships between schools and businesses can create questions, however. Alex Molnar, a research professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, and the director of the Commercialism in Education center there, believes schools must answer a central question before allowing business partners to shape what goes on in classrooms.

Is this something you want your students to be doing, even in the absence of a business partner? he asked. If the answer is yes, thats a good starting point. If its no, thats a warning flag.

Funston is confident that Burnsvilles partnerships are grounded firmly in whats best for students.

We still own the curriculum, she said. We dont turn over the reins and say Teach what you want. We still have to teach our academic standards. What these businesses can add is the practical application of the content.

At Firefly, about 150 students have opened accounts since the on-campus branch opened a year ago, said Martin J. Kelly, its senior vice president for marketing. The aim of the partnership wasnt about profitif we opened that branch for profit, wed be kidding ourselves, he saidor branding, although the campus branch window bears a version of the credit unions logo, Life Illuminated.

The credit unions partnership with Burnsville sprang from a desire to build a base of financial literacy in young people, Kelly said. A delightful byproduct of the project has been hiring eight students to work part-time for the credit union, he said.

Rethinking Priorities

That link to real-world work is one of the things Burnsville leaders prioritized when they reworked their school two years ago. They realized they offered few options for students who didnt want four-year degrees. College dropout and remediation rates suggested that college-bound students werent flourishing after high school. In a swirl of community meetings and surveys, families said they wanted good rigorous classes, but with more real-world, career-oriented planning and experience.

After a big outreach campaign in 2015, the Burnsville communitywhere half of students come from povertyapproved a $64 million bond levy for facilities and equipment, and a $25 million levy over 10 years for technology. The money allowed Burnsville High to add 150,000 square feet of space to its building, decked out with state-of-the-art equipment and flexible classroom spaces. Re-envisioning the course catalog and career pathways were part of that project.

The high school has commissioned an independent, seven-year evaluation of its pathways work. That project is only in its second year, but preliminary results show a mixed bag. Four in 10 students report that the approach helps them focus better on career ideas. But 6 in 10 didnt even try career-pathways courses, and nearly one-third of those who did say they werent that interesting or exciting.

School leaders dont yet know the racial or socioeconomic breakdown of students by pathway, a key unanswered question for school leaders who want to disrupt, not replicate, old vocational-education tracks that relegated some students to dead-end, low-paying jobs.

As the pathways approach develops, it generates questions for students that can be as valuable as the answers. Sundus Farah, a junior, is taking classes to earn her credential as a certified nursing assistant, but that might be just her first step.

Sundus harbors a passion for ophthalmology, and might want to go on to medical school. Meanwhile, she says shes sampling the offerings in the schools medical pathway. I like that I can test it out while Im still in high school, she said. I have friends who went to college and it was a disaster, with dropouts and costly time spent trying to figure out a direction. She wants to avoid those mistakes.

Emma Hovde found clarity in a 9th grade introduction-to-programming course: She hated it. But she found her calling in a marketing class that same year. She got really excited working with Firefly on the finance curriculum, and on the credit unions marketing campaign to launch the campus office. Now in 10th grade, Emma lights up as she talks about her plans for a career in business or finance.

Its great to have a real-world situation when Im figuring it out, she said. When youre doing that actual thing that youre learning [in school], you realize, Oh, thats what I want to do. Or you realize, No, its not. And thats just as important.
The successful West Virginia teacher strike has lit the match for a spate of teacher uprisings across the country. The main place teachers are gathering to strategize? Facebook.

Although Facebook has been under fire lately for its involvement in a data-harvesting effort that may have influenced the 2016 election, for teachers, the embattled social-media platform has recently proved a lever for democracy. In right-to-work states where unions dont have as strong a presence, teachers have used Facebook to rally support and launch grassroots movements for higher payand with some success.

West Virginia educators started the trend with a nine-day, teacher-driven strike this month that concluded when the legislature passed a 5 percent pay raise. Oklahoma teachers just received a $6,100 pay raise from the legislature after threatening to shut down schools across the state. Teachers there will still walk out on April 2 to protest years of funding cuts, but the passage of the tax hike to pay for the raisesthe first tax increase in nearly three decadesis being hailed as a historic victory.

In Arizona, teachers have called on the legislature to pass a 20 percent raise for teachers and have threatened to strike if lawmakers dont take action. There have also been protests organized among teachers in Kentucky to protect their pension benefits.

In all of these states, tens of thousands of teachers have flocked to Facebook groups set up to discuss their demands and action steps. The teachers unions, for the most part, have played a support role rather than orchestrating the movements.

Organizing has changed over the yearsits not just talking to people in a breakroom, said David Madland, a senior fellow and the senior adviser to the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank in Washington.

A Facebook group started by an 8th grade U.S. history teacher in Stillwater, Okla., titled Oklahoma Teacher WalkoutThe Time Is Now!, has more than 70,000 members.

Shelly Unsicker-Durham, a middle school English/language arts teacher in Norman, Okla., said watching the groups membership grow by the tens of thousands convinced her that a statewide walkout was feasible.

Nobody really saw this coming, she said. [The Oklahoma Education Association], I thought they were just done, they had given it their best shot. This felt differenta different energy.

Facebook has become particularly important in these recent movements in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Arizona, in part because the teachers unions dont have a stronghold over the educators there. All four are right-to-work states, meaning that teachers dont have to pay dues to a union as a condition of employment.

In right-to-work states, unions are going to be inherently weaker, Madland said.

That changes the way organizing happens, he said: You dont have the typical institutional channel to have these discussions. You get reaction more in the streets.

(Union leaders and supporters have warned that if an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision effectively turns the public sector into a right-to-work zone, labor unrest could happen more often.)

A Grassroots Movement

In 1990, before Oklahoma and West Virginia passed right-to-work laws, teachers in both states walked out of their classrooms to fight for higher pay.

The difference is, the union was much stronger in 1990, said Melonie Hau, the superintendent of the school district in Duncan, Okla., who picketed at the state capitol at the time. We werent real sure that they could get anything off the ground [this time]. There was a lot of questions among superintendents about thatwhat is the possibility that this could really come together and organize?

But educators werent on social media in 1990, Hau said.

That is the factor now that is pulling folks together, she said. The majority of our district isnt affiliated with any professional organization, but they are all on Facebook, and they feel a sense of solidarity through that social-media movement.

In Oklahoma, teachers on Facebook swayed the unions work-refusal strategy. When the union called for teachers to walk out on April 23 if the legislature didnt meet their demands, teachers exploded in anger on Facebook. The date was far too late, hundreds of people wrote on the unions Facebook page, floating an alternative of April 2.

Alberto Morejon, the Time Is Now organizer, posted a poll: Did teachers want a walkout date of April 2 or April 23? About 9,000 people voted for the earlier date, with about 300 people choosing the later date.

The union, which had received hundreds of angry comments on its Facebook post announcing the April 23 date, deleted the post and agreed to move the walkout date to April 2.

OEA President Alicia Priest said the union has been on the trajectory for a statewide walkout for about a year, but officials there are now working in partnership with Morejons Facebook group.

Indeed, these Facebook groups are a boon for union leaders, especially those who have fewer resources in right-to-work states, said Rick Wartzman, the director of the KH Moon Center for a Functioning Society at the Drucker Institute, a think tank thats part of Claremont Graduate University in the Los Angeles area.

If I were a union leader, Id be reading these comments to learn a lot [about the rank-and-file teachers across the state], he said. It may be an efficient way to get a quick handle on what they are most concerned about, what they really want to fight for. Thats really valuable information for an organizer.

Meanwhile in Arizona, the Facebook group Arizona Educators United has grown to about 37,000 members after music teacher Noah Karvelis started it earlier this month when he saw the state teachers union president tweet about getting organized.

Now, the Facebook page has become the central forum for teachers to discuss their goals and action steps, Karvelis said. Teachers have also shared information about protests, like donning red in schools across the state or demonstrating at the state capitol.

Karvelis characterized Arizona Education Associations approach as, Were going to be hands off, were going to let you guys steer this ship, while offering resources and insights when needed.

Theyve really been focused on this being a grassroots, educator-led movement, and thats really proved to be vital for us, he said. Its kept us super focused.

The West Virginia strike also showed the reciprocal relationship between union leaders and rank-and-file teachers.

[Union leadership] had some power because grassroots was willing to go to the streets, said Madland, of CAP. But an ordinary teacher couldnt just go talk to the governor on their own. ... Its hard to see how either one could do this on their own. They need each other.

Connecting Teachers

Having Facebook be the central hub for a major, statewide movement has its benefits and challengesespecially when its managed by teachers who are not trained labor organizers.

Social media provides a forum for teachers to share their grievances, enables parents and community members to publicly show support, and connects teachers from all corners of the state in one place, said Madland.

In West Virginia, he added, social media provided an opportunity for them to really connect in a way they hadnt before.

And it allows teachers to feel part of a larger community: West Virginia teachers received encouraging comments from educators across the country during their strike. Now, theyre returning the favorteachers from the Mountain State regularly leave messages of support on Oklahoma walkout posts.

But organizing a statewide movement on Facebook can create some logistical challenges, Karvelis said.

You have a group of 35,000 people who are angry, and ... some of them are pissed off, he said. It takes a lot of time and effort for moderators to squash fights that break out and keep the discussion on track.

And running a group with tens of thousands of people is basically a full-time job, he said. Every morning, Karvelis wakes up to dozens of Facebook messages and notifications from the group.

Then, he said, I go to work, and Im not like a labor organizer anymoreIm teaching 3rd graders.
Settle back to a family movie on your Easter travels. Weve got classics like Mulan, the Secret Garden, My Spy, Scoob! and Shaun the Sheep, along with 50 Disney Classics. Little lambs will enjoy our kids channels with shows from CBeebies, Cartoon Network and more. And you can get into the spirit with our family holiday music playlist.
Diocese apologises for former vicar's sex offences

The Diocese of Sodor and Mann has apologised unreservedly after a man was convicted of historical sex offences committed during his time as a vicar at one of the Island's churches.

82-year-old Graham Gregory has been sentenced to four years and four months in prison after being found guilty of three counts of indecent assault against separate victims between 1975 and 1990 during his time as vicar at St Ninian's in Douglas.

The Diocese described the abuse as a terrible crime and a grievous breach of trust, and paid tribute to the victims' bravery in coming forward.

The authority in charge of the Island's churches insists it's committed to making church a safer place for all.
As amphibian populations globally continue to be ravaged by chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by a deadly fungal pathogen, a new study suggests that some populations in Panama may have started becoming more resistant to the fungus about a decade after it began significantly impacting them. The results shed light on how species may recover from epidemics. More than a decade ago, a deadly fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, drove amphibian population declines worldwide. These declines were well-studied in three sites in Panama, offering Jamie Voyles and colleagues an opportunity to conduct follow-up, post-epidemic analyses at these sites. The researchers resampled them. They report that nine of 12 species that were driven to critically low numbers have since recovered. More than 2,000 diagnostic samples (swabs of the amphibians' skin) reveal that the prevalence of B. dendrobatidis has decreased since the epidemics occurred. The researchers explored whether the fungus has become less pathogenic since the initial epidemics by comparing historic and contemporary strains of the fungus. They found that the modern strains of B. dendrobatidis do not grow at a different rate, nor do they affect immune cells from amphibians in a significantly different way than the earlier strains. Genetically, the historic and modern strains remain similar, too. Lastly, naive frogs that were captured before the initial epidemic and raised in captivity were more susceptible to the fungus than their wild counterparts, the authors found. Therefore, they suggest that remaining amphibian populations in the area developed resistance to B. dendrobatidis. James P. Collins highlights this study in a related Perspective.

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TOKYO, JAPAN (March 29, 2018)--The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund today announced a total of 1.6 billion yen (US$15.5 million) and 10 partnerships to support product development of new lifesaving drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for malaria, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases such as Chagas disease, schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

The announcement comes as GHIT prepares to enter its second five-year investment cycle. Its first phase of funding generated compelling progress on a host of potentially transformative tools. GHIT is now well positioned to support new partnerships that will focus on moving these tools out of its product pipeline and into the hands of those who need them most. With the additional capital secured through its replenishment announced last June, GHIT will continue to invest in promising global collaborations at each stage of product development--from discovery to clinical trials--with the goal of advancing two products through regulatory approvals by the end of 2022.

Since it was launched in 2013, GHIT has invested approximately 13.2 billion yen (US$123 million) in 74 global product development partnerships that leverage Japanese science and capabilities in pharmaceutical research and development. Currently, 28 discovery projects, 14 preclinical projects, and seven clinical trials are under way in low- and middle-income countries; three projects have achieved proofs-of-concept (Phase II trials); and one project will begin a Phase III trial this year.

"We are immensely proud of the robust portfolio of potential lifesaving products we have created with our network of partners in Japan and around the world," said BT Slingsby, MD, PhD, MPH, the CEO of GHIT. "This highlights that our business model, as a catalyst and investor of product development, is working, but the true measure of success is getting effective, affordable, tools into the hands of every single person who needs them. Now is when the really important work starts, and we're ready for it."

Investment in NTDs

Tackling Some of the World's Most Neglected Diseases: Leishmaniasis and Chagas Disease

GHIT will continue to invest in a number of promising projects in its product pipeline that tackle both leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 50,000 to 90,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) reported annually. VL is a fatal disease which, if left untreated, in over 95 percent of cases, causes fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and anemia. Over 90 percent of all VL cases are found in seven countries in South Asia, Africa and Latin America: Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

At the same time, Chagas disease kills more people in Latin America than any other parasitic disease. Caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is spread by the triatomine bug (also known as the "kissing bug"), Chagas disease infects about 8 million people a year, often without causing any immediate symptoms. But over time, Chagas disease can eventually lead to severe heart damage and intestinal problems--the greatest cause of death--as well as physical disability. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 300,000 people in the United States are infected with Chagas disease during their travels in endemic areas.

GHIT's largest investment this round is approximately 600 million yen (US$5.6 million) for an ongoing collaboration between Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) and Switzerland's Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) to advance an anti-parasitic treatment for VL. New and better treatments for VL are urgently needed as existing treatments are toxic, costly, and usually require painful injections and intravenous infusions. These treatments are also ineffective against drug-resistant parasites and in patients co-infected with HIV.

Takeda and DNDi are working to develop a safer, more effective and shorter-course treatment that could be both delivered orally and in the field, as well as to patients co-infected with HIV. Scientists have already identified several selected lead compounds during the previous study. With the continued investment from GHIT announced today, the partners will create formulations suitable for preclinical studies and first-in-human studies (Phase I) in the future, and complete preclinical toxicology and safety studies.

GHIT will seek to further accelerate drug discovery for both Chagas disease and leishmaniasis through continued support for the Neglected Tropical Diseases Drug Discovery Booster. That effort, led by the nonprofit R&D organization DNDi, was launched in 2015 with four pharmaceutical companies, including Eisai Co., Ltd., Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Takeda, and AstraZeneca plc. AbbVie Inc., Celgene Corporation, and Merck KGaA joined the initiative later. This groundbreaking initiative involving global pharmaceutical partners could potentially cut cost by bringing in-kind contributions and speed up the process of identifying promising compounds. The pharmaceutical companies involved in the collaboration allow DNDi to hunt for new "treatment leads" by simultaneously searching millions of unique compounds maintained in each company's extensive compound libraries. As of today, the booster project had identified and launched further work on 17 different seed compounds, while eight "hit" series were expanded and moved into further studies. In addition, from this round, Astellas Pharma Inc. will join the initiative, bringing more compounds to probe as potential candidates for new treatments. GHIT will provide approximately 150 million yen (US$1.4 million) in continued investments to this initiative.

A budget of approximately 88 million yen (US$0.8 million) will be invested by GHIT for a new partnership that will bring together Japan's Nagasaki University (NEKKEN), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) with the United Kingdom's London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Together, they will work at the frontiers of biomedical research to use the CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing tool to analyze the essentiality of 1,000 genes in Trypanosoma cruzi parasites and to identify potential drug targets for development of new chemotherapeutic agents to combat Chagas disease.

Finally, Daiichi-Sankyo RD Novare will receive approximately 12 million yen (US$0.1 million) to screen its natural product library for potential leishmaniasis and Chagas disease drugs in partnership with DNDi.

Investment in Schistosomiasis

Stamping Out "Snail Fever"

Schistosomiasis is an infection caused by exposure to parasitic blood fluke worms that develop and multiply in freshwater snails, which is why it is sometimes called "snail fever." Some 90 percent of infections occur in Africa, where safe water is often scarce. While rarely fatal, left untreated, the disease can cause anemia, stunted growth, learning impairments and chronic inflammation of the liver and spleen. According to the WHO, more than 206 million people required treatment for schistosomiasis in 2016--usually with praziquantel, the gold standard treatment. However, in order to successfully fight and ultimately eliminate schistosomiasis, it is also essential to monitor and detect new and reoccurring cases. That piece of the puzzle is impaired by a lack of affordable, sensitive, user-friendly field tests, as existing diagnostics do a poor job of detecting low levels of the disease.

GHIT is investing approximately 76 million yen (US$0.7 million) in a partnership involving Japan's Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University (NEKKEN) and the Netherlands-based Lygature and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) to develop a fast, simple, antibody test capable of diagnosing schistosomiasis for control and elimination programs. The project is known as DTECT-Schisto, which stands for Diagnostic Tools for Elimination and Control programs Targeting Schistosomiasis. GHIT's funding will support what is known as a "proof-of-concept" study that will seek to select and validate specific parasitic antigens for assessment of schistosome-directed antibodies in patient blood or urine. At the end of this two-year concept development study, researchers will provide a shortlist of validated protein and/or glycan antigens with diagnostic performance in serum and urine. This will be the starting point for technical feasibility studies.

Investment in Malaria

Preventing Malaria Parasites from Weaponizing the Human Immune System

GHIT's new investment of approximately 88 million yen (US$0.8 million) includes a partnership between Japan's Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine (NUITM), Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and Antigen Discovery, Inc (ADI)., both of the United States, to develop a vaccine candidate that is designed to block the malaria parasite from using the human body's immune system to power its invasion of red blood cells.

Human malaria cases rose in 2016 to 200 million, and the Plasmodium falciparum form of the disease continues to kill more than 400,000 people every year. Most of those killed are children under 5 years old in sub-Saharan Africa. While anti-malaria drugs, bed nets, indoor spraying and other interventions have produced progress against malaria, a highly effective vaccine could be a game-changer for malaria eradication in the future.

Researchers from NUITM, PSU and ADI will study whether an aspect of the immune system known as the "complement system," which should be helping the body fight the illness, is unwittingly collaborating with the enemy and helping malaria parasites intensify their attack. Recent data suggests that P. falciparum can subvert the complement system and trigger it to attack the immune system and protect the parasite. By studying this unusual shifting of biological alliances, the scientists hope to develop antibodies that could be used in a vaccine formulation that would block the parasite from corrupting the complement system.

GHIT will continue to invest in a malaria vaccine project spearheaded originally by the University of Florida in the United States in close partnership with Japan's CellFree Sciences, Co. Ltd. The partnership has grown to include Japan's Hamamatsu Pharma Research Inc. (HPR); Cameroon's Centre Pasteur du Cameroon (CPC); and, from the United States, Ology Bioservices Inc., and the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI). These partners continue to develop a "transmission-blocking vaccine" (TBV) that is designed to disrupt malaria transmission by mosquitoes--the vector that transmits malaria parasites to the community. Among vaccines under development, this particular TBV is the only candidate that could potentially block both P. falciparum and P. vivax parasites, the most common causes of malaria. The continued investment of approximately 348 million yen (US$3.2 million) will allow the preclinical development of a formulation to move the vaccine forward into first-in-human studies (Phase I).

GHIT will also invest approximately 45 million yen (US$0.4 million) in a continued partnership between Japan's Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. and Switzerland's Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to develop better drug compounds to fight the disease. This round of funding will allow researchers to further refine hit compounds and move them into what is known as the "lead optimization phase," which can include non-clinical safety evaluations.

A partnership with MMV, Takeda and the University of Melbourne's Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute will also receive approximately 46 million yen (US$0.4 million) in additional funding to undertake an innovative new path of malaria research based on anticancer agents known as proteasome inhibitors to fight drug-resistant malaria parasites. The parasite's proteasome works as a protein "shredder" that allows it to clear cells of damaged components as a critical part of its complex and vicious life cycle, underpinning its ability to cause illness and death. A previous GHIT investment allowed the researchers to identify promising compounds that are capable of inhibiting the parasite's proteasome mechanism. With this new investment, the partners hope to use these compounds as part of an early lead generation effort to put scientists closer to developing new weapons against drug-resistant malaria.

Investment in Tuberculosis

Countering the Rise of Drug-resistant Tuberculosis

GHIT will continue to invest in the development of a new medicine to combat tuberculosis. While the common form is treatable, infectious disease experts worry that a growing number of infections with multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis could lead to a major global health crisis. Drug-resistant infections are steadily weakening, and at times completely overwhelming, medications that have been used for decades to control the disease. Researchers are now in a race against time to develop new tuberculosis drugs that can counter the rise of resistant strains.

With that in mind, GHIT is directing approximately 200 million yen (US$1.9 million) to an innovative project, aiming to discover a tuberculosis treatment with a new mechanism of action, between Japan's Eisai Co. Ltd. and partners from the United States: the Broad Institute, the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories at Colorado State University and the University of Chicago. TB Alliance will be an advisor on the project. The funding will be used to advance a new antimicrobial series discovered from Broad's Diversity-Oriented Synthesis library to help in the global fight against tuberculosis. Working by a completely new mechanism, these new antibiotics kill the causative pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, by starving it of an essential metabolic building block. The team now seeks to develop newer derivatives with improved activity and properties for preclinical development.

The first of its kind in Japan, the GHIT Fund is an international public-private partnership between the Government of Japan, multiple pharmaceutical companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The GHIT Fund invests and manages a portfolio of development partnerships aimed at neglected diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases that afflict the world's poorest people. The GHIT Fund mobilizes Japanese pharmaceutical companies, academic and research organizations to engage in the effort to create new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics. For more information, please visit https://www.ghitfund.org.
Students who are 'undermatched' as they shift into higher education show a 27-percent hike in symptoms of depression, Baylor University researcher says

Making the transition from high school to college may be stressful -- but it can be downright depressing for students who graduate from a school with peers of high academic ability and wind up at a college with students of lesser ability, according to a new study.

"Families talk a lot about wanting a college that's a 'good fit,'" said study co-author Matthew Andersson, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology in Baylor University's College of Arts & Sciences. "Making a transition to a college of 'lesser' academic achievement -- relative to that of one's high school -- is what's known as 'undermatching.' While it can be hard to measure well, undermatching from high school to college is thought to be common due to family financial concerns such as preventing excessive student loans and post-graduation debt."

Students who undermatch from high school to college experience on average a 27-percent increase in symptoms of depression, according to lead author Noli Brazil, Ph.D., assistant professor of community and regional development at the University of California, Davis.

The study -- "Mental Well-Being and Changes in Peer Ability from High School to College" -- is published in the journal Youth and Society, an interdisciplinary scientific journal.

Brazil and Andersson controlled for a variety of student background characteristics, such as GPA, academic achievement, college expectations, family socioeconomic status and household structure. This allowed them to respond to debates about whether individual or school factors are more important to predicting stress during the college transition. Their study focused on changes occurring at the school level, a focus which had been overlooked by earlier studies on college transitions and student well-being, Andersson said.

"When you think of it, a college transition is made of three parts: where you're coming from, where you end up and the difference between those things," he said. "The statistical models we use in this paper allow us to consider all three parts at once, so that we are able to determine for the first time the unique contributions that school ability transitions-- not just particular schools -- may make to student well-being during the college years."

Researchers analyzed data from 1,453 respondents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and other federal agencies. Participants from about 100 representative high schools around America completed questionnaires while in high school and a few years later when they were enrolled in four-year colleges.

The study found that downward transitions are linked to depression symptoms during college at levels similar to background factors such as personal ability or family background, after adjusting for earlier depression levels.

Students were asked how often during the past week they "had the blues," enjoyed life, were bothered by things that usually don't bother them, lacked energy, had trouble concentrating and felt that others disliked them.

To measure self-esteem, they also were asked how much they agreed with the statements "you have many good qualities," "you have a lot to be proud of," "you like yourself just the way you are" and "you are doing things just about right."

Exactly why depression might accompany transferring from a lower to higher academic setting is not certain. Perhaps the students feel that they are not living up to their potential, or "the downward transition might trigger a sense of being a misfit. That might trigger having fewer friends or less of a sense of attachment to the college or university that one is attending," Andersson said.

Previous research has shown that higher-ability students in a lesser-academic setting have a better academic self-image -- what researchers deemed the "big-fish--little-pond effect" -- than a "small fish in a big pond" (a gifted student in a gifted group). But because that research had focused on specific schools rather than school transitions in general, movement to a lesser-ability school may be harmful for mental well-being in ways overlooked by earlier studies, researchers said.

In addition, some previous research has shown that when moving to a more rigorous academic environment, students' self-evaluations of their intelligence tends to suffer -- even if they have high academic ability.

"You may feel more incompetent -- even if you're a person of high ability yourself -- because you're surrounded by shining stars," Andersson said. But, at the same time, students enrolled at competitive or elite colleges may bask in the company of capable peers, known as the "reflected-glory effect," he said. While feelings of incompetence and basking in glory could have opposing effects on well-being, the study found overall that attending a higher-ability college relative to high school did not have any significant links to depression or self-esteem, relative to no school ability change from high school to college.

The study has implications not only for students and their families but for counselors and social scientists.

"The recommendation for counselors would be to learn more about the high school and background a student is coming from instead of just present, college-focused factors or personal factors. It's about the school environment, not the individual," Andersson said. "Feeling overworked or having a hard time fitting in or making friends at college certainly matter to stress or depression, but those potential causes could be influenced by high-school background and especially by the difference across school backgrounds across the transition itself."

Researchers said that their study has some limitations because it does not contain information about other school factors that may affect students' well-being during a transition, such as changes in school cultures or institutional heritage or traditions, or changes in available extracurricular activities.

"Changes in academic environments matter, as well as the school environments themselves, and future research should incorporate those differences to gain greater insights into the transition to college and into well-being during early adulthood and beyond," Andersson said.

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CIFAR congratulates CIFAR Senior Fellow Alan Aspuru-Guzik, who is joining the University of Toronto as one of the Canada 150 Research Chairs announced today by Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan.

Aspuru-Guzik is a tenured professor at Harvard University, world-leading researcher in theoretical and computational chemistry and a Senior Fellow in CIFAR's Bio-inspired Solar Energy program. He is jointly appointed to the departments of chemistry and computer science as the Canada 150 Research Chair in Theoretical & Quantum Chemistry. This summer, he will arrive at U of T, which is internationally known for its strengths in chemistry and artificial intelligence.

Aspuru-Guzik will also be a faculty member of the Vector Institute. CIFAR is leading the Government of Canada's $125 million Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, working in partnership with the three newly established AI institutes.

"I really got to know Canada and Canadian scientists through CIFAR," Aspuru-Guzik said. Some of his collaborators include CIFAR fellows Ted Sargent (U of T), Mario Leclerc (Universite Laval) and Curtis Berlinguette (UBC).

"I also got to know Alan Bernstein, who helped me navigate many, many aspects of my move to Canada," said Aspuru-Guzik.

Aspuru Guzik reached out to Dr. Bernstein, CIFAR's President & CEO, and shared his interest in moving to Canada. From there, Dr. Bernstein introduced him to senior administrators in universities and the community.

"Congratulations to Alan on this prestigious appointment and congratulations to the Government of Canada and U of T. Alan is a brilliant scientist who will bring to Canada his scientific excellence and enthusiasm. He will serve as a magnet for young people wishing to pursue a scientific career. Canada, Toronto and CIFAR are all fortunate to have him," said Dr. Bernstein.

The Canada 150 Research Chair program is a $117-million investment by the federal government to enhance this country's reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation, and to attract the world's leading scholars and researchers.

Originally from Mexico City, Aspuru-Guzik earned his PhD and did his post-doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley before joining Harvard in 2006. He became a tenured professor of chemistry in 2013.

Aspuru-Guzik's long-term research goals are to disrupt chemistry by working on ideas stemming from computer science and robotics. He is particularly interested in bio-inspired solar energy and has published a series of papers in collaboration with CIFAR fellows ranging from synthetic circuits that mimic photosynthesis to the role of protein vibrations in converting sunshine into useful energy.

In January, a report led by Aspuru-Guzik was released on how the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics with materials sciences will lead to new clean energy technologies. The report is the result of an international workshop he co-led in September that brought together 55 researchers from around the world. The workshop was part of Mission Innovation, a partnership of 22 countries and the European Union that aims to accelerate global clean energy development. It was sponsored by CIFAR, along with the Mexican Ministry of Energy (SENER) and the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Researchers have developed a process for creating ultrathin, self-assembling sheets of synthetic materials that can function like designer flypaper in selectively binding with viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens.

In this way the new platform, developed by a team led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), could potentially be used to inactivate or detect pathogens.

The team, which also included researchers from New York University, created the synthesized nanosheets at Berkeley Lab's Molecular Foundry, a nanoscale science center, out of self-assembling, bio-inspired polymers known as peptoids. The study was published earlier this month in the journal ACS Nano.

The sheets were designed to present simple sugars in a patterned way along their surfaces, and these sugars, in turn, were demonstrated to selectively bind with several proteins, including one associated with the Shiga toxin, which causes dysentery. Because the outside of our cells are flat and covered with sugars, these 2-D nanosheets can effectively mimic cell surfaces.

"It's not just a 'lock and key' - it's like Velcro, with a bunch of little loops that converge on the target protein together," said Ronald Zuckermann, a scientist at the Molecular Foundry who led the study. "Now we can mimic a nanoscale feature that is ubiquitous in biology."

He noted that numerous pathogens, from the flu virus to cholera bacteria, bind to sugars on cell surfaces. So picking the right sugars to bind to the peptoid nanosheets, in the right distributions, can determine which pathogens will be drawn to them.

"The chemistry we're doing is very modular," Zuckermann added. "We can 'click on' different sugars, and present them on a well-defined, planar surface. We can control how far apart they are from each other. We can do this with pretty much any sugar."

The peptoid platform is also more rugged and stable compared to natural biomolecules, he said, so it can potentially be deployed into the field for tests of bioagents by military personnel and emergency responders, for example.

And peptoids - an analog to peptides in biology that are chains of amino acids - are cheap and easy-to-make polymers.

"The chemical information that instructs the molecules to spontaneously assemble into the sugar-coated sheets is programmed into each molecule during its synthesis," Zuckermann said. "This work demonstrates our ability to readily engineer sophisticated biomimetic nanostructures by direct control of the polymer sequence."

The sugar-coated nanosheets are made in a liquid solution. Zuckermann said if the nanosheets are used to protect someone from becoming exposed to a pathogen, he could envision the use of a nasal spray containing the pathogen-binding nanosheets.

The nanosheets could also potentially be used in environmental cleanups to neutralize specific toxins and pathogens, and the sheets could potentially be scaled to target viruses like Ebola and bacteria like E. coli, and other pathogens.

In the latest study, the researchers confirmed that the bindings with the targeted proteins were successful by embedding a fluorescent dye in the sheets and attaching another fluorescent dye on the target proteins. A color change indicated that a protein was bound to the nanosheet.

The intensity of this color change can also guide researchers to improve them, and to discover new nanosheets that could target specific pathogens.

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Scientists also conducted X-ray-based experiments at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source to analyze the nanoscale structure of the sheets, and confirm the presence of sugars on their surface. The Molecular Foundry and Advanced Light Source are DOE Office of Science User Facilities. This work was supported by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.

DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
A team of scientists from MSU and their foreign colleagues discovered a previously unknown species and genus of batrachians Siamophryne troglodytes. These frogs live in the only one place on Earth -- a limestone cave in Thailand. The location of the cave is not disclosed to protect the animals. The results of the study will lead to the reconsideration of evolutionary history of the relevant group of Amphibia and are valuable for systematics and conservation. The work was undertaken within the Animals branch of the Noah's Ark project (with the support of the Russian Science Foundation), and its results have been published in the Open access PeerJ journal.

The studies of recent 20 years revolutionized the understanding of how diverse the world of frogs, snakes, and lizards is, and in particular how rich is the herpetofauna in South and Southeast Asia. Many species of these animals are difficult to find and some of them are often almost impossible to differentiate from each other. The recent progress in molecular and genetic methods in taxonomy allows the scientists to discover new species every year -- this has become a sort of routine. However, the discovery of a new genus is a fortunate event -- especially when it happens unexpectedly.

The wonderful story of discovery of Siamophryne troglodytes began in 2016 when a Thai researcher Jitthep Tunprasert was working in a karstic region of Sai Yok District in western Thailand. In one of the caves he found a strange small frog with big eyes and finger tips enlarged to wide disks. He took a picture of the animal and shared it with his colleagues. It became clear that this species of Amphibia was absolutely new and unknown to the scientific world. Judging by many morphological characters, the frog was included into a large and diverse family of Microhylidae. However, it was unclear what group within the family it fell into.

"Thai colleagues contacted me because I'm interested in this family of Amphibia. Together, we conducted extensive work, collected specimens, analyzed the DNA and morphology of both adult animals and tadpoles," explains Nikolay Poyarkov, assistant professor and senior research associate of the laboratory for the ecology of terrestrial vertebrates, department of zoology of vertebrates, Faculty of Biology, MSU.

An international team of scientists including herpetologists from MSU took several trips to the cave. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the frogs belong to the subfamily Asterophryinae, the representatives of which live mainly on Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. These results allowed the scientists to reconsider the story of origin of this group. The fact that the close relatives of Australian and Papua New Guinean frogs were found deep on the Asian continent confirms that their ancestors moved to Asia from the ancient continent of Gondwana and then subsequently moved further east to New Guinea and Australia. Therefore, they did not come to Australia via Antarctica, as it was previously believed. Several other species of amphibians and reptiles took the same way.

Based on the results of phylogenetic analysis, the scientists described a new species and genus of frogs. The specific name "troglodytes" is of Greek origin and is translated as "cave-dweller". The genus name "Siamophryne" can be translated as "Siamese toad" reflecting biological, taxonomic, and geographical peculiarities of this animal. Skeleton structures of the species were studied using the method of X-ray computer microtomography.

Another interesting discovery was the tadpoles of the new species. All members of the subfamily Asterophryinae known to date develop directly from the egg without the larval stage (so called "direct development"). Young Siamophryne troglodytes have flat white guitar-shaped bodies and were found in limestone crevices filled with water. This fact confirms that the frogs did not get into the caves by chance, but live and procreate there permanently.

"The importance of our discovery is manifold. First of all, we've found an animal so different from all others that it is considered to be a separate genius. Things like that do not happen every day. Secondly, phylogenetic position of the new genus sheds light on the evolutionary history of a respective subfamily of microhylids. Finally, this discovery is important in scope of protection and conservation of Southeast Asian herpetofauna. Today we know about only one population of these frogs, and all our search attempts, however intensive, were not successful. Therefore, to protect the animals, we do not disclose the location of the cave," concludes Nikolay Poyarkov.

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The work was carried out by the employees of the Faculties of Biology and Geology of MSU together with scientists from the University of Phayao, Ranong Sea Fishery Station, Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University and Kasetsart University in Bangkok (Thailand), as well as the Joint Russian -- Vietnamese Tropical Center of Russian Academy of Sciences in Hanoi. The work was undertaken within the Animals branch of the Noah's Ark project (with the support of the Russian Science Foundation).
One in 10 electronic dance music (EDM) party attendees have misused opioids in the past year, exceeding the national average, finds a study by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU Meyers College of Nursing.

The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, suggests that prevention and harm reduction efforts need to target this increasingly popular scene as efforts continue toward reducing the opioid crisis.

Opioid use has grown to epidemic proportions in the United States and has been a main contributor to a resurgence of heroin use, as well as the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C. In 2016, approximately 11.5 million Americans had misused prescription opioids, with 1.8 million meeting criteria for dependence or abuse.

"We've always known that electronic dance music party attendees are at high risk for use of club drugs such as ecstasy or Molly, but we wanted to know the extent of opioid use in this population," said CDUHR researcher Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, the study's lead author and an associate professor of population health at NYU School of Medicine.

Since the study was conducted specifically on EDM partygoers, the researchers note that the results may not apply to the general population, but, rather, highlight the need for prevention efforts in this high-risk group.

"This population of experienced drug users needs to be reached to prevent initiation and continued use, which can lead to riskier and more frequent use, dependence, and deleterious outcomes such as overdose - particularly if opioids are combined with other drugs," Palamar said.

Throughout the summer of 2017, the researchers surveyed 954 individuals (ages 18 to 40) about to enter EDM parties at nightclubs and dance festivals in New York City. Attendees were asked about nonmedical use - defined as using in a manner which is not prescribed (such as to get high) - of 18 different opioids - including OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, codeine, fentanyl, and heroin.

The researchers found that almost a quarter (23.9 percent) of EDM party attendees have used opioids nonmedically in their lifetime and one out of 10 (9.8 percent) did so in the past year, which is higher than the national prevalence of past-year use of approximately 4 percent of adults 18 and older. Five percent of respondents reported misusing opioids in the past month.

OxyContin was the most highly reported opioid used in this scene, followed by Vicodin, Percocet, codeine, and Purple Drank, also known as Sizzurp or Lean (which typically contains codeine syrup). A smaller portion of users also snorted (15 percent) or injected opioids (11 percent) in the past year, which increases risk for overdose and dependence.

People who smoke cigarettes or use other drugs (including amphetamine, methamphetamine, and cocaine) were more likely to report misusing opioids in the past month. In particular, nonmedical users of benzodiazepines such as Xanax were at high odds for also using opioids, and, on average, reported using more different opioid drugs in the past year than those who did not use opioids. While the study did not measure whether multiple drugs were used simultaneously, research has shown that users of benzodiazepines and prescription opioids commonly combine the drugs to enhance or come down from the effects of other drugs.

Previous opioid use predicted the likelihood of someone reporting willingness to use if offered in the future. Among non-users, 5.7 percent reported that they would take opioids if offered by a friend in the next month. However, among those who had taken opioids in the past year, almost three out of four (73.6 percent) reported they would be willing to use again.

Notably, almost nine out of 10 past-year users of Purple Drank indicated that they would use again if offered by a friend, although these findings on this cocktail may be limited. "While real Sizzurp, Lean, or Purple Drank contains codeine syrup, it is likely that many people consumed concoctions without codeine," Palamar cautioned. However, the authors note that prevalence of opioid misuse did not change when removing this concoction from the list of opioids examined.

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In addition to Palamar, study authors include Austin Le of NYU College of Dentistry and Charles M. Cleland of NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and CDUHR.

Research reported in this publication, "Nonmedical Opioid Use among Electronic Dance Music Party Attendees in New York City," was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers K01DA038800 (PI: Palamar) and P30DA011041 (PI: Deren). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About CDUHR

The mission of the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) is to end the HIV and HCV epidemics in drug using populations and their communities by conducting transdisciplinary research and disseminating its findings to inform programmatic, policy, and grass roots initiatives at the local, state, national, and global levels. CDUHR is a Core Center of Excellence funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant #P30 DA011041). It is the first center for the socio-behavioral study of substance use and HIV in the United States and is located at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. For more information, visit http://www.cduhr.org.

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a world-class, patient-centered, integrated academic medical center, known for its excellence in clinical care, research, and education. Included in the 200+ locations throughout the New York area are five inpatient locations: Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute-care facility; Rusk Rehabilitation, ranked as one of the top 10 rehabilitation programs in the country; NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, a dedicated inpatient orthopedic hospital with all musculoskeletal specialties ranked top 10 in the country; Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services; and NYU Langone Hospital--Brooklyn, a full-service teaching hospital and level 1 trauma center located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Also part of NYU Langone Health is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, and NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. For more information, go to nyulangone.org, and interact with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

About the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing

NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice. It offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, a Master of Science and Post-Master's Certificate Programs, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in nursing research and theory development.

About NYU College of Dentistry

Founded in 1865, New York University College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) is the third oldest and the largest dental school in the US, educating nearly 10 percent of all dentists. NYU Dentistry has a significant global reach with a highly diverse student body. Visit http://dental.nyu.edu for more.
ARLINGTON, Va.--Responding to a call from top military leaders to accelerate delivery of technology to the warfighter, officials from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) last week launched a program designed to spur innovation in the Navy and Marine Corps.

The kickoff session--held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California--officially began the Naval Innovation Process Adoption, or NIPA. Experts from across the Navy and Marine Corps met to discuss new ways to collaborate, overcome obstacles and swiftly deliver new capabilities to America's Sailors and Marines.

Dr. Richard Carlin, who heads ONR's Sea Warfare and Weapons Department, said it is essential to energize how naval innovation takes place, and to empower novel ideas.

"The National Defense Strategy states it clearly," he said. "We are in a new era of challenges, with adversaries making dramatic gains.

"As technology advances faster than ever before, and both state and non-state actors having access to it, the naval research community needs to accelerate accordingly."

Participants at last week's kickoff said NIPA will help meet the challenge. The program is designed to solve problems facing naval organizations, from contracts to warfare centers. It includes timelines to get from the "light bulb-idea" moment when a problem is actually understood, to research and delivery of prototypes--by giving the Navy and Marine Corps a common language and approach for solving those problems.

Currently, technology development and acquisition can take years--and in some cases, once-new technology is outdated by the time it reaches the warfighter.

NIPA is based on a method called H4X, which combines of some of the best entrepreneurial methodologies found in Silicon Valley--designed by Steve Blank, an adjunct professor at Stanford University; retired Army Col. Pete Newell, former head of the Army's Rapid Equipping Force; and the team at BMNT, a company that builds tools to solve some of the world's toughest problems.

H4X is a problem-solving method used by various organizations across the Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies. Hacking for Defense, or H4D for short, is a variant offered by a growing number of universities to create a pipeline of young technologists and entrepreneurs who are willing to take on some of our nation's toughest challenges.

"Using best-of-breed tools and methodologies, H4X was built as an evidence-based, data-driven, disciplined process for solving the world's toughest challenges at speed and scale," said Newell. "We are exceptionally proud of the results achieved by others who have applied it in the DoD and intelligence agencies, and look forward to seeing it drive innovation for our naval forces."

Carlin and other officials say the Navy can benefit from a new innovation culture and mindset as well as different tools to drive innovation. While he is also using H4X for multiple programs in his own department, he hopes this is just the beginning.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have this partnership between the Navy and world-renowned thought leaders like Steve Blank and Pete Newell," he said. "NIPA will start in one department of one Navy command--but its principles could become a catalyst across the fleet and force."

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Mystic, CT - Dr. Roger James Kuhns and Dr. George H. Shaw recently published a book through Springer (2018) entitled "Navigating the Energy Maze: The Transition to a Sustainable Future".

In this book, Kuhns and Shaw present a plan for the development of a comprehensive sustainable energy policy for the United States. They examine the diverse types of energy, their resources, and materials needed to develop and use them. They provide communities and cities with ways to better control their destinies by locally managing energy use and generation.

"A must-read for anyone interested in solutions oriented methods to address climate change," says Citizens' Climate Lobby's Executive Director, Mark Reynolds.

Pricing carbon is the bill that Kuhns and Shaw propose as a foundation along with seven other specific legislative initiatives necessary for a national comprehensive sustainable energy policy. They propose that these initiatives can both facilitate and drive the process of evolution from a carbon-energy economy to a sustainable renewable energy future. The book does not suggest the undoing of existing infrastructures and energy providers, but rather a cooperative transition from national-regional energy management to a more local-centered system.

"Our society is at a critical juncture where we now have to make sustainable choices in our energy sources," says Roger Kuhns. "We are entering a transformation from a carbon economy to a renewable energy economy and sustainable society. How we do this depends on our policies, perceptions of urgency, and our understanding of the sciences. This book lays out the policies we need to get this transformation moving in a sustainable direction."

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The book is available for purchase at http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319227825.

Roger James Kuhns hold a PhD in economic geology and has over 35 years of experience in mineral exploration and natural resources, water and energy resources, environmental remediation, renewable energy systems, and sustainability. He's been a guest lecturer on sustainability, science and energy issues at the University of Wisconsin, City College NYC, Rider University, Union College, and the University of Pennsylvania. He is the founder of SustainAudit, a sustainable practices company that advises companies on integrating renewable energy systems, materials, LEED, and food systems to ensure long-lasting resources and economic affordability.

Dr. George H. Shaw has had a career as a professor of geosciences with an emphasis on geophysics, especially high-pressure measurements of elastic properties. He has taught at the University of Minnesota and Union College, and was awarded an NSF post-doctoral fellowship at Edinburgh, Scotland as well as an American Geophysical Union Congressional Science Fellowship. Dr. Shaw worked for Congressman Al Swift on energy and environmental issues, and particularly on the formulation and passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.

Roger James Kuhns

Email: rogerjameskuhns@gmail.com

Phone: 860-910-8525

Julia Minchew

Publicist

Email: juliaminchew@gmail.com

Phone: 440-610-9780
A new 53 million-year-old insect fossil called a scorpionfly discovered at B.C.'s McAbee fossil bed site bears a striking resemblance to fossils of the same age from Pacific-coastal Russia, giving further evidence of an ancient Canada-Russia connection. "We've seen this connection before through fossil plants and animals, but these insects show this in a beautiful way," says Bruce Archibald, a research associate in SFU's Department of Biological Sciences and the Royal BC Museum. "They are so much alike that only the wing colour of the new McAbee species tells them apart." Archibald and Alexandr Rasnitsyn, of Moscow's Russian Academy of Sciences, described the find and its significance in this month's The Canadian Entomologist.

"I'm not aware of any case where two such species so much alike and so close in age have been found in both Pacific Russia and Pacific Canada, and that's pretty great," said Archibald. He notes that the insect's only living relative is found in the temperate forest of central Chile, which has a climate that is similar in ways to B.C.'s 53 million years ago.

The new Canadian species was named Eomerope eonearctica, and its Russian doppelganger is Eomerope asiatica, described in 1974. The McAbee fossil site has been designated a provincial heritage by the province of B.C. for its spectacular fossil record. Archibald and Rasnitsyn also described a second new scorpionfly species that was found near Princeton, B.C.

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An initiative designed to improve transparency in decision-making in Hungary in relation to healthcare lacks the teeth to properly hold decision-makers to account, according to new research.

The study, published in the journal Health Economics, Policy and Law from an international group of researchers co-ordinated by the University of Bath's Department of Social & Policy Sciences, looked at the role of health technology assessment (HTA) in Hungary.

This was once hailed as a silver bullet in cutting through complex healthcare challenges and ensuring that value for money was at the heart of funding decisions to allocate scare resources on complex and expensive products, such as pharmaceuticals or medical devices, but the research highlights that it has been dogged by challenges.

By speaking to key players in Budapest, the team found that whilst the HTA Department, the Hungarian HTA agency, fulfilled its formal role as set out by legislation, much more could be done to support evidence-based decision-making and to improve openness and engagement throughout the policy process.

The HTA Department is an expert body which operates at arms lengths from the government, following a similar model trialled in other European countries where significant budgetary pressures mean that poor investment decisions bring substantial opportunity costs. Operating in a similar way to the Scottish Medicines Consortium in Scotland or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] in England, in Hungary medical experts and health economists are brought together to assess the clinical profile industry products and their value for money.

But one specific area of weakness identified in the study revolves around transparency. It finds that whereas in other central European countries, notably Poland, where records and documentation of HTA decisions are kept in the public domain, such information in Hungary is unavailable.

One senior academic interviewed as part of the study commented: "Unfortunately we are not brave enough to move into a direction where we can operate HTA in a transparent way."

A related problem is that, unlike NICE, the HTA Department does not put sufficient emphasis on engaging medical experts or patient advocates in its work. This is a central tenant to NICE, and experts suggest a particular weakness for HTA in Hungary.

A perception from medical professions, highlighted in the study, was that: "Key opinion leaders are not really interested in HTA. They have a perception of HTA that it is a bureaucratic thing, shifting papers back and forth."

Most significantly though, the new study suggests that advice from the HTA is often disregarded by policymakers, something that appears consistent with the growing authoritarian tendencies in other areas of Hungarian policymaking as well, such as judicial independence or electoral law.

This particular challenge is highlighted most starkly in comments included in the study from a high-ranking government official: "The HTA works as an ante-room, where people wipe off their shoes."

Other interviewees pointed out that the influence of the HTA Department was constrained by political considerations that top-level decision-makers were inclined to prioritise.

Project coordinator, Dr Piotr Ozieranski from the University of Bath's Department of Social & Policy Sciences explained: "While Hungary has been quick to recognise the importance of HTA in developing a modern healthcare system, our research suggests that its HTA Agency could be playing a much more prominent role in supporting evidence-based decision-making.

"In particular, it looks like the lack of political goodwill to promote transparency, involve stakeholders, and actually listen to what HTA experts have to say may be preventing Hungary from making more optimal funding decisions on costly medical technologies."

Lead author, Marcell Csanadi of the University of Pecs, Hungary, summarised the findings: "All stakeholders that we interviewed were aware of the identified drawbacks of the current procedures. They even understood the reasons behind them. However, unfortunately none of stakeholder group has sufficient interest to initiate much needed changes."

Professor Zoltan Kalo, a leading healthcare expert in Hungary emphasised: "Online availability of all relevant HTA documentation is an improvement that can be achieved easily at a minimum cost. It could then be used as a building block for facilitating greater stakeholder involvement."

The study authors suggest the Hungarian example highlights the risks of creating powerless institutions which become tick-box bureaucratic exercises with stakeholders accepting its costs without using any of its outputs.

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Female academics with young children find it more difficult to access research funding and generate attention for their results than their male counterparts.

That is the central finding of research by Cornelia Lawson, Aldo Geuna and Ugo Finardi, to be presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference at the University of Sussex in Brighton in March 2018.

Analysing the careers of 262 male and female scientists at the University of Turin over a ten-year period, their study shows that women receive less funding than their male peers and citation rates, where research is quoted in other academic work, drop for women with young children.

The study examines teaching and family commitments alongside public funding and the impact of research achieved through the quality of journal publications and volume of citations.

Researchers from the Universities of Bath, Turin and the National Research Council of Italy find that public funding of research is controlled by elite networks, such as professional scientific bodies, with those in leading management roles receiving twice the funding of other academics, potentially driven by favouritism or unconscious bias in the selection process.

Dr Cornelia Lawson, from the University of Bath's School of Management, says:

"Our research shows that female scientists with young children are not matching the citation levels of their male counterparts.

"It may be that the challenge of travel to international conferences and meetings to promote research findings alongside childcare responsibility is at the heart of the motherhood penalty, leaving quality research overlooked. It highlights the need for support systems for women with childcare responsibilities.

"Conversely, fatherhood is correlated with higher citation rates for male scientists in the study, driven perhaps by the desire to provide for their new offspring, or reflecting a strategic decision to have a family when they feel their career is safely established."

The researchers believe that their research has applications across a range of academic disciplines and to countries including the UK, China and the United States, where the allocation of research funding is also linked to membership of elite networks.

Professor Aldo Geuna, from the University of Turin, says: "The strong influence of management positions in professional societies on research funding is concerning. Other networks should be given the same opportunity for funding and greater scrutiny of selection processes and diversity on selection processes is crucial."

'The productivity puzzle is an important question for universities that are striving to further scientific and technical knowledge. We hope that universities will do more to address the obstacles faced by female academics with young children.'

The researchers point to training initiated by the European Research Council and the Research Councils UK (RCUK) to address unconscious bias in funding allocation, and the Athena SWAN charter to advance gender equality in academia, as positive measures that they hope will help to overcome the hurdles identified in their research.

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To borrow from a philosophical thought experiment: If a volcano erupts in a remote part of the world and no one hears it, does it still make a sound?

Indeed, it does. And not only does the sound occur, but it also can tell scientists about the timing and duration of the eruption itself.

As part of the United Nations' Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, an International Monitoring System was built to detect any nuclear explosion on Earth -- underground, underwater or in the atmosphere. Within that system is a network to detect atmospheric infrasound -- sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human audibility -- which scientists can also use to track volcanic eruptions in remote locations.

A new case study by an international team of scientists, led by UC Santa Barbara geophysicist Robin Matoza, examined data from the 2015 eruption of the Calbuco volcano in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. The researchers chose this event because they could compare long-range data with local readings, enabling study of the large volcanic explosion using infrasound sensors.

The team's analysis demonstrated that infrasound recorded at regional (15 to 250 kilometers) and long distances (greater than 250 km), such as on the International Monitoring System, delivered similar constraints on the timing and duration of the eruption, as did data from a local (less than 15 km) seismic network. Their results appear in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

"We want to be able to monitor regions in the world where many volcanoes do not have local monitoring stations like Calbuco does," said Matoza, an assistant professor in UCSB's Department of Earth Science. "In some places -- for example, the Aleutian Islands in Alaska -- it's challenging to maintain observation networks on the volcanoes themselves due to harsh weather and their remote locations. Consequently, many Aleutian volcanoes are not instrumented. We want to be able to detect, locate and characterize remote explosive volcanic activity because eruptions can release ash clouds into the atmosphere, which are hazardous to aircraft."

In remote locales, researchers usually rely on satellite-based technology to monitor volcanoes, but according to Matoza, without ground-based information, it's difficult to know exactly when the eruption happened and how long it lasted.

"What's nice about infrasound is that we are able to gather information farther from the source than with traditional ground-based monitoring methods," Matoza explained. "Typically, seismic signals from eruptions don't propagate more than a few hundred kilometers from the source. With Calbuco, for example, you can see the eruption very clearly on the local monitoring stations and out to about 250 kilometers on regional seismic networks, but with infrasound, the signal propagates in the atmosphere for more than 5,000 kilometers. What's more, infrasound delivers different information than seismic data alone."

The Chilean national seismic network includes a relatively sparse number of infrasound sensors co-located with 10 seismometers (seismo-acoustic stations), which enabled this study. Placing such infrasound sensors at more seismic stations in volcanically active regions would be valuable, Matoza noted. The fact that one of the Chilean seismo-acoustic stations was only 250 kilometers from the eruption highlights the significant potential of existing regional seismic networks for augmenting the International Monitoring System with more infrasound sensors for eruption detection and monitoring.

"One of the recommendations from this study is that more seismic networks should also have infrasound sensors," Matoza said. "It's one extra channel of data to record that provides very useful information for improving volcano monitoring."

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Irvine, Calif., March 29, 2018 - Materials inspired by disappearing Hollywood dinosaurs and real-life shy squid have been invented by UCI engineers, according to new findings in Science this Friday.

The thin swatches can quickly change how they reflect heat, smoothing or wrinkling their surfaces in under a second after being stretched or electrically triggered. That makes them invisible to infrared night vision tools or lets them modulate their temperatures.

"Basically, we've invented a soft material that can reflect heat in similar ways to how squid skin can reflect light," said corresponding author Alon Gorodetsky, an engineering professor. "It goes from wrinkled and dull to smooth and shiny, essentially changing the way it reflects the heat."

Potential uses include better camouflage for troops and insulation for spacecraft, storage containers, emergency shelters, clinical care, and building heating and cooling systems.

"We were inspired both by science fiction and science fact - seeing dinosaurs disappear and reappear under an infrared camera in 'Jurassic World' and seeing squid filmed underwater do similar things," said Gorodetsky. "So we decided to merge those concepts to design a really unique technology."

Made of sandwiches of aluminum, plastic, and sticky tape, the material transforms from a wrinkled grey to a glossy surface when it is either pulled manually or zapped with voltage.

Products that reflect heat, such as emergency blankets, have existed for decades. But in the past several years, inventors in Gorodetsky's lab and others have pushed to create dramatically improved versions via bio-inspired engineering. One focus has been to imitate how squid and other cephalopods can nearly instantaneously change their skin to blend into their surrounding environment.

Now, he and his team have done it, creating prototypes that can next be scaled up into large sheets of commercially useable material. Patents are pending.

"It was hard, especially the first phase when we were learning how to work with the sticky material," said doctoral student Chengyi Xu, lead author. After trial-and-error processes involving thousands of attempts, he and postdoctoral scholar George Stiubianu finally saw the mirror-like coating change when they pulled it sideways.

"The whole project was so exciting." he said.

Gorodetsky praised his team, saying, "These are exactly the type of graduate students and postdocs that UCI should be recruiting. They're amazing."

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About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.
The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund has awarded the University of Florida and partners in the United States and Japan $3.2 million to advance a promising vaccine to prevent transmission of malaria.

Rhoel Dinglasan -- an associate professor of infectious diseases in UF's College of Veterinary Medicine and the university's Emerging Pathogens Institute -- has spent years developing a malaria transmission blocking vaccine, or TBV. The blood mosquitoes get from immunized humans would prevents prevent the insects from becoming infected by the Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria, thus breaking the cycle of disease transmission.

Female Anopheles mosquitoes pick up the Plasmodium parasite when they bite an infected human, then spread the parasite when they bite other people.

After Dinglasan and his colleagues identified a protein in the mosquito gut that Plasmodium needs to infect the Anopheles mosquito, called alanyl aminopeptidase N, or AnAPN1, they saw a path to preventing transmission of the disease by creating a vaccine to generate antibodies to AnAPN1 in humans.

Initial vaccine testing in mice stalled because the animals primarily generated antibodies to a less-crucial fragment of AnAPN1, so Dinglasan and his team refocused their efforts on solving the structure of the protein, which allowed them to more precisely map the relevant transmission-blocking regions of the protein to target. When they tested the antibodies to the redesigned vaccine target using infected blood samples from children in Cameroon, a country hard hit by malaria, they found that minute amounts of the antibody completely prevented transmission of the parasite to the mosquito.

The new grant from the Global Health Innovative Technology, or GHIT, Fund will further development of processes to move the vaccine from the experimental stage to human trials and, ultimately, a clinical treatment. The GHIT Fund is an international public-private partnership spearheaded by the Government of Japan, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and a group of pharmaceutical companies.

"AnAPN1 is a great pan-malaria transmission-blocking vaccine and we have made it even better," said Dinglasan, who was recruited to Gainesville under the UF Preeminence initiative. "This funding support puts the vaccine back in the process development and vaccine production pipeline with an eye on getting to first-in-human trials in a few more years."

Historically, malaria prevention has focused on killing the mosquitoes that transmit the disease using pesticides like DDT or shielding humans from mosquitoes with nets, but these approaches alone are not enough to prevent nearly a half-million people around the world from dying from malaria annually, many of them children under 5.

The next phase of the project involves numerous partners contributing unique capabilities.

CellFree Sciences of Japan is developing the important control antigens and Hamamatsu Pharma Research of Japan will assess the long-term potency of the vaccine in non-human primates.

The Infectious Disease Research Institute, or IDRI, of Seattle, has been a long-time longtime partner on this project and continues to assist by providing the adjuvant to boost the immune response to the antigen.

Ology Bioservices, a UF spinoff operating out of the university's Sid Martin Biotech Incubator, will develop the large-scale, process development and manufacturing plan and supply the AnAPN1 vaccine candidate for use in ongoing pre-clinical studies and to prepare for subsequent clinical testing.

Centre Pasteur du Cameroun will test the efficacy of antibodies generated in response to AnAPN1 in mice and non-human primates against naturally circulating strains of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, in direct membrane feeding assays in Cameroon.

Dinglasan said the TBV would work in concert with a traditional vaccine being developed by GlaxoSmithKline called Mosquirix, which is scheduled for pilot implementation in three African countries this year.

"Our vaccine should work against all five Plasmodium parasite species that affect human health," he said. "Mosquirix does not achieve full protection and many people, mostly kids, will still be infectious to the mosquito. Our vaccine puts a stop to that."

Ultimately, Dinglasan hopes the TBV will be the final nail in the malaria coffin, eliminating pockets of residual malaria transmission that prevention efforts and traditional vaccines cannot reach.

"This vaccine can help stamp out malaria globally," he said.

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About CellFree Sciences

CellFree Sciences (CFS) provides comprehensive solutions for protein production and analysis using the ENDEXT Technology Platform originally developed in the laboratory of Prof. Yaeta Endo at Ehime University in Japan. With our different WEPRO wheat germ protein expression extracts, CFS is serving the research community with protein synthesis services, reagents, and the fully automated Protemist robotic protein production systems.

http://www.cfsciences.com/eg/

About Hamamatsu Pharma Research

Hamamatsu Pharma Research (HPR) is a preclinical CRO specializing in efficacy testing of novel therapeutics in nonhuman primate disease models. Our services provide preclinical proof of concept data that facilitates go/no-go decision making for new drug development.

https://www.hpharmausa.com/

About Ology Bioservices, Inc.

Ology Bioservices, Inc. (formerly Nanotherapeutics, Inc.) is a biologics-focused contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving both government and commercial clients. The Company's capabilities include a pilot facility for performing optimization of upstream, downstream and formulation functions, bulk cGMP manufacturing and analytical development for proteins, antibodies, viral vaccines and gene therapy drug products.

http://www.ologybio.com/

About IDRI

As a nonprofit global health organization, IDRI (Infectious Disease Research Institute) takes a comprehensive approach to combat infectious diseases, combining the high-quality science of a research organization with the product development capabilities of a biotech company to create new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines. Founded in 1993, IDRI has 125 employees headquartered in Seattle with nearly 100 partners/collaborators around the world.

http://www.idri.org/

About CPC

The Centre Pasteur du Cameroun (CPC) founded in 1959, is a state-owned public health and biomedical research institute located in Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon. CPC is a WHO regional reference center for several infectious diseases, and member of the Institut Pasteur International Network with headquarters in Paris, France. The main activities of the CPC include service, public health, training and research. Research is centered on bacterial, viral and parasitic agents, and their respective major pathologies such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases as well as neglected tropical diseases.

http://www.pasteur-yaounde.org/index.php/en/
URBANA, Ill. - The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture has announced a grant for $1 million to support research led by a University of Illinois scientist. The research will address the need for better-adapted and higher-yielding biomass cultivars ready to plug into the biofuel supply chain in the United States.

"Currently, there is only one genotype of Miscanthus x giganteus ('Illinois') available in the U.S. for farmers to grow as a biomass crop," says Erik Sacks, plant geneticist in the Department of Crop Sciences at U of I and principal investigator on the grant. "This cultivar is insufficiently winter-hardy in the northern Midwest, and flowers too early in the southern U.S. to achieve high yields.

"If we don't have the right varieties, that's going to be a really limiting factor in our ability to produce the biomass feedstocks needed for conversion to bioenergy or other bioproducts. The varieties have to be regionally adapted," he adds.

Sacks and collaborators at U of I, Alabama A&M University, and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology will breed new miscanthus cultivars from an extensive repository of plant materials collected around the world. They will also field test already developed hybrids that show promise for both cold tolerance and high yields.

An important aspect of the work is the use of genomic selection tools, which will allow the team to make decisions about desired traits without having to grow plants to maturity. That process, on which traditional plant breeding is based, is extremely time-consuming and requires a lot of trial-and-error.

"We will use a statistical model that incorporates information from the miscanthus genome to predict phenotypic values, such as winter hardiness, flowering time, and biomass," says Alex Lipka, assistant professor of biometry in the Department of Crop Sciences at U of I and co-investigator on the grant.

"The cool thing is that if we develop a really good statistical model, breeders will be able to make selections based on predicted phenotypic values before plants are even planted. It could substantially speed up the breeding cycle."

The grant also includes an educational component for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Investigators at Alabama A&M and HudsonAlpha will administer a short course on genomics, and graduate students will be funded on the project.

"We will educate and inspire the next generation of plant genomicists, with a focus on underrepresented minority groups and women," Sacks says. "We hope to get the next generation on a path to help feed, clothe, and power the world sustainably."

Ultimately, the team believes the combination of faster breeding cycles, better-adapted cultivars, and training opportunities will overcome the hurdles the biomass industry faces today, resulting in a stronger bioeconomy in America.

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Additional co-investigators include Kankshita Swaminathan and Sara Cooper of HudsonAlpha, and Ernst Cebert and Venkateswara Sripathi in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Alabama A&M University.
In 1996, when a computer won a match against the then reigning world chess champion Garry Kasparov, it was nothing short of a sensation. After this breakthrough in the world of chess, the board game Go was long considered to be a bastion reserved for human players due to its complexity. Nowadays, however, the world's best players no longer have any chance of winning against the "AlphaGo" software. The recipe for the success of this computer programme is made possible through a combination of the so-called Monte Carlo Tree Search and deep neural networks based on machine learning and artificial intelligence. A team of researchers from the University of Muenster in Germany has now demonstrated that this combination is extremely well suited to planning chemical syntheses - so-called retrosyntheses - with unprecedented efficiency. The study has been published in the current issue of the Nature journal.

Marwin Segler, the lead author of the study, puts it in a nutshell: "Retrosynthesis is the ultimate discipline in organic chemistry. Chemists need years to master it - just like with chess or Go. In addition to straightforward expertise, you also need a goodly portion of intuition and creativity for it. So far, everyone assumed that computers couldn't keep up without experts programming in tens of thousands of rules by hand. What we have shown is that the machine can, by itself, learn the rules and their applications from the literature available."

Retrosynthesis is the standard method for designing the production of chemical compounds. The principle is that, going backwards mentally, the compound is broken down into ever smaller components until the basic components have been obtained. This analysis provides the "cooking recipe", which is then used for working "forwards" in the laboratory to produce the target molecule, proceeding from the starting materials. Although easy in theory, the process presents difficulties in practice. "Just like in chess, in every step or move you've got variety of possibilities to choose from," says Segler. "In chemistry, however, there are orders of magnitude more possible moves than in chess, and the problem is much more complex."

This is where the new method comes into play, linking up the deep neural networks with the Monte Carlo Tree Search - a constellation which is so promising that currently a large number of researchers from a variety of disciplines are working on it. The Monte Carlo Tree Search is a method for assessing moves in a game. At every move, the computer simulates numerous variants, for example how a game of chess might end. The most promising move is then selected.

In a similar way, the computer now looks for the best possible "moves" for the chemical synthesis. It is also able to learn by using deep neural networks. To this end, the computer draws on all the chemical literature ever published, which describes almost 12 million chemical reactions. Mike Preuss, an information systems specialist and co-author of the study, summarizes it as follows, in a somewhat simplified way: "The deep neural networks are used for predicting which reactions are possible with a certain molecule. Using the Monte Carlo Tree Search, the computer can test whether the reactions predicted really do lead to the target molecule."

The idea of using computers to plan syntheses isn't new. "The idea is actually about 60 years old." says Segler, "People thought it would be enough, as in the case of chess, to enter a large number of rules into the computer. But that didn't work. Chemistry is very complex and, in contrast to chess or Go, it can't be grasped purely logically using simple rules. Added to this is the fact that the number of publications with new reactions doubles every ten years or so. Neither chemists nor programmers can keep up with that. We need the help of an 'intelligent' computer." The new method is about 30 times faster than conventional programmes for planning syntheses and it finds potential synthesis routes for twice as many molecules.

In a double blind AB test, the Muenster researchers found that chemists consider these computer-generated synthesis routes to be just as good as existing tried-and-tested ones. "We hope that, using our method, chemists will not have to try out so much in the lab," Segler adds, "and that as a result, and using fewer resources, they will be able to produce the compounds which make our high standard of living possible."

The work received funding from the German Research Foundation as part of Collaborative Research Centre 858, "Synergetic Effects in Chemistry".

###

The authors of the study:

Marwin Segler and Prof. Mark Waller, both chemists, carried out the study together with Dr. Mike Preuss, a business information specialist, at the University of Muenster. Segler is a doctoral student at the Institute of Organic Chemistry, and Waller now works at the University of Shanghai in China. Preuss is a post-doc at the Institute of Business Information and is an expert on artificial intelligence.

Original publication:

Marwin H. S. Segler, Mike Preuss and Mark P. Waller (2018): Planning Chemical Syntheses with Deep Neural Networks and Symbolic AI. Nature volume 555, pages 604-610 (29 March 2018), doi:10.1038/nature25978
With Easter fast approaching, the thought of chocolate is probably on all our minds, but could the UK's love of chocolate be having a damaging effect on the environment?

A recent study by researchers at The University of Manchester and published in the journal Food Research International has looked at the carbon footprint of chocolate and its other environmental impacts. It has done this by assessing the impacts of ingredients, manufacturing processes, packaging and waste.

The study estimates that the UK chocolate industry produces about 2.1m tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) a year. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of the whole population of a city as large as Belfast. It also found that it takes around 1000?litres of water to produce just one chocolate bar.

Chocolate is the UK's favourite confectionary product, with the nation preferring milk over dark chocolate. The industry was worth around 4 billion in the UK in 2014 and is set to grow by a further 9 percent by 2019. On a global scale, the UK is the sixth highest chocolate-consuming country in the world. On average each person individually gets through approximately 8 kg per year, which is equivalent to around 157 Mars bars.

The study focused on the three most popular types of chocolate products in the UK, which occupy 90% of the UK market. These are milk chocolate bars, sharing bags and snack chocolates. The team found the worst for the environment were the sharing bags due to their ingredients and bigger packaging.

The researchers found the raw materials used to produce chocolate are the major environmental hotspot as well as the packaging. The impacts from the ingredients are mainly due to milk powder, cocoa derivatives, sugar and palm oil.

Professor Adisa Azapagic, Head of Sustainable Industrial Systems at the University, says: "Most of us love chocolate, but don't often think of what it takes to get from cocoa beans to the chocolate products we buy in the shop.

"Cocoa is cultivated around the equator in humid climate conditions, mainly in West Africa and Central and South America so it has to travel some distance before it makes it into the chocolate products we produce and consume in the UK."

According to the International Cocoa Organization the annual production of cocoa beans in 2016 was 4.25?million?tonnes. The worldwide sales of chocolate are estimated to be worth more than US$101 billion, with Europe accounting for 45% of the global consumption.

However, it's not only the cocoa - it's also the milk powder used to make milk chocolates. Its production is very energy intensive, plus dairy cows produce significant GHG emissions per litre of milk produced. This all adds to the environmental impacts of chocolate.

Professor Azapagic added: 'It is true that our love of chocolate has environmental consequences for the planet. But let's be clear, we aren't saying people should stop eating it.

"The point of this study is to raise consumers' awareness and enable more informed choices. Also, we hope this work will help the chocolates industry to target the environmental hotspots in the supply chains and make chocolate products as sustainable as possible."

###

For media enquiries please call Jordan Kenny on 0161 275 8257 and jordan.kenny@manchester.ac.uk

The paper, 'Environmental impacts of chocolate production and consumption in the UK', was published in the Food Research International journal, Volume 106, April 2018, Pages 1012-1021 A free copy of the paper can be downloaded here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1WmGC3RC05uK9P

About The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester, a member of the prestigious Russell Group, is the UK's largest single-site university with more than 40,000 students - including more than 10,000 from overseas. It is consistently ranked among the world's elite for graduate employability.

The University is also one of the country's major research institutions, rated fifth in the UK in terms of 'research power' (REF 2014). World-class research is carried out across a diverse range of fields including cancer, advanced materials, addressing global inequalities, energy and industrial biotechnology.

No fewer than 25 Nobel laureates have either worked or studied here.

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Manchester is ranked 38th in the world in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017 and 6th in the UK.

Visit http://www.manchester.ac.uk for further information.

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RENO, Nev. - The search for answers to protect Central American frogs from extinction is also giving scientists clues on how to predict and respond to emerging diseases and epidemics in humans, plants and other wildlife.

In their paper published in the magazine Science, March 30, University of Nevada, Reno's Jamie Voyles and her colleagues document the recovery of some tropical amphibians following continued exposure to a lethal pathogen.

"Diseases often shift to be less deadly over time," Voyles, assistant professor in the Department of Biology and lead author on the study, said. "But we don't fully understand why. In our study, we found that the pathogen, in this case a lethal fungus, remains just as deadly to hosts a decade after it first appeared."

For amphibians, scientists have known about a highly lethal disease called "chytridiomycosis" since the 1990s. This disease was especially devastating to frogs in Central America, where it may have wiped out entire species. The study shows that nine species that reached critically low numbers are showing evidence of recovery. In addition, some species have defenses against infection that are more effective now than they were prior to the epidemic.

"In this study, we made the exciting discovery that a handful of amphibian species - some of which were thought to have been completely wiped out - are persisting, and may even be recovering, after lethal disease outbreaks," Voyles a disease ecologist in the Department of Biology, said. "We wanted to understand how it was happening. Was it a change in the pathogen, the frogs, or both?"

The fungal pathogen that causes chytridiomycosis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has been linked to population declines in amphibian species around the world. The team investigated the chytridiomycosis outbreak and its transition away from epidemic by tracking shifts in species detection, community composition, infection patterns, as well as host resistance and pathogen virulence over time.

"Because we have pathogen and host samples from before, during and after the epidemic, we can ask whether some frogs survived because the pathogen grew weaker through time, or because the frogs' immune systems or resistance increased through time," Voyles said.

"The evidence suggests that the pathogen has not changed. It's possible that the hosts have evolved better defenses over a relatively short period of time" she said. "We found that nearly a decade after the outbreak, the fungal pathogen is still equally deadly, but the frogs in Panama are surviving and may have better defenses against it. This suggests that some of Panama's frogs may be fighting back."

"This pathogen infects many different amphibian species -- sometimes without causing disease -- and can survive in the environment outside of its host, so it's not going away anytime soon," said study co-author Allison Byrne, a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley. "This study provides hope that some species can recover despite being constantly exposed to a deadly pathogen."

Understanding how amphibian communities are recovering after this disease outbreak is important for multiple reasons. This work suggests that recovery after the epidemics is possible, but likely a slow and gradual process, which underscores the importance of continuing to monitor amphibian populations.

"The study sounds a hopeful note," said Louise A. Rollins-Smith, a co-author of the study from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said. "Initially it looked bleak for many frog species, but some of them are certainly recovering."

Detecting species that exist in small, remnant populations means many hours of searching across many sites and habitats. Distinguishing between populations that are lost for good and populations that are limping along, perhaps in need of conservation support, requires a prolonged and extensive monitoring effort.

"Clarifying how disease outbreaks subside will help us predict, and respond to, other emerging pathogens in plants, wildlife - and in humans, Voyles said. "These are increasingly important goals in a time when rapid globalization has increased the rate of introduction of pathogens to new host populations."

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Contributing authors on the study published in Science, "Shifts in disease dynamics in a tropical amphibian assemblage are not due to pathogen attenuation," are: Douglas C. Woodhams, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama and University of Massachusetts-Boston; Veronica Saenz, University of Pittsburgh; Allison Q. Byrne and Erica Bree Rosenblum, University of California, Berkeley; Rachel Perez, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico; Gabriela Rios-Sotelo, University of Nevada, Reno; Mason J. Ryan, University of Nevada, Reno and Arizona Department of Game and Fish, Phoenix, Arizona; Molly C. Bletz, University of Massachusetts- Boston; Florence Ann Sobell, Louise A. Rollins-Smith, Shawna McLetchie and Laura Reinert, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Roberto Ibanez, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama and Sistema Nacional de Investigacion, Panama, Panama; Julie M. Ray, La Mica Biological Station, El Cope, Panama; Edgardo J. Griffith, Fundacion Centro de Conservacion de Anfibios, El Valle, Panama; Heidi Ross, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and University of Pittsburgh.
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09 (2) Apr 08 (2) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (2) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (2) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (2) Mar 22 (1) Mar 21 (1) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (2) Mar 18 (2) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (2) Mar 14 (2) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (2) Mar 07 (1) Mar 06 (2) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (2) Mar 01 (1) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (1) Feb 25 (1) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (2) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (2) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (2) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (1) Feb 14 (1) Feb 13 (1) Feb 12 (2) Feb 11 (1) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (1) Feb 08 (1) Feb 07 (1) Feb 06 (1) Feb 05 (5) Feb 03 (1) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (1) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (5) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (3) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (4) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (5) Jan 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08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (3) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (5) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (6) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (4) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (5) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (2) Aug 07 (2) Aug 06 (2) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (2) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (2) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (6) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (4) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (2) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (2) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (3) Jun 18 (3) Jun 17 (1) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (2) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (5) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (2) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (4) May 13 (9) May 12 (4) May 11 (5) May 10 (5) May 09 (4) May 08 (3) May 07 (5) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (1) May 02 (5) May 01 (7) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (3) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (3) Apr 14 (4) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (1) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (4) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (4) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (6) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (4) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (4) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (4) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (4) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (4) Jan 25 (3) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (4) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (5) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (2) Dec 29 (2) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (2) Dec 11 (6) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (6) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (4) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (4) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (2) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (4) Nov 15 (6) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (2) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (2) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (2) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (2) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (2) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (4) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (7) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (5) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (2) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) May 18 (3) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (4) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (2) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (2) May 02 (3) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (7) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (7) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (5) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (6) Mar 18 (6) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (5) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (3) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (2) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (3) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 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Using fMRI to watch how subjects process individual experiences into memories, researchers unveil a broader role for how the hippocampus can help make connections

EUGENE, Ore. - March 29, 2018 - If your idea of a perfect dog is an abstract rendering of canine qualities extracted across many encounters in your life, you are not alone in how your brain connects memories, say University of Oregon scientists.

A long debate has existed in psychology whether concepts, such as a dog, are represented in the mind as a collection of specific dogs that people have encountered or whether individuals can abstract the key characteristics across specific examples to form a generalized idea, or prototype, of a dog.

Without knowing all the dogs someone has seen before, it may be difficult to tell whether people can recognize a new animal as a dog because they rely on a comparison to specific dogs or rather their prototype.

Knowing more about the ability to build abstract memories, the researchers said, could help educators develop new strategies for teaching concepts.

In an experiment aimed to uncover how concepts are represented in the brain, 29 participants, ages 18-28, first viewed several novel cartoon animals as examples from two different concept categories whose members were related to families called Romeo or Juliet. Researchers then used functional MRI to watch the brains of participants as they viewed new, previously unseen cartoon animals and chose which family was the best match for each.

Responses revealed that participants must have formed and relied on abstract representations - the prototypes -- of the new concepts, reported Caitlin Bowman and Dagmar Zeithamova of the UO's Department of Psychology in the March 7 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

The fMRI data allowed them to follow processing across the brain as decisions were made. They documented activity in the anterior hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex that was consistent with a retrieval of the prototype rather than specific concept examples. This finding suggests the hippocampus -- previously considered a filing system for specific memories of individual events -- has a role in conceptual memory formation.

"There have been doubts whether or not memories can be generalized, abstract representations that are more than just collections of specific items," said Zeithamova, a psychology professor who heads the Brain and Memory Lab. "There have been very few studies that have looked at the brain to try to tease this out."

Previous studies have tried but failed to find evidence for abstract concept representations in the brain, probably because of their approaches, said Bowman, a postdoctoral researcher in Zeithamova's lab.

"We found that having enough consistency, enough similarity across new experiences, contributed to building abstract thinking," Bowman said. "If you only use penguins and flamingos as examples of birds, it may be impossible to form a coherent concept of a bird."

In the project, done in the UO's Robert and Beverly Center for Neuroimaging, the researchers used artificial creatures as stimuli to examine what features subjects processed and remembered, Bowman said.

Following training, participants went through a series of trials while in the MRI scanner. New creatures were presented with a slightly differing color, shape of the body, head, feet or tail, orientation of dots on the body, neck patterns or directions the heads faced.

"We watched conceptualization in action," Bowman said. "We found that people form these abstract memories by linking across different examples. While the hippocampus has been thought to only represent individual memories, here it seems to work with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to create these abstract memories."

It may be, Zeithamova said, that the hippocampus allows people to generalize.

"You recognize a newly seen creature is a dog, because it looks like your neighbor's dog or like the one that bit you the other day," she said. "This may allow you to remember specific events but also helps you put them together."

The findings provide fundamental new knowledge about how memory works, Zeithamova said, and eventually could lead to new strategies in educational settings that help students to consolidate new information with previously learned material to build stronger cognitive maps of various topics.

"Traditionally, we've thought that there was a division of labor between memory systems that allow us to remember specific individual events versus those that allow us to generalize across multiple events," she said. "We show here that the hippocampus contributes to the generalization of concepts and works with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in real time to organize experiences according to their similarities and differences."

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The National Institutes of Health, through a grant from the National Institute on Aging to Bowman, funded the research together with funding from the Lewis Family Endowment, which supports the Lewis Neuroimaging Center.

Sources: Dagmar "Dasa" Zeithamova, assistant professor of psychology, 541-346-6731, dasa@uoregon.edu, and Caitlin Bowman, postdoctoral researcher in the Brain and Memory Lab, cbowman@uoregon.edu

Note: The UO is equipped with an on-campus television studio with a point-of-origin Vyvx connection, which provides broadcast-quality video to networks worldwide via fiber optic network. There also is video access to satellite uplink and audio access to an ISDN codec for broadcast-quality radio interviews.

Links:

The study: http://www.jneurosci.org/content/38/10/2605

About Dasa Zeithamova: https://psychology.uoregon.edu/profile/zeithamova/

Brain and Memory Lab: https://cognem.uoregon.edu/

Department of Psychology: https://psychology.uoregon.edu

Lewis Center for Neuroimaging: https://lcni.uoregon.edu/
PITTSBURGH, March 29, 2018 - In response to repeated calls for an integrated and coordinated emergency and trauma care system in the U.S., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists and UPMC physicians rose to the challenge and divided the nation into hundreds of referral regions that describe how patients access advanced care, in a way that respects geopolitical borders.

The Pittsburgh Atlas, published today in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, creates the framework that will allow states and groups of counties to implement quality improvement programs accountable to regional performance measures instituted by state and local governments.

"Recent proposed changes to health care could shift more responsibility to the state level with regard to who is insured or what services are offered," said lead author David J. Wallace, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in Pitt's Department of Critical Care Medicine. "A set of regions that maintain state lines is essential in that circumstance."

More than a decade ago, a National Academy of Medicine report endorsed coordinated, regional, accountable systems as an approach to improve health care for severe acute conditions requiring trauma and emergency services. In 2013, the National Quality Forum highlighted the importance of region-level performance measures that promote timely, high-quality care.

The Pittsburgh Atlas was partially inspired by the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, a set of geographic regions based on Medicare and Medicaid hospital discharge claims that was created more than 20 years ago, and is used for epidemiological studies that compare the cost, quality and consumption of health care in different parts of the country. However, the Dartmouth Atlas doesn't respect state or county boundaries - resulting in a set of regions that do not promote coordination or accountability.

Wallace and his team built the Pittsburgh Atlas by looking at nearly 731,000 Medicare patients who sought care for a heart attack, stroke or moderate to severe trauma in 2011. Referral regions were created by combining patient home counties to hospital counties, allowing multiple patient home counties to join to the same hospital county. For example, the region containing Pittsburgh (dubbed "57") consists of 22 counties stretching up the western side of Pennsylvania. It's one of 16 referral regions in the state.

The research team determined six different ways to divide the U.S. into emergency care referral regions. After examining each result, they came away with the one that keeps the vast majority of patients closest to home and named it the "Pittsburgh Atlas." It's comprised of 326 referral regions.

"We were surprised at how well our regions performed in terms of keeping patients close to home - they did as well as those in the Dartmouth Atlas," said Wallace, who also is a member of Pitt's Clinical Research Investigation and Systems Modeling of Acute Illness (CRISMA) Center. "We truly expected there would be a greater trade-off since the Pittsburgh Atlas faced the additional geopolitical boundary constraints."

Wallace acknowledged the Pittsburgh Atlas may not be representative for all patients. Although it was built using the largest collective source of hospitalizations for heart attack, stroke and major trauma in the U.S., it is primarily limited to patients 65 years old and older with data from 2011. Referral patterns may have changed with population changes and hospital openings and closings - meaning the Pittsburgh Atlas would need periodic updates.

Wallace and his team have made the data files for the Pittsburgh Atlas available so others can use it for projects that evaluate regional care delivery and seek to improve quality.

"This project gives researchers, policymakers, hospital systems and public health agencies a way to move beyond simply comparing apples to apples, and into thinking about orchards," Wallace said.

###

Jeremy M. Kahn, M.D., M.Sc., of Pitt, is senior author on this research. Co-authors are Deepika Mohan, M.D., Derek C. Angus, M.D., M.P.H., Julia Driessen, Ph.D., Christopher Seymour, M.D., M.Sc., Donald M. Yealy, M.D., and Mark M. Roberts, M.D., M.P.P., all of Pitt; and Kristen S. Kurland, B.A., of Carnegie Mellon University.

This research was funded by National Institutes of Health grants K08HL122478, R35GM119519, DP2 LM012339 and K24HL133444.

Contact: Allison Hydzik

Office: 412-647-9975

Mobile: 412-559-2431

E-mail: HydzikAM@upmc.edu

Contact: Rick Pietzak

Office: 412-523-6922

Mobile: 412-523-6922

E-mail: PietzakR@upmc.edu

About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.

Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu.

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To recruit more fishers to help with marine conservation, cast a wider net.

This is the conclusion of a new study by Virginia Tech researchers who examined participation in a payment for ecosystem services program. The study modeled preferences of fishers in Chile in creating and monitoring marine protected areas inside their fishing management zones.

Lead author Michael Sorice, an associate professor of conservation social science in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and his colleagues found that more fishers voted in favor of adopting the program when it was designed to incorporate their preferences and when they had a reasonable expectation of good outcomes for the fishery.

"We call this approach where participants' needs are given the same weight as the resource's needs during the design phase of the program, 'human-centered design,'" said Sorice, who is also affiliated with the university's Global Change Center, an arm of the Fralin Life Science Institute. "It can help minimize costs by building programs that are seen as desirable at the outset."

The findings, published in PLOS ONE on March 9, question previous assumptions in the field that the payments themselves are the most effective motivator of participation.

"Similar to the way consumers make purchasing decisions, voluntary conservation programs are value propositions," said Josh Donlan, founder and director of Advanced Conservation Strategies and co-author on the study. "While payments are important, fishers also consider other costs and benefits they expect to occur and then decide whether their overall wellbeing would be improved."

The human-centered design approach works by attracting fishers who may be otherwise uncertain or unenthusiastic about the payment program. Their study found that desirable programs were better able to attract fishers who thought the program was a good idea, but who might have low trust that the conditions exist to make it happen. They also found that fishers who were not sure it is a great idea were more willing to participate based on program adjustments like shorter enrollment periods.

Kevin Boyle, co-author and a professor of agricultural and applied economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, said that these results indicate that small program design changes that reduce fisher uncertainty are keys to successfully casting the wider net.

The team surveyed a total of 168 fishers across 12 fishing associations in central Chile, all of which have functioning territorial user rights (TURFS) assigned by the Chilean government. The TURF-reserve program was described to respondents as a marine biodiversity conservation program in which businesses, organizations, and agencies interested in protecting marine biodiversity, either for philanthropic purposes or to offset environmental impacts elsewhere, would provide the fishing association with an annual cash payment to set aside 15 hectares of their fishing territory as a no-take protected area.

Fishers were informed that an independent nonprofit organization would be created to administer the program, and that, while the fishing association would actually receive the cash payment, each member would receive a portion.

"For a lot of these fishers, fishing is more than money, it's a way of life. Programs that provide a better fit to their way of life will be more likely to be successful and grow," said Stefan Gelcich, a co-author on the study and professor of natural resource management at the Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile.

###
requiring extensive and costly treatment after they return to the United States, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The costs of treating complications due to medical tourism often fall on the patient's public health insurance coverage, according to the report by ASPS Member Surgeon Dennis Orgill, MD, PhD, and colleagues of Brigham and Women's Hospital-Harvard Medical School. Added to previous reports, their experience suggests that complications resulting from plastic surgery procedures performed in other countries poses "a substantial public health problem in the US."

Complications from Medical Tourism - Plastic Surgeons Share Their Experience

The researchers analyzed their department's experience in treating patients with complications related to plastic surgery in a developing country. From 2010 to 2017, the department treated a total of 78 such patients. Almost all were women; the average age was 53 years. The most common plastic surgery procedures were abdominoplasty ("tummy tuck") and breast augmentation.

The most common complications were pain, surgical site infections, and wound healing problems. Twelve patients required hospitalization. Others required long-term wound care or repeated visits to treat infections or wound-related issues.

Three patients still had surgical drains in place, which they were instructed to remove themselves when ready. Three patients had hernias following abdominoplasty. Four patients had received breast implants that they did not consent to, including one patient who was unaware that she had breast implants. Other patients had more typical complications, such as contracture (hardening) of the tissues around breast implants, implant rupture, scarring problems, and dissatisfaction with cosmetic results.

Fifty-nine percent of the patients traveled to the Dominican Republic to have their plastic surgery. That reflects the high Dominican population of Boston; most patients who traveled to the Dominican Republic reported their ethnicity as Dominican. The researchers write: "Many think of medical tourism as wealthy patients traveling to receive care at higher quality medical institutions abroad, whereas we see a group who return to their home countries to undergo elective plastic surgery procedures at a lower price."

On assessment of financial coverage, 62 percent of patients were insured under the Massachusetts Medicaid program and another 10 percent by Medicare. Dr. Orgill comments, "Cosmetic surgery done in developing countries can carry substantial risks of complications, causing a burden on patients, surgeons, and the US healthcare system."

The authors point out some limitations of their relatively small single-center study, including the fact that it included only patients who saw a doctor in the plastic surgery department.

"We hope that this study will bring attention to this emerging issue and encourage others to report any results related to medical tourism treatment and patterns," Dr. Orgill and coauthors conclude. "We hope that the global plastic surgery community will promote better solutions to these complex issues."

###

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Click here to read "Plastic Surgery Complications from Medical Tourism Treated in a U.S. Academic Medical Center."

DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000004214

About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

For more than 70 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (http://www.prsjournal.com/) has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.

About ASPS

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the health, tax & accounting, finance, risk & compliance, and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer, headquartered in the Netherlands, reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The company serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide.

Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students with advanced clinical decision support, learning and research and clinical intelligence. For more information about our solutions, visit http://healthclarity.wolterskluwer.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth.
A sub-sea gas pipeline linking Finland and Estonia moved closer to reality on Thursday as the two EU members signed a construction deal on the project intended to ease the region's dependence on Russian gas.

Estonias electricity and gas system operator Elering and Finnish state company Baltic Connector OY contracted the Swiss-based Allseas Group S.A. to build the sub-sea section of Balticconnector pipeline, Elering said in a statement.

Planned to be in use by 2020, the pipeline is meant to link Finland to the EUs common energy market while also reducing its dependence on gas imports from powerful neighbour Russia, currently its only gas supplier.

The overall cost of the project is around 300 million euros ($370 million), with 206 million euros provided by the European Union.

The Baltic states heavy dependence on Russian gas was partly reduced in January 2015, when Lithuania broke the Russian monopoly on gas deliveries by launching its first floating LNG terminal in the port of Klaipeda.

Russias 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean peninsula prompted the EU to speed up its plans to cut dependence on Russian gas.

But the goal is undermined by German plans for a second pipeline, Nord Stream 2, to carry more Russian gas to Central Europe under the Baltic Sea.

Preliminary work on the Balticconnector is to start this summer and the pipeline will be laid down on the seabed in the summer of 2019.

The submarine section of the two-way pipeline running through the Gulf of Finland will be 77 kilometres long (48 miles).

The project also includes building two onshore pipelines  in Estonia and Finland  and a compression and metering station in each country.
Royal Dutch Shell has filed a criminal complaint against a former employee it suspects of stashing kickbacks from the sale of a Nigerian oil field in Swiss bank accounts.

The energy company is already being investigated over another deal there.

+ Read why the Swiss attorney general blocked three bank accounts earlier this month

In this new case, opened with the Dutch authorities and announced on Wednesday, Shell points the finger at its former head of commercial operations in sub-Saharan Africa.

We suspect a crime may have been committed by our former employee, Peter Robinson, against Shell in relation to the sale process for Oil Mining Lease (OML) 42 in Nigeria in 2011, said the Anglo-Dutch group in a statement. We were stunned and disappointed when we learned about this issue.

According to Reuters, Nigerian company Neconde Energy Ltd bought OML 42 for $390 million (CHF373 million). Neconde has denied the allegations of bribing Robinson to secure the purchase.

In an unrelated bribery case, Shell, Robinson, and three other former Shell employees are scheduled to go on trial in Milan in May in connection with Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245. Shell is the largest international oil producer in Nigeria.

It was during the investigations for that case that Australian authorities raided Robinsons house in Perth and discovered links to a Seychelles company and two Swiss bank accounts unknown to Shell, reported the Financial Times on Wednesday.

A lawyer representing Robinson said in a statement he denied any allegations of misconduct.

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland confirmed on Wednesday that Swiss federal prosecutors had supplied information to authorities in Italy and the Netherlands probing alleged corruption related to oil contracts in Nigeria.













Reuters/Financial Times/swissinfo.ch/sm






After British voters decision on June 23, 2016, to leave the European Union, many Eurosceptics say post-Brexit negotiations should be based on Switzerlands bilateral treaties with Brussels. Rubbish, reply opponents, pointing to the conditions Switzerland faces for Single Market access and its absence at the decision-making table.

I want to create a Britzerland, Boris Johnson, Londons mayor and leading anti-EU campaigner, told the right-leaning Swiss news magazine Weltwoche in December 2012.

His vision was for Britain and Switzerland to be founding members of a new alliance  outside the European Union which would enjoy free trade with the eurozone and have a say in negotiating the conditions of this trade arrangement but which wouldnt have to sign up to any of Brussels plans for further integration.

Since then, many other supporters of Brexit  British exit from the EU  have become convinced that the Swiss model offers a bright future in which countries outside the EU thrive, sign free trade agreements with whomever they want and have control of their borders.

Swiss show the way if we exit EU, declared The Sun, an anti-EU British tabloid, in November 2014.

Single Market access

So can the Brits have their cake and eat it, like some Eurosceptics think the Swiss do? Would the Swiss model suit Britain?

No, the Swiss model wouldnt suit Britain for a couple of reasons, says Hugo Dixon, chairman and editor-in-chief of InFacts, a journalistic enterprise making a facts-based case for Britain to stay in the EU.

First, as with Switzerland, Britains most important industry is financial services. By being part of the EU, Britain has a passport that allows it to offer financial services across the entire EU without having to relocate its activities to France, Germany, Italy and so on. Switzerland does not have such a passport for financial services. Even though it has wanted one, the EU has not given it one, he told swissinfo.ch.

Partly as a result of that, the big Swiss investment banks actually run their investment banking operations out of London. If Britain had a Swiss deal, we would have to shift some of our financial services activities out of Britain either to the Continent or to places like Ireland.

Since almost half of British exports head to the rest of the European Union, the key question in any post-Brexit negotiations will be access to the European Single Market. But is Switzerland the answer?

Around 55% of Swiss exports head to the EU (6% of EU exports go to Switzerland), but the Swiss government has itself admitted that the existing barriers to market access place Switzerland at an economic disadvantage.

With no legal certainty on EU market access, the cross-border activities of Swiss banks are in a (legally) grey area, i.e. Swiss financial intermediaries can only expand their EU business by way of subsidiaries in the EU, which means that Switzerland loses out in terms of jobs, value creation and tax receipts. This also makes it difficult to obtain economies of scale and thus a more cost-effective handling of financial services, it said in 2009.

Moreover, financial intermediaries incur substantial extra costs when they have to use subsidiaries. Finally, there are also restrictions with respect to the selling of products. Even the foreign branches of Swiss institutions are affected by this and are restricted in sales and distribution of financial products developed in Switzerland.

Free movement of people

The other main issue for Brexit supporters is immigration. Many want to put an end to the free movement of people  one of the fundamental tenets of the EU  and not be told by Brussels who they can and cant let into the country (although Britain can already refuse entry to EU citizens for reasons of public security).

The catch, as Dixon points out, is that it is practically impossible to get full access to the Single Market without agreeing to the free movement of people  and partly because of this, many Eurosceptics in Britain are saying they no longer want to copy Switzerland.

The Swiss have to accept free movement of people between Switzerland and the EU, so that wouldnt suit what the Eurosceptics in Britain want, he said.

But what exactly do Eurosceptics want? The Remain camp has highlighted the lack of details given by their opponents on life after leaving the EU. On April 20, Michael Gove, the pro-Brexit justice secretary and a leader of the official Vote Leave campaign, said Britain would join countries like Bosnia, Serbia, Albania and Ukraine in a European free trade zone.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, told swissinfo.ch he thought Britain would have a bespoke model of our own.

But we think the Swiss deal is better than the Norwegian deal  they really do have to accept the directives and regulations coming from Brussels to have access to the Single Market. Wed much rather have a deal more like the Swiss one, done on a bilateral basis, but I think it will be a unique deal to the UK, he said at a debate in Geneva organised by the British Swiss Chamber of Commerce.

EU reluctance

Berns already strained relationship with Brussels was tested even more in February 2014 when 50.3% of Swiss voters backed curbs on EU immigration. The Swiss government is still trying to work out how to implement that without violating free movement.

Whats more, all this assumes that if Britain pushedfor a Swiss-style deal, the EU would play ball. Switzerland is already a minor headache for the EU and it seems unlikely Brussels would be keen to create similar problems with Britain.

Brussels has pretty much made clear that they dont like the Swiss deal and in fact want to change it. So I think there would be great reluctance to do a repeat Swiss deal on the side of the EU, Dixon said.

The other thing is that there will also be great reluctance on the part of the EU to make Britains divorce a velvet one. They will be very scared that if its too easy for Britain to leave and Britain gets too good a deal from leaving, then other countries will say well Im going to have what I like  I dont like this bit of the EU and I dont like that bit of the EU and the whole thing will just unravel.

Complex bilaterals

Former Swiss interior minister Pascal Couchepin agrees, pointing out in March that in fact, Switzerland does not have a deal, it has around 120 bilateral agreements with the EU.

Explaining why the Swiss model would be a poor choice for post-Brexit Britain, Couchepin said the Swiss negotiations took many years to complete  more than the two years Britain would have to renegotiate its relationship with the EU, according to Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Given the complexity of the Swiss bilateral agreements, it isnt clear that EU member states would be willing to replicate this structure with another country, he said. Especially a country that had just voted to leave, something Switzerland has never done.

In recent years, Switzerland has paid to help to integrate new members into the EU. We have also accepted EU standards on exported goods. However, we have no control over these regulations and, unlike the European Economic Area countries, we have only limited access to the crucial meetings during which working parties design legislation. If the UK were to opt for this position, it would undoubtedly reduce Britains influence within the trading bloc, Couchepin warned.

Free trade agreements

Undeterred, British Eurosceptics also look wistfully at Switzerlands free trade agreement with China.

Its true that we would be free on our own to negotiate trade deals, but that would be a bad idea because if were on our own, were going to be less likely to get a good deal than if were negotiating as part of a bloc with 500 million people and the largest economy in the world, Dixon said.

Take China. The Swiss deal with China was a very unbalanced deal that involved the Swiss opening their market to Chinese goods pretty much immediately and the Chinese only opening their market to Swiss products gradually, phased over many years.

Britain, like Switzerland, would also have to contribute to the EU budget.

So you cant really have your cake and eat it, Dixon concludes. If we want to have full access, frankly were much better staying in the EU where we are the rule maker rather than the rule taker. If we really dont want to have free movement of people and we dont want to pay into the budget, then were going to have to accept that we wont have full access to the market. And that will be bad for jobs and bad for prosperity.

Britain in Europe March 25, 1957:The Treaty of Rome is signed by (West) Germany, France, Italy and the Benelux countries, creating the European Economic Community (EEC). Britain refuses to join and proposes the foundation of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Austria and Portugal. 1961:The British government, realising it has backed the wrong horse as economic growth in the EEC rockets, requests the beginning of negotiations on accession to the EEC. But 1963 and 1967: French President Charles de Gaulle vetoes British attempts to join the EEC. 1970: After De Gaulle leaves office, negotiations for British entry begin under pro-European Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath. January 1, 1973: Britain enters the EEC under Heath, along with Ireland and Denmark. October 1974: Labour wins a general election under Harold Wilson. A manifesto promise had been a referendum on staying in the EEC. June 5, 1975:In a referendum two-thirds of voters decide to stay in the EEC. All national newspapers  and future Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher  had supported staying in. January 2013:In an attempt to unify his party, Prime Minister David Cameron announces there will be a referendum on EU membership if the Conservatives win the 2015 general election (which they do). June 23, 2016: 51.9% of British voters decide toleave theEU. March 29, 2017: The British government triggers Article 50of the EUs Lisbon Treaty, the formal start of the two-year process by which Britain will leave the European Union. Barring unexpected developments,Britain will leave the EU on March 29, 2019.













swissinfo.ch






French company Total has won three blocks in Mexico's last auction of oil and gas areas before the country holds presidential elections in July.

The three blocks are located in the Gulf of Mexico  two of them were awarded in partnership with state oil company Pemex and another with Britains BP and Pan American.

This completes our positions in the deep and shallow waters of the Perdido and Salinas basins and strengthens Totals presence in Mexico with seven blocks, three as operator, a spokesman for the company said Wednesday.

Total, which has sold lubricants in Mexico since 1982, in January opened the first of 250 gas stations planned for the country, joining BP and other oil giants in a fight for the recently opened fuel market.

In Tuesdays auction, 16 of 35 oil fields were awarded, whose development is expected to generate $8.262 billion, according to the Mexican government.

Others winners besides Total included Anglo-Dutch oil company Shell, Spains Repsol and Italys ENI.

In 2013, Mexico approved a constitutional reform that for the first time in more than seven decades ended Pemexs monopoly on the countrys energy sector, which encompassed everything from exploration and production to refining and sales.

The next auction will be held weeks after the July 1 presidential election, in which leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who opposes opening the industry to outsiders, has a lead in opinion polls.
France on Thursday accused Iran of supplying weapons to Huthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

There is a problem in Yemen, it is that the political process has not begun, that Saudi Arabia feels regularly attacked by the Huthis, who are themselves supplied with arms by Iran, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio.

Iran has repeatedly denied arming the Huthis in Yemen, despite claims by the United States and Saudi Arabia that the evidence of an arms connection is irrefutable.

The Saudi-led coalition on Monday threatened retaliation against arch-foe Iran, accusing it of being behind a barrage of Yemeni rebel missile attacks on the kingdom.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned in the strongest possible terms the missile attacks launched by the Huthis on Saudi Arabia, saying they posed a threat to regional security.

Saudi forces on Sunday intercepted seven missiles fired by the Huthi rebels toward cities in Saudi Arabia, including the capital Riyadh, killing one person.

The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to push back the Huthis who captured the capital Sanaa and forced the government into exile.

vl/lv/wdb/hkb
The fate of Syria's Idlib will depend on Turkey's ability to keep a lid on the jihadist-dominated tinderbox and prevent an explosive Russian-backed government offensive on its doorstep, analysts say.

Largely outside government control since 2015, the northwestern province is home to some 2.5 million people, including many rebels from other areas who were evacuated there after being defeated by government forces.

President Bashar al-Assads fiercest foes are being gathered in Idlib, and there would be great temptation for Russia to green light a regime offensive on the province, Syria expert Nicholas Heras said.

But Turkey needs Idlib to serve as a buffer against the war, said Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

The war in Syria has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced more than half the population from their homes, including more than three million to neighbouring Turkey.

Already overwhelmed, Ankara is determined to prevent more Syrians from crossing into its territory and even says it wants to create conditions for mass refugee returns.

Turkey needs Idlib to serve as a buffer against the war. If Assad tried to seize Idlib, at a bare minimum hundreds of thousands of people would be displaced, and they would have few places to run to, Heras said.

The incentive is clear for Turkey to prevent the chaos that would result from a regime assault but to do so it will have to rein in powerful jihadists in the province.

 Jihadists dominant 

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group led by Al-Qaedas former Syrian affiliate, has faced military setbacks in Idlib in recent months.

But unless Ankara decides otherwise, analysts say, the group will probably retain influence in the province where a myriad of jihadist and other rebels have vied for power since 2015.

Since the start of the year, HTS has lost dozens of areas to a government offensive in the southeast of the province.

In the meantime, former allies Ahrar al-Sham and Nureddine al-Zinki banded together against HTS to form the Turkey-backed Syria Liberation Front.

The new group a few weeks ago launched an assault against the jihadist alliances positions, taking back several areas including the towns of Ariha and Maaret al-Numan.

Syria analyst Haid Haid says recent territorial losses have dented HTSs standing.

They have broken its military aura as a power that cannot be vanquished, which had helped it scare off the other factions, said the research fellow at Kings College London.

But even as HTS control of Idlib has dwindled to around 60 percent of the province, it has retained control other key sources of political and economic power.

Sam Heller, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, said HTS still holds key assets in the province.

 Putin-Erdogan contest 

It lost areas in the southern countryside of Idlib but it retained the Bab al-Hawa border crossing (with Turkey) and control over the provincial capital Idlib city, he said.

A civilian body that acts in the jihadist-led groups interests levies taxes from shopkeepers, and has tried to impose its will on local councils in the province.

Heras said HTS retains a social organising power that effectively makes it a first among equals in the opposition governance.

Unless Turkey wills it and devotes the military resources to combat Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the other armed opposition groups in Idlib will not win, he said.

Since January, Turkish troops have deployed to three observation posts in Idlib province to monitor a so-called de-escalation zone agreed in September by Turkey, Russia and Iran.

The de-escalation is essentially a dead letter and while Russia has no forces on the ground in Idlib, its fighter jets have struck targets in support of regime forces, as they have elsewhere in Syria.

The province, with its explosive cocktail of competing armed groups, is about to become the latest scene of the face-off between the two most powerful brokers in the Syrian conflict.

Idlib is a contest between Russia and Turkey, said Heras, who argued the deciding factor would be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erogans determination to stare down his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Heller agreed that Idlibs fate would likely be determined by the international powers involved in Syrias conflict.

The provinces fate will depend on what Turkish-Russian agreements are made behind the scenes, he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thurday warned of a return to Cold War-like tensions between the United States and Russia following the West's mass expulsions of Russian diplomats.

I think we are coming to a situation that is similar, to a large extent, to what we lived during the Cold War, Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

The United States, European nations and NATO countries have announced the expulsion of over 150 Russian diplomats in retaliation for the poisoning of a former spy in England.

Russia on Thursday announced it would expel 60 US diplomats and close a consulate in a tit-for-tat move.

Guterres said he was very concerned about the lack of mechanisms to defuse tensions, such as special channels for information-sharing between Washington and Moscow, which were dismantled with the end of the Cold War.

I do believe its time for precautions of this sort, guaranteeing effective communication, guaranteeing capacity to prevent escalation, he said.

President Donald Trump ordered the departure of 48 Russian diplomats serving in missions in the United States and 12 from the Russian mission to the United Nations, the largest US expulsion of Russian or Soviet agents ever.

Former US president Barack Obama expelled 35 in late 2016 over alleged election meddling.

Relations between the United States and Russia at the UN Security Council have soured over Syria although Moscow has backed Washingtons push for sanctions on North Korea.
A Belgian court on Thursday sentenced an Islamic State extremist linked to the British militant nicknamed "Jihadi John" to 30 years in jail in absentia over filmed executions in Syria.

Arben Imishti, from the northern port city of Antwerp, left for Syria in 2014 and was identified by Belgian intelligence services in a video of the decapitation of Syrian soldiers, Belga news agency reported.

He appeared unmasked in the video alongside Mohammed Emwazi, the Kuwaiti-British militant who became notorious for a series of executions in 2014-2015.

The black-clad Emwazi, who was dubbed Jihadi John by the British media, was killed in a 2015 coalition drone strike in the Syrian town of Raqa.

The court in the town of Mechelen convicted Imishti in his absence of terrorist murder, and in addition to the jail sentence deprived him of his rights and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Imishtis family say he is dead, citing a message from an IS leader, but Belgian prosecutors have raised doubts.

This would not be the first time that someone has been declared dead in Syria, only for them to return secretly to Belgium and escape justice, the federal prosecutor said during the trial earlier this month.

We have not received any death certificate.

Belgium has one of the highest numbers of people who have joined IS in Iraq and Syria of any country in Europe, and has sentenced other people over similar crimes in Syria.

In 2017 Hakim Elouassaki, a former member of the now-dissolved Sharia4Belgium group, was sentenced to 28 years in jail for having killed a hostage in Syria after the hostages brother could not come up with a full ransom.

Elouassaki bragged about the killing on the phone to his girlfriend in Belgium, unaware that the line had been tapped by Belgian authorities.

He was present for the sentencing after having been arrested in 2013 after returning from Syria.

The conviction of Imishti came as a Belgian court announced that it would deliver its verdict on April 23 on Salah Abdeslam, the last surviving suspect in the 2015 Paris attacks that were claimed by IS.

Abdeslam is on trial over a shootout in Brussels that led to his capture in March 2016, an incident that investigators believe inspired the attackers from the Paris cell to carry out suicide bombings in the Belgian capital days later.
Shareholders in British engineering group GKN, a historic company that made Spitfires and tanks during World War II, on Thursday accepted an 8.1 billion (9.2 billion euros, $11.4 billion) takeover offer from investment firm Melrose.

Melrose said it had received majority support from GKN shareholders for its final offer following a hostile takeover battle that has lasted for over two months and ignited a political debate over the tactics used by the turnaround specialist.

We are delighted and grateful to have received support from GKN shareholders for our plan to create a UK industrial powerhouse, Melrose chairman Christopher Miller said in a statement.

We are looking forward to working with GKNs talented workforce and to delivering for customers and all stakeholders Let me assure you that GKN is entering into very good hands, he said.

Business Secretary Greg Clark has come under pressure to intervene in the deal amid concern expressed by MPs over asset stripping that could harm national security given GKNs defence industry role.

Clark has called for binding agreements over Melroses proposal for the future of GKN.

GKNs management said that Melroses offer undervalued the firm but conceded defeat.

The board now recommends that, in the event that the offer is declared wholly unconditional by Melrose, shareholders accept the offer, as the GKN directors intend to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings, it said in a statement.

Melrose has already committed to keep GKN listed in London and headquartered in Britain as part of a five-year pledge.

 Bleak day 

Politicians where GKNs Midlands headquarters is located demanded to know Melroses plans.

Im asking the new owners for an early meeting to ensure their commitments to the West Midlands are honoured, said Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands.

That means protecting current jobs, pensions and future investment in research and development. This will ensure GKN continues to be a long-term success story in the region.

Jack Dromey, a Labour MP in nearby Birmingham, called it a bleak day for British industry.

The takeover by Melrose makes a mockery of any talk by government of an industrial strategy, he said.

Britains takeover rules are in desperate need of reform. We have seen a jewel in the crown of British industry sold off because its shares were bought up by hedge funds.

GKN was instrumental in defence manufacturing during the First and Second World Wars and makes wing tips for planes made by European giant Airbus.

Union boss Steve Turner said he will be holding Melroses feet to the fire in seeking guarantees on job security and investment.

The takeover is far from a done deal though, he warned.

With the UK defence secretary Gavin Williamson having expressed concern over the takeovers impact on UK defence interests, we continue to urge business secretary Greg Clark to use his powers under the Enterprise Act and call it in on national defence grounds, he added.

GKN shares shot up over 9 percent in late afternoon trading.
Russia on Saturday demanded that Britain further reduce its diplomatic staff in Moscow, the latest move in an escalating tit-for-tat dispute following the poisoning of a former Russian spy on British soil.

Russia had already kicked out 23 British envoys and closed a British consulate in response to the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats by Britain, which accuses Moscow of poisoning former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury on March 4.

On Saturday, Moscow indicated as many as 50 more British diplomatic staff would be kicked out for the sake of parity.

The United States, EU members, NATO and other nations have expelled over 150 Russian diplomats in a coordinated action against Moscow in support of Britain, and Russia has retaliated with similar moves.

Here is a list updated to Saturday of the countries involved and the number of envoys already expelled or put on notice to leave.

 US 

The United States: Expelled 60 alleged spies posted around the country and at the Russian mission to the United Nations in what a senior US official said was the biggest such move in US history.

About 50 men, women and children left the hilltop Russian embassy in Washington on Saturday, with more to follow.

Washington also closed the Russian consulate in Seattle over alleged spying at the nearby Kitsap submarine base and Boeing facilities.

The retaliation against Moscow was taken in response to Russias use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

 NATO 

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was expelling seven Russian diplomats and denying accreditation to three more, all Belgium-based, an informed source told AFP.

This will send a clear message to Russia that there are costs and consequences for their unacceptable pattern of behaviour, Stoltenberg said.

 European Union 

Eighteen EU nations have joined Britain in deciding to expel Russian diplomats following a European Council decision to react to Moscow within a common framework.

Additional measures including further expulsions are not to be excluded in the coming days and weeks, EU President Donald Tusk said.

France, Germany and Poland led the way among Britains EU allies as each expelled four diplomats. The Czech Republic and Lithuania booted out three, The Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Spain two each and Belgium, Croatia Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Romania and Sweden expelled one.

Other EU members Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia have recalled their ambassadors for consultations but by Saturday afternoon none of the six had expelled any Russians.

 Outside EU, other Western nations 

Ukraine has expelled 13 diplomats and President Petro Poroshenko called for even more action to be taken.

The next step is to increase the price that Moscow has to pay for its international crimes, including the strengthening of personal, financial and economic sanctions, he said.

Canada ousted four diplomats, calling the nerve agent attack a despicable, heinous and reckless act while Australia has ordered two Russian diplomats to leave.

Moldova kicked out three diplomats, Albania two and Macedonia, Montenegro and Norway one apiece.

 Russian retaliation 

On Saturday March 17 Russia said it was expelling British diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to actions by London.

A foreign ministry statement said: Twenty three diplomatic staff at the British embassy in Moscow are declared persona non grata and to be expelled within a week.

It said this was a response to Britains provocative actions and baseless accusations over the Salisbury incident. Moscow also said it would halt the activities of the British Council in Russia.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would expel 60 US diplomats and close its consulate in Saint Petersburg.

He accused London of forcing everyone to follow an anti-Russian course.

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US exchange giant CME Group has agreed to buy British operator NEX for about 3.9 billion in a deal aimed at cost-cutting and diversifying their businesses, it said Thursday.

The cash-and-shares takeover offer, worth $5.4 billion or 4.4 billion euros, valued each NEX share at 10, Chicago-based CME announced in a statement.

NEX will shift headquarters to Chicago, but the combined company will keep its European headquarters in London in a Brexit boost to Britains financial services sector.

The boards of CME and NEX are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended acquisition, the pair said in a statement issued in London.

CME Group, which owns the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade and the New York Mercantile Exchange, added that there was a compelling strategic and financial rationale for the deal.

At a time when market participants are seeking ways to lower trading costs and manage risk more effectively, the acquisition will allow us to create significant value and efficiencies for our clients globally, added CME chairman and chief executive officer Terry Duffy.

As one organisation, we will be able to employ the complementary strengths of each company, while diversifying our combined businesses across futures, cash and OTC (over-the-counter) products and post-trade services.

NEX chief executive Michael Spencer added the move to maintain CMEs European base in London was a tremendous boost to the sector, which continues to face uncertainty before Britains departure from the European Union in one years time.

CMEs decision to choose London as its European headquarters is also a signal of tremendous support for Britains financial services sector, Spencer said.

He added: The combination of NEX and CME will be an industry-changing transaction.

Bringing together cash and futures products and OTC services will be unique, offering clients improved access to trading, greater financial efficiencies and highly valuable data sets.

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Thursday, March 29, 2018

The objective of the Death Cafe is To increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives. Its all about an interesting, unstructured conversation  open and free-flowing with no specific agenda.

The Death Cafe concept was started in the United Kingdom by Jon Underwood. He was influenced by the ideas of Swiss sociologist Bernard Crettaz, who started holding Cafe Mortel events in France and Switzerland. At these events, people come together in a relaxed, confidential and safe setting to discuss death, drink tea (or your favorite beverage) and eat delicious cake or cookies.

The next Albuquerque Death Cafe will be held Sunday, April 29, 2018, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This event will take place in the Hobby Room at Manzano del Sol Village, 5201 Roma NE, Albuquerque. It is located just south of Lomas Blvd. and just west of San Mateo Blvd.

Refreshments will be provided. The event is free and donations are welcome. Send a note to Gail [at] AGoodGoodbye.com to RSVP and get directions if you need them.

Albuquerque was the site of the second Death Cafe to be held in the United States. Gail Rubin hosted this pioneering event in September of 2012. More than 6,000 Death Cafes have been held in 55 countries since 2011.

Join the Albuquerque Death Cafe Meetup group to be kept apprised of upcoming events. Click here to go to the Meetup page.

Learn more about the worldwide Death Cafe movement at this page on AGoodGoodbye or visit DeathCafe.com.

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Having opened several new specialized schools to students all over Bexar County, the San Antonio Independent School District was supposed to stabilize its declining enrollment this year and maybe even grow a little.

Instead, according to Superintendent Pedro Martinez, the district saw its largest-ever drop in enrollment and predicts another decline next year, and the resulting reductions in attendance-based state revenue is driving a $31 million budget shortfall over two years.

What we dont know is if this is a structural shift or something thats a one-year blip, Martinez said at a board meeting Monday.

The district counted 50,695 students in October, almost 1,800 fewer than last school year and more than 2,100 fewer than the district provided for in this years budget.

SAISD officials now predict enrollment will drop by almost 900 more students next school year, dipping below 50,000. That would cause a $44 million decline in state funding over two years, compared to the amount SAISD expected this school year. An estimated 6 percent increase in property values next year will partly make up for the decrease, said Larry Garza, associate superintendent of finance.

Students continue to leave the district for charter schools, but Martinez said that alone doesnt seem to account for the enrollment plunge. Some families might be following subdivision growth up the Interstate 35 corridor toward San Marcos, Martinez said.

Enrollment is declining at a majority of SAISD campuses, he said.

Trustees plan to discuss possible solutions to the budget quandary every month until June, when they will adopt a budget for next school year. They agreed to be guided by a set of principles Garza presented, including right-sizing the number of positions at campuses and the central office to align with enrollment.

Some reductions can be handled through attrition, said Toni Thompson, associate superintendent of human resources. SAISD typically hires 500 new teachers by the start of the school year, but Thompson said it would be hard to predict turnover until June or July, when the majority of teacher resignations occur. Teachers might be reassigned to other campuses based on enrollment patterns, something Thompson said student mobility has caused in the past.

The district will look at savings outside the classroom through methods such as restructuring bus routes and improving energy efficiency, Garza said.

Administrators and trustees stressed that they did not want cuts to impact the promises made to voters who two years ago approved a property tax increase of 13 cents per $100. The new tax revenue was to pay for stipends for high-performing teachers, enhanced summer and after-school programming, classroom technology, fine arts, career and technical education, Reserve Officers Training Corps programs and other extracurricular activities.

District leaders said they did not want to touch academic programs such as International Baccalaureate, gifted and talented and innovative school models  except to expand them. The district will not scale back dual language, dual credit, Advanced Placement or opportunities for teachers to earn masters degrees, administrators said.

Seeing this enrollment decline just confirms for us that we need to be a district that has choices for families, Martinez said. Families are using their voice, and their voice is not here, coming to a board meeting. Their voice is, they just leave.

The districts reserve funds are at a historic high, but could not weather sharp enrollment declines every year, Martinez said. He recommended against closing any schools.

Thats something I feel very strongly about and we should only ever look at that in the most dire circumstances, he said. Were not in that kind of situation.
San Antonios second-largest school district is struggling with a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall that will force it to cut teaching positions even as it starts paying into the states Robin Hood fund that aids poorer districts.

Sharply falling enrollment is driving both developments at the North East Independent School District, whose board was briefed this week on plans to eliminate more than 100 teaching positions through attrition.

Its part of $12 million in expected spending cuts next year prompted by an estimated two-year budget shortfall of $29 million.

Yet the districts property values continue to steadily rise, so the resulting wealth per student calculation soon will require it to pay part of its property tax revenue  an expected $7.7 million for the 2019-20 school year and more than $33 million the following year  into the state system that recaptures funds from property-wealthy districts and redistributes them to property-poor ones.

Officials placed the dismal projections, released in advance of the boards May budget workshops, squarely in the shadow of last years legislative session where state lawmakers failed to fix the Texas school finance system, long criticized as antiquated and underfunded.

Its just something that we felt we needed to bring to yalls attention, Dan Villarreal, associate superintendent for business services and chief financial officer for NEISD, told trustees late Monday. Last year the Lege didnt do anything, and were looking ahead to 2019 and seeing what might come about with that Legislature.

The second-largest school district in Bexar County hardly is alone in grappling with budget shortfalls. Also this week, San Antonio Independent School District said continued declines in enrollment was expected to produce a two-year shortfall of $31 million. South San Antonio and Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISDs both are considering holding tax ratification elections, or TREs, this year to address the same problems.

NEISDs administration has not yet recommended holding a TRE, but district finance staff did present figures on how various changes to the property tax rate would affect its revenue.

A TRE only would go so far, because once the district raises its maintenance and operations tax rate over a certain threshold, an increased amount of funds would be subject to recapture by the state.

Superintendent Brian Gottardy told the board that if the district eventually did pursue a TRE, it would mount a comprehensive education and outreach campaign.

Such an election will not be simple, and it will not be easy, he said. It will not always be successful. But we will have to do our very best. I will reach out to many, many groups, as weve done in the past, to help facilitate the message that the state Legislature is not doing their job with public education.

After peaking at around 68,000 students in 2013-14, enrollment in NEISD has declined to 65,475. Since last year, the district has lost almost 1,500 students  and it underestimated that drop by about 1,000 when it prepared its current budget, contributing to an estimated $12.7 million shortfall this year. State aid is calculated based on student attendance.

District officials expect enrollment to fall next school year by another 1,300 students. As a result, budget plans already include eliminating 117 teaching positions, slashing campus outlays and extending ongoing delays and freezes on central office hiring, among other cost-cutting measures.

Even after making the anticipated cuts, the district still will face a shortfall of about $17 million next year, school officials said.

The following two school years, NEISD is anticipating really scary single-school year shortfalls of $20 million and above, said Brian Moy, NEISDs executive director of finance and accounting.

Losing enrollment at this level is unprecedented for NEISD, he said.

The district attributed much of those student losses to competition from charter schools. Attendance at charter campuses within NEISD increased by 900 students during the 2016-17 school year, Moy said.

Charters had not previously factored heavily into NEISD enrollment projections because they had not had a significant impact and there was little data to rely on, but the district now has adjusted its enrollment projection model so it can better account for charters, he said.

However, with state aid making an ever-smaller percentage of the districts funding, NEISDs enrollment declines wont have the same severe financial impact in future years if Texas doesnt change things, Moy said.

Thats because were going to get to a point soon where our revenue bucket for state aid is going to get to be so small that theres not going to be anything left for the state to take away, he said.
Andrew Corky Gomez is now a pariah to the Bandidos Motorcycle Club despite dedicating seven years of his life to the group, even helping it commit murder.

Gomez, who was in the Bandidos from 1998 to 2005, testified Wednesday that he took over as president of a local Bandidos chapter in San Antonio in 2002 when its then-president John Xavier Portillo was promoted to the national chapter.

But Portillo, who is facing racketeering charges in a three-month trial in San Antonio with another former Bandidos leader, first had Gomez demoted and later kicked out in bad standings after Gomez got crossways with the outlaw biker club and refused to hand over his motorcycle to the Bandidos, Gomez testified.

Basically, youre out of the biker world, Gomez said when asked what he meant. You cant go anywhere they (Bandidos) are.

Gomez said he was beaten to the point his eyes swelled shut and he had broken ribs, had his Texas rocker (patch) and later his Bandidos vest revoked, and he was harassed repeatedly.

Gomez said he shot a Bandidos member who was part of a group that harassed him at his San Antonio auto shop and later was to be a witness for police against another Bandidos member, Johnny Downtown Romo, who had fired a gun at Gomez.

At one point, Gomez said, he reached a deal to try to end the harassment  he would not press charges against Romo if the Bandidos removed his out in bad standings designation and left him alone.

The deal lasted a couple of years, until Gomez bought a beer for a Bandidos member he saw at a bar, Gomez said. As Gomez reached out to shake the members hand, he was punched instead, Gomez testified.

Gomez said he called Romo, who told him Portillo refused to remove the designation because Gomez had not turned over his motorcycle. Gomez said he decided to pay $4,000 to the club to end the pressure.

He also testified that in January 2002, while he was vice president of the Bandidos Southwest San Antonio chapter, he was part of the plot to retaliate against Robert Lara for the 2001 killing of Javier Negrete, who was the local chapters secretary at the time.

Portillo was president of that chapter at that time, and Gomez said Portillo showed him the .22-caliber pistol he was going to give Bandidos member Richard Merla to kill Lara.

After Laras slaying, Gomez testified, Portillo called him to help him get rid of the weapon. Gomez drove Portillo to a creek off Rigsby Avenue, where Portillo tossed it in the water, Gomez said. That part of Gomezs testimony conflicted with Merla, who testified on Tuesday that Portillo destroyed the gun with a torch at the home of Portillos brother.

He took over Negretes drug operations after his death, Gomez testified, and would often supply Portillo and other members with large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamines.

As part of a cooperation agreement with the feds, Gomez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and is facing no more than 10 years in prison instead of the possibility of a life term had he been charged with murder.

In cross-examination, Portillos lead lawyer, Mark Stevens, suggested that Gomez wrongly implicated Portillo in drugs and the Lara murder as part of Gomezs attempts get up to $2,000 from police investigators so Gomez could try to save his auto shop.

While Gomez acknowledged being in debt, he claimed he decided to cooperate to do the right thing. Police paid him $500 at one point for providing photos of Bandidos in San Antonio, Gomez testified, adding that he used the money to pay traffic tickets.

Portillo was promoted to the Bandidos national chapter as national sergeant at arms in May 2002, and became vice president in 2013, according to testimony. He is on trial with Jeffrey Fay Pike of suburban Houston, who was the clubs president from 2006 until he and Portillo were arrested in January 2016.
FLORESVILLE  A former San Antonio attorney accused of having sex with clients in exchange for legal services told his brother to destroy DVDs as police were about to search his home, jurors saw in a video interview Wednesday.

Mark Benavides, 48, is on trial, accused of continuous trafficking of persons. Benavides was arrested in November 2015 and charged with compelling prostitution in cases involving at least nine female clients.

He is accused of coercing them into having sex and videotaping many of the encounters. Since then, he has been named in multiple-count indictments.

After his arrest Nov. 17, 2015, Benavides was taken to San Antonio Police Department headquarters for an interview as officers executed a search warrant at his home. When he heard the charges, Benavides denied ever sleeping with clients.

After he called his wife and asked to speak to his brother, Benavides is heard asking him to destroy DVDs, an exchange caught on surveillance video.

Ive got those (expletive) DVDs in there, Benavides is heard telling his brother, Michael, before he says to destroy them.

San Antonio police Detective Manuel Morales testified that the investigators collected 246 DVDs from a file cabinet in which only Benavides had the key. Each DVD was labeled and numbered, contained the womens initials and codes or acronyms etched on the discs to describe the particular acts that were performed.

During the video interview, Benavides scoffed when officers told him they had been investigating allegations for a few years. He also disputed the accusations and questioned police on the charge, one he said he never heard of, and said it could derail his political career, as he was running for district judge at the time.

Benavides also questioned the validity of the arrest.

Honestly, not me included, but I hear about attorneys having sex with clients all the time, he said on the video. I didnt think it was an actual offense because it happens all the time. Not me, but others.

Benavides is no longer eligible to practice law in Texas. He resigned Dec. 13, 2016, from the State Bar of Texas in lieu of disciplinary action.

His trial began Tuesday and is being heard in Wilson County.

At a June 22 hearing, District Judge Dick Alcala granted Benavides attorney Monica E. Guerreros motion for a change of venue from Bexar County. She had sought to move only one of the cases but later amended her motion to include all.

She told the court she wanted the change because of news coverage and because some clients alleged Benavides had sex with them in at least two rooms in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center that are used by jurors, and Guerrero did not want jurors to do their own investigating.
John Igo, a well-known San Antonio author and college professor, was afflicted with dementia, a condition that left him mentally incompetent when he signed a controversial will almost two years ago, according to an expert on chronic disease in the elderly.

On May 24, 2016, he did not have  sufficient mental capacity to understand the business in which he was engaged, specifically, that of making or amending a will, Dr. Ruben Tenorio concluded after examining Igos extensive medical records.

Igo, 89, died less than three months later, and the 11th-hour will left nothing to his younger sister, Mary Helen Clark, who had been his sole heir.

Instead, he gave most of his roughly $1.1 million estate to Clarks estranged daughter, Christine Kiesel, and to a library at the University of the Incarnate Word.

Clark, who is contesting the will in Bexar County Probate Court, has enlisted Tenorio as an expert witness. He is expected to testify at trial, set for April 9, unless objections to him by Kiesels lawyer are successful.

The outcome will likely hinge on the jurys conclusion about Igos mental capacity in spring 2016, when, after a lifetime of not having a will, he suddenly created one and also changed his power of attorney, granting it solely to Kiesel.

Igo, who taught English at San Antonio College for 47 years, was also a poet, theater critic and accomplished photographer. A branch library in the city bears his name.

But in the last years of his life, he suffered from myriad ailments, including high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart problems, multiple strokes, loss of vision and hearing, and severe rheumatoid arthritis.

In the months before he changed his estate plans, his niece, Kiesel, became his primary family caretaker. Her mother, Clark, said Kiesel kept other family members away.

In her court pleadings, Kiesel said she had no involvement in the drafting of the will and that Igo knew exactly what he was doing.

To buttress this, she cited statements made in depositions by Carol Bertsch, the lawyer who prepared the will, and two women who acted as witnesses. All three said Igo appeared to be competent and decisive. Bertsch also said Igo did not appear to be influenced by anyone else.

When Igo told Bertsch he wanted to leave nothing to his sister, she said she simply followed his wishes.

He was clear, so I try to respect what the client tells me, Bertsch said in her deposition.

Most of a Monday court hearing on Kiesels motion for a summary judgment was taken up by arguments over the numerous objections filed by her lawyer, Barrett Schiff.

Among other things, he objected to Tenorios affidavit and to other medical records that supported the finding that Igo had dementia, eventually provoking the ire of Judge Kelly Cross.

You now have 10 minutes to argue your motion for summary judgment, she snapped at Schiff as the hour drew to a close.

Instead, the hearing was continued, without Schiff arguing his motion or Cross ruling on any of the objections. No date has been set for its resumption.

In his affidavit, Tenorio referred to voluminous medical records filed by Clarks lawyer, Fred York, some of which reinforce the conclusion that Igo was unfit to draft and sign a will.

He noted that over the last six months of his life, Igo was hospitalized twice at Methodist Hospital and had three follow-up stays in skilled nursing facilities.

Throughout the medical records, he said, numerous medical professionals made note of Igos declining mental state.

He was described  as being confused, disoriented, pleasantly confused, having severe dementia and Alzheimers type dementia, Tenorio wrote.

On 5/23/16 at 1:30 a.m., Mr. Igo was reported by the nursing staff to be found in a hallway wearing brief and shirt. He was pounding on residents doors, looking for a doctor.  He was described by a nurse as very confused, he noted.

The following day, he signed a will and testament and power of attorney. Mr. Igo was clearly delirious the night before in an acute disturbed state of mind, he concluded.
An overnight storm that dumped nearly 3.5 inches of rain on San Antonio, prompting an extended flash flood warning throughout the region, closed over 50 roads and required nine water rescues, officials said.

The storm also produced intermittent pea-size hail throughout the city, and on the far North Side, a house was completely destroyed after lightning struck, setting it ablaze.

Thunder and rainfall extended into the late morning hours, causing traffic delays north of downtown and leaving about 18,000 CPS Energy customers without power.

All in all, though, the first spring storm was minor and paled in comparison to predictions. There was no hail the size of pingpong balls, as expected, and no one was seriously injured in the fire or during the nine water rescues, officials said.

The storm started around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday with some light rain, according to the National Weather Service. By 1 a.m. the downpour intensified and thunderstorms could be heard throughout the region until the early morning.

Around 2 a.m., lightning struck a house in the 2500 block of Cielo Trace in North Bexar County. When firefighters with the Bexar County Fire Department arrived, heavy flames were pouring from the roof.

Firefighters attacked the blaze, but at one point flames entered the attic, where some firefighters were working, causing them to evacuate the home.

Later in the morning, around 4:30 a.m., San Antonio firefighters responded to a creek near Thousand Oaks and Interstate 35 where a man and woman were trapped in rushing flood waters.

Battalion Chief Will Pritchett said crews tried to launch their boats into the water but couldnt because of the amount of brush in the area.

Instead, an eight-member crew waded into the rushing waters, using a leapfrog method to move deeper and deeper into the water and closer to the two stranded victims. It took them about 45 minutes to bring the man and woman to safety.

Its really dangerous, Pritchett said of high-water rescues. I hate sending our people in there. If were called, well go, but its extremely dangerous.

The woman was hospitalized for cold-related issues. She is now in stable condition.

The man who was rescued, 60-year-old Bryan Rees, said he was camping at a nearby homeless encampment when he heard the woman screaming for help and said he felt compelled to act.

He waded into the water, moving from tree to tree, but when he was about 30 feet from the woman, the water became too strong.

If I had tried to swim, the water wouldve swept me away, he said. By Gods grace, the rain stopped and the water went down around 2 feet. I was able to make it out to her and hold her to the tree.

Soon after, the firefighters arrived and brought them to safety.

By 5:15 a.m., San Antonio firefighters had responded to eight other water rescue calls. Additional details about those incidents were not immediately available.

Throughout the morning, the department encouraged motorists to avoid roads with high water and seek alternate routes. Even in relatively shallow areas, floodwaters can lift up even large vehicles and send them downstream. A foot or two of water is enough to float a 3,000-pound car.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain lingered into the daylight hours. At 11:20 a.m., 53 roads were closed in Bexar County, mostly north of downtown and along I-35, which was hit the worst by the downpour.

The northbound I-35 exit to westbound Loop 410 and Interstate 10 near Culebra Road both closed because of high water, causing traffic delays before reopening later in the day.

The worst of the storm passed by noon, but officials still urged caution throughout the day. A flash flood warning was extended to 3 p.m. Wednesday and a flash flood watch through 7 p.m. With a chance of rain Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, the National Weather Service has issued river flood warnings for Salado Creek at Loop 13, until 8:30 a.m. today, and San Antonio River near Elmendorf, until 9 p.m. tonight.

The forecast for the rest of the week looks good, with sunny skies and highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s.
As the firefighters union continues to press forward on a petition campaign for three charter amendments, Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Wednesday recast the dormant Charter Review Commission, replacing all but three of the 13 members and directed them to form recommendations in four areas by June.

The commissions charge is to deliver recommendations to the councils Governance Committee by June 21, ahead of a potential full council vote to call a charter-amendment election in August for November. The recast panel is facing a tight deadline because of the potential that the city will be forced into calling a charter-amendment election in November by the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association.

In his memo to council members, obtained by the San Antonio Express-News, Nirenberg wrote that hes limiting the subject-matter for the commission to four areas, each with its own subcommittee: development, public finance, ethics and governance.

The development subcommittee will only consider whether to recommend changing how the citys Planning Commission is composed  whether to change the number of members and how theyre appointed. The public finance subcommittee will consider charter amendments related to affordable housing and whether the charter should allow for the city to issue debt in support of affordable housing.

The ethics subcommittee will make recommendations on how the Ethics Review Board should be composed, and whether it should be an autonomous group with independent oversight and the power to compel testimony, and whether any additional recommendations who strengthen the effectiveness, authority and/or jurisdiction of the Board.

The governance subcommittee will decide what to recommend on council terms  whether to limit them to two four-year terms instead of the current four two-year terms, and whether they should be staggered. The commission members will also deliberate on whether municipal elections should move from the month of May in odd-numbered years to November in even-numbered years, aligning with federal elections. Theyre additionally charged with deciding whether council candidates should have to provide additional proof of residency.

The Commission should consider these questions in the context of a single goal  for our system to meet the highest standard in both actual function and appearance for ethics and accountability, Nirenberg wrote in his memo. Finally, I request that the Commission inform its recommendations with community input on these questions as well as guidance from Common Cause Texas, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to strengthen public participation and ensure that public officials and public institutions are accountable and responsive to citizens.

I have stated many times that the City of San Antonio should be the gold standard of ethics in governance, he wrote. I believe we as a City are closer than ever to meeting that standard with our governance structure and advancements like the Office of Municipal Integrity.

He closed with a request to the commission itself: Convene as soon as possible to continue and complete its important work.

Under state law, cities have limited opportunity to change their charters. Once an election is held, regardless of the outcome, the city is prohibited from holding another charter-amendment election for two full years. Charter change is something that Nirenberg has talked about since before winning the mayoral election last year. But now, faced with the prospect of a forced election because of the firefighters petitions, hes now facing a shortened time frame to develop proposals. His direction to the commission hits on many of the key areas hes pondered during his elected tenure.

The fire union is currently gathering signatures to call for an election on three amendments. One would limit the city managers salary to 10 times the lowest-paid full-time city employee (though it would not retroactively apply to City Manager Sheryl Sculley). It would also limit the length a city manager could serve to eight years, regardless of the performance.

The second would give the fire union the right to demand binding arbitration once an impasse is reached between the city and union during contract negotiations. The proposed language for the charter amendment gives the union the right to call for arbitration, but not the city.

The third proposed charter amendment would make it far easier for a tiny sliver of registered voters to call a costly election on just about any action taken by the City Council. Under the charter currently, a referendum requires about 75,000 signatures be collected in 40 days and includes prohibitions on challenging council appropriations, tax levies and utility rates, among other things.

None of the areas that Nirenberg has asked the Charter Review Commission to consider would overlap or offer a competing choice against the firefighters proposed amendments.

The mayor dismissed Jeff Webster, a former District 10 councilman and chairman of the commission, and tapped Bonnie Prosser Elder, general counsel and senior vice president for VIA Metropolitan Transit, to take the lead. Nirenberg also brought back Charles Cottrell, who served as the original chairman of the commission when it was formed in 2014. The newly appointed commission members also include Drew Galloway, executive director of MOVE San Antonio, and former City Council members Patti Radle and Bonnie Conner.

Former City Attorney Frank Garza, who has been on the commission since its inception, and Henry Flores, a St. Marys University political scientist, were reappointed, along with Margaret Wilson-Anaglia, a former city employee who is CEO of Als Gourmet Nuts and serves on the Port San Antonio board.

Elder, known for her balanced temperament and good sensibilities, said Wednesday that Nirenbergs charge seems clear.

I think well be able to meet the June 21 deadline if the information comes to us in a way that allows that to happen, she said.

Webster said hes disappointed that he wont be able to see through the work that he and his colleagues had done on potential charter changes. Over the course of 2016 and 2017, the commission had gathered significant input from residents and had considered potential proposals in subcommittees. But the full commission went dormant last fall and never made final recommendations, though Webster said he offered to Nirenbergs chief of staff, Trey Jacobson, to finalize their work.

Given the lack of breadth of Nirenbergs charge compared against the wide-ranging ideas the previous commission had been considering, Webster suggested that the council forgo recommendations from a new commission and take on the limited number of issues themselves. He was disappointed that other issues, like increasing the number of council seats, wont be on the agenda.

The ordinance that created the Charter Review Commission, approved under then-Mayor Ivy Taylor, gives the power of appointment solely to the mayor. In his memo, Nirenberg notes that he sought input on appointments from council members, which was due in February.

I appreciate your feedback and have also thought carefully about how to ensure diversity of perspectives on the Commission, he wrote.

Councilman Manny Pelaez said none of his suggestions made the cut.

The mayor and his team selected very competent commissioners. But, although the list of the mayors new appointees is excellent, I disapprove of the underlying ordinance that enabled the creation of this commission absent council appointees. I believe our current council should revisit how members of future charter review commissions are selected because the charter is too important without council appointees at the table.

Pelaez also encouraged the public to pay close attention to potential amendments.

The City Charter is this municipalitys constitution, he said. Unlike an ordinance change, charter modifications have a wider range of consequences and should be taken very seriously.
President Donald Trump's administration announced Thursday it will no longer release most pregnant immigrants from detention, a move it said was consistent with its policy to hold immigrants rather than freeing them to await their court proceedings.

Under the new policy, immigration officers will not lean toward releasing pregnant women if they do not pose security threats or are not subject to mandatory detention for having just arrived at the border. The previous policy, issued in 2016, held that "absent extraordinary circumstances or the requirement of mandatory detention, pregnant women will generally not be detained."

"To better align our policy with the president's executive order, we are ending the presumption of release for all pregnant detainees," said Phillip Miller, a deputy executive associate director over removal at Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Pregnant immigrants who are caught crossing the border illegally are already briefly held in detention before being deported.

But if they pass a screening interview proving that they have a credible fear of returning home  the first step to obtaining asylum the government generally released them.

Now it will detain such women as they await their asylum cases in the backlogged civil immigration courts, a process that can take months.

Miller said such women will be evaluated just like any other detainees on a "case-by-case basis," with their pregnancy one of a host of factors to determine whether they could be released and relied upon to make their court hearings.

The Trump administration has generally declined to release most immigrants it detained on bond.

But Miller said pregnant women in their third trimester would not typically be detained, mainly because they wouldnt be able to fly and so couldnt be deported in that period.

Since December 2017, when the policy went into effect, the agency has detained 506 pregnant woman, Miller said. It currently has 35 such women in detention.

It was not clear what had happened to the rest and whether they had been deported or released.

The policy change generally would not impact pregnant women who are apprehended with their small children.

The Trump administration is bound by a landmark 1997 federal settlement protecting children to release such families after 20 days in detention if they pass their asylum screening. If they are not found to have a credible fear of return, they are typically quickly deported without seeing an immigration judge in a process known as expedited removal that applies within 100 miles of the border.

Immigrant advocates immediately slammed the new policy, saying it would lead to many more pregnant potential asylum seekers in detention. Many women are raped in their journey to the border, resulting in the pregnancy, or it could be part of their claim to asylum, said Michelle Brane, director of migrants rights at the Women's Refugee Commission, a national nonprofit.

She said the agency also doesnt have the ability to care for pregnant women.

"There is no question based on my observations and knowledge of care and conditions in detention that the care is inadequate and that detention has a negative impact on a pregnant woman's health and well-being, she said.

The American Civil Liberties Union in September filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, asking it to investigate the agency's treatment of pregnant women in custody. Some women in the complaint said they had been denied medical care even in cases of extreme bleeding and pain. The group found the medical care for detainees varied from facility to facility and that oversight was lacking.

"This new policy further exposes the cruelty of Trump's detention and deportation force by endangering the lives of pregnant immigrant women," said Victoria Lopez, ACLU senior staff counsel, in a statement.

In the call with reporters Thursday, Dr. Ada Rivera, who oversees medical services for ICE, said the agency provides on-site pre-natal care, including vitamins and exams. Each facility currently has a gynecologist to oversee their treatment.

The announcement comes as the administration in recent months has moved to deter immigrants from coming to the southern border and making it more difficult to ask for asylum.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit this month arguing hundreds of families are unlawfully separated after potential asylum seekers are prosecuted for illegally crossing the border, forcing the removal of their children.

The group has also challenged a practice of detaining asylum-seekers who seek protection at ports-of-entry until they resolve their cases in the courts. They were previously usually released if they had potentially valid claims and posed no danger.

Top administration officials in recent weeks have also repeatedly blamed federal laws and settlements intended to protect children for encouraging families to come here.

It suggests increasing urgency as the number of Central American families and children coming here is once again on the rise. More than 8,600 were apprehended in February, according to the latest federal statistics.

lomi.kriel@chron.com
Nearly two-thirds of men who killed an intimate female partner in Texas in 2016 used a firearm, according to the Texas Council on Family Violence.

Police say Casey Farell Marshall used a hatchet.

On the morning of March 17, in a home on the citys Northwest Side, Marshall forced his way into a bathroom that hid his girlfriend, 48-year-old Andrea Gonzalez, and her daughter, 11-year-old Azriah Gonzalez. He killed them both, then called police to request a clean-up because he had just killed two demons, according to a police source.

Marshall was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder.

The horrific double-homicide was an outlier in terms of the alleged murder weapon  knives or cutting instruments are used in only about 3 percent of family violence cases, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. But the incident is depressingly familiar to those who track such slayings in Texas, where more than 100 women are killed by their husband, ex-husband, boyfriend or ex-boyfriend every year.

In 2016, 11 women were killed by intimate partners in Bexar County  one of the highest numbers of domestic violence homicides in the state.

The slaying of Andrea Gonzalez and her daughter was unusual in another respect. Andrea was the sister-in-law of state Rep. Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, who has vowed to use his role in the Legislature to address the scourge that claimed his relatives.

I think theres no question, I think every session there is something that needs to be done to protect those folks that are touched by domestic violence and domestic abuse, Rodriguez told me, and obviously, it hurts when its a member of your family.

This week, Rodriguez was in Galveston for a meeting of the Select Committee on Texas Ports, Innovation & Infrastructure; while there, he and a fellow committee member, state Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, discussed collaborating on a domestic violence initiative.

I just told him how there was an incident in Fort Worth not long ago, friends of mine, and the parents of that individual are looking at potential legislation to try and help, said Goldman, who declined to discuss the incident.

Rodriguez echoed his colleague.

We said, look, when the times right, were going to put our heads together and figure out a bipartisan perspective on how we can prevent this from happening to other families, he said.

For Rodriguez, the time is not yet right; emotions, understandably, still are raw.

I havent been able to digest it all, he said. The feeling thats surrounding my wife and our family is one that you dont wish on anyone.

Marta Pelaez, CEO of Family Violence Prevention Services Inc., which runs The Battered Women and Childrens Shelter in San Antonio, said Texas is in dire need of legislative attention to domestic violence. (One measure of the need: More than one in three victims of domestic violence seeking shelter in Texas are turned away due to lack of space.)

At the top of Pelaezs list: generating resources to have the ability to move into the areas where we know domestic violence has the highest incidence in our city, she said.

At the same time, Pelaez stressed that family violence can afflict anyone anywhere, regardless of location or economic status. And any approach that ignores underlying causes of the violence, including mental illness, is shortsighted, she added.

We cannot be siloed into issues and pretend to arrive at holistic change, Pelaez said. We have to understand the human being is a system, and if we are going to take care of the headache, we need to ask in-depth questions that will take us to the root cause of the problem.

We need to ask the ultimate why, she said, until we with clarity understand so that we may work on true prevention.
Last November 9, the members of the citys Charter Review Commission received a status-update email from the city managers office.

Patrick Steck, then the Special Projects manager for the city manager, informed them that Mayor Ron Nirenberg wanted the commission to wait until after the first of the new year to hold its next meeting. Steck added, We will communicate then to identify a date for the next meeting.

For most of the commissions 13 members, that next meeting wont happen.

On Wednesday, Nirenberg informed his council colleagues that he is essentially creating a new Charter Review Commission and arming it with a narrow set of fast-track priorities. Only Frank Garza, a former city attorney, and Margaret Wilson-Anaglia, an entrepreneur and former city employee, survived the purge. (Two new commissioners, Charles Cotrell, the former president of St. Marys University, and Henry Flores, a St. Marys political science professor, have served on the commission in the past.)

Nirenberg wants the revamped commission to concentrate on four areas: affordable housing, the composition of the citys Planning Commission, the power and composition of the Ethics Review Board and the timetable for municipal elections.

Theres a consensus among people in the commissions orbit, however, that the municipal-election issue was the driving force behind Nirenbergs move to sack most of the commission.

Back in October 2015, early in his second term as a District 8 councilman, Nirenberg unveiled a plan for moving city elections from May of odd-numbered years to November of even-numbered years, allowing council races to share the ballot with federal and state elections.

There were some promising numbers from Austin to support the idea. After seeing its municipal-election turnout drop from 57 percent in 1971 to 7 percent in 2011, Austin passed a charter amendment in 2012, moving its elections to November. Its turnout rose to 40.4 percent in 2014 and 64.6 percent for the 2016 presidential election cycle.

Given that San Antonio hasnt even been able to scale the modest heights of 15-percent participation since 2005, it was inevitable that Nirenbergs idea would get a local hearing.

Last spring, the idea came up repeatedly during a series of public hearings hosted by the Charter Review Commission. During those hearings, some commissioners were surprised by the pushback they got from the community.

At one hearing I attended last June, former Councilwoman Elena Guajardo was among those who expressed concern that November council elections  while guaranteeing an increase in the quantity of voters at the polls  would cheapen the quality of voter engagement. Council races would be nonpartisan afterthoughts, so the argument went, on ballots loaded with high-profile partisan contests.

Those concerns were shared by several of the commissioners, including former Council members Mike Gallagher and Art Hall.

I have been a strong advocate for maintaining the status quo, as far as when we hold council elections, Gallagher said. The main reason for that is I want to give our voters the opportunity to know who all these candidates are, and if were going to be inundated with many, many more, that is not a good service to the city.

Various recently ousted commissioners said it had become obvious that there was no collective will on the commission for a move to November municipal elections.

Councilman Manny Pelaez uses a potato-salad analogy to argue against November council elections.

Lets assume I take a potato salad to my neighbors dinner party and half the guests taste it and they like it, Pelaez said. A week later, I rent a truck and serve my potato salad to half the crowd at a Spurs game. It would be dishonest to say that my higher count means that more people want salad than before.

In February, commissioners received a message from the mayors office, telling them to apply right away if they sought reappointment to the commission. Last Friday, commissioners began receiving politely worded termination letters from the mayor.

Nirenbergs sense of urgency is understandable. The firefighters union is collecting signatures for three charter amendments they want to get on the ballot this November. If they succeed, it will be two years before the city is allowed to call another charter-amendment election. So Nirenberg needs to move now or wait until at least 2020.

The new commission will have no time to burn.

@gilgamesh470
by Ryan Patti | Jazz Correspondent | Wed, Mar 28th 7:37pm EDT

Hassan Whiteside (hip) has been officially listed as questionable for Thursday's tilt versus Chicago. (Ira Winderman on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact:

Whiteside practiced on Wednesday and is looking to play in his first game in three weeks. Bam Adebayo (ankle) has already been ruled out, so the likes of Kelly Olynyk, James Johnson and Justise Winslow should hold onto their usual workloads even with a Whiteside return.
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An egg production company has been fined 50,000 after a worker fell through a roof, causing serious head and arm injuries.

Preston Magistrates Court heard how an employee of T&J Leigh had been helping the joinery contractor Harry Jackson to re-roof an old feed mill building when he fell five metres through a gap, to the concrete floor below causing serious head and arm injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the incident, which took place at Ghyll View Farm in Longton on 1 November 2016, found the roof work was not properly planned with no measures in place to prevent or mitigate a fall through or from the roof.

T & J Leigh (a partnership) of Ghyll View Farm pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc act 1974 and has been fined a total of 50000 with costs of 2855.32.

Harry Jackson of Much Hoole pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc act 1974 and was given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and pay costs of 2855.32.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Steven Boyd said: This avoidable incident resulted in serious injuries, a fall from this distance could easily have been fatal.

Roof work should always be properly planned with measures put in place to prevent a dangerous fall.

Companies commissioning roof work should make reasonable checks regarding the competence of a contractor to undertake work at height safely.
Farmers are being given the chance to restore their historic farm buildings under a new grant scheme launched by the government.

The Historic Building Restoration Grant is being piloted this year in five National Parks, including Dartmoor, Lake District, Northumberland, Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

With 2 million of funding available, the aim of the scheme is to help save iconic farm buildings in the English National Parks from falling out of use.

Owners of these buildings from today (29 March) can apply for a grant offering 80% towards the cost of restoration.

This can include replacing the roof, weatherproofing the exterior, or other restoration works so that the building can be used again for farming purposes.

The scheme is open for applications until 31 January 2019 and, once approved, agreement holders will have two years to complete the works.

'Iconic landscapes'

The grant is also supported by an implementation plan so that applicants can work with National Park advisors on developing a management plan to deliver the restoration, working with conservation consultants as necessary.

This work is 100% funded so applicants can seek the advice they need to develop high quality applications and secure funding for their projects.

Lord Gardiner, Defra Minister for National Parks said: "The British countryside, including those historic farm buildings that dot some of our most iconic landscapes, is a truly precious natural asset. I am delighted that we are able to open this new set of grants supporting the restoration of traditional farm buildings."

Land managers who apply for this scheme will not only be safeguarding our rural history and culture, but also regenerating traditional buildings for use today and for future generations.

Sir Laurie Magnus, Chairman of Historic England said: "Many farm buildings, in my view, are as important as churches in contributing to the beauty and the character of the English landscape."
Farming unions across the UK have urged the public to keep their dogs on a lead at all times when near livestock this Easter, as incidents of worrying continue to increase.

The shocking and devastating images circulating once again of sheep which have been savagely attacked by dogs and died as a result come as a timely warning to those wishing to enjoy the countryside this Easter break.

With the weather improving and the Easter holidays around the corner many people are going to visit the British countryside, but with lambing in full swing farming unions have asked dog walkers to take extra care to reduce the risks to heavily pregnant ewes and newly born lambs.

Thousands of sheep and cattle die as a result of injuries caused by dogs every year and livestock worrying costs the industry an estimated 1.6m.

However, this figure is just the tip of the iceberg as many losses are uninsured and often unaccounted for.

If a dog worries livestock, the dog owner or the person responsible for the animal at the time is guilty of an offence under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 and may be sued for compensation by the farmer.

To protect their livestock, the farmer also has the right to kill the offending dog.

As recently as Monday (26 March), a Cotswold farmer had no choice but to shoot a dog dead after it ran loose on his farm, attacking sheep and killing one lamb.

'Chase instinct'

Earlier this month, Sussex farmers took to the beauty spots of the South Downs to raise awareness among dog owners of the need to keep dogs on a lead near livestock, supported by the South Downs National Park Authority.

Action was also taken by farmers in the Lake District by handing out educational leaflets to farmers and the public in a bid to protect livestock during lambing season following tragedy in recent years.

NFU Adviser James Osman said that over the Easter break, people must be reminded to keep dogs on a lead, rather than letting them run freely.

Dogs naturally have a chase instinct and they can inflict the most terrible bites on sheep which can die slowly and painfully of their injuries. Pregnant ewes can also abort their lambs if chased by dogs, he said.

'End in tragedy'

Mr Osman said dog attacks on livestock should be avoided "at all costs", and that it will end in tragedy for both farmer and dog owner.

They can end in tragedy both for the farmer and for the dog owner whose pet can legally be shot by a farmer if its chasing sheep or cattle, Mr Osman added.

Isle of Wight NFU chairman Matt Legge, a commercial sheep farmer and pedigree sheep breeder, explained how sheep farming is a labour of love.

He said: It takes two years of care and attention for me to raise a sheep - from lamb to breeding ewe, when she can go on to produce her own lambs. So it is heartbreaking for a farmer when flocks are attacked by dogs.

Id ask dog walkers to be conscious that even the smallest dog can injure a sheep so #takethelead and use a lead around livestock. This is a critical time in the sheep farming year when our ewes have lambs with them and many others are about to give birth.

'Never ending'

The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) said there has been a "never ending" number of incidents of sheep being attacked across the country.

This is why we are calling on the support of the public to help minimise incidents of attacks on livestock by dogs once again, said FUW President Glyn Roberts.

The weather is warming up and many people want to visit the countryside, so we are appealing to dog owners to follow the Countryside Code to keep their dogs under close control, preferably on a lead when using public paths where livestock are present.

Sheep suffer greatly when they are chased, worried or attacked by dogs, and even slight disturbance can lead to ewes running away from lambs, leaving them orphaned.

We want to work with the public on this matter and hope that with a common sense approach we can all enjoy the countryside together and keep our livestock and pets safe, added Mr Roberts.
Benefits and pitfalls of clover overseeding examined on farm

'If it's not 20% clover, its not doing the job'




Theres a reason why little girls are not allowed to wear lipsticks. It is the presence of lead in lipstick along with other harmful toxic metals. Should you dump your fave shade or find a middle path?A few weeks ago, my friend sent me a picture of her two-year-old daughter holding up an expensive lipstick with an infectious, happy grin. The caption read: my first red lipstick. I found the picture slightly perturbing. I wasnt sure if my friend understood the implications of gifting lipsticks to her child. Would she really let her use it? I quickly sent her a response stating my concerns. The debate around lipsticks containing lead and other harmful chemicals has never really died down. But the amount of lead we consume or ingest every day has become a topic of national debate since the Maggi debacle. And it seems theres no escaping itfrom your tap water to your wall paint to the toys you pacify your kids with, everything contains lead, according to most reports. Whether you were dissing the theory or subscribing to it, lead poisoning became a real fear. My friend, however, seemed unperturbed. She assured me that shed only allow her daughter to use it on occasions.I recalled the time my mother had to lock away all her lipsticks because she was worried that the harmful chemicals in them could affect me.I was 12, and wearing her lipstick had temporarily become my favourite pastime. Id try on a shade every time she stepped out, and she was blissfully unaware until my sister snitched on me one unlucky evening. For the most part of my teenage years, I went without lipstick. Today, I wear it oftenmatte, creamy, glossy, shiny, sparkly...the whole gamut out there. No lipstick lists lead as an ingredient and, for a long time, nobody bothered reading the descriptions on the packaging. But recent studies on the toxins found in lipsticks are disconcerting enough to make you ponder over that rich plum shade youre wearing to work every day.Researchers reason that all lipsticks contain a hint of lead. That, however, may not be the only villain in your favourite shade. Studies have pointed to a wide range of lipstick brands containing as many as eight other metals. In the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Dr Katharine Hammond, professor of environmental health, noted that she had found traces of cadmium, cobalt, aluminium, titanium, manganese, chromium, copper and nickel in 24 lip glosses and eight lipstick brands. She was quoted as saying: Treat lipstick as something dangerous, because if children eat it, we are talking about a comparatively large level of metals going into a small body. I finally understood my mothers concerns. My own worry about my friends childs fascination with lipstick didnt seem completely baseless. But what sort of danger are we really looking at?Interestingly, even though medical experts are of the opinion that there is no safe level of lead in the blood, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) doesnt consider the lead levels it found in lipsticks to be a safety issue. The FDA ran extensive tests in 2008, and found traces of lead in 400 lipstick shades. In India, in 2010, the CERC (Consumer Education and Research Centre) tested 43 varieties of lipstick and three varieties of lip gloss and found the presence of toxic lead in them. The limit set by the Bureau of Indian Standards for lead in cosmetics is 20 ppm (parts per million) at the most. Parts per million is a way of expressing very dilute concentrations of substances and, in this case, 1 ppm is equivalent to 1 milligram of a certain substance per litre of water. In CERCs report, of the 16 varieties of brown lipsticks tested, 13 had lead content higher than 10 ppm, some going up to 25 ppm. When the test results were sent to the manufacturers, some disputed them, while some, astonishingly enough, chose not to respond. CERC recommended prohibition of colours containing lead used in cosmetics, lowering of the limit of permissible lead content, making it mandatory for manufacturers to display the list of ingredients, and suggested making certain amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules.Dr Rashmi Shetty, renowned Mumbai-based cosmetic physician, warns, One must be wary if one is used to wearing lipstick every day. Reds and darker colours have the most amount of metals. The habit of licking, retouching or wearing long-lasting shades can have adverse effects.One may argue that the quantity of metals present in lipsticks is too little to harm us, and that there are more toxins in the air that we breathe and the water that we consume. Sure enough, there are reams of reports to back those claims as well. Makeup artist Clint Fernandes reasons, A few usages will not kill you. But if you notice rashes, irritation, blackness or flaking of your lips, you need to immediately stop using the product thats causing it all. Watch out for these basic indicators. Sadly, there is no official list of harmful chemicals to refer to, so you need to be aware of the fact that excessive amount of paraben, chemicals and stabilisers is carcinogenic. Several brands use them to stabilise long-lasting shades. But Clint also emphasises that cosmetics can rarely cause irreversible damage. He advises lipstick lovers to always wear a good moisturising agent as a first layer. It acts as a barrier and minimises the harmful effects to a great extent.Dr Sharad tells us that even so-called natural lipsticks arent really natural. Awareness is the key to ones well-being. Avoid long-lasting, matte lipsticks that do not come off easily. Follow a good lip-care routine at home and do not re-touch repeatedly. Theres no denying that lead builds up in the body over a long time and that deadly red shade youre currently crushing on might just be a silent killer. Experts unanimously urge women to tread carefully, wear lipstick with a base and use it moderately.If facts are anything to go by, the presence of lead and other toxins in lipsticks can cause serious health risks. According to researchers, chromium is a known human carcinogen, which has been linked to lung cancer and stomach tumours, either through inhaling or swallowing it. Cadmium is another carcinogen that could damage the respiratory system when inhaled.Lead has always been considered a problem metal. And how can it not be? It is normally used in the making of batteries, paints and toys, points out Dr Rakesh Tandon, medical director and HOD of Gastroenterology, PSRI Hospital, Delhi. He stresses that lead dust is quite dangerous and its almost unavoidable if you are exposed to cosmetics, toys, jewellery, ceramics and even water and air. Lead can cause severe abdominal pain, especially in children. Pregnant women are at a higher risk from the metals in lipsticks, which may cause neurological and cognitive problems for the developing foetus, like irritability or a slower learning process. Over-exposure to lipsticks could even be damaging to the kidneys. Whats also disturbing is that aluminium is universally used in lipsticks and glosses. Its safe to deduce that very few lipsticks are actually lead-free.Dr Tandon, however, admits that it boils down to how much exposure you have to these metals. Women who wear lipsticks daily, retouch it more than 10 times a day, should be very careful. Some amount of those harmful metals does get absorbed over a period of time and leads to lead accumulation in the system. Even small amounts going in for a long period of time can be a cause for concern.Dr Jaishree Sharad, renowned Mumbai-based cosmetic dermatologist, echoes the thought. Lead is a neurotoxin and can damage the nervous system. But the quantity of lead in lipsticks is less than the normal range that can harm you.Matte lipsticks often turn the lips dry as they soak in all the moisture. If you have a habit of using matte lipsticks that last for a good 12 hours or more, you need to give your lips some TLC every night. Use a natural moisturising agent like milk cream which will restore the lost suppleness. Apply it on your lips every night. This ingredient also works on dark lips and helps in getting back your natural lip colour.Just like a face scrub helps get rid of the layer of dead skin cells, you need to get rid of them from your lips as well. However, instead of using chemical-laden scrubs that you can ingest and cause harm, use a natural one to gently exfoliate your lips. Brown sugar is great to get this done. Simply mix the granules of brown sugar with a drop of honey, and then apply it on your lips in circular motions. This will help get rid of the dead skin cells. Wash off with lukewarm water, and then lock in the moisture by applying lip balm. Use this once a week to soften your lips.If you want to take a break from lipstick usage but miss the tint, you can turn to natural remedies that add colour to your lips. Beetroot is a great ingredient to get this done. All you need to do is cut a thin slice of this vegetable, and simply rub it on your lips. It will instantly stain your lips a deep pink. Another ingredient that you can use is the fruit pomegranate. It gives you a lighter shade of pink. Simply crush a few grains of pomegranate and then apply the juice on your lips. The good thing is, even if you in lick your lips, you will not be ingesting chemicals as these are natural ingredients.Chapped lips are another problem that can get worse with constant use of lipsticks. If you however you do not want to go lipstick-free, you can use a simple ingredient to heal your lips. According to Ayurveda, ghee or clarified butter has several benefits including healing chapped lips. You can apply a drop of it on your lips directly, or you can apply a drop of ghee in your navel at night. This will internally get rid of the dryness and help in healing chapped lips. Do this every night until you see an improvement in the condition.By now we know that lipsticks can cause some amount of damage to your precious lips, but there is something you can do to lessen the ill-effects. Make these a habit especially if you are someone who cannot go without applying lipstick every day.Avoid applying lipstick more than twice a day: Reapplying lipstick several times means you are ingesting more chemicals and causing more damage. To avoid this, make a conscious choice to not reapply it more than two times in a day.Dont lick your lips: Whether or not you wear lipstick, licking your lips isnt a good habit. It dries them out and chaps them more. If you wear lip gloss, you are basically ingesting it which will lead to a vicious circle of reapplying it every few hours. So make an effort to break this habit and your lips will thank you for it.Dont wear dark, matte shades regularly: Unfortunately, the darker your lipstick shade, the more toxic it is. So, alternate between light and dark shades so that the damage is lessened. If you love only dark hues, use glossy ones instead of mattes every day as they are less damaging.Apply a tinted lip balm: Give your lips a break from lipsticks at least once a week. If you however miss the tint, you can opt for a tinted lip balm that adds a pop of colour to your lips without the chemicals. To lessen the damage even more, choose lip balms that do not have a fragrance.With inputs from Kriti Saraswat SatpathyGETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK
To all our sons and daughters and to the child within us all. Sharing something I wrote . ( headphones please) pic.twitter.com/e6eROF770t  Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) March 28, 2018

Performer, poet, philosopher. Thats Hrithik Roshan for you. Marking the occasion of his son Hrehaan's birthday, Hrithik Roshan penned and shared a heartfelt and inspiring poem on social media. In no time, the post became viral receiving a thumbs-up from all quarters. The message was an inspiring one, which everyone could relate to. In an inspiring monologue, Hrithik is seen reading aloud, Darr se mat darr, sending across a hard-hitting message. The significant message is conveyed by Hrithik in the black and white video in the simplest manner. The emotional message touched not only his fans but also his peers, who took to social media to appreciate the actor.Shahid Kapoor took to Twitter and said, "Love it." While actors Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon also connected with the inspiring post and praised Hrithik Roshan. Varun said, "Beautifullll and inspiring check this out everybody". And Kriti Sanon said, "Lovvveee it!! Its beautiful AAAA AAAA ". Hrithik Roshan's Kaabil co-star Yami Gautam has time and again expressed her admiration for the actor. Showering Hrithik Roshan with praises Yami said, "This is so INSPIRING @iHrithik ! How well articulated...a must share .. #BeFearless". While Fatima Sana Shaikh said, "Awesome punching lines ".Hrithik Roshan's childhood friends Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra too praised the doting father on Twitter. Abhishek Bachchan said, "This is beautiful. Well done @iHrithik proud of you bro braz!" Uday Chopra said, "This feels like it was made for me. Love it!!!".And while Ayushmann Khurrana said, "Waah! Goosebumps. AAAA iAA", Renuka Shahane, who is also known to voice her opinions on social media, praised Hrithik saying, "Beautiful and truly inspiring aa aaAA aa aa, aAAaAAaAA aAA aaAA aAAa AAAA AAAA ". Encouraging Hrithik, actor Riteish Deshmukh said, "Zabarrattttt!!!!! Inspiring words my friend @iHrithik -much love".Rohit Roy, who shared the screen with Hrithik in Kaabil wrote, "My dear Hrithik, no words to describe how impactful n meaningful these words are.. every step of life.. god bless you man". Hotshot filmmaker Hansal Mehta also couldnt help reacting and said, "Lovely." Neil Nitin Mukesh applauded Hrithik Roshan saying, "This is amazing @iHrithik simply amazing. Very inspirational. Very powerful. Very Strong. AAAA". The beautiful Dia Mirza reacted saying, "I LOVE THIS @iHrithik". Vivek Oberoi too had words of appreciation saying, "Love you my friend philosopher and bhai! ". While Shamita Shetty exclaimed, "Beautiful @iHrithik", the handsome Maniesh Paul said, "Loovvveeeddd it @iHrithik sir..darr se matt darr...kuch alag kar!! AAAA AAAA". The gorgeous Sophie Choudry couldnt help but write, " Beautiful @iHrithik and words to live by!"This is not the first time Hrithik has sent out a motivating message to his fans. Last time, he spread the message to Keep going, come what may. Hrithik has always been a doting father to sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan. The actor makes sure to spare time and be there for his sons despite his busy schedule. On the work front, Hrithik Roshan is currently shooting for his first ever biopic Super 30, post which the actor will be seen in YRF action thriller along with Tiger Shroff.
Rumours are doing the rounds that Hollywood biggie Sylvester Stallone would be a part of Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor starrer Race 3. Now the Mission Impossible 2 star Tom Cruise has met Anil Kapoor in Abu Dhabi. Hold on your horses, folks! Tom Cruise is not a part of Race 3, but was in Abu Dhabi for the shoot of his upcoming film Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Even Anil Kapoor was in the same city for the shoot of Race 3 and they made it a point to meet each other.

A source opened up to HT, "Few have any inkling about Anil sir's special meeting but it's true that the two met. In fact, as soon as they found out that they were in the same city, Anil sir and Tom worked their incredibly packed schedules around to make time to meet each other."
Why Kapil Cancelled Rani Mukherjees Shoot?

Apparently, Family Time With Kapil Sharma team, was to shoot the episode on March 28, 2018, evening, but Kapil informed in the morning and the shoot was cancelled. It is also being said that Kapil wasn't well, and therefore the shoot was cancelled.

There Is A Lot Of Expectation Riding On Kapil

The entire team was worried over this embarrassing turn of events. A source was quoted by IE as saying, "There is a lot of expectation riding on Kapil. This being his second innings, he should be a little careful."

Hope Kapil Gets Back To Serious Business

The source further added, "People are ready to rip him apart. We hope he pulls up his socks and gets back to serious business to give the quality that is expected from him."

If Kapil Cancels A Shoot, Rs 30-35 Lakhs Wasted!

According to Spotboye report, Kapil's new game show, Family Time With Kapil Sharma is a 13-camera shoot. If he cancels a shoot, Rs 30-35 Lakhs gets wasted. If these reports are true, isn't Sony investing a lot on Kapil and taking a risk by bringing him back?

Is Sony TV Taking A Risk By Bringing Kapil Back?

There are also rumours that Aman Srivastava (Vice President, Marketing) and Danish Khan (Executive Vice President & Business Head) were not entirely on the same page about bringing Kapil Sharma back!

What Kapil Has To Say?

Well, earlier too, there were reports that the actor-comedian cancelled Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani's shoot. But later, Kapil clarified that Tiger was not scheduled to shoot in the first place! We wonder, what Kapil has to say about cancelling Rani Mukherjee's shoot!
Israel's national airline El Al filed an urgent petition to the high court against Air India's new route connecting New Delhi and Tel Aviv via Saudi airspace.

Jerusalem: Israel's national airline El Al on Wednesday filed an urgent petition to the High Court of Justice against Air India's new route connecting New Delhi and Tel Aviv via Saudi airspace, days after the Indian carrier launched its maiden service to the Jewish state, Israeli media reports said.

Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, El Al's CEO Gonen Usishkin and chairman Eli Defes said that by allowing Air India to fly over a country (Saudi Arabia) that does not grant El Al the same rights, the government is violating its commitments to Israel's national carrier, The Times of Israel reported.

El Al has taken legal action against the Israeli government, its civil aviation administration, Transportation Minister Israel Katz, and Air India, the Israeli airline's spokesperson Ran Rahav was quoted as saying by the paper.

On 22 March, Air India's maiden flight to Israel landed in Tel Aviv amid great fanfare, reducing the travel time by two hours after Saudi Arabia for the first time allowed an Israel-bound commercial flight to use its airspace.

Saudi Arabia permitted Air India to use its airspace, enabling it to take a shorter route, covering the distance in 7.25 hours, about 2.10 hours less as compared to the only other airline that flies between the two countries  El Al.

During the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the new Air India route as "historic".

"But El Al argues that allowing Air India to cross over airspace that is closed to Israeli-owned airlines violated Articles 9 and 11 of the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, as well as various Israeli government decisions," the paper said.

As long as El Al is barred from flying over Saudi Arabia en route to and from Israel, it was illegal for foreign airlines to do so, Rahav said, citing the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) principles of reciprocity and equality.

"There can be no fair competition between an airline that can fly directly from destination to destination and an airline that is forced to use longer routes because of discrimination based on nationality," Rahav added.

El Al currently flies four weekly flights to Mumbai. It takes a circuitous route over the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and then enters India and avoids countries that are on the direct flight path such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The detour adds fuel and operational expenses.

El Al has also asked IATA to help it access Saudi Arabia's airspace.

Quoting El Al's Vice-President for Commercial and Industry Affairs Michael Strassburger, the paper said that he appreciates the importance the Air India route has for a potential improvement of Israel's ties with the Arab world, but argued that it cannot come at the expense of an Israeli company.

"We also welcome any competition  as long as it's fair competition. Now this (current) situation is something that we condemn. Because it's competition, but it's not equal, and we're not able to compete in the way that we should be able to."

Israel must ensure that competition is equal, he insisted. "If one airline can fly a certain route, then the other airlines deserve to be able to do the same," he was quoted as saying by the paper.
As per the Constitution of India, the word impeachment is not used for the removal of judges because it is explicitly used in Article 61 for the removal of the President of India.

Preparing the ground to move a motion for removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in Parliament, a group of MPs belonging to opposition parties have discreetly collected signatures and the move is on to get more numbers in the list. The group of MPs have levelled allegation of abuse of power against CJI Misra.

"More than 40 MPs have signed on the draft of impeachment motion, which was circulated among opposition MPs. Besides Congress, MPs from the Left, SP, BSP, RJD, etc have signed. The final decision on this is yet to be taken," one of the signatories, a Congress MP told Firstpost on condition of anonymity.

In an unprecedented move in January this year, Justice J Chelameswar, the second senior-most judge in the Supreme Court along with Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph apart from holding a presser, wrote to the CJI that some important cases were "assigned by the Chief Justice of this court selectively to benches 'of their preference' without rational basis".

Will the opposition succeed in the move?

According to constitutional experts, the said move is a political gimmick, and the opposition party MPs wont be successful in getting the motion through.

Even if the opposition succeeds in moving a motion against the CJI, the process would not reach closure before October, when Chief Justice Misra retires.

The opposition also does not have the required numbers to secure a two-third majority in both the Houses.

What legal fraternity says?

Supreme Court lawyer Sandeep Mahapatra said, "Its a politically motivated move by the sponsors (opposition). They want to create roadblocks for the hearing of Ram Janambhoomi case and Muslim marriage practices. In the past Congress had moved a similar motion against a sitting SC judge only to retreat later. There is no ground to bring the motion for removal of the CJI and its only an act driven by malice."

Another SC lawyer, on condition of anonymity, said, "It is aimed at creating pressure on the CJI, who will set up a few important benches. According to a section within the judiciary and in political circles, the CJI is considered as having a Right-leaning approach. They have an apprehension that the benches will be formed on those lines."

Wrong usage of the word impeachment

As per the Constitution of India, the word impeachment is not used for the removal of judges because it is explicitly used in Article 61 for the removal of the President of India.

Constitutional experts have stated the use of word 'impeachment' as incorrect and impeachment motion is not applicable in the case of judges. Its applicable only in the case of the President of India.

"There is no impeachment in the case of judges. The term has wrongly been used. The Article 124 of the Constitution mentions the procedure for the removal of a judge, whereas Article 61 deals with the procedure of impeachment of the President of India. So, in the first instance, it needs to be corrected," Subhash C Kashyap, an authority on Indian Constitution told Firstpost.

What constitutional experts say?

"A judge can be removed by moving a motion for removal of a judge on grounds of incapacity and misbehaviour. Either 100 members in the Lok Sabha or 50 members in Rajya Sabha can give a notice to the Speaker or Chairman. Its a very tedious process and so far there hasnt been a single success, though such move was made against a few judges," said Kashyap.

Another constitutional pundit SK Sharma explained, "To remove a judge, the charges against him/her have to be extremely serious in nature. If the motion is moved in the Lower House, an inquiry is set up in the Upper House to look into the charges."

He added, Its a tedious and long-drawn procedure, and may take more than a year. The opposition needs to secure a two-thirds majority to get the motion passed, which is not possible in their case. Simply, they dont have the numbers. Its more a political gimmick and aimed at creating noise. No matter how hard they try, they wont be able to do it.

A few cases in the past

Motion for removal of judges have been moved in the past as well, but none succeeded  whether it was against Justice V Ramaswami or against Justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy.

V Ramaswami:A Supreme Court judge, Justice Ramaswami was the first one against whom removal proceedings were initiated in independent India. The motion was moved in the Lok Sabha in 1993. The motion failed to secure two-thirds majority in the House. He got into a controversy of spending extravagantly on his official residence when he was Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1990s. The said decision was challenged before the Supreme Court and the apex court upheld the decision of the Parliament.

Soumitra Sen: Situations were such in the case of Justice Sen of Calcutta High Court that he would have become the first judge to have got removed. The motion was first moved against him in the Rajya Sabha. There was an allegation against him of misappropriation of public fund of Rs 33.23 lakh in 1983, which he had received from the high court as a receiver in a case. An inquiry headed by the then Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari found the allegation correct. In order to save himself from indignity, Sen resigned from his office in 2011 before the motion for his removal could be initiated in the Lok Sabha.

PD Dinakaran: There were 16 charges including corruption, land grabbing and abuse of judicial office framed against Justice Dinakaran, who was the Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court. The Rajya Sabha chairman had set up a panel to look into the allegations. But, before removal motion could be initiated against him, Dinakaran resigned in July 2011.

JB Pardiwala: In 2015, 58 Rajya Sabha members moved a motion against Justice Pardiwala of Gujarat High Court for his objectionable remarks on the issue of reservation. It was against a remark made by him on reservations for SC and ST while giving a ruling in a case against Hardik Patel. But, hours after the notice was sent by the MPs to Chairman Ansari, Justice Pardiwala removed the said wordings from his judgment.

CV Nagarjuna Reddy: Despite trying twice to move the motion for removal of Justice Nagarjuna Reddy of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it finally failed in June 2017. Nine of the 54 Rajya Sabha members who had initiated the proceeding, withdrew their signatures. The first attempt failed in December 2016, as 19 signatories backed out. The allegations against the judge include interfering in the judicial process, caste slurs and death threat against a Dalit junior civil judge.
Internet services were suspended and prohibitory orders under Section 144 clamped in West Bengal's Asansol-Ranigunj area following violence over a Ram Navami procession.

Sixty people have been arrested in West Bengal's Asansol so far following violence over a Ram Navami procession. The authorities also suspended internet services and issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in Asansol and Ranigunj on Wednesday.

Internet services were suspended to check the spread of rumours and the prohibitory orders were clamped to maintain peace, Asansol sub-divisional officer Proloy Roychowdhury said. Mobile telephone services would, however, remain operational in the area, he said.

Police patrolling has been stepped up and RAF deployed in the area, he said, adding that three top police officers have been rushed here from Kolkata.

Clashes broke out between two groups on Monday over a Ram Navami procession at Ranigunj in Bardhman West district. One person was killed and two police officers were injured.

Asansol-Durgapur Deputy Commissioner of Police Arindam Dutta Chowdhury lost a hand when agitators hurled a bomb at him. He is being treated at a Durgapur-based hospital.

With inputs from PTI
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that President Ram Nath Kovind has expressed his support on the concerns over the SC/ST Act dilution.

On Wednesday, a Congress-led Opposition delegation met President Ram Nath Kovind in Delhi and handed over a memorandum expressing their concern over the recent Supreme Court ruling on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

"There is a great unease and a feeling of insecurity amongst the members of the Dalit community and other oppressed classes after the said judgment was delivered. If immediate steps are not taken by the government, then we are afraid this may turn into something not less than a national disaster," the memorandum said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that Kovind expressed his support over the Opposition's concerns and assured them of action.

"Atrocities against Dalits are increasing and the Act is being weakened. So, the president was quite positive in supporting this," Rahul told reporters.

Earlier, Rahul took to Twitter to raise his concerns over the dilution of the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court ruling diluting provisions of arrest in the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act comes in the backdrop of growing atrocities against Dalits & Adivasis across India. Leaders from opposition parties will meet President Kovind this evening to share their concerns.  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 28, 2018

Various parties have been protesting and demanding that the government seek a review of the Supreme Court judgment or bring amendments to the law.

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that the government will file a review petition against the Supreme Court order. This after a delegation of Dalit MPs in the Union Cabinet met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Paswan said the meeting with Modi was "positive" and the MPs apprised him of certain issues related to the SCs and STs.

With inputs from IANS
Rehan Hooda

With each progressing month, more companies are launching updated, 2018 versions of their flagship devices. Xiaomi and Huawei, two major Chinese smartphone makers launched their flagships, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s and the Huawei P20 Pro in the market yesterday. Both the devices now join the existing Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus to compete for the throne of the best smartphone in the market.

Talking about the latest flagship devices in the market, Huawei P20 Pro comes with a 6.1-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2240p and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. It also gets Huawei's Hisilicon Kirin 970 chipset along with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage along with a 4,000 mAh battery.

The company has focused heavily on the camera when it comes to P20 Pro as it now comes with a triple rear camera setup, which includes a 40 MP f/1.7 primary sensor, a 20 MP secondary and an 8 MP sensor. The camera optics on the phone have also been made in collaboration by Leica so its gets the 'Leica' branding on the back. The Pro also gets a 24 MP f/2.0 front-facing camera for selfies and it will also be available in four colours  Midnight Blue, Graphite Black, Pink Gold and Twilight.

Moving to the entry by Xiaomi, the company has packed a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC with an octa-core CPU clocked at up to 2.8 GHz and Adreno 630 GPU for graphics-intensive tasks. The phone will come in three variants with 6 GB RAM and 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. It comes with a 6-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution with a pixel density of 403 PPI. The company has thankfully not opted for a display design with a notch unlike the iPhone X and other Android devices such as the recently launched Vivo V9 and the Oppo F7.

Xiaomi has packed a dual camera setup on the back of the device in a vertical setup on the top left of the device, similar to the arrangement of the iPhone X. The dual camera setup will come with 12 MP camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture and another 12 MP camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture. The sensor on the Mi Mix 2S' camera is a 1.4-micron pixel Sony IMX 363 sensor and will have dual-pixel autofocus technology along phase detection system. The front of the device will be equipped with an 8 MP camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S will come with 'multi-frame noise reduction' where the camera uses the software as well as hardware to reduce the noise. The company has added OIS to the camera this time.

With the launch of two flagships in just about a matter of hours, it seems like a ripe time to bring them to the comparison table and see how these devices stack against each other and against the competition. Unlike the last comparison of flagship devices, most of the devices in the list are updated flagships giving us a comprehensive picture of the comparison.

So, we selected Apple iPhone X, and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus to be compared against the Huawei P20 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s. The reason for selecting the iPhone X is because most of the companies including Huawei and Xiaomi compared their flagships against the X. The reason we selected these smartphones is that almost all of the devices are flagship devices sold as the best a particular company can sell. These devices also pack similar (or the custom-made equivalents) of the top-of-the-line hardware.

Bear in mind that we're still not done testing some of these smartphones, so we're currently comparing them going only by their specifications on paper.

Smartphone Huawei P20 Pro Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s Samsung S9+ iPhone X Display Size (inch) 6.1 5.99 6.2 5.8 Resolution (pixels) 1,080 x 2,244 1,080 x 2,160 1,440 x 2,960 2436 x 1125 Pixel Density (PPI) 408 403 529 458 Display Type AMOLED IPS LCD Super AMOLED OLED Super Retina HDR Dimensions(mm) 155 x 73.9 x 7.8 150.9 x 74.9 x 8.1 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 Weight (gm) 180 191 189 174 Dual SIM Yes Yes Yes (Variant) No Connectivity Types Nano-SIM Nano-SIM GSM / HSPA / LTE LTE, SCDMA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A, UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA, GSM/EDGE Processor Hisilicon Kirin 970 Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Exynos 9810 A11 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture CPU Cores Octa-core Octa-core Octa-core, Octa-core Hexa-core CPU Clock Speed (GHz) 4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.4 GHz & 4x Cortex-A53 @1.8 GHz 4x Kryo 385 Gold @ 2.7 & 4x Kryo 385 Silver @ 1.8 4x Kryo 385 Gold @ 2.7 & 4x Kryo 385 Silver @ 1.7 and 4x Mongoose M3 @ 2.8 & 4x Cortex A55 @ 1.7 Hexa-core 4 x efficiency cores + 2 Performance cores GPU Mali-G72 MP12 Adreno 540 Adreno 630, Mali G72 MP18 - RAM 6 GB 6, 8 GB 6 GB 3GB Ruggedness   IP68 IP67 under IEC standard 60529 On-Board Memory 128 GB 64,128, 256 GB 64, 128, 256 GB 64, 256 GB Expandable Memory Yes, up to 256 GB No Yes, up to 256GB No Sensors Fingerprint Reader, Gravity Proximity, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass Iris scanner, fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, Barometer, Heart-rate, SpO2 Face ID, Barometer, Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor Primary Camera 40 MP f/1.8, 20 MP f/1.6 and 8 MP f/2.4 12 MP, f/1.8, 12 MP, f/2.4 12MP, f/1.5-2.4, 12 MP f/2.4 52 mm 12 MP wide-angle /1.8 aperture,

telephoto /2.4 aperture Optical Image Stabilization Yes (for 40 MP) Yes, 4-Axis Yes Yes Camera Array Triple Camera Dual Camera Dual Camera Dual Camera Autofocus System Phase detection and laser autofocus Dual pixel phase detection Phase detection Autofocus with Focus Pixels Secondary Camera 24 MP, f/2.0 5 MP f/2.0 8MP, f/1.7 7 MP, f/2.2 Video Capture 4K (30fps) 4K (30fps) 4K 60 fps, 720p 960 fps, HDR 4K up to 60 fps Flash dual-LED Dual-LED LED Quad-LED OS Version Android 8.1 Oreo-based EMUI 8.1 Android 8.0 Oreo-based MIUI Android 8.0 Oreo iOS 11 AI (Smart Assistant) Google Assistant Google Assistant Yes, Bixby Siri Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz + 5GHz, Wi-Fi hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot 802.11ac WiFi with MIMO Bluetooth v4.2, A2DP, LE, EDR, aptX HD v5.0, A2DP, LE v5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX v 5.0 NFC Yes Yes Yes Yes Fingerprint Scanner Yes, Home button Yes, Rear button Yes, Rear button No 3.5mm jack No No Yes No USB Type Type-C reversible Type-C Reversible connector Type-C Reversible connector Reversible connector USB Standard USB v3.1 USB v2.0 USB 3.1 Lightning Battery (mAh) 4,000 3,400 3,500 2,716 Quick charge Yes Yes Yes Yes Colors Twilight, Black, Midnight Blue, Pink Gold Black Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple Space Grey, Silver Prices in India TBA TBA Rs 64,900 onwards Rs 89,000 onwards

Conclusion

There is intense competition when it comes to the on-paper hardware specifications of the devices. But on close inspection, it feels like the Huawei P20 Pro along with the three camera setup on the back of the device seems to be the winner in terms of the camera hardware. The top end variants of Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s seem to be upping the P20 Pro in terms of RAM, the design and the Bluetooth technology in the device. The pricing of the Mi Mix 2S and the P20 Pro in the Indian market is not available at the moment so we can't comment on that. But we will reserve our verdict till we actually test the new flagships. Till then, the Huawei P20 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s are evenly matched in a fierce competition.
Emmanuel Macron condemned an overnight assault by presumed jihadists on a Turkish restaurant in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Paris: French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday condemned an overnight assault by presumed jihadists on a Turkish restaurant in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, calling it a "terrorist attack".

In a statement, Macron also praised the "effective mobilisation" of the Burkina security forces in ending the assault, which left at least 18 people dead, including at least one French national, according to Paris prosecutors.

Macron and his counterpart in the former French colony, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, will discuss the situation, his office said in a statement.

France remains committed to pursuing the fight against terrorist groups in west Africa and accelerating work to set up a planned Sahel force to fight jihadists, the statement said.

Macron visited the region in early July, when he said he wanted the force, which will initially count some 5,000 troops and begin its operations in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, to be operational by the end of August.
German authorities issued a final approval for a new gas pipeline from Russia, risking higher tensions with eastern neighbours fearful of European energy dependence on Moscow

Frankfurt am Main: German authorities on Wednesday issued a final approval for a new gas pipeline from Russia, risking higher tensions with eastern neighbours fearful of European energy dependence on Moscow.

The Federal Agency for Maritime Navigation and Hydrography (BSH) issued the approval after investigating the environmental and commercial impact of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the authority said in a statement.

Some 85 kilometres of the 1,225-kilometre pipeline from the Narva Bay on Russia's border with Estonia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany will run through German territory.

Along with a previously issued approval from the mining authority based in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coastal Stralsund constituency, the permit lifts the final hurdle to construction on the German side.

Approvals are still needed from Russian, Finnish, Danish and Swedish authorities.

Nord Stream 2 AG, the company behind the pipeline and a subsidiary of Russian state-controlled energy firm Gazprom, said it was "pleased" with the result and hoped to secure the outstanding permits "in the coming months".

The pipeline project remains controversial in Germany as well as European Union neighbours like Poland and Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, who fear it could be used as a tool to boost Russian influence over the bloc.

Moscow notoriously used gas prices to pressurise Ukraine during a mounting conflict with its former satellite which saw Russia annex the Crimean peninsula in 2014  prompting EU sanctions in response.

Meanwhile, a rare cross-party alliance of high-ranking German politicians from Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, the environmentalist Greens and pro-business Free Democrats in February warned against allowing Nord Stream 2 to go ahead.

It would "split the EU politically and call into question our solidarity with Poland, our Baltic neighbours, Slovakia and Ukraine, but also Sweden and Denmark," they wrote in a letter to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

And the European Commission said last year it sees "no need" for Nord Stream 2 as it pursues energy security and diversity of gas supply across the 28-member bloc.

Merkel has said she believes Nord Stream 2 is a purely "economic project" with no need for political intervention.
UAE: Qatari Fighter Jets Flew Too Closely to Emirates Jet

On Monday, a pair of Qatari fighter jets flew too closely to an Emirates aircraft flying through Bahraini airspace, according to the United Arab Emirates news agency, WAM. The alleged event is the third such incident brought to the UAEs attention by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations aviation agency, and was condemned by GCAA as a provocative action.

To read more on this story, go to Reuters.

[Photo: Shutterstock]
Quote: alpine trifecta Originally Posted by No sir, but he has the ones that do. piles of em. Tons of stuff for my dump truck. So many parts on it are obsolete. I have 4 farm trucks to cannibalize off of. But a source like that is greatly appreciated. This is my thirtieth year hauling w that truck. aprox. a thousand loads each year. Three motors, four trans and a half a dozen diffs later. thanks again for the info.

Yes, he does and a lot of other parts besides. I've been a customer of this yard since 1967 and know where all the parts are located.Every so often, Marty calls me, asks if I have seen a certain part and if so, where is it located.For many years, they would dismantle trucks, install the fenders on racks, the hoods, grilles and etc in separate locations, plus...SoCal bought ALL the leftover NOS parts when the Long Beach Ford and Pico Rivera L/M assembly plants closed, bought all the parts inventory when Kott & Smolar, the Ford dealer in Wilmington burned.Also bought out all the parts from a Hudson and Studebaker dealer when they closed. I've probably spent over 100 grand buying NOS parts from SoCal, sold the parts for triple and quadruple what I paid for them.
I had one on a 69 highboy. I can't remember how it bolted to the frame but I remember the cool little braces that held the grill bars together where holes had to be cut in the grill for the braces.

I had one on a 69 highboy. I can't remember how it bolted to the frame but I remember the cool little braces that held the grill bars together where holes had to be cut in the grill for the braces.

i am guessing there was some L type brackets that bolted to the frame , cool find!!!!

I think I made a good find. Does anyone know exactly where the inner ends of the braces go?

Posting Quick Reply - Please Wait Quick Reply: Found a factory front grill guard

The following errors occurred with your submission Okay

Quote message in reply?
Pirellis softest tyre compound, the hypersoft, will make its first Grand Prix weekend appearance in Monaco, with F1s tyre supplier expecting the lap record to tumble

The pink-walled tyre, described by Lewis Hamilton as the best Pirelli has produced since returning to F1, will be made available along with the ultrasoft and supersoft tyre for Mays race.

While the time delta between the ultrasoft, supersoft and soft is close, the gap between the hypersoft and ultrasoft is much greater. Pirelli predicts a difference of between 0.7s-0.8s per lap in Monaco.

Monaco is a lot about mechanical grip so a softer tyre will give a big advantage in terms of lap time, Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola told F1.com. I have a good expectation that we will have a lap record.

The current qualifying lap record is 1m 12.178s, which was set by Kimi Raikkonen (video below) when the Ferrari driver took pole position for last years race.

Each driver must save one set of the hypersofts for the final part of qualifying and keep a set each of the supersoft and ultrasoft for the race. Teams are then free to choose the remaining 10 of their allocated 13 sets for use for the rest of the weekend as they see fit.

Mercedes and Haas were the only teams not to run the hypersofts in pre-season testing, but Isola does not believe that will hamper them in Monaco.

I dont think it will be an issue for them," said Isola. Monaco is such a unique circuit that teams need to run the hypersoft in practice to assess the level of grip and degradation. Its difficult to take numbers from other circuits and make a comparison."
A bug. Thats what a comprehensive enquiry by Mercedes revealed was to blame for Lewis Hamilton saw victory in Sundays Australian Grand Prix slip through his fingers

Hamilton controlled the opening stages of the race at Albert Park and was on course to re-take the lead from Sebastian Vettel during the pit stop sequence. That is until the virtual safety car [VSC] was deployed to deal with Romain Grosjeans stricken Haas.

Much to world champion Hamiltons frustration, Vettel was able to pit and re-join ahead of the Briton. Initially, Mercedes thought it was a software glitch that incorrectly predicted the gap Hamilton required to re-inherit the lead. But it has become clear that wasnt quite the case.

The issue isn't actually with the race strategy software that we use," said Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin in the teams Pure Pitwall race debrief video. "It was an offline tool that we create these delta lap times with, and we found a bug in that tool that meant that it gave us the wrong number.

"Now the number that we were calculating was around 15 seconds, and in reality the number was slightly short of 13 seconds, so that was what created our delta. That is why we thought we were safe. We thought we had a bit of margin and then obviously you saw the result.

"We dropped out, we were in second place and it is very difficult to overtake and we couldn't get through. There are elements that we can do better with calculating that, but we have also looked at it for future.

"We are going to make sure we have more margin because we want to be able to cover for Vettel doing an amazingly good inlap to the pits, or having an incredibly fast stop. So with any of these things, we look at everything that went wrong, work out how to solve it and then put the processes in place to make sure we don't have a repeat."

Could Hamilton have gone quicker and created the gap required to keep Vettel behind if asked to do so? Mercedes reckon so.

We could have pushed the car harder, said Shovlin. At this point of the race we were still following a fuel profile that meant we were having to do some saving with fuel. Melbournes a very difficult race to do on that 105kg limit.

And also we were being a bit cautious with the tyres. Because the team thought that we were safe anyway, we thought that Sebastian was going to come out behind us, we werent telling Lewis to push any harder.

Thats really one of the big frustrations we have coming away from Melbourne is the car was clearly quick enough to win the race, if wed managed the race differently we could have won it.

But at this point we were lulled into this false sense of security and we didnt have Lewis driving as fast as we could. Thats one of those areas where in future, we need to make sure we get more margin.

Vettels victory meant Hamilton has managed to convert just two of his seven pole positions in Melbourne into victory.
RE/MAX Worldwide Footprint Expands; Portugal Named Global Region of the Year

The Worlds Most Productive Real Estate Network* reports 18 percent growth outside the U.S. and Canada in 2017

March 29, 2018 // Franchising.com // DENVER - RE/MAX, LLC continues to expand worldwide as the global real estate franchisor announced an 18 percent increase in agent count outside the United States and Canada in 2017. The RE/MAX network recently surpassed more than 119,000 agents in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide.

The global appeal of the RE/MAX network is unmatched by any of our competitors, said Shawna Gilbert, Vice President of Global Development for RE/MAX. In 2017, we were delighted to welcome six new countries to the RE/MAX network: Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Latvia, Antigua, Taiwan and Ethiopia. This global expansion not only helps to strengthen our in-network referral system, it also helps local job growth and the international real estate industry as a whole.

RE/MAX honored four global regions with Region of the Year awards at the 2018 RE/MAX R4 Convention in Las Vegas. RE/MAX Portugal was named overall Global Region of the Year after an outstanding year marked by growth and achievement.

RE/MAX Portugal added 55 new offices and grew the number of new agents by nearly 20 percent in 2017, said Gilbert. Were seeing great success in the European region because our global Broker/Owners and agents have proven the value of experience and professionalism in their local markets.

The RE/MAX Global Region of the Year Award winners are:

Asia Pacific Region of the Year - RE/MAX Mongolia

Europe Region of the Year - RE/MAX Portugal

Middle East/Africa Region of the Year - RE/MAX of Southern Africa

Latin America/Caribbean Region of the Year - RE/MAX Peru

About the RE/MAX Network

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. Over 115,000 agents provide RE/MAX a global reach of more than 100 countries and territories. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by residential transaction sides. RE/MAX, LLC, one of the worlds leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of RMCO, LLC, which is controlled and managed by RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RMAX). With a passion for the communities in which its agents live and work, RE/MAX is proud to have raised more than $167 million for Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities. For more information about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com. For the latest news about RE/MAX, please visit www.remax.com/newsroom.

*As measured by residential transaction sides

SOURCE the RE/MAX Network

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Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 10:26 am

A $30,000 no-bid contract to a victim of Larry Nassar is under attack in Meridian Township by Clerk Brett Dreyfus and experts in the field of sexual assault prevention and education. But Township Manager Frank Walsh is defending what experts have characterized as a sketchy deal by accusing those questioning the contract as re-victimizing the victim.

Dreyfus raised concerns about the contract during the boards March 20 board meeting. He is questioning if the contract with Brianna Randall-Gray, who reported her victimization by Nassar to township police in 2004, is a legal expenditure under state law.

I want to ensure the community has a qualified consultant to deliver a training program that is effective, Dreyfus said by phone. And that we follow state law on our expenditures. I also want to make sure we follow our own internal policies.

Dreyfus called the contract a thinly veiled payout to the sexual assault victim.

We shouldnt be doing backroom deals that the manager feels personally great about, Dreyfus said, referring to Walsh.

Walsh bristled at that implication. Shes not asked for a dime.

At issue is a state law that limits how townships in Michigan can expend money. The law limits expenditures related to domestic or sexual violence to any private, nonprofit corporation or organization. The board approved the no-bid contract with Randall-Gray as an individual.

That contract would pay Randall-Gray $30,000 to assist in developing and implementing a community-wide sexual assault program.

Walsh played down the legal concerns in a combative interview Monday afternoon.

Were in a good place on this, he said. But asked if he had asked township lawyers to review the state law and provide a legal opinion, he said he had not. He also said that he had not personally read the law. He then pivoted to accuse those who might question the process of making Randall-Gray a victim again.

If somebody wants to challenge us, they can, he said. Its too bad that through this whole thing she is, I feel like, Brianna is being made out to be the victim again.

Dreyfus slammed back on that allegation.

Its really twisted logic to accuse someone of re-victimizing Brianna when that person is trying to comply with state law and township policies and serving in the role of the fiduciary responsibility, said the clerk.

And hes following that responsibility by seeking an outside legal opinion. He said he would meet with Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon on Tuesday to discuss avenues to investigate his legal questions.

Siemon did not return calls seeking comment.

Tashmica Torok, who runs the local Firecracker Foundation, which does sexual assault and abuse education programming, said the policy and process questions were legitimate. I dont think that is revictimizing someone, she said. She will meet with township officials next week at their request. They hope to get her agency on board with Randall-Grays program.

As the executive director of the National Coalition Against Violent Athletes, Katherine Redmond has spent 25 years educating pro- and college-level athletes about sexual assault. She angrily dismissed Walshs claims the questions being asked made Randall-Gray a victim again.

Its not re-victimizing, Redmond said.

It has nothing to do with the victim and her claims. Of course, she was believed by those of us who understand sexual assault from the beginning, while others did not take her claims seriously and did not act. The issue here is the process and ensuring that the right people with the knowledge of sexual assault are being placed in positions to prevent sexual assault and support victims.

As a sexual assault victim, Redmond understands how important victims voices are in shaping educational opportunities related to sexual violence. But after reviewing the contract between the township and Randall-Gray, shes not sure its a good one.

It is concerning to me. While victims do have very good insight and understanding into their specific experience, that this type of consultancy fee with no deliverables and no expectations would make it sketchy, said Redmond, who has provided training to pro and college athletes for the last 25 years.

Throughout the interview, Walsh referred to Randall-Gray as our victim, noting that organizations such as Firecracker Foundation werent.

In February, as hundreds of women lined up to testify about the harm Nassar did to their lives through his assaults, township officials held a press conference to acknowledge they had failed Randall- Gray. A tearful Walsh stood before local and national media and apologized.

She brought a complaint against Nassar to Meridian Township in 2004, but Nassar was able to convince an investigator that he had performed a legitimate medical procedure and the case was closed.

While Randall-Gray has not shown any intent to sue the township, Walsh said officials recognized they had an opportunity to learn from the mistake and provide community-wide education about sexual assault and prevention. Within that context, Walsh said, Randall-Gray, who lives in Washington state and is a physicians assistant, expressed interest in leading the process.

Walsh said Monday she had not provided the township with a resume or curriculum vitae, and only on Sunday, days after the contract was signed, did she provide a one-page summary of some of her plans. The one-page project description has a vaguely worded assurance that she will create an educational program, but it has no clear deliverables, noted Dreyfus.

We dont know exactly what this will look like until its done, Walsh said. But thats the deliverable.

When questioned whether he was aware of any other no-bid contracts for tens of thousands of dollars that provided no deliverable measures of timelines, he said he could not think of one off the top of his head.

On top of questions about the legality of the contract under state law, there are also questions about whether internal spending policies were followed. Dreyfus said the township requires bids for any contract over $5,000, but Walsh said there was no bid.

If we did a bid it would be for someone who was a Nassar victim who had interactions with our department, he said. I cant think of anyone else who fits that description.

Despite local services like the Firecracker Foundation, Walsh said he wasnt interested in working with them specifically. We wanted to work with Brianna, he said. Thats it. We have a very good working relationship with her.

He said he cant assure taxpayers that Randall-Gray may replicate already available services. We just dont know what it will be yet, just that it will be specific to our township and our schools, he said.

Dreyfus is also questioning whether it was legal for the township to foot the bill to fly Randall-Gray to Michigan to testify against Nassar. The township paid about $1,300 for that flight.

It was the right thing to do, Walsh said about the flight expense in a previous interview with City Pulse.

As clerk, state law requires Dreyfus to oversee the issuance of payments and township accounting.

He said a decision to pay to have Randall- Gray fly in from Washington to testify against Nassar was a nice gesture, but an illegal expenditure. State law requires that expenditures result in the township receiving goods or services equal to or in excess of the amount of taxpayer money spent.
GDC is often about homecomings, and attending for several years now Ive had the joy of seeing creators grow, learn, and move from project to project, or watch games theyve worked on slowly take shape.

In the case of one cuddly octopus, this year was a particularly delightful reminder of that. Two years ago I reported on an interactive teaching toy called Octobo: a blue octopus who teaches toddlers and young children how to read, brought to life by slipping an iPad Mini (or similarly sized tablet) into the plushie to provide a touchscreen surface.

The brainchild of developer Yuting Su, its now grown from a graduate school project to a fully-realized system ready for mass production, with a team of designers at her startup Thinker-Tinker. The original model Id looked at was hand-stitched by Sus mother. Now its been polished up, softened up, and debuted on Kickstarter, having launched just this week after GDC. As of this writing its already at nearly 20,000 dollars of its 50k goal.

There are similar kinds of toys out there--the obvious comparison being Teddy Ruxpin. A cute companion who interacts with your child as they read tie-in books. But Octobo is both more advanced and, crucially, better for snuggling than the hard plastic companions of old.

Su and her son (and Octobo)

I met Martzi Campos, a game researcher at USC Game Innovation Lab whos acted as an adviser on the project, at the crowded Starbucks across the street from the Moscone Center to meet the new Octobo, who sprawled across one of the tables, oblivious to the threat of passing lattes. She showed off a variety of interactive features centered around touch and recognition of tokens--putting a letter in Octobos bowl to identify them, for instance. But the biggest change was in the octopus himself.

Back in 2016, when it debuted at Alt.Ctrl.GDC, Id joked that I became a gaming critic to review cuddle-ability after describing how the Octobo prototype was a little too cardboardy to really get a feel for it. All thats changed now. The new Octobo is a gigantic squish-ball whose tech is elegantly concealed beneath layers of softness. When you remove your iPad, its now entirely soft and amenable to being snugged and thrown around by your toddler. But even with the iPad inside, its still cuddlable and reactive to touch. Petting Octobo will make him very happy, for instance.

The iPad becomes his animated, expressive face, and it can be interacted with directly. If you put your finger near Octobos mouth, hell nibble at it. If you poke his eye, hell become upset. The latter, in particular, was an interesting little quirk that emerged from many discussions at Thinker-Tinker, where there was a desire to create a creature that could inspire empathy. Hurting Octobo has a consequence, generating feedback that suggests he doesnt like it; by contrast, shaking hands (tentacles?) and giving hugs makes him happy.

In theory, it could be useful for teaching young children, in a controlled environment, how to respect people other than themselves.

The main focus remains on basic education, however. Pattern recognition (Octobo loves striped fish! Find the striped fish!) or identifying letters and numbers. These are available in two books, with their own sets of tokens, which come with the Kickstarter launch: Octobos Underwater Adventure, and Octobo and the Great Letter Search. Theres also a cute spelling app that I got to try out.

Campos also introduced me to another creation of Sus: Octobos world of Puzmo, a cutesy realm of other one-eyed anthropomorphic creatures (I prefer to call it the Octoverse, however). That kingdom of cuteness, which puts one in the mind of Hello Kittys world of friends, suggests the ambition behind this game. Part of what may make Octobo successful is his scalability, after all; more applications can be added, more stories can be written, more tokens created. The system is designed to accommodate age-appropriate content for children ranging from several months old to about 7 or 8 years of age--Underwater Adventure and Letter Search act as proofs of concept, as each is targeted at a different age bracket.

Even as an adult, its fun to do a wiggly tentacle dance with Octobo and make him laugh. The technology is certainly impressive, rather like Amiibo or Lego Dimensions, but with more expansive tactility. It is an accomplishment to make it all work while creating a toy children can really hold, making it akin to a living stuffed-animal.

I wont lie, Octobo melts my heart. And amid a sometimes challenging and tense GDC, it was lovely to see this product of love and technical dedication reach a new plateau of success. If Octobo manages to succeed as both an educational game and an empathy toy, itll be a triumph.

Katherine Cross is a Ph.D student in sociology who researches anti-social behavior online, and a gaming critic whose work has appeared in numerous publications.
Georgia expels Russian diplomat over poisoning former spy in England - GeorgianJournal
Coolpad 1801-T0 spotted on TENAA has low-end specs News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Coolpad appears to be working on an entry-level smartphone.

Coolpad did not make any smartphone announcements for a considerable time. Lately, the company was in the headlines as there were some patent issues with Xiaomi but it looks like it is back to the business of making smartphones. We say so as a new smartphone has been spotted on the Chinese certification database TENAA.

According to the TENAA listing via GizmoChina, a new smartphone with the model number Coolpad 1801-T0 has been spotted on the certification database. The device appears to flaunt a 5-inch HD 720p display and make use of a 1.3GHz quad-core processor working along with 1GB or 2GB of RAM. Based on the RAM capacity, this smartphone in question is said to feature either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage capacity. Also, both the variants of the alleged Coolpad smartphone are likely to support expandable storage capacity up to 32GB.

Coolpad to launch new smartphones in India later this year

From the TENAA listing, it looks like the Coolpad smartphone in the making will arrive with dual cameras at its rear. The images revealed by the database show the two cameras stacked vertically at the top center of the rear panel along with the LED flash unit next to them. The dual-camera module is said to comprise of 5MP and 2MP sensors. Also, the selfie camera is said to be a 5MP unit and the device is likely to run Android 7.0 Nougat and get the power from a meager 1800mAh battery.

Coolpad smartphones will now get Amazon Alexa Voice support in India

While the specifications do not sound too impressive, the device does not score even on its design front. It appears to be a regular smartphone with thick bezels and capacitive buttons at the bottom. Talking about the rear panel, the dual cameras at the rear are accompanied by a LED flash module towards their right and there is a speaker grille at the bottom.

How to remove your number from true caller app

For now, there is no information on when exactly this smartphone could be unveiled or even if it will see the light of the day. One thing that we are sure is that this smartphone could be an entry-level device in the advanced smartphone era so we cannot expect this Coolpad device to create a buzz and smash the existing competition.

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Nokia 5, Nokia 6 start receiving Android 8.1 Oreo update News oi-Chandrika The Android 8.1 Oreo update weighs about 866MB for Nokia 5 and 933MB for Nokia 6.

Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 have started receiving the latest iteration of Google's Android OS. HMD Global is now rolling out the Android 8.1 Oreo update for the smartphones' users in several countries including India. Android 8.1 brings a slew of new features such as Neural Networks API, hamburger emoji fix and developer APIs (API level 27), as well as the latest optimizations, bug fixes, and security patches.

The update also adds battery saving navigation buttons, revamped power menu, new settings menu and Bluetooth battery percentage, according to the change log. The Android 8.1 Oreo update weighs about 866MB for Nokia 5 and 933MB for Nokia 6. As stated, the update comes with Android security patch for March 2018.

To recall, the Nokia 5 features a 5.2-inch HD 720p IPS LCD display. This device runs on Android 7.0 Nougat and is equipped with an octa-core Snapdragon 430 SoC. The processor is teamed up with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage space that can be expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

The imaging aspects of the Nokia 5 include a 13MP main camera with f/2.0 aperture, PDAF and dual-LED flash. Up front, there is an 8MP selfie snapper with the same aperture. A 3,000mAh battery fuels the enetire package.

The Nokia 6, on the other hand, is fitted with a 5.5-inch FHD 1080p IPS LCD display. Under its hood, there is an octa-core Snapdragon 430 SoC teamed up with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage space. The default storage can be expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

On the optics front, the Nokia 6 flaunts a 16MP main snapper at its rear with dual-LED flash and PDAF. There is also an 8MP selfie shooter. The aperture of both the cameras are identical at f/2.0.

Running on Android 7.0 Nougat, this smartphone comes with dual speakers, NFC, OTG, and a fingerprint sensor as well. A 3,000mAh battery powers this smartphone with fast charging support.

How to record Whatsapp call on your smartphone

HMD Global has also announced that both the Nokia 2 and Nokia 3 will be upgraded to Android 8.1 Oreo.

Via

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Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 10:45 am

BWLs Central Substation project plans to add a series of murals that reflects the citys vibrant community.

The Arts Council of Greater Lansing has teamed up with BWL and other community partners in search of artists to submit their artwork to be displayed on the north and south entrances of the Central Substation.

I think it was inevitable that the Central Substation project was going to happen, said Deborah Mikula, the executive director of the Arts Council. Once it was moving along we wanted to make sure that if there was any sort of creative or artistic project attached to it, that we would make that happen.

Artist submissions must include a resume, visual portfolio of similar-scale work, preliminary sketches of design for Central Substation project, an artist statement, an estimated budget, and a statement detailing the maintenance and longevity of the piece being submitted.

Artist submissions to the project should be colorful, eye-catching and characteristic of the community. It must not contain propaganda, advertisements or nudity.

All three murals will be fully funded by BWL, with costs including everything from artist fees, supplies, insurance, permits, fabrication, labor, shipping, installation, and more.

Upon bringing this project to the public, BWL committed to dedicating $20,000 every three years to fund the addition of new public art on or around the substation. While they, and others in the committee, collectively decided to fund three murals first, other visual art, such as sculptures, will grace the site in the years to come, explained Mikula.

Members of the selection committee are giving preference to artists from Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties, though they are accepting submissions from artists across the state of Michigan. All are encouraged to apply.

BWL Art Submission

Deadline Friday, April 20, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. Submissions must be sent as a PDF package to Deborah Mikula at debbie@lansingarts.org.
The controversy

Facebook users on Android found out that the social media giant collected their personal data such as contact numbers and text messages from their phones. According to a report from arsTECHNICA, users found years of call history, contacts and text messages scraped away.

Users can turn off the data collection from the settings menu, and all the previously accumulated call and text history will be deleted from the servers, Facebook said. The feature was introduced on Facebook Messenger in 2015 and was added to Facebook Lite later.

The reason

The company in response to the reports said that the call and SMS data was uploaded to secure servers and come only from Android users who opt to allow the sync of data. The company also emphasized that the data is collected in order "to improve people's experience across Facebook," and is not shared or sold with other third-party apps. The company claims that it doesn't collect the content of the text messages or calls.

Dell XPS 13 (2018) laptop review - GIZBOT

Company's response

"Call and text history logging is part of an opt-in feature for people using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android. This helps you find and stay connected with the people you care about and provide you with a better experience across Facebook. People have to expressly agree to use this feature. If, at any time, they no longer wish to use this feature they can turn it off in settings, or here for Facebook Lite users, and all previously shared call and text history shared via that app is deleted. While we receive certain permissions from Android, uploading this information has always been opt-in only," a Facebook spokesperson stated in a blog post.
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 10:45 am

Ernest Hemingway spent his first 21 summers in Michigan as his up north was being transformed from an Eden-like existence to a popular tourist destination. The languorous summers were filled with fishing, roasting marshmallows, and exploring the woods and streams around Horton Bay, Michigan.

Later, those summers would be front and center in his stories about Nick Adams, a character much like his early self. Heming ways Nick Adams stories have been collected in a single volume The Nick Adams Stories and include such classics as The Last Good Country and The Big Two-Hearted River.

Filmmaker George A. Colburn takes you back to that time in his documentary, Young Hemingway & His Enduring Eden.

In the documentary, Colburn follows Hemingway from his first visit as baby with his family in 1899 to his last visit in 1920 to marry his first wife Hadley.

He also includes the seminal winter of 1919 when Hemingway returns to Petoskey to heal his mind and body following injuries received while serving in the Ambulance Corps on the Italian front.

Colburn spent time in the late 60s at MSU, where he received his Ph.D., and was also an East Lansing City Council Member and a State House Democratic staff member in the early 70s.

The 90-minute documentary alternates between gorgeous footage of Hemingways favorite places, dark flowing streams and lush green forests, to numerous Hemingway experts who help place the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author in context.

Colburn, who has extensive experience in documentary filmmaking and educational consulting, first became enamored with Dwight D. Eisenhower and in 1991 produced and wrote three TV specials on Ike for Discovery featuring NBC commentator John Chancellor. He later produced and wrote the five-hour series The Eisenhower Legacy for Disney Television.

The City Pulse Book Club meets the first Thursday of each month, 7 p.m., at Schuler Books & Music in the Meridian Mall. Aprils selection is Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63, by Taylor Branch. The book is the first of a three-part series on the Civil Rights Movement. Upcoming books include Slouching Towards Bethlehem, by Joan Didion (May) and Bobby Kennedy, by Chris Matthews (June).

The producer who lives on Walloon Lake said he became interested in the Hemingway legacy after asking the current owner of Windemere and nephew of Hemingway, Ernie Mainland, if he could film the deconstruction and the rebuilding of the cottage exactly as it was in the early 1900s.

He got the go-ahead, and gave the tapes to Mainland who called three years later and said it was time to get the tapes out of the safe.

Colburn said he learned that the International Hemingway Society was meeting in Petoskey in 2012 for the first time.

I immediately thought maybe I could get some money and film the event. Its the first thing a documentary filmmaker sees when numerous experts come together at one place, he said.

Colburn figured he could get some interviews in the can with little expense over the three-day meeting at the historic Perry Hotel in Petoskey.

I got 8-10 interviews and an education on young Hemingway and the importance of Michigan on his writing, he said.

I was very fortunate and got all the top scholars. It was like a postgraduate seminar.

Colburn said it helped that he lived at Walloon. For example, he enlisted Robin Lee Berry, who owns an art gallery in nearby Boyne City, to record the sound track, which is deftly used throughout the 90 minute film.

In the film experts comment on Hemingways early life in Michigan including Sandra Spanier and Robert Trogdon, co-editors of the Hemingway Letters Project. Trogdon is a professor of English at Kent State University and Spanier holds a similar position at Pennsylvania State University.

Others include Chip Lorenger, co-owner of the Horton Bay General Store; John Sanford, Hemingway

nephew and scholar; and Authors Nancy Sindelar, Influencing Hemingway, Paul Hendrickson Hemingways Boat, Mary Jane Doer,  Bay View, and Fred Svoboda, Hemingway: Up in Michigan Perspectives.

A particularly moving interview was completed with the now deceased Jim Hartwell, the owner of the Fox Inn  a quirky bookstore and a paean to Hemingway in Horton Bay.

The documentary is augmented by the reading of numerous personal letters Hemingway sent his friends and family. The letters also track the development of Hemingways simple writing style of noun, verb and direct object.

Colburn also gives a shoutout to Hemingways father, an Oak Park, Illinois doctor who was an avid amateur photographer.

Finding photos in the public domain is very important to filmmakers, he said. Numerous photos in the film, used in the Ken Burns style, were sourced from Central Michigan University and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

So far, Colburn has spent six years on the project and his next goal is to get a commitment from Public Television to air the documentary. He also hopes to take the film, money permitting, to Paris for the meeting of the International Society in July 2018.

I hope to show it in Paris on Hemingways birthday, July 21, he said.

Young Hemingway & His Enduring Eden

Wednesday, April 4, 7 p.m. Hannah Community Center 829 Abbot Rd., East Lansing Tickets are $8, $6 for seniors (65kknd) and $3 students. www.hemingwaysmichigan.com
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 10:45 am

The two biggest food stories in Lansing this week can be summed up in one word: Taco  Mr. and Punk, respectively.

Last weekend, restaurateur Bill Bonofiglo staged a sneak premiere of the relaunch of Mr. Taco, the south Lansing restaurant his father started in 1967. After teasing the restaurants reopening for nearly three years, he held backto-back drive-thru only events at the location, 3124 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., last Friday and Saturday as a training session for new staff.

Cars snaked down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard as customers waited for popular favorites from the original restaurants heyday, including the red all-meat burrito and the beef enchilada combo, AKA, the #14. Fans posted photos, disappointed customers ranted, yet permanent hours were never announced. Bonofiglo did not return interview requests, so stay tuned I guess.

Meanwhile, following a similar nearly three-year hiatus after first being announced, Punk Taco has been given an opening date, albeit not at the original intended location near Frandor. Next Tuesday, April 3, the latest addition to the Potent Potables Project restaurant group will open in the space adjacent to the groups Creole Burger Bar & Southern Kitchen. Punk Taco will have tacos, tequila, tamales and other Mexican fare that doesnt start with t  just dont saddle it with labels like bar or restaurant.

Were calling ourselves a taco joint, said Sam Short, one of the three Potent Potables co-owners. Were going to be doing with tacos what Cosmos did with pizza  definitely nontraditional.

The menu  created by chef Scott MacPherson, who also oversees the Creoles kitchen  consists of 10 tacos, as well as nachos and sopes (fried tostadas). Taco creations will include Thai-spiced beets with pickled peanuts, ancho shrimp with habanero honey and blackened salmon with caper relish.

Short described the set-up as hybrid pub-style service  basically, a twist on fast casual. Customers will order their food (and cocktails, if they want them) at the bar, then sit down either inside the 38-seat space or outside on the patio, shared with the Creole. The server/ bartender will then deliver the food when it comes up, and continue bar service, if desired.

Surveying other concepts and talking to local restaurant users, we found that customers are trending toward efficiency on the front end, Short said. They dont like waiting to be seated, then waiting for their server before they even order their food. Were going to able to eliminate a lot of the waiting time and still retain a model thats close to full-service.

The bar will have at least 15 types of tequila, as well as craft beer cans, a limited wine menu and a selection of specialty cocktails, including margaritas that will be served in branded take-home cups. And as for that name?

I loved punk rock when I was a kid, and we thought the name fit our concept, Short said. Were going to have a heavy punk music motif, including a 7-foot mural done by a New York artist who specializes in hyper-realistic paintings of mosh pits. We try to do a little something different at each location. Its fun to keep people on their toes.

Punk Taco (opening Tuesday, April 3) 1216 Turner St., Lansing 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday
Local seniors got the chance to meet and learn about a variety of exotic animals from Animal Embassy on Wednesday at the Greenwich Senior Center.

Led by Animal Embassy Founder and Director Chris Evers, the presentation introduced many exotic species including an African bullfrog, Eurasian eagle-owl, green tree python, American alligator, Dutch dwarf rabbit and a pair of chinchillas.
To hear Cedric Villani tell it, the French are better than everyone else at love, wine -- and math.

A winner of the Fields Medal -- the Nobel Prize equivalent for mathematics -- Villani has in less than a year risen to become a key political figure in France with the ear of the tech-savvy President Emmanuel Macron. On Thursday, Villani took center stage when he unveiled the country's Artificial Intelligence strategy, aimed at putting his claim of France's mathematical superiority to work in the global battle for emerging disruptive technologies.

"There is a deficit of contact between science and politics," Villani, 44, said in an interview. "It's part of my job to reinforce that link. It will be France's role to lead the rest of Europe."

Villani is an unlikely warrior in Europe's AI battle, trying to take on China and the U.S. that are leaps ahead. The skinny scientist and lawmaker with his penchant for Gothic suits, giant frilly bow ties favored in the late 19th century, and bespoke spider-shaped brooches often draws more attention for the way he looks than for what he has to say.

Yet Macron is relying on Villani to help his modernization push by being one of the new -- more optimistic -- faces of France, a role the scientist has embraced with gusto. His 150-page AI report comes on top of the work he's done on crafting a new and better way of teaching math in the country and as he prepares his next project that will involve reviewing France's pedagogical techniques and reflects on data privacy.

Next month he'll travel with Macron to the U.S., after having visited China with him in January. He was among the key speakers at a pre-Davos gig organized by Macron at the Versailles Palace in January to show foreign investors, including Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, that science was now at the core of France's ambitions.

"Villani brings France's policies up to a whole new level of knowledge and thinking, and it seems fair that he is given even more help to do his scaling up," said Andre Loesekrug-Pietri, an investor who launched the Joint European Disruption Initiative with major European scientific figures to accelerate investment in fundamental research. He and Villani studied together at the top Paris school of Louis-Le-Grand.

Ever since Villani won the Fields medal in 2010, the soft-spoken math whiz has endeavored to make math a part of the conversation in France and to bring more science to politics. Mathematics has taken him from Paris's prestigious Ecole Normale Superieure, to stints at Berkeley University and Princeton University and to the helm of the French capital's Institut Henri Poincare, the world-renowned mathematical center.

His mathematics research fellow, Giuseppe Toscani of the University of Pavia in Italy, recalls Villani's phenomenal ability to synthesize everything. The two men published research together in the late 1990s.

"He has the (almost unique) characteristic to be the best at anything he takes on," Toscani said in a written response to questions. "Mathematics is one, among others. From that point of view, I am sure he will make important contributions in his new political life."

Villani is part of Macron's effort to change France's political landscape, drawing into parliament people who are not professional politicians. The scientist has attempted to be more than just a new face. A fan of Marvel Comics's Amazing Fantasy, Villani abides by the superhero's mantra that "with great power comes great responsibility."

France doesn't have a Science Advisory Committee like in the U.S. The French prime minister is supposed to have a similar body, but Villani notes, "it hasn't been used in a long, long time."

Villani, who carries a pocket watch at all times and a giant, full and often half-open backpack, is a busy man. His aides talk about their boss's extreme multi-tasking: He writes with one hand and types with the other while speaking on the phone.

"I must do everything at the same time, that's the difficulty," Villani said.

The scientist is also contributing to a much-debated government plan to revise the constitution, which has taken him into uncharted and controversial waters. For the most part, though, he's sticking to his real passion -- making France the place to be for math and science.

In a June 2016 TED Talk about why his field of study is "so sexy," Villani joked about French people's reputation and added more seriously that Paris has more mathematicians than any other city in the world.

"What is it that French people do better than all the others? If you take a poll, the top three answers might be: love, wine and whining... Maybe. But let me suggest a fourth one: mathematics."
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 10:45 am

Shawn Fearon is the owner and head chef of Kingston Kitchen, the six month old Jamaican restaurant in Okemos. Fearon has worked in kitchens from Michigan to Florida. Taking that former experience and combining it with inspiration and culinary knowledge from home and professional training, Fearon is bringing his twist on his native cuisine to greater Lansing.

How did you find your way to Michigan from Jamaica?

I grew up in Kingston, Jamaica and came to the United States for a better opportunity. I enrolled in the temporary work program and was placed on Mackinac Island, Michigan. I ended up returning to Mackinac Island for several seasons, until I eventually decided to stay the winters as the executive chef of one of the few restaurants that stay open yearround.

You were trained in the culinary arts, correct? Where did you study?

I trained in the culinary arts at the HEART College of Hospitality Services in Runaway Bay, Jamaica.

How did you come to open your own restaurant? What inspired that career move?

My dream of opening my own restaurant was years in the making. As a chef, Ive always wanted to have my own kitchen with a menu with dishes from my culture. I have had some version of Kingston Kitchens menu in the works before I even had a city or building in mind. This dream stems from my love of food and hospitality, not as a calculated career or business decision.

As a chef and a restaurant owner, what are your day-to-day responsibilities?

Do you write the menu?

My restaurant is six months old. Currently, my day-to-day is anything and everything. I am on the line for both lunch and dinner service, directing the front of house staff, as well as the less exciting business things like payroll. I wrote our regular menu and continue to test new recipes for seasonal menus and weekly specials. Creating dishes that are unexpected and well-loved are what I love doing most.

Im assuming your childhood in Jamaica played a big part in inspiring the food on the menu, but it also seems to have a bit of western influence as well, with burgers, meat-centric entrees and pasta dishes. Is the menu a mix of both Jamaican and American influences or is it strictly classic Jamaican food?

I wanted Kingston Kitchen to be a place welcoming to folks with a range of comfort levels with spice and other traditional Jamaican flavors. More than anything else, I wanted people to expect dishes that are made from scratch with fresh ingredients and a vibrant flavor profile. If I wouldnt eat it or make it for my family, it is not being served at my restaurant. My menu has traditional Jamaican dishes that I grew up on: oxtail, jerk chicken, curry goat and escovitch fish. It also has some dishes more familiar to Americans with a Jamaican influence, like Jerk Chicken fettuccine Alfredo and Coconut Shrimp with mango pineapple marmalade. People can enjoy familiar dishes that are enjoyably different from most American menus.

How often, if at all, does your menu change?

Because we just celebrated Kingston Kitchens half birthday, our regular menu has not changed yet. With warmer weather just around the corner, we are introducing a separate spring and summer menu available for a limited time with dishes like Lobster Hot Dogs, Zesty Guava & Pineapple Chicken, and Jamaicas national dish, Ackee & Saltfish. We will debut this menu in April.

Your upbringing in Jamaica seemed to have a big effect on your growth as a chef. Were you the cook of your family?

Cooking for others and gathering around a great meal is an integral part of Jamaicas culture. Our meals last hours with several rounds of dishes and conversation with friends and family. When food was not readily available, I learned to love and appreciate the times when we did have it. When my mother was cooking oxtail, I knew things were all right.

My mom taught me to cook with what we had and make things last without waste. Food is sacred. I havent lost that appreciation for serving others through creating and preparing dishes with care.

How have Kingston Kitchens first six months gone?

We celebrated our half birthday March 5. These last six months have been the most rewarding of my career. The communitys reception has been astounding and heartwarming. I have met so many in the Lansing area and look forward to the years to come.

Can I ask about your logo? What inspired the bird? Is that also a reference to Jamaica?

My logo is of Jamaicas national bird, the Doctor Bird, a beautiful hummingbird that can only be found on the island.

Its iridescent feathers are one of a kind.

Why did you want to open it in Okemos?

Opening in Okemos was more luck that anything else. Kingston Kitchen needed its home to be in a community that enjoys international cuisines and is adventurous in its dining choices. Many people of Okemos and the Greater Lansing area enjoy diverse food choices. I also wanted an open kitchen set up so visiting Kingston Kitchen would feel as welcoming as stepping into my home. The open kitchen layout at our location on Central Park Drive sealed the deal for Kingston Kitchen to open in Okemos.

As a chef and a restaurant owner, I can imagine life is quite busy. How do you balance work and life?

There is no balance, only trade-offs.

Right now, Kingston Kitchen demands to be a priority but things change over time.

As a chef, where do you eat out when you want to eat out?

Im not eating out right now, but when things settle down, I look forward to trying some of the great places in the Lansing area.

What is your favorite dish on the menu currently?

Oxtail. All day, every day.
HMD has scheduled an event in India for April 4 with hints that it will be about Android One phones. That doesnt narrow it down much, but Twitter user @IshanAgarwal24 has dug up information, which suggests the Nokia 7 plus will be exclusive to Amazon India.

Apparently, the 7 Plus will be sold through flash sales, similar to the sales approach of Chinese companies.



The Nokia 7 Plus may be exclusive to Amazon India

Theres a chance that more phones will be shown at the event  Nokia 8 Sirocco and Nokia 6 (2018)  but they may not be exclusive to Amazon. The Nokia 6 (the original) launched as a Flipkart exclusive earlier this year, so maybe that will be the fate of the 2018 model as well.

Source | Via
Missing FM radio support in US unlocked Galaxy S9/S9+ will be added in future update

The FM radio feature in unlocked Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ units in the US isn't currently working, but will be enabled in a future update. The information comes courtesy of NextRadio, which issued a statement saying Samsung confirmed this to them.

Samsung mistakenly did not add the NAB FM API to the unlocked devices. Our team confirmed this with them a couple of days after release upon receiving reports the app did not work. Samsung has said it will be in the first update they do, but have not yet settled on a date.

Earlier this year, NextRadio announced that all upcoming Samsung smartphones in the US and Canada will have their FM chip unlocked.

While the feature is working perfectly fine in all carrier branded Galaxy S9 and S9+ units, users of unlocked units are currently out of luck, although now we know that will change soon.

The model numbers are SM-G960UI and SM-G965UI that do not currently work for FM. SM-G960U and SM-G965U are sold through carriers and do work for FM.

Via
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By Vasia Orion | Published on 2018/03/28

Great news for fans of Park Ji-young, as the actress makes her return to the side of writer Seo Sook-hyang after "Incarnation of Jealousy". She will be playing the chef who dominates the kitchen of the Chinese restaurant, which is the main setting of the drama "Wok of Love".

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Her character, Chae Seol-ja, came to Korea 25 years ago from the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture (Yeonbyeon, , in Korean). The actress will put aside her more classy appearances for a "more macho than men" style, a phrase which makes me cringe myself into a quantum singularity with its problematic gendered associations.

Cringe-worthy descriptions aside, Park Ji-young has been studying the dialect, as well as cooking, in order to prepare for her role. After my experience with her in "Falsify" and "Save Me", I call any production that has her mighty blessed.

"Wok of Love" has already confirmed its leads, Jang Hyuk, Jung Ryeo-won, and Lee Junho, and it will be following "Shall We Kiss First" in May, on SBS.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Sources (1)
Published on 2018/03/29 | Source

Added episode 12 captures for the Korean drama "The Great Seducer" (2018)

Advertisement

Directed by Kang In-I, Lee Dong-hyun-IV

Written by Kim Bo-yeon-I

Network : MBC

With Woo Do-hwan, Joy, Moon Ga-young, Kim Min-jae-I, Kim Seo-hyung, Shin Sung-woo,...

32 episodes - Mon, Tue 22:00 (2x35min)

Formerly know as "Love Game" and "Love Game: The Great Seduction" ( -  , leo-beu-ge-im - wi-dae-han yu-ok")

Synopsis

Based on the 2003 "Untold Scandal", this drama centers on an aristocratic man and woman engage in a bet. If the man can convince a virtuous widow to sleep with him, then he can finally have the aristocratic woman.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2018/03/12

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Havre Police Department

Officers investigated a two-vehicle crash reported on First Street West Wednesday at 7:30 a.m.



Officers investigated a vehicle crash reported Wednesday at 2:59 p.m. at 13th Street and Hidden Valley Drive.



Officers investigated a Wednesday 3:16 p.m. report of a fake $50 bill passed at a First Street West business.



Cordale Cheyenne Beard of Havre, 19, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and a charge of minor in possession after a First Street Northeast caller reported underage drinkers at 8:49 p.m.

Hill County Sheriffs Office

Matthew Ryan Payne of Great Falls, 20, was arrested on a Justice of City court warrant Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. at the detention center.

Havre Fire Department

Emergency medical personnel responded to two calls Wednesday and one at midnight.



Fire crews responded to the 2200 Block of Fifth Avenue after someone doing some digging work reported a broken gas line. NorthWestern Energy crews also responded and found that the line had already been abandoned.

Havre Animal Shelter

This morning the shelter held six medium-hair cats whose sex is listed as unknown, one medium-hair male cat, and one male short-hair cat.



The shelter held this morning a 1-year-3-month-old female Australian shepherd, a 1-year-1-month-old male Labrador retriever-pug cross, an 8-month-old female German shepherd, a 6-year-1-month-old female Labrador retriever and a 5-year-old female Australian shepherd.
Havre Daily News staff

Montana Actors Theatre is looking for four college students who want to become interns for the troupes summer childrens programs.

The interns oversee MATs youth programs including the touring KidsMAT Summer Childrens Theatre camps and its annual youth production, slated as Bugsy Malone this year.

MAT provides a stipend, housing and theater experience through the internships.

More information and a downloadable application will be available at http://www.mtactors.com/ or by emailing [email protected]/.
This morning after Qi Gong, I told Jim, I write my column today and my mind is blank. 

Easy, his reply. Write about purple.

We were beneath the Jacaranda, which this week is a purple umbrella, sheltering 50 shades of birds burying their heads in each blossom, milking the honey-nectar.

In that disconnected way that one thought leads to another, I knew that what I really wanted to write about is my simple life.

Jim, the more I pare down my life, the more important small things become. I see little things, always there, that I wouldnt have noticed when I was so busy. Like last night, about the time you were watching the movie with Bonnie and Sam, the birds were performing a symphony so powerful that my knees collapsed me into a chair to sit and listen.

Or the three geckos I saw yesterday. Or the white amaryllis, the only white one. Or the large gray snake that slithered through my front yard and back out last evening. Ordinarily, snakes terrify me. But that one was beautiful. I had to get closer to her just to look. Those little bits of beauty touch me deeply. Things that in my busy life I would not have noticed. Or not had time to notice. Same thing, maybe.

Purple, huh? Well, Ill think about it.

My intention, in moving to Mexico, was to create a new life, not to pack my old life and drag it behind me when I crossed the border. Ive done it. My life is small. Pared down to minimalist proportions.

For example, I brought with me one electric appliance, a food processor. I left behind a kitchen full of gadgets. My new juicer is a metal device with a cups at each end. Squeeze half an orange by bringing together the halves. My mixer is a wire whip. Or a large spoon powered by elbow grease. I do have a washing machine, quite old, nonelectronic. My dryer is our ever-present sun. One hour on the clothesline or two hours in winter; clothing is dry. I do own an iron.

I have one cupboard, two shelves, with dishes. Sigh. I do love dishes. But, I have all I need, all I can use, all local pottery. Same with pots and pans.

I brought 50 favorite books, including my Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Kindle satisfies my book obsession.

Not feeding and maintaining an automobile has more than economic benefits. For example, yesterday Lani, Carol and I spent a good many hours in San Marcos, just up the road. In exchange for the trip, I bought lunch, a two-hour sojourn at El Parrel, hidden away on a back street. The food is always excellent; companionship a bonus.

Kristen, my son Bens special woman-friend and sweetheart, said, What about your one-hundred-plus potted plants, which take hours of watering every day? Doesnt sound simple to me!

Oh, yes, that. I can explain. Kristen, its all about containment. Plants grow here at a prodigious rate, obscene almost. When I got here, the yard was a jungle that I cut back mercilessly and started over. I figured the alternative to wild jungle was to contain plants in pots, especially things like jasmine, bamboo, mint and oregano. Otherwise, one day a lovely flowering plant; next day, one is out in the jungle with a machete hacking back the monster before it strangles you and eats your body for breakfast. So my hundred-plus pots are for containment. Which works. More or less.

In some ways, my life has always been rather simple. I never wore makeup or dyed my hair. No tattoos or body metal ornamentation. But I like the looks of a streak of vibrant color in a womans hair. Kristen promised me shell make it happen when I visit next fall.

Which brings me back to purple.

Now that my hair is more silver than brown, Id like to give a streak of color a try. Its not forever. Im leaning toward purple. A discrete steak of deep purple.

The sun is lowering in the sky. I shall change into my only purple dress and go sit beneath the Jacaranda, heavy with purple blooms, and await the avian sundown serenade.



Sondra Ashton grew up in Harlem but spent most of her adult life out of state. She returned to see the Hi-Line with a perspective of delight. After several years back in Harlem, Ashton is seeking new experiences in Etzatlan, Mexico. Once a Montanan, always. Read Ashtons essays and other work at montanatumbleweed.blogspot.com. Email [email protected]
HELENA (AP)  Montanas government bodies and agencies must give some details about whose privacy rights they are protecting when justifying closing a meeting that would otherwise be open to the public, the state Supreme Court ruled.

Justices in a 5-0 decision Tuesday said that the Wolf Point School District Board of Trustees explanation for closing a four-hour meeting to the public before firing a schoolteacher in 2015 was insufficient.

Teacher Kristine Raap had waived her right to privacy to keep the meeting open, but the board closed it anyway and prohibited her from recording it. The board cited the privacy rights of unnamed individuals who were not in attendance as justification for the closure.

Justice Dirk Sandefurs opinion said there is no evidence that an outside individual provided any information, and that a particularized showing is needed to comply with Montanas open-meetings laws.

Montanas constitution and statutes presume government meetings are open to the public, and the burden is on the agency to justify a closure due to a persons right to privacy. That justification must be descriptive enough to provide a legal and factual basis for the closure, without disclosing private information, Sandefur wrote.

The law requires something more than cursory reference to undescribed third-party privacy rights and mere recitation of applicable constitutional or statutory language, Sandefur wrote in the opinion.

Raap was a new teacher four months into a one-year employment contract when then school district superintendent recommended her firing.

The board of trustees met on her case in the four-hour closed meeting attended only by her, her union representative, the superintendent, the school principal and the boards lawyer. The board then went into executive session for 11 minutes, excluding Raap and the union representative, before terminating her contract without discussion.

Raap sued, and alleged her firing came after the board violated the states open-meetings laws and right-to-know constitutional provisions.

The high court reversed a lower judges ruling against Raap and sent the case back to the judge for further proceedings.

The court also ruled that the board of trustees did not meet its burden of proof for going into executive session.
Under local employment law, the province requires all bakeries to close once a week, and so when Vaivre refused he was subsequently fined.

Locals have stepped up to defend Vaivre, with Mayor Christian Branle telling French publication, LEst Eclair: In a tourist area, it seems essential that a business can open every day during the summer. Theres nothing worse than closed shops when there are tourists.

There has to be some common sense, especially in small rural places, Branle continued. Were not in an area where theres lots of competition  let people work when there are visitors expecting a service.

Vaivre was told that the only way to get around the law was to open up another bakery with different operating hours. The laws are reportedly there to protect workers and ensure their work-life balance is respected.

A petition to allow the bakery to remain open has thus far obtained over 3,000 signatures.
These are the lethal weapons seized by heavily armed gardai targeting a drugs gang once linked to the deadly Limerick feud which claimed at least 13 lives.

The weapons, which included a samurai sword and a number of hatchets, were being used in an intimidation campaign against a number of addicts over outstanding drug debts.

The gang, which includes several family members, have also been involved in a dispute with the notorious Keane/Collopy gang.

Dispute

The two mobs had previously been closely associated but a number of serious death threats were made against a criminal in his 50s, which eventually led to members of the Keane/Collopy faction being jailed.

The internal dispute between the associates began with an outstanding debt over a horse, and escalated when an official complaint was made against an associate of the Collopy faction to gardai.

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Whatsapp Christy Keane has been keeping a low profile

As part of an operation targeting the gang, officers from the city's Armed Support Unit raided a suspected Limerick drug den earlier this month.

Officers recovered the large cache of weapons as well as a small amount of cannabis herb.

A further search was carried out of the property two days later and a further two hunting knives were found.

The seizure has been described as a "significant" local operation to prevent any bloodshed or loss of life, but gardai believe that the gang have access to firearms.

"This gang has been very active in the Limerick crime scene over the last two decades. They have managed to escape any major criminal convictions but gardai are very aware of what they're capable of," a source said.

"This operation was significant to ensure that deadly weapons are taken out of the hands of individuals involved in organised criminality," the source added.

Two of the gang's main associates, aged in their 30s and 50s, were previously investigated over a 2001 murder in the city.

However, neither man was ever convicted in relation to the killing.

Bounty

The thug in his 50s is well-known to gardai in Limerick and has more than 30 previous criminal convictions.

Despite his involvement in criminality he was afforded 24-garda protection after agreeing to give some evidence against his former associates.

He claimed at the time that a significant bounty had been placed on his head.

Gardai managed to jail a number of senior Limerick criminals as a result of the man's testimony.

Gardai believe the Keane/Collopy mob has grown in recent years due to the demise of the rival McCarthy/Dundon mob, and is responsible for supplying drugs throughout the country, including some of the main crime gangs in the capital.

"The Keane/Collopy gang has gone about its business quietly but they are heavily involved in drug distribution. Gardai believe that they are even supplying some of the bigger drug gangs in Dublin, with the majority of their drugs coming through Cork," the source said.

Christy Keane has also been keeping a low profile in the area after he survived a hit in June 2015.
Keith Mooney has a job waiting for him when he leaves jail

A drunken milkman who failed to give his name and address to gardai is an "entirely different individual when he's sober".

Keith Mooney (27) has had a problem with alcohol and tablets for a number of years.

Judge John Lindsay ordered him to enter into a peace bond for two years.

The defendant, of Broadford Walk, Ballinteer, admitted before Dun Laoghaire District Court to public drunkenness and failing to give his name and address to gardai at Main Street, Blackrock, last May 1.

A garda witness said he was on patrol shortly before 1.30am when he came across the def-endant who was walking in the middle of the road.

He was drunk and a danger to himself and others.

Gardai asked Mooney for his name and address but he failed to provide them.

Mooney further admitted public drunkenness at Hillview Estate, Ballinteer, shortly after 5pm on March 18 last year.

In that incident, gardai were called by local residents who were concerned about a male who was drinking on the street.

Mooney had an open wine bottle, and gardai tried to get him to go home, but he was too drunk to understand.

The court heard Mooney received a sentence last Nov- ember and was due for release in May.

Defence solicitor Jonathan Dunphy said that when sober Mooney was "quiet" and "an entirely different individual" to when he is drinking.

He came from a good family, and a job working as a milkman with his father is waiting for him on his release.
Hundreds of people paid tribute last night to tragic Tipperary teen Elisha Gault (14) in her hometown of Carrick-on-Suir.

The Junior Cert student, whose body was recovered from the River Suir on Sunday evening, lay in repose at her home on New Street in the Co Tipperary town from noon.

Elisha disappeared on St Patrick's Day and was the focus of an extensive eight-day search operation. Yesterday, hundreds of people visited her home to show support to her heartbroken parents, Grainne and Cameron, as well as her sisters and extended family.

Elisha will be buried after 11am requiem mass today at the Church of the Assumption in Piltown, Co Kilkenny. The cortege will leave her home at 10am, with Elisha's coffin being flanked by her parents, siblings, relatives and friends.

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Whatsapp Elisha Gault's mum Grainne

The procession will then pause as it crosses Dillon Bridge - the last spot where Elisha was seen alive at 10pm on St Patrick's Day - with mourners being asked to drop a single white flower into the River Suir as a special tribute.

Guards of honour will be provided for Elisha by her Comeragh College classmates and by the Edge Youth Club, of which she was a member. Her mother insisted she wants the service today to be a celebration of her daughter's life.

"My gorgeous, beautiful Elisha had a genuine soul but she was a troubled girl for reasons I won't discuss at this moment in time," she said.

"She had a very loving family, friends and Edge Youth Club who had done their utmost to heal and support her, but unfortunately we were not successful.

"I have a hole in my heart that will never be filled.

"She was her own person and I just wish we had the answer that could have given her inner strength."

Special

Ms Gault vowed to make Elisha's funeral very special, adding: "We will carry our baby girl. I carried her into the world and I will carry her out again.

"We will make our way up to Dillon Bridge where we will take a moment to pause and reflect. Anyone who likes can throw a white flower off the bridge into the river. We want you all to celebrate her laugh - we want laughter and music because she so loved her tunes."

Following Elisha's burial, a special celebration of her life will be held at the Swan Club in Carrick-on-Suir.

Ms Gault paid an emotional tribute to the search volun- teers who helped find Elisha's body. She said her entire family will be "eternally grateful" to those who defied frost, sleet and rain to search for Elisha between March 18 and 25.

Elisha's body was recovered from the Suir by the Waterford-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 at around 7pm on Sunday.

She was found 8km downstream of Carrick-on-Suir at a stretch of river known as Killowen, which divides Waterford and Kilkenny between Fiddown and Mooncoin. Gardai stressed that Elisha's death is being treated as a tragedy.
Michelle Visage has hit back after Herald columnist Amanda Brunker spoke out against the cleavage she displayed on the Ireland's Got Talent final.

"She really didn't need them splashed across my wide-screen TV last Saturday night," Amanda wrote of Michelle's low-cut dress.

The TV3 judge received several comments on her head-turning red dress featuring a plunging neckline, but she has stood by her decision to wear it.

"Instead of lifting women up and saying 'bravo for being you', they instead say this. Not very strong for the feminist movement," she said in response to Amanda's column in yesterday's paper. She added that she believes it is important women support each other.

"Women supporting women is what we need. I think it's about celebrating and owning, not hiding and shaming," she said.

Daring

Shortly after the final aired, Michelle took to social media to wave off the criticism she received for the daring outfit.

"Who knew boobs could cause such a stir? Ladies, if you've got 'em, flaunt 'em. I'm working on something special for the larger breasted ladies. Stand by," she wrote.

Former Miss Ireland Amanda insisted she was not being ageist or body shaming the American TV personality, but simply did not see why she felt the need to wear such a revealing dress.

"When I was judging the All Ireland Talent Show in 2010, myself, Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh and Dana weren't even allowed to wear skirts or dresses, never mind a plunging neckline that exposed our bras," she wrote.

"We had to wear trousers and jackets - sex was not allowed to be a selling point. How times have changed."

Lenient

She went on to speculate that TV bosses may have been more lenient with Michelle's sartorial choices because she is American.

"They're more, er, up-front, don't you agree? None of us Oirish girls could wear such revealing gunas - let's face it, the country would descend into chaos if we did," she said.

Michelle has expressed interest in returning for the show's second series.
The man who saved a baby during the Buncrana pier tragedy has denied criticising his former partner after she began legal proceedings arising out of the incident.

A British website attributed quotes to Davitt Walsh that were critical of Stephanie Knox.

It emerged this week that Ms Knox, a cardiac physiologist, issued legal proceedings for "loss of earnings and other matters" following the tragedy off Buncrana pier in March 2016 in which five people died.

"I wish to make a public statement," Mr Walsh said on his Facebook account.

"Firstly, I have the utmost respect for Stephanie Knox. Stephanie has suffered extreme trauma since the tragic events of that day in Buncrana.

Misquoted

"Secondly, I have not given an interview to any newspaper or media source.

"I have been wrongly misquoted, I strongly refute anything that has been printed in my name. I have moved on with my life since that day, in the best way that I can.

"Please respect my privacy."

Five members of the same family died in the tragedy. They were Sean McGrotty, his sons Mark (11) and eight-year-old Evan, his mother-in-law Ruth Daniels and her teenage daughter Jodie-Lee Tracey.

The incident happened when Mr McGrotty's Audi Q7 SUV slid on algae and slipped into the sea at Lough Swilly on March 20, 2016. Mr Walsh, with his then girlfriend Ms Knox, had come on the scene and he swam out.

Mr McGrotty had handed the baby out through the window he smashed with his elbow and Mr Walsh had a grip on the hand of one of the young boys.

"Save the baby, save my baby," Mr McGrotty had said to him.

However, the water was gushing into the car "like a wave" and the child seemed to be stuck on something.

"I had to let go," Mr Walsh told the inquest later.

The baby, four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann, was the sole survivor.

Speaking earlier this week, Ms Knox said she did not realise the McGrotty estate would be included in the legal proceedings, and she had received a number of abusive messages since the matter became public.

Lawyers acting on her behalf initiated a personal injuries suit in the High Court earlier this month.

The action is against Donegal County Council, which owns the pier, and the solicitor acting as executor to the estate of Sean McGrotty.

Louise James, who lost her partner, Mr McGrotty, two sons, a sister and her mother in the tragedy, has also sued both the council and the estate.

A post-mortem examination found Mr McGrotty was more than three times the legal drink-driving limit when the accident happened.

An inquest found the victims died from drowning and it was a case of death by misadventure.
When asked by Judge Dermot Dempsey if the directors were continuing to employ people without permits, the solicitor said they were. (stock photo)

The directors of a takeaway have been fined 1,700 for employing people without valid work permits.

George Kuruvilla and Jois Thomas, directors of Kedharam Catering Limited and trading as Food Guru in Swords, were also fined 200 for not providing employees with holiday entitlements.

Swords District Court heard the takeaway, with an address at North Street Business Park, Swords, was visited by an inspector from the Department for Business Enterprise and Innovation on September 29, 2016 as part of compliance checks.

On entering the takeaway, the inspector saw five employees. He said four of them, from Bangladesh, India and Mauritius, had no current work permits to be employed there.

He informed the directors of their obligations as per Employment Permit Acts.

On October 13, 2016 the inspector checked the employee records and contraventions were detected as annual leave and public holiday entitlements were not provided to employees, contravening the Workplace Relations Act.

Sidetracked

In a follow-up visit last May 11, the inspector detected five employees working in the takeaway, but two did not have current work permits.

He said the annual leave and public holidays contravention was not addressed.

The directors' solicitor explained to the court that the takeaway was a small business and an accountant the directors had advising them at the beginning had been removed.

The inspector said the business was set up on June 23, 2015 by the two directors, 10 months before his first visit.

The solicitor explained there had been a delay in getting work permits.

The solicitor said the directors, who accepted the evidence, were in a difficult position as they were trying to negotiate a new lease with the landlord and "got sidetracked trying to purchase the business".

"They have changed accountants and are now trying to finally regulate the business," the solicitor said.

When asked by Judge Dermot Dempsey if the directors were continuing to employ people without permits, the solicitor said they were.

"So it's an ongoing breach," said Judge Dempsey.

He fined the directors 1,700 for employing workers without valid permits and further fined them 200 plus 500 in legal costs for breaches of the Workplace Relations Act.
Longtime state Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, announced Thursday that she will be resigning her seat effective June 1 and withdrawing from her Senate District 15 race.

This was not an easy decision, Dayton said in the prepared statement. But due to recent medical issues, I will not be able to give my full attention to representing the citizens of Utah Senate District 15.

Dayton served as a Utah representative from 1996 through 2006, then in the Utah Senate from 2007 to the present.

She is the longest-serving female state senator in the Utah Legislature, and one of only two female state legislators representing Utah County, alongside state Sen. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork.

However, she said in the statement she does not believe gender qualifies or disqualifies someone for public office.

I feel confident the voters of Senate District 15 will elect the person who will best continue to represent our strong conservative values, Dayton said.

In 2017, Dayton ran in the special election to replace resigning U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Alpine. She came in third out of a large field of candidates to Henderson and former state Rep. Chris Herrod at convention.

Multiple candidates had already filed for Daytons Senate seat, since she was up for re-election in November.

Among the people who filed for the seat are current state Rep. Keith Grover and Emily Ellsworth as Republicans.

Lee Houghton filed with the United Utah Party, and Tommy Williams filed as an Independent American.

The Utah County Republican Party will be in charge of selecting the replacement to serve the six months remaining in Daytons term.

Utah County Republican Party Chair Rob Craig said no formal action will be taken until there is an actual vacancy. Craig said he had not yet spoken with Dayton about the development, and wanted to withhold comments until after that time.

After a replacement is selected, Gov. Gary Herbert has to approve him or her before they are officially sworn into the Utah Senate.
Reform is a word that echoes from the halls of Congress, from the Cannon building, through the old Capitol and into the Senate offices. I hear it, I speak it  often.

Since I took office in 2015, Ive been working hard to reform many policies that affect Americas. It should be that way. Government should be an ever-changing, evolving entity, but reform isnt easy. I am committed and dedicated to that challenge.

In January, there was a huge reform success: final passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law. I was proud to vote in favor of this historic legislation, which is already improving the lives of Utahns in my district, across the state and the nation. The unified tax plan addressed three of my priorities: More jobs, fairer taxes and bigger paychecks. We were able to do this while keeping important deductions for state and local income and property taxes, expanding the child tax credit, and maintaining home mortgage and student loan interest deductions. This bill will also grow both the Utah and U.S. economies to make our businesses more competitive. Utahns are already seeing higher wages, lower taxes, a simpler system and a stronger economy under this plan.

The process we went through to get this bill passed was extensive. I am convinced every member of Congress had a part in the final product. When I was approached by various industries, it became very clear that in the proposed legislation there was an unfair tax burden placed on specific groups. If we couldnt find a solution, thousands of jobs would be affected. I worked tirelessly to push Utah priorities in to the other tweaks and solutions suggested by hundreds of my colleagues. Im proud that I was able to work with Speaker Ryan to push for a final product that works for both Utah and my district.

Whats next on the agenda? Immigration reform.

I received an invitation to be a key part of the group addressing this issue. I have also joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers on legislation addressing ongoing issues relating to both Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and border security. The bill, sponsored by Congressman Will Hurd, R-Tx, and Pete Aguilar, D-Ca., is known as the Uniting and Securing America (USA) Act.

The USA Act represents a strong bipartisan compromise that would provide a lasting fix for DACA recipients as well as enhanced border security. Congress has kicked the can to the end of the road, and the American people want action. While deliberately narrow in its scope, the USA Act aims to address most of the Presidents priorities. Specifically, the bill would improve situational awareness and control at the border, reduce immigration backlogs, address the root causes of unlawful immigration, and provide a permanent solution for DACA recipients. This is the right way forward, and I hope to see it used as a starting pointas a final product begins to take form.

Americans are innovative. Americans work hard and find solutions. Whether you represent an industry or your family, you deserve and should demand representation that is innovative and hard working. We can no longer be managers or the status quo. The time to fix the problems stemming from generations of bad policy is now. I am proud to be part of these historic reforms. I am proud to represent my district and find solutions that are bipartisan in nature. Together, we can create and innovate to form the America we and our children deserve.
What is the connection between personal freedom and rising from the dead?

When America was in its infancy and struggling to find a culture and frustrated at governance from Great Britain, the word most frequently uttered in speeches and pamphlets and editorials was not safety or taxes or peace; it was freedom. Two acts of Parliament assaulted freedom and broke the bonds with the mother country irreparably.

The first was the Stamp Act, which was enforced by British soldiers, who used general warrants issued by a secret court in London to rummage through the personal possessions of any colonists they chose, ostensibly looking to see whether they had purchased the governments stamps.

These general warrants, like the ones the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court issues in America today, did not specifically describe the place to be searched or the person or thing to be seized  which our Constitution requires. Rather, they granted authority for the bearer to search wherever he pleased and seize whatever he wanted  as FISC warrants do today, in contravention of our Constitution.

The second intolerable act was the imposition of a tax to pay for the Church of England, which all adult male property-owning colonists were forced to pay, no matter their religious beliefs.

The Stamp Act assaulted the right to be left alone in the home, and the Church of England tax assaulted the free exercise of religion. These two laws caused many colonists to realize they needed to secede from Great Britain and form their own country, in which freedom would be protected by the government, not assaulted by it.

They did that, of course, yet today the loss of freedom still comes in many forms.

Sometimes it is direct, as when Congress tells us how to live and the courts permit it to do so. Sometimes it is subtle, as when the government borrows or prints money to pay its bills and, as a result, all the money and assets we already have lose much of their value and our descendants will be taxed to repay the loans. Sometimes the government lies about its assaults, as when the National Security Agency reads our email and text messages and listens to our phone calls without a search warrant based on constitutional norms and denies it.

Freedom is the ability of every person to exercise free will without a government permission slip or watchdog. Free will is a natural characteristic we share in common with God. He created us in His image and likeness. As He is perfectly free, so are we.

When the government takes away free will, whether by fiat or by majority vote, it steals a gift we received from God; it violates the natural law; it prevents us from having and utilizing the means to seek the truth. Because the exercise of free will to seek the truth is a natural right, the only time it is moral for the government to interfere with it is when one has been fairly convicted by a jury of using fraud or force to interfere with the exercise of someone elses natural rights.

We know, from events 2,000 years ago that Christians commemorate this week, that freedom is the essential means to discover and unite with the truth. To Christians, the personification, the incarnation and the perfect manifestation of truth is Jesus  who is the Christ, the Son of God and the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On the first Holy Thursday, Jesus attended a traditional Jewish Passover Seder. Catholics believe that at His last supper, Jesus performed two miracles so that we could stay united to Him. He transformed ordinary bread and wine into His own body, blood, soul and divinity, and He empowered His disciples and their successors to do the same.

On the first Good Friday, the Roman government executed Jesus because it was convinced that by claiming to be the Son of God, He might foment a revolution. He did foment a revolution, but it was in the hearts and minds of men and women. The Roman government had not heard of a revolution of hearts and minds, so when it crucified Him, it thought it had triumphed over Him.

Jesus had the freedom to reject this horrific event, but He exercised His free will to accept it so that we might know the truth. The truth is that He would rise from the dead.

On Easter, three days after He died, He did rise from the dead. By doing that, He demonstrated to us that while living, we can liberate our souls from the slavery of sin and our free will from the oppression of the government. And after death, we can rise to be with Him.

Easter, which manifests human immortality, is the linchpin of human existence. With it, life is worth living, no matter its costs or pains. Without it, life is meaningless, no matter its fleeting joys or triumphs. Easter has a meaning that is both incomprehensible and simple. It is incomprehensible that a human being had the freedom to rise from the dead. It is simple because that human being was and is God.

Jesus is the hypostatic union  not half God and half man and not just a godly good man and not God connected to a man but truly and fully God and, at the same time, truly and fully man. When the Roman government killed the man Jesus, it killed God. When the man Jesus rose from His tomb, God rose from the dead.

What does Easter mean? Easter means that theres hope for the dead. If theres hope for the dead, theres hope for the living. But like the colonists who fought the oppression of the king, we the living can achieve our hopes only if we have freedom. And that requires a government that protects freedom, not one that assaults it.

Happy Easter.
Relief reported after treatment for peripheral artery disease

Ralph Wright was having numbness and swelling in his legs. The muscles were so weak, he could barely walk. I was having a lot of trouble walking and I was also having a lot of pain, said the 91-year-old Bountiful resident. I had been diagnosed earlier with peripheral neuropathy and the symptoms were very similar. After reading an article about peripheral artery disease, however, Wright scheduled an appointment with the doctor and was diagnosed with the common but little known problem. They did an ultrasound and were able to tell the blood flow was not normal, so they ...
Friday night highlights: South edges Catoctin in wild finish

After a relatively tame first three quarters, the fourth quarter was anything but as South Hagerstown beat Catoctin at School Stadium.
Theres a new kid on the block to add to the list of star kids who are set to foray in Bollywood  Deepak Tijoris 21-year-old daughter, Samara, who already has more than 11,000 followers on Instagram. While Deepak is all set to make a comeback on the big screen with the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Saheb Biwi Aur Gansgter 3, one wonders how soon his daughter will make her Bollywood debut.

Spilling the beans, Deepak says, Samara has finished her graduation and she is taking lessons in acting. Earlier, she wasnt sure of what she wanted to do and if she wanted to follow what I do [acting] and be a part of the career that I have chosen. Eventually, she has made up her mind that she wants to be part of the trade.

#sundaymood  @frontrowgypsy mah ishtaaaar A post shared by Samara Tijori (@samaratijori) on Feb 18, 2018 at 3:45am PST

So far, Samara has assisted director Rohit Dhawan during Dishoom (2016) that featured actors John Abraham, Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez. Last year, she was also seen in a short film, titled Grand Plan.

Read: Deepak Tijori on his gangster drama: Excited about working with Sanjay Dutt after 17 years

Not divulging much about how and when she will make her feature film debut, Deepak adds, She is getting trained and going through the process of learning acting and dancing. I am sure you will see her soon on the silver screen. Talks are going on but its too early to talk.

The actor says that seeing his daughter get so much love on Instagram makes him proud. I feel happy when I see people reacting to her videos and photographs [on Instagram] and post positive comments. I can see that my child is going in the right direction, which makes me feel good.

Ask him if he would go out of the way and protect his daughter from the nepotism debate that has become a talking point in Bollywood, Deepak says, Every father and mother think that they can do that [protect the child], but every child is on their own. They all have their own minds nowadays and I really doubt they need our protection. They are super kids with the digital world giving them so much knowledge.

However, he is quick to add, But of course, I love the way she is grooming herself and I am always trying her to be her critic, and guide her in her path... what she should be looking into and what she should not be looking into.

Interact with Monika Rawal Kukreja at Twitter/@monikarawal
Like millions of movie lovers, actor Mallika Sherawat is a big fan of the classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Recently, the actor, while in Amsterdam, managed to be a part of the film in her own special way, when she went to the famous tulip fields, where some parts of DDLJ were shot.

Actor Mallika Sherawat in the tulip fields of Amsterdam.

Ever since I watched Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, I fell in love with the film and its exotic locations. It had always been my dream to take a stroll down the tulip fields showcased in the film. Im glad that I finally headed there for real, and got to experience its beauty, she says.

Read: Baaghi 2: Is Tiger Shroff the action hero Bollywood was looking for?

It was a work trip for Mallika. She visited the headquarters of an NGO that she has been associated with for a couple of years now. However, asked if shed ever want to be a part of the iconic films remake, she says, No. Not really.

Mallika, who has starred in Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006), Welcome (2007), and Dirty Politics (2015), feels that a film like DDLJ shouldnt be touched. I think a film as iconic as that shouldnt be remade. Since its a classic, I feel the original one is and will always be the best film ever made, she says.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Reacting to CBSEs decision of re-examination of Class 12 economics and Class 10 mathematics papers, actor Rani Mukerji today said the retests should not be a matter of concern for students if they are well prepared and the syllabus does not change.

In the wake of reports claiming paper leaks of the two papers, the Central Board of Secondary Education announced the retests on Wednesday.

Rani Mukerji at the song launch of her upcoming film Hichki in Mumbai on Feb 20, 2018. (IANS)

When asked to comment about CBSEs decision, Rani told reporters, If the students are prepared for the exams and the syllabus doesnt change, it doesnt matter if the exams are held again. If students are just mugging up then itll be a problem. If theyre preparing from day 1 then it doesnt matter.

The 40-year-old actor was speaking at the success celebration of her recent release, Hichki, in which she plays a school teacher who has Tourettes Syndrome.

Of course, it changes their vacation plans a bit. That might take a beating I guess. But in terms of students, I am sure they all are very bright, she added.

Hichki released last week.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter on Thursday to convey his happiness about working on Aanand L Rairs Zero, in which he will co-star opposite Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma.

One of the leading Bollywood actors, Shah Rukh will be seen playing a dwarf.

Shah Rukh tweeted, I am loving & living making Zero the Film. Thx @aanandlrai & the whole team for this. Only way to describe it is I am growing up very fast into a child...very fast.

I am loving & living making Zero the Film. Thx @aanandlrai & the whole team for this. Only way to describe it is  I am growing up very fast into a child...very fast  Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 29, 2018

Shah Rukh is currently shooting for the film, which is going to mark the onscreen reunion of the trio - Shah Rukh, Anushka, and Katrina - after 2012s Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

In Zero, the 52-year-old actor, popular for portraying characters in love stories set abroad, plays a dwarf man who travels from Meerut to New York.

Read: Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta party: Aishwarya Rai and Katrina Kaif demand all your attention

Talking about his choice, Aanand had earlier said, I always felt he is a very basic Delhi boy. Whenever I saw him in those valleys of Switzerland, I felt Oh Delhi boy wahan tak pahuch gaya (the Delhi boy has scaled great heights). I never felt he didnt belong there. That is the reason why I think he has a great connect in our country because he represents a basic middle-class boy who has achieved it.

The romantic-drama is slated to hit the screens on December, 21, later this year.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises Ltd. will miss its original deadline to start shipping thermal coal from one of the worlds biggest planned mines due to funding difficulties, even as it eyes export deals with Asian companies.

The billionaire Gautam Adani-backed company has abandoned a 2020 target date to begin mining coal from the Carmichael project in Australias northeastern state of Queensland after failing to obtain up to A$3 billion ($2.3 billion) of funds from lenders by a March deadline, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The company now expects first production to be delayed by up to a year, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the details are private.

The group is also considering unconventional funding sources, one of which could include capital injections from other parts of Adanis businesses, according to the person. Other avenues could include the potential sale of equity stakes in the rail and port infrastructure which Adani controls. The firm still plans to seek up to A$3 billion from lenders, the person said.

Adani has said its massive Carmichael mine is meant to bring power to 100 million people in India. The project has drawn ire from environmentalists who say it will endanger the health of the Great Barrier Reef. Lenders from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to three of Chinas largest banks have ruled out providing loans for the project. The development comes at a time when coal prices are rising, with Newcastle coal futures up 8.6% in the past 12 months to $89.95 a tonne.

As Adanis Australia arm explores new funding avenues, its also considering deals in China, Vietnam and Taiwan as it seeks more customers for its coal to bolster revenue for the project. A sizeable chunk of Adanis targeted 27.5 million tonnes of coal from the first phase of production could be supplied to buyers in those three countries, according to the person.

There has been no change to our marketing strategy, Adani Australias Brisbane-based spokeswoman said in an emailed response to questions Wednesday. India will remain the key market for Carmichael coal. We are also targeting growth in demand for seaborne thermal coal from Southeast Asia and continued strong demand from North Asia.

The company remains confident of securing finance for the project, according to the email. Adani didnt respond to questions about a delay in first production.

Adani Power Ltd.s shares closed almost 6% lower on Wednesday compared with the 0.6% dip of the S&P BSE Sensex Index. It was the biggest drop for the Indian power project development company since March 7. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd., which operates a shipping port on the west coast of India, fell 3.1% while Adani Enterprises closed 2.2% lower.

Adani has been hunting for alternative project funding after local authorities in Queensland said they would block a loan of A$900 million the company had sought from Australias government. The funds were earmarked for the building of a 388 km (241 mile) rail line connecting Carmichael to the companys Abbot Point port near the Great Barrier Reef. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Bank of China Ltd., and China Construction Bank Corp. all said in December that they wont loan money for the project.
The government is selling a controlling stake in its flagship carrier along with two-thirds of the loss-making airlines about $7.8 billion debt, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi moves ahead with the nations most high profile asset sale in decades.

The government will sell 76% of Air India Ltd, according to a document released by the civil aviation ministry on Wednesday. The airlines overseas budget carrier will be completely sold in the offer, while the state will sell a 50% stake in the ground handling unit separately. The administration may also ask the buyer to conduct an initial public offering.

Read: Govt to sell 76% stake in Air India, invites expression of interest

A successful sale of Air India, which is surviving on taxpayer-funded bailouts, is seen as test case for Modi to burnish his credentials as a reformist attempting to steer the state away from running businesses and boost spending on health and education. The national carrier has five subsidiaries, a joint venture and a combined workforce of as many as 27,000.

Selling a 76% stake is the second-best option for the government; the best option would have been to exit completely, said Kapil Kaul, South Asia CEO at CAPA Centre for Aviation, Theres also a caveat there that the acquirer will have to list the company, which means the government is looking at exiting through an IPO route, which is fair enough and very positive.

Air Indias suitors

IndiGo, Indias biggest airline, is the only company to publicly disclose a desire to buy Air Indias airline operations -- the most lucrative business that includes prime time slots at airports from New York to Heathrow, as well as bilateral rights to start flights to most countries. Singapore Airlines Ltd and Indias Tata Group, which run a joint venture airline named Vistara in India, said they were also open to look at the sale, but havent elaborated yet.

Selling a majority stake in the loss-making, 85-year-old company isnt going to be a cakewalk. At least one attempt almost two decades ago failed amid fierce political opposition. The latest offer will include Rs 333 billion ($5.1 billion) of debt that the buyer will have to take over with the balance going to the government.

India intends to sell the remaining stake in Air India, which may include selling shares during an initial share sale. The government will not sell shares in a block, according to the document.

Read: Kolkata-bound Air India flight grounded at Delhi after bomb threat

Air India has been unprofitable since its 2007 merger with state-owned domestic operator Indian Airlines Ltd. The company made an operating profit of about Rs 3 billion ($46 million) in the year through March 2017, primarily due to a slump in oil prices. It still posted a net loss of Rs 57.7 billion, junior aviation minister Jayant Sinha told lawmakers on Feb 8.

Indian regulations allow a foreign airline to buy as much as 49% of a local carrier, while overseas investors other than airlines can buy an entire carrier. Modi in January tweaked rules in January to include Air India which wasnt a part of those rules until then.

Air India started as Tata Airlines in 1932 and later became state-owned. Founded by Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, it took off flying mail between Karachi in then-undivided, British-ruled India and Bombay. Once it turned commercial, the airline quickly became popular with its advertisements featuring Bollywood actresses, high-end champagne and surrealist painter Salvador Dali-designed porcelain ashtrays.

-- With assistance by Debjit Chakraborty, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Tuhin Kar, and Karthikeyan Sundaram
The government has launched a crackdown on goods and services tax (GST) evaders ahead of the end of the fiscal year, signalling it will pursue tax dodgers.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence, the apex intelligence unit under the Central Board of Excise and Customs, has in an all-India operation that began on Tuesday detected tax evasion to the tune of Rs 440 crore, a person privy to the development said on condition of anonymity.

The nature of evasion includes non-payment of tax, wrongful claim of tax rebates and failure to remit to the government taxes collected from customers.

Most of the firms under investigation are medium-sized.

The sectors where tax evasion has been detected include iron and steel, port services and organized retailers, the person said, adding that this is the first time such an operation has been carried out after the new indirect tax regime was implemented on July 1.

Authorities have so far been focusing on helping tax payers get used to the new system.

The investigation included searches at 125 premises of 110 assessees, which resulted in an immediate payment of Rs 49 crore. Tax evasion of over Rs 100 crore was detected in the city of Chennai alone.

This is just the beginning, said the official cited above, adding that authorities will not tolerate tax evasion.

Cases of evasion include collusion between buyers and sellers to undervalue transactions. With the evaders using innovative ways, the government has asked the GST Network, the company that processes GST returns, to hire fraud analytics providers to comb through tax data to detect evasion patterns.

Union and state tax authorities are worried about tax evasion as GST revenue fell marginally for the second straight month in March to Rs 85,174 crore, even as return filing compliance improved.

The number of tax payers who filed their returns under GST rose to an all-time high of 5.95 million in March. This is 69% of tax payers who are required to file monthly returns.
It tells you something about the priorities of Southeast Asias largest bank when it announces a hackathon to quickly recruit 100 budding technologists.

DBS Group Holdings Ltd. hired the same number last year, but this year its needs are spread over a wider skill set, including user-interface design and mobile-application development, even scrum mastery, which, I understand, has nothing to do with rugby.

All banks hire techies to manage back-end applications. However, the transformation at Singapores DBS is both customer-centric and increasingly material for investors. The return on equity from traditional, brick-and-mortar banking customers is 18%, while its 27% for digital, according to a presentation by DBS CFO Chng Sok Hui at a Credit Suisse investment conference.

Boosting the share of digital customers in its consumer and small-business segments in Singapore and Hong Kong to between 50 and 60%, from 39% last year, would raise the groups return on equity to as much as 14.5% -- a level Credit Suisse described as unprecedented in DBSs history.

The math is simple. DBS says it can earn income of S$1,300 (Singapore Dollar) ($993) from each digital customer, double the S$600 it makes from a user of traditional banking services. Meanwhile, it costs only 36% of S$1,300, or S$468, to give the digital client what she wants; the cost-to-income ratio for legacy business is 58%, or S$348.

So each digital customer is three times as valuable to the bottom line. As more users go digital, the previous peak of 12.9% ROE could well be exceeded.

CEO Piyush Gupta has bet big on technology. DBS has the largest application programming interface platform for third-party developers of any bank in the world. That API is being used by McDonalds Corp. to speed up payment for meals, to cite one example.

As Ive written before, by fashioning itself as Singapores answer to Ant Financial, the banking affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., DBS could one day be offering third-party solutions that compete with its in-house offerings. It might even want to own a part of such successful rivals.

Setting aside for now the data-privacy concerns at Facebook Inc., API sharing and open banking are here to stay. The rapidly expanding multipurpose platforms built by Chinas BAT trinity -- Baidu Inc., Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd. -- are making Singapore lenders take note of both the threat to their business from fintech and the opportunity to do some of this stuff themselves.

United Overseas Bank Ltd., the smallest of Singapores three homegrown lenders, announced this week an online travel marketplace to link its card customers with booking platforms like Agoda Co. and Expedia Inc., as well as with deals from other travel partners.

DBSs current ROE of 9.5% is slightly worse than the median among banks with more than $50 billion market capitalization. A range of 13.5 to 14.5% would put the Singapore lender firmly in the league of Australian, Canadian and Hong Kong peers.

If fintech pays off for DBS, dont expect the shareholders to be complaining. Bloomberg Gadfly

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. are in talks to merge, seeking to solidify their two-decade-old alliance under a single stock as an unprecedented shift toward electric and shared cars transforms the industry, people with knowledge of the matter said.

A deal would end the current alliance between the companies and marry them as one corporation, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the details arent public. Renault currently owns 43% of Nissan while the Japanese carmaker has a 15% stake in its French counterpart. Carlos Ghosn, the chairman of both companies, is driving the negotiations and would run the combined entity, the people said.

A merged giant would be a more formidable rival for Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp., allowing the partners to better pool resources as the industry shifts toward new-energy vehicles, autonomous driving and car-sharing services. While the alliance of Renault and Nissan has brought savings, the fragmented ownership structure has prevented the companies from reaping full benefits from their union.

Size matters in the auto industry, said Janet Lewis, an analyst at Macquarie in Tokyo. The concern has always primarily been the French government, and somewhat Japan, because both France and Japan like to keep their national champions.

The parties are discussing a transaction in which Nissan would essentially give Renault shareholders stock in the new company, the people said. Nissan shareholders would also receive shares in the new company in exchange for their holdings, they said. The automaker may maintain headquarters in both Japan and France.

Renault shares jumped as much as 8.3%, hitting the highest intraday level in more than a decade. Nissan shares are down nearly 2% over the past year, giving the company a valuation of 4.6 trillion yen ($43 billion).

Getting a deal done could prove very difficult, the people said. The French government owns 15% of Renault and may be reluctant to relinquish control over its stake or have its position watered down. Both the French and Japanese governments would also have to approve a deal and may have strong opinions on where the combined company is domiciled, the people said.

One possibility would be to base the company in London or the Netherlands, where cross-Atlantic carmaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV has its corporate charter. Fiat Chrysler maintains headquarters in both Italy and the U.S.

No decision

No final decisions have been made and the talks, which have been ongoing for several months, may not result in a deal, they said.

A spokesman for the Renault-Nissan alliance said the group doesnt comment on rumors and speculation, while a spokesman for the French finance ministry declined to comment. Representatives for Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan and Renault also declined to comment.

Reuters reported earlier this month that Nissan was in talks to buy the bulk of the French governments stake in Renault, citing unidentified people. The Renault-Nissan alliance said at the time any discussion about a share transaction involving the parties was pure speculation.

Ghosn has pledged to cement Renaults partnership with Nissan, saying in February that the companies would devise a plan to make the alliance irreversible. The 64-year-old relinquished the chief executive officer role at Nissan last year to focus on the partnership.

The companies are seeking to double synergies to 10 billion euros by 2022 from 2016. In April, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. -- in which Nissan is the largest shareholder -- will further integrate with the alliance by joining a shared parts-purchasing organization.

The alliance forecasts unit sales of 14 million units by 2022, compared with 10.6 million last year. Volkswagen, the worlds largest carmaker, sold 10.7 million vehicles last year, while Toyota sold 10.4 million.

To compete against the Toyotas, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi very much has to do it as one big group, Macquaries Lewis said.

While the companies have claimed a multitude of benefits from their partnership, its staying power could be complicated until imbalances in the companies ownership structures are resolved.

Ghosn reiterated last month that Japan wouldnt agree to a tighter structure if France remains a shareholder. He also said he isnt trying to convince the French state to reduce its stake in Renault.

They decide to be here or to get out, he said. Frankly, I dont even open this subject. I just consider that I have the shareholders that I have and I try to satisfy them in the best way possible and as much as possible make sure that they understand our strategy and appreciate our results.
The Congress on Thursday accused the Trivendra Singh Rawat-led government of favouring liquor mafia under the guise of a new excise policy.

The government has purposefully decided to introduce the cluster approach for tendering of liquor vends in the state. This will directly benefit the liquor mafia because only big players will be able to participate in the process, Congress state unit president Pritam Singh said at a press conference here.

He also took a dig at the government for not introducing the Lokayukta Bill in the Vidhan Sabha during the Budget session.

This, Singh said, was a betrayal of tall promises that the BJP made in the run-up to the 2017 assembly polls.

Every day the CM recites a chant that his government has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption. When he came to power, he promised that his government will appoint a Lokayukta within 100 days. It has now been more than one year and the government has done nothing in this regard, he said.

Questioning the governments intentions, the Congress leader also asked why the government was shying away from a CBI probe into the NH-74 scam.

The demand for a CBI probe was made by the CM himself. Why is he now not living up to his demand? The main accused are unhurt and the investigation has been squeezed to probe only poor farmers and low-level officials, he said.

During the press conference, the Congress also objected to the governments decision to allow private medical colleges a freehand in deciding their fee structure, forcing schools to follow NCERT textbooks and not giving an audience to protesting unemployed youths in Dehradun.

Rather than forming a committee to decide and regulate fee structure, the government has given private medical colleges to charge as per their wishes. The government has also failed to win the confidence of schools and parents regarding introduction of NECRT books. Everyone is troubled with this dictatorial attitude, Singh said.

However, when asked about the Congress silence on the 200% hike in salaries of MLAs, he said, The bill was passed by the government using its brute majority. We were opposing other issues at that time.

He also refrained from giving any clear answer to a question whether the Congress was in favour of introducing a cap on the fee charged by private school vis-a-vis its demand for a similar regularisation for medical colleges.
Uttarakhand Police on Thursday sent a 15-member team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on an expedition to the Mount Everest. With this, the hill state became the first in the country to send a state police expedition to the iconic peak.

Speaking about the expedition, director general of police (DGP) Anil K Raturi said besides climbing the Mount Everest, the aim was to provide hands-on experience on search and rescue operations in high altitude terrain to SDRF personnel.

He said being primarily a mountainous state, there are many habitations in Uttarakhand which are located in challenging terrain. Besides this, every year a large number of adventure tourists also visit the state.

The SDRF routinely carries out search and rescue operations in high altitudes. But due to limited resources, it lacks specialised training. I am confident that the experience gained in this expedition will prove to be helpful for SDRF, Raturi said.

The expedition was flagged off by chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in Dehradun on Thursday.

In his speech, the CM said the exposure that the team members will gain in this expedition will not only help them, but also be helpful for others in the state who aim to climb the Mount Everest in future.

Team leader, IGP Sanjay Gunjiyal said of 15 members, 11 are climbing members and the rest will support other requirements. In all, the expedition will be 75 days long and depending on weather conditions, the team will scale the peak between May 15 and 30, he said.

Laying stress on the importance of equipping the high altitude rescue wing of SDRF, the DGP said, In the aftermath of the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy, we realised that the police and SDRF need to urgently develop a core competency in rescue operations in mountainous terrain.

The SDRF is being regularly upgraded. Despite limited resources, it is a positive sign that Uttarakhand Police is leading an expedition to Mt Everest.

In September 2017, 11 people were trapped under snow on a trekking route between Kedarnath and Badrinath. In 2016, two Polish trekkers went missing during an expedition in Uttarakhand. While one of them died after being rescued, the other could not be traced.

Meanwhile, a 33-year-old trekker from Pune was somehow rescued days after she went missing during a high altitude expedition in the state.
The traders and shopkeepers have threatened to stop paying the Goods and Service Tax (GST) if the Central government fails to provide relief from the ongoing sealing drive.

On Wednesday, over 7,000 traders, their workers and family members gathered at Ramlila Maidan to protest against the sealing drive by the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary, Confederation of All India Traders, said if the state government doesnt take cognisance of their sufferings, they will shift their business operations to cities in National Capital Region (NCR).

Its high time; we want solution to this problem. We cant constantly live under the threat of sealing. If the situation doesnt improve in the next one week, we may take strong steps like discontinuing paying GST. We will hand over our shops keys to the government and shift business to NCR, Khandelwal said on Wednesday.

The move will surely affect the Centre, which collects Rs 180 crore every day and Rs 5,416 crore every month as GST from Delhis traders, said Khandelwal.

Hitting out at the monitoring committee, traders said that its members are giving targets to the municipal corporation officials for sealing certain number of shops every day.

They are acting like multinationals and giving task to 650 engineers in three MCDs for sealing certain number of shops every day, irrespective of the fact whether sealing is legal or illegal. If this continues, 25,000 shops will be sealed in the city in next one month, said Khandelwal.

Shopkeepers said they were being denied benefit of fundamental provisions of Delhi Municipal Act, 1957.

Moreover, the MCD officials are working like puppets, defying their own DMC Act and failing to justify their cases before the monitoring committee. Traders are being treated like terrorists in their own country, said Satyendra Wadhwa from Greater Kailash II.

In last three months, trade in Delhi has declined by about 40% due to sealing. We suspect that sealing has been used as a tool to increase the foreign direct investment in retail markets, said Khandelwal.

Traders want the Central government to bring a moratorium bill and demand that Delhi chief minister should pass a bill to stop sealing. Also, an amnesty scheme notifying December 2017 as the cut-off date for construction should be maintained.

Traders from various markets such as Chawri Bazaar, Chhatarpur, Greater Kailash, South Extension, Jagatpuri, Defence Colony and Meharchand Market gathered near the Civic Centre in the morning and then moved to the Ramlila Ground chanting slogans against sealing.

Around 7,000 people turned up at the event while 8,000 seats were placed and not all were occupied. Ample parking space for buses and cars near Mata Sundri College and Rajghat was provided but only 60-65 buses were parked. No traffic chaos was reported, said a senior traffic police official.

However, traders association claimed that about 50,000 people joined the rally. There were others who couldnt reach the venue due to poor parking arrangements. People coming in three buses from Jagatpuri and Krishna Nagar had to walk from Rajgaht as buses were not allowed to go to Ramlila Ground. They were able to reach the venue only after 1 pm, said Ashok Suri, president of East Delhi Traders and Jewellers Associations.
Police on Thursday claimed to have solved the kidnapping-murder of a Delhi university student, with the arrest of a 25-year-old man.

Police said the two men had met on a dating app around 10 days before the murder.

On Wednesday night, the body of the 21-year-old DU student was found in a drain in Dwarkas Sector 13. Police said investigation established the identity of the body as that of the DU student who was reportedly kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 50 lakh on March 22.

Ajay Chaudhary, joint commissioner of police (New Delhi) said the victim was killed by the man named Ishrat Ali,25, on the night of March 22.

The officer said the victim met Ishrat, who works as a sampling manager for export houses, through a dating app.

During our investigation, we found the victim had met Ishrat thrice in 10 days before the murder. On the afternoon of the incident, the two friends had met at a food joint near Dwarka Sector 13, where his body was found. Ishrat confessed that on the night of March 22, he had a fight with the victim over some issue after which he killed the victim with a hammer, said Chaudhary, adding that police are probing what exactly triggered Ishrat to murder his friend.

The officer said that Ishrat has confessed to have murdered the DU student and then made the ransom call.

He called the victims father over WhatsApp. He demanded a ransom and tried to pass off the case as kidnapping to mislead investigators, said Chaudhary.

Police said that on March 22, they received a complaint from the victims family informing that the young man had not returned home from college. The victims father also said that he had received a WhatsApp ransom call demanding Rs 50 lakh. A photograph of the young man, with his hands and legs tied, was also sent to his father.

We had started investigation and were in touch with the family. Some eyewitnesses claimed to have seen the victim with Ishrat at McDonalds. We checked the CCTV footage and saw them at the joint. On March 26, our 30 police teams in plain clothes waited for the kidnapper in Uttam Nagar where he had asked to deliver the money but he did not come,  said Chaudhary.

HT tried to take comments from the victims family on the number mentioned on the victims identity card but both the phones numbers were switched off. The family reportedly told a newspaper that police had asked them to keep Rs 10 lakh ready and buy time with the kidnappers. A newspaper report quoted the victims family calling the police careless in their investigation, leading to the victims death.
A section of students of Delhi University (DU) on Thursday staged a demonstration on the campus, demanding action against a professor who they accused of sexual harassment.

The professor denied the allegations as baseless. He told PTI that it was part of efforts to ruin his professional life.

I had questioned (many) teachers for their absence. My colleagues have their aspirations and they are levelling baseless allegations. How can you run a department if they do not turn up to work. They do not inform about leaves, neither do they pick up calls, the professor said.

I have all documents pertaining to my questions put to the teachers. They want to create a situation like JNU. This is such a sensitive issue that even those are not related to the issue will join hands to protest because everyone has a woman in their family, he said.

According to the protesters, complaints were recently filed in the varsitys Internal Complaints Committee against the professor and they have also written to the Vice Chancellor.

The professor had passed derogatory and sexually-coloured remarks against students, one of the protesting students said.

A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor was recently arrested for alleged sexual harassment of students. The JNU professor was later granted bail.
The Delhi high court has asked for a medical board to examine if it is safe for a pregnant 15-year-old girl, who had allegedly eloped with a 19-year-old man last October, to abort a three-month-old foetus.

The man has been arrested and booked for kidnapping and under relevant sections of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act because the girl is a minor. The court was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by the boys elder brother, who alleged that his family was being harassed by the police.

The girl told the court during a hearing on March 22 that she was pregnant and wanted an abortion. A bench of Justice S Muralidhar and Justice IS Mehta asked Safdarjang Hospital to ascertain if the procedure would be safe for her. Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, it is legal in India to abort a pregnancy till 20 weeks. We direct the Medical Superintendent (MS) of Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi to immediately constitute a Medical Board to determine the stage of pregnancy, the court said.

The MS will ascertain her willingness to have the pregnancy terminated and most importantly whether, in terms of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, it is safe for her and advisable medically for her pregnancy to be terminated, it added.

The petitioners counsel Kamlesh Kumar Mishra argued that the man was being punished unfairly. When two adolescents decide to get married and stay together, should they be punished for that? When the law can be amended for juveniles to be treated as adults when they commit any crime, should an adolescent, who decides to marry, be not treated as adult.

The two had allegedly got married (which is not recognised by law since she is below 18 years of age) after they fled from Delhi to West Bengal.

Rahul Mehra, the counsel for the state in the case, said that the girl was a minor and her will in allegedly eloping with a man did not matter. He said that if the girl was willing to abort the fetus, the law should take its course.

The girl, a Class X student, had written to the Delhi Police commissioner on February 21 giving reasons why she had run away. She wrote that a neighbour was routinely harassing her and that when she complained to her parents, they hit her instead of confronting the neighbour.

She further wrote that on October 7, 2017, while she was alone at her house, the neighbour attempted to rape her, following which she fled with her friend to West Bengal, got married at a temple in Kolkata, and returned to Delhi in February on the local polices advice.

When the man and the girl were produced in the high court, she refused to return to her parents and was sent to a shelter home.

Later, the parents moved an application seeking her custody, which was granted on March 22, the day it was revealed that she was three months pregnant.

It is made clear that if, in the opinion of the Medical Board, there should be no delay in the termination of the pregnancy and they find it safe to proceed to do so with the consent of the girl, then all arrangements should be made forthwith for that purpose without awaiting further directions from the Court, the bench said.
It is rare in the world of literature to come across a person as important as he is neglected. Rahul Sankrityayan invented the Hindi travelogue. By the time he died, at the age of 70, he had written about 140 books, a Sahitya Akademi winning seminal history, Madhya Asia ka Itihaas, on the history of Central Asia and innumerable commentaries on social and spiritual ideas. Sankrityayans seminal texts remain either un-translated into English, or more tragically, lost. However, an exhibition at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) on the heels of Sankrityayans 125th birth anniversary may prove pivotal in reviving interest in the works of the man.

His re-introduction in the public sphere, however, may be determined not by what he created, but what he helped save. We had a conference about his works earlier and when scholars from around the world showed interest, we thought it would be crucial to have a visual element so we put together an exhibition. People connect to a subject more when there is a visual cue. And if anyone believed in preserving the visual element of history, it was Rahul Sankrityayan, says Professor Radha Banerjee Sarkar, in charge of East Asia, at IGNCA.

A Tibetan Thangka painting depicting the Buddhist deity Amoghapasa. (Courtesy/ Patna Museum and IGNCA)

A well-travelled man, Sankrityayan was also a keen scholar and collector. Through four trips to Tibet between 1929 and 1938, Sankrityayan salvaged Buddhist scriptures, paintings and artefacts that were later donated to the Patna Museum, from where they have now travelled to Delhi for the first time in nearly 70 years as part of the exhibition.

A large number of Buddhist scriptures and texts were lost in the burning of the Nalanda libraries or with the decline of Buddhism in general. Sankrityayan played a crucial role in saving 700-800 manuscripts from Tibet. His contribution in preserving this slice of invaluable history is incredible, says Banerjee. He made most of his trips in the pre-automobile era; most of what he assembled or bought was carried either on mules or on foot.

Sankrityayan, born Kedar Pandey, on April 9, 1893, grew up in a small village in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. Sankrityayan studied only till middle school. He began travelling the length and breadth of the continent from his teens onwards. He also joined the Arya Samaj, then became a Buddhist and travelled to Sri Lanka. His journeys took him as far as Russia and across the Himalayas -- from India to Nepal. Wherever he went, Sankrityayan learned the language and studied the local culture, be it Arabic, Russian, German, Pali or Tamil.

By the end of his life he could read at least 30 languages and write in at least a dozen. He participated in the Indian independence movement during the 1940s and turned to Marxism in the last leg of his life.

The Patna Museums collection on display at IGNCA is an endorsement of the study of interconnected faiths and cultures that Sankrityayan championed. One of his major contributions was to turn the lens on the way faiths and cultures interconnected, to attempt for a holistic view of the continent. We have a habit of studying iconographies and histories in isolation, which is why we fail to see the way Buddhism and Hinduism interacted. Rahul was perhaps the first person to give a complete view of this interactive history, through his texts, the travels and the artefacts he brought back, Banerjee says.

The Thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist paintings on fabric), stunningly crafted on silk are evidence of that. The survival of these paintings and other paraphernalia is near miraculous considering some date several centuries back.

It is therefore a bit of an irony that Sankrityayan, so synonymous with preservation, himself needs a revival in the intellectual sphere. It is a bit sad that his legacy has not got the respect it deserves, says Banerjee. But we plan to do more, translate his writings, and recover what has been lost. But it wont be easy.

DETAILS

What: An exhibition of Rahul Sankrityayans Antiquity Collection

When: Till April 9, 11 am to 7 pm

Where: Twin Gallery, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, 1, CV Mess, Janpath

Nearest metro station: Janpath
Two Delhi Police officers were among four people arrested on Thursday for their alleged role in a Rs3-crore gold heist in Ghaziabad on March 18, a top Uttar Pradesh police official said.

The accused officers Satendra Singh and Bhrampal Singh  both assistant sub-inspectors  were allegedly in uniform and carrying holstered official weapons when they waylaid the victims and decamped with nearly nine kgs of gold, Prashant Kumar, additional director general (ADG) of Meerut zone, said.

Police also arrested one Shailendra Yadav, an employee of a Meerut-based jeweller, and driver Ravi Kashyap. Police suspect more people could be involved in the heist.

Yadav had allegedly tipped off the two police officers about the gold consignment being taken from Meerut to Delhi through the Grand Trunk Road by employees of a Mumbai-based company, Union Chains and Jewellers Pvt Ltd.

DCP (East Delhi) Omvir Singh said the two ASIs have been suspended and will face further action on receipt of report from Ghaziabad police.

Serving in different police stations in Ghazipur and Kalyanpuri, the ASIs had taken medical leave to carry out the heist.

We have recovered nearly 6 kg of gold worth Rs2 crore. Our teams are still working to recover the rest of the gold and also to arrest other members of the gang, the ADG said.

Several police teams were involved in the investigations and scanned more than 1.5 million mobile call records before zeroing in on Yadav, who revealed the alleged involvement of the two ASIs, said to be the masterminds of the heist.

According to police officials involved in the investigations, the gang followed the victims, who were travelling in a hired car and had started off around 8pm from Meerut after their business dealings.

The gang used a stolen Maruti Zen car which trailed victims from the Upper Ganga Canal in Murad Nagar and later to the scene of crime in Sahibabad, which is barely 400 metres away from the police station.

The heist was planned nearly a month back when officials of the Mumbai-based company visited Meerut and finalised March 18 as the date for the business deal.

We will be writing to the Delhi police for further action against the two ASIs. They had also robbed a trader around 10 years back at Ghazipur adopting the same modus operandi. The two have also admitted to their involvement in another heist of Rs20 lakh around 7-8 years back, the ADG said.
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Torture Against One is Torture Against All: CHINA must be stopped. Hands on Deck! MR

lop guest

User ID: kaput

03-29-2018 08:17 AM











Post: #1 Torture Against One is Torture Against All: CHINA must be stopped. Hands on Deck!

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Whats next? Fining people in their own home?



China is going to fall so hard on its face, honestly lets stop dragging it out and get it over with.



As world citizens, we do have the duty to intervene if human rights atrocities are being committed. This is a sacred duty.



If another country tortures, we should not sleep until their dungeons are cleared. You understand?



Torture on even one person is a torture to us all.



China has been given complete freedom to torture its citizens for decades. This will not last. I will go to my last dying breath to stop this country from torturing its citizens.



This is my moral obligation.



My sword is sharp. Im coming for you Xi, and when I find you, there will be no place to hide from my wrath.



Life terms for Xi Jinping right? I guess they can just switch you out for a body double? Eternally? Hahaha well this will not work out for you



The whole Chinese system will be cleaned. Mark it down.



Surrender now and mercy MIGHT be granted.



https://www.fastcompany.com/40550856/chi...s-via-text The depravity of the Chinese leadership knows no bounds.Whats next? Fining people in their own home?China is going to fall so hard on its face, honestly lets stop dragging it out and get it over with.As world citizens, we do have the duty to intervene if human rights atrocities are being committed. This is a sacred duty.If another country tortures, we should not sleep until their dungeons are cleared. You understand?Torture on even one person is a torture to us all.China has been given complete freedom to torture its citizens for decades. This will not last. I will go to my last dying breath to stop this country from torturing its citizens.This is my moral obligation.My sword is sharp. Im coming for you Xi, and when I find you, there will be no place to hide from my wrath.Life terms for Xi Jinping right? I guess they can just switch you out for a body double? Eternally? Hahaha well this will not work out for youThe whole Chinese system will be cleaned. Mark it down.Surrender now and mercy MIGHT be granted. MR

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03-29-2018 08:20 AM











Post: #2 RE: Torture Against One is Torture Against All: CHINA must be stopped. Hands on Deck!

Not a single element of Confucius or his illusory worlds will survive. Brick by brick, it will all be dismantled. MR

lop guest

User ID: 1337

03-29-2018 08:22 AM











Post: #3 RE: Torture Against One is Torture Against All: CHINA must be stopped. Hands on Deck!

Winnie the Pooh, I see you.
















When this government signalled its intent to sell a stake in Air India, the cheers, even from free-market proponents who insist the state has no business running an airline, were muted. After all, intent isnt action. And deep down, no one really believed the government would go ahead with its plan.

By releasing an information memorandum on the proposed sale  with the divestment of 76% stake, it is a sale, nothing less  the government has surprised everyone. It takes courage to embark on a politically sensitive divestment a year before the general election. Given its track record in pushing through policies, both the good ones and the not-so-good ones, this government will, no doubt, push to close the deal.

The question is whether anyone will bite. They likely will, because Air India is a good buy, and the deal isnt exactly unattractive. One, 76% stake gives a buyer absolute control  a minimum of 26% is needed to block a special resolution and the government is retaining only 24%. The government says it is doing so to benefit from a potential (and possible) upside if the airline starts performing well, and to give shares to employees. Thats a smart move. After years of giving to Air India, it will be good if the government can get something from it in return.

Two, not all of the debt on Air Indias books are being passed on to the buyer; just around 65% of the airlines debt of around Rs 51,000 crore is. The rest, along with most of the airlines real estate assets, will be part of a special purpose vehicle, the details of which havent been provided yet. By keeping most of the real estate assets out of the deal, the government has insured against possible litigations against the deal at a future date (especially if theres a regime change).

Three, there are no restrictions on rationalising the airlines bloated and massively unionised workforce ; there were reports that the buyers hand would be stayed for a year.

And four, theres the airline itself: 115 aircraft, connecting 54 domestic and 39 international destinations with 2330 and 393 flights a week respectively; unused slots in international airports; and bilateral rights waiting to be tapped.

Sure, the government insists that the buyer retain the brand  most in their right mind would, even if that were not mandated  and that control of the airline remain with Indian entities. But these arent significant enough dampeners. Nor is the provision exempting domestic airlines from some of the eligibility criteria laid out for bidders. Thus far, the only airline that has demonstrated serious intent about buying Air India is IndiGo (owned by InterGlobe Aviation Ltd).

The government has not only acted on its intent but also done as much as it could do to sweeten the deal. The response from potential buyers will be keenly watched.
Four men have been arrested from north Delhi for helping Staff Selection Commission (SSC) candidates cheat. The accused took remote access of the SSC candidates computer during the examination and solved the question paper for them, police said.

Police said the men relied on Team Viewer and AMMYY software that allows a user to take control of a computer remotely. Where they couldnt use Team Viewer and AMMYY, they worked through Local Area Network (LAN) that allows interconnection of computers in an area.

Jatin Narwal, deputy commissioner of police (north) said that the gang charged Rs 5-10 lakh for solving the SSC papers for the recruitment of lower divisional clerks, junior secretariat assistant and data entry operators. We recovered Rs 51.8 lakh from the flat in Gandhi Vihar that we raided, said Narwal.

Read: Gang that helped SSC candidates cheat busted in Delhi, 4 arrested

The raid on Tuesday was conducted jointly by north Delhi district police and the Uttar Pradesh-Special Task Force.

The SSC conducts its examination online, for which it outsources exam centres to private computer labs across the country. Some of these labs are owned by Harpal  who has been identified as the alleged kingpin  and other members of the gang, said Narwal. The SSC exam this year was conducted between March 4 and March 26 for which 63.5 lakh candidates had applied.

This gang is suspected to have links with other computer labs that made cheating possible on a large scale, said an investigator.

The gang first identified their customers. They then remotely accessed the candidates computer through Team Viewer and AMMYY software or through LAN, said Abhishek Singh, senior superintendent of police (UP-STF).

Though the probe into the cheating was in its early stages, an STF officer said nearly 180 candidates have benefited from the racket.

Four persons have been arrested so far with police having launched a manhunt for Harpal.
The act of retelling a multi-layered travel experience, that is as personally memorable as it is significant to a larger audience involves another journey. It may mean holding a flashlight to memory, describe colours that live outside the mundane vocabulary, separate philosophical insights from textures, smells, sounds, dress, identity, nature and culture.

I would try to describe what I had seen felt and noted during my travels but friends and colleagues would find it hard to understand the beauteous complexity of my experiences, says Ritu Kumar. The matriarch of Indian fashion, one of the most respected textile conservationists of this country is also a tenacious optimist.

Crossroads: Textile Journeys with Ritu Kumar, an exhibition in the capital that illustrates a series of forthcoming travelogues (the first is on Uzbekistan) authored by Kumar on her journeys through South Asia and Europe, takes visitors beyond the scrim of words. Curated by textile designer and writer Mayank Mansingh Kaul with noteworthy attention to depth and dimension, it represents Kumars memory and imagination, and the significance of textiles in the life and times of India and the cellular similarities and hand-skills we share with craft histories from other parts of the world. Such skills may be the only way to prevent us from becoming another China.

Over the years, China, has been the problematic other in Kumars mind. Literally as the unstoppable production centre of all things cheap and without distinction and metaphorically as a metastatic industrial monster that will demolish appreciation for the handmade. Kumar admits she identified herself as a nationalist many years back in the Seventies when the world was crazy about Western couture and older women from India bought French chiffons and pearls.

Kumar, 74, who began working as a young student of history and museology in the Sixties is 50 years old in fashion. (Photo: Pramod Thakur / HT )

You could either be a Twiggy or an Indian Bohemian in Kolhapuri chappals, she says. She chose instead to be the barefoot doctor of craft conservation, working in rural clusters, starting from the then Dutch settlement of Serampore in West Bengal.

Balanced on Kumars three core interests  handblock printing, embroidery and weaving, Crossroads assimilates mixed media collages that visualise her observations from her travels. For instance, a painting shows a dreamy bend in a river in the Calcutta of the Seventies with a group of karigars doing embroidery on its banks as white birds take flight.

There are Ikats from Uzbekistan and Ikats from Odisha. If one represents the vintage charm of an Uzbek bazaar, the other resonates the Geet Govinda invoking devotional praise for Lord Jagannath of Puri that formed woven Ikat patterns. The latter, as Kaul points out, is almost like a recreation of Kumars trance-like fascination for the divine rituals of Puri.

Archival pieces

Besides painted collages there are archival pieces from Kumars personal collection. An embroidered ghaghra-choli by a Rabari karigar from Kutch, woven drapes from Bengal, embroidered pieces from Kashmir, Gyasar brocades and zardozi from Varanasi, Kalamkaris from Srikalahasti and chintz prints from Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Wooden hand blocks, embroidery swatches, notes, photographs and walls covered with textiles give this exhibition the warmth of a private chamber. Kaul says it is worth noticing how the focus is on a male protagonist in Kumars rendering of Uzbekistan  an Amir or a reimagined young Babur in Andijan, his birthplace before his era as a great Mughal emperor.

Besides painted collages there are archival pieces from Kumars personal collection. (Courtesy: Ritu Kumar)

In contrast, the narrative is dominated by a matriarch of a pastoral community in the memoirs that represent Kutch. Captivatingly, the exhibition concludes with textile memories from Cambodia, Myanmar and Bhutan  a Buddhist thangka, on which an orange-hued gathering of monks in a collage symbolise an ascent to detachment after a long, layered journey.

Kumar, 74, who began working as a young student of history and museology in the Sixties is 50 years old in fashion. However, she started writing her travelogues only in the Nineties. She began observing a change for the better in crafts wherever she went and felt the need to document where to go, who to meet, what to buy for a functional directory.

Else we will lose all this; it wont last for even half a generation. The structures we have currently are not working, the handloom boards, the R&D, the weavers service centres are not working. Discounts will not help the crafts industry, she says.

It may be the right time to also ask what happens to work like this once the exhibition winds up. Will it rest with the House of Ritu Kumar, a part of which under her son Amrish may be pursuing another direction in fashion? Or, should it find patronage and support from a museum or a corporate entity so that the exhibition like its creator travels too?

DETAILS

What: Crossroads, Textile Journeys with Ritu Kumar.

When: Till April 5, 10 am to 7:30 pm. Guided walks by the curator: 4 pm on April 1 and 5.

Where: Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre

Nearest metro station: Khan market
Im a very private person. I find it difficult to share my grief with strangers. But I have to write this because death  our own and those of our loved ones  touches each one of us. We must be prepared to accept death on our terms.

I lost my mother to skin cancer in the summer of 2013. She was just 71. In the last two months of her life, she was in constant pain. But even in the haze of morphine-induced stupor, she had moments of lucidness.

Am I dying? This cancer will kill me, wont it? she would ask the battery of doctors she visited for her radiation and chemotherapy.

No, no, said her surgeons, oncologists and radiation specialists, reminding her what a technical success her surgery had been and how they were considering promising new experimental treatments. She would quickly lose interest and turn away to ask me to take her home. When youre dying, you dont want to be lied to.

Mum cheerfully underwent surgery and several cycles of immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiation in the hope that she had a chance to fight the cancer. But once she knew it had metastasized and spread to other parts of her petite body, she became impatient with people telling her everything was all right.

She wasnt stupid. It annoyed her when doctors insisted all was well with her world. She died in her bed, with her family around her.

Just as we all want, and must get a fighting chance against disease, we must also get a fighting chance against death.

Death is inevitable but when I die, I dont want to be dependent on my family, doctors or machines. I want to be home, just like my mum, with my family around me and birds chirping in the jamun (acai berry) tree I have planted outside my window.

I want dignity in death, a choice that is often denied to many of those who die hooked to machines in hospitals, cut off from the people and things that matter most.

Never say die

Ive been in and out of hospitals for more than two decades, both as a health reporter and a human being concerned about sick friends and family. Ive been to public hospitals and health centres, to private hospitals and clinics. Ive watched doctors battling to save lives without food and sleep for hours during outbreaks and after a terror attack, Ive watched them being insensitive and negligent. Ive heard them patiently explain planned treatment, Ive heard them being intolerably rude.

Ive never heard them tell patients how to deal with death, not even at palliative centres for the terminally ill.

Studies have shown that even when doctors tell patients their cancer is incurable, they are unlikely to discuss the end of care.

A review of doctors survival predictions in terminally-ill cancer patients published in the British Medical Journal showed that physicians consistently overestimate survival. Clinicians caring for patients with terminal cancer need to be aware of their tendency to overestimate survival, as it may affect patients prospects for achieving a good death, said the Harvard study. By refusing to accept defeat, doctors offer treatments t they know wont work and force terminally-ill patients to spend their last days undergoing endless diagnostic tests among a bunch of strangers.

The reason for their resistance to facing death is their medical training that teaches them that losing a life is a defeat. The purpose of medical schooling was to teach how to save lives, not how to tend to their [patients] demise, writes general surgeon and Harvard Medical School Professor, Dr Atul Gawande, in his bestselling book, Being Mortal: Medicines and What Matters in the End. So they keep treating compulsively even when they know it wont help the patient at all. Late last year, a friends father was diagnosed with end-stage metastatic lung cancer. He lived in their ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh. He had begun having trouble breathing, he could barely walk. The reports from a public hospital in his home state clearly showed the cancer had spread and couldnt be treated. Still, the doctors recommended he bring his father for chemotherapy and radiation to Delhi.

I told him to discuss the possible treatment outcomes with oncologists and if treatment wouldnt improve his health, to consider taking his father home. I wasnt a doctor, it wasnt my job, but none of many doctors he went to had discussed the possible failure of treatment with him or his family.

I have to get him here, theres family pressure. If I dont, my family and people in the village will say his son left him to die, said my friend. Social pressure and the well-placed sense of duty did not save his father, who died within a month at a private hospital in Delhi, plugged into a ventilator, far away from home.

This is the end

I dont want to die in a hospital among strangers for whom Im just another nameless patient who may live or die. I want to have the option to say no to treatment that wont make me better.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court recognised the patients right to refuse unwanted treatment and make a living will to say no to treatment or stop continuing treatment when there is no chance of survival and volitional consent cannot be given. Giving its nod to passive euthanasia that allows the removal of life-support systems for people who are terminally ill or have slipped into incurable comas, the court recognised the right to death with dignity.

Death is inevitable and we are truly happy only once we accept our mortality and stop worrying about it. I cant choose how I will die, but a living will gives me a semblance of control over my death.

I want a living will because I dont want to be another death statistic at a hospital. I want a fighting chance against disease and when I lose, which we all will some time or the other, I dont want to end my life hooked to machines in an impersonal ICU that is statistically likely to have more drug-resistant bacteria than the toilets at home.

A living will will free my family of guilt if they have to decide on my behalf, on whether or not to pull the plug if there is no chance of recovery. I want my family to know that in stopping futile efforts to prolong my life, they are not hastening my death, but letting me die peacefully.

The philosophy of health care needs to change, with the focus moving from ensuring survival to enabling well-being, writes Dr Gawande in his book about what really matters in the end.

He is right. I wake up to birdsong every morning. I would like to die listening to it.
Eleven-year-old Emilio Pachon, the terminally ill boy who had wished to greet Avengers actors, has died. He was suffering from cancer from neurofibromatosis and passed away at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for his familys Genes Foundation told Newsday.

News about Pachon went viral on social media after Shannon Bream from Fox News put a request online on his behalf that he wanted to connect with one of the actors in the Marvel franchise.

Stars such as Chris Evans (Captain America from Avengers), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Zachary Levi (Fandral in two Thor movies) and Chloe Bennet (TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D) came forward.

Ryan Reynolds attends the Final Portrait New York screening at Guggenheim Museum. (AFP)

Pachon had received videos from Evans, Levi, Bennet, Ant Man star Paul Rudd, Don Cheadle, who plays James Rhodes/War Machine and Paul Bettany (Vision) from the MCU.

Benedict Wong, who portrays factotum Wong in Doctor Strange, and another Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D star Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson).

He saw all but the last one he received, from Zachary Levi, before becoming unconscious. But they played it for him and they believe he heard it, foundation spokeswoman Mayelei Gaunaurd said.

Reynolds was also reported to have sent a video, but Gaunaurd said it had not yet arrived.

Bream also took to Twitter to confirm Pachanos death and expressed gratitude to the several people who helped made the ailing childs dream come true.

Twitterverse, young Emilio has lost his fight. Thank you to the thousands who pitched in so that he could hear from some of his heroes in his last days. You lit up his hospital room and blessed his family. Emilios simple request launched an avalanche of goodness and miracles.

Happy to! DM me  Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) March 26, 2018

She also shared a link to the book, The Mindless Boy, written by Pachon.

Please pray for Emilios loved ones as they now grieve his passing. He wrote a book last year, and all profits go to the foundation they started to help other families facing the same struggles, she wrote.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The central government might file a petition by the end of the week in the Supreme Court seeking clarity on the apex courts February 16 order on the sharing of Cauvery waters, according to a senior official in the water resources ministry.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu might file a contempt petition after the passing of the March 29 deadline set by the court for the federal government to form of a Cauvery management board for the sharing of the waters, according to a member of Tamil Nadus legal team who requested anonymity.

The petition by the central government could buy it some time and prevent it from being seen as taking a stand in favour of either Tamil Nadu or Karnataka (two of the three states and one union territory that are parties to the case) ahead of assembly elections in the latter in May, the water resources ministry official cited above said on condition of anonymity.

The Supreme Court ruling favoured Karnataka, which was asked to provide 177.25 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) to Tamil Nadu instead of the 192 TMC ordained by the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal. The order also asked for the creation of a mechanism to implement its award within six weeks by the federal government.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has already said his government doesnt agree with the courts order. He said his government would file a review petition (it is yet to). Karnataka experienced one of its worst droughts in 2017 and is loath to share water with Tamil Nadu.

The government is likely to ask the court for clarification on whether the word scheme in its order meant the formation of Cauvery management board or any other authority for implementation of the order, according to the above official.

Karnataka has objected to the creation of the Cauvery board, saying the Supreme Court order does not talk about setting up a board but a scheme for ensuring release of water.

Karnataka raised this technicality when chief secretaries of the three states (including Kerala) and Puducherry met officials of the water resources ministry on March 9.

On Thursday, Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswami held discussions with his ministers on the issue even as protests rocked the state. Tamil Nadu will take appropriate legal action--it can be a contempt petition or a clarification petition if the centre fails to comply with court orders. The centre is just trying to delay the inevitable as SC judgement is clear on formation of the board, said the member of the states legal team cited above.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the centre, political experts said, may want to delay implementation of the court order given the upcoming elections in Karnataka, which is governed by the Congress party under chief minister Siddaramiah.

The Cauvery verdict was a relief for Siddaramiah, said A Narayana, associate professor of public policy at the Bengaluru-based Azim Premji University

Meanwhile the ministry of water resources has prepared a Cabinet note suggesting the formation of a centrally managed authority to oversee the release of waters to the states in the Cauvery basin.
China on Thursday said its ties with India have been on an upswing recently and both sides have seen new achievements in political cooperation and various other fields.

Beijing said it wants to work with New Delhi to sort out their disputes to keep bilateral ties on the right track.

Recently, thanks to concerted efforts from the two sides, China-India relations have been developing with a sound momentum. We have seen new achievements in political cooperation and various fields, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

Kang was responding to questions about Indias attempt to improve ties with China, including shifting the event of Dalai Lama, who Beijing calls a splitist, from New Delhi.

We attach importance to developing ties with India. We would like to work with India under the guidance of our two leaders, to maintain our exchanges at all levels, enhance trust and properly manage our differences and ensure that bilateral relations could move forward along the right track, Kang said.

A sort of bonhomie seems to have returned between the two countries whose armies almost came to blows along the disputed border area of Doklam last year.

Both sides have stepped up bilateral talks, with a host of high profile visits lined up between them.

Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan was in India to discuss the yawning trade deficit between the two countries.

Defence and External Affairs Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Sushma Swaraj are due to visit China in April.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in June in China.

China on Thursday also said it supports friendly ties between India and Nepal and that New Delhi, Kathmandu and Beijing are important neighbours to each other and can work together for common development.

Beijing also praised Nepals Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli remarks about the Himalayan nation maintaining an independent foreign policy.

We commend the Nepali governments commitment towards independent foreign policy. We also support Nepal developing friendly and positive relations with its neighbours, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

China, Nepal and India are important neighbours to each other. We hope these three could work together, have some sound interactions and achieve common development, Lu added.
When Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson PJ Kurien retires in July this year, the Congress may lose the prestigious post after 41 years.

Since 1977, when Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha occupied the position, all deputy chairpersons have been nominees from the Congress. The trend continued even after the Bharatiya Janata Partys Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in 2002 became the first BJP politician to be elected vice-president, according to parliamentary records.The vice-president also serves as Rajya Sabha chairperson.

The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha and the post of the Chairperson is already out of the Congress hands. There is a distinct possibility that after July, the deputy chairperson in Rajya Sabha will also see a non-Congress MP. For the first time in the history of Parliament, the top four positions in the House may not have a Congress nominee, said a senior BJP leader on condition of anonymity.

The nomination for Kuriens successor, however, can be a tricky process as the ruling National Democratic Alliance doesnt have the numbers to push its nominee for that position.

The usual practice has been that while the ruling party gets its nominee into the speakers or chairpersons post, nominees from the opposition camp become deputy speaker and deputy chairperson. When the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power in 2004, BJPs Charanjit Singh Athwal became deputy speaker and, in 2009, Karia Munda occupied the position.

A senior political functionary pointed out that in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress has frequently opted to keep both posts. There is a strong possibility that the BJP will negotiate with other parties to put up a non-Congress, non-BJP candidate. Remember, it denied Congress the Lok Sabha deputy Speakers post in 2014 and gave it to the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) , he said.

Opposition leaders also say the BJP would try to cement ties with allies and other friendly parties ahead of the 2019 general election and the deputy chairmans election could provide it one such an opportunity. Giving the deputy Speakers seat to M Thambidurai was a clear message of friendship with the AIADMK. It needed AIADMKs help in Rajya Sabha and also for future ties in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, the BJP will look at the political opportunity while electing someone in the Rajya Sabha deputy chairpersons office, the BJP leader cited above said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs 2.51 crore belonging to senior IAS officer K Senthil Kumar and two companies  M/s Sudha Super Market and M/s Chennai Cafe in Patna  besides K Indira Memorial Educational Trust in Tamil Nadu. These firms and the trust are run and owned by his relatives.

The move comes after the Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB) filed a charge sheet against Senthil Kumar, a 1996 batch IAS officer currently posted as director, employment and training in the Bihar government.

He is an accused in a special vigilance case related to a scam that allegedly resulted in a loss of Rs 8.76 crore to the state exchequer. Kumar, as commissioner of the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) during 2009-10, allegedly connived with builders and other private persons and passed illegal building construction maps.

The case was lodged against the senior IAS officer on the directive of chief minister Nitish Kumar after the latter had received a complaint of gross financial irregularities in PMC between February 2009 and March 2010.

The complaint alleged that Senthil Kumar awarded contracts to favoured firms and there was less collection of holding tax from prominent hotels of Patna. The investigation revealed that around 130 building maps were approved while ignoring rules. The ED had taken suo moto cognizance of the charge sheet and initiated investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Money Trail A flat worth Rs 8.26 lakh in Jayshree Apartment in Patna in the name of Senthil Land and building of K Indira Memorial Educational Trust  worth Rs 1.97 crore Thirty-five plots at Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu in the name of family members of Senthil  worth Rs 37.84 lakh Available balance in seven bank accounts, held in the name of Senthil and K IMET  worth Rs 7.13 lakh

During investigation, it was found that Senthil had amassed huge wealth by corrupt means right from his tenure as Munger DM and later as PMC commissioner. He laundered his illegal wealth through firms  M/s Sudha Super Market and M/s Chennai Cafe in Patna  though owned by his younger brother K Ayyappan, was actually run by Senthil Kumar.

ED has found evidence of huge payments made to these firms by a person identified as Bimal Kumar, a contractor. The IAS officer used to park his alleged proceeds of deals with Bimal and for which Bimal was awarded huge government contracts. He formed a trust in the name of family members to launder his illegal wealth.

The K Indira Memorial Educational Trust, though formed in 2003, was made operational in 2008 from the cash provided by Senthil Kumar. An ED official associated with the attachment process disclosed that family members of the senior IAS officer have also manipulated their ITRs to conceal proceeds of crime  allegedly generated by Senthil Kumar.

The 1996 batch IAS officer was the PMC commissioner for one year when financial irregularities were allegedly committed. When the vigilance team visited his office on February 24, 2010, Senthil asked them to wait in another room pleading that he was going to bring the documents. However, Kumar sneaked out from the back door and disappeared in a private car.
A general curiosity prevailed the day seers purified the chief ministers bungalow in Lucknow with mantras and Ganga jal for its new incumbent Mahant Yogi Adityanath.

But in the countryside, a section of Dalits were enraged by this first-of-its-kind grih pravesh ceremony at the official home of a chief minister, vacated by Akhilesh Yadav, a backward. They raised the issue on social media and at meetings, empathising with pichhda Akhilesh.

Soon, they started feeling discriminated and deprived in the new dispensation. Their share in power lessened. We would have taken to the streets had the house been vacated by Behenji (Mayawati). The Yadavs did not protest but the issue went viral on social media. It reduced the anger against Akhilesh Yadav, triggering a discussion on the need to reconsolidate the bahujan samaj. After all he is an OBC and there is little difference in the social status of a Dalit and a poor Yadav, Dalit activist Dr Satish Prakash says.

The chief minister remained oblivious to the reaction that his routine ritual evoked in the community the BJP was trying to woo. The demand for unity grew after encounters (some Yadavs) and cases of atrocities on Dalits increased, says Satya Prakash Teetal, another Dalit activist.

He says the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leadership responded to the growing sentiments by putting up a unity show in March bypolls to two Lok Sabha seats. Its the same BSP that fought the 2017 UP assembly polls to defeat the SP, an arch-rival of 20 years.

Prakash says: Dont we have differences in our families? But dont we unite whenever we face a crisis. It is a question of dignity and survival in a society in which our caste has become our names.

According to a BSP leader, Mayawati has shown her power in the BJPs bypoll defeat and its time for the SP and other parties to show their respective strengths. Her ability to transfer votes is unquestionable. Can Akhilesh transfer SP votes? he asks.

It was in 1993 when the catchphrase of a SP-BSP alliance Mile Mulayam Kanshi Ram, hawa mein ud gaya Jai Shri Ram drowned the Jai Shri Ram slogan. A bahujan samaj government was formed.

But the alliance collapsed as Dalits and Yadavs were not the best of friends. Dalits under the Congress had aligned with Brahmins and Muslims, clashing largely with OBCs over land.

The animosity between Dalits and OBCs grew as caste identity led them in different directions. But after BJPs resurgence changed equations.

Its a question of survival for both the party and the polity in the prevailing political scenario. The cadre is restless after losing control of the state they ruled for two decades, a BSP leader says. The 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 assembly elections have been learning experiences.

According to Teetal, a desperate attempt is being made to create a wedge between the two caste groups. He cited a teenagers indecent posts on social media, primarily to infuriate the Dalits.

BJPs counter

The BJP is returning to quota politics, while continuing Hindutva as a unifying issue. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath hinted at the governments move to introduce quota within quota for the most backward castes, which Union home minister Rajnath Singh introduced as a new reservation policy in September 2001. It was stayed by the Supreme Court.

Singhs experiment didnt yield any political dividend as the BJP landed just 100 seats in state elections in 2002. A committee to find the shortcomings reported: Yadavs and Jatavs were major beneficiaries of quotas for OBC and SC/ST in the state.

The BJP strategy was to try to win the neglected castes as the prosperous among the OBCs and Dalits had well-defined loyalties. Their social alliance worked in both 2014 and 2017 elections. Thus, its back to quota within quota as the SP and BSP come closer to stop the BJPs march.
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TRUTH Revealed  Obama/Clinton Plan To Disarm The United States  Cancel The Seco LoP Guest

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03-29-2018 02:47 PM











Post: #1 TRUTH Revealed  Obama/Clinton Plan To Disarm The United States  Cancel The Seco

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Obama and Hillary Clinton have been planning a disarmament of the United States for 16 years. It is now in full force moving fast with the help of our young people.



The two planned to use two White House terms to destroy the United States, maim the Constitution, cancel the Second Amendment, and open borders to flood the nation with illegal immigrants  calculated to vote Democrat.



It is alleged that Deep State rogue operatives murdered Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in an attempt to lock in a Far Left ideology on the Supreme court by giving President Obama one final nomination.



The plan included the weaponization of the intelligence community to ensure the Democrats would win the 2016 presidential election. We can see how the FBI became politically involved in understanding that was part of the plan.



The weaponizing included using the Fusion GPS dossier to get FISA court approval to conduct electronic surveillance on Donald Trumps campaign. Along with that, was President Obamas plan to unmask and leak information detrimental to Trumps campaign that was gained from the illegally obtained FISA electronic surveillance.



McCabes role was to communicate the Lisa Page insurance idea to Loretta Lynch, the HRC conspiracy develops as a pyramid structure, with Obama at the top calling the shots needed to use the Fusion GPS Dossier to get FISA court ordered approval to conduct electronic surveillance on Donald Trump and and his team. Other major players were John Podesta, James Clapper, and most of all John Brennan.



We are presently facing a crisis which has never befallen the United States. The Left is using our young people to do their dirty work. It is a below-the-belt plan, as it is an evil scheme using innocent children to destroy the liberties Americans have always held dear.





http://www.investmentwatchblog.com/truth...-progress/ TRUTH Revealed  Obama/Clinton Plan To Disarm The United States  Cancel The Second Amendment  In Progress.Obama and Hillary Clinton have been planning a disarmament of the United States for 16 years. It is now in full force moving fast with the help of our young people.The two planned to use two White House terms to destroy the United States, maim the Constitution, cancel the Second Amendment, and open borders to flood the nation with illegal immigrants  calculated to vote Democrat.It is alleged that Deep State rogue operatives murdered Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in an attempt to lock in a Far Left ideology on the Supreme court by giving President Obama one final nomination.The plan included the weaponization of the intelligence community to ensure the Democrats would win the 2016 presidential election. We can see how the FBI became politically involved in understanding that was part of the plan.The weaponizing included using the Fusion GPS dossier to get FISA court approval to conduct electronic surveillance on Donald Trumps campaign. Along with that, was President Obamas plan to unmask and leak information detrimental to Trumps campaign that was gained from the illegally obtained FISA electronic surveillance.McCabes role was to communicate the Lisa Page insurance idea to Loretta Lynch, the HRC conspiracy develops as a pyramid structure, with Obama at the top calling the shots needed to use the Fusion GPS Dossier to get FISA court ordered approval to conduct electronic surveillance on Donald Trump and and his team. Other major players were John Podesta, James Clapper, and most of all John Brennan.We are presently facing a crisis which has never befallen the United States. The Left is using our young people to do their dirty work. It is a below-the-belt plan, as it is an evil scheme using innocent children to destroy the liberties Americans have always held dear.
















One Indian soldier was injured as Indian and Pakistan armies traded heavy fire on Thursday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri and Poonch districts, police said.

Police sources said Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions on the LoC in Laam area of Nowshera sector of Rajouri on Thursday evening.

Pakistan firing started around 6 pm. One soldier was injured in Pakistan firing. He has been shifted to hospital for treatment. Indian positions retaliated effectively and strongly, a police source said.

Sources also said Pakistan army started unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Kerni, Kasba, and Shahpur areas of Poonch.

Heavy firing exchanges were going on between the two sides when reports last came in, a source said.
India has expressed concern over the rising improvised explosive device (IED) attacks on UN peacekeepers and called for deploying resources to protect troops against them.

The IED attacks are a very serious concern, Indias Deputy Permanent Representative Tanmaya Lal told a ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council on peacekeeping on Wednesday.

In the last four years, of the 176 fatal casualties due to acts of violence, 43 were due to lED attacks. We believe missions facing IED threats should have dedicated resources for counter-IED, Lal said.

In November 2016 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 32 Indian peacekeepers from 16 Punjab Regiment were injured by a suspected IED. Seven Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed by IEDs in Mali  four last month and three in September.

Besides upgrading security of the camps, better medical facilities and air evacuation with night-time flight capability should be available to help the victims, Lal said.

While the nature of the armed conflicts and the environment in which peacekeepers are being deployed are changing, the political will to implement changes to peacekeeping operations is missing, Lal added.

He criticised the Council for serious chronic shortcomings of the lack of clarity of mandates and inadequate consultations with troop-contributing countries. Not enough was being done to find political solutions for building and sustaining peace, he said.

The success of UN peacekeeping should be judged by the capability of missions to sustain peace by enabling political solutions through integrated responses, Lal said.

This would require the shared responsibility of the UN Secretariat, the Security Council and countries providing personnel to peacekeeping operations, he added.
A day after Himachal Pradesh high court summoned the CBI director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a fresh status report before court. The court directed CBI to file a fresh status report on April 25 and summoned the director on May 9. However the CBI counsel, while talking to media, claimed the accused will be held before the next date.

CBI counsel Anshul Bansal said, We have some fresh leads in this case. The court has given us time to file the report. We are hopeful that the accused will be produced before court by the next date.

Earlier, court had summoned CBI director Alok Kumar Verma and asked him to appear in court on April 18. Chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice Sandeep Sharma read the fresh status report and amended its yesterdays order.

Perhaps the investigation agency is clueless in this case. Despite all facilitation, no fruitful result has come so far, the bench had said on Wednesday.

In July 2017, HC bench had asked CBI to speed up probe. The high court had directed the state to provide assistance to the probe agency, who has been investigating Kotkhai gangrape and murder case along with the custodial death case of an accused.

On December 15 last year, CBI had announced a reward of 10 lakh for providing credible information about the accused.

About the case

On July 4, 2017 a Class-10 girl went missing, whose body was recovered on July 6 from Halaila forest in Kotkhai of Shimla district. Medical reports confirmed rape. An SIT, headed by the-then inspector general (IG) southern range S Zahur Zaidi, was setup to probe the case.

On July 12, the SIT had detained six youth, including a Nepalese labourer, and the next day announced solving the case.

On July 14, locals staged a violent protest outside the Theog police station and also vandalised vehicles.

Succumbing to public pressure, the state government handed over the case to CBI. Before the CBI could start the investigation, an accused Suraj (a Nepalese) died in the police custody, following which violent protests had erupted in Kotkhai region.

On August 29, CBI arrested IG Zaidi and seven other cops in the custodial death case and in the same case the-then Shimla SP DW Negi was arrested on September 16. CBI also submitted a chargesheet against all accused in the custodial death case.
Former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav, 69, was brought to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on Thursday.

He was in the surgical emergency for nearly five hours where doctors conducted several blood tests and an electro-cardiogram (ECG) to check his heart condition. The corridor leading up to the hospitals emergency department had been cordoned off early Thursday morning.

Following the tests, he was admitted under the hospitals medicine department in room 101, old private ward.

His condition will be monitored by a team of specialists from five departments  endocrinology, cardiology, nephrology, neurology and surgery, said a hospital personnel on condition of anonymity.

He has a swelling in his kidneys, according to doctors treating him. The RJD leader is also a known diabetic.

He also has a history of cardiac ailments and underwent two major heart surgeries  one to replace an aortic valve and the other to repair the aorta  at Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai in August 2014.

Lalu boarded the Rajdhani Express to Delhi from Ranchi on Wednesday. He had been undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, under the cardiology department since March 17 after he complained of discomfort and uneasiness at Birsa Munda Jail, where he has been serving his sentence after being convicted in fodder scam cases.

A medical board from the hospital decided to refer him to AIIMS for better treatment.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP K Kavitha on Wednesday said that a federal front her father, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, is trying to cobble up is the result of lack of political acumen and statesmanship in both the Congress and the BJP. Excerpts of an interview to Hindustan Times:

Q: How did this federal front or third front concept emerge?

A: We have seen various political arrangements that never managed to bring any qualitative change. This federal front is not a mere coalition of a few political parties but the idea is to tell the people that it is possible to bring some serious, effective and qualitative change in the country. If to this date, the country doesnt have any programme to provide safe drinking water to the people, what have we achieved? We were a power deficit state three years ago and now we have surplus electricity. In three to four years, we will be able to supply power to half of south India and the rest of north India. If a state with a limited budget can plan, execute and deliver, why cant the nation with unlimited resources do it? There are core issues that the country needs to look into again. KCR sir (Telangana CM) is preparing an agenda for this federal front and, once finalised, itll be shared with leaders of other parties.

Q: Is TRS going to keep equal distance from BJP and Congress?

A: The fundamental issue of this front is that neither the Congress nor the BJP could think in a different way in creating wealth in this nation. There has always been an incidental growth or an incremental growth. The lack of political acumen and statesmanship in Congress and BJP has led to the emergence of an alternative political platform to bring change in the country.

Q: But it has been argued that TRS is soft towards the BJP. Your father was among the few non-NDA leaders who supported demonetisation. Was this federal front initiative taken to correct that perception?

A: We are a new state and we (TRS) ought to have a cordial working relationship with any party that is in power at the Centre. Our primary agenda is to work for the development of Telangana. It is incidental that the BJP is at the Centre, so we are friendly with it. On demonetisation and goods and services tax (GST), our leader (KCR) believed that such initiatives will work for the nation provided other supplementary steps were taken, but that didnt happen and thats why these steps failed to give the desired results. TRS has supported the BJP on issues of national interest because it is a Union government and not a BJP government. The Telangana CM is a forward-looking person who wants to see the entire country progress.

Q: But TRS is accused of helping BJP by disrupting Lok Sabha proceedings and not allowing the no-confidence motion to be taken up for consideration.

A: That is absolutely false. From day one, TRS members have been protesting in the Well of the House along with YSR Congress Party and Telugu Desam Party. Suddenly, the two parties are trying to take politics integral to Andhra Pradesh on the national scene by giving notices. So, how did we support the BJP? Since there was criticism that we are blocking their no-confidence motion and also because it concerned our neighbouring state, we changed the strategy and sat silently in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. We never protected the NDA government and we dont have any agenda to shield it. We were protesting on the reservation issue and for our distressed farmers.

Q: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has maintained that the Congress is the only national party that can challenge the BJP. Do you agree?

A: Sharad Pawarji is a very senior leader and we certainly respect his idea. But Congress is not bigger than any regional party today. To be called a national party, it has to have a pan-India presence. In many states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, regional parties are bigger and stronger than Congress. Both the Congress and the BJP dont matter to us because they dont represent our regional aspirations. If you call yourself a national party, you should react out to each and every state and its issues. Now, when Telangana members have been in the Well for 15 days, why doesnt Congress president (Rahul Gandhi) address these issues? If you are not addressing my issues, how are you relevant to my region? If they (Congress) want us to fight the BJP, let them come out with their agenda to bring about the qualitative change in the country. Then we will see.

Q: Are you in touch with the Biju Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United) and the Shiv Sena?

A: We are in touch with many parties. It is too soon to reveal that. Many parties were waiting for a neutral platform, so the feeling is mutual. We are hoping that other like-minded parties will come together and join hands for the future of this country.

Q: Are we going to see a repeat of the 1996-like situation?

A: You never know. Politics is very surprising and interesting as well.
Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb told the assembly on Wednesday over 177 elected public representatives resigned from their positions but none stepped down under pressure after the Bharatiya Janata Party-Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura alliance came to power in the northeastern state earlier this month.

Deb, replying to a matter of public importance raised by opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Sudhan Das, said 166 elected representatives from different village panchayats, two from panchayat samiti bodies and nine from Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Councils village committees resigned since March 3.

He added 16 elected public representatives from various civic bodies, including the municipal councils and nagar panchayats, resigned since March 7 due to illness.

The motion was brought following mass resignation of public representatives after the poll results.

Another opposition MLA Bhanulal Saha said many party offices were put under lock forcefully.

The chief minister, also in charge of the home department, declined that he had received any report of CPI(M) offices being locked but assured Saha he will look into it. He also warned that action would be taken against legislators who raise false complaints.

If offices of any political party, including the BJP, is opened illegally on public property, action will be taken, Deb said.

The BJP MLA Ramprasad Pal brought a reference notice on the recovery of arms from CPI(M) trade union offices. The opposition bench said they have no issue if their party offices are examined by the police.

The CPI(M) alleged that the BJP-IPFT spread a reign of terror by setting party offices ablaze and attacking their party workers throughout the state after coming to power.
The income tax e-filing website has been modified to accept returns from those with transgender Aadhaar cards.

With two days to go for filing returns for the assessment year 2017-18, transgender persons can now file their income tax returns on the e-filing website of the Department of Income Tax by submitting their Aadhaar numbers. Till now, the website did not accept the Aadhaar numbers of many transgender persons.

According to a letter issued by the principal commissioner of Income Tax (Puducherry) Jahanzeb Akhtar, Changes for incorporation of the third gender identity have been made in the online income-tax return filing facility in the e-filing portal. Necessary changes in the CPC-ITR have also been effected. (CPC is short for central processing centre and ITR stands for income tax returns.)

The letter, dated March 15, was received by Sameera Jahagirdar, a transwoman based in Puducherry. Jahagirdar had written to Akhtar in February citing difficulty in linking her permanent account number (PAN) with her 12-digit biometric Aadhaar number before the March 31 deadline to link the two, due to a mismatch in gender on both cards.

Many transgender persons have an Aadhaar card with transgender as the gender reflected on the card. However, PAN only accepts male and female during the application procedure. As a result, many in the transgender community have a PAN card with the gender assigned to them at birth, and a different name than the one on their Aadhaar cards.

The mismatch carries many implications, foremost of which was the inability to file income tax returns.

The Finance Act 2017 introduced a provision, Section 139AA to the Income Tax Act (1961), which made the linking of PAN with Aadhaar mandatory.

A gazette notification issued by the ministry of finance last year also made it mandatory to submit the Aadhaar number while filing income tax.

On Tuesday, the finance ministry issued an order that the deadline to link both cards has been extended to June 30.

Reshma Prasad, a transwoman and activist based in Patna confirmed that she was able to link her PAN card and Aadhaar card on the e-filing portal on Thursday.

While it is good that we can now file IT returns, the larger issue remains that I dont have a PAN card in transgender identity. This is a real problem for our community, she said.

Hindustan Times had carried a report on March 1 (In Aadhaar-PAN linkage, a gender lost) listing the issues that transgender persons face because of a mismatch between their Aadhaar and PAN cards. They cannot buy/sell property, register a business, invest money or even open a bank account because all these activities require an Aadhaar card that must match their PAN card on demographic details like name, gender and date of birth.

A spokesperson for the Central Board of Direct Taxes told HT on Thursday, The issue that you have flagged about there being no column for third gender in the PAN application form has been actively considered in CBDT and we have taken it up.

Besides Jahagirdar, transgender persons around the country had appealed to the office of the commissioner of income tax in their respective states citing the difficulty that they faced in linking the two cards.

Last year, the Lakshya Trust, a community organisation that works with transgender persons in Vadodara, wrote to Vadodaras chief commissioner of income tax. Prasad also wrote a letter to the Patna office and moved the court on this matter. A special leave petition filed on March 7 by the Human Rights Law Network on behalf of Prasad has asked the Supreme Court to direct the government to add a transgender column in PAN card applications.

On March 19, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra took up another petition filed by a Mumbai-based transgender woman, on a similar matter. The government counsel had assured the bench that the centre will rectify problems faced by transgender people in linking Aadhaar numbers with PAN cards, allowing them to file their income tax returns seamlessly.
Former law minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal bought a piece of land in Delhi worth crores for a very small price from an accused in a money laundering case, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Thursday.

Referring to a report by a website alleging that Sibal acquired the land by paying just Rs 1 lakh, information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani said Sibal and his wife got the ownership of a company, Grande Castello, from a businessman named Piyoosh Goyal.

She said some details about Sibals acquisition of the company and his dealings with Goyal were first published in January by some investigative journalists based in South Africa. Irani also said the UPA government had ordered a probe against Goyal then.

Quoting the news report, Irani said, Grande Castello, with no business in Financial Year 2013-14, commenced purchase of a piece of land, which eventually cost Rs 45.21 crores. To fund, this, the company raised interest-free loans and book overdrafts.

Once the land was registered in the companys name in 2014-15, the company decided to revalue the aforesaid land based on the Market Value as per valuation report obtained from the Government Registered valuer, thus raising the value of the land by Rs 43.79 crores to Rs 89 crore, almost doubling the value, she said.

Firing salvos at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Irani said, If Sibal wants do to a business deal with a man accused of money laundering is his choice... But is it acceptable to Rahul Gandhi?

Reacting to her statement, Sibal rejected the charges, saying the minister, who does not know the definition of money laundering, was making an allegation.

I bought a company, paid for it, paid from my income... I earn well. My Income Tax return is up to date, I have also filed corporate tax returns. You do not want to see records and allege money laundering, he said.

Sibal also slammed Irani for dragging Rahul Gandhi into the issue.

It is sad that in this country economics and maths exam papers are leaked which never happened in the past. I have also been the HRD minister. If you talk about Election Commission, election dates are leaked. If you look at Aadhaar, data is leaked. But when they have to protect their own degrees, the information never leaks. So the government knows how to protect information, what they dont want leaked is not leaked.

I am surprised she did a press conference and did not ask why the Prime Minister has close relations with Nirav Modi. BJP leaders should tell us about their relations with Lalit Modi, he said.

Asked if he will file a defamation case, Sibal said yes.
The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to introduce Ramji as the middle name of Dr BR Ambedkar in all official correspondence and records in Uttar Pradesh, an order that has raised opposition hackles ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The order, passed on the recommendation of Governor Ram Naik, was issued on Wednesday night by principal secretary (admin) Jitendra Kumar, an official spokesman said in Lucknow on Thursday.

I am a Marathi and so was he (Ambedkar). Hindi speaking states have been writing his name incorrectly. Most importantly his name is written as Bhim Rao as two words, however, the correct way to write is Bhimrao, said Ram Naik.

Ramji was the name of the father of BR Ambedkar, the father of the Constitution, and as per practice in Maharashtra, fathers name is used as the middle name by his son.

READ: PM Modis Ambedkar challenge in 2019

The Dalit social reformer, whose full name is Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, is named as only BR Ambedkar in all official records.

Reacting to the state governments move, BJP MP from Delhi Udit Raj said, I dont find any reason to change his name, its an individuals freedom to decide how he wants to be known. Why create a controversy unnecessarily? The Dalit community has expressed its displeasure.

The order soon got mired in political controversy with the opposition Samajwadi Party saying the move smacked of politics ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP government is playing politics with the name of the Dalit icon, SP leader Anurag Bhadoria said.

He charged the state government with politicising Ambedkars name for attracting Dalit vote bank.

UP cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya, however, said there was no politics in the decision and no ulterior motive should be seen in it.

The campaign to write Ambedkars name in the correct way was initiated by Ram Naik in December 2017, citing the manner in which Ambedkar signed on the pages of the Constitution.

The spelling of Ambedkar in English will remain unchanged, but in Hindi it will be spelt as Aambedkar.

The governor had written to the prime minister, the chief minister and also the Babasahib Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Mahasabha, expressing concerns over the prevalent incorrect spelling of Ambedkar.
Several schools have questioned Kerala education minister C Raveendranaths claim in the legislative assembly on Wednesday that more than 1.2 lakh students in the state refused religion/caste preferences while seeking admission in schools.

The minister had said in the Assembly that 1,23,630 students between classes 1 and 10 stated they had no religion or caste, and termed it a record high. Lauding the secular tradition of the state, he also said that every year the numbers were on the rise.

Interestingly, some of the schools mentioned in the list are controlled by religious institutions.

Going by the ministers list, at least 3,000 students from six schools in north Keralas Kasargode district opted out of caste and religion. But some schools such as Moppila Upper Primary (UP) School in Uppala and St Pauls School in Thrikkaripur said there was not a single student who fell in the category from their schools. Similar complaints surfaced from Malappuram, Kozhikkode and Ernakulam districts.

In Karippol UP School (Malappuram district), out of 1,050 students, more than 200 were put in this category. It is absolutely wrong. We have no idea how it happened, said the schools Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) president Yahya Palliserry.

A spokesman of the state education department admitted there were serious mistakes in the data and an inquiry would be conducted as to how it happened. The minister was not available for comments.
iStock/Thinkstock(SAN FRANCISCO) -- A man in San Francisco allegedly brandished an ax at a group of people he was fighting with, then got into his car and charged them, officials said.



At least one person has died, according to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. One person remains in critical condition, two victims are in serious condition, and one person is in fair condition, the hospital said.



The driver initially fled the scene, according to the San Francisco Police Department.



Witnesses told ABC San Francisco station KGO that the driver had an ax and was swinging it at the group he was fighting with. He then got into his van and drove into the people, witnesses said.



Police have stopped a vehicle and taken one person into custody, KGO reported. It is unclear if the person detained was the driver.



The police department's homicide unit is investigating the victim's death.



Further details were not immediately available.







Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
His entry into the house late night scared her. Not just she, her children too left the room as soon as they saw him. For her, nights meant only pain.

Gynaecologists say Though women are not very open about it within their families, many women go to gynaecologists, complaining of problems. Doctors say that there have been cases where women had to be given vaginal repairs as they had had excessive bleeding. Forcing intercourse during menstruation leads to infections and pain which leads to further complications if not treated.

The scars all over my body narrate how much pain I underwent daily. I keep hearing about rapes every day. But I couldnt even raise my voice because my culprit was my husband, says the 42-year-old mother of five.

For her, rape was a daily feature. Her eyeswell up with tears as she recounts, Not just once, he would torture me all through the night. It was an everyday affair. I had two miscarriages because of his animal instincts.

Marital rape is very common. But it hardly comes to light. Majority of women who undergo marital rape feel shy. They dont gather courage to speak out against their husbands. And so many of such crimes remain confined within bedrooms, says Madhu Garg, a social activist.

Those working for the rights of women feel that women who are subjected to domestic violence are mostly the ones who are also sexually abused by their partners. Marital rape comes packaged with domestic violence. But women are not open about it. They talk about physical torture but not the sexual torture their husbands give them, says Garg.

Psychiatrists take Dr Smita Srivastava, consultant psychiatrist says, The victims in such cases are in pathetic mental state. They undergo torture but cant share it with anyone. Moreover, they cant even protest within the room because they are not allowed any rights. This leads to depression. Dr Smita says intimate partners are involved in such cases and the rape is recurrent. This is what adds to the trauma of the victim. She remains under a constant fear of being raped. As a result, she remains withdrawn, stops taking care of her self, becomes inefficient in handling children and family, remains irritated all the time and is not her normal self, she says. Talking about the mindset of the husband in such cases, she says, This is a mental disorder wherein men have obsession for sex and often violent sex. It is a complex problem wherein men indulge in such practices in order to show their masculinity.

Women somehow consider it as their fate. They surrender themselves to their husbands. Women also feel that their consent doesnt matter when it comes to sexual relationship with the partner, she says.

Marital rape is also very common with minor girls. A number of minor girls who get married to adults often complain of sexual abuse. In fact, such marriages only mean sexual and physical assault, says Shachi Singh, who works for the rights of children.

Despite being a common occurrence, surprisingly marital rape is not recognised as an offence in India. The definition of rape under the Indian penal Code(IPC) clearly says, Sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape.

Renu Mishra, a lawyer,says, The worst thing is that marital rape is not recognised as a crime in India. There is a civil law which says marital that rape is a sexual violence under the Domestic Violence Act. Only protection and compensation are allowed to the victim in such cases and nothing else is done.
With the arrest of 12 people, the UP special task force (STF) on Wednesday claimed to have busted a major scam in the online examination conducted for recruiting 226 junior engineers (electrical) of the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL). Aptech, a private IT company, had conducted the exam on February 11, 2018.

Those arrested include managers of two city schools that served as centres for the online examination, four examinees, a software installer and five others.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) of STF Abhishek Singh said the role of some staff members of the IT company and employees of the UPPCL was also under scanner.

The SSP said that the arrested people favoured some examinees by leaking the online question papers through a special software (Ammy Admin) installed in computers at the Mahaveer Prasad Degree College in Alambagh and the JK Public School in Kannausi, Manaknagar, and revealing examinee IDs and passwords to a solvers gang. At least, 14 lakh was charged from each examinee to get such favours, he said. Singh said the STF statistically analysed data of 26,000 examinees to zero in on suspected candidates. He said the question papers were hacked and shared with a solvers gang located at a hotel near Basmandi crossing.

There were complaints that a lot of confusion had prevailed among thousands of candidates during the exam. Some candidates also alleged that a few examinees had access to the question papers even before the test began. Their allegations rang true when the answer key of the question papers started circulating on social media two days before the results were announced on February 20.

MORE RECRUITMENTS UNDER SCANNER

The SSP STF said the arrested people revealed that they had helped carry out similar anomalies in online examinations of assistant review officers, office assistants and additional personal secretary -- all conducted by Aptech. The arrested people procured multiple crores from examinees for favouring them, he said.

THE ACCUSED

The SSP STF said the arrested included Gyanendra Yadav, manager of JK Public School in Kannausi, Manaknagar, Amit Singh, manager of Mahaveer Prasad Degree College at Alambagh, Singhs school employee Sanjay Rajbhar, and examinees Syed Afsar Hussain, Vipin Kumar Singh, Rakesh Kumar and Ram Babu Yadav.

The SSP said accused Deepmani Yadav had installed the Ammy Admin software that was used to compromise examinee IDs and passwords, and Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal shared the IDs and passwords with the solvers gang. He said three others, Abhay Yadav, Dhirendra Verma and Sanjay Kumar Gaud, acted as mediators and arranged candidates who would pay to get favoured in the examination.

The STF also seized 15 computers, 12 cell phones, a laptop, a dongle and 7.57 lakh cash from the arrested accused.

SOLVERS GANG

The SSP said the solvers were arranged by one Parminder and his associates who were still at large.
A man was arrested for operating a fake branch of a bank in Mulayam Nagar locality of Fefna area in Ballia district on Wednesday, police said.

Police said they recovered fake papers, three computers, a laptop, 184 passbooks and Rs 1.37 lakh cash deposited by locals. The fake branch was allegedly running for over a month.

Circle officer Hitendra Krishna said, Afak Ahmad, resident of Badaun, was arrested for operating the fake branch of Karnataka Bank in Mulayam Nagar area of Fefna town.

Police said he identified himself as Vinod Kumar Kambale, resident of Vikhrauli east, Mumbai, and posed as manager of Karnataka Bank.

He took a portion of a house on rent and opened a fake branch of the bank there, police added. He then opened accounts of locals who deposited Rs 1.37 lakh, the police officer said.

The police claimed he took applications from people for setting up a franchise of the branch in a rural area. For the franchise, he used to demand Rs 60,000 from applicants, they said. It was this act of his that may have led to someone tipping off Karnataka Bank officials.

The circle officer said Karnataka Bank assistant general manager BBH Upadhyaya, along with other officials, reached Ballia and informed police that a fake branch of his bank was being operated in Mulayam Nagar area. The bank officials took the step when Ahmad failed to produced the papers they asked for.

A raid was carried out at the location where the fake branch was operational, police said. Ahmad was arrested from his chamber in the fake branch, they added.

The police officer said a case was registered against Ahmad under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code after a complaint by Upadhyay.

Police official claimed that during interrogation, Afak Ahmad revealed he opened a fake branch over a month ago. He also employed three persons and they were being interrogated, police added.
A man, allegedly a Pak national, called up the city magistrate of Varanasi 32 times from March 13 to 24 demanding reopening of a disputed mosque sealed two years ago, officials said.

City magistrate Vishram, who goes by the first name, informed district magistrate Yogeshwar Mishra about the incident and registered a case with Cant police station. The anti-terror squad (ATS) is also looking into the case, officials said.

Dr Vishram said he got a call from an unknown number and the caller claimed he was a member of the PML group in Pakistan.

The caller pressured me to order reopening of a disputed mosque in Konia locality of Varanasi. The mosque was sealed in April 2016 following a controversy between Deobandi and Barelvi sects over its control. The man called me up 32 times between March 13 and 24, he said.

The matter is pending in the city magistrates court

I received the first call at 1.06 am on March 13. When the caller asked me to order reopening of the disputed mosque, I scolded him and asked him not to call me again, he added.

The man, however, called me 11 times on March 13. Through a mobile tracking application, I found out that the number was of Pakistan, he said.

When the case came up for hearing in the court on March 14, I asked both the parties to the dispute about the call. They said they were not aware of the matter, he added.

In-charge of Cant police station Mahesh Pandey said a case had been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the complaint of the city magistrate.

An official familiar with the matter said the Uttar Pradesh ATS was looking into the Pakistan connection and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials were also gathering inputs in the case.

A team of ATS officials met the city magistrate and sought information about the calls allegedly made from Pakistan, he said.

DM Yogeshwar Mishra said that police and intelligence agencies were looking into the matter and would take help of telecom department, if required.

.
The decks are finally clear for Uttar Pradesh to get a stringent law against organised crime as the Vidhan Parishad passed the UP Control of Organised Crime Bill (UPCOCB) 2017 amid protests by the opposition on Wednesday.

The bill will now be referred to the governor for his assent. The governor, on his part, may refer the bill the President for clearance. After the Presidential clearance, the bill will become a law to be known as UP Control of Organised Crime Act (UPCOCA).

The UPCOCB was on Tuesday passed a second time by the state assembly where it had to be re-introduced as the bill could not be passed in the Upper House, where the ruling BJP is in minority.

After its passage in the assembly, it was brought afresh in the Parishad where it was passed in the form it was passed by the lower house.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said UPCOCA will emerge as an important tool to break the back of organised crime and instill a sense of security among people. He said members apprehensions about the possible political misuse of the law had no basis.

The opposition, on the other hand, accused the government of trying to muzzle the voice of democracy with UPCOCA. The possibility of the government using UPCOCA to harass political opponents cannot be ruled out, leader of opposition Ahamd Hasan (Samajwadi Party) said.

The legislation on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) seeks to curb organised crime and deal strictly with those trying to foment terror or dislodge the government forcibly or through violent means.

The UPCOC Bill, 2017 also seeks to act sternly against those using explosives or firearms or any other violent means or damaging life and property or involved in anti-national or destructive activities.
With a large number of ATMs either running out of cash or lying defunct, residents fear that closure of banks from March 29 to April 2, barring March 31, may lead to a cash crisis.

Banks will remain closed on March 29 and March 30 for Mahavir Jayanti and Good Friday and will work on March 31. Banks will shut again on April 2 (Monday) for annual closing of accounts.

Many ATMs are either out of cash or out of order. Banks are not bothered to ensure availability of cash. This is a major cause of inconvenience for the people, said Saurabh Shukla, a private sector employee who reached an ATM only to find it closed.

Some residents said it was the responsibility of banks to ensure proper maintenance of ATMs.

Initially, there were rumours that banks will remain closed for five days  from March 29 to April 2. Later, we came to know that banks will work on March 31. I dont think opening of banks for one day will make any difference, a city resident said.

A few ATMs that are running fail to dispense desired amount. If you want to withdraw Rs 5,000, the ATM will only dispense Rs 2,000 banknotes which causes inconvenience, said Sudhakar Shukla, a retired government employee.

The city has around 900 ATMs but according to a rough estimate, more than 50 per cent ATMs are without cash or lying defunct.

When contacted, AGM (ATM), State Bank of India (SBI), KC Agarwal refused to comment on the issue.

There is a shortage of Rs 2,000 and Rs 100 banknotes, therefore, the entire load is on Rs 500 notes. This has led to a crisis situation. Another reason contributing to the problem is load of customers that has increased manifold after demonetisation, a banking source said.

He said the demand for currency notes placed by lead banks to ensure proper supply in ATMs was not met.

Bank employees associated with various unions, however, said the problem was due to old ATM machines. As many ATM machines are old, they cannot bear the load. Cash filling by private agencies and lack of maintenance aggravates the problem, a bank employee said.

General secretary of Bank of India Employees Union VK Sengar said: Everything from filling cash to repairing of ATM machines is in private hands. Consumers are at the receiving end. Its perhaps the same reason why ATMs near banks branch have cash while those in far-flung areas run dry.

He said old ATM machines should be replaced to improve service.
UP chief minister Yogi Adititanaths loaded remark about socialism as an ideology caused an uproar in the Vidhan Parishad on Wednesday. Taking strong exception to the remark, Samajwadi Party (SP) members demanded that the chief minister tender an apology.

Speaking in the Vidhan Parishad on the last day of the budget session, Adityanath launched one of the strongest attacks on the Samajwadi Party, saying socialism as an ideology was a dhokha (illusion) and the country did not need to have it.

This prompted the SP members to ask how he could call socialism a dhokha when the word socialist was an intrinsic part of the Preamble to the Constitution.

Adityanath retorted by asking: Tell me when the word socialism crept into Constitution, insinuating that the same was not part of the original Constitution and insisted socialism was nothing but a mrigtrishna (mirage). He said socialism was a bahurupi (polymorphous) brand.

As the SP members shouted even more, the CM said, smiling, Hold on, I am here to prove why socialism is an illusion.

He said, In Germany and Italy, socialism finally resulted in fascism and Nazism. Socialism, in its worst manifestation, resulted in goonda raj in UP.

As the protests grew louder with the agitated SP members trying to stall the speech, the CM moved on to other issues. But, later, he concluded his nearly two hour-long speech by saying the country needed Ram Rajya, not socialism.

Ram rajya, he said, was beyond time and space and not subject to decay.

Reacting to the oppositions criticism of the budget, he said this years budget was the biggest one for the UP with increased allocations for all the sectors.

He enumerated the work done by his government in the last one year in various fields, including agriculture, electricity, rural housing and sanitation.

He said unlike the previous government that discriminated between shamshan (cremation ground) and kabristan (graveyard), his government had made no such distinction in executing welfare schemes. This is the main difference between socialists and nationalists, he said.

The CM said his government had been able to change the perception about Uttar Pradesh to the extent that a large number of industrialists showed interest to invest in the state. Earlier criminals used to be glorified, but today they are begging for life, he said.

He said the SP and the BSP government did nothing for people during their 15-year rule in the state.

And now, the same parties are terming the budget anti-people and anti-development, he said.

CM looked changed: Hasan

Yogi Adityanath kept smiling during his two- hour speech and after that as well, without losing his cool.

This was why leader of the opposition Ahmad Hasan (Samajwadi Party) remarked that the CM looked changed somewhat for the first time. People say he is aggressive and arrogant, but today he looked changed, he said.

Hasan, however, attached political meaning to the same, saying, Phulpur and Gorakhpur (bypoll) results appear to have humbled him and this is good.

Earlier, the CM took a dig at Hasan, asking how he fell into the trap of socialism and even said the BJP could accommodate him.

See, we have Mohsin Raza with us, he said in a lighter vein. Raza is the only Muslim minister in the Yogi government.
An eleven-year-old boy, Suraj Dyaneshwar Bhoir, died after being stabbed six times  in the chest, neck and back  with a chopper near the premises of his school in Murbad, around 30km away from Thane near Mumbai, on Wednesday.

Late in the evening, police arrested Jaywant Bhoir, the owner of the partly-constructed house adjacent to the school, whose washroom was being used by students, for the murder.

The police said Bhoir killed the Class 4 student to take revenge from his father, who was among the villagers who teased him, calling him mentally challenged. Bhoir had left the chopper on the spot, said police.

According to the police, Suraj left home around 7am. In the middle of a class around 8.30am, Suraj asked the teacher for permission to go to the washroom.

Within minutes, his friend too went to the washroom. When the friend was heading towards class, he heard Surajs screams. He ran to the spot and found Suraj with injuries, said an officer from Murbad police station.

The friend alerted the teacher, who then informed the police. Suraj was rushed to Murbad civil hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said the officer. The police questioned six people, including the boys relatives, family members and other local residents. We had detained few people on suspicion. They were released after questioning, said the officer.

The construction of the house stopped almost two years ago and it has been in a dilapidated condition since then. The owner became the prime suspect as a woman saw him running from the spot after the incident, said Mahesh Patil, Thane rural superintendent of police.

A case has been filed under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the IPC at the Murbad police station.

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Harbour line commuters can rejoice. Not only did Union railway minister Piyush Goyal inaugurate the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Andheri harbour line extension up to Goregaon on Thursday, but he also announced that the line would soon be extended till Borivli.

The regular harbour line service to Goregaon will be operational from Sunday, April 1. It will allow commuters from Goregaon to travel directly to CSMT, without changing the train at Dadar. There will be 49 daily services. While the central railway will run 42 services, the western railway will run seven on the stretch every day. The move will also help decongest Andheri railway station. The 5.12-km extension from Andheri to Goregaon, which was delayed by four years, was carried out at a cost of Rs214 crore.

The railway line, which has reached Goregaon, will soon be extended till Borivli. It will allow passengers to travel directly to Borivli from CSMT, without changing trains, said Goyal, adding they have given approval to build CST-Panvel elevated corridor, Panvel-Virar corridor and several other projects.

Extension of the Harbour corridor from Goregaon to Borivli will cost Rs745 crore.

In his 20-minute speech, Goyal counted various steps taken by the Modi government to improve suburban railway commute. Goyal said that their government has approved Rs55,000-crore projects by adopting an integrated approach.

After the function, he also hopped on to the first local train that departed from Goregaon.

Referring to traffic snarls in the city, Goyal urged citizens to bear with the trouble owing to ongoing infrastructure works. Short term pain leads to long term gain, he said.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis skipped the function, as he was in Delhi to end social activist Anna Hazares agitation. Significantly, the Shiv Sena boycotted the function.

Experts termed the extension a boost to the suburban railway. Local trains carry 75 lakh passengers daily. The plan to extend the line to Borivli is welcome, said transport expert Ashok Datar.

Railway minister also said they will able to run at least 33% more services by adopting the advanced cab signaling system, which will allow trains one after the other with minimum headway.
A day after the Union cabinet struck down the bridge course that would have allowed AYUSH practitioners to practice and prescribe allopathic medicine, the state officials said they will continue to educate and integrate AYUSH practitioners with modern medicine.

Members of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Homeopathy Council, who are loggerheads with the government over the issue, said they will wait for the final draft of the bill before taking action. AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.

In a notification released on Wednesday evening, Union ministry of health and family welfare made amendment to the provision dealing with bridge course for AYUSH practitioners by removing it to a limited extent. It has been left to the state governments to take necessary measures for addressing and promoting primary health care in rural areas, the notification reads.

The provision was a part of widely scrutinised National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, that will replace the existing national medical education authority  Medical Council of India. Amendment was made after recommendation of a parliamentary standing committee, set up to suggest changes in the bill owing to strong opposition of Indian Medical Association, the largest body of allopathy practitioners in India.

The Maharashtra government started one-year Certificate Course of Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) in 2016. While one batch of over 650 doctors has cleared the course, second batch is awaiting results and the third one is under training.

Dr Pravin Shingare, director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Maharashtra, said they are likely to continue the course to address the issue of acute shortage of doctors in rural areas.

The course was started to address the issue of shortage of doctors in rural areas. And it only trains the homeopathy doctors in certain areas of allopathy, which dont include major surgeries or complicated fields such as neurology, organ transplant, medicine, etc., said Dr Shingare.

IMA members called the decision of state insignificant, as the Bombay high court has stayed issuance of licenses to homeopathy doctors to practice allopathy last year.

Anybody can start a course and train people, but firstly neither these courses nor the students are recognised by MCI or MMC. Secondly, the courts stay order is a major legal hurdle the state has to overcome, said Dr K K Agarwal, immediate past national president, IMA.

An official of homeopathy council said they will wait for the final draft of the bill since there is no clarity in the notification. First of all, the state-run course is not a bridging course its only a certificate course of pharmacology which was started for doctors who have been practicing allopathy for over 25-30 years owing. There is no point in making comment as the matter is in court and also we are not aware of the parliamentary discussions or decision, said the official requesting anonymity.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has put three projects of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA)  in Mahul, Mulund and relocation of slum dwellers -- under the scanner.

The CAG, in its report tabled in the state legislature on Wednesday, stated the rules for these projects were tweaked to favour private builders. The authority termed sanctioning of the Mahul project to rehabilitate those who had shanties on and along water pipelines in Chembur in 2011-12 incorrect, stating it benefited the builder to the tune of Rs156.85 crore. Also, the SRA rehabilitation of 8,582 slums dwellers, who were affected by the project, was not carried out, the CAG said.

The SRA had allowed the rehabilitation scheme on private land at Mahul village, despite the objection raised by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre over its location in the buffer zone and the potential threat to national security. On October 5, 2013, the chief secretary endorsed the security concerns, after which the project was scrapped.

The CAG report also came down heavily on the failure of the housing department to coordinate and supervise timely relocation of slum dwellers from the airport land. It said that considering the huge rehabilitating component of 80,000 tenements, Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) was given a floor space index (FSI) of 4 instead of 3. Even though some tenements were ready to rehabilitate, SRA did not taken their possession from HDIL, as the list of eligible slum dwellers was not finalised.

The report said the concession extended to HDIL in the form of additional FSI and transfer of developmental rights (TDR) proved to be unfruitful. No slum dwellers could be shifted from the airport land even ten years after the scheme was taken up, defeating the objective of clearance of slums from airport land, which continue to pose a grave security threat to safety, security and operations of the Mumbai airport, said the report.

The third case involves a project in Mulund, where the SRA did not deduct the mandatory 15% for recreational/amenity open plot, resulting in undue benefits in terms of saleable FSI to the tune of Rs37.93 crore.

Premium Rs3,000 crore, claims worth only Rs11.89 crore settled: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has indicted the state government over the huge gap between the premium amount and the benefits extended to the citizens under the Jotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, earlier known as Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Yojana.

The CAG report, which was tabled in the state legislature on Wednesday, said claims worth Rs11.89 crore were settled against the premium of Rs3009.31 crore paid until November 2016.

The scheme envisages subsidized medical treatment and surgeries for the poor.

The report has indicted the public health department for its failure to distribute health cards to beneficiaries, appointment of health agents and conducting health camps. The state government released Rs3,416 crore between 2011 and 2017 for the health insurance scheme covering 9.35 crore beneficiaries, the report stated, after conducting an audit of records from 2012 to 2017.

The report suggested appointment of health agents to fill the shortfall of 138. It also pointed at the lacunae in implementing the scheme. While the government announced the scheme would include all farmers families across 14 suicide-prone districts in the state, the scheme was extended to all families with ration cards, including those above the poverty line, who were not meant to be beneficiaries of the scheme.

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday targeted state labour minister Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar over the Non-Performing Asset (NPA) loan case, alleging that the ministers role in the issue was not limited to just being a guarantor for the loan. The party has also alleged that property papers offered in his name as collateral to secure the loan of Rs39.99 crore were fake.

AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said that Patil-Nilangekar is the founder, former director as well as the current shareholder of Victoria Agro Food Processing Private Limited (VAFPPL), which had secured the loan from the two public sector banks, Union Bank of India and Bank of Maharashtra. While Patil-Nilangekar quit the company as a director a few months after it was incorporated, his brother, sister and brother-in-law continued to be directors when the loan was taken in 2009, said AAP.

HT had reported on Thursday that both the banks opted for a one-time settlement (OTS) agreement with VAFPPL to settle the NPA account at Rs25.50 crore. This was done by waiving off interests on the loan and slashing the principal amount by Rs7.50 crore each. Both the banks had defended the OTS, stating that it was done as per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms to secure maximum amount possible.

Patil-Nilangekar refuted the AAP allegations. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also defended the minister in the assembly on Wednesday.

Sambhaji Patil-Nilangekar was only a guarantor. The settlement was done as per RBI norms under RBI policy. He did not take the loan himself. Its not right to defame a young minister like this.

In 2014, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a case of criminal conspiracy against the company and also named the minister after the banks complained about it being an NPA.

``In 2009, he gave bank fake property papers to avail Rs39.99 crores worth of credit for a company that was to set up a grain-based distillery. In 2011, the loan was declared an NPA, and when the bank began the recovery process they discovered that mortgaged properties did not belong to Patil- Nilangekar, said Menon.

She added that while he had claimed that he had received the property from his grandfather Shivajirao Bhaurao Patil, in the certified extract taken in 2014, the property is still in the name of the grandfather.

Here poor people are harassed for every penny, while people like Patil-Nilengekar get bank largesse using fraudulent means, said Menon.

The AAP has demanded the sacking of the minister for cheating the banks and siphoning off the public money.

While Patil-Nilangekar was not available for comment on Thursday, he had earlier said that accusations against him are a result of the political feud within his family, as his grandfather and uncle are in the Congress.

I am only a guarantor for this loan and so I am not directly involved in this case. The OTS was done strictly as per bank norms, and such settlements have been done with several other companies. The political feud in our family has led to the dispute over the land and the mortgage issue.

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A week after state governments notification banning the use, storage, sale, distribution and transportation of select plastic items, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is finally prepared with the key points for implementing the ban.

As the first step towards implementation, the civic body will create 20 collection points in high footfall areas, such as markets and railway stations, where citizens can drop banned plastic items such as bags, plastic cutlery, thermocol and decoration items. Consumers have between 15 days and one month and manufacturers have up to three months to make these changes, before BMC starts taking punitive action against violators.

The collected items will be then sent to recyclers, informed a senior civic official. BMC is likely to increase number of collection points in the coming days.

In addition to this, registered self-help groups will be allotted spaces by the civic body to sell cloth and paper bags to consumers in civic markets. To facilitate the transition, BMC is preparing a list of cloth, jute and paper bag manufacturers and small scale industries, which will be uploaded on the BMC website with their contact details.

All 24 ward officers have been asked to prepare a list of plastic recyclers, which will also be uploaded on the website for citizens reference. Manufacturers and organisations interested to register as plastic free Mumbai volunteers can contact the civic body on 8291652979.

BMC initially decided to stay away from penalty implementation and concentrate on the awareness campaign for first month. Similar to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the civic body is planning to tie up with celebrities for the campaign against plastic usage and has planned to run campaigns in civic schools.

Our initial focus will be awareness campaigns and not penalty collection, said Nidhi Chaudhary, in-charge of the ban implementation. Following the end of the one-month period, BMC will form plastic ban squads, with name tags and uniforms, to levy penalties.

The Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Storage) Notification, 2018 was issued on March 23. It banned the manufacture, use, storage, distribution, wholesale and retail sale, import and transportation of select plastic items.
The University of Mumbai (MU) recently released the schedule for semester five and semester nine exams for law students who will be repeating the tests.

However, students have objected the release of the schedule because the results for the exams that were conducted in December 2017-January 2018 are awaited.

As per exam schedule, students will have to appear for this exam from April 18 for which they will have to register by the next week. But with no results in hand, students are unsure whether they need to register for the exams.

MU is yet to complete assessment of more than 30,000 answer booklets, majority of which belong to students from the law department.

My last exam got over on January 4, and we are yet to hear from the university about our results. Several calls to the helpline number have gone unanswered, said a final-year

student.

She added university officials have time and again avoided disclosing the final date of results.

After clearing the initial assessment of papers including BCom, which has the largest number of students, the university has been struggling to clear around a lakh answer booklets for the last one month.

Earlier this month, examination and evaluation department of the university had called an urgent meeting with principals of law colleges, urging them to encourage teachers to report for assessment duty.

Official speaks

College principals have been given clear instructions to get hold of their facultypermanent as well as visitingto ensure that everyone completes their share of assessment work. We are in regular touch with teachers, trying to make sure that assessment is over by the end of this month, said a senior official from the examination and evaluation department of the university.
The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at the Mumbai international airport on Wednesday arrested two passengers and two bus drivers of an Indian budget airline for their involvement in an international gold racket.

Their caper came to an end when the AIU recovered 1.4kg of gold bars worth Rs40 lakh on Wednesday.

The two passengers  Pawan Teckhandanil and Kumar Murlidhar  are residents of Ulhasnagar in Thane. The bus drivers were indentified as Paresh Kudtrarkar and Santosh Bhure. Murlidhar and Teckhandanil told the AIU that racket members have smuggled 5kg of gold in Mumbai, said an AIU source

The AIU recovered the 1.4kg gold, which was wrapped with a black tape and hidden under the rear seats of a bus driven by Kudtrarkar. During questioning, Kudtrarkar revealed that Teckhandanil and Murlidhar hid the gold in the bus. Later, the three revealed the involvement of another driver, Bhure, in previous gold smuggling incidents.

Officials received a tip-off that a few passengers from Dubai will smuggle high-value gold in Mumbai early on Wednesday. As the flights of the airline in question land farther from the terminal, buses are used to ferry passengers to the Mumbai international airport.

The passengers would hide the smuggled gold under the bus seats. The drivers would later leave the security ring with gold, said the source.

Teckhandanil and Murlidhar admitted to having smuggled 5kg of gold in the past. The drivers and passengers were booked under relevant sections of the Customs Act. Investigators are now checking the call details of the arrested passengers to know more about their international counterparts in the smuggling ring. They are investigating as who was supposed to received the gold. To hoodwink security officials at the airport, smugglers are increasingly relying on airline staff to facilitate gold smuggling, said the source.
Objecting to Union railway minister Piyush Goyals plan to turn the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) into a world-class museum by shifting the CR headquarters out of the building, the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS), one of the biggest labour unions of CR, has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike from April 3.

RP Bhatnagar, leader of CRMS, said the railways plan to spend Rs1,500 crore on the new headquarters on PDMello Road near CSMT and Rs41 crore on shifting. The railway authorities have served notices to 1,000 staff members asking them to vacate the quarters, stating they dont have money to repair them. The administration plans to spend such a huge amount on the museum, but it doesnt have money to repair staff quarters or for safety-related works, he said.

After Goyal floated the idea, the CR started the hunt for an alternative office space and tendering process for appointment of a consultant to build the museum. The railways have made a provision for the museum in the 2018-19 budget.

CRMS is already on a chain hunger strike, but the administration hasnt looked into their demands owing to which they have decided to intensify the agitation. Several employees, who have an emotional attachment with the building, will also get displaced, he said, adding the railway did not talk to the unions before taking a decision.

The CR said the museum will come up on the ground and first floor, while the CR general managers office on the third floor will not be shifted. The building will get its old glory back, once the museum is built, said Sunil Udasi, chief spokesperson of CR.

The union also raised doubts over the response the proposed museum may get. The mini museum at CSMT doesnt get many visitors. Tourists just look at it from outside and leave, said Pravin Bajpeyi, another leader of CRMS.
The forest department has registered over 20 cases of teak smuggling in and around the city since May, 2017, where around 500 tonnes of illegally cut teak, worth around Rs2 crore were seized in 11 months.

The latest seizure was reported from a private plot near Borivli-Padgha village in Bhiwandi taluka of Thane district on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, 250 forest and police personnel busted a smuggling operation where 60 tonnes of wood  30 tonnes of teak and 30 tonnes of khair (Acacia catechu)  was seized. The land owner of the plot has been booked.

Investigations are underway to arrest him and others involved from local villages such as Borivli, Rahur and the Padgha town as no one was at the spot when it was raided, said Jitendra Ramgaokar, deputy conservator of forest, Thane, who led the operation. We also shut down a saw mill illegally functioning in the area, which was helping the group in storing the timber.

EXPERT SPEAKS Timber trade is one of the largest and oldest organised crimes that have existed in India with every state that has considerable forest cover suffering on annual basis. The nexus is massive enough to supply wood internationally. Maharashtra among all other southern states has isolated hubs for the timber mafia. The only way out of this is to increase man-power, ensure every department works in tandem, and create deterrence through such seizures to stop this menace or else our forests are at stake, said Jose Louies, who leads the wildlife trade control and litigation division at Wildlife Trust of India.

Teak and khair are among the 15 species protected under the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964. Felling of these trees in private areas without the permission of the local municipal corporation tree officer, the range forest officer, or the transportation of wood without permission from the assistant conservator of forest, is illegal and a violation of the act.

In cities, teak and other timber is imported legally from Panama, Brazil, Ghana, Ecuador and many other cities. Most of the demand is met by this timber. However, we have witnessed a surge in cases where teak and khair are illegally felled locally, brought to cities and sold at high prices. This plays a significant role in destroying the ecosystem. There exists a timber mafia, which is operating from villages around Padgha, and the crackdown on this massive organised crime is underway, said Ramgaokar.

Thane forest officers said they had witnessed a spike in illegal seizures after shutting down all depots that saw transportation of the timber for sale in cities. The seized timber is declared as government property, and later auctioned off like sand or other mining minerals, said Ramgaokar.

Officials involved in the latest crackdown said residents of these villages were also involved in other criminal activities. This timber trade has increased over the past year after forest officials have made it difficult for the depots to operate. However, there is need for more manpower from the forest department to control such activities as it is only going to increase, said Dr Mahesh Patil, superintendent of police, Thane rural, adding that the location where the crackdown was done had depots in the past but were shut down in early 2017.

A senior official from the state government, on the condition of anonymity, said timber in Maharashtra was sourced from - north of the Thane district, Nashik, Sindhudurg, Raigad, Gadchiroli, and other areas along the Karnataka border. From here, the timber is illegally transported to remote parts of Ratnagiri and Chiplun, where depots still exist. The mafia also purchase them during auctions and bring them back to the illegal market, he said.

FOREST OFFICERS SPEAK Meanwhile, senior forest officers said cases in Maharashtra were much lesser as compared to other states. Maharashtra is a law abiding state and such illegal cases are being controlled regularly. Isolated large scale cases do happen from time to time. However, the chief conservator of forest from every forest division has been asked to check whether provisions under the Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964 have been violated, whether depots have permissions to function, regulate such activities, and ensure that any felling has prior permission. In the latest seizure, we will check how such large quantity was brought to Thane if all depots have already been shut down there, said RS Yadav, additional principal chief conservator of forest (protection), state forest department. The crackdown by the Thane and Shahpur forest departments is commendable, and the Thane DCF has done an outstanding job. While these trees are mostly present along the Konkan coast, it is pertinent to carry out detailed investigation to track down the source for such illegal activities and we will push for the same, said Virendra Tiwari, chief conservator of forest (Mantralaya), state forest department.
The Aaditya Thackeray-led Yuva Sena defeated the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in the Mumbai University Senate election on Thursday.

The youth wing of Sena won all 10 seats, wiping out the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) sister organisation. YUVA registered these wins with a high margin.

Given the political scenario and the ties between the Sena and the BJP, the win assumes significance as Thackeray has scored over the BJP.

Thackeray, who celebrated with the Yuva Sena cadre at Sena Bhavan said that this win is a victory of faith in the Sena.

Thackeray called it an important one as it was a fight against the ABVP.

Speaking to reporters at the Sena headquarters, Thackeray said, The credit of the win is being given to me, but it is the victory of the entire team, which has been working towards it for the last eight years.

In 2010, Yuva Sena had won eight of 10 seats in the Senate elections.

Thackeray said there was no anti-incumbency, and they managed to improve on their tally in this election.

Thackeray has been taking up various issues related to the Mumbai University including the delay in the paper assessment last year.

He even took a delegation to Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao demanding the resignation of former MU vice chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh.

Thackeray expressed confidence that like they have increased their tally in Senate elections, the Sena will double its tally in the Maharashtra Assembly in 2019 as the party is doing good work.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray also congratulated the Yuva Sena cadre at Sena Bhavan.
As the Peoples Republic of China continues its rise, Asia and the world are scrambling to keep their balance. Among Chinas neighbours and rivals, few countries seem willing or ready to counter the challenge it poses. Japan is struggling with decades of diffidence internationally and the strictures of its postwar constitution. The countries of Southeast Asia are divided among themselves about the virtues of growing closer to China, while Australia is split internally over the same question. Europe is distant, Russia a reluctant Chinese ally  and, of course, the US seems to have turned inward.

Only one country seems eager to deal with the ramifications of Chinas rise: India. Across dozens of world capitals, confidence is repeatedly expressed that India will seek, in the decades to come, to balance China. And in no capital is this sentiment expressed more loudly than Indias own.

Yet, the unfortunate truth is that, however worthy this objective or sincere its expression, Indias actions speak otherwise. Its diplomats and strategists continue to dither about whether or not balancing or containing China should be Indias strategic objective. More importantly, the government isnt funding the military capability it would need to manage Chinas rise. India is short of cash and it is, unfortunately, starving its military.

Dont take my word for it: Look at the numbers. The share of military spending in Indias federal budget has fallen below 1.6% of gross domestic product  the lowest since 1962. Thats a year instantly recognisable to every Indian, since its when Indias underpowered army was routed in a border conflict with China. (Far fewer people in China would recognise the date, for obvious reasons.)

In the 1962 war, India paid the price for years of under-spending on the military, as well as for its determination to remained non-aligned, declining to shelter under the American military umbrella. The parallels with 2018 are eerie. While India is closer to the US than it was then, it remains similarly unwilling to embrace a full-fledged alliance. Successive governments have shrunk military budgets, even the proudly nationalist administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, as in 1962, India hasnt moderated its tone towards China. Its leading the opposition to the Belt and Road Initiative as well as seeking to prevent Chinese inroads into its neighbourhood  including, most recently, an apparent power grab in the Maldives.

One can perhaps understand the need to economise, given Indias tight fiscal constraints. But what funds are devoted to the military are going toward maintaining a 19th-century army in a 21st-century world. Indias army has too many men and not enough armament. One senior officer told a New Delhi-based defence reporter: There is nothing in the defence budget except to pay salaries. Nothing for infrastructure creation, military station security, maintenance and repairs, maintaining critical war reserves, let alone modernisation or paying for current deals.

That concern is now part of the official record: Indias vice-chief of army staff warned a parliamentary committee that over two-thirds of the armys equipment was vintage. According to him, the military doesnt have enough money to pay for committed purchases, let alone replacing older arms. It cant afford the 10 fighting days worth of ammunition it considers a basic necessity. The air force, meanwhile, is missing one of the four squadrons it needs to be at full strength, while the navy is so short of submarines  it has 15 to Chinas 70, and many of those 15 are superannuated  that it sent its two newest subs out to sea without torpedoes.

Meanwhile, India is adding to its already million-strong army by raising additional divisions. And a decision recently to raise military pensions has meant that the amount spent on manpower will continue to grow over time.

All militaries lament a lack of resources, of course. And the Modi administration has certainly moved towards a closer strategic relationship with the US, signing some crucial agreements on cooperation between the two militaries. The problem, however, is that Indian politicians are simply unwilling to commit to modernising the army if it means reducing its manpower  even though Modi himself has admitted, modernisation and expansion of forces at the same time is a difficult and unnecessary goal.

The armys manpower is raised largely from parts of India that are often crucial swing districts in elections. In addition, the establishment appears unable to codify its vision of security threats and an ideal defence posture through, for example, the sort of white papers periodically produced elsewhere in the world. Meanwhile, defence procurement is notoriously politically sensitive; accusations of corruption tend to swirl around any major defence deal. Both the Modi government and its predecessor have been concerned enough about the political cost of such accusations to delay or cancel major purchases.

It would be quite understandable if India abandoned all attempts to balance China and instead concentrated on its quest to become a middle-class country. At the very least, though, an inward-focused India would stop its aggressive rhetoric about China. Nobody has ever claimed that speak loudly and carry a tiny stick is excellent strategy.

Instead, India has made it clear that it intends to challenge China in its neighbourhood, its seas and on the world stage. The politicians egos are writing cheques the military cant cash. Metaphorically, that is: In actual fact, the politicians arent writing many cheques for the military at all.
Three days after a 28-year-old CTU employee was found dead on the Pinjore-Baddi road, the Punjab director general of police (DGP) on Wednesday constituted a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the murder.

The SIT, headed by inspector general (IG, crime) Shashi Prabha Diwedi, has Dhruman Nimbale, assistant inspector general (AIG, intelligence), and Mohali senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal as members. Victim Abhishek Guleria had gone missing after visiting a relatives house in Nayagaon on March 14. He was found dead on the Pinjore-Baddi road on March 25.

On Tuesday, Mohali police had named Lt Col Baljit Singh Sandhu (retd), chairman of WWICS Group, an immigration consultancy, and owner of Forest Hill Resort in Nayagaon, in the murder FIR.

Besides, cops had arrested three employees of the upscale resort, located 5km from PGIMER, Chandigarh, for allegedly dumping the victim on the Pinjore-Baddi road on March 22.

The trio  liasoning officer Gurdeep Bains, his assistant Tarsem Singh and security in-charge Balwinder Singh  had claimed that they found Gulerias body in the tank of resorts sewage treatment plant, following which they informed Sandhu, who asked them to dispose of the body to avoid controversy.

They had allegedly wrapped the body and drove to the Pinjore-Baddi road in a Tata Pickup to dump it on the night of March 22. While they are facing a case under Sections 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, no charges have been pressed against Sandhu.

Cause of death not clear

A three-member panel of doctors performed the autopsy in Patiala. Stating that the body was highly decomposed, a doctor, wishing not to be named, said the cause of death could not be ascertained at this stage.

We have sent the viscera for chemical examination. A diatom analysis will also be done to ascertain whether the victim died of drowning, the doctor said, adding that they could not establish any injury marks on the body due to decomposition. Meanwhile, sources in the Mohali police said the doctors had cited drowning as the cause of death.

Sandhu fails to join probe

Lt Col Baljit Singh Sandhu (retd), chairman of Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Services (WWICS) Group, was on Tuesday summoned by the police to join the probe, but he failed to turn up even on Wednesday. Sources in the Mohali police said police teams had raided all his possible hideouts, including his houses in Sector 68, Mohali, and Nayagaon, but they were found locked.

So far Sandhu has not joined the investigation. We are awaiting the autopsy report for further action, said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, SSP, Mohali.

Victim was missing since March 14

Abhishek Guleria, a Burail resident, who hailed from Himachal Pradesh, was working at the CTU workshop in Chandigarh for the past six years. Police said he had gone to a relatives house in Nayagaon on March 13, where he was drinking till past midnight. He left from there early morning but didnt reach home. His brother Rahul approached the police on March 15.

On March 25, Haryana Police informed the Mohali SSP about a body recovered along the Pinjore-Baddi road.

The SSP asked all police stations about reports on missing persons, following which Nayagaon police took Gulerias family for identification of the body on March 26. After identification, police took the body in their custody. During a probe in the area, police rounded up the Forest Hill Resort employees.

Sandhu unaware of incident

On the other hand, Digvijay Jamwal, brand and corporate head, Forest Hill Resorts, claimed that Sandhu had no knowledge of the matter. These people got scared (on finding the body) and unfortunately decided to dump it, fearing that they would lose their jobs, he claimed. He said they will brief the media on Thursday, since they have been told that the autopsy had ruled out foul play in the death.

On why Sandhu had not joined probe, he said Sandhu had been travelling since before this matter came to light.

He also claimed that the body was not found in a septic tank. A pit was dug up around four feet from the resorts boundary wall. The victim either tried to trespass into the resort and fell into the pit or was killed somewhere else and dumped there. Nobody spotted him for several days as it was outside the boundary wall, Jamwal said.

Cops raid Sandhus houses, return empty-handed

Lt Col Baljit Singh Sandhu (retd), chairman of Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Services (WWICS) Group, was on Tuesday summoned by the police to join the probe, but he failed to turn up even on Wednesday.

Sources in the Mohali police said police teams had raided all his possible hideouts, including his houses in Sector 68, Mohali, and Nayagaon, but they were found locked. So far Sandhu has not joined the investigation. We are awaiting the autopsy report for further action, said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, SSP, Mohali.

Sandhu unaware of case

Digvijay Jamwal, brand and corporate head, Forest Hill Resorts, claimed that Sandhu had no knowledge of the matter. These people got scared, and unfortunately decided to dump it, fearing that they would lose their jobs, he claimed. He said they will brief the media on Thursday, since they have been told that the autopsy had ruled out foul play in the death. On why Sandhu had not joined probe, he said Sandhu had been travelling since before this matter came to light.

He also claimed that the body was not found in a septic tank. A pit was dug up inside the resorts boundary wall. The victim either tried to trespass into the resort and fell into the pit or was dumped there. Nobody spotted him for several days as the staff does not frequent that area, Jamwal said.
The Punjab police claim to have busted a Pakistan-backed espionage ring operating through Facebook with the arrest of a 34-year-old soft-drink factory salesman, Ravi Kumar.

The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) of the counter-intelligence wing arrested Kumar, a resident of Dhaleke village in Moga, near Manawala village, 10km from Amritsar, on Thursday morning. The accused is a Pakistani spy. Preliminary questioning has revealed that an official of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had recruited him through Facebook seven months ago, a press note from SSOC said.

It added, Police have recovered photographs of vital installations and movement of army vehicles and hand-made maps of restricted areas from him. He was providing information to the ISI on the movement of army units, construction of new bunkers on the Indian side of the border and photographs of army vehicles along with their formation signs etc. Inspector Gurinderpal Singh from Chatiwind police station, Amritsar, had led the team that carried our the arrest.

Spy was briefed in Dubai in February

The official note said investigation had shown that Kumar was in regular touch with Pakistani ISI officers over mobile phone and internet. Money was transferred to his account after routing it though Dubai. ISI handlers had even sponsored his visit to Dubai from February 20-24 this year. There, he was briefed on his spying assignment, the police added.

Kumar has been booked under sections 4, 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC at the SSOC police station, Amritsar.
With elections for Andhra Pradesh state assembly just a year away, it appears to be a season of biopics on popular political leaders. Producers are flagging off projects to bring electoral advantage to their respective political parties.

On Thursday, Telugu Desam Party MLA and popular film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna launched a biopic on his late father N T Rama Rao, a doyen of Telugu films who founded the TDP and later became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Indian Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu gave the clap for the film titled NTR at Ramakrishna Cine Studios at Nacharam in Hyderabad. Balakrishna is playing the lead role in the biopic which is being directed by young director Teja. The Muhurat shot saw Balakrishna in the attire of Duryodhana from Mahabharata, taken from NTRs popular film Dana Veera Sura Karna.

The film unit chose March 29 for the launch as several blockbusters of NTR were launched on the same day. Lavakusa, Patala Bhairavi and Desodharakulu were some of them, Venkaiah Naidu, an avid fan of NTR, recalled.

Incidentally, March 29 also happens to be the TDPs foundation day and the biopic is being made ostensibly to secure political mileage for the party in the next elections. The film is expected to be completed by the end of this year so that the TDP could invoke NTR image to attract the voters, who still revere NTR as their favourite matinee idol and politician.

The biopic would encapsulate the life of NTR right from his humble beginning as a son of a farmer in Nimmakuru of Krishna district, till his final days.

I thank my father for this life he gave. This is in a way is a thanksgiving to my father my mentor and idol, Balakrishna said. He later shot few scenes with MGR look alike actor.

Interestingly, another political biopic is also being made in Andhra. Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, who brought the Congress party to power in the state twice as chief minister in 2004 and 2009 will be the subject of the film.

The film titled Yatra (Journey), will focus on the circumstances that led YSR to undertake a 1,500 km long padayatra in 2003. The fill will also showcase other events in his life.

Yatra is also aimed at fetching political mileage for his son, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who left the Congress party and floated his own outfit, YSR Congress party, after the untimely demise of his father in a tragic helicopter crash in September 2009. Since Jagan is also undertaking padayatra right now, the film on his father with special focus on his padayatra would give him the advantage, a YSRC leader said.

Director Mahi Raghav, who is making the film, confirmed to the media recently that popular Malayalam actor Mammotty would play the role of YSR. He clarified that there were no political motives behind making the film. There is not going to be any political bashing of YSRs opponents in the film. It is going to be purely an inspirational movie, he explained.

The film is expected to go on to the sets shortly and it is also expected to be completed by the year-end.

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Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launched the highly-anticipated NTR biopic, based on the life of late actor and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao, on Thursday at Ramakrishna Studio in Hyderabad.

The creme le creme of Telugu film industry gathered to wish Nandamuri Balakrishna and the entire team luck for the prestigious project.

To be directed by Teja, the biopic will see Nandamuri Balakrishna step into the shoes of his late father.

In the introductory shot, canned on Thursday, a scene from NTRs widely popular Daana Veera Soora Karna was filmed. Nandamuri Balakrishna appeared as Duryodhana from the said film.

Nandamuri Balakrishna as Duryodhana from the upcoming NTR biopic.

Speaking on the occasion, Naidu was quoted by Times of India as saying: NTR had changed the face of Telugu cinema and put the interest of all Telugus in his heart when he took the plunge into politics. He was the one who gave recognition to the Telugu community at the national stage and he will always be an icon for us. Though normally, presidents or vice presidents dont attend film events, I decided to come because of the respect I have for NTR. I also believe that cinema is a powerful medium and can truly honour his life and I wish his son Balakrishna the very best in his endeavour.

Teja explained how he was doubtful about doing justice to the film. When I was approached with the offer, I remember telling them if I can do justice to the story. I had this doubt, despite being a huge fan of NTR. Ill give my best efforts. NTRs story is so vast; itd take six films to encompass everything. Weve tried to encapsulate everything into one film and I hope we will do justice. If everything goes as planned, well come to theatre this Dussehra.

Nandamuri Balakrishna, Venkaiah Naidu and the films music director, MM Keeravani among others at the launch.

Nandamuri Balakrishna recalled how special the date, March 29, was in his fathers life. March 29 is an auspicious day. It was on this day my father attained the mass hero status with his 1951 film Pathala Bhairavi. My fathers most popular film, Lava Kusa, released on this same day. This day also happens to be the foundation day of Telugu Desam Party.

He added it is an honour to be playing his father on screen.

To be jointly produced by Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vishnu Induri and Sai Korrapati, the film will have music by MM Keeravani. While Santhosh Thundiyil will crank the camera, Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao will take care of editing.

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As the sun beats down on the barren slopes around Jerusalem, a tree of the kind believed to have provided the crown of thorns in Biblical accounts of Jesus Christs crucifixion stands unaffected, its fruits ample and foliage green.

While pilgrims prepare to converge on the city at Easter to commemorate the events of Christian tradition, Israeli scientists researching climate change are at work in the surrounding hills studying the Ziziphus Spina-Christi, commonly known as Christs Thorn Jujube.

Dr Shabtai Cohen holds a water syringe to a thorny branch of the Christ's Thorn Jujube tree in his laboratory at the Volcani Agricultural Research Centre in Beit Dagan, Israel. (Reuters Photo)

They believe it is a pioneer species in the fight against desertification because its hardiness makes it resilient to rising temperatures and aridity. It can draw water from deep underground, and it retains the ability to photosynthesise even when exposed to high temperatures and solar radiation.

Its one of the few species that we can plant on these slopes that have nothing on them, said Shabtai Cohen of Israels Volcani Agricultural Research Centre, who has been working with Frances National Institute for Agricultural Research and researchers at Israels Hebrew University.

We only know maybe one or two other species that can do that.

Researchers Yotam Zait (right) and Dr Shabtai Cohen preform measurements on a Christ's Thorn Jujube tree in Neot Kedumim, Israel, March 14, 2018. (REUTERS)

Various plants have been proposed as the source of the crown of thorns the New Testament says was placed on Christs head in the lead-up to the crucifixion, and no-one knows for certain. But the consensus among Christian scholars tends towards Ziziphus Spina-Christi.

Just as that crown is associated with suffering and death followed by resurrection, the researchers hope the tree, which provides sustenance to bees and insects, can help support life in areas threatened by deadly heat.

Studying its attributes and its traits is going to help us to breed species that we want in the future, said Cohen.
Im panicked and soaked as smiling locals fish me out of the bay on the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia. Trip of a lifetime, I sarcastically thought as we made our way back to land with an upside-down kayak, our cameras and cellphone ruined. How did I end up drenched, emotionally drained and out a few thousand dollars in electronics in this remote island nation, one might ask? More importantly, heres why it was totally worth it.

A hidden cave and an artillery battery dating from the Japanese occupation of Chuuk, Micronesia, during WWII. (AP)

MAJURO

My husband and I travelled to Micronesia on Uniteds Island Hopper route from Honolulu to Guam. First stop, 4  hours from Hawaii: Majuro (MAH-zhu-row), a coral atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. We shopped for groceries for a stay on a nearby private island but ended up mostly with items like pasta and cereal; fresh produce was scarce and overpriced. After a 30-minute boat ride to Eneko Island, we spent a few days completely alone, kayaking and chasing colourful fish through turquoise water. Evenings offered breathtaking sunsets, stargazing and cooking our carby meals.

Highlights of Majuro included the tiny Alele Museum featuring Marshallese folk art, history and stick charts used for nautical navigation. Handicraft stores downtown sell traditional, intricately woven baskets and bags. Hotel Robert Reimers offers a solid restaurant and accommodations starting at $45. Pricier lagoon-front cabins are a worthy splurge. For a pampered vacation, the private Bikendrik Island offers two charming bungalows stocked with cognac and Grand Marnier, three-course meals and occasional visits from the lagoon pet, Oscar the octopus. Rates start at $570.

Jeep Island, a private island paradise located in Chuuk, Micronesia. The dive shop at the Truk Blue Lagoon Resort can arrange a stay on Jeep Island, which features unbelievable coral reef snorkeling and shark spotting. (AP)

POHNPEI

A short flight west (with a quick stop in Kwajalein Atoll, a US military base where you cannot deplane) took us to Pohnpei (PAWN-PAY), a lush, mountainous island and one of four states making up the Federated States of Micronesia. Pohnpeis capital, Kolonia, has souvenir shops, remnants of a historic Spanish wall and a helpful tourism office. Dont leave without a colourful floral skirt, an island fashion staple. Arnolds Restaurant offers tasty American fare and Graces Special Bakery on Nantuelek street serves sweet treats.

An hours drive took us to Pohnpeis crown jewel: the ancient city of Nan Madol. Picture 13th century ruins rivaling the splendour and lore of Cambodias Angkor Wat or Perus Machu Picchu, minus the crowds. As with most of this trip, we were the only tourists. Kepirohi Waterfall is a gorgeous cascading pyramid near Nan Madol. A hard-to-spot sign on Circle Island road marks a turn-off where you pay a $3 entrance fee.

Colourful floral skirts for sale in Pohnpei's capital city of Kolonia in Micronesia. The skirts are a fashion staple throughout the island. (AP)

The waterfront Mangrove Bay Hotel has scenic views and a restaurant serving exclusively sushi and chicken wings. The onsite Pohnpei Surf Club can arrange water excursions and guided Nan Madol tours. To reach some of the 100-plus man-made islets, you can pay local families a few dollars per person to cross their land. But we opted to navigate Nan Madols shallow channels by kayak. After winding through dense mangroves for about 30 minutes, the dark, twisty jungle opened into vast, clear-blue ocean. Massive shadows darted around our wobbling vessel  stingrays from a nearby sanctuary.

At this point, I noticed the kayak inching lower into the sea. But we were by then an hour from the marine institute that runs the small boat rental business. We had no choice but to carry on. On shore we found walls of stacked basalt columns, an engineering feat still shrouded in mystery. We traipsed through megalithic ruins by foot for a few hours before starting our doomed return to civilisation. The hull of our punctured kayak was slowly flooding.

Intricately woven baskets and accessories, which are traditional crafts made by locals in Majuro, Marshall Islands. (AP)

My panic grew exponentially after a number of near tips. My husband paddled gently as I clutched the phone, drone and fancy camera purchased days earlier. The water was calm and were both fine swimmers. But I was upset: This was not the plan. With the dock in sight, the boats sway became unmanageable. In the blink of an eye, we were underwater.

CHUUK

If Pohnpei was an exercise in rolling with the punches, Chuuk State (CHOOK) was a master class in relinquishing control. Another hour on the Island Hopper gets you to this large atoll known for world-class wreck diving. The US sank more than 50 Japanese ships here during WWII and most remain preserved in its shallow lagoon.

The hull of a WWII shipwreck in Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia. The US sank more than 50 Japanese ships in the lagoon. It is one of the world's premier destinations for scuba diving. (AP)

None of our stops offered much tourist infrastructure, but Chuuk was the most challenging. The handful of tour companies claimed to be fully booked (if they responded at all). The hotel had lost our reservation. We couldnt get answers to questions like can we take this tour? or do you have a hotel shuttle? Infrequent taxis stopped running at 5 p.m. I quickly realized you have to show up in person and keep asking till you get what you need. When we finally reached the Blue Lagoon Resort dive shop, the previously unavailable wreck trips were miraculously available and, it turned out, well worth our efforts.

Chuuks underwater world is simply incredible. We swam through massive schools of tropical fish to find a sunken Momi-class destroyer and coral-encrusted cargo ship. Theres plenty for non-divers to see too, like a downed Mitsubishi Zero plane and a 1937 coastal freighter lying 8 feet down. We spent an afternoon on the private Jeep Island with unbelievable coral reef snorkeling and shark spotting.

The airport-adjacent L5 Hotel offers the newest accommodations. But Blue Lagoon and Truk Stop Hotel are best bets for arranging wreck tours. As we boarded the plane for our final stop in Guam, sunburnt and still reeling from our adventures, my boat-flipping hysteria was a distant memory. It was a small price to pay for an unplugged, truly unpredictable journey and a much-needed lesson in letting go.

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Dozens of tourists armed with sharp scissors and donning dusty gloves and aprons walk through rows of green vines, hand-picking dark purple grapes that will be turned into Chilean wines enjoyed around the world.

Its hard work under a scorching sun and the professional pickers watching them from a distance grin knowingly. But the tourists have paid for the hands-on experience at Chiles harvest, which draws thousands of visitors each year, so they carefully cut the precious grapes in bunches and deposit them into wooden crates at the Viu Manent winery.

The truth is that you always drink the wine, but you dont really know the process behind it, said Gina Cuesta, a visitor from Colombia.

Chile is the worlds No. 9 wine producer, with an output of about 800 million litres last year. It was the worlds fourth-largest exporter by volume, and the leader among New World producers.

Danish tourist Jins Skuvrup carries his freshly cut grapes at Viu Manent vineyard. While paying tourists don't get to keep the grapes they pick, they are rewarded afterward with grilled steak, fermented grape juice, and a glass of Malbec. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

The South American country has been making wine since the mid-1500s, when Spanish settlers brought the first vines, and has become known for producing reliable and affordable wines.

Visitors pay up to $90 (approx Rs 5,863) for the tour of Viu Manent, which includes riding on horse-drawn carriages or bikes in the pastures of the Colchagua Valley, one of Chiles best-known wine regions.

And they get the grape-picking experience.

While the tourists dont get to keep the grapes, they top off their work with grilled steak, fermented grape juice and a glass of malbec at the vineyards visitor centre, which this year was named best in the world by the British magazine Drinks International. Founded in 1935, Viu Manent was also awarded Winery of the Year in 2017 by the Wines of Chile association.

Tourists pick grapes from a tree that is over 100-years-old. Visitors pay up to $90 for the tour of Viu Manent, which includes rides on horse-drawn carriages or bikes in the pastures of the Colchagua Valley, one of Chile's best-known wine regions, as well as the grape-picking experience. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

There are some vineyards that offer similar initiatives, but none is as complete and focused on the integral experience of wine producing and enology as ours, said Freddy Grez, who is in charge of Viu Manents tourist activities.

Each year, about 37,000 visitors  most of them from Brazil and the United States  visit the winery about 140km) south of the Chilean capital. The two-hour drive from Santiago along the countrys Wine Trail gives tourists the chance to wine-hop at guesthouses and restaurants that offer carmenere, cabernet sauvignon and other varieties for which Chile is known.

Tourists visit Viu Manent vineyard by horse-drawn carriage in Colchagua, Chile. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Chiles natural barriers have a lot to do with the successful growth of its wine industry. It is shielded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Andes mountains on the east, Antarctica to the south and the worlds driest desert to the north. This has helped protect Chile from plagues, allowing winemakers to grow vines ungrafted, using ancient cultivation techniques.

In recent years, Chilean winemakers have also been experimenting with other temperatures and terrains. In the quest for more interesting tastes and characters, theyve grown grapes in extreme places such as the icy south and the Atacama desert.

Bottles of wine line the wall of the dining room at Viu Manet vineyard. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Back at Viu Manent, the team of tourists has gathered about 500 kg of grapes. It seems like a lot but Grez says that depending on the harvest, professional workers can pick two to four times as much  anywhere from 900kg to 2,000 kg a day.

I thought it was interesting because I put myself in the shoes of the people who do this work, lawyer Ana Maria Farren said. We were here for half an hour and ended up tired. The (workers) are here for hours at a time. This experience allowed me to understand all the heavy work that is behind a bottle of wine.

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British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, wife of Hollywood A-lister George, announced on Thursday she will represent two Reuters journalists detained in Myanmar in a case that has incensed global opinion.

Myanmar reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last December and have been charged under the Official Secrets Act, which could see them jailed up to 14 years.

They had been investigating the killing by security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals of 10 unarmed Rohingya Muslim men in the countrys crisis-hit northern Rakhine State.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately, Clooney said.

Yet they have been denied bail and face 14 years in prison. The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmars commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech.

Clooneys involvement will increase the global attention that has surrounded proceedings against the pair, who are being detained in a Yangon prison.

We will pursue all avenues to secure our reporters release. Retaining Ms Clooney greatly strengthens our international legal expertise and allows us to broaden those efforts, said Gail Gove, chief counsel of Reuters.

Former US president Bill Clinton and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres are among those who have called for the journalists release as fears grow about Myanmars shrinking press freedoms.

Clooney, an internationally respected lawyer, has also attracted huge celebrity following since her 2014 marriage to American film star George Clooney.
Close ties between militaries of China and Pakistan will not only help an all-weather partnership between the two countries but also maintain regional peace and global stability, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) said on Thursday.

Chinas 2.3 million-strong military is the worlds largest, and Pakistan has emerged as the biggest consumer of the China-produced military hardware. In the past five years, Pakistan has bought 41% of Chinas exported weapons, according to analysts.

Pakistan is seeking to make China its main supplier of military hardware, partly due to the looser financial terms offered by Beijing, replacing traditional suppliers from the west.

China and Pakistan share all weather partnership. We have maintained very high level of defence exchange and cooperation, Chinese military spokesman, Col Ren Guoqiang told a media briefing in Beijing.

At the same time, I am very confident that military cooperation will help facilitate our state to state relationship and also in maintaining regional peace and international stability, he said.

Guoqiangs comments came in the backdrop of China selling a powerful tracking system in an unprecedented deal, which could speed up the development of multi-warhead missiles by Pakistan.

Zheng Mengwei, a researcher with the state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of Optics and Electronics in Chengdu, Sichuan province recently.

The researchers told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that Pakistan had bought a highly sophisticated, large-scale optical tracking and measurement system from China and deployed it at a firing range for use in testing and developing its new missiles.

China was the first country to export such sensitive equipment to Pakistan, CAS said.

The Post report attributed the sale of the equipment to Pakistan to India testing the most advanced nuclear-ready intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-V with a range long enough to hit Beijing or Shanghai.

Chinese authorities declassified information about the sale of the tracking system yesterday.

While Indias single-warhead missiles are bigger and cover longer distances, Pakistan has focused its efforts on developing multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), a type of missile carrying several nuclear warheads that can be directed towards different targets, the report said.

Unlike the US, which accounts for one-third of exports and supplies at least 100 countries, China delivered major arms to 44 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa.

More than 60% of Chinas exports went to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar and another 22% went to Africa, a recent study report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said.
Ecuador on Wednesday said it has stopped Julian Assanges ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder has been holed up since 2012.

The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries affairs while in the mission, an Ecuadoran government statement said without elaborating.

Under that deal, Assange had pledged to not send messages that could be seen as interference in relations with other countries, the statement said, adding that it could take other, unspecified measures if he persisted.

The move to cut off Assange came after he used Twitter on Monday to challenge Britains accusation that Russia was responsible for the March 4 nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent in the English city of Salisbury.

Assange also questioned the decision by Britain and more than 20 countries to retaliate against the poisoning by expelling Russian diplomats deemed spies.

The comments prompted a British Foreign Office minister, Alan Duncan, to brand Assange a miserable little worm who should leave the embassy to turn himself over to British authorities.

In another tweetstorm on Tuesday, Assange attacked the arrest in Germany of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont under an EU warrant issued by Spain over Puigdemonts failed bid last year to declare independence for his Spanish region.

Assanges behavior, with his messages on social networks, puts at risk our good relations with Britain and the European Union, the Ecuadoran government text said.

Online activity

Assange, 46, has spent much of his time in his small room in the embassy tweeting and at times contributing to RT, a Russian state-owned television channel that broadcasts Kremlin messaging, as well as taking part in media conferences via video link.

In 2016, Ecuador briefly suspended his internet connection for posting documents online that were seen as having an impact on the US presidential election from which Donald Trump emerged the victor.

In May 2017, Ecuadoran president Lenin Moreno asked Assange to refrain from commenting on the separatist crisis in Spains Catalonia region, after he tweeted that Madrid was guilty of repression.

An analyst, Michel Levi of the Simon Bolivar Andean University, said he believed the decision to render Assange incommunicado isnt a change of policy in terms of his asylum, but rather to keep him to his conditions of staying in the embassy.

Extradition fear

Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there.

Assange claims the accusations were politically motivated and could lead to him being extradited to the United States to face imprisonment over WikiLeaks publication of secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Sweden dropped its investigation last year, but British authorities say they still want to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions.

Ecuador in December made Assange an Ecuadoran citizen and unsuccessfully tried to register him as a diplomat with immunity as part of its efforts to have the WikiLeaks founder leave the embassy without risk of being detained.

Ecuadors foreign minister, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, said Wednesday that a delegation would meet with Assanges lawyers in London next week to explore what alternatives existed to have Assange be able to leave the embassy.

We continue to hold dialogue with the United Kingdom to seek a definitive and durable solution to this situation, she added.
Eighty-seven years after Bhagat Singh was hanged for the murder of a British police officer, Pakistan on Thursday displayed all records of the legendary freedom fighters case file and his comrades, a step appreciated by the civil society and rights activists.

Early this week, Pakistans Punjab government had displayed some of the records of the case file of Bhagat Singhs trial, which is called the Lahore Conspiracy Case, at the historic Tomb of Anarkali in Lahore.

We have displayed all the record related to Bhagat Singh and his comrades trial case in the exhibition, Punjab Archives Department Director Abbas Chughtai told PTI.

Seeing enormous public response we have decided to extend the exhibition date till coming Sunday. Earlier, we had planned it for only for one day, he said, adding a total 50 or so documents related to the Lahore Conspiracy case and newspaper clippings has been put on display.

This is all the record we have with us, he added.

Singh, 23, was hanged by British rulers on March 23, 1931 in Lahore, after being tried under charges for hatching a conspiracy against the colonial government. The case was filed against Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru for allegedly killing British police officer John P Saunders.

Their bodies were cremated and the ashes were thrown in the River Sutlej the same day in extreme secrecy to avoid any public reaction. The world came to know about the hangings through Maulana Zafar Ali Khans Zamindar newspaper two days later.

The Archives department on Monday displayed request of Bhagat Singh for providing order of court dated August 27, 1930, petition of Bhagat Singh dated May 31, 1929 for interview of his father, petition of Sardar Kishan Singh, father of Bhagat Singh, against the death sentence of his son and the certificate/execution of death of Bhagat Singh in Lahore district jail by the superintendent of jail dated March 23, 1931.

On Thursday, it exhibited the posters of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, copies of the books and revolutionary poetry attributed to Bhagat Singh, DIG CIDs reports about recovery of a bomb factory in Lahore, recovery of revolvers from Singh, list of chemicals, pictures of bullets, pistols and bombshells recovered as evidence, post-mortem report of Saunders, warrants of execution of Sukhdev and Rajguru and judgment against appeal of Singh among others.

Bhagat Singh and his comrades petition dated March 5, 1931, in the Court at Buckingham Palace is also on display.

It pleaded The lords of the committee in obedience to the late King Edward the sevenths order in council have taken the said humble petition into consideration and having heard counsel in support thereof their lordships do this day agree humbly to report to your majesty as their opinion that the said petition ought to be dismissed.

At the venue, legendary Khan Abdul Karim Khans thumri in Raag Jhinjhoti Piya Bin Chain Na Awat, which he rendered in 1929, was being played in the background, adding to the historic value of the place and setting a perfect background to pay tribute to Bhagat Singh and his comrades.

Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed and additional chief secretary Umar Rasool, who took the initiative to exhibit this historic case file at the official level also visited.

A good number of teachers and students of the National College of Arts and other institutions visited it today.

I spent some three hours here to go through the Lahore Conspiracy case. I had read a little about Bhagat Singh but after going through all this record my admiration for these freedom fighters has multiplied, says NCA student Fariha Naz.
Pakistan on Thursday said its policy of restraint on the Line of Control (LoC) should not be treated as a sign of weakness and warned India of a befitting response in case of any misadventure.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal made the remarks during his weekly media briefing in Islamabad.

The Pakistani forces have exerted great restraint but this restraint should not be construed as a sign of weakness. Any Indian misadventure on the LoC and Working Boundary can lead to a strategic miscalculation, he said.

While we advise restraint to the Indian side, our military is ready to give a befitting response. We shall choose the time and place of our response, he said.

He claimed that the escalation at the LoC and the Working Boundary were attempts to divert the attention of the international community from Kashmir.

Faisal also termed the reports about Pakistan giving Gilgit Baltistan to China on lease as speculative and baseless.

He said the ban on Pakistani artists in India was regrettable.

We believe that art and culture can, and should enrich societies, instead of being used as political tools which inhibit and curtail, he said.

Talking about the alleged harassment of Pakistani diplomats in India, the spokesman said that there was no plan to take the matter to the UN as all efforts are being made to work out these matters.

He said that Pakistan was still waiting for a response from India on humanitarian proposals about exchange of prisoners, sending doctors and revival of judicial committee.

Faisal said Pakistan delegation led by Commissioner for Indus Waters (PCIW) Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah is visiting India for the 114th meeting of the PCIW from March 29-31 to discuss issues related to the Indus Waters Treaty.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday Moscow would expel 60 US diplomats and close its consulate in Saint Petersburg in a tit-for-tat expulsion over the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal.

Lavrov said the US ambassador had been informed of retaliatory measures, saying that they include the expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and our decision to withdraw permission for the functioning of the US consulate general in Saint Petersburg.

Washington earlier ordered the expulsion of 60 diplomats and shut down the Russian consulate general in Seattle.

Lavrov added that Russia would also issue tit-for-tat responses to the other countries that have expelled diplomats in a mass show of support for Britain which has blamed Moscow for the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter Yulia with a nerve agent in the city of Salisbury.

As for the other countries its also all symmetrical measures as to the number of people who will be leaving Russia from diplomatic missions, and thats all so far, Lavrov said.

He added that Russia was reacting to absolutely unacceptable actions that are taken against us under very harsh pressure from the United States and Britain under the pretext of the so-called Skripal case.

He accused London of forcing everyone to follow an anti-Russian course.

He said Britain had informed Moscow of the state of health of Yulia Skripal on Thursday and that Russia had asked again for access to her as a citizen.

Lavrov vowed at the briefing in Moscow that we want to establish the truth over the poisoning and accused Britain of making mockery of international law.

He said that Russia had asked for a meeting with the executive council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on Tuesday to ask questions to establish the truth.

We are counting on our Western partners not evading an honest conversation, Lavrov said.
Another week, another firing from the Trump administration.

US President Donald Trump, fired secretary for veteran affairs (VA) David Shulkin on Wednesday and named his personal White House physician Admiral Ronny L Johnson, a serving officer, in his place.

This was Trumps second cabinet firing in March after secretary of state Rex Tillerson, and fourth of major administration figures this month  the other two were chief economic adviser Gary Cohn and NSA HR McMaster. All four exits were announced almost a week apart, at the rate of one every week.

Youre Fired: White House official Trump dismissed March 28: Veterans Affairs Secretary (cabinet position) David Shulkin March 22: National Security Advisor HR McMaster March 13: Secretary of State (cabinet position) Rex Tillerson March 6: Economic adviser Gary Cohn February 28: Communications director Hope Hicks February 7: Staff secretary Rob Porte December 13, 2017: Communications director for the White House Office of Public Liaison Omarosa Manigault Newma December 8, 2017: Deputy national security advisor Dina Powell September 29, 2017: Health and Human Services Secretary (a cabinet position) Tom Price August 18, 2017: Chief strategist Steve Bannon July 31, 2017: Communications director Anthony Scaramucci July 28, 2017: Chief of staff Reince Priebus July 21, 2017: Press secretary Sean Spicer May 30, 2017: Communications director Michael Dubke May 9, 2017: FBI Director James Comey March 30, 2017: Deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh Feb. 13, 2017: National security adviser Michael Flynn



(Source for the graphic: abcnews.go.com)

I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the president announced on Twitter, adding in the next post,  I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkins service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!

The department of veteran affairs provides healthcare and other benefits to an estimated 9 million retired US military personnel and their dependents.

It is the second largest bureaucracy in the federal government with 360,000 employees.

More significantly, veterans are a key constituency for Trump who, as a candidate, had wooed them saying he would accord the highest priority to their welfare and fix the many problems afflicting the department. Chiefly, long delays caused, among other things, by a shortage of doctors, nurses and mental care experts.

Jackson is an active-duty military officer who joined the navy after finishing medical school. He served in Iraq and joined the White House in 2006 in the George W Bush administration. He became a persons physician to President Barack Obama and continued in that role with President Trump.

He is well-liked in the White House where he is called Dr Ronny  The Doc to the president  but was said to be a surprise pick given his lack of experience in leading an organization of a size that could prepare him for the post.

Like, Jackson, Shulkin is a doctor and a holdover from the Obama administration in which he had headed the veterans health administration, a division of the VA. He had ushered major reforms as secretary, handing the president significant victories in an area he cared about deeply.

Shulkin came to be called one of the most popular secretaries in the Trump administration at one time, and even the president was said to be a big fan.

But Shulkin also faced criticism. An internal watchdog found that he had used taxpayers money to fund his wifes airfare for an official visit to Europe in 2017, and another watchdog found serious and persisting shortcomings in the administration of the department.

And, it was said, Shulkin never got along with the presidents inner circle.
The US military says its airstrike last weekend in southwestern Libya killed two al-Qaida militants, including a top recruiter, Musa Abu Dawud.

The militarys Africa Commands Wednesday statement said Abu Dawud had trained recruits by the terror networks North Africa branch, known as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

In 2016, the United States said Abu Dawud had been involved in terrorist activity since 1992 and labelled him a specially designated global terrorist.

AFRICOM said he provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack US and Western interests in the region.

AFRICOM said the March 24 airstrike near the town of Ubari didnt kill any civilians.

Islamic extremists expanded their reach in Libya amid the chaos that followed the 2011 uprising.
Major issues remain unresolved and demands are growing for another referendum, but as Thursday marks one year to go for the United Kingdom to formally leave the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May insisted the future is bright.

It was on March 29, 2017 that the May government set in motion the two-year exit process under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by sending a letter to Brussels about the UKs decision to leave the EU after the 2016 referendum resulted in a 52%-48% leave vote.

May travelled around the UK on Thursday, speaking to people and emphasising that regardless of whether they voted to leave or remain in the EU, it is now important to make Brexit a success for everyone.

Beginning her day in Scotland, May visited textile workers at a factory in Ayrshire, before travelling to Newcastle to meet a local parent and toddler group. She had lunch with farmers near Belfast before travelling to Barry to host a roundtable with Welsh businesses, and ended the day in west London with tea with a group of Polish citizens.

The complex process of leaving the EU has spawned its own jargon  cake philosophy, divorce bill, cliff edge, ambitious managed divergence, cherry-picking  while the influential group of those who voted to remain in the EU continues efforts to block Brexit in Parliament, courts and elsewhere.

May said: I am determined that our future will be a bright one. Its a future in which we trade freely with friends and partners across Europe and beyond. Having regained control of our laws, our borders and our money, and seized the opportunities provided by Brexit, the UK will thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted leave or remain.

Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum, while Wales and England voted to leave. May is keen to unite forces across the UK, but constitutional and political issues remain unresolved.

Today, one year until the UK leaves the EU and begins to chart a new course in the world, I am visiting all four nations of the union to hear from people across our country what Brexit means to them. I am determined that as we leave the EU, and in the years ahead, we will strengthen the bonds that unite us, because ours is the worlds most successful union, she said.

The UK contains four proud and historic nations, but together we amount to so much more than the sum of our parts and our union is an enormous force for good(As) as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I have an absolute responsibility to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole.
T weet, tweet

Permanent exhibition at Southwark Park, SE16 (cgplondon.org). Free.

Scottish artist/poet Alec Finlay has installed 20 nesting boxes across Southwark Park, in conjunction with CGP Gallery.

Its a permanent public installation  and the nests have colourful texts across each, with a different question and answer format, for each one.

Its perfect for younger children to locate each nest (and imagine what the birds can see), and older children can be prompted to think about the meaning behind the questions.

The texts are modelled on the works of poet Paul Celan; some of the texts relate to specific features in the park (including the ice cream van) whilst other nests simply look out towards Rotherhithe.

Its a sculpture trail, a philosophical discussion starter, haiku-style poetry and a way to get some fresh air, all at once.

Be an art detective

Royal Academy, W1J (royalacademy.org.uk). Children under 16 attend the RA free.

Its easy to forget that the Royal Academy is run by artists, for artists and is a place for everyone to get the chance to create art.

The Art Detective programme is a terrific way to encourage young ones (as well as adults) to spend more time with the art, and actually think about what the art means.

Ask for the Art Detective pack on entry (tip  pick up one from the ticket kiosk outside the RA to skip the crowds)  theyre free for every child visiting, and the sketchbook contains a set of question cards.

Each card focuses on a work of art, and directs the viewer to specific works of art  asking cleverly worded questions to encourage both thought and conversation.

Children (in this particular Charles I exhibition) are encouraged to sketch themselves as kings or queens, and asked to think about what makes a person seem powerful.

Suitable for children 8-12, and for younger children with parental involvement.

Suspend belief at the Serpentine

Until 22 April at Serpentine Gallery, W2 (serpentine.org.uk). Free.

If youre struggling to separate your children from their phones, then take them straight to the Serpentine to see Ian Chengs new digital life-form Bob.

Using a specially customised iPhone to interact with this AI being, Bob (or Bag of Beliefs, to give him his real name) responds to the viewers in a sort of dance. Its absorbing, disconcerting and slightly addictive.

Its also terrifying, when you realise that Bob learns from all these interactions and increasingly becomes the sum knowledge of all the viewers. Then stroll down to the Serpentine Sackler gallery, where Sondra Perrys work simply moves the soul.

Perry takes Turners painting The Slave Ship as a starting point; in 1781 the captain of a slave ship threw 133 slaves overboard to collect insurance money.

Perrys digital re-creation of this event covers most of the gallery; children will respond to the light and colour, but for adults its mesmerizing, haunting and a reminder not to forget the past.

Become a swinger

Until April 2 at Tate Modern,SE1 (tate.org.uk). Admission from 17.90, children under 12 are free.

And finally, dont forget the Tate to Tate boat.

We would recommend taking the boat from Tate Britain to Tate Modern and catching the last couple of days of the Modigliani exhibition; go straight to the VR section, which re-creates Modiglianis studio from 1919, or pre-book for the Picasso show.

End the morning (or the weekend) on the swings in the Turbine Hall; Danish artists collective Superflex has made swingers of us all.
Appointment

29 March 2018

Concord Hospitality is pleased to announce that Mark Laport was awarded the inaugural Brooks Pierce CEO of the Year Award ($500-700M Category) at the North Carolina CEO Summit held in Pinehurst, N.C. Nominees were chosen based on acquisitions, capital funding, employee growth and retention.

Since founding the company in 1985, Laport has driven consistent and thoughtful growth. As one of the state's largest hotel operators, Concord's portfolio includes more than 16 brand affiliations in 20 states and two Canadian provinces, and its 4,000+ associates contribute to an annual revenue of more than $500 million.

Under Laport's leadership, Concord has been recognized by Fortune as one of the country's 100 Best Companies to Work For, as well as a Great Place to Work for Women and Millennials for the past two years. He has been recognized for his contributions to the hospitality industry, both individually and on behalf of Concord, with honors like the Marriott Partnership Circle Award, Hyatt Developer of the Year Award and Michigan State University's School of Hospitality Business Leader of the Year.

Nationally, he has held key roles including Chairman of the Courtyard by Marriott Franchise Advisory Council, and is currently a member of the Renaissance Franchise Advisory Committee, Canopy Owner Advisory Council and AC Hotel Brand Advisory Council.
Supplier News

29 March 2018

Our latest report tackles the most overused term in digital marketing: A/B testing.

It has become received wisdom in the hotel industry and beyond that A/B testing should be employed on every website in order to optimize performance. In reality, the majority of websites do not have the required traffic or resource to run a statistically significant A/B test.

In February 2018, A/B testing platform Optimizely called time on their free A/B test tool in a move heralded by many as the death knell of indiscriminate split-traffic testing . For many years, businesses and individuals have turned to A/B testing as the catch-all solution for conversion optimization, the 'scientific' nature of the test leading many to believe that they were gathering ironclad evidence for the profitability of whatever change they were trying to introduce.

What many marketers ignored, however, was the fact that setting up scientifically valid experiments is a complex process. Not mincing their words, Venture Beat have suggested that "trained statisticians would tear the average marketer's A/B test to shreds."

As providers of a software platform to some of the world's largest hotel groups, we are regularly asked to set up tests on the websites of our clients. With accuracy being such a core element of our value proposition, performing the right kind of testing is something we spend a lot of time thinking about. And, often, the right kind of testing is indeed a properly hypothesized, correctly set up, professionally monitored A/B test.

So, we wouldn't agree that A/B testing is dead. We do however celebrate the growing acceptance of the fact that A/B tests are not a catch-all solution that anyone can benefit from. The over-simplified version of A/B testing that businesses have been sold for the best part of a decade encourages them to look at their data in the wrong way.

Download the free report and rethink everything you thought you knew about A/B testing.
Performance

29 March 2018

TravelClick, a leading global provider of data and revenue-generating solutions for hoteliers, today released new data from the Company's March 2018 North American Hospitality Review (NAHR). According to this data, North American hoteliers are continuing to see growth across all travel segments, up 0.7 percent in average daily rates (ADR) and 1.7 percent in bookings during the first quarter of 2018. This marks an ongoing positive trend from the beginning of the year.

Transient travel in particular is experiencing solid growth in bookings, up 2.2 percent overall, 1.7 percent in transient business and 2.6 percent in transient leisure. This segment is also seeing a boost in revenue per available room (RevPAR), up 3.3 percent for transient travel overall, 2.9 percent for transient business and 3.6 percent for transient leisure.





Photo: TravelClick, Inc.

"With the spring travel season kicking off, the improved month-over-month performance across business and leisure transient bookings is very encouraging news for hoteliers," said John Hach, senior industry analyst, TravelClick. "Additionally, as we head into the second quarter of 2018, the data shows that both rates and occupancy are continuing to hold steady for now."For the next 12 months (March 2018 - February 2019), transient bookings are up 3.4 percent year-over-year, and ADR for this segment is up 2.3 percent. When broken down further, the transient leisure (discount, qualified and wholesale) segment is up 4.7 percent in bookings, and ADR is up 2.2 percent. Additionally, the transient business (negotiated and retail) segment is up 1.4 percent in bookings, and ADR is up 2.8 percent. Lastly, group bookings are slightly up 0.4 percent in committed room nights* over the same time last year, and ADR is up 1.3 percent."Hoteliers today have a number of available tools in their toolbox to differentiate themselves from the competition," added Hach. "At the same time, consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in selecting hotels that cater to very specific and time-sensitive needs. Therefore, it becomes especially important for hoteliers to actively invest in digital marketing and forward-looking business intelligence solutions to maximize online exposure and revenue throughout the upcoming peak travel season."

The March NAHR looks at group sales commitments and individual reservations in the 25 major North American markets for hotel stays that are booked by March 1, 2018, from the period of March 2018 - February 2019.

*Committed Occupancy - (Transient rooms reserved + group rooms committed) / capacity

The first quarter combines historical data (January and February) and forward-looking data (March).
Chance the Rapper has given back to his home city Chicago in a number of ways and today he's asking for help in supporting a student-led protest. Students from the South and West Sides of Chicago held a sit-in at City Hall today to show there displease in the city's plan to build a new police academy.

Tombstones with names of children who died from police shootings were put in the building as well as names of mental health clinics and other services the city has shut down.

The students argue that the $95 million used for the upcoming police academy should instead be invested in the community that needs it most.

"Students in Chicago are staging a SIT IN at City Hall right now," Chance tweeted, along with the location. "I ask that you stop by and show them that you are in SUPPORT of their REVOLUTION. Bring food if you can, these children are fighting for our future kids as well as themselves."
Chris Brown was caught wilding out the other day in Miami when pictures of him choking a girl surfaced online, but don't get it twisted it was all in good fun they say. TMZ spotted Chris and a bunch of people partying at a home he was renting during the Ultra Festival over the weekend, and a couple photos show Chris with his hands wrapped around a womans neck.

One photo shows the woman having a distressed look on her face, while Chris hands appear to be choking her out, but its not what it looks like. Both Chris and the woman say it was all in good fun though as other photos show them laughing with one another. The photos were taken at 9 AM Monday morning, which one could think they were still up from the night before partying. Who knows if drugs were in the system, but my guess is probably if they had been pulling an all-nighter.

Chris' lawyer, Mark Geragos, told the news outlet "She's a friend. It's obviously playful as she confirmed. Whoever invaded their privacy will be held accountable."

Check out a couple of the photos (below) and sound off in the comments. Peep the full gallery of Chris and his friends partying right here if wanting to see more of their interactions.
As one of the biggest names to ever grace the stage, Eminem is a legend in the city of Detroit. Recognizable everywhere he goes, Em chooses to be mainly reclusive, not leaving his house much. While he is still actively releasing music with the Revival drop late last year, it is unexpected when Eminem is going to strike next. His social media is often only used for promotional purposes with not much ever being revealed about his personal life. The rapper made a rare addition to his Instagram page today to show off the reissued Marshall Mathers Detroit Tigers jersey, which will soon become available.

With the MLB season just about ready to begin, Eminem continues to rep his hometown Tigers as the regular season is just around the corner. The limited edition jersey is not yet available but early registration has begun for the Eminem-branded jersey that is sure to sell out. With the number 8 recalling his famous movie 8 Mile and the name Mathers across the back, the apparel is printed on a classic Detroit Tigers jersey.

Em posted the drop on Instagram with the caption, "Return of the classic!" If you're interested in copping the jersey, click here and view the image below.
Sofia Richie and Scott Disick have taken to warmer climates as a chance for the couple to bond alongside his three children with ex-girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian. A source close to PEOPLE has revealed that that the two lovebirds brought along Reign, Penelope and eldest Mason to Mexico to indulge in some much-needed R&R.

"Scott, Sofia and his kids flew to Cabo San Lucas via private jet," reveals the insider. They will reportedly be staying at the luxurious Chilean Bay resort and residences.

The insider notes how the five of them are having some "fun in the sun," whilst spending their time "swimming in the pools and enjoying the resort."

Richie shared an image of the two as they boarded onto the private jet en route to Cabo; however, there were no sign of Disick's children within the frame. She captioned the post with "Myai" professing her love for her man.

A source also details the oldest Kardashian's opening up to Scott's newfound relationship with Sofia. "Kourtney didnt think it would last and she never thought Sofia was going to meet her kids. But now, Sofia spends a lot of time at Scotts, so Kourtney allowed her to meet the kids. She has met them a few times. For a while, the kids didnt see their dad on a regular basis. It was very sad, because they missed him. Now, Scott sees his kids every week."
Tiffany Haddish has signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement, barring her from speaking on Beyonce's alleged biting incident, for the rest of time. The conditions of the agreement are simply stated. Tiffany shared the news via Instagram Live, taking a moment to catch up with her fans while at the hair salon. She stopped short of describing the situation, which she evidently saw with her own eyes.



"NDAs are real yall. NDAs are real. So, Im not saying st about nothing."



Tiffany then advised her fans to stay away from Beyonce's beyhive following, proposing they research real world issues instead.



People should be focusing on the real issues at hand, like did you do your taxes, because taxes are due real soon. Can your children read and write? Have you been working with on them their reading and their writing? Is your house clean? Thats what we need to be focusing on. But yall wanna know  everybody going crazy about who bit Beyonce.



So far "Hollywood" has remained mum on the incident. A lot of key players were in attendance when Beyonce was allegedly bit by a woman who got a little touchy feely with her hubby. The silence over the incident is deafening, only adding fuel to conspiracy theories of a secret society taking orders from Bey and Jigga at high command. But in the spirit of objectivity, I'll take my chances elsewhere.



[via PageSix]
The death of Stephon Clark, who was unarmed when he was shot 20 times by a Sacramento police officer, is reigniting the national conversation surrounding targeted police brutality and gun violence. Many have taken to the streets to protest this latest instance of systemic discrimination, and are pleading to the White House to help put an end to such an epidemic.

During a standard press briefing yesterday, Sarah Huckabee Sanders addressed this societal concern. She referred to these scenarios as "something that is a local matter and thats something that we feel should be left up to the local authorities at this point in time." The conversation also included a reference to the lax criminal charges pinned against the Louisiana officer who shot Alton Brown two years ago.

Sanders does admit that the Clark case is a "terrible incident," but was quick to reaffirm president Donald Trump's support of local police officers around the country. "We want to make sure that all law enforcement is carrying out the letter of the law," she revealed.

The Congressional Black Caucus took to Twitter to denounce Sanders' assertions, emphasizing the deeply-embedded racism still practiced throughout America.
Hurricane Harvey was a boon to Houston-area hoteliers who had been struggling to fill rooms during the oil downturn. Local hotels reported higher than normal occupancy rates and revenues as federal housing aid for displaced residents helped fill up rooms in the wake of the deadly and devastating floods.

Seven months after the storm, however, the Harvey hotel bump is largely over. An industry report released this week confirms that as evacuees increasingly move home or find other housing, local hotels are returning to business as usual.

At the Almeda Inn, all 32 rooms were packed with displaced residents in the months after the hurricane. Now, the south Houston motel is down to three rooms of impacted families.

We had a couple of months of good business, but its slowed down, general manager Vinod Bhakta said. People left one by one. If they find a different place, people move.

Jonathan Ardion, 50, is one of the last Harvey evacuees remaining at the Almeda. The New Orleans native, who went through Hurricane Katrina in 2005, had just moved to Houston when Harvey hit in August. Ardion lost everything when three feet of water flooded his first-floor apartment in the Third Ward.

I had to start all over  clothes, everything, Ardion said.

He sought shelter at the Salvation Army, then the George R. Brown Convention Center. Finally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency put Ardion and his 33-year-old nephew, Andre Ardion, up at the Almeda, paying for a $60- a-night room while they saved up for a new place.

The men plan to move out on Monday into an apartment near downtown.

More than 55,560 Texans  including 23,368 in the Houston area  took advantage of transitional shelter assistance after Harvey, FEMA reports. The joint federal and state program pays for displaced families to stay in approved hotels and motels temporarily while they find more permanent housing.

Some 11,300 families were using the program at its peak in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. At the beginning of this week, nearly 2,700 families were still in the program.

Families receiving temporary shelter assistance tend to fall into three categories, FEMA spokesman Kurt Pickering said: homeowners waiting for their homes to be repaired; renters searching for new or affordable apartments; and others awaiting placement in other housing programs.

The government per diem rate was set at $135 for August and September, but dropped to $121 in the months after.

Before the storm, Houston hotel room rates averaged about $106 per night. After Harvey, the average peaked at $125 per night on Sept. 12 and 13. The rate has since dropped to about $110 per night over the first two months of 2018, according to STR, a leading industry research firm.

Historically, hotels see increased occupancy and revenue levels for a period of six to eight months after a hurricane hits, said Hannah Smith, a consultant with STR.

Thats about what were seeing for Harvey, Smith said. We saw double-digit growth in demand and revenue for several months, but thats starting to slow down.

The dropoff typically occurs when FEMA stops picking up the tab, Smith said. FEMA plans to offer transitional shelter assistance to Harvey evacuees until April 23.

Before Harvey, Houston had the weakest hotel market among 25 major metros nationally with an average occupancy rate of 62 percent. In the weeks after the storm, the city's average hotel occupancy spiked to 86 percent, according to Tennessee-based STR.

Displaced residents, insurance adjusters and contractors were expected to book more than 2 million room nights at Houston-area hotels through the first quarter of 2018 due to Harvey, according to CBRE Hotels.

Houston saw double-digit growth in room nights sold, occupancy rates and revenue per available room  a standard measure of hotel performance  each month from September through January, STR found. The streak came to an end in February, when year-to-year comparisons were rendered difficult to make because of numbers skewed by the Super Bowl in Houston last year.

Danny Patel, who with his son Roger Patel owns the Plainfield Inn in the Sharpstown area, said displaced residents once claimed as many as 40 rooms in the 114-room motel. That number has since dwindled to two rooms, he said.

It helped us pay bills and our property taxes, Patel said of the Harvey hotel bump. Now, we have to survive somehow.

At the Almeda Inn on Thursday, Ardion said its been tough living in a cramped double-bed room equipped with just a microwave oven and a minifridge. Ardion, who worked as a grill cook before switching to his auto detail work, said he and his nephew lived largely on ramen noodles and peanut butter.

The first thing Ardion plans to do when he moves into his new apartment is cook up his favorite Louisiana-style red beans, rice and chicken.

Ardion said he was grateful for the housing assistance, which helped him get back on his feet.

Im gonna kind of miss this place, Ardion said, looking out on the parking lot from the second-floor balcony. But Im prepared to move out. Im starting back over again. Its one day at a time.
The latest shale drilling boom is driving unemployment to the lowest levels in years in many of the areas that encompass the Permian Basin, a 17-county region that spans West Texas and eastern New Mexico, according to data compiled by the Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission, a cross-border coalition geared toward diversifying the regions economy.

Reeves and Ward Counties, in the heart of a Permian sub-basin called the Delaware, are seeing unprecedented growth in oil and gas development; Winkler County, also in the Delaware, has become an active sand mining hub, driven by demand from hydraulic fracturing, which pumps vast amounts of water and sand under high pressure to crack shale rock and release oil and gas.

In February, Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission examined the workforce in the Permian region and found that its unemployment rate is at 2.9 percent, much lower than the Texas rate of 4 percent and national average of 4.1 percent. Unemployment in the region has plunged nearly 2 percentage points over the past year, pushing joblessness to levels not seen the end of 2014, a year when oil soared above $100 barrel. Nearly every county in the region has unemployment rates below the state average.

But there is a downside to the Permians boom, namely acute labor shortages. Nearly all of the workers who want jobs in the Permians 17 counties are employed, according to the Planning Commission. This has been good for workers, who are getting more hours and earning more money. As oil production rises, companies need even more workers, but fewer people are looking for oil industry jobs, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

As one unnamed company summed it up in the survey, The labor shortage in West Texas is only getting worse.

Some of this labor shortage is coming from a drain of workers and equipment after 2016, when oil prices tanked, companies scaled back operations and many workers in the industry left the boom-and-bust industry for good. As oil prices picked up in December, services companies still reported a shortage of workers for 50-person fracking crews, forcing companies to leave hundreds of wells untapped for months

Unemployment rates in Midland and Odessa, two Texas cities at the heart of the Permian Basin, gauge the how quickly the labor market has tightened. In August, Midland and Odessa had 3.2 percent and 4.3 percent unemployment rates, respectively. Six months later, unemployment in Midland slid to 2.5 percent and Odessas to 3.2 percent

As labor remains in short supply, companies are going further afield to find workers and paying them more, increasing production costs and shrinking profit margins. With oil trading between $60 and $65 a barrel, lower unemployment rates in Midland, Odessa and neighboring communities could mean that output in the Permian will slow.
NEW YORK  As a waitress, Nadine Morsch was used to having to force an occasional smile for an unpleasant customer. But when a man she was serving made a reference to grabbing her butt, she warned him he better not try. And he made her pay.

For the rest of the hour he was in the diner, she says, he was running me around as much as possible.

Morsch says she tolerated him, because she needed a good tip.

Experiences like that are one reason activists are invoking the #MeToo movement in the push for more states to adopt higher minimum wages for tipped workers. They say a wage structure that leaves workers dependent on tips often forces them to put up with harassing and abusive behavior from their customers or risk not being paid.

The effort has been around for years but has taken on new momentum lately with the increased reckoning and awareness of sexual misconduct. Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for public hearings; there's a June ballot question in Washington, D.C., and an effort is underway to get the issue on the statewide ballot in Michigan.

A higher base wage, advocates say, could free tipped workers from the fear of speaking out.

I wouldn't have needed to feel like my entire life was in his power, said Morsch, who now works at a pub in Rochester, N.Y.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 2 million people working as restaurant servers in the United States, about 70 percent of them women.

Currently, the federal government allows workers who get tipped, such as servers and bartenders, to be paid as little as $2.13 per hour if they make at least $7.25 per hour with tips included.

No state is talking about ending the practice of tipping. But seven states  Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin  mandate that tipped workers be paid at least the same minimum wage as everyone else. Another 26 states require employers to pay tipped workers a wage at least a little higher than the federal minimum.

Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, an advocacy group, says it has found that service employees in the states that require the same minimum wage for everyone, even tipped workers, reported lower levels of harassment than states that did not.

This is about the power imbalance that women face on the job, said Restaurant Opportunities Centers United co-founder Saru Jayaraman.

Restaurant workers can be sharply divided over whether a higher base wage would help.

Maine created a level minimum wage for tipped workers in a voter referendum in 2017, but almost immediately reversed course. Servers said they were worried customers would stop tipping altogether.

Part-time New York City waitress Sarah March, 30, shares that concern.

As soon as they hear that I'm already making enough money, I just don't feel like anyone's going to put forth the extra effort to compensate the servers, she said.

March agreed that sexual harassment on the job is a problem. But a higher minimum wage, she said, will not deter customers engaging in improper behavior.
Inventure Design has gained recognition for its work at Cemex USA's new headquarters on the Katy Freeway at Gessner.

The Houston Chapter of the International Facilities Management Association has awarded the Houston-based architecture firm the 2017 Award of Excellence  Medium Project for designing the 82,000 square-foot space offices at 10100 Katy Freeway.

Nearly 200 Cemex USA employees occupy two floors in the six-story building, which is owned by MetroNational. The U.S. division of global building materials company Cemex relocated from another building in Memorial City in January 2017.

"The new headquarters showcases the strength and versatility of Cemex and our products," Cemex USA director of real estate Edmond Prins said in an announcement.

RELATED: Photo tour of CBRE's new Williams Tower offices

"The architects at Inventure Design did a magnificent job utilizing the power of Cemex products to give the building an industrial feel and thoughtfully incorporating our concrete, cement and aggregates, throughout the structure."

Highlights of the open office concept headquarters include a spiral staircase that connects the second and third floors. It's made with poured-in-place concrete and a handrail of rebar. The customer experience center resembles a trading floor, with video monitors mounted on a circular ring of rebar.

RELATED: Inventure Design expands to Nashville

"Our firm provided the design services for the interiors, architecture, furniture, LEED coordination and graphic design," Inventure Design founder James O'Neill said.

"The concept needed to reinforce the Cemex brand identity and reduce historical hierarchy space. We are proud to be recognized for the design of this modern headquarters."
It was September 2014, and I was about to make my first public appearance in Houston. I had been named Director of the Kinder Institute, but I hadn't started yet  I was still living in San Diego.

Maria Irshad from the City of Houston had asked me to come down to the George R. Brown (which I called "the Convention Center," not knowing you're supposed to call it "the GRB") to speak to a group of folks.

About parking. In California.

As soon as I stood up in front of the crowd, I was reliving the emotional rollercoaster of my previous life as an elected official in Ventura, Calif. I found myself recounting how the city instituted paid parking in the downtown area, enraging the Tea Party and leading a couple of right-wing shock-jock talk radio hosts in Los Angeles to spend an hour excoriating "the stupid City of Ventura and its dumbass Mayor Bill Fulton."

Everybody in the room nodded knowingly. Who knew that my experience in Ventura would translate so well to Houston?

Event What: Book launch and conversation with Bill Fulton and the Houston Chronicle's Lisa Gray When: Tuesday, April 3, 2018, 7 p.m. Where: BioScience Research Collaborative, Rice University, 6500 Main Street Click here for more information See More Collapse

THE FUTURE IS HERE: Why cities matter more than ever

When you run for office, there are two things you can't know in advance: First, what the experience will be like. And second, how you will carry what you learn forward into your life after you leave office. (Believe me, what happens after you leave office is something most politicians never want to think about.)

In my new book, "Talk City: A Chronicle of Political Life in an All-American Town"  a collection of real-time blogs from my time as Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Ventura, a medium-sized beach town near L.A.  the experience is rewarding, but it's also stressful and sometimes emotionally searing.

The best and worst thing about local office is that you are never off duty. Once, as I was pulling out of the parking lot at our local farmers market, another car cut me off; when I cursed the driver, he said, "Sorry, Councilman!" This kind of ouch! was an almost daily experience.

When I left office in Ventura at the end of 2011, I never imagined that I would live in Houston. But I also didn't imagine how valuable my elected experience would be in the job I eventually took running the Kinder Institute.

Part of the value came from understanding a lot of issues that cities have to wrangle with  budgets, public works, parks, police service. In Ventura, our downtown parking strategy was very controversial, partly because it re-instituted paid parking for the first time in 40 years. But our underlying philosophy was that more parking isn't always the answer; you have to use paid parking, time limits and a wide range of other tools to make sure the parking that exists is better utilized.

This came in handy several years later when the Kinder Institute undertook a parking study of Rice Village. Before our study, everybody assumed there wasn't enough parking in Rice Village. But we found that the problem wasn't the overall supply of parking but how parking is utilized. I am sure that never would have occurred to me if I hadn't experienced the parking controversy in Ventura.

A LITTLE CONFUSING: How does a 'local government corporation' like Houston First work?

Similarly, public pensions were a major issue when I was Mayor of Ventura, and pensions were already a major issue in Houston when I arrived. In 2016, when the Kinder Institute undertook a comprehensive analysis of the City of Houston's pension situation, we didn't have a lot of in-house expertise on the financial ins and outs of pensions.

But I had been through some similar pension wars in California, so I understood the basic issues, and I also had some sense of the nuanced politics around pensions. I like to think this was one of the reasons why our pension report was well received and served as a baseline of knowledge as Mayor Turner and the other stakeholders worked those issues through in the fall of 2016 and spring of 2017.

And that's maybe the most important point to make about the experience of serving in local office: You get substantive knowledge about important public issues, but you also get a much better feel for the politics of every situation  where people are coming from, what you have to take into consideration and what it takes to get things done.

Before I was elected, I had spent decades as a journalist and researcher analyzing and writing about local government issues. I thought I knew how things worked  but I didn't know enough about the obstacles to getting things done and how you slipstream around those things in order to reach your goal.

That's been more valuable than I can say in a can-do town like Houston. From its inception in 2010, the Kinder Institute has positioned itself not as a think tank, but as a think-and-do tank. The think part I had down a long time ago. The experience of being an elected official in California has helped me understand how to help people in Houston work on the do part.

William Fulton is the Director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University. He can be reached at kinder@rice.edu.

Sign up for the Gray Matters newsletter. It knows you're supposed to call it "the GRB."
As heavy rains approached the area, city officials this week lowered the level of Lake Houston to make room in the reservoir for water that might otherwise end up in homes and businesses.

The city instructed the Coastal Water Authority, which manages the lake levels, to reduce the lake from 42.5 to 40 feet and to maintain that level until the city provides further directives, said Don Ripley, the authoritys executive director. The 40-foot level had been achieved by Wednesday afternoon.

The release of water from the lake is among several steps state and local officials are taking in response to pleas for help from communities near Lake Houston that experienced catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Harvey.

On Tuesday, Harris County commissioners authorized preliminary engineering and permitting for a potential project to dredge the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, removing sediment that has reduced its capacity. The problem is believed to have contributed to flooding in Kingwood, Humble and other nearby communities.

Plea for help: As sand shrinks river capacity, Kingwood residents feel like sitting ducks for floods

After heavy rains overnight, the lake level was back above 42 feet by Thursday afternoon, and officials expected it to reach 42.5 feet by Friday or Saturday, city public works department spokeswoman Alanna Reed said.

"Future releases of water will only occur in the imminent threat of severe weather and to the 41-foot level," Reed wrote in an email.

The San Jacinto River rose out of its banks at several spots in Kingwood Thursday, making some streets impassable. Bob Rehak, a retired advertising executive who has been active in community efforts to prevent flooding, said the effects of this week's rains would have been far worse had the lake level not been reduced.

Ripley noted that the water authority could not keep the level at 40 feet if rainfall rates exceeded the capacity of its two gates to release water. The city is seeking funds to add 10 gates to the spillway at the Lake Houston dam.

City Councilman Dave Martin, whose district includes the affected area, said the decision to release water from the lake came after he met Tuesday with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Read more: Water project promises relief before Houston becomes parched

The reduction of the reservoir level as a flood control tactic could come into conflict with the growing demand for fresh water supplies for the regions growing population. The need is so great, in fact, that a $3 billion plan is underway to carry water more than 40 miles westward from the Trinity River and into a 23-mile canal that will feed Lake Houston.

Melanie Feuk contributed to this report.
City Council on Wednesday put off a vote on Mayor Sylvester Turners proposed elevation requirements for structures built in flood plains, offering several amendments and providing a glimpse of their ongoing concerns about the measure.

The move buys the council another week to consider Turners plan to require that new homes built in the flood plains be elevated 2 feet above the base flood level during a 500-year storm, up from 1 foot above flood level in a 100-year storm.

Turner projected confidence in the face of council members requests for more time, though some staff members have worried the vote may be close.

I didnt just start this rodeo yesterday, the mayor said. It will pass.

Turner floated the changes two months ago. They since have gone through two council committee hearings, and the public works department relaxed rules governing whether developers can elevate homes by adding dirt  often referred to as fill  to a site.

At-large Councilman Jack Christie filed an amendment intended to distinguish between the 100-year and 500-year flood plains and also make requirements contingent on a propertys flood risk and history.

Its basically putting off elevations in the 500-year flood plain until we study it, Christie said. I think the impact is too drastic.

A 100-year flood is one that has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year; a 500-year flood has a 0.2 percent chance. Houston has experienced 500-year storms in each of the last three years, and the new regulations would affect properties in both zones.

District G Councilman Greg Travis, meanwhile, suggested that structures in the 500-year flood plain be exempt from the new requirements once the Federal Emergency Management Agency releases new flood plain maps. Those maps are expected to show widened flood plains across Houston.

What were trying to do is that, when those maps are issued, we go back to the 100-year flood plain, he said. It makes it sort of an interim change.

Travis also submitted an amendment that would  for lots 15,000 square feet or smaller  loosen the citys proposed restrictions on adding fill to achieve the required elevation.

Turner said after the meeting that he had not reviewed all of the amendments, but he indicated opposition to Travis idea about eventually reverting to the 100-year flood plain.

Once the maps are redrawn, well take a look at it. And Ive said that all along, the mayor said. But nothing that will be as definitive as his amendment. Thats not a good amendment for me.

Even if both of his changes were accepted, Travis said he may not vote for the mayors proposal.

I would be fine with it if my amendments were added, but my constituents out here are very vocal, and theyre not for it, he said.

Other council members voiced concerns about the cost of the regulations, their timing and effects on housing affordability.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's dicey efforts to insert himself into the Russia investigation continue to expand - both in number and in scope. The Washington Post is reporting that Trump's now-former lawyer, John Dowd, floated a potential pardon to former campaign chairman Paul Manafort last year, according to two people familiar with the conversations. And The New York Times, which broke the story, also reported Wednesday that Dowd posed the idea to former national security adviser Michael Flynn's lawyer.

The story is the most significant indication to date that Trump and/or his legal team have considered whether to invoke Trump's rather broad presidential pardon power -- an option that Trump has alluded to but his legal team has downplayed. They also raise questions about whether the pardons were meant to influence Manafort's and Flynn's potential cooperation in the probe. Flynn has pleaded guilty and is cooperating, while Manafort is awaiting trial.

A fundamental question here, though, is where this idea came from and what it says about the case. It's not clear that such offers would be evidence in special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into whether Trump has obstructed justice, nor is it clear whether Trump himself was involved. Dowd is denying pardons were even broached. "We never talked about pardons. There was no reason to talk about pardons."

So what's the upshot here? Here are a few options:

This is perhaps the most troubling scenario for Trump, appearance-wise, but it's also the most logical one. After all, would Dowd really float pardons for Flynn and Manafort if he didn't think Trump would follow through?

Trump has also shown repeatedly that he's been willing to do drastic things that could impact the course of the investigation, including firing then-FBI Director James B. Comey and trying to fire Mueller. He's even tweeted about his pardon power being "complete." When asked whether he might pardon Flynn last year, Trump said he wasn't -- "yet."

"While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS," Trump tweeted last July.

In one way, it's almost completely unsurprising that Trump would at least consider something like this or even have it floated directly to Flynn and Manafort. It's completely in-character for him. Trump believes the Russia investigation is fake news and that there is nothing to be covered up, so he's been unafraid of even the appearance of a cover-up. It wouldn't even be surprising to see Trump fess up and say publicly that he has considered Flynn and Manafort pardons -- despite the past denials.

But that doesn't change the fact that it would look a whole lot like he was trying to protect himself from what they might say to Mueller.

This might eventually be the defense that's offered, but it only makes much sense for one of the two people involved.

Shortly after Flynn was fired for misleading the White House about his contacts with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Trump went to Comey and suggested he be lenient on Flynn, according to Comey's testimony. (Trump disputes this.) Trump has also reportedly lamented Flynn's exit from the White House and repeatedly and publicly defended him. So maybe a Flynn pardon would be a legitimately personal decision.

With Manafort, though, that's a tougher pill to swallow. Trump has called Manafort a "good man," a "respected man" and an "honest man," but his White House has also downplayed Manafort's role in the 2016 campaign. And back in September, White House lawyer Ty Cobb said of reports that Manafort might have tried to leverage his role on the Trump campaign to recover old debts: "It would be truly shocking" if Manafort "tried to monetize his relationship w the president."

Bloomberg's Margaret Talev posted on Twitter: "(1) Ty Cobb tells me re WaPo report: 'It would be truly shocking' if true Paul Manafort 'tried to monetize his relationship w(ith) the president.' "

Flynn is a former general who has served in the last two administrations, so justifying that pardon might be a little easier. Manafort, by contrast, faces dozens of corruption charges stemming from overseas political undertakings, and the White House's own lawyer has said the charges against him are troubling. The idea that Trump would be considering pardoning him because of a personal connection or belief that Manafort is wrongly accused would be much more difficult to argue.

This might actually be the worst explanation, legally speaking, given some believe a president's pardon power is absolute. The idea that Dowd would go to Flynn and Manafort and have a pardon discussion that Trump himself hadn't sanctioned - i.e., with no real consideration of the pardons - would lend credence to the idea that the motives underlying it weren't so just.

If a pardon seemed just over the horizon, you could argue, Flynn and Manafort might hold out longer or might even shy away from revealing too much if they did cooperate. And if Trump wasn't involved, it would reinforce the idea that the conversation was meant to influence their actions - rather than about an actual desire to pardon Flynn and Manafort for other, less-controversial purposes.

While many of Trump's excursions into this whole case look worse the closer they involve Trump, this might actually be the rare exception: A case in which Trump being involved might actually make Dowd's actions more justifiable. Even then, though, it's not great on the smell test.
Ive found myself wondering, in the wake of the primary, whether Texas Republicans are secretly tired of winning.

Some of the partys leaders arent, clearly. But the activists who have failed to defeat them are sore losers  and not very bright, apparently.

Last week, for example, I moderated a panel at the Harris County GOPs annual Lincoln-Reagan dinner. The panelists did a good job, I thought, as did Lt. Gov Dan Patrick and the keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise. But according to EmpowerTexans, the highlight of the entire evening was me.

Grieders inclusion came as a surprise for many conservatives in attendance, who didnt expect to be subjected to Democrats at a Republican Party event, claimed Brandon Waltens, the groups Capitol Bureau Chief.

Read more: Blowing the whistle on the Texas Constitution

Its true that Attorney General Ken Paxton didnt look thrilled when he realized I was sitting at his table. And some of my conservative friends were surprised to see me. As one of them explained, one of our mutual friends had a free ticket; he wouldnt have bothered, otherwise.

Still, Paxton survived the event. So did state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who confided in Waltens that he was astonished to see me. In fact, so did all the attendees, a majority of whom were grown men, at least in theory.

Paul Simpson, the chair of the Harris County GOP, isnt actually scared of journalists, even if we, like all Texas voters, have the option of participating in either primary.

And right-wing activists at groups like EmpowerTexans would still accuse me of being a leftist, either way. Theyve been doing that for years, regardless of what I do. They do it to other conservatives, too.

Thats why Ive been wondering if Texas Republicans, collectively, are tired of winning. Simpson isnt, clearly. But our statewide leaders seem to think that the secret to success is insisting that voters help them keep Texas red, regardless of whatever Republicans like Paxton have done or might do.

This week, for example, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced that he had decided to include a question about citizenship on the 2020 Census.

Read more: Why did state leaders agree to let the feds mess with Texas?

Many Republicans applauded the decision. And Kris Kobach, the Kansas Secretary of State, told the Kansas City Star that he had discussed the issue with President Donald Trump last year, shortly after his presidential inauguration.

But in my view, this is not actually an ideological issue. Including a question about citizenship on the Census would serve no productive purpose, and it would have severe consequences for Texas.

Thats because 17 percent of the 28 million people who live in Texas are foreign-born. The majority of them are here legally  and some of them, of course, are naturalized citizens.

But its never easy to get an exact count of unauthorized immigrants, for obvious reasons. It was bound to be trickier than usual to do so in 2020, since Census workers will be asking people to report their information to a federal government led by a president who takes advice from outright nativists  and whose administration has not been characterized by overwhelming competence.

So Rosss decision to include a question about citizenship on the Census itself, rather than the supplemental American Community Surveys, raises the risk of a serious undercount. And thats a problem for all Texans, because the size of a states population determines the amount of federal funding it receives for core services such as health care or public education.

Read more: Census controversy on citizenship hits Texas

A states population also determines the size of its Congressional delegation, of course. Thats one of the reasons Rosss decision went over so well with Republicans from states like Kansas. Texas, however, is a growing state. If the state population is fully accounted for, we would probably get another two or three seats in Congress as a result of the 2020 Census.

That would have been good news for Republican leaders like Rick Perry, who was able to win statewide in Texas even after we became a majority-minority state. But our current Republican leaders may have realized, at this point, that winning wasnt as easy as Perry made it look.

At the same time, it wasnt as hard as they think.
Hispanic students represent a majority of public school students in Texas but would be hard-pressed to find someone who looks like them in their local superintendents office.

Locally, former Houston ISD superintendent Richard Carranzas departure for New York Citys top school job leaves just one Hispanic superintendent  Tomball ISDs Martha Salazar-Zamora  among 55 school district leaders in the Greater Houston area.

An analysis of state superintendent data shows Greater Houston lags far behind other Texas metropolitan areas when it comes to hiring Latino leaders, even though more than 51 percent of students in the area are Hispanic.

Five districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are led by Hispanic superintendents, as are five in the Greater Austin area. Hispanic superintendents lead 12 districts in the San Antonio area, and six lead districts around El Paso.

I wish I was not the only representative in Greater Houston, Salazar-Zamora said. But thats how it starts, one at a time. I know I have qualified colleagues who can do the job, but they have to be given the opportunity to interview, and they have to be the best fit for the job.

Texas has higher rates of Hispanic school leadership than the rest of the country. Only about 3 percent of all superintendents nationwide are Hispanic compared with about 8 percent in Texas. The Lone Star state also is home to larger percentages of Hispanic students than the rest of the country  more than 52 percent of Texas students are Hispanic, compared with about 25 percent of students nationally.

And the number of Hispanic students in Texas continues to climb. From 2006 to 2016, Hispanic student enrollment increased by about 38 percent, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Its surprising when you look at the data, said Armando Rodriguez, president of the Mexican American School Boards Association and a trustee in Canutillo ISD near El Paso. I guess you hope in the future the representation changes. We have to ask, how do we create that pipeline?

A 2017 study from the IZA Institute for Labor Economics found that minority students who have at least one teacher who looks like them in third, fourth and fifth grades significantly reduces the probability that he drops out of high school, especially among economically disadvantaged students. For African-American students with at least one black teacher in those grades, the study showed they had an increased likelihood of aspiring to attend a four-year-college. Rodriguez and Salazar-Zamora said the same likely is true for Hispanic students.

Wage worries

While the number of Hispanic students increases each year, however, the number of Latinos opting for careers in education remains low. Only about 23 percent of teachers in Texas are Hispanic, according to the TEA, as are about 23 percent of school principals. The Texas Education Agency does not parse out that data by district or region.

Low wages and a negative financial outlook often drive Hispanic college students away from education, said Stan Paz, executive director of the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. He said students, especially those who are first in their families to go to college, often worry they will not be able to pay back student loans with the low wages new teachers typically receive.

Geography is another challenge. In Texas, Hispanic teachers and school leaders tend to be concentrated in areas such as the Rio Grande Valley, Paz said, and often do not leave. Salazar-Zamora agreed.

There is a cultural sentiment that you stay near your family, and that is a beautiful thing, Salazar-Zamora said. Were working to recruit in the Valley or from universities, but it is a challenge. Its something we have to actively work toward.

School boards are responsible for hiring superintendents, and in some districts that cater to large Hispanic populations, those boards do not reflect their communities. In Pasadena ISD, for example, only two of nine trustees are Hispanic, even though more than 80 percent of the districts students are Hispanic and nearly 37 percent are English-language learners.

Unless you have a board with Latino board members, its less likely they will be interested in hiring a Latino superintendent, Paz said.

Salazar-Zamora, Paz and Rodriguez all stressed that superintendents should be chosen based on their merits, not on their race. They still worried that few qualified Hispanic candidates are given opportunities to interview for leadership positions.

Breaking down barriers

Salazar-Zamora, who also is president of TALAS, has begun to spearhead efforts to create mentorships for Hispanic educators, especially Latinas.

After she was named superintendent of Tomball ISD last year, Salazar-Zamora said she was surprised by the reactions of Latino families and staff members. Custodial and food service workers would beam when she addressed them in Spanish. Students were shocked to learn their superintendent spoke the same language as their parents.

Just last night at our book tournament, I had a parent come up and she talked to her son in Spanish and said do you know that she speaks Spanish, your superintendent speaks Spanish? she said. She asked for me to take a picture with him. That really warmed my heart.

Her presence does more than serve as a source of pride for the local Latino community, Paz said. It helps break down cultural and language barriers with Spanish-speaking parents, often encouraging them to become more involved with their childs school.

It shows Hispanic students that they, too, can become leaders.

I want students to know, regardless of who they are, that they can grow up and become the superintendent of their school district, Salazar-Zamora said. I want them to see role models they can emulate who look like them.
A little over two hours after the Texas Department of Family and Protective put out a call for the public's help to locate a missing teen's caregivers, the department announced the teen was in the process of being sent home.

According to the department, the teen, they identified as Gabriel, was found in Northwest Houston on Tuesday morning.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez questioned the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a deputy, saying department policy typically calls for de-escalation techniques or non-lethal actions such as use of a Taser before lethal force is used.

Expressing his condolences to the family of Danny Ray Thomas, Gonzalez said Wednesday that his departments investigation would be conducted fairly, thoroughly and expeditiously.

The Houston Police Departments special investigations unit and the Harris County District Attorneys Office are also investigating the shooting of Thomas, 34, who was shot while foaming at the mouth with his pants down around his ankles after getting in an altercation with another man in a Greenspoint-area road.

It is concerning that Mr. Thomas was unarmed; he was obviously in a state of crisis of some kind, Gonzalez said. Theres a number of things that could be used, ranging from the mere presence of the deputy, to verbal commands, to the use of a Taser, to use of your hands, to ultimately, the use of (lethal) force.  To go straight to that, thats concerning to me, but in fairness, I have to make sure we determine from the deputy what his observations were at the time.

The shooting of Thomas 17 seconds after the deputy ordered him to get on the ground has thrust Houston back into a national debate over police shootings even as local law enforcement officials tout efforts to reduce lethal incidents and increase transparency.

Sheriffs officials said the man acted aggressively toward the deputy, Cameron Brewer, a seven-year law enforcement veteran, and ignored his commands. A patrol vehicles dashcam and a bystanders cellphone captured video of the altercation although the moment of the shooting occurred off screen.

Read more: Deputys body cam was charging when he fatally shot unarmed man

The incident came a week after the airing of body camera recordings from two Sacramento, California, police officers who shot Stephon Clark 20 times, and days before officials in Louisiana declined to charge two Baton Rouge officers for the 2016 shooting of 37-year-old Alton Sterling as they held him on the ground.

Community advocates and civil rights activists in Houston and beyond said Thomas death showed that despite promises to protect life, local peace officers are failing to de-escalate tense situations. Thomas family addressed Houston City Council earlier this week, decrying police violence and saying officers are too casual in their use of force.

This is not only affecting my family, Kita Thomas-Smith, Thomas sister, later told the Houston Chronicle. There are a lot of families going through this issue right now and something has to be done to fix it. Its too often that these police officers feel like just because they have a badge they have the power to take a life.

In an interview Wednesday, Gonzalez said he understood community concerns.

There are a range of options that could have been used, Gonzalez said. Why they werent used, thats something well determine through our investigation and HPD through theirs.

Harris County Deputies Organization President David Cuevas said he could not discuss the case because of the ongoing criminal investigation. Brewer has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

An eye-opener

Protests over use of force erupted in 2014 after the high-profile deaths of unarmed African-American men at the hands of law enforcement in Missouri, New York and several other states across the country.

In Texas, legislation signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015 required local law enforcement agencies to report shootings by officers. Recently released data show that police officers shot and killed 80 people in 2017, up from 76 in 2016.

Activists say thats not enough.

The community is afraid of police, and it appears police are afraid of black people, said Tarsha Jackson, criminal justice director of the Texas Organizing Project. This (Thomas) shooting should be an eye-opener  in Harris County, in the city of Houston, across the country  that things need to change.

WATCH: Unarmed man with pants down fatally shot by Harris County deputy

James Douglas, president of the Houston branch of the NAACP, said Gonzalez had promised a speedy investigation but questioned why Brewer had not tried to de-escalate the encounter.

I think law enforcement is going to need to have a lot more training when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill, he said. It doesnt make any sense. The man had his pants down and his hands were visible. I thought thats why we have Tasers.

Others expressed doubt that law enforcement will meaningfully change their operations.

DeRay McKesson, a prominent Black Lives Matter activist, said Thomas death highlights problems at other departments across the nation.

Police are afforded privileges and rights in the law, policies and union contracts that no other public officials or private citizens are afforded he said. Officers know its almost impossible they will be held criminally responsible .

More training, fewer shootings

Since taking over at the sheriffs office in 2017, Gonzalez said he has worked to help deputies better respond to mental health cases and give them more tools to deal with individuals in crisis.

The department has dramatically increased crisis intervention training, created a mental health and jail diversion bureau and implemented a program for deputies to be able to communicate with psychiatrists via telemedicine while responding to mental health calls.

In the 10 years before Gonzalez took office, the sheriffs department trained 338 Harris County employees in crisis intervention, he said. Since he took over, an additional 523 employees had received a longer version of the intervention training.

From 2012 to 2018, the sheriffs office recorded 79 officer-involved shootings, averaging slightly more than 13 a year, according to department data. The same data show the department recorded 14 shootings last year.

The Houston Police Department has seen its number of shootings fall from 41 in 2012 to 16 least year, according to HPD data.

Mirroring other departments across the country, both HPD and the sheriffs office have equipped officers with body cameras in recent years. So far, the sheriffs office has issued approximately 400 deputies with the devices, and expects rollout of the cameras to be complete by May.

Brewer had been issued a body camera just hours before the incident. It was charging in his patrol car when the shooting occurred, the sheriffs office said.

At HPD, the department began experimenting with body cameras in 2013 and has since issued them to more than 2,600 officers. After taking over the department in December 2016, Chief Art Acevedo also created a Special Investigations Unit to handle police shooting cases.

Acevedo formed the 16-person unit to make sure the department had robust accountability systems in place, he said, and has prioritized de-escalation and tactical positioning training for officers. Acevedo credits the SIUs investigation with the indictments of two former Houston officers after they shot civilians in off-duty incidents.

Weve made it real clear that the preservation of life of everyone involved is the highest priority, Acevedo said. I think folks take their training seriously and were getting some of the results.

Police union officials said they have pushed for years for a team dedicated to investigations of police shootings.

This way we know were getting positive results, that nothing gets missed, and we present the most transparent investigation to the department as a whole and to the city, said Joseph Gamaldi, president of the Houston Police Officers Union.

Gamaldi said training on use-of-force and de-escalation tactics were responsible for the decline in shootings in recent years.

Last year the Houston Police Department had 2 million citizen contacts, of which 16 were officer-involved-shootings, he said. Thats an incredibly low number. It goes to show how well our officers are trained.

Do the right thing

In Harris County, grand juries have traditionally been loath to indict peace officers who shoot civilians. In one 10-year period beginning in 2004, Houston police officers were cleared in 288 consecutive shootings.

Since then, several local law enforcement officers have run afoul of the law in use-of-force cases.

A Harris County grand jury indicted former Houston Police Officer Jason Loosmore in October on aggravated assault charges stemming from an off-duty incident in which he shot and wounded a neighbor over an argument about a dog. A trial date has not yet been set.

In June, a Harris County sheriffs deputy and her husband were charged with murder in the choking death of a man at a Crosby-area Dennys. The deputy has been fired and the trials are pending. And in May of 2016, a Precinct 6 deputy constable was sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting at a woman in an off-duty road rage incident.

Jackson, with the Texas Organizing Project, said more is needed in Houston for better accountability, starting with an oversight board with subpoena power.

Despite her complaints, however, she credited the sheriff with quickly releasing video of the Thomas shooting and answering public questions.

Im hopeful the administration we have is committed to transparency, she said. The community needs to know that we have leadership we can trust  I just hope they do the right thing.

Brian Rogers contributed to this report.
Despite repeated assurances to a wealthy donor that hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions would be spent on voter education mailings, U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman used the money to pay off old debts, a top aide testified Thursday at Stockmans federal fraud trial in Houston.

Stockman, a Clear Lake Republican who served two separate, non-consecutive terms in the U.S. House, is on trial for allegations he syphoned off $1.25 million in donations meant for charitable causes between 2010 and 2014 and used it to pay personal and campaign costs. Two aides also named in the 28-count indictment have pleaded guilty.

Stockmans defense lawyers have said that their clients business transactions were messy, perhaps chaotic, but he did not break the law.

Thomas Dodd, one of the aides who entered a guilty plea, told jurors Thursday he helped Stockman broker his top dollar fundraising requests and that he was present for the former lawmakers pitches to Baltimore money manager Stanford Z. Rothschild Jr. Both men agreed at those meetings and in related correspondence, Dodd testified, to spend Rothschilds money targeting conservative voters with tabloid-style mailings that promoted a conservative policy agenda.

Within days of depositing the donation checks, Stockman began paying off old credit card bills, Dodd testified.

RELATED: Charity donations paid for tanning salons and amusement parks, says FBI investigator in Steve Stockman trial

Dodd has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and make conduit contributions, and with making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He explained that he was testifying at Stockmans trial in hopes that he will get leniency at sentencing.

Under questioning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Annis, Dodd said Rothschild gave Stockman clear instructions on what to do with his money.

Annis asked if the money was for voter education that would be sent to conservative voters in the districts of specified candidates around the country in the 2010 election. Dodd said yes.

Annis continued, In your presence did Mr. Stockman assure Mr. Rothchild that the money would be used in that way?

Yes, Dodd said.

He later testified that within days of depositing the check, Stockman moved some of the funds to pay Dodds outstanding credit card bill and expenses for parking, cell phone bill and hotel fees from before the time of the donation.

Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com.
A teenager arrested Tuesday in an aggravated robbery is connected to a shooting on Houston's southeast side a month earlier, court documents show.

Now he's not only facing a robbery charge in Tuesday's incident, but also a charge of first-degree felony murder for allegedly gunning down Cornelius Jackson, 20, in a shopping center parking lot Feb. 25.

Kevon Latreal Mills, 17, was picked up by Houston Police Department officers Tuesday, court documents show.

COPS ARRESTED: Ex-Houston cops among 22 arrested in gambling investigation

Now Playing: Texas News & Crime Video: Houston Chronicle

During that robbery, detectives believe Mills pulled a gun on a man and threatened his life. Mills was quickly arrested and charged.

Once Mills was in custody, detectives developed him as a suspect in the February shooting. An HPD spokesperson did not answer questions about how detectives connected Mills to the shooting.

During that shooting, police said, Mills shot Jackson in the 4800 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard, near Old Spanish Trail.

IN CUSTODY: Possible shooter in custody after northeast Houston shooting

During an altercation, Mills allegedly shot Jackson in the face and chest. Jackson was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he later died.

Court documents show Mills was on bond for a misdemeanor weapons charge during the shooting and robbery.

He could face up to life in prison if convicted.

Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan.
Dental records could potentially help identify a woman whose "badly decomposed" severed head was found by clean-up volunteers off Lake Houston the morning of March 24, police said.



The woman had "really good teeth," opening up the possibility for investigators to identify her through dental records, Houston Police Department homicide investigator Michael Perez said Saturday.



It was determined by the stage of decomposition of the head that the woman died at least one week prior to being found. She is either white or Hispanic; between 20 and 45 years old; and had hair dyed red, according to Perez.



Volunteers found the head in a black plastic trash bag in the 11900 block of FM 1960, according to the Houston Police Department Homicide Division. The woman's head was found on the erosion-controlling rocks and boulders surrounding the HPD-patrolled Lake Houston off a Huffman, Texas-controlled roadway, Perez explained.

Investigators have reached out to authorities outside Harris County, including Montgomery and Liberty counties. People from as far as Arkansas have contacted the agency to determine if the woman is a missing person from there, but investigators have ruled out those possibilities, according to Perez.



He is travelling to Victoria soon to review a case that may be linked, but the amount of time between the incidents makes it unlikely, Perez said.
One person was injured in a shooting Wednesday afternoon in northeast Houston, and police have a possible suspect in custody.

Houston police officers were called out to the 9500 block of North Wayside Drive near Tidwell Road around 1:15 p.m. to reports of a shooting. When paramedics arrived, they found one person had been shot.
If Beto O'Rourke wins a seat in the U.S. Senate this year, one notable member of Congress thinks that it would make him a dark horse contender for the White House.

In a Facebook Live video recorded while driving around Houston together, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Massachusetts, deflected talk of him running for president by suggesting instead that O'Rourke might be the better candidate. While their banter was mostly playful, Kennedy did explain why he thought the Texas congressman is one of the dark horse contenders.

"Look, for a Democrat, at the moment, to be able win statewide in Texas, I actually think is more difficult than to run for president," Kennedy said with O'Rourke sitting in the passenger seat.

O'Rourke is trying to oust U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in November. No Democrat has won a seat in the U.S. Senate from Texas since 1992.

Kennedy and O'Rourke were driving around Houston on Wednesday getting from one political event to the next, including a meeting with AFL-CIO leaders.

Kennedy's comments came just moments after O'Rourke held up a campaign button that said Joe Joe 2020 -- a reference to former Vice President Joe Biden and Joe Kennedy being on a ticket for the White House.

Kennedy, 37, was in Houston to be with his in-laws for the Easter weekend. He agreed to help drive O'Rourke, 45, and his campaign supporters around Houston to events.

O'Rourke is known for being quick to turn on Facebook Live while driving around Texas for campaign events, or even updating supporters during key votes in Congress.

O'Rourke jokes at one point during the nearly 30-minute-long drive with Kennedy that it's nice to have someone with Boston driving experience to cut through the Houston traffic. O'Rourke followed that up by jokingly asking Kennedy if Bostonians drive on the right side of the road or the left.

"It doesn't really matter, actually," Kennedy responds. "Wherever there is less traffic ... You drive wherever there isn't a barrier or traffic."

Watch the Facebook Live video here: https://www.facebook.com/betoorourke/videos/1602136556502715/

Jeremy Wallace writes about state politics and government for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter at @JeremySWallace.
Fisheries groups opposing Nova Scotia mill's proposed effluent treatment plant

by Aly Thomson

March 28,2018 | Source: The Canadian Press

Opposition is mounting against a plan by a kraft pulp mill in Nova Scotia to pump treated waste into the Northumberland Strait, with a group of Maritime fisheries organizations saying the effluent could harm marine life.



The group, which includes the Pictou Landing First Nation in Nova Scotia, said the proposal from Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corp. could see the release of up to 90 million litres of effluent per day into the strait, posing a threat to fish species and protected areas along the coastline.



The other members of the group include the Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning Board, the Maritime Fishermens Union, the Prince Edward Island Fishermens Association and the New Brunswick Fisheries Association.



Under provincial legislation, Northern Pulp has until 2020 to replace its current effluent treatment plant in Boat Harbour near Pictou, N.S.  a deadline the company has said will be tough to meet.



The group said other options should be explored, such as a land-based effluent treatment facility. They said rigorous scientific research is needed to assess the impact.



The provincial government is asking us to take 100 per cent of the risk. Our concern is what is in the effluent. Whats going to do to our fishery? Whats the construction of the pipe going to do to our fishery? said Ron Heighton, president of the Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning Board.



Local fishermen, Nova Scotia Mikmaq chiefs and Prince Edward Island Premier Wade MacLauchlan are among those who have voiced concerns about Northern Pulps plan, saying it could have unintended consequences for fisheries in the area.



Kathy Cloutier, spokeswoman for Paper Excellence Canada, which owns Northern Pulp, said in an email statement that effluent has been flowing into the strait for 50 years, and the proposed drainage site is not far from the current one.



The new system will make it so that the treated effluent, in part due to planned in-mill improvements, will be of better quality with a smaller environmental footprint than what is currently in place, Cloutier said.



She said the company investigated its treatment options and determined it needed a drainage point to pump waste.



The bottom line is no pipe equals no mill, she said.



Cloutier added: Scientific studies are being completed with rigour, and First Nations, community and stakeholder engagement is occurring throughout the study.



The mill in Abercrombie, N.S., announced plans for a new treatment plant in December and is to submit an environmental assessment to Nova Scotias Environment Department in July.



According to the companys plan, waste would be treated at a new facility near the mill using a system that would meet all federal environmental standards.



The effluent would be carried by polyethylene pipe across Pictou Harbour and then released through six pipes into the strait.



Nova Scotias deputy environment minister Frances Martin faced questions about the plan at a public accounts committee meeting last month. She said she made the decision to go with a Class 1 environmental assessment last June after Northern Pulp filed a project description with the department at the end of April.



She said it was clear to her the project required a Class 1 assessment instead of the more lengthy Class 2 under provincial regulations. Martin said Class 2 assessments are used in cases of larger projects, such as the building of a petro-chemical plant or pulp mill.



But Heighton said he would like to see a federal environmental assessment.



We need every bit of science so we can understand whats going on, said Heighton. We cannot accept anything less.

 2018 Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

Theme(s): Others.
Nia Sharma Says Star Kids Have Nothing But Their Surnames: 'Take Name Aside, Won't Look at Them Twice'
Onboarding, a term used to describe the period between job offer acceptance and assimilation (anywhere from 30 days to a year depending on the organization), is a critical time for new employees. Not only do they have to tackle a steep learning curve while developing vital relationships, but they also have to perform at a level that validates the decision to hire them. It can be nerve-racking, to say the least.

To help new team members adapt, many organizations invest in structured onboarding programs to assist employees with learning new systems, developing interpersonal networks, comprehending their roles, and acculturate.

My obsession with onboarding started a few years back when I was in third-party recruiting. Long story short, after I placed a candidate with a client, that candidate had to outlast a guarantee period (roughly 90 days), or I would owe back the fee I received for placing him or her. And the odds weren't great.

O.C. Tanner, a consulting company that specializes in culture and employee recognition programs, found that 20 percent of employee turnover happens in the first 45 days. An Allied Workforce Mobility Survey found that 23 percent of new employees turnover before their first anniversary. And, a BambooHR survey found that 31 percent had quit a job before their six month anniversary.

My work was cut out for me.

In what started out as a way for me to protect my own pocket, eventually turned into a passion. Not only did implementing onboarding best practices help my candidates outlast their probationary periods, but they flourished. Many are still with the same employer until this day and have made significant impacts.

When done correctly, onboarding can reduce new hire stress, increase engagement, and boost productivity.

In his book, Work Rules Insights From Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead, Laszlo Bock (Google's former SVP of People) highlighted an internal pilot project that set out to determine the best way to increase Noogler (new Googlers) productivity. The experiment included an email the team sent managers the Sunday before their new employee's first day. It included the following checklist:

1. Have a role-and-responsibilities discussion.

2. Match your Noogler with a peer buddy.

3. Help your Noogler build a social network.

4. Set up onboarding check-ins once a month for your Noogler's first six months.

5. Encourage open dialogue.

While this checklist was almost patronizing in its simplicity, its results were anything but. Google found that the Nooglers whose managers followed this checklist became effective in their roles 25 percent faster than other employees. How was it possible that a simple email could have this big of an impact?

Here are three things I took away from this experiment.

1. Don't over-engineer the onboarding experience.

I made this mistake. When I first set out to develop an onboarding program at Welltower (where I work), I spent a year researching strategy, reading books, and interviewing new employees trying to make sure I thought of everything.

I developed checklists for one to six months with multiple check-ins throughout the employee's first year. Looking back, I would have assigned our managers nearly 50 different tasks. That's too much. At some point, the law of diminishing returns sets in.

Luckily, I have great leaders who helped me condense it down to a 30-day program that emphasized tasks critical to enhancing our new employee's productivity. What we've found is that by focusing on reducing the time-to-productivity, every other stat benefited. This includes engagement, satisfaction, and employee contributions.

This leads me to my next point.

2. Emphasize the basics and leave room for creativity.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the flashy "nice-to-haves" that we forget the "must-haves." Onboarding new employees isn't rocket science. By over-complicating the process, you run the risk of understating the basics while wiping out room for managers to be creative.

Google's research proves the ironic truth that the simplest things are the ones often forgotten. Hone in on the core components of your assimilation process and give managers the freedom to innovate. At the end of the day, a primary goal of any onboarding program should be to help managers foster better relationships with their employees. We've all heard the saying "People leave managers, not companies."

3. Don't be afraid to drop some hints.

All it takes is a simple reminder. Google found that by "nudging" its managers and employees, they saw a noticeable increase in participation and completion rates.

These subtle "suggestions" did a couple of different things. They reinforced positive behaviors without imposing upon free-will and left room for managers and employees to make it their own.

Based on psychology that is above my level of comprehension, these "nudges" not only served as essential reminders; they also encourage Googlers to be more proactive.
In todays chaotic, uncertain times, its all too easy to get distracted by the little things  money, social media likes, that thing Trump just said, etc  and ignore whats most meaningful in life. For those fretting over the trivial, a spring exhibition at Londons Saatchi Gallery provides a wake-up call.

Running from 15-27 May, Oneness Wholeness by acclaimed France-based artist Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar, presented by Nina Moaddel Art Advisory, showcases a series of transcendental, large-scale paintings that question the state of modern societies around the world, and criticise where humanity is heading. In response to what he sees as an unhealthy obsession with material wealth and ego, Behnam-Bakhtiar offers messages of love, unity, selflessness, and a return to nature. If were together, he says, we can move mountains. We are good, we are loving, we are great.

Tornado Of Life, by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar. Photo Loic Thebaud (Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar)

Marking a notable departure from the works that first garnered him praise, featuring striking juxtapositions of traditional Iranian imagery and contemporary aesthetics, as well as vibrant Iranian patterns and black-and-white photography, Behnam-Bakhtiars new series are premised upon abstraction. Through this medium, the artist says hes finally found his voice.

Splotches of lush, vibrant colours form a variegated palimpsest for the artists recognisable figures and forms. Works such as Me And Her and Guardians Of Life celebrate not merely the beauty of nature, but also the importance of being in harmony with it, while The Pursuit Of Light exhorts viewers to contemplate  and seek out  the true essence of life and its fundamentals, which Behnam-Bakhtiar feels many have forgotten about.

My Favourite Kind Of Garden II, by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar. Photo Loic Thebaud (Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar)

In further contrast to his previous Iran-centric pieces, those in Oneness Wholeness arent particular to any culture or society. Rather, they have been informed by Eastern philosophies such as Kundalini and Qigong. Behnam-Bakhtiar turned to these following a traumatic experience seven years ago, which prompted him to drastically alter his outlook on life. I would have lost my mind [otherwise], he remarks.

Behnam-Bakhtiars works have been exhibited at galleries, fairs, and auctions around the world. In addition to his practice, he is also the founder of France's Fondation Behnam-Bakhtiar, a non-political foundation promoting contemporary Iranian art and artists through its extensive private collection and Behnam-Bakhtiar Award.

Oneness Wholeness runs at the Saatchi Gallery in London from 15-27 May 2018. Admission is free
Last years Wonder Woman was a massive success, managing to outgross the Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman team-up Justice League to many analysts surprise.

No wonder, then, that Warner Bros. is busily working on a sequel, news regarding the sequel trickling out to Hollywood trade press.

Already, we know Kristen Wiig has joined the Patty Jenkins-directed project, the former Saturday Night Live comedian playing the villainous Cheetah.

Variety now reports that Game of Thrones and Narcos actor Pedro Pascal has joined the sequel, with no further information about the character.

27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Show all 27 1 /27 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Black Panther Released: 12 February 12 February Director: Ryan Coogler Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Greatest Showman Released: 1 January 1 January Director: Michael Gracey Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Darkest Hour Released: 12 January 12 January Director: Joe Wright Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri Released: 12 January Director: Martin McDonagh 12 JanuaryMartin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones > Twentieth Century Fox 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Coco Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Lee Unkrich ,p>Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Downsizing Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Alexander Payne Cast: Matt Damon, Christopher Waltz, Jong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Early Man Released: 26 January 26 January Director: Nick Park Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Fifty Shades Freed Released: 9 February 9 February Director: James Foley Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Kim Basinger 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Maze Runner: The Death Cure Released: 9 February 9 February Director: Wes Ball Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Shape of Water Released: 16 February 16 February Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Doug Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Annihilation Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Lee, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Dark River Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Clio Barnard Cast: Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Red Sparrow Released: 2 March 2 March Director: Francis Lawrence Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Tomb Raider Released: 16 March 16 March Director: Roar Uthaug Cast: Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Dominic West, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 A Wrinkle in Time Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Ava DuVernay Cast: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Zach Galifianakis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Pacific Rim: Uprising Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Steven S. DeKnight Cast: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Roman J Israel, Esq Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Dan Gilroy Cast: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo Columbia Pictures 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Isle of Dogs Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Wes Anderson Cast: Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ready Player One Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Released: 27 April 27 April Director: The Russo Brothers Cast: Robert Downey, Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Untitled Han Solo Film Released: 25 May 25 May Director: Ron Howard Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Released: 8 June 8 June Director: J.A. Bayona Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pine, B.D. Wong, Toby Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Deadpool 2 Released: 1 June Director: David Leitch 1 JuneDavid Leitch Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Zazie Beetz, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ocean's 8 Released: 22 June 22 June Director: Gary Ross Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Munn, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Matt Damon 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Soldado Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Stefano Sollima Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Incredibles 2 Released: 13 July 13 July Director: Brad Bird Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson

Pascal has worked on multiple films since breaking out on the fantasy HBO show, including roles in Kingsmen: The Golden Circle, and an upcoming role in The Equalizer sequel.

The actor has worked with Wonder Woman 2s director, writer, and producer Jenkins previously on the TV movie Exposed.

Wonder Woman 2 will reach the cinemas 1 November 2019. Meanwhile, Pascal can next be seen in The Equalizer 2, followed soon after by Barry Jenkins new film If Beale Street Could Talk.
Fall Out Boy are being slammed for using a montage of Princess Diana's life - including her funeral - as a backdrop at their UK concerts.

The American punk-rock band showed the visuals during their song "Champion" - something they previously did during their US run.

But rock fans didn't understand why the band was using the montage.

Fall Out Boy performs at Jingle Ball 2017. Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

A fan at the Cardiff show on Wednesday described the setting to The Sun, "During the gig images of Diana were displayed culminating in a short film chronicling her final journey from the Ritz in Paris, her funeral and even the Queen's Speech from Buckingham Palace."

The film also showed images of Princess Diana on her wedding day to Prince Charles.

He continued saying that when people realised what was happening, "some went quiet and started shuffling" and were "wishing the next song would come on."

The fan added, "It was totally bizarre, more than a little creepy. There seemed to be no explanation for Di's haunting appearance at the gig. What were they thinking?"

People also voiced their confusion on social media.

One Twitter user wrote, "Genuinely still confused about fall out boy using images of princess Diana and prince harry last night?? Why???"

Another individual asked if the American tour got a montage of JFK.

In the past, Fall Out Boy's bassist and songwriter Pete Wentz has described their band's music as "cinematic," so perhaps that's what he was going for with the film.

Fall Out Boy are currently on tour in the UK.

They will play on London on Saturday.
An epidemic that has decimated the worlds amphibians, wiping out many species altogether, could at last be coming to an end.

Since at least the 1980s, global populations of frogs and salamanders have been undergoing an amphibian extinction crisis.

Experts think over 100 species could be gone forever, and the populations of many more are severely depleted, thanks in large part to the spread of the deadly chytrid fungus.

Recommended Endangered frog has online dating profile created by scientists

"Imagine a deadly disease that affects not only humans but other mammal species like dogs, cats and cows," said Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute biologist Dr Roberto Ibanez, emphasising the scale of the epidemic caused by this fungus.

However, the results of a long-term study conducted by Dr Ibanez and his colleagues in Panama suggest the worst of this disease may have passed.

Following the epidemics devastating spread, some amphibians in the region appear to have developed resistance to infection.

By conducting post-epidemic analysis of 12 frog species, the scientists were able to obtain a status report on the Panamanian population.

Amphibians face raised extinction threat Show all 4 1 /4 Amphibians face raised extinction threat Amphibians face raised extinction threat Pg-25-Amphibians-1.jpg Amphibians face raised extinction threat Pg-25-Amphibians-2.jpg Amphibians face raised extinction threat Pg-25-Amphibians-3.jpg Amphibians face raised extinction threat Pg-25-Amphibians-4.jpg Alamy

They found that nine of the species, each of which had been driven to the brink of extinction, had shown considerable recovery in recent years.

The next step was to establish what had happened to save these amphibians from the fate that had met so many others.

Fortunately, another research team had observed the disease moving from Costa Rica to Panama around 10 years ago, and had gathered data on frog populations throughout the disease outbreak.

A speckled glass frog in the streams of Panama (Douglas Woodhams)

"Because we have pathogen and host samples from before, during and after the epidemic, we can ask whether some frogs survived because the pathogen grew weaker through time, or because the frogs' immune systems or resistance increased through time," said Dr Jamie Voyles, disease ecologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the first author of the study outlining these findings.

The scientists took more than 2,000 swabs of captured frogs skins, and found the prevalence of the disease-causing fungus had dropped compared to previous studies.

One reason for this could be that the fungus itself had become less potent, but analysis of samples taken from the frogs revealed this was not the case.

Recommended Amphibians face raised extinction threat

The disease-causing agent neither grew more slowly than it had done at the peak of the epidemic, nor were its interactions with frog immune cells any different.

In short, the researchers concluded, what must have changed was the frogs ability to resist the disease. These results were published in the journal Science.

This idea was confirmed when the scientists found frogs that had been kept in captivity away from the disease since before its outbreak were more susceptible to infection than their wild counterparts.

As the efforts begin to rebuild wild frog populations, this finding in particular will be crucial.

A healthy golden frog in Panama (Cori Richards-Zawacki)

Although the fungus no longer has the deadly effect it once did on wild frogs, it is still lying in wait for any individuals that have not been lucky enough to develop resistance.

Dr Ibanez runs the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, and he said care would have to be taken if scientists intend to release captive frogs into the wild.

It is extremely important for us to realise that the defences of these frogs may be weaker than the defences of frogs that survived the epidemic in the wild, he said.

While we have not seen a disease outbreak on the scale of chytrid fungus in humans in recent years, the researchers noted that this kind of work has applications closer to home as well.

It is vital to understand how disease transitions work  from outbreak, to epidemic to coexistence  and our results have implications for a skyrocketing human population facing emerging diseases with the potential to cause global pandemics," said Dr Ibanez.
A horrific accident is serving as a reminder to parents of the potential dangers of leaving young children alone in the car.

A Missouri mum was filling her gas tank with her two children, aged one and three, buckled into their car seats in the back of the minivan when she ran into the store to pay for her gas.

In the moments she was gone, one of the children managed to unbuckle their seatbelt and shift the car into reverse - which then allowed the car to roll backwards and smash into a gas pump.

The gas pump erupted into flames from the impact of the minivan and would have injured the young children had a stranger not stepped in and rescued them from the flames.

Now, officials are sharing photos of the life-threatening incident to remind parents that accidents can happen within seconds - and it is illegal to leave children unattended.

Speaking to KY3, Daphne Greenlee, manager of Mercy Injury Prevention, said: We hear about this all the time. Unfortunately, parents just get busy and are running into the pay for gas or the bank, or whatever, and it happens more often than we like, before reminding parents: The inconvenience that can happen does not outweigh the child's safety."

The children were left for just moments as their mum went to pay for gas (KY3)

Now, the mum may be facing possible criminal charges pending further investigation into the incident, according to Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for the Springfield Police, who told KY3 that it is a crime to leave children unattended in a car.

On the Springfield police website, there is a section dedicated to the dangers of leaving children in vehicles alone - a crime that the Springfield Police Department receives numerous calls about.

Missouri is one of 19 US states with a law that makes it illegal to leave a child under the age of 10 unattended in a vehicle - and from the accident, it is clear why the law exists.

The child managed to reverse the car into a gas pump, which erupted in flames (KY3)

The accident comes just days after Utah passed the nations first free-range parenting law, which allows parents to legally leave their children unattended as they see fit.

Age limits are not defined under the law - and advocates for free-range parenting hope the new bill will inspire other states to draft similar laws.

In this incident the children were unharmed but the pictures of the mangled minivan remind parents that accidents happen when children are left alone.
A mother in Jacksonville, Florida has discovered part of a broken epidural needle in her spine 14 years after giving birth.

After enduring years of severe back pain, Amy Bright, 41, underwent a CT scan in 2017 which revealed that three centimetres of the needle was embedded into her spine.

According to Bright, the needle is touching the nerve connected to her left leg, leaving her concerned that she could be left paralysed were the needle to move at all.

Doctors have informed the mother-of-six that because of the needles location, it will be too risky to remove, leaving Bright with no choice other than to live with it inside of her and treat the pain with medication.

Brights attorney, Sean Cronin, who has dealt with numerous medical malpractice cases, has said that this case is particularly rare.

This is literally in the spinal canal, he said in a press conference.

Never seen it. Never heard of it. It's outrageous."

Bright gave birth to her son Jacob in 2003 at Naval Hospital in Jacksonville and began experiencing severe back pain just two months later.

She believes the needle broke off while the epidural was being administered when she was under anaesthesia and got trapped, claiming that medical staff mustve known about the error and not informed her.

They knew this was in her, according to our experts, Cronin told People, because so much of the needle was missing. And the safety tip is still in her.

Recommended Teenager gives birth to baby after not realising she was pregnant

Bright and Cronin have accused the hospital of fraud and malpractice and plan to file a lawsuit later this year.

Bright added that the revelation has left her fearing for her future, as she is unsure how living with the needle inside of her will continue to impact her physical wellbeing as time goes on.

It has gotten to the point where it just burns constantly, she said.

Im probably going to be in a wheelchair. Its scary because I dont know.

Naval Hospital have not yet responded to requests for comments, directing People to the US Department of Justice who have declined to comment on the issue.
Amazon shares fell almost 5 per cent on Wednesday, wiping more than $30bn (21.4bn) off its market value, after news website Axios reported that US President Donald Trump is obsessed with the worlds largest online retailer and wants to rein in its growing power.

President Trump has talked about using antitrust law to go after the company because he is worried about mum-and-pop retailers being put out of business by Amazon, Axios reported, citing five sources it said had discussed the issue with him.

President Trump also wants to change Amazons tax treatment, the Axios report said, an issue the president raised publicly last year when he called for an internet tax for online retailers, even though Amazon already collects sales tax on items it sells direct to customers.

The president has said many times before hes always looking to create a level playing field for all businesses and this is no different, said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, when asked about the Axios report. Hes always going to look at different ways, but there arent any specific policies on the table at this time.

President Trump has been complaining about Amazon in private, believing the company has become too powerful, another administration official confirmed to Reuters.

The official said Trump links this to Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos private ownership of the Washington Post, which he has called fake news for its critical coverage of his administration. Trump regards the newspaper as a mouthpiece for Bezos business interests, calling it #AmazonWashingtonPost on Twitter.

Amazon did not reply to a request for comment on the Axios report.

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President Trump has criticised Amazon over taxes and jobs in the past, without offering evidence. The president urging the use of antitrust law to selectively thwart a company would be unprecedented, according to Jeffrey Jacobovitz of the law firm Arnall Golden Gregory.

Amazons stock, which fell as low as $1,386.17 on Wednesday, was last down 4.6 per cent at $1,427.83. The shares have nearly quadrupled over the last three years.

Tech stocks have been under pressure after Facebook acknowledged this month that user data had been improperly harvested by a consultancy.

With Facebook and regulatory worries, the last thing nervous tech investors wanted to see was news that Trump is targeting Bezos and Amazon over the coming months as this remains a lingering cloud over the stock and heightens the risk profile in the eyes of the Street, GBH Insights analyst Daniel Ives said.

Reuters
Shareholders in UK engineering giant GKN have until 1pm on Thursday to decide whether to vote in favour of an 8.1bn hostile takeover by investment firm Melrose industries.

The deal would the biggest hostile takeover of a UK company since Kraft bought Cadbury's in 2010.

Like that deal, it has been highly controversial. The business secretary, Greg Clark, belatedly waded in this week to raise concerns and push for reassurances from Melroses management over pensions and jobs, while saying he was mindful of national security issues.

But what are the two companies and why has the takeover caused so many issues?

What is GKN and why is it important?

GKN is a British engineering firm with a history going back to the birth of the industrial revolution. The company traces its roots back to an ironworks founded in Merthyr Tydfil in 1759. Now it is a major supplier of parts for the aerospace and automotive industries and one of the UKs largest companies with a turnover of 10.4bn, operations in 30 countries and almost 60,000 employees, with 6,000 of those in the UK.

It has a number of Government contracts and is involved in sensitive defence programmes such as Lockheed Martins F-35B fighter jet, 138 of which have been ordered for the Royal Air Force.

What is Melrose?

Melrose is a British investment company established in 2003 that buys and sells struggling firms. It bills itself as a turnaround specialist, but critics, including the Unite union, say it is an old-fashioned asset stripper.

They say it takes advantage of companies facing problems to buy up the shares cheaply before breaking those companies up and selling off their constituent parts for a profit.

A group of 16 MPs wrote to the business secretary earlier this month urging him not to allow the dismembering of GKN.

Melrose typically has a short-term outlook, aiming for an exit - ie, to sell the business, or whats left of it - within three to five years.

These profits can be huge. Investors in Melrose received more than 2bn after it sold Elster, a water and gas meter manufacturer, to US giant Honeywell in 2015.

Melrose had a turnover of 2.1bn last year, much smaller than GKNs. It is able to take over much larger companies through taking on debt, which are then loaded onto the acquisition company and serviced through its profits and cash flow.

Supporters say there is nothing wrong with this approach, arguing that Melrose and other firms with a similar private-equity style business model are simply finding efficiencies that the management of companies they take over have not exploited.

Julian Jessop, chief economist of the free-market think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs wrote in a blog post about GKN: The fact that a company might be worth more in parts than as a single entity would imply that breaking it up is the right thing to do.

Why has this takeover caused so much concern?

The long heritage of the firm touches a nerve but, more importantly, concerns have been raised over national security.

GKN supplies parts for the supplies components for the Typhoon fighter jet and A400M military transport aircraft as well as the aforementioned F-35. Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, said last week that he had written to the business secretary, with very serious concerns and raised a whole series of questions about the takeover. However, much of GKNs defence business is with the US.

The business secretary has also expressed concerns over the compatibility of Melroses business model with a need for long-term stability at GKN. Many defence contracts are negotiated over significantly longer timeframes than the five years that Melrose has committed to.

Any breaking up of the company could potentially see UK job losses and also have an impact on the UKs aerospace industry as GKN is a major supplier to Airbus and Boeing. The Pensions Regulator has also raised the alarm over what will happen to GKNs pension fund which is currently in deficit.

As a key player in some vital industries, GKN is seen as a big test of Theresa Mays much heralded industrial strategy which was supposed to herald a more interventionist approach from the Government.

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.

So what has the government done?

Not much, until this week when Mr Clark wrote to Melroses chief executive Simon Peckham to request binding reassurances from the firm over its intentions after the GKN takeover, should it go ahead.

He said the turnaround specialist would have to agree to binding, extensive and clear commitments on its intended conduct if the deal goes ahead.

Mr Clarke said Melrose would need to commit to treating suppliers well, guarantee minimum levels of investment and submit plans for funding GKNs pension scheme that satisfy the regulator.

In a response Melrose pledged not to sell GKNs aerospace division for the five years that it plans to own the company. It said it would maintain GKNs UK listing and headquarters, as well as ensure that a majority of its directors are resident in the country during that time. The company also promised to keep research and development spending at 2.2 per cent of revenues or more.

Unite branded them inadequate and said they may not even be enforceable while GKN chairman Mike Turner said they were drafted in increasingly hysterical language.

Now what?

Shareholders will vote on whether to accept the tabled deal with the deadline to do so falling at 1pm on Thursday. At least 50 per cent must agree to the takeover for it to go ahead. Some analysts have predicted that the share price will slump if the deal is blocked.

In his statement to the House of Commons on the proposed takeover, Mr Clarks words left open the possibility that the Government could still intervene in the event that Melrose is successful.
Parole Board decisions to release six prisoners from high security jails will be reviewed in the wake of failings in black cab rapist John Worboys case.

During a judicial review of how he was judged to no longer be a risk after serving nine years of an indeterminate sentence for public protection, the High Court heard it was extremely unusual for inmates to be freed from Category A prisons.

They house convicts judged to pose the highest risk to the public, including terrorists, rapists and murderers.

Such inmates would normally be moved into medium-secure facilities and then open prisons through lengthy sentences, with the danger they pose and progress with rehabilitation tested at each stage.

The Parole Board said only six people had been freed directly from Category A prisons into the community  as Worboys would have been  in the 2016/17 financial year.

Judges said the move must be exceptional, strong reasons to justify it must be identified, and a more cautious, orthodox approach should be given considerable weight.

There are obvious advantages in subjecting a prisoner to regimes of lessening stringency in order properly to test the robustness of the risk assessment, they concluded.

 Former Parole Board chairman Nick Hardwick says David Gauke should accept responsibility for John Worboys case

Details of the six cases were not disclosed in court and the Ministry of Justice said it was requesting further information from the Parole Board.

The secretary of state has asked the department to verify that there are in fact six cases of Category A prisoners that were released  and to check if there were any concerns in those cases and in any other release decisions from Category A since, a spokesperson said.

Even if issues are raised, David Gauke will be powerless to recall the convicts to prison unless they breach their licence conditions or commit another crime.

Recommended Prison crisis laid bare as Government issued unprecedented warning

But he may make representations to the Parole Board to strengthen controls on their movement, as was done in the Worboys case before the decision to release him was quashed following a legal challenge by victims.

Judges found a panel had accepted the serial sex offenders attempts to minimise his actions at face value and failed to properly investigate evidence showing the full scale of his crimes against women.

Worboys, now 60, was convicted on a sample of 19 offences against 12 women between 2006 and 2009, but police believe he sexually assaulted more than 100 victims dating back to 2003 at least.

Police are believed to be investigating new reports on Worboys by alleged victims who came forward for the first time during the judicial review, but no fresh charges have yet been announced.

The Parole Board initially imposed conditions making him live at a specific probation hostel and under a curfew, notify supervisors of personal relationships with women and banning the deletion of internet history or having a second phone.

The National Probation Service later applied for Worboys to be excluded from Greater London and Sussex, while being monitored using a GPS tag.

Licence conditions will be considered once again when the Parole Board holds another hearing over his potential release, which is not expected to take place for several months.

The bodys former chair, Professor Nick Hardwick, was forced to resign before the result of the judicial review was publicly announced earlier this week.

The John Worboys case has sparked a review of the decision to release six other prisoners (PA)

He argued that the Ministry of Justice was equally responsible for failings in the Worboys case because it failed to include vital pieces of information in a dossier used in the hearing that released him.

I absolutely accept that the Parole Board was at fault in these matters, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

I dont accept that we were any more at fault than the Ministry of Justice and I dont believe that the right lessons will be learned from this case if the only people accepting any responsibility for the things that went wrong here is us.

Mr Hardwick stopped short of calling on Mr Gauke to resign but said he must accept responsibility for the mistakes that were made because that is the only way that things will be put right.

While being questioned by MPs, the justice secretary admitted that it may well have been the case that information should have been included that wasnt provided and apologised to Worboys victims.

But he placed the blame firmly with the Parole Board for failing to probe the evidence available and said it was right for Mr Hardwick to stand down.

He announced a review of all Parole Board rules and said he had already decided to abolish the unlawful Rule 25, now allowing victims to be given information on the release of prisoners, as well as creating a mechanism to challenge decisions.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. 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It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA

One of Worboys victims and her lawyers said the Parole Board chair had been scapegoated.

Harriet Wistrich, a solicitor for the two women who launched the judicial review, said: This case from start to finish has illustrated the weakness of our criminal justice system to tackle serious sexual offending, from the failures of the police to adequately investigate; the weakness of CPS decision making selecting only a small number of cases to prosecute; the failure of the secretary of state to ensure the Parole Board had all the necessary and relevant evidence; the failure of probation to consult all the victims, to ultimately the incomprehensible decision making of the Parole Board itself.

The influential Criminal Bar Association said the entire justice system was in chaos, while calling for lawyers to refuse legal aid work in protest at relentless cuts by the government.

The body said 90 per cent of barristers surveyed supported the move as part of the fight to improve the justice system for us and everyone else.

Prisons, courts, the police and probation services are underfunded and in chaos, said chair Angela Rafferty QC. The system is desperate, as are we.
Yulia Skripal is no longer in a critical condition and is improving rapidly following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury.

Doctors said her father, Sergei Skripal, remains in a critical but stable condition as the police investigation into the attempted assassination continues to widen.

Ms Skripal is said to be conscious and talking, raising the possibility that she will be able to talk to counter-terrorism detectives about the incident on 4 March.

Officers cordoned off a childrens play area near the former Russian spys home as a precautionary measure on Thursday afternoon.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon said: I would like to reassure residents that we have placed the cordons around the park, and officers will be searching it, as a precautionary measure.

I would like to reiterate Public Health Englands advice that the risk to the public is low.

Police have closed off several locations visited by the pair on the day they fell ill, including a pub and restaurant, but the park was not previously known to be part of the investigation.

Soldiers and specialist military units have been supporting the removal of vehicles used by the Skripals and people who had contact with them in the days before they fell ill.

While Ms Skripal is improving rapidly in hospital, her 66-year-old father remains in a critical condition in intensive care.

Yulia Skripal has responded well to treatment (Facebook)

Dr Christine Blanshard, the medical director for Salisbury District Hospital, said: Im pleased to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Ms Skripal.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.

I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high quality care to these patients over the last few weeks.

I am very proud both of our front-line staff and all those who support them.

The news came a day after police announced that the novichok used to poison Ms Skripal and her father is likely to have been placed on the front door of his home.

Mr Haydon, said: At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door. We are therefore focusing much of our efforts in and around their address.

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was among the first officers to visit the house in Salisbury, also fell severely ill but has since been discharged from hospital.

A total of 38 people were treated for varying symptoms resulting from exposure, including an unnamed hospital outpatient, which could have resulted from exposure to the nerve agent either by contact with the Skripals or items they touched.

A court hearing last week was told that Mr Skripal and his daughter may have suffered life-long brain damage as a result of the attack.

Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Scene of attack Members of the emergency services in hazard suits fix the tent over the bench where Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury in March 2018. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Victim - Sergei Skripal The retired Russian colonel and former double agent for MI6 was in a critical condition in hospital for more than two months after being exposed to novichok in Salisbury. He was given refuge in the UK after being jailed in Moscow for treason. Mr Skripal came to Britain as part of a high-profile spy swap in 2010 in which four men were exchanged for ten Russian "sleeper agents" in the US. In this image he is speaking to his lawyer from behind bars in Moscow in 2006. AP Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Victim - Yulia Skripal Yulia Skripal was struck down by a novichok poison alongside her father Sergei. Facebook Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Scene of attack A police officer stands guard outside a branch of the Italian chain restaurant Zizzi where the pair dined at before falling ill. It was boarded off whilst investigators worked on the building and later found traces of the chemical weapon within it. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Scene of attack Large areas of central Salisbury were cordoned off by police following the discovery of the Skripals. Traces of nerve agent were also found in The Mill pub. PA Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Victim - Nick Bailey Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, rushed to the aid of the Russian ex-spy and his daughter who were targeted with a nerve agent. He was hospitalized after aiding them and didn't leave until three weeks after the attack. Wiltshire Police/Rex Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation - Skripals home Police believe they were poisoned at home, and detectives found the highest concentration of novichok on the front door of Mr Skripals house. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Theresa May visits scene of attack Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May spokes with Wiltshire Police's Chief Constable Kier Pritchard near where the Skripal's were found. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the nerve agent poisoning and suspended high-level contacts, including for the World Cup on March 14. Theresa May told parliament that Russia had failed to respond to her demand for an explanation on how a Soviet-designed chemical, Novichok, was used in Salisbury. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Skripal days before attack Sergei Skripal days before he was exposed to Novichok, that has left him fighting for life. ITV News Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation - military involvement British soldiers were deployed soon after the attack to help a counter-terrorism investigation into the nerve agent attack. One of the places they were asked to help out with was Skripal's home and it's surrounding. They were asked to remove a vehicle connected to the agent attack in Salisbury, from a residential street in Gillingham. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation Personnel in protective coveralls and breathing equipment cover an ambulance with a tarpaulin at the Salisbury District Hospital. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation The investigation extended to the grave of Sergei Skripal's son Alexander in London Road cemetery. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation The Counter Terrorism Policing Network requested assistance from the military to remove a number of vehicles and objects from Salisbury. EPA Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Home Secretary visits scene of attack Home Secretary Amber Rudd visited the scene of the nerve agent attack at the Maltings shopping centre on 9 March. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Yulia Skripal speaks for the first time Yulia Skripal, speaking for the first time, said she felt lucky to have survived the nerve agent attack in Salisbury which left her fighting for life. Ms Skripal said her life had been turned upside down by the assassination attempt. But the Russian national added she hoped to return to her homeland one day, despite the Kremlin being blamed for the attack. Reuters

Speaking last week, Mr Justice Williams told the Court of Protection: The precise effect of their exposure on their long term health remains unclear, albeit medical tests indicate that their mental capacity might be compromised to an unknown and so far unascertained degree.

At the time, a consultant treating the victims in intensive care said that Mr Skripal was unable to communicate in any way, but said his daughter was unable to communicate in any meaningful way.

The doctor said it was not yet possible to tell whether the pair can recover fully.

The hearing was held to allow doctors to pass fresh blood samples from the victims and medical records to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to aid an ongoing international investigation.

The samples will be used to identify the nerve agent used to poison the pair and for DNA analysis confirming the origin of blood originally tested by the British military.

Experts at the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down identified the nerve agent used against the Skripals as part of the Soviet-developed novichoks group.

Traces have been found at various sites visited by the pair in Salisbury, investigators said, but at lower concentrations to that found at the home address.

The Prime Minister said Russia had provided no credible explanation on how the substance came to be used on the streets of Wiltshire and accused Vladimir Putins government of culpability.

Russia has denied involvement and accused the UK of violating international law by refusing to provide information it requested.

Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats, who were described as undeclared intelligence officers, sparking the expulsion of 23 British diplomats by the Kremlin.

Pressure has since been mounting on Russia as the EU, US and other allies have made statements of solidarity with the UK and moved to expel diplomats themselves.

Ms Skripal was visiting her father on a holiday from Russia when they fell ill after going for lunch in Salisbury on 4 March, with passers-by trying to help after finding the pair slumped on a bench.

Witnesses described them twitching, vomiting and stopping breathing  all symptoms consistent with nerve agent exposure.

The deadly chemicals attack the nervous system and can kill victims by paralysing the respiratory system, causing oxygen deprivation and eventual suffocation.

Mr Skripal moved to the cathedral city after being handed over in a Cold War-style spy swap in 2010.

He was jailed for treason in Russia for allegedly passing secrets to MI6 while a colonel in the GRU military intelligence agency.

Mr Skripals wife died in 2012, his son passed away last year and he is also believed to have lost his brother in recent years.

The Metropolitan Police has said the criminal investigation is likely to take many months and continues to appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
An airline baggage handler has suffered serious leg injuries after he was run over by an aeroplane at Gatwick Airport.

Ambulances and fire engines descended on the apron on Wednesday afternoon and passengers aboard a Rossiya Airlines aircraft preparing for takeoff were told a person had been run over.

The man was reportedly trapped under a wheel and the emergency services had to free him before flying him to hospital in Tooting.

A Gatwick spokesperson confirmed the incident took place on its airfield shortly after 5pm, adding the man was an employee of baggage handling company Dnata.

A South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: I can confirm that we were called at 5.18pm today to Gatwick Airport.

The patient, an adult male, had suffered a serious lower limb injury and, after treatment by our crews at the scene, was transported by air ambulance to St Georges Hospital at Tooting.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 Arsenals Takehiro Tomiyasu attempts to control the ball during the Premier League match at The Emirates Stadium PA UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. 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She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA

A spokesperson for Dnata said and employee was injured following an incident on the airfield at Gatwick Airport and emergency services attended the scene".

The company said it was working closely with the airport and emergency services.

Flora Lu, a passenger on board the Russian plane, said in a Twitter post: We have been told that our plane ran over a person at takeoff from Gatwick to St Petersburg. They were trying to lift the plane. Anyone knows what happened?

In a later tweet, she said: All police, ambulance and fire brigades left. Few more airport service vehicles arrived. Cabin crew just confirmed our plane ran over the foot of ground grew member. Hope hell be ok. Waiting for extra plane 'parts' as the plane is not operational now.
UK border checks have been branded "shambolic" after it emerged the Home Office has lost track of more than 600,000 people who should have left the country in the past two years.

A report by the immigration watchdog found the government had over promised in its plans for exit checks, with Home Office staff saying it was a "rushed project" that was "always going to be flawed".

Rolled out in 2015, Theresa May repeatedly lauded the scheme, claiming it would give a much clearer picture of movements to and from the UK.

But the report found that of the roughly 10 million individuals whose last period of leave to be in the UK expired in the preceding two years, the database contained no evidence of departure for 601,222  meaning around one in 20 were unaccounted for.

The figure includes 513,088 non-visa nationals - citizens from non-EU countries who require no visa to enter the UK but are typically granted entry for a period of six months, such as the US and Australia. The remaining 88,134 individuals are visa nationals from countries outside the EU who must obtain a visa prior to coming to Britain.

The Home Office said that no evidence of departure was not confirmation that an individual remains in the country, only that they have not been matched to a departure record.

Travel industry representatives said the planning and execution of exit checks had been shambolic, with unrealistic timelines and a long lead-in time just to agree what the government actually wanted, according to the report.

Of 50 persons of interest departing the UK via Eurostar over a 10-month period, border officials were able to intercept only four individuals as the travel data was not transmitted until after the train had left, it said.

David Bolt, chief inspector of borders and immigration, said: Overall, the sense was that the Home Office had overpromised when setting out its plans for exit checks, and then closed the exit check programme prematurely, declaring exit checks to be business as usual when a significant amount of work remained to be done to get full value from them.

He added: In the meantime, the Home Office needed to be more careful about presenting exit checks as the answer to managing the illegal migrant population, which for now remained wishful thinking.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Commons Home Affairs Committee, said the "very critical" report showed that "serious limitations and gaps in data means it isn't even doing the job it was supposed to".

She added that the committee had recommended that the policy should be expanded so it can play a more effective role in immigration enforcement.

UK news in pictures Show all 49 1 /49 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA

A Home Office spokesman said: Exit checks are helping us focus operational activity better on those people who do not comply with our immigration rules.

Information gathered has also been invaluable to the police and security services who have used it to help track known criminals and terrorists, supporting wider work taking place across government and law enforcement.

The department acknowledged that more work can be done to realise the full operational potential of data collected.
Police are urging the public not to be alarmed by mounting security ahead of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

British Transport Police will be patrolling incoming trains and railway stations, and everyone arriving in Windsor on 19 May will be screened and searched.

Any items that may pose a risk to the public will be removed, a spokesperson said.

The public should be reassured and not alarmed by this, as these are all part of our measures to keep people safe.

Armed officers, hostile vehicle mitigation barriers, sniffer dogs and mounted police are among the protections being deployed as the couple marry at St Georges Chapel, in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Thames Valley Police said the thousands of people expected to flock to the area to watch the wedding, carriage procession and reception at St Georges Hall may be stopped at random.

Officers will be using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) on vehicles, CCTV and many security measures that you cant see.

The measures are intended to guard against the threat of terror attacks using vehicles and other weapons on dense crowds of spectators, as well as protecting the royal family themselves.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures Show all 55 1 /55 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. The Invictus Games is an international sport event for wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women, both serving and veteran. It was created by the Duke of Sussex and aims to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding of all those who serve their country Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures November 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for a photograph in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace following the announcement of their engagement AFP/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures November 2017 Meghan Markle shows off her engagement ring AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures December 2017 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene in King's Lynn Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan during a visit to Reprezent 107.3FM in Pop Brixton. The Reprezent training programme was established in Peckham in 2008, in response to the alarming rise in knife crime, to help young people develop and socialise through radio Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers on arrival at Cardiff Castle for a day showcasing the rich culture and heritage of Wales AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2018 The couple watching a dance performance by Jukebox Collective during their to Cardiff Castle AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people in Edinburgh. The reception celebrated youth achievements, marking Scotlands Year of Young People 2018, an initiative that aims to inspire Scotland through its young people: celebrating their achievements, strengthening their voice on social issues and creating new opportunities for them to shine AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William at the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in London. Under the theme 'Making a Difference Together', the event showcased the programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2018 Prince William, Kate, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers after a visit to one of Belfast's most historic buildings, The Crown Liquor Saloon, a former Victorian gin palace, now run by the National Trust. It was the Royal couple's first joint visit to Northern Ireland AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures April 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet participants as they attend the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland arriving at Cliveden House Hotel the night before her wedding to Prince Harry Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Royal fans sing for the television in Windsor the day before the Royal wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle walks down the aisle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during her wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand facing each other hand-in-hand before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during their wedding ceremony AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry kisses the Duchess of Sussex, as they pass through the Cambridge Gate into the grounds of Windsor Castle at the end of their carriage procession AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2018 The newly married royals leave Windsor Castle after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures June 2018 Queen Elizabeth II sitts and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures June 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan return in a horse-drawn carriage after attending the Queen's Birthday Parade, 'Trooping the Colour' on Horseguards parade AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures July 2018 Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures July 2018 Meghan and Prince Harry kiss after the Sentebale Polo event that was held at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures August 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet the cast and crew of "Hamilton" backstage after the gala performance in support of Sentebale at Victoria Palace Theatre Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2018 Meghan meets 7-year-old Matilda Booth during the annual WellChild awards at Royal Lancaster Hotel in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet 98-year-old Daphne Dunne during a meet and greet at the Sydney Opera House during an official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala named Ruby and its koala joey named Meghan after the Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry looks on as his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is hugged by student Luke Vincent of Buninyong Public School following the couple's arrival at Dubbo Regional Airport in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Harry and his wife Meghan watch aboriginal dances at Victoria Park in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with lifeguards at South Melbourne Beach. BeachPatrol is a network of volunteers who are passionate about keeping Melbourne's beaches and foreshores clear of litter to reduce the negative impact of litter on the marine environment and food chain, and provide a safe environment for the public to enjoy their local beach Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan join a circle during a "Fluro Friday" session run by OneWave, a local surfing community group who raise awareness for mental health and wellbeing, at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 The British royals kicked off their shoes and donned tropical garlands on Bondi Beach AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts, mats and tapa cloths at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in Nuku'alofa, Tonga Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and his wife Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in Rotorua AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures November 2018 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at a service marking the centenary of WW1 armistice at Westminster Abbey Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures February 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visit the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital Rabat AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan speak on stage during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures March 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry react as they are presented with baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette, at Canada House, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 A congratulatory banner message circling the BT Tower reading "Congratulations Harry and Meghan It's a Baby Boy!" AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 Footmen Stephen Kelly and Sarah Thompson set up an official notice on an easel at the gates of Buckingham Palace on May 6, announcing the birth of a son to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 Pround parents pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sussex gave birth at 5:26 on 6 May Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures May 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan walk away after posing for photographs with their newborn son AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures June 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan join the New York Yankees in their clubhouse and receive gifts for Archie ahead of their match against the Boston Red Sox at the London Stadium. The historic two-game series marked the sport's first games ever played in Europe and The Invictus Games Foundation was selected as the official charity of Mitel and MLB London Series 2019 Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures July 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet cast and crew, including US singer-songwriter Beyonce and her husband, US rapper Jay-Z as they attend the European premiere of the film The Lion King in London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex dance as they arrive for a visit to the "Justice desk", an NGO in the township of Nyanga in Cape Town, as they begin their tour of the region. Their first official family visit in the coastal city AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan pose with members of "Waves For Change" NGO at Monwabisi Beach outside of Cape Town. "Waves For Change" NGO fuses surfing with child-friendly mind and body therapy to provide mental health services to vulnerable young people living in challenging communities AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The royals arrive to visit the oldest mosque of Cape Town in Dorp Street in Bo Kaap district AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The Duchess of Sussex visits Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day with the Duke of Sussex during their royal tour of South Africa. Auwal Mosque is the first and oldest mosque in South Africa and for the Muslim community, this mosque symbolises the freedom of former slaves to worship Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan hold their baby son Archie as they meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah at the Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures September 2019 The British royal couple were on a 10-day tour of southern Africa -- their first official visit as a family since their son Archie was born AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015 Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures October 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures December 2019 Prince Harry holding his son Archie. The photo was used on Instagram to wish their followers a happy new year SussexRoyal/PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2020 Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart Canada House in London after visiting to show thanks for the warm hospitality and support they received during their recent stay in Canada Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle  in pictures January 2020 Front page headlines, from UK daily papers, reporting on the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, plan to step back as "senior" members of the Royal Family AFP via Getty

The police presence in Windsor has already started to increase, with the arrival of unarmed and armed officers, search dogs, mounted police, the roads policing unit and helicopters.

Thames Valley Police said the operation was one of the largest in its history, with more than 100,000 visitors from around the world expected to pour into Windsor, but insisted its response to other incidents would not be affected.

Officers urged residents, local business and visitors to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity or items.

Other forces including the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police are supporting the operation and specialist units are moving in from across the country.

Assistant Chief Constable David Hardcastle, strategic commander for the wedding, said his force has a long history of policing royal events including the annual Windsor Garter Ceremony, state visits and the Queens birthday.

The wedding of Prince Harry and Ms Markle is no exception, he added.

We are working with our partners, local businesses and the community to deliver a safe, secure and happy event for everyone.
A woman who was struck by a pallet of bricks which fell from a building site in London has died, police have said.

Michaela Boor was hit by falling debris from a 100ft crane at a new housing development in Tower Hamlets on Tuesday morning, minutes after dropping her child off at school.

The 29-year-old, whose birthday was on Wednesday, was attended to by passers by, while others caught the aftermath of the accident on video. Footage showed Ms Boor unconscious on the pavement surrounded by rubble.

I heard a loud bang so I came rushing over to see what had happened, a witness, Alan Harris, told the East London Advertiser.

One woman was out cold underneath the bricks and another woman next to her was screaming hysterically for an ambulance and looking up into the heavens.

The London Ambulance Service later took Ms Boor, a jewellery designer, to an east London hospital.

But Scotland Yard said in a statement on Thursday: "The woman died in hospital at 10:40am on Thursday, 29 March. Her next of kin have been informed.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA

Colleagues of Ms Boors father, Matthew, set up a fundraising page in support of the family.

Maytrix Construction said on its Just Giving page: One of our employees Matthew Boor was called away from work yesterday, following the tragic accident at Mile End - his work colleagues have asked us to start this page to help him and his family at this difficult time."

A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said: Inspectors have attended the site and are making ongoing enquiries in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further at this time.

The Met Police said in a statement another man at the scene was treated for shock.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC, quoting reference CAD 2050/27MAR
Trade secretary Liam Fox has warned he will refuse to support any extension to the Brexit transition period, amid calls for more time for firms to adjust to EU withdrawal.

The cabinet minister said anything more than the current proposed 21-month period set out by negotiators would not be popular.

It comes as Theresa May started a tour of the country to talk to people and businesses in every nation of the UK to mark one year to go until Brexit.

Earlier this week, British firms urged ministers to push for an extension to the transition period, claiming they need three to five years to properly prepare for Brexit.

But quizzed on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Fox said: No I dont think thats likely to happen, I think the European Union have made it clear that thats where they see the end of the process being.

We understand that we need to get the British publics support and that an extension would not be popular.

Pushed on the issue, he said: Well I wouldnt like to see that, nor would I support an extension.

 Theresa May says two-year Brexit transition will be based on same relationship and rules

Writing exclusively for The Independent on Thursday, Mr Fox said leaving the single market and customs union is a golden opportunity for the UK to capitalise on global trade.

He said: Its not only businesses that need to adapt to these changes  governments must also be dynamic to ensure their countries do not get left behind.

The UK is already well-placed in this regard, and after Brexit we will look to position ourselves at the forefront of this new technological age when setting the terms of our own independent trade policy, outside the European Union.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Business West were to published a joint report this week saying firms are deeply worried about the costs of Brexit and the time left to adjust.

They said a reasonable period for transition would be between three and five years, allowing smaller firms, in particular, to roll with such challenges as new tariffs, non-tariff barriers, recruitment and training new staff.

Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit  insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit  sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop  with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same  under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters

Kicking off her tour, Ms May called on the four nations of the UK to come together and seize the opportunities for the future from Brexit.

She said: I believe there are real opportunities for the United Kingdom when we leave the European Union, we are starting now the negotiations on what our trade arrangements and arrangements overall in our economic partnership will be with the EU 27 once we leave.

The PM went on: I believe we can negotiate a good agreement which is tariff-free and as frictionless trade as possible, so we maintain those markets in the EU, but also that we open up markets around the rest of the world.
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Theresa May has sought to heal Brexit divisions with a whistlestop tour to mark the one year countdown to Britain's departure from the European Union.

Marking the first anniversary of triggering of Article 50, the prime minister visited all four UK nations, where she said the UK would "thrive as a strong and united country that works for everyone, no matter whether you voted Leave or Remain".

Meanwhile, Tony Blair called on Labour MPs to defy Jeremy Corbyn if he takes the wrong approach to Brexit, while further party splits emerged when shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said Labour could vote down the government's deal - after fellow frontbencher Emily Thornberry suggested they might support it.

Labour was also plunged into a fresh antisemitism row, after its disciplinary chief Christine Shawcroft resigned for questioning the suspension of a council candidate accused of suggesting the Holocaust was a "hoax".

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The chair of Labours disciplinary panel has resigned after only two months amid allegations of antisemitism.

Christine Shawcroft, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, said she was deeply sorry after it emerged she had questioned the suspension of a Labour council candidate accused of posting a Facebook article describing the Holocaust as a hoax.

The Momentum director took over as head of the Disputes Panel on Labours ruling body in January, after ousting long-standing chair Ann Black. The move that gave Mr Corbyn and his allies greater control over the party machinery.

A leaked email, obtained by The Times, appeared to show her questioning the candidates suspension as claims of antisemitism were taken out of context. A Labour source confirmed the email to The Independent.

In a statement, Ms Shawcroft said: I sent this email before being aware of the full information about this case and I had not been shown the image of his abhorrent Facebook post.

Had I seen this image, I would not have requested that the decision to suspend him be reconsidered. I am deeply sorry for having done so.

She added: This week we have seen a clear expression of the pain and hurt that has been caused to Jewish members of our party and the wider Jewish community by antisemitic abuse and language, and by the reality of antisemitism being denied and downplayed by others.

In light of this, I have decided to stand down as Chair of the Disputes Panel to ensure my wrong and misguided questions on this case do not cause doubt or anxiety about our processes.

We must eliminate antisemitism from our party and wider society. To do this we must make sure our processes are as robust as possible and have the faith and confidence of our members.

The news will heap pressure on Mr Corbyn in a week when hundreds of people marched on Parliament urging him to root out antisemitic abuse in Labour ranks.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. 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PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. 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PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA

The Labour leader also had to apologise personally for defending an antisemitic mural with a caricature of Jewish bankers playing a game on the backs of oppressed people.

News of Ms Shawcrofts resignation prompted furious calls for her to resign from the Labour Party.

Labour MP John Mann, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on antisemitism, said it was an attempted cover-up. He added: Momentum should expel Shawcroft tonight and demand her expulsion from the NEC and party.

Jennifer Gerber, from Labour Friends of Israel, also called for her to be expelled: Those who defend Holocaust deniers should have no place in the Labour Party.
More than 2,000 supporters of Jeremy Corbyn have backed an open letter suggesting a Jewish-organised protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party was the work of a very powerful special interest group.

The open letter, posted to Mr Corbyn, claimed the organisers of Mondays demonstration had used their immense strength to employ the full might of the BBC in order to launch an onslaught against the Labour leader.

The event was organised by Jewish community groups the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council.

The letter claims the organisers had sought to use their history and influence to dictate who the rest of us can vote for or how we vote.

It comes as Mr Corbyn battles to respond to allegations he has failed to adequately address antisemitism among his supporters.

The letter was posted on the We Support Jeremy Corbyn Facebook group and was liked by more than 2,000 of the groups followers. Almost 1,000 commented asking for their names to be added to the text.

Coming the day after Mondays protest, it states: Yesterday we witnessed the full onslaught of a very powerful special interest group mobilising its apparent, immense strength against you.

The letter claimed the protest organisers had used their influence and history to dictate how people vote

It is clear this group can employ the full might of the BBC to make sure its voice is heard very loudly and clearly. It is a shame not every special interest group can get the same coverage.

It adds: But, and it is a very big BUT, we live in a democracy, a one member one vote democracy and no special interest group, regardless of their history or influence, can be allowed to dictate who the rest of us can vote for or how we vote.

We witnessed the full onslaught of a very powerful special interest group mobilising its apparent, immense strength against you Open letter in support of Jeremy Corbyn

It was posted by a user named Frances Naggs, who said they were a Labour Party member in the Staffordshire Moorlands constituency. The Independent has approached the leader's office for a comment.

The news came as an ally of Mr Corbyn was forced to resign as chair of a key Labour disciplinary panel after a leaked email revealed she had argued that a council candidate who claimed the Holocaust was a hoax should not be suspended from the party.

Labour sources said Mr Corbyn had asked Christine Shawcroft to step down as chair of the Disputes Panel, which investigates allegations of antisemitism and other offences, after her email was leaked to The Times.

 Tom Watson defends Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitic mural

Earlier on Thursday the leaders of the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council refused Mr Corbyns request for an urgent meeting unless he agrees to meet a number of conditions, including appointing an independent ombudsman and publicly condemning abuse of Labour MPs who attended Mondays protest.

In an attempt to quell rising anger about antisemitism in Labour, Mr Corbyn wrote to the two groups on Monday admitting that anti-Semitic attitudes have surfaced more often in our ranks in recent years and accepting that the party has been too slow in processing some of the cases that have emerged.

Requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the issue, he said: I recognise that anti-Semitism has surfaced within the Labour Party, and has too often been dismissed as simply a matter of a few bad apples.

This has caused pain and hurt to Jewish members of our party and to the wider Jewish community in Britain.

I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused, and pledge to redouble my efforts to bring this anxiety to an end.

However, in a reply sent on Wednesday, Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush and Jewish Leadership Council chair Jonathan Goldstein wrote: For whatever reasons, you have not, until now, seemed to grasp how strongly British Jews feel about the situation. Your letter was a welcome change in this regard, but only if it kick starts strong actions and leadership against the problem.
Labours Keir Starmer has said his party is definitely prepared to vote down Theresa Mays Brexit deal, after a fellow frontbencher suggested the party might back it even if it lacks detail.

The shadow Brexit secretary said Labour would not step back from the challenge of opposing the agreement, following Emily Thornberrys comments at a think tank event.

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair also said Labour MPs should vote against their party today, if it looks like it is going to back Brexit without knowing exactly what future relations look like.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, Mr Starmer said: Labour will not support a deal that fails to meet the six tests I set out last year. But, we will also not allow the UK to crash out without a deal.

The next twelve months will be pivotal for the whole Brexit process. This is not the time to step back from the challenge. Its the time to stand up and fight for our countrys future.

Shadow foreign secretary Thornberry raised eyebrows on Wednesday when she said the prime minister would return with an undetailed Brexit agreement, but that it would still likely pass Labours six tests set out by Mr Starmer last year.

Speaking at the Chatham House foreign policy think-tank, she said the agreement will likely be a blah, blah, blah, divorce.

Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit  insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit  sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop  with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same  under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters

She went on: Its not going to make any decisions. Its going to continue to kick things down the road. We dont seem to have come to any difficult decisions at the moment.

The difficultly is going to be with the meaningful vote in October, which we have secured, is that, what is it we are going to be agreeing on?

Ms Thornberry added: We have our six tests. If you hold up blah, blah, blah, to six tests, youll probably pass it.

 Exclusive: Tony Blair calls on Labour MPs to defy Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit

In an interview with The Independent, Mr Blair also raised concerns Labour could back the Governments Brexit deal, even if it failed to really set out what the UKs relations with Europe will look like.

Urging Labour MPs to vote against their party whip if Labour backs the Governments deal, he said: I think all MPs have got a responsibility to do what they think is right and thats why what I was urging MPs to do, whether Conservative or Labour, is vote according to what you genuinely believe.

This is the most important decision since the Second World War and its going to decide the destiny of the country for future generations  do what you think is right, this is one moment surely to do that.
A major Brexit-supporting campaign group has provoked outrage after suggesting antisemitism in the Labour Party is a result of Britains exploding Muslim population.

The Leave.EU group, which is closely connected to Ukip, posted the tweet in response to criticism that Jeremy Corbyns party has failed to address anti-Jewish abuse its ranks.

Leave.EU claimed this was because Labour is reliant on the support of Muslims voters.

It posted on Twitter: Is it any wonder that Labour can't be bothered to deal with the disgusting antisemitism in their party when they are so reliant on the votes of Britain's exploding Muslim population? It's a question of maths for these people, not justice!

The message was accompanied by an image showing a see-saw with a block reading 3 million Muslim votes on one side and one saying 300,000 Jewish votes on the other, along with the caption: Turkeys dont vote for Christmas.

Despite a furious backlash, the tweet was defended by senior Leave.EU figures, including its founder, Ukip donor Arron Banks, and its communications director, Andy Wigmore.

Appearing to blame Muslims for antisemitism, Mr Banks said: You dont need a degree in rocket science to work out why the anti-Jewish feeling is so strong in Labour.

Mr Wigmore retweeted several messages defending the post, including one that said it was inferring why Labour is not strong enough on antisemitism. It was highlighting how their voter base influences their decisions on certain subjects.

Raheem Kassam, a former Ukip leadership candidate and adviser to Nigel Farage, also defended it, suggesting the message was flushing a lot of pseudo conservatives out and claimed critics were chuntering their disgust while failing to acknowledge core demographic facts.

Last year, Mr Banks, Mr Wigmore and Mr Kassam all accompanied Mr Farage to the US to meet with Donald Trump shortly after he became US president.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA

The tweet was immediately condemned by Jewish community group the Board of Deputies, which called the post completely unacceptable and called on Leave.EU to delete it and apologise.

The organisation wrote on Twitter: Some of the best allies we have in the struggle against antisemitism are Muslims, Sadiq Khan, TellMama and more. This is not the way to challenge antisemitism.

Labour MP David Lammy said he had reported the post to the Metropolitan Police.

He said: This tweet is a crime under the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006: Use of threatening words or behaviour, or any written material which is threatening or intends thereby to stir up religious hatred.

Calling the message absolutely disgusting, he called on all people that voted Leave on June 23rd 2016 to condemn this immediately and unequivocally, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage.

His colleague, Jess Phillips, said the tweet was horrendously racist on so many levels, namely suggesting that Muslims are not horrified by anti-Semitism.

In response, Mr Banks wrote: Im not suggesting all Muslims are anti-Jewish, just the Labour Party who now rely on their votes.

 Protesters gather outside Parliament in opposition to antisemitism in the Labour Party

As the backlash continued, Conservative MP Anna Soubry, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims, said: This tweet is thoroughly distasteful and offensive. It is nothing to do with leaving the EU.

It is, however, proof that Leave.EU is a front organisation for a far-right group that is more interested in spreading hatred and creating division than upholding British values of respect and tolerance.

Labours Wes Streeting, the co-chair of the group, said: Muslim and Jewish communities will be disgusted by this cynical and nasty attempt to stir up hatred and division.

Muslims and Jews know what it is to experience prejudice based on their race and religion and will stand together against this type of ugly rhetoric.

Leave.EU should withdraw this tweet and apologise immediately.
A Conservative cabinet minister is facing calls to apologise after describing Jeremy Corbyn-supporting campaign group Momentum as "neo-fascist".

Sajid Javid, the housing secretary, made the remark in the House of Commons chamber, where parliamentary privilege protects him against a lawsuit.

Momentum has threatened the cabinet minister with legal action if he repeats the comment outside Parliament.

Responding to a question about abuse of councillors, Mr Javid said: I am very concerned about the intimidation of councillors, which is, of course, wrong at every level. Decent Opposition members will recognise the intimidation that there has been, especially in London, of Labour leaders.

Just yesterday, there were reports of a meeting of the hard left neo-fascist Momentum group, which was trying to remove Wandsworth councillors.

Laura Parker, the organisations national coordinator, told The Independent the comments were "offensive and absurd".

She said: Fascism has been responsible for the oppression, imprisonment and murder of millions of people, and throwing around the term so carelessly is deeply disrespectful to those who have made great sacrifices fighting fascism both here and abroad.

If Sajid Javid stands by his remarks, he should repeat them outside parliament and without parliamentary privilege. Otherwise, he should apologise to our 38,000 members."

A Momentum source told The Independent the group would be instructing lawyers if Mr Javid repeats the claim outside Parliament.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty

MPs also demanded that Mr Javid withdraw the statement and apologise.

Labour backbencher John Mann, a vocal critic of Mr Corbyn, said: "Understating is a big problem. So is making things up. Javed [sic] should quickly retract and apologise.

He added: "In most areas Momentum are a bunch of veteran, well-meaning people obsessed with minutes, matters arising, bureaucracy and incapable of talking to ordinary voters."

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett called Mr Javid's remarks "shocking and disgraceful", while Labour MP Chris Williamson said they were "a menace and a disgrace". Both called on the Housing Secretary to apologise.

Another Labour MP, Alex Sobel, said: "I heard this in the Chamber and I was appalled. Using parliamentary privilege to call Labour Party members, including in my own constituency party, many of whom have opposed real fascists, is a stain on the Tories and Sajid should apologise."

Former shadow cabinet minister Clive Lewis called Mr Javid ` "muppet" and challenged him to repeat his claim outside the House of Commons chamber.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas also joined calls for Mr Javid to apologise, saying his comments were "absurd and disgraceful".

The Independent has contacted Mr Javid for comment but none had arrived at the time of publication.
Egypts three day presidential elections concluded on Wednesday night with preliminary results showing a widely predicted landslide for the current president amidst a poor turnout. Polls were kept open an extra hour after the National Electoral Committee (NEC) released a message urging any last minute voters to cast their ballots.

State-owned newspaper Akhbar El-Youm reported on Thursday that Sisi is expected to have gained around 21.5 million votes, out of 60 million potential votes. His only rival, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, is thought to have gained just 721,000 votes, with most preliminary estimates suggesting a much higher number of spoiled ballots. That represents a turnout of a little over a third  well below the 47.5 per cent figure given for the 2014 election.

Although the official result isnt scheduled to be released until Monday, the fact Sisi would retain his position by orders of magnitude has been all but certain for months.

Recommended Sisi promises a stable Egypt despite recent hstory being anything but

Moussa was one of a handful of candidates who had announced an intention to run against the president. Aside from him, all were pressured to drop out before the election, with two potential candidates now in jail. Earlier this month, the United Nations Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein formally denounced the elections citing a pervasive climate of intimidation.

Moussa himself was a largely unknown politician before his last minute decision to run in January. A self-confessed Sisi supporter himself, he told The Guardian this month that he decided only to enter the campaign when we found everyone was thrown out, a reference to Sisis conspicuously absent political opponents.

Despite the democratic rhetoric in the run-up to polling, Nobody watching this thinks it's serious, said Timothy Kaldas, a non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP). He told The Independent: Theres no effort to make this look real.

Moussa barely ran any sort of campaign for the elections, with many Egyptians going in to vote having never seen his face. In contrast, pro-Sisi election banners were everywhere to be seen in Egypt, many of which were paid for out-of-pocket by local business owners encouraged to print their own portrait next to that of the presidents by way of endorsement. Although ostensibly voluntary, The Independent has been told that at least one local coffee shop owner was threatened by police into printing up a banner.

With widespread calls to boycott the election, with the hashtag dont go out trending for much of this week on Twitter, NEC officials pulled out all the stops to ensure a healthy turnout. For the past three days, cars have patrolled Cairo blaring the national anthem and patriotic pop songs, in an apparent bid to appeal to voters sense of civic duty. There have also been threats made by the authorities that those who fail to vote may be eligible to pay a LE 500 fine (around 20).

Bribery has also been reported, particularly in working class areas where voters have allegedly being offered food rations or cash ranging between LE 30 (1.20) and LE 100 (4) to cast their vote. Amro Ali, a sociologist based in Alexandria, said that in the current economic climate, even seemingly small sums like these can be an effective incentive to increase turnout given the destitution and how desperate people are.

While bribes for voting were a common feature under former president Hosni Mubarak, This time it just seems so blatant, Ali told The Independent. Theyre not even discreet about it. Videos being shared on social media show trucks driving through poor areas with loudspeakers though which they promise to pay anyone who turns up to vote.

Much of the shortfall in voters appears to be due to low youth turnout, particularly among those who took part in the 2011 protests and express reluctance to take part now. Its a circus, and we all know the outcome, said 26-year-old Ahmed Khaled, explaining why he chose not to vote. Its a waste of time and this show is just pathetic.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

However, despite a disappointing turnout for the incumbent president, Sisis landslide victory in an election with no credible opposition has led some analysts to suspect the president has ambitions beyond the election. Egyptian presidents are currently limited to just two terms in office, and before announcing his intention to stand a second time, he made clear that he would abide by the constitution and not go for a third.

But the ease with which Sisis administration managed an election with only one possible outcome has fuelled speculation that this term may not be his last. Kaldas of TIMEP, is one of those who thinks this election has shown the presidents desire to stay on in office. Its almost certainly the case that he intends to amend the constitution, he said. I think hes visibly annoyed that he has to bother running for president.
A body found in a shallow grave in northern California has been identified as belonging to an aspiring model and actor who had been missing from Los Angeles for more than a month.

Adea Shabani, 25, was found in a remote area of wilderness more than 400 miles (645km) away from the Hollywood flat where she lived.

Nevada County sheriff's officials said the young woman was identified by her tattoos.

Ms Shabani suffered blunt force trauma to her head but an exact cause of death was still under investigation, according to a sheriff's statement.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Captain Billy Hayes said the model's boyfriend is suspected to have killed her.

Chris Spotz, 33, who was engaged to another woman, killed himself after a police chase last week.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Ms Shabani was last seen leaving her flat with Mr Spotz on 23 February.

Mr Spotz subsequently told detectives the couple had left Los Angeles that day for his father's house in northern California.

He said they then had an argument in the Santa Clarita area just outside LA, during which he let her out on the side of a motorway and never saw her again.

Mr Hayes said detectives found nothing that substantiated the account, which was given via a lawyer.

A poster with a photo and information about Adea Shabani who vanished in Los Angeles in February. (AP)

During the investigation into Ms Shabani's disappearance, Capt Hayes said Mr Spotz and his unnamed fiancee had driven from LA to her parents' home in Colorado.

However when detectives attempted to track him down there, Mr Spotz was gone.

Detectives issued a warrant for Mr Spotz's truck and on Thursday he was spotted, leading police on a chase east of LA.

Mr Spotz fatally shot himself in the head after the chase.

Mr Hayes said detectives suspect Ms Shabani, who was found in a shallow grave by a creek in the Spenceville Wildlife Area, had been dead for more than a month.

Ms Shabani was born in Macedonia and went to secondary school there before moving to LA to embark on an acting career.

She was credited with a small role in an independent film which was released last year.

Additional reporting from Associated Press
Florida school shooting survivors have condemned far right publications in the US for comparing one of the victims of the gun massacre to Adolf Hitler.

David Hogg, one of the most outspoken survivors of the Valentines Day bloodshed which left 17 dead, has been likened to the dictator who orchestrated Nazi Germanys mass murder of six million Jews.

Addressing a crowd of thousands at the Washington DC March For Our Lives rally, the teenager welcomed demonstrators to the revolution for stricter gun laws and called for politicians who are supported by the National Rifle Association to get their resumes ready.

Far right sites, such as Breitbart and InfoWars, claimed Mr Hoggs decision to finish his speech by triumphantly raising his hand in the air was reminiscent of Hitlers Nazi salute.

Alex Jones, who is the founder of InfoWars and has been dubbed Americas leading conspiracy theorist, attacked the rally as a Hitler Youth invasion and branded Mr Hogg the chief propagandist in the left-wing fascist Hitler Youth army.

Mr Jones, a prominent voice of the so-called alt-right movement in the US, played a video that dubbed Mr Hogg's speech with one by the Nazi dictator. Mr Jones also included black and white footage from Nazi gatherings in the attempt to imitate the anti-gun violence demonstration on Saturday.

Kyle Kashuv, another student survivor from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has condemned the comparison.

"I think it is reprehensible that people are comparing a 17-year-old to Hitler. As a Jew, I find it egregiously misinformed," he told The Hill.

Jaclyn Corin, another student survivor, did not refer explicitly to the Hitler comparisons but responded by expressing her support for Mr Hogg on Twitter.

"David Hogg is also a hardworking, intelligent human being, school shooting survivor, and my friend. Hes a GOOD person with feelings, just like all of us," she said.

Mr Jones was previously reprimanded by YouTube for posting other conspiracy theories about Mr Hogg.

The channel posted a video about Mr Hogg which took screenshots of an interview the young man did with KCBS in order to falsely claim he and other students were "crisis actors".

The video  titled David Hogg cant remember his lines in TV interview"  was removed by YouTube for breaching its policies on bullying and harassment.

Florida shooting  in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Florida shooting  in pictures Florida shooting  in pictures Police arrest a suspect in connection with the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida Reuters Florida shooting  in pictures Parents wait for news after reports of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida AP Florida shooting  in pictures Anxious family members wait for news of students AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Florida shooting  in pictures Students being evacuated from the school AP Florida shooting  in pictures Students being evacuated from the school Getty Florida shooting  in pictures People gather waiting for word from students AP Florida shooting  in pictures Parents waiting for news on their children AP Florida shooting  in pictures People gather at a hotel where students were taken after the shooting Getty Florida shooting  in pictures Florida Governor Rick Scott speaks to the media as he visits Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following the shooting AFP/Getty Florida shooting  in pictures Dr. Igor Nichiporenko, Medical Director Trauma, left, and Dr. Evan Boyer, Medical Director, Emergency Services, speak about treating victims and the suspect at a press conference outside Broward Health North hospital AP

Mr Hogg gained headlines after it emerged he had interviewed class mates while the massacre was taking place and gave an interview where he looked into the camera and urged politicians to deliver change.

Minnesota Republican Representative Mary Franson compared Mr Hogg to the Hitler Youth in a series of now-deleted Facebook posts on Saturday  the same day as the March for Our Lives protest.

Saturdays march in Washington was attended by at least 200 students from Parkland, their families, and survivors of other instances of gun violence.
Eric Trump was mocked by social media users for boasting about being one of the answers to popular American game show, Jeopardy!.

The 34-year-old businessman tweeted a picture of a television, carrying a "who is" question from the long running program.

"Eric Trump to Jared Kushner", it stated.

Alongside the image, Mr Trump wrote: "Always fun being a Jeopardy question," before going on to answer it in the form of a question.

"Who is brother in law?"

Twitter users quickly lampooned Mr Trump, replying with their own Jeopardy! style questions.

Some drew attention to the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the Trump campaign.

Mr Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, has been questioned as part of a Senate investigation into alleged links between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

It emerged that he not only spoke to Moscow's ambassador in December 2016, but met the head of a US-sanctioned, Russian state-owned bank.

Although he was one of Donald Trump's most senior advisers, he had his White House security clearance downgraded last month.

He had been receiving top-level security briefings, but background checks into Mr Kushner had still not been completed, so he had interim clearance only.

He and other White House aides who have yet to receive permanent clearance will not get top-level briefings.

"What is babysitter while sister visits him in jail? another added.
A police officer gunned down an unarmed man who was wandering down a road with his trousers down.

A dashboard camera captured Danny Ray Thomas walking towards Sheriffs deputy Cameron Brewer with his hands by his sides in Houston, Texas.

The officer can be heard repeatedly shouting get on the ground before a gunshot rings out. Both men are black.

Thomas family urged local politicians at a Houston City Council meeting to act over police brutality.

His sister Kita Thomas-Smith told the Houston Chronicle: It feels like premeditated murder. He was clearly walking, not running, towards the deputy, not trying to hurt or harm him.

She said her brother had been suffering from depression after the deaths of his two children in 2016 but had not been diagnosed with a mental illness, his family said.

Harris County deputy Brewer, who had a Taser with him but did not fire it, has been placed on leave as homicide detectives and prosecutors investigate the shooting.

In a statement, Houston police said that Thomas had been walking in the middle of the intersection of a road with his trousers around his ankles, talking to himself and hitting vehicles as they passed by.

The footage shows a driver confronting and pushing Thomas.

The deputy exited his vehicle to stop the altercation, at which time the suspect started walking toward him, the force said. The deputy gave Thomas verbal commands to stop, which he ignored and continued to advance toward the deputy. Fearing for his safety, the deputy discharged his duty weapon, striking Thomas once in the chest.

Thomas was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Harris County Sheriffs Office said Thomas appeared to have had some object in his hand, but no weapon was recovered and footage shows he was not carrying anything.

A tearful Ms Thomas-Smith told councillors: Im speaking on behalf of police brutality. My brother was not armed, not trying to harm and possibly, he just wanted someone to help him.

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

Thomas wife has been charged with murder trial after allegedly drowning their two children, aged five and seven, in the bath.

Mayor Sylvester Turner told Ms Thomas-Smith: I certainly feel your pain. We are certainly sorry for any life that is taken.

He stressed the need for police training, while Harris County sheriff Ed Gonzalez said his department would review its use-of-force policy.

Thomas killing was condemned by the Texas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Its difficult to imagine how this shooting could possibly be justified, said Sharon Watkins-Jones, its director of political strategies. We must demand that our law enforcement agencies, who are sworn to protect our communities, be held accountable whenever deadly force is used unlawfully.

But whatever the excuse, another unarmed black man has been killed by law enforcement, in the street and in broad daylight, and the only reason we know about it is because of bystander footage.
Americas largest mass pirate burial ground has been discovered and it contains the remains of the crew of Captain Black Sam Bellamy, the revolutionary Robin Hood of the sea, researchers believe.

The site on the shores of Cape Cod may contain the bodies of as many as 102 men whose corpses were washed ashore after their ship, the Whydah, sank while still carrying much of the treasure that had made Bellamy the highest-earning pirate of all time.

We believe that we have found the largest mass burial ground in the US, said expedition leader Casey Sherman. Over 100 pirates washed ashore on Cape Cod, and our team believe we have located [where they were buried].

Mr Sherman said that for now the burial grounds precise location would have to remain secret, but he hoped it would eventually become a public memorial site.

Its very hallowed ground, he told The Telegraph. Almost every day we are learning more about what happened 300 years ago.

It is said that when the Whydah was wrecked in a storm on 26 April 1717, Bellamy, 28, had been heading for Boston, perhaps to start a revolution, perhaps to be reunited with the love of his life, Mary Hallett.

He had been forced to abandon her in 1714.

Halletts wealthy, landed father had refused to allow her to marry Bellamy, a lowly Royal Navy sailor who had been left without a job and without a ship after the War of the Spanish Succession had finished.

Bellamy left Boston to make his fortune. But before he did, according to some accounts, he promised Hallett he would return to her as a wealthy man  although its possible he might also have had an English wife and child waiting for him in Devon.

The Pirate Empire blog said Bellamy found a handful of men who would follow him and began his buccaneering career with little more than a pair of deep water sailing canoes.

Bellamys daring and charisma soon allowed him to rise to become a very different sort of pirate.

The captain of the sloop Bonita, captured in November 1716, testified that Bellamys pirates referred to themselves as Robin Hoods Men, as if they were a band of maritime outlaws with contempt for the wealthy scoundrels in government.

They rob the poor under the cover of law, said Bellamy, While we plunder the rich under the cover of our own courage.

He got his Black Bellamy nickname by refusing to wear the powdered wigs beloved of 18th-century authority figures, instead tying his long black hair in a ponytail with a satin bow, to go with a deep-cuffed velvet coat, silver-buckled shoes and four flintlock pistols.

When one captured sailor refused to join his band of pirates, he cursed him: Damn ye, ye are a sneaking puppy, and so are all who admit to be governed by laws [that] rich men have made for their own security, for the cowardly whelps have not the courage otherwise to defend what they get by their knavery.

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

For all the ferocity of his rhetoric, however, some say Bellamy never killed a man who surrendered.

And in February 1717, when he captured the Whydah and made it his flagship, he is said to have invited the captured sailors to join his crew with the words: Ye miserable victims of the earth, who serve kings, princes and lords for a miserly pittance scarce big enough to keep body and soul together

They make their laws to rob thee  They banquet in the fine halls of their castles and mansions and leave ye to feed on the few crumbs and the gristle they cannot eat.

To ye I say I am no slave and as a free man I have the right to make war on them as they do me. To all of ye I say, make one with me against these vultures who look on us as swine and cattle.

Not even Blackbeard could match Sam Bellamy for the wealth he plundered (Getty)

With tactics that also included letting his pirate crew vote on major decisions, and preferring to intimidate rather than fight ships into submission, Bellamy became far richer than his more brutal counterparts like Blackbeard.

Forbes magazine calculated that he was historys highest-earning pirate, with a career haul that would have been worth $120m (85m) today, way ahead of Blackbeard, in 10th place with $12.5m, and $5m more than Elizabeth Is privateer Sir Francis Drake, who came second.

The bulk of Bellamys fortune, however, was said to have been on board the Whydah when it sank in a storm off Cape Cod.

It is thought that just over 140 men and one boy were on board when the wind pushed the 300 ton ship onto a sandbank. Only two men survived: the carpenter, Thomas Davis, and John Julian, the pirate crews Miskito Indian navigator.

The current investigation team think that more than 100 bodies were found washed ashore and buried by villagers then living in Freshbook, a settlement that was later abandoned.

The corpses of about 40 other pirates, including Bellamy, were lost underwater  along with the treasure.

It wasnt until 1984 that the treasure wreck hunter Barry Clifford was able to relocate the Whydah, buried beneath 18 feet of sand in just 25 feet of water and only 1,500 feet from the shore.

The gold, silver, 17th- and 18th-century coins, and artefacts so far recovered from the wreck are reported to have been valued at more than $400m.

The team of investigators now believe they have found Bellamys remains, lying next to one of his pistols (AP) (The Cape Cod Times via AP)

Mr Sherman, a bestselling author, bought the film rights to the story in December 2016 and is now working with Mr Clifford.

And last month the investigators finally discovered what they think are the remains of Bellamy himself.

A leg bone was found among underwater sand and debris, next to a pistol said by the researchers to have unique features and symbols that prove it was one of Bellamys flintlocks.

Mr Sherman has now revealed: Were finding more human remains, including a femur, and we believe these belong to Bellamy too.

He and his team hope that DNA testing will produce a match between the remains and a man who may be a descendant of the child Bellamy was alleged to have left behind in Devon.

Then, Mr Sherman said, Black Sam Bellamys bones will finally be returned home to England.
One person has been killed and three have been injured in a shooting at an apartment complex in Texas, according to police.

The three living victims appeared to have non-life-threatening injuries, Plano police spokesman David Tilley said, according to Dallas News. At least one of the victims was purposefully targeted.

Police spokeswoman Heather Bowden told The Independent the incident was related to domestic violence. The suspect reportedly fled the scene before police arrived.

Recommended Donations to NRA tripled in month of Parkland shooting

A man at the complex, who identified himself as the father of one of the victims, told CBS 11 News that his daughter and her co-worker were shot. He added that they were employees of the apartment complex.

Police have yet to release a description of the suspect or the victims.

The incident reportedly occurred just before 9:30 am CT(3:30 pm BT) at the Cross Creek Apartments. Police said the victims were shot inside and outside of the apartment complex, according to NBC.

Footage from the scene showed a black pickup truck crashed into the side of a beige vehicle.

Mr Tilley said he believes the shooting was an isolated incident.
A US court has rejected Saudi Arabias request to throw out lawsuits claiming the Middle Eastern nation helped plan the 9/11 terror attacks.

District judge George Daniels said there was a reasonable basis to allow legal action seeking billions of dollars in damages for victims.

The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people when hijacked aeroplanes crashed into New Yorks World Trade Centre, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field.

Lawyers representing the families of those killed and about 25,000 people who were injured, as well as businesses and insurers affected, filed 25 lawsuits against the Saudis in New York last year.

Saudi Arabia argued the plaintiffs in the legal action could not show the kingdom or any affiliated charities were behind the attacks. It also claimed it deserved sovereign immunity and asked for the lawsuits to be dismissed.

But Mr Daniels said the allegations narrowly articulate a reasonable basis for him to assert jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

This is really a historic day for the families, said Sean Carter, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs. The families have been trying for many years to have an opportunity for the Saudi government to answer on the merits.

Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision.

At a Saudi stock market event in New York, asked whether the court decision would have a negative impact on Saudi investment in the United States, Capital Market Authority chairman Mohammed Abdullah El-Kuwaiz declined to comment, saying he had not seen the news.

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 Daniels dismissed claims that two Saudi banks and a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family had provided funds and financial services for the attacks, saying he lacked jurisdiction.

He also rejected claims against the state-affiliated charity Saudi High Commission for Relief of Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying the plaintiffs guilt-by-association allegations did not overcome its presumption of immunity.

Saudi Arabia had long enjoyed broad immunity from 9/11 lawsuits in the US.

That changed in September 2016, when the US Congress overrode a veto by president Barack Obama and adopted the JASTA, which permits such claims to proceed.

Mr Obama had warned that the law could expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries.

Mr Daniels said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Saudi Arabia was liable for the alleged activities of Fahad al Thumairy, an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and Omar al Bayoumi, said to be an intelligence officer.

They were accused of helping two hijackers settle in the US and begin preparing for the attacks.

Saudi Arabia had argued that the plaintiffs could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks.

James Kreindler, a lawyer for families bringing wrongful death claims, said he was delighted the case can proceed.

We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks, he said.

He previously said their case would present tons of allegations of what many Saudis and the countrys alter ego charities did, adding: Saudi Arabia cannot hide from the facts.

Fifteen of the 19 terrorists in the 9/11 attacks were Saudis. The US investigated some Saudi diplomats and others with government ties who knew hijackers after they arrived in the US, according to documents declassified in 2016.

The 9/11 Commission report found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the attacks al-Qaida masterminded, but the commission also noted the likelihood that Saudi government-sponsored charities did.

At a hearing in January, lawyer Michael Kellogg, arguing for Saudi Arabia, cited the Commissions report repeatedly, as well as probes by the FBI and CIA.

All rejected Saudi Arabia was responsible, he said.

Last year survivors of the 9/11 attacks wrote to British prime minister Theresa May urging her to make public a British government report into the extent of Saudi Arabias funding of Islamist extremism in the UK.

The report was commissioned by her predecessor, David Cameron, as part of a deal to obtain political support for a parliamentary vote on UK airstrikes on Syria, but the Home Office said it was not published because of the volume of personal information it contains and for national security reasons.
Republicans are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into a special election in Arizona, hoping to avoid another Democratic upset.

While the party has expressed confidence it can successfully defend its congressional seat in the historically Republican area, national Republican groups have recently committed more than a half-million dollars into the race, The Hill reported.

Donald Trump won the seat outside of Phoenix by 21 points during the last presidential election. But a recent Republican loss in another district that Mr Trump dominated in 2016 appears to have the party worried.

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Normally, Republicans wouldnt have to spend very much to defend Arizonas 8th congressional district seat. Republicans make up about 41 per cent of registered voters in the district  a 17-point advantage over Democrats.

It is also home to the expansive Sun City retirement community, providing Republicans with a loyal group of conservative voters.

Former state Republican senator Debbie Lesko is running against Democrat Hiral Tipirneni, a physician and first-time candidate. They are competing to fill the seat left vacant by former Republican Representative Trent Franks, who resigned from Congress last December after allegedly discussing paying a staffer to carry his child.

Mr Franks acknowledged discussing surrogacy with his staffers and apologised for making them feel uncomfortable. But he denied allegations that he made advances toward female staffers, saying he absolutely never physically intimidated, coerced, or had, or attempted to have, any sexual contact with any member of my congressional staff.

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

A scandal had also triggered an election in Pennsylvanias 18th congressional district.

In that race earlier this month, Democrat Conor Lamb beat his Republican opponent Rick Saccone by a fraction of a percentage point to claim a seat in the US House of Representatives.

Mr Saccones loss in a district that Mr Trump won in 2016 by double-digits has been seen as an ominous sign for the Republican Party ahead of Novembers midterm elections.

National Republicans are suffering from political PTSD over the Pennsylvania loss, Brett Mecum, an Arizona GOP strategist, told The Hill. I think they are overcompensating of getting involved in [the 8th District] to ensure victory.

A poll conducted for Ms Tipirnenis campaign in Arizona shows the Democrat trailing by 14 points, the newspaper said.
The Trump administration is reversing a policy that exempts pregnant immigrants from immigration detention.

The change in protocol follows after the Department of Homeland Security issued a directive in 2016 saying that pregnant women should not be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), unless extraordinary circumstances exist.

Pregnant women will now be treated like any other immigrant suspected of being in the United States illegally, according to the new directive, which was first reported by The Hill.

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An internal email describing the shift said that the change is meant to better align with an immigration executive order signed by President Donald Trump last year. That executive order, signed in January of 2017 soon after Mr Trump took the oath of office, broadened the description of people who could be deemed a priority for removal from the United States through deportation.

Human rights organisations have knocked the new ICE policy, saying that it shows a pattern of cruelty towards undocumented immigrants and women from Mr Trumps administration.

This new policy further exposes the cruelty of Trumps detention and deportation force by endangering the lives of pregnant immigrant women, Victoria Lopez, a senior counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. It removes critical protections for this vulnerable population and eliminates key reporting requirements for oversight of a detention system that needs more, not less, transparency and accountability.

People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Show all 16 1 /16 People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Washington, DC, U.S., February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants AUSTIN, TX - FEBRUARY 16: Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school student Kathia Suarez holds up a sign as she protests with others outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. LM Otero/AP People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school senior Vicky Sosa holds a sign outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. In an action called "A Day Without Immigrants," immigrants across the country are expected to stay home from school, work and close businesses to show how critical they are to the U.S. economy and way of life. LM Otero/AP

Michelle Brane, the director of the Migrants Rights and Justice program with the Womens refugee commission, said that the new policy is counterintuitive, and presents fresh risks for women who may be coming to the United States to get away from domestic violence and the rape that led to pregnancy in the first place.

In another attack on women and children, the Trump administration has ended its policy of avoiding detention of pregnant women. The Women's Refugee Commission has long documented the dangerous and unhealthy detention conditions that are especially dangerous and inappropriate for pregnant women, Ms Brane said in a statement.

Many women are pregnant as a result of rape and violence that they experienced either on the journey to the U.S. or that may be part of an asylum claim, she continued. Detention is especially traumatic for pregnant women and even more so for victims of rape and gender-based violence. WRC condemns this decision to no longer protect expecting mothers and their unborn children.

The email announcing the change in policy continues to note that pregnant women in their third trimester will not be detained absent extraordinary circumstances. The note also says that ICE agents will consider each pregnant immigrant on a case-by-case basis to determine if the women should be detained or let go.

ICE has not responded to a request for comment and confirmation regarding the shift in policy.
President Donald Trump has said that the US will withdraw its troops from Syria very soon despite repeated declarations that he would not divulge military movements.

Mr Trump boasted at a rally in Ohio, the main focus of which was supposed to be US infrastructure, that his administration is winning the fight against Isis.

Were knocking the hell out of Isis. Well be coming out of Syria, like, very soon, the president said. Let the other people take care of it now.

We got to get back to our country where we belong, where we want to be, he added.

However, when asked about Mr Trumps remarks later, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said she unaware about any plans for a troop withdrawal.

The remarks also went against repeated promises from Mr Trump over the last two years that he would not talk publicly about military matters. It was something he criticised frequently on the campaign trail and in April last year, during remarks about Syria, he said: Militarily, I dont like to say where Im going and what Im doing.

The Pentagon has acknowledged about 2,000 troops in Syria, many of them working closely with the Kurdish militia the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against Isis.

Last year, the SDF captured the Syrian city of Raqqa, Isiss de-facto capital, and the jihadis have now lost the vast majority of the territory it once held across Syria and Iraq.

But even as Isis has lost significant strongholds such as Raqqa, experts warn that the terror group remains a lethal force and Mr Trumps words put him at odds with statements from Rex Tilleron, his recently fired secretary of state.

Mr Tillerson gave a speech earlier this year that advocated a lengthy mission for the US in Syria, not only to prevent the possible return of Isis but also because of the battle for influence in a conflict that involves a number of nations. Russia and Iran have backed the Syrian army of President Bashar al-Assad and the US will be loathe to leave the arena completely. Defence Secretary James Mattis has said that he believes the US should pull out of Syria at some point but has not suggested it should be done quickly.

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

Also during his Ohio speech, Mr Trump suggested delaying the implementation of a revised trade deal with South Korea until after a deal with North Korea over ending its nuclear programme. Mr Trump suggested that holding up the deal will give him leverage in the unprecedented proposed talks with North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un. Although making such a deal given the complexities of the situation, including the input of South Korea, China, Japan and others, will be much more difficult then Mr Trump makes it sound.

The US and South Korea announced this week that they had agreed to make changes to their six-year-old trade pact, which Mr Trump had labelled a horror show.

South Korea promised to lift existing limits on the number of cars US car makers can export to the country. It also restricts, by almost a third, the amount of steel that South Korea can export to America.

I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea, Mr Trump said. Do you know why? Because its a very strong card and I want to make sure everybody is treated fairly and were moving along very nicely with South Korea.

Just before making this threat, Mr Trump called the revisions in the trade agreement a wonderful fix that would level the playing field on steel and cars and trucks coming into this country.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by oil giant ExxonMobil that sought to end probes being conducted by attorneys general in New York and Massachusetts to determine if the company misled investors and the public on climate change and its potential impact on their business.

The Manhattan judge, Valerie Caproni, said that Exxon's lawyer's argument that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey were pursuing their probes in bad faith is "implausible".

Ms Caproni dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, which means that the oil company will not be able to bring the issue up again.

Recommended Exxon agrees to reveal more details about the impact of climate change

The states first began their probe following reports in 2015 that the company had determined in the 1970s and 1980s that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to combat global warming effects. The reports contend that the company then proceeded to downplay or ignore those concerns in dealings with the public and their shareholders.

Exxon has denied that their public policies were inconsistent with the findings of their scientists that climate change poses a serious risk.

Ms Healey and Mr Schneiderman have requested that Exxon hand over documents that could help their case, which the oil giant is fighting.

Lisa Murray's climate change photography Show all 12 1 /12 Lisa Murray's climate change photography Lisa Murray's climate change photography Dinka cattle herders starting their migration in South Sudan Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography A Dinka woman fetches water in South Sudan Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Veronica in South Sudan preparing tea outside her home, recently ravaged by heavy flooding Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Children playing in Vietnam. When it floods, transport to and from school is a major challenge Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Sugeng, a fish and crab farmer from Indonesia who suffers financially every time the area floods Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Tan, a vegetable farmer, learning new methods through Oxfam in Vietnam Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Maluk, a 19-year-old from Tonj South, South Sudan Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Normally this farmer in South Sudan would be harvesting sorghum, but rains are late so the hunger season continues Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Herders bringing home their cattle in Afar, Ethiopia Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Farmers harvesting chilli in Ethiopia Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography A woman in Tigray, Ethiopia, scares birds away from her crops with a slingshot Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Irula tribe woman in Tamil Nadu Lisa Murray

While New York and Massachusetts were the two states involved with the lawsuit in Manhattan, as many as 15 states are involved in investigating the company for potentially misleading people about the dangers of climate change.

The effort was first announced in early 2016, when the attorneys general provided a basic outline of how they would proceed. The officials then signed a private compact with one another not to discuss the probe with anyone not on their teams, unless required to do so by law.

At the time, the states said that they were looking into ways in which they could use federal law to enforce federal greenhouse gas emissions guidelines, and investigate if gas companies were breaking laws to stop the implementation of renewable energy technologies.
US legislators have asked the FBI investigate presidential adviser Jared Kushner over reports that he disclosed classified information to the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

The FBI must open an investigation into possible unauthorised disclosures of information by Donald Trumps son-in-law, six Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the bureau.

The request was spurred by reports that Mr Kushner told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman the names of royal family members who were opposed to him  information the adviser allegedly gained from Mr Trumps daily briefing.

We request the FBI open an immediate investigation to determine if these reports are accurate and to explore the extent to which information and sources may have been compromised, wrote Representatives Ted Lieu, Gerald Connolly, Donald Beyer, Pramila Jaypal, Peter Welch and Ruben Gallego.

If the reports are true, the representatives claim, Mr Kushner may have violated federal law.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

Representatives for Mr Kushner did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did the Saudi Arabian Embassy to the US.

Mr Kushner, who has been granted a broad portfolio of Middle Eastern affairs despite his lack of foreign policy experience, visited Crown Prince Salman in October  four months after the foreign leader replaced then-Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as second in line for the throne.

During his visit, Mr Kushner disclosed the names of Saudi families who opposed the power shift, sources close to the royal family told The Intercept. The names were listed in a presidential daily briefing that Mr Kushner read religiously, according to the outlet.

Mr Mirijanian denied that Mr Kushner had disclosed the names, telling The Intercept at the time: Some questions by the media are so obviously false and ridiculous that they merit no response. This is one.

 Background check chief has 'never seen' mistakes and omissions at level of Jared Kushner forms

A week after Mr Kushner returned from his trip to Riyadh, the Saudi government arrested dozens of members of the Saudi royal family in an "anti-corruption crackdown".

Mr Kushner has since had his access to the Presidents Daily Brief restricted, after his temporary security clearance was downgraded in February. The change came at the same time the White House overhauled its security clearance system and downgraded dozens of temporary statuses. It was not clear why Mr Kushner had not obtained a permanent clearance.

The presidential adviser has previously come under scrutiny for his interactions he had with Middle Eastern leaders while working at his familys real estate business. The adviser and his father, Charles Kushner, attempted to negotiate a half-billion-dollar real estate investment with former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani in 2016, according to The Intercept. The leader rejected the deal.
President Donald Trump has ousted another high ranking member of his administration, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin, in the latest in a series of high profile departures as the White House shakes up its operations.

The decision, announced by Mr Trump in a tweet, after weeks of speculation over what would happen to Mr Shulkin, and whether his job was safe.

Mr Trump said that he was nominating Navy Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson to replace his outgoing secretary, while praising Mr Shulkin's service in Washington.

"I am thankful for Dr David Shulkin's service to our country and to our great VETERANS!" Mr Trump tweeted.

Robert Wilkie, an undersecretary at the Pentagon, will fill in for Mr Shulkin until the Senate can approve Mr Jackson's nomination.

Mr Shulkin's departure follows after months in which he has been locked in a power struggle with some senior White House staff members, who have wanted him to be removed from his post. His leaving suggests that they were eventually able to convince Mr Trump that the Veterans Affairs secretary  who was an appointee of President Barack Obama  needed to go.

Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience after taking the oath of office as his wife Melania (L) and daughter Tiffany watch during inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West Front of the US capital in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jim Bourg: "This photo was shot with one of two remote cameras. The cameras were monitored and triggered remotely and the pictures were transmitted to clients worldwide within minutes of being taken." Reuters/Jim Bourg Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Obama farewell address - 10 January 2017 US President Barack Obama wipes away tears as he delivers his farewell address in Chicago on 10 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "In his final days in office, Obama made a visit home to Chicago. As he spoke from the stage to his wife and daughter in the audience, he became emotional when he talked about what they had sacrificed during his time in office. I turned from photographing the Obama women embracing to find him onstage wiping away tears." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 A combination of photos shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies to swear in U.S. President Donald Trump at 12:01pm (left) on January 20, 2017 and President Barack Obama sometime between 12:07pm and 12:26pm on January 20, 2009. Reuters/ Lucas Jackson/Stelios Varias Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Liberty Ball - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the Liberty Ball in honour of his inauguration in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "What I see when I look at this picture is the end of a very long day, not to mention weeks and months of preparation by many photographers, editors and network experts and the beginning of everything since." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception - 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump greets Director of the FBI James Comey as Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy (L), watches during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House on 22 January, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "I have covered the White House for 16 years and normally either the President or the pool is in position when an event starts. In this case the President was not where anyone expected him to be. In fact, he was almost blocking the door when the pool came in. We had to scramble to find a position without bumping him or the furniture as he greeted and thanked members of law enforcement for their security efforts during the inauguration. Luckily, he greeted FBI Director James Comey a few seconds after the pool had made its way into the room." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Private phone calls to world leaders - 28 January 2017 US President Donald Trump, is joined by his staff, as he speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office on 28 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Very early in the Trump administration, weekends were as busy as weekdays. On Trump's second Saturday the official schedule said he would be making private phone calls to a number of world leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin. I arrived early and, before sitting down at my desk walked up to Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office. He, too, was just taking his coat off. I gingerly made the suggestion that previous administrations had sometimes allowed photos of such phone calls through the Oval Office windows on the colonnade. To my mild shock, he didn't even think about it twice. "We'll do it!" he said. In truth, I really only expected the Putin call, but we were outside the windows multiple times throughout the day as the calls went on." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway - 27 February 2017 Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway (L) attends as US President Donald Trump welcomes the leaders of dozens of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the Oval Office on 27 February, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "We're often asked how much access we have to the Trump administration, and the answer is we have an awful lot. President Trump himself is very comfortable in the spotlight, and his aides are similarly unfazed by cameras. In this instance, senior advisor Kellyanne Conway was so comfortable in our presence she seemed not to consider the optics of kneeling on a Oval Office sofa to take pictures with her phone." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Angela Merkel heads to Washington - 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump hold a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on 17 March, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Chancellor Merkel made one of the earliest important visits of any US allies to meet Trump in his first months in office. When world leaders give joint news conferences they don't always tend to give each other their full attention - but Merkel watched Trump intently at several key moments, and here seemed particularly rapt." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump welcomes truckers to the White House - 23 March 2017 President Trump reacts as he sits on a truck while he welcomes truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting regarding healthcare at the White House on 23 March, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "The White House organised a listening session with truckers and CEO's of major American companies, regarding healthcare reform. An 18-wheeler tow truck was parked on the South Lawn of the White House and as Trump welcomed the truckers someone invited the him to come and sit in the driver's seat. Trump jumped into the cab and started yelling and pretending to drive - creating one of the most memorable pictures of the year. A lesson learned, always be prepared for the unexpected." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 6 April 2017 US President Donald Trump talks to journalists members of the travel pool on board the Air Force One during his trip to Palm Beach, Florida on 6 April, 2017. Carlos Barria: "During the many trips to President Trump's residence in Florida it is usual to see the president coming to the back of the plane to chat with journalists. During one of the trips to the so called 'Winter White House', Trump had a long talk with reporters while the Air Force One entertainment system was playing one of the latest Star Wars movies. As I was listening to Trump talk I was also looking at the movie waiting for a part of the movie to frame the mood of the day. Of the many scenes, I choose the one with Darth Vader." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House on 27 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "A day before President Trump's hundred days in office I was part of the team that interviewed the commander-in-chief in the Oval Office. I was only allowed to photograph Trump during the last five minutes of the interview. The time was very tight so I had to move fast as I had pictures in mind that I wanted to shoot. I walked into the Oval Office and saw that the President had printed maps of the country showing areas in red where he won. I raised my hands holding my camera as high as possible to get the best view of the scene using a 16mm wide angle lens." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump reacts as he arrives at Harrisburg international airport, before attending a rally marking his first 100 days in office in Pennsylvania on 29 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate his hundred days in office with a victory rally. He was in friendly territory as he won with a big difference over his opponent Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, during the November elections. As usual when the commander-in-chief arrives local residents gather to greet him. This time a small group of military personnel attended the arrival. Surrounded by secret service agents Trump walked from the Air Force One and raised his hand in a sign of victory as the crowd cheered him on." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 2 May 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus watch as US President Donald Trump presents the U.S. Air Force Academy football team with the Commander-in-Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on 2 May, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "Covering the White House does not just mean covering the President. White House staffers are an important part of the story and their relationship with the President and each other is an indicator of how things are going in the West Wing. The tendency is to focus exclusively on the President once an event starts but I always try to look around to see how people are reacting as things unfold." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Secret Service - 4 May 2017 Secret Service agents use a presidential limousine as cover from spraying water as US President Donald Trump lands via Marine One helicopter in New York on 4 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "The best part of any trip to New York City with the sitting US President is the helicopter ride into Manhattan. The ride out at night can be stunning. Here, Secret Service agents protect themselves from the spray from the East River as Trump lands on the helipad." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures NATO Summit - 25 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wait the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron (unseen) before a lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels on 25 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "One of the best parts of travelling overseas for White House coverage is the chance to see the U.S. president in different environments and (literally) a different light. Here, Trump and his wife came out of the shadows to greet France's President Macron." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump meets Putin at G20 summit - 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "On July 7, I witnessed one of the most important meetings of President Trump's first year in office. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Germany. The world's eyes were on these two leaders after speculation about Russian interference during the 2016 US elections. We entered the room for less than two minutes, where I took dozens of pictures. But there was this very interesting moment when Trump extended his hand to Putin for a handshake. Putin paused for a second and looked at Trump's hand. That was the picture that I was looking for, a little moment that seemed to say a lot." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures First lady - 8 July 2017 First lady Melania Trump chats with US President Donald Trump during their return from Germany at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on 8 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "After President Trump's trip to Germany he arrived back at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. First Lady Melania Trump said goodbye to Trump as she was heading off in a different direction that day. While chatting a breeze blew Melania's hair up in the air." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Made in America product showcase - 17 July 2017 Vice President Mike Pence laughs as President Donald Trump holds a baseball bat as they attend a Made in America product showcase event at the White House on 17 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "This summer the White House organized an event to showcase 'Made in America' products. All kinds of exhibitors brought their products as the President and Vice President toured the event. One of the companies was Marucci Sport, a manufacturer of baseball bats based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Trump approached a table full of baseball bats, photographers at the event, including me, rushed to get a good angle hoping that he would pick up a bat. As we predicted, he did. He took one and joked around as though he was hitting something hard. The only thing closer to him right there, was the media." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 25 July 2017 Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors including Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Ohio, July 25, 2017. Jonathan Ernst: "The most visible person in any White House is naturally the President, followed by the press secretary. But there are also the staff who support them. For those of us covering the Trump administration, there seem to be more compelling figures in the West Wing than ever before. It's crucial to know who's who and why they're important. When I raised my camera and back-pedalled ahead of the group to take this image Lewandowski gave me a hello. I liked the photo, but had no idea it would go a little bit viral, especially since Scaramucci, who was the biggest mover and shaker that week, was hidden back in the pack. But I guess the image catches a glimpse of what it's like to be a West Wing staffer on the road." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Campaign rally - 3 August 2017 US President Donald Trump arrives at a rally in West Virginia on 3 August, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Huntington for one of his usual campaign rallies. While members of his family spoke to the crowd he was waiting under a black curtain to be introduced. Suddenly he walked onto the stage, one of the first frames that I took was of his hand. I set my exposure for the light on the stage hoping to create this dark background and it worked." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Staring into the solar eclipse - 21 August 2017 Without his protective glasses on, US President Donald Trump looks up towards the solar eclipse while viewing with his wife Melania and son Barron at the White House on 21 August, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "On a day when everyone, and I mean everyone, was told not to look at the eclipse without protective glasses, Trump, President of the United States, couldn't help himself." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Harvey - 2 September 2017 US President Donald Trump poses for a photo as he and first lady Melania Trump help volunteers hand out meals during a visit with flood survivors of Hurricane Harvey at a relief centre in Houston, Texas on 2 September, 2017. Photohrapher Kevin Lamarque: "Trump, eager to deliver the image of a hands-on response to Hurricane Harvey, made this visit to a relief centre and obliged this woman with a selfie as Melania continued to work." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House - 15 September 2017 Donald Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio as he cuts the Rose Garden grass at the White House on 15 September. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the lawn, was invited to work for a day at the White House along the National Park Service staff. Frank was so focused on his task that he did not notice the President arrive to surprise him. He took his father jumping in to grab his attention and point Trump out. Photographer Carlos Barria said: The image of Trump shouting at a kid who is mowing his lawn might have many interpretations in today's politically polarized United States. But for me it was just a kid who loved what he was doing, to the point he almost appeared to ignore the President." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Take a knee - 27 September 2017 A man kneels with a folded U.S. flag as the motorcade of U.S. President Donald Trump passes him after an event at the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., September 27, 2017. In September, soon after Trump had made comments condemning NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, he made a day trip to a rally in Indianapolis. Jonathan Ernst managed to capture a man on one knee with a tri-folded flag and was able to use a portion of the sign on the building he was kneeling in front of to track the man down and tell his story in full. US Army veteran Marvin Boatright wanted to send a message against social injustice. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Maria - 3 October 2017 President Donald Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of local residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 3 October, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "During an afternoon visit to Puerto Rico for President Trump to survey damage from Hurricane Maria and greet some of its victims, Trump made a stop at a church where food and supplies were being distributed. Among the items were paper towels and Trump, apparently caught up in the moment, decided to distribute some of the rolls." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Jared Kushner - 1 November 2017 White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind President Trump during a cabinet meeting in Washington on 1 November, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "The role of Jared Kushner has gone through a series of changes. He began front and centre as a high profile adviser, but as time has passed and issues surrounding him have surfaced, he has become more of a background figure." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump in China - 9 November 2017 Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 9 November, 2017. Photographer Damir Sagolj: "It's one of those "how to make a better or at least different shot when two presidents shake hands several times a day, several days in row". If I'm not mistaken in calculation, presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump shook their hands at least six times in events I covered during Trump's recent visit to China. I would imagine there were some more handshakes I haven't seen but other photographers did. And they all look similar - two big men, smiling and heartily greeting each other until everyone gets their shot. But then there is always something that can make it special - in this case the background made of US and Chinese flags. The first time it didn't work for me. The second time I positioned myself lower and centrally, and used the longest lens I have to capture only hands reaching for a handshake." Reuters/Damir Sagolj Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 10 November 2017 US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing Airport in Beijing, China, November 10, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "There is a Reuters photographer in the tight pool covering the US president for every appearance he makes 365 days a year. This was just one of 32 images of mine that were transmitted on the Reuters wire of President Trump visiting China and Vietnam that day. You never know when a sudden interaction, a gust of wind or a unique facial expression will lead to a striking image that grabs peoples' attention." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures ASEAN handshake - 13 November 2017 Donald Trump registers his surprise as he realises other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the summit in Manila on 13 November, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Having covered a few ASEAN summits, I knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. Not everyone in the room knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. A lot was written about this unscripted moment, and what deeper meaning it might have. The simple truth is that sometimes in life there are unscripted moments." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

The outgoing secretary had pledged during his tenure that the VA would not be privatised while he was in charge, and had promised expanded opportunities for veterans to get care in the private sector. Political appointees in the White House who wanted him to be given the boot have pushed for a more comprehensive overhaul of the system to go further and provide even more access to VA-funded are in private sector health networks.

Mr Shulkin's departure marks a U-turn for the secretary, who Mr Trump was praising as recently as a few weeks ago for doing a "great" and "incredible" job at the helm of the VA.

But Mr Shulkin turned that tide of compliments around by publicly warring with an VA inspector general's report that found he and his staff had committed ethics violations while planning and then during a trip to Europe last year.

He first disputed the findings that he had improperly accepted tickets to Wimbledon, and for his wife's airfare during the 10-day trip. He proceeded from there to refuse to accept the report's findings that his chief of staff had misled ethics officials to get his wife's airfare cleared.

While Mr Shulkin later apologised and expressed regret for those actions and repaid the airfare  his behaviour left a bad taste in the mouths of members of Congress, veterans groups, and other stakeholders in the department's healthy operation who might have spoken in his defence, and many of those groups stayed silent as he publicly disputed the report. That period of silence reportedly left the senior White House political appointees with a window to push for his ouster.

They then reportedly pressed heavily for his removal, leading the White House to unilaterally remove Mr Shulkin's chief of staff from his position, and instal former Trump transition member Peter O'Rourke in his. During that time, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders repeatedly said that Mr Trump supported the work of his VA secretary, but that his work was "under review".

Mr Shulkin joins a long list of top officials who have now left the Trump administration, including the recent departures of former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former national security adviser HR McMaster, and White House adviser Gary Cohn, all of whom left the administration this month.

He will be replaced by Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, who has served as the White House physician for the past three administrations, including former President George W Bush, and Mr Obama.
At least 68 people have been killed by a fire that swept through jails cells after prisoners rioted at a Venezuelan police station.

Police fired tear gas on inmates distraught relatives as they gathered outside Carabobo state police headquarters in Valencia to demand information.

The countrys chief prosecutor, attorney general Tarek William Saab, said nearly all the dead were prisoners.

Rescue teams were forced to break a hole through a wall to free some of those inside.

Two women staying overnight at the station were also killed by Wednesdays fire, which reportedly started when detainees torched mattresses in an attempted break-out.

Prisoners families clashed with officers outside after being refused details of casualties for hours following the blaze. Local officials would initially only confirm there had been an unspecified number of fatalities and said they would not provide any estimates out of respect for the families.

Weeping relatives feared the worst as they waited outside the station, about 100 miles west of the capital Caracas. They said dozens of detainees had been kept in squalid conditions.

I dont know if my son is dead or alive, cried Aida Parra, who said she had taken her imprisoned son food the previous day. They havent told me anything.

Late in the day Mr Saab confirmed the death toll, which makes the fire one of the deadliest jail disasters in a country where human rights groups regularly complain about the poor state of prisons.

Carabobo authorities declared a state of mourning across the state.

A Window to Freedom, a non-profit group that monitors conditions at Venezuelas prisons, said the riot was believed to have begun when an armed inmate shot an officer in the leg. A fire broke out soon after, with flames growing quickly as the blaze spread to mattresses in the cells.

Pictures showed badly burned victims being taken out on stretchers to ambulances waiting outside.

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

Carlos Nieto Palma, director of A Window to Freedom, said officials should be held accountable for failing to address the poor conditions in police station jails. The group said overcrowding was common throughout Venezuela, with detainees kept in custody at police stations for lengthy spells before being freed or sent to larger jails to await trial.

Its grave and alarming, Mr Nieto Palma said. What happened today in Carabobo is a sign of that.

Opposition lawmaker Juan Miguel Matheus demanded the pro-government leader of Carabobo state informed relatives about what happened.

The desperation of relatives should not be played with, he said.

Clashes between prisoners and guards are common in Venezuela. Inmates are frequently able to obtain weapons and drugs with the help of corrupt guards and heavily armed groups control cell block territories.

A fire at a prison in the western state of Zulia killed more than 100 inmates in 1994.

Additional reporting by agencies
A patient has managed to play the flute in front of doctors while undergoing major brain surgery.

Anna Henry was wide awake while doctors operated on her at a Texas hospital in a bid to stop hand tremors which are threatening to wreck her career.

The professional flautist has suffered from a hereditary condition since childhood, which causes her head and hands to shake.

I can fight it, but Im tired of doing it. And it is getting worse. I know its a matter of either admitting I cant do it anymore, or doing this so that I can, Ms Henry told KHOU.

You know what you can do, and you know what you feel, and you just cant make your body do it anymore, and thats really frustrating, she added.

Doctors implanted electrodes into her brain in an attempt to control the tremors. But during the surgery, they needed to keep her awake to be able to see if the electrodes were working.

So she played the flute mid-surgery to test the effects.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

In a recording, Ms Henry can be seen playing the instrument without any visible shaking, while doctors and nurses applaud once she finishes.

Its a way that we can really improve a patients life and their quality of life, where otherwise theyre going to be on medications that may just have a very modest effect on improving their tremor, Albert Fenoy, neurosurgeon at the Mischer Neuroscience Institute at Memorial Hermann, told the news channel.

Deep brain stimulation is mainly used on sufferers of Parkinsons disease and people with tremors, but it is also being tested on people suffering from depression.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney is joining the team representing two Burmese journalists detained by the authorities after helping expose the murder of ten Rohingya Muslims in Myanmars western Rakhine state.

Ms Clooney, 40, confirmed she would be helping lawyers working on behalf of Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 31, and 28-year-old Kyaw Soe Oo. The pair have been detained and accused of possessing secret government papers.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately, said Ms Clooney, a barrister at Londons Doughty Street Chambers.

Yet they have been denied bail and face 14 years in prison. The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmars commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech.

Reuters said the two reporters were detained after working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in Rakhine state during an army crackdown that began last August.

The crackdown, which the authorities say was triggered by attacks by Rohingya militants on government troops, has since resulted in anywhere up to 700,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh where they live in miserable conditions.

 Boris Johnson on Rohingya crisis 'We need to find a political solution'

A court in Yangon, the nations former capital, has been holding preliminary hearings since January to decide whether the two journalists will be charged under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Lawyers for the two reporters on Wednesday asked the court to throw out the case, saying there was insufficient evidence to support charges against the pair, the news agency said.

Zaw Htay, spokesman for Myanmars civilian government, declined to comment.

Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Show all 9 1 /9 Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Refugee children scuffle over free meals given away during a wedding party for Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein, 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Women and children attend a wedding party for Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein, 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Guests enjoy a wedding party for Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein, 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, at the Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp People attend a wedding party for Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein, 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Guests dance during a wedding party for Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein, 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp A refugee tent is decorated by colourful blankets for the wedding ceremony of Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein, 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Shofika Begum, 18, is helped with make-up by her brother's wife on the day she marries Saddam Hussein, 23, both Rohingya refugees, at Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp Shofika Begum, 18, cries leaving a tent with her relatives as she is about to meet Saddam Hussein, 23, both Rohingya refugees, on their wedding day at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Reuters Wedding in a Rohingya refugee camp An muslim cleric (R) performs a wedding ritual for Rohingya refugees Saddam Hussein (L), 23, and Shofika Begum, 18, who stays in a separate room, at the Kutupalong camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, December 11, 2017. The newly wed couple, both from the village of Foyra Bazar in Maungdaw township that was burnt by the Myanmar military, fled with their families and other Rohingya some three months ago, Saddam Hussein said. They knew each other from before escaping from Myanmar and were planning to get married but managed to do so only now, as refugees living in the overcrowded Kutupalong refugee camp Reuters

Government officials have previously denied the arrests represent an attack on press freedom, which rights advocates say is under growing threat in the southeast Asian country.

Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, Hau Do Suan, said last month that the Reuters journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of illegally possessing confidential government documents.

Gail Gove, chief counsel of Reuters, said retaining Ms Clooney, who is married to the actor George Clooney, would strengthen the companys international legal expertise and broaden its efforts to secure the release of the reporters who have detained in custody since their arrest in December.

Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the countrys de facto civilian leader, has been widely condemned for her refusal to speak out against the treatment of the Rohingya.

A law passed in 1982 by the then military junta, codified 135 ethnic groups it considered to be Burmese, and thus eligible for citizenship. The Rohingya were not among them, something that has been used to further discriminate against them ever since. Many ordinary people believe the Muslim community are illegal migrants from Bangladesh.
Chinese social media users referred to Kim Jong-un as the fatty on the train during his recent visit in order to circumvent the countrys infamous censors.

The North Korean dictator arrived in Beijing on Monday aboard an armoured train in his first foreign trip since taking power in 2011, but official secrecy surrounding the event and who was inside the train meant speculation was rife online.

Videos circulated on popular messaging app WeChat on Monday evening of a motorcade travelling around Beijing, including clips of cars entering Beijings Diaoyutai State Guest House.

Authorities leaned on state media to suppress stories about the visit, according to a Reuters report, and a search using the term North Korea was blocked on Tuesday on Weibo, a popular microblogging platform.

WeChat accounts that focus on news about North Korea were also reportedly censored.

Internet users tried to get around the censors by resorting to nicknames for the visitor including the obese patient and the fatty on the train, as well as more ambiguous terms like the visitor from the north-east and the sibling next door.

Beijing finally confirmed the nature of the visit on Wednesday, releasing images of Mr Kim with premier Xi Jinping, who praised positive changes on the Korean peninsula since the beginning of 2018, according to state media.

Following the trip, mentions of Mr Kims wife Ri Sol-ju were removed from Chinese social media after users commented about her appearance and that of Chinas first lady, Peng Liyuan.
Mentions of North Korea's first lady, Ri Sol-ju, have been removed from Chinese social media after she travelled to Beijing with her husband for a surprise visit.

Kim Jong-un met China's president, Xi Jinping, in his first trip outside the isolated state since he came to power in 2011.

Ms Ri and Peng Liyuan, China's first lady, were photographed a number of times during the two-day meeting.

Ri Sol-ju with her husband, Kim Jong-un, as they walk with China's president, Xi Jinping, and his wife, Peng Liyuan (EPA/KCNA)

Their outfits and looks attracted comments on popular social media site Sina Weibo.

One user said Ms Ri had "a powerful presence" in addition to being prettier and better dressed than Ms Peng.

Others compared Ms Ri's looks to those of popular South Korean and Chinese actresses.

Another Weibo user wrote: "Ri Sol-ju is indeed beautiful and amiable. I can tell she would be good at 'first-lady diplomacy', better than Kim's sister."

When the train carrying the North Korean leader in his wife arrived in Beijing, it was initially rumoured to have brought his sister, Kim Yo-jong.

Ms Kim represented the North at the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Mentions of Ms Ri's name were later blocked on Weibo and comments on online news reports were removed.

They remained blocked on Thursday.

Kim Jong-un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, were treated to a lavish welcome by China's president, Xi Jinping during a secretive trip to Beijing (AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS)

William Tang Tat-chi, a fashion designer in Hong Kong, described Ms Ri's fashion sense as "subtle" but not conservative, according to the South China Morning Post.

Mr Tang said although her looks were "outdated," they were nevertheless impressive considering she came from a totalitarian country.

Ms Ri was filmed in at least three different outfits during her stay.

From left to right: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, and his wife Ri Sol-ju, left, talk with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and his wife Peng Liyuan, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

She first wore a camel-coloured jacket with matching skirt while Ms Peng wore a coat with black ink splotches.

As they visited the Chinese Academy of Natural Sciences, Ms Ri wore a white jacket with a green dress.

She later wore an ivory suit with a flared waist and sleeves to a lunch at the Daioyutai State Guesthouse, where they stayed.

Ms Ri is believed to have married the supreme leader of North Korea in 2009.

Made in North Korea - In pictures Show all 6 1 /6 Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures Made in North Korea - In pictures

During the state visit, Mr Kim pledged to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.

The comment was reportedly widely in Chinese state media, although North Korea's official media made little mention of it.

A senior Chinese official who visited Seoul on Tuesday to brief South Korea on Mr Kim's visit to Beijing said it should help ease tensions and lead to denuclearisation of the peninsula.

"We believe his visit will help... ensure peace and security of the Korean peninsula and resolve problems regarding the peninsula through political negotiations and discussions," Yang Jiechi said during a meeting with the head of South Korea's National Security Office, Chung Eui-yong.

President Xi promised Beijing would uphold its friendship with North Korea after meeting Mr Kim.
Traffic police in China are to begin using facial-recognition technology to identify jaywalkers and automatically issue them fines by text.

Authorities in Shenzhen already publicly name and shame people who flout the southern citys strict road rules, using CCTV cameras equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) that can recognise offenders.

Their faces are then displayed on large screens at crossings and on a government website.

Recommended Germany considers law to let police spy via car and house alarms

Now, the company which provides the technology is in talks with mobile phone carriers and social media firms about developing a system that notifies jaywalkers through instant messages when they are caught by the cameras, crossing the road outside of a marked pedestrian crosswalk at an intersection.

Jaywalking has always been an issue in China and can hardly be resolved just by imposing fines or taking photos of the offenders, Wang Jun, director of marketing solutions at Shenzhen-based AI firm Intellifusion, told the South China Morning Post.

But a combination of technology and psychology can greatly reduce instances of jaywalking and will prevent repeat offences."

Shenzhen began using AI-enabled cameras in April last year and had within 10 months had displayed the 13,939 jaywalking offenders in one LED scree at a busy junction in Futian district, according to police.

The system uses 7-megapixel cameras and facial-recognition technology to identity pedestrians a database. A photo of the offence, the offenders family name, and part of their government identification number is displayed on the screen.

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

This month authorities also launched a website which naming and shaming jaywalkers with the same information.

While the measures are said to have reduced the number of repeat offenders, Mr Wang said the next step of issuing fines through text could eliminate the need to install costly LED screens across cities.

His company is in talks with Chinese social media platforms WeChat and Weibo about the system.

The technology will also register the number of times someone has violated traffic rules and affect their credit rating if it reaches a set limit.

Facial-recognition software is also used to identify drivers who violate road rules in Beijing and Shanghai, while at Henan provinces Zhengzhou East rail station police officers have been equipped with smart glasses that can spot wanted criminals.
New pictures reveal the inside of Kim Jong-uns armoured train, which he used this week to visit China for talks with premier Xi Jinping.

The North Korean dictator used the 21-car train to make his first foreign trip since taking power in 2011. His father, who died that year, used the same mode of transport on his visits abroad.

Painted dark green with a bright yellow stripe, the train pulled into Beijing on Monday night under a veil of secrecy  but photographs released later show what the carriages look like inside.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with the head of the Chinese Communist Partys international affairs department Song Tao as Kims wife Ri Sol Ju looks on, on a train in Dandong, China, in this still image from video released by KRT (REUTERS)

Mr Kim is seen speaking with Chinese officials in a brightly-lit carriage furnished with pink leather sofas.

Light panels in the ceiling are complemented by brackets on the wall, while office-style blinds cover the windows.

The wood flooring features a simple pattern and overall the cars decor is sparse.

But the rare glimpse inside was a limited one, as nothing beyond the meeting area was visible.

Kim Jong-un waves from inside his train as he prepares to depart from Beijing, in this photo released by KCNA (AFP/Getty Images)

According to reports, each carriage is bulletproof, and therefore much heavier than it otherwise would be. The train travels at an average speed of just 37mph, a 2009 report in South Korean media suggested.

A different carriage, containing a long white table apparently for conferences, appeared in a 2015 video with Mr Kim at its head. It had the same bright white walls as the one in which the despot received Chinese officials on Monday.

Not much is known about Mr Kim's use of the train. In his father's time it was believed to be stocked with fine wines and, according to the memoirs of a Russian man who travelled with Kim Jong-il, had a wide range of cuisines on the menu.

Mr Kims meeting with Mr Xi appeared to patch up a relationship that had been strained by Chinas support for sanctions against Pyongyang, imposed due to repeated nuclear and missile tests.

The US president, Donald Trump, has agreed to meet Mr Kim in a bid to achieve denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
Italian police have arrested five people connected to Anis Amri, the Tunisian who carried out the 2016 Berlin Christmas market truck attack and was later killed in a shootout with police in Italy.

In a statement on Thursday, police said one of the five was believed to have procured the fake Italian identity papers that allowed Amri, a failed asylum seeker, to move around Europe.

Amri killed 12 people when he hijacked a truck and drove it into a crowded Berlin Christmas market on 19 December 2016.

The attack was later claimed by Isis. Using fake documents, he fled to Italy and died in a shootout with police near Milan four days later.

"A vast anti-terrorism operation" was being carried out by special investigation forces based in Rome and the nearby town of Latina, police said in a statement on Thursday.

The arrests were the latest in a marked uptick in recent police operations targeting suspected extremists.

Police identified the five as a Palestinian and four Tunisians and said one of the Tunisians, Akram Baazaoui, obtained the false documents for Amri.

Sources told Reuters there was no evidence the suspects participated directly in the Berlin attack or that they were preparing any imminent attack in Italy.

Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Show all 18 1 /18 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Several people have been killed after a lorry drove into crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'At least nine' people have been killed and more than 50 injured. AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency Services rush a Berlin market victim to an ambulance Associated Press Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Police cordoned off the square at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church following the incident REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers inspect the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin EPA Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency crews inspect the lorry that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market, killing at least nine people AFP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Fire crews attend the scene of the attack AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Armed police secure the site of a lorry attack at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Crushed debris is visible beneath the wheels of the vehicle REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack An injured man is pushed to an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Medics attend an injured person after the lorry attack which killed at least nine and injured more than 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters examine the lorry which was rammed into a Berlin Christmas market REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack A person is carried into an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack View of the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least nine and injuring at least 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher to an ambulance Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters assess the damage after the lorry rammed the Christmas market, killing 'at least nine', and injuring more than 50 people AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters stand beside a toppled Christmas tree at the site of the suspected terrorist attack in a Berlin Christmas market AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Damaged stalls at the scene of the incident at a Berlin Christmas market where at least nine people have been killed EPA

As part of their operation, police were carrying out searches in Rome, the southern port city of Naples and the central and southern towns of Latina, Viterbo, Caserta and Matera, the sources said.

On Wednesday anti-terrorism police arrested an Italian citizen of Moroccan origin who they said was an Isis sympathiser planning a truck attack.

nterior Minister Marco Minniti said the security threat to Italy from Isis supporters was higher than ever because more foreign fighters were attempting to return to Europe via Italy after the jihadist group suffered defeats in Syria and Iraq.

So far this year, 29 foreigners, mostly Muslims, have been expelled from Italy as suspected threats to national security.

AP and Reuters
Every morning, in a part of the 11th Arrondissement of Paris that has not yet been gentrified, Mireille Knoll would sit at home watching television as she waited for her personal care aide.

The aide, Leila Dessante, would clean the small second-floor apartment, cook lunch and keep company with Ms Knoll, an 85-year-old grandmother and Holocaust survivor. She would take my face in between her hands and always ask, how are you doing today, sweetheart? Ms Dessante recalled on Wednesday.

Ms Knolls gentle routine was brutally interrupted last week when she was killed in her apartment. The attack shocked her neighbours, Frances Jewish community and the country as a whole. Two suspects, men in their twenties, have been placed under formal investigation on charges of murder with an antisemitic motive.

Mireille Knoll and her son Daniel Knoll (AP)

The killing has raised questions about a persistent strain of antisemitism in France, an antisemitism that remains, that transforms, that reappears, that mutates, according to Edouard Philippe, the prime minister.

She survived the Holocaust in the last century, I think she had a happy life and yet she was killed at home in 2018, frail and defenceless, Ms Dessante said as she was leaving Ms Knolls apartment building after laying flowers on the doorstep. What world are we living in?

Thousands gathered in Paris on Wednesday to honour Ms Knoll, marching from the Place de la Nation, on the eastern side of the capital, to her apartment building, a nondescript housing block where mourners had placed candles and flowers on the railings.

Many marched in silence, waving French flags or wearing badges with a picture of Ms Knoll. Samuel Cohen, 74, who was at the march with his wife, Lea, 70, was one of several who carried a sign that read, In France, we kill grandmothers because theyre Jewish.

It would be a little exaggerated to say that we are not safe in France today, Mr Cohen said. Yet its true that we are worried, that its become hard to practice ones faith in some areas and that weve reached a new degree of antisemitism with this murder.

Government officials attended the march, as did representatives of Frances main political parties, including the head of the far-right National Front, Marine Le Pen. She has been trying to shed her partys racist and antisemitic past, but was booed at the march.

In 2015, she kicked Jean-Marie Le Pen  her father and a founder of the National Front  out of the party for reiterating comments he had made previously that dismissed the Nazi gas chambers as a detail of World War II history.

The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF), one of the largest Jewish advocacy groups in France, said ahead of the march that neither the far-left nor the far-right was welcome to join, arguing that antisemites were overrepresented on both extremes of the political spectrum.

But Daniel Knoll, one of Mr Knolls two sons, said on Wednesday that everyone could come.

The CRIF is playing politics and I am opening my heart, Mr Knoll said on the French news channel BFM TV. I open my heart to everybody, everyone who has a mother  which means everybody.

Its unbearable, today in France, to know that someone can die like this, in such an atrocious way, he said.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mireille Knoll was stabbed 11 times and her body was found partly burned after her attackers tried to set her apartment on fire. One suspect was a neighbour who had often been hosted by Mr Knoll, while the other was a homeless friend of his.

An official close to the investigation, who was not authorised to speak publicly about the case, said that the friend had told investigators he had heard Mr Knolls neighbour say God is great in Arabic during the killing. But the official said the two suspects had given conflicting statements to police.

The French authorities have suggested that Mr Knoll might have been the target of a theft that escalated, for reasons that remain unclear.

But they have also characterised the attack as a worrying sign of antisemitism in France, which has been shaken by several recent episodes, including the killing last year of another elderly Jewish woman, Sarah Halimi, which the authorities were much slower to characterise as antisemitic.

Gerard Collomb, the interior minister, said on Tuesday that one of the suspects in Ms Knolls killing had told the other, she is a Jew, she must have money.

These are the stereotypes that are increasingly common in our society and that we must fight against, Mr Collomb told lawmakers in the National Assembly.

Ms Knoll was a child in Paris when, in the summer of 1942, the French police cooperating with the Germans rounded up thousands of the citys Jews, most of whom were later murdered at Auschwitz.

President Emmanuel Macron referred to Ms Knolls killing at a ceremony on Wednesday morning that paid tribute to lieutenant colonel Arnaud Beltrame and to the other victims of a terrorist attack in southern France last week.

France is confronted today with a barbaric obscurantism, with the only goal of eliminating our liberties and our solidarities, Mr Macron said, drawing a parallel between the terrorist in Trebes and Ms Knolls killer, who assassinated an innocent and vulnerable woman because she was Jewish.

Mr Macron attended Ms Knolls funeral later on Wednesday, according to the Elysee Palace.

In an interview, Meyer Habib, a Franco-Israeli lawmaker in the National Assembly, said that in the same day, I have a ceremony for a hero who gave his life to save a hostage, then I attend the funeral of an 85-year-old lady who was killed because she was a Jew and then Im going to honour her memory at a march.

Thats my schedule today and I dont find it normal, he said.

The New York Times
Russia has said it will expel diplomats and close the US consulate in St Petersburg in retaliation to the coordinated international response over the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.

More than two dozen countries, including the US and many EU nations  as well as Nato - have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain over the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury earlier this month.

The UK has accused Russia of responsibility for the attack, during which it claims the Skripals were exposed to a class of nerve agent called novichok. Russia has denied being involved and its foreign minister Sergei Lavrov made clear that all expulsions will be responded to in kind.

Mr Lavrov said that US Ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry where he was given notice that Russia is replicating the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out. Mr Lavrov added that Moscow will also retaliate to the decision by Washington to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St Petersburg.

The tit-for-tat expulsions come as no surprise. But the shuttering of the American consulate in Russias second city is an escalation. The Seattle consulate is Russias smallest diplomatic outpost in the US.

Fifty-eight of the US officials are based in Moscow, with another two general consulate officials in the eastern city of Yekateringburg. They have been declared persona non grata and have been told to leave Russia by 5 April. The US Consulate in St Petersburg has two days to suspend operations, according to Russian media.

During the briefing Mr Lavrov accused Britain of forcing everyone to follow an anti-Russian course and that they were making mockery of international law. Russia has called for a meeting with the executive council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to ask questions to establish the truth, he said.

The measures would be reciprocal ... They include expulsion of the equivalent number of diplomats and they include our decision to withdraw our agreement to allow the United States general consulate to operate in St Petersburg, Mr Lavrov said.

Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Scene of attack Members of the emergency services in hazard suits fix the tent over the bench where Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury in March 2018. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Victim - Sergei Skripal The retired Russian colonel and former double agent for MI6 was in a critical condition in hospital for more than two months after being exposed to novichok in Salisbury. He was given refuge in the UK after being jailed in Moscow for treason. Mr Skripal came to Britain as part of a high-profile spy swap in 2010 in which four men were exchanged for ten Russian "sleeper agents" in the US. In this image he is speaking to his lawyer from behind bars in Moscow in 2006. AP Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Victim - Yulia Skripal Yulia Skripal was struck down by a novichok poison alongside her father Sergei. Facebook Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Scene of attack A police officer stands guard outside a branch of the Italian chain restaurant Zizzi where the pair dined at before falling ill. It was boarded off whilst investigators worked on the building and later found traces of the chemical weapon within it. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Scene of attack Large areas of central Salisbury were cordoned off by police following the discovery of the Skripals. Traces of nerve agent were also found in The Mill pub. PA Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Victim - Nick Bailey Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, rushed to the aid of the Russian ex-spy and his daughter who were targeted with a nerve agent. He was hospitalized after aiding them and didn't leave until three weeks after the attack. Wiltshire Police/Rex Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation - Skripals home Police believe they were poisoned at home, and detectives found the highest concentration of novichok on the front door of Mr Skripals house. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Theresa May visits scene of attack Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May spokes with Wiltshire Police's Chief Constable Kier Pritchard near where the Skripal's were found. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over the nerve agent poisoning and suspended high-level contacts, including for the World Cup on March 14. Theresa May told parliament that Russia had failed to respond to her demand for an explanation on how a Soviet-designed chemical, Novichok, was used in Salisbury. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Skripal days before attack Sergei Skripal days before he was exposed to Novichok, that has left him fighting for life. ITV News Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation - military involvement British soldiers were deployed soon after the attack to help a counter-terrorism investigation into the nerve agent attack. One of the places they were asked to help out with was Skripal's home and it's surrounding. They were asked to remove a vehicle connected to the agent attack in Salisbury, from a residential street in Gillingham. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation Personnel in protective coveralls and breathing equipment cover an ambulance with a tarpaulin at the Salisbury District Hospital. AFP/Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation The investigation extended to the grave of Sergei Skripal's son Alexander in London Road cemetery. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Police investigation The Counter Terrorism Policing Network requested assistance from the military to remove a number of vehicles and objects from Salisbury. EPA Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Home Secretary visits scene of attack Home Secretary Amber Rudd visited the scene of the nerve agent attack at the Maltings shopping centre on 9 March. Getty Skripal attack aftermath  in pictures Yulia Skripal speaks for the first time Yulia Skripal, speaking for the first time, said she felt lucky to have survived the nerve agent attack in Salisbury which left her fighting for life. Ms Skripal said her life had been turned upside down by the assassination attempt. But the Russian national added she hoped to return to her homeland one day, despite the Kremlin being blamed for the attack. Reuters

Trailing the decision earlier in the day, the Kremlin mouthpiece Izvestia newspaper said that the foreign ministry had debated closing consulates in Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok. In the end, the recommendation was St Petersburg  considered more significant to US interests  although the final word would naturally come from President Vladimir Putin.

The US State Department said there is no justification for the expulsions from Russia. Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that while it was not surprising, Moscows reaction was a regrettable, unwarranted action.

Ms Nauert said that she expected the Russian Foreign Ministry to expel diplomats from up to 28 different countries, but Russia should not be acting like a victim.

She added that it was clear Moscow is not interested in having good relations with other countries. The US, meanwhile, is reviewing further options in terms of a response to the latest moves by the Kremlin.

 Salisbury nerve agent attack: Sergei Skripal and daughter were poisoned with novichok on their front door

Traditionally, Russias response to what it deems to be dangerous actions by a foe  whether military or diplomatic  has been to escalate quickly. The calculation has always been that the opponent will fold first. Usually, they do.

The initial UK response to the Salisbury poisoning seemed to build that understanding into their sanctions, offering what many considered to be no more a mild tap on Russian wrists. The expulsion of 23 diplomats allegedly involved in intelligence activity was certainly less than many expected. Russia responded as expected by raising the stakes  bringing the British Council and Consulate in St Petersburg into the equation.

But the subsequent collective action by Western countries has taken Moscow by surprise. And things may be about to get worse for the Kremlin, with the UK government this week raising the possibility of banning the sale of Russian sovereign bonds in London. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such a move would hit London more than Russia. These decisions can not but harm the reputation of such countries in terms of their relationship with other investors, he said.

Scotland Yard believe Mr Skripal and his daughter first came in contact with the nerve agent that poisoned them at his home, with the highest concentration of the novichok nerve agent found at his front door. The Skripals were later found unconscious on a park bench and have been patients at Salisbury District Hospital ever since. Yulia is said to be improving rapidly but Sergei remains in a critical but stable condition.

The hospital's medical director Dr Christine Blanshard reported "an improvement" in the condition of Yulia Skripal.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day.... I want to take this opportunity to once again thank the staff of Salisbury District Hospital for delivering such high quality care to these patients over the last few weeks, she said.

The latest expulsions by Moscow will do little to quell fears of a new cold war, as raised by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday.

The current situation was potentially more dangerous than the darkest days of superpower conflict, Mr Guterres said. Not only are there now more players involved in the conflict, but but there are fewer communication channels to stop problems from escalating. That, he told reporters, made him "very concerned."
A man has been arrested after a driver attempted to run over a number of soldiers in southern France, according to local media.

No one in the group of 10 soldiers was hurt, multiple reports said.

It took place in the Varces-Allieres-et-Risset area south of Grenoble at about 9am local time.

Recommended France pays tribute to hero policeman who swapped places with hostage

The soldiers from the 27th Mountain Battalion were returning from a jog near their base at the time.

Officials said the reason for the driver's actions was unknown and that it was unclear whether the military had been targeted specifically.

The driver first shouted at groups of soldiers near the barracks, an army spokesman said, before returning later and attempting to hit them.

A man was later arrested in Grenoble, officials said.

It comes less than a week after a gunman killed four people, including a police officer, in a terrorist attack in Trebes.

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. 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Given the context, the incident is being taken seriously but we dont know his motivations, a source told Reuters on Thursday.

Funerals for the Trebes victims were due to take place on Thursday, a day after president Emmanuel Macron led a memorial to Lt Col Arnaud Beltrame, the gendarme who traded himself for hostages during last Friday's siege and subsequently died.
On May 19, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will officially wed under the watchful eye of the nation.

However, the ceremony isnt the only aspect of the wedding thats capturing everybodys attention.

The question of where Prince Harry and Ms Markle will choose to travel to on their honeymoon is as discussed a topic as the designer of the wedding dress and the flavour of their chosen cake.

Prince Harry and Ms Markles previous voyages away together have been well-documented.

Shortly after it was announced that the pair were romantically involved, they travelled to Norway, staying at the remote Tromvik Lodge.

Last March they were pictured together in Jamaica for a wedding and over the summer they ventured to Botswana to celebrate Ms Markles birthday, visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites during their trip.

Its been reported that the betrothed couple will be going to Namibia for their honeymoon, staying at the Hoanib Valley Camp thats currently being built.

Kensington Palace have not yet confirmed any rumours surrounding the royal honeymoon.

The most recent reports claim that Prince Harry and Ms Markle have definitely chosen to go to Namibia after their wedding, according to a source who informed Travel + Leisure of the news.

However, royal expert Omid Scobie believes that the couple are unlikely to choose a destination that's been reported in the media prior to their nuptials.

Unsurprisingly, with less than seven weeks until their wedding, speculation about where Meghan and Harry will go on their honeymoon is rife, Scobie told The Independent.

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The most popular rumour has been a return to Africa, specifically a luxury lodge and safari in Namibia.

Given they have already holidayed in Botswana twice, the trip sounds exactly like the kind of thing they would go for.

However the latest reports may be one step ahead of the newlyweds-to-be - Im told by several sources that they havent actually booked anything yet!

According to Scobie, if Prince Harry and Ms Markle had indeed chosen to go to Namibia for their honeymoon, chances are they wont be going there now that rumours are spreading.

Once a private royal itinerary has been leaked, its likely that it would be scrapped, he said.

If it is Africa then Id put my money on Malawi or Rwanda.

Perhaps Prince Harry and Ms Markle will be taking inspiration from the honeymoons of royal couples who came before them.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge departed for the Seychelles after they married in 2011.

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They spent ten days together soaking up the sun in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

On their last day, they personally thanked the Seychelles coastguard for helping to ensure their privacy.

Prince Harrys parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, decided to take to the sea for their honeymoon, as they embarked on a two-week Mediterranean cruise aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia after their 1981 wedding.

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed their honeymoon closer to home, spending time at Broadlands House in Hampshire, owned by Lord Mountbatten.

This article has been updated. It was originally published on March 29.
The air is thin and misty up here, hanging in droplets from the hood of my raincoat. Edging forward to the sparse barrier of the mountaintop, it feels as though I am standing right above the clouds  and, at an elevation of 3,000m, I suppose I am. Peering over the edge, the foggy nothing completely surrounds me and the world below is unknown and forgotten.

More than 5,000 people lived here, protected and secluded on a mountaintop in northern Peru about 1,500 years ago. They were known as the Chachapoyas, or Cloud Warriors. I walk slowly around the 400 or so stone house ruins that remain from their settlement, stopping in the centre of one to take it all in. The walls are crumbled and broken in places and the roofs are long gone, yet enough remains that if I close my eyes I can imagine what it once must have looked like.

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Narrow channels run around the perimeters of the sleeping quarters; I am amazed to hear from my guide, Carlo, that these were used to house the families cuy (guinea pigs). These furry little rodents acted as a living, moving central heating system and were also kept as livestock, and cuy remains to this day a popular traditional food in Peru.

Although nature has reclaimed the site over centuries of limited visitation, beautiful and fascinating details can still be seen. Along the walls of the round houses, jaguar and snake designs have been carved into the rock, symbolising the power and strength of the warriors who lived here.

Life changed irrevocably for the Chachapoyas in 1470 when they were conquered by their southern neighbours, the Incas, who themselves fell to Spanish invaders just 60 years later.

Kuelaps ruins are hundreds of years older than Machu Picchu (Getty/iStockphoto) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Although the Incas attempted to decimate the cloud warriors, recent scientific evidence shows the Chachapoyas people were not completely wiped out. A 2017 study published in Scientific Reports found that indigenous DNA originating from the Chachapoyas lives on today in descendants from the same area.

Their homeland, the fortress of Kuelap, was built between 600 and 900 years before Machu Picchu. Its on a higher mountain and is a larger site than Perus most famous attraction in the south, yet until recently its been difficult to visit this fifth century citadel. Just 30 years ago the trek from Kuelap to the nearest road took a staggering two months to complete; up until last year, the journey still required a four-hour hike or an hour-and-a-half car ride up a windy, nail-biting mountain road. But in March 2017, a cable car was installed at an estimated cost of $20m, which covers 4km of the journey in just 20 minutes.

Theres still enough of a hike left to give visitors a bit of a challenge to enjoy as they make their way from the gondola along paved steps that wind through to the entrance of the great walled city. Horses are available to hire for those who need a little extra help.

Walls are adorned with carvings (Getty/iStockphoto) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Just outside the entrance my guide stops us and produces leaves from the muna plant, sometimes called Andean mint. Passing the fresh, fragrant leaves from hand to hand, their aroma is released with each warm touch. Carlo instructs us to inhale the scent, believed to counter altitude sickness and act as an offering to the ancestors.

To get to the very top of the settlement, I climb up precarious, jagged stone steps covered in slippery moss. I gingerly make my way up the slope, searching for any tiny foothold and holding onto the sparse lengths of railing to haul myself up to safety. I press myself against the damp, cold stone to let other, more confident, climbers pass.

Carlo notices my absence by his side and hops expertly from step to step, helping other visitors scale the slope as he makes his way back down to the platform where Ive hung back. With an encouraging grin, he beckons me to continue. This is the final ascent, the trickiest part  I am so close to the Kuelap settlements and the chance to look out from this cloud fortress; I cant give up now.

The stone dwellings are 1,500 years old (Getty/iStockphoto) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

With Carlos help and advice  Step there, no, on this one  the ancient path is navigated in a few minutes and we emerge into the open, green space at the very top of the mountain.

I can feel the pulse in my neck as I take a moment to collect myself. A disinterested brown llama looks on, dew collected on his long eyelashes as he chews on some grass. Here, at the top of the world, I feel peaceful, contented  the only sound comes from my own ragged breath, and the humming of the llamas.

Machu Picchu is indeed a wondrous marvel that deserves its reputation. But with an over saturation of tourists, which often threatens the ruins, it might be worth looking further north for your dose of history  especially when its this magnificent.

Travel essentials

Getting there

Daily flights are offered from the UK to Lima by a range of carriers, including British Airways. Flights from Lima to Jaen are offered daily by Latam Airlines. From there, its a five hour drive to the site of Kuelap.

Staying there

See what the rest of the region has to offer, from Gocta waterfall to the mummies of Leymebamba, by staying at the luxurious Gocta Lodge with views of the falls from the infinity pool. Its a two-and-a-half hour car ride from Kuelap. Doubles from 200, room only.

More information

peru.travel
After the last train from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington at 10.35pm on Thursday, the next service will not run until Wednesday 4 April. The busiest station in the west of England is closing for five days over Easter because of engineering work to upgrade signalling and improve reliability.

On a normal day, more than 25,000 passengers use the station, while tens of thousands more pass through on journeys such as Exeter to Birmingham and Cardiff to Southampton.

Many other rail travellers will be affected by Easter engineering projects. Manchester Victoria station is closed from Good Friday to Easter Monday for electrification work. Bus replacement services will operate.

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London Euston, the fifth-busiest station in Britain, will close all day on Easter Sunday for work in the Wembley area. To Manchester, the recommended route involves a train from London St Pancras to Kettering, then a bus to Rugby to connect with rail services. Journey times could be doubled.

To Birmingham, passengers are urged to travel via Chiltern Railways between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street  but are warned that trains will be extremely busy.

The line between Glasgow and Carlisle will close from Saturday to Monday, due to signalling work at Motherwell. Buses will replace trains.

The highest concentration of work is in South-east England. The main line from London Charing Cross to Dover and Hastings is closed for the whole long weekend between Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, because of engineering work in a tunnel beneath the North Downs.

The Great Western line is disrupted between London Paddington and Reading. With two of the four tracks out of action, high-speed trains could get caught behind local stopping services. Heathrow airports rail services to and from Paddington will be basically halved through the long weekend.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral PA UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his awesome year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than 150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospitals charity PA UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York AP UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria PA UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queens Guard PA UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London Reuters UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled Prairie by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London EPA UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London. PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty

The South Western Railway line between Waterloo station and Reading is cut between Clapham Junction and Richmond from Good Friday to Easter Monday. The train operator says a strike across the long weekend by members of the RMT is unlikely to disrupt services.

Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, said: While most of the network is open for business as usual, some routes are heavily affected and so we strongly advise passengers to plan ahead this Easter.

Our Railway Upgrade Plan is the biggest in 100 years. A number of massively complex and hugely challenging projects are on the home straight. These will bring faster journeys, more comfort and greater reliability to millions of people who rely on the railway.

Travellers heading to or through Paris on Air France face disruption due to strikes by pilots, cabin crew and ground staff on Good Friday and the Wednesday after Easter.

The airline says it will cancel 30 per cent of European services, and one-fifth of long-haul flights, but warns last-minute delays and cancellations may occur.

Four flights connecting Paris with Heathrow and Manchester have been cancelled, along with other cancellations from UK airports.

The unions are demanding a 6 per cent increase in pay to compensate for what they say are several years of wage stagnation. Air France, which saw profits rise by 42 per cent last year to 1.5bn (1.31bn), is offering a 1 per cent rise plus other benefits.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 and 4 April, rail workers in France will stop work in the first of a series of two-day strikes against labour reforms.

Eurostar has cancelled a total of 20 trains between London and Paris, and nine between London and Brussels, on the strike days. The Disneyland service will run to Paris Nord rather than direct to the theme park, obliging passengers to take a complicated onward journey on suburban trains.

Workers at the port of Calais will take industrial action on 5 April 2018, affecting ferries to and from Dover.
A landlord in Edinburgh has had his Airbnb listing removed and been banned from the website after posting an advert with the caveat, please dont book if you are Asian.

Landlord Stephen Sheppard justified the post by saying he had bad experiences with Asian guests. When asked about the discriminatory advert, Mr Sheppard told the Daily Record: Yes aware of a complaint, nothing really to discuss, apart from having bad experiences in the past. No further comments to make!

Sheppards listing was originally discovered by an Asian IT worker, who was looking for accommodation in Edinburgh.

This act by the host is the worst type of violation you can perform on this platform, he said. If you are deciding to make your property available on a platform such as this to generate an income then the rules do not allow you to discriminate in this fashion, period.

If you have a personal resentment towards a specific group of people then do not use this platform.

He also criticised Airbnb for allowing the listing on the website.

Airbnb have chosen not to scan house rules or look for discriminatory listings when they quite easily can.

They have given importance to their revenue stream over discrimination as possibly the process to implement is not cost effective and thus they rely on the users to see and report.

Speaking to The Independent, Labour MSP Anar Sarwar said: There can be no excuse for this shocking and shameful racism. It shows that we have a lot of work to do to call out and challenge everyday racism.

Im pleased Airbnb have permanently removed this racist listing but it shouldnt take a complaint before this happens. I would hope Airbnb would learn from this and ensure no listings of this nature are possible in future.

An Airbnb spokesperson told The Independent: We have zero tolerance for discrimination and have permanently removed this host from Airbnb.

The company established the Airbnb Community Commitment in 2016, which requires all hosts and guests to agree that by joining the Airbnb community they commit to treat all fellow members of the community, regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or age, with respect, and without judgment or bias.

When we are made aware that there are those who are pursuing behaviour on the platform that would be antithetical to the Airbnb Community Commitment, we seek to take appropriate action, including removing them from the platform, said the spokesperson.

Under the Open Doors policy, if a guest is not able to book a listing because they have been discriminated against, Airbnb will ensure the guest finds a place to stay.

In 2017, the company launched a review of its entire platform, led by Laura Murphy, the former head of the American Civil Liberties Unions Washington D.C. Legislative Office.

It also launched its Open Doors policy in October, stating that, If a Guest anywhere in the world feels like they have been discriminated against in violation of our policy  in trying to book a listing, having a booking cancelled, or in any other interaction with a host  we will find that Guest a similar place to stay if one is available on Airbnb, or if not, we will find them an alternative accommodation elsewhere.
Gabon today showed its commitment to wildlife extends beyond the governments determination to protect the forest elephant with the announcement that it will now be creating one of Africas largest ever marine protected areas.

The new network, consisting of nine new national marine parks and 11 new aquatic reserves, means that combined with the countrys three existing marine zones some 53,000 square kilometres of ocean will be protected.

The announcement comes at a time when marine biodiversity is seriously threatened. More than 70 percent of the worlds fish stocks are either overexploited or have collapsed and the majority of coral reefs have been damaged. Yet, only around four percent of oceans globally are currently formally protected by marine protected areas.

The announcement was made in a keynote speech at the United Nations Oceans Conference in New York by Gabons president, Ali Bongo, who said that 27 per cent of Gabons territorial waters would now be protected and the whales, sea turtles, and other marine species inhabiting them now safeguarded.

Marine biologists estimate that between 20 and 30 per cent of a countrys ocean area needs to be protected to maintain biodiversity and restore depleted areas outside the marine parks.

The President told reporters: Our marine ecosystems are as rich and as precious as our better known rainforests. We had to do for the oceans what my father, the Late President Omar Bongo Ondimba, did for the forests when he created 13 national parks in 2002.

The new areas will also help curtail unregulated and unsustainable fishing from the international fleets that exploit much of Africas coastal waters and help secure local livelihoods by ensuring fisheries are sustained for future generations.

Recommended Gabon launches elephant fences in pioneering conservation move

Gabon has long been at the forefront of conservation in Africa and works closely with the Giants Club, the conservation initiative created by Space for Giants that is supported by The Independent, to help protect the countries forest elephants.

The new marine parks were conceived after a research team from the National Geographics Pristine Seas Program, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Gabonese National Parks Agency presented their findings to the President which showed the threats posed to the ecosystem by illegal fisheries.

He instructed the director of Gabon National Parks, Professor Lee White to launch a program that was christened 'Gabon Blue' to design a strategy to protect and restore Gabon marine ecosystems and fish stocks and to develop a plan for sustainable fisheries management.

The new marine parks will protect more than 20 species of whales and dolphins, including humpback whales and Atlantic humpback dolphins, and four species of marine turtles, among them the worlds largest breeding leatherback turtle population and the Atlantic Oceans largest breeding olive ridley turtle population.

More than 20 species of sharks and rays also occur in Gabons waters, many of which are threatened, including great hammerhead sharks, manta rays, whale sharks and tiger sharks.
They left by the thousand, the jihadis of Ghouta and their wives and children and parents. Many were still armed  Kalashnikovs over their shoulders, watched by the Russian soldiers in steel helmets and flak jackets  and they prayed, some of them, on waste ground, beneath leafless trees, next to the smashed metal wall of a broken factory behind which their chadored wives were waiting.

There were dozens of tourist buses waiting for these armed men, these Islamists whose faces had never appeared before us in past weeks  those of them who didnt cover their faces with scarves. So they climbed aboard air-conditioned Pullmans with Happy Travel and Express Tours and other preposterous advertisements on the side. One of the vehicles even had Very Important Personae stencilled across the back window in English and Latin. Weirder, it could not have been. But sinister, too.

There were shells still thumping across the other side of Ghouta  if these Jaish al-Islam men and their families were leaving, others were not  and one of their conditions for evacuation were no photographs, no interviews with the press, no publicity, rules that were disregarded with care. The Islamists we could now see leading his very young wife and two children onto a tourist bus. And there was so many of them.

I watched them stand beneath those shattered trees to pray. They had long scraggly beards, most of them uncombed, cheap track suits, dusty plastic sandals. I suppose it was a sort of political statement. They had been directed by God to fight and thus prayed to God even when they had surrendered  up to a point  and abandoned their holy battle, and thus achieved a kind of religious victory in maintaining their faith. But really? What honour was left if you must trust yourself and your Islamist families to the godless Russians and their secular allies in Syria?

Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Show all 10 1 /10 Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Newly arrived civilians from el-Ghouta packed onto a government refugee bus on the front line outside Damascus Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta A small Syrian refugee girl ponders her future on the bus taking her from the eastern Ghouta front line Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta A refugee woman from el-Ghouta who lost her husband and son in the early bombardment by the Syrian army Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Civilian refugees less than an hour after crossing the front line from their pulverised homes in el-Ghouta Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Happy to be seen, anxious to conceal their faces: Syrian men who have crossed the east Ghouta front line waiting to be interviewed by Syrian security officers in a nearby refugee camp Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta 29-year old Ala'a Younis, paralysed after a neck wound in eastern Ghouta sits on his wheelchair beside his father Mohamed at a refugee camp near the front line Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta A wheelchair-bound refugee from el-Ghouta describes how he was forced to live in tunnels along with families and Islamic fighters Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta This young woman lost three members of her family in eastern Ghouta before the end of the siege Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Sana el-Boukeri in a Syrian refugee camp. She lost her civilian husband and son in the Syrian and Russian bombardment of eastern Ghouta while her other son was wounded fighting in the Syrian government army on the other side of the front line. Nelofer Pazira Faces from the Siege: Eastern Ghouta Both sides of history. Sana el-Boukeri's husband and son were killed in the Ghouta bombing by Syria, her other son wounded in the government army Nelofer Pazira

For this was Moscows operation, be sure of that. Russian military police officers monitored every bus, every departure from two big Russian military trucks; a general and three of his officers  Russian flashes on their sleeves, big steel helmets, weapons so new they reflected the sun  moved among us and the Syrian troops and the armed evacuees. The buses had black windows and so we saw many of these Islamist men and their very young, chadored wives and their children, through a glass darkly.

They were Syrian, almost all of them, and many born in Ghouta, so they were leaving for the central province of Idlib, possibly for the first time. There they would be met by other militia who would not have much time for the resistance men of Ghouta. I stared in through the windows. There was a woman holding a little girl who broke free and leaned on the window to look at us. She could not have understood the Syrian history to which she was witness. The face at the window. That is what she was.

But of course, we also had the old question: where did they come from, these men in black clothes and beards and rather battered-looking Kalashnikovs? Why had we not seen them before? Some of their colleagues, still amid the ruins behind us, fired off round after round of ammunition  using up their bullets before they leave, one Syrian soldier muttered dismissively  but these men were leaving by the thousand. By nightfall, I would count another hundred buses waiting for them.

That fearful footage we had seen on social media, night after night, circulated around the world on television news, genuine film, to be sure but  while containing the suffering civilians, the wounded children, the real civilian corpses  never showed us the men who held weapons and machine guns and mortars and who fired back into eastern Damascus and who were now parading before us, a dozen at a time, to leave the towns and villages they had helped to destroy. Were the anonymous cameramen of this hell forbidden to show its defenders? And if so, why did they not say so? And why did we not say so?

And there was that little matter of their children. All children are civilians. And all children can be refugees. But those who had configured the deconfliction of eastern Ghouta and divided up the buses, had also decided who would be the child refugee of the Islamist fighters  en route to Idlib with a Russian escort  and who would be the other children, equally innocent, who would go to the refugee camp near Adra. All children are equal. Are they not?

But of one thing, as I said, there could be no question. This was a Russian show. The Russian army was constructing this vital piece of theatre, walking between the refugee buses and the fighters buses and noting the numbers; and  who could doubt this?  a decade or two ago, these might have been UN peace-keepers, blue berets rather than Russian helmets, in eastern Ghouta. In another war  in another age  they might even have been American peace-keepers. But in the Trump-Putin era, all has changed. The Russians are now the peace-keepers, the conferences at Astana a substitute for the UN Security Council. When Russia decided to end the vicious little war in Ghouta, there would be no debates, and there were no irritating vetoes. Opponents were cajoled or bombed into agreement. Promises were made  and largely kept, it seems, at least until the Islamists reach Idlib and the Syrians decide that they must all leave again for Turkey or, via the endless reconciliation committees, for their original, smashed homes.

Thus the Russians can say they have plans for peace rather than plans for war  the result of the Trumpian Middle East non-doctrine  and observe the detritus of towns and cities blasted by their Syrian allies and the regimes enemies. After dark, those Russian soldiers were still on duty, their computer screens glowing from inside their military lorries as the fighters who had not yet left fired more ammunition into the sky. Red and white, the tracers soared over us, the Syrian soldiers tired and sometimes exhausted but well aware that victory, here at least, would be theirs.

At one point, a Syrian truck with smoked black glass, hooting a constant wail, soared past the buses, a middle finger pointed upwards from the nearest window. The Islamist fighters ignored it. Oddly, they were prepared to talk, briefly, when a Syrian state television journalist clambered onto one of their moving buses with a video-recorder. A man with dark glasses said he and his comrades had fought for freedom. We did have freedom, the reporter responds (a predictable regime line) on the tape. I could drink, I could go to the mosque, I could do whatever I wanted to do and nobody stopped me but now we have a military emergency that came about because of you and your demands for freedom.

Another man, cowled in the background, had apparently disagreed with his comrades, saying he did not want to go to Idlib, that he had not been consulted, that the fighters had not been given the same food as its leaders, even during the battles. He was later questioned by the man who demanded freedom. But the propaganda war in Syria is fought as ferociously as the conflict with guns. The glass may be shattered but it is as thick as concrete.
For Theresa May, Brexit means a double negotiation  with her own party as well as the European Union. Navigating the path to a deal with the 27 EU members is difficult enough; steering a course between pro-European Conservatives who want a soft Brexit and Brexiteers who favour a hard version makes her task nightmarish. For good measure, she needs to keep Northern Irelands 10 Democratic Unionist MPs on board, as her Commons majority depends on them.

Predictions that the prime minister would fail to clear various hurdles  notably, securing a phase one deal last December and a transitional agreement this month  proved wide of the mark. Low expectations heightened the sense of progress when the fences were jumped. Mays aides believe this will be crucial in winning her partys support for a withdrawal agreement later this year. Its all about building momentum, one said.

Will May definitely reach a deal with the EU? Some cabinet ministers believe privately that the collapse of the talks is more likely than it looks now there is agreement on a transitional deal lasting until December 2020. While speculation about a May walkout to focus EU minds has faded, some senior Tories do not rule it out. The EU needs our money [the 40bn divorce settlement]. We may have to remind it of that, said one minister.

The Irish border remains the most intractable problem and probable trigger of a breakdown. May could not sell the backstop plan  Northern Ireland remaining in the customs union and parts of the single market, with the UK border in the Irish Sea  to Tory MPs or the DUP. But the government lacks a credible alternative.

Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit  insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit  sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop  with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same  under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters

At first glance, it looks impossible for the prime minister to keep both the pro and anti-EU Tories happy about a final agreement. So far, she has managed to avoid alienating either group  partly by keeping her cards welded to her chest, to the frustration of ministers on the cabinets Brexit sub-committee, who grumble about her failure to give a lead.

Philip Hammond, the chancellor, leads a cabinet group wanting the closest possible links with the EU market after Brexit, and which is sceptical that trade deals with non-EU countries will bring early benefits. Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, is the cheerleader for those wanting a clean break from the EU. The Brexit sub-committee is split down the middle, with five ministers in each camp, leaving May with the casting vote.

Can she keep them all on board when the trade talks inevitably hit a sticky patch? The most likely minister to resign in protest is Johnson. May defied the doom-mongers by brokering a compromise at an eight-hour Chequers summit last month. Brexiteer ministers were allowed to trumpet that divergence from EU regulations had won the day. It suited the prime minister to send a positive signal to backbench Brexiteers. However, May said nothing about the managed divergence policy in her subsequent Mansion House speech.

The Hammond-led group is relatively relaxed about the cabinets compromise. It suspects the EU will continue to reject such a pick and mix approach, forcing May to choose between moving closer to a Norway model with close EU links and an EU-Canada-style trade deal limited to goods. The pro-Europeans hope May will head down the Norway route  or at least that of Switzerland, which has good access to EU markets for goods and limited access for services. That might be too close to the EU for the Brexiteers, and, if coupled with other concessions by May on issues such as fisheries and the European Court of Justice, might see Johnson resign to lead a backbench rebellion against such a deal (with an eye on the next Tory leadership contest).

 Michael Gove denies any knowledge of BeLeave campaign donation during Brexit referendum

The Mansion House speech will be the model for selling the final deal to both Europhiles and Europhobes. Again, doubters believed May's address would upset one Tory faction, but she won plaudits from both by giving them something, and ensuring they could just about live with what they did not like. The pro-EU wing got Mays conciliatory language about the need for compromise, while hardline Brexiteers welcomed her rejection of a customs union. Her strategy appears to be to soften the edges of hard Brexit by as much as the EU will allow, while reassuring the hardliners that the UK is still leaving the single market and customs union.

May will need to repeat the high-wire act when it comes to selling the withdrawal agreement. Downing Street works on the assumption it will need the votes of all 316 Tory MPs to win Commons approval for the deal. It suspects Jeremy Corbyn will find a reason for Labour to vote against it in the hope of defeating it, and that the ensuing turmoil results in a general election.

However, many Tory MPs believe the partys fragile truce after the Mansion House speech will not last. Crunch issues  the Irish border, a customs union, fisheries, the ECJs remit  cannot be put off forever. Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, has set an October deadline for the withdrawal agreement, although UK ministers believe December might turn out to be the real one.

Which Tory faction is most likely to break with May? The Eurosceptics certainly make the most noise. Led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the high-profile chairman of the 60-strong European Research Group (ERG), they do not like her concessions on fisheries and free movement to secure the transitional deal, but are prepared to lump it to achieve their prize of a clean Brexit. They will renew their threat to oust May if she makes similar concessions to get a withdrawal agreement. She needs to remember that she needs our support, said one ERG member. Yet their bark may be worse than their bite; they might not have the numbers to force May out as Tory leader or defeat her in the Commons.

It is easier to see the Labour opposition making common cause with the 25 pro-European Tory MPs than the Eurosceptics. That happened last December, when such a cross-party alliance defeated the government by insisting on a meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement this autumn. A similar rebellion could see a majority of MPs vote for a customs union with the EU. Ministers have delayed this showdown but cannot duck it forever.

Could the pro-EU Tories join forces with Labour to reject the EU deal, or even block Brexit by calling for a referendum on it? Some in this Tory group will be tempted to do so to put country before party. But the majority may buckle under enormous pressure to toe the government line. May allies believe their trump card will be warning Tory rebels their actions could trigger a general election, and let in Britains most left-wing government ever.

Ministers believe the EU deal will be done at the very last minute. That could help May bounce Tory MPs into accepting it, as they might lack time to mobilise against her late concessions. Her rhetoric is not always matched by reality, and her red lines may look decidedly pink by the end of the negotiations. The Eurosceptics may have to face more hard facts, as May said at Mansion House, than they would wish. But if anyone can navigate this course without splitting the Tories, May can.
Former US president Bill Clinton will travel to Northern Ireland next month to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement.

Mr Clinton will also journey to the Irish Republic as part of a series of events to celebrate the historic peace accord of April 1998.

The ex-president and senator George Mitchell, the US diplomat who brokered the deal, will both receive the Freedom of Belfast on April 10.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, councillor Nuala McAllister, said: The contribution made by both president Bill Clinton and senator George J Mitchell to our peace process cannot be underestimated. Both have earned their place in our history as peacemakers, and both can be very proud of what they helped us to achieve.

On the same day the politicians will also attend a major peace building event at Queens University in Belfast along with other major protagonists in the negotiations that largely ended three decades of sectarian conflict.

Other participants include former No 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell, ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, former UUP leader and first minister Lord David Trimble and former SDLP deputy first minister Seamus Mallon.

Former DUP leader and ex first minister Peter Robinson will also attend.

Queens Universitys acting vice-chancellor, Professor James McElnay, said: We are honoured and delighted to welcome President Clinton to Queens University to mark the 20th anniversary of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement.

His role and influence on the peace process in Northern Ireland was pivotal to ensuring all parties reached agreement in April 1998. To have him back in Northern Ireland for this significant anniversary is a privilege.

On April 9, both senator Mitchell and president Clinton will deliver speeches in Dublin.
With one year to go until Brexit day on March 29 2019, Theresa May has managed to get agreement on draft terms for the UKs withdrawal from the EU, as well as a transition period lasting until the end of 2020.

However, the hard work is far from over. Many observers believe that the toughest parts of the negotiations still lie ahead. Here are some of the challenges facing the Prime Minister:

Northern Ireland

Possibly the thorniest topic and one on which the whole process could founder. Both the UK and EU have committed themselves to keeping the Irish border open and doing nothing to undermine the Good Friday Agreement, but the promise is proving to be easier said than done. Removing Northern Ireland along with the rest of the UK from the European customs union risks creating a need for checks on the border, while keeping the province in the customs union would effectively draw a border down the Irish Sea.

Mrs May gave her backing in December to a fudge under which a hard border would be avoided either as part of a broader trade agreement with the EU or by the use of as-yet-unspecified technology. If neither of these options comes to fruition, the EU insisted on a backstop alternative under which parts of the Northern Irish economy would remain closely integrated into the EUs systems. However when the European Commission translated this into legal language, Mrs May denounced it as something which no UK prime minister could accept.

Last week, she said it was time to look for workable solutions to the impasse, but she is running out of time to do so. And she faces the additional problem that the DUP, which props up her Government in Westminster, is certain to object to any proposal which treats Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the UK.

Fish

The draft agreement approved last week in Brussels provoked fury among the UKs fishing communities, many of whom saw it as a betrayal of Environment Secretary Michael Goves promise that Britain would leave the Common Fisheries Policy in March 2019.

Instead, the text provides for Britain to stay in the CFP until the transition period concludes at the end of 2020. During this period, the UK will be consulted on the allocation of fishing quotas, but will have no decision-making powers. Only from 2021 will the UK be able to negotiate access to its waters as a sovereign nation. Some 14 of the PMs parliamentary allies  13 Tories and one DUP MP  have denounced the proposals, threatening Mrs Mays ability to get the withdrawal deal through the Commons.

Trade

Trade will be the meat of the negotiations from now on, with huge areas of detail to be discussed and agreed. Few observers believe that talks can be concluded in time for a final agreement to be implemented on Brexit day or even by the end of the transition period, though that remains the Governments goal.

More likely is that a political agreement will be reached by the autumn, setting out the broad terms of a likely deal, with officials sweating over the details in the years to come.

Whatever deal is thrashed out will have to satisfy not only the European Commission and the UK Government, but as many as 38 national and regional parliaments across the continent, some of which have shown themselves ready in the past to threaten vetoes unless their particular local concerns are met.

Votes

With just one year to go until Brexit, @Keir_Starmer is setting out our plan to ensure we get a Brexit deal that safeguards jobs, the economy and peoples livelihoods. Take a look  pic.twitter.com/xgcuqkefq0  The Labour Party (@UKLabour) March 26, 2018

Mrs May will have to navigate her way through perilous waters to secure parliamentary backing for her Brexit plans, as required by a successful Commons rebellion in December. The PM has promised a meaningful vote on the final agreement, in the form of a take it or leave it choice between whatever deal has been secured or EU withdrawal without a deal. But Labour is pushing for Parliament to be given the power to direct ministers on what to do next if the deal is rejected, keeping open the option of sending them back to renegotiate.

There are also numerous pieces of Brexit legislation going through the Commons which are vulnerable to amendments which could upset Mrs Mays plans. Without an overall majority in the Commons, the PM is not only dependent not only on the votes of her DUP allies but must also stave off potential rebellions from Tories on both sides of the Brexit debate.

Already Labour has proposed changes to the EU Withdrawal Bill to include a legal commitment to keeping the Irish border open, while Tory rebels have put forward an amendment to put customs union membership back on the table. And the Government is likely to have to seek compromise with peers as they raise objections to the Withdrawal Bill during its slow passage through the Upper House.

Devolution

Ministers are mired in an apparently intractable dispute with the devolved administrations over the repatriation of powers currently exercised by Brussels in areas like agricultural support and food labelling.

The Welsh and Scottish governments have denounced the EU Withdrawal Bill as a Whitehall power grab. And they dismissed concessions offered by the UK Government earlier this month as no more than an effort by London to protect its position.
The Prime Minister has declined to commit to visiting the Irish border before Brexit.

Theresa May suggested it was more important that she understood the issues related to the border than to see it in person.

Mrs May and senior cabinet colleagues have faced criticism for not visiting the 310-mile frontier since the Brexit referendum, despite its fate being one of the crucial issues in the UKs exit negotiations with the EU.

On the third leg of her whistle-stop tour of the UK on Thursday, Mrs May visited a farm between Bangor and Belfast in the constituency of north Down.

The Jackson family farm sits more than 50 miles away from the nearest section of the border.

Mrs May was pressed on why she had not taken the opportunity to visit communities closer to the border with the Irish Republic, given the acute concern held by many in that area about Brexit.

I absolutely understand how important this issue is for people generally in Northern Ireland but obviously particularly for those who are living close to, and in some cases, may have homes that are across the border, she said.

But the Prime Minister declined to give a commitment to visit the border before the UK leaves the EU.

When asked by the Press Association whether she would be prepared to go to the border in the next 12 months and see for herself the potential issues concerning people, Mrs May replied:

My diary over the next year hasnt yet been set, but all I am saying is I understand.

I think its not a question of just whether I actually go and stand on the border, its a question of do I understand the impact that has for people?

What I am doing here today is actually listening to farmers here in Northern Ireland.

Listening to representatives of the agri-food industry, hearing what they want to see coming out of Brexit, what are the opportunities for Northern Ireland in the future.

Thats what I have been doing.

Earlier, Mrs May sat down for lunch in the Jackson familys farmhouse with representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union.

She heard of concerns within the agriculture industry about Brexits potential to impact on the free flow of goods across the Irish border.

Farmers representatives also stressed that they did not want a new border created in the Irish sea, obstructing important trade links with Great Britain.

Mrs May told the farmers Brexit presented opportunities.

I think one of the things that will come out of Brexit is the opportunity for agriculture here but across the UK to really  out of the CAP (EUs Common Agricultural Policy)  to set our own way of doing things, she said.

She told fellow guests at the lunch that on a recent visit to China she had learned of potential opportunities for milk exporters in the UK.

Theres lot of opportunities to find ways of doing these things, Mrs May said.

The Prime Minister added: We are absolutely committed to ensuring there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland to ensure that free flow.
Brexit is likely to change the structure of the Irish economy and potentially lead to a long-term increase in costs for businesses and consumers, the Department of Finance has warned.

It said the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union - due a year from now - would likely "structurally" change the nature of the economy, rather than simply have a cyclical impact.

While a lot of Brexit analysis has focused on the damage to exporters, the report highlights disruption of supplies into Ireland.

Businesses and consumers could be hit with higher prices, supply chains could be disrupted and competition could be eroded because of the scale of the imports coming into Ireland from the UK, the Department warned.

SMEs could be disproportionately affected by any shock to supply chains because they make up the majority of importers in certain sectors, it added.

"The results further highlight the disproportionate exposure of both Irish business and consumers to Brexit," the Department said in new research examining the import exposures to the UK of Ireland and other EU Member States.

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"The high import exposures show that it is not just Irish exporters that are exposed to Brexit but also firms integrated into supply chains, and disturbances to retail and distribution supply chains could have a direct impact on Irish consumers through reduced competition and higher prices.

"These issues indicate that Brexit is likely to cause a structural, rather than cyclical, change in the Irish economy. As such, a comprehensive trade agreement between the UK and EU that is as close as possible to the status quo is imperative for Ireland to prevent a rise in the cost of imports for firms across all sectors and minimise the impact on the Irish economy."

The report notes that overall Ireland has a trade surplus with the UK, and within the overall balance, runs a goods deficit and a significant services surplus.

We import more in goods from the UK than we export, although that share has been declining. In 2016, goods imports from the UK totalled 23pc, compared with 13pc for exports.

This import exposure is spread across a wide range of sectors, the report said, compared to the export exposure which is more concentrated in certain sectors.

The report also said that Ireland's sectoral imports are substantially, "by a significant distance", the most exposed of the remaining EU-27, across almost all sectors.

"Once again, food and live animals is the most exposed sector, however the analysis also points to the issues facing sectors such as retail, manufacturing and pharma-chem due to supply chain linkages," it said.

On the services side, Ireland is less exposed to the UK with regard to imports than exports.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the results of the research highlight the need for the country to continue to take steps to prepare the economy for Brexit.

"We have been consistent in our position that it is in Ireland's interest that, post-Brexit, there is the closest possible relationship between the EU and the UK, including on trade," Mr Donohoe said.

"This is in line with the March European Council Guidelines in December, which reaffirmed the EU's desire to establish a close partnership with the UK."
Tanaiste Simon Coveney has insisted progress must be made by next June clarifying how the UK will guarantee no hard Border in Ireland.

Brexit will become a reality exactly one year from today, on March 29, 2019.

A deadline has been set for October for the so-called "Withdrawal Agreement" setting out the EU-UK divorce terms.

The Foreign Affairs Minister told the Dail there was now a focus of the British negotiating team and the EU taskforce on getting a legally operative wording truly reflecting what was agreed between Brussels and London last December.

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Fianna Fail has been accusing the Government of delay in properly nailing down the issue and allowing the final phase of talks to begin without full clarity on the Border.

But Mr Coveney brushed these suggestions aside, saying progress on the Border deal will be assessed by EU leaders at their next summit in June.

"I think June is a significant date from an Irish perspective," Mr Coveney said.

"If it is not possible by June, is it going to be possible by October?"

The Tanaiste said the British government had in February rejected a legal draft of the deal done in December. But Ireland fully accepted the EU version of the agreement.

"It is now up to the British government to come forward with their proposals that would have the same outcome," Mr Coveney said.

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Mr Coveney was replying to Fianna Fail Brexit spokesman Stephen Donnelly, who said he was concerned about the delay in reaching agreement.

Mr Donnelly again expressed his impatience at the Government allowing final Brexit phase talks to start without clarity on the future of the Border.

"Last Monday, many of us were taken by surprise when the EU taskforce released the Brexit document which showed that no progress had been made on releasing the legal wording for the backstop ensuring no Border around Northern Ireland," Mr Donnelly said.

"And last Friday the Taoiseach said the wording may not be agreed until October. How long will the Government allow phase two to continue without clarity on that specific legal wording that needs to be in the final document?" the Wicklow TD asked.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is today mounting a whirlwind tour of the four nations of the United Kingdom with a promise to keep the country "strong and united".

Speaking to voters in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, Mrs May will say that, whether they voted Leave or Remain, what is important now is making Brexit "a success for everyone".

Ahead of a visit to Northern Ireland, she restated her rejection of EU proposals which would effectively create an administrative border down the Irish Sea by keeping the North in the customs union.

"As the prime minister of the United Kingdom, I have an absolute responsibility to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole," she said.

"That means ensuring that no new barriers are created within our common domestic market and that the UK is able to meet its international obligations in the future.

"No prime minister could leave these things to chance, because they are absolutely crucial to our success as a country in the future."
The Baupost Group bought a Paris property for $21m, revamped it, and sold it on to Gecina SA for a$475m just 20 months later

Baupost Group made a tidy profit when the hedge fund bought property northwest of Paris for about $21m, revamped it, and sold it on to Gecina SA for about $475m just 20 months later.

Fast forward a decade and one of its top partners is about to face a four-day criminal trial in France for using a Luxembourg unit to sidestep taxes on the transaction.

Thomas Blumenthal, Baupost's head of international real estate, was directly involved in the deals.

He will be on trial alongside three other managers of Luxembourg affiliates. A French unit of late real-estate developer Howard Ronson's HRO Group, accused of being an enabler to the alleged fraud, will be on trial.

For years, a gaping loophole in the Grand Duchy's tax treaty with France was a favourite with realty developers and investment funds. So long as French property deals were seen to be piloted by units in Luxembourg, profits went untaxed in both countries.

Then France got tired of this loophole. It renegotiated the 60-year-old treaty - prompting foreign funds to sell real estate to realise profits before the change took effect in 2008 - and sent tax collectors on the war path.

Criminal authorities also joined the fray, bent on unmasking set-ups actually run in France but pretending to operate from Luxembourg to skip taxes.

Shrinking Revenues

A decade ago, tax became a buzzword to boost shrinking revenues for crisis-stricken authorities across Europe. Ikea thus became in December the latest company ensnared in the European Commission's sprawling tax probes that included officials ordering Apple Inc. to repay 13bn ($16bn). France, for its part, has gone after the likes of Google, Carlyle Group LP and Baupost - with mixed success.

Blumenthal, who joined the firm in 1993 and co-heads its private investment group, faces as many as five years in prison and a fine if convicted.

"Mr Blumenthal denies all accusations of wrongdoing," Baupost spokeswoman Diana DeSocio said in an emailed statement on his behalf.

"Everyone who knows Tom understands that he is a person of the highest integrity," she said. "He acted in good faith in this matter for the benefit of our clients and on the advice of highly-regarded tax experts. We fully support him."

HRO France didn't respond to requests for comment.

Permanent Base

Maximilien Jazani, a tax lawyer in Paris not involved in the case, expects prosecutors in this case to insist that the accused men "knew full and well" the Luxembourg affiliates should be considered as having a permanent base in France and thus pay French taxes on the transaction.

"Still, convictions aren't easy to obtain in such cases as it requires showing intent," Jazani said in a phone interview.

Baupost, the $30bn hedge fund led by Seth Klarman, set up an investment venture in the 1990s with HRO that built and renovated European office buildings in London, Paris and Frankfurt through affiliates in Luxembourg.

While several transactions went unnoticed, the 2006 sale of two real-estate investments caught the French tax administration's attention.

La DefensE

In one deal, a Luxembourg company majority-owned by Baupost bought property with space of 60,000 sq m (646,000 sq ft) near Paris's La Defense business district for 16.7m in April 2005. The existing on-site structure was to be torn down to make way for new offices but, in December the following year, the "Defense Ouest" project was sold unfinished to Gecina for 384.1m - 23 times the acquisition price.

The affiliate, in which Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. also had a stake, was then liquidated, paying out about 90m to its owners from 2006 to 2008 but handing none of the profit made on the transaction to the French taxman.

The investment fund took the view that the Luxembourg affiliate was entitled to take advantage of the tax treaty with France. It contained a loophole stemming from the radically different way the two neighbouring countries treat profits made by a Luxembourg-based firm on French real estate.

Luxembourg saw such gains as real-estate profits to be taxed in the country where the property was located.

France considered, for its part, that they should be seen as corporate profits and taxed in the Grand Duchy if the operation was run from there.

Big 'If'

That big "if" turned out to be Baupost's undoing. The French taxman argued it found evidence the realty work wasn't carried out in the Grand Duchy but instead in Paris to declare the Luxembourg affiliate ineligible for the treaty's benefits and taxable in France.

Criminal authorities took a similar view and ordered the trial.

The court case is also set to focus on another 2006 sale conducted via another Baupost affiliate in Luxembourg where the French authorities and the investment fund are at odds.

Baupost lost all of its successive civil appeals against tax officials ahead of the criminal trial.

The company declined to say how much it had to pay.

(Bloomberg)
Developer Michael Cotter's Viscount Securities has renewed its bid to build over 900 new homes at Clay Farm in Leopardstown, following the rejection by An Bord Pleanala of the company's initial plans for the site last January.

An examination of recent applications to the authority shows that Viscount has submitted a pre-application proposal, seeking a 10-year permission for the development of 927 units comprising 355 houses and 572 apartments on the south Dublin site.

The application, which has been submitted under the terms of the Government's temporary 'fast-track' planning system, also includes the proposed delivery of a childcare facility and 1,458 car parking spaces.

Viscount's original application for the Clay Farm lands was turned down by An Bord Pleanala two months ago on the grounds that the developer didn't provide sufficient information in relation to the management of storm water in the area, which is prone to flooding. The decision to refuse permission for the development was decided by a casting vote from the board's chairperson.

While An Bord Pleanala said it had considered whether a partial grant or split decision would allow the development to proceed on a phased basis, this option was precluded on the basis that "considerable uncertainties regarding the issue of drainage across the entire site remained".

The board also said in its ruling that it agreed with concerns expressed by its inspector that the proposed scheme provided inadequate public open space for the housing units.

Viscount Securities' original application for the Clay Farm site was the first proposal submitted under the 'fast track' planning system, after it was signed into law by Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy in June of last year.

Under the scheme, developers seeking permission for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 units or more are no longer required to apply to their respective local authorities in the first instance, but can instead apply directly to An Bord Pleanala.

With ordinary planning applications for large housing developments to local authorities typically appealed to An Bord Pleanala, ultimate approval can, in certain circumstances, take up to 18 months to secure. The fast-track planning regulation sees the period for such determinations reduced to a maximum of six months.

The system's efficiency was illustrated only last Thursday with developer Pat Crean's Marlet Property Group securing planning permission for 420 homes on the site of CIE's former lands on Carnlough Road in Dublin's Cabra area. An Bord Pleanala completed its deliberations and issued its decision on Marlet's application in just 14 weeks.

The Cabra development forms just one element within Marlet's 'Dublin Living' scheme - Ireland's largest ever Private Rented Sector (PRS) public offering comprising 1,170 units across the capital on sites which it owns in conjunction with its finance partner, the international asset manager, M&G Investments. The 'Dublin Living' portfolio also includes sites at Mount Argus and St Clare's in Harold's Cross and at Bluebell.
Five bumper property auctions will be held in April with over 330 lots covering more than 400 properties.

BidX1 will auction 250 of those lots online through its residential auction on April 13, with 27m worth of properties, and its commercial auction on April 18, with lots guiding a combined 24m. The latter date is also the occasion for REA Dempsey Sothern's public auction in Naas, Co Kildare, when it will offer 25 lots with a combined value of 4.185m. These REA lots include five Dublin commercial properties.

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On April 20 in Galway, O'Donnellan and Joyce will host probably the most entertaining public auction with 47 lots ranging from Cork city to Donegal.

Meanwhile in Limerick on April 12, REA O'Connor Murphy will auction 10 residential Munster and Connacht properties.

BidX1's catalogue includes as many as 22 multi-unit residential investments which will be spread over both days. The most valuable of these is Emmet Lodge apartment complex in Inchicore, comprising 24 two-bedroom apartments and eight three-bedroom apartments. All but one of the apartments are tenanted, generating 430,080 in annual rent. Its guide price of 3.5m suggests a gross initial yield of 12.57pc.

Its second most valuable lot comprises four modern houses: 1-4 Howth Court, Howth Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3, guiding between 3m and 3.35m. In need of some work, two of them are semi-detached four-bedroom houses and the others are detached five-bedroom houses.

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BidX1's most valuable commercial property is a partly-let retail investment at 1-7 Hampton Wood, Finglas, Dublin 11. Its guide price has been reduced by 245,000 to 1.45m, compared to its previous reserve at last month's auction.

Located on the ground floor of a mixed-use block, it comprises three retail units extending to 459 sq m. Units 1-5 are let to Quinns Convenience Store trading as Centra and Unit 6 is let to a hair and beauty spa. Unit 7 is vacant. Current rents total 135,400 per year, suggesting an initial gross yield of 9.33pc.

An interesting test of the pub investment market will be the sale of the former Walters pub at 68 Georges Street Upper, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, which has a 1.25m guide price. It has been let to one of Ireland's most expansionary pub chains, Nolaclan Group headed by Alan Clancy, which plans to rename the property as House Dun Laoghaire. The initial gross yield could be 8pc based on an annual rent of 100,000 for 2018 but this will rise to 110,000 in 2019 and 120,000 in 2020. A selection of Kildare pubs are also in the catalogue.

Meanwhile, the New Central pub in Drogheda will auction with a guide price of 250,000.

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A service station let as Applegreen at a current annual rent of 90,000 has a 790,000 guide price, suggesting a gross initial yield of 11.39pc. Located at Possextown, Enfield, Co Meath, the 0.5 acre property includes a retail unit and a detached bungalow.

Two south Dublin lots are among the more valuable development sites. At Limekiln Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12, a 1.48 acre site with full planning permission for 11 four-bedroom houses has a 1.25m guide.

In Cabinteely Village a 0.55 acre investment property at 4, 5, 6 and 7 Old Bray Road has a 900,000 guide price. Its commercial potential is suggested by a lapsed planning permission for a 49-bedroom nursing home and two retail units.

In Ballymun, Dublin 9, a portfolio of nine apartments at The Charter, Santry Cross, have a 1.15m guide.

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Fully occupied with a total current annual rent reserved of 111,900, this suggests a gross initial yield of 9.73pc.

A mixed-use investment known as The Met, at Cornmarket Street, Ennis, Co Clare, has a 650,000 guide and with a total annual rent reserved of 71,720 offers a prospective gross yield of 11pc. Fully let, it comprises two ground floor offices and four first floor apartments.

Leinster

The most valuable of REA Dempsey Sothern's investment properties is 56 Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8. It comprises a two-storey, three-bedroom mid-terrace house with an additional two apartments located to the rear. Fully let, it currently generates annual rents of 40,500 and with an AMV of 645,000 it could return a gross yield of 6.28pc.

A mixed-use investment, Cualann House, 22 Old Nangor Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, currently generates 43,000 in annual rent which, with an AMV of 560,000, suggests a gross initial yield of 7.68pc. However, one of the apartments is vacant, suggesting it has potential for a yield increase. Extending to 4,263 sq ft, the lot comprises a ground floor retail unit and three overhead apartments.

A restaurant investment at Units 3 and 7 Smithfield Village, Smithfield, Dublin 7 has a 260,000 AMV and a prospective gross initial yield of 10pc. Unit 3 comprises a 1,334 sq ft ground floor restaurant occupied by Sparks Bistro at an annual rent of 26,000. Unit 7 is a small kiosk/storage area used by the restaurant on an informal arrangement.

Western auction

At O'Donnellan & Joyce's auction one of the most valuable properties is Glenanail, Tuam Road, Galway, a bungalow on about 0.3 acres with potential for commercial development as it is adjoined on two sides by motor businesses. It has a 550,000 AMV. Located 2.5 kms north of Galway City Centre, it is close to Liosbaun and Mervue business parks.

A mixed-use investment property at 1-5 Harbour Court, Harbour Street, Tullamore, Co Offaly, has a 240,000 AMV. Extending to 3,229 sq ft, it comprises: a shop let to a florist for 800 per month; four one-bed apartments let to Simon Community for 400 per month and a two-bed townhouse renting for 500 per month. These generate annual rents of 34,800 suggesting a gross yield of 14pc.

The most valuable of its residential lots is a four-bedroom detached house on a corner site known as Amaryllis, 34 Rockbarton Road, Salthill, which has a 580,000 AMV. It extends to 1,758 sq ft and has a garage to the side.

REA O'Connor Murphy's auction includes a retail investment, Unit 8, Barr na Sraide, Ballincollig, Cork. The corner ground-floor unit generates rents of 12,000 from a hair salon and with a 110,000 AMV, this suggests a gross yield of 10.9pc.
There has been a spike in activity as the countdown to the introduction of GDPR continues

Almost one in five Irish SMEs has yet to put a plan in place ahead of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect in May.

Nearly 90pc of firms surveyed said they were aware of GDPR, a set of regulations to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the EU, according to the results of a survey from the Small Firms Association.

No company surveyed described itself as 'GDPR-ready'.

The survey also showed that 39pc of respondents have made some preparations for GDPR and 45pc have started to prepare, while the rest said they had no plan in place.

Many SMEs also said they were "overwhelmed" by GDPR with most concerns linked to issues like employee records, IT, marketing and outsourcing.

"Small businesses know that GDPR is coming, with 89pc either very aware or having some awareness of the changes that will take effect on May 25, 2018," said Sven Spollen-Behrens, SFA Director.

"With the 'go live' date less than three months away, we have seen a spike in activity among members as they get ready to comply with the new data protection regulations.

"Still, it is worrying that almost one in five small businesses do not yet have a plan in place in relation to GDPR," he added. The GDPR increases the scope and nature of administrative costs for failure to comply with the rules with organisations and businesses potentially subject to fines of 20m or 4pc of turnover, whichever is the greater figure, for serious breaches.

The annual DataSec conference takes place on April 9 next at the RDS in Dublin.

An Independent News & Media event, it will focus on the challenges that GDPR brings for businesses and organisations from data storage and protection to legal implications and issues of consent.
The sale of 10,000 tonnes of miscanthus to buyers in the east of England will cost Irish taxpayers 4m, it has been claimed.

Paddy O'Toole of Quinns of Baltinglass said the Wicklow-based merchants is currently transporting the biomass crop from stores across the south-east.

The miscanthus was purchased from Quinns by BWSC Northern Fuels Ltd and will be used in the Brigg Renewable Energy Plant in North Lincolnshire.

Ten trucks are employed in moving the 8x4x3 bales of miscanthus to the plant, which takes in 250,000t of biomass each year.

Mr O'Toole described the absence of a major Irish outlet for the miscanthus - sown with the aid of planting grants - as a "disgrace".

He maintained that each tonne of miscanthus which is being shipped to Britain would save Ireland 400 in EU renewable energy fines which will be levied from 2020.

Mr O'Toole said the 10,000t of miscanthus would offset 4m in fines had an outlet been found for the crop in Ireland.

It is estimated that Ireland will be faced with fines of between 250m and 350m for failing to meet its obligatory targets for renewable energy usage in the area of heat generation and transport by 2020.

Mr O'Toole said the incentives under the Government's current RHI scheme were too conservative and would not encourage widespread conversion to biomass fuels.
On average, the Netherlands recorded the most expensive purchase price of one hectare of land in the EU in 2016 63,000.

Irish land prices are the fifth highest in Europe while land rental prices are the fourth highest, according to a new Eurostat statistics.

At 21,257/ha Irish land prices were only exceeded in the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, and the UK.

On average, the Netherlands recorded the most expensive purchase price of one hectare of land in the EU in 2016 63,000.

Indeed, the price of land in every region of the Netherlands was above all other available national averages in the EU.

Land was cheapest in Romania, with a hectare costing an average 1,958 in 2016.

The level of land prices depends on a number of national (laws), regional (climate, proximity to networks) and localised factors (soil quality, slope, drainage etc.) as well as the market forces of supply and demand (including influence of foreign ownership rules).

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As such, it is interesting to note developments in prices for regions over time.

From the data available, the strongest growth in land prices of arable land between 2011 and 2016 was in the Czech Republic (a three-fold increase), Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Hungary (a two-fold increase). Prices rose in other Member States too, albeit at much lower rates.

In almost all regions, buying arable land was more expensive than buying permanent grassland (as much as 20 times more expensive in the Greek islands of Voreio Aigaio).

Likewise, buying irrigable arable land was more expensive than non-irrigable arable land (as much as six times more expensive in the Spanish Region de Murcia).

Land rental prices

The cost of renting land is another factor that farmers have to absorb in their business. Mirroring the variation in arable land prices, annual rental prices of one hectare of agricultural land (arable or permanent grassland) also vary starkly between Member States and regions within Member States.

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Average rental prices in Ireland in 2016 was recorded at 291/ ha for one year the fourth highest price in Europe.

Renting one hectare of agricultural land was most expensive in the Netherlands (an average 791 for the year), with the highest regional average in Flevoland (NL) being almost twice the national average 1,536 for the year.

Renting agricultural land was cheapest on average in Latvia 46/ha per year, although the cheapest regions in the EU for renting were Mellersta Norrland and Ovre Norrland in Sweden 28/ha per year.

As with land prices, renting permanent grassland was cheaper than renting arable land.
One way of bypassing the water charge system is through the use of a private well that isn't connected to the public supply. Traditionally, a lot of farmers and other rural dwellers have gone down this route.

It makes sense if you use a large amount of water, if your home is far from a public or group water scheme or the quality of water coming from either of those schemes isn't up to scratch.

On paper, it's a no-brainer - sink your own well and to hell with whatever water charges are coming.

Costs

However, a close look at the costs is advised before going down this route. There can be high initial costs involved as well as ongoing charges for things like pump maintenance and well repair.

The total cost of sinking a well depends on the volume of water you need to get out of it. Industry experts I spoke to estimated it usually costs a minimum of 3,000 to 3,500 to build and kit out your own well.

You first need to drill and line the well, and farmers generally need to have a wider bore well because water demand will be higher than for domestic use (a domestic well usually has a six-inch bore diameter while a farming or commercial-use well may need an eight-inch bore). As bore size increases, the cost of drilling the well rises.

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Let's take two scenarios common in the farming sector.

100-cow dairy operator

The first case, Farmer A, is a 100-cow dairy operator in Cork who needs an average supply of 2,500 gallons of water per day (a typical dairy cow will drink an incredible 20 gallons of water on a warm day when milking).

The cost of the actual drilling and installation of the pump would be in the region of 4,500. You then must add the cost of the pump itself which, for this range of output, would be around 1,500.

If you are in a hard water area you may then also need to consider installing a water softener so as not to damage the milk cooling unit.

This can add another 1,500 to the price, taking the total cost to 7,500.

Dry stock farmer with 80 head of cattle

The second scenario is Farmer B, a dry stock farmer in Leitrim with 80 head of cattle who needs an average supply of 1,200 gallons per day (the average dry cow will drink 10-12 gallons of water per day).

The pump cost will not change, again coming in at 1,500.

However, the cost of drilling the well and pump installation will be less as a smaller bore might be possible and potentially less depth needed - let's say 2,500.

Assuming the same treatment is required for impurities and hard water etc, add on another 1,500 and it takes you to 5,500 for our dry stock farmer.

Using these examples, it is easy to see how cost will vary for differing demands and farm types.

Regardless of the farm type, there is no getting away from a minimum price if sinking your own farm well of around 3,500 all in.

Remember, too, that both systems will need to factor in things like pump maintenance. Most pumps these days have a life span of about 15 years.

Payback period

What do these figures mean in terms of the payback? The cost of using 2,500 gallons of water per day if on the mains system works out at around 15 per day at current commercial rates.

The dairy farmer obviously won't use this much water every day of the year, but even if he used the maximum demand for 200 days of the year, that equates to a total water charge of 3,000 per annum.

This would give an impressive two-year payback period. Meanwhile, our dry stock man's payback period would be marginally longer - but not by much - at around three years.

From these figures, it is clear that the payback looks attractive for farm and commercial wells where usage is high.

However, for a domestic application, where usage is usually not higher than 200 gallons per day, the figures in terms of payback aren't as convincing.

Even at the cheapest scenario possible, with total installation costs of 3,000 for a small well and pump, paying water charge rates (particularly now that they only kick in over a certain threshold) looks more palatable.

Planning permission and grants

You dont have to get planning permission for a private well provided the quantity that will be pumped is less than five million litres per day.

Few domestic or farm applications would exceed that quantity.

However, one caveat on the planning permission rules is that if building the likes of a new dairy unit where you intend to sink a well, you must outline on the plan where you intend to sink the well.

There are no grants available to farmers for sinking wells as it is deemed to be commercial use.

Domestic applicants may be able to get a grant from their local authority if theyre upgrading an existing well or building a new one.

The maximum grant available is 2,031.58, or three quarters of the cost of the work  whichever is less. To be eligible for a grant, your house must be more than seven years old and not already connected to either a public or group water scheme.

Pollution

If building your own well, be sure you follow the very useful guidelines on water well construction drawn up by the Institute of Geologists of Ireland (these can be found at www.igi.ie).

This is a really helpful resource and it has been drawn up with input from experts in the field including respected drilling contractors, geologists and engineers.

Approximately 130,000 households in Ireland depend on their own private water supply, usually a borehole, and yet Ireland currently has no statutory regulations concerning water well drilling and groundwater abstraction.

Consequently, there are inconsistent standards of construction of boreholes, so caution is urged for anyone looking to sink a well. Be sure to choose a reputable contractor from whom you can get references for previous jobs done.

A google search will show that well drilling contractors can be found throughout the country and are competitively priced.

Many private water wells in Ireland are polluted, at least intermittently, due to poor planning or drilling too close to a septic tank with obvious serious implications for public health.

It is important that water wells are only drilled in locations which minimise the likelihood that the well will be polluted by, for example, septic tanks, farmyard run-off or slurry spreading. Some of the key specifications include the fact that well heads should be constructed so as to ensure that surface water and shallow groundwater, which are likely to be polluted, cannot enter the well.

Another is that wells must be cased and grouted to an adequate depth, the casing and grout must meet certain minimum standards and the placing of the casing and grout must meet a certain specification.

Getting the equipment safely on to and off your farm in order to drill the well must be planned in advance. These are impressive machines in operation  they can weigh up to 40 tonnes and be over 8ft wide so access is an important consideration.

They are also tall vehicles when the drilling process begins, so due care must be given to things like overhead power lines or low hanging trees on the farm, low bridges en route to the drilling site and any soft ground where the rig could potentially get stuck.
Prime Minister Theresa May is shown around Fairview Farm in Bangor, Northern Ireland, during a tour of the four nations of the UK (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Prime Minister Theresa May has visited Northern Ireland as part of a flying tour of the UK exactly one year ahead of Brexit.

Mrs May visited a dairy farm owned by the Jackson family in Bangor on Thursday afternoon.

Sitting down for lunch in the farmhouse with representatives of the Ulster Farmers' Union, she heard of concerns within the agriculture industry about Brexit's potential to impact on the free flow of goods across the Irish border.

Farmers' representatives also stressed that they did not want a new border created in the Irish sea, obstructing important trade links with Great Britain.

Mrs May told the farmers Brexit presented opportunities.

"I think one of the things that will come out of Brexit is the opportunity for agriculture here but across the UK to really - out of the CAP (EU's Common Agricultural Policy) - to set our own way of doing things," she said.

Mrs May visited Ayrshire in Scotland earlier, and Newcastle before coming to Northern Ireland.

She left our shores to head to Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales, and will finish her day-long tour in west London.

The UK is set to leave the EU at 11pm on March 29, 2019.

Mrs Mays all-day plane trip comes amid polling suggesting the UK remains deeply divided over Brexit, but has little appetite for a second referendum on the issue.

One survey this week recorded a 53%-47% lead for continued EU membership. But 65% in a new ComRes poll for the Daily Express said they did not want a second referendum and 68% said that Remain voters should respect the will of the majority who backed Brexit.

Labours shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused the Government of being in chaos over Brexit, following a series of defeats in the House of Lords on its flagship EU Withdrawal Bill.

Mr McDonnell played down suggestions from Emily Thornberry that Labour would probably support the deal obtained by Mrs May in a Commons vote this autumn, saying that the shadow foreign secretary was being sarcastic.

Former prime minister Tony Blair urged Mrs May to offer a free vote in the Commons on the final Brexit deal, telling the Independent that if she did not, Labour and Tory MPs should be ready to vote with their conscience and rebel.

And Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4s Today programme it was more likely we can stop (Brexit) now than it was a few months ago.

Kicking off in Scotland, the Prime Minister visited textile workers at a factory in Ayrshire #RoadtoBrexit https://t.co/dKSzOAzlOe pic.twitter.com/ERUfiyDCHZ  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) March 29, 2018

Scottish National Party spokesman Michael Russell accused Mrs May of planning a power grab by repatriating some responsibilities currently exercised in Brussels to Westminster rather than Edinburgh.

By pursuing a disastrous hard Brexit, regardless of the cost to jobs and living standards, Theresa May and the Tories have shown they think they can now do anything to Scotland and get away with it, said Mr Russell.

But Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that a glorious view awaits Britain when it finally quits the EU.

Writing in the Express, Mr Johnson said: Like an unstoppable express, we are heading for Brexit and frankly, my friends, we cant arrive soon enough.

To mark one year to go until Brexit, the PM is embarking on a day-long tour across the UK to demonstrate her determination to deliver a deal that works for every community and protects the integrity of the union #RoadtoBrexit https://t.co/cbWKfurjNj pic.twitter.com/B9OJJpJXxH  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) March 29, 2018

Speaking in Ayr, Mrs May said: I believe we can negotiate a good agreement which is tariff-free and as frictionless trade as possible, so we maintain those markets in the EU, but also that we open up markets around the rest of the world.

Brexit provides us with opportunities. I want to see us coming together, the four nations across the United Kingdom.

We have a very strong union, that is in our interests and it is in our interests to come together and really seize these opportunities for the future.
Leading Malting Barley producers, Boortmalt, has announced details of a three year partnership with Teagasc with the ambition of making malting barley the most profitable cereal crop on the island and to further develop malting barley production for distilling in the south east of Ireland.

The joint collaboration will see the appointment of a dedicated malting barley advisor, reporting to Teagasc, on a full time basis covering the Boortmalt footprint from South Wexford to Laois.

The agreement strengthens the existing knowledge transfer co-operation between Teagasc and Boortmalt. Teagasc Knowledge Transfer (KT) has been working with Boortmalt for the last two years to deliver KT services such as technical bulletins to farmers, sharing of best practice in the growing of malting barley and gathering feedback from Boortmalt and farmers.

Boortmalt is the main assembler of malting barley in Ireland and plans to increase capacity to produce malt for brewing (beer) and distilling (whiskey) by up to 40,000 tonnes in the coming years.

Achieving the required grain specification for distilling malt (currently less than 9.3% protein) by farmers can be challenging: with field history, sowing date, variety, agronomy, and weather conditions in the year all influencing the final outcome.

Announcing the partnership, Peter Nallen, Group Chief Operations Officer, Boortmalt, said we are delighted to announce this unique partnership with Teagasc which is a first for malting barley growing in Ireland.

"As a company, Boortmalt is fully committed to working with our Irish supply chain partners (IFA) to build a 100% Irish sustainable business for our growers and our customers.

"Our enhanced partnership with Teagasc is another step in demonstrating our ongoing and unwavering commitment to the Irish malting barley industry as we fully believe that the specific and scientific expertise Teagasc brings will further improve our growers ability to consistently deliver malting barley in specification and also greatly improve their own profitability.

Speaking at the joint collaboration announcement Director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle, said the collaboration was prompted by farmers on the ground as they are aware of the increased opportunity to deliver a premium product and also the challenges in achieving the required specifications.

"A knowledge transfer crops advisor, specifically for malting barley, will work with the sector by utilising current information from independent research and translating this into practical actions and independent advice at a local farmer level.

The knowledge transfer programme will support current staff in Teagasc and Boortmalt working with farmers in the industry. The programme will work intensively with five farmers (Monitor Farms), across the main malting barley production area in the south east.

These farms will be used as a knowledge platform for other growers to visit and learn from over each season. Michael Hennessy, Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer said that the programme of activities will be very visible for all malting barley growers with monitor farms, monitor crops, support for discussion groups and technical articles among the many activities planned.

The programme has ambitious goals not only for Boortmalt in contribution to the delivery of malting barley but also to delivering farmer profitability and sustainability.

A number of ambitious targets have been set for the joint collaboration which include; growers achieving an equivalent or higher Gross Margin compared to Winter Wheat (based on Teagasc e-Profit Monitor results), increasing delivery of malting barley from contracted (sown) area, targeting information to non-discussion group farmers and increasing the nutrient management planning on farm.

Tom Bryan, Malting Barley Technical Manager, Boortmalt said: Nutrient management is the key to higher yields and delivering the correct specification of malting barley, with this in mind Boortmalt are supporting soil sampling for all our malting barley farmers. All growers will be contacted to let them know how many discounted soil samples they can avail of through their local Teagasc office.
The bill to the Irish taxpayer of fighting the Apple state aid case has increased to 5.7m (including Vat).

That is according to Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, who said that 3m of the 5.7m spent relates to the recovery process of the monies.

Last week, the Government selected three investment firms - Goldman Sachs, Amundi and Blackrock - to manage 14bn of back taxes and interest it has been ordered to collect from Apple.

The appointment of the firms will allow Apple to start moving the funds into an escrow account in the coming months.

The State has appealed the European Commission's decision that Apple owes the billions to the State.

In his written Dail reply to Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty, Minister Donohoe said that the Apple Tax Aid decision was "an important issue for the State, it will continue to be resourced by the State appropriately".

Minister Donohoe said: "Ireland has never accepted the Commission's analysis in the Apple State aid decision and is challenging the Commission's decision before the European Courts.

"Notwithstanding this, the Government is committed to complying with the binding legal obligations the Commission's final decision places on Ireland.

"The Irish authorities have engaged fully with the Commission throughout the State aid investigation. This involved a significant degree of legal and technical complexity, and additional expertise has been engaged where required."

Minister Donohoe said that it will likely be several years before the matter is ultimately settled by the European Courts. Last year, the State spent 2.8m on the case with solicitors William Fry receiving 1.74m of that amount.

Minister Donohoe said that the 5.7m spend "includes all legal costs, consultancy fees and other associated costs. These fees have been paid by the Department of Finance, Revenue Commissioners, NTMA, the Central Bank, the Attorney General's and Chief State Solicitor's Office".
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe says he's seeking a briefing from banks about the impact of branch closures on business lending.

It comes in the wake of damning criticism from the head of the Credit Review Office who said banks no longer make the effort to get to know small and medium-sized firms when they apply for loans.

John Trethowan said bank officials are making loan decisions sitting behind desks rather than face-to-face, and warned the closure of bank branches across the country could be the cause of lower demand for SME lending.

Mr Donohoe said there are "important points" within the Trethowan report on which both he and the banks need to reflect.

"We have to get the balance right between having branches present within communities to allow direct engagement between them and potential customers, and the work that banks have underway to try and make themselves more efficient," Mr Donohoe said. "In the engagement that I am going to be having with banks across the coming weeks and months, this is a matter I'll be raising with them."

Mr Donohoe was speaking at the official launch of the Government's 300m Brexit Loan Guarantee scheme. The aim of the scheme is to provide working capital at rates of around 4pc to small- and medium-sized businesses that are either impacted by Brexit, or believe they will be in the future. The scheme is being operated via the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), through AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank.

The State, in conjunction with the European Investment Bank, will provide the guarantee for the loans, rather than liquidity.

Business Minister Heather Humphreys said the Government is working with the European Investment Bank on a longer-term loan scheme for businesses affected by Brexit.

"Currently banks lend out to approximately seven years so we're looking at a longer term than that, and it's something for capital investment targeted at businesses that are going to be impacted by Brexit," she said.
Social media users are being warned not to share their plans for the long Easter weekend on any online platforms.

Brokers Ireland said that information from sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are being gathered by criminals.

Director of General Insurance Services Brian McNelis said that social media has "presented new opportunities for those with less than honourable intent".

"To be safe and try and ensure your home is not broken into while you are away, dont publicise your plans on social media."

Home occupiers are also being reminded to take additional precautions to safeguard their home against thieves, and property damage.

Tips from Brokers Ireland include checking that the home alarm system - and smoke alarm - is working and properly activated.

According to Mr McNelis, theft, water and fire damage are common issues that often lead to insurance claims by consumers.

"More than six in ten people (65pc) dont activate their alarm systems when they are away from home," he said.

"And when it comes to water damage, its worth remembering that 30 drips of water per minute amounts to five gallons per day and that can create a lot of damage to a property, and neighbouring properties in the case of apartment blocks."

Consumers have been asked to consider turning off the water supply, check under sinks for leaks and unplug all electrical appliances while away from the home.

Theft per property in a claim has been established at 3,500, according to Mr McNelis, with 30pc of claims involving water damage.

Those looking to take a mini break away over the Easter season have also been advised to contact their insurance company.

"The fact that a property may become unoccupied is considered by most insurance companies to be a material fact that could impact cover," he said.

"The thinking is that should a problem arise  be it from fire, water or whatever - damage tends to be more extensive and, therefore, more costly to remedy."

Additional guidelines from Brokers Ireland include cancelling deliveries that might arrive when not at home and asking neighbours to collect post.
It's not much use saying the Emperor has no clothes, if you are then going to hold up his non-existent gilded coat for our admiration. Yet that is the situation in which our statisticians and economic commentators find themselves.

The imaginary coat is, of course, GDP (gross domestic product) - but most of the undergarments are pretty illusory as well. With hardly anything real on display, they are reduced to explaining why what is being published is really not much use.

The last few weeks have been particularly troublesome, with the publication by the CSO of the national accounts for 2017, followed last week by the much-watched quarterly commentary from the ESRI. Earlier, the Central Bank faced the task of explaining why its forecasts could not be taken at face value - something we may presume the bank hates having to do.

The reasons are well enough known - the distortions caused by the activities of the large multinational corporations in Ireland. Which means it is much more than a problem of statistical aberrations. The role of the selfsame corporations and the tax they pay is now second only to Brexit as a pressing political and economic question.

The simple souls who report on such matters in the media have also been drawn into the morass. The CSO figures showed GDP growing by almost 8pc last year - even faster when comparing the last quarter with the same period in 2016. Reporters duly wrote and broadcast the figure, and then explained that it was not to be taken at face value.

For their own professional reasons, they hate doing that as much as central bankers. The ephemera of mass media does not take kindly to subsidiary clauses and footnotes. Almost certainly, a greater than ever number of readers, viewers, listeners and scrollers were left with little idea of what was actually going on.

They probably came away with a general impression that the economy was doing quite nicely, thank you, but proper political debate requires a bit more precision and precision is hard to come by.

The CSO is encouraging the use of its 'Modified Domestic Demand' which excludes obvious multinational distortions such as aircraft leasing and 'imports' of R&D.

On that basis the economy grew by 4pc last year - about half the GDP number and less than the 5pc expansion in national product (GNP) which we used to use quite happily but is also now hugely distorted. Simon Barry at Ulster Bank Economics reckons a realistic figure for last year would be even lower than 4pc.

Like other private analysts, he tries to strip out more difficult multinational activities. These include intangible investment, particularly imports of software, which increased by around 3bn last year. That represents a quarter of the growth in the CSO's measure. The bank suggests true growth in the domestic economy may have been between 2.6pc and 3.7pc.

And even that could be worse than it looks. When output is segregated, Barry reckons the economy is operating in 'two-speed mode,' with the multinational dominated sectors registering growth of more than 10pc last year, while the more domestic "indigenous" sectors expanded by less than 3pc.

That is a completely different world from the one portrayed by GDP. It is still a volatile one, with what we might call ordinary decent investment rising and falling rapidly because of major projects, such as the completion of the Dublin cross-city tram line.

In addition, the indigenous economy is boosted by the rapid expansion of construction - welcome, but not part of the tradeable economy. All this is exacerbated by the unpredictable spending on intangible assets by multinationals and aircraft purchases by leasing firms.

It is very difficult to bring these kinds of complication centre stage. The Budget shenanigans are already under way and will be unusually intense, given the prospect of a post-budget election and the potential spending pot of some 3bn. Around which of those two worlds - that of GDP or of genuine domestic activity - will debate take place?

The different measures do not particularly affect the 2019 budget arithmetic - although one advantage of the more realistic measures is that the forecast government surplus of 2bn next year represents almost 1pc of national income, versus 0.6pc of GDP. The issue, though, is not next year, but the longer term.

A debate about spending and taxation based on GDP will lead us further down a blind alley - and that is before considering the growing risks to the corporation tax revenues on which we depend so much.

Even if - and it is a big if - there are politicians and interest groups willing to use the more credible figures, they would have to struggle with the fact that the figures are not easy to find.

In its commentary, the ESRI called for a comprehensive overhaul of the national economic statistics. It suggested parallel figures, excluding the more esoteric multinational activities, could be published alongside the conventional ones.

Their frustration is understandable. Most economists, including those at the central bank, prefer the new national income statistics, GNI* (modified Gross National Income). The last available figure for that is 2016, when it stood at 190bn. GDP was put at a mighty 276bn; clear proof that it is a weapon of mass information destruction which should be decommissioned as soon as possible. 2016 is too long ago for analysts and market researchers. They also want quarterly figures which adjust for seasonal variations. These are not yet available for GNI*. The ESRI's summary forecasts have to make do with GDP and GNP, and we are left with little more than the 2pc rise in employment next year as a guide to the economy's performance.

The CSO says in reply that it is working hard on the new measures but points out that they are already in use in some places, most notably in assessing national debt. Quarterly figures and seasonal adjustments do not matter much here and the IMF, EU Commission and credit ratings agencies are all applying GNI* estimates rather than GDP.

Unlike budget surpluses, this is a disadvantage when it comes to the optics. Irish public debt is second only to Italy's in the EU when GNI* is used. When adjustments for the cost of living are made to get debt per person - as the OECD does in its most recent report - Ireland is marginally worse than Italy and bottom of the EU table.

In such a situation and in view of the clearly identifiable risks - Brexit, threats to corporation tax from both the EU and US, general global uncertainty - a surplus (at last!) of 1pc of national income looks hardly enough. Yet the only people it might suit to use even this figure would be opposition politicians attacking the government for worryingly loose fiscal policies.

No such politicians are likely to make an appearance. It may therefore be time, at least until the CSO completes its work, for even official bodies like them or the central bank, to put the modified, more realistic estimates, not parallel as the ESRI suggested but at the top of their statements, with GDP and GNP further down. As the old sub-editors' adage has it: who reads the second paragraph?
GAN, the gaming software company headed up by Dermot Smurfit Jr, has posted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of 0.5m (0.57m) for 2017, a turnaround on the 0.9m loss recorded in 2016.

Gross income for 2017 was 41.1m, a 30pc increase on the previous year, according to the companys annual results released today.

The performance was driven by the launch of five new clients of Simulated Gaming in the US, together with a number of significant commercial and strategic developments, according to Mr Smurfit Jr, CEO of the company.

Mr Smurfit went on to say that one of the most significant developments was the passage of legislation permitting almost 13 million Pennsylvanian residents to play real money Internet casino games starting in second half of 2018.

GAN's client of Simulated Gaming in Pennsylvania, Parx Casino, is the largest single casino property by market share in Pennsylvania.

Overall the company reported a loss after tax of 3.5m, down marginally on the 3.8m loss recorded in 2016. Meanwhile cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year were 2.7m, down on the 3.2m held in 2016.

"2017 saw GAN deliver its first full year of positive EBITDA since 2013 following a lengthy investment cycle to position GAN as a market leader in the US casino industry delivering internet gaming solutions for real money Regulated Gaming and Simulated Gaming which is deployed in advance of regulation," Mr Smurfit said.

During the year the company, which signed two US casino clients for real money regulated gaming in New Jersey and European markets, raised 2m through an unsecured 9pc convertible loan note.

In addition, the companys internet gaming platform, content and supporting services continued to support Betfair's fast-growing New Jersey internet casino business.

Looking forwards, Mr Smurfit said that the companys performance to date in 2018 is in line with our expectations.
Microsoft has won a court battle on transfer pricing against Danish tax authorities ,according to a release by Denmark's Eastern High Court. The case could have implications for other multinationals operating here and serving markets elsewhere in Europe.

Danish tax authorities had requested that the Danish unit of Microsoft should pay about DKK308m (41m) in extra taxes for 2004-2007 for products sold in co-operation with Microsoft in Ireland.

The Danish tax authorities had demanded the tax, saying Microsoft had not been properly paid for performing marketing activities in the country - and thereby flattering its lower taxed Irish profits at the expense of profits at a Danish subsidiary.

Such intercompany accounting, or transfer pricing can be complex, but plays a huge role in determining where tax liabilities fall.

Microsoft in Ireland is one of the country's biggest private sector employers, and serves as the base for a much wider European market.

The case was a second big Danish tax case for the US multinational.

In 2013 the country launched its then biggest-ever tax case, in connection with Microsoft's acquisition of the Danish IT group, Navision. Demark's tax authorities demanded $1bn (809m) from Microsoft.

The tax authority said Microsoft had sold the rights to Navision's successful business planning software, now under the name of Dynamics NAV, at below market value to a subsidiary in Ireland.

As a result the tax authority claimed back taxes and interest from sales of Dynamics NAV.

At the time the Danish corporate tax rate was 25pc - more than double the prevailing rate here - although that has since been cut.

The cases come against a background in much of Europe of national and EU authorities wanting technology companies to pay more tax.

A European Commission report last year found that technology businesses pay around half the corporation tax of traditional so-called bricks and mortar businesses, in part due their internationalised sales and service structures.

A controversial plan to impose a 3pc levy on the sale of some digital businesses, proposed by the European Commission, but opposed by Ireland, is aimed in part at closing that apparent taxation gap. (Additional reporting Bloomberg)
So-called robo-advisers were built on the promise of offering wealth management expertise to the masses. Now those startups are turning their attention to a different - and much wealthier - customer.

Betterment LLC, the largest startup in the automated financial advisory market, has said that it's adding a tool for some clients to adjust investment allocations in more granular ways. The service is limited to those with at least $100,000 (81,000) under management by Betterment.

The product follows similar moves by two other robo-adviser startups in recent months. Ellevest, a women-focused investment platform founded by Wall Street veteran Sallie Krawcheck, introduced a private wealth management service late last year for clients willing to put in more than $1m. Last month, Wealthfront added a tool to minimise investment risk for customers with $100,000 or more.

Services geared toward wealthy clients typically carry larger fees, which is appealing to a young company in search of profits.

But there are doubts about whether high-net-worth individuals would be willing to move their assets to robots at an untested firm. This type of customer will "always demand face-to-face advice", according to a report from analysts at Citigroup in 2016.

Robo-advisers started out by going after people with limited disposable income and little experience with investing.

These companies are able to offer wealth management tools at low fees because they rely mostly on automated software, instead of people, to deliver advice. Customers fill out a risk profile by answering questions about their age and goals to receive a customised portfolio made up of exchange-traded funds and other passive investments.

Competition has upped the urgency for these startups to add new products. Charles Schwab, Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group have all introduced robo-advisers in recent years and have billions of assets under management already. Betterment and Wealthfront have said they each have more than $10bn in assets.

"The industry has come a long way over the past several years, but success has also attracted new competition, including large and established players across the financial services industry," said Devin Ryan, an analyst at JMP Securities LLC.

Ellevest's product for millionaires comes at a higher cost than its base service, in exchange for access to additional investment options and a personal, human financial manager. (Bloomberg)
Conor Pierce of Samsung believes camera technology and security will be a major focus as we redefine our relationship with our phones and see increasing reliance on them as a smart society rises.

Irish people look at their phone 57 times every day, more than any other country in Europe. Or so says Conor Pierce.

He should know, though - he's the head of Samsung IT and Mobile in the UK and Ireland, which is Europe's joint biggest electronics and tech market.

And yet even as his company launches what is regarded as the main competitor to Apple's iPhone X - the Galaxy S9 - Pierce has somewhat counterintuitive thoughts about the place of smartphones in our lives at present.

"We're becoming a heads-down society," says Pierce, referring to people walking along the street with their faces stuck in phones.

"In Ireland, there's a real debate about this. Maybe we have a more social culture than others but we do all have a responsibility, as do the social media giants, in trying to encourage a bit more discipline in how we use our phones. How do we get people to get their heads up?"

Pierce, an active outdoors climber and adventurer, has his own tricks to curb any temptation at bingeing.

"I put my phone in another room with the alarm so that I have to get up and retrieve it instead of having it beside me as I'm falling asleep," he says.

"For a lot of people, the phone is the last thing they do at night and the first thing they do in the morning. That's fine, but I do think that everyone needs some quality time."

In one way, Samsung isn't really helping. Its latest S9 Plus phone is probably the company's most accomplished device. Its screen has been rated as the best on any electronic or electrical device, while its camera breaks new ground in the all-important low-light scenario.

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To be blunt, there hasn't ever been a more addictive phone in Samsung's repertoire.

And it may even get worse (or better, depending on your perspective).

Samsung's next major goal is to tie together all of the products it makes - from tellies and phones to fridges and smartwatches - so that they're all connected. In the short term, this means that your phone becomes a remote control to your house. For example, when you walk into your living room with a Galaxy phone, a Samsung TV will detect it and enable you to control it from your phone.

In other words, your phone will become even more central to your daily movements.

Pierce chooses to view this as asserting control over the phone rather than the other way around. He also points to the benefits that a joined-up smart household brings.

"Right now you need to be tech savvy to patch all that stuff together," he says, referring to competing smart gadgets like the Nest and Philips Hue light bulbs and Amazon Echos. "But in the future it should be a lot more simple. And yes, your phone will be more of a slave to you, with you being the master instead of the other way around."

If the jury remains out on this, Pierce is still hoping that other elements of phones such as the S9 can augment healthy, more active ("quality time") activities.

To this end, he thinks that Samsung Health - and health apps in general - could yet become a big selling point for top end smartphones like the S9.

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"The UK and Ireland has one of the highest Samsung Health user ratios in the world without much marketing," he says. "People who use it tend to love it. Now we're starting to look at questions such as how to build Bixby [Samsung's artificial intelligence assistant] into Samsung health. Could it be an entry into your local GP? I'd love to see it make much more in this area."

Personally, Pierce has had an interesting journey through the mobile world.

Despite still being relatively young, he is a veteran of the industry. He led the Irish business for Ericsson from 1996, a period when it switched over to Sony Ericsson. He then joined Nokia in 2004, seeing the Finnish giant mop up a staggering 84pc market share in Ireland before the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 spelled Nokia's doom.

Before its demise, however, Pierce spent 12 years at the company, landing big jobs in the Middle East, Turkey and the UK, where he somehow managed to carve out a 10pc market share for Nokia Lumia (Windows) smartphones.

But with a lack of support from key app developers in the industry, Microsoft's phone business started to implode. In 2015, Pierce joined Samsung as its vice-president for IT and Mobile, a job he still has.

In the last three years, he has witnessed some tumultuous times at Samsung, the peak of which was the recall of the exploding Note 7 phone.

"I was in the airport on the day that we had to do our recall, collecting phones from people," he previously told the Irish Independent. "We set up kiosks there so people could swap them. Because otherwise the phone was going to be confiscated [by the airline]. What were people supposed to do, miss their flight? Or lose their phones? So we said 'We'll take your phone off you, here's an S7 Edge, we'll transfer all your stuff onto it, so they would have something to go back with.

"We had a task force set up from first thing in the morning until last thing at night."

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It was a gutsy move that ultimately paid off.

Both in the UK, Ireland and globally, Samsung appears to have suffered almost no fall-off whatsoever in its business since the Note 7 fiasco. If anything, it has tightened its grip on the global smartphone market alongside Apple, shoving everyone else (with the exception of Huawei) to the side.

Indeed, Pierce quotes industry figures to claim that there's been a 40pc increase from people moving from iOS (iPhone) devices to Samsung devices. Apple may well have something to say about that.

And while the latest Galaxy S9 wows with its camera and its screen, it hasn't added much else of note over last year's Galaxy S8 (full review on Independent.ie)

But Pierce says that where it really counts on features, Samsung is hitting its sweet spot.

"The S9's good performance in orders is an indication of the importance of the camera," he says. "The camera is now the number two reason for getting a phone. The top reason, by the way, is getting online - 5G is a big coming thing. Our phones are really well-positioned."

And the next big thing in phone technology? With edge-to-edge displays, there's nowhere really left to go with the screen. Can we push camera technology even further without challenging the laws of physics?

"I believe we'll continue to see innovations in camera technology," says Pierce. "That's definitely a focus for future design in the industry. Security and safety are hot topics now, too. We could open Knox [Samsung's security standard] up to partners. And then 5G is going to be a massive platform, leading eventually to a ubiquitous smart society that will have things like connected homes, more digital lifestyles, connected health and greater productivity.

"All of these things are being taken into consideration when the next phones are designed."
US chipmaker NXP Semiconductors, the target of a $44bn (35bn) takeover by Qualcomm that is awaiting approval by Chinese anti-monopoly regulators, has sold its stake in a Chinese chip-design joint venture.

NXP sold its 40pc of Suzhou ASEN Semiconductors to Taiwanese venture partner Advanced Semiconductor Engineering for $127m, according to a stock exchange filing.

The sale could potentially help ease competition concerns by lowering NXP's exposure to the Chinese market as the country's commerce ministry considers Qualcomm's takeover bid.

Qualcomm has received approval from the other eight of nine required regulators to finalise its acquisition.

In January, NXP announced the end date for the transaction was extended to April 25, following multiple prior extensions.

A spokesman for NXP said the transaction was "part of the usual pruning of NXP's asset portfolio" and not related to the acquisition.

Qualcomm and the commerce ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

Chinese regulators are considering the deal at a time of heightened trade tension between China and the United States over a proposed US plan to introduce tariffs on imports from China, including in high-tech sectors.

Last month, the US government blocked the acquisition of Qualcomm itself by Singapore's Broadcom, citing national security concerns and worries about China gaining the upper-hand in fifth-generation (5G) mobile network technology.

The saga continues to play out. Qualcomm shareholders re-elected the board of directors on Friday with weak support from shareholders, who grilled the chipmaker over its strategy following its successful defence against the $117bn hostile bid from Broadcom.

Qualcomm has been under pressure to defend its decision to take Broadcom's bid to a US national security panel for review. This resulted in US President Donald Trump blocking the deal. (Reuters)
Apple has unveiled new privacy controls to let iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Mac users delete their Apple accounts or get a copy of everything Apple knows about them.

The move comes as a storm continues to blow around Facebooks lack of control over customer data, which has now cost the social media giant almost $100bn in company value.

Apples initiative is timed ahead of Europes upcoming GDPR data privacy law, which tightens up on rules that companies have to follow when dealing with users personal information.

Specifically, Apples new privacy management tools will give its customers the ability to get a copy of their data, request a correction to their data, or deactivate or delete their accounts.

This means personal information relating to things such as iCloud data, Game Centre details or marketing communications.

What it doesnt include are the reams of content within apps like iMessage, Apple Pay, Siri, Maps or Photos Search because Apple doesnt collect that type of user data in the first place.

This is a point that the company has been at pains to emphasise as a differentiating issue between it and companies such as Google and Facebook, especially in recent days.

The truth is, we could make a ton of money if we monetised our customer if our customer was our product, said Apple chief executive Tim Cook in an interview to be broadcast next month with Recodes Kara Swisher. Weve elected not to do that.

To push home the point, Cook was happy to expand on the basic privacy issues at stake in Facebooks recent controversy.

He criticised Facebook for building these detailed profiles of people ... patched together from several sources. Asked whether Facebook should still be entitled to self-regulation, he responded: I think were beyond that here.

Apples latest privacy tools will show up on Apple ID account pages.

Deleting an Apple account will take seven days under the new system. This is partially to make sure that someones account has not been taken over by an unauthorised person. The company will take certain steps to check whether its really you nuking your account, such as matching your home location with the location of the deletion request.

However, like Facebook, Apple also offers a deactivation status for an account. In this mode, Apple services wont process any personal data associated with the account, such as delivering emails to a registered Apple email address. (The company will check for a secondary email address instead.)

While Apple is moving privacy front and centre, it will face some familiar challenges. Some of the screens are several paragraphs framed in language thats usually associated with terms and conditions sections. Thats probably necessary for clarity and legal certainty but also means many users might not understand it or assume its jargon that they can ignore.

The privacy update wont change the companys position on iMessage encryption, either.

Apples software engineering boss Craig Federighi said this week that Apple wont consider weakening its stance on handing over access to encrypted iMessage content, no matter which police authority comes looking for it.

Proposals that involve giving the keys to customers' device data to anyone but the customer inject new and dangerous weaknesses into product security," he told The New York Times. "Weakening security makes no sense when you consider that customers rely on our products to keep their personal information safe, run their businesses or even manage vital infrastructure like power grids and transportation systems.

The EUs GDPR law, which comes into force on May 25th, will introduce fines of up to 20m or 4pc of global turnover. The Irish Data Protection Commissioner, Helen Dixon, has repeatedly said that she will use the full extent of the law where she finds violations of citizens data privacy.

Ms Dixon is currently at the final stages of a report into Yahoos giant data breach in 2014, which affected up to 500m users.
Dubliner James O'Reilly, who co-founded the high-end US co-working space business NeueHouse, is developing new workspaces for Life Time, a chain of gyms in the US.

As president of Life Time Work, he is rolling out up to 50 spaces in US cities where it already has gyms, beginning with Philadelphia.

In that city the new space is in an old Macy's department store building, across the road from an Apple store. While other big cities such as New York, Miami, Boston and San Francisco are in its sights, further locations may be more suburban, O'Reilly said. They will be aimed at remote workers and freelancers in the Millennial age group and above who increasingly live in more suburban locations to be near to their families and good schools.

Privately-owned Life Time, which was founded by Iranian-American entrepreneur Bahram Akradi, has over 1.8 million members at gyms in 27 US states. It also has revenues of over $1.3bn a year, according to its website. O'Reilly declined to reveal whether he has a stake in the new project.

"The goal with Life Time Work is to expand all over the US. We're in 130 locations, so it's conceivable that we will get to 50 that will be adjacent to or integrated with the existing gyms in, say the next five years, if not sooner.

"We will focus on both urban and suburban markets around the US and Canada, targeting millennials and experienced entrepreneurs, as well those working remotely for larger corporations.

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"The trend we're seeing in twenty- and thirty-something entrepreneurs is that their population is increasingly growing in suburban areas rather than city centres, where rents and property prices are a lot higher. More people are also working remotely, increasing from a rate of about 21pc to 34pc in 2016 here in the US," O'Reilly said.

The Irishman and his co-founders of high-end co-working space Neuehouse, which has spaces in New York and Hollywood, were early in grasping the opportunity to develop them, establishing the business in 2011 and opening the New York one in 2013.

They attracted successful creative freelancers and others who could afford their premium fees based on a private membership model. Reports in the US said that a number of celebrities including actress Meg Ryan and author Salman Rushdie are paid-up members, while both locations regularly hosted events for communities working in TV, fashion, film and other media. It became a popular celebrity hangout, while also attracting successful tech entrepreneurs.

While there had been plans to open a third NeueHouse in London in 2016 or 2017, the opening did not go-ahead, though it's understood to remain an ambition. The expansion to Hollywood had stretched the company, in taking on a former CBS Radio building on Sunset Boulevard that needed extensive renovation, O'Reilly said.

Having previously raised $25m in 2015, the company revised its plans last year in order to stabilise the business. US media mogul Barry Diller - a former CEO of Paramount and Fox - and his wife, the fashion designer Diane Von Furstenburg, who came up with the concept of the wrap dress, invested in the firm. Hong Kong property investment firm Great Eagle Holdings also took part in the round. O'Reilly retains a stake in Neuehouse, it is understood.

"With the likes of WeWork dominating the co-working sector, it has become very commoditised. Without changing our processes, we can open in new spaces faster than others. The business is a big engine, with a lot of operational know-how, to do the same thing as with the gyms: identify properties, design or build and fit them out, and then market and operate them.

"Having taken on this role last year, it's a great opportunity to apply my experience from NeueHouse to a business that's operating and growing at such a high level. We could recruit up to 3,000 new people every year for Life Time Work," he added.
A whopping 18.4 million viewers tuned in for the first episode of the new series of Roseanne.

The show returned to ABC more than two decades after it wrapped in May 1997. That final episode drew 10 per cent fewer viewers than last night's return.

Original stars Roseanne Barr (65) and John Goodman returned as the formidable matriarch and patriarch of the Conner family.

The original series was lauded for reflecting the trials and tribulations of working class Americans and it was hugely popular throughout its nine year run.

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This time around Roseanne is a Trump supporter and the US President reportedly called the actress to congratulate her on the first episode's impressive ratings.

The New York Times reports that Trump also thanked Barr for her support and making her character an ardent Trump supporter.

Meanwhile, Deadline reports that the show did best in states where Trump is popular, with Tulsa Oklahoma reporting the highest ratings. Trump won the state with 65.3 per cent of the vote in the election.

More people tuned in for the second half of the hour-long debut special than the first, a sign that viewers were taken with the show.

Stars Michael Fishman, Lecy Goranson, Sara Gilbert and Laurie Metcalfe also returned for the new series. Metcalfe plays Roseanne's sister Jackie who opposes Trump and the sisters clash over their politics.

It shows peoples different opinions and how they resolve them, said Barr at the show's premiere on Monday.

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I saw it happening in all the families I know, so I thought, Well this is, you know, its good, hopefully it will get people talking to each other.

NBC's rival revival, Will and Grace, pulled 10.1 million viewers and will return for a second and third season.
Campaigners at the official launch of the Save the 8th campaign Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Abortion cannot be classed as healthcare and saying so is "spin designed to mislead the public", a pro-life group claimed today.

Campaigners including Oireachtas Committee members and healthcare professionals officially launched the Save the Eight campaign, which is in favour of retaining the Eighth Amendment - which gives equal rights to the mother and foetus.

Lead speaker, Doctor John Mongahan claims the repeal of the Eighth Amendment will not make women safer in pregnancy but will only change how politicians may legalise abortion.

Minister for Health Simon Harris, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Simon Coveney all came under sharp criticism for changing their minds on abortion.

Campaign manager Niamh Ui Bhriain asked, Why should anyone believe their promises on abortion now.

There have been more flip flops in the Dail in the last three years on abortion than there are at the average beach, said Ms Ui Bhriain to rapturous applause.

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Another spokesperson for the group, John McGuirk, accused the Oireachtas Committee on abortion of not choosing obstetricians whose views differed from those who say the Eighth Amendment is an impediment to healthcare.

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Ten young women spoke about their personal experiences with pregnancy, including fatal foetal abnormalities.

Another young lady disclosed her mothers experience as a young single-mother who considered having an abortion in the 1990s.

If abortion was local and easily accessible, I may not be here today, she said.

Health-worker and campaigner Marie Donnelly said it was fake news to say that abortion could ever be classed as healthcare.

Abortion is not healthcare, she said.

This notion is spin and designed to mislead the public.

Ms Donnolly also criticised the governments proposed legislation for GPs prescribing abortion pills, asking how does a GP decide how far along a baby is.

And said they will require ultra sound machines and have to be trained them to use them, which will be a huge strain on resources.
There was almost a ferocity to Judge Patricia Smyth's words as she addressed the public gallery directly.

"This is a very difficult task for the foreman of the jury. Have respect for that," she said.

If there was "any reaction" from anyone in court she would stop the proceedings and the public gallery would be cleared and they would not be permitted in, she told them.

"It is a very difficult task for the foreman here," she repeated sharply.

An intense and choking silence seized the room. It seemed as though people scarcely dared to breathe.

In a trial of such unprecedented length and complexity, nobody had been expecting the verdict to come so soon.

Until Cliff, the courtroom security man, came briskly along the sluggish row of people sitting in the corridor, nodding his head with a grim jerk that conveyed certainty. It was in.

Three hours and 45 minutes after beginning deliberations, the panel of eight men and three women had reached its decision.

Stuart Olding and Rory Harrison were the first to take their seats in the glass-walled dock, followed by Paddy Jackson.

"Easy, easy," warned Cliff as the public stumbled up the steps amid their haste to take their seats.

Mr Jackson's parents took their usual seats in the front row of the public gallery, but on receiving confirmation that it was the verdict rather than jury questions, they rearranged themselves - Mr Jackson's mother sitting beside her daughter Kerry in the second row, and taking her arm.

Agitation was writ large on her face and she was visibly trembling.

She dabbed away a tear with what looked like a piece torn from a roll of blue catering kitchen paper.

Mr Olding grimaced as he waited, while Blane McIlroy rubbed his face wearily with both hands.

Mr Jackson and Mr Olding exchanged a brief word as they waited, Mr Jackson's right foot resting on the wall of the dock.

"It's taken four hours," his mother whispered loudly, her eyes wide with anxiety.

The jury keeper emerged, to stand stiffly outside the jury room until her charges were ready to emerge.

It was 12.25pm when Judge Smyth took her seat with a sharp word of warning for the public. Then the jury filed in and took their seats.

"I have received a note to say you have reached a unanimous verdict - is that correct?" the judge asked the foreman, who indicated that this was so.

The four defendants rose to their feet and stood there, all but Mr Harrison had their arms crossed before them.

The judge asked if this was for all six counts on the indictment, and again the foreman said yes.

In a voice that shook with anxiety, she replied "not guilty" to each count, going down the sheet starting with Mr Jackson's charge of rape.

A stifled sob of emotion came from the families with each confirmation, and relief crossed the faces of the four young men.

"Easy, folks, easy," warned Cliff, again.

Two young women in the gallery rose quietly to their feet and left the room.

We wondered if they were friends of the young woman at the centre of this trial, who, since she ceased giving evidence at the very start of these proceedings, has been sitting every day in a witness room off courtroom 12, observing the events on a screen.

The court heard there was no reason why the men may not be discharged, and then Brendan Kelly QC for Mr Jackson said his client would be making an application for costs but that this needed to be prepared.

Then the judge addressed them directly: "Mr Jackson, Mr Olding, Mr McIlroy and Mr Harrison, the jury has found you not guilty and that means you are free to leave the dock."

Mr Jackson's father rose with determination to greet his son at the top of the room.

Then the families tumbled out onto the corridor to exchange jubilant embraces.

Amid the commotion, Mr Jackson alerted one of the security guards and pointed to a young girl with a fur-trimmed parka on the sidelines.

"You were videoing that," the security guard accused her sternly, taking her aside.

Then it was back into the courtroom for Mr Olding, who sat in the dock alone, as they dealt with a technicality - the charge of vaginal rape that had been dropped at Christmas.

It did not take long.

As the detectives involved in this trial took their seats in the courtroom, the families gazed across at them.

Discharging the jurors from jury service for life, the judge told the panel that this was "probably the most difficult trial on which any jury in Northern Ireland has ever been asked to adjudicate".

Outside the court, as a massive bank of cameras and microphones awaited, Mr McIlroy and his parents were first to leave, without a word.

Stern-faced, Mr Jackson made a short statement outside the court.

"I'd just like to thank the judge and the jury for giving me a fair trial, my parents for being here every day, as well as my brother and sisters," he said.

His legal representative Joe McVeigh spoke about the "heavy price" his client had paid, "personally, professionally and financially".

He spoke about the "vile commentary" on social media - and said Mr Jackson's priority now lies with "getting back on the rugby pitch".

Mr Olding's approach was different.

He stood beside his solicitor, who read a statement on his behalf.

He said that he was sorry for the hurt caused to the complainant.

"It was never my intention to cause any upset to anyone on that night," he said - before adding that he did not agree with her "perception of events" and maintains that everything that happened was consensual.

At a Police Service of Northern Ireland press conference, Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman was asked how the complainant was, and her voice shook momentarily as she said she was "upset and disappointed" with the verdict.

During the trial the complainant had said she had no regrets about coming forward.

Was that still the case? "Yes I can confirm that is the case," said Chief Inspector Zoe McKee, firmly.
The complainant at the centre of allegations in the Ulster rugby case is "understandably upset and disappointed with the outcome".

The 21-year-old spent eight days in the witness box during the trial in Belfast.

In Northern Ireland, rape trials are not held 'in camera' with the public excluded.

The 20 months, up to and including the trial, were difficult for the young woman. And yet she told the court pursuing the case was the "best decision" she had made.

Following the verdict, Detective Chief Inspector Zoe McKee, the senior investigating officer on the case, was asked if that was still the complainant's view.

"Yes, I can confirm that's still the case," said DCI McKee.

During the trial, the complainant also told the jury she had no regrets about coming forward to make a statement.

PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman referenced the young woman had been named on social media and said police would investigate the breaches of her right to anonymity.

DCS Hilman said the woman "had the resolve and confidence to come forward and put her faith in police and the criminal justice process".

DCI McKee said the complainant was "upset and disappointed".

She added: "We do not want the decision in today's verdict to deter victims from coming forward. And I think it's very, very important. There are no winners here.

Complexity

"This case was unprecedented. It was a case that has never been heard before - the complexity, the volume, the scale - and I think we cannot compare like for like in terms of cases, so I would encourage everybody who wants to make a report to police to come forward in the knowledge that you will be treated sensitively and with respect and your allegation in the court will be taken very seriously."

However, frontline service workers say they are concerned rape complainants are less likely to come forward now.

Waterford Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre director Anne Scully said "words used" during the trial had been "very damaging" to rape complainants.

"For people who wanted to report rape, this trial has put them off," she said.

If you have been affected by any aspect of this case, contact www.rapecrisishelp.ie
Former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank, David Drumm pictured outside the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Photo: Collins Courts

AN IRISH Life dealer has said the size of a 978m sterling trade with Anglo Irish Bank during the 2008 financial crisis was very unusual.

Seamus Magner, then-head of trading at Irish Life Investment Managers, told a jury he was called in to an impromptu meeting hours before the transactions were carried out and told of the details.

Mr Magner was giving evidence in the fraud trial of Anglos ex CEO, David Drumm.

Mr Drumm (51) is pleading not guilty to conspiring to defraud Anglo investors by dishonestly creating the impression that the banks customer deposits were 7.2bn larger than they were.

He is alleged to have conspired with Anglos former Finance Director Willie McAteer and head of Capital Markets John Bowe, as well as then-CEO of Irish Life and Permanent, Denis Casey, and others.

The case centres on a series of interbank deposits which circulated between Anglo and ILP in September 2008.

The transfers were routed through Irish Life Assurance (ILA), returning to Anglo where they were then treated as customer deposits, which are a better indicator of a banks health.

Mr Drumm also denies false accounting, by providing misleading information to the market.

At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Mr Magner told Sinead McGrath BL, prosecuting, that he managed the centralised dealing desk at ILIM, which was the investment arm of ILA.

He worked alongside Head of Business Risk Management Ger Knowles and under Chief Investment Officer Colm ONeill. Working under Mr Magner was Treasury Manager Jacinta Gaffney.

Mr Magner said his involvement in the September 2008 deal with Anglo related to the sterling transactions only, on Friday September 26.

That morning, he was not aware the transaction was going to take place as Ms Gaffney was off work and there "hadn't been a handover."

At 7.10am, he was called to an impromptu meeting where he was told the details of the transaction.

Mr Magner became aware that there would be transactions in three separate tranches of STG 250m, 253m and 475m. It was discussed at the meeting how the procedure was going to work.

Ms McGrath asked Mr Magner if this had been normal practice or if it was a one-off meeting.

Mr Magner said it was a one-off.

The sizes of the transactions were very unusual for us for sterling as "we wouldnt have a sterling book of that magnitude," Mr Magner said.

The court heard there was a 100m counter party limit at the company for transactions with Anglo. Mr Magner was aware at the meeting that the transactions would exceed the counter party limits.

The jury was then shown a group email from that day with the subject new Anglo limit sent from Gearoid McManus of the business risk team to the treasury, data, dealing and compliance teams.

Two mails that day from Ger Knowles stated that for the purposes of transactions with Anglo over the next month, Permanent TSB would be acting as agent for ILA in respect of receipt of monies from Anglo and payment of monies to ILA.

The jury heard ILIM conducted its banking business as Permanent TSB.

The mails were sent to Paul Kane and Michael Casey, and copied to others including Mr Magner. Ms Knowles set out the procedure, stating that Mr Kane would confirm receipt of monies on behalf of ILA and Mr Magner would place the deal with Anglo and book it on behalf of ILA.

She stated that two of the following people would authorise and instruct Permanent TSB to release the funds - herself, Gerry Keenan and Colm ONeill. Mr Kane would release the payment to Anglo.

Mr Magner agreed with Ms McGrath that in the course of the day, he received confirmation from that money had come in from Anglo.

He had been aware there were going to be subsequent transactions but not of the amount.

The trial continues.
PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman (left) and Detective Chief Inspector Zoe McGee hold a press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast in response to the acquittal of Ireland rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Some guidelines for young women who may encounter Irish rugby international stars letting off steam in a social setting appear to be in order.

In a fair world, the list of Dos and Donts below would be directed at men, but society continues to operate by a two-tier morality which holds women to a higher standard. Consequently, girls need to bear in mind the following:

Dont set foot in the VIP section of any nightclub where well-known rugby players are partying because theyll automatically assume youre asking for it.

Dont appear to recognise any of these men in case they later claim you were star-struck and kept staring at them.

Dont chat with them because it may give them grounds for insisting you were flirty or led them on. Talking to red-blooded young males is inherently provocative.

Dont make the mistake of kissing any of these men, under the impression that nothing else needs to happen.

Dont presume they might find it unusual for their mates to join in during sexual activity.

Dont expect such men to think of you with respect simply because they are educated, well-spoken and come from a comfortable background.

Now, heres some Dos if you go to a party at one of their houses:

Do be aware your behaviour may be described as quite forward if you show any signs of being interested in one of these men.

Do realise they seem to believe any 19-year-old girl would welcome being part of group sex  its every young womans dream, right?

Do resign yourself to going home in jeans later described by a forensic officer as grubby and stained with blood visible on several areas, including the thigh, knee, waistband and crotch.

Do be prepared for chest-beating afterwards about the mens sexual prowess: We are all top shaggers is the kind of thing you might hear.

Do brace yourself for all of the women at the party to be treated like fresh meat laid out for the mens gratification and later described insultingly as brasses, cockney rhyming slang for prostitute as in brass nail  tail.

Do assume if you pose for a photograph, to have it posted to a social media group under the slogan Love Belfast Sluts.

If you decide to make a complaint to the police and a case is taken:

Do expect to spend eight days in the witness stand as barristers tear lumps out of you.

Do expect to feel like the person on trial rather than the complainant.

Do expect lacerations to your vagina to be presented as a normal part of drunken sex.

Do expect to have your purple lacy underwear paraded about court.

Do expect your drinking habits to come under scrutiny.

Do expect your distress to be characterised as that of a silly little girl who has done something she has regretted.

More in the Donts category:

Dont expect the jury to spend long in its deliberations. Even though there are four defendants and multiple charges, they will make up their mind in less than four hours.

Dont expect the judicial system to support you  chances are youll feel let down by its workings.

Dont expect other women to follow your example and make complaints if they believe themselves to be the victims of sex crime cases. They wont.

Indeed, women all over Ireland are weighing up the lessons from the Belfast rape trial, and fewer reports of sexual violence will be brought to the police in future.

That is the inevitable consequence of this verdict.

Who, in all conscience, could advise any woman to put herself through a similar ordeal? Any woman would have to be enormously resilient to survive it unscathed.

The girl at the centre of the Belfast case was extremely dignified and stood up well to the lengthy cross-examination, but

the experience is bound to have scarred her.

As for the privileged young men involved, three of them came across as thuggish louts inflated with a sense of entitlement, and not one kind or empathetic bone in their bodies. Blane McIlroy, found not guilty of exposing himself, is laid bare as a man with a loathsome attitude towards women.

Repeatedly, he used repugnant terminology. But he wasnt alone. Paddy Jackson referred to spitroasting (the woman is the pig). Stuart Olding talked about a sexual merry-go-round. They tried to shrug off such language of pornography as a silly lapse in the witness box, but hearing these words used on social media messages made your skin crawl.

The fly-on-the-locker-room-wall perspective of how women are regarded, discussed and treated by such men is deeply unsettling. Here is a group of young men with every advantage in life, but they plainly know nothing about treating women with dignity.

While their alcohol consumption is mind-boggling, and not in a good way, where they really show themselves up is by their sexual patterns. Unless their values have altered dramatically in the two years since the incident happened, their focus appears to be on the pursuit of instant gratification and meaningless one-night stands.

Perhaps this trial may have made some of them think twice about their sexual conduct in future.

What of the defence barristers behaviour? The criminal justice system allows them to call a woman a liar in pursuit of a robust defence for their clients. Another moral learned must surely be that rape victims ought to have separate legal representation, over and above the prosecuting lawyer.

Also, isnt there a case to be made for rape trials always to be held in camera? Once something is said, it cant be unsaid. A degree of privacy must benefit both plaintiff and defendant. After all, the four men were acquitted, but their reputations and careers will struggle to recover. How can they ever hope to play for Ulster or Ireland again? The presumption must be that sponsors would balk at their inclusion.

Rugbys good name has also suffered, although it should be acknowledged that prompt action was taken to stand down the men as soon as the police became involved.

I hope everyone involved in this bruising trial  which boiled down to whose word was believed, one womans or four mens  has a solid support network because they are going to need it in the years ahead.

Nobodys interests  not the complainants, nor the defendants, nor societys  were served by that avalanche of sordid details spilled out in the Laganside Courts complex.
Sandra OBrien died after she had a meal at the function

A woman who contracted food poisoning at a First Communion function died due to salmonella.

An inquest into the death of 55-year-old Sandra O'Brien, a mother of one, heard that investigations into the outbreak are continuing.

Ms O'Brien, from Rivervalley, Swords, Co Dublin, died on May 21 last year following the consumption of a meal prepared by a catering company operating from O'Dwyers Pub, Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin.

The woman's husband, Michael O'Brien, attended the short hearing into her death which was opened and adjourned at Dublin Coroner's Court yesterday.

Investigations by two separate authorities are ongoing into the salmonella outbreak, the court heard.

The Health Service Executive's Environmental Health Office and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are preparing files on the incident.

Reports will be filed by both authorities to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) once the investigations have been completed.

"It's an investigation into the outbreak in relation to compliance with food safety legislation," Noel Donnelly, who is principal environmental health officer in Fingal, told the court.

"We are not investigating the death of a particular person."

The inquest heard that an autopsy was carried out by pathologist Avril Cullen.

Her findings revealed that the cause of death was acute myocarditis as a consequence of salmonella infection with previous myocarditis as a contributory factor.

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle and can be caused by a viral infection or an immune response.

That causes a reduction in the heart's ability to pump and can result in rapid or abnormal heart rhythms.

Following Ms O'Brien's death, Mr O'Brien formally identified his wife's body at Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown to Garda Kevin Barry.

Illness

After the incident, the HSE said it had became aware of more than 50 people from a number of different family groups, who were supplied by the company over the weekend of May 13 and 14 last year, becoming ill.

The catering company, Flanreil Food Services, which provided the food served on the day of the First Communion function, was represented at the inquest by solicitor Elaine Byrne.

Inspector Oliver Woods applied for a six-month adjournment of the inquest to allow for the various investigations to continue.

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane adjourned the inquest until November 8.

"If there are any updates in the meantime, we will inform you," Insp Woods told the court.

Dr Cullinane extended her condolences to Mr O'Brien.
Rory Harrison, Stuart Olding, Paddy Jackson and Blane McIlroy were cleared of the charges in a Belfast court

The identification of the woman at the centre of the Belfast rape trial on social media is being investigated, police have confirmed.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said that the woman who claimed that she was raped by Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding two years ago at a house party has been named online, breaching her legal entitlements.

Jackson and Olding were found not guilty at Belfast Crown Court of raping the then-19-year-old student by a jury on Wednesday.

Mr Jackson (26) was also found not guilty of sexually assaulting the then 19-year-old woman.

The rugby players' close friend Blane McIlroy (26) has been found not guilty of exposure.

A second friend, Rory Harrison (25), has been found not guilty of perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

Expand Close PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman (left) and Detective Chief Inspector Zoe McGee hold a press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast in response to the acquittal of Ireland rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman (left) and Detective Chief Inspector Zoe McGee hold a press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Belfast in response to the acquittal of Ireland rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

After three hours and 45 minutes of deliberation, the jury of eight men and three women returned to courtroom No 12 shortly after noon and told the judge they had reached a unanimous verdict on all counts.

Detective Chief Superintendent Paula Hilman, Head of Public Protection Branch said: We accept and acknowledge the decision made by the jury in this case. We thank them and Her Honour Judge Smyth, for their time and commitment to what was a lengthy and complex case.

Expand Close PPS assistant director Marianne OKane makes a statement to the media yesterday. Photo: PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp PPS assistant director Marianne OKane makes a statement to the media yesterday. Photo: PA

This has been a difficult time for all those involved in this trial. We have faith and trust in the legal system and respect the verdict.

I would like to pay tribute to the young woman who had the resolve and confidence to come forward and put her faith in police and the criminal justice process. In addition to this, she was named on social media sites during the trial contrary to her legal entitlement. Any breach of this entitlement is and will be investigated.

The North's Public Prosecution Service has defended its decision to bring a prosecution.

Marianne O'Kane, Public Prosecution Service Assistant Director and Head of the PPS's Serious Crime Unit, said that the evidence in the case was "subjected to a very thorough and careful examination by a team of experienced lawyers" before they concluded that "the test for prosecution was met", in line with its code for prosecutors.

"This meant that there was both sufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and it was in the public interest to prosecute.

"This case was properly brought before the courts and overcame a number of legal challenges", she said.
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar risked affecting the rugby rape trial by referencing it in a radio discussion on the abortion referendum.

Mr Varadkar sought legal advice after an appearance on Newstalks The Pat Kenny Show on March 9, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Mr Kenny was forced to interrupt the Taoiseach on two occasions as he brought up a certain trial happening in Belfast. The experienced broadcaster was quizzing Mr Varadkar on why proposed laws to be brought in if the Eighth Amendment is repealed do not deal specifically with rape or incest.

Im thinking, you have a child of 12 years of age who has been raped by her father, her uncle or whatever. And of course the child may know nothing about the idea of pregnancy or whatever.

And at 16 weeks it becomes apparent theres something very wrong. What then?

Where you have both rape and incest? Mr Kenny asked.

In response, Mr Varadkarsaid it was one of those difficult situations.

Thats where youd trust doctors. Thered be two doctors in that case assessing the impact that would have on the physical and mental health of the young woman. It would be a decision made by her and her doctors.

He said provision to allow women access to abortion pills up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy would deal with that issue. Then Mr Varadkar added: I wont speak about it in any detail, but Im sure were all following a certain trial happening in Belfast, you know a rape trial happening in Belfast at the moment.

A clearly uneasy Mr Kenny immediately cut across the Taoiseach, saying: Well, we have to leave it to the jury to decide the outcome on that.

However, Mr Varadkar continued to make his point that if rape was a specific ground for seeking a termination can you imagine putting women through something like that,or anything even vaguely approaching that?

The presenter again interrupted to try to steer the Taoiseach away from the Belfast case into more general terms, saying court cases would not be a practical way of deciding if a rape was committed when dealing with the issue of abortion.

The Taoiseach said: You couldnt use the courts but youd still have to have some sort of process and I think you would be revictimising women to ask them to come in to maybe a panel, maybe a garda, a doctor, a lawyer and tell her story and they would then decide probably whether its true or not. I think that would revictimise women.

Eventually, Mr Kenny shut down that element of the conversation, saying: Well leave the Belfast to itself. That will resolve with the jury in time.

It is highly unorthodox for a senior politician to publicly comment on an ongoing court case, albeit in a different jurisdiction.

Sources say Mr Varadkar did not intend to use the rape trial as a logic for introducing abortion up to 12 weeks, but it came to his mind as the coverage was very prominent at the time. They noted he did not say anything that pre-judged the outcome of the trial.

Mr Varadkar was speaking from Cork, where he was attending an event linked to Project Ireland 2040.

It is understood his office consulted a lawyer afterwards who said the comments would not affect the trial  but advised it would have been better to use the phrase alleged rape.

A spokesperson for the Taoiseach declined to comment on the interview when contacted by the Irish Independent yesterday, after the jury had delivered its not guilty verdicts. Newstalk sources said they found the Taoiseachs comments as jaw-dropping.
Flowers left at the Dillon Bridge on the River Suir as Elisha Gault was buried. Pic Steve Humphreys

Elisha Gaults parents Grainne (left of coffin) and Cameron (back left) at her funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption in Piltown Co Kilkenny. Photo: Steve Humphreys

YOUNG people at the funeral of tragic Tipperary teen Elisha Gault (14) were urged to take time away from their smart phones and social media pages - and to concentrate on "real-life friends" and their mental health.

Fr Paschal Moore issued the plea for youngsters to find true, real life friends as he urged them to take care of their mental health - and to form vital support networks amongst themselves.

Expand Close Elisha Gaults remains cross the Dillon Bridge where her parents threw flowers into the Suir River before her funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption in Piltown Co Kilkenny. Picture: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

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Whatsapp Elisha Gaults remains cross the Dillon Bridge where her parents threw flowers into the Suir River before her funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption in Piltown Co Kilkenny. Picture: Steve Humphreys

His plea came as hundreds of white roses and carnations were tossed into the River Suir in a moving tribute to Elisha.

Elisha's heartbroken parents, Grainne and Cameron, and her sisters, Chloe, Bhrianna and Saoirse, joined with hundreds of mourners in the emotional funeral tribute to the teen at the very spot on Dillon Bridge in Carrick-on-Suir where she was last seen alive on St Patrick's Day.

Expand Close Mourners at Elisha Gaults funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption in Piltown Co Kilkenny. Picture: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

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Whatsapp Mourners at Elisha Gaults funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption in Piltown Co Kilkenny. Picture: Steve Humphreys

Elisha was recovered from the River Suir at Killowen, some 8km downstream of the Tipperary town, at 7pm last Sunday night.

Elisha's funeral cortege paused at Dillon Bridge en route from her New Street home in Carrick-on-Suir to the Church of the Assumption in Piltown, Co Kilkenny where her Requiem Mass was celebrated at 11am today.

Carrick-on-Suir River Rescue and Civil Defence volunteers formed a special guard of honour on the bridge for the floral ceremony which was staged at the specific request of Elisha's mother, Grainne.

Every parapet on the bridge was also topped by a special candle in a glass holder in recognition of the incredible work done by Pieta House.

Expand Close Flowers left at the Dillon Bridge on the River Suir as Elisha Gault was buried. Pic Steve Humphreys / Facebook

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Whatsapp Flowers left at the Dillon Bridge on the River Suir as Elisha Gault was buried. Pic Steve Humphreys

Grainne and Cameron helped shoulder Elisha's coffin into the Church of the Assumption - and later from the church and across the road for her burial in the adjacent Piltown Cemetery.

A special floral bouquet entitled "Egg" after Elisha's nickname was carried behind the coffin.

Expand Close Elisha was a genuine soul, said mum Grainne / Facebook

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Whatsapp Elisha was a genuine soul, said mum Grainne

Poignantly, as the funeral service was being staged, the Waterford-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 117, flew overhead on a call-out - the same helicopter which had helped recover Elisha's remains.

Piltown Parish Priest, Fr Moore, said the tragic loss of Elisha had left "searing grief" across the tightknit Carrick-on-Suir and Piltown communities.

Expand Close Loved to laugh: Elisha Gault / Facebook

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Whatsapp Loved to laugh: Elisha Gault

"Today, boys and girls, I would encourage you to form a support network around yourselves," he said.

"I would encourage you also to turn off your iPhone every now and again.

"Facebook is wonderful at times - and people boast about how many friends they have on Facebook.

"But your friends on Facebook are artificial friends - what you need are real people around you. Real, genuine, loving and caring people and I would encourage every single one of you to find a real good support network for yourselves.

"Your mind does matter - your mind is so important."

He said Elisha's tragic loss had touched everyone within the community and many beyond.

"This morning we want to extend our deepest sympathy to Elisha's dad and mam - to Grainne and Cameron and her sisters, Chloe, Brianne and Saoirse," Fr Moore said.

"Every funeral is a sad occasion, every funeral is a goodbye. It brings many, many sorrows - but no funeral can compare to the one we are having this morning.

"The family this morning are experiencing searing sadness and grief. Elisha's death has given rise to many emotions - emotions the family and community have experienced over the past few days (including) disbelief, shock, anger, guilt even abandonment.

"Elisha's death has raised many questions - but hasn't given many answers.

"This morning, we want to really and truly empathise with this family, the Gault-Moore family, because they have been robbed of the company of their loving daughter.

"They have been robbed of her youthful enthusiasm and her joy and her smile.

"They have been deprived of her gentle presence and her good humour.

"There is an emptiness and a void that no one can fill for them this morning.

"As a community we do feel helpless and all we can do is be present for you this morning and we invite you to lean on us - yes, we want (as a community) to be the shoulder you can lean on."

Fr Moore said many people had opinions on Elisha's tragic death and her passing had impacted on a huge number of people.

"(But) your opinion does not matter - neither does mine. What matters is God.

"The God who knows the full picture of Elisha's short life.

"Elisha's outward appearance and behaviour were masked by a cloud of hopelessness within.

"She felt trapped - she was a prisoner of her feelings and her thoughts which weighed heavily on her.

"She was in turmoil - a turmoil we will never appreciate or understand.

"Elisha, she took the only route she felt she could take. Not the right route, not the right choice - but it was the only route that she felt she could take.

"Her actions have left her family, her community, her school friends devastated and completely, utterly upset and confused.

"We commend beautiful Elisha to God's loving embrace - we pray that she is at peace today."

Fr Moore also appealed to all the young people in the congregation to take a special leaflet as they left the church entitled "My Support Network".

It aims to help youngsters create a support community for themselves within their own ranks.

Fr Moore also warned that it was vitally important for young people to "mind their minds" and support mental health initiatives.

"To her schoolmates and her friends, we all have our worries, stresses and anxieties - stress can be good for us but the problem arises when anxiety takes over every moment of our lives.

"We all need support - from the oldest to the youngest of us. We need people who will listen, people who will talk to us and people who will be a shoulder to lean on."

Elisha had vanished on St Patrick's Day and was the focus of a massive eight day search operation.

Grainne insisted that she wanted the service today to be a celebration of her daughter's life.

"My gorgeous, beautiful Elisha had a genuine soul but she was a troubled girl for reasons I won't discuss at this moment in time," she said.

"She had a very loving family, friends and Edge Youth Club who (had) done their utmost to heal and support her but unfortunately we were not successful."

"I have a hole in my heart that will never be filled - she (Elisha) was her own person and I just wish we had the answer that could have gave her inner strength."

Grainne vowed to make Elisha's funeral very special.

"We will carry our baby girl - I carried her into the world and I will carry her out again," she promised.

"We want you all to celebrate her laugh - we want laughter and music because she so loved her tunes.

"(Elisha) always wanted to make everyone happy with her messing so I want to end the day in that spirit - I want the presence of Elisha, our wee Egg, to be felt in the most positive way possible."

Following Elisha's burial, a special celebration of her life was held at the Swan Club in Carrick-on-Suir.

Grainne also paid an emotional tribute to the search volunteers who helped locate the remains of Elisha after a massive eight day operation.

She said her entire family will be "eternally grateful" for those who defied frost, sleet and rain to search for Elisha between March 18 and 25.

Elisha's body was recovered from the River Suir by the Waterford-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue Rescue 117, around 7pm on Sunday evening.

The teen was found some 8km downstream of Carrick-on-Suir at a stretch of river known as Killowen and which divides Waterford and Kilkenny between Fiddown and Mooncoin.

Gardai stressed that Elisha's death is being treated as a tragedy.

If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article, please contact The Samaritans free helpline on 116 123 or by email to jo@samaritans.ie
Some of the knives and swords which were recovered

Lethal weapons, including a Samurai sword and several hatchets, have been seized by armed gardai targeting a drugs gang that was once linked to the deadly Limerick feud that claimed at least 13 lives.

The weapons were being used in an intimidation campaign against a number of addicts over outstanding drug debts.

The gang, which includes several family members, has also been involved in a dispute with the notorious Keane/Collopy gang.

As part of a Garda operation aimed at cracking down on the gang, officers from the city's armed support unit raided a suspected Limerick drug den earlier this month.

Officers recovered the large cache of weapons as well as a small amount of cannabis herb.

A further search of the property was carried out two days later, resulting in a further two hunting knives being found.

The seizure has been described as a "significant" local operation to prevent any bloodshed or loss of life.

However, gardai believe the gang has access to firearms.

"This gang have been very active in the Limerick crime scene over the last two decades," a source said.

"This operation was significant to ensure that deadly weapons are taken out of the hands of individuals involved in organised criminality."

Two of the gang's main associates, who are aged in their 30s and 50s, were previously investigated in connection with a 2001 murder in Limerick.

However, neither man was ever convicted in relation to the killing.

The man in his 50s is well known to gardai in the city and has more than 30 criminal convictions.

Despite his involvement in criminality, he was afforded Garda protection after agreeing to give evidence against his former associates. A number of senior Limerick criminals were jailed as a result of the man's testimony.
The officer was taken to University College Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening lacerations

Gardai are investigating an incident in Ballymun that has resulted in a man being taken to hospital.

According to Dublin gardai, the incident occurred at Balcurris Park West at 3.20pm yesterday and involved two men in their forties.

One of the men was taken to the Mater Hospital with neck injuries.

No arrests have been made in relation to the incident.

Anyone with information on the incident has been asked to contact the Ballymun Garda Station at (01) 666 4400.
Attitudes to immigrants coming into Ireland became more negative during the recession and are now lower than the Western European average, a new report has revealed.

Low levels of support towards the arrival into the country of some ethnic groups are revealed in the study, compiled by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

The report, commissioned by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), found just 41pc of Irish people were supportive of many or some Muslim immigrants coming into the country.

Those surveyed were very resistant to allowing more Roma, with only 25pc saying they would allow many or some.

The report makes a direct link between the economic fortunes of the country and attitudes to immigrants, with attitudes hardening during the economic crisis.

It also drew a link between education levels and the attitude of Irish people towards immigrants.

IHREC chief commissioner Emily Logan said the report in some respects holds up an uncomfortable mirror to attitudes about diversity in Ireland.

The study revealed just under half of people born in Ireland believed some cultures are superior to others.

It found 45pc believed some races or ethnic groups were born harder working, while 17pc believed some races were born less intelligent.

The figures are based on surveys of 2,000 people considered representative of the Irish-born population.

The relatively high levels of discriminatory attitudes detailed in the study are a matter of concern, said Ms Logan.

The ESRI examined changing Irish attitudes towards immigrants between 2002 and 2014 and drew on data from the European Social Survey to compare Ireland with ten other western European countries.

Views in on the impact of immigration on the economy, cultural life and quality of life in Ireland fluctuated in line with the countrys economic fortunes.

Attitudes were very positive in the early 2000s, became more negative in 2008 and continued to decline in 2010, becoming more positive again in 2012 and 2014.

The report said it did not find older people had more negative attitudes to immigration and speculated this could be due to the Irish experience of emigration.

Instead it found the dividing line between those with positive and negative attitudes about the impact of immigration was linked to education.

Those with higher education were found to be more tolerant.

There are a number of potential explanations for this, including that people more highly educated tend to be more financially secure, as well as the liberalising effect of higher education.

Those in financial difficulty have more negative attitudes, which is consistent with the argument that this group is more likely to be in competition with migrants for jobs and social benefits or services, the report said.

According to the last census some 535,475 non-Irish nationals, from 200 different nations, were living in Ireland in 2016.

The largest group were Polish (122,515), followed by UK nationals (103,113) and Lithuanians (36,552).

In 2014 Ireland had the fourth highest proportion of foreign-born residents in the EU, after Luxembourg, Cyprus and Austria.
2nd Year Communications Student Lauren Rossiter from Tipperary with DCU Students protesting at the Student accomadation on Shanowen Rd near DCU .

DCU students gathered outside of Shanowen Square Student Residences to protest the 27pc rise in accommodation fees for the 2018/2019 academic year.

Rent for the upcoming academic year has increased by 1,850, bringing the total cost to 8695 for the eight-month period between September 10 and May 25 bringing. This works out at 235 a week.

DCUSU President Niall Behan said: Its a complete disgrace and we are going to get out here and show our support to all students affected by the accommodation crisis all over Ireland - its a national problem.

Why is it that tenants and the tenancy boards only allow a 4pc increase, but students are expected to fork up an extra 27pc?

DCUSU has also expressed frustration at the increases in Shanowen Halls and Gateway Student Village student accommodations, which were set to charge 8,725 and 8,380 for the upcoming academic year, respectively.

However, following talks with DCUSU, Gateway Student Village said they will continue to charge 8,380 for standard rooms and 7,380 for twin bedrooms.

DCUSU Vice President for Welfare and Equality Podge Henry said the Students Union wants to not only lower the prices of accommodation affecting DCU students, but help enact legislation to prevent such price hikes across the country.

Mr Henry said: Year in and year out theres no legislation to stop them from doing this, and accommodation is becoming so unaffordable.

How are students supposed to pay the minimum 205 a week? Thats outrageous, we cant pay that?

Shanowen Hall resident Lauren Rossiter said while the price hikes are steep, students have no option but to pay the increases: I wont be applying I think the rates are just so crazy, but at the same time, the fact is the rooms opened last week and theyre all sold out because people just need somewhere to stay, so people are being forced to pay these rates.

People have been talking this week about feeling like they have to drop out, theyre commuting five hours a day, its just taking away peoples ability to go to college.

Trinitys Students Union also recently took a stand against proposed increases in student accommodation.

Trinitys Finance Committees proposal of a 21 increase per week in Botany Bay, New Square, Graduates Memorial Building and Front Square accommodation was not approved following major backlash from students and TCDSU.

Mr Behan said he has reached out to Shanowen for talks, but the private accommodation company has refused to meet anywhere but their offices.

I didnt feel comfortable going to their offices, theres 14 developers, theres no way Im going into their offices, we want to meet in a neutral venue. Im absolutely up for talks and independently chaired meeting would be really appreciated, said Behan.

Shanowen Square said they had no comment at this time.
Ibrahim Halawa has called his appearance on The Late Late Show the biggest mistake of my life.

The Dublin born man went on the RTE show in November after he returned to Ireland following a 1,497 day stint in an Egyptian prison.

Halawa was arrested in Cairo in August 2013 on the Muslim Brotherhood's so-called Day of Rage but was cleared of all charges last September.

Speaking at the University of Limerick, Ibrahim described his return to life in Ireland.

He explained: The biggest mistake of my life was sitting on that couch, twenty minutes on that couch could never justify four years of torment.

Ibrahim said that if he could go back in time, he would not go on the show.

I was being scrutinized; I wasnt being brought to hear my story.

I looked at the cameras and felt that no matter how much these cameras film for the next 28 minutes, they will never fulfill my four years and two months of pain, he said.

Ibrahim says he felt that half of the show was spent on stupid rumors.

You get out of prison and they put you in another cell, it really kills you.

There were times after where I would wish I could go back to my prison cell, said the 22-year-old.

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Ibrahim also said that the Irish Ambassador to Egypt gave him a warning as he walked out of Dublin Airport to face the media.

He said, Be careful because you are going to be used'.

But I thought, how could I be used, I was only a man who went to prison that was it, he said.

Despite some negativity surrounding the return, Ibrahim says that he has been moved by all of the people in Ireland who campaigned for his freedom.

The moment I got to come back and say thank you was a massive privilege for me, he said.

The University of Limerick was one of the huge colleges that supported me, so Im here to say thank you.

Expand Close Ibrahim Halawa at Dublin Airport on his arrival home. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Ibrahim also spoke about his time growing up in Dublin.

Growing up in Dublin I was just a normal teenager, there was no different than me than any other person, he said.

Ibrahim is now using his experience to help other people through their struggles, since coming back to Ireland he has given talks at multiple colleges and universities, addressing issues such as mental health.

Addressing the crowd at UL, Ibrahim said; In the darkness, we all need a torch.

The fact you are all here today proves you have overcome something in your life, some form of darkness.

An RTE spokesman told Independent.ie: "The Late Late Show interview with Ibrahim Halawa was his first major television interview since his release from prison.

"It was a wide ranging and lengthy interview about his experience, including the varied reaction in Ireland to his imprisonment.

"As such he was given the opportunity to address and clarify a number of longstanding rumours surrounding his case which had been widely circulating during his imprisonment.

"Mr Halawa was aware in advance of the interview that he would be given an opportunity to address those rumours."
SINISTER new graffiti has been sprayed on three walls in the capitals north inner city, signalling that a deadly gangland feud will not end until Patsy Hutch  the brother of Gerry The Monk Hutch  is killed.

Patsy dies feud ends, the sinister messages read at three locations including the North Circular Road and Clonliffe Avenue, close to the family home of Patsy Hutch (57) in nearby Champions Avenue.

It is understood the graffiti was put there late on Tuesday night by people linked to the Kinahan cartel.

TENSIONS

Gardai are concerned at the development, as it may have been an attempt to lure Patsy from his home in order to shoot him.

Sources have said tensions remain extremely high in the area, with Patsy considered the number one target for the cartel.

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Incidents of graffiti have always increased tensions in the feud, a source said.

In January, a criminal who has associated himself with the cartel was the victim of threatening graffiti in which he was branded a rat.

Gardai later investigated a plot in which associates of the Hutch mob were trying to lure the criminal out of his home to shoot him as he cleaned off the graffiti, but this was foiled when officers seized two loaded handguns in the area.

The feud shows no sign of ending, with a senior garda stating last week that up to 18 murders could now be linked to it.

While the number officially remains at 15, three other killings are being looked at as having direct links to the bloody dispute.

The revelation was made at a hearing last Friday in which the feud was described as one of the deadliest in the history of the State.

Only hours after this was said in open court, Patsys older brother, John Hutch Snr (65), suffered a suspected broken ankle in Kusadasi, Turkey, after leaping from a balcony in an attempt to flee a feared attempt on his life.

Gardai are carrying out their own enquiries into the incident and have received reports from Mr Hutchs relatives that he spotted two men in balaclavas at the front door of the apartment shortly before 7pm.

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Hutchs family members told gardai that he saw two men dressed in black through a peephole in the steel reinforced door.

He then fled through the apartment and jumped over a balcony.

It was the second attempt by the cartel to murder John Hutch Snr, but Patsy has survived even more attempts.

Earlier this month, gardai arrested four men as part of an intelligence operation and seized four weapons in the underground car park of the Belmont Apartments on Gardiner Street as part of their probe into an advanced plan to murder Patsy at his home.

Sources said gardai have intelligence that the cartel has a full-time network of spies working for them in the north inner city who get paid for information on members of the Hutch family.

It is believed that these spies were active for the latest foiled hit on Patsy, and sources say that gardai plan to make more arrests in the case.

In the aftermath of the foiled hit, Assistant Commissioner John ODriscoll said gardai had intervened in 45 suspected planned murders by organised crime gangs.

At least three of these attempts have been on Patsy as he has become a huge target in the light of his brother Gerrys exile from Ireland following the murder of another brother, Eddie Hutch Snr, by the cartel more than two years ago.

Gardai are stationed near Patsys home on a 24-hour basis due to the level of threat currently against him.

PETROL

Last June, two men were arrested near his house. A gun, gloves and a can of petrol were also seized in what gardai believe may have been another attempt on his life.

In July 2016, Patsy survived an assassination bid after a lone gunman on a bicycle approached his house before failing to follow through with the attack.

Patsys son, Derek Del Boy Hutch, who is currently in jail for manslaughter, has been targeted behind bars on two occasions since the feud erupted.

Another son, Gary Hutch, was the first victim of the deadly feud when he was shot dead on the Costa del Sol in September 2015.
Pubs are opening for the first time since 1927 on Good Friday (stock photo)

Slattery's pub in Dublin is marking the end of the Good Friday ban on alcohol sales by donating all its proceeds from the day to charity.

It's the first time since 1927 that the people of Ireland will be able to buy alcohol on the holy day.

The pub, based in Beggars Bush on the south side, is donating the proceeds to Our Lady's Hospice Care in Harold's Cross and Blackrock, and the local 4th Port Dodder Sea Scout Group.

Jerome Ennis, assistant manager, told Independent.ie that staff thought it would be nice to do something to commemorate the occasion.

"Usually on Good Friday, you are getting your floors done and staff are at their house parties, but having to work is not so bad when you know you're doing it for a good cause," he said.

"We were having a management meeting and thought it would be nice to donate to charity."

Legislation was passed in the Dail in January to amend the Intoxicating Liquor Act and end the 100-year ban on alcohol sales on Good Friday.
An inquiry is being ordered into the handling by Tusla and An Garda Siochana of what is feared to be the largest paedophile ring the country has ever seen.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone intends to commission an independent review of the management of the case, led by the Government's special rapporteur on child protection, Dr Geoffrey Shannon.

The move comes after the Dail heard claims a whistleblower in the welfare sector had voiced concerns over the urgency of the response of State agencies when allegations first came to light.

TDs were told that up to 20 children have been identified as alleged victims.

Eleven people were arrested in connection with the alleged paedophile ring earlier this month but were later released. Files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Ms Zappone said that in agreement with Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan she was commissioning an independent review of what she described as "a complex and unusual case of severe neglect and alleged child sexual abuse".

Dr Shannon will be assisted in the inquiry by child welfare consultant Suzanne Phelan and retired Garda chief superintendent Padraig Kennedy.

Ms Zappone said gardai and Tusla had been "closely involved" in the case, while some other State bodies had also been involved "to some extent".

"We have agreed that while there is no evidence of any serious mishandling of the case by either Tusla or An Garda Siochana, due to the complexity of the current case it would be good practice to arrange for a short, focused independent serious incident review of the actions to date," said Ms Zappone.

The minister said the review would examine the management of the case, including the inter-agency activity and co-operation which primarily involved Tusla and gardai.

"The primary purpose of the review is to ensure that any learning which may arise is captured at the earliest possible opportunity and informs future work," she added.

"I am assured that all the children identified as victims of this abuse have been taken into care. No specific details of the case can be discussed, and I am conscious that it is illegal under the Child Care Act 1991 to publish information that could lead to the identification of a child in care."

Dr Shannon will assist in the drafting of the terms of reference for the review and advice will be sought from the Attorney General so that it does not prejudice the Garda inquiry.

The minister said it was intended the review would be completed as soon as possible and publication of its findings considered, subject to legal advice.

Tusla has declined to comment on how matters were handled, stating that it cannot discuss individual cases.

It is understood that Ms Zappone has been informed by Tusla that it managed the case as best it could, but the agency accepted its handling of the matter was not perfect and there were issues which needed to be examined.

Earlier this month, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said the scale of what has been alleged was "shocking and may represent a first in this country".

Separately, a senior figure familiar with the investigation told the Irish Independent: "It will be the biggest abuse case in the history of the State and explosive for the State agencies."

Both Ms Zappone and Mr Flanagan were briefed about the situation around the time the arrests were made.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has also expressed concern.

Mr Varadkar told the Dail the crimes alleged were "shocking, abhorrent and truly disgusting" and that the Government would fully support gardai in the fight against all forms of child sexual exploitation.
LABOUR Party Leader Brendan Howlin has described Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's live radio comments during the Belfast rape trial as "mind blowing".

Mr Howlin said the Taoiseach's intervention while the trial of Irish rugby player Paddy Jackson was on going was "unfortunate is to put it mildly".

"For anybody to make comment publicly in the middle of a trial is bad. For a politician it is doubly bad and for a Taoiseach it is quite mind blowing," he told Independent.ie's Floating Voter podcast.

Mr Howlin also discussed comments made by his party colleague Labour Senator Aodhan O Riordain on Twitter in the aftermath of the trial.

Mr O Riordain was critical of the not guilty verdict and referred to the defendants as "smug well-connected middle class boys".

Mr Howlin said Mr O Riordain "regretted" his comments and took down the tweet almost immediately. However, it did gain more than 500 retweets.

"He spoke to me yesterday (and said) 'hands up, made a mistake, it should not have happened'," Mr Howlin said

Mr Howlin said he was happy he was not a juror in the controversial trial because "just reading the evidence was very disturbing".

He said everyone involved in the case comes away "wound" by the nine week trial in Belfast.

Mr Howlin also discussed the Government's decisions to expel a Russian diplomat and the forthcoming abortion referendum.
You might like to walk along a beach or riverside, or maybe you enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, surfing, watching wildlife, or simply listening to a babbling brook.

Whatever your favourite activity is, our rivers, lakes and beaches are natural treasures that we can all enjoy.

Our local waters have stories to tell and whether it is a local holy well, The Salmon of Knowledge, or the poetry of The Lake Isle of Innisfree, these beautiful places have been sources of creative and spiritual inspiration throughout the ages.

Ireland is lucky to have a some of the healthiest waters in Western Europe. We have over 73,000 kilometres of rivers  enough to circle the world almost twice. We also have over 12,000 lakes and 850 square kilometres of estuaries.

No matter where you are in Ireland, you are never far from your local river, lake or beach. They are vital to our wellbeing, health and quality of life. The challenges facing all of these waters have been outlined in the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) latest Irelands Environment assessment report. The Irelands Environment web pages www.epa.ie/irelandsenvironment have lots of infographics, graphs and trends about our waters.

Irelands local authorities, working with the EPA, monitor the water quality of over 190 beaches and lakes across Ireland where people swim and publish the test results on www.beaches.ie. This website also contains lots of other information about your favourite beach  from swim restrictions to weather, tides and the availability of beach wheelchairs.

To help us understand how healthy Irelands waters are, and what could be causing any problems, local authorities and the EPA also monitor more than 13,000 km of river channel, 225 lakes, 83 estuaries and 43 coastal water bodies.

These water bodies are assessed under the European Union Water Framework Directive which came into effect in December 2000. Having a single European framework to assess water quality allows us to compare our results across Europe. All our waters are classified into one of five quality classes (status) under the Water Framework Directive:

1. High

2. Good

3. Moderate

4. Poor

5. Bad

High status is applied when the water is not polluted at all, and bad status is used when the water is most polluted. The Water Framework Directive allows us to see what actions are needed to help restore our waters to good or high status, for example, and to protect good or high status water where it already exists.

Nationally, 57 per cent of rivers, 46 per cent of lakes, 31 per cent of estuaries and 79 per cent of coastal waters are achieving either good or high status under the Water Framework Directive. A further 91 per cent of groundwater bodies, which feed springs and wells across the country, are achieving good status.

To protect and restore our rivers, lakes and coastal waters, we need to understand a number of things: how they flow through diverse landscapes; how they are connected with the landscapes that surround them; and what is causing pressures on their ability to support the communities, livelihoods and ecosystems that depend on them for clean and healthy water. This new field is called catchment science.

The EPA has been undertaking an assessment of the impact of human activities on our water environment over the past three years. This has included working with all of Irelands local authorities, various public bodies, and government departments to make sure we are combining the data and expert local knowledge needed to make this assessment.

The EPA has identified the likely significant pressures that are contributing to water bodies being at less than good status, or at risk of deteriorating. The most significant pressures are nutrient losses from agriculture, and wastewater discharges, both urban and rural. You can find lots of scientific information about Irelands waters, including nearly 5,000 pages of data, on www.catchments.ie

The next few years will be vital for all of Irelands rivers, lakes and other waters. The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government will soon publish a national River Basin Management Plan. This plan will outline measures that will be taken between 2018 and 2021 to protect and improve our waters.

We all have a part to play  whether it is making sure that your septic tank is properly maintained, getting your local TidyTown involved in looking after your communitys river or lake, or working with the new Sustainability Support and Advisory service on your farm to reduce nutrient runoff. Everyone can do something to help. By working together, we will achieve more.

Local people know their area best, so it is vital to work together, and to learn from each other. If we act now, we can protect and restore Irelands water, so it can be enjoyed by everyone, now and into the future.

You can read stories about the work being done by local communities, researchers, government departments and the public agencies who look after our waters in the Catchments Newsletter,

The Waters and Communities Office has twelve Community Water Officers who have started working with people all around Ireland. If you would like to do something to restore and protect water quality in your local community, contact the Waters and Communities Office. You can find them at www.watersandcommunities.ie

Sponsored by:
AFRICA is growing a wall, unlike any other in human history. Not a wall made from bricks and mortar, or barbed wire fences.

But a Great Green Wall that promises to grow solutions to Africas most urgent challenges  including mass migration, drought and impending climate breakdown.

By 2030, this African-led initiative aims to green 100 million hectares of degraded land across the worlds poorest region, the Sahel, and spark a continent-wide movement that will create 10 million jobs in rural areas. The initiative provides global benefits too  forecasts suggest that the 13 countries involved will sequester as much as 250 million tonnes of carbon, through its evolution.

Once complete, the wall will stand as a true human wonder: spanning an extraordinary 8,000km across the entire width of Africa, from the Atlantic coast of Senegal to the Red Sea of Djibouti.

Yesterday, I had the great honour of speaking at an event, hosted by President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain, concerning Irelands role in supporting this urgent initiative. The occasion was the inauguration of the Society of African Missions Laudato Tree Project, which links the promotion of biodiversity in Ireland with a developing, hope-filled new world wonder  Africas Great Green Wall.

During the event, His Excellency,PresidentMr Higgins articulated his firm backing for the Great Green Wall initiative, urging strong Irish leadership; I am extremely hopeful this will now extend itself to the highest levels of Government here in Ireland.

Irelands history of famine and oppression  especially the historic refugee crisis sparked by the Great Hunger of 1845-1852  in many ways echoes the crises we see today in the Sahel, where 20 million people are facing starvation driven by brutal and persistent droughts.

Youth from rural areas of the Sahel are on the front line.

By 2030, 60pc of Africas workforce will be under the age of 24, and will have to contend with the potentially catastrophic social and political fallout of climate change and rampant desertification. Communities here depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture, a sector that still makes up 80pc of jobs in the Sahel. But the lands rapidly diminishing productivity is fuelling mass migration, unemployment, conflict and radicalisation.

I saw the stark reality of this when, in 2016, I visited Agadez in northern Niger.

Previously a tourist and trading centre, Agadez is the principle migrant hub in West Africa. It is now known as the Gateway to the Sahara. Thousands of young men and women are being forced to abandon their homes and risk their lives crossing the often lawless Sahara, hoping to find a route to Europe.

Without exception, all of the migrants I met were young people from rural areas. In the past, seasonal migration helped communities cope with difficult times. Not anymore. No longer able to live off the land due to increased droughts and dwindling agricultural yields, many young people see Europe as a way out of grinding poverty. Many, like the Irish on board the coffin ships crossing the AtlanticOcean, have perished in the Mediterranean Sea.

It is forecast up to 60 million people could leave degraded areas of Africa in the next two decades.

The alternative is often even worse. Competition and conflict over the productive resources that remain is growing. Lake Chad, one of the regions lifelines, has lost 90pc percent of its surface area in less than a generation due to desertification and climate-related processes.

It is no coincidence thatthe terrorist group Boko Haram is especially active in the area around the shrinking lake. For African youth in particular the potential for radicalisation or conflict is not an abstract or distant threat. It is a daily reality.

The Great Green Wall promises to be a real game-changer, providing a brighter future for rural youth in Africa and a chance to revitalise whole communities. It can unite young people around a common, epic ambition: to Grow a 21st Century World Wonder, across borders and across Africa.

Its scale and ambition rivals any other human-made wonders of history. It aims to feed the hungry; give people the chance to have decent, meaningful work; strengthen the resilience of communities in the face of climate change and help peace and security to flourish.

The wall was launched in 2007 and is making huge progress across the 13 nations involved, as thousands of jobs are created in rural areas. Senegal has restored four million hectares of degraded land in the past decade, Ethiopia more than 15 million.

The governments and communities along the Great Green Wall are determined to achieve the 2030 ambitions, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This will require a major up scaling of efforts and real partnership.

The Emerald IsleIreland has a unique opportunity to help lead the way.

At the fifth European Union-Africa Summit, the IrishTaoiseach Leo Varadakar championed strong European support for African-led solutions and the empowerment of young people. Addressing the European Parliament in January2018, he said: In the 21st century, Africa must succeed. It is in our interest and in theirs. So lets make it part of our mission.

I further admire the Taoiseachs honest and frank assessment that Ireland is currently falling short of its own 2020 climate-related targets.

The Great Green Wall offers a unique opportunity to signal a new dawn, by supporting the communities that already live with the daily realities of a changing climate. The walls vision of African self-sufficiency, resilience and job creation for rural unemployed youth closely matches Irelands international development priorities.

Today, thanks to Minister Joe McHugh, I will meet with key Government ministers to further define Irelands evolving role in supporting the Great Green Wall.

I have no doubt that inthe Emerald Isle Ireland, countries across the Sahel have found a strong ally that will stand in solidarity to evolve and advance this urgent and epic African dream.

Monique Barbut is executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification
A lower court judge vacated Syed's conviction in 2016 (Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun via AP)

An appeals court in Maryland, US has upheld a ruling granting a new trial to a man whose conviction in the murder of his high school sweetheart became the subject of the popular podcast Serial.

Adnan Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing Hae Min Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave in a Baltimore park.

Today, Adnan Syeds appeal in his case was affirmed by the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland. https://t.co/kMALyCmTGq  Serial (@serial) March 29, 2018

A three-judge panel on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling granting him new trial.

Syeds story was widely publicised in the 2014 Serial podcast, which cast doubt on his guilt.

The show attracted millions of listeners and shattered podcast records.

Rabia Chaudry, who helped bring Syeds case into the public eye, and Syeds lawyer Justin Brown celebrated the ruling on Twitter.

WE WON WE WON WE WON WE WON!!!!!!!!!#FreeAdnan  rabia O'chaudry (@rabiasquared) March 29, 2018

WE WON THE APPEAL. #FreeAdnan  Justin Brown (@CJBrownLaw) March 29, 2018

A lower court judge vacated Syeds conviction in 2016, citing his attorneys failure to cross-examine a key witness.

Video of the Day

Prosecutors appealed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the states intermediate appeals court.
This video grab taken from footage released by China Central Television (CCTV) yesterday shows North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju waving goodbye as they depart by car following a meeting with Chinas President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week. Photo: CCTV/AFP/Getty

Donald Trump said he was looking forward to meeting Kim Jong-un after the North Korean leader used a surprise trip to Beijing to affirm his commitment to discussing his nuclear weapons programme.

Officials have confirmed Mr Kim travelled abroad for the first time since becoming leader for talks with President Xi Jinping of China this week, when he reiterated his willingness to meet Mr Trump and discuss denuclearisation.

Mr Trump tweeted that a winding down of tensions on the Korean peninsula had started ahead of a formal summit, but stood firm on sanctions against the Kim regime.

Expand Close US President Donald Trump. Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP / Facebook

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Whatsapp US President Donald Trump. Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP

He said: "For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility. Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong-un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!"

He added: "Received message last night from Xi Jinping of China that his meeting with Kim Jong-un went very well and Kim looks forward to his meeting with me. In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!"

The North Korean leader's trip lasted from Sunday to Wednesday, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Mr Kim and wife Ri Sol-ju were met with honour guards and a banquet hosted by Mr Xi, according to state media. The two held talks at the Great Hall of the People, and the North Korean leader told Mr Xi his nuclear- armed regime was "committed to denuclearisation".

"The issue of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realisation of peace," Mr Kim said during his visit.

He also confirmed he was willing to hold a summit with the US, the first official comment on the proposed talks.

"The DPRK is willing to have dialogue with the United States and hold a summit of the two countries," Xinhua quoted Mr Kim as saying. South Korea announced earlier this month that Mr Kim had offered to meet Mr Trump but Pyongyang had not officially confirmed or denied the proposed summit.

China briefed Mr Trump about the visit, and the communication included a personal message from Mr Xi to the US president, the White House said in a statement.

"The United States remains in close contact with our allies South Korea and Japan. We see this development as further evidence that our campaign of maximum pressure is creating the appropriate atmosphere for dialogue with North Korea," the statement said.

Mr Xi had also accepted an invitation from Mr Kim to visit North Korea, South Korea's news agency Yonhap said.

Mr Kim is due to hold separate summits with China's rivals, South Korea and the United States, and analysts said the visit to Beijing was believed to be preparation for those.

Beijing has traditionally been the closest ally of secretive and isolated North Korea, but ties have been frayed by North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons and China's backing of tough UN sanctions in response.

Analysts had earlier suggested Beijing had been sidelined by Pyongyang's approaches to Seoul and Washington, but Mr Kim's visit means China has reclaimed its leading role on the world stage.

Deng Yuwen, an independent Chinese international relations scholar, said North Korea needed to turn to its old ally ahead of the US summit, as Mr Kim will be sceptical that Mr Trump will guarantee the security of his regime.

"North Korea needs the big brother to protect it at a crucial moment," said Mr Deng.

Both leaders stressed the strength of their countries' ties.

"Both Comrade Chairman and I have personally experienced and witnessed the development of China-DPRK relationship," Mr Xi said.

"This is a strategic choice and the only right choice both sides have made based on history and reality. This should not and will not change because of any single event at a particular time," Mr Xi said.

Mr Kim added: "There is no question my first foreign visit is to the Chinese capital," Pyongyang's official news agency KCNA reported.

Mr Kim is set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April before a proposed Trump summit in May. ( Daily Telegraph London)
The fast-moving diplomatic game which is being played out over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme has seen Kim Jong-un emerge as a major figure on the world stage while China was being left behind.

Mr Kim is heading into an important summit next month with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in, ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump before the end of May. Time was running out for Chinese President Xi Jinping to act if he wanted to play any part in shaping a new political order in north-east Asia.

So the 21-carriage train that pulled into Beijing on Monday under a heavy police guard not only carried Mr Kim on his first overseas trip but also the hopes of the Chinese president to get back into the mix.

Paul Haenle served on the American National Security Council under Presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama. He is now working as the director of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Centre for Global Policy in Beijjng.

"It seems that China is not comfortable with the idea of Kim meeting with Moon and Trump before having ever met with Xi," he said.

"Beijing has significant interests and huge stakes in any outcomes of upcoming summits and did not want to be on the sidelines as a spectator as this important diplomacy unfolds."

So, like a prodigal son returning to his father, Kim Jong-un was at Xi Jinping's side when they needed each other most. Mr Kim wrote notes when Mr Xi spoke, nodded approvingly at his host's words and when it was his turn to speak, he did it from a pre-prepared script. There was no question that the North Korean leader was the junior partner.

However, beyond the brief glimpse into the two leaders' relationships, the power play developing in front of the cameras showed Mr Xi's desire to slot back into the driving seat ahead of unexpected bilateral talks on China's doorstep. Bonnie Glaser, senior advisor for Asia at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said: "Xi wants to ensure that Chinese interests are protected in any future deal making."

But while Mr Xi would have been enjoying the platitudes during the visit, the message from both countries was clear. Mr Kim may be considered a wayward upstart by much of the global community, but China and North Korea remain allies.

"This should dispel any doubt that there is real daylight between China and North Korea," said Bill Bishop, a China expert who writes the influential 'Sinoicism' newsletter.

This is no new reality, however, but more of a resumption of the usual order of north-east Asia politics. It has served both China and North Korea well in the past. The nations have a historic relationship born on the battlefield of the 1950-53 Korean War. To use Mao Tse-tung's famous analogy, the two nations are closer than "lips and teeth".

However, in more recent times, with Beijing backing hard-hitting sanctions on Mr Kim's regime and Pyongyang causing alarm in China with a series of missile launches, many believed the strong bonds between the two neighbours had been severed.

North Korea mending those fences with China would provide a significant boost for Mr Kim as he goes into his talks. Hua Po, a Beijing-based independent commentator on North Korean issues, said: "Kim's meetings are not going to be easy or smooth but will be a complicated and tough process. So Kim has no choice but to come to Beijing in advance to talk with Chinese leaders and reach a consensus."

With an emboldened Mr Kim and Mr Xi being placed firmly back in the driving seat, the battle lines for upcoming talks are already being drawn.
The Vatican has had to seal off part of St Peters Basilica after some chunks of plaster fell during the height of the Easter holiday season.

No-one was injured by the falling plaster, which rained down on Thursday near Michelangelos famed Pieta statue to the right of the main entrance.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said repairmen are working to secure the site and the basilica remained open.

He said it will reopen as normal on Friday.

Holy Week sees floods of pilgrims and tourists visiting St Peters, taking part in Pope Franciss ceremonies, which are capped by Easter Sunday celebrations outside in St Peters Square.
Nex Group and US futures exchange giant CME have warned over plans to slash 16% of their workforce after agreeing a 3.9 billion tie-up (PA)

UK financial-technology firm Nex Group has agreed to a 3.9 billion takeover by US futures exchange giant CME, but the pair warned over plans to slash around 750 jobs after the deal.

The groups confirmed around 16% of the combined workforce is expected to be axed following the tie-up and said there will be potential office closures.

The combined firms operations, IT, and selling, general and administrative functions are expected to be in line for cuts in the first three years following completion of the deal, they said.

They also cautioned that there may be offices shut where they both have sites in London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing and Sydney.

Nex  which employs around 2,000 staff worldwide  will see its London headquarters merged with CMEs, which is based in Chicago, although the firms said their European HQ will be based in London in a boost to the City amid Brexit talks.

The acquisition will allow us to create significant value and efficiencies for our clients globallyCME chairman Terry Duffy

Nex founder and chief executive Michael Spencer  the former treasurer of the Conservative Party  will join the CME board and will remain with the combined group as a special adviser.

He will also act as ambassador for the combined company working with key clients, regulators and officials in EMEA and Asia.

The deal, which follows weeks of talks, will create a global markets giant, combining the worlds largest futures exchange with Nexs expertise in currency and sovereign debt markets.

Nex  formerly known as Icap  also owns assets that process millions of derivatives, equities and currency deals.

The deal is expected to complete in the second quarter.

Mr Spencer said it was an industry-changing transaction.

He said: Bringing together cash and futures products and OTC services will be unique, offering clients improved access to trading, greater financial efficiencies and highly valuable data sets.

The technology and innovation opportunities will be diverse and extraordinary. Clients will be better served.

He added that CMEs decision to choose London as its European HQ was a signal of tremendous support for Britains financial services sector.

Terry Duffy, chairman and chief executive of CME, said: At a time when market participants are seeking ways to lower trading costs and manage risk more effectively, the acquisition will allow us to create significant value and efficiencies for our clients globally.

CME is hoping to make cost savings of around 200 million US dollars (142 million) a year after the Nex takeover.

Justin Bates, an analyst at Liberum, said the 10 a share cash-and-stock offer price shows CME is clearly aiming to deter any competitive threat.

But he added: This is a good price, however the 50% cash component might be a little disappointing for some and thus leaves the door ajar for a competing offer with a higher cash component.

Nexs forerunner Icap was founded by City grandee Mr Spencer in 1986 and was the worlds largest interdealer brokerage  which involves brokering deals in complex derivatives products between banks.

It then sold its brokerage arm in 2016 to rival Tullett Prebon to focus on electronic trading and financial technology, rebranding itself as Nex.

For CME, the takeover will be its biggest since it acquired New York Mercantile Exchange for around 10 billion US dollars (7.1 billion) in 2008.

CME employs around 2,800 staff worldwide.
A former Catalan minister began a legal battle against extradition from Britain yesterday as she hit out at the Spanish government's "abuse of power".

Prof Clara Ponsati handed herself in at a police station in Edinburgh to be formally arrested before being released on bail after a brief court hearing.

In an online statement on a crowdfunding page which raised more than 170,000 (194,000) in a matter of hours to help pay for her legal costs, Prof Ponsati said she was fighting against a "systematic attempt to criminalise the desire for independence" in Catalonia.

She added: "There is no guarantee of due process in Spain and no guarantee of a fair trial in a country where most members of the Catalan government are already in prison or in exile.

"If I return, I believe I am likely to be subjected to degrading and inhumane treatment by the authorities."

She is being sought by the authorities in Madrid on charges of rebellion and misappropriation of public funds.

As she arrived at St Leonard's police station yesterday, Aamer Anwar, her lawyer, said: "Clara wishes for me to state that these charges are politically motivated and a grotesque distortion of the truth. She can't believe she is being held responsible for violence that took place on the day of the referendum.

"She believes that the Catalan people tried to express a democratic right to decide their own destiny and the only people that should be held responsible for the brutal violence are the Spanish police and the 6,000 state security forces who attacked the Catalan people on behalf of the Spanish government."

He also said she was "humbled" by the support she had received in Scotland.

The academic was made the subject of a European arrest warrant last week, along with Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia's former leader, and three other ministers. In Barcelona, independence parties in the Catalan parliament passed a resolution endorsing the right of Mr Puigdemont, who was arrested in Germany on Sunday, to be invested as president. ( Daily Telegraph London)
French President Emmanuel Macron leans at the coffin of Lt Co. Arnaud Beltrame after he was posthumously awarded the Legion of Honour yesterday at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. Photo Christophe Ena:AP

The slain hero of last week's extremist attack in southern France was honoured in an elaborate day-long national homage led by President Emmanuel Macron yesterday.

The tribute came as questions were raised about possible failures by French counter- terrorism officials in tracking the gunman, who was on a radicalisation watch-list before he went on a rampage last Friday.

The coffin of Lt Col Arnaud Beltrame was driven through morning drizzle in a procession across Paris from the Pantheon to the Hotel des Invalides, the final resting place of Napoleon. Mr Macron delivered a patriotic public eulogy calling for national solidarity after last week's attack, which together with myriad other extremist attacks on French soil have claimed more than 200 lives since 2015.

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Beltrame symbolised "the spirit of French resistance," Mr Macron said. Beltrame died of his wounds hours after swapping himself for a hostage during a siege in a supermarket near the city of Carcassonne.

"We will prevail thanks to the resilience of the French. We will win by the cohesion of a united nation," added Mr Macron.

After inspecting troops at the monument as a military band played a stirring rendition of the French national anthem, Mr Macron posthumously awarded Beltrame the Legion d'honneur, France's highest award.

Two former presidents, Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, also attended.

The tribute provided a national focal point for grief, even as questions were growing about possible mistakes made by the French security services regarding Beltrame's killer, Redouane Lakdim.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb confirmed French security services were poised to reduce the surveillance on Lakdim - who had been on a radicalisation watch list since 2014 - ahead of the attack.

But Mr Collomb maintained there were no "dysfunctions" in the tracking of Lakdim, who killed three other people before he was shot dead by police.

Mr Collomb said "ultimately no-one thought that there would be a hasty attack" by Lakdim, a Moroccan-born French resident with dual nationality.
Police officers stand guard outside of the home of former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, in Salisbury, England, earlier this month. Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville

A Russian hit squad poisoned Sergei Skripal and his daughter by smearing nerve agent on his front door.

Counter-terrorism police revealed for the first time that they believed Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia "first came into contact" with Novichok at their home. The "highest concentration of the nerve agent" was on the front door of the house in a cul-de-sac near Salisbury centre, Scotland Yard disclosed last night.

Det Sgt Nick Bailey, who was also admitted to hospital, is thought to have become ill after going to the house and was one of the first on the scene.

The disclosure will intensify the manhunt for the would-be assassins who targeted Mr Skripal (66) and his daughter (33).

It will also heap further pressure on the Kremlin, which is accused of being behind the attack, for putting at risk anybody who had visited the house.

Dept Asst Commissioner Dean Haydon, the senior national co-ordinator for counter terrorism policing in Britain, said: "At this point in our investigation, we believe the Skripals first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door. We are therefore focusing much of our efforts in and around their address.

"Those living in the Skripals' neighbourhood can expect to see officers carrying out searches as part of this but I want to reassure them that the risk remains low and our searches are precautionary."

The Skripals remain in hospital in critical conditions.

Mr Skripal, a former Russian double agent, was sent to Britain in a spy swap in 2010.

The Met said 250 counter terrorism detectives continued to work "around the clock", supported by experts and intelligence officers.

Police have more than 5,000 hours of CCTV footage and more than 1,350 exhibits have been seized. Around 500 witnesses have been identified and hundreds of statements taken.

Traces of the nerve agent were also at other sites in Salisbury, including a pizza restaurant and pub the Skripals visited before collapsing on Sunday, March 4. These were "at lower concentrations" to that found at the house.

Specialist teams are starting to finish their inquiries and are handing control of sites back to Wiltshire Police, including the cemetery where Mr Skripal's wife and son are buried and The Maltings shopping precinct close to where they collapsed.

Dept Chief Constable Paul Mills, of Wiltshire Police, said: "It is an extremely challenging investigation... Wiltshire Police will now work with Wiltshire Council and other partners who are leading on the recovery process to assess and agree the next steps that need to be taken to safely return sites to the public."
A family of eight who gained attention in the US for an emotional photograph of an African-American boy hugging a white police officer at a 2014 protest were killed when their SUV plunged off a scenic California highway, authorities said.

We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said, appealing for tips to retrace where the siblings and two parents had been before the vehicle was found on Monday in rocky ocean.

We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy, he added.

Some friends described married couple Jennifer and Sarah Hart as loving parents who took their adopted kids to Bernie Sanders rallies, while neighbours said they called child welfare officials in their rural Washington state community over concerns about possible abuse or had noticed red flags.

The California Highway Patrol has not determined why the vehicle went off an ocean overlook on a rugged part of coastline.

A specialised team of accident investigators was trying to figure that out, Mr Allman said.

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There were no skid marks, there were no brake marks at the turnout on the Pacific Coast Highway where the vehicle went over, the sheriff said.

Investigators have no reason to believe the crash was intentional, he said.

The 100-foot (31m) drop killed the women, both 39, and their children Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14. Hannah Hart, 16; Devonte Hart, 15; and Sierra Hart, 12, have not been found.

The family got attention after Devonte Hart was photographed during a 2014 protest in Portland, Oregon, over a grand jurys decision not to indict a police officer in the shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Missouri.

The boy, holding a Free Hugs sign, stood crying. A Portland officer saw his sign and asked if he could have a hug, and an emotional Devonte embraced him in a picture that was widely shared.

At the time, Jennifer Hart wrote on social media: My son has a heart of gold, compassion beyond anything Ive ever experienced, yet struggles with living fearlessly when it comes to the police.  He wonders if someday when he no longer wears a Free Hugs sign around his neck, when hes a full-grown black male, if his life will be in danger for simply being.

The family travelled to many festivals throughout the area  including events for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders  and were known for wearing matching T-shirts.

The Harts lived in Woodland, Washington, a small city outside Portland, Oregon, and had a recent visit from Child Protective Services, Clark County sheriffs Sergeant Brent Waddell told The Associated Press.

He said the sheriffs office later entered the house and found no obvious signs of trouble or violence. It appeared the family planned a short trip because they left behind a pet, chickens and most of their belongings.

Next-door neighbours Bruce and Dana DeKalb said they called child services Friday because they were concerned that Devonte Hart, who hugged the officer at the protest, was going hungry.

They said he had been coming over to their house too often in the past week asking for food.

They also recounted that three months after the family moved into the home on two acres with a fenced pasture in May 2017, one of the girls rang their doorbell at 1:30am.

She was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her, Bruce DeKalb said. She said that they were abusing her. It haunted my wife since that day.

In 2011, Sarah Hart pleaded guilty to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota. Her plea led to the dismissal of a charge of malicious punishment of a child, online court records say.
Police officers disperse the relatives of prisoners who were waiting to hear news about their family members imprisoned at a police station when a riot broke out, in Valencia, Venezuela (Juan Carlos Hernandez/AP)

A fast-moving fire has swept through a Venezuelan police station where prisoners were being kept in crowded cells, killing 68 people in one of the worst catastrophes involving the nations prison system, authorities said.

Distraught families spent Wednesday clamouring for information and at times clashing with police equipped in riot gear outside the station until Venezuelas chief prosecutor declared on Twitter that 66 men and two women had been killed in the blaze.

Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said four prosecutors had been named to determine what happened and who is responsible for the tragedy in Valencia, a town in Carabobo state 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Caracas, the capital.

He added the nations public ministry would guarantee a thorough investigation to immediately shed light on the painful events that have put dozens of Venezuelan families in mourning.

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Human rights groups immediately criticised Venezuelan authorities for failing to address the rapidly declining conditions in the nations jails.

As Venezuela plummets into an economic crisis worse than the Great Depression, prisoners in often crowded jails are going hungry and have staged protests in recent months.

Inmates are also frequently able to obtain weapons and drugs with the help of corrupt guards and heavily armed groups control cellblock fiefdoms.

The Venezuelan Prisons Observatory said it had been warning for some time about situation at police station jails, where detainees are often kept far longer than the customary two-or-three day holding periods.

The negligence of authorities continues causing deaths, the group said.

The death toll in Wednesdays disaster surpasses nearly every recent mass casualty event at Venezuelan prisons and jails on record.

A fire at a prison in the western state of Zulia killed more than 100 inmates in 1994.

With tears streaking down their cheeks, people waiting outside the station on Wednesday said dozens of detainees had been kept in squalid conditions and they feared the worst for their loved ones.

Angry relatives pushed up against a line of officers holding metal shields. At one point, officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Some people buried their hands in their faces. Others had to be supported by friends and family as they collapsed in despair. Some wept quietly and clutched their hands in prayer.

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I dont know if my son is dead or alive! cried Aida Parra, who said she last saw her son the previous day, when she took food to him. They havent told me anything.

Nearby, National Guard troops wearing flak jackets and carrying rifles slung across their backs walked in and out of the station. Fire trucks and ambulances stood outside. Unused stretchers leaned against a wall.

A Window To Freedom, a non-profit group that monitors conditions at Venezuelas jails and prisons, said preliminary but unconfirmed information indicates a riot began when an armed detainee shot an officer in the leg.

Shortly after that a fire broke out, with flames growing quickly as the blaze spread to mattresses in the cells, it said. Rescuers apparently had to break a hole through a wall to free some of the prisoners inside.

Photos shared by the group showed prisoners being taken out on stretchers, their limbs frozen in awkward positions as their skin peeled off from the flames.

Carlos Nieto Palma, director of A Window To Freedom, called conditions at the nations jails grave and alarming.

Opposition legislator Juan Miguel Matheus lambasted the pro-government leader of Carabobo state for taking so long to tell relatives about what happened.

The desperation of relatives should not be played with, he said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean president Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, South Korean officials have said.

The summit, only the third ever between the Koreas, could prove significant in the global diplomatic push to resolve the stand-off over the Norths nuclear programme.

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The announcement was made after a high-level meeting between the two countries in the border village of Panmunjom on Thursday. Few other details were released.

The Koreas will hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues.

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The current talks follow a surprise meeting this week between Mr Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The North Korean leader may also meet US President Donald Trump.
Melrose has succeeded in its hostile bid to take over GKN for 8.1 billion after securing the backing of the engineering giants shareholders.

A total of 52.43% investor votes were cast in favour of the deal going ahead as of 1pm, above the 50% plus 1 share threshold.

Melrose chairman Christopher Miller said in a statement: We are delighted and grateful to have received support from GKN shareholders for our plan to create a UK industrial powerhouse with a market capitalisation of over GBP10 billion and a tremendous future.

We are looking forward to working with GKNs talented workforce and to delivering for customers and all stakeholders. Melrose has made commitments as to investment in R&D, skills and people and we are very excited about putting these into action.

Let me assure you that GKN is entering into very good hands.

The victory brings to a close a bitter battle that has raged since January, although there are likely to be renewed calls for Business Secretary Greg Clark to intervene in the deal.

He has already called for binding agreements over Melroses proposals for GKN.

Melrose has stressed its commitment to improving not only GKN, but the UK economy, committing to keeping the firm listed in London and headquartered in the UK as part of a five-year pledge.

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Mr Miller added: We would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support of the Melrose strategy thus far. We are full of enthusiasm as we begin this next stage of the Melrose story and look forward to creating substantial value for our shareholders, old and new.

Shares in GKN rose 7% following the news.

But Melroses takeover will spark fears for jobs after Airbus, GKNs largest customer, earlier warned it could not give any new business to the firm if the deal with the turnaround specialist went ahead.

Unions and MPs have also warned over asset stripping and flagged national security concerns, claims which Melrose has rejected.

GKN has a history that dates back to the 1900s and was instrumental in wartime manufacturing.

During the First World War, it was heavily involved in making steel for military purposes, such as shells.

After the outbreak of the Second World War, GKN produced Spitfires and specialised tanks for the D-Day landings, as well as millions of steel helmets.

GKN ultimately attempted in vain to fight off Melroses advances, despite chief executive Anne Stevens describing the takeover as high-risk and the offer not coming close to reflecting true value.

Its counter measures, which included a deal to sell its automotive division Driveline to US firm Dana, fell on deaf shareholder ears.

GKN became a target following profit warnings in October and November after problems at its US aerospace division sent shares tumbling.

GKN is headquartered in Redditch and has its biggest factory in Filton near Bristol, where it employs 1454 workers.

Other plants in the UK include Cowes, Birmingham, Luton, Telford, Kings Norton, Portsmouth, Uxbridge, Leek and Oxford.
US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Russia should not be acting like a victim (Alex Brandon/AP)

The United States has said Russia should not be acting like a victim after it announced the expulsion of more than 150 diplomats from countries around the world.

The Russian move is a tit-for-tat response to the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the UK.

It came as a hospital treating the Skripals said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in stable condition, though her father remained in critical condition.

With its regrettable, unwarranted decision today, it is clear that #Russia is not interested in dialogue about issues that matter to our two countries. #Russia is further isolating itself following the brazen chemical attack in the United Kingdom. - @statedeptspox pic.twitter.com/w4eA0I7Yvr  Department of State (@StateDept) March 29, 2018

The pair were found unconscious and critically ill in Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Two dozen countries, including the US, many EU nations and Nato, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain  a massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

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US ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry while Mr Lavrov was speaking, where he was handed notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

In a statement, Mr Huntsman said there was no justification for the move and that it shows Moscow is not interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters.

Russia should not be acting like a victim, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Mr Lavrov also said Moscow will retaliate for the US decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St Petersburg.

The Foreign Ministry said the US diplomats, including 58 from the embassy in Moscow and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg, must leave Russia by April 5. It added that the US must leave the consulate in St Petersburg no later than Saturday.

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The ministry warned that if the US takes further hostile actions against Russian missions, Russia will respond in kind.

We invite the US authorities who are encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country to come back to their senses and stop thoughtless actions to destroy bilateral relations, it said.

Mr Lavrov emphasised that the expulsions followed brutal pressure from the US and Britain, which forced their allies to follow the anti-Russian course.

He also noted that the job of the international chemical weapons watchdog is to determine what chemical agent was used to poison Mr Skripal and his daughter, not verify the British conclusions.

Mr Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting on Monday of the secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said that 33-year-old Yulia is improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable.

She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day, said Dr Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

Mr Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.
A US man whose murder conviction was thrown out after spending 45 years in prison has been exonerated and will not face a second trial.

Richard Phillips (71) from the Detroit area, was upbeat, saying the criminal justice system "works - it just didn't work fast enough".

A judge granted a request to permanently drop the case against Phillips, whose conviction was erased last year.

Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said a new investigation by her office backed his claim that he had no role in a 1971 fatal shooting.

She said a key witness lied at his 1972 trial.

"There's nothing I can say to bring back 40 years of his life," Ms Worthy said. "The system failed him. This is a true exoneration."

The case was reopened at the urging of the Innocence Clinic at University of Michigan law school after a co-defendant at the 1972 trial told the state parole board that Phillips was not involved in the slaying of Gregory Harris.

Phillips had been free on bond since December. He is likely to be eligible for more than 2 million US dollars under Michigan's wrongful conviction law.

No one in the US has served more years in prison before being exonerated than Phillips, said David Moran, director of the Innocence Clinic.

"I've never carried bitterness around, so I'm not a bitter man," Phillips told reporters when asked about his decades in prison.

One of his goals is a reunion with two children who were aged two and four when he went to prison in 1972.

Despite publicity about his case, Phillips said he has not heard from them and does not know their whereabouts.

"You have seen the worst and best of the criminal justice system," Judge Kevin Cox told Phillips.

Phillips has settled in a Detroit suburb and attends a church where he shares his story with others.

"His freedom truly belongs to him again," Mr Moran said.
An Arizona mother has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder after her baby and toddler were found dead in a vehicle.

Local police found Brittany Velasquez's 10-month-old daughter and two-year-old son strapped into car seats in a vehicle at the family home in Superior, located approximately 60 miles (97 km) east of Phoenix.

A spokeswoman for the Pinal County Sheriffs Office, Navideh Forghani, said there was evidence of foul play found at the scene. She did not elaborate further.

Local Superior police found the children at about 11pm and called detectives from the sheriffs office to assist with the investigation.

Autopsies are set to be conducted on the bodies to determine exact cause of death. The victims names have not yet been released.

Ms Foghani did not comment on how the children ended up being placed in the vehicle. She also did not comment on a possible motive for Ms Velasquez.

It is not known if Ms Velazquez has an attorney who can comment on the case.

The rural town of Superior has a population of less than 3,000.
None of the soldiers, from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, was injured (Peter Byrne/PA)

A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with a failed car attack on French soldiers, a police official said.

The official said the unnamed man was arrested in his home in Grenoble on Thursday on suspicion of driving at soldiers who were out jogging near their military barracks and shouting death threats.

He said the woman was arrested in Echirolles, a suburb of Grenoble, and was the owner of the car used in the attack.

The official could not say what connection the two have to one another.

They are both currently being questioned by police in Grenoble.

Colonel Benoit Brulot, a French Army spokesman, earlier told the AP that the driver circled the military barracks in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, in the south-eastern Isere region, shouting at groups of soldiers.

He returned later and tried to hit the two soldiers with his car before making a quick getaway.

Mr Brulot said that none of the soldiers, from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, was injured.

Authorities are on high alert as the incident occurred one week after an Islamic extremist shot at police returning from jogging in southern France, before taking hostages in a supermarket in an attack that claimed four lives.

Mr Brulot said several of the soldiers were questioned by gendarmes in nearby Grenoble.
Pope Francis washes the feet of inmates during his visit to the Regina Coeli detention centre in Rome (Vatican Media via AP)

Pope Francis has urged inmates at a Rome prison to never let their hopes be clouded like cataracts cloud the eyes  and revealed that he suffers from the condition and has to have surgery for it next year.

Francis disclosed the news as he bid farewell to inmates and staff at the Regina Coeli prison, where he washed the feet of 12 prisoners in a Holy Thursday ritual.

The 81-year-old frequently uses his visits to prisons to encourage inmates not to lose hope, and he repeated that on Thursday by telling the prisoners that they must clear their eyes every day so they can see and spread hope.

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At my age, for example, cataracts come and you dont see reality well. Next year I have to have an operation, he said.

He said the same thing happens with life, when disillusionment, errors and fatigue cloud the soul.

Francis urged the inmates to do a daily cleansing of their view on life  a cataract surgery for the soul  so they can keep hope alive.

The Vaticans deputy spokeswoman, Paloma Garcia Ovejero, confirmed Francis was speaking about his own cataracts and is due to have surgery next year, though there were no details on when.

Francis is known to suffer from sciatica, which sometimes makes walking difficult.

He lost much of one lung due to an infection in his 20s, but otherwise seems to enjoy good health.

During the foot-washing ceremony, Francis knelt down and one by one, poured water over the feet of the 12 inmates, wiped them dry and kissed them. Most of the men then embraced the pope in thanks.

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The 12 inmates included Catholics, Muslims, an Orthodox Christian and a Buddhist, the Vatican said.

They hailed from Italy, the Philippines, Morocco, Moldova, Colombia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

In his homily, Francis told them the ritual is meant to show his willingness to serve others like a slave, as Jesus did.

Your chief must be your servant, he said. So often I think  how many wars would have been avoided if all those kings, emperors and heads of state had understood this teaching of Jesus rather than command and be cruel and kill people.

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Earlier, Francis presided over another Holy Thursday service in St Peters Basilica, where he urged priests to be spiritually close to their flocks and not insist only on preaching laws when they sin.

Even when people commit adultery, he said, priests should not condemn with legalisms but rather help them look forward so they do not sin again.

The correct tone is that of the confessor who is prepared to repeat it 70 times seven, he said.

The admonition came as conservatives have complained that Francis is dividing the church by being open to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion.

Critics say Francis is disregarding church law about the indissolubility of marriage by effectively allowing adulterers access to the sacraments.

Francis appeared to be answering the criticism with his homily, choosing specifically to preach about how priests should accompany adulterers during a Mass meant to demonstrate the unity of the church.

Holy Thursday marks the start of an intense four days of activity leading up to Easter Sunday.

On Friday, Francis presides over the Way of the Cross procession at Romes Colosseum re-enacting Christs crucifixion.

On Saturday night, he celebrates the solemn Easter Vigil in St Peters Basilica, followed by the joyful Easter Sunday Mass marking Christs resurrection.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in are to meet on April 27.

The announcement on Thursday came after officials from the two countries held talks in the border village of Panmunjom and agreed on a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve the decades-long stand-off over the Norths nuclear programme.

The Koreas plan to hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues, according to a joint statement.

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Leaders of the two Koreas have held talks only twice since the 1950-53 Korean War, in 2000 and 2007, under previous liberal governments in Seoul. The Korean Peninsula was divided in 1945 into a US-dominated south and Soviet-backed north.

Seouls Unification Minister, Cho Myoung-gyon, one of three South Korean participants in Thursdays talks, told reporters that setting up discussions between the leaders on ways to rid the North of its nuclear weapons would be a critical point.

The Norths three delegates were led by Ri Son Gwon, chairman of a state agency that deals with inter-Korean affairs.

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Earlier this month, the two countries agreed to hold a summit on the southern side of the border village. Thursdays talks were held to determine the date and other issues.

The countries also agreed to hold a separate meeting to discuss communication issues and maintain working-level discussions through document exchanges, according to the statement.

The Souths delegation arrived in Panmunjom after their vehicles crossed the heavily guarded border near the southern city of Paju.

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Greeting the South Korean officials at the North Korea-controlled Tongilgak building, Mr Ri said the past 80 days have been filled with unprecedented historic events between the rivals, referring to the Koreas resuming dialogue before the Winter Olympics in the South and the agreement on the summit. He expressed hopes for an outcome that would meet the hope and desire of the nation,

In response, Mr Cho said officials in the preparatory talks should do their best to set up a successful summit as the current situation was created by decisions from the highest leaders of the North and South.

The talks followed a surprise meeting this week between Mr Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which appeared to be aimed at improving both countries positions ahead of the North Korean leaders planned meetings with Mr Moon and US President Donald Trump.

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In setting up separate talks with Beijing, Seoul, Washington, and potentially with Moscow and Tokyo, North Korea may be moving to disrupt any united front among its negotiating counterparts. By reintroducing China, which is the Norths only major ally, as a major player, North Korea also gains leverage against South Korea and the US, analysts say.

In his talks with Mr Xi, Mr Kim may have discussed economic co-operation with China or requested a softening of enforcement of sanctions over the Norths nuclear weapons. North Korea also wants Beijing to resist tougher sanctions if the talks with Washington and Seoul fall apart and the North starts testing missiles again.

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Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi is spending two days in Seoul briefing South Korean officials on the results of the talks between Mr Kim and Mr Xi.

Mr Yang is expected to meet Seouls presidential national security director Chung Eui-yong on Thursday before meeting President Moon on Friday.

Mr Moons spokesman, Kim Eui-kyeom, said Seoul welcomes the meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Trump and called it an encouraging sign that the North Korean leader expressed a firm willingness for dialogue with South Korea and the US during his visit to Beijing.

The Norths diplomatic outreach comes after an unusually provocative year where it conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date and three intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to target the American mainland. The change in tactics could be an attempt to ease pressure from heavy sanctions and improve its economy.
Police activity in a cul-de-sac in Salisbury near to the home of Sergei Skripal (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Moscow will retaliate shortly over the expulsion of Russian diplomats following the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministrys spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Russian response will come in the nearest time.

Two dozen countries, including the US and many EU nations, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.

Russian talk shows may have produced 24 or 234 versions of Salisbury attack, but British press sticks to ONE, unsupported by any facts. So much for free and independent media holding government to account. pic.twitter.com/862TfBVkxC  Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) March 29, 2018

Ms Zakharova said the expulsions came after colossal pressure from Washington and London, adding that the nations that succumbed to it made a grave mistake.

She denounced Britains assertion that Russia was behind the nerve agent attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter as a swindle and an international provocation.

Ms Zakharova insisted that Moscow is demanding access to materials of the investigation.
Sergei Lavrov said the same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from the nations that have expelled Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain, Russias foreign minister said.

Sergei Lavrov said US ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the foreign ministry where he was given notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the US decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

Mr Lavrov said Moscow will also retaliate over the US decision to shut the Russian consulate in Seattle by closing the US consulate in St Petersburg.

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He said the same approach will be applied to other nations that expelled Russian diplomats this week.

Two dozen countries, including the US and many EU nations, and Nato have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain.

Mr Lavrov renewed Russias demand for access to Yulia Skripal, a Russian citizen who along with her ex-spy father Sergei Skripal was poisoned in Britain this month and is reportedly recovering.

British health authorities said Ms Skripal, 33, was out of critical condition and is improving rapidly.

It was not immediately clear if her condition would allow her to talk with British or Russian officials about the March 4 poisoning in Salisbury.

Mr Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow that we have again demanded to be guaranteed access to Yulia as she is a Russian citizen. I hope the British side can fulfil its obligations under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations.

Elsewhere, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the world is approaching a situation similar to the Cold War as tensions rise between the United States and Russia.

But Mr Guterres said it is different in two important ways: There are more players in conflicts than during the two-superpower era and fewer communication channels set up to keep problems from escalating.

He told reporters he is very concerned.
The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the f...
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The federal government approved major amendments to Indias FDI Policy on January 10 to ease doing business and remove unintended obstacles for investments in certain industries.

Major beneficiaries include single brand retailers and the medical devices industry, with the government providing more clarity on compliance requirements and easing the investment process.

In addition, local audit firms received a leg up from the updated Policy, which stipulates new conditions on the appointment of auditors by Indian companies receiving foreign investment.

Foreign investors that have been monitoring FDI reforms since 2014 will note that the latest initiative fits with what now appears to the governments standard process for opening up key sectors to FDI.

Below we outline the amendments to the existing FDI Policy, highlighting significant changes for single brand retail, medical devices, civil aviation, construction, power exchange, and approval requirements.

Single brand retail

Foreign firms can now fully own local single brand retail chains. Previously, foreign firms needed approval from the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) to invest above 49 percent.

Equally important, the local sourcing rule has been somewhat relaxed for foreign single brand retailers. Foreign retailers are no longer subjected to the 30 percent target for local sourcing for a five year period, if they are able to offset the 30 percent local sourcing compliance against purchases made globally. The relaxation is, therefore, incremental and a compromise.

Foreign players interested in entering the Indian market will need to strategize their sourcing and retail business accordingly. Beneficiaries include Swedish furniture retailer IKEA and Swedish fashion house H& M Hennes and Mauritz AB.

IKEA has ambitious plans for selling in the Indian market and H&M has been aggressively expanding its retail outlets across the country. Multinational foreign retail chains that delayed India plans due to local sourcing rules could now reconsider entering the market.

Medical device industry

The updated FDI Policy brings more clarity into the rules for investing in Indias medical devices industry.

The government has removed a clause from the existing Policy, which determined medical devices as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940.

This greatly restricted the scope of investments in several technologies, products, and services that come under the broad definition of medical devices.

Since the FDI Policy is now delinked from the 1940 Act, a much wider range of medical devices will benefit from up to 100 percent FDI via the automatic route. Further, the expanded list as mentioned in the Policy will be treated as complete, and not subject to any other law.

The updated list of medical devices can be found here.

Audit firms

In its amendments to the FDI Policy, the federal government stipulated joint audits for an Indian company receiving investments from a foreign investor that uses an auditor firm that is part of an international network, such as KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young.

While joint audits may favor domestic audit firms, the condition only states that the two audit firms must not belong to the same network. This can technically allow the investee company to employ two different international auditor firms, and not necessarily favor local firms.

Civil aviation

Subject to government approval, foreign airline companies will now be able to invest up to 49 percent in the capital holdings of Indian companies in Air India.

However, the following two conditions will need to be satisfied:

Total foreign investment in Air India, including that of foreign airline firms, cannot exceed 49 percent either directly or indirectly; and,

The substantial ownership and effective control of Air India must remain with an Indian national.

Construction development

The government has clarified that real estate broking services are not considered to come under real estate business. Consequently, they are eligible for up to 100 percent FDI under the automatic route.

Power exchanges

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) can now invest in power exchanges registered under the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Power Market) Regulations, 2010 through the primary market. Previously, the government allowed such investments only via the secondary market, where securities are traded after the company has sold all the stocks and bonds offered on the primary market.

FDI permitted in power exchanges remains 49 percent via the automatic route.

Approval requirements under the FDI Policy

Investments via the automatic route involving countries of concern will now be referred to the DIPP. Previously these investments needed security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

In the case of investments from countries of concern requiring government approval  these will continue to be processed by respect administrative ministries and government departments.

The issuance of equity shares will be permitted against non-cash considerations, such as pre-incorporation expenses and the import of machinery, for sectors eligible to receive investments under the automatic route. Previously, this was allowed only for investments under the government approval route.

Currently, foreign investment into an Indian company, engaged only in the activity of investing in the capital of other Indian companies or LLPs, and in the Core Investing Companies, is allowed up to 100 percent with prior government approval. However, it has now been decided to align FDI policy on these sectors with FDI policy provisions on other financial services.

If the above activities are regulated by any financial sector regulator, then foreign investment up to 100 percent under the automatic route will be allowed.

If they are not regulated by any financial sector regulator, or are only partly regulated, or where there is doubt regarding regulatory oversight, foreign investment up to 100 percent will be allowed under the government approval route  this will be subject to conditions, including a minimum capitalization requirement, as decided by the government.
Trade standards create and enforce specific criteria in products and services  quite literally setting the standard.

These standards are applicable to both domestic and imported goods; understanding these standards makes exporting goods to India easier.

Who sets Indias trade standards?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016 established the BIS as the nodal national agency for regulating domestic and foreign goods to Indian standards. Trade law in India was also bolstered with increased penalties for the misuse of the Indian Standards Institute (ISI mark) and the mandatory hallmark identification on gold and other precious metals.

The BIS is a legal corporate entity. It comprises of 25 members who represent both the federal and state governments, as well as industry, scientific and research institutions, consumer organizations, and professional bodies. Heading the body is the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution as its president and the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution as its vice president.

The BIS is the National World Trade Organizations Technical Barriers to Trades (WTO-TBT) Enquiry Point: an official designation, which puts BIS in charge of responding to both foreign and domestic requests concerning Indian standards. It also notifies the WTO in case of any proposed changes to these standards.

The BIS is solely responsible for operating quality certification plans. Additionally, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulates the import of articles of food into India.

Under the Bureau of Indian Standards, 2016 Act, the BIS has the authority (pending final approval of the central government) to recognize the mark of any international body on par with the Indian Standard Mark for goods, articles, processes, systems, or services.

Indian standards versus international norms

According to the BIS annual report for 2015-2016, there were 18,781 standards in effect as of March 2016. Of these, 5,119 Indian Standards have been harmonized with international standards.

The BIS has signed 21 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) pertaining to the standardization and conformity assessment with their national counterparts in other countries as well as with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The BIS has also signed two Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) with Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Despite these committed efforts towards bilateral standardization, testing, certification, and training  standards in India can conflict with international norms in ways that the United States Trade Representative, along with other foreign governments and bodies, have argued creates barriers to trade.

Additionally, India has, on numerous occasions, failed to notify the WTO of changes to its trade standards in a timely manner or at all. Whether this may be the case or not, any changes or amended bills in India are published in the Gazette of India that can be accessed here.

Indian standards and trade related barriers

Legal Metrology

The Legal Metrology (National Standards) Rules, 2011  updated in 2013  stipulate that all pre-packaged commodities are prohibited, unless they are in a standard quantity and carry all prescribed declarations. This sometimes creates problems for manufacturers who do not use metric units.

For example, mandatory package sizes are in metric units in India, whereas, US food products are typically packaged in fluid ounces, pounds, and pints, as is the case for bottled and canned drinks, packaged biscuits, and bottled vegetable oils.

The Indian rules also state that all products must be labelled with dates of production, importation, and expiration. Further, they stipulate that at least 60 percent of a products shelf life must remain at the time of importation.

This stipulation has resulted in Indian custom officials rejecting, and even detaining, unprocessed agricultural products, such as apples and nuts imported into India.

Testing Electronic Equipment

Problems with testing, particularly electronic goods, have arisen for foreign products. In 2012, the Indian Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DEITY) mandated compulsory registration for 15 categories of imported electronic and IT goods.

These goods have to register with BIS laboratories, regardless of whether they already meet internationally recognized quality standards. Furthermore, BIS currently has only eight certified laboratories, risking huge delays for foreign exporters.

Getting certification

Indias trade standards are voluntary with the exception of 109 goods requiring mandatory certification before they are imported into India. Additionally, there are 31 types of electronics or IT goods, which are required to register under the Compulsory Registration Scheme before being imported into India.

A complete list of these 109 products can be found here, and covers a range of items from food preservatives, types of cement, electrical appliances, to automobile accessories.

These 109 products must be tested and certified in India and by the BIS. However, a system also exists for foreign companies to receive certification in their home countries. This process involves bringing a BIS inspector to the manufacturer or exporters country (paid for by the exporter) and pre-certify the company and its production system. The inspector then authorizes subsequent monitoring by an independent inspector.

Foreign manufacturers and exporters are also required to either maintain a presence in India or else mandate a certified body to ensure standards on their behalf.
Ajmer, Mar 29 (IBNS): Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Greentech Mega Food Park Private Ltd - the first mega food park in Rajasthan - at Roopangarh Village in Ajmer.

The Park has been set up at a cost of Rs 113.57 crore and will benefit around 25,000 farmers in this as well as neighbouring districts, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries said in a release.

Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Rajasthan Minister of Industries Rajpal Singh Shekhawat and Minister of Agriculture Prabhu Lal Saini and Ajmer MP(Lok Sabha)Raghu Sharma were present at the inauguration.

Giving details of the project, Badal said the mega food park, which has been set up in an area of 85.44 acres, will have a central processing centre as well as well as four Primary Processing Centres (PPCs) at Jaipur, Nagaur, Tonk and Churu.

She said that the park will also have facilities for primary processing and storage near the farms and will not only benefit farmers of Ajmer but also those of nearby districts of Jaipur, Nagaur, Tonk and Churu.

The facilities being created at Central Processing Centre (CPC) of this Mega Food Park include Cold Storage of 5,000 MT, Deep Freeze of 2,550 MT, IQF of 2 MT/Hr, Dry Warehouse for Raw Materials 2,500 MT + Dry Warehouse for Finished Goods of 5,000 MT, Silos of 6,500 MT, Pack House of 10 MT/Hr, Steam Generator of 8 MT/Hr and other related food processing facilities.

Image: HarsimratKaurBadal/TwitterThe union minister said the mega food park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crores in 25-30 food processing units in the park and eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs. 450-500 crore annually.

The minister added that the Park will also provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers in the CPC and PPC catchment areas.

She also said that modern infrastructure for food processing created at Park will benefit the farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Rajasthan and adjoining areas immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in Rajasthan.

She said the food processing industry ministry is creating mega food parks with modern infrastructure facilities for food processing along the value chain from farm to market with strong forward and backward linkages through a cluster based approach.

Image: HarsimratKaurBadal/Twitter
Guwahati, Mar 29 (IBNS): The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (V&AC) of Assam police on Wednesday night arrested a Sub Inspector of Bokuliaghat police station in Karbi Anglong district for allegedly taking bribe from a person.

According to the reports, Sub Inspector Bhageswar Kalita had allegedly taken Rs 3000 from a person to dismiss a motocycle accident case took place on March 10.

The Bokuliaghat police registered a case and seized the motorcycle after the incident.

But, Bhageswar demanded bribe of Rs 3000 from the owner of the motorcycle and said that he will dismiss the case.

While the motorcycle owner informed the V&AC, a team of the investigating agency had launched an operation and caught the police officer red handed when he allegedly took bribe.

On Thursday, the arrested police officer appeared before a local court in Guwahati and the court sent him to police custody.

Meanwhile, the V&AC recovered huge amount of cash and several incriminating documents including LIC policy, bank passbook from the residence of the police officer.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Washington, Mar 29 (IBNS): NASAs Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is undergoing final preparations in Florida for its Apr 16 launch to find undiscovered worlds around nearby stars, providing targets where future studies will assess their capacity to harbor life.

One of the biggest questions in exoplanet exploration is: If an astronomer finds a planet in a stars habitable zone, will it be interesting from a biologist's point of view? said George Ricker, TESS principal investigator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research in Cambridge, which is leading the mission.

We expect TESS will discover a number of planets whose atmospheric compositions, which hold potential clues to the presence of life, could be precisely measured by future observers.

On Mar 15, the spacecraft passed a review that confirmed it was ready for launch. For final launch preparations, the spacecraft will be fueled and encapsulated within the payload fairing of its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

TESS will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. With the help of a gravitational assist from the Moon, the spacecraft will settle into a 13.7-day orbit around Earth. Sixty days after launch, and following tests of its instruments, the satellite will begin its initial two-year mission.

Four wide-field cameras will give TESS a field-of-view that covers 85 percent of our entire sky. Within this vast visual perspective, the sky has been divided into 26 sectors that TESS will observe one by one. The first year of observations will map the 13 sectors encompassing the southern sky, and the second year will map the 13 sectors of the northern sky.

The spacecraft will be looking for a phenomenon known as a transit, where a planet passes in front of its star, causing a periodic and regular dip in the stars brightness. NASAs Kepler spacecraft used the same method to spot more than 2,600 confirmed exoplanets, most of them orbiting faint stars 300 to 3,000 light-years away

We learned from Kepler that there are more planets than stars in our sky, and now TESS will open our eyes to the variety of planets around some of the closest stars, said Paul Hertz, Astrophysics Division director at NASA Headquarters. TESS will cast a wider net than ever before for enigmatic worlds whose properties can be probed by NASAs upcoming James Webb Space Telescope and other missions.

TESS will concentrate on stars less than 300 light-years away and 30 to 100 times brighter than Keplers targets. The brightness of these target stars will allow researchers to use spectroscopy, the study of the absorption and emission of light, to determine a planets mass, density and atmospheric composition. Water, and other key molecules, in its atmosphere can give us hints about a planets capacity to harbor life.

TESS is opening a door for a whole new kind of study, said Stephen Rinehart, TESS project scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, which manages the mission. Were going to be able study individual planets and start talking about the differences between planets. The targets TESS finds are going to be fantastic subjects for research for decades to come. Its the beginning of a new era of exoplanet research.

Through the TESS Guest Investigator Program, the worldwide scientific community will be able to participate in investigations outside of TESSs core mission, enhancing and maximizing the science return from the mission in areas ranging from exoplanet characterization to stellar astrophysics and solar system science.

I dont think we know everything TESS is going to accomplish, Rinehart said. To me, the most exciting part of any mission is the unexpected result, the one that nobody saw coming.

TESS is a NASA Astrophysics Explorer mission led and operated by MIT and managed by Goddard. George Ricker, of MITs Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, serves as principal investigator for the mission.

TESSs four wide-field cameras were developed by MITs Lincoln Laboratory. Additional partners include Orbital ATK, NASAs Ames Research Center, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and the Space Telescope Science Institute. More than a dozen universities, research institutes and observatories worldwide are participants in the mission.

Image credits: NASA/GSFC
ATMA scores are mandatory for students who seek to pursue MBA from top B-schools in India. There are total 200 high ranking MBA colleges in India who accept ATMA scores for admission. AIMS i.e. the Association of Indian Management Schools, which conducts the entrance examination for MBA admissions has in total 740 top postgraduate management schools enlisted under its membership.Some of the Top B-schools who accept the ATMA scores include Prin. L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (WeSchool) in Mumbai, IMS Ghaziabad and other such have been mentioned below.

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List of Top B-Schools

The ATMA examination is conducted 5 times in a year by the AIMS. The scores of ATMA 2018 conducted in the month of January and February 2018 is accepted by over 200 top B-Schools for admission to MBA courses. The remaining three ATMA 2018 examination will be conducted on May 27, July 01 and August 05 respectively.

The scores obtained in ATMA tests are accepted by autonomous MBA colleges, University B-Schools who offer post-graduation course of MBA as well as by Private PGDM colleges.Listed below are 7 Top B-Schools accepting ATMA scores for MBA admission 2018. Also listed is the entire detail of the college and the ATMA percentile accepted.

1. Welingkars Institute of Management Studies (WeSchool)

WeSchool is one of the leading B-Schools offering the post-graduate program of MBA in its Mumbai and Bangalore campuses. Applying the new age tools combined with indispensable teaching techniques makes it the most lucrative choice for availing MBA studies.

Placements: As many as 500 top-notch companies visit the campus during recruitment program. Seniors and juniors are hired by good brands giving a boost to their career providing an average CTC of 7 lakhs. As per the records of 2017, the highest package provided was 22 lakhs and a minimum of 14 lakhs. Some of the top companies include Axis Bank, Vedanta group, Parag Milk foods, Bata, Philips, Accenture, IBM, Infosys, etc.

Faculty: The faculty comprises of some well-experienced individuals who hold expertise in their field. Students are provided global exposure through internship programs and projects in abroad like USA, Germany, Kenya, Malaysia, Sweden, Singapore, Romania, Japan, Ghana, and Dubai.

Total Intake  180 seats

Average fees  11.0 Lakhs

ATMA Percentile  90%

Rank  18

2. N.L. Dalmia Mumbai

N.L Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research is currently included among the top B-Schools of India as well as the most preferred business school in Mumbai. The college has an A Grade accreditation by NAAC and has been awarded the status of Premier college by ASIC, UK.

Placement:N.L. Dalmia is known for providing 100% placements to its students. The average salary package provided to candidates falls in the range of 5 to 8 lakhs per annum. The companies which visit the campus for placements include ICRA, ICICI Bank, Morgan Stanley, Sharekhan and many more. In addition, the students are also provided with internship and training offers by top companies.

Faculty: The faculty is disciplined professionals who have earned years of expertise in their field of study.

Total Intake  20 seats

Average fees  8,70,000 Lakhs

ATMA Percentile - 90%

Rank - 25

2. Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore

XIME provides PGDM in MBA spanning for a duration of 24 months. XIME has been rated among A1 institutes of super leagues by the business standard edition of June 2017.

Placement: The college is known for its 100% placement record till date. The placement for senior students takes place around Feb/March. The average salary package provided by top companies is 6.70 per annum. Some of the blue chips companies such as Deloitte, KPMG, TCS, Infosys, etc. visit the campus to hire able students. Candidates are also provided with excellent internship and pre-placement package.

Faculty: The college has a tie-up with foreign universities including Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China, Shanghai International Studies University, for student-faculty exchange programs. The student alumni consist of students who hold prominent positions in top MNCs.

Total Intake  180 seats

Total fees  10.00 L

ATMA Percentile  80%

Rank  17

4. Jaipuria Institute of Management Noida

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida holds a Grade A accreditation by NAAC. The college provides PGDM in MBA at its Noida and Jaipur campuses. The college is ranked 31st amongst the best Private B-Schools in North India and Ranks 43rd in India by MHRD.

Placement: More than 350 companies visit the campus every year for placement. Some of the top recruiters include LG, Deloitte, Amazon, Spandana, Axis Bank, Bajaj Electricals, Genpact, and others. The average package provided is 5.78 lakhs. Students are also given internship opportunities by top recruiters such as the future group.

Faculty: The student to faculty ratio is 12:1. Students are offered both online and offline modes for delivering knowledge. The faculty comprises of expert doctors and professionals who have earned years of experience in the field to deliver quality lectures.

Total Intake  180 seats

Total fees - 9.25 L

ATMA Percentile - 85

Rank - 43

5. IES Management College and Research Centre (IESMCRC), Mumbai

IES Management College and Research Centre (IESMCRC) in Mumbai is ranked among the top 10 business schools in Mumbai.

Placement: The college is known for its 100% placement record, with some of the top MNCs visiting the campus for summer placement. The Institution also has a tie-up with renowned companies like Taiwan, Asian Paints and many more. The average package provided is 6 lakhs with as high as 12 lakhs per annum. Some of the top recruiters include Nielsen, Godrej, Capgemini, Nestle, Vodafone, L&T, HT Media, to name a few.

Faculty: The faculty comprises of industry experts. The college is known to have produced alumni with distinguished talent in their respective industry career.

Total Intake  120 seats

Total Fees - 7.20 L

ATMA Percentile  75%

Rank - 73

6. AIIMS, Bangalore

AIIMS, Bangalore is affiliated to the Bangalore University. AIIMS is ranked 25 in the list of B-Schools. The college has collaboration with eminent foreign universities, industries for conducting research as well as student and faculty exchange program.

Placements: The students are provided training and certification courses of IBM, Apple, and CIMA. Companies like Eureka Forbes, Oracle, Amazon, Deloitte, and many top-notch companies providing an average package up to 8 lakhs per annum. In addition, students are also provided training in Digital Marketing, Business Analytics to make them corporate ready.

Faculty: The student-faculty ratio is 60:1. The faculty employs different methods to explain the concepts to students in a lucrative manner. There are periodic tests organized along with presentations to build confidence and innovative skills in students.

Total Intake  240 seats

Tuition fee  9.11 Lakhs

ATMA Percentile  80%

Rank - 49

7. IMS Ghaziabad: Institute of Management Studies

IMS Ghaziabad is affiliated to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University. It secured 8th rank among the top B-School in North Zone by TOI in 2017, 12th in Delhi NCR, and 10th among private B-School in North Zone. The institute holds 41st rank among the private B-School in India.

Placement: The institute is known for providing placement opportunity in top companies like Nestle, ITC, Amazon, Cadbury, Tata, Bajaj, Marico and many more. The average package expected is 5.6 lakhs. IMS also offers a lucrative opportunity with International Brand Buoy Group of Dubai providing an annual package of 14 lakhs.

Faculty: Faculty in IMS are Ph.D. holders. The college has tie-ups with the JamiaHamdard University of Atlanta, the USA for promoting research programs.

Total Intake  360 seats

Tuition fee  9.70 Lakhs

ATMA Percentile  80

Rank - 41
New Delhi, Mar 29 (IBNS): Congress President Rahul Gandhi seems to be leaving no stone unturned to hurl an attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who asked citizens to make him a "chowkidar" or "watchman" and not a PM before the 2014 General Elections.

Rahul has launched a fresh attack against Modi over several leaks, starting from data to CBSE question papers, in recent times.

In a tweet, Rahul said in Hindi, "How many leaks? Data leak! Aadhaar leak! SSC Exam leak! Election Data leak! CBSE Papers Leak! In everything there is leak, Chowkidar is weak."

aaaaa aaa?



aaaYa aaa !

aaaa aaa !

SSC Exam aaa !

Election Date aaa !

CBSE aaaaaa aaa !



aa asaa aaa aaa aa

asaaaaaa aaa aa#BasEkAurSaal  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 29, 2018

The Congress has been vocal against the ruling BJP over the leaks of late.

In one of the recent incidents, the CBSE question papers for Class X Mathematics and Class XII Economics have been leaked.

The central board has decided to hold fresh examinations for the particular two subjects.

The new dates for the examination will be announced within a week, the board said.

The country has been rocked by the data leak news, which surfaced few days ago.

Cambridge Analytica, US President Donald Trump campaigns data consultant, was accused of siphoning personal data of over 50 million Facebook users to influence the 2016 American election.

The matter came to light after UK's Channel 4 News released a footage obtained via a sting.

Wylie, who testified before members of the British Parliament, named India's oldest political party, Indian National Congress, as one of CA's client.

"They [Cambridge Analytica] worked extensively in India. They have an office in India... I believe their client was Congress but I know that they have done all kinds of projects. I don't remember a national project but I know regionally. India's so big that one state can be as big as Britain. But they do have offices there, they do have staff," Wylie was quoted in media as telling lawmakers under oath.

The election dates for Karnataka were tweeted by Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell chief Amit Malviya even before the Election Commission had announced them.

Malviya's announcement of the poll date was however proved to be correct though the counting date differed.

The EC has formed a committee to probe the matter.



Image: twitter.com/RahulGandhi
New Delhi, Mar 29 (IBNS): Noting the strong growth in India-US strategic partnership, Prime Minister Narednra Modi underscored the importance of growing linkages with Texas in the fields of trade and commerce, energy, industry, education and people-to-people contact.

PM Modi noted the above while talking to Greg Abbott, Governor of the State of Texas, who is currently on a trade mission to India and had called on the PM on Wednesday.

The two dignitaries agreed to further strengthening the ties.

Governor Abbott expressed appreciation for the contribution of people of Indian origin living in Texas to his state and to the US.

Image: PIB
Guwahati, Mar 29 (IBNS): The troops of Assam Rifles apprehended four militants belonging to banned NSCN (K) in Nagalands Mon district on Wednesday, officials said on Thursday.

Based on intelligence input, the Tizit battalion under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) conducted an operation along with police representative about movement of NSCN (K) militants in general area Aboi.

The troops established a mobile check post at road Aboi Chenmoho junction wherein during the search of a suspected Maruti Omni van registered No AS-223847, security forces apprehended four NSCN(K) militants and recovered illegal arms and ammunition.

The nabbed militants were identified as Self Styled Sgt Wangnao Takhe, SS Corporal, Hongshai Konyak and Achae Konyak.

Security personnel recovered one Italy made 7.65 mm pistol, one point 22 pistol, seven live rounds 7.65mm, five live rounds point 22, Rs 4,52,940 cash, Mobile phones, four bottles MC Dowell Rum, three Kani Strips (Opium), one Wpn issue slip of dated March 4, 2018 of Hauky at Camp in the name of SS Sgt Wangnao Takhe and one extortion note in possession from them.

Later, the apprehendees along with the recovered items were handed over to Aboi police station for further investigation.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati, Mar 29 (IBNS): Concern over recent spurt of crimes against women in Assam, the state government on Thursday launched 181-Sakhi toll free women helpline service to help the women affected by violence.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has officially launched 181-Sakhi toll free women helpline in a programme held at the Conference Hall of Chief Ministers office at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.

It is to be mentioned that, over 10 rape incidents were happened in Assam in past a week.

On Thursday, a 6-year-old minor girl was raped by a youth at Khetri area in Kamrup (Metro) district.

Earlier, a minor girl was raped and murdered by three youths in central Assams Nagaon district, which triggered massive protests across the state.

Apart from the Nagaon incident, few more rape incidents were happened in Hailakandi, Barpeta, Jagiroad, Hojai, North Lakhimpur, Palashbari Juria, Tamulpur, Baksa area in past a week.

Several organisations have demanded the state government to take stern action against the rapist and to provide security to women, children.

181-Sakhi toll free women helpline is a scheme of universalization of women helpline and is launched under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.

This service intends to provide 24 hours immediate and emergency response to women affected by violence. The service is presently being launched for one shift and will be open from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM and will be made available 24x7 shortly.

The service is integrated with Women Police Stations, State Commission for Women, Family Counselling Centres, NGOs, Legal Service Centres, Shelter Homes, Medical & Legal Experts. The helpline will assist women in terms of social welfare schemes, shelter, counselling, medical examination, filing FIR, legal aid, recording of audio and visual depositions and emergency response and rescue.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal expressed serious concern over recent spurt of crimes against women in the state and said that the state government is taking series of measures to stop such crimes and stringent action would be taken against the perpetrators of such crimes.

The Assam CM informed that police stations throughout the state have been alerted to keep close watch over such incidents.

SPs of all the districts have been asked to ensure swift and correct filing of charge-sheet in all crimes against women so that justice can be given to the victims. Our Government has also written to the Gauhati High Court to set up Fast track Court to deal with crimes against women on a day to day basis, Sonowal said adding that a women cell at DGP office to oversee speedy proceeding of all cases against women to be opened.

Underscoring the importance of joint initiative by the government and public to tackle crimes against women, Sonowal further said that DCs and SPs are directed to conduct intensive awareness campaigns so that people are made aware to prevent heinous crimes taking place against women in all corners of the state.

The Assam CM urged the women to make best use of the 181-Sakhi toll free women helpline. He also directed the government stakeholders to ensure immediate response to the calls of women in distress.

Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay said that, this system will help the women affected by violence. The state government is concerned over raising incidents of crimes against women and we will also take initiative to discuss various civil society organizations as not to happen such type of incident.

Chairperson of Assam State Women Commission Chikimiki Talukdar, Chairperson of Assam State Social Welfare Board Krishna Das Barman, DGP Mukesh Sahay, Additional Chief Secretary Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary Social Welfare Jishnu Baruah, Principal Secretary Home LS Changsan, Director of Social Welfare SS Meenakshi Sundaram were also present among others in the programme.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


Guwahati, Mar 29 (IBNS): Concerned over recent spurt of crimes against women, the Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed to set up fast track courts in each district in the state.

The High Court issued this direction after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had sent a letter to the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court urging to take appropriate measures to deal with crimes against women on day by day basis.

Assam witnessed several incidents of crimes against women and children in recent period.

Recently, a minor girl was gang raped and murdered by three youths in central Assams Nagaon district, which triggered massive protests across the state.

On Wednesday night, a 6-year-old minor girl was raped by a youth at Khetri area, outskirts of Guwahati.

Later, police had arrested the culprit.

Over 17,000 rape cases have been registered in the state in past a decade.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

New York, Mar 29 (JEN): Ahead of the upcoming international fundraising conference for Yemen, the United Nations has received nearly $1 billion contributions from Saudi Araba and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and urged other donors to follow suit and help tackle the worlds worst humanitarian crisis there.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his deep gratitude for the $930 million provided on Tuesday evening by the two donor countries to the Yemen Humanitarian Fund.

I would like to take this occasion to appeal to all the other donors who will be meeting in Geneva next week to follow the same generosity shown by the two countries, the UN chief told reporters at the world bodys New York Headquarters, after meeting with Prince Mohamad Bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabias Crown Prince.

These funds cover almost one-third of the $2.96 billion required to implement the 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, which will enable the United Nations and its partners to help alleviate the suffering of millions of vulnerable people across Yemen, read a statement issued by Mr. Guterres office, following the signing of the memorandum on the voluntary contributions.

More than 22 million people in Yemen require humanitarian aid or protection assistance, including 2 million who are internally displaced due to the ongoing conflict between the Government and rebel forces.

On 3 April, donors will meet in the humanitarian pledging conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

In his meeting with the Crown Prince, who is also First Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Guterres said to give to those in need is a central pillar of Islam, noting that two-thirds of the refugees are Muslims and are received by Muslim countries.

The Secretary-General and the Crown Prince discussed the obligations of all parties to the conflict under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the critical need for humanitarian access across the country and for all of Yemens ports to remain open to both humanitarian and commercial movement.

They also discussed the need for the parties to the conflict to work towards a negotiated political settlement through inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue.

Guterres expressed the UNs readiness to work together with Saudi Arabia for these objectives.

The UN, through its envoy, has been engaged in helping Yemenis to find a peaceful solution. UN agencies and partners are also on the ground to deliver life-saving aid.




New York, Mar 29 (JEN):The United Nations has reset its action plan to address the root causes of the complex crisis in Africas Sahel, a region now home to one out of five people worldwide requiring humanitarian assistance, the UN deputy chief said Wednesday.

The Sahel is a priority for the Secretary-General and the entire United Nations system, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told a conference being held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, to discuss strategies to tackle the Sahel crisis, which leaves 24 million people in need of humanitarian assistance this year.

A largely semi-arid region, the Sahel stretches from Senegal on Africas Atlantic coast, through parts of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Sudan to Eritrea on the Red Sea coast.

It is plagued by the increasing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism and its spread in surrounding countries and regions. This is compounded  or caused  by weak development progress in the Sahel and the impacts of climate change on food supplies, migration flows and conflict over land and resources.

The complexity and multi-dimensional nature of these challenges attest to the necessity to respond collectively to the Sahel crisis, and in a more coherent, comprehensive and integrated manner, Mohammed explained.

These challenges promoted changes to the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel to better meet the needs of the 10 countries in the region.

The Deputy Secretary-General said five key priorities on addressing the root causes of the crisis are: inclusive and equitable growth; public good services, including access to basic service, governance and rule of law; climate and energy; gender equality and womens empowerment; and security, including preventing violent extremism, transnational crime and human trafficking. Empowering youth is an overall priority, she added.

WFP/Justin Smith
New York, Mar 29 (JEN): Internet user growth is booming and with more people that ever purchasing goods and services online, protecting their privacy must be a top priority, the United Nations has said.

The main UN agency dealing with the economics of globalization said Wednesday that the privacy concerns raised after the revalation that a political data firm gained access to millions of Facebook users without their consent vividly illustrates that most countries are ill prepared for the digital economy.

This is all the more worrying given that about 90 per cent of new Internet users over the last five years live in developing countries  about half of which currently lack legislation to protect their privacy.

In addition, with global e-commerce estimated to have reached $26 trillion in 2016, ensuring that no one is left behind in enjoying its benefits is vital.

We know that the digital economy can bring great benefits to developing countries, but we need to address some critical questions to ensure that digitalization leads to the future we want, said Mukhisa Kituyi, the Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Mr. Kituyis call coincides with the agencys E-Commerce Week  the leading forum for Governments, private sector, development banks, academia and the civil society to discuss development opportunities and challenges before the evolving digital economy.

Being held from 16-20 April, in Geneva, under the theme Development Dimensions of Digital Platforms, the E-Commerce Week will look into the role of evolving technologies to strengthen sustainable development.

Some of its highlights include a high-level dialogue on these platforms as well as Ministerial roundtable discussions.

The Week will also feature events on digital identities and protection of consumers online, conducting trade and e-commerce in the digital era; blockchain technologies; and role of regional banks.

Source: Video screen shot




This is one of the biggest humanitarian crisis in recent times. No single agency or the Government of Bangladesh alone can meet the massive health needs of such a large population group. The Rohingya population are settled in an area that is prone to cyclone, and a terrain that would be flooded as soon as rains begin. The risk of outbreak of life threatening water and vector borne diseases under such conditions is huge, said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, World Health Organization South-East Asia, at a meeting of partners here.



Coordinating the work of over a 100 partners on the ground along with the Ministry of Health, WHO has facilitated the contingency plan for the rainy season and coordinated a simulation around it. The plan aims at continuity of health services during rains and floods to minimize the risk of disease and deaths among the affected population. All 207 health facilities in the area have been assessed for vulnerability during rains, following which nearly 25% of them are being relocated.



Another cholera and measles vaccination campaign is being planned in April as a preventive measure for the vulnerable population. Earlier, 900,000 doses of cholera vaccine were administered to the refugees and their host communities, in addition to two vaccination campaigns for measles and three for diphtheria which concluded earlier this week with WHO support.



WHO is prepositioning medicines, medical supplies and equipment for the rainy season. Since the start of the Rohingya crisis, WHO has provided over 120 tons of supplies and logistics support to partners. WHO continues to provide critical technical support such as surveillance for epidemic prone and other diseases, collecting and sharing of information and data to enable the health sector take timely preventive / response measures and conducting preparedness trainings for the upcoming monsoons.



However, much of the health sectors capacity to respond depends on availability of resources, Dr Khetrapal Singh, who visited the Rohingya camps earlier in the week, said. The rainy season is almost here, the sooner the health sector gets the funds it needs, the better would be its ability to scale up services to quickly and adequately respond to health needs of the refugees.



Besides risks posed by floods and rain, the vulnerable population would need continued services for reproductive, maternal and child health, for communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as psychosocial support, the Regional Director said.



Earlier in Coxs Bazar, Dr Khetrapal Singh visited the warehouse where WHO has prepositioned supplies. She observed diphtheria vaccination campaign, inaugurated a fixed immunization site where children were being administered routine immunization, and visited a primary health centre and a diphtheria treatment centre run by Samaritan's Purse.



WHO has appealed for 16.5 million USD from partners to facilitate its continued support to the Rohingya response in 2018, which is part of the 113.1 million USD being sought by all health partners together under the Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya crisis.
Islamabad, Mar 29 (IBNS): Nobel laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai has returned to Pakistan, media reports said.

It is nearly after five years that she has returned to her homeland since she left it following a failed assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen.

"Yousafzai's flight  Emirates' EK-614  landed at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport at 1:41 AM (approximately 16 minutes after the scheduled time), travelling via Dubai. She was moved to a local hotel amid strict security after her arrival," Geo News reported giving details of her arrival in Pakistan.

She is reportedly going to meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

She was shot by Taliban terrorists in 2012 when she was returning from school in Swat region of the country.

After initial treatment in Pakistan, she was later flown to London.

The incident was condemned internationally.

Image: twitter.com/Malala
Ottawa, Mar 29 (IBNS): The 2018 Ontario budget unveiled by Ontario's Liberal government on Wednesday included billions in new spending on a variety of issues, media reports said.

Several high-profile announcements were made in recent days by the liberal government, the latest of which included $2.2 billion pledged to make preschool free for children aged 2-and-a-half years to four, free prescription drugs for seniors costing $575 million and a total of $2.1 billion for mental health services expansion.

A number of priority items disclosed in a series of commitments, including major investments in healthcare, pharmacare and free licensed daycare for preschool-age children will not come into effect until 2019 or later.

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said the province willreturn to deficit to pay for it all, after running a $600 million surplus this year.

"We balanced the budget and we have a surplus. Now we have a choice," Sousa said to reporters.

"People are saying, 'We still need more support.' So we made a choice to provide more supports."

But the following key commitments from the 308-page budget is key for the re-election of Liberal government in the spring election of June 7, reports said.

Ontarians without workplace benefits will be provided with a new drug and dental plan, regardless of income, for 4.1 million that pays up to 80 percent of expenses to a maximum of $400 for a single person, $600 per couple and $50 per child in a family of four with two kids.

A provision of $750 per year to eligible households was made to help those 75 and older to maintain their home under a Seniors' Healthy Home Program which will cost $1 billion over three years.

For seniors in long-term care facilities, the Liberals planned to spend $300 million over three years to hire a registered nurse in every site in Ontario and provide an average of four hours of personal daily care for each resident by 2022.

There would be a 3 percent increase in rates for those living on Ontario Works the Ontario Disability Support Program. 47,000 eligible Ontarians living with disabilities will be provided with an amount of $5,000 annually to access care and services.

Liberal government will provide new funding for the province's vulnerable by its largest increase in social assistance payments in more than a decade.

A three percent increase in rates for those depending on Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program in each of the next three years, with the first increase set for the fall.

Liberals would spend $203 million on 350 community agencies to ensure their capacity to provide care.

$11 billion would be spent to begin work on a high-speed rail line from Toronto to Windsor, Ont. The government is also starting with the Toronto to London, Ont., connection.

Additional transit spending will be used to integrate municipal services to create functioning regional networks.

Schools and 4,000 spaces in community centres will receive $534 million to create 10,000 additional child care spaces.

Approximately 1.8 million people earning $71,500 or more annually would see a personal income tax increase amounting to hundreds of dollars per year.

However, some 680,000 people would pay less personal income tax.

$19 billion would be spent over the next decade on hospital infrastructure and operations including $2.4 billion for redevelopment of Toronto's SickKids hospital, and a $1.8 billion project at the Ottawa Hospital.

$16 billion in capital grants would go into building new schools or improve existing ones.

There would be an increase in Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) awards for students from low-income families (those who make less than $90,000 a year) and for Indigenous students. Tuition is free for those earning up to $90,000.

The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, a subsidiary of the LCBO, is projected to lose $40 million in its first full year of operation.

By the 2020-21 fiscal year, it's expected to bring in a net income of $100 million. There would be $4 dollar increase in the price of a carton of cigarettes. The change goes into effect at midnight.

GO Transit and UP Express trips within Toronto will be $3 for Presto users. GO Transit trips under 10 kilometres long will also be $3 across the entire Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The Liberals also plan to introduce a program to help cover costs of pharmaceutical drugs and dental care for Ontarians without workplace benefits, regardless of income or pre-existing OHIP+ coverage.

The Ontario Drug and Dental Program will reimburse 80 percent of eligible drugs and dental expenses, up to a maximum of $400 for a single person, $600 per couple or up to $700 for a family of four with two children, or $50 per child.

Wynne already had committed to expanding the existing OHIP+ program to cover prescription drug costs for seniors 65 and over, a promise with a $575 million price tag.

Meanwhile, the threshold for income that can be earned per month without affecting welfare payments will increase from $200 to $400 per month.

In all, the 2018 budget outlines $20.3 billion in new spending over three years that will put the province back into deficit after finally balancing the books last year.

The budget drew criticism from the opposition parties.

"God help us. We've seen this show before many times," Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford said to reporters.

"The Liberals think they can buy your vote, and your vote is for sale. They proved it in this budget," he continued.

"People know that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Andrea Horwath called the budget "meager" and that it would not undo the damage done by the Liberals.

"The Liberals have had 15 years and instead of helping, they've only made things worse," she said, describing the budget as Wynne's "desperate" last-minute pitch to voters before the election.

Horwath added a full fledged NDP plan would better address hospital wait times, healthcare costs, housing affordability and income inequality without raising taxes on low and middle-income earners .

When pressed by reporters, Sousa said the decision to run deficits was not influenced by the looming June 7 election.

"This is not election-cycle decisions that we're making, these are long-term in scope and they're building upon decisions we have been making all along," he said.

"The responsibility we as government have is to what happens going forward ... This is about protecting people and ensuring that people are better off."

Apart from new spending on healthcare and social services, there are several initiatives aimed at youth, namely $411 million that will be used to fund a new apprenticeship program for high school students and to increase the number of Ontario students graduating from university with a degree in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by 25 percent.

For businesses, the budget promises $900 million over 10 years to expand the Jobs and Prosperity Fund (JPF).

According to the budget document, the investment will help create and sustain 70,000 new jobs and "leverage" $9 billion in private investments.

"The JPF will also provide Ontario with the flexibility to take further action to support businesses and workers and sectors of the economy that may be impacted by an uncertain and rapidly changing global environment," the budget reads.

The Liberal budget also includes a notable increase in money for public transit infrastructure, allotting $79 billion to various projects  up from $55 billion in the 2017 budget.



(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)



Images: Kathleen Wynne & Charles Sousa/Facebook
The government of Chile has initiated an investigation into the removal of an indigenous girl's remains, The New York Times reports.

The girl has been the subject of intense scrutiny due to her malformed appearance and small shape -- she stands about 6 inches tall. Though some claimed she represented an alien being, she was in fact human and was of indigenous ancestry, according to a DNA analysis published just last week

Its offensive for the girl, for her family, and for the heritage of Chile, Francisca Santana-Sagredo, a biological anthropologist at the University of Antofagasta and the University of Oxford, told The Times. The Chilean National Monuments Council is investigating, the paper said.

The girl was reportedly taken from her resting place in 2003 in a now-abandoned mining town called La Noria . Somehow she ended up in Spain, where she has been exhibited to the public and treated by some as a sign of extraterrestrial life.

"No account has been made of the fact that this was a tragic little girl, born to Chilean parents who buried her next to an isolated, abandoned church," Cristina Dorado, a biologist at the University of Antofagasta, wrote in Etilmercurio on Sunday . "No attention has been paid to the important ethical issue that a team of leading scientists have undertaken a study on an illegally obtained human infant without legal permission."

The scientists who studied the girl's DNA denied any wrongdoing, with Atul Butte of the University of California, San Francisco, telling the Times they had "no involvement or knowledge of how the skeleton was originally obtained nor how it was sold or exported to Spain.

The scientists obtained a sample of the girl's remains after learning she was going to be featured in a U.F.O. documentary called Sirius." Their press materials from Stanford University School of Medicine describe her "permanent home" as being in Spain without explaining or acknowledging how she got there.

Read More on the Story: Chile and Its Scientists Protest Research on Tiny Mummy (The New York Times March 28, 2018) Was a Tiny Mummy in the Atacama an Alien? No, but the Real Story Is Almost as Strange (The New York Times March 22, 2018) This tiny skeleton might look like an alien, but her genes tell a different story (The Washington Post March 22, 2018)

An Opinion: Cristina Dorado: The girl from La Noria (Etilmercurio March 25, 2018)

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Ranger to talk on saving Lakota sacred sites in Cave Hills

By Talli NaumanNative Sun News TodayHealth & Environment Editor

RAPID CITY -- At a meeting here on March 29, Custer Gallatin National Forest District Ranger Kurt A. Hansen is slated to talk with the public about protection of traditional cultural properties and uranium mine waste cleanup in the Cave Hills area of Lakota Territory.

Hansens presentation takes place in the context of his Sioux Ranger Districts participation in the elaboration of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Custer Gallatin National Forest Plan Revision

The revision proposes a North Cave Hills Archaeological and Traditional Use District near Ludlow, because the area is considered a sacred landscape to the tribes, and their use of the unit showed that it qualified as a traditional cultural landscape, it says.

The proposed district contains 365 recorded archaeological sites of which 232 are either already listed or are considered contributing resources. Forty-three petroglyph sites are included in the Prehistoric Rock Art of South Dakota Multiple Listing Nomination.

Listed and contributing sites cover approximately 105 petroglyph sites, 64 stone habitation sites, 15 prehistoric campsites, three bison kill sites, one stone alignment, one eagle trapping feature, three vision quest sites, a burial and cairn complex, and two quarries.

More than 100 other catalogued sites are unevaluated and consist primarily of unexcavated artifact scatters. Ongoing traditional cultural use of Ludlow Cave, the petroglyph sites and the cairns have prompted the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Offices current review of the nomination.

Within the traditional culture of the Lakota (Sioux) Indians, rock art is considered sacred; thus, rock art sites can be considered traditional cultural properties for many of the Native Americans now living in South Dakota, notes an assessment of tribally important areas conducted with Lakota elders input for purposes of the revision.

At least 15 tribes recognize the lands administered by the Custer Gallatin National Forest as part of their aboriginal or traditional use areas, and they still use these lands and resources for traditional, cultural and ceremonial activities, the assessment states.

Recognizing the Sioux Ranger District as part of unceded 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty territory, the assessment continues: With over 100 years of forced removal, some physical connections between the tribes and the national forest have been lost, yet many still remain in stories and traditions tied to the landscape.

Recalling late 19th Century forced cession of native hunting and foraging, decimation of the bison herds, open travel, and religious or other cultural endeavors in and around now federal lands, the assessment sets out that tribal people were not allowed to legally use the resources outside of the reservation boundaries for more than a century.

Many tribes now are reconnecting to locations and sacred places known only through oral histories and stories, it says.

It led to a recommendation to nominate Chalk Buttes and Medicine Rocks State Park as a traditional cultural property district significant to the maintenance of Sioux and Northern Cheyenne practices.

In addition to the local rock arts importance for the tribes contemporary use, this resource reflects the reality of prehistoric human activity, affording students of past cultures an unprecedented data base from which to further explore, the assessment states.

Meanwhile, in the Sioux Ranger District, 12 large uranium mines from the 1950s and 1960s are an operating Superfund site, using taxpayer money to clean up in the wake of company bankruptcy. Additionally, more than 350 smaller uranium exploration pits span the district, according to the revision plan.

Forest Service staff contacted 16 tribes to gauge interest and issues for the plan, establishing an Intergovernmental Working Group for city, county, state, federal, and tribal representatives.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be released for public comment in November.

To learn more, attend the March 29 presentation set to take place at the Outdoor Campus West at 6:30 p.m., as part of the Prairie Hills Audubon Society's monthly meeting.

Copyright permission Native Sun News Today

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Gerrymandering in Rapid City and in the state of South Dakota

By Tom ShortbullPresident, Oglala Lakota CollegeFor Native Sun News Today

Indian people like other minorities in this country have been victimized by states seeking to suppress the impact of the minority vote.

One of the ways that have been used to suppress the impact of minority voting is gerrymandering which divides up a large minority population in a geographic area that would warrant the inclusion in one voting district, but are instead placed in multiple voting districts.

The practice of gerrymandering had been used against the Lakota people in South Dakota for many years. I became aware of the practice of gerrymandering against Lakota people when I was the executive director of the Task Force on. Indian-State Government Relations from 1973-75.

In 1974, I authored a Task Force report that gerrymandering was occurring in southwestern South Dakota that involved the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations. Voters on these two reservations should have been included in one voting district, but were instead divided up into three voting districts which had the effect of diluting the Indian vote. I recommended that the two largest counties  Shannon on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Todd on the Rosebud Reservation be combined into one voting district.

The Task Force decided not to put forward my recommendation to the South Dakota Legislature due to political reasons. However, my proposal for creating a voting district with a large Lakota population did become a reality. In 1980, the U.S Justice Department required the state of South Dakota to create a legislative district that encompassed both Shannon and Todd counties, and this resulted in nearly 86 percent of the voting district being Indian voters. It was the Voting Rights Act that forced South Dakota to create the new legislative voting district that included the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservation.

In 1982, I was elected the first state senator in the newly created legislative district, and I became the first Indian state senator to represent two Indian reservations in South Dakota.

Another example of racial gerrymandering in South Dakota is the North Rapid area in Rapid City. I received the following information from Tom Katus who was a state senator representing one of the legislative districts in Rapid City. North Rapid, including Lakota Homes and Sioux Addition, has long been split into three different legislative districts.

Rapid City has the third largest population center in South Dakota, following Pine Ridge and Rosebud. At least 75 percent of Rapid City's Native population probably resides in the North Rapid area. If North Rapid were a single legislative district, it would clearly be a legislative district with a large Indian population with a potential to elect an Indian state senator and two House of Representative members

Recently, there have been court decisions that have ruled that racial gerrymandering has been occurring in states like Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama with the black vote being gerrymandered. In addition, there has been the recent court case in Pennsylvania that ruled that many of the congressional legislative districts had been drawn in Pennsylvania to favor the election of Republicans. These partisan legislative districts violated many fair processes that plainly violated the free-and-equal elections clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution. The newly drawn district will likely result in the potential of Black candidates being elected as U.S. House of Representative members.

This gerrymandering of legislative districts to dilute the minority vote is part of much broader plan for White America to suppress the impact of the minority vote in many state elections. The reason that White American is doing this is that they will do anything that allows white and conservative people to continue to control this country.

Other methods to suppress the minority vote include the photo identification law that puts an inordinate burden on poor minorities to obtain the photo ids. Also, lessening the early voting opportunities for minority voters, making it more difficult for minorities to get to polling places, and long voting lines that discourage people from voting are all part of the means to suppress the minority vote.

On February 27, 2013, I took an active role prior to and subsequent to the U.S. . Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in Shelby County v Holder , a case that sought to eliminate Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The argument made by states seeking to overturn Section 5 of the voting rights act is that it was no longer necessary, because states have implemented all the protections needed to protect minority voting rights in the states that fell under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder did eventually eliminate Section 5 of the Voting Rights in this case.

I took a strong position that Section 5 must not be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, because it is clear that states will revert to other practices to suppress the voting rights of Indian people and other minorities. The pre-clearance requirement acted as a deterrent with the states that sought to suppress minority voting rights.

Clearly, the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong in its ruling in the Shelby County case because states have reverted back to exactly how the opponents of the Shelby case saw what the states would do to suppress the minority vote.

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From handmade cards to special notes and painting, fans send a lot of gifts to their favourite actors. Nobody knows how many of actually reach them. And even if some of them make it, do celebs actually look at them? There are a lot of probable answers to all these questions.

Twitter

However, this one fan of Ranveer Singh just got lucky. After having watched his blockbuster hit Bajirao Mastani, Ranveers biggest fan painted a picture of his character to remind him of what a positive effect it left on all his fans.

timesnow.tv

Ranveer has placed the painting in his living room so that he can be reminded of the love his fans harbour for him. He salutes their overwhelming affection and hopes the painting will motivate him to push the envelope with every act. The fan dropped off the painting at the YRF office in Andheri. They, in turn, contacted the actor and handed it over to him, reads a Mid-day report.

On the work front, Ranveer is currently shooting for Gully Boy alongside Alia Bhatt. He is playing the role of a rapper in the film.
Tusshar Kapoors claim to fame is the Golmaal series. The actor was recently in the news for becoming a father to a baby boy through surrogacy. Despite being a star kid he didnt become as popular as his superstar father Jeetendra. So what went wrong in Tusshars career?

Indiatimes

Indiatimes got candid with the Golmaal Returns actor and went on to explain why he doesnt consider himself as a failed actor,

My dream was always to be popular and successful, to do films that I can get associated with, to have a brand of my own and that has been fulfilled. The rest I think you can always work on, aspire to get and that's not the only criteria of success. The criteria for success is your association with audiences, they come to watch your films, people appreciate your work, to me that's success and that I have achieved. I always wanted to be a part of hit films and that's something that I have achieved so no complaints, but miles to go.

Twitter

We probed the actor about what advice this is father and sister Ekta Kapoor give him during his downfall, he replied,

I take advice from everyone but I do what my gut says because that has worked for me. I have some solo films, some two hero films, and four hero films. I have never been insecure about being a part of a multi-starrer film. I have got noticed in most of the multi starrer films and have even got awards for it, so I don't believe that there is a strategy one has to adapt. You just have to work hard work with conviction, keep enjoying and keep getting better every day and the rest follows.

Twitter

To make an entry in Bollywood for him was a cakewalk, but still, the actor couldnt make it as big as his father, he explained why,

I never had the pressure of surpassing my fathers fame because before my film was releasing people already had a perception of me that I am not worthy of this movie (debut)as I dont look like my dad and my personality is totally different from him so they didn't accept me. I never had a red carpet laid for me. I didn't have 10 offers before my film released. So in my case, there was no hype of a star kid getting launched. I never got the extra attention of being a star son. I made a launch like any other newcomer and then the film worked I was very happy because that was my success. I never had to fight any expectation.

Twitter

The actor even highlighted that todays star kids are more prepared and focused, I think they are very prepared, they know exactly what not to do which we had to learn on the job. They have the strength to say no to those films that would not add to their career. I think they are very focused and clear in that sense but everyone has to struggle there is no actor who hasn't had some sort of struggle."

Twitter

We asked the actors take on nepotism, he had the brilliant answer which is a must read for everyone. He said,

 I don't think nepotism exists only within the film industry. Nepotism exists everywhere, you know there are groups, there is a lot of PR done for outsiders. People who are not connected to actors or actress or are not star kids still manage to get good films due to them being in a good circle or right groups and right parties, they get films on the basis of friendship, so the nepotism is not only restricted to star kids. Nepotism and favoritism are everywhere.

Indiatimes

Of lately Tusshar was in news for becoming a father through surrogacy, we asked him what made him take this decision, to which he said, I think it happened at the right time, I remember talking to a friend of mine who belongs to the industry, he was the one who enlightened me to start a family without getting married. I took his guidance and spoke to the doctor and went ahead. I think it was the right age for me since I couldn't wait to get married and then have a child. I wanted to have a child immediately, that's why I took a plunge.

Twitter

We asked the actor wasnt he afraid of being judged, he replied,

It is one of the considerations but it's not the be all and end all. After taking the decision of becoming a single father and while I was going to announce, I did think as to how will the conservative society like India accept a single father who is become a biological parent through surrogacy. However, I feel the reaction was mostly positive, there was surprise and shock but everyone really welcomed this decision and I was pleasantly surprised."
One of the many reasons we love Dominos is because of its 30-minute delivery. In this fast-moving world, nobody has the time to sit and wait for anything.

The main reason people love online shopping is because it's convenient, and they be as lazy as they want and still shop. Therefore, it is obvious that if things get delayed, one will feel agitated.

fc

However, can you feel agitated enough to punish someone with serial stabbing? Well, I guess some do.

30-year-old Kamal Deep from India's national capital stabbed a Flipkart delivery boy because there was a delay in the delivery. The 28-year-old Keshav is now fighting for his life as he was stabbed multiple times by this woman.

The incident happened in Nihal Vihar. Upon his arrival, the woman accused him of coming late and delaying the delivery of her mobile phone, that she so fondly ordered from Flipkart. After the stabbing, the woman threw him in a drain in Chandan Vihar area.

Express

The woman along with her brother is in police custody for attacking and robbing the delivery man.

"The injured was identified as Keshav, a resident of Ambica Enclave in Nihal Vihar. He recorded his statement on March 24 and based on his statement, the accused were arrested. A CCTV footage also helped us crack the case," a senior police officer told The Hindu.

Together, the sibling stabbed the poor man over 20 times and even tried to strangle him to death. They then looted him and took away Rs 40,000 cash before throwing him away.

indianweb2

Please be informed that this isn't the first time that something like this has happened. A lot of such cases were reported in Noida, following which many online websites stop delivering there. It's shocking to see how much rage and anger people can have over petty things.
If you are someone who cannot flaunt an IIT-IIM-BITS badge, and thinks that you might have a hard time fetching the coveted US H-1B visa, don't lose hope.

A ridiculous amount of Indian students flock to the US every year in search of a better future and better career opportunities. And to be honest, why shouldn't they?

But you'd be shocked to know that extrapolation of this data is nowhere close to the common belief. Most of us think that students of IITs/IIMs/BITS are the ones who hold the most number of H-1B visas. But, that's actually not true.

In 2017, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued 85,000 H-1B visas and out of these, over 20,000 went to Indians, reveals Quartz, from the data obtained by Foreign Labour Certification.

Much to our surprise, it isn't IIT Delhi or IIT Mumbai, but the students from Anna University, Chennai who topped the list. As many as 850 students from the said institute obtained the H-1B. This was closely followed by Hyderabads Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) with over 747 students.

IIT and BITS stood at the lowly 60, each.

You must also know that IIT holds only 6% of the total strength of Anna University. In total, IIT offers as many as 12,000 seats a year, as opposed to Anna, where 200,000 students are enrolled. Since the H-1Bs are allocated via lottery, it makes sense for Anna to fetch more spots than IIT.

Unsplash

Indians make up for the second largest international student population in the US and looks like a couple of universities have a lot to do with that.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched 64 communication satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, today. Read more





Here's more top news of the day:





1) Nobel Laureate Malala's Return To Pakistan Is A Slap In The Face Of Terrorists Who Tried To Kill Her

Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on March 28. This is her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for advocating education for girls in 2012. Read more

2) CBSE Boss Got Leaked Paper A Day Before Exam, Why It Was Not Cancelled Then And There?

bccl/representational image





The issue of CBSE paper leak is getting confusing by the day. As the security agencies are probing the huge paper leak scam, it has been found that a copy of the leaked paper was delivered to the CBSE boss a day before the actual examination. Read more

3) Trouble Mounts For Congress After Video Of Its Logo In Cambridge Analytica CEO's Office Surfaces

Things are going from bad to worse for the Congress in the Cambridge Analytica data leak scandal. Even as the party tries to distance itself from the data analysis company in the middle of the Facebook data theft allegations, more and more damning evidence are surfacing linking the party to the British firm. Read more

4) Mob Justice: Two Men Accused Of Raping A 17-Year-Old Girl Paraded Naked In Arunachal Pardesh

PTI

Two men were paraded naked by a mob in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh for allegedly raping a high school student, a top police official said. Read more

5) With No New Protected Habitat, Here's How India Fails To Protect & Increase Lion Population

reuters

The wildlife of India has been looked up to with regards to its variety and richness. However, in the last few decades, the population of not just the tigers, but various wild animals has been endangered. one of them is the lions. Read more
Malala Yousafzai revealed she was overwhelmed with the love and support she gets from India.

The young Pakistani activist said she wants to visit the country and work with the girls.

The 20-year-old, who was shot at by Taliban at the age of 15 for defying the ban on girls going to school and went on to get a Nobel peace prize and become the UN Messenger of Peace, said she has already learnt a lot about India and is a big fan of its movies and drama and wants to learn more about its culture and values.

She was here to participate in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, held from January 22-26, and during her visit met a number of global leaders and CEOs to seek their support for the girl education. She has co-founded Malala Fund that seeks to invest in girl education across the world, while one of its initiative Gulmakai Network -- named on Malala's pen name that she used while writing blogs against Taliban regime -- supports the work of education champions across the world.

In an interview here with PTI, Malala said she is very excited about expanding her Gulmakai Network to India, where she would want to work with the local people as they best understand the local issues and can suggest necessary solutions as well. Excited to see so much "snow to the level of her height" on her first visit to Davos, the young activist agreed the issues were very much same in India and Pakistan with the two being one country before and having the same culture.

Brimming with excitement while talking about India, Malala said, "The support that I have received from India has been overwhelming and I want to thank everyone in India for their love and support. I get so many letters of support from India".

Recalling one such letter, she said there is one girl who sent her a letter saying she wanted to be Prime Minister of India and that "one day we both will be Prime Ministers and then we will negotiate and bring peace between the two countries".

"That touched my heart that the future generation is not only thinking about education but they, especially girls, want to be leaders as well. They want to be PMs, presidents and this gives me hope for the future," she said. Stating that she wants to visit India, Malala said, "I have watched so many Indian dramas and films and I know already a lot about the country. I know Hindi as well that I learnt from Indian TV channels. We connect in many ways and there is a lot to learn from each other's culture and values".

As I am concerned about girls in Pakistan, I am also concerned about girls in India and the number is in millions, she said. "When we talk about the future of India and future of Pakistan then we have to invest in our girls because they are the future. How can we make our future better and brighter when we ignore these millions of girls by not giving them education. When we educate girls, we are not just educating them individually but we are also empowering them and we are giving them opportunity to earn for themselves," she said
Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on March 28. This is her first visit to her native country since she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for advocating education for girls in 2012.

Details of Malalas visit to her home country have been kept under the wraps given the sensitive surroundings. The visit is expected to last four days and includes a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The 20-year-old student was accompanied by her parents and escorted through Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport under tight security.

Malala has become a global symbol for human rights and a vocal campaigner for girls' education since a gunman boarded her school bus in the Swat valley on October 9, 2012, asked "Who is Malala?" and shot her.

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, she has continued her campaigning while pursuing her studies at Oxford University.

Many Pakistanis were pleased to have Malala back in home despite ingoing fears.

I welcome #MalalaYousafzai the brave and resilient daughter of Pakistan back to her country.  Syed Ali Raza Abidi (@abidifactor) March 28, 2018

I am saying from personal experience that a good number of non-Muslims / foreigners have told me how much they've learned about Islam and respect it after listening to speeches of #MalalaYousafzai  Shaheera Jalil Albasit (@shaheerajalil) March 28, 2018

Dear Pakistanis! Malala is not your enemy. Your enemies were those monsters who shot her point blank on her way to school. Welcome home #MalalaYousafzai  Rehman Anwer (@rehmananwer) March 28, 2018

HOW INTERESTING. Those abusing #MalalaYousafzai for returning to Pakistan have abused her all these years for not returning to Pakistan. Bhai Chhahte Kiya Ho!!  Shaheera Jalil Albasit (@shaheerajalil) March 28, 2018

Stop hating her because she is famous and loved by millions around the world. Stop asking stupid questions like "Isney is Mulk ky liye kiya kya hey?" She was mere kid when she got shot at & who gives YOU the right to ask her to do anything for Pakistan ? #MalalaYousafzai  Zayn Ra (@iZaynRa) March 28, 2018

Welcome to Our Pride of the Nation. #MalalaYousafzai pic.twitter.com/FCvcOsHzgw  Rehman Wazir (@RehmanWazir_) March 28, 2018

However, theres a share of conservatives who are not happy with her return and view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country.

Why the hell we are giving protocol to her? Why fool-proof security? What she has done for pakistan? This is the reason we are lacking behind among other countries. We don't give protocl to educated or those who gave sacrifice for pakistan. #MalalaYousafzai  Muhammad Awais Tariq (@Awais_073) March 28, 2018

The return of #MalalaYousafzai is part of bigger game. The Game which CIA, RAW and NDS almost lost. The game which created PTM.  Aftab Afridi (@AftabAfridiPTI) March 28, 2018

Drama Queen, sent on a mission to create another drama. #MalalaYousafzai  Rehan (@rahmad7) March 29, 2018

Malala began campaigning when she was just 11 and started writing her blog -- under a pseudonym -- for the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban in Swat, where they were banning girls' education.

In 2007, Islamist militants took over the area, which Malala affectionately called "My Swat", and imposed a brutal, bloody rule.
The wildlife of India has been looked up to with regards to its variety and richness. However, in the last few decades, the population of not just the tigers, but various wild animals has been endangered. one of them is the lions.

reuters

There was some good news between 54.6 per cent jump in the population of a lion outside Gir Sanctuary between 2011 and 2015. However, their fate remains uncertain because the rise in the population is becoming an issue in the existing protected areas as no new protected habitat for lions has been approved in Gujarat since 2008.

More in number, less taken care of

The Asiatic lions once dominated the forests right from Morocco to Greece and were spread all across the Middle East to eastern India. The CAG in its report however shows a darker picture. In the report of economic sector of 2018, CAG has said that that wildlife conservation efforts in Gujarat have yielded positive results as indicated by the increase in number of Asiatic lions from 308 in 2011 to 356 in 2015.

reuters

However, despite high number of lion deaths outside Gir sanctuary 106 by natural and 21 unnatural causes, the government did not approve new protected habitat for lions in the last ten years. The proposal submitted (March 2016) for draft Eco Sensitive Zone notification for Gir Protected Area also reports that the latest census should be taken as a sign of warning as nearly one-third (32 per cent) of lions have their habitat outside the Gir Protected Area, risking human lives, livestock as well as the safety of the lions themselves, the report said.

Many lions, little land

Highlighting the 2005 proposal of creating a safe corridor for lions moving out of the Gir protected areas, the national auditor stated that the government has been reducing the proposed land for the protected area from 30,152.32 hectares to just 4,811.51 hectares.

reuters

The Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Junagadh, had proposed in November 2005 to declare 30152.32 hectares of villages of Palitana, Mahuva, Talaja, Khamba and Savarkundla talukas of Bhavnagar and Amreli districts as Sir Dharam Kumar Singhji Wildlife Sanctuary to provide a safe corridor for lions moving out of the Gir protected areas. A revised proposal for reduced area of 11,155.18 hectare was submitted in June 2007 which was further reduced in October 2010 to 10,953 hectare.

Required space in the wild

Later in November 2010 the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) was informed that the proposal of declaring the CR was under consideration and further directed to initiate the procedure of transferring 4,811.51 hectares of government wasteland of Amreli district in favour of the forest department. In Gujarat, the total area of 28 Protected Areas that includes wildlife sanctuary, national park and conservation reserves is 17,099.93 square kilometre. Out of this only 4,640.58 square kilometre is forest land, the remaining is non-forest ecosystems.
Perhaps this is the beginning of shedding the attire of rigid religious and cultural norms and embracing free-thinking, at least in Kerala.

More than 1.24 lakh students in Kerala have declared that they have no caste or religion while taking admissions in schools. Education Minister C Raveendranath in the Assembly, stated that parents of 1,24,147 students - from Class I to higher secondary classes - have left the space for religion and caste blank while admitting them to school in 2017-18.

Without a doubt, this is the most inspiring and positive news that we may have read in a very long time, given the highly polarised nature of society presently.

The rationalists and leftists claim it is an indication of a rise of new and progressive thinkers while old-school nationalists rebuke it as a statistical abnormality.

Representational Image

The ministers revelation was in reply to a question by Vamanapuram MLA D K Murali. This is a happy news. Our country provides for the freedom to live without joining any religion or caste. I didnt know that a significant number has utilised that freedom, he said.

Read more: Kerala Sets A New Example, 1.24 Lakh Students Enroll In Schools Without Religion Or Caste!

The Left legislator feels that a young free-thinking and secular generation is on the rise, who wants to give freedom of religion to their children. I congratulate these parents who have a positive outlook in grooming children. Let the children select their own religion or remain religion-less after they become mature enough, he said.

The development is a mark that people are shedding old-school processes and are batting for inclusion and diversity from all sections of the society. Of late, India has witnessed a surge in fascism, a meaningless form of nationalism, caste-based division, religion-based division and radicalism. While far-right and fascists are trying to divide the society using religion as a tool, undermining the social values of the society, this news comes as a breath of fresh air to many who are working towards building a casteless and religion-less society.

Representational Image

While caste remains a reality in Kerala, this is a welcome sign from young parents who are trying to bridge this divide. Kerala has always been a highly casteist society. Lower-caste people register their caste to avail government benefits. Everyone knows who is Nair and who is a Namboothiri.

Activist Civic Chandran in a Facebook post also countered the hype around the statistics, by asking the government to reveal how many new admissions in schools had tails of the upper castes. It should also be made clear how many students got admissions with caste tails such as Nair, Varma, Panicker and Warrier, he wrote.

There are many who are believe that instead of merely sharing the numbers, the government must address the caste-divide and casteism in the state. However, this move, though by a small group of people to go without any categorisation cannot by written-off.
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Corn Market Weakens into Weekend Barchart - Fri Sep 24, 4:39PM CDT On Friday, corn prices worked lower to close 2 to 2 1/2 cents in the red. New crop futures were firmer with Red dec only giving back 3/4 cents while Sept gained 1 1/4 cents. For the week December corn... ZCZ21 : 526-6s (-0.47%) ZCPAUS.CM : 5.0977 (-0.55%) ZCH22 : 534-4s (-0.47%) ZCZ21 : 526-6s (-0.47%)

Cattle Market Mixed Heading into COF Report Barchart - Fri Sep 24, 4:39PM CDT Live cattle futures were lower on the last trade day of the week, giving back 30 to 47 cents in the front months. Feeder cattle, however, found strength in the afternoon to close 40 to 50 cents higher.... LEV21 : 122.925s (-0.24%) LEG22 : 132.625s (-0.24%) GFU21 : 154.625s (-0.18%) GFV21 : 157.350s (+0.32%)

Shootin' The Bull Swift Trading Company - Fri Sep 24, 3:58PM CDT Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle Markets will have their challenges in next week's trade. The Cattle on Feed report was slightly bearish and open interest in the complex has been decreasing.

Livestock Report Walsh Trading - Fri Sep 24, 3:35PM CDT Markets wait for Reports

Natural Gas Rallies Sharply as Supplies Remain Tight Before Winter Barchart - Fri Sep 24, 2:14PM CDT October Nymex natural gas (NGV21 ) on Friday closed up +0.164 (+3.30%). Oct nat-gas prices on Friday settled sharply higher for a second day amid persistent concerns about low U.S. gas inventories ahead... NGX21 : 5.200s (+3.11%)

Crude Oil Posts Moderate Gains as Global Supplies Tighten Barchart - Fri Sep 24, 2:12PM CDT November WTI crude oil (CLX21 ) on Friday closed up +0.68 (+0.93%), and November RBOB gasoline (RBX21 ) closed up +0.0116 (+0.55%). Nov WTI crude oil and Nov RBOB gasoline prices on Friday closed moderately... CLX21 : 73.98s (+0.93%) RBX21 : 2.1377s (+0.55%)

Where Will Treasury Bond Futures Find Support? Taurus Trading LLC - Fri Sep 24, 2:00PM CDT Potential support zone between 158'11 and 156'03.
Jo Nixon, previously European PRS continental manager, has been assigned to the role of European risk consulting manager. He has been part of the PRS team for two decades.

James Ellis has taken the position of UK&I underwriting manager, moving on from his former role as account manager on the PRS national and program broker team. Ellis joined Chubb in 2004, later joining Zurich. He returned to Chubb in 2010, working for the PRS team since.

I am delighted to welcome Alex Craig as our new European pricing manager - he brings with him a wealth of experience, said Parchment in a statement. His appointment, together with the new roles for Jo and James, further strengthen the already impressive capabilities of our PRS team.

Related stories:
The formation of FEIC is an exciting and important milestone in our international growth strategy as it establishes a key strategic platform for us to become a leading European warranty insurer, commented Sanjay Vara, executive vice president and chief underwriting officer for warranty and consumer products at Fortegra.

Part of Tiptree Inc., Fortegra and its subsidiaries offer warranty solutions, credit insurance, and specialty underwriting programmes. The US firm said FEICs Maltese presence will allow Fortegra to continue to build relationships in the global insurance community.

From adding new growth lines to increasing our international presence, were always looking for opportunities to build the brand  and were very excited for this opportunity to help European partners and consumers experience more, noted Fortegra president and chief executive Richard Kahlbaugh. We are thrilled to expand our business in Malta and have enjoyed working with the MFSA leadership as we formed the company.

Related stories:
CBS News reported that there were at least 3,000 cannabis farms in areas affected by the wildfire last year.

One cannabis farmer in Carpinteria, California, unfortunately lost his entire crop in the incident, but not directly due to the blaze; rather than catching fire, the farmers crop was damaged by ash from the nearby flames. When the cannabis was tested, high levels of arsenic, asbestos, lead, and magnesium were detected. The crop was then written off as a total loss.

Fortunately, Brown & Brown Insurance handed out a $1 million payout for that insured loss. The insurer has about 20 cannabis cultivators as clients and has plans to pay out millions more to other clients whose crops were similarly lost, PotNetwork reported.

Brown & Browns London operation will be handling the wildfire insurance payouts.

Due to the financial hit it took for covering all those cannabis producers, Brown & Brown is discontinuing its specialty coverage. However, company president Matt Porter told PotNetwork that it is looking for other carriers in Europe to take over the business.

Related stories:
Last year, WannaCry affected thousands of computers in over 70 countries. The malware locks victims computers and data behind encryption, holding the systems hostage until the victims can pay a hefty ransom  usually in the form of Bitcoin.

The New York Times reached out to Boeing to confirm whether or not the attack involved WannaCry, but spokesman Charles Bickers declined to elaborate or confirm.

In a statement, the aerospace developer said that the attack was limited in scope and that it had not affected the companys production lines. The company also played down news of the attack in its statement, assuring the pubic that it has everything under control.

A number of articles on a malware disruption are overstated and inaccurate, the statement read. Our cybersecurity operations center detected a limited intrusion of malware that affected a small number of systems. Remediations were applied and this is not a production or delivery issue.

Boeing Commercial Airplane production engineering chief engineer Mike VanderWel said in an internal memo that the attack was metastasizing. He also shared his concerns that the attack could spread to the manufacturers production systems and airline software.

We are on a call with just about every VP in Boeing, VanderWel wrote.

The same memo called for All hands on deck.

Related stories:
God put Brian Crosss home in a bubble. Thats his explanation for why the tornado that blasted through Uniontown and North Union Township, Penn., last month didnt inflict as much damage on his Millview Street home in the city as others nearby.

The tornado broke two windows and lifted off a 3-foot-by-3-foot part of his roof but left the rest intact.

Crosss home, though, is one of more than two dozen on Millview Street posted as uninhabitable by K2 Engineering, the citys engineering firm.

Cross said that while the residents of most of those houses along Millview Street stayed in their homes for several weeks following the Feb. 15 tornado, several have moved out in the past week and a half.

City solicitor J.W. Eddy has said those living in homes that were posted as uninhabitable were committing criminal trespass, which police Chief Jason Cox called a police issue.

Cross is staying, flummoxed as to why K2 Engineering did not enter his house in determining it uninhabitable. He thinks his house is safe enough for his girlfriend and daughter to be there, but is wary of city officials saying he could be criminally charged.

How did I go from the victim to the suspect? Cross asked.

Uniontown and North Union Township Engineer John Over said about 70 houses were declared uninhabitable in each the city and township, using exterior visual inspections to make the determination, a process he said was typical following significant weather events.

Over said his team has a hard time getting into homes to conduct inspections. He reported at a Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) meeting last month that landlords were telling tenants of homes posted as uninhabitable to stay, and said the tornado has exacerbated the problem of landlords not repairing homes in need of structural upgrades, especially in the city.

Owners of properties posted as uninhabitable may contact K2 Engineering to set up a follow-up inspection if they want that posting reviewed and removed, Over said, adding that five such postings were removed after K2 was contacted accordingly.

Compromised stairways, blown out windows and disconnected electrical wiring are some of the problems engineers looked for in sizing up homes livability, Over said. The city has referred residents with nowhere else to go to Fayette County Community Action Agency (FCCAA), which is keeping a list of landlords and available rental units.

FCCAAs housing department has not had any recent requests for available housing, so the agency has not updated its list of landlords, FCCAA Director of Customer Service Rita Masi said.

Holding Up Strong

Elmer Buzz Hall, pastor of Solid Rock Ministry on Millview Street, said he and the church have been helping displaced residents with security deposits and finding more stable housing.

Hall said the church has been working to connect affected residents with items such as microwaves, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers and coffee tables.

Were just trying to meet their basic needs, Hall said.

Over reported that several property owners are still waiting on insurance claims to be reviewed before they can start repairs.

The Gallatin School Living Centre, City Mission-Living Stones, Inc.s 30-unit housing and service complex on North Gallatin Avenue in Uniontown was slammed by the tornado, resulting in one family having to be relocated to another apartment because of the damage, said City Mission Executive Director Irmi Gaut.

The tornado blew much of the roof off a Bailey Avenue property owned by Laurel House Inc., a Uniontown-centered residential and home-based service provider to intellectually disabled adults, resulting in four of its clients having to stay in a hotel for a week.

They held up strong, Laurel House CEO Joe Sora said.

The agency hopes to have them back in their old home in May following about $85,000 in renovations, he said. In the meantime, theyve been living across the avenue in a house the agency had recently vacated.

As the VOAD fiduciary, FCCAA is continuing to accept financial donations for tornado victims. Masi said that the agency had received $32,585 in donations as of Friday, along with $16,560 in food donations from Area Agency on Aging and anonymous donors.

Uncertain Future

Rusty Mechling, a property owner and landlord in the Uniontown area, said he owns 10 to 12 properties on Millview Street and had about 20 properties affected.

Mechling said he got a call from tenants reporting damages every minute for half an hour the evening of the tornado, starting at 6:45 p.m., two minutes after the tornado touched down near the intersection of Phillipi Avenue and Pittsburgh Street.

Since then, Mechling has overseen tarping and boarding up of his properties, he said, crediting the city for sending dumpsters soon after the disaster to facilitate debris cleanup.

Mechling said last week that he had not received a firm quote from his insurance company about damage settlements. He said he could only insure the properties for their basic assessed value to avoid high premiums, which he said would be economically prohibitive given that he owns several dozen properties.

Mechling said he understood why houses deemed uninhabitable by K2 Engineering were posted as such. He said he recommended tenants living in badly damaged homes move out.

The tornado likely wont result in a turnaround of blighted properties in and around Millview Street, Mechling said, guessing a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster declaration wouldnt free up enough assistance to rejuvenate the area like a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster declaration might have.

In the broad scope, it just wasnt big enough (for that), Mechling said.

Cross guesses that less economically challenged neighborhoods than his would have recovered much quicker from the tornado. He feared his house might be looted after the storm.

Still, its Crosss abode, one that he said hes put a lot of housing upkeep into. He intends to stay.

I dont have no place to go, Cross said. This is my familys home.

Information from: Herald-Standard

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Homeowners Pennsylvania
A New Jersey doctor who defrauded Medicare and private insurers out of $3 million has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Anthony Enrico, a podiatrist with offices in Paterson, Passaic, and Elizabeth, had pleaded guilty last October to health care fraud. He was sentenced Monday.

Federal prosecutors say the 60-year-old North Haledon resident billed Medicare and the insurers for more than 150,000 physical therapy sessions that he claimed to have provided but were actually performed by unlicensed and unqualified personnel.

Besides the prison sentence, Enrico must also pay $3 million in restitution.

Enrico had his medical license suspended in April 2017. He had declared bankruptcy in 2008.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Carriers New Jersey
Swiss Re AG jumped after people familiar with the matter said Japans SoftBank Group Corp. is edging closer to buying a quarter of the company, valuing the reinsurer at as much as 37 billion francs ($39 billion).

Billionaire Masayoshi Son could buttress the finances of his diverse SoftBank empire with steady cashflows from reinsurance through the acquisition. The Tokyo-based group has raised $93 billion out of a planned $100 billion for the worlds biggest private equity pool, while taking stakes in businesses including ride-hailing, chipmaking and office sharing.

SoftBank is holding talks to buy the stake at about 100 Swiss francs to 105 Swiss francs a share, the people said, declining to be identified as the deliberations are confidential. At 105 francs, the deal would represent a 16 percent premium over Swiss Re shares close on Feb. 7  before the company confirmed a Wall Street Journal report that it was in talks  and value the holding at about $9.6 billion.

Swiss Re gained as much as 3.2 percent in Zurich trading and was up 2.9 percent at 97.88 francs as of 9:08 a.m. The stock has climbed 10 percent in the last 12 months.

The terms of the potential deal are still fluid and may change, and the companies may fail to reach an agreement, the people said. SoftBank declined to comment. A Swiss Re representative wasnt immediately available to comment.

Swiss Re may offer interesting opportunities for business transformation, especially in its ailing Corporate Solutions business, Barclays analyst Ivan Bokhmat wrote in a note to clients. The end target is still not clear for Softbank  a minority investment will not allow it to control investment policy or growth priorities for Swiss Re.

Insurance Deals

The insurance industry is experiencing a flurry of dealmaking as companies come on the market after a rash of natural disasters depressed valuations and an influx of competitors made it harder to raise rates. Frances Axa SA this month agreed to buy XL Group Ltd. for $15.3 billion in cash to capture a bigger slice of the U.S. property and casualty market, while American International Group Inc. in January decided to buy the Bermuda-based reinsurer Validus Holdings Ltd. for $5.56 billion in cash.

Swiss Res chief executive officer last month said the company would welcome a long-term investor. In a business where results can change radically from one year to the next, its not a bad thing to have an anchor shareholder, Christian Mumenthaler said at a conference in Zurich.

The reinsurer last month said it plans to raise its dividend and return an additional $1 billion to shareholders.

With assistance from Patrick Winters.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Reinsurance Swiss Re
Ping An Insurance (Group) Co., Chinas largest insurer by market value, is starting preparations for an initial public offering of its OneConnect financial management portal that could raise as much as $3 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said.

OneConnect picked Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., CCB International Holdings Ltd. and Ping An Securities Co. to work on the planned Hong Kong share sale, according to the people. The company is targeting a listing as soon as September, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

Three Ping An subsidiaries raised a combined $2.2 billion earlier this year, the Hong Kong-listed insurer said in February. OneConnect, which offers AI-powered services such as risk management to financial firms, completed a $650 million funding round that valued it at $7.4 billion. Online health-care platform Ping An Good Doctor raised $400 million ahead of a planned IPO, while Ping An Healthcare Technology completed a $1.15 billion funding round.

Ping An Insurance is preparing listings for its technology units after shares of the insurer have risen more than 80 percent over the past 12 months, giving it a market value of about $190 billion. Alex Ren, the companys president, said earlier this month that Ping An Insurance remains undervalued after its 2017 earnings topped all analyst estimates.

Representatives for Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan declined to comment, while a representative for CCB International couldnt immediately comment. OneConnect doesnt have any information to provide on the matter, it said in a written reply to Bloomberg queries. A representative for Ping An Securities said the firm didnt have relevant information.

OneConnect provides cloud computing and other technology services to small- and medium-sized financial institutions in China. The companys partners include 468 banks, as well as 1,890 other firms including insurers, brokerages, fund managers and private-equity investors, according to Ping Ans 2017 annual report released earlier this month.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics China
The former chairman of Chinas Anbang Insurance Group Co Ltd requested leniency at the end of his high-profile trial in Shanghai for alleged economic crimes, including fraud and embezzlement involving more than $10 billion, according to court statements.

Wu Xiaohui had contested the charges against him during the proceedings on Wednesday but in a closing statement appeared to reverse course, saying he understood and regretted the crimes, the court said on an official social media feed.

The one-day trial came a month after the government seized control of Anbang, owner of New Yorks Waldorf Astoria hotel, capping the companys precipitous downfall amid Beijings crackdown on financial risk.

The Shanghai No.1 Intermediate Peoples Court said Wu had expressed deep self-reflection, understanding of and regret for the crimes, and expressed deep remorse for his actions in his closing statement, according to an online post seen by Reuters on Thursday.

(He) thanked the justice system for its help, education and remedy, and requested a light sentence, it said.

The court said it would issue a verdict at an unspecified later date.

Founded in 2004, Anbang became one of the most aggressive investors behind a wave of overseas acquisitions by Chinas firms in recent years that have attracted the attention of global regulators and investors.

Its downfall was swift, as was Wus, highlighting Beijings resolve in a sweeping campaign to deleverage the economy, cut financial risk and discourage what it sees as profligate investing by large companies.

On Wednesday, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate Peoples Court issued a stream of updates on the case, with alleged details that provide a rare glimpse into the conglomerates complex ownership structure and fundraising activities.

Prosecutors said Wu had concealed his control over Anbang and faked financial statements to cheat Chinas insurance regulator for approvals to sell insurance products to the public for investment, the court said.

He broke the rules by telling his company to sell investment-purpose insurance products that exceeded the approved amount, the court said.

By Jan. 5, 2017, it said, Anbang had oversold 724 billion yuan ($115 billion) of insurance products and transferred some of the funds to his other companies for investment, debt repayment and personal spending.

All told, Wu was accused of swindling 65.2 billion yuan.

Wu raised objections during the proceedings, contesting alleged facts and charges, according to the court statements.

He claimed he did not understand the law and did not know whether his behavior constituted a crime. He also believed he had not violated regulatory restrictions.

Wu, known for his hard-driving, hands-on approach and single-minded ambition, has been detained since June, sources have said.

The crimes that Wu has been accused of are punishable by up to life imprisonment, according to the criminal code.

Anbang said in a statement on Wednesday that it had ample cashflow and its operations were stable following its takeover by Beijing.

After a spate of high-profile deals worth more than $30 billion, Anbang began to run into roadblocks even before Wus detention, failing to close on a handful of investments and facing criticism over its opaque shareholding structure.

On Feb. 23, the government took control of Anbang Group for a period of a year. During the takeover, the company would be managed by officials from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), the central bank and other key financial regulators and government bodies.

It is unclear how Wus trial will affect Anbang or its ability to conduct business, but regulators have said they will undertake an equity restructuring of the insurer and protect the rights and interests of its consumers and stakeholders.

($1 = 6.2981 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by John Ruwitch; editing by Stephen Coates)

Related:

Topics Fraud China
U.K. financial regulators sought to reassure banks and insurers that they can rely on a transition period to ease their adjustment to Brexit, putting pressure on the European Union to do the same.

The statements on Wednesday from the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority are their latest optimistic signal to the industry on the outcome of the Brexit talks. This contrasts with the more cautious line taken by the EU, where regulators stress that firms need to prepare for a so-called hard Brexit, in which the talks on the terms of withdrawal, including the transition, collapse without a deal.

In light of a EU summit decision on the proposed transition, the BOE said its reasonable for firms doing business in the U.K. under current rules to plan that they will be able to continue undertaking these activities during the implementation period in much the same way as now. The BOE also told firms that they can plan on the assumption that U.K. authorization or recognition will only be needed by the end of the implementation period.

The impetus is now on EU regulators to follow suit, said Stephen Jones, head of lobby group UK Finance. Without similar assurances from EU regulators, U.K.-based firms serving customers in the EU will be forced to continue implementing costly contingency plans.

A transition period was agreed on in principle at an EU summit this month, responding to calls from the industry for more time to implement their Brexit contingency plans. UK Finance said at the time that regulators should be given the flexibility not to insist on worst-case contingency planning and to address threats that Brexit poses to derivatives and insurance contracts.

The FCA reminded firms that the transition arrangements wont be set in stone until theyre ratified as part of the withdrawal agreement.

The BOEs line on the transition may come too late to affect firms preparations for Brexit, as many have already started shifting staff and business lines to the continent so theyll be up and running when the U.K. exits the bloc.

Financial-services companies will have moved more than 1,000 people to Frankfurt by the end of April in preparation for Brexit, according to lobby group Frankfurt Main Finance. The BOE has said 10,000 jobs may be at risk on day one of Brexit.

Legal Certainty

U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond said this month that regulators across Europe could do more to reassure businesses that the transition is not just delivered on paper, and that it is valuable for planning for the next three years.

On Wednesday, Hammond said the regulators statements and the transition deal will provide further confidence to financial services firms that there will be a smooth exit.

Regulators have recognized that firms cannot alleviate the risks of a cliff-edge on their own, which is why the U.K. government and our regulatory authorities are working to provide the reassurance that firms need, he said.

That optimism hasnt been reciprocated across the Channel. When asked on Wednesday if the European Central Bank would be refreshing its own Brexit guidance to banks after the summit, a spokesman referred to previous statements by the ECBs oversight arm and declined to comment further. A European Commission spokesman also referred back to previous statements.

The ECB has told banks that while a transition arrangement could be useful, legal certainty will only come when the entire withdrawal agreement is ratified by both sides. The ECB and national euro-area supervisors therefore expect banks to continue preparing for all outcomes, including a no-deal scenario. The ECB has set an end-June deadline for applications to operate in the euro area after Brexit.

What clients want to know is that their rights will be respected in the EU, and the Bank of England cannot give much comfort on that, Rob Moulton, London-based partner at Latham & Watkins, said before the BOEs announcement. The extent to which the banks guidance will be binding upon the authorities in the EU will be open to question.

With assistance from Nicholas Comfort, Alexander Weber and Gavin Finch.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Carriers Europe Uk Brexit
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 6:00 am

NEED TO KNOW

 The Missouri Department of Revenue offers Rotary-themed license plates. Contact Brian Drane or Janet Silvus for more details. If you're interested, you'll need to request one by May.

 The Color Run will be held May 5 (rain date: May 12). The registration link on our club website is now active. We need sponsors for the event. Contact Brian Drane or Adam Blanch for sponsorship information.

MEETING RECAP

Guests: Visiting Rotarian Steve Vaught.

Our speaker today was Kit Gaynor with the Marshfield Fire Department. Other than the chief and one other employee with the district, all the personnel with the Marshfield Fire Department are volunteers. There are 20-30 active firefighters, 15 auxiliary and 10 cadets. The department responds to 1,600-1,800 calls per year. The Marshfield Fire Department has two registered nurses on staff to assist paramedics.

They also focus on fire prevention outreach, particularly with kids. The department puts on a fire prevention docudrama and trains sixth-graders on using fire extinguishers. Smoke detectors are distributed to needy families with children in the house. The department will also change smoke detector batteries for elderly residents. Fireman Gaynor reminded us that a burn permit is needed to burn within the city. Permits can be obtained at City Hall. Dont burn on windy days.
Fortegra Financial Corp., a Jacksonville-based international specialty insurer and subsidiary of Tiptree Financial, announced the creation of a wholly owned European subsidiary in Malta.

The unit, called Fortegra Europe Insurance Co. Ltd. (FEIC), has received authorization from the Malta Financial Services Authority and is ready to write business immediately.

Initially, FEIC will utilize its access to the European Economic Area (EEA) to write business aligned with Fortegras position as a warranty and consumer products provider.

The formation of FEIC is an exciting and important milestone in our international growth strategy as it establishes a key strategic platform for us to become a leading European warranty insurer, said Sanjay Vara, Fortegras executive vice president and chief underwriting officer for Warranty and Consumer Products.

FEICs Maltese presence provides Fortegra with opportunities to continue to build relationships in the international insurance community, said the company, noting that Fortegras A.M. Best A- (Excellent) financial strength rating for its group of U.S.-based companies will assist FEICs opportunities in Europe.

Since Fortegras inception weve never been satisfied to maintain the status quo, said Fortegra President and CEO Richard Kahlbaugh. From adding new growth lines to increasing our international presence, were always looking for opportunities to build the brand.

About Fortegra

Fortegra Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries offer a range of consumer protection options including warranty solutions, credit insurance and specialty underwriting programs.

Topics Carriers Excess Surplus Europe New Markets
A man involved in the design of the worlds tallest waterslide into has been indicted along with two others in connection with the death of a 10-year-old boy at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

John Schooley was included in an indictment that also charged Schlitterbahn co-owner Jeffrey Henry, 62, and Henry & Sons Construction Co., which is described as the private construction company of Schlitterbahn.

With the latest charges unsealed Tuesday, three men connected with Texas-based Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Resorts and its park in Kansas City, Kansas, where Caleb Schwab died on the 17-story ride when the raft he was riding went airborne and hit an overhead loop, have been indicted.

In addition to second-degree murder, Henry and Schooley were charged with 17 other felonies, including aggravated battery and aggravated endangerment of a child counts tied to injuries other riders sustained on the giant slide, called Verruckt, which is German for insane. The indictment accuses Henry of making a spur of the moment decision to build the ride, and that he and Schooley lacked technical or engineering expertise in amusement park rides.

Henry was ordered held in a Texas jail without bond, pending extradition to Kansas. The attorney generals office said Schooley is not in custody. Schooley didnt have a listed phone number and no one answered the phone at Henry & Sons Construction Co. Eric B Terry, who represented the company in an earlier unrelated case, didnt immediately return a phone or email message.

The same grand jury last week indicted the Kansas City park and Tyler Austin Miles, its former operations manager, on 20 felony charges. The charges include a single count of involuntary manslaughter in Calebs death. Miles has been released on $50,000 bond, according to one of his attorneys, Tricia Bath.

Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said in a statement that the latest indictment is filled with information that we fully dispute. The statement said Henry had designed waterpark rides the world over and that nearly every waterpark that exists today has an attraction or feature based on his designs or ideas.

The incident that happened that day was a terrible and tragic accident, the statement said. We mourn the loss of this child and are devastated for his family. We know that Tyler, Jeff, and John are innocent and that we run a safe operation  our 40 years of entertaining millions of people speaks to that.

According to the indictments, Henry decided in 2012 to build the worlds tallest water slide to impress the producers of a Travel Channel show. Henrys desire to rush the project and a lack of expertise caused the company to skip fundamental steps in the design process.

The indictment said, not a single engineer was directly involved in Verruckts dynamic engineering or slide path design. The indictment said that in 2014, when there were news reports emerging about airborne rafts, a company representative discredited them and Henry and his designer began secretly testing at night to avoid scrutiny.

The indictment listed 13 injuries during the 182 days the ride was in operation, including two concussions. In one of those cases, a 15-year-old girl went temporarily blind while riding.

Caleb, the son of Kansas Republican state Rep. Scott Schwab, was decapitated after the raft on which he was riding went airborne on a day when admission was free for state legislators and their families.

The family reached settlements of nearly $20 million with Schlitterbahn and various companies associated with the design and construction of the waterslide. The two women who rode on the same raft with Caleb suffered serious injuries and settled claims with Schlitterbahn for an undisclosed amount.

Clearly the issues with Schlitterbahn go far beyond Calebs incident, and we know the attorney general will take appropriate steps in the interest of public safety, the family said in a statement released through their attorneys.

The indictment said Schooley was responsible for doing the math that went into the slides design and signed an operations manual claiming the ride met all American Society for Testing and Materials standards. But the indictment lists a dozen instances in which the design violated those standards and says investigators could find no evidence that so-called dynamic engineering calculations were made to determine the physics a passenger would experience. The indictment said Schooley lacked the technical expertise to properly design a complex amusement ride such as Verruckt.

The indictment said Schooley admitted, If we actually knew how to do this, and it could be done that easily, it wouldnt be that spectacular.

Prosapio said Schlitterbahn does not expect any changes to the Kansas City parks season, which is set to open May 25 and runs through Labor Day. The Verruckt slide has been closed since Caleb died.

Mike Taylor, a spokesman for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, says it does not believe it has the legal authority to shut down a business, other than for an epidemic or contagious disease outbreak.

The company also operates water parks in Galveston, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island and New Braunfels, Texas, according to its website.

Associated Press writers David Warren and Terry Wallace in Dallas also contributed to this report.

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Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas Legislation Abuse Molestation Kansas Construction
A proposed $1.27 million settlement has been announced with the family of an 18-year-old killed in an accident last year at the Ohio State Fair.

Court documents show the parents of Tyler Jarrell would receive $870,000, and the rest will go toward attorney fees and funeral costs.

Jarrell died and seven others were injured when the Fire Ball ride broke apart at the fair July 26. Dutch manufacturer KMG previously said the cause was excessive corrosion of a support beam.

An attorney for Jarrells estate says the proposal is only a partial settlement with the rides owner and two companies that inspected the ride. The family is continuing their case against KMG and other defendants.

The settlement requires a judges approval. A court hearing is scheduled for April 18.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Ohio
An accountant accused of embezzling from the Nebraska Rural Electric Association has been sent to prison.

Federal prosecutors say 42-year-old Sarah Batenhorst, of Lincoln, was sentenced to 10 months and ordered to pay restitution of nearly $344,000. Shed pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Court documents say that between March 1, 2011, and Jan. 31, 2016, Batenhorst defrauded the association by several means, including adjusting account ledgers to raise her salary for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The association is a nonprofit organization for utilities providing electric service in rural areas and small towns in the state.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud Commercial Lines Business Insurance Nebraska
The way autonomous vehicles are currently being programmed may not be safe because the programs are copying humans, according to a computer professor in the state where the first pedestrian fatality occurred n a collision with a driverless Uber car.

Google, Uber and others in the field are using humans to teach cars how to drive themselves, says Aviral Shrivastava, a computer science associate professor in Arizona State Universitys Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. And thats the problem. They are learning from human drivers, all of whom are fallible, and the autonomous cars are in turn mirroring our unsafe driving behaviors.

Shrivastava is known on campus for his embedded computing course that challenges students to engineer a self-navigating, obstacle-avoiding toy race car complete with GPS, a laser surveying system (LIDAR), an inertial measurement unit to calculate distances and other sensing tools used in full-scale autonomous vehicles.

The autonomous car industry is trying to walk a line between a human-like driving experience and guaranteed safety. At the moment, the familiarity of human-like driving is the norm and puts safety at risk, he adds.

A fatal accident involving a self-driving Uber vehicle and a pedestrian earlier this month in Tempe, Arizona, caused Uber to suspend its driverless operations in Arizona. On Monday, Gov. Doug Ducey suspended Ubers tests of self-driving cars on Arizona roads.

The video captured by the vehicle just before the March 18 accident illustrates the pedestrian was crossing the road, outside of a pedestrian walkway, in the dark. Lights from the car, streetlights and ambient lighting failed to illuminate the pedestrian.

Since the Uber car could not detect anything in the dark area, it did what a human driver might have done  proceeded as though there was no one in the road. When the cars lights brought the woman suddenly into view, the car was travelling too fast to stop, Shrivastava said.

Shrivastava asserts that an autonomous vehicle should travel only at the speed at which it can stop before its range of vision ends  the vehicle should be traveling slowly enough that it can instantly stop if an obstruction suddenly comes into view.

When encountering a situation like that on Mill Avenue, a safety-focused vehicles computer would assume there is an obstacle in the unlighted area and proceed accordingly, unlike humans who often assume that the path ahead is clear, he said.

Tempe police chief Sylvia Moir suggested the vehicle was not at fault. I suspect preliminarily it appears that the Uber would likely not be at fault in this accident, he said, concluding that regardless of whether the vehicle was driven by a human or autonomously, its very clear it would have been difficult to avoid this collision in any kind of mode based on how she came from the shadows right into the roadway.

However, expectations for a human driver and autonomous cars are very different, according to Shrivastava.

If a human driver causes an accident, it is unfortunate but normal, he said. If an autonomous car causes an accident on the other hand, it is unacceptable, and it can shut down the whole autonomous car industry.

As long as human behaviors are the foundation of automated driving technology, safety will continue to be an issue, Shrivastava added. The priority for autonomous cars should be safety, rather than a human-like driving experience.

Shrivastavas research, funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the National Science Foundation, focuses on cyber-physical systems designs  mechanisms like autonomous vehicles in which a computer controls a physical system  that guarantee the behavior of the systems.

For example, we look at how can we build a car in which there is a guarantee that if an obstacle is detected, brakes will be applied within one millisecond, explained Shrivasta.

Recently, Shrivastava developed an algorithm for autonomous cars that promises to more than double the throughput of traffic intersections, which are really the most important bottleneck in city traffic, he said. While the system will work only on roads that are fully autonomous, the communications and calculations weve developed will enable autonomous cars to zip through intersections at full speed or with just a minor slow-down.

Topics Auto Arizona Sharing Economy Ridesharing Autonomous Vehicles Uber
Bunker and Chubb are working together to develop new insurance products focused on freelance workers.

Chubb has also become a minority investor in Bunker, committing at least $2 million to the startup digital broker and its focus on the small business insurance market. Bunker has raised more than $10 million to date, including a $2 million seed round in 2016 and a $6 million Series A financing in mid-2017.

Previous investors include Comcast Ventures, Route 66 Ventures, Omidyar Network (now Spero Ventures), Hiscox and American Family.

Chad Nitschke, Bunkers co-founder and CEO, explained to Carrier Management that the investment was an outgrowth of beginning a working relationship with Chubb in late 2016, which led to the development of an insurance product focused on freelancers and independent workers.

They were [sold] on what we had built, our approach to the market, and at that point we decided to partner with them, building [a] usage-based general and professional liability product for independent workers, Nitschke recalled.

He said that Chubbs investment was an outgrowth of that relationship.

They had expressed interest in investing in Bunker, purely as a [minor] equity investor, Nitschke said, noting that Bunker also counts Hiscox and American Family Ventures as investors in the company.

Digital small business insurance-related startups are drawing plenty of investment from carriers, including Starr Companies, Berkshire Hathaway, Liberty Mutual, Markel and Munich Re. Chubb and Hiscox have invested in other startups beyond Bunker.

New Employees

Bunker, based in San Francisco, has expanded into Madison, Wis., and now employs 22 people, a big jump from the six it had on staff in the middle of last year. Plans call for boosting that number to between 30 and 40 people by the end of 2018, Nitschke said.

Longer term, Nitschke said Bunker is planning on staying independent, focused on its vision of embedding insurance into the contacting process.

Our investors understand and they are committed to the long-term opportunity, Nitschke said.

Related:

Topics InsurTech Chubb Startups
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday resurrected a multi-billion dollar copyright case brought by Oracle Corp. against Alphabet Inc.s Google.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said Googles use of Oracles Java development platform to create the Android operating system was not protected under the fair-use provision of copyright law, reversing a 2016 jury verdict.

The court sent the case back to a U.S. judge in San Francisco for a trial to determine how much compensation Google owes Oracle.

Oracle had previously sought $9 billion in damages.

We are disappointed the court reversed the jury finding that Java is open and free for everyone, Google spokesman Patrick Lenihan said in a statement. This type of ruling will make apps and online services more expensive for users.

The Federal Circuits opinion upholds fundamental principles of copyright law and makes clear that Google violated the law, said Oracle general counsel Dorian Daley in a statement. This decision protects creators and consumers from the unlawful abuse of their rights.

The closely watched case, which dates to 2010, involves how much copyright protection should extend to the Java programming language, which Google used to design the Android operating system that runs most of the worlds smartphones.

Oracle is seeking royalties for Googles use of some of the Java language, while Google argues it should be able to use Java without paying a fee.

Annemarie Bridy, a professor of intellectual property at the University of Idaho College of Law, said in an interview the ruling could stifle software innovation by opening up developers to potential liability for copyright infringement.

This is a ruling that could have a significant chilling effect on software developers, she said, noting that they rely on computer code like Oracles to make apps communicate with each other.

Matthew Sarboraria, a vice president and associate general counsel at Oracle, said in an interview that such concerns were overblown.

Sarboraria said the ruling bolsters copyright protection in the software industry, ensuring that programmers have incentives to innovate.

The sky is not falling, he said. The sky is firmly in place.

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe Editing by Frances Kerry and Richard Chang)

Topics USA
Preliminary estimates indicate that a hurricane recovery program in southeast Texas could elevate as many as 200 homes that have been repeatedly flooded.

The Daily News reports that Galveston County commissioners received details about the plan on March 26 from Grantworks, consultants hired to facilitate disaster recovery planning.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry says commissioners must next notify the Texas Department of Emergency Management about interest in funds to create the program.

The department plans to release $500 million in hazardous mitigation funds across Texas. Galveston County officials expect to receive a large portion of those funds to raise homes flooded by Hurricane Harvey, though efforts would focus on structures that have flooded multiple times.

Henry says the program would likely require homeowners to help cover part of the projects cost.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas Flood Homeowners
People who file civil lawsuits in Louisiana when someone dies from hazing could be in line for higher penalty payments, under a bill that won easy passage from the state Senate.

Senators voted 28-3 Wednesday for Senate Bill 91 by Sen. Dan Claitors, which was filed after the death of an LSU student allegedly subjected to a hazing ritual.

The Baton Rouge Republicans proposal would allow those who file the civil lawsuits to claim additional legal damages if a hazing death is determined to be caused by reckless disregard for the victims safety  even if the person being sued wasnt criminally prosecuted.

LSU student Maxwell Gruvers death prompted several hazing-related bills this session, including one awaiting House floor debate to make hazing that kills someone a felony crime.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Louisiana Politics
Plans to turn the old California ghost town of Nipton into a marijuana paradise are on the back burner for now, although visitors to the area an hour outside Las Vegas are still encouraged to toke up privately.

David Gwyther, president of American Green, which bought Nipton last year, said Tuesday getting the myriad of approvals needed to turn it into a marijuana-themed resort could take some time.

In the meantime he says plans are proceeding to renovate the town for when that day comes.

Nipton recently got licenses to sell liquor and lottery tickets. Its also building a swimming hole and improving its small hotel.

Gwyther says American Green also recently sold the town to another company it owns in a bid to make it easier to obtain financing.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California Cannabis
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 7:30 am

To the recollection of organizers, Saturday nights reunion for the Marshfield Fire Department was the first of its kind in the organizations 92-year history.

Odds are, based on the smiles, laughter and stories shared at the reunion location of Marshfield Fire Station 3, it wont be another 92 years before the next one.

Dozens were in attendance Saturday, some coming in from out of state, said Marshfield Fire Chief Michael Taylor, who said the idea for the event was born out of conversation he and wife Debbie had recently. A meal featuring barbecue sandwiches, sides, a chocolate fountain with lots of items to dip into it, and three cakes to mark the occasion were paid for by the Marshfield Fire Protection District Board of Directors, Taylor said.

Numerous speakers took to the podium during the event, including a trio of current and former Marshfield fire chiefs (Taylor, Tim Carlson and Wayne Plunkett), Missouri State Fire Marshal Tim Bean, Steve Grass with the fire marshals office, and state Sen. Mike Cunningham and state Rep. Lyndall Fraker.

During their remarks, Plunkett and Carlson reflected on how they got involved in the department, with Plunkett noting he actually was informed he was named fire chief  a position he held for 25 years  after he returned from vacation in 1973. He joked thats a reason to be careful when you leave town.

Taylor credited Plunkett and Carlson for his development as a firefighter and a leader in the department. Both of the former chiefs continue to remain involved with the fire service, which marks 49 years for Plunkett this year, while Carlson serves as president of the Marshfield Fire Protection District board.

There are truly dedicated and talented people in this department, Taylor said to those gathered. Ive said it many times over the years that this group can move mountains.

Remembering Aug. 19, 1989, Taylor said that was the day his cousin Marvin Mackey, a lieutenant in MFD, came by his house to ask him (then a 15-year-old) if he would go flush fire hydrants with him. That introduced him into fire service and his future career path.

I want to say how proud I am of our organization, Taylor said. A lot has changed over the years  stations, trucks, firefighters, officers. What has not changed is the mission of our organization. It has remained true and consistent, and that is to take care of one another and our community.
University of Montana researchers say the 2017 fire season likely cost Montana about $240 million in visitor spending.

The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research said Tuesday that 12.5 million out-of-staters visited Montana last year and spent $3.36 billion.

Economist Jeremy Sage says visitor spending in 2017 was higher than 2016, but could have been more if the effects of last summers wildfires, including weeks of heavy smoke, hadnt led people to change, shorten or cancel their plans.

Visitation to Montana was up 1 percent in 2017 and overall spending increased by nearly 11 percent.

The largest visitor expense was nearly $769 million on gasoline and diesel fuel, followed by $667 million on bars and restaurants and $449 million on hotels and motels.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Montana
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired McGregor & Associates in San Diego, Calif.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

George McGregor and his team will continue to operate from their San Diego location under the direction of Norbert Chung, head of Gallaghers Western employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations.

McGregor & Associates is a health benefits administrator serving public and private sector clients throughout the state of California. Focus areas include educational institutions, public agencies, construction organizations and retiree medical trusts.

Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based Arthur J. Gallagher is an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm.

Topics Mergers California A.J. Gallagher
Although the history of modern private equity investments goes back to the beginning of the last century, they didn't really gain prominence until the 1980s. That's around the time when technology in the United States got a much-needed boost from venture capital.

Many fledgling and struggling companies were able to raise funds from private sources rather than going to the public market. Some of the big names we know todayApple, for examplewere able to put their names on the map because of the funds they received from private equity.

Even though these funds promise investors big returns, they may not be readily available for the average investor. Firms generally require a minimum investment of $200,000 or more, which means private equity is geared toward institutional investors or those who have a lot of money at their disposal.

If that happens to be you and you're able to make that initial minimum requirement, you've cleared the first hurdle. But before you make that investment in a private equity fund, you should have a good grasp of these funds' typical structures.

Key Takeaways Private equity funds are closed-end funds that are not listed on public exchanges.

Their fees include both management and performance fees.

Private equity fund partners are called general partners, and investors or limited partners.

The limited partnership agreement outlines the amount of risk each party takes along with the duration of the fund.

Limited partners are liable for up to the full amount of money they invest, while general partners are fully liable to the market.

Private Equity Fund Basics

Private equity funds are closed-end funds that are considered an alternative investment class. Because they are private, their capital is not listed on a public exchange. These funds allow high-net-worth individuals and a variety of institutions to directly invest in and acquire equity ownership in companies.

Funds may consider purchasing stakes in private firms or public companies with the intention of de-listing the latter from public stock exchanges to take them private. After a certain period of time, the private equity fund generally divests its holdings through a number of options, including initial public offerings (IPOs) or sales to other private equity firms.

Unlike public funds, the capital of private equity funds is not available on a public stock exchange.

Although minimum investments vary for each fund, the structure of private equity funds historically follows a similar framework that includes classes of fund partners, management fees, investment horizons, and other key factors laid out in a limited partnership agreement (LPA).

For the most part, private equity funds have been regulated much less than other assets in the market. That's because high-net worth investors are considered to be better equipped to sustain losses than average investors. But following the financial crisis, the government has looked at private equity with far more scrutiny than ever before.

Fees

If you're familiar with the fee structure of a hedge fund, you'll notice it's very similar to that of the private equity fund. It charges both a management and a performance fee.

The management fee is about 2% of the capital committed to invest in the fund. So a fund with assets under management (AUM) of $1 billion charges a management fee of $20 million. This fee covers the fund's operational and administrative fees such as salaries, deal feesbasically anything needed to run the fund. As with any fund, the management fee is charged even if it doesn't generate a positive return.

The performance fee, on the other hand, is a percentage of the profits generated by the fund that are passed on to the general partner (GP). These fees, which can be as high as 20%, are normally contingent on the fund providing a positive return. The rationale behind performance fees is that they help bring the interests of both investors and the fund manager in line. If the fund manager is able to do that successfully, they are able to justify their performance fee.

Partners and Responsibilities

Private equity funds can engage in leveraged buyouts (LBOs), mezzanine debt, private placement loans, distressed debt, or serve in the portfolio of a fund of funds. While many different opportunities exist for investors, these funds are most commonly designed as limited partnerships.

Those who want to better understand the structure of a private equity fund should recognize two classifications of fund participation. First, the private equity funds partners are known as general partners. Under the structure of each fund, GPs are given the right to manage the private equity fund and to pick which investments they will include in their portfolios. GPs are also responsible for attaining capital commitments from investors known as limited partners (LPs). This class of investors typically includes institutionspension funds, university endowments, insurance companiesand high-net-worth individuals.

Limited partners have no influence over investment decisions. At the time that capital is raised, the exact investments included in the fund are unknown. However, LPs can decide to provide no additional investment to the fund if they become dissatisfied with the fund or the portfolio manager.

Limited Partnership Agreement

When a fund raises money, institutional and individual investors agree to specific investment terms presented in a limited partnership agreement. What separates each classification of partners in this agreement is the risk to each. LPs are liable for up to the full amount of money they invest in the fund. However, GPs are fully liable to the market, meaning if the fund loses everything and its account turns negative, GPs are responsible for any debts or obligations the fund owes.

The LPA also outlines an important life cycle metric known as the Duration of the Fund. PE funds traditionally have a finite length of 10 years, consisting of five different stages:

The organization and formation.

The fund-raising period. This period typically lasts two years.

The three-year period of deal-sourcing and investing.

The period of portfolio management.

The up to seven years of exiting from existing investments through IPOs, secondary markets, or trade sales.

Private equity funds typically exit each deal within a finite time period due to the incentive structure and a GP's possible desire to raise a new fund. However, that time frame can be affected by negative market conditions, such as periods when various exit options, such as IPOs, may not attract the desired capital to sell a company.

One of the most lucrative PE exits in 2020 came from Providence Equity's sale of their stake in Zenimax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, a game developer. The firm sold its stake, which it acquired in 2007, to Microsoft for $7.5 billion, not bad considering their initial investment was just $300 million.

Investment and Payout Structure

Perhaps the most important components of any funds LPA are obvious: The return on investment and the costs of doing business with the fund. In addition to the decision rights, the GPs receive a management fee and a carry.

The LPA traditionally outlines management fees for general partners of the fund. It's common for private equity funds to require an annual fee of 2% of capital invested to pay for firm salaries, deal sourcing and legal services, data and research costs, marketing, and additional fixed and variable costs. For example, if a private equity firm raised a $500 million fund, it would collect $10 million each year to pay expenses. Over the duration of the 10-year fund cycle, the PE firm collects $100 million in fees, meaning $400 million is actually invested during that decade.

Private equity companies also receive a carry, which is a performance fee that is traditionally 20% of excess gross profits for the fund. Investors are usually willing to pay these fees due to the fund's ability to help manage and mitigate corporate governance and management issues that might negatively affect a public company.

Other Considerations

The LPA also includes restrictions imposed on GPs regarding the types of investment they may be able to consider. These restrictions can include industry type, company size, diversification requirements, and the location of potential acquisition targets. In addition, GPs are only allowed to allocate a specific amount of money from the fund into each deal they finance. Under these terms, the fund must borrow the rest of its capital from banks that may lend at different multiples of a cash flow, which can test the profitability of potential deals.

The ability to limit potential funding to a specific deal is important to limited partners because holding several investments bundled together improves the incentive structure for the GPs. Investing in multiple companies provides risk to the GPs and could reduce the potential carry, should a past or future deal underperform or turn negative.

Meanwhile, LPs are not provided with veto rights over individual investments. This is important because LPs, which outnumber GPs in the fund, would commonly object to certain investments due to governance concerns, particularly in the early stages of identifying and funding companies. Multiple vetoes of companies may reduce the positive incentives created by the commingling of fund investments.

The Bottom Line

Private-equity firms offer unique investment opportunities to high-net-worth and institutional investors. But anyone who wants to invest in a PE fund must first understand their structure so they are aware of the amount of time they will be required to invest, all associated management and performance fees, and the liabilities associated.

Typically, PE funds have a 10-year duration, require 2% annual management fees and 20% performance fees, and require LPs to assume liability for their individual investment, while GPs maintain complete liability.
Have you thought about rolling your traditional IRA from one financial institution to another? Maybe you're looking for higher returns, more investment selections, or better service. If you roll over your traditional IRA, there are some common mistakes you should avoid. In this article, we'll give you an overview of IRA rollover rules and discuss how to avoid common mistakes.

Key Takeaways If you leave a job or start a new one, you may need to roll over your retirement account to an IRA to preserve its tax-advantaged status.

Rollovers must be completed within 60 days of receiving funds out of the old account, and only one rollover can occur per year.

Direct transfers of retirement account funds to a new qualified account can be a more efficient method and can avoid breaking many of these rules by mistake.

The 60-Day Rule

IRA rules can be tricky and some have even changed over the years, so you need to be careful, otherwise you could pay income tax and penalties, says Dan Stewart, CFA, president, Revere Asset Management Inc., in Dallas, Texas.

After you receive the funds from your IRA, you have 60 days to complete the rollover to another IRA. Thats 60 days, not two months," says Marguerita M. Cheng, CFP, CEO, Blue Ocean Global Wealth, Gaithersburg, Md. If you do not complete the rollover within the time allowedor do not receive a waiver or extension of the 60-day period from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)the amount will be treated as ordinary income by the IRS.

That means you must include the amount as income on your tax return, and any taxable amounts will be taxed at your current, ordinary income tax rate. Plus, if you were not 59 years old when the distribution occurred, you'll face a 10% penalty on the withdrawal.

One-Year Waiting Rule

You cannot make a second tax-free rollover of an IRA for one year after you distribute assets from your IRA and roll over any part of that amount. The downside to this is some banks may charge to issue a check to another bank or custodian when you are moving your IRA.

This limit on IRA-to-IRA rollovers does not apply to eligible rollover distributions from an employer plan. Therefore, you can roll over more than one distribution from the same qualified plan, 403(b), or 457(b) account within a year. This one-year limit also does not apply to rollovers from traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs (i.e., Roth conversions).

1:37 Common IRA Rollover Mistakes

RMDs Not Eligible for Rollover

You are allowed to make tax-free rollovers from your IRAs at any age, but if you are age 72 or older, you cannot roll over your annual required minimum distribution (RMD) because it would be considered an excess contribution.

If you are required to take an RMD each year, be sure to remove the current years RMD amount from your IRA before implementing the rollover.

Same Property Rule

Your rollover from one IRA to another IRA must consist of the same property. This means you cannot take cash distributions from your IRA, purchase other assets with the cash, then roll over those assets into a new (or the same) IRA. Should this occur, the IRS would consider the cash distribution from the IRA as ordinary income.

Here is a hypothetical example of how someone might violate the same property rule. An entrepreneur, aged 57, has decided to roll over her IRA from one financial institution to another. However, she wants to use her IRA assets to purchase shares of a certain company's stock. She takes a portion of the funds she received from her IRA, buys the shares, and places the remaining cash in a new IRA. Then, she deposits the shares of the stock she purchased into the same IRA to receive tax-deferred treatment.

The IRS would deem the portion of the distribution used to purchase the stock as ordinary income; therefore, the entrepreneur would owe taxes at her current, ordinary income tax rate on any taxable portion of the stocks that were rolled over. And, because she is younger than 59, the IRS would assess a 10% penalty on any taxable portion of the amount used to purchase the stocks.

When Not to Use a Rollover

If you are simply moving your IRA from one financial institution to another and you do not need to use the funds, you should consider using the transfer method instead of a rollover. A transfer is non-reportable and can be done an unlimited number of times during any period.

A transfer removes the withdrawal process of the rollover, which ensures the assets go directly to their end account and investors remove the risk associated with the 60-day rule, says Mark Hebner, founder and president of Index Fund Advisors, Inc., in Irvine, Calif., and author of The 12-Step Recovery Program for Active Investors.

In my opinion, a direct transfer is the most optimal solution to move funds from one IRA to another, says Carlos Dias Jr., founder and managing partner of Dias Wealth LLC in Lake Mary, Fla.

Additional Points

You can rollover funds from any of your own traditional IRAs, but you can also roll over funds to your traditional IRA from the following retirement plans:

A traditional IRA you inherit from your deceased spouse

A qualified plan

A tax-sheltered annuity plan

A government deferred-compensation plan (section 457 plan)

If rollover eligible amounts from qualified plans, 403(b) plans, or governmental 457 plans are paid to you instead of processed as a direct rollover to an eligible retirement plan, the payer must withhold 20% of the amount distributed to you. Of course, you will receive credit for the taxes that were withheld. However, if you decide to roll over the total distribution, you will need to make up the 20%, out of pocket.

If you want to avoid the withholding and the associated reporting requirements, a direct rollover, sometimes referred to as a trustee-to-trustee transfer, is a method that should be used to effectuate your rollover from your qualified plan, 403(b) plan, or governmental 457 plan account. Plus, there is no 60-day window to worry about. Be sure to check with your plan administrator and IRA custodian regarding their documentation and operational requirements for processing a direct rollover on your behalf.

You might be able to move funds in the other direction, too. That is, you may be able to take a distribution from your IRA and roll it into a qualified plan. Your employer is not required to accept such rollovers, so check with your plan's administrator before you distribute the assets from your IRA. Certain amounts, such as nontaxable amounts and RMDs, cannot be rolled from an IRA to a qualified plan.
What Is Selling Shares Before the Ex-Dividend Date?

For owners of a stock, if you sell before the ex-dividend date, also known as the ex-date, you will not receive a dividend from the company.

The ex-dividend date is the date that the company has designated as the first day of trading in which the shares trade without the right to the dividend. If you sell your shares on or after this date, you will still receive the dividend.

Understanding Selling Shares Before the Ex-Dividend Date

The Date of Record and Determining the Ex-Date

If a shareholder is to receive a dividend, they need to be listed on the company's records on the date of record. This date is used to determine the company's holders of record and to authorize those to whom proxy statements, financial reports, and other pertinent information are sent.

Key Takeaways If a stockholder sells their shares before the ex-dividend date, also known as the ex-date, they will not receive a dividend from the company.

The ex-dividend date is the first day of trading in which new shareholders don't have rights to the next dividend disbursement; however, if shareholders continue to hold their stock, they may qualify for the next dividend.

If shares are sold on or after the ex-dividend date, they will still receive the dividend.

When you purchase shares, your name does not automatically get added to the record bookthis takes about three days from the transaction date.

When you purchase shares, your name does not automatically get added to the record bookthis takes about three days from the transaction date. Therefore, if the date of the record is Aug. 10, you must have purchased the shares on Aug. 7 to receive a dividend. This would make Aug. 8 the ex-dividend date, as it is the date directly following the last date on which you could get a dividend.

The ex-dividend date is set by either the National Association of Securities Dealers or the stock exchange, once the date of record has been set.

How Stock Prices Change on the Ex-Date

Remember that a company's shares will trade for less than the dividend amount on the ex-dividend date than they did the day before.

Generally, when a dividend-paying company distributes a large dividend, the market may account for that dividend in the days preceding the ex-date due to buyers stepping in and purchasing the stock. These buyers are willing to pay a premium to receive the dividend.

For example, imagine shares in a company are trading at $50 and the company announces a dividend of $5. Investors who hold the shares past the ex-dividend date will receive the $5; investors who sell before the ex-date will not. But all is not lost: shares in the company will fall by roughly the amount of the dividend, to $45, or there will be an arbitrage opportunity in the market.

If shares didn't fall as a result of dividend payments, everyone would simply buy the shares for $50, get the $5, and then sell their shares after the ex-dividend date, essentially getting $5 free from the company.
By Stephen Cadogan

Denmark moves to build a 70-kilometre fence to protect its annual exports of pigmeat worth 1.5 billion

Its called African Swine Fever.

But its now a major European problem, with fences going up across the EU to keep it out.

Denmark is the latest to go on a war footing against this pig disease.

The government in Copenhagen has agreed with its Danish Peoples Party parliamentary ally to pass a new law, allowing construction of a 70-kilometre fence along the border with Germany, to keep out African Swine Fever (ASF).

Minister for Food and the Environment Esben Lunde Larsen summed up the threat faced by his country and other EU member states.

I do not want to take any risk.

We have an export industry worth 11 billion kroner [1.5 billion] annually which could be put at risk.

If African swine fever virus broke out in Denmark, all exports to third countries would immediately stop.

A fence will prevent potentially infected wild boar from running across the border, and help hunters to eradicate all wild boar from Denmark.

The country is estimated to have 50-100 adult wild boars.

The fence is planned to be 1.5 metres tall and sunk 50 centimetres into the ground.

Cattle grids or gates will be included.

Denmark has also announced that night-time shooting of wild boar will be permitted.

Meanwhile, a fence along Polands eastern border is also mooted, to stop wild boar from migrating and spreading ASF.

Polish Agriculture Minister Krzysztof Jurgiel has said construction of this fence will start in September.

African Swine Fever is a huge concern for all of us, said EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis last week.

That includes Ireland, with our Department of Agriculture warning ASF is one of the most important and serious diseases of domestic pigs.

The acute form causes severe disease from which the majority of affected pigs die.

There is no vaccine.

But humans are not susceptible.

ASF has never occurred here; like the UK, we can hope that being surrounded by water will help to keep it at bay.

Once mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa, it was confirmed in Spain, Portugal and Sardinia in 1960.

It was eradicated from Portugal in 1993 and Spain in 1995, but remains endemic in Sardinia.

Limited outbreaks have occurred in Belgium (1985) and the Netherlands (1986).

It was confirmed in Georgia in 2007, and subsequently spread to Armenia, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Traced back to scavenging pigs eating infected meat at a port in Georgia, ASF spread through the east, due to failure to diagnose it quickly.

Eastern Europe was hit in January 2014, and ASF has been present in wild boar and sometimes in pigs in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia ever since.

The virus advanced into wild boar in the Czech Republic, and backyard pigs in Romania, last summer.

The current outbreak has resulted in the deaths of more than a million pigs.

Once it infects domestic pigs or wild boar, almost all of them die within days.

There are also fears the virus could reach as far east as China, a major concern for a country that contains half the worlds pigs.

Where ASF is confirmed, EU legislation requires that all infected and exposed animals are killed, carcases safely disposed of, premises disinfected, and surveillance and strict control be carried out on movements of pigs and pig products.

Irish farmers and their EU colleagues are under notice to report immediately to the Department of Agriculture, if they suspect presence of the disease.

Though there is no treatment or vaccine, ASF can be successfully eradicated if the disease is detected early and controls are rapidly introduced.

EU Commissioner for health and food safety Andriukaitis says an EU veterinary emergency team is ready to deploy rapidly to hotspots to advise on disease management.

He says the general situation continues to be effectively managed, with ASF contained in relatively limited areas of the EU.

The beginning of 2018 saw three outbreaks in backyards in Romania close to the border with Ukraine (attributed to illegal movement of infected pig meat), which the EU says were swiftly and effectively resolved and closed.

Nevertheless, the fences are going up across Europe.

The disease currently exists in Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and has recently moved closer to Denmark, according to the government in Copenhagen.

As well as a wild boar fence, Denmark plans larger fines for illegal food imports and failures to clean animal transportation vehicles properly.

Germany issued a decree last month to allow hunters to shoot wild boars year-round, to stop the animals spreading ASF.

Poland has confirmed 108 outbreaks of the virus since January 2014.
By Stephen Cadogan

Ireland had the fourth highest farmland rental rates, and the fifth highest purchase prices, in a survey of 22 EU member states.

In 2016, only in the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, and the UK was arable land more expensive to buy, in the survey by Eurostat, the EUs statistical service.

Only in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Austria was farmland more expensive to rent, compared to Ireland.

The Netherlands had the highest priced arable land in the EU in 2016, at 63,000 per hectare (25,500 per acre).

The price of arable land in every sub-region of the Netherlands was above all other available national averages in the EU.

The Eurostat figure for Ireland was just over 20,000 per hectare (8,100 per acre).

Among the EU sub-regions for which data was available to Eurostat, the most expensive price for arable land was in the Liguria sub-region of Italy, with an average of 108,000 per hectare (43,700 per acre).

Arable land was cheapest in Romania, with a hectare averaging only 1,958 in 2016 (800 per acre).

At the sub-regional level, a hectare of arable land was cheapest in the Yugozapaden region of Bulgaria (averaging 1,165, or 470 per acre).

The Eurostat analysis included land rental, and annual rental prices of arable land or permanent grassland also varied starkly between Member States and sub- regions within member states.

Renting was most expensive in the Netherlands, averaging 791 per year per hectare (320 per acre), with the highest sub-regional average in the countrys Flevoland area, reaching 1,536 (620 per acre).

Renting agricultural land was cheapest on average in Latvia (46 per hectare per year, or 19 per acre), and in the sub-regions of Mellersta Norrland and Ovre Norrland in Sweden (both 28 per hectare per year, or 11 per acre).

The Eurostat land rental figure for Ireland was about 300 per hectare (121 per acre)..

Data for Belgium, Germany, Cyprus, Malta, Austria and Portugal was not available for the Eurostat analysis.

The data indicated the strongest growth in purchase prices of arable land between 2011 and 2016 was a three-fold increase in the Czech Republic; and a two-fold increase in Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Hungary.

Prices rose in other Member States too, but at much lower rates.

In almost all regions, buying arable land was more expensive than buying permanent grassland (as much as 20 times more expensive in the Greek islands of Voreio Aigaio).

Buying irrigable arable land was more expensive than non-irrigable arable land (as much as six times more expensive in the Spanish region de Murcia).

Renting permanent grassland was cheaper than renting arable land.
By Conor Kane

The chief celebrant at the funeral Mass for Elisha Gault has urged teenagers to form strong support networks around themselves and to prioritise real people rather than the artificial friends to be found on social media.

Elisha Gault (14) was buried today in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, following funeral Mass at the Church of the Assumption where she made her first communion and confirmation in years gone by.

Her heartbroken parents Grainne Gault and Cameron Moore helped to carry the teenagers coffin into the church for the Mass, attended by hundreds of people including many of similar age to the much-loved young girl, and on its final journey afterwards to the graveyard across the road. Elishas sisters Bhrianna, Chloe-Nicole and Saoirse were also comforted by family members and friends.

Elishas body was found in the river Suir on Sunday evening by search and rescue helicopter crew members taking part in the multi-agency search which had got underway more than a week earlier when she was reported missing by her family.

She was last seen alive on Dillon Bridge in Carrick-on-Suir on St Patricks night.

As her remains left her home on New Street in Carrick this morning, hundreds lined the streets of the town in silence as the cortege made its way to Dillon Bridge. There, family members and many friends dropped white flowers into the river in remembrance of the much-loved 14-year-old, before the funeral moved on to Piltown.

Symbols of Elishas short life brought to the altar at the outset of the Mass included a book and a phone as well as a cross and a bible.

Parish priest Fr Paschal Moore, who concelebrated the Mass with other priests from the area, described Elisha as a beautiful young girl and said it was a sad morning for her family, her schoolmates from Comeragh College, the staff of the college, the community, and all her friends.

Every funeral is sad. Every departure brings its sorrows but today nothing can compare to the grief, the searing grief, that Elishas family are now experiencing so our thoughts and our prayers are for them on this very, very sad morning.

Elisha's body was found in the River Suir last Sunday after she went missing on St. Patricks Day.

In his homily, Fr Moore said Elishas death has given rise to many emotions among family members and the community: disbelief, shock, anger, guilt, even abandonment.

Elishas death has raised many questions but hasnt given many answers. This morning we want to really and truly empathise with this family, the Gault and Moore family, because they have been robbed of the company of their loving daughter, they have been robbed of her unique enthusiasm and her joy and her smile. Theyve been deprived of her gentle presence. There is an emptiness, a void that no-one can fill this morning for them.

The community wanted to be the shoulder you can lean on, he said.

Elishas outward appearance and behaviour were masked by an air of hopelessness within. She felt trapped, she was a prisoner of her feelings and her thoughts which weighed heavily on her and she was in turmoil, a turmoil we can never appreciate or understand.

Elisha, she took the only route she felt she could take. Not the right route, not the right choice, but it was the only route that she felt she could take. Her actions have left her family, her community, her schoolfriends devastated and completely, utterly upset and confused. We pray that she is at peace today.

He addressed some words directly to her schoolmates and friends, pointing out a leaflet, My Support Network, available in the church.

We all have our worries, our stresses and our anxieties. The problem arises when our anxiety takes over every part of our lives.

Today, boys and girls, I encourage you to form a support network around yourselves... I would encourage you also to turn off your iPhone every now and again. Facebook is wonderful at times and people boast about how many friends they have on Facebook, but your friends on Facebook are artificial friends. You need real people around you, real genuine, caring people and I would encourage you, every one of you, to find a real, good support network for yourselves.

During the week, Elishas mother Grainne said on Facebook that her gorgeous, beautiful daughter had a genuine soul but she was a troubled girl and that mental health is a serious and desperate issue, not only in Ireland but around the world.

Mourners at the funeral of Elisha Gault. Picture: Pat Moore.

- Digital Desk
Irish people's level of support for immigrants is among the lowest in Europe.

The ESRI have found 58% support white immigrants - but that drops to 41% for Muslims and 25% for Roma migrants.
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018 10:30 am

The Marshfield Board of Education approved to extend the Food Service Management agreement with OPAA! Food Management Inc., for the 2018-19 school year during its regular meeting Monday, March 19.

The school district is required by the Missouri Department of Secondary Education (DESE) to vote annually to renew the food service contract with OPAA. It is in the first year of the five-year bid that was approved last spring by the Marshfield school board. This renewal amendment is for the second year of the five and is identical to what was quoted for year two in the initial bid.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

While it was not an item needing approval that night, Marshfield R-I superintendent David Steward brought up the school calendar to the board and building administrators for discussion. Based on the current number of days missed for inclement weather, classes for Marshfield R-I are scheduled to end May 21, which is a Monday and scheduled to be a half day.

Steward said the school district has three options to consider. The first was leave the calendar as is and do not miss another inclement weather day and go with the half day on the 21st. The second option was use Good Friday (March 30) as an additional make up day, so that school ends on Friday, May 18. It would be a half day and not a full day. One of the drawbacks, according to Steward, is that the school district would have no scheduled days off from school from spring break to the end of the year. The third option would be take an additional day off in late April or early May and make that day up on May 22, so that the school district has more than a half day of classes the last week. Steward said he had a fourth option to have a half day on Saturday, which he has seen other schools do, but he ruled it out because the Meet and Confer committee was not in favor of it.

Board members and building administrators were open to leaving the school calendar as is.
Update 1.15pm: The Board of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has come to an agreement with the Students' Union that means there will be no fee charged for supplemental examinations.

TCD has agreed with the Students' Union proposal to return to the status quo regarding modular billing and fees for taking supplemental assessments.

#TakeBackTrinity has won! Supplemental Fees have been scrapped! Students celebrate outside House 1 where the decision by College Board was made. pic.twitter.com/6UGAPdDs3B  TCD Students' Union  (@tcdsu) March 28, 2018

A committee of students and College officers will now examine alternatives to the proposal and are due to report back in a year's time.

This morning, the Board also agreed to give 'fee certainty' to postgraduate students and other students who pay full fees at undergraduate level.

This means that students who enter Trinity will know in advance how much fees will increase during each year of his or her studies.

The decisions were made on foot of proposals put to the Board by the President of the Students' Union and the Graduate Students' Union with the agreement of the Provost, following a week of discussion between College Officers and student representatives.

"i undertook that we would seriously consider alternative proposals, and we have done so," said Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast.

"I look forward to continuing the dialogue with student representatives to find a solution to the issues confronting Irish higher education, taking account of both fairness to all students and the College's financial position.

"I would like to thank everyone who has contributed so far."

Earlier: Students rally to protest Trinity College fees for repeating exams

Students at Trinity College, Dublin, are protesting against the university's decision to introduce fees for repeat exams.

The College Board are currently meeting to decide whether to revoke their decision to introduce the 450 charge.

'Take Back Trinity' campaigners say they are no longer willing to stand by and watch the commodification of their education.

A silent protest got underway earlier, while large numbers are expected to join a further rally around now.
By Louise Walsh

A Co Louth couple have been hailed as heroes after they saved the life of a heart-attack victim in Drogheda.

Mark McDonnell and Laura Armada Buch from Termonfeckin have been sincerely thanked by the family of the man who collapsed behind the wheel whilst driving with his wife in a packed carpark of the M1 Retail Shopping Plaza.

The couple's quick actions enabled Mark to stop the swerving car before it crashed, while Laura then performed CPR for 10 minutes until the emergency services arrived.

The drama unfolded at 1.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday last when Mark, Laura and their two sons Dylan (8) and Izan (4) were coming from a swimming lesson the retail park.

Laura, 37, explained that it all happened 'in a flash', as she was putting the children in their car.

"Mark, 46, noticed a car that was making a funny noise coming around the corner. All of a sudden he took off over to the car when he saw the driver fall back in the seat.

"As the car swerved, he pulled the handbrake and took the keys from the ignition so it wouldn't crash. I saw him ringing the emergency services and ran to see if I could help"

Laura, a well-known local fitness instructor and juice producer, is highly trained in first aid and jumped in to help.

"The man had turned purple in the face and was struggling to breathe. I was looking for a pulse but couldn't find one.

"Other people had come on the scene at that point and I asked some men to lift him out of the car so I could perform CPR.

"The emergency services were also telling Mark to keep up CPR until the ambulance arrived."

Laura continued with the treatment for 10 minutes until paramedics got a pulse with a defibrillator and rushed him to hospital.

"It all happened so fast. His wife was also in the car and I think she was in a shocked state. Other people were making sure she was OK. I just remember thinking that he may not make it, but that I was going to give it my best shot to save him."

The couple were delighted to hear that the man was transferred to a Dublin hospital for a triple bypass and is now recovering well.

"His wife got in touch to thank us and her husband wants to meet up when he's able."

When contacted, the man's wife said they preferred to keep their identity anonymous, but added that her husband was recovering and that they would like to publicly say a huge thanks to Laura and Mark for all they did.
The majority of over 65s in Ireland have never used the internet - with concerns they are being left behind.

Age Action Ireland says older people are being cut off from the opportunities and benefits of being online.
Audrey is back to offer some helpful advice to readers.

Cmere, whats the story with World War Three. I see the Russkis do be livid because Simon Coveney told them one of their diplomats has to go home. Like, Im not trying to be funny, but most people I know would love to be expelled from Dublin. I was up there with the old doll two weeks ago, it do be fierce busy and someone needs to have a word with them about their accent. (Its ridiculous.) So, like, can you tell the Russian lad to cheer up and hell be better off, even if they send him to Siberia? Dowcha Donie, Blackpool, why dont we have embassies in Cork?

Great question. I agree with you 100%, which is bizarre really, given that you are from the northside. I asked my swotty nephew, Political Paul, if he thinks we are heading for conflict. He said the only thing that can stop it now is the quality of intelligence from our security services. I said you mean the guards. He said yes. I said where would be a good place to buy a bomb shelter?

Its my Joshs seventh birthday next weekend and Ive invited all my friends and relations to our place, so I can humiliate them with my new 73,000 kitchen. My only problem is the cake  Im terrified people wont realise I spent 650 on it. So, heres my question: Would it be considered common to put the price on the cake, rather than Happy Birthday Josh xx? Alicia, Monkstown, Id hate for people to think we were struggling, you know that kind of a way?

No. (People know were struggling, because My Conor only works in the Central Statistics Office.) Sorry now, but paying someone to bake your childs birthday cake is as common as a majorettes hen party in Garryvoe. Youre nobody in Posh Cork these days if you dont bake the cake from scratch. So, rather than throwing money at the problem, you will need a secret ingredient called motherly love. (Look it up.)

Hello old stock. Spot of bother with HR at work, it turns out youre no longer allowed to wink at a woman and call her a grand girl, when youre asking her to make you a cup of coffee. (No one told me.) The upshot is I have to make a presentation to the board, explaining the changes I am going to make in my dealings with the chicky babes. Unfortunately, the only presentation I ever encountered was the name of the place I went to school. People keep talking about this thing called Powerpoint  do you think my secretary will be able to help? (Shes a little treasure.) Reggie, Blackrock, Im sexy not sexist, thats my motto.

Never drive through Cappoquin with the windows open. (Thats mine.) I asked my friend Penny about this, shes an expert in HR. She said you really need to change jobs. I said surely there isnt an organisation out there that could tolerate his views on women. She said maybe try the Catholic Church. #Controversial.

Hey. Im living in a luxury yurt just outside Dunmanway, with my special man, Kai Karma (not his real name.) Anyway, the universe smiled on us last week and blessed us with a son, Crystal Zappa (not his real name.) We dont want to get him baptised, but my mother is deeply religious and her house in Kinsale is worth more than 2m. I hate talking about money, but I might need her help financially, given that the market doesnt seem to be ready for my gluten-free artisan cookies, made with fairy dreams. Do you think I should get Crystal Zappa baptised, for his own sake? Mermaid Skye (not my real name.)

Hi Gobnait. (I remember you from school  nice one on changing your name. ) I have a cousin, Blunt Brenda, shes a nun. (Imagine.) I said what does God think of non-believers who get their children baptised? She said, he thinks its hilarious. I said why. She said because nothing is funnier than a new mom dressing too sexy, downing two bottles of Prosecco and spraining her wrist in a bouncy castle. I said, what are you talking about? She said, an Irish christening.

Hola. I am working here in Cork for the past three months. All this week, the Irish boys are asking me if I am going to the pub this Friday, because I look a bit like a young Penelope Cruz. They say that everybody will be there. What is so special about the pub this Friday? Cristina, Barcelona and Popes Quay, at home I am considered plain, but here I am like nine of out 10.

I get the same reaction in Macroom. Its actually compulsory for every Irish person to head to the pub because its the first time it will be open on Good Friday since 1927. Although it mightnt seem like such a good Friday when Stinger from Clonmel tries to lick your ear at closing time. (Theres a Stinger in every pub.)
A hundred years ago this month, the SS Kenmare was torpedoed, one of dozens of Irish civilian ships sunk by the Germans in WWI, says Jean Prendergast.

One hundred years ago, on March 2, 1918, the City of Cork Steam Packet ship, the SS Kenmare, was struck, without warning, by a torpedo fired by a German submarine in the Irish Sea, 25 miles off the Dublin coast.

The Kenmare sank in two minutes. She had been on a regular voyage from Liverpool to Cork and this was the fourth time that she had been attacked by a submarine.

In June, 1915, she was fired on by a submarine off Youghal. In January, 1918, seven miles off Holyhead, a torpedo narrowly missed her.

This time, however, 27 crew members were drowned and the six who made it into a lifeboat remained adrift in cold, rough seas, until they were picked up at 8am the following morning.

Most of the men were asleep in their bunks and were awoken by the explosion. 30-year-old fireman, Tim OBrien, of Blackpool, was thrown out of his bunk. The lights went out, but he managed, along with fellow crew member, 72-year-old James Barry, of Lower Road, to make it into the first of two lifeboats.

The second lifeboat, containing 25 of the crew, overturned in the water and only one of these was rescued. The survivors described how, for the next ten minutes, they had to listen to the cries of the drowning, but were unable to help.

As news reached Cork of the disaster, the Cork Examiner newspaper described the heart-rending scenes at the offices of the Steam Packet Company, on Penrose Quay, and how the young daughter of Captain Peter Blacklock, a Liverpudlian who had made his home on Victoria Road, asked When is pappy expected?

The City of Cork Steam Packet Company had been founded in Cork in the middle of the nineteenth century and operated mainly freight services between Cork and ports in the UK and Europe.

On the outbreak of the First World War, the company continued to operate and the Kenmare was not to be its only victim of submarines in 1918. The Inniscarra and the Innisfallen were both torpedoed in May, 1918, followed by the Imber, in July, and the Serula, in September.

Another SS Kenmare was launched by the company in 1921.

The previous year, the company lost the Kittiwake, the Lismore, the Bandon, Dafila, Clangula, and the Ardmore, while two ships were sunk in collisions. In the first two years of the war, 11 of the companys ships had been attacked or sunk, and one, the Lestris, was captured by the German navy and its crew interned.

However, by the end of the war, the company had only one ship remaining and had lost over 178 of its employees, most of whom were Cork-born or Cork-resident.

The company, nevertheless, continued to operate cross-channel and European sailings throughout the war. It played a vital part in ensuring that Cork did not suffer completely from war-induced food shortages and, as the war progressed, it offered war risk payments to the sailors.

With many Cork merchant sailors being called up to serve in the Royal Navy, the company also recruited in the UK and from Sierra Leone. Indeed, five of the sailors lost during this time came from the latter country, demonstrating the diversity of pre-Independence Cork.

Ships were also defensively armed in the later years of the war and carried two or three Royal Naval Reserve gunners, but a single stern gun was little defence against a torpedo.

After the sinking of the Bandon, in April, 1917, the Skibbereen Eagle commented: No more shall the hoot of the siren coming up the Lee cause these mothers and orphans to flush with joyous anticipation of the homecoming of the mariners who brought to them, aye, and to the city, the daily bread of life.

At one fell blow, twenty-five homes were stricken; twenty-five men, innocent of any wrong against man, defenceless against unseen treachery, and looking forward but to the sight of Shandon, were sent hurriedly to their maker.

Of the sailors, many would experience being torpedoed twice or more. 2nd engineer, Robert King, of Grattan Hill, who was saved from the Lismore, when she was torpedoed in April, 1917, was also saved from the Innisfallen, in May, 1918.

As he clung to a raft after the sinking of the Innisfallen, he witnessed the submarine surface, but it was chased away by the arrival of H.M.S. Kestrel. Otto von Schrader, the captain of UB-64, which had sunk the Innisfallen, was credited with sinking 57 ships during the First World War.

He served as an admiral in the German Navy during the Second World War and committed suicide, in Norway, in July, 1945.

By June, 1918, cook Michael Walsh, of Ashburton, had been on four torpedoed ships and was saved from the Ardmore in November, 1917, and from the Innisfallen. Timothy Buckley, of Blarney Street, was the quartermaster of the Inniscarra, when she was torpedoed in May, 1918.

He was lost, as was his son, Florence, a trimmer on the same ship, who had played hurling for Redmonds, while another Cork hurler, fireman, Michael Dorney, was saved from the Ardmore in November, 1917. Father and son, Timothy Twomey Senior and Timothy Junior, of Glanmire, were both lost on the Ardmore.

After the war, the company was taken over by a Liverpool-based shipping company that would eventually become the B & I Line, which operated until the 1990s until it, in turn, was taken over by the Irish Continental Group.

Ironically, during the Second World War, the City of Cork Steam Packet Company also lost another ship named Ardmore and another named Innisfallen, and would go on to launch three more Innisfallens on their cross-channel service.

In May, 1921, the home of the companys director, Ebenezer Pike, was burnt.

The following November, a letter from an anonymous ex-City of Cork Steam Packet Company employee was published in the Cork Examiner, complaining that local sailors were being boycotted by the company, in favour of sailors recruited in Liverpool.

The writer said that if this is to be the reward given by this company to the seamen of Cork, for their services on their ships during the war, when they had the good fortune to be rescued from watery graves, then God help the seamen of Cork.

The sailors were not only forgotten by their former employers, but also by historians and the people of Cork.

By comparison, in 1997, a memorial to 83 Waterford merchant sailors, lost during the First World War, was erected on the quays there, along with a well-researched booklet, sponsored by Waterford City Council and the Heritage Council.

It remains for Cork, so justly proud of its maritime tradition, to recognise its own merchant sailors of the First World War.
Ahead of Organ Donor Awareness Week, Margaret Jennings talks with Vera Dwyer, the longest-surviving single lung transplant victim in the world.

Three decades ago she was given five years to live, but Sligo-based Vera Dwyer has defied the odds and now holds the title of the longest-surviving single lung transplant recipient in the world.

The great-grandmother, who celebrated her 77th birthday just last week, received her certificate from the Guinness Book of Records four years ago.

At the age of 47  then a mother of four children  she was told her time was limited, after she underwent a pioneering lung transplant operation in the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital in London, because she was suffering from a condition called fibrosis alveolitis  a progressive thickening of the walls of the air sacs of the lungs.

It seemed a cruel blow that fate had dealt, since she had never smoked and was fit, but she faced it with a day-by-day determination that has stood by her well.

Every day was a bonus to me. If I got five years I was thinking the youngest one will be such an age and the next one will be such an age... and thats the way I was looking at it.

As the years mounted and her children grew up, Vera got on with her life in the family farm at Carrowcrory, grateful every day to her organ donor who had made those extra decades possible.

Then nine years ago she was faced with kidney failure, a side-effect, she says, of the anti-rejection drug she had been taking for her original transplant.

I was on home dialysis for about 18 months and that was a big ordeal. Then I had to go to Sligo three times a week for dialysis and that was hard going. Eventually, I was offered the transplant  I was coming home from dialysis and I got the word in the taxi, she tells Feelgood.

Aware that she has been doubly blessed by organ donation, Vera says: Only for my two donors I would be long gone  I pray for them every single day and for their families... they were so good to donate their organs.

So what has kept her going? She has a strong religious faith and huge connection with her adult children and the extended family who all live within a five-minute drive of her home, which is especially precious since her rock, her husband Mike, died after 50 years of marriage some years back.

I asked God every day to let me see my children get reared and then it went from that to see them get married. And from that to see their children, so it keeps going on... Thats whats keeping me alive. I keep pushing the goalposts out with God... my bucket list keeps getting bigger, she says.

In her late 40s when given a death sentence, she would never have dreamt shed see her six grandchildren grow up, not to mention two great-grandchildren  two lovely little girleens, Leah 6, and Alyesha 2.

Shes committed to a healthy lifestyle too, including eating home-cooked food and walking daily, but is currently hindered as shes on crutches awaiting a hip operation.

So how does she feel about facing the operating theatre again?

Im a great believer in the Sacred Heart and any time I was having an anaesthetic all I would say is Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in thee, and I was gone to sleep.

Vera Dwyer, the longest surviving lung transplant recipient in the world.

"And then Id wake up and Id be so grateful. Its in his hands to guide the surgeons and doctors looking after me. And I say that prayer every day anyway. Its all in his hands.

One of the gifts she received three decades ago when her health failed was a fuller appreciation of her surroundings: I love nature. My goodness... I never saw it until I got sick. I hadnt time to look around. And then when you get sick you see all those beautiful things around you.

Im hoping that the hip will be done soon so I can be ready for the summer again to take off walking.

Her dog, Jessie, a shih tzu, is champing at the bit to get going too: Shes like a person  shed nearly understand every word I say to her. Shes about eight or nine now at this stage. She gets so excited when she sees me getting my runners on  she runs around in rings until I get outside the door.

For those sitting on the fence around donating organs, Vera says: Oh please, please sign up for it. It makes such a difference. I got 30 years out of my donors lung and then my kidney. It makes such a difference to people. Its a whole new life to give.

Organ Donor Awareness Week runs from tomorrow, March 31 to April 7. There are approximately 550 people in Ireland awaiting life-saving transplants. Thanks to the gift of organ donation, almost 3,500 transplanted people in Ireland are enjoying extended life. For further information visit www.ika.ie/card
Bill Griffin has hung out with Francis Bacon, and been given a watch by Gadaffi, but he is at his

happiest in his studio in Co Cork, writes Colette Sheridan.

Self-taught artist, BillGriffins early dabbling in art as a schoolboy earned him whacks across his hands when he was caught sketching nudes. A pupil at the North Monastery in Cork, he recalls stupidly putting the drawings into the back of my English copy-book. The leather strap was part of the daily routine.

Griffin, whose latest exhibition is currently showing in Cobh, recalls painful memories of school. I was dyslexic. The teachers thought they could beat that out of you. They didnt know what dyslexia was. They thought it was stupidity and that I was a bit slow. I knew I wasnt the idiot they kept telling me I was.

But if youre told youre an idiot, it doesnt take long before you lose confidence.

Originally from Barretts Terrace in Blarney Street, Cork, Griffins father worked as a dental mechanic. Griffin, who harboured ambitions to be an artist, left school at 14 and started working in an engineering business on North Main Street. After a few years there, he got a job in Fords car factory.

It could have been a job for life but I got fired after 12 months, for incompetence, he says.

Like many of his generation (Griffin was born in 1947), he moved to London when he was 19. The plan was to become an artist, armed with a letter of introduction to contacts at Chelsea Art College, written by the sculptor Seamus Murphy, a good friend of Griffins father.

Reflecting on that time, Griffin says he thought he was a man of the world. But I was coming from Cork. So what do you expect? I was naive.

It was the mid-1960s in London and the young Griffin discovered sex, drugs and rocknroll. Was it exciting?

It didnt seem so at the time but looking back now, it definitely was. I started painting over there and I hung out with artists.

Among these artists was Francis Bacon, whose advice to Griffin was to always get paid in guineas rather than pounds. Griffin went to dinner a few times with Bacon and his lover /muse, George Dyer, who took his own life in 1971, aged 37. Griffin became friendly with Dyer and witnessed firsthand Bacons appalling treatment of the handsome young man.

Griffin has written a one-man show about the relationship between Bacon and Dyer which will be performed in Cobh.

Bacon was charming and generous to a fault when he was sober. But he was obnoxious when he was drunk and was extremely bitchy.

Dyer wasnt treated well by Bacon. He was Bacons model. He did about 20 portraits involving Dyer and this work was widely regarded as his best period. When he completed those paintings, Bacon didnt really want any more to do with Dyer. Bacon still wanted him around but the intimacy was gone. He had been using the sexuality between them for his work.

For Griffin, trying to make a living as an artist in London was difficult. I used to take odd jobs now and then but nothing ever lasted more than a few weeks. I was in one exhibition but the gallery owner vanished with all the funds. That was really the end of it for me. I stayed for another year but being Irish in London at the time certainly didnt help.

Griffin met a man in the oil business and re-invented himself, this time as an oil rig contractor. The work was tough but he says he loved it. It was the physicality of it and being out at sea.

Along the way, however, he lost confidence in his art. I no longer thought I had any talent. Art is all about confidence and being willing to take chances. I was a bit older, settling down with my then wife. We had three kids. Being an artist wasnt possible.

But in 1999, Griffin had what he calls a moment of madness when he decided to return to art. It had been lurking there somewhere. I was also disillusioned with the oil business. I had spent a few years in and around Iraq and I saw the way the industry was treating the population. Some of them starved to death. A million Iraqis died from sanctions that we imposed.

Among the more colourful anecdotes from Griffins career in oil involves Colonel Gaddafi giving him the gift of a Rolex watch in gratitude for Griffin organising, through his work contacts, cutting-edge Swiss medical care for the late Libyan leaders nephew who had been in a car accident. But as Griffin later discovered when he got it valued at Keanes Jewellers (with a view to a pension pot), the watch isnt made of solid gold but rather a gold plate, albeit with small diamonds.

Griffin loves his base in Allihies in West Cork, Griffin has had about 40 exhibitions. His art career, second-time around, is a success story. He credits his partner, Deirdre ODonovan, a school principal, with supporting him through the lean years of the recession.

Griffins work is bold and colourful, although he works in semi-darkness, saying that the images are all in his head. Much of his work, oil on canvas, is figurative. Even when he paints landscapes, a figure will sneak onto the painting.

He has been described as a religious painter and says that while hes not religious, he likes telling stories on canvas that sometimes include bearded biblical-type figures. Using his fingers to paint, instead of a paintbrush, Griffin often works on up to 20 paintings at a time.

At the moment, Im doing a lot of painting on recycled material, he says.

His portrait of the late Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, is still in his West Cork studio. While it was reported back in 2005 that Griffin was invited to Cuba to meet the revolutionary leader, that didnt transpire. Griffin, who was commissioned to paint the portrait by the Thomas Francis Maher Society in Cork, and he says there are still plans to find a home for it in Ireland.

Bill Griffins exhibition runs atColiemore in Cobh until May 1.
I have been examining bus fares over recent weeks and discovered there are major anomalies in the pricing structure of Bus Eireann services, whereby west Cork bus users are charged excessive rates in comparison to almost anywhere else in the country.

A monthly TaxSaver ticket for Kinsale to Cork city, for example, costs 232.50, whilst a Carlow to Dublin ticket only costs 206.

Carlow-Dublin commuters are travelling at least 96km one way, and yet they are charged significantly less than Kinsale-Cork commuters who arent even travelling a third of that distance.

Even within Cork itself; a return commute from Cork city to Carrigaline would cost the patron less than 4, but travel less than twice that distance to Bandon and the charge is 17.50.

It is ridiculous, west Cork bus prices are a joke.

Additionally, there is no real way for regular west Cork bus users to reduce their travel costs.

The only annual or monthly ticket available in west Cork is for the Kinsale to Cork city service, which, as previously mentioned, is still incredibly expensive. What about bus users in Bandon? Or Bantry? Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Dunmanway... the list goes on.

There are many west Cork residents who rely on public transport but the prices are making it completely unaffordable.

Large investments have been made in our public transport systems over recent times but it is difficult to encourage and promote the use of the services when they are too expensive for regular users.

It is a serious problem when owning and maintaining a vehicle is more cost-effective than using public transport. I have been liaising with Bus Eireann, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and the National Transport Authority, demanding a review of the current pricing structure of the bus services in west Cork.

We must make our public services accessible, and I intend to see prices reduced.

Senator Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)

Kinsale

Co Cork
A seed of hope was sown on the steps of Corks City Hall yesterday as organisers of a protest outlined how they plan to go about persuading the Government to set up a joint Oireachtas committee to conduct a root-and-branch review of the sexual abuse complaints process.

One woman, whose own case is currently with the DPP and who did not wish to be identified other than being a Sinn Fein activist, said the hope is that an Oireachtas committee would look at how to put in place better protections for abuse survivors who come forward with complaints so that they dont feel victimised, or in a position where society is naming and shaming them.

We want to call for jurors to have special training and we want specially trained gardai to deal with victims when they are making a statement, she said.

The hope was that the proposal for an Oireachtas committee would have cross-party support. The proposal will be launched by way of an open meeting, followed by a campaign, leading up to a Dail motion that the committee be established.

Unless we get the political impetus behind this, nothing is going to change, she said.

Today is the start of something. Something has to come of this. We cant just stop this and have nothing come of it, she said.

A supporter is upset listening to the speakers at the I Believe Her solidarity rally at City Hall, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Green Party member Lorna Bogue said she backed the proposal for an Oireachtas Committee tasked specifically with examining the manner in which sex abuse cases are handled. She said she was also calling for funding for a new Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland report, as the last one was published in 2002.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry, who attended the protest, said he had come to show my support for victims of rape.

Aisling Murphy and Kiristin Tocci at the solidarity rally at City Hall, Picture: Brendan Gleeson Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

I came to show that I was appalled that the [rugby rape trial] court case turned into a trial of the woman and to say that I believe her, he said.

Earlier this week Ireland rugby internationals Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted of rape at Belfast Crown Court, while Blane McIlroy was acquitted of exposure and Rory Harrison was found not guilty of perverting the cause of justice and of withholding information.

Holding yellow flowers as a sign of support at the I Believe Her solidarity rally at City Hall, Cork yesterday. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Gwen Boyle, aged 30, from Ballydehob, Co Cork, said the fallout from the courtroom in Laganside was not just about this individual case, its about rape victims and the way victims are treated in general.

I just hope it wont dissuade anyone from looking for help, whether it is going to the police or the rape crisis centre, or just talking to someone, she said,

The problem with seeing something like this dragged through the media and dragged through the courts, is that people put themselves in that situation and say I wouldnt want to have to go through that.

Taffina Flood with her daughter Sadie ONolan, 11, on OConnell St, Dublin, yesterday as thousands of people came out to a rally in support of rape victims. Picture: Eamonn Farrell

Tjitske de Vries, originally from the Netherlands, but living in Cork, spoke to the crowd outside City Hall about her experience of rape.

I want people to feel empowered to get justice because what we are doing now is showing the world, showing our women and men, that there is only a small chance that your case will go to court, she said. And in the meantime you will have to tell your story time upon time, only for someone to point out the discrepancies. It has to stop.

Protestors at the We Believe Her rally in Limerick. Picture: Liam Burke

Ms Bogue said she had never seen anything quite so emotional as yesterdays protest.

There were a lot of people crying and you dont often see that, she said.

Maggie ONeill looks at the flowers at the Limerick protest. Aisling Murphy and Kiristin Tocci at the solidarity rally at City Hall, Picture: Brendan Gleeson

As the rally drew to a close and the protesters were asked if anyone else wanted to contribute, a lone voice cried out I believe her. The chant was taken up by everyone present as people queued to place their flowers on historic steps that have seen their fair share of protest.
More than 1,700 people have reportedly been killed in military operations and airstrikes on Eastern Ghouta since late February, the United Nations aid chief said, describing the past few months of relentless bloodshed as some of the worst yet for civilians inside war-torn Syria.

Mark Lowcock said attacks on critical civilian infrastructure like medical facilities continue to be reported with at least 28 reported attacks on health facilities since mid-February and more than 70 verified incidents since the beginning of this year.

Tens of thousands of people have also been displaced from across the war-ravaged country and many are living in overcrowded, ill-equipped shelters. There is also a severe shortage of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, as well as rising protection concerns, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council earlier this week, a UN press release issued Wednesday said.

UN agencies and their partners are working as hard as conditions permit to provide support to people in need, but challenges, ranging from physical security for aid workers, continued fighting, denial of access, and lack of resources, are huge.

He deplored that the aid agency is just given crumbs shortly before its monthly briefings to the Security Council members, underscoring that 5.6 million Syrians in acute need cannot live on crumbs.

The senior relief official called on all Council Members as well as the members of the International Syria Support Group Humanitarian Task Force  the UN-backed task force created two years ago to boost aid delivery to besieged towns and war-weary civilians  to exert their individual and collective influence over the parties.

He also reiterated the UN Secretary-Generals call on all parties to fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law, to ensure immediate humanitarian access and guarantee the protection of civilians, including in relation to displacements and evacuations.

According to the UN, the seemingly unending conflict in Syria has surpassed World War II in terms of duration and since the conflict broke out in March 2011, more than 13 million Syrians remain dependent on humanitarian assistance, including 6.1 million internally displaced and over 5.5 million driven into refuge outside its borders.

Furthermore, a third of houses and residences across the country and about half of all health facilities are estimated to have been destroyed.

More than 2.75 million children are out of school and about two-thirds of all Syrian children have lost a loved one, had their house damaged or suffered conflict-related injuries.
It comes following confirmation the referendum will take place on Friday, May 25.

Ministers told the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting last night they want Health Minister Simon Harris to hold the campaign meeting in Leinster House at 11am this morning, as referendum campaigning began in earnest last night.

In a widely expected move yesterday, Health Minister Simon Harris and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said the referendum polling day would take place on Friday, May 25.

Government ministers, speaking after the Seanad passed the referendum bill by 40 votes to 10 and flanked by European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee and Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone, urged the public to come out and cast their vote.

The referendum bill has now passed all stages of the Oireachtas, Minister Harris has signed the polling day order, and a referendum will be held on Friday May 25, said Mr Murphy, who has formal responsibility for the poll date due to his local government portfolio.

Standing beside him, Mr Harris said Ireland had the chance to right the wrong of the Eighth Amendment.

With the referendum date officially announced, Fine Gael is understood to be preparing to act on its own advice, with Mr Harris due to hold a private meeting this morning with TDs and senators on how Fine Gaels campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment will be run.

The meeting will take place at Leinster House and will, among other issues, see participants discuss who should be the partys national campaign director during the referendum. While sources have tipped Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to take the role, no decision has been made.

News of the private meeting this morning  confirmed at a three-hour abortion discussion during Fine Gaels parliamentary party meeting last night  emerged as the Seanad passed the referendum bill by 40 votes to 10, clearing the way for the May 25 date. In an at times divisive debate, Fine Gael senator Jerry Buttimer, Sinn Fein senator Paul Gavan and Labour senator Ivana Bacik all insisted change must take place.

However, backed by more than half of Fianna Fails senators, pro-life members said they could not support the bill. They included Independent senator Ronan Mullen, who said voting for a constitutional change in the belief abortion access will afterwards be limited to 12 weeks is like saying Ill leave the front door open, but I really hope the burglars dont come in past the hallway.

The passing of the referendum bill and May 25 date came as Tanaiste Simon Coveney told colleagues at last nights parliamentary party meeting he regretted the confusion caused by his two thirds Dail majority suggestion, with both issues receiving significant opposition party attention yesterday.

While Labour TD Alan Kelly said Mr Harriss 12 weeks Citizens Assembly suggestion was an attempt to spare Mr Coveneys blushes, Government and pro-choice groups downplayed suggestions the 12-week law could change.

However, the issue gained further attention yesterday after Agriculture Minister Michael Creed told the Irish Examiner the 12-week rule may be changed after the referendum.

Speaking at a Brexit business loans launch in Dublin, Mr Creed said he supports repealing the Eighth Amendment, but he added: There will probably be as many opinions on the detail of that legislation as there are members of the Oireachtas.

At separate events, the Together4Yes campaign again called for the public to vote for repeal, while former Fine Gael senator Fidelma Healy Eames and Fine Gael junior finance minister John Paul Phelan launched a pro-life campaign to encourage women to put their children up for adoption, instead of seeking an abortion.

People who want to check if they are registered to vote can log on to checktheregister.ie. A supplementary register will also be put in place, while the postal vote cut-off point will be April 28.
The Central Statistics Office resumed publication of Garda crime figures yesterday, the first time in nine months, but said the figures carried a heavy health warning on their reliability.

As well as publishing updated homicide data, the CSO published recent figures, which show as 17% jump in sexual offences, including a 28% rise in rapes  increases described as shocking by Rape Crisis Network Ireland.

The 2017 figures also indicate increases in 12 of the 13 crime categories, with the sharpest rises in recorded assaults, frauds and weapons, but with a sharp drop in homicides on 2016 data.

The CSO conducted a detailed review of homicide figures going back to 2003, following an internal Garda review over a three-year period that identified 12 cases that should be upgraded to homicide and separate issues the CSO had also identified.

They said yesterday they were publishing the homicide data and the more recent crime figures under reservation: meaning they continued to have concerns over the quality of the underlying data.

They were taking this action in the public interest, given the void in statistics for nine months, and said the data was the best available figures.

The homicide review showed there were 234 additional homicides between 2003 and 2016 than had been previously recorded which is an increase of 18%.

It ranged from nine additional homicides in a year to up to 25 additional homicides which indicates an average of 17 more per year.

There were 196 more dangerous driving leading to death cases, a rise of 39%.

This category accounted for 84% of all the additional homicides, while 41 additional homicides were in the category of manslaughter.

The review showed there were three fewer murders than previously recorded.

The CSO said the higher figures were due to a combination of factors: the Garda review of suspicious deaths; homicides being incorrectly flagged as a secondary crime where multiple crimes occurred; an offence of dangerous driving not being reclassified as dangerous driving causing death where that occurred; only a single fatality being recorded where multiple fatalities occurred and misclassifications within homicide.

An ongoing review of Garda homicide classifications is being conducted by the Garda Working Group, in conjunction with the Policing Authority. This could result in further updates to the figures, the CSO said.

The CSO also published crime data for 2017 and have updated all crime figures back to 2013. These figures, also published under reservation, show:

n A 17% jump in sexual offences (from 2,520 to 2,945), including a 28% increase in rape and a 56% rise in sexual offences against a mentally impaired person.

n A 13% increase in the assault category (from 16,640 to 18,803), including a 10% rise in assault causing harm and a 26% jump in murder threats.

n An 8% rise in kidnappings, a 4.5% rise in robberies and a 3% increase in burglaries, including a 6% jump in aggravated burglaries.

n A 7% increase in thefts and a 23% jump in fraud offences.

n A 5% rise in drug offences and an 11% jump in weapons offences, including a 3.5% rise in possession of guns and a 10% rise in possession of offensive weapons, including knives.

n A 5% increase in criminal damage and a 7% rise in public order offences.

Regarding the figures stretching back to 2013, it shows a massive jump in recorded sexual offences, from 1,904 in 2013 to 2,945 in 2017, with a substantial rise in assaults, from 14,365 to 18,803. Rape Crisis Network Ireland executive director Cliona Saidlear said the 28% increase in rape offences in 2017 was shocking.

These are very significant increases, she said.

Rape Crisis Network Ireland recognise the CSO is releasing these figures under reservation.

This is a compromise between having the continued unacceptable absence of all statistics and releasing some that have not yet reached an acceptable standard but which give us a good indication of what those numbers are.

The large changes in reporting numbers in sexual offences from 20162017 tell us why this release, even if under reservation, is so important.

Deputy Garda commissioner John Twomey said while more analysis would be required, the belief of the organisation was that the rise in sexual assaults was due to increased reporting.

In relation to the updated crime statistics, he said: The publication of the crime statistics is a step in the right direction, but we know we need to do a lot more in this area.

We will be working closely with the CSO on an improvement plan so that we are satisfied that our data properly supports operational policing and the CSO can remove the under reservation designation.

Editorial: 14

Analysis: 15
Internal Garda reviews have found that two domestic abuse incidents prior to the event had not been properly classified by gardai, and that a garda should have taken a statement from Ms Phillips, after she presented at Dundalk Station, having seen she had physical injuries.

But it said that the gardai concerned had taken significant actions and that even had the incidents been classified more appropriately, it was unlikely Garda Golden would have taken a course of action other than bringing Ms Phillips to her Co Louth home to collect her personal belongings on 11 October.

The two related Garda reviews into the shooting at the house in Omeath, and the interaction between Mackin and Gardai, including his alleged subversive activity, were published yesterday.

The Garda Ombudsman is separately investigating the matter after setting up a public interest inquiry in April 2017.

Mackin, who was on bail for IRA membership charges at the time of the shooting, killed himself in the same incident.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan laid before the Oireachtas yesterday afternoon a document, written by Deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey, containing the two Garda reviews, which had been received by the Department of Justice 14 weeks ago.

Parts of the reviews were redacted, for legal and security reasons according to Mr Flanagan.

Deputy Commissioner Twomey said the first review, conducted by Assistant Commissioner John ODriscoll, found that Garda Golden was an exemplary member, his actions beyond reproach and his approach professional and community focused.

The review found that the Criminal Intelligence Office at the Special Detective Unit, which combats terrorism, issued an intelligence bulletin in January 2015 detailing the arrest and charge of Mackin that month and his bail conditions.

The review said this bulletin was sent to the Criminal Intelligence officer at Drogheda Garda Station, but was not disseminated any further among gardai.

RTE Prime Time reported in April 2017 that Mackin was arrested in relation to the possession of firearms and importation of gun parts and that the 24-year-old made admissions to gardai.

The programme report, based on interviews with Mackins solicitor Paul Tiernan, said Mackin was not charged with these offences, but with membership of the IRA, which he denied. He was remanded on bail.

The report raised questions about attempts to use Mackin as an informant.

Ms Phillips parents, Sean and Norma, have repeatedly called for a public inquiry in this matter and also how gardai handled prior complaints of domestic violence.

Deputy Commissioner Twomey said the second review, conducted by Asst Comm Eugene Corcoran, reviewed documentation relating to intelligence matters, but a subsequent paragraph is redacted.

He said relevant files had been withheld from the Gsoc investigation, based on legislative provisions on security matters.

An Garda Siochana awaits the outcome of the investigation being conducted by Gsoc into these matters, and it is advised that all materials sought by Gsoc have been fully complied with, save for records held at Security & Intelligence Section, which are being dealt with under the relevant protocols governing sensitive material, he said.

Gsoc said that it had no comment to make on the internal Garda report.

When it launched its inquiry, Gsoc said that full and timely cooperation by the Garda Siochana would be critical to the effectiveness and progress of the important investigation.
Admitting there was an extremely disturbing rise in the numbers of homeless, the Taoiseach conceded the Government needed to drill down into why its policies were not working.

His most trusted minister who oversees housing, Eoghan Murphy, could now face a Dail motion of no confidence after the Easter break, amid calls for him to be fired over the crisis.

Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty asked in the Dail if his position was untenable yesterday. Furthermore, relations between housing campaigners and Mr Murphy are at an all-time low.

Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin, who shadows the minister, told the Irish Examiner that a vote of no confidence could be moved by June.

If somebody has not delivered in their job after 12 months, then you have to question whether they will ever deliver, said Mr O Broin. That one-year period is a benchmark against which most ministers are judged. The clock is ticking.

Eoghan Murphy

Campaigner Fr Peter McVerry accused Mr Murphy of being an expert at spin.

There is a huge amount of spin in what the department is saying, he said.

The department [of housing] produced a plan 18 months ago. Its objective was to reduce homelessness and while I fully accept what the minister says, that the Government, through the local authorities, are housing as many homeless people as possible, the only test as to whether a plan introduced to reduce homelessness is working or not is are the numbers going down?, and the numbers you are housing is not the test as to whether the plan is working or not.

Sr Stanislaus Kennedy of Focus Ireland was equally scathing, questioning why student accommodation in cities was going up more quickly than homes for families

Mr Doherty asked how people could take the Taoiseachs defence seriously, given children homeless figures had increased by 100% since the last election.

Fianna Fails Michael McGrath said promise after promise had been broken as he noted that banks, vulture funds, and developers continued to hoard land. The tax on vacant sites was still awaited, he said, and a report on the cost of building was still not complete.

While rough sleeping numbers had reduced, said Mr Varadkar, it was deeply frustrating to see the growing numbers presenting without homes. He pledged to work out over the next few weeks why there were lots of commercial, hotel and student developments but not residential ones.

Under questioning at the Oireachtas finance committee, he was forced to admit that yes, it is an emergency. This would not help build homes quicker though, he admitted.

Figures this week showed that most of the 700 homeless families in Dublin are housed in hotels. This is despite a pledge by Tanaiste Simon Coveney that this practice would stop last July.

Asked could he imagine his children sleeping in emergency accommodation yesterday, Mr Coveney said the number of families who are homeless upset him as an individual and as a father.

However, housing campaigners are running out of patience with government policies, which they feel are inadequate and ultimately are not reducing numbers seeking beds and homes.

Fr McVerry said the actual number of homeless people is the ultimate indicator as to whether the Governments plan is working.

The Department of Housing are experts in spin, and the minister has given loads of statistics, but you really have to analyse those statistics very carefully, the campaigner told RTE.

News: 7
Now an international think-tank has warned the practice may be forbidden under European law.

The Swiss-based Global Detention Project (GDP) has highlighted the repeated criticisms made of the practice by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and by its UN equivalent.

The GDP says repeated research has shown that placing such people in prisons with people suspected of and/or sentenced for having committed criminal offences can be extremely traumatic for immigration detainees.

It notes that the Government said in 2015 it would build a dedicated immigration detention centre at Dublin Aiport but the facility has not yet materialised.

The practice of detaining people in prison because of doubts over their right to be in the country came in for intense criticism last year after a 24-year-old Brazilian woman was stopped at Dublin Airport, taken to prison, strip-searched, and detained overnight without legal representation after arriving to visit friends in Galway.

She was declared free to leave the next day, but the incident prompted complaints from the Brazilian embassy.

According to the Irish Prison Service, 335 people were detained in this way in 2015 and 408 in 2016. The GDP says it has concerns about the safeguards for such people, in particular, the lack of limits on the length of time they can be held.

Gardai can detain any adult suspected of being unlawfully in the State for less than three months. Those who are asylum seekers can be detained under the orders of a district court judge for 21 days at a time, with no limit on the number of such committals. [This] means asylum seekers can potentially be detained indefinitely, the GDP says.

Unauthorised non-nationals who are not asylum seekers can be detained for up to eight weeks but the clock stops if they take any legal challenge, so the eight weeks can stretch much longer.

Of 780 people detained between 2011 and 2012, a majority of 465 were detained for three days or less but 67 were detained for between a fortnight and a month and 37 for up to 50 days and 30 for longer than 50 days.

The GDP criticises Ireland for failing to ratify a UN protocol which would allow the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture from monitoring places of detention. Moreover, on the national level, Ireland has so far failed to implement a national preventative mechanism, as required [by the protocol].

Ireland is also due to opt into the EU Reception Conditions Directive which aims to harmonise the way immigrants are received in all EU countries. The GDP says when that happens, Ireland will no longer be allowed to use prisons to detain people for immigration reasons.
Close to one in five, links intelligence to race, believing that some races are born less intelligent than others.

Attitudes to the 200 nationalities, races and ethnicities that make up Irelands foreign-born residents are also closely linked to the state of the countrys economy with more positive attitudes prevailing in boom times and more negative attitudes in the recession.

Some groups of people prompt more negative responses than others. Fewer Irish people are willing to welcome more Muslims into the country than immigrants generally, and fewer again are open to having more Roma reside here.

The findings are from an Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission which looks at Irish attitudes to immigration and diversity between 2002 and 2014. Emily Logan, chief commissioner of the commission, said while the attitudes recorded were not extreme when compared to how many of our European neighbours feel about their immigrant communities, they still gave rise to some concerns.

In some ways, the findings hold up an uncomfortable mirror to our attitudes to immigration, she said.

Is it extreme? No, it isnt. But is there work to be done? Yes, of course, there is.

The report notes that 535,475 non-Irish nationals now live in Ireland, making up roughly one in nine of the population and giving Ireland the fourth highest proportion of foreign-born residents in the EU.

Ms Logan cautioned however, that the statistics gathered pre-dated the increase in migration to Europe from the Middle East in the last few years and the very divisive debate that has raged across Europe since.

The report found that, unlike other European countries, peoples attitudes do not vary much with age, whether they are rural or urban dwellers or whether their politics are classed as left wing or right wing.

Ms Logan said that she considered this a positive feature as it meant the immigration issue was less polarising here than elsewhere in Europe.

Whether this continues is a case for political leadership. We are encouraging our own politicians to show leadership on integration and understanding of diversity, she said.

Attitudes are influenced, however, by how well educated and financially secure people are. A very clear finding from this report is that those who have higher levels of education have more positive attitudes to immigration, said report co-author Frances McGinnity of the ESRI. She said there was also a link between attitudes and wealth.

There is definitely a story coming out that if youre more secure financially and in many other ways that youre more welcoming.

Ms Logan said while there was no indication from the report of racial tensions in poorer and marginalised communities, there was a need for policymakers to safeguard against any such development. She said that integration should be a key consideration in urban planning, school admissions, poverty reduction and community supports.

We like to think of ourselves as a compassionate, welcoming society but we have evidence to the contrary now, she said.

Recession has impact on opinions

The report is based on the biennial European Social Survey which interviewed 2,000 Irish people for each survey from 2002 to 2014. Attitudes were ranked on a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the most positive.

The highest ranking from Ireland was 6 which related to the question of whether it was felt immigration was good for the economy. This was recorded in 2006 at the height of the boom. That fell to a ranking of about 4.2 in 2010 at the height of the recession but it increased to 4.8 in 2014.

Respondents were also asked about the cultural impact of immigration and whether they felt overall that immigration made Ireland a better place. In both cases, attitudes were more positive during prosperity than during recession although the rankings changed less over the period surveyed.

Irish responses were compared with the average for 10 European countries  Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Irish attitudes wavered more as the economy fluctuated and were generally more negative on the cultural impact of immigration. On the question of whether the overall impact of immigration made the country a better place, Irish attitudes were more positive than the European average up to 2008 and have matched the other countries since.

Overall, about 58% of Irish people are open to allowing more immigrants of generally the same race to come and live here, although that figure was as high as 80% from 2002-2006.

However, when asked specifically about Muslims, the figure fell to 40% and only 25% would welcome more Roma.
A garda investigation is underway after eyewitnesses reported seeing the horse pulling a sulky cart before it collapsed in the Hawthorn Mews estate in the Dublin Hill area.

Witnesses say those in control of the horse detached the cart and left the scene, leaving the horse to die in the street.

Despite a public appeal for information, Corks ISPCA inspector Lisa ODonovan said the association is yet to receive any tip-offs from the public as to the identity of the horses owner.

We have been appealing through the papers and radio for information, but we have received nothing yet, said Ms ODonovan.

She said that, this incident aside, there were already existing concerns for the welfare of horses that are used for street sulky racing in and around the city.

This is not the first time such an incident has been reported, but often by the time we get there the riders and horse are gone, vanished into thin air, she said.

Cork North Central Fianna Fail TD Billy Kelleher said a balance needs to be struck between allowing the sulky racing tradition to continue and ensuring that best practice in terms of animal welfare is followed.

For my own part, I think a new licensing system is needed for anyone who wants to own horses for the purpose of sulky racing.

No horse should be without a registered and licensed owner. Every horse should be chipped, and a lead-in time to allow horse owners meet their obligations.

There is no reason on earth why a horse, or any animal for that matter, should die from exhaustion in this day and age.

The owners of this horse should hang their heads in shame for what they have done.

It makes me sick to the pit of my stomach, and I would urge the City Council to do whatever is necessary to ensure it never happens again, said Mr Kelleher.
The board determined such a development would run contrary to the local area plan.

An inspector had recommended granting permission for the supermarket to be built on a two-acre site behind Barrys Pub, between the Carrigaline Road and Churchyard Lane.

Cork County Council had granted planning permission but submissions from the local Tidy Towns group, along with businesses including Barrys Bar and Tesco, expressed concerns over traffic, parking, and the visual impact the proposed supermarket would have on the village. The site is located in a designated Architectural Conservation Area.

Despite the concerns, the inspector had proposed planning permission should be granted as the proposed development would not have a detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre and would otherwise be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

However, this week, An Bord Pleanala did not concur with the recommendation.

It ruled the proposed development was contrary to the local area plan which required that the Barrys Field site be developed in an integrated manner, providing a mixed-use development with full frontage along the Church Street and Carrigaline Road to form a continuous commercial strip with the existing Barrys Pub and Restaurant.

It is considered that, by reason of its semi-industrial form of design, its lack of civic design and streetscape presence onto Carrigaline Road and its lack of mix of uses on this prominent site within the Church Street Architectural Conservation Area, the proposed development would not contribute to the achievement of this objective, would adversely affect the Church Street Architectural Conservation Area, and would seriously injure the visual amenities of the area.

The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, the board said in its direction.
Residents of the Middle Parish said the 3pm to 6.30pm daily car ban on the citys main street, introduced on Tuesday has, as they feared, turned their area into a busy thoroughfare.

We told them (the city council) that this would happen, local resident Noel Tobin said.

Where did they think the traffic was going to go? It has to go somewhere. It wasnt going to evaporate.

And he warned that the traffic snarl ups will only get worse when local school and UCC reopen in just over a week.

The ban has created a time-regulated bus lane on St Patricks St in an effort to improve the efficiency of the 970 daily bus movements from the street.

But after a second evening of congestion on the city quays, Cornmarket St and Grattan St, and renewed calls for better communications about the new traffic arrangements, transport chiefs pledged to install more advance warning signs on the outskirts of the city centre island area to advise motorists about the changes, and about diversions.

In a statement, Cork City Council said it was clear from its analysis of traffic flows that many motorists continued to arrive on the approaches where the restricted access is being implemented, and that this caused additional delays.

On Washington Street in particular, drivers continued to make use of the inside lane which is now designated as a bus lane between 3pm and 6.30pm and then had to be diverted into Daunts Square, they said.

Traffic on the Coal Quay in Cork. Residents of the Middle Parish said the 3pm to 6.30pm daily car ban on Patrick St has, as they feared, turned their area into a busy thoroughfare.

A spokesman said traffic lights on St Patricks St and on all adjacent junctions are linked to a central control system, which allows the timing of the lights to be determined in real-time based on actual traffic flows.

And he said the timings of traffic lights on the designated alternative routes have already been programmed to cater for the planned restricted access.

But City Hall urged commuters and drivers to plan their journeys to avoid St Patricks St and to make use of the alternative routes.

Lawrence Owens, chief executive of the Cork Business Association, said they will continue to monitor the impact of the ban in the hope that these and other issues will be resolved before the end of the Easter holidays.

Communications is key here. We are tampering with a very big element here  the customer coming in to Cork City. And if we lose the customer, then we lose the business all around you.

We are here to see will it work for business, and if it doesnt, well want it rescinded, he said.

But the Green Party welcomed the new restrictions and called for new efforts to bring shoppers into the city.

Spokesperson Lorna Bogue said the car ban must be backed by initiatives such as an extension of the public bike scheme.

Stopping cars from entering St Patricks St also means that there is now an opportunity to prioritise access to the city centre for people with disabilities, she said.

The restrictions could be tweaked to allow drivers with a blue parking card access to park on the street and to do business on the same terms as users of taxis and buses.

Earlier this week, councillors called for a review of the citys parking policy.

Cllr Mick Finn said it is vital to address what he described as the major imbalance between the city and suburban shopping centres and to ensure the survival of the city centre and its ratepayers.
Since 2010, boys and girls from Ireland have been referred to a specialist NHS clinic in London which treats transgender children, but in the last two years, there has been a sharp increase in referrals of children feeling unhappy about their biological sex.

The children, who range from the age of eight to 17, are initially psychologically assessed in the Tavistock Clinic in the UK while treatment, which can involve puberty blockers, is mainly carried out in the Crumlin Hospital in Dublin.

The increase in Irish referrals in the past two years is attributed to the growing recognition of gender dysphoria, the distress from feeling there is a mismatch between biological sex and gender identity.

The number of children travelling for assessment outside of Ireland increased from 12 in 2015, to 33 last year.

Around one-third of the children treated in the Tavistock Clinic from all over Britain and Ireland are born as males while two-thirds are female at birth.

The clinic said young people in Ireland who proceed to the endocrinology clinic post-assessment are seen at Our Ladys Childrens Hospital in Dublin where some children are put on puberty blockers, which are reversible.

Permanent steps of surgery can only be carried out at the age of 18.

Around the country, some 300 families are receiving support to help their children with gender identity.

TransParenCI, a peer support group, helps parents, family members and relatives of children and adults who are questioning their gender identity.

Catherine Cross, family support and education officer of TransParenCI, said that, with growing openness around gender, there has been a big increase in attendance at their support groups around the country over the past few years.

There are 300 families around Ireland. We run support meetings for families in Dublin, Waterford, Cork and Kerry, she said.

It started in 2011 and there were about six couples.

We support the family. With a lot of the young children, its gender expression.

It may or may not be more significant later on in their life but we support families in what they need at that time.

The biggest cohort would be around puberty, so the 13 to 17 age group.

The countrys first ever helpline for family members of people who are transgender was launched last week.

The volunteer-led service will operate twice a month on a Sunday between 6pm and 9pm.

The Gender Identity Family Support Line (01 9073707) is an initiative of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and LGBT Ireland.
The UN Security Council joined Wednesday the world chorus of condemnations of the series of missile attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen Shia Houthi rebels over the week-end.

Seven missiles were fired on Saudi Arabia on Sunday by the Yemen rebels where the largest Sunni nation is leading an international coalition to prop up the internationally recognized rule of President Mansour Hadi who lost capital Sanaa and the majority of the northern part of the country to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The missiles were intercepted and debris of the projectiles in capital Riyadh left one Egyptian man dead. Saudi forces said they also brought down missiles in the southern cities of Najran, Jizan and Khamis Mushait.

The rebels previously launched other missiles. In November a rebel-launched missile landed near Riyadh international airport.

The 15-members of the Security Council took a stand against the Sunday attacks by the rebels.

The Yemen conflict has entered into the third year with human casualties put at round 10,000 and millions displaced who suffer from starvation.

The Security Council stopped short to blame Iran, which, according to Saudi Arabia, its allies and independent UN experts, has been supplying the Shia group with weapons.

Independent UN experts reported to the Security Council in January that Iran had violated UN sanctions on Yemen because it failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of ballistic missiles and other equipment to the Houthi group, Reuters reports.

Russia last month stood in the way of an attempt by western allies to adopt a UN resolution blaming Iran for arming directly or indirectly the Yemen rebels who vowed to continue attacking Saudi Arabia until Saudi-led coalition stops its raids.
Acting inspector of prisons, Helen Casey also found official prison records of times of checks on the inmate were incorrect and misleading.

Ms Casey reviewed CCTV footage which proved records that claimed staff checked on the man four times an hour were inaccurate.

She has subsequently warned that prison staff must understand that it is a serious matter to generate official documents that are misleading and/or inaccurate.

The 52-year-old married father, who was serving a six-month prison sentence, had received medical and psychiatric attention while in Cork Prison.

He died in the early hours of January 3, 2017, after he was placed under special observation in a designated Vulnerable Prisons Unit during the previous evening.

He was found unresponsive in the VPU at 23.38pm on January 2, and while the report stated staff acted promptly when the deceased was found to be unresponsive, he was pronounced dead at 1.20am on January 3.

However, Ms Casey reviewed CCTV footage which showed that the deceased inmate was twice left unattended for over an hour and a half on the night in question  despite standard operating procedures dictating he should have been checked on every 15 minutes.

Upon viewing the CCTV footage, Ms Casey found six intervals wherein the prisoner was left unattended for more than 15 minutes on the night he died.

The inspectors said the cause of death was a matter for a coroner.

The dead mans family claim prison had contributed to his untimely death and said the authorities appeared to be confused over whether he was suffering from physical or mental illness.

In her recommendations arising from her investigation into the mans death, Ms Casey found that All prison personnel must appreciate that official documents must reflect the truth of actions taken by officers.
All going to plan, a year on from yesterday, at 11am, the UK will have left the EU and, for the first time since we joined, we will no longer have Britain at our side.

Last week, we got some idea of how the process might evolve and of what the coming year might look like, and possibly thereafter.

The EU Council has agreed that the UK can have a transition period until the end of December, 2020.

During that transition, the UK will have access to the Single European Market, will still be involved with the various EU agencies, but will have no input into policy-making.

This transition will give time and some certainty to UK business and ease fears about a hard exit on March 29 next year.

Of course, the issue of the North is still very up in the air and the so-called backstop is difficult to comprehend.

The stage is now set for the second round of negotiations, which will primarily focus on the future trading relationship between the EU and the UK.

From an Irish perspective, this is obviously the most crucial question of all.

We can ruminate about the border, but the future trade relationship between the UK and ourselves is where it is at and is the issue that will fundamentally impact on economic life in Ireland for years to come.

The politics of Brexit in the UK are still utterly bizarre and the divisions in the UK political system are quite extraordinary.

Anything is still possible, but more sensible people are pushing towards, at worst, a soft Brexit and, at best, no Brexit at all.

Based on the behaviour of UK Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, last week  when he sacked one of his senior colleagues, Owen Smith from the shadow cabinet, after Smith sensibly called for another referendum  it is hard to see how Brexit can be avoided.

If the Labour Party had a leader with any semblance of sense, another referendum would be held and Brexit would most probably be reversed.

However, the Labour Party does not have a leader with any semblance of good sense, so reversal is most probably not an option.

However, the next best option  a soft Brexit  which would see a free trade relationship between the UK and the EU, is a distinct possibility, although, given the complicated and divisive politics involved, the old mantra that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed is still the most logical perspective.

For Ireland, the future trade relationship is what it is all about, and a hard Brexit, involving the UK leaving the EU without a trade deal and the subsequent application of World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade tariffs, would be bad for Ireland.

The only question is: how bad?

This week, Love Irish Food (LIF), of which I am chairperson, published some research, looking at the impact of a hard Brexit on the Irish food sector.

This research is based on an analysis of our food trade with the UK, the WTO tariffs that would likely apply, and interviews with the leaders of some of our most exposed food companies.

Not surprisingly, the implications would be very serious for the sector and, indeed, for the Irish consumer.

If we consider that 70% of the yogurt, 43% of the chicken fillets, and 98% of the biscuits that we consume are imported, with much of this trade coming either from the UK or using the land bridge provided by the UK, the implications of tariffs and increased customs checks are pretty obvious.

The snow event in early March showed, in pretty dramatic fashion, the fragility of the food supply chain.

With increased border delays or tariffs, this food supply chain would become even more pressurised.

Consumer prices would inevitably rise and shortages of some products could become a real issue.

For the food companies exporting to the UK, the challenges would also be immense.

The bottom line is that new markets would have to be found on both the import and export sides, and the UK land bridge would have to be bypassed, where possible.

On the plus side, Irish producers would be presented with the opportunity provided by import substitution.

Hopefully, all of the foregoing analysis is just scaremongering and a good deal will be done ahead of December, 2020.
Asia Fishermen Long for Justice as Thailand Comes Under UN Scrutiny

Migrant workers work at a shrimp factory in Samut Sakhon on the outskirts of Bangkok. / Reuters

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand  Sold to a boat operator in Thailand for 6,000 baht ($192) two years ago, Win from Myanmar worked as a fisherman until he lost his forearm in an accident on the vessel this year.

Toiling for 19 hours a day, Win said the crew of 30 sometimes would not get any rest during peak season, with a United Nations team in Thailand this week to investigate such reports of abusive working conditions.

Life is difficult as a fisherman in Myanmar so I thought it would make my life better if I come and work in Thailand, the father of four, 39, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The agent did not tell me what work I was going to do or how much I would be paid. I just ended up working on the boat.

The worlds third largest seafood exporter, Thailands fishing industry employs more than 300,000 people, many of them migrant workers from neighboring countries, and the sector has long been dogged by allegations of abuses.

The industry is under further international scrutiny this week as a team of United Nations experts undertake their first visit to examine human rights in a wide range of businesses in Thailand, including the fishing and seafood sectors.

Speaking from Samut Sakhon, a major fishing hub one hour drive from the capital Bangkok, Win said he lost his left arm after it was caught in a wheel as he hoisted the net one day.

Unhappy with the offer of 10,000 baht compensation from his employer, Win is now appealing to the Thai authorities for a higher amount.

Hit on the Head with a Machete

But even before the incident Win said he felt underpaid.

Starting at about 10,000 baht in the first month, the fisherman said his wages had gradually gone down to 4,000 baht. Thailands legal monthly minimum wage is about 9,000 baht.

Any slight mistakes we made, we would be scolded or beaten up. I was hit twice  one time with a machete to my head, said Win, who asked that his full name not be published as he fears it will affect his case with the Thai authorities.

Thailands multi billion-dollar seafood sector has come under scrutiny in recent years after investigations by the media and human rights groups showed slavery, trafficking and violence on fishing boats and at onshore processing facilities.

The military, which took power in a 2014 coup, has rolled out reforms since the European Union threatened in 2015 to ban fish imports from the Southeast Asian nation unless it cleaned up the industry.

Employers now often complied with new rules, such as paying fishermen a minimum wage and issuing contracts, research by the International Labor Organization (ILO) this month showed.

But the ILO also found signs of continuing forced labor despite pressure from retailers to clean up the industry, including abusive working conditions and excessive overtime, especially among migrants from Cambodia and Myanmar.

More than a third of migrant fishermen in Thailand were victims of trafficking, according to a study of 260 fishermen by anti-trafficking group the International Justice Mission last year.

A spokesman from the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights said the group would meet officials, activists and migrant workers during its 10-day mission to Thailand to ascertain whether the government measures have been effective.

Business and human rights issues are becoming more and more prominent, including in Asia, Surya Deva from the working group, a law professor at the City University of Hong Kong, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Human rights abuses in supply chains, for example, are a very critical issue. Another area of global concern is the rights of migrant workers.

The group is expected to urge Thai authorities to adopt a national action plan on dealing with modern slavery and human trafficking in industries from seafood, to manufacturing and tourism at the end of their visit.

An estimated 425,500 people live in conditions of modern slavery in Thailand, according to the Global Slavery Index 2016 by campaign group Walk Free Foundation.

I Am Not Happy Here

But activists urged the UN team to do more than just make recommendations.

If the UN just come do research and collect data that doesnt really help, asked Patima Tungpuchayakul from Thai advocacy group, the Labor Rights Promotion Network Foundation, involved in rescuing migrant fishermen from labor abuses.

Back in Samut Sakhon, boats were pulling into a port on a sunny morning and fishermen busy unloading their catch.

Local women and migrant workers from Myanmar quietly sorted sardines and mackerel according to their size before they were loaded onto trucks and sent to nearby processing plants.

But this is a scene that Win would like to forget. All he wants now is to get compensation for losing his arm and go home.

I am not happy here. At least if I go home, I can be with my wife and children, he said.
Asia Malaysia to Redraw Electoral Map in Contentious Move Just Before Polls

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak. / Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR  Malaysia approved on Wednesday plans to redraw boundaries for more than a third of its parliamentary seats, changes that critics say will help Prime Minister Najib Razak cruise to a victory in a general election likely to be called within days.

Hundreds of protesters marched to parliament ahead of the tabling of the redelineation motion and opposition lawmakers raised their objections in the House of Representatives  with one member calling Najib a thief.

But the motion, which will change the voter demographic in nearly 40 percent of Parliaments 222 seats, was approved by a simple majority within five hours of the tabling by Najib.

Opposition lawmakers chanted cheat, cheat as the motion was passed.

Critics say the new boundaries will benefit Najibs Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which is facing arguably its toughest polls since independence more than 60 years ago, by assigning larger number of opposition-leaning voters to fewer seats and dividing constituencies along ethnic lines.

Today, Parliament was asked to pass a motion to save Najib and the ruling government, said Lim Kit Siang, veteran leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party.

Lim had earlier denounced Najib as a thief and was asked to leave the house by the speaker for disrupting proceedings.

Najib is under pressure to deliver an emphatic victory, as he grapples with a scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), and public anxiety over rising living costs.

His coalition lost the popular vote in the last general election, in 2013, but managed to stay in power.

An election must be held by August, but Najib is widely expected to call it in days.

The recommendation to modify electoral boundaries was made in a report by the Election Commision (EC), which has for years been accused by the opposition of taking instructions from the prime minister.

The EC and the government have both said the recommendation for change in electoral borders was free from political interference.

The government did not disturb or influence the EC in their work, and respects decisions made by EC in the interest of the people and the country, Najib told parliament.

Manipulating the Rolls

Maria Chin Abdullah, former chairwoman of pro-democracy group Bersih, and one of about 200 protesters who had marched earlier in the day, said the commissions report was being used to unfairly force through the boundary changes.

They want to bulldoze the report that contradicts the constitution, ignores the rule of law and manipulates the electoral rolls, she said.

Former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who at 92 is the opposition candidate for prime minister, should Najib, his former protege, be defeated, briefly joined the protesters.

Electoral boundaries were last changed in 2003, under the leadership of then-premier Mahathir. He, too, was accused of manipulating the process in favor of the ruling coalition, which has held power since independence from Britain in 1957.

The latest changes will not alter the number of seats in the parliament or state assemblies, but will modify the size of several constituencies.

Selangor  the countrys richest state and one of the few controlled by the opposition  will see voter demographics change in 18 of its 22 parliamentary seats.

Johor state, where the ruling coalition is expected to face a tough battle, will see changes to 19 of its 26 parliamentary seats.

The redrawing of boundaries will mean some pro-opposition constituencies with grow to include more than 100,000 voters, while pro-government ones are much smaller.

For instance, in Selangor outside Kuala Lumpur, the biggest parliamentary constituency would be Damansara  held by the opposition  with 150,439 voters, while the smallest would be Sabak Bernam  held by BN  with 37,126 voters.

Earlier in the week, the government tabled a bill seeking to outlaw fake news, with fines and up to 10 years in jail, raising more concern about media freedom in the wake of the 1MDB scandal.

The bill is expected to be passed on Thursday.
Burma Italy to Fund 300,000 Effort by UNESCO to Restore Mrauk-U

Htukkanthein, one of the best known of the ancient temples at the Mrauk-U archaeology site in northern Rakhine State. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The Italian Embassy in Yangon and UNESCOs Myanmar office signed a 300,000 agreement on Wednesday to boost conservation efforts in Mrauk-U, the ancient capital of the Arakan kingdom. The centuries-old site in northern Rakhine State is known for its stone pagodas and stupas.

According to an Italian Embassy statement, the contribution to the archeological project is being made in direct response to recommendations in the August 2017 final report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State led by Kofi Annan, which called for greater support for development in the state.

The embassy said the Myanmar government had acknowledged the role that promotion of Mrauk-U could play in the sustainable development of the state, and had therefore decided to boost efforts to have the site nominated for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The statement said the embassy would support Mrauk-Us candidacy and cooperate on the protection of monuments in line with World Heritage standards. UNESCO will implement the initiative under the supervision of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in partnership with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Cultures Department of Archaeology (DOA).

Italian Ambassador Pier Giorgio Aliberti and the head of UNESCO in Myanmar, Min Heong Kim, signed the agreement, Supporting the safeguarding, management and valorization of Mrauk, at the embassy on Wednesday.

To draw more tourists, local authorities announced in 2015 a plan to build an airport in Mrauk-U, but it is still not finished due to delays by authorities in funding the 26 billion kyat ($18.9 million US) project, which was not begun until last year.

Until early 1783, the Arakan kingdom was a sovereign nation and ruled by Maha Thamada Razar. It was conquered by the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty in 1784.
Burma Lawyers for Reuters Reporters Ask Myanmar Court to Dismiss Case

Detained Reuters journalist Wa Lone is escorted by police after a court hearing in Yangon, Myanmar, February 28, 2018. / Reuters

YANGON  Lawyers for two Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar asked a court on Wednesday to throw out the case, saying there was insufficient evidence to support charges against the pair, who are accused of possessing secret government papers.

A court in Yangon has been holding preliminary hearings since January to decide whether Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will be charged under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

On Wednesday, defense lawyer Khin Maung Zaw filed a motion to dismiss the case. The district court in northern Yangon agreed to hear arguments from prosecutors and defense lawyers on the motion on April 4.

Of all the prosecution witnesses that have testified and been cross-examined, no proof of legally sufficient evidence could be made against the defendants, Khin Maung Zaw told reporters after the hearing.

Its suitable for the defense lawyers to ask for the release at this stage, he said, adding that there had been discrepancies in the testimony of some witnesses. He declined to elaborate.

Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung left the court building before Reuters was able to put questions to him after the hearing. At previous hearings he has declined to speak to reporters.

Government and police spokespeople have declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing court proceedings.

Appeal to New President

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been in custody since their arrest on Dec. 12.

The journalists had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in a village in western Myanmars Rakhine State during a military crackdown in August, which has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

They have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner.

Previous police witnesses, however, have said the reporters were stopped and searched at a traffic checkpoint by officers who were unaware they were journalists, and found to be holding in their hands documents relating to security force deployments in Rakhine.

During a break in proceedings, Wa Lone made an appeal to Myanmars new president, U Win Myint, a close ally of the leader of the civilian government, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was elected by Parliament on Wednesday.

Journalists who are in the Insein prison at the moment would like to say to the newly elected president that we are now in Insein prison because we covered news. We are facing court because we found out the unjust things, he told reporters. I would like to ask the new president to bring about media freedom for the press.

Calls to the spokesman for Myanmars civilian government seeking comment went unanswered.

Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations, Hau Do Suan, said last month that the journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of illegally possessing confidential government documents.

Senior UN officials, Western nations and press freedom advocates have called for the release of the journalists.

Diplomats from Australia, the European Union, Denmark and the Netherlands were among those who attended Wednesdays hearing.
Burma Northern Alliance Seeks Continued Support From China in Peace Process Negotiations

FPNCC meeting in March 2018. / FPNCC

CHIANG MAI, Thailand  The northeastern-based ethnic alliance the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) seeks further support from China in Myanmars peace process, according to a statement it released on Wednesday.

The FPNCC stated that Chinas positive involvement in Myanmars peace process has become more important and cannot be averted.

The alliance will join the upcoming third session of the 21st Panglong peace conference in Naypyitaw  tentatively slated for May  only when it is formally invited, the FPNCC said. It is unclear whether non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) will be invited to participate in the Union peace conference and in what capacity.

If the FPNCC receives a formal invitation, all member groups will attend together, read the statement, released after a three-day FPNCC standing committee meeting in Panghsang, the capital of the Wa self-administrated region, held from March 26 to 28.

This is the same stance it has held since the alliances first standing committee meeting in August.

The bloc members, led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA), joined the second session of the peace conference in May last year, after China intervened.

In the statement, the alliance asked for Chinas help to ensure its security, citing safety concerns for ethnic armed groups that are in ongoing clashes with the Myanmar Army,

If we cannot be assured security, how can we move forward with discussions, Nyi Rang, a liaison officer for the United Wa State Party, told The Irrawaddy via message. He added that the groups would not attend if invited individually, as they stood firmly in their stance to attend as a bloc.

The bloc called for the halt of the Myanmar militarys offensives against its allies, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kachin State; the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Kokangs Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in Shan State, and the Arakan Army (AA). It welcomed the newly-elected President U Win Myint and said it hoped that peace in Myanmar would be promptly implemented under the leadership of the new president.

Seeking official Chinese intervention in negotiations, the FPNCC showed interest in further collaboration for peace.

Observers of that the peace process expect that it could proceed smoothly with continuous Chinese mediation between the Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups, as well an easing on restrictions that exclude the TNLA, AA and MNDAA.

Chinas efforts to bring all the groups based along its borders into the peace process could boost its international image, said Maung Maung Soe, a political and ethnic affairs analyst.

Observers said the FPNCCs stance seemed more flexible this time around as it omitted mention of the NCA or an alternative to the NCA.

U Maung Maung Soe said this could be attributed to development in including the TNLA, AA, and MNDAA (who are all NCA non-signatories) in the process.

However, government peace negotiators led by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did not reveal any information in regards to ongoing negotiations with the bloc.

As China moves forward with its One Belt One Road initiative, Myanmars neighbor seeks stability on its border, thus encourages the northern alliance to take part in the peace process, and also pressures both the Tatmadaw and the alliance to reduce military tensions, U Maung Maung Soe added.

Chit Min Tun contributed to this report.
Guest Column Can A New President Pull Myanmar Out of the Quagmire of Conflict?

U Win Myint (center) arrives at the Union Parliament in Naypyitaw before being elected as president presidential on Wednesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

U Win Myint  a former Speaker of the House of Representatives  will become Myanmars 10th president, succeeding U Htin Kyaw, who resigned from his position after less than two years in office.

On Wednesday, Parliament voted unanimously to make U Win Myint president. A series of lingering challenges including a stagnant economy, the civil war, the Rohingya crisis and amending the Constitution are waiting to be addressed by the new president.

Yet the question How can we end the civil war and build peace in Myanmar? might be the main challenge facing incoming President U Win Myint.

His two immediate predecessors, U Htin Kyaw and U Thein Sein, managed to get 10 ethnic armed groups to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)  eight groups in 2015 under U Thein Sein and two groups during U Htin Kyaws tenure. The 10 groups are: the Karen National Union (KNU), the Pa-O National Liberation Army, the Chin National Front (CNF), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council) (KNU/KNLA PC), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the New Mon State Party and the Lahu Democratic Union.

However, the most powerful groups have refrained from signing the NCA. These comprise the seven groups that make up the Federal Political Negotiation Council Consultative Commission (FPNCC), namely the United Wa State Army, Kachin Indepedence Organization, National Democratic Alliance Army, Shan State Progress Party, Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army, and two groups from the United Nationalities Federal Council, namely the Karenni National Progressive Party and the Arakan National Council.

While the government and ethnic armed groups negotiate over signing the NCA, the lingering conflicts have become a major obstacle for all parties. These conflicts include both signatories and non-signatories of the NCA.

NCA Signatories

The Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), the armed wing of the New Mon State Party, has clashed with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the KNU, twice recently. On Feb. 14, I wrote an article, The UNFC: Reasons Behind Signing and Not Signing the NCA, warning of a potential clash between these two groups. I clearly stated in the article that the expansion of the KNUs territory toward Yay Phyu, Kawkareik and Kyainseikgyi along the Karen and Mon state borders threatened to cause a major conflict.

More than a week later on Feb. 24, a clash between these two NCA signatories broke out in Yay Phyu, with both sides reporting injuries. Even as the two sides were discussing how to solve the dispute, clashes erupted again on March 4. The lack of a clear demarcation of territory between these two groups makes it hard to prevent clashes. The Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) has been unable to prevent hostilities despite both sides being signatories of the NCA.

NCA Signatory and Non-signatory

The Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA)  an NCA signatory  and the TNLA a non-signatory  have consistently clashed in northern Shan State. The RCSS signed the NCA on Oct. 15, 2015. Fighting between the two groups erupted on Nov. 27, 2015, due to the RCSSs territorial expansion toward the TNLA-controlled areas such as Kyaukme, Nansang, Mongton and Namkhan.

The TNLA believes the RCSS has been allowed to gain a dominant position by the Tatmadaw due to its having signed the NCA  a charge the Tatmadaw denies. Clashes have erupted several times, resulting in both combatant and civilian casualties. The clashes have also displaced many people, fostering resentment between the ethnic Shan and Taang (Palaung) people.

Tatmadaw and NCA Signatories

Surprisingly, clashes between the Tatmadaw and NCA signatories have erupted several times. The recent fighting between the Tatmadaw and the KNU highlights the weakness of the NCA.

Fighting broke out between the Tatmadaw and the KNLAs 5th Brigade due to the Tatmadaws alleged deployment of security patrols to facilitate the rebuilding of an old road in Lel Mu Palaw on March 5. The clash not only displaced about 2,000 people, but also negatively affected the ongoing peace process.

On March 19, hundreds of Karen people staged a protest to demand the Tatmadaw withdraw its forces, alleging they had been deployed to expand territorial control. The KNU met with the Tatmadaw to try to solve the recent tension on March 30, but it seems further talks will be required to stabilize the region.

The Tatmadaw has fought not only with the KNU, but also with the RCSS. The Tatmadaw and the RCSS clashed in July 2017. General Yawd Serk, a leader of the RCSS/SSA, accused the Tatmadaw of not abiding by the terms of the NCA after the Myanmar military attache in Bangkok blocked a July meeting of the Committee for Shan State Unity in Chiang Mai, Thailand last year.

Furthermore, tensions between the Tatmadaw and the Karen State Border Guard Force (BGF) recently flared after Tatmadaw forces and police seized hundreds of cars without licenses owned by the BGF. Clashes between the Tatmadaw and NCA signatories seem mostly to stem from the ignoring of terms of the agreement, such as the requirement to inform the other side prior to crossing an area under its control.

The clashes between the Tatmdaw and NCA signatories highlight the flawed nature of the NCA and only make non-NCA signatories more wary about signing the deal.

Tatmadaw and Non-NCA Signatories

The clashes between the Tatmadaw and non-NCA signatories have become intractable, particularly with the KIO.

Fighting resumed in 2011 between the Tatmadaw and the KIO, and continues despite the two sides having met in Dali, in Chinas Yunnan province, in February in an attempt to cease the escalation. The KIOs 14th Battalion recently abandoned a base in its amber-rich area due to a Tatmadaw clearance operation. The KIO has lost several outposts, including those of its 6th Battalion and 8th Brigade, as well as its Hkaya Bum, Gidon and Hpun-pyen Bum posts.

The fighting has also produced tens of thousands of displaced people who are now sheltering on the Sino-Myanmar border in Myitkyina, Bhamo, Tanai Township and elsewhere.

The Tatmadaw has also fought against other armed groups such as the TNLA, AA, MNDAA, SSPP and KNPP. The Tatmadaws clashes with the TNLA and MNDAA have produced thousands more displaced people and constantly disrupted the major trade route between Muse and Mandalay.

The recent territorial dispute between the Tatmadaw and the UWSA has made potential talks between the government and the FPNCC more difficult.

The clock is ticking for the third session of the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference, which has been canceled several times and is due to be held in May. Yet it is unclear whether the government will invite the non-NCA signatories to the conference. They were excluded from the second session.

All ethnic groups, both NCA signatories and non-signatories, share a common vision to build a federal Union. However, according to KIO chair General NBan La, Lieutenant-General Tun Tun Naung, commander of the Bureau of Special Operations-1, insisted that the Tatmadaw would not accept a federal union. The message from the Tatmadaw to all ethnic minorities is that building a genuine federal Union is a forlorn hope.

No one knows how long the federalism path will take, but many people, particularly ethnic minorities, have put concerted efforts into speeding up the process. Yet, stopping the fighting between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups ought to be prioritized before further causalities among combatants and civilians occur, as all are Myanmar citizens.

Thus, ethnic people are hoping the new president will order the military to stop fighting against the ethnic armed groups, as former President Thein Sein did in December 2011, though the Tatmadaw failed to comply. If President U Win Myint can pull Myanmar out of this quagmire of conflict, his efforts will be seen as historic and will shape Myanmars future for the better.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.
Thursday, March 29th, 2018 (7:03 am) - Score 978

Several local authorities in England, including Staffordshire, Devon and Somerset, have begun to consult on the next phase of their respective projects for expanding the coverage of superfast broadband (30Mbps+) services. Thousands more premises and some FTTP is on the cards.

Both of the new consultations are different in terms of their funding sources and stages of development and weve sought to summarise this below, although Staffordshire is currently at a much earlier stage of developing their next expansion scheme.

Staffordshire

At present the existing Superfast Staffordshire project with Openreach (BT) has already made superfast broadband networks available to 95%+ of premises (when you include the city of Stoke) and theyre currently aiming to reach more than 96% by the end of 2018 (here).

The county council has now launched a new Open Market Review (OMR), which will help them to confirm how much of the area has already been covered by such connectivity and how much will be reached by separate commercial deployments over the next 3 years to 2021 (here). Once theyve identified the remaining area for state aid intervention (deadline for responses is 30th April) then a short 1 month consultation will be run on that too.

The plan for the next contract is apparently to bid for a slice of the relatively small 30m Rural Broadband Infrastructure (DEFRA) fund, which was unveiled last year (here). The fund is so small that the next extension is unlikely to be too significant in size but as the saying goes, every little helps. At the time of writing the local authority has not yet fleshed out their plans.

Devon & Somerset

Meanwhile a more significant development has taken place in the joint 171m Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) project, which is the biggest publicly-funded broadband programme in England and thats largely due to the extremely rural nature of the two counties (its considerably more expensive to upgrade rural areas).

Phase 1 and 2 of the CDS scheme focused on expanding the coverage of superfast broadband by working with several different operators, including Openreach (BT), Gigaclear and wireless ISP Airband (details). Sadly CDS has long given up on reporting a % coverage figure for their progress but their original aspiration was to provide speeds of over 24Mbps to 100% of premises by 2020 (this always looked unlikely to be achieved).

As it stands the overall coverage for both counties is currently sitting a little shy of 90% coverage, although the programme has still helped to expand the availability of superfast broadband to 298,000 premises and a further 38,000 can access improved broadband speeds (the latter essentially means theyre covered by a new broadband network [e.g. FTTC] but cant quite achieve 30Mbps+ speeds).

In total some 952,400 homes and businesses across the whole region now have access to superfast broadband out of a total of 1,083,200 (this includes both commercial deployments and those supported by CDS). Commercially-funded broadband is also forecast to reach a further 14,000 premises across the region by 2020 and the on-going CDS contracts will add a few tens of thousands more by the same date.

The current deployments, including any directly related extensions, are due to complete by December 2020 and so the coverage will continue to grow. In the meantime CDS has this week launched a new Gainshare Public Consultation, which examines how best to commit around 4.8m to 6.8m of reinvestment from clawback back into their deployment programme.

The Broadband Delivery UK framework contracts with BT require that public investment be returned when local take-up of the new networks in related intervention areas goes beyond 20% and this rises as the take-up slowly improves. CDS report that take-up in their deployment areas has already reached 43% (137,600 homes and businesses), hence the above reinvestment opportunity.

Cllr David Hall, Deputy Leader of Somerset County Council, said: Every day CDS is connecting more and more people to broadband in some of the hardest to reach rural areas in England. But we are not stopping here, there is more to do to connect isolated communities and boost the local economy. Working with Government and broadband companies, we want to expand the network even further over the next two years.

The new consultation will run until 26th April 2018 and this will identify the future intervention (NGA White) areas. After that CDS said they would seek to agree a change with BT to deliver the extended Superfast Broadband; subject to the 4.8m-6.8m budget and achievement of coverage and value for money criteria. The desired solution for this is a full fibre ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network, although the funding isnt enough to take this very far.

Separately CDS has also confirmed its plan to launch a new broadband voucher scheme for residents and businesses. The previous scheme is said to have demonstrated the success of this type of support with more than 1,800 installations being completed offering a choice of 4G, fixed-wireless, satellite and fibre (FTTC/P) solutions. Details will be published later in the spring.

CDS is also planning to launch schemes to support community broadband solutions in the summer 2018 and if this follows the same format of other local authorities then wed expect a pot of money to be establish, which can then be used alongside Openreachs Community Fibre Partnerships or something similar.

Finally, its also noted that Gigaclears related FTTP rollout has suffered a slight delay in some communities due to the collapse of Carillion but apparently they still expect to complete the overall contract on-time.
If you have an Amazon Echo speaker, which means you have Amazon Alexa, then the stage is set for foolish fun on 1 April with some fun pranks set to harmlessly stun the unwary and fool the fun-lover.

1 April is but three days away, and it will set the stage for all manner of nonsensical but somewhat believable stories, like Malcolm Turnbull finally deciding to resign due to 30 negative Newspolls and his sense of honour dictating that he had a spine and backbone after all, with his two primary "narratives" to be his parting gifts: commanding the NBN to go full FttP at long last and his (genuinely deserved and actually real) success at delivering same-sex marriage.

Another silly potential April Fool's story would be ALP member Ed Husic demanding Apple put its prices up, given the Aussie dollar has fallen well over 20% since the days it was once at and beyond parity, where Husic had demanded Apple put its prices down, in the name of consistency and, despite being a member of the ALP, not being a hypocrite.

Bill Shorten could be the subject of a fake 1 April news story where he saw sense and realised he needed to put the interests of the ALP first, rather than his own, and had decided to make way for Tanya Plibersek to become Australia's second female prime minister, with Anthony Albanese to become Deputy PM, but again, all of that is yet to be imagined for future 1 April stories to come.

However, with most of that above being 1 April fantasies (save for same-sex marriage in Australia, which actually happened), what is the world's largest online retailer, and arguably the world's largest cloud provider with hugely supported smart speakers going to get up to on April 1?

Well, with April Fools Day just three days away from the date of this article being published, we're reminded that "the mischievous among us are planning their yearly tradition of pranks around the house".

Not wanting to be a party pooper, Amazon tells us that "Alexa has some cheeky surprises up her sleeve when it comes to pranks this year that we wanted to ensure youre across".

You can start off by asking Alexa "when April Fools Day is, and she might tell you that its been cancelled this year due to poor attendance".

"Ask her to prank you, and shell (jokingly) order you 67 large pizzas from Domino's Pizza, cancel Easter due to a world-wide chocolate shortage, or switch to French!

"You can also ask Alexa for some April Fools inspiration to see what she comes up with."

Now, here is a full list of "utterances" for you to try out if you have invited Alexa into your life, so why not try them out and have some fun?

Try these utterances with Alexa:

Alexa, what are some good pranks?

Alexa, prank me!

Alexa, happy April Fools Day.

Alexa, is today April Fools Day?

Alexa, what will you be doing for April Fools?

Alexa, give me a blooper!

Alexa, what are you doing for April Fools? (ask on the day)

So, it's great to see that Amazon has a sense of humour, and those with Google Home and Apple HomePod devices might want to try similar questions with their devices to see if Apple and Google are also going to have fun with the day.

Alexa has some great answers, but Apple and Google have definitely been pranked by Amazon's quick thinking. After all, I asked Google and HomePod some of the questions above, and here are some of their answers:

I said: "Ok Google, Happy April Fool's Day" and she told me "Sorry, I don't know how to help with that."

When I asked Google "What will you be doing for April Fool's?", I was told "Sorry, I don't understand."

Siri on HomePod told me that April Fool's Day wasn't today, when I asked her the question above, and when I asked what she'd be doing for April Fool's Day, she responded that she didn't have access to my calendar (as I haven't granted HomePod calendar access yet).

Maybe Google and Apple will now race to imbue their respective intelligent assistants with some April Fool's Day awareness, and if not this year, then perhaps they'll both prank us the next, and it's great to see Alexa's programmers at Amazon have a funny bone  and aren't April Fools. :-) :-) :-)

Until then, we await Malcolm Turnbull's richly deserved and highly anticipated resignation speech, and that's no joke!
A New York-based judge Wednesday ruled for the continuation of legal procedures against Saudi Arabia, dismissing therefore a request by Riyadh for the drop of all lawsuits lodged by relatives of victims of September 11, 2001 attacks.

Judge George Daniels in Manhattan claimed the plaintiffs allegations narrowly articulate a reasonable basis for him to assert jurisdiction under JASTA.

JASTA, known as Justice against Sponsors of Terrorism Act is a 2016 law, which grants permission to sue foreign governments.

About 850 families of almost 3,000 people who died September 11 have attacked Saudi Arabia for providing support for the 19 terrorists who hijacked and directed commercial planes against the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon outside Washington, DC and a Pennsylvania field.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers, all members of the late Osama Bin Ladens al Qaeda terror group, were Saudis.

Riyadh has sought to get correction of the law which it deems irrational and could have dangerous consequences. Riyadh has denied any involvement in the attacks.

Other Gulf countries had slammed the law bringing President Obama to veto the legislation in 2016. The US congress overwhelmingly overturned the US Presidents veto passing unanimously the law.

The judges decision comes at the time Saudi Arabias heir of the throne and de-facto ruler Mohamed bin Salman is visiting the USA.

Relations between Riyadh and Washington have significantly improved since Trumps election, prompting victims families to wonder if the Crown Prince will shoulder Saudi Arabias alleged responsibility in the 9/11 attacks.

Jim Kreindler, a lawyer of the families welcomed the ruling.

We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks, he told Reuters.
In the great Game of Marketing Thrones at top technology companies, a new man is set to be called "Your Grace"  Josh Grace, who gracefully takes up the position of chief marketing officer for Samsung Electronics Australia, effective immediately.

Samsung tells us that "Grace will oversee marketing for Samsung Electronics Australia and foster programs to drive innovation in its brand communications as well as campaigns for IT and Mobile (mobile and wearable products and services), Consumer Electronics (TV, audio and appliances), and pioneer programs to support emerging forms of connected technology and IoT".

But as they say in the classics, that's not all!

In addition to products, services and emerging technology, we're told that Grace will also "spearhead the evolution of Samsung Electronics Australias partnership programs, which currently includes Qantas, the Sydney Opera House as Principal Partner and Netball Australia as Innovation Partner".

Grace said: Im thrilled to take on this position at Samsung Electronics Australia and work with such an inspiring global brand and passionate team of marketers and business leaders right here in Australia.

This is an incredibly important time for the brand as we explore fresh and innovative ways to reach our customers and communicate what makes Samsung different and why our approach to customers is so special.

The South Korean global electronics powerhouse says the appointment comes as Samsung drives "major global and local brand programs based on the theme of 'Do What You Cant', which is the core message in supporting the recently launched Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones. Samsung is also building momentum across its major brand activity for its televisions, audio, and home appliances categories".

Grace added: I feel incredibly fortunate to return to Australia to be part of a brand journey that I have been following for some time. I am inspired by Samsungs culture of innovation and pushing the barriers of whats possible. I look forward to working within such a driven team.

Harry Lee, president of Samsung Electronics Australia said: Its with great pleasure that we welcome Josh to his new role, leading Samsungs marketing team and brand activity in Australia. Joshs experience in the APAC region across high-level roles is second to none, and we look forward to supporting him in driving the brand forward in Australia.

Grace assumes the CMO role at Samsung "after returning to Sydney from Singapore where he lived for six years and held the position as Regional Marketing Officer for health company Abbott, and managing director of Leo Burnett, Singapore. Prior to living in Singapore he held the position of chief operating officer of Leo Burnett, Sydney".

We wish His Grace success in the role, and are pleased to see that, unlike Jon Snow, Grace seems to know a heck of a lot!
New laws to protect critical infrastructure from malicious attack are a crucial step forward in protecting Australias economic nervous system from cyber attack, according to cyber security firm Macquarie Government.

The chief of Macquarie Government, managing director Aidan Tudehope, says the laws, initiated by the government last year and passed by the Federal Parliament overnight on Wednesday, were also a good example of continued responsible bipartisanship in cyber-security.

The sad reality is that there are individuals, groups and even nations that have shown a willingness and ability to put the wealth, health and even lives of innocent Australians at risk by attacking critical infrastructure, Tudehope said.

Much of the infrastructure that allows us to operate in our day-to-day lives  power, communications, water, transport systems  are privately owned, and all are completely dependent on information and communications technologies to work.

Tudehope said the governments own core agencies are required to comply with well-established standards and best practice guidelines, but the effective protection of the national interest required these high standards to now reach beyond these agencies.

The government is right to step in now, before we have had a major incident, to take a leadership role in overseeing the preparedness of owners and operators of critical infrastructure to address these new challenges.

Tudehope said programmes developed to protect the governments own agencies  such as controls over pathways to the Internet and certification of private sector cloud services by the experts in the Australian Signals Directorate of security standards  have become integral to the cyber security of the Commonwealth.

The owners and operators of critical infrastructure  be they state governments or private enterprise  have been under no obligation to even consider these standards.

The new laws mean the countrys leading cyber security experts in Canberra can now investigate the practices by these owners and operators.

If necessary, the minister can step in as a last resort. Hopefully this will never be necessary as the passage of the laws should be enough to prompt critical infrastructure businesses to take action themselves to come into line with the standard practice for federal government agencies.

Tudehope acknowledges that concerns of many in the private sector about governments intervening in their decision making was understandable.

But the government has worked hard to strike an appropriate balance to ensure there is a focus on cyber safety without being overly intrusive, including the provision of a 12-month implementation period, he said.
Tech companies of every stripe are staking their claim to the internet of things, and networking vendors like Aruba are no exception. But to hear co-founder and president Keerti Melkote tell it, his companys pitch might have a little more heat on it than others.

Arubas IoT credentials are based on a relatively simple premise  by definition, IoT devices have to be on the network, and theyre one of the bigger fish in that particular pool.

The company has a lot of experience in onboarding devices  hard-won during the era of BYOD, covering provisioning, credentials, privilege levels and monitoring  which translates well to the world of IoT, particularly given the urgent need to secure those devices.

Security for IoT is the number one issue right now, Melkote said in an interview. A lot of what makes up enterprise IoT  as opposed to consumer IoT or industrial IoT  is smart building tech, including physical security, lighting, HVAC and more. These are areas traditionally owned by the facilities section of a business, not IT.

What IT does is give them a network drop and say have at it, said Melkote. Thats about it.

Consequently, many of those devices are on the network, but arent secured. A great target for a hacker, he noted.

Regulatory progress  in particular, the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation thats weeks away from taking full effect  is adding impetus to the companys drive toward better security and privacy controls, he says. GDPR requires businesses to protect the personal data included in transactions that take place inside the EU.

I think GDPR will become a global thing. As a vendor we are accountable to GDPR issues, and that sets the bar. So now, I might as well go global with it, said Melkote.

Since Aruba has to do business in those jurisdictions, itll comply with the applicable laws, so the effect of something like GDPR might be to improve IoT security conditions worldwide, not just in Europe.

What that means for Aruba is that the company is going to have to use its existing expertise while learning new tricks, aided by corporate parent HPE. First on the list is adding deeper analysis capabilities to the companys repertoire, and doing it not in the data center, but at the edge, via more capable endpoints and hub devices.

All these IoT devices are generating data of some sort  theyre all sensors  and you want to crunch the data closer to the device in many cases, simply because its controlling some equipment, Melkote said. When youre controlling, real-time responses become very important.

For consumer IoT, you dont need a lot of edge computing  smart home gizmos and the like are all essentially cloud front-ends. But its a different story when youre talking about enterprise and industrial IoT applications.

The IoT opportunity becomes an all-in infrastructure opportunity, Melkote said. You need to have the network, you need to have the compute, you need to have the storage. And then you need to have the software.

Melkote admitted that its been a challenge to move into the IoT space, where a certain degree of specialist knowledge of a given vertical  successful medical IoT, for example, requires expertise in the medical technology field  but that partnerships have proven key to addressing this.

These include partners in building controls, medical pumps, asset tracking, mobile communications and video distribution, among others.

We end up occupying more the IT infrastructure landscape, with the OT stuff, the domain expertise, coming from our partners, he said.
Through the power of deep and machine learning, faster CPUs, and new types of sensors, computers can now see, hear, feel, smell, taste, and speak. All these senses take the form of some kind of sensor (like a camera) and some kind of mathematical algorithm, usually a supervised machine learning algorithm and a model.

Here is what is available.

See: image and facial recognition

Recent research into image and facial recognition lets computers not only detect object presence but detect multiple instances of similar objects. Facebook and Google have really been leading the way here, with multiple open source releases. Facebook has stated that it has a goal of detecting things in video.

This area has come a long way in recent years, objects in an image can be segmented from other objects. However, just because you found something and can segment it from something else doesnt mean you know what it is; that requires training a model that recognizes those things.

There are powerful tools, but they are extremely data-hungry. So Facebook and Google can release them, gain the benefits of research and community developed derivatives, and not worry too much about competition in this area. Simply put, few organizations have millions or billions of images to put through them and let alone the computing power to spend on it.

In essence, classifying objects with machine or deep learning is first a matter of seeing a lot of instances of a sheep or a cat, including various derivatives (big ones, little ones, furry ones, less-furry ones, skinny ones, fat ones, tailless ones). Then it is a matter of training a model that recognizes all of the variants.

While Facebook and Google are clearly putting the most weight into this field, there are other tools like the venerable OpenCV library, a grab-bag of functionality, and OpenFace, which is focused on just facial recognition.

There is even Jevois (French for I see), a smart camera for Arduino devices that has pretrained models based on open source libraries. Its trained to recognize about 1,000 different objects. You can obviously tweak things with your own models. So your plan to create an autonomous quadcopter that flies itself around is indeed possible!

Hear: Speech recognition and sound classification

Much of computer hearing is focused around speech recognition. However, sound classification is possible. Obviously this exists because Shazam is a thing, but the models for general sound classification arent quite as available or broad as youd hope. Still, PyAudioAnalysis lets you take a .wav file and classify sounds.

Did you capture bird song or road noise? Like image recognition, this means training a classification model. This area seems less invested in. Maybe because Facebook is largely run on mute and while there is a video.google.com and an images.google.com, there is no sounds.google.com.

For speech recognition, you can find open source implementations that use the more traditional Hidden Markov models like CMUSphinx and Kaldi use a neural network. There are other implementations, but the breakdown is between online and offline decoding. Online means can you read off a mic; offline means you have to wait until you have a .wav file.

The major vendorsIBM, Google, Apple, and Microsoftall have their respective implementations. Googles is quite good. Heck, you can even do some speech recognition in the browser with JavaScript.

Feel: one sense with little public technology

When it comes to touch, not much seems to have happened in terms of detecting how something feels using touch sensors. Mainly these are used in control applications (like the old Nintendo Power Glove everyone wanted but never got and apparently didnt work all that well).

There are did you touch it sensors for Arduino and libraries and sensors for detecting gestures. Probably the most promising did you touch it innovation is capacitive woven fabric. However when it comes to the more practical machine touching the surface to see if there is a defect most applications are optical or ultrasonic.

Smell: the electronic nose

Yes, computers can smell. Yes, there are practical uses for this. And the electronic nose has been around for a while.

For the cheap version, in essence a sensor is tied to an Arduino device and inhales gases. Based on the volume of gases present, it can detect things like which hops are used in a beer or whether the air is becoming toxic. These technologies have been used from everything from bomb sniffing to quality control.

Taste: another sense with little public technology

What is taste to a computer? This is subjective, and remember that a lot of human taste is actually smell. The sensors here are chemical, microbial, PH, and titration sensors. The practical applications are wide, such as detecting if youre sick, if you have adequate glucose levels, or if something is poisoned.

There is again a big overlap with smell, just as in human anatomy. There is the least amount of public source code here, and training a model probably means having access to a chem lab or a data from one.

No, you cant build Commander Data yet

With the five senses covered, can we build Star Trek: The Next Generations Commander Data yet or at least his stupid cousin B4 (since we dont have AGI yet)? Probably not yet. Even if you have the sensors and libraries, were still a bit away from having fully trained models everywhere. Also, this stuff is data-hungry and much of it is a bit too slow for practical real-time use.

As a result, we are still working towards practical facial recognition in video. Touch is mainly did you touch it? or other single-purpose sensors. Smell is much the same, and taste is moreso.

Still, like much of machine and deep learning, as long as you have a single-purpose application (like, is the coffee rotten?), AI and sensors have come a long way. Maybe computers arent up to humans level of the five senses but they do have these sense and there are widely available implementations both free and proprietary for developers to use.
Iraq is reportedly ramping up efforts to expand its capacity to pump and export oil through building a processing facility that will double output at the Majnoon field to 450,000 bpd.

Ihsan Abdul Jabbar, the director-general of state-run Basra Oil Company, told Bloomberg that Iraq is seeking bids from six companies for the $4-billion project to inject seawater into its southern oil fields. The country has already received bids from five companies interested in building the processing facility, he said.

He added that Iraq, second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is also studying a proposal from a Dutch company to build a 10 million-barrel storage facility and an oil-exporting terminal with a capacity of 2 million barrels a day on an artificial island off the coast.

State-run Basra Oil targets an increase in production to 3.5 million barrels a day by the end of the year from 3.15 million currently, Abdul Jabbar said. It plans to pump 4.5 million barrels a day by the end of 2022, he said.

Following the production loss it incurred in the North because of the dispute with the semi-autonomous Kurdish region and the ensuing reduction of exports through Turkey, Iraq has sought to boost oil sales from its southern region, which includes giant fields such as Majnoon and Rumaila.

According to Bloomberg, Iraq pumped 4.43 million barrels a day in February, second only to Saudi Arabia in OPEC. It sees output capacity at 5 million barrels a day by the end of next year.
Philadelphia  The first visual affirmation of a new era of growth arrived at The Port of Philadelphia. Today, PhilaPort received its first two super post-Panamax cranes at the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal after a ninety-day journey from Shanghai, China. Manuafactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), the new cranes will be 13 feet taller than the neighboring Walt Whitman Bridge with its boom in the upwards position.

Photo credit: iSky Images

PhilaPort, along with Packer Avenue Marine Terminals operator  Astro Holdings, Inc. (a Holt Logistics affiliate)  have purchased the cranes as part of Governor Tom Wolfs $300 million Port Development Plan to increase cargo-handling capacity and efficiency.

In the past decade, vessel size has grown exponentially creating a new class of container ships known as ULCVs (Ultra Large Container Vessel) with a 10,000 to 20,000 container capacity. Even before the arrival of the cranes, this past winter PhilaPort saw the largest containership that ever called the Port the M/V MSC Shuba B a 12,200 TEU vessel. These new container gantry cranes will be capable of discharging containers from these new larger vessels and have a cost of $12m each.

For over a year we have been working hard to prepare the terminal for these cranes and it is great to see them here., said Jeff Theobald, Executive Director and CEO of PhilaPort. Last year we hit an East Coast record of 19% container growth. To sustain that type of growth, these new cranes are a necessity.

The arrival of the cranes is a perfect example of public/private investment into the States critical infrastructure, said Governor Tom Wolf. Every transportation professional knows how important speed to market is to logistics. These new cranes will ensure that we keep pace with other U.S. seaports and allow PhilaPort to load and discharge cargo with state-of-the-art equipment.

In November of 2016, Governor Wolf announced a $300 Million Port Development Plan. As part of the plan, Packer Avenue Marine Terminal operator, Astro Holdings, agreed to purchase one crane, as well as undertake other planned improvements to the facility.

The Port has a huge impact on the economy of the entire region, and these new cranes are another sign that the Port is building a very bright future, said Tom Holt, Jr., President of Astro Holdings, the Packer Avenue terminal operator. The cranes allow us to handle more cargo from bigger ships, and since were already setting records for cargo growth at Packer, the cranes are arriving not a moment too soon.

In the first quarter of 2019, PhilaPort will be adding another two identical cranes and Astro Holdings another one crane at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal; bringing the total number of cranes at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal to seven.

CRANE FACTS AND INFORMATION



Crane Designed by: Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited (ZPMC)

in Shanghai, China

Crane Vessel: Zhen Hua 16

Super post-Panamax Crane Stats:

Cranes height [boom up]: 391 ft.

[boom up]: 391 ft. APEX of crane [height; boom down]: 252 ft.

[height; boom down]: 252 ft. 32 stories high [boom up]

[boom up] 21 stories high [boom down]

[boom down] Weight of each crane: 3,368,659 lbs. (1,528 metric tons)

Miscellaneous Information:

Cost per crane: $12 million

$12 million 91 Days total transit time.

Cranes are large enough to load and discharge the newest

generation of ULCVs* 10,000-18,000 containers per ship.

The new PhilaPort cranes, with booms up, will be 13 ft. taller

than the Walt Whitman Bridge** .

. 30 feet higher overall than current PhilaPort cranes.

*Ultra Large Container Vessels. **WWB tower height above mean high water: 378 ft.
A volunteer assists a patient at the clinic, which operates out of St. Paul's Church.
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By Reese Erlich | (48Hills.org) |  

The American military and complex Middle East politics create a horrible humanitarian crisis

One of the most important US Senate votes in decades took place recently, and few people know it happened.

On March 20, Senators voted on whether to stop US support for Saudi Arabias vicious war in Yemen by invoking the War Powers Act.

Demonstrations against the Saudi regime continued for several years after the Arab Spring began in 2011. Here Saudis in the mostly Shia area of eastern Saudi Arabia demand freedom for political prisoners.

More than 5,000 Yemenis have died and tens of thousands have been injured since the war began three years ago. The Saudis launched a horrific bombing campaign aimed at civilian infrastructure, schools and hospitals. Saudi Arabia established an air, sea and land blockade, which has cut off supplies of food and medicine. As a direct result, a massive cholera epidemic has broken out. A UN Security Council report showed 22.2 million people out of a total population of 27.5 million need humanitarian assistance, a 3.4 million jump compared with last year.

The war began when the Obama administration gave a green light to Saudi Arabia in 2015. The Trump administration continues the effort, providing intelligence, and selling the Saudis sophisticated weapons, ammunition, and aircraft parts. The US. Air Force refuels Saudi planes in mid-air.

Back in 2015, Saudi leaders proudly proclaimed they would win the war in three weeks. They underestimated their enemy, Shireen Al-Adeimi told me in an interview. Shes a Harvard doctoral candidate who was born and raised in Yemen. The Saudis and their coalition partners from the United Arab Emirates dont have the ground soldiers. So they launched a massive bombing campaign.

Saudi leaders argue they are fighting Iranian proxies in Yemen, and Iran seeks to destroy their country. For them, its an existential battle. The Pentagon argues that the United States only plays an advisory role and provides non-combat assistance and thus isnt violating the War Powers Act.

In reality, the war has US fingerprints all over it, said Al-Adeimi.

Washington could shut down the Yemen War overnight. Its not widely known, but US contractors are the only technicians loading bombs and maintaining Saudi war planes. They operate under control of the U.S. government.

If the US doesnt give permission, to the contractors, a former US diplomat told me, it would shut down the Saudi Air Force.

In the Senate, liberal Democrats and principled Republicans introduced a measure under the War Powers Act to withhold US support for the Yemen War. The Act provides that the president must seek Congressional approval for any military activity abroad lasting more than 60 days.

Progressives like Bernie Sanders and some liberal Democrats wanted to end the undeclared war. Five Republicans also voted for the bill. The Republican senators were particularly concerned with the constitutional issue, according to Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, executive editor of The American Conservative magazine.

They are fed up with successive presidential administrations that say they can wage war without Congressional approval, Vlahos told me in an interview.

Libertarians and principled Republicans have long opposed US military intervention in the Middle East. Vlahos doesnt buy the Pentagon argument that US troops are purely advisory. Refueling jets is more than advising soldiers how to use their guns.

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On March 20, the Senate voted 55-44 to send the bill back to the Foreign Relations Committee, killing it for the time being. While the Senate effort failed, the battle against US intervention continues.

To better understand the Yemen catastrophe, lets go back to the Arab Spring of 2011. Mass demonstrations had brought down the pro-US dictatorships in Tunisia and Egypt. Popular uprisings threatened regimes in Syria, Bahrain, and even Saudi Arabia. In Yemen, the people were determined to overthrow the corrupt, pro-US dictator Ali Saleh.

So the Obama administration and Saudi leaders decided to oust Saleh in favor of his vice president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Unfortunately for them, Hadi proved to be incompetent and had little popular support. The Houthi movement based in northern Yemen seized the capital of Sanaa and all of northern Yemen. Hadi fled and has spent almost all of the past three years issuing decrees from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, is a conservative political Islamist group based mostly among Shia Muslims. Human rights groups have documented Houthi human rights violations such as illegal use of landmines, and indiscriminate shelling of civilians in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Ansar Allah receives political and financial support from Iran, and several UN reports indicate Iran provides weapons as well. Iranian officials I have interviewed deny that Tehran provides military support to the Houthis and, in fact, considers Yemen a very low priority compared to their activities in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. In reality, the Houthis are an independent political and military movement not under Irans control.

Saudi vilification of the Houthis serves as the excuse for a massive Saudi bombing campaign. It also deflects from Saudi cooperation with the local Al Qaeda affiliate.

For years successive US administrations have used drones to assassinate members of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the terrorist group infamous for training the underwear bomber and carrying out numerous attacks on civilians.

Washington argues it must keep US troops in Yemen and continue drone strikes to fight AQAP. But the Saudi war in Yemen has helped strengthen AQAP.

Saudi affiliated fighters have joined with AQAP to fight the Houthis. Saudi Arabia and Al Qaeda both profess strong, right-wing interpretations of Sunni Islam and use that as a justification to attack the mostly Shia Muslim Houthi movement.

To make matters even more complicated, the Saudi alliance with the UAE is fraying at the seams. The UAE recently decided to back the Southern Transitional Council, a Yemeni group that demands secession for the southern part of Yemen. The STC, with UAE backing, now controls much of the key southern Yemeni city of Aden, causing great anger in Riyadh.

So the war in Yemen does not pit endangered Saudi Arabia against expansionist Iran, as portrayed in Washington. The Trump administration backs Saudi Arabia as part of its geopolitical battle for hegemony in the region. In addition Saudi Arabia has some of the worlds largest oil reserves, and the region remains an important source of US oil company profits.

The Senate failed to invoke the War Powers Act, but the relatively close vote indicates the level of discontent with the Yemen War. Forcing the vote was a big deal, said editor Vlahos. Most people dont know about it.

The United States is now at war in six countries in the broader Middle East: Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Somalia. There will come a day when the American people understand the massive cost in lives and treasure. The day of reckoning will come sooner than the Trump administration thinks.

Reese Erlichs syndicated column, Foreign Correspondent, appears every two weeks. The revised and updated edition of his book The Iran Agenda: the Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis will be published in September. Follow him on Twitter, @ReeseErlich; friend him on Facebook, Reese Erlich Foreign Correspondent; and visit his webpage.

Mirrored from 48Hills.org by authors permission



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

ABC News: Aid worker calls US behavior in Yemen war a stain on Americas reputation
Jordan reaffirmed on Wednesday its support for the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and for the Morocco-proposed autonomy initiative.

This came during the talks held, in Amman, by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita with his Jordanian counterpart Aymane Safadi.

The two men discussed bilateral relations and issues of common interest.

We have reaffirmed our unwavering position in support of the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and the need to back the autonomy initiative in accordance with the decisions of international law, underlined Safadi during a joint press briefing with Bourita.

Nasser Bourita visited Amman coming from Ramallah where he discussed on Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, in light of the arbitrary Israeli measures and the US unfair decisions against the Palestinian cause, including the unilateral recognition of the city of Al Quds as the Israeli capital, that brought the political process to a deadlock.

During this meeting, the Palestinian President commended the support given by King Mohammed VI as well as by the Moroccan government and people to the Palestinian peoples fair cause, on top of which the protection of the status of Al Quds.

President Abbas also underscored the key role played by Al Quds Committee, chaired by the Moroccan Sovereign, and by Bayt Mal Al-Quds, which support flagship projects in the holy city.
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By Dr. Mohammed Nuruzzaman | (Informed Comment) |  

Turkeys capture of the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in northern Syria has added a new dimension to the highly volatile geopolitical environment in the Middle East. Not only is it a major assault on war-ravaged Syrias territorial integrity and political sovereignty, the event speaks of Turkeys opportunistic foreign policy and signals a return to Ottoman era territorial conquest and expansion.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan boasted of hoisting the Turkish and allied Free Syrian Army flags in the city center of Afrin on March 18. He said: In the centre of Afrin, symbols of trust and stability are waving instead of rags of terrorists, referring to the sons of the soil  the Kurdish YPG fighters, who valiantly fought against the Islamic State militants. He justified the invasion and capture of Afrin in the name of stopping a Kurdish terror corridor along Turkeys western borders with Syria and vowed to press eastward to target other Kurds-dominated towns, including Manbij raising the specter of a direct military clash with the US.

A return to Ottoman era conquest and expansion

Afrin is modern Turkeys first, but may not be the last, territorial takeover after the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire in November 1922 (Turkey also sent troops to support ethnic Turks in Northern Cyprus in July 1974). The Ottoman rulers expanded their territorial boundaries across the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe especially after 1453, the year they conquered Constantinople (what was later renamed Istanbul) forcing the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire (330 1453). By the seventeenth century the Ottoman territorial expansion reached its limits; there was little scope for further conquests, with Sahara Desert to the south of the empire, Western Europe to the west and imperial Russia to the northeast.

In the Middle East, present-day Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and much of the Arabian Peninsula territories went under Ottoman control. After their defeat in World War I, the Ottoman leaders had signed the Treaty of Sevres in August 1920 with the Allied Powers agreeing to cede all non-Turkish territories to the Allied administration and the eventual dismemberment of the empire.

The Sevres treaty sparked the War of Independence led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who forced the Allied Powers to negotiate another treaty  the July 1923 Treaty of Lausanne paving the way for the creation of the Republic of Turkey the same year, mostly covering the original Turkish territory of Anatolia.

Kemal Ataturk founded modern Turkey on the two principles of Turkish nationalism (non-Turkish minority groups were required to be Turks in education, taste and values) and secularism (the Ottoman policy of Islam as the official religion was discarded), with the objective to modernize and westernize Turkey. Isolation from the Arab Middle East followed suit. President Erdogan is faithfully following Ataturks principle of nationalism to suppress the Kurds but maintains a generally oblivious stance on secularism.

A new Sultan in the making

Nearly a century after its creation, the distinction between the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey is gradually getting blurred, at least in some respects. The Ottoman Empire was an Islamic empire and the rulers, since they had no relations with Prophet Muhammad or his descendants, assumed the title of Sultan (not Caliph, a title the Prophets four close companions used to spiritually and politically guide the nascent Muslim community after he had passed away in 632). President Erdogan is not an imperial ruler but appears to have some striking similarities with the Ottoman sultans. He is, after all, an Islamist and a nationalist leader, as was the case with the Ottomans who privileged Islamic governance and Turkish nationalist temper in determining state policies and decisions. President Erdogan is not Islamizing Turkey publicly, but there has been a creeping return to Islam. His primary support base consists of a rising group of conservative small and medium businesses, known as the Anatolian tigers and the ultranationalists.

Like the Chinese, Indian or European imperial rulers, almost all Ottoman sultans took great interests in territorial expansion of the empire. So is the case with Sultan Erdogan. The Ottoman sultans saw infidel enemies all around to be defeated; Sultan Erdogan sees the presence of so-called Kurdish terrorists in Syria and Iraq as excuses to attack, invade or conquer Kurdish territories. Unlike other Turkish governments, President Erdogan has pursued more repressive policies to stifle the Kurds demand for regional autonomy in southeastern Turkey and regionally.

Internal dynamics says a lot

Sultan Erdogans political arm the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won a landslide electoral victory in 2002 and has been in power since. The AKP is the modern version of the National Order Party founded by Islamist leader Necmettin Erbakan in early 1970. Taking a middle position between Islam and Ataturks policy of secularism, the AKP has pursued Islamist zeal (not actual Islamization policies) at home and neo-Ottoman policy abroad. In the process, the party has distanced itself from the Gulen movement whose supporters played a vital role to Erdogans rise to power. Sultan Erdogan has also survived two coups  the 2013 corruption scandal and the 2016 military putsch that helped him consolidate domestic power base through a blanket purge of political foes and opponents.

The neo-Ottoman foreign policy has been both peaceful and violent. The AKP governments policy of zero problems with neighbors has attempted a peaceful return to former Ottoman territories and peoples, while its naked interventions in Iraq and Syria represent the violent dimension of the policy.

Pursued since 2002, the zero problems policy initially succeeded in building bridges of mutual trusts with the immediate Arab neighbors and in reaching out to the Gulf Arab states. Visa-free travel arrangements were signed with Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and even with historical rival Russia. But the policy faced an untimely death due to the outbreak of the Arab Spring.

The policy of zero problems with the neighbors hit a snag especially after Syria had plunged in unending violence in March 2011. After some initial mediation efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict, the Erdogan government chose the realpolitik option to promote Turkeys regional geopolitical ambitions. First, along with Qatar, it unsuccessfully supported the Muslim Brotherhood groups crusade against the secular but pro-Iran and Pro-Russia Bashar Al-Assad government. Secondly, once it realized the impossibility of political change in Syria, the Erdogan government started using the Kurdish phobia to implement the neo-Ottoman geopolitical agenda.

The ultimate trump card

As far as the shocking revelations by former Qatari prime and foreign minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani go, President Erdogans Turkey, alongside Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the US, was directly involved in covert regime change operations in Syria. Of the four countries, only Turkey has had common borders with Syria. Turkey also has deep historical ties to ethnic Turkmen minority groups in Syria. The pro-Turkey Free Syrian Army is considerably dominated by the Turkmen rebel groups whom Sultan Erdogan is using to push his territorial conquests in north and northeastern Syria. He sees the so-called Kurdish terrorists as his ultimate trump card to play to pursue Ottoman era expansion.

And the occupation of Afrin may eventually create a second Palestine in the Middle East, a Palestine of Kurds inside Syria but under Turkish occupation. This may be a reality unless Sultan Erdogan resists his neo-Ottoman policy of territorial conquests and expansion.

Mohammed Nuruzzaman is Associate Professor of International Relations, Gulf University for Science and Technology, West Mishref, Kuwait



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

VOA: Turkey Proclaims Complete Control of Afrin, Announces Next Target in Syria
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By Sarah van Gelder | (Yes! Magazine) |  

A widespread show of support at the local level could embolden lawmakers toward a no-first-use policy on nuclear weapons.

Yes, John Bolton Really Is That Dangerous read a headline from the New York Times.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said he cant imagine a more reckless, more dangerous pick in an interview for MSNBC.

U.S. War with North Korea and Iran More Likely With John Bolton Running National Security read a Newsweek headline.

Its time to panic now: John Boltons appointment as national security adviser puts us on a path to war, said Slate.

The new head of President Trumps national security policy is so belligerent that a Republican-controlled committee refused to confirm his appointment as ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. He was able to serve only as a recess appointee.

Bolton was part of the neoconservative group that pressed for the invasion of Iraqhelping to cherry-pick intelligence about, for example, weapons of mass destruction, supporting the case for war and sidelining opposing viewpoints.

He remains unrepentant about the decision to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein.

In the 1990s, Bolton said that the United Nations headquarters could lose several floors and never be missed. He is chair of the Gatestone Institute, an anti-Muslim think tank that routinely portrays Muslim migrants and refugees as an existential threat to Europe and the United States, according to the Intercept.

He writes commentaries that press for pre-emptive war in North Korea and bombing Iran. And his view on recent plans for talks with North Korea, brokered by South Korea, is dismissive: It is worth talking with North Korea only to foreshorten the amount of time that were going to waste in negotiations that will never produce the result we want, he said on Fox News at Night.

The alarm over the Bolton appointment isnt just among progressives. The American Conservative calls Bolton an ideologue whose credo dogmatizes violence against enemies regardless of consequences or cost.

In another article for The American Conservative, Gareth Porter wrote, He has been obsessed for many years with going to war against the Islamic Republic, calling repeatedly for bombing Iran in his regular appearances on Fox News, without the slightest indication that he understands the consequences of such a policy.

For years, Trump criticized U.S. intervention in Iraq. But somehow, as Maureen Dowd writes in The New York Times, in his King George madness, Trump has circled back to elevate one of the chief Iraq war hawks to be his national security adviser.

Given Trumps disdain for real facts and policy briefingsand his craving for flattery, bold moves, and attentionJohn Boltons appointment as Trumps chief foreign policy advisor is terrifying. The appointment requires no Senate ratification, so effective responses are hard to find. However, there are plans for pushing back, and the stakes couldnt be higher.

Whats a democracy to do?

Despite Trumps own disparagement of the Iran nuclear deal, his defense secretary, Jim Mattis, has admitted that the deal is working.

In Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has succeeded in calming tensions with North Korea, and a summit with the Norths Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un is scheduled for April.

President Trump has agreed to meet with the North Korean leader. And, according to a report from Moons national security advisor, North Korea has made clear that its prepared to end its nuclear program if it can be assured that it will not be attacked.

The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed, said a South Korean presidential spokesperson, according to the Yonhap news agency.

So peace is certainly a possibility. But pre-emptive strikes, including nuclear strikes, and all-out warfare are much easier to envision with the appointment of Bolton.

And Bolton is not the only pro-war appointee in recent days. Rex Tillerson is out as secretary of state, to be replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, while Gina Haspel will replace Pompeo as director of the CIA.

What accounts for Trumps pro-war appointees?

Congress should step up to its responsibilities under the Constitution and the 1973 War Powers Act.

It could be deflection. A president who is desperate to try to turn the news away from the myriad of scandals under which he is buried is going to have someone who is going to eagerly recommend to him that you go around Congress and start what could be catastrophic war with North Korea and Iran, Senator Chris Murphy said on MSNBC following the announcement of the Bolton appointment.

So what can avert disastrous military conflict with Iran, North Korea, and potentially also with China and Russia?

Lawrence Wilkerson, former chief of staff to Colin Powell, is calling on Congress to challenge the Trump administrations foreign policy, starting with the confirmation hearings for Pompeo and Haspel. If Americans believe that 17 straight years of war is enough, they need to stand by: another 17 or more is in the offing he wrote in a commentary for Lobe Log headlined The Most Important Hearings of the Young Century.

Congress should step up to its responsibilities under the Constitution and the 1973 War Powers Act, according to Daniel DePetris, a fellow at Defense Priorities. Congress has a number of tools at its disposal, including the power to allocate or withhold funding for military endeavors. The most effective tool Congress can employ, however, is following the Constitution and authorizing wars before the first U.S. soldier is deployed, he wrote. Congress can be taken seriously on national security again if members in both houses and in both parties assert the legislative tools at their disposal and exhibit more political courage.

In a New York Times column titled Burn It Down, Rex, Michelle Goldberg wrote that the people who were supposed to be the adults in the room arent in the room anymore. The self-styled grown-ups are, for the most part, being replaced by lackeys and ideologues.

Then she calls on former Trump appointees, who claimed to have a stabilizing influence on the Trump presidency, to level with Americans: Whatever their accomplishments, if from their privileged perches these people saw the president as a dangerous fool in need of babysitting, its now time for some of them to say so publicly.  If these people see the administration as unequipped to handle an emergency, they owe the country a firsthand account of our vulnerability.

And what policies could help?

The United States needs a no-first-use policy on nuclear weapons, said Steven J. Brams, co-author of Game Theory and National Security, in the Washington Post. China, India, and Israel have all recognized a version of this policy, he writes.

There is great danger in these times, but the future remains unwritten and ours to shape.

If more and more nuclear states adopted NFU policies, he wrote, the world might banish the threat of nuclear war, bringing a new global equilibrium.

Back from the Brink advocates a no-first-use policy, and also calls for municipal officials and elected bodies to endorse four other steps to avert nuclear war: ending the sole, unchecked authority of any U.S. president to launch a nuclear attack; taking nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert; cancelling the plan to replace the U.S. nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons (at a cost of $1.7 trillion over three decades); and actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.

Another organization, Beyond the Bomb, is calling for action from states and local officials to put a check on the presidents absolute nuclear authority. The group describes itself as a grassroots movement led by women, people of color, and young people  fighting for a world that chooses cooperation over fear, humanity over profit, and peace over war.

A widespread show of support at the local level could embolden national action. Young people, traumatized by school shootings and leading a remarkable movement against gun violence, could team up with baby boomers, who were told they should duck under a school desk in the event of a nuclear attack. American women can join their sisters across the world, especially Iranian and Korean women.

Christine Ahn, is among those calling on women to join forces. Ahn is founder and international coordinator of Women Cross DMZ, which is working for a peace treaty to end the Korean War, reunite families, and ensure womens leadership in peace-building. Ahn and 30 women peacemakers from 15 countries joined together in 2015 for a walk across the de-militarized zone separating North and South Korea, along with 10,000 Korean women from both North and South.

Im organizing another womens peace walk May 2428, she said in an email. The group hopes to walk once again across the DMZ. But even if they are not allowed to do that, Ahn still believes its important to show support for the administration of President Moon Jae-in, who was elected last year on a platform that included closer ties with the North, after a corruption scandal led to the impeachment of his predecessor.

South Korea is probably the most democratic country in the world today and is standing up against Trump, Ahn wrote. If South Korea doesnt go along with U.S. designs (and its clear what Boltons playbook is), no doubt the U.S. will use all its powers (covert too). So we really need to help protect Korea now.

On a March 18 Global #CallForPeace phone call with Bernie Sanders, Ahn called for messages of solidarity. There is great danger in these times, but the future remains unwritten and ours to shape.  Let us not turn our backs on the Korean people, but give them our global solidarity.

Sarah van Gelder wrote this article for YES! Magazine. Sarah is a co-founder and columnist at YES!, founder of PeoplesHub, and author of The Revolution Where You Live: Stories from a 12,000-Mile Journey Through a New America. Read more about her work here, and follow her on Twitter @sarahvangelder.

Reprinted with permission from Yes! Magazine



Bonus video added by Informed Comment:

Dan Rather @ The Young Turks: The Real Danger of John Bolton
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asanko Gold Inc. (Asanko or the Company) (TSX:AKG) (NYSE American:AKG) is pleased to announce that it has entered into certain definitive agreements under which Asanko will receive US$185 million for a 50% joint venture (JV) interest in its Asanko Gold Mine (AGM) from subsidiaries of Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields) (JSE:GFI) (NYSE:GFI), one of the worlds largest gold producers and the second largest gold producer in Ghana.

Under the various transaction agreements (Transactions), Asanko and Gold Fields will, among other things, form an incorporated 50:50 corporate JV which will own Asankos 90% interest in the Asanko Gold Mine (the AGM) and all associated properties in Ghana. The Government of Ghana will continue to hold a free-carried 10% interest. In addition to the JV interest, Gold Fields will purchase a 9.9% shareholding interest in Asanko for approximately US$17.6 million to purchase 22,354,657 shares at approximately US$0.79, equal to the 5-day VWAP as of market close on March 27, 2018. Asanko will host an investor conference call at 9am ET today, details below.

Transaction Highlights

Asanko will receive from Gold Fields: US$165 million in cash, payable upon closing of the JV Transaction expected before end of Q3 2018 US$20 million in cash, also payable for the JV Transaction, on an agreed Esaase development milestone but in any event no later than December 31, 2019 US$17.6 million from Gold Fields for a 9.9% private placement in Asanko shares at a price of US$0.79 anticipated to be completed in the immediate future

Asanko will remain the manager and operator of the AGM and will continue to be paid an arms length management fee for services rendered to the JV of approximately US$6 million per annum

Asanko will use the proceeds primarily to repay its outstanding Red Kite debt of US$164 million

Asanko views the JV as a significantly superior outcome than a restructuring of the Red Kite debt facility as it provides a balanced risk/return profile and creates a debt free platform that will enable Asanko to accelerate growth opportunities and pursue its strategy of becoming a mid-tier gold producer

This transaction presents a unique opportunity for Asanko to de-risk its future production targets whilst at the same time eliminating corporate debt. With a healthy balance sheet and robust operational cash flows, together with a strong technical endorsement, our Life of Mine plan is assured, said Asanko President and CEO, Peter Breese.

After carefully weighing the benefits of this transaction, we have determined that it is superior to the alternative of engaging with Red Kite to extend our debt. With the repayment of the Red Kite debt, Asanko has achieved significant financial flexibility moving forward as we seek to continue to grow our business over the medium term.

The mine is now operating well within our business targets, with mining efficiencies and the process plant delivering ahead of plan. With this new investment and the freeing up of our balance sheet, we will now move forward with the development of our large scale Esaase deposit, with a view to commencing production in 2019 with an interim trucking operation until the conveyor is fully operational in late 2020. We look forward to working in partnership with Gold Fields and sharing mining and exploration expertise to create added value for all our stakeholders.

Nicholas Holland, CEO of Gold Fields, commented: West Africa is an important part of our business and we look forward to a long partnership with Asanko in Ghana. We view the Asanko Gold Mine as a high quality asset and a great addition to our existing portfolio of open pit gold operations in the country.

Transaction Rationale

Significantly improved balance sheet Asanko emerges debt free following repayment of Red Kite Facility Strong attributable pro forma cash position of approximately US$35 million (US$55 million including deferred consideration) as at March 23, 2018

World-Class Partner with Experience in Ghana Gold Fields is Ghanas second largest gold producer with more than 20 years of in-country experience Gold Fields brings considerable technical and exploration expertise that complements Asankos existing development and operating capabilities

Management and Asset Validation Partnership endorses Gold Fields confidence in Asankos mine operator capabilities Partnership validates the AGM from a technical and operational perspective

Well Positioned for Future Growth Near-term organic growth self funded by the AGM from internally generated cash flows Robust balance sheet with which to fund growth initiatives



Further Transaction Particulars

Under the terms of the Transaction, on closing, Gold Fields will acquire a 50% participating interest in Asankos 90% ownership interest in the AGM for an aggregate US$185 million in cash, of which US$165 million is payable upon closing. The remaining US$20 million is payable upon achievement of an agreed Esaase development milestone but in any event by no later than December 31, 2019.

The closing of the Transaction is expected to occur before end of Q3 2018 and is subject to customary conditions precedent including that no material adverse event occurs and Ghanaian Minister of Lands and Natural Resources does not object.

The Transaction will impact the recognition, presentation and measurement of assets and liabilities associated with the Companys Ghanaian operations. The results of which are expected to result in a non cash impairment charge based on the JV Transaction indicative asset value.

The Joint Venture Agreement

Asanko will remain the manager (operator) of the AGM. A management committee will be formed, with representatives from each party, to govern the operating and development activities of JV. The JV will continue to pay Asanko an arms length management fee for services rendered of approximately US$6 million per annum. The JV will fund its growth from operating cash flow. The JV Agreement has customary terms for program participation elections, dilution of equity interest for non-participation, sole risk rights for new projects and expedited dispute resolution.

The Private Placement and Investor Rights Agreement

Gold Fields has agreed to purchase 22,354,657 common shares of the Company through a private placement, at a price of approximately US$0.79 per share (the Private Placement) equal to the 5-day VWAP as of market close on March 27, 2018. The net proceeds of the Private Placement will total approximately US$17.6 million, which will further strengthen Asankos balance sheet. These shares are subject to a customary four month resale restricted period in Canada. In connection with the Private Placement, Gold Fields will sign an investor rights agreement with Asanko under which Gold Fields will receive certain rights to participate in future Asanko share issuances in order to maintain its 9.9% shareholding for up to five years. In addition, Gold Fields has agreed that it will standstill at this level of ownership for a one year period unless Asanko otherwise consents, and will support Asanko management nominees at shareholder meetings. The Private Placement is anticipated to be completed in the immediate future and has received conditional TSX approval.

Repayment of the Red Kite Debt

Asanko will use the JV Transaction cash to repay in full all outstanding principal and accrued interest (US$164 million) owing to RK Mine Finance Trust I (Red Kite) under the Definitive Senior Facilities Agreement upon closing. There are no early repayment penalties associated with the Red Kite debt. Red Kites current gold offtake agreement will remain in effect until all outstanding ounces have been delivered to Red Kite or the JV elects to terminate the offtake and pay the associated fee.

In the event that the JV Transaction has not completed by July 1, 2018, when the first principal repayment of the Red Kite debt is due, Gold Fields has also agreed to provide a bridge loan of up to US$20 million for Asanko, to be drawn at Asankos sole discretion. The bridge loan will be credited towards Gold Fields contribution to the Joint Venture on closing. If closing does not complete for any reason, the bridge loan will be repayable, after written demand with a 30 day notice, at any time after six months from the date of advance of the bridge loan. If Asanko does not repay the bridge loan, the bridge loan claim would effectively be used to subscribe for new common shares of Asanko, up to the point where Gold Fields would own 19.9% of the outstanding Asanko shares, and the balance would be repaid in cash. Pricing of these shares is subject to TSX policy.

Development of Esaase Proceeding

The development of the large-scale Esaase deposit will commence in 2018 and initial production is expected in Q1 2019 with an interim trucking operation of approximately 1.5 million tonnes per annum during 2019 and 2020. The pre-production capital associated with opening up Esaase is approximately US$9 million, of which US$7 million is expected to be spent in 2018. A trucking permit has been applied for and is anticipated before the end of 2018.

2018 Guidance and 5 Year Outlook

As announced on March 15, 2018, the Company released its 2018 Guidance and 5-Year Outlook, which is summarized below. This Transaction will enable the AGM to generate strong cash flows to fund its capital requirements over the next three years.

Asanko Gold Mine 100% basis 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Ore tonnes mined 000t 4,300-4,700 7,300 7,560 5,450 6,980 6,400 Average grade mined g/t 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.5 1.4 Tonnes processed 000t 4,700-5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 Mill head grade g/t 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.7 Gold Production 000oz 200-220 255 280 220 265 245 AISC1 US$/oz 1,050-1,150 950 810 905 775 880 Total capex US$m 19.5 75.0 100.5 31.5 9.0 18.2

Notes: Based on US$1,250/oz gold and construction of the overland conveyor in 2019/20

Advisors

In connection with this transaction, BMO Capital Markets and Taurum International acted as financial advisors and McMillan LLP acted as legal counsel to Asanko. Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP acted as legal counsel to Gold Fields.

Notes:

1 Non-GAAP Performance Measures

The Company has included certain non-GAAP performance measures in this press release, including all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce (AISC). These non-GAAP performance measures do not have any standardized meaning. Accordingly, these performance measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The Company has adopted the World Gold Councils guidance for reporting of AISC. AISC include total cash costs, corporate overhead expenses, sustaining capital expenditure, capitalized stripping costs and reclamation cost accretion for each ounce of gold sold.

Qualified Persons

Frederik Fourie, Asanko Senior Mining Engineer (Pr.Eng.) is the Asanko Qualified Person, as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Mineral Disclosure), who has approved the preparation of the mining technical contents of this news release.



Management Conference Call & Webcast Details - 9am ET on Thursday, March 29, 2018



A presentation is available at: www.asanko.com.



Conference Call:

US/Canada Toll Free: (800) 909-4985

UK Toll Free: 08004960445

International: +1 (212) 231-2929



Webcast:

Please click on the link: Click Here



Replay:

A recorded playback will be available approximately two hours after the call until April 28, 2018:

US/Canada Toll Free: 800 558 5253

UK Toll Free: 0800 692 0831

International: +1 416 626 4100

Passcode: 21886753





About Asanko Gold Inc.

Asankos vision is to become a mid-tier gold mining company that maximizes value for all its stakeholders. The Companys flagship project is the multi-million ounce Asanko Gold Mine located in Ghana, West Africa. Asanko is managed by highly skilled and successful technical, operational and financial professionals. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities.

About Gold Fields Limited

Gold Fields Limited is a globally diversified gold producer with seven operating mines in Australia, Ghana, Peru and South Africa, and a total attributable annual gold-equivalent production of approximately 2.2 million ounces. It has attributable gold Mineral Reserves of around 49 million ounces and gold Mineral Resources of around 104 million ounces. Attributable copper Mineral Reserves total 764 million pounds and Mineral Resources 4,881 million pounds. Gold Fields has a primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Limited, with secondary listings on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Swiss Exchange (SIX).

Forward-Looking and other Cautionary Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address the completion of announced agreements including the agreement with Gold Fields, estimated resource quantities, grades and contained metals, possible future mining, exploration and development activities, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices for metals, the conclusions of detailed feasibility and technical analyses, the timely renewal of key permits, lower than expected grades and quantities of resources, mining rates and recovery rates and the lack of availability of necessary capital, which may not be available to the Company on terms acceptable to it or at all. The Company is subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's Annual Form 40-F filing with the United States Securities Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note to US Investors Regarding Mineral Reporting Standards:

Asanko has prepared its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of US securities laws. Terms relating to mineral resources in this press release are defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Asanko uses certain terms, such as, measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources, inferred mineral resources and probable mineral reserves, that the SEC does not recognize (these terms may be used in this press release and are included in the public filings of Asanko which have been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada).
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (TSX:CGG) (HKEx:2099) (the Company or China Gold International Resources) is pleased to report Year-End 2017 results and provide 2018 Outlook.

FINANCIAL, PRODUCTION AND OPERATION HIGHLIGHTS

2017 Fourth quarter highlights

Revenue increased by 42% to US$133.3 million from US$93.6 million for the same period in 2016.





Mine operating earnings increased by 252% to US$45.7 million from US$13.0 million for the same period in 2016.





Net profit after income taxes increased to US$20.0 million from a net loss of US$9.1 million for the same period in 2016.





Gold production from the CSH Mine increased by 14% to 59,998 ounces from 52,828 ounces for the same period in 2016.





Copper production from the Jiama Mine increased by 241% to 14,905 tonnes (approximately 32.9 million pounds) from 4,365 tonnes (approximately 9.6 million pounds) for the same period in 2016. Gold produced was 17,893 ounces compared to 6,133 ounces for the same period in 2016. The increase in production was primarily due to the output from the commissioning of phase II series I expansion.

2017 Annual highlights

Revenue increased by 22% to US$411.9 million from US$338.6 million for the same period in 2016.





Mine operating earnings increased by 108% to US$116.8 million from US$56.2 million for the same period in 2016.





Net profit after income taxes increased to US$64.3 million from a net loss of US$12.3 million for the same period in 2016.





Gold production from the CSH Mine increased by 1% to 186,957 ounces from 185,052 ounces for the same period in 2016.





Copper production from the Jiama Mine increased by 96% to 35,844 tonnes (approximately 79.0 million pounds) from 18,321 tonnes (approximately 40.4 million pounds) for the same period in 2016. Gold produced was 47,710 ounces compared to 26,250 ounces for the same period in 2016. The increase in production was mainly due to the output from the commissioning of the phase II series I expansion.



The cash production cost, and total production cost for the CSH Mine are presented in the table below.

CSH Mine Year ended December 31, 2017 2016 Total production cost (US$) of gold per ounce 1,055 1,054 Cash production cost* (US$) of gold per ounce 670 764 * Non-IFRS measure

The cash production cost, and total production cost for the Jiama Mine are presented in the table below.

Jiama Mine Year ended December 31, 2017 2016 Total production cost* (US$) of copper per pound 2.47 2.49 Total production cost* (US$) of copper per pound

after by-products credits*** 1.36 1.48 Cash production cost** (US$) per pound of copper 2.05 2.09 Cash production cost** (US$) of copper per pound

After by-products credits*** 0.94 1.08

* Production costs include expenditures incurred at the mine sites for the activities related to production including mining, processing, mine site G&A and royalties etc.

** Non-IFRS measure

*** By-products credit refers to the sales of gold and silver during the corresponding period.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

At December 31, 2017, the Company had an accumulated surplus of US$229.1 million, working capital of US$21.4 million and borrowings of US$1,275 million. The Companys cash balance at December 31, 2017 was US$147.3 million.





The Companys borrowings are comprised of US$162 million of short term debt facilities and US$1,113 million of long term debt facilities, with interest rates ranging from 2.35% to 4.35% per annum.

2018 PRODUCTION AND OPERATING OUTLOOK:

The Company will continue to leverage the technical and operating experience of the Companys major shareholder, China National Gold Group Co., Ltd. ( CNG ), to improve operations at its mines. In addition, the Company continues to focus its efforts on increasing production while minimizing costs at both mines.





), to improve operations at its mines. In addition, the Company continues to focus its efforts on increasing production while minimizing costs at both mines. To fulfill its growth strategy, the Company is continually working with CNG and other interested parties to identify potential international mining acquisition opportunities, namely projects outside of China.





The 2018 copper production for the Company is expected to be approximately 100 million pounds.





The Companys consolidated gold production from both mines is expected to be approximately 160,000 ounces in 2018.

ANNUAL RESULTS INVESTOR AND MEDIA PRESENTATION

Management will hold its 2017 Annual Results Investor and Media Presentation in Hong Kong on April 12, 2018 at 10 a.m. (Hong Kong time). Year-End 2017 results and performance will be discussed with a question and answer period.

For a detailed look at the financial statements and MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2017, please visit the Company's website at www.chinagoldintl.com, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limiteds website at www.hkex.com.hk or SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About China Gold International Resources

China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and operates both profitable and growing mines, the CSH Gold Mine in Inner Mongolia, and the Jiama Copper-Polymetallic Mine in Tibet Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. The Companys objective is to continue to build shareholder value by growing production at its current mining operations, expanding its resource base, and aggressively acquiring and developing new projects internationally. The Company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:CGG) and the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEx:2099).

For additional information on China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd., please refer to its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or contact Tel: 604-609-0598, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Website: www.chinagoldintl.com.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information regarding China Gold International Resources contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although China Gold International Resources believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. China Gold International Resources cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what China Gold International Resources currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and subject to change after that date.
TORONTO, March 29, 2018 /CNW/ - Adventus Zinc Corporation ("Adventus") (TSX-V: ADZN) and Salazar Resources Limited ("Salazar") (TSX-V: SRL, collectively the "Parties") are pleased to announce that the Ecuador-wide exploration alliance agreement between Adventus and Salazar, initially announced on September 14, 2017, has been formally executed (the "Alliance"). The main business terms of the Alliance are as follows:

The Alliance ownership is 80% Adventus and 20% Salazar in an Ecuadorian Company, which will hold each exploration project up to a construction decision;

Adventus is to fund all activities in the Alliance up to a construction decision on any project. Once a project reaches a construction decision, a separate joint-venture company will be formed for that individual project with pro-rata funding requirements, and be subject to a standard dilution formula;

The Alliance is controlled by the Board of Directors ("Alliance Board") consisting of two nominees from Adventus and one nominee from Salazar. A unanimous vote is required in specific business situations;

Exploration activities of the Alliance are to be carried out by Salazar on a cost +10% basis under the supervision and approval of the Alliance Board; and

Salazar is required to bring all zinc-related (zinc as one of the top two metals) projects preferentially to the Alliance, but can also transfer non-zinc related projects into the Alliance upon agreement of the Parties.

Since October 2017 and operating under a memorandum of understanding, the Alliance has reviewed 12 exploration projects in Ecuador. The Parties are pleased to announce the optioning of the first project into the Alliance. It is expected that the Alliance will selectively grow its portfolio of exploration assets in Ecuador with modest spending compared to the Curipamba Project.

New Project Transaction

The Parties have entered into a definitive agreement for the Pijili exploration project (the "Pijili Project"), which is to be transferred into the Alliance. The Pijili Project has been granted to Salazar by the Republic of Ecuador subject to a US$5 million expenditure over four years. Since the Pijili Project was already in the Salazar's Ecuadorian project portfolio, Adventus has agreed to provide the following consideration to Salazar prior to the transfer of the Pijili Project into the Alliance:

On the earlier of: (a) the next time Adventus completes a financing of at least C$3 million , (b) Adventus completes a merger or acquisition transaction involving its common shares, or (c) March 1, 2019, Adventus shall issue to Salazar 2,333,333 common shares;

, (b) Adventus completes a merger or acquisition transaction involving its common shares, or (c) March 1, 2019, Adventus shall issue to Salazar 2,333,333 common shares; If upon issuance of the common shares the value of the 2,333,333 shares is below C$2.3 million , Adventus will issue additional common shares to Salazar to make up the value difference based on the 10-day VWAP on the day preceding the date of issuance, up to a maximum addition of 500,000 common shares;

, Adventus will issue additional common shares to Salazar to make up the value difference based on the 10-day VWAP on the day preceding the date of issuance, up to a maximum addition of 500,000 common shares; US$150,000 in cash payments to Salazar, with US$100,000 due today, and US$50,000 due upon official transfer of the Pijili Project to the Alliance; and

in cash payments to Salazar, with due today, and due upon official transfer of the Pijili Project to the Alliance; and US$1.0 million exploration budget for the Pijili Project to be fully funded by Adventus (or reserved for the Alliance) over the next 18 months.

Any new exploration opportunities acquired or applied for within a 10-km radius area of interest around the Pijili Project will be for the sole benefit of the Alliance. The Pijili Project shall be transferred to the Alliance once cash payments are made, common shares are issued, and the US$1.0 million exploration budget is spent (or reserved for the Alliance) within 18 months. Once the Pijili Project is transferred into the Alliance, it will be governed by the terms of the Alliance agreement.

Pijili Project

The Pijili Project consists of three concessions totalling 3,246 hectares that is subject to a US$5.0 million spending commitment over 4 years to obtain 100% ownership from the Republic of Ecuador. The Pijili Project is located in the province of Azuay, approximately 150 km from the major port city of Guayaquil. The Pijili Project is an untested epithermal gold-silver target, although there are opinions that there is a broader, larger scale porphyry target present.

The Pijili Project has never been explored with modern exploration techniques, such as geophysics, nor has there been any systematic geological mapping, geochemical sampling, trenching and/or drilling undertaken. Small-scale, legally permitted artisanal mining operations adjacent to the property are following precious metal-bearing structures via several small open pits and underground tunnels. It is also important to note the presence of secondary copper mineralization that is visible along the walls of the small open pits. Salazar staff have noted copper sulphide-bearing (chalcopyrite) veins in a valley bottom at the confluence of major creeks that also requires additional follow-up.

The initial 18-month program will entail detailed prospecting, surficial sampling, geological and structural mapping, implementation of a PIMA/TerraSpec for detailed hydrothermal alteration mineral studies, and geophysics. Drilling shall be considered once a target generation evaluation is completed.

Curipamba Drilling Update

Salazar field crews have completed approximately 3,943 metres using two drill rigs at Curipamba Project since the commencement of drilling at the end of January 2018. One drill rig is currently working to complete infill and definition drilling within the Whittle starter open-pit of the recent Mineral Resource update (see January 31, 2018 news release) to not only raise confidence in Mineral Resource, but to also collect material for a metallurgical program planned for the second half of 2018. The second drill rig recently completed exploration drill holes between the southern end of the El Domo deposit, and the El Gallo target, and is currently drilling the high-priority Sesmo and Caracol targets. Assay results from drilling will be released when they have passed QA/QC protocols.

A ground induced polarization ("IP") and magnetic ("MAG") survey has been completed over the Sesmo and Caracol targets that included over 24.15-line kilometres of IP and 24.57-line kilometres of MAG. Data from these surveys will be integrated with all available geological, structural, and geochemical information, which will help define new targets for exploration drilling.

The technical information of this news release has been reviewed and verified as accurate by Mr. Jason Dunning, M.Sc., P.Geo., Vice President Exploration for Adventus, a non-Independent Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101.

About Adventus

Adventus is a well-financed and unique company focused on zinc exploration and project development globally. Its strategic shareholders include Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP, and Resource Capital Funds; as well as other highly respected investors in the mining business. Adventus currently has large prospective land packages in both Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and is earning a 75% ownership interest in the Curipamba copper-gold-zinc project in Ecuador. In addition, Adventus has a country-wide exploration alliance with its partners in Ecuador, incorporating one project to date. Adventus is based in Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the TSX-V under the symbol ADZN.

About Salazar

Salazar is a publicly-listed mineral resource company engaged in the exploration and development of new highly prospective areas in Ecuador. Led by a senior Ecuadorian management team and most notably by its namesake Fredy Salazar, this team has been instrumental in other major discoveries throughout Ecuador, including Aurelian's Fruta Del Norte discovery, Mozo Deposit, Ex Newmont's Cangrejos Project and International Minerals Rio Blanco and Gaby Deposit. Being an Ecuadorian-based company gives the Company a strategic advantage enabling the Company to complete exploration at a rapid pace. With an excellent property portfolio (6 projects  33,383 hectares), good geopolitical positioning and a number of strategic corporate and financial partnerships, Salazar has positioned itself to be a strategic player in Ecuador.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking information herein includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that Adventus and Salazar expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Although Adventus and Salazar have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Adventus and Salazar undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
VANCOUVER, March 28, 2018 /CNW/ - Nevsun Resources Ltd. (TSX:NSU) (NYSE AMERICAN: NSU) (Nevsun or the Company) today announced the results of a pre-feasibility study ("PFS") for the Timok Upper Zone copper-gold project in Serbia ("Timok Project" or "Project"), one of the world's best development stage copper projects. All economic values within this release are in US dollars unless indicated otherwise.

Nevsun CEO Peter Kukielski commented, "The PFS confirms the extraordinary value of our wholly-owned Timok Upper Zone project. This is a high-grade, high return, fully executable copper project in a supportive jurisdiction. The PFS is an important advance over our October 2017 Preliminary Economic Assessment and further de-risks the Project by improving confidence in the engineering details, metallurgical understanding, timeline to production and capital assumptions.

As we drive toward a feasibility study in mid-2019, I am confident that we have the right team in place to bring the Timok Project into production. Between our management and the Board, we collectively have decades of development experience through the building of multiple projects and tens of billions of direct over sight of deployment of capital."

Timok Upper Zone Project PFS Highlights

Initial Probable Mineral Reserve of 27 million tonnes at 3.3% copper and 2.1 grams per tonne gold using a price of $3.00 per pound copper and $1300 per ounce gold

per pound copper and per ounce gold Pre-production capital cost of $574 million , excluding $114 million to be spent to reach a construction decision

, excluding to be spent to reach a construction decision After-tax NAV8% of $1.82 billion and IRR of 80% at $3.15 per pound copper valued at start of construction ( July 2020 )

and IRR of 80% at per pound copper valued at start of construction ( ) After-tax NAV8% of $1.45 billion and IRR of 55% at $3.15 per pound copper, including pre-construction capital and valued at June 30, 2018

and IRR of 55% at per pound copper, including pre-construction capital and valued at Initial production targeted for 2022

Ten-year mine life producing over 1.7 billion pounds of payable copper, excluding inferred resources

Life of Mine average annual payable production of 86 thousand tonnes per year at an average C1 cash cost of $0.92 per copper pound

per copper pound Average annual payable copper production of 143 thousand tonnes at an average C1 cash cost of $0.54 per copper pound over the first three full years of production

per copper pound over the first three full years of production Strong front-end cash flow and quick payback period of less than 1 year supports a wide range of financing opportunities and alternatives

Scoping level work suggests potential to decrease initial capital by up to $100 million through a staged ramp up from 1.6 to 3.2 million tonnes per annum while maintaining strong Project economics

through a staged ramp up from 1.6 to 3.2 million tonnes per annum while maintaining strong Project economics Significant exploration potential exists through the future conversion of inferred resources and greenfield exploration

Nevsun CEO Peter Kukielski continued, "The Project lies in an established mining jurisdiction with a supportive and collaborative government. The Republic of Serbia recently granted an exploration decline permit for the Project, advancing our timeline to production. The decline permit is a testament to the strong working relationship that we have built with the government of Serbia. We are grateful for their continued support as we begin initial construction of the decline in Q2 2018, advancing the Timok Upper Zone Project for the benefit of both local stakeholders and our shareholders."

Serbia's Minister of Mining and Energy, Aleksandar Antic commented, "The Timok Project is very important to Serbia. I, and my Ministry, are committed to supporting Nevsun along the journey to production."

Mr. Kukielski added, "We are very excited about the potential upside from additional high-grade Upper Zone type deposits. Based on our recently disclosed exploration results, we are confident there are more discoveries to be made, which could eventually increase the production profile and extend mine life."

Ryan MacWilliam, Nevsun CFO, said, "The Timok Upper Zone remains a low capital intensity project which the Company is in a strong position to finance, considering our strong cash position, debt-free balance sheet, Bisha cash flow and the robust front-end cash flow from Timok. We have initiated discussions with several potential project finance providers, including traditional banks, development banks and precious metals streaming companies and potential strategic partners. These discussions have confirmed that we have multiple viable options for financing the Project which will now be advanced in parallel with the feasibility study. As we move to feasibility, we will closely examine further de-risking the Project via a ramp-up scenario starting with initial production at 1.6 million tonnes per annum ramping up to 3.25 million tonnes per annum. Recent scoping level studies suggest that this approach has the potential to deliver a capital savings of up to $100 million while maintaining strong economics."

This PFS was compiled and project managed by Hatch (Toronto) with input from SRK (Vancouver), Knight Piesold (Vancouver), and Bluequest (Zug).

A NI43-101 Technical Report that summarizes the results of the PFS and incorporates an initial reserve statement for the Timok Upper Zone, will be filed within 45 days on SEDAR and on the Company's website.

Further work during the feasibility study ("FS"), expected to be released in mid-2019, will continue to refine the Project and optimize costs for the construction and operation phases of the Project.

Detailed PFS Summary and Economic Analysis Compared to October 2017 PEA

Table 1: Economic and Operational Summary

M = million

Metal Price Assumptions PFS

Life of Mine ("LOM") PEA

Life of Mine ("LOM") Copper Price $ per pound $3.15 $3.00 Gold Price $ per ounce $1,300 $1,300 Capital Requirements



Initial Capital Requirement $574 M

(excluding pre-

construction decision

capital of $114m) $630 M

(including pre-construction

decision capital) Life of Mine Sustaining Capital $239 M $342 M Closure Costs $48 M $58 M Operating Costs



Mining $19.41 per tonne $18.57 per tonne Processing, Waste & Water Management $11.10 per tonne $10.06 per tonne G&A $1.91 per tonne $2.37 per tonne Total Site Costs $32.42 per tonne $31.00 per tonne C1 Cash Cost $0.92 per pound $1.02 per pound Production Summary



Initial Production 2022a 2021 Total Mill Feed 27.1 M tonne 42.1 M tonne Diluted Copper Feed Grade 3.26 % 2.6 % Diluted Gold Grade 2.07 gram per tonne 1.7 gram per tonne Diluted Arsenic Grade 0.17 % 0.13 % Annual Mine Production 3.25 M tonne per annum 3.25 M tonne per annum Life of Mine ("LOM") 10 yearsb 15 years LOM Copper Recovery 93 % 92 % LOM Gold Recovery 32 % 31 % LOM Copper Concentrate Grade 26 % 22.5% LOM Gold Concentrate Grade 5.7 gram per tonne 4.8 gram per tonne LOM Arsenic Concentrate Grade 1.4% 1.1% Payable Copper 1,747 M pounds 2,105 M pounds Payable Gold 516,000 ounces 569,000 ounces Project Economics  After Tax



Valuation Date July 2020 December 2017 After-Tax NPV (8% Discount Rate) $1,816 Mc $1,473 M Internal Rate of Return 80% 50% Payback (from start of processing) 0.9 years 1.4 Years Cumulative Cash Flow $2,740 M $2,810 M

a) 2022 is managements target for production. See detailed explanation below for more details. b) PEA included inferred resources. Drilling from underground will be required to potentially convert any of this material to reserve. c) After-tax NPV calculated at start of construction, using a flat copper price of $3.15 per pound and gold price of $1,300 per ounce.

Permitting and Timeline

Management is targeting a timeline to initial production in 2022. This decision is based on a greater understanding of the Project schedule and a delay in commencement of Exploration Decline construction from Q4 2017 to Q2 2018. The Company recently received the final authorization (road use permit) to commence construction and will award the construction contract imminently. Exploration decline construction will take approximately two years to reach the top of the orebody, allowing underground mine development to begin in 2020. Mine development will run concurrently with construction of above ground infrastructure (including the plant).

After working through the procedures required to secure the exploration decline permit, the Company feels more confident in their understanding of the requirements and time that will be required to secure all future permits. To achieve management's timeline above and start underground mine development and above ground infrastructure, the Company requires Mine Construction and Civil Works Construction Permits to be in place prior to a construction decision in Q3 2020. Should receipt of these permits be delayed, so too will the commencement of initial production. A schedule with the maximum allowable time for each stage of permitting estimates first production in 2023. Nevsun is working closely with the Republic of Serbia to receive these permits in a timely manner to achieve the 2022 target.

Milestone permits required prior to start of operations include:

Exploitation Field Permit (or, Mining License) expected in H2/2019

Construction permit expected in H2/2020

Mine Use Permit / Start of Operations in 2022

Valuation Date

The NPV valuation date used in the Timok Upper Zone PEA was December 31, 2017 and included future study costs and all expenses incurred prior to a construction decision. After careful consideration, Nevsun has decided to value the Project at the time a decision is made to begin construction. At that point, Nevsun expects to have acquired all required permits and received Board and financing approval to commence construction of the mine, surface facilities and infrastructure to proceed to completion without constraint. A start of construction date has been assumed of Q3 2020. This approach avoids NPV and IRR increasing as the Project moves closer to a construction decision. This is a consistent approach with our industry peers and will allow the PFS and FS economic evaluation of the Project to be compared on a like-for-like basis. Table 2 shows the impact on NPV and IRR of this change. Pre-construction decision costs total $114 million. A breakdown of these costs by year is provided in Table 5.

Table 2: Valuation Methodology Comparison



PEA PFS Using PEA

Valuation Inputs* PFS After-Tax NPV8% $1,473 M $1,311 M $1,816 M IRR 50% 52% 80%

*As of December 31, 2017, at $3.00 per pound copper

Resources and Reserves

An initial Probable Mineral Reserve of 27 million tonnes at 3.3% copper and 2.1 grams per tonne gold was declared along with these PFS results. There remain 13.9 million tonnes of inferred resources at 1.6% copper and 0.9 gram per tonne gold that require additional drilling from underground with the objective to bring into reserve.

Ramp Up Scenario

The Company and its consultants examined, at a scoping study level, various throughput scenarios for the Timok Project during the PFS stage. During this scoping level assessment, a ramp-up scenario starting at an initial 1.6 million tonnes per annum and ramping up to 3.25 million tonnes per annum ("Ramp-Up Case") presented compelling economics and risk mitigation, especially through the deferral of initial capital expenditures of up to $100 million. While this news release and the associated technical report examine the Base Case flat 3.25 million tonne per annum scenario, it is likely that management and the Board may take the Ramp-Up case forward to feasibility. Management expects there are opportunities to optimize the economics from this case through additional study. This scenario lowers Project risk on many fronts; reduces the up-front capital while maintaining strong cash flows supporting Project financing, lowers the arsenic content of the ore in early years and provides lower execution risk given a staged ramp-up.

Table 3: Total LOM Revenue, Costs and Cash Flows

Project Parameter PFS LOM Total (M) Total Gross Revenue $6,174 Transportation, Refining & Penalties ($1,414) Net Smelter Return ("NSR") $4,761 Royalties ($238) Site Operating Costs ($879) Capital Costs (pre-production, sustaining & closure) ($861) Project Cash Flow (Pre-Tax) $2,782

Note: totals may not match sum of individual items due to rounding

The corporate income tax rate in Serbia is 15%. The Project is expected to benefit from a 10-year tax holiday provided in the current Corporate Income Tax Law in Serbia and applicable to major investments in the country. The Republic of Serbia receives a 5% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty and various payroll and other taxes to generate revenue.

The Project capital excludes three staged payments due to Freeport-McMoRan ("Freeport"): $45M anticipated to be paid on an Upper Zone build decision, $50M to be paid upon achievement of commercial production and up to $12.5 million to be paid out of Project cash flow.

Project economics are most sensitive to metal prices as demonstrated in the sensitivity analysis below.

Table 4: PFS After-Tax NPV and IRR Sensitivity to Copper Price



-15% -5% PFS Base Case +5% +15% Cu Price per pound $2.68 $2.99 $3.15 $3.30 $3.62 After-Tax NPV8% (M) $1,299 $1,644 $1,816 $1,989 $2,334 IRR (%) 65% 75% 80% 84% 93% Payback (Years) 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8

Initial and Sustaining Capital Estimate

Pre-construction capital expenditures are estimated at $574 million. Capital spend prior to a construction decision is estimated at $114 million and includes underground development of the Exploration Decline ($43 million) as well as Owner's project development costs ($71 million), which includes land acquisition.

Expenditures after a construction decision are estimated at $574 million and consist of underground and surface infrastructure and facilities required prior to the start of operations. Approximately 28% of the total initial capital is associated with underground development and underground infrastructure, which includes the ventilation raises, over 22 kilometers of initial underground development, the first primary crusher, material conveyor system and purchase of underground mining equipment. Another 34% of the total initial capital is associated with the surface facilities and infrastructure, which include the construction of the processing plant, water management system, initial phase of the Tailings Storage Facility ("TSF") and other supporting and ancillary surface infrastructure typically required at a mine site. The remaining 38% of the total initial capital is associated with Owner costs, as well as indirect costs and total Project contingency.

Sustaining capital is estimated at $287 million and includes $48 million in closure costs. This total includes $119 million for mine development and underground infrastructure spending that includes installation of a second lower underground crusher and conveyor as the mine deepens. It also includes $89 million required to sustain the process plant, power supply facilities, TSF expansions and other site infrastructure sustaining costs and $31 million contingency.

Table 5: Initial Pre-Production Capital and Sustaining Capital Breakdown

Capital Cost Summary Initial

Capital (M) Sustaining

Capital (M) Closure Cost

(M) Total

Capital (M) Underground ("UG") Mine Development $100 $91

$191 Underground Mine Infrastructure $59 $28

$87 Site Development $49 -

$49 Process Plant $99 $30

$129 Waste Management/TSF $47 $59

$106 Indirect Costs $106



$106 Contingency $96 $31

$127 Capitalized Operating Cost $17 -

$17 Closure -

$48 $48 Total Capex $574 $239 $48 $861 Owner Costs prior to start of construction $71 -

$71 Decline costs prior to start of construction $43 -

$43 Total Pre-Construction Decision $114



$114

Note: totals do not match sum of individual items due to rounding

Table 6: Pre-Production Capital and Sustaining Capital Schedule

Year Initial Capital (M) Sustaining

Capital

(M) Closure

Cost

(M) H2/2018 $24 -

2019 $57 -

2020 $33 -

Pre-Construction Start Total $114



2020 $111 -

2021 $366 -

2022 $96 $21

2023 - $32

2024 - $30

2025 - $37

2026 - $29

2027 - $47

2028 - $17

2029 - $7

2030 - $15

2031 - $5

2032 - - $48 LOM Total $574 $239 $48

Operating Cost Estimate

Onsite operating costs are expected to average $32.42 per tonne milled with offsite operating costs estimated to average $60.90 per tonne milled for the LOM.

Table 7: LOM Operating Costs

Operating Cost ("Opex") Total

(M) $ per tonne Milled Mining $526 $19.41 Processing Water & TSF $301 $11.10 G&A $52 $1.91 Subtotal Onsite Opex $879 $32.42 TC, RC, Penalties & Transport & Transport $1,414 $52.12 Royalties $238 $8.78 Subtotal Offsite Opex $1,652 $60.90 All-in Opex $2,531 $93.32

Note: totals may not match sum of individual items due to rounding

Mining Design Details

The PFS is based on a Sub Level Cave ("SLC") mining method. SLC is applicable through a wide range of geotechnical conditions and is typically used in massive, steeply-dipping orebodies with considerable strike length as at the Timok Project. An added benefit is that the variable high grades near the top of the deposit are blended through the caving process.

The PFS mine design is based only on Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources. Inferred Mineral Resources were not used to design the updated mine design and production profile. Total LOM mine development consists of 24 kilometers of lateral development, inclusive of declines, 3 kilometers of vertical development and 40 kilometers of operating development.

Table 8: LOM Mined Material Feed to Mill

Year Material Mined to Milled (Mt) Cu (%) Au

(g/t) As

(%) Contained Metal Cu

(kt) Au

(koz) 2022 0.77 8.7 5.8 0.22 67 143 2023 3.08 6.2 4.0 0.22 191 391 2024 3.25 4.5 2.7 0.21 147 280 2025 3.25 4.1 2.9 0.19 133 298 2026 3.25 2.9 2.0 0.19 94 207 2027 3.25 2.6 1.7 0.15 84 178 2028 3.25 2.0 1.2 0.15 64 127 2029 3.25 1.7 1.0 0.14 54 103 2030 2.62 1.4 0.7 0.14 37 55 2031 1.15 1.3 0.5 0.13 15 20 LOM Total 27.12 3.3 2.1 0.17 886 1,802

Note: totals may not match sum of individual items due to rounding

The SLC dilution over the LOM averages 27%. During the FS process, a further review of the SLC draw strategy to decrease dilution will be undertaken.

As per the PEA, the underground mine will be developed in three phases:

The Exploration Decline consists of twin 5 meter by 5 meter ramps which will be driven straight for approximately 2,800 meters to 400 meters below the surface. This Exploration Decline will serve as the main access, egress and material haulage ramp for the mine. The permit for the Exploration Decline has been granted by the Serbian government and the Exploration Decline construction will commence development in Q2 this year. Mine infrastructure and development, including the first underground primary jaw crusher approximately half way down the orebody, will support production for the first 5 years. This Phase will begin upon receipt of the Construction Permit from the bottom of the Exploration Decline. Sustaining mine infrastructure development which provides access to lower production levels and a second jaw crusher at the bottom of the orebody which will be utilized for the final years of the mine life.

LOM material will be transported to surface by a staged underground conveyor system connecting to an overland conveyor to the process plant.

Primary ventilation consists of a push/pull system with a fresh air raise and a return air raise (RAR). Both raises will be installed using raise bore techniques from access off the Exploration Decline.

The mining cost estimates were generated using first principles development costs and associated support for the forecast ground conditions. Labour and development costs were benchmarked on operating mines within Eastern Europe. Development Productivities and Costs were updated (from the PEA) based on the Geotechnical model to better reflect the variable ground conditions.

Initial Timok Upper Zone Mineral Reserve Statement

The Initial Mineral Reserve estimate is based on the Mineral Resource Statement dated April 24, 2017 (see news release dated October 26, 2017 and associated Technical Report filed on SEDAR December 6, 2017). The Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Mineral Reserves are based on $3.00/lb copper and $1,300/oz gold. This differs from the copper price of $3.15 per pound used for the PFS economic analysis.

The initial Timok Mineral Reserve Statement is outlined in Table 9.

Table 9: Initial Timok Upper Zone Mineral Reserve Statement  as at March 8, 2018)

Category (all domains) Tonnes Grade Contained Metal M % Cu g/t Au % As Cu, M

tonnes Au, M

ounces Proven











Probable 27.1 3.3 2.1 0.17 0.89 1.80 Total Proven and Probable 27.1 3.3 2.1 0.17 0.89 1.80

1) The Mineral Reserves and Resources in this news release were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by CIM Council. 2) Metal prices used include US$3.00/lb Cu and US$1,300/oz Au. 3) A Reserve NSR cut-off of US$35/tonne was used to optimize the SLC Ring layout. 4) Contained metal figures and totals may differ due to rounding of figures.

Metallurgical Test Work

Recent metallurgical test work conducted at XPS, Sudbury, Ontario, was aimed at confirming the bulk concentrate flotation results previously achieved by SGS-Lakefield. XPS performed rougher and cleaner flotation tests, locked cycle tests, and supporting mineralogical evaluation. The work generally confirmed the predicted performance of the bulk flotation procedure and demonstrated that the mass of concentrate can be reduced to increase copper grades together with a proportionate increase in arsenic levels in the concentrate. Optimization of concentrate mass-pulls and arsenic levels will continue with direction from Nevsun marketing staff and advisors.

Additional test work is also continuing to examine the opportunity to produce two concentrates; production of a clean copper concentrate with a low level of arsenic and a complex copper concentrate with a relatively higher level of arsenic.

Table 10  Recovery To Bulk Copper Concentrate and Concentrate Grade



LOM

Avg. 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 % Cu Recovery 93% 96% 95% 94% 94% 92% 92% 91% 91% 91% 91% % Au Recovery 31% 61% 37% 29% 28% 25% 26% 24% 22% 22% 22% % As Recovery 92% 92% 90% 90% 90% 94% 94% 95% 94% 94% 94% % Cu in Concentrate 26.7% 19.0% 30.3% 34.1% 33.6% 24.6% 25.1% 21.9% 21.2% 21.2% 21.2%

Processing Design Details

The copper mineralogy consists primarily of covellite and enargite. The mineralization also contains significant amounts of pyrite, accounting for approximately 45% of total tonnage. The process plant design is based on key inputs from the metallurgical test work programs, the mine production plan, and industry best practices, including benchmarking of similar copper-gold concentrators.

The process plant design was reviewed and updated by Hatch. The most significant change was the removal of the pyrite circuit as production of the pyrite concentrate was found to be uneconomic. The process plant has been designed to treat an average of 8,900 tonnes per day, equivalent to 3.25M tonnes per annum.

The processing flowsheet is considered conventional and consists of primary underground crushing; underground conveyors; overland conveying to the processing plant; coarse material storage bins; SAG and ball mill comminution circuit; copper flotation comprising of rougher flotation, regrind, and three stages of cleaning; copper concentrate thickening and filtration. Other supporting systems to the process plant and site are included and generally consist of reagents storage and distribution; effluent treatment; water services which include fresh, fire, service, and process water systems; compressed air services; concentrate storage and handling; grinding media storage and addition; and plant controls.

Though the basis of this PFS is production of a single bulk concentrate, the robust flowsheet is flexible and allows the option to produce two copper concentrate products, instead of a single concentrate, with relatively minor reconfigurations of flotation equipment. In the two concentrates scenario, a clean concentrate with less than 0.5% arsenic and a complex concentrate with greater than 0.5% arsenic would be produced. Which concentrate is produced will be subject to the market conditions for complex concentrate at that time, but the flexibility is key to managing off-site realization costs.

Tailings Storage Facility Details

Knight Piesold Ltd. Vancouver ("KP") developed a long-term tailings storage strategy, including initial starter dam construction and future expansion stages for tailings deposition and water management based on the proposed mine development plan.

The PFS design of the Tailings Storage Facility ("TSF"), includes a single cell storage arrangement that was updated from the two-cell storage approach considered in the PEA. The single cell TSF approach provides for lower initial capital costs and generally simplified tailings delivery, reclaim and associated water management requirements.

Waste rock storage is included adjacent to the fully lined TSF basin.

PFS level cost estimates were developed for construction and closure of the TSF and water management structures using generated material quantities, unit costs and productivity data from similar facilities in comparable jurisdictions.

Environmental, Permitting and Reclamation Details

The Project has contracted Dvoper Ltd, the Belgrade based subsidiary of a Croatian environmental permitting consulting firm, to support permitting and ERM, a global environmental consulting company, to perform environmental impact assessment work. ERM has subcontracted part of that work to Envico, a Belgrade based environmental and permitting consultant ("ERM/Envico"). ERM/Envico are also supporting environmental permitting.

The Project permitting process is on two separate and parallel tracks. The first permitting track involved obtaining a permit for the development of the Exploration Decline and the associated surface based supporting infrastructure at the portal site. This permit has now been received and Exploration Decline construction will start in Q2 2018. The other permitting effort focuses on those permits required to develop and operate the balance of the Project facilities, including the remainder of the underground mine development, the mineral processing facilities, TSF and other supporting infrastructure.

Land Acquisition

The Company is rapidly advancing land acquisition. As of March 28, 2018, the Company has acquired the necessary property rights to proceed with the exploration decline construction. Additionally, 53% of the required private land for the anticipated construction and operational footprint of the Project has been acquired.

Product Marketing

The Project will produce a single stream of copper concentrate with an average life of mine grade of 26.2% copper, 5.7 gram per tonne gold and 1.4% arsenic. The Project's treatment and refining charges have been adjusted upwards and arsenic penalties have been added to compensate prospective buyers for the concentrates arsenic content, particularly later in the mine life. Arsenic levels will be lower in the early years of production allowing for a more diverse customer profile and ease of product placement. Apart from elevated levels of arsenic, the Project's concentrate will have low to negligible levels of other deleterious elements.

The Company has held preliminary discussions with two potential groups of customers - European and Asian-based smelting companies and concentrate trading companies with blending capabilities. Both of these groups have expressed interest in procuring the Project's concentrate via long term contracts. The realization costs in the PFS are based on these discussions, on the Company's experience with the copper concentrate market, and on a detailed marketing report prepared by Bluequest Resources AG, a specialist in marketing copper concentrates with elevated arsenic. The Company's marketing assumptions were also reviewed by Ocean Partners, the Company's marketing advisor for its Bisha concentrates. Discussions with potential off takers will advance in parallel with the feasibility study.

The Company's marketing strategy allocates concentrate to multiple smelters and traders. In the event of unforeseen capacity constraints at one of these smelters, other smelters have been identified as suitable locations for the Company's production. In determining the treatment and refining charges and associated penalties, the Company has assumed no changes from the current benchmark treatment and refining charges. Total treatment, refining and penalties over the life of the Project are $966M, or $306 per tonne. Transport costs of $141 per tonne reflect the cost of transport from the mine to smelter, associated materials handling costs, weighing, sampling, and assay fees.

Table 11: LOM Realization Costs

LOM Realization Cost Assumptions $ Amount Total Treatment & Refining Charges, and Arsenic Penalties $306 per dry metric tonne of concentrate Transport and Other Selling Costs $141 per dry metric tonne of concentrate Total Realization Costs $447 per dry metric tonne of concentrate TC, RC, Penalties, Transport & Selling Costs & Transport $1,414 M

Ongoing metallurgical and marketing trade-off studies are evaluating whether producing two streams of concentrate will result in lower realization costs than producing a single stream of concentrate.

Copper Concentrate Market

The copper concentrate market is expected to move into deficit over the next few years as the Project is developed. According to the ICSG, China is continuing to expand its smelting capacity, albeit at a slower pace than before. China's copper smelting capacity more than quintupled in the period from 2000 to 2016, and is expected to increase by a further 20% until 2020, accounting for 80% of the forecast world growth in smelting capacity. Outside of China, smelting capacity could potentially be added in countries such as India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Mongolia. With yearly copper production projected to lag the growth in smelter capacity, the Project will be well placed to take advantage of this supply/demand imbalance. A tightening of the market would benefit the Project both through reduced benchmark treatment charges and the reduction in penalties for complex concentrates as these concentrates are easier to move in an undersupplied market. The realization costs assumed in the Project's economics do not include the potential cost savings that could occur if the market tightens.

Additionally, the majority of new copper mining projects are expected to produce clean concentrates. This contrasts with recently commissioned copper projects, such as Toromocho and Ministro Hales, which resulted in a step change in the level of complex concentrate production. Traders reacted to this increase by developing concentrate blending facilities and smelters reacted by investing in technologies to increase their ability to process complex concentrates. Traders and smelters are now looking for complex material to allow them to utilize these new capabilities and realize additional revenues from arsenic penalties. The relative reduction in supply of complex concentrates to fill these facilities may result in compressed arsenic penalties, from which the Project would benefit. These potential benefits are not currently assumed in the Project's economics. Lastly, any future relaxation of arsenic import limits on copper concentrates into China, which are currently limited to 0.5%, would materially improve commercial terms relative to those assumed in the Project's economics.

Project Logistics

The Project site is favorably situated with easy access to road, rail, and river transportation options. The PFS assumes the concentrate will be shipped in sealed half-height shipping containers ("Rotainers"). This is the current method of transport used at the Company's Bisha mine. The Rotainers will be used to store and transport the concentrate from the mine site to the port of Burgas, using a combination of truck and rail. The use of Rotainers will also minimize material handling losses. The rail spur is approximately 10km from the mine and the rail line is approximately 741 km from the port of Burgas. The port of Burgas is a modern port which handles bulk cargos and containerized deliveries.

The ports of Constanta (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria), Thessaloniki (Greece), and Bar (Montenegro) are also available as options to the Project. Further studies are underway to optimize the transport of the concentrate to inland smelters and port terminals for overseas shipments.

Project Finance Update

Following the release of the PEA, the Company has held initial discussions with potential suppliers of capital, which, together with internal cash flows from Bisha and the Company's existing cash, will be used to fund the Project. These discussions have included traditional project finance banks, development finance institutions, potential strategic partners, equipment suppliers, and precious metals streamers and have confirmed that the Company has multiple viable options for funding the Project. The Company will select the most attractive combination of these options during the FS in order to achieve a funding package with the lowest cost of capital and execution risk.

Project finance banks are attracted to the high, front-end loaded operating margins of the Project and the resulting payback period of less than a year. The Company expects these banks, together with the potential involvement of development finance institutions and equipment suppliers, to fund 50% to 60% of the Project's capital. The Company will also consider strategic partnerships which can provide project funding, highlight the underlying value of the assets and de-risk the Project. The potential partner could bring either technical capability to aid in the development of the Project, have the desire to off take complex concentrates or have existing interests in the regions where the Company operates. Additional capital may be raised from precious metals streamers given that 11% of the Project's gross revenues are from gold.

Most importantly for financing, Bisha's improved operating performance in 2018 and strong zinc prices will enable the mine to be a strong cash flow generator for the Company. This step change in operating performance has been a result of improved zinc and copper recoveries following trials of new reagents and consistent supply of primary ore feed to the mill in 2018. The resulting increase in metal sales has resulted in Nevsun's cash balance increasing from $125 million at 2017 year-end to $146 million as of 26 March 2018.

Technical Report

Further information about the PFS and the Mineral Reserve Statement referenced in this news release, including data verification, key assumptions, parameters, risks and other factors, will be provided in the NI 43-101 technical report on the Timok Project that the Company will file on SEDAR under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com within 45 days of this Press Release.

Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will hold a conference call and webcast on Thursday, March 29th, at 8AM Vancouver / 11AM Toronto, New York / 4PM London, to discuss the Timok Upper Zone PFS results.

Conference Call:

Please call in at least five minutes prior to the conference call start time to ensure prompt access to the conference. Dial in details are as follows:

North America: 1 888-390-0546 / +1 416-764-8688 / +1 778-383-7413

UK: 0800 652 2435 (toll free)

Other International: +1 416-764-8688 / +1 778-383-7413

The conference call will be available for replay by phone until Thursday, April 5th, 2018, by calling 1 888-390-0541 / +1 416-764-8677 and entering passcode 076716 #.

Webcast:

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's website www.nevsun.com or by clicking on this link: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1634919/FC0DF34A8D3A953FF92957A1055A6018

About Nevsun Resources Ltd.

Nevsun Resources Ltd. is the 100% owner of the high-grade copper-gold Timok Upper Zone and 60.4% owner of the Timok Lower Zone in Serbia. The Timok Lower Zone is a partnership with Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Corporation ("Freeport") which currently owns 39.6% and upon completion of any feasibility study (on the Upper or Lower Zone), Nevsun Resources Ltd. will own 46% and Freeport will own 54%. Nevsun generates cash flow from its 60% owned copper-zinc Bisha Mine in Eritrea. Nevsun is well positioned with a strong debt-free balance sheet to grow shareholder value through advancing Timok to production.

Qualified Persons Statement

The technical content of this press release has been reviewed by the associated Qualified Persons ("QPs") listed below for specific aspects of the report as defined by the National Instrument 43-101.

Mining & Mineral Reserves Jarek Jakubec SRK Vancouver

Mineral Processing  Mick Bunyard - Hatch

TSF  Mihajlo Samoukovic, Knight Piesold Vancouver

Infrastructure, Capital & Operating Costs- Mark Sucharda, Hatch

Economic Evaluation  Robert Duinker, Hatch

Gary MacSporran, P.Eng, is Nevsun's designated Qualified Person and has reviewed and approved the overall contents of this press release.

Each of the individuals listed above are independent QPs for the purposes of NI 43-101. All scientific and technical information in this press release in respect of the Timok Project or the PFS is based upon information prepared by or under the supervision of those individuals.

Forward Looking Statements

The above contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements relate to future events or the Company's future plans and performance including anticipated developments in the Company's continuing and future operations, the adequacy of the Company's financial resources and financial projections and its intentions for its Timok Project in Serbia. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "potential," "possible," "budget" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will," "may," "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. In addition, this news release and the PFS contains forward-looking statements related to the Timok Property. Readers are cautioned that the scientific and technical information contained herein and in the PFS may change and caution should be used by readers in relying upon such forward looking information.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. This is particularly the case with respect to forward-looking statements contained herein and in the PFS.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning:

the business, prospects, and future activities of, and developments related to the Timok Project and the PFS;

forecasts or outlook and guidance related to the Timok Project, project economics, construction, exploration drilling programs and activities, production timelines and targets, timetables;

the timing of the filing of the NI43-101 Technical Report that summarizes the results of the PFS;

the timing of the FS on the Timok Project;

estimates of capital and operating costs, estimates of initial and sustaining capital estimates and mining cost estimates;

adequacy of mining and process plan design and mining method, predicted performance of operating plants and equipment based on test work and other key inputs;

the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, methodologies and models used to prepare resource and reserve estimates;

estimates of the quantity, quality and the realization of mineral reserves and resources, the conversion of mineral properties to reserves and resources;

interpretation of drill results as such information constitutes a prediction of what mineralization might be found to be present if and when a project is actually developed;

statements based on certain assumptions that a mineral deposit can or may be economically exploited;

dividends, goals, strategies, future growth;

taxation rates in Serbia and the Company's expectation to benefit from a 10-year tax holiday;

the adequacy of financial resources and the ability of the Company to raise additional capital;

the potential to expand resources, reserves and mine life;

future exploration budgets, plans, work programs and capital expenditures;

anticipated timing of grant of permits, licenses, land acquisition, construction, mining and development plans and mining activities;

in-situ and ore feed grades, estimated processing rates and cash flows;

the future state of the copper concentrate market;

product marketing and the ability to market complex concentrates;

project logistics to transport concentrates;

environmental risks; and

other events or conditions that may occur in the future.

Forward-looking statements are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and actual achievements of the Company or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, including, without limitation, the risks more fully described in the Company's Annual Information Form ("AIF") and the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2017 ("MD&A").

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that could cause actual results to differ from what is anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company's forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made and the Company assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. For the reasons set forth above, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The Company's forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made and the Company assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements.

Further information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with these forward-looking statements and our business can be found in our AIF for the year ended December 31, 2017, which is available on the Company's website (www.nevsun.com), filed under our profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov) under cover of Form 40-F.

NEVSUN RESOURCES LTD.

"Peter G.J. Kukielski"

Peter G.J. Kukielski

President & Chief Executive Officer
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 29, 2018) - Zinc One Resources Inc. (TSXV: Z) (OTC Pink: ZZZOF) (FSE: RH33) ("Zinc One" or the "Company") has received the first drill results from the previously announced drill program at its Bongara Zinc Mine project located in north-central Peru. The drill program commenced at the Mina Grande Sur and Bongarita zones where two portable drill rigs are currently operating. The results of this drill program continue to demonstrate the potential value of the project and will provide valuable information towards advancement of the project going forward.

Initial Drill Results Highlights:

Mina Grande Sur

Bongarita

A total of 587.2 metres completed from 36 holes (12 platforms x 3 three holes each) in an area approximately 100 metres x 150 metres and results from 13 drill holes are reported herein.

Mineralization at Bongarita includes zinc silicates hosted exclusively by soils.

Significant intercepts include (1) : BO18005 - 11.5 metres of 16.0% zinc, starting at surface BO18005 - 5.7 metres of 29.2% zinc, starting at 5.8 metres drill depth BO18007 - 7.0 metres of 25.3% zinc, starting at surface



Jim Walchuck, President and CEO of Zinc One commented, "The results of the drill program at Bongara are very optimistic and further demonstrate the potential of this project going forward. The Mina Grande Sur drill holes confirm the high-grade nature of the Bongara project with many of these intercepts starting at or near surface. Additionally, this is the first time any drilling has been done at Bongarita and the results we have received thus far have been very encouraging.

The results from the program will also contribute to the upcoming resource estimate and PEA planned for 2018. Overall, we could not be more pleased with the drill progress and results to date."

Geology and Discussion of Results

The zinc mineralization at Bongara is hosted by carbonate rocks and is classified as a Mississippi Valley-type deposit. The mineralization is stratabound and is basically a tabular body with irregular boundaries. Hydrozincite, smithsonite, hemimorphite, and a zinc-aluminum-iron silicate, erroneously referred to as baumite in a previous press release, are the primary zinc minerals that are hosted primarily by heavily-weathered fractured dolomites and dolomite breccias. At Bongarita specifically, mineralization is exclusively hosted by soils. Overall, the mineralization is focused along the axis of a doubly-plunging anticline as well as within the eastern flank of the anticline.

Significant results, including drill-hole orientation and total depths for Mina Grande Sur and Bongarita can be found below in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Although, there was no zinc mineralization found within the carbonate rocks at Bongarita as there was elsewhere along the 1.4 kilometre long trend, much of the soil drilled provided significant high-grade zinc results. Links to two figures pertaining to the drill program are included below. The first is a link to a plan map of Mina Grande Sur showing the current and proposed drill holes and the second is a plan map of Bongarita again showing completed and proposed drill holes. Both maps also include the recent channel and pit sampling locations previously reported.

Figure 1. Bongara Project - Mina Grande Sur





Figure 2. Bongara Project - Bongarita





Table 1: Mina Grande Sur - Drill Results (1)

Drill Hole Easting* Northing* Azimuth Inclination Total Depth From (m)

To (m) Total (m) Zn (%)

MSG18001 171428 9367776 320 -60 20.0 3.0 8.5 5.5 26.1 MGS18002 171428 9367776 0 -90 23.6 0.0 9.3 9.3 13.3 Including 6.4 9.3 2.9 17.0 MGS18003 171431 9367778 110 -45 33.0 0.0 30.0 30.0 16.5 Including 0.0 4.0 4.0 32.5 Including 4.0 15.0 11.0 3.9 Including 15.0 30.0 15.0 21.5 MGS18004 171521 9367686 320 -60 18.0 0.0 9.1 9.1 43.6 MGS18005 171521 9367686 0 -90 20.0 0.0 4.5 4.5 7.5 MGS18006 171521 9367683 180 -45 18.5 0.0 14.1 14.1 32.8 MGS18007 171495 9367673 0 -90 10.5 No significant intercepts MGS18008 171495 9367673 100 -45 18.0 No significant intercepts MGS18009 171491 9367672 225 -45 12.5 No significant intercepts MGS18010 171457 9367668 0 -90 12.8 No significant intercepts MGS18011 171457 9367668 180 -45 15.0 No significant intercepts

*Preliminary coordinates; land survey pending

Table 2: Bongarita - Drill Results (1)

Drill Hole Easting* Northing* Azimuth Inclination Total Depth From (m) To (m) Total (m) Zn (%)

BO18001 170471 9368830 -90 25.0 0.0 4.5 4.5 12.3 BO18003 170470 9368830 225 -45 16.3 0.0 2.8 2.8 1.7 BO18004 170442 9368823 -90 19.5 0.0 4.5 4.5 4.0 BO18005 170442 9368823 315 -45 16.3 0.0 11.5 11.5 16.0 Including 5.8 11.5 5.7 29.2 BO18006 170442 9368823 225 -45 14.8 0.0 4.2 4.2 9.5 BO18007 170468 9368796 -90 17.0 0.0 7.0 7.0 25.3 BO18008 170468 9368796 225 -45 11.0 0.0 3.2 3.2 20.0 BO18010 170436 9368801 0 -90 10.5 Not sampled BO18011 170436 9368801 90 -45 10.3 Not sampled BO18012 170433 9368799 225 -45 17.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 9.7 BO18013 170442 9368768 -90 12.0 0.0 1.3 1.3 18.7 BO18014 170442 9368768 180 -45 15.0 0.0 4.3 4.3 18.1 BO18015 170444 9368769 90 -45 25.3 0.0 6.9 6.9 10.2

*Preliminary coordinates; land survey pending

Sampling and Analytical Protocols

Zinc One follows a systematic and rigorous Quality Control/Quality Assurance program overseen by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One.

The sample from each core run is placed in a 60 centimetre long, plastic core box that has five columns. Core recovery, rock quality designation ("RQD"), and geologic features are logged and sample intervals, which are generally <2 metres, are chosen. Each core box is photographed and then sampled with a spatula (soil and heavily-weathered rock) or cut with a core saw, 50% of which is placed in a sample bag and stored on site in a secure location. The Company independently inserts certified control standards, blanks, and duplicates, all of which comprise approximately 30% of the sample batch, to monitor sample preparation and analytical quality. The samples are stored in a secure area until such time they are shipped to ALS laboratory in Lima (ISO 9001 Certified) for preparation and assay. At the laboratory, samples are dried, crushed, pulverized and then a four-acid digestion is applied. This is followed by the ICP-AES analytical technique for 33 elements, including lead. The same method is used to assay zinc for values up to 20%. If zinc exceeds 20%, it is then analyzed using a titration method. The laboratory also inserts blanks and standards as well as including duplicate analyses.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

________

(1) Given that the strike and dip of the mineralization is not known, the intercepts do not necessarily represent true thicknesses; moreover, long intercepts, e.g., MGS18-003, most likely drilled subparallel to the dip of the tabular mineralized body.

About Zinc One Resources Inc.

Zinc One is focused on the exploration and development of prospective and advanced zinc projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's key assets are the Bongara Zinc Mine Project and the Charlotte Bongara Zinc Project in north-central Peru. The Bongara Zinc Mine Project was in production from 2007 to 2008, but was closed due to the global financial crisis and concurrent decrease in the zinc price. Past production included 20% zinc grades and recoveries over 90% from surface and near-surface zinc-oxide mineralization. High-grade, zinc-oxide mineralization is known to outcrop between the mined area and the Charlotte Bongara Project, which is nearly six kilometres to the NNW and where past drilling intercepted various near-surface zones with high-grade zinc. Zinc One is managed by a proven team of geologists and engineers who have previously constructed and operated successful mining operations.

Additional Information

Monica Hamm

VP, Investor Relations

Zinc One Resources Inc.

Phone: (604) 683-0911

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.zincone.com

Forward-Looking Statements

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The first stage of Dominic Ongwens trial is coming to an end before the International Criminal Court (ICC). In mid-April, prosecutors will call their last witness, and then it will be the turn of the defence to present its case. Ongwen, a former commander of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), is charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in northern Uganda. His lawyers, hoping for an acquittal, say he suffers from mental problems.

We all agree that Mr. Ongwen was in a traumatizing environment, psychiatric expert Catherine Abbo told the Court on March 27 this year. After being kidnapped by the LRA at age 14, Ongwen was at first in survival mode, she explained. But very soon he was promoted within the ranks of the rebel group, which was at the time fighting the regime of Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni. The child soldier now grown up climbed rapidly through the ranks of the militia led by Joseph Kony  also wanted by the ICC but still on the run , becoming commander of the notorious Sinia brigade, one of four LRA brigades.

Like the two other experts called by the Prosecutor, Catherine Abbo was not able to meet the accused, who refused, but was able to examine video footage and consult testimonies. She says his promotions were a reward which gave him better living conditions and perhaps protected him from other traumatizing situations. Nevertheless, there is nothing to indicate that Ongwen was mentally disturbed when he committed the crimes alleged by the Court, says the expert. He faces 70 charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes for murder, rape and forced marriages committed between 2002 and 2004 in northern Uganda, where the Court says Ongwen led several attacks on camps for displaced civilians which were supposed to be protected by the Ugandan regular army (UPDF).

Was Ongwen responsible for his acts?

As of August 2016, defence lawyers Krispus Ayena Odongo and Charles Taku have spoken of the accused suffering from mental problems at the time of the alleged crimes, suggesting that the defence strategy is aimed at a verdict that he was not responsible. At the trial opening on December 6, 2016, his lawyers argued, presenting expert reports, that their client was unable to follow his trial but did not convince the judges. They nevertheless appointed a new expert, who concluded that Ongwen was in a fit state to follow the hearings but was suffering depression because of his incarceration. This was contested by new experts, this time called by the prosecution. Before the defence has even presented its counter-evidence to the Court, prosecutor Ben Gumpert is trying to undermine their strategy by calling his own experts. At the beginning of March, Dr. Gillian Clare Mezey told the Court that Ongwen was not suffering from any mental illness when he was an LRA commander from 2002 to 2005, nor was he currently suffering from depression. She said that at most it was anxiety, due to being in prison. In September 2016, shortly before a planned visit by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)  which regularly inspects the ICC prison in Scheveningen  Ongwen swallowed detergent to protest against his lack of visits, notably from his children. ICC member states refuse to fund visits by families, who often live thousands of kilometres from The Hague , out of the regular Court budget. The ICC has therefore had to set up a special fund to which states can contribute.

Above-average intelligence

According to Dr. Abbo, not only is the accused not mentally ill, but he is of above average intelligence. She explained that she draws this from the way he reasons, which gives the impression he is someone who reflects and is able to understand things. If he had had the opportunity to study, I think he would have done well, she said.

Since the trial started, more than 60 prosecution witnesses have testified before the Court, and some 50 written testimonies have also been brought. These witnesses are civilian victims, child soldiers conscripted by Ongwen, those who accompanied him into the bush, those he raped, forced to marry his officers, and men he led into combat. Several officers of the Ugandan army, which Kony was fighting, have also come to certify the numerous LRA communications intercepted by the Ugandan regime.

Social system

Was there a social system in the bush by which Mr. Ongwen acted? asked a lawyer for the accused. There was a leader and rules, and these rules were followed, replied Dr. Abbo. Dont drink, read the Bible were the two big rules throughout the community. Mr. Ongwen had wives and children, with whom he played and talked. This social system in the bush is something that gave him a mechanism of adaptation to the stress around him.

According to the prosecution, Ongwen had at least seven wives during his time in the bush. Girls and teenagers taken from villages and camps were then allotted to the militiamen and their commanders. Catherine Abbo pointed to the observations of one of his wives, who says he treated them well, loved them and rarely beat them. Ongwen is also the father of at least 11 children according to DNA tests conducted for the prosecution.

The lawyer returned to the attack, speaking of the suffering of the accused and saying he is also a victim of the war who, like witnesses that testified, puts all the responsibility on his ex-boss Joseph Kony. She said he was first separated from his home, then present at violent killings. According to witnesses, people taken from looted villages had to be killed, some LRA members had to carry the bodies, sit on corpses, she said. Is that not enough to upset your mental balance? But expert Catherine Abbo replied that it did not work like that automatically and that each case must be evaluated separately. Abbo said she had met numerous child soldiers and that some suffered very negative effects, whilst others did not.

The trial is set to resume in mid-April with the hearing of a third expert psychiatrist called by the prosecution. Then seven victims will testify. Called by the lawyers, they are to testify notably on the harm, past and present, caused by Ongwens alleged crimes.
In 2012, Jihadist groups seized northern Mali. They occupied the town of Timbuktu, intellectual capital of the Sahara and crossroads of different cultures and religions. The Jihadists methodically destroyed the unique cultural heritage of this City of 333 Saints. Fifteen of the towns 16 mausoleums and the gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque, considered sacred by the inhabitants, were hacked and destroyed by groups linked to Al-Qaeda including Ansar Dine, in the name of fighting idolatry. Some 4,200 manuscripts of the Ahmed Baba Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies and Research (IHERI-AB) were also burned by the Jihadists. The emblematic El Farouk monument at the entrance to the city was also destroyed. Fortunately, 370,000 other manuscripts were saved by moving them to Bamako.

The Jihadist groups imposed their law on northern Mali up to January 2013 when an international military operation was launched at the initiative of France. The same year, the Malian authorities, together with UNESCO, drew up an Action Plan for the rehabilitation of Malis cultural heritage and the safeguarding of ancient manuscripts, which was finalized in February 2016.

Malian archaeologist Daouda Keita participated in the reconstruction of Timbuktus mausoleums, working on issues related to the materials and building techniques to be used. He worked with the National Direction of Cultural Heritage (DNPC), which coordinated the reconstruction with architects, local masons descendants of the Saints and members of civil society. Pierre Hazan talked to him for JusticeInfo.

JusticeInfo.net: What do you think was irreversibly lost or destroyed by the Jihadists in Timbuktu?

Daouda Keita: The aim of destroying the mausoleums was to damage the soul of Timbuktus people, because Timbuktu is known as the City of 333 Saints, revered for its mosques and mausoleums and religious leaders. By destroying its cultural heritage, the Jihadists wanted to destroy both the material and spiritual link that united its citizens to the mausoleums, which are places of prayer and gathering. The Saints are the protectors of the town. They are part of the identity of Timbuktus people, and the town is known throughout the world for these mausoleums honouring the Saints. These mausoleums also reflect the diversity and religious tolerance of Timbuktu. Those who are honoured include Songhoys, Arabs and Peuls. Behind the act of destruction, there was a desire to affect peoples minds. The Jihadists wanted visibility, and they used the media.

Do you know if the people of Timbuktu participated in the destruction?

I do not know if there were inhabitants of Timbuktu among the destroyers. But I do know there were Malians, especially people from places close to Timbuktu, among the towns occupiers.

To what extent has the rehabilitation of the mausoleums involved the population, and do you think that is enough?

The process has involved a significant part of the population. Administrative authorities, local and communal authorities, civil society, masons and descendants of the Saints who are the owners of the mausoleums have all been involved. Let us remember that each family has its own masons who can only work on their familys mausoleum. They are the only ones that can do this work. Some people have expressed dissatisfaction, because not everything has been restored identically. One person objected that an aspect essential in their eyes was omitted from the El Farouk monument, a sentence in Arabic that means In memory of those who have died for Mali to exist.

Would you have liked the rehabilitation of the mausoleums to be done in a different way?

I am grateful to UNESCO for rebuilding the mausoleums. But I would have liked Mali and its people to take a more active part financially. We should not always wait on others for what we can do ourselves, especially since these are not astronomical sums. I think we could have raised the necessary sum through voluntary contributions.

Do you think the spiritual link between the people and the mausoleums has been rebuilt?

After the reconstruction, there were prayers to sanctify the mausoleums of Timbuktu. The rehabilitation has allowed the mausoleums to recover their spiritual dimension.

As a Malian citizen, what do you take away from the destruction and rebuilding of your countrys cultural heritage?

In conflicts, heritage always suffers damage, as we see in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Such loss hurts the local community directly affected and the international community. Cultural heritage is vulnerable. So we need to take steps to preserve it before, during and after conflicts, involving all the parties concerned. Local communities need to play a big role in this process. That can also show the attachment of the people to their cultural heritage. We have seen how powerless people feel when their heritage is destroyed and how relieved they are when it is restored. The people identify with these mausoleums. Their destruction left a great void which only their rehabilitation could fill.
The West African nation of Sierra Leone is among the worlds poorest countries despite its significant mineral wealth, and scarred by a brutal civil war and the deadly Ebola virus.

Here is some background about the country as it prepares to go to the polls on March 7.

 Brutal civil war 

Founded by Britain in 1787 for freed slaves evacuated from the Caribbean, Sierra Leone was a British colony until independence in 1961.

Thirty years later  after a series of coups and rife instability  it was plunged into a devastating civil war notorious for its mutilations, drugged child soldiers, sex slaves and rapes.

The 11-year conflict (1991-2002) was launched by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel army to overthrow the government and left around 120,000 people dead, according to UN estimates. Hundreds of thousands fled their homes.

A Special Court for Sierra Leone was created in 2002 to judge war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war.

Among others, it sentenced the former president of neighbouring Liberia, Charles Taylor, to 50 years in prison for aiding the RUF in return for blood diamonds, so-called because of their link to the conflict.

 Economy battered, resilient 

The civil war devastated Sierra Leones agriculture sector, centred on rice, cocoa and coffee production, and destroyed much of its infrastructure.

But the country has mineral riches, including diamonds, gold, bauxite, titanium ore and magnetite iron ore, which have attracted massive investment.

The mining sector became a key driver of the economy after the discovery of iron ore in 2011, leading to unprecedented growth of 21 percent in 2013, according to the African Development Bank.

But by 2015 growth was -20.5 percent, slashed by Ebola and the collapse of iron ore prices.

Economic growth has resumed, however, and remains upward, supported by new investments in mining, agriculture, and fisheries, the World Bank says, projecting growth at 5.4 percent for 2017.

 Ebola hotspot 

Sierra Leone was among the countries hardest hit by the December 2013 Ebola outbreak, along with Guinea and Liberia.

It recorded more than 3,900 of the 11,300 deaths from the more than two-year epidemic, according to the World Health Organization.

The outbreak led to schools being closed between June 2014 and April 2015.

Over the past 15 years the country has also suffered four major floods which affected more than 220,000 people and caused serious economic damage, according to the World Bank.

The flooding in August 2017 was the deadliest with 1,140 people dead or missing, according to an official toll.

 Poverty, corruption 

With a population of 7.07 million, according to the 2015 census, Sierra Leone has high rates of youth unemployment and corruption, and weak national cohesion, the World Bank says.

Problems of poor infrastructure and widespread rural and urban impoverishment persist in spite of progress and reforms, it says.

It is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 179 of 188 on the human development index (2016) of the UN Development Programme.

Transparency International classed it in 2017 as 130 out of 176 of the worlds least corrupt countries.

The country also has the worlds highest maternal mortality rate at 1,360 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to the UN.
The sixth edition of the Africa CEO Forum organized by Jeune Afrique Media Group and Rainbow Unlimited, in Abidjan, brought together around 1,200 delegates including, heads of state, African and international CEOs, investors, bankers and other stake holders who debated Africas economic transformation.

Three African presidents, namely Alassane Ouattara of the host country, Cote dIvoire, and his counterparts Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe and Ghanas Nana Akufo-Addo attended the summit.

According to the host president, Alassane Ouattara, the continent is moving towards industrialization and leaders must ensure that it goes in that direction. He encouraged the private sector to improve productivity and performance and focus on technological innovation.

Ghanas President Nana Akufo-Addo called on Africans to take charge of Africa, which has enormous assets, numerous resources to exploit and develop. He emphasized the need to enhance the image of the continent by working together with our own resources.

With Africas population set to reach 2 billion in 20 years, there are many opportunities to bring prosperity to the continent through hard work and innovation, he added.

Zimbabwes Head of State, Emmerson Mnangagwa, outlined plans for his countrys economic recovery after 17 years of isolation and absence from the international arena. He called on African investors to support each other, in order to avoid continually reaching out to the outside world.
With his trademark black sunglasses and blanket media presence, Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi projects an air of benign paternalism.

Whether the people love or loathe Sisi, see him as a bulwark of stability or as a domineering autocrat  there is little doubt that he will remain Egypts president for years to come.

He stormed to victory in the 2014 presidential election, having led the military a year before in ousting the North African countrys first freely-elected leader, the Islamist Mohamed Morsi.

Morsi now languishes in jail, convicted on many and varied counts and sentenced to multiple terms including the death penalty.

Sisi successfully silenced all forms of political opposition during his first four-year term.

This has included sweeping aside all token opposition in the March 26-28 election, leaving himself as the main choice on the ballot paper.

The sole remaining challenger is Moussa Mostafa Moussa, an ardent Sisi supporter who announced his candidacy at the last minute just as it seemed Sisi would have to run alone.

Sisi later denied involvement in sidelining his opponents, saying he wished there were many candidates.

The former career army officer was born in November 1954 in El-Gamaleya neighbourhood in the heart of Islamic Cairo.

Even as a child, Sisi sought to exert control over those around him, according to people who knew him at the time.

He graduated from Egypts Military Academy in 1977, later studying in Britain and the United States, before becoming military intelligence chief under President Hosni Mubarak who was toppled in a January 2011 uprising.

 There to serve 

As Egypts leader, Sisi is often seen microphone in hand, presiding over public ceremonies.

Speaking in the Egyptian Arabic dialect, sometimes laughing in the middle of his own lengthy speeches, he projects an image of father of the nation.

He is fond of telling Egyptians that they are the apple of his eye, stressing that he is there only to serve them.

Enjoying near-unanimous media support, Sisi is popular among many Egyptians who see him as the right man to lead the country after years of political, security, and economic turmoil that followed the ouster of long-time president Mubarak.

A father of four whose wife wears a hair veil, Sisi is described by those close to him as a pious Muslim who does not miss any of the five daily prayers.

But he is also reported to have a strong sense of self-belief, with audio records leaked by Islamic-leaning media pointing to a big ego.

In one leak, Sisi recalls a dream about the late president Anwar Sadat, which he saw as an omen that he would one day become powerful himself.

In another, he tells of a dream in which he held a red sword inscribed with the Muslim declaration of faith.

Ironically, it was the Islamist Morsi himself who appointed Sisi defence minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces in 2012.

 Security problems 

A year later, Sisi ended Morsis turbulent year in power and cracked down on the Islamists supporters, with hundreds of people killed in weeks.

On one bloody day  August 14, 2013  security forces killed more than 700 people in Cairo when they dispersed sit-ins by pro-Morsi protesters.

At the time, Human Rights Watch said the mass killings of protesters that day probably amounts to crimes against humanity.

Since Morsis removal, tens of thousands of his followers have been jailed, and hundreds sentenced in expedient mass trials strongly denounced by the United Nations.

As Islamist-related security issues mounted, Sisi launched a military campaign against Islamic State group fighters based in North Sinai province.

But so far he has been unable to fully quash an insurgency that has killed hundreds of police and military personnel.

Economically, he has begun an IMF-mandated campaign of drastic economic reforms that include cutting energy subsidies, introducing value-added tax and floating the pound.

Many secular and left-wing activists who initially supported Sisi soon came to regret it: he has been regularly accused by international rights groups of committing serious violations to silence dissent.

During his first presidential campaign in 2014, he said that talking about freedoms should not take precedence over national security, and that it would take 20 to 25 years to establish a true democracy in Egypt.
Kansas State Polytechnic partners with Piedmont Airlines to provide pilot students career opportunities, financial assistance through cadet program

Thursday, March 29, 2018

SALINA  The Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus is expanding its professional pilot students' career options through a new collaboration with regional carrier Piedmont Airlines.



Kansas State Polytechnic is now a partner in Piedmont Airlines' cadet program, which offers tuition reimbursement and employment opportunities to select students who have earned their certified flight instructor rating. Piedmont Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group Inc., also provides through its cadet program a guaranteed job path to American Airlines once student pilots are ready to transition in their career.



"Kansas State Polytechnic is excited to be teaming up with an organization that is invested in the long-term success of our students," said Ben Jaffee, senior assistant chief flight instructor. "This partnership gives professional pilot students a direct connection with industry, additional financial support and a defined career route even before graduating. We want to provide our students with the best educational experience possible and this new opportunity enriches the value of what our degree program has to offer."



Students who have earned their certified flight instructor rating and have been accepted into Piedmont Airlines' cadet program, following an interview process, are eligible to receive tuition reimbursement after the completion of 500 hours of flight time. The program provides a financial incentive for every 100 hours achieved there after until completing the Airline Transport Pilot minimums required. Once a certified flight instructor attains these minimums, he or she will join Piedmont Airlines as a first officer with a guaranteed job at American Airlines in about five years.



"Pilots who fly for Piedmont upgrade very quickly and then transition to American Airlines," said Lyle Hogg, president and CEO of Piedmont Airlines. "Our cadet program is a great opportunity for students who want to pursue a commercial flying career. It allows them to gain valuable flying experience before coming to fly for Piedmont and then on to the world's largest airlines."



Piedmont Airlines will visit the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus April 17 to meet with prospective students for the cadet program.



To learn more about the professional pilot bachelor's degree option at Kansas State Polytechnic, contact admissions at 785-826-2640 or polytechnic@k-state.edu.






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You go to your doctor because you are suffering pain, fatigue, or some equally debilitating ailment. Your doctor examines you and is worried there may be a serious underlying medical reason for your symptoms and orders a test. But, before you can have that test done to determine the cause of your symptoms, the insurance company must agree that you need it in order for them to cover the cost of it. In our current health care ecosystem, it seems these tests are denied more often than not.

Patients and doctors alike are left to wonder how these medical decisions made by insurance companies are determined. Insurance company executives will tell you they are not making medical decisions but rather coverage determinations. But, when these determinations prevent patients from getting medical care that they need is there really any difference? They often deny medical services as being not medically necessary despite the fact that the treating physician felt otherwise, after carefully evaluating and examining the actual patient.

Earlier this month, it has become known that the former medical director of Aetna, Dr. Jay Ken Iinuma, admitted under oath that he sometimes did not look at any medical records when making these determinations. Additionally, when he did review the medical records, he reviewed only portions of them. Three other states besides California (Colorado, Washington, and Connecticut) have begun their own investigations into Aetna, the third-largest health insurer in the U.S.

Why do we need transparency into insurance company business practices?

Health care is the biggest sector in the U.S. economy. Much of our taxpayer dollars are being spent into the health care system. As part of this economy, they should be open to scrutiny by outside agencies.

Health care is different from other services in the fact that people can die directly from bad decisions being made. In most other sectors, a bad decision may lead to financial loss. But, in health care, if you make a wrong decision, such as denying a patient a needed test, that person may suffer, be diagnosed too late, or die as a direct result.

Health insurance companies directly profit by denying health care to the lives they are covering. The fewer tests and services they cover, the more their bank accounts fill up.

Many patients can no longer afford medical care. While the average annual salary of an insurance company CEO is in the tens of millions of dollars, there is something very wrong when a patient is unable to have a diagnostic test needed for their care because it is too expensive (such as with very high deductibles) or simply not covered.

Each insurance company follows their own guidelines in making coverage determinations. Every patient and doctor should be able to see clearly what these guidelines are and the evidence that went into establishing them. Doctors are expected to practice evidence-based medicine. But, how can we when insurance companies do not make evidence-based coverage determinations?

When a service is denied, the patient and treating physicians should be told the factors that went into that decision. Simply saying not medically necessary is insufficient as anyone can use that phrase in any manner they wish, even without opening a medical record as is seen in Aetnas business practices.

As doctors, we all know patients who had care denied in spite of the fact that they really needed it. It seems that the more we appeal a decision based on evidence-based medical practice, the less likely it is to be approved. As it is, the insurance companies are not required to follow evidence-based guidelines and often follow the ones they choose, creating their own guidelines with the goal of cost reduction, not clinical outcomes. But, if a decision is made without considering the medical records available, why even bother creating guidelines? Why put it to review when it is likely just going to be denied for financial reasons? What do insurance companies gain by keeping costs down? They increase their profits with their top executives making some of the top salaries of any sector in the US economy, averaging in the tens of millions annually. This represents a direct conflict of interest in those profiting from their medical decisions to be the same ones making them.

While the majority of us suspected insurance companies of sidestepping evidence-based medicine for their own financial gain, this is one of the first cases where it becomes glaringly obvious. Insurance companies conduct their business without any transparency, making decisions without any scrutiny or oversight. They have largely been unaccountable for their actions. They essentially hold a monopoly over patients lives and very real harm can result from their behavior. They have built up a large house of control, but they neglected the cards of deceit holding up the foundation. As more knowledge comes to light in the current investigation into Aetna, we should be demanding further transparency from other insurers as well. Insurance companies who have nothing to hide can stand up to this evaluation. But, if their business practices mimic Aetnas, this may be the beginning of the house of cards tumbling.

Linda Girgis is a family physician who blogs at Dr. Linda.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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I dont remember her name, but I do remember her light brown hair, the simple nose ring that looped out of her left nostril, and the calm and centered presence she had with patients. She came across as unassuming, professional, and caring. We were both in medical school, though she was two years behind me. I admired how she treated people.

I dont remember his name, but I do remember that he worked as a nephrologist (kidney specialist). He had a slight paunch and frequently wore dress shirts with short sleeves. The knots of his neckties were always loose. Students regarded him as an excellent teacher who revealed the mysteries of the kidney with tireless enthusiasm.

The nephrologist and I, among others, taught a course for junior medical students. Someone praised the bedside manner of this calm and centered medical student. The nephrologist interjected, That might be true, but she doesnt look professional. Its the nose ring. Physicians shouldnt have nose rings.

I didnt say anything in response. He was still an attending physician, and I was just a medical student. His comment struck me: Did it really matter what doctors look like?

I have thought about that snippet over the years. Did he ever give her that feedback? If he did, how did she take it? Did anyone else find his remark curious? Did any of the other attending physicians disagree with him? If they did, why didnt they speak up?

After I became an attending physician and navigated ongoing perceptions of what I should look like, more questions have come to mind:

What if the medical student was a white male and had a nose ring? Would the nephrologist have made that comment? (Probably?)

What if the medical student was a stellar student and demonstrated clinical excellence? (My impression is that she did well in her coursework and that the comment about her nose ring was in the vein of, If only she didnt have the nose ring )

What if the medical student wore the nose ring for cultural reasons? Would that have mattered to the nephrologist?

What if the nephrologist learned that certain populations of patients were more likely to trust her than with him because of the nose ring?

What did the nephrologist think doctors should look like? (Clearly, he did not think they should wear nose rings.) How did he learn what doctors should look like? Who determined the definition of professional in the world of medicine?

Did it really matter what doctors look like? To medical students, of course, it did. When we started our clinical rotations, we saw the attire of resident and attending physicians: Think Banana Republic or J. Crew, with the requisite long white coat on top. So what did we all do? We started shopping for professional clothes, except few of us had the money to buy stuff from Banana Republic or J. Crew. We cobbled together outfits from shops we could afford.

The pressure to conform, however, went beyond what we wore. There was only one female trauma surgeon who worked with medical students and, while students spoke well of her, resident physicians sometimes remarked that she was too emotional. During operations, male surgery fellows told female medical students, You should feel this lung now, since youre probably going to go into pediatrics or family practice. Many of the attending physicians were heterosexual white males. Those of us who were not  men of color, women with or without nose rings, those who identified as LGBTQ  navigated how to conform to the values and behaviors of heterosexual white males, such as the nephrologist. Though some of these values and behaviors have no clinical relevance (e.g., wearing a nose ring does not affect how a physician washes her hands, gathers a history, or conducts a physical exam), they do affect how one goes through medical training. If enough attending physicians make comments about the nose ring, you might stop wearing it, even though the nose ring is something you value as a person.

What do you do, though, when the issue isnt a nose ring, but your skin color? Sex? Accent? Sexual orientation? Culture?

When surveying the community, many people comment that they feel more comfortable working with health care professionals who look like and share the same experiences as them. Many women, for example, prefer to work with female gynecologists. People who speak languages other than English often feel more comfortable working with physicians who also speak the same language. Americans who are not white often comment that it is often easier to talk with non-white physicians about health concerns.

People with tattoos and nose rings may find it easier to talk with a physician with a nose ring. If the goal is to help keep people healthy and living the lives they want to lead, is it fair to say that nose rings are unprofessional? If the physician with a nose ring is able to connect with her patients and thus serves her community, should we indoctrinate her with the idea that nose rings are unprofessional?

Out of habit I still wear slacks and dress shirts when I see patients. I was trained that I should dress a certain way to both show respect to my patients and demonstrate that I am a professional.

The only time I did not routinely dress in slacks and dress shirts was during my time doing outreach to people who were sleeping outside. Part of this was due to functionits much easier to jump over puddles and slide past chainlink fences in jeans and a sweatshirtbut part of this was also because a doctorly outfit was often a liability in these settings.

How would you react if, while eating lunch outside, someone wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around her neck came up to you and asked, Hi. How are you doing? Are you okay?

Feedback I often received throughout my medical training (and continue to receive now) is that I do not speak up enough during rounds and related meetings. My seeming reticence partly reflects my introversion; it also reflects Chinese Confucian values. Medicine has trained me to talk more. I will never know if my taciturn tendencies have caused more problems for my patients (I hope not), though we all appreciate someone who is willing to listen.

And while I am sure that the nephrologist would have disapproved of unnatural hair colors, I cant count the number of times vulnerable people with significant psychiatric symptoms were willing to talk to me simply because of my locks of curious color. This holds true even for people without any psychiatric symptoms.

I trust that the medical student who wore the nose ring has become a fantastic physician. I wonder if she still wears a nose ring. I hope she still does.

One way we recognize physicians is by their white coats. The rest of it  sex, skin color, accents, nose rings, tattoos, hair color, age, height, weight, etc.  shouldnt matter.

Maria Yang is a psychiatrist who blogs at her self-titled site, Maria Yang, MD.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
A member of the Public Accounts Committee has asked why motorists can drive to Kilkenny on a motorway for free but it costs 2.90 at the toll to drive to Sligo.

The matter was raised at the PAC on March 22 when members were discussing the 2016 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts and the section on the 'Overview of Public Private Partnerships'.

The issue began when Fianna Fail's Marc MacSharry, TD for Sligo-Leitrim, asked: "When people pay tolls - on the N4 it is 2.90 and on some of the other roads it is 1.90 - and they do not have the electronic tag which I and I am sure many of us have, they throw the 2 or 3 in but do not get their 0.10 change.

"Is any assessment done on the amount of money that comes to? Is it the PPP that gets it? Is it much money?"

Appearing before the PAC, Michael Kennedy of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, said: "I do not have any figures to hand on that.

"It is the PPPs that get the money, the change that people do not collect at the toll goes to the PPP."

Deputy MacSharry said: "It would be great to put an estimate on the amount and perhaps we could prevail on the PPPs to consider whether they might donate the excess to charity.

"I have nothing against my good colleague, Deputy [Bobby] Aylward (Carlow/Kilkenny TD), but why can one drive to Kilkenny on a motorway for free but it costs 2.90 at the toll to drive to Sligo.

"How does one determine which roads are tolled?"

Mr Kennedy added: "At the time we were launching the PPP programme, Government policy at the time was that a toll could not be put on existing roads so we had to focus on new PPP schemes as potential schemes for tolling.

"We did look at Kilkenny."
Irish Water has said that work to upgrade the water treatment system in Ballyragget is progressing well, and the new treatment processes should be put into operation within the next fortnight.

The drinking water restriction remains in place for infants under six months until further notice pending the completion of the works and a subsequent period of testing of the water quality in consultation with the HSE. Following an increase in the level of nitrates detected in the supply last month, the HSE advised that babies under six months of age should not drink water from this supply. This advice remains in place.

Irish Water has been working with Kilkenny County Council to address this issue by installing a specific nitrates treatment process.

We are confident that we are making good progress in developing the new treatment process for the Ballyragget water supply scheme which will address the problem of high nitrate levels in the water source," says Neil Smyth, Water Operations Lead with Irish Water.

"We expect to complete the works on site and begin commissioning of the new equipment within the next two weeks. However, it is important to note that there will then be period of extensive testing and monitoring of the water before the drinking restriction now in place can be lifted.

Any decision to lift the restriction will be taken in consultation with the HSE following a period of clear samples showing without doubt that the water is safe to drink for infants under six months of age. This will take a number of weeks to complete.

Irish Water and Kilkenny County Council fully acknowledge the inconvenience caused as a result of this issue which and we thank customers in the area for their patience as we put this solution in place. In the meantime, we will continue to provide bottled water to any parents who need it. They can contact us at 1850 278 278 to make arrangements for delivery."

Further information and additional advice for customers is available on the service and supply section of the Irish Water website or by calling 1850 278 278.
A high-ranking militant of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has been killed in a US air strike in Libya over the weekend, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The strike, the first against Al Qaeda militants in Libya, killed two terrorists in the countrys vast desert, the Pentagon said.

The US military said Musa Abu Dawud, the senior Al Qaeda militant provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack American and Western interests in the region.

The missile fired by the American drone stroked a house in Ubari, 435 miles south of Tripoli, in the countrys southwest, a notorious haven for a deadly mix of Al Qaeda and other extremist groups in the Sahel region, it said.

Colonel Cheadle described Dawud as a significant fixer for Al Qaeda. The US Africa command said that no civilians were believed to have been killed in the attack.

Last year, Niger agreed with American military to fly armed drone missions from Nigers capital, Niamey. The American military is also building a $100 million drone base in Agadez, north of Niamey that is set to begin operations this year.
The Deputy Secretary General of Ghanas main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been arrested following a comment he made last week on a local radio in capital city Accra.

Koku Anyidoho, has been charged with treason, and thus refused bail, following his summoning to the Criminal Investigations Department [CID] of the West African nation.

The NDC official in an interview on Accra-based Happy FM last week indicated that President Akufo-Addo will be overthrown by a civil coup detat due to the ratification of a controversial defense cooperation agreement with the US.

Koku Anyidoho justified his stance in another interview with Accra-based Morning Starr radio earlier this week, stating that he stands by his comments and that there is nothing wrong with a civil coup.

He was picked up on Tuesday by police during a press conference by a group of opposition political parties who are kicking against the Ghana-US Defense Cooperation agreement ratified by Parliament last Friday.

The pact, which allows the US military to camp some of its military forces in the country, was approved without the minority in Parliament who were vehemently opposed to it. The deal will also grant the US access to some of Ghanas national security installations.
Lukashenko Says He Feels Particular Respect to Georgia

By Tea Mariamidze

The Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko stated during his last weeks visit to Georgia that he has visited many countries, but feels particular respect to Georgia.Georgians and Belarusians are quite similar. I feel like at home in Georgia, Lukashenko stated in Tbilisi, within his second trip to Georgia on March 21-23.For the first time during 25-year Georgia-Belarus relationship, the presidents of the two countries  Giorgi Margvelashvili and Alexander Lukashenko signed the Framework Agreement, which advances mutual cooperation in various fields.The agreement involves recognition of universal principles of international law, respect for sovereign equality and territorial integrity in internationally recognized borders.It also reads that Belarus and Georgia share common interests to strengthen friendly relations in all the areas and develop long-term mutually beneficial cooperation.Along with the Framework Agreement, Georgian and Belarusian Foreign Ministers signed mutual visa-free agreement.Prior the signing ceremony, Lukashenko and Margvelashvili held face-to-face and extended meetings. As highlighted at the meetings, Georgia-Belarus bilateral political cooperation has been advanced throughout last three years, adding this progress is dynamically developing and irreversible.The two presidents also discussed peace and security challenges in the region and in the occupied territories of Georgia, installation of barbed wire fences and artificial barriers.Today our partnership is dynamically developing in all the areas. Political, trade-economic and cultural ties between our states are enhanced on daily basis. Compared to past years, trade turnover between our countries is increased by 24%, while tourism rate by 29%, Margvelashvili said and noted that the agreements of cooperation in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, education and culture will contribute to the development of cooperation and trigger further reinforcement of Georgia-Belarus relations.While delivering speech, Lukashenko pointed out that there are no dead-ends in Georgian-Belarusian relations, as the countries share sincere relations."In case you need help, we will help you in every possible way We have never let Georgia down; our door is always open for cooperation with your country. I will always support all bilateral projects that further deepen our relations. As a citizen, as a head of my country, I wish Georgia peace; I would like nice Georgian people to live in prosperity, as they deserve it. We are always ready to help you," President of Belarus said.
Deputy FM explains lawmakers what non-use of force means with Russia

By Levan Khutsishvili

The Parliamentary Minority invited David Dondua - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the head of Georgian delegation in Geneva for explanation, regarding the upcoming meeting in Geneva.As it was announced through the media sources, Abkhazian side is hoping to reach verbal agreement with Georgia on Non-Use of Force and political party European Georgia had questions with Georgian Delegation about the plans for Geneva meeting in March 27-28."It was our serious concern that the process, which is going on in Geneva today, will be used to develop a new possible document that will be used by Russia in order to achieve its goals in the Geneva talks. So this meeting was important. We have clearly explained to the representatives of the Foreign Ministry that any kind of progress in such negotiations requires the discussion of the text, including the parliamentary format. Consequently, I think that in the next round of Geneva Discussion we will see that the Georgian government will take a more cautious position than they could have held today without a meeting. As for my own assessment, this document is only an attempt to create an illusion that we can make some progress in negotiations with Russia and we are just dampening our fundamental interests, which is to increase international pressure as soon as possible on Russia. That is a position that I floated with Foreign Ministry representatives. We intend to actively control every step of Georgian delegation in the format of Geneva negotiations, as it seems that there are attempts of using this format for Russian interests, "said Salome Samadashvili, member of National Movement.Discussions in Geneva started after the August War, 2008 and Georgia, Abkhazia, Tskhinvali and Russia sides participate in it together with representatives from the UN, OSCE and the European Union. The Non-Use of Force is one of the key issues of the Geneva Discussions. Georgia has announced about none using the force in 2010 and demands from the Russian Federation as well. Russia, does not considers itself a part of the conflict, wants Georgia to sign such agreements with de facto republics of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. Such initiative is unacceptable for the Georgian side, however the statement of Daur Cove - Foreign Minister of de facto republic of Abkhazia raises doubts about the strategy of Georgian Delegation.During the meeting in Parliament, David Dondua underscored that Georgian side is not planning to discuss agreement of Non-Use forces with de facto republic of Abkhazia. He said that information spread by Georgian and Russian media is mostly wrong interpretations of the facts. According to Dondua, there has been some progress in negotiations in recent years, but there remain issues that needs to be discussed."The main goal of this statement is to support the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement between Georgia and Russia on August 12, 2008, and the creation of international security mechanisms on the occupied territories that are envisaged by the sixth paragraph of the Ceasefire Agreement. It has nothing to do with political or any status of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. Also, I would like to emphasize that this statement will be received or not, the agenda anyway remains an issue that Russia should take responsibility not to use force against Georgia, as Georgia has unilaterally done it many times," stated Dondua.
New Delhi, Mar 29: Banks in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are shipping cash from the neighbouring states as nearly 40 per cent of the ATMs in both the states are running dry.

Serpentine queues were witnessed outside the ATMs in several parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the past week, as the cash crunch intensified in the latter half of this month.

To meet the crisis, banks in Telangana are shipping cash from Kerala and Maharashtra, while those in Andhra Pradesh are replenishing their ATMs with cash from Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

In Telangana, the largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) claims only 1,400 or 1,500 of its 2,200 ATMs are operational in the state.

Bank officials while speaking to reporters said they earlier used to maintain 94 per cent cash in ATMs. However, the amount dipped to 85 per cent in January and February. The crunch turned worse in March as the cash in ATMs dropped to 70 per cent.

SBI's Hyderabad Circle Chief General Manager Swaminathan J, while speaking to the TOI, said the bank has limited options as it needs to credit the salary accounts of most government employees, apart from depositing significant amount of cash with post officers and treasuries, for disbursement to Aasara and MNREGA workers.

Another reason for the cash shortage, the official explained, is the non-issual of Rs 2000 notes by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) since November 2017.

A recent analysis in Telangana region found that a major section of the salaried class, which used to earlier withdraw upto Rs 10,000 in the first half of the month, now withdraws the entire salary as soon as it gets credited to the bank account. This further intensifies the shortage of cash in the ATMs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2018 01:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Shopian, March 29: A police officer lost his life and one civilian sustained injuries in three separate attacks in Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam districts in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, terrorists opened fire at a patrolling party of Indian Army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles in Shopian district's Ahgam village. As of now, no casualties have been reported.

In a separate incident, Special Police Officer Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh was injured after terrorists fired at his house in Anantnag district's Bijbehara town. He succumbed to his injuries soon after being taken to the hospital.

Another incident took place in Kulgam district, where a teacher suffered bullet injuries in one of his legs in a terrorist attack. He is currently admitted to a hospital for further treatment.
March 29, Mumbai: The NITI Aayog Wednesday released a preliminary or baseline ranking for the 101 most backward districts of India that have signed up for the Narendra Modi governments Transformation of Aspirational Districts programme. The ranking is based on 49 indicators across five sectors. As per reports, Haryanas Mewat is the lowest-ranked among these backwards districts, while Andhra Pradeshs Vizianagaram is the best-performing district in the list.

Infact, Jharkhand has 19 districts in the list, while Bihar has 13, Chhattisgarh has 10, UP and MP have eight each, while Goa has none. In the education category, Bhoopalpalli in Telangana was the top performer, while MPs Singrauli was the worst performer. Talking about the health sector, Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu is the best performer, while Darrang in Assam is the worst performer. Reportedly, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said, "People will know which districts are performing well and which are lagging behind. Unless these backward districts improve, India cannot progress at high growth rates."

This is part of the 'name and shame' strategy by the Government and the government think tank will come out with the rankings of these districts every month from May, 2018, based on their 'incremental progress'. On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit one of the best performing districts on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2018 11:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
A chicken from the Ratchaburi district in central Thailand got worldwide fame after it survived decapitation. The bird was possibly attacked by a wild animal who bit its head off. But miraculously, the bird soldiered on for a week without its dead before finally dying. Photographs of the bird with only a bloody stump for its head has been doing rounds on the social media. It is baffling how the chicken had been standing up without any problems, despite missing its head.

The chicken had been adopted by a vet named Dr Supakadee Arun Thong and has been keeping the headless bird alive by feeding it through its neck. To prevent any chances of an infection through its wound, the bird is also being given a steady stream of antibiotics. Before it died, the vet was reported to have told a local newspaper that the bird was alive and well. She said, "The animal has its life. If it wants to live, we feed it." The doctor applauded the will of the bird to fight against all odds and survive.

But without its head, it was inevitable that the bird may not survive for too long. The doctor feared that the only remnant of its head, its tongue was drying out. The only way the chicken's life could have been prolonged was if someone adopted it. 'Who will take him and care for him? He will need lifelong care. I have to admit that this chicken is a true warrior with a very tough heart.'

As incredible as the story may seem, this is not the first instance the world has seen a headless chicken. Back in 1945, a chicken name Mike would have been served as supper to the Olsen family from Fruita, Colorado. But the axe used to decapitate the chicken missed its jugular vein, leaving one of its ears and most of its brain stem intact.

Mike the headless chicken who survived for 18 months after he was decapitated. (Picture credits: Wikimedia Commons)

A clot in the vein had prevented Mike from bleeding to death. Mike the headless chicken went on to have an illustrious career as a performer for a travelling sideshow company. He survived for 18 months after his decapitation. Surprisingly, it was not the medical complications that caused his death. He had died choking on a corn kernel.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2018 03:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The News in Brief

Prepared by Mariam Chanishvili



Parliament Ratifies Final Version of the Georgian Construction



The Georgian Parliament has ratified the final version of the Georgian constitution last week, which means that Georgia will move to the fully proportional elections from 2024, the country will have a president not-elected by people and other key changes.



The Georgian Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani has congratulated the country on the significant day, stating that Georgia has officially moved to the fully parliamentary governance.



Thanks to the amendments the constitution ensures equal rights between men and women, higher protection of childrens rights, and the rights of the people with different disabilities, as well as various crucial changes, the minister stated.



The Georgian parliament adopted the constitutional amendments, initiated by the Georgian Dream leadership, at the end of September 2017.



The key amendments include:





- Georgia will switch to fully proportional elections in 2024;

- The 2020 parliamentary elections will still be held through the existing mixed proportional and majoritarian system but the election threshold will be lowered to 3 percent from 5 percent for these elections only;

- President will be elected by a special council starting 2024;

- In 2018 the president will still be elected directly but for a six and not a five year term.

- Selling agricultural lands to foreign nationals will be prohibited.

- The opposition will have a right to create investigative commissions and others.



The opposition has demanded the move to the fully proportional elections beginning 2020 and the direct election of a president, which has not been taken into account.







Police Launches Investigation against Former Head of NGO



The Georgian Interior Ministry has launched an investigation against the former head of the Georgian Non-Governmental Organization CiDA, Zviad Devdariani, after several women accused him of sexual harassment.



The Ministry has launched an investigation for sexual suppression and illegal surveillance on a person.



The harassment allegations against Devdariani were initially voiced by the Georgian Womens Movement, on March 17, a day after Devdariani was nominated by the Georgian Public Defender for the board member of Georgias Public Broadcaster.



The statement released by the NGO claimed that about 10 women, who stayed anonymous, accused Devdariani of sexual harassment, unwanted physical and verbal behavior.



Devdariani dismissed the accusations. However, he quit the post as CiDA head and the organization board accepted the decision.




Quito: Ecuador today said it has stopped Julian Assange's ability to communicate to the outside world from its London embassy by cutting of his internet connection. Assange, founder of WikiLeaks has been holed up in Ecuador's London Embassy since 2012.

The decision was taken because the Australian had broken a 2017 promise to not interfere in other country's affairs while staying in the mission, an Ecuadorian government statement said.

It came after Assange on Monday used Twitter to challenge Britain's accusation that Russia was responsible for the March 4 nerve agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent in the English city of Salisbury. He also questioned the decision by Britain and more than 20 countries to retaliate against the poisoning by expelling Russian diplomats deemed spies.

(3/3) Further, while it is reasonable for Theresa May to view the Russian state as the leading suspect, so far the evidence is circumstantial & the OCPW has not yet made any independent confirmation, permitting the Kremlin push the view domestically that Russia is persecuted.  Julian Assange  (@JulianAssange) March 26, 2018

Assange was granted political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012.

The comments prompted a British Foreign Office minister, Alan Duncan, to brand Assange a "miserable little worm" who should leave the embassy to turn himself over to British authorities.

Assange, 46, has spent much of his time in his small room in the embassy tweeting and at times contributing to RT, a Russian state-owned television channel that broadcasts Kremlin messaging, as well as taking part in media conferences via video link.

In 2016, Ecuador briefly suspended his internet connection for posting documents online that were seen as having an impact on the U.S. presidential election from which Donald Trump emerged the victor.

In May 2017, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno asked Assange to refrain from commenting on a separatist crisis in Spain over that country's Catalonia region, after he tweeted that Madrid was guilty of "repression."

Assange took refuge in the diplomatic mission in 2012 after a British judge ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault there.

Assange claims the accusations were politically motivated and could lead to him being extradited to the United States to face imprisonment over WikiLeaks' publication of secret US military documents and diplomatic cables in 2010.

Sweden dropped its investigation last year, but British authorities say they still want to arrest him for breaching his bail conditions.

Ecuador in December made Assange an Ecuadorian citizen and unsuccessfully tried to register him as a diplomat with immunity as part of its efforts to have the WikiLeaks founder leave the embassy without risk of being detained.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2018 05:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is visiting her home-country Pakistan for the first time since being shot at by Taliban militants more than five years ago.

Although there has been no official confirmation, reports suggest that Malala, her immediate family, and officials of the Malala Foundation flew into Islamabad in the wee hours of the morning. Malala has returned to visit Pakistan for the first time since she was airlifted to the UK to be treated for brain injuries after being shot at a point blank range by Taliban militants who wanted to silence her for her support to womens education.

According to reports, Malala is scheduled to stay in Pakistan until April 2. She will meet Pakistans Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as well as work on her programme that focuses on promoting education in less-developed areas of the country with Pakistani authorities. Malala founded the Malala Foundation which is involved in humanitarian work. Reportedly, an event has also been organised to welcome Malala at the Prime Minister's Office.

Malalas itinerary is being kept secret due to security reasons, and there is no confirmation yet if she will visit her home town in Swat valley.

Earlier this year in March 2018, the Nobel laureate appeared on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman on Netflix. Speaking of Swat, her hometown, Malala stated: "It is just like a paradise on Earth." She said she, "did not realise how beautiful Swat was" until she moved to the UK "and looked out the window and asked where the mountains were.

As to whether she would return to Swat, Malala said: "I havent been back to Swat since I was attacked. Unfortunately, its been a very difficult time. I tried to go but I didnt find the right timeI have received a lot of support in my country. There is this lust for change. People want to see a change in their countryI am already doing work there but I want my feet to touch that land.

Malala first came to spotlight as a schoolgirl, when she started writing, under the pseudonym Gul Mukai, a diary of her life under the Taliban rule in Swat that appeared in BBC Urdu. Malala strongly advocated for education for girls through her diary.

In October 2012, Malala was on her way home in a school van when she and her class fellows were attacked by Taliban militants. She was hit in the head, but survived the attack and was airlifted to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC), Rawalpindi, where she had several surgeries before she was flown to the UK for advanced treatment. The attack left Malala with a serious brain injury and she struggled to speak for several months after the assault.

In 2014, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to and work for promoting education for children. She was 17-year at the time  the youngest-ever Nobel laureate. She shared the prize with Kailash Satyarthi, a childrens rights activist from India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2018 05:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New York: Maserati Levante Trofeo

Mar 29, 2018, 10:37am ET

The new range-topper is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8, delivering 590 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque.

Maserati has revealed the new top-of-the-line Levante Trofeo at the New York auto show.

The SUV is one of the most powerful Maserati models ever, powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with 590 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.

"The engine boasts the highest output per litre (156 hp/litre) of any Maserati powerplant ever produced and, like all Maserati gasoline engines, is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy," the company says.

The extra oomph will launch the high-riding Levante to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds. The specs appear to finally elevate the model into more direct competition with Porsche's Cayenne Turbo.

The performance upgrade is accompanied by a unique body kit with carbon-fiber components, 22-inch aluminum wheels, sport seats and other interior enhancements.

Pricing and a specific launch date for the Levante Trofeo have not been formally announced.
Sean Francis Grealy  Knightsbridge, Trim, Meath / Glencalry, Mayo / Rathcoffey

Captain, Merchant Navy (retired). Peacefully at his residence, March 27 2018. Predeceased by his sister Aine. Sadly regretted by his daughters Muireann and Blinne, brothers Micheal and Seamus, sister Cait (Crilly), nephews and nieces, relatives, and many friends around the world. Reposing at Knightsbridge Nursing Home, Longwood Road, Trim, on Holy Thursday (March 29) and Good Friday (March 30). Reposing at Heffernan's Funeral Home, High Street, Trim, on Easter Monday (April 2) from 10am to 11am followed by removal to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Rathcoffey, arriving for Funeral Mass at 12 noon. Burial afterwards in Mainham Cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations if desired to the Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris) or the Ankylosing Spondylitis Association of Ireland.

Thomas (Tom) Dowling  Naas

March 27, 2018, (following a short illness, heroically fought with dignity and courage), Thomas (Tom), beloved husband of Mairin (Nic Sheanlaoich), adored Dad of Tony, Wendy, Nigel, Feidhlim and Caoimhe and dear brother of Pat, Noel, Vincent, Brendan and the late Ann; Sadly missed by his loving wife, sons, daughters, brothers, sister, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, grandchildren Finn, Freya, Patrick and Elliott, extended family Heather, Sighle, Valda and Simrat, relatives and wide circle of friends. Reposing at his home on Friday (March 30) from 5.00pm to 8.00pm with Prayers at 7.00pm. Removal on Saturday (March 31) to the Church of Our Lady and St. David, Naas arriving for 10.00am Prayer Service. Funeral immediately afterwards to St. Corbans Cemetery, Naas. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to St. Vincent de Paul Naas.

Denis Meredith  Ballyfinnen, Ballylinan, Athy

March 27 2018, Deeply regretted by his sister Rhoda, brother Ronnie, nieces Carol, Wendy, Ann and Kendra, relatives and friends. Reposing at Rigneys Funeral Home, Athy from 12 noon on Thursday (March 29). Removal at 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon to arrive at Castletown Church for funeral service at 3pm. Burial afterwards in Rosenallis Cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to The Involvement Centre, St. Dympna's Hospital, Carlow.

Sarah O'Brien (nee Humphries)  Lipstown, Narraghmore, Athy

March 16 2018, Mother of the Late Ciaran. Deeply regretted by her loving husband John, sons John, David and Declan, brothers, sisters, daughters-in-law, partners, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Reposing at Rigney's Funeral Home, Athy from 4pm on Sunday (April 1) with Rosary at 8pm. Removal on Monday afternoon (April 2) at 1.15pm to arrive at the Church of Saints Mary and Laurence, Crookstown for Requiem Mass at 2pm. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
1. The rush for drink on Holy Thursday

The scandalous carry on of the country making a collective beer run and clearing the shelves of booze on a Holy Thursday will be a thing of the past.

2. The panic when you get home

It's after 10pm on Holy Thursday, the off-licence is closed, and who've already broken into the Good Friday stash, such is your excitement. You frantically check the stock levels after every glass and pray you've bought enough.

3. The complaining

From pub owners to punters banished from the bar stool for one day, we all loved a good moan about the Good Friday pub ban. The word 'archaic' was always thrown around big time by some fella who heard it on the radio. He thought it made his argument fierce impressive altogether.

4. The house party

We used to be the most Catholic little country on the planet, but the drink corrupted us and we turned Good Friday into a makeshift drinking festival. We see your Oktoberfest, Germany, and raise you a Good Friday house party in Ireland.

5. No more Tubridy

For those too old or fragile for the house parties, Good Friday involved sitting in and watching the Late Late, where they were probably discussing the pub ban, which only served to put a shocking thirst on you altogether. Well, no more! You can now watch him silently babbling away in the background on the television screen in Paris Texas.

6. The guilt

Like indulging in a sausage sandwich, having that drink at home on Good Friday was like eating the forbidden fruit for some people. We can wave goodbye to the guilt that riddled us with each passing sip of that beautiful Rioja....so worth it!

7. The rush back to the pub on Easter Saturday

Easter Saturday has been bigger than New Year's Eve in some quarters as half-dying Irish people emerge weary like Jesus from the desert to return to Paris Texas after the hiatus. Having had their fill on Good Friday, however, the majority may well be glad of a day in the bed.

8. The confused tourists

Tourists come to Kilkenny for the craic and the Guinness and they used to get an awful shock when they landed on Good Friday and were denied both. Now, however, they will be able to enjoy Paris Texas like the rest of us and stagger back to their hotels in the early hours of the morning.

9. The clean up

While a house party is great craic, the clean up operation is a ferocious pain. Not only do you have to make 15 runs to the bottle bank but you are on a constant look out for fag burns on carpets and curtains and it usually takes a couple of days before you find the pool of puke some feicier left behind the couch because he was too lazy to drag himself to the toilet.

10. Fast food delivery chaos

Because we all used to be shacked up for the evening and there was no designated driver, the fast food delivery people were run off their poor feet every Good Friday. They should have a quieter time this year but their colleagues back at base will be up the walls as we all stagger through the doors in the early hours of the morning after taking full advantage of Paris Texas being open.
Good Friday 2018 represents an historic day for Irish pubs as for the first time in over 90 years licensed venues will be open and permitted to serve alcohol.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), in welcoming the legislation that allows pubs to serve alcohol on Good Friday, says removing the ban was about introducing choice, both for the customer and the publican.

VFI Chief Executive Padraig Cribben, says: The Good Friday ban is from a different era and is rightfully consigned to history. Like all other businesses who were never subject to a ban, publicans now have a choice to open.

Pubs opening on Good Friday is good news, both for publicans and their customers but also for the many tourists who visit Ireland over the Easter weekend, who in the past would find the pubs closed during a major holiday.

The extra days business is a welcome boost to the pub trade. It is estimated Good Friday will generate over 40m in sales for pubs throughout the country.

Good Friday will also generate over 7m in VAT and Excise Duty contributions to the Exchequer.

The VFI Chief Executive says the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2017, which removed the prohibition on selling alcohol during Good Friday, reflects Irelands status as a mature nation.

The Good Friday ban was introduced a lifetime ago in 1927 and we took the view that such a piece of archaic and discriminatory legislation needed to be removed.

Times have changed and the new law reflects this reality.
ITS ONCE again set to be Europes largest collective clean up event, and its taking place in Limerick this Friday under the banner of TLC4.

The community effort, Team Limerick Clean-up, will see over 18,500 volunteers take to the streets all across the city and county, to pick up litter in their local environments.

The event takes place every year on Good Friday, and is sponsored by the JP McManus Benevolent Fund. Limerick City and County Council is also supported by the Limerick Leader, Live 95fm and Mr Binman for the cleanup, which has rugby legend Paul OConnell as its ambassador.

Full steam ahead at a sunny Limerick distribution centre for #TLC4.

Great support from partners @LimerickCouncil @Limerick_Leader @MrBinman @LimLive95fm today.

And already a huge pre Easter effort this week from #Limerick schools ! pic.twitter.com/YPnoEShhth March 24, 2018

The Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Cllr Stephen Keary, this week wished the thousands of people who have signed up to volunteer luck this Good Friday.

I would like to wish the more than 18,500 volunteers the very best of luck on Friday. You are the heartbeat of your communities and your communities are only going to get stronger as a result of volunteering on Good Friday for TLC4, said the mayor.

We are delighted to announce that this year over 18.5 thousand volunteers have signed up for Team Limerick Clean-Up4!!



We are overwhelmed by the support of the people in Limerick and are looking forward to an enjoyable and safe clean-up this Good Friday! #TLC4 pic.twitter.com/NMCLSQaEov March 21, 2018

It is a credit to all who are willing to give up their Good Friday morning to clean up their areas. They are showing true Limerick spirit.

TLC is one of the best events ever devised. It is now in its fourth year and is getting bigger and bigger every year. This growth is testament to all the communities and groups who come together and make it what it is. It is about taking pride in where you live and wanting it to be better, added Mayor Keary.

Thanks once again to the JP McManus Benevolent Fund, Paul OConnell and Limerick City and County Council for funding and co-ordinating this great initiative, Mr Binman, Live95FM and Limerick Leader which have all been fantastic supporters of it.

The clean-up will be happening across the county, and many community groups will be taking advantage of the community spirit for even more interesting initiatives, like Tait House Community Enterprise in Southill and its trash fashion event.

TLC has been a significant motivation and inspiration to our organisation since the first year. It is a simple but brilliant idea that we have capitalised on and created a link with our Tidy Towns and Going for Gold programmes.
Apr 28, 2021, 4 AM

The Westpex show theme is the 100th anniversary of California Declares War on Squirrels and it will offer this cinderella souvenir sheet for purchase at the show.

By Linns Staff

Westpex 2018 will take place Friday, April 27, through Sunday, April 29, at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront hotel, 1800 Old Bayshore Highway in Burlingame, Calif. The hotel provides a special rate for Westpex attendees.

Westpex charges a $5 admission that is good for all three days of the show. Children under age 15 are admitted free with an adult. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Parking is $5 per day with validation at the Westpex reception desk.

Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions is conducting an auction every day from Thursday through Sunday.

The bourse (sales area) will include 75 domestic and international dealers offering a wide range of philatelic material available for sale, including stamps, covers, postcards and related literature and supplies.

Westpex is an American Philatelic Society World Series of Philately show. The grand-award winner will qualify for the APS Champion of Champions competition to be held at Stampshow 2018 in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 9-12.

The West[ex show committee expects more than 280 frames of exhibits, especially from members of the American Air Mail Society and the Rhodesian Study Circle, the convening societies.

Numerous other societies also will meet, including the Arizona Philatelic Rangers, Canal Zone Study Group, Rossica Society of Russian Philately, Royal Philatelic Society London, Ryukyu Philatelic Specialist Society, U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, Western Cover Society, the China Stamp Societys San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, and the Golden Gate Scandinavian Collectors Club.

Women Exhibitors is hosting WE Fest VI with most activities on Thursday, April 26, including educational seminars and opportunities to network and learn about exhibiting. WE Fest is open to women, men and children. It costs $85 per person for the five days of events. For more information, visit this site.

APS executive director Scott English will conduct a town hall meeting on Saturday.

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Westpex sponsors a youth area with free stamps and supplies. On Sunday, the Boy Scout Merit Badge program, which sold out in 2017, is being held. Preregistration and a $15 fee are required. For more information on the scouting event, contact Kyle Anderson.

The Westpex show theme celebrates the 100th anniversary of California Declares War on Squirrels. The show will offer related cachet covers and a cinderella souvenir sheet.

The awards banquet is scheduled for Saturday night in the Irvine Ballroom on the main level of the hotel. The reception will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. Banquet tickets must be purchased before the show for $60. The ticket order form is available on the Westpex website.

For a detailed schedule and additional information on the show visit the show website.
Mar 29, 2018, 6 AM

Two nondenominated stamps from Slovenia show a complete decorated egg and a closer view of a pattern on another egg.

New Stamps of the World  By Denise McCarty

Since 2014, Polands Easter stamps have featured similar designs of a single, ornately decorated egg.

This years stamp, issued March 6, is nondenominated with the letter B in place of the value. The egg shown is red with outlines of flowers in yellow and white. The stamp design also includes flowers in gold above the egg and a small goose in gold in the lower right.

Polands official information website, provided information about the tradition of decorating eggs: The eggs, which dominate the Easter table, symbolise life and rebirth. Beautifully decorated, they have adorned Polish tables at Easter for centuries.

Although the methods of colouring and decorating eggs have evolved, the tradition has stood the test of time. Traditional patterns on Easter eggs are prepared with hot wax applied to the shell. Eggs are then covered with paint, and finally the wax is removed to reveal the patterns that have been created.

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The most common symbols on Easter eggs include lambs, crosses, flowers and other spring motifs.

Like Poland, Slovenia featured a red egg on a nondenominated Easter stamp. Another design in this set of three issued March 9 depicts a detail from a painted egg. The third stamp shows a symbolic cross, flowers and sun.
Director of the National Centre for Marketing and Price Study V.Sadokho meets the French delegation

28-03-2018

On March 27, 2018 the Director of the National Centre for Marketing and Price Study (NCMPS), Valery Sadokho, held a meeting with the French delegation, which included the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the Republic of Belarus, Didier Canesse, as well as representatives of the embassies of the French Republic to the Russian Federation and the Ukraine and Business France Russie.

During the meeting, the French delegation was informed of the NCMPS activities, particularly about conducting marketing research, organizing various business meetings and events. V.Sadokho stressed the opportunities for mutual trade cooperation in remote regions of the world, taking into account the promotion of Belarusian goods by the French companies in North African markets.

The participants discussed the holding of the Session of the Bilateral Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation in 2018 and the possibility of organizing business meeting in its framework, as well as other promising areas of cooperation.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to develop their collaboration, particularly by using the Information Export Support Website Export.by, as well as organizing business meetings and exhibition events.

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Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi

One of Attorney General Pam Bondi's top deputies is demanding an in-person meeting with executives at Facebook to talk about the release of more than 50 million users' personal information.

In a Wednesday letter to Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Bondi's Privacy Bureau chief, Patrice Malloy, wrote that she expects a meeting set up by the end of the week.

"Please contact me by the close of business on Friday, March 30, to arrange for a mutually agreeable location, date and time with the goal of facilitating further discussion regarding this time-sensitive matter," Malloy wrote.

She included a list of nine questions she wanted answered after the New York Times revealed that Facebook users' information was harvested by a company called Cambridge Analytica, which was hired by President Donald Trumps 2016 election campaign.

Malloy called the release "troubling," and she asked to know the type of data that Facebook released, whether the company was paid for the data, which third-party applications also used the data, and how Facebook learned its policies were violated.

Attorneys general in 37 other states and territories sent a similar letter to Zuckerberg earlier this week, but Bondi did not sign it. A spokeswoman for Bondi said the office wasn't given enough time to join the letter.
A former Supreme Court justice is calling for its repeal. One in five Americans want to see it go. The president has come out swinging in its defense.

The Second Amendment has emerged as a dubious target in the U.S. gun debate after a March 27 New York Times op-ed by former justice John Paul Stevens suggested that repealing the amendment would be a "simple" way to move toward gun law reform. A survey conducted in February by The Economist and YouGov found that 21 percent of Americans favor repealing the Second, which reads "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." [5 Milestones in Gun Control History]

President Donald Trump tweeted in response that "THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED," while many activists for gun-law reform said that repeal was not a goal.

"I think a proposal to amend the Constitution to substantially change the Second Amendment would more likely be used by the NRA [National Rifle Association] to galvanize their supporters and maybe even engage less active gun owners," Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) told The Atlantic.

History of repeal

So that's modern politics. But what of Stevens' assertion that repeal would be "simple?" There's historical precedent for that. Only one constitutional amendment has ever been enacted to repeal another. The Twenty-First Amendment, ratified in 1933, repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, ratified in 1919, which had instituted Prohibition.

The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of "intoxicating liquors," but the resulting explosion in black markets, bootlegged liquor and organized crime turned public opinion against Prohibition, according to The National Constitution Center.

Public support for the Eighteenth Amendment was never particularly overwhelming anyway, according to The Mob Museum in Las Vegas. In 1922, just three years after the ban on alcohol went into effect, 20 percent of people wanted to see the Eighteenth Amendment repealed, and 40 percent wanted to see modifications to the Volstead Act, the legislation designed to enforce the amendment, according to the museum's online Prohibition history.

By the late 1920s, public opinion was increasingly souring on Prohibition, especially after the 1929 Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, the execution-style killing of seven members of Chicago's North Side Gang. According to the Mob Museum, even Prohibition advocates were over the Eighteen Amendment: Pauline Sabin, the first female member of the Republican National Committee and a former advocate of Prohibition, switched sides in 1929 and started campaigning for repeal. It would be a bit like Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, suddenly deciding to oppose the Second Amendment today.

Thank the economy

Meanwhile, as the Great Depression sent unemployment skyrocketing and shantytowns named "Hoovervilles" after President Herbert Hoover popped up around cities, anti-Prohibition advocates declared that repealing the Eighteenth Amendment would open up new sources of revenue for the government and new sources of employment for the destitute.

"By repealing an experiment which, however rightfully intentioned, has failed with lamentable consequence, we should raise vast revenues for the government, we should greatly help agriculture, we should substantially decrease unemployment." John J. Raskob, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee at the time, was quoted as saying in a 1931 economic report. (That report concluded that repeal would bring in almost $1 billion to the federal treasury annually.)

In 1932, Franklin Roosevelt campaigned, in part, for repeal, also using the economic argument for taxing alcohol sales. He won handily over Hoover, who was widely blamed for the Great Depression. The now Democrat-controlled House and Senate started plotting out the Twenty-First Amendment shortly after the election.

Article V of the Constitution provides two paths to amending the Constitution. The first requires two-thirds of state legislatures to call a Constitutional Convention. The Twenty-First Amendment went the second route: Congress called for the amendment with a more than two-thirds majority vote, sending it to the states, which were required to hold referendum votes. These votes would then bind delegates to a convention in each state, where there were straight yes-and-no votes on whether to approve the amendment. According to the Mob Museum, the goal was to avoid "dry" state representatives from holding up the amendment.

The process moved swiftly. Congress passed the repeal of Prohibition on Feb. 21, 1933. Utah approved the amendment on Nov. 7, 1933, providing the necessary two-thirds majority to send it back to Congress, which ratified the amendment on Dec. 5, 1933.

Original article on Live Science.
A promising new cancer "vaccine" that cured up to 97 percent of tumors in mice will soon be tested in humans for the first time  but experts say that we're still a long way off from this type of drug being prescribed to cancer patients.

Researchers from Stanford University will test the therapy in about 35 people with lymphoma by the end of the year, according to SFGate, a local news outlet in San Francisco. The treatment stimulates the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. In studies in mice with various cancers  including lymphoma, breast cancer and colon cancer  the treatment eliminated cancer tumors in 87 out of 90 mice, even when the tumors had spread to other parts of the body, the researchers said.

Dr. Alice Police, the regional director of breast surgery at Northwell Health Cancer Institute in Westchester, New York, who was not involved in the study, said that the news of a human trial to test this treatment is "exciting." However, she cautioned that results in animal studies don't always translate to people.

"We've been able to cure a lot of cancers in mice for a long time," Police told Live Science. What's more, the current human trials are for patients with lymphoma, and so it could be many years before doctors know if this treatment works for other cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, Police said. [10 Do's and Don'ts to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer]

A cancer vaccine?

The new treatment is not technically a vaccine, a term used for substances that provide long-lasting immunity against disease. But the treatment does involve a vaccine-like injection, SFGate reported. (According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, a "cancer vaccine" can refer to a treatment that's used to prevent cancer from coming back and destroys cancer cells that are still in the body.)

Instead, the treatment is a type of immunotherapy. It contains a combination of two agents that stimulate T cells, a type of immune cell, to attack cancer. Normally, the body's T cells recognize cancer cells as abnormal and will infiltrate and attack them. But as a tumor grows, it suppresses the activity of the T cells so that these cells can no longer keep the cancer at bay.

The new treatment works by reactivating these T cells. Researchers inject the "vaccine" directly into the tumor. The two agents in the treatment work synergistically in activating the T cells. Because these T cells were already inside the tumors, they have essentially been "prescreened" by the body to recognize cancer-specific proteins, the researchers said.

In the animal studies, injecting the treatment into just one tumor worked to eliminate tumors in other parts of the body (so-called metastatic cancers). This occurs because active T cells migrate to other parts of the body and destroy tumors that have spread.

In a study that was published Jan. 31 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, scientists gave the treatment to mice that were genetically engineered to develop breast cancer in all 10 of their mammary pads. The drug was injected into the first tumor that appeared in the animal, and the researchers found that the treatment also prevented the occurrence of future tumors in many cases, the researchers said.

Promising immunotherapies

Immunotherapy is not new; indeed, several other immunotherapies have been approved for treating cancer. For example, a treatment called CAR T-cell therapy, which was recently approved for some types of leukemia and lymphoma, involves removing certain immune cells from patients' bodies and genetically engineering those cells to fight cancer.

Compared with CAR T-cell therapy, one advantage of the new treatment is that it doesn't require doctors to remove and customize the patient's immune cells for fighting cancer, the researchers said. "We're attacking specific targets without having to identify exactly what proteins the T cells are recognizing," Dr. Ronald Levy, a professor of oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine and the senior author of the Science Translational Medicine study, said in a statement.

It's also interesting that the work may have implications for colon and breast cancer, two cancers for which there are currently no immunotherapies, Police said.

"We've [gone] one step further down the road" to an immunotherapy for these cancers, Police said. "But it's [still] a long way to go."

The new trial is a phase I study, which means it will test only the safety of the treatment and is not designed determine how effective it is.

Original article on Live Science.
Lise Meitner was a pioneering physicist who studied radioactivity and nuclear physics. She was part of a team that discovered nuclear fission  a term she coined  but she was overlooked in 1945 when her colleague Otto Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. She has been called the "mother of the atomic bomb," even though she did not directly have anything to do with its development. Element No. 109, meitnerium, was named in her honor.

Life and findings

Lise Meitner was born on November 7, 1878, in Vienna, the third child in eight in her Jewish family.

Because of Austrian restrictions on female education, Meitner wasn't allowed to attend college; however, her family could afford private education, which she completed in 1901. She went on to graduate school at the University of Vienna. Inspired by her teacher, physicist Ludwig Boltzmann, she studied physics and focused her research on radioactivity. She became the second woman to receive a doctorate degree at the university in 1905.

Shortly thereafter, physicist Max Planck allowed her to sit in on his lectures  a rare gesture for him; before then, he had rejected any women wanting to attend his lectures. Meitner later became Planck's assistant. She also worked with Hahn, and together they discovered several isotopes.

In 1923, Meitner discovered the radiationless transition. Unfortunately, she didn't receive much credit for the finding. It is called the Auger effect because Pierre Victor Auger, a French scientist, discovered it two years later.

Meitner and Hahn were research partners for around 30 years. During their research, they were one of the first to isolate the isotope protactinium-231, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. The pair also studied nuclear isomerism and beta decay and each of them headed a section in Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry. In the 1930s, Fritz Strassmann joined the team, and the trio investigated the products of neutron bombardment of uranium.

In 1938, after Germany annexed Austria, Vienna-born Meitner fled Nazi Germany and moved to Sweden, where it was safer for the Jewish people like herself, even though she was a practicing Protestant. She found herself at the Manne Siegbahn's institute in Stockholm, but she never seemed welcomed. Ruth Lewin Sime later wrote in her book, "Lise Meitner: A Life in Physics," "Neither asked to join Siegbahn's group nor given the resources to form her own, she had laboratory space but no collaborators, equipment, or technical support, not even her own set of keys to the workshops and laboratories." Meitner was considered separate "from the institute's own personnel" instead of the brilliant scientist she was. It is believed that Siegbahn's prejudice against women in science played a large part in her treatment.

On November 13, 1938, Hahn met secretly with Meitner in Copenhagen, according to Sime. She suggested that Hahn and Strassmann perform further tests on a uranium product they suspected was radium. The substance was actually barium, and they published their results in the journal Naturwissenschaften in January 6, 1939.

At the same time, Meitner joined forces with her nephew Otto Frisch, and in January 1939, they came up with the term "fission." Fission is when an atom separates and creates energy. They also explained the process in a paper that was published in the journal Nature on February 11, 1939. Frisch would later write about his aunt, "Boltzmann gave her the vision of physics as a battle for ultimate truth, a vision she never lost."

"It was Lise Meitner who explained these experiments as splitting atoms. When this paper appeared, all the leading physicists at the time immediately realized, here was a source of great destructive energy," said Ronald K. Smeltzer, a curator of the Grolier exhibition, a look at extraordinary women in science.

Actually, the report alarmed those leading physicists. Albert Einstein was persuaded to write a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt warning him of the destructive potential. This effort eventually led to the establishment of the Manhattan Project. Meitner turned down an offer to work on the development of the atomic bomb, according to Sime. Nevertheless, after World War II she was dubbed "the mother of the atomic bomb," even though she had nothing directly to do with the bomb.

Physicist Lise Meitner, who played a huge role in the discovery of fission, came to the United States in 1946 to lecture for a semester at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where one student apparently had enough foresight to ask for her autograph. His signed lecture notes are on display. (Image credit: Megan Gannon/LiveScience)

Awards

Though her research was revolutionary, Meitner was given very little acclaim. In 1945, Hahn received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of nuclear fission. Meitner was completely overlooked in the award. In 1966, all of the collaborators, Hahn, Strassmann and Meitner, were awarded the U.S. Fermi Prize for their work. Meitner retired to England in 1960 and died October 27, 1968, in Cambridge, England.

Impact

Today, many consider Lise Meitner the "most significant woman scientist of the 20th Century." Meitner is known for her important findings in nuclear physics, which compare with another famous female scientist, Irene Curie.

In 1992, the heaviest known element in the universe, element 109, was named meitnerium (Mt) in her honor.

Additional Resources
A giant screen at the Jiuquan space center shows the Tiangong-1 space lab from a camera in the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft before the automatic docking on July 18, 2012. The Chinese space lab is expected to re-enter our atmosphere between March 30 and April 2, 2018.

China's first space station, the bus-size Tiangong-1, is falling uncontrollably toward Earth, with a fiery plunge through our atmosphere expected sometime between March 30 and April 2. And the dive will, in fact, be a blazing one: Scientists expect that as the station burns up, it will generate huge fireballs visible from the ground.

Tiangong-1, which has attracted worldwide attention these past few weeks ahead of its demise, launched in 2011 and hosted two space crews before contact was lost with the craft in 2016. Since then, Tiangong-1 has been falling closer to Earth without control from Chinese space officials.

"Fireballs are almost certain," Harvard University astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell told Live Science in an email. McDowell is a frequent media commentator on Tiangong-1's descent, and he also works on NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. [In Photos: A Look at China's Space Station That's Crashing to Earth]

"What happens is that there are some dense sections of the lab connected together by a rather thin structure," McDowell said, explaining the source of the fireballs. "The thin structure melts first, turning the lab into a bunch  a few to a few dozen, depending  of independent pieces which melt and burn more slowly  fireballs."

Tiangong-1 is roughly 9.4 tons (8.5 metric tons), which is almost the same size as the Ukrainian Zenit rocket stage that re-entered our atmosphere over the Peru/Brazil border in January, McDowell said. So, that re-entry could offer some insight into what to expect from the Chinese space lab. Some parts from the Zenit rocket stage did land near Peruvian villages, SpaceFlight101.com reported. Villagers there reported "spherical" objects  likely the rocket's spherical tanks, which can survive re-entry, the website reported. [Chinese Space Station's Crash to Earth: Everything You Need to Know]

In addition to human-made objects, many tons of meteors hit Earth every year, mostly in the form of dust. Occasionally, larger rocky meteors break up in the atmosphere and hit the planet. The resulting meteorites are highly prized by collectors. In January, a small meteor broke up over Michigan, and collectors found pieces of the object on the ice within a day of its fall.

In a more spectacular example, a 56-foot-across (17 meters) meteor broke up over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013 with such force that it shattered windows and caused injuries to residents below.

"Compared to a meteorite, the lab is coming in slower and at a much shallower angle," McDowell said. "The debris will be spread over hundreds of kilometers along the line of travel. You'll see the fireball when it is between 50 km and 20 km [31 miles and 12 miles] up, and any debris that doesn't melt all the way may hit a long way downrange."

Some observers have compared Tiangong-1's descent to the spectacular crash of NASA's 100-ton (91 metric tons) Skylab space station in 1979, which scattered debris in rural Australia. But McDowell said only a small portion of Tiangong-1 will survive and make it to Earth's surface. Because the space station weighs about 18,740 lbs. (8,500 kilograms), McDowell estimates that about 220 to 440 lbs. (100 to 200 kg) will survive the descent.

Originally published on Live Science.
Qasr Al Yahud on the border of Israel and Jordan is the supposed site of Jesus' baptism. Today, it is surrounded by some 3,000 land mines, booby traps and unexploded ordnance.

You'll know you're getting close to Jesus' baptism site in the West Bank when you see the bright yellow signs warning, "DANGER, MINES!"

Officially known as Qasr Al Yahud (literally, "Castle of the Jews"), the supposed site of Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River Valley is surrounded by some 3,000 active land mines, booby traps and unexploded bombs  but not for long. According to the Associated Press, a massive, interfaith project was launched this month to rid the holy site of its buried explosives, most of which have lay hidden since the 1967 Mideast war fought between Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

The project is being spearheaded by an international mine-clearing charity called The HALO Trust, the AP reported, which has been funded with about $1.15 million from Israel and private donors. Using dogs, drones, metal detectors and armored bulldozers, the team hopes to rid the West Bank site of all explosives within a year. [Proof of Jesus Christ? 6 Pieces of Evidence Debated]

"To see a site that is visited by over half a million pilgrims and tourists each year and for them to come in their buses and be so close to land mines is very unusual," James Cowan, the head of The HALO Trust, told the AP. "We hope that pilgrims and tourists will be able to visit this site and celebrate the baptism of Christ in the way that was intended."

Jesus' baptism site is considered one of the three holiest sites in Christianity, along with the Nativity Church in Bethlehem (built on the supposed site of Jesus' birth) and the Church of The Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem (built on the site of his crucifixion).

According to biblical scholars, the historical Jesus was born sometime between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. and grew up in the village of Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist (which would have happened about 30 years later) is considered one of the most historically certain facts about him, along with his birth in Galilee and death by crucifixion sometime between A.D. 29 and 33.

The holy site is nevertheless fraught with religious and political tensions. Israel seized control of the site from Jordan during the 1967 Mideast war, sometimes called The Six-Day War, and fortified the territory with land mines soon after. Some of the 3,000 explosives in the area also include booby traps laid by Palestinian militants and other unexploded ordinance, Israeli officials told the AP.

The site remained closed to the public and closely guarded by the Israel military for several decades. A small swath of explosives was cleared away in 2000 so that Pope John Paul II could visit, and the site finally reopened to tourism in 2011.

Meanwhile, churches have existed near the baptismal waters for more than a thousand years. Today, eight separate churches share the 250-acre (100 hectares) parcel of desert (among other sites in the Holy Land) and often disagree over its management, the AP reported. It took The HALO Trust about four years to persuade all the players to agree on the terms of the mine-clearing project. Reportedly, even Pope Francis had to weigh in.

"We pray and hope that the clearance of land mines around the baptism site will contribute to peace and reconciliation in our region, which is very much needed at this time," Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of the Holy Land, said in a statement.

It is unknown exactly when the site will reopen to the public.

Originally published on Live Science.
A detailed carving hauled out of storage at Swansea University in Wales depicts the face of the famous female pharaoh Hatshepsut.

The limestone piece wasn't expected to be so intriguing. A part of the former collection of early pharmaceutical entrepreneur Henry Wellcome, the piece had been boxed up at Swansea since about 1971, said university Egyptologist Ken Griffin. After finding a black-and-white photograph of the piece a year ago, Griffin requested that it be brought out of storage for an artifact-handling session with Egyptology students. When he saw it in person, he immediately realized it was something unexpected. [In Photos: The Life and Death of King Tut]

"It was unbelievably exciting, not just for me, but for the students," Griffin said.

Unexpected discovery

The carving consists of two glued fragments, together a little larger than a dinner plate. On the front is a carved head in profile, with much of the face broken off. Hieroglyphs decorate the space above the figure's brow. On the back of the upper fragment is a strange partial carving of a man's chin and beard.

Originally, the piece was thought to date to the 11th dynasty of Egypt, which ran from the early 2000s B.C. to about 1991 B.C, Griffin told Live Science. However, he added, as soon as he saw the piece in person, he realized it was actually from the 18th dynasty, which spanned from about 1500 B.C. to 1292 B.C.

"The hairstyle; the way the face is done, including the eye; every little detail; the fan behind the head," Griffin said, listing a few of the artistic flourishes that screamed "18th dynasty" to him. The limestone was also of the color and type found at the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri near Luxor. Clinching the identification of the figure as the female pharaoh was a feminine "S" hieroglyph above the head, Griffin said.

Editing history

Unfortunately, the piece doesn't hold much new information about Hatshepsut herself, who reigned between about 1478 B.C. and 1458 B.C. It's not unusual to find fragments from Deir el-Bahri in scattered Egyptology collections around the world, Griffin said; in the late 1800s, treasure hunters lifted carvings from ancient sites wholesale.

"It seems that anyone going on holiday could have picked up various fragments and brought them home," Griffin said.

The carving bears witness to this casual attitude toward historical artifacts, he said. On the back of the top fragment is the partial carving of a man's chin and beard. This piece, if detached, would fit like a puzzle piece against the original broken-off face of Hatshepsut. Most likely, a late 19th-century or early 20th-century auctioneer or antiques dealer decided the carving would be more valuable if "complete," Griffin said. Not realizing that the carving on the front was female, the dealer mocked up a male chin to add to the original carving. (Hatshepsut was often depicted with the royal beard, befitting her status as pharaoh, Griffin said, but the beard in the carving is a short one of the type typically worn by lower-status officials.)

"They've basically given Hatshepsut a new face, not realizing that it was female, so they've done it with a short beard," Griffin said.

The piece won't be going back on mothballs anytime soon. It's now on display at Swansea's Egypt Centre. And Griffin said he has his eye on a few more potentially mysterious pieces in the university's collection.

"We've got another two handling sessions coming up after Easter," he said, "and you never know what you'll find."

Editor's Note: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Griffin's name.

Originally published on Live Science.
Was King Tut a boy soldier? Perhaps, according to leather armor found in his tomb. But many news reports describing this warrior-pharaoh hypothesis aren't telling you the whole story.

Indeed, media reports are playing up this idea that King Tutankhamun wasn't a sickly pharaoh, as past research has suggested, but rather a fighter who wore his armor into battle. However, the archaeologist who discovered that King Tut's armor might have been worn told Live Science that this warrior hypothesis is just one possibility.

Additionally, even if the armor was actually worn, archaeologists can't be certain it was this Egyptian ruler who donned the protection, another researcher said. [In Photos: The Life and Death of King Tut]

Howard Carter, the Egyptologist who discovered King Tut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, also discovered this armor in a box within the tomb. Recently a scientist re-examined this armor using modern technology.

"We cannot be sure that Tut wore the armor in battle, but I am quite sure that the armour was worn," Lucy-Anne Skinner, a doctoral student at the University of Northampton and The British Museum, told Live Science. She detected abrasions along the edges of the armor's leather scales  a finding that indicates the armor was worn.

"It is a nice discovery, showing that [this] type of armor might have been actually used, whether by Tutankhamun himself or not," said Andre Veldmeijer, a visiting research scholar at American University in Cairo who is advising Skinner in her research.

Making the discovery

Skinner examined the leather by taking images of it while varying the angle of light hitting it  a technique called reflectance transformation imaging (RTI).

King Tutankhamun lived between roughly 1343 B.C. and 1323 B.C. (Image credit: Jaroslav Moravcik/Shutterstock)

"These variations in illumination over [the object] mean that features such as abrasions or paint strokes can be brought into sharp relief once all the images are layered into one RTI image," Skinner said.

The armor had been damaged soon after it was discovered, when a member of Carter's team tried (unsuccessfully) to conserve it. However, Skinner is convinced that the abrasion she detected occurred in ancient times and wasn't the result of that botched handling of it.

"If the abrasion had occurred after excavation, I would expect it to be found all over the scales, not just the edge," Skinner said.

Additionally, a photograph taken by Harry Burton (another member of Carter's team) before the leather armor was removed from the box shows that the leather straps that tied the armor together were "stretched" and that there was "a torn seam in the leather at the top left corner," Skinner said, noting that both these features indicate that the armor suffered "wear and tear from use."

Warrior pharaoh?

Images painted on the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb portray him wearing armor while riding a chariot into battle, as well as scenes of him hunting animals. But images can be deceiving. And researchers have become increasingly skeptical that Tutankhamun ever went into battle.

A study of his remains published in 2010 in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that the boy king had several maladies, including malaria and Kohler disease (a rare bone disorder of the foot) that likely made it difficult for him to walk. The "walking impairment and malarial disease sustained by Tutankhamun is supported by the discovery of canes and an afterlife pharmacy in his tomb," researchers wrote in the 2010 journal article.

Skinner's discovery was featured recently in the documentary "Secrets of Tutankhamun's Treasures," which aired on March 28 on Channel 5, a TV station in the United Kingdom.

Originally published on Live Science.
There's a new twist in the debate about why knuckles crack.

Yes, it turns out that "why knuckles crack" is actually a debate  despite the existence of the phenomenon for approximately all of human history, researchers still don't know why it happens. And that's not for a lack of trying to understand: According to a new paper in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers have been looking into the question since the early 1900s.

The new paper posits that knuckle cracking happens because of the collapse of tiny air bubbles in the fluid that surrounds the joints. But a 2015 study on the subject essentially concluded the opposite, saying that the cracking sound occurs when these bubbles form, not when they pop.

Snap crackle pop

Over the years, scientists have theorized that the distinctive sound of a cracking knuckle could come from everything from vibrations in the tissue to the tightening of joint capsules to the collapse or formation of bubbles. This bubble formation is known as cavitation, and it occurs when the liquid synovial fluid that lubricates joints gets pulled apart, creating a sudden decrease in pressure and a resulting gas-filled space. In the case of joints, the gas is about 80 percent carbon dioxide, said Vineeth Chandran Suja, a doctoral candidate in chemical engineering at Stanford University who studies bubble dynamics.

Suja set out to investigate the knuckle-cracking conundrum after researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada reported that they'd put an expert knuckle cracker in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and watched the process in real time. The team found that the cracking sound co-occurred with the creation of cavitation bubbles inside the joint.

Creation or collapse?

To Suja, that explanation seemed suspect. The magnitude of the cracking sound seemed too large to be coming from bubble formation, he and his co-author, Abdul Barakat of the UC Davis College of Engineering, wrote in their new paper. What's more, an MRI can only image so quickly, so it's possible that the imagery just wasn't fast enough to capture whether the sounds corresponded with bubble creation or collapse.

So instead, the researchers developed a mathematical model to describe exactly what happens in a joint as it pops. They discovered that the acoustics of a cracking knuckle seems to match what happens as the joint is released, the pressure on the synovial fluid rapidly increases and the bubbles partially collapse from large to small.

"Our model shows that the acoustic signature from a partially collapsing bubble inside a cracked joint is similar to ones we observe experimentally," Suja told Live Science.

The research could help resolve the knuckle-cracking debate, Suja said. The University of Alberta study raised questions about how popping bubbles could be making sounds, because the researchers observed that there were still bubbles in the joint fluid after the cracking. The mathematical model explains how bubbles simply compressing, not disappearing completely, might make the noise, Suja said.

"Our model is the first mathematical model," he said, "and as such there are a number of future directions that can be pursued to develop improved models to confirm beyond doubt the source of the cracking sounds."

Editor's note: This article has been updating with additional information from Vineeth Suja.

Original article on Live Science.
MEXICO CITY  Prosecutors in Mexico said Wednesday they have arrested six suspects in the January killing of a journalist in the border city of Nuevo Laredo.

The Jan. 13 stabbing of Carlos Dominguez Rodriguez may have been related to his journalistic work but was not related to organized crime, said prosecutors in the northern state of Tamaulipas.

READ ALSO: Another journalist has been gunned down in Mexico

The results up to this time indicate a probable link between these events and the exercise of freedom of expression, the federal attorney generals office said in a statement.

Located across from Laredo, Texas, Nuevo Laredo is dominated by the Northeast cartel and has been the scene of recent shootouts.

State prosecutor Irving Barrios said the motives were still under investigation, but that Dominguez Rodriguez didnt write about organized crime topics.

READ ALSO: Mexican police find bodies of 15 men crammed into pickup

Barrios said three of the six suspects worked in the information industry, but we are still checking whether they were working journalists.

Officials refused to release the names of the suspects, citing Mexican law which prohibits publicly incriminating people until they are found guilty.

Nor did prosecutors explain why the suspects  who local media reported worked as independent journalists  would have wanted to kill Dominguez Rodriguez, or why the killing was so brutal.

The victim was stabbed two dozen times in front of relatives.
The bankruptcy case of Energy Future Holdings, once the largest power supplier in Texas, is essentially over and the Dallas company is nothing but a ghost of a business, but the legal and financial advisor fees continue to mount.

Hundreds of lawyers and financial consultants involved in the $42 billion corporate restructuring have been paid a gusher of cash, and more huge paydays may be in the works.

The law firms, banks and consultants working on the EFH case have received so far more than $600 million, making it one of the most complex and expensive corporate bankruptcies in U.S. history, according to new data research by The Texas Lawbook.

The legal and financial fees in the Enron bankruptcy exceeded $700 million.

Federal court documents show that EFH and the other businesses involved in the bankruptcy have spent an average of $420,000 a day  including weekends and holidays  to the lawyers and other professionals who have worked on the matter since EFH filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2014.

The final price tag could approach 10-digits.

A boon for bankruptcy lawyers Here is a breakdown of EFH's legal fees:  To date, EFH has paid its legal and financial advisors $445 million in fees and expenses, according to court documents.

 Firms are likely to receive another $80 million, which represents 20 percent of previous billings that have been withheld by the bankruptcy court until the case is officially concluded.

 EFH officials paid lawyers and financial experts an estimated $40 million in 2014 and 2015 to help the company prepare for Chapter 11 filing.

 Oncor, which was not technically part of the bankruptcy but was involved in four massive $18 billion M&A efforts, paid its legal and financial advisors about $50 million, according to Oncor officials.

 Four companies - Hunt Consolidated, NextEra, Berkshire Hathaway and Sempra Energy - paid its lawyers and financial advisors an estimated $40 million in their efforts to buy EFH's stake in Oncor during the past three years.

 Finally, bankruptcy experts say that the lead legal and financial advisors are highly likely to ask the bankruptcy judge overseeing the EFH case to award them bonuses for their hard work and successes in the restructuring - bonuses that could reasonably hit $50 million. See More Collapse

"The total fees for all the professionals  for the lawyers, bankers, accountants, restructuring experts for all the companies involved  will probably hit $1 billion," EFH General Counsel Andy Wright told The Texas Lawbook in an exclusive interview.

"It is an outrageous amount of money, but this has been an outrageously complicated case that took so many unexpected twists and turns," Wright said. "Big corporate bankruptcies are expensive."

EFH finalized the sale of its 80 percent ownership stake in Oncor Electric to Sempra Energy for $18.8 billion three weeks ago. This followed the $20 billion spin-off of TXU Energy and Luminant into a separate holding company now called Vistra Energy.

The moment that Sempra electronically wired the $9.5 billion on March 9, EFH, for all practical purposes, ceased to exist.

Within hours of the transaction, law firms and financial advisors started flooding the bankruptcy court with their fee applications  a process that Wright said will continue through April.

Several of the most elite and most expensive law firms in the U.S. have been involved in the EFH bankruptcy, including Cravath, Gibson Dunn, Kirkland & Ellis and Sullivan & Cromwell.

The biggest winner is Chicago-based Kirkland, which opened an office in Houston the month that EFH filed for Chapter 11. Bankruptcy records show that Kirkland, which has represented EFH in the bankruptcy, all M&A and restructuring activity and various bankruptcy-related litigation matters, has billed the one-time energy giant $187.8 million so far and that additional multimillion-dollar paydays are likely.

"We had Kirkland involved in every aspect of our business and Kirkland lawyers were involved in every big decision that we needed to make," Wright said. "Kirkland lawyers are expensive, but they are also very good."

Federal court records show that 384 lawyers whose specialties range from appellate and restructuring law to regulatory and M&A law have billed the bankrupt energy company. Ninety-one of those lawyers charged EFH at least $1,000 an hour or more. The most expensive lawyer was an appellate partner whose hourly rate is $1,700. Even first year associates working on the case are billing at $350 an hour.

In addition, EFH has paid more than 240 financial advisors, whose rates tend to be more modestly in the range of $300 to $800 an hour.

"While Oncor was not part of the actual bankruptcy, we had lawyers at nearly every court hearing and significant event," Oncor General Counsel Allen Nye said in an interview in January. "The fees are staggering, especially when we are talking about a company in distress and bankruptcy.

"But there have been so many constantly moving parts to this restructuring that required a lot of expertise," Nye said. "It has been like playing four-dimensional chess."

There is one remaining legal issue still alive and being litigated. Florida-based NextEra has sued EFH  or what is left of its remains  in federal court claiming that it is owed a $275 million break-up fee.

The federal court in Delaware has rejected NextEra's argument and the case is now pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Even if the EFH bankruptcy hits $1 billion in professional fees, it is half the price tag of the Lehman Brothers liquidation, which saw an estimated $2 billion in legal and financial advisory fees.

For a longer version of this article, please visit TexasLawbook.net.
From a birds eye view, or as we know it today, Google Earth, its apparent how the two Beacon Hill homes once fit together as a whole, like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle, carved neatly in half as if by Paul Bunyans chainsaw.

The homes, which were known as the Idaho House in their previous life as a single structure at the St. Louis Worlds Fair of 1904, have an interesting history, one that bears retelling as San Antonio celebrates the 50th anniversary of a later worlds fair, HemisFair.
Greeks Bearing Gifts: A Bernie Gunther Novel

By Philip Kerr

Marian Wood/Putnam. 511 pp. $27

---

I lived and worked in Athens in the 1950s, and Philip Kerr's colorful new novel "Greeks Bearing Gifts" brought those times vividly back to mind. His dead-on depictions of the city and its boisterous residents, and the deep animosity many still bear toward their wartime German oppressors, rang true.

Kerr, who died March 23, has left behind a terrifically complex tale. "Greeks Bearing Gifts" is a propulsive spy novel that moves swiftly from Germany to Greece. This is his 13th novel starring the wisecracking detective Bernie Gunther, and word has it that a 14th is slated to be published next year.

"Greeks" opens in 1957, with Bernie avoiding Berlin, where too many Nazis are finding their way back into government, while others are distancing themselves from having had anything to do with the Third Reich and its attendant evils. Like a spy creating a new cover, Bernie grows a beard, takes a new name, Christof Ganz, and creates a legend of his past life: a German nobody having no connection with the police - let alone the Third Reich.

Though never a Nazi party member, Bernie was a police detective under the Third Reich, and that's enough in Germany to be targeted by the Nazi hunters or newly righteous Germans. So he's shed his badge and gun and gone to ground in Munich, a city he and his wife, Kirsten, lived in before she died.

Jobs in Munich are scarce, so Bernie gladly accepts one as a mortuary assistant in one of the city hospitals. He likes being alone, he's quite used to dead bodies, and it pays. On top of that, a local undertaker tips him for referrals and for filling in on occasion as a pallbearer - no relation to the deceased required!

A Munich detective spots Bernie at a funeral and remembers him from his days as a detective. He threatens to put him on an Interpol watch list unless Bernie helps the corrupt detective carry out a heist. Suspecting a setup with himself as the sacrifice, Bernie agrees to the scheme but turns the tables on the corrupt cop, but not before a couple of bodies lie dead, murdered, at Bernie's feet with him as a principal suspect.

Not surprisingly, Bernie talks his way out of the situation with the local police but still needs a lawyer to deal with his involvement in the heist. He remembers one he knew in Berlin who now practices in Munich, a Dr. Max Merten (the name of a real-life S.S. officer responsible for overseeing the collection of gold, jewelry and other valuables from the large Greek Jewish community in Salonica).

Befriending Bernie, Merten tells him that he's close to one of Germany's largest insurance companies, Munich RE, an old firm that did business with the Nazis during the war. Knowing Bernie's background as an investigator, Merten persuades Munich RE to employ Bernie as a claims adjuster.

His first assignment is looking into a break-in at the Glyptothek, Munich's oldest public museum. Impressed with his handling of the two jobs, his new employers give Bernie a raise, an expense account, a company car and dispatch him to Athens to investigate a seemingly routine claim for a German vessel sunk in Greek waters off the Peloponnese coast.

Bernie is met on arrival by Achilles Garlopis, a fat, junior Munich RE employee who quickly assumes the role of Bernie's assistant. Street-smart, Achilles is also self-admittedly something of a coward. He's been manning the office and answering the phone in the absence of the full-time investigator. Bernie suspects that there is much more to the foundering of the Doris, a hunch that proves correct. The investigation leads to a murder scene - a gruesome killing but not the last one in this fast-paced tale.

The tempo quickens as Bernie and Achilles chase down other shadowy figures implicated in the voyage of the ill-fated Doris. In one gripping scene, a tough Israeli Nazi hunter holds Bernie's life in her hands while she and Bernie sit chatting in plain sight on the top tier of the storied Olympic Stadium.

This is but one of many heart-racing moments in a beautifully written novel by a gifted writer who has left us too soon.

---

Earnest is the founding executive director of the International Spy Museum and a 35-year veteran of the CIA.
Given the intimidating number of dramas on both television and the ever-growing streaming services, Im grateful for something memorable to help distinguish one over the many  a powerful draw right off the bat to help me want to keep watching.

ABCs The Crossing, which starts unfurling its 11 episodes at 9 p.m. Monday, provides just that, and before the opening credits.

Its first five minutes are darkly stunning, reminiscent somewhat of Lost.

Were greeted by lots of eerie and mysterious visuals  in the seas depths, floating on the waves and strewn along a sandy beach.

First, were taken underwater, where lifeless bodies seem to be everywhere. A woman (Natalie Martinez) frantically swims in search of something and finds what shes looking for  a child, whom she kisses, breathing life into what seemed initially to be a corpse.

Cut to the town sheriff, Jude Ellis, played engagingly by Steve Zahn (Treme), who gets a call from his deputy about a body washed up on the beach.

The one body soon becomes dozens, some alive, some dead. None is wearing a lifejacket, and no vessels have been reported missing. No distress signals have been sent and no plane seems to have crashed into the ocean.

Executive producer Dan Dworkin (Matador) said the dramatic visuals were made possible by planning, technology and lots of talent.

In terms of the first shot of the pilot, we were pretty detailed in the writing, Dworkin told TV critics at a press session earlier this year. I think I remember that we described the imagery underwater as we wanted it to look like a human kelp forest. We werent sure how well we were going to be able to capture that, but with the help of our director and some pretty good visual effects, we did.

As for the rest of the startling imagery, Dworkin said, it was a combination of finding a fantastic beach in Tofino, British Columbia (which doubles for Port Canaan, a small fishing village off the Oregon coast) and having a director with a great vision, some strategically placed drones, and some great performances.

Following that breathtaking beginning, disturbing information tumbles out fairly quickly, thanks to details shared by the more outspoken of the 47 survivors.

Jude and investigators from the Department of Homeland Security, who arrive quickly on this puzzling scene, are left incredulous by what theyre hearing.

They learn that the survivors are refugees from a war-torn country and are seeking asylum. However  and this is where the sci-fi aspect kicks in  the country they claim to be from is America and the war they are escaping hasnt happened yet, but is destined to happen in the distant future.

You cant imagine what will become possible, one refugee tells DHS agent Emma Ren (Sandrine Holt, Homeland).

It sounds like more of a threat than a promise, particularly when other chilling details are revealed. They talk about their crossing as necessary to preserve the human race as we know it, and a holocaust unlike anything the world has ever seen.

Food also is characterized as different in the future. Someone said their meat comes from real animals, one horrified female survivor says of the menu offered by the rescuers. Another woman requests sunglasses, explaining it doesnt get bright from where we came.

To make everything as realistic as possible, producers consulted with a NASA climatologist. We had a synthetic biologist who was a consultant who read all of our scripts to kind of bless any sort of science we were talking about, Dworkin said.

Those from the future most feared by the refugees also should please sci-fi buffs.

Genetic engineering has resulted in an APEX group of people who have heightened senses, strength and other abilities. One of them, Reece (the appealingly sad-eyed Martinez), has traveled back to present-day America but landed elsewhere and so is separated from her daughter Leah (Bailey Skodje). Were left wondering if there are others like her and how dangerous they are.

Martinez (Secrets & Lies), in a couple of unforgettable scenes, exhibits these special abilities. Spying a tattoo on one of the sailors who rescues her, she deduces he is Russian and starts speaking in his native tongue.

Are you Russian? he asks. Im nothing, she responds.

Later, when she feels threatened, Reece exhibits, to the surprise of law enforcement, how incredibly strong and agile she is.

Its my favorite part, Martinez said of the ambitious stunts. We do a lot of wire work and have an amazing stunt coordinator and stunt crew. Its a lot of fun. Every time I see those wires getting set up, I get really, really excited, and I think it really brings a cool element to the show. It shows you kind of what my kind can do, which I find very interesting.

Zahn, whose sheriff also is a single dad with a damaged past, said hes thrilled to be part of such a drama, laden with so many facets and surprises.

The producers also are thankful to have two such likable leads.

Because of our great cast, Natalie and Steve in particular, our hope is that the audience is going to be invested, said executive producer Jason Reed. The way that they are able to make it human and real takes it out of the world of, like, OK. Youve got to give me another plot twist immediately. Youve got to give me another thing. Youve got to give me this, because the reality is we see consequences on characters that feel like real people.

After just one episode, Im already hooked. Lets hope the ratings are strong enough for ABC to give The Crossing a chance to develop over multiple seasons and unfold many more stories involving these intriguing characters.

Weve shot the whole season, Dworkin said. He hopes that each episode is going to give people something thats going to make them want to come back and that the final episode is going to make them want to come back for Season 2.
Criminal charges against Laredo social media personality and citizen journalist Priscilla La Gordiloca Villarreal were dismissed Wednesday.

111th District Court Judge Monica Zapata Notzon found that Villarreal was denied due process because the Texas statute used to charge her with third-degree felony misuse of official information was too vague. She deemed the statute unconstitutional.

Villarreal, who was accompanied by family and friends, told Laredo Morning Times that she would continue her uncensored, raw and unedited way of delivering the news.

READ MORE: Internet sensation La Gordiloca arrested, faces charges of misuse of official information

Im excited that we won, she said. Im glad that the judge made a ruling in my favor. Im going to continue to serve my community as Ive done for the past two and a half years and continue to bring news to the people of Laredo.

Although her broadcasts on Facebook started off as a hobby, Villarreal said this is her passion and that she is not going anywhere.

Multiple media outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, reported on Villarreals arrest, giving her an international platform, she said.

Villarreal thanked the Laredo Police Department, saying that they did her a favor. She said the case opened new doors for her and gave her more exposure.

Because of this arrest, theres a lot of opportunities coming my way, Villarreal said. And I was heard all over the world ... I am of the people and for the people. I am the peoples voice. Thats why Im here, because of them. I am still La Gordiloca and I will keep going.

One of these opportunities includes a reality show that is currently in the works, Villarreal said.

Villarreals attorneys, Joey Tellez and Oscar O. Pena, said they expect the ruling to set a precedent.

We are hoping that this is the beginning of making the statute more just and more fair and making society (freer), Pena said.

READ ALSO: 'Gordiloca' to challenge law that led to misuse of official information charges

The ruling has great significance to anybody who is interested in free speech, public information ... and anybody in the media, he added. We are very happy with the result. Whether it ends here, or it continues, we dont know. But we will carry on protecting the First Amendment and due process rights.

Webb County District Attorney Isidro Chilo Alaniz said his office would not appeal Notzons ruling. It will be interesting to see what effect the ruling will have on the law and the precedent it will set, he said.

As lawyers, we apply the laws as written in the books, he said. The case will end here regarding these specific charges. The state is not on a witch hunt. The case was brought by the Laredo Police Department and applicable statute was applied. The court found the law to be vague and therefore unconstitutional, and were going to respect that.

Tellez and Pena filed a writ of habeas corpus in February on their clients behalf.

In the writ, the attorneys challenged the constitutionality of a Texas law that says the misuse of official information is committed when a person, with the intent to obtain a benefit, solicits or receives from a public servant information that has not been made public.

During Wednesdays hearing, Tellez said that the very broad language in the statute implied that just the solicitation, not the receipt, of certain information withheld under the Texas Public Information Act was a criminal act.

Villarreal was arrested by LPD in December after she published on Facebook the name of a suicide victim and the name of a person who died in a car wreck. Police alleged that Villarreal benefited by receiving more Facebook followers after she published the names online before police released them publicly.

The investigation into Villarreal began in July, after LPD allegedly received information that one of their officers was leaking information to Villarreal. Some of the information published by Villarreal on her Facebook page was not available to anyone outside of law enforcement, the arrest affidavit states.

LPD told Laredo Morning Times on Wednesday that they would release a statement at a later time regarding the ruling and the ongoing investigation into the police officer involved.
On Wednesday, criminal charges against Laredo's infamous citizen journalist Priscilla "La Gordiloca" Villarreal were dismissed and the news created quite the stir among locals on social media.

Following Villarreal's December arrest charging her with third-degree felony misuse of official information, the 111th District Court Judge Monica Zapata Notzon ruled the statute unconstitutional and dropped the charges. Fans (and haters) of Villarreal took to Facebook to react to the news and they had plenty to say.
The Texas Attorney Generals Office is investigating the March 6 primary election in Webb County, specifically mail-in ballot fraud, according to a letter sent Friday to the countys interim elections administrator.

All ballots for the aforementioned election should be kept separate by election day ballots, early voting in person ballots, and absentee/mail ballots, so that mail ballot fraud patterns may be located for investigation, Sgt. Wayne Rubio of the Attorney Generals Special Investigations Unit writes.

The Attorney Generals Office said it could neither confirm nor deny any details about possible ongoing investigations, per their policy.

READ ALSO: Webb County elections administrator to resign

But a spokesperson for the Secretary of States Office said that if the AG had issued a letter to the elections office about an investigation, he could confirm that a complaint had been made with the Secretary of States office.

Interim Elections Administrator Jose Salvador Tellez told LMT that that he believes someone filed a complaint of election fraud with the state.

I had a visit by one candidate that was hot under their collar  but I dont think he understood the election process, and basically I think he was just venting because he didnt think he was going to get so little votes. But I have no control over that, Tellez said.

Tellez is confident that the Elections Office is not involved in this alleged fraud.

(The letter) doesnt accuse us of anything, and even if it did, what theyre looking at has nothing to do with us. ... Because we didnt fill out a ballot. We mail out a ballot, we mail it to you, he said.

Texans who are 65 years or older, disabled, in jail or out of the country during early voting and Election Day qualify to vote by mail in Texas.

Six-hundred forty-nine mail-in ballots were cast during early voting in Webb County this year, according to Elections Office tallies.

READ ALSO: Final voting results from the Webb 2018 Primary Election

Tellez didnt elaborate on the details of mail-in voter fraud that allegedly occurs outside his office, but Texas Sen. Judith Zaffirini, who serves on the Senate Special Committee on Election Security heard anecdotally that mail-in ballots ran counter to early voting and Election Day results this year, and that mail-in ballots were clustered by addresses, as if someone had gone door to door, she told LMT.

Zaffirini said she has never seen it personally, but has also heard of people who approach candidates saying they have 50 or 200 or however many votes, but need gas money  essentially buying votes.

El Manana de Nuevo Laredo reported on March 23 that 80 mail-in ballots from a local retirement home were filled out in the same handwriting and with the same pen, all in favor of two candidates, an unequivocal sign that someone manipulated (the ballots).

However Tellez told LMT that this is not true. At the retirement home in question, located at 701 Juarez Ave., there were only 22 requests for mail-in ballots. The home is a polling site on Election Day, and Tellez said close to 80 people cast votes there then.

I still have not heard officially from anyone that there were 80 early voting ballots by mail found anywhere, he said.

Ballots by mail are fitted into a jacket, which is signed by the voter, then put in an envelope and mailed to the Elections Office, Tellez said.

If the elections judge and signature committee concludes that the same person requested the ballot and signed the envelope, theyll let the ballot go through. If they find discrepancies in the signatures, they use common sense to decide whether the ballot should be counted or not, Tellez said.

And if they decide not to count the ballot, they dont open it, he said.

READ ALSO: Webb County official accused of soliciting job for family member

We dont count it. We dont know who they voted for, Tellez said. ... Im trying to remember how many we rejected, but it wasnt that many.

Compounding the confusion in this situation, Tellez said, is that the Texas Democratic Party requested mail-in ballots for a number of people in Webb County without being asked to. The party did not return a request for comment Tuesday.

In Facebook posts leading up to and after the primary election, Zaffirini urged constituents to speak up if they witness corruption.

Anyone with firsthand knowledge about election fraud, particularly about mail-in ballots, for example, should contact the Texas Secretary of State's office, she wrote on March 18.

Zaffirini told LMT that these posts were not in reference to the Attorney Generals Office investigation into Webb County elections. At the last Senate Committee on Election Security hearing on Feb. 22, witnesses from around the state, but none from Laredo, spoke about mail-in voter fraud.

All indications are that this is a statewide issue, not merely a Laredo or South Texas issue, Zaffirini wrote.

Every legislator has their priorities, Zaffirini said, and hers have always been education and health services.

But when she saw the corruption in action at Webb County Court at Law No. 2 under former Judge Chuy Garza, it got her attention, and she has focused on the issue since.

I just despise corruption in all forms, wherever it is, she said.

People have been approaching Zaffirini to tell her in confidence about various types of fraud or corruption, so she wrote these Facebook posts to remind people that this approach doesnt accomplish anything. When someone doesnt appropriately report a crime theyre a silent conspirator, she said.
Doctors Without Borders, the award-winning international aid group, is bringing its traveling exhibit about the global refugee crisis to Houston.

The exhibit, which opens Thursday and goes through Tuesday, provides a doctor's view of the true-life stories behind what the United Nations calls the worst migration crisis since World War II. More than 65 million people have now fled conflict in their home countries.

"Doctors Without Borders is bringing this interactive exhibit to Houston to show people the challenges facing these displaced people.," said Giless de Gilles, a Doctors Without Borders aid worker and manager of the exhibit. "It aims to give the community  Houston is home to many refugees from around the world -- a unique perspective what it's like to be forced from home."

RELATED: 10 things to know about how the U.S. takes in refugees

The exhibit, called Forced From Home, offers virtual reality documentaries set in Mexico, South Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon and Tanzania that immerse viewers in refugees' personal stories. Housed in a self-contained mobile trailer that expands to cover an outdoor space measuring 40 feet x 30 feet, it also showcases photographs and items from refugee camps.

Forced From Home is staffed by local Doctors Without Borders aid workers, who will provide first-hand accounts of life in such refugee camps. Doctors Without Borders won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 and the Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award in 2015.

RELATED: Syrian refugees only trickling into U.S.

The exhibit arrives amid tighter U.S. refugee limits. The Trump administration has slashed the number of refugees allowed to come to the United States to 45,000, less than half the previous number and the lowest number in decades. What's more, only 10,520 have been resettled in the first six months of the current fiscal year, suggesting far fewer will arrive.

The 65 million refugees, the largest figure ever recorded, are the equivalent of one in every 113 people on the planet, according to the United Nations. There are hot spots around the globe, but more than half come from Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.

The exhibit will be at Rice University on Thursday and Friday, March 29-30 (open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.) and at the University of Houston on Monday and Tuesday, April 2-3 (open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Officials said visitors can expect to spend 30 minutes at the exhibit.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office district 5 wants residents in its northwest Houston service area to do their part in preventing crime.

At a monthly safety forum in February, Sgt. Brad Miller said deputies had two reported carjackings, six businesses robbed and eight people robbed.

Mainly, the reported crimes took place along FM 1960, where hotels, restaurants, gyms, strip malls and other shops are located.

"Places like that tend to draw a lot of crimeall concentrated along that corridor" Miller said.

District 5 deputies also logged 44 auto thefts, 112 vehicle burglaries, 27 business burglaries and 45 home burglaries.

Cpt. John Nanny said that while the numbers of crimes appear to have gone up, the increasing population is part of the growing pains in the area.

Harris County Precinct 4, which stretches over most of north and northwest Harris County, has more than 1 million residents.

"The district here that we represent has probably I would say the lowest crime stats in the county. But we are growing faster than any other segment," Nanny said.

Deputy Kevin Ellis with the community services branch of the sheriff's office said that public safety begins with residents.

"Our main goal is crime prevention," he said.

The sheriff's office offers residents the opportunity to be involved with their neighborhood crime watch, have their homes inspected for free to help deter burglars or robbers and to keep car doors locked.

"If you can be our eyes and our ears to help us out, just give us that information. When we show up, we can work together," Ellis said.

While gun control is being debated following recent high profile mass shootings, such as a church Sutherland Springs and a high school in Parkland, Florida, Ellis said gun owners need to be responsible.

Gun owners would need to obtain a concealed handgun license and need to know how to use it.

"That's the thing. Go train. Don't just go buy a gun and say, 'I got a gun' and then don't use it or don't know how to use it. Even worse, you have to use and you accidentally shoot somebody else because you don't know how to use that gun," he said.

Another thing homeowners in unincorporated parts of the county can do before going out on vacation is request deputies patrol their homes.

"You can actually ask us to check on your residence while you're on vacation," Sgt. Charles Nagel said.

Nagel recommended homeowners submit their requests one week before leaving.

The online form to request a vacation watch can he found the sheriff's office website under services and then public programs.

Residents who spot animal cruelty, such as neglect, abuse, hoarding, torture or dog fighting can report those incidents to the Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce at 832-927-PAWS or www.927paws.org.

"The Harris County Animal Shelter has dedicated animal control resources to assist animal cruelty investigations and will handle medical evaluations for the animal cruelty cases as well as assist with animal transport," Miller said.

Motorists who are having trouble with a flat tire or an empty tank on the freeway can call the sheriff's office motor assistance program by dialing 713-CALL-MAP.

"If you need fuel, we do carry fuel. We do push your vehicles. It's only major freeways. We don't go off on the feeders. We don't go into side streets or anything like that," said MAP supervisor Raymond Parker.

While 18 deputies patrol the freeways within the county, Texas 249 is the only roadway not covered by the program, although Parker said he expects deputies will be assigned that corridor in the future.

Drivers who have a flat tire or need minor repairs first need to make sure they're in a safe location before attempting to change a tire or fix their cars.

"I have seen people laying down on the freeway with their bodies across the white lines trying to change tires with the freeway going by them at 60 or 70 miles an hour," Parker said.

Instead, motorists can either call MAP for help or move their cars if possible to a safe location, such as a parking lot, he said.

The next safety forum will be April 24 at 7 p.m. in the district 5 substation located at 23828 Tomball Parkway.
During a snowstorm two years ago, Virginia Department of Transportation official Anthony Willie decided he should book a hotel room in northern Virginia for the night. After all, he was in charge of snowplowing for the Burke region of Fairfax County.

While he was there, he wanted to have some fun. So he tried to get contractors and a co-worker to send women up to his room, according to court documents. At one point, the documents state, he called a female snowplow driver directly.

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you," he said. "Because I do extra for who you working for and make sure you are going to get yours."

The exchange was caught on a wiretap that federal prosecutors in Virginia had fortuitously ordered just before the snow began to fall. Willie,of Culpeper, was sentenced this year to seven years in prison, having pleaded guilty to public corruption charges. He is among seven people convicted in a sweeping investigation.

Willie and his deputy, Kenneth Adams, of Fairfax, demanded bribes from snowplow drivers in exchange for work. For six years they picked up payoffs at Outback Steakhouse and McDonald's in the Washington suburbs. Along the way they increased their demands; contractors said they were threatened when they balked at paying more.

Adams will spend five years in prison; five snowplow contractors who paid them were given sentences that range from three months to a year.

All seven defendants said in court that the corruption at the Virginia Department of Transportation is endemic to the culture and more extensive than the scheme that put them behind bars.

"It is happening now, it will happen in the future," contractor John Williamson said before being sentenced to three months in jail. "It is rampant, and it is part of the culture of the agency."

Prosecutor Samantha Bateman acknowledged in court that "this is a more pervasive problem in the Virginia Department of Transportation than is known."

The investigation, she said, is ongoing. An as-yet uncharged contractor allegedly wrote tens of thousands of dollars in checks to Willie's wife, according to court filings.

A spokeswoman for the agency, Jennifer McCord, said in a statement that the actions of the former employees "completely run contrary to the values we uphold."

The agency is in the midst of "ongoing reviews and internal controls to more securely safeguard procurement and contracting processes," she added.

The Fairfax County Police Department created a position specifically to deal with the agency, according to one contractor. Police said that person deals primarily with road issues, though also would investigate corruption.

Shaheen Sariri, a snowplow operator sentenced in March to a year in prison, contacted law enforcement over a year before the VDOT investigation began. He wanted to report an unrelated alleged corruption scheme involving another contractor who had been married to his mother, defense attorney Peter Greenspun said in court. But Sariri denied paying any bribes himself and didn't mention Willie or Adams.

Their crimes came to light only because another snowplow contractor complained to FBI agents looking into yet more alleged corruption at the agency involving falsified vehicle registrations. It is unclear where that investigation stands, but when FBI agents came to search Rolando Pineda's home, he told them they were missing the big picture.

"You're looking at the trees; there's a big forest out there," Pineda told them, according to defense attorney William Odio at sentencing.

The FBI approached Adams, who agreed to wear a wire. But even as he recorded meetings where contractors dropped off bags of cash, he was apparently still taking bribes. Prosecutors said in court that he had to be cut off as an undercover informant.

Adams was also selling cocaine - including to his boss, who was videotaped snorting the drug in his office, according to court documents. In addition to a public corruption charge, Adams pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Both agency officials took between $200,000 and $300,000 in bribes.

The snowplow scheme did not hurt taxpayers . The contracts were handled at a higher level and subject to state rules that require the agency to choose the lowest bidder with the right equipment. During big snowstorms, every contractor was called. What Willie and Adams had control over was only which plowing contractors got called during smaller storms that required fewer trucks.

"Is there a contractor that was deprived of work? I am unaware of one," Williamson's defense attorney, Christopher Leibig, said in court.

But Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with prosecutors that the corruption still undermined faith in the system. Its pervasiveness, she said, was a reason to impose serious punishment.

"Other people haven't gotten the message," she said.
Lawmakers in Malaysia may soon vote to approve a "fake news" law that human rights groups and experts say would significantly curtail freedom of expression and democracy in the country. It would subject both journalists and ordinary internet users to up to six years in prison for disseminating content that the state deems misleading.

"This is going to have a major impact on citizens and freedom of expression. It essentially allows the state to define what is true and what is false. That is a very frightening prospect," said Syahredzan Johan, a civil liberties lawyer in Kuala Lumpur, who has closely followed the restriction of democratic space in Malaysia in recent years.

The legislation uses the English-language phrase commonly employed by President Donald Trump. "It's odd, because the term 'fake news' was popularized by the U.S. president and is not a legal designation by any stretch of the imagination, but we have now made it into a legal concept," Johan said.

The bill defines "fake news" as any news, information, data or report that is "wholly or partially false." This also applies to images and audio, including content created by anyone, anywhere in the world, that affects Malaysia. Under the proposed law, the government could prosecute someone even without offering any evidence that the alleged falsehood caused harm. Also, Malaysian law allows police to make warrantless arrests in certain circumstances.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Najib Razak's government made small changes to the legislation, including reducing the maximum jail penalty from the originally proposed 10 years to six. But the modifications did not substantively address the harsh criticism leveled by international organizations.

"The vague and broad definition of 'fake news', combined with severe punishments and arbitrary arrest powers for police, shows that this is nothing but a blatant attempt to shield the government from peaceful criticism," James Gomez, director of Southeast Asia and the Pacific at Amnesty International, said in a statement. "The Bill combines the worst of the cheap propaganda coming from the West and the repressive laws and policies in the East. With both Singapore and the Philippines considering their own 'fake news' legislation, we call on all countries in the region to refrain from following this dangerous trend."

On Thursday, Human Rights Watch also issued a statement.

Representatives of Najib, who is facing reelection this year, did not respond to requests for comment.

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected Parliament, and Islam is enshrined in the constitution as the official religion of the Malay people, who make up about 60 percent of the population and are subject to some penalties based on interpretations of sharia law. The country's sizable ethnic Chinese and Tamil-speaking minorities are treated differently under the law, but the "fake news" measure would apply to everyone equally, including citizens of all other countries and Malaysians abroad.

The lower house of Parliament, which is controlled by a majority aligned with Najib, is expected to vote on the measure in the next few days. The legislation would then head to the Senate, a mostly unelected body, and, eventually, King Muhammad V for approval. The law could be in place within weeks, experts say, meaning it could be used during the upcoming campaign.

Since taking power in 2009, Najib's government has been dogged by scandal, the most infamous involving large-scale malfeasance at the 1MDB state investment fund. He was re-elected to a second term in 2013 with fewer votes than his opponent, and the poll was marked by accusations of gerrymandering and protests. Since then, the government has restricted criticism, especially online, in several ways, said Bridget Welsh, a professor of political science and Malaysia specialist at John Cabot University in Italy.

"The government paid cyber soldiers, or trolls, to go online and shape the discourse, and they have cracked down on artists and cartoonists using humor to criticize the government," Welsh said. "There's been a further clampdown in the run-up to this very contentious election, and the fake-news law is part of the government's arsenal to keep itself in power."

- - -

Bevins reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. King Chai Woon in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Hundreds of mourners joined black and Muslim leaders at a church in California's capital on Thursday for the funeral of Stephon Clark, a black father of two whose shooting death by the police 11 days ago has touched off protests around the country and opened a new rift of public anger about police use of force and treatment of minorities.

The approximately 300 people who packed the Bayside of South Sacramento Church were joined by an overflow crowd of some 600 who waited in the midday sun outside. And though they had come to grieve, the anger and tension that have spilled over into NBA basketball games and city council meetings at times simmered beneath the surface.

It was visible on the face of Clark's brother, Stevante, who threw himself on his brother's coffin as the ceremony began and later interrupted speakers from the NAACP to lead mourners in loud chants of his brother's name.

Speaking during the funeral, Dallas-based imam Omar Suleiman noted that Clark, whom police shot at 20 times, "had almost as many bullets put into him as the years he's been on this earth." Clark, 22, converted to Islam several years before his death

The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy that encouraged protesters and slapped back the assertion made by the White House that Clark's death was a "local issue."

"No, this is not a local matter," Sharpton said. "They've been killing young black men all over the country."

Stevante Clark, who earlier this week interrupted a city council meeting with a group of protesters by jumping on a platform where Mayor Darrell Steinberg was sitting and telling him to "shut up," took on a different tone when he spoke at the funeral. He called on mourners to "forgive the mayor," and after the service left the funeral with Steinberg.

Sharpton stood from his seat several times to comfort Stevante Clark during the ceremony. He acknowledged that some were criticizing the actions of Clark's family members and protesters.

"You don't tell people in pain how to handle their pain," Sharpton said. "You don't tell people when you kill their loved one how to grieve."

Sharpton defended protests that have disrupted traffic and two Sacramento Kings basketball games around town.

"They were not violent, they did not shoot at anybody 20 times, they didn't take anybody down," Sharpton boomed.

The Kings - whose players also participated in an on-court protest of Clark's death - have said that a heavy police presence would be on hand Thursday to avoid another disruption of the team's game.

Clark was shot on March 18, as police responded to a complaint that someone had been breaking windows in the neighborhood and spotted Clark running into a backyard.

One officer yelled "Hey, show me your hands! Stop!", followed shortly thereafter by another yell of "gun, gun, gun" before officers fired their guns, discharging more than 20 bullets at Clark. He died in the yard - it was his grandmother's house, where he had been staying. Police later said that the officers feared for their lives, though the only thing in Clark's hand was a white iPhone.

Captured in grainy footage from a police helicopter as well as a shaky video from a body camera worn by one of the officers, Clark's death has become the latest to galvanize protests about police use of force against minorities.

Clark was one of more than 3,000 people who have been shot and killed by U.S. police since 2015, according to The Washington Post's database of fatal police shootings.

Sharpton and other speakers at the funeral said they were determined to prevent Clark from being forgotten.

Muslim leaders said that his body was in such bad shape after the shooting and autopsies that they were unable to give it a ritual washing for the burial.

"The tools of dehumanization are eerily similar in how they are employed against Muslims and African Americans," said Suleiman. "The vilification of these figures after they are killed is to plant the message that this isn't a person worth fighting for, this isn't a community worth fighting for."

On Wednesday night, Sacramento-area Muslims held an emergency town hall with community leaders, the NAACP, and members of Clark's family to discuss how his death has impacted the city.

Clark's body was transported to St. Mary's Cemetery to be buried next to his brother, who also died from gun violence.

- - -

The Post's Alex Horton contributed to this report.
NORRISTOWN, Pa. - In the fierce, months-long legal slugfest leading up to Bill Cosby's retrial on sexual assault charges, the comedian's high-powered defense team has repeatedly lost fights over evidence and witnesses.

Steven T. O'Neill, the veteran Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, judge overseeing the case, has already handed a huge victory to prosecutors by allowing five previous accusers to testify that they were allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted by Cosby.

On Thursday, just days before jury selection in the retrial is set to begin, the defense was thwarted again, failing to force O'Neill to remove himself from the case.

In an awkward hearing, Cosby's lead attorney Thomas Mesereau argued that O'Neill might be biased because the judge's wife, Deborah V. O'Neill, works for a sexual trauma center at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is employed as a social worker.

"We are concerned that there might be an appearance of bias," Mesereau told the judge whose motivations he was questioning.

O'Neill, though, his voice cracking with emotion, eventually rejected the defense request, relying on a legal technicality by saying it hadn't been filed in a timely manner, but also firmly asserting that he is not influenced by his wife's work. He accused Cosby's attorneys of "trivializing" his wife's accomplishments by suggesting she had some sway over his judicial rulings. In a lengthy statement from the bench, O'Neill professed his "deep" love for his wife and his admiration for her achievements.

"She is an independent woman and she has a right to be involved in anything she believes in," O'Neill said. "It's difficult to have her accomplishments trivialized."

The scene played out in a courtroom thick with tension. O'Neill, who at times can be folksy and chatty, entered the courtroom in the morning with pursed lips. He fumbled with papers for several moments as a long and uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

O'Neill was clearly irked at the defense, and he did nothing to hide his annoyance at Cosby's team for distributing their court filing demanding his recusal to the media before it was officially accepted by the clerk of court's office. Cosby, dressed in a dark blue suit with a red tie and matching pocket handkerchief, watched the back-and-forth with a look of bemusement. As Mesereau and his co-counsels argued with the judge, Cosby - now 80 - periodically smirked, smiled and chuckled as he rocked in his swivel chair at the head of the defense table.

The courtroom machinations delved extensively into the work of the judge's wife, plunging into her academic career by addressing her academic writings about acquaintance rape and into her speaking engagements. Until last week, when the defense filed paperwork asking for O'Neill's recusal, the judge's wife had played no public role in the case. But the defense's court filings, which include Deborah O'Neill's photograph and email address, trained a spotlight on her.

The defense asserted that the judge's wife has described herself as an "activist and advocate for sexual assault victims." Cosby's defense team noted that Deborah O'Neill spoke at a University of Pennsylvania campus event in 2013 sponsored by a group called Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention. Several years later, the same group called on the university to rescind an honorary degree it had awarded to Cosby. The degree was rescinded in February.

But it was another defense allegation that became the main focus of Thursday's squabble. The defense alleged that Deborah O'Neill made a donation to an activist group-Women Organized Against Rape-that plans to hold demonstrations during the Cosby retrial. The evidence the defense presented is an Internet donation page for the group that shows Deborah O'Neill's name and photograph.

Judge O'Neill sternly said that his wife's employer made the donation, and that none of their marital assets were involved. He said he did not know her name and face ended up on the page.

Prosecutors, who have had the upper hand in the battle over pretrial legal motions, pushed back against the request to remove the judge. They pointed out that the donation was made more than a year ago-long before the activist group announced plans to hold a demonstration.

But Mesereau, best known for winning an acquittal for pop star Michael Jackson on child molestation charges, held his ground.

"It still appears to us that your wife was responsible for the donation," Mesereau told the judge.

O'Neill revealed Thursday that the possibility of bias related to his wife's work was raised in the first trial. For the first time, he divulged that Cosby's original defense attorney, who has since withdrawn from the case, told him in a phone conference that Cosby wanted the judge to recuse himself after an internet blogger argued that he might be biased. However, the attorney, Brian McMonagle, chose not to make a formal request, O'Neill said, and the issue faded away.

O'Neill also took pains Thursday to distance his legal rulings from his wife's professional work. Deputy District Attorney Robert Falin read a statement O'Neill had previously made about how his wife's profession has no impact on his decision-making.

"This type of smoke machine tactic should not be tolerated," Falin said.

In a previous setback for the defense, O'Neill resisted greenlighting the defense's plan to call a witness who says Cosby's main accuser, Andrea Constand, was willing to lie about being sexually assaulted by a celebrity to make money from a lawsuit.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday, with the judge and the attorneys looking to seat 12 jurors who can decide whether Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. The first jury to hear the case could not reach a unanimous verdict in June 2017 and O'Neill declared a mistrial. Mindful that possible jurors in the retrial may very well be paying attention, O'Neill pleaded with both sides to watch what they say and do.

"Everything that you say," he said, "the world is listening. You don't need to do this labeling, you don't need to do this name calling."
SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia - It was a hot, clear day. The kind of day when, a few months ago, the beach here would have been crowded with tourists deciding whether to drink a $1 beer or a $1 fresh coconut juice.

Instead, the beach was almost deserted. Women wandered with trays of fresh lobsters perfectly balanced on their heads or carrying kits for performing pedicures, touting in vain for customers.

Men lounged on chairs at their restaurants offering barbecued squid and local curries. But the only patrons were stray cats and flies.

"We're not going to be able to feed ourselves soon. Our business is about to die," said Doung Sokly, a 30-year-old woman who has been selling drinks, snacks and cigarettes from a cart on Independence Beach for the past eight years.

A block away, however, business is booming in the new casinos that have popped up in recent months. They have names like New Macau and New MGM, and they cater exclusively to Chinese guests. Cambodians are prohibited from gambling.

On this sunny afternoon when the beach was empty, the casinos were packed with Chinese customers smoking and slapping down $100 bills on the tables. All around were eagle-eyed Chinese supervisors and gaggles of young local women in short dresses and long eyelashes.

China is trying to spread its political and economic influence across the region, particularly through its ambitious "One Belt, One Road" infrastructure development. And Cambodia is trying to develop its economy without having to adhere to any of the human rights demands that American and European governments tend to insist upon.

Those two interests directly coincide in Sihanoukville, a port city on the Gulf of Thailand named after the king who is still revered as the father of modern Cambodia.

It is here that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's willingness to be embraced by China is most evident.

"Sihanoukville is kind of a poster boy for China's development. On all economic measures, China is number one," said Carl Thayer, a Southeast Asia expert affiliated with the Australian Defense Force Academy and a former adviser at U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii. "China is definitely trying to displace the U.S., and it's succeeding wonderfully."

For Hun Sen, who has been in power for 33 years and is taking steps to ensure he will be re-elected in a vote scheduled for the end of July, this investment means he is able to boast about economic advances even as democratic institutions backslide.

The Cambodian government has allowed extraordinary levels of Chinese investment: 30 casinos have already been built and 70 more are under construction.

One huge development, the Blue Bay casino and condos, advertises itself as "one of the iconic projects of China's One Belt, One Road initiative." The smallest studios start at $143,000, while the most prized apartments cost more than $500,000.

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Sihanoukville, a city of 90,000, doubled between 2016 and 2017 to hit 120,000 last year. Restaurants, banks, landlords, pawnshops, duty-free stores, supermarkets and hotels all display signs in Chinese.

But with the exception of those working in the hotels and casinos, most Cambodians, whose average income is $1,100 a year, are seeing little benefit from this investment. And resentment is mounting.

"My business has halved," said Chhim Phin, who has run a seafood restaurant on Independence Beach since 2003. "We used to have lots of Western tourists coming here, people who liked to try our food. But Chinese tourists don't want to eat Khmer food and experience our local customs, they prefer to eat their own food. Chinese tourists like to stay in their bubble."

Next to his restaurant, a plot of land that used to be filled with backpacker bars that held dance parties on the beach has been reduced to rubble, the lease taken over by Chinese developers.

And when Chinese customers do come to his restaurant, Chhim Phin is not exactly thrilled with their business.

"I don't speak Chinese, so it's very difficult to communicate," he said. "To be honest, I've had a very bad experience dealing with Chinese. They're so rude."

Doung Sokly, operating her cart, does not enjoy interacting with the new arrivals, either. "Western tourists don't haggle, because they want to try local things. But Chinese tourists really try to get the prices down," she said.

As if on cue, a group of Chinese tourists on the beach erupted into laughter and yelling. "Listen to them. They're so loud," she said, glancing over at the group with a look of distaste. "It's so annoying."

Locals are also worried about organized crime resulting from the casinos, and the increasing number of incidents of drunken violence. After the publication of reports about the pros and cons of Chinese investment, Beijing's ambassador acknowledged that "a small amount of low-educated people" from his country were breaking Cambodian laws.

Not that Western tourists are always well behaved. Sex tourism is a draw for some, while others have recently gotten into trouble for lewd behavior.

One local business owner who is happy with the Chinese influx, though, is Ko Hong. He rents water scooters, charging Westerners $60 for an hour of joyriding. For Chinese customers, the price is only $50.

"Before it was more seasonal, but now I can earn lots of money," Ko Hong said. On an average day he makes $200.

The main reason for the exodus of Western tourists and influx of Chinese visitors is accommodations, Phin and other business owners here say.

The cheaper hotels and guesthouses that locals and Western tourists liked have been crowded out by the big Chinese developers, who will pay much more for the land. Those that do remain have trouble hiring staff, because they're being snatched up for much higher wages.

"There used to be cheap accommodation here, but not anymore," said Koeun Sao, a 29-year-old who estimates that his income from driving a tuk-tuk has dropped by 70 percent in the past three months. "Chinese people take cars, not tuk-tuks."

The Chinese investment has not translated into better roads or other infrastructure in a city that struggles with basic plumbing.

"All this building they're doing is only to benefit Chinese," Koeun Sao said. "It's good for the landowners but not for ordinary people."

But both the Cambodian and the Chinese governments tout their economic cooperation.

The Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, a 4.4-square-mile industrial park where 104 of the 121 companies are Chinese, "stands as a symbol of renewed China-Cambodia friendship by delivering real benefits to the people," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang wrote in a commentary for a Cambodian newspaper when he visited in January.

While here, Li signed 19 business deals. These included building an expressway between the capital, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville to replace the potholed narrow roads that link the cities now, and the construction of a new airport in Phnom Penh.

The two countries pledged to more than double the number of Chinese tourists coming to Cambodia, to 2 million within the next two years, and to boost bilateral trade to $6 billion.

"We'll try to remain here," Doung Sokly said from behind her cart. "We need to see how things unfold."
President Donald Trump on Thursday fired off more criticism at Amazon.com, saying his problems with the internet retailer predate his election a day after a report that he's "obsessed" with regulating the company.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election," Trump tweeted. "Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!"

Trump also has repeatedly attacked news coverage of his administration by the Washington Post, owned by Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos, and linked unflattering reporting in the newspaper to Bezos and Amazon. In one tweet last summer, he asked "Is Fake News Washington Post being used as a lobbyist weapon?"

Brad Parscale, who is managing Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, said in a tweet that "Amazon has probably 10x the data on every American that Facebook does. All that data and own a political newspaper, The Washington Post. Hmm....."

Amazon shares erased a premarket gain of as much as 1.7 percent after the tweet. Amazon declined to comment on Trump's tweet. The stock was up 0.5 percent at 1:54 p.m. in New York.

The company's market value plunged $53 billion Wednesday after Axios reported that Trump wants to impose further regulations on the company. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said later Wednesday that the administration isn't considering any changes in policy directed at the company.

White House Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters repeated that sentiment to reporters Thursday.

"The president has expressed his concerns with Amazon. We have no actions at this time," she said.

The president omitted some key facts in his criticism. Amazon collects sales tax in every state that has one.

There is one big loophole, however: Amazon's policies don't apply to third-party merchants selling goods through its website, and many of those transactions remain untaxed. Such sales make up about half of the company's volume. Amazon has said it's up to the sellers to collect any taxes and many don't.

"The president has talked about the need to have tax parity between online retailers and brick-and-mortar retailers," White House spokesman Raj Shah said on Fox News on Thursday. "Right now, there is no internet sales tax and as a result companies like Amazon can buy and sell goods without having to pay basic retail taxes."

The Trump administration has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to let state and local governments collect billions of dollars in sales taxes from online retailers. The justices are scheduled to hear arguments next month centering on a South Dakota law that calls for collecting sales taxes from large internet retailers even if they don't have brick-and-mortar stores in the state. A ruling is expected by late June.

Rep. Kristi Noem, a South Dakota Republican, has called for legislation requiring online retailers to collect sales tax. The effort failed after Noem was unable to get enough support among Republicans.

Some states have gone ahead and passed such laws. On April 1, Pennsylvania will become the second state, after Washington earlier this year, where Amazon will collect sales tax on behalf of its sellers.

In late 2017, Trump said Amazon should pay "much more" in fees for delivery. Amazon regularly uses the Postal Service to complete what's called the "last mile" of delivery, with letter carriers dropping off packages at some 150 million residences and businesses daily. It has a network of 35 "sort centers" where customer packages are sorted by zip code, stacked on pallets and delivered to post offices for the final leg of delivery.

The mail service is independently operated and strikes confidential deals with retailers. Analysts have said that Amazon pays USPS about half of what it would pay UPS or FedEx.

"At the end of the day, the standard rule, the standard of care, is: Are consumers better off? And ultimately I think consumers are better off with Amazon and I think that will prevail with this debate," said Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures, in an interview on Bloomberg TV.

---

Bloomberg's Margaret Talev, Justin Sink and Spencer Soper contributed.
San Antonios second-largest school district is struggling with a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall that will force it to cut teaching positions even as it starts paying into the states Robin Hood fund that aids poorer districts.

Sharply falling enrollment is driving both developments at the North East Independent School District, whose board was briefed this week on plans to eliminate more than 100 teaching positions through attrition.

Its part of $12 million in expected spending cuts next year prompted by an estimated two-year budget shortfall of $29 million.

RELATED: Rank: Average teacher salaries at San Antonio public high schools

Yet the districts property values continue to steadily rise, so the resulting wealth per student calculation soon will require it to pay part of its property tax revenue  an expected $7.7 million for the 2019-20 school year and more than $33 million the following year  into the state system that recaptures funds from property-wealthy districts and redistributes them to property-poor ones.

Officials placed the dismal projections, released in advance of the boards May budget workshops, squarely in the shadow of last years legislative session where state lawmakers failed to fix the Texas school finance system, long criticized as antiquated and underfunded.

NEISD is hardly alone in grappling with budget shortfalls. San Antonio Independent School District this week said its largest-ever decline in enrollment is contributing to a two-year shortfall of $31 million. Its board is preparing to work out a budget that will include cutting teacher and staff positions.

RELATED: S.A. school districts with the highest-paid superintendents

South San Antonio and Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISDs both are considering holding tax ratification elections, or TREs, this year to address the same problems.

The following two school years, NEISD is anticipating really scary single-school year shortfalls of $20 million and above, said Brian Moy, NEISDs executive director of finance and accounting.

The district attributed much of its student losses to competition from charter schools.

With state aid making an ever-smaller percentage of the districts funding, NEISDs enrollment declines wont have the same severe financial impact in future years if Texas doesnt change things, Moy said.

Thats because were going to get to a point soon where our revenue bucket for state aid is going to get to be so small that theres not going to be anything left for the state to take away, he said.

Read the whole story at ExpressNews.com or in Thursdays Express-News.
FLORESVILLE  A former San Antonio attorney accused of having sex with clients in exchange for legal services told his brother to destroy DVDs as police were about to search his home, jurors saw in a video interview Wednesday.

Mark Benavides, 48, is on trial, accused of continuous trafficking of persons. Benavides was arrested in November 2015 and charged with compelling prostitution in cases involving at least nine female clients.

He is accused of coercing them into having sex and videotaping many of the encounters. Since then, he has been named in multiple-count indictments.

RELATED: Ex-Bandidos member testifies about being 'out in bad standings'

After his arrest Nov. 17, 2015, Benavides was taken to San Antonio Police Department headquarters for an interview as officers executed a search warrant at his home. When he heard the charges, Benavides denied ever sleeping with clients.

After he called his wife and asked to speak to his brother, Benavides is heard asking him to destroy DVDs, an exchange caught on surveillance video.

Ive got those (expletive) DVDs in there, Benavides is heard telling his brother, Michael, before he says to destroy them.

San Antonio police Detective Manuel Morales testified that the investigators collected 246 DVDs from a file cabinet in which only Benavides had the key. Each DVD was labeled and numbered, contained the womens initials and codes or acronyms etched on the discs to describe the particular acts that were performed.

RELATED: Juror faints watching sex video between ex-San Antonio attorney, client

During the video interview, Benavides scoffed when officers told him they had been investigating allegations for a few years. He also disputed the accusations and questioned police on the charge, one he said he never heard of, and said it could derail his political career, as he was running for district judge at the time.

Benavides also questioned the validity of the arrest.

Honestly, not me included, but I hear about attorneys having sex with clients all the time, he said on the video. I didnt think it was an actual offense because it happens all the time. Not me, but others.

Benavides is no longer eligible to practice law in Texas. He resigned Dec. 13, 2016, from the State Bar of Texas in lieu of disciplinary action.

His trial began Tuesday and is being heard in Wilson County.

At a June 22 hearing, District Judge Dick Alcala granted Benavides attorney Monica E. Guerreros motion for a change of venue from Bexar County. She had sought to move only one of the cases but later amended her motion to include all.

She told the court she wanted the change because of news coverage and because some clients alleged Benavides had sex with them in at least two rooms in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center that are used by jurors, and Guerrero did not want jurors to do their own investigating.
Marilyn Susan Hill was known for her legacy of songs, homemaking and service to the elderly.

She was a very loving and deeply Christian woman who was generous and loved her family, daughter Linda Woodward said.

Hill died March 7. She was 88.

My mother had a wonderful childhood, said another daughter, Karen Chutek, recalling her mothers stories about growing up in St. Louis in the 1930s.

Hills father was a manager for Brown Shoe Co., and her mother was a homemaker.

It was common for the family to leave the hustle of the city for the quiet of the country.

Hills father owned a farm in Pacific, Missouri, where their second home was a log cabin. Her father grew vegetables and raised honeybees.

The family farm lessened the economic effect of the Great Depression and World War II, Woodward said.

After high school, Hill enrolled at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. But she fell in love and left college to marry Albert Richard Hill.

More Information Marilyn Susan Hill Born: Dec. 8, 1929, St. Louis Died: March 7, 2018, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents William and Inez Knotts Steele; husband Albert Richard Hill; sister Doris De la Roche; and son-in-law Dr. Michael W. McCord Survived by: Daughters Linda Woodward and son-in-law Wayne, Laurie McCord, Karen Chutek and son-in-law Tony, and Lisa Giangrosso and son-in-law Frank; sister Barbara Bregant; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren Service: Celebration of life 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 2738 MacArthur View See More Collapse

My mom met him in a church group. She thought he was a hunk, Woodward said.

Together, they raised four daughters and created a storehouse of memories through storytelling and songs that continued into the next generation.

There was singing and music throughout our lives, her daughters said.

Hill sang lyrics she learned from her parents  songs about the Elephant King, working on the railroad and grasping merry-go-round rings.

On Sundays, dinner would be ice cream, and we would sing those old songs all the whole way to the ice cream place, Woodward said.

Hills husband moved the family in 1967 from St. Louis to San Antonio, where he took a civil service job at Kelly AFB, Chutek said.

Their 50-year marriage ended with his death in 2002.

Hill traveled extensively after that, going to Alaska, Europe and Australia, her daughters said.

Hill also devoted time in her later years to volunteer work, serving the elderly at San Antonio Oasis, an organization that helps educate seniors.

She started with Oasis 26 years ago, from the very beginning when it was founded in San Antonio, Oasis Executive Director Brenda Schmachtenberger said.

She volunteered every Tuesday, even when her husband was sick  that was how important her volunteer work was to her. We missed her when she left.
Following an outcry about the arrest of a prominent gun rights activist, the Olmos Park City Council unanimously repealed a city ordinance Thursday morning that prohibited anyone other than an authorized police officer from carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun on public streets.

The ordinance was a clear violation of state law, which allows individuals to openly carry a long gun without a license. State law also prohibits local municipalities from pre-empting state law by regulating the transfer, ownership or carrying of firearms.

The local ordinance came to light earlier this week after CJ Grisham, president of Open Carry Texas, was arrested and tased during a small gun rights demonstration in Olmos Park. Two other activists were arrested at the same time.

Police charged 44-year-old Grisham, a retired Army sergeant who helped found Open Carry Texas, with assault of a police officer, interfering with the duties of a public servant and obstructing a roadway, according to court records.

James Everard, 35, faces one charge of interfering with the duties of a public servant. Joanna Castro, 44, has been charged with obstruction of a roadway.

Police suggested additional charges for all three, but those charges were rejected  either by the Bexar County district attorneys office or a magistrate judge.

The arrests have drawn ire from gun rights activists who say Grisham and his peers were lawfully practicing their First and Second amendment rights. They say the police departments response to the protest was completely unwarranted.

The protesters also say the arrests follow a pattern of similar behavior by officers with the Olmos Park Police Department. Between Feb. 7 and March 17, three other activists who were open carrying in Olmos Park were arrested, detained or threatened during similar demonstrations, the group says.

City officials have refused to discuss the arrests or ordinance, which dates to at least 1985, according to the citys Code of Ordinances. After the meeting Thursday morning, Mayor Ronald Hornberger declined comment, saying he doesnt speak to the media. City Manager Celia Deleon also declined to comment.

Police Chief Rene Valenciano did not respond to a request for comment.

After videos of the incident went viral on the Internet  including one where Grisham is seen being released from jail with a large wound on his head  gun activists flooded the Olmos Park Police Departments Facebook page with negative comments. In two days, the videos have over 120,000 views on YouTube and Facebook.

Several activists said they also contacted the Texas attorney generals office to complain. A spokeswoman for the agency said she could not confirm or deny any potential complaints or ongoing investigations.

On Thursday morning, roughly two dozen gun rights activists from Open Carry Texas and This is Texas Freedom Force, a nonprofit dedicated to gun rights and history preservation, attended the city council meeting carrying signs that read Dont tase me bro and Oath Breakers aka Olmos Park PD.

City Council went into executive session to discuss possible legal challenge to (a) City ordinance, according to city records. After they returned about an hour later, councilman Enzo Pellegrino motioned to repeal the ordinance and the council unanimously agreed. One city council member was absent.

The activists  none of whom were from Olmos Park  erupted in applause after the vote. They vowed to keep protesting and said they were planning another rally in Olmos Park on April 7.

The ordinance was completely wrong and out of line, Felix Cano said after the meeting. It never should have gotten to that point.

Read more about the ordinance and arrest of protesters on ExpressNews.com.
AUSTIN -- Talk about an out-of-this world item for your bucket list?

On Thursday, while touring India's Taj Mahal, a 1600s tomb listed one of the Wonders of the World, Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters accompanying him that it had always been one of his life-long dreams to see the revered shrine.

LONG TRIP: NASA's Mars rover Curiosity marks 2,000th day on red planet

"Frankly, I doubted if I would ever get to see Taj Mahal," said Abbott, whose life changed dramatically when a falling tree limb severed his spine in 1984 when he was a law school graduate studying for the bar in Houston.

He has used a wheel chair ever since.

"Now that I'm here, I can see how marvelous and remarkable it truly is."

He said he's now checked it off his list.

What's next?

"I don't know. Mars?" he quipped.

SNAP SNAP: NASA's Curiosity Rover captures stunning new Mars photos

Note for follow-up: Pioneering billionaire businesman Elon Musk, who has oodles of business interests in Texas, has proposed the colonization of Mars on his SpaceX "BFR" rocket under development that could transport about 100 people at a time to the Red Planet.

Office Of The Governor

Maybe Abbott could get on the list.

In the meantime, after his nine-day trade mission to India ends, the governor is slated to return to Austin on Friday by jet.
A governor in Mexico is warning his citizens to not travel to the U.S. through the state of Tamaulipas following a deadly ambush on Mexican marines in Nuevo Laredo that left eight people dead.

"The first recommendation that I make to citizens as governor of Nuevo Leon is to not travel to the United States through Reynosa," said Manuel Gonzalez Flores, the interim governor of Nuevo Leon, according to the Mexican newspaper El Universal.

Tamaulipas is also on a U.S. State Department list of Mexican states where travel is not advised due to crime.

RELATED: SAPD: Woman found fatally shot several times on East Side road

Flores specifically advised his citizens against traveling on the Reynosa-McAllen bridge into the U.S., and to instead use roads from Nuevo Laredo, which have received "much better" security reports.

Vacationers from Nuevo Leon were also asked to be cautious if they choose to travel to popular beach spots in Tamaulipas like Matamoros and Tampico.

"Tamaulipas is a state that has many problems right now," he said. "What we want is to collaborate with them. We are coordinated with them. It's recommended to citizens who travel to those destinations to be very cautious."

The warning came a day after gunmen believed to be affiliated with the Northeastern Cartel ambushed marines with the Mexican Navy in Nuevo Laredo. One marine was killed and twelve others were wounded, according to the Associated Press. Authorities said the gunmen were dressed in fake marine uniforms and had fake markings on their vehicles.

RELATED: SAPD: Man lured to West Side home, where he was robbed and shot

The marines were ambushed three separate times. Following the first ambush, another patrol was sent to the fight for support, but they too came under fire. A third patrol was ambushed as it left the marine base to respond to the first two attacks.

A helicopter gunship then responded to the battle, according to the Associated Press. Five gunmen were killed in the battle.

A mother and her two children were caught in the crossfire and were killed. Local media reported marines on the gunship shot the bystanders--Nellely Aide Ruiz Martinez, 28, and her daughters Chelsea Abril Rojas Ruiz, 6, and Kenia Azul Rojas Ruiz, 4--but officials from the Mexican navy deny the helicopter unit was responsible.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
SACRAMENTO  Stephon Clark wasnt sure what he wanted to do with his future, but one thing was clear: He wanted to be a great father to his two young children, his friends and family said.

At a memorial service that drew hundreds to Bayside of South Sacramento Church, those closest to the 22-year-old Sacramento man killed by police last week described him as the life of the party, an exceptional dancer and dresser, a bright student who had taken honors courses in high school, fiance to Salena Manni, and a caring father to their sons, Aiden and Cairo.

The crowd both paid tribute to Clark and demanded justice for his death.

At one point, Clarks older brother, SteVante Clark, led mourners in a chant, punching his fist in the air, yelling, I am...

Stephon Clark, responded the crowd inside the church.

Louder, SteVante Clark yelled.

Stephon Clark was unarmed when he was shot and killed March 18 by Sacramento police officers during a foot pursuit that ended in his grandmothers backyard 3 miles from the church where his funeral was held. His death sparked days of protests and a state review of Sacramento police practices.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy, said Clarks name will not be forgotten until we get justice.

This is not a local matter, Sharpton said, responding to a statement made by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about why the White House has not commented on national unrest over fatal police shootings, including Clarks death.

Theyve been killing young black men all over the country, Sharpton said onstage while SteVante Clark draped his arms around the reverend. And we are here to say that we are going to stand with Stephon Clark and the leaders of his family. We are putting aside our differences  its time for preachers to come out the pulpit, its time for politicians to come out the office, its time for us to go down and stop this madness.

Then, echoing SteVante, Sharpton said, I am...

Stephon Clark, the crowd yelled.

SteVante Clark grabbed the microphone from Sharpton and screamed, Louder.

Clarks body rested in a closed wooden casket covered with red flowers and ribbons and flanked by two heart-shaped bouquets of white roses with the words Rest in Power.

The music didnt drown out sobs that could be heard from the audience. One woman sang Beyonces 1+1: If I aint got nothing, I got you. If I aint got something, I dont give a damn, cause I got it with you.

Clarks cousin shared a poem, his voice quivering as tears streamed down his face.

They thought they had the robber because hes a black man too, his cousin said. Twenty times in his back as he tried to get inside. By the time they realized, they froze and let him die. Why?

That smile will never fade away, he added, as he hung his head.

SteVante Clark said he wants the city to build a library and resource center in his brothers name.

Stephon is going to live for generations, for generations, for generations, SteVante Clark said. The Clark family will never die.

Clarks death has ignited days of protests across Sacramento, with protesters shutting down major streets and a freeway last week and a Sacramento City Council meeting on Wednesday, and disrupting two of the Sacramento Kings past four basketball games in Golden One Center.

Hours after the funeral on Thursday, protesters marched through Sacramento streets for more than three hours. They shut down major intersections during rush-hour traffic, causing anger among some drivers who pleaded to be let through, and support among others who got out of their cars to hold protest signs or chant Clarks name.

The peaceful protest of about 100 demonstrators began and ended outside the office of Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, whom protesters want to indict the officers.

The Kings announced Thursday morning the creation of an education fund for Clarks two sons, in partnership with Build. Black. Coalition., which includes Black Lives Matter as a member.

Im extremely angry, said Jazzenna Davis of Sacramento, who stood in line and planned to attend the protests later that day, as she had in the days leading up to the funeral.

Few veteran reporters could recall a time in recent decades when so many national media outlets had descended on Sacramento.

Before the funeral, hundreds of people waited to be let into the church. Dozens of people were turned away when the church reached capacity.

Some of the people in line said they wanted to believe there would be change, that their voices would be heard. But many remained angry.

I have a lot of feelings right now, said Steven Ash, 28, a friend of Clarks. We deserve justice and peace in our communities. Police take an oath. When they violate that oath, they have to serve the consequences like we do.

On Tuesday, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that the state Justice Department has joined the Sacramento police investigation into Clarks death and will review practices in the department, including when to engage in a foot pursuit and policies regarding muting body cameras. The officers who shot Clark muted their microphones on body-camera footage released by the department, which raised suspicions in the community.

Clark was shot at 20 times by the two Sacramento police officers who were responding to reports of a suspect breaking into vehicles. The coroner has not said how many times Clark was struck by bullets.

The officers said they believed Clark had a gun when they shot him in the dark backyard of his grandmothers house around 9 p.m. Police said they found a cell phone next to Clark, not a weapon. His family called for the officers to be charged with murder.

Im still in turmoil, said Darnell Canfield of Sacramento, outside the funeral. Im in fear. Im in fear for my son and thankful he isnt as dark as me.
Limavady based manufacturing firm, FastHouse, has been awarded a major contract for the manufacture and installation of 470 holiday lodges at the eagerly-awaited Center Parcs Longford Forest in Ballymahon.

FastHouses Installation Teams have already commenced work on the 10-month build programme at the 400-acre Center Parcs Longford Forest site in Ballymahon. It is set to open in 2019.

It was awarded the deal by Irelands largest building company, John Sisk & Son, which is the main contractor of the 233m project.

Sisk will oversee the construction of the lodges, 30 apartments and the state-of-the-art centre buildings (including the iconic Center Parcs Subtropical Swimming Paradise, restaurants, bars and shops).

Stephen Bell, Managing Director of FastHouse, said the company was delighted to have this opportunity to be part of the construction of the first Center Parcs in Ireland.

This is an exciting project to be part of and marks FastHouses first major step into the Irish market, he added.

We have already completed numerous housing projects throughout Northern Ireland and England over the past 15 months and Ireland will now be a core market for the Company across our modular housing and leisure lodge products.

FastHouse manufactures modular open and closed panel timber frame systems for the construction industry.

Its highly automated manufacturing facility extends to 200,000 sq ft with FastHouses closed panel product its primary focus for the housing market.

FastHouses rapid build system means it can construct a set of semi-detached homes to weathertight stage in just two days.

Brian Kennedy, Sisk Project Director, added: Following a detailed procurement process Sisk are delighted to award the timber frame package to Fast House. We are looking forward to working together to deliver this exciting project.

The contract win represents the culmination of a very successful 12 months for FastHouse.

In March 2017, the company completed its first high profile project  the manufacture and installation of 14 holiday lodges at the award-winning Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Spa in Enniskillen.

Following that its production lines were utilised for a number of Northern Ireland and UK house-building contracts. Such has been the growth of the company, it has installed its third production line leading to a further recruitment drive to coincide with the introduction of a second manufacturing shift.

By April the business will hire 30 additional staff to bolster its current team of 60.

ALSO READ:

Judge says Center Parcs Longford Forest is 'a fantastic development'
Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 29 2018

Illicit callers are seeking personal information and identification; NCDOH does not call residents asking for this type of information.

Nassau County, NY - March 29, 2018 - The Nassau County Department of Health has released the following alert to residents about a potential phone scam:

Please be informed that the main telephone number to the Nassau County Department of Health (Information & Referral 227-9697) has been spoofed. Calls are going out to the public which reflect the DOHs main I&R number, although they are not the ones making the calls. NCDOH has informed Nassau County Department of Information & Technology and Nassau County Police of this scam.

The Nassau County Department of Health has been made aware that these illicit callers are seeking personal information and identification. NCDOH does not call residents asking for this type of information.

Most residents are telling us that the callers claim to be representatives from Health Insurance Companies.

This information is being provided to residents to make them aware of these ongoing scams. If you believe you may have been a victim of any of these scams, please call 911 immediately.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 29 2018

Christopher Chierchio and Anthony Milohnic Charged with Felony Donnelly Act Violations.

New York, NY - March 29, 2018 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the arrest and Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the arrest and indictment of Christopher Chierchio and Anthony Milohnic for their role in a bid-rigging scheme  a class E felony  in which they allegedly colluded to ensure a lack of competition for the plumbing, sprinkler, and HVAC bids for a new luxury residential building at 613 Baltic Street in Brooklyn. Chierchio is also charged with Criminal Tax Fraud  a class C felony  for his alleged evasion of $94,094 of personal income taxes owed since April 2016.

We have zero tolerance for crooks who try to game the system to line their pockets, said Attorney General Schneiderman. We'll continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to crack down on bid-rigging, tax fraud, and all other forms of corruption.

These arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by Attorney General Schneidermans Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), in collaboration with the New York City Police Departments Criminal Enterprise Investigations Section (NYPD-CEIS), the New York City Department of Investigations (DOI), the United States Department of Labor - Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. That investigation included the scrutiny of intercepted communications from court-authorized wiretaps, the execution of search warrants, and the review of financial records. These indictments are an offshoot of a previous joint OCTF/NYPD investigation,  Operation Shark Bait , which resulted in the indictment and arrest of 13 defendants for Enterprise Corruption in Brooklyn.

DOI Commissioner Mark Peters said, Bid-rigging undercuts fairness and equality in the contracting process. DOI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to expose and stop this type of pernicious corruption.

According to the indictments, which were unsealed today in New York County Supreme Court, Christopher Chierchio, 49, of Staten Island, is charged with Agreement, Arrangement, or Combination in Restraint of Trade or Competition, in violation of the New York State Donnelly Act, as well as Criminal Tax Fraud in the Second Degree. If convicted of both counts, he faces up to 19 years in prison. Chierchio is a reputed soldier in the Genovese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra. Anthony Milohnic, 43, of North Merrick, was also charged with the Donnelly Act violation.

The tax indictment against Chierchio is a result of a joint investigation by OCTF and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finances Criminal Investigations Division.

The Attorney General would like to thank New York County District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. for his cooperation in this matter, and Kip Brailey, Tansey Brent, and John Yaros of the United States Department of Treasurys Financial Crimes and Enforcement Network (FinCEN) for their assistance throughout this investigation.

The charges against the defendants are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

OCTFs investigation was conducted by OCTF Investigator Derek Stevens, under the direction of Supervising Investigator Paul Grzegorski and Deputy Chief Christopher Vasta. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Dominick Zarrella. The NYPD portion of the investigation was directed by former NYPD Detective Vincent Imperato and Detectives Lori Aanonsen and Nicholas Lagano, working under the supervision of Lieutenant Edward Barry of CEIS, Captain John Dusanenko, Assistant Chief Brian McCarthy, and Deputy Inspector Dominick D'Orazio. The DOI portion of the investigation was directed by Special Investigator Dan Taylor, under the supervision of Chief Investigator James McElligot.
Tech & Science, Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 29 2018

Hacking Continues to Drive the Explosion of Data Breaches; 2017 Saw Exposure of Personal Records of 9.2 Million New Yorkers  Quadruple the 2016 Number.

New York, NY - March 29, 2018 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today released  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today released  Information Exposed: 2017 Data Breaches in New York State , documenting the record number of data breach notices filed with his office in 2017. In 2017, companies and other entities reported 1,583 data breaches to NYAG, exposing the personal records of 9.2 million New Yorkers  quadruple the number of New Yorkers impacted in 2016.

Attorney General Schneiderman announced that he would introduce legislation to require Facebook and other social media sites to notify his office and New York consumers when they learn that users personal data was obtained and misused in violation of the law or the platforms terms of service.

Attorney General Schneiderman also urged the State legislature to pass his Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act) , which was introduced by Attorney General Schneiderman last fall and would close major gaps in New Yorks data security laws. Under the SHIELD Act, companies would have a legal responsibility to adopt reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for sensitive data; the bill also would expand the types of data that trigger reporting requirements.

Data breaches can cause personal crises for New Yorkers every time they happen  driving down credit scores and destroying financial lives, said Attorney General Schneiderman. We saw a record number of data breaches in 2017, jeopardizing the personal information of 9.2 million New Yorkers. My office will continue to hold companies accountable for protecting the personal information they manage  but its also time for Albany to bring our laws into the 21st century and ensure that New Yorkers are not needlessly victimized by weak data security and criminal hackers.

As detailed in todays report, New Yorkers exposed information consisted overwhelmingly of social security numbers, accounting for 40% records exposed, followed by financial account information (such as credit card numbers), accounting for 33% of records exposed. Hacking was the leading cause of the data security breaches at 44%, with another 25% of breaches due to negligence. 2017 saw an increase of more than 23% in the total number of reported security breaches affecting New York residents from the previous year, and the number of New Yorkers who had their records exposed more than quadrupled from 2016, increasing by 7,691,025, largely due to the Equifax breach. In 2017, the exposure rate of New Yorkers personal information was the highest since NYAG started receiving data breach notices in 2006.

General Business Law  899-aa

In 2005, General Business Law  899-aa was added to New York State Business Law requiring any person or commercial entity conducting business in New York State to report a data security breach involving private information to the NYAG, among other state agencies. State Technology Law  208 also requires governmental entities to report breaches of private information. Private information is defined as including a consumers name in combination with a social security number, financial account information, or drivers license number. The reports must be timely and done without unreasonable delay.

Hacking & Negligence Continue As Main Causes of Data Breaches

In 2017, hacking accounted for over 44% of data security breaches, up from 40% in the previous year. It accounted for 94% of the total personal information exposed, largely as a result of the mega-breach at consumer reporting agency Equifax. (See Figures 1 and 2.) Employee negligence, which consists of a combination of inadvertent exposure of records, insider wrongdoing, and the loss of a device or media, accounted for 25% of reported breaches.

Social Security Numbers and Financial Account Information are Hackers Primary Targets

Social security numbers and financial account information represented the information most frequently exposed in 2017, accounting together for 73% of breaches. Social security numbers were exposed in 40% of reported breaches and financial account information accounted for 33% of total breaches in 2017. (See Figures 3 and 4.) While the percentages for the other categories of exposed information are not as high, some still account for a sizable percentage of total personal records exposed; for instance, drivers license numbers figured in 9% of reported breaches. (See Figure 4.)

Two Mega-breaches in 2017

There were two mega-breaches (a breach that affects over 100,000 New Yorkers) in 2017. Most notably, the breach at consumer reporting agency Equifax, which compromised the social security numbers of over 145 million people in the United States, including 8,447,840 in New York. Intruders accessed the Equifax computer system after the company failed to patch a known vulnerability in its web application software. The next most voluminous breach was at Gamestop, discovered by the company on April 18, 2017, in which over 111,000 New Yorkers had their financial information exposed to hackers.

Additionally, over 30,000 New Yorkers had their financial information exposed after large breaches at the Online Traffic School, Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Spiraledge, Inc. Eleven more breaches that compromised between 10,000 and 30,000 New Yorkers personal information were reported in 2017. Following those, the most common breaches compromised relatively fewer numbers of New Yorkers personal information.

More Breach Events Affect a Small Number of Consumers Rather than a Large Number of Consumers

In 2017, the majority of breaches affected only one to nine people per breach, with about two-thirds of breaches affecting under 100 people per breach. Compared to 2016, in 2017 there were 55 more breaches that affected just one personal record and 83 more that affected between two and ten personal records. Thus, while the record number of records exposed in 2017 was a result of one large mega-breach at a multinational company (i.e., Equifax), it is clear that breaches come in all sizes, and no organization is exempt from the risk of a data breach.

This Report Echoes Trends Identified in Prior Reports

In 2016, NYAG reported a record 1,281 data breaches notices, representing a 60% increase over the 2015 reporting year. The 2016 breaches exposed the personal records of 1.6 million New Yorkers, representing a threefold increase over the prior year. The 2017 breaches shattered those records. There were also a higher number of breaches affecting smaller amounts of people than in 2016. In 2014, NYAG issued a comprehensive report entitled,  Information Exposed: Historical Examination of Data Security in New York State . The 2014 report analyzed the data breach reports the office received between 2006 to 2013 and how they impacted New Yorkers.

The Attorney Generals Office recommends that organizations follow these simple steps to help protect sensitive personal information against unauthorized disclosures:

Understand Where Your Business Stands: The first step toward an effective data security policy is to understand what information your business requires for its operation, what data has already been collected and stored, how long the data is needed, and what steps have been taken to ensure security. Organizations should review how sensitive data is acquired, how sensitive information is being shared with third parties, and what access controls are in place.

Identify and Minimize Data Collection Practices: Put simply, data that does not exist cannot be stolen or lost. Collect only information that you need, store it only for the minimum time that you need it, and deploy data minimization tactics wherever possible. For example, if your company uses a point-of-sale system, ensure that expiration dates are not stored with credit card numbers. Reduce the use of highly sensitive data points, such as social security numbers, unless absolutely necessary, and minimize the length of retention for such data. Delete any information you no longer need.

Create an Information Security Plan That Includes Encryption: Creating a comprehensive Information Security Plan is a necessary endeavor. Studies show that entities with an effective plan will articulate not only technical standards, but will incorporate training, awareness, and detailed procedural steps in the event of data breaches. Encryption of sensitive information should be an element of any plan. Read more about what a comprehensive security plan should include in NYAGs 2014 report

Implement an Information Security Plan: Successful implementation of a thoughtfully designed plan can be one of the most effective ways to minimize the risk of a data breach. Elements to consider when implementing a plan include ensuring employees are aware of the plan and conducting regular reviews to ensure the plan continues to conform with evolving best practices.

Take Immediate Action in the Event of a Breach: Remember to investigate all security incidents immediately and thoroughly. In the event of a breach, the law may require you to notify consumers, law enforcement, state Attorneys General, credit bureaus, and other businesses.

Offer Mitigation Products in the Event of a Breach: While not required by law, New Yorkers affected by a data breach should be provided with mitigation services for free. These include credit monitoring, which provides alerts whenever an application for new credit is submitted to a consumer credit reporting agency, and a security freeze, which blocks new credit accounts. The cost of clearing up the consequences of identity theft can easily reach into the thousands of dollars and require hundreds of hours attending to administrative burdens.

The Attorney Generals Office suggests that consumers guard against threats in the following ways:

Create Strong Passwords for Online Accounts and Update Them Frequently. Use different passwords for different accounts, especially for websites where you have disseminated sensitive information, such as credit card or Social Security numbers.

Carefully Monitor Credit Card and Debit Card Statements Each Month. If you find any abnormal transactions, contact your bank or credit card agency immediately.

Do Not Write Down or Store Passwords Electronically. If you do, be extremely careful of where you store passwords. Be aware that any passwords stored electronically (such as in a word processing document or cell phones notepad) can be easily stolen and provide fraudsters with one-stop shopping for all your sensitive information. If you hand-write passwords, do not store them in plain sight.

Do Not Post Any Sensitive Information on Social Media. Information such as birthdays, addresses, and phone numbers can be used by fraudsters to authenticate account information. Practice data minimization techniques. Dont overshare.

Always Be Aware of the Current Threat Landscape. Stay up to date on media reports of data security breaches and consumer advisories.

The Attorney Generals Office recommends taking the following steps if you believe you have been victimized by a data security breach:

User Names and Passwords: Change user names and passwords immediately on the relevant account and monitor the account for unusual activity. If you use the same user name or password on other accounts, change those as well.

Credit Card Numbers: For breaches involving credit card numbers, social security numbers, and other sensitive numbers, create an Identity Theft Report by filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and printing your Identity Theft Affidavit. You can call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 or complete the form online here . Use the Identity Theft Affidavit to file a police report and create your Identity Theft Report. An Identity Theft Report will help you deal with credit reporting companies, debt collectors, and any fraudulent accounts that the identity thief opened in your name. You may also want to put a fraud alert and/or security freeze on your credit report by notifying each of the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian). A security freeze is the strongest protection for your credit and remains on your credit file until you remove it or choose to lift it temporarily when applying for credit services.

The number of data breach notices the Attorney General received last year confirms that New Yorkers are at risk. It is clear that we must update our data security laws to protect people's personal information. As the Chair of the Senate Consumer Protection Committee, I want to thank Attorney General Schneiderman for educating the public about this important issue, and we will continue to advocate for legislation that keeps New Yorkers safe from data breaches, said State Senator David Carlucci.

The massive data breaches which impacted more than half of all adult New Yorkers last year alone serve as an ongoing reminder that any of us could become a victim of identity theft at any time, said Laura J. Ehrich, Associate State Director, AARP New York. AARP applauds Attorney General Schneiderman for continuing to push his proactive SHIELD ACT legislation to protect our personal information from would-be thieves who could literally ruin our lives. We thank Senator Carlucci and Assemblyman Titone for sponsoring this bill. Now as always, we urge everyone to take advantage of AARPs Fraud Watch Network for practical information and tips on how to protect yourself.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 29 2018

Legislation Directing the Office of General Services to Install and Maintain Plaque Signed into Law Last Year.

Albany, NY - March 29, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the unveiling of a plaque in the New York State Capitol that honors Samuel J. Abbott, a Civil War veteran who lost his life while serving as a night watchman during the Capitol fire of 1911. Last year, Governor Cuomo signed legislation sponsored by state Senator Catharine Young and Assemblymember Patricia Fahy that Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the unveiling of a plaque in the New York State Capitol that honors Samuel J. Abbott, a Civil War veteran who lost his life while serving as a night watchman during the Capitol fire of 1911. Last year, Governor Cuomo signed legislation sponsored by state Senator Catharine Young and Assemblymember Patricia Fahy that directed the Office of General Services to install and maintain the plaque.

"Samuel J. Abbott served this nation and this state with honor and his tragic passing was a significant moment in the history of this building," Governor Cuomo said. "With this marker, we will help ensure that his contributions and his memory will not be forgotten."

OGS Commissioner RoAnn Destito said, "We at the Office of General Services are pleased to recognize Samuel J. Abbott's service and his sacrifice with the placement of a commemorative plaque in New York's statehouse. As the caretakers of New York State's Capitol, we have a great deal of appreciation for the women and men who are dedicated, just as Mr. Abbott was, to keeping safe and secure this grand, historic building that has served as our seat of government since the 1880s. I encourage everyone to visit and take a tour of the Capitol to see the plaque installed in Mr. Abbott's honor."

Senator Catharine Young said, "Samuel Abbott was a decorated Civil War veteran and dedicated public servant who tragically lost his life in the catastrophic fire that swept through the Capitol on March 29, 1911. Legend has it that he delayed his exit from the fiery hallways to ensure that no others were trapped, closing doors behind him along the way to slow the fire's advance. Those selfless actions sadly cost him his life as he was overcome by deadly smoke before he could reach safety. With this plaque, we etch his place in the history of this devastating event and justly pay tribute to his memory and sacrifice."

Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, "Samuel Abbott's service to his country and to New York State merits his recognition in the Capitol. Over 100 years ago, his heroic actions saved the lives of many public servants. The sole casualty of the Great Fire of 1911, Abbott was dedicated to his job as a night watchman and spent many years in service to the Capitol. I am proud to have sponsored legislation in the Assembly to permanently memorialize Samuel Abbott's heroism with a plaque near his post in the Capitol."

Senator Neil D. Breslin said, "Samuel J. Abbott was an exemplary serviceman. I applaud Commissioner Destito and the Office of General Services for taking the 107th anniversary of the Capitol fire as an opportunity to commemorate the night watchman as a treasured piece of our State Capitol's rich history."

Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said, "I am glad to see this long overdue honor bestowed upon Samuel Abbott who sacrificed his life in the New York State Capitol Great Fire of 1911 attempting to preserve the records he was tasked with protecting. Thank you to Assemblymember Patricia Fahy and the Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito for spearheading this effort and recognizing this distinguished public servant and for this fitting tribute to his service."

Abbott was born in 1833 in Syracuse. During the Civil War, he achieved the rank of first lieutenant in the 12th New York State Volunteer Infantry. In 1895, he was hired as a watchman at the New York State Library, then housed in the Capitol, where he patrolled the three floors of the Capitol devoted to the library from approximately 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

On March 29, 1911, when Abbott was 78 years old and walked with the aid of a cane, the Capitol fire began around 2:15 a.m. It took many hours for firefighters using horse-drawn pumpers to bring the blaze under control. Abbott was reported missing, and it wasn't until two days later that his remains were found in a fourth-floor corridor. He had almost made it to safety but was overcome by the smoke and flames. His silver-headed cane was discovered a few feet away.

Abbott's funeral took place at St. Peter's Church in Albany, with Governor John Alden Dix in attendance. Abbott was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, alongside his wife Jennie, who had died just two months prior.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 29 2018

Richard Scheffler, 26, was charged with violating County Code regulating the sale of E-Cigarettes.

SCPD have arrested Richard Scheffler of Calverton, 26, for allegedly selling vaping products to minors.

Islip, NY - March 29, 2018 - Suffolk County Police have arrested a man for selling vaping products including e-nicotine to a person under the age of 21 years-old at a business in Suffolk County Police have arrested a man for selling vaping products including e-nicotine to a person under the age of 21 years-old at a business in Islip

In response to community complaints, Third Precinct Crime Section officers, with the assistance of the Islip Town Fire Marshal, conducted an investigation into the sale of e-liquid nicotine. Four locations were checked for compliance.

Richard Scheffler, 26, of Calverton , employed at Vintage Vapors 568 Main Street, was arrested and charged with violating the Suffolk County Code regulating the sale of E-Cigarettes, which included liquid e-nicotine:

The following business complied, and refused the sale of e-liquid nicotine to minors:

House of Glass, 777 Udall Road, West Islip

Vape Xscape, 116 West Main Street, Bay Shore

Shamrock Gas Station, 645 East Main Street, Bay Shore

Scheffler is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.
Auris Health, based in Redwood City, California, is showing off its brand new Monarch Platform for robotic, accurate endoscopic navigation through the lungs. The Monarch helps physicians to reach more places within the lungs and find smaller lesions, potentially providing a more accurate diagnosis of the presence of lung cancer. The potential for the technology includes delivery of therapy as well as aiding with diagnosis.

The flexible, motor powered endoscope is controlled by a joystick that anyone with experience playing console video games should be immediately comfortable with. Imagery from previously gathered CT scans is combined with video from the endoscope to give the physician a contextual understanding of where the tip of the device is located.

The company believes that being able to reach into the periphery of the lungs can help to spot nodules that are typically missed these days.

Heres a promo video for the Monarch system followed by a silent animation showing how it works:

Product page: Monarch Platform

Via: Auris Health
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 28, 2018

Siding with Google, a federal judge has dismissed Prager University's lawsuit accusing the web company of discriminating against conservative clips on YouTube.

U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh ruled this week that because Google is a private business, as opposed to a government entity, it can decide how to treat content on its platform.

Prager alleged in a lawsuit filed last year that Google wrongly applied its "restricted mode" filter to the school's videos, effectively making them unavailable to some students and library patrons. Prager also alleged that Google "demonetized" some conservative videos, like a clip that posed the question "Pakistan: Can Sharia and Freedom Coexist?"

Prager argued that these steps by Google violated the school's First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

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Google countered that the First Amendment prohibits the government from censoring speech, but doesn't prevent private companies from deciding how to treat content. "If the First Amendment actually bound private online service providers as it binds the government, those providers would be significantly constrained in their ability to act even against highly offensive or objectionable content," Google argued in a motion asking Koh to dismiss the lawsuit.

Koh rejected Prager's arguments, writing that Google and YouTube are not "state actors that must regulate the content on their privately created website in accordance with the strictures of the First Amendment."

Judges have ruled in other cases that Google, Facebook and other web companies have the right to decide how to treat content on their platforms. Last year,the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to revive a lawsuit against Facebook by the group Sikhs for Justice. That organization alleged that its content was blocked by Facebook in India.

In another example, a federal judge in Florida recently sided with Google in a lawsuit brought by search engine optimization company e-ventures Worldwide, which claimed its sites were wrongly removed from search results. The judge said in that case that Google has a free speech right to decide which search results to display.

Koh's dismissal was without prejudice, meaning that Prager can attempt to rework its complaint and bring it again.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 28, 2018

The digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation and other advocates are asking a federal appellate court to reconsider its recent ruling that online video clipping service TVEyes isn't protected by "fair use" principles.

The ruling "undermined a central purpose of fair use," the groups say in a friend-of-the-court brief filed this week with the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

The battle between Fox and TVEyes dates to 2013, when Fox alleged in a lawsuit that TVEyes infringed copyright with its $500-a-month online monitoring service, which is used by journalists, the White House, politicians and the U.S. military, among others. TVEyes records and indexes news programs from 1,400 stations, and allows subscribers to search for news clips by keywords and access portions of the shows.

TVEyes countered that it was protected by fair use principles, arguing that its service is "transformative" -- offering users the ability to analyze companies' approach to the news.

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The appeals panel sided with Fox, ruling that the broadcaster was entitled to an injunction prohibiting TVEyes from offering clients video clips from Fox's news programs. "At bottom, TVEyes is unlawfully profiting off the work of others by commercially re-distributing all of that work that a viewer wishes to use, without payment or license," the judges wrote last month.

The panel specifically found that TVEyes harmed Fox's ability to monetize its content. The judges wrote in the opinion that TVEyes' success demonstrates that the service "displaces potential Fox revenues."

TVEyes recently asked a larger panel of 2nd Circuit judges to reconsider that ruling.

The EFF and others, including the groups Fairness & Accuracy and Organization of Transformative Works, are back TVEyes' request. The groups argue that the panel didn't take into account that Fox News doesn't allow people who license clips to engage in criticism.

The appellate panel "ignored the undisputed fact that the licensing market it relied on is one that Fox is explicitly unwilling to serve: the market for critical uses of Foxs content," the EFF and others write. "In so doing, the panel undermined a central purpose of fair use by foreclosing, rather than enabling, use for criticism and commentary."

The EFF and others add that the ruling was "simplistic and circular," arguing that the decision "conflates TVEyes commercial success with harm to Foxs potential licensing market."

The high-profile battle between Fox News and TVEyes has drawn a great deal of outside interest from outside groups, including other groups representing broadcasters and journalists. Two years ago, the National Association of Broadcasters, CNN, Hearst American Society of Journalists and others urged the appellate court to rule in favor of Fox News.

CNN and others argued that TVEyes "unlawfully misappropriates" the market for short video clips, while ASJA said the company was a "low-level plagiarist" that "imposes a huge economic impact on those who investigate and report the news."
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, March 29, 2018

Huge, one of Interpublics big digital shops, confirmed today that Michael Koziol is stepping up to the role of global CEO -- succeeding Aaron Shapiro, who is departing in May for an undisclosed new venture.

Shapiro, a co-founder of the agency, has led it for the last 13 years. Sources said the pending departure was a decision arrived at mutually by the holding company and Shapiro.

Koziol joined the firm five years ago and co-founded the agencys Atlanta office, which the shop says grew quickly to become the networks second-largest office. Its a major hub for retail and industrial design and digital-physical innovation.

Last year Koziol was named president, international, overseeing the agencys offices in Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. He also continued to lead Atlanta.

Huge is a major success story for our clients and for IPG, stated IPG CEO Michael Roth. Over the last 13 years, the agency has grown from a small start-up to a 1,500-person, 12-office global organization. This trajectory is due in large part to Aarons vision and his ability to build a forward-thinking organization.

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Roth also credited Koziol with building out the agencys most successful new offerings and offices, while delivering exceptional work for clients.

Koziol will be relocating to Huges Brooklyn, New York headquarters.
by Sara Guaglione , March 29, 2018

Digital publisher Render Media is the most recent victim of Facebooks algorithm changes.

The owner of recipe video publisher Cooking Panda and news and politics site Opposing Views is shutting down, blaming changes on Facebooks branded content guidelines as a reason for its shuttering, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news.

Other casualties of Facebooks changes for publishers include women's-lifestyle site Little Things (which reported Facebook's news feed change had caused its traffic to plummet by 75%) and conservative site Rare.

Millennial-focused publisher Thought Catalogannounced this month that it had laid off a handful of staffers following Facebooks recent algorithm tweaks, as well.

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The combined impact of several recent events have severely restricted Renders cash flow and its ability to sustain its business, Render Media wrote in the note to clients. We are working with our lender as we attempt to wind down Renders operations. We are aware that we have outstanding amounts owed to you, and we working to maximize the remaining value of the business.

A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles-based company told the WSJ that Facebooks recent news feed algorithm change contributed to the decision to shut down the company, but was not the only factor. In September, Render Media CEO Vic Belonogoff said 20% of the companys business came from branded content.

Render Media has collaborated and created video content for brands such as Bumble Bee Seafoods and Dunkin Donuts. Render Media was operating with less than 50 employees at the time and was planning to expand into OTT programming.

Last August, Render Media started distributing its content on Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Apple TV and Samsung TV. It was planning to launch 15 different original shows this year.

The company stated to the WSJ that "a final date for the wind-down has not been set. We expect the properties will continue." It did not give many details on whether it would sell its brands.

In 2016, Render Media was named the second-fastest-growing media company in America by Inc. But in February, the companys sites drew 8.1 million unique viewers, a 68% decrease compared to the same month a year ago, according to comScore data cited by WSJ.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 29, 2018

The American Civil Liberties Union is calling for cities and towns to ensure net neutrality and broadband privacy by building their own networks.

"Internet service is necessary for engaging meaningfully with society: to become educated, to participate in political and professional communities, and to seek help and companionship from those with similar interests or problems," the civil rights group says in a new report, "The Public Internet Option," released Thursday. "Most importantly, perhaps, it is the primary medium for exercising our constitutionally protected rights to seek and share information."

The report comes after national net neutrality rules, as well as privacy rules, were revoked. Three months ago, the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules that prohibited broadband providers from blocking or throttling online traffic and from charging companies higher fees for prioritized delivery. And last year, Congress repealed broadband privacy rules that required carriers to obtain users' opt-in consent before drawing on their web-browsing data for ad targeting.

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The ACLU argues that local governments should now effectively restore those rules by building municipal networks.

"Nothing the FCC has done prevents a city, county, or town from directing its own, municipally run service to honor strong network neutrality and privacy policies," the group writes. "If the commercial providers are determined to make money by violating the privacy and speech rights of their users, and if some policymakers in Washington are determined to clear the way for them to do that -- then states, cities, towns, and counties should take matters into their own hands by creating publicly owned services that do honor those values."

Although no federal laws prevent muni-broadband, around 20 states currently restrict towns from creating their own networks. The FCC attempted to invalidate those restrictions, but an appellate court ruled that the agency lacked the authority to do so.
by Ray Schultz , March 29, 2018

The Trump campaign has sent an email blast, lauding the Department of Commerces decision to include a citizenship question in the 2020 Census.

The subject line says: GOOD NEWS: We are asking about citizenship, according to media reports.

The fund-raising email asks supporters to sign a petition supporting the Presidents decision, and includes a link for doing so.

Blogger Frank Sharry of Americas Voice charges that the Trump campaign is seeking to stoke its base and raise money over the decision to add the citizenship question.

The email opens: Friend,

The people spoke.

The body copy states: President Trump has officially mandated that the 2020 United States Census ask people living in America whether or not they are citizens, adding that the sanctuary state of California is now SUING the Trump Administration to stop this commonsense order.

The email closes with: Its time to fight back. Its time to once again reclaim our voice in America.
by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, March 29, 2018

Looking to get closer to consumers and enable speedier response to trends in its far-flung markets, Mondelez International is moving away from its traditional, centralized marketing structure in favor of four regional consumer marketing officers reporting to a global CMO.

The company has named Martin Renaud, 50, to the global CMO role.

Renaud has nearly three decades of experience in marketing and general management positions in Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America. Most recently, he served as president, Fresh Dairy for Europe at Danone. He was also the companys executive sponsor of brands and digital, responsible for leading organizational design, capabilities, media and marketing services and digital. He will be based in Mondelez's East Hanover, New Jersey office.

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Renaud replaces Mondelez Internationals previous CMO, Dana Anderson, who left in April 2017 to become CMO of strategic advisory and business development firm MediaLink.

Investing in a new regional CMO model will not only bring deep expertise to our marketing practice, but also increase connection and collaboration between our global CMO, our P&L leaders and the global team, stated Chief Growth Officer Tim Cofer. This new structure will change the trajectory of our marketing function, enabling the company to drive growth by moving at the speed of our consumer.

Renauds extensive commercial, strategy and digital experience will be "a tremendous asset as we reinvent our marketing in a rapidly changing global consumer landscape, Cofer added.

The choices for the newly established regional CMO roles:

* For Mondelez's North American region, Jason Levine has been promoted from vice president, marketing, North America Biscuits, having served in various marketing roles at Mondelez over nearly two decades in the U.S., Europe and emerging markets.

* For Europe, Debora Koyama is joining Mondelez from AB-InBev, where she was global marketing vice president for Stella Artois and Craft. Koyama has 25 years of experience in various marketing leadership roles, working for AB-InBev, L'Oreal, Kraft Foods and Diageo, leading teams in the U.S., Brazil, Latin America, Europe and at global level.



* For Latin America, Maria Mujica is being promoted from her most recent position as Mondelez's director of strategy and communications, Latin America. Mujica, who has been with the company for more than 20 years, pioneered its Fly Garage, an innovation incubator aimed at piloting "breakthrough connections" between brands and consumers to drive growth.



* For Asia, Middle East and Africa, Mondelez has hired Mie-Leng Wong. Wongs 20 years of marketing experience has included leadership roles at Unilever and Heineken, at both global and regional levels across Europe and Asia Pacific.

The significant marketing reorganization comes at a challenging time for Mondelez  and all food CPG makers  as they scramble to adapt and jumpstart growth against the headwinds of consumers shift away from packaged goods, toward fresh, clean food and beverages.

Krafts profitability improved last year as a result of ongoing organizational streamlining and cost reductions, but its organic sales growth slowed to 0.9%, from 1.3% in fiscal 2016, as a result of a 2.4% decline in net sales in North America (sales increased in all other regions).

Some analysts have posited that Mondelez will be vulnerable to a takeover bid  possibly by Kraft Heinz  unless it steps up its growth, perhaps by acquiring companies with product profiles embraced by todays consumers. (Its time for Mondelez to eat or be eaten, Bloomberg columnist Sarah Halzack asserted last month.)

When Dirk Van de Put replaced longtime CEO Irene Rosenfeld last November, it was widely observed that, given the North American sales challenges, he was likely to focus on international, and emerging markets in particular  the regions presenting promising growth opportunities for Power Brands like Oreo, BelVita biscuits, Cadbury, Milka and Trident.

"We're taking a fresh approach  challinging existing thinking and exploring new ideas and ways to win," Van de Put said at last months Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference. More than ever, the consumer needs to be at the center of what we do. Today's consumers eat differently, shop differently and seek different experiences. Since consumers are changing fast, we have to be more nimble, innovative and forward-looking than ever before."
A new study offers yet more evidence that coffee is good for us, after finding that consuming more than three cups of joe every day may lower our risk of atherosclerosis, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.

Share on Pinterest Researchers suggest that drinking at least three cups of coffee daily may benefit the heart health of never-smokers.

If you simply cant face the day without your cup of joe, youre not alone.

In fact, more than half of us drink coffee daily, consuming an average of three cups.

Most of us enjoy coffee for a mental boost, but scientists find that there is much more to the beverage than meets the brain.

One study that Medical News Today covered last year, for example, tied coffee consumption to a 70 percent reduction in liver disease, while other research has linked the beverage to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.

The new study  which was recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association  further suggests that coffee may protect our heart health.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, the study reveals that drinking at least three cups of coffee every day may lower the risk of clogged arteries, or atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a condition caused by an accumulation of plaque in the arteries. This buildup can narrow the arteries and restrict blood flow, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.

Plaque comprises a number of substances found in the blood, one of which is calcium.

According to the study researchers  including Dirce M. Marchioni, of the University of Sao Paulos School of Public Health  few studies have investigated how coffee affects calcium buildup in the coronary arteries, and those that have looked at this association have produced inconsistent results.
LME snapshot at 03.32am London time Latest three-month LME Prices Price ($ per tonne) Change since yesterday's close ($) Copper 6,678 13 Aluminium 20,38.5 11.5 Lead 24,10.5 -14.5 Zinc 3,280 -4 Tin 20,805 -85 Nickel 13,040 -90

SHFE snapshot at 10.32am Shanghai time Most-traded SHFE contracts Price (yuan per tonne) Change since yesterday's close (yuan) Copper (May) 49,640 380 Aluminium (May)

13,845 105 Zinc (May)

24,790 -15 Lead (May)

18,640 -5 Tin (May) 140,780 90 Nickel (July)

96,770 170

Base metals traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly stronger during Asian morning trading on Thursday, with positive data from the United States overnight and a continued decline in geopolitical risk providing support.Check Metal Bulletin's live futures report here Chinese supply reform is expected to limit the countrys investments in new aluminium capacity, which combined with a ramp-up in demand growth could provide support to aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange, according to investment firm Cowen & Co.World manganese ore supply rose by almost 20% year on year in February , due to South African miners ramping up production in response to rallying prices.The US and South Korea have agreed on terms for a country exemption from the US' Section 232 steel tariffs that is to take effect on May 1, the US Trade Representative said in a statement on Wednesday March 28.The US bulk ferrous scrap export prices made strong gains in two cargo trades to emerging markets this past week, prompting East Coast exporters to raise dock buying prices ahead of what might be another upswing in domestic scrap pricing.A shortage of crude indium material is pushing prices higher , market participants have told Metal Bulletin.Tungsten miner W Resources has secured a development grant of 5.3 million ($6.58 million) for its La Parilla tungsten development in southwest Spain from the regional government, the Junta de Extremadura, it said on Wednesday.And finally, Metal Bulletin has collated the main talking points from its 19th Asian Ferro-Alloys conference in Hong Kong on March 20-22. Click here to see what people discussed at the conference.
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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Terens Quick, completed his stay in London with a visit to the Public Greek Junior High School/High School and participated in the events marking the Greek and Cypriot National Anniversaries, at the invitation of the National Federation of Cypriots of the United Kingdom, which hosted the co-celebration of Greeces national anniversary of 25 March 1821 and the anniversary of the start of Cyprus's struggle for liberation on 1 April 1955.



The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs was the keynote speaker at the main event, with the participation of Greek community organizations of London. The celebration included songs, dances, sketches and poems performed and recited by students from all grades of the Greek schools of London. During his visit to the school, he was taken on a tour of the classes and spoke with the children, many of whose parents left Greece as part of the brain drain. He also met with the teachers seconded from Greece, in order to note any observations they had.

Finally, Mr. Quick attended the gathering organized by the Greek Embassy in Britain on the occasion of Greek Independence Day. The gathering was also attended by Greek professional and community organizations.
The Foreign Ministers of Albania and Greece, Ditmir Bushati and Nikos Kotzias, met today in Tirana in the wake of intensive dialogue between the two countries to resolve bilateral issues.



The Ministers appraised the progress made since the meeting in January in Korca, that materialized in a number of positive developments already made public by the parties.



Bushati and Kotzias agreed on further steps to be taken in the coming months in view of advancing the process and finding well-accepted solutions to issues still under discussion. They paid special attention to the ongoing work on finalizing the Strategic Partnership Document in line with the will of the parties to strengthen the European dimension of Albanian - Greek relations.
The Minister of Foreign affairs, Nikos Kotzias, will travel to Tirana today, Thursday 29 March, to meet with his Albanian counterpart, Ditmir Bushati. The two Ministers will consider the next steps, in the context of the ongoing dialogue for the resolution of bilateral outstanding issues.

Following the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will depart for Vienna.
UPPER THUMB The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative last week survived a 90 percent budget cut proposed by the Trump administration.

The administration had supported cutting funding to the initiative this year from $300 million to $30 million. The previous year, the administration proposed eliminating the funding entirely, said Jordan Lubetkin, spokesperson for the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition.

However, Congress included full funding of the initiative in the spending bill it sent to President Donald J. Trump last week, which he then signed.

Priorities of the initiative include: Great Lakes cleanup; preventing and controlling invasive species, including Asian carp and phragmites; reducing nutrient runoff that contributes to harmful algal blooms; and restoring habitat to protect native species.

Lubetkin credited bipartisan efforts in Congress for preservation of the funding.

"Essentially, Congress rejected those cuts. The Great Lakes has tremendous support from Republican and Democratic members of Congress," he said.

In a time of gridlock and fierce partisanship, Lubetkin said interest in preserving the Great Lakes is an example of successful bipartisan efforts in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, is co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. She authored the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in 2010.

"This program, which has provided more than $600 million in funding to Michigan, is critical to cleaning up the Great Lakes, beaches, and waterways and fighting Asian carp," Stabenow stated in a press release. "More than 700,000 Michigan jobs, or one in five in the state, are tied to water."

U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell, a Dryden Republican representing the 10th district, which includes Huron, Tuscola, Sanilac, St. Clair, Lapeer and northern Macomb counties, said the following in an email to the Tribune:

"Since my election, I have fought to ensure the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is fully funded. The GLRI supports critical projects that improve water quality, combat invasive species, protect the Great Lakes ecosystem, and more. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle and I agree that our Great Lakes are a national treasure and must be protected. I am pleased our efforts resulted in full funding for the GLRI."

Water infrastructure, including wastewater treatment and drinking water initiatives are other important parts of the funding, which sponsors 3,500 to 4,000 projects throughout the Great Lakes Basin, Lubetkin said.

According to the organization's online map, the most recent local projects for the GLRI include:

 Facilitation of enhanced stakeholder engagement on Lake Huron: $99,857. Recipient: Keystone Center in 2014.

 Farm Bill programs for habitat and wildlife protection; reducing agriculture nonpoint source loading; terrestrial invasive species control: $67,739. Recipient: Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service in 2014.

 In the Pigeon-Wiscoggin watershed, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service implemented Farm Bill programs for habitat and wildlife protection; reducing agriculture nonpoint source loading; and terrestrial invasive species control: $1.23 million in 2013.

 Caseville Restoration project: $20,300. Recipient: Department of Defense-U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2013.

Huron County contains 90 miles of Lake Huron shoreline.
Submitted Photo

PIGEON  State Rep. Edward J. Canfield stopped by Laker Secondary Schools this week to speak with high school student council members and class representatives about the state legislative process and school safety.

Canfield said a great way to have one's voice heard is to call or write one's local state representative and/or senator  or even the governor. He said it's important for people to voice their concerns and ideas, even if the state legislature doesn't take action on the matter.
SANDUSKY -- National Farmers will host a one-day workshop for potential producers, and those operating up to ten years, interested in organic production.

The workshop is called "Farm Starts", and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 4 at DeMott's Westpark Inn in Sandusky.
SOUTHINGTON  Rishika Maitra of Middletown was chosen from among 50 young people to win a $4,000 scholarship at the Women of Innovation awards program banquet at the Aqua Turf Club Wednesday night.

Members of the Connecticut Technology Council selected 50 people as finalists for its 2018 awards program. The program celebrates and creates a growing network of women in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

STEM is close to my heart. I hope more young women will want to take up a math and science education, said the 18-year-old, whose first name means saintly in Hindu.

Finalists in eight categories included scientists, researchers, academics, manufacturers, student leaders, drafters, entrepreneurs and technicians who create tomorrows advancements through their efforts in Connecticut, according to the organizations website.

This high school senior at the Academy of Aerospace and Engineering in South Windsor competed against five other young women in her category of youth innovation and leadership.

Rishika Maitra said she was surprised and happy at winning the scholarship offered by Medtronic, a software company based in New Haven. She was accompanied by her mother, Sanchita, a high school computer teacher; her father, Subhajit, a computer scientist; and younger sister, Raima, a fifth-grade student at Lawrence School in Middletown.

The other five young women in the category (Youth, Innovation and Leadership) each received a $250 scholarship from Connecticut Technology Council.

Taylor Van Antwerp, Connecticut Technology Council manager of talent and workforce programs, said 165 women and girls were nominated by peers and colleagues. A CTC committee judging nominees by leadership, innovation and community service reduced the number to 50.

Rishika Maitra won support through competing and winning coding challenges in her school. This intern for Jackson Laboratory for Geonomic Medicine in Farmington  a position she earned by cold calling the lab  works under research scientists in a computational biology lab, determining the relationship between immune infiltration and cancer patient survival, she said.

To do this, she had to teach herself the programming language Python (used to create web applications and content). She travels by public transportation after school in Windsor to Farmington for her lab work.

Rishika Maitra, who has applied to three colleges, said she didnt want to disclose which ones until she heard back. She has an SAT score of 1550-1600, and also achieved 36, the highest possible ACT score (based on English, math, reading and science)  a factor used in college admission decisions.

Earlier this year, she was recognized as a 2018 National Center for Women & Information state award winner for aspirations in computing. She was also a national runner-up.

The teen, who also mentors younger girls to enter STEM fields, is senior member of her schools math team and editor of the school newspaper.

I originally wanted to become a doctor, then I became interested in computer science and biology, said the teen, who was born in the United States. Her parents were born and raised in India.

The high schooler is applying for a grant for a project that would interest middle school girls in computer science and technology. Outside of her STEM work, she also likes to play the piano and trumpet.

The evenings awards ceremony was emceed by longtime Women of Innovation supporter Diane Smith, media veteran and distinguished lecturer in the department of communication, film and media studies at the University of New Haven.

The awards gala featured a panel of Connecticuts leading women in STEM, who discussed their experiences in technology-centered careers and the unique opportunities they have found in Connecticut. The panel, Women in STEM: Leading Connecticut Through Innovation, included past Women of Innovation winners Radenka Maric, vice president for Research at the University of Connecticut; and Wendy Davis, founder and CEO of GestVision.

Over the 14 years that we have operated the Women of Innovation program, it has become clearer that Connecticut is unmistakably an excellent place for women to make significant professional, academic, and community achievements in technology fields, said Bruce Carlson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Technology Council.

There are many start-ups and growing companies alike who have women in senior leadership roles and who are driving value creation, Susan Froshauer, Yale University entrepreneur in residence, told the finalists.

Connecticut is an excellent home for women in bioscience and technology, she added.

Maitra said she one day hopes to join their ranks.

The Connecticut Technology Council is a statewide association of technology-oriented companies and institutions, providing leadership in areas of policy advocacy, community building, and assistance for growing companies since 1994, according to its mission.
Have you seen the sign for what's arguably the world's most talented handyman? If not, you may want to give Walt Boyden a call just to test out his skills yourself.

The Katy handyman works in home repair, offering siding and painting as part of his service. Brain surgery, dentistry, accounting and tarot card reading are other services he also advertises.

A SIGN: Funny signs find humor in Hurricane Harvey's havoc

"An undercover officer pulled up beside me on I-10 and he asked me, 'Do you really do brain surgery?' I said yeah, it's all the same old tools," Boyden said.

Boyden said he came up with the idea for the sign about a decade ago, when he noticed other handymen trying to work in other fields they weren't qualified for. He recalls landscaping businesses suddenly advertising they can repair roofs, even though they didn't have the expertise for it.

SNEAKY SIGN: Texas woman trolls Ted Cruz in posed photo with the senator

"A lot of people commented to me, 'these are screwing up roofs,'" Boyden said. "I said this is insane, I should go get my own sign."

Boyden said he decided to take his sign one step further, adding skills that he's obviously not qualified for.

"I like humor in all my stuff. My very first business card I got said, 'If you want it done right, call someone else,'" Boyden said.

Visit Boyden's website to learn more about him and his services.

Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com. Read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter.
EAST HAMPTON  What began as a routine budget public hearing Monday changed dramatically when the GOP majority unveiled a presentation that appeared to show the pay for certain teachers is on a par with those in some of the most affluent school districts in the state.

Republicans, who hold five of the seven seats on the Board of Finance, also signaled their intent to reduce the proposed budget in voting that is expected to take place Wednesday evening.

Some 60 residents, the majority of them education supporters based on their comments, attended the hearing in the middle school library/media center.

Speaker after speaker expressed support for sending the $31.17 million education budget through, without reductions, in order to let the voters decide.

They also warned of dire consequences  including, possibly, teacher layoffs  if the proposed budget increase was reduced.

Both sentiments have become a fixture in recent years during budget presentations.

One speaker, however, stood out in her comments.

Emma Cook, who identified herself as a senior at the high school, told the audience she had just that afternoon received notice of her acceptance for the fall semester at George Washington University.

That says a lot about what this school has done for me in four years, Cook said as members of the audience and the finance board followed her comments with enthusiastic applause.

Bob Hein, a substitute teacher, told the board, Its expensive teaching all these kids what they need to know. But, he said, Thats part of the cost of being an American citizen: We have to carry our weight.

We have to step up and bite the bullet, he said, urging the board to let the budget go the voters without any reductions.

As the public comment portion of the meeting ended, Finance Board Chairman Michael J. Rose said the panel would be failing in its responsibility if it did not examine and act on the budget.

We would not be doing our job if we just rubber stamped everything that is sent to us, Rose said. He added the boards Republicans had met over the weekend in a caucus.

With the assistance of Roses wife, who is also an attorney, he prepared a presentation drawing on data from ConnCAN, an education advocacy group headquartered in New Haven.

Rose said teachers at the very top end of the scale were making salaries similar to their colleagues in Greenwich and Sherman.

Data on ConnCANs website shows teachers in East Hampton with a doctorate max out at $90,307, while the state average is $91,199.

While the town is paying above the norm, we dont have an abnormal ability to pay, Rose said.

That is being borne out in a recently completed tax sale, which yielded $1.1 million. The people who can no longer afford to pay to keep their homes are our neighbors, the people we see in church, Rose said.

The status quo is unsustainable.

At the current rate of spending, the tax rate could top 44.5 mills by 2023. But, Were not going to let the mill rate get to 45, Rose insisted.

He concluded the presentation with a final warning:

The status quo is unsustainable, and changing course, while painful, is the only prudent option to prepare for the future by reducing the rate of growth in teacher/administrator contracts, containing health/energy costs, economizing in light of new realities, and working in concerted partnership with the BOF on budgets.

The board then began a review of the four major components of the overall $46.3 million budget: spending on education (which accounts for approximately 70 percent of the total budget), $10.7 million spending for town government, $3.3 million in debt service, and $1.1 million in capital expenditures.

We Republicans tend to be a bit more conservative, board member Janine Jiantonio said. We have a responsibility to everyone in town, and I do feel there are cuts that need to be made in (the) education budget.

Unless there are reductions, You will start driving people out of town and then you will start losing revenues, her colleague Layne McLennan said.

Rose proposed zeroing out the entire $20,000 sought for sidewalk repairs town-wide and eliminating the money for a new car for the police chief, instead keeping the current five-year-old car.

He also eyed reducing the towns 2018-19 share of the Seamster Park playscape replacement fund.

Town Manager Michael Maniscalco pointed out the public/private effort to buy a new playscape is proceeding in stages. He added the town is preparing to demolish the existing playscape.

Rose was unmoved, however. The elderly have to turn down the heat to pay for this, he said.

Rose and Vice Chairman Richard Brown proposed reducing school spending by some $500,000 from $1.1 million.

If the proposals are adopted, those reductions would shrink the projected increase in the tax rate from 33.38 mills down to 33.07 mills.

The board outlined something in the order of $621,000 in potential reductions, according to Director of Finance Jeffrey M. Jylkka.
What Is ISIS-K? Two Experts on the Group Behind the Kabul Airport Attack and its Rivalry with the Taliban

By 2018, the group had become one of the top four deadliest terrorist organizations in the world.
The number of munitions dropped by coalition aircraft in Iraq last week was the lowest since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in 2014, Air Force Brig. Gen. Andrew Croft said at a Pentagon briefing Tuesday.

Croft did not give statistics but said the low number of airstrikes, combined with the shift of air assets to the war in Afghanistan, is another indication that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is close to defeat, although remnants of the group retain footholds mostly in the lawless desert areas of the Iraq-Syria border region.

"It's an open desert with not a lot of population, and so ISIS has remnants or fragments out there," he said.

However, "Coalition airpower in support of the Iraqi Security Forces [ISF] has been extremely successful in the destruction of ISIS in Iraq," said Croft, the deputy air commander for OIR's Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command.

The success of the campaign has been such that airmen no longer needed for the ongoing training mission will be rotated out and sent back to the states, he said.

At one point in the video briefing from Baghdad to the Pentagon, Croft embellished on his initial assessment and said the air campaign had been "wildly successful," enabling the U.S. and coalition partners to focus more on training the Iraqi air wing to act independently with its own forward air controllers on the ground.

Croft, the primary adviser to the Iraqi air forces, said that in a live-fire training exercise earlier this month, Iraqi JTACs, or Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, for the first time successfully called in an airstrike from a coalition aircraft.

"Our goal [is] to make them better as a partner in mission areas such as border security, protection of critical infrastructure, and the ability to defeat violent extremist organizations," he said.

To that end, the coalition in February set up a Coalition Aviation Advisory and Training team, or CAAT, that will work with the Iraqi Air Force Academy, which re-opened in February, Croft said.

He said that about 350 U.S. service members will be involved in the CAAT, along with about 100 to 120 coalition members -- all of them from in-country.

"What we're doing is, instead of bringing people in, we repurpose current airmen that are doing jobs in support of the combat operations," Croft said. "And as those combat operations drop off, we repurpose those airmen into that -- into that training environment. Or if they're no longer required, we take them out of Iraq and send them home."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
U.S. Army training leaders said Wednesday the service plans to extend infantry training as part of an effort to make soldiers in close-combat units more lethal.

The Army will launch a pilot program at Fort Benning, Georgia, in July to study extending infantry one-station unit training, or OSUT, Brig. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commandant for the United States Army Infantry School, told an audience at the Association of the United States Army's Global Force Symposium.

"We want to increase the physical and mental toughness. We want to increase their capabilities so they will come out more qualified across the board on all the soldier skills and also be better prepared," Donahue said during a panel discussion on soldier lethality.

The Army has named soldier lethality as one of its six modernization priorities. The effort coincides with the recent launch of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' Close Combat Lethality Task Force.

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The Army team heading up the soldier lethality initiative is working on multiple projects, including training improvements and modernizing infantry squads with better weapons and more advanced technology.

Secretary of the Army Mark Esper on Monday said the Army is considering extending basic training.

The Army recently embarked on a redesign of Basic Combat Training. Recruits will go through a new Army BCT that adds new focus on discipline and identity with curriculum additions emphasizing military history increased training in areas including marksmanship, first aid, physical fitness and marksmanship.

As previously reported, Army Training and Doctrine Command officials have said theyre addressing a trend of soldiers newly out of basic training who demonstrate carelessness with equipment and appearance, a poor work ethic and failures in discipline.

Army leaders had considered extending the 10-week BCT, but "it was kind of hard to do that when you are growing the Army at the same time," said Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command.

"We also realized that we could probably look at the time we have available and maximize that, so we are doing that," he said.

Infantry OSUT, at 14 weeks long, "is one of the shortest initial entry training sequences we have in our Army," Townsend said. "We definitely need to extend that."

The Army is confident that the Close Combat Lethality Task Force will fund the extended training program for infantrymen, Donahue said.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
A commissary curbside grocery pickup service will not expand to new locations any time soon, despite an announcement last summer that it would do so, officials confirmed this week.

The service, known as Click2Go, is available at three commissaries in the U.S. -- Fort Lee, Virginia; Travis Air Force Base, California; and Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Begun as a pilot program in 2013, patrons order their groceries online, select a pick-up time, and retrieve them and pay from a specific pick-up area outside the store. The service is currently free.

Commissary officials early last July said they were developing a plan to expand the program and would announce new locations "soon." They also planned to add a fee for using the service, which they said "would be in line with grocery retailers."

But the Defense Commissary Agency is in the process of updating its business system, known as the Enterprise Business Solution. Completing that update, said Kevin Robinson, a commissary spokesman, is required before Click2Go expands. Any new location launch would also require the installation of a delivery area and call button adjacent to the store.

"We are taking strides toward eventual expansion," he said.

As of July 2017, Click2Go orders made up about 2 percent of total sales at the three locations where the service is available. But the average total order for each use was $150 -- about 60 percent higher than the average total transaction made inside the store, officials said at the time.

More recent information was not immediately available.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
Joseph V. Micallef is a best-selling military history and world affairs author, and keynote speaker.

On March 1, just weeks before a presidential election that would run him for an unprecedented fourth term as president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in a speech at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall, outlined what he described as six, new Russian super weapons that would alter the strategic balance of power in the world.

The premise of the speech was underscored by Putin's finish when he declared, "No one has listened to us ... so you listen to us now."

The speech came just a few weeks after the Trump Administration unveiled its National Defense Strategy in which Russia and China were singled out as near-peer rivals, indirectly lending credence to Putin's boast that Russia had returned to the ranks of the great powers. Predictably, Putin's March 1 speech precipitated an avalanche of articles in the Western media declaring a Russian military resurgence.

Is it possible that three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has in fact once again become a near-peer rival to the United States? What are these new super weapons that Putin unveiled? Are they real or are they a Potemkin illusion? What impact could they have on the strategic balance between Russia and the U.S.?

Russia's New Super Weapons

In his speech, Putin described six new weapons systems that he said Russia had started to deploy or would soon do so. These consisted of a cruise missile with a nuclear engine, since named Burevestnik -- Russian for the storm petrel, a seabird whose presence mariners believe foretells bad weather; the RS-28 Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile; a nuclear-tipped hypersonic boost-glide vehicle named Avangard; a nuclear-armed unmanned undersea drone since named Poseidon; a dual-purpose nuclear and conventional air-launched hypersonic cruise missile called Kinzhal, Russian for dagger; and a short-range directed-energy weapon since called Peresvet -- named for a 14th century warrior monk, Alexander Peresvet, venerated in the Russian Orthodox Church for his role in a battle against the Mongols.

These weapons systems are both strategic and tactical. They are a wish list of the kind of offensive capabilities that Russia would like to possess. As such, they speak volumes about the weapons Russia fears from the West and where it sees its own military vulnerabilities.

Ever since the Reagan "Star Wars" initiative, the U.S. has put considerable effort into developing an anti-missile defense system. To date, such systems have had limited success. They have been able to shoot down only about half the missiles they were tested against, and their reliability against an attack of ICBMs is in doubt.

Russia currently has approximately 1,700 nuclear warheads spread across about 500 ICBMs. The entire Russian arsenal of nuclear weapons, however, both deployed and non-deployed, is about 7,000 warheads. Some of those are in the process of being dismantled. At the peak of the Cold War, the Soviet Union had amassed a stockpile of about 45,000 nuclear weapons.

What Moscow fears is that continuing upgrades to the Aegis BMD system could give the U.S. a relatively low cost, rapidly deployable anti-missile shield. Technically, with the deployment of the SM3 Block IIA missile and future technical upgrades, Aegis could have the potential to protect the entire continental United States.

Russia does not yet have a reliable anti-missile defense system, nor is it likely to be able to afford the development and deployment of one. Should the U.S. succeed in developing an effective anti-missile shield, the mutually assured destruction that has underpinned the strategic balance between the two nations would be obsolete.

Moscow is well aware of that vulnerability, hence Putin's emphasis on showcasing hypersonic weapons systems like the boost-glide delivery vehicle, the hypersonic cruise missile, or the flight programmable nuclear-powered cruise missiles.

All these weapons are designed to overcome an anti-missile defense shield by deploying weapons with unpredictable, programmable flight paths or weapons capable of outrunning any anti-missile defenses by operating at speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 20.

In short, the message that Putin wanted to deliver was that even if the U.S. succeeds in deploying an anti-missile defense system, the next generation of Soviet missiles has already made that defensive shield obsolete.

The second set of weapons systems unveiled by Putin were tactical in nature, although some of the strategic weapons, like the nuclear-armed cruise missiles, could serve in a tactical role as well. Weapons systems like the Poseidon, nuclear-armed underwater drones or the Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missiles would be particularly useful against ships deployed at sea.

That's no coincidence, since a ship-based, anti-missile defense shield would have significant advantages for anti-missile defense. Such a system could be deployed where it was needed most and would have greater evasive capabilities than a land-based system. U.S. Navy ships don't, at the moment, have an effective defense against missiles traveling at such hypersonic speeds.

An additional advantage of hypersonic missile is that they dramatically shrink the window between actionable intelligence and an actual attack.

How Real Are They?

So how real are these weapons? Putin's speech was accompanied by dramatic computer-generated graphics that depicted simulated attacks. All of which were aimed at clearly American targets.

One segment showed nuclear-armed, hypersonic glide vehicles raining down on Florida. Another showed a nuclear-armed cruise missile crossing the Atlantic, going around Cape Horn at the tip of South America, and then proceeding across the South Pacific to attack Hawaii. For the complete speech, in Russian, including all of the computer-generated graphics, go here.

The Pentagon was quick to dismiss Putin's speech as old news, saying that most of the weapon systems he announced were not new and that the defense community was already aware of them. Likewise, it's unclear whether some of the video footage depicting the new weapons systems were actual functioning prototypes or simply mockups.

What is clear is that, barring a dramatic change in Moscow's finances, it is unlikely that Russia can afford the development and deployment of all these new weapons systems. At the very least, such deployment will likely come at the cost of slowing down the modernization of Russia's conventional military forces -- although a significant portion of that modernization has already been completed.

Russia's 21st Century Finances

Modern Russia may have inherited the military arsenal of the former Soviet Union, complete with a formidable force of nuclear-armed missiles, but it also inherited all the structural economic problems that plagued the USSR. Moreover, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the loss of Soviet control over the eastern bloc, left Russia with a much smaller population and industrial base.

In 1989, when the Soviet Union collapsed, its population was roughly 286 million. The U.S., by comparison, had a population of about 249 million. Since then, the U.S. population has grown to about 325 million, while that of Russia has fallen to about 143 million.

Comparisons of industrial production are difficult since they involve a large number of state-controlled enterprises that operated inefficiently. Between 50 percent and 60 percent of the industrial base of the USSR was retained by Russia. This does not include industry in the Communist bloc that the USSR could avail itself of.

A comparison of automobile production between the two countries can serve as a rough index of industrial capacity. In 2016, Russia produced about 1.3 million vehicles. The U.S. in comparison produced around 12.2 million vehicles.

In terms of GDP, in 1989 the Gross Domestic Product of the U.S. was $4.862 trillion, while that of the Soviet Union was $2.5 trillion. Per capita GDP was $19,800 versus $8,700.

By comparison, in 2016 Russia's GDP was $1.283 trillion, while that of the U.S. had grown to $18.62 trillion. Russian per capita GDP was roughly the same at $8,946, while that of the United States had increased to $57,608. Adjustments for purchasing power parity, however, would reduce the gap between the two countries.

At $1.283 trillion, Russia's GDP is smaller than Turkey's and just barely larger than the Philippines. Alternatively, it is slightly larger than the state of New York and slightly smaller than that of Texas. Russia may have inherited the military arsenal of a super power, but it is an economic dwarf on the world stage.

Moreover, its economy is heavily dependent on the extraction of raw materials, principally hydrocarbons. Roughly 70 percent of the Russian government's budget comes from the proceeds of its oil exports. Moscow needs oil prices to be between $65 and $75 a barrel in order to balance its budget, and it needs oil prices in excess of $100 per barrel in order to generate sufficient government revenues to fully fund its military expansion and modernization. Neither price threshold is likely in the short term.

The Kremlin's dilemma is that Russia's military aspirations are simply too big for its wallet. It may have a formidable military force, but that force requires maintenance to keep it effective and its technology has a life span. Most of it will be obsolete within one generation, all of it in less than two.

Legacy weapons systems can prove formidable against a tenacious but technologically unsophisticated adversary as Russia found out in Syria or the U.S. did in Afghanistan. But against a near-power rival, generation-old technology will quickly become obsolete.

Non-Military Offensive Capabilities

Russia cannot afford an arms race with the United States, any more than the Soviet Union could afford an arms race against the United States during the Reagan and Bush administrations. It certainly cannot afford to engage with the U.S. in building an anti-missile defense system.

Putin's new super weapons are designed to convince American policymakers that, with Russia's new capabilities, an anti-missile defense shield will be obsolete before it ever gets built.

That doesn't mean that those new weapons systems aren't real. They may be, even if they may still be some ways from being fully perfected, much less deployed. Nor does it mean that Moscow is not a formidable opponent. It is, and it will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

The Kremlin has done a brilliant job of developing a host of non-military offensive capabilities. It has formidable cyberwarfare capabilities. It has weaponized social media and turned it into a tool for creating social havoc. Who would have thought that, in the hands of the Kremlin, Facebook and Instagram could be turned into weapons of social mass destruction?

Likewise, notwithstanding the fact that the Russian military is a fraction of that of its Soviet predecessor, it has shown, in Syria for example, that against a militarily unsophisticated opponent, Russian military power can be a decisive game changer -- especially if that force is applied with little regard for collateral damage.

A Wasting Asset

What it does mean, however, is that the elements that constitute Russian military power are a wasting asset. Its rate of obsolescence will vary depending on the opponent that it is pitted against -- faster for a near-power rival, slower against a less militarily sophisticated opponent. But it is a wasting asset nonetheless; only the speed of its obsolescence is in question. The Russian economy simply does not have the wherewithal to maintain a 21st century military force.

A Russia fated for eventual decline will be a far more dangerous opponent than one that can maintain its status as a near-power rival. Realizing that its hand may be more constrained in the future may make Moscow more willing to take risks in the short term.

The choice that Russia had in the 1990s was to decide whether it wanted to join the Western international system headed by the U.S. and its allies or whether it wanted to maintain its post-world war II status as an alternative pole to that international system. Ultimately, Russia chose to maintain the veneer of a great power status, even though it lacked the economic wherewithal to sustain it over the long term.

The price of that decision was to deprive itself of the Western investment and trade that could have modernized the Russian economy and brought it fully into the 21st century and, in the process, given the Russian people a rising standard of living.

The comparison with the former Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe is telling. In 1989, Poland's GDP was around $70 billion and per capita GDP was around $6,000, about 75 percent of the Soviet equivalent. Three decades later, Polish GDP has grown to $470 billion and per capita GDP has increased to $15,049, almost double that of Russia.

Is a doubling of per capita GDP the price Russians paid for the road not taken? Is that the ultimate price of Putinism and Kremlin cronyism?

Students of Russian history are quick to point out that given Russia's large size, the inhospitable terrain, the lack of transportation infrastructure, indefensible borders and a legacy of repeated invasions, only an authoritarian strong man can maintain order and ensure that Russia does not fly apart.

The average Russian, they argue, prefers the order of a Putin-like strong man to the more democratic free-wheeling chaos of late Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

That may well be true. Regardless of whether Moscow's authoritarianism is an inevitable consequence of Russian geography, however, that authoritarianism need not contrapose itself as an alternative to the Western system of world order.

In trying to play what, in the long term, is an inherently weak hand, Putin and his Kremlin cronies have traded a short-term advantage for a long-term disadvantage and, in doing so, may well have relegated Russia to what Leon Trotsky called the dustbin of history.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
Rear Adm. Ronny L. Jackson, the personal physician to President Donald Trump, was not his first choice to replace fired VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin, the White House said Thursday.

"The president did have some early individuals that he was looking at but continuously went back to Dr. Jackson to fulfill this role as VA secretary," White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters told reporters.

She said Trump "ultimately decided that his [Jackson's] health care experience, his distinguished career in the medical profession, was something that would be beneficial at the VA."

Walters added that Trump "has full confidence in Admiral Jackson" to fulfill the demanding job at the Department of Veterans Affairs despite his lack of experience in running large organizations.

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Walters did not name the others who were considered to head the VA, but they reportedly included Toby Cosgrove, former head of the $8 billion Cleveland Clinic health care system, and Pete Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran of Iraq, former head of the advocacy group Concerned Veterans of America and co-host of the weekend "Fox & Friends" program.

Cosgrove, a Vietnam veteran, was among those invited in 2016 to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida to be interviewed for the VA post before Trump settled on Shulkin, a holdover from the Obama administration.

Others who were under consideration as VA secretary included former Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Florida, who had been chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee; retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg; Michael Kussman, a former VA undersecretary of health; and Leo Mackay Jr., a former VA deputy secretary who is now senior vice president at Lockheed Martin Corp., The Associated Press reported.

The surprise announcement of his nomination Wednesday afternoon, his status as a relative unknown on Capitol Hill, and the ongoing turmoil at the VA indicate Jackson will have little in the way of a honeymoon period if he is confirmed by the Senate.

Shulkin wasn't even out the door when Jackson faced a barrage of conflicting demands from the White House, Congress and the major Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs).

The immediate concern is the upcoming decision by the VA to award a contract that could run up to $10 billion and is aimed at finally giving the agency electronic health records. There are also the perennial disagreements on what to do about benefits, wait times, suicides, PTSD, corruption, caregivers and the crumbling infrastructure at VA hospitals.

However, at the top of Jackson's to-do list is reaching a final resolution on the extension and expansion of the Veterans Choice Program, which allows vets to opt for private health care.

Proponents, including Trump, see Choice as guaranteeing that vets get the best health care available; opponents, including the VSOs, see overreliance on Choice as threatening the core mission of VA as the primary provider and payer for the care of nine million vets annually.

In leaving, Shulkin sidestepped the scandal over his travel expenses. He portrayed himself as the victim of palace intrigues hatched by White House political appointees advocating the full "privatization" of VA health care.

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Shulkin wrote that the political appointees, at the White House and within the VA, "saw me as an obstacle to privatization who had to be removed."

"That is because I am convinced that privatization is a political issue aimed at rewarding select people and companies with profits, even if it undermines care for veterans," he said.

In testimony to the House Veterans Affairs Committee earlier this month, Shulkin warned that the Choice program could run out of money as early as June.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, had co-sponsored a bill that would have extended Choice while keeping the decision on whether vets could go to private doctors within the VA, but the bill was not included in the $1.3 billion omnibus spending package signed by Trump last week.

Isakson has pledged to renew his efforts on Choice when Congress returns after the Easter recess. In a statement Thursday, he also hinted at the conflicts with the White House by heaping praise on Shulkin and pointing to improvements at the VA in the past year.

Shulkin "has made a tremendous impact toward improving the lives of veterans," Isakson said. "He has been instrumental in all that we have accomplished in the last year, and I thank Dr. Shulkin for his dedicated service to our country and our veterans."

As for Jackson's nomination, Isakson said, "I look forward to meeting Admiral Jackson and learning more about him."

If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson, who has little administrative experience and none in running an organization such as the VA, could be expected to rely on the insider knowledge of the No. 2 at the agency, Deputy VA Secretary Thomas Bowman. The VA, the largest healthcare system in the United States, has 370,000 employees and a budget of nearly $200 billion.

However, Bowman, a retired Marine colonel and military attorney, has already been targeted for removal by Jake Leinenkugel, a former brewery company executive and now a senior White House adviser on veterans issues.

In December, Leinenkugel wrote in an email to Camilo Sandoval, a political appointee at the VA, that they should lobby for the ousters of both Shulkin and Bowman. The email was first reported by The Washington Post and later obtained by Military.com.

Isakson and the VSOs came to the defense of Bowman, a long-time former staffer on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

"Tom Bowman is a veteran and a patriot, a public servant and a good man," Isakson said in a statement. "If this is true, it will be a mistake, and I am deeply disappointed in the president. Veterans will suffer because of this decision if it's true."

The VSOs have partly blamed the moves against Shulkin and Bowman, and the efforts at privatization, on the work of the advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America, which is funded by the conservative Koch brothers organization.

In a statement, CVA's executive director, Dan Caldwell, said that Shulkin "made significant headway in reforming the department, but ultimately became a distraction from the important task of improving health care for our veterans."

Without mentioning Choice, Caldwell said, "Congress needs to continue work with the president to pass legislation that will give veterans more health care options and better access to care through the VA."

In a statement, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said of Choice that "much more work remains to improve the Veterans Choice Program and ensure our nation's heroes have access to the best possible services."

"Let me be very clear: none of us committed to reform wants to privatize care. We simply believe the VA must put the needs of veterans first, and ensure they receive timely, quality and uncompromised health care, whether that's in the VA or in the community," McCain said.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "I admire Dr. Jackson's service to the nation, but I don't know if he is the right person to lead the VA.

"One thing is clear -- the Trump administration seems to devolve further into turmoil by the day," Reed said. "I hope the level of dysfunction that has engulfed other parts of the administration does not impact the care that our veterans receive."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Despite a recent White House memo announcing the intent to ban most transgender people from military service, ongoing court cases are keeping the military in a holding pattern on the issue.

While Defense Department officials say nothing has changed or will change regarding transgender recruitment or retention until the courts decide, a debate continues to rage over just what the costs and implications are regarding allowing transgender troops to serve openly.

Several active-duty transgender troops, including an officer who advised the Pentagon's "panel of experts" on the matter, said the costs and risks are not as high as some have claimed.

"We will continue to access and retain" transgender individuals in compliance with the rulings of four federal courts despite directives from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis based on the recommendations of a thus-far secret Pentagon panel of experts, said Maj. Dave Eastburn, a Pentagon spokesman.

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Eastburn said two transgender individuals had been recruited under court orders to resume enlistments Jan. 1, and no transgender troops currently serving have been forced out pending a final resolution of the legal actions.

Active-duty Air Force Lt. Col. Bryan "Bree" Fram, a 15-year intelligence officer and astronautical engineer, was among nine transgender service members who met with the Pentagon's panel to make the case that they be allowed to continue to serve.

Fram described coming out to colleagues when then-Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in June 2016 directed that transgender troops could serve openly.

"One by one, they came up to me and said, 'It's an honor to serve with you,' " he said.

Fram said he told the Pentagon's panel of experts that the views he was expressing were his own and do not reflect those of the Air Force or the Defense Department.

He declined to give specifics but said, "If people are forced from the military, it would be incredibly unfortunate to be treated differently than any other American. I'm definitely hopeful that, at some point, legislative or judicial action will allow us to continue to serve."

In an article for the Spart*A advocacy group in response to the Pentagon's actions, Fram wrote that despite the proposed ban, "transgender service members will lace up their boots and go to work in service to this nation, just as they have done for their entire career.

"However, those same service members are faced with a reversal of policy that removes their opportunity to better themselves and tells them to leave the military or, if in a narrow segment, stay as a second-class citizen."

Fram took particular issue with the Pentagon study's assertion that transgender service members would be at greater risk of suicide due to mental stress over their sexual identities.

"As far as I am aware, there have been no known suicides of active-duty transgender service members since the policy change," he wrote, referring to the 2016 decision under Carter that permitted transgender troops to serve openly.

On Tuesday, for the second time in as many days, Mattis declined comment on an order announced late Friday night by the DoD and Trump. Advocacy groups claim that order would effectively ban transgender individuals from serving.

"I really don't want to go into that," Mattis said at an off-camera session with Pentagon reporters. "I'm not going to discuss transgender," he added, while court proceedings are underway.

On Monday, Mattis said the transgender directives from the DoD and the White House are part of the overall effort to "build the most lethal service."

But Matt Thorn, head of the OutServe-SLDN (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) advocacy group, said the proposals would have the opposite effect.

"This is a categorical ban" on transgender individuals serving in the military, Thorn said, and the result would be to "undermine our readiness and lethality."

Panel of Experts

In August, Trump renewed his call for a ban but said he would await the findings of a study ordered by Mattis from a panel of experts, including combat veterans.

The Justice Department has refused to name the experts, but a 46-page report on the panel's findings was issued by the office of Robert Wilkie, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

In a memo to Trump, Mattis said the study group "included the representatives of the service Secretaries and senior military officers, many with combat experience."

In a memo concurring with Mattis, Trump said the study group's recommendations on transgender service would also apply to the Coast Guard, which is under the Department of Homeland Security.

Trump said he agrees with Mattis that "transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria -- individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery -- are disqualified from military service except under limited circumstances."

Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria is generally described as the condition or feeling that one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female is the opposite of one's biological gender.

In his memo to Trump, Mattis also referenced gender dysphoria. He said the Obama administration had "adopted a policy that allowed for the accession and retention in the Armed Forces of transgender persons who had a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria. The policy also created a procedure by which such Service members could change their gender."

Mattis said, "There are substantial risks associated with allowing the accession and retention of individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria" who would "require, or have already undertaken, a course of treatment to change their gender."

Allowing transgender troops to continue to serve "could undermine readiness, disrupt unit cohesion, and impose an unreasonable burden on the military that is not conducive to military effectiveness and lethality," he wrote.

The Pentagon's study can be read here; Trump's memo to Mattis can be read here.

In a statement, Dr. Arthur Evans, head of the American Psychological Association, rejected the conclusions of the White House and Pentagon on gender dysphoria and the ability of transgender people to serve.

Evans said the APA "is alarmed by the administration's misuse of psychological science to stigmatize transgender Americans and justify limiting their ability to serve in uniform and access medically necessary health care."

"Substantial psychological research shows that gender dysphoria is a treatable condition, and does not, by itself, limit the ability of individuals to function well and excel in their work, including in military service," he said.

Medical Costs

One of the arguments against the service of transgender troops involves the medical costs of keeping them in the ranks. But Fram said the military currently spends about $80 million annually to treat erectile dysfunction, including about $40 million for Viagra.

"Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail," Trump said in his series of tweets last year.

However, an analysis by Military Times showed that total military spending on erectile dysfunction amounts to $84 million annually, or about 10 times the cost of the annual transition-related medical care for active-duty transgender service members.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Blake Dremann, a 12-year active-duty supply officer who underwent transition from female to male in the military, said that as a female he helped with the integration of women aboard submarines.

Dremann, now stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, served more than three years aboard the Ohio-class ballistic submarine Maine, and went on patrol five times. He was also among the transgender troops who met with the Pentagon's panel of experts.

Dremann, who made clear that the views he was expressing were his own and not those of the Navy, said he stressed that medical treatments for transgender service members would not impact readiness any more than a person being treated for a shoulder or a leg injury.

During his own transition from female to male, Dremann said he never missed training or a deployment.

"You just don't miss deployments," he said. "You handle your medical problems" to comply with the needs of the service.

Dremann, president of the Spart*A advocacy group, which represents about 800 transgender active-duty, reserve and National Guard service members, said the latest memos from the White House and Pentagon, and the ongoing court cases, had put transgender service members "in a technical state of limbo" and had already led to confusion among commanders.

Dremann said he has had to advise several transgender service members whose commanders mistakenly thought they were to begin administrative separations immediately.

Court Rulings

OutServe and other advocacy groups have joined the suit brought by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson in federal district court in Seattle (Karnoski v. Trump) that won a temporary injunction against any changes in the current rules.

On Tuesday, the plaintiffs argued to make the injunction permanent. Judge Marsha Pechman withheld a ruling but ordered both sides to submit briefs on constitutional questions.

She also signaled the government will have an uphill fight in changing the current rules enacted under the Obama administration.

Pechman dismissed the main argument of Justice Department lawyer Ryan Parker that the Pentagon should be given deference on issues of national defense. Pechman noted that the courts once gave deference in allowing the military to segregate troops by race, to ban women from serving, to ban women from combat, and to ban gays.

"In retrospect, all of that deference was in error," Pechman said, according to The Associated Press.

In testimony in the Seattle case, transgender Army Staff Sgt. Catherine Schmid, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, said the Trump administration proposals would deny her the civil right to serve the country in uniform.

"When people say that transgender can't serve, that our units are negatively influenced by our presence, or that my medical care makes me unable to do the most basic parts of my duties, what they're really saying is that I'm not capable of performing the duties of the job for which I've been trained," Schmid said.

In addition to the Seattle case, federal district courts in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; and Riverside, California, have all initially ruled against the government on transgender military service.

The court cases were the aftermath of Trump's Tweets last July calling for a ban on transgender individuals serving or being recruited. The Tweets caught the Pentagon by surprise, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford quickly issued a memo to the services telling them to stand pat until there was clarification.

Opposition

Advocacy groups lined up to reject the Pentagon's action and join in the legal battles to reverse the directives.

The Trump administration's "continued insistence on viciously targeting our military families for discrimination is appalling, reckless, and unpatriotic," said Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partner Association and spouse of an active-duty U.S. Army officer.

"Military experts already thoroughly studied this issue and found transgender service members should be able to serve openly with dignity and honor -- as they proudly do now -- with the full support they need and deserve," Broadway-Mack said in a statement.

One of the most conservative members of Congress, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and an Army veteran of Iraq, also expressed doubts about the moves against transgender individuals in the ranks.

On CBS-TV's "Face the Nation" program on Sunday, Ernst said, "I've asked transgenders [sic] myself, if you were willing to lay down your life beside mine, I would welcome you into our military."

Ernst said that transgender individuals would have to meet the standards of the military, "but if there are transgenders [sic] that meet those qualifications, certainly I would gladly have them serve in our United States military."

Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, a former Army Ranger and ranking member of the committee, said of the ban, "President Trump may think it helps him with his political base, but it's a real disservice to the professionalism of all our troops."

"Thousands of transgender soldiers are currently serving in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the Trump administration still has not made a compelling, fact-based case for kicking them out, or preventing highly qualified Americans from enlisting," Reed said.

Rand Study

A previous study by the Rand Corp. commissioned by the DoD backed former Defense Secretary Carter's decision to allow transgender individuals to serve openly and said medical costs would be minimal.

Rand estimated that medical treatments for transgender troops would cost between $2.4 million and $8.4 million in an annual budget of more than $6 billion for military health care.

"The implication is that even in the most extreme scenario that we were able to identify, we expect only a 0.13 percent [$8.4 million out of $6.2 billion] increase in [military] health care spending," the Rand report said.

The 46-page report from the Pentagon's panel of experts disputed much of the Rand study while at the same time citing Rand's research to support different conclusions.

Thorn, of OutServe-SLDN, charged that the Pentagon study amounted to "an attempt to ban a problem that doesn't really exist. Their own data doesn't even support their claims" on the burden to the military of having transgender troops serving.

Various estimates from advocacy groups and Rand have concluded that there are anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 transgender individuals on active duty, or in the Guard and reserves.

The Pentagon's report said that "8,980 service members reportedly identify as transgender, and yet there are currently only 937 active-duty service members who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria since June 30, 2016," when Carter allowed them to serve openly.

"In any event, rates for genital surgery are exceedingly low -- two percent of transgender men and 10 percent of transgender women," the report said.

The Pentagon report said that "of the 424 approved service member treatment plans available for study, 388 included cross-sex hormone treatment, but only 34 non-genital sex reassignment surgeries and one genital surgery have been completed thus far."

In addition, "only 22 service members have requested a waiver for a genital sex reassignment surgery," the report said.

"Given the limited data, however, it is difficult to predict with any precision the impact on readiness of allowing gender transition," it said.

Conflicting Views

The panel of experts received conflicting views from commanders on the impact of transgender service on unit cohesion, deployments and readiness.

"On one hand, some commanders with transgender service members reported that, from the time of diagnosis to the completion of a transition plan, the transitioning service members would be non-deployable for two to two-and-a-half years," the panel of experts said.

"On the other hand, some commanders, as well as transgender service members themselves, reported that transition-related treatment is not a burden on unit readiness and could be managed to avoid interfering with deployments," the report said.

In a blog post, Rand senior political scientist Agnes Gereben Schaefer defended Rand's research and disputed the Pentagon study on the effects of transgender service on deployability and unit cohesion.

"Our analysis estimated that the readiness impact of transition-related treatment would lead to a loss of less than 0.0015 percent of total available labor-years in the active component," Gereben Schaefer said.

As for unit cohesion, she said the available research is mixed on how "friendship, liking, caring and closeness among group members" impacts performance.

"In other words, unit members' ability to contribute effectively to the efforts of the group matters more for unit performance than unit member similarity or liking for one another," she said.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
President Donald Trump will soon award the Medal of Honor posthumously to an Army lieutenant who directed artillery fire from an exposed position for three hours while fending off "fanatical German infantrymen" during a 1945 battle near Houssen, France.

Garlin Murl Conner, then a first lieutenant, will be the third service member to be awarded the military's highest combat award since Trump took office. According to a White House statement released Thursday, Conner's widow, Pauline Lyda Wells Conner, and other families will be present at the medal ceremony. The date for the ceremony has yet to be announced.

In January 1945, Conner was serving as an intelligence officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, according to information released by the White House.

"Then-First Lieutenant Conner voluntarily left his position of relative safety to place himself in a better position to direct artillery fire onto the assaulting enemy infantry and armor," the White House announcement said. "He remained in an exposed position, which was 30 yards ahead of the defending force, for a period of three hours."

During that time, enemy soldiers came within five yards of him and he was constantly at risk from friendly artillery shells, the announcement states.

Despite all that, "he continued to direct the fire of friendly artillery, which ultimately repelled the assaulting enemy elements."

Conner survived the battle and would be discharged from the Army on June 22, 1945.

He had first entered the service as an enlisted soldier in 1941, according to released information, and would ultimately participate in an amphibious assault landing on French Morocco and serve in combat operations in Italy and elsewhere in continental Europe.

He received a battlefield commission in June 1944 and became a lieutenant.

Trump's announcement comes a day after the Lexington Herald-Leader of Lexington, Kentucky, reported that Pauline Conner, 88, had received a call from Trump notifying her of the award.

According to the publication, Conner was a native of Clinton County, Kentucky. He died at age 79 in 1998, the outlet reported.

According to a report from the Army Board for Correction of Military Records reviewed by Military.com, Conner had received an astounding four Silver Stars, one Bronze star and three Purple Hearts during his brief but intense Army career. He also received the Distinguished Service Cross, according to the report.

The Distinguished Service Cross was awarded for the Jan. 24, 1945, act of heroism now being recognized with the Medal of Honor. The citation for that award, posted by the Military Times Hall of Valor, is striking in its dramatic description of the fight.

"First Lieutenant Conner ran 400 yards through the impact area of an intense concentration of enemy artillery fire to direct friendly artillery on a force of six Mark VI tanks and tank destroyers, followed by 600 fanatical German infantrymen, which was assaulting in full fury the spearhead position held by his battalion," the citation reads.

According to the citation, Conner unspooled telephone wire to set up an observation post, which he then bravely manned for hours of fighting.

"He was individually credited with stopping more than 150 Germans, destroying all the tanks, and completely disintegrating the powerful enemy assault force and preventing heavy loss of life in his own outfit," the citation reads. "First Lieutenant Conner's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 3d Infantry Division, and the United States Army."

The Herald-Leader reported Conner had twice been rejected for the Medal of Honor, in 1997 and 2000, by an Army review board. But in 2015, according to the report, the Board of Correction for Military Records decided Conner's actions deserved a recommendation for the award.

Trump has previously awarded two Medals of Honor. On July 31, 2017, he presented the award to James McCloughan, a 71-year-old former Army medic who served in Vietnam; and on Oct. 23, he presented the medal to another Vietnam Army medic, 70-year-old Gary Michael Rose.

Trump has also approved the Medal of Honor for a Marine who served in Vietnam, John L. Canley. A date for that presentation has yet to be announced.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the number of Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts Conner was awarded for actions during World War II.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
The U.S. Army wants to replace its outdated virtual simulators with the kind of realistic, first-person shooter gaming technology designed for Xbox and PS4 game systems.

Synthetic training is one of the top priorities of the Army's senior leadership. It allows soldiers to run through virtual training scenarios at home station before a live training event at one of the service's combat training centers.

"For over 30 years, we have had pretty good simulators for aircraft, for vehicles, tank gunnery. We have not really ever broken the code on the Engagement Skills Trainer ... for dismounted infantry," Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command, told an audience at the Association of the United States Army's Global Force Symposium on Wednesday.

"Our current trainers are antiquated, they are fixed and they lack the architecture to rapidly upgrade," he said. "We've got to develop the virtual and constructive training environments to allow our squads and teams and soldiers to get multiple reps at low cost and wherever they are."

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Maj. Gen. Maria R. Gervais, deputy commander of the Army's Combined Arms Center, is leading the cross-functional team to redesign the service's synthetic training environment.

"If you look at our current training environment -- our virtual simulators -- they have served us well. They have met the requirement for what they were built for; however, we are going to try and leverage the unprecedented technological advancements that are being made in the $5.2 billion virtual and gaming industry," she said during a panel discussion on soldier lethality.

"Right now, we are finding promising technology, and we are experimenting with it, conducting technology demonstrations -- we are seeing what works, what doesn't work," Gervais said.

The effort is focused on acquiring technology for small units such as squads to larger units across "our other area ground simulators," she said.

In the near term, the effort will focus on what Gervais called "our Achilles heel:" terrain.

"We have difficulty providing commanders the terrain that they need to prepare their soldiers when they have to fight," she said. "So we have an effort that's called 'one-world terrain' that's going to provide a capability that provides a fully accessible representation of the globe.

"We must ensure that the mega cities or dense urban terrain actually represents the patterns of life," Gervais said.

In Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel Dailey's opinion, for all the good virtual simulators provide soldiers, they also tend to degrade basic soldier skills.

"Soldiers need to be using their weapon systems, their sights in a virtual and constructive environment," he said. "This is a conversation we have all the time. We've got to maintain basic skills, and those virtual environments must do that from the simple things like trigger squeeze, sight picture and aim. They have to be constantly reinforced in those virtual environments."

The Army held an industry day last September and completed the first user assessment last week with seven vendors on site, Gervais said, adding that the assessment included soldiers and leaders from Army Forces Command and the National Guard, as well as from several of the Army's centers of excellence.

"We had master gunners, we had Bradley crew gunners, we had pilots and our technical experts that were all sitting there with those seven vendors telling them what's right and what's not right," she said.

"We are going to bring them back in 60 days, take a look at it, refine the process; then we will actually have an operational test where we put it in the leader's hands with his soldiers ... in the September timeframe," she added.

The effort is also working on developing a new virtual trainer specifically for the squad, Gervais said.

"We lack a squad, semi-immersive training capability," she said. "We are working very closely with the soldier lethality team and the Close Combat Lethality Task Force."

That task force was recently established by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to develop deadlier, more resilient ground troops.

The Army held an industry day for that effort in February and is planning a user assessment this summer, Gervais said.

"We have seen some very promising technology, and we are going to experiment, do technology demos and give it to soldiers, she said.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
The Air Force wants to spend the same on upkeep for the brand-new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as it does for support on its fourth-generation fighter jets, the service's top general said Thursday.

"Our initial target is to get them down to the equivalent or very close to what we're currently spending on fourth-generation fighters [such as] the F-16 [Fighting Falcon]," Chief of Staff Gen David Goldfein said.

"We're all very concerned about sustainment costs," he told reporters during a breakfast briefing in Washington, D.C., adding that the Marine Corps has similar reservations.

Goldfein said he credits Defense Secretary Jim Mattis for bringing in former industry executives such as Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and Ellen Lord, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, who "know how this business works" from both industry procurement and sustainment perspectives.

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Shanahan was previously the senior vice president for supply chain and operations at Boeing Co., while Lord served as the president and chief executive officer of Textron Systems Corp.

Lord has been putting pressure on Lockheed Martin Corp., maker of the F-35, to reduce costs where it can, Goldfein said. The Air Force is the largest customer for the aircraft, with hopes to procure 1,763 F-35 A-variants.

In response to Goldfeins comments, Lockheed on Thursday released a statement saying it is working closely with the Air Force to achieve its cost target.

Lockheed Martin is investing in several initiatives to lower the industry component of F-35 sustainment costs and we continue to partner with the Joint Program Office to reduce overall operations and sustainment costs, the company said in the statement. We share the U.S. Air Forces goal to lower sustainment costs and we are confident that the F-35 will be equal to or less than the cost to sustain legacy, 4th generation fighters.

How the service budgets support costs may inevitably have a domino effect on procurement.

Goldfein's comments come as the Air Force in its fiscal 2019 budget request chose not to increase its F-35 buy rate to 60 aircraft annually from the current 48, as it had hoped. In fact, if it can't lower ongoing operations costs, the service may be forced to cut its buy rate by a third, subtracting roughly 590 planes from its total, Bloomberg News reported this week.

"We're not gonna stop until we get those costs down to, within reason, what a fourth-gen fighter costs to sustain," Goldfein said, adding that the other services and international customers plan to follow suit.

Asked what he considered close to a fourth-gen fighter price tag for operations and support, he said he said he would like to see it at the same cost.

The F-35's total cost has been projected at more than $1 trillion over a 50-year service lifetime.

Regardless of the recent backlash, Lockheed earlier this month said it anticipates the stealth plane will outpace its fighter counterparts in readiness and production within a few years.

"I am certain the F-35 will set records for aircraft availability for a modern fighter in the future, without a doubt," Jeff Babione, executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 program for Lockheed, said during a briefing March 5.

Babione's comments came days after Vice Adm. Mat Winter, director of the F-35 Joint Program Office, said only 51 percent of the 280 operational F-35s purchased to date by U.S. and international partners are available for flight.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
No matter what the Air Force's next camouflage pattern ends up being, the service must get its next set of uniforms right for pilots and crew, including improved, more fitted uniforms for female airmen, the top general of the Air Force said Thursday.

"We're taking a really hard look at women's uniforms," Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein told reporters during a defense writers' group breakfast in Washington, D.C.

"Our uniforms have traditionally not been sized for women, and that's beyond just the uniform itself. It's also the gear that we have. We have women performing in every combat mission, and we owe it to them to have gear that fits," Goldfein said.

"If you're in an F-15E [Strike Eagle] flying nine, 10-hour missions, the gear that we ask that pilot to wear ought to fit, ought to be functional for the mission we're asking them to do," he said.

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For example, Goldfein said combat vests and accompanying gear -- radios, flares, communications gear, survival equipment -- worn during such missions must be reworked to not only be functional, but also give pilots more maneuverability.

"You've got to be able to move inside that cockpit, be able to turn, to look around  and right now, women are pretty much wearing men's vests. And so we can do better than that," he said.

Goldfein said Gen. Mike Holmes, head of Air Combat Command, is leading an effort within ACC to look at other avenues for proper gear, not just while in-flight but also performing missions on the ground.

He refused to answer questions about the potential Airman Battle Uniform replacement as that process is ongoing.

The Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, may become the Air Force's permanent replacement for the current Airman Battle Uniform as early as June 1, according to a recently leaked slide presentation. The presentation gave options for 24, 36 or 48-month transition periods for all airmen to move from the ABU to ACU, which incorporates the Army's Operational Camouflage Pattern, or OCP.

"We have a significant number of airmen who wear the OCP not only for daily duty but also downrange," Goldfein said Thursday.

Earlier this week, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright posted photos of himself wearing the OCP camo uniform, sparking more conversations about the uniform change-up.

Wright apologized for "trolling airmen" and getting them hyped up about the uniform, saying his intention was never to send mixed messages.

"Wow! I never thought I'd have to start a post off with 'my bad' but ... my bad!" Wright said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

"I saw a great photo from Cannon [Air Force Base, New Mexico] and thought, 'This would make a great profile pic,' but in hindsight, I can 100% see why some of you thought I was trolling you," he said.

Wright was wearing the uniform alongside airmen from the 27th Special Operations Group while attending last week's Air Force Special Operations Command's Chief Symposium, according to Air Force Times.

"I know a lot of you are anxiously awaiting the official word on uniforms," Wright said on Facebook.

"We are really -- like really -- close to making a decision. This is one of those large movements that we absolutely can't get ahead of ourselves on. It's tough sifting through the rumor-mill to make the right decision on your next uniform purchase and I get it. I work to be as transparent with you as possible. But right now, there is no decision -- either way," he wrote.

"Just know that as soon as we've made a decision and have a plan, we will get the word out to you. I promise," Wright said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
Quakertown, PA - Four members of a Quakertown-area family have been arrested in connection with the fatal neglect and financial abuse of an elderly man in Bucks County.

The suspects are accused of neglecting their 84-year-old patriarch, Albert Weaver Sr., who died 12 days after being hospitalized in a state of starvation and septic shock from deep, infected bedsores.

Three of the suspects were also charged with stealing from Weaver or cashing his pension checks after he died on November 22, 2016.

The suspects include Weaver's son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, as well as the granddaughter's live-in boyfriend. All four resided rent-free in a pair of houses that the victim owned on the 100 block of Union Road, Richland Township.

A paramedic who helped transport Weaver to St. Luke's Hospital in Quakertown told police that Weaver "looked like a skeleton with skin hanging on him," according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case.

A nurse who initially treated Weaver that day called it "the worst case of neglect she has seen" in her 11 years as an emergency room trauma nurse, the affidavit said.

Those arrested include 52-year-old Albert Weaver Jr., his 49-year-old wife Virginia Weaver, their 26-year-old daughter Amanda Marie Weaver, and 33-year-old Anthony James Dorney, who lived with Amanda Weaver and ultimately summoned an ambulance.

All have been charged with neglect of a care-dependent person and recklessly endangering another person. The former is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 10 to 20 years in prison, while reckless endangerment is a second-degree misdemeanor.

All but Albert Weaver Jr. have been charged with theft by unlawful taking. Amanda Weaver and Dorney are further charged with conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking. The theft-related charges are third-degree felonies, punishable by up to three and one-half to seven years in prison.

Bail has been set at $500,000, 10 percent cash, for each defendant. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, April 5.

Albert Weaver Sr. "put his care in the hands of people that he loved and supposedly was able to trust," District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said after the arraignment. "Instead of taking care of him, they viewed him as essentially an ATM machine. They used him for his money, they used him for a residenceThey let him waste away until he essentially died of neglect."

The investigation began after Dorney called 911 on November 10, 2016 to report an unresponsive person at his house. An ambulance crew found Albert Weaver Sr. on the floor in an unkempt, garbage-strewn house described by a paramedic as having "the smell of infection," according to the probable cause affidavit.

The same paramedic later told police that Weaver was cold to the touch, non-verbal, dehydrated and severely malnourished, with several deep bed sores that were infected, causing him to be in septic shock, the affidavit said.

Emergency room personnel at St. Luke's, suspecting elder abuse, contacted police.

Further examination found that Weaver's body was so malnourished that it had begun consuming its own tissues and organs for sustenance, the affidavit said. One bedsore in his sacral area, which required surgery, was so severe that after dead tissue was removed, the bones of Weaver's spine were exposed.

After 11 days, Weaver was transferred to St. Luke's Hospice in Bethlehem, where he died the next day.

Two forensic pathologists, one of whom conducted Weaver's autopsy, concluded that Weaver's death was the result of his having been neglected, the affidavit said.

All four suspects were allowed to live rent- and utility-free in return for caring for Albert Weaver Sr., with most of his pension and Social Security income going toward their living and personal expenses, the affidavit said.

Virginia Weaver acknowledged that her father-in-law complained of pain from sores that had been developing over six months, yet at the time of his death he had not been to a doctor in the 11 months prior, the affidavit said.

Dorney told investigators that he, too, knew of the sores on Weaver's body, and that Weaver hadn't eaten for two to three weeks, the affidavit said. He told investigators that he delayed calling for help because he was afraid of losing his residence or custody of his children.

An investigation of Weaver's bank account showed it was jointly held by Albert Weaver Sr. and Virginia Weaver since it was opened in 2013.

Between that date and January 2017, the affidavit said, more than $150,000 was deposited into the account, mostly from Albert Weaver Sr.'s pension and Social Security payments.

By January 2017, only $6,417.72 had been put "towards items that were immediately identifiable as being associated with Albert Weaver Sr.," the affidavit said. Those items consisted of insurance premium payments and property tax payments.
BMW was one of the fastest growing automotive brands in India last year. It clocked 25 percent growth, with sales touching 9,800 units, making it the second-highest luxury carmaker in the country behind Mercedes-Benz. This came despite additional cess being levied on luxury cars, over and above GST.

However, the German company may not be able to retain the same momentum this year, as the government has hiked customs duty on completely knocked down (CKD) kits from 10 to 15%.

While BMW has assembly operations in India, it imports parts of vehicles from Germany.

President of BMW India, Vikram Pawah, spoke to Moneycontrol and shared his plans for the year head.

Edited excerpts.

Q. 2017 was a very good year for you, how have the first three months this year been?

A. Its been fantastic. In 2017 we delivered 25 percent growth and I was happy that finally the industry grew. And now I can promise you that in the first quarter we will deliver double digit growth for sure.

Q. Has there been any impact of CKD customs duty hike on sales?

A. Obviously there has been an impact of the CKD hike. When customs duties go up, then manufacturing costs go up. Its not something that we can absorb.

Q. Have you raised prices yet?

A. We did not increase our prices from February 1, when the duties went up. Our prices will increase from April 1, which will range between 3-5.5 percent depending on the vehicle's model.

Q. Will the price hike impact growth, if yes then by how much?

A. Its very difficult to estimate that. We would have grown faster, if there was not hike in duties. Such things tend to dampen buyer spirits. We had witnessed a similar trend when GST cess was increased last year. Yet, we are investing in our strategy to ensure we grow.

Q. Will you reconsider your plans?

A. No. We are very clear about it. I am confident about India that it is a market that will deliver in the long run. So for me being in India means being here for the longer run. Yes I want the policy changes to be more stable. We will continue to hold dialogues with the government to understand that. We are here for the long term and how we will benefit mutually.

Q. Any planned investments in the near future?

A. We increased our investment last year to Rs 12.5 billion.

Q. How many vehicles were launched last year and what do you have to offer to the Indian market in 2018?

Last year we did the 5 Series. This year we showcased eight products which will be launched during the year, but the most important was the 6 Series GT. The 3 Series will be launched shortly followed by the new Countryman. On the niche side, we launched the M5. We launched the petrol version of the X6. We launched two mid-sized adventure bikes as well.
Akhilesh Mishra (name changed), who had applied for a senior management position at an engineering major was stumped when the recruitment firm told him that his social media posts were an issue with his prospective employer. Mishra had openly praised an activist group that had threatened the same corporate house in the past.

Background verification, which was till recently was used by a handful of companies is slowly becoming the norm. This not only includes the standard verification of basic information like address, education and past employer, but also other parameters like creditworthiness and ideological leanings.

Leading credit information company TransUnion CIBILs Head-Direct to Consumer Interactive Hrushikesh Mehta said there is a growing demand for candidate and employee credit verification.

In light of recent events in the banking sector, employers across industries are more cautious than before. They are seeking reassurance that their candidates and employees are not just talented, but trustworthy too, he added.

Mehta said that credit checks can be used to understand a candidates or employees financial position, credit activities, and repayment history, but can also underline financial stress. Explicit consent is sought from the candidate and only after that the CIBIL score and report is shared with the employer. The candidate is also provided a copy.

The intense job competition prevailing in todays market, has resulted into candidates providing fabricated profiles and hiding or embellishing their skills or experience to appear more appealing to the recruiters, said Anshul Prakash, Partner, Khaitan & Co.

Being a good culture fit

Besides basic credentials, companies also check if the candidate will be able to fit into the culture of the particular organisation.

Ruhie Pande, Chief Human Resource Officer, Godrej Properties said that they conduct exhaustive background verifications that include candidate data from past three employers, academic details, legal issues and reference checks with past supervisors. In case of senior candidates, we also tap our formal and informal networks to gauge their strengths and culture fitment, added Pande.

A 2017survey by background verification firm AuthBridge found that around 15 percent of the candidates had fudged or omitted important information from their resume. In FY15, the his figure was around 10 percent.

With aspiration levels rising faster than the industrys ability to create jobs, candidates are increasingly misrepresenting information to employers, say recruiters.

Captain (retd), Partha Samai, senior vice president and group head-human resources, AGS Transact Technologies said his firm has contracted three organisations for background checks.

This tightening of the employee screening process can be seen as a reward for credit-disciplined individuals, according to Mishra. Just like updating their resume and portfolios in preparation for a career change, candidates should continuously track their scores, monitor their credit activities and work towards better credit health and job opportunities, Mishra said.

Corporate leaders agree that prospective employees should disclose as much relevant information as they can so that they do not get into trouble at a later stage.

Disclose as much as you can

Kaustubh Sonalkar, President-HR, Essar Group and Chief Executive Officer-Essar Foundation says his organsation follows a uniform verification process across the group. The checks include previous employment, education, salary and perks, skills, criminal and civil records, among others.

In case they find any discrepancies during the background checks, they give the employee a fair chance to explain and rectify.

Digital and social media understanding is also becoming important. At Essar, Sonalkar said that they also verify a candidates knowledge, relevant education, presence and participation on social media just to be sure of any misrepresentation. It, he said, helps them understand the candidates liking and bend for certain topics that will be important for the business.

Among smaller companies, a lot of hiring is done through references thereby eliminating the need to engage external agencies for background checks.

Varun Gupta, CEO, Goomo, a travel -tech startup said that taking the agency route had its own disadvantages. It takes the agencies about a month to get all the details and that could affect hiring timelines.

In such cases, reference checks are a quicker, effective and efficient option. Going by what we do at Goomo, we hire a lot through references and that eliminates the need to conduct background verification for most candidates. For others, we do reference checks, he added.

Risk assessment of new joinees

Each new employee brings certain risks and expertise to the system of the new organisation.

Rahul Belwalkar, CEO of background verification firm SecUR Credentials said that it is important to have a complete background verification across roles. Apart from the checks of the address, past employers and educational qualifications, he said that court records, drug tests and social media offer the human resource teams a view of the liabilities that the candidate might bring to the organisation.

He added that credit checks are a norm in some private sector banks so as to safeguard from fraudulent employees who are managing their clients money.

Employers also want to steer clear of major controversies wherein globally they have had to penalize employees making insensitive comments online. Francis Padamadan, Senior Director-Asia Pacific, RPO & BPS Practice, KellyOCG said that these days employers analyze quality of updates, followers, posts or comments or exchanges, participation in professional and voluntary forums, communities.

According to Padamadan, employers can also look for culture fit candidates through social media analyses of LinkedIn, Quora, Reddit, GitHub, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Quick fixes to save time

But the time consuming activity can also be a deterrent to some companies which are now taking the help of the internet to quicken the process.

Vikas Bansal, Chief Human Resource Officer, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance said real-time checks using data sourced from government recognised and regulated entities are also being done to cut down time.

It takes close to 3-4 weeks and in some cases 6-8 weeks to get a full report by which time the organization has invested into the employee. There is a clear need to segment the employees and use rule engines to determine the need and scope for background verification. We have been able to develop models where 30-40 percent of our employees would not require background verification, thanks to Aadhaar, CIBIL scores, PAN validation which are available online, added Bansal.

Reference checks from past employees is also being preferred to save time and costs for the companies. In some cases, there is a situation of a just-in-time hiring which means that a company has very little time to fill the position. Here, extensive use of basic KYC tools and checking with past employers, bosses, alumni network is used.

Legal implications

A lot of roles are also customer-facing and would require transactions that could be sensitive, cash-heavy or both. If any companys employee is accused of any data leak or financial irregularities, clients have the right to sue them.

Sanchi Bablani, Manager-Recruitments at e-pharmacy portal PharmEasy said that it becomes a responsibility of a recruiter to ensure that the employees associated with the company do not have a questionable past which can potentially harm the business, its clients or other employees.

Additionally, this will ensure that only qualified individuals are considered for the role, and there are reduced terminations later on which could have increase the overall hiring costs, added Bablani.

Way ahead

Candidates can no longer fudge data on the sly without being questioned by employers. With resume farms providing fake credentials for a few thousand rupees, the problem of misrepresentation has become rampant. As more Indian companies go global, they prefer to invest a few lakhs in getting the right hires, than risk crores in reputational damage later on. The downside for employees is that no longer will their private space online will be fully private and they could be asked to justify some of their views on topics seemingly unrelated to work, during the recruitment processes.

This is the first part of a series looking at how recruitment has evolved.
With the probable exit from the EU and the imminent visits in April to the UK by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is an appropriate time for the biggest voices on the UK India business council to come together and re-invigorate dialogues between the two nations at the highest level. CNBC-TV18's Shereen Bhan spoke to Richard Heald, of the UK India Business Council and Sir Dominic Asquith, British High Commissioner to India on a range of issues that involve both nations.

Speaking on Vijay Mallyas case, Sir Dominic Asquith said that, This is a legal judiciary matter and not one for the government. It is going through the courts. The courts will address it in the way they do.

One of the areas which the UK is very much informed in India is in retail and commerce, said Richard Heald.
FDI-funded realty firm Experion Developers will invest about Rs 500 crore over the next five years to develop a housing project at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

Experion Developers, which is currently developing two housing projects, a 100-acre township and one commercial project in Gurgaon, is in talks with other builders for the development of projects in joint venture in cities like Noida and Greater Noida, its CEO Rakesh Kaul said.

The Gurgaon-based firm is backed by Singapore-based Experion Holdings, which is the real estate investing arm of the USD 2.5 billion AT Holdings group of companies.

"We have started a new housing project in Lucknow where we will be developing about 360 units in phases," Kaul told PTI.

When asked about investment, he said the project cost would be around Rs 500 crore over the next five years and the same would be funded through internal accruals.

"We are a zero debt company," Kaul said.

In the first phase, the company is offering units at a basic selling price of Rs 5,500 per sq ft. The project 'Experion Capital' is located at Gomti Nagar in Lucknow.

On expansion, he said the company has land parcels in Punjab, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Goa.

"We are also in advanced stage of talks with other builders and land owners to develop projects in Noida, Greater Noida and some other cities," Kaul said, adding that the company could also look at developing stuck projects.
Shimla: Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadkar, in Shimla on Friday. PTI Photo(PTI5_26_2017_000031B)

The CBSE is expected to announce on Monday or Tuesday the next date of re-examination for Class 10 mathematics and Class 12 economics subjects, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said today, in the wake of paper leaks.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), in a circular yesterday, had said that students would have take the re-test for the two subjects.

"The CBSE will declare what will be the next step in couple of days, probably on Monday or Tuesday," Javadekar told reporters here.

The minister termed the CBSE examination paper leak issue unfortunate and said culprits would not go scot-free.

We will not let any culprit go scot-free. The police is on the job and I am very sure, they will nab the culprits as they have done in case of the SSC exam leak case. We have also instituted an internal inquiry, he said.

Javadekar said he could understand the pain, anguish and frustrations of students and parents because we are one with them.

The CBSE has earned a name for conducting good examination and was therefore, assigned the task of conducting medical entrance examination by the Supreme Court, he said.

Javadekar said being a sensible parent, he could not sleep last night.

We must make all efforts to ensure that this exam go really without any breach though culprits may be using newer ways and methods, he said.

He said all efforts would be made to improve the system to face the new challenges posed by the culprits and make it fool proof.
The government has excluded four of Air Indias subsidiaries from the divestment, details of which were released on Wednesday.



AIESL: A wholly owned subsidiary of AI, primarily involved in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of engines and airframe

AIATSL: A wholly owned subsidiary of AI, primarily involved in ground handling and cargo handling services

HCI: A subsidiary of AI which owns and operates two hotels in Delhi and Srinagar as well as the Chef air kitchen units in Delhi and Mumbai

AASL: Operates Alliance Air, which provides connectivity to Tier II and Tier III cities in India and also links these cities to metro hubs



The four units are -

The preliminary information memorandum notes that the four units will not be part of the Proposed Transaction.

The government plans to hive off these units through a demerger, or other appropriate mechanisms", said the memorandum.

Those in the know say that the government has already received interests for AIESL from players like Air Works, among the oldest MRO service providers in the Indian market. International players such as Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company and Etihad Airways Engineering could also join the race.

AASL, which runs Alliance Air, is also expected to evoke interest, given its network in the shorter-route destinations in India. The airline flies to four destinations and has a fleet of 15 aircraft. Domestic airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet have recently launched services in smaller cities as part of the regional connectivity scheme, known as UDAN. Even new entrants like Air Odisha could be in the reckoning.

The government is expected to come out with more details on the sale of these units in the coming weeks. The plan is to complete the demerger of these units by December, by when the divestment of Air India is aimed to be concluded, said an executive from the industry.

Tough deadline

But that deadline may be a tough one to keep.

Following is the proposed timeline of the divestment.

Kapil Kaul, CEO & Director of CAPA South Asia, said, Meeting end-December divestment deadline may be challenging, in a note on Wednesday on the divestment announcement.
2:58 pm Technical Outlook: Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, Senior Technical Analyst, Sharekhan said the Nifty can resume the larger downtrend.

On the downside, 10,000-9,950 will be the key support area to watch out for below which 9,800 would be the target, he feels.

2:50 pm Market Update: The market extended losses again amid volatility ahead of expiry of March futures & options contracts, tracking global weakness.

The Sensex fell more than 200 points and the Nifty slipped more than 60 points, weighed by banks, metals stocks, and Reliance Industries.

IDBI Bank was down more than 4 percent after it disclosed fraud of USD 119 million.

2:45 pm Market Outlook: This is not the right time for lump sum investments for those who are neutral or overweight on equities. Even for those who are underweight, I would recommend systematic transfer plans, Nilesh Shah, MD, Kotak Mahindra AMC told CNBC-TV18 in an interview. He advocated this strategy as the market is likely to be volatile going ahead.

Elaborating on the markets scenario, he further stated that the downside is likely to be protected based on earnings and economic recovery. The upside could be capped due to political uncertainty, he said.

Additionally, he said there were fears over an upswing in oil prices along with escalating trade war tensions.

So, in this choppy market, it would be prudent to deploy the funds through systematic investment plans (SIPs), he told the channel as there are factors such as risks over monsoon distribution and political uncertainty playing on the market too.

2:35 pm GSPL ups stake in GG: Gujarat State Petronet has further acquired/purchased 1,44,39,414 equity shares of Gujarat Gas-GGL (i.e., 10.49 percent of the fully paid-up equity of Gujarat Gas) from GSPC, by way of an inter-se promoter transfer through a block deal on March 28, 2018 at a price of Rs. 836.25 per share.

Subsequent to the same, GSPL now holds 54.16 percent of the fully paid-up equity share capital of GGL and accordingly in terms of the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 GGL has become subsidiary company of GSPL.

2:25 pm Strategic review of Horlicks: Shares of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare fell 9 percent on Wednesday as parent company to carry out a strategic review of Horlicks.

GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK) intent to carry out a strategic review of GSK's Horlicks and its other consumer nutrition products which will include an assessment of its 72.45 percent shareholding in the company.

2:20 PM speaks in RS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lamented that disruptions in Parliament have unfortunately prevented several members, retiring from the Rajya Sabha, from being able to participate in debates on historic legislations like the triple talaq bill.

Without directly referring to the disruptions which have virtually washed out proceedings through the second leg of the budget session, he said it was

unfortuante that the retiring members "lost an opportunity to leave their legacy" on important issues like triple talaq.

2:15 pm Inflation fears overdone?: Inflation risks are overdone, and the Reserve Bank is expected to go for a rate cut in August, even as it may strike a "balanced tone" in the ensuing policy review meet next month, says a report.

According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML), inflation risks are overdone and March inflation is likely at 4.2 per cent, down from December's 5.2 per cent and well within RBI's 2-6 per cent mandate.

The CPI inflation fell to a 4 month low of 4.44 per cent in February. RBI takes into account retail inflation while formulating monetary policy.

Here are the top headlines at 2 pm from Moneycontrol News' Anchal Pathak

2:01 pm NLC Deal Called-Off: Damodar Valley Corporation has called off a deal with NLC India for acquisition of DVC's power station through JV.

NLC India and Damodar Valley Corporation had earlier signed a joint venture agreement (JVA) for formation of a joint venture company for acquiring DVC' s Raghunathpur thermal power station (2x600MW).

Damodar Valley Corporation informed that it is no more interested in pursuing the above JVA and would like to call off on mutual agreed basis under intimation to Administrative Ministries.

1:50 pm Buzzing: IDBI Bank said fraudulent loans of Rs 772 crore were issued from five of its branches in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, sending its shares lower.

Some of the loans, which were issued during fiscal years 2009-2013 for fish farming businesses, were obtained against fake lease documents of non-existent fish ponds and by inflating the value of collateral, the company said.

The company found major lapses in processing and disbursing the loans by two of its officials. The lender dismissed one of the officials, while the other official had already retired, it said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has registered cases for two of the five complaints, relating to branches at Basheerbagh and Guntur, the company said.

The bank said it initiated a quality assurance audit, expected to be completed by April.

1:40 pm Acquisition: HGS Population Health LLC, USA, a subsidiary of Hinduja Global Solutions has entered into definitive agreement to acquire CMH Services Subsidiary LLC, USA, operating under the trade name of AxisPoint Health, a leading population health management company.

1:30 pm Market Update: The market remained under pressure ahead of expiry of March futures & options contracts, as European stocks declined following negative lead from Asia and Wall Street.

The Sensex as well as Nifty Bank indices fell over 150 points while the Nifty Midcap is down nearly a percent.

Index heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, Infosys, HDFC and HDFC Bank weighed down the market.

European markets are lower, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, where heightened concerns about tighter controls on the tech industry hit hard. France CAC, Germany DAX and Britain FTSE declined around 1 percent each.

1:10 pm E-way bill roll out: With just three days left for the e-way bill roll out, the government has asked businesses and transporters to enrol on the dedicated platform as only around 11 lakh entities have registered so far, officials said.

Businesses would be required to present the electronic way (e-way) bill to a GST inspector (if asked) for inter-state transportation of goods worth over Rs 50,000 through road, railways, airways and vessels.

Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said the company handling the backbone of the new indirect tax regime, GST Network, is much better prepared to roll out the new system from April 1.

Here are the top headlines at 1 pm from Moneycontrol News' Sakshi Batra

12:59 pm USFDA observations: Alkem Labs said the US FDA had conducted an inspection at the company's manufacturing facility located at Amaliya, Daman, India from March 19 to March 27, 2018.

Post the inspection, the company has received a Form 483 with thirteen observations.

Further to this, the US FDA had conducted an inspection at the company's manufacturing facility located at St. Louis, USA from March 12 to 16, 2018.

In response to the one Form 483 observation issued by the US FDA, the company has submitted a detailed corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan to the regulator within the stipulated timelines.

12:50 pm Order Win: Surat Based, Meera Industries (MIL) a twisting, cabling, winding and yarn processing machine manufacturer has bagged an export order of USD 5,75,000 from a reputed yarn manufacturing company from Indonesia.

Meera has won this order for twister / cabler machines for carpet yarn due to its innovative and most optimised cost performance ratio against domestic and overseas manufacturer.

12:42 pm Buzzing: Shares of Kakatiya Cements added 9 percent intraday as Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revokes closure order on companys cement plant.

The company has installed online SPM stack monitoring equipment and provided connectivity to CPCB and SPCB servers on February 21, 2018. The CPCB has revoked its closure directions issued in respect of the company's cement plant.

12:35 pm Europe Trade: European markets opened lower, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, where heightened concerns about tighter controls on the tech industry hit hard.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 was 0.72 percent lower shortly after the opening bell, with all sectors and major bourses in negative territory.

12:30 pm Credit Rating: Hinduja Ventures informed exchanges that SMERA Ratings, a credit rating agency has assigned A+ to company in respect of its credit facilities of Rs 100 crore.

The rating outlook is 'Stable'.

Grant Investrade Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, has been assigned by SMERA, rating A+ for term loan facilities amounting to Rs 200 crore and IndusInd Media and Communications, a material subsidiary of the Company has been assigned by SMERA, rating A for various bank facilities aggregating to Rs 792.83 crore and A1 for credit facility amounting to Rs 7.17 crore.

12:20 pm Shakti Pumps in focus: Shakti Pumps' R&D unit(s) in Madhya Pradesh is registered with the Department of Scientific & lndustrial Research (DSF) for the purpose of availing customs duty exemption.

: Power Grid Corporation said, pursuant to its selection as the successful bidder under tariff based competitive bidding, has acquired WR-NR Power Transmission, the project SPV to establish transmission system for new WR NR 765kV inter regional corridor on build, own operate and maintain (BOOM) basis, from REC Transmission

Projects Company Limited.

The transmission system includes establishment of a 765kV D/C Transmission line from Vindhyachal pooling station to Varanasi and traverses the States of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The transmission system is to be constructed in a period of 40 months.

Here are the top headlines at 12 pm from Moneycontrol News' Anchal Pathak

12:00 am Order Win: The construction arm of Larsen & Toubro has won orders worth Rs 1,521 crore.

Heavy civil infrastructure segment has secured an order worth Rs 1,396 crore from the West Bengal Highway Development Corporation Limited (WBHDCL) for the construction of a six-lane extra-dosed bridge across the river Hooghly besides existing Iswar Gupta Setu at Kalyani, West Bengal.

Smart world communication business unit has bagged an order worth Rs 125 crore from JAPIT (Jharkhand Agency for Promotion of Information

Technology) for the implementation of Jharkhand State Wide Area Network (SWAN) 2.0 JHARNET 2.0'.

11:55 am Cox & Kings' new hotel: Cox & Kings owned MEININGER Hotels and investor LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General) have signed an agreement for a hotel in Glasgow. The hotel will offer 160 rooms and 590 beds. The opening is scheduled for 2020.

11:50 am Order Win: Steel Strips Wheels said SSWL Alloy wheel Mehsana plant has bagged orders from 6 OEMs till now.

"We expect the plant to reach 75 percent utilisation in FY18-19."

11:45 am Fraud: Ashiana Housing informed exchange that it has recently come across 2 instances wherein fraud (involving misappropriation of funds) has been committed on the company.

While the matter is still under investigation, total value of the fraud, in terms of potential loss to the company is around Rs 50 lakh, it added.

The company is in the process of taking appropriate action in this regard including recovery of money. "These are one off instances and the company has adequate internal controls commensurate with its size and nature of operations. However, company is in the process of further evaluating the internal controls to ascertain scope of improvement," it said.

11:42 am Market Update: The market continued to trade lower with the Sensex falling around 150 points, following negative lead from global stocks.

The Nifty continued to struggle below 10,150 levels ahead of expiry of March derivative contracts, down 47 points.

Other Asian markets like Nikkei, Hang Seng, Shanghai and Kospi declined 1-2 percent as US stocks fell sharply on the back of declines in technology names.

PSU Bank, IT and Auto indices rebounded while Metals, Pharma remained under pressure.

: Cupid has received a new order from United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) to supply male condoms to Nigeria worth Rs 3.79

crore.

We are excited to receive this valuable order as Nigeria is one of the largest countries in South Africa," Omprakash Garg, CMD, Cupid said.

11:31 am Board Meeting: VST Industries informed BSE that a meeting of the board of directors is scheduled to be held on April 12 to consider and approve the audited financial results for the year ended March 31, 2018 and to recommend declaration of dividend if any, for the financial year ended March 31, 2018.

: Continued focus on water business, as part of itsdiversification strategy, has resulted in Bharat Heavy Electricals making its maiden entry into purification of lakes by bagging a prestigious orderfor purification of Telibandha Lake, from Raipur Smart City Limited (RSCL),

including operation & maintenance for five years thereafter.

This is the first ever order of its kind from the Smart Cities segment usingPhytorid Technology developed by the National Environmental Engineering

Research Institute (NEERI) under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), which is an environment friendly technology.

The order will be executed by BHEL's Project Engineering & Systems Division (PESD), Hyderabad.

11:05 am Rupee Trade: The rupee wiped out early gains, falling 3 paise to 65 against the US dollar.

It opened higher by 10 paise at 64.87 a dollar at the forex market on increased selling of the greenback by exporters amid foreign fund inflows.

Yesterday, the rupee had lost 10 paise and slipped to 64.97 against the US currency, cutting short its three-day upmove on bouts of dollar buying by banks and exporters.

Here are the top headlines at 11 am from Moneycontrol News' Sakshi Batra

10:55 am PE Investments at all-time high: Private equity investments hit an all-time high of USD 21 billion in 2017, recording a 54 percent jump in value terms over last year, largely driven by big-ticket transactions, says a report.

According to assurance, tax and advisory firm Grant Thornton, the year 2017 was a milestone year for PE investments as 735 transactions were announced worth USD 21 billion.

The significant rise in PE deal values in 2017, despite a 24 per cent decline in number of deals over 2016, signals the revival of big-ticket investments and larger stake acquisitions.

In 2017, there were six investments worth over USD 500 million, compared to only three in 2016.

10:45 am Market Update: The market extended losses on the back of weak global cues, with the Sensex falling 200 points.

The Nifty continued to trade below 10,150 ahead of expiry of March futures & options contracts today, falling 60 points.

All sectoral indices were in the red, with the Nifty Metal, PSU Bank falling over a percent.

Midcaps also traded in line with frontliners, with the Nifty Midcap falling over half a percent.

10:20 am UK-MHRA Inspection: Indoco Remedies share price dropped 10 percent after the UK healthcare regulator issued seven observations to company's Goa plant I.

The drug maker informed exchanges that, United Kingdom - The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (UK-MHRA) inspected drug manufacturing facility (plant I in Goa) during March 14-16, 2018.

Subsequent to the inspection, the UK-MHRA issued observations, which include 3 critical and 4 major, the company said.

Goa Plant I manufactures solid dosages, liquid orals and external preparations.

10:10 am Buzzing: Share of Biocon gained 2.4 percent as it has received marketing authorization approval from the European Commission.

Mylan NV and Biocon announced that their co-developed biosimilar insulin glargine Semglee has received marketing authorization approval from the European Commission following the positive recommendation by the committee of Medicinal products for Human use of European Medicines Agency.

Semglee 100 units/ml 3 mL prefilled disposable pen for people with diabetes, is the first biosimilar from Biocon and Mylan's joint portfolio to be approved in Europe.

Additionally, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia has also approved biosimilar insulin Glargine Semglee 100 IU/ mL 3 mL prefilled pen for people with diabetes in Australia.

10:01 am Listing: State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics share price made a weak debut on Dalal Street, falling more than 4 percent from its final issue price of Rs 1,215.

Here are the top headlines at 10 am from Moneycontrol News' Anchal Pathak

9:55 am Pre-Opening Listing: Hindustan Aeronautics share price settled at Rs 1,152 in pre-opening on the National Stock Exchange, down 5 percent from issue price of Rs 1,215 per share.

9:45 am Market Update: The market remained under pressure on the back of global weakness, with the Sensex falling around 150 points.

The Nifty is trading below the 10,150 levels ahead of expiry of March derivative contracts, down 48 points.

The Nifty Midcap index also traded in line with frontliners, falling half a percent. About two shares declined for every share rising on the BSE.

9:34 am Buzzing: Persistent Systems share price dropped more than 9 percent after the company lowered its revenue and margin growth for last quarter of financial year 2017-18.

The Midcap IT company informed exchanges on Tuesday that it is expecting a decline in IP revenues during Q4 FY18, which will impact revenue and EBIDTA margin for the quarter.

"IP revenues have seasonality and tend to fluctuate on a sequential quarter-on-quarter basis. While we continue to see good overall growth for our IP revenue portfolio, relative quarter-on-quarter decline follows a strong Q3 FY18 (last quarter of calendar year 2017)," the company said in its filing.

It expects the sequential drop in IP revenues to be about USD 8 million for this quarter, but it said overall, the business outlook for the upcoming year (FY 2018-19) remained strong with revenue growth expected to exceed NASSCOM guidance for the industry.

9:27 am Edelweiss maintains Buy on Persistent: Persistent Systems has informed stock exchanges that the companys Q4FY18 IP revenue is likely to dip by USD 8 millionn.

While a USD 3-4 million fall was anticipated on account of seasonal weakness in the Alliance business, we believe the additional decline is on account of ramp down in one of its IP products. However, we expect the company to recover the lost revenues over the next two quarters. Considering high margins in IP-led business, profitability too is expected to remain under pressure during the quarter.

The slip notwithstanding, management reiterated strong business outlook and does not foresee any structural challenges. We await further clarity before revising our estimates.

Edelweiss maintains Buy with a target price of Rs 1,014 per share.

9:20 am Demerger: Fortis Healthcare (FHL) said its board has approved demerger of its hospitals business, which will be acquired by Manipal Hospitals and TPG Capital, along with the sale of 20 percent stake in diagnostics chain SRL Ltd., in a Rs 3,900-crore deal.

In a late night announcement after a marathon meeting during the day, the healthcare chain said its board has given nod for the demerger of its hospital business into Manipal Hospital Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.

"The Board has also approved sale of its 20 per cent stake in SRL Ltd. to Manipal Hospitals. The resultant entity Manipal Hospitals will be a publicly traded company listed on NSE and BSE. The remaining FHL will be an investment holding company with 36.6 percent stake in SRL," the company said in a statement.

The company further said, "As part of the proposed transaction, Dr Ranjan Pai and TPG will invest Rs 3,900 crore into Manipal Hospitals. The funds will be utilised by Manipal Hospitals to finance the acquisition of 50.9 percent stake in SRL (20.0 percent from FHL and 30.9 percent from other investors for which discussions are currently underway)."

9:15 am Market Update: Benchmark indices opened lower on the day of expiry of March derivative contracts, tracking negative lead from global stocks.

The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 124.15 points at 33,050.24 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 56.10 points to 10,128.10.

Tata Steel, Vedanta, SBI and Yes Bank were lowers in early trade.

Nifty Midcap was down 146 points.

Kwality plunged 20 percent, hitting fresh 52-week low. Fortis Healthcare, Persistent Systems, Edelweiss Financial, Delta Corp, Balrampur Chini, Indoco Remedies, Bandhan Bank, Cummins and IDBI Bank fell up to 9 percent.

Tejas Networks, Bodal Chemicals and Biocon gained.

9:12 am Rupee Trade: The Indian rupee opened higher at Rs 64.88 per dollar on Wednesday versus 64.98 yesterday.

Pramit Brahmbhatt of Veracity said, "The rupee is expected to remain in the range of 64.50-65 with a positive bias. Support from the domestic equity market and pressure on US dollar globally may push the USD-INR towards 64.50."

9:10 am Pre-Opening Settlement: The market was lower in pre-opening settlement. The Sensex was down 76.30 points at 33,098.09 and the Nifty fell 40.60 points to 10,143.60.

9:09 am Listing: State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics will list its equity shares on exchanges today. The final issue price is fixed at Rs 1,215 per share.

The Rs 4,229-crore initial public offer of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics was subscribed 99 percent during March 16-20, 2018, supported by QIB.

9:07 am Stocks in News: TPG-backed Manipal Hospitals buys Fortis Healthcare, to invest Rs 3,900 crore. Fortis Healthcare Board approved the demerger of its hospitals business into Manipal Hospital Enterprises. The Board has also approved sale of its 20 percent stake in SRL to Manipal Hospitals.

Wipro launches tech center in Texas, to raise headcount to 2,000

Govt must reduce stake in public sector banks to check on frauds

L&T Construction bags Rs 4,353 crore orders in the T&D business

Lupin: It has received US FDA nod for generic of Clobex Spray.

State Bank of India: The bank is mulling the possibility of merging SBI Card JV entities with itself.

Dena Bank: Gets shareholders' nod for the issue of shares worth Rs 3,045 crore to the government.

9:03 am Technical Recommendations: Heres what Guiness Securities has to recommend:

Bajaj Finance Ltd: Buy | Close: 1772.45 | Target: Rs 1960 | Stop loss: Rs 1650 | Return: 10.58%

UPL Ltd: Buy | Close: 736.80 | Target: Rs 800 | Stop loss: Rs 699 | Return: 8.55%

Balkrishna Industries Ltd: Buy | Close: 1095.15 | Target: Rs 1200 | Stop loss: Rs 1050 | Return: 9.59%

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

9:00 am Market Check: The market started off last day of the truncated week on a flat note, with the Sensex rising 57.14 points to 33,231.53 and the Nifty falling 0.50 points to 10,183.70 in pre-opening trade.

It is expected to be weak day as global markets are under pressure and even SGX Nifty indicated the weak opening, falling 64 points.

Fortis Healthcare tanks 10 percent after Manipal deal. Kwality fell 20 percent.

Wall Street closed sharply lower Tuesday, with each of the major US indexes suffering their fourth decline in five sessions, fueled by a selloff in the tech sector. Tech stocks, among the best performing sectors of the bull market, have been under pressure recently as concerns about government regulation stemming from their strong growth and privacy questions surrounding Facebook, Reuters reported.

Also Watch - Markets@Moneycontrol: Nifty likely to open lower; 3 stocks which can give up to 11% return

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 344.89 points, or 1.43 percent, to 23,857.71, the S&P 500 lost 45.93 points, or 1.73 percent, to 2,612.62 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 211.74 points, or 2.93 percent, to 7,008.81.

Asian stocks posted declines after US stocks fell sharply on the back of declines in technology names. That cut short a rally seen in Europe and Asia's Tuesday session linked to an apparent easing in trade-related tensions, CNBC reported.

The Nikkei 225 fell 2.15 percent in Tokyo, with the stock average reversing most of its gains made in the overnight session. The broader Topix was down 2.04 percent.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

In a new twist to the case of Medanta hospital in Gurugram overcharging a patient, the family of the 7-year old child Sourya Pratap, who died of dengue, withdrew the complaint and agreed not to pursue the case further after the hospital agreed refund the entire amount of Rs 15.68 lakh charged for the patients treatment.

The settlement was facilitated by the Union health minister JP Nadda.

In a letter written to Naresh Trehan, the Chairman and Managing Director of Medanta, Nadda's additional private secretary Om Prakaash Sharma on March 1 requested Medanta to refund the amount, on the grounds that the family is poor and has lost a child.

Moneycontrol verified a copy of the letter written in Hindi.

The letter also mentions that the request came from Manoj Rajoria, BJP Lok Sabha MP representing Karauli-Dholpur, Rajasthan to help Sourya's father Gopendra Singh Parmar.

Parmar hails from the constituency represented by Rajoria.

Parmar said Rajoria then took up the matter with Nadda, who urged Trehan to repay the amount charged by the hospital.

But Medanta relented only after the Parmars agreed to drop the complaint.

"I took the decision in the best interests of our family under the circumstances we are in and it takes years, if not a lifetime to earn that much money," Parmar said in Hindi.

Parmar is an LIC agent and is the primary breadwinner for a joint family of 8 people that includes his parents, wife, child and his brother's family as well.

His son Sourya was admitted to Medanta on October 30 after being diagnosed with dengue. After undergoing treatment at the hospital for 22 days, the family decided to shift him to RML Hospital because there had been no improvement in his condition and the bill was running quite high. Sourya succumbed to disease two days after being admitted to RML Hospital.

Medanta denied any medical negligence on its part and said it had provided the best possible care.

The Haryana government in February ordered a probe against Medantas hospital in Gurugram.

DNA reported that the probe panel found the hospital guilty of overcharging the family for blood and certain drugs.

A six-member inquiry committee, which included the deputy civil surgeon and two paediatricians of the Gurugram civil hospital, was constituted by the civil surgeon's office on February 6.

The newspapers report said the inquiry committee found that while the state government has fixed the price of random donor platelets (RDPs) at Rs 400 per unit, Medanta charged Rs 1,950 per unit, nearly five times the stipulated price.

Medanta was also found selling drugs covered under the Drug Price Control Order at an inflated rate.

The Medanta case follows a similar pattern of hospitals trying to enter into settlements with families of patients in high profile cases.

Jayant Singh, the father of 7-year old girl Adya Singh who died of dengue and was billed Rs 16 lakh by Fortis Hospital in Gurugram, also alleged that the hospital had offered him a refund of the entire expenses and pay him an additional sum of Rs 25 lakh to settle the case.

Singh said he rejected the offer and has moved Supreme Court against the hospital.

"It is an unqualified good thing that late Souryas family was refunded the bill amount," said Malini Aisola, co-convenor, All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), the network of healthcare-focused NGOs.

"However, we need an enduring solution to the problem of exploitation by private hospitals so other patients dont have to depend on anybodys largesse. Therefore we call upon the government of India to urgently impose ceiling rates on healthcare charges which is in any case mandated under the rules of Clinical Establishment Act and Rules," Aisola added.
22:13 That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights.

21:37 Decision of re-test in favour of students: CBSE chief on paper leak

Under

attack over the board paper leaks, CBSE Chairperson Anita Karwal on Thursday said that the decision to hold re-examination of two subjects was taken in favour of the students and the new dates for the tests would be announced soon.

"We have taken the decision in favour of the students and in utmost fairness. Very soon we will announce the dates (for re-test). Any further decision would also be taken in the favour of the students," she told reporters.

"Students don't have to worry about anything. We are with them," she added. (PTI)

21:19 Lokpal, agrarian issues: Hazare calls off strike after govt assures speedy steps

Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday called off his hunger strike on the seventh day of his protest in New Delhi, saying the government has assured him of steps "soon" towards appointing Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states and addressing agrarian issues he flagged by him.

At the venue at Ramlila Grounds here, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who acted as the emissary of the Centre along with Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat, said that the NDA government has taken positive decisions in response to the demands of Hazare and several other farmers' organisations. (PTI)

20:48 Rs 71,633 crore transacted via PFMS portal on March 28: Finance Ministry

The Finance Ministry said a "historic" Rs 71,633 crore was processed and routed through the PFMS portal on March 28. The Public Financial Management System (PFMS), administered by the Department of Expenditure, is an end-to-end solution for processing payments, tracking, monitoring, accounting, reconciliation and reporting.

It provides scheme managers with a unified platform for tracking releases and monitoring their last mile utilisation.

"On March 28, an amount of Rs 71,633.45 crore has been digitally transacted/routed through PFMS Portal for 98,19,026 transactions. This is a historical record of the number of digital transactions processed in a single day," the ministry said in a statement.

Of this, Rs 52,292 crore was transferred to state governments, while other digital payments by PAOs (Principal Accounts Office) were to the tune of Rs 13,040 crore. (PTI)

20:21 Railways announces 20,000 additional jobs

The railways will recruit 20,000 more people, in addition to filling up 90,000 vacancies announced earlier, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.

The available vacancies have now been increased to 1,10,000 from previously 90,000, he said in a tweet. "110,000 jobs in Railways for youth: One of the world's biggest recruitment drive gets even bigger," Goyal wrote on Twitter.

Officials said more than two crore individuals have applied for different posts in railways in response to the jobs announcement earlier this year. The minister said there was a total of 9,000 job vacancies in the Railway Police Force (RPF) and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) and more than 10,000 other additional jobs up for grabs. (PTI)

19:54 Facebook privacy debate shows most countries not ready for digital economy: UN

The ongoing Privacy concern raised after the Facebook data scandal illustrates that most countries are ill-prepared for the digital economy, the United Nations has said.

The Internet user growth is booming and with more people ever purchasing goods and services online, protecting their privacy must be a top priority, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the main UN agency dealing with the economics of globalisation, said.

The privacy concerns raised after the revelation that a political data firm gained access to millions of Facebook users without their consent signals to the larger problem that nations need to be prepared more for a world of e-commerce, UNCTAD said. (PTI)

19:33 SEBI may ease norms for companies filing for bankrutpcy

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has released a discussion paper, seeking public views regarding compliance with SEBI regulations by listed entities undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.

In the discussion paper, SEBI has addressed disclosures, trading on stock exchanges, material related party transactions, reclassification of promoters, compliance with the minimum public shareholding requirement and delistings pursuant to resolution plan or liquidation. The markets regulator may finalize all norms within the next two to three months.

19:22 ISRO successfully launches GSAT-6A satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday successfully launched the GSLV-F08 carrying the GSAT-6A communication satellite from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. (ANI)

18:55 India needs more reforms to achieve 8-9% growth: Nouriel Roubini

India needs more economic reforms to achieve its potential growth rate of 8-9 per cent, Nobel laureate Nouriel Roubini said today.

The noted economist also cautioned against rising oil prices in the international market, saying it could create problems for inflation as well as trade and fiscal balance. (PTI)

18:49 Delhi Metro services hit for 90 minutes due to technical snag

Delhi Metro services on the Blue Line were hit for nearly 90 minutes due to a technical snag in the overhead electrification between Karol Bagh and R K Ashram stations.

The snag was reported in the contact wire of the overhead electrification at 2.05 pm, affecting train services on the 50-km-long line, the DMRC said in a statement.

The services were restored at 3.35 pm, it added. (PTI)

18:47 BJP accuses Kapil Sibal of land scam

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his wife are involved in a land scam.

According to a media report, the duo acquired a piece of land valued at Rs 89 crore in New Delhi municipal area by paying much less amount for acquiring the holding company, when Sibal was the Union Law Minister during the tenure of the Congress party. (ANI)

18:42 Russian airline sends American passengers back to India 'because of their skin colour'

A complaint against a Russian airline has been registered with the Department of Transportation under the Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings in the US alleging discrimination on the basis of race.

The complaint filed by five individuals against Aeroflot alleges that they were subject to a discriminatory treatment when they were flying from New Delhi to New York via Moscow.

18:40 Facebook users find videos that they never uploaded in archive

Facebook is in trouble again after users reported instances where they discovered videos that they had never posted on the website.

Facebook has been in the middle of an ongoing controversy since the London Observer and The New York Times reported that analytics firm Cambridge Analytica had illegally mined 50 million Facebook users data to influence the 2016 US presidential election.

18:16 Income Tax Department siezes two accounts of Navjot Singh Sidhu

Income tax department seized two bank accounts of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. He has tax dues amounting to Rs 52 lakh, reports ANI.

18:00 Bonhomie Between Judiciary and Govt is Death Knell to Democracy: Justice Chelameswar

Reproaching the central government for its "impropriety" and "contumacious" attitude, Supreme Courts most senior judge Justice J Chelameswar has cautioned that "bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell to democracy", reports CNN-News18.

In his letter addressed to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, the judge has urged the CJI to constitute a full court to take up on the judicial side the issues pertaining to governmental interference in the judiciary's domain and certain instances of "executive bidding" by a few judges.

17:48 Anna Hazare, protesting over Lokpal, ends hunger strike

Anna Hazare ends hunger strike after talks with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, reports ANI.

17:43 Darren Lehmann to step down as Australian cricket team coach

Australian cricket team coach Darren Lehmann will step down after the Test vs. South Africa, Hindustan Times reports.

17:26 OnePlus 6 to have iPhone-like notch, will retain headphone jack

OnePlus 6 will have an Apple iPhone X-like notch at the top of the display, company co-founder Carl Pei has confirmed.

Speaking to tech news website The Verge, Pei said having a notch at the top was only possible by making modifications to smartphones front camera, sensors, notification light and earpieces.

Pei said the notch's dimensions are 19.616mm x 7.687mm, keeping the screen-to-body ratio at 90 percent.

17:16 Dr Reddy's ropes in ex-Teva executive to run operations

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories on Thursday said it has appointed Erez Israeli to run the operations of the company. Israeli will report to GV Prasad, Co-Chairman & CEO of Dr Reddy's.

Israeli will replace Abhijit Mukherjee who will be retiring as Chief Operating Officer (COO) on March 31.

Israeli is expected to steer the company out of its current slump, which is struggling with regulatory compliance issues at its plants and plummeting sales of US business.

17:07 Uttar Pradesh govt looks to tap CSR funds for 100-metre Lord Ram statue, tourism projects

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had last year announced a planto build the statue on the banks of Saryu River in Ayodhya. In a 26-page booklet, the govt has also listed 86 tourism projects eligible for CSR investment. (PTI)

16: 52 BMW to hike prices between 3-5.5% from April 1, says India chief Vikram Pawah

President of BMW India, Vikram Pawah, spoke to Moneycontrol's Swaraj Baggonkar and shared his plans for the year head.

16:31 Market trivia: The FTSE 100 Index  which tracks the 100 largest companies by market cap on the London Stock Exchange  has been the worst-performing major country index so far this year. It has fallen 9% so far in 2018. That compares to a 7% loss for the German DAX, a 6% loss for the Japanese Nikkei 225, a 5% loss for the EURO STOXX 50, and only a 2% loss for the S&P 500.

FY18

Indian companies raised Rs 1,77,116 crore during FY18 through the equity market route, the highest amount ever raised in a financial year, a report by PRIME Database said. The previous highest amount raised through equity market was Rs 86,710 crore in FY10, it added.

16:17 FY18

Jaitley

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has collected over Rs 1 lakh crore through PSU disinvestment in the current fiscal, higher than Rs 46,250 crore mopped up in the previous financial year, reports PTI.

The government has decided not to tinker with the interest rates on small savings schemes, including NSC and PPF, for the April-June quarter. In another notification, the Finance Ministry said it has decided to extend submission of Aadhaar details for small savings scheme investors until further orders.

China warned the United States not to open Pandoras Box and spark a flurry of protectionist practices across the globe, even as Beijing pointed to US goods that it could target in a deepening Sino-US trade dispute, reports Reuters.

Gold discounts in India narrowed this week on an improvement in demand for weddings and hopes that retail purchases will rise next month on account of Akshaya Tritiya, while demand in the rest of Asia remained subdued due to higher prices. Dealers in India were offering a discount of up to $3 an ounce over official domestic prices this week, down from $7 discount last week, the highest in 6-1/2 months.

15:59 Dalmia

UltraTech

Binani

Dalmia Cement hit out at UltraTech's claim that it was 'wrongly and unjustifiably' rated second preferred bidder for Binani Cement on the basis of apprehensions of obtaining CCI clearance. UltraTech had on Wednesday received CCI nod for its Rs 7,266 crore bid for Binani Cement, reports PTI.

15:53 Telcos

153cr

FY17

Telecom companies' pre-tax losses widened to a staggering Rs 38,153 crore in FY17 from Rs 1,699 crore in the preceding year, the government informed Parliament. Also, 24 out of 50 companies reported losses before tax during 2016-17, it said.

IPOs

785m

CY18

Indian companies raised $785 million, up 14% year-on-year, through 39 IPOs in the first quarter this year, an EY report stated.

15:44 The sale of second tranche of electoral bonds will take place from April 2-10 at SBI's 11 designated branches, the Finance Ministry said.

15:44 Softbank

Ola-Uber

Taxi-hailing services Ola and Uber have once again revived talks to merge their businesses, in a deal being brokered by Japanese investment firm Softbank that is an investor in both companies, reports PTI.

Vinod Kumar Kamble allegedly operating a fake branch of Karnataka Bank was arrested in Mulayam Nagar locality in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, reports PTI. Over Rs 1.37 lakh cash, three computers, a laptop, two mobile phones, a printer, some bank passbooks, pay-in and deposit slips and other items were recovered from him, Superintendent of Police SP Ganguly said.

The Australian cricket team lost a major sponsor and a host of large companies tore up branding deals with individual players as the fallout of a ball-tampering scandal tore into the financial core of the countrys favourite pastime, reports Reuters. Fund manager Magellan Financial Group binned a three-year team naming rights deal, which was only seven months old, while sports apparel giant ASICS Corp and Commonwealth Bank of Australia joined other firms in dropping players caught in the scandal which has shaken cricket.

Malala

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai broke down in tears during an emotional return to her native Pakistan, six years after she was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen for advocating greater education of girls, reports Reuters.

Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft apologised for lying about what he had used to scuff up the ball in the third test against South Africa after it was confirmed he used sandpaper and not sticky tape with granules from the pitch, reports Reuters. I lied. I lied about the sandpaper, Bancroft said. I panicked in that situation and Im very sorry. I feel like Ive let everyone down in Australia. The 25-year-old said he had thrown away his spot in the team and that he was determined to win back respect.

Analytica

The government has shot-off notices to Facebook and Cambridge Analytica on the data breach issue and will decide on action to be taken after receiving their responses, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Jana Small Finance Bank, which commenced its banking operations today, plans to set up over 500 banking outlets by 2019 and expand its reach to unbanked rural areas, reports PTI. Jana Small Finance Bank, formerly known as Janalakshmi Financial Services, said it will initially open 19 branches in 18 states.

Aadhaar

The government extended by three months to June 30 the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with welfare schemes, where the benefits are funded from the Consolidated Fund of India. The earlier deadline for the same was March 31, 2018, reports PTI.

The Income Tax Department released a pan-India list of 24 defaulting individuals and companies who owe about Rs 490 crore in taxes to the exchequer but have either gone untraceable or have reported inadequate assets for payment of dues, reports PTI.

Government officers facing criminal or corruption charges will be denied vigilance clearance for the grant of passport, according to new guidelines finalised by the Personnel Ministry, reports PTI. However, authorities concerned can take a call in case such officers need to go on foreign travel due to an extreme urgent situation like medical emergencies.

13:53 Asian stocks closed mostly higher, as several regional markets shrugged off weakness seen overnight on Wall Street. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 closed up 0.61%, or 127.77 points, at 21,159.08 after rebounding late in the day. The Kospi rose 0.71% to end at 2,436.37 and the Shanghai Composite rose 1.24% to close at 3,160.93.

13:48 Stocks in Europe are trading flat. This is the last trading day of the week for most European markets ahead of the Easter break.

US-based IT firm Cognizant said it paid all applicable taxes related to its buyback transaction in 2016 and the Income Tax Department's position is contrary to law and without merit. The company also sought to assure its employees that the developments will have no bearing on the recently announced promotion cycles and wage revisions. Its comments follow I-T's freezing its certain bank accounts in the country over a dispute on payment of dividend distribution tax running into hundreds of crores.

tonne

The government almost doubled commission to Rs 354 per tonne for fertiliser dealers selling urea through PoS machines, a move that will result in an additional subsidy burden of Rs 515.16 crore annually to the exchequer, reports PTI. The revised margin will come into effect from April 1 uniformly for both private and institutional agencies, the Fertiliser Ministry said.

chowkidar

Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi again, going into rhyme over the series of leaks, including CBSE board papers, to say that the chowkidar was weak, reports PTI. Using Twitter as his platform to attack the government, as he has been doing with clockwork regularity lately, he also used the hashtag BasEkAurSaal, a reference to the government being left with one year of its term. How many leaks? Data leak! Aadhar leak! SSC Exam leak! Election date leak! CBSE papers leak! There is a leak in everything, the 'chowkidar' is weak, Gandhi said in a tweet.

12:17 PNB

honour

LoUs

FLCs

500cr

Punjab National Bank (PNB) will honour 352 maturing letters of undertaking (LoUs) and foreign letters of credit (FLCs) issued by it, collectively worth Rs 6,500 crore, the lender said in a statement.

12:13 JSW

Acero

81m

Acero

12:09 Toyota, Suzuki agree to produce cars for each other in India

Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp announced a basic agreement to produce cars for each other in India as Toyota aims to increase its market share in the fast-growing country dominated by its smaller rival, reports Reuters.

589m

ICICI

JSW Steel has agreed to buyJunction Holdings for $80.85 million, as it looks to expand its operations in the United States.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in a rare move, imposed a penalty of Rs 589 million on ICICI Bank, the countrys third biggest lender, for failure to adhere to held-to-maturity (HTM) guidelines. The penalty is for non-compliance with directions issued by RBI on direct sale of securities from its HTM portfolio and specified disclosure in this regard, it said in a statement. The central bank did not elaborate on how ICICI Bank failed to comply with its norms.

11:49 Asian stocks traded mixed, as several regional markets shrugged off weakness seen overnight on Wall Street. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 pared gains of more than 1% seen earlier to dip 0.1% as the yen firmed slightly after falling overnight. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was off by 0.17% as technology and energy stocks lagged. The Kospi rose 0.11% as manufacturing names and automakers traded in negative territory.

North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on April 27, South Korean government officials who held high-level talks with their North Korean counterparts told Reuters.

FY18

The government will meet its fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP for FY18, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said on Twitter.

apologises

Former Australia vice captain David Warner broke his silence over the ball-tampering saga with a post on social media in which he apologised and accepted responsibility for his part in the scandal, reports Reuters.

China will lower the value-added tax rate on manufacturing, transportation, construction, telecommunication and agricultural sectors from May 1, reports Reuters. The VAT cuts are expected to save 240 billion yuan in taxes this year

11:27 Asian stocks traded mixed on Thursday, as several regional markets shrugged off weakness seen overnight on Wall Street. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 pared gains of more than a percent seen earlier to dip 0.1%. The Kospi rose 0.11% as manufacturing names and automakers traded in negative territory. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was off 0.17% as technology and energy stocks lagged.

11:23 Uber

The family of the woman killed by an Uber Technologies self-driving vehicle in Arizona has reached a settlement with the ride services company, ending a potential legal battle over the first fatality caused by an autonomous vehicle, reports Reuters.

11:15 Biocon

glargine

Biocon expects its commercial partner Mylan to launch insulin glargine across various markets in Europe in the second half of 2018, Moneycontrol News Viswanath Pilla. The company didn't specify the Australian launch but said it will happen later this year.

SEZ

Concerned over special economic zone developers and units mortgaging land to raise loans, a parliamentary panel suggested that the SEZ law be reviewed to curb the possibility of using such land as collateral for raising funds, reports PTI.

Insurance sector regulator Irdai said as many as 24 schemes will be exempt from goods and services tax (GST) for reinsurance and asked insurance firms to pass on the benefits to customers, reports PTI.

09:54 Thyssenkrupp

Plans by Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel to combine their European steel operations face renewed opposition from German unions, who say the companies labour agreement in the Netherlands goes too far in protecting work and sites there, reports Reuters.

09:52 ICICI

Chanda

Kochhar

Videocon

The board of ICICI Bank has given a clean chit to its CEO and Managing Director Chanda Kochhar. It said there was no favouritism or conflict of interest in granting loans to Videocon Industries or any other company. The board said its credit approval process is well-structured and standardised and no individual employee, whatever may be his or her position, has the ability to influence the credit decision.

The government has allowed export of two million tonne of sugar until the end of the 2017-18 marketing year, in order to clear surplus stocks and improve cash flow to millers for making payment to sugarcane farmers, reports PTI.

The Manipal Hospitals acquisition of Fortis Healthcare has failed to cheer Fortis shareholders with its shares dropping over 13% on Wednesday, reports Moneycontrol News Viswanath Pilla. Though analysts feel that Fortis shareholders may have got a raw deal in terms of valuation, considering the messy circumstances that Fortis is in  the merger was probably the best possible option for shareholders in the long run.

A US judge rejected Saudi Arabias bid to dismiss lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the September 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims, reports Reuters.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top officials have approved new regulations for the countrys asset management sector, the establishment of a financial court in Shanghai and plans to deepen reform, reports Reuters.

cos

Sebi

Sebi said it will allow investors to use SCORES platform for submission of grievances directly to the companies from August 1. The move is aimed at faster disposal of investor complaints. Introduced in June 2011, Sebi Complaints Redress System (SCORES) is a web based centralised system to capture investor complaints against listed companies and registered intermediaries.

08:41 Sebi

Regulator Sebi has decided to rationalise and strengthen the framework for equity derivatives market by facilitating greater alignment of the cash as well as futures and options segments. It has approved a proposal to update and strengthen the existing entry criteria for introduction of stocks into the derivative segment in line with the increase in market capitalisation. An additional criterion of average daily 'deliverable' value in the cash market of Rs 10 crore has also been prescribed.

Facebook said it would end its partnerships with several large data brokers who help advertisers target people on the social network, a step that follows a scandal over how Facebook handles personal information, reports Reuters.

Japans retail sales rose in February as shoppers spent more on food, drinks and clothes, suggesting rising wages and a tight labour market are supporting consumer confidence, reports Reuters. The 1.6% annual increase in retail sales in February follows a revised 1.5% annual increase in January.

The government unveiled plans to sell up to 76% stake in Air India and transfer management control to private players. Coming out with a detailed preliminary information memorandum on the stake sale, the Civil Aviation Ministry said the proposed disinvestment would include profit-making Air India Express and joint venture AISATS. The latter is an equal joint venture between the national carrier and Singapore-based SATS.

While the government would retain 24% stake in the national carrier, the winning bidder would be required to stay invested in the airline for at least three years. Expression of Interest (EoI) has been sought from various entities, including foreign airlines. The last date for submission of EoI is May 14 and intimation to the qualified interest bidders would be made on May 28.

Bidding can be done as a single player or as part of a consortium. The bidder should have a minimum net worth of Rs 5,000 crore. Each consortium member should have positive profit after tax in at least three of the immediately preceding five financial years from the EoI deadline.

US President Donald Trump fired his Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominated White House physician, Admiral Ronny Jackson as his replacement, reports PTI.

Malala

years

Malala

Yousafzai

Nobel laureatereturned to her native Pakistan, six years after she was shot by Taliban gunmen over her advocacy for education for girls, reports Reuters.
Mumbai-based hyperlocal fashion shopping app Fynd has closed its Series C round of funding led by Google. Kae Capital, IIFL and Tracxn Labs also participated in the round.

The latest round of funding will enable the platform to further enhance the way it engages with consumers and retailers.

The company had earlier raised funds in April 2017 led by IIFL with participation from New York-based FJ Labs and others. The app helps customers discover fashion in real-time and know the exact specifications of the products available by inventory integration of brand stores.

Fynd is growing steadily and has managed to seal some exciting partnerships in the past few months. Our vision is to revolutionize the online and offline shopping experience across all channels and customer touch-points. We expect that the capital raised will help us further bolster our growth trajectory, said Harsh Shah, co-founder, Fynd.

The company was founded in 2015 by three IIT Bombay alumni Farooq Adam, Harsh Shah and Sreeraman Mohan Girija.

Fynd has built an impressive, tech-first platform that has tremendous potential to scale within and beyond fashion and India, said Seema Rao, Head of Corporate Development - India, Google.

The O2O platform directly sources products across various categories including clothing, footwear, jewellery and accessories, from the most prominent brands in the country (via their in-store inventory) and brings them online.
RN Bhaskar

It was the governments first official statement on the size of non-performing assets (NPAs) of Indian banks and how the buildup of such deadweight liabilities took place with both private and government owned banks.

In reply to the Unstarred Question No 4614, Shiv Pratap Shukla, minister of state in the ministry of finance, informed the Lok Sabha on March 23 of the governments stand on NPAs of the industrial sector and of farmers.

But in addition to figures that were by themselves worth a great deal of consideration, the minister made a couple of remarks that should have made many a senior banker break out into a wry smile.

The minister admitted that according to data reported by public sector banks (PSBs), a sum of Rs.10,899 crore had been recovered by them during the financial year 2016-17. This was done under the One Time Settlement programme which, explained the minister, is done on the basis of mutual agreement between the lender and the borrower, by way of compromise or negotiated settlement, and an amount of Rs. 9,062 crore had been written off. That effectively meant that the PSBs opted for a haircut of 45% during that year.

The minister stated that as far as compromise or negotiated settlements are concerned, the RBI had already advised commercial banks to have board-of-directors approved loan-recovery-policies, which set down norms for permitted sacrifice.

But then the 45% benchmark for writeoffs is what many banks had been practicing for almost three decades. In fact there are times when the permitted sacrifice can be even greater.

This author recalls how bank boards were routinely summoned to meetings where as much as 70% loans taken by favoured companies (whose managements were known to be close to politicians at the centre) were written off. This data was routinely compiled by the Central Economic Intelligence Board (CEIB) which used to report directly to the finance minister to keep him apprised of the loans corporate groups had taken through their myriad affiliate and satellite companies. The CEIB would also record the scale of writeoffs as well.

As the practice became more rampant, the scale of NPAs and haircuts also became very pervasive. Soon a 45% haircut was the routine permitted sacrifice.

In fact, the AIBEA banking newsletter of 29 March 2018 (the newsletter is a periodic bulletin from the All-India Bank Employees Association) talks of how In 2015, Union Bank of India and Bank of Maharashtra rejected Rs 41 crore as a full and final settlement from a company that had defaulted on Rs 49.29 crore. Three years later [that is, recently], the banks inexplicably settled for Rs 25.5 crore from the same company. Ideally, the settlement amount should have increased. This time the haircut was 48.3%. And the company was close to a powerful politician.

That could explain why the government did not want the RBI to have full control over the board of directors of Indian banks. Normally, this should have been the prerogative of the Central Bank. But as its governor pointed out recently, its powers were whittled down. Section 51 of the Banking Regulation Act which gave the RBI powers to regulate banks were modified  first in 1969  just around the time when the Indira Gandhi government wanted to nationalise many Indian banks. It was modified again in 2017. Other sections were also modified so as to give the government (not the RBI) powers to regulate banks. Thus the government could now directly inform bank managements which loans ought to be granted and which loans were to be written off and what the permitted sacrifice could be. It is then that one understands why the dogs did not bark.

That would provide one more reasons why NPAs of banks began swelling, especially those of government owned banks.

There was another reason why the largest NPAs were linked to steel and power projects. Many of such projects that were sanctioned were given to companies known to have political godfathers. Hence, in the power sector, where the role of the government has always been considerable, many of the power projects went to players who did not even have a track record in the energy sector.

Consider for instance how Tata Power managed to wrest project after project overseas in the face of international competitive bidding, but could not wrest projects in India. The beneficiaries invariably were those who were the favoured ones. And it is these favoured ones who are now crying for a bailout. And the government will magnanimously allow the permitted sacrifice of 45% or even more, Of course, this will be done through bank boards, and quasi judicial bodies. But the hand and intent of the government will always be visible to those in the know.

In fact, it is quaint, how the government in another reply to the Lok Sabha (on the same day vide Unstarred Question No 4762) refused to disclose the NPA status relating to the telecom sector. The government instead took shelter behind RBI regulations stating that RBI has informed that the information sought can not be disclosed under provisions of section 45E of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Section 45E provides that credit information submitted by a bank shall be treated as confidential and not to be published or otherwise disclosed.

Thus the government modifies RBI rules, it creates rules that prevent the central bank from disclosing to common citizens the state of loans, even when it is the same tax paying people of the country who will finally have to pay for the caprices and misdeeds of a collusive mix of industrialists, banks and politicians.

Clearly, bank NPAs are likely to remain high as long as the government  through its politicians and bureaucrats  tries to control banks, and the manner in which loans are disbursed and collections effected. The first step to ensure a cleanup would therefore lie in the government restoring to the RBI full powers to regulate banks. Creating a parallel supervisory banking board (again filled with politically aligned people) will not help.

This is where the government has failed. It has tried to meddle with bureaucratic appointments, police postings, and even with bank managements. Recent revelations about how top decision-makers sat over the files relating to the mismanagement of a top private sector bank only underscore this suspicion.

That is why, it is sad to see enforcement officials blackballing bank managers and even the RBI, but refusing to name and implicate the politicians who tacitly told the bank managers to go ahead with reckless largesse.

Indias tryst with corruption is not going to end that soon.
Representative image

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and the Housing Department of Maharashtra failed to shift slum-dwellers from the airport land even ten years after a private builder was given the job of building alternative tenements for them, the CAG has said.

Slums still occupy the airport land, "which continue to pose a grave security threat", the Comptroller and Auditor General said in its report, tabled before the Maharashtra legislature on Wednesday.

The Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) had entrusted the task of rehabilitation of some 80,000 families living on Airport land to Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) in 2007. "Though (some of) the tenements were ready for rehabilitation, SRA had not taken the possession of these tenements from the builder due to non-finalisation of the list of eligible slum dwellers," said the report.

"No slum dwellers could be shifted from the airport land even ten years after the scheme was taken up, defeating the objective of clearance of slums from airport land which continue to pose a grave security threat to the safety, security and operations of the Mumbai airport," it said.

The Housing Department failed to coordinate with the SRA and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for a timely shifting of slum-dwellers, it said. In another case, the CAG said, SRA wrongly approved a scheme for rehabilitation of Project-Affected People in eastern Mumbai, ignoring objections of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and granting an undue favour to a private developer.

The Bombay High Court, on October 14, 2009, had directed the government to remove the encroachments along the pipelines which supply water to Mumbai.

The government decided to provide alternative tenements to 7,500 families who lived along the pipelines.

"The SRA sanctioned a slum rehabilitation scheme on a private land owned by a developer in village Mahul for construction of 8,582 PAP tenements," the CAG noted. "The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre objected to the scheme as it fell inside its buffer zone, and raised concerns of a potential threat to national security. Similar concerns were raised by Hindustan Petroleum since the tenements were adjacent to their Mumbai refinery," the CAG said.

The SRA still sanctioned the construction, it said.

Also, while giving transfer of development rights or TDR (which is given in return for a land surrendered for a public project), the SRA gave an undue benefit of Rs 156.85 crore to the builder, the CAG said.

The project was eventually scrapped in October 2013 when the Chief Secretary endorsed the security concerns.
India and China are keen to re-negotiate bilateral investment agreement with an aim to create a more stable and transparent environment to facilitate greater investment in both the countries, an official said.

The issue was discussed during the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu with his Chinese counterpart Zhong Shan here.

The two ministers acknowledged that significant growth in bilateral investment calls for an upgradation of bilateral investment agreement between the two countries.

"Both the sides agreed to re-negotiate the bilateral investment agreement to create a more stable, transparent and predictable legal environment to facilitate greater investments," the government official said.

India has received USD 1.78 billion foreign direct investment from China during April 2000 to December 2017.

The official added Chinese side raised certain issues with regard to investment facilitation in India.

"The commerce ministry informed the Chinese officials that they can have separate meetings with the Department of Economic Affairs on the investment treaty," the commerce ministry official said.

They also want to set up more industrial parks in the country, a move would also help narrowing the trade deficit.

Chinese firms that have presence in India include Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo.
Supreme Courts seniormost judge, Justice J Chelameswar, slammed the central government for its impropriety and contumacious attitude, in a letter addressed to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. He warned that bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell for democracy, reports CNN-News18.

Justice Chelameswar, in his letter, has urged Chief Justice Misra to constitute a full court to take up legal issues related to government interference in the judiciarys domain, along with certain cases of executive bidding by some judges.

The letter has been sent to 22 other Supreme Court judges and has come out after information surfaced that direct communication happened between the Law Ministry and the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court regarding a recommendation to the HC collegium.

The Law Ministry departed from the procedure and wrote directly to Chief Justice of Karnataka HC, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, regarding re-initiation of an inquiry against a judicial officer concerned as a judge in the HC, and Justice Maheshwari obliged.

The ministry should have elevated the judicial officer or written to the Collegium in case of contentions. The decision taken by Justice Maheshwari ignored the outcome of a previous inquiry, which had already cleared the officer. It also delayed the Collegiums recommendation, even though the officers name had come up for elevation for the second time.

Justice Chelameswar called the HC judge more loyal than the King, and said asking the high court to re-evaluate our recommendation in the matter should be deemed improper and contumacious.

Labelling the governments move as unpredictable and unthinkable, he said, To my mind, I could recollect no instance from the past of the executive bypassing the Supreme Court, more particularly while its recommendations are pending, and asking the High Court, as if it were an interdepartmental matter, to look into the allegations already falsified and conclusively rejected by us.

The government could have sent the recommendation back for reconsideration to the Collegium if it had any doubts about the judicial officers nomination. Instead, it sat tight on the file. In other words, our recommendation still retained its validity and legitimacy. For some time, our unhappy experience has been that the Governments accepting our recommendations is an exception and sitting on them is the norm. Inconvenient but able judges or judges to be are being bypassed through this route.

The letter added, We, the judges of the Supreme Court of India, are being accused of ceding our independence and our institutional integrity to the Executives incremental encroachment. The Executive is always impatient and brooks no disobedience even of the judiciary if it can. Attempts were always made to treat the Chief Justices as the Departmental Heads in the Secretariat. So much for our independence and pre-eminence as a distinct State organ.

Justice Chelameswar cautioned that bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell for democracy. We are both mutual watchdogs, so to say, not mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts, the senior judge said.

Justice Chelameswar concluded the letter by saying, I am of the opinion that this matter is now ripe for the consideration of the Full Court on the judicial side if this institution really is to be any more relevant in the scheme of the Constitution.

CJI Dipak Misra has not responded to the letter yet.
Snow

Only 22 percent of the Prime Minister's Rs 80,000 crore development package for Jammu and Kashmir has been released to the state government so far, a parliamentary committee has said in a scathing report underlining the "little outcome achieved" under it.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a report tabled in the Rajya Sabha recently, said the progress on implementing the Prime Minister's development package had been slow and a "poor outcome" had been achieved in the past 12 months.

The committee found that out of the Rs 80,068-crore Prime Minister's Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir, projects of Rs 67,046 crore have been sanctioned and Rs 17,913 crore have been released to the state government, according to the report.

The committee noted that most of the projects - including that for creation of jobs, transit accommodations, one-time settlement of 36,384 families from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Chhamb displaced persons, and raising of India Reserve Battalions - were still under progress and "little outcome was achieved".

"Observing this pattern of poor outcome in the past twelve months, the committee recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs should intensify its efforts to achieve measurable outcome under the PM's Development Package by speeding up the work in the upcoming fiscal and implement all the projects at the earliest," the panel said in its report.

The committee also desires that the ministry may apprise it about the details of expenditure incurred under various heads out of Rs 80,000 crore and the actual physical and financial achievements against the set targets under this package, the report read.

There are seven projects which are at different stages of implementation.

"In that regard, the Committee would like to be informed about the total amount disbursed so far for payment of honorarium to the Special Police Officers at the enhanced rate of Rs 6,000 per month, and the number of beneficiaries, further progress made in raising of the 5 India Reserve Battalions.

"Status of projects amounting to Rs 255.30 crore already sanctioned and remaining proposals of Rs 245 crore pertaining to the security and law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, progress achieved with regard to construction of 6,000 transit accommodation in the Kashmir Valley, implementation status of the project on creation of 3,000 jobs identified by the state government in 18 different departments," the panel said.

It also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to inform it about the latest status of the implementation of the rehabilitation package for one-time settlement of 36,384 families from PoK, Chhamb displaced persons.
The 'tea scam' pot kept boiling in Maharashtra with the Congress on Thursday writing to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and questioning the government's clarification on the expenses incurred on tea and snacks in the CMO.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam wrote to Fadnavis saying that the information obtained under Right to Information and the government's clarification does not match.

"The chief minister says this is overall expenditure on bouquets, shawls and coconuts given during felicitations, whereas the RTI specifically gave details of expenditure on tea and snacks," he said.

Seeking an "internal inquiry", Nirupam said, "The response of the chief minister is full of loopholes and lies.

"A former Congress chief minister said tea and snacks expenses of the CMO have always been in lakhs. Then how did they rise to Rs 3.4 crore during 2017-18 from Rs 58 lakh during 2015-16?" the former MP said. Meanwhile, speaking at an event in Pune, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said, "I have been the chief minister four times but I was surprised when I heard news about the huge amount spent on tea and snacks."

After Nirupam sought to create a 'storm in a teacup' yesterday by accusing the CMO of inflated bills of tea and snacks, the latter had rubbished the claim. Responding to the Congress leader's allegations, the CMO had said, "The conclusions drawn by Nirupam are wrong. The expenditure he referred to as being on tea and snacks, in reality, the expenditure on the overall hospitality.

"This includes expenditure on tea, snacks, meals, and cost incurred on snacks during state cabinet meetings, bouquets, shawls and shriphal (coconut), gift articles and also the expenditure on (holding) meetings of various departments," the CMO had said.

"Also, the expenditure is not just that of the CMO, but includes the expenditure at Mantralaya, Sahyadri guest house, Varsha (CM's official residence in Mumbai), Ramgiri (CM's official residence at Nagpur) and Hyderabad House at Nagpur," it said.
Yogi Adityanath

The Uttar Pradesh government may rope in corporate funds to realize their plan of installing a 100-metre high statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Last year, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced to build the statue on the banks of Saryu River in Ayodhya.

The state government has invited companies who want to spend their mandatory 2 percent of net profit under CSR to develop similar projects. It has prepared a 26-page booklet listing projects eligible for investment under CSR, including 86 tourism projects worth Rs 2,725 crore in 10 towns, reported The Economic Times.

Out of the projects enlisted in the booklet, four Ayodhya-based projects have the biggest budget of Rs 755 crore. Two of these are in Ayodhya  a 100-metre tall statue of Lord Ram, estimated to cost around Rs 330 crore and development of Navyu Ayodhya. Navyu Ayodhya or New Ayodhya will be developed on the banks of the Saryu, replete with a 7D Ramlila (dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Rama), Ramkatha gallery, light and sound show on Ramlila and musical fountains. It is estimated to approximately cost Rs 350 crore.

The idea of partnering with businesses and combining complimentary resources and strengths for these projects was part of a new state policy, UP Principal Secretary (Tourism) Awanish Kumar Awasthi told ET.

The policy would encourage private sector firms to form partnerships with the government voluntarily to facilitate projects focusing on social development and raise the Human Development Index of the state, read the booklet.

The other projects include Rs 75-crore ropeway project above the Sangam in Allahabad, Rs 200-crore redevelopment of the Parikarma route around Mathuras Goverdhan Hill, which is said to have been lifted by Lord Krishna, and Rs 100-crore revitalisation of the Panchkroshi Parikarma route in Varanasi.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrives at Vidhana Soudha to present the state budget in Bengaluru on Friday. (PTI)

Ramakrishna Upadhya

When Karnataka goes to the polls on May 12, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be trying to break a jinx that has lasted 33 years.

Given the mercurial nature of the southern states politics, no incumbent chief minister has been able to win a successive second term since Ramakrishna Hegde in 1985. Thirteen chief ministers have come and gone since then (including two separate terms for BJPs BS Yeddyurappa).

Whatever happens, Siddaramaiah will achieve the distinction of becoming the first chief minister in 40 years to complete a full 5-year term.

Among all the 22 chief ministers Karnataka has seen since the re-organisation of states in 1956, only D Devraj Urs had achieved the feat during his twin terms between 1972 and 1980.

Although Hegde was elected thrice between 1983 and 1988, he could never complete any of his terms.

Siddaramaiahs journey has been a remarkable one, and his latest term has brought to the fore his razor-sharp political instincts.

He began his career on the anti-Congress plank and spent three decades in the Janata Parivar, becoming a minister in cabinets run by Ramakrishna Hegde, SR Bommai, JH Patel and HD Deve Gowda. It was only in 2006 that he joined Congress, after rebelling against Gowdas family politics.

When Congress secured a clear majority in the 2013 assembly elections, Siddaramaiah was a surprise choice of the Congress high command to be chief minister, overlooking the claims of other seniors in the party like Mallikarjun Kharge and G Parameshwara.

Brushing aside constant sniping that he was a migrant to the party, Siddaramaiah consolidated his position by appointing those who had followed him from the Janata parivar days to key ministries in the cabinet.

The stars seemed to shine on Siddaramaiah ever since he assumed power. It was derisively said that earlier Congress chief ministers acted like the slaves of the party high command and they had little functional autonomy.

But with the gradual weakening of the Congress  ever since the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah partnership went on expanding BJPs footprint across the country  regional satraps like Siddaramaiah have become more powerful in the party. So much so that rather than being told by the central leaders what to do, he advises them on political and strategic issues and gets their approval.

Two recent instances of Siddarmaiah dictating terms to the party and having his way are the issue of the state flag and the Lingayat matter.

After forcing the state government to banish Hindi from Bengalurus Metro stations, pro-Kannada organisations put forth the demand of primacy for Kannada in educational institutions and a separate state flag.

Making Kannada a compulsory subject to be taught from standard I to standard X in all schools, including those offering ICSE and CBSE syllabus, was relatively easy as there was no legal hurdle.

But the Congress high command was distinctly uncomfortable when Siddaramaiah agreed to consider the demand for a separate flag. No state other than Jammu & Kashmir has a flag of its own that is hoisted alongside the national flag.

The chief minister argued that there was no constitutional bar on having a state flag and went on to appoint an expert committee to suggest a design for the flag. His government came up with a design that incorporates the red and yellow colours found in the unofficial Kannada flag along with the state emblem of Ganda-Berunda (double-headed eagle) in the middle. Though the flag is yet to get the Centres approval, the state government has started using it in its advertisements.

By strongly backing a regional issue, the Siddaramaiah government has not only won the admiration of Kannadigas, but scored over the Janata Dal (Secular), a regional party.

But by far the most difficult and complex issue was tackling the demand for separate religion status for Lingayats.

Siddaramaiah was acutely aware that the 2013 assembly election was almost gifted to the Congress by BS Yeddyurappa of the BJP. A strong Lingayat leader, Yeddyurappa broke away from BJP before the polls and formed a separate party, the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP), to teach BJP a lesson for removing him from power as chief minister on alleged corruption charges.

Yeddyurappas KJP, despite contesting over 200 seats, managed to win only five seats. But his party secured nearly 10% votes across the state, reducing BJPs tally from 110 seats to 40, which helped the Congress capture power with 122 seats in a House of 224.

Yeddyurappa returned to the BJP just before 2014 Lok Sabha elections and helped the party win 17 seats and since 2016, he is being projected as Karnatakas chief ministerial candidate.

Siddaramaiahs master plan to split the Lingayat votes again began taking shape almost a year ago. He actively encouraged his cabinet colleagues belonging to the Lingayat community, MB Patil, Basavaraj Rayareddy and Vinay Kulkarni, to organise rallies to mobilise public support.

SM Jamadar, a retired IAS officer, also worked independently to dig up old documents to support the nearly century-old demand for a separate religion status for Lingayats. Jamadar and pro-Lingayat religious heads were roped in to address public rallies and douse the opposition mounted by the Veerashaivas, another powerful sect of the Lingayats.

Siddaramaiah appointed a pro-government expert committee, which initially asked for six months but was told to submit its report within two months, to rubber-stamp a separate status for Lingayats.

Even as the BJP leaders demurred, not knowing how to react to the governments move, which clearly had the backing of a section of Lingayats, the Siddaramaiah cabinet went ahead and approved the expert committees report.

The ball is now in the Centres court, but having taken the decision just a week before the announcement of the election, Siddaramaiah has not given the central BJP a chance to react either way to the demand. He is hoping that a good number of Lingayats will appreciate his bold and historic move and shift their loyalties to the Congress.

No doubt, Siddaramaiah has taken a huge gamble; it could either give the Congress an electoral bounty, or the whole exercise could boomerang. But his calculation is that even if half of the 16-17 percent Veerashaiva-Lingayat voters decide to support the Congress, he will be able to rewrite history after 33 long years and secure himself a second term as chief minister of the state.

(The author is a senior Bengaluru-based journalist)
In the special addition of 'Young Turks', we are speaking about the opportunities for investment in the Indian startup space with three investors who see India as a "bright spot in a world of grey".

On the face of it 2017, it appeared to be a good year for funding compared to the last three years. As of December 2017, Indian startups raised a total of a little over USD 10.14 billion versus USD 4.5 billion in 2016. But it was the consumer internet Unicorns that cornered a lion's share of the inflows and it was Japanese conglomerate Softbank helmed by Masayoshi Son who played kingmaker.

According to a Grant Thronton report private equity investments also hit an all-time high of USD 21 billion in 2017. So, what does the picture look like going forward?

In an interview, Nandan Nilekani and Sanjeev Aggarwal, the founding partners of the USD 100 million growth stage fund Fundamentum Partnership and Michael Sabia, the President & CEO of one of Canada's largest pension funds CDPQ which has invested USD 20 million in Fundamentum spoke about their outlook on Indian startups space.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview.

Q: Why did you decide on Fundamentum as your first investment in the VC space in India?

Sabia: This is part of our largest commitment that we are making to invest in India. One of the most attractive countries in the world we think to invest in today and I say that because India presents almost unique combination of tremendous entrepreneurial skills and great technological skill as you see in the digitisation that is going on in the Indian economy today. So, the partnership that we are establishing today with Fundamentum is a lot of about giving us access to that combination of entrepreneurship and technology where we think that there are very big opportunities for India and very big opportunities for ourselves.

The other thing I would say, one of the things that really struck us about the approach that Fundamentum has, the fund is in the business of building businesses, of building businesses to last and that is a very central part of how we think about investing as we go around the world investing. It is about building things, it is about building durable enterprises and that is at the core objectives of the Fundamentum.

Q: You spoke specifically about your interest in technology and wanting to bet and back Indian entrepreneurs. Specifically, within the technology space if we look at the Indian startup ecosystem what looks attractive to you, what looks exciting to you today?

Sabia: I think an area that interests us a great deal and again Fundamentum is very much focused on is the development of technologies particularly internet based online technologies that can benefit India itself, that can benefit the emerging middle class of Indians. As Sanjeev often says can benefit the next India that there are huge opportunities there in areas for instance online applications in retail, online applications in travel and other things all of those areas are of considerable interest to us.

Q: We still havent seen Fundamentum make its first investment yet. When can we expect that? You have obviously gone through the process of identifying potential companies that you could partner with, you could invest in what looks good at this point?

Nilekani: We are yet to make our first announcement that is correct and we hope to do that soon. We have gone through may be over the 100 companies in the last few months. We have a very exacting process of selection. We diagnose the companies, we spend a lot of time with the founders. We look for people who have the market, the momentum, the maturity to deal with what we need. So, it is a process, but I am confident now we have in the next few months you will see couple of investments from us.

What is exciting to us is that once we make the investment, we hope to bring our collective expertise on technology, on HR, on leadership development, on marketing, on strategy, on distribution, on sales, on quality, all these old fashioned things that are required to build a business. We are going to bring that expertise to our selected companies to help them scale up rapidly.

Q: The last when we spoke when you did set-up Fundamentum and you had spoken about how you are looking at the possibility of investing on an average of USD 15 million is in the start-up that you would like to back, is that the average ticket size that you are still working with?

Nilekani: It could be anywhere from USD 8 to 15 million kind of thing. We are looking at maybe maximum two or three companies in a year because it is not about quantity, it is about quality and it is about selecting these 10-15 companies in the fund and then working with the them and helping them to scale up. We also expect that as they scale up, we expect that if they have more capital requirements then we would perhaps go back to CDPQ because we are seeing this as a whole lifecycle approach to these companies. So, what we are starting announced today with Michael Sabia and CDPQ is really the first step of what we think is a longer term relationship.

Sabia: I think this point that Nandan Nilekani has made is really important because you mentioned before a USD 20 million contribution on our part which is true. But that is really just a beginning of a much broader relationship. One of the things that we are looking for here and that interest us is that as these companies grow they will require additional capital and therefore it is not just the Fundamentum platform itself which is the starting point, but as companies, if I can put it this way graduate in size, as they grow that will create opportunities for us to continue to accompany them as a financial partner as we invest more and more in the growth of those businesses.

Q: This is only the beginning of this relationship that you have with the Fundamentum and if required you could look at investing significantly more than the 20 million that you have committed to today but would that also mean that you could look at other VCs in India or would this be restricted to your relationship with Fundamentum?

Sabia: First point I will make is as an element of our investment philosophy, we cannot invest in a lot of funds. We manage 90 percent of our assets ourselves with our own investment teams. So when we select a fund to work with, it is on a very surgical process in our minds.

We have decided to work with Fundamentum for a couple of reasons both - number one, the quality and a great capabilities of the two people I am sitting besides, who speak for themselves, those qualities speak for themselves in India and the second point is just an extremely good, extremely strong meeting of minds on what is this about because this is not about just funding start ups because in fact that is not the goal, the goal is to take businesses that are operating and that we all think have the potential to become substantial, large businesses in their own right and to fund the growth and development of both businesses and to provide them with the kind of operating a business skills, you need to turn the small business into a great big business.

So if the case that similarity of mind-set and similarity of objective that had let us to want to do this as to whether or not, we would engage with other funds, I dont think Fundamentum is a venture capital fund in my mind but I think we would probably be quite hesitant to do so given that we dont tend to invest in funds a lot. So this relationship we are establishing with Nandan and Sanjeev is a unique relationship.

Q: I want to pick up on the point that Nandan made that you have looked at over a companies or so, since you decided to set up fundamentum, you havent made your first investment just yet and you hope to be able to do that over the next few months, what if I may ask has held you back, you have seen a lot of companies with potential but you and I have spoken of an issue that has concerned you and that is the ability of Indian start-ups to scale up as well as to replicate their business model, has that been a constraint on your decision to invest so far?

Aggarwal: A couple of responses there. One since we want to build a very concentrated portfolio, we want to make sure that we do the right curation around entrepreneurs who want to build large businesses in large markets. So unlike the early stage funding business which tends to be about optionality and making several optional bets, we are in this with the company for long haul and therefore the assessment process is lot more detailed than a start-up because we are committing our capital and time.

Two, I have certainly seen personally cleansing of the ecosystem from what it was two-three years back to now. Now I think the focus on customer, unit economics, building a culture and do it for long haul versus building companies for valuation and exits, I think that transition is certainly underway and the entrepreneurs who are coming into the fray are lot more committed. So I dont think we are opportunity constraint. It is just that we want to be very selective in whom we work with. Both in terms of chemistry and people who want a help in building an institution.

Q: If I may ask you, any area in specific of the companies and the entrepreneurs that you have examined, the valuated so far, any specific areas that you believe are the ones that you would like to back that looked most promising, most exciting to you at this point in time?

Nilekani: Let me first say where it is that we are not going to invest  we are not going to invest in large horizontal markets where it is all about people outplaying on capital. That is not where we want to invest. We dont want to invest in places where the unit economics is not working out well and we are not going to invest in areas where customer acquisition is very expensive.

So we are looking for more vertical markets, India focussed which have organic customer acquisition by virality as opposed to by spending money and for companies that are either reached unit economics or about to reach unit economics and we are looking at areas today in travel, in vertical retail and couple of other sectors like that.

Q: Let me ask you, outside of the investment that you have done in Fundamentum, about the India story. You are excited about the opportunity in the renewable space, you are looking at the stressed assets opportunity in India as well. Can you give me a sense of what is the current level of investment in India and where we could see that headed?

Sabia: Up to today, we have invested about USD 4.5 billion in India. In our mind that is a relatively small amount for an economy of the size and the growth potential of India. So that we are clearly working on increasing that number step by step. What we are announcing today is one small step in that direction and hopefully it will become an even bigger step going forward.

In terms of areas that are of interest to us, as you mentioned, we have done a lot and we will continue to do more in financial services, we are very interested in logistics where we think there are big opportunities in India given both the emergence of ecommerce and second all the important changes that will flow from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). We are very interested, we have done some, and we would like to do much more investing in renewables, renewable energy. Indias energy requirements are obvious to everyone and the fact that they will have to be increasingly climate conscious, seems to us to be strong and underlying trend that we would like to be part of.

In addition to that, we are also very interested in the consumer product space. That is an area where we think there could be some very interesting opportunities coming forward. Similarly, in healthcare, that is another area of considerable interest to us. So what we are trying to do is to do more some of the things that we have already done with some of the really good partners that we have had the pleasure of working with here, to go deeper in those relationships and also to spread a little bit with respect to say consumer and healthcare to broaden the base of the investment activities that we have. However, we would like to see over the coming years a significant step up in the overall level of investment here.

Q: What could it be, in the next five years USD 4.5 billion could be what?

Sabia: USD 4.5 billion will be determined by the quality of the opportunities and the quality of the partners who we find here and can continue to work with here. However, I think that USD 4.5 billion is a relatively small percentage of our total asset base. So, I think you could expect to see some pretty substantial increases in that number over the next five to seven years, but I am not going to give you a target because we are pretty disciplined about  it is about the quality of the partner and it is about the quality of the transaction, and the capital follows both of those two things.

Q: If I could ask you about some specific investments that you have already done, for instance you have got about a little over 1 percent stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank and there is a requirement, a regulatory requirement there for Uday Kotak to bring down his stake by December 2018. Would that be an opportunity where you would look at upping your stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank or for instance in the asset reconstruction business of Edelweiss where again you have picked up a stake. So would those be areas where you would look to significantly up your presence and stakes?

Sabia: The short answer to your question is yes to both of those. In the case of Kotak Mahindra Bank, our thinking is not driven by whether or not or what the regulatory issues are that Uday Kotak is working on as we speak. Our interest in that is we think that that is a great bank and it has a great future.

Similarly Edelweiss, we have a very good partnership with Rashesh Shah. We think that business Edelweiss is very interestingly positioned across a set of very specific financial services that are very important as India works through this important asset reconstruction challenge that it is facing. So, would we be open and interested in increasing our presence in both of those businesses? Absolutely.

Q: On the renewable side it was in 2016 that you had spoken of a commitment of USD 150 million. How much have you invested already in the renewable space so far and where do you see that headed?

Sabia: Our principle investment in renewables is in a company and interestingly Sanjeev is also an investor and we are partners in that business as well. Solar power company that I am sure you know of called as Azure, that is our principle area of investment in renewables, but the renewable space is, so that is a pillar of what we are doing and it is a pillar of what we will continue to do. That is a very important part of the portfolio for us here.

That being said, the renewable space in India is so large with respect to both solar and wind in particular, and we would like to very significantly increase our exposure to both of those alternative sources of energy over the next three to five years, there is a very significant growth opportunity there. As you know, the cost functions of those technologies have changed so much that they have become so competitive against traditional power generation that as I said, it just opens up big opportunities.

I think in North America we are the biggest investor in renewable energy among the pension funds. So, it is an area that we know a lot about and we are very confident in the expertise of our people and therefore we want to apply that expertise here and to build substantial businesses in the renewable space in India.

Q: Speaking of growth opportunities in India, what about real estate because your realty arm has inked a partnership with Piramal. What is the outlook as far as the Indian real estate sector is concerned and the prospects of further investments within this sector?

Sabia: We certainly have an interest and our real estate subsidiary has done an interesting partnership with Piramal. Ajay Piramal is a great partner of ours and we are looking to extend and deepen that relationship with him, not just in real estate, but potentially in other areas as well. So we will continue to look for very targeted opportunities in real estate and probably with an emphasis on different forms of real estate financing with probably some emphasis on the housing sector.

Q: You talked about exploring other opportunities with Ajay Piramal outside of real estate. What could those opportunities be?

I think I am going to have to ask you to stay tuned. When we have got things nailed down, we will be more than happy to announce them.
Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, almost six years after she was shot at point-blank by the Pakistani Taliban. (Image: Reuters)

The 20-year-old young Nobel laureate arrived at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport and is expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. (Image: Reuters)

In 2012, Malala (then 14-years-old) and her classmates were attacked in their school bus by assailant from the Pakistani Taliban in Mingora in the Swat Valley region. (Image: Reuters)

Yousafzai was taken to a military hospital in Pakistan where doctors placed her in medically induced coma so that she could be flown to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, United Kingdom for better treatment. (Image: Reuters)

Malala continued to live in Birmingham after her recovery and has been actively fighting for girls and their right to education across the world. (Image: Reuters)
The son of a development manager in the Life Insurance Corporation, this Bombay University graduate began his career in advertising and worked with firms like the erstwhile Lintas and Chaitra Leo Burnett, before he set out on his own. In 1987, he founded X initially as an advertising agency, but it shot into prominence with the slickly produced Superhit Muqabla. Who is he and what is the name of the company he founded? (Image: Pixabay)

Answer: Harish Thawani & Nimbus Communications

This model is a hybrid of franchise and management  means greater involvement of the owners after an operator runs a hotel for the initial few years. How is this model known in hospitality industry?

Answer: Manchise

Identify the advertiser.

Answer: VIVO

Letrons is based in Ankara, Turkey and their parent company Letvision ,a startup and R&D company. Letrons built a full scale BMW which can be remotely operated and also capable of doing neck and head movements. What is the inspiration behind this design?

Answer: Transformers

This was the first time that the brands name was used?

Answer: Petes Subway

Identify the brand.

Answer: Baskin-Robbins

The person in the picture is Henry Laurence. He was an American mechanical engineer and management consultant who is best known for his work in the development of scientific management. He created a chart which were employed on major infrastructure projects including the Hoover Dam and Interstate highway system and continue to be an important tool in project management and program management. What did he create?

Answer: Henry Laurence Gantt

Originally in the business of creating quality textiles for local townspeople, the brothers sought to produce fabrics that combined luxury, art and utility, drawing inspiration from their homeland to create product as exquisitely textured and evocative as the Italian landscape: the austerity of the Alps, the fluidity of the hills and the boldness of the Mediterranean coast. Identify the brand created by the brothers? (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Answer: Fila

Identify the pharmaceutical company from the logo?

Answer: Bristol-Myers Squibb

Identify the company from the ad?

Answer: Blaupunkt

Identify the company from the logo.An ancestor of modern luxury car making company?

Answer: Horch

Identify the businessman.

Answer: Eleuthere Irenee du Pont

Bob was created by former advertising executive Harvey Rosenberg and marketed through his company, Gizmo Development. Bob was bestowed with an Esquire magazine "Dubious Achievement Award" for 1978. What was the claim to fame of Bob?

Answer: Gay Bob.

The companys history in India goes back to 1923 when it was set up in Kolkata in eastern India as a small British-owned paints outfit called Hadfields. After several ownership changes, in 1976 the controlling stake was acquired by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallyas UB Group which went on to acquire the international operations. In the 1990s, the company changed owners again when Mallya sold the local unit to the Dhingras in 1991 and the international operations in 1996 to a Malaysian company at a handsome profit. Which company is discussed here? (Image: Pixabay)

Answer: Berger Paints

Founded in 1960 by Late Sardar Suchet Singh Kochar, the group has emerged today as manufacturers of the best internationally known products of Personal Care, Skin Care, and Cosmetics. It got an English sounding name because of the craze for imports. Identify the brand which started its operations in an Old Delhi home in 1960? (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Answer: Vi-John

Identify the start-up and who owns it.

Answer: Cure Fit, started by Mukesh Bansal

Identify the person in the picture and name the company he founded.

Answer: Acharya Prafulla Chandra & Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Identify the advertiser.

Answer: Fevicol

He was born in Kureta-mura in Kochi Prefecture, Japan, in 1917. After graduating from high school, Tadao began working as an apprentice to a lathe operator. The factory owner recognized Tadaos skill and encouraged him to begin studies, while still working at the factory. He gained experience in a variety of jobs, making pots, pans, and bicycle generator lamps, and soon earned a reputation for himself and received subcontracts to process parts. In 1946, Tadao set up his own business called ___ Seisakujo, in Mitaka, Tokyo. Identify the company? (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Answer: Casio from Kashio Seisakujo

National Kid was a TV series produced by Toei Company in 1960. The series wasn't popular in its home market, but attained cult status in Brazil. Which company came out with this campaign?
Pope Francis leaves after the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday during which sacred oils were blessed at Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. (REUTERS)



A general view during the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday during which sacred oils are blessed at Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. (REUTERS)

Reacquired Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars sit in a desert graveyard near Victorville, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. Volkswagen AG has paid more than $7.4 billion to buy back about 350,000 vehicles, the automaker said in a recent court filing, and is now storing thousands of vehicles around the United States. (REUTERS)

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a rally in Curitiba, Brazil. (REUTERS)

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar during a press briefing on cabinet decisions, in New Delhi. (PTI)



Indian shuttler and programme Ambassador, Saina Nehwal presents an award to the finalists at the 8th Annual Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards 2018 in Gurugram on late Wednesday. (PTI)



Pakistan's first transgender newscaster Marvia Malik poses for a photo in a control room of a local television channel in Lahore, Pakistan. Malik has made history in Pakistan by becoming the first transgender newscaster in a conservative Muslim country where her community is taunted in public, ostracized by family and targeted in violent attacks. (AP/PTI)



Bolivian soldiers re-enact the battle of "Canchas Blancas," which took place during the Pacific War that Bolivia lost to Chile in 1879, and in effect lost its access to the sea, in Canchas Blancas, Bolivia, the sight of the actual battle. Bolivia is currently waging a legal battle at The Hague's International Court of Justice to recuperate the lost Pacific coastal lands from Chile. (AP/PTI)

South Korean delegation led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, second from left, and North Korean delegation led by Ri Son Gwon, second from right, attend a meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom, North Korea. High-level officials from North and South Korea began talks at a border village Thursday to prepare for an April summit between their leaders amid a global diplomatic push to resolve the standoff over the North's nuclear program. (AP/PTI)
A complaint against a Russian airline has been registered with the Department of Transportation under the Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings in the US alleging discrimination on the basis of race.

The complaint filed by five individuals against Aeroflot alleges that they were subject to a discriminatory treatment when they were flying from New Delhi to New York via Moscow.

Aeroflot staff steadfastly refused to allow American customers who were or who were perceived to be of South Asian descent to return to the United States, deporting them instead to India  all while providing customers on the same flight who were or who were perceived to be White Americans with accommodations and connecting flights to America, the complaint reads.

In January this year, the complainants boarded an Aeroflot flight at the New Delhi airport to New York via a connecting flight from Moscow. However, at the Moscow airport, they learnt that their connecting flight to JFK airport in New York has been cancelled owing to bad weather conditions.

The complaints allege that Aeroflot employees there said that there were no seats available in either the later flights or flights of their partner airlines. The passengers were also denied accommodation, the complaint alleges.

An Aeroflot representative, identified by his name tag as Mikhail, then informed the South Asian Travelers that Aeroflot would not be issuing them transit visas, and as a result, they could not stay in Moscow for more than 24-hours due to Russian regulations. As such, Mikhail informed them, their only choice would be to go back to India on a later flight or be forcibly deported to India by Russian officials, the complaint further reads.

Despite their repetitive insistence that they could not be deported to India because they were US citizens, the airline staff did not budge.

All this while other co-passengers who were of non-South Asian descent were provided seats in the other connecting flights.

A call to the US Embassy in Russia also did not provide complainants with any relief. In the end, they had to return to India.

Four of them finally bought another ticket at their own expense as the next Aeroflot flight to the US was not before the next week and one person, Anshul Agrawal boarded the flight six days later.

Because of the lies and racism faced by me, I have lost a week of work (I will not be allowed to vacation this year) and faced tremendous mental stress. Aeroflot has left me scarred. I have videos and testimonials from passengers to prove these incidents, Agrawal wrote in a Facebook post.

The complaint has been filed by Muslim Advocates and Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss PLLC on the behalf of Marc Fernandes, Shahana Islam, Sabiha Islam, Bakiul Islam, and Anshul Agrawal.
The WHO has urged the international community to contribute generously to enable appropriate health services to the 1.3 million "highly vulnerable" Rohingyas in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar as the refugees face "grave" risks to their lives and health in view of the coming rainy season.

This is one of the "biggest" humanitarian crisis in recent times, the WHO's South East Asia Regional Director, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, said at a meeting of partners in Dhaka.

"No single agency or the Bangladesh government alone can meet the massive health needs of such a large population group. The Rohingya population are settled in an area that is prone to cyclone, and a terrain that would be flooded as soon as rains begin," the official said.

"The risk of outbreak of life threatening water and vector borne diseases under such conditions is huge," Singh said.

Coordinating the work of over a 100 partners along with the Ministry of Health, Bangladesh, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has facilitated a contingency plan for the rainy season and coordinated a simulation around it.

The plan aims to ensure continuity of health services during rains and floods to minimise the risk of disease and deaths among the affected population, a WHO statement said.

All 207 health facilities in the area have been assessed for vulnerability during rains, following which nearly 25 per cent of them are being relocated.

Another cholera and measles vaccination campaign is being planned in April as a preventive measure for the vulnerable population, the statement said.

Earlier, 900,000 doses of cholera vaccine were administered to the refugees and their host communities, in addition to two vaccination campaigns for measles and three for diphtheria which concluded earlier this week with WHO's support.

Since the start of the Rohingya crisis, the WHO has provided over 120 tons of supplies and logistics support to its partners.

"However, much of the health sector's capacity to respond depends on availability of resources," said Singh who visited Rohingya camps earlier this week.

Besides risks posed by floods and rain, the vulnerable population would need continued services for reproductive, maternal and child health, for communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as psychosocial support, the regional director said.

Earlier in Cox's Bazar, Singh visited the warehouse where the WHO has pre-positioned supplies.

She observed the diphtheria vaccination campaign, inaugurated a fixed immunization site for children, visited a primary health centre and a diphtheria treatment centre run by Samaritan's Purse.

The WHO has appealed for 16.5 million USD from partners to facilitate its support to the Rohingya response in 2018, the statement said.

This is part of the USD 113.1 million being sought by all health partners under the Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya crisis, it said.
Midlands Legacy Reserves is launching a transition that will transform it from Legacy Reserves LP, a master limited partnership, to Legacy Reserves Inc., a newly created Delaware corporation.

Paul Horne, chairman and chief executive officer of Legacys general partner, said in a conference call announcing the transition that it is the result of work begun during the recent industry downturn.

Our industry recently experienced a downturn, the severity and duration of which was unexpected, Horne told industry analysts during the call.

That resulted in a lack of investor confidence in investing in upstream limited partnerships such as Legacy. Horne called that the dark cloud we have been under as an upstream MLP.

The dark cloud was that investors have essentially written off that master limited partnership space, , Dan Westcott, president and chief financial officer, told the Reporter-Telegram.

The upstream master limited partnership space gained a lot of popularity in 2006, and really crested in 2014. Of the 13 companies doing business in that form, since the peak, 11 of the 13 have gone away through mergers, went bankrupt or changed their business model, he said.

He and Horne say the transition will increase Legacys access to capital markets and will open up a broader field of investors.

Were jumping from a small pond to a bigger pond, said Westcott.

By increasing access and streamlining our structure, we expect improvement in our cost of capital to fund our growth and address our liquidity profile, Horne said.

He said the conversion to a corporate structure also will simplify governance and make Legacy directors and officers subject to corporate fiduciary duties.

Westcott said Legacys operations are comparable to other Permian-focused corporations but because it was operating as a master limited partnership, some investors werent able to draw those parallels.

Legacy does have growth plans, primarily through the drill bit, said Westcott. Legacy is currently operating two rigs, one in Howard County and one in Lea County, New Mexico.

Westcott said the plans to an effective corporate transition are the result of the collaborative efforts of all the companys departments.

Legacy had already begun transitioning its business model during the downturn through its horizontal development efforts in the Permian, allowing it to reinvest cash flow to grow its asset base, he said. The company built a technical operations and development team with horizontal expertise that can be scaled up to a much larger drilling and completion program, driving down costs and keeping its proved developed producing reserve declines shallow.

Westcott said the company will complete its consent solicitations to amend Senior Notes for the transition and then file Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We feel the unitholders have been supportive in the past and anticipate their continued support as we go through the proper procedures, he said.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter.
Houston-based Tellurian is gauging interest in its proposed Permian Global Access Pipeline, a $3.7 billion project that will carry natural gas from the Permian Basin to southwest Louisiana.

The company launched a non-binding open season for the project and will close it 4 p.m. May 25. Once commitments are secured, the company plans to begin the regulatory permitting process. Construction is expected to begin in 2021 with the pipeline in service in 2022.

Permian Global Access, a 42-inch interstate natural gas pipeline, is designed to carry 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. It will originate near the Waha Hub in Pecos County and contain multiple receipt and delivery locations throughout the route. It is part of the companys Tellurian Pipeline Network, which represents a $7 billion investment in infrastructure and will create 15,000 jobs in Texas and Louisiana. That $7 billion is also part of the $15.2 billion investment Tellurian is making in Driftwood LNG, its proposed liquefied natural gas export facility near Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Tellurian President and Chief Executive Officer Meg Gentle said Permian natural gas production is forecast to exceed 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2023, growing through the middle of the decade.

Joi Lecznar, spokeswoman for Tellurian, offered more in-depth details by email with the Reporter-Telegram.

Q. Youre diverging from the path of other announced pipelines by shipping Permian gas to southwest Louisiana. Do you think this might help spur interest in the project?

A. Natural gas demand in southwest Louisiana will triple in the next seven years. Tellurian expects demand to be 12 Bcf/d by 2024 and we need infrastructure to connect the area to Permian supply.

Q. The Permian Basin is known primarily as an oily basin, but as you note, theres going to be a significant amount of associated natural gas produced alongside that oil. Did that play into your deciding on this project?

A. Yes, with 13 Bcf/d of incremental production, associated gas is at risk of flaring without infrastructure investment and we believe flaring is not an option.

Q. This is part of your proposed liquefied natural gas export facility near Lake Charles. How is that proposed project  and other similar LNG export sites  faring?

A. Driftwood LNG is progressing as planned. We have secured a lump sum turnkey contract with Bechtel that guarantees cost, performance and schedule; we have received our FERC scheduling notice that indicates our permits will be received in early 2019; we have a strong balance sheet, cash and no debt; we have had very good interest in our equity interest offering in Driftwood Holdings so we hope to take FID on the project as soon as we receive our permits.

Q. Do you see the midstream space becoming attractive to investors these days, in addition to or as opposed to, the upstream sector?

A. We hope so as we estimate that the U.S. needs an additional $170 billion in new infrastructure to ensure we optimize our natural gas supply, and about $70 billion is for pipeline capacity. Tellurian will be investing $29 billion for our liquefaction and pipeline projects.
Most people know that feeling of taking a chance -- or in this case, a huge risk. The nerves are on edge and the anticipation is overflowing in hopes of a positive outcome. A few West Texas folks know the feeling all too well and are willing to share what happened.

As part of its membership drive, West Texas and Marfa Public Radio stations are hosting storytellers to talk about their accounts of aiming high at All or Nothing: True Stories of Taking Big Risks.

We all have those stories where its all or nothing, general manager Elise Pepple said. I think we want to hear someone talk about their life in a way thats so vulnerable and revealing, and so this is an evening where people tell their true personal stories.

This is the second storytelling event this year the public radio stations have hosted. They are teaming up with Odessa Arts for this event.

Odessa Arts is proud to partner again with West Texas Public Radio for All or Nothing, executive director Randy Ham said. As a 2018 grant recipient, West Texas Public Radio's storytelling series is one of the many offerings that help make all of West Texas a place of cultural significance.

The first storytelling event was in February at Brew St. Bakery. Pepple said similar events can be expected because public radio is about the human voice.

We celebrate one of the oldest things we have as humans -- storytelling, she said. With these events, our goal is to hear more voices of West Texas and connect people through radio. This is our kind of community engagement and event.

Within the last decade, the art of storytelling has had a resurgence, perhaps mostly through The Moth Radio Hour and The Moth Podcast. Pepple said the trend is important. With the barrage of social media and smartphones, she described it as an opportunity to connect with strangers and neighbors.

IF YOU GO: "All or Nothing: True Stories of Taking Big Risks" hosted by West Texas and Marfa Public Radio. 7 p.m. Monday at the Rose Building, 415 N. Grant Ave., Odessa. kxwt.org. See More Collapse

She also sees it another way.

Humans love to gossip, so this is a sort of sanctioned form of that, she said.

Along with Pepple, All or Nothing storytellers are Nick Fowler, Jesamy Ferguson, Gabbie Paulo, Bill Dingus and Corey Paul.

Peppy said anyone can make a good storyteller, and the station can help with the storys structure and elements.

Were always looking for storytellers. The goal is to make sure there is a wide range and a combination of Midland and Odessa and Big Bend residents. Think about this overlap of people and stories and values we get to hear, she said.

The event kicks off the spring membership drive, with a goal of raising $150,000.

Were invested in our Permian Basin listeners, and our hope is to grow our membership and our relationships in general, Pepple said.
A woman and two girls died in the crossfire between Mexican marines and members of an organized criminal group in Nuevo Laredo, authorities have confirmed.

Mexican media outlets reported that marines shot at the familys vehicle from a helicopter, killing Nellely Aide Ruiz Martinez, 28, and her daughters Chelsea Abril Rojas Ruiz, 6, and Kenia Azul Rojas Ruiz, 4. But the navy said in a statement that the bystanders were hit from the ground  not the air  and their wounds were caused by a type of bullet not used by the helicopter crew.

READ ALSO: One dead, twelve marines wounded in shootout in Mexico

The husband and father was identified as Efrain Rojas Santos, 25. He was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. Media reports claimed that the marines denied the family medical attention.

The navy disputed the claim, saying marines rendered aid to those wounded during Sundays firefight.

This naval institution regrets the events where civilians lost their lives and were injured, and reaffirms its commitment for citizens safety.

The navy did not say how many civilians died during the clashes, which left a marine and four suspected gunmen dead and 12 marines wounded. Authorities identified the fallen marine as Capt. Mauro Hernandez, an 18-year veteran.

READ ALSO: 'I went to war for this country:' Army veteran in US deported after prison stint

Suspected members of the Northeast Cartel, an offshoot of the Zetas cartel, circulated a message on social media warning the citizens about a curfew. The group, which operates in Nuevo Laredo, also took responsibility for Sundays ambush.

Did you all like how we f**k you up? the criminal group wrote.

They added that this week will be all about topones, or shootouts, and that authorities will feel hell.

Authorities said marines were ambushed three separate times late Saturday and early Sunday.

Marines returned fire and killed one gunman in the first attack, but suffered three wounded. Another patrol was sent to help the wounded when it also came under fire; that ambush killed one marine and wounded several others.

READ ALSO: Texas pastor gets 99 years in prison in death of child who was starved

A third patrol was ambushed just outside the marine base as it responded to the first two attacks. In that shootout, three gunmen were killed. Finally, a helicopter gunship was called in.

Mexico's navy said in a statement that the gunmen had fake marine uniforms and markings on their vehicles.

Tamaulipas Gov. Francisco Javier Garcia Cabeza de Vaca posted on Twitter that the government will continue to support the actions of the marines in his state.

We will continue to work in conjunction with federal forces for the familys safety. We wont back down from the enemies of peace who threat the citizens, he said.
A 34-year-old Odessa man died Monday night in a one-vehicle wreck on Loop 250, according to a press release from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Habtom G. Tekle was driving a Freightliner truck tractor towing a tanker-trailer south on the loop less than a mile south of Midland. He was approaching a curve at an unsafe speed for the curve and grade, lost control and rolled, according to the release that was received on Wednesday.
Bond has been set for a Midland High student who was arrested Tuesday for allegedly bringing a loaded gun to campus.

Bryce Alexander Sanchez, 17, was being held Wednesday on a $ 10, 000 bond for a third-degree felony charge of places weapons prohibited. A third-degree felony charge of exhibit firearm campus, school was dismissed.

RELATED: MISD: LHS student arrested on weapons charge

Midland ISD police were dispatched Tuesday at about noon in reference to a report of threats made, according to his arrest affidavit.

A few students at MHS got into a verbal altercation, and one allegedly made the comment that he was leaving campus to get a gun, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram article. The student  Sanchez -- did leave campus, and students notified campus administration about the altercation and his remarks, according to the article.

Sanchez allegedly made threats of popping someone and putting them in the hospital, according to the affidavit.

RELATED: MHS student charged in connection with gun-on-campus incident

MISD police searched Sanchez and his backpack, and in the backpack the officer found a black Sig Sauer P220 inside green a Crown Royal bag, according to the affidavit.

The gun had a loaded magazine with six rounds and the chamber was empty, according to the affidavit.

The campus was not placed under lockdown because of the timeliness of securing the student, according to school officials.

This is at least the third incident involving a gun and a Midland ISD student this calendar year, according to previous Reporter-Telegram articles.

RELATED: "Operation Gauntlet" arrests lead March's top crime roundup

On Feb. 22, LHS administration received a Crime Stoppers tip that a student had a weapon on campus. A campus police officer found a weapon in the students pocket, according to an MISD report. The student was arrested and was charged with places weapon prohibited and possession of a stolen firearm. MISD officials said there was no evidence supporting a threat or intent to harm.

A week before, a 17-year-old Midland High student was arrested after allegedly having a firearm on school grounds. The student told officers he had (a gun) but gave it to another person, according to the arrest affidavit.

If convicted of the third-degree felony charges, Sanchez could face up to 10 years imprisonment.
Midland County Sheriffs Office

A crossing guard, who was stationed near Greathouse Elementary School, was arrested in February for aggravated sexual assault of a child.

The arrest was mentioned during the public comment period during this weeks meeting of the Midland ISD school board. The city of Midland, which helps arrange for crossing guards to help students across city streets, confirmed the arrest of Jacobo Rodriguez on Feb. 20. City officials said the charge did not involve a Greathouse Elementary student. The Reporter-Telegram expects to have more information on the arrest of Rodriguez in an upcoming issue.
Midland County Sheriffs Office

An Odessa man was arrested March 21 after he allegedly assaulted a police officer, according to court documents.

Caleb Martinez Ramos, 27, was being held Wednesday on a $75,000 bond for a first-degree felony charge of aggravated assault against a public servant.
Parents wanting to have their students involved in the Midland ISD after-school program next year will have to pay up to $248 a month, according to information provided by the district.

Midland ISD has selected an Evanston, Illinois, company  Right at School  to assume responsibility for before- and after-school programming at all of the districts 27 elementary schools at the beginning of the 2018-19 school year.

The district also released prices for students who might be interested in the services Right to School provides.

After-school fees range from $79 a month for one day a week to $248 a month for five days a week. Before-school fees range from $42 a month for one day a week to $148 a month for five days a week.

Those wanting both before- and after-school programs will be charged $109 a month for one day a week to $340 a month for five days a week. The district said there is a 10 percent sibling discount and 25 percent discount for free-reduced lunch students.

For a parent who isnt eligible for a discount, the cost for five-days-a-week, after-school care could reach more than $2,200 (based on a nine-month cycle).

Right at School is hosting a Parent Informational Meeting 6-7:30 p.m. April 10 at Bowie Fine Arts Academy, 805 Elk Ave., to provide an introduction to their programs, answer questions and interact with parents.

David Chancellor of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Permian Basin, wrote in an email to the Reporter-Telegram that there is a huge need for after-school care in Midland, but this is not the right way to address that need. He said initiatives like the one with the University of Texas of the Permian Basins STEM Academy show that an after-school care program doesnt require a family to have to pay hundreds of dollars a month.

Chancellor said he is concerned about the impact this will have on working families, the districts drop-out rate and the ability to have more choice when it comes to after-school care in Midland.

More Information For more information about Right at School, please visit www.rightatschool.com. See More Collapse

Right at School services will obviously not be affordable to most Midland families, Chancellor wrote in an email. Bill Shuey, director of Camp Fire, and I know that if we charged $340 a month (excluding most kids) we could have Cadillac after-school services. If MISD wants to improve out-of-school academic support, there are much better ways than punishing working poor families.

The district reports participating students will have a healthy snack, engage in dynamic fitness activities, student-driven projects, team-building, leadership development, and have the opportunity to complete homework.

Students will enjoy activities without realizing they are learning, which is the key to Right at Schools disguised learning educational approach, said Mark Rothschild, founder and CEO of Right at School. We are thrilled to partner with Midland ISD and believe our year-round enrichment program is a perfect fit for the district.

Right at School monthly rates for Midland ISD

After school

(until 6 p.m.)

Five days a week, $248 a month

Four days a week, $227 a month

Three days a week, $192 a month

Two days a week, $142 a month

One day a week, $79 a month

Before school

(starting at 6:30 a.m.)

Five days a week, $148 a month

Four days a week, $125 a month

Three days a week, $105 a month

Two days a week, $77 a month

One day a week, $79 a month

Before and after school

(6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.)

Five days a week, $340 a month

Four days a week, $308 a month

Three days a week, $260 a month

Two days a week, $197 a month

One day a week, $109 a month

Letter about MISDs decision

If recent media reports and the report from the president of Camp Fire is accurate...

MISD has chosen Right at School for all their after-school programs, which will easily exclude most Midlanders due to cost.

Arising from a mis-understanding of the new state law (which was actually written to avoid after-school monopolies) MISD issued an RFP (request for proposal) for after-school programs and gave the entire Midland contract to Right at School. MISDs criteria had no consideration of cost to parents written into the RFP, which I brought to the attention of MISD staff.

Right at School (a for profit company) charges $340 a month, Camp Fire charges $180 a month with many scholarships given, the structured Boys & Girls Club's program at UTPB STEM Academy charges $70 a month, and only $5 a month at Club locations.

Right at School services will obviously not be affordable to most Midland families. Bill Shuey, director of Camp Fire, and I know that if we charged $340 a month (excluding most kids) we could have Cadillac after-school services. If MISD wants to improve out-of-school academic support, there are much better ways than punishing working poor families.

David Chancellor, executive director

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Permian Basin
Yasmin Galvan is a 31-year-old single mother of three who was deported to Mexico as a child with her mother and older sister and dropped out of high school in the 11th grade. But in 2012, Galvan decided to take control of her life and enrolled in Midland Colleges business systems program to pursue a certificate.

Galvans family moved to Tucson, Arizona, from Mexico when she was 2, and when she was 4, they moved to Midland. Her father, Martin Vargas, was an automotive technician for Midas.

My father worked hard so that our family would have a good life in the United States, Galvan said. He was a permanent resident, but my mother, older sister and I were in the U.S. on temporary visas, and they had expired. So, when I was in the third grade, the three of us were deported back to Mexico. We lived in Juarez, Mexico, for about nine months.

My mother enrolled my sister and me in school while we were in Mexico, but I spoke very little Spanish. I was already living in the U.S. when I learned to talk. No English was spoken in my school in Juarez, and I had to learn Spanish. I remember studying long hours in order to master the Spanish language, and by the time we were allowed to come back to the U.S., I was making straight As while I was in school in Mexico.

Galvans father was finally able to obtain the necessary documentation to get his family back to Midland, and after that, the family made sure to do what was necessary to maintain their residency in the U.S. Galvan became a naturalized U.S. citizen when she was 21.

I had obtained my GED when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, Ariana, even though my family wasnt very supportive, she said. After I got my GED, I knew that it would also be important for me to become a U.S. citizen. Within the span of just four years, I had two more children  a son, Sylvester, and another daughter, Versciase.

When Sylvester was 18 months old, he was diagnosed with severe autism.

That was a really difficult time, Galvan said. I had three children under the age of 5. I didnt know how to make things better, but I knew that I needed to get help for my son.

Galvan began taking her son to therapy three times each week while still managing to make life as normal as possible for her two daughters. She started taking classes at Midland College in 2007, but had a difficult time focusing on her studies while caring for her family, so college was put on hold.

During those dark days, I remember thinking that my parents came to the United States in order to make a better life for my family, and they had instilled a strong work ethic in their children. So, in 2012, I decided that I could also strive for a better life for my family. I re-enrolled in Midland College and obtained a job working on campus first as a work-study for the telephone operator and then part-time as an admissions clerk. I became really good with time management.

She completed her administrative clerks certificate in 2012 and began to work on an associate degree. Galvan graduated two years later as a member of Sigma Kappa Delta, the English honor society, with an associate of arts degree and transferred to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center where she majored in healthcare management. Her strong work ethic and efficiency while working as a part-time admissions clerk caught the attention of several supervisors at MC. She was offered a full-time position before finishing her degree but opted to continue her education. After she obtained her associate degree, she was offered full-time employment as a financial aid specialist.

It was during this time that Galvan took the initiative to get out of her bad marriage. After extremely difficult legal proceedings, she divorced her husband -- whom she had been with since she was just 15  in 2016. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in 2017.

About a year ago, Galvan was promoted to the position of financial aid advisor. She assists prospective and current Midland College students with navigating the federal financial aid system.

I enjoy helping students find ways to finance their education, Galvan said. Im living proof that theres no excuse for not getting a college education. Students should never let finances get in their way. A lot of students are eligible for federal assistance and dont realize it. Midland College is also able to provide great scholarships.

Working in the Financial Aid office and helping students has prompted me to start assisting people with their income tax returns, she said. Im in the process of getting certified as a tax preparer and starting a small seasonal income tax preparation business. My father gave me that idea. He opened his own muffler shop in Midland in 2008, and has been successful in his endeavors. With his guidance, I hope to succeed in starting my own small business.

Even though Yasmin Galvan has obtained two degrees and a certificate in the past six years, she isnt stopping her educational pursuits. Her next goal is to enroll in Texas Womans Universitys online masters degree program in speech language pathology.

My sons autism diagnosis has sparked my interest in health care, Galvan said. He is now 10 years old, and nonverbal. However, the speech pathologists and occupational therapists who have worked with him have done a great job in finding other methods for him to communicate with us.

Its been a long, hard journey. My children are the reason I keep striving to make life better. Ive learned that life doesnt get better by chance  it gets better by change.

Rebecca C. Bell is executive director, Institutional Advancement, at Midland College.
Police have arrested the father of a teen who was fatally shot in his bed in the 100 block of Aransas Avenue, March 14, 2018.

Andres Delgado, 44, was arrested on the city's West side Tuesday without incident, according to a social media post from the San Antonio Police Department. He is expected to be charged with manslaughter in the incident, according to the post

His son, Andres Delgado IV, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after police responded to his East Side home around 6 a.m. March 14.

Police said the teen's father was a suspect in the case at the time.

On the night of the shooting, police received multiple calls for shots fired in the area of Denver Boulevard and South Mesquite Street. When they arrived they found the teenager suffering from a single gunshot wound to his torso, officials said.

Police Chief William McManus said the shooter apparently fired multiple weapons and officers found shell casings in every room of the home. Officials said police also found handguns, a shotgun and an AR-15.

"The shooting all occurred inside the house with a variety of weapons around the house ... Right now, we don't exactly know what was going through the father's head," McManus said at the time of the shooting.

RELATED: Hostage's cause of death in Bexar standoff revealed

Sgt. Michelle Ramos, a spokeswoman for the San Antonio Police Department, said Delgado, his father and a 10-year-old girl were inside the home when the shots rang out. Only Delgado was wounded.

The father had claimed someone approached and fired from outside the home, though no bullets have been found outside, police said at the time.

"Detectives here are on scene to determine if there's any evidence that suggests somebody shot from outside [the home] to inside," Ramos said on the day of the shooting. "We can't say that at this time."

Karen Guerrero, 25, a neighbor, said she heard about 20 gunshots ring out.

"We woke up to gunshots and came outside to this," she said, referring to the crime scene before her, where she had just watched authorities perform life-saving measures on the boy as he lay on the sidewalk.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns
NEW BERLIN  Traditional thinking about wine is to pair hearty reds with a nice steak and more delicate whites with fish or chicken.

At Danenberger Family Vineyards, theyre pairing a Seyval Blanc  a white wine  with the Texas groove music of Austin, Texas-based band Midnight River Choir for a combination WineRocks concert series kickoff and wine release Friday at the vineyard.

We originally wanted to do a rose, vintner Susan Danenberger said. But I told them this went with their Light of the Moon (song) and how it was going to turn out.

By the time Danenberger finished explaining her choice of grapes and all the subtle nuances she believed the wine would have, the band was happy with the switch, she said.

The limited-edition wine came about after the group played a concert at the vineyard.

I did create a wine specifically for them, Danenberger said. They came here last year and we immediately hit it off.

More Information Upcoming performances The Texas bands will be featured in what the vineyard is calling its First Fridays Austin lineup. While Friday's concert is focused on the wine release, future First Friday concerts will highlight various charities. They include: May 4: Austin Meade with opener Jimmy Riemer; charity, Susan G. Komen/Race for the Cure. June 1: The Reed Brothers with opener Good Times and Co.; charity, Hope School. July 6: Midnight River Choir with openers Bo Brumble and The Deep Hollow; charity, Illinois Stewardship Alliance. Aug. 3: Red Shahan with opener Josh Catalano; charity, Harvest for Hunger. Sept. 7: The Statesboro Revue with opener Killborn Alley Blues Band; charity, American Lung Association. Oct. 5: The Dirty River Boys with opener Micah Walk; charity, Simmons Cancer Center. Oct. 6: Cody Canada and the Departed with openers Sampson Jones Gang and Dalton Domino; charity, Simmons Cancer Center. Oct. 7: Kody West and Shane Smith & the Saints; charity, Simmons Cancer Center. See More Collapse

So much so that Danenberger listened to the bands music while she was working.

I really wanted it to have similar characteristics to the music to enhance the concert experience, she said.

Members of the band will be available to sign bottles of the wine after the concert.

The wine is the only variety the vineyard created specifically for a musical group, but Friday nights concert wont be the end of live, original music at the vineyard.

We decided last year  that we should bring some original music (to the area), vineyard co-owner Doug Danenberger said.  Original music that isnt able to get the face time (it deserves) in a lot of locations.

Though they frequently feature concerts by local bands that largely play cover songs and have had bands from Nashville, Tennessee, perform original music, the Danenbergers looked to Texas for the bands for this series, Doug Danenberger said.

Austin is not as commercialized, he said. There are great artists who are still playing with the passions theyve always had. In Nashville, some of those bands are no longer carrying that passion.

And passion is where the wine and music intersect, he said.

Wine-makings about passion, he said. These are bands that are really passionate about their music. Theyre not playing loud. Theres not a lot of theatrics. Theyre just passionate about what theyre doing and writing quality songs.

For Midnight River Choir, that passion began to gel when the bands members  then strangers  were on a late-night river cruise and began singing as they floated along. A fellow passengers comment inspired them to start playing together.

Along with a chance to enjoy a concert of the bands original music, those visiting the vineyard for the concert will have a chance to meet the band members, Doug Danenberger said.

Theyll be walking around, talking to people, he said. Theyre quality entertainers. Theyre the type of people you just fall in love with.  Theyre just so genuine you cant not like being around them.

The concert will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at the vineyard at 12341 Irish Road in New Berlin. Gates open around noon. Admission is free. Food  and wine  will be available for purchase.

Angela Bauer can be reached at 217-408-2057.
Morgan County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Miguel A. Vazquez, 25, of Chicago was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:57 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.

Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Kayla R. Casson, 27, of 523 W. College Ave. was arrested about 1:55 a.m. Wednesday on a retail theft charge.

 A 13-year-old boy was arrested at 2:50 p.m. Wednesday after police say he pushed a teacher at Crossroads Learning Center.

South Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 James W. Bates, 42, of 906 Routt St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday on a possession of cannabis charge.



Cass County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Thomas A. Swinson, 26, of 516 E. Mechanic St., Ashland, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of criminal trespass to land.



Scott County

State Police

ACCIDENTS

 Three people were injured about 4 p.m. Tuesday in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 67 at Harts School Road in Scott County.

State police said Charles Howe, 81, no address available, was trying to drive across U.S. 67 when his 1999 Chevrolet truck and a southbound 2016 Dodge being driven by Amanda Crain, 38, no address available, collided.

Howe was cited for failing to yield at an intersection.

Compiled by Greg Olson and Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree
For the most part, we Americans value expertise. We want our physicians to possess knowledge and experience. We want our lawyers to know the law inside out. We want our clergymen, our engineers, our farmers to bring the kind of proficiency and skill to their work that comes only with familiarity and practice.

So heres a question. Why is it that the more expertise politicians gain in their field, the more we deride them?

Ive been involved in politics, in one way or another, for most of my life. That makes me a politician. And Ive had more than a few people refuse to shake my hand because they believed that might somehow taint them. Politicians, many Americans think, are looking out for themselves, beholden to special interests and party leaders, and incapable of working for the common good.

Politicians may disappoint us, frustrate us, or even anger us. They certainly make mistakes. But heres the thing: we cannot solve our problems at any level  local, state or federal  without skilled politicians. Theyre indispensable to the system. Ive had a good vantage point to observe successful American politicians over the decades, and Ive come to believe the craft of politics requires certain characteristics. Not every politician possesses them, but the good ones  and there are plenty of good politicians  strive for them.

First, theyre attuned to the moods of the people and to shifts in public opinion. This is not a bad thing  their job, after all, is to represent us. At the same time, they adhere to certain beliefs: they have faith in this country and its future, and they often hold a vision for what its success will look like. They believe it can make progress.

They also know that progress will not come easily. They understand theyll face setbacks, failure, and hardship, but they persevere in the American way of governing because it can make a lot of things possible. They search for a path forward, and for a remedy to a problem.

They tend to be articulate, adept at influencing others, and at times inspirational. But they are also pragmatic, and prepared to adjust, compromise, and improvise in order to move policy in the direction theyd like to see it go. They may pursue the perfect, but most of them know they wont get there, and will have to be satisfied with incremental progress. Very rarely do we advance in leaps and bounds.

Theyre comfortable holding authority and responsibility, and because they recognize that they share these burdens with others, they respect their colleagues. They try to be civil with them, since they understand the dynamic nature of politics  that you dont have permanent enemies or allies and that your foe one day may be a comrade the next.

And while they know the value of coming together in unity and may even strive for it, they understand that its rarely achievable. Indeed, they expect criticism, appreciating that it comes with the territory and is one sign of the vitality of the democracy we live in.

Finally, good politicians understand that politics consists of a lot more than running for election. It has to be practiced every day in a democracy. We dont live in a perfect world, and we cant attain one. But in the end, politics is about striving to get there  to make the world, or at least this country, better.

The best politicians understand that this requires inclusivity, that all groups in every part of the nation have to be taken into account, that many interests have to be balanced, if the U.S. is going to succeed and be secure. They retain a fundamental faith in the people of the country. They do not give up on America.

I dont want to suggest either that I think all politicians possess these qualities, or that any politician enjoys them all. Yet these characteristics are what mastery of the craft of politics demands, and they come only with time and experience. In my book, any politician who displays them deserves the same respect wed give any specialist who has acquired the knowledge, skill, and insight demanded by a complicated, demanding, and meaningful profession.

Lee Hamilton is a senior adviser for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government, a Distinguished Scholar in the IU School of Global and International Studies and a professor of practice in the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.
Calaveras County Seal View Photos

San Andreas, CA  A long-term bridge closure in Arnold, described as a death trap by residents who used it as their primary access until last years winter storms took it out, was heatedly discussed at length at this weeks Calaveras supervisors meeting.

The status of Murphys Drive, which affects nearly 200 residents in the limited-access Blue Lake Springs subdivision, was spotlighted as part of a staff presentation on associated storm damage recovery following last winters devastating weather that triggered Calaveras and Tuolumne counties among others to declare local disasters.

While other infrastructural storm repair projects still on the drawing board were also discussed, several residents specifically turned up to complain about the Murphys Drive project, since the bridge, which remains barricaded and unrepaired over a year later, creates an ongoing public safety hazard.

Flashback to 14 Months Ago



In January of last year, a memorable series of storms produced significant damage throughout the state and locally. Specifically, a storm event Jan. 3-12 overwhelmed the culverts and embankment of the Murphys Drive road crossing over Moran Creek, displacing a culvert that caused the roadway to collapse along with a Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) waterline.

The road was closed, signed with a detour and declared a disaster by the federal government on Feb. 14. On Sept. 22 it was officially identified as FEMA project PA-09-CA-4301-PW-00489. Subsequent FEMA project cost estimates and work

descriptions were provided to the county on Oct. 31 and Dec. 1.

According to staff recommendations presented Tuesday there are three options. The first is purchasing a temporary bridge to reopen the roadway at an estimated cost around $300,000 for a single-lane structure, which would likely not be reimbursable by FEMA as there remains an existing detour route from the subdivision.

Solutions Under Consideration

Option two is to continue working towards a solution through either an improved replacement (costing somewhere between $450,000 and $475,000), which requires more processes such as engineering studies, replacement scope of work and an environmental clearance. The third possibility is to fund bridge replacement costing around $400,000 under which engineering and environmental approvals would come via FEMA processes. Staff is pursuing the latter two options in tandem, citing that both have their challenges and must be very specifically managed in order to meet all the necessary criteria to qualify for reimbursement.

The board directed Calaveras County Public Works and OES staff to come back in April with much more detailed information about move forward options for the project. According to OES Director Michelle Patterson, staff is working to determine cost and timeline estimates, including what environmental and other clearances need to be conducted for the different options. She is optimistic that all this data gathering might be completed in time for the board to re-address the matter at its April 17 meeting.

The Board also requested that we schedule a meeting with the Army Corp of Engineers regarding the waterway, Patterson confides. So, at this post-meeting point, she says the options stand as outlined in the staff report. She adds that the county now has Quincy Engineering onboard to provide project management for the still pending disaster recovery projects, notably including Murphys Drive.
Sonora, CA  Oak Valley Community Bank has completed the move of its full-service East Sonora branch office. The bank celebrated with a ribbon cutting this morning. The new building is at least double the size of the former location in the Indian Rock Center at 14580 Mono Way. The new address is 14890 Mono Way, which was formerly Sonora Subaru.

The new facility offers improved access and a lot more parking in addition to a spacious lobby with a high ceiling. Branch manager Michelle Ferguson describes the building as A much more open and friendly branch, when you walk in its a better atmosphere, its wonderful. Customers safe deposit boxes have been transferred and more may be added at a later date. The branch also has walk-up ATM and night deposit box. Business hours will remain the same: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Friday until 6 p.m.

Oak Valley Community Bank and Eastern Sierra Community Bank are operated by parent company Oak Valley Bancorp. Along with two Sonora branches and Sacramento loan production office it oversees three Modesto branches and locations in Oakdale, Turlock, Stockton, Patterson, Ripon, Escalon, Manteca, and Tracy. Through its Eastern Sierra Division, the bank does business at offices located in Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes and Bishop.
Ironstone Easter Egg Hunt View Photos

Many events are planned in the Mother Lode this weekend and on Easter Sunday.

An Easter Celebration called Resurrection, hosted by Creekside Community Church, will take place this Sunday at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds from 11 AM to 3 PM.

Jazmine Mohler, childrens teacher at Creekside Community Church, was Fridays KVML Newsmaker of the Day.

The free event is also a fundraiser for Vets Helping Vets. The public will find snowcones, popcorn, cotton candy, egg hunt for ages 0-12, bounce houses, auction, and a raffle. There will also be an Easter Worship led by the pastor of Creekside Community Church, followed by a free lunch. The event listing is here.



Other Events include:

Tonight thru Saturday the Christian Heights Church will present The Road To Calvary a one hour Easter Production. The tours leave every 15 minutes starting at 7:30 pm it is also held on Friday and Saturday and the event sold out last year.

National Doctors Day is Friday, March 30. Adventist Health Sonora invites the community to submit notes to your favorite doctors, details are here.

Performances of the musical Mamma Mia continue this weekend until April 8th at Sierra Reperatory Theater and Million Dollar Quartet is playing in Columbia at the Fallon House.

Friday is the Harvey Dusty Rhodes Cioppino Dinner Fundraiser at the Sonora Elks Lodge. Details are here. There is also a Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day Benefit at the Hotel & Conference Center at Black Oak Casino Resort in Tuolumne.

Friday night can also be the night to show off your mustache at the charity event Mustache March which benefits Mindy Nikiforuk this year. Details are here.

Saturday there are several egg hunts. At 9AM the Wildcat Ranch will host its 3rd Annual Community Egg Hunt and Barn Yard Bingo. Christian Heights Church will host an Easter Egg Hunt at 10AM sharp, at the West Side Memorial Park in Tuolumne the Easter Egg Hunt will be held at 11AM, and at 6PM Sierra Bible will host an Easter Weekend Worship with more on Sunday followed by their Easter Egg Extravaganza on the Childrens Ministry lawn.

Saturday there are also two bowling fundraisers at Black Oak Lanes at the Casino Resort in Tuolumne. The first at 10AM is Spare-a-Life, Strike Out Suicide a senior project, and the second at 7PM is Bowlin For Your Colon to Raise Health Awareness. Another senior project on Saturday from 4pm to 7pm is Hold On To The Hope to raise money and awareness for Parkinsons Disease at the Sonora Moose Lodge.

Sunday there are more Easter events and services. First thing in the morning, at 6:23AM, the Calvary Chapel in Sonora will perform its SonRise Services, Heavens Open Door Fellowships Easter Sunrise Service begins at 6:45AM. Easter activities at Railtown 1897 State Park include meeting the Easter Bunny, egg hunts and more beginning at 9:30AM.

Columbias Victorian Easter Celebration will feature a parade and egg hunts for children. The costume contest includes awards for; fanciest Victorian hat, best dressed couple, lasses and lads, groups, and pets. Egg hunt times and more details are here.

In Calaveras a Community Easter Egg Hunt will be held near Big Trees Fitness and Ironstones Easter Egg Hunt Times are 11:30 a.m. for children under 5, noon for ages 5 to 8 and 12:30 p.m. for ages 9 to 12

Lastly at Eproson Park the Twain Harte Rotary sponsored hunt begins at 1PM sharp.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Calaveras County Superior Courthouse View Photos

San Andreas, CA- A Copperopolis man convicted of causing great bodily injury to two women while drunk boating on Lake Tulloch has received nearly the maximum allowable sentence.

Dean Allen Payne, 56, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison on Monday by Calaveras County Superior Court Judge Susan Harlan. On Jan. 29, as reported here, following a high-profile, eight-day trial involving more than 20 witnesses, a jury found him guilty as charged for driving a boat while intoxicated and running over two women two summers ago as they were riding on an in-tow inner-tube.

According to the case files, Rachael Pringle and Robin Tsai suffered multiple bone fractures, severe blood loss, and traumatic brain injury resulting in permanent brain damage from the July 24, 2016 collision. Doctors had to remove a significant portion of Tsais skull during an emergency craniotomy. Both victims were in prolonged comas and are still struggling through recovery from paralysis.

It turned out that Payne did not have insurance on his boat, according to the District Attorneys Office, which adds that ongoing medical treatment costs for the two women now exceed $4 million.

District Attorneys Office Weighs In

Sharing his thoughts, post-sentencing, Calaveras County Deputy District Attorney Brad Jones, who tried the case, states, The Defendants conduct was especially heinous due to the extensive injuries to the two victims, and despicable because of his prior driving under the influence conviction. Jones points to a prior DUI conviction Payne received in 2007 after being pulled over on OByrnes Ferry Road and posting a test result blood alcohol level of .19 percent.

Paynes blood alcohol was recorded at .238 percent after the boat crash, which occurred as he drove over the inner tube and the two victims in his Fountain Speed Boat at just over 45 miles-per-hour. Although law officials reported that he left the scene, he was shortly apprehended due to information and assistance from multiple witnesses at the lake.

Unfortunately, under current California law, boating under the influence cases can only be enhanced by priors within seven years, as opposed to ten years for DUI cases, Jones notes. He adds that the DAs office is thankful for the jurys hard work and time and grateful for those who helped the victims at the time of the accident and then came forward to testify.

At Mondays sentencing hearing, Jones argued that Payne should receive the maximum sentence of 13 years while Paynes attorney Ken Foley argued for probation. Judge Harlan ultimately denied probation when she handed down her sentence. Prior to the trial Payne had posted bail assigned at $105,000.00 but since the Jan. 29 conviction has remained in custody at the Calaveras County Jail while awaiting transportation to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Clarke Broadcasting contacted but did not hear back from attorney Foley after requesting comment and to hear whether or not there are plans to appeal the case.
Grocery shopping can seem like a weekly nightmare for an adult, but through the eyes of a child, it might be more like a party.

That could be why 4-year-old Jacob Cinco-Reyes of Pearland chose his local H-E-B store as the perfect place to celebrate his birthday last weekend.

Jacob's mom, Amanda Cinco, said she didn't believe her son at first when he said he wanted an H-E-B party. But as time went on, and Jacob persisted, Cinco finally decided to start coming up with grocery-themed decorations for a party at her home.

VIRAL PHOTO: Kind stranger saves Pearland mom from shopping nightmare

When she contacted the H-E-B on Pearland Parkway to see if they had balloons with the store's logo, Cinco said the team there had a much cooler idea. They made an exclusive, one-time-only offer to host Jacob's party at the store.

Jacob's aunt, Veronica Diaz, is a professional photographer who documented the one-of-a-kind event. She said after talking with Jacob, it was easy to see why the boy is so in love with his local grocery store.

"For him, it's this world of awe," Diaz said, noting that the store has Jacob's favorite food (bananas) and tiny carts for him to push around, and that the regular shopping trips are a special time with his mom.

Cinco said H-E-B employees sat down with Jacob and, with his input, planned a scavenger hunt, frozen banana snacks, a fruit bingo game and a pizza meal for his party.

"Jacob was so happy," his mom said.

"I just hope that he doesn't think that's going to happen every time we go to H-E-B."
A Texas man who confessed to killing a teenager and shooting another one in Wichita Falls in 2016 was declared incompetent on Friday.

Kody Austin Lott, 22, faces a count of murder and one count of aggravated assault in the death of Lauren Landavazo, 13, and shooting of Makayla Smith, also 13 at the time. The girls were shot after a man drove up beside them while they were walking from school Sept. 2, 2016, according to Lott's arrest affidavit. The man reached into the passenger area and produced a rifle-type firearm.
Les lunettes de marque ne sont pas ce qui manque dans les commerces. Il y en a de toutes les sortes dont les lunettes de []
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump once again lashed out at Amazon.com, the online retailing giant, on Thursday morning, saying he has long had concerns about the company's business practices.

"I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!," Trump tweeted.

Trump has periodically criticized Amazon before and since becoming president. Jeff Bezos, the founder and chief executive of Amazon, also owns The Washington Post.

Trump's latest critique comes after Amazon's stock took a hit Wednesday following the publication of a report in Axios that Trump was "obsessed" with the retail giant, according to a person interviewed by the publication. Shares fell more than 4 percent on Wednesday and continued their tumble Thursday, falling more than 3.8 percent in morning trading.

Some of Trump's claims about Amazon have not been based on complete information. Amazon, for example, does collect taxes on products it sells to customers in the 45 states with a sales tax. Items sold by third-party vendors, however, may have different arrangements. The company has also said it supports legislation that would require other online retailers to pay state and local sales taxes.

Amazon declined to comment on Trump's tweet Thursday.

Trump's use of social media to call out individual people and companies has been unprecedented for a president. His other Twitter targets have included Apple, Boeing and General Motors, as well as media outlets including The Washington Post, the New York Times and CNN.

The president has long been vocal with his disapproval of Amazon.

Trump has frequently complained about Amazon and Jeff Bezos to his friends, according to people who have spoken with the president. For example, at a dinner last month at Mar-a-Lago with Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera and the president's two adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, Trump brought up Amazon and said they should pay more in taxes, according to a person familiar with the dinner.

In December, Trump attacked the company's arrangement with the U.S. Postal Service and called on the agency to raise the shipping rates it charges Amazon.

"Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer?" he tweeted. "Should be charging MUCH MORE!"

His tweets about the USPS reflect a debate about whether the Postal Service is charging Amazon and other retailers enough to deliver packages. Parcel delivery has become an increasingly important part of the Postal Service's business as first-class mail has been on a long-running decline.

Amazon's partnership with the U.S. Postal Service is reviewed annually by the Postal Regulatory Commission, an oversight agency that also sets the rates that Amazon pays for shipping. Experts say that, by law, the USPS must charge rates that are profitable for them. Last year, the postal service reported profits of $7 billion and $20.7 billion in revenue.

Earlier in his presidency, Trump tweeted that "Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt - many jobs being lost!"

(When it comes to his own income taxes, however, the president seems to have a different take. Not paying federal income taxes "makes me smart," he said during a presidential debate in 2016.)

Before becoming president, Trump criticized Amazon's "monopolistic tendencies" and said the company could face "a huge antitrust problem" because "Amazon is controlling so much." The retailer, which last year had $177.9 billion in revenue, has more than half a million employees worldwide. The company purchased Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion last year, in a deal approved by the Federal Trade Commission.

Trump has also suggested that The Post is "a lobbyist weapon against Congress to keep Politicians from looking into Amazon no-tax monopoly."

The Post's editors and Bezos have declared that Bezos is not involved in any journalistic decisions. The Post is owned by Bezos personally, not by Amazon.

- - -

The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey contributed to this report.
Port San Antonio has named Jim Perschbach, executive vice president of business development, as interim CEO less than a week after accepting the resignation of its previous leader.

I think weve been doing a good job. Have we been doing the best job? No, but theres always room to grow, Perschbach said after the meeting. He joined the redevelopment authority in 2014.

Port San Antonios former president and CEO, Roland Mower, who also joined the port in 2014, resigned under pressure on March 20. Mower will stay on through the end of the year as a special adviser to the board of directors at his annual salary of $330,000.

One of Mowers biggest initiatives at the port was to bring 5,000 new jobs there by 2020, a plan he trumpeted in September 2015. The port has since added about 1,500 jobs.

Mower also oversaw the 90,000-square-foot, $20 million Project Tech initiative, aimed as the first step in a more than half-million-square-foot office-space development tailored toward cybersecurity firms seeking high-security space.

I look forward to everybody getting on the same page, said Marc Whyte, a lawyer who represents District 10 on the ports board of directors.

The former home to Kelly AFB, the port was set up in the aftermath of the 1995 decision by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission to close the San Antonio Air Logistics Center at Kelly and move some missions to the adjacent Lackland AFB. The port is a special redevelopment zone with a board thats appointed by the City Council.

The 1,900-acre campus is the regions largest industrial port with 70-plus employers  including Boeing, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics and Standard Aero  that employ more than 12,000 people. Military personnel still make up a large part of the ports workforce. While the port has brought on new business  such as a 20-year lease agreement with Bangalore, India-based Indo-MIM  during the past decade it has been rocked by layoffs in what had been a key aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul hub.

The ports revenue in fiscal year 2017, which ended Sept. 30, was $33.8 million. Revenue has steadily declined since fiscal year 2013, when the port brought in $42.8 million from leases and projects. In the five years prior to 2013, annual revenue held above $40 million.

The board is clearly ready to move forward with a lot of momentum to make sure that they dont miss a step, said Bill Mock, treasurer and District 9 director.
Saturday marks 23 years since Selena's death and while events like Corpus Christi's Fiesta de La Flor are gearing up to celebrate her legacy, there are plenty of local events to bust out the bustier for.

Bars, movie theaters and organizations have a variety of events planned to honor the queen pretty much every weekend starting with the anniversary of her death on March 31, continuing through her birthday on April 16 and lasting through mid-May.
New York is a city Ive always had something of a love/hate relationship with. First the hate: the noise level, which most Manhattanites seem not to notice, has me ready to chew off my own ears after a day or two  the incessant drilling of jackhammers; cabbies sitting on their horns even when its obvious they are going nowhere fast, and angry babel from multilinguals resulting from seemingly inane disagreements.

Truthfully, the Big Apple could stand a good polishing (as in cleanup) and I do wish the locals would wear a spot of color now and then  all that black can get a little funereal.

OK, enough grousing  now for the love. I am both a culture vulture and a lover of good restaurants, and its undeniable that New York satisfies both of those appetites like few other cities in the world.

I recently spent four days there getting my theater and opera fix, as well as savoring the delights of several legendary New York City restaurants. All of this began with an extraordinary package offered by The Chatwal Hotel, an anchor of the Great White Way for 113 years.

The Chatwal is almost as full of drama as the theaters surrounding it. Built by noted architect Stanford White in 1905 at the height of the New York Empire Art Deco era, it was home to Americas first professional theatrical club, the Lambs Club  modeled after a similar club in London.

Among its 6,000 luminaries  known as Lambs  were the Barrymores, Charlie Chaplin, Irving Berlin and Fred Astaire, who once famously remarked, When I was made a Lamb, I felt as if I had been knighted.

More Information If you go Where to stay: The Chatwal, 130 W. 44th St., thechatwalny.com. The Chatwal's two-night "Beautiful" package runs now through Aug. 1, but the hotel intends to make the package an ongoing experience using different Broadway plays. Where to eat: The Grand Tier, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, patinagroup.com. The Pool Restaurant, 99 E. 52nd St. in the Seagrams Building, thepoolnewyork.com See More Collapse

Their glamorous legacy lives on in the hotels restaurant, also called the Lambs Club in homage to its predecessor, where a cozy fire, red leather banquettes and caricatures of Broadway and Hollywood legends make up the decor.

The menu is courtesy of executive chef Geoffrey Zakarian, who began his career under Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque and has been a staple on televisions The Food Network. Zakarians menu is equally (and deliciously) divided between meat and seafood dishes, and the Prohibition-era cocktails are epic (both in flavor and in price.)

In 2010, the Chatwal underwent an extensive restoration by noted architect Thierry Despont, who also worked on the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and other high-profile projects ranging from the J. Paul Getty Center in Los Angeles to Claridges Hotel in London.

The result is an intimate 76-room property that seamlessly blends the charm of the past and the creature comforts of the present.

I had a chance to experience New Yorks early theatrical history during the Chatwals two-night Beautiful package, which in addition to accommodations, includes two premium tickets to see Beautiful  the Carole King Musical at the Stephen Sondheim Theater; a private backstage tour of the theater following the performance; a pre-theater dinner at the Lambs Club Restaurant, and a manicure at the inhouse Red Door Salon by Elizabeth Arden (package rates begin at $695 and continue through Aug. 1 for Beautiful.)

Despite being a Carole King fan, I was mostly familiar with her Tapestry days, so seeing this Tony Award-winning play was an eye-opener. I really didnt know that before she rocked it with her head of unmanageable curls and made the perfect duo with James Taylor, a pony-tailed Carole and her then-husband and writing partner, Gerry Goffin, wrote a battery of 1950s rock n roll hits.

This wonderful show chronicles the couples personal and professional ups-and-downs, all set to their most famous collaborations, including songs such as Will You Love Me Tomorrow, written for the Shirelles; Up on the Roof, for the Drifters; You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman, for Aretha Franklin  even Pleasant Valley Sunday, for the Monkees.

To say that this was one of my favorite-ever theatrical evenings isnt an understatement, and it was only enhanced by the choice seats that are part of the Chatwal package and the backstage tour available only to package guests.

FROM MUSIC OF THE 1950S AND 60S TO GRAND OPERA

My friend Ruth, a Manhattan-based magazine writer, is a massive opera buff and has seen every opera performance at the Met multiple times. Still, I was pleasantly surprised when she managed to score two tickets for the opening night performance of Giuseppe Verdis Il Trovatore, a tale of a gypsy womans bloodthirsty curse and how it affected the fate of a young noblewoman and her troubadour lover.

To enhance our evening, Ruth insisted that we also partake of what she described as a quintessential New York experience. We would join other opera-goers for a pre-performance dinner in the Grand Tier Restaurant located off the lobby and then return at intermission for dessert and coffee.

The restaurant is glamorous in the extreme  with two enormous Chagall paintings and chandeliers gleaming like starbursts reflected in the wall of windows overlooking Lincoln Center Plaza.

So rich in tradition is the Grand Tier that we felt like characters in an Edith Wharton novel, sipping our champagne and eyeing the soignee crowd.

For the three-course prix fixe dinner ($78), I chose crab cake with lobster beurre blanc, celery root remoulade, avocado mousse and winter citrus, and roasted chicken breast with truffled cauliflower, sunchoke flan and potato pave for my appetizer and entree respectively. Paired with a crisp sancerre, the excellent meal fortified me to cope with the operatic travails of the gypsy, noblewoman and troubadour.

At intermission, we returned to our table where our desserts  a chocolate mousse for Ruth and artisanal cheese platter for me  awaited. Again, the perfect sustenance to carry us through the inevitable tragic finale.

FROM OPERA TO OPULENCE

On a long ago visit to New York, I had lunch at what was at the time the power spot of Manhattan  the Pool Room at the Four Seasons Restaurant. On any given day, you could expect to encounter titans of industry, powerful politicos and Broadway icons enjoying a meal in the opulent setting. It was just so New York and when the restaurant closed, to say I was shocked is an understatement.

Happily, the restaurant in the Seagram Building on Park Avenue has been given a new lease on life. Re-opened last July, it is now known simply as The Pool.

Its stunning design combines the sophistication of the city with elements of nature that one doesnt usually associate with New York. The centerpiece is, of course, the pool in the middle of the dining area that features both lush landscaping and an equally lush sound track allowing Brazilian jazz to be softly piped across the room (softly being the key word).

Suspended above the pool is Alexander Calders mobile, 3 Segments, which resembles an enormous fish. Another noteworthy design feature is the glass-walled nook, which on closer inspection contains bottles of wine suffused with an amber glow, making it look like a sculpture.

The restaurant decor is worthy of the Seagram Building itself, a collaboration of architects Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson. If the Grand Tier evokes Edith Whartons 19th century New York aristocracy in their tuxedoes and boas, The Pool conjures up the 21st century Sex and the City quartet in their Jean-Paul Gaultiers and Jimmy Choos.

Couple this with the contemporary seafood dishes of chef Rich Torrisi and you have a memorable dining experience.

So, I tell myself  for memorable experiences such as these, I can put up with honking horns and an endless procession of black.
Click through the slideshow above to see rare photos of Galveston Island as it evolved over the years through tragedy and success...

For most of its history the city of Galveston and the adjacent areas just south of Houston have played a major role in the development of the Gulf Coast region.

NORTH VERSUS SOUTH: Civil War-era maps show Texas, Gulf of Mexico in new light

It was where pirates and rogues once rubbed shoulders with Spanish agents. Where hurricanes have come and gone, taking Texans to watery graves.

Galveston Bay was a venue for a handful of minor naval battles in the Civil War, when its plum position on the coast made it a much-desired port.

Before the devastating 1900 hurricane, Galveston was called the "New York of the South" for its cosmopolitan culture and diversity. People of great wealth lived there. It's said that 70 percent of all U.S. cotton shipped out of the Port of Galveston.

It was one of the richest cities in America, but Mother Nature had other plans for its future.

1900 TRAGEDY: Looking back at the 1900 hurricane that wiped out Galveston

A great deal of immigrants coming to American made their way into the promised land via Galveston, before and after that 1900 storm. As the largest city in Texas at the time, it was the place to get your life in the Lone Star State started.

These days it's an underrated jewel along the Texas coast. It's bounced back from the pounding that Hurricane Ike gave it back in September 2008 and is growing year by year as a major tourist destination.

It has a unique feel to it and a certain spirit remains in the air, perhaps an amalgamation of centuries of visitors. A walk down The Strand on a humid night can be oddly refreshing, and it's a recommended stop for anyone needing the full Texas experience.
Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire []
A Friendswood woman, 34, was charged with possession of a dangerous drug after a traffic stop March 19 at FM 528 and Blackhawk Boulevard, police said. The officer reportedly found 17 hydroxyzine hydrochloride pills and a cigarillo containing marijuana during a vehicle search. Bond was set at $1,000.

Police charged a Crosby man, 20, with possession of a dangerous drug and possession of marijuana after a traffic stop March 19 in the 2100 block of West Parkwood Avenue. He reportedly told the officer he was trying to avoid the police car behind him. The officer found hydroponic marijuana, a grinder and 19 buspirone pills during a vehicle search, according to the report. Bond was set at $2,500.

A Rosharon woman, 25, was charged with marijuana possession after a traffic stop for expired registration March 20 in the 200 block of East Parkwood Avenue, police said. The woman, a passenger, reportedly had a bag of marijuana in her purse. Bond was set at $500.

Police charged a Friendswood woman, 27, with possession of a controlled substance after a welfare check March 22 in the 16600 block of Forest Bend Avenue. A family member reportedly found her on the garage floor, shaking uncontrollably and holding a bag of Adderall, carisoprodol, alprazolam and promethazine hydrochloride pills, police said. She had two Galveston County warrants for her arrest and was taken into custody. Bond was set at $5,000.

An Alvin woman, 32, was charged with marijuana possession after a traffic stop for failing to dim her high beams to oncoming traffic March 24 in the 100 block of East Parkwood Avenue, police said. The officer reportedly found two bags of marijuana in the glove box and a marijuana cigarette in the front passenger seat. Bond was set at $2,000. Police charged one of two passengers, a 28-year-old Houston woman, with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police charged a Houston man, 33, with theft of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop for a defective tail light March 25 in the 100 block of East Parkwood Avenue. The officer reportedly found two marijuana cigarettes, a bag of crystal methamphetamine and a stolen rifle during a vehicle search. Bond was set at $7,000.

BURGLARY

A resident at Baywood Apartments, 5025 FM 2351, found his van burglarized March 21, police said. He reported a paint sprayer, table saw and wallet were stolen. The victim told police his van has been burglarized four times, according to the report.

THEFT

An employee's wallet and iPhone were stolen at Discount Tire, 1555 S. Friendswood Drive, according to a March 20 police report.

An iPhone 8 was stolen March 22 at AT&T, 101 W. Parkwood Ave., police said. The suspect reportedly was inside the store about 30 minutes and triggered the alarm on an iPhone X before taking the iPhone 8. He was described as a black male, 6 feet tall, with short hair, a scruffy beard and medium build, according to the report. He was wearing a black jacket, black pants, a black and red shirt and house slippers.

A black 2009 Honda Pilot with Texas license plates 76T7619 was stolen March 24 at Skyhawk Apartments, 17231 Blackhawk Blvd., police said.

FRAUD

A Friendswood woman told police March 23 she received a letter from the IRS stating her Social Security number had been used for employment. She has not worked since January 2017, according to the report.

A Friendswood woman completed a police report March 23 regarding the fraudulent use of her Social Security number to file an IRS tax return.

A Friendswood woman was scammed out of $756.30 after a person claiming to be an Apple employee called and said her computer had been hacked. He requested remote access and the victim's debit card information for payment. She provided the number and access. The caller then requested $2,200 in iTunes gift cards as payment. She purchased the cards and called the man back, but he reportedly heard some clicking sounds on the phone, asked if she was recording and hung up. The victim closed her checking account but not before 17 fraudulent transactions were made.

A Friendswood woman reviewing her credit card account online found two unauthorized transactions at www.homedepot.com, according to a March 25 police report. She contacted Home Depot and discovered the purchases had been delivered to a Maryland address, police said.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

A mailbox was damaged in the 16700 block of Forest Bend Avenue, according to a March 22 police report.

DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED

Police charged a Madisonville man, 25, with DWI after a traffic stop for running a stop sign and squealing his tires March 19 in the 3600 block of Friendswood Link Road. He reportedly had marijuana shake on his clothing, failed a field sobriety test and refused to provide a blood specimen. Bond was set at $500. His passenger, a 24-year-old Pearland woman, also had marijuana residue and ashes on her clothing as well as a marijuana pipe in her purse, police said. She faces charges for possession of drug paraphernalia. The officer found a rolled cigarillo joint in plain view in the ashtray and additional paraphernalia during a vehicle search, according to the report.

Police charged a Houston man, 59 with DWI after a traffic stop for an insurance violation March 25 in the 1500 block of East Winding Way. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test and refused to provide a breath or blood specimen. Bond was set at $1,000.

PUBLIC INTOXICATION

Police charged a Friendswood man, 26, with public intoxication March 23 after a witness reported a suspicious person walking toward South Friendswood Drive on West Castlewood Avenue. The man allegedly was stumbling and struggling to keep his pants up. He had an open bottle of whiskey in his jacket, police said.

A 23-year-old Webster man was charged with public intoxication after officers responded to a disturbance March 24 in the 500 block of Desert Aire Drive, police said. Witnesses told police the man urinated on another man's vehicle and became aggressive when questioned about it.
Michael Minasi/Staff Photographer

The Oak Ridge North City Council on Monday, March 26, took one step closer to paving the way for future developments and road improvements after voting to approve a master thoroughfare plan.

The MTP designates Robinson and Hanna roads as thoroughfares in the city that will in the future be widened from two lanes to four lanes to accommodate higher levels of traffic. A pedestrian pathway plan, which would include sidewalks and a bicycle lane is also planned for the two roads.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has said he was misquoted in comments this week that suggested the United States would bypass Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas if he refused to engage with the Trump administration.

"The United States is not seeking 'to replace' Mahmoud Abbas," Friedman said in a tweet on Thursday. "It is for the Palestinian people to choose its leadership."

Friedman's reported comments about Abbas came from an interview he did with a small religious newspaper called Shevi'i. The weekly, which is distributed in synagogues in Israel, is planning to release the interview on Friday, but excerpts had appeared in other publications earlier this week.

"Time doesn't stand still . . . and if he is not interested is negotiating - I am sure somebody else will. Vacuums tend to be filled. If he creates a vacuum I am sure somebody will fill it," an excerpt published on Axios read.

"We will move forward" with the peace process, Friedman continued in the excerpted comments. "The U.S. wants to help the Palestinian people - if the leadership is not on the same page then so be it, but we will not abandon the desire to improve the life of Palestinians."

It was unclear from Friedman's statement on Thursday whether he denied the comments in the interview with Shevi'i itself or the reports that appeared in other Israeli media outlets.

"I was misquoted in various reports stemming from an interview that published today. The United States is not seeking "to replace" Mahmoud Abbas. It is for the Palestinian people to choose its leadership," he tweeted.

The reported remarks about Abbas stoked outrage among Palestinians. Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization and chief Palestinian negotiator in the moribund peace process, released a statement that called the comments "irresponsible and solely guided to advance Israeli colonialism, an enterprise that [Friedman] has been personally committed to as one of its funders."

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, an aide to Abbas, told The Associated Press Friedman's reported remarks were a "blatant interference in Palestinian affairs."

Abbas, who turned 83 this week, has been Palestinian president since 2005. He has long called for negotiations to reach a two-state solution with Israel. However, after the Trump administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December and announced plans to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv, Abbas said the United States could no longer be considered an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and suspended official contacts with it.

Tensions have been especially acute between Abbas and Friedman, an Orthodox Jew who had worked as Trump's bankruptcy lawyer and had no experience in diplomacy before becoming the U.S. envoy in Israel. In a speech this month, Abbas called Friedman a "son of a dog" - comments that were followed a few days later by a report published by the Palestinian Authority that called for Friedman to be added to a "global terror list."

At a conference on anti-Semitism in Jerusalem, Friedman brought up Abbas's "son of a dog" comment. "Anti-Semitism or political discourse? Not for me to judge. I leave that all up to you," he said.

In his interview with Shevi'i, Friedman reportedly said Abbas' comments were "very undiplomatic" and "a disservice to his people," adding "calling me names is not going to improve the situation of the Palestinians."

Despite the rhetoric, analysts have said Abbas has little leverage over the United States, given the Palestinian Authority's economic reliance on Israel and its increasingly distant relationship with many Arab nations. Friedman's reported comments in his interview with Shevi'i seemed to confirm fears that Abbas is viewed as irrelevant by the United States.

During a recent trip to the United States, Abbas underwent medical checks at a hospital. He later said in a televised interview the results were "positive."
Police know that the SUV carrying the Hart family went off a Mendocino County ocean cliff and landed 100 feet below, on its roof, at the waters edge. What police dont know is when, how or why the accident occurred, killing two women and three children, with another three children missing and presumed dead.

A passerby called 911 on Monday after seeing the vehicle. Mothers Jennifer and Sarah Hart, both 38, were found dead in the front, strapped in seat belts. The bodies of three of their children, Markis, 19, and Jeremiah and Abigail, both 14, were found outside the vehicle. Still missing are the couples three other children, Devonte, 15, Hannah, 16, and Sierra, 12, who investigators believe were also in the 2003 GMC Yukon when it plunged over the cliff off Highway 1 near Westport.

Days after the crash, investigators are still trying to piece together a timeline of the familys whereabouts before the tragedy, and whether an investigation by Child Protective Services  launched days before they went missing from their rural home in Woodland, Wash.  had anything to do with the familys road trip south and the fatal crash more than 550 miles from home.

Investigators are scouring the accident site for clues, such as how much gas was in the sport utility vehicle, and why there werent skid marks or signs of braking, said Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman. The Alameda County Sheriffs Office has been assisting, sending an unmanned aircraft to videotape the rugged coastline a couple of miles in each direction, Allman said.

Investigators were poring over the footage Thursday.

Were looking for everything, Allman said. Was there a pillowcase, a suitcase, who knows what?

The mystery has garnered widespread attention  in part because of the death toll and ages of the victims  but also because the family became something of a media sensation in 2014, when Devonte was photographed hugging a police officer at a Portland protest in response to the police shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Mo.

The picture showed tears streaming down the boys cheeks and went viral online.

As you can imagine, the tragic news about Devonte and his family deeply saddens me, Sgt. Bret Barnum, the officer in the photo, said in an email. The short interaction with Devonte in November 2014 was certainly one of those moments in my career which reinforced my love, passion and duty in providing compassion and service to my community.

Barnum declined to speak about the Hart family tragedy until the investigation is complete.

Authorities are also trying to piece together the familys movements in the 24 hours before the crash.

Were they northbound, southbound, we dont know the answer, Allman said. That wreck could have happened two days before, or it could have happened an hour before it was reported.

Investigators have requested bank and credit card information to determine where the family purchased gas or if they stayed in a hotel, Allman added.

Its unclear when the family left their home, although they were known to take spontaneous camping trips and were frequent participants in protests, where they would carry Free Hugs signs. The children, all adopted by the couple, were homeschooled, friends said.

Officials at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services attempted to contact the family Mar ch 23, when the agency received a report of abuse or neglect. That attempt failed, as did follow-ups three and four days after the initial report, officials said.

We have not made any findings in this investigation and we had no prior history with this family, said department spokesman Norah West. We are working with all involved law enforcement agencies on their respective investigations.

Neighbors of the Hart family said they were worried about the children.

Dana DeKalb, who lived next door, said Devonte recently asked for food. He told her that his parents werent feeding him and his siblings, according to media reports. DeKalb and her husband, Bruce, also said that one of the daughters appeared on their doorstep in the middle of the night last May saying the mothers were abusing her, the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reported.

Court documents show Sarah Hart was charged with domestic assault and malicious punishment of a child following reports she spanked one of her children over the side of a bathtub, leaving bruises. She reportedly pleaded guilty to domestic assault in 2011.

Family and friends, however, said Jennifer and Sarah Hart were loving parents, who took in children with horrific backstories and guided them into kind, loving and free-spirited kids. Social media photos of the family show the children running on beaches and hiking in national parks.

Musician Krista Herring said she met the family around 2012, when they lived in Portland, Ore. She was taken aback by the allegations of abuse.

I dont know what was going on with the CPS thing, but it was shocking, Herring said. Just reading that, it sounded so off to me, so strange. It just didnt sound like anything I knew about them.

The Hart family was a fixture in the citys tight-knit music community, and often would attend Herrings folk Americana music concerts as well as those of other local musicians, she said.

When the kids showed up at the concerts, Herring said, the family brightened up the whole room.

You would just get surrounded by hugs. They would all just come at you. They were really special kids, she said. I think its really amazing how big their hearts were. It was really beautiful and amazing these women took these children who had rough starts in life.

The family often traveled around the country, Herring said. They were avid hikers, always outdoors.

Zippy Lomax, a Portland photographer, met the family when she documented the Beloved Festival in Tidewater Falls, Ore.

They were impossible to miss, she said.

Lomax and Jennifer Hart bonded over their love of photography, and the photographer continued to see the family at events around Oregon, she said. The last time Lomax saw the family was at a Bernie Sanders rally in March 2016, where Devonte held up a Free Hugs sign.

It was really the kids that gave me a sense of genuine hope, Lomax said. To know that they exist  it made me feel better about the future. I felt sure they were going to go on to do great things.

She also recalled fundraisers Devonte held for charity. When he turned 15, his latest birthday, he raised money for Honor the Earth, which supports indigenous communities.

He was a pretty special human being, said Lomax, her voice breaking. An understatement. There arent words for the magnitude of this catastrophe.
A federal judge on Thursday denied a request from Stormy Daniels, who says she was paid to remain silent about an affair with President Donald Trump, to expedite a jury trial in her lawsuit against the president.

The request for an expedited jury trial and limited discovery - including a deposition of Trump and his personal attorney, Michael Cohen - was deemed "premature and must be denied" because some questions may wind up being answered by a future petition from Trump and Cohen, wrote Judge S. James Otero of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The ruling looked like a temporary setback for Daniels's case, but it also opens Trump's legal team to exposure.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed a lawsuit against Trump earlier this month, asking the court to declare her nondisclosure agreement reached in the final days of the 2016 presidential election invalid because the then-Republican candidate never signed it.

The judge's denial came a little more than a day after Michael Avenatti, an attorney for Daniels, filed the motion seeking to depose Trump and Cohen in the case. Cohen has said he paid Daniels the $130,000 out of his own funds, while the White House has denied that Trump had an affair with Daniels.

In his filing, Avenatti argued that his side told attorneys for Trump and Cohen last week that they would seek "limited discovery on an expedited basis" in the case that included deposing both Trump and Cohen as well as requesting certain documents. Avenatti wrote in the filing that the attorneys for Trump and Cohen "contend that no discovery should be conducted in the case, and no trial should be set, because the case should be summarily ordered to arbitration."

Cohen has claimed in court filings that he has a right to seek at least $20 million in damages from Daniels for violating the nondisclosure agreement. Court filings made on behalf of Cohen's limited liability company, Essential Consultants, and Trump also said they intended to push the case back into arbitration, which would be shielded from the public eye.

"While [Essential Consultants] and Mr. Trump have stated their intention to file a petition to compel arbitration, they have not yet done so," Otero wrote in his order Thursday. "If such a petition were filed, a number of the questions raised in plaintiff's motion may be answered in the petition, thus limiting the need for discovery on these issues. If such a petition is never filed, plaintiff's motion is moot. Accordingly, plaintiff's motion is premature and must be denied."

Attorneys for Trump and Cohen did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment about Otero's order Thursday.

Avenatti said in a telephone interview Thursday that the language as it relates "to the law and the merits is very, very positive for us and shows that the court appears to agree with our position. This does not bode well for the president or Mr. Cohen."

He also posted on Twitter a selection of the judge's order, arguing that this suggests Otero "will ultimately agree with our requests for discovery and a trial."

Legal experts said Otero made the right decision on Thursday.

"At this stage, the court has to determine the validity of the purported contract between Trump and Daniels," David A. Super, a professor of law at Georgetown University, wrote in an email. "If that contract were valid, the court likely would have no jurisdiction over this matter. And making that determination does not require any depositions: the contract is invalid on its face. Once the court has determined that the contract is invalid, it can move on to deciding whether any other claims, such as those relating to alleged intimidation, are sufficiently substantial to allow the case to go forward."

Should that happen, "depositions might well be in order," Super said. "But depositions now would be premature."

Stephen Gillers of New York University Law School similarly said that it was too soon to discuss deposing the president.

"There is no urgency," he wrote in an email. "Deliberation is paramount. The court should wait until the close of pleadings and the legal question can be briefed."

The order comes as Daniels' allegations against Trump and her lawsuit have received intense media scrutiny recently. Daniels made a widely seen appearance Sunday night on "60 Minutes" during which she repeated her claims about beginning an affair with Trump in 2006 and then being paid to remain silent shortly before he was elected president a decade later.

Daniels, who has told journalists she had the affair and also released statements denying it, said on "60 Minutes" that she was threatened for trying to tell the story publicly in 2011 and took the $130,000 payment because she feared for her family. The interviewed prompted questions about her credibility. A lawyer for Cohen and a spokesman for Trump both said the men did not believe that she was threatened in 2011, while Keith Davidson, Daniels's former lawyer, said he did "not believe that the assertions in Ms. Daniels' '60 Minutes' interview represents a fair and accurate description of the situation."

Cohen, who initially dismissed stories about the payout before acknowledging he sent $130,000 to Daniels, has argued that neither Trump's campaign nor the president's business were involved in the payment. David Schwartz, an attorney for Cohen, argued Thursday that the lawyer "never told" Trump about the agreement.

"Michael Cohen had great authority within that organization to take care of things," Schwartz said during an appearance on NBC's "Megyn Kelly Today." Schwartz said Cohen "chose not to go to the boss, he chose to take care of this thing."

Otero, who was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2003, also included an admonition for those involved in the high-profile case.

"The parties are advised that the instant litigation is not the most important matter on the court's docket," Otero wrote in a footnote attached to the four-page order. "Requests for expedited proceedings, hearings, and discovery not clearly supported by the record and law are discouraged."
The brother of Parkland shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz has pleaded "no contest" to trespassing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School more than a month after 17 students and staff members were killed in a mass shooting on the campus.

Zachary Cruz, 18, pleaded no contest Thursday, meaning that he is not disputing the charge. He was sentenced to time served as well as six months' probation, according to a spokeswoman for the state attorney's office in Broward County, Florida.

During probation, Cruz is prohibited from possessing firearms. He is also forbidden from returning to the school or contacting the victims or their families.

His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday by The Washington Post.

Zachary Cruz was arrested for trespassing March 19 after he was seen skateboarding through the campus where dozens of students and staff members had been killed and injured only weeks before in a shooting rampage. When questioned by authorities, he said he wanted to "reflect on the school shooting and soak it in," according to his arrest report. To do so, he bypassed the locked doors and gates of the campus and ignored previous warnings by school officials to stay off the property, officials said.

He was taken into custody and held on a $500,000 bond, as well as ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation.

Assistant Broward State Attorney Sarahnell Murphy had argued that Cruz "has all the same flags present as his brother," according to the Miami Herald.

In addition to the trespassing charge, the Broward County Sheriff's Office had petitioned a judge to revoke Cruz's right to own or possess a firearm under a new law passed this month. His attorney, Joseph Kimok, argued that prosecutors were being overly harsh on his client simply because of his brother. Nikolas Cruz was indicted by a grand jury this month on 34 counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder in the shooting, which is the second-deadliest at a U.S. public school.

Following Thursday's plea agreement, Kimok said it was "a very good day for Zachary Cruz."

"His 10-day nightmare is over. This unlawful and unconstitutional confinement has ended. He's going home, which is where he belongs," Kimok told reporters, according to the Palm Beach Post.

"It's a frustrating day for justice," he added. "Zachary Cruz pleaded to this case in order to get out of jail, and the reason that he was in jail is because he had a half-million-dollar bond the judge set on a trespass case. Because of that half-million-dollar bond, he spent the last 10 days behind a locked door in a jumpsuit.

"The fundamental premise of our criminal justice system is that you are innocent until proven guilty. But when a judge sets a bond so high that you have to plead guilty in order to get out of jail, that premise is destroyed. That's what happened in this case, that's what happens in this courthouse, and in courthouses around the country every single day."
Washington

President Donald Trump said Wednesday there's "a good chance" that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will "do what is right for his people and for humanity" and make moves toward peace.

In a pair of tweets, Trump said he received a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping that a meeting Xi had with Kim this week "went very well."

Trump says that according to Xi, the North Korean leader "looks forward" to meeting the American president. The White House has said Trump plans to meet Kim by May.

Trump has agreed to historic talks after South Korean officials relayed that Kim was committed to ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons and was willing to halt nuclear and missile tests.

In the meanwhile, Trump said, "unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!" The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on companies across the globe to punish illicit trade with North Korea.

"For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," Trump tweeted Wednesday. "Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!"

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Kim's visit to China "was an unprecedented, historic step in the right direction."

"It is also evidence that @POTUS' maximum pressure campaign is working. We look forward to sitting down with Kim Jong Un to talk about a better future for his people," Nauert tweeted.

It remains unclear if there has been direct communication between Washington and Pyongyang on the planned Trump-Kim summit, and under what conditions North Korea would agree to give up the nuclear arsenal it has spent decades building.

According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Kim told China's Xi that the issue of denuclearization can be resolved if South Korea and the U.S. take "progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace."
WASHINGTON - The White House on Wednesday declared itself "cautiously optimistic" that the planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will take place sometime in May, even as key details such as where Kim will meet with President Donald Trump, and the parameters of their talks, remain undetermined.

"We feel like things are moving in the right direction," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

The Trump administration was initially thrown off balance when China announced late Tuesday that it had held its own summit with Kim this week, according to U.S. officials and people familiar with internal diplomatic discussions.

Amid debates about whether the Chinese move was good or bad for U.S. aims, administration officials ultimately decided to declare it a positive result of its "maximum pressure" campaign against North Korea.

But Beijing's failure to officially inform the United States until after its talks with Kim were over and he had departed for Pyongyang aboard his armored train was another indication of the uncertainties that still surround Trump's North Korea gambit.

The president said on Twitter early Wednesday that he had received a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping late Tuesday that the meeting with Kim "went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me."

A State Department spokesman said that the "personal message" from Xi was conveyed as part of a briefing the White House received from the Chinese government after the visit.

It remained unclear whether the administration has received a direct confirmation from North Korea about the proposed Trump-Kim summit. Kim's invitation to meet was conveyed to the White House by South Korea early this month, and Trump quickly accepted.

As far as the administration is concerned, State Department spokesman Justin Higgins said, the messages conveyed by Seoul and Beijing are enough confirmation to begin planning.

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said he is committed to denuclearization, pledged to refrain from any further nuclear or missile tests, and understands routine joint military exercises between the Republic of Korea [South Korea] and the United States will continue," Higgins said. "Kim also expressed his desire to meet with President Trump as soon as possible.

"In light of this, President Trump has accepted Kim Jong Un's offer to meet in person."

Trump's national security staff, with his newly designated national security adviser and secretary of state not yet in place, has held a series of discussions on the upcoming summit, but senior officials said even the most basic questions have not been answered.

No decision has been made among a number of options for the location of the meeting, including the Peace House in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, or countries such as Sweden that maintain diplomatic relations with both North Korea and the United States.

While some experts have suggested Beijing, a senior administration official said that was likely to be unacceptable to the White House because the location is "a major espionage risk, for starters." Official U.S. visitors to China assume that their conversations, movements and private meetings are monitored, and that all of their bags are thoroughly searched.

Another question is whether there will be what the official called "senior-level engagement" between the two governments before the summit.

"I can't rule it out. The president and [Kim] are not going to hash out" details of their meeting "over the phone," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about closed-door planning.

Such preliminary, agenda-setting meetings are common before summits, and are often conducted at the foreign-minister level. Confirmation hearings for CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Trump's nominee for secretary of state, are unlikely to be held until well into April.

John Bolton, Trump's designee to take H.R. McMaster's place as White House national security adviser, has not yet started work in the job, which McMaster is due to vacate April 9.

Both Pompeo and Bolton have been outspoken hawks on North Korea, with Pompeo suggesting last summer that regime change there would be a welcome development and Bolton advocating military strikes.

Bolton, who served as the head of arms-control policy at the State Department during the George W. Bush administration, wrote in a 2007 book that he made it his personal mission to "shatter" the nuclear agreement in force with North Korea at the time, on grounds that Pyongyang had cheated and could never be trusted.

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will never give up nuclear weapons voluntarily," he wrote. "It often promises to do so . . . [and] will even more readily bargain over that promise, especially in exchange for items of tangible economic and political value."

The idea that a rogue state could be persuaded to give up nuclear weapons was an illusion, Bolton wrote. "The DPRK will gladly 'engage' with us, accept our concessions, and then violate its own commitments. . . . Ironically, North Korea's policies have often been more sensible than our own, where the hope of the High Minded seems always to triumph over contrary experience."

Trump seemed to take the opposite tack early Wednesday. "For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility," he said in another tweet. "Now there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity. Look forward to our meeting!"

Bolton has acknowledged that he "has his own views and has been outspoken" in his writing and on television as a commentator for Fox News, the senior official said. "He has also said that as national security adviser he will put those views aside and make himself an arbiter of options" placed before the president by his senior national security advisers.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who has advocated diplomacy with North Korea, told reporters Tuesday that he had "no reservations, no concerns at all" over Bolton. "Last time I checked, he's an American, and I can work with an American," Mattis said.

Kim's China visit was his first trip outside the country since he took over North Korea's government six years ago. Replete with an official dinner and fulsome official statements, it marked a shift in Beijing's noticeably chilly attitude toward Pyongyang over the past year, including support for increased sanctions and criticism of North Korea's accelerated nuclear weapons program.

Xi's decision to meet with Kim was seen by some experts as an effort to take control of the situation as North Korea's main economic and diplomatic partner, as well as a reaction to Trump's lack of consultation before agreeing to meet Kim, and to last week's announcement of new U.S. trade penalties against China.

"Panicked is too strong a word, but they seemed concerned or very wary ever since Thursday," when Trump signed the memorandum authorizing $60 billion in new intellectual property tariffs against China, said Michael Pillsbury, a China scholar at the Hudson Institute and defense adviser on East Asia during the George H.W. Bush administration. "They had been assured by various friends that these things wouldn't happen."

The "Trump people," Pillsbury said, "were upset they didn't get advance consultation from Xi." His advice to them, he said, was to consider it "a big breakthrough for you. . . . It's China stepping up to the plate."

Another reason "the Chinese jumped," said Robert Carlin, a former U.S. intelligence officer and State Department adviser on North Korea negotiations, "was because they had the feeling Kim was deliberately cutting them out . . . with his moves toward South Korea and the United States."

Carlin also suggested that Kim wanted to meet with Xi because "he needs to have his flanks covered. He needs to know that the Chinese are not going to do something to sell him out, which they did once before," he said, citing an earlier episode in the long, convoluted history of negotiations over the future of the Korean Peninsula.

- - -

John Hudson contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump's administration announced Thursday that it will no longer release most pregnant immigrants from detention, a move it said was consistent with its policy to hold immigrants rather than freeing them to await their court proceedings.

Under the new policy, immigration officers will not lean toward releasing pregnant women if they do not pose security risks or are not subject to mandatory detention for having just arrived at the border. The previous policy, issued in 2016, held that "absent extraordinary circumstances or the requirement of mandatory detention, pregnant women will generally not be detained."

"To better align our policy with the president's executive order, we are ending the presumption of release for all pregnant detainees," said Phillip Miller, a deputy executive associate director over removal at Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Pregnant immigrants who are caught crossing the border illegally are already briefly held in detention before being deported.

But if they pass a screening interview proving that they have a credible fear of returning home  the first step to obtaining asylum the government generally released them.

Now it will detain such women as they await their asylum cases in the backlogged civil immigration courts, a process that can take months.

Miller said such women will be evaluated just like any other detainees on a "case-by-case basis," with their pregnancy one of a host of factors to determine whether they could be released and relied upon to make their court hearings.

The Trump administration has generally declined to release most immigrants it detained on bond.

But Miller said pregnant women in their third trimester would not typically be detained, mainly because they wouldn't be able to fly and so couldn't be deported in that period.

Since December 2017, when the policy went into effect, the agency has detained 506 pregnant woman, Miller said. It currently has 35 such women in detention.

It was not clear what had happened to the rest and whether they had been deported or released.

The policy change generally would not impact pregnant women who are apprehended with their small children.

The Trump administration is bound by a landmark 1997 federal settlement protecting children to release such families after 20 days in detention if they pass their asylum screening. If they are not found to have a credible fear of return, they are typically quickly deported without seeing an immigration judge in a process known as expedited removal that applies within 100 miles of the border.

Read more: Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everything'

Immigrant advocates immediately slammed the new policy, saying it would lead to many more pregnant potential asylum seekers in detention. Many women are raped in their journey to the border, resulting in the pregnancy, or it could be part of their claim to asylum, said Michelle Brane, director of migrants rights at the Women's Refugee Commission, a national nonprofit.

She said the agency doesn't have the ability to care for pregnant women.

"There is no question based on my observations and knowledge of care and conditions in detention that the care is inadequate and that detention has a negative impact on a pregnant woman's health and well-being," she said.

The American Civil Liberties Union in September filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, asking it to investigate the agency's treatment of pregnant women in custody. Some women in the complaint said they had been denied medical care even in cases of extreme bleeding and pain. The group found the medical care for detainees varied from facility to facility and that oversight was lacking.

"This new policy further exposes the cruelty of Trump's detention and deportation force by endangering the lives of pregnant immigrant women," said Victoria Lopez, ACLU senior staff counsel, in a statement.

In the call with reporters Thursday, Dr. Ada Rivera, who oversees medical services for ICE, said the agency provides on-site pre-natal care, including vitamins and exams. Each facility currently has a gynecologist to oversee their treatment.

The announcement comes as the administration in recent months has moved to deter immigrants from coming to the southern border and making it more difficult to ask for asylum.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit this month arguing hundreds of families are unlawfully separated after prospective asylum seekers are prosecuted for illegally crossing the border, forcing the removal of their children.

Read more: ACLU challenges Trump administration practice of separating migrant parents and children

The group has also challenged a practice of detaining asylum-seekers who seek protection at ports-of-entry until they resolve their cases in the courts. They were previously usually released if they had potentially valid claims and posed no danger.

Top administration officials in recent weeks have also repeatedly blamed federal laws and settlements intended to protect children for encouraging families to come here.

It suggests increasing urgency as the number of Central American families and children coming here is once again on the rise. More than 8,600 were apprehended in February, according to the latest federal statistics.

lomi.kriel@chron.com
Marilyn Susan Hill was known for her legacy of songs, homemaking and service to the elderly.

She was a very loving and deeply Christian woman who was generous and loved her family, daughter Linda Woodward said.

Hill died March 7. She was 88.

My mother had a wonderful childhood, said another daughter, Karen Chutek, recalling her mothers stories about growing up in St. Louis in the 1930s.

Hills father was a manager for Brown Shoe Co., and her mother was a homemaker.

It was common for the family to leave the hustle of the city for the quiet of the country.

Hills father owned a farm in Pacific, Missouri, where their second home was a log cabin. Her father grew vegetables and raised honeybees.

The family farm lessened the economic effect of the Great Depression and World War II, Woodward said.

More Information Marilyn Susan Hill Born: Dec. 8, 1929, St. Louis Died: March 7, 2018, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents William and Inez Knotts Steele; husband Albert Richard Hill; sister Doris De la Roche; and son-in-law Dr. Michael W. McCord Survived by: Daughters Linda Woodward and son-in-law Wayne, Laurie McCord, Karen Chutek and son-in-law Tony, and Lisa Giangrosso and son-in-law Frank; sister Barbara Bregant; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren Service: Celebration of life 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 2738 MacArthur View See More Collapse

After high school, Hill enrolled at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. But she fell in love and left college to marry Albert Richard Hill.

My mom met him in a church group. She thought he was a hunk, Woodward said.

Together, they raised four daughters and created a storehouse of memories through storytelling and songs that continued into the next generation.

There was singing and music throughout our lives, her daughters said.

Hill sang lyrics she learned from her parents  songs about the Elephant King, working on the railroad and grasping merry-go-round rings.

On Sundays, dinner would be ice cream, and we would sing those old songs all the whole way to the ice cream place, Woodward said.

Hills husband moved the family in 1967 from St. Louis to San Antonio, where he took a civil service job at Kelly AFB, Chutek said.

Their 50-year marriage ended with his death in 2002.

Hill traveled extensively after that, going to Alaska, Europe and Australia, her daughters said.

Hill also devoted time in her later years to volunteer work, serving the elderly at San Antonio Oasis, an organization that helps educate seniors.

She started with Oasis 26 years ago, from the very beginning when it was founded in San Antonio, Oasis Executive Director Brenda Schmachtenberger said.

She volunteered every Tuesday, even when her husband was sick  that was how important her volunteer work was to her. We missed her when she left.
A plea deal has resolved felony charges brought against Justin R. Carter over a 2013 Facebook post about shooting up a kindergarten, which he cast as a failed attempt at humor.

Defense attorneys say Carter, 23, pleaded guilty in Comal County on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of making a false report.

At the Wednesday hearing, state District Judge Jack Robison had been expected to only consider a defense motion seeking modified bond conditions for Carter.

Defense attorney Don Flanary said Carter, now an Austin resident, was sentenced to time served and no fine under the sentencing agreement hammered out with prosecutor Sammy McCrary.

District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said in a statement issued late Wednesday that she hopes Carter has learned a lesson from the incident, which she said could not merely be dismissed as an exercise of free speech.

In this day and age, threats to shoot up schools and harm children simply cannot be tolerated, she said. We are thankful to the quick response of law enforcement and that they took serious Carter's threats to shoot up a kindergarten class.

Carters trial on two felony charges of making a terroristic threat had been set for May 14.

Both sides have been so entrenched for so long that I think it was a nice surprise that we could get together and get it resolved, said Flanary, calling the resolution fair and just.

His co-counsel, Chad Van Brunt, said Robison appeared surprised when presented with the proposed plea deal, which he then approved.

When you settle, its never perfect, but Im happy with the result and Justin is very happy, said Van Brunt.

Carter could not immediately be reached for comment.

The felony charges against Carter stemmed from a graphic post he made Feb. 13, 2013, when he was living in Comal County. Much of the post was in all capital letters, in response to another Facebook post that suggested he had mental problems.

He wrote, in part, I'm (messed) up in the head alright, I think I'ma SHOOT UP A KINDERGARTEN..... AND WATCH THE BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT RAIN DOWN 

Later in the thread he also wrote jk (just kidding) and lol (laugh out loud), Flanary said.

Carter was arrested one day later and held for five months in jail under $500,000 bail before an anonymous benefactor posted bond for him.

In a May 17, 2013, letter from jail to Robison, Carter told the judge I wasn't trying to scare anyone, I was trying to be witty and sarcastic.

In denying defense motions to dismiss the charge at a prior hearing, the judge said a jury should decide if Carter overstepped constitutional protections for free speech.

The legal proceedings were extended by two unsuccessful defense challenges to the constitutionality of the charging statute in the Third Court of Appeals, each of which spurred a subsequent petition for discretionary review by the Court of Criminal Appeals.

The motion Robison was originally slated to consider Wednesday sought to eliminate one of the conditions of Carters release on bond, a ban on using a computer to access any online services without prior written consent of the community supervision and corrections department.

The defense said the restriction precluded Carter from obtaining employment and continuing his education, and infringed on his right to free speech.
FLORESVILLE  Two women represented by a former San Antonio attorney accused of having sex with clients in exchange for legal services told a jury Thursday that they performed oral sex and other acts on the man in rooms at a courthouse before they were to meet with judges.

Mark Benavides, 48, is accused of continuous trafficking of persons and is on trial in Wilson County. Clients he represented as a court-appointed attorney in prostitution and drug cases allege he coerced them into sex to keep them out of jail or get their cases dismissed, and that he recorded the encounters on video.

Six women are named in the indictment. By Thursday afternoon, five had testified about their encounters with Benavides. They are not being identified because they are victims of sexual assault.

The two women testifying Thursday, the third day of the trial, said they performed oral sex on Benavides and had sexual intercourse at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center in Bexar County.

The jury was shown photographs of the outside of the 379th state District Court and two rooms on either side of the entrance to the courtroom that at times are used by witnesses, and rooms behind the courtroom near the offices where jurors meet. The women said Benavides took them to one of those rooms for sex at different times before they were to appear before a judge.

The trial is being heard in Wilson County on a change of venue. Benavides attorney, Monica E. Guerrero, requested the change at a June hearing before District Judge Dick Alcala because of the allegations that Benavides had sex with clients in at least two rooms in the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center that are used by jurors. She told the court at the time that she did not want jurors doing their own investigating.

One of the women testifying Thursday, a 28-year-old, told the jury Benavides took her to the River Inn Motel on Guadalupe and South Frio streets to do paperwork after he became her attorney in a drug possession charge. Once in the room, she said it became clear he wanted to have sex.

I stood there and he started touching me, and he told me that I was going to have sex with him, she told the jury. I told him I didnt want to. He said to do it anyway.

When prosecutor Meredith Chacon asked the woman what would have happened if she didnt comply, she replied: Id end up in jail. He said he had a lot of pull in court because he knew a lot of people.

She told the jury because she and Benavides mostly had unprotected sex, she became pregnant with his child.

He said its not his, the woman told Chacon when asked Benavides response.

Because she was pregnant, she told Benavides she didnt want to have sex anymore, but the encounters continued.

I still had to do it, she told the jury, adding that if she cut off contact, she would end up in jail.

Another woman, also 28, testified that before she was coerced into having sex with Benavides to stay out of jail, he had previously been a client of hers when she was a prostitute. Years later, when he was appointed her attorney, he took her to the River Inn Motel, she said, in exchange for legal services, and eventually began recording their encounters.

The things I had to do were very  I wouldnt even do that as a prostitute, she told the jury.

All five accusers who have testified so far in the trial told the court that Benavides used a camera to record the sexual encounters at the motel and would tell them which sex acts to perform and what to say to the camera. Only jurors were allowed to see video of the sexual encounters.

At least 246 video recordings were collected by investigators from from Benavides home that featured the women and Benavides doing several sex acts.

The trial is in recess until Monday morning.
Millions of dollars.

Tens of thousands of people dead or missing.

And, no end in sight.

Photos available via the Associated Press and Getty Images show the violent toll Mexico's war on drugs  a seemingly ceaseless conflict between the federal government and drug lords that wage violence and saturate the international community with illegal narcotics  has taken on the country in its nearly 10-year span.

The photos  taken since then-President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006  show bodies lying in city streets, Mexican soldiers burning massive drug crops and a culture of death permeating the nation.

RELATED: Report: Mexican drug cartel head Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman escaped prison with help from deadly ally

More than 160,000 people in Mexico have died as a result of drug war violence, according to PBS.

In that time, the Mexican government has targeted heads of cartels while battling with armed drug criminals.

That approach hasn't always worked out: the top-down strategy causes split allegiances among members who then form their own splinter groups.

That's led to a jump in the number of cartels operating in Mexico during the past decade, according to The Associated Press.

RELATED: Leaked video claims to show young Mexican drug cartel assassins holding guns

And, those arrested drug lords don't always stay behind bars: Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, infamous leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, has managed to escape maximum-security prisons twice  in January 2001 and in July 2015.

Scroll through the slideshow to see the photos. Warning: the gallery contains graphic images.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports
WASHINGTON  A top Trump campaign official had repeated communications during the final weeks of the 2016 presidential race with a business associate tied to Russian intelligence, according to a document released Tuesday by the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the election.

The campaign official, Rick Gates, had frequent phone calls in September and October 2016 with a person the FBI believes had active links to Russian spy services at the time, the document said. Gates also told an associate the person was a former Russian Intelligence Officer with the GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating numerous contacts between President Donald Trumps advisers and Russia-linked individuals and entities leading up to and after the November 2016 election. The document, filed in Muellers name, stated that the communications between Gates and the individual were pertinent to the investigation.

The individual is identified only as Person A, and the document describes him as someone who worked for Gates and Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chairman, as part of their earlier representation of Russia-aligned parties and politicians in Ukraine, including the former president of Ukraine. A person with knowledge of the matter identified Person A as Konstantin V. Kilimnik, who for years was Manaforts right-hand man in Ukraine.

Manafort has told associates that he does not believe that Kilimnik has ties to Russian intelligence, but the document released Tuesday shows that Gates told others of his history in the intelligence services. That history was widely discussed for years among people who worked with Manafort and Gates in Ukraine.

At the time of the calls, Gates was the Trump campaigns liaison to the Republican National Committee and, before that, he was the campaigns deputy chairman. Manafort served as the campaign chairman until August 2016, when he resigned amid the growing controversy about his work in Ukraine.

Both Manafort and Gates were indicted last year for money laundering and other financial crimes committed while, the charges said, they tried to hide the money they received for their Ukraine work. Last month, Gates pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to investigators and has agreed to cooperate with Muellers investigation.

Manafort has vowed to fight the charges. In February 2017, he told The New York Times he had never knowingly spoken to Russian intelligence officers, and I have never been involved with anything to do with the Russian government of the Putin administration or any other issues under investigation today.

But, he added, Its not like these people wear badges that say, Im a Russian intelligence officer.

Kilimnik was born in Ukraine when it was still part of the Soviet Union, and he served in the Russian army as a linguist. Last year, as scrutiny mounted of his work with Manafort and Gates in Ukraine, he steadfastly denied any association with Russian intelligence. An investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors into Kilimniks possible links to Russian spy agencies was closed late last year without charges.

Kilimnik has maintained residences in Moscow and Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and has traveled regularly between them during years of working for Manafort and Gates on behalf of various Russia-aligned oligarchs and political parties.

The new document is a sentencing memorandum for Alex van der Zwaan, a lawyer who pleaded guilty in February to lying to federal investigators about his conversations with Gates in 2016 about work the two men did in Ukraine.

Van der Zwaan was an attorney at a firm that worked with Manafort and Gates to prepare a report used to defend Viktor F. Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian president, from international criticism over the prosecution and incarceration of one of his political rivals.

Van der Zwaan worked closely on the report with Gates and Person A, according to a court filing submitted Tuesday night by van der Zwaans lawyers asking the judge for leniency in sentencing.

Van der Zwaan originally told Muellers investigators that he had not spoken to Gates since August 2016, but subsequently admitted he had lied after prosecutors confronted him with evidence of conversations.

The sentencing document describes an observation by one unidentified witness in the investigation who said van der Zwaan had gone native.

That is, he had grown too close to Manafort, Gates, and Person A, the document stated.

According to the filing by his lawyers, van der Zwaan had explored opportunities to leave Skadden to work directly for Gates and Manafort in 2012 and 2013, a reference to the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
Free Libby!

The three amigos of immigration enforcement  President Donald Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan  are shamelessly vilifying Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.

The amigos are no match for Schaaf. Their accusations are false. Their arguments are full of holes. And now their lies have been exposed.

Besides, Schaaf knows how to fight back. When the amigos attacked her, she said out loud what many Americans have already figured out: Trumps immigration crackdown  in California and across the country  is driven not by a desire for border security or safe streets but by anti-Latino racism.

Same old story. If this were the late 1700s, and the purge were being led by Benjamin Franklin, the target would be German immigrants  including perhaps some named Trump.

Schaaf knows the script, which is why the administration needs to keep her quiet by trying to push her around. The Justice Department claims to be investigating her, and the amigos accuse her of aiding and abetting illegal immigrants to elude federal agents in the lead up to a recent raid in Oakland.

All Schaaf did was alert the public, on Feb. 24, of an impending four-day operation by the federal government in her city  dubbed Operation Keep Safe  that she feared would cause chaos for residents. She posted the warning on Twitter.

Heavens, I do hope she can avoid the electric chair.

Conservatives  whose passion about immigration often far exceeds their knowledge of the topic  compare Schaaf to someone who drove the getaway car for a bank robbery.

Por favor.

First, Schaaf swore an oath, but it wasnt to Washington; she doesnt take orders from the federal government any more than immigration agents take orders from local municipalities that make meaningless declarations of sanctuary.

Second, its absurd that ICE  which routinely alerts employers of impending raids, which leads to employers informing workers, which leads to workers mysteriously not showing up for work that day  is now suddenly concerned about secrecy.

And third, if Californians want to punish the accomplices for illegal immigration, all they have to do is round up the U.S. citizens who employ them  to pick peaches, build homes, raise kids, clean houses, and do every other chore that entitled Americans think is beneath them.

Recently, the administrations case against Schaaf fell apart. Both Sessions and Homan have said that 864 criminal aliens skedaddled because Schaaf tipped them off. They arrived at that figure by taking the number of targeted immigrants  which media reports put at nearly 1,100  and subtracting the number they actually arrested, which officials claimed was 232.

But there is no proof that those 864 criminal aliens had access to Twitter, saw that tweet, or even that they read English well enough to understand it if they had seen it.

The whole nearly 1,100 number is phony. That was just the target, which ICE never hits. Former ICE Director John Torres has said the agency typically captures about 40 percent of people it targets in sweeps.

And worse. James Schwab, a former ICE spokesman for Northern California, resigned on March 9 to protest what he called false and misleading public statements by Homan, Sessions and Trump about Schaaf and the operation. A dozen U.S. senators have signed a letter to the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, asking him to investigate Schwabs claims.

And worse. The administration is now saying that three of the people Schaaf supposedly helped escape were later arrested on other crimes. Yet, an ICE spokesman confirmed that the arrests took place far from Oakland  in Sacramento (80 miles away), Los Banos (110 miles away), and Tulare County (220 miles away). There is also no evidence that the three men have ever been to Oakland.

Schaafs bravery in the face of slander and spin recalls a certain Bible tale about a boy who took on a giant with no more than a sling shot. And we know how that story turned out.
There are so many reasons to oppose a proposal for the U.S. military paying for President Donald Trumps big, beautiful border wall, not the least of which is that the wall is a bad idea from the get-go.

Trump, according to an article on the proposal leaked to the Washington Post, says the military can step in under the guise of national security.

Heres the biggest problem with that. Mexico and Mexicans pose the opposite of national security threats. Mexico is an ally and a major trading partner. And Mexicans working here without documents have largely bolstered the nations economic security. They make possible affordable goods and services. And they are apt to commit fewer crimes than the native born.

Trump, according to the Post account, says the Pentagon can afford to pay for the wall because of the increased military spending in the recently inked $1.3 trillion budget deal. That agreement allocated only $1.6 billion for the border wall, with restrictions on how that could be spent. Thats far less than the $25 billion Trump was seeking.

The sweetener for the deal for Republicans was the $700 billion in defense funding, with Democrats getting increased spending for items they wanted in return.

Trump signed the budget bill, though he had threatened a veto. He was angered by what he deemed insufficient spending for the border wall. The Democrats didnt go along with another limited deal on Dreamers, and the federal government was facing yet another shutdown if the agreement hadnt been reached and signed.

So, Trump reportedly floated this idea of the military building his wall. For that to happen, Congress would have to approve repurposing the military spending. Taking that money from the 2018 Pentagon budget would also have to get congressional approval that does not seem to exist.

Not going to happen, so why worry about it?

Well, heres whats odious about this proposal. Casting immigrants and, by extension, Mexico as national security threats is just part and parcel with the effort by Trump from day one of his campaign and into his presidency to demonize immigrants as criminals, rapists, terrorists  basically, as existential threats.

There is no basis to this. And, frankly, it is rank nativism that should be called out.
1 Poisoned spy: British authorities said on Wednesday that Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, the poison victims at the center of a diplomatic crisis between Russia and the West, had been sickened with a nerve agent on the front door of Sergei Skripals house. The announcement narrows the many possibilities of how the Skripals came into contact with the poison. Detectives will focus their efforts now on Skripals house in the cathedral town of Salisbury, England, said Dean Haydon, senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing. They will also, presumably, search for a person who could have delivered the poison. Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter, who had been visiting him from Russia, were found unresponsive on a bench in a Salisbury park on March 4. The Skripals remain hospitalized in critical condition. A court order allowing investigators to take blood samples for analysis held out little hope that either would fully recover.

2 Militants killed: A U.S. military drone strike over the weekend in southern Libya killed a top recruiter and logistics specialist for al Qaedas branch in northwest Africa, the Pentagon said Wednesday, and a senior military official warned of more attacks on extremists there. The militarys Africa Command said in a statement that the attack killed two militants, one of whom was identified as Musa Abu Dawud, a high-ranking official in al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Dawud trained al Qaeda recruits in Libya for strike operations in the region, and provided logistics, money and weapons that enabled the group to threaten and attack U.S. and Western interests. The missile fired by the U.S. drone on Saturday was the first in southern Libya. It struck a house in Ubari, 435 miles south of Tripoli, in the countrys southwest, a notorious haven for a deadly mix of al Qaeda and other extremist groups that also operate in the Sahel region of Niger, Chad, Mali and Algeria.
Former Lagos state governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is celebrating his 66th birthday today, March 29.

He is one tough and strategic politician who is respected by many.

His crucial role in the in the merger that led to the formation of the APC and emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as president in the 2015 elections cannot be forgotten soon.

As Tinubu celebrates today, Legit.ng brings you some of his photos that will put a smile on your face.

1. That time he decided to show Nigerians his dancing skills.

If you think you are the only who has got moves, think again.

READ ALSO: Senate summons Prof Itse Sagay over alleged disparaging comments

2. Tinubu shares passionate kisses with his wife.

There is more to this man than just politics. He has a romantic side too just so you know.

3. Just like everyone else, Tinubu gets angry too.

We all have lots of emotions and different ways of expressing it. It is normal to get angry. What matters is how you handle it.

READ ALSO: Drama as witches, evil spirits allegedly chase students out of school

4. Tinubu shares a drink with this a little boy.

Tinubu was spotted sipping chapman from the same cup with a little boy. Isn't it so lovely.

5. That time he was spotted laughing out loud with President Muhammadu Buhari.

There is nothing as fulfilling as a good laugh. It can cure a lot of things.

READ ALSO: Dogara speaks on tension between Senate and Hameed Ali, says uniform not real issue

6. Show some respect.

You know how they cherish respect in Yorubaland.

7. That time he shared a kiss with his mother before her demise.

A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world.

Tributes have been pouring in for Tinubu as he celebrtaes his birthday. The speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara described him as a leader, man of vision, and dogged fighter for democracy.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state described him as a great Nigerian political product, adding that he not only mentored many leaders in the country, but laid the solid foundation for the sustained progress of the state.

Legit.ng recently reported a rally organised by pro-Buhari Nigerians. Watch the video below.

Source: Legit
It has always been preached that one should learn to show love to their fellow human being, it does not matter if you are related or not.

It has just been reported that a kindhearted Nigerian police officer showed love to one of his domestic staffs. The officer was said to have visited his cleaner days after he stopped showing up at work only to discover that he was sick.

He did not just wish his cleaner well, he also took him to the hospital and cleared all the bills. This news was shared on Facebook by Tutor Sani Muazu with the caption:

READ ALSO: Handsome 30-year-old graduate Frank Ikpechukwu dies in a fatal accident

A KING GESTURE FROM A POLICE OFFICER. DCP Ahmad Abdur Rahman visited a Departmental /office cleaner who was seriously sick and could not perform his duty for some days, same DCP Ahmad took him to hospital and was admitted for treatment and he settled all his hospitals bills which is and exemplary of leadership. May Allah reward him. And the cleaner will soon back to fit. There still good and helpful people within the circle of police.

See post below:

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Nice one!

Should a 'homeless' man move into a house built by his wife? (Nigerian Street Interview)|Naij.com TV - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit
Nigerian musician, producer and CEO of Marvin records, Don Jazzy is currently feeling depressed over the engagement of popular media mogul Linda Ikeji.

Don Jazzy who has a thing for Linda is on the low point of life now as he expressed sadly how he finally lost Linda to another man.

The news of Linda Ikeji's engagement is shaking social media after her sister Sandra Ikeji announced it on her page, saying she is getting ready to plan her events.

Many celebrities have taken to their different social media accounts to share in the joy, as they congratulated and wished her joy on her new journey.

READ ALSO: Between Linda Ikeji and Don Jazzy on social media

Don Jazzy on the contrary isn't feeling quite excited over the whole news, since after the both has been rumored to have something together though both neglected the rumor and it simply passed away.

Many still thinks that Don Jazzy might be fond of Linda and in little or no time they will become a match.

Well Linda has given everyone a shocker as it is said she is engaged to her ex boyfriend who earlier relocated abroad.

Don Jazzy has shared a picture of him crying with his friends trying to console him, he captioned it "Kai Linda is engaged . It is finished."

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Many celebrities like Rita Dominic and Banky W has come to his comment to console him on his big loss, but heart broken Don Jazzy isn't in for any comfort.

Don Jazzy reaction over Linda Ikeji's engagement. Source: donjazzy/Instagram.

Poor Don Jazzy has lost this one, but well...sorrows may last over night but joy comes in the morning.

Laura Ikeji Interview for Star Chat: There are a lot of angry people on Twitter| - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng News
- Gen Theophilus Danjuma has been backed in his call for Nigerians to defend themselves against killers by Femi Falana

- The senior advocate stated that the former minister could sue critics of his statement for libel; as he pointed out that the comments were accommodated under the Constitution

- Citing various examples, Falana stressed that Nigerians have a right to defend themselves, if the government is unable to do so

Renowned human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has thrown his support behind the former minister of defence, Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma (retd), in respect to the latters call for Nigerians to defend themselves against killers.

According to The Nation, Falana made his position known at a training programme organised for reporters of the publication.

Legit.ng gathers that he stated that the right to protect ones self from violent attack was recognised by the Constitution. The lawyer stated that Danjuma could sue critics of his statement for libel, as he noted that the media has been awash with suggestions that the former ministers comments are call to anarchy.

READ ALSO: Lagos Land Use Charge: Ikeja NBA to welcome Buhari with protest

He said: Some of the reactions on Danjumas statement could be libelous. What Danjuma said is accommodated under our Constitution."

The senior advocate also noted that although Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution recognises the right to life, such right might be lawfully circumscribed in accordance with Section 33(2).

He continued: Section 33(2) says a person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life if he dies as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary  for the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property.

If the government is unable to save you as in the case of Benue, Kogi and Zamfara attacks, you have a right to defend and save yourself. So, if you insult Danjuma that he is inciting violence, that could be a ground for him to sue you for libel."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that senior lawyer, Itse Sagay, said Nigerians are permitted by law to defend themselves from being attacked by bandits.

Sagay who serves as the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) made the statement on Sunday, March 25, in reaction to calls by a former minister of defence, Theophilus Danjuma, that Nigerians should defend themselves against herdsmen attacks.

He said allegations by Danjuma that the armed forces were assisting bandits to kill people and cover them should be investigated.

Meanwhile, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd) was commended by Niger Delta activist, Annkio Briggs, over his call on Nigerians to rise and defend themselves.

The convener of the Niger Delta Self-Determination Movement (NDSDM) in a statement on Monday, March 26, said that Danjuma stood for equity, justice and truth by speaking against what she called ethnic and religious cleansing.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- Adams Oshiomhole is tipped to replace Oyegun as APC chairman

- The former Edo governor is reportedly being backed by the party's national leader Tinubu

- Some southeast leaders are also showing interest in the position

Former governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is reportedly preparing to take over as chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following President Muhammadu Buharis rejection of the tenure extension of the National Working Committee.

The John Oyegun-led committee had earlier received a one-year tenure extension but the president described it as illegal.

Vanguard reports that Oshiomhole is prepared to take over the party leadership although he would face stiff opposition from southeast leaders. It was also reported that Oshiomhole is receiving support from Chief Bola Tinubu who is also against the tenure extension.

The Edo state chapter of the APC also hailed President Buharis position indicating that it was in support of Oshiomholes possible emergence despite the fact that Oyegun is a former governor of the state too.

READ ALSO: Produce Kanu in court or go to prison - Court warns Abaribe

The party said: It was a statement that was timely and justified. By that statement alone, the President has enhanced the profile of our party and saved us the disgrace that was imminent in implementation of that unconstitutional proposal.

In the past two years, we have had a number of people from other parties joining our party. Now, these people are joining with the hope that they will be fully integrated into the party. One of the ways that this integration takes place is in the participation in these congresses.

And in some cases, some of them are free to aspire and hold offices. By implementing this proposal, you would have shut those out, at least, for another one year and perhaps, another four years.

The most important thing which is fundamental is that our constitution as a party does not permit it. But the President has even taken it beyond that to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the most important law in our land and that law expressly forbids any body holding an office in a political party being there for more than four years without an election."

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Meanwhile, the embattled national chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, on Wednesday, March 28, called off a meeting scheduled between the National Working Committee of the party and the House of Representatives caucus.

Punch reports that the meeting was unceremoniously called off after President Buhari rejected the elongation of the tenure of the party's executives.

Recall that Buhari had in an earlier report described as illegal, the tenure elongation for the national chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, and other elected officials of the party. The president demanded that the decision to extend the partys national working committee led by Oyegun, be reconsidered and reversed.

It was gathered that the meeting led by Oyegun was earlier scheduled to hold on Wednesday, March 28, at 2pm but never took place.

A source within the APC said while they were waiting in the complex for the meeting to begin, Oyegun sent word that the meeting will no longer hold.

Should President Buhari seek reelection in 2019? (Nigerian Street Interview) - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit
- A pro-Buhari group has asked politicians to stop printing campaign posters juxtaposed with President Buharis picture

- It said electorates would think the duo has the same characteristics

- The group said those not electable would still not be voted as Nigerians cannot be deceived by this move

The national coordinator of the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) has called on political contestants to stop printing the face of President Muhammadu Buhari in their campaign posters.

Daily Trust reports that Alhaji Danlafi Garba Pasali said the juxtaposition of President Buharis picture with faces of other politicians was wrong. He said this would give the impression that the politician had the same characteristics with the president.

He said: Every contestant confident on the acceptability of his personality to the electorate needs not print his campaign poster carrying his photo and that of Buhari together to send a message to the public that he is together with Buhari in principle and practice."

READ ALSO: Oshiomhole reportedly preparing to take over APC chairmanship from Oyegun

Pasali said the electorates are wise and will not be deceived by politicians who print their campaign posters with photo of Buhari.

Every contestant should be on his own in terms of printing campaign posters. If you are not electable by the electorate, even if you print your campaign poster carrying your photo and that of President Buhari to deceive the people, I believe the electorate should differentiate between you and Buhari and they should not elect you, the BCO national coordinator observed.

Meanwhile, a group, Buhari Victory Mobilisers, said that it is targeting five million supporters for President Buhari ahead of the 2019 elections.

The Punch reports that this was explained by Chief Law Madu who is the leader of the group. He said their focus was to promote good governance and ensure the re-election of Buhari should he decide to seek a second term in office.

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Madu said they have realised that President Buhari has done well to seek re-election and described him as a man of honour.

APC is the worst party in Nigeria, I regret being a member - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit Newspaper
- The Kaduna state chapter of the Sharia council has described Gen TY Danjumas recent comments as unguarded utterances

- Danjuma had called on Nigerians to defend themselves against attacks, accusing the armed forces of not being neutral

- The council called on the federal government to prosecute the former minister for such provocative statement

- Also, an association of cattle breeders accused Danjuma of being an ethnic jingoist, and chided him for disregarding the Nigerian army

The statement made by former minister of defence, Gen Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), urging Nigerians to defend themselves against killers, has been condemned by the Kaduna state chapter of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN).

According to Daily Trust, the council made its position public via its Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman Sheikh Yusuf Sambo Rigachikurn and secretary, Engineer AbdurRahman Hassan, at a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, March 27.

Legit.ng gathers that the council described Danjumas comments as unguarded utterances against the Nigerian army, and called on the federal government to prosecute the general for such provocative statement.

READ ALSO: Good Friday: Pray for release of Leah Sharibu - CAN urges Christians

Danjuma had stated at the Taraba state University: "The armed forces are not neutral. They collude with the armed bandits that kill people and kill Nigerians. They facilitate their movements, they cover them. If you are depending on the armed forces, youll all die one by one."

His comments were also condemned by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).

In a statement signed by its national secretary, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, MACBAN stated: Has the general who accused the Nigerian army of colluding with armed bandits to perpetrate attacks shown any empathy to the hundreds of pastoralists, including women and children that were hacked to death by an ethnic militia from his own state?

MACBAN views the conflicts between pastoralists and farmers as resource-based and for the general to advocate insurrection and lawlessness. He should consider himself an ethnic jingoist.

MACBAN wants the nation to note that the generals disregarding of the Nigerian army and undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria is a recipe to disaster."

The group stated that the Nigerian army is a patriotic organization and a distinguished institution that has excelled in resolving conflicts.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that renowned human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, threw his support behind the former minister of defence, Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma (retd), in respect to the latters call for Nigerians to defend themselves against killers.

Falana stated that the right to protect ones self from violent attack was recognised by the Constitution. The lawyer added that Danjuma could sue critics of his statement for libel, as he noted that the media has been awash with suggestions that the former ministers comments are a call to anarchy.

TY Danjuma, Nigerian Army and the herdsmen crisis - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit Nigeria
- Another 166 Nigerians returned from Libya

- While receiving them, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) urged them to turn the whole experience to make a better living

- The agency stated that with the new returnees, a total of 611 Nigerians voluntarily return from Libya in March

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday, March 28, said a total of 611 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in March.

The south west zonal coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Yakubu Suleiman, made the disclosure while receiving a new set of 166 returnees who arrived from the volatile North African country.

Suleiman noted that the Nigerians were assisted back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

READ ALSO: APC chairmanship: Oshiomhole reportedly gets Tinubus backing

He said the federal government, some state governments and the IOM had set up various schemes to rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees back into the society.

Suleiman urged the returnees to focus on the task of getting back on their feet and contributing their quota to national development.

You have seen it all and you are in the best position to sensitise and create awareness against the evils of human trafficking, as you have seen the dangers of seeking greener pastures in foreign lands, he said.

Legit.ng gathered from a statement released by NEMA that the returnees arrived aboard a chartered Nouvelair Airbus aircraft with registration number TS-INA.

The aircraft landed at 8.08pm at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The returnees comprised 101 male adults, two male children, 56 female adults, three female children and four female infants.

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Officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Police were also on hand to receive them.

Legit.ng previously reported that a Nigerian man, Marley Ayodo, who tried to get to Europe illegally, narrated his brutal ordeal.

Ayodo, an Edo state indigene was among the 254 stranded Nigerian migrants that voluntarily returned from Libya on Thursday, November 16, 2017.

He said: I was shot on my leg by the Libyan kidnappers, Libya is a land of Death.

Nigerians speak on slavery in Libya on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
- Lawyers have chided the Nigeria Police Force for declaring Senator Dino Melaye wanted

- The legal practitioners said the action of the police is unlawful and illegal

- One of the lawyers said there is a recent court decision ruling against the police "whimsically" declaring somebody wanted

Some Nigerian lawyers have condemned the declaration of the senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye, wanted by the Nigeria police.

According to Daily Independent, the lawyers said declaring Melaye wanted after suspects who allegedly indicted him of arms supply escaped from police custody is unlawful.

One of the lawyers, the national welfare secretary to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Adesina Adegbite said the police orchestrated the drama between the force and the senator.

Adegbite said: Basically right from the beginning of the whole drama, any sensible person will know that something was fishy somewhere.

He said that the illegality of the action of the police is borne out of the fact that Melaye had earlier been in court physically with the force over allegation that he furnished them with false information.

READ ALSO: Oshiomhole reportedly receives Tinubu, APC's support as he prepares to take over APC chairmanship from Oyegun

He said: It is absolutely illegal and unlawful for the police to declare someone as wanted when they are in communication with him. He had even submitted to court summons involving him and the police.

You can only declare wanted someone you cannot find; whose abode or place of work you cannot locate; or probably hes out of the country or had become untraceable over a period. But Dino is a serving senator of the Federal Republic. How do you declare such a person wanted?

This is someone that was seen in the National Assembly just last week," the legal practitioner said.

Adegbite added that it is unlawful for the police to have declared Melaye wanted. He said such action by the Nigeria police should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.

READ ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: President Buhari set to commission Ikeja Bus Terminal, arrives venue

That is a story which the police must explain as to how it came about, because this is a station we were told is thoroughly secured in Lokoja. Then all the officers in that station, rank and file, should be in detention by now. Somebody must tell us were the escaped suspects are.

Those under whose watch they were kept must be sanctioned properly not by newspaper announcement or press release. They must be seen to have been properly prosecuted for criminal negligence and conspiracy," he added.

Also speaking on the matter, the president of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Aka Ikenga, Goddy Uwazuruike, said there is a recent court decision ruling against the police whimsically declaring somebody wanted.

Uwazuruike said: I know that there is a recent court decision to that effect. There are some conditions precedent that must be satisfied before you can exercise some powers like declaring someone wanted. And I say that with all sense of honesty, zeroing down to Dinos case."

READ ALSO: How FG can end herdsmen crisis once and for all - APC stalwart offers powerful strategy

He said the police has become involved in "comedy of errors over Senator Melaye's case".

The link to Dino Melaye is XYZ (the suspected armed robbers). But today that link to Melaye escaped on the eve of their arraignment in court. So the court has no record of the case. Yet you declared him wanted on the strength of the information provided by the escapee suspects against him. Do you understand the irony?

An escaped suspect named him. So the link is no more there. And that is the mistake most of the security agencies make. If there is no direct link to that man, then you cannot charge him to court. If there is no person pointing at him in the presence of the man, the law, the police and the court, then there is nothing to do.

"So it is just another comedy of errors tied to the process of his recall, with a specific aim of making sure he is not re-elected, and with the specific aim of discouraging him, because the police know that if you charge a man with armed robbery, with abuse and murder, the man might as well kiss his political career good bye, he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Senate had ordered its committee on police and judiciary to investigate the issues surrounding the rift between Senator Dino Melaye, the inspector general of police, Idris Ibrahim, and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state.

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The Senate in its order urged its committee on police and judiciary to investigate and report to it within the next 48 hours.

Also, Melaye during the plenary on on Tuesday, March 27, said he is yet to receive an arraignment notice by any court in Nigeria.He said the same suspects that were arrested by the police are also claiming that he gave them arms.

Age requirement reduction by the Senate; Good or Bad for Nigeria? on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Former president Obasanjo has been described as the Nigerian political oracle by Perry Opara

- According to him, the former president can be trusted and believed

- He expressed optimism that whoever Obasanjo supports in 2019 will win the presidency of Nigeria

The chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP), Perry Opara, has described former president Olusegun Obasanjo as the oracle of Nigeria politics who must be consulted on any major political decision in the country.

Opara, in an interview published by BusinessDay Newspaper, said the former president can be trusted as he has played major roles in the victories of about three presidents.

He said: Obasanjo is the Nigerian political Oracle, which must be consulted in any presidential election. He has led Nigeria three times before and when he brought YarAdua in 2007 against the permutations of everybody, YarAdua won.

READ ALSO: APC has failed on all fronts - Onuesoke

"He brought in Jonathan in 2011 and against all permutation, Jonathan won despite not having the structures, and in the last election in 2015, Obasanjo joined forces with President Muhammadu Buhari and brought him in.

Obasanjo can be trusted, he can be believed and Nigerians have a way of believing in him, because he has shown the way three times.

"He brought out Yar Adua, they followed, he brought out Jonathan, they followed him, he supported Buhari and the people followed. I am sure that in 2019, whoever OBJ supports will win the presidency of Nigeria.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that Obasanjo on Thursday, March 22, declared that three million Nigerians have registered with the Coalition Movement of Nigeria (CMN) formed to effect political change in the nation ahead of 2019.

Obasanjo made the disclosure while speaking at the 14th Annual Lecture of Women in Management, Business and Public Service, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. He said the coalition in conjunction with other movements is the way out of the nations political problems.

Consider rest - Obasanjo to Buhari - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng
- Senator Dino Melaye has claimed that the case against him by the police has been transferred to Abuja

- The senator from Kogi was alleged to have provided false information to the police in relation to an allegation of attempted murder on Melayes life sometime last year

- Melaye had also been declared wanted by the police

Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West at the national assembly has claimed that the case against him by the inspector general of police has been moved from Lokoja, the capital city of Kogi state to Abuja, the federal capital territory.

The outspoken senator from Kogi state who has been enmeshed in multiple controversies in recent time disclosed this on his twitter handle on Wednesday, March 28.

LIVE UPDATES: President Muhammadu Buhari makes historic visit to Lagos

"I have just been contacted by my lawyer Ricky Tafa that the case against me by the inspector general of police in Lokoja has been transferred to Federal High Court Abuja. God is a good God," he tweeted.

Recall that the police on Wednesday, March 28, declared Dino Melaye wanted. The lawmaker was declared wanted alongside Mohammed Audu, son of a former governor of Kogi state, Abubakar Audu.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Kogi state police command confirmed that two suspects who recently indicted Senator Dino Melaye of arming them with weapons to cause trouble in Kogi state ahead of 2019 elections have escaped from custody.

The commissioner of police in Kogi state, Ali Janga, on Wednesday, March 28, disclosed that the suspects escaped from police cell alongside four other suspects.

Janga said the suspects escaped from police custody at the 'A' Division in Lokoja at about 3.20 am on Wednesday, March 28.

Legit.ng had also reported that Melaye who spoke on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, March 28, cited Order 43 to submit that the police had either released the suspects or killed them.

He therefore said that the police must produce the suspects dead or alive or he would sue the Police IG for intimidation, abuse of power, harrasment and mental assault. On March 20, the Nigerian police paraded the suspects allegedly working for Melaye.

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The thugs were caught with two AK-47 and five pump action guns. The suspects were billed to be arraigned on Wednesday.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the police in Lokoja announced on Wednesday that the suspects along with four others escaped following a jail break.

Kogi West senatorial district to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit.ng
- An APC governorship candidate in Delta state, Dr Iyke Odikpo, has called on the federal government to revive the Forest Guards

- Odikpo stated that this would provide an immediate and quick fix solution to the herdsmen menace

- He noted that the nations forests have been left open to all manner of criminals for too long; and pointed out that the guards would take care of such elements

- He also called for a change of leadership in Delta, which would break the chain at the center

Dr Iyke Odikpo, an All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant in Delta state, has stated that the federal government would curtail the excesses of the rampaging herdsmen attacks across the country if it reactivates the defunct Forest Guards, Vanguard reports.

The party stalwart made the comment during a chat with newsmen on Wednesday, March 28, in Abuja, the nations capital.

Legit.ng gathers that Odikpo called on the federal government to reactivate the Forest Guards across the country as an immediate and quick fix solution to the herdsmen menace, as he stated that the attacks in some states in the country can no longer be allowed to continue.

He said: For me, one thing we have forgotten is the Forest Guards. Their duty is to guide the forest. I think that somebody should remind federal government to reactivate Forest Guards. They should reactivate it so that we will have people whose duty is to wake up in the morning, after their morning parade, go into the forest.

READ ALSO: Reps pass bill to give Ajaokuta Steel Mill $1bn lifeline

Herdsmen, whether they are foreigners, criminals or politically contrived militia will be taken care of by the forest police. We have left the forest open for too long, we should reactivate that.

Odikpo further stated that if elected as governor of Delta, he would bring his 33 years medical experience to bear by introducing a Mass Health Insurance Scheme that would target the common people in the state.

He stated: There is need for people to have free health across board through a mass insurance scheme where people will contribute monthly. You cannot isolate it from the level of Nigeria. The health cannot get to the peak, when the police are at the bottom.

I must introduce mass insurance scheme. That is the only way. Those that are healthy will pay for those that are sick.

I am sure my governor is doing something like that but do not know how he is doing it. I have been in the private sector, so I know what is in the system, what we can do and what we cannot do.

What is basically wrong with Delta state is doing things the same old way. Delta state has been ruled by the same set of people since 1999. To get Delta out of that chain, you need someone with Ngige kind of mentality from 1999. If we dont break the chain at the centre, we may continue to recycle the same people."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Amnesty International raised an alarm over the spate of clashes between farmers and herdsmen across the country, pointing out that the crisis has resulted in at least 168 deaths in 2018 alone.

The country director of the organisation, Osai Ojigho, in a statement, urged the federal government to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

She noted that the governments response to the issue in most cases was inadequate, too slow and ineffective; and in some cases, unlawful.

Nigerian herdsmen vs Nigerian farmers - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- Professor Yemi Osinbajo has arrived in Lekki, Lagos following the arrival of his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari to the state

- The vice president is expected to flag off the Deep Sea Port project

- The project is a public-private sector partnership that is expected to take the Nigerian Maritime industry to a higher level

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has arrived in Lekki, Lagos Island, to flag off the Deep Sea Port project.

The development was made public by the VPs senior special assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, on Thursday, March 29.

Legit.ng gathers that the Deep Sea Port would help ease congestion at the Apapa port.

The minister for transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala Usman, are also present at the port for the flag-off ceremony.

READ ALSO: How FG can end herdsmen crisis permanently - APC gubernatorial aspirant

Akande stated on Twitter:

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) also released updates via its Twitter handle, stating:

Osinbajos visit comes as President Muhammadu Buhari finally visited Lagos, three years into his presidency, in what many people termed a historic visit. The president will be in Lagos on a two-day official visit on Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari would inaugurate the world class Ikeja Bus Terminal built by state government, during his two-day visit beginning on Thursday, March 29.

The terminal is one of the states projects towards becoming a mega city. The facility, which is sitting on 10,000 square metres land space is equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), fully air-conditioned terminal, food court, shops, toilets, ATM gallery, free Wi-Fi, electronically controlled shades, among others.

Osinbajo flags off construction of Lagos-Ibadan railway line - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit Newspaper
- Gunmen have reportedly killed some herdsmen in Zamfara state

- Nigerian senators, on the floor of the Senate, mourned the death of the deceased

- The Senate also decided to observe a minute silence to honour the victims of the deadly attack

Nigerian Senate has mourned herdsmen who were allegedly killed by gunmen in Zamfara state on Wednesday, March 28.

The Senate also decided to observe a minute silence to honour the victims of the deadly attack.

READ ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: President Muhammadu Buhari makes historic visit to Lagos

The Senate tweeted that Senator Kabir Marafa cites Order 43 and "speaks on the unfortunate killings in Zamfara state as reported yesterday by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

We send our condolences to the people and families of the victims in Zamfara State. We are worried about what is happening in Zamfara State, a Committee headed by Senate Leader was sent to the State. The Government needs to protect the lives and property of its people, the Senate said on their twitter handle.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Police Command in Zamfara on Wednesday, March 28, confirmed the killing of three persons at Bawan Daji village in Anka local government area of the state.

The Commands Spokesman, DSP Mohammed Shehu, told NAN in Gusau that the killing was perpetrated by gunmen.

Shehu said the gunmen who came in large numbers attacked the village in the early hours of Wednesday shooting sporadically which led to the death of the three persons.

He said the villagers who were taken unawares were quick to alert a nearby mobile police patrol team which came and engaged the bandits in a gun battle.

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The PPRO said the policemen overpowered the bandits and many of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

He urged members of the public to be on alert to report to the nearest authority anyone seen with bullet wounds and seeking medical attention.

Shehu said normalcy had returned to the affected village with people going about their normal businesses.

However, other unconfirmed reports claimed as high as 15 were killed were killed in the village.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the police in Zamfara said it averted an attempt by unknown gunmen to attack Wuya Community in Anka Local Government Area of the state, and arrested one suspect.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, DSP Muhammad Shehu made this known in a statement in Gusau on Saturday, March 3.

Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit
- Members of the Concerned Middle Belt Forum of Nigeria said Nigeria has become a country plagued by numerous crisis including increased armed robberies

- The group said the hope that the present administration would provide the needed direction in stemming the development has since diminished

- It also lauded Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma for calling on Nigerians to rise and defend themselves against any attack by the Fulani militia

Members of the Concerned Middle Belt Forum of Nigeria has supported former minister of defence, general Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma for calling on Nigerians to rise and defend themselves against any attack by the Fulani militia.

According to a statement jointly signed by the national chairman of the forum, Chief John A. Mamman, and its secretary, Barr. Oumar M. Shittien.

The statement read: ''Nigeria has become a country plagued by numerous crisis including increased armed robberies, rampant kidnappings, cattle rustling, separatist agitations, Fulani herdsmen massacres and revitalized Boko Haram insurgency.

READ ALSO: Buhari, Alaafin of Oyo, Ooni of Ife, Oba of Lagos, governors, others arrive at Tinubu's colloquium

''The hope that the present administration would provide the needed direction and guidance in stemming this ugly development has since diminished to the extent that most all the states of the federation are theatres of these conflicts.

''The armed forces, the police, and other security agencies appear to be incapable and incapacitated in performance of their constitutional duties of securing the lives and property of Nigerians.

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''The worst hit areas are those in the middle belt of Nigeria which include Taraba, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara and Niger states.

''This zone has been under persistent attacks by the most dangerous terrorist group in the world, the Fulani herdsmen.''

Further, the statement noted that over three hundred thousand (300,000) people including women and children have been killed for life while over a million have been displaced and turned into internally displaced persons living with relatives or in IDPs camps across the nation.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported the PDP reacted to the call Danjuma for Taraba state indigenes and Nigerians as a whole to take up arms and defend themselves against herdsmen attacks.

Danjuma had earlier said the Nigerian Army is biased in defending the masses and urged Nigerians to take up self defence while speaking at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University.

The party in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Danjumas statement had justified its stand that the Buhari presidency and the APC must be held responsible for the agonising state of the nation.

Victims of herdsmen killing buried in Benue state - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit
Its another festive season again and every family looks forward to their loved ones coming home to celebrate as one big family.

A Nigerian lady identified as Joy Joseph on Thursday, March 29, took to her Facebook profile to share heartbreaking photos and video from an accident scene. She disclosed that although her sister was involved in the accident but was not reported dead.

Joseph further explained that the last time she mourned anyone was in 2009 and she is not ready to cry over anyone.

READ ALSO: Husband files for divorce after DNA test reveals 4 out of 6 children are not his

Her post reads: So my elder sister survived this and you want to tell me there's no God up there. Tell me what He can't do, let me show you what He has done. She just came back to the country to spend the Easter with us and they wanted to change the narrative. She had the accident on her way to Benin. I can't even describe how grateful I am right now. When my sister told me about it, I thought it was a minor accident until my other sister sent me photos. God is really above watching over my family. The last time I mourned was in 2009 when my dad died and I'm not ready to hear sorry again.

See post below:

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Thank God for life!

Should a 'homeless' man move into a house built by his wife? (Nigerian Street Interview)|Naij.com TV - on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit
- Nigerians have been urged not to accept the apology of he Peoples Democraic Party (PDP)

- The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu made this call while speaking at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium

- Tinubu also appreciated Nigerians for heir patience with the APC

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos state has urged Nigerians not to accept the recent apology by the Peoples Democraic Party (PDP).

Tinubu who said this while speaking at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium on Thursday, March 29 said the PDP looted the nation and wasted the country's money.

"You looted, you wasted our money. Nigerians, don't accept PDP's apology, they lied to you for 16 years," he said.

READ ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: President Muhammadu Buhari makes historic visit to Lagos

Going further, the APC leader also appreciated Nigerians for heir patience with the APC. "Thank you Nigerians for being patience with us. There is a difference between us and them - darkness and light," Tinubu said.

Legit.ng had earlier three years into his presidency, President Muhammadu Buhari finally visited Lagos in what many people termed an historic visit. The president is in Lagos on a two-day official visit on Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30.

President Buhari would also be attending a colloquium marking the 66th birthday of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at Victoria Island, and also be at the official flag-off ceremony for the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Project in Epe and Ikeja bus terminus.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apologised to Nigerians for the mistakes it made while governing Nigeria.

Uche Secondus, national chairman of the party, said this on Monday, March 26, at a public discourse on contemporary politics and governance in Nigeria, organized by the PDP in Abuja.

Lagosians groan as President Buhari's visit grounds activities on Legit.ng TV.

Source: Legit
A silent stillness came over Carrick on Suir as 14 year old Elisha Gault was carried from her home for the last time, on Thursday morning.

Her coffin held aloft by her parents and family, Elisha was brought in silence the short distance from her home on New Street to the centre of Dillon Bridge, surrounded by all those who had loved her in her short life.

A guard of honour of Civil Defence members stood to attention as the funeral of the teenager they had helped search for, for more than a week, passed by.

The railings of Dillon Bridge were lined with candles as the town came to a standstill to say farewell.

New Street, Elishas home, was lined with young people clutching white flowers. As her funeral cortege turned onto Main Street and Dillon Bridge mothers stood with small children holding their hands, grannies, old men who had seen the River Suir claim many lives, and all that could be heard amid the silence were the efforts of men and woman to hold back their tears.

A hearse brought family flowers including a wreath that just said Egg - the pet name used for Elisha by her loving mother.

Elishas family and friends paused to reflect on Dillon Bridge. As they threw white flowers into the flowing waters the Irish Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 117, which located Elisha, hovered overheard in a mark of respect.

A swan, the symbol of the town, flew over head. The river giving its own gesture of farewell.

A bunch of white balloons were released into the sky and drifted away, reflecting the white blooms that drifted down the river, the hopeful white in stark contrast with the black mourning clothes of those standing on the bridge.

Flowers were thrown into the River Suir in a gesture of love for Elisha.

The search for Elisha gripped the community of Carrick on Suir, and beyond, and when her remains were found in the River Suir after eight days it left her family heartbroken and brought a pall of sadness down on the town. More than 100 people gathered on Dillon Bridge including many of those who had been involved in the search for the teenager and also locals who had not known the 14 year old but whose hearts ached for those mourning Elisha.

Elisha was taken to the nearby village of Piltown to be laid to rest.

At the Church of the Assumption, where young people filled the pews and spilled out into the surrounding churchyard, parish priest Fr Paschal Moore appeal to the teenagers to build a strong support network around themselves, and in his words of comfort to Elishas family he said the community would be there for them to lean on.

We all need someone we can talk to, cry to, say anything to, the parish priest spoke directly to the young people at the funeral mass. He urged them to build support networks and to surround themselves with real people not the fake friends of Facebook. Turn your iPhones off for a while, he encouraged them to talk to each other.

Fr Moore said Elisha had been beautiful but she took the only route she thought was open to her. She was wrong, he said, but it was the only route she could see.

He said the mind matters and he urged all at the mass to take care of their minds.

Elishas family were experiencing searing pain and mixed emotions, Fr Moore said. He told the grieving family, Elishas parents Grainne and Cameron, her sisters Chloe, Bhrianna and Saoirse, that the community would be there for them to lean on at any time.

During the mass former classmates of Elishas from Comeragh College in Carrick on Suir joined with the parish choir and Mala Raggett to provide music for the funeral mass. Friends brought symbols of Elishas life to the altar including a mobile phone and a CD.

As Elishas coffin was carried by her family across the road to her final resting place members of the Civil Defence again formed a guard of honour.

It was the wish of Elishas family that their beautiful and intelligent daughter and sister be remembered with laughter and music so following the funeral mass they gathered in Carrick on Suir to celebrate her laugh even while they tried to come to terms with what Grainne Gault, Elishas mother, said was a hole in my heart that will never be filled.

Earlier in the week Elisha's mother paid tribute to her daughter.

If you have been affected by this story please take note of the services below and reach out if you need support.



ISPCC Childline offers a confidential and non-judgmental, 24 hour service for children and young people (up to 18) who may have any concerns or who would like to talk about anything that may be on their mind. Childline can be contacted in the following ways: Call 1800 66 66 66, Text Talk to 50101, Chat online at Childline.ie



You can also contact any of these services -

Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie;

Aware 1800 80 48 48;

Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie;

Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (ages 13 to 19)
Exactly 60 years ago, on 29 March 1958, the North Atlantic Council met in Paris where the then 15 NATO Ambassadors formally announced the establishment of a NATO Science Committee and the position of a Science Advisor to the Secretary General. Professor Norman F. Ramsey, a renowned US physicist from Harvard University who had once worked on the Manhattan Project, was appointed Science Advisor and chaired the first meeting of the NATO Science Committee, marking the foundation of the NATO Science Programme. Against the background of the launch of Sputnik1 by the Soviet Union, one of the Programmes major goals was to promote the training of scientists within NATO countries to facilitate exchanges, build networks, and increase returns on research investments.

Since then, the Programme has come a long way while constantly adapting to changing demands. Known since 2006 as the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, it offers unique ways to engage NATO nations and partners in meaningful, practical cooperation with tangible results and deliverables. Today, approximately 150 ongoing SPS projects, workshops and training courses help to build capacity in partner countries, support NATO efforts in the fight against terrorism, facilitate the development of security-related advanced technologies and foster expert networks to address questions related to cyber defence or the role of women in peace and security.

As the SPS Programme celebrates its 60th anniversary, I am proudly looking back at its past achievements and impact. For instance, a constant throughout the last six decades has been the Programmes contribution to and emphasis on innovation and scientific excellence. More than 20 scientists who had been involved in the Science Programme received a Nobel Prize. This included two gentlemen who were strongly involved in the creation of the Programme in the late 1950s: Norman Ramsey, the First NATO Science Committee Chairman, was awarded with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1989 for the invention of a method that had crucial applications in the construction of atomic clocks. And Lester Pearson, one of the Three Wise Men suggesting to enhance NATO cooperation in non-military areas such as science in the first place, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for contributing to a peaceful resolution of the Suez crisis.

On its 60th anniversary, SPS is far from considering retirement. I am convinced that the Programme will remain on a successful path and continue to promote NATOs strategic objectives and partnerships and to demonstrate its flexibility in the foreseeable future.

Dr. Antonio Missiroli

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges
(Natural News) The government agency in charge of all things train-related in the U.K. has spoken: Hydrogen-powered trains are going to become the new standard mode of transportation on the countrys train tracks starting 2020 onwards. And its going to be done in conjunction with a move to completely get rid of diesel-fueled trains by 2040.

Indeed, U.K.s Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has already begun working with French company Alstom to turn its plan to rely on hydrogen-powered trains a reality. The country is said to be in the middle of a long-term attempt at making its longstanding railway standing much more environmentally friendly, and now this move should be a highlight in what many are hoping to be a successful effort.

According to Mark Philips, the chief executive of RSSB, he and his agency have the full support of Transport Minister Jo Johnson, who remarked that he would like to see us take all diesel-only trains off the track by 2040. In Philips view, Alstom is the perfect partner for such an endeavor, as they already have a working product that can be used and much-needed knowledge, expertise, and resources to carry the plan through.

(Related: BREAKTHROUGH add-on hydrogen device boosts vehicle fuel efficiency by 20% while decreasing emissions by 80%).

We welcome the Ministers ambition to reduce carbon emissions from the railways, said Philips. In 2015, we co-funded a 7 million [about $9.9 million] pilot of a battery-powered train with industry partners, and we are working with Alstom to pilot a hydrogen-powered train.

Philips praised Alstom for its iLint train, a full emission-free train currently operating in Germany. While it is said only to emit steam and condensed water, it remains capable of traveling at 140 kilometers per hour and a range of up to 800 kilometers before needing to recharge. It really is the perfect fit for a country like the U.K. as it can help revolutionize the existing railway system by cutting down on harmful emissions.

The Alstom iLint is said to combine hydrogen with oxygen drawn from the surrounding environment in order to generate electricity, and as it runs, it only produces water vapor as a waste product. It runs on lithium-ion batteries, which efficiently store energy and can even release excess electricity, and employs a smart management system to deploy its energy as effectively as possible.

As of this times writing, a total of 14 different iLint trains are scheduled to arrive in Lower Saxony in Germany, and thats just for the year 2018. This particular batch is expected to serve as a blueprint for similar green initiative projects that are planned for the U.K.

According to the Department for Transport, hydrogen-powered trains like the Alstom iLint could turn out to be potentially a solution for the U.K.s modernization of its regional rail transport. There are a number of lines in the country that havent been electrified yet, but that could change as soon as hydrogen-powered trains begin operation.

Overall, this development is seen as a good thing by many people, but not everyone is convinced that it is the right move to make at this time. According to Maggie Simpson, an executive director at Rail Freight Group, hydrogen-powered trains may indeed show promise for lightweight passenger trains, but their application for heavy duty freight is at best unproven.

Setting an arbitrary deadline of 2040 could well, therefore, be counterproductive, damaging the case for investment, she added.

Whether or not shes right, only time will tell.

Read more about alternative fuel sources in Power.news.

Sources include:

HydrogenFuelNews.com

Railway-Technology.com
(Natural News) Freedom of speech in the United Kingdom is under attack after a Christian preacher was arrested for sharing his faith in the public square.

According to reports, David Lynn, a non-denominational ministry leader from Canada, was forcibly removed from a train station in Barking after a lesbian woman accused him of calling her perverse and sinful during his message.

Lynn denies this allegation  and video footage from the event corroborates his defense  but that didnt stop British police from arresting the preacher and detaining him for more than 20 hours.

Though he was eventually released without a charge filed, Lynn, who has been preaching from the Bible for 22 years, had to seek legal counsel from the Christian Legal Center, a U.K.-based organization that helps Christians all over the world handle legal cases such as this that involve accusations of discrimination.

As the head of Christs Forgiveness Ministries, which has congregations not only in the U.K. but also in the United States and Canada, Lynn had plenty of support on the tube platform that fateful day in which he was taken away in cuffs. He says he was only there to help people find a right relationship with Jesus Christ, which involves turning from sin.

He preached about people searching for love in the wrong places, and that it is only through a right relationship with Christ that this deep need can be satisfied, the Christian Legal Center reported.

A crowd formed, and David frequently handed the microphone to onlookers to allow them to respond to his preaching. It was alleged that David called a homosexual lady in the crowd perverse and sinful, though he denies this and video footage captured of the preaching does not substantiate her complaint. Instead, it shows groups of supporters cheering, chanting Jesus and supporting David throughout his preaching. The atmosphere was more like a carnival that [sic] a confrontation.

U.K. authorities ban woman from country, dub her a terrorist, simply because she spoke out against Islam

What seems to have further bothered U.K. authorities is the fact that Lynn isnt a Muslim, which seems to be the only religious faction in Great Britain that receives religious protection anymore. Christians like Lynn who openly share their faith are becoming increasingly marginalized and persecuted.

And its happening all over the U.K., as Christians like Lynn are continually being targeted for exercising their free speech rights. A Christian woman by the name of Lauren Southern was actually barred from entering the country after she was accused of violating Islams Blasphemy laws simply for speaking out against the religion.

The U.K. actually declared Southern to be a terrorist after she and some friends conducted a social experiment in which they handed out flyers that were critical of Islam. Southerns attempted entry back into the country after being kicked out was denied, as authorities stated that allowing her presence would not be conducive to the public good.

Her flyer, which claimed to be a fictitious group known as LGBT for Islam UK, stated:

Allah is Gay, Allah is Trans, Allah is Lesbian, Allah is Intersex, Allah is Feminist, Allah is Queer, Allah is All of Us.

Like Lynn, Southern was immediately targeted and eventually forced out of the U.K. She later told Fox News that she believes the ordeal could be marking the end of conservative speech in the U.K. or the beginning of an era of serious censorship.

In defending his actions, Lynn told the media that his only goal is to bring the life-changing message of Jesus Christs love and forgiveness to the world through evangelism. He added that, while his arrest came as a shock, hes grateful to those who continue to support him and who have helped him avoid being charged with crimes he didnt commit.

Read AntiChrist.news for more coverage of attacks on Christians.

Sources for this article include:

ChristianJournal.net

ChristianJournal.net

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Slowly but surely the world is closing in on billionaire George Soros and his Alt-Left empire of Marxist interference in the political processes of one country after another.

And nowhere is there a more dogged pursuer of Soros truth than conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch, which recently filed Freedom of Information Act lawsuits in order to find out how much meddling the Soros-funded Open Society Foundation has done in the electoral processes of Colombia and Romania  in part with U.S. tax dollars.

From the organizations website:

Judicial Watch announced today that it filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits against the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for records relating to their funding of the political activities of the Soros Open Society Foundations of Romania (Judicial Watch v. U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (No. 1:18-cv-00667)) and the Soros Open Society Foundations of Colombia (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:18-cv-00668)).

The suit against the Romania chapter was filed after the State Department and USAID declined to respond to an Oct. 16, 2017, FOIA request from Judicial Watch for the following documents, among others:

 Any records pertaining to grants, contracts or other allocations/disbursements of money by the State Department to the Open Society Foundation  Romania and/or its personnel and/or any OSFR subsidiary or affiliate;

 Every assessment, report, evaluation or similar records tied to the work of the Romanian chapter and/or its affiliates and subsidiaries.

The suit against the Colombian chapter seeks virtually the same documentation and State Department/USAID disbursements of funds to include these entities: Fundacion Ideas para la Paz; La Silla Vacia; DeJusticia; Corporacion Nuevo Arco Iris; Paz y Reconciliacion; Global Drug Policy Program; and news portal Las Dos Orillas.

Several Soros-funded entities and projects in Romania, as in other parts of the world, are also funded by American taxpayers. For instance, Judicial Watch reported, the Romanian Center for Independent Journalism  supported by the Open Society Institute in New York  received $17,000 recently from the State Department.

And about a year ago, in February 2017, Laura Silver of Open Society Foundations was reported to have condemned illiberal governments in the Balkans  Macedonia, Albania and Romania  for working against Soros-funded NGOs.

Attacks by illiberal governments on George Soros are an attempt to deflect attention from their own failure to address unemployment, corruption and poor economic prospects, Open Society Foundations chief communications officer Silber said, adding: Civil society plays an important role in holding governments accountable and making democracies stronger; we are proud to support organizations who work to improve peoples lives. (Related: Michael Savage RAGES at George Soros but gives POTUS Trump some GREAT adviceif he takes it.)

Civil society. Thats a joke, right? Because even in his home country of Hungary (Soros does have U.S. citizenship), his meddling is being called out and investigated. The Daily Caller reported in July 2017:

After a two-year battle to keep migrants out of the country, Hungary has directed its full attention toward one of its own: billionaire investor George Soros.

In Hungarian public life there is a single important element which is not transparent: Soross mafia-style network and its agent organizations, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, said then.

Judicial Watch noted further that in 2016, Soros various Open Society Foundation chapters gave some $3.3 million to groups that were operating in Colombia. Several of the same groups have also been funded by the United States.

That means State was funding the same Alt-Left political causes that Soros funds.

It is time for Americans to be allowed to see State Department documentation regarding the public funding of Soros Open Society Foundations, said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. The billionaire George Soros needs zero assistance from taxpayers to promote his far-left agenda abroad.

See more at Soros.news.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

JudicialWatch.org

TheNationalSentinel.com
(Natural News) Its looking more and more like it will take a major attack against the U.S. power grid before the government and electric industry come together and get serious about protecting it.

According to a new investigative report that likely wont get much attention outside of certain circles, the U.S. electric grid is increasingly vulnerable as power companies lag behind in adopting better security measures.

And the result, someday soon, could be catastrophic  as in near-complete societal breakdown.

As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, the report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, says that the grids vulnerability is heightened by an unprecedented wave of attacks that threaten to cripple the entire country.

NERC notes further that amid a wave of stepped-up attacks against key power stations, the organization has had difficulty convincing power companies to step up their protective measures meant to thwart would-be attackers and terrorists.

Since 2014, according to the Congressional Research Service, which cited from the NERC report, security risks to the power grid have become an even greater concern in the electric utility industry, though the power sector has not necessarily reached the level of physical security needed based on the sectors own assessments of risk.

The Free Beacon noted further:

In the three years since federal overseers implicated a series of new standards for physical security of grid locations, the industry has worked to improve its defenses but has struggled to implement all of the governments recommendations, according to the report.

The slow moving pace of reforms, combined with an increased threat level and inability of the federal government to warn of upcoming attacks, has fueled concerns that the U.S. electric grid could be easily taken down by a rogue actor.

There is widespread belief that bulk power critical assets are vulnerable to physical attack, that such an attack potentially could have catastrophic consequences, and that the risks of such attacks are growing, the report says. But the exact nature of such potential attacks and the capability of perpetrators to successfully execute them are uncertain.

The report has resonated among members of Congress, especially in lieu of a rifle attack in September 2016 against a transformer substation in Utah  the latest in a string of similar attacks dating back to at least April 2013, when attackers targeted an electric power station near San Jose, Calif., which took 27 days to repair. (Related: MIT researchers create device they claim can generate electricity from air.)

Then as now, lawmakers and federal officials arent sure if the attacks are local acts of vandalism or part of a larger domestic terrorism movement.

Although the electric power sector seems to be moving in the overall direction of greater physical security for critical assets, many measures have yet to be implemented and the process of corporate realignment around physical security is still underway, the NERC report noted, leaving out a comprehensive review of all pressing national security threats.

The September 2016 rifle attack on a 69 kV transformer substation in Utahwhich reportedly left 13,000 rural customers without power for up to eight hoursshowed that similar incidents could occur almost anywhere on the grid, warned the report.

Should rogue actors  terrorists  take down a large portion of the grid, nearly all experts agree that societal chaos would result almost immediately.

While to date there have been only minor attacks on the power system in the United States, large-scale physical destruction of key parts of the power system by terrorists is a real danger, the National Academy of Sciences warned in a recent report. Some physical attacks could cause disruption in system operations that last for weeks or months.

Stay up-to-date on this story and others like it at Terrorism.news.

J.D. Heyes is also editor-in-chief of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

FreeBeacon.com

EMP.news
A family that gained attention for an emotional photograph of an African-American boy hugging a white police officer at a 2014 protest was killed when their SUV plunged off a scenic California highway, authorities said Wednesday as they asked for help figuring out what happened.

"We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there," Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said, appealing for tips to retrace where the siblings and two parents had been before the vehicle was found Monday in rocky ocean. "We know that an entire family vanished and perished during this tragedy."

Some friends described married couple Jennifer and Sarah Hart as loving parents who took their adopted kids to Bernie Sanders rallies, while some neighbors said they called child welfare officials in their rural Washington state community over concerns about possible abuse or had noticed red flags.

The California Highway Patrol has not determined why the vehicle went off an ocean overlook on a rugged part of coastline. A specialized team of accident investigators was trying to figure that out, Allman said.

"There were no skid marks, there were no brake marks" at the turnout on the Pacific Coast Highway where the vehicle went over, the sheriff said. Investigators have no reason to believe the crash was intentional, he said.

The 100-foot (31-meter) drop killed the women, both 39, and their children Markis Hart, 19; Jeremiah Hart, 14; and Abigail Hart, 14. Hannah Hart, 16; Devonte Hart, 15; and Sierra Hart, 12, have not been found.

The Harts lived in Woodland, Washington, a small city outside Portland, Oregon, and had a recent visit from Child Protective Services, Clark County sheriff's Sgt. Brent Waddell told The Associated Press.

He said the sheriff's office later entered the house and found no obvious signs of trouble or violence. It appeared the family planned a short trip because they left behind a pet, chickens and most of their belongings.

Next-door neighbors Bruce and Dana DeKalb said they called child services Friday because they were concerned that Devonte Hart, who hugged the officer at the protest, was going hungry. They said he had been coming over to their house too often in the past week asking for food.

The DeKalbs also recounted that three months after the family moved into the home on 2 acres with a fenced pasture in May 2017, one of the girls rang their doorbell at 1:30 a.m.

She "was at our door in a blanket saying we needed to protect her," Bruce DeKalb said. "She said that they were abusing her. It haunted my wife since that day."

In 2011, Sarah Hart pleaded guilty to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota. Her plea led to the dismissal of a charge of malicious punishment of a child, online court records say.

Bill Groener, 67, was a next-door neighbor of the family when they lived in West Linn, Oregon, and said the kids were home-schooled.

"They stayed indoors most of the time, even in really nice weather," Groener said.

He said the family didn't eat sugar, raised their own vegetables, had animals and went on camping trips.

"There was enough positive there to kind of counteract the feeling that something maybe wasn't quite right," Groener said.

He said they were neighbors for about two years and that "privacy was a big thing for them."

The family got attention after Devonte Hart was photographed during a 2014 protest in Portland, Oregon, over a grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the shooting of a black man in Ferguson, Missouri.

The boy, holding a "Free Hugs" sign, stood crying. A Portland officer saw his sign and asked if he could have a hug, and an emotional Hart embraced him in a picture that was widely shared.

At the time, Jennifer Hart wrote on social media: "My son has a heart of gold, compassion beyond anything I've ever experienced, yet struggles with living fearlessly when it comes to the police. ... He wonders if someday when he no longer wears a 'Free Hugs' sign around his neck, when he's a full-grown black male, if his life will be in danger for simply being."

The family traveled to many festivals throughout the area  including events for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders  and were known for wearing matching T-shirts.

Zippy Lomax, a Portland photographer who knew the Harts, told the Oregonian/Oregonlive.com that the reaction to the 2014 photo overwhelmed them, with negative attention focused on the multiracial family with lesbian parents.

"They kind of closed off for a while, honestly," Lomax told the newspaper. But she added that "Jen and Sarah were the kind of parents this world desperately needs."

CORRECTION (March 29, 3:26 a.m. PT): An earlier version of this story misspelled Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman's last name.

AP reporter Steven Dubois and Phuong Le also contributed.
Parents at an East Bay high school are concerned their children are at risk due to a broken PA system on campus.

Hayward Unified School District officials said they have been trying to repair the aging PA system at Tennyson High School for the past year until it finally gave out.

On Wednesday night, the school board voted to approve $1.7 million contract to replace Tennyson's PA system. But there are four other schools in the district with broken PA systems.

Parents tell NBC Bay Area the issue at Tennyson was a major concern after someone scribbled a violent threat on a bathroom wall last week. The incident last Friday prompted a shelter-in-place at the school.

Parents said without a working PA system, there is no good way to warn students of an emergency.

HUSD officials said there is a plan to put in a new PA system, which will cost millions and require extensive wiring. Here's the proposed timeline:

Bids were submitted on March 13

Contract to be approved Wednesday, March 28

Exterior work begins on April 4

Interior work begins June 15

Complete construction on Aug. 10

Meanwhile, campus administrators are relying on walkie talkies, phones in classrooms and teacher cell phone alerts. The campus also is practicing emergency protocols and drills.
The suspect in a hit-and-run incident in San Francisco on Wednesday that left one person dead and four others injured has been identified and charged.

Mark Dennis, 33, was booked into San Francisco County Jail and charged with homicide, four counts of attempted homicide and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, SFPD said Thursday.

Dennis allegedly swung an ax at five people and ran over them in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood, near the intersection of Illinois and 24th Street.

He fled the scene but was later taken into custody near Alemany Boulevard and Cayuga Avenue, police said. Five victims were taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General where one victim later died.

The victim has been identified as 43-year-old Eliseo Lopez, according to the city's medical examiner, Bay City News reported. The four remaining victims were described as men aged 38, 31, 39 and 42 years old.



One victim was in a critical condition, two were in serious condition and another was in fair condition, SF General's Chief Communications Officer Brent Andrew said Wednesday afternoon.

One witness said a driver in a white GMC van had an argument with a man on the sidewalk and a few other people intervened. The witness said the driver got out of his vehicle and had an ax.

A second witness also said the driver had a small ax and that the people involved in the argument chased the driver back into the van. That's when the driver drove into the people on the sidewalk.

Police said the incident is an ongoing investigation and no other details were released.
Palo Alto High School alumni are fighting a plan to put large solar panels in front of the school, claiming they will block the view of a historic tower and change the look of the school.

The Palo Alto Unified School District approved a plan to install solar panels over the schools front parking lot, facing El Camino Real, right as the schools 100 year anniversary nears.

Many alumni oppose the plan, claiming it will alter the schools view.

"The primary concern is that it obstructs the entire view of the historic buildings," said Palo Alto High graduate Edith Miller, she is head of the alumni association, class of 1963.

Others believe the solar panels would make an important, new statement about the school.

"I think solar energy is very important, it's good for the environment and it's more important than the view of the tower," said current Palo Alto student Hua Zheng.

Like Zheng, Leon Rochester supports the solar structure, he and his wife have lived in Palo Alto for 45 years.

"It won't look as quaint but solar panels are very good," Leon said.

Miller said she supports solar power too but would like to see them installed in the back of the school instead.

The solar panels are expected to save the high school as much as $16,000 a year and work on the structure is expected to begin this summer.
A trove of leaked photos and documents form a "paper trail of war crimes" by the Syrian government that give stronger evidence than what convicted the Nazis at Nuremberg, according to the human rights group processing them.

NBC News reported that the 140-person Commission for International Justice and Accountability has been documenting human rights abuses by Syrian officials since civil war broke out there in 2011. One source is roughly 50,000 photos shot by a forensic photographer known as "Caesar" at the start of the conflict that allegedly catalogue nearly 7,000 victims of torture at the hands of pro-regime forces.

Directives from the government were meticulously documented, even involving torture, "to make sure that everyone does what they're supposed to be doing," Deputy Director Chris Engels said.

While Assad has disputed the photos' veracity, Human Rights Watch, the FBI and the U.N. have verified them in part.
The Massachusetts state senator who was arrested Saturday morning for alleged drunk driving says he is entering a substance abuse program.

Sen. Michael Brady, a Democrat representing Brockton, issued a statement Wednesday to State House News announcing he was seeking treatment for alcohol use.

"Today I will be admitting myself for professional treatment and counseling for alcohol use. The course of treatment requires my full attention over the next few days. I look forward to returning to work next week," Brady said in a statement.

State House News initially reported that the two-term senator was arrested early Saturday morning in Weymouth while on his way home from a work event.

Brady declined to take a breathalyzer test, and his license was suspended, according to State House News.

Brady pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Monday in Quincy District Court on charges of operating under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and marked lanes violations.

According to the Quincy District Court clerk's office, the 55-year-old was released after his arraignment on personal recognizance.

Brady has apologized to Weymouth police, his constituents and fellow lawmakers "for any embarrassment and distraction," the incident might cause.

The senator served in the House before winning a special election in 2015 to succeed the late Democratic Sen. Thomas Kennedy of Brockton.

He's due back in court for a pre-trial hearing April 13.
For the past month, students at Somerville High School have used Wednesdays to walk out of school. This week, they did same, but at the Massachusetts State House, where they lobbied for new gun laws.

"If we stop, if this leaves the media, then very important gun control laws won't be passed," Amalia Hochman said.

Following up to Saturday's March For Our Lives Rally, Hochman joined a handful of members of Students Against Gun Violence, lobbying for Extreme Risks Protective Orders, also known as the Red Flag Bill. The bill would allow police to remove guns for 14 days from a person family members believe could be a danger to themselves or others.

Pending a trial, that person could lose their guns for a year.

"I'm worried if my kid has a gun, if my cousin has a gun. I don't think they should, and I think that's a really important thing for family and household members to be able to report," Hochman said.

While walking through the State House, the students were able to get a response from Senate President Harriette Chandler's office.

"The senate president supports this bill that provides extreme risk protective orders," David Sullivan said. "She's set up a working group here in the senate to work on these issues."

It's a start for the kids who say gun violence is beginning to hit close to home.

"One of our co-organizers in Andover, they had a school shooting threat yesterday," Sam Dornstein said. "Someone had posted a picture of gun magazines I believe and said something like 'don't come to school tomorrow.' So the threat is very real."

The students said they will be back next Wednesday. It's the last Wednesday before the a vote is taken on the bill.
A shootout at a Chicago church left an attempted robber and his would-be victim injured late Wednesday, according to police.

Authorities said the incident took place at around 8:09 p.m. in the 4400 block of West Maypole Avenue in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on the citys West Side.

A 27-year-old man entered the church and announced a robbery, according to police, at which point he and a 57-year-old man exchanged gunfire.

The 57-year-old man was shot in the left arm and taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he was listed in good condition, officials said.

Authorities said he has a concealed carry license in Illinois, while a source said he is a security guard.

The suspect was shot multiple times in the chest and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, according to police.

Further details were not immediately available and authorities continue to investigate.
Russia announced the expulsion of more than 150 diplomats, including 60 Americans, on Thursday and said it was closing a U.S. consulate in retaliation for the wave of Western expulsions of Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in Britain, a tit-for-tat response that intensified the Kremlin's rupture with the United States and Europe.

The Russian move came as a hospital treating Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, said the woman was improving rapidly and was now in stable condition, though her father remained in critical condition.

The Skripals were found unconscious and critically ill in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. British authorities blamed Russia for poisoning them with a military-grade nerve agent, accusations Russia has vehemently denied.

Two dozen countries, including the U.S., many EU nations and NATO, have ordered more than 150 Russian diplomats out this week in a show of solidarity with Britain  a massive action unseen even at the height of the Cold War.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at news conference Thursday that Moscow will expel the same number of diplomats from each of those countries in retaliation.

British officials said the Russian order to reduce Britain's diplomatic presence in Moscow is "regrettable" but had been anticipated. A Foreign Office statement released Friday said the Russian action "doesn't change the facts" of the nerve-agent attack.



U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman was summoned to the Foreign Ministry while Lavrov was speaking, where he was handed notice that Russia is responding quid pro quo to the U.S. decision to order 60 Russian diplomats out.

In a statement, Huntsman said there was "no justification" for the move and that it shows Moscow isn't interested in dialogue with the United States about important matters.

"Russia should not be acting like a victim," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

The Foreign Ministry said the U.S. diplomats, including 58 from the embassy in Moscow and two from the consulate in Yekaterinburg, must leave Russia by April 5. It added that the U.S. must leave its consulate in St. Petersburg no later than Saturday.

The ministry warned that if the U.S. takes further "hostile actions" against Russian missions, Russia will respond in kind.

"We invite the U.S. authorities who are encouraging a slanderous campaign against our country to come back to their senses and stop thoughtless actions to destroy bilateral relations," it said.

Lavrov emphasized that the expulsions followed "brutal pressure" from the U.S. and Britain, which forced their allies to "follow the anti-Russian course."

Britain's national security adviser Mark Sedwill told reporters during a trip to Washington that the attack was part of Russia's "hybrid warfare" that operates below the level of armed conflict.

The coordinated expulsions of Russian intelligence officers, he said, were a "coherent approach by the Western alliance to a range of aggressive Russian behavior, of which the attack in Salisbury was just the latest, obviously very acute, example."

Lavrov said that Moscow called a meeting Wednesday of the secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, Salisbury NHS Trust, which oversees the hospital where the Skripals are being treated, said Thursday that 33-year-old Yulia is "improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition. Her condition is now stable."

"She has responded well to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day," said Dr. Christine Blanshard, medical director at Salisbury District Hospital.

Sergei Skripal, 66, remains in critical condition, the hospital said.

Lavrov said that Russia would seek consular access to Yulia Skripal now that she has regained consciousness.

Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer, was imprisoned after he sold secrets to British intelligence. He was released in a 2010 spy swap and moved to Britain.

Britain says he and his daughter, who was visiting from Russia, were poisoned with a nerve agent developed in Soviet times and that must have come from Russia.

Police say they were likely exposed to the poison on the door of Sergei Skripal's suburban home in Salisbury.

About 250 British counterterrorism officers are working on the investigation, retracing the Skripals' movements to uncover how the poison was delivered. They have searched a pub, a restaurant and a cemetery, and on Thursday cordoned off a children's playground near the Skripal home.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Britain's allegation of Russian involvement in the poisoning was a "swindle" and an "international provocation." She said Russia continued to demand access to investigation materials, which Britain has refused to share.

Britain and its allies have dismissed previous Russian claims that they possessed that type of nerve agent.

Despite the tensions with Washington, Russia is eager for a proposed meeting of President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump.

A prominent Russian lawmaker said Moscow's expulsion of U.S. diplomats could aid that meeting because both sides would be on an equal basis.

"It doesn't create very happy circumstances around a prospective meeting, but this shouldn't influence the meeting per se, the fact of it occurring," Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the foreign relations committee in the lower house of Russia's parliament, told the Interfax news agency.

Jim Heintz in Moscow and Josh Lederman and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.
Roughly 43 million Americans have delinquent medical debt, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but most may not know they can negotiate when it comes to their bills.

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, NBC Connecticuts parent company, is making a donation to RIP Medical Debt that will forgive $1 million of Connecticuts medical debt. At least 674 people in Connecticut will receive yellow envelopes from RIP Medical Debt to inform the resident that some of their medical debt has been forgiven.

Since the selection process is random, residents cant sign up or apply for relief that will forgive a million dollars worth of medical debt in Connecticut. However, even if you dont receive a yellow envelope from RIP Medical Debt, there are ways to avoid collections and get help with your medical debt.

The first thing to know is you have about six months to straighten out any potential errors or disputes regarding medical bills before that debt starts impacting your credit score.

Bruce McClary, a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, said the sooner you address the issue, the better.

I would recommend, the first thing anybody should do - even while they're receiving treatment - is have an open dialogue with the care provider and talk about the cost of the medical care, McClary said.

McClary said patients should ask about the cost of care before undergoing any treatment or procedures.

"They can put you into a payment plan that can fit into your budget and if they do that, that can keep it from going to a debt collector, which makes it a much more urgent and much more serious issue," he said, adding that doctors and hospitals are usually open to price negotiations.

McClary said patients should look at each bill as it comes in to make sure there arent any errors and that patients should get a final bill detailing what has been paid by insurance and any charges the patient is still responsible for.

Medical bills are typically sent to collections after three months of nonpayment. If your bill ends up in collections, McClary recommends contacting a reputable nonprofit credit counseling agency.

"Talk to a professional counselor about an affordable repayment plan that helps you clear the medical debt without derailing any of your other financial obligations," McClary said.

Once your debt is paid off, it will no longer affect your FICO score.

A useful research tool to check out before negotiating medical bills is www.healthcarebluebook.com. The website tracks the prices of procedures at multiple facilities and uses that information to calculate a fair price.

For example, the website shows a patient in Waterbury can expect to pay between $34 and $462 for a chest X-ray, so Healthcare Bluebook determined a fair price to be $60.

If you want to help families struggling with medical debt, you can pay it forward with NBC Universal Owned Television Stations by making a donation to RIP Medical Debt. Just a few dollars can make a big difference in the lives of families struggling with their medical bills.
Parents in South Windsor lined up before the sun came up Thursday and waited for hours for the chance to sign their children up for a before-and-after-school program called the 4th R.

The Parks and Recreation Commission runs the program, which provides recreational activities, arts and crafts and homework time for around 350 students at the elementary schools throughout the school year.

On Thursday morning, more than 75 parents were lined up, including some who waited in line for five hours before registration began at 8 a.m.

The program had a waitlist of around 100 students last year and some parents lined up again in hopes of having better luck this year.

Ray Favreau, director of South Windsor Parks & Recreation, said the program cannot accept more children because the department would need more space to accommodate them and more staff. He said it's a struggle to find qualified employees to staff the program.

We are interviewing almost every week. We just hired two people yesterday to replace three people who left to find full-time work, Favreau said. So, it is a challenge and were working very, very diligently and trying to improve and increase the staff.

Some parents said they need this program and private childcare costs are three to four times greater than for the town program.

When NBC Connecticut reached out to the deputy mayor, he said that was the first he'd heard of the issue and would meet with parks and recreation department and school department to discuss how they can help in the future.

In addition to the lines, there is also an issue with the registration software on the website. The department is providing updates on its Facebook page.
Multiple parents who say the only reason they live in the Middlefield/Durham area is for its schools sounded off Wednesday night over a plan to close the John Lyman School.

On Monday, the Regional School District 13 board of education voted to close the school, a move parents called a surprise because the vote was not included on the boards agenda for that meeting and there was no advance public notice.

When the Board met again Wednesday evening, more than 100 parents and students showed up to express their displeasure about the vote and the possibility of their beloved school closing.

I dont think you understand your role as a publicly elected representative and I think you should consider resigning now, one parent said to the board during the public comment period.

If people are coming into your town for this program, why wouldnt you keep it around?, another asked to applause from parents who said Lyman School is their communitys largest draw.

The board said the move to consider closing Lyman was forced by dramatic declines in state funding and in enrollment in recent years. The district shrunk from close to 2,100 students in the 2009 school year to less than 1,700 students this year.

But parents, like Lindsay Dahlheimer, who moved to the district so her sons could get the schools unique, integrated day, higher order thinking, curriculum, said the way the vote happened was wrong and she wants this school open.

We put our faith in the school board to make a proactive effort to represent our kids. Five or six people are making a decision for hundreds and hundreds of kids, she said.

After a lengthy period of public comment at Wednesdays school board meeting and a remark from one board member who said Mondays vote might have broken the public trust, the boards chair told NBC Connecticut that there might still be a way for Lyman to remain open, but the district needs to find savings somewhere.

The option is How do we go through the three options that we have and come up with one that fits everybodys need? said Bob Moore, chairman of the Regional School District 13 Board of Education

The board is also considering merging the school with other.

As for the next steps in deciding the future of Lyman school, the board is preparing to send written communication to parents about another school board meeting where the school will be discussed. That meeting is scheduled for April 25.
Teens lobbied at the state legislature on Wednesday to push for the legal age of buying cigarettes increase from 18 to 21.

If passed, Connecticut would become one of six states to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 21, which includes e-cigarettes or vaping products like the newest fad among teen tobacco users, JUULS.

"The amount of people who are 'JUULing' has skyrocketed," Daksha Reddy, a Glastonbury High School senior, said.

The e-cigarette devices are small enough to fit in someone's palm, but Andrew OBright, the regional manager of the Vapor 9 shops, said theyre also more potent than other vaping products.

"They have a higher level of nicotine," OBright said. "We dont sell them because we dont believe its an effective way to get a smoker off of cigarettes."

One JUULs pod holds almost as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes and has a rectangle shape. Other e-cigarette devices, often found at gas stations, look more like a pen.

"People bring it to school and put it in their pencil cases. Nobody can tell, nobody can notice," Reddy said.

Kamren Johnson, a New Britain High School senior, said he sees students using them on the school bus. He joined a group of teens at the state capitol on Wednesday pushing lawmakers to raise the age of legal tobacco sales to 21.

"Sometimes even at lunch in the cafeteria when no ones looking they do it under the table," Johnson said.

The bill failed to pass the legislature last year.

This issue is above politics. Its above any individual. It relates to whats best for the public health of Connecticut," Rep. Andy Fleischmann, who chairs the Education Committee, said.

Health officials hope by raising the age beyond high school will cut off access to younger kids who buy tobacco from their older friends.

"Unfortunately, my own son is in a middle school. He sees kids who have used these products in the classroom when the teacher turns their back. They exhale the vapor into their backpack," Jim Williams, the government relations director at American Heart Association, said.

Williams said 95 percent of tobacco users start before the age of 21.

"In Connecticut, there are 56,000 kids now under the age of 18 that will eventually die of their own tobacco use," Williams said.

OBright, who is lobbying lawmakers to keep the age at 18, said the state needs to do a better job of enforcing the laws it already has on the books.

"We dont believe that anybody under 18 should be using our products or any other products when it comes to cigarettes, drugs, anything. We do have to be realists though. Kids will get their hands on anything if they want to," O'Bright said.

While some vape shops are reluctant to sell JUULs, theyre still finding a way into the hands of underage students thanks to resale websites that dont verify the purchasers age.

For its part, JUUL Labs told NBC Connecticut its mission is to eliminate cigarette smoking among adults and that it is actively working with local law enforcement and community leaders to further reduce the number of minors who possess tobacco products.

"We strongly condemn the use of our product by minors, and it is, in fact, illegal to sell our product to minors. No minor should be in possession of a JUUL product," the company said in a statement.
"Affluenza mom" Tonya Couch is accused of violating conditions of her release on bond for failing a urinalysis test.

Warrants were issued for her arrest, and Couch was picked up late Wednesday afternoon and booked in the Tarrant County Corrections Center in Fort Worth, where her son Ethan Couch is also being held.

Tonya Couch was charged in 2016 with hindering the apprehension of a felon and money laundering and was freed after posting $75,000 bond.

The felon was her son Ethan, who was facing allegations that he violated his probation in 2015. Ethan was 16 when he killed four people in June 2013, ramming a pickup truck into a crowd of people trying to help stranded motorists on the side of a North Texas road. He was driving at nearly three times the legal blood alcohol limit for adult drivers.

The conditions of Tonya Couch's release included wearing an electronic ankle monitor and remaining at home except for appointments with her doctor and lawyer. She was to be electronically monitored 24 hours per day and was subject to a visit from a probation officer at any time. She was also ordered to take routine drug tests.

In June, the Tarrant County District Attorney filed a motion to revoke her bond when she drank alcohol and was seen holding a rifle at a gun show, which violated conditions of her release. A judge at that time decided not to put her in jail.

Couch will have a hearing on the new violations at some point.

Her son Ethan Couch is expected to be released from jail on Monday.
A Maryland woman attacked her 11-year-old son with a saw and told a hospital employee she was overwhelmed with trying to care for her children with autism, according to court documents.

The boy told police he returned to their Rockville home after school March 12 and found his younger brother crying and his mother, 46-year-old Kristina Petrie, laughing and crying. He went upstairs to play a game before doing his homework, and his mother followed and asked why he wasnt doing his homework.

The boy told police she then raised a bow saw and he got out of the room and tried to escape, but she caught him, jammed the saw into the back of his neck and moved it back and forth several times.

The boy screamed and was able to escape and get the saw away from his mother, police said.

She called her husband and told him she attacked their son with a saw, court documents said. When her husband got home from work, he took her to MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, where she said she tried to kill her kids again, according to court documents. She told a hospital employee she was not helping her children enough with their autism and did not want them to be a burden to society when they reach adulthood. She said they needed to die and she had intended to cut off her 11-year-old sons head.

Three days later, the boy was medically examined. He had thin lines with broken skin and scabbing on his neck, according to court documents. He also had small cuts on his left hand.

Petrie is charged with attempted first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse.

Petrie's defense attorney, Sharon Diamant, told NBC Washington that Petrie has been married 15 years and had no criminal history.

"We do not believe she intended to hurt her children," Diamant said. "Her husband and her kids love her very much."

Diamant said she was unable to comment on whether mental health issues may have been a factor.

"Multiple friends have come forward in support of her, and we're hopeful that the public will reserve judgment until proper facts come out," Diamant said.
A U.S. Army veteran deported to Mexico described his final moments on U.S. soil when he spoke to reporters in Tijuana on Tuesday.

"I just feel dirty and used," Miguel Perez, Jr. said. "I felt suicidal."

Perez, 39, served two tours in Afghanistan and had been in the U.S. since age 8. On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers deported Perez to Mexico.

Perez, who had a green card, was deported because of a 2008 drug-trafficking conviction. The move came after he lost an appeal to remain in the U.S. and Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner refused to pardon him.

Perez was flown from Gary, Indiana, to Brownsville, Texas, where officers escorted him across the border and turned him over to Mexican authorities, ICE officials said.

Perez appeared shocked by his treatment during his final moments on U.S. soil.

An ICE agent who described himself as a fellow veteran told Perez they would "fix this" while leading him to a gate, Perez said.

"When we go there he just closed the gate behind me and he said, 'OK, we're done here,'" he said. "He said, 'You see those green lights? You go that way and when you get there just ask for help.'"

Perez recalls thinking, "Really? This is it?"

The veteran said he immediately contemplated suicide but then said he felt he needed to keep walking and continue the fight to let others know how he and other undocumented veterans are treated by the U.S.

Perez's parents, Miguel Sr. and Esperanza Montes Perez, live in Chicago.

Esperanza Perez arrived in Tijuana Monday and appeared with her son at a news conference. She spoke to our sister station Telemundo 20 about her fears for her son.

"I'm more American than those who signed my deportation," Miguel Perez said, wearing a blue cap from the Chicago Cubs team.



Perez handed a laptop case containing 4.4 pounds of cocaine to an undercover officer on Nov. 26, 2008, authorities said. He pleaded guilty to the drug charge and ICE took him into custody after he served half of a 15-year prison sentence.

ICE has said that it is very deliberate in reviewing cases that involve U.S. military veterans and that any action to remove a veteran must have the authorization of senior leadership and an evaluation by chief counsel.
In Orange County, the immigration debate has quickly turned into a revolt of sorts against the state, but despite that, Santa Ana has no regrets about its support for "sanctuary" policies.

Three days before President Trump took office, the city passed a resolution declaring Santa Ana a "sanctuary" city. What was initially a symbolic statement is now a blueprint for how Santa Ana officials run the predominantly Hispanic city.

California echoed Santa Ana by passing Senate Bill 54 - the California Values Act - which limits how much local police can help federal immigration authorities.

College student Kassandra Lozano is one of the Santa Ana residents who feel such sanctuary policies give people peace of mind. "I guess people feel safe here and it gives them an opportunity to live life," she said.

But other parts of the county don't see it that way. What began as a proposed resolution in Los Alamitos quickly had a domino effect.

On Monday, Los Alamitos' City Council passed an ordinance to exempt the city from SB-54. On that same day, the Orange County Sheriff's Department decided to post inmate release dates online, including those of undocumented people.

Those moves quickly rippled outward and by Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors had voted 4-0 to join the U.S. Justice Department's lawsuit against the state over its sanctuary policies.

Mission Viejo followed suit later that night, councilmembers voting unanimously to support Los Alamitos' stance. Huntington Beach is now also scheduled to discuss the issue at its council meeting next week.

It's a rebuke of state law that has drawn praise from President Donald Trump, who tweeted, "My Administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California's illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies."

My Administration stands in solidarity with the brave citizens in Orange County defending their rights against California's illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies. California's Sanctuary laws....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2018

But Santa Ana officials have already felt the ire of the federal government, which threatened to pull funding over the city's sanctuary policies.

Santa Ana initially lost at $300,000-a-month jail contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but it made it up in reserves. Since then, it lost one police grant of $90,000 that would have been used toward law enforcement programs.

Yet the city remains undeterred.

"These other policies of working with the federal government, ICE, unfortunately it chills," said councilmember Vicente Sarmiento. "It has a chilling effect on reporting crimes, victims reporting crimes."

For now, bolstered by the conviction that its sanctuary policies make residents safer, Santa Ana remains a city committed to protecting its undocumented immigrants in a county that seems to be growing increasingly hostile.
A driver who flipped his car into the water off U.S. 1 in south Miami-Dade near the Florida Keys was injured in a police-involved shooting Thursday afternoon after he confronted officers who responded to help him, officials said.

The incident began when the man was involved in a one-vehicle crash at Mile Marker 114, Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Carlos Rosario said.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer who happened to be nearby stopped to help the man, along with some good Samaritans, but the man became uncooperative and started to walk away from the scene, Rosario said.

"I do have some information that in fact some good Samaritans did jump in the water. I don't know exactly if he was dragged out of the vehicle or if he walked on his own," Rosario said.



The FWC officer called for backup and two Miami-Dade Police officers responded. As they approached the driver, he reached for one of the officer's Tasers and was able to remove it and point it at the officer, Rosario said.

At least one of the officers opened fire, hitting the man, who was later identified as 29-year-old Jahmal Parker, of Pompano Beach. Parker was taken to Jackson South Hospital in stable condition but will face charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting an officer with violence.

The officers weren't injured in the incident. One of the officers is 54 years old and has been with the department for 27 years, while the other is 34 years old and has been with the department for eight years.

Footage from the scene showed the car upside down in the water just off the roadway with police and emergency vehicles at the scene.

Florida Highway Patrol officials said their troopers also responded to the scene and assisted with traffic closures and will be investigating the crash.

All U.S. 1 lanes reopened late Thursday after being closed for hours.

Officials said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the shooting.
What to Know Nikolas Cruz is the accused gunman of the Parkland school shooting tragedy.

He has been receiving "piles" of correspondence, according to his defense team.

Cruz faces 17 counts of premeditated murder charges and 17 counts of attempted murder charges.

The Broward County jail is receiving love letters and fan mail addressed to Nikolas Cruz, the accused gunman in the deadly Parkland school shooting, according to the public defender's office.

Cruz's defense team has accumulated copies of some of the correspondence, including greeting cards, letters and photographs, that has been sent.

Cruz's commissary account has also received hundreds of dollars in contributions, which can be used by inmates to buy food, drinks, hygiene products and other items. The South Florida Sun Sentinel first reported the details.



Teenage girls, women and older men are sending Cruz correspondence. Broward County public defender Howard Finkelstein confirmed to NBC 6 that Cruz has received the letters.

"I reserve the right to care about you, Nikolas!" a woman from Texas wrote in a greeting card six days after the shooting. The card has an illustration of a rabbit holding binoculars as it looks out to the ocean with the caption; "Out of sight, but never out of mind."

In another letter, overcome with hearts and happy faces drawn by hand, a Texas teenager told Cruz that when she saw his face on television, "something attracted me to you."

Your eyes are beautiful and the freckles on your face make you so handsome," the letter reads, with the writer describing herself as a skinny, busty, white high school senior. A Chicago woman also sent Cruz nine suggestive photos.

Love letters to a mass shooter. In 40 years the public defender has never seen so much mail for an inmate. Nikolas Cruz has received letters, books and money from as far away as England @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/hRKp3JRf2k  Dan Krauth (@DanNBC6) March 29, 2018

A man from New York sent Cruz a card with a cat in the front that included photos of himself behind the wheel of his 1992 Nissan convertible, while an 18-year-old also from New York told Cruz to "hang in there and keep your head up."

No one else is dealing w/your demons, meaning maybe defeating them could be the beginning of your meaning, friend. I know you could use a good friend right now," reads the letter, which features hearts colored in pink ink.

People are also joining Facebook and other online communities to discuss how to help the accused gunman. Hashtags are being spread by sympathizers showing support for Cruz.

Finkelstein's office is representing Cruz. Finkelstein told NBC 6 he has never seen a defendant receive so many letters in his 40 years as a public defender.

Cruz has not yet seen the correspondence because he is on suicide watch, Finkelstein told the Sun Sentinel. Other than legal mail, Broward County jail workers open inmates' mail, per Broward County Sheriff's Office procedure.

We read a few religious ones to him that extended wishes for his soul and to come to God, Finkelstein told the newspaper, "but we have not and will not read him the fan letters or share the photos of scantily-clad teenage girls.

Finkelstein said he worries that boys and girls across the country are idolizing Cruz and "looking up to his fame and notoriety.

"The letters shake me up because they are written by regular, everyday teenage girls from across the nation, Finkelstein said. That scares me. It's perverted.
The U.S. and Mexican governments are sparring over immigration and trade, but the two countries are joining forces on the high seas like never before to go after drug smugglers.

The United States, Mexico and Colombia will target drug smugglers off South America's Pacific coast in an operation that is scheduled to begin Sunday and last for the foreseeable future, Coast Guard officials told The Associated Press.

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Paul F. Zukunft teased the idea during a recent defense conference in San Diego, saying the United States "can't do it alone."

"It's no secret we are besieged with the flow of drugs from Latin America to the United States," he said.

U.S. and Mexican forces have routinely worked together at sea, but the latest effort "marks a significant step in terms of information sharing, collaboration and cooperation between the United States, Mexico and other partner nations," according to the Coast Guard.

The Americans and Mexicans will exchange intelligence more freely than in the past, which could mean sharing information on well-traveled routes for drug smugglers or preferred paths for specific smuggling organizations, Coast Guard spokeswoman Alana Miller said.

They will also board the other country's vessels to view operations and gain expertise, Miller said. In 2015, three members of the Mexican navy boarded a Coast Guard vessel during a port call in Huatulco, Mexico, but this operation calls for more frequent exchanges, and they will be at sea.

The operation will last "for the foreseeable future as long as it's working for everyone," Miller said. "It's sort of open-ended."

Traffickers over the years have increasingly turned to the sea to move their illegal goods, traversing an area off South America that is so big, the continental United States could be dropped inside. Smugglers routinely move cocaine out of countries like Colombia to Central America and Mexico via fishing boats, skiffs, commercial cargo ships  even homemade submarines.

The operation comes after five years of record seizures by the Coast Guard. But U.S. officials say because of limited resources, the U.S. military's smallest service still catches only about 25 percent of illegal shipments in the Pacific.

Even so, the Coast Guard annually seizes three times the amount of cocaine confiscated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet ocean smuggling has not grabbed lawmakers' attention like the flow of drugs across the nearly 2,000-mile-long (3,200-kilometer-long) land border, where the Trump administration wants to spend billions to build a continuous wall.

As much as 20 percent of the cocaine moving through South America ends up in the United States, and most of it lands first in Mexico from seafaring smugglers. The hope is boats will be stopped before their shipments are loaded onto Mexican trucks that fan out on various routes bound for the U.S. border, authorities said. Large boats can cart 20 tons (18 metric tons) of cocaine or more.

Mexico has historically been among the Latin American countries that are most reluctant to join operations with the U.S., which can be traced back to the Mexican-American War that was fought 170 years ago. The United States cannot open military bases in Mexico, and U.S. officials, for instance, cannot venture into Mexican waters without prior permission, even if they are chasing drug vessels.

The Coast Guard now stops its pursuit and alerts Mexican authorities if suspicious boats cross into their territorial waters.

It's unclear whether this new cooperation will affect those restrictions.

Treaties with nations such as Colombia have allowed U.S. authorities more latitude, such as permitting Coast Guard officers to board Colombian-flagged ships. U.S. officials have touted Colombia's joint anti-drug efforts as a model for the region.

The U.S. and Mexican military relationship has strengthened since the two nations signed the 2008 Merida Initiative to work together in the drug war. There have been more cross-border trainings, especially with the Mexican Navy, which is considered less corrupt than the Mexican Army and has raised its profile with the captures and killings of drug bosses.

The combined operation was planned in a series of meetings over the past year. The maritime services signed letters of intent to work together to fight organized crime while respecting each country's sovereignty and territorial waters.

David Shirk, associate professor of political science at the University of San Diego, said the operation falls in line with Trump's vow to go after the "bad hombres," while President Enrique Pena Nieto has recognized organized crime is so severe that Mexico needs help.

"With more walled-off sections of the border, we've seen drug trafficking organizations literally go underground or offshore," he said.

Last year, the Coast Guard seized more than 455,000 pounds (206,000 kilograms) of cocaine worth more than $6 billion and brought more than 600 suspected traffickers back to the United States for prosecution. The Coast Guard has been criticized for holding suspects on ships where they cannot easily access lawyers. Shirk said joint operations could lead "to serious violations of suspects' rights at sea and possible human rights violations in the process."

Coast Guard officials say they respect suspects' rights. Where suspects will be sent with the three countries participating in the operation will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

U.S. military officials have been reluctant to openly discuss details of the cooperation with their Mexican counterparts, sensitive to the Mexican public's historical view and recent barbs between the two presidents.

Jorge Chabat, a political scientist at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching in Mexico City, said he doubts the combined operation will get much negative reaction from a Mexican public tired of drug violence.

"The more insecurity we have, the less nationalism we have in Mexico," he said.

Ultimately, he doubts the joint operation will make much difference.

"This is something they have to do to maintain drug trafficking at the same level, and not allow it to grow," he said. "That's the most you can do. You can't just surrender."

Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to hold up the trade agreement his administration finalized this week with South Korea in an effort to gain more leverage in potential talks with North Korea.

Speaking on infrastructure in Ohio, Trump highlighted the recently completed renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. But he warned: "I may hold it up until after a deal is made with North Korea." The announcement comes as the two Koreas have announced plans to hold bilateral meetings next month in advance of a possible meeting between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un by the end of May.

Trump noted the "rhetoric has calmed down" with North Korea, but added he may put a hold on the first trade agreement concluded by his administration, "because it's a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly."

Trump did not explain what leverage the U.S. would achieve by holding up the trade deal with South Korea. The South Korean embassy in Washington declined to comment.

The liberal government in Seoul wants Washington to engage with Pyongyang to help foster inter-Korean relations and reduce nuclear tensions. Trump may be suggesting that a prospective nuclear deal with North Korea is desired by South Korea, so by delaying it the U.S. could extract better trade terms with the South. But chances of a nuclear deal remain deeply uncertain.

Typically, the U.S. has sought solidarity with South Korea to resist attempts by North Korea to divide the allies. Resurrecting the complex and politically charged issue of trade could prove distracting just as the U.S. is pursuing high-stakes diplomacy with Pyongyang.

The president's visit to Ohio was meant to be a push for upgrades to the nation's aging roads and bridges. Instead, Trump turned what was billed as a "major speech" on infrastructure into 53-minute campaign-style rally, with talk of defeating the Islamic State and caring for veterans  not to mention a plug for the television reboot of "Roseanne."

He highlighted his plan deploying $200 billion in federal money to spur at least $1.5 trillion in spending over a decade to repair or replace highways, bridges, ports, airports and other infrastructure.

"We will transform our roads and bridges from a source of endless frustration into a source of incredible pride," he said.

But in a concession to political realities in Washington, where lawmakers are increasingly focused on their re-elections in what is set to be a difficult campaign cycle for Republicans, Trump said, "You're probably going to have to wait until after the election."

Trump said Democrats don't want to work with him on infrastructure because they don't want to give him any additional "wins" after his tax bill passed in December.

Trump unveiled the sweeping infrastructure proposal in February and cast it as one that could garner bipartisan support. But the plan relies heavily on state and local governments for the bulk of the spending, raising concerns among members of Congress about the possibility of higher commuter tolls and the sale of assets to raise the money.

There is little expectation that Congress will take up a sweeping infrastructure proposal along the lines of what Trump envisions  or that Republicans in control of the House and Senate will write their own legislation  as lawmakers begin to shift their focus to the challenge of getting re-elected in November.

Instead, Congress plans to package a series of related measures, including beefed-up spending in the big budget bill Trump signed into law last week. That bill, which funds the government through Sept. 30, included more money for transportation projects, rural broadband and other investments.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., promoted it in a tweet as "long-overdue updates to our country's infrastructure."
What to Know New York voters favor the passage of the Child Victims Act by a huge margin, but it remains stalled in Albany

If passed, the Child Victims Act would extend New Yorks statute of limitations, allowing victims of past abuse more time to get in court

Longer reporting period could lead to more sex abuse claims, exposing churches, schools, nonprofits - and their insurers - to more liability

New Yorkers favor the passage of a bill to give child sex abuse victims more time to file criminal charges and civil lawsuits by a wide margin, yet that proposal -- the Child Victims Act -- has once again died in Albany.

The latest Quinnipiac poll shows 90 percent of the states voters support the Child Victims Act. So why is a bill with such overwhelming support languishing yet again in the state's legislative graveyard?

The answer may lie in the lobbying dollars stacked against it.

The I-Team reviewed lobbying records and found the insurance industry spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to influence Albany lawmakers in 2017. Several insurance players list the Child Victims Act as a bill to target.

The American Insurance Association, a trade group representing more than 320 insurance companies, spent $130,000 lobbying on subjects including New Yorks statute of limitations for child sex crimes, according to disclosures filed with the states Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Liberty Mutual and Zurich Insurance also put the Child Victims Act on their list of bills to lobby. Combined, those three insurance players spent more than $375,000 lobbying in Albany last year.

If passed, the Child Victims Act would extend New Yorks statute of limitations, allowing victims of past sex abuse more time to confront alleged abusers in court. The longer reporting period could lead to more sex abuse claims, potentially exposing churches, schools, nonprofits -- and their insurers -- to more legal liability.

Maggie Seidel, an AIA spokeswoman, said the industry group supports the idea of expanding the statute of limitations for future acts of sex abuse. But there is concern the Child Victims Act allows for a one-year lookback period so victims can file lawsuits that were previously forbidden by the old statute of limitations.

Sexual assault in all circumstances needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, Seidel said. From an insurance standpoint, we have concerns about any provision that retroactively removes the statute of limitations (SOL) for civil cases.

The I-Team asked, but Liberty Mutual has yet to comment about its lobbying related to the Child Victims Act.

A representative from Zurich North America said the insurance company is a member of AIA and agrees the lookback period is problematic.

For years, the Catholic Church has voiced the most public opposition to the Child Victims Act.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan has said he supports eliminating the statute of limitations on child sex crimes going forward, but in a meeting last week with Democratic Gov. Cuomo hes quoted as saying the lookback would be toxic.

Cuomo has said he supports the Child Victims Act, including the lookback period.

Lex Filipowski, a survivor of sex abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest, said he believes insurance companies are aligned with the Church because they are both are looking to reduce exposure to costly liability claims.

In this instance, what would Jesus do? Would Jesus be lobbying to kill the Child Victims Act? The answer is hell no, Filipowski said.

Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Chelsea), who sponsored the Child Victims Act, says he has learned his bill will not get a vote before lawmakers leave for spring recess. He blames special interests, including the insurance industry, for killing the bill.

When special interests kill the Child Victims Act, it is tantamount to an admission of guilt, Hoylman told the I-Team. What are the special interests hiding? What do they know?

Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side), who sponsored the Child Victims Act in the State Assembly, said insurance companies should stop looking at her legislation through the lens of profit margin.

The insurance companies, all they care about is the bottom line, Rosenthal said. What they neglect to consider is peoples lives, the damage that has been done to people who have been sexually abused as children, the fact that whole families have fallen apart. Lives have been ruined. So its reprehensible.

Aside from insurance groups and the Catholic Church, the I-Team found groups representing foster care workers and teachers also targeting the Child Victims Act on their lobbying lists.

A Long Island-based foster care agency called SCO Family of Services listed the bill on its lobby filings. Despite that, the agency said it takes no position on the Child Victims Act.

We pay careful attention to legislation involving children and families, However SCO has not taken a position on this legislation and has not engaged in any lobbying on the issue, said a statement attributed to SCO Chief Strategy Officer Rose Anello.

SCO was recently sued by former clients who say the agency recklessly placed them in a foster home with a man whod been accused of multiple instances of abuse. That foster parent was acquitted in his criminal trial, but many of his alleged victims were forbidden by the states statute of limitations from filing charges.

The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) also listed the Child Victims Act among bills targeted for lobbying in 2017. Those unions, which represent hundreds of thousands of public school employees, spent a combined $1.1 million lobbying Albany in 2017.

When asked for comment on the Child Victims Act, a UFT spokesman referred the I-Team to NYSUT.

Carl Korn, a spokesman for NYSUT, said his members are supportive of sex abuse victims, but his group takes no formal position on the Child Victims Act.

We are not actively lobbying on this bill and I dont think weve spent a penny on it, Korn said. Out of an abundance of caution, we put down any bill that we even look at on our list.

Last year, the Democrat-led State Assembly passed the Child Victims Act, but it stalled in the Republican-led Senate when Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-Smithtown) decided not to bring the bill to a vote.

The I-Team asked if Sen. Flanagan would ever allow the Child Victims Act to come to a vote in the future. Scott Reif, a spokesman for Flanagan, did not directly answer that question.

Every issue is considered on the merits, he said.
What to Know Family and friends are saying their final goodbyes to Christopher "Tripp" Zanetis, one of the 7 guardsmen killed in a chopper crash in Iraq

Zanetis was a member of the FDNY; fellow FDNYer Christopher Raguso was also killed, along with Long Island guardsman Dashan Briggs

The FDNY also mourned this week Michael R. Davidson, killed in a movie set fire in Harlem last week

In another somber day for the FDNY this week, family and friends said their final goodbyes Thursday to department veteran Christopher "Tripp" Zanetis, a captain with the Air National Guard who died in a helicopter crash in Iraq two weeks ago.

In addition to the 37-year-old Zanetis, the FDNY also lost Lt. Christopher Raguso, who was a master sergeant with the Air National Guard. They were among seven armed service members killed in the U.S. chopper crash. A third local guardsman killed in the crash was identified as 30-year-old Staff Sergeant Dashan J. Briggs of Commack.

Zanetis and Raguso are the 1,148th and 1,149th members of the FDNY to die in the line of duty. The FDNY has also just mourned the 1,150th firefighter to die in the line of duty: Lt. Michael R. Davidson, who was killed in a Harlem building fire last week, was laid to rest Tuesday after a funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The FDNY and New York University hosted a join memorial service for Zanetis, beginning with a procession from his former firehouse at Engine 28/Ladder 11 in the East Village to Washington Square Park, where an outdoor military honors ceremony was held, followed by remarks at NYU's Kimmel Center.

Zanetis, an Indiana native who graduated from NYU and Stanford Law School, had been with the FDNY since 2004 and had been promoted to fire marshal in 2013. He was recognized for his bravery as part of the investigative unit in 2014.

"The world was robbed of someone that would have absolutely continued to make it a better place in profound ways," his sister said at the ceremony at the park.

Zanetis, whom family and friends described a jack of all trades, was on unpaid leave from the FDNY as he pursued a career in law. He'd graduated from law school at Stanford University and had been working at a New York firm, his father said.



Childhood friend Drew Elliott said he could not keep up with all of Zanetis' accolades and achievements and goals: "He accomplished every single thing he set his mind to."

Another colleague in the FDNY said, "I recently found out when we had an event at the firehouse that Tripp spoke Mandarin Chinese fluently. I didn't know that. He probably had nothing to do over a weekend and learned Chinese," he joked.

"He rescued New Yorkers here at home, and overseas he rescued his fellow members of the Armed Forces," said Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro.

A wake was also held Thursday for Raguso at the Commack Fire Department, and funeral services were held for Briggs at the Westhampton Beach Volunteer Fire Department. Briggs, a husband and father, was remembered by colleagues as a family man.

"I can tell you he was a phenomenal father, and that was the most important thing about him, the love of family," said retired Master Sgt. John Turner.

"This is very tough. Not just for our country, our community, our members. It's very tough."

The crash in western Iraq did not appear to be the result of enemy activity and is under investigation, the Pentagon said last week.
What to Know North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced

Scientists say they may have come across an unknown organ in the human body that could advance understanding of cancer and other diseases

A judge heard a DMX rap song before adding his own lyrics to a court proceeding, ordering the rapper imprisoned for a year in tax fraud case

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Rival Korean Leaders to Meet April 27 in Historic Summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced after the nations agreed on a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve a decades-long standoff over the North's nuclear program. The announcement was made after officials met at the border village of Panmunjom. The Koreas plan to hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss protocol, security and media coverage issues, according to a joint statement released by the countries. The leaders of the two Koreas have held talks only twice since the 1950-53 Korean War, in 2000 and 2007, under previous liberal governments in Seoul. The Korean Peninsula was divided in 1945 into a U.S.-dominated south and Soviet-backed north. Seoul's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, one of the three South Korean participants in the talks, told reporters beforehand that setting up discussions between the leaders on ways to rid the North of its nuclear weapons would be a critical point.

Trump Ousts Shulkin From Veterans' Affairs, Replaces Him With White House Doctor

President Trump fired Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominated White House doctor Ronny Jackson to replace him in the wake of a bruising ethics scandal and a mounting rebellion within the agency. A Navy rear admiral, Jackson is a surprise choice to succeed Shulkin, a former Obama administration official and the first non-veteran ever to head the VA. Trump had been considering replacements for Shulkin for weeks, but had not been known to be considering Jackson for the role. In a statement, Trump praised Jackson as "highly trained and qualified." It was a decision that signaled Trump chose to go with someone he knows and trusts, rather than the candidate with the longest resume, to run a massive agency facing huge bureaucratic challenges. Jackson has served since 2013 as the physician to the president, one of the people in closest proximity to Trump day in and day out.

68 Dead After Riot, Fire at Police Station, Venezuela AG Says

Venezuela's chief prosecutor reported 68 people died in a fire that swept through the cell area inside a police station, which townspeople said followed a disturbance by detainees being held there. Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on his official Twitter account that nearly all the dead were prisoners. He said two women who were staying overnight at the station were also killed, but didn't provide any further details. Saab said four prosecutors had been named to determine what happened at the state police headquarters in Valencia, a town in Carabobo state about 100 miles west of Caracas. It was one of the worst jail disasters in a country where human rights groups complain about bad prison conditions. A fire at a prison in the western state of Zulia killed more than 100 inmates in 1994.

Scientists Say They've Discovered a New Human Organ

In a study published this week, scientists said they may have come across an unknown organ in the human body that could advance the understanding of cancer and other diseases, NBC News reported. The research suggests the network of connective tissues called the interstitium is a complete organ, according to the study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The report additionally suggests that the interstitium is one of the biggest organs in the human body, NBC News reported.

DMX Faces the Music, Gets 1 Year in Prison for Tax Fraud

A judge heard a DMX rap song before adding his own lyrics to a court proceeding, ordering the rapper imprisoned for a year in a tax fraud case. Federal Judge Jed Rakoff took requests, accommodating DMX's desire to hear his hit "Slippin'" before DMX faced the music over his admission of guilt. The judge called DMX's fraud a "brazen and blatant" crime that could not go unpunished. The 47-year-old rapper, known to law enforcement and the courts as Earl Simmons, has been incarcerated since his bail was revoked in January. He sobbed during the proceeding as his lawyer, Murray Richman, recalled his nightmarish childhood. Richman said DMX has been a model prisoner. Still, prosecutors sought five years in prison for him, citing a lengthy rap sheet and drugs. Richman wanted him free to support his 15 children and pay back more than $2 million in taxes. Given a chance to speak, DMX said he knows taxes need to be paid and what he did was wrong.

Donald Glover Shares Script for Scrapped Animated Deadpool Series

The plot thickens. Just days after FX revealed Donald Glover would no longer be involved with the previously announced animated "Deadpool" series, Glover took to social media refuting those who speculated he may have been removed from the project because he was too busy with his Emmy award-winning series "Atlanta," blossoming film career with roles in the upcoming "Solo: A Star Wars Story," as well as an upcoming tour under his rap persona Childish Gambino. Glover revealed several pages from a script for "Deadpool: The Animated Series" which included a number of timely references... not the least being a nod to who bit Beyonce. The animated project was announced last May with a 10-episode order for the FXX channel before the network revealed it was pulling the plug.
What to Know A pair of Jersey City police officers were suspended after they were caught on camera storming a Domino's manager over undelivered pizza

The manager of the pizzeria said that one of the officers said "I'll lock you up"

The officers were charged with disorderly conduct and harassment

A pair of New Jersey police officers were suspended after one of them was caught on camera pushing a Dominos restaurant chain manager against a wall because their pizza didnt get delivered on time.

Video obtained exclusively by News 4 shows the two Jersey City police officers storming a Domino's on Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City and pushing the branchs manager up against a wall in an incident the manager, Mena Kirolos, said was spurred because of a missed pizza delivery Tuesday evening.

Kirolos said the confrontation was sparked by a missed pizza delivery. He said when the driver arrived at the delivery location, his calls were not answered. A short time later, Kirolos said he got a call from an officer upset over his missing pizza delivery.

He said he was coming to my store, so I waited 10, 15 minutes, no one showed up, he said.

Two officers eventually did show up. Surveillance footage shows the pair in uniform as they barged in and broke up the hum of the pizza-delivery operation.

Kirolos then walks out of a back room, video shows, and one of the officers grabs him and pushes him against a wall.

Several other Domino employees crowd around them, with some pulling out their phones to film the wrangle.

(I was thinking) What can I do?, Kirolos said. Hes a police officer. I cant do anything back.

In a cellphone video recorded by an employee, Kirolos can be heard saying remove your hands and dont touch me. One officer can be seen trying to diffuse the situation between the two.

Kirolos said at that point, the more irate of the two officers told him Ill lock you up, and the cellphone footage then shows the manager holding his hands out as if they were cuffed as he says please do it!

The officer trying to break up the two men can then be heard saying I am trying to have a conversation with you to Kirolos, and then he suggests that the three of them go outside to have a friendly conversation. Kirolos initially refuses, but the three men eventually go outside and talk, their voices now inaudible.

After the exchange, the two officers were suspended and charged with harassment and disorderly conduct. Both are due in court on April 11.

The Jersey City Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the case.

Kirolos, meanwhile, said he just wants an apology.

I dont like being cursed at, being touched, he said. I only demanded an apology. Thats it.
A Pennsylvania state trooper shot and killed a theft suspect who allegedly fired at him first outside a Lehigh Valley Walmart late Wednesday, with the entire incident captured on store surveillance video.

The trooper killed the suspect while returning fire in the parking lot of the store along Mill Creek Road in Lower Macungie Township after responding to a report of a masked man, state police said.

A witness said he saw a law enforcement officer chasing the man outside the store when he heard the officer yelling for the man to stop. He then heard a series of shots.

A Glock handgun allegedly belonging to the suspect was recovered in his lap.

The store, open 24 hours a day, was evacuated as police began their investigation late Wednesday.

The suspect was wearing a life-like mask and wig inside the store, going through aisles for about 15 minutes, filling up his cart, police said. A loss prevention officer noticed the man and called police.

The suspect's description matched that of a theft in early March at a Schuylkill County Walmart, police said.

A trooper arrived on the scene at 9:09 p.m. and was looking for the loss prevention officer when the suspect left his cart and fled the store.

"Just as he's exiting the store the trooper tells him to stop and the subject takes off running, he's running across the parking lot," State Police Capt. Rich D'Ambrosio said.

As he was running, the suspect pulled out a handgun, police said.

"When he gets to his car, the subject turns around and he fires one shot toward the trooper," D'Ambrosio said.

The trooper, a four-year veteran, returned fire as the man got into his car, striking him multiple times, D'Ambrosio said. The subject was dead at the scene.

Per normal policy, the trooper was placed on administrative duty while the investigation takes place, D'Ambrosio said.

Walmart said they are working with police and had no further comment.

State Police from Bucks County and the Lehigh Valley District Attorney's Office are investigating the incident.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said that his office still needs to make an official determination but that preliminarily it appears the shooting was justified.
Police are investigating a reported abduction in Philadelphia's Fox Chase neighborhood Wednesday night.

A witness told police he spotted an unidentified man grab a girl between the ages of 12 and 13 on the 7700 block of Rising Sun Avenue at 6:37 p.m. The witness claimed the man placed the girl in a white utility van with tinted front and back windows and the vehicle was last seen southbound on Rising Sun Avenue.

The witness said the girl was wearing a pink top with a peace sign on top and is about 4-foot-5. The witness also described the man who grabbed her as a thin man standing 5-foot-9 with a brown complexion wearing a black mask and black cargo pants.

Police are currently interviewing the person who made the report and investigating his claims. So far they have not received a report from any family members of a missing child.



This story is developing. Check back for updates.




A decomposed body found in a shallow grave in Northern California was confirmed to be that of a missing model after her boyfriend, a suspect in her death, killed himself following a police chase last week, authorities said Wednesday.

An autopsy at the Placer County Morgue in Auburn, California, positively identified the remains as Adea Shabani, 25, the missing model from Los Angeles. Tattoos helped identify the remains, the Nevada County Sheriffs Office in Nevada City, California, said.

While the coroner determined Shabani suffered blunt force trauma to the head, it was not listed as the cause of death until further toxicology and tissue analysis could be conducted. She didn't suffer any other major trauma to the rest of her body, the office said.

"At the autopsy there was indication she had sustained blunt force trauma to the head. there is no indication of the weapon used we dont have a list of possibilities of what caused that," said Nevada County Sheriff's Office Lt. Robert Bringholf.

Bringholf said it wasn't clear exactly where she was slain.

Her remains were to be returned to her family, authorities said.

The discovery of remains at a site in Nevada County came amid an LAPD investigation into the disappearance of Shabani, last seen Feb. 23 near the 1700 block of Wilcox Avenue, between Hollywood Boulevard and Franklin Avenue.

The 25-year-old had been in Los Angeles for about two years, pursuing an acting career. She was originally from Macedonia.

The investigation into Shabani's disappearance took a turn last week with a police pursuit that ended in a suicide.

A North Hollywood man, identified as Christopher Spotz, 33, shot himself during a police chase that ended in the Corona area.



Police said during a news conference on Tuesday that some time after Shabani disappeared, Spotz released a statement through an attorney saying that he and Shabani had been traveling north, they got into an argument and he let her out of the vehicle in Santa Clarita.

Police said they couldn't verify Spotz's account, said Capt. Bill Hayes, who heads the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division, and concluded it was not true.

Shabani and Spotz had both studied at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theater in Hollywood.

"We are devastated," said John Jack Rodgers, the Academy's executive director, recalling that she was "growing immensely" in her craft. "She held nothing back."

NBC4's Robert Kovacik contributed to this report.
Ecuador's government said Wednesday it has cut off WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's internet connection at the nation's London embassy after his recent activity on social media decrying the arrest of a Catalan separatist politician.

In a statement, officials said Assange's recent posts "put at risk" the good relations Ecuador maintains with nations throughout Europe and had decided as of Tuesday to suspend his internet access "in order to prevent any potential harm."

Assange has since gone silent on social media.

The move prompted an outcry among Assange's supporters, like musician Brian Eno and former Greek Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis.

"Only extraordinary pressure from the US and the Spanish governments can explain why Ecuadors authorities should have taken such appalling steps in isolating Julian," Eno and Varoufakis wrote in a joint statement.

The move prompted an outcry among Assange's supporters, like musician Brian Eno and former Greek Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis.



"Only extraordinary pressure from the US and the Spanish governments can explain why Ecuadors authorities should have taken such appalling steps in isolating Julian," Eno and Varoufakis wrote in a joint statement.



Ecuador granted Assange asylum in the South American nation's London embassy in 2012, where he has remained cooped up ever since. Ecuador has repeatedly tried to find a solution that would allow Assange to leave without the threat of arrest, but with no success. He remains wanted in Britain for jumping bail and also fears a possible U.S. extradition request based on his leaking of classified State Department documents.

Relations between Assange and his host nation have often grown prickly.

Ecuador suspended his internet access in 2016 after a WikiLeaks dump targeting Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. And while former President Rafael Correa hailed Assange's work, the South American country's current head of state has called him a hacker and warned him not to meddle in politics.

As part of an agreement allowing him to stay at Ecuador's embassy, Assange is forbidden from sending any messages that would interfere with the country's diplomatic relations other nations.

"He violated that agreement," said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador's minister of foreign affairs.

She added that Ecuador's government would be sending of a group of diplomats to meet with Assange's legal team in London next week while also continuing a dialogue with British officials on how to resolve "an inherited problem."

Assange frequently tweets more than a dozen times a day, sharing news stories and comments that often focus on global politics and digital security issues. In recent days, Assange had criticized Germany's detention of former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont. He wrote that the European arrest warrant system "allows an abusive government to persecute its opponents across the whole of the EU."

He also chimed in a decision by the United States and more than a dozen European nations to kick out Russian diplomats on Monday following Moscow's alleged poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain.

"The manner of and timing of Russian diplomatic expulsions is poor diplomacy," he wrote.

Following Assange's remarks, a British minister called him a "miserable little worm" and said it was regretful that he remains in Ecuador's embassy.

Ecuador granted the Australian-born Assange citizenship in December as part of an effort to make him a member of its diplomatic team, which would grant him additional rights like special legal immunity. But Britain's Foreign Office rejected the request to grant him diplomatic status in the U.K.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan proposed emergency legislation for school safety in the wake of last weeks fatal shooting at Great Mills High School.

We've got probably one of the most aggressive proposals in America, and we're going to do everything we can to get it done in the next 13 days, Hogan said.

That's when the Maryland General Assembly adjourns.

The issue of school safety became a top priority after Austin Rollins shot and killed 16-year-old Jaelynn Willey before shooting himself to death at Great Mills High in St. Mary's County. A 14-year-old also was wounded.

Hogan proposed more than $200 million from Maryland casino revenues to provide more protection from gun violence. It would pay for secure doors and windows, security cameras, panic buttons, additional mental health counselors and school resource officers.

It includes physical improvements to the schools but also mental health counselors and school safety resource officers, Hogan said. I can't imagine how anybody could have an issue with school safety.

Democrats say they have their own plans to provide millions of dollars to protect students, but lawmakers from both parties said they are optimistic legislators will take action before this session ends.
Public school students in Prince George's County, Maryland, could have just one day of spring break thanks to the snow days the school system used.

Spring break was scheduled for April 3 thorugh April 6, but school officials say students will have to go back to class April 5 to make up the days they lost to bad weather. The school board will vote Thursday on whether to shorten the break even more and require students to return April 4.

Schools will be closed March 30 and April 2 for the Easter holiday, according to the school system's calendar.

Prince George's County Public Schools lost six days this school year for bad weather, including Jan. 4, 5 and 17 and March 2, 21 and 22. The school calendar only plans for five bad weather makeup days and the school year must end by June 15, the school system said in a statement.
In a tragic turn to a months-long missing persons case, law enforcement officials confirmed Thursday that a body found in the woods off Interstate 95 earlier this week is that of a missing Marine recruit.

Joseph "Joey" Brancato, 21, of Winthrop, Massachusetts, went missing in the Boston area last fall.

The Norfolk District Attorney's Office confirmed Thursday afternoon that it was Brancato's body that was found Wednesday afternoon off I-95 in Canton. The body was initially spotted in the woods by a person who had stopped to assist a motorist in distress.

Brancato's family had told NBC10 Boston earlier in the day that police had already informed them of the news.

"I love my nephew and I wasn't going to stop until we finally found him," his aunt, Andrea Brancato, said Thursday. "I'm glad we did."

The district attorney's office said an autopsy performed Thursday did not immediately establish the cause or manner of Brancato's death.



Brancato was last seen by an acquaintance in Boston's Roslindale neighborhood on Nov. 18, 2017.

His family said he had gone to live with 39-year-old Marine recruiter Frank Lipka in hopes of getting ready for the armed services, but shortly after moving into Lipka's home on Mendelsohn Street in Roslindale, he disappeared.

"I guess the recruiter said, 'I can help you out. You can live in my basement,'" Brancato's aunt, Dawn Buccieri, said earlier this year.

Police have said that Lipka is a person of interest in Brancato's disappearance. He was in court earlier this week on an unrelated assault charge and was ordered held on $10,000 bail. He is currently in the custody of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office.

"I have to say that I'm happy we found Joey. I feel like all of our hard work and perserverance and persistence has paid off," Andrea Brancato said. "But then again, I'm sad that a beautiful young man, we can't watch him walk down the aisle with his beautiful wife and have children and have a career... Why take that away from someone so young? He was only 21 years old. He didn't get to experience his life yet."



Brancato's death remains under investigation by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office and Boston police.

"I think the story will unfold," Andrea Brancato said, "but I don't know if we will ever get the exact truth that happened to Joey."
The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation into the conduct of two former Claremont police officers.

Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said in a news release Wednesday that the investigation is exploring allegations the two "falsified documentation related to a search" that took place in late February.

MacDonald said the investigation was initiated based on information received earlier this month from Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase, who said the two are no longer employed by the police department.

MacDonald identified the two as Ian Kibbe and Mark Burch. They have not been charged with any crimes.
A former sheriff in Maine who resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations is now accused of sexual assault.

The Sun Journal reports that a pending lawsuit notice against former Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant by a man from Jay contends sexual abuse and harassment began in 1999 and continued through this year. The man also sent the notices to 17 other individuals and agencies.

The Associated Press couldn't find a number for Gallant.

Gallant resigned in December after county commissioners concluded he sent a photograph to a female employee of another law enforcement agency showing his exposed genitals.

The commissioners said Gallant sent text messages to a subordinate officer and his female companion that contained indecent photographs of himself and solicited sex acts and nude pictures.
A person is unaccounted for following an early morning fire that destroyed a Massachusetts home, according to authorities.

The fire broke out at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday at 36 Restful Lane in Wareham and quickly reached 2-alarms.

Crews had to battle the blaze from the outside only due to the structure being unsafe.

"We've had collapses inside, walls are blowing out, so it's not safe to allow the personnel to go inside the building at this time," Wareham Assistant Fire Chief Patrick Haskell said.

Neighbors said they were woken up by police telling them they had to evacuate due to the severity of the flames.

"The fire was everywhere, just shooting. And the house and the windows were cracking and popping," said neighbor Linda Lukan.

Authorities said they were looking for the owner of the home but weren't sure if they were inside the house when the fire broke out or they were away.

"We just have a homeowner that's unaccounted for," Haskell said. "I'm not saying they were inside  we're just looking for somebody."

However, next-door neighbors told NBC10 Boston that they spoke to the homeowner by phone after the blaze broke out, adding he wasn't there when it happened but apparently rented out rooms. They believe the house was unoccupied.

"It was abandoned for a while since that last storm we had," Jeffrey Lukan said.

The identity of the homeowner has not been made public.

Investigators have started to demolish the building so that authorities can begin determining the cause of the fire.

The Massachusetts State Fire Marshal's Office is assisting in the investigation.
Officials seized radio transmission equipment from two allegedly illegal stations in Boston on Monday.

The stations, known as "Big City" and "B87.7 FM" had been operating without a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Boston police and U.S. Marshals decided to intervene and confiscate the equipment after the station operators ignored several warnings from the FCC to stop broadcasting.

"Big City" allegedly broadcasted on 100.3 FM, 105.3 FM, and 101.3 FM from studios in Dorchester and Roxbury, while "B87.7" allegedly broadcasted on 87.7 FM and also had a station in Dorchester.

"When pirate radio stations refuse to cease operations, despite multiple warnings, action must be taken," said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. "It is a public safety hazard for illegal radio stations to broadcast, potentially interfering with critical radio communications."

Prosecutors within the U.S. attorney's office in Boston will continue to work with the FCC on this case.

The FCC was notified of the illegal stations' existence through complaints -- one of which came from a licensed broadcaster who found that the illegal stations' broadcasts were interefering with his own. There is a finite number of radio frequencies, so when an illegal station begin broadcasting, it prevents licensed stations from operating normally.

Pirate radio stations are operating without an FCC license  and therefore breaking the law, as well as interfering with licensed broadcasters and potentially preventing those broadcasters from delivering critical public-safety information to listeners, said Rosemary Harold, chief of the FCCs Enforcement Bureau.

According to the Communications Act of 1934, radio broadcasters need a license from the FCC in order to operate equipment that exceeds a low-intensity threshold. The consequence of failing to comply with this law is equipment seuizure.
A New Jersey man is facing multiple charges, including driving while intoxicated, after leading New Hampshire State Police on a multi-highway pursuit in a U-Haul truck Wednesday night.

Edward Alexander, 52, of Newark, New Jersey is facing aggravated DWI, reckless conduct, and two counts of disobeying a police officer.

State police said at about 11:30 p.m., troopers began helping Salem police with a pursuit involving a U-Haul on Interstate 94 northbound. When troopers attemped to stop the truck, the driver, later identified as Alexander, allegedly refused to stop and began driving at speeds varying between 50 and 90 mph in an erratic and aggressive manner.

Authorities said Alexander continued on I-93 to I-293 in New Hampshire, then back to I-93 southbound.

He eventually ran out of gas on an on-ramp and police were able to take him into custody.

Alexander is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at Manchester Superior Court. It's unclear if he has an attorney.
A local investigation has led to criminal charges against eight individuals and the seizure of at least 44 firearms.

The investigation by Project Safe Neighborhoods targeted individuals who were supposedly providing false information to federally licensed gun dealers in Rhode Island.

U.S. District Attorney Stephen Dambruch says five individuals have been tried in U.S. District Court, and three more in state court.

Defendants charged in federal court are Molyka Preap and Darien Young of Providence, Ademola Kayode Jr. of Warwick, Lucilo Mena of Cranston, and Tarriek Gill of Cumberland.

All were found separately in possession of firearms and have received counts of making false statements during purchase of said guns.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement to reduce gun violence.

Attorneys were not immediately available for comment.
A family maple syrup business in Vermont's Addison County is back up and running, after a costly crime that almost forced it to close.

This week, steam has been billowing from Alan and Cindy Mayer's sugarhouse in Bristol, as they boil down freshly-gathered sap into Vermont's famous maple syrup.

"It's been quite a journey," Cindy Mayer remarked of the rough months the couple has had.

Last November, axe-wielding vandals broke into their Bristol property, puncturing drums holding 340 gallons of their valuable product, spilling the syrup everywhere.

"Every time you touch something, you stick to it," Mayer told necn in November of 2017, as he showed the news station his syrup-covered floor.

The vandals also smashed critical equipment. All told, the crime was a more than $40,000 hit to both lost syrup and to equipment that needed replacing, the couple said.

Four months later, the Mayers are now back at the sideline job to their printing business, thanks to new purchases, a lot of work, and a used evaporator on loan from their equipment dealer, CDL.

A permanent replacement evaporator is expected to arrive this summer, the couple said.

"We did think, at some point, that, 'Oh my god, this is not worth it. It's just too much,'" Cindy Mayer told necn.

"I've been sugaring for well over 30 years now. I really enjoy it," Alan Mayer said in response to a question about why he did not quit his business. "I enjoy getting out in the woods, working on the lines, tapping the trees."

The couple also said they did not want to disappoint fans of their product  namely friends, family, and loyal customers  including shoppers at an annual craft show in Weston.

However, after the replacement system got up and running, Alan Mayer, who's also a volunteer fire chief, would still face more challenges.

He said headaches came first from this seasons wild weather swings that have been tough on sap flows. Then, Mayer said he was hit by yet another crime.

"Three weeks ago, unfortunately, we were broken into again, had some rather expensive equipment stolen that night," Alan Mayer said, adding that Vermont State Police have told him they're investigating a string of thefts around Addison County.

A call from necn seeking more information from the Vermont State Police New Haven barracks was not returned by the station's news deadline Thursday afternoon.

For now, the Mayers said several new security measures are in place at their sugarhouse.

After this sour spell, the couple is optimistic for a sweet finish to the spring tradition Vermonters so cherish.

"We've made some nice syrup," Alan Mayer said. "Very nice-flavored syrup this year."
Gorleston has a new parent / carer and toddler group which starts this week at St Mary Magdalene Church as part of their outreach into the community.

Gorleston has a new parent / carer and toddler group which starts this week at St Mary Magdalene Church as part of their outreach into the community.

Norwich FGB's explosive dinner invitation An invitation has been issued to hear the explosive testimony of Norfolk farmer Colin King at the next dinner of the Norwich FGB, at the Mercure Hotel in Norwich, on Monday October 18. Read more

Norwich drug worker takes a dive with her client A remarkable substance misuse worker from the Matthew Project is heading for the skies with her teenage client. Read more

Tributes paid to Norwich Mothers' Union president The Diocese of Norwich Mothers Union has announced the sad death of its "dedicated" President, Val Ovenden. Past President Marguerite Phillips pays tribute. Read more

Book now for 'Visions of Salvation' Julian retreat The Friends of Julian of Norwich present 'Visions of Salvation', a two day in-person and online retreat taking place on October 29 and 30. Read more

Ermie leads the way by saying yes to organ donation Organ Donation Week has been an opportunity to remember with gratitude much-loved parishioner Ermie Astorga from St Johns Cathedral, who passed away a year ago. Read more

Norfolk Christian League hails 'fantastic spirit' As the new football season starts, the most sporting team in the Norfolk Christian League from last season have been presented with a trophy for their fantastic spirit. Read more

The power of belonging to your church Regular contributor Jane Walters has recently become a member of her local church, and is discovering the joy of Christian teamwork. Read more

Gospel choir helps Norwich church Covid-19 reflections The Norwich Community Gospel Choir helped people to reflect on the Covid-19 pandemic at a concert at St Stephens Church in Norwich on Saturday September 28 as part of the churchs After The Storm event. Read more

Trustee vacancies at Community Chaplaincy Norfolk CCN is a Christian Charity which supports men and women leaving prison in Norfolk. We currently have a Trustee Board of six and are looking to appoint two or three new Trustees over the course of 2021/22. Read more

Gorleston youth project re-starts prayer meetings The Identity Youth Project in Gorleston has re-started regular in-person prayer gatherings, and all are welcome to join with them to pray for this vital work. Read more

Vacancy for Clerk to the Trustees of Carters Trust Norwich-based charity Carters Trust is looking to employ a Clerk to the Trustees to assist in the administration of the Trust, the maintenance of financial records, compliance with Charities Acts and other legal obligations, and correspondence. Read more

Norwich event explores ministry in poor communities Sara Barron, Executive Director of the National Estates Church Network, will be speaking in Norwich about ministry in low-income communities. Read more

YMCA Norfolk - Policy, Performance and Compliance Co-ordinator YMCA Norfolk is looking for a Policy, Performance and Compliance Co-Ordinator to ensure compliance and consistency with regard to the implementation of our policies and procedures. Read more

Norwich preacher pays ultimate price for mission to the poor Tributes have been paid to a courageous Norwich Methodist preacher, who gave up everything and moved to Pakistan to follow Gods call to serve the poorest of the poor, and who has died suddenly. Read more

Tournament heralds start of Norfolk Christian league The start of the 2021/22 Norfolk Christian Football League season was heralded by the traditional 11-a-side tournament for half a dozen teams at Sloughbottom Park on Saturday September 18. Read more

N Norfolk Christian artists in Open Studios event Two faith-filled artists from the Fakenham area will be taking part in the Norfolk Open Studios event starting later this month. Read more

Nourishment for the body as well as the spirit? Robert Ashton wonders if there is scope for our parish churches to provide a further service for their local communities. Read more


Yarmouth church is victim of arson and hate crime Yarmouth church is victim of arson and hate crime

2018: A Great Yarmouth church has been the victim of an arson attack and shocking religious hate crime with a picture of a devil left on its holy altar. Keith Morris reports

St Marys Catholic Church in Regent Road suffered the desecration on Tuesday March 27 when a man walked into the open church, lit a couple of small fires, including attempting to burn a sacred icon taken off the churchs altar. As well as this a picture of a satanic figure was left in the icons place on the holy altar.



The incident has been reported to Norfolk Police who are investigating and appealing for anyone with information to come forward.



The attack has been condemned by Parish Priest Fr Anthony Nwankwo and by the Bishop of East Anglia, Rt Rev Alan Hopes, who pledged that the incident would not stop the Diocese leaving its churches across the region open as places of prayer and sanctuary.



Fr Anthony said: I was shocked and saddened when I discovered what had happened. When I looked at the altar I saw this picture of something satanic. My immediate thought was to get some holy water and use it with prayer to nullify what the person had done.



It is a clear attack on the church and our religion which is not acceptable. If people do not like what we do here they can just stay away. Such an attack on our church can never succeed.



Our parishioners are shocked and sad about what has happened but I was very encouraged by the number of people who came to Mass this morning in support.



Our church and sanctuary has been desecrated. When I celebrated Mass this morning I did not use the altar or sanctuary, because I felt the altar has been desecrated.



Something similar happened four months ago when someone came into the church and left a satanic picture at the foot of a cross we have at the back of the church. Two weeks ago someone came in and stole a microphone we use on the altar.



We will not close the church but to use the altar and sanctuary we need to go through a service to reconsecrate the area. As part of that we will also ask for forgiveness for the person who did this, said Fr Anthony.



Brian Lafferty, who has been a parishioner for 33 years and is on the parish council, said he was appalled: I have never seen anything like it before and it is quite disturbing really, especially in this day and age. I was totally shocked and disgusted when I saw it and there is no room for it in todays society.



If you want to celebrate like that and worship other gods there are other places you can go. Here, we worship the one God.



The Police told me that they regard it as a really serious crime because of both the arson and the religious hatred element to it.



We have clear CCTV pictures of the man who did this, which we have given to the Police and the church is alarmed. But we will be open for business as soon as possible after Fr Anthony has re-blessed the church this morning.



Bishop Alan Hopes said: I am very saddened by what has happened, especially in Holy Week which is the most important week in the churchs year. I am hoping it is not a hate crime, but whoever did it needs to know that he is already forgiven because that is part of who we are as Christians, but we pray that this wont happen again.



Whatever happens, our churches should remain open because they are places where people can find sanctuary and Gods presence, somewhere to pray and bring their concerns to God.



Investigating officer PC Lewis Gilmore, said: We are treating this very seriously and this is being investigated as a hate incident. I would appeal to anyone who may have information concerning the incident or the person responsible to come forward. We do have CCTV which is being examined as part of our enquiries.



Anyone with information should contact PC Gilmore at Great Yarmouth Police Station on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.



Pictured above are Fr Anthony and Brian Lafferty with the damaged icon in front of the desecrated altar and sanctuary (below) at St Marys in Great Yarmouth. Pictures by Keith Morris.








Lives changed in Uganda by Norfolk Christian charity Lives changed in Uganda by Norfolk Christian charity

A Norfolk charity providing healthcare and education to vulnerable people in Uganda recently sent a team to visit the project  and they invite people to join their next trip.

In February, a team of ten people visited Uganda with the Charity Africa With Love (Registered Charity 1079952) The charity works in Kyubira village near Masaka, they have built three schools for around 1000 children and a health centre. Due to the increase in patients this year they have commenced building a larger health centre.



The charity was founded by Norfolk Christian couple Rosemary and George Willard and every year teams from the UK visit the project. Africa With Love is making a remarkable difference in the lives of young people, since the majority of children who have AIDS are unable to attend school in Uganda. However, the charity is unique because it offers medical assistance alongside education. Rosemary said, Due to the medication these children need to take, they need to be monitored every day. Some children come as day pupils if they live near by the schools but many parents are asking if the children can board at our school. This year is the first time we have accepted a child to board with full blown AIDS.



Often, children with AIDS cannot attend school and feel so isolated, but we are able to say YES you can come to school, and they know that if they have any problems, immediately they can go to our Health Centre and receive help.



The team on the February visit included a doctor and nurse from Barnsley arranged for an eye testing day as over 60 pairs of glasses had been donated. In addition, visits were made to people in the surrounding villages to people who could not attend the health centre.



The team had sent clothes, shoes and educational materials in advance to be distributed while they were there. Older people are known as Jajjas, which translates as grandparents, and a day was designated for washing bowls and soap to be given out to the Jajjas as well as beans, rice, maize flour, sugar, tea bags and biscuits. Rosemary said, This program was meant to commence at 2pm after church, but many of them arrived at the school gates by 8am, so they attended church first.



The health centre is also blessed to have a full maternity unit, which is unheard of in a village, so many lives have been saved - both mothers and babies. Rosemary said, In January the first set of twins were born and the staff were very happy to deliver them.



The dates to visit in 2019 are from the Wednesday February 6 until Thursday February 21, arriving back on Friday. If you would like to join the team please contact Africa With Love at africacharity@hotmail.co.uk They will be pleased to give you full information.



You can also see more by visiting Africa Facebook and if you would like to donate to help with the building of the new Health Center please go to the fundraising page

https://www.gofundme.com/jajja-george-health-center



Pictured above: Building of the new health centre and some of the children


DANBURY  The health network that runs Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford hospitals is joining forces with a four-hospital group in New York to form a $2.4 billion medical system stretching from the Hudson River to the shores of Long Island Sound.

The merger of the Western Connecticut Health Network and Health Quest Systems, which is subject to approval by the states of Connecticut and New York and the Federal Trade Commission, would create a seven-hospital network serving 1.5 million people.

You have two health networks of similar size coming together in a powerful way to provide more access and capacity for our residents and community members, said Robert Friedberg, the president and CEO of Health Quest, told Hearst Connecticut Media. This is a pretty dramatic change, because usually with a deal like this, the health networks are not equals, and you dont have this sharing of perspective.

The merger, described as a mutually beneficial deal that brings together 2,600 physicians and 12,000 employees, is designed to strengthen the networks position in western Connecticut and the lower Hudson Valley.

We think that collectively we will be able to bring in services that we currently dont have, such as neurosurgical procedures that require a high volume in order to attract physicians, said Dr. John Murphy, president and CEO of Western Connecticut Health Network. We might be able to bring in pediatric specialties and certain types of cancer treatments.

Murphy added that large-scale layoffs are not planned, although there are likely to be redundant positions at the department head level.

The merger, signed Monday night, would place under single ownership Western Connecticuts hospitals in Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford, and Health Quests four hospitals  including Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Putnam Hospital Center just over the border in Carmel, N.Y.

It will be up to the FTC and the health departments and the state attorney generals in Connecticut and New York to decide whether the deal can go forward, a process that could take as long as 10 months to complete, Murphy said.

States will handle the review in approving our certificates of need, and the FTC has to review it for any anti-competitive concerns, Murphy said.

The merger comes a day after the announcement that Bridgeports St. Vincents Medical Center, owned by Missouri-based Ascension, is being sold to Hartford HealthCare, and six weeks after Western Connecticut reached an agreement with one of the largest health organizations in the country  New York-based Northwell Health  to leverage its expertise in areas such as workforce development and purchasing power.

Western Connecticut maintained its autonomy in the agreement with the much-larger Northwell, an $11 billion system with 23 hospitals and 650 outpatient clinics.

This is entirely different, Murphy said of the merger with Health Quest. Both Health Quest and Western Connecticut Health Network are committed to making health care more affordable and convenient, and providing health care services that neither of us could do independently.

Murphy added that there are benefits to the merger while the two networks wait for approvals.

The process of joining forces helps us understand that our organizations are alike in many aspects and that we can learn from the areas where we may approach things differently, Murphy said. (This) will ultimately strengthen our relationship and help drive quality and enhance the patient experience.

What to call the new network is a job for marketers, who were reluctant this week to share what early ideas are gaining traction.

The hospitals will retain their place names, and the new network will remain nonprofit, officials said, offering care to everyone in the community, regardless of their ability to pay.
DANBURY  When she was growing up, Brittany Schappach received little encouragement about becoming a scientist. Even after she began working on a biology degree, people would ask her why she wanted to do something so hard.

But now, as a senior at Western Connecticut State University, she has found support from her female advisers, and has just presented at a conference with fellow senior Sandra Zapata-Ramirez, on their work related to ticks.

It was a great opportunity to find that scientific support, said Schappach, who plans to pursue a masters degree in medical entomology and along with research opportunities.

Schappach and Zapata-Ramirez are two of 120 women enrolled in WCSUs biology program, where female students account for about 58 percent of the total.

But while women represent the majority of students in life sciences, they are still underrepresented in most of the other STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This year at WCSU, women account for just 36.5 percent of those enrolled in STEM programs.

The situation at WCSU reflects the numbers across the country, which explains why efforts are being made in the private and public sectors to encourage girls to pursue STEM subjects and to seek careers in the STEM fields.

Nationally, 59 percent of bachelors degrees in biological and biomedical sciences were earned by women, according to data released in 2016 by the National Center for Education Statistics. But women accounted for just 35.1 percent of bachelors degrees awarded in all STEM majors taken together.

At the University of Connecticut, however, women make up about 49 percent of STEM majors, which include nearly 50 different disciplines ranging from horticulture to statistics to computer engineering.

More Information National breakdown of women earning STEM degrees Biological and biomedical sciences: 59 percent of bachelor's, 57.3 percent of master's, 53.3 percent of doctorates Mathematics and statistics: 43 percent of bachelor's, 40.6 percent of master's, 27.9 percent of doctorates Physical sciences and science technologies: 38.5 percent of bachelor's degrees, 37.5 percent of master's and 34.3 percent of doctorates Engineering and engineering technologies: 18.7 percent of bachelor's degrees, 25.2 percent of master's degrees and 23.3 percent of doctorates Computer and information sciences and support services: 18 percent of bachelor's degrees, 30.4 percent of master's degrees and 22.5 percent of doctorates See More Collapse

The disparity is likely the result of cultural influences rather than aptitude. According to a global study published last month by the Association for Psychological Science, girls perform as well as or better than boys in science in two-thirds of the 67 countries reviewed. The study also concluded that many more girls are capable of college-level success in STEM fields than actually enter them.

Interestingly, women were more likely to pursue STEM degrees and careers in countries with greater gender inequity, because higher-paying STEM jobs promise greater financial freedom. But in countries such as the U.S., where inequities are less evident, women can pursue their interests, which generally arent STEM-oriented, the APS study said.

For Zapata-Ramirez, who moved to Bethel from Peru when she was 10, becoming a scientist was always a goal. But as a student learning English, she got little encouragement from her high school teachers

She was motivated instead by her mother, who had earned a psychiatry degree in Peru.

She said I need to do something and rise above and be better, Zapata-Ramirez said.

She also got encouragement from her professors at WCSU, including Neeta Connally and Rayda Krell, who oversee the universitys Tickborne Disease Prevention Lab.

Connally and Krell both said the dearth of women in STEM fields results partly from the lack of female mentors  roles they are now determined to play.

Our goal is to really encourage their interests so they can pursue what they like, Connally said.

Today at WCSU, six of 11 biology professors are women; five of the last six hires were women.

Stereotypes also play a role in steering women away from STEM subjects, especially in a field like entomology, with its focus on insects.

People think girls dont like bugs, but theyre really interesting creatures, Connally said. Were trying to break the mold.

Connally said women often start college with plans to go into nursing or other health-related professions, but find themselves intrigued by other scientific fields in their classes.

On the engineering side, however, high school girls are seldom told about the opportunities available to them, which helps account for the disparity between men and women in the field, said Mary Bidwell, associate dean of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield.

But that might be changing, partly owing the colleges outreach to women, she said.

The school has always attracted women to the welding and fabrication programs, but shes now seeing more female applicants to programs like electromechanical engineering and computerized numerical control machining, which can be used as a stepping stone to an engineering degree. About 10 percent of enrollees in these programs are women.

She said female graduates usually are hired quickly, showing the growing demand for women in the field.

Theyre all out there doing well and growing with the companies, Bidwell said. Its a very male-dominated environment, but the diversity is increasing in the manufacturing field.

After college

While the number of undergraduates in STEM subjects is increasing, there is still a large disparity for women entering these fields professionally.

Women accounted for about 47 percent of the national workforce in 2015, but just 24 percent of the 8.6 million STEM jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Women accounted for more than half of the college-educated workforce, but just 25 percent of college-educated STEM workers.

Only 23 percent of women with STEM degrees, or 800,000 women, actually work in STEM fields. According to the Commerce Department report, women with STEM degrees are more likely to work in education or health care than in STEM occupations.

Engineering is the most popular STEM field of study for working men, who outnumber women in the field by a 2-1 ratio. Computer science, which had roughly equal shares of men and women in 2009, has become far more male-dominated over the past six years, with men more than twice as likely as women to earn computer degrees, according to the report.
NEW MILFORD  Two drivers escaped serious injuries after their cars fell into the Housatonic River during an accident on River Road.

Police said the accident occurred at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when a black Lexus IS300 that was traveling southbound moved to the far right to provide more room for a white 2016 Jeep Cherokee that was coming in the other direction.
Brushing teeth is an important part of dental hygiene. A regular routine for teeth care is necessary for maintaining good dental health.

Normally, dentists recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day. The duration of brushing should last two minutes and the toothpaste you use should contain fluoride. However, this does not answer a rather interesting question that has been debated fiercely online.

Image Credit: Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock

When should you wet your toothbrush?

A virtual war on the microblogging site Twitter has people arguing about the finer nuances of brushing teeth. More specifically, when you should wet your toothbrush while brushing your teeth.

There is a school of thought which does not want to dilute the fluoride content in the toothpaste. In fact, those that support this believe often urge people not to wet the toothbrush before or after applying the toothpaste to it.

Wet the toothbrush, put toothpaste on , wet that boy again . Then brush . Thats law https://t.co/rAEpt9NUM8  Djack (@darienj_5) February 14, 2018

Another group feels that the toothbrush needs to be cleaned with water before use. These individuals reason that there may be bacteria build up in the bristles during the hours that it stood after being used last.

Others report having seen cockroaches in the bathroom that may climb over the toothbrush at night. These individuals insist that the toothbrush must be washed well and disinfected before placing it in the mouth.

There are also certain people who wet the toothbrush and then add the toothpaste, as well as others who apply the toothpaste and then wet the toothbrush. Certain individuals have even stated that they prefer to wet the toothbrush and squeeze the toothpaste directly on to the tongue.

Needless to say, there are many people following all kinds of brushing etiquette, so whats the right way to brush your teeth? What actually helps preserve the health of your teeth?

The expert opinion

Even expert opinion is divided when it comes to the wet or dry toothbrush debate.

Dr. Nigel Carter feels that the most effective application is to not use water at all and use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. As per Dr. Carter, the water weakens the bristles and makes them less effective in cleaning teeth. Moreover, he does recommend brushing for a full two minutes prior to going to bed each night. According to Dr. Carter, the best way to brush is to keep the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to aid in the removal of food debris and bacteria from along the gum line.

Professor Damien Walmsley is a scientific adviser to the British Dental Association. As per Professor Walmsley, toothpaste is a means of getting fluoride onto the teeth. Fluoride helps to make the teeth more resistant to decay. What matters is that the fluoride comes in contact with the teeth, and a moist toothbrush is likely to make the experience of brushing your teeth more pleasant. Professor Walmsley recommends that fluoride toothpaste is used to brush the teeth twice a day; one of which should be the last thing at night.

Brushing advice from the American Dental Association is to brush your teeth twice a day. While opinion is divided about brushing before or after breakfast for the first time in the day, everyone agrees that the second time should be after you have finished dinner and are not going to eat any more. This makes sense, because the bacteria build up will occur much faster if there are food particles in the mouth overnight.

Tips to brush your teeth

People still end up with tooth decay because they are not brushing their teeth correctly. Often, children are not taught how to brush their teeth in a proper manner because their parents do not know how to brush their teeth properly either.

The National Health Service of the United Kingdom offers some advice about brushing:

It does not matter if you use an electric toothbrush or a manual one, as long as you brush your teeth for a total duration of about two minutes.

The toothbrush should have a small head and a compact arrangement of long and short bristles which are round-ended.

Brushing immediately before going to bed is extremely important and the habit should be inculcated in children from the age of seven onwards.

The toothpaste used should contain at least 1,350 parts per million fluorides. Check the packaging to see how much fluoride your brand of toothpaste contains.

Children do not need to use special childrens toothpaste, as the regular toothpaste will work fine for them. While this may be true, it is important to ensure that children only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and do not swallow it.

While brushing your teeth, ensure that you brush the inside surface, outside surface, and chewing surface of all the teeth.

Once you finish brushing your teeth, spit out the excess toothpaste, but try not to use too much water to rinse your mouth. This will wash away the fluoride coated on the teeth during brushing.

After brushing, it is not recommended to use mouthwash immediately. The fluoride from the toothpaste will wash away with the mouthwash gargle.

Use a fluoride mouthwash about half an hour after you brush. Try not to eat or drink for half an hour after using mouthwash.

References

Further Reading
Mothers with mitochondrial DNA mutations often give birth to children who face incurable and fatal illnesses. But a much-studied form of mitochondrial replacement (MR) could prevent the transmission of such diseases from mothers to children, researchers say.

For that reason, two researchers argue that the U.S. moratorium that includes MR should be reconsidered through a process that engages the public, medical professionals, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Congress.

The authors -- Eli Adashi, a professor of medical science at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School, and Harvard Law School professor I. Glenn Cohen -- make their case in a March 2018 commentary in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Such a process could clarify the benefits of the procedure -- namely, the births of healthy children -- and decouple it from misplaced concerns about genetic editing of embryos, the authors wrote. MR therapy simply replaces mutation-bearing mitochondria in oocytes (unfertilized, un-implanted eggs) with donated mutation-free mitochondria.

"A thousand children are born every year in the U.S. with serious, life-threatening issues that in a better world could be prevented by mitochondrial replacement," Adashi said. "While I have every respect for the sanctity of life, this issue is not about the sanctity of life. There is an inherent hypocrisy in holding this procedure hostage at the expense of 1,000 children each year who are doomed to die a painful death. There is nothing anti-life about the procedure, because no embryo is destroyed, and the life of baby is saved."

The moratorium

In 2016, legislation was passed that prohibits U.S.-based research in which a human embryo is intentionally created or modified, the study notes. While MR does not modify or "enhance" the nuclear genome, according to Adashi, replacing mutation-bearing mitochondria with donated mutation-free mitochondria falls under the general category of procedures prohibited by the moratorium.

In their commentary, Adashi and Cohen point out that the authors of the legislation are anonymous and that no congressional hearings, floor discussions or public engagement took place before its passage.

The authors surmise that the legislation may have been intended primarily to prevent embryo loss, a concern that does not apply to MR. A public process of reevaluating MR's inclusion in the moratorium could help to clarify that MR takes place before an embryo exists. The donated mitochondria are placed within unfertilized eggs, which can then be fertilized so that women can give birth to genetically related, disease-free children.

It is possible, Adashi said, that a misunderstanding of the sweeping nature of the legislation inadvertently bars the procedure.

"Mitochondrial replacement is best viewed as life-enhancing in its outlook by dint of its capacity to alleviate human suffering in a context where no other option exists," the authors wrote.

Impact of the moratorium

The moratorium deprives affected American families of the opportunity to prevent inherited, incurable and agonizing mitochondrial disease in their children, the authors contend.

Mitochondrial diseases include Leigh syndrome, a progressive and fatal disorder characterized by lesions on the brain that may lead to heart, kidney, vision and breathing complications, and Alpers Disease, a neurologic illness that causes seizures, dementia, spasticity, blindness, liver dysfunction and cerebral degeneration.

The moratorium may also induce American families to seek care outside of the country, according to Adashi and Cohen. They noted that a U.S.-led team in Mexico may have prevented Leigh syndrome in a child by replacing the mutation-bearing mitochondria of oocytes with donated mutation-free oocytes.

"This development calls into question the regulatory utility of a national moratorium in a globalized world wherein cross-border care is increasingly prevalent," Adashi and Cohen wrote in the study. It also creates risks, the authors assert, because there is no FDA oversight of these procedures that take place outside the U.S. border.

A path forward

Adashi and Cohen recommend that a coalition of patient and advocacy groups, medical professionals and legislators convene congressional hearings on the prevention of mitochondrial diseases. They also suggest convening a public meeting of the FDA's Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee, charged with regulating reproductive technologies, to review the state-of-the-art procedure.

They also recommend stringent FDA oversight, the conditional approval of biologic licensing applications, clinic-specific licensing, possible sunset contingency provisions, and long-term intergenerational follow-up of the children of mothers who undergo mitochondrial replacement to determine the continuing safety and efficacy of the intervention.

In the U.K., a careful 15-year vetting process resulted in a vote in Parliament that approved MR under stringent regulatory oversight. In the U.S., on the other hand, "Congress legislated a statute that prohibits the FDA from adjudicating research into a range of procedures hereby treating the issue with a broad brush," Adashi said.

"They spent 15 years studying it -- the science, the safety, the ethics -- and they asked the British public what they thought," he added. "Now MR is legal but regulated by an agency that has been proceeding very cautiously, with just one clinic licensed to perform the procedure."

What this means, Adashi said, is that parents who are at risk for transmitting mitochondrial disease to their children may now undergo MR and have children who are not born with agonizing and untreatable diseases. American parents, Adashi and Cohen wrote in the commentary, deserve nothing less.
Thousands of women undergo operations to get pelvic meshes inserted surgically within their lower bodies to prevent prolapsing of the abdominal organs after childbirth complications.

Studies including one from the Journal of Prenatal Medicine, have shown that after childbirth, there is a risk of poor bladder and bowel control in one fifth of all women. Because of the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic floor becoming weak, there is a risk of the organs prolapsing or dropping down. This makes urination, defecation and intercourse painful. These meshes are supposed to protect the abdominal organs from sagging by providing support. The mesh is inserted in a short 20 minute procedure to provide support to the pelvic floor.

So like many other women, an Australian woman Linda Schulz, 48 too went in for a pelvic mesh implant. After the procedure however, she started feeling numb in her right leg. Within a few weeks the mesh cut into her abdominal and pelvic organs and it was painful for her to move without feeling the mesh cut into her like a knife. So she along with hundreds of other women last year petitioned the Australian Senate to look into these procedures as they were all suffering from these dreadful complications after surgery. The Senate looked into the matter and after around a year, they released their findings in a report yesterday (28th of March 2018).

The enquiry began in February 2017 after Sen. Derryn Hinch heard the petition from the affected women. All through 2017, the Senate conducted hearings of the patients and the implant makers. The women complained of several injuries they suffered from the implants and the pain. Some of them even reported injuring their partners when they had intercourse with a splinter that had broken off from the implant.

According to the latest report from the Senate, these implants must be the last resort. They raised the issues with lack of information regarding the procedure provided to the patients beforehand so that they could make an informed choice. They found that the medical practitioners had been overusing the procedure where there could have been other treatment alternatives. These alternative options were not informed to the patients, the report said. The report outlines several recommendations regarding the treatment guidelines for prolapse. It also outlines the training of the medical personnel in this regard and attempts to stop and prevent the financial inducements from the makers to the medical personnel. All high risk implant devices need to be recorded and a list of procedures conducted in the past also need to be provided for audit, the report says.

Sen. Rachel Siewert spoke to the Senate while releasing the report stating, Women that have had those implants, who have those outcomes ... have been failed in a monumental way by the system and by certain people in the medical profession who they trusted I hope that we never have to have another inquiry where we see such suffering from the witnesses.

This January, Johnson & Johnson, one of the makers of these meshes, withdrew their product from the Australian market after a legal action from over 800 women who had suffered after the implant.
A new study looks at what problems affect people most after a stroke and it provides a broader picture than what some may usually expect to see. Stroke affects more than just physical functioning, according to a study is published the March 28, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"After a stroke, people who have only mild disability can often have 'hidden' problems that can really affect their quality of life," said study author Irene L. Katzan, MD, MS, of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "And for people with more disability, what bothers them the most? Problems with sleep? Depression? Fatigue? Not many studies have asked people how they feel about these problems, and we doctors have often focused just on physical disability or whether they have another stroke."

The study involved 1,195 people who had an ischemic stroke, or a stroke where blood flow to part of the brain is blocked. They were asked questions about their physical functioning, fatigue, anxiety, sleep problems, thinking skills such as planning and organizing, how much their pain affects other aspects of their life and their satisfaction with their current social roles and activities.

Participants took the questionnaires an average of 100 days after their stroke, and about a quarter of the participants needed help from a family member to fill out the questionnaires. Researchers also measured their level of disability.

The people with stroke had scores that were considerably worse than those in the general population in every area except sleep and depression. Not surprisingly, the area where the people with stroke were most affected was physical functioning, where 63 percent had scores considered meaningfully worse than those of the general population, with an average score of 59, where a score of 50 is considered the population average.

On the question about whether they were satisfied with their social roles and activities, 58 percent of people with stroke had scores meaningfully worse than those of the general population.

"People may benefit from social support programs and previous studies have shown a benefit from efforts to improve the social participation of people with stroke, especially exercise programs," said Katzan.

The thinking skills of people with stroke in executive function, or planning and organizing, were also affected, with 46 percent having scores that were meaningfully worse than the population average.

"The social participation and executive functioning skills are areas that have not received a lot of attention in stroke rehabilitation," Katzan said. "We need to better understand how these areas affect people's well-being and determine strategies to help optimize their functioning."

Limitations of the study include that the questionnaires did not ask about other problems that can occur after stroke, such as communication issues. Also, the study participants had milder strokes on average than people with stroke overall and the average age of participants was 62, which is lower than the average age of 69 for people with stroke overall.

Source: https://www.aan.com/
A man from United Kingdom has acquired a gonorrhea infection with bacteria that is resistant to most antibiotics used commonly against it. The man has a regular sexual partner but picked up this superbug from a sexual encounter with a partner in south-east Asia earlier this year.

Bacteria Neisseria 3D illustration. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock

According to the Public Health England, this is the first time that the health officials are faced with gonorrhea bacteria that is unresponsive to the standard first line antibiotics that are commonly used against it. The first line antibiotics against gonorrhea infection are a combination of ceftriaxone and azithromycin. According to Dr Gwenda Hughes, from PHE says that this level of resistance has not been seen before to both the commonly used drugs as well as other first line antibiotics. The World Health Organization and the European Centres for Disease Control agree with the PHE that this is the first case of its kind. At present the officials are on the lookout for more cases and the possible risks of the other sexual partners this man may have had who may be at risk of the infection.

Gonorrhoea, historically known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is caused by bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as gonococcus. Gonorrhoea is the second most common bacterial STI. It ranks after chlamydia in incidence. Persons with multiple sexual partners who do not use barrier contraceptives like condoms are particularly at risk.

The infection spreads via unprotected sexual encounters. Gonococcus is present in the discharge from the penis and vaginal fluid of the infected men and women. It can be passed from person to person by having unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex. It can also be transmitted by sharing sex toys and vibrators with an infected individual without washing or covering them with a condom at each use. Gonococcus can also be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her baby.

There may be no symptoms of the infection in half of the individuals. The incubation period is usually taken as being between 2 and 5 days. There may be a discharge from the vagina or penis accompanied by pain during urination, bleeding between periods in women etc. Gonorrhoea can be easily diagnosed through a simple swab test or men may be asked to provide a urine sample.

Gonorrhoea is treatable with antibiotics. Treatment should begin as early as possible. If left untreated, gonorrhoea can lead to more serious long-term health problems. Some of the long term problems associated with untreated gonorrhoea include infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease. In men, if left untreated, complications like inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis); prostate gland (prostatitis) and urethral structure (urethritis) may occur.

According to Dr Hughes, this patient is being treated with other alternative antibiotics. The PHE is trying to stop the transmission of this infection and detect inadvertent transmission during the incubation period of the infection she added. Experts in the field are concerned about the emergence of resistant strains of these bacteria. Dr. Hughes emphasized the need for renewed efforts to advise people on practicing safe sex to avoid getting infected. According to the WHO, 78 million new infections of gonorrhea occur every year worldwide with 820,000 new gonorrhea infections annually in the United States according to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
A new survey from Sleep Cycle, the best-selling alarm clock application, reveals that Americans turn to a number of foods, drinks, herbs and bedtime rituals to get a good night's sleep.

The national survey of 1,004 U.S. adults was conducted online by Propeller Insights on behalf of Sleep Cycle in January 2018.

I Get Shut-Eye With a Little Help From My Friends

Americans are not shy about using foods, beverages or substances that might enhance their sleep quality. Perhaps surprisingly, herbal sleep aidslike tea and melatonintop the list of favorites. And foods rich in calcium and magnesiumlike bananas and ice creamrank higher than pharmaceutical sleep aids like Ambien. Marijuana is also a popular nightcap:

Tea  21 percent

Melatonin  15 percent

Marijuana  14 percent

Milk and cookies  14 percent

Nyquil or Tylenol PM  12 percent

Bananas  12 percent

Soup  11 percent

Alcohol  10 percent

Ice cream  10 percent

Ambien, Xanax or other sleeping pills  nine percent

Americans also perform all kinds of rituals to get a good night's sleep. Top rituals include: sleeping with a fan or white noise machine (28 percent), taking a hot bath or shower before bed (26 percent) and reading a relaxing book (21 percent). One in 10 also put away their phone or computer at least an hour before bed, but 28 percent sleep with their TV on all night.

(Don't) Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

A full half of Americans (51 percent) say they wake up on their own each morning.

Another third (37 percent) rely on an alarm clock app and a quarter (24 percent) get woken up by pets or kids. Almost 1 in 10 Americans (9 percent) say they don't have a specific wake-up time.

A lucky two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans say they rarely or never have nightmares, while the remaining third (34 percent) have nightmares often or nightly.

Factoring in politics, 23 percent of Americans would sleep better if former President Obama were back in the Oval Office, but 19 percent are not losing sleep over President Trump. About half as many (nine percent) would sleep more soundly if Bernie Sanders were running the show, but only a minority would get more rest if Hillary Clinton (six percent), Oprah (five percent) or J.K. Rowling (three percent) were in office.

About a third of Americans (32 percent) say their sleep would not improve regardless of who is in the White House.

I Would Do Anything to Snooze (But I Won't Do That)

It turns out Americans would give up quite a lot for a full, uninterrupted eight hours of quality sleep. Social media would be first to go (27 percent). This is followed by:

Chocolate  21 percent

Streaming services or cable TV  13 percent

Sex  11 percent

Their fitness routine  10 percent

A minority of Americans would even be willing to give up their job (eight percent), spouse (seven percent), pet (seven percent) or kids (five percent). In all, almost three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) would be willing to give up something.

More than half of Americans (59 percent) would give up their favorite food if it made them sleep poorly. Just as many (59 percent) have lied in order to sneak additional sleep time. And more than a third (35 percent) have feigned illness for the sake of a good lie-in. Lastly, 12 percent have put off sex by claiming a headache to get to bed earlier.

"Our data shows that Americans really value their sleep and are willing to make extreme sacrifices for a good night's rest," said Carl Johan Hederoth, CEO Northcube, the creators of Sleep Cycle. "Luckily, that's not necessary. Sleep Cycle is the app to help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day."

Source: https://www.sleepcycle.com/
Thought Leaders Prof. Jack Gilbert Director of The Microbiome Center University of Chicago

An interview with Professor Jack Gilbert, conducted by Alina Shrourou, BSc.

What is a microbiome and why are microbiomes unique to an individual?

A microbiome is the sum total of the microbes of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live inside your body. They are all over your skin and in your gut. Bacteria alone accounts for 2-3 lbs of your body mass.

 vrx/Shutterstock.com

What's interesting is that when you're born, you're mostly sterile. You acquire microbes from your mother and the environment. Then, the way you live your life and the things you interact with shape the kind of microbes that colonize and live inside you. This results in your own unique profile, and even identical twins have different profiles.

Please outline the Burglary Microbiome Project that you discussed at Pittcon 2018.

We've been trying to understand if our bacterial signature can act like a fingerprint, and be used as some kind of forensic tool, like trace evidence.

We emit around 36 million bacterial cells into our immediate environment every single hour  so if a burglar in a room for 10 minutes touches objects and leaves behind some their bacteria, can we detect their personal bacterial signature by obtaining some of the bacteria present in the room?

It could then be possible to sequence the information, as we do with human DNA at a crime scene, and therefore identify that individual.

Its an interesting idea, and at the moment it's a very early research project that were working on with the National Institute of Justice.

How do you determine whether a microbial organism is associated with a particular trait?

Weve been trying to see if the bacterial signature that lives inside us is somehow correlated with our lifestyle choices.

The signature that belongs to you is very much determined by how you've lived your life; whether you had pets growing up, whether you grew up in a city or a farm etc, are all factored in.

Different working environments can determine what bacteria live inside you, how they grow and how theyre distributed, so we wanted to see if that correlates. We built up a database of over 12,000 people and we've been correlating how similar our mock burglars microbiome signatures are to people in our database. It's complicated, but we're getting really close to identifying somebody's lifestyle traits based on the microbial signature they leave behind at a crime scene.

What analytical techniques are you using to identify microbial biomarkers?

We leverage genome sequencing, especially the Illumina platforms - DNA extraction, and PCR amplification, much the same way as we would with human DNA sequences. We identify a particular gene present in all bacteria which we then sequence and use to determine which bacterial organisms are present in different subjects and what makes an individual unique.

We then produce a probability estimate that your bacteria would be found in a certain environment. Using advanced statistical techniques, we try and identify whether your bacterias sequencing data can place you at that crime scene.

Please outline any specific biomarkers that you have already identified in this project.

The way in which we analyze the microbiota is by looking for unique strains of organisms. We all have one particular species of E. coli living inside our gut, and we all have Staphylococcus epidermidis living in our skin, but each individual has a strain with a genotype and genome unique to them. It evolves with you and mutates over time, and we call those mutations biomarkers.

We're using that information to try and identify whether we can pull out particular genotypic mutations, or biomarkers, which are unique to an individual.

If an individuals lifestyle can change throughout their lifetime, does this mean that their microbiome can too? If so, are microbiome signatures always an accurate identification tool?

We are trying to answer a very particular question; whether the microbiome profile of an individual is stable and stays with you throughout your life.

We hypothesize based on all the data we've collected that we have a unique strain based composition which is a fingerprint of our microbiota, but we havent proved this, and there are lots of factors that could alter this theory.

Part of this project is to try and identify whether our microbial fingerprint stable, and how stable it is. Once you leave a trace of your bacteria signature on a doorknob or television set, does it decay? And if so, how rapidly?

Using Microbiome Analysis for Crime Scene Investigation Play

Using Microbiome Analysis for Crime Scene Investigation from AZoNetwork on Vimeo.

What do you think the future holds for using an individuals unique microbiome in this way? Or for other applications?

The future is really exciting. We can potentially use the microbiome in forensic science, but that would be in the distant future. The human DNA program for forensic evidence took decades, and were only just starting our journey.

What's most exciting is we can also use the microbiome information inside our bodies in personalized medicine, using the microbiome to predict whether an individual will respond to a particular therapy.

We could screen a cancer patients microbiome and determine if they have the biomarkers that can indicate their response to immunotherapy, which can help health care professionals identify their ideal strategy for therapy. We can use this to tailor treatment to the individual rather than the average treatment of a population.

How can Pittcon 2018 help you with your research?

What's exciting about Pittcon is that it brings together a whole group of technological experts in areas that I wouldn't normally have access to.

Being able to access the breadth of experience and technologies that are available to me here gives me more opportunities to expand my research objectives and to do something novel and exciting, that perhaps I wouldn't normally have the chance to be involved in.

Pittcon - Real World Analytical Chemistry Play

About Prof. Jack Gilbert

Professor Jack A Gilbert earned his Ph.D. from Unilever and Nottingham University, UK in 2002, and received his postdoctoral training at Queens University, Canada. He subsequently returned to the UK in 2005 to Plymouth Marine Laboratory at a senior scientist until his move to Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago in 2010.

Currently, Professor Gilbert is the Director of the Microbiome Center and a Professor of Surgery at the University of Chicago. He is also Group Leader for Microbial Ecology at Argonne National Laboratory, Research Associate at the Field Museum of Natural History, Scientific Fellow at the Marine Biological Laboratory, and the Yeoh Ghim Seng Visiting Professorship in Surgery at the National University of Singapore.

Gilbert uses molecular analysis to test fundamental hypotheses in microbial ecology. He has authored more than 250 peer reviewed publications and book chapters on metagenomics and approaches to ecosystem ecology. He is the founding Editor in Chief of mSystems journal. In 2014 he was recognized on Crains Business Chicagos 40 Under 40 List, and in 2015 he was listed as one of the 50 most influential scientists by Business Insider, and in the Brilliant Ten by Popular Scientist.

In 2016 he won the Altemeier Prize from the Surgical Infection Society, and the WH Pierce Prize from the Society for Applied Microbiology for research excellence. He also co-authored Dirt is Good published in 2017, a popular science guide to the microbiome and childrens health.
New Delhi: The ministry of civil aviation has permitted consortium of entities to bid for Air India. The consortium will have one lead member with each entity holding 20% share.

The Centre on Tuesday also proposed selling 76% stakes in Air India to private parties, with the condition that the brand 'Air India' will be retained and the control of the national-carrier will be with Indian nationals.

The government in its statement proposed only companies with the minimum net worth of Rs 5,000 crore can bid for Air India and the lead member shall hold at least 51% of paid-up capital.

While the government remains committed to privatising the airline and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has reiterated his stand in the past that Air India would be in private hands by December, time seems to be running out in the government's efforts.

The airline's 2016-17 accounts are still under audit even as another financial year  2017-18  is drawing to a close. Being an unlisted loss-incurring company, Air India has generally been late in preparing its accounts.

A new buyer will need the latest audited financial statements to decide on bidding for the airline or not. If the divestment doesn't happen by December, then it is certain that it will be deferred until the next financial year as elections are due April-May 2019.
New Delhi: Air India employees may get to buy shares in the national carrier once its privatised as the Centre is mulling an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) out of its own 24% stake, Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha has told CNBC TV-18.

ESOP is a scheme whereby employees are encouraged to acquire shares in the company. The move would take the governments stake in the national carrier below 20 percent, but gives employees a chance to be a part of Air Indias future growth, Sinha said.

The government had on Wednesday unveiled plans to sell up to 76% in Air India and transfer the management control to private players, starting the ambitious strategic disinvestment process for the debt-laden national carrier. As per the original plan, the government was to retain 24 percent stake, while the winning bidder would be required to stay invested in the airline for at least three years.

Starting off the disinvestment exercise  a major initiative of the NDA government  Expression of Interest (EoI) has been sought from various entities, including foreign airlines.

In its preliminary information memorandum on the stake sale, the government has assured the payment of any pending wages to Air India employees.

Detailing the disinvestment plan, Sinha said the government will absorb some debt in a holding company. Over Rs 24,576 crore of interest-bearing debt will be transferred to the new Air India, while the remaining Rs 25,000 crore will stay with the asset holding company, moneycontrol.com reported.

We want to participate in value creation which will be done by the new owners, Sinha said, adding that the government would cede all control and keep only residual stake in the carrier.

Defending the disinvestment plan amid criticism from opposition parties like the Trinamool Congress, Sinha said handing over the carrier to a professional team was necessary to restore the Maharajas past glory. He added that no central government anywhere in the world operates an airline.

Bidding for the airline can be done as a single player or as part of a consortium. The bidder should have a minimum net worth of Rs 5,000 crore and the requirement is subject to certain conditions depending on the class of entities. Among others, the Civil Aviation Ministry has said that each consortium member should have positive profit after tax in at least three of the immediately preceding five financial years from the Expression of Interest (EoI) deadline.

The last date for submission of EoI is May 14 and intimation to the qualified interest bidders would be made on May 28.

Air India had a fleet of 115 aircraft as of December 2017 and serves around 39 international destinations. As on December 1, 2017, the airline had 11,214 permanent employees and 2,913 on contract, among others. The national carrier has been staying afloat on taxpayers' money under the turnaround plan approved by the previous UPA government in 2012.

(With agency inputs)
Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in a rare move, imposed a penalty of approximately 58 Crore rupees on ICICI Bank Ltd, the country's third biggest lender, for failure to adhere to held-to-maturity (HTM) guidelines.

The penalty is for non-compliance with directions issued by the Reserve Bank of India on direct sale of securities from its HTM portfolio and specified disclosure in this regard, the RBI said in a statement on Thursday.

The central bank did not elaborate on how ICICI Bank failed to comply with its norms.

Banks need to disclose the amount of securities they keep under the HTM segment under which the papers are held until maturity and cannot be used for intraday trading.

The RBI allows banks to sell securities from HTM subject to certain limits and disclosure rules.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru on Wednesday suffered a major blow in Martha Karuas case challenging her election.

This is after the highest court in the land dismissed her case seeking to stop an appeal by the NARC Kenya leader.

Martha Karua moved to the Court of Appeal in December to challenge High Courts decision to dismiss her petition against the sitting Governor.

She wanted the ruling by Lady Justice Lucy Gitari set aside, saying the judge was biased in the matter and applied double standards.

Earlier this month, the Narc Kenya leader got a reprieve after the Court of Appeal set aside the Kerugoya High Court ruling.

But hours later, Waiguru, through her lawyers said that she was dissatisfied with the outcome and filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court.

In the decision read by Chief Justice David Maraga on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that it cannot stop the proceedings at Kerugoya High Court since presiding Judge Lucy Gitari is due to rule on an application challenging her jurisdiction to hear the case.

The Governor had argued that the six-month timeline set in the Constitution for hearing election cases had lapsed.

But the Supreme Court ruled that it would be unprocedural for it to interfere with the case.

Judge Maraga, Njoki Ndungu, Mohamed Ibrahim, Jackton Ojwang and Smoking Wanjala disagreed with Waigurus argument that the High Court has no jurisdiction to hear Ms Karuas case.

The judges said that issue is core to the ruling set to be delivered by Judge Gitari on April 6.

The judges indicated that the High Court judge is competent to determine the issue of jurisdiction of her court to hear the matter, adding that it is unnecessary for the Supreme Court to be invited to make a verdict at this time.
New Delhi: Reproaching the central government for its impropriety and contumacious attitude, Supreme Courts most senior judge Justice J Chelameswar has cautioned that bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell to democracy.

In his letter addressed to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, the judge has urged the CJI to constitute a full court to take up on the judicial side the issues pertaining to governmental interference in the judiciarys domain and certain instances of executive bidding by a few judges.

CNN-News18 has exclusively accessed the letter.

The letter, copies of which have also been marked to the other 22 judges in the Supreme Court, finds its basis in a direct communication from the Law Ministry to the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court regarding a Collegium recommendation.

Instead of elevating the judicial officer concerned as a judge in the HC or to write back to the Collegium in case of contentions, the Law Ministry wrote directly to Chief Justice of Karnataka HC Justice Dinesh Maheshwari for re-initiating an inquiry against the judicial officer. And the High Court chief justice obliged.

This decision was not only a clear departure from the outcome of a previous inquiry that had already cleared the judicial officer, but it also stalled the Collegiums recommendation even though this was the second time his name was sent for elevation.

Describing the High Court chief justice as more loyal than the King, Justice Chelameswar wrote in the letter that the government asking the HC to re-evaluate our recommendation in this matter has to be deemed improper and contumacious.

To my mind, I could recollect no instance from the past of the executive bypassing the Supreme Court, more particularly while its recommendations are pending, and asking the High Court, as if it were an interdepartmental matter, to look into the allegations already falsified and conclusively rejected by us, said the judge, terming the governments move as unpredictable and unthinkable.

Justice Chelameswar said that if the government had any reservations or misgivings about the judicial officers nomination, it could have sent back the recommendation for reconsideration by the Collegium.

Instead, it sat tight on the file. In other words, our recommendation still retained its validity and legitimacy. For some time, our unhappy experience has been that the Governments accepting our recommendations is an exception and sitting on them is the norm. Inconvenient but able judges or judges to be are being bypassed through this route, the judge wrote to the CJI.

We, the judges of the Supreme Court of India, are being accused of ceding our independence and our institutional integrity to the Executives incremental encroachment. The Executive is always impatient, and brooks no disobedience even of the judiciary if it can. Attempts were always made to treat the Chief Justices as the Departmental Heads in the Secretariat. So much for our independence and pre-eminence as a distinct State organ, rued Justice Chelameswar.

He invoked Robert H Jacksons assertion in United States vs Wunderlich 2 to state that men are more often bribed by their loyalties and ambitions than by money.

Let us also not forget that the bonhomie between the judiciary and the government in any state sounds the death knell to democracy. We both are mutual watchdogs, so to say, not mutual admirers, much less constitutional cohorts, said Justice Chelameswar.

The judge, who was among the four senior judges who held the unprecedented press conference in January targeting the CJI over allocation of sensitive cases to select benches, concluded his five-page letter by stating: I am of the opinion that this matter is now ripe for the consideration of the Full Court on the judicial side, if this institution really is to be any more relevant in the scheme of the Constitution.

CJI Misra has not yet replied to this letter.

The government, apart from score of recommendation for HC judges, has been sitting on two names for the apex court since January. One of them happens to be Justice KM Joseph, who had hit the headlines after a bench headed by him quashed the President's Rule in Uttarakhand in April 2016 and sharply criticised the manner in which the central rule was preferred by the governor in the state.
New Delhi: The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, faces increasing isolation in his home in exile as the government tones down an assertive stand toward China in the hope of calming ties strained by a border stand-off.

The two nations were locked in a 73-day military face off in a remote, high-altitude stretch of their disputed border last year, with, at one point, soldiers from the two sides throwing punches and stones at each other. The confrontation between the nuclear-armed powers in the Himalayas underscored Indian alarm at China's expanding security and economic links in South Asia.

China's ambitious Belt and Road initiative of transport and energy links bypasses India but involves India's neighbours Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, is reversing course, apparently after realising its hard line on China was not working, and the Dalai Lama is facing the cold shoulder.

"We are moving forward with this relationship, the idea is to put the events of 2017 behind us," an Indian government source involved in China policy said. The idea is to "be sensitive" to each other's core concerns and not let differences turn into disputes, the source said.

The Dalai Lama has lived mostly in Dharamsala since 1959, when he fled a Chinese crackdown on an uprising in his homeland. In Dharamsala, his supporters run a small government in exile and campaign for autonomy for Tibet by peaceful means. India has allowed him to pursue his religious activities in the country and to travel abroad.

Early this month, India issued an unprecedented ban on Tibetans holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the failed uprising against Chinese rule.

'DEEPLY RESPECTED'

This week, the Dalai Lama cancelled a visit to Sikkim this week, hosted by authorities there, officials say, lest it offended China. Sikkim is south of the Doklam plateau where the hundreds of Indian and Chinese soldiers confronted each other last year after India objected to China's construction of a road in an area claimed by Bhutan.

Even "thank you" rallies by Tibetans planned for New Delhi to show appreciation to India for hosting the Dalai Lama and his followers have been shifted to Dharamsala. The foreign ministry said the government had not changed its position on the Dalai Lama.

"He is a revered religious leader and is deeply respected by the people of India. His Holiness is accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities in India," spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. But recent attitude is in stark contrast with his former treatment.

In 2016, the Dalai Lama was invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan for a ceremony honouring Nobel Peace prize winners. The government later allowed him to visit Arunachal Pradesh, disregarding Chinese objections. China reviles the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist and his activities in India have always been a source of friction, and a tool with which India can needle China.

"Tibet has utility to irritate China, but it is becoming costly for us now. They are punishing us," said P. Stobdan, a former Indian ambassador. China has blocked India's membership of a nuclear cartel and it also blocks UN sanctions against a Pakistan-based militant leader blamed for attacks on India.

'UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT'

The Tibetan government-in-exile has been phlegmatic, expressing understanding of the shifting circumstances and gratitude to India for hosting the Dalai Lama for 60 years. "The Indian government has its reasons why, these coming months are sensitive, and we completely understand and respect that so there's no disappointment at all," Lobsang Sangay, the head of the government in exile told reporters.

China has hailed better ties.

"Everyone can see that recently, due to the efforts of both sides, China-India relations have maintained positive momentum and development, and exchanges and cooperation in all areas have achieved new progress," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday. Lu said China was willing to work with India to maintain exchanges on all levels and to increase mutual political trust and "appropriately control differences".

A flurry of visits is planned. Next week, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is heading to China and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is due to visit in April. PM Modi will visit in June for a regional conference and talks with President Xi Jinping.

The two sides are also expected to revive "hand-in-hand" counter-terrorism exercises when defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits China in April, a defence source said. The drills were suspended earlier.
New Delhi: Convicted in the 1993 telecom scam case, former Union Minister Sukh Ram has requested the Supreme Court to decide his appeal as soon as possible because he is already 92 and does not want to die with the "tag of a convict".

On Wednesday, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar appealed to a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra that the appeal against the conviction and three year sentence in the 25-year-old case be decided expeditiously.

Kumar, referring to an application moved for early hearing, pointed out that his client, the veteran Congress leader, had been out on bail since 2012 but with the advanced age, he wanted to shed the tag of a convict.

"He does not want to leave this world with this tagwith a stamp of criminality," submitted Kumar.

On being asked by the bench, the senior lawyer agreed to have the hearing of this appeal during the summer vacation in May, so that the case could be expedited.

Lawyers, appearing for the co-accused in the case and on behalf of the CBI, also agreed to argue this case during the summer break.

The bench then passed its order: "Senior counsel appearing for the appellant (Sukh Ram) submitted that the appellant is 92 years old and, therefore, the appeal should be heard as expeditiously as possible. Be it noted that the appellant is on bail. However, the submission is that he does not intend to leave the world with a stamp of criminality."

It further noted the statements of the CBI lawyer that the agency had no objection if the appeals are listed for final hearing in the first week before the vacation bench in the month of May, 2018.

"Ordered accordingly. The application for early hearing stands disposed of," said the Court.

Sukh Ram, along with former bureaucrat Runu Ghosh and Hyderabad-based businessman P Rama Rao, were convicted by the Delhi court in 2002 for defrauding the state exchequer through a corrupt deed involving award of a telecom equipment supply contract to Hyderabads Advanced Radio Masts which had supplied inferior goods at a higher rate to the DoT.

Sukh Ram was telecom minister between January 18, 1993 and May 16, 1996, in the Narasimha Rao government.

In December 2011, the Delhi High Court upheld his conviction and sentencing along with those of Ghosh and Rao.
New Delhi: In the face of stiff pressure from both within the NDA and opposition, Union Law Ministry has decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court on the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act verdict.

The decision comes after some ruling party MPs and senior ministers in the government met top BJP leadership seeking immediate intervention in the case.

The apex court last week barred immediate arrest on the registration of the FIR under the Act, preliminary enquiry within seven days and introduction of provisions of anticipatory bail.

Union Minister and NDA ally Ram Vilas Paswan had expressed apprehensions on the impact of the SC order. He told reporters last week that Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe communities in the country are angry and disappointed at Supreme Court's verdict on SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act.

Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party has also filed a review petition before the apex court on the issue.

The SC/ST Atrocities Act was first passed in 1989 by the Janata Dal government led by VP Singh. Paswan as Social Justice Minister in the government piloted the original bill.

Another NDA ally and minister, Ramdas Athawale had also met Finance minister Arun Jaitely and BJP President Amit Shah to express his concerns on the SC order.

Opposition parties led by the Congress had staged a protest in Parliament this session against the verdict seeking immediate intervention from the government.
Dhar: A court in Madhya Pradesh has pronounced life imprisonment for three gang rape accused while the fourth accomplice was sentenced to three years in jail. The court delivered the verdict in a record 10 days.

On February 4, three residents of Petlavad in DharSanjay Chaudhary, Akhilesh and Mahadev Patidarhad abducted and raped a girl while another person, Mahendra Patidar, helped them in the heinous crime.

Patidar had lured the girl away using the name of one of her acquaintances. On the complaint of the girl, the Dhamnod police had arrested all the four.

The police after completing the probe presented the matter before the court of Special Addl Sessions Judge Harisharan Yadav. The court pronounced the judgment in ten working days-handing lifers for Sanjay Chaudhary, Akhilesh and Mahadev Patidar while Mahendra Patidar was sentenced for three years on charges of criminal conspiracy.

The court pronouncing the quantum of sentence on Wednesday slapped all the four accused with Rs 5,000 penalty each.

The girls father expressed satisfaction on the judgment saying the accused should remain behind bars till their last breath. Claiming that the verdict delivered within 36 days after presentation of chargesheet in the court would boost public faith in courts.

Public Prosecutor Lokesh Rajpurohit said that the girl, a college student, was in love with a local boy. On Feb 4, Mahendra Patidar posing as the boys friend called up the girl asking her to come to Dhamnod if she wished to meet her boyfriend.

The unsuspecting girl reached Dhamnod and was confined and raped by three accused inside a religious structure.

This verdict comes months after court verdict in which the Bhopal District and Sessions Court had pronounced life-imprisonment till death to four men accused of abducting and raping a 19-year-old civil service aspirant besides Habibganj railway tracks, in the heart of the city last year, while undertaking the daily-trial until 36-days.
Guwahati: Tibetan Buddhist monks and locals in Sikkim are exuberant that the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjes visit to the northeastern state has been approved by the Union government.

The Home Ministrys nod to Karmapas long-awaited, but restrained, visit was confirmed by Sonam Lama, the lone legislator in Sikkim Assembly representing the Sangha  a community of revered monks entitled to contest elections.

I received the news yesterday. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has given their approval to Karmapas visit. However, I have learned that the Centre has restricted his visit to any part of Sikkim except the Rumtek monastery. Nevertheless, we are very happy. This is great news for Sikkim, said Lama.

While thanking the government for the big approval, Lama also clarified that the relay hunger strike by the monks demanding Karmapas visit would continue till His Holiness finally steps into the Himalayan kingdom. It has been over 630 days that hundreds of monks have been on a hunger strike in Sikkim.

The Denzong Lhadey Tsogpa, an organisation of monks and monasteries in Sikkim, had called for the strike in 2016, and has so far held several rallies pressing for Karmapas visit.

The monks had also raised the issue with the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to Sikkim last year, but the Centre had been firm on not allowing the 17th Karmapa to visit Sikkim keeping in view China's position on the issue. With China adroitly striving to tighten its grip on Tibet, a tractable Karmapa, who can rightly influence Tibetans on either side of the border, would be desired by both India and China as the successor to the Dalai Lama.

The Home Ministrys clearance comes days after Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeking her assistance for Karmapas visit to Sikkim. In a letter to Sushma, Chamling had requested to let Karmapa visit any monastery in Sikkim, if not the sacred Rumtek Monastery which he rightfully heads. So far, not more than 35 letters have been written to the Home Ministry and the Prime Ministers Office by the Sikkim Government pursuing Karmapas visit to the state.

The head of the 900-year-old Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, Ogyen Trinley Dorje was endorsed as the 17th Karmapa by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1999. Karmapa had escaped from Tibet in 2000 at the age of 14 years. The 33-year-old has since been living at his temporal home at Gyuto monastery in Dharamsala. Since 2002, he has been holding lectures and prayer sessions at the Kagyu Monlam Chenmo in Bodhgaya that witnesses the participation of topmost Kagyu masters and lamas every year.

With inputs from Prakash Adhikary
Thiruvananthapuram: A Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus driver was brutally attacked after he overtook another vehicle in a dangerous manner in Palakkad district of the state.

The driver, Aboobacker, sustained injuries in his face during the attack.

According to the local police, the bus overtook a vehicle carrying a wedding party in a dangerous manner.

Following this, a group of people which was part of a wedding party waylaid the bus at Olavakkode area of the district. Three of them barged into the driving seat and started attacking the driver. Even as the conductor and other passengers tried to intervene, one of the youngsters punched Aboobacker on his face.

Even as Aboobacker went down bleeding, the youngster continued to attack him. According to the bus conductor, the assaulter alleged that the bus had hit their vehicle.

The local police have detained three people identified as, Dileep, Dinesh and Aneesh Kumar who allegedly attacked the bus driver. Their arrest will be recorded based on the statement from the bus driver.
New Delhi: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un was in Beijing for three days, marking his first foreign visit since assuming office in 2011. The fact that it took well over seven years for him to make his first foreign trip and that it was to Beijing underlines how much the world has changed in these last few years.

Kims visit was shrouded in secrecy. Reporters got a whiff when a swanky train from Pyongyang was spotted in Central Beijing  the same locomotive used by Kims father Kim Jong Il on the numerous occasions he visited Beijing during his reign.

Kim seniors visits to China were only made public after the visit was over and he returned to Pyongyang. The same protocol seems to have been followed with Kim junior, as Xinhua  Chinas official news agency  only put out pictures of Xi-Kim meet after the visit was over.

It also underlines how Chinas profile under Xi Jinping has completely changed. China is now unquestionably a superpower, perhaps at par, if not within striking distance, of the United States.

Kims visit comes just days after US President Donald Trump made a surprise tweet announcement of a breakthrough with Pyongyang and a possible summit with Kim by May. But by visiting Beijing first, China has forced the world, including the US, to acknowledge the Asian countrys primacy in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

China under Xi Jinping is not just an economic powerhouse, it is also increasingly calling the shots on geopolitical and strategic questions. China has already altered the status quo in its territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas.

Despite an unfavourable ruling by the United Nations Tribunal on the Seas, China has managed to win over Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to its side. Even Japan, despite its historic animosity with China, is coming around to acknowledging Beijings increased footprint in East Asian affairs.

With India too, China became increasingly bellicose in the Doklam standoff last year. And though India stood her ground, the fear in South Block is there could be a repeat of last years faceoff once the snow melts. There is growing evidence of a massive military infrastructure build up on the Chinese side of Doklam including two helipads.

India seems to be re-setting its ties with China under the new Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

He managed to convince the government to keep this years Tibetan celebrations low key, even getting the Cabinet Secretary to issue a letter desisting senior BJP functionaries from attending any Tibetan event.

Part of this reset is born of the belief that India had needlessly provoked Beijing last spring with a much-publicised visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal and the rest of North East. But whether this reset will pay off, and will China look at India more favourably, remains to be seen. The die has been cast. Now its Beijings turn.
New Delhi: A parent of a 7-year old girl who died from dengue in Fortis Hospital, Gurugram, is taking the issue of inflated bills to court.

Set up a committee to look into fraudulent cases, demanded Jayant Singh in a press conference on Thursday, whose daughter Adya Singh died from dengue in hospital in September 2017.

His writ petition against overcharging and malpractice by hospitals has been admitted by the Supreme Court, he added.

After his daughters death, Jayant was charged Rs. 16 lakh, news of which created a furore. Recent investigation by the NPPA showed that four private hospitals in Delhi/NCR, including Fortis, had overcharged patients by as high as 1737 percent. He has demanded Rs. 10 crore as personal compensation and Rs. 100 crore for such a committee.

The court has issued notices to the central government, Haryana state government, the Medical Council of India, Fortis Hospital and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

However, sitting next to him, Gopendra Tomar, whose 7-year-old son Shaurya died in Medanta MedCity, Gurugram, could speak only of his defeat.

Shaurya died of dengue in November 2017, and the hospital came under the scanner for alleged negligence. Tomar had brought his son to Medanta from his home in Dholpur, Rajasthan, when he couldn't get adequate medical help closer home.

Beaten by the system, Gopendra said he had no money to fight legal cases and was withdrawing his complaint. The system is corrupt. Im not that educated and I can't fight it in court, he said. When his son was admitted in Medanta, the hospital made him sign many documents. He did so, he said, as he was under emotional duress. Because of these documents, he can't fight a legal battle.

Unlike the 50-plus page report into the Fortis case, the Medanta report was only three pages long, and as the All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), that has been supporting the parents, said, it was a shoddy one. Gopendra said that because of Union health minister JP Nadda, Medanta refunded the entire fee of Rs. 15.68 lakh to him. Despite feeling disturbed by accepting this money, Tomar said his family needed it to survive. He gave his withdrawal of the complaint, in writing, on March 20.

In a statement, AIDAN, said, There were clear, gross violations of the Drug prices control order (DPCO) observed in Medanta, Fortis and other hospitals. The DpCO stipulates a maximum allowable markup of 16% for scheduled formulations which the hospitals have violated by charging 300-400% markups over the procurement price.

The group demanded urgent action to be taken against the hospitals and a clarification on the law to be issued by the Government. Price control, along with unethical margins, on other drugs, devices and commonly used consumables (which make up the major share of bills) needs to be implemented urgently, they said.

The NPPA is being systematically weakened and dismantled when it was undertaking investigations of the high trade margins of private hospitals. The chairman was transferred out and the regulatory authoritys powers are being diluted due to which efforts to check unethical profiteering and exploitation have been stalled. The attempts to weaken the regulator have to stop immediately. they added.

The central government is empowered and has the policy space to regulate healthcare charges. Ceiling rates on healthcare charges needs to be implemented as mandated by the Clinical establishment rules, the statement said.
Bengaluru: The editor of right-wing website Postcard News has been arrested by the Crime Branch of Bengaluru Police for spreading fake news.

Police said that Mahesh Vikram Hegde had put a fake news about a Jain monk being attacked by Muslim youths in Bangalore. He had also tweeted images of the injured monk and said that no one is safe in Siddaramiahs Karntaka. The post was shared thousands of times on social media platforms.

The Facebook post with the fake news item.

Officials, however, revealed that the monk in question had actually got hurt in an accident in Kanakpura. Hegde has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code that deal with promoting enmity between religious groups and outraging sentiments. He will be produced before a magistrate shortly.

The Postcard News editor has been accused of peddling fake news on previous occasions too. Curiously, he is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter.

According to officials, the fake news could be an attempt to communalise the atmosphere ahead of the assembly elections in May.

Several BJP leaders have jumped to his defence and started a #ReleaseMaheshHegde campaign on social media sites. Among them was union minister Anant Kumar Hegde, who said that Siddaramiah was behaving in a dictatorial manner.

Shame on the state government led by @siddaramaiah which is behaving in dictatorial terms in arresting @mvmeet. Ensure to follow the true democratic spirit in fighting us rather than doing a coward act. #ReleaseMaheshHegde," he tweeted.

Shame on the state government led by @siddaramaiah which is behaving in dictatorial terms in arresting @mvmeet. Ensure to follow the true democratic spirit in fighting us rather than doing a coward act. #ReleaseMaheshHegde Anantkumar Hegde (@AnantkumarH) March 29, 2018

Karnataka BJPs general secretary CT Ravi also condemned the shameless act of arresting the nationalist Hegde.

I condemn the shameless act of arresting Nationalist @mvmeet by Coward Congress Government in Karnataka. In taking this desperate step against @BJP4India Supporters @siddaramaiah has proved that he has already lost the upcoming Assembly Elections, he tweeted.

I condemn the shameless act of arresting Nationalist @mvmeet by Coward CONgress Government in Karnataka.In taking this desperate step against @BJP4India Supporters @siddaramaiah has proved that he has already lost the upcoming Assembly Elections.  C.T.Ravi (@CTRavi_BJP) March 29, 2018

He also said that it may have to do with Hegde raising funds for two Hindu schools run by an RSS leader.

Wondering if Nationalist @mvmeet is arrested because he ran a successful campaign to raise funds for the children of two Hindu schools run by @RSSorg Leader Sri @KalladkaBhat that were denied funds by Anti-Hindu CONgress Government," he wrote.

BJP MP Pratip Simha also tweeted about the arrest. Today morning Coward Congress Govt (Karnataka) arrested @mvmeet Mahesh Vikram Hegde under unconnected IT act 66, that too by using CCB! Shame on you, he wrote and tagged Congress.

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Someone on Twitter joked that Kenyans are never serious about anything as you could be dying and the next minute we have a challenge about it.

That Twitterati summed it up perfectly as they described the latest online craze, hashtag #MigunaChallenge.

Through the challenge, Kenyans across various social sites have been making the best out of lawyer Miguna Migunas predicament with the government.

The fiery lawyer caused drama at the JKIA when he refused to board a Dubai-bound plane meant to re-deport him to Canada, just hours after he had landed in the country.

He was also captured on tape during a confrontation with police on Monday night as he was being dragged to the airplane.

As the drama dragged on for the third day, netizens turned to what they do best; making hay while the sun shines, this time at the expense of Miguna Migunas astronomical pride.

Heres why the hashtag #MigunaChallenge is one of the best youll ever see:

#MigunaChallenge Whoever came up with this challenge wont even smell heaven???  Francine Yahya (@yahya_francine) March 28, 2018
New Delhi/Ranchi: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who has been serving a jail term in connection with the fodder scam, was today admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for specialized treatment.

Prasad, who was serving his jail term in Ranchi, was referred to AIIMS by the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in Ranchi. "His condition is stable. He was brought in at noon. His sugar levels are a little bit high and he has some infection in the kidney," an AIIMS doctor said.

He also said that Prasad has been admitted under the medicine department. The RJD chief had been admitted to RIMS in Ranchi on March 17 over complaints of uneasiness while he was lodged at the Birsa Munda Jail. Prasad has been serving a jail term since December 23.

He left for New Delhi yesterday by train after a special CBI court allowed him to seek treatment at Delhi AIIMS. Senior advocate Chittaranjan Sinha, who has been handling Prasad's fodder scam cases from the very beginning, said the 69-year-old leader is suffering from diabetes, high creatinine levels and blood pressure.

"His condition was not suitable for flying and the doctors at RIMS advised him to travel by train," Sinha said. A medical board at the RIMS where Prasad was being treated had decided to refer him to AIIMS for better treatment, RIMS Director R K Srivastav said.

The former chief minister has been convicted in four fodder scam cases since 2013 -- the latest being the Dumka treasury case, in which a special CBI court sentenced him to 14 years in jail.

The Jharkhand High Court will hear on April 6 his bail plea in connection with his conviction in the third fodder scam case -- pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.62 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury, Sinha said.
Srinagar: A special police officer (SPO) was shot dead and his wife was injured after militants opened fire at them at their residence in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, an official said.

According to the police, SPO Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh died on the spot while his wife was rushed to a nearby hospital in Bijbehara. Her condition is said to be critical.

In a separate incident, a group of militants opened fire on an Army patrol in Shopian district, forcing security forces to launch an overnight search operation in the area.

As per officials, militants opened fire on army's 44 Rashtriya Rifles deployed in Ahgam. The forces retaliated, resulting in a brief exchange of fire. No loss of life or injury was reported from either side.
New Delhi: Bags of thousands of travelers were misplaced on Thursday at the Indira Gandhi International Airport due to a system failure detected in the baggage handling system.

A Delhi airport spokesperson said that due to the onset of holiday weekend, they experienced increased level of dangerous goods, particularly power banks and lighters, in luggage.

Incident rate was 30 per cent higher than average. It impacted baggage handling due to the manual reconciliation of the suspect baggage," the spokesperson said. The Delhi airport is one of the busiest in the world and sees a daily traffic of over one lakh passengers.

The spokesperson added that passengers are being reminded not to pack these items in their checked-luggage to avoid inconvenience.

This has addressed the instances of passengers sending their baggage with prohibited items on the BHS and hence the issue is now under control," he said.

Vistara airlines has notified its customers about the inconvenience caused due to the handling failure.

It sent out a statement saying that all airlines and hundreds of bags have been impacted and are not being loaded on to flights.

"Please be advised that Delhi Airport has been facing challenges with the baggage handling system post check-in. The airlines have taken this up with Delhi Airport officials, and they are working on a solution," the statement said.

The airlines added that although the situation is not in its control, it is trying to get the stuck bags delivered to customers as soon as possible.
Delhi: Two grandsons of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar have lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government for officially adding Ramji to his name.

Both Prakash Ambedkar and Anand Ambedkar told CNN-New18 that the UP state governments move was nothing but vote bank politics by the BJP.

The reaction came after the UP government acted upon the suggestion of Governor Ram Naik and added Ramji to BR Ambedkars middle name by passing a resolution in the state Assembly. Following the resolution, all UP government records and textbooks will refer to him as Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

He acquired this middle name from his father - a common practice in Maharastra.

BJP wants to have their own agenda before the 2019 elections. My sense is close to elections, they might try to tell the voters that Ambedkar was also a Ram bhakt, Prakash said.

He used to write Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar only in his signatures and for all other purposes he used only initials, he added.

BJP has defended the move with UP minister Swami Prasad Maurya (who had switched over from BSP to BJP) saying BR Ambedkars original name has not been represented properly till now so his government is only rectifying the mistake.

Anand Ambedkar said that no one from the UP government had contacted him or any other members of his family before taking such a decision.

Let me get the draft copy of the UP government order and accordingly I will decide the next course of action, Anand said, indicating that he is not ruling out a legal route to the move.

While admitting that his grandfather was proud of using the middle name Ramji, he said, He (BR Ambedkar) was very proud of his father Ramji Maloji Sakpal who was in the British Indian Army and as a common practice in Maharastra adopted his name.

He added that there were a lot of misconceptions that Ambedkar had denounced his middle name Ramji.

In Marathi my grandfather used to sign with his full name Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar while in other languages such as English and Hindi he used only initials B.R Ambedkar, he said.

Why bring in Ramji to his name now. What political motives you have, Anand asked.

Even Dalit leader Udit Raj, who is BJP MP from North-West Delhi, has objected to the move, saying Ambedkar always chose his name to be written only as Bhimrao Ambedkar or BR Ambedkar.

Why so many years after his death his name is being changed? This is completely uncalled for, Raj said.

After death a person name should not have been changed it does not matter even if Baba Sahib he had signed with middle name Ramji in the constitutional draft. I do not find any reason to change in his name now as till his last breadth the Dalit icon preferred to not to use Ramji along with his name, he told CNN-News18.

Dalit scholar Kancha Ilaiah agreed with Rajs views. Ambedkar might have signed the constitutional draft with the Ramji but in his day to day life he never used his full name. What BJP is doing might be factually correct but ideologically they are opposed to Ambedkars anti- Brahminical philosophy, he said.

In North India it is not uncommon for a large number of Dalits to use Ram with their name, including BSP founding Kanshi Ram, but the conation of Ram is not Lord Rama, he added.

While BR Ambedkar signed the first draft of the Indian Constitution as Bhimrao Ramaji Ambedkar, a study of his documents show that he preferred to sign as Bhimrao Ambedkar or BR Ambedkar.

BR Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in 1956. Among the several oaths he took was that he would not worship Lord Ram as Buddhism denounced the idea of reincarnation. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ram is believed to be incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

This is all symbolism. This is not what Dalits of this country want. The government had failed them on all fronts. They are natak mandali (drama artists), Sudhindra Bhadoria, BSPs national spokesperson, said.
New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was frisked at an airport in the United States as he was on a private visit to that country, a US official said here on Thursday.

"My understanding is that if the head of state chooses to travel privately without diplomatic passport, then they are travelling as a private citizen, then he would have to go through the same security screening that you and I will have to go," Alexander McLaren, deputy spokesperson of the US Embassy here, said during a media interaction.

"Obviously, an official visit is a different story," he said. A video that has gone viral on social media shows a casually-dressed Abbasi being frisked at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York earlier this week.

He was seen putting on his belt after clearing security, picking up his coat and bag and walking away moments later. According to Pakistani media reports, Abbasi travelled to the US to visit his ailing sister.
Actor Urvashi Rautela, who is currently basking in the success of her recently released Hate Story 4, on Wednesday, filed an FIR with the Mumbai police alleging that her fake Aadhaar card was falsely used to book a room at a five-star hotel in Bandra.

According to a report in TOI, the case has been registered at the Bandra police station and a probe is underway.

In the complaint, Rautela said, "I asked my secretary about it and learned that no booking was done. Someone has misused my name and photograph on the Aadhaar card to book a room in the hotel."

Bandra police have filed the complaint under the Indian Penal Code sections for cheating and impersonation and under the IT Act against the unidentified person.
Islamabad: Actress Mahira Khan has welcomed Nobel Peace Prize laureate and social activist Malala Yousafzai, whom she described as "baby girl", for returning to Pakistan six years after she was attacked.

"Welcome home baby girl Malala!" Mahira tweeted on Thursday morning.

Welcome home baby girl @Malala !  Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) March 29, 2018

Yousafzai returned to Pakistan on Thursday, for the first in nearly six years after she was shot by the Taliban for advocating girls rights to education.

The 20-year-old accompanied by her parents, landed in Islamabad from London at around 1.41 a.m., reports Geo News.

Yousafzai is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, as well as other important figures.

In December 2014, Yousafzai, then 17, and India's Kailash Satyarthi of India received the Nobel Peace Prize for risking their lives to fight for children's rights.

Yousafzai, who belongs to the Swat Valley, has been living in the UK since the attack in October 2012, reports Dawn news.

She was shifted from Pakistan to a hospital in Birmingham in a precarious condition after she had sustained a bullet in her head in a targeted attack by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Swat.

She was on her way home in a school van with other girls after taking an exam when the TTP men opened fire on them. Two other girls also sustained gunshot wounds.
Veteran director Shekhar Kapur has been appointed the Chairman of the central panel of the 65th National Film Awards, sources in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told news agency PTI.

The central panel comprises a chairperson and 10 other members, including five regional chairpersons who head the respective regional panels.

Film writer Imtiaz Hussain, known for his works in films like Astitva (2000) and Parinda (1989) will be the regional chairperson of South I panel. Mehboob, who penned the lyrics for the Hindi (dubbed) version of 1995 Tamil romantic drama "Bombay", was appointed as the regional chairperson of South II panel, the sources said.

Actress Gautami Tadimalla, who is known for her work in Tamil films, is the regional chairman of the North panel, while director Rahul Rawail known for films like Love Story (1981), Betaab (1983), Arjun (1985) and Jo Bole So Nihaal (2005), was chosen as the regional chairperson of the Western panel, they said.

Director P Sheshadri, a known name in Kannada cinema, is the regional chairperson of the Eastern panel.

Other members of the panel include Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, a Bengali and Hindi film director; playwright Tripurari Sharma; dialogue and scriptwriter Rumi Jaffery; Ranjit Das known for the critically acclaimed film Pratyavartan; and film writer, director and producer Rajesh Mapuskar, the sources added.
This year, UP Government launched a major crackdown on open mass-cheating in exams, something which has long been the bane of UPs education system. Because of these steps, around 10 lakh students of the 66 lakh-odd who registered this year for the UP Board exams dropped out.

In response to this a news channel reported: Further speaking on the issue, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said that ...Out of all the students, I believe that there will be 10% who wouldnt be doing cheating in exams, but a little bit of cheating, everybody does  so would you call that cheating? (I concede that this was much better then what his father Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav had said on rape accused - 'ladkon se galti ho jaati hai')

The Congress and other intellectuals who stand by such secular parties and leaders are hilariously passing comment on the governance on the basis of CBSE paper leaks. This, despite Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announcing re-examination for the Class 10 Mathematics and Class 12 Economics due to the leaks.

Any re-examination leads to dejection and anger, and not surprisingly this is the case here too. The dejection in India is not only over re-examination but also for a lot of other factors.

In India train and airways reservation, holidays and marriages are planned around exam dates. When the exam is rescheduled it is not only the student who suffers but the entire family and even the extended family pays a price.

However, this is not the first instance when Board exam papers conducted by CBSE have been leaked.

 Krishnan Raju, principal of government senior secondary school at Lapati, Rashid, an executive engineer of the Andamans PWD, and Vijayan, a forest ranger, were arrested on charges of leaking the question papers of Science and Mathematics of Class XII for the CBSE exams in 2011. A radio operator, MP Arun for his alleged involvement in the question paper leak scandal of the CBSE Board exams was dismissed by Director General of Police, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 Before this, in 2006, the police in Panipat, Haryana while searching hotel and dhaba for information related to the Varanasi blasts, found the leaked question paper of CBSE on Business Studies.

But what is important this time is the fact that few in media and opposition political parties are more upset over re-examination as compared to students.

Paper leak is a regular phenomenon as far as CBSE is concerned. One of the reasons for this is lack of punishments for the culprits. In a country where political parties do everything to win election, organising leak of CBSE paper is kids game. This time the paper leak was done to dare the government.

On Tuesday evening, CBSE chairperson's office received a copy of the leaked class X Maths paper that was scheduled for Wednesday.

This might have been done to dare the CBSE or to score a political point. By not taking immediate steps of either changing the exam papers or canceling the exam and immediately announcing that exams for the respective papers will be held later, CBSE failed in the governance part.

The government of the day lost the political plot when Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar called a press conference and said that he had spoken to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the developments and added that, with the help of technology, the government would put in place a system "which is so foolproof that there is no leak".

This announcement could have been made by the Head of CBSE also. When a cabinet minister speaks one expects bigger announcements. Paper leak calls for harsher punishments. In a country where education is expensive, kids have to give up or forced to give up the activities a kid should be doing like playing, reading stories, etc., for better scores, persons involved in paper leak should be given harsher punishment.

The press conference by the HRD minister had all the correct intentions i.e. to assure students and parents that government is serious about exam paper leaks but it failed in the content part. It is expected from a government to take steps to stop paper leak but when a cabinet minister speaks one expects something more to hear, more concrete steps. What one was looking forward to hear was, what the government will do with those who were indulged in the paper leak.

No one in India believes that when a politician says "harsher steps", when they will be taken actually. Anyways, the fool proof methods will help the students of next year. There was nothing for the students who will have to appear in the exam again now. Today's student appearing in class 12th exam is 2019's voter. How could BJP make such a mistake? It is still not too late, the government should bring a new law or amend a law for a fast track hearing followed by a severe/harsher punishment for the culprits within a fixed time frame.

Sandeep Singh is a political analyst, views are personal.
City tycoon Jimmy Wanjigi has finally lived up to his promise of taking legal action against the Nation Media Group over a fake obituary published in the Daily Nation on February 7, 2018.

The NASA Coalition bankroller and his wife Irene Nzisa on Tuesday, March 27, sued the media house in a joint case seeking compensation for violation of their fundamental rights and freedoms.

They are seeking an unspecified amount of money from Nation Media Group and also want the company barred from publishing matters touching on their family.

According to the suit papers, the petitioners allege that NMG had intended to use the obituary message to generate income from public interest.

The respondents intended to achieve multi-pronged benefits from the said grotesque death announcementconvey a chilling death warning and ultimately economically profit from the public interest the said grotesque publication was intended to generate, read the court document.

The death announcement was designed and borrowed from a tactic used by killer squads to torment, psychologically torture their targets, display their private information to members of criminal gangs across the globe with a view to further advance the criminal enterprise and whenever appropriate enhance a bounty, the Wanjigis further claimed.

The petitioners and their family members were subjected to psychological torture through the harrowing, calculated announcement of Mr Wanjigis death, their lawyer Willis Otieno says in the court papers.

Following the publication of the announcement, NMG moved swiftly to issue an apology to Wanjigi and even published CCTV footage showing the man who allegedly booked the obituary.

Investigators suspect the ad was a carefully planned operation aimed at causing pain to the businessmans family as well as embarrass NMG.

The matter is still under investigation.
Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party Chief Mayawati has slammed Yogi Adityanath-led BJP Government in Uttar Pradesh over adding Ramji to the name of BR Ambedkar in all the official records.

Mayawati alleged that BJP is doing drama politics over the name of Ambedkar and is trying to attract Dalit votes through cheap publicity.

Baba Saheb used to work for the betterment of the Dalits, whereas BJP is doing drama to attract Dalit votes. In the regime of Narendra Modi, dalit atrocities are on an all-time high. The newly found love for Dalits of Modi Government is a mere show off and nothing else, she said.

When they dont write the full name of Gandhiji as Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi and full name of Narenda Modi as Narenda Damodar Das Modi, then what is the need to write full name of Baba Saheb, it is not required, she added.

The UP state government on Wednesday issued orders to change the name of BR Ambedkar to Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar in all government documents and records after a resolution was passed in the state Assembly.

The move has invited sharp criticism from the opposition, which has questioned the timing of the order and alleged that it was a political decision. The order was issued by principal secretary of general administration department, Jitendra Kumar, who took cognizance of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, in which Bhimrao Ambedkars name is written as Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

This comes after the issue was raised by Governor Ram Naik last year. He pointed out that the signature by Ambedkar on the pages of the Constitution includes his full name and he should, therefore, be referred to by his complete moniker. Naik had even written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adityanath to express his concerns.
New Delhi: On a cold winter morning in December 2003, Ram Vilas Paswan stood at the porch of his Lutyens Delhi bungalow, waiting to receive the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia kept her appointment and arrived on time, but sans all the paraphernalia. She quietly walked in to meet Paswan who had left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in protest against the Gujarat riots.

After a short meeting, Paswan came out to announce a pre-poll alliance with the Congress in 2004 Lok Sabha polls. Paswans Lok Janshakti Party then had just four seats in the Lower House, but Sonia realised that every seat mattered in the daunting task to take on Vajpayees BJP.

Cut to March 2018.

Mamata Banerjee sat in her office in Parliament for one whole day this week. The House was in session. All top leaders, including those from the Congress, were in Delhi.

Mamata met leaders from all major political parties in Opposition. Even the BJPs oldest ally, the Shiv Sena, met her. So did Pinaki Mishra from the BJD. At her residence in Delhi, Mamata had a detailed discussion with BJP rebels like Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Arun Shourie.

Perhaps taking a leaf out of Sonia Gandhis book, Mamata met just about anybody who could be somebody after 2019 General Elections.

She knows the importance of BJP rebels who can make many in the Treasury Benches squirm. Thats part of Mamatas plan to forge a front against Modi, a source close to the West Bengal CM said.

Mamata has always held Sonia Gandhi as one of her mentors and as she takes charge to bring opposition parties together for the big fight in 2019, the Trinamool Congress leader is carefully improvising on Sonias mobilisation strategy of 2004.

A senior Congress leader admits that the Congress needs the Trinamool leader at this juncture. Mamata is seen as a hands-on CM. Despite allegations of scam, she has moved on and has electorally been more successful than her counterparts.

But Mamatas support comes with a price. She would want to be the face of the alternative front and be in-charge. And then there is Sharad Pawar, who has been waiting in the wings for decades now.

Despite multiple claims to the leadership of the alternative front, the fact remains that an opposition front minus the Congress is not possible. The Grand Old Party, too, is in no mood to concede the leadership easily.

It has upset many within the Trinamool Congress that Rahul Gandhi did not take time out to meet Mamata or reach out to her. Mamata has not yet got over the fact that Rahul had aligned with the Left to fight the Trinamool in Assembly elections.

Mamata Banerjee is more comfortable in doing business with Sonia Gandhi. Like Sonia, she has decided to walk the talk. She will be travelling to Chennai to meet Stalin and Karunanidhi next month. She is also expected to go to Lucknow soon should BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav call a joint meeting.

Inch by inch, Mamata hopes to surge ahead.
New Delhi: With the Janata Dal (Secular) yet to reveal its cards on a pre-poll alliance, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is like to field around 40 candidates in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will meet his partys Karnataka unit on Thursday morning to finalise the election strategy.

"We have not yet heard from the JD(S), which had told us to wait till Rajya Sabha elections. We are considering fielding around 40 candidates, an AIMIM leader told News18.

A JD(S) leader who is part of the negotiations said his party leader and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda had spoken to Owaisi during a chance encounter in Parliament, but an electoral tie-up was not discussed.

The JD(S) has already struck an alliance with the BSP and is reportedly in talks with AIMIM to stitch an umbrella coalition of Muslims, Dalits and Vokkaligas. This combination would directly impinge on Congress core constituency. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had launched a blistering attack on the JD(S) last week in an attempt to consolidate its traditional vote-bank, which Gowdas party is eyeing this election.

A Hyderabad-based party, the AIMIM has in the last five years tried to expand its area of influence outside Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It had even won a couple of seats in Maharashtra Assembly elections. The party has been trying to build its base in seats with large Muslim population, including some in Hyderabad-Karnataka region, contiguous to Andhra and Telangana, which was part of the erstwhile Nizam State.

Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 and the counting of votes will be held on May 15.
Bengaluru: The day dates for Karnataka Assembly elections were declared, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked the Congress to ally with former prime minister HD Deve Gowdas Janata Dal (Secular).

Speaking to the media, she had said, Deve Gowda is a nice person. The Congress should go with him to defeat the BJP.

A few hours before Mamatas nice man certificate, Gowda had himself offered an olive branch to the Congress, saying he was ready for a tie-up. Before that, some well-known public personalities, led by 100-year-old Gandhian HS Doreswamy, had met Gowda and requested him to help the Congress and others defeat the BJP, which they called a communal party.

Minutes after his 85-year-old fathers offer of support to the Congress, ex-chief minister HD Kumaraswamy took on the Congress, categorically denying the possibility of any pact with the Congress.

An hour later, Gowda, too, did a U-turn, saying he was not interested in doing business with the Congress. All through these developments, the Grand Old Party, surprisingly, has kept quiet.

According to political analysts in Karnataka, Banerjee is not aware of the ground scenario in the state and a tie-up with the ruling Congress is impossible as both parties are in a direct fight with each other in at least 60-70 seats.

Any tie-up between the Congress and the JD(S) could be disastrous for both even if they manage to decimate the BJP in half of Karnataka. Thats because party cadre on the ground dont see eye to eye in their respective strongholds and many may move to the BJP.

Contrary to popular belief that Karnataka is a three-party state, the Congress is the only party which is in contest in all 224 seats. The main opposition BJP is strong in about 160 seats and the JD(S) is in contention in about 70-80 seats.

In Old Mysore region, a JD(S) stronghold except state capital Bengaluru, it is more or less a direct fight between the Congress and the Gowdas. In the rest of Karnataka, the fight is between the Congress and the BJP. Only in 25-30 seats is the contest a triangular one. In such a scenario, an electoral understanding between the Congress and JD(S) would be politically not viable.

Both Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah are openly attacking the JD(S), calling it a B team of the BJP. During his last two visits to Gowda strongholds of Hassan, Mandya and Mysore, Gandhi ridiculed the JD(S) saying the S in JD (S) stands for Sangh Parivar and not for Secular.

By branding JD(S) a B team of the BJP, Siddaramaiah is trying to ensure that Muslim votes and non-BJP, non-Congress votes dont go to the JD(S).

Offering support to the Congress also gives Gowda an excuse to go with the BJP if the elections result in hung verdict. The Congress vs Gowda war of words over alleged pact with the BJP has even embarrassed saffron party leaders. Commenting on the allegations, BJP state unit chief BS Yeddyurappa said his party was going to win 150 seats on its own and there was no need for an alliance with the JD(S).
Bengaluru: Karnataka will vote for the new state Assembly on a Saturday (May 12) and the counting of votes will be held on a Tuesday (May 15). Politicians are not too happy with this calendar as both days are considered inauspicious in the state.

Adding to their worries, counting day also happens to be Amavasya.

The dates have already spooked many sitting MLAs and others in the fray. JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, who is a staunch believer in astrology, has already held a detailed discussion with his trusted astrologers and is taking all precautions to ward off 'evil forces' that may eclipse his party's prospects, his close aides say.

His elder son HD Revanna, who is also a firm believer in Vaastu and astrology, has contacted a big fortune teller in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, requesting him to perform special havans on both days.

Speaking to News18, he said, "We believe in god. We are true believers. As long as god and people are with us, no one can harm us."

Even though Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is not known to believe in astrology, his reclusive wife Parvathi Siddaramaiah is a highly religious person and has already started special prayers for her husband and son, who is likely to contest from his father's constituency Varuna. Siddaramaiah will contest from Chamundeshwari constituency.

BJP state chief and CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa is also a firm believer in astrology. When he was the chief minister between 2008 and 2011, Yeddyurappa was in the news for allegedly performing special prayers to counter black magic for which he blamed the Gowda family.

A few months ago, Naga Sadhus had visited Yeddyurappas house in Bengaluru, triggering rumours that he had invited them to seek their blessings. According to local beliefs, whoever touches the feet of Naga sadhus, is blessed with political power.

A senior minister, who is known for temple-hopping, told News18 that many of his colleagues are worried about their fate because of Saturday voting and Tuesday (Amavasya day) counting. My wife has already started special prayers at home. It will continue till the day of counting, he said.

A ticket aspirant from Chitradurga had invited Naga sadhus home in the hopes of making it to the Assembly. It is bad this time. Voting on a Saturday or counting on a Tuesday. That too on Amavasya day. I am taking all precautions.

Some politicians believe that buying temple flags at auctions will help them in retaining and gaining power. They outbid each other to own a flag normally known as Mukti Dwajas. At Guru Thipperudraswamy temple in Nayakanahatti near Chitradurga, one such flag was bought by a politician for a whopping Rs 72 lakh.

Top astrologers in the state are also busy handling their VIP clients, offering various astrological solutions to enhance their chances of winning.

Vedic scholar Daivagna KN Somayaji claims that Amavasya is a bad day for all good things and can have a negative impact on counting. Speaking to News18, he said, Saturday is not exactly bad for everything. But we do no important things on Tuesday. It is not a good day. This time Amavasya also falls on Tuesday. It is a worrying thing.

Somayaji counts several top politicians and industrialists among his followers.
Patna: Erstwhile little-known youth BJP leader Arjit Shashwat has become an example of the predicaments Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is facing as seven out of 38 districts in the state are in the grip of communal tension.

Arjit, the son of union minister Ashwini Choubey, is on the run after a local court in Bhagalpur issued a warrant against him. Amid hue and cry by a few BJP leaders, Nitish tried to snub them by openly saying that the law will take its own course.

Much to his agony, Arjit surfaced for an interview in Patna the same day Nitish shared the dais with BJP leaders for Shobha Yatra of Lord Rama in Patna. The opposition RJD and Congress grabbed this opportunity with both hands.

Nitish ji has become spare tyre of BJP. The saffron party will use him when required, Lalus son Tejashwi Yadav said.

Situation was already tense after declaration of bypoll results as videos surfaced in Araria showing youths chanting anti-national slogans and beheading of a tea seller in Darbhanga.

Then just a day before Ram Navami, communal clashes were first reported from Bhagalpur. It emerged that Arjit had led a motorcycle rally in a minority-dominated area on the occasion and locals objected the derogatory sloganeering and it snowballed into clashes.

Since then Aurangabad, Nalanda, Munger, Arrah and Samastipur have witnessed tense situations. However, Nitish Kumar himself has taken over the task of monitoring the situation and has deployed heavy forces in all the affected districts.

After facing the ire of opposition over Arjit issue, the police on Thursday arrested two prominent BJP leaders for spreading violence in Samastipur. This has not gone down well with the BJP.

The core committee of the BJP was convened on Thursday and the message was clear  no party worker should feel betrayed at the ground level. Deputy CM Sushil Modi, Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and other senior leaders attended the meeting.

It is learned that Sushil Modi, who is perceived to be more inclined towards Nitish within the party, was also told that there should be no compromise with strengthening the base of the party on the ground.

During the meeting, BJP state vice president Devesh Kumar told News18, We want to continue this coalition with Nitish. There should be no doubt about that. At the same time BJP cadre will continue to strengthen the party. There will be no compromise with our ideology.

After the initial flip-flop, BJP leaders are now openly supporting Arjit and terming the police action as victimisation. After Giriraj Singh, another union minister Ramkripal Yadav said that Arjit was being framed but he would get justice.

The aggressive overtures have left Kumar with limited options. Maintaining equidistance from corruption and communalism is now easier said than done for him.

He already somewhat lost his sheen after he orchestrated a coup of sorts on the night of July 27 last year when he dumped the alliance with RJD-Congress and formed a new government the next morning with the help of BJP.

His return to NDA ensured his continuance with BJP but not on his own terms as was the case till 2013 when he parted ways after heading a successful coalition government for eight years. Ironically, he cited the same divisive politics as the reason behind his decision when Narendra Modi was elected head of the BJPs campaign committee.

However, he could only manage his alliance with old foe Lalu for 17 months and switched sides citing suffocating experiences and series of corruption charges against the Lalus family. By leaving Lalu, Nitish also left MY (Muslims-Yadavs), a constituency in which he had successfully made inroads in 2010 elections.

So, going back to Lalus camp is out of the question for him and many JD(U) leaders admit as much. But feeling suffocated and not doing anything is not in his nature. So, he is trying to create a space within the NDA for himself by trying to engage other alliance partners whom he earlier ignored.

A step in that direction will be sharing the dais with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan on April 14, Ambedkar Jayanti. KC Tyagi, considered JD(U)s face in Delhi, said it would be a historical event.

Coming close to Paswan indeed would be a new experience for him. Both had been on the opposite sides of the fence since 2005 when Nitish tried to form the government in February elections and 12 LJP legislatures defected to support him. However, Lalus secular call to Sonia prevented Nitishs bid as President rule was declared after governor Buta Singh sent a favourable report.

But Bihars political history has been replete with such reversals as Nitish himself showed in 2013. By cozying up with Paswan, he wants to create a pressure group against BJP and a vote bank for his own party  a possible Dalit and Non-Yadav OBC/EBC combination which constitutes nearly 38 percent vote share.

The next step could be to approach Upendra Kushwaha and his Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP). Like Paswan, he too has openly supported Nitish against divisive politics in the wake of recent communal flare-ups.

Kushwaha twice joined JD(U) and left. The last time after leaving JD(U) in 2013, he was forcefully evicted from a government flat by the police. Earlier, Nitish was considered the sole representative of Lav-Kush (Kurmi and Koeri) community but Kushwaha tried to wean away Koeri votes which constitute almost 6 percent vote share. His coming together firmly with Nitish will be helpful.

This group within the NDA can try to split Muslim votes in their favour also. Political observers feel Nitishs secular plank and Paswans long-standing support for poor Pasmanda Muslims can work.

Paswan, with 29 MLAs in tow, had declared in 2005 that he will support any party willing to project a Muslim as the chief minister.

An option of federal front is also doing the round but JD(U) leaders close to Nitish reject such a scenario citing the recent history of failure of any such front. However, they also accept the fact that Nitish has not been able to create a decisive constituency for his party as Naveen Patnaik or Mamata Banerjee did successfully in Odisha and West Bengal.

At present, to keep himself afloat, Nitish clearly needs support from BJP within the NDA but at the same time he has an uphill task of balancing it with his pledge of secularism. This is also clear to him that JD(U) always required a partner to perform better in elections.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that he would contest the assembly elections from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru.

"I will contest from Chamundeshwari. I will win with the blessings of people from Chamundeshwari," he told reporters in response to a question in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah was reacting to JDS state president HD Kumaraswamy expressing scepticism over his contesting from the constituency.

Hitting out at Kumaraswamy, the Chief Minister said, "Does Kumaraswamy know how many times I have contested from Chamundeshwari constituency...seven times. I won five times. I have complete faith and belief in my voters...they wont listen to Kumaraswamy or any one," he said while reminding about support he got in the toughest by-elections held in 2006.

Siddaramaiah had won the by-election on a Congress ticket with a wafer thin margin of 257 votes against JD(S)s candidate in one of the bitterest poll battles in the state. The results then were crucial for Siddaramaiah to score political points over his bete noire JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, after being expelled from the party.

Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy had predicted Siddaramaiah's loss if he contests from Chamundeshwari. "If he (Siddaramaiah) contests from Chamundeshwari, write it down today itself, when election results are declared on May 15, wherever I'm, I will come down to Mysuru to discuss with you about his defeat," he had said.

Kumaraswamy had claimed that the Chief Minister was looking for safe constituencies to contest like Narasimharaja in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah, who represents Varuna in Mysuru after it became a constituency in 2008 following delimitation, has now expressed his intentions to contest from Chamundeshwari once again.

Making his debut in the Assembly in 1983, Siddaramaiah got elected from Chamundeshwari on a Lok Dal Party ticket, from where he has won five times and tasted defeat twice.

Speculation is rife that the Chief Minister, who has already indicated that the 2018 assembly polls could "most likely" be his last election, is keen on fielding his son Dr Yatindra from Varuna.
A Flipkart delivery boy was stabbed by a 30-year old woman in Delhi for an alleged late delivery of her smartphone which she had ordered. As per reports, the woman had stabbed the delivery boy 20 times as she was furious that she did not receive the phone on the promised date. The incident took place in Nihal Vihar and the delivery boy has been identified as 28-year old Keshav. The police has informed that the woman was helped by her 32-year old brother.

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The injured was identified as Keshav, a resident of Ambica Enclave in Nihal Vihar. He recorded his statement on March 24 and based on his statement, the accused were arrested. A CCTV footage also helped us crack the case, a senior police officer told The Hindu. The woman and her brother has been arrested and a case has been registered.

The victim, Keshav, was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital by the police following a PCR call for a man lying in a drain near Chandan Vihar area.

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SoftBank has asked for a merger between India's homegrown ride-hailing firm Ola and its US counterpart Uber operating in India. With this merger, the Japanese investment giant aims to consolidate the ride-hailing market in the country. SoftBank is the biggest investor in both the companies and began pushing its plans for the merger between the companies since the last year, with the plans gaining momentum only recently.

Ony recently, Uber had closed its operations in Southeast Asia after trading its local units to Grab, its rival in the parts, agreeing to a 27.5 percent control in the merged entity.

As per a report, senior executives of both Ola and Uber are in talks for the merger and the deal might be closed within a few months. As per another source, Softbank might favour Ola acquiring Uber India, though the details of the merger are still being discussed.

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In case both the ride-hailing companies go ahead with the merger, it would mark fourth such operation shut down for Uber, after China, Russia and Southeast Asia.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has different plans for India though. An internal statement by him, now present on the company blog states "The great news about our Grab deal is that it allows us to double down to invest aggressively in our core marketsand we consider India very much as core to Ubers success. Wed, of course, look at any deals that can add value to our partners and shareholders, but we believe in controlling our own destiny in India.

As per independent analysts, Uber and Ola celebrate almost the same amount of market share in India. This is a major point of contention in the merger of both these companies.

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Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has once again made a sensational claim by implicating Nairobi businessman Jimmy Wanjigi in Miguna Migunas drawn-out drama with the State.

Through his social media, the controversial lawmaker alleged that the Nasa bankroller planned the whole detention drama to put Odinga in a confrontational position.

Describing the whole saga as sheer madness, Moses Kuria questioned why the Canadian government is yet to complain about their citizen.

Which country would allow someone entry on a document other than what they used to board the plane? How come Canada is not complaining about their citizen? They know this is sheer madness,  wrote Moses Kuria.

He added: This whole drama was planted by Jimmi Wanjigi to put Raila Odinga in a spot. The same he misled Jacob Juma.(sic)

Moses Kuria further detailed how he would have handled Miguna if he was in charge.

If I were in charge I would sedate Miguna with tranquilizers the same way they transport elephants in Masai Mara and send him back to Toronto.

Earlier on Monday, Wanjigi was part of Railas rescue team to JKIA that unsuccessfully sought Migunas release.

During the standoff, Wanjigi was heard asking police officers to arrest him too so he could be in the room where Miguna was being detained with Siaya Senator James Orengo and other members of his legal team.

I also want to be arrested. Please arrest me. Just open the door and put me under custody.

My friend, this is not a jail this is Kenya. Dont spoil a good country. Open and jail me also please, Wanjigi pleaded.

His pleas were, however, declined with Wanjigi attempting to force his way into the room.
Uber has decided to stop testing autonomous vehicles on California public roads by letting its state permit expire on Saturday without renewing it. If the ride-hailing service wants to return to the state, it will have to get a new permit and address any investigations into a crash involving one of its autonomous test SUVs in Arizona that killed a pedestrian, the California DMV said in a letter sent to the company on Tuesday.

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Any application for a new permit will need to address any follow-up analysis or investigations from the recent crash in Arizona and may also require a meeting with the department, said the letter from DMV Deputy Director Brian Soublet. California is the second state in which Uber wont be able to test autonomous vehicles on public roads. On Monday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey suspended Ubers self-driving vehicle testing privileges due to the crash.

On the night of March 18 an Uber autonomous Volvo SUV struck and killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, who was walking a bicycle across a darkened boulevard in Tempe, near Phoenix. Experts have told The Associated Press that the SUVs laser and radar sensors should have spotted Herzberg, and the vehicle should have stopped. In addition, the SUVs human backup driver appeared to be looking down before the crash and had a stunned look when it happened, according to dash camera video released by police.

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Immediately after the crash, Uber voluntarily suspended its autonomous vehicle testing in Arizona, as well as California, Pittsburgh and Toronto. The company said in a statement that it decided not to reapply for the California permit with the understanding that our self-driving vehicles would not operate in the state in the immediate future.

California is a relatively small testing ground for Uber with 29 vehicles permitted for testing. The company has about 200 vehicles at all four testing locations. Uber is still allowed to test on public roads in Pennsylvania and Ontario. Pennsylvania said in a statement that it will work with Uber to ensure any restart of testing is done with safety as the top priority. Ontarios Ministry of Transportation said it is watching developments in Arizona and will consider appropriate measure when more is known.

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The Uber crash is being investigated by Tempe police, as well as the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It has caused angst across the tech and auto businesses, with companies such as Toyota and NVIDIA suspending their autonomous vehicle tests on public roads. NVIDIAs fleet is small in California.

John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo, which is Googles self-driving car unit, has expressed confidence in his companys system and its ability to interact with pedestrians. Mobileye, an Israeli unit of Intel that makes software brains that interpret what sensors are seeing, has called for the industry to discuss a framework to validate the safety of autonomous vehicles.

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Beijing: Close ties between militaries of China and Pakistan will not only help maintain an all weather partnership between the two countries but also the regional peace and global stability, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on Thursdsay.

China's 2.3 million-strong military is the world's largest, and Pakistan has emerged as the biggest consumer of the China-produced military hardware. In the past five years, Pakistan has bought 41 per cent of China's exported weapons, according to analysts.

Pakistan is seeking to make China its main supplier of military hardware, partly due to the looser financial terms offered by Beijing, replacing traditional suppliers from the west.

"China and Pakistan share all weather partnership. We have maintained very high level of defence exchange and cooperation," Chinese military spokesman, Col Ren Guoqiang told a media briefing here.

"At the same time, I am very confident that military cooperation will help facilitate our state to state relationship and also in maintaining regional peace and international stability", he said.

Guoqiang's comments came in the backdrop of China selling a powerful tracking system in an unprecedented deal which could speed up the development of multi-warhead missiles by Pakistan.

Zheng Mengwei, a researcher with the state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of Optics and Electronics in Chengdu, Sichuan province recently.

The researchers told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that Pakistan had bought a highly sophisticated, large-scale optical tracking and measurement system from China and deployed it at a firing range for use in testing and developing its new missiles.

China was the first country to export such sensitive equipment to Pakistan, CAS said.

The Post report attributed the sale of the equipment to Pakistan to India testing the most advanced nuclear-ready intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-V with a range long enough to hit Beijing or Shanghai.

Chinese authorities declassified information about the sale of the tracking system on Wednesday.

While India's single-warhead missiles are bigger and cover longer distances, Pakistan has focused its efforts on developing multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), a type of missile carrying several nuclear warheads that can be directed towards different targets, the report said.

Unlike the US, which accounts for one-third of exports and supplies at least 100 countries, China delivered major arms to 44 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa.

More than 60 per cent of China's exports went to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar and another 22 per cent went to Africa, a recent study report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said.
Varces-Allieres-Et-Risset: A man driving a car with fake licence plates tried to ram a group of soldiers out jogging in southeast France on Thursday, security sources told AFP, sparking fears of a new attempted attack as the country mourns the victims of an Islamist shooting spree last week.

Speaking French and Arabic, the man first threatened a group of soldiers at around 8 am in Varces-Allieres-et-Risset, near Grenoble, and then tried to run down another group returning to their barracks from a jog, the sources added. "The soldiers managed to get up onto the pavement without being hit," army spokesman Colonel Benoit Brulon told AFP.

The driver of the small Peugeot 208 hatchback, who was accompanied by a woman, sped off before being arrested around lunchtime in Grenoble, police and military sources said.

Prosecutors in Grenoble, a town in the foothills of the French Alps, said the incident was not being treated as a terrorist attack for the moment and the motive remained unclear.

The incident comes with France on edge after a jihadist rampage in the towns of Carcassonne and Trebes last week where a 25-year-old gunman killed four people, including a policeman who took the place of a hostage in a supermarket siege.

The people of Trebes paid an emotional farewell to three local victims at a ceremony in the square of the sleepy town on Thursday, held a day after a national tribute to officer Arnaud Beltrame in Paris led by President Emmanuel Macron.

"You fell under the bullets of terrorism and took with you the insouciance of a little town in Occitanie where no one expected to ever experience such happenings," Trebes Mayor Eric Menassi told mourners at the gathering attended by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

The security forces have been repeatedly targeted during the string of jihadist attacks that have claimed the lives of 240 people around France in the past three years.

At least six security force members have been killed during that period. In last week's attack, the Moroccan-born gunman Radouane Lakdim fired at a group of policemen returning from a jog before storming the Super U store and shooting dead two people. He also killed the passenger of a car he hijacked in Carcassonne.

Beltrame intervened during the supermarket siege to take the place of a cashier Lakdim was using as a human shield. But after three hours of negotiations the gunman, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, slit Beltrame's throat before himself being shot dead by police.

Paying tribute to Beltrame at a national ceremony in Paris yesterday, President Emmanuel Macron said his act of self-sacrifice would "remain etched in French hearts".

Lakdim, who had a criminal record for weapons and drugs offences, was on a watchlist of suspected radicals, but authorities had concluded that he did not pose a threat. His 18-year-old girlfriend, a radicalised Muslim convert, has been charged with being part of a terrorist conspiracy.
Cairo: Twenty-five million of the 60 million registered voters, or some 41.5 percent, turned out during the three days of polling that ended Wednesday, state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reported. Twenty-three million voted for Sisi.

The Akhbar el-Youm newspaper did not report the full turnout but said Sisi won 21.4 million votes, and his rival Moussa Mostafa Moussa 721,000 votes, without mentioning the number of spoiled ballots.

According to Al-Ahram, in addition to 23 million who cast valid votes, two million spoiled their ballot papers.

Sisi's sole challenger was the little-known Moussa, himself a supporter of the president, who registered immediately before the close date for applications, saving the election from being a one-horse race.

Moussa conceded his loss on Wednesday night, telling a television station he had hoped for 10 percent of the vote.

"But I know the immense popularity of President Sisi," he said.

Other, more heavy-weight would-be challengers were all sidelined, detained or pulled out.

Sisi, who as army chief ousted Egypt's first freely elected president -- Islamist Mohamed Morsi -- after mass street protests in 2013, won his first term in 2014 with 96.9 percent of the vote.

Turnout down on 2014

Turnout of 47 percent in that year's election was sharply higher than this year's 40 percent despite appeals from Prime Minister Sherif Ismail for voters to fulfil their patriotic duty.

Sisi had praised the turn out.

"The vote by masses of Egypt will remain a testament, no doubt, that our nation's will imposes itself with strength and knows no weakness," Sisi said on his Twitter account late Wednesday.

Boycotters who cannot show good reason for not going to the polls could a face a fine of up to 500 Egyptian pounds (22 euros), the electoral commission has warned.

At a news conference, election commission official, Mahmud al-Sherif, said there had been no violations of Egypt's election law.

Opposition groups had called for a boycott of this week's vote which they labelled a facade.

There were no presidential debates and Sisi himself did not appear at any official campaign events, although he spoke at a number of ceremonies.

In an interview days ahead of the vote, Sisi said he had wished there were more candidates, denying any role in sidelining them.

At a speech before the vote he also called for a high turnout.

"I need you because the journey is not over," Sisi told a mostly female audience. "I need every lady and mother and sister, please, I need the entire world to see us in the street" voting.

Morsi's removal had ushered in a deadly crackdown that killed and jailed hundreds of Islamists.

The initial crackdown on Morsi's supporters expanded to include liberal and leftist secular activists

A jihadist insurgency since has killed hundreds of policemen and civilians.

Sisi gave the armed forces and police a three-month deadline in November to wipe out the Islamic State group in its Sinai Peninsula stronghold.

The deadline has since been extended, and on February 9 the armed forces launched their most comprehensive campaign yet to end the five-year-old jihadist insurgency.

But attacks by the jihadists have continued.

On Saturday, two policemen were killed in a car bomb targeting the provincial head of security for the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. The security chief was unharmed.

Egyptian cities, especially Cairo, have been flooded with banners showing Sisi and messages of support from business owners. Posters vowing support for Moussa, 65, are rarely seen.

While still popular, Sisi has embarked on tough economic reforms that have been welcomed by foreign investors but dented his popularity at home.
Paris: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was ordered on Thursday to stand trial for influence peddling over accusations he offered to help a prosecutor get promoted in return for leaked information about a separate criminal inquiry.

Sarkozy, who is embroiled in several criminal investigations, denies any wrongdoing and has vowed to have all cases dismissed. His lawyers said they would appeal Thursday's decision to try him.

"Nicolas Sarkozy will ... calmly wait for the result of the motion for a declaration of invalidity. He does not doubt that once again the truth will triumph," his lawyers said in a statement. His appeal will be heard on June 25, it said.

The case came about after investigators used phone-taps to examine separate allegations that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi funded Sarkozy's campaign. The investigators began to suspect the former president had kept tabs on a separate case through a network of informants.

Thursday's development came just over a week after Sarkozy, 63, was told he was being formally treated as a suspect in the election campaign investigation.

Sarkozy was president from 2007 to 2012 but was defeated by Socialist Francois Hollande when he ran for re-election. He has since faced a series of investigations into alleged corruption, fraud, favoritism and campaign-funding irregularities.

Under French law, a suspect is not formally charged with a crime unless he is sent to trial.

Sarkozys lawyers had previously argued that magistrates investigating the alleged secret Libyan funding exceeded their powers and went on a fishing expedition by tapping his conversations between September 2013 and March 2014, breaching lawyer-client privilege.

He used the mobile phone account under the alias Paul Bismuth only for calls with lawyer Thierry Herzog.

INFLUENCE PEDDLING

Based on the intercepts, Sarkozy, who still had political influence at the time despite having left office, is accused of having discussed offering a promotion to a prosecutor in return for tip-offs on another campaign funding probe.

That investigation, into accusations that Sarkozy's former party treasurer Eric Woerth and others exploited the mental frailty of Frances richest woman, Liliane Bettencourt, to extract political donations, was dropped without charges.

A source close to the investigation said that along with Sarkozy, Herzog, and the prosecutor would also face trial on the same charges.

Influence-peddling can be punished in France by up to five years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros ($682,000). Sarkozy lost presidential immunity from legal prosecution a month after he left office in June 2012.

Sarkozy, who was called "president bling bling" by many due to his flashy style, has been dogged for years by accusations of wrongdoing, but none has led to a conviction. He is challenging an earlier order to stand trial on charges of illicit spending overruns during his failed 2012 campaign.

After being put under investigation over the Libya probe, Sarkozy went on prime time television to reject those accusations, which he said were making his life "hell".

Sarkozy and his Republicans party have repeatedly called investigations into him politically motivated.

"All this energy wasted on ridiculous matters at a time when all our legal means should be dedicated to fighting terrorism," Olivier Marleix, Republicans lawmaker and long-time supporter of Sarkozy, told Reuters.

One of the many factors that played in 40-year-old Emmanuel Macron's presidential election win in May 2017 was a promise of a clean break with traditional French politics, often marred by accusations of corruption.

Sarkozys predecessor, Jacques Chirac, was convicted in 2011, after his retirement, of misusing public funds to keep political allies in phantom jobs. That made the now ailing Chirac the first French head of state convicted since Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain in 1945.
Washington: On a semiarid Patagonian landscape 85 million years ago, a formidable meat-eater called Tratayenia rosalesi reigned as the apex predator, part of an enigmatic dinosaur group that menaced South America and Australia for tens of millions of years.

Scientists on Wednesday described Tratayenia, a two-legged beast up to about 30 feet (9 meters) long, based on fossils unearthed in Argentina's Neuquen province, adding another impressive dinosaur to the list of those that inhabited Patagonia during the Cretaceous Period.

It was a member of a group called megaraptorids that lived in the Southern Hemisphere from about 105 to 85 million years ago. The group was recognised by palaeontologists only in the past few years, and all of its members  including Tratayenia  are known only from incomplete skeletons.

"Megaraptorids, although still mysterious, seem to have been a pretty badass bunch of predatory dinosaurs," said palaeontologist Matt Lamanna of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.

"Using the remains of different species, including Tratayenia, we can make something like a 'police composite' of a megaraptorid skeleton," Lamanna added. "Megaraptorids had long, low skulls that were crammed with lots of small but sharp and serrated teeth, bones that were riddled with air cavities, and powerful forelimbs that were tipped with absolutely ginormous, wickedly hooked claws on the innermost two fingers."

For Tratayenia, the researchers found about half of the back vertebrae, all its hip vertebrae, some ribs and a fair bit of the pelvis, but none of the skull, limbs or tail.

Patagonia boasted some of the most impressive dinosaurs ever found, including the giant predator Giganotosaurus and the immense long-necked, four-legged plant-eaters Patagotitan, Argentinosaurus and Dreadnoughtus.

"Tratayenia was the largest-known predator about 85 million years ago in Patagonia and perhaps one of the last in its group," said palaeontologist Juan Porfiri of the National University of Comahue's Museum of Natural Sciences in Argentina.

It lived in an ecosystem that included smaller carnivorous dinosaurs including Viavenator, large herbivores such as Traukutitan, snakes similar to boas, crocs, turtles and birds, Porfiri added.

The best-known member of Tratayenia's group is Megaraptor, which lived slightly earlier in Patagonia and wielded 16-inch (40-cm) claws.

"Megaraptorids certainly would have been terrifying to encounter in life: big, heavily armed and powerful, but also probably lighter on their feet than really giant meat-eaters such as Giganotosaurus or T rex," Lamanna said.

The research was published in the journal Cretaceous Research.
Jerusalem: Israel's El Al airline said it appealed on Wednesday to the countrys Supreme Court to cancel the authorisation of direct Air India flights between New Delhi and Tel Aviv via Saudi airspace.

Air India began using the new route on March 22, reducing flight times between the two cities by more than two hours. Saudi Arabia had previously banned flights over its territory bound for Israel, a country with which Riyadh has no official diplomatic relations.

Saudi Arabia has so far not allowed Israeli carriers to use its airspace, and El Al says it is the victim of unfair competition.

"The State of Israel does not understand the extent of the damage caused by the government," said El Al CEO Gonen Usishkin. "Today it is India, tomorrow it will be Thailand and all the east. It is impossible to assess the damage caused by this decision for the company's 6,000 employees."

El Al flights bound for India currently take a detour along the Red Sea to avoid Saudi and Iranian airspace.

The new air link between Tel Aviv and New Delhi was announced in July last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, but it was not until January that the pair suggested it might use Saudi airspace.

Transport Minister Yisrael Katz described Air India's overflight of Saudi Arabia as "historic".

Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump's administration favour the idea of a convergence of interests against Iran between Israel and Arab countries, starting with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi approval of Air India's new route has been interpreted as a sign of a possible rapprochement with Israel.
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thurday warned of a return to Cold War-like tensions between the United States and Russia following the West's mass expulsions of Russian diplomats.

"I think we are coming to a situation that is similar, to a large extent, to what we lived during the Cold War," Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York.

The United States, European nations and NATO countries have announced the expulsion of over 150 Russian diplomats in retaliation for the poisoning of a former spy in England.

Russia on Thursday announced it would expel 60 US diplomats and close a consulate in a tit-for-tat move.

Guterres said he was "very concerned" about the lack of mechanisms to defuse tensions, such as special channels for information-sharing between Washington and Moscow, which were dismantled with the end of the Cold War.

"I do believe it's time for precautions of this sort, guaranteeing effective communication, guaranteeing capacity to prevent escalation," he said.

President Donald Trump ordered the departure of 48 Russian diplomats serving in missions in the United States and 12 from the Russian mission to the United Nations, the largest US expulsion of Russian or Soviet agents ever.

Former US president Barack Obama expelled 35 in late 2016 over alleged election meddling.

Relations between the United States and Russia at the UN Security Council have soured over Syria although Moscow has backed Washington's push for sanctions on North Korea.
The Sandman ended 25 years ago - and is more relevant than ever

Looking back at Sandman and how much it mattered (and matters) to comics
Its a new day and these are the biggest stories on the internet.

North Koreas Kim Jong Un met Xi Jinping on surprise visit to China Kim traveled to the Chinese capital because he felt compelled to personally inform President Xi Jinping of the rapid diplomatic developments on the Korean Peninsula in recent weeks, according to Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency. The visit is a stunning shift for Kim, who appears to be fashioning himself as a leader in search of a peaceful solution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

The US needs to borrow almost $300 billion this week The United States plans to sell about $294 billion of debt, according to the Treasury Department. Thats the highest for a week since the record set during the 2008 financial crisis. Federal revenue is declining because of President Trumps tax cuts, so the government needs to borrow more to make ends meet.

Google loses Android battle and could owe Oracle billions of dollars An appeals court said on Tuesday that Google violated copyright laws when it used Oracles open-source Java software to build the Android platform in 2009. Tuesdays ruling is the latest development in a topsy-turvy eight-year battle between Google and Oracle .

US general warns of hypersonic weapons threat from Russia and China In a series of unusually candid remarks, the US general in charge of the nations nuclear arsenal has issued a stark warning that Russia and China are aggressively developing new high-speed, or hypersonic, weapons that the US currently has no defense against.

Why is China building ECOWAS a $32 million headquarters? Accepting the grant, the president of ECOWAS, Jean-Claude Brou, thanked China and confirmed the organizations commitment to promoting future ECOWAS-China cooperation. A press release said that Brou called this a mark of goodwill from China. But critics questioned the Asian economic powerhouses motives for the donation, which positions it at the center of West African politics.

Playboy: Were quitting Facebook over data scandal The move was announced late Tuesday by Playboys chief creative officer, Cooper Hefner, who is the son of the magazines late founder, Hugh Hefner. He complained that Facebooks content guidelines and corporate policies contradict Playboys values and that the platform in our opinion continues to be sexually repressive.

An unheard-of problem: The President cant find a lawyer Five large law firms are passing on the opportunity to represent the President after a shakeup last week on his private defense team and as he anticipates giving possible testimony to special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. Well-known Washington lawyers cited several reasons for declining the President in recent weeks, according to multiple sources familiar with their decisions.

More than 4,000 eggs and embryos lost in Cleveland fertility clinic tank failure The University Hospitals Fertility Clinic also said about 950 families were affected by the storage tank failure earlier this month. At the time, the facility in Cleveland said it believed about 700 families were affected. In a letter sent to the families, dated Monday and obtained by CNN on Tuesday, University Hospitals said it was sharing the updated information with a heavy heart.

Kim Jong Un Met With Xi Jinping, China Confirms North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in secret with Chinas Xi Jinping this week in Kims first overseas trip since assuming power, Chinese state news reported Wednesday. The news confirms widespread rumors that Kim had unexpectedly traveled to China via an armored train in his first foreign trip as leader of North Korea.

Top Banks Pumped Billions More Into The Dirtiest Fossil Fuels Last Year Some of the worlds biggest banks continue to lend money to support the dirtiest fossil fuels, despite global commitments to tackle climate change, according to a report published Wednesday, which picks out U.S. and Canadian banks as the worst offenders.

Lawyers Explain Why It Might Be Smart Not To Have Donald Trump As A Client WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump seems to be having difficulty finding lawyers to represent him in the widening probe of Russias meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Last week, Trumps lead attorney for the special counsel investigation, John Dowd, tendered his resignation, prompting a White House search that has yet to yield a suitable replacement.

Further Proof Meghan Markle Was Meant To Be In The Royal Family An old home video shows that Meghan Markle was not only fated to become an actress, but that she was also meant to be a part of the royal family. The clip shows the future Suits star, then age 8, playing queen at her friend Ninaki Priddys birthday party in 1990, according to the Daily Mail.

No charges for US police in fatal shooting Two white officers who shot and killed a Louisiana black man in 2016 will not face criminal charges, officials say. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the officers acted reasonably under existing law and were justified in their use of force.

5 songs you didnt know were about God According to a report in The Sun, Justin Bieber is recording a religious concept album. The pop star is said to be on the lookout for songs with a Christian message after reconnecting with his faith through the Pentecostal megachurch Hillsong Church.

Teen hits lottery jackpot on 18th birthday A Canadian teenager has struck the jackpot after buying her first lottery ticket to mark her 18th birthday. Charlie Lagarde, from the province of Quebec, bought the scratch ticket along with a bottle of champagne to celebrate turning 18 on 14 March.

French children to start school at three Children in France will start school at the age of three instead of six, under new reforms announced by President Emmanuel Macron. The change will give France one of the lowest compulsory school starting ages in Europe. But it will only affect a small number of children, as the majority of French families already choose to send their children to school at three.

Will Ferrell is also deleting Facebook Very soon, you wont find Will Ferrell on Facebook. The comedian declared on Tuesday he would be deleting his account within 72 hours, following revelations of Cambridge Analyticas misuse of personal data from the social networks users. In a Facebook post, Ferrell wrote that he always had an aversion to social media, but used it to promote projects from himself and colleagues.

Dude escapes from prison Indiana Jones style by ducking under a closing door Its something straight out of an Indiana Jones movie: guy is captured, guy gets out of his restraints, ducks under a closing door, and guy manages to escape. Except, its from an actual video released by the Porter County Sheriffs Department. Michael Maldonado was arrested on Monday during a traffic stop and brought into the Porter County Jail.

A SpaceX rocket launch blew a temporary hole in Earths upper atmosphere On August 24, 2017, the charged particles of Earths ionosphere were doing what they typically do: hanging out between 37 and 620 miles above the Earths surface, basking in incoming ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Suddenly, and rather rudely from the ionospheres perspective, many of these particles were blown apart as a massive shockwave swept through this layer of the atmosphere.
Ola, Uber head for a merger in India: Check details

New Delhi : Two major cab aggregator services in India - Ola and Uber - are likely to merge operations in the country and the deal is being brokered by SoftBank, said a report.

Cab aggregators, on the other hand, have straight away denied the development and claimed that there are no plans of merger in near future.

However, sources claim that the merger is being done by the Softbank and not the cab aggregators. And it will happen only if Uber gets a major stake in the deal.

Softbank is one of the major investors in both the cab aggregator service.

Recently, Uber had sold its Southeast Asian operations to rival Grab for a 27.5 per cent stake in that company. In October last year, Uber ended operations in China, selling its service to Didi Chuxing.

However, the company has always maintained of keeping a good hold on Indian market. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company will invest whatever we have to in order to succeed in India.

The great news about our Grab deal is that it allows us to double down to invest aggressively in our core markets  and we consider India very much as core to Ubers success we will be more focused on organic growth in the markets that we are operating in, Khosrowshahi told PTI.
Malala Yousafzai returns to Pakistan six years after Taliban's assassination bid

Islamabad : The youngest Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai on Wednesday returned to Pakistan six years after she was shot in head by one of the Taliban militants. Her assassination was attempted for an effort to promote education for girls.

Geo TV reported that Malala Yousafzai's flight - Emirates EK-614 - landed at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport at 1:41 AM. She will be spending nearly four days in Pakistan.

According to news agency ANI, Malala has been scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other influential figures during her stay in the country.

Her itinerary has been kept confidential in wake of senstivity attached to her visit in Pakistan. (RELATED: All you need to know about Malala)

An assassination was attempted on Malala Yousafzai in October 2012. A Taliban gunman boarded the school bus she was travelling in, in the Swat valley on October 9, 2012, and asked Who is Malala? and shot her. The Taliban later said that they shot her as she was pro-west and promoting western culture in Pashtun areas.

Malala was honoured with a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 which she shared with Indian childrens rights activist Kailash Satyarthi.
Legal watchdog group files FOIA lawsuit for documents related to political activities of Alt-Left George Soros foundation

Slowly but surely the world is closing in on billionaire George Soros and his Alt-Left empire of Marxist interference in the political processes of one country after another.

And nowhere is there a more dogged pursuer of Soros truth than conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch, which recently filed Freedom of Information Act lawsuits in order to find out how much meddling the Soros-funded Open Society Foundation has done in the electoral processes of Colombia and Romania  in part with U.S. tax dollars.

From the organizations website:

Judicial Watch announced today that it filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits against the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for records relating to their funding of the political activities of the Soros Open Society Foundations of Romania (Judicial Watch v. U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (No. 1:18-cv-00667)) and the Soros Open Society Foundations of Colombia (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:18-cv-00668)).

The suit against the Romania chapter was filed after the State Department and USAID declined to respond to an Oct. 16, 2017, FOIA request from Judicial Watch for the following documents, among others:

 Any records pertaining to grants, contracts or other allocations/disbursements of money by the State Department to the Open Society Foundation  Romania and/or its personnel and/or any OSFR subsidiary or affiliate;

 Every assessment, report, evaluation or similar records tied to the work of the Romanian chapter and/or its affiliates and subsidiaries.

The suit against the Colombian chapter seeks virtually the same documentation and State Department/USAID disbursements of funds to include these entities: Fundacion Ideas para la Paz; La Silla Vacia; DeJusticia; Corporacion Nuevo Arco Iris; Paz y Reconciliacion; Global Drug Policy Program; and news portal Las Dos Orillas.

Several Soros-funded entities and projects in Romania, as in other parts of the world, are also funded by American taxpayers. For instance, Judicial Watch reported, the Romanian Center for Independent Journalism  supported by the Open Society Institute in New York  received $17,000 recently from the State Department.

And about a year ago, in February 2017, Laura Silver of Open Society Foundations was reported to have condemned illiberal governments in the Balkans  Macedonia, Albania and Romania  for working against Soros-funded NGOs.

Attacks by illiberal governments on George Soros are an attempt to deflect attention from their own failure to address unemployment, corruption and poor economic prospects, Open Society Foundations chief communications officer Silber said, adding: Civil society plays an important role in holding governments accountable and making democracies stronger; we are proud to support organizations who work to improve peoples lives. (Related: Michael Savage RAGES at George Soros but gives POTUS Trump some GREAT adviceif he takes it.)

Civil society. Thats a joke, right? Because even in his home country of Hungary (Soros does have U.S. citizenship), his meddling is being called out and investigated. The Daily Caller reported in July 2017:

After a two-year battle to keep migrants out of the country, Hungary has directed its full attention toward one of its own: billionaire investor George Soros.

In Hungarian public life there is a single important element which is not transparent: Soross mafia-style network and its agent organizations, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, said then.

Judicial Watch noted further that in 2016, Soros various Open Society Foundation chapters gave some $3.3 million to groups that were operating in Colombia. Several of the same groups have also been funded by the United States.

That means State was funding the same Alt-Left political causes that Soros funds.

It is time for Americans to be allowed to see State Department documentation regarding the public funding of Soros Open Society Foundations, said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. The billionaire George Soros needs zero assistance from taxpayers to promote his far-left agenda abroad.

See more at Soros.news.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

JudicialWatch.org

TheNationalSentinel.com
The downtown Stamford site of a former jazz club is tuning up for a new establishment.

La Perle Restaurant & Bar is scheduled to open this spring at 15 Bank St., according to signs posted in the front windows. It would fill the vacancy left by 9th Note Jazz Supper Club, which closed in January 2017. The space previously housed Grand Nightclub & Restaurant.

This would be a restaurant serving great American cuisine infused with flavors from around the Caribbean, says an excerpt on La Perles website. The owners wanted to serve guests from all over (including) those who would be open minded, adventurous and inquisitive about food.

The new establishment will serve lunch and dinner, as well as weekend brunches. It will operate Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to late, according to the website.

Co-owners and cousins Peter Medoit and Smith St. Juste were inspired to launch La Perle by a post-game dinner during a 2016 trip to attend a Dallas Cowboys game, according to the website. They then enlisted good friend Harold J. Felix to join them in the new venture.

La Perle will be looking to make a longer run than 9th Note, which lasted about 14 months. Operating as Stamfords only jazz club, 9th Note featured Cajun cuisine accompanied by nightly performances.

We couldnt ever get a crowd down there, club owner Chris ODowd said in an interview last year. We couldnt make it a scene. Its a bummer, but we gave it a year.

Bank Street comprises part of a dining corridor around Columbus Park that has recently seen substantial turnover. In the past couple of months, Laylas Falafel at 245 Main St., Aria Restaurant at 1033 Washington Blvd., and Aguapanelas at 84 W. Park Place have closed. Aguapanelas lasted only about three months following its debut last November.

Among other potential newcomers, painted signage for a Factory Bar & Grill has been displayed on the facade of the building at 261 Main St. for several months, but the establishment has not yet opened.
As the end of the month approaches, Connecticut Christians are getting ready for Easter. But just how much of the state will be celebrating?

In 2014, the Pew Research Center conducted an in-depth study into the religious breakdown of the United States based on telephone calls with 35,000 Americans from all 50 states.
TOLLAND  Trooper First Class Kevin M. Miller had just recently reached the 19-year mark of his time as a Connecticut State Police trooper.

Miller died Thursday from injuries he sustained during a crash that happened while he was on duty, according to a statement issued late Thursday afternoon from Connecticut State Police Commissioner Dr. Dora B. Schriro. Miller was assigned to Troop C in Tolland.

The Department of Transportation reported the crash, involving a tractor trailer and a vehicle, on Interstate 84 between exits 68 and 69 in Tolland shortly after 12:30 p.m.

That stretch of the highway remained closed as of 8 p.m. By 9 p.m., the left lane had been reopened to traffic. By 9:10 p.m., state police spokeswoman Kelly Grant said all lanes had been reopened.

Late Thursday afternoon, a massive gathering of police and fire units lined Interstate 84 late Thursday afternoon in Hartford, awaiting the procession that was taking Miller to the medical examiners office in Farmington.

Hartford police Deputy Chief Brian J. Foley said several ramps of I-84 westbound were closed throughout Hartford County as the procession made its way through the city.

Please give your thoughts and prayers to the Troopers in Troop C Tolland, Foley said earlier Thursday afternoon.

Prior to serving with Troop C in Tolland, Miller served at Troop K in Colchester and Troop E in Montville.

Miller graduated from the Connecticut State Police Academy on March 19, 1999.

We are grateful for his dedicated service to the Connecticut State Police and residents of Connecticut, Schriro said. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.

Malloy expressed similar sentiments.

We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by the tragic loss of Trooper First Class Miller  a man who dedicated his life to serving the people of Connecticut, Malloy said. On behalf of the entire State of Connecticut, I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and state police colleagues.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said the state is forever grateful for his service.

Trooper First Class Kevin Miller was a veteran of the state police  his death is a shock and a tragedy, she said. Our hearts are with his family and friends, and his brothers and sisters at the Connecticut State Police as they mourn his loss.

Flags will remain at half-staff until burial or memorial services are held, Malloy said. All other flags  including state, municipal, corporate or otherwise  should also be lowered. There will be further information released when flags should be returned to full-staff.

Public Safety Committee Co-chairs Sen. Tim Larson, D-East Hartford, Sen. Tony Guglielmo, R-Stafford and Rep. Joe Verrengia, D-West Hartford released a joint statement about Millers death Thursday evening.

On behalf of my colleagues in the state legislature Id like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of State Trooper Kevin Miller. We want to express our sympathy and let you know that our thoughts are with you, Larson said.

Its just a very sad event for everyone in the state. Its sad when a young person with a family passes and when its someone who has dedicated his life to public service, it hits home even more so, Guglielmo said.

My thoughts and prayers are with Trooper Millers family and colleagues during this difficult time, Verrengia said.
RIDGEFIELD  Principal Stacey Gross was named 2018 Outstanding High School Principal by the Connecticut Parent Teacher Association this week.

Gross will be honored with other educators given the CT PTAs Outstanding Administrator Awards at a dinner ceremony in Rocky Hill next month.

(We are) thrilled that CT PTA recognized what so many of us have long knownthat Dr. Stacey Gross is an outstanding principal in every sense of the word, said Noelle Aronson and Carrie Hanlon, Ridgefield High School PTA co-presidents, in a statement. She is compassionate, collaborative, supportive and motivating.

Gross joined Ridgefield High School in 2012 and was previously a principal and assistant superintendent in Greenwich.

Dr. Gross is a phenomenal principal, acting Superintendent Robert Miller said. We are excited, proud, and honored that Dr. Gross has been recognized by the Connecticut PTA for this outstanding and well-deserved award.
Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media

DANBURY  Wildman Steve Brill will return to Tarrywile Park Sunday to lead community members on a foraging tour.

The popular guide will teach attendees about the plants, including those that are edible, that can be found in the park. Attendees will be able to try chickweed, which tastes like corn-on-the-cob, and daylily shoots, which taste like the savory ingredients found in Chinese food, according to a release.
Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has denied claims that the party sought the services of embattled data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica.

Tuju further downplayed reports that negative social media campaigns against opposition leader Raila Odinga influenced the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

He was speaking in an interview with Channel 4 News on Tuesday, a day after Raila Odingas interview with the British news programme.

Tuju said Jubilee saw no reason in seeking such services to manipulate voters since Kenyans are seldom influenced by online messaging as is the case with the Western world.

I can assure you that even if they offered that kind of service we would not look for it because the dynamics of voter behaviour in this country is completely different from what you would have in your countries, said Tuju.

The secretary general, however, admitted that Jubilee sought the services of Cambridge Analyticas parent company Strategic Communications Laboratories (SCL) to run political adverts for Uhurus campaigns.

We did a lot of research especially focus group discussions and they were responsible for looking at focus group discussion results and which fed into production of communication material like posters and billboards.

He said it wasnt necessary to seek data assistance in crafting the campaign messages because Jubilee party understands the profile of Kenyas political arena.

Tuju said campaign posters and billboards were developed based on the unique voting patterns of each county in previous elections.

He also denied claims that the party may have paid Harris Media, a US-based political media company, to run the polarizing online campaign adverts The Real Raila and Uhuru for Us.

No, and we would have no reason [to pay Harris Media] to do it [run the adverts].

Tuju said Jubilee did not bother finding out the firm behind the smear campaign even after some of the messages painted Uhuru in a bad light.

I saw some ads which were very adversarial to our own presidential candidate president Uhuru Kenyatta but knowing the penetration of social media and what effects it would have in voter behaviour modification, we would not be bothered by it.

The Secretary-General said the government had no way of stopping the polarizing posts from circulating because we dont even have the address [of Harris Media].

It was very unfortunate that we had that kind of campaign, Tuju said, noting that similar ads caused the 2001/08 post-election violence.

We are as a party hoping that we can make that transition from the very ethnic polarized campaign to a more policy-driven campaign, he added.

Tuju explained that the online smear campaign during politics was a global problem that wasnt unique to Kenya.
A former staff member for Rep. Elizabeth Esty said she was punched, screamed at and threatened with death by the congresswomans then-chief of staff, who after being fired in 2016, went to work for Sandy Hook Promise on Estys recommendation.

After 'Me Too,' women want justice; lawyers have bad news for...

Esty admits to paying the former chief of staff, Tony Baker, a $5,000 severance  money she said she has personally repaid to the U.S. Treasury  and giving a favorable recommendation to Sandy Hook Promise for a job from which he was apparently fired.

The Connecticut Democrat said she accepts blame for her delayed action on reports of Bakers misconduct, and the firing protocol recommended by the House counsels office is inadequate.

But in a series of interviews, Esty insisted she did not know the young female staffer  Anna Kain, who has since gone public with her allegations  had been in a relationship of any kind with Baker, let alone an abusive one.

In anticipation of possible criticism by the former staffer, Esty said she feels she was mistaken in several actions she took, including what she described as the limited recommendation for a job he subsequently took as Sandy Hook Promises Ohio state director.

Bakers last day at Sandy Hook Promise was Monday, said Andrew Ricci, a friend and spokesman for Baker. He could not

confirm the reason for Bakers exit, but it was likely connected to the trickling out of Bakers record of alleged abusive behavior while serving in Estys office.

Ricci said Baker, in agreeing to a protective order obtained by the staffer, did not admit guilt, and he denied punching the woman.

Efforts to contact Kain through an intermediary did not yield an interview.

Esty faults herself for not immediately suspending him upon hearing of a May 2016 incident in which Baker allegedly threatened Kain in calls and text messages witnessed by friends and associates at a Capitol Hill bar.

While accepting blame for the job recommendation, Esty explained it as an outgrowth of the House counsels recommendation to reach a nondisclosure agreement with Baker and ease his transition into the world outside Capitol Hill.

I was conflicted at (that) time, but less so now, Esty said. He had made efforts to get counseling and treatment. I believe in second chances for people.

Accusations of violence

Esty fired Baker on July 20, 2016, after an investigation she commissioned showed a pattern of abusive behavior culminating with the May 5 alcohol-infused reunion of former and current staff members. It was Cinco de Mayo, which is marketed by bars as a drinking date on par with St. Patricks Day.

It is not clear what, if any, interaction Baker had with the female staffer at the bar. But according to an affidavit for a protective order subsequently filed by the former staffer, Baker, now 36, called her cellphone about 50 times and left messages saying he would track her down and kill her. Esty said she never heard any of those messages.

The affidavit, which became the basis for a temporary protection order and a yearlong civil protection order, stated Baker had punched her in the back at Estys Washington office, screamed at her and told her if she reported him to House ethics officials, he would prevent her from getting another job.

Throughout the Winter of 2014, respondent (Baker) repeatedly screamed at petitioner (the former staffer) in the workplace, making the woman feel intimidated and caused petitioner to feel she could not report respondents actions without putting her safety at risk, the affidavit stated.

The former staffer filed a police report for felony threats, but the U.S. Capitol Police said they could not immediately locate it.

Ricci said since Baker left Sandy Hook Promise, Ive talked to him a lot over the last couple days, and hell be OK.

He added Baker is living in Columbus, Ohio.

Hes spent a lot of time over the past two years becoming a stronger person, Ricci said. I know hes been living a sober life, and I can tell you anger management was really helpful.

The former staffer, now 29 and still living in Washington, left Estys office in March of 2015.

Her relationship with the chief of staff appears to have been consensual at first. The reason for the shouting and abusive treatment is unclear, but the sources said she did try to break off the relationship.

Coming forward

The sources, who spoke on condition they not be identified, said Kain initially wanted to keep the abusive treatment quiet. But in the wake of the #metoo movement and the crescendo of prominent men  including President Donald Trump  in the crosshairs over allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, she decided she no longer feared public exposure. Hearst Connecticut Media learned of her accusations and obtained documentation she filed in court.

The sudden advent of the #metoo era brought forth a tectonic shift in procedural norms in sex-abuse cases, Esty said, and she got caught up in the ensuing tilt.

That someone like Esty should come under scrutiny for her handling of a case of sexual abuse is unusual.

Esty, 58, in her third term as representative of the 5th Congressional District that encompasses Danbury and the northwest part of the state, is a supporter of issues focused on women, including pay equity and paid family leave.

In addition, she boasts an office wall of bills she has navigated through Congress to enactment  a list that includes promoting womens entrepreneurship, getting women and girls interested in aerospace careers and breaking up the sex-trafficker transportation pipeline.

A veteran of the Cheshire Town Council and the Connecticut General Assembly, Esty is well versed in the politics of policymaking and appearances. As a Yale Law School graduate and former D.C. law firm practitioner, she is skilled on questions of legal rights and procedure.

In the interviews, Esty insisted she followed the recommendations and procedures set forth by the House counsels office for terminating an employee  and she had little choice in the matter.

But in doing so, she said, she came to understand the rules were aimed at protecting House members and the institution, even if it was designed to cover it up, sweep it under the rug, as she put it.

In past cases, the rules have been used to keep sexual misconduct, typically by male lawmakers, under wraps. Reports on misconduct by veteran Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., and former Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., led to the highlighting of a Congressional slush fund used to pay staff victims.

Amid the #metoo disclosures, the House last month approved legislation to overhaul the way Congress handles sexual misconduct allegations. But the bill has languished in the Senate, with no sign of passage in sight.

Without a legislative kick in the pants, Congress remains a series of independent fiefdoms, in which you are the lord or lady within your own office, Esty said. Theres no HR department, no standard employee handbook. Each member decides vacations, maternity leave  it makes no sense.

Esty said she confronted Baker upon learning of the misconduct after the 2016 reunion party. She said she required him to seek immediate help for alcohol abuse and anger management while she commissioned inquiries into the relationship in both her Washington and Connecticut district offices.

Esty received the D.C. report back in July, in which a former staff director, Julie Sweet, substantiated the accusations against Baker. Esty said she immediately discharged Baker. Under supervision, she said, he collected his personal belongings, surrendered access to sensitive documents, and returned the key he possessed to her Washington apartment.

Limited recommendation

She told Baker she would not recommend him for a job in Washington and suggested he go back to Ohio, where he had grown up. Esty said she did not try to find him a job with Sandy Hook Promise. But when the organization inquired about him, she said, she supplied what she termed a limited recommendation dictated by the NDA.

The delay in firing Baker and the job recommendation reportedly has left current and former staffers scratching their heads in dismay over a lawmaker seemingly in sync with #metoo could have made so many missteps, the sources said.

Part of her explanation for not realizing what has going on in her own D.C. office was that she generally spends only three or four days a week in D.C. when Congress is in session, and she is back in her district and at home in Cheshire for weeks at a time when Congress is not.

Whatever the case, the sources describe a climate of fear in which staffers were loath to complain about Bakers cavalier, manipulative manner because they perceived him as being close and indispensable to Esty. Complaints to Esty would only result in career-ending backlash from Baker, sources said.

Esty herself said in retrospect she realized Baker was very good at managing up to me, while hiding abusive treatment of subordinates. If someone is adept at that and youre getting accomplishments and no one is telling you otherwise, you dont see it.

Baker began work in November 2016 as Ohio coordinator for Sandy Hook Promise, co-founded by family members of those who died at the Dec. 14, 2012, mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Sandy Hook Promise sponsors education and training for schools, teachers, students and community organizations to identify potentially dangerous youth and get them help before shootings occur.

In an email response, Nicole Hockley, who lost her son, Dylan, in the Newtown shooting, said Baker was not employed by Sandy Hook Promise.

For her part, Esty has barred dating relationships among staffers, and has implored all of them to immediately inform her when anything is amiss.

I certainly regret that people didnt come to me sooner, she said. It continues to trouble me that they felt they couldnt. We need to change that. I am changing that.

In retrospect, she characterized the episode as a cautionary tale.

If theres one thing I regret, its that it happened at all, she said.

Editors note: The article has been updated to include the alleged victims name.
HARTFORD - Gov. Dannel P. Malloys energy and climate agenda garnered only lukewarm support Thursday as a key committee passed the legislation while demanding major changes to accommodate environmentalists and other interests.

"The bill passed by committee will help further Connecticuts goals of increasing accessibility of residential rooftop solar, redoubling our commitment to renewable energy, and combating the effects of a changing climate," Malloy said following the vote.

But despite the governors enthusiasm, many members on the General Assemblys Energy and Technology Committee were less than enthusiastic as they voted to move the bill out of committee so more work could be done on the legislation.

State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, and a usually reliable ally for Malloy on environmental issues, said he has major reservations about portions of the bill.

"The original bill brought to us by [the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection] is so far from where we are," Steinberg said.

"Some of the things that have worked well for Connecticut and the jobs we have created  we are putting at great risk if we embrace DEEPs change at this point," Steinberg said.

While portions of the governors legislation  reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent, for example  are supported by lawmakers, other sections are not. At stake is the complicated question of how to keep electric companies from losing big money as solar arrays and rooftop installations bite into their business.

Malloys plan would replace the current net metering system for solar energy to a flat rate. Under the net metering system, homeowners and businesses receive a credit on their electric bill for the solar power produced, which supporters say results in savings.

Emma Cape, campaign policy manager for Sunrun Inc, a residential solar provider in Hartford, said Malloys bill would kill Connecticuts rooftop solar industry, which she said employs thousands of people.

"The legislation proposes doing away with net-metering, which is a common-sense billing structure used across virtually every state that fairly compensates solar homeowners for the excess energy their system sends to the grid and neighbors," Cape said.

"Net metering keeps homegrown solar energy affordable for families, local businesses, churches and so on," Cape said. "We suspect the pressure to do away with net metering in Connecticut is coming from monopoly utilities rather than the governors staff."

State Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, said hes concerned with the administrations approach regarding solar power.

"I support moving it forward," Winfield said of passing the bill so further work can be done on it.

"But Ive gotten the same emails concerned about what we do with solar," Winfield said. "I get it: we do need the bill. The vote is not one of support but that there is a process here to get to what we want to do."

"The solar community in my district is important and we have to be careful where we tread," added state Rep. Chris Perone, D-Norwalk.

"I dont think this bill is ready for prime time yet. I will be moving it along but plan to not support it if there are not changes amenable to folks impacted the most," Perone said.

A bill opposed by utility companies to expand shared community solar arrays easily passed the committee.

The bill expands the states allowable amount of shared solar energy to 300 megawatts, from a six-megawatt limit under a pilot program offered by the state. Shared solar involves erecting large arrays capable of powering entire neighborhoods or condominium developments.
Ten years ago, undoubtedly sparked by the 2008 recession, freelancers began building the foundation of the gig economy, with marketplace upstarts like ours, 99designs, along with Airbnb and Taskrabbit and others introducing new ways to connect buyers with services -- and people with sources of income.

Related: 10 Lucrative Side Gigs for Millennials Looking to Earn Extra Money

Today, many of these peer-to-peer pioneers have expanded globally and evolved. Thanks in part to the technology and social advances -- the launch of Google Maps, smartphones loaded with GPS capabilities, the growth of Facebook and social sharing -- these companies simultaneously embodied and sparked a new way of thinking, behaving and buying.

99designs, too, has evolved based on the ebb and flow of the gig economy and customer needs. The company, which was originally best known as a logo contest site for startups, now has a network of designers around the world and serves customers from 193 countries across 90 categories of design -- from app development to websites to tattoos and book covers. And we've expanded beyond the strict confines of contests to offering new, more direct ways to connect and work with designers on the platform, along with tools designed to help agencies and businesses source creative talent on-demand. Obviously, we're not alone in our journey to adapt and evolve with a society that's increasingly expectant of on-demand services and comfortable with peer-to-peer transactions across geographic and cultural borders.

As I look back at where we've come since those earliest days and ahead at the next 10 years, it's easy to see a few of the key factors I believe will most directly impact the future of the gig economy. The winning marketplace brands in 2028 will be those who successfully account for and leverage the following three movements:

1. Artificial intelligence makes your business smarter.

AI is like having the smartest data scientist working on your business 24/7. While we're still some time from mass AI implementation, those who aren't scared off by data and algorithms are reaping the rewards. A recent Deloitte survey says 83 percent of the most aggressive adopters of AI and cognitive technologies have already achieved either moderate (53 percent) or substantial (30 percent) business benefits. Customers expect automation. AI provides it. If you don't catch on soon, expect your competitors to leapfrog over you.

Related: The Gig Economy Is Reinventing the Enterprise -- Don't Get Left Behind

AI as a service is the real groundbreaking trend that I see pushing it mainstream. The fact that we can just utilize IBM Watson or Google or Amazon's versions via public APIs effectively allows anyone to use this computing power to solve many problems.

Already, AI is successfully driving better connections between sellers and customers on several platforms. For example, professional services marketplace JustAnswer (which connects people with certified professionals like doctors, lawyers and tech support technicians for help) launched an AI chatbot that answers simple questions, helps qualify leads and more effectively connects its customers with one of the site's experts. AI brings greater intelligence and efficiency to the process, resulting in better close rates, a higher percentage of paying customers and a better customer experience.

At 99designs, we already see AI playing an increased role in helping us better identify the ideal match between customer needs and preferences (based on criteria noted on the design brief) and specific designer whose skills, style aesthetic and experience meet those needs. Recently we introduced a "Find a Designer" tool that utilizes this technology and we only see this building from here. In the future, I see us deploying virtual design assistants who work with our human designers to help them define and then extract a customers design brief through intelligent chat bots, extracting and converting files and then deploying and maintaining them wherever they are being used, doing research, collating images, etc.

2. Globalization gets a boost from emerging and established collaboration tools.

Advanced platforms are more effectively pairing companies and talent across the globe, enabling them to compete for bigger business or simply open up new revenue streams. Take Globality. The company uses a B2B matchmaking platform to connect multinational corporations with pre-qualified consultants around the world. The service enables small to medium-sized companies to leverage freelancers and consultants with strategic expertise in certain geographical regions in order to contend for big contracts worldwide.

Related: Side Gigs Are a Thriving Part of the Economy That Economists Probably Aren't Measuring Very Well

You can also expect to see more companies offering services that make it easier to do business across different regions of the world, and this will have a direct impact on marketplace businesses. Companies like Welocalize and Unbabel offer translation and localization services.

Machine learning/AI applications (as mentioned above) enabling real-time translation services will have a huge impact on the globalization of the gig economy. Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon are already providing real-time translation APIs for text and voice. The Google pixel buds with real-time voice translation embedded is a sign of things to come and will open the world up further.

Communication is the key to collaboration, and therefore doing meaningful human-centered work. If we can open the world up, so anyone can effectively communicate with anyone from anywhere, anytime.

3. Companies tap into the needs of the enterprise.

While consumer platforms like Airbnb, Amazon and the like drove the first wave of peer-to-peer marketplaces, companies are adapting their business models to capture new sources of revenue from corporate enterprises.

Related: Top 5 Ways Freelancers Can Stay Competitive in the Gig Economy

Uber for Business promotes its enterprise service as "digital headquarters for all your company's ground transportation." The service offers a way for administrators to manage trip activity, billing and set parameters for employee travel. Similarly, Airbnb caters to enterprise needs by offering safe, Wi-Fi-enabled workspaces for solo travelers or business teams looking for a productive environment off hotel row. On 99designs, we recently launched a "Pro" platform that makes it easy for companies to find and work with topnotch design talent.

In addition, newer upstarts like Gigster and Paro.io are connecting corporate customers with freelance talent across diverse industries on demand. Companies can look to Gigster's pool of freelancers if they need software developers and engineers, or to Paro.io if they need vetted financial analysts, CFOs, CPAs and bookkeepers.

Looking toward the horizon, there are few signs the gig economy is slowing down, no matter what the larger political or even financial markets future holds. Those marketplace businesses that have the foresight to harness these trends are likely to be leading the pack for years to come.

Related:

Tomorrow's Gig Economy Marketplaces Are Smarter, Larger and More Global

Don't Confuse Driving for Uber With the Freelancer Economy Powering America's Entrepreneurial Boom

Think the Gig Economy is of Interest Only to Small Tech Outfits? Big Companies Are Diving in, Too.



Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Worshipers will gather on the patio, facing east toward the rising sun, in a program featuring hymns, music and poems by Maya Angelou. The Rev. Lynda Hyland Burris sermon, On the Pulse of Morning, also will be based on Angelous verse, and she also will read one of her original poems.

A community breakfast will follow from 7 to 8 a.m., and the congregation will begin its main holiday service at 10:30.

Contact the church for more information at 707-255-9426 or cpcnapa.org

St. Marys Episcopal Church will mark the coming of Easter in its courtyard at 1917 Third St., with worship beginning at 6:30 a.m., the Rev. John Morris preaching, and music provided by John Wheeler on the guitar and his wife Susan Wheeler on flute. Coffee and doughnuts will be served afterward.

Other Easter services are scheduled for 8 and 10 a.m. at St. Marys.

For more information, call 707-255-0991 or visit stmarysnapa.org

St. Helena

St. Helena United Methodist Church will host an Easter sunrise service at The White Barn at 2727 Sulphur Springs Road, with worship starting at 6:30 a.m.
Researcher Matthew Fisher is leading the $1.2 million QuBrain project to see if the human brain utilizes any quantum computing. Fisher asserts that nuclear spins (at the core of the atom, rather than the surrounding electrons) could provide quantum computing in the human brain.

Extremely well-isolated nuclear spins can store  and perhaps process  quantum information on human time scales of hours or longer, he said. Fisher posits that phosphorus atoms  one of the most abundant elements in the body  have the requisite nuclear spin that could serve as a biochemical qubit. One of the experimental thrusts of the collaboration will be to monitor the quantum properties of phosphorus atoms, particularly entanglement between two phosphorus nuclear spins when bonded together in a molecule undergoing biochemical processes.

Helgeson and Alexej Jerschow, a professor of chemistry at New York University, will investigate the dynamics and nuclear spin of Posner molecules  spherically shaped calcium phosphate nano-clusters  and whether they have the ability to protect the nuclear spins of the phosphorus atom qubits, which could promote the storage of quantum information. They will also explore the potential for non-local quantum information processing that could be enabled by pair-binding and disassociation of Posner molecules.

Tobias Fromme, a scientist at the Technical University of Munich, will study the potential contribution of mitochondria to entanglement and their quantum coupling to neurons. He will determine if these cellular organelles  responsible for functions such as metabolism and cell signaling  can transport Posner molecules within and between neurons via their tubular networks.
MILFORD  If they can raise another $3,500 to make the trip to Houston, four winning Platt Technical High School students will get a life-altering chance to work alongside NASA engineers at the Johnson Space Center on an app designed by the students.

The four students studying Information Technology Systems at Platt are among three high school teams in the nation to receive the honor for their appto assist astronauts with a planning tool that gives personalized reminders for astronauts in the space station. The other teams are from Maryland and Wisconsin.

Being able to put a NASA project on your resume is pretty darn impressive, said Platt department head Tom Viola, who quipped that he didnt realize he was such a good instructor.

Viola said they only found out a week ago that they were chosen and are scrambling with fundraisers, because, Not every one of these kids can come up with all the money. Were not asking students to pay anything.

Their project  the Crew Personalized Mission Reminder Tool  uses mission data from NASAs Playbook mission planning tool to create a personalized reminder tool for the astronauts, allowing them to easily see what they need to do daily and personalize the regimented schedule of each astronaut to be self-monitored ensuring optimal efficiency and safety of each crew member, Viola said.

Platt students on the team are: Austin Art and Ethan Feldman both 15, of Milford; Justin Kelly, 16, of Derby; Shayne White, 15, of West Haven.

Viola said the plan, if the goal were realized, would be to leave from Hartford on April 24  if they can buy tickets  and the next day will sit with NASA engineers, answer questions about their prototype and all work together on blending the best facets of each into a single app . Viola said theyve already experienced emailing and consulting with the NASA engineers in a chance of a lifetime.

Its almost like theyre part of that team  Invaluable experience on resume, Viola said.

Viola said it was all the talented students work, writing codes as well, that led them to be chosen for NASA HUNCH Design and Prototyping Final Review at Johnson Space Center. Viola said he and another instructor were there for support.

The NASA HUNCH program  High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware  partners NASA with high school students and involves students fabricating real-world products for NASA as they apply their science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills as well as learning to work in teams and think creatively.

Viola said they have rooms booked, but need to raise money for airfare. The state, facing a budget crisis, cannot provide any funds, Viola said, so theyre turning to the public for help.

Aside from running fundraisers, they have set up a GoFundMe account.

For more information or to help support the students please contact: Tom Viola at 203-882-4021 or thomas.viola@ct.gov; Anya Farber at 203-783-5385 or anya.farber@ct.gov; Ed Martinez at 203-783-5375 or Edward.martinez@ct.gov.

Anyone wishing to send a check can make it payable to Platt Tech PFO, with HUNCH trip in note area and mail it to 600 Orange Avenue, Milford, Conn., 06460. Platt is a state school that draws students from 20 towns and cities.
MILFORD  The Democratic political backing couldnt have been any stronger when James Maroney formally announced this week that he is running for state senatorin the 14th district.

State Sen. Gayle Slossberg, who is retiring after 14 years in the position, said at the announcement that while everyone probably thought she was smiling over retirement, it was really because she was happy to be standing next to Maroney, a former state representative, a friend and the best choice to succeed her.

James has the experience, the intelligence and the persistence to be a great state senator, Slossberg said.

There was also the strong message among speakers that Maroney, a small business owner, dedicated family man and lifelong city resident, is a person of good character  And not the kind of character we have in the White House, Democratic party leader Rich Smith said.

Smith said Maroney is well regarded and respected on both sides of the aisle.

People find him approachable and down to earth, Smith said.

Maroney, a former state representative in the 119th Districtand local small business owner, said he is overwhelmed with the support he has so far, and looks forward to serving residents of Milford, Orange, West Haven and part of Woodbridge. While he grew up in Milford, Maroney has strong ties to all those communities.

Serving is a tremendous opportunity to impact the lives of many people, Maroney said. Theres a need for thoughtful leadership  Its time to bring civility back.

Maroney said one of his strengths is the ability to listen to what people are saying, internalize and synthesize the information to come up with possible solutions and bring people together.

In an interview before the formal announcement, Maroney said the economy and education are among his priorities.

How do we build Connecticut to get away from where we are? he said. We need to build a start-up economy, Maroney said, noting Connecticut has some of the top students in the world.

He said there is no easy solution, to the states budget woes  it cannot be about adding taxes, he said, but rather about controlling costs.

We need to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem and a start-up mentality, he said. We cant buy a top company from another state; no, we need to grow our own new companies, as we are just a few successful startups away from once again having a thriving economy.

Maroney said there should be a focus on filling some 13,000 advanced manufacturing jobs because for every job filled there will be a multiplier of three to five times in the creation of other jobs.

Maroney, a 1996 graduate of Yale University, where he received a bachelors degree in economics, left a job on Wall Street to raise a family and now owns a small local business, Test Prep, which prepares students to take standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT and offers other services to prepare them for college. He is married to Dr. Jennifer Ju and they have a young son, Jay.

Higher education has always been a priority for Maroney, and in continuing his track as a state representative will look for ways the state can extend access to higher education for everyone.

Maroney, who has held many volunteer positions in the city, said some of his ideas include expanding apprenticeships, partnering with companies in order to get them to offer tuition, and looking at ways to partner with volunteers who will help students navigate FAFSA  Free Application for Federal Student Aid  to make the most of accessing financial aid that is available and to help in persistence.

We need to teach students today for the jobs of tomorrow, Maroney said. The key is to reach students where they are  How do we leverage the resources we have?

Mayor Ben Blake also wholeheartedly endorses Maroney.

Our communitys future will be in good hands with James Maroney as a senator  hes honest and hard-working, smart and sensible  theres not a phony bone in his body, Blake said. James knows this community and is always there to serve. Most importantly, hes respected and ready to roll-up his sleeves on day one to represent Milford, Orange, West Haven and Woodbridge.

Maroney said at his announcement  held at Founders Walk , project he conceived and saw through to the end even after his state representative tenure ended  that Slossberg leaves big shoes to fill in Hartford.

You have shown that it is important to be independent, thoughtful, carefully watch every dollar, and most importantly, serve your constituents well, Maroney said, referring to Slossberg. Your constituent service has been second to none. I have learned from your example, and if you dont mind, I plan on leaning on your experience as we move forward.

Maroney told his enthusiastic crowd of supporters this week that, While we need to respect our history, we need to recognize that times are changing and see how we can be true to ourselves while retooling for the new economy.

He said everyone needs to work together: government, business, and neighbors, to build a better future for our children and grandchildren.

I believe that Connecticuts best days are still ahead of us, but that it will take thoughtful leadership, shared sacrifice, and teamwork to get there, Maroney told supporters.
As anxiety and depression among college students soars, universities in Connecticut and nationally are expanding their mental health counseling, even offering courses that address mental well-being.

A new national report from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State found anxiety and depression were the top concerns of students seeking counseling services, and self-harm behaviors have risen for the seventh year in a row. In another survey, 57 percent of directors of college counseling services said the severity of student mental health concerns increased between 2015 and 2016. And according to a National College Health Assessment survey, 9.1 percent of college students reported being diagnosed in the last year with a psychiatric condition.

We have seen an increase this fall compared to last fall of almost 30 percent in students requesting to be seen by our counseling service, said Kerry Patton, director of health and wellness at Quinnipiac University. Over the last few years, anxiety has surpassed depression as the most common reason students at Quinnipiac are seeking counseling services.

At the University of Connecticut, the number of students who have visited counseling services nearly doubled in the last year, jumping from 1,563 in the 2015-2016 term to 2,831 in the 2016-2017 term. We are a very popular office, said Elizabeth J. Cracco, Ph.D., the director of counseling and mental health services at UConn.

Mental illness can be especially challenging for college students, who are suddenly on their own and often far away from their support system of family and friends. It can affect not only their well-being and social life, but their academics. According to the NCHA study, 24 percent of students reported that anxiety affected their academic performance, leading to a lower grade on an exam or project or for the entire course, or receiving an incomplete or dropping the course completely.

Mental health experts have pointed to a number of factors that may be causing the uptick in mental health issues, with social media use and overprotective parenting high on the list.

There is a theory that the amount of time students are spending with technology and reduced amount of time with peers hanging out has increased the amount of anxiety theyre experiencing, said Cracco. Social anxiety is the top type of anxiety UConn students report.

Social media has become another way of being excluded, said Peter Chlebogiannis, a student at Quinnipiac, who formed a National Alliance of Mental Illness club on campus.

Students struggle because they feel socially obligated to go out and post pictures of themselves on Instagram, and that pressure can be intense, he said.

During her first semester at the University of Connecticut, Kate Sanders, 21, of Farmington, barely left her dorm room. Though she had suffered from anxiety and depression in high school, it had been under control. But the transition to a large college knocked her off her feet.

I basically had a resurgence of horrible anxiety and depression. I didnt have my high school friendships to fall back on, and it was hard for me to form new relationships, she said.

Her depression and anxiety began to lift second semester, with the help of an on-campus job, which forced her to leave her dorm room, and accommodations from her professors.

Social media also exacerbated Sanders loneliness. I think a lot of people make it look like theyre never lonely on social media, she said. That made her wonder why she was the only one not adjusting well.

Experts are also finding that in general students are less resilient than past generations. They are less able to cope with disappointments, manage stressors like the workload, or cope with change. Compounding that problem are the increasing academic pressures.

Theres a lot of pressure at the university level to perform at their best, to compete in an environment where so many other kids are perceived as being smarter or having greater opportunities than them, said Marc Brackett, Ph.D., director, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

The juxtaposition of the pressure to succeed, which seems to be greater and greater, coupled with being socially isolated because of technology, is hurting students, he said.

That led Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos to create a course called Psychology and the Good Life, which this fall had 1,200 students or nearly one-quarter of Yale undergrads enrolled.

As a professor and head of college here, I learned that college students are often more stressed out and anxious than people think, said Santos. I wanted to develop a course that could teach students concrete strategies on how to be a little happier and less stressed.

The course, called The Science of Well Being, will be available online at Coursera beginning this month, Yale announced.

Getting help

In fact, many students suffering from mental health issues dont get the help they need. A 2014 study of Yale Law School students found only 50 percent of students who considered seeking clinical treatment for mental health issues followed through. Common reasons for not seeking treatment were distrust of Yale Healths quality of service, excessive wait times, confidentiality policies, as well as general distrust of the value of therapy.

Cultural and family values can also make students hesitate to seek help. I know students who worry about disappointing their parents or convince themselves that theyre being dramatic, said Chlebogiannis.

For students who do seek help, many colleges do not have enough resources to handle the caseload. About 42 percent of college counseling center directors say they increased the number of full-time staff between 2015 and 2016. Still many centers dont offer psychiatric services on campus. According to the survey, only 64 percent said they did, up from 55 percent the year before. The majority of directors said their number of psychiatric hours available for students did not meet the needs of students.

Were always able to address emergencies, but sometimes that could cause wait lists for non-emergencies, says Quinnipiacs Patton. Wait time could be up to two weeks.

At Fairfield University, there are six full-time mental health clinicians, three part-time clinicians and two part-time psychiatrists for a student population of 4,000. We want to make sure students can make an appointment and not have a long wait time, says Karen Donoghue, dean of students at Fairfield.

UConn is working on creative ways to reach more students with less staff, including group counseling that focuses on mindfulness and teaching skills for coping with anxiety.

We need to do a better job preparing students adequately for college, said Yales Brackett. When kids get their acceptance letter, they think, Im going to be the happiest person in the world. Theyre not thinking of the reality, having a new roommate, the social pressures, the academics, he said.

Laurie Tarkan is a Conn. Health I-Team writer. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org).
NORTH HAVENQuinnipiac University honored three activists Wednesday for their work on civil rights and racial discrimination during the 30th annual awards ceremony in the Ceremonial Courtroom.

Quinnipiac University Black Law Students Association awarded Bridgeport attorney Michael Koskoff, of Westport, with the Thurgood Marshall Award, given in honor of the first African American to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Koskoff is a principal attorney at Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder in Bridgeport. Throughout his law career he has promoted civil rights and civil liberties in Connecticut, going back to the 70s when he and his father defended the Black Panther Party in New Haven, the university stated. Koskoff has written extensively about employment discrimination and has worked to promote representation of minorities in police and fire departments.

The Thurgood Marshall award is given by the BLSA each year to recognize an outstanding person in law, education or politics, who exemplifies Marshalls dedication to the advancement of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights. Recently, Koskoff and his son, Jacob, wrote the screenplay Marshall, which celebrates the life of Thurgood Marshall and the 1941 trial that Marshall won in Bridgeport.

Isa Mujahid and Camelle Scott-Mujahid, both of New Haven, received the BLSAs Community Service Award for their efforts behind CTCORE-Organize Now! The organization builds communities of racial justice freedom fighters to dismantle systemic and structural racism in Connecticut, according to the university. Their platform focuses on criminal justice reform, education equity, economic justice and environmental justice/health equity. Mujahid is the founder and organizing director and Scott-Mujahid works as the training director.

A child and grandchild of Civil Rights Era activists, Mujahid has been involved with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, the ACLU of Connecticut and FaithActs for Education before forming CTCORE-Organize Now!

Scott-Mujahid is a member of People Against Police Brutality and is active in New Havens Black Lives Matter movement. Shes been organizing in New Haven for the past 10 years, including work with Teach Our Children, Youth UnleashED, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, the Perrin Family Foundation and now CTCORE.
The Napa County Office of Education will host an Achievement Gap Roundtable on April 11 that will explore ways to achieve greater equality in education.

Assemblymember Tony Thurmond will be joined by Carl A. Cohn, executive director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, Barbara Nemko, Napa County superintendent of schools and others.

They will talk about closing the achievement gap experienced by students of color, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, English language learners and students with disabilities.

The roundtable will be from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Napa Valley Unified School District Education Center, 2425 Jefferson St., Room 205, Napa.

People can attend in person or by phoning dial-in number: 712-770-4010, access code 267256.

To RSVP, contact Maryam Shabazz at Maryam.Shabazz@asm.ca.gov.

For more information, contact Mary Nicely at mary.nicely@asm.ca.gov or call 510-286-1400.
The conventional wisdom now is that the Parkland teens have rewritten the script on gun politics. But will passion translate into votes in November? The Democrats wont like the answer. Maybe, maybe not.

Nearly a million people marched in Washington and here in Connecticut over the weekend demanding immediate action on gun violence. But young Americans have a horrible track record when it comes to voting. The Democrats should hope for the best but stay realistic.

It would be different if cultural forces created a feeling of duty around voting, and we may be seeing the makings of such a culture (more on that in a minute). So far, however, voting for most young people isnt an obligation of citizenship. That means Democrats appealing to young people cant depend on them showing up. Older Americans, meanwhile, turn out like clockwork, and most of them vote for the Republican Party.

Democrats have been predicting the rise of the youth vote for decades. After the voting age was lowered from 21, pundits predicted that young people opposed to Richard Nixon and the Vietnam War would turn out in droves for Democrat George McGovern in 1972. They didnt.

Even when the youth vote mattered, as it did for Barack Obama, it didnt matter as much as people said it did. During the 2008, Washington was abuzz with stories about young Americans taking us into a new post-racial era. Time magazine said Obama was both catalyst and beneficiary of the phenomenon in piece titled The Year of the Youth Vote.

But fact is, Obama didnt depend on the youth vote as much as he appeared to. According to voting data compiled by the University of Michigan, the Obama campaign made contact with 94 out of every 100 senior citizens. How many people out of every 100 under 30?

Twenty-three.

Youth voting did rise in response to the Iraq War, the financial collapse, and Obamas message of hope, but only enough to put the former president over the top. Michael P. Wattenberg, a professor of political science at the University of California Irvine, calculated that voting among white Americans rose by only 2 percent between 2004 and 2008.

Then everything changed.

The youth vote vanished. For the 2010 midterms, 18 percent of 18- to 30-year-olds participated. It got worse for Obamas second midterm: 15 percent. It was as if young voters believed that after electing the countrys first African-American president their work was done. It wasnt.

That, unfortunately, is the reason the Republicans are far from panicking about the impact in November of the many thousands of young Americans calling now for common sense gun control. Motivation is fleeting, said a GOP strategist told The Associated Press.

This energy were seeing right now is in March. The election is seven months away. It takes a lot to keep up this enthusiasm, added Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, director of the Tufts Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

But the Parkland teens may be doing something more important. They may be inspiring a return to civic engagement, something that may evolve into a culture of duty. That should not be that surprising. For these teens, Obama and his boundless appeal to hope is the political norm just as Ronald Reagan was the norm for the generation before them.

Americans, Obama said in his final speech, must take responsibility for democracy. Not just when theres an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. A hallmark of citizenship, Obama said, was to show up, dive in, stay at it.

I think thats whats happening with the womens march, the #MeToo movement and now the Parkland teens. Donald Trumps election sparked something like an awakening. The youth vote may not congeal by November, but it will over time. That much we can hope for.
This is the time of year when college majors probably garner the most attention - from high school seniors who often need to pick one to complete their admissions applications and from undergraduates returning home after the fall semester wondering if they made the wrong choice.

Plenty of guidebooks and websites exist for picking a college, but by comparison, relatively few resources exist to guide students in choosing a major. Several reports about majors that landed in my email inbox recently highlight why the decision is so fraught for so many students who see it as tantamount to choosing a career. The data about majors are often confusing and sometimes contradictory. Here's some of what I learned from reading these studies.

- - -

Men and women segregate themselves by major. Men major in engineering and computer science; women major in nursing, education, social work. That's the conclusion from a forthcoming study to be published by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.

Women constitute just 10 percent of electrical engineering majors, 8 percent of mechanical engineering majors and 20 percent of computer science majors. Meanwhile, only 12 percent of nursing majors are men, and men represent 14 percent of majors in social work and 4 percent in early childhood education.

Anthony P. Carnevale, the Georgetown center's director, says segregation by major partly explains the gender gap when it comes to pay after college because men tend to choose majors that pay more.

"The shift from an industrial to a post-industrial economy has benefited women generally, but college-educated women not so much," Carnevale said. "Men chase the money, while women chase their passions even in the same field."

College officials who see these trends play out on their campuses are reluctant to talk about them out of fear their comments might come off as sexist. Women, they say, pursue their passions - whether it pays off or not - while men go for the money. "We really narrowly define passion," said Laurel Kennedy, vice president for student development at Denison University, where within six months after graduation, women are three times more likely than men to be employed in service fields, such as AmeriCorps or Teach for America. "We don't talk about the ability to care for your family as a laudable goal."

- - -

Majors are changeable. For all the anxiety around picking a major among high school students, it's very likely they will change their mind. Some 52 percent of students change their intended major between the time they first take the SAT or ACT and the time they apply for college, according to Royall & Co., a firm that assists colleges with their student recruitment.

If students don't change their major before they get to college, they might once they are there. A report released this month by the U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics found that nearly one-third of first-time college students change their majors at least once within three years. Students who chose education or humanities as their first majors were more likely to switch than those who selected business or engineering. The major most likely to switch: math.

Students change majors for a variety of reasons. In the case of math, it might be it turns out to be more difficult in college than it was in high school. In other cases, students see jobs up close as interns and decide a field is not for them. Or they succumb to pressure to pick a practical major their parents think will lead to a job.

Despite conventional wisdom, choosing a major early on - even before arriving on campus - and sticking with it doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll get out of college any faster, or even on time. Indeed, students who settle on a major the first semester of freshman year graduate at slightly lower rates than those who decide on one their second semester, according to research by EAB, a higher education consulting company, based on six years of data involving more than 78,000 students. After that, it doesn't much matter.

- - -

Watch where you get advice about choosing a major. More than half of students turn to their family and friends for counseling on picking a major, according to a survey released this fall from Gallup and the Strada Education Network. But the study found that those most common sources of advice were also the least useful.

When asked what advice was most helpful, 83 percent of students cited advice from employers or co-workers or from people with experience in an intriguing line of work. That's well above the scores of 66 percent for college counselors and 61 percent for high school counselors.

The problem is few students turned to those more formal sources of advice. Only 20 percent said they got advice from informal work sources; 11 percent had sought guidance from a high school counselor; and 28 percent from a college adviser.

Students today are commonly told they should follow their passions and find a mission in life, but very few 18-year-olds or even 22-year-olds have enough experience in the world to know what truly excites them. Pick a major that interests you, but allow it and external experiences to help shape, not dictate, your mission in life. While you should consider different majors and you should keep your options open for a while, don't think you can do anything you want. Talent and drive matter to success in most majors, of course. You can't major in physics, after all, if you're terrible at math.

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Selingo is the author of There Is Life After College, about how today's graduates launch into their careers. He is former editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education, a professor of practice at Arizona State University, a trustee of Ithaca College and a visiting scholar at Georgia Tech's Center for 21st Century Universities.
ANSONIA  On Wednesday, exactly 50 years to the day when civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, the city will gather to remember the dream lives on.

A celebration of Kings life and legacy, featuring an unveiling of a bronze bust created in his honor, will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ansonia Armory, 5 State St.

The historic moment will feature community members from local schools, churches and the city to witness the bust of King created by Albanian-born artist/sculptor Vasil Rakaj, an Ansonia resident.

Rakaj, who attended the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts, is an international artist whose works include a 6-foot-tall statue of Mother Teresa created in 1996. His works have appeared at the White House, Buckingham Palace, the United Nations and the Vatican.

The Valley-Wide Dr. King Bust Committee has been working for more than a year to raise funds to complete the project. Ansonia will be only the second city in the state to have a bust honoring King, according to the Rev. Alfred Smith Jr., pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church. The other is in New Britain.

The Ansonia bust will be installed at Veterans Memorial Park.

This bust will be proof positive that with all of us, black, white, Hispanic, working together, we can do great things, Smith said.

Macedonia Baptist Church, along with area churches, community members, Mayor David Cassetti and others, wanted to see a bust created to ensure Kings legacy lives on, Smith said. According to the churchs mission statement, the idea behind the bust is to memorialize the transformative legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and to inspire the Ansonia community and surrounding Valley communities with love, equality, justice and compassion for all Valley residents.

Cassetti is proud the busts home will be Ansonia.

I think it is a fitting tribute to a man who fought his entire life for equality for everyone in a peaceful way, and led by his Christian beliefs, Cassetti said. I think we would all do well to follow in his footsteps. This will serve as a reminder of that for anyone who passes by.

For some, the importance of the bust had to do with the citys history.

Its no secret that Ansonia has had its share of challenges as it pertains to race, said Ansonia Chapter NAACP President Greg Johnson. There have been times when some have viewed the town as biased and unwilling to compromise. Thats why the unveiling of Dr. Kings bust is that much more significant here. In and of itself the unveiling of a monument to one of the most prominent members of the civil rights movement is cause for reflection and celebration, but when its unveiled in a town that has had high profile racial tensions is a positive step in the right direction. I look forward to more steps, walks and leaps in that direction.

For information and to donate to the project, visit: http://macedonia

bcac.org/mlk-bust.
A Michigan college student filled a pothole with an entire box of Lucky Charms, added a gallon of milk and lay down to enjoy his breakfast.

The 22-year-old Eastern Michigan University student, who wanted to be identified only as Andrew, scooped spoonfuls of marshmallow bits, toasted oat pieces and milk out of the hole in Trenton. Then, he posted video of the stunt on Twitter.
I think its just important that the public know, we take this very seriously, Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza said. We need to make sure the county is protected, the elections are protected, independent of what happens to Mr. Tuteur. Hes on his own course and he will have to prove himself in that arena.

Supervisor Ryan Gregory said the best management right now is to let Tuteur complete the June 5 election with his knowledgeable staff, unless something comes up.

But its great to know the Secretary of State has our back, so if something did happen unexpectedly, we would get the help we need to put on a good election, Gregory said.

State assistance would probably be limited, County Executive Officer Minh Tran said.

Dillon said that, because the Registrar of Voters post is part of an elected office, the Board of Supervisors hasnt had a role in succession planning, as it does for departments with appointed heads.

When he addressed the Board, Tuteur talked not about the grand jury or the possibility of an appointed Registrar of Voters, but rather the June 5 election. One issue he brought up is a court case over Measure C, the watershed and oak woodlands protection initiative.
The music filled the courtroom Wednesday, introduced by insistent beats and the wail of a siren. Sitting at the defense table, wearing baggy blue jail garb, the rapper Earl Simmons, known as DMX, nodded as a recording of his voice spit out lyrics he had written about his life.

I split

And said that Ima be that seed

That doesnt need much to succeed

Strapped with mad greed

And a heart that doesnt bleed

The recording of Slippin, was played by his defense team as Mr. Simmons faced sentencing for tax evasion in Federal District Court in Manhattan. The aim of the unusual audio presentation, according to a letter by Mr. Simmonss lawyer, Murray Richman, was to give the court a sense of raw Earl.

In court, Mr. Richman compared his client to the likes of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Byron and Keats.

Its spectacular and its meaningful, he said of Mr. Simmonss rapping. Its so catchy, it talks to you.
By late Wednesday, the governors office was assuring lawmakers that the proposal, which was obtained by The New York Times, was merely a draft, and an early bid in what was expected to be heated negotiations over any redevelopment plan.

Penn Station is currently untenable. It is congested, chaotic and poses a serious threat to public safety in this time of heightened terrorist threats, said Dani Lever, press secretary for Mr. Cuomo, noting that the state was already investing in a new train station across the street from the current station. She added that the proposal was lawful and would include consultation with community leaders and elected officials, environmental reviews and local government reviews.

But early reaction to the initial proposal, which was reported by Politico New York Wednesday afternoon, included concern that such a impactful, long-ranging plan could be adopted so quickly for the neighborhood.

State Senator Brad Hoylman, a Democrat who represents the area surrounding Penn Station, described the local community boards as preserving the character of their neighborhood.

Wiley Norvell, a communications adviser in City Hall, said the city has been in talks for months with the state, the M.T.A. and Vornado, a major property owner in the Penn Station vicinity, over possible development plans for the area. But Mr. Norvell said that there had been no discussion of the sort of proposal that the Cuomo administration is now floating. He said the city first saw the proposal on Wednesday and did not get the text of the proposal from the governors office.
Since 1851, obituaries in The New York Times have been dominated by white men. With Overlooked, were adding the stories of remarkable people.

SEOUL, South Korea  When a call for peaceful protests in support of Korean independence came in spring 1919, a 16-year-old girl named Yu Gwan-sun became the face of a nations collective yearning for freedom.

Yu was a student at Ewha Haktang in Seoul, which was established by American missionaries as the first modern educational institution for women in Korea. On March 1, 1919, Yu and four classmates joined others taking to the streets with cries of Mansei! (Long live Korean independence!) in one of the earliest protests against Japanese colonial rule. Amid the demonstration, the Declaration of Independence  written by the publisher Choe Nam-seon and signed by 33 Korean cultural and religious leaders  was recited at Seouls Pagoda Park.

The next day, protest organizers came to Ewha Haktang and encouraged Yu and her peers to join a student demonstration to be staged in three days. On March 5, she and her classmates marched at Namdaemun, a gate in central Seoul. They were detained by the Japanese authorities, but missionaries from the school negotiated their release.
In 2011, Brown vetoed CPECs state financing, which put it out of business even though it remains in state law. He acknowledged the need for better higher education planning and suggested that the stakeholders work things out.

Four years later, in vetoing one of the predecessors to AB 1936, he again acknowledged the need, but added, I am not convinced we need a new officeto get the job done.

Brown is right about that. Rather than reviving CPEC with a new name, the Capitols politicians should be admitting that the master plan is obsolete and writing a new version that deals with 21st century realities rather than mid-20th century suppositions.

However, Brown has been unwilling to take on the task he says is needed, even though his father, former Gov. Pat Brown, helped give birth to the original master plan. Higher education reform thus joins the list of difficult, unsexy but vital issues that Brown says need attention, but that hes left untouched, such as reforming the states outdated and dangerously imbalanced tax system and overhauling the cumbersome California Environmental Quality Act.

Therefore, the higher education conundrum will fall to the next governor, who will either rise to the occasion or continue Browns legacy of neglect.

CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.
Boeing said on Wednesday that it was hit by a cyberattack that some Boeing executives identified as the same WannaCry computer virus that struck thousands of computer systems in more than 70 countries around the world last year.

In an internal memo, Mike VanderWel, chief engineer of Boeing Commercial Airplane production engineering, said the attack was metastasizing and he worried it could spread to Boeings production systems and airline software.

We are on a call with just about every VP in Boeing, Mr. VanderWel wrote. The memo called for All hands on deck.

WannaCry is a particularly vicious form of what is known as ransomware  malware that locks up victims computers and data with encryption, until attackers extortion demands are met, often in the form of the virtual currency Bitcoin. Even for victims who agree to pay, decryption is not always guaranteed. The City of Atlanta was hit with a different form of ransomware last week and was still reeling from the fallout on Wednesday.
To accept to die so the innocent can live, that is the essence of what it means to be a soldier. Others, even many who are brave, would have hesitated.

PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON, of France, at a memorial for Col. Arnaud Beltrame, a gendarme who was killed after he took the place of a hostage during an ISIS attack on a supermarket in France.
Over the weekend, in a debate on local television, Ms. Lesko called for an investigation into the claims of sexual misconduct by Mr. Trump, a striking statement from a candidate who had otherwise praised the president. Im not the president, she said, and I dont use his rhetoric and I certainly am not going to sexually harass anyone.

But later, in an interview at her home, she said she had misspoken.

I didnt mean a formal investigation by government or something like that, she said. I just meant it needs to run its course.

At the bowling alley, Kathe Wilson, 67, an accountant, said that she had watched Sundays 60 Minutes interview and believed much of what Ms. Clifford had said. But she said that it would not sway her from Mr. Trump or Republican candidates.

Personally, she said, I dont care what he did 12 years ago.

At a nearby Arbys, Cheri and Bob McGunagle said they had not even bothered to watch. Because of Ms. Cliffords work as a pornographic film star, she has less credibility, said Mr. McGunagle, 75.

Her style of life and what she does and how she conducts herself isnt the Christian way, and were Christians, he said.

Ms. McGunagle, 73, said she thought Ms. Clifford was angling for a spot on a reality television show. I just hope shes not on Dancing with the Stars, she said, because theyre going to lose a fan.
CARACAS, Venezuela  At least 68 people died when a fire erupted during a riot at a jail in the northern Venezuelan city of Valencia, the attorney general said late Wednesday.

The announcement came hours after crowds of anguished family members had gathered outside the facility, some weeping and others facing off with police officers in riot gear. The Venezuelan news media reported that the police used tear gas. Officials had released little information throughout the day.

I dont know if my son is dead or alive! cried Aida Parra, the mother of a prisoner, the Spanish news agency EFE reported. They havent told me anything.
Chief Bellegarde said that the popes direct apology in 2015 during a trip to Bolivia for grave sins committed by the church against Indigenous people in the Americas gave him confidence that a similar apology over residential schools was still possible.

The schools operated from 1883 until the last one closed in 1998. The commission found that children were severely punished for speaking Indigenous languages or following their cultural practices. It concluded that 3,201 students died while in the schools, often from mistreatment or neglect. About 80,000 former students are still alive.

Pope Francis has tried to decentralize authority away from the Vatican and giving more authority to local bishops. And while some in the Vatican bristle at the notion that the pope should have to answer to a request of a secular government, the more important factor could be what guidance came from the bishops in Canada.

The big question is what is the position of the Canadian bishops on this, said Thomas Reese, a veteran Vatican watcher and senior analyst at Religion News Service. If the bishops are saying Dont do it, he is getting mixed signals and he tends to support the local bishops. Mr. Reese added that for him to turn down the bishops and the government, that would be noteworthy.

Some in the Vatican have worried about the legal implications of apologies in cases with potentially large damages. About 50 Catholic organizations agreed to a financial settlement in the case of residential schools but were unable to raise enough money to fully cover the commitment. A 2015 court ruling released them from fulfilling the agreement.

Yet popes have recently made a habit of public apologies.

After apologizing for Catholic involvement in the slave trade, the churchs treatment of Jews and treating Galileo as a heretic, Pope John Paul II issued in 2000 a sweeping blanket request for forgiveness for the churchs sins over the past 2,000 years. Recognizing the deviations of the past serves to reawaken our consciences to the compromises of the present, John Paul II said.
Our guide to dance performances.

JANE COMFORT at La MaMa (April 5, 7:30 p.m., through April 8). For 40 years, Ms. Comfort has made compelling dance dramas that investigate timely issues while experimenting with ingredients like spoken text and polyrhythms. She celebrates this impressive anniversary with a retrospective that samples from her large repertory, featuring a vast cast of former and current company dancers. Among the works that will be performed are Four Screaming Women (1982), which combines speedy gestures and words; Faith Healing (1993), a nontraditional take on The Glass Menagerie; and an updated version of the 2016 work Amazing Grace, with sign language and a speech by Donald Trump.

212-475-7710, lamama.org

DANCE THEATER OF HARLEM at City Center (April 4, 7 p.m., through April 7). In 1974, the celebrated performer and choreographer Geoffrey Holder created Dougla, a dance inspired by indigenous wedding rituals in his native Trinidad. The welcome revival of that majestic work is the highlight of Dance Theater of Harlems short spring season, which begins with a gala on April 4 that also includes works by Dianne McIntyre, Robert Garland and Marius Petipa. Three additional performances feature Dougla as well as ballets by George Balanchine and Christopher Wheeldon, plus the New York premiere of Darrell Grand Moultries Harlem on My Mind, set to the music of jazz greats.

212-581-1212, nycitycenter.org
Creative Time, the New York-based nonprofit arts organization that is known for large-scale public art projects, has chosen Justine Ludwig, who has served as deputy director and chief curator at Dallas Contemporary, as its next executive director.

The appointment ends a nine-month search for a new leader at Creative Time. Ms. Ludwig is to take up the post on June 15.

Her predecessor, Katie Hollander, a Creative Time veteran, was chosen in 2016 to fill the shoes of the organizations longtime, Anne Pasternak, who departed for the Brooklyn Museum. Ms. Hollander left Creative Time in June after a year and a half as executive director.

We are thrilled to be working with Justine, Jon Neidich, Creative Time board member and head of the search committee, said in a statement. Her commitment to social justice and devotion to the realization of artists dreams make her the perfect person to further Creative Times role as a leading voice in public art, both nationally and beyond.
The Brazilian artist Erika Verzutti is in her late 40s, but her work exudes the exploratory energy of youth, mellowed by older, wiser emotional warmth, especially in her unusual combination of materials. In Ex Gurus, her first commercial gallery solo in New York, Ms. Verzutti uses raw bronze, gold in color, as canvas; combines papier-mache with concrete; and in Cemetery Inline, makes a bumpy Carl Andre floor piece resembling a ragtag row of tombstones from chunks of cobblestone, unbaked clay and papier-mache with color added. More subtly, Ms. Verzutti pits the translucence of oil paint against the implacable opacity of acrylic.

This contrast is especially evident in Floral, where the shapes of a wilting flower and perhaps a beehive carved into the surface of raw bronze, are veiled in blue or yellow; dots of acrylic jump all around them like bees. Ms. Verzutti usually creates a specific physical place for color in her bronze surfaces (see the extremely satisfying Astrology). Except when she doesnt: In Homeopatia, arguably the shows star, lozenge-shaped indentations of brilliant color dot the raw bronze surface while other lozenges are painted flat on the surface, which creates strange spatial ambiguities. It resembles a painters palette and an entomologists beetle collection.
PARIS  There is an ocean of lower-priced art and collectibles that are not often featured in live auctions at Sothebys and Christies, or in media coverage of a market whose newsworthiness generally depends on dizzying salesroom highs.

It is an ocean into which the vast majority of individuals who would like to buy art can afford to dip their toes. So where can value be found?

Drawings are a very good way to enter the market, said David Breuer-Weil, a London-based artist who was among many collectors in Paris recently for the 27th annual Salon du Dessin and its accompanying auctions.

Its not a compromise: A drawing is the essence of artistic creation, Mr. Breuer-Weil added. You can get close to an artist you admire in a way thats affordable.